godbent | 3rd: The Compromise of Haruhi Suzumiya

3rd: The Compromise of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Voice]

[For the record, this post takes place in the later evening, following this thread by about an hour or two.

So, earlier, Haruhi got some disturbing news. Or well, she's been getting all sorts of disturbing news for the last two weeks, particularly the second week. It's been two weeks since she returned to Luceti. Here she was gone two months, back home a month had past. And before either of those, she had been in Luceti for two and a half years.

Al was gone. All sorts of people were gone, and even if the individual losses still hurt sometimes, overall, if she had to vocalize it, bar certain painful ones (like Usagi, like Rena, the idea of losing Winry or Shiki or ... others) she had gotten used to the idea that people would sometimes just vanish. She had - before she went home herself - always just told herself that when people returned, not remembering. Those instances where worse, those instances were always worse.

But that wasn't the case right now - or maybe... that was the case to other people. It had gotten hard, particularly in light of what Keiichi showed her after that ~~as yet unthreaded~~ dinner and the letter currently clasped in her hands, to deny the worth of a certain individual she had wanted to deny the meaning of all this time, who she wanted to think was some phantom in everyone else's memories. But... that's irresponsible. It was hurting other people, hurting her, hurting... friends. The Brigade. Winry. Everyone. She couldn't change that, but . . . But she had to do something.]

[From a hiding place (a not particularly good one per say, but a hiding place of the spare room on the second floor of her her house) she begins what she knows will be hard for her to say. She sounds in no way comfortable as she starts with-]

Hey, Luce- [no that's stupid-] everyone I know. Or... yeah, everyone I know, or other people, I don't care! [That got harsh. She's awkward here] Look-! ...Look. Anyone that knew that guy, Haruki Suzumiya that wasn- ... The was... [UGH. The letter in her hand crumples a bit as she pushes it together, awkward] ...Whatever, forget it! Jeez, damn Malnosso. It's not important!

[ ... ... A minute later]

...No. It is important, after all. Look- that guy, I have his- no, I have my own memories, which are basically his except I'm in them and none of you remember it like that. [Dammit dammit she sounds like she's repeating a point. Things she's already said. Dammit. There's a growl of frustration before she slips up out of her chair to pace, leaving the journal on the table but still talking loud enough to be recorded] I have memories, alright?! So I know some of you- a lot of you, I guess. But- [...] But I guess, you guys don't know me. You-

[ARGH. she looks again at the letter and then crumbles it into a ball. She throws it at the floor and then presses on, stopping in place and yelling now]

Some of you liked that guy, right?! Some of you were friends and some of you lo- [gulp-] loved that guy, right?! I'm not that guy- it's been two weeks since I showed too, so unless he Malnosso are bigger assholes than anyone thought I'm not going to be that guy either. [But if she is, if she 'reverts back' next week or tomorrow, this post is meaningless. ...Maybe it still is. But it feels like her heart is breaking and she needs to do something. Even as she stays all this, she feels no catharsis though, only her hollow dread turning into a real fear - a fear, what? Rejection? Probably, but fear of something tangible is better than something she doesn't even know the face]

So- ... So fine, that's that! We're different, alright?! And I was expecting you to forget but- fine! Don't forget him, it doesn't matter! [...UGH. Dammit, she's losing the point again. She crouches, picking up the crumbled ball of the letter]

...I know things can't be the same as I remember them, but I guess things also won't be the same as you remember. I want to just pick up where I left off but that's- [...dammit] That's not completely possible, is it? It's not like I'm a time traveler and can go back and change things and- [...she could change it to everyone remembering her. But that's not fair, even if she did know how to manage it. And last time. She mutters-] ...And Leon would screw it up again

[That might not have even been recorded, but she stands after this, her voice gaining resolve.]

So what I'm saying is that... I'm Haruhi. I'm the Chief of the SOS-Brigade, and- and if you knew that Haruki guy we can start over, starting now! And if you didn't know that guy, then it doesn't matter because I'm me and whatever he said or did doesn't matter to you anyway! ["judge me only as me"]

So, hi everyone, it's nice to meet you! [Should she add "I hope you'll look after me?" ...No, that's just stupid. She should leave it at that.]

[...Should.

She sits down for replies after this, because there's sure to be some. She waits for maybe three minutes before finally concluding that she owes someone else something special. Winry will have heard of it or at least be hearing his opinion on it anyway. Might as well- Well.]

[Filtered to Sokka // 85% Unhackable]

...Hey, I- [...She's not sorry- or is she? No. Yes. No. Mostly no.] I've decided to forgive you for what you said the other day! ...You don't even need to apologize, because- [...] Because starting over, like I said here! So- [...Jeez] ...So just forget about what I did too, alright? I guess it was too much and- It's behind us, got it?!

[... ... ... Yeah that counts as "I'm sorry"]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Frankly, her 'apology' didn't mean much to Sokka. Taken at face value, it was just trying to take what they used to have - or at least what he had with Haruki - back to what it used to be, while shifting the blame on Sokka for not just the fight... but other things as well. And while he did realize he was being a real jerk to her, he hadn't felt particularly guilty about that. At least not initially. Having the negativity drained from him had put some things in perspective. So all in all, he would be tempted to just ignore that. After all, masculine pride is a tricky thing.

Except he listened to everything beforehand. That's less the emotionally confused Haruki he usually knows. This is someone who's struggling with figuring out who they even are, tired of being compared to someone else everyone already knows, and just trying to fit in. Now that's something he can understand. And it's not just because his other incarnations in Luceti have felt the same thing thing. It's more that it's a picture of Sokka's life. Words cannot describe how much he resents the idea he's relating to a Suzumiya.

Ugh, he's going to have to do it. Just suck it up and... treat Haruhi like a new person. Or maybe he could try to treat her like she remembers their relationship being like. With a frustrated groan, he opens his journal back up and pens in a better filter to respond with.]

Yeah, we're good.

[Well, that wasn't so hard.]

Edited 2011-01-18 08:05 (UTC)

[Really, she expected more resistance. Even the Sokka she remembers was never on great terms with her. Never anyone she thought of as a friend or particularly close. Just someone... that proximity had forced her to know. Objectively, she understands Sokka's predicament, or at least she thinks she does. She's been so judgmental of that 'Kyonko' or that 'Yuuki' or that little clone of Mikuru who was a boy. Just... for not being who she expected.

Wasn't he the same in this instance? And she had overreacted. Or, put more simply, she didn't know how to react, and thus invented some new, inevitably negative reaction]

...Good.

[...She should say more, shouldn't she? ...She should- ... But nothing comes. Well, maybe he will. ...Maybe not. She has to-] ...That's good.

[...Ugh.]

[Haruhi after two weeks. This means Katara's right, of course. This doesn't bother him that much. But he did expect Haruki to be back by now. And even though it could still happen, he kinda has this feeling it won't. Which means he needs to tackle this in a new way. Just... no idea how that actually works.]

Yeah... [Er. Now what?] I guess this is you now. So... how exactly do you, I guess, remember us? I mean, not us like that. But.. it had to be different than how I remember it. [Because Sokka knows full and well he acts differently with the ladies. It's hard to fathom how different things would be as a result.]

[...she's tempted to reply. How different was his perspective? He has been less kind to her, perhaps, less biased because of her gender, maybe? Certainly his reaction to her and Winry would be different. But-] ...That doesn't matter.

[It does, but at the same time, she sighs. There the sound of her shifting that piece of paper in her hand]

The way I remember things isn't the way you remember things, and even if I told you that would at best bias you to act a certain way, but it wouldn't be- [How he feels? Does she care about that? Not really. ...]

Well it wouldn't be good for anyone, right? Just form your own opinion now.

[Well, that's a fair enough answer. He probably WOULD inevitably try to fit into whatever role he had in 'her' reality. Because he certainly doesn't expect her to conform to being like Haruki.]

So, what, we just start over? Clean slate?

[PHEW. Okay, he's going with this. She rolls her eyes and lets out an audible sigh of something between relief and... frustration? Not quite it, but close enough.]

Yeah, clean slate. I dunno the right way to expect things out of you and you don't know the right way to expect things out of me.

[But even as she says this, she's aware in the back of her mind she's a hypocrite. She still expects the Brigade to follow her and still wants to be with Winry. Not that she's about to say that]

[Really, this isn't that hard to swallow. It's like with Vyse. It's a new person - not exactly friend - who knows about him but he doesn't know about her. She has the advantage here. But really, it's not like this is Winry coming back as a guy. This is just Haruki... as a girl. So dealing with it? Not so hard.]

Okay, fine. But can we skip reintroducing ourselves? Even under this filter, it's still really tacky.

Duh, that's just stupid.

[Ignore that she did it above]

[It will occur to him lately, but not for the moment.]

So uh, Haruhi. [The name is still kind of weird, but he's dealing with it.] What made you decide to do... uh, you know, talking to me? I mean, we weren't exactly best friends or anything. [Frankly Sokka had written you off as being no big loss.]

[She could be honest?] No reason, I just felt like it.

[...Or not]

[...Buuut then she realizes Sokka might misunderstand that. So after a distinct pause, she sighs once more and-]

...You're one of Winry's best friends. With things so weird between us anyway I don't want us to be on ends over something stupid.

[... so, it was for Winry's sake. Well, he can understand that. He's already talked to Winry about all this ~~maybe~~, but it couldn't hurt to get Haruhi's take on that.]

Fair enough. So... how are things with you and Winry?

[She could lash out at Sokka - really, she wants to - but that's just going to repeat the same problem they had before, and that'll just repeat the cycle. Instead, there's the sound of her walking a littie to sit down before she responds. She slides the journal close to her and considers. How to... put it.]

You probably know better than me, right?

[He's probably talked with her about it. That's a neutral tone, she doesn't exactly blame Winry for it.]

Her memories- [That's shifting blame. Pause, gulp] No, that's not it. She just fell for someone else, and even if I'm sort of that person, it's up for her to decide if that's good enough or not.

Edited 2011-01-18 18:04 (UTC)

[Much as he hates to admit it, he has some experience with this. Of course, it was an experiment, and 'he' even know it at the time. But it was still a lot to think of.]

Yeah, that's... that's rough.

Shut up! ["I don't want sympathy"

No that's just a gut reaction. Frankly, she just didn't know how to react]

...Yeah, whatever. [UGH. Honesty is hard]

[Why is he even trying so hard? They're not going to be friends. They're on good terms. That's good enough. No need to ask her about her feelings.]

Well anyway, if you need me for anything, you know where to find me.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Alternatively at the smithy or that house of yours out in the way south end of the village.

And you're either at the Brigade or your house in the not-so-way west side of the village.

... or school.

[-"I go to more places than that, you know!" but then it dies in her throat and she makes a sound of confirmation]

Yeah, any of those work if you need me for something, I gues.

Okay, good.

[Alright, they're good. ...And that was draining. With nothing more to say, she just opts to let the conversion die. She doesn't even think to say anything like "later" though]

One would think things like this would be obvious...

[Yes this just belittles how hard that was for her. She doesn't even have the energy for a bombastic response right now, instead she settles for a simple:]

Shut up.

Did I say something wrong?

-Haruhi, it's no mystery by now, PATCHY JUST DOES NOT GET IT.-

Just shut up. Even if it's academically simple, most people here are feeling oriented and too stupid to be objective, so it's not obvious. Go back to a book or something.

[Okay, maybe that was too cruel, but she's starting to grit her teeth as she says it]

... Ah.

[She doesn't shut the book - still had other responses, after all - but she makes no effort to respond here either. She made her point]

I think you know where I stand already, but- girl or boy, you're still you.

[Sobs it does mean something to her.

But her response is-]

Yeah, yeah. Of course you'd say something like that.

Dunno what else I'd say about it.

[But they talked enough on that subject before, so.]

Any plans for what the Brigade's doing for your great return?

[She's been way too focused on this question of who she is and what it means to consider the Brigade or its actions. She knows this. There's a pause and then she shrugs]

I'll think of something.

You always do manage to come up with something. And now you've got a whole gang to boss around again!

Well obviously- it's only natural that I'd be able to invent spectacular things.

Right!

Oh, but I meant to tell you- I might be kind of flaky about some of the meetings for the next week or so. After that I won't miss any, I promise!

Huh-? ...Okay, sure, I guess that's fine.

Great! Thanks, I appreciate it.

I see quite a lot happened while I was away. Haruhi-san, is it? It's nice to meet you again.

[...Oh that's- Shinpachi's colleague, one of this Shinsengumi... Oh]

Okita. Ah! ...Yeah, it's been stupid. [...

...] Nice to meet you again too.

Haha, so you remember me, too, hm? Have you seen Nagakura-san?

It will take some adjusting to for everyone, but I'm sure your friends will welcome you back as before.

I haven't seen him at all, actually.

[That's what Souji was afraid of.]

Oh. Well, he must be around somewhere then...

Wait, you haven't seen him either?

Oh, I've seen him around. I just wonder if he's sleeping.

What does me seeing him have to do with his sleeping habits?

He doesn't sleep well sometimes, so his hours are strange.

Well I'm sure I'll see the guy soon enough.

Yes, I'm sure you will. Nagakura-san is never one to leave things alone for long.

Yeah... yeah of course not.

I'll let you know if I see him.

Alright... good.

So... that's how it is huh? Stupid Malnosso stuff... But... yeah, I get what you're saying.

It's nice to meet you Haruhi. My name's Uriko Nonomura, and I'm a Zoanthrope.

Uriiiiiiko, you don't need to actually give me your name again!

[Ugh this is so embarrassing]

Edited 2011-01-18 18:01 (UTC)

I know. It just felt appropriate. Y'know, since you did the same.

Hey, I get it now, okay. Even if you remember things he did, you're your own person.

Though... I kind of wonder now...

Wonder what? [Uriko you so silly.]

Well... you remember all of Haruki's stuff...

So... like... If you remember it as yours... What about all the girls that Haruki dated? Do... you remember dating them then?

It wasn't like it was a parade or anything!

I never said it was.

[[And the filter kicks in.]]

I'm just asking if... that's how you remember it too. That you were dating girls here...

[Why would you need to filter this? Haruhi sighs] If you must know, I've only dated-dated one girl here.

[[Cuz it's not like Uriko wants to put this kind of stuff out in the open. Haruki always dodged relationship stuff with her. Plus... not everyone is okay with girl-girl stuff... which could include Haruhi herself.]]

Ooooh... Okay. I guess nothing's different about the memories.

Ooh well! It's still cool to have someone back at the head of the brigade and all. I'm sure you heard everyone flipped over Haruki leaving. Like... nobody was sure if we should get a new leader or what.

Yeah, I heard. If anything, that makes my coming a sign of good fortune!

...

...so when's the good fortune part start? I mean, you coming back can't be the end of it.

I dunno, maybe you're get a girlfriend soon or something.

[[Low blow, Haruhi!]]

Can't I... get a boyfriend instead...

[Lolwhat]

...Yeah, sure. If you want.

[So it has finally happened. It wasn't about who was correct or not, or about if the Malnosso were experimenting on people even before they arrived. Haruhi was Haruki, no, she had been Haruki, somehow, and now she was Haruhi. It was simple, so long as he kept the matter simple. It wasn't that different from the situation of Hinamizawa, of himself. The Keiichi that didn't trust his friends and killed them and the Keiichi that protected them and destroyed fate, they were the same, but at the same time they weren't.

Keiichi sighs as he hears Haruhi's struggle.]

Hello. My name's Keiichi Maebara, I'm seventeen, Japanese from a small village named Hinamizawa... And you're one of my best friends. Want to go do something?

You didn't need to actually re-introduce yourself, Keiichi, it was symbolic! Symbolic! Why do you always need to be so dramatic?

Says the girl who basically re-introduced herself to the whole village. I'm just following your lead, boss.

That was a metaphor! Don't you put words in my mouth!

'I'm Haruhi. I'm the Chief of the SOS-Brigade.' How's that a metaphor? You just said who you were and thus I said the same. It's your fault if this sounds like a meeting of Lucetians Anonymous.

No, that's like saying "I am the hope of the universe" or something and going on a shounen speech that rhetorically says who you are. No one needs it for an introduction, but it's necessary for dramatic effect!

Well, you sure are the hope of my universe.

[Wide confident smile.]

[WHAT]

What... are you...?

[Inhale] WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, KEIICHI?!

Where do you get off saying some cheesy bullshit like that?! Are you a pervert or something- no, don't even answer that, I know you're a pervert! Lolicon! Leech! Molester! Rapist! You probably think you're in some sort H-game, right-?! Well let me tell you there's no way that was a positive flag for me, no way at all- for that matter, what type of girl wants to hear bullshit like that?! Only some stupid hussy which just came out of Hokkaido for the first time and is looking to loose their virginity to the first urchin to say something halfway nice to them, that's what! Do you take me for being something like that, or what?! For that matter, who says you get to decide important things like my role in affairs or what position I might hold or what sort of meaning I have to various people- you're my minion, and minions don't get those sort of rights! For that matter, Keiichi, you're even lower than a minion - I thought you might be akin to some dog I'm keeping around or something but no, no, apparently you're even worse than that! You're seven billion four hundred sixty-eight million five hundred twenty-six thousand three hundred years too soon to be saying things like that to me, or to Rena, or to anyone, for that matter!

[And it ends with... her panting for breath because that was a long rant]

But Haruhi....

You're the hope of my universe too! [So obviously not taking this seriously.]

Edited 2011-01-18 20:03 (UTC)

[As if on cue-]

And you're the hope of my universe too!

[There is a sound, not a real sound but an imaginary one, of glass shattering here.]

[WHAT] Wha- that- [Pant, pant deep inhale and then-]

Shut up! I'll put all of you six feet under!

[He should lay off. But this is too much fun.]

I'm not feeling very hopeful anymore, are you Mikage?

[Waaaaay too much fun, dude.]

Not at all! My hopes have been dashed, I don't know how I'll keep living.

Stop it right now or you're both getting penalties!

[Psh! Penalties.]

Maybe we need to find a new hope for our universes...

I'm sure we can find a pretty and creative young lady to fill us will hopes and dreams again. There's no shortage of options around here.

Fine, then go do that! See if I care!

[BOOK, SLAM.

Morons]

[HMMMM.]

Think we went too far?

That depends on whether or not we'd do it again. [And he totally would.]

Well, she never actually penalized us. Pretty sure that means she doesn't mind, yeah?

Hmm, you're right. Maybe we should give her another chance then!

Oh yeah, definitely. Maybe next time she'll totally fall for us.

That would be nice! It's no good when the hope of your universe is mad at you.

Then again, there are three of us...

Oh, I bet there's way more than just the three of us. I bet she's the hope for a lot of universes.

...I never thought of that! We could have an endless amount of competition! What do we do!?

No worries, mein freund! We just have to tell her how we really, really feel before they do! And make it big!

Something worthy of the SOS Brigade!

Definitely! We'll make if unforgettable!

Then she'll have to acknowledge us. I like it!

Okay! We'll have to meet up later and figure it out.

It's a deal!

[Will be giving this some thought, oh yes.]

[Long silence as you recover your breath. Keiichi is about to answer when he hears the others butting in... And changes his mind. He closes the journal and goes off.]

[Minutes later someone enters House 10 and starts checking all the rooms there. Eventually getting to the second floor and Haruhi's hiding place, in which he will march and try to get a hold of her -or corner her against a wall or something- as fast as he can so she has no chance to react.]

Now, listen to me and listen to me closely because I don't want to have to repeat this ever again. So shut up for five minutes and get off your fucking horse.

[His voice is low, almost hissing as it's too harsh and annoyed to be a whisper.]

We have known each other for close to a fucking year, that's far more than the time I've known Rena and the others, not counting the stupid time loop thing that Hanyuu did. Over all this time I've lost count of all the things you have called me and the times you have belittled me, but it's okay, I don't care about those. I still don't get what's your fucking problem with me and why you need to cling at anything I say and twist it to make me look bad, but I have never cared, because I assumed that you still knew better inside of you.

Seems I was wrong, so I'll make things clear now. You can laugh at me saying that little girls can be as cute as older girls, you can accuse me of being a pervert or whatever you want even if the sole idea makes me what to puke. But never again say that I lie to you, or treat something I say as not real. I have never lied to you in all this time we have known each other and I would never do it.

You don't want to be told what your fucking role in my life you have? Shut up, I never asked you to enter my life as if you were a fucking hurricane, and turn my world upside down the way you did. That wasn't a fucking cheesy line, it was the truth. You are the hope of my universe, you are the one in whom I trust the most in this place, as long as you're here I know that the girls will be fine and that I myself will be fine. Because you made yourself be that fucking hope. All the times I've been close to go psycho due the syndrome, the times I was already going psycho, who the fuck was it that made me return? Who brought me back? Without medicines, without almost killing me, without letting me die like a dog and wait for my return a week later? It wasn't Minato. It wasn't Rena. It wasn't even Rika, the great 'queen carrier' of the syndrome. It was you, Haruhi Suzumiya.

The only thing that has kept me sane ever since I returned has been you, you are the only reason why I bother to fight and remain sane even with the girls gone. When you left the only reason why I remained sane was because I didn't accept it! I didn't accept that you were gone! Even as I searched for you and found nothing, even as I delivered the message that you had left, even as I hold a crying Winry beating me because she didn't want you gone! I never accepted it. In my mind I always repeated to myself that you would return, that you would come back, not just another you but the you with the memories and everything. The you who had burst in my life and made herself comfortable there while insulting me, twisting my world as you pleased with no care in the universe in the name of a promise you didn't want to fulfill with me. I never accepted that you were gone for good. Every day, every week, I repeated to myself that you would return and checked the journals looking for you, I kept your things thinking that some sort of karma would make you ping and return demanding them back, I tried to pull the Brigade on hoping that you would enter through the door yelling that we weren't being loyal, I kept you in my mind and kept talking about you expecting you to suddenly appear there, yelling at me to stop thinking about you.

And the moment you returned, Luceti began to be a good place again. And my hope of being able to live here without going crazy and protect the girls returned too, because you are here again. You are the center of my universe, you are the hope of my universe. Not because I say so, not because it's a cheesy line or a shounen-manga line or whatever you want to make it up to be. It's because you made yourself be so and I'm not going to let you get out of that position just because you have a problem with listening to what I say seriously, you're one year too late to change that.

[ . . . . . . . ]

[ . . . ]

[...She hangs her head here. This is too much.]

[Is she blushing? Is she in shock? She doesn't know. It doesn't really matter because what can she do? what can she say? She wants to tell him to shu- no she doesn't even want to do that. Some part of her is telling her she has to.

"Shut up"

"Get off"

"Go away"

But none of those are true, none of them at all.]

Don- [And she chokes here, ducking her head. Oh dammit is she starting to cry? She is]

Don't be so nice to me, you fucking idiot.

[Honestly? Part of him expected her to yell at him again. To kick him or slap him. Insult him, tell him to shut up. Anything. Silence wasn't something he expected. A faint blush in her cheeks wasn't what he expected either. And the start of crying...

He's totally caught off-guard with that.]

Wha- Haru-

[Who's this dere and where is his tsun?!]

[In the back of his mind he wonders if this may be a trap, an act to get him with the guard down and call him names again... Even if technically she's still insulting him. Now... Does he care? No, he said what he wanted, it's okay now so long as she doesn't doubt his words again.]

You are my best friend, I don't know how to not be nice to you, no matter what you do or what gender you are or what appearance you have. I'm truly an idiot like that.

[She gets a loose hug. Here Haruhi, have his guard down, you can do whatever you want again. It's okay. Just... Stop crying.]

[In this moment, she... collapses into his chest. She cries there, and is tempted - tempted - to grip onto him. But she resists, hanging limp in his grip and just planting her face into him. Moron. Idiot. Scum. Leech.]

[But then she pulls back. Her head is still hung, but when she pulls her head up it's with a resolute smirk. She cocks her arm back and then, without any further warning, slaps him across the face. Her eyes are still bloodshot from the tears, but-]

Don't you ever corner a girl in a room like this again!

[He let's her cry, keeping the hug loose enough so she pulls from it easily, yet tight enough so it's indeed a hug. When she slaps him it hurts, but he has to keep himself from smiling. Now this is more like the Haruhi he knows.]

Sorry. But I wouldn't have had to do it if you had accepted my offer to go out and do something from the start.

I'm still not going on a date with you. I have a girlfriend, you know.

[Folding her arms. Creep]

I know, I know. But I wasn't asking for a date, just as friends, go out, do something. Don't know, I've just missed you and wanted to do something together.

Says the guy breaking into girls houses and pinning them against the wall. If this was one of those delusions perverts like you have you'd have raped me already, you know.

[Challenging... flat. She's not even sure why she's saying it, but she's smirking.]

Yeah, and if I was such a delusional pervert who wants that I would have already tried to. But I haven't and I won't, besides the idea of hurting a girl sits bad on my stomach.

[To prove his point he even walks away a bit.]

If it serves for further insults, I also break into guys houses if I have to.

Yeah, Keiichi, no one wants to hear about your serenading Minato. [Jeez. She slips off the wall and then ruffles her clothes a little, walking back to the table and her journal... and Miu's crumpled note next to it]

I wasn't talking just about Minato though.

[He eyes her carefully as she moves, his eyes falling on the crumpled note briefly.]

Maybe I should have kept that quiet and let you think I only do it with you?

No, that's just creepy. [Sighing, she takes a seat back at the table. She glares at the journal and then shrugs]

[He shrugs too and walks a bit closer but doesn't bother to go to the table or take a seat.]

You okay?

[Dully, she wipes her face with her sleeve. She then sighs] yeah. ...Yeah 'mfine.

[Keiichi sighs and pats her head a bit, ruffling her hair lightly. It's a brief and quick movement though, gone before she can protest, Keiichi focusing randomly in something in the room without saying a word for now.]

[UGH YOU FREAK.]

What was that, jeez.

My answer to your 'fine'.

[Pause as he looks around... Man, it feels strange to be here as a visitor after he was invading their couch for several months. If it wasn't because now there are more of them he may have suggested Rena to return here, at least her.]

You are aware that I'm not going to leave for a while, right?

Yeah, I figured. What if I said I was going to go take a bath though?

[Freak :|]

I'll invade your couch again then and wait until you're done. Unless you want to invite me in or something.

[Laughing, totally not serious but, come on, what kind of question is that?]

But for that we would better take swimsuits and go to the hot springs. And we could tell the others to come as well for that matter.

Who goes to the springs this late? Are you a moron or- no, don't answer that, I already know you're the King of Morons.

[S-sigh. She grunts and then picks up the ball that is Miu's note once more]

What, taking a bath at the hot springs under a starry sky isn't fancy for you? We can go tomorrow then.

[Ignoring your insults.]

Taking one with you sure isn't my idea of fun, anyway!

Which is why we would tell Winry, Minato and the girls to come.

I'd rather go alone with Winry.

So when will you go?

With her or with you? If it's her it's Sunday.

I thought you said you didn't want to go with me~.

[A chuckle.]

Sunday, uhm? Not want it to interfere with the meetings?

Sunday's always been our day. [Subdued. She got shot down for meeting with Winry more than that]

Edited 2011-01-22 17:27 (UTC)

Oh... So that's why she had been waiting for you.

[No wonder she took it even worse than he had expected. Haruki had left the very day that was special for them. Crazy.]

Wait- why she-

Edited 2011-01-23 01:32 (UTC)

[...That was a Sunday? That day.]

You don't remember? Well, I was still invading your couch so... It felt off the moment I woke up and you weren't around already.

[Didn't take much to find it out, did it?]

...I forgot the day, alright? So it really was a Sunday?

I told you it was, why would I lie about that? I know you like to point flaws in me but I'm not such an asshole to lie about that.

Shut up! Stop assuming things. [...She folds her arms here, sighing. So that's ow it was. ...Bah]

What am I assuming exactly?

Nothing! [It's not like she thought you were lying it's just... a shock. It still is]

[You know, it was hard to get you when you both were of the same gender, now it's worse.]

...so yeah. Sundays are always out.

Let's go on a Thursday then.

I'm not going to schedule some standard day for you, you know. It's not like we're dating or anything.

When did I say to schedule a standard day for me? I meant going to the hot springs together with anyone we could get.

Besides, by being in the Brigade I've by default six days scheduled to meet with you per week. It's not as if I would need a special day to see you.

[...Urk]

...Well! Fine, fine. Thursday's not go but I'll tell you when our plans are.

Sounds good to me, it's fine with me any day and I doubt the others have problems with a certain day if planned in advance. But I don't recommend a Saturday if you want to bring Winry on Sunday.

You're not paid to state the obvious, Keiichi!

I'm not paid for anything, I do it free of charge. I'm the cheapest you can find.

Keep saying things like that and I'll make it so it's hard for you to sit down.

[Well, that makes him to shut up and drop the grin. You no longer have the proper parts for this to be used for joking neither is the situation good for such a thing. He still won't leave.]

[Good, that's what she wanted anyway. Now she can go back to unfolding Miu's note and reading it with a distinct frown for what must be the millionth time]

[So much anti-cute in that frown, girl. Ignore Keiichi, he will just be here. Staring at you with his own frown as he thinks.]

You, uhm...Haruhi? What do you mean? Who is this he?

He's nob- [... that was harsh, her voice stops. She shuffles the paper in her hands and then sighs]

...No one you need to worry about. If you don't know who 'he' is it doesn't matter for you.

It's just...I simply felt concerned, you see. Because it sounds like this boy did vex you so.

...Well yeah, but it's in the past now. It's nothing you need to worry about.

He didn't use to tease you, did he?

[ because she definitely believes this is some separate guy. ]

What- hey! No, look, just drop it.

O-oh. [ she sounds a little disappointed. she really would like to push it and help her new friend vilify this boy. ] Alright, then. If that's what you want.

Ye-yeah! ...It is. So thanks.

So, besides this mysterious him, how have you been doing?

Well... fine, I guess.

I am awfully pleased to hear that. Marilla often said you can only ever ask to be fine in this world.

I could ask to be plenty more than that...

...Actually, isn't this late for you, Anne?

Oh, I always try to keep my journal open by the bed. I simply cannot stand to miss a single thing -- this place is so exciting!

[ eventually, exhaustion will catch up with her. ]

[...Well she does that too]

...Alright, that makes sense.

So many things seem to happen after dark, here. I'm amazed that anyone gets sleep.

Some people pay for it by sleeping until like noon.

How very lazy of them.

Totally! You have to wait for them to get up!

And they miss the best sunrises, of course. Especially if they miss all of them.

Well I don't know about that, but you should at least be up in time to have the potential to make it to school, even if you don't end up going.

Though I can't see why someone wouldn't go. The teachers here are very knowledgeable. They have a lot to share.

Well, some people have other obligations, I guess. Or they're too old, done with school for a while, went into a trade or family business- there's a lot of options you know.

[ it reminds her: ] A boy from home -- Gilbert -- well, after I won the Avery Scholarship, his father couldn't afford to send him to Queen's. He had to stay at home.

[ what she already knows the story, anne. not to mention she probably knows that you, too had to stay home and give up continued education. ]

Yeah, well, for some people it's probably embarrassing to go back, or they just don't see the point. Education's necessary for modern Earth these days, but not everyone's world is the same way.

[From her tone - flat, controlled, maybe a little distant - it's clear she loves or at least likes/tolerates education and the idea of it. But she is, perhaps, forcing to accept the idea the opposite opinion might be correct.

~~But that said, Aly, I love the cliffnotes those are helpful keep them up~~]

And yet there is quite a healthy enrollment at the school, is there not? I am very glad to see the amount of classmates. Though it is a shame that almost all the friends I've made seem to be in the other class. [ the verbal equivalent of a contented shrug. ] Ah, well -- there are always the upper level subjects with familiar faces.

...Oh you care that much about your classmates and school?! Oh Anne, you're even cuter than I thought! [She would rush up and hug her or something but, you know, it's late. And they aren't near each other]

Of course I care. Why, I'd hate to come across another Josie Pye. But...Haruhi -- is it that odd to care?

Just because someone cares doesn't mean they care about everyone, you know. That's a rare talent.

Oh, it can't be so rare. [ she deflects with a pleased, warm tone. ] You have your whole brigade and you must care for each and every one of them.

[WHAT.]

Th-that... that's entirely beside the point, Anne!

[ hesitating, now: ] I-it is?

...Of course it is! You were talking about random people in Luceti!

Random? Oh. [ she's not so sure about that. how can a whole village be random? everyone is important. from rachel the town gossip to cecil the farmer to the mailman. ] Well -- someone ought to care for them, right?

Well-- yeah, I guess so. But still, bringing the Brigade in is beside the point]

Oh! I see -- they're all from your home, then. [ at least, that's what she's mistaking the difference for. ]

[...What-]

No, no of course they're not. Do I look like I share a home with the likes of Naoki or Leon or Kurt?

[ of those names, kurt's is the only one she recognizes. ]

Why not? Kurt is an awfully nice boy.

He's a blue monkey mutant. Who assumes someone like that is from boring old Earth?

Someone who assumes that Earth is boring, I suppose.

Earth is boring! That's why the SOS-Brigade exists in the first place.

I haven't been bored. Well, not yet. And not unless we're at Sunday service because some of those gospel readings can be so achingly dull. It would all be a lot better if there were more knights.

See, see! Knights! Magic! Sorcerers! Sliders, aliens, espers, gypsies, time travelers, senshi, sentai heros, wizards and dragons! Earth needs things like that because without all those what is going on but a bunch of people living almost the same life all over the planet?! You see it, right, Anne?!

I do see it, Haruhi. I do!

[ she only understands about half of those -- but oh, does she ever agree. the difference is that she's always been good at imagining the knights and the magic and the dragons and the over-the-top storylines. and imagination has usually been enough. ] Life would be...oh, well -- perfectly romantic!

Forget romantic, it would be exciting! That's the sort of life people should be leading.

[ b-but romantic is exciting. ]

And the kind of life many people here lead. So -- does this mean that they're not from Earth?

Huh-? Of course there's some people not from Earth. Leon's not.

Where else could he be from, then?

Uh, I forgot what his planet is called, but he's a felpool, not a human.

Nice to meet you. [remarked as if he's just flipping through the book. More idle-sounding than it really is. There's something about this specific situation that commands his attention.]

[You want to be idle? She can bypass idle into downright dismissive]

Yeah, yeah.

[never been much of a deterrent for him, unfortunately]

You sound pretty frustrated.

I'm not. Jeez.

[That's practically spat out though]

[that's clear-- but he just nods, remarking without any irony]

Ahh, well. I forget you've been around here long enough that this sort of thing isn't too much to deal with.

Edited 2011-01-18 18:56 (UTC)

Yeah. [Flatly, distantly. It's not true at all, but there's no reason for her to express as much to this guy]

[He figures-- and as comfortable as he might be getting in business that isn't his, Ginko isn't looking to know what's going on in her head, sympathy aside. What he's wondering has roots in the nature of reality... and how it relates to all of them.

Quietly, matter-of-factly] So you have the same memories as the Haruki most people here know-- only they're different, because they're your own. In the same way that you are -- just yourself. [inevitable differences and inevitable similarities aside... ]

He's a slider- ...Or I am, whatever. The point is that it's an alternate reality. You have some knowledge of that or not?

Yeah. Recent knowledge.

..."alternate" is a funny word to use, ehh? It seems to imply that one is more real or original than the others... [and at this point, that's an idea he's pretty much stopped thinking in terms of-- at all.]

Parallel? Whatever, from the perspective of one person they will always be more real than any other version of themselves even if they meet over a thousand of them. It doesn't make the others less real to anyone else, it just means... [That you need to accept it that way to survive? But no way is she going to say that]

... that they aren't met to meet. [he finishes with his own thoughts of the moment. Though it isn't such a bad thing-- when it's like

anyway. A shrug.] It just is the way it is. [another pause, before adding] I think most people have learned that-- if not by their own experience, then from someone close to them.

--I doubt anyone will mean to give you a hard time.

Duh. Anyone who means to I'll put in the ground.

[...]

Anyway, him and I did meet. [And it was the most unsettling thing in her life. But thinking back... well] Which I guess means he met some version of me instead, logically. [Huh... She's not even saying this to Ginko, just thinking it out herself. There's a shuffling, she's adjusting her position in her chair.]

[shit, he was just being metaphorical. This-- is different than the scenario he was considering]

...I guess the fact that you could both exist in the same space, at the same time says something.

No duh. There's probably well over four thousand "Earths," some of them might as well have almost identical situations.

........

[... it's that "no duh" that does it.]

Can I ask you a question?

[there's a new one.]

[No. She really wants to say that but-]

...If you want.

On nearly every strange subject I can think of -- you speak like you know all about it already.

Is the Japan you know really that full of strange things?-- or do you just spend that much time thinking about parallel universes and visitors from other worlds?

I've been in Luceti two and a half years, you know. [ . . . ]

But no, the Earth I'm from is boring. There's no aliens, time travels, sliders, not even an esper. [She sighs. Well, none she knew of. But she's not getting into it] Just people going about their daily lives without any sort of massive organization doing this and that or super heroes saving the day. I looked as hard as I could, but I couldn't find anything. Don't you think that sort of world is just... boring?

Sounds like my world. [Ehh. Well...] Although I suppose my line of work would be considered paranormal, by most.

But to be honest-- most people live without any knowledge of that world at all. And go on with their day to day live-- fishing or farming. Crafting things. Raising children. [a half smile] I think even if I didn't do the work I do-- I'd find that pretty interesting. [Human beings are interesting.]

Good for you. You can only think that because you already are something special, right? It's a lingering bias - you, with the abnormal life, look at a normal one and go "oh, I could have fun doing that too." And maybe you could, because you got tired of that special life. But to someone who has only known the mundane thing, doing day in and day out all sorts of things that everyone has done before, what sort of meaning can they find in it? It's just the same old thing.

[...]

Don't you think a world like that, without fantastic possibilities, is just too sad?

[ ....."only think that because"

heh.]

[Angst is too foreign to be relevant, and he's too old to take offense to your bold conjecturing.

So instead, Ginko briefly considers-- whether there's any truth to this. There'd be a sense of loss-- well. Being here, he'd already felt that sense of loss. In fact-]

Bias, eh? [he leans on one hand, heavily I don't know. I think I've had at least a taste of the mundane, at this point. [but he doesn't really care whether she understands that or not. Too close, a thing.]

I think it would be "too sad"-- not to find meaning in that kind of life. A life surrounded by other people.

Sort of depends on where you find "fantastic". [Ahh. But (as far as he knows) you're young. And he smirks a little at the thought of trying to convince you that the fact that a seed sprouts into a myriad of possible life forms is fantastic.]

Sounds like you have pretty high expectations of reality. What about people who find all the things you mentioned just as mundane as changing seasons?

-- isn't it more a decision?

[...This guy is so calm it's bugging her. But far from getting angry, she just puts out in a cool tone:] If they want to be sheep that's their problem.

[A beat, and then]

There's seven billion people on Earth, you know? In all that, someone has to be doing something unique and interesting and special.

[-- it's a permanent fixture. The faint smirk is back]

I'm sure you're right. Even if you don't think getting food to grow from rocky ground, or knowing how to mend bones or carve stone is interesting.

[a pause] So what is interesting, by your definition? What you mean by it would have to change, from place to place.... like here.

Of course it would- and it's not like that isn't important. If no one farmed no one could eat and doctors are necessary everywhere it's just... there's got to be hundreds, thousands, millions of people doing just that. In light of that... it's just basically having the same thing happen to you that happens to everyone else.

[Her voice is subdued, distant by now]

...Interesting? Unique, I guess. [...] And maybe it does change. After all, everyone can use magic here, so it's not like that is something spectacular, even if it's foreign to Earth.

[You know, the thing he wanted to know most was whether you were a brat who was dissatisfied with things without really seeing them-- or just questing after something different. And probably still a brat; but big difference.]

... so what do you think special is, here?

...Nosy, aren't you?

[She pauses to think about this. Given what a mess her emotions are here, any less heartfelt things she could say just seem... pointless. Because what isn't here? ~~for the record Ginko, the latter is closer. Given her something she hasn't done and she'll try it. ...Sort of~~ ...She starts to hum and the silence lasts quite a while]

[Incidentally, she's humming - well it begins with Eye of the Tiger but somewhere between it, the song mutates and becomes the beat to this. Finally, grudgingly-]

I don't know.

Heh, old habits...

[And he favors the latter guess, himself; "important" is a key word.]

[he listens, partly amused and partly intrigued-- until the answer.

It's a pretty good answer.]

Well. You have the time to find out.
-- I guess that's as good a reason and any to have a Brigade.

[Okay, sentimental moment over]

I don't need someone like you to tell me that!

[snerk. So obnoxious.] You're not lacking in confidence, are you?

Of course not! It's only natural that a leader should have this much confidence.

[a low chuckle] I have to say-- I'm curious to see just where that leading will lead.

Well then keep your eyes open, because it'll blow your mind!

[Honestly, he had never expected Haruhi to come out with something like this. But more people must've been having a harder time accepting her as a her than he did. ...Well, to some degree, that made sense, given he wasn't nearly as close to Haruki while he had been here compared to others.

Still.]

Well, I think I'll spare you my usual "idiot shounen speech" this one time. You already know what I'm gonna say, and that I mean it.

[You know. That you're you no matter what body they stuck you in.]

Edited 2011-01-18 18:38 (UTC)

[EYEROLL]

Yeah, whatever Adell. At least you grew a quarter of a brain cell, I guess I should thank Luka.

[Sounds utterly unbothered by the statement.]

Maybe you should. She'd be happy to hear it.

Speaking of, where is she?

...She got taken again by those bastards.

[Something he's clearly not happy about.]

But I just saw her when I showed up.

...Yeah, you did. She got taken in the meantime. And you saw her as a human.

[Frustration is evident in his voice, with him barely containing any sort of anger at them for all the crap that's gone on lately.]

...The Malnosso have just fucked around with her for the past two months. First she got taken, then returned without her core personality, then she got taken again and returned as a biological human, and now she got taken for a third time.

I can't wait to see what they've done to her this time.

[...Oh, no. He's not happy, especially after he trusted the Malnosso to actually fix her when he asked last time. Considering turning her into a human was pretty much the exact opposite, it's probably no surprise that he's not optimistic about this one.

...But he would love to be proven wrong.]

...Huh. Well she had probably always wondered what being human was like too, you know. [Flatly. She's not really sure how to respond to this. This day has left her so emotionally drained she can't even muster up feeling bad for Luka]

She may have, but it's one of those things that she should've said "this is what I want" instead of it being dumped on her all at once without consent, y'know?

For all you know she did say it - or thought of it - sometime in the past and when she was kidnapped they found it in scanning her CPU. It's underhanded, yeah, but it's still adhering to his wishes.

[He sighs. She does have a point.]

Still. Doesn't make it right.

...But since when have they ever cared what's "right?"

Pretty much never, obviously. Even if they cared about goodwill it would be under an "exitus acta probat" doctrine.

...The what now? You mean as long as it's good for them?

[Latin? It is lost on this idiot.]

"The end justifies the means."

Like the guy who nukes a city in order to destroy the evil base hidden under it.

Yeah, that sounds close to what the Malnosso would do. ...Some of them, anyway.

Why only some of them?

...Well, we don't know nearly all of them. There might be some that aren't like that and simply are stuck in a situation where they have to just follow the flow.

...Idiot.

[Earlier that day, someone left a letter for Haruki Suzumiya. Not just anyone, but a Brigade member who was sent home: their own so-called idol. Not one that Kurt knew particularly well or anything. Still, a letter from a friend she'll never see again, addressed to her male counterpart?

... and then she does this?]

You going to be okay there, chief?

[Oh. It's Kurt. First things first, out of habit as well as delaying the need to answer, she bumps up the filter to something decent and sighs. She then... flops her head on the table next to the book. She stays there for a while, leading to effective silent for his end. And then, finally, she gives a vocal reply]

...Yeah, I'll be fine.

It wasn't easy to say all that, was it?

[He knows, man. He knows.]

But it takes guts to be open like that.

What- hey, shut up! [...No. that's not it. Pause]

...Well, I had to be.

[He isn't deterred at all!]

Yeah... I guess you didn't have much choice. I kind of had to do the same thing, when I gave up the holo watch.

Oh, yeah. [...she must've missed that. Oh well]

Huh, that's true, isn't it... [She should sympathize more but she just... can't muster is right now. Instead, she awkwardly half-laughs]

Edited 2011-01-18 21:31 (UTC)

[He's not fishing for sympathy anyway.]

Anyway, you should already know, I like the great Haruhi Suzumiya just fine.

Yeah, of course. Some leech of a guy like you would always prefer a girl anyway, right?

[That's said... accusingly but it's a mock tone. Playful? A little]

[Shrugging it off.]

Oh, well, you caught me. But can you blame me?

I could, but I'm obviously the better choice anyway, so it works out in the end!

Yeah, totally.

[A pause.]

Sorry for bailing the other day.

Huh-? Oh, right. ...Yeah, whatever, it wasn't on Brigade time so it's fine.

I've been thinking maybe I should learn some Eferin too. Juggling fire is way more impressive, yeah?

Totally! After all, you can juggle items as much as you want, but people will still still think of it more like a circus act than anything.

But if it's fire, they'll be way more intimidated.

Nala's probably the more relevant one to hit if off with though if you haven't yet.

For healing? I guess it couldn't hurt... [Especially for the kind of stuff X-Men do. And maybe he could turn off the safeties in the dome if he could heal himself.]

Yeah, plus for most people she's the easiest to get along with.

Yeah... I've heard Eferin can be tough.

Well I got on well with him. [...And harder with Nala, but we won't say that] But yeah, I bet he's hard for some people to deal with.

Because of you're fiery attitude and hot temper, right?

...More like my burning passion and supreme confidence!

Yeah, I was going to say those next.

Sure, I bet you were.

What, you don't believe me?

No, I don't.

Wow. I thought by now we totally trusted each other, yeah?

Edited 2011-01-22 16:10 (UTC)

This and that are entirely different things! Right now, I'm trusting you to try to impress me with your insight!

I think you want me to tell you that you're funny, sometimes insightful, very clever, maybe over demanding and bossy, but a very fun loving person. And you're not too bad to look at either.

[....WHAT]

...I didn't say anything like that!

But you were thinking it!

I was not! Don't put things in people's heads, Kurt!

Are you thinking it now?

Absolutely not!

Ahh, well. It was worth a try, yeah?

[This is the sound of her lightly hitting her head on the table. Ugh you and your... whatever that is]

[Right, okay. Trolling complete.]

See you at the next meeting, chief!

[Leon's first reaction to the long and rambling speech from Haruhi is to ... facepalm to himself. Was that really necessary, Haruhi?

Okay, maybe it was. Maybe she needed to prove a point. Maybe some people weren't approaching this as logically as he was ~~or as he was trying to~~. Part of him bristles at the failed expectation that he--or anyone else--would forget Haruki, like he hadn't been there. No matter what anyone said, she couldn't just replace Haruki. She could do the things that he had done, she could have experienced the things he had... But she wasn't Haruki. He couldn't even say the full name of the Brigade without a certain disgust and lingering resentment,now that he wasn't distracted by his initial shock and tiredness. She hadn't done anything to deserve his friendship or loyalty.

But she was trying to be sensitive to others' feelings. In that Suzumiya kind of way. And there was a certain comfortableness to it all--her personality, her actions. They had even fallen into a kind of rhythm with meetings and school and just ... life.

He wonders how disappointed Haruki would be if he saw them now.]

"Hi everyone, it's nice to meet you"?

Edited 2011-01-18 19:21 (UTC)

It's a metaphor.

That's one extended metaphor.

Whatever, it's like when someone announces who they are rhetorically in order to make a point.

Your name is Haruhi Suzumiya, and you're meeting everyone for the first time. I get it. It doesn't matter, you don't care, it's not important.

You're putting words in my mouth, Leon! It's not like it's unimportant it's- [...]

Forget it.

Not at all! I'm just ... summarizing what you were saying. If you don't care, I don't care. [Which says a whole lot right there. He knows you care, after all.]

...Shut up, Leon. [UGH. This is so draining, what does she even have to say here? That came out automatically. She should really say more- clarify she needs his support. But... but that's hard to say]

[He's silent for a moment, like he's actually considering the whole shutting up order. And then he filters the conversation.] How long are you going to keep that up? It's been two weeks now.

[She slams her head into the table- or well, her arms on the table. Faintly, she crushes Miu's letter into a ball in her fist]

Miu loved him.

[...]

Well, of course she did. How is that a surprise?

[But it is a surprise, of course. He can only imagine how big a surprise it is for Haruhi.]

She loved him, you moron! Loved! [HOW ARE YOU NOT GETTING HOW SURPRISING THIS IS]

W-- what am I supposed to say? [The only time he'd been "in love" (read: having crushes on all the women he traveled with), he had Claude there to help him through the whole issue.] It's not like Haruki's here.

What, and you knew? Are you doing to tell me that Haruki knew it too?!

No way. I didn't know! But Miu-- come on. Haruki's Haruki. He attracts people to him.

[... No he- She- ]

...No I don't.

You're kidding, right? [That was a little too stunned a reaction, so...] Okay, maybe you're not kidding.

Not romantically not Miu. Or- Sure I was asked out a lot in middle school, but it's not like any of them were more interested than me being attractive!

Miu got to know you. [And she was kinda ... eccentric in that same way Haruki was.] But that's not the important part, is it? You don't know what to do, now that you know. You can't ... put her down, or talk to her about it.

[There is a very long pause before-] ...Hey, Leon. If I reset everything, you'd stop me again, wouldn't you?

[He blinks several times at the sudden question, and finds himself having to stall for his brain to catch up.]

Where did that come from?

...No, forget it.

No. [It's a jerk reaction.] You're not handling this well. I'd be stupid to just forget it.

Who would handle this well, Leon?! Do you know anyone who reacts well to everyone they know seeing them as a replacement?!

Of course not! [Yeah, the best way to react to this is by getting louder as well. It's actually pretty ridiculous in the confines of his apartment.] That's why it'd be idiotic to just let you ... stew. Because you'll do something, and you're going to-- [What? Land them in another Closed Space? Was that why she had asked? He takes a breath.] I don't know. But you're going to regret it, and you'll just feel even worse.

I know.

...why do you think I bothered?

[To make this post? To apologize to Sokka - which she knows you hacked or could hack - to do... any of this]

[You can bet he's taken a look. And he'll look at everything later too, when it turns out it's not so easy to dismiss that he's actually ... worried.]

Sure. You bothered to do this. But you're still sniping and-- ugh. [He grumbles somewhat inaudibly.] Look, do you want to go-- I don't know, beat something up or-- something? Go to the barracks and just beat the crap out of a dummy? [Haruki would do something physical if he had a lot on his mind, if he was stressed. He was pretty fail at basketball and other sports the Brigade had introduced him to, but if Haruhi had the same physical tendencies...] You might feel better.

I'll go for a jog later. It's pretty late, you know. [...Or maybe she should go now. But far from restless, she's feeling lethargic right now.]

Pretty late. [There's a slightly skeptical note in his voice; he was somehow not convinced that the lateness would bother her that much.] All right. All right. Just... [He trails off, not sure what to say.] You can talk to me about whatever.

Since when are you a therapist?

It's just an offer, geez. [He'd actually be surprised if she did take him up on the offer.]

Yeah, whatever.

[...]

Say, Leon, you're not going to fall for me too, are you?

[His voice actually cracks as he responds.]

What?

Well apparently I'm so magnetic I have Keiichi all but proposing to me, Miu loved Haruki, Kurt and Mikage are hitting on me even though Mikage's gay, and Uriko putting her nose in my life life!

[... ...Wow, was it that bad? He doesn't know about the Keiichi thing, but he was pretty sure Kurt and Mikage were just joking...

But from that tone of Haruhi's, he doubted that actually mattered to her.]

N-- no way! Do you know how awkward that would be?

No, not really. [So flatly. But then a sigh] But whatever, that's good.

[She doesn't see how it could be awkward? ...Okay, maybe he was thinking of this weirdly with Haruhi having memories of all the things he'd gone through with Haruki, but... Maybe it wouldn't be so weird if he didn't dwell on it.

...Why was he even thinking about that?]

Yeah. You've got enough "suitors" without me adding to it.

Particularly when I have a- ...Well probably, anyway.

[He tilts his head slightly at the comment.] Winry, you mean?

...Yeah.

[Let's just... leave it at that]

You'll figure something out. You're-- [a Suzumiya] --Haruhi Suzumiya.

[No she won't. It's not within her power - she wishes it was but. There's just silence as your reply, Leon. It's a mess]

[Yeah, so much confidence right there. Leon sighs when he receives no response.] You'll get some rest, Haruhi?

...Yeah. I'll go to bed soon enough. Like I said, it's late.

...Okay, good. Then I'll say goodnight.

Yeah, night.

[Well it looks like she has plenty of angst from everyone else, and he doubts she'd appreciate anything he'd have to say on that subject, so-]

Should we show Keiichi the prequel trilogy?

No, we should force him to watch those stupid ewok spinoffs.

That sounds painful.

On the scale of movies they would be D-movies.

And the Christmas Special?

No, then we need to track down something worse like... I don't know, modern tentacle porn or something.

[....um.] You can look for that yourself.

Four eyes are better than two!

Maybe we can pick something else.

It needs to be something to traumatize him!

Why?

[K-1, what did you do this time?]

...BECAUSE!

[yep, you're in trouble Keiichi.]

It sounds like there's more to it.

What sort of moron breaks into a girl's house and pins her against the wall?!

[> .............

> Somehow, you think you should be more surprised than you are. ]

What?

He broke into my house and pinned me.

Yes. Why?

[..] As a man - and his boyfriend - shouldn't you be more indignant about that?

One, I'm not his boyfriend. Two, if he wants to make bad choices I can't stop him.

What if I added he basically proposed to me after that? [...Okay she should filter this.

[............]

Congratulations?

[...]

Go die in a ditch.

It was a roof.

[....but okay enough casual trolling. He wouldn't let anything she decides to say bother him anyway; she'd said she wanted to start over, and that means leaving the baggage of their less than perfect relationship behind. Maybe it's not what she intended but he'll take it that way.]

Do you want me to talk to him?

[GLASS SHATTERING in her head]

What- no!

[...This power she has over him is astonishing. she does not understand it, but she should test is]

I do, however, want you to go to the school and strip naked on the your desk though!

[....on his part, he does not understand you at the moment. Or have you been imagining him naked this whole conversation, is that it?

...He's not sure if he wants that to be true.]

I'd rather not get executed.

It's not like Mitsuru will see you there this late at night.

[she has ways, Haruhi. But regardless-]

Then it would only be you.

If you're that concerned bring Minako. Or I can bring Neku.

What happened to worrying about being pinned?

No one gave you permission to change the subject.

I'm not giving a free show.

[he says it lightly but - there's a bit of an edge regardless, in a 'why are you pushing this' kind of way.]

Why would I care about any stupid show of yours?! I just told you to do it.

And I'm saying no.

[ . . . ]

...Well, whatever.

[that was surprisingly anticlimactic.]

We can find a normal film for Keiichi.

I wonder if they ever made a theatrical version of Oedipus...

[...] Why that one?

Because, he might not know it and the familial plot twist there would throw him for a loop.

He does like to read.

But that's Greek- did we have Greek books in the 80s?

...Probably?

...Yeah, I guess so. Maybe something out of Arabian Nights?

Haruhi? Could you help me with something?

[-!]

Ye-yeah, I guess.

Do you know Buffy's measurements? I just need her torso, if you happened to know?

Buffy, huh? [Think... oh, she just saw her the other day]

Well I've never thought about it, but I bet I can estimate. Why?

I've got a commission to make her a ballistic vest. As a surprise.

[What?]

Seriously? But she can toe-to-toe with superpowered vampire things just fine.

I know, but Jack's insane and the only way to get my things back from him is to complete this commission.

Who's this Jack guy, huh?

Some crazy pirate who I think has a thing for Buffy.

[...Well] Yeah, that's pretty crazy. That's like falling for a wolverine.

What? Buffy's a very nice woman!

She hunts vampires for a living and all she talks about is violence.

That's not true! I've talked to her about plenty of things than that!

I've known her for the better part of a year and never have had a conversation with her which wasn't about some random monster she had to fight!

Well I've talked to her about CDs, Bands, Love, and other things.

Huh... whatever. [Dismissing that]

If you just need her measurements, Shiki might have them on file, I'll just break into her room and get them. Hold on-

[And she's off]

Break int- HARUHI! Wait, Don't-!

[TEN MINUTES LATER...

she's back]

Okay, got 'em.

Couldn't you have just asked?

This way's faster! Besides, I wasn't totally sure.

Fine, just. What are they?

[Cue some citing here. I am leaving this ambiguous because I wouldn't know them.]

Thanks.

Yeah, no problem.

You're a big help. I really appreciate it.

I just said it was no problem... you don't need to thank me that much, jeez.

Oh, now I'm not allowed to honestly thank you?

Well... you already did it once, there's no need to repeat yourself.

It never hurts to reminds someone how much they've helped someone else.

Plus this commission is important. I've been trying to get those stolen tools back since early fall.

Huh, that's devious of you though, taking advantage of someone's love to extort them out of things.

That wasn't it at all! I asked you because I know you're good at estimating that kind of... stuff.

That- [...Pfft. AHAHAHAHA She actually laughs a little]

Jack! Jack! You said he had a thing for Buffy!

[This situation - this failure. It's not... Haruhi knows it shouldn't be this funny but it's the first time she's laughed all day. So when Winry trails off into silence, she just keeps on laughing]

[It continues for a while more until she trails off, grinning still-] Sorry, sorry.

At least I got you to smile.

Yeah, thank you. [A little more sincerely.

...Because Winry said there's no harm in it]

You're welcome. I'll see you next Sunday, then?

[.. ... ... ...]

...If you're okay with seeing me sooner than that, I'll visit your place. Do you need help moving the Hughes in or is that done?

It's fine, but thanks for the offer.

[...Rejected]

...Yeah, then Sunday.

See you then.

[...oh.]

It's very nice to meet you, Haruhi.

Yeah, same here Guy.

Would you rather I treat you like I did Haruki, or would you prefer we start over?

[Haruki. Haruki. ...No, but she wants what they had before. She wants that so much but... that isn't what he asked and it isn't fair besides. There's a distinct pause and then]

...It's more fair to start over.

Hey hey, if you have his memories you should know full well how much I care about what's fair.

I just want whatever makes you more comfortable. Obviously I wouldn't treat you how I treated him; you're not the same person, after all. Right?

But- [Well, he knows about certain things. Like the godhood and all.] -well, there are extenuating circumstances, aren't there? I'll support you in whatever way you see fit, whether that be by starting over or as a friend. Whichever you prefer.

[...Jeez, you bum]

...It's not like you and I have the same relationship I remember or the same one you remember, so trying to adhere to either of them is stupid. It's not like I want to start over, but it just makes more sense to go about things in some manner closer to that. Like, say, not worrying about nitpicking details of how they were before.

[...]

Besides, even if you don't remember, you're nicer to girls anyway. [Usually. Sort-of.]

Of course I'm nicer to girls. Men should treat the women in their lives with care and respect.

[And boys are nasty little things that need to be punched occasionally. See: Luke.]

But good, it sounds like we're of the same opinion. I'll be sure to treat you as Haruhi from now on.

[...ding!] Hah, you got that right! It's only natural, isn't it, got a guy to want to be kind and impressive to the girls in their lives!

I'm not so sure about "impressive," but kind is definitely true.

Of course it's about that! Don't you want to make a good impression?

I suppose you're right. Appearances are everything.

...I never said that either! Impressions! Impressions!

A first impression can make all the difference!

Edited 2011-01-24 05:44 (UTC)

I've already made my first impression though.

And it was pretty good! [a wave here] So now with that in mind you've got to maintain it!

Hahaha! Well, thank you, I'll do my best to live up to your expectations.

Good man! That's all we can expect.

[Mitsuru missed Haruhi's first post, and she's actually left speechless after listening to this one. It isn't as hard to accept as it could have been -- the existence of Minako softened the blow a bit. Still, she's having a hard time finding words to say; she and Haruki weren't exactly on good terms when he was sent home.]

At least a reintroduction isn't necessary.

...Oh. Hey, Mitsuru.

Suzumiya. [At least that was still the same.] I hope you're adjusting well to this...change.

As I know it, nothing change. I don't need to adjust.

You still have to, especially because people's perceptions of you will be different, even if only at the beginning.

Duh, but it's still not like I need to be praised for it or anything.

I'm not praising you.

...Well, good. That's fine then.

[Oh, Haruhi.] All of your male counterpart's memories are your own, correct? [Because...well, they had a lot of sketchy things happen between them.]

I just said that too - or well, probably. It's not like I've been checking them all point for point as compared to what other people remember. It doesn't really matter, either.

It would matter to the people who know you.

Yeah, their memories of Haruki matter to them and my memories matter to me, but they won't match up perfectly so what's the point in comparing them anyway?

So there won't be any awkward situations in the future?

But just comparing notes is awkward anyway.

I suppose you can choose whether to experience the awkwardness sooner or later.

Then I choose neither; I'll just go forward with a born again relationship!

[A smile.] That is also a good decision. We can both start over with a clean slate.

[This is the only time Mitsuru is going to be this generous, Haruhi.]

Exactly.

[So get in a meido dress :C]

I'm glad we got that settled.

[Nevar.]

Yeah, really. It would have been annoying to have bad blood hanging there randomly.

[Frown.] It wouldn't have been random. [She doesn't want to think about it too much, because Haruki is now...a girl...]

Like I said, the point is that it doesn't matter anymore.

That's right, a fresh start. [Let it go, Mitsuru, let it go.]

That's right, fresh start.

[Oh she's a tsundere.

But Minako already knew that when Haruki was still around. So there's really only one way to address this, really.]

[A FIERCE SALUTE.

Or an energetic YATTA! pose - same difference. :V]

Understood, Haruhi-san! It's really nice to meet you, too!

[Oh. If you want to play it that way]

Yeah! Good to meet you again! [Even if you should be at meetings]

[Well both ways are fine really]

Are you at the HQ now? I can come right away! I'll bring some snacks too. My name's Minako, by the way! You probably saw it on the memberlist.

It was a figure of speech, you know. It's not like I don't know who you are.

[J-jeez. But no, she shakes her head] But no, I'm at home- who would be there there late?

Well, it couldn't hurt, right? [/headscratch...]

It would depend? I do admit that I've been busy with other things lately, so I haven't been coming as often as I should, but I did stay late on some days during December, when we were planning out the Secret Santa and organizing the party on Christmas Eve. ...Though fellow members would know about it, that's true, aha.

Yeah, Mikage told me about that- and Taichi, good call, by the way. [...]

We need something bigger though, maybe something that takes advantage of the current influx of DVDs here.

Hehe, thanks! We definitely have to honor the club's namesake no matter what, after all! ...Mm, speaking of which, Valentine's Day is in a month, too. There will probably be an experiment, but should we organize something too, anyhow?

Oh, there's always an experiment - there's not point trying to organize a party or a mixer, but what about a lotto or something... or a candid camera thing!

We got lucky with Christmas, I think, but I can't quite remember what happened about a week before... Seems like it was major, but it's not coming back to me no matter how hard I try...

Ooh, that does sound good! We can probably do both, but a Candid Camera would be amazing! If I've been hearing rumors right about what happened on Valentine's in the past, it'll totally be priceless if we pull it off! Where would be a good place, though?...

Exactly! As for a location, the best would obviously be the plaza itself, but there's no way to not be obvious there, so we'll have to settle for one or more side locations, like maybe Seventh Heaven or one of the item shops... or the hot springs, I guess, but that would be more softcore than candid.

Seventh Heaven and the Bakery would totally be hot spots! We COULD do the plaza, but we'll really need some spy cameras for that. I wonder if we could get someone to build one without any questions asked? Ooh, it would, but maybe we can still find a way to put one at the Hot Springs anyway? Like set up a snack booth or something for people to relax at after they come out of a dip, and install one there. The context, location, and circumstances can make the whole difference, after all!

Oh, that's true! Yeah, we could man the bathhouse for a while, and then make sure that the people there know to get some good angles for the shots in the more mundane areas!

Soooounds like a plan! So when do we get to decide who does what and where we're assigned at?

...I guess I might as well ask for volunteers first, right?

Whenever you're ready, count me in!

Well duh, I mean who else can I trust to handle a camera set-up properly?! Leon has the academic skill, but not the savvy!

You got it, chief! [/SALUTE] Will we be hammering out the details during an official meeting soon? If so, I want to know when! There's still a month, but it can't hurt to prepare early!

Yeah! We might need to preorder the cameras from that blue guy, after all.

Hm? Do you mean Kurt-kun? He's part of the Brigade, so it shouldn't be a problem if it's him, should it?

No, not him. [Perhaps a bit too defensively. One of her last conversations with Kurt ran sour from a similar assumption]

I meant Catherine, the CEO.

[HMM....

well okay. No need to dwell on it now, but--]

Edited 2011-01-29 23:09 (UTC)

E-eh? You mean the Malnosso? Can we even do that?

Of course we can! That guy owes us!

[This is... almost exactly what she said to Haruhi that first day. And it looks like the other girl more than has her hands full right now, and there's nothing Katara can think of to help her.

So. Good luck.

Man, Katara hates this place]

[ Yeah whatever girlfriend.

We'll talk later ]

Whoa, whoa, wait! Back up a minute! You were a guy?!

[...Oh look, a senile old guy]

No.

[Damn right.]

Then what the heck are ya moanin' about?! "Some of you loved that guy, I am not that guy", see why it's confusing?

If you don't understand it, that doesn't matter!

....Wait actually, who are you anyway?

I'd ask you the same question, but ya didn't seem to have any issues with blurting yer name out over the journal when you arrived.

Edited 2011-01-22 18:05 (UTC)

Well yeah, it's important to consider that people need to know when key figures return!

A key figure, huh? Ya sound awfully full of yerself for a kid. God magic powers or some kinda special ability then?

No. I have my position as the Chief of the SOS-Brigade.

Oh! So you're the leader of that group. I kept hearin' about it but nobody mentioned who lead 'em. What exactly do you do? 'Cause yer not the same as Blue Rogues or Brave Vesperia...

Oh! Yeah, that's me! The SOS-Brigade is dedicated to searching out and solving the mysteries of this world wherever you might find them and from there make sure that everyone leads a fun and worthwhile life!

[That isn't what he expected to hear, but he likes it!]

That's a great idea! I hope more people join you, you should try and drag Vash in if you ever see him, he's always sproutin' that kinda stuff!

...That Vash guy used to be in, actually! He quit a while ago though. [A pause, well... he had his reasons, right? She shakes her head] But yeah, of course we'll get new members- [...not what he said] And it's a great idea!

[...wait This next part clearly reveals how unused to praise she is:]

...Thanks for the good will!

Huh... I wonder what came over him ta make him quit. I'm sure ya'll find better members who'll stick!

[He stares blankly for a moment... yeah you really don't get praise much do you.]

Uh, no problem I guess?

...Yeah. No problem, but that's only natural. I mean I'm the leader.

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3rd: The Compromise of Haruhi Suzumiya

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