The Magnificent Destiny of Haruhi's El Hazard

[Darth Joker]

This is a sequel to "The El Hazard of Haruhi Suzumiya".

Link is here: The El Hazard of Haruhi Suzumiya (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=269068)


This sequel is divided into three section. The first section will likely be mostly aimed towards comedy and slice of life, though it will have some drama and suspense thrown in. For this story, Kyon narration voice is dropped - it's my narration voice.

The first section is...

Section 1 – The Sensei Fujisawa of Haruhi Suzumiya

Chapter 1


Nanoha Inverse had been dreading this day, for it was a day that she knew her conscience would not allow her to elude forever, as painful as it potentially could be. It was a day when she would finally talk once more with a man who she had often thought of as a father to her. It was a day when she would face the beloved leader of her people who she had turned against of her own free will.

Free will, albeit a free will influenced by the eloquent words of her precious new friend Kyon, had been exercised in her choice to oppose Galus’ machinations. However, what lead her into Galus’ jail cell deep within the catacombs of Florestica’s dungeons felt more like an inexorable leading of the spirit. She had to do this. Free will had no role here. She had to try to reason with Galus, for as much as she hated and loathed many of his most recent actions, she still loved the father figure himself.

Between Galus’ holding cell and the outside world of El Hazard lay an airlock chamber of sorts, though with the look and feel of that of a medieval castle room of Earth. Still, while the technology ensuring that Galus could not escape was hidden, it was still there. It was hidden in limestone walls with a pattern of circular perforation. These limestone walls were dusty yet still exuded an esoteric sheen, perhaps making them the ideal reflection of the prisoner that lay just beyond them.

Nanoha, with Kyon and Makoto adding their reassurances to her words, had implored Princess Rune Venus to allow her to visit Galus privately. Princess Rune had agreed to this request, and even handed Nanoha the key to Galus’ holding cell. Kyon would wait outside just in case Galus somehow overpowered Nanoha and tried to make an escape.

After taking a deep breath, Nanoha’s hand began to shake as she maneuvered the key to Galus’ cell into the key hole of the locked wooden door in front of her.

‘Calm down… calm down!’ she said to herself, ‘He’s not going to hurt you. He wouldn’t do that to his daughter’s best friend. He also wouldn’t want to lengthen his prison sentence for the cause of violent behavior. …This will be difficult, but you can do this. Remember the encouraging words that Kyon said to you, and the hopeful dreams that Makoto made known to you.’

With that, Nanoha steadied her hand, inserted the key, and twisted it to the left in order to unlock the door. Galus had been resting upon his bed, facing towards the inner wall, when he heard the clicking sound of the door unlocking. He quickly turned over at this sound, and made an utterance that surprised Nanoha somewhat.

“Makoto…” asked Galus in an oddly cordial and relaxed tone, “Is that you?”

Nanoha began to wonder why Galus would be so ready for, if not expectant of, a visit from Makoto. She took in the sight of Galus as she pushed the door ajar. He was garbed in an open collar red shirt and gray trousers. As for herself, Nanoha was wearing her favored white and blue dress with a red ribbon across the chest. She had also allowed her disguise as a human to fade to her natural pale blue Shadow Tribe skin tone for this meeting with Galus.

“N-no Galus…” began Nanoha weakly in response, “This is Nanoha Inverse.”

“…Nanoha!” stated Galus in a failed attempt to shroud and whisper his exuberant surprise, as he rapidly came to a sitting position, “Please enter quickly and with out sound.”

Nanoha was perplexed by Galus’ words here. They were neither the malicious cries of wounded wrath that she had feared, nor the hoped for soft forgiving intones of a beleaguered soul simply glad to have company. Nonetheless, Galus’ words were preferable to what Nanoha had readied herself for, and hence she gladly did as Galus instructed, while taking in the environment of Galus’ jail cell as well as she could.

The flooring, roofing, and walling, were more of the same dusty perforated limestone, but the room itself was rather spacious and luxuriously outfitted for prison accommodations. Galus’ bed was adorned by canopied purple sheets as soft as spider silk, and by plush pink pillows and soft bed covers. The bed itself was firm yet pliant. In one corner of the room there stood a wicker table and two wicker chairs. Upon the table was a small outstretched board of a black and white pattern and with small expertly carved wooden pieces laying on top of it in a seemingly random placement. The table also had a bright lamp upon it that provided all the lighting for the room. In the opposite corner of the room was a six foot tall bookcase that included at least two dozen books. Finally, the floor was littered with pieces of… something… but Nanoha did not take the time to determine what it was.

Nanoha pulled up one of the two wicker chairs, and situated it in front of Galus’ bed, facing inwards to both Galus and the bed. She then sat in the chair with her and Galus only a few feet apart from one another.

“I… can see that the Roshtarians have given you a prison cell appropriate for your royal stature, Galus”, stated Nanoha as she continued to gaze about the room.

“Yes…” responded Galus, admitting to Nanoha’s observation here, “However, I have only Makoto Mizuhara to thank for that. He saw to it that I would have more than merely a bed to sleep upon and dim lighting, within this room.”

“Strange that Makoto never told me about his considerable involvement in your life as a prisoner…” replied Nanoha, almost becoming lost in contemplative thought, “He merely encouraged me to try to do my best in my efforts to rehabilitate you.”

These words hung uneasily in the air for about half a minute as Galus carefully absorbed their meaning. His countenance quickly altered from one of excitement to one of reserved disappointment.

“So… you have chosen to side against me, Nanoha” stated Galus, in a doleful tone.

The importance of these words immediately struck Nanoha. Galus had not been aware of the actions that Nanoha had taken against his schemes back at what was the primary Shadow Tribe base of operations. His attention must have been so keenly focused on other matters, that Nanoha’s brief struggle with Yuki Nagato had escaped his notice.

“When you had introduced yourself to me, my first thought was that you were here to liberate me from this debilitating imprisonment” continued Galus, “How tragic to see that instead you have sided with the Alliance… or worse still, the SOS Brigade. Did you make this choice simply due to being demoralized by our people’s recent setbacks… or is there a more profound cause behind your treachery?”

“I am neither demoralized, nor am I a traitor to our people, Galus” stated Nanoha, as she began to slightly raise her tone of voice, “I merely desire what you yourself once admirably labored arduously for. I desire peaceful co-existence amongst all the peoples of El Hazard; bugrom, humans, and Shadow Tribe alike!”

“Ha ha ha ha ha!” Galus began laughing derisively in reply to Nanoha’s words here, actually leaving her startled, “It is even worse than you having sided with the SOS Brigade. You are actually oblivious to their baleful maneuverings, aren’t you?”

“…What do you mean?” asked Nanoha in turn, her eyes narrowing and her brow furrowing out of an irritated confusion.

“Let me show you, my dear” responded Galus with a wry grin, as he rose to stand up from his bed, and walked over to the bookcase.


[CONT'D in the next post]

[Darth Joker]

[CONT'D from previous post]


Galus then retrieved a small promotional pamphlet of sorts that had been tightly lodged between two books, and returned to hand it over to Nanoha.

“Please read that, and tell me what you think of it” Galus stated to Nanoha.

Nanoha instantly recognized the cover of it.

“This is just the latest SOS Brigade promotional pamphlet” stated Nanoha, somewhat dismissively, “I saw Itsuki Koizumi reading it. It just talks about some of the SOS Brigade club activities that Haruhi is inviting the humans of El Hazard to take part in.”

Galus sighed over these words.

“I suppose that your ignorance is to be expected” said Galus, “Geopolitics was never your strong suit, and you do have a tendency to view even your enemies in an overly positive or innocuous light. Very well, I will tell you what this pamphlet says. On the back cover, we have special addresses to all SOS Brigade members from ‘SOS Man’ and the Bugrom Queen. Katsuhiko Jinnai, a serious warlord let us not forget, speaks of him ‘shining the illuminating light of justice and joy through out all of El Hazard so as to eradicate all shadows of boredom and fear’. This strikes me as a most flowery way to promote a policy of ethnic cleansing.”

“Eth-Ethnic Cleansing?!” shouted Nanoha in disbelieving query.

“Of course, Nanoha” responded Galus, “This is a coy way of referring to the eradication of the Shadow Tribe. It is reinforced by Haruhi Suzumiya’s promise to, and I quote, ‘I promise to all that the SOS Brigade will be an unbreakable strand uniting all humans and bugrom together in the common purposes of ensuring peace, of engaging in scientific discovery, and of striking against any despicable terrorists that oppose us!’ Well, my dear, Jinnai’s ‘shadows of fear’ are clearly Suzumiya’s ‘despicable terrorists’. Both terms represent crafty ways of referring to our people, the Shadow Tribe.”

A wave of disconcerting doubt washed over Nanoha. She felt like saying ‘Kyon’s friends would never engage in such genocidal goals!’, and yet she could sense that Galus’ words were at least close to the mark, though likely somewhat off. It did indeed appear that the Shadow Tribe was, at the very least, serving the role of convenient scapegoat and whipping boy for the growing SOS Brigade of El Hazard. As such, Nanoha chose not to belabor the point with Galus, but rather ascertain how he came to even hold such knowledge given his prisoner status.

“How did you come to hold this SOS Brigade pamphlet?” asked Nanoha.

“As with almost all current information on the outside world, it was relayed to me through Makoto Mizuhara” answered Galus, “I must admit… Makoto has both amazed me, and moved me, since my imprisonment. He has taken it upon himself to ensure, as best as he can, humane living conditions for me, and has even come almost every day to visit me, often for hours at a time. He has played these mentally stimulating games called chess and shogi with me. During these games, I inquire about the outside world, and he appears all too pleased to inform me on it, and even bring items like this SOS Brigade pamphlet to me. In turn, he has asked me what I might know about a means of successfully travelling from El Hazard to Earth, and as a good host, I’ve told him what little I remember pertaining to that. His awareness of the historical plight of our people, Nanoha, has increased markedly since I first fought against him on the Eye of God. It has created within him a sense of sympathy for our people and for me in particular. I would even say that… it saddens me slightly to have to continue to disappoint him by refusing to agree to his requests for me to give up my goal of taking vengeance upon the humans and bugrom of El Hazard.”

“Then why not agree to it, Galus?” asked Nanoha in a soft and sweet tone meant to pull at Galus’ heartstrings.

“Because this world, Nanoha, is now ruled by two megalomaniacs, and their financier, who want our people wiped out” answered Galus, “Have you seen this crude propaganda in the form of children's toys that the SOS Brigade has put out? I wonder how long it’ll be until I’m immortalized as an eight inch tall plastic man to be forever punched and kicked in the face by the equally artificial fists of a toy SOS Man and a toy Bugwoman. For a time, I took pleasure in tearing the fake heads and limbs off of various SOS Man and Bugwoman toys; hence the trash all around the floor. But then I realized that by taking my anger out on the SOS Brigade’s mockery of me, that I was merely falling victim to the sick little game that Haruhi Suzumiya and the Jinnai siblings have chosen to play.”

“… I think that you’re reading too much into these toys, Galus” stated Nanoha, “They’re just toys!”

“No, Nanoha, they are vehicles for corrupting the minds of youth into violence against racial foes” stated Galus in quick counterargument, “If I am wrong, then why the cavalierly worded, yet deadly serious, statements against the Shadow Tribe by the heads of the SOS Brigade?”

“I… I don’t know” answered Nanoha honestly, “Listen, Galus… I’ll look into that for you. I’ll speak out on behalf of our people here.”

“The best way for you to ‘speak out’ on behalf of our people, Nanoha…” began Galus in stern reply, “Is to help me break out of this damnable cage! My people need me now as much as ever… would you deny them that?!”

“I… I’m sorry, Galus” responded Nanoha, as her eyes began to well up, “But you have committed grave crimes, and hence you need to see the error of your ways before you can be safely released. In fact, if Katsuhiko Jinnai and Haruhi Suzumiya do indeed hate our people… can you honestly blame them for it after what you did to them, Galus?!”

“Do my ‘grave crimes’, as you put it, justify implying that all Shadow Tribe members are terrorists who monger fear?” asked Galus in turn.

Nanoha was exasperated at this point, and simply stormed out of the jail cell, yelling ‘Goodbye, Galus!’ at her former Lord, locking his jail door behind her. It had been an acutely distressing meeting for Nanoha… but a highly informative one. There was much that Nanoha wanted to discuss with Kyon. And much of what Galus had discussed with Nanoha had been true, although it only began to scratch the surface of the changes that had been brought to El Hazard in the four weeks since Haruhi Suzumiya, Kyon, Itsuki Koizumi, Mikuru Asahina, and Yuki Nagato had all found themselves in diverse locations on that magnificent alien world. In that time, much had changed in El Hazard due in no small part to their arrival.

First and foremost, the Bugrom Empire had recently held a coronation ceremony for their new Queen, a Queen who had negotiated peace between the Bugrom and the Alliance and who had also even managed to tame the lust for revenge and warfare that had previously known a ceaseless beat within the heart of Katsuhiko Jinnai. With this peace, came the establishment of human settlements within Bugrom territory and bugrom settlements within every Alliance nation, except Megraton’s Cyberica. These settlements were founded with the goal of bugrom living peacefully within easy walking distance of humans leading to the two species growing more at ease and at harmony with one another.

Due to the popularity of the action figures bearing his miniaturized likeness, as well as his integral role in Galus’ defeat, SOS Man began to enjoy an almost iconic status amongst the human children of El Hazard. This status was helped along by the already growing legend of how he and his ally Bugwoman had saved the entire world from the destructive wiles of Galus.

“Look!” one jubilant eight year old Fasudan boy shouted, while pointing his finger at the costumed Katsuhiko Jinnai, during a cheerful scene that had taken place during the four previous weeks, “It’s him. It’s the great SOS Man! He’s the hero who stopped Galus from blowing up the entire world!”

“A ha!” laughed SOS Man in reply, striking an imposing pose while puffing out his chest as much as he could and holding enclosed fists next to his waist, “Yes, it is I, your peerless champion of justice and peace! Do not worry, good citizen, for I am here to dispense with all shadows, and aid bugrom and human alike through charting a course of limitless joy under the auspices of the SOS Brigade!”

“SOS Man! SOS Man!” exclaimed dozens upon dozens of children, flocking to him as starving sheep flock to a shepherd.

Katsuhiko Jinnai actually did quite well in this new role, as it brought him an ever increasing sense of personal grandeur and importance. SOS Man was becoming, ironically enough, a roundly beloved hero. He was even becoming beloved once more by his formerly estranged sister.

Nanami had shrewdly determined that SOS Man could be a money making machine for her, and hence went to great lengths to ensure that SOS Man’s true secret identity was kept hidden from the general human populaces of El Hazard. SOS Man hence was a figure clad in handsome hope yet shrouded in mythical mystery. The perfect image to commodify, copyright, and sell in the form of thousands and thousands of toys.

Jinnai Industries was the name that Nanami gave to her toy manufacturing company, which with bugrom help was up and running and steamrolling out SOS Man and Bugwoman toys by the thousands only a few days after Galus’ defeat.


[CONT'D in the next post]

[Darth Joker]

[CONT'D from previous post]


A significant number of adult El Hazard peasants were displeased by this mushrooming rise of SOS Man as they suspected that he was really the despised warlord Katsuhiko Jinnai in turn. Nanami set up a large ten foot tall theatre platform of sorts in the city square of Florestica with a plan set up to dash these suspicions. Thankfully, the following recent staged appearance would succeed in accomplishing that…

“SOS Man is not Katsuhiko Jinnai… for I am Katsuhiko Jinnai!” was the bold declarative shout of a widely smiling person with an exact likeness to Katsuhiko Jinnai walking out unto a makeshift platform to stand next to SOS Man’s side.

“So you see, fine citizens…” stated SOS Man, who had already been standing on stage after being introduced by Nanami, “Clearly I am not Katsuhiko Jinnai… though I am pleased to be in his esteemed acquaintance!”

“That is right!” shouted ‘Katsuhiko Jinnai’ with the voice of Jinnai, in what looked to be Jinnai’s student uniform complete with medals, and with ‘his’ arms neatly folded in front of ‘him’, “You should all be thankful to have the heroic SOS Man on your side, for otherwise I would conquer all your lands, burn all your houses, eat all your babies, and rule you like a King! And then I would disembowel Makoto Mizu~hara and drag his entrails through out the streets to demonstrate my ultimate act of superiority over him! Fear me, oh humans of El Hazard! Fear and respect the unstoppable villain Katsuhiko Jinnai… Mwa-ha-ha-ha-HA!-ha-ha-ha-ha-HA-ha ha ha ha ha ha…!!!”

These words left the gathered crowd in front of the oddly innocently grinning Katsuhiko in a temporarily petrified state of astounded horror.

“Hey!” whispered SOS Man angrily to Katsuhiko Suzumiya, “I’m supposed to be reformed, remember?!”

“Oh, sorry, I forgot…” replied a whispering Bugrom Queen Haruhi in the midst one of her hammiest acting performances ever, “I thought you’d like this tribute to how coolly villainous you used to be!”

“P-please don’t take my brother seriously here!” stated Nanami nervously into the mike that was situated at the outermost rimmed edge of the platform that she had set up, “He’s only joking, I can assure you!”

“That’s right!” exclaimed Katsuhiko Suzumiya, “I was joking about everything except eating babies. All great villains eat babies after all!”

“Ggaaaahhh…!!!” cried SOS Man bringing a palm to his golden mask.

So while Katsuhiko Jinnai was now suspected of cannibalism, his alter ego of SOS Man was no longer suspected of being Katsuhiko Jinnai. This made him a palatable hero for El Hazard human adults, and retained his iconic status amongst the El Hazard youths. However, Galus’ hatred of Jinnai and his girlfriend had grown considerably, and the affects of that hatred began to spill over into his meeting with Nanoha, forcing a tense conversation between Nanoha and Kyon.

“It… didn’t go well, did it?” asked Kyon, as he sat next to Nanoha on a red bench within a newly built central park within Florestica.

Kyon could tell that Nanoha had been left in a barely restrained blustery mood from her visitation with Galus. After ascending from out of Florestica’s dungeons to meet Kyon at its entrance, Nanoha had been unusually tight lipped. She had curtly thanked Kyon for waiting for her, and suggested that they take a stroll in the park so she could cool her head. She then proceeded to mask her appearance by once more making her skin tone appear like that of a human.

“No… it didn’t go well at all, Kyon” responded Nanoha, “I suppose that the one bit of good news is that Makoto has left an indelible impression on Galus. Perhaps that impression can grow into something worthwhile. However, Makoto’s efforts are greatly undermined by… well…”

Nanoha began to trail off here as she knew that Haruhi was one of Kyon’s closer friends, and that Kyon himself was one of the initial members of the SOS Brigade. Nanoha had been granted ‘honorary’ SOS Brigade member status by Haruhi after Haruhi had noticed how close Kyon and Nanoha had grown to one another. At the time, Nanoha had considered it a privilege… now, she wondered if full member status had been denied her because she was a Shadow Tribe member.

“Nanoha… please finish your sentence” stated Kyon, “Who or what is undermining Makoto’s efforts to rehabilitate Galus?”

“Frankly, Kyon… it’s your friend Haruhi and her boyfriend” answered Nanoha in a sad tone, “At least that’s what I take from what Galus said. The latest SOS Brigade pamphlet contains some… questionable terms, let’s say… made by both Haruhi and Katsuhiko.”

An anxious pause followed that, but Kyon eventually replied to Nanoha’s words.

“Yes, I know” stated Kyon, “I found some of the word choices by Haruhi and Jinnai to be troubling. Still, I tend to pick up on things that many others either don’t notice, or don’t care about, so I was hoping that this would be the same. Sadly, it’s not.”

“…Do you think that they hate my people and me, Kyon?” asked Nanoha.

“I… I don’t think so” responded Kyon, “Well, I barely know Jinnai, but it’s very hard to imagine a human man who so quickly became closely aligned with an alien race to be a racist. And Haruhi loves differences… if anything, it was her fellow humans that she has needed to learn to become more sociable towards, and accepting of. Haruhi would have a natural affinity for any alien race. And as far as you go personally, Nanoha, I haven’t gotten any sense from Haruhi or Jinnai that they dislike you.”

“If that’s the case, Kyon…” began Nanoha in reply, “Then why have they not tried to bring the Shadow Tribe into the Bugrom-Alliance peace accord?”

Kyon sighed deeply over this.

“Nanoha… Galus did put them through an awful lot; he put all of us humans here from Earth through an awful lot” answered Kyon, “While Haruhi and Jinnai both adapt quite easily to the presence of aliens, if not coming to outright love aliens, there are limits even for them. Galus and his forces… they crossed those limits.”

Nanoha leaned over, as her eyes and face began to droop sadly, reflecting a deep sense of shame within her.

“I always thought that my people were the only ones on this world who truly wanted justice, fairness, and peace” began Nanoha, “The bugrom wanted peace, but they lacked the sense of justice needed to oppose Gihren Zala… while many humans actually followed that terrible tyrant. But now… now I see… that my people are actually the ones to blame for…”

“No, Nanoha, that’s not true!” exclaimed Kyon, interrupting Nanoha’s sentence, “Under a different series of events, the Shadow Tribe would be equal participants in a true era of peace and prosperity through out all El Hazard. But, as with many things in life, it is simply as though fate has transpired against us…”

Oddly enough, this caused Nanoha to restore her posture, and smile slightly.

“You’re a very forgiving person, aren’t you, Kyon?” asked Nanoha of the man she had a crush on, “I can tell that you hate to hold grudges, and that for all of your supposed cynicism, you still like to give people the benefit of the doubt.”

With that, Nanoha wrapped two of her arms around one of Kyon’s, and leaned her head against his shoulder, as though resting upon it. Kyon was a touch embarrassed by what Nanoha had just said to him, and was also not quite sure what to make of it. However, as he reflected on what she had said, Kyon began to gradually admit to himself that maybe there was some truth to it. As much as Haruhi could annoy him, Kyon still felt a certain bond with her, and with every member of the SOS Brigade. Even Jinnai’s days as a murderous vindictive warlord was something that Kyon was willing to put aside and forget as long as Jinnai kept to Haruhi’s charted course of peace. Perhaps this made Kyon a good person to voice Nanoha’s concerns to Haruhi and Jinnai.

“Nanoha…” stated Kyon to her while turning his head towards her and smiling, “Did you hear about Sensei Fujisawa and Nanami’s plans?”

“No, I didn’t” asked Nanoha, perking up considerably over this pleasant change of topics, “What plans do they have?”

“Now, on El Hazard, there are eight missing students from Earth, including myself” began Kyon in answer, “That’s almost enough to warrant a class, our slight age disparities notwithstanding.”

“So…” continued Nanoha, “You’re saying that Sensei Fujisawa wants to put a class of all eight of you together!”

“Yes” confirmed Kyon, “And I’m sure it would be great if you came along too… assuming Haruhi and Jinnai agree to join the class as well.”


[CONT'D in the next post]

[Darth Joker]

[CONT'D from previous post]


“So everybody else is already in on Sensei Fujisawa’s plan then?” asked Nanoha.

“Yes” confirmed Kyon again, “Tomorrow morning, Nanami and Sensei Fujisawa are going to fly to The Hive to present their plans to Haruhi and Jinnai. Should they both agree to go along with it, and should you agree to enter into this class too, we would have a nine student class. A bit small, but not too small. It could actually be pretty… fun, Nanoha.”

“I’d love to go, Kyon!” exclaimed Nanoha with a wide smile, “It would be great for us to be students in the same class together. It would be neat to see how humans are taught by their teachers.”

“It’s great to hear that this news has managed to cheer you up a bit” stated Kyon, “In the mean time, I’m going to ask Nanami and Sensei Fujisawa if I can accompany them in their journey to the Hive. If they agree to it, that’ll give me an opportunity to raise your concerns to Haruhi and Jinnai.”

“Thanks a lot, Kyon…” said Nanoha, practically beaming towards him, “You’re a really great friend!”

Nanoha kissed Kyon on the cheek, causing Kyon to blush widely. Nanoha then stood up and began racing off vibrantly, calling after Kyon to come with her to get some ice cream, and then go riding bike with her through the park. Kyon, though feeling bashful over Nanoha’s shows of affections towards him, could nevertheless not help but to feel enriched and heartened by them. As such, he slowly but surely followed after Nanoha, to join her in some playful activities for the day. More serious concerns are what lead Yuki Nagato to Makoto Mizuhara’s private laboratory, which was situated close to Dr. Schtalbaugh’s own lab.

Makoto’s lab would certainly make for a strange sight for anybody who didn’t share his love for science, technology, and proactive inventiveness. Immense shelf space was attached to the three interior walls of Makoto’s lab. Each of these shelf spaces were chock full of beakers containing a wide variety of chemicals and liquids, of petri dishes containing DNA samples from various El Hazard artificial life forms and demon gods and species, of the fossil findings of decades worth of El Hazard archeological digs, of science manuals on every topic from horticulture to quantum physics to biochemistry, and of fascinating pieces of technology native and original to El Hazard. Much of this technology often made whirring noises and created cascading psychedelic lights, leaving Makoto’s lab frequently seemingly like a dance party room rather than a science lab.

Still, Makoto was about serious work. In the middle of the lab was a large central hard metal table with several large pieces of tough paper stretched out upon it, with numerous inventive designs drawn, and mathematical equations worked out, on them. Makoto was currently refamiliarizing himself with Ifurita’s staff, as well as filling in some blanks in his two pages long mathematical equation that Galus’ answers to his questions had provided.

“So…” began Makoto thoughtfully, “If at the nth minus two point of the oscillating output of the natural
inter-dimensional superstring occurrence… if at that point I was to adjust normal time-space variance by reversing the polarity on Ifurita’s key staff, that could have a defibrillation affect of sorts that could speed up time. Now if I was to input what Galus told me about how you can cause time to metastasize with space, hence allowing a movement through one to also move me through the other… Then it’s simply a matter of finding a course through the inter-dimensional superstring back to… there is such very little room for error, though, even with Galus’ data opening up a greater window of opportunity…”

“Your knowledge of science is the greatest I have seen in any human, Makoto” stated Yuki Nagato, as she flew slowly in to the room from behind, “It even surpasses what Haruhi Suzumiya knows.”

Yuki Nagato’s speed of movement into the room was slow enough that you could perhaps call it hovering or levitating. Hence, she didn’t startle Makoto. Yuki Nagato was wearing the demon god attire; attire much like Ifurita’s that had somehow become attached to her during her teleportation to El Hazard. She was also carrying with her the demon god staff that was now under her control.

“I appreciate the compliment, Yuki” stated Makoto, turning about to greet her with a smile, “But that is only because science and technology has always been my principle focus. I suspect that Haruhi knows far more about culture and popular trends than I do, just as Jinnai’s knowledge of military matters is significantly greater than my own. It’s all about what you choose to study, and what passions you follow in life. Though, I’m pretty confident that your knowledge of science and technology, Yuki, dwarfs us all…”

“Yes” answered Yuki honestly, “But your quick creativity in applying scientific concepts to problems that need to be solved is impressive even to me. Perhaps it relates to what you said about passions. Passions is not something I usually relate to.”

Makoto found Yuki’s words here unusual, and hence intriguing.

“I don’t know about that, Yuki” he stated in turn, “Your loyalty to your friends, especially to Haruhi, seems to reflect a great passion for you. Not just anybody would take hours of time every signal day to fly from the Hive to Florestica and back, simply to ensure that not a day goes go by in which she doesn’t get to talk to one or more of her closest friends.”

“You misunderstand, Makoto” responded Yuki, “These routine travels are done to ensure that I both maintain observation of Haruhi Suzumiya, as well as acquire important feedback on these observations through discussing them with Itsuki Koizumi and Mikuru Asahina.”

For the better part of the past two weeks, Haruhi and Mikuru were at the Hive, while Kyon and Koizumi were in Roshtaria. The SOS Brigade of Earth had met, in its entirety, on a couple of occasions, but Kyon and Koizumi had no desire to have nobody but Haruhi, Jinnai, and thousands of bugrom that they couldn’t communicate with as their only company. Haurhi never gave Mikuru much of a choice in the matter, unfortunately for her.

“Why do you observe Haruhi so much, Yuki?” asked Makoto, “Is it… related to what Galus said concerning Haruhi to Nanami, Sensei Fujisawa, Mikuru, and the Priestesses?”

“Yes” answered Yuki Nagato, “What Galus said concerning Haruhi Suzumiya is true.”

“…Even I find that hard to believe” responded Makoto, “So do the three Priestesses and Sensei Fujisawa from my latest conversations with them. Nanami, on the other hand, has confided her suspicions to me, and may actually believe what Galus said there.”

“I am not lying to you, Makoto” stated Yuki, “What Galus said concerning Haruhi Suzumiya is true.”


[CONT'D in the next post]

[Darth Joker]

[CONT'D from previous post]


Makoto found this incredibly hard to accept at even a conceptual level, let alone to believe. However, he had come to like Yuki, and hence chose to play along for her sake.

“Ok, let’s say that Haruhi really does hold almost limitless power within her” began Makoto, “Then why is she not aware of it? And why do you continue to hide this truth from her?”

“I… am unable to answer your first question” answered Yuki, “Attempts to find an answer to that particular question is one of the main reasons for why I observe Haruhi Suzumiya. As for your second question… the integrated data entity, of which I am an interface for, holds that if Haruhi Suzumiya was to gain full knowledge of her powers, that it could have disastrous affects for the universe itself.”

“…Well, with Jinnai as her boyfriend, I suppose I’d have to agree” responded Makoto, “There’s no knowing what he would try to persuade her to do if he knew that she had that kind of power. Still… it just doesn’t feel right to leave a friend in the dark like that. It undermines… basic free will and liberty. People should not be kept uninformed of what abilities they have, as that limits what they can do in life.”

“Limits are an essential aspect of life, Makoto” stated Yuki, “For example, I am entirely limited by the instructions of the integrated data entity.”

These words stirred Makoto considerably. It hit at the very root of many of his core philosophies on life.

“That is wrong, Yuki” responded Makoto, “You clearly have your own personality, and your own identity. You call yourself… an alien-human interface … but when I think of an interface, I think of a computer program or of a remote control. You are very different from that… you are much more than that… you are a sentient, self-aware being. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, including you Yuki. While I’m sure that the integrated data entity is a well-intentioned celestial being of some kind, you should assert your free will against his or her or its desire to control you.”

Yuki became very silent over these words. Nobody, except perhaps Kyon, had ever shown such considerations for her well being before.

“…Here is my key staff as you requested” stated Yuki, after a long pause, “Comparing it to Ifurita’s key staff may unlock the solution to finding a way back to Earth, and back to Ifurita, which you desire. It so… this key staff will constitute a proper repayment for how you helped restore my connectivity to the integrated data entity.”

“Freeing you from Galus was my goal… not enslaving you to somebody else, Yuki” replied Makoto, “I refused to allow Galus to control you, just as I refused to allow Jinnai to control Ifurita… Yuki, I’ve seen you read many books! I’ve seen you take part in games with other SOS Brigade members! You clearly have your own personal desires; harmless and healthy desires that you should feel free to pursue, and admit to pursuing.”

Makoto and Yuki were locked in somewhat intense eye contact for a few moments after Makoto ended his arguments to Yuki.

“…You are a good friend, Makoto Mizuhara” stated Yuki Nagato at last, breaking the silence, “But as knowledgeable as you are in science and technology, there is still much you do not understand. Goodbye.”

Yuki Nagato turned to leave, but Makoto would have some final words for her.

“There is a lot I have yet to understand, yes” Makoto said to Yuki as she began to leave, “But what I already understand is that, as much as you may want to deny it, you are your own person with your own ambitions, wants, and goals. That is why you saved your friend Kyon from Ryoko Asakura… because you cared for him, not because of what some integrated data entity told you. …And I care about you, Yuki.”

Yuki turned her head around as she made one last eye contact with Makoto. There was something mesmerizing about Yuki’s eyes to Makoto; something that seemed to betray emotions that lay in a soul deep within the ‘alien-human interface’. Still, Yuki had nothing more to say to Makoto this day, and hence left him behind to almost stew in disquieting thoughts. Somewhat similar disquieting thoughts plagued Katsuhiko Jinnai and Queen’s Advisor Diva at this hour.

“Mr. Jinnai” stated Diva, as she walked in on Katsuhiko’s room, as he was seated at his desk and running over the recent profit sheets that his sister Nanami had given to him, “May I have a word with you?”

“Certainly Diva, go ahead” responded Jinnai, almost absent-mindedly.

“It concerns Queen Suzumiya…” continued Diva.

“Haruhi’s fine at the moment” interjected Jinnai, “Her and Mikuru were having fun dressing up Groucho and Zeppo in some cosplay outfits last I checked.”

“She may be fine at the moment, Mr. Jinnai…” stated Diva, “But I’m worried about her long-term well-being. She is being far too forgiving towards the Shadow Tribe…”

Jinnai made a long sigh over these words.

“Yeah, she is, Diva, but what can I do about it?” asked Jinnai in turn, “She is now the Bugrom Queen in every sense of the term, and she’s a lot more assertive than you ever were… no offense, of course. It took me almost a full hour of talking things over with Haruhi just to convince her to make the concessions that she did make. Now, at least Haruhi has agreed that I will lead the Bugrom Empire into a glorious conquest of all Shadow Tribe members and territory in the event that they try even just once more to assassinate or kidnap or otherwise hurt Haruhi or another member of the Bugrom Empire or SOS Brigade. Now it’s just a matter of patience, Diva.”

“But one time more may be one time too many…” stated Diva.

“I know that, Diva!” exclaimed Jinnai explosively, being quite frustrated with the situation, and while jumping out of his seat and turning around to address Diva face to face, “Haruhi is endangering herself by not going after the Shadow Tribe now, while they are still recovering from Galus’ capture and the possible demise of Nahato. I hate how she’s doing that, but you know what the Bugrom Empire chain of command is as well as I do. I’m not about to try to solo the Shadow Tribe with out any bugrom aid, Diva! I may be SOS Man, but that’s beyond even me!”

“You don’t have to ‘solo the Shadow Tribe’, as you put it, Mr. Jinnai” responded Diva, “There is one way that the Supreme Commander can directly overrule the Bugrom Queen.”

“W-what?!” asked Jinnai, stunned by this revelation, “There is?!”

“Yes, there is” answered Diva, “Why do you think so many bugrom disobeyed me by following you to go after Ifurita, given my wishes to the contrary when I was Bugrom Queen? I’ll give you a hint, Mr. Jinnai… it is because we were debating over the best means by which to pursue an ends that I had already determined and at that time wasn’t prepared to change my mind on.”

Jinnai began dwelling on what Diva was saying here, and how it could relate to his partial disagreement with Haruhi. Slowly, but surely, he was starting to piece together the puzzle that Diva had placed in his mind through her words here.

“Think carefully on what I just said to you…” Diva said to Jinnai, “And once you have it figured out… as I’m sure it won’t take you long to do… then I’ll trust you to do what’s best in securing the safety of Queen Suzumiya. Her basic safety must always come before her wants… remember that, Supreme Commander.”

And with that, Diva left Jinnai to think long and hard over Diva’s words to him. Had Diva found a loophole that would enable Katsuhiko Jinnai to lead the bugrom into warfare against the Shadow Tribe with out Queen Haruhi’s approval? Even if so, what roles may Sensei Fujisawa’s offer, or Kyon’s arguments, play in what would come next?


To be continued…