Awakening Lab (building)

The Awakening Lab is a research facility located in Seasoning City.

Description
The Awakening Lab was once an abandoned apartment complex named "Fortress Spice", prior to its remodelling. The ground floor is a large, darkened room occupied by several scientists hired by Kenji who were known for their prominence in neural science and engineering. In the centre is a large, high-tech supercomputer where data is recorded and stored.

The second floor houses five esper children who are members of the Awakening Lab, and resembles a large studio apartment. The second floor is furnished with various toys and books, and has several sitting areas where the esper children can relax. In addition, the second floor also has a flat-screen TV and a speaker system for additional entertainment, with a couch so the esper children (and visitors) can watch TV and/or listen to music there.

The Awakening Lab also has small rooms where potential espers can test their abilities in private, supervised by either Kenji or the various scientists in the building.

Activities
The Awakening Lab, as its name suggests, was designed to study and promote the growth of psychic powers in ordinary people who are latent espers. As such, the Awakening Lab is supplied with tools such as spoons and picture cards to gauge an esper's level of power.

Despite its only purpose of conducting para-psychological research and Kenji's interest in psychic powers, the Awakening Lab does not engage in illegal experimentation on its subjects.

History
The Awakening Lab was established by Kenji Mitsuura, a wealthy man who pooled his vast fortunes into researching psychic powers so he could fulfill his dream of becoming an esper. The first people to volunteer testing for psychic potential were five children who were all later revealed to be espers. Once their powers were revealed, the children stayed at the Awakening Lab so they can learn how to amplify their abilities further.

Plot
Mob's younger brother Ritsu Kageyama was invited to visit the Awakening Lab by Kenji, who mistook him for his more powerful sibling. During the tour, Ritsu learned about the Awakening Lab and the five esper children who lived there.

After the esper children introduced themselves, Ritsu asked them if Kenji did anything to them to awaken their psychic powers. Hoshino, one of the children, assured him that Kenji was only fascinated with psychic powers. Kenji revealed his dream of becoming an esper, which Ritsu initially thought was foolish but ultimately sympathises with as he resented Mob for being the only psychic in his family. All of the esper children then displayed their very weak powers, leaving Ritsu rather unimpressed yet relieved.

Later, Ritsu tried to bend a spoon during a second visit at the Awakening Lab. Tormented by feelings of frustration and guilt, Ritsu revealed to Kenji that he was not a psychic and threw away his spoon before leaving. An amused Hoshino arrived shortly after and expressed doubts of Ritsu being an esper. Kenji retrieved Ritsu's discarded spoon and was shocked to see it severely twisted out of shape, something that only psychic powers could do.

After Ritsu's psychic powers emerge from being possessed by Dimple, he went to the Awakening Lab and demonstrated his new abilities by bending many spoons at once, surprising Hoshino and Kenji. Ritsu suggested using Kenji's car for another psychic demonstration. Kenji was frightened by Ritsu's malicious turn in his personality.

The Awakening Lab was soon attacked by Sakurai, a member of Claw who was sent to retrieve the esper children so Claw could brainwash them into becoming esper soldiers. During the attack, the scientists and Kenji were knocked unconscious, while the esper children were bound and kidnapped.

Both Mob and Teruki Hanazawa headed to the Awakening Lab after Ritsu was kidnapped by Koyama, thinking Kenji sold out Ritsu and the esper children to Claw. A quick interrogation revealed that Kenji knew nothing about Claw, and he became distraught after remembering what happened to his charges. The trio were soon attacked by Terada and his henchmen but they quickly defeated their assailants. Teru then interrogated Terada for information on Claw, but was suspicious with Terada's willingness to expose his employers.

After the esper children were rescued from Claw, Teruki worked with the esper children at the Awakening Lab as their teacher. Thanks to his efforts, the esper children were able to increase their psychic powers to a significant degree than when they first started.