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

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Mob. Mob. Mob, Mob, Mob. Of course we're not. It's omotenashi."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Omotenashi?" Mob echoed.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"It's the art of selfless and whole-hearted hospitality. A sacred art that goes beyond mere customer service. Respect, attention to detail, personalized service, anticipating your client's needs--these are values we practice in our own craft, too."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Huh." Maybe Reigen was right. "So then should we be using '-sama' for our customers too?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"No, no. That's different."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob blinked over at Reigen. "What makes it different?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"It would be too much if people like us did that. Think about it--we'd just come off as shady try-hards."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"But you don't think they're being shady try-hards?" Mob turned to look at the space the woman occupied a few minutes before.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Of course not! Otomenashi is a broad custom with different practices among different industries, Mob. What may fly in one would be weird in another. It's all about context clues."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob frowned. "I guess I don't really get people." Again spoken as a statement-of-fact rather than a self-criticism.

"Welcome to the Sumitada Ryokan!" The man's booming voice drew Mob's attention to its own immediately. His voice sounded exactly like he looked. Though he was middle-aged, he was clearly quite strong, with broad muscular shoulders that Mob envied. He also looked a lot more energetic than Mob felt, even though they spent most of their day traveling. "I trust you had a safe trip here!"

The woman behind them didn't echo much of that energy, though she managed a smile as she set two cups in front of them. Mob watched as she carefully poured their tea. Though she looked focused, she managed to look not-there at the same time. It puzzled Mob. It was really strange.

"We've prepared our best suite of rooms for your stay, so we hope you find the time to enjoy your stay here even as you work. We've taken the liberty of booking a few things for you tomorrow if you manage to finish your work today. Fully paid for, of course."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“You’re far too kind.” Reigen bowed his head and graciously framed his mug of tea in both his palms. “While we fully intend to work efficiently, we also intend to work as thoroughly as possible on a case as big as this.”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob's gaze followed the girl even after she finished pouring their tea and set the teapot down in front of them. She hovered nearby, her gaze so firmly set on Reigen that she didn't even seem to notice Mob was staring back at her in turn.

"Of course, I had no doubt after the recommendation we received," he said, settling down across from the duo. "Oh, how rude of me. I'm Hata, and over there's my oldest daughter, Asa."

Asa bowed deeply.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen took a sip of the tea, clearly savoring it before shooting a smile to Asa in particular. “Thank you for making my protege feel so welcome during his first time here. And I must say, this is delicious. In fact…this is the most finely brewed tea I’ve had in a long time.”

As he took another sip he gave Mob a small nudge beneath the low table. Bow back was the clear message.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

It took a moment for Mob to get the cue, but when he did, he bowed so deeply that his forehead almost hit the table in front of them.

"Did you have the chance to see the castle on your way in?" Hata gestured out the window. In the distance, swallowed by mist, they could just barely make out the figure of a castle.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen’s eyes followed Hata’s gesture. He had to admit to himself that there was something distinctly fascinating yet eerie about the castle itself looming ever-presently in the distance.

“Not up close...yet. My student and I were going to get settled and conduct our first formal site visit today. Of course, we’ve spent a good amount of time acquainting ourselves on the stories and rumors.”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Once Mob sat up, he half-listened while he stared at Asa, trying to get a feel for what was off about her.

"Then I'm sure you already know the history of the Kona-Zanshō," Hata said. "And of the castle's most infamous spirit, Nagisa."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen nodded. ‘Such a gentle name for such a sorrowful spirit.’ That certainly had to mean something.

“The woman whose tears drown the castle…during our initial conversation you said the flooding has been getting worse than ever this season. Has something perhaps happened to disturb the site? Perhaps unruly tourists running amok?”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Hata nodded. "There is a small tomb within the castle -- we suspect that perhaps someone has done something to it. But with the flooding and the disappearances that have occurred since then, we believe that only an expert can safely navigate the castle and determine what is happening there."

Mob sipped his tea, watching Asa the whole time. She hadn't stopped staring at Reigen, either.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

It was important to look clients in the eye and today was no different—in fact, it felt even more important. Reigen looked to Hata, to Emika, then to Asa.

He was suddenly aware of the way the young woman’s gaze in particular lingered but somehow it didn’t feel at all unnatural.

“Your faith in us will not be ill-placed, I promise you.”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob finally averted his eyes from Asa just long enough to give Hata a single nod. Hata and Emika's appreciation was immediately palpable. Both of them bowed deeply at the both of them.

Asa, on the other hand, didn't seem nearly as appreciative, standing sullenly in her corner of the room.

"We can not begin to express our gratitude," Hata said. "Go ahead, finish up your tea. When you're done, my wife will show you to your room!"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Thank you." Reigen bowed and gave Mob the same controlled smile he gave their clients. "Deshi, what do you say?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Um." What was he supposed to say? It took a moment for the answer to register in his mind, but when he did, he bowed a little too quickly.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality. We won't let you down."

Mob glanced over at Reigen, hoping that was the right thing to say.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen seemed satisfied, and Emika gave a warm maternal laugh.

"We have a daughter about your age. She's out in the gardens right about now. Even at her age she's quite the young professional...and an expert on the local history. Please take a moment to say hello to her during your time here."

'Heh.' Reigen resisted the urge to tease Mob. "Doubling up on our time sounds like a good idea, Mob. Once we're settled, why don't you do that while I prep in our room?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Sure." Mob finished the rest of his tea and set the empty glass back down. "Thank you for the tea."

And with that, Mob left, sparing one last quick glimpse of Asa as he headed outside. Was it really okay for him to leave Reigen alone with her?

Well... if it turned out that a spirit was involved, Reigen would be fine. He was a spirit specialist after all.

[mp_npc]

~~

The gardens unfolded before Mob when he emerged from the sliding glass door. The sun was high in the sky but the tall bamboo still cast some dappled shade onto the mossy ground as it swayed in the breeze. To his left, a small teahouse was nestled beneath the shade of a cherry tree, accented by the perfumed scent of the emerging blossoms.

"Myaaaaaaaaaan." A tortoiseshell stretched out it's paw to give a curious bat at Mob's head from where it laid on one of the hanging flower pots.