Jump -88: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Age: 16
Origin: Drop-In
Perks:
Hidden Intentions
Diverse Deadpan Snarker
Class President [900]
Perfectly Normal [800]
Humanity is Infectious [700]
(Not That) Great Will [200]
Rolled Good Life Stats [700]
Fit For Tradition [600]
Parallel Bleed [500]
Mon-Dimensional Sliding Skills [300]
Mallory Crossover [0]

Items:
An Anthology on the Collective Works of Jumper

Drawbacks:
"Kyon?" [800]

I decide this is a good place and time to take a vacation. I feel as if the choice I made in the previous jump is going to have serious consequences for me in the long run. The forces of Law and Chaos, from the worlds of Megaten…they are not to be lightly trifled with. And they will remember me. I toggle off most of my things and don some fake cat ears before I start my time at school.

Seconds after I put the ears on, I'm nearly hit by a passing bus. I activate my reflexes instinctively, only for a nearby car to explode and lots of shrapnel finding its way into my flesh. I was about to toggle on more of my abilities to heal it and quickly figure out what the hell just happened, only for a strangely familiar girl to walk up to me and scold me for walking around such a dangerous part of town.

There's an ominous feeling in my stomach. I've felt this before. I felt this when the entire world of The God of High School howled for my blood. I felt it the moment I was shot with the Origin Bullet. I felt it in Japan, when Smile slaughtered most of the country down to a tenth of its population. This world called for my blood, and it became more aggressive the more I tried to use my powers.

Realizing I had to relent, I turned everything off except what I needed to survive this injury. The killing intent I felt slowly subsided once I did so, and the girl helped me up all while ridiculing my everyday walking schedule. Well. The walking schedule I had improvised off the top of my head. Something in my brain told me I was supposed to take a different shortcut by foot instead of what I did.

Miraculously, even with the injury I had, I only had to spend a few hours in the hospital and then I was fine. Just in time for classes to resume, having come to a complete halt in my absence. [spoiler]I've been doing this long enough to know what's going on.[/spoiler] Once I sit down, that girl from before, Haruhi Suzumiya, is behind me staring out the window. She changes hairstyles every day. She looks at me expectantly, as if hoping I'd notice. When I point it out, she raises an eyebrow and asks 'And…?'

Erm…so you a style for each day of the week.

"Don't point out stupid things, you idiot. It's none of your business."

But she wanted me to notice. And somehow, she seemed a little bit happier. Only a little. [spoiler]I miss having problems I could just punch or blow up. This is some Tim Hunter bullshit right here.[/spoiler] I enjoy a tasty lunch I don't remember packing, with some of my favorite foods in it. [spoiler]Rewarded like an animal in a skinner box.

My every instinct is telling me to flee. To punch a hole in this world and escape somehow. But there's something familiar about this. Something I can't shake. I can stand to roleplay a bit longer to figure things out.[/spoiler]

The students just kind of blend into the background, the spotlight always on me and Haruhi. [spoiler]They're like broken down robots, walking into walls. Sometimes, they don't have faces.[/spoiler] Still, she constantly acts like she's looking for the supernatural, even as the world tries to kill me if I so much at hint at it towards her. It only makes her more angry. [spoiler]Don't you know this is a façade? Don't you know the truth already?[/spoiler]

Then, some exchange students enter. They also look familiar, but not how I expected. [spoiler]It's like a bunch of pre-recorded lines being given feet and hands. They're missing something. Something she can't create.[/spoiler] I play along and act incredulous but surprised by the revelations. I'm a good actor. [spoiler]Not a ponytail person, though.[/spoiler]

Then, we got to the point of the home movie. Haruhi punched Mikuru. We started arguing. This was all according to script. But something else happened. Or rather, didn't happen. She glared at me, flinched, and then looked at me with eyes full of hate.

"You're supposed to try to hit me."

I know.

"You're supposed to be angry at me! Kyon…you wouldn't just let that happen, right?!"

I know I should be. But I won't.

The world around me turned red. I could see the faces of our fellow club members start melting. Her voice turned into a shrill shriek.  ̷"͜Yǫu'̵r̴e s̨u͠p̸poşe͡d̷ ̷t҉o b͜e l̀i̶k͜e tha͡t!͢"

I know I'm supposed to feel angry. I know I'm supposed to raise a fist here and try to hurt her, with all the anger my heart can muster. But I can't. I can't even fake it. [spoiler]Because I've seen those lonely eyes before. I've been in this spot before. Hating you would mean hating her.[/spoiler]

But I need to do something.

I wrap an arm around Haruhi and hold her close to me. Her anger remains and she beats her hands against my sides. It actually hurts a little, since I have none of my defenses up. It's here I'm most vulnerable. And she knows that. She yells at me, calls me names, calls me stupid…and eventually, she starts sobbing against my chest and desperately apologizes. Apologies, from Haruhi Suzumiya. [spoiler]You've been alone for a long time, knowing a piece of yourself was missing. Even someone 'close enough' like me was enough for hope, wasn't it? I'm sorry.[/spoiler]

This will make a bad situation worse. [spoiler]But I know I'll do it anyways.[/spoiler]

I should just play along and let her live in her fantasy. [spoiler]But I'll remember her face centuries later. I still haven't forgotten Kat or Akari.[/spoiler]

I should just act well enough like Kyon she can hardly notice the difference. [spoiler]But it'd be a lie. And she knows that. She knows that someone like her already exists in my heart.[/spoiler]

Instead, I selfishly try to give her some measure of peace. [spoiler]Her lips taste a little like the fried rice we all had that morning.[/spoiler] The world around us stops breaking down, and she freezes, her feet popping upwards for just a moment. [spoiler]I don't enjoy it much, but she doesn't notice.[/spoiler] I broke it and looked at her. "Does that count?"

She stared, flabbergasted. Then, in a blink, the scene continued as if everything went according to script. I had to dodge a few cars as the day went on, and a plane crashed just outside of my apartment block. And then everything was fine. There was no script, anymore. Haruhi was living next door to me, now. And then with me. [spoiler]In all honesty, I don't think she knew who I was or even cared, as long as I could fill the role I was given. Anyone would do. Anyone. That's what someone as lonely as her would want.[/spoiler]

I find a balance between 'Kyon' and my real self. She accepts, or at least tolerates it. [spoiler]I'm an idiot. I knew I had this ability all along, but I tried to willfully ignore it. The way my party was setup was never a coincidence.[/spoiler] She never left my side, not for long, and only reluctantly. [spoiler]I can't keep doing this. I can't keep telling lies like this. But it's too late to stop her from joining that chain, now, is it?[/spoiler]

I ask Haruhi if she wants to stay with me. There was no debate. If I was there, the rest of the world could burn, for all she cared. I asked if she'd be okay with me, for all my flaws and mistakes. [spoiler]Like letting things get this bad in the first place. I didn't resist, because I liked the attention, but I felt like I could also put it off forever. Have I strung them along this badly…? I'm such an idiot.[/spoiler] She answered me the same way I answered her, on that day. [spoiler]At least with me, you won't be a danger to yourself and others. I can try to give you some measure of peace. I just hope one day you step out of my shadow.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]What have I done?[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Out of character, the 'combo' used here was The Waifu Exalted + Elegante Quinto + Ways of Eros.[/spoiler]