"You okay?" yelled Vin at the girl sitting in front of him, who was dazed out watching the city lights from above. The noise of the chopper was very loud from the inside so people had to raise their voices if they wanted to talk.
"Mm." she smiled, "I'm just amazed by how beautiful this looks." she yells back.
Rem glanced at Prim, "You know you guys can talk through your communication devices right?" he said through his telekinesis.
Prim looks to Vin and realized the boy was wearing his circlet after all.
"My bad." replied Prim smiling to Rem through TK.
Vin just stared at the two who were sitting beside each other not knowing what was happening.
Fellow whisperers have it easy since they can communicate freely even without opening their mouths. Exorcists like Vin often find it hard to do use their ESP since most are not gifted with it.
「TK Mode」
"We're about to arrive at Polinia's helipad." said Rem to Prim.
"Thanks." she smiled looking out to the window, but Rem was not convinced with her smile.
"Was Sig's training too harsh on you?" he said startling Prim.
The girl turned to him with wide eyes then smiled bitterly, "I guess I can't hide anything from you, huh?"
"We whisperers got to stick to each other you know." he winked.
Prim giggles and settles down, "I guess I wasn't the best choice for that remaking of the protective barrier." she replied weakly.
"I beg to disagree."
"Eh?"
"You see, I too at first told Sig that it was too risky for you to do it since you're unstable and he wants you to do it. It was really unsettling since I originally thought he'd let me train you as a fellow whisperer. But then, even when Sig knew there was a huge risk to the task, he did what he could to speed up your skill adaptation. After all he did say he wanted to give you a crash course of what you lack." he smiled.
"But I almost lost it earlier."
Rem nodded, "So, I heard."
Prim sighs.
"But.." he looks straight into her eyes, "I knew you'd pull through no matter what."
Prim's heart skipped a beat staring back at him intently, "You...knew..?" she mumbled.
While the two were absorbed in their own world, Vin was gritting his teeth watching them not knowing why they were busy making faces and staring at each other.
The chopper landed safely at Polinia's rooftop where the helipad was. Rem quickly gave them an overview of what's inside and sent a copy of the map to each of the mini monitor receivers included in their belt bag. Rem then went back in the chopper and told the two to just contact him through their receivers since he'll be on standby from the rooftop. Without further ado, Vin and Prim entered the building through the maintainenance entrance since the main doors were already shut and the metal roll-ups had already been down since closing time. It's a good thing the maintenance passage had floor lights enough for them to see the path. Vin was in charge of using the GPS in the receiver to locate where they were.
"We're at the seventh floor right now." he said to his partner who was following behind him, as he carefully watched the two blinking lights on the receiver monitor's screen.
"It's really dark and smelly in here." she replied carefully watching her step.
"Well did you expect it so smell like flowers?" he said sarcastically.
Prim frowned, "I thought it'd at least smell like Lysol."
They arrive at the end of a hall and a metal door greets them with a safe like lock beside the latched bar handle. Vin instictively grabs a flashlight from his pocket and flashes it to the door to get a clearer view of the mechanical dial.
"Once we get passed through this we'll be inside the mall." he remarked.
"It feels like we're detectives." she giggled.
Vin glanced at her and sighed, "Idiot. We're Messiahs."
"I was just saying." she pouts, "Well, do you know how to open that?" pointing at the dial.
Vin nods, "But I'll need your help. Come here." he pulls her and faces her head sideward, sticking her head to the door beside the dial.
"Wait, what is with this awkward position?" she complains.
"Normally you'll need hearing devices to hear if the dial clicks when you turn it. But with your gift, you're as good as one." he said and immediately proceeded to turning the dial.
Vin turned it for a while testing out a few combinations. As a child, Vin trained himself in opening locks. His siblings did not appreciate the skill since they did not see any significance to it being an exorcist but Vin knew at some point in his life he'll be able to use it, and this was it.
"It clicked!" exclaimed Prim and Vin pushes the lever on the handle unlocking the metal door. The door squeaked as it slowly opened and they both saw the vast floor of the mall on the other side. Although it was dark, they could somehow make sense of the several boutiques and shops lined up in a circular formation surrounding the open center.
"I guess this was an entrance near the atrium then." said Vin as he stepped into the mall holding the flashlight to their path while Prim followed behind him. The door shut as soon as both of them got in. Prim turned to look at the door that just closed and realized how there was no other knob or lever to use to get back in the maintenance quarters.
"Chang," she said tugging his sleeve, "There's no handle or anything to get back."
Vin turned to the door and sighed, "We'll figure that out later. For now, we have to get to the fourth floor." he said pulling out the receiver monitor from his bag.
"These two blinking dots beside each other are us." he explained, "There's an elevator over there," glancing at the stationed lift a few meters away from them, "But with the power down, we'll have to look for an escalator or stairs." he said and slowly walked forward to look for the stairs. Prim walked behind him. The seventh floor was filled with mostly snack bars and pet shops which was really interesting for Prim. But what caught her attention more was Vin's ability to lead the mission.
"I'm impressed of how you think and move fast." said Prim tagging behind him.
"Those were simple skills you should have learned in training."
"Geh." she felt a stabbing sensation in her chest, "Okay but, this is your first exposure to a mission right?"
"Yeah."
"Then I guess I'm your senior." she playfully remarked.
Vin stopped from walking and turned to her.
Prim blinked, "What? Did you find the stairs?"
"Senior my ass. I could sense your heart rate rising you know." he tapped his circlet.
She choked and tried to laugh it out looking away, "What are you even implying?"
"This isn't your first mission and yet you're already getting scared." he said bluntly.
Prim froze breaking a sweat.
"See? It rose again." he said folding his arms looking at her with disappointed eyes.
"Okay Chang, you have to understand that all those missions I had before were cleanup missions. This is a head on straight up real thing we're dealing with. We'll be doing everything without any backup coming since this is a very confidential mission. Don't you even feel at least a little bit scared that we might mess this up?"
"I'm more scared of getting terminated from the job." he passively replied with dead eyes.
Prim whimpers, "It's easy for you to say that when you don't feel this thick malice all over the place."
Vin falls silent observing Prim. He put his receiver away and walked towards her taking her hand, which surprised Prim.
"Do you feel the presence of it?"
Prim nodded whimpering, "It's really at the fourth floor just beneath us."
「TK」
"Rem to Prim and Vin." both their communicators buzzed, "This is Rem communicating through my ESP."
"Rem.." Prim mumbled.
"Are you both alright? Your trackers stopped moving so I got worried." his voice was a bit scratchy.
"We're both alright," replied Vin, "Prim's heart rate rose up so I had to calm her down."
"Hey! You didn't have to tell him that!"
"You don't have to be bashful." Vin frowned.
They both heard Rem laugh.
"I understand why Prim would get scared, your opponent right now is kinda difficult to deal with. But don't worry, I have faith in both of you."
"See?" Vin glanced to her.
Prim pouted.
"And Prim," Rem added, "Don't forget what I told you earlier."
Prim felt her shoulders loosen up and her chest lighter. Vin noticed how her heart rate finally went back to normal and her worried face grew a smile.
"Thanks. I will." she nodded.
"Call me when something happens." he said and the buzzing sound disappears.
Vin lets go of her hand. Prim stared at Vin.
"You're back to normal so I guess I don't have to hold your hand anymore."
"But why do you suddenly look upset?" she said tilting her head to the side. But instead of receiving a proper response, all she got was a "Let's get moving." and a silent Vin for the next few meters.
Despite being already close to the target area, the mall was too vast with a maze like perimeter. It took them a few turns to finally find a path down. When they got to the sixth floor, the unpowered escalator was blocked by several construction materials so Vin decided that they take a different route and look for the staircase which is probably on the other side.
The sixth floor was a floor filled with imported shops. It was literally like a tour around the world with every shop being different countries. Although it was a bit dark, there were small lamps from inside the shops that made things still barely visible and Prim was enjoying it.
"This is nice." she mumbled.
"What is?" replied Vin who was paying attention to the map.
"Strolling the mall. I've never been to the mall before."
That just made Vin pause. He recalled all those times when she was just in that underground everyday being the organization's guinea pig. He turns to look at Prim who was busy gazing at the stores they pass by. He felt his heart squeeze.
"Does this make you happy?" he said which suprised Prim making her stare at him.
"It does but...I'd prefer going here at daytime. I guess it's impossible to go here when it's bustling." she let out a small laugh as she awkwardly smiled.
Vin turns away, "Then I'll ask the commander for that." and he continued walking which made Prim speechless then running after him as she exclaimed, "Wait up!"
As they went another floor down, Prim had started to notice the miasma getting denser around the area. The fifth floor was the toy floor and Prim had felt more uneasy than when they were at the seventh.
"It's normal for you to feel a bit nauseated since we're nearing the fourth floor target area." said Vin.
"I know that but..these dolls staring from the glass are really creeping me out." she said hugging herself.
"Then stop staring back. They might just wink at you." he said leaving her. Prim then again runs after Vin.
"Will you stop leaving me like that?" she complains.
"We take a turn here and then..." just when Vin was following the map, they had reached the staircase going to the fourth floor that was the nearest to the atrium area.
"It's really dark down there." said Prim holding herself.
Vin then pulls out a marked talisman from his inner pocket and hands it over to Prim.
"What's this?" she said taking it from his hand.
"The miasma on the fourth floor is highly concentrated due to the corrupted spirit. We might bump into some unwanted ones too so you better hold on to that to ward them off. After all, you're like catnip for them if left without any protection."
"T-Thanks."
Vin directs the flashlight to the dark area of the staircase and saw how only minimal light can pass through.
"The miasma has gotten thick and to think it reached here despite being quite distant from the comfort room which is on the opposite direction." he said.
"Can you still breathe? The miasma has been quite saturated in some areas earlier." she worriedly glances at him. Humans can't breathe in miasma since it'll poison them. However, spirit whisperers have the ability to stabilize the miasma entering their body minimizing the toxicity.
He nods, "I had been wearing a purification talisman inside my collar since earlier. It'll be tricky once we enter the warped zone later, but I can manage that."
Prim exhaled in relief.
"Can you contact Rem? Tell him our current situation."
Prim nods and closes her eyes concentrating on her thoughts.
「TK」
"Rem.."
Rem who was watching the surveillance camera from the chopper picked up her voice.
"Prim, what's the update?" he immediately replied.
"The miasma is really thick here at the staircase. I believe it's coming from the area of concern."
Rem quickly looked at where they were and scanned for the camera in the area they were standing at.
"I see you here in the surveillance. You're quite far from the target. But if the miasma is getting thick then you're right on track."
"Yeah, we had to make a few detours since some passages going down were blocked."
"Blocked? But that's impossible. The management has cleared out all areas before the mall closed to make sure your mission goes smoothly."
Prim looks at Vin with an alarmed look and Vin gestured to her a "What's wrong?"
"Rem..is this that spirit's doing?"
"No doubt."
She grits, "Alright. We'll head in for the fourth floor now. The communication might not be stable once we get there but continue to watch over our position. Whatever happens, do not come."
Rem suddenly felt odd with Prim's way of talking, "Prim...exactly what do you feel right now?"
Prim smiled bitterly, "It's way beyond what I expected. It's bigger than we thought." and she said that out loud for Vin to hear too.
Vin gave her a confused look, "Flower what do you mean?"
"Rem said the blockage had been intentional but only appeared after the mall had closed." she replied to Vin.
"Prim..." Rem called out to her in her thoughts, "What do you sense?"
She then decides to say her replies out loud so Vin could also hear, "Footsteps all over the fourth floor. Fifty? No...over a hundred. I hear them and most of them gathered near the entrance of the comfort room."
"That many huh?" Vin mumbled folding his arms.
"Can you take it?" said Rem.
"Can WE take it?" Prim grinned confidently looking straight at Vin. Vin nodded, smiling back in confidence.
"Of course!" she exclaimed, "After all, this is a job for Flower and Vase."