[FFML] [Lime] The Eclipse of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Henry Cobb]

[Lime] The Eclipse of Haruhi Suzumiya
By Henry J. Cobb

[A Haruhi Suzumiya fusion. That pun and the metaphor in the title should
tell you exactly where this is going. But at least this time it's zero
percent sci-fi and while the setting is modern, the fantasy isn't. Lime for
mildly suggestive adult situations with no details. -HJC]

I had only been in the same freshman high school classroom as Haruhi
Suzumiya for one month and she had already roped me into joining her SOS
Brigade. In addition to myself, her underlings included Yuki Nagato, who had
seemed to come along like a fixture of the Literature Classroom that Haruhi
had commandeered, and Mikuru Asahina, a buxom sophomore Haruhi had found
wandering around the school.

I had taken it upon myself to protect the two girls from Haruhi's
schemes. Yuki never spoke up and hadn't asserted herself at all when Haruhi
stormed in to take over her room. And Mikuru had only feebly complained
when Haruhi dragged her into the clubroom and molested her. Mikuru had been
at the verge of tears when I pulled Haruhi's hands off her. The thought of
what might happen if I wasn't there ensured that I always attended the
daily meetings.

And it wasn't just in private either. Haruhi had just used blackmail of
staged photos with Mikuru to get a state-of-the-art PC.

As our brigade leader tried out her newly stolen toy I went to where Mikuru
was sitting on the floor and tried to talk her into quiting the club.

Mikuru wiped away her tears, turned to me and winked. Her expression had
changed in an instant. Gone was the shy, flustered and easily embarrassed
seventeen year old girl. In her place was a woman of such vast confidence
that it dwarfed Haruhi's bravado. Her outfit, body and face were the same,
but she was not the same person at all. Where the girl Mikuru had always
seemed to stumble uncertainly from place to place, this woman sat with a
calm composure that waited like a coiled spring, ready at any moment to
leap into the most intricate of dances.

"Kyon!"

This woman Mikuru nodded towards the desk where Haruhi had called from and
then slumped forwards, once again the trembling girl-child.

As I stood then walked to Haruhi's side, I considered what had just
happened. I must have imagined it all. People do not change that much in a
lifetime, much less a moment. I looked over Haruhi's shoulder at the
computer screen, "Yes, what is it?"

"Make a webpage for the SOS Brigade while I go search for the remaining
members."

Yes, she had said something about needing a mysterious transfer student. I
took the seat she had vacated and took a moment to look at Mikuru before
starting on the project.

Mikuru waited for Haruhi to close the door after herself then shifted again
to that woman as she looked up. She rose on one foot, spun ninety degrees
with inhuman grace and bowed towards me, or perhaps towards Yuki, who still
sat in the corner reading a book.

I could not hope to look away as this all-woman Mikuru turned and walked to
the door. Every tiny movement of hers seemed to strike directly at my
libido. And then she stopped and waited for my gaze to travel slowly up
from her backside to her face which was half turned towards me.

Again she winked at me, her message clear. She had played me like a musical
instrument and we both knew that she had the complete advantage over me
anytime she wished. Then she turned again to the door, slumped in on
herself, and grasped the door handle with infinite uncertainty.

I stared at the door for half a minute after she had closed it behind
herself and shuffled off. Then I turned to Yuki and asked, "Did you see
that?"

"No," Yuki turned the page and continued reading, "I saw nothing."

That night my dreams were haunted by that strange woman Mikuru had suddenly
become and then un-become as quickly. She wore a thousand different faces,
but each time she had that same inhuman grace. I saw her in thousand
different outfits and as often in none at all. She danced, we danced
together and in the end we did other things. Finally she turned to me and
said, "Kyon, we can meet together if you like. But she must never know."

"Know what?"

"Kyon!"

"What?"

"Kyon! Wake up, it's morning!" My little sister pulled me and my blankets
off my bed, then she turn and ran from my room, "Mom! Kyon's wet the bed
again."

It wasn't urine. I showered and dressed then gathered up my blanket, sheets
and pajamas and put them all in the clothes washer and started it up before
leaving for school.

I spent the lunch period in the clubroom, working on the website while
reading a book on webdesign. Had the stress of putting up with Haruhi
gotten to me? I found it hard to focus on the screen as my thoughts drifted
to the woman concealed within Mikuru. I hungered to see her again, but what
could I say that wouldn't make me sound like a total freak?

The bell for the next class rang and I saved the file, with hardly anything
done on it. I saw movement from the corner of my eye and turned to Yuki.
She always sat quietly reading so I had paid no attention to her at all,
especially today with dreams of that woman Mikuru dancing through my head.

Yuki had closed her book and was writing a note on a bookmark. Then
she stood and presented the bookmark to me with both hands.

I reached out to take the bookmark and my hand brushed against hers. Then I
reached up with both hands to grasp hers, "Yuki, you're so cold, like
ice. Sitting all the time must be murder on your circulation."

She stood there for a moment, closed her eyes and sighed. Then she slowly
withdrew her hands from mine to fold them against her thin chest. She
looked at me with hurt, fright and perhaps a tiny bit of hunger, which
quickly faded to her usual expressionless face, "Excuse me please," she
bowed ever so slightly to me and walked to the door. She stopped at the
door and said "Seven p.m." without turning then left.

I glanced at the bookmark, All that was written there was an address and
what might have been a room number.

That afternoon I found Yuki and Mikuru waiting in the clubroom. Mikuru
asked me politely and timidly if Haruhi was with me and then shifted to her
woman persona when I said I hadn't seen our dear leader since the last
school period.

I frowned at Mikuru, "Is there some strain in pretending to be human?"

"Oh, I don't know. Does it show?" Mikuru stretched in her chair in the most
amazing way then waited for me to close my mouth and look back up at her
face before smiling at me.

I sat down across the table from her, as close as I dared, "And what was
that yesterday with the PC club and before when Haruhi first dragged you in
here to molest you. Didn't that bother you at all?"

"Oh you poor little boy," Mikuru leaned over the table to play with my
hair, "Don't worry about me. I'm the professional."

I sat there unmoving. I knew her claim to be only one year older than
myself was a lie. It was a damn lie. But I suspected, like most women, that
she would never admit to her true age.

"Yah-Hoo!" Haruhi burst through the door without knocking.

I glanced over at Mikuru, who had returned to her seat in an instant and
had instantly returned to being that clumsy insecure girl.

Haruhi had brought some printed fliers and a bunny suit for Mikuru to wear.

I sat there and stared at Mikuru's artfully feeble struggles as Haruhi
stripped her. Mikuru complained at every step and yet her motions never
really got in Haruhi's way. How could she time things so well? Surely the
two of them hadn't practiced this routine a thousand times before?

Then I saw Mikuru wink at me and I fled the room.

A few minutes later Haruhi opened the door. I saw that she and Mikuru were
both dressed like playboy bunnies. Mikuru was hunched over and trying to
cover herself with her arms, while Haruhi presented herself, hand on hip.
Yuki hadn't moved or changed at all of course.

Haruhi hopped off with Mikuru in tow behind her. As Mikuru was pulled
along backwards I couldn't help but look down at her feet. Every step was
made just in time to keep her own balance and to keep from unbalancing
Haruhi, even as they went down the stairs.

The two girls didn't last long at the front gate before being dragged off
to the school office and I waited in the clubroom with Yuki for their
return.

Mikuru was sobbing when they came back and I found myself wondering if this
act was to make it impossible for the facility to keep them long so as to
spare Haruhi.

I barely made it out of the clubroom as Haruhi started to strip. Mikuru's
sobs continued until after Haruhi walked away in her schooldress. A few
minutes later Mikuru emerged in her schooldress, glanced both ways to see
that we were alone, and then she did that walk again. She didn't look back
as she walked away. She didn't need to. She knew exactly were the gaze of
any man or for that matter any boy older than twelve would be. With a
talent like that she could have anything that any man would gladly offer
her, including their very souls. What was she doing here, pretending to be
a high school student? What was Haruhi to her?

As I walked home I put my hands in my pockets and pulled out the folded
bookmark. Back at my house I looked up the location online then snuck out
after supper.

My sister had heard me pass her room and came out, "Where are you going
Kyon?"

"I forgot something. I'll be back in a bit."

The address turned out to be an apartment building. At the intercom I
punched in the room code and said "Hi, I'm here." The intercom clicked off
and the door opened. I took the elevator up to the ninth floor and knocked
at the indicated room.

Yuki opened the door and then backed away. I followed her in and noticed
that she kept her distance. Yes, that was my fault. I had touched her today
without permission. So why did she invite me to her apartment? "Where is
your family?" I asked.

"The mountains."

"So you live here all alone?"

"Yes."

Her living room had just a kotatsu and not even drapes for the patio
doors. She motioned for me to sit at the kotatsu. She went into an
adjoining room and returned with a tea tray. I watched how she carefully
stayed out of my reach as she poured a cup of tea for me. If she was so
afraid that I would attack her at any moment then why invite me to visit
her alone? I pondered the question as I drank the tea.

"Are you injured?"

"What?" I looked up at her.

"From today."

"What do you mean?"

"My apologies for today. It was inexcusable. There is little that I can
offer you. My body would be inadvisable, but you may look at it if you
wish," She started to take off the jacket of her school uniform.

"Wait. What? Stop!"

"My apologies again. My body is not as beguiling as those of my older
sisters."

"What is this all about?"

"My master has a message for you. It is to take care of his sister, for her
condition is delicate. I would advise you to not upset him. My master has a
notable temper."

"By your master's sister, do you mean Mikuru?"

"No, the one you know as Haruhi Suzumiya."

"There's nothing delicate about her, or the inner Mikuru for that matter."

"My master has his reasons."

"Enough of that crap. Whoever this master is, just let me know the
details. I can get you free from whatever it is because you have rights as
a human being."

"You cannot, for I am not. Please remember what I have said and keep it a
secret. It would be best if you kept Mikuru Asahina's secret as well."

-HJC
(Obviously the next member would have to be a real fox and occasional boy.)