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_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."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob blinked. "What? What do you mean?" Mob's expression softened. "Look, if there's something wrong--"

[mp_kageyamabro]

Ritsu rapidly pulled back as his brother approached, but he thrust himself back forward to direct a fierce surge of his built-up power straight at him.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob was blown back with so much strength that his feet left the ground, but he still managed to make the landing.

Pride swelled up in Mob. "Ritsu...! You did it! You wanted this for so long!" Before Ritsu could get a word in, Mob prattled on. "Do you remember? You'd cry your eyes out because you couldn't bend spoons. Who would have thought--"

[mp_kageyamabro]

He had missed. But more than that--something in Ritsu's chest began to twist at the sight of his older brother's affectionate outpouring. He ignored it.

"Listen to what I was trying to tell you." Ritsu stepped over a body, and another, as he began to approach Mob. "I've always wanted psychic powers. Because you had them, I always admired you."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Really?" Mob bashfully scratched his head. "You're making me blush!"

[mp_kageyamabro]

"But that was just a big misunderstanding."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"It was?"

[mp_kageyamabro]

"I couldn't handle my feelings of inferiority and fear towards you. I was only protecting myself by making myself think it was admiration." Ritsu was as still as stone as he said what was absolutely never to be said. But even as he was still, the words came out easily. It was like a great breath he had been holding in for as long as he could remember finally being released.

No--it wasn't quite like that. It wasn't relief he wanted. He wanted it to hurt. He wanted his brother to be hurt like he had all this time. That's what he felt.

"I was scared of you. I never knew what you might do if you got stressed out. We could never even have a fight as brothers. That would be suicide. So I stayed out of your way so as never to cause trouble between us."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob's expression never moved from its usual neutral state.

"Ritsu..." Mob said, but he did not move to say anything more. Mob might be socially unaware person at Salt Middle, but he knew there was more that Ritsu wanted -- no, needed to say. And he wanted him to say all of it.

[mp_kageyamabro]

Ritsu's fists tightened. "I tried so hard for so long...you've never worked hard for anything in your life, so why...!?"

Ritsu forced himself to breathe. This was no time to lose his grip. His fists loosened.

"But now that's just a humiliating past. I've obtained them. I don't have to be scared anymore. That misguided--no, that delusional admiration is gone. I have no interest in our relationship anymore."