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Six Characters in Search of Suzumiya Haruhi – Act One

4

The chairman, or whatever her title was, settled into a cross-legged position in front of the altar, and the other girl (the secretary, I guessed) came and knelt behind her, keeping modestly in the background. She put down the sheaf of papers, carefully arranged herself, and got out a notebook and pen to take minutes.

"Thank you, Kimidori-san," said the chairman. She looked up to address the room. "A new member has been proposed for admission to the brigade. By our rules, this takes precedence over other matters. Where is Asakura Ryouko-san?"

Ryouko stood up. She was still confident and assured; but here, among her equals and superiors, she was more guarded, keeping back any emotion from showing in her face. I would have liked to know what she thought of the chairman and secretary, as they were still unknown quantities; but I would find out soon enough.

"Welcome, Ryouko-san. And have you brought the girl... Asahina-san, was it?"

"She is here, Chairman Tachibana," said Ryouko. She signalled for me to stand, and I did, conscious of the fact that all around the room, eyes were turning towards me. I kept my eyes straight ahead, feeling that I couldn't bear to look round and see the expressions on their faces, whether they were shocked or bemused or holding back their mirth at my appearance. Tachibana and Kimidori, at least, surveyed me with no change of expression.

"So, why do you want to join the brigade, Asahina-san?" said Tachibana.

The silence that followed was so intense that I could hear the breeze kissing the candles on the other side of the room. Ryouko was giving me an encouraging smile. I tried to think of what she would want me to say.

"Well... I guess I want to be cool," I whispered.

There was a soft ripple of laughter.

"Naturally," said Tachibana. "But I was asking you why."

"Um..."

I did the only thing I could. I closed my eyes and pretended she was not there, that I was speaking to myself in my room at Suzuki-san's.

"I live on my own. I don't get to meet people. I mean, you mustn't think that I'm complaining! Not at all... it's a peaceful life and everyone is so generous to me. But... well, when I met Ryouko-chan and she took me to the... what do you call that place?"

"The Haven," said Ryouko.

I nodded. "It was like catching a glimpse of a new world. For the first time, I wanted something more..."

By now, I was sure that in some dark corner of the room, there was someone laughing at me.

"Well, all of us can sympathise with that," Tachibana said kindly. "We've all been there, at one time or another." There was no laughter now. "Still, there are many other clubs and brigades you could join. Why ours?"

"I wanted to be with Ryouko," I said quickly. As soon as I had got the words out, I wished the floor would open and swallow me up.

This time, the room was filled with a different sort of laughter. They were on my side now.

"Understandable, of course," said Tachibana. "But do you think that you'll fit in here?"

I bit my cheek and closed my eyes again.

"Well, I don't think I'm particularly cool..."

"Good. If you thought you were when you're dressed like that, I'd show you the door." Tachibana giggled. I looked up in surprise; for a moment she sounded much too young to be the chairman of a brigade. "I can see that Ryouko's been working on you, but you've still got a long way to go."

I stared at the floor.

"But you know that, and that's an important first step. No need to look so ashamed, Asahina-san."

I was breathing heavily. I couldn't believe she was being so nice to me; I didn't deserve this!

I glanced over at Ryouko, but she was still impassive. She gave a tiny shake of her head, as if to say that I should be standing up for myself and not leaning on her. I grimaced and turned back to Tachibana.

"What can I do to be cool, Tachibana-san?"

But instead, it was the secretary, Kimidori, who responded. "Step forward, Asahina-san."

I came carefully forward, step by step, until I was standing in front of the altar.

"If you decide to join us, we will assist you on your journey of self-discovery," said Kimidori. "But first you must pass a test, to determine whether you are worthy of joining the brigade."

I took a deep breath. "All right, then. I'll take the test."

"Are you sure about this?" said Tachibana. "There's no turning back from here, you know!"

I wasn't sure. But... really, I had come so far that already, I knew I could not turn back. I couldn't just say no and walk out, in front of all these people. I could never go back to my old life and just forget that, for a moment, the possibility of a new world had been held out in front of me.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said.

"Excellent!" Tachibana clapped her hands, and looked round at her secretary. "What missions are available at the moment, Kimidori-san?"

Kimidori leafed through her sheaf of papers.

"There's that one with the can and nails over at Sakuragawa..."

"No, that's not really testing enough," Tachibana said thoughtfully. "Anyone could do it."

"How about that rock on Mount Kubota?"

Tachibana shuddered. "Too volatile. If that gets botched, we could be at war with the Tsuruya clan."

Kimidori sighed, and shunted a whole pile of papers aside, then started to flick half-heartedly through the remainder.

"Well?" Tachibana said after a long silence.

"Sorry, chairman. This is all I can find." Kimidori handed over a single sheet of paper.

Tachibana studied it intently, and at last nodded. "All right," she said. "That'll do."

"Um... what is it?" I said.

Tachibana put the paper aside and looked at me for a long time.

"Asahina Mikuru-san," she said, "how would you define 'cool'?"

"Um..."I was uncomfortably aware that everyone was watching me again. Still, I had to get through this!

"I suppose it's a way of looking at things," I said. "You know... when you have the right attitude, then people just gravitate towards you. Like Ryouko."

Tachibana nodded. "And do you know what gives her that attitude?"

"Um... she's really beautiful, and well-dressed, and..."

I stopped. I could tell from the look on Tachibana's face that this wasn't the right answer.

"But you know it's more than that. People look at her because she knows that she's worthy of being looked at. Cool isn't just a matter of looks, Asahina-san. It's about feeling your own worth to the roots of your soul."

I felt that my heart was about to sink through the floor. "I could never feel like that..."

"You can. You will. You can learn from us." Tachibana smiled sweetly. "And the first step, as strange as it may sound, is to be humble and ready to be of service. That is your first task, Asahina-san."

Humble? I felt like I was the most humble person in the world right then. And so, I began to feel that maybe I could do this after all...

I looked up and returned her smile. "I'm happy to be of service, Tachibana-sama."

"Good. In that case, your mission is to fetch a young man and escort him to the Tower. He has an official meeting with the Guardians, and has requested a safe-conduct. That's all you need to know. You must not inquire as to who he is or what his business with the Tower is. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Excellent. On Sunday, then, you will travel to Dokonimo Station. Ryouko will explain how to get there. The young man will be waiting for you at the station. Here is his picture. His name, by the way, is Koizumi Itsuki."

I waited as Kimidori took the picture from Tachibana and presented it to me. I looked at it in some surprise. This Itsuki was certainly handsome; but he was smiling in such a casual, easy-going way that it was hard to believe these Guardians, whoever they were, could go to so much trouble over him.

"And when you've met up with him, bring him back with you –"

At that moment, there was an interruption. A boy near the back of the room jumped to his feet. As soon as he spoke, I felt sure he was the one who had been laughing at me earlier.

"Chairman Tachibana," he called out.

Without turning, she said calmly, "You may speak, Fujiwara-san."

"This is outrageous. Do you realise how important this mission is?"

"I am fully aware –"

"Then you can't entrust it to this girl! What does she know of tact and diplomacy? Just look at her!"

Tachibana stood up. I sensed that she felt intimidated by this Fujiwara, and standing was her way of regaining a little confidence. "Fujiwara-san," she said. There was absolute silence. "I am fully aware of the importance of this mission. But if Asahina-san truly wants to show us her worth, we have to give her a mission that really tests her."

"But do you realise what could happen if this goes wrong?"

"It will not go wrong," said Kimidori. "Suou-san?"

There was no answer. I looked round, following Kimidori's eyes. At first I saw nothing – and then, as my eyes moved across the room, I caught a sudden glimpse of darkness, as if a single candle had gone out, giving out all its smoke in one magnificent swirl. I stared, almost expecting to see someone there, right in the centre of the darkness, even though the two girls on either side were sitting right against each other. Yet somehow I sensed a presence there. I stopped and concentrated. Then, almost as if embarrassed that I had noticed it (or her?), the presence disappeared.

"Suou, your mission is to keep watch on Asahina-san," said Kimidori. "You know what to do if she fails."

Still no answer. Was it just me, or had the room become very cold?

"Asahina!" Fujiwara called out. "Tell me! Do you really feel ready for this?"

I didn't. Of course I didn't. But I thought of Ryouko standing behind me, watching me and silently giving me her strength. I thought of my old life in the shopping strip, and those dreary days, each and every one the same. Morimura and the others would be sad to see me go. But at the same time, I knew at once that if I had asked any of them, they would have said that this was what they wanted for me, even if it meant losing me for ever.

So I turned and looked Fujiwara directly in his black, unfeeling eyes.

"I'm ready."

"Excellent!" said Tachibana. "Well then, I'm afraid we can't give you any more help. From now on, it's all down to you. Ryouko will give you directions to Dokonimo Station, and that's all we can do. Is that clear?"

"Yes, I understand."

I took a deep breath. All around me, the room was silent. I sensed that a change had come over them. Whether it was because I'd stood up to Fujiwara, I wasn't sure, but I somehow felt that they had begun to respect me. Perhaps they were even willing me to succeed.

"Well, that's that," said Tachibana. "I'm sorry, Asahina-san, but we do have other business to discuss in this meeting, and you are not yet one of us. Come back when you've succeeded in your mission. I wish you luck."

I bowed, and walked out of the room in silence. Ryouko still stood to one side, and gave me a smile as if to say, "Well done." But she had to stay for the meeting. I left the temple, and turned to start my journey back home.

As I reached the crossroads, I saw that the intersecting road led past a much larger and grander temple, with arches and pagodas of bright vermilion that stood out in that drab city like a single drop of paint on a blank canvas. On the roof of the nearest building, a girl stood watching me. She was dressed in a black cloak and pointed hat, like a child's Hallowe'en costume. I stared in surprise. And then I realised that it was the same girl who had accosted me at the table, that first time Ryouko took me to the Haven.

"You should not have accepted the mission," she said in a monotone.

"Who are you?" I called up at her.

"I cannot allow you to retrieve Koizumi Itsuki. He is the key to unlocking the future. The Guardians must not have him."

"Who are you?"

"I shall unleash the Four Hunters. Farewell, Asahina Mikuru. Enjoy the short time you have remaining in this life."

She turned. The folds of her cloak billowed out behind her in the wind, even though there was no wind. I blinked as a sudden shaft of sunlight came through the clouds and struck through the space where her head had just been. When I opened my eyes again, she was gone.

On Saturday, as soon as I had finished work, Ryouko came by, and we went up to my flat together.

"Here we are," she said as she laid out a map on the floor. "Ever travelled by train before, Mikuru-chan?"

I shook my head.

"Don't worry, it's easy. Now, this" – she pointed to a black square on the map – "is Tsuruya Station –"

"Tsuruya?" I said nervously. "I've heard that name somewhere. Didn't it come up at the meeting?"

"That's right. I think Tachibana-san mentioned the Tsuruya clan."

"And they own this station?"

"They're the biggest landowners from here to Azabu-juban."

I gasped. I should mention that Azabu-juban is the name of a legendary paradise said to be far to the east, a place where people live in harmony with each other, there is no crime, and no-one goes hungry. No-one believes it actually exists; but "from here to Azabu-juban" is a common expression meaning "to the ends of the earth".

"But, Ryouko-chan, if they're our enemies..."

"What?" Ryouko chuckled. "Nah, we're not enemies; Tachibana and the rest are just a bit wary of getting on their wrong side. But we can use their station. They don't know who you are. So there's no problem."

"If you say so," I said doubtfully.

"Trust me," said Ryouko. "We can pinky promise if you like. So, anyway, you remember the station we passed on the way to the temple? That's Tsuruya Station. Do you think you can find your way there again?"

I nodded.

"Good. I'm not allowed to go with you, you know, even to the station. We have to give you no help at all."

"I'll be fine. It's just down the road."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I was doubting you – not at all!" And again that merry smile in her eyes that filled me with reassurance. "So, you just go the ticket booths and ask for a ticket to Kita-naniwa Station, which is here." She pointed to another black square on the map. It seemed an awfully long way from the first one; but maps are beyond me. The shopping strip had been my entire world, and it was nothing more than a single dot.

Ryouko was still talking, and I shook myself so as not to lose concentration. "You'll have to change trains, but there are plenty of signs to help you find your way about. Next, you take a train for Oohashi, but you get out at Sakuragawa, and from there you can take a train to Dokonimo. You got all that?"

"I... I think so."

"Well then, you tell me."

I closed my eyes and recited rapidly. "I go to Tsuruya Station, get a ticket for Kita-naniwa, change onto a train for Oohashi but get out at Sakuragawa, then go to Dokonimo, which is where I'll meet this Koizumi Itsuki."

"Exactly."

"Ryouko-chan... what if he doesn't show up?"

"He'll be there on the dot at twelve o'clock. You just have to make sure you're there on time to meet him, and then bring him back with you. And that's all there is to it."

"Okay, but... how long will the journey take?"

"Not long. But if you want to be on the safe side, just make sure you get up early and take the first train. If you end up waiting at Dokonimo, that shouldn't be a big problem. There's a lovely café just opposite the station." She gave me a big grin. "You know, Mikuru-chan, I'm rather envious of you."

"You... you are?"

"Sure! You're off on this wild adventure, and all I get to do is stay at home and cheer you on." She sighed wistfully. "Still, I'm looking forward to taking you for lunch afterwards and hearing all about it."

"Thanks, Ryouko-chan," I said. "I... I don't know how to say this, but... I feel a lot more confident, just knowing that you're supporting me. I'm starting to feel like maybe I could actually do this..."

"Of course you can!" Ryouko reached across and playfully stroked my hair.

"Thank you, Ryouko-chan," I said again. "I certainly hope so..."

Author's Note

Azabu-juban is of course the locale where Sailor Moon takes place. Last time I visited Japan, I noticed that there is a Tsuruya Liquor Store in Azabu-juban, and I knew at once I had to include that fact in one of my stories. All the other places mentioned here are real places under a very thin disguise (similar to the way real places were disguised in the original Suzumiya Haruhi novels). Readers with knowledge of Japan should not have much difficulty identifying them.