Reigen would feel this day in his feet for days. If the way they were aching already was anything to go by, then they surely would.
The road wasn't the smoothest and the rocks and roots made the man almost fall more than once. Kinoko snickered every time he did from the shoulder she was sitting on. At least she weighted almost nothing.
Mob had stirred a bit, mumbled something and went back to sleep. Hanging on Dimple's mouth must've not been that comfortable, as much as the spirit tried to be as gentle as possible.
"It's not far now", Dimple told. He was using telepathy to communicate. Otherwise, he'd have to use his mouth which was out of question at the moment.
Reigen had jumped, spooked by the booming noise in his head. But when a chuckle followed Reigen's move, it was clear to him that the large spirit had spoken. No one else would be that gloat.
"Don't do that!" Reigen huffed as he dusted himself off. He had fallen on his behind, luckily landing on some soft moss.
"Sorry, sorry. Didn't know you were so delicate", Dimple smirked, albeit only a little, as much as his full mouth allowed. The spirit walked on, not even waiting for the man to recover.
"Humans are weak", Kinoko nodded from on the top of Reigen's left shoulder.
Reigen huffed in frustration. He really couldn't get along with these two.
The forest slowly turned much darker. The leaves on top of their head were now so dense that sunlight hardly peeked through. Moss as well as fallen twigs and leaves covered the forest floor. The air was much more humid despite it being a hot summer day.
It was like they had stepped into yet another world. Like the forest itself hadn't been enough for someone coming from a buzzling city. To be honest, Reigen would take this any day instead of the constant noise and pollution of the city. He should seriously move in.
It must've been something in the air that made everyone nervous. Kinoko seemed distressed as well, eyeing around her and inching closer and closer to Reigen's head as if to seek comfort.
Twigs broke under their feet as they walked. It was the only sound in the whole forest. No birds sang and not even a spirit came to greet them like they usually so often did. Mob usually pulled them out of their hideouts like a magnet.
Reigen couldn't really feel spiritual energy or such but he could definitely feel something. The hairs on his neck stood up and a shiver ran though his spine. Had he been alone and not on such an important mission, he would've definitely turned around and ran away.
Dimple finally came to a halt in front of a lake.
The lake wasn't much bigger than the one near Reigen's place. It seemed much more than the park's one though. It must've been in the air as well.
It was surrounded by trees leaning their branches down to touch the still surface.
The surface of the lake was crystal clear and no plant or creature seemed to live in it. Lone bubbles lazily rose to the surface, breaking the stillness.
It was so pure that if Reigen would've been told, he would've drank from it. He bet it would taste good too, like mineral water. The really expensive one.
Dimple circled the lake for some time before coming to a halt and lowering his body down onto the soft sand and rocks surrounding the beautiful body of water. Dimple then carefully brought his head down and put Mob down, right into the water.
Reigen flinched, afraid that the boy's head would go under and he would drown. Surely the spirits didn't come all the way here to kill the boy.
Dimple kept his nose under Mob's head, keeping it on top of the surface. The spirit's breath blew huge bubbles. It was almost like a miniature bubble bath just for the boy.
Reigen had to wonder if the water was cold. It surely looked like it, but it was summer and the air was warm. It wouldn't be logical at all, but then, what in this forest was. He was almost tempted to go and stick his hand in but he was afraid that he'd break the serene moment.
"This is a blessed lake", Kinoko breathed out. She must've just recognized the place. She seemed to be in a trace, staring at the water and the small ripples forming on its surface.
Most of the color had already returned to Mob's face. He looked much better.
Reigen let out a breath he had been holding. The boy would survive if the things would continue on as well as they were now. He sat down next to Dimple, keeping an eye on the boy for any signs of something being off.
"You're worried about him. Why?" Dimple asked.
The spirits sound didn't boom like usual. It almost sounded human, calm and collected. He sounded like an older man, a wise and calm one.
Reigen was taken aback. He had no idea that the large spirit could sound like that.
"Of course I do! Mob is my friend", Reigen told the spirit, dead serious.
Dimple really could be stupid and dense at times. Of course Reigen was worried about the boy! It was common sense.
"A friend?" Dimple smiled a bit. There was a hint of sadness there as the spirit held his protégé there on the surface of the lake.
There were fireflies dancing around the group now, circling and dancing in the cooling summer evening air. Their lights were visible because of the darkness around them.
"Yes, a friend", Reigen nodded, determination shining in his eyes.
Dimple closed his eyes, seemingly pleased with the answers.
"Shigeo came to me when you had first met", Dimple suddenly began a monologue, "He came to me asking for advice. I had always told him that people were evil and could do nothing but hurt each other."
Reigen couldn't help but shrug. That was pretty true. People were really good at hurting each other. Even with just words they could wound you mortally.
"Shigeo asked me if this one man could actually be nice. If he could talk with him, become friends with him", Dimple smiled at the memory. If he had only told the boy no back then, the outcome now would be a lot different.
"What did you tell him?" Reigen asked, sensing the spirit's melancholy.
"I told him nothing. Only humans can judge other humans", Dimple opened and turned one eye towards Reigen, "Shigeo could decide on his own."
"And he decided to talk to me", Reigen concluded.
Dimple nodded, minding the boy still on his nose, "That was my worst mistake. There was no holding him back after that."
"Kids grow up fast."
"They really do. Too fast."
"This is a sacred lake", Dimple spoke as they had sat in silence for another half an hour or so, "I brought Shigeo here when I first met him."
Dimple could remember how small the boy had been back then. If Dimple had tried to carry him the way he did now, he could've very well accidentally swallowed him. Not that he hadn't had the plan to do that back then.
Mob had slept the whole way to the lake that time as well, curled in his small basket surrounded by blankets and leaves the spirits had put there to keep the baby warm and comfortable.
The goddess of the lake adored humans, especially children. She would often guide lost children back home and keep them company. She appeared to them as an old woman, very gentle and kind looking. One that you would definitely let your kids close to.
She had been visibly upset when Dimple had told her that this child had no place to go home to anymore. The spirt told her the whole story. Everything he knew at that time that was.
Mob was a sacrifice, thrown away and abandoned by his village and family. The child had done nothing wrong. He had just been himself and suffered the consequences. Shamed by his family, hated by the whole village, the child would've been dead if not for the parents' move.
The child had been lucky. If Dimple wouldn't have been going through the borders of his territory that autumn, the boy's life would've ended before it had even properly begun.
The lake's spirit had lowered her head in sorrow, taking the basket from Dimple onto her lap. She moved the blanket away and brought her hand down to stroke the boy's cheek.
Mob had woken up, groggy. He had then yawned and taken the hand to his small ones, smiling wide. He wasn't even the slightest bit worried. Someone was finally showing him the love he so badly wanted.
"You poor child", the spirit had said, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, "Abandoned by those who should love you the most. Hated by those who should be your best friends. What terrible luck you have, my child."
"A human's life is fleeting. He won't last long", Dimple had simply told the spirit.
It was the truth. The life expectance of a human hadn't been that long back then and Mob's would be even shorter. Time flowed differently for people and spirits too. Mob's life would be over in a blink of an eye for the spirits around him.
"Dimple, will you care for this child?" the spirit had turned to Dimple, huge, ugly tears flowing down her cheeks disturbing the surface of the lake, "Will you love him like the father he will never have?"
"Would I have brought him to you if I wouldn't?" Dimple had simply told her, smiling a bit, "Besides, if I would say no now, no spirit here will respect me anymore."
"I trust you with his life", the spirit had said, kissing the baby's head before handing the baby, basket and all, back to Dimple, "Kageyama Shigeo, you are now one of us. Be loved and love. Life your life to the fullest."
"She came to hate humans after that. Learning what they had done to Shigeo, she couldn't love them anymore", Dimple explained, "She was finally consumed by the hate and rot. I had to kill her myself."
"She became an evil spirit?" Reigen confirmed.
"Yes. But the lake couldn't be tainted, it still remained. Her lake, the lake of life. Water is the life source of everything living and growing here."
"So, what are you exactly going to do to Mob? Are you going to kill him?"
"I already told you. Shigeo will have to become a human", Dimple told him. He sounded quite disappointed but didn't let it show, "This lake made Shigeo a spirit. It can surely turn him into just a human again."
"Is that necessary? Mob will not die if he remains here", Kinoko pointed out, "If he does not exit the forest, he will be alright."
Everything suddenly became clear to Reigen. Dimple wasn't doing this for himself or anyone of the spirits around them. He was doing this all for Mob. He was trying to do as Mob would want.
"You're making him a human because you can't keep him away."
"Correct. It was really a curse that Shigeo ever met you. I lost any control I had over him", Dimple told him, "Children really grow up too fast, but I guess that every bird has to fly out of their nest someday."
"It's been hundreds of years. I think it's fair to say that you should let go already. You got some issues, man", Reigen huffed, crossing his eyes and rolling his eyes playfully.
Dimple smiled a bit as well, only giving a little nod as a reply and a sign that he agreed. It was as if it was hard for the spirit to say and admit it all out loud. He really wasn't ready to let go of the boy just yet.
"Shigeo won't remember me when he wakes up", Dimple spoke under his breath, "He won't remember any of us."
"But why?!" Reigen screamed. Had he known this detail they could've talked things out and worked out something good for both sides. This was just unfair. Reigen didn't want it to end this way.
"It's better this way. Trust me."
"No it's not! Mob really loves you guys!"
"He needs to move on. Grow up."
"Will you really be fine with this Dimple?! Kinoko, what about you?!"
The mushroom spirit just turned away, not wanting to answer. She couldn't be honest even if she wanted to. Of course it was for the better if Mob forgot about them and his life in the forest. He could start anew and begin living with the humans, as one. It would really be the best for all of them.
"Take him with you, to a hospital", Dimple told Reigen, pulling Mob out of the lake and placing him on Reigen's awaiting hands.
It was almost as if the boy had grown a bit. He had definitely gained some weight while soaking there.
"I'll only get in trouble if I go into a hospital. They'll ask me about Mob and why he has no papers at all."
"We'll take care of that. Think of it as a parting gift", Dimple told him, nudging Reigen to leave already.
As told, Reigen ran straight into the nearest hospital with the boy in his arms.
Mob still hadn't woken up and the nurses got straight into business as they saw the state the boy was in.
Mob was still wet from his little dip in the lake. His skin had a slight red tint on the cheeks. He must be running a fever now. How jolly.
Reigen and Mob were guided into a small hospital room where Mob was first give a check-up on all the things that could be tested while the boy was unresponsive. The boy was then hooked up in several machines all measuring something vital.
Reigen was told to stay with Mob in case he woke up. The boy would definitely want to see a familiar face instead of one of the nurses or a doctor.
The thing with the missing papers was spoken about with the head doctor who also took brain scans and other more throughout tests of the boy.
Reigen lied that he had simply lost the papers as he had moved and couldn't find them in time. He hadn't wanted to risk his son's life because of some pieces of paper.
The doctor had agreed, only glad that they had made it in time. Surely a child's life is more important. He promised to make a set of new papers for the boy. He'd have them ready by the night so that there would be no more trouble with the nurses or other staff of the hospital. They always liked to ask for the papers to identify the patient they were working with.
And just as promised, the man had returned just as Reigen was enjoying his first taste of bland hospital food for dinner.
"Here we go. It was Kageyama Shigeo, wasn't it? You have a different surname?" the doctor asked as he handed the official documents to Reigen and made him sign a few papers as the adult and guardian of the patient.
"It's from the mother's side. Guess mine was too ugly or something", Reigen tried to play it off as a joke. He should've given Mob his surname when asked. Stupid.
Reigen and Mob's stay in the hospital was a peaceful one.
Mob woke up on the second day and the two were off right away. They wouldn't wait until the officials arrived, found out about the unknown boy and began asking all kinds of questions.
Just as Dimple had told Reigen, they moved right away. Out of the city and into an old house on the edges of the forest. It had been vacant for a long time but the spirits had all kept it in shape.
Dimple had made the many spirits of the forest clean the place up for them as well and fix the possible things broken. He had actually shown Reigen the place, telling him to move in there with Mob once the two were ready.
It was an old Japanese house with tatami floors and all. It only had one floor. Near the ceiling there was a small space for storage. There were a living room and a kitchen. The mattresses were stored away for the day and taken out when night came. There was no need for an actual bedroom. There was a tub in the kitchen that could be heated by lighting firewood under it. Like a hot tub but just not that modern.
The place didn't have electricity at all actually. Reigen might fix that in the future or not. He quite liked the feeling it gave.
The truck drove off, leaving the last of the duo's things for the house. They were now officially ready to move in.
Reigen pushed the front door open. It made a loud sound and finally opened, revealing the vast living room. Dust particles danced in the late afternoon light.
Reigen rolled up his sleeves.
"Welcome home, Mob. We have some work to do."
The boy was staring at the space in front of him, giving only a small nod as a reply.