Any good investigator worth their salt knows that when scoping out a crime scene, the first item on the agenda is always to gather some evidence. So far, all you really know is that Furuga was whisked away while still in her room, and that according to her classmates, she's been gone for at least a week. Basically zilch when it comes to leads to whichever Aramitama nabbed her soul for their nefarious plots, but at least everyone just thinks she's sick rather than having actually disappeared or whatever. That means it'll be way easier to deal with the loose ends after you've saved Furuga from her blobby and soulless predicament.
But instead of thinking about what excuses you're gonna make later, you should probably focus on checking her room for anything that could help you find the culprit. Letting Furuga die just because you were busy dawdling would be pretty shitty, yeah?
"Where to start …?" you mumble, once more surveying the room.
Well, you definitely know where to start. Your modus operandi for this sort of thing hasn't changed too drastically over the years: if you wanna learn where and how the victim met an evil god, then the best thing to do is hunt down their contacts. Who they've talked to, who their friends are, folks who might've seen them on the street, all that kinda jazz.
So while you're still here, why not take a quick peek at her phone?
Given how well-organised Furuga's room is, you don't need to look too far to find the thing. It's just sitting right at the edge of her work desk, barely a foot away from her Spirit Body. Nothing about the phone seems particularly out of the ordinary; it's just your regular everyday smartphone, albeit without a protective case or any of those shiny decorations you often see your classmates apply.
With a snap of your fingers, the phone floats gently towards you, lock screen flickering on to show any notifications Furuga might've missed over the last week. There's a lot less than you expected - sure, the school did call a day ago (which shouldn't be too big a deal, given how lenient Nanamori is on their kids - AKA you - going AWOL), and there's something about banner rates for hot guys being higher in some game or whatever, but other than those, there's basically no evidence of any messages or calls from her friends.
No mentions in group chats, no emails from family.
No sign of people who care.
Whoever Furuga is, she must be a pretty lonely girl.
Or you're just looking too deeply into things; maybe she's just muted all her groups to study in peace, or her friends and family want to give her a little space. But whatever's truly the case here, that Aramitama was seriously lucky to have found such a convenient target.
Too bad that you're gonna be ruining its day soon.
You slip Furuga's phone into the front pocket of your blazer, its purpose fulfilled for the time being. There's not really much reason for you to keep prodding away, and taking the effort to figure out her PIN would just waste time. And honestly, you're not a big fan of messing with people's privacy these days. It's way uncool. But commitment to ethical boundaries aside, you still have one more task left before you head out to check on Furuga's neighbours (which should, hopefully, help you retrace her footsteps).
And by that, you mean stuffing Furuga into a jar.
A totally unused jar, to be absolutely clear. You're not one of those weirdos who shove folks' Spirit Bodies into their pickles (that's just fucking gross, and also pretty disrespectful) - there's a perfectly sanitary one in your guitar case for this kinda stuff, and you always take the effort to replace it for every Aramitama victim you run into. Sure, buying them on the regular might play havoc on your wallet, but you gotta at least try and give these folks some sort of dignity.
Gently and carefully, you pluck the tar-like substance off the chair and TK it straight into the waiting glass jar, which you then squeeze right back into your guitar case. And with the spiritually-deprived portion of Tokie Furuga's person now safely squirrelled away, you jauntily proceed into the hallway (while making sure to lock the door on the way out, because you doubt she'd enjoy even more people going in and out of her dorm all willy-nilly) to begin your shakedown.
Honestly, calling it a "shakedown" kinda makes you sound even more like an untrustworthy delinquent - you're not saying that Kaze and your teachers could be onto something, but it's not like there's any crimes being committed here (no more lockpicking needed). Unless they write you down for being a public nuisance with all the door-knocking, but you look too Japanese for that to be likely.
Smiles also help. Never underestimate the power of a smile.
And what those funky little smiles earn you (at least from those who did answer their door) is a load of ... not actually a lot. Furuga must've been a serious recluse, because most of her neighbours didn't seem to know her too well, and even less of them could remember seeing her around much. You probably would've called the whole thing a bust if not for one guy who mentioned catching her coming up the stairs with some shopping bags exactly a week ago.
He couldn't remember what she'd bought, but it's not like you'd been expecting a super detailed answer with all the precise specifics. Just knowing that Furuga had been out and about before having her soul stolen is still a step in the right direction.
Downside is, you're still gonna have to track down where she actually went.
Which makes it pretty convenient, then, that another possible witness to Furuga's movements decides to strike up a conversation with you right as you stroll back down into the lobby, sparing you from having to put in the teeniest amount of effort to do so yourself.
"Ahoy there, little lass!" The dorm manager calls you over, his attention no longer occupied by the magazine (featuring all the latest in celeb gossip!) sitting in front of him. "Are you one of Kaze's friends?"
It's not exactly how you expected that convo to start, but hey, if it works then it works. No need to look every gift horse in the mouth, after all.
Unless he's Achaean. Then you're absolutely looking that thing in the mouth.
"Yeah, what's up?"
The geezer beams.
"Oooh, it's nothing, it's nothing," he says with gusto - which you're pretty sure implies that there is an actual something. "It's just so good to meet a friend of young Kaze's! I never notice her bringing anyone here. Is it an occasion she didn't tell me about?"
But you probably should've expected the small talk, at least.
"No big event or anything, no." You plaster on the usual practiced smile. "Just swung by to see if she could help me out with some stuff."
Technically, not a lie!
"Oooh, helpful girl, isn't she? Always willing to say hello every morning. And did you know she even brings snacks from time to time? Nothing at all like the other young people these days - but, oh, no offense to you, little lass - I'm sure you're just as nice as she is."
"She's a real good samaritan, yeah."
"Crying shame that this generation's always forgetting to smile and laugh like that. My great-nephew, you see, he always seems so lonely in his books … would be perfect if I could introduce a girl like Kaze into his life."
"Uh-huh."
"Aaahhh, maybe next ti-" The dorm manager's words are cut off by a coughing fit - but one that's luckily not too severe, easily dealt with by his self-applied knocks to the chest. "Urk, oh - I'm very sorry, there's been a bad cold going around, you see. Even got myself all sick and bedridden for a few days this week, how embarrassing …"
Hm.
"Kinda like Furuga, yeah?"
The question nets you a solemn, sighing nod - and exactly the reaction you're fishing for. "Ooh, she must be sick too - I haven't seen the poor lass come by with her instruments in … oh, are you a friend of hers too?"
Dangling from your back, the guitar case has very clearly caught his eye.
"Are you two in a band together?" he asks energetically, his chatter now unfortunately renewed in vigour. "Do you know any Harry Hosono tunes? I spent many an hour in my foregone youth listening to him on my Walkman. Oooh, those were the days … his music's unmatched in this era I say."
"Guy's got some bangers, definitely."
The geezer's not wrong on that front, but you're gonna have to put a pin in any more Yellow Magic Orchestra talk. Sure, cool and funky they may be, but getting some leads in this case is a bit more (okay, that's an understatement - it's a lot more) up your alley right now.
"Anyway, it's not entirely like that …" Your words drift off - better to let him make his own conclusions. "But I thought I'd listen to her play while I was here, yeah?"
"Ahhh, what a piece of rotten timing, lass." The dorm manager shakes his head sadly. "Used to be that she practiced every day! But all this studying has her all gloomy and withdrawn, and now she's sick to boot! Oooh, I hope she was listening to me about the Matsu Shrine last week. It simply won't do if little Furuga failed her exams because of a string of bad luck. She's such a bright girl, you see."
Bingo.
You raise a hand, stalling the old man from yammering on any further.
"Sucks to hear all that," you reply sympathetically. "Really wanted to listen to her music today, but I guess that's just not meant to be."
Not while you've still got her stuck in your bag, that's for sure.
"Well, thanks for the time and all, but I gotta head out." You take a step back. "Schoolwork of my own to deal with, yeah? But if Kaze or Furuga swing by, tell 'em I said 'hi'."
Should probably drop Kaze a "thank-you" text too. It'd be real impolite to leave her hanging.
"Catch you around, old man."
"Huh? Excuse m-"
And with a casual wave goodbye, you're right out the building.
~~~
You've never been a fan of joss sticks.
Standing outside the gates to the Matsu Shrine (or more formally, the Temple of the Heavenly Mother, Lady of Numinous Wisdom, Universal Salvation, yadda yadda), you're immediately assaulted by the strong, musky scent of agarwood, censers burning ubiquitously on the temple grounds. The incense in the air is thick, almost tangible, battering your poor, unprotected nostrils the same way storm clouds would do to window shutters. If you were someone prone to hyperbole (which you kinda are), you'd probably call it suffocating - a testament to the sins committed by man in their search for God.
Well, that comparison's exaggerated as hell, but in any case, something about the smell of incense has always rubbed you the wrong way. Just really bugs you, gets your goat, so on and so forth. Means you aren't too hot on temples either (unless they keep the fancy braziers at a minimum, then it's all gucci), though that honestly doesn't say much when your Godhunter work keeps your religious attendance rates consistently high.
Probably should've expected it, given the whole job description and everything.
And so here you are, chilling in Chinatown - checking out a shrine for any hints as to what Tokie Furuga might've been up to before her soul ended up Aramitama chow. With all the shops around and the train station only a hop, skip and jump away (seriously convenient for any stressed-out Nanamori student looking for a little divine intercession in their exams), it's pretty likely she swung by while doing her shopping - the timing fits, at least if the old geezer's suggestion got through. All you gotta do is follow up and brave the incense burners.
Would've helped to keep a less conspicuous mask ready, but hindsight's a bitch.
There's a guy (shoulders hunched, bags under his eyes) slowly trudging out the gates while you're making your own way in. He's around your age, wearing a rumpled Annex Academy uniform and sporting an equally messy head of blue hair. Probably a student, out here hoping for Mazu to lend a hand with some woe or whatnot. Usually you wouldn't give him much extra thought; sure, he's kinda haggard-looking and all, but that could've been thanks to anything, like a bad break-up or an unadvised all-nighter of study - equally good reasons for somebody to hit up a shrine for spiritual aid.
Except then he stumbles, and for the briefest moment you think he's just gone, leaving only thin air in his place. But the feeling leaves as suddenly as it arrived, and in the blink of an eye he's picking himself up (all grump and frowns, mumbling curses to his own clumsiness), not even bothering to spare a second glance as he shuffles past you.
Can't be bothered picking up a dropped charm, either.
It bounces free of the earth, spinning through the air and into your waiting hand.
Idly, you turn your gaze away from the boy's retreating back to study it. There's nothing really special about the charm (not that psychometry's ever been your wheelhouse) - it's some gaudy little trinket, the same kind you'd find in every shrine around town. Probably got a wholesaler who cranks them out by the hundreds or something (though you're not gonna say that with any real confidence - what do you know about shrine business practices anyway?).
But you still pocket the thing.
Might as well keep it, yeah?
Further into the grounds, you find the priest busying himself in the main hall (which is just agarwood central and awful for your nose), flitting about the altar with a bundle of incense sticks in his arms to replace their burnt-out brethren. But the moment he catches sight of you (and your uniform), all of the necessary pomp and ritual ends up put on the back burner, and he becomes much more interested in approaching you with a basket of charms he'd pulled out of his daopao instead.
"Bonjour!" he says with a bright (and honestly kinda sketchy) smile. "Oh, are you a Nanamori student? Would you like to buy one of our charms?"
Well, you gotta give him points for boldness.
"Guess they're pretty popular with my classmates?" you say dryly, as if you already don't have some sort of inkling as to where this convo's gonna go.
"Very much so!" he agrees, cap bobbing as he nods. "Sold one just last week to a girl like you!"
"Yeah? What was she like?"
"She said she wanted some help with her exams, so I sold her a good luck charm." The priest purses his lips. "If I remember correctly, she was quite the sad-looking girl. Oh, but very trendy at least - her shopping bags were all from that popular tea place … what was its name … the one in Sengi Mall?"
"I know the place."
And you know it well enough that staying on Furuga's trail should mostly be problem-free … certain individuals who haunt the place notwithstanding. Though, you suppose you could tolerate some bullshit if you could get some useful info out of the deal (or the ordeal, hehe). It probably won't be any harder than it already is.
"You should get one too," continues the priest, interrupting your thoughts. "I remember how hard and stressful it was in my final year. A charm can really put your mind at ease and help lead you in the right direction!"
"No worries." You wave him off. "A second year like me doesn't even have exams."
"Why not purchase one anyway?" He insists, shaking the basket of charms for you to see. "It never hurts to have some divine favour in your corner!"
Damn, for a priest this guy is just oozing with material desire.
[ ] "Eh, might as well give Mazu a shot." Could be useful, even if it's just to get him off your back.
[ ] "Eh, I can make my own luck." And you trust your own hustle a lot more than his.
That aside -
"They look kinda different to this one I found," you say, pulling the charm free of your pocket and letting it dangle between your fingers. "Some guy from Hisashiro Annex was leaving just earlier and might've dropped it. You see him around often?"
The priest leans in, squinting to see it more clearly.
"Oh, that's an evil-warding charm," he says. "That boy you're talking about didn't really want anything for luck, so I sold him one of those instead! It was his first ever visit, so I gave him a great discount."
"Was it pricey?"
"Not in the slightest!"
A pause. The priest's smile dims, slightly.
"He might be irritated by its loss, possibly."
Meaning that it did probably cost a pretty penny for what was basically just some dolled-up wood and fabric. Well, you can definitely extend that guy some sympathy, even if the weird feeling you had about him doesn't seem as relevant to Furuga's disappearance anymore. The schedules don't exactly match up, after all.
Though …
"You can let me hold onto it." The priest coughs. "If the boy returns, he'll certainly want his money's worth! And the protection of Mazu for whatever evil ails him, of course."
[ ] "It's cool, I can go after him." Unrelated to Furuga or not, you're pretty sure you didn't imagine that sensation earlier, and returning the guy's property's a good (and "heroic") excuse as any to see if there's any other shit going on.
[ ] "I'll leave it to you." You should probably leave detours for after you find out what happened to Furuga's soul. Sengi Mall's the last place she went before coming to this shrine, and if any Aramitama came into contact with her that-a-way, it's something you need to know.
