Chapter 22 - The Sigh of Suzumiya Haruki

The Sigh of Suzumiya Haruki
Haruki broke the silence, "Naluri?"

"Hmm?" hummed Naluri, focused ahead.

"What was Haruhi like?"

Naluri did not reply immediately, "... To be honest, I don't really know. You are essentially a male version of her so basically... like you. But female."

"Was she hated?"

"... Very much so."

"Why?"

"Because of her powers. People hated her because she had the power to do anything she wanted to them. I'll be honest and say I was one of them," Naluri sighed, "Even though I later found out that Haruhi's powers don't even affect me..." Haruki stayed silent. "Tell me, assume a war started and you were a neutral party. You discovered you had the potential to do absolutely anything you wanted. What would you do?"

"Stop the war, obviously. ... Is that what happened with her?"

Naluri frowned when Haruki stated the word 'obviously', "A year ago today, a war started in this world between Reimu and Miku. Haruhi joined in last as a third faction but was unable to achieve a victory before they found ways to counter her powers. Reimu, Miku and Haruhi became The Three Empresses over The Three Kingdoms. Immediately, most people just assumed all three were just power-hungry."

"But couldn't Haruhi do anything? Why didn't she take control of everyone and stop the war immediately?"

Naluri noticed that this was another way of asking why Haruki couldn't do the same right now. "It took her months to achieve her full potential. The actual fighting only lasted a day before Reimu and Miku found ways to protect themselves from Haruhi. I think that is why you haven't awoken yet, so to speak. I doubt you'll be able to reach your full potential any time soon."

"I never thought Reimu and Miku were ones to start a war."

"You saw Reimu. She was scared. She was forced to fight but yet is considered to be the cause of the entire conflict. I can't say much on Miku's entry but seeing how she was second to enter, she might have been forced too. If your attitude is anything to go by, Haruhi wasn't forced but attempted to stop the the fighting. And you can see where that ended up. The breaking of Reimu, the destruction of Miku and Haruhi's... disappearance. Doom and Magneto own the world now and many people think it's better that way." Naluri decided not to mention Sasaki.

"But they're villains, aren't they? How can anyone have confidence in them?"

"Reimu and Miku caused a lot of damage in their kingdoms, Haruhi to a much smaller extent. I heard that Doom and Ganondorf are... fixing all those problems."

"Problems?"

"Too many to list. Just to mention Haruhi's, she essentially destroyed all industrial industries in her territory. Of course, it didn't really matter while she was alive but I can see that being a massive hassle now she's gone."

"... Do deaths happen often?"

"Haruhi was first and like I said to Konata, it was an accident. But with Haruhi's death, everything collapsed as her hold of her territory faded away." Naluri realised she was struggling to keep her eyes open. "Ugh," she groaned, trying to hold down a headache and her exhaustion.

"Are you okay?" asked Haruki, "You're shivering."

Naluri was indeed twitching and shaking. She suddenly sneezed from her dampness. "Just... just keep talking," she murmured, "I need something else to think about." Based on Haruki's questions, Naluri began to explain about Doomsday, The Three Kingdoms and the events that had gone on that day. After a while, Naluri decided to ask a question that had been on her mind lately, "Do you know a Sasaki? Or someone with a similar name?"

"No. I don't." Naluri had made no mention of Sasaki's relationship with Haruhi.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Haruhi was eighteen. Well, at least now anyway. She was seventeen when Doomsday brought her here." Glancing in the rear view mirror, Naluri could see Haruki going over the death list once more. His expression was one of confused amazement. "... I'll point out now. There's no save points, no checkpoints, no continues."

"... Would it be possible to go back in time again?"

Naluri sighed with unease, "I guess. However, I'd guess all devices are under lock and key. I'm sure none of The Three Kingdoms wanted to wage war over time as well. The DeLorean and Mikuru are the only time travellers whose locations I know. And even then, one could be anywhere in space, the other will soon be gone."

"How do you mean?"

"Mikuru's imprisoned on a spacecraft. You saw the DeLorean get ripped up by The Sonic Barrier. Once it leaves in the next few minutes, there won't be a DeLorean around any more."

"What kind of time traveller is Mikuru?"

"Well, she's human, I think-"

"I meant what kind of time travel does she use?" clarified Haruki, "There are plenty of types out there. Like ones that can't actually change time where the effects of time travel happen before the jump back in time or ones that allow free reign."

Naluri hadn't thought of that. "I... I think she's the first one..."

"Then she can't help with changing the past."

Naluri was not paying attention, another thought on her mind. History was repeating. Was this because Sasaki couldn't change it, even with her god powers? But wait, Haruhi had some control over time with that timequake three, well four now, years ago. Naluri racked her mind for an example of when Haruhi ever properly changed time. The Endless Eight. She had forced the same fifteen days to repeat again and again, more than fifteen thousand times, each time different from the last. She definitely had the ability to change time. But what about Sasaki? Naluri had always considered Sasaki to have the same powers as Haruhi but was that true? Well, Sasaki was aware of her powers back in her world. Wouldn't that make her more powerful than Haruhi? Naluri shook her head. The DeLorean was definitely a time travel device capable of changing time. And even then, that wouldn't explain why Sasaki pushed her out the window.

"Are you okay?" asked Haruki concerned.

"No... I'm not," admitted Naluri. She ran a hand through her hair, which had mostly dried out. "Could you pass my helmet?" Haruki did so and Naluri placed it back on her head, her mind clearing a little. "I want to sleep but..." she revealed with half-opened eyes. There was no need to finish her sentence. "By the way, aren't you concerned you might not be able to return back to your world?"

"A little but I don't think now's the time to be concerned about that."

Naluri did not reply, unable to muster the effort, her attention fixed on the island straight ahead. The batmobile drove onto the sandy beach, skidding to a halt. As another black car drove from the water onto land not far away, Naluri realised she was too late. She had missed the Thunder Child.

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