Satou, Tarou (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
knowinginthedark) wrote2022-01-27 12:03 pm
knowinginthedark) wrote2022-01-27 12:03 pm
[Stories that Happened Weeks Ago] [Post]
[Chacu Challhua]
"Why did you do it, Mamoru?"
In the momentary space between events, as the circle activated in response to the connections made by the Geoglyph, the Whale, Chacu Challhua, had to ask it's host partner.
"Did you truly hate me so?"
Tarou-- or Mamoru, as he was actually called-- sat in silence in the mental space, almost ignoring the creature that had been attached to him for so long.
"You'll be rid of me soon enough. Do you wish for everything to end like this? Really?"
"Maybe I didn't. But it's what's happened, isn't it?"
Tarou finally spoke up, raising his head to look up at the abyss of his own mind. "You really had planned on abandoning me yourself, if it had come to it. Don't act like you're a victim, here. Neither of us are victims in the grand scheme of things."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. You do know... I really do hate being ordered, after all..."
"Yeah, I know. But you can't really ignore this "order" now, can you?
"Mmn, no, I suppose I can't. I can feel your handiwork pulling at the strands of my being as we speak...
You do realize, of course, that you'll likely die soon."
"Oh, I'm aware of this-- acutely so, in fact. Maybe a little part of me is sorta hoping for it? After all, 13 years after I was meant to die, it really feels kinda long overdue, huh?"
Tarou turned his head, gazing behind himself at nothing in particular, Chacu Challhua's presence being around him overall, even with it waning.
"But I don't think I'm actually going to. Things have a way of working out, I feel like."
"Such optimism... But I think without my presence, you will find such optimism difficult to keep hold of..."
Chacu Challhua's voice grew quieter as he spoke, time passing by without ceasing. Tarou had to give a few moments, before speaking again.
"I didn't hate you. You kept me alive this whole time, after all. You gave me the ability to discover wonderful things. Without your help, I'd have gotten myself killed several times over. And without you... I wouldn't be here in this world, where my research can even be accepted without so much skepticism.
But I do think our relationship is impossible to continue, Chacu Challhua. I already know you planned on sacrificing the island, too, at this rate."
Chacu Challhua's quieting voice seemed bemused. "You have such odd soft spots, my dear Mamoru. You'd best be thorough in removing my marks from that place, if you don't wish to wake me back up again."
"Just another job to do to make up for this, that's all, and nothing more."
Eventually, Chacu Challhua's voice slipped away, as did Tarou's consciousness.
--
[Mamoru]
Mamoru-- as in, the LDS employee and not the Dark Signer-- was dealing with an intense headache. Doing what he did, by focusing his psychic abilities to keep the room solid and trapping the Earthbound God there, well... it was an ordeal. Between the monsters summoned, Chacu Challhua's goading, and then the explosion at the end, the fire, the marks--
He felt like his entire body was aching in the aftermath of it, but being able to still move, he was able to get out of the building afterwards in spite of it, so he found no need to head to the hospital or anything like that. He wasn't hurt. And he wasn't in any danger of being attacked.
Labrys had been outside, waiting for him, of course. A smile on her face that was almost gentle, despite her armored, intimidating appearance. He had no recourse but to accept her assistance in getting home at all in any quick manner, with anyone else preoccupied with getting that "alternate" of his to a hospital.
It was still weird to think about. An alternate. A young man with his name, who had the face he used to have...
"After all, I don't think you're really who you think you are. That you're just a spirit that's fooled themselves into thinking they're the human named "Yamada, Mamoru"."
He really believed something like that, didn't he. This person who shared his name... really thought he was some fake that was pretending to be him, instead. All because of what had happened-- all because of that scythe. Because of everything to do with the Barians...
Depressingly, it isn't like he had proof against it, either. He'd always felt off since the events. His entire physical appearance had changed. Some even say that his demeanor did too. Even just looking at his alternate, there's a basic shift in how one approaches situations-- where he'd accepted the depression resulting from his actions, his alternate had been full-out under the thrall of an underworld god of sorts, and still tried to put on a cheery attitude, it seems. He couldn't imagine doing anything like that, anymore, himself.
Not that he didn't remember doing it before. That when things went wrong, he'd put on a smile, maybe focused on something else, anything to disregard the sting.
But these days, it took all of his energy to just not collapse into one spot.
Maybe, just maybe-- it was something he should try to examine more objectively.
Of course, those thoughts vanished soon as he got home, and once saying his thank you and goodbye to Labrys (who had otherwise insisted on staying around to keep watch-- he managed to talk her down to standing guard outside for an hour), he entered into his home.
And proceeded to collapse upon the couch, not even bothering to do the routine of getting ready for bed.
If I am really just the Artifact Scythe-- he tiredly thought to himself, before drifting off to a restless sleep-- I really should've done better than dealing with this tired, human body.
--
[Tarou, Some Weeks Ago]
"You shouldn't be alive right now."
Tarou sat on the bed, almost taken aback at the frankness of the doctor speaking to him.
"You know, that's usually not how medical check-ups start up, in my experience."
"You'd fool me that you've had check-ups before." The doctor had with him a thick file-- he was told to do any tests possible to ensure the health of Tarou before he could begin rehabilitation and then custody release, especially after the three-week coma he had gone through. And by the expression on his face, he wasn't entirely eager to start on either.
"Technically, you're put together. By any lengths, you'll probably live a very long, healthy life." The doctor opened up the file. "However, by how these X-Rays and scans have gone, all signs point to you having been through several injuries that should not only have paralyzed you, but likely been mortal wounds."
He seemed to go down the list of noted injuries. "Fracture lines, shattered pelvis, ribs, arms, feet, spine--"
"Oh, yes, I know that last one." The doctor gave him a bit of a stare for a moment, before Tarou just waved his hand. "Uh, just continue."
"-- signs of skull fractures, signs of stress to the organs, including the heart and lungs, signs of starvation and dehydration previously, signs of previous infections--"
"But you say I'll live a very long, healthy life."
The doctor sighed a bit, closing the file again. "You probably will. It boggles me, but-- all of these things are just that: signs. Signs of things that did probably happen, but seem to not be having any effect on you otherwise. It's like you just simply survived these things, and your body healed itself back up like it was nothing more than a sprain, or a cough."
He did, however, take out one thing from the file. The X-Rays of Tarou's back.
"I am concerned by your spine, however. There's multiple signs of fracture along it-- looks like whatever you did to it that you apparently know about, it healed, but it didn't heal quite right enough to be solid. If you're not careful from now on, you'll likely end up crippled. Alive, sure. Healthy, technically. But stuck to using a cane or a wheelchair, if you even get the chance of being mobile."
He then also gestured to Tarou's left arm. "There's also that weird scarring on your arm. Looked kinda like cuts. Now I'm not gonna jump to conclusions about what it was, but--"
"Oh, you don't need to worry. That was a tattoo. It's been removed, that's all." Tarou rubbed the back of his head. "There's nothing more and nothing less about it, if that's what you're concerned about."
The doctor didn't seem to fully buy it, but he decided to nod and accept it. No helping someone who doesn't want help. "A tattoo, huh? Fine. Probably better you got it removed then, people don't usually take kindly to tattoos in general." The doctor let out a tired sigh, getting up.
"With these things in mind, I'd like you to do physical therapy before I can authorize your release. If the signs get worse, we may need to discuss further medical intervention for your spine. You'd need some time to recover, anyway. You've been prone for three weeks straight."
Tarou couldn't deny how stiff he was after being in a bed that whole time. He wasn't even vaguely aware of anything during those three weeks. It was like he had blinked and suddenly woke up in the hospital, like no time had passed at all. His limbs felt weak though, and it was the most immediate sign of his stillness until that point, along with the sore sensation all over his body.
Yes, physical therapy... was probably the best possible option for now, even though he felt a little like he didn't have time at all. Best to nod and accept, and smile.
"Right, of course, doctor. You'd know best about this."
[Post]
Soooo, good news is, I'm cleared for release-- with supervision, of course, considering the ongoing situation of ensuring that I no longer have any presence of a god inside of me, and all that.
Bad news is, as far as the doctors are concerned, I should've been, at minimum, full-body paralyzed, not to mention the atrophy from the three weeks I was dead to the world anyway, so I'm going to need to go to physical therapy until further notice.
I've also been recommended to a specialist who handles more "unusual" cases-- has anyone ever heard of "Samasu, Souha"? Funny that they share Professor Samasus' name.
Both of them, in fact!
"Why did you do it, Mamoru?"
In the momentary space between events, as the circle activated in response to the connections made by the Geoglyph, the Whale, Chacu Challhua, had to ask it's host partner.
"Did you truly hate me so?"
Tarou-- or Mamoru, as he was actually called-- sat in silence in the mental space, almost ignoring the creature that had been attached to him for so long.
"You'll be rid of me soon enough. Do you wish for everything to end like this? Really?"
"Maybe I didn't. But it's what's happened, isn't it?"
Tarou finally spoke up, raising his head to look up at the abyss of his own mind. "You really had planned on abandoning me yourself, if it had come to it. Don't act like you're a victim, here. Neither of us are victims in the grand scheme of things."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. You do know... I really do hate being ordered, after all..."
"Yeah, I know. But you can't really ignore this "order" now, can you?
"Mmn, no, I suppose I can't. I can feel your handiwork pulling at the strands of my being as we speak...
You do realize, of course, that you'll likely die soon."
"Oh, I'm aware of this-- acutely so, in fact. Maybe a little part of me is sorta hoping for it? After all, 13 years after I was meant to die, it really feels kinda long overdue, huh?"
Tarou turned his head, gazing behind himself at nothing in particular, Chacu Challhua's presence being around him overall, even with it waning.
"But I don't think I'm actually going to. Things have a way of working out, I feel like."
"Such optimism... But I think without my presence, you will find such optimism difficult to keep hold of..."
Chacu Challhua's voice grew quieter as he spoke, time passing by without ceasing. Tarou had to give a few moments, before speaking again.
"I didn't hate you. You kept me alive this whole time, after all. You gave me the ability to discover wonderful things. Without your help, I'd have gotten myself killed several times over. And without you... I wouldn't be here in this world, where my research can even be accepted without so much skepticism.
But I do think our relationship is impossible to continue, Chacu Challhua. I already know you planned on sacrificing the island, too, at this rate."
Chacu Challhua's quieting voice seemed bemused. "You have such odd soft spots, my dear Mamoru. You'd best be thorough in removing my marks from that place, if you don't wish to wake me back up again."
"Just another job to do to make up for this, that's all, and nothing more."
Eventually, Chacu Challhua's voice slipped away, as did Tarou's consciousness.
--
[Mamoru]
Mamoru-- as in, the LDS employee and not the Dark Signer-- was dealing with an intense headache. Doing what he did, by focusing his psychic abilities to keep the room solid and trapping the Earthbound God there, well... it was an ordeal. Between the monsters summoned, Chacu Challhua's goading, and then the explosion at the end, the fire, the marks--
He felt like his entire body was aching in the aftermath of it, but being able to still move, he was able to get out of the building afterwards in spite of it, so he found no need to head to the hospital or anything like that. He wasn't hurt. And he wasn't in any danger of being attacked.
Labrys had been outside, waiting for him, of course. A smile on her face that was almost gentle, despite her armored, intimidating appearance. He had no recourse but to accept her assistance in getting home at all in any quick manner, with anyone else preoccupied with getting that "alternate" of his to a hospital.
It was still weird to think about. An alternate. A young man with his name, who had the face he used to have...
"After all, I don't think you're really who you think you are. That you're just a spirit that's fooled themselves into thinking they're the human named "Yamada, Mamoru"."
He really believed something like that, didn't he. This person who shared his name... really thought he was some fake that was pretending to be him, instead. All because of what had happened-- all because of that scythe. Because of everything to do with the Barians...
Depressingly, it isn't like he had proof against it, either. He'd always felt off since the events. His entire physical appearance had changed. Some even say that his demeanor did too. Even just looking at his alternate, there's a basic shift in how one approaches situations-- where he'd accepted the depression resulting from his actions, his alternate had been full-out under the thrall of an underworld god of sorts, and still tried to put on a cheery attitude, it seems. He couldn't imagine doing anything like that, anymore, himself.
Not that he didn't remember doing it before. That when things went wrong, he'd put on a smile, maybe focused on something else, anything to disregard the sting.
But these days, it took all of his energy to just not collapse into one spot.
Maybe, just maybe-- it was something he should try to examine more objectively.
Of course, those thoughts vanished soon as he got home, and once saying his thank you and goodbye to Labrys (who had otherwise insisted on staying around to keep watch-- he managed to talk her down to standing guard outside for an hour), he entered into his home.
And proceeded to collapse upon the couch, not even bothering to do the routine of getting ready for bed.
If I am really just the Artifact Scythe-- he tiredly thought to himself, before drifting off to a restless sleep-- I really should've done better than dealing with this tired, human body.
--
[Tarou, Some Weeks Ago]
"You shouldn't be alive right now."
Tarou sat on the bed, almost taken aback at the frankness of the doctor speaking to him.
"You know, that's usually not how medical check-ups start up, in my experience."
"You'd fool me that you've had check-ups before." The doctor had with him a thick file-- he was told to do any tests possible to ensure the health of Tarou before he could begin rehabilitation and then custody release, especially after the three-week coma he had gone through. And by the expression on his face, he wasn't entirely eager to start on either.
"Technically, you're put together. By any lengths, you'll probably live a very long, healthy life." The doctor opened up the file. "However, by how these X-Rays and scans have gone, all signs point to you having been through several injuries that should not only have paralyzed you, but likely been mortal wounds."
He seemed to go down the list of noted injuries. "Fracture lines, shattered pelvis, ribs, arms, feet, spine--"
"Oh, yes, I know that last one." The doctor gave him a bit of a stare for a moment, before Tarou just waved his hand. "Uh, just continue."
"-- signs of skull fractures, signs of stress to the organs, including the heart and lungs, signs of starvation and dehydration previously, signs of previous infections--"
"But you say I'll live a very long, healthy life."
The doctor sighed a bit, closing the file again. "You probably will. It boggles me, but-- all of these things are just that: signs. Signs of things that did probably happen, but seem to not be having any effect on you otherwise. It's like you just simply survived these things, and your body healed itself back up like it was nothing more than a sprain, or a cough."
He did, however, take out one thing from the file. The X-Rays of Tarou's back.
"I am concerned by your spine, however. There's multiple signs of fracture along it-- looks like whatever you did to it that you apparently know about, it healed, but it didn't heal quite right enough to be solid. If you're not careful from now on, you'll likely end up crippled. Alive, sure. Healthy, technically. But stuck to using a cane or a wheelchair, if you even get the chance of being mobile."
He then also gestured to Tarou's left arm. "There's also that weird scarring on your arm. Looked kinda like cuts. Now I'm not gonna jump to conclusions about what it was, but--"
"Oh, you don't need to worry. That was a tattoo. It's been removed, that's all." Tarou rubbed the back of his head. "There's nothing more and nothing less about it, if that's what you're concerned about."
The doctor didn't seem to fully buy it, but he decided to nod and accept it. No helping someone who doesn't want help. "A tattoo, huh? Fine. Probably better you got it removed then, people don't usually take kindly to tattoos in general." The doctor let out a tired sigh, getting up.
"With these things in mind, I'd like you to do physical therapy before I can authorize your release. If the signs get worse, we may need to discuss further medical intervention for your spine. You'd need some time to recover, anyway. You've been prone for three weeks straight."
Tarou couldn't deny how stiff he was after being in a bed that whole time. He wasn't even vaguely aware of anything during those three weeks. It was like he had blinked and suddenly woke up in the hospital, like no time had passed at all. His limbs felt weak though, and it was the most immediate sign of his stillness until that point, along with the sore sensation all over his body.
Yes, physical therapy... was probably the best possible option for now, even though he felt a little like he didn't have time at all. Best to nod and accept, and smile.
"Right, of course, doctor. You'd know best about this."
[Post]
Soooo, good news is, I'm cleared for release-- with supervision, of course, considering the ongoing situation of ensuring that I no longer have any presence of a god inside of me, and all that.
Bad news is, as far as the doctors are concerned, I should've been, at minimum, full-body paralyzed, not to mention the atrophy from the three weeks I was dead to the world anyway, so I'm going to need to go to physical therapy until further notice.
I've also been recommended to a specialist who handles more "unusual" cases-- has anyone ever heard of "Samasu, Souha"? Funny that they share Professor Samasus' name.
Both of them, in fact!
no subject
Samasu, Souha is a doctor that deals with medical issues that can arise from more supernatural elements and unusual cases, like you said. It would definitely be worth going to see them.
no subject
Not that I have much of a choice here, of course. It is the doctor's recommendation, and there aren't much in way of specialists, I suppose.
By the way, once I'm recovered enough, there is-- apparently, a small clean-up issue I might need to take care of.
no subject
A clean-up issue?
no subject
I had sorta guessed it with my resistance against the idea, but he'd made marks around Duel Academy island, too.
And while he isn't here anymore, it might be best that nothing else takes advantage of them.
Only problem is, I have a sinking feeling that some of them are underwater, and I'm decidedly not able to survive that anymore without oxygen tanks.
no subject
Once you feel up to it, I'm more than happy to give you any help in dealing with those.
no subject
I might be able to see if I could summon a monster remotely when it comes to spots like that, but I can't really do anything if I can't see where I'm aiming, either...
no subject
For now, though, just concentrate on the physical therapy and we'll figure out how to deal with those marks once you're physically up to it.
We'll count it as the first thing we'll be doing with your rehabilitation.
no subject
Funnily enough, I think I basically said along the lines of the same thing to Chacu before he got exorcised, anyway.
no subject
Yes, they're a well-trained medical specialist for supernatural cases that are outside the scope of doctors. Bit of a recluse at times, socially and personally, but professionally, it's pretty hard to say you'll be in bad hands.
no subject
Still, going to have to get a handle on some other things. I'll admit, it's going to be trouble not being as sturdy as I was, before.
no subject
Sturdy, huh? Well. One of the many problems of being decidedly closer to mortal after a god has been co-piloting your body. But... hm.
no subject
Do you have some thoughts about that point?
no subject
A bit of one, yes. Now, strictly speaking, none of this will be put forward until after you've got a clean bill of mental health and Juudai can confirm there's not even a slim chance that Challhua - or anything that remains of them - is going to take you for another spin. But... well.
Tell me, did you ever chance to look at the market for professional dueling equipment?
no subject
Oh, nope, not at all.
Between being a Psychic Duelist and also avoiding dueling general, since-- well-- big whale pressing on my spine to summon him every opportunity in order to eat the soul of my opponent-- equipment has not been something I had looked into.
no subject
Right, well, during the Action Dueling boom, there was a need for protective equipment among Action Duelists - especially as there was some, shall we say, rather unorthodox practitioners that were more aggressive than others. It's marketed as the 'Duel Guard', and has a secondary market for those who wish to change themselves cosmetically during the course of a duel using hardlight projectors.
...The Duel Guard just so happens to be designed by myself and came out of OOPARTS' research. So, if you need equipment to assist you in cleanup, I believe we can come to some sort of arrangement.
no subject
Yes, yes, this might be something workable. Chacu Challhua definitely took advantage of my body's, ah. Virtually impervious nature to get to places most people should not have been, admittedly, so anything that could help with this...
no subject
It requires some initial calibration, of course, as you would no doubt suspect, and the Duel Guards on the market are only rated for, at best, regular Duels sans limiters - nothing quite as dangerous as Dark Games or Signer Battles - but OOPARTS' less supernaturally capable officers make use of Duel Guards with higher ratings in the field, and should this go as I suspect, I can make a case for making sure you're equipped with one on a provisional basis.
no subject
I just wonder, hnmm... With supervision, of course, I'd like to actually examine this "Duel Guard" and see how it interacts with Psychic abilities, since I believe "hardlight" is similar to what is used these days for the hologram system for Duel Monsters, irregardless?
no subject
I have actually not had the chance to see how higher rated models interact with a Psychic Duelist - my own usual contact for such research is notoriously flighty, as it happens, and beyond certain boons, I am decidedly mundane in that regard.
Which is to say, once you're cleared by Juudai and the others at Spirit-Arcadia, I would have no problems with you coming to OOPARTS to see my research and test its limits in that regard, as it would be invaluable to me, as well.
no subject
no subject
It's been a long time since I had a contemporary in a field to collaborate with, at least, so I'm certainly excited as well.
no subject
Much as it is my name, until something is resolved with my alternate, I'd rather avoid unnecessary confusion. And he doesn't really seem willing to confront me about this.
Which is fair, if we confronted each other properly, we might kinda "eat" the other.
no subject
Yes, then, Mr. Satou, I will be expecting you to keep in touch.
no subject
"I've also been recommended to a specialist who handles more "unusual" cases-- has anyone ever heard of "Samasu, Souha"? Funny that they share Professor Samasus' name."
They're my spouse.
no subject
I have never heard of your spouse before.
no subject
As my cousin said, Souha's a bit of a recluse. They stay inside a lot, reading and taking care of our son as more of the immediate 'at home' spouse, but they are a fully accredited doctor with regards to supernatural patients and very well versed.
no subject
Have they dealt with "people who were previously effectively immortal and now have to deal with the actions they took during said immortality" before?
no subject
I don't think so, but it'll prove an interesting challenge.
no subject
Related to my issues at hand, can you please put me into contact with people who can handle my suggestible existence?
And also maybe someone who handles real estate since I guess I should figure out where to live.
no subject
As in legal paperwork? I'll send you a contact number.
You should look with the realty subsidiaries of Kaiba Corp and Leo Corp, as well the Tokei Group's offices or with Kiriya Rentals.
But get your legal paperwork in order first, dear.
no subject
Who would you actually suggest for realty, in your experience?
no subject
I'll give you my daughter's address for the latter, but she lives in the "I'm a rich jerk gated expensive skyscraper apartments" part of town, so, wear a nice outfit.
I can't objectively say as the Tokei Group's owner is my middle school friend, and I go to lunch with the owner of Kiriya Rentals. Kiriya Rentals deals with more Duel Spirit related homes and apartments in Domino.
Leo and Kaiba Corps' realty divisions tend to be heavily tied into being means for their employees to get homes.
The Tokei Group well, it exists and is there and has a lot of money. And my friend might be the heir to a demonic kingdom, but I'm not sure even she's sure.
no subject
I'll keep that in mind. Sounds like there'll be some trouble-- any way you can introduce me, maybe? We are supposed to have lunches to keep you updated on my research once I get going.
no subject
I can introduce you to my friends, if you don't mind dealing with being in the middle of ladies at lunch/brunch.
no subject