#serizawa you lucky bastard

[lilcan-ok]

flushing him down the toilet

[luckycloverforducks]

ThisisstupidthisisstupidthisisstupidthisisstupidThisisstupidthisisstupidthisisstupidthisisstupidThisisstupidthisisstupidthisisstupidthisisstupidThisisstupidthisis-

I'm never finishing this. Go away......

[reigenhusband]

Psychic Wedding Time!

Art by @/cowboyologist

After months of holding back, we finally tied the ole knot! Me and the conman are officially hitched today September 10, 2021!

This silly little blonde anime man means an awful lot to me and its really more than I can say. These months with him have been a great help.

When I went through some of the roughest things I've ever gone through, I had him to think about for comfort. He is a little part in what keeps me going and I wish I could thank him for everything. He sparks a lot of joy so I think I'm gonna keep him!

I've never been happier and I'm so lucky to call him husband! He's had such a positive impact and I love him so, so much.

Special thank you to my friends and of course our son Mob who carried the rings!

Under the cut is a little fic about getting ready for the wedding. Thanks everyone for your support!

Reigen squinted at his reflection, dark eyes hauntingly focused on a strand of hair that didn't take to the product he put in it. A grunt of dismay rumbled low in his throat.

"Um…Reigen?" 

"Just a second, Serizawa. Almost got it."

The taller man's voice wavered but he managed to hold fast and keep his confidence. Reigen could almost hear his hands wringing. 

"Er...Well. Its just...you've been staring at yourself for a little over 20 minutes now and you haven't moved and…"

Reigen sucked his teeth and pressed his palm firmly to the side of his head. Damned strand of hair! Slick like the rest of it! Don't you know know day it is?!

"What I mean is..! Are you alright?" Serizawa finally asked, his voice heavy with concern. "Since it's your wedding and all I figured you'd be nervous but you seem really on edge. Is something bothering you?" 

The blonde twitched.

 "W...what are you talking about? Of course not! I'm calm and-" He stopped abruptly and slammed his hands flat on either side of the mirror, his eyes wide and bloodshot upon inspection of his suit. A fleck of black thread pervaded his white vest and he looked around frantically for the lint roller. "You thought you could hide but you can't best Reigen Arataka." He muttered as he furiously went over his all but pristine wedding attire. 

His best man scratched his own cheek nervously and looked on with clear uncertainty. "If you're sure." 

Once he was satisfied after a thorough inspection and having Serizawa scrutinize the back, he dropped into a chair. Nearby was a table decorated in what was probably a thousand congratulatory flowers from clients. He exhaled and stared a hole into the arrangement of colors. His heart was pounding. His brow, coupled with his hands, were visibly slick with chilled sweat. His stomach was full of stones. 

He met his own gaze in the mirror again. He looked well kept and yet...disheveled at the same time. Come to think of it, his face was flushed the shade of his usual pink tie. The last 3 days without sleep also hollowed out dark circles under his eyes. His shirt collar began to feel more and more constricting as time went on no matter how much he tugged on it. 

Maybe he really was scared. 

He didn't doubt that he loved Mitty. In fact, he wanted to be with him more than anyone. A case of cold feet wouldn't change that. It was himself he was wrestling with here. 

Spirits, monsters, and deadly espers. He'd faced them all and came out on top. But they were nothing compared to these looming expectations to be a person to rely on. This wasn't something he could bullshit his way through. This was marriage. Mitty was going to see the warted underbelly of when he was Reigen the man instead of Reigen the psychic. His fiancé was going to experience sides of him he only revealed when he was alone. Would he still like him even then?

Reigen was good at a lot of things but this had to be the one that counted most. Could he really be a good partner forever? 

Was he really going to cut it as a husband? 

"Hey, Serizawa?" Reigen asked, not looking at him. 

The man's shoulders lurched at his name suddenly being called. He straightened his back. "Oh! Yes sir?"

"Do you think we'll be good together?" 

Silence sat heavily for a moment. Every second felt longer than the last. 

His friend seemed taken aback by the question but nonetheless looked at the ceiling as though collecting the right words to answer. "Well…"

Another moment passed and Reigen waited with his hands clasped and breath baited. 

"I've never been with anyone so I can't say for certain what a good relationship is but," A compassionate smile spread across the esper's face before he continued, visibly more sure of his words. "I think you and Mr. Mitty understand each other. You always seem to know what the other is thinking. You motivate each other to be better and you seem happy when you're together. And...and you trust each other too. And I think that's whats important." 

Reigen looked at the velveted floor. "Then…"  

"You've become more honest by being with him and he talks like you're really important to him. So please...get married if it makes you both happy! I think you can really be something!" His friend was beaming with 

what Reigen could only say was genuine assurance. 

"I really believe you'll take care of each other." 

His co-worker actually really was resourceful. Maybe someday he ought to pay him more. The uncomfortable feelings waned slightly and his shoulders slowly slacked. Mitty was waiting for him so now wasn't the time to lose it. 

After a few seconds of letting his feelings iron themselves out, he stood and smoothed his hands over his suit jacket. "Well alright then. If thats what you think then I guess there's no backing out of this one." 

Serizawa pressed his hands together in delight. "YES! I've got your back, Reigen!" 

The door into the hallway opened and a set of black eyes peered into the room. "Master, It's starting. Are you coming?" 

The jarring announcement had him scrambling to fix the piece of hair he'd been fussing with. 

"OF COURSE." He jabbed his thumb into his own chest to feign total confidence. "Right behind you, Mob!" 

He held his breath. Alright, let's do this. 

Mitty POV

Teal eyes darted around the room carefully. 

"Hey...Dimple? You there?"

The whizzing of the spirit materializing buzzed next to his ear. 

"Yeah whaddya want? You're on soon, aren't you?" 

Mitty jabbed his right hook into the air where the voice was coming from. "AGH WHAT THE HELL?"

A swift flash of green dodged his reach. 

"HEY, why are you hitting me?! You asked for ME, remember?" The ghost clucked his tongue in disapproval and floated a few inches away for safety. 

"WELL MATERIALIZE WHERE I CAN SEE YOU, YOU BIG BOOGER! I'm on edge!" 

"On edge? What for? You're the one who wanted this, right?"

"W..well….yeah, sorry." He looked at his clenched fist and opened it. "...sorry." He said again more thoughtfully this time. 

Dimple raised a spectral eyebrow. "Whats wrong? Having second thoughts? I mean it's Reigen so who can blame ya."

Mitty scowled while straightening his tie in the mirror. "Hey! REIGEN'S…." His voice softened closer to a whisper. "A pretty good guy. Get off my case. Aren't you supposed to be my support? You're being kinda harsh!" 

"Well kid, something is obviously on your mind so let's hear it. Wedding starts soon right? Yeesh. Once you do all this he's your problem forever." 

"I'm not worried about him!! I'm more worried about...me."

"About you? What're you talkin' about?! You're too good for him!"

"Thanks for the flattery. You still can't have my body though."

"Well I didn't want it anyways, ya bastard. You're weak compared to Shigeo. I'm just being honest here!" 

Silence.

"So? Out with it, What did you want anyways? You're talking nonsense here!" 

Mitty wrinkled his nose in discomfort.  "I just needed to ask something. But you can't run your mouth off like you always do, you old gossip. You're like a knitting circle."

"TCH. like I'd blabber your business to someone. It's all so boring."

"Yeah, yeah just listen, alright?!"

Another few seconds passed. "So? Say it. We don't have all day, you know."

He was looking at his hands again like he was somewhere far off. "Well. D...D'you think I'll be good at this?" 

"Good at what, exactly?" 

"Being married." 

Dimple's form rippled with thought. "You're seriously worried about that?"

Mitty was going to make a sharp remark but his head dropped and his face buried into his knuckles. "Yeah."

Dimple deflated slightly in exasperated defeat. Humans could be so ignorant. 

"Listen. That fraud never shuts up about you. You think you're not good enough? You should hear him talk. It's annoying how you both don't realize things."

"Realize things?"

He sighed and shrugged his tiny arms. "I hear everything whether you like it or not. You two idiots never stop talking and moaning about the other is too good for the other. It's getting old, really." 

"HUH? He says that? No way! But he's always beaten me at everything! I always thought he was way out of my league." 

 "Kinda the opposite actually but...sure. What I'm saying is…! You're both seeing the best parts of each other. Keep doing that and it'll be smooth sailing."

"Yeah but...what if he stops seeing the best in me?'

"You planning on making things hard?" 

"Not really. I just know I can be difficult to deal with." 

"So is he. You really think you got this far because Reigen's all roses and sunshine? 'Course not. You've seen all the stuff he does and you still like him, right?" 

He certainly was flawed, that was for sure. Mitty spent most of Reigen's antics with his eyes rolled up in his head but that didn't mean he wasn't enjoying the moment either. 

"Right."

"Then it's the same for him. Sure it won't always be fun but that phoney won't give up on you just because you're annoying. He's way too persistent. It kind of ticks me off." 

I'm annoying???  That stung but he shook it off.

Reigen was going to have to deal with him for the rest of his life once they said the right words. But if Dimple was right...would it be so bad to annoy each other for the rest of their lives if the other was willing to put up with it? 

Reigen seemed okay with it so far. Mitty would just have to listen to him make a fuss about his coffee table clutter until he died. But really, he wouldn't have that any other way. His voice was kind of cute when he hit that inhuman octave he had when he was in disbelief. 

The door from the hall swung open and a blond clad in what was perhaps the most blinding and loud suit he had ever seen poked his head in. 

"Oh, You're still in here? It's bad luck to be late on your wedding day! Master Reigen is waiting. " He cocked his head to the side. "Or did you need some help with your suit? Its looking a little plain." 

Hanazawa. This kid would try to accessorize his suit in the worst way possible. He put up his hands to wave him off. 

"N-nah, kiddo that's alright. I'll be right there."

Hanazawa, after a few more attempts to get Mitty to let him help retreated back into the hallway. When it was quiet again he eyed Dimple. He was abrasive and unpleasant. He always had a motive for everything and rarely had something nice to say. 

But he came through when it mattered. 

"Hey Dimple?" 

"Yeah? What is it?" 

"Thanks." 

Dimple wouldn't meet his eyes and levitated towards the hall. He didn't want to acknowledge he was helping, he supposed. It was in character for that tsundere blob.

"You ought to get out of here now if you wanna make it on time." 

He stood and dusted himself off. 

"Welp. Here goes everything."

[mustdang-100]

Shifting Perspectives - Ch. 7

Shou and Teru have a sleepover. Reigen gets some excercise.

Summary:

How many espers does it take to rescue one abducted conman?

Months after the events of the World Domination arc, Reigen disappears sometime between leaving the office and after-work plans. Serizawa finds himself the unwilling leader of a bunch of former Claw members and a couple of stubborn teenagers, determined to get Reigen back.

On AO3: <http://archiveofourown.org/works/11091201/chapters/31009659>

Tumblr: Ch.1|Ch.2|Ch.3|Ch.4|Ch.5|Ch.6|Ch.7 - below

Teru double-checked that Shou was indeed pointing at the nondescript office building directly in front of them before turning back to him in astonishment.

“That’s the government facility?”

“Yep. Tricky bastards, aren’t they?”

The building was one among dozens smack in the middle of Spice City’s main financial district, where the government had clearly chosen to hide their operation in plain sight. A bold move, but with all the upheaval Spice City had experienced in recent months, Teru supposed it made sense for the government to have a base somewhere local.

Teru crossed his arms, looking up at the shadowy form of the building. Despite a night sky clear of clouds, the sliver of crescent moon above provided very little light. There wasn’t a single sign, whether truthful or disguise, to indicate the purpose of the building to a random passersby. No window lights broke the uniform darkness stretching up above them, either, barring the chance for any useful movement indicators behind curtains or blinds. The building practically exuded unfriendliness and unwelcomeness.

This wasn’t really a surprise – Teru didn’t expect them to usher in trespassers for a cup of tea – but it didn’t make their objective any easier. He considered for a moment, ears pricking for any sounds beyond the rumbling and honking of cars, faded and distant at this late – or, perhaps, early – hour.

“Okay, we need a plan of action. How much do you know about this place? Have you been inside?” Teru tapped his chin. “Do you know how many espers they have? I’d imagine it’s more than just the one we saw in the video, especially if this is where they’re keeping your father. That means we’re going to have to-”

Teru turned to look at Shou. Or rather, the space formerly occupied by Shou, as Shou was no longer there.

“Yo, blondie. Follow me, we’re gonna attract attention if we stand around talking out here. Not exactly a normal place for two teenagers at four a.m.”

Teru followed the sound of Shou’s voice just in time to see his short figure disappear behind the corner. He followed Shou around the building, catching up just in time to see him stop before the front door of the building directly across the street from the rear side of the government facility. Shou dug a key card from his pocket and swiped it through a scanner; the door unlocked with a click that seemed too loud, echoing out on the dark street. Teru glanced nervously behind them, feeling suddenly as though they were being watched. He didn’t like having the shuttered government building at his back.

Shou, unhurried and unconcerned, trotted through the small, empty lobby and led him up to a vacant office space on the eighth floor. He ignored the ‘For Rent’ sign pasted at a slight angle to the door, and opened it easily with a second key from his pocket.

Teru cautiously inspected the wide, mostly-empty space inside, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling that their mission had suddenly slipped out of his control. However, he noted with interest the large windows conveniently overlooking the government facility below, which would make spying from this perch a simple matter.

“Hmm. How lucky for you, that this space just happened to be empty.”

Shou grinned. “Yes. Very lucky. Very lucky that the consultation business that was based here had a fit of ghostly interference right around the time I figured out where they were holding my pops.”

Teru couldn’t help but grin back. “Oh my. Must have been quite the serious haunting case to force them to move out. You know, I happen to part-time as an exorcist for an up and coming psychic corporation. Perhaps I could diagnose; what kind of spectral activity were they experiencing?"

“Oh, you know – important documents going missing, printers producing vaguely threatening messages directed to various employees, and the occasional ghastly wail coming from the bathroom. The usual kind of thing.” Shou opened a closet door, still smirking. “And for some reason, it always starts back up again as soon as anyone else tries to move in.”

Teru laughed.

The opened closet revealed a shelf stocked with a jumbled stash of nonperishable food. Shou ripped open a granola bar with his teeth and ate half of it in one bite before tugging a tangle of bedding and spare clothes from the lower shelf of the closet, dumping it on the ground. He spread a sleeping bag on the floor, then tossed a package of something freeze-dried on top of it to complete something like a meal, moving all the while with the careless confidence of routine. Teru was beginning to suspect Shou slept here very, very often.

Teru pulled a health bar of his own from his bag and leaned against the wall, tearing it open. “So, this is where you’ve been living?”

Shou paused in sorting through the pile of fabric to look up at him with narrowed eyes. “Only sometimes. I told you, I needed, I mean wanted, to know where my pops was being kept. Keep an eye on things.” Shou shrugged in a tight flex of shoulders, and turned to pull out a wrinkled t-shirt, sniffing it gingerly.

Teru frowned, mulling this as he chewed. “I still don’t see why you don’t just leave him to rot, he doesn’t deserve your continued interest – he’s not exactly the pinnacle of parental behavior. I.e., he kinda tried to kill us all- ohhhh, is that why?”

If Shou was keeping an eye on a potential threat… yes, that explanation made perfect sense to Teru.

“What? No… I mean kinda, but… Ugh .” Shou flopped back onto the sleeping bag. “Look. He was stupid, and horrible, and pretty much insane with power. I haven’t figured out what exactly drove him to the point of ‘I-am-so-powerful-I-must-therefore-be-the-best-in-the-world-and-thus-I-must-rule-it,’ because that’s so idiotic I couldn’t even begin to explain where that kind of thinking comes from – woah there, eat much? There’s some water in the closet, that’ll help with the coughing, breathe dude – but…”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Teru, still wheezing a little despite the water, occupied himself with very carefully examining the back of his own hand. His glittery purple nail polish had chipped on one finger. He mourned that he hadn’t packed that bottle so he could repair the damage, return the nail to its formerly pristine smoothness.

“I don’t know. It’s just, there was that fight with Ritsu’s brother, and some of the things he said after, and then he… he gave up , he, he let them lead him away. And he’s stayed . He doesn’t have to, I’m pretty sure he could break out if he wanted, he definitely could have at the beginning. But he’s staying locked up, like he deserves, like he owes to, to everyone, to society. He’s like… paying his dues, I guess. And it just… it makes me wonder, ya know? If he’s changing. If he’s reconsidering…”

Shou made an angry, frustrated noise, almost a growl. “But I don’t want to fall in the same trap I did before, when I confronted him! I was naïve enough to think he was still capable of change, before, when I didn’t know just how fucking insane, and how powerful, he was. But Mom says he didn’t used to be that way… And if he could change once, then maybe...”

Teru’s mind was roiling, burning with a need to explain… what exactly, he still couldn't formulate. So he chomped on his tongue and said nothing. The silence stretched.

Shou sat up straight in a sudden, swift movement. “Let’s just say, I’m curious, and leave it at that. Now would you leave it alone? I thought you wanted to get Reigen out, not pry into every little bit of my life. Next thing you’re gonna be asking me what my favorite color is.” He grinned, too brightly. “It’s red, by the way.”

Teru rolled his eyes, all too happy to end this conversation that had wandered into places he didn’t want to think about too closely. “Yeah, okay. So, what do you know about this place?”

“I’ve snuck inside once or twice. I made a drawing of the basic layout; or at least, the important parts. It’s around here somewhere, in the closet probably.” Shou stretched, then curled up in the sleeping bag. “I have some ideas, but let’s deal with it tomorrow. First, we sleep. I’m fucking exhausted.”

“Wait, what? But we’re so close!”

Shou snorted. “We are not , they've got all kinds of security in that place. We gotta think this through first.” He cracked an eye open, a pale blue slice staring Teru down. “We’re gonna do this smart, yeah? We know who has him, and where he probably is. No reason to rush it and fuck everything up now.”

Well. Teru could hardly argue with that without making himself seem irresponsible. And no one out-responsibled Teruki Hanazawa.

Shou grumbled when he realized that since Teru hadn’t intended to sleep until they found Reigen, he hadn’t packed anything to sleep on (“ That’s like, the most obvious thing. You’re slacking, oh Prepared One.” ). However, he did toss Teru what seemed to be the only pillow, and a giant blanket he must keep around for the winter months. Teru settled down to try and sleep for what remained of the night.

It wasn’t two minutes before Shou was snoring softly, a tuft of bright red hair the only thing visible from the nest he’d made of the sleeping bag. Teru gave up after half an hour of lying awake, staring at the ceiling. He pulled out his binoculars and examined the building below, but the dim light from the street lamps failed to reveal anything new from this angle. No sudden signs pointing conveniently to Reigen’s precise location, so that Teru could dash in, get Reigen safely back to Spirits & Such, and return everything to normal.

Shou turned over in his sleep and sighed. Teru glanced at him, a bit wistful. He uncrossed and re-crossed his legs, fighting the impulse to get up and pace. Instead, he forced his limbs to relax, hoping the twitchiness would fade on its own. He examined the empty office space again, first merely what he could see from that spot, and then jumping on the excuse of poking into the bathrooms and shadowy corners to get up and walk around. After a thorough examination, he sat back down on his blanket. He was immediately hit with the urge to check it all again.  

He slumped, pressing a hand to his face. By focusing on the mission and with Shou there to talk to, he’d been able to ignore or excuse his growing unease all day. But now he’d lost those foci, and could no longer ignore the issue without lying to himself.

Damn it. Fucking Claw.

Teru sighed, and finally acknowledged the irrational fears reawakened by Reigen’s abduction, which were never as buried as he liked to pretend. These were the fears of a hunted child, that had spawned habits of constant vigilance, and instant violence, and a push to grow skilled enough so that he would never have to worry about being a victim again. He’d be a hero like in the movies, made powerful -but unscathed- by his past. Or, so he’d thought.

Regardless, Claw was gone now, doomed by its own avarice. The monster that had conquered or devoured every esper it encountered, gorging itself on power and yet never reaching satiation, had finally run up against one who refused to be consumed. Shigeo had ripped the head from the beast, and Claw had crumbled to ash, its members defeated or reforged. Claw’s demise had brought Teru a peace he hadn’t realized he’d craved, and if he hadn’t owed Shigeo the world before…

‘…that’s so idiotic I couldn’t even begin to explain where that kind of thinking came from…’

Teru flinched. Shou had, without realizing it, just told him that his childhood boogieman was born from precisely the same ideas that he had once espoused to anyone who would stand still long enough. And given that he would make them stand still and listen, if necessary, that was quite a lot of people.

I’m not like that anymore, he told himself crossly. That’s the old me. I’m a different person now.

He wished he was as good at convincing himself as he was with everyone else.

Watching the building now, Teru couldn’t help but long for the reassurance of Shigeo’s immeasurable pool of power at his side. But then again, returning Shigeo’s master before he’d even noticed he was gone was a gift too good to pass up. Teru reassured himself once again that they’d certainly, definitely done the right thing by not telling him Reigen was gone. There was no reason he should feel guilty about not telling him. And there was certainly no reason why he should feel guilty that he wasn’t rushing in right now, right this very second, to get Reigen out. No reason at all; it was completely illogical.

Teru pulled his blanket over to the wall so that he could lean back, but didn’t have to lay all the way down, trying to trick his brain into relaxing enough to sleep. He watched the sky lighten, streaked with orange and red and pink, not a cloud in sight. The sun rose in jumps each time he opened his eyes from the light doze that was all he could manage, and Teru fought the inclination to wake up Shou just for the riot of complaints he knew would keep his own thoughts at bay.

***

“Ah, you’re awake. Good.”

Reigen turned to the door, interrupted mid-pace by the return of Nagata and the silent shadows of the guards.

As if you haven’t been watching me this whole time, you prick, he thought with irritation and a twinge of claustrophobia. He hadn’t quite been able to ignore the steadily blinking light of the camera ever since he’d woken up, groggy from either not enough sleep or too much. Without a phone, he had no idea how long he’d slept. Or even how long he’d been there.

I should probably wear a watch, he mused. All fancy businessmen wear watches, why haven’t I thought of this before. And then the next time I get abducted, I’ll be prepared -”

“Ahem.”

Reigen blinked. Nagata was staring at him, looking slightly miffed that Reigen wasn’t hanging on his every word.

“I said, I’m curious why you didn’t bother changing?”

They both looked at the set of fatigues, still folded neatly on the desk where Reigen had found them upon waking up.

“Forgive me, but I would have assumed you’d want to change out of the clothes you’d been wearing for almost two days. I'm sorry if they’re not quite to your… exacting tastes,” a sideways glance at Reigen’s cheaply-made and slightly-too-large suit, “but I’m afraid the only other spare clothing we have are prisoners’ jumpsuits. I thought you might prefer this…?”

He sounded almost wounded that his ‘gift’ had been rejected. Reigen fought not to roll his eyes. Yet he was startled to hear he’d only been here for a couple of days – it felt much longer than that. He also wasn’t about to admit that not only had he been feeling too vulnerable to give up his last remaining possessions, but also that a change of clothes into something so distinct would interfere with his plans. Instead, he simply shrugged and mumbled something indistinct, not meeting Nagata’s eyes.

Nagata contemplated him a moment more, face blanker than Reigen would have liked.

“Are you ready to return to our earlier conversation?”

“Oh… um. Y-yes, yes.” Reigen swallowed loudly. He wiped sweaty palms on his pants. “Yes, I think I’m ready.”

Nagata smiled in condescending approval. He waved the esper guards out the door, as he had last time, then pulled the single chair out and gestured for Reigen to take a seat. Instead, Reigen hesitated, and began tentatively.

“Listen, I was wondering… it, um, it would be nice to be able to walk around for a bit… stretch my legs, as it were, it’s a bit cramped in here… perhaps, we could take a walk while we chat?”

A line dented between Nagata’s eyebrows in an immediate frown of displeasure. “How about we have our discussion here, first, and then you can take a walk for as long as you want, all on your own?”

Reigen turned his gaze slowly to the door, behind which he knew the guards were standing. He waited.

“Ah, well, yes, but the guards will maintain a distance, of course. They’d be just close enough to keep you in eyesight.”

“That’s… you and I both know that distance doesn’t make a difference with… them. Sir,” he hastily remembered to add.

“Then we’ll come up with another arrangement.” Nagata’s words were too clipped, the information he wanted tantalizingly just beyond his reach. He sat in the chair instead of waiting for Reigen to take it, to reinforce that he wasn’t leaving.

Reigen bit his lip, and looked at the ground. He rubbed the knuckles of one hand with the other, then tapped his fingers against his thighs. He shuffled his feet, glancing at the door again and edging away from it, just a little, as though nervous of the people behind it even with solid steel between them. He looked everywhere but at the agent, who sat intently before him, his building annoyance crackling through the air. Reigen held the silence for five seconds… ten…

“I… I’m sorry, I… I’m not sure… I think I need some more time to think it over, after all…”

Nagata’s eyes narrowed. Reigen fought to not hold his breath.

Nagata studied Reigen, and tapped his fingers on the desk. Abruptly he stood up from the chair, straightening his clothing of nonexistent wrinkles. “On second thought, walking and talking is good for the mind. Promotes clarity, and reflection. Let’s take a walk, just the two of us, hmm, Mr. Reigen? The guards can wait here until we come back.”

Reigen hesitated again before speaking. “Ah… yes. Okay. Um. Thank you.”

Nagata opened the door, firmly instructing the esper guards to remain there while he took the nervous, powerless, defenseless captive out for a walk around the facility. He didn’t even turn to look behind him as he began walking down the hall. Reigen followed docilely behind.

To Reigen’s surprise, Nagata didn’t immediately continue pressing him. He simply walked, with an occasional glance Reigen’s way, but slowly enough that Reigen could study their surroundings.

There wasn’t much to see, as he recalled from the hazy journey to his cell. Blank hallways, devoid of windows and décor; no billboards for memos or morale-boosting friendly office betting pools. For that matter, he only saw a couple of employees. Another black-clad woman whispered something to her older companion as Nagata and Reigen passed, who shook their graying head. A young bureaucrat or secretary with arms full of a stack of papers turned a corner, took one look at the two of them, and turned to scurry in the opposite direction. Reigen had to bite the inside of his cheek to hold back a casual “Huh, you always keep so few employees around in the middle of the day?”

For the middle of the day it was – as they turned another corner, he got his first glimpse of gleaming sunlight in what felt like weeks. Reigen stared around in surprise; they were on the second floor of the building, with a railing separating them from the open air above a large, eerily welcoming atrium. Brightly lit with natural light, a wall of windows formed the front of the building, through which a normal city road and accompanying sidewalks could be seen. The atrium looked more like the entrance floor of a large bank than a highly-secure government facility, although it was as empty as the rest of the building’s halls.

Reigen couldn’t help a raised brow at Nagata. “Didn’t realize the government was so welcoming to prying eyes and public opinions on your operations. Say, what’s the general consensus on abduction? ‘Cause I’d like to add my two cents.”

Nagata ignored him, watching someone in a finely-tailored suit walk swiftly past on the sidewalk outside. “The glass is bulletproof, and one-sided – we’re not as visible to them as it appears. Nor as vulnerable.” He looked up, directly across the space. “For example, there are shutters, should we need them.”

Reigen followed his gaze, eye-level on the opposite side of the wall from where they stood. Sure enough, there were rolls of thick metal waiting to close over the windows at a moment’s notice. The sight was a shock in contrast to the atrium’s first impression, and he gave the large space a second look with a more critical eye.

There were cameras everywhere, on the ceilings, on the walls; some with obvious red blinking lights, and probably some he couldn’t even see. There were also several odd blank metal panels set into the walls – weapons lockers, perhaps, though his imagination could spin something worse. The panels blended in just fine with the tastefully bland decor unless you knew to look for things that seemed just a bit… off.

This wasn’t merely a front; this whole place could be easily turned into a conveniently-located trap. Reigen felt cold just thinking about the possibilities.

Nagata was watching him again, leaning on one elbow resting on the bannister. He had apparently decided this was a good place to continue their ‘chat’. Reigen, his rapidly-adapting plan whirring in the back of his mind, certainly had no objections.

“So tell me, Mr. Reigen – given that you’re in the industry of being a psychic without actually being psychic, I’m curious. Was it worth it to hire an esper employee, or do you find all the additional violence in your life hasn’t made up for the validation it provides for your business?”

For one horror-stricken second Reigen thought that he, that Mob , had been found out, until he realized Nagata was referring to Serizawa. Still, he didn’t like what those words implied; he paused before saying, slowly, “I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

“Well, may I be frank?” Nagata continued without waiting for an assent. “You seem more… cautious around espers than I would have expected, for someone on record for spending so much time with one in your daily life. But their world is a dangerous and vicious one, and I can only assume that having to deal with the messes a psychically-gifted thug instigates has led to experiences that taught you that kind of caution.”

Reigen turned away before Nagata could see his expression. He himself didn’t want to know what his face looked like.

“It’s the kind of behavior I’d expect, from someone with his past.” Nagata must have taken his silence for agreement. “He and his friends are a bunch of former terrorists. Honestly I’m not sure how they got away scot-free the first time; Joseph was never very clear about it. Something about a pass from the Prime Minister. Though of course, he’s one of them as well, so who knows what really went down…”

He moved just a little closer, and lowered his voice. Out of Nagata’s line of sight, Reigen finally allowed his hands to curl into fists.

“Mr. Reigen, I know you must be concerned with the repercussions. But we can help you. We can make sure that, whoever it is, never knows it was you who told us. So tell me. Is it Serizawa Katsuya, or one of his friends? Multiple of them working together, perhaps? The way they tend to band together, it wouldn’t surprise me.”

And with that, Reigen officially couldn’t take it anymore.

“Mr. Nagata. I’m so sorry for the abject failure in your upbringing that caused you to become such a miserable person. Or maybe it’s just that your character is so flawed, there was never any hope for you.”

Nagata stared at him, blinking rapidly, trying to process the sudden shift in conversation and demeanor.

“But in case there’s hope for you yet, allow me to fill you in on some missed lessons.” Reigen stepped forward, closer to Nagata, who had the look of a deer in headlights as he hastily tried to figure out what had gone awry.

“Some people choose to be good, and some people choose to be bad. This is true of everyone, whether they have psychic powers or not. Therefore, there are psychic people who choose to be good, like my associates have done. Just some coincidentally-psychic people who, despite errors in their pasts, now want to live normal lives and contribute to society the best that they can.”

Reigen leaned a little closer.

“And following the same line of logic, there are, of course, non-psychic people who choose to be bad.”

Reigen smiled, a bright baring of teeth. Then he sunk his fist into Nagata’s face with the full force of his weight behind it.*

Nagata fell back against the balcony’s railing, hands going instinctively out to catch himself. Reigen kept moving, using the momentum from the punch to twist, sweeping a leg up for a follow-up kick. With all his focus on the movement, he barely gave notice to his weakly-protesting conscience before switching his aim to as high on Nagata’s chest as he could, high enough for just the right amount of leverage...

He drove his heel into the top of Nagata’s sternum. Nagata tipped over the balcony, and plunged out of sight.

Reigen didn’t wait to see the results; he’d just have to hope Nagata didn’t land badly enough for the fall to be fatal. He skidded to the staircase, leaping down stairs two or three at a time, and bolted for the front door. He flung himself at it, hoping desperately that it would open…

It did. But not quietly.

Reigen ran out the door, almost blinded by the brilliant sunlight, hysteria bubbling into a shriek of startled laughter to match the cacophony of dozens of screeching alarms. Alarms that did not quite mask the pounding echo of military boots, setting panic to nip at his heels. (*Punching Sleazy Bureaucrats Right in the Fucking Face, Reigen’s Secret Technique)

[wittypenguin]

“Godzilla, King of the Monsters” (1956) [American Version]

Man is this film scratchy!

We start discovering Steve Martin (no, not him) working for United World News, on his way to Cairo and stopped in Tokyo for a social call (so exotic!).

Cut to bits of post-Godzilla destruction: hospital, stretchers, burns, looks like Hiroshima.

Amico — The daughter’s voice has a slight lisp and a southern twang…? Thank goodness we don’t see her speaking full-face too much. Lordy!

Ah! He knows Dr Sarizawa.

Did I mention how scratchy the images were?

We see the sinking of the Lucky Dragon №5 and wow can we see how contrasty and marked the original print was before Criterion cleaned up the Japanese version.

We come into the story with the lost ship of the steamship company’s vessel. Then the rescue vessel is lost. A total of 8 ships, with no survivors. Steve Martin files an article from the Press Room somewhere.

We see further scenes of stricken relatives and public begging for news. Some survivors are found, but die in minutes from shock and strange burns.

The residents of Odo Island are described as ‘natives’ repeatedly. The island is also described as ‘isolated.’ At night, we get to see the dance of the ancient manner of placating the monster. Another example of the ‘colourful native beliefs.’ Man is this stuff tough to watch today.

We keep the love-triangle, as well as the committee meeting and inspection of Odo island. The radioactivity of the well and the footprint, and the discovery of the trilobite.

People scamper up the hills.

Surprisingly, the Professor’s discussion to the committee after the second appearance of Godzilla in the Odo island area is fairly faithfully translated. What is skipped completely is the question of whether or not the truth should be reported to the public. I’m not sure if that means Americans automatically presume that the Government will tell them, or if they presume that the Government will tell them if they deserve or need to be told.

Steve calls the young researcher and arranges to meet.

We lose the whole interview of the researcher by the Japanese news guy, as well as the discussion of their engagement between the daughter and the boyfriend.

Professor’s feeling about letting Godzilla live is briefly retained.

Godzilla nearly wipes out another ship, this time it’s a party boat near Tokyo.

Oddly, the Japanese Defence Force is described as the Japanese Army, which is surprising, given they were prevented from having an army at this point, I think…?

The question of ‘how do we get Dad to let us marry instead of me marrying Dr Serizawa?” gets reduced to one line of “I didn’t have time to ask him.’

We see the crowds clamouring to get it the docks and the rail lines as Godzilla destroys rolling stock and passenger cars, while Steve Martin watches, Stoney faced, rubbing his chin.

You know, Raymond Burr wasn’t half-bad looking!

The military’s plan is explained as a couple of lines about high tension electrical towers.

Godzilla is 30 stories tall here.

Some of the attack sequences are really scratchy and marked. Especially awful is a shot at 0:55:30, which was contrasty and scratched was so bad I paused to get the time stamp.

Then the city is levelled. Godzilla submerges. So we’re back where we came in at the start of the film.

The American version has so much more screaming at the hospital.

Steve helps in getting Amico to reveal the secret of the Oxygen Destroyer. If she doesn’t tell what she knows — if it can help — tomorrow it could be Yokohama or another harbour which is destroyed; ignoring that just a few years ago the Americans did just that.

She goes to see Dr Serizawa. Thankfully, they speak dubbed English without accents. Well, not much of one.

It’s argued that the hard reality being considered is not that the weapon may ‘fall into the wrong hands’ — not merely be used as a weapon of mass destruction, but one used as such by the wrong people or for the wrong reason, presumably — but actually Godzilla. Obviously this concern of ‘but what are the consequences beyond today?’ are something which no scientist has dealt with before. This sequence makes me want to yell WHAT ABOUT LESS THAN A DECADE AGO, YOU BASTARDS‽

The choral anthem of mourning and yearning for peace is kept. This is tiring, but not having the lyrics translated is frustrating.

We see Dr Serizawa burn his plans and blueprints.

That the credits include the usual ‘any similarity to events or people living or dead is purely coincidental’ is a bit strange, considering real events inspired the film, and as far as I know NO GIGANTIC LIZARD HAS EVER ATTACKED AN EMPEROR KINGDOM!!!!

A very tepid ‘English adaptation;’ they ought to have just run the thing with good subtitles instead and saved their money.

★★☆☆☆

[protocolveleno-blog]

Chapter 1 | An Unwelcome Stay | Intro

As the room shook and the students filed into the fifth floor the robot examined each student, giving a simple headcount before looking back, ushering any of the lagging teenagers into what looked almost like a submarine in a way. She did a final headcount before pausing, eyes blinking rapidly before she glanced back at the hallway leading toward the exit.

“Students please be seated- i-I.. I-I.. I will retur-return.”

The robot seemed to be malfunctioning as she backed away, closing the door before walking off towards the hallway, disappearing.

Each student had a seat. One was left open, leaving the students with an air of nervousness The muffled sound of sirens and creaking of the ship echoed in the background.

There was a tense moment of silence before the door began to reopen. Could it be Ima with the missing student from before?

..However, standing in front of the students was an unfamiliar face.

 The tall, black haired girl and strode confidently into the submarine, seemingly unbothered by the collapsing ship.

“Aye-aye, kids~! Let’s get this show on the road!”

“You don’t know me that well but hi, hi~! This is your captain speaking! Monokima- Or KIMA for short!” 

She tipped her hat and smiled down at the students in the submarine. 

“And you little shits are in for a ride! Your dear sweet I.M.A. is on... ‘shore leave’!”

 Her smile subsides as she flips her hair.

“Please sit down, shut up- and buckle up! Oh, right! We’re missing a passenger! As much as I would love to see all of you bastard kids drowning, we’re going on a field trip!”

‘Kima’ seemed to be counting the students as the metal hatch slammed mysteriously shut behind her. Her arm movements were jerky and robotic, similar to the robotic captain Ima of before. She cackles with laughter as the ship’s sirens suddenly fall silent.

“Are you ready, kids!? Here comes the best part!”

A huge explosion explodes somewhere outside the ship, rocking the entire ship violently. The escape vessel’s hangar’s metal arms snap loudly, dislodging the escape vessel from the ship and letting it splash jerkily into the dark waters around the ship.

The rough jerking of the submarine’s dismount threw the students forward in their chairs. Almost immediately after hitting the water, an unnatural white smoke began to spray into the room. The smoke clouded the students’ vision and with each breath every passenger began to lose consciousness.  

The faint black outline of Kima could be seen through the smoke.

“Now please rest your stupid little heads until we reach our destination! We have no need to worry, children! It’ll be a few.. whatevers before we get there! Just nap away!”

The last thing the students hear is the unnatural cackling of the robot. And then… Darkness.

When everyone awoke, no one was able to tell the amount of time they’d been out. The spinning room was unfocused and foreign. Once the room focused, the students were able to see fish swimming above them. Once lowering their heads and surveying the room, the students notice that they are in a well lit room reminiscent of the hotel lobby encapsulated by a glass dome. Each student was seated in a chair leaning on the table in front of them.

The black haired girl was leaning on a desk at the front of the luxurious room. Many keys were hung on the wall behind the desk. A chill fell over the students as the her cold, unblinking stare met their eyes. The room was unnaturally cold, and it wasn’t just the robot’s stare.

 “Ah, you little shits are awake! I guess it figures as much. I’ve been waiting! Your room assignments are as well so you better perk up fast! Lemme explain what you’re here for but first--”

She tapped her fingers on the desk and reached for the keys on the wall behind her.

“Did someone say it’s a little cold in here? Just wait ‘til it gets hot and then you’ll be complaining! But let me get to the point! Your goal here-- is to kill someone.”

She looked over the crowd for their reactions before sighing and tilting her head.

“Oh! Are you surprised? You don’t believe me? Well, you’ll understand the severity of your situation soon enough!”

She mischievously puts a finger on her lips and looks up in thought.

“Ok, let’s see.. Let’s move along to living arrangements while I figure out how to explain this to you kids.. I’m going to list your names and room numbers so you better listen up! You’ll be having a roommate so play nice..! Or not~!”

“Moeko Serizawa and Ethan Bordelon are going to be roomies! Woah~! Room number one! Room two goes tooooo-  Hans Zeitwache and Mika Fumiko! Lucky room number three goes to Rintaro Arakida and Seiichi Fumiko! Wow, nerds sure do stick together it seems~! Next is Catherine Schuyler and Yori Sakata. Five goes to Gihei Furuta and Gemmei Nadeshiko. Shorai Unmei and Malibu Hayward are getting room number six! Noboru Maruyama aaaand.. Azmera Gbadamosi in seven~! And finally~~~! Lucky you, Kokoro Aino! You were going to have a roomie but- sadly that student is no longer in the building.”

With each name and number she tossed a key at the student.

“Let me elaborate! You all have been gathered here to kill each other, all civilized like You kill someone- we hold a trial! If you are discovered- you die! You win? You get out and everyone else does! How exciting! Now-”

The temperature suddenly shifted, leaving the cold arctic feeling to embrace a hotter- nearly boiling temperature. Almost instantly, the students began to sweat.

“If you’d like this to stop- feel free to stab someone! Cut their necks! Hang them! Drown them! Suffocate them- ah I’m getting ahead of myself. You just do it and this will stop- and if you’re extra lucky you’ll get away with it!”

 “So, does everyone still have their E-handbooks~? Good, because you’ll need them! There’s a map and a list of rules inside, so feel free to explore at your own slow, infuriating pace! Oh, and one last thing!”

A twisted smile spreads across her face.

“Don’t even think about trying to escape without a kill! Any attempt to break the domes will result in both you and your comrades’ deaths! Believe me on this one, Nooooot a good idea~! Only an idiot would attempt something like that! Now, please enjoy your stay here at Hotel Lethe! If you have any questions come speak to me! Your dear, sweet captain~”

With a laugh, she turns and exits through the covered hallway, the still drugged students powerless to stop her.

“Have fun~~!”