Chapter Text
You don't understand Yuki Nagato.
This has always been true, but you are realizing that your incomprehension is greater than you had previously believed.
Certainly, you had known, even observed for yourself, that this particular interface exhibited some idiosyncratic thought and behavior. You had accepted that you could not grasp the internal reasoning behind some of the things she said and did.
But you had thought that you could predict with a reasonable amount of accuracy most of the actions she would take. Yuki Nagato was a rational being. Mostly. Certainly more so than the humans she kept company with. And she is diligent and dedicated. Consistent in her commitment to her duty.
This isn't something you had always thought of as an individual quality. You had once thought all interfaces were invariably committed to their duty. You can't make sense of why one wouldn't be. What else could there be for you other than to fulfill your purpose?
But you had discovered that interfaces, too, could do things that did not make sense. Yuki Nagato does things that do not make sense.
She had complained to you once that the temporal loop you were living through was "long," and that it "produced little new data." But what is life on Earth if not a sequence composed mostly of empty days? You were here to observe Haruhi Suzumiya. Was it not worth waiting however long it took to see, to collect, to transmit all of the data this anomalous being, this key to autoevolution, would produce? This was the mission that you and she had been created for.
You could not understand her dissatisfaction. But you accept that it exists. She did not want to continue on through over fifteen thousand iterations of the second half of August, but she had. She had attended every activity to which Haruhi Suzumiya had invited her. Her data transmission had continued without interruption.
Given her perfect attendance, and especially given her stated displeasure and desire to return to normal time, you had predicted, or rather, you had never even thought there was any possibility other than that she would be pleased to resume her regular duties when the loop ended. When the first of September finally arrived, she would be at school.
An hour into classes, she had still not arrived.
You had thought nothing of it. It wasn't your place to think of it. Even if you had, you would have assumed she was continuing to fulfill her duties, that she had perhaps received instructions that placed her elsewhere at the time.
Your being redirected from attending your own classes to retrieving her and bringing her to school made this impossible. Her absence was not planned nor approved.
The information you had received was limited to those simple instructions and her location. It doesn't make sense. Clearly, the Thought Entity continued to be in contact with her, and wanted her at school. Why, then, was she not there? Was she malfunctioning? Or disobeying?
You were not provided an answer to this question, which was unfortunate, because it does matter. Determining the best course of action, the best way to proceed with the coming interaction with the interface before you, would only be possible if you understood the circumstances.
You try to assess the situation yourself.
Yuki Nagato sits on a bench at Kitaguchi Station, more than four kilometers away from your high school. She's wearing her uniform, but then, she nearly always is, so that doesn't tell you anything.
The uneven temperature distribution in her body and slightly reduced blood flow to her extremities indicate to you that she's probably been sitting for some time.
A passing conversation far off to your left confirms this.
"Eh? That girl is still here? It's been, like, four hours. Should we go over there? Maybe she needs help. She looks kinda...sick..."
You would rather they didn't so you quickly walk up to her. Presumably, the sight of a fellow student coming to her aid convinces them to keep moving.
She doesn't acknowledge your presence. You're inclined to agree with that human. She's certainly not "sick," but you're leaning towards the "malfunctioning" explanation for her behavior. You're not sure how that human had picked up on it, but she looks...
Her head is tilted forward, her back and shoulders are slumped, and, though you can't actually see them, her eyes are drooping and...
And...?
...Different.
All of these differences are, of course, tiny. By centimeters, millimeters, and micrometers. Inconsequential and not worthy of note, except for the fact that she's here, and these are your only clues.
And not reading. You think if she had decided to "skip" school she would have a reason for doing so. Sitting at a train station alone without even a book to read cannot possibly serve a purpose.
She has her school bag with her and it contains books that she could read. It also has her school supplies, which could indicate that she had intended to go to school.
But it also holds a swimsuit.
She may be in need of aid. But you must confirm a hypothesis before you can act on it.
Should you greet her? When she'd asked for your help before, she had been most eager to begin recalibration with no concern for politeness. Then again, she'd later invited you to her apartment, where she'd served you a considerable amount of tea before you'd finally given up waiting and asked after her purposes yourself.
Either decision could be correct. You're predisposed to politeness, so-
"Hello, Miss Nagato."
"..."
No movement. Her head remains tilted down, her mouth closed.
What will you say next?
There are a number of possibilities for greeting a classmate after summer vacation.
'How was your summer?'
'It's been too long.'
'It's good to see you again.'
Would she want to be greeted in this way?
The students in your class would expect these pleasantries. You do not maintain a "friendship" with any of them, but you do not want to draw attention to yourself, and refusing to engage with your peers completely, the way the interface in front of you does, certainly would.
You're not of the moderate faction, so you have no insight as to why she was made with these deficiencies in expression and communication. You can discern no benefit from it. A humanoid interface designed specifically for contact with organic lifeforms that lacks the basic social capabilities needed for the smoothest possible interactions seems contradictory. Oxymoronic, even. She does not blend in like you; she is not suited for direct interaction, like Ryoko Asakura.
Perhaps they had restricted her to prevent excessive interaction? Her faction favors pure observation. They may have wanted to ensure as little interference with Haruhi Suzumiya as possible. Could they not trust her not to act in unauthorized ways?
...Well, she is here, disobeying orders. Still, you think having unrestricted social functions could have made your job easier. Maybe she would have moved by now.
You'll dispense with the pleasantries. Your polite greeting had had no effect. Maybe she would prefer something direct. Maybe, if she is malfunctioning, attempting human-like discourse only makes it more difficult for her to interact with you.
"You are not at school."
"..."
"Classes began over two hours ago."
"..."
"I have been asked to bring you there."
"..."
"We must go."
"..."
First attempts at communication are a failure. Next course of action? Ascertain efficacy of verbal communication.
"Can you hear me? Do you understand?"
"..."
...
Finally, slowly, she tips her head forward and raises it again.
"You are not at school."
"I know."
Barely audible.
"I have been asked to bring you there."
"..."
"Are you malfunctioning?"
"..."
"Have you experienced any errors? Has the error data you reported worsened? Is it affecting your ability to function?"
No answer. No answer. No answer.
She hears you. She comprehends. She is ignoring you.
Why?
You don't know. You're not her and you don't understand her.
"If you are not malfunctioning, then will you please come with me?"
Her grip on her knees tightens and one foot twitches, but this is her only response.
The direct approach is not working.
Coming closer and getting down on your knees, you attempt to make eye contact. The long, disheveled bangs covering her eyes make this difficult. You would have thought an eye-obscuring hairstyle to be only a hindrance, and it should be pinned back, like yours. But if she's trying to avoid interaction, maybe it does serve a purpose.
"If you are malfunctioning, will you not tell me? I will assist you."
You're trying for "comforting" and "pleading." On a few prior occasions, you've been required to interact with unruly, upset children at the café you're employed at, who had spilled a drink or dropped a dessert. This tone and this pose, along with promises to fix the problem, had always been successful in eliciting the desired response.
Your success rate stays unchanged. Perhaps. You get a response. You're not sure what to make of it.
"Transmissibility is unknown."
"Hm?"
She clicks her teeth together once and straightens her posture, so that you can see her eyes, but she looks across the plaza, not at you.
"Contact cannot be avoided indefinitely, but, as long as other humanoid interfaces are unnecessary, we can suspend contact between you and us, and suspend the possibility of contagion."
Oh. Those are your words. Yes, contact with her had been suspended for a time. Surely, she doesn't think-?
"Are you implying that you believe contact should still be suspended between us?"
A nod, deeper than the last.
"But we are necessary now. The temporal loop has ended. Surely you didn't think we would avoid contact with you even now? You are our main point of contact with Haruhi Suzumiya."
"..."
"Furthermore, if you were malfunctioning and required assistance, that would have been sufficient reason to initiate contact. I also said that we could be reactivated in case we were needed. Do you remember?"
"I remember."
The volume of her voice has increased from the last time she spoke.
"The role you play is indispensable. If you were not able to carry out your duties, that would have constituted an urgent situation. It would now. Do you require assistance?"
"I'm fine."
"You are not at school."
"I know."
"Please, come with me."
"..."
You don't know what you'll do if she refuses to comply. Physically forcing her to follow you to school would accomplish your mission, but would attract attention, and you cannot go with her to her classes or to her club room. And, if she were to resist you, you aren't certain you could prevail in an altercation, nor could you allow one to take place in a public area such as this one.
You suppose you will inform the Data Integration Thought Entity of her non-compliance and request assistance. You're about to do so when, finally, she picks up her bag, and stands up.
You stand up with her, bow, and begin walking towards the station proper. She follows some paces behind you.
It'll take some time to get to North High, but you should be back in time for a few classes and for her club activities at least. You'll need to take a few different lines to get to back to Kouyou Park Station, and then there'll be the walk, which-
She walks directly into a human that had been standing still and talking into their cellular phone. They both stumble.
"Oh! Sorry about that!"
"..."
"...Uh, heh, guess I shouldn't be blocking everybody's way..."
"..."
The human walks away, obviously perturbed and probably annoyed. You're not completely certain, but the expression on Yuki Nagato's face looks bewildered. Her mistake had been exactly that; it was not intentional.
"You are malfunctioning."
She doesn't respond, but you don't need her confirmation. There is no other explanation.
You could ask why she did not tell you that she was not functioning properly, even when you had asked her directly. But you doubt she would even answer. Her withholding of information may even be part of whatever is ailing her. And, really, if you can't understand asking for recalibration when it is not needed, you will never grasp not asking for assistance when it is needed.
Rather than waste time on a pointless question, you would prefer to enact repairs as soon as possible. If you hurry, you may both still be able to attend school today, which you're sure would please all of the concerned parties. The Data Integration Thought Entity obviously wants its primary observer at its subject's side. You think Haruhi Suzumiya, too, would prefer that her "brigade member" be at school. And, of course, you're certain that Yuki Nagato herself will want to be fixed.
"Let's return to your apartment. We can conduct repairs there."
"..."
"Will that be OK?"
Her head lowers infinitesimally. That could be a nod. You would rather not assume.
"Is that an agreement?"
"...yes."
Having secured her assent, you reach a hand out towards her. Rather than taking it with one of her own, she stares at it. Blinks, for the first time today. Turns her eyes to yours, making eye contact with you, also for the first time today.
Either she doesn't understand or she's being obstinate. The first would be easier to deal with, so you hope for that.
"I will guide you to our apartment building."
"..."
"Your ability to navigate yourself is currently compromised. If you allow me to guide you around any obstacles, we will reach our destination more quickly."
"..."
The second, then.
Allowing her to walk unaided is not an option. You don't know the extent of her malfunctions, but she had only crossed a very short distance before her error. What if she loses sight of you? What if her directional senses are affected as well?
You have no desire to watch her trip or bump into things what could be any number of times, or wander off in another direction so that you have to fetch her. You do have a desire to begin repairs as soon as possible.
The only thing left to do would be to simply grab her hand without her permission and begin walking. But you think this is unlikely to encourage continued cooperation. It would be best if she worked with you voluntarily.
So, you wait.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Eventually , she sluggishly moves her hand in front of her. Not far enough to reach your hand, but enough for you to assume invitation. You close the gap between your hands. Your hand begins to lose some of its heat to her. Her arm is limp, but you can feel minute twitches in her fingers.
You tighten your grip, curling your fingers up to rest on the back of her hand. She does not return the gesture, opting instead to simply stare at the point of contact between you.
You try to smile reassuringly. This expression differs only slightly from your standard one; nonetheless, you've found it to be helpful in ameliorating unhappy human customers' moods. Not by a large margin, but any small improvement is a success.
She doesn't move. Not her eyes, not her eyelids, not her hands, not her feet. Nothing. She is not, in the end, a human customer. The likelihood of a positive effect had been small. You probably shouldn't have tried it.
Still, when you turn around and begin walking, she does too. For the moment, this is all you need from her.
Halfway through the transit back to your apartment building, her fingers close around your hand.