Chap ter 14: The Field Trip

It’s important to take things one at a time. because if you’re constantly worried of what’s to come, you can’t properly enjoy yourself when the good times are rolling. And if you get into the nasty habit of putting it off and leaving it for tomorrow, you’ll always end up worrying about pointless things and never get around to enjoying the life you were given. Man makes plans and god wipes his ass with it. He throws a world-ending catastrophe to force society into a screeching halt. Right when you’re thinking you’re about to take off “nah man sorry try again next year.” But that, like all hardships in life, are just trials to be overcome. People are like tea leaves, you never know how strong they are until they get into hot waters. Thus paraphrased from Eleanor Roosevelt.

Chapter 14: The Field Trip

“Now remember kids, watch your step and don't get lost, and if you do get lost, don't get too lost '' Miss Baumann said to the class as they walked the trail up the mountain. “you signed a waiver so it’s not my neck on the line either way, but seriously, don't, it’ll be such a pain postponing everything just to look for your sorry ass who couldn't stay in the group”

“Hear that Kaiji? don't get lost” said Ben teasing Kaiji

“Man, we walk through these woods all the time! if anyone’s gonna get lost it sure as hell is not gonna be one of us”

“ooo confident are you? Are you sure though? we never walked through this neck of the woods kaiji.” Said Kairi

Kaiji felt a weight on his back “don't worry guys, I’ll make sure he doesn't get lost!” It was Alice!

“Why is everyone so focused on me getting lost?!” Kaiji exclaimed

“cuz you’re always late, getting lost and being late go hand in hand.” Said Ben

“nu-uh, I have an excellent sense of direction, I just delay the actual implementation of that direction, that's all” said Kaiji

“Well either way, we got your back so don't sweat it, you’re not leaving my sight” Alice grabbed his arm and pointed two fingers at Kaiji then back at her eyes then back at Kaiji.

Soon after Kaiji came back from talking with Aurora in Spirit World, he went back to Alice and Aki and the rest of them to join them. Kairi was ecstatic that he was also going to join. And Aki, true to his word, finally offered Alice a chance to be a part of the team as well. They were all taking part in it together. Even Ben was doing his part, Kaiji gave him the demonologist encyclopedia so he could help Haru out with the prep work as much as he could. Even though he wasn't officially invited, it was fine because he wasn't the fighting type.

The old man told them the truth, that if they got captured by the demons, it would spell the end for the world as they knew it. Because Kaiji had a connection to hell, and Alice was the descendant of a saint blessed by the goddess Aurora, they were both optimal candidates for a ritual sacrifice to open a portal to hell that would stay open. Outright erasing the line between the living and the dead, idea, and object.

“you two have to stick together!”

“wait what?” said Kaiji

“That doesn't make any sense, wouldn't that be counterproductive? Wouldn't the best course of action be to separate us??” said Alice

“Yeah! if we're together, they could nab us both in one go!” said Kaiji

“You two know as well as I how strong you both are, one spirit hunter is hard enough to handle, but two? Any demon worth their salt would think twice about attempting such a foolish effort” the old man said

“I guess that makes sense…” said Kaiji.

“Do we sleep in your house or mine?”

Kaiji face blushed at the suggestion

Alice realized how it sounded and blushed as well “no- not like that! I mean-”

“oh my… I leave you two to sort that one out” said the old man

They ended up walking home together after school. Worst comes to worse, since they live close to each other, they can come to the other's aid relatively quickly. They didn't need to take every precaution they thought.

When Kaiji told his parents he was going to continue fighting for the side of humanity, his parents understood and supported his convictions. Now that he knew everything, he could make an educated decision they could get behind. Ryouhei continued to train Kaiji in swordplay and Himiko helped him practice channeling his spiritual energy. His father also made it official and passed down his swords to Kaiji.

“You don't have to steal them from me when I’m not looking, They’re yours now” he said as he handed them to him.

and before he even realized the months passed as his ties with his friend and family grew stronger, he saw himself becoming more powerful. And before he knew it, he was on par with Aki.

“This kid” he said, frustrated by how fast Kaiji was catching up to him.

Soon enough the semester was almost over and the school field trip to the mountains had finally arrived. As Kaiji packed his bag his father came to him and gave him a special charm.

“Here, for good luck.”

It was a jade ring tied up with red string. Kaiji took it and tied it onto his backpack.

“thanks dad.” He said with a smile

...

“oh so your dad gave it to you!” Kairi said examining the locket from behind

“I still can’t believe they’re your parents, man! when you told us I could have sworn you were messing with us.” said Ben

“It's definitely rare, there are only a handful of demons who can wield that kind of magic.” Said Alice

“yeah but still, finding out your grandparents are actually your parents-”

Kaiji cut Ben off “shushhh! Keep your voice down! no one’s supposed to know remember?”

“oh…yeah sorry…my bad.” He said

“anyway how much longer until we get to the hotel?” asked Kaiji

“We should be approaching it any minute now.” Said Kairi

the field trip itinerary went as follows:

1- Hike up the mountain visiting several research centers along the way for special tours around the most historical parts of the ruins.

2- Reach the hotel to check in and look at the Kyokai museum of natural history.

3- Take a dip in the hotels natural hot springs facility

4- Star gaze at the observatory

5- Have a Relaxing evening in the mountains with a new year’s party with live music and an all you can eat buffet.

“I still can’t believe Kairi’s parents were the researchers in charge of giving us the tour” said ben

“it was so cute that they saw you and called you out, they were so excited to see you. Did they not know you were coming?” asked Alice

“my parents aren’t really in the picture as much as I’d like, they get so swamped with work and carried away with their research, they’re barely ever home.” Said Kairi

“oh... I’m sorry..” said Alice

“oh don't be, you guys are all the family I need” said Kairi

“damn straight” said Ben as he put his arm around her.

...

they finally got to the hotel, and after a long day of hiking they were ready to take a shower and get ready for a nice dip in the hot spring

“Alice, you bunk with Kairi, and Kaiji, you bunk with Ben.” Said miss Baumann

“can’t I stay with Alice?” Kaiji asked thinking about what the old man said

“oh no mister, I know how it is to be a teenager but boys with boys and girls with girls.” She said

“yeah Kaiji, boys with boys” Ben said as he cuddled up to Kaiji rubbing his chest

“well… I guess it can’t be helped” Kaiji said as he wrapped his arms around Ben.

The girls started laughing uncontrollably at the display and Baumann broke the two boys up grabbing them both by the ear

“That's enough PDA you two!”

They threw their luggage into their respective rooms, washed up, and made their way to the hot springs.

“What's taking them so long?” Kaiji asked

“you know girls, always gossiping”

“Speaking of gossip, did you know Ryuji got a girlfriend?”

“what? That kid? No way! how?”

“Apparently he’s a real savant when it comes to “wooing the ladies” as he puts it”

“it must be all those dating sims he plays”

“c’mon man, don't open that can of worms.”

“I’m just saying if I clocked as many hours on “becoming the ultimate boyfriend” maybe I’d have a girlfriend too”

“Ben… I’ve seen your computer, you do have as many hours clocked in. What's your excuse?”

“Listen man, you don't have to attack me like that, and I said It was for the STORY!”

“What are you two girls gossiping about?” Alice said

“oh Ben was just telling me about how many hours he’s spent-” but before Kaiji could finish Ben furiously covered his mouth preventing him from saying another word.

“nothing I was saying nothing, forget about it! let go of it already okay?” he said as he slowly suffocated Kaiji with his bare hands.

...

They walked into their respective changing rooms and undressed. They covered themselves up with towels and went into the natural hot springs. The heat went perfect with the cold mountain air. The steam gave everyone a healthy glow as they marinated in the greenish spring water.

“hey Alice, can I ask you a question?” said Kairi

“Sure, what’s up?”

“What do you think about Kaiji?

“ah well he’s definitely a strong fighter, reliable, there’s no one I trust my life with more”

“Well that's all well and good, but… what do you think of him… you know… as a man.”

Alice looked at Kairi confused for a moment not fully understanding what she meant. But all roads eventually lead to Rome. When she realized what she was talking about her face flushed with red. As her mind connected all the dirty implications.

“ah ha ha ha well… I-I never really thought about it! ha ha” Alice responded flustered

“It's okay, you can tell me I won’t tell.”

“you swear?”

Kairi nodded her head.

“Okay, truth is, I get along with Kaiji really well, and being around him is so much fun, I really enjoy spending my time with him. I don't know… Does that mean I like him?”

“not necessarily, he’s great to have around, but so is a vacuum. There has to be something more to it, do you feel like there’s more?”

Alice imagined a Kaiji faced vacuum cleaner and chuckled a bit before responding

“I’m not sure…maybe?” Alice slumped her head half into the water as she thought about what Kairi said. She was looking at the water when she noticed the stars in its reflection.

“wow, the stars are so bright up here!” said Alice

“oh wow! you’re right! it must be because we're so out in the woods there’s not as much light pollution.”

“they’re gorgeous!” said Alice

“hey, you know, when I was a kid I used to dream about going into space?” said Kairi

“really? you don't seem like the type.”

“I used to fantasize about going in a rocket and picking up some of the stars from the night sky like they were pinned up like some Christmas decoration”

“Ha, that's so cute!”

They continued talking back and forth about childhood memories and it helped deepen their bond and clear their mind allowing the water to take their worries away.

...

“aaachu! *sniff*” Kaiji sneezed

“gesundheit, someone must be talking about you.” said Ben

“you know as well as I do that's just a myth.”

“speaking of myths, I’m surprised the boss would give you Alice and Kairi the day off for this”

“We've been busting our asses off since we joined, we’re entitled to a break every once in a while, plus, spirit spikes have been on the decline lately so there’s no better time to take a break. Aki and the rest can handle whatever pops up while we're gone”

“Wait, so it really is just us? are they not here watching from a distance or something?” Ben said

“Ben, it’s me Alice and Kairi, if anything happens we can handle it.”

“yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

they sat in silence in the pool for a moment when Ben spoke up

“I wonder what the girls are talking about”

“Yeah, me too.”

...

When they all got out, Miss Baumann rallied them to go to the observatory. They looked up and saw the stars and the astronomer pointed out certain constellations along with where, on particularly dark nights, you could see the milky way stream across the night sky.

They all laid around in a circle with their heads close together..

“can you see it?” said Alice

“I can kind of see it…” said Kaiji

“man, I don't see shit” said Ben

“oh, look over there! a shooting star! Everybody, Make a wish!” said Kairi

the group all clapped their hands and made their wishes

“what did you wish for?” asked Ben

“You know that's not how it works! If I tell you it won’t happen” said Alice

“well I wished to not win the lottery” said Ben

“i... dont thinks that's how it works either...” said Kaiji

“you’ll see, you’ll all see...”

They would not see, because Ben never ended up winning the lottery.

...

After they got their fill of the night sky, it was time to wrap up the night as the clock came closer and closer to closing off the year. It was time… to party!

They got back to the hotel and everything was already set. Tables strewn about the open dirt field, the buffet placed along the side of the hotel right in front of the kitchen; At the far end was a stage filled with mike stands and amplifiers, for the live music, karaoke and talent show. The entire class was letting loose and having a good time. People who never talked were striking up a conversation and having fun. Unlikely friendships were made, relationships flourished, and enemies were burying the hatchet… at least for tonight. This was no time for bickering, no time for fighting, it was time… to dance.

Kaiji and his friends, after sweating on the dancefloor and talking for hours, finally grabbed a table to sit down.

“Look, all I’m saying is that the evil dead sequels made a joke of the foundation the original one set.” Said Ben

“Well, what did you want them to do? they didn't have the legal rights to any of the plot from the original. Besides, it’s not like it undoes the first one, if you don't like the sequels, don't watch them.” Kaiji said

“believe me, I haven’t!” replied Ben

“can we stop talking about movies for one minute and talk about something interesting?” said Alice

“Alice, I think that's a big ask for these two knuckleheads” said Kairi

“Yeah, you’re right. I should just count my blessings right?”

Kaiji and Ben looked at each other half offended and half understanding

“Well alright then, I have other topics I can talk about.” Said Ben

“yeah? like what?” said Kairi

“Well, uh, ummmmm…” he racked his brain pushing all the movie trivia he had gathered over the years to the side. And what was left… wasn't a lot. But he remembered something he heard in a movie that had nothing to do with movies so he went with that.

“Did you know, in Greek mythology there was a guy called Sisyphus. In his hubris, the gods cursed him to push a boulder up a mountain for eternity. A boulder so massive, so heavy, up an incline so steep, if he moved it an inch a day it was an accomplishment. It was so heavy that after years of pushing, his hands had caved in the parts of the bolder they were always pushing. When he took them out he could even see the imprint of his fingerprints. Anyway, after years and years of painstaking agonizing work, he finally got it up that mountain, but do you wanna know what happened when he got it up there?” he asked the group, listening intently.

“when he was about to reach its peak, the gods struck it down, making it roll all the way back down forcing him to do it all over again. and every time he would get close they would do it over and over again forcing him to repeat the same arduous work every day for the rest of eternity.”

“that's horrible” said Kairi

“I wouldn't say that, eventually, Sisyphus, rather than lamenting his misery, he started seeing the joy and pleasure of always having something to do, he reveled in the joy of watching the bolder roll back down as if watching it roll all the way back down the mountain were the fruits of all his labor.”

“So it's about perspective then?” asked Alice “no matter how bad the situation may seem, what makes it bad is the way you look at it. The perception of misery is what brings misery to life. how we don't see the world for what it is, we see it as we are; in other words your cognition... dictates your reality.”

“Precisely.” Said Ben

“Wait, wasn't that the main villain's monologue in a better time to die?”

“C’mon Kaiji, couldn't I have just one?” said Ben

the whole table started laughing as they realized Ben was bluffing.

That's when the music started, a local idol that had been singing in the streets for some time now, in fact, she even played when the plague was in town, had since started gaining popularity and became somewhat of a local celebrity with its own dedicated fan base. The lead singer was named Miku, the lead guitarist was named Alexander, and the drummer was named Keith. Or as everyone called him, graffiti Keith. For all of the “art” he was responsible for around town. He thought himself your everyday Banksy, but he was more like your every day "anarchist." Her music started off being about the typical things like love and perseverance, but she really came into her own as an artist when she started singing about dissatisfaction, fickleness, and corruption. Her songs were emotionally charged and exclamatory. In some cases down right challenging and provocative, specific lines denouncing adults for their ineptitude at handling the situations of the world. And thanks to them “we’ll have to rebuild it from the ashes”

Some other lyrics include:

Adults are shit

They don’t know anything

They tell us just to sit down, shaddup, and just be quiet

I’m tired of always being told what to do

All they do is talk

And all we do is walk

Our planets been shot

And you’re holding the gun

Why don’t you sit down while we fix your mess huh?

At the expense of us

You satisfied your greed

But that’s alright cuz soon you’ll all be dead

Then we will be in charge

You satisfied your greed

You satisfied yourselves

But now we will be in charge

Forever…

not really the kind of music appropriate for a new year’s party, thankfully the band read the room and left those songs out. At least... until the after-party.

And before they realized it, time had flown and the clock was about to strike midnight. They all gathered around the grandfather clock you could see within the lobby from outside. And when it started counting down Kaiji looked around at his friends, Alice, Kairi, and Ben; at the trees and the lights, he felt the cold winter air dance across his face and thought to himself, "yeah, there’s no place on earth I’d rather be."

As the clock struck midnight, a roar of cheer erupted from the teenage crowd as they bid farewell to the year that had passed them by.

Kairi pulled on Kaiji's sleeve “hey” she whispered

“what’s up?”

“can I speak with you in private?”

Kaiji was concerned about what was going on. but he went along with her as she led them far away from the loud bustle of the crowd.

Alice turned to say something to Kaiji but when she didn't see him, she looked around and just barely saw them as they ran off into the woods. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Once they were alone he asked her

“Kairi what’s wrong?”

“There's something I need to tell you, I’ve been thinking about it for a long time and I just haven’t had the courage to say it.”

“well, Kairi, were best friends, you know you can tell me anything”

“It's not that simple, it's something that could change everything.”

“I doubt it, it's not like you could say anything that’ll ruin-”

“Kaiji I like you!”

...

“what?”

“I like you like you. I wanted to tell you before the year ended but I just couldn't find the time and place, and I didn’t want it to look suspicious, so when the clock struck midnight, and everyone was busy celebrating I saw that Alice and Ben weren’t paying attention and I had to take my chance. I like you a lot, Kaiji. And I can’t picture myself liking anyone else the way I like you.”

Kaiji didn't know what to say, he had no idea Kairi felt this way about him. He was speechless; caught completely off guard.

“But, I see the way you look at Alice… you like her, don't you?”

“Me? Alice? It’s not-”

“You can’t lie to me, Kaiji! I know you too well…”

he couldn't speak it’s like she was in his head.

“Kairi… I’m sorry, I love you, that’ll never change… just… not like that.”

Kairi with tears in her eyes took a deep breath

“I know… and it’s okay. I’ve known for a while… I just couldn't keep it to myself any longer. And I wanted to tell you that at least. If I didn't, I’d just be going back to my old ways. And I can’t do that Kaiji, I just can’t not confess to you how I really felt these past six months.”

Kaiji hugged her. He didn't know what to say, but he knew he loved her and he wanted to tell her it was okay… and that he was sorry… so he hugged her.

She stood there for a moment shocked at his affection. Tears started welling up as she wrapped her arms around him. They stood there under the stars and amongst the trees, holding each other, protecting each other from the rest of the world, and themselves, even for only a minute. Kaiji held her tight with tears in his eyes. He wanted her to know that this changed nothing, that he was there for her no matter what. A message she received loud and clear.

“you should probably get back to camp” she said

“me? What about you?” he said

“I think I’m gonna stay out here a little while longer. Take in the scenery. The stars are really beautiful tonight, and the way the light rolls down the hill is breathtaking.”

Kaiji understood that Kairi wanted to be alone. So he left her there amongst the trees and under the stars, unaware that could possibly be the last time he would ever see her again.

As he walked back he noticed a distinct lack of sound. The ruckus that urged Kairi to lead him away was lacking. It gave him an uneasy feeling in his gut so he walked a little faster, and faster, and faster until he was almost sprinting back. He pushed aside the leaves and the branches and he dashed through the forest now panicking over the sudden silence that befell his class.

When he finally reached them he was confused as he saw everyone was lying on the ground unconscious. All except for Ben who was coughing up blood.

“Ben!” he rushed to his side

“Ben! What happened here? what’s going on?”

“Kaiji… it's Alice, you have to run!” he said as he finally fell unconscious.

“My that boy was a tough nut to crack, but they all fall in the end.” An ominous voice echoed around him. he scanned his surroundings and saw nothing

“Whoever you are, show yourself! Undo this right now!”

“undo? Now, why would I do that? the party was just getting started!”

“you have no idea who you’re messing with, you won’t get away with this”

“you’re already too late, try as you might there’s nothing you can do now”

“Oh yeah? and who the hell is gonna stop me? You?

“me? No I’m not here to stop you I’m just here to slow you down” in a flash the humanoid beast appeared in front of Kaiji. it was so fast he didn't even see it coming. He couldn't do anything as the beast placed his index finger on Kaiji's forehead and sent his mind into a deep spiraling nightmare. But Kaiji wouldn't be subdued so easily. He stayed on his feet fighting back the spell.

“oh well, well, you are strong, no one has ever been able to do that before”

the beast saw as Kaiji's veins bulged out of his muscles as he desperately clung to consciousness. He looked at the beast with a look so fierce it scared it enough to get into its battle stance. But as soon as Kaiji took one step, his eyes went blank and his legs went limp and he collapsed onto the ground.

“Phew, I was getting worried for a minute there”