divinetree | big dumb nerds I MEAN VALENTINES DAY SHIPPY POST

[Shigeo will effortlessly destroy it, then, which has the spirit from his city shrieking and begging for mercy.]

Even if Mogami is still alive, he probably isn't strong enough after our exorcism... you should go back.

["Not a chance, kid, no spirit's gonna risk getting eaten by that guy. You should've finished him the first time!!"]

I should have.

My, is that what you say to someone when trying to appeal for mercy? That's rather rude, all things considered.

[Except, Joshua isn't quite smiling anymore, and his hands are now starting to glow. The light is warm and bright, but also a warning sign because, depending on how long this spirit has been in existence, they may or may not recognize it as honest to goodness heaven's light that's threatening to strike down.]

Kageyama-kun doesn't have to do anything, yet he does because he's a good person. If I were you, I'd be considerate that he even tried to oppose a spirit like Keiji Mogami, let alone risk his life doing so.

["Whoa, whoa, hey, hey, let's not be too hasty, I didn't realize there was an agent of the gods around here!" the spirit says quickly. "Come on, kid, let me go, I won't eat anybody, promise..."

Shigeo's still for a bit, but he'll let the spirit go, and before it can get snagged again it hastily disappears into the city as fast as it can go.]

He reminds me of Dimple.

["You shouldn't go easy on spirits just because you think they might be telling the truth, Mob," Reigen scolded, but it was halfhearted, and he pat his student's shoulder. "Come on. We've got a lot more to handle, and we're burning daylight."]

A friend of yours, I presume?

[Joshua puts his hands back in his pockets now once the spirit leaves, and before they go, those teenagers from before actually approach them, enthusiastic in thanking Mob for his help. They didn't hear what was being said to it, but they're very grateful that you were able to drive that spirit away.

Then one of them says something about how they've got things to do, and when they wave goodbye, Mob might see what it was that they were so concerned about when looking at their hands earlier--clear as day, a timer like you'd see on a digital alarm clock that's been etched into their hand, counting down to... what, exactly? They don't say as they instead take off to wherever it is they need to go now.]

[Shigeo looks at that, glancing at his hand just in case, then at Joshua's. He's lost in thought for a moment, trying to parse what he was just looking at.]

...Yeah.

["He's green, shaped pretty similarly to that last one. Normally you can't get rid of the guy."]

[Joshua doesn't have a timer on his hands, and thankfully, neither does Shigeo. ~~Just maybe don't get hit by a car and die if you'd like to keep it that way while you're here.~~]

I see. Perhaps he's paid a visit here too, if he hasn't been seen in your city for a little while.

[But otherwise, Joshua will cheerfully guide them around the city to spots where the spirits of Mob's city have been most frequently spotted. Some are still in one piece, but one or two have also appeared to have made the mistake of coming in contact with Noise like the one from earlier, forming other bizarre animal like shapes and colors.

They all seem to have something to say about Mogami, though one of the more ballsier of them (kind of literally though like damn look at that chin) at one point remarks "Buddy, I came here because if a freak like that was knocked down a peg by a kid like you, I don't stand a chance. You're more dangerous than even he is--"]

[Shigeo had been a mix of either exorcising the spirits or letting them go when they begged - it all depended on whether they seemed malicious or not. This spirit was pretty reasonable, and normally Shigeo would have released it - but he destroys it, too. The spirit's right... he is dangerous.]

...I wouldn't have exorcised them as long as they don't hurt people.

[He says it in a small voice, looking at the ground. Reigen pats his shoulder again.]

I don't sense as many spirits, Joshua-san. Are there any more you're worried about?

[Joshua is quiet for a moment, eyes closed as if he's listening for something in the silence around them. It's something he's been doing a few times during this ghost hunt, before he then opens his eyes.]

The disturbance that was affecting the city's music seems to have died down some. [Whatever that means.] I think it would be safe to call it a day.

[There's a pause as he checks the time on his flip phone here before he turns his attention back to Shigeo and Reigen.]

Are you two in the mood to eat? I'd be happy to treat you to some of Shibuya's most famous ramen dishes if you'd like... ah, in addition to what I'm already going to be paying you for your services today, of course.

Oh... that sounds nice.

[Reigen tries not to look too interested, but he's into it.]

I'm sorry our job exorcising Mogami caused so much trouble, Joshua-san...

Oh no, you don't have to apologize for something like that. If anything, I'm happy that it's given me the opportunity to meet people like you and Reigen-san.

[And that's not entirely false, either: after the game with Kitaniji, Joshua has had to replace his entire staff with new Reapers that he has to trust won't try to overthrow the Composer. And he certainly hasn't spoken to Neku or the other players from that game since then either... it's mostly just Mr. H he accepts calls from, and even that's a landmine of issues going on there.

He's also not supposed to be getting too sociable with the living, but then again, Joshua has never cared for that particular standard.]

It's been nice meeting you, too...

[Well, they can quietly walk to the restaurant or stand and settle for ramen... once paid, Reigen's pretty reasonably settled down - even if he's casting a curious, wary glance Joshua's way the rest of the day. Shigeo looks a bit too emotionally drained to worry about any of that.]

I'm surprised people can see you, if you really are a spirit...

[Ah, he was expecting this question coming at some point. Joshua stirs his (rather salty even for shoyu) ramen with his chopsticks before he speaks.]

I suppose you could say that I'm a special case: I can use a great deal of energy to project myself from the UG to the RG so that the living can see me. Unfortunately, it comes at the cost of being weaker in this form, should I come in contact with other spirits.

That said, however... [He pauses as he then points to something behind Mob's head with his chopsticks] If you look there, you may see what looks like a symbol. Reigen-san will likely see a blank wall, but you on the other hand...

[Will see this, a decal that appears to been placed onto the wall by the door. It might be a bit fuzzy-looking to Mob though in comparison to the way Joshua sees it, but once the other boy's eye catches it, Joshua will explain.]

That symbol means that this is a building that spirits with benevolent auras can enter and mingle with the living, if they are able to appear human. So I don't need to expend as much energy for Reigen-san to be able to see me while we're in buildings like this one, at least.

[Reigen just slurps his ramen thoughtfully at that, though he is trying to slyly catch a glance at the symbol. He... can't see it, no.

Shigeo stares at it for a little bit, before looking down. It seems for a moment like he has no comment, but eventually he does actually speak up.]

I'm sorry you died. You seem like you're nice.

[There's... not much else one could say, really, is there?]

[That... actually catches Joshua off guard, chopsticks frozen momentarily from where they had been about to pick up more noodles to eat here.

And then he laughs softly.]

Thank you, though I'm certainly not as nice as you are. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that about me before.

[And not just the calling him "nice" part either--not one person has ever said that they were sorry that he died, save for maybe his parents, but he had avoided them like the plague since the very moment he had crossed over. Not even Hanekoma; it was treated with a "congrats on becoming practically the god of a city", rather than either of them really acknowledging the sad fact that a fifteen year old boy decided that being dead would give him greater purpose and meaning than living would.]

I don't know why. It's never good when people die...

[It's always painful, and since there's an afterlife, that means it can get lonely and... well, for some people, it means they don't even get to escape what they were running from.]

I'm glad that you have friends.

[ahahaHAHAHAHA THIS IS FINE--]

Indeed! It'd be rather boring otherwise, frankly.

Of course, I'd also like to be friends with you too, if you'd allow me the honor of being one. It's not often that I get to converse with another esper, after all.

Oh... really?

["Don't act so surprised by that, Mob," Reigen chastises through a mouthful of ramen.]

Ah, sorry... I'll do my best.

[At that, Joshua actually honest to god reaches across the table and pokes Mob in the forehead and despite the whole "being dead" thing, somehow it feels real enough rather than his hand just completely going through the other boy.]

Oh no, none of this "I'll do my best" talk--just being a friend in general is more than enough for me, Shigeo-san.

I'm... bad at reading the mood... so I know I can be a little awkward.

[Reigen elbows him. "That's the point of you hanging out with friends, is learning how to get better at that."]

Ah... right, Reigen-sho...

[Joshua laughs as he discreetly steals a pen from off the ramen shop counter nearby with his own telekinesis so that he can write down his number for Shigeo to take.]

Perhaps sometime when we both don't have to work, I'll show you around the shopping districts here in Shibuya a little more--you look like you'd be a Le Grand type, or perhaps Dragon Couture.

[Or rather, Shigeo would look great in the clothes from those stores, to be more exact.]

Edited (hey self if you didn't tag at heck o clock you'd know that it should be telekinesis not telepathy) 2018-02-21 16:42 (UTC)

Oh... uhm. I'll try to save up...

["If he's inviting you on a date, he should be the one to treat you," Reigen flippantly adds, getting palpable confusion from Shigeo himself.]

[Hee Hee]

Of course. Otherwise I wouldn't be a very good date if I was planning on making you pay for an outing I invited you on, right?

[... I mean that is totally a thing he would do, but A. Reigen is literally sitting right there, and B. He would probably be in for a lecture from Hanekoma, if he isn't already, about exploiting someone like that.]

I'm surprised... I've never had a boy ask me on a date.

[Reigen looks surprised. "A girl has?"]

Oh, uhm... on a dare, yes.

[JUST... a sympathetic pat on the shoulder from Reigen. "Well, if you try it with this kid, remember you can exorcise him if he tries anything funny."]

[LMAO good luck with trying to exorcise us, that may prove to be harder than you'd expect...]

Really? I'm surprised--and frankly, disappointed in humanity as a whole for missing out on the benefits of dating a nice boy like you.

Psychic powers don't make a man appealing.

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