# Sympathy

## A 'Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi' fanfiction

### Chapter Six -- Cool Blue Reason

Disclaimer: The novel series of Suzumiya Haruhi that began with 'The
Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi' is the creation of Nagaru Tanigawa. No
disrespect is intended by the posting of this fanfiction, as I do not own the
characters or settings involved. I'm merely dabbling with another set of
paints.

* * *

For all of my planning, I hit the immediate and frustrating wall of having no
real options yet. I can make nice with Kyon, and keep Mikuru from playing
things up _too_ much, but that's really just biding time. Not that I can think
of anything else -- what I really need is more information.

Something to act on, anyway. Well ... as lucky as it was to find the things I
have so far, it's not like I can expect it to just be _handed_ to me, is it?

When I trudge into the entry room at school, I find a note in my shoe locker:

After school has let out, meet me in the 1-5 classroom!

...huh. It looks like a girl's handwriting. More than that, I couldn't say --
there's no signature, or tell-tale stickers. I put it in my pocket and head to
class, thinking. Who could it be from, then? And what's it about?

I suppose it might be from Mikuru. Not cutesy enough for her act, but maybe
this is how she really is? I'm not sure what she'd want, but I'll need to be
careful to keep it from turning against me. I guess she didn't like me
apologizing and backing off, huh? Well, not like I want to work to make her
'job' easier!

I must look pretty distracted by thinking about things. When I get into our
classroom and sit down, Kyon wonders, "Still not sleeping well?"

"It's mild May sickness," I reply, sighing. "This is all getting so boring."

He seems about to reply, but pauses, looking out the window with a frown,
obviously thinking about things himself. It takes me a moment, but I think I
can guess what's going through his head. I'm bored, and the club is starting
to get boring -- but he doesn't know how to tell me to change that without me
giving Mikuru a hard time.

I think I'm seriously starting to dislike that time traveler!

"So today, your assignment is to make a website for the Brigade," I decide. "I
mentioned that I wanted one, right? That's why we have the computer, even!"

"I don't know the first thing about that," he protests. "Make a website? Where
do I even _start_?"

I roll my eyes. "With those grades and your natural aptitude, I expect it'll
take you almost ten minutes," I reply. "Seriously-- If you're _really_ worried
about it, ask the computer club guys for some help."

He grumbles a bit, but nods. "Alright," he allows. "I'll take my lunch to the
clubroom and get started on it early."

"Good!" I'm happier to hear that, and even though he's trying to look annoyed,
I'm pretty sure he's actually not that upset himself.

* * *

I check in on the clubroom at lunch, just to see if Kyon's doing what I've
told him to do. I bring my cafeteria lunch; by the time I'm through the lines
and at the clubroom, he's already halfway through the bento he has sitting to
one side of the mouse-pad.

He looks up and nods at me wordlessly, focused on his work. I set my lunch of
a large wrapped pork bun at the table and move to look over his shoulder. From
what I can see, he's going between some piece of editing software, and a basic
website tutorial. At the very least, what he's got isn't complete enough for
me to really judge -- and it's the code, not the page itself.

Still, he's working on it, so I nod in approval, but before I can speak, I
realize that Yuki -- silent as ever -- is at the table opposite from the seat
I'd chosen, her own empty bento to one side, book in hand. Today's title is in
English, so it takes me a minute to puzzle out, but 'Anathem' isn't a word I
recognize.

"Any good?" I prompt.

She looks up from her book and blinks a few times before saying, very softly,
"Unique."

Kyon taps at the keys, providing some background noise. After unwrapping my
bun and having a few bites, I wonder.... What exactly does an alien get out of
reading, anyway? Is she learning about our culture?

As I understand it, most of what we have in books would be information she and
that whole 'Integrated Data Sentience Entity' probably already have. After
thinking about it, I realize I'm staring at her -- though, she's gone back to
reading.

"What do you like about it?" I ask.

"The concept of altering reality with information," she answers without
looking up.

Hmm, I guess that would fit, wouldn't it? After I finish eating, though, I get
up and crumble up the wrapper the bun came in, tossing it into the corner. I
overshoot the waste bin, but it bounces off the wall and goes in-- Good
enough!

Kyon looks up from the monitor dubiously, and I tell him, "Keep up the good
work!" After that, it's a bit too dull to just hang out, so I start scouring
the school again. Mostly, I'm distracted by that note, though....

* * *

After we finish classes we go to the clubroom. Today, when Koizumi and Kyon
step outside to let Mikuru change, I follow them. I don't ... really think the
manipulative time traveler would start making sounds that gave Kyon the wrong
idea, but I don't see any real reason to give her the chance!

When both of the boys look at me in surprise, I turn to Kyon and start
pestering him for website details. "You're done with your assignment right?" I
prompt.

"Y...yeah, mostly," he says, shaking his head. "We don't really have much
content, though."

"Well ... I wanted pictures, but pictures of just me probably won't do it, so
we'll have to wait until we find some amazing things!" Kyon looks reassured by
this, even as Koizumi-kun looks slightly wary. Well, why not press that point
a little? "Yeah! We need to take pictures of aliens, time travelers, and
espers when we find them!"

"That's a nice thought," Koizumi-kun says, before Kyon can speak. "Kyon-kun,
what do you think about that? Finding those supernatural beings in the real
world?"

"Hmm.... I'd really like to think they're out there to meet," Kyon says in
reply, looking down the hall. It takes me a moment to realize; it's my eyes
he's avoiding meeting, not Koizumi-kun's.

Before I can try and really think what that means, Mikuru opens the door to
the clubroom, dressed in her maid uniform as always. Kyon's eyes go to her,
and that pretty much dispels the forming mood for _me_.

Now that I know to look for it, I see a small hint of irritation in Koizumi-
kun's face, too. At least I'm not the only one who isn't taken in by her!

After that, we troop in and I sit Kyon down at the computer, so he can show me
the website. Mikuru serves tea while he boots the system up and opens the
site. "This is local," he explains, showing me the front page. Kind of modest
... it really just has the name of our club on the front. At the bottom, he's
put a hit counter, and that's ... kind of it.

"That's the entire site?" I ask.

"There wasn't much to work with," he says, shaking his head. "Anyway-- Across
the top I put these links, see?"

"Yeah, I see them," I say, rolling my eyes-- Actually, I had missed them
before.

"So, since we didn't have much content, I made a separate page here--" He
clicks a link titled 'mission statement,' which takes us to a new page.

I'm a bit surprised; he basically transcribed the fliers that Mikuru-chan and
I passed out. Now it reads a bit better -- since he changed it for a website
instead of a paper that we would hand out. "That's not bad," I admit.

"And then I put in another page here," he adds, clicking on the 'contact us'
link. This pulls up a form that applicants or clients could fill out to report
stuff. "When this is filled out, it automatically e-mails us," he continues.
"The Computer Research Society had to help me get that set up -- but I got us
an e-mail address, too."

"Well! I was clearly right to assign this job to you!" I decide. Really --
that's not bad at all!

He looks satisfied with that, and adds, "And if we get more content later, the
entire thing uses...." And then he goes off into some technical tangent I
can't quite follow involving 'css,' whatever that is.

"Perfect-- Now we just need some activities and pictures we can put up there!"

He nods, rising from the chair and relinquishing the computer to me.

After that, well ... it's just boring waiting to see who sent that note. Being
stuck in a holding pattern like this ... really sucks!

I hope things change soon.

* * *

Once it's time for clubs to let out, I release everyone and leave, heading
toward our classroom at a swift clip. Not quite running, but I have to admit
-- I'm really curious to see what the hell this is all about!

It doesn't occur to me that it might be some kind of prank until I step
through the doorway -- and find myself face-to-face with Asakura Ryouko.

Ugh! That annoying, haughty girl....

"So, you sent me a note?" I ask, sounding as unimpressed as I feel.

"I did!" she admits, giving me a big smile, pressing her fingertips together
before her. The lighting in the room from the setting sun casts half of her
face in a blood-red glow. "You're right on time!"

"Yeah-- What's this all about, anyway?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

"Well, I'd hoped to talk to you! Really-- I actually had a question...."

"Then spit it out already," I grumble.

"Alright," she says, beaming at me again, her hands going behind her back. "Do
you feel it's better do something and regret it than not do it at all?"

That's a stupid question! "If you regret it, it seems pretty clear to me that
you wish you hadn't done it."

She blinks at that. "Hmm, well-- If you were stuck in a situation where doing
nothing would make things worse, and you didn't know how to affect a positive
change, what would you do?"

"Change _something_," I say, frowning. "That's got to be better than watching
a sinking ship." Wait-- Hold up! "Is this about Kyon? And you-- What, you...."
She _had_ come after me for 'leading Kyon on,' didn't she? "So, you're going
to ask him out?"

"If that were an option, I might!" she says in a way-too-friendly voice.

"W...what the hell does _that_ mean?" This girl is pissing me off!

"Well-- You agree that you would make a change to try and improve things, even
if you had to face the consequences later, right?"

That's actually already happened to me a couple of times getting this far --
all of them involving a certain time traveler that I think I dislike _just_
about as much as the class-representative I'm sharing a room with! "I already
_told_ you -- if you ask Kyon out, that's got _nothing_ to do with me," I
snap.

Though, if what Koizumi says is true, he won't really care, will he? Hah!

Completely unperturbed, shifting from foot-to-foot slightly, she continues,
"In that vein, my superiors are not capable of lateral thinking. They're
really out of touch with how quickly things can change in this reality.
Therefore, I'm compelled to do something in order to try and make a change --
any change at all, don't you agree?"

"...this isn't about dating Kyon at all," I realize aloud, narrowing my eyes.
"So! Which 'faction' are you with?"

"You could consider Nagato-san and I colleagues," she replies, her grin, if
anything, widening. "Though, our own sponsors don't agree on ideal
approaches."

Okay. Hang on a moment-- So, she's interested in Kyon, but.... "This sounds
interesting!" I say, feeling a smile of my own forming. Hey -- maybe I can get
an ally out of this! "I didn't get what you were saying at first, but we're
pretty close to being on the same page, here! So -- what's your plan? You want
to show things to Kyon, right?"

"That's right!" she agrees. "I want to see a reaction! Kyon-kun is heading
toward becoming very stable-- So, I want to change the environment to see how
he responds!"

"Okay, change the environment how?"

"Well, if you're willing to work with me -- kick him out of your club and
never speak to him again."

...and then, from the potential and promise of something amazing, Asakura just
circles straight back around to being stupid. "Uh, no," I reply. "Be serious
-- he sits _right behind_ me!" I'm not willing to go through with her idiotic
plan, but even if I was: "How do you expect me to pull _that_ off?"

"Oh? So you're not willing to do that?" She pouts in a way that most guys
would probably think is cute.

"That's really dumb," I advise her. "Instead, how about showing him some piece
of amazing technology? That'll get a reaction, right?"

"I don't think it's the one I'm looking for.... But I'm tired of observing the
same things, day after day. I mean something unexpected that truly shocks
him!"

"Proving you're an alien should do that!"

"He's watched too closely; there's no chance I could pull that off," Asakura
says, almost apologetically. "Well, that's fine; I have a backup plan!"

"Alright, let's hear it," I say, putting my hands on my hips, not expecting
much at this point.

"I'm going to kill you to see what sort of reaction Kyon-kun gives!" she
chirps, beaming me the brightest smile she's offered yet.

"...what?" I manage, my hands dropping to my sides. "You're going all 'Nevada-
tan' on me, now? Come on, that's not--"

I stop talking when she interrupts me, pulling out a _knife_ and declaring in
that way-too-syrupy voice: "Suzumiya Haruhi, please die~!"

Holy shit, Kyon! I thought the _Brigade_ members were crazy about you, but
this!? Mikuru's got _nothing_ on Asakura!

When she starts rushing me from the center of the classroom, I don't waste any
time-- I don't think of myself as a coward, but I don't see any great reasons
to stick around in a room with a knife-wielding psycho!

Except, when I get to the classroom door -- it's _missing_. There's just a
smooth continuation of the wall!

Instead of wasting time thinking about it, I grab the nearest chair and throw
it at her as hard as I can. It bounces off some forcefield, but I'm working on
running around her -- even the window has got to be a better chance than
facing her!

She laughs, like this is all very amusing to her, and as I throw another chair
toward the window by Kyon's normal seat, something I can't _see_ wraps around
me, freezing me perfectly in place. The chair slows before reaching the glass,
and Asakura explains, "I have complete jurisdiction over this data-space; your
efforts are futile!"

So ... there I am frozen in place, unable to even scream. Whatever Asakura
did, I can't even _blink_. This isn't even a fight! A fight I might win, but
all I can do is stare in silence as she launches herself toward me.

They say your life flashes before your eyes just before you're about to die.
For me, it seems that even though she's streaking toward me like an anime
character -- there's a puff of dust behind her, and everything -- time just
slows down.

In an instant, she's covered half of the distance to me. An instant after
that, half the remaining distance. Weirdly enough, all I can think of is
Zeno's Dichotomy Paradox. If she only closes half of the distance to me every
instant....

Of course, when she's about a meter away, the strange stuttering stops -- she
drifts forward more slowly, but also more fluidly. Her hair is wavering behind
her, and the light gleaming off the blade of the knife doesn't change.

I suppose ... I should be glad my body's frozen, so at least I can't wet
myself with terror. I can be murdered with some dignity.... Kyon -- you'd
_better_ figure out the supernatural from this! You got me killed, after all!

But even as I think that, while watching Asakura's hyper-fast slow-motion
charge, moving at more comprehensible speeds, something I did not at all
expect enters my field of view. First the elbow of a boy's uniform, and then,
resounding joy in my heart, the back of a hand, streaking toward Asakura's
face.

The spell of me being frozen and Asakura moving in slow-motion is broken as a
thunderous _slap_ resounds, the class representative being backhanded
forcefully enough that she flies away, crashing into and knocking over
Yanagimoto's desk. The knife clatters from her hand and skitters away across
the floor as I jump back, my body shaking with relief that I'm not trapped
anymore.

Instead of regarding my rescuer -- probably Koizumi-kun, who I will have to
consider my _real_ ally after this -- I stare at Asakura. As hard as she was
hit, and even though she's got a hand-shaped mark across her face, she looks
more _surprised_ than _hurt_.

"Ah," she says, turning from where she's sprawled across the overturned desk.
"That worked much better than I expected! This is very interesting--"

"Shut up," snaps a voice that is not Koizumi-kun's, causing another shiver to
run down my spine-- If I were older, I'd be having a heart attack here! "Go
home, Asakura. Go home, and never come back to this planet again."

"Why?" she returns blithely, climbing to her feet and smiling just as much as
before. "If I stay, I think even more--"

"Go home or I'll wipe your boss out," Kyon overrides her.

Before Asakura can even respond to that, one wall of the classroom abruptly
explodes inward, and _Yuki_ leaps in through the breach. The bespectacled girl
freezes when she lands on the floor, staring at me, then turning to regard
Asakura. Her expression almost _never_ changes!

"Well-- If you change your mind, let me know! I'd still love to play with you
more some day," Asakura says, shrugging. Then, she spits out something that I
can't puzzle out, and her body puffs into a cloud of shining particles. The
shining specs all fritter away into nothingness over a matter of seconds,
leaving that creepy smile of hers as the last thing to fade.

"_What the hell is going on_?" I shout, turning to stare at Kyon.

For all that I just had a near-death experience, Kyon still looks upset. Way
more upset than he was with me! Koizumi-kun, according to what he told me, is
probably freaking out about things now....

"I.... I can explain everything," Kyon says, sounding strangely weak, compared
to the force in his voice when he talked to Asakura. But that strength comes
back to him when he rounds on Yuki and asks, "What took you so long, Nagato?
Why weren't you here in time for her?"

The seemingly emotionless girl blinks, then lowers her face, her gaze oriented
at Kyon's feet. "...insufficient data was gathered on the secondary
observation target to predict this," she says, sounding the slightest bit
hesitant. Then, her shoulders slumping the tiniest bit -- I would have missed
it if I weren't watching -- she raises her face and looks at me. "I am sorry."

"Explanation!" I demand, my hands shaking.

"Give me a minute, Haruhi, please," he says, his voice strained. The fact that
he uses my given name without permission gives me pause. I mean ... I'll allow
it, but he said it so _casually_.... Something doesn't feel quite right about
this. And that's going beyond Kyon -- entirely justified, if you ask me! --
bitch-slapping a rogue alien into submission, and Yuki's own entrance!

I take a breath and turn to stare at the strange flickering, static-filled
void that Yuki blasted her way in from.

"Nagato, you managed to save me, though -- why not her?"

"I do not recall such an incident," Yuki answers.

"Ah, right ... you're not the same Nagato...." He trails off at that, a look
of pain on his face. "Ah ... again...."

Enough is enough -- I grab his arm and turn him to face me, glaring into his
eyes. I also keep a grip on his arm -- just in case he tries to get away or
something. "I. Want. _Answers_," I growl out, one word at a time.

"Yeah, sorry," he mumbles, shying away from me as much as he can while I'm
holding onto him. "Oh, I've really screwed this all up...." He heaves a sigh
and raises his free arm-- The scene around us shifts, and we're suddenly in
the Brigade room.

Like _that_! That is pretty cool. I'd be a lot more impressed and happy if I
wasn't almost _stabbed_, though, so I keep my grip and look around, but....

Things aren't ... quite right. The bookshelf is completely stuffed with books.
The tea set has had some additions to it -- all kinds of interesting things
are hanging on the walls, too! The costume rack has extra costumes in it,
ranging from a miko outfit, a waitress uniform, a witch's cape, and ... a frog
costume?

There's an extra table with a pile of laptops on it, a small refrigerator....
"Interesting changes," I allow. "So, are you going to spill, or what?"

"The.... The problem here," Kyon says uneasily, "is that you actually don't
remember ... ugh. Well, I'm sorry about this. So ... I have to give you back
your memories." He barks out a short, bitter laugh, shaking his head sharply.
"I went through it, so I know you'll be fine.... I'm really sorry about all of
this."

Wait-- Why didn't Yuki come with us? She just got left behind? I'm too excited
to sit down and listen to this right now! Kyon doesn't sit down either, he
just points at the door. It suddenly slams open, revealing--

...I didn't think things could _get_ any crazier.

* * *

After everything went dark, I didn't really know what to expect. Imagine my
confusion when after all of that production -- I found myself standing in the
hall outside the clubroom door. "Oh, for the love of--" I cut off, hearing a
_creepily_ familiar voice snap some shrill orders, and then Kyon's mumbled
reply. He's _sorry_, is he? Well!

I kick the door open, ready to give Kyon a piece of my mind and demand an
explanation. I only manage to take two steps inside before freezing.

At this point, demanding an explanation would pretty much just be echoing
_that_ person. _That_ person being what looks like ... well ... a copy of
_me_!

The other Haruhi's mouth drops open, her eyes wide as saucers. "Ah! I get it!"
she exclaims, giving an excited grin. "You're me from the future!"

...I have no answer for that right now, so I turn to Kyon. "What the _hell_ is
going on here? I'm _positive_ it's something paranormal! Chairs don't just
move like that on their own, and I _felt_ something at the same time! So,
anyway, what is she -- some version of me from an alternate dimension?"

"Kind of a little of both," Kyon says uncomfortably, adressing the pair of us.

"That's all you got for paranormal experiences?" the other me says, sounding
annoyed and unimpressed -- and also _still_ hanging onto Kyon's arm. I'm not
sure how to feel about that. "Bah-- I just had Asakura Ryouko come at me with
a _knife_!"

That sounds scary, but it's hard to imagine that girl -- I can really only
barely remember her -- being violent. Still, there's one problem with her
story. "A knife is hardly paranormal," I scoff. "Now -- what are you doing
with my subordinate?"

"_Your_ subordinate!?" the other me replies, indignant.

Kyon interrupts, "Um, you two are the same person -- both of you are Haruhi.
Just ... touch hands, and everything will go back together."

"Oh, yeah?" that other me says, scowling.

"Really, I'd rather have a goddamn _explanation_!" I snap, annoyed to be
siding with her when she's still clinging to Kyon like that.

"As soon as you do that, you'll get it," Kyon says. Really ... I was too
distracted by the other things to notice it, but.... I've seen Kyon really
stressed, but not often. I've seen him really angry very few times.... Right
now, I think I'm seeing a new look from him -- one I'm not used to.

I think ... he looks depressed.

"Alright," I agree, fixing my double with a wary look. "If she can pry herself
off you..." I prompt, extending one hand.

Her eyes shoot wide and she releases Kyon like he was suddenly electrified.
"Eh-- Well, for answers," she agrees, taking my hand without hesitation.

The second our hands touch, I'm completely overwhelmed with a surge of
memories -- and everything goes dark.

_Again_.

Damn it, Kyon....

* * *