The rarest Bon Festival attendee has been to 256 Bon Festivals prior to this one. Now, the number has become 257. She is purchasing cotton candy, which she has done 206 times before. You've seen all of the individual pieces of her outfit before, but only in this combination 3 times.
That may have been the most interesting thing happening at the 2142nd Bon Festival you've attended, were it not for the first newcomer to the Bon Festival since iteration 105. The rarest Bon Festival attendee has been dethroned.
Emiri Kimidori stands 35 meters to your right. She is observing the festival from its edges, as your group is, though Haruhi Suzumiya has brought her brigade far enough forward into the light that you're all easily visible, and Emiri Kimidori hangs behind, obscured in the darkness. She is probably being cautious.
"Well, let's go have fun!" Haruhi Suzumiya gestures with both arms towards the closest row of booths. Her words are not directed at any one member. She wants all of you to follow her.
Unlike in the previous iteration, Mikuru Asahina had not suggested goldfish scooping. It is the 191st time she has failed to do so. Unfortunately, this rare event is disrupting your current task. Lacking a predetermined destination, Haruhi Suzumiya has no reason to single out Mikuru Asahina, and instead elects to keep all of you together.
You don't know when the group will be allowed to splinter. You hope it will be soon. Observing Haruhi Suzumiya is your primary mission, and another humanoid interface undoubtedly understands that, but you should attend to Emiri Kimidori, too. She is here as your guest.
You wish to fulfill both of those obligations, but there is little you can do for your secondary objective at the moment. Still, you will do at least that little. You walk behind your companions so they don't see you turn your head to face Emiri Kimidori. She returns the gesture. You turn your face back towards the center of the festival, then again to Emiri Kimidori.
She understands your meaning. Her current level of caution is unnecessary. She may approach the festival, so long as she does not disturb Haruhi Suzumiya. Emiri Kimidori steps forward and heads for a row of stalls a safe distance away from your location, that being-
"Hey, last one to hit a bullseye has to buy snacks for everyone! I'll go first!"
"Of course..."
-the dartboard. You've played this game 941 times before. Haruhi Suzumiya has played it 1648 times before.
Haruhi Suzumiya's dart hits the center of the board. Itsuki Koizumi picks up a dart.
If you place yourself perpendicular to the dartboard you can see Emiri Kimidori just at the edge of your visual range.
You are aware of those clothes, you've analyzed them along with the rest of the contents of her apartment, but you've never actually seen her wear them before. Green shirt made of cotton and polyester with resin buttons, white polyester and spandex skirt...
Mikuru Asahina misses the board completely. It's your turn. Your dart hits the outermost ring.
Emiri Kimidori has replaced her standard barrettes with pink, flower-shaped ones of the same material. You were unable to determine a way to allow her to participate in shopping for yukatas - something Haruhi Suzumiya values as being "part of the experience." But...you wonder if it's not only that you haven't seen it: has she ever worn this outfit before?
Mikuru Asahina misses again. Your dart hits the second ring in.
Emiri Kimidori has approached her first booth, one selling taiyaki. The vendor asks her if she would like some.
"Oh, no, thank you, sir, I'm only looking." She walks to stand before the adjacent booth. Her shoes are white, polyurethane sandals with brown leather soles. They, at least, you have seen before, but never in this location. You've never heard the sound of them tamping the dirt down beneath them.
Mikuru Asahina misses. You hit the third ring in.
The fried potato vendor asks Emiri Kimidori if she would like to buy any.
"Oh, no, thank you, sir, I'm only looking." Her voice cuts into the music: brand new accompaniment for the 2142nd rendition of the festival's song.
"Alright, I'm hungry! Kyon, go buy us some takoyaki!"
"What? You just saw me hit the bullseye! And I'm the only one who even got it other than you!"
"Exactly! You were the last one to do it, therefore you're buying the food."
He sighs but voices no further complaint as you all follow Haruhi Suzumiya to the vendor selling takoyaki.
While your group acquires Haruhi Suzumiya's 2099th serving of takoyaki, Emiri Kimidori visits 2 more booths out of your visual range. The first, one selling yakisoba, she stands in front of for 2 minutes before silently moving onto the next one. The vendor at the yakitori booth waits only 22 seconds before saying "Hey, you buying anything, kid?"
"Oh, no, thank you, sir, I'm only looking."
"Well, then..."
"My apologies, sir." She bows and walks to the adjacent booth.
Emiri Kimidori carries nothing on her person. She presently possesses only her clothing.
...
5 minutes and 32 seconds later, you're standing in front of a display of candy apples. Haruhi Suzumiya chews on her third takoyaki. She, Itsuki Koizumi, and Mikuru Asahina face away from the apples and survey the festival. Mikuru Asahina's eyes stop on the goldfish scooping booth; she smiles, inhales, and says "Oh! A-"
"Hey! A shooting gallery! Come on, Mikuru, maybe you can hit something there!" Haruhi Suzumiya seizes Mikuru Asahina's right hand in her left and begins running. It seems that the SOS Brigade will not ultimately be forced to participate in goldfish scooping. This will be the 60th time that event has been completely omitted. Ultra rare.
More importantly, the group has split. You may free-roam for a time. You need only evade the 2 humans still with you.
"Well, shall we follow them? We could have a little contest."
Itsuki Koizumi's suggestion is met with a snort. "Sure. I've seen how good your aim is. Just give me a second."
He buys a candy apple. This is the first time he has done this. You look at it.
"For my sister," he says to you. He gently shakes his purchase.
You look at the candy apples still on sale.
"You want one? Here, I'll get it."
"No."
He stares at you for 3 seconds more, then follows Itsuki Koizumi to the shooting gallery.
…
You meet Emiri Kimidori in front of her 8th booth. She does not acknowledge you until you stand directly beside her. She turns away from the display of t-shirts.
"Hello, Miss Nagato."
You blink.
She blinks.
You move your right hand from 5 centimeters in front of your chest to 30 centimeters in front of your chest. Emiri Kimidori does not move. You extend your right arm out fully.
"Oh, thank you, Miss Nagato."
She takes the candy apple from you.
...
You start walking. After you make eye contact with her over your shoulder, Emiri Kimidori does too. She stays 1 meter behind you, matching your pace.
Your destination is safe. Haruhi Suzumiya is not nearby. She has never taken any interest in the mask booth.
You come to a stop. Emiri Kimidori moves to stand beside you. You look at the display together for 30 seconds.
"That one." You choose a mask you've bought 12 times before, a lower than average number. The same selection is not always on display when you arrive. You haven't seen this one since iteration 1697.
"It's yours for 800 yen." The man is one of 9 possible vendors. This is the 457th time you've purchased a mask from him. He plays his role in this scene the same as all of the others do. He takes your money, then removes the mask from the top shelf and hands it to you.
You secure it to your head and place the green, red-eyed face over your own. You and your companion regard each other. Emiri Kimidori blinks.
"Select."
"Hm?" She tilts her head.
You point to the remaining masks. "Select."
A mask could be construed as a potential necessity. It would not sufficiently disguise you; Haruhi Suzumiya would recognize the bright pink yukata she'd dressed you in for the 3rd time with or without your face. But, with Emiri Kimidori's face hidden, the chances of anyone recognizing her are almost nonexistent.
Emiri Kimidori obediently browses the masks, letting her eyes rest on each one for 3 seconds. When she's examined every one of them, she points out the yellow dog with the too-small snout, hearts on its cheeks, and smiling mouth.
"Same thing, 800 yen." New dialogue. You and the vendor play out your exchange a second time. Another occurrence unique to this iteration.
Emiri Kimidori copies your actions and hides her face behind the canine one. "Thank you, Miss Nagato."
How did she make that selection? What process led her to make that choice? Was it placement? Color? Affinity? Was it a random decision? Would she choose a different mask if she attended another Bon Festival? What would be her second choice? Her third?
...
Haruhi Suzumiya has moved on to yo-yo fishing. No one is looking for you.
You slide your mask to your right, just uncovering your eyes, and let it rest on the side of your head. You face a row of booths Emiri Kimidori has not visited. "Select."
Emiri Kimidori mirrors you, sliding her mask off of her face to her left. She once more dutifully examines every option available to her. When she's finished, she returns her gaze to you.
"Well..."
The orange light of the paper lanterns reflects off of Emiri Kimidori's eyes. You've never seen it there before.
"I think I'd like to try goldfish scooping."
"I've got the perfect way to end the day! Let's go set off some fireworks!"
Haruhi Suzumiya has never asked you to purchase fireworks. She has very rarely asked for your opinion on which fireworks to buy.
"Why not? There's a booth selling them right over...uh..." He looks to you. You look at Haruhi Suzumiya.
"Well, let's go find it!" She drags him off, going in the opposite direction of the fireworks vendor. Itsuki Koizumi and Mikuru Asahina trail behind.
It will take them time to decide what to buy and time to argue about who will pay. This will allow you a third and final sojourn with Emiri Kimidori.
The second had been under 2 minutes long, more errand than sojourn. You had had just enough time after leaving the SOS Brigade's sight to purchase a suitable item - a red, cotton pouch with a zipper - from the nearest vendor, dump half of the remaining yen you had on hand into it, and deliver it to Emiri Kimidori, who had been "only looking" at a shelf of stuffed animals.
"Thank you, Miss Nagato," she had said, and taken the proffered item, that time with no hesitation.
No sooner had you nodded than you heard Haruhi Suzumiya stop scraping at the block of sugar she was trying to carve an umbrella out of and say, "Hey, I bet Yuki would be good at this! Where is she?" And you had retreated to join her at the katanuki booth.
Since then, there had not been a time window longer than 8 seconds in which at least one brigade member was not looking at you. All you could do was observe Emiri Kimidori's actions from a distance. Those actions...did not constitute much.
You come up to her now, where she has been idly watching the dancers for the past 9 minutes and 10 seconds. Her mask still rests on the left side of her head, and the bag you gave her still contains all of the yen you had put into it. She visited every attraction the festival has to offer, but she purchased no food and played no games.
There is a remnant of canine saliva on her right cheek. The dog that's here on his 1349th visit had escaped from his owner and run up to Emiri Kimidori, barking wildly.
"I'm sorry," the owner had said. "He's normally so well-behaved!"
Emiri Kimidori had knelt and patted the dog on his head, at which point he ceased his noise-making in favor of licking her face. "It's alright," she had said, "perhaps he was startled. He seems calm now."
The only other changes to her person are the traces of candy coating still in her mouth and the candy apple's relocation to her stomach. She had carried it with her through 5 more booth visits before finally opening it and taking a bite. She took her last bite 3 minutes and 55 seconds ago.
You watch the dancers with her for 30 seconds, but although you do not know exactly how much time you have until you must leave and go to the riverbank, you know it will not be much. "We will leave soon."
"I know."
"..."
"Is there something else you need Miss Nagato?"
Something.
"Select."
Probably due to your limited time, Emiri Kimidori simply chooses the nearest booth. A large wooden board covered with a multitude of pegs sits below a prize shelf of small toys and snacks. A tub of small red, blue, and yellow plastic rings sits at the front. Ring toss.
You stand on Emiri Kimidori's right side.
"Ah, she's back! Change your mind about giving it a try, Miss Dog?"
"I suppose so."
"And you brought a friend."
"Yes."
"Alright, 300 yen gets you 3 rings. Just try to toss 'em around the pegs. The better you do the, the more prizes you get."
You both pay. You both pick up 3 rings. You both throw each in succession.
"Whoa! No warm-up needed, huh? Well then, what'll you have? You can pick any 3 prizes."
"..."
"..."
"You ladies just, uh, love the game, huh?"
"..."
"Tell you what. As your prize, you can play another round, free of charge."
You pick up another 3 rings. Emiri Kimidori does likewise. You throw them in succession.
The vendor whistles. "You're both pretty handy with those, huh? Which one of you is faster do you think?"
"Neither. We are of the same ability," Emiri Kimidori says. You pick up 3 more rings. You throw them in succession at a faster pace than before.
"Looks like your friend wants to challenge you on that."
Emiri Kimidori looks at you for 5 seconds. She picks up 3 more rings and repeats your stunt.
You pick up 3 rings in each hand. Emiri Kimidori copies.
...
You're picking them up and throwing them at the maximum pace that could be accepted by the human still watching you. The intervals between throws shorten to milliseconds.
You stop throwing them in sequence. You throw them 2 at a time, 3 at a time, 4 at a time. You throw as many as you can fit in your hands. Your opponent matches you move for move. Your rings weave around each other in the air, each landing on its target perfectly. You've long since each gotten at least one ring on every peg.
The vendor's mouth hangs agog and his eyes are wide. 3 other humans who'd been at the adjacent booths have migrated over to watch your game.
You can hear Haruhi Suzumiya asking where you are. They've finished purchasing the fireworks and are ready to leave. You would join them, if Emiri Kimidori had not just knocked 2 of your rings out of the air with 1 of her own.
You devote your left-handed throws to hitting Emiri Kimidori's rings and your right-handed throws to landing them on the pegs. About half of your rings make their intended targets.
"Uh...I hope you ladies are keeping score, cause I, uh..."
"Yes," you say together. Her gameplay still matches yours. The score is even.
2 children have joined the 3 onlookers in watching, but not in staring in silent surprise. They cheer in delight.
"Go, Miss Puppy!"
"Get her, Miss Alien!"
And getting closer...
"Yuki! Where are you? Yuki!"
You increase your speed, just a little. Emiri Kimidori again matches you. The pegs rapidly fill. Were it not for the surplus of rings that had landed on the ground, you would have run out of space on the board long ago.
The tub of rings rapidly empties. If you had just a little more time...
"Yuki! There you are!"
Haruhi Suzumiya emerges from the row of booths behind you.
"Whoa! Go, Yuki!"
She approaches. The others follow.
Emiri Kimidori freezes. You follow. She releases the rings in her left hand, then moves her mask to fully cover her face.
"Huh? Don't stop, Miss Puppy!"
"Yeah, keep going, Yuki!"
Emiri Kimidori obeys first. She picks up a single ring. She throws it. It hits the front of a peg and falls to the ground.
The vendor tilts his head and resumes smiling. "Uh," he chuckles, "you missed that one, pal."
Haruhi Suzumiya pays no mind to Emiri Kimidori's sudden loss of skill. "Alright, Yuki! Make one more throw and you win!"
"When was that established?"
She pays no mind to him either. "Just throw, Yuki!"
You do. The ring hits the front of a peg and falls to the ground.
"You too, pal."
"What?!"
Haruhi Suzumiya approaches closer, her feet now 3 quarters of a meter away from your own. She bends her back to bring her face 22.9 centimeters away from yours.
"What was that, Yuki?! You were totally not trying! Again!"
With Haruhi Suzumiya's attention completely on you, Emiri Kimidori leaves. The anticlimactic end to your competition and the sudden angry shouting drive away the onlookers.
"You've gotta go all out in a contest! One hundred percent of the time! I know you didn't just forget how to throw when ten seconds ago, you were-"
"Hey, calm down. She still won the game. There are...way more than three rings on that board."
She diverts her anger to a new target.
"Come on, anyone can win that way. This was a loss!"
"I say if you get a prize, it's a win."
His words placate her. Haruhi Suzumiya loses her angry expression and instead turns to the prize shelf.
"Hey, yeah! You could take this whole shelf if you wanted, Yuki!"
"Eh, I don't think so. She only paid for one game," the vendor says.
Itsuki Koizumi comes to Haruhi Suzumiya's side. "It would seem she's still earned the rewards of one game, then, yes?"
The vendor scoffs. "I'd say her prize is not having to help me clean up this mess," he says as he scoops a handful of the fallen rings off the ground.
"Occupational hazard! We get three prizes! Start handing 'em out!"
"You mean she gets three prizes, Haruhi."
"I don't think so! As her penalty for throwing the game, I'm confiscating the prizes. They're SOS Brigade property now."
He flicks his eyes to you. You nod. He sighs and discontinues his argument.
Haruhi Suzumiya scrutinizes the prizes on display. "Hmmm..."
The vendor speaks to you. "While we're on the subject, did you want anything for your friend? She earned her keep too, but she didn't take anything before she left. I didn't even see her go!"
At that reminder, Haruhi Suzumiya asks you the question you were hoping to avoid: "Hey, yeah! Who was that, anyway?"
"..."
"You don't know? Did any of you recognize her?"
"Nope."
"N-no."
"I can't say that I did. But I must say, for her to hold her own against our Miss Nagato like that, she must be...quite an interesting person."
The boys both hold their eyes on yours, one smiling and the other quirking an eyebrow.
"..."
You slide your mask back over your face.
The girls look in the direction Emiri Kimidori had first left in, though she is no longer visible or even in that direction at any distance. Mikuru Asahina tenses and trembles. Haruhi Suzumiya hums 2 notes before losing interest and resuming her prize perusal.
"Yeah, we'll take her prizes too! First, we'll take..."
You should not have continued to play when you knew it could disturb Haruhi Suzumiya's standard activities. And especially not when it could have drawn unwanted attention to Emiri Kimidori.
You should be determining your reasons for doing so, and why you had failed to initiate the proper response. You should be considering how to avoid taking actions like this in the future.
You should be inspecting the new error data that encoded itself into your memory that night. Your predictions had been wrong: error data production had continued, undiminished in any way. You should be continuing your analysis. You should be trying to prevent or minimize further buildup of error data.
And some part of you is doing all of those things. The part of you with the processing power unnecessary for your current functioning keeps those tasks in progress in the background of your consciousness. But your primary focus is elsewhere.
You're wondering...
"So pretty!"
Mikuru Asahina coos over the lighted, sparking stick she holds as far away from herself as she can. Itsuki Koizumi stays close to the bucket of water and watches the column of ash growing and twisting on the ground. Haruhi Suzumiya runs wildly with a cone spraying sparks in each of her hands, unconcerned with any potential hazard she may be creating.
You're looking up at the stars before the final brigade member sets off a trio of fireworks. They explode, the stars releasing the energy they'd absorbed, emitting blue, red, and gold light in large bursts that hide the sky behind them from view.
...where would Emiri Kimidori choose to look?