Chapter 4: Cutting Algae Part One

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Texting was a pretty neat function. It was widely adopted by every teenager except the one he, Reigen, had so generously gifted a phone to do it with. Mob was diligent to a fault about picking up his calls, but texting? Still a work in progress. Mob was getting better, though. After all, how else was Reigen supposed to give him a heads up about big jobs before the end of the school day? Excepting the occasional friendly lunch break chat.

That was of course assuming the phone was still intact. After their chat last night, Reigen wasn't so sure. It wasn't like Mob made a habit of texting him first.

Reigen squinted at the clock on his second-hand laptop he'd just replaced the shattered one with. 12:05PM. He had found a decent deal on one in a flea market but there was something off about the graphics. Parts of the screen were always slightly out of frame and most of his day had been spent trying to uselessly dink with the display options until it was righted, but instead he just ended up with a resolution that was too small.

'Ugh. New laptop, and if we're really unlucky, a new phone? I'll just garnish it...' Reigen pulled out his phone and fired off a text to his pupil. You didn't get washed away, did you? Your phone's still working, right?

Comments

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Yeah, I haven't been able to use my spending money on anyone other than my family in a long time

[mp_simplyacommoner]

How gentlemanly! I accept. Send.

Of course I’ll return the gesture. Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

You don't have to if you don't want to Send.

But maybe you can grab some candy? Send.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Preferences? (￣▽￣)

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

How about Kit Kats? I'll let you choose the flavor.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

(｀∇´ゞ Send.

Have fun this weekend Shige!!!! Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Speak with you tomorrow Send.

Good night Send.

Mob snapped his phone shut and crawled under his futon. He'd have to be up early tomorrow for their trip, so it was probably for the best that he tried to fall asleep as soon as he could. He usually had a hard time sleeping when he traveled.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

~~

They had gotten a really early start that day. After all, in order to get to the ryokan by early afternoon with time to conduct their on-site investigation they had to catch the train that ran at first sun. Not only that, but Reigen was up even earlier for one very good reason: food.

Not just any food, either. No, there was a little something extra he hadn't told Mob about.

They had been on the train for a good hour or so. That hour hadn't been filled with much chit-chat, which was rare for them, if only because talking was one of Reigen's favorite things to do. No, truthfully, he was content to admire the beauty of the landscape once they were past the bounds of Seasoning City. The Ponzu Marsh wetlands were flush with water and greenery from all the Spring rain. Even if Reigen had been out this way once before for the inital consultation, it had been rainy then. Today the clouds had broken and he could see them reflected in the water.

He glanced at Mob, who had also been staring out the window. And then Reigen suddenly wondered if Mob was enjoying the view just like him. His face was as impassive as ever even as he nibbled on one of the many snacks they had gotten while they were out shopping.

"Ah!" Reigen bent over to his angular bag. It was the only other bag he had brought with him other than his suitcase. It was about that time to break it out the contents before they could sit for too long. "I think it's about time for a proper breakfast. What about you?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Breakfast?" Mob thought that the snacks were breakfast. The offer wasn't unwelcome, though, and the slight change in Mob's intonation from his usual neutral pattern of speech signaled Mob's version of surprise and anticipation.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"You think I would make my pupil vanquish evil on rice crackers and ramune alone?" Reigen produced a bento neatly wrapped in a green patterned cloth and extended it to Mob.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob took the bento into hand and unwrapped the patterned cloth. A green bento box sat inside. Mob wordlessly opened it, not knowing what to expect inside.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

The first thing that greeted Mob when he lifted the lid was a joyful frog shaped from rice. A thin strip of seaweed stretched across it's face in a broad smile and bright salmon roe delightfully dotted it's round cheeks. It's small hands were gathered over small slices of picked cucumber carved like a lily pad. It sat on neatly arranged food of all different kinds - smoked fish over an omelette, savory mushrooms, and even a kiwi sando neatly tucked away in it's own compartment.

In short, not the cheap bentos he regularly went for as a man on the go.

Reigen's eyes looked between it and Mob's face as he opened his own and suddenly he was second guessing himself. Did Mob still like this kind of stuff? When he was little he had a frog umbrella he carried with him everywhere in Spring. Funnily, he didn't even use it for it's intended purpose, electing to protect it with a psychic barrier...

"Hey, it's appropriate, right? We're over the marsh right now and all."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

For several long moments, Mob basked at the display of food in front of him. No one had ever given him a bento this cute before.

"Did you make this, Master?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"No, but I can fit a prodigious amount of food in a bento. ...Ahem. There's a place nearby me that takes custom orders. I picked it up before right before we got to the train station. Freshness is most important, you know? So, eat up."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Thank you, Master."

Instead of digging in, though, Mob fished his phone out of his pocket and opened the camera app, trying his best to frame the bento in the center of the screen.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen's lips twitched into an easy smile as he lifted the lid on his own bento. It was identical except for the fact his had an adorable fox. The smile disappeared when he saw Mob not immediately digging in. "...Mob, are you seriously taking a call right now?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"No, I'm trying to get a good picture of the bento you got for me."

Mob hit the shutter button, then gazed down at the picture. It might not have been as good as one of Teru's, but Mob thought it wasn't terrible, either.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Oh."

Mob...never took pictures of anything before. Did he really like it that much? Reigen rubbed under his nose.

"That's a decent way to commemorate your third-year anniversary with Spirits and Such."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob nearly dropped his phone. "Third-year anniversary?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Your Master keeps track of these things." Reaching into the same insulated bag, Reigen produced two still-chilly sealed glass bottles. Emblazoned on them was a humble print of a cow. They were both filled with creamline milk. Reigen gave Mob's bottle a little swirl. "A toast!"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob nodded and set his cell phone down on the table. He had never had a toast before. It always seemed like something that adults did. It made this landmark feel all the more momentous.

He took the bottle from Reigen. "What is it that people say before a toast again?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Kanpai!" Reigen didn't care for the noise level - after all, they were the only ones in that train car. Their bottles met with a loud clink! Eager to set the example, Reigen peeled off the lid and pounded the milk back.

Gulp.

Gulp.

Gulp.

He sighed loudly and slammed the glass on the table. "That's how you do it!"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob watched Reigen finish the entire bottle of milk with several long swigs. He wasn't sure he could manage the same feat, but he was going to try. It was a special occasion, after all.

It took more than three gulps for him to finish the beverage, and he felt his stomach churn slightly with the last swallow. Maybe he shouldn't have drank it as fast as he did. Even so, Mob didn't regret it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was our anniversary at all," Mob said, setting the now-empty bottle down on the table. "I didn't get anything for you."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"You reward me with your eternal dedication, Mob. Seriously, eat that all up, okay? You'll grow even faster if you do." Reigen waved his chopsticks at him dismissively. Generosity was even more gratifying when it was on someone else's dime. "Man, now that I think about it...how small were you when you first walked in...?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"One hundred and twenty-five centimeters." Mob was a lot taller now than he used to be... but still smaller than every other boy at his school, and even smaller than many girls.

Mob began to dig into his food, hoping that what Reigen said would eventually be true.