deercountry | (no subject)

[traveling to the new city wasn't really something mob thought much of until suddenly it was happening. how it happened? he's not entirely sure. maybe makima going, maybe it was the odd sense he got that there was something important in that direction that tugged at him. maybe it was even a little restlessness, because now that a routine was set up in his life it was harder to avoid thinking of a lot of things he didn't want to think about.

mostly? it just happened, the way a lot of things tended to in mob's life. moving with the flow usually worked out, even if it was to odd cities.

he's incredibly grateful robby decided to come too, spending the days traveling probably playing stupid car games that barely worked (eye spy is wild when you're in the trench.) practicing more too, telling robby about when he used the blasts of psychic power robby taught him successfully against ice zombies. it wasn't too bad.

the city itself is spooky, but honestly mob's seen spookier. the only thing that really throws him off is the first time he hears the voice, making him freeze in place, eyes sliding around looking for that familiar crow, a spider on the wall, moths by a light. no, it wasn't mogami's voice anyway. this was real, he's in the real world.

(he may hover closer to robby for a little bit as he makes absolutely sure of that fact. he's not alone here, so it's definitely real.)

after that the voice is unpleasant but doesn't particularly faze him. its words are stabbing (are you even human, can you even share anything with the people that matter when you can't even laugh with them, you'll hurt them too, you haven't changed, you haven't changed, you'll never change, you can't change this) but mob is something of an expert at repression. it may tick up a certain internal meter a little faster than usual but otherwise he ignores it.

until he catches the tail end of words he realizes aren't meant for him.

worthless rings through the air, fuzzy. for the first time mob really tries to concentrate on the voice, a faint frown as it continues to inform him how he failed to be even a person, drowning out to slowly hear more of what he did before. the last time - got in the way - you're no better than fodder.

about... robby?

he glances to robby suddenly, refocusing on the now, where he's standing at robby's side in this odd city. the small frown doesn't leave his face.]

That's not true. Don't say that about Robby.

[ Eye spy is boring in woods with nothing different except the occasional (and then regular) beast to spot. The true boredom killer is learning and showing how your omen can play music and media in your head if you ask nicely, and finding out how different the musical and film tastes between a fourteen-year-old Japanese boy and a seventeen-year-old American.

There's also keeping up with karate training (both physical, and to remember one's breathing), but you need something between to break away from. Mob can even watch Robby practising his rune writing.

But, alas, we're now here in the present. Where the abrupt demand from Mob - mild as it may be, since this is Mob - makes Robby turn his head to the younger guy, his puzzlement genuine, and then--anxious. ]

Mob? --...just ignore it. It's nothing.

[ He doesn't want to think about it, or that maybe Mob knows what that voice is saying -- what it's referring to. Robby rattles at the door but it doesn't open, and he sighs in an impatient way, a desire to move.

(But it's true. And you like that Mob looks up to you. You think you mean anything. When you're just a thief and a fraud.) ]

Robby glances at Mob once as he backs away from the door, but he ducks his eyesight, tries to avoid the subject by telling him-- ] C'mon, let's try another building [ --and moving on, without acknowledging the taunts. ]

[oh absolutely true, sharing music and finding the overlap between karate america and anime japan. they could almost be normal teens if it weren't for the spooky murder woods and magic blood.

spreading out his senses starts to tell him more- this whole place is full of hate. it reminds him even more of mogami's world, fingers twitching a bit before he tries to push the thought back down. the problem was he couldn't pinpoint them, find an actual place to pass his energy to try and exorcise the spirits seemingly all around.

it's like they were a part of this place itself, the reality of it. an uncomfortable thought, if he wasn't a bit focused on what was being said.

he's hesitant but he nods to robby. if robby didn't want him to address it... but it's hard. harder still when it brings him into it, the voice clearer now to him.

he can't help glancing to robby again as he starts moving again as directed. he should leave it be. robby doesn't want to talk about it. but. maybe it should be talked about anyway?]

There's spirits everywhere here. [he decides to say for now.] I can't see them, but they're pressing in. They're really angry, at everyone and everything. They'd hurt us if they could.

Or, I guess they are, just words are all they can do. [that might be worse, really, with how deep they seem to be able to dig.]

[ Robby walks, not looking at Mob initially, but he does listen despite that. Just words is all they can do. Like an irritant to the brain that Robby doesn't want to give power, and yet--there's something rewarding in that knowledge.

Knowledge that gets a scoff out of him. ]

Then there's not a lot they can do. It's not telling me anything new-- [ Yeah, I know I don't have powers was the direction he meant to go, but he realises what that voice had last said, that Mob had heard them too, and his mouth closes, he pauses with the thought. ]

...Yeah, I used to lie and steal, [ he starts again, less enthused in admitting it until the voice amends, He still does, spiking up his anger. ] And-- fine, I have, but it was a bottle of hair dye, it wasn't important.

[ Fucking voice. ] But I'm still here, and I'm not going to let this world beat me. I made it out here--and I haven't died yet.

[ ...which isn't said so much with confidence, even if it is true. The thought--and talk--of death is a scary thing, more on Robby's mind these days with his dad's four deaths here always lurking.

But he'd like to think his not dying yet is a good thing, all things considered. ]

[that makes mob glance over, that robby just admitted it. even if it's being said outloud, even if he can hear it, it's still something that robby just owns up to it. that takes a lot to do, mob thinks.]

I don't look up to you because of lies. [he says after a beat, a sidelong glance over.] I look up to you because of what you do. Because you're good at teaching, and skateboarding, and try to help even if things are scary.

It's okay if you like that I do too. You should be proud of all that, I think. [and a glance down.] That the world hasn't beat you down. It's really easy for that to happen, in a lot of ways. [besides just dying. though yeah, dying? up there.]

[ Robby can do bravado. You need it if you're dealing with people who can kick your ass, putting on an act to charm people, to worm your fingers around belongings, you need it. Pretend you belong where you are, in the clothes you've put on.

And he gave up on that life, why should he be shamed for it?

...it's easier to deal with anyway, than the part that Mob actually addresses, where there's a shame from the moment he speaks, 'I don't look up to you because of lies.' He does look over at Mob, but he can't hold any gaze, looking back at the concrete under their feet. Someone might find it bizarre for a guy to care about this than the whole lying and stealing history.

But it does make him feel good. It makes him feel useful, enough that he can disregard if he's the guy who should be helping out some multi-talented psychic guy in a city with other multi-talented people. ]

I don't like it just for myself. [ Robby stops as he says that, turning to face Mob, his eyes coming onto him after a reluctant second. ] I like thinking it helps you too, and seeing you sound happy about what we do. In your own way.

[ His own small way. ]

Maybe helping you is helping me too, but--I never said I was perfect.

[ Which isn't what he's embarrassed about for the second he looks away, but Robby lifts his gaze back. ]

We're both trying.

[ To be better versions of themselves. ]

[that makes mob's lips quirk, as if robby made his point by saying it wasn't just for himself.] I know. Because you're a really good guy.

[the simplicity of fact. he has never doubted that about robby, since the moment they met.]

It helps a lot. I was- it's been really terrifying, being here. [a glances around- the trench more than this city, but this city too.] I was really afraid of being alone again. It's really hard to change at all when you're alone.

But I haven't been, because you've been there. [sappy maybe, but it's mob so as always it's just blindingly sincere. the easy truth of the matter against the squirming hatred of the city all around them.]

[ There's an evil ghost gagging right about now, surely. But whatever it could be doing or saying doesn't matter next to what Mob is. Sure, Robby feels worthless at times--but he's been trying with that. And everyone feels weak, now and then.

Even someone with all the psychic gifts like Mob. ]

That's right. [ He places his hands on Mob's shoulders. ] I'm not your family, but I'll be here for you as long as I am. If you ever feel lonely, you can always call or come over.

And I know you have my back too, [ he adds, dropping his hands; but he lets one hover than fall all the way, offering a fist bump. ]

[the rancid city vibes hate this so much right now. get this feel good shonen anime shit out of their horror tragedy.

but they are thwarted and ignored as they try to whisper, mob's small smile not faltering in the slightest when he raises his own fist for his very first fistbump. look at him, he's a cool kid now.]

Um, sorry for hearing what they're saying. [he does kind of register that's probably personal. he wouldn't really want anyone hearing what they're saying to him, so he gets it.] And that I can't exorcise them for saying it.

[if he could nuke these ghosts for being rude to robby he would have the first time he heard 'worthless.']

[ this 🙄🙄 anime 🙄🙄 shit 🙄🙄

The accepted fistbump gets a smile out of Robby anyway (cool, look, the guy knows a fistbump! Robby doesn't know if those are popular in Japan). It might thin some to the apology, which Robby has to mull and think about how he feels. There's maybe some stuff he has to explain, depending on how much Mob heard? Not that Robby particularly wants to talk about what's happened to him in Trench, or what he knows the voices are referring to with their taunts.

Instead: ] Have they been saying stuff to you too? What's their deal anyway? Is this just what spirits do?

[ Do spirits just suck, Mob? ]

[anime was a mistake.jpg

those questions get a nod first.] Yeah, they've been talking to me since we got here.

[and a beat to consider how to word it, glancing around.] I don't see them but I can feel the presence of a lot of spirits. I'm not really sure but it feels like they're merged with the city itself. It's not usually like that. Something really bad happened here.

And they hate us. They hate everything. I think hate might be all they have now. [ominous. he glances back to robby.] Spirits aren't usually like that though. The ones in the Trench are pretty okay, even if they're skittish.

[ Not ominous at all... merging with the city? Robby can't even imagine how something like that can be possible, but Mob is his resident spirit guy, so he'll take his word for it. ]

Do you wanna focus on figuring out what happened? If we can find anything like newsprint or somewhere in the city that seems off, [ Bad Vibes, particular property damage, ] we might get an idea.

[ So he says... but he's really winging it on this 'what to do' plan. ]

[oh solid plan, one that makes mob offer a swift nod.] That's a good idea. Maybe we can find where it's all coming from and exorcise it.

I don't like these voices but I get the feeling they don't like themselves much either. [they'd probably be better off able to move on from whatever this hell city is.

and with a vague glance around he points in what would lead them in the vague direction of the church.] It feels worse over there. [that means either that's where to look or uh, maybe to avoid.]

[ Robby should just take Mob's power for granted and ask him if he can feel weird things more, huh...

But hey, that's better than the 'wander around town until we find something obviously off-putting' plan Robby had, so he'll take it! ]

Then let's go that way. There's gotta be more than dumb voices to this place.

[ Robby's walking, anyway! Like, they didn't all come out this way just to find an empty city, did they? (...yes, actually.) ]

Can you tell how it feels worse? [ ...well. ] Is it alive?

[very useful to have a middleschooler point you towards the weirdo shit, it's true. mob follows, agreeing that the voices are probably more a symptom than the sickness itself, something like that.

probably. investigation is really not his forte but hey, he wants to try.]

I don't think it's alive. [that much he can say at least. a beat more and he concludes,] I guess it feels like something that shouldn't be there. That's the feeling I get.

Do you want to feel it? [he admits, he kind of likes being able to offer that now. sharing power like this, maybe more sharing his perception, feels a little like being understood where he wasn't before.

and it's mostly because of robby he's realized it at all, so thank you again robby.]

[ ...does Robby want to feel the creepy foreboding feeling in the air? Not particularly, but if Mob is-- ]

Yeah, sure. Time to learn what bad vibes actually mean.

[ And maybe it'll help? It'll help to understand what Mob means, anyway, even if Robby can't come to any thought or conclusion. He's beginning to wonder if it'll lead him to see the city in another sense.

Like, how utterly ignorant to how bad everything really feels around them. ]

[oh yes, time for delicious absolutely rancid vibes.

it's the same as always, mob lifting a finger in robby's direction and a refreshing warmth before- well, said rancid vibes. probably even more horrid with the frustration of being thoroughly ignored right now for this anime bullshit.

and, in the distance, something that probably feels like a tear where the odd door in the church stands.

mob has an understandably skewed view of things so he doesn't really process that this might be a lot to drop on someone. so just a glance over, like weird feeling huh?] Whatever we're going towards feels different. I'm not sure if it's dangerous, really.

[ Good, Robby is glad to piss off a piece of shit ghost!!

Not that he's particularly focused on their ghost friend so much as he is...well, the entirety of the vibes. A different level from normal-level vibes: this feels bad. Where negativity could almost be made palpable, and Robby stops just so he can take it in, wrap his head around it.

Mob's talking, and Robby hears him, if distracted; giving him a 'Yeah' half-heartedly, but after a moment looking at him. ]

...The world just feels like this to you?

[ Well, maybe not always like this, but... ]

[eat shit, ghost bullies. mob stops as robby does, regarding him curiously. maybe he's taking a moment to feel everything out? who knew maybe someone would need a second here, huh.

the question gets a tilt of his head.] The Trench doesn't feel like this. The spirits there are more scared than hateful. [a beat as he considers and finally realizes.] Is it that different from what you're used to?

[ He has an answer ready, though it's dumb, but when a second doesn't give him a better one-- ]

Yeah? [ How to describe it... Robby frowns as he thinks about it, what exactly this feels like. ]

You sometimes know how I'm feeling when you give me energy, right? [ ...he's not wanted to really talk about that, but!! ] It feels like that, but not as in my head? Like you know where something is just 'cause you can feel it, but you don't see it.

[ Is he just describing Mob's every day here. ]

That's not normal. [ A beat. ] For me.

[hey, short and sweet answer at first, fair enough. the explanation gives him a moment to process before he finds himself nodding easily enough.]

That sounds really quiet. [kind of spookily quiet, if he's honest, but he's also gotten used to the general noise of spiritual life around him.] I guess that is what it's like though. I never thought of it like that.

I think I get it better now, why people are so scared of spirits. They're in places that are supposed to be quiet and safe. [that actually does settle some odd, old confusions he had about all that.]

It'd be a lot different if someone was moving stuff around and you couldn't see them. [ For Mob, Robby figures. ] I'm pretty sure some people just like to be scared, though.

[ Considering how few ghost shows seem to be real... people are Just Into That.

But ah, look, they're approaching the church with enough visibility now that Robby can see it in the distance, a slight squint as he takes it in. ]

Hey--that looks like a church. ... Okay, [ okay, ] how spooky are things gonna get at a church?

[ Mob, you're the expert here. Nevermind we were just talking about how different our expectations of what spooky is, are.

Churches have to be spooky!! ]

Yeah, some people just don't like things they don't understand too. [ain't that the truth.

and there it is, in all its dramatic bloodstone windowed glory. a serious, important question robby poses, one that has mob putting his hand to his chin as he considers the many spooky angles.

verdict:] Pretty spooky.

[is that helpful.

to be fair even getting a little closer and the weird wriggling lights inside by the back of the church where the cursed door is might show in some of the windows. when they do get close enough mob will stop just to regard the church itself a moment.] I wonder who they worshiped here.

[even he realizes spooky bloodborne shit is probably not full of catholics or something.]

[ Pretty spooky. That gets a scoff out of Robby.

Which is the last decently-humoured he might be for a while.

Because a church looks like a church from a distance, but a church up close...still looks like a church. But features start to come into place, and structures can have similarities if one's familiar with their design.

Is it the feeling coming off from the place doing this? Or a real memory, the reddened sky and rumbling of thunder in the clouds above, the sermons taking place loudly and the ringing in one's ears from the constant activity.

Robby's stopped too, standing with a foot slowly withdrawing back. ]

Mob... [ He swallows, tearing his eyes away from the building. ] ...There's no one in there?

[ 'You're sure?' ]

[mob glances over, at least able to note robby seemed more nervous than before. it makes him take the question more seriously, actually pushes his power out to try and sense what he can within the church itself.

it feels... it's hard to put to words. bad, definitely. but:] I don't sense anyone inside. Just something weird, but I don't know what it is.

Should I go in first? [a way he can have robby's back against whatever nerves were going on.]