godbent | 5th: The Contamination of Haruhi Suzumiya

5th: The Contamination of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Voice]

So everyone, Valentines is supposed to be about love and stuff, right? But have you ever thought what's up with that Saint Valentine guy who originated the holiday?! Given that it's still popular today, is he just some famous dead guy, or is he now a ghost, trying to appeal to everyone's mind and manipulate them?! Wouldn't that explain how it's popular in both Japan and the West?

Bearing that in mind, even if this holiday is kinda stupid, it's still important to adhere to certain traditions in hopes of seeing any possible Valentines spirits. Because of that, I've gotten chocolate for some of you.

[...Namely all of the guys in the Brigade and grudgingly Minato. She considered some others, like Neku or Sokka, but decided against it. She also considered Winry but she's not sure if that's too weird or not. That said, delivering them? No, she's carrying them around in her bag in case she runs into people for other reasons and failing that going to put what's left in a basket at the HQ after she's done.]

More importantly-! A bunch of you have heard about the beach, right?! And you're all psyched to go there this summer?! Well, brought to you by our SOS-Brigade's genius scientist, Leon [this next part is muttered quickly and might not be heard:] andsomehelpfromSokka we're bringing you the all-new Beach Teleportation System! You know how the ones for the Hot Springs work, right?! Same thing here! The village-end for the teleporter is located in the barracks, and the other end is way off, so we can have easy access once it warms up!

All in a day's work for the SOS-Brigade!

[First reply is of course for her two boys. Once they're done feel free though.]

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Yeah, sure. [...And then she leaps on ahead of both of them, breaking into an instant run] Let's march!

Let's march or let's race? It's not the same!

[Totally running after her.]

[well whichever it is, he's going to keep pace with you two soon enough.]

Whatever, just keep up!

[As we're running to the barracks, of course. So we've got like... the whole town to sprint through. Opposite ends, lol]

[So, after sprinting through the whole town as if the end of the world was coming... Keiichi will be catching a bit of breath back once they are at the teleporters, thanks.]

[Minato is less out of breath here. Maybe you need some personal training if they're going to race like this often, K-1.

And eyeing the teleporter now. It looks a lot bigger than the other one.]

[...Hm. Haruhi has yet to try this one actually!]

Looks like we can all go in this one together.

Uhm, you sure it's safe for various people to go at once?

[He doesn't want to end with his ear attached to your hand or something.]

[...you know, he agrees with Keiichi here.] It'd be cramped.

[. . .]

Okay, whatever, I'll go first then.

[Cue her going to do so.]

[Keiichi will go after her then. He isn't suspicious about the teleporter itself, he doesn't even consider it as "it won't work" or something, but too many people may be harder to teleport than just one. So as soon as it's them going one by one, he's fine with it.]

[And Minato ends up as the last. It's not like they didn't use more suspicious devices in Tartarus, so it was more the logistics of being trapped in a small dark place with both Keiichi and Haruhi holding him back.

...Anyway he steps out at the other end to join the two inside the stone fort. This is much farther than he's ever traveled away from the village before... His first instinct is to go and look out one of the windows.]

[This is also a furthest for Haruhi, and she actually follows suit. However, her "following suit" is actually a bit more dramatic than that- she bounds out the door like a bat out of hell and race into the cold sand. It's also not quite sundown because you guys went early. Sundown won't be for a while really]

[You know what, guys? Keiichi has never got further than the hot springs, period. So the three of you are all new here. Keiichi doesn't follow suit though, he's too distracted by your reactions to bother with the scenery.]

You two act as if you have never been this far or as if it's the first time you see the beach.

I've seen the beach. [He lived someplace called Port Island, remember? but that was two years ago now, and it is pretty impressive to see the ocean again, as well as all the sand to themselves. It's too bad it's winter though.

...But it looks like Haruhi is leaving them behind, Keiichi. Minato's not bothering to run though - he'll just walk leisurely out of the fort and down onto the sand.]

Shut up! This is a beach, a beach in Luceti! Come on, even ignoring complications like the cold and if you're seen one before or not, this is an impressive sight!

[Hahaha. Oh man]

I meant the beach at Luceti, not in general. And it's not as if I've seen one often, it's indeed an impressive sight.

[Such a big ocean. No matter how you look at it, it's really an ocean, nothing like the lakes back at the village. Keiichi follows the duo, not bothering to run either and being busier looking at the sight than where he's going to. It's huge and, even thinking that there's a barrier blocking the way out, it's still impressive.

Makes one feel diminutive. Reminds him when looking at the universities' campus or at the whole city from a high place. Such a big and pretty sight, waiting to devour one with just one bite and without anyone noticing it even for an instant.]

I think I prefer the village after all.

[he heard the quiet addition, causing him to look over.]

I think it's good. [...] It proves there's more to this world. [places outside the barrier, that maybe they'll manage to break out to someday.

He walks up almost to the edge of the water, but not enough to get wet, since it would really be freezing. The ocean breeze alone is bitterly cold, even if it's not too windy today.]

Of course it's good! I mean look at this- the air, the breeze... give it summer, it'll be zesty and perfect for a beach run, but for right now... I guess it's a little-

[She pauses here, itching the back of her head and turning away from them, because she suddenly feels awkward in spite of herself]

Romantic, I guess?

I never said it wasn't good. But as you said, there's more to this world and to any world. The world has thousand of things, but by looking at all those things in the distance it's easy to forget what's right besides you.

[Ambitions. To see more of the world, to climb higher in society, to have a more luxurious lifestyle. What's wrong with the ambitions that are kept at a small village, something as simple as "I want to spend the rest of my life right where I am and the same way I am now"?

He smiles at Haruhi's idea.]

I think that's a good guess. And the picnic will just make it better.

[Talking about which, he will be looking for a good spot for it now, thanks.]

Or you can realize they're more important.

[...romantic, huh. He shouldn't be surprised by Haruhi's suggestion. That was part of the reason he'd helped Keiichi cook, so that he could win Haruhi over (if that's what he actually wanted.) Though seeing the two smiling at each other now....

Pushing that aside, he heads over to a small dune that shelters against the wind a little. It'll block the view of the sea some, but they don't want everything to blow away, or the fire to go out if they actually make one.] Here?

This looks like a good spot, yeah. Wind-breaking.

[As she races on over there, her tongue hanging out a little as she licks her lips. Hunger, eager? She's not really sure herself, but. Oh well]

[You can come to realize that. But people tend to ignore that, instead they either focus on what's far beyond or fall in despair over how insignificant they are and then focus on trying to be important, big and special. Without noticing that one can be special enough without having their name in big letters or great achievements known by everyone.

The spot is perfect and Keiichi starts to set the picnic up.]

I've never done a picnic on the beach before, so for me this place looks just as perfect.

Are you hungry, Haru-chan?

[Do you want to eat already or do something else first?]

[The picnic food is mostly simple things - thermoses of tea, fruit and riceballs, because Keiichi could actually make those edible, but Minato added some teriyaki chicken and other finger food snacks. There's dessert too, but that's in the bottom layer of the basket. And none of it is poisonous. Minato helps Keiichi to unpack while he waits for Haruhi's answer.]

Well... not particularly, actually. [...there's another awkward pause here before she shifts. She does enter a sitting position either way, but then rummages in her bag. What do do, what to do. Well.

Her hands touch something and she shifts again.]

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