Chapter 1: Seasonal Sickness

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

'For the site of such a big job, it's surprisingly accessible.' That was what Reigen Arataka thought as he reviewed the map at the train station and he couldn't help but thank his good fortune. It was just a half hour away by bullet train with a straightforward 15 minutes walk through the woods. The more infamous places were usually at least an hour or two away even by train; the mysterious abandoned cabin deep in the forest, the cursed shrine up on the mountain, or what have you.

What was this job? Why, it was big of course--that's what he'd tell anyone who asked. The Shichi-mi Hotel. Of course everyone had heard of it. Hell, even his disciple who was pathologically out of touch knew the name... even he had only heard of it through the grapevine of his occult-obsessed classmates. Mysterious disappearances. Bodies never found. Yep. This one had everything. It still came up as a topic on the supernatural-focused image boards...and all the other completely valid insider's metrics for assessing these things.

His clients were a pair of high schoolers. Girls in their 12th year. They were pretty and well-to-do so it was that much more of a shock when they practically shambled into his office. They'd lost a bet to some of their classmates and that's how they ended up taking the last train to the abandoned Shichi-mi Hotel to stay the night. 'Christ, high schoolers are ruthless,' was Reigen's first thought. Usually this kind of hazing was reserved for your first year of college--girls needing to offload the stress of entrance exams, maybe? Whatever the case was he could tell right away they were sincere in their fear over whatever they went through.

And what was that? What did the stipulations of a high-school bet demand? That was the money-maker.

A single cursed elevator that takes you to another world.

So, that was his job today. Investigate the elevator and purge whatever horror it bore.

Well. His and his disciple's--his disciple who was taking his sweet time getting there.

Reigen pulled out his phone and his quick fingers went to well-worn speed dial button automatically. A few rings and he was patched through. "Hey, Mob, we're about to miss the train. Are you almost here?"

Comments

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Oh, Mob! Just in time. Good, er, job." Reigen cleared his throat towards the end there just seeing the state his pupil was in. He motioned for Mob to hurry and go and sit--waiting until Mob boarded before speed walking to the vending machine, grabbing two waters, and speed walking right onto the train. He sat across from where Mob had dragged himself and extended a cold bottle to him.

"Plenty of time to catch your breath on the way there."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Thanks," Mob said appreciatively. Master Reigen was truly a kind person. "I think I've forgotten... what job are we doing today?" Everything felt so muddled in Mob's mind right now. He was sure that all he needed was to catch his breath and he'd be fine.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Eh?" Reigen eyed Mob in disbelief as he dramatically leaned over to prop his briefcase open on the seat next to him as if to emphasize its mere presence spoke to the gravity of this job. In it was a number of mysterious looking objects that Reigen reached into--to produce a very plain looking bag of roasted mixed nuts. He reached took a handful to chew on before holding the bag out to Mob because oh lord did this boy need some sodium. "The Shichi-mi Hotel. We've been preparing for it for a week."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Oh, yeah." Now Mob remembered. How had he forgotten? Mob took a handful of nuts into his small hand and popped a few into his mouth. Tasty. He was sure that Dimple would like it... if Dimple were still around, that is.

"There won't be anyone there when we get there, right?" The spirit there was said to be really powerful. While between him and Master Reigen, Mob was sure they could handle it, there was no guarantee it would go smoothly. Mob didn't want anyone getting hurt if they weren't able to exorcise the spirit quickly.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Of course not. ...Is what I'd like to say, but I suppose I can't guarantee that. Too many amateur ghost-hunters and thrill seekers out there. Regardless, we'll be ever the consummate professionals. We're here to bring peace to evil spirits and release two very frightened young women of their fears after all." Reigen sounded completely certain of himself just as he always did.

Mob still looked a bit pale--ah, likely motion sick again. He tugged down the window with one hand for some air as the other reached for some papers tucked into the side of his briefcase. He produced a diagram--a floor plan of the hotel. He thought better of making Mob focus on anything in favor of briefing him verbally. "We'll conduct an assessment as we explore the grounds but what we're really going for is the elevator on the west side. And then--and this is important so pay attention--we have to press the buttons in a certain order. Whether it's ascending or descending is important, too. We can only move about at very specific times. It's essential to respect this ritual, so let me handle it all, alright? You just back me up."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob was somewhat relieved to hear that Reigen was going to be taking point on this one. He didn't mind working hard for his 300 yen pay, but he was still feeling worn down. If he was asked to press a series of buttons, he wasn't sure when to push them or in what order even if he was in tip-top condition.

"I'll leave it to you, then."

The voice over the train loudspeakers announced their stop in its usual neutral-pleasant tone, but Mob was so dazed it didn't even register to him.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

The rest of the train ride was quiet; after all, he did say that Mob could catch his breath. When their stop was announced, Reigen packed up in a snappy fashion and stood.

“Let’s go, Mob,” he said when his pupil didn’t immediately stand to follow.

When he exited the train, he was immediately struck by how quiet it was at this stop. It was just a station hugged by trees and minimally maintained trail heads on all sides. He never had a reason to take this line this far and neither did anyone else apparently since they were the only ones who got off there.

Even though the weather was pleasant there was still something eerie about how small they were against the green landscape. And they still had a short walk to the hotel itself.

“These girls came out here in the dead of night on a dare…imagine that.” Reigen unfolded the map to consult it on the best route to take. “They said they saw things moving in the trees before they even got there…these quiet places are dangerous that way, you know? Your mind will always try to fill in gaps with what it wants to see—-and doesn’t want to see. Remember that, Mob. As professionals it behooves us even more to discern between the paranormal and the mundane.”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob felt a tickle in his nose. Was that his allergies? He really felt like he was going to sneeze now.

His nose twitched reflexively, but no sneeze came.

"I don't understand why people do things to intentionally scare themselves," he said in his neutral voice. "Aren't there enough things to be afraid of in the real world normally?"

Mob was sure if anyone had an answer to that, it'd be Master Reigen. He understood people a lot better than Mob did.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"It's because the real world is scary that people are drawn to scary things." Reigen was relieved Mob was joining back in on the chatter as they embarked on the lonely path into the woods; he was quiet, but not as quiet as he'd been. "Horror movies...true crime...kimodameshi. They might seem silly or even perverse but they all serve a purpose. There's something psychologically reassuring about experiencing fear in a controlled environment. Of course, they can be indulged in carelessly. That's another important part of our job, Mob--we're here to imbue a healthy sense of respect for the supernatural into our clients."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob nodded solemnly, taking in Reigen's words with a certain gravitas Reigen was probably unaccustomed to outside of his apprentice.

"Then... did you do things like that when you were younger?"

Mob sniffed audibly.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Well, of course. I've even made a few dumb mistakes along the way, but I've tempered my spiritual mastery with time and wisdom."

Reigen checked the map again to make sure they were still following the right path. He was answered when they emerged into a clearing and a tall building was suddenly swelling into the sky before them. Reigen didn't have to consult the map to know immediately what it was. "There it is."

Yeah. Prime time spooky. The Shichi-mi Hotel was the very picture of kimodameshi. With its faded white exterior against the muted spring sky surrounded by encroaching wilderness it embodied the quiet eeriness of the landscape perfectly.

"You ready, Mob?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob nodded. "Yes. But Master... I don't feel anything." Normally, from this distance, he'd be able to feel the spirit, even if faintly. He only had trouble sensing the weaker spirits when he was this far away. And if the stories were true, this didn't sound like a weak spirit.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Huh.

"Not a thing?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob strained, trying his best to pick up something. Maybe the spirit had managed to mask itself? Some spirits did do that, but they were usually spirits who were less flagrant about flaunting their powers.

He felt another tickle in his nose.

"No, nothing."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

While Reigen was prepared for anything (of course) this would still be a surprise. Still, he didn't let it show as they kept moving forward to hotel.

Yeah. Spirits or no spirits, up close it wasn't any less spooky. He thought he could get a peek of anything inside but the windows were so obscured with dirt and dust it made no difference. Reigen mentally compared the visual to the opaque third eyelid of a snake.

"In any case...keep your wits about you. Just as we teach a healthy respect of the supernatural, we must foster a healthy respect of what ails our clients within ourselves."

Reigen dutifully pushed through the brush (sighing in silent exasperation at how many times his suit caught on a branch) to flank the hotel to its west side. It was said that explorers had carved out a direct path to the elevator via an old service entrance that way--ah. Yep. Right on cue. Those meticulous image board enthusiasts never let him down. An old service meter was mounted to the left of the door just as they'd described. It was as unassuming as any service entrance and it fulfilled its role in obediently opening for Reigen when he turned the knob.

Immediately, the sunbeams illuminated the dust suspended inside. Squinting, Reigen produced the flashlight from his briefcase and nodded for Mob to follow him inside. Not more than two steps in and something cracked under Reigen's foot and he pointed the flashlight at it--a pair of glasses and no owner in sight. He knelt to inspect them. The style was rather modern for a place that had been closed for some 50 years. "I'd say....someone must have lost these in a rush to get out."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

The dust tickled the inside of Mob's nose. He could feel the urge to sneeze rising rapidly now, even more than it had on the run to the train or even on the train itself.

62%... 78%... 86%...

"Yeah," Mob said, trying his best not to inhale through his nose so he could ride the tickle to its natural sneeze-free dissipation. "Probably."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

It was rapidly getting dark the further they wandered inside--the light from the door only went so far. Reigen dedicated his focus to illuminating their path for any more stray glass or protruding metal. Having ESP didn't make you immune to tetanus. "Stay close to me, okay, Mob?"

There were no signs of life as they walked a straight path through the hall that lead to the lobby--ergo, their destination. It was fortunate they could avoid any live crawlers.

"...Ah." His flashlight illuminated a fallen railing blocking their path in exiting the hall. Where did that come from? Reigen pointed the flashlight to reveal--ah, yep. A caved in ceiling. Great. It was about 10 square feet of damage. He jostled the wooden end--it gave just a little and creaked in the pile of debris. He made a face and stepped back to get a better view of it all, observing there was just barely enough room to slip through on one side if they crouched and hugged the wall. Weighing his options, he elected against disturbing their surroundings too much if they could help it.

"I'll go first," he sighed and rolled up his sleeves, inching his way through the small path he found.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob planned on staying close to Reigen before he even said anything. Not because he was afraid, but because he wanted to make sure to be the best backup he could be. Plus, no matter how strong you were, there was always a chance you could be taken off-guard. It was better if they had each other's backs, just in case... even if he was sure Master Reigen would be more than able to carry his own.

Mob's nose twitched again as he followed closely behind Reigen. The dust was getting to be too much... He probably should have expected this, but he never had problems like this before when he and Master Reigen traversed the old abandoned places they were frequently charged with exorcising of spirits. Why was he more susceptible today?

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen tugged at his own collar with a slight grimace. They further they went, the thicker the air got. Had a pipe burst somewhere? That wouldn't have surprised him, but at least he cleared the rubble and could back on track with the job--

"EIYAA!"

The shrill scream that echoed through the darkness was none other than his own. One moment he was upright and the next the floor had turned into empty air and he falling forward. He flailed wildly, he prayed, and he was rewarded with his hands catching the other end of the hole he just stumbled upon. Oh god, oh shit. He was like a cat with its back arched over a drop that he couldn't see the bottom of.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Master!"

Mob reached out and snatched the back of Reigen's jacket, clutching with all of his might. He pulled back with all of his weight, hoping that all of his training with the Body Improvement Club might save his master from almost certain danger.

He somehow managed to do it, though he fell over backwards from the effort, Reigen landing on top of him. The dust that littered the area was disturbed, suddenly clouding up the air around them. Mob opened his mouth as the dust hit his nose and --

AAA-CHOO!

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen grunted in pain as he thrust his forearm out to avoid slamming his full weight onto his pupil and nearly whited out from the impact of the cold floor on his funny bone. Small droplets of Mob's mucus hit his face and then--

CRACK

Something flashed and shattered, spraying debris everywhere and Reigen summoned core strength he was sure he didn't possess to block their heads with his other arm. Then, it was dark.

'Was that...'

"Mob, are you okay?" Reigen swallowed his pain and carefully rolled off of Mob. "You didn't hit your head, did you?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"I'm fine," Mob assured him, rubbing the back of his head. He felt another sneeze coming on and tried his best to suppress it, but --

AAA-CHOO!

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"You just, ah, grappled me there, kid..." That was almost harder to process than their flashlight spontaneously exploding but he had no time to so much as laugh to diffuse the tension when the ground started rumbling beneath them.

Shit, he hadn't miscalculated this badly, had he? No one mentioned anything about the first floor crumbling out from beneath them! And Mob--what was going on? The kid had been a little off all afternoon but he was seriously off now. It's like all his natural psychic defenses were completely offline. All these factors flashed through his head but there was no time to waste--Reigen set about to righting themselves but it was no use. The pool of debris beneath them shifted and rumbled like an angry wave and they were along for the ride.

"Mob, hang on--" Reigen got a facefull of dust and he coughed but didn't let go of his pupil's arm--and his instinct to protect their heads with whatever limbs he had free paid off when they were rolling into a sudden hard stop.

Sometimes, the best thing to do when you weren't sure what to do was nothing. Reigen laid still with Mob under a fine layer of debris until he was certain the floor would stop shifting before feeling in his pocket for a spare keychain flashlight--yep, too small to die. Great. He lit up the space between them and inspected Mob. "Hey, talk to me."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob snapped his mouth shut as his powers propelled them around, as if afraid if he opened it, he might inadvertently sneeze again and cause any further destruction.

It wasn't the first time recently that Mob's powers had gone out of control and though they were lucky enough to be in a place that was already in a state of decay, shame was beginning to overcome him.

What was all this training for if it only put others around him in danger? What was it worth if he destroyed the things around him?

Progress to Mob's Explosion: 18%.

He needed to try harder. He swallowed back the surge of emotions as best as he can and forced himself to unclench his mouth long enough to respond to his Master. He didn't want Reigen worrying any more than he was already. And judging from the edge in his voice, he was very worried.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "I'm really sorry about this."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Mob."