A/N: Edit, I decided to just fuse this chapter with the next one. Half-way through has the new content.
Things started getting weird when I heard an unfamiliar voice in my head.
They're acknowledging your brother as the first leader, the voice said. They're expecting him to take the first step.
"Who the Hell are you?" I asked, looking around. "How are you in my head?!"
They're acknowledging you and Teruki as followers as well, the voice said, ignoring my question. How does it feel? It's a damn good feeling, isn't it?
"No it's not," I snapped. "You're creeping me out!"
"You're hearing it too?" Teruki asked me, concern in his eyes.
"A weird voice in my head?" I asked. "Yep. Shigeo, what about you?"
My brother was focused on more pressing matters. He stood at the foot of the Divine Tree, gazing up at its branches.
"I'm at the root of the broccoli," he announced. "Where are you?"
This is no longer a simple broccoli, the creepy voice said. It has absorbed the people's will and become a whole different entity. Have you ever strongly believed in something? In the eyes of those who believe in nothing, nothing exists. But amongst those who believe, it exists. The gathering of strong will has manifested into reality. From now on, the world will change tremendously. A new god named Psycho Helmet has manifested as a definite existence and has descended upon you.
"What's that lunatic talking about?" I asked.
Shigeo walked inside the tree, climbing the pathways inside it. Teruki and I followed. It didn't really hit me how huge the tree was until we were walking inside all of its tunnels. It was actually pretty disturbing. It was like a labyrinth in there.
"Since when have you become a god?" Shigeo asked the tree, calm as always. "I thought you were just in charge of a group."
"He's right," I agreed.
Psycho Helmet is the reincarnation of the creator of all things, the voice answered. That's the set-up. He guides people onto the right path, so they find peace at heart.
"I don't think this whole cult thing is the 'right path'," I argued, climbing up a tunnel. "I mean, believe in whatever you want, but… you're deceiving and manipulating people."
"Deceiving and manipulating people," Teruki mused, following behind me. "That reminds me of someone..."
"Now that I think about it," I said, thoughtfully, "you're right. In fact, this whole cult thing is giving me a lot of deja vu. Hey, bro," I caught my brother's attention, taking him away from his little telepathic chat with Mr. Psycho Helmet. "You remember the LOL Cult?"
"Yes," Mob said, looking over his shoulder. "Why?"
"Doesn't that remind you of this?" I asked.
Mob's face darkened over. He didn't say anything, and kept moving. I had a pretty bad feeling about it all. We were silent as we continued our ascent. Once Mob reached the top, he helped Teruki and I up. We stood up, and faced the leader of the Psycho Helmet Cult in all his ugly glory.
"Dimple," Mob said. "So it was you."
Mob's hair floated around his face, which tended to happen when he was upset. My hair didn't fly around my face, but I was still pissed.
"You bastard!" I yelled. "I knew you were bad news!"
I raced towards him, only to find myself restrained by vines.
"Hey!" I shouted, trying to tug the veins off. My hands glowed orange, summoning a fire around me.
"I'll burn this whole tree down!" I yelled.
"Arashi, wait," Mob held up a hand. "Let me talk to him."
"He's evil, bro!" I growled, my nails digging into my fiery palms.
"Right," Teruki agreed, a golden aura surrounding him.
"Ignore them, Mob," Dimple told my brother. "Become my second leader. Let's work together and bring this to fruition as a two-man team. Join the Psycho Helmet Cult."
"You don't need to use me anymore," Mob replied, looking down. "It seems to me… that you alone are already powerful enough."
Dimple spread his arms. "You still have potential, Shigeo. I can tell. You can gain so much more power in the near future. I think it would be a real waste if you didn't make good use of it."
"I refuse," Mob said.
"Good on you, bro," I told him.
"Psycho Helmet…" Teruki muttered, eyes glazed over. Only then I realised he was tied up in vines.
"Teru!" I shouted. "No!"
"Well, I thought you'd say that," Dimple sighed. "But, you know… aside from these two, your family and friends… they're already living in a different world from you. A world wherein belief in Lord Psycho Helmet brings them happiness. These two will join them soon enough. Teruki already has, and soon your sister will follow."
"I will not!" I yelled. But… somehow, the thought of Psycho Helmet Cult almost sounded… appealing to me. A world full of peace and love…
No, stop, I told myself. You can't…
"Within this city, only you have been left behind, Shigeo," Dimple said. "Abandoned by the movement of a new faith. And no one is coming back for you. So quit being so stubborn. It's pointless."
"Not true…" I forced out. "Shigeo and I… are in this together…!"
"Don't brainwash my sister, Dimple," Shigeo told Dimple. His expression was blank, but I was starting to get a sense of anger building up inside him.
"Are you mad?" Dimple asked.
"I'm mad," Shigeo replied. "Obviously. Wake everyone up right now. How and when did you even manage to brainwash Ritsu and Master Reigen?"
"Stage one involves either touching the Divine Tree, or consuming part of it," Dimple answered, like he was some kind of scientist. "That's how I invaded their minds. Stage two is essentially what you'd call 'getting swallowed by the mood'. And stage three, which is that the strength of passion gets passed from neighbour to neighbour. From here on out, I don't have to do anything. It's only a matter of time before the Psycho Helmet Cult spreads to everyone in the country." He grinned. "It's incredible. I'm gonna be a new god."
"So this cult is basically a pandemic," I grunted. "Awesome."
"I don't really get it, but 'becoming a god' is pointless," Shigeo said, holding out a hand. "Now hurry up, and reverse the brain-washing. Don't you understand what you're doing?"
"How unlike you, to pose such an emotional, one-sided argument," Dimple chuckled. "Aren't you the one getting so worked up that you won't even try to understand? It's not like things will change. Your friends and family won't treat you coldly. The believers will share a feeling of happiness. I didn't mean for you to feel left out. If you want to join us, then come over."
"No…" I coughed, starting to give in. "Shigeo…"
Mob waved his hand, freeing Teruki and myself from the vines. For some reason I felt angry at my brother, but… at the same time…
Psycho Helmet… Psycho Helmet…
No...
"Dimple, you're a coward," Mob said, his voice tight. "Using 'power' to move people's hearts… you're making it so that no one can resist."
"No one has been able to resist, not since the first laws of society were created," Dimple replied. "As long as they're unaware of it, you can't call it a problem. You've been imposing your powers on the others since the start, Shigeo. And even now, you're thinking of using it to make me surrender?"
Lord Psycho Helmet is right, I thought. Is he not?
"Even your sister agrees," Dimple said, slyly.
Shigeo turned to me, but I glared at him, feeling a rush of anger. How dare he refuse the way of Lord Psycho Helmet!
"You're brain-washing my family and friends," Shigeo told Dimple. "I don't have a choice but to use my powers. It might not look like it, but I'm really holding back."
"You idiot, Shigeo," I snapped. "Don't you understand the way of this cult? You're ruining everyone's fun, just like you did with the LOL Cult."
"Sister…" Mob raised his hands. He looked hurt, for a brief moment.
"You always ruin everyone's fun," I growled, orange power encasing my body. "But not this time. I won't let you ruin this perfectly good cult!"
"Me neither," Teruki agreed, appearing beside me. "We won't let you take another move. Kageyama-kun, if you ruin this cult, our connection will end. All of this will be over."
"It's true," I growled. "We're not going to let you ruin everything!"
"These two mean you no harm," Dimple said. "They are concerned for you. Leave peacefully, and you will have a happy ending. Or will you continue to-"
Mob waved his hand, chopping off Dimple's head.
"I'm done talking to a broccoli puppet," he said. "Come on out, real Dimple. Let's talk face to face."
"What have you done?!" Teruki demanded.
"Shigeo!" I raged. "I'll destroy you!"
"I just want to talk," Mob pleaded.
Dimple began reforming out of the ground, like a plant. "You want to talk, but we've been doing that for a while, haven't we? You just refuse to hear me out."
Mob waved his hand, destroying Dimple's body again.
"Don't hurt the tree!" Teruki and I yelled, racing towards Shigeo.
"Guys, no," Shigeo said, holding up his hands.
Normally I would never attack my brother, but I was… infuriated. How dare he hurt Lord Psycho Helmet. I had never felt such rage. He was going to pay.
I sent a flame bolt at my brother, who deflected it away with his powers. Teruki used his powers, but Mob shielded himself.
"I'm going to fight Kageyama-kun until you turn back!" Teruki yelled.
"I'll kick you off this tree!" I raged, preparing another fire-bolt. And then I couldn't move. Mob's power was holding us in one place.
"Sorry," Shigeo said, raising his hand. He turned away. "Dimple, come out!"
A power bloomed within me. I felt… powerful. Strong. Unstoppable.
Suddenly, I had become a god.
I sent my new power towards Shigeo, slamming him into the ground. Teruki raised his hands, trapping Shigeo in vines.
"Good thinking, Hanazawa," Dimple said. "That'll keep him trapped."
"Teru..." Shigeo coughed. "Arashi, get me out of here!"
Suddenly, he exploded out of the vines, zooming towards us. His power was stronger once again.
"Lord Psycho Helmet, stay behind us!" I yelled, Teruki and I protecting Dimple.
But Mob's power was too strong. He pushed us aside, and turned to face Dimple himself. He had reformed into a large, muscular being.
And that's when I knew the fight was on.
"Lord Psycho Helmet!" I shouted.
Dimple charged towards my brother, but Mob just forged a hole right through his body. Dimple tried to re-form, but my brother repeated the process. Almost ruthlessly.
"It's pointless," Mob said.
The bits of exploded Dimple fell all over the place. They began to bloom and grow into Dimple clones. They sprouted out, charging towards my brother. But with ease, he shoved them all away. Even as he continued to slaughter them all, they kept coming.
"How come you aren't showing your face?" Shigeo demanded.
As more and more clones raced towards my brother, his face shadowed over.
"Are you scared of me?" he asked.
Vines wrapped around his body. The clones surrounded him.
"Are you still doing it?" Mob asked. "This sorta thing… is enough. Stop already. Don't make me feel this way."
He clenched his fist over his heart. "Don't you get it, Dimple… come out, or else…" A tear streamed down his cheek.
A small part of me… felt… pity for him. Shigeo…
Mob tried to use his powers again, only to realise… he couldn't. The flow of energy was leaving his body.
"My power…" he breathed, "... is being drained?"
"Correct," Dimple said, appearing behind him. "You noticed a little too late. You walked right into the tree when I told you to, that was a mistake."
The clones began to sprout broccoli trees. They surrounded my brother, trapping him. He covered his face with his hands, but he couldn't stop them.
"Your biggest mistake…" Dimple said, his real face appearing above Mob, "was opposing me."
I felt a disgusting respect for the cursed spirit, who was now an enormous version of Dimple. I turned, noticing Teruki had been knocked out. I reached out, but stopped myself.
Lord Psycho can handle this.
It was between Mob and him. My brother had gone too far.
"If you thought our hierarchy wouldn't eventually change, then you're gravely mistaken, Shigeo," Dimple said.
"Hierarchy?" Mob asked. "What are you talking about, Dimple? What's the meaning of all this?!"
"If you want to talk, we've tried that before," Dimple said. "Just one brat's bickering isn't gonna stop the festival. You won't listen to me, so how about I let your little sister take over? You'd listen to her, wouldn't you?"
"Big bro, you're getting in the way," I said, the words coming out without my consent. "Why can't you read the atmosphere?"
Shigeo's face darkened over. "My sister would never say something like that."
"Well, too bad, kiddo," Dimple chuckled. "Because she just did!"
The broccoli around my brother suddenly broke. The power around him thrummed through the air.
"Hey, what the Hell…" Dimple trailed off.
"That's not my sister," Mob said, pointing to me. "That's a crazy cult follower that's being manipulated by you, Dimple."
Dimple chuckled, looking down at my brother. "Don't get so angry now, Shigeo. I thought I'd taken most of your power, but looks like you still have plenty left. Was it too soon for me to show myself? Whatever, in this form, I won't lose to you."
My brother slapped Dimple multiple times, knocking him down. It would've been funny if I wasn't so loyal to Psycho Helmet. Unfortunately, I still couldn't move.
"Stop!" Dimple shouted, but Mob ignored him. Dimple changed his form, and grabbed Mob's arm.
"You had your fun?" Dimple demanded. "That's how you repay me for being gentle to you? If you're trying to get rid of me for real… then I'll have to get serious as well!"
An explosion of power escaped Dimple, knocking Mob aside. Dimple stood tall. He looked like a muscular man, with green power flowing around him.
"I am now the definition of divine!" Dimple boomed, staring down at my brother. "Lord Dimple the god, who has been reborn! Worship me! Here I come…"
My brother scowled. "So what?"
"Shigeo…" I muttered, trying to sit up. "Brother!"
Shigeo glanced at me for a second, only to turn his attention back to Dimple.
"GOD PUNCH!" Dimple yelled, slamming his fist into my brother's cheek, sending him flying. He bounced across the ground like a ball.
"GOD DASH!" Dimple roared, zooming over to my brother and grabbing his face. "GOD SLAM!"
Shigeo's face was slammed into the ground, cracking it.
"Shi… geo…" I said, managing to sit up. "You…"
Dimple held Mob up by his head. "How does it feel? The power of God. You can give up! GOD TOSS!"
Unsurprisingly, this move involved chucking my brother across the sky. The vines wrapped around his body, hoisting him into the air.
"This awesome combo has connected," Dimple said. "But I know you, Shigeo… that's not enough to make you give up!"
"That's your true form…" Shigeo breathed, staring at the 'God'. "Is this supposed to be your true face? You're kidding."
"Hmph, let me punch that insolent mouth of yours in!" Dimple roared. "You'll regret not having joined my side peacefully!"
"Do you really think so?" Mob asked. "Then you better not hold back… your 'power', your actions, your speech… all of it is fake! I don't think you're the real Dimple! This doesn't suit you. I won't allow it! I won't acknowledge it."
"Acknowledge me?!" Dimple boomed. "Who do you think you are?! You don't get to decide what I'm really after! GOD BEAM!"
He shot a giant laser beam out of his mouth, causing the area around Mob to explode. But I knew my brother wasn't finished yet. I forced myself to stand up, and I went into the dust. My brother's power was so strong, I was sure someone who wasn't an esper could sense it, so it wasn't hard to find him.
"Arashi…" he stared at me.
"You're close to exploding," I said.
Shigeo grabbed my shoulder. "You stay down. Let your big brother handle this." He turned to face Dimple. "I want to know what you really think. Say something, Dimple."
"There is no real thought," Dimple admitted, a frown appearing on his face. "Since the very start, I've been using you."
"Oh… does that mean… it's time to say goodbye to Dimple?" Mob asked.
"FULL POWER!" Dimple roared, racing towards my brother. And then he stopped, staring at Shigeo's shirt. "THAT SHIRT'S SO TACKY!"
And that was what pushed my brother over the edge. A release of white energy escaped his body, exploding through the tree. And then… his power was gone. It had dissipated.
"What's wrong?" Dimple asked, with a nervous smile. "Was that lame shirt your favourite, or something?"
Shigeo took a step forward, but there was still no power from him. Even when Dimple knocked him over.
"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION?!" Dimple roared, jabbing his finger into my brother's forehead. "WHY AREN'T YOU TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY? I COULD END THIS WITH A JAB OF MY FINGER!"
"That's true," Mob agreed. "But… you wouldn't do that. If I want to talk to Dimple, then power is nothing but an obstacle."
Dimple's finger crumbled up.
"I trust you, Dimple," Mob said, smiling.
"Trust?" Dimple asked, frowning. "Why?"
"Because you let me know what you think of my shirt," Mob replied. "That's when I realised… you are Dimple."
Dimple frowned. "Uh, no, that doesn't really explain anything. You're seriously gonna let me go?! I'm a dangerous evil spirit!"
"You aren't dangerous, Dimple," Mob said. "You just got a little carried away. It happens to everyone… probably… that's what Master Reigen said."
"You're wrong," Dimple replied. "The timing was right to take action with a plan of my own devising. I gained self-confidence, reinforced by my calculated efforts. Don't lump me in with all the folks who are just 'caught up in the moment'."
"I got carried away too," Mob agreed, "so I understand. I was awfully caught up in the moment. I'm sorry."
"What do you mean, sorry?" Dimple asked.
"I was so carried away that I didn't listen to you, Dimple," Mob answered. "When you asked me to take part in your plan, I should've listened to you properly. I was so obsessed with being popular I overlooked some things… I'm sorry, Dimple. You wanted me to be apart of your dream… that was the most important thing. You weren't doing bad things. You were just doing what you wanted to. Together with me. You trusted me before I trusted you, Dimple. Thank you."
"Hey, quit that," Dimple said, looking away. "Don't just decide for yourself how I was feeling. That's so creepy, I'm getting goosebumps."
"He's right," I said, standing up. "I never liked you... but I put up with you for my brother's sake. And… you're not that bad of a guy... sometimes."
"Tell me what you want to do," Mob said. "I'll hear you out, as your friend."
Dimple smiled. "Shigeo, you're an amazing guy."
Light filtered through the tree branches. I felt myself smiling as well.
Dimple sighed. "Ha… I give up. The townspeople… I'll stop messing with their heads. And I'll erase their memories of the Psycho Helmet Cult. Then everyone will be themselves again. When the source of worship energy disappears, this divine power will be lost. I'll go back to how I was, too."
"Are you okay with that?" Mob asked. "Even though it was your dream to become a god?"
"I'm giving up because your weak-ass argument convinced me to!" Dimple shouted.
"Oh, I see.." Mob said, looking at his shoes.
Dimple grinned, then began to laugh. "Come on, let's go home."
"I'll see you there," I said, before blacking out. I blame the amount of power in there.