Chapter 8: Turf Wars

[mp_npc]

Even though it was nearly 6pm, the sun was still relatively high in the sky compared to just the month prior. The days were getting longer and the air was getting warmer. With the heat brought energy--especially in the particular stretch where Teru had asked Mob to meet up. It was in the southeastern district of Seasoning City, an especially dense urban stretch near the freeway bordering on the industrial part of the city.

Factories and and their smokestacks were in the near distance. Workers in uniform were shuffling about with purpose, disappearing in and out of the narrow alleys that snaked through that part of town likes veins. The scent of street food was strong. There was one food stand that Teru asked Mob to wait near in particular, one with especially good yakitori. A gust of wind carried the delicious smokey glazed scent of it--along with laughter and jeers from one of the alleyways just behind Mob.

"Hey, ain't that a Salt uniform?" A boy jeered as his friends formed a loose-but-coordinated semi-circle behind Mob. Their own uniforms were a rusty red with enormously tacky gold buttons down the center.

Comments

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob heard the voices behind him and started to walk a little faster. He knew from experience that when people spoke like that, it wasn't ever a good thing.

[mp_npc]

"Hey." The largest one with hair gelled so thickly it was practically plasticine reached out and gripped the back of Mob's shoulder, easily stopping him dead. "You wouldn't happen to be wandering around here looking for some good street eats, would ya? Lil Saltie?" That drew a chorus of more jeering laughter from his friends. "If so, I can't say I blame ya, but I gotta tell you one thing, so look me in the eye real good, okay?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Um, well, maybe?" Mob answered honestly. "I was actually waiting for a friend." This was the first time in awhile he had neither work nor club activities.

[mp_npc]

The boy's enormous hand moved and gripped the top of Mob's head and harshly turned his neck.

"So you and your little friend know Miso Middle School turf's got the best street eats in all of Seasoning, dontcha? Then you know we're the ones who made this street with all them good eats into what it is, dontcha? Then you gotta know how disrespectful it is to come waltzin' onto our turf without paying proper respect, dontcha? Lil Saltie?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Had he committed some sort of faux pas? It wouldn't be the first time. Mob wasn't very good at picking up social cues and things that seemed to be obvious to others weren't so obvious to him.

"How should I pay my respect?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"I'd say he's already paid his respects. And then some." A voice cut right through the beginning of the boy's demand. "So, why don't you just take the compliment of his choice in food and move on?"

"Wha--who the hell are you!?" The gang's energy which had been at a simmer erupted into a full crackle at the interloper's cool rebuke. They spun around to face none other than Teru, still in his school uniform. "Ah, so you're from Black Vinegar, huh!? Then chances are you might know a thing or two about how this street works over your little Saltie friend--"

"I politely request you show him some mercy."

"Eh!?" The leader released Mob's head, turning to fully face Teru. "Now why would I bother doin' that, you no-account pipsqueak--"

"Because he's the one granting you mercy. Way more than your tiny brain could conceive. So why don't you do the honorable thing and follow his lead?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Teru..." Teru was so cool. Nothing ever seemed to bother him. He wasn't even worried about disrupting local cultural norms.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

That had done it—the leader was snarling and dropping all the pretense. Teru felt lucky he wasn’t within spitting distance while it was going flying with all the expletives being hurled his way.

But, it was fine. They wouldn’t be getting any closer than they were. They had already begun to stop their approach—if their energy was a crackling fuse, Teru’s was an inferno. Waves of pressure radiated off him, making the air itself tremble and warp.

“Mercy is a virtue only the strong are allowed to possess. Understand? But unlike his, mine has limits. So scram.”

Even if their minds couldn’t comprehend what was happening, their animal instinct didn’t need to. The leader tried to keep looking tough even when every hair on his body was on end—even his gelled helmet was beginning to fray—but it all broke down as soon as one his lackeys broke and took off. The others scrambled like frightened sheep.

“H-hey! You bastards! Don’t go running—!” The leader took off after them, his voice cracking.

“Phew. What a pain,” Teru sighed as he watched them clear out.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob watched, impressed, as the teenagers dispersed without any further argument. Teru managed to handle that handily. He didn't even use violence, either. Would Master Reigen approve of it, though? Mob wasn't sure. Maybe he'd ask about it later.

Mob turned to face Teru.

"They said something about me not paying my proper respects. Did I do something wrong?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Disregard it." Teru approached Mob and frowned, carefully combing Mob's mussed hair back into order. "Miso has always bordered our turf. Ever since they heard of the infamous Black Vinegar Shadow Leader's defeat they've gotten more aggressive about muscling in."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Oh," Mob said, simply allowing Teru to adjust his hair. "Is that going to be a problem?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"For you and me?" Teru laughed, turning towards the yakitori stand. "I think we'll be fine. That's not what we're here to worry about. But enough about that--let's get some food."

Though, even if he said it...he hadn't expected this level of fervor ever since his and Kageyama's showdown.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Sure, they said something about food earlier. Is the food here good?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"It really is." Teru took the opportunity to introduce Mob to his favorite -- the black pepper honey chicken yakitori. Teru got several sticks for himself--and they weren't small, either.

"I know just the place to eat." He nodded upwards towards one of the skyscrapers. "We can lounge on the roof if we fly up the side."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Sure. Let's just make sure we do it somewhere where people won't see us."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Mob didn't need to say more--Teru was already situated in a particular alley shield from view by stacked pallets of produce. When Mob followed, Teru was quick to bounce off the walls in a rapid ascent to the top.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Even with psychic powers, Mob was pretty sure he would not be able to get up there the same way Teru did. Instead, he passively flew up and settled down on a comfortable patch of the roof.

"Do you come up here a lot?" he asked, once Teru settled next to him.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"When I'm out on a survey." The tall building offered a 360 view of the district. Teru took a bite of his yakitori and swallowed before continuing. "And...it's pretty at night. The lights below are like stars."

Teru knew better than to be so carefree during a patrol, but he had a hard time containing his excitement over Mob joining him.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob took a bite of his yakitori, looking down at the city landscape below. "I've never really gone up this far before," he admitted. "I guess I never thought about using my powers for something like this."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Teru's lips quirked as he ate. Height was a supreme tactical advantage, but he knew that in and of itself wouldn't appeal to Mob.

Maybe...when the sun went down...

Teru pinched his own cheek. Appealing to Mob wasn't the focus here.

When he looked back to Mob, ready to go into his game plan, he ended up huffing with slight laughter instead. There was already a smear of sauce on the other boy's cheek. "You're kind of a messy eater."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"My mom says the same thing," he said, still oblivious to the sauce on his cheek.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Teru motioned for Mob to keep his head still as he took the liberty of dabbing his cheek with one of his own napkins. Mob's round cheek gathered beneath his thumb as he worked to clean it.

"Are you ready for this?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob quickly finished his yakitori.

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Teru finished up his own meal and tossed the containers into a trash can near the door with a (psychically-assisted) flick of his hand. He stood at the edge and cleared his throat.

He identified the key skyscrapers - there were 3 of them, including the one they occupied, in the industrial district. They offered the clearest vantage points and were to the north, south, and east respectively. The one to the east overlooked the shipping bay. Teru emphasized the importance of rotating locations and not staying at any location longer than an hour.

"I know you work as an exorcist, but have you ever tried scanning for other psychics before?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Just for Kurata-san," he said.