Chapter Text
“Now I’ll be able to hit you with everything,” Mob’s voice was low and deadly, “All my power…and all my rage.”
Mob raised his hand, swiping at the air as if he were swatting a fly. His powers rose to his command, wrapping around Toichiro Suzuki and pulling him through what was left of the tower. Concrete crumbled at his strength, collapsing upon the leader of Claw as he was dragged through the rubble. He aimed to yank Toichiro straight to the ground but the man rearranged the pieces beneath him, halting his trajectory. No matter, Mob hadn’t expected it to be enough, he too was just getting started.
He dove toward Toichiro, only for the surrounding debris to slam into him.
“Is that it?” Toichiro asked.
It was almost laughable if Toichiro thought that that was it. His psychic powers glowed around him as a determined look spread across his face. He wasn’t going down that easily. He pulled apart the debris, shredding through Toichiro’s telekinetic hold on them.
“Looks like this is finally getting interesting!” The leader cackled, bringing his hands together as a glowing ball formed in the space between them.
“Yes, looks like this is finally getting interesting,” Mob thought in agreement, flying forward, soaring through the air as he levitated himself.
Beams spewed out of the circle, automatically targeting his every position. Mob darted to the side, the beams literally hot on his trail as he could feel the heat of them on his legs. Adrenaline surged through him; Mob could feel the way his heart beat faster, how his breathing picked up, how he started to sweat from exertion. He zipped through the sky, narrowly dodging the attacks.
“Yes! Run for it! Makes it more fun for me!” Toichiro laughed.
Mob was losing ground, the distance between him and the beams slowly closing. But just before the next one could hit him, he threw himself straight up, flipping over the onslaught of beams. He arched his back, kicking his legs up and over as twisted in the air. Without any pause, he dove downwards, plummeting towards the ground as the beams followed him down. His lips quirked up in a smile, this was somewhat of a challenge for him. He had…never felt like this before. Shigeo switched directions, soaring up and into a spiral. He could feel the drop in his stomach as he completed the loop; it was exhilarating! The rush of the battle had adrenaline and endorphins pumping within him, so much so that he didn’t even feel it when the beams finally collided with him, blasting through his psychic defensive aura.
He fell from the sky, laughter tumbling out of his mouth, even though he’d been shot out of the air. This was exciting, it was thrilling!
“Look at you!” Toichiro shouted, unrelenting in his attack, “You’re enjoying this too aren’t you!”
Yes, he was. Concern prickled at the back of his mind at the feeling but it was quickly dismissed as he focused on the oncoming beams. Shigeo put his hand up to take the blunt force of the bombardment, raising his other hand to fire off a beam of his own. It propelled him through the air, as he reached for Toichiro, pushing through his attack. He could feel the psychic energy giving under her fingers, the rush of the wind, the heat of the shots. Shigeo laughed, a loud carefree cackle that started deep in his chest.
Toichiro darted out of the way and Shigeo missed his grab, but it didn’t matter. He swung his second hand up, setting off an explosion. The boom shook the air, dust and smoke swallowing the surrounding area. Shigeo paused, trying to find Toichiro through the cloud. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, feel how he was a little out of breath, and how amazingly energizing he was feeling right now. Here was a man who could test his capabilities, who could take the hits as much as he gave them out, and he didn’t have to worry about holding back on. He grinned, tightening his hands into fists, eagerly anticipating the next strike. Toichiro’s laughter sounded to the left of him and he came into view as the smoke cleared. He sounded equally as excited for the next round to start.
“As good and righteous as you try to sound, deep down you’re the same as me!”
Shigeo didn’t even get the chance to reply as knuckles slammed into his face, sending him careening to the ground. The earth shattered underneath him as he hit the ground, white flashing across his vision as he hit head first. He felt the flow of his psychic powers, absorbing the impact and healing the damage done. Shigeo was back on his feet in seconds, floating up from the ground. He shook dust from his hair as he laughed, slowly rising into the sky.
“How does it feel to be released from your shackles? We are freer than anyone else in the world!” Toichiro called from above him.
Amazing. It felt amazing. He wanted more. It was in his power to take more. He was only scratching the surface of his abilities. How mundane and dull Shigeo’s life has been before this. But not anymore. He could spend the rest of his existence chasing this feeling. He had spent so long trying to hold back the swell of the powers within him. He kept his psychic energy plugged up as it writhed beneath his skin, demanding to be let free, thrashing like a dog on a leash. And for once, he listened.
The ground started to shake and debris started to lift into the air without a second thought.
“Hope you’re ready, old man,” Shigeo grinned.
The light of his glowing powers flicked in his eyes as pieces of skyscrapers rose from the ground, summoned into the air by his telekinetic abilities. He dragged them up faster, slamming them into each other, all of them aimed at one man. Broken glass and chunks of concrete rained from the sky as crushed skyscrapers were thrown in one big ball, squashing Toichiro within it. Shigeo could feel the telltale signature of the leader of Claw’s powers being snuffed out. No, not gone but changed.
“You’re not done yet,” Shigeo said, a promise that there was no escape from him.
He desired more of this feeling, the one that warmed his chest and made him feel as if he was as light as air. More of the butterflies that flittered in his stomach, their wings soft and tingly. To increase the elated feeling and adrenaline that pumped through him. He had spent so long bottling up his emotions. All this time, he had been depriving himself of feeling anything in an attempt to control his psychic abilities. And for what? To stop from destroying buildings that he could just piece back together with his powers? To stop from hurting people he could just heal back to full? His eyes were shining as he summoned more psychic power, tearing Toichiro’s body out of the center of the skyscraper ball.
The leader of Claw was dragged straight into his fist before Shigeo threw him to the ground. He pulled both his legs up, letting himself fall from the sky, trailing Toichiro on the way down. No sooner did Toichiro hit the ground, than Shigeo was above him, driving his knees into the man’s back. There was a crackle and Shigeo leaned to the side, dodging a powerful explosion.
Unfortunately, the leader of Claw had predicted his movement and an elbow slammed into his cheek. The force of the impact had Shigeo spinning through the air, his surroundings just a blur of colors. He righted himself easily, rebounding off a nearby skyscraper chunk. He bounced off it, shooting up into the sky and delivering a rattling uppercut to Toichiro. His knee was right behind it, smashing into the leader and launching him up into the sky. But Shigeo was faster, getting above him. He brought both his hands into a fist together, spiking Toichiro down. The impact was earth-shattering as the man crashed into the ground. The boom shook the earth, damaged skyscrapers crumbling even further. Shigeo was laughing again, his whooping and shouting echoing in the sky.
More. He wanted more. More of that elated euphoric feeling of the fight. More of the thrill of finally being alive. And his sense of the increase of Toichiro’s power and anger proved that he was destined to get it. Shigeo’s eyes tracked the trail of red energy as soon as it shot up from the ground.
“Not so fast!” Shigeo smirked, darting after him.
Shigeo tracked the leader of Claw down, staying right on his heels as he swerved around in the sky. He managed to snag Toichiro by the ankle, yanking him down into a vicious knee to the chin. The resounding crack of the connection had electric zipping up Shigeo’s spine. He didn’t give the man a chance to recover, raining down punch after punch down. Toichiro tried to bring his arms up to block but Shigeo used brute force to knock them out of the way. Each hit felt solid against Shigeo’s knuckles which were starting to buzz with pain themselves from the impact. Blood dripped down Toichiro’s face, whisked away by the wind to the ground below.
Half a skyscraper came soaring at him, only for Shigeo to rip it out of Toichiro’s control and toss it aside. The leader used the momentary distraction to tear himself free from Shigeo’s onslaught, backpedaling in the air as he staggered away from him.
“Take this, you annoying pest!”
Shiego felt Toichiro dip into his final reserves of power. Finally, output 100%. Excitement burned in Shigeo’s chest.
“Give me your best shot!” Shigeo howled, his hair whipping around in the air.
Waves of psychic energy whipped through him and Shigeo put up a barrier, only for it to be shattered instantly. He’s smacked from the sky by an invisible force that leaves a giant handprint on the ground. Explosions rain from the sky, razing the area. Giant mushroom clouds of smoke plume into the sky as the inferno rages below. And it does nothing to him.
Toichiro’s left panting in the air obviously thinking that he’d won. Either that or he’s just getting sloppy as his back turned to Shigeo as he floats back up into the sky, seemingly no worse than for wear. Toichiro turns around. For a short moment, Shigeo’s eyes met Toichiro’s and he watched realization pour in. There was no beating him. Toichiro had found a psychic who was finally stronger than him. It was quickly followed by panic. Toichiro bolted away from him, his psychic energy trailing a streak in the sky.
Too bad Shigeo wasn’t done playing. Much like when a cat has caught a mouse, he was going to play with him until the inevitable final blow lands. Just as it looked like Toichiro might escape, he suddenly was yanked to a stop. Shigeo had one hand outstretched, the telling glow of his telekinetic powers wrapped around the leader of Claw. Shigeo laughs, as he slowly drags Toichiro back towards him. He could feel Toichiro’s powers fluttering within his grasp, frantically trying to break free like a bird in a cage. Seemed like the power hungry leader was done fighting. Shigeo would change his mind.
Shigeo slowly lowers himself to the ground, towing his cargo with him. He gently touches the ground, letting the balls of his heels land first before setting his heels down. The buzz of the adrenaline rush has started to fade but he knows that it will rise to new heights once he truly unlocks Toichiro’s abilities. He’s dizzy with anticipation.
Shigeo starts with his fingers. He twists them up with a crunch using his psychic powers, snapping through ligaments and bones. Toichiro takes in a pained gurgle of a gasp from where he’s frozen in place. Shigeo can feel a surge in resistance of Toichiro’s powers under his. It was working. He crumples the rest of Toichiro’s arm, crushing it. The man’s screams of agony are barely registered by Shigeo as he thrums with excitement. He destroys a leg and Toichiro’s powers grow even stronger and now he’s starting to actually put effort into holding him with his telekinesis.
“Yes, fight harder. Fight more! Fight like you’re life depends on it! Fight me with everything you’ve got!” Shigeo’s laughing, giddy with anticipation.
It didn’t matter that he would tear Toichiro apart. He would just put him back together again after he was done. Over and over again, he would take Claw’s leader apart and rebuild him to make him even stronger. Just like their project of applying stress to normal human beings to awaken any ESP they might have. Toichiro would never die and Shigeo would spend the rest of his life chasing this high. Shigeo’s laugh turns sharp into a cackle. Black and white fragments are drifting around him and the blues and purples of his psychic abilities ripple around him along with his hair. Toichiro’s starting to beg and it stirs something bitter in Shigeo that he doesn’t want to think about. He cuts him off with a twist of his neck. His laughter gets louder and he’s laughing so hard that he’s out of breath, so hard that his sides are shaking, so hard that it’s starting to hurt, so hard that tears start to drip from his eyes. But he can’t stop. There’s no stopping.
A hand lands on his shoulder. Shigeo almost obliterates it just from the shock of being surprised. Turns around and faces his brother.
“Ritsu.”
Chapter Text
It’s quiet when he first hears it. Amidst the explosions, it starts slowly but steadily rises in volume. And it strikes fear in Ritsu. It’s the sound of laughter. Not just anybody’s laughter, it’s the sound of his brother’s laughter. Except it’s nothing like his brother’s laughter at the same time, it sounds too harsh and wild. Another boom wracks the sky as a blast of air nearly blows Ritsu off his feet. His feet dig into the ground as he resists the force.
He isn’t able to see his brother but he could feel Shige’s energy. It’s thrumming with power that was only getting stronger by the second. Each attack sings with psychic energy, giving Ritsu the gist of what was happening above. Shige’s energy signature, usually quelled to a quiet all-encompassing presence, now sings with fervor.
Another blast knocks Ritsu back and the ground trembles under his feet. His brother was losing control. Every muscle tightens in Ritsu’s body as his mind is dragged back to the incident with the bullies. The fear, the desperation, the pain. Here he was again and he could only stand there, mouth slightly open, useless…like always.
No. Not this time. This time he has psychic powers. This time he will do something. This time it will be different. This time, he will be here for Shige.
Ritsu bolts for the direction of the two overpowered energy signatures. The terrain is difficult and the continually crumpling buildings don’t make it any easier. The assistance of his psychic abilities does though. He’s getting closer.
That’s when the screaming starts, an agonized howling that has Ritsu’s heart jumping into his throat. It’s at such volume and intensity that panic and fear immediately drive through him. He wants to run. He wants to hide. But he needs to find his brother.
Desperate pleading starts for a second before it’s cut off.
He was almost there. It was just a little further. Ritsu finally stumbled upon the scene, only to be met with the sight of his brother crumpling the leader of Claw up like a soda can. Shige’s howling with laughter, his psychic aura rippling around him. For a moment, Ritsu is back in that alley, watching as his brother tears through his bullies before turning to him. His vision tunnels and he’s frozen in place.
He watches as Shige destroys another leg, unable to make himself do anything. His brother has lost all control and all of his restraints. He was going to kill this guy. He supposed that was how it was going to go down but no one deserved this. And Shige was actively delighting in the agony of another. Ritsu’s eyes widen in horror and Shige pretzels the man even further. Ritsu’s mind whirls as if he’s a frozen computer, trying to load what to do next.
What should he do? What could he even do? Ritsu’s legs tremble as Shige’s cackling grows louder and louder. It’s terrifying. His brother is terrifying. He's terrified of his brother. Ritsu can feel his heart jumping in his chest, his legs tremble as they fight the urge to flee and leave his brother behind. It’s all encompassing: the fear. But he forces himself to stay, despite not knowing what to do. He must stay. He must be here for his brother. No matter what the outcome may be.
He needs to reach his brother, shake him out of this madness. And he can only think of one way to do so. Ritsu’s fingers tremble as he reaches out, afraid that his hand might be obliterated or his brother's powers might turn on him and crumple him up too. He doesn’t know how far his brother has lost himself. He doesn’t know if he can even find the peaceful, caring nature of the brother in all this madness. Ritsu steels himself, mentally preparing to lose his arm. It would be worth it to save his brother, he repeats the thought in his head as his fingers graze Shige’s shoulder.
The shock of touching his brother is immediate. Shige reacts, his hand snatches his wrist, clenching it. It hurts, the intensity of the force he’s holding it with makes it feel like Ritsu’s bones are caving in. Shige’s psychic power wraps around him, freezing him in place as his brother turns around. They’re looking into each other's eyes now. Ritsu is finally aware of the tears dripping down his brother’s, dripping off his face before hovering in the air as they are caught in the hold of his psychic powers.
Recognition flickers through his brother’s eyes.
“Ritsu.”
Ritsu sags in relief.
Notes:
Here’s a little something to hold you over while I work on the rest! It’s been a while since the last update and I’m not sure how far I’m going to take this story but we’ll see how it goes!