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

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.

Huh, Spirit Sense...

Personally, I think it's somewhat biological. That somewhere along the line, monsters may have been introduced to the family tree, but those traits were all recessive, or otherwise not very capable of being expressed before the advent of Duel Monsters-- or otherwise a means of channeling that ability.

"Spirit Sense" on the other hand, is probably similar to that of religious mediums in older times!

Actually, I think those theories for them are really interesting.

I mean, there are a number of natural hybrids about, but we've also seen evidence to people getting abilities through what is believed to be a monster or supernatural being that was far down their family tree. It's not beyond impossible to believe that can be the cause of some abilities to surface.
In fact, I know someone where this is 100% the case for them. His ability isn't being a Psychic Duelist, but he was told his specific ability was because of a supernatural being that was far down his family tree. It seems dormant in other members of his family, from what I was told.

I guess 'Spirit Sense' also could be explained as a sort of ... natural sensitivity to energies and supernatural occurrences.

It definitely all makes sense, but it's still not the "one-all, be-all" answer, either.

Like I said: It's not a Venn Diagram where the circles are distinct. They can co-exist and sometimes be a combination of effects that go us to the point where some people simply go "oh, my monster that I summoned through highly advanced holograms is actually the real monster."

That's quite true. There can be so many possibilities, explanations and even a mish-mash of reasons and that's what's so exciting about it.

*She gives him a smile.*

It sounds like you're someone who prefers to travel around for your research, but honestly, if Juudai continues to expand our research team, I think you'd be a really good fit here.

O-oh, you think so?

*he's genuinely sheepish now instead of just putting on the airs about it*

I think-- I think honestly I'd love to see such a team get expanded. Though I'll admit: I'm not a very big... Team-person. But I'd love to help if the whole division gets more off its' feet?

Then I'll put in a word for you if Juudai is able to expand the research and exploration team beyond what we have now.

Though we do allow volunteers to take part, if you're ever curious or want to see what we do.

Though I will warn you that the other half of the team, who does more of the 'exploration' part, caaaan take some getting used to.

Oh, really? Why is that?

He can be a little bit overbearing for reserved types like us. He's a lot more social, energetic and... loud.

Yuma's a good guy though, the type of person who'll always help out others and is very loyal to his friends.
Just... yeah, he can be a bit much at times. He's just easily excitable.

*She chuckles a bit.*

But, I guess I'm also sort of used to people like that though, as my twin brother is very similar in personality.

I think you'd like Yuma's friend, Hope, though. I guess you can say he's a researcher, very much like us, but where we research things like Duel Spirits, Hope is a supernatural being who is mainly researching humans.

"Hope"? What an apt name for someone! Though you say he's a supernatural being himself? That's fascinating!

... These wouldn't be the people who have the actual airship, would it?

I see you've heard of our mode of transportation.

But yes, they are the ones who own the airship that we use.

Yuuki made mention of it before, when I met him with my research notes!

Finding out someone owns a real-live airship is amazing in itself, but now it makes a bit more sense if it's owned, in part, by someone who is... "Supernatural", as you say.

Yes. I believe the airship came from the world Hope is from. It really is an amazing thing when you see it in person.

Hope has taught me some of the basic controls of it, so I can help pilot it if needed, but it definitely wasn't an easy thing to get my head round.

Oh, I'd imagine not! It's not exactly something we have a reasonable basis for in terms of reference. I think the closest humanity ever got to the idea of an "airship" is the zeppelin, compared to say, airplanes and the like.

Have you gone anywhere exciting, in the airship?

Naturia Forest is one of our more frequent visits in the airship.

One part of our job is to re-locate lost spirits who have found themselves somehow in our world and take them back to their own world, especially if they're struggling to adjust here.

Some Naturia spirits adjust, but some don't thrive here as much and need to be in their own natural habitat.

Naturia Forest, huh? So in a place like that, the plants are also sentient, correct?

How do spirits usually end up displaced so much?

Yes, lots of sentient plants there.

And... I think smaller spirits just somehow fall through cracks or weaknesses in the barriers between dimensions and just end up here completely by accident.

We try and create some natural habitats for them in the spirit house here at SAI, but where some spirits acclimatize to it, others just don't for some reason and they thrive better being put back where they came from.

Hnmmm... It's interesting to hear just how... weak things are, admittedly. Between dimensions.

How long have you been doing this, anyway? Taking care of spirits who fall here.

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