She can just carry him normally... he probably doesn't weigh much more than she does, and it gives her a reason to whine about her lot in life.
Anyway, more rewrites:
Spoiler for Chapter 6, Final: Closed Space:
All the bright colours in the store windows were gone and on the signs advertising fifty percent off sales had been replaced with dull grey colours. The lights on the ceiling had gone out, stranding Itsuko and me in near-darkness.
There were no people at all.
Besides Koizumi and I, the bustling crowd of evening shoppers that was here before had now vanished without a trace. The ever-present hum of machinery that fills the background noise in cities was gone. It was so quiet that one might wonder if the Earth had stopped spinning as well.
"We're now in a gap within a cross-dimensional faultline; this is Closed Space, a place that is completely cut off from the world we live in."
Itsuko's voice became particularly clear in the silence.
"The centre of this courtyard falls right by the "Wall" of this FuzetsuClosed Space. Look, just like that."
Itsuko's outstretched arm stopped in midair, as though blocked by something. I tried to do the same and stretched my arm towards that direction; it felt like touching cold, washed vegetables. My hands pushed through the surface of an elastic invisible wall, but I couldn’t extend any further beyond ten centimetres.
"This Closed Space has a radius of five kilometres. Usually, it's impossible to enter using normal physical means. One of my powers is the ability to enter this place."
"Where is this place?" I asked. Wait, no, the question ought to be something like ‘What dimension is this?’
"I'll explain as we move along,." said Koizumi casually. “We should go outside, where you can really see the true extent of this place.”
As we headed out through the back entrance, I couldn't help but lift my head towards the sky. The glowing orange sun was nowhere to be seen, and the sky was covered by gloomy grey clouds. Were those really clouds? The flawless dark horizon stretched endlessly ahead in every direction. The only thing that stopped this world from falling completely into darkness was the occasional light that shone through, replacing that of the bright sun, producing a weak glow in the grey sky.
This place… it’s creepy.
Itsuko was still talking. "I'm not too sure about the details, but this is a dimension located not far from ours... Let's put it this way, a cross-dimensional faultline just appeared right over there, and we have entered through the gap. At this moment, the outside world is still going on with its everyday life. It's nearly impossible for normal humans to stumble upon this world by accident." She continued to talk as we crossed the street, heading towards an apartment complex. "Imagine an inverted bowl-like, egg-shaped dimension, and this place is its interior."
We entered the multi-story apartment complex, but not a single person could be seen, not even a speck of dust.
"Closed Space occurs randomly. Sometimes it appears once every other day, and sometimes it appears once every several months. Yet, one thing's for sure..."
We climbed up the stairs, although it was dark inside. If I hadn't been following Itsuko closely, I would've tripped.
"Whenever Suzumiya-san is in a mentally unstable condition, this space will appear."
We arrived at the rooftop of the apartment block.
"Once Closed Space appears, I will be able to sense it. So too can my companions. How do we know, you ask?”
I didn’t ask.
“Frankly, even we don't know how. In any case, we just know when and where Closed Space will appear, and how to penetrate it. I can't describe this feeling in words."
I held the rooftop fence and looked towards the sky; no breeze could be felt.
"So you brought me here just to see this? There's not even anybody here!" Can I go home now? I promise to buy the dress on our way out.
"No, the real fun will begin soon. It's about to start."
Quit joking around! Itsuko, however, pretended not to notice my unpleasant expression.
"My abilities are based around detecting Closed Space and penetrate it, but that’s not all they can do. To be honest, I can even detect Suzumiya-san's state of mind. This space is like indigestion of Suzumiya-san's emotional state, and I am the medicine designed to cure said indigestion."
"…Your metaphors are a little hard to understand."
"People often tell me that. Anyway, are you feeling all right? I guess it’s to be expected, but you seem a bit freaked out by this place."
“It’s nothing, nothing…” It’s just that… this place reminds me a little of the space Asakura created a few days ago. Gah, I've had enough of these crazy experiences already!
Suddenly, Itsuko lifted her head and looked in the opposite direction I was facing..
"Seems like it's begun.” She said, suddenly serious. “Turn around and look behind you."
I saw it.
Standing between the tall buildings in the distance was a glowing red giant.
It was taller than a 30-story building by a head's length. Its slim, deep crimson-shaded figure seemed to contain some sort of material that allowed it to glow from within. Since it was too dark, I couldn’t see its outline clearly, and besides the eyes and mouth, which seemed to be an even darker red, its face didn't seem to have any other features.
What… what on earth is that?
The giant slowly lifted its arm and then swung it down like an axe, and the building beside it was smashed in half; then, as if in slow motion, the concrete, wires, and debris made a deafening noise falling to the ground.
Itsuko was talking again, but I could barely hear her over the destruction "We believe these to be the manifestation of Suzumiya-san's frustration. Every time his inner conflict reaches a certain limit, these giants will appear and destroy everything around them to relieve pressure. We cannot allow these things to have their way in our reality, or they'll cause widespread death and destruction. That is why this Sealed Reality is created, so that they can wreak their havoc inside. You understand?"
Every time the glowing red giant waved its arms, the buildings would be sliced in half and collapse. The giant would then continue forwards, stepping on the debris.
Surprisingly, I could only hear the sound of the buildings collapsing, but not the footsteps of the giant.
"According to the laws of physics, it should be impossible for a giant like him to be able to stand, due to his weight. Yet he is able to move around freely in a weightless condition. Though destroying a building involves a change in molecular structure, these rules don't seem to apply to him. Not even an army would be able to stop one of these giants, much less more."
"So… we just let him have his way?"
"No, and that is why I exist. Please look over there."
Itsuko pointed towards the giant. I watched where she was pointing and noticed a few glowing blue dots that weren't around before, now flying around the giant. Compared to the large red giant, the blue dots were like sesame seeds. There were five of them in total, but because they were flying so fast, my eyes couldn't catch up with them. Like satellites, the blue dots orbited around the giant as though trying to stop the giant from moving further ahead.
"Those are my companions, who, like me, have obtained their powers from Suzumiya-san. We are warriors in charge of hunting down these giants."
The blue dots skilfully dodged the giant's attacks, and, swiftly changing their flight path, attacked the giant's body. The giant, however, seemed to be made of gas, since the blue dots simply flew through it.
The giant, unfortunately, seemed oblivious to the blue dots' attacks and raised its arm again to smash another department store building.
No matter how the blue dots attacked, the giant didn't seem to be stopping. Blue laser-like beams now penetrated the giant's body non-stop, but since I was too far away, I couldn’t figure out the extent of damage it had sustained. One thing was for certain: the blue beams didn't create any holes in the giant's body.
"Right, I think now would be an excellent time for me to join them."
Itsuko's body started to glow blue, and a blast of force erupted from her which drove me a few steps back and caused her clothes to flutter. As she started to glow blue, Itsuko briefly turned to look at me and ... winked?
"Please, no peeping," she said playfully.
Who would look up your skirt at a time like this?!
Soon, her glowing body was covered in a blue glowing sphere. Standing before me was no longer a human girl, but a large glowing ball.
This is getting ridiculous. I may need a thesaurus again at this rate.
As if making a signal, the glowing sphere started to rise and then flew straight towards the giant at an incredible speed.
Since the blue spheres never stopped flying, I couldn't figure out how many there were in total, but I don’t think there could have been more than ten, including Itsuko. They bravely flew towards the giant's body, but all they could do was fly through it. The giant was barely, if even, hurt. But just as I was thinking that, one of the blue spheres suddenly approached the giant's wrist and circled it.
The next moment, the giant's hand was sliced off. The masterless hand fell towards the ground and gave out a mosaic glow, started to become transparent, and then disintegrated like snow melting under the sun. I guess the red smoke coming out of the giant's severed wrist must have been its blood. This really is the stuff of fiction.
The blue dots seemed to have changed their attacking style of charging towards the giant. They approached the giant like a bunch of fleas surrounding a dog. The blue beams sliced through the giant's face, and its head came falling down; after that, its shoulder fell as well, followed by its upper torso, leaving behind a strange shape. The falling bits began to give out the characteristic mosaic glow, then disintegrated and vanished.
As the giant was standing in a large piece of land without any obstacles around, I was able to see the whole process from beginning to end. When the giant's upper torso fell off, its remaining body also began to disintegrate, finally dissolving into beads smaller than dust and spreading over the debris.
Once the blue dots floating above made sure their work was done, they started flying off in all directions. Most of them disappeared at once; only one flew towards me, finally landing at the rooftop of the apartment complex. The blue sphere slowly lost its glow, and finally Itsuko stood before me, flipping her hair pretentiously with her usual plastic smile.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." She sounded very calm, and not exhausted at all.
"Before we go try on your dress, I'd like to show you something else interesting."
Itsuko pointed towards the sky. I half-suspiciously raised my head, and in the gloomy grey skies, I saw it!
Right above where the giant first appeared was a crack, like that of a hatching bird trying to break through its eggshell. The crack began to spread rapidly like a spider web.
"Following the red creature's destruction, the Sealed Reality will also be destroyed. Watch. It’s like a magic show!”
As Itsuko finished her explanation, the large cracks now covered the skies above, like a metallic net. The net margins started to narrow until they became as small as black curvy lines. Then, at this moment, crack!
Actually, I didn't really hear any sound. It was just my brain trying to simulate the sound of glass cracking. Anyway, a light penetrated from a spot in the sky, spreading out in all directions. I felt the light shower downwards. No, that's not the right word for it… it was more like the opening of the retractable roof of the Tokyo Dome stadium, all within a few seconds. The difference is that this roof covered all the buildings under it.
A loud noise started to rumble in my eardrums, and I covered my ears instinctively. It was because I'd stayed in a world of silence for quite some time and couldn't adapt quickly, and when I listened carefully again, it was the usual bustling noise in the streets, and the mechanical hum of white noise.
The world had reverted back to its original state.
There were no collapsed buildings, no grey skies, and no glowing blue spheres flying through the air. The road was full of vehicles and people. A familiar orange glow could be seen through the gaps between the buildings. The world seemed grateful at the reception of such warmth and left long shadows behind.
The breeze blew softly.
------
"Well then," Itsuko said. "Shall we go back?"
Is it really okay to be this calm right now? Weren't you just in life-or-death battle?
"Of course I was," she replied, her face briefly going ... strange. "But you must understand, I have been in these fights before."
What's with that unreadable expression?
"I find," Itsuko said as she guided me back down the stairs, towards the shopping centre, "that though these battles need to be taken very seriously, they should not be dwelled on. When the fight is won, one should take a moment to enjoy the normal joys of life. Like these."
At this point, we were right near the shop that had the yellow dress... Itsuko, predictably, made me try it on and despite my protests, it did look good, and so I ended up buying it. It did bother me a little how she seemed entirely too pleased at seeing me wearing it, though.
------
"Now do you understand, though?" Itsuko asked me as we boarded a taxi, which seemed to magically stop before us after we left the shopping centre. When I looked, I realized it was the same driver as before.
"I don't get it at all." I answered truthfully.
"I knew you'd say that, hoho." Itsuko laughed. "Those blue giants, we call them Celestials, but, as I've told you already, they are greatly related to Suzumiya-san's mental condition. We're the same, of course. Once Closed Space appears, once the Celestials begin their movement, we're able to use our powers. We can only use those powers within Closed Space; right now, I’m totally powerless."
I silently glanced at the driver's back. All that is related to Haruki’s mental state? What is he, a teenage girl?
"I don't know why it's just us who have these powers, but I don’t think it has anything to do with our identities. It's like winning the lottery: even though the chances may be low, there's bound to be someone who wins. I just happened to be the one to be stabbed by the random spear. Ah, how unlucky I am!" Itsuko smiled forcefully. I remained silent because I didn't know what I should have said. Unlucky? Who are you to say that?
"We cannot allow the Celestials to move freely. Why is that, you ask? Because the more damage these Celestials cause, the larger the sphere of the Closed Space becomes. The one you just saw was one of the smaller ones. If we leave them unattended, it will continue to grow until it covers the whole country, even the whole world, and finally, that alternate grey world will completely replace the world we're living in."
I finally opened my mouth. "How come you know so much?"
"I told you, I just know, it can't be explained. All the espers associated with The Organization are the same. One day they just suddenly knew everything about Suzumiya-san and how he could affect this world, as well as realizing that since they now had supernatural powers, they couldn't just allow Closed Space to continue expanding untouched. When normal people learn about something like this, they’d normally want to see if they could be of any help, right? If we hadn't done anything about it, the world as we know it would have been destroyed. And that, of course, would be a bad thing."
Itsuko fell silent after mumbling those last words.
For the rest of the journey, we just looked in opposite directions, watching the scenery pass by.
------
The car stopped in front of my house, and as I got out, Itsuko spoke again.
"Please pay attention to Suzumiya-san's actions. His supposedly stable mental state has now begun to show signs of rapid deterioration. It's been quite a while since something like this has happened."
Look, even if I was to pay more attention to him, what difference can I possibly make?
"To be perfectly honest, I don't know either. But I think you are the right person into whose hands to entrust this matter. Some of my colleagues tend to overthink matters ... or not think enough."
Before I could reply, Itsuko drew her head back inside the open car and closed the door.
I stood there for a moment, watching what I was now sure was Itsuko's - or rather her Organisation's - private taxi disappear into the distance. As I watched the legendary phantom taxi drive off into the distance, I began feeling rather like an idiot, and went inside.
My little brother was waiting at the door, looking disappointed. What? Did you think you were going to score even more free candy by blackmailing your big sister? What kind of a heartless individual is our father raising here?
"Shut up!" he pouted. "Anyway, you have no right to call me heartless, I do lots of nice things around the house. I wake you up every morning, so you don't arrive late at school."
Having said so, the miniature wrestling fanatic who practises his combat moves on me in the mornings to wake me up ran off into the living room.
I need a shower ...
This one needs serious work. I can't write shit for Itsuko...
Jintor, Dkellis, when you read this, I'd like you to edit this.
Edit: THANK YOU AEBLISS. YOU ARE MY SAVIOUR!
Edit edit: Thanks again, Aebliss. Otouto is the most EBIL little brother ever.
[Editor’s note: See! I couldn’t do the line after all. The transformation wouldn’t let me.]
really?
Spoiler for EDIT:
Itsuko's body started to glow blue and rose several feet above where we were standing.
"Oh! If you want to peek up my skirt, go ahead and do so. I have to charge you latter thou."
You want me to hit you in the head instead?
"I was just kidding" She said that with an annoying laugh.
Her glowing body became brighter and was covered in a blue glowing sphere. Standing before me was no longer a human girl, but a large glowing ball.
This is getting ridiculous. I may need a thesaurus again at this rate.
As if making a signal, the glowing sphere started to slowly move forward and then flew straight towards the giant at an incredible speed.
now that wasn't so hard now.. was it?
*runs away*
__________________
I am never gonna say good bye,
never run around is my body, never desert you is my blood
unknown to telling lies, nor known to hurting you
have rolled the rick over nine thousand times
yet never gonna give you up
so as I sing, UNLIMITED RICKROLL WORKS
No, judging by how the text reads, she actually has turned into a giant glowing ball. This does not happen in the anime, but...
yes but i made her glow just a bit FIRST, rise up (so she's still human and her "naughty bits" are still recognizable). after the dialogue, THEN she turns into a glowing ball
__________________
I am never gonna say good bye,
never run around is my body, never desert you is my blood
unknown to telling lies, nor known to hurting you
have rolled the rick over nine thousand times
yet never gonna give you up
so as I sing, UNLIMITED RICKROLL WORKS
yes but i made her glow just a bit FIRST, rise up (so she's still human and her "naughty bits" are still recognizable). after the dialogue, THEN she turns into a glowing ball
Otaku stench.
I don't see what the point is anyway. I already wrote myself into a hole with the "be my bride" thing (and will be removing all references to that in my final edit), I don't need to derail Itsuko by making her into a RAGING LESBIAN.
Please note that, while the fandom considers Koizumi to be a FLAMING HOMOSEXUAL, he doesn't act like that in the novels. Therefore, Itsuko should not be as extreme as other fanworks (besides our own) depict her.
we already added the crotch grab and making kyonko dress up...
why not?
besides, weather this gets added or not, i don't really mind. but i was just trying to prove that you CAN add it... hehe... kk i'm going... *runs off*
__________________
I am never gonna say good bye,
never run around is my body, never desert you is my blood
unknown to telling lies, nor known to hurting you
have rolled the rick over nine thousand times
yet never gonna give you up
so as I sing, UNLIMITED RICKROLL WORKS
Okay people, Kaisos's word is final. We're not doing any Itsuko fanservice in this one. I even think some of it is going a bit too far and even unnecessary.
Also, the bunny suit and the crotch grab were slightly more tasteful than "Hey, look at my underwear!" Also funnier.
wait.. you LIEK CROTCH GRAB!?
hoookay.. getting freaky nao.... *shuffles away*
anyway...
net was down a while ago so couldn't post them.. so i'll post both of them...
Spoiler for BLR Part 2:
"That's it for today."
Haruki said and quickly picked his bag and left the room. He was behaving rather unusual for today. He was like a diesel engine truck that has suddenly become as tame as a solar powered car. Things sure are going fine for me today, I thought.
"Then I shall excuse myself as well."
Koizumi tidied up her chess board and stood up. After exchanging glances with me and Asahina-san, she too left the Literature Club room.
Nagato shut his thick book with a loud thud. Oh, so you're leaving as well? Thanks for understanding......Just as I was feeling grateful for him, Nagato walked towards me as silently as a cat.
"Take this."
He took out a piece of paper. It was another tanzaku. I can't help you send this to space even if you give it to me! I thought to myself as I looked at the tanzaku.
Strange geometric shapes were drawn on it. What on earth is this? Some sort of Sumerian language? I'm afraid not even the Enigma machine would be able to decipher the meaning of this message.
I frowned and studied these patterns, which were neither drawings nor words, with triangular, circular and wave-like shapes all over. By now Nagato had turned around to pack his bag, and had left the room already.
Forget it. I placed the piece of tanzaku into my skirt pocket, then turned to face Asahina-san.
"I, I'm sorry, but I hope you could come with me to a place."
This invitation didn't come from anyone else, but from Asahina-san herself. I'll be condemned by the heavens if I turn him down. I'd even jump down a molten iron pit as long as he commands me to. I'll be the envy of the entire school.
"Sure, where're we going?"
"That......um......it's three years ago."
I asked for a location, and he answered with a time instead. But......
Not three years ago again? I thought to myself, yet I was suddenly interested. After all, Asahina-san claims to be a time-traveler from an unknown future, though I keep forgetting about that since he's just so cute. But three years ago? We're going to three years ago? Does that mean we have to travel through time?
"Y......yes."
"Sure, I'm more than happy to go, but why me? What're we going to do there?"
"That......you'll know when you get there......I think."
Huh?
Maybe it was the confused look on my face, Asahina-san frantically shook his hands and pleaded with me with tears in his eyes,
"I beg you! Please don't ask anything and just agree for now! Or I'll be in......um......it will become a problem."
"Well......alright, let's go."
With a face like that, how could anyone decline?
"Really? Thank you!"
Asahina-san was glad and grabbed my hands joyously. Ah, Asahina-san's happiness is my happiness, hahaha!!!
Now that I think about it, when Asahina-san declared that he was from the future, there was no one else to verify his claim. It wasn't until I encountered another grown-up version of Asahina-san that I truly believed his story, yet I still can't deny having suspicions about some sort of conspiracy behind this. Then wouldn't this be a great chance to really prove that "Asahina-san comes from the future"?
"So, where's the time machine?"
I had thought we only needed to crawl into a drawer or maybe get into a car (writter's note: delorean rules!), but Asahina-san said there was no such device. Then how were we going to commence time travel? Asahina-san squirmed and clutched her apron, then said,
"From here."
Huh? Here? I turned and looked nonchalantly around the club room, which was empty besides the two of us.
"Yes, please sit down. And could you please close your eyes? Yes, relax your shoulders as well."
I did as he told me to. I hope I don't get struck on the back of my head suddenly. Or maybe he's gonna kiss me. This is getting quiet tense.
"Kyon-chan......"
Asahina-san's suppressed voice came in from behind my ear. Such a soft breath.
"I'm sorry."
I had a bad feeling about this. As I was about to open my eyes, suddenly everything went dark around me. I was knocked unconscious as I felt a strong nauseating feeling as though losing my balance. Before the darkness came, I thought to myself, I wouldn't have agreed to this if I had known.
When I regained my senses, my vision was inverted by 90 degrees. Everything that was supposed to be standing was now lying flat, when I saw the street lamps sticking out from my left side to my right, I realized I was lying down. It was then I felt a warm feeling by the left side of my head.
"Oh, you've awakened?"
An angelic voice said. I was fully awake now. What was that squirming under my left ear?
"Um......if you don't lift your head......then I would be......"
Asahina-san sounds troubled. I pulled myself upright and confirmed where I was.
A bench in the park at night.
What's going on here? I was sleeping on Asahina-san's knees, and because I was sleeping, I have absolutely no memory of it. This is such a pity.
"My legs are getting numb already, it's becoming tiring."
Asahina-san smiled with embarrassment and lowered his head. I don't know where he went to get changed, but his butler costume has now been replaced by his North High uniform. There was more than enough time from dusk to late night for him to get changed, as I had fallen asleep for the whole time. But, why was I sleeping?
"That's because I can't let you know the methods of traveling through time, since that's classified information......are you angry?"
No, I'm not angry at all. If it were Haruki, I'd have already beaten the crap out of him; but since this is Asahina-san, then I wouldn't mind at all.
Speaking of which, I was just closing my eyes and sitting on the chair in the club room a while ago, why was I suddenly in the park in the middle of the night now? And I feel like I've been to this park before. I remember Nagato also asked to meet me in this park the other day, is this some holy ground for queer people?
I scratched my head, there was something I needed to ask,
"What time plane is this?"
Sitting besides me, Asahina-san replied,
"From our time of origin, it is now July 7th three years ago. It's about nine at night, I guess?"
"Is that so?
"Yes."
He looked serious. Time traveling, serious business.
I never thought we would come here so easily. Of course, I wasn't naive enough to believe everything he tells me, I would have to confirm first. I'll try calling the time and weather hotline.
As I was about to tell Asahina-san what I planned to do, my left shoulder suddenly felt heavy. Huh? Asahina-san was now lying his head on my shoulder. An exhausted Asahina-san now leaned on me; what's the meaning behind this?
"Asahina-san."
No response. Wait, is he coming on me? I didn't know Asahina-san would be this bold. Wait.. I haven't preapared myself yet! And this is a public place
"Um......"
"(Snore)......"
Snoring?
I leaned my head forward then turned 85 degrees to the left, and saw Asahina-san with his eyes closed, his lips half-opened as he made a quiet snore. What's going on here?
Rustle......
The bushes behind suddenly rustled. I felt my heart leaping out of my mouth, what was that?
"Is he asleep?"
Coming out of the bushes was none other than......another Asahina-san.
"Good evening, Kyon-chan."
It was the deluxe version of Asahina-san. A fine young man, though much older than the Asahina-san sleeping on my shoulder, this Asahina-san has grown to be quiet manly. Not the cute little boy anymore, he was quiet a handsome guy, a pretty boy to be more exact. This Asahina-san now walked to our front.
"Hee hee, from this view,"
The adult Asahina-san pinched on the sleeping Asahina-san's cheeks and said,
"He looks just like a child."
Looking nostalgic, Asahina-san (big) looked at the butler uniform that Asahina-san (small) had folded,
"So is this how I look in that age?"
Feeling the soft breaths of Asahina-san (small) on my arm, I couldn't move and sat still, looking in awe at Asahina-san (big).
"It was his mission to bring you here, yet from here onwards, it will be my mission to guide you."
Looking like an idiot, I asked Asahina-san, who gave a mature aura even when smiling,
"Um......just what is......"
"I can't explain in detail, since it's classified. All I can do now is guide you."
I turned to look at the Asahina-san sleeping on my shoulder.
"It was I who made him sleep, since I can't be seen by him."
"Why's that?"
"Because when I was him, I didn't see myself."
That reason sounded clear yet confusing at the same time. The charming Asahina-san closed one eye and said,
"Go south following the rail track over there, you'll come to a public junior high school. Could you please go help the person standing outside the school fence? Can you go right now? And I hope you don't mind carrying this me along as well, I shouldn't be too heavy."
He sounded like one of those villagers in those role-playing games. But wait, no matter what you say, how is a girl like me suppose to carry a younger version of you? You may claim that he's not that heavy but a weak girl carrying a guy? In the middle of the night? I better be well rewarded for this.
"Reward? Well......"
The adult Asahina-san elegantly placed his hands under his chin and thought deeply, then he gave a mature smile,
"I have nothing to offer you, but you could kiss me while I'm sleeping softly. And make sure it's only when I'm sleeping."
“Wait, what!? Ki... ki.... kiss!? Well I umm...”
The sight of Asahina-san sleeping soundly was so cute I was tempted to do it, but......
"That's a bit......"
That would be just too embarrassing and and....
"Time is running short, I must go now."
Is this the hint you're giving me this time?
"Oh, yes, please don't let him know that I was here. Let's hook our fingers and make a promise."
I automatically lifted my little finger and hooked it with Asahina-san's (big) little finger. Can I hook it for a minute longer?
"Goodbye then, Kyon-chan."
Asahina-san (big) said cheerfully and walked off into the darkness, he was out of sight in no time. He sure left slickly this time.
"Now then......" I muttered to myself. I wonder when I'll meet this adult Asahina-san again? I had a feeling he hasn't changed much since giving me that strange hint the last time we met. Maybe this Asahina-san who appeared came from an earlier time plane than the one I met before. I don't get it. There's no way I could. Judging from the mood just now, it was possible I would meet many more Asahina-sans from different time periods.
But now, there's a task at hand. How am I suppose to carry a sleeping Asahina-san? Even if Asahina-san (big) said I could kiss him, a girl like me couldn't do such a shameful thing like that, can I?As I ponder these thing, I realize that I should really get going. I feel like a slave girl.
Asahina-san, who I carried with one of his arm around me, wasn't light, but he wasn't exactly heavy either. It was natural that my pace has slowed down. His angelic face breathed such soft breaths into my ear that it was almost criminal. My neck felt itchy from her breathing.
I avoided the glances of the pedestrians (though there was hardly anyone else on the street), and quickly headed in the direction the adult Asahina-san had pointed out for me. I think I walked for another ten minutes, the pedestrians on the road became less and less as I walked along. After turning around a corner, we finally arrived at our destination.
East Junior High. I've heard of this place. This was Taniguchi and Haruki's junior high. Speaking of which, a familiar person was now standing in front of the school fence. I instantly recognized the small figure that was about to climb up the metal fence.
"Hey!"
After yelling, I felt surprised. How did I know who this person was? This was too incredible. I looked at that person's back, the height was much shorter, while the dark short hair with the yellow [insert item here] (writter's note: headband or earphones?).
Of course, there was only one person who I knew would sneak out at night and scale the school fence.
"What?"
It was now that I truly began to feel that I was now face to face with a past reality three years ago. No kidding, it seems like I've really traveled three years back in time.
Leaning by the fence, the face that turned and looked at me was indeed younger than the commander of the SOS Brigade that I know. Yet there was no mistaking that pair of glittering eyes, those were Haruki's eyes. Even if he dressed casually in a T-shirt and pair of shorts, he still looked the same to me. Three years ago, Haruki was in his first year of junior high. Could he be the person Asahina-san wanted me to help?
"Who are you? A perverted girl? Or a kidnapper? At any case, you look suspicious."
The blurry street lamps showered the street in a dim white light. I could not clearly make out Haruki's expression, yet Haruki, the first year junior high student, was now looking at me with eyes that has seen something suspicious. Who looked more suspicious? A guy trying to scale the school fence in the middle of the night? Or me who was loitering around carrying a sleeping boy? I really don't feel like giving this question any thought. But I do feel like smacing him on the back of the head, if only that was possible.
"You're the one looking suspicious instead. What're you doing here then?"
"What else would I be here for? To illegally enter the premises, of course."
Don't openly declare your criminal intentions like that, there's a limit to being shameless!
"You came just in time. I don't know you, but if you're free, then help me out a bit! Or I'll call the cops."
I should be the one calling the cops, but I've already promised the other Asahina-san. On the other hand, why do I always find the existence known as Suzumiya Haruki clinging on to me? Even here in this time period?
Haruki leaped to the inside of the fence and opened the lock on the fence with a key. Where'd you get those keys from?
"I stole them when no one was looking. It was too easy."
He was truly a pickpocket. Haruki slowly slide open the metal fence and waved at me. I walked towards the little boy, who was one head and a shoulder shorter than his future self three years later, holding Asahina-san up properly.
Next to the entrance of East Junior High was the track field. The school complex was opposite us. Haruki started to walk diagonally across the dark track field.
It's good that it was so dark, since he wasn't able to see clearly my face or Asahina-san's. In three years time, Haruki would never have thought that he had met me and Asahina-san while he was in his first year of junior high. So it was good this way, or it'll become troublesome.
Haruki went straight to the corner of the track field and led me to the back of the sports equipment storage. Inside was a rusty wagon, and a chalk-drawing machine hanging behind its wheels, as well as a few bags of chalk powder.
"I had these hidden beforehand in the storage house during the evening, pretty clever huh?"
Haruki beamed, he then carried the bag of chalk powder, which was nearly as heavy as me or the Asahina-san that I was carrying, onto the wagon and pushed the handle. The way he slowly pushes the wagon made me realize how young he really was. I guess junior high students are still more or less kids in their first year.
I carefully placed the sleeping Asahina-san down and let him lean against the wall of the storage house, please sit here like a good boy for now.
"Let me do it! Give me that thing, you go carry the chalk-drawing machine."
Should I really be helping him? This heavy thing isn't really something a girl should be pushing around. All this time I have been driven around like a slave by Haruki, he was like a robot that went astray and won't stop until she has destroyed everything. He was still the same from the past all the way to the present. It seems a person's inherent nature won't change so easily in the space of three years.
“A weak girl like you? I could do it better and faster by myself. But then again, I have to over see the entire thing.”
And with that I was driven into slave work like what the Egyptians did to the Israelites thousandsa of years ago.
"Follow my instructions and draw the lines. That's right, you there. Because I need to watch over you from somewhere afar and see if you've made any mistakes. Ah! You've drawn it wrong there! What're you doing!?"
To be able to order around a high school student he never met before, not to mention a weak little girl like me, without even flustering, there's no doubt this is indeed Haruki. If I had met this sort of junior high schooler for the first time, I probably would have thought he's mentally insane.
If I knew him before meeting Nagato, Asahina-san and Koizumi, or slap him in the face, that is.
Following Haruki's instructions, I drew white lines along the left and right side of the track. For nearly more than an hour, not a single night-shift teacher appeared, and neither did a police car come to investigate after receiving complaints from neighbours.
Could the strange symbolic patterns that Taniguchi said suddenly appeared on the track field be drawn by none other than myself? This is just insane.
I silently looked at the pattern that I worked so hard to draw out. Haruki now came to my side and snatched the drawing machine from me. He then began to draw a few more lines and said,
"Hey, do you believe there are aliens?"
Now that was sudden.
"I guess there are."
The image of Nagato's face flashed in my head.
"Then what about time travellers?"
"Hmm, it's not surprising if they exist."
Right now, I'm a time traveller myself.
"Then what about espers?"
"They're everywhere, I guess?"
I suddenly thought of numerous red spots flying around.
"And sliders?"
"I haven't met them yet."
"Hmph."
Haruki threw aside the chalk-drawing machine and rubbed the chalk off his face with his shoulders.
"Hmm, this should do."
I began to feel uneasy, was it because I said something I shouldn't be saying? Haruki looked up at me and said,
"Is that a North High uniform?"
"Yeah."
"What's your name?"
"Jane Smith."
"......Are you an idiot?"
"Can't I use an alias for once?"
"And who's that boy?"
"That's my brother. He's suffering from a sleeping disorder called narcolepsy. He's been like that for some time now, suddenly falling asleep anywhere and anytime, which is why I need to carry him around."
"What a useless person. Hmph."
Haruki bit his lower lip and turned aside, revealing an expression of disbelief. I decided to change to subject.
"By the way, what is this for?"
"Can't you tell? It's a message."
"For whom? Don't tell me it's for Hikoboshi and Orihime?"
Haruki looked surprised and asked me back,
"How did you know?"
"......Well, it is Tanabata today. I happen to know someone who does something like this as well."
"Really? I'd sure like to meet that person. Is there really such a person in North High?"
"Yup."
From now till then, the only person who would do such things is you.
"Hmm, North High huh......"
Haruki muttered to himself as in deep thought. He was silent for some time like a salted vegetable, he then suddenly turned around the next moment.
"I'm going home now. I've achieved what I came here for. See ya."
He walked off in great strides. Not even a word of thanks? How rude, yet that sure is how Haruki would behave. Besides, he never gave his name all this time. I had a feeling it's probably good that he never did.
Spoiler for BLR part 3:
We can't just stay here forever, so I decided to wake up Asahina-san. Of course, not before I returned the wagon and chalk-powder which Haruki abandoned back into the storage house.
Sleeping like a kitty cat, Asahina-san looked so cute.
"...but you could kiss me while I'm sleeping softly. And make sure it's only when I'm sleeping."
I suddenly remembered what Asahina-san (big) told me earlier. Seriously how could I do something so shameful like that? I getting flustered just thinking about it. Because of such things in my mind, I ended up shaking Asahina-san's shoulder too roughly.
"Um......huh. Eh?......"
Opening her eyes, Asahina-san began to look around non-stop.
"EH!?"
He shouted and stood up at once.
"W,w,w......where is this place? Why? What time is it now?"
How should I answer him? Just as I was about to look for an answer, Asahina-san suddenly yelled, "AH!!!" Even in the dark, I could tell that his white face was now paler than usual.
Asahina-san searched himself with both his hands,
"The TPDD......it's gone. I can't find it~~."
Asahina-san was on the verge of tears, then after a while he really started to cry. He looked just like a kid that got lost as he rubbed her hands on her eyes and wept. Such a pity sight but that's not the point right now.
"What's a TPDD?"
"Sob~~......That's classified information, I'm not supposed to say......it's something like a time machine. I used that to get us to this time plane......but I can't find it. Without that, we can't return to the time where we came from......"
"Then how did it go missing?"
"I don't know......I'm not supposed to lose it......but it's really gone."
I thought of the other Asahina-san, who was touching him a while ago. (writer's note: that just sounds so wrong...)
"Wouldn't someone come and help......"
"It's impossible. Sob~~."
Asahina-san explained to me as he sniffed, that every event in a time plane has been decided, so if there exists a TPDD, then it should be with him. And right now he no longer has it with him, then that means it's already inevitable that he would lose it, so it has been decided that he "no longer carries it"......something like that. What's that supposed to mean?
"In other words, what's going to happen to us now?"
"Sob, sob. It means, if things remain this way, we'll be stuck on the time plane three years ago and won't be able to return to our original time."
Normally, this would cause a large headache and I would've panicked as well like Asahina-san, yet somehow I don't feel alarmed. The adult Asahina-san never told me anything about this. I'm guessing he should be the one who took the TPDD away and created such a situation. I deduced that Asahina-san (big) came here to the past just for that purpose alone. For the Asahina-san who came from a further time than this Asahina-san, this was inevitable.
I moved my eyes away from Asahina-san, who was sobbing sadly, and towards the track field. The mysterious pattern that Haruki thought up and drawn by me looked very scrambled up. The teachers and students of East Junior High are probably going to get a shock when they see this next morning. I just hope that these scribbles are not some curses aimed at aliens......Just as I was wondering away, then it finally hit me.
It was dark everywhere, the school was only dimly lit by the blurry street lamps outside. As the white lines that I drew were so big, if I didn't stand back some distance, I wouldn't be able to see it all.
Which was why it took me so long to discover it.
I reached for my pocket and took out the tanzaku Nagato gave me. On it were drawn some mysterious geometric shapes.
"There may be a way out of this."
I said, Asahina-san looked at me blinking her eyes while I continued to study the tanzaku.
The symbolic patterns drawn on it was exactly the same as Haruki's message for the stars, the graffiti that Haruki and I drew on the school field not long ago.
We hastily left East Junior High and came to a high-class apartment complex near the station.
"Isn't this......Nagato-san's home?"
"Yeah. I didn't ask him specifically when he came to Earth, but I'm sure he was here three years ago......I guess."
I stood at the main entrance of the apartment complex and pushed the button for Room 708. A beep sound was heard through the intercom, I could feel the warmth of Asahina-san's nervous hands through my sleeves. I spoke into the speaker,
"Is this the residence of Nagato Yuki?"
"......" The intercom replied as such.
"Um, I don't know how to say this......"
"......"
"I'm a friend of Suzumiya Haruki......does that make any sense to you?"
A frozen-like breath can be heard through the intercom. A brief pause, and then......
"Come in."
Beep The main gate opened. I led Asahina-san, who was looking terrified, into the elevator. Looking at him I started wondering how he became such a handsome and headstrong man like his future self is. We arrived at the seventh floor and came in front of Room 708, which I have visited once before. I pushed softly on the door, which then opened slowly.
There stood Nagato Yuuki inside the door. Everything felt surreal to me. Was it really true that I and Asahina-san had travelled back in time?
Nagato looked exactly the same as I saw him before, which led me to doubt whether we even travelled through time. The way he wore her North high sailor uniform, looked at me with his emotionless eyes, and his seeming lack of body warmth and sense of existence was no different to the Nagato that I knew. Yet, the only difference was that Nagato had recently stopped wearing glasses, while the Nagato here wore one just as I had first met him.
This Nagato wore on his face a pair of glasses which I had no idea when the present Nagato stopped wearing. (writter's note: more like refuse to remember)
"Hey!" I raised my arm and gave her a friendly smile. Nagato was as devoid of emotion as always. Asahina-san hid behind my back and trembled incessantly. But being somewhat taller than me, it really didn't hide him that much.
"Could we come in?"
"......"
Nagato silently turned inside towards his apartment. I took that he had given me and Asahina-san permission to enter. We took off our shoes and headed to the living room. It was the same as it was three years later, the place was still empty as usual. Nagato stood still and waited for us to come in. Left with no choice, I decided to continue standing and explain everything to him. Where should I begin? From the first day of school when I first met Haruki? That's one hell of a long story.
Skipping through the details, I gave her a brief summary of what has happened. His emotionless eyes continued to stare at me through his glasses. I think I spent about five minutes explaining, though personally I believed the summary for this Haruki story was nonsensical to say the least.
"......And so, the you from three years later gave me this."
Nagato gazed at the tanzaku that I took out, his fingers hovering over the strange symbols as though reading a barcode.
"Understood."
Nagato simply nodded his head. Is that so? Wait, I've suddenly thought of something that's really bothering me.
I placed my hand on my temple and said,
"It's true that I've known Nagato for some time, but for you it was three years ago. That is, for you right now, this is the first time we have met, right?"
Even I didn't understand what I was talking about. Yet Nagato's glasses flashed as he calmly replied as though nothing had happened,
"Yes."
"Then......"
"Obtaining permission for memory sharing with alternate temporal disparity. Downloading reversible moving time plane data."
What the hell's that?
"The 'me' that exists in the time plane three years from now, and the 'me' that exists in this time period are one and the same person."
Then what? Isn't that supposed to be the case? But it can't be possible for Nagato three years ago to share the same memory as Nagato three years later.
"It is possible."
How'd you do it?
"Synchronization."
Um, I still don't get it.
Nagato stopped replying and slowly took off his glasses. His emotionless eyes blinked at me. That was indeed the face of the bookish boy that I recognize. It was the Nagato Yuuki that I knew.
"Why are you in the North High uniform? Have you already started school?"
"No, right now I'm on stand-by mode."
"Stand-by......you intend to stand-by for three years?"
"Yes."
"That's really......"
Patient of you. Don't you find it boring? Nagato shook his head and said, (writter's note: not as boring as endless eight I bet)
"This is a mission."
His clear eyes looked straight at me,
"There is more than one way to move through time."
Nagato said with her blank expression,
"TPDD is only a tool for controlling spacetime, it contains uncertainties and inaccuracies. Many theories exist for movement through the spacetime continuum."
Asahina-san once again grabbed my hand tightly,
"Um.....what does that mean?"
"Using TPDD to transfer organic lifeforms through time is allowed, but it will generate noise. For us, that is not an ideal tool."
When you say "us" do you mean the Integrated Data Sentient Entity?
"Can Nagato-san perform a leap through time planes in its complete form?"
"Form is not necessary. It is enough for time travel as long as it contains the same data."
Shuttling back and forth between past, present and future huh?
If Asahina-san can do it, then it wouldn't be hard at all for Nagato. Since Nagato possesses adequate powers to do so. I started to wonder, when compared with Nagato and Koizumi, wouldn't that make Asahina-san an outsider?
"Then it's fine."
I interrupted Asahina-san and Nagato's conversation, now is not to time to discuss the theories and workings on time travel. The question now is what we should do so that I and Asahina-san can return to the future three years later.
Yet, Nagato simply nodded his head again and said,
"It can be done."
He then stood up and opened the paper door to the room which was connected with the living room.
"Here."
It was a Japanese style bedroom laid with tatami, there was nothing else besides tatami. It looked really lonely, as expected from Nagato's place. This I could understand, but why has he brought us here to this guest room? Is the time machine hidden inside this room? Just as I was about to ask all sorts of questions, Nagato took out a futon from the cupboard and started laying it flat. He even brought two blankets out.
"I hope it's just me thinking too much......but you aren't asking us to sleep here, are you?"
Nagato carried the blanket and looked at me. The figures of me and Asahina-san were clearly reflected in her crystal clear pupils.
"Yes."
"Here? With Asahina-san? The two of us?"
"Yes."
I stole a glance at my side and saw Asahina-san looking embarrassed, her face blushing red furiously. That reaction was expected, I guess. In fact, I could feel myself being flushed as well.
But Nagato doesn't seemed concerned at all,
"Now sleep."
Don't be so direct!
"It's only sleeping."
Even if you say that, there's a different meaning to that. I exchanged glances with Asahina-san. He was trying to act cool but still embarrassed while I could feel my face turn more red. It was us who came to Nagato for help, if he wants us to sleep, then I guess we should sleep! If we wake up and find ourselves back to where we came from, then it's quite a simple solution.
Nagato switched off the lamp switch with his hand and began to mutter something. As I wondered, He can't be saying good night to us, could he? The lamp then flickered and went off.
Might as well sleep! I laid down and pulled the blanket over.
The next moment, the lights went on again. The fluorescent tube slowly flickered as the light became stabalized. Huh? What's this strange feeling? Outside the window was the same night sky as before.
I sat upright, Asahina-san also sat up, clutching his blanket.
Her innocent, child-like face looked troubled, and he looked at me with a questioning glance, but of course I didn't know how to answer his questions.
Nagato stood there like before as he turned on the lamp switch.
I have a feeling that this wasn't Nagato's usual face, it's as though there's some emotion inside this one. I looked closely at that pale white face, it's as though he wanted to express something but was not able to due to some conflict within his heart. If I hadn't observed his face for quite some time, I would hardly have noticed it. Though I can't guarantee that it wasn't just my imagination.
The sound of breathing in could be heard by my side, I turned and saw Asahina-san meddling around with the liquid display watch on her right wrist.
"Eh? It can't be? ......Eh? Is this true?"
I took a glance at her watch, could that thing be the so-called TPDD?
"No, this is just an automatic digital watch."
You mean those watches which automatically synchronizes with the standard time? Asahina-san smiled happily at me and said,
"We've returned. Our time of origin was July 7th......just after nine thirty at night. This is such a relief......Phew!"
He breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart. His facial expression showed as if he was just found innocent of a crime.
Standing by the door was the Nagato we knew. If I have to distinguish besides whether he wears his glasses or not, then this Nagato Yuki was the one that has softened up a bit. Seeing him three years later, I finally understood. The Nagato before me has indeed changed a bit since I first saw him in the Literature Club room when Haruki brought me there. The change was so small that he probably doesn't realize it herself.
"But, how did you do it?"
Nagato explained to Asahina-san without any emotion,
"Selective freezing of liquefied connected data within spacetime, preserving it until the known destination within the spacetime continuum, and finally unfreezing the data."
He said some very abstract terms, then paused and added,
"And that is now."
Asahina-san attempted to stand up, then his knees softened and he knelt down again,
"Could it be......impossible......Nagato-san, you......"
Nagato remained silent.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nagato-san......has stopped time itself. He probably had the time in this space along with us frozen for three years, until today when he finally unfroze the time......right?"
"Yes." Nagato replied and nodded her head.
"This is unbelievable, to be able to stop time......wah~."
Asahina-san knelt exhaustedly and sighed.
I thought to myself, seems like we've safely returned to three years in the future. I was sure of it just by looking at Asahina-san's reaction, he was that sort who wears his thoughts on his face. No matter, I'll believe the reason for how we returned from three years ago and how time had been frozen for now. Right now I can tolerate almost anything, no matter what it is, I can basically accept it without any problems. It's all good......but,
This wasn't the first time I'd visited Nagato's home. He had invited me once, more than a month ago, but that time I only saw the living room and had not entered this guest room, which I wasn't even aware had existed. So......um, in other words, what's going on here?
I looked at Nagato, and Nagato looked at me.
......In other words, when I visited for the first time and heard his story concerning data explosions, there was another "me" sleeping in the room besides us.
What's going on? That was going on according to logical deduction.
"Yes." Nagato said. I suddenly felt dizzy.
"......Hey, does that mean back then you already knew what would happen? Including me and today's events?"
"Yes."
From my perspective, the first time I met Nagato was during the start of the school term when Haruki thought of setting up the SOS Brigade. Yet Nagato had already met me in Tanabata three years ago. For me, that only happened not long ago, but he told me that was already three years ago. I think I'm going crazy already.
Both me and Asahina-san looked stunned and astonished at this turn of events. I always knew Nagato was capable, but I never thought he could even freeze time. In that case, doesn't that make him Super Man?
"Not entirely true."
He flatly refuted my praises.
"This was a special exception. An emergency. Unless it is very important, this method is rarely used."
And we were considered "very important".
"Thank you, Nagato."
I decided to thank him first, though thanking him was the best I could do.
"It doesn't matter."
Nagato nodded her seemingly cold face, then handed me the tanzaku with geometric symbols drawn on it. I received it and noticed the paper quality had worn out a lot, as though it had been left for three years.
"Oh yeah, the symbols on this tanzaku, can you tell me what it's saying?"
I casually asked. I didn't think anyone could read some nonsensical symbols drawn by Haruki, so I simply thought it would just be a joke.
"I am here,"
Nagato replied. I was exasperated.
"That is what's written on it."
I'm getting more and more confused now.
"Could these Nazca-like drawings or symbols be some sort of alien language?"
Nagato didn't answer that question.
Asahina-san and I left Nagato's home and walked under the moonlit sky.
"Asahina-san, was there any meaning for you to bring me to the past?"
Asahina-san tried his hardest to think, then lifted his head and said in a very soft voice,
"I'm sorry. I......well......um......I'm not sure......I'm like......the end interface......no, the bottom......no, I'm just like a trainee......"
"Yet you're by Haruki's side."
"That's because, I never thought I would be caught by Suzumiya-san to join the club."
He pouted and said. Asahina-san, you look cute with that expression as well.
"I merely followed the orders......of my superiors, or higher up. So not even I know what meaning there is for the things that I do."
Looking at a blushing Asahina-san, I thought to myself, could that superior be none other than the adult Asahina-san? It was a baseless speculation, but since the only time travellers I know are him and the normal Asahina-san, I can't be blamed for thinking that.
"I see."
I tilted my head and muttered.
Yet, I still didn't understand. If that adult Asahina-san came to drop me a hint, then he would know what would happen to us. And it seems he never told this Asahina-san anything as well. Just what was going on?
"Hmm......"
It's no use getting a headache over this. If Asahina-san doesn't understand it, then there's no way I could understand. Nagato said that there's more than one way to travel through time. Future time travellers have their own set of rules I guess? I hope someone will explain these to me, when everything is settled.
I parted ways with Asahina-san at the station. His small figure once again gave thanks to me, then left as though it was a great pity. After he was out of sight, I headed home as well, and it was now that I realized that I had left my bag in the club room.
The next day, which was July 8th; for my consciousness, it was indeed the next day, but for my body, it felt like three years and one day had passed since I last went to school. I went to school empty handed and headed straight for the club room, then went to the classroom after getting my bag. Asahina-san came earlier than me it seems, as his bag was nowhere to be seen.
Arriving in the classroom, I saw Haruki sitting there, looking intently out of the window, as if fully expecting the arrival of aliens.
"What's wrong? You've been looking depressed since yesterday. Have you been picking and eating toxic mushrooms?"
I said and sat down. Haruki gave a deliberate sigh and said,
"Nothing really. Just feeling melancholic thinking about something in the past. Some memories I had during Tanabata."
I shuddered at once. What memories were those......I didn't ask him.
"I see."
Haruki turned his head and observed the changes in the clouds. I shrugged my shoulders. I have no intentions of lighting the fuse for this bomb. Anyone with common sense would do the same.
After school, the Literature Club room once again became the underground headquarters of the SOS Brigade.
Haruki only said, "Throw the bamboo shoot away, it's useless now." Then left at once. The "commander" armband looked rather lonely after being left behind on the table. Sigh, tomorrow he'll return to being the eccentric guy, asking us to do impossibly unreasonable things. He's that sort of person.
Asahina-san wasn't here as well. Only Nagato Yuuki was in the room, alongside with me playing chess with Koizumi. Unable to resist his "evangelistic" passion for chess, I agreed to let her teach me how to play the game.
I had thought Koizumi switched to playing chess because she was crap at Othello, but it seems I was wrong. She was just as crap at chess.
I took out one of Koizumi's pawns with my knight while glancing at Nagato, who was looking intently at the chess board with his blank face.
"Say, Nagato, I don't get it at all. Is Asahina-san really from the future?"
Nagato slowly tilted her head.
"Yes."
"But I just feel a sense of paradox between heading to the past and returning to the future."
That was expected. If there were no continuity between the past and the future - if we went back three years ago, went to sleep over there and reawakened in the present, then the "present" that we're in now should be a different world from the "yesterday" that we departed from. Yet from the outcome, I had given Haruki an idea he shouldn't have, and that idea had brought Haruki to North High, enhancing his interest in all non-human life......there exists this possibility.
If I didn't travel back to three years ago, maybe everything would never have happened. Judging from the tone of adult Asahina-san, he seems to know more than us. In other words, continuity does exist between the past and the future. This contradicts with what Asahina-san had told me earlier. I can still figure this out at least, no matter how dumb I am.
"As there is no conclusion to the paradox theory, there is no way to prove that there is no paradox."
Nagato said calmly, giving a strange expression that reads 'That should explain everything.' That explanation may indeed be enough for you, but I completely do not understand at all. Nagato lifted his smooth white neck and looked at me,
"Soon you will understand."
He then went back to his usual seat and returned to his world of books. I think I'm beginning to dislike time traveling. It's giving me a headache.
Koizumi now spoke,
"That's the case. Right now my king is being checked by your rook. This is sure a problem for me, where should I escape to?"
Koizumi said while picking up his black king, then casually placed the king into his jacket pocket. He then showed her palm like a magician revealing his tricks,
"Well, is there a paradox with me doing this?"
I toyed around the white rook with my fingers and thought, I'm not going to play some stupid Zen philosophy games with you, and I don't plan to satisfy myself with abstract topics. So I refuse to answer your question.
In any case - there's no doubt that Haruki is a paradoxical existence, the same can be said for this world.
"Besides, a king means nothing to us, instead, it is the queen that plays a more important role."
I placed the white rook on the box where the black king was standing. Queen to Knight 8.
"......I don't know what's going to happen next, but I just hope it's not something that'll give me a major headache."
Nagato remained silent, while Koizumi smiled and said,
"I think it's best for things to remain peaceful, or would you prefer to have something happen?"
I snorted and drew a circle by my name on the score chart.
hope someone can make this even better..
__________________
I am never gonna say good bye,
never run around is my body, never desert you is my blood
unknown to telling lies, nor known to hurting you
have rolled the rick over nine thousand times
yet never gonna give you up
so as I sing, UNLIMITED RICKROLL WORKS
Okay people, Kaisos's word is final. We're not doing any Itsuko fanservice in this one. I even think some of it is going a bit too far and even unnecessary.
Actually, Danchou's word is final, but...
Also, who are you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by shaoron
wait.. you LIEK CROTCH GRAB!?
hoookay.. getting freaky nao.... *shuffles away*
I thought how I did it was funny. Just a momentary grab and Haruki laughing about it afterwards.
2008-05-11, 21:24
hehe... kk i'm going... *runs off*
