Disclaimer: I do not own Haruhi Suzumiya and/or Inception or anything related.
A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! It really keeps me going! XD Also, this chapter alternates in-between real time and flashbacks.
Also, this is a long chapter, with hints of Ariadne/Cobb and a good Arthur/Eames banter.
WARNING: If you have not seen Inception yet, then go see it before you read this. It goes without saying that there will be MAJOR SPOILERS for the movie.
Also, for this fic, I assume that Cobb got back to reality. Screw whether the top falls in the end, I've got fanfiction.
Title: The Inception of Haruhi Suzumiya
Synopsis:
Dom Cobb thought that his life as an extractor was over. He didn't realize that while he was no longer an extractor, he would be asked to become an inceptor. And his first target after the Fischer job? A girl named Haruhi Suzumiya.
Chapter 5: The Architect
Eames paced around the hotel room. It's been three months since Cobb called them out for another job, and around six months since the successful Inception on Fischer Jr., yet he still can't seem to grasp the fact that he's flown halfway around the world, just to plant an idea on a sixteen-year-old Japanese school girl's mind.
He looked out to see the Japanese city skyline.
Clearly, Saito has lost it. Either that or he, Eames, was dreaming.
He clutched a small poker chip in his hands, playing with it, feeling its weight. It feels like how it's supposed to feel, and the Forger tosses it around for quite some time seeing if it will land on the right side.
The chip always landed on heads. Just like the way it's supposed to be.
He breathed a heavy sigh, knowing full well that this was not a dream. Saito must have really gone mental.
He then heard a soft knock on the door.
"That door's open. You could come in."
Arthur stood in the doorway.
"Saito called. Meeting's about to start. We'll all proceed to the penthouse."
"You can't just leave me out of this. Cobb, you hear me! You can't just do that to me!" Ariadne shouted.
Eames sniggered. Arthur raised his eyebrows at Cobb, who was torn between exasperation and amusement, looking at the young Architect's infuriated face.
"Ari…"
"Don't you dare call me 'Ari', Dominic Cobb!"
"Ouch. The full name." Eames winced."Well then, I guess we'll leave you two to talk about this… Arthur, darling, we must be someplace else, and leave the two to their lovers' quarrel."
"Don't. Call me. Darling." Arthur muttered through gritted teeth, as Eames dragged the young man by his arm, leaving Cobb to deal with Ariadne.
As soon as the two men left, Cobb turned to face Ariadne.
"Well… I just came by to see you." He said.
"Oh sure. That's normal, Cobb, to fly from America to Paris, just when you feel like it? You know, for a skilled thief, you don't know how to make a plausible lie."
Cobb opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what he wanted to say. He really couldn't understand why, but he can't seem to lie to this girl
"Okay. You've got me. I'm doing another job."
"I thought you wanted to quit?"
"Saito… he…"
Cobb sighed.
"Did Saito threaten you to accept this job?"
"He did."
"He didn't keep his word." Ariadne muttered.
"Well… He never mentioned the Fischer job to be the last one."
"So you're here to…"
"…to find a new Architect." Cobb continued.
"I'm not gonna be your Architect?" Ariadne's eyes widened in surprise.
While Ariadne was dazed with Cobb's words, the Extractor made his way outside the college, leaving her behind.
"Arthur darling, is Cobb back from work?" Eames asked, putting his arm around the shoulder of the young man.
The Point Man cringed at this very action. Eames doesn't know how to respect personal space. The narrow hotel hallway seemed insufferable with every second they spent there. It's a long way to go until they reach the penthouse.
"Your face is way too close, Eames. Put it away." Arthur said in a serious tone. "And please… Don't call me darling. It's just wrong."
Eames removed his arm from Arthur's shoulder and held it up, waving them up in the air in surrender.
"I was only joking, Arthur. C'mon. It's like you don't know me at all."
"Shut up, Eames."
Eames stifled a hearty laugh as the Point Man shot daggers at his direction.
"And to answer your question, Eames," Arthur said, changing the topic. "No, Cobb isn't back from work yet."
"I hope he's not troubled with 'after-school' meetings with schoolgirls." Eames laughed. "That's too much of a comic book cliché."
"Seriously, Eames, what 'comic books' are you reading?" Arthur raised his eyebrows at the Forger, who folded his arms in laughter.
"Who's reading what?" a voice came from an adjacent room.
"Well, I'm glad you're all here." Saito growled.
This was the old warehouse they used for planning the Fischer inception. Saito looked at the team: the Extractor, the Point Man, the Forger, the Chemist, and…
His eyes narrowed. There was someone missing.
"I do not see Ms. Ariadne here." Saito said, putting his hand below his chin. "Where is she, Mr. Cobb?"
"Ah… looks like Cobb here broke up with her." Eames joked.
Arthur smirked. Yusef looked at Cobb in surprise.
"I didn't think you were the type, Mr. Cobb." Saito sneered.
"That's not true… I…" Cobb sighed. "I didn't ask her to be the Architect this time. She's got her own life now."
"I'm a bit… concerned, Mr. Cobb." Saito said. "We cannot have a team without an Architect. And besides, Ms. Ariadne is one of the best, if not the best Architect out there."
"True. I've never seen someone build like that, ever." Cobb gave out a defeated sigh. "Don't worry… I-I'll find us a new Architect. But please, I need you to wait a little longer."
"Mr. Cobb. This job cannot wait." Saito said, lightly tapping the table. "The inception must be performed on Haruhi Suzumiya as soon as possible."
"You know, I still don't see why we're infiltrating a sixteen-year old's mind." Eames piped. "Rich businessmen, powerful CEOs, the president of a country… But what's so special about this schoolgirl? Do you want her in your harem?"
"Mr. Eames," Saito growled with his Japanese accent "I assure you that I have no interest in putting myself in illicit affairs particularly with a high school girl. I am not interested in lolicon."
"Loli-what?" Arthur asked. "Enlighten us. Why this girl?"
Saito stood up from his chair and looked outside the veranda. Paris was such a lovely town. It was very different from downtown Tokyo. Of course Tokyo had its own charm, but Saito thought that once in a while, peace like this is fine too. Sometimes, Tokyo is a bit too noisy for his liking. He breathed in the air, and finally spoke, his back to the team.
"This girl, Haruhi Suzumiya is the Prime Dreamer."
"Prime Dreamer?" Cobb asked.
"Her subconscious can alter reality." Saito said, facing the team.
"Who's reading what?"
Arthur blinked. It was Yusef, the Chemist.
"Eames. He's thinking that Cobb might be getting into some after-school fling with Japanese schoolgirls." Arthur said, dryly.
"Ah. Well, is that in line with the running gag that Cobb has it bad for a certain young Architect?" Yusef grinned.
"Of course, Mr. Chemist, of course." Eames said, patting Yusef on the back.
"I've really never thought of Cobb targeting young women." Yusef joked.
The thought of Cobb romantically pursuing a girl who's probably old enough to be his daughter made Arthur scoff deep inside. But really, no one can deny that ever since they met Ariadne, Cobb's been different. Arthur can't exactly say what was different about him, but whatever it was, it was probably best for his friend and partner-in-crime.
Eames and Yusef, before Arthur knew it, were already a few steps in front of him, talking about some non-coherent, irrelevant stuff.
Maybe it was the best for the team as well, he thought.
Cobb frowned as he sat outside the college. None of the students that Miles had given him were as good, or nearly as good as Ariadne was. He gave each and every one of them the maze-construction problem, but they all failed miserably.
"You can't find another Architect, can you?"
It was Ariadne. She was carrying her books and blueprints. Her eyebrows were raised, as if to say, 'I told you so'.
"Ariadne, what are you doing here?" Cobb said, standing up to meet her face.
"Cobb, I'm here to be your Architect once more."
"Ariadne…"
"You took me in the first time. So why can't you take me with you in this job?"
"Because I—" Cobb frowned.
"Because you think that you'd be dragging me to trouble? Because you think that I will follow your footsteps? That this is no job for someone like me? Or is it because you can't stand to think that you're leading another woman into a dream where she wouldn't want to wake up from?"
"I just don't want to mess up your life." Cobb said. "I know that an Architect's greatest desire is pure creation. I just don't want you to fall into a downward spiral where reality isn't enough for you anymore."
"Well, maybe you should've thought of that, when you first chose me to be part of your team!"
Cobb stared at Ariadne's livid eyes. She was right. She always was. He wasn't thinking. How many lives had he pulled into this dangerous world of his? Mal, Arthur, and now… Even Ariadne.
"It's too late, Cobb!" Ariadne shouted. "Even my dreams aren't enough anymore. The feeling of pure creation is like a drug. A drug that you slipped into me the first time you showed me the dream world. Heck, even your wife appears in my dreams! That's how sharing your dreams have affected me!"
Cobb buried his face in his hands.
"She's always in my dreams." Ariadne said. "But there are nights when she doesn't do anything. She just stays there. Like a normal projection. Unless…"
"Unless what?" he said, looking at her.
"Unless I see a projection of you." Ariadne said.
"Has she tried to do anything?"
"The last time you went in my dream was the only time she did anything."
The trio of Eames, Arthur and Yusef had already reached the penthouse. Saito was already seated at the far end of a long table. He motioned for the three to take their places on the table.
"Well, where is our Extractor?"
"Still not back from work." Arthur said. "Isn't school over by now?"
"Well, he's supposed to get as close as possible to the Mark and her friends." Saito said. "Without anyone getting suspicious."
"Saito, we could just always get the Mark immediately, then put her under. What's with 'getting close to her friends'?" Eames asked.
"We've talked about this, Mr. Eames." Saito shook his head. "The Mark is heavily monitored and observed by different factions."
"Obviously, when you've got the ability to bend reality, then a lot of spies must be after you." Arthur shot at Eames' direction.
"I'm sorry, Arthur, darling." Eames said "But I still find it difficult to believe that there is such a thing as a Prime Dreamer."
"Same here, Eames." Arthur said. "But a job is a job."
"The plan is in place. By now, Mr. Cobb will have gained the trust of Haruhi Suzumiya." Saito said.
Just then, the door opened.
"I've made contact with the Mark."
It was none other than the Extractor himself.
"Ah. Mr. Cobb. I daresay you've already gotten the Brigade to agree to an overseas trip?" Saito smiled.
"Yes, Saito. Although there was an attempt by a Brigade member to reschedule the flight to next weekend, but I was able to convince Ms. Suzumiya to consider my offer instead of his."
"Looks like we better keep an eye out for that Brigade member. He might be on to us." Arthur said, rummaging around the files of the SOS Brigade he researched. "Is he, by any chance, the so-called 'esper'?"
"Yes. Itsuki Koizumi from Class 1-9." Cobb said, taking one of the folders Arthur was reading. "Transferred to North High just this spring."
"It says here he works for an 'Agency'." Arthur said. "So I would assume that he's one of the 'spies' sent to guard Ms. Suzumiya. You better watch out."
"Indeed. This Koizumi fellow might be onto us. I think it is best to gain his trust all the more." Saito coughed. "So, Mr. Cobb...I will be playing the role of a kind, rich, Uncle Saito this Saturday?"
"Yes." Cobb then asked, "I suppose our Architect has the layers ready?"
At these words, another person entered the room.
"So sorry I'm late, I was just doing some finishing touches to the third layer…"
Cobb smiled at the person.
"No problem, Ariadne. No problem at all."
A/N: Wheeee! XD Chapter 5 done! Thanks for reading! R&R!
On the next chapter:
"Kyon-kun. It's been a long time."
Standing in front of Kyon's house was none other than the Older Mikuru Asahina.
"Asahina-san, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to give you this." She said.
Kyon took the small object from her hand.
It was a metal jack.
"Was Zhou dreaming that he was a butterfly? Or was it the butterfly dreaming that it was Zhou?" Nagato stated out monotonously.
"I don't understand, Nagato."
"Remember it."