hi y'all! i just wanted to say that i very much want to keep you happy and satisfied with this story, because while i wrote it for myself, posting it online makes it open to the world... and to criticism. So, I'll ask: am I going overboard with the memes/jokes? MP100 is very lighthearted and i'm trying to capture that spirit while mixing in actual character reactions, but not everyone likes that, it seems. so, should i?

A yellow vase with various crude embossings was shown.

"That's the ugliest fucking vase I've ever seen."

"Really? I kind of like it."

"This is the Vase of Happiness," the blonde lady began, "A renowned potter put his heart and soul into making this, a very spiritual vase. The owner will be blessed just by having it in their house."

"Oh, a con artist. Unsurprising, considering she looks like a female Reigen."

"She kind of does, though," Teru mumbled.

"Please." Reigen straightened his tie. "She was sub-par at best."

Mob peeked inside the ornament after her.

"It's actually about 2.5 million yen, but I'll make it 800,000 yen just for you," she offered.

"And they picked the worst possible victim, too."

"I don't have that kind of money," Mob sweated.

"Then I'll drop the price to 500,000 yen."

"Uh, I don't have 500,000 yen, either."

"So, if you did, you'd buy it, right?" she leaned in, "Why don't you call your mommy for me, then?"

"'Mommy?' Why does this woman give me child predator vibes?"

"That's-" The student cut off with a snicker before collecting herself- "Mad sus, bro."

She and her group of friends dissolved into laughter.

Mob looked away, thinking of the letter that was sent by the bank, showing nothing left of their budget after the bill payments. "I don't think my mom will buy that."

The lady narrowed her eyes, smiling deviously. This kid's easy bait…

"Hey, why don't you touch it? The texture here is a bit grainy and it feels rather nice." She said, taking his hands and putting them over the vase.

"I am very uncomfortable with the energy we have created in the studio today."

"Er, I can't really tell."

She tipped it towards him, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Ah!"

Her eyes widened hungrily.

"Okay, seriously, what is even happening anymore?"

A light blue glow surrounded the vase, stopping it just before it could smash on the floor. "That was close," Mob sighed.

"That embarrassing moment when you try to scam a psychic."

"Haven't we all tried THAT at least once, ha."

"0/10 would not attempt again."

"One star out of five, he read my mind and saw all of my secrets."

"I want to see his manager."

The lady folded her hands in front of her innocently as Mob lifted it back up to its stand. What was that?!

She turned to him. "You should be careful," she told him - then lightly pushed his arm when he was about to put it down, causing it to crack upon impact.

Mob froze. "Huh?"

"Hey, you broke it."

"Can we all just... collectively stop picking on him?"

"Th-That was…" he choked, hands over his chest.

"What? You're going to say it was my fault?" she countered condescendingly.

"Huh?" he deflated, "No…"

"Bitch," Ritsu muttered. His older brother gave him a look.

"Say, little boy… Problems you can solve with money are better than those you can't. Understood?"

"Oh, dear…" A tall man with a bright purple suit swayed in, grinning smugly, "Did you break that, sir? Do you have a phone?"

The entire room hated him immediately.

"I-I don't…"

His phone began ringing in his pocket, making him choke once more.

"Well, that rang at the perfect time," the man sneered. "Why don't you answer it?"

"You have really bad luck, Mob," Reigen said with a sigh.

"What are you doing, Mob?" Reigen stood at the entrance of the so-called museum, flipping the phone in his hand closed as he looked over. "Calling me out here when I've got a customer showing up at any moment…"

Wicked grins began to appear on students' faces.

"Con artist VS. Con Artist, who will win?" Someone crowed.

Mob visibly shook in his shoes, pointing at the cracked vase helplessly.

"Aww, look at him! How can you try to scam him with a good conscience!?"

The man and lady glowered at Reigen, "Are you this boy's guardian, sir?"

Reigen scrutinized them for a moment. "I see…"

"It's going to cost 5 million yen to replace this," the man claimed.

Reigen pointed at the problem with a carefully flat look on his face. "You're telling me that Mob broke that cheeeeaaaap-looking vase?"

Teru bit his lip and leaned forward, grinning.

"What'd you say? Looks like you don't know how the world works," the man latched onto his collar, "Want me to make sure you never work again?"

"Ow! Oww! You totally cracked my clavicle!" Reigen flopped backwards dramatically before recompossing himself, "That's gonna cost you."

Hands pressed dramatically over mouths. Reigen chuckled softly.

A light went off in Mob's head.

"You're killing the poor boy's braincells," one of the teachers mumbled.

"Huh?!"

Reigen held out his hand, "The hospital bill with reparations is gonna be a million yen."

"Y-You can't be serious, you dumbass!" the man raged.

"And now that's psychological damage," Reigen shoved his hand further towards the man, "which is going to be another million."

"Hey!"

"Your breath stinks. That's another million."

The room was flooded with laughter, the atmosphere brighter then it had been in what felt like days.

"The hell?!"

"Your voice is loud, and that's another million."

"I take back anything negative I have ever said about you."

The lady grimaced behind them as the argument continued.

"Ah, you frayed my shirt," He firmly flipped his hand upwards, "That's another million for damages."

The man and lady stared at him in horror.

"And now that's equal to what he owes you for the vase. That's the kind of business you guys are running." He gestured to Mob," Let's go, Mob."

Even Ritsu had a slight smile on his face. Reigen was a con man, yes, but he did care about Mob. His dislike for the man had lessened- just a little, though. And he would never admit it out loud.

"Like we'd let you leave like this!" The two attempted again.

"Give it up! His misfortune was decided when he broke the Vase of Happiness!"

"Perhaps some disaster will befall him!"

Reigen stopped with his back turned to them, "Misfortune? Disaster?"

Reigen sat in his office, consulting a customer in front of him.

"I was just talking to someone who had been haunted by an evil spirit. Apparently, the spirit has now decided to haunt me - and when that happens, you keep hearing strange noises at night and weird things keep popping up in pictures, and it becomes unbearable."

"Though the spirit might have transferred to you guys now." Reigen turned to them, a wicked gleam in his eyes, "Be careful at night."

"He's very mature and yet so immature at the same time."

"Huh?" They looked at him, stunned, as Mob walked past them. "A ghost?"

"Doesn't feel too great, does it? That's exactly what you guys are doing."

They burst out laughing.

"A ghost? What are you, a kid? So scary!"

All the lights in the room shattered, along with the vase, followed by the paintings on the walls falling down as the building shook. The two cowered on the floor, terrified.

People were grinning and laughing- a few were cheering, as well.

Bowls of noodle and soup laid atop their table as Reigen and Mob sat in a restaurant.

"That sure shut them up quick," Reigen commented, "That last bit was great, Mob."

"Huh?"

"You shook the building to scare them off, right?"

"No, I thought it was you sending the evil spirit after them…" Mob gripped his glass, "Could it be that you couldn't see–"

"Of course," Reigen cut in, slurping a bite of noodles, "I could see it."

"Ah, well," someone said, sobering up. "He is a con man, at the end of the day."

Mob put his drink down. "You know… Con-artists are really terrible people."

Reigen looked away.

"Yeah… Only the lowest of the low try to take advantage of someone's weakness…"

Mob winced slightly- the first noise he had made since the episode had begun.

"Sorry, Reigen-shishou."

Reigen shook his head slightly. "It's fine."

He eyed his pupil. "You've been quiet. Is something on your mind?"

Mob shifted, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "No, it's not important."

Reigen fought down a flare of concern, but didn't push him.

The screen faded to Kamuro and Ritsu walking down the halls of the school.

"What? You as well?"

"Yes," the girl muttered, "He said, 'So, you're trash, too?'. All I was doing was chewing gum during class…"

The atmosphere darkened again.

Tokugawa frowned, looking in the direction of the hallway. Kamuro, this school doesn't belong to you.

"Fucking finally! Someone talking sense!"

"Huzzah, a man of culture," someone laughed.

Ritsu and Kamuro stood on the roof of the school.

"We still have the smaller pieces of trash to deal with," Kamuro said, "Let's keep it moving."

"You're still going to continue this?"

"Come now…" he turned to Ritsu, "You're not going to suggest we stop, are you?"

"No, I just felt like throwing up," Ritsu kept his head down. "You're just trying to relieve some stress, right?"

"Imagine relieving stress by harming other people," a delinquent spat.

"Can't relate."

The teachers were speaking among themselves in low tones, their expressions stormy.

Kamuro smirked. "I was correct in choosing you as an accomplice. If you knew, why did you decide to help me?"

Ritsu lifted his chin up, looking through the fence.

"Because I was tired," he said. "I think I might've gotten tired of myself. I just wanted to know what it felt like to be a fool."

They're all going to hate me after this.

Ritsu had been putting the thought off, but it weighed in the back of his mind, like a brick in a sea of feathers.

He was probably going to get bullied. Forget making a safe environment for his brother, he should probably just get homeschooled after this.

In fact, it seemed they had swapped social standings- his brother would be popular while he rotted away in the gutter, like he deserved.

Ritsu bowed his head, regret settling in the pit of his stomach.

Kamuro frowned. "A fool, eh? But in the end, we're popular," he smiled again, "We've become the heroes of the school."

Dimple floated over to Ritsu. "So that old-looking guy wanted to be popular?"

Ritsu grabbed the metal fence.

"I've obtained a much bigger world."

"By the way, President, did you find any telepaths?" Saruta asked, not looking up from his book.

"If I'd found any, I wouldn't be here." She rounded up on her game-partner, "Hey, Inukawa! Putting a bomb there is cheating!"

"Kurata, could you be a little quieter?" Musashi requested, "I'm not done talking to him yet."

"Oh, sorry."

Onigawara sat in front of Musashi, posture and head low.

"Musashi, that's enough," he rasped.

"No, it's not! Man up! Go to class, Onigawara!"

"I've got no place there," he drawled, looking messy and dried up. "None of my friends will even talk to me anymore."

The room had gone very quiet. Ritsu felt worse by the second. He was selfish- he has so selfish. He had ruined someone else's life for his own. How could he? How could he?

How dare he?

The door of the room slid open.

"Oh, a visitor…" Kurata looked up, then almost dropped her device in shock. "The student council president!"

"I see this place is as rotten as they say. More importantly…" Kamuro glanced down at Onigawara, "What are you doing here, Onigawara-kun? Infiltrating the school when you haven't been showing up to class?"

Onigawara jumped from his seat, "No! But if I stay at home, my mom will ask me why–"

Musashi put his arm in front of him, "Listen, President. Onigawara didn't do anything."

Ritsu's mouth twisted. Maybe I should join the Body Improvement Club. These people are so much better then I am.

I wonder if there's a personality-improvement club.

A bitter laugh escaped from his lips.

"Should I have you all dealt with for being Onigawara's accomplices?" Kamuro smirked, pointing at the red band around his upper arm.

"Wha–"

"My dislike for him just keeps growing."

A student came to a stop behind them, "President, some weird guy just showed up at the school gates."

"Good grief," Kamuro sighed. "They couldn't have come at a worse time."

A tanner guy stood in front of them, with rather sharp features and great build, but without a shirt.

Bean Paste Middle School Gang Leader: Kenzaki Yuuto.

"Who are you?! I told you to bring me White T Poison!"

"White T Poison?" Kamuro frowned, hands on his waist, "What on earth is that?"

"Stop fooling around! He's the talk of all the thugs right now!"

"White T Poison?" Reigen said, confusion evident in his voice.

"That's me," Mob said, sounding a bit... shy.

Ritsu stepped up. "I'll deal with him. That should settle things."

Kenzaki first fell on his knees, then back. Ritsu stood before him with his hand outstretched.

"Th-That was surprising…" Kamuro stammered.

"That was self-defense," Ritsu replied. "Not to mention, they were students from another school, so it shouldn't matter."

Red spots adorned his cheeks.

To think he was one to fight…Kamuro mused, on his way home. And be that strong on top of it.

"Hey," a male voice sounded from behind him, and he turned to face them. "Are you the one that got Kenzaki-san?"

"Huh?"

A bunch of guys in blue uniforms were in front of him with crossed arms.

"Are you White T Poison?"

"Wh-What are you…" Kamuro sputtered as they began advancing towards him, "I was just watching!"

"Then who the hell is White T Poison?!" they demanded.

"I don't–"

He was beaten to a pulp.

"I..." One girl's voice rose slightly. "Is it bad that I don't feel bad for him?"

"That's enough! It's time to stop!"

Ritsu didn't look up from his work. "You look awful."

"I became a victim because you taught a gang leader from another school a lesson! Don't you understand that?!" Kamuro cried.

"I'm fine with that. It's very much deserved." Ritsu remarked.

Ritsu squeezed his eyes shut, feeling them burn.

Kamuro flinched.

"A-Again?!"

He wheezed and shook as the tall gang member in front of him blocked the setting sun.

Mayo Middle School Gang Leader: Gozu.

"Are you White T Poison?"

Kamuro stumbled and ran off, screaming.

"Oh, it's you, Tokugawa-kun," came Takuya's voice from the intercom beside the Kamuro name-plate. "Shinji doesn't want to see anyone right now."

Tokugawa sighed, "I see…"

Kamuro Shinji sat curled up against a wall in his room, face buried in his knees.

"What a terrible room filled with garbage."

He hugged himself tighter.

They went silent again.

"Yes... of course," Reigen remarked, voice a bit louder then usual. "Part of the theme here is that you can't take people at face value- there's always something else. Something you don't know about."

"I want to be someone!" He had written in that school paper.

"I think what you should have cleaned up was this room."

Finally, he looked up, "H-How did you get in here?"

Ritsu leaned against the window frame, holding his shoes in his hand.

"There are plenty of small pieces of trash left at school."

"I-I'm done with all that! Get out!" Kamuro threw a bag of trash at him, but it barely touched his shoulder.

"It's too late. We both did something unforgivable," Ritsu remarked. "No one's going to save us."

Kamuro fell down, crawling and sobbing.

Ritsu swallowed thickly, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. He felt like he was burning- he felt so hot, and yet he struggled to breathe properly, goosebumps popping up on his arms.

Can one burn and drown at the same time? Could he roast in self-hatred and yet be frozen solid by regrets?

Ritsu stood on top of a lamppost, looking over the city. Dimple floated beside him.

"The puppet's been broken. Now the school is clean," Ritsu said.

"What are you going to do now?" Dimple asked. "The other schools are gonna show up again."

"I can do whatever I want, as long as I have these powers."

"Yeah!" Dimple cheered. "You can be a superstar!"

Ritsu smiled at him. "Dimple, you're trying to use me, too, aren't you?"

Dimple flinched, sweating. "What are you talking about, Ricchan? We're partners!"

Ritsu continued staring at him.

A crowd of gang members walked through the streets, meeting up in an alley and cornering Ritsu.

"And here they come," Dimple pointed out.

Ritsu slid his bag off his shoulder. "There are quite a few today." He dropped it on the ground.

Teru watched from around the corner.

"Oh, thank goodness," one of the teachers sighed.

"You know..." her colleague next to her said remarked, "They're acting quite differently now."

"Mmm. I agree."

"They never act like this in class," he remarked with a dry chuckle.

I came to see what was going on and of course…

One of the gang members gestured at Ritsu, "Are you the White T Poison that defeated Hanazawa and Kenzaki?"

Teru's eyes widened. What?! Is he pretending to be Kageyama?

Teru wanted to joke that technically, he was Kageyama, but it didn't seem the right time.

Ritsu raised a glowing hand. "I think things will be settled once I deal with you guys, so let's just say that I am."

Apparently, I'm gonna have to ask Kageyama about this…Teru thought, leaving the alley.

The indigo-hooded figure stood at the edge of the building near them, talking into a phone.

"Looks like I found something pretty interesting. I've found him. I'll apprehend him and head back. But before that, I should watch for a bit and see how good he is."

Mob's hands tightened into fists. Reigen took notice, mild surprise showing on his face. It was one thing to see anger on a screen. It was completely different to see it from his student, right next to him, in real time.

"Possession," Ritsu declared, and a strong wind blew from under him as Dimple faded into his body. He addressed the crowd around him, "All right. Go ahead."

That caused an uproar in the gang members. "You telling us to bring it?! Sounds good to us!"

A bunch from behind him charged, but promptly got suspended in the air with a light blue glow.

"Hey! Don't chicken out now!" One from the opposite side berated.

"That's not it… We can't move…"

"Dimple, we're going to go a bit strong this time," Ritsu muttered, waving his hands in preparation for an attack. He flung his arm, and the cement blew up, sending the frozen group back.

"Chance!" One ran up, only to be sent flying into the face of another with a flick of Ritsu's finger.

"Your magic tricks won't work on me, White T Pois–"

That one got plummed as well.

"What the heck is going on? Is White T Poison doing that?" The rest of the crowd whispered among themselves.

"Don't falter! Let's all charge him at once!"

People leaned forward, the room rife with anxiety and tension, a few people watching the demonstration of psychic powers with awe and wonder as opposed to fear.

Ritsu looked up, locking the lot in their place - without needing his powers to do so.

"I will not judge you people," he began.

"Because I know now. When people stray from the right path, there usually isn't an actual reason. It's like that even now. I'm facing enemies that have lost all will to fight, and I'm moving forward for the sake of violence. There's no reason there."

He walked up towards them.

"This kind of freedom is strong. I'm much freer than all of you. Why? Because I've lost my limits. I've obtained loss."

And Ritsu thought, how dare he?

How DARE he speak that way? He had been privileged, the favorite, the best in school. He had been a better child- but his brother had been a better person then he had ever been- then he would ever be.

How dare he speak like he had truly suffered?

Then he felt his brother's hand on his back. He glanced up at Mob and jumped slightly at the expression on his face.

It was as if he had read his mind.

"Nii-san-"

Mob's expression contorted slightly, pained. "Ritsu," he said softly, "Other people's suffering doesn't invalidate yours."

The ground of the alley was covered in defeated teenagers. Ritsu looked over them.

He felt tears begin to spill down his face as Mob pulled him into a hug.

Meek footsteps began approaching, then stopped.

Ritsu's eyes widened when he recognized them.

His hands seized the back of his brothers' stiff black uniform, arms locking up as he began to sob. Ritsu could feel his heart slamming against his ribcage as Mob held him tightly, apologies spilling out of his mouth.

His brother stayed silent and still. He had never been one to understand these types of emotions, so he just did what he thought would be proper.

"Ritsu… What are you doing?"

i should add that i'm not trying to call anyone out or anything like that. i like adding humor- i remember Stephen King saying in the preface of "The Stand" that things like that aren't important to the plot, and yet they are the plot.

this made no sense i'm sorry