2.1

Admin Shenanigans

(Masterweaver)

"Mictec, what is this?"

The womanly skeleton looked up at the approaching Hel, brushing off her ribs and standing quickly. "Ah, yes. This! I got this idea from, how do you say, the one of the Shinto that knows trees?"

"I don't know all the Kami by name," Hel pointed out. "But I can see that this is a Bonsai yggdrassil, for lack of a better term."

"I am calling it the name Ceiba!"

"Mictecacihuatl, why do you have a bonsai world tree?"

"Oh it is being simple!" the skeleton reassured him. "This is an experiment of controlled failure. See the fracture codes? I am, how you say, simulating a small problem to be finding out what if can be explained to the larger problem." She smiled broadly. "It even has being little semi-loopers hopping from branch to branch!"

"I... see." Hel sighed. "I suppose that could be written off as a legitimate expense."

"There is also the fact that it is cute," Mictecacihuatl pointed out. "The loopers are all of wearing little fezzes. That is the right word, is it?"

Hel shrugged. "Search me."

2.2

Gurren Lagann

(Dalxein)

This fused loop was not going well. The Gurren was already trashed before they could even fuse up, Lagann tossed halfway across the planet with Simon still inside it, and Kamina was honestly not sure if his left arm was broken or dislocated, but it was hanging painfully limp and bloody at his side. This was shaping up to be another crashed loop already...

Then, in a flash of light, a massive sword speared into the ground in front of him. It gleamed with ethereal light from the many branched prongs along the blade. Attached was a note.

"Go nuts, bro. -Susanoo"

With a grin, he grabbed the hilt of the Ten-Span Sword with his working hand and charged.

"I'm not sure it was such a good idea to give him a copy of your sword. Even a tenth of its actual power could be dangerous." Epona stated as she worked away trying to stabilize the loop.

"Uhh... Copy?" Susanoo asked.

The sound of typing abruptly stopped. With a slow, deliberate motion, the lower-class admin turned to glare at her boss. "You didn't."

"Didn't what?"

She was fuming, now. "You did not just give your actual sword, a divine, administrator-level weapon to one of the most chaotic if not functionally insane loopers in the system! This is like handing the Hulk the actual Admin Thor's Mjolnir! You have no idea how bad this is do you!?" By this time she was raging in his face as he leaned back desperately trying to not make the horse goddess any angrier.

"I'll replace it with a 1/20 power copy between loops, okay?" He tried, hoping it would appease her wrath.

She backed away, smoothing her ruffled mane back into a proper office bun. "If he crashes either loop with that thing before then, I'm going to get Ammy to lock you in the sun again."

As she went back to her terminal to assess the damage, Susanoo couldn't help but whimper and hope his faith in his favorite looper was well-founded.

2.3

Valdemar

(yannoshka)

Young Vaniyel Ashkevron, heir to his father's hold of Forst Reach, woke from a night of restful sleep, and then Van Awoke to the loop.

"Huh, Human body. Been a few loops since I got to experience it last." He mused idly, while waiting for the loop memories to kick in. Yfandes just snorted on the other side of their mental bond.

"Hah. A few dozen loops, and you act as if it were eternity. It's been a few hundred since I last was human, and you don't hear me complaining." The companion bantered.

The memories came soon after, and from what he could gather, it seemed to be basic run of his life, from the beginning of the day Jervis broke his arm. Yep, definitely skipping that part.

And then another mental channel enfold within his mind. Good, that meant Lendel just awoke as well. Loops without his beloved tended to be a bit depressing, since there was the oh so alluring facsimile around.

"Hey Van! Seems like we have a variant loop here." Stefen's mind voice cheerfully greeted him. "Same life story, I just got born a few decades early." The bubbly bard continued.

"Stef! Hah, this gives me an idea!" Van cheered.

"Oh?"

"Yep! What say you lover that we introduce Valdemar to Rock 'n' Roll? A fellow looper from another verse helped me adapt my amp so it can run on ambient magic."

"Dibs on being Freddy Mercury archetype!"

2.4

Admin Shenanigans

(Krisoverstreet, Indalecio)

"Are you trying on purpose to get yourself kicked out of Heaven," Skuld asked in exasperation, "again?"

Susanoo sat at his console, turned in his chair to face a trio of very unhappy gods. Skuld, of course, was Yggdrasil's chief debugger and, therefore, one of the leaders of the repair attempts that included the Infinite Loops. Next to her stood Tyr One-Hand, Yggdrasil's chief admin. And next to him stood Susanoo's sister, the usually silent Amaterasu, glowing eyes staring at him with deep disappointment.

When his bosses brought Amaterasu in for one of their little discussions, Susanoo knew it was serious.

"Look, honest," he said, glancing at the three of them, "this time it really, honestly, is NOT my FAULT!"

"We agreed that your little project would remain read-only indefinitely," Skuld pressed. "Let me go over the reasons.

"First, you created an embryonic god. Her baseline is that she rewrites her local multiverse on a subconscious level. She is on the absolute cusp of Ascension... if she hasn't done so already." Skuld looked around. "You haven't had any unscheduled visitors lately, have you?"

"Look," Susanoo said, "Suzumiya is in control of her abilities on a subconscious level. She does nothing which would actively jeopardize her reality. Rewrite, yes; destroy, no. In fact she activated a subset of herself to arrange for a divergent timeline in order to preserve her baseline world from collapse."

"Yes," Skuld nodded. "Listed here under 'multiple divergent and convergent timelines.' Moving on. Second: significant use of, and reliance upon, time travel for the continuation of the baseline world."

"Predestination paradox protection," Susanoo countered. "With the exception of the presence of two time travelers, all time travel is done solely because it had already been done. Ouroberos patch, job's a good'un."

"Third," Skuld persisted, "multiple lesser reality-altering beings."

"The data entities are emergent and generally static. They're generally incapable of comprehending the higher levels. They're safe."

"Fourth. Extended time loop running in baseline universe."

"That's a bum rap and you know it. It's impossible to terminate a major Loop while within a local Loop. Nesting doll protection law."

"And finally, the aforementioned divergent and convergent timelines. Granted that all of these factors are category 2 or lower, the fact that they're all in the same universe- AND the fact that that universe, being one of your personal hobby pieces of chaos and disruption, has no resources required for current repairs on Yggdrasil, makes the whole universe a prime read-only candidate." Skuld waved her clipboard at the storm god. "We discussed this. You agreed. You signed the forms yourself. In triplicate. No carbons. And yet," she pointed to his console, "the Suzumiya universe is reading as an active Loop!"

"And what I'm trying to tell you is," Susanoo said, "I didn't activate it. It activated ITSELF."

That shut Skuld up.

Amaterasu gently pushed Susanoo away from his console and keyed up the relevant readout.

UNIVERSE: SN-NT-2002-PRIME

STATUS: LOOP PROTOCOL ACTIVE (variable 2 or 6 years duration w/Ouroberos Loop enclosed)

LOOP CONDITION: STABLE

And then the font changed to rainbow colors for the next readout:

ADMIN: YASUMI WATAHASHI (SUSANOO, SUPERVISOR)

ANCHOR: KYON

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: HARUHI SUZUMIYA

Amaterasu pointed at the readout, and then walked away, rubbing her temples.

The other three gods groaned.

"Looks like Epona's going to get a promotion," Skuld said. "You're going to have to give up admin duties on the Zelda Loops. From now on your full time job is making sure that this," she jabbed a finger at the screen, "doesn't break anything else."

Susanoo shrugged. A chaos god knows to be philosophical when his own chaos bites him in the butt.

"And I'll help!" Everyone turned around see a teenage girl in a sailor fuku. She was wearing a red armband that read, 'Junior Admin'.

In the SOS Dan club room in North High, Haruhi Suzumiya slumped in her seat unconscious, only to wake again five seconds later.

"Ow. What just happened?" she asked as she rubbed her head.

2.5

Admin Shenanigans

(Masterweaver)

"...so, you too huh?"

Madoka shrugged. "Well, at least I knew what I was doing. You kind of... well, you did this whole thing on accident." She shook her head. "I still don't know how you did that..."

"Um." Haruhi chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, the admins were really on my case... apparently they kept trying to remove my anchor status but I kept turning it on and... yeah. On the plus side, though, after they modify my code I can put my universe back online!"

"Wait. They can do that?"

The school girl tossed a small globe from one hand to the other. "So long as they have this, yeah. I've agreed to have my Awake status hardcoded shut, so I can't accidentally start looping, and then they just plug it back in and... yeah. It's neat."

"Huh..." Madoka glanced at her bow. "I... I need to think on this."

2.6

Haruhi Suzumiya

(KrisOverstreet)

Most of the Loopers I've met can't remember their first Loop with any clarity. I don't mean remembering their pre-Loop baseline. I mean, most people don't have a clear memory of the first time they realized they were repeating the same bit of their life over again. That first Loop tends to blur together with memories of other early Loops when the Loopers experimented, went wild, went insane, and pulled themselves back to something that could pass for sanity in a good light.

But I will always remember my first Loop.

A large part of it is because I'd experienced Looping before, in that endless summer, even though my memories didn't accumulate there except as the occasional extreme attack of déjà vu. My mind was prepared for the possibility. Living with Haruhi's insanity had prepared my mind for nearly anything.

So when I woke up and realized I was in my own past, without actually traveling through time, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my chance to live things over again.

And the very first thing I wanted to do set the tone for the rest of that Loop.

I stood up on the first day of class and introduced myself, giving my name and my former middle school.

"My friends call me Kyon, though I wish they wouldn't. I am an absolutely normal and ordinary human being. If there are any aliens, time travelers, or espers, come see me. That is all!"

As I sat down I looked at the face of the girl seated behind me. I shall treasure the pure shock and surprise in that face for as long as I shall live, and it lasted a good five seconds. Then she smiled, looking at me as if to inform me that she couldn't wait for the first opportunity to get even with me.

"Oh God," I heard Taniguchi mutter, "there's two of them."

An ordinary person is of course no match for Haruhi Suzumiya, much less a rival. But a Looper? That's a different story.

2.7

Haruhi Suzumiya

(Filraen)

My sister's devilish wake-up signaled I was living the first day of High School again. I wonder how other loopers don't get mad at so constant repetition. Or probably they eventually get mad, seeing how bad Yuki got after the endless August all those summers ago. After a quick shower and a breakfast with mom I checked my phone for any new messages from unknown numbers.

Kyon, SOS Brigade meeting at the clubroom at lunch

YUKI.N Awake

Nothing different seems to change this time. I'd be arriving at North High by the end of the week.

Please mail me if there's a club meeting today. Mikuru.

I'll be around the club meeting today. Mikuru.

All from unknown numbers, except the second which came from a private number. I was already looking forward to this loop.

I'm not sure if I should be relieved or sad that Haruhi wasn't wearing a ponytail today. Anyway, I give my usual speech to introduce myself to my classmates.

"Everybody calls me Kyon, even my own sister, and I'm the SOS Brigade's own Anchor in this world." My smirk matched Haruhi thousand-watt smile as Taniguchi complained now they were two of them.

"So, first round of business: Yuki, Mikuru, Mikuru, you're now unlocked and unreadable."

The twin smiles from both older and younger Mikuru Asahina complemented Yuki's nod.

"Thanks, Haruhi-chan." The elder Mikuru stood up from her seat and delivered an envelope to Kyon.

"With these my bosses won't send another time traveler," the adult said to Kyon and Haruhi, and then directed to her younger self. "Sorry."

"I know," the younger Mikuru just nodded, looking a bit dejected. It hurt a little she was out of information every loop but she knew it was necessary and at least now her future self was open on leaving her in the blank.

I always wonder if the way both Mikurus hug themselves before the older leaves is awkward. It's probably the ultimate test of "being at peace with yourself" with actually being a version of yourself from years before and after.

"Kyon, quit daydreaming, or I'll make you pay penalty for the next dozen Loops!"

Oh, sorry Haruhi. Were you saying?

"Did you get a text from Koizumi?"

Yes, I did. He's looping too and will try to meet with us after classes at the cafe. Though I don't know why you asked me, you probably mailed him just after Awakening today.

"Good to see you already know too. Everyone, have five plans to do this loop: four considering a one year long range and three for a possible five-year long loop."

Those sum more than five plans! Though I don't have time to complain as the end lunch break bell rings.

"Ok, everyone dismissed!"

The five members of the SOS Brigade sat at their usual cafe.

"Yuki, privacy field."

The short haired girl nodded once "Done."

Haruhi face palmed. "Yuki, give more emotion. Make your powers showier, that is looks like the "dumb magic" Kyon says it is!"

Yuki's eyes rose from the book she was reading and looked directly to Haruhi "Making a privacy field more visible reduces it effectiveness."

"Fine, fine." Haruhi pouted for a moment before returning her usual enthusiasm. "Anyway, Loop call: Koizumi?"

"I regret I have nothing to say, "Koizumi shrugged."From my point of view, yesterday I was in a club meeting as a North High Student."

"Mikuru?"

"Nothing either, Haruhi."

"Yuki?"

"No."

"Better you have something good, Kyon. Any loop without us?"

Stopping drinking his milk Kyon answered "Actually two, the first one I was the only Awake and we tried to become a professional Rock Band. Apparently we were so popular and with your power went so out of control than during the Christmas concert it was raining Santas. And that's before the loop ended with the Valentine Day concert."

Haruhi winced a moment. "And the second?"

"It was... strange." Kyon blushed "I was a talking mini horse, a pony. Let me see..." Kyon seemed to look for something inside his jacket. "How to do this... here!" And Kyon produced a framed picture of a brown pony with an even darker brown mane and tail wearing a tie and the picture of an hourglass in his flank face hooving in a very Kyon-like manner. "Apparently I was replacing the local clockmaker, Time Turner."

Both Haruhi and Mikuru were stunned at the look of the picture, but Mikuru was the first to react and take it from Kyon's hands "So cute!"

Koizumi's face was of surprise, though. When he talked to Kyon his tone was so serious it calmed the mood of the whole table immediately "One question, did you actually have this picture taken in that loop?"

Kyon had to resist the urge to tilt his head "Yes, why?"

Koizumi didn't have chance to answer because Haruhi anticipated him standing from her place at the table and pointing an accusatory finger to Kyon "How did you carry this picture from that loop to here?"

Kyon raised his eyebrows as he just had realized what he had done. "Oh, that. The anchor there, a unicorn called Twilight Sparkle taught me how to make what they call a subspace pocket. According to her whatever is inside it by the end of a loop I carry with me to the next one."

"All right. Anybody against to have Kyon teach us this trick a plan for this loop?" Waiting a moment for anybody to raise an objection, something which didn't happen, Haruhi cheerfully declared. "Everybody in favor, nobody against, motion passed!" She knew everyone would want the chance of learning know carry things between loops. "Now let's see your plans I asked..."

2.8

Naruto

(Oraclemask)

Okay, as far as teams went, Naruto had expected worse.

Considering he was replacing Kakashi yet again - and by now Naruto even felt a little sorry for some of the things they'd done to the man, because Kakashi's baseline life was already a large pile of fuck – Naruto had been fervently praying that he got some different, decent people on Team Seven this time.

What Naruto had to work with this time was some kid with spiky blue hair, some guy with Sasuke's duck-butt hairstyle except in white, and another pinkette - this one wielding an over-sized hammer.

"Right, so let's introduce ourselves," Naruto said, waving a hand at them to go first.

"You go first, Bla - huh? Where did he go?" the pinkette said, staring at the empty space her new teammate used to be sitting in.

"YA-HOO! I'M BLACK STAR!"

All three of them looked at the source of the distant shout.

"I'M THE MAN THAT WILL SURPASS GOD!"

"How the hell did he get to the Hokage Mountain that fast without using a jutsu?" Naruto wondered.

"Black Star and 'normal physics' haven't been on speaking terms for years," said the white-haired kid in a long-suffering tone, "Basically, he's like you but a hundred times louder and has an ego the size of a small planet."

"Fine. You go next," Naruto said.

"Whatever. I'm Haseo Uchiha, and I want to kill the guy that replaced Itachi this loop," Haseo said, "Probably because Ovan's got some stupid plan in the works that involves me killing him again anyway. Either way's win-win for me."

"ALL OF YOU ARE LIKE ANTS DOWN THERE! WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE COMPARED TO ME, THE GREAT BLACK STAR!"

"Doesn't he know that we can't hear him up there?"

"No. Please just keep going," Haseo sighed.

"Alright, alright...I'm Amy Haru-rose," Amy said, "I like chasing after my darling Sonic! And using my hammer on anyone who gets in the way, of course."

The unholy glint in Amy's eye promised swift, hammer-y revenge on the first person to doubt her words. Naruto and Haseo kept their mouths wisely shut.

2.9

Bartender

(Crisis, KrisOverstreet)

No one was quite sure how Eden Hall and its owner/Anchor Sasakura Ryuu kept ending up in the massive fused Loops where numerous Anchors were in attendance, but there were no complaints whatsoever. Right now, those Anchors present were engaging in one of their favorite pastimes.

Embarrassing the heck out of each other.

"And here's 'Rapid Hooves' on a date with my friends Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy while they weren't Awake," Twilight grinned, showing a picture of an extremely nervous stallion being kissed on each cheek by both mares at the same time.

"It was weird," Ranma insisted. "They both decided they liked me and they were civil about it!"

"Power of friendship Ranma-san," Twilight kept grinning. "What did you think would happen when you saved a horde of endangered bunnies using superhero-grade feats?"

The original Anchor just buried his head in the table and moaned.

"That's nothing!" cheered one Monkey D. Luffy, Anchor of the piratical One Piece Loop. "Wanna see my pictures of Naruto when he looped in as one of my crew?"

Everyone's attention was riveted. Luffy's crew was famous/infamous across the Loops for the ridiculous adventures they had and the ludicrous battles they always ended up involved in. Luffy was one of the few loopers in the multiverse that had fought Bo-bobo and liked it.

But before Luffy could start, the door to the bar opened and everyone present immediately conceded the embarrassing photo contest.

Kyon, the Anchor who generally rode herd on Haruhi and her home Loop, had arrived.

Not that this would stop the stories from being told of course.

Luffy looked at the other Loopers, who had gone silent as soon as Kyon entered the room. "Hey, come on!" he shouted. "Everybody's gotta have some good photos, right?"

"Let it go, Luffy," Ranma said quietly. "Nobody here can beat Kyon for embarrassing pics, and we all know it."

"Oh really?" Luffy grinned. "Oh, this I've gotta see!"

Luffy was halfway across the room before he realized his left shoulder was still back at the barstool. Ranma kept the grip firm as he said, "Leave him alone."

The goofy Pirate King returned to the bar and asked, "Is it really that bad?"

"Well, in most of Kyon's Loops he's joined by this girl named Haruhi," Ranma said. "And nearly as often with the rest of his high school club, the SOS Brigade. One of these other members is named Mikuru Asahina. Cute as hell, busty, and as shy and adorable as a baby hedgehog. No offense, Sonic."

"No prob, bro! I was an adorable little cuss!"

Returning to his explanation, Ranma continued, "Anyway, Haruhi treats Mikuru as the club mascot. Dresses her up in sexy and revealing outfits- a bunny girl, a waitress, a maid, a sexy nurse, string bikinis... you get the idea? She's even been known to grope the poor girl a time or three. Haruhi apparently likes 'em busty."

"Okay. What does this have to do with Kyon?" Luffy asked.

"I told you all that so you might understand what I mean when I say this." Ranma took a deep breath. His blue eyes bored into Luffy's dark ones as he said, solemnly, slowly, clearly, "Haruhi enjoys the Eiken Loop."

Luffy's eyes were naturally wide, and his stretching powers meant than when they went wide, they REALLY went wide.

"Get the picture now?" Ranma asked.

"Yeah." Luffy turned to the bar and picked up his drink, glancing over at the table where Kyon sat between sips. "Poor guy," he said, and repeated it quite a lot over the next three drinks.

2.10

Harry Potter

(Crisis)

Harry Potter was once again in the office of Albus Dumbledore, an event not at all uncommon in his Loops. The difference was... Dumbledore was Awake.

Harry had... bad memories of trying to convince the aging headmaster of the nature of the Loops early on. Memories of things he hadn't quite forgiven Dumbledore for even after all this time. Sure, he'd reconciled with the old man a few times. Once or twice he'd even convinced the headmaster of the trauma other versions of himself had inflicted on Harry and had gotten a heartfelt apology.

But it had never stuck. It had been back to Unawake Dumbledores who were hit-or-miss in regards to if they were secretly evil overlords, incompetent idiots, well-meaning goofs, more-or-less decent manipulators who thought they had an omniscient morality license or genuinely good and intelligent wizards who have nonetheless screwed up somewhere. It was maddening. He wanted to forgive Dumbledore, to tell him that the good had outweighed the bad over the course of the Loops, but there was no version of the man who made such forgiveness mean anything to Harry.

In the end, he'd held on to the hurt and bitterness just to keep from going even more insane.

But here was a version of Dumbledore who could remember reconciliation, and Harry had no idea if he even deserved the chance. He'd been wary. Too many times he had been hurt to risk a permanent, and possibly eternal, enmity with the headmaster.

"I understand I owe you a rather thorough apology," Dumbledore began. "When I first began 'looping' as it were, I was not too much unlike whatever versions of myself earned your enmity. I was determined to see the prophecy through to its end, and very much overly confident that I, and I alone, knew what was best. I am thankful to say that you thwarted my efforts at every turn. And often in ways I can now admit were rather amusing."

"You..." Harry started, not entirely sure how he was reacting.

"Please allow me to finish, Harry," Dumbledore placated. "Then you may pass whatever judgment you deem fit."

Harry kept his silence, and waited.

"It all came to a head, I'm afraid, when a rather fascinating muggle scientist whisked you away from the Dursleys and adopted you. I was growing very much frustrated with my inability to set you on the path to fulfilling the prophecy, and I did something quite ill-advised and attempted to use my magic to force events to go how I wished them to."

Harry winced. That sounded like Setsuna Syndrome, a term Usagi had coined way back when the Loops were new and she sometimes had to deal with an Unawake Setsuna Meiou, aka Sailor Pluto. Setsuna was a force who, some Loops, kept setting herself at odds with the blonde Anchor whenever she derailed the timeline with Loop knowledge or abilities. Setsuna Syndrome was attributed to those who were overly dedicated to the preservation of baseline events to the point of obsession, often Unawake but still Loop Aware entities, believing that even small deviations carried unthinkable consequences. It was something most loopers tended to get over eventually, but some overcompensated and risked diving towards Sakura Syndrome instead, the state of a looper believing that no action they undertook, no matter how vile or depraved, carried any consequences due to the nature of the Loops.

"Fortunately, as I would come to learn," Dumbledore continued, "this 'Dr. Light' managed to best me with nothing more than a few wise precautions he had taken and then proceeded to raise you into a fine young man despite my protests. Not only that, but his actions during that particular Loop came to show me what it really meant to work for the greater good. He did everything in his power to do right by as many as possible, and above all, he sought that none would suffer in his quest to do right that did not bring it upon themselves with their own actions. He and his did more to aid the worlds of both muggles and wizards in just over a decade than I and mine have managed to accomplish in my entire lifetime. Any of them. It was a humbling experience."

Harry's eyes widened. "You were Awake for that?!"

"That is the term you use, is it not?" Dumbledore asked rhetorically. "In fact, I was. And it was the most enlightening series of events I could have ever hoped for. I was humbled by a man who not only did not lord his victory over me like many would, he was willing to forgive my folly and even work with me towards a future brighter than I ever dared hope possible."

"Yeah," Harry admitted. The man had developed countermeasures against the dementors more effective than anything Harry had possessed prior to at least triple digits in the Loops. In under a month and with no prior understanding of the creatures. "Though the Wily guy they brought with them was a handful."

"Indeed. I was quite entertained by how he consistently defeated Mr. Riddle whenever they clashed. Speaking of which, 'Moldyshorts' Harry?" Dumbledore chuckled. "While I am pleased that you still do not fear Tom's chosen name, that is rather childish."

"I'm technically older than humanity by now," Harry groused. "I'm allowed to be childish on occasion."

"Oh, I understand the appeal," Dumbledore smiled. "Did you know that in my battle with Grindlewald, which I have yet to repeat, the two of us; adult wizards at the height of our power and influence, dueling to the death; stood there on the battlefield calling each other things like 'dung-head' in between lethal spells? I can assure you that has never been mentioned in the history books. Such enmity for one who wishes you dead is only human. I am rather more concerned that your grudge against Professor Snape does not seem to have abated."

Harry took a deep breath. "Disregarding the fact that I tend to bear the brunt of his unresolved rivalry with my father anew when a Loop restarts, 'professor' Snape is often a much poorer teacher than a potion master," Harry informed the looping headmaster, mentally disregarding those rare Loops where a variant Snape was in fact quite competent. Like the one where he acted like the kind of high school chemistry teacher who taught his students how to make stink bombs, and ended up Fred and George's absolute favorite member of the Hogwarts faculty. All those variants served to do was drive home how petty and uncaring the baseline Snape tended to be. "By several degrees of magnitude."

"Well," Dumbledore allowed, "I suppose that is only to be expected. As sensible as the man can be in some matters, I fear he is as bad as any other magic user in most. Now, to the matter of Delores Umbridge..."

"Hey," Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously, "I make no apologies for what happens to that woman after the things she tries most every Loop. So drop it right now."

"I was actually going to ask if you took pictures," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with amusement.

Harry gaped for a second before acknowledging the zinger. New looper or no, Dumbledore still had it. "Which volume?"

"How many do you have?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

Harry just grinned. He could work with this.

2.10

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

(Starfata)

Sally Jackson, having disposed of her first husband with Medusa's head, was just cleaning their small apartment. Percy might not be coming home again this loop, but she was expecting visitors, and it was bad enough that Gabe's statue was there without putting up with his mess as well.

Well, technically only one visitor. She'd just tossed the last of the beer cans when he arrived.

"Hello Poseidon." She greeted, stealing a quick glance at her former lover's face. The sea god seemed perturbed.

"Sally." He began, before struggling for words.

She got herself a drink while she waited for him to find them, letting him flounder in the awkwardness.

"Was Percy always a girl?" Poseidon blurted out in a rush.

Sally took a casual sip of her water. "No."

"Then..." Startled by her attitude, the earth shaker lost his words again.

This time, Sally took pity on him. "It's a curse. Fresh water for a boy, sea water got a girl." She explained. Percy had gotten the idea from Nerima, although he kept changing which gender was caused by which form of water. 'The sea is change' indeed. "As far as we know, there's no cure." Except for being a looper and removing the curse you applied to yourself for laughs, but that didn't count.

Poseidon frowned. "So our son..."

"Is also our daughter. Two for one special." Sally quipped.

Poseidon scowled at her briefly, but the mortal woman only rolled her eyes. "Percy doesn't mind- she probably has too much fun with it to be honest. She likes being able to go onto the girls locker rooms, and loves men's jeans. I'd be more worried about that Camp of his, since they won't keep them right in Percy's sex."

The god simply stared at her. Percy was right, this was a funny prank.

2.1: Fezzes are cool.

2.2: Susanoo and Kamina are cut from the same cloth. Fear for the multiverse.

2.3: Rock on!

2.4: Haruhi didn't cross the line into Ascension so much as stick a toe across and then yank it back when someone looked. Haruhi's subconscious is aware that there are other worlds, there are repeating time loops, and there is fun to be had there; therefore, Haruhi has decided, again subconsciously, to do what is required to join the fun, without doing anything that would cancel out said fun. – KrisOverstreet

2.5: Kyon was a Looper before it was cool.

2.6: Baseline time travel gets weird in the Loops.

2.7: New team members for Team Seven = Shenanigans.

2.8: All is fair in blackmail and war.

2.9: Dumbledore, don't screw up your n+1 chance.

2.10: When loopers get bored, they do some weird stuff.