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Tapirus Somniator Chapter: Act I
Dream Eater's Melancholia
Following Paimon's whim, you return to Inazuma where you encounter an unknown youkai. Intrigued by this small creature, you are drawn into a moonlit encounter...
Paimonical Whimsy
Paimon:
You know where we haven't been in a while? Inazuma.
Paimon:
Might be nice to get a change of scenery. Come on, let's go!
Go to Inazuma
Paimon:
Ahh, remember when we chased that tanuki down this way? Good times!
Paimon:
Huh? What's that?
Paimon:
Paimon doesn't think they look anything like that... Oh, maybe there's a new kind of youkai in town?
Paimon:
Umm.... Is it trying to get us to follow it?
Find out what's going on
Paimon:
What's that girl doing over there?
Paimon:
She doesn't look well... Let's go check on her.
Paimon:
What just happened? All we did was lock eyes with her for a split-second, and then...
Paimon:
Wait, where did all these people come from? And what are they here for?
Traveler:
Looks like they're waiting in line for some reason.
Paimon:
True... Oh, and there's that girl! She's still here. Hmm, maybe she knows what happened?
Tejima:
If I leave now, will I have enough time?
Shigeru:
How many times do I have to explain?
Sanada:
There's no going back if I report him. But still...
???:
Hmm... anxiety over a lack of creative inspiration... Well, inspiration tends to give anxious minds a wide berth, so I hope our treatment will help you relax.
Wakamurasaki:
...Thank you.
???:
...Remorse for the misdeeds of the past, and despair over the sorry state of the present... I can help you face your troubles with a more positive mindset, but you'll need to work through things in your own time, too.
Nishiguchi:
...Many thanks.
???:
Next please! *cough*...
Paimon:
What's wrong with her?
Traveler:
Are you alright?
???:
I'm fine. Next, please...
Paimon:
Um...
???:
Mmm! Delicious!
Paimon:
Whoa, that was unexpected...
???:
Huh? What do we have here... *burp*! Oh no, I'm so sorry...
Paimon:
Sorry for what? We have no idea what's going on here, let alone what you're sorry for. Would you mind bringing us up to speed?
???:
It looks like you entered my dream by mistake. Let me wake you up, then I'll explain everything.
Paimon:
Dream? When did that—
Paimon:
Whoa...
???:
Hi! Feeling more awake now? Heh, I never expected Traveler to literally come to me in a dream.
Traveler:
How do you know who I am?
???:
Oh, someone I know talks about you all the time. Plus... I'm pretty good at profiling people based on their reputation.
Paimon:
So who are you?
???:
Right, of course. It's our first time meeting each other, so I should introduce myself properly.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
My name is Yumemizuki Mizuki — or just "Mizuki" for short. I'm a yumekui-baku, which is a kind of youkai here in Inazuma.
Paimon:
Yumekui-baku?
Little Baku:
*hum*
Paimon:
Hey, it's that little critter from before...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That's what we look like in our original form. I'm guessing that's the one that led you into my dream earlier?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Baku feast on the bad dreams of human beings — but we need to be in a dream of our own to digest them. The place where you met me earlier was where I go to digest bad dreams.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I must have swallowed one too many bad dreams, because they were causing me some digestive trouble... It's actually a good thing you showed up when you did.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Call it a happy accident, I guess. Thanks to your help, I'm now able to digest all these dreams properly.
Paimon:
Yeah, we thought you looked a little uncomfortable. That's why we came over. We didn't know what it was, we just thought maybe you could use some help.
Paimon:
And Paimon really hates bad dreams, so Paimon's even more happy to help knowing that you can eat them!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Thank you... but I still owe you an apology...
Traveler:
For what?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
While you were inside my dream... I ate one of your dreams, but it wasn't a bad one. It was a nice one.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I've eaten so many bad dreams today that I just scarfed it down without noticing...
Paimon:
So yumekui-baku can eat good dreams too, huh... Still, is that really such a big deal?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Of course it is. Dreams are some of the most precious things a person can have, and I just went and gobbled it down...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It's the unwritten rule of my kind: Never eat someone else's good dreams without permission. I can't believe I was so careless.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But... Don't you feel horribly depressed? Isn't your mind suddenly flooded with distressing memories?
Traveler:
Nope.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Remarkable... I've never heard of someone remaining so mentally stable after having a good dream of theirs devoured...
Paimon:
Umm... It's probably because Traveler has too many good dreams to count!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Maybe, but I still owe you something for your trouble... Ah! Here, take this.
Paimon:
It's a VIP pass for the Aisa Bathhouse...
Paimon:
"Staffed by clinical psychologists and offering spa and fine dining services, we invite you to bring us your troubles and leave refreshed and renewed"...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That's where I work. You'll find the address on there, too.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
This invitation letter entitles you to enjoy our highest-tier service, free of charge... Oh, and speaking of work — I'd better get back before I'm missed.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Hope to see you as customers soon!
Paimon:
So she's a yumekui-baku that eats bad dreams and a clinical psychologist, too?
Paimon:
Paimon's never considered therapy before. Then again, Paimon never really gets that stressed out. Except when she's trying to decide what to eat...
Paimon:
Speaking of eating — that bathhouse place does fine dining, and we have a VIP pass. That means we can eat as much as we want, right? This is the opportunity of a lifetime! We can't let it go to waste!
You and Paimon follow the address on Mizuki's invitation and find your way to the Aisa Bathhouse. However, before you take the chance to enjoy a pleasant soak, it strikes you that business at the bathhouse isn't going so well...
Go to the Aisa Bathhouse
Paimon:
Aisa Bathhouse... Well, based on the letter, this should be the place.
Paimon:
It looks familiar... Hm, we've walked past here several times before, right? Just never gone inside.
Aikawa Susumu:
Are you here to visit the Aisa Bathhouse?
Paimon:
Whoa! Where'd you come from!?
Aikawa Susumu:
Oh, sorry... Forgive me, I didn't mean to intrude. We've been struggling to attract customers recently, so I got a little over-excited when I heard you discussing my bathhouse...
Paimon:
"Your" bathhouse? So you run the place, huh? And business isn't going so great, you say?
Aikawa Susumu:
Oops... please, forget I said that, it just slipped out. Now, do you have an appointment?
Paimon:
Uhh... we have a VIP pass. Can we use it now?
Aikawa Susumu:
What? ...Ugh, I've told them before, a promotional gimmick isn't gonna magically fix our business. Who issued this thing... Wait, is that Miss Yumemizuki's signature?
Aikawa Susumu:
I'm so sorry, I had no idea you were invited here by Miss Yumemizuki... Please, feel free to redeem your VIP pass now if you'd like. Just give your names at reception.
Paimon:
Sounds like she has a lot of clout... But aren't you supposed to be the boss?
Aikawa Susumu:
I am, yes, but Miss Yumemizuki is a major shareholder. The business never would've gotten off the ground without her investment...
Paimon:
What?
Aikawa Susumu:
It's no cause for alarm though — she's a very responsible person. In addition to being a shareholder, she's also personally involved in our day-to-day business.
Aikawa Susumu:
She only returned to Inazuma recently — otherwise, I'm sure you'd have heard of her by now. She's a highly renowned clinical psychologist.
Aikawa Susumu:
Please, head on in.
Meet Mizuki
Paimon:
An indoor hot spring? Paimon's gotta give that a try!
Flustered Attendant:
Hello! I'll be right with you— Aah!
Paimon:
Oh, you okay?
Flustered Attendant:
*grimace* ...Sorry! I'm so clumsy sometimes... But don't worry about me! Putting customers in a bad mood is the last thing I want.
Flustered Attendant:
I promise I'll provide an excellent service! P—Please don't leave...
Paimon:
Uhh...
Lazy Attendant:
How many times do I have to tell you? You breaking a few plates isn't the reason we've been losing business. Stop apologizing for yourself all the time — all it does is make you look like an easy target.
Paimon:
It's all good, we're not out to target anyone... You didn't hurt yourself, did you?
Flustered Attendant:
...Nope, don't worry! As long as it didn't ruin your experience, that's all that matters! Now, um... looks like you'll be my first customers today, so, so... according to our standards of service, I need to, um, umm...
Paimon:
Why is she so panicky...
Lazy Attendant:
*sigh*...
Paimon:
Actually, we're—
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Shion, let me see to these two. They're my guests.
Paimon:
Aha, there she is! Baku lady is back!
Shion:
So Mizuki invited you here? As VIPs? ...Does this mean you're gonna save the Bathhouse!?
Paimon:
Uhhh...
Lazy Attendant:
She means, you must be very wealthy. Not everyone can afford our VIP service, after all.
Lazy Attendant:
But a couple of customers with cash to splash doesn't solve anything in the long run. You should focus on what to do about our new competitor.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Aw, Murasaki, was that you showing some concern for our business? I'm touched.
Murasaki:
Did not...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Since you're so eager to find solutions, you can work on our most pressing task — bringing our accounts up to date. With your smarts, I'm sure you'll fly through it.
Murasaki:
...Subtext being, you can't give it to Shion, because she's a moron and she'd screw it up?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Shion, I'll take things from here. What I'd like you to do is head to the kitchen and prepare some of your very best snacks for our VIPs.
Shion:
Will do! That's my specialty...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Sorry to keep you waiting. I have to keep our staff calm to ensure you have the best experience.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The panicky little girl is Hyakujitsuhaku Shion, and the lazy lady is Shiba Murasaki. They're both baku, just like me.
Paimon:
Wait... so the older-looking one is actually younger? And the younger-looking one is older?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That's right. How we choose to appear is just a matter of personal preference. It's more reflective of our personality than our age.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Anyway, enough about them — back to you two. Per the terms of the VIP pass, you're entitled to free use of all our services: so the spa, the fine dining, and psychological consultancy.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I would recommend starting with the psychological consultancy. Between me and you, one of the steps involves getting your bad dreams eaten.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Since I ate one of Traveler's good dreams by accident, this seemed like the best way to make amends.
Paimon:
Ooh, we get to have our bad dreams eaten by a yumekui-baku? That sounds fun!
Traveler:
But is this a wise decision, given the current state of the business?
Paimon:
That's a good point. You've been having some difficulties recently, right? It wouldn't feel right to get all this free service while you're struggling... Is there anything we can do to help out?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...I take it you overheard Mr. Aikawa complaining about our current situation?
Paimon:
Yeah...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I am sorry to cause you concern. Mr. Aikawa is a smart businessman, but he tends to worry too much about short-term profits and lose sight of the big picture.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Our financial situation is nowhere near as dire as you're imagining. And in any case, passing our business woes onto our customers is hardly the solution.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Please enjoy the services we have to offer. Once you've experienced our hospitality for yourselves, I'm quite sure your confidence in our future prospects will be restored.
Paimon:
Can't argue with that! Let's get started!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Of course. The only thing is, psychological consultancy is a one-on-one service that takes quite a long time. But I can't just make one of you wait around while the other one is in therapy.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So... Perhaps I can treat Traveler while Shion treats Paimon? Would that work?
Paimon:
Fine by Paimon! But uh... is she up for it?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
She'll be fine. I noticed how gentle and encouraging you were towards her earlier. You're the perfect client for her.
Paimon:
Oh, uh... hehe...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Secondly, Shion's therapeutic approach is a little different from mine... it often involves food. So she might be a better fit for you.
Paimon:
Food therapy? Oh, that sounds perfect!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Alright then, Traveler, please follow me.
Traveler:
Was all that just so you could be paired with me?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Don't get me wrong, Paimon is genuinely better suited to Shion. But in all honesty — yes, I had my own reasons for wanting to treat you myself.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Your psychology is so unique. I just had to investigate further to satisfy my own curiosity.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Please, come with me.
Follow Mizuki's instructions
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Before we begin, please take a seat on this chair.
Undergo treatment
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
There's a theory which suggests that we bury our most powerful emotions deep within our dreams. That's the territory I would like to explore.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Before I start, I'm going to ask you a few questions. I want you to nod your head for yes and shake your head for no. Alright?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Very good. Now, I am going to plant a few thoughts in your subconscious, but it's nothing to get nervous about. Just a way to improve your sleep quality so the treatment will be more effective.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
This is an incense from Sumeru that soothes the mind. The fragrance is said to be the "scent of dreams."
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Now, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and concentrate on the scent.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The next step requires some visual preparation. So don't open your eyes until I say so.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Aw, where did it go?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
*sigh* I need to have a stern talk with Murasaki. How hard is it to just put things back where they came from...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Hmm... This needs another dab here.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Ahh, that's better.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Hey, don't run off now, darlings.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Come here.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
For goodness' sake, your butt's showing...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Alright, alright! Shh!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Ready. You can open your eyes now.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You kept your eyes closed the entire time! If only every patient was as compliant as you, it'd make our lives much easier... Here, you deserve a treat.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Take a good look at this painting — there are some very special little darlings hidden within it, and I'd like you to find them.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Do you see her? Isn't she just adorable?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Now, you just need to find the others.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
She's a baku as well. Whenever someone starts dozing off, she's there waiting for their dream to begin.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Your journey into dreamland began as you were looking for them. Feeling sleepy?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Now, I want you to take my hand.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Very good. Now, close your eyes again for me.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I want you to completely relax, and focus your attention on the feeling of my palm touching yours. Notice how all other sensations in your body are slowly fading away...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Now, imagine you're holding not my hand, but your favorite things in all of the world.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You run your hand through the sakura blossoms gently falling through the air, then through a squirrel's fur... Then you grab a fistful of sand on the beach...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You are once again in the wilderness, running with the wind at your back. But slowly, your palm loses sensation. You lose your way and find yourself surrounded by darkness.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You can't see anything. But you hear someone calling you... and now, a light is shining from the same direction as their voice...
Exit the nightmare
Traveler:
(What is this place...?)
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Traveler, come over here...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Longing, caused by separation... It tastes so bitter. Please, don't stop moving.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Despair, caused by failure... Icy-cold on the lips. Please, keep going.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Regret, caused by missed opportunity... A sharp aftertaste. Please, don't look back.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Go to where the sakura petals fall, go to where the squirrels play, go to where you can hear the sound of the waves...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That is where I am.
Talk to Mizuki
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Holding my hand tight, those lost sensations come back to you...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The feeling of running your hand through falling sakura blossoms, or through a squirrel's fur, or of grabbing a fistful of sand on the beach...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
And as you return from the wilderness, you gradually recover your other senses as well.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
We've reached the end of today's session. Don't get up yet, though — you were just in a very deep sleep, so you're probably still feeling a little groggy. I've switched to a different incense that'll help get rid of your drowsiness.
Paimon:
Yawn... How you getting along, Traveler?
Traveler:
Just finished.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
How are you feeling after your session, Paimon?
Paimon:
Hmm... Kinda... fresher and more relaxed? It feels... cozy, somehow.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Good — that's exactly how you should feel after having a nightmare eaten. It sounds like the session was quite effective.
Paimon:
Oh, for sure! Paimon especially liked how she used the sense of taste to help guide the process.
Paimon:
But Paimon was asleep for most of it, so she's not really sure how it all works. Do the yumekui-baku just, like... sneak into your brain and gulp down your bad dreams in one go?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It's quite a bit more complicated than that. It deals with people's most visceral emotions, which have to be handled with the utmost care and attention...
Paimon:
That sounds super mysterious...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Sorry, that probably made no sense at all. Anyway, don't worry about the details. For your purposes, Paimon, just think of it as Shion gulped your dreams away.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
How are you feeling, Traveler?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Really? Hmm... I still think there's more work to be done...
Paimon:
What do you mean?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You have quite a reputation for resilience and positivity. So, I expected to find very few negative emotions in you at all.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But when I was deep in your subconscious earlier, the sheer weight of the emotions hidden there was overwhelming...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Well, even if you've buried those feelings deep enough to hide them from yourself, you can't hide them from a trained psychologist.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But that's not what concerns me the most. Despite all your negative emotions, I couldn't find a single bad dream. So I just gave your mood a boost for now.
Paimon:
Huh. Well... maybe he's just an eternal optimist at heart?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Optimist or not, everyone has bad dreams. Maybe they're just hidden even deeper in your mind... You're a unique case, as I suspected.
Paimon:
But he said he feels cozy, just like Paimon. So whatever you did, the treatment worked!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
True, but as a clinician, I would have hoped to reach a better understanding of my patient.
Traveler:
Sounds like you want to keep researching me?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Fine by me, as long as you can put up with a daily nap while holding my hand.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Anyway, all jokes aside, it's time for you to try out the hot springs. Your mind has had the chance to de-stress, now it's time to do the same for your body.
Paimon:
Ooh, that sounds good... Paimon's feeling relaxed already.
Paimon:
You know, this place provides a really great service. It's such a shame that you can't find more customers.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Don't start worrying about our bottom line again, or my work so far will count for nothing... Look — as long as we keep providing a great customer experience, we're sure to attract more business eventually.
Paimon:
Hmm... If you say so.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I think Traveler's recovered from the therapy session now. Let's head to the hot springs.
Experience the other services
Yae Miko:
Hmm... Most impressive, I must say...
Paimon:
Miko, what brings you here?
Yae Miko:
Ah, there you are... I heard a rumor that you were about to be kidnapped. Naturally, I had to come and see it for myself.
Paimon:
...She's joking, right? Paimon can never quite tell with her.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Miko. It's been a while.
Traveler:
You know each other?
Yae Miko:
She never mentioned? Interesting... We've known each other since before I became the Guuji. I've told her all about you... but it sounds like she's forgotten all about me.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You'll have to forgive me. I just didn't want to scare Traveler off... and "Hi, I'm Miko's friend" seemed like a sure-fire way to do that.
Paimon:
Pff...
Yae Miko:
Ah, I've missed your way with words.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So, Lady Guuji. To what do we owe the honor?
Yae Miko:
Why, I simply came to see the business that my dear friend has invested in... Oh, and also to urge you to sell your shares before their value plummets to nothing.
Yae Miko:
You could always invest in the Yae Publishing House, you know... Business is always booming. You only need to ask.
Paimon:
Sounds serious... But what's wrong? Are the shares really gonna plummet to nothing?
Yae Miko:
Hasn't she told you? ...Tsk, of course. She's your therapist — she has the perfect excuse to never open up.
Yae Miko:
The Aisa Bathhouse used to be very popular — although not because of the hot springs, despite the name. Their main selling point has always been the psychotherapy services offered by the baku.
Yae Miko:
But recently, a competitor cropped up... His name is Emura Ichigensai. He operates right here on Narukami Island, and his methods are said to be quite revolutionary.
Yae Miko:
Since he provides a similar service to the bathhouse and boasts even better results, he was able to poach their entire clientele in just a matter of days.
Yae Miko:
*sigh* It's such a pity to see how empty this place is now.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Miko, my job is to relieve my clients of their burdens — not to share mine with them.
Yae Miko:
Of course you'd say that — you're a professional. But no amount of professionalism is going to fix this situation, is it?
Yae Miko:
I heard people have been lining up since the early morning for Emura Ichigensai's clinic today — he's seeing patients just west of Inazuma City. And how many patients have you seen today?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Surely you know I'm not going to quit?
Yae Miko:
*sigh* ...True, very true.
Paimon:
...So that's it? You're just gonna leave?
Yae Miko:
Oh, I'd love to help, little one. But I don't want to upset my old friend.
Paimon:
Miko's acting all mysterious again...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I understand why she doesn't want to help. The two of us are technically competitors, after all.
Paimon:
Huh?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Light novels are one way for people to pursue happiness in their free time. So are hot springs, and so is therapy.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Miko and I disagree quite significantly over the question of how to make people happy.
Paimon:
Paimon is so confused by your friendship...
Paimon:
Paimon's curious though. After today, it's hard to believe that anyone could offer a better therapy service than the yumekui-baku. Which begs the question...
Paimon:
Who is this Emura Ichigensai guy, anyway?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Something of a mystery. I tried to look into his background when he first started poaching my customers, but I couldn't find anything.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I suspect he's avoiding me on purpose, since I'm a competitor. In all this time, I haven't even figured out basic things like where he sees his patients.
Paimon:
Well, we at least know where he is today though, right? Miko happened to mention it in passing...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That's true... But I'm sure he'll find a way to avoid me again if I go looking for him...
Paimon:
Then... why don't we go instead? We can pose as potential customers to get information out of him!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
As I keep reminding you, this is my problem, not yours...
Paimon:
Exactly. You provide an amazing service here, and we want all our friends to experience it as well.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Huh. Well, now it just seems rude if I reject your help... In return, all I can offer is an even better service on your next visit.
Paimon:
Sure thing! Just leave this to us!
Go to the address Miko mentioned
Paimon:
This should be the place... That guy looks official. Let's go ask him.
Paimon:
Hi there! We're looking for Emura Ichigensai, are we in the right—
Kanai:
Pay first, take a ticket, then wait your turn.
Paimon:
Oh, okay...
Paimon:
Ninety-seven... What number are you up to so far?
Kanai:
Fifty-three. Be patient. I'll call your number when it's your turn.
Paimon:
Geez, what a charmer... Looks like we're in for a long wait, huh?
Paimon:
Sounds kinda therapeutic in its own way... But we don't really have a good excuse to resort to violence here. And we definitely don't wanna scare off our target.
Paimon:
Why don't we pass the time by talking to some of his other patients? It looks like there's a few of them standing over there.
Ask around for information on Emura Ichigensai
Paimon:
Sorry to interrupt...
Susukida:
Do I know you?
Traveler:
(Show Ticket)
Susukida:
...Ah, so you're here for counselling too.
Paimon:
Yep! Fellow clients of Emura Ichigensai here. Although, this'll be our first time using his service, so—
Susukida:
"Service"? How crass. We're talking about spiritual guidance here, not some business transaction!
Umihiko:
In fairness to them, they haven't experienced it yet. Ignorance among the uninitiated is only to be expected.
Paimon:
Okay... Well anyway, Aisa Bathhouse calls it a service...
Umihiko:
Ah, more defectors from the bathhouse, huh? "Service" might have a veneer of professionalism, but all it really means is inadequate treatment that costs a fortune.
Paimon:
...Why do you say that?
Susukida:
I'll tell you why. After just a few sessions with Emura Ichigensai, you'll completely forget about all your troubles. From then on, it's happy thoughts only!
Susukida:
Today's supposed to be my last counselling session. He says that after we're done, nothing will ever trouble me again!
Umihiko:
Meanwhile, Aisa Bathhouse boasts about their strange and mysterious methods, but it's a total scam. They only treat the symptoms, not the root cause, meaning you have to go back time after time — all so they can keep charging you, of course.
Susukida:
Exactly. Overpriced and ineffective. But counselling from Emura Ichigensai? I can't get enough! I know I'm done after today, but I'd take any excuse to keep coming back!
Umihiko:
Me too... Probably see you tomorrow, then.
Paimon:
Whatever the truth of the matter is, Paimon is starting to seriously dislike these guys!
Paimon:
Fine... Yeah, so we're mostly here to see what all the fuss is about. You guys seem to be experts by now — is there anything we need to do to prepare for our session?
Susukida:
No, you don't need to do anything.
Susukida:
Just show up, take a seat, and he takes care of the rest. I remember he lit some incense... it smelled wonderful, and instantly relaxed me...
Susukida recalls his counseling session...
Emura Ichigensai:
I already know of the troubles that bring you to me.
Susukida:
I don't know why I lose my temper so easily... I'm pretty messed up, right?
Emura Ichigensai:
Yes, in the sense that all negative emotions are defects of the mind. But I can remove these defective feelings, leaving your mind healthy, whole, and free of distressing thoughts.
Emura Ichigensai:
Now, receive my guidance...
Susukida:
I don't actually remember the guidance... But anyway, it clearly worked. I guess whatever he said disappeared from my mind and took my problems along with it.
Susukida:
So rude! Your counselling session will change your mind — in more ways than one!
Paimon:
We're only being cautious. What's wrong with that? You said it yourselves, the whole reason everyone's coming to this guy is because they're worried about getting scammed out of their Mora.
Umihiko:
That's a fair point. You just need some reassurance, right? In that case... I can let you in on a little secret.
Paimon:
Go on...?
Umihiko:
Well... someone in my family actually knew Emura Ichigensai before he made a name for himself. Apparently, he had a terrible temper. Pretty much everyone in the neighborhood had issues with him.
Umihiko:
But he must've had some sort of epiphany, because he did a complete one-eighty. Went from having the most rotten temper you can imagine to one of the most cheerful people around.
Umihiko:
Even more amazingly, all the people who used to despise him ended up becoming his best friends. His neighborhood's more peaceful and pleasant than it's ever been.
Umihiko:
So you can rest assured that whatever treatment you get from Emura Ichigensai, he tried and tested it on himself first.
Paimon:
Huh... What a ridiculous story...
Umihiko:
Doubt it all you want! I heard it straight from my relative, who knows him personally.
Paimon:
What should we do now? We may have burned our bridges with these two...
Paimon:
Yeah! There's still a lot of people ahead of us, though... Why don't you take a rest while Paimon keeps watch? Just like how we do it out on the road.
The long wait makes you sleepy. Before you know it, you've fallen asleep...
You detect a faint fragrance, and begin following it to its source...
Look around
You arrive at a bizarre space in which naught dwells but an eerie "eye" that hangs high in the skies, drawing energy from people's nightmares. The "eye" notices your presence and tries attacking, only to have you block with your blade. Now feeling endangered, it repels you, countless doors slamming in your face...
Traveler:
(Where am I?)
???:
Let go of your pain...
Traveler:
(An eye!?)
???:
...Who are you?
???:
Argh... It burns...
???:
Leave this place! NOW!!!
Talk to Paimon
Paimon:
Traveler, it's almost time!
Traveler:
(...Oh, it was just a dream.)
Paimon:
Yawn... that was a long wait. Paimon's gonna need a nap after this, too.
Traveler:
No problem. It's my turn to keep watch anyway.
Paimon:
Alright! Now, time for us to go meet Mr. Emura Ichigensai!
Meet with Emura Ichigensai
Paimon:
Oh, hello! We're number 97. It should be our turn now, right?
Kanai:
Uhhh... Yeah, sorry, the clinic's closed for the day.
Paimon:
What? Why?
Kanai:
Because Emura Ichigensai doesn't have limitless energy, that's why. He's gone home to rest. You'll have to try again tomorrow.
Paimon:
But we've been waiting sooooo long!
Kanai:
Not as long as some people. Try getting here earlier next time.
Traveler:
Do you know where he lives, by any chance?
Kanai:
Hah, save yourself the trouble. Spiritual masters like Emura Ichigensai cultivate their powers with peace and solitude. Someone like you ain't gonna find him.
Paimon:
Drat. We shoulda barged in after all...
Traveler:
Let's report back to Mizuki for now.
Paimon:
Yeah, nothing else we can do for today.
Return to the Aisa Bathhouse
You tell Mizuki everything you saw and heard today.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So he gives spiritual guidance... And it takes all your troubles away and leaves only happy thoughts?
Paimon:
Yup. At least, that's what his clients say.
Hyakujitsuhaku Shion:
How is that possible? Not even Mizuki could do that, and she's an incredible psychologist.
Paimon:
Is that right? Paimon was gonna say, it all sounds too good to be true...
Shiba Murasaki:
It certainly is. Humans are... how to put this... they're a moody race — always upset about something. Show me a human without a care in the world, and I'll show you what "messed up" really looks like.
Paimon:
You think? 'Cause honestly, they sounded pretty convincing. And they said they only left the Aisa Bathhouse because they found it didn't deal with the root cause of their issues.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But the idea he is spreading is categorically wrong...
Shiba Murasaki:
That settles it, then. Emura Ichigensai is a quack, making false claims to steal all our customers.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Is that why he's doing this? To steal... steal our customers? Or is there more to it?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...It's unfortunate that you didn't get to meet him in person. I need some idea of the kind of person he is. Otherwise, I have no hope of figuring out his motivations and goals.
Paimon:
Yeah, it's too bad... Although if it's any help, we did hear a bit about his backstory from someone else. Apparently, he used to have a really rotten temper, but then one day he suddenly reached enlightenment and became a spiritual master, or something...
Shiba Murasaki:
Emura Ichigensai... rotten temper... Now wait just a minute...
Shiba Murasaki:
Filing patient records is normally the most tedious job in the world. But once in a while, something mildly amusing grabs my attention. Take a look at this.
Paimon:
Emura Chuuya?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...It's him. I remember him.
Hyakujitsuhaku Shion:
Wait... That guy? Oh no...
Paimon:
What is it? What about him?
Shiba Murasaki:
Where to start? ...Imagine a big ball of negative emotion took on human form and started walking around. That's pretty much Emura Chuuya.
Shiba Murasaki:
His patient record mentions that he loved nothing more than a heated argument. No matter how trivial it was, he could never agree to disagree — he always had to be right. The happiest part of his day would be winning an argument and proving the other person wrong.
Shiba Murasaki:
If he lost, he'd sulk, and if anyone called him out, he'd throw a huge tantrum. Before long, he'd turned everyone against him.
Paimon:
Sounds like he had issues...
Shiba Murasaki:
Oh yeah. Serious issues.
Shiba Murasaki:
Anyway, since no one would talk to him in real life anymore, he turned to the readers' letters column of a magazine by the Yae Publishing House, where he would attack writers and trade insults with other contributors.
Shiba Murasaki:
Naturally, this ruined the column for everyone, and the editor soon started rejecting his letters.
Shiba Murasaki:
Next thing you know, he's written a complaint letter to the Tenryou Commission, demanding that Inazuma pass a law to make it illegal for the Yae Publishing House to reject letters from readers...
Paimon:
Gee whizz... Where would you even start with a client like that?
Shiba Murasaki:
In my case — by giving them a wide berth. Mizuki dealt with this guy.
Shiba Murasaki:
I'm pretty sure he only came here to try and start something. But Mizuki managed to get him into a session, and after some treatment, his mood improved by a lot.
Traveler:
Wow. Great work, Mizuki!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Murasaki makes him sound like a rabid animal... He wasn't THAT out of control. Sure, his personality was very abrasive, but it wasn't hard to see why.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Once I understood his situation, I was able to diagnose him very quickly...
Mizuki recalls Emura Chuuya's reaction to the diagnosis...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You have very high expectations for yourself, but you've faced a lot of rejection in the past and haven't achieved much in your life.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You've never had any real close friends, so you don't know what healthy connections with other people look like. This puts you and your ego in the center of your world.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
In short, you long to feel a sense of accomplishment and to receive attention from other people. But both of these are lacking in your life.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You have no idea how to properly deal with these emotions. So you've been taking it out on other people, partly to seek attention, and partly because you get a shallow sense of accomplishment whenever you win a war of words with another person.
Emura Chuuya:
Tsk... You promise the world with your adverts, and that's seriously the best you can come up with? I'm not even going to bother explaining all the reasons you're wrong...
Emura Chuuya:
I mean, you completely misunderstood why I even sent that complaint letter. The Yae Publishing House practically has a monopoly on Inazuma's publishing industry. How can they ignore what their readers have to say?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
In the magazine column you wrote to, your strongly worded letter appeared alongside dozens of others which praised the writer for their work. You can't talk about what their readers have to say without including them, too.
Emura Chuuya:
No one with half a brain would praise a festering pile of garbage like that. Those are not opinions worth listening to.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So, when I touched on the idea of you having an egocentric worldview — this is the kind of thing I was talking about.
Emura Chuuya:
I... You...
Paimon:
Wow... How the heck did you get him to stay for treatment after dropping all of that on him?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Simple. The more he realized the truth of my diagnosis, the more he compulsively searched for evidence to refute it with.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
He'd lost the ability to communicate like a normal human being. So, I kept him here by using his preferred mode of interaction: argumentation.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The Tenryou Commission had ignored his complaint letter, so he had no outlets left for his emotional outbursts.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Eventually, with the help of some incendiary words, I got him to agree to try some basic therapy. Finally, I was able to tweak his mood and stabilize his condition.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It's a shame, really — if I'd only been able to see him a few more times, I know I could've helped him work through his personality issues. But unfortunately...
Hyakujitsuhaku Shion:
It was all my fault...
Shiba Murasaki:
For the last time, it was his fault for being a nutjob.
Paimon:
What? What happened?
Shiba Murasaki:
Well, one day, he comes in as usual for therapy, but Mizuki isn't here. So, Shion sees him instead.
Shiba Murasaki:
I don't know what got into him that day, but he suddenly announced that he wished to be free of his troubles for good — and demanded that Shion make that happen.
Shiba Murasaki:
Obviously, she didn't manage it, and then he pulled out a complaint letter to try and intimidate her. That was the last straw for me. I kicked him out and blacklisted him.
Shiba Murasaki:
He hasn't shown his face here since.
Paimon:
Whoa...
Shiba Murasaki:
Anyway, now everyone's had a look at his record — do we think there's any chance that this guy and Emura Ichigensai are the same person?
Shiba Murasaki:
Because it sounds to me like after he didn't get what he wanted, he decided to have his revenge by lying to our customers and getting them to leave.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Bad dreams are formed from a buildup of negative emotions in the subconscious. You can't simply trick people into not having them anymore. If Murasaki was right, then surely they'd have seen his lies for what they are by now...
Shiba Murasaki:
There's no point hemming and hawing! Let's report this guy to the Tenryou Commission for fraudulent business practices. If he can complain, so can we!
Susukida:
Is anyone there?
Umihiko:
We'd like to book a therapy session... Can we start now?
Hyakujitsuhaku Shion:
Hello! Please come with me, I'll get you registered.
Paimon:
Wait, those are the two guys Paimon mentioned earlier! Just this morning, they were calling the bathhouse a scam and a rip-off. How are they back here already?
Shiba Murasaki:
Oh really? Well, that proves it doesn't it? I was right. Now that they've realized they were lied to, they've come back.
Shiba Murasaki:
So chin up, Mizuki. I bet you business will start picking up again from tomorrow morning.
Paimon:
Yeah! You yumekui-baku provide an unbeatable service, no scammer's gonna run you girls out of business!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Interesting... Well, good. Murasaki, go help Shion please.
Shiba Murasaki:
Tch... Shoulda kept my mouth shut. I jinxed it, and now I have to work again.
Paimon:
Now we just need to report this guy as a fraud to the Tenryou Commission, like Murasaki suggested. Problem solved!
Paimon:
It looks like the Aisa Bathhouse will be back in business in no time. No idea if our investigation actually helped, though...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Of course it did. You were a huge help, and I owe you big time for it.
Paimon:
Hehe...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Now then. You only got part way through the VIP experience last time, didn't you? You still have to try the hot springs and snacks. Both are top tier.
Paimon:
Oh, true! How could Paimon forget about that? Especially the snacks!
After a dip in the hot springs and some delicious snacks, you and Paimon feel wonderfully relaxed.
Paimon:
Wow, Paimon feels incredible now. Nothing beats the complete service package!
Paimon:
Agreed! Although, Paimon didn't notice her inside just now. What could she be doing out at this hour? Hmm... Let's ask around.
Paimon:
Hey there, Mr. Aikawa. Do you have any idea where Mizuki went?
Aikawa Susumu:
Oh, you're looking for Mizuki? She actually tends to disappear for a while around this time every evening. It's the one part of the day where she gets to relax herself.
Aikawa Susumu:
As for where she goes and what she does during that time, I'm afraid I have no idea.
Paimon:
She takes the evenings to "relax," huh...
Traveler:
Like the first time we met her...
Paimon:
She probably tells people she's relaxing, but actually she's digesting the bad dreams, right? Hope she's not having any digestive trouble...
Paimon:
Remember the place from last time? Let's head there and check on her.
Go to where you first met Mizuki
Paimon:
This should be the place...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
*crying*... *sigh*...
Paimon:
What? Why's Mizuki crying? Unless... Oh, maybe we got pulled into one of her bizarre dreams again?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Traveler? Paimon? What are you doing here?
Paimon:
Well firstly, we were hoping to get our next appointment booked in...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Ah, I see. I was planning on making it back before you finished in the hot springs, but I ended up spending longer here than I intended.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Don't worry, this isn't a dream. I was just... feeling a little sad.
Paimon:
Aw, what's up? Indigestion getting you down again?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
No, my digestion was fine this time. What you saw just now was the aftermath of the digestion process.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Like I said, bad dreams are basically bundles of all kinds of negative emotions. When I digest them, I feel them all for myself.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So when I'm processing these emotions, I tend to get quite... well, emotional.
Paimon:
Does that happen to all yumekui-baku?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Oh, don't worry about the others. To feel these emotions, you first have to understand them.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Most baku have a very poor understanding of humanity, so to them, a human bad dream just tastes like a slice of bland white bread. They can basically wolf it down and barely notice the flavor.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I'm the odd one out in that sense. When I was studying abroad, I made a serious effort to learn as much about human psychology as possible.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Now, I understand human emotions much better. I can empathize with them, and I can now discern many complex emotions when I turn my attention to digesting bad dreams.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But still, that's no reason for you to be concerned about me. I wouldn't be much of a psychologist if I didn't have the mental fortitude to handle this stuff.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Letting your emotions out is one of the most effective ways to process them. Now that I've done that, my mental state is back to normal.
Paimon:
Paimon thought maybe seeing those customers had upset you somehow.
Paimon:
It even makes Paimon mad! You work so hard for them, and then they turn around and accuse the bathhouse of being a money-making scam.
Paimon:
Yes, they were led astray by some swindler... but it's not like they took much persuading.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I can't blame them. The idea that you can forget all of your troubles and never have a bad dream again is a very alluring one. Who wouldn't want to believe that?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Traveler, if I really could make you forget all of your troubles for good, would you want me to try?
Traveler:
...
As you imagine forgetting your pain and longing, the joy of reunion that you are looking forward to one day disappears along with it.
As you imagine letting go of your hopelessness, you also feel your fighting spirit slip through your fingers.
As you imagine being free from your painful regrets, the formative experiences of your journey lose their roots.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...You really are different from other people.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Discovering what troubles people is easy for me — even in your case. But although I see your troubles clearly, I still don't completely understand you.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
*sigh*... Thanks for checking in on me. As a psychologist, I know how to take care of myself, but you showing that you care is still appreciated.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Anyway, it's much too late to book another appointment now... You should head home, get some sleep, have a wonderful dream, and come see me again tomorrow.
Paimon:
Alright. Goodnight!
Traveler:
Goodnight.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Bye for now. If you still want to book another appointment tomorrow, make sure to come see me early.
The financial troubles at the Aisa Bathhouse appear to be almost over when a sudden turn of events turns everything on its head. You and Mizuki soon realize that the root cause of the crisis still persists...
Go to the Aisa Bathhouse
Paimon:
Mizuki, we're here to book our next therapy appointment...
Hyakujitsuhaku Shion:
Ugh...
Shiba Murasaki:
Agh... It hurts...
Paimon:
Oh no... What's wrong with them?
Aikawa Susumu:
They've been like this ever since they woke up...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...It's an extreme case of indigestion.
Paimon:
Huh? How come? Did they eat too many nightmares last night?
Aikawa Susumu:
I doubt it... We only had four customers yesterday, including you two.
Paimon:
Paimon blames the other two...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You're right. Something's definitely wrong with their nightmares... Our ability to digest dreams isn't just a matter of quantity. It depends on the emotional intensity, too.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Point being, no normal person should ever have a nightmare of this magnitude...
Hyakujitsuhaku Shion:
*retching*
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The situation is dire. If I can't find a way to help them digest the dreams soon...
Paimon:
What can we do? Let us help!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
We need to find those two customers from yesterday, and figure out the cause of their bad dreams. Without knowing that, I have no way of treating them.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Traveler, Paimon, I know you spoke to them both. Think you can track them down?
Paimon:
Let's see... Hmm, they did say they were gonna get counselling from Emura Ichigensai again. Chances are, that's where we'll find them!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Lead the way. I'm coming with you.
Go to Emura Ichigensai's place of business
Umihiko:
Y'know, I went out to sea earlier today, but was so distracted that I lost my net... Ah well, it's not a big deal though.
Susukida:
Yeah, I messed up today too... but hey, what's the big deal? A few bandits got away, it's not the end of the world, hahaha...
Paimon:
Hey, you two! Murasaki and Shion are sick, and it's all because of your bad dreams!
Susukida:
Whoa, someone's in a bad mood, huh? So funny, haha...
Umihiko:
I know, right? Hehehe...
Paimon:
Um...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
What's wrong?
Paimon:
They're acting so weird! Paimon was pretty aggressive just now, but they don't seem offended at all...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Allow me. Gentlemen, do you still remember visiting Aisa Bathhouse last night for dream regulation therapy?
Umihiko:
Did we?
Susukida:
I don't think so...?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Huh... Do you recall having any bad dreams recently?
Susukida:
No, why would I? What in this world could be so bad that it'd give me nightmares?
Umihiko:
Hmm... Nope, nothing comes to mind. Bad dreams must be highly irregular, surely? You don't have to look far to see that life is beautiful.
Paimon:
What is going on? It's like they've completely forgotten what they did last night.
Paimon:
Although, Paimon can believe what they're saying. They don't exactly seem troubled by nightmares... Does that mean Emura Ichigensai's counselling actually works?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
No, they're clearly not in their right minds... Traveler, Paimon, focus hard for a second. I'm gonna try something a little unorthodox...
Paimon:
Wow, what did you do...?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Entered their subconscious minds. I noticed they've both become disassociated from their subconscious, meaning I can access it — similarly to how I enter people's dreams.
Susukida:
No, nooo! Those thugs, I won't let them get away with this! I won't!!!
Umihiko:
The sea's too rough today... I should stay on dry land till things calm down.
Paimon:
Huh!?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
As you can see, their troubles haven't gone anywhere.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Susukida seems to have a short fuse, which causes him to act out of line. I'm sure this has caused him a lot of grief in his line of work.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
As for Umihiko... I believe he developed a fear of stormy waves after a near-death experience. Now, he's reluctant to sail out to sea at all, which is having a devastating impact on his livelihood.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Their negative emotions have been isolated from their conscious minds and left to float around in their subconscious. That's why on the outside, the only emotion they appear to feel is happiness.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But those suppressed emotions will only continue to fester in their subconscious, eventually turning into the nightmares that have been giving Murasaki and Shion indigestion.
Traveler:
How did this happen?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...If it's Emura Ichigensai's doing, I guess he's not the straightforward conman we thought he was. Maybe he really does have ways of influencing human emotions. That would explain why no one has blown the whistle on him yet...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Did you notice anything strange when you came here yesterday?
Paimon:
Not really. They were a lot more serious than today...
Traveler:
Actually, since you ask...
You remember the strange dream from yesterday, and recount it to Mizuki.
Paimon:
You sure kept that one quiet!
Traveler:
I didn't think much of it at the time.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Oh, no no no... Look, we have to find this Emura Ichigensai right away!
Paimon:
Mizuki... What is it?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Something inhuman is at work in Emura Ichigensai. Traveler's dream confirms that... He has victimized everyone who has received his so-called counselling.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
If we don't find and stop him as soon as possible, his victims may well suffer irreversible damage to their psyches.
Paimon:
Yikes... Well, guess we'd better press these guys a little harder. Do you know when Emura Ichigensai will be here next?
Susukida:
What's with the urgency? Why does it matter when he shows up?
Umihiko:
Yeah, he'll turn up when he's ready. No point trying to rush him, heh...
Paimon:
Ugh, this is infuriating!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...You do remember what happened last night. Both of you.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Only, you don't want to talk about it, because you can't reconcile the presence of a nightmare with the happiness you presently feel.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Just thinking about it brings up an overwhelming sense of being torn apart. You can't quite put it into words, but you fear you're a hair's breadth away from a total breakdown... Is that about right?
Umihiko:
...Please, stop. Everything will be fine as long as we don't think about it...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Emura Ichigensai's treatment has clearly left you wounded and vulnerable. But don't worry — I'm not here to snap you out of your denial.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...At least, as long as you answer our question.
Susukida:
Alright... But seriously, we really have no idea. We've asked already, and all we know is that he's not coming today.
Umihiko:
Yeah, uh... apparently yesterday's session kind of... tired him out.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Is he trying to hide from me again?
Paimon:
They really don't know anything? Darn. Looks like we've hit a dead end...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I don't suppose you know where he lives, do you?
Paimon:
No. We did ask yesterday, but even his guard didn't know.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
In that case...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Yes, I suppose... Now that I know what's causing their bad dreams, I can administer the correct treatment...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Honestly, you've already done your part by bringing me here. I can't keep troubling you...
Paimon:
Don't forget we wanna book our next therapy session! The sooner you stop having to worry about Emura Ichigensai, the sooner we get you all to ourselves.
Paimon:
So, we're not gonna quit until all this is resolved, and the bathhouse is back to business as usual!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Looks like I have no choice but to accept your help again. I have to make sure Murasaki and Shion get the treatment they need.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Still, I'm gonna need your full cooperation. If you do find Emura Ichigensai, please do not approach him. Just send me a message and keep an eye on him until I arrive.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The last thing I want is for you to put yourself in harm's way.
Paimon:
Ah, don't worry about that! You should see some of the other bad guys we've taken down in our time. This guy's small potatoes compared to them!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Paimon?
Paimon:
...Alright, sure. We'll keep our distance and send a message, heh.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Very good. Let's get going then.
Paimon:
...Pretty bold claim, saying you'll track this guy down. It's nice of you to give Mizuki one less thing to worry about and all, but... what the heck do we do now? What if we can't find him?
Paimon:
Cause in case you hadn't noticed, these guys are hopeless. They don't know anything!
Paimon:
Wait, you're right — she was the one who tipped us off about this place yesterday! She probably knows way more than she let on.
Paimon:
There's no time to lose! To the Grand Narukami Shrine!
Go to the Grand Narukami Shrine and look for Miko
Paimon:
She's usually somewhere around here...
Yae Miko:
Here for a fortune slip, little ones? Or visiting a friend?
Paimon:
Whoa! Where did you come from...
Traveler:
It's been a while, Lady Guuji.
Yae Miko:
That was a little lukewarm. You're starting to sound a lot like her... But pleasantries aside, what's the matter? You look rather out of sorts.
Yae Miko:
You may remember I dropped a not-so-subtle hint as to his whereabouts yesterday. You mean to tell me you still haven't found him?
Paimon:
Aha, so you did bring him up on purpose!
Yae Miko:
...Let's not lose focus here. You're here to ask for my help. So, would you mind explaining the situation to me?
Paimon:
Yeah, fair enough... We went to the place you mentioned, but he slipped through our fingers.
Paimon:
Next thing we heard was, he's not seeing patients there anymore — apparently, he loves his peace and solitude... So obviously, we've got no idea where to find him now...
Yae Miko:
*sigh* And after the lengths I went to to get you that location...
Paimon:
Dunno if this helps, but we did learn some other stuff about him yesterday. For example, a guy matching Emura Ichigensai's description came to Mizuki for therapy once — only his name was "Emura Chuuya."
Yae Miko:
Wait, what? Emura Chuuya?
Paimon:
You know him?
Yae Miko:
I once asked the Yae Publishing House to host an event for contributors to the readers' letters column. I had hoped it might be a fun chance to meet some like-minded people and chat... until he showed up.
Yae Miko:
Are you telling me that Emura the hell-raiser and Emura the healer are the same person?
Paimon:
Based on everything we've learned so far, it certainly looks that way.
Yae Miko:
Alright. Well, in that case... give this address a try.
Paimon:
Uh... Really? Who chooses to live in a place like that?
Yae Miko:
This was the delivery address he gave to the Yae Publishing House once, when he placed an order for several dozen books in one go. He also requested to pay on receipt.
Yae Miko:
The warehouse took one look and assumed it must be some kind of prank, so they rejected the order... Earning them an honorable mention in his complaint letter.
Yae Miko:
Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, it's rather obvious why he lives there. Someone as antisocial as him wouldn't be welcome anywhere else.
Paimon:
You've got a point... Well, we clearly made the right decision coming to talk to you!
Yae Miko:
I'm just glad I could help my old friend.
Paimon:
You mean Mizuki? So, you really do want to help her?
Yae Miko:
I can tell that she's invested an awful lot into the Aisa Bathhouse. It's only natural for me to show some concern when I see a friend's business in trouble.
Paimon:
Really? 'Cause yesterday, it looked more like you were looking for a fight...
Yae Miko:
I assume Mizuki has told you that we're competitors?
Yae Miko:
She has always believed that, ever since we were classmates. And now that I'm the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, I'm sure she must feel the need to prove herself through her endeavors at the Aisa Bathhouse.
Yae Miko:
The last thing she'd want is for me of all people to swoop in and save the day the moment the going gets tough... So if I want to help, I have to be mindful of her feelings and tread delicately.
Traveler:
It's rare to see you being so considerate...
Yae Miko:
I'll take that as a compliment. Mizuki's always so considerate towards others — it would be nice for someone to reciprocate once in a while.
Yae Miko:
Well done, you took the hint. Now, while I'm sure you'd love to chat longer, you seemed to be in a great hurry when you arrived. Shouldn't you be on your way?
Paimon:
Oh, right! C'mon, let's send a message to Mizuki right away!
On a lonely and desolate island, you and Mizuki discover the hiding place of Emura Chuuya. It seems that the truth behind the recent nightmares may well be lurking inside...
Go to the address Miko provided
Paimon:
This should be the place Miko mentioned, right?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Traveler, Paimon!
Paimon:
Mizuki! That was quick...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
All thanks to you two. With what I learned from those two guys, I managed to give Murasaki and Shion effective treatment as soon as I got back. That meant I was free to head out again as soon as I received your message.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So. This is where Emura Ichigensai lives?
Paimon:
Sure hope so, 'cause this is our only lead... *sniff* Wait, do you guys smell that too? Some kind of fragrance. Seems like it's coming from inside!
Traveler:
I smelled the same scent yesterday, too.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Then that confirms it: We've come to the right place. Now, we may face great danger once we're inside...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So from here on out, stay close to me, and stay focused. I don't want either of you getting hurt.
Traveler:
Don't worry about us.
Paimon:
Mm-hmm! We'll be fine — you just focus on what you need to do.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Alright, fine... I suppose you're used to leading the charge.
Look around
Paimon:
Whoa... This is not what Paimon was expecting...
Traveler:
It looks familiar.
Paimon:
Ah, this is creepy... Feels like there are loads of eyes staring at us...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Calm, yet repressed... The signs are all there...
Paimon:
What is it, Mizuki? Figured something out?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Nothing new — just further confirmation of my suspicions. Emura Ichigensai should be hiding deep inside this place... Stay close to me.
Go deeper into the Domain
Emura Ichigensai:
Miss Yumemizuki... You found me at last. Ah, I see you've brought some friends with you. Please forgive my lack of hospitality.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Emura Chuuya... So it is you.
Paimon:
Mizuki was right after all... Paimon wasn't expecting him to be so polite, though.
Emura Chuuya:
Please, do not call me by that name anymore. The old me was plagued by negative emotions. But I have parted ways with them now. That period of my life is consigned to the past, and the name along with it.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You have to listen to me — there is no way to get rid of all of your negative emotions. This life you're living now is a lie.
Emura Chuuya:
Haha... Your perspective is most amusing.
Paimon:
What's so funny? Don't you know you're harming people?
Emura Chuuya:
Harming people? That's what you believe? Very well, I understand and accept your perspective — even if you cannot afford me the same courtesy in return.
Paimon:
Ugh, what's up with him? He's being so calm and polite, so why does everything he says make Paimon wanna punch him?
Emura Chuuya:
As you can see, Miss Yumemizuki, all my psychological problems have been completely resolved.
Emura Chuuya:
I must thank you for your attempts to diagnosis my condition. But I see now that the truth is far simpler than you were proposing.
Emura Chuuya:
All my misery was merely a consequence of human frailty. I could not hope to remove my emotional impurities on my own strength.
Emura Chuuya:
I lived in fear and anger. Fear that I was not worthy of other people's attention. Anger at how they invalidated me.
Emura Chuuya:
I became a slave to my emotions. They turned me into a wretched and loathsome creature, hostile to everyone... But things are different now — I have acquired the ability to eradicate those emotions for good.
Emura Chuuya:
No longer will I be afraid. Never again will I be stirred to anger... No, I am filled now with only one emotion, and that is happiness. I have become humanity perfected!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
What I'm hearing is that you've developed your own unique understanding of psychological issues. So how about you play therapist this time? I have a couple of cases I'd love to hear your thoughts on.
Emura Chuuya:
I would be delighted.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The first is a soldier with poor control of his temper. He flies off the handle too easily, and it gets him into all sorts of trouble. This is having a significant impact on his daily life, and he's developed symptoms of depression as a result.
Emura Chuuya:
He simply needs to let go of his anger. Then, he will surely find peace and happiness.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The second is a fisherman who's developed thalassophobia. Now he is unable to provide for his family, which is causing him immense anxiety.
Emura Chuuya:
Oh of course, he must cast his fear far away, and forget it ever existed. Then, he can return to the sea at once!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I'm sorry, but you're wrong on both counts.
Emura Chuuya:
Oh?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The soldier's anger is rooted in his strongly held principles. Yes, his rage can make him reckless, but it also fuels his deep desire to stand against injustice.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Losing his anger made him passive and apathetic. He now stands by and does nothing as bandits attack innocent people.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The fisherman's fear made him one of the most reliable sailors around. Thanks to his cautiousness and diligence, accidents were a rare occurrence among his crew despite the dangers of their profession.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But after forgetting his fear, he destroyed the fruits of the entire crew's labor on his first return to the sea.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Fascinating, isn't it? Anger gives people the courage to stand up for what they believe in, and fear nurtures care and attention.
Emura Chuuya:
Uh...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Emotions are integral to human dreams, and after many years of dealing with their dreams, the yumekui-baku have learned an important secret about human emotions:
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Negative emotions do not just go away — they will always be there. This is true for everyone.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Not only that, but their presence is essential. You can't have a healthy human psyche without negative emotion.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So, do you have any idea what you've done to those poor men?
Emura Chuuya:
...What an amusing theory. In fact, I do remember those two, but I'm afraid that the only emotion I sense in them now is happiness.
Emura Chuuya:
How can you believe that negative emotions are required for a healthy psyche? It's a laughable theory. Don't you remember how I was when we first met? You call that "healthy"?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Acknowledging that negative emotions exist doesn't mean giving them free reign over our minds and lives. Humans have a whole gamut of emotions. They're supposed to keep each other in balance.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But if that balance gets disrupted, emotions start working against each other. Untethered rage cripples the capacity to be careful and considerate. Uncontained fear drives people to abandon beliefs they once held dear.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The person you were when you first came to my practice only proves this further.
Emura Chuuya:
Uh... I... I...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You were dominated by your emotions. Under their influence, you deliberately inflicted pain on other people. Meanwhile, the person you are now is so lost that you aren't even aware of the pain you're bringing to others.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
This diagnosis is going to sound harsh, but I'm afraid it's accurate:
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
You've simply gone from one extreme to another. You say you've reached perfection, but you're just as dysfunctional now as where you started.
Emura Chuuya:
You... Hahaha... How entertaining. Still... There's no need for me to argue back. You have failed to provoke me...
Emura Chuuya:
I will forgive you for this offense, because I know my present perfection to be a fact. I have direct and incontrovertible evidence.
Emura Chuuya:
You once told me that nightmares are the result of a build-up of negative emotions. But ever since I acquired my present abilities, I never had another nightmare again.
Emura Chuuya:
Clearly, that proves that all of my negative emotions have been definitively eradicated.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I'm afraid not. Look where we are right now... We're inside your nightmare.
Emura Chuuya:
What...?
Paimon:
No wonder! Paimon knew something was up the moment we arrived...
Traveler:
I knew it.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The enemies that we encountered were manifestations of his negative emotions. That can only happen in a nightmare.
Emura Chuuya:
No... That can't be...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That entity claimed it could remove your negative emotions. But all it did was separate them and store them deep in your subconscious beyond your reach. There, they were left to fester.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Your situation is far worse than that of the other victims... It has deceived you at a much deeper level. You can't even perceive that at this very moment, you're in the middle of a nightmare.
Emura Chuuya:
Haha... How laughable... Fear? No, there is no fear left in me... This is all just a terrible joke... This is no dream! No... Argh...
Paimon:
Something's appeared behind him...
???:
Hahaha... So, my arch-nemesis has seen through my trickery.
???:
Clearly, you came prepared... The emotional cocoon I had wrapped him in was all but impenetrable, yet still you managed to tear it down.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So, it IS you... Just as I thought.
Paimon:
What is that?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
A nightmare monster... A fearsome youkai that was once the bane of Inazuma.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
We yumekui-baku eat the nightmares of humans, while they called those nightmares their home. So, we were natural enemies.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
When I heard Traveler recount that strange dream, I knew that this was a possibility...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But it's still a shock to see one of our long-lost arch-enemies in the flesh. They were supposed to have gone extinct long ago...
Kuroyume:
Then allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Kuroyume, and I am the last of my kind.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Kuroyume... That's a name I haven't heard in a long, long time. How have you survived all these years?
Kuroyume:
Likewise, Yumemizuki is a name that takes me back to a different age... Although I must say — we may be born enemies, but I have never felt any great animosity towards you personally.
Kuroyume:
Ultimately, the fall of the nightmare-monsters was the fault of our hosts. Humans are such fragile creatures...
Kuroyume:
But now, I have found a way to revive my kind, and you are too late to stop me!
Emura Chuuya:
Ugh!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Oh no... We've got to catch up to him!
Follow Emura Chuuya, who is being controlled
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I used my powers to cushion our fall... Is everyone alright?
Paimon:
Don't worry, we've fallen from bigger heights before... The bigger issue here is that he got away, and we were so close! Gah...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
We've been completely cut off. That creature has taken complete control of his consciousness... We'll never catch him.
Paimon:
Hmm... Would it be easier if we wake up now and go catch him in the real world? If this is his nightmare, he must be asleep somewhere, right?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Remember the fragrance we smelled on our way in? That's how the monster lures people into the dream state. Now we're inside, we can't get out unless we manage to defeat him in his true form.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
He's turned Emura Chuuya's nightmare into his lair. There's only one way to force him into the open, and that's by finding a way to eat this nightmare.
Paimon:
Eat this nightmare? But is that even possible?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Not only is it possible, Paimon, it's quite literally my job.
Paimon:
Paimon knows that! It's just... we all saw what happened to Murasaki and Shion, and this nightmare is super intense... Paimon's worried this won't turn out well.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...This monster has harmed too many people. We have to stop it.
Traveler:
But, Mizuki...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It's okay, I knew what I was getting into. Let's get moving.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Hmm... We may not have caught him, but our chase wasn't in vain. He led us deep inside his dream... We should now be at the subconscious layer that makes up its core.
Paimon:
It's so dark...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That's what happens if you leave your negative emotions to fester...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
There must be a lot of emotional fragments in this place. We need to follow them one by one, until we reach our destination.
Paimon:
Wait, but what is our destination?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Where the light is.
Touch Emura Chuuya's emotional fragments (0/4)
"Father":
If I say it's your fault, it's your fault! Do you understand me!?
"Father":
You shouldn't go running around with that stupid thing in your hand! Do you want to go hungry tonight?
Paimon:
Uhh... The atmosphere here is so oppressive. Is it anger? Or fear?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Be careful. Every time we draw near to one of these fragments, we'll experience the underlying emotion on a visceral level.
Touch Emura Chuuya's emotional fragments (1/4)
"Father":
You? A writer? Didn't they reject you already?
"Father":
Get rid of this trash. Go find a real job!
Paimon:
Aw... Poor guy, Paimon feels so bad for him...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...We shouldn't stay here. Let's keep moving.
Touch Emura Chuuya's emotional fragments (2/4)
Classmate:
Haha... I won. Another round?
Classmate:
...That guy? He never joins in with anything. Why should we go out of our way to invite him?
Classmate:
Let's keep playing. Ignore him.
Paimon:
Wow, that's so sad...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Nope, not here, either...
Paimon:
Hmm... *gasp* Look! There's the light!
Touch Emura Chuuya's emotional fragments (3/4)
Emura Chuuya:
*sob*...
Paimon:
What is this place...?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It's his sorrow... Yes, sheer overwhelming sorrow...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Human emotions exist in a delicate balance. When that balance is lost, negative emotions spiral out of control, and go on to fuel nightmares.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
By isolating these negative emotions and allowing them to fester, that monster has completely destroyed his emotional balance. That's why he was able to create such a powerful nightmare.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
If we want to restore balance, we have to dispose of the excess negative emotion.
Paimon:
Ah, so that's what you mean when you talk about "eating nightmares"?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Well done, Paimon. Very clever.
Paimon:
Alright... what's the next step?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I need to find a way to separate the negative emotions out. For that, I need a special medium...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Sorrow might just do the job. As long as it's kept in check, it can calm the waves of emotions and help him regain some measure of control.
"Mother":
Let it out, Chuuya, let the tears flow. You'll feel better after a good cry.
Emura Chuuya:
*sob*...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
This process will untangle his unbridled fear and anger, his unresolved resentment, and his unshakeable despair...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
These excess emotions will be separated out from the rest. They are the source of this nightmare.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...Argh!
Paimon:
Mizuki!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It's alright... It's an unpleasant flavor, but I've tasted it thousands of times.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
A good cry can work wonders, even though he seems beyond helping... I think he should be able to take another step out from the swamp of despair now.
"Mother":
Are you ready to come out now, Chuuya?
"Mother":
I'll be waiting for you right here, son. I'd love to listen to more of your stories, whenever you're ready.
Emura Chuuya:
...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Phew... Alright, there goes that nightmare. Hopefully, this marks the beginning of a sweeter dream...
Paimon:
Amazing... Suddenly, Paimon feels so relaxed, and maybe even... happy?
Kuroyume:
...I thought I had found the perfect host. But you found the one weakness in his emotional armor...
Paimon:
Aah! He's back again!
Kuroyume:
Freeing a single host from my clutches changes nothing. You cannot stop me! I told you, you are too late!
Investigate the nightmare's hideout
Paimon:
What is this place?
Traveler:
A new dream?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I can't believe it... He's brought us to the borderland...
Paimon:
"Borderland"?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
To put it simply, it's a dream within a dream... A space hidden deep within the collective Inazuman subconscious. A dream that can exist even without a host.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
This must be how that monster managed to survive the extinction of his kind... he hid here.
Paimon:
Mizuki, that eye...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
He's trying to turn this place into a nightmare so he'll be more at home... And he's creating copies of himself...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
This place is connected to the dreams of every human in the nation. From here, he can place a copy of himself in every dream.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
If he succeeds, then he'll have effectively revived his kind already...
Paimon:
Then we know what we need to do: We gotta take this guy down! ...Do we think a sword will do the job?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Maybe — if we can get close enough to reach his core... But he's brought the nightmares of all of his victims here, and that gives him an immense amount of power.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Dealing with this many in one go is going to take a different approach. We need a power to rival his nightmares... the power of sweet dreams.
Paimon:
Sweet dreams? Where are we gonna find those?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Lost minds — there should be some around here, and some of them will have come from sweet dreams originally... Come on, follow me!
Find the resonance of sweet dreams (0/2)
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Chasing tanuki through the woods, and climbing trees to hunt for onikabuto...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Thank you for lending us your happiness.
Find the resonance of sweet dreams (1/2)
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Watching fireworks fly up into the sky, and writing wishes on a prayer plaque...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Thank you for sharing your passion.
The final battle
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The core should be just up ahead. This will be a tough fight...
Paimon:
Why? Are these sweet dreams not... sweet enough?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I just wish we could've gathered some more... But these are all we could find in the immediate vicinity.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Which means, we're running out of time. Our chances of success are shrinking by the minute — we have to act now.
Paimon:
No problem! We're ready to go!
Face Kuroyume in battle
Kuroyume:
Gah... I must confess, I am somewhat confused. Both of us bring happiness to humans now. Why must you still treat me as your enemy?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Because the happiness you provide is a lie. All you do is make them forget that their negative emotions exist, and now they're living under the illusion that they're gone for good.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
All the while, these repressed feelings continue to fester in their subconscious, eventually becoming nightmares intense enough to become your home.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Your kind has always thrived by magnifying your hosts' negative emotions for your own gain. What you're doing now is no different from what you've always done.
Kuroyume:
Incorrect... This time, I shall change the fate of my entire kind!
Kuroyume:
When a human becomes dominated by their negative emotions, they lose their ability to survive. That is how my kin died out.
Kuroyume:
But I can give them a fantasy instead, turning them into the perfect hosts, capable of surviving no matter how dire the situation in their subconscious gets.
Kuroyume:
This is the path to our revival! My kin shall rise again!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...You do realize what that means, don't you? You've just gone from one extreme to the other.
Kuroyume:
Oh, I am perfectly aware. There is nothing you can say that I do not already know... For over all the years that your kind has been learning about the human mind, I have been hiding here, watching, and learning from the fruits of your labor.
Kuroyume:
But I'm afraid I could not care less for the moral burdens that you impose upon yourselves. The health of the human psyche is of precisely zero interest to me.
Kuroyume:
Now, here is a question well worth thinking about... If we allowed the humans themselves to decide, which of us would they really choose? You? Or me?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...
Kuroyume:
Do you see now? I won this battle long before you ever set foot inside this dream!
Paimon:
Aaah, what's going on!?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
He's growing stronger... But we've exhausted the power of the sweet dreams already...
Traveler:
So we need more sweet dreams then?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Even if we could find more sweet dreams now, it still wouldn't be enough... Ugh!
Kuroyume:
If you accept that negative emotions are an immutable presence in the human mind, then you must also know that such emotions include apathy and sloth.
Kuroyume:
Without the yumekui-baku there to hold their hand and walk them through dream regulation therapy, do you honestly think that anyone would ever be inclined to embrace their negative emotions?
Kuroyume:
No, they would sooner run from reality, to forget all about their troubles, and live inside an illusion!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
But, the whole reason I wanted to become a psychologist...
Traveler:
Mizuki!
You pass your sweet dream onto Mizuki in order to resist the nightmare's power.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Traveler...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
These feelings... So that's how they should taste?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Longing, caused by separation... So bitter, and yet the experience led to a whole new journey for you. If you keep pressing on, maybe even more precious memories await...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Despair, caused by failure... Icy-cold, and yet in conquering this despair you gained the courage to face the lightning.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Regret, caused by missed opportunity... A harsh aftertaste, and yet it's only through that loss that we can learn to appreciate everything we have.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
And after all these flavors comes... sweetness, passion, and refreshed hope. So, that's why I was able to taste a sweet dream at our first meeting...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Long before you ever met me, you'd already gained the courage to never avoid or run away from your feelings... And all your nightmares had become the fuel for sweeter dreams.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The power that you have gained by processing everything from your long journey is surely far stronger than any power wielded by that creature.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The whole reason I wanted to become a psychologist... was to try and help people become someone like you.
Escape the dreamscape
Kuroyume:
Impossible... With just one person's dream, you... But how? ...I have been planning this for so long...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Once the false dream he created has been destroyed, I can make sure all his victims make a full recovery.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I don't think I ever would have been able to do this without your help...
Paimon:
Hehe, don't mention it!
Kuroyume:
Hmph... You shall join my ancestors in death... You, and my failure of a host...
Paimon:
What? He's still not dead!? ...Wait, does anyone else hear water? Where is that coming from?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Maybe he made his host build some kind of device in the underwater cave? Once he realized we were onto him, he decided to sacrifice his host...
Paimon:
So you mean... we're in danger in the real world too!?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
We've got to wake up!
Paimon:
But how? Like... pinch ourselves?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
This should be high enough... Traveler, Paimon, jump!
Paimon:
Huh!?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
If you're afraid, then just take my hand, and close your eyes.
Traveler:
I assume I'm not allowed to open them again until you say so?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Yes — just like the last time!
Help Mizuki deal with the after-effects of the event
movie
You suddenly awaken to find yourself sinking into deep water. Mizuki reaches out from where she is in the light, grabbing you and Paimon and bringing you back to the surface, and from there, into the night sky, where dream bubbles wrapped in nightmares float above Narukami Island. Mizuki summons the yumekui-baku, who consume the nightmares and allow people to slumber in peace. The baku fascinate Paimon, while Mizuki pulls you further toward the starry sky, until you land on a tree branch. You sit together and gaze out into the distance.
Listen to what Mizuki has to say
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Phew... It's finally over. It's a good thing I had the foresight to ask them for help, or I'd be the one dying from indigestion tonight...
Traveler:
My good dreams helped, right?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Mhm. They were very delicious.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Traveler, could I pick your brain with another question? What do you think humans tend to have more of, happy dreams, or bad ones?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
If only that were true...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Most people struggle to deal with their negative emotions. They bottle them up inside, until they've festered and turned into nightmares.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
As a result, humans have far more bad dreams than good ones. And most happy dreams are short and fleeting. They are so rare that it's basically impossible for them to be shared with others.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Heck, there are even people out there who only have the mind space to have happy dreams after they've given us their bad ones...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Which is all to say that the dreams we get to taste are usually bad ones. No matter how hard we try, we can't seem to change this state of affairs.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I once believed that the only reason we yumekui-baku existed was to serve as a disposal method for nightmares. It's a fate that we cannot escape, no matter how many dreams we eat, or how many years pass by...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Even though I call myself a clinical psychologist, I also have dark thoughts sometimes. I suppose that's the only problem I have.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Still, after learning the principles of psychology, I came up with a new way to look at all of this.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
If we can use psychotherapy to help people to come to terms with their emotions, they'll gain the ability to deal with their nightmares on their own, so they'll no longer need to call upon us for assistance.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
That way, more and more people can free up their minds for truly happy dreams, until there'll be enough to share around.
Traveler:
That's a beautiful wish.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Haha, a naive one, more like. Even though I've run this business for quite a long time now, it still hasn't come true — not even once.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
So, I must thank you. Because after meeting you, I finally became sure that my wish is achievable.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
And knowing that is all the treatment I need against the dark thoughts I sometimes have.
Paimon:
There you are! Paimon's been looking everywhere for you two!
Traveler:
Paimon...
Paimon:
Paimon was just watching the baku eat the nightmares. They got really full, and started rolling around on their tummies. It was sooo cute... Anyway, that's why Paimon fell behind. Got a little distracted watching them, heh.
Paimon:
Oh, and speaking of baku, we were gonna book another appointment with you, weren't we? Remember, before we got caught up in all those nightmare shenanigans...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It's a little late for that now. Ask me again tomorrow.
Paimon:
Oh...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Still, the night is young. Want to stay here and watch the moon with me for a little longer?
Paimon:
Huh?
Under the bright moon's light, I feel no urge to return
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
The moon sure is beautiful tonight.
The nightmare crisis has finally been resolved and you have received a new invitation letter from Mizuki. Finally time for Paimon to enjoy the all-inclusive spa day she's been so looking forward to...
Go to the Aisa Bathhouse
Hyakujitsuhaku Shion:
Scuse me, hello! Please come register over here!
Shiba Murasaki:
What's going on? Why are there so many guests? Had I known, I'd have definitely turned some of them back...
Paimon:
Whoa, looks like business is booming with Emura Ichigensai out of the picture! And it's good to see that Murasaki and Shion are well on the road to recovery.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Morning, Traveler, Paimon. Want to make an appointment?
Paimon:
Yes please! For today, if possible!
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Then, I'd better get you another VIP pass. You're our most important customers, after all.
Paimon:
Hee-hee, awesome! In that case, Very Important Paimon would like to start with the fine dining this time.
Yae Miko:
Oh my... Imagine if you'd taken my advice and sold your shares the other day. It could have cost you dearly now that business is booming again. I hope you're not too upset with me, old friend?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Why would I be upset? It's not as if I ever took your suggestion seriously.
Yae Miko:
Ah, I've missed that way with words. So affectionate...
Paimon:
Would it kill you to not sneak up on people every darn time...
Yae Miko:
Morning, little ones. Did you enjoy the scenery last night?
Traveler:
What? ...You were spying on us?
Yae Miko:
Hardly. That tree was directly beneath the Grand Narukami Shrine. What was I supposed to do, move the entire shrine to give you some privacy?
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Is there a reason you're here, Lady Guuji?
Yae Miko:
Heh... Mostly because I felt like a walk. But I do have a message from the Tenryou Commission to pass on, as it happens.
Yae Miko:
The gentleman who your fellow yumekui-baku fished out of the water last night is no longer in a critical condition. Although, his mind seems to have regressed to that of a young child.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
It could have been worse, I suppose... Lady Guuji, I owe you my thanks. Without your help, things might've gone a lot less smoothly yesterday.
Yae Miko:
Hmm?
Traveler:
Wasn't me...
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Come on, Miko. You've always been worse than me at keeping secrets.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
I admit that I feel inferior around you, and have an urge to prove myself. How could I not? But maybe these feelings are what have driven me to take this business as far as I have.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
My sense of inferiority keeps my ego in check, and my desire to prove myself gives me the strength to persevere. I'm able to accept these parts of me for what they are — there's no need for you to tiptoe around them.
Yae Miko:
*sigh* You could have told me sooner... The poor Traveler here has been doing all my running around for me.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
True. But then again, without Traveler's help, you'd have been placed in a difficult position.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Emura Ichigensai had amassed a huge following. For the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine to publicly go against him would have been a dangerous move.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
An angry mob of zealots could have done some serious damage to the shrine's reputation... Much safer for the Guuji not to get personally involved. It was the right decision.
Yae Miko:
While that's all true, my main concern was that I didn't want to upset an old friend. Otherwise, I could have taken a much more direct approach.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Miko...
Yae Miko:
I always seem to forget that you're more cunning and less adorable than you look... Seems like my worries about upsetting you were unfounded.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
...It's not that I don't get upset. Everyone has their fair share of troubles... But every sorrow has its cure.
Yumemizuki Mizuki:
Here's your new VIP Pass. Please take good care of it.