(no subject)

[takeuchi]

For the millionth time, you tell yourself this is absolutely, positively the last, swan-song singing, final, ultimate occasion you will allow yourself to be dragged on some sort of dangerous, stupid adventure, while being perfectly aware the finality of this assertion is equivalent to Cher's first farewell tour twenty years ago.

Someone has to keep your moron from dying.

You sigh, rub your temples, and put on your seatbelt before Gai slams onto the gas pedal again, and you both go screaming off into the night.

--

How it started is easy enough to explain. You met him in college, the typical clueless exchange student meets up with the shy, but friendly enough engineering student, and they both help each other around the campus. Nothing wrong with that! You both came with baggage, though. Crazy baggage. Crazy, suicidal baggage in his case, but that much is pretty obvious. Anyway--

See, for years, you've been a little unique in those ways that people remark on uniqueness in no positive way whatsoever. Sure, to the goth crowd or certain fanatics, being a medium is all well and good and even impressive in some circles. Unfortunately for them (and for you), TV's led to believe mediums are some sort of dowsing rods and sources of closure and happiness or a dark, deep connection to the world beyond and wrapped up in mystery.

You, however, are not. You're just a simple guy with a simple wish--be an engineer! Build robots! Machinery! Work on cars if it pays the bills! But no, there's always a rumor going around here or there even if you try really hard to keep it under wraps, then come the floods of questing pilgrims, looking to you for guidance and absolution.

You don't have that at all. Goodness no! Here's the thing about the dead: they don't have any answers, either. Additionally, being dead puts them in an off mood as well--none are nearly as helpful as you would think. Generally, it's all just business, and you're not the kind of person to lie to someone else, because, well, you're not that great at making stuff up. So, when someone asks you about poor, dear, great-great aunt Gertrude, the only consolation you can really give them is her (mediocre, might you add) recipe for pineapple-upside down cake, or that she's entirely disappointed and "Why didn't you go to a better school; goodness, you had so much potential!"

As it is not as glamorous as many would like to believe, people become disillusioned quickly, or think you're being a faker, but ultimately, they all just leave, and well, you're fine enough with that. You'd rather not be a disappointment, and you can focus on your studies. Win/win all around!

That is, of course, until Gai intrudes on your life in a huge way. Still, you're not so sure it's as big an inconvenience as you'd like to say it is. Really, you're glad he appreciates everything you can do, even if he has more use for your unusual talent, you really think. Gai tells you though, all the time, how awesome you are at cooking and fixing things, so maybe he's right. At the very least, he's a convincing debater.

You both become fast friends, fuss and fight here and there, and it takes a while for him to get around asking you about your other 'talent'. (According to you, it's a nuisance.) He does like anyone else but different all the same.

--

Sitting on the top edge of a low wall, eating a quick mac-and-cheese dinner you'd prepped earlier in the day, Gai tips his head at you mid-bite, swallows, and grins. "So. I've been wondering--if you don't mind, that is--no offense, but is it true what they say? Can you contact the spirit world?"

Somehow, you'd expected the question a lot sooner than it happend, but it was still wearying all the same. You sigh, "Yes, but it's not like a party trick."

"Oh! Nonono, I wasn't thinking it was. I just--I mean--I was just--aaah, okay, okay. I'm really interested in the supernatural. Stuff like ghosts, vampires, werewolves, Nessie, aliens!" He waves his hands. You suppose it wasn't his intent to offend. "But I don't mean like, it's a bad or a weird thing! Just. You know."

"Spirits aren't stuff, y'know. They're people. Dead people, but people all the same. If those others exist, they're probably just people too." You're slightly offended, you think. But you always are in these circumstances. You frown. Judging from experience, it probably looks like a pout, but you frown all the same.

"I never said they weren't! I'm just-I'm bad at this. I think that... normal folks, er, humans? Not that you're abnormal!--are kinda raised to think that's all weird and off and strange, but me, I want to know what it's like. I want to know and to be able to tell people like me, so those kind of people and animals can have better lives. Like positive PR!" He talks to you openly, and it seems genuine. Gray eyes focus on yours and he gestures with his hands animatedly, and you want to believe him. He certainly believes himself. Maybe you're too hard on him?

You relent a little. "So you want to be good press. Isn't that dangerous, though?"

"Well, yeah, but any good work is, I think."

"And where do I fit in? I'm not exactly special. There's plenty of people like me on TV and the radio. Is it just convenience?"

"Are you serious, Don?" He looks at you, like a wounded animal. You feel bad. "It's because you're my best friend. You were the first friend I made away from home. I mean, it's a bonus, but even if you weren't? I'd still ask you along with me."

"You're talking like this is some kind of adventure we're both doing..." You try to say it under your breath, and your brow furrows a little.

He hears it anyway. "Yup! That's it exactly. I talked to our advisors about allowing an educational study trip abroad! It'll be great for my journalism degree, so it was easy to talk them into it. Your advisor said you needed a little more worldly experience anyway, so she let it on through."

You suppress a groan, and instead pinch the bridge of your nose. Were you stuck with this? Yes. Yes you were. "And you've already taken care of the funding."

"Yup! We leave in the morning!"

"What if I'd said no?"

"I trust you! I knew you'd say yes."

And that was that.

--

The Intrepid Adventures of Ikari Gai, Catch-and-Release Cryptid Hunter.
The first page of my digital diary! Let's go!

The first post on a blog is always the hardest to write, I think. There's so much going on, a first impression, and setting a standard for yourself is probably the worst part! I think I'll just speak from my heart. I know my friends from the cryptidcentral.com forums (Hi guys!) all know this has been a long time coming, since I've been planning it for ages!

That doesn't decrease the anticipation at all, though, or even the apprehension I feel about chewing what I bit off. I guess the writing's the most worrisome part...

This is the first step on a journey that I hope will help many others. I want I'm lucky, because I have the best backup a guy could ask for, so I feel really good about this.

...To tell the truth, until he finally said he would come with me, I was really nervous this whole thing was a fool's errand. Since he agreed, though, it's all sunshine!

Somebody'll probably tell me that kind of thinking's a bad thing. But still, believe in us, too!

Bye for now,
Gai.