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

[mp_npc]

With the gang's passing, the streets were no more loud than usual. The crowds had barely thinned, even though the sky had begun to dim from blue to orange in the time that Mob and Teru had begun their patrol. The vendors even seemed more at ease as there were no delinquents in sight--a rare reprieve for those hours after school had gotten out. Some baristas were chatting about it as Mob passed, and then--

His phone began to vibrate.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob quickly flipped the phone open. "Teru? Is everything okay?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Shige--we've got trouble." Teru's voice was slightly unsteady from the effort of righting his breath.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"What's going on?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Your brother...I thought he didn't have psychic powers."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Ritsu? He has psychic powers?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"I ran into him," Teru said, still trying to catch his breath, "He definitely has them. He hit me with them--hard."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

It had to be an accident. Ritsu had to be struggling with his powers. Even Mob had problems with that at first.

"Where are you?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Well--he took me off guard, really--I'm fine." Teru cleared his throat. Mentally, he was kicking himself. He never let his guard down like that, but just because it was Mob's brother...

"I'm near Sando Hills complex. Where are you? Are you still up north?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Yeah," Mob said. "I can head to where you are and we can go to Ritsu together." It might mean using his psychic powers to get there and he might get sick along the way... but it was definitely going to be the fastest way of getting there.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"No, stay where you are. I'll come to you. He was headed north."

Teru had a truly bad feeling, but saying so aloud wouldn't be helpful to Mob. Of all things he expected to happen--well, even meditating on that was pointless. He knew better than to expect the expected. He knew better.

"Where are you now?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob turned around, looking for the nearest landmark. "I'm outside of Marjoram Cafe."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Alright. I'll head right there." Teru hung up and quickly set about orienting himself.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Okay, I'll see you soon."

Mob snapped the burner phone shut and tucked it away in his pocket with his other phone. He wanted to find his brother, but somehow managed to command himself to stand there long enough for Teru's arrival. He was sure there was no one else in Seasoning City who would find a way to arrive faster.

[mp_npc]

The street was quiet, but it wasn't still. The lights that were slowly popping on to signal the approach of evening began to flicker.

The baristas at the cafe where Mob was loitering had been chatting idly amongst themselves--when, suddenly, one shrieked. The espresso machine was going haywire and shooting steam everywhere. The other quickly scrambled and threw a towel over it.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob didn't even think to contact Teru. He sensed a pulse of energy nearby that he hadn't felt before. But when he felt it, he knew exactly who it was.

Ritsu.

His feet carried him to where he felt the presence. Before, he thought no one could navigate Seasoning City faster, but Mob's feet carried him there so quickly that he was sure that the Body Improvement Club would cheer his improvement if they saw it.

"Ritsu..." Mob called out once they locked eyes. He was relieved; now that he had found Ritsu, he could help him. It'd be okay.

[mp_kageyamabro]

"Bro..."

Shigeo had sensed him before Ritsu could sense Shigeo. In fact, he had basically managed to sneak up on him.

Well.

Whatever.

There was a chorus of anguished groaning at his feet from the piles of thugs freshly strewn about. Ritsu ignored it and fully turned his body to face his older brother.

"What are you doing here?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"I'd ask you the same thing, Ritsu." Mob looked at the bodies strewn about the alleyway. "Who are all these people piled up on the ground?" Mob didn't recognize any of them, but he was pretty sure that they were from Seasoning City's other high schools.

[mp_kageyamabro]

Ritsu didn't answer. He didn't expect to run into his big brother like this so soon, but here he was. He readied himself. He wasn't so weak he would run from what was in front of him--not anymore.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Did you do all this?" Mob asked. Mob was sure he knew the answer even before he asked it. After all, he hurt Teru. "Do you need help controlling your powers? It's really challenging at first, but..."

[mp_kageyamabro]

"I did this. And I'm perfectly in control."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob let out a soft gasp at the admission. The evidence was in front of him, but he refused to believe it.

"Really? This is your doing, Ritsu?"

[mp_kageyamabro]

"It's true," Ritsu replied with more insistence. He wouldn't tolerate Shigeo denying the obvious. "I've finally obtained psychic powers."

His determination to break through his brother's denial became an outpouring of psychic energy that flowed around him--and the little voice in his ear suddenly became very loud and very panicked.

'Not another word, Dimple.'

Ritsu's focus was momentarily broken when Dimple suddenly fled from his body and right into the sky.

Tch.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Dimple?!" Mob had thought he was dead. But he was... with his brother...?

[mp_kageyamabro]

"Whatever. I don't need him anymore. I've got the hang of it now." Ritsu began regathering his power. "Listen. Shigeo. I've come to realize something very important."