Suzumiya Haruhi no Tsuisou - 02: Crossroads of Fate

[slave_of_suzumiya]

... Whew. Now this is around the size of some of those big Chokuretsu posts. Enjoy the next 18 minutes worth of dialogue, over 10 minutes of which are infodump by Asahina-san. Same as the Chokuretsu translation, "Yare yare" is left untranslated.

長門 Nagato: U-um...!
Having apparently gathered her thoughts, Nagato opened her mouth. I waited for the words to come from her mouth. However...

長門 Nagato: ...

Suddenly, Nagato vanished from my sight. —Did she just run away?
キョン Kyon: Ah, oi, Nagato!

I wanted to chase after Nagato who had burst out of the clubroom and fled, but with a moment of hesitation my legs froze.
There’s no mistaking it. That was the Nagato I met in the altered world.
And so, while I had lost sight of Nagato, I noticed something else lying at my feet.
キョン Kyon: This is...?
It was a familiar looking bookmark. It was like the one the original Nagato had left for me before, however there was no message on the back.


I look up to see the plate reading “Literature Club”. All traces of the SOS Brigade are vanished. I have a wavering feeling not unlike seeing your stronghold under attack and crumbling—

No, wait, calm down. I’ll close my eyes tightly, and using the last pieces of my crumbling logic, judging by these circumstances, I can reach only one conclusion.
That is, today is the first day of the North High Festival, and on top of that, this is a place resembling that “Altered World”.

Having thought out that far, my logic crumbled.
All the various questions flying through my mind, it was as if someone had thrown an entire 24 colour set of paint in a chaotic bout, however one phrase came to mind. That is—

キョン Kyon: Nagato, is this your doing...?
The words I spoke forcibly ended my confused state. Before anything else, I need to grasp the situation. I put the bookmark I picked up into my pants pocket, and then

- Search for Haruhi
- Search for Asahina-san
> Search for Nagato

ran off in search of Nagato—

キョン Kyon: Where did you go, Nagato...?
If I’d gone after her immediately things would be fine, but it was too late now. I had completely lost sight of Nagato.
キョン Kyon: ... Yare yare.

After having wandered all around the school, literally without any thought out destination, around this time I found myself in an area swarmed with people.
キョン Kyon: ... Where do I go from here?
Coming from the station’s direction on their way to school, an unending wave of students were coming, among them—
キョン Kyon: Ah...!

喜緑さん Kimidori-san: ... What is it?
キョン Kyon: Ah, nothing...

喜緑さん Kimidori-san: ...?

Honestly, it’s not hard to imagine that Kimidori-san would be here in this world too, but to meet up with her here, it’s like a fresh new feeling.
Well, as expected I’m a complete stranger to her in this setting, but she once consulted the SOS Brigade on a matter that was bothering her, that’s about the extent of our relations though.
For that benevolent person to appear again after all this time, I barely even recalled her name... It’s probably not important though.
Anyway, instead of wandering around aimlessly like this, I was thinking that I should probably get moving somewhere, when I heard a familiar boisterous voice.

鶴屋さん Tsuruya-san: ... Anyway, it’s just like you to think that Mikuru!
みくる Mikuru: Eeh~ But isn’t that a bit...
キョン Kyon: A-Asahi...
Oops, better not, if I let my pleasure get the best of me, I lay a single hand on her and there’s no doubt things will go down the same way as last time.
Just the other day in Nagato’s transformed world, this situation led to Tsuruya-san busting out some martial arts and twisting my arm. I need to be careful...
キョン Kyon: U-um...

みくる Mikuru: ... Yes?

キョン Kyon: Uh, well... We haven’t met before by any chance, right?

みくる Mikuru: Have we met...?
Ah, that “What is this person talking about?” feeling from her gaze is really depressing... I’m sure you’re aware, but this charming maiden is Mikuru Asahina-san.
The SOS Brigade’s one and only upperclassman and mascot character. In reality, she’s a klutz of a pretty girl who travelled through time from the future.
Of course in this world, most of that doesn’t really apply.

鶴屋さん Tsuruya-san: Boy, are you by any chance a member of the Mikuru Fan Club?
キョン Kyon: ... Well, something like that, I guess.

鶴屋さん Tsuruya-san: I see, I see. So for first contact, you thought to come in with a curve ball, this morning is way too busy to pull this off though~
This here is Tsuruya-san. In the old world, she’s a friend from Asahina-san’s class, and holds a honorary consultant like position within the SOS Brigade.
Tsuruya-san doesn’t have a secret identity, but... If I have to say one thing uncommon, she’s the daughter of an extremely rich family. Her house is on an amazing estate.

みくる Mikuru: ... Oh no, we’re late for the meeting.

鶴屋さん Tsuruya-san: Them’s the breaks boy, try again later~

And there they go... However many times this repeats, they’re complete strangers in this setting... Hmm.
キョン Kyon: ... Hm?
A call from an unknown number.
キョン Kyon: Hello.
??? Somebody: Hello Kyon-kun? It’s been a while.
キョン Kyon: ...! That voice, is that you Asahina-san?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Yes. Um... The grown up me, that is.
キョン Kyon: You know who I am, that means...?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Yeah, I came from the old world.
キョン Kyon: I see... Man, what a relief. I was a complete stranger in the eyes of this world’s Asahina-san.
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Indeed, about this world...
キョン Kyon: ... What is it?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: No, I’ll explain the full details in person. I know it’s sudden, but somewhere we won’t be seen... Right, how does the roof sound?
キョン Kyon: Roger that. Also, this number...
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Right, it’s the mobile number I’m using in this world. You can register it if you like.
Already done.


朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Well, see you soon.

Just so you know, that voice on the phone, rather than the Asahina-san who’s one grade ahead of me, was the adult version of Asahina-san from a little further in the future.
Not only does she have a lot more experience and achievements than her younger counterpart, she’s a physical goddess with unbelievably nice proportions.
If she’s here in this world, things are looking up. I’m sure this chaotic situation will be solved with her around.
Naturally climbing the staircase was a breeze, I felt like whistling a tune as I turned knob for the door on the roof, however—
キョン Kyon: Huh?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: ... Hello?
キョン Kyon: Um, have you got the key to the roof door?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Eeh? Oh no... What do I do?
Yare yare, she’s still the same old Asahina-san.

And so, as arranged we met up once again “somewhere people can’t see” in one of the school’s blind spots, but...
キョン Kyon: ... Only 48 hours?

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: That’s right. This world suddenly appeared overlaid on this time plane, it’s a world where both the past and the future are cut off within 48 hours of each other.
キョン Kyon: ... Eh? So... Let’s say we let 48 hours from now pass, what happens?

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: If you’re here at that time, this world will reach its end and everything will start over again from your perspective.
キョン Kyon: ... I’ll keep my memories?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Probably... After all, you remember the original world, right?
キョン Kyon: That’s true...
I was left to picture the incident where my summer vacation had looped over 15,000 times. But, these are clearly different circumstances.
This time my memories won’t be reset, so I’ve got more of a chance... Anyway, seems I’m fated to be dealing with time loops.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: And so, the reason I’m here... Before that, you’re good with computers, right Kyon-kun?
キョン Kyon: A little, I guess.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Computers of your era use a hard disc, which if it isn’t regularly defragged, the data will start becoming fragmented and it’ll slow down, right? And so when defragging it, sometimes normal data will become unusable due to a disruption of the portions, I believe... This world is like a damaged cluster that’s formed on a hard disc.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: So this time I’m here in order to repair this world like defragging a hard disc... Otherwise, some bad things could happen.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: If left alone, it’ll start to infect normal data, and in the worse case scenario I fear that the whole STC data could crash.
What a “crash” would involve isn’t really clear, but I think I’m getting some of the picture here.
キョン Kyon: The world is in danger, huh?

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Indeed.
Again...? Although I don’t say that out loud. I mean this is how many times now? We need to get a standard world saving procedure prepared at some point. I’ve no idea who to bring this up with though.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: And that’s where you come in, Kyon-kun. I’d like you to help me restore this world... No, what I mean is you’re the only one who can do this, Kyon-kun.
キョン Kyon: Why only me?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Because you’ve come here from the original world into this one... you’re the only one who can intervene. Which means you’re the only one who can repair this world. Therefore I am only able to support your actions.
キョン Kyon: To be honest I don’t really get it, but when you put it like that, I can’t do nothing. All right, I’ll help you out.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Thank you, Kyon-kun...
キョン Kyon: And? How am I supposed to fix things?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: To put it simply, I’d like you to gather what are known as “Dimensional Bookmarkers”.
キョン Kyon: And those are?

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: I’m afraid I can’t explain since the details are classified information, but please understand that they’re the keys to repairing this world. For example, that bookmark there is a “Dimensional Bookmarker”.
キョン Kyon: ... This?


朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Uh-huh, that’s right. Like that, dimensional bookmarkers are items that appear ordinary to the eye. But their true form is that of a space-time distortion. And this is just a hunch, but I think that the forms they take will be items that are close to the SOS Brigade members of this world.
キョン Kyon: Why’s that?

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Sorry, I’d like to say that’s classified information too, but the truth is that I just don’t know how to put it in words you’d understand. Anyway, I’d like you to obtain these items. It’s not something I can put into words easily, but I can’t explain clearly without the words.
キョン Kyon: Oh, I see...?
Despite what I said, I had no clue whatsoever. Uuuh... So basically I just need to obtain stuff from the others, right?
And on top of that, they need to be something relatively important... I’m a believer in peaceful relations, so I can’t just go stealing stuff.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: As you’re here Kyon-kun, you must gather all the dimensional bookmarkers within this space-time continuum in order for the defragmentation to progress. The dimensional bookmarkers also have another usage, but... How about I just show you?
キョン Kyon: Show me?

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: By using them to “bookmark” places as “warp points” you’ll gain the ability to leap through time.
キョン Kyon: ... Huh?
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Each dimensional bookmarker has the ability to record space-time coordinates, by using that as a reference it’s possible to leap through time. However the one downside to the dimensional bookmarkers’ ability is that it can only be used within the 48 hour period that you’re currently inhabiting. As the defragmentation progresses this space-time will gradually warp, when that happens all the registered space-time coordinates will be cleared.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Essentially, this means that you won’t be able to return to those unrestored time points. That’s the most important point... You understand, Kyon-kun?
キョン Kyon: H-huh...

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Gathering all the dimensional bookmarkers for the defragmentation process, and using their power, is the only known way of allowing you to return to the other world, Kyon-kun.
And so, the explanations are once again puzzling... Anyway I’ve got to fix this world, or else I’ll never be going home... Hm?
キョン Kyon: Eh? Then Asahina-san, how did you...

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: I came on a one way ticket. Fufu.
Damn. She came this far into danger for my... ah no, for saving the world’s sake. I shouldn’t misinterpret things.

朝比奈さん Asahina-san: I’ll tell you when to use them now. But make sure not to use them recklessly. We don’t want to risk causing any unnecessary damage to the STC data.
I don’t get a word of this, but I’ll nod anyway.
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Now then, let’s try bookmarking.


朝比奈さん Asahina-san: Right, you did it... All that’s left is to explain how to actually make use of it later. Anyway, I’ll leave things to you.
キョン Kyon: Uh, even if you say that...
朝比奈さん Asahina-san: For now, perhaps you should start becoming acquainted with this world’s SOS Brigade?
キョン Kyon: ... Guess so.

Yare yare, all right. My once peaceful life has faded into a sepia toned distant memory. It’ll probably need to be embalmed soon.
Though I can’t grieve it yet. If it needs repairing, I’ll get past my regrets and make my way back to the original world.
If I don’t, I’ll never see the younger Asahina-san in that miniskirt Santa costume again, I’ll never taste Haruhi’s hot pot either. There’s no way I can let that happen, right?

And so, the curtain opened on my short yet long... but mostly long, 48 hour adventure.