[FFML] [Haruhi/?] The Job You Love

[whimsy]

Another delightful one-shot from DB Sommer, who is so consistently  
good that I fear we take the quality of his works for granted.

Note: I'm familiar only with the anime.

On Sep 18, 2008, at 8:17 PM, DB Sommer wrote:

> The Job You Love
>
>
> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Frustration.
>
> That one word summarized Haruhi Suzumiya’s life in a nutshell. Oh,
> things had been briefly interesting during high school last year. The
> SOS club had been fun in the beginning, even if it hadn’t succeeded in
> its stated goals. But over the last four months things had gone  
> straight
> into the crapper. Everything had started to become boring and
> predictable of late. Even Kyon was less interesting than in the
> beginning, not that he was that interesting to begin with, she  
> mentally
> added. It wasn’t like he was an esper, time traveler, or alien.

But she doesn't think that the other members of the SOS Brigade are  
anything other than high school students.

> He was
> just a plain, ordinary, bland guy. Well, maybe there was something  
> about
> him at one time --some intangible quality that had been vaguely
> interesting when they had first met-- but lately they had seemed to be
> changing. It was like they were changing. Growing apart. It was
> annoying. No.
>
> Frustrating.

Why didn't Haruhi change the world earlier as she typically does when  
she is bored or frustrated?

>
> Kyon’s growing distance was only the start. Yuki’s odd nature was
> becoming almost routine, Itsuki had always been a bit aloof  
> compared to
> the others, and you could only torment Asahina so much before it  
> became
> repetitive. Well, they hadn’t used anything involving tentacles, but
> that would be going a bit overboard. Even if Haruhi had some to use.

There's a limit on torturing Asahina?  (To further mix series, do you  
think that Asahina is related to Xellos?)

>
> “Ahhhhhhh!” Haruhi cried out in a primal scream. For a moment she  
> almost
> swore everything… blinked.

OK, it's happened.  What did she do?

>
> And then frustration overwhelmed her again. “Is it too much to ask to
> run into someone interesting who can show me something I haven’t seen
> before?!”

For most people, the above question is the lead-in to big trouble,  
but when you are a goddess ...

>
> Haruhi was about to stomp off and… well, do something, when she  
> spotted
> a curious man. He was thin, with short black hair which stuck up a bit
> in the front, and sideburns. He was decked out in a long jacket, shirt
> and pants. For some reason he was in front of a curious thing. It was
> said it was a Police Public Call Box, in English.

He certainly meets the expressed criteria.

>
> Curiosity trumped frustration.
>
> Haruhi observed the man. He was looking at the call box curiously,
> mumbling to himself about being unable to figure out why he  
> couldn’t leave.
>
> This was becoming more promising. Assuming he wasn’t crazy. Eccentric
> would work, though.
>
> Haruhi moved up behind him, watching him closely to see which of  
> the two
> he might be. The man was so intent on staring at the box that he was
> unaware of her presence for a full minute. When he turned around, he
> seemed almost startled.
>
> “Oh, excuse me,” he said in Japanese with an obvious British accent.
>
> Since his Japanese was so good, she didn’t bother trying to talk to  
> him
> in English. “You seem to be having problems with your... thing.”
>
> “Ah, yes, actually. Not the first time it’s happened, mind you, though
> this is bit unique. It’s almost like I’m trapped. Not the first time
> that’s happened either, though whatever his keeping me here is very
> different than the norm.” His stare became more curious.

When someone looks closely into Haruhi's eyes do they see the  
universe within them or is that just an allegory (on the banks of the  
Nile) in the opening credits?

>
> Haruhi met his curiosity with her own. There was something about him
> that was alluring in a way she had never experienced before. Not in  
> the
> way Kyon had been in the beginning --not that he had even been  
> alluring,
> she corrected herself-- but something that resonated within her on an
> almost instinctive level. “So, where are you from?”
>
> “Oh, lots of different places. Excuse me a moment.” He pulled out a
> slender instrument and pointed it at her. She couldn’t devise its
> purpose, only that it wasn’t hostile.
>
> It hummed a bit, causing the man’s eyebrows to raise up almost to his
> hairline. “Oh dear. I think I see why I haven’t been able to  
> leave.” He
> considered something for a moment. To himself, he said, “Well, things
> have been lonely without Donna, I suppose.” He then turned his full
> attention to Haruhi. “Tell me, have you ever wanted to travel?”
>
> Haruhi could feel the hairs on the back of her neck tingle. “Where?”
>
> He hopped on the balls of his feet. “Oh, lots of different places.  
> Here
> and there. Then and now.”
>
> Yes! This was it. She could feel her heart’s desire slipping over her
> like a glove. “Will I get to meet espers, time-travelers, or aliens?”
>
> “I can fairly guarantee it. Even before you leave.”
>
> She bowed, “I’m Haruhi Suzumiya.”

Not to be nitpicky, but wouldn't she introduce herself in standard  
Japanese form of family name first?  Since the Doctor speaks fluent  
Japanese she should assume that he knows the convention.

> “I’m the Doctor.” He opened the door to the call box.
>
> And the universe would never be the same. Even more never the same  
> than
> usual.
>
> Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> [End fic]
>
> Writer’s notes: You have to admit, being the Doctor’s traveling
> companion is the ideal job for Haruhi given her desires.

No argument, but is she the ideal companion for him?

So many questions:
Do you have any thoughts of writing a follow-on to this story?  I  
believe that the Doctor has always been not only much older than any  
of his previous companions, but much more powerful although he  
typically hides behind the persona of the eccentric lovable Doctor.   
Has he ever traveled with a (for all intents and purposes) goddess  
before?  Does he realize that she can wipe out entire future  
timelines and maybe past timelines as well?  Does he know of Asahina  
or her organization?  Is he familiar with the Integrated Data  
Entity?  (I have this image of the Doctor and Haruhi arriving at some  
alien planet and finding Yuki waiting for them.)  How will the Doctor  
and the TARDIS cope with Haruhi's ability to fundamentally change  
local ( a relative term since she can affect the entire planet)  
reality since she broke space-time continuity when she first changed  
the world?  Just how powerful is Haruhi and is her influence limited  
to no more than a planet?  Did Gallifrey and the Doctor exist so to  
speak before this most recent change or when she first wished to meet  
time travelers?

- whimsy