knowinginthedark | [Story/Post]

[Story/Post]

[Story Time]

He felt like he was going to go insane, soon.

Well, maybe he technically already had-- after all, he'd been like this for so long, it was bound to make anyone a bit nuts. The unaging aspect, the inability to die, the whispers and pressure on his back...

Okay, he'll admit it: he was already crazy, but at least he was still conscious of it.

But he could tell the patience of the god hanging off of his reconstituted spine was growing thin. He had done everything he could right now to go as slowly as possible in the whole set-up, just to buy time, but he could only keep his thoughts so separate for so long, and do things with only so much subterfuge.

No, he had to think of something to set off this powder keg, and soon.

Of course, he really hopes that someone's caught on by now enough that they might stop him-- a reasonable excuse to not go through with what he's trying to do, since if he succeeds in setting off the first circle to exorcise whoever is attached to his alternate, well.

The next step isn't going to be great for the city, regardless.

Tarou kept his thoughts to himself as he wrote things down by hand-- he found it helped to make sure there were copies of his research around. After all, he never knew what was going to happen to him. Just because he can't die doesn't mean he should expect that it'll never happen, and it... Well, it also helped to ignore the steady burning sensation on his arm, as though it was trying to tell him to hurry up.

Eventually however, he had to put down his pencil and get up, rubbing the arm where his mark was, muttering.

"Come on... just one or two more weeks, then this mess'll be over with..."

----

[Post]

So, hey, totally embarrassing and maybe an odd question to ask about, but.

Does anyone know anything about catalysts? Say you want to do something but it requires a power source, would anyone know anything about those?

For research purposes, mostly, I'm wondering what the general knowledge level is for that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do you mean you keep all your research in just one bag?

*That bag does look really heavy though.*

I write small for my personal files, yes.

*he puts down the bag and opens it up, showing off the... very hefty binders he has packed away in it. You can see the colored markings separating everything too. this must be an extra-durable bag to manage all of that without tearing apart, really.*

*She's amazed he can even carry all that about.*

Wow, that's really amazing. I'd never be able to fit my stuff in one bag.

I guess that's why I have a filing cabinet instead. *She gestures sheepishly to the metal filing cabinet in the room.*

*he may be a definite nerd, but he's. probably stronger than he looks.*

To be fair, I'm very hyperfocused on subjects, so it's probably not as extensive as what you'd have access to.

Books, for example! Those are the kinda things I can't afford to have around.

That's true. I guess if you move around a lot, books aren't really something you can take with you.

But you're more than welcome to look through my collection here. I have books spanning over numerous topics and theories about the 12 Dimensions, books about ancient artifacts and writings... I even have books written by Duel Spirits themselves, though they are really rare to come by.

You actually have books like that? Can you point them out to me, if it's not too much trouble?

Sure!

The books on the 12 Dimensions are here... the ones on ancient artifacts and writings are here... and the ones written by Duel Spirits themselves I keep here.

*She points them all out on the bookshelves for him. The ones written by Duel Spirits is definitely the smallest collection.*

*he goes over to the bookshelves, kinda with the enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas, and looks over the books, though he gingerly, carefully, takes out one of the ones written by Duel Spirits. Are they written in a non-human language??*

*There might be some non-human language within the books, but thankfully most have been translated into Japanese.*

There are a few Duel Spirits who live in the city who get hold of books written in the 12 Dimensions and actually make translated versions, but it takes them a long time to do this, so it's why they're rare and so few are about.

That's understandable! I have to wonder about the linguistics of the 12 Dimensions in general-- it's already a miracle that so many spirits just naturally understand us, in the first place, isn't it?

*he carefully flips through the book*

That's true! I know there are different written languages within the 12 dimensions, but it's true that a lot of Duel Spirits already seem to naturally understand us and even can communicate with us in a similar way.

It's pretty fascinating.

I think it's some part natural instinct-- least that's my assumption. There's theories out there, maybe you've heard of them, that Duel Spirits, the "Twelve Dimensions", all of that... is powered in part by human imagination and the willingness to believe that such places can exist, and we're just at the point where it's as strong as it was in days of myth and legend.

And that the reason that monsters can naturally understand our language is in part due to that, even though they, themselves, can have their own languages.

Fascinating, isn't it?

Oh yes! I've heard of those theories.

It really is fascinating how much influence we could have on Duel Spirits and their world and how much they could have influence on us, without us even knowing.

It's a bit of a give and take, isn't it?

*he pushes up his glasses as he keeps flipping through the book idly*

Though, I think I much prefer when we're keeping ourselves a bit more at arms' distance. Too much influence on either side causes effects, after all. But that's all just a part of what I'm researching-- to see how much influence Duel Spirits had on us over history, and the potential causes and results of that.

One of my aims is to see if any major point in history, especially with myth and legend, could be re-examined from the lens of accepting that monsters do, indeed, exist, and have existed.

That's a really fascinating area to be researching into! I've definitely wondered myself if they've had any influence over the myths and legends that we know of today.

Probably simultaneously more and less than you'd think. It's kinda like-- how people are realizing a lot of mythological animals were designed simply by how a person was describing it, without the benefit of the listener seeing it for themselves.

But what if that was what they were describing? We'll never truly know unless someone has a method of time travel, to be certain, but this is all part of the fun of researching these things.

And in my experience, it doesn't disprove much of anything at all. It isn't a Venn Diagram where only so-and-such can exist and not the other.

*he closes the book and puts it back, neatly so*

I think that's the amazing thing about doing research on such things like this.

I mean, we may never get a clear cut answer, but it unravels a lot of ideas, theories and possibilities that are fun to look into and consider, and sometimes we discover whole new things on that journey in the process too.

Not everyone tends to understand the purpose of what we research, or see the point in it, but to us, it's exciting to look into every possible idea and angle in the subjects that interest us.

Hahah, you have no idea how heartwarming it is to hear that anyone else is taking me seriously.

*he rubs the back of his head*

Honestly, I have had too many issues, trying to get people to take my word for it. A lot of places-- they've brushed it off a lot by going on about how "fantastical" my theories are. The idea that we could even be influencing an entire world where "monsters" existed, or that they'd have been influencing us... I've had to deal with a lot of people simply just deciding the wrong thing about my research.

Or, you know, assuming what I'm doing is anthropology or mythological research exclusively.

Yes, it's really difficult when people won't take you seriously. I imagine that outside of Domino City, there might be people who don't quite understand the work we do here at SAI, or why the organization is needed.

But generally most people in this city and close surrounding areas are fairly accepting of the idea that Duel Monsters and other worlds exist.

Mm.

*he seems to stop and think for a moment*

... Hey, just wondering, but when was "SAI" established, anyway? I'll admit that I've been traveling for a while before I ended up as a consultant for Duel Academy, so I'd wondered when this place popped up at all.

*Ruka thinks for a moment.*

SAI originally started as a much smaller organization called the Spirit Foundation, founded by Juudai Yuuki and Saiga Aliester maybe 10 or so years ago? Then a few years after that Juudai merged the Spirit Foundation with what remained of the Arcadia Movement which was an organisation which specifically gave support to Psychic Duelists and that's how the Spirit Arcadia Institute, or SAI, was created.

I've pretty much been here through the entire thing. I volunteered at the Spirit Foundation originally and eventually I was given the position of researcher here at SAI.

Huh. And the Arcadia Movement... gave support to Psychic Duelists?

*he rubs the back of his head, smiling*

Boy, if only a place like that had even existed when I was growing up! It would've sure been useful, for me.

*Ruka looks curiously at him.*

Oh? Are you a Psychic Duelist, Satou-san?

Oh, yes. I've been told I'm actually a pretty strong one, too, but, well.

I wouldn't really know, I try to avoid dueling as much as possible. *he rubs his neck a bit*

But the realization that I was a Psychic Duelist-- that was what spurred me into my path in life. Researching the hows and whys. I'd always wondered, truly, why people awaken into abilities like this. Why they resonate so strongly with Duel Monsters as a result. Was it biological? Was it a result of the two-way influence? No one actually knew, and I wanted those answers.

Those are actually really good questions. I don't think even here at SAI we really know what causes a person to become a Psychic Duelist or why it's so strongly connected to dueling and Duel Monsters.

It was considered for a very short time I could've been a Psychic Duelist, but I never really met the criteria, but instead, I have a separate ability that is still connected to Duel Spirits. Juudai and I named the ability 'Spirit Sense' and it's something we both have. Those with this ability are incredibly sensitive to Duel Spirits and likewise Spirits tend to be drawn to us. Sometimes we can see, hear or sense Spirits where others cannot.

But ... we're not really sure what causes an ability like that to awaken in people either.

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