Ch 1:Unforeseen Events

-Ψ-

And I wonder how I get myself into these situations. It started just yesterday. That day was a 'spoiler day', as I had come to call them, and so I was wearing my Germanium ring. Of course with it on, I wasn't able to use people's thoughts to sense where they were around me. Everything had started out normal enough. Everyone was talking to someone else, and I was studiously trying to ignore them. Without my realizing Teruhashi had come up beside me. She must have been eyeing my headpieces, because the next thing I knew…

"Oh Saiki, your hairpins are so cute! Can I see one?"She had pulled out one of my suppressors, and now held it in her hand. The unexpected release nearly made me pass out, and I carefully laid across my desk and went limp since I couldn't control my strength.

"Hey, buddy! What's up." Oh no, not Nendou.

"Go away, Nendou." Of course he wouldn't listen. He must have seen Teruhashi take my pin, because I felt him grab the other one. "Nendou, no! Don't touch! Nendou!"

"There! Now you match again!" He pulled it out and I fell to the floor as my desk crumpled beneath the burst of power that escaped before I could stop it.. There were shouts of worry and the nuisances that called themselves my friends gathered around. Someone reached out to touch me, and I was silently grateful when the teacher made everyone back up.

"Don't move him! We don't know what happened, so be careful!" The best thing to do was let them believe I had passed out. They would call the nurse to come get me, but they would also call my parents before trying to send me to the hospital. It also let me concentrate on keeping my power under control. I didn't need it hurting anyone else, it was already trying to tear me apart from the inside.

A while later found us all back at home. Thankfully Mom had passed it off as exhaustion from overworking myself, and the school had let us go. Teruhashi had also taken the limiter from Nindou and given both of them back, so at least I wasn't about to accidentally destroy anything.

Now I would have liked to think that would have been the end of it. I got the pins back, I went home, everything should be good, right? No. I still hadn't recovered from my powers attacking me, and it didn't seem like it would be getting better anytime soon. Most of them still wouldn't completely obey me. So now I was lying in my room, mom having stuffed pillows around me and a blanket on top.

Honestly. I appreciated the thought, but it was hard to get comfortable with so much stuff on me. I was already too warm, my pyrokinesis making me overheat. Suddenly the TV turned on, and I saw a face looking back at me I would rather not have seen.

"Kusuo, little brother! You've really made a mess this time, haven't you? You let your guard down and released your power at school, and now look at you." Kusuke greeted me.

"I don't want to listen to a scolding from you." I threw the covers off and sat up, glaring at the screen. "How did you know anyway? I'm sure you have better things to do than watch us all day."

"Of course I do." He agreed. "There's meters inside those little pink balls of yours, and I know every time you remove them or use more power than normal. I was quite surprised when they read a massive release of energy, and I checked it out right away. That was quite a stupid move for you."

"And you care, why?"

"Come on, don't be like that. You're my baby brother, of course I care!" In an alternate timeline where I had died, he had been so happy to see me he had cried. Though the Kusuke of this time knew nothing of that, they were still the same person. He did care, in his own strange and sometimes creepy way. Sure we were always jabbing each other, but we got along. Sometimes. Not always. Actually... We really don't, now that I think about it.

"I am fine. I don't need any help."

"Kusuo. You are sitting there shaking and sweating, you are clearly not okay." I am? I looked down at myself. How did I not notice?

"Ku-chan? Is that big-Ku you're talking to?" Mom's voice alerted me to her presence only a second before she opened the door. I had been so distracted I hadn't heard her coming.

"Hello Mama." Kusuke's voice and face softened at seeing her step into the room. "I was just talking with Kusuo here. I'm going to come get him and bring him here so we can figure out what's wrong and fix it."

"What? You didn't say-" I didn't get to finish, Mom cutting me off.

"Oh Kusuke, how wonderful of you to help your little brother! When will you come?" You know what? He did this on purpose. I can't refuse him now Mom wouldn't let me hear the end of it.

In an instant I appeared in front of Kusuke, startling both him and Mom. Unfortunately it had taken the rest of my strength and concentration to teleport, and the only thing that kept me from hitting the floor was my older brother.

-Ψ-

I wasn't at all surprised when Kusuo suddenly teleported. In fact, I had expected him to between my manipulation and Mom giving me an unexpected advantage. Neither was I surprised when I had to stand and catch him because he collapsed in front of me.

"Kusuke, what happened?" Ah, right. She couldn't see me now since I moved. I lowered Kusuo to the chair I had been sitting in before, then grabbed the camera to reposition it.

"It's alright Mama. Kusuo's here now, I'll be sure to take good care of him."

"You're such a good brother! Okay, I leave him to you!" I said goodbye and turned off the feed, pocketing the tiny camera. Thankfully I planned ahead and had been recording from the room he would be staying in. All I had to do now was get him to move from the chair.

"Kusuo." My brother raised hazy eyes to look at me, then slowly pushed himself up with a tired huff. He took the few steps he needed to cross the room, and flopped face down on the bed.

"Aw, don't ignore me like that." He raised a hand to tap his head, then pointed at me.

"My canceler? You don't need to know what I'm thinking, isn't talking enough?" Even though I usually wore it around him simply because I could to annoy him, this time was different. Right now he needed to rest, and hearing my stressed thoughts would only hinder progress. I threw a blanket over him when he turned over, giving him a moment to figure out nothing was attacking him and recover.

"I don't want this." He went to take it off, only for me to take the corner from his hand and pull it back down. I pinned the blanket down, leaning over him probably closer than he would like.

"Take it."

"..." Seeing him pause, I let go and straightened up.

"See this?" I fingered a small tag embedded in the corner of the blanket. It displayed two sets of numbers on a tiny display.

"What of it?"

"This number is your current temperature, and the other is the what it has been set for. It's designed so it can heat and cool, keeping your body temperature constant."

"?" He looked back to me, realizing something. "How are you hearing me with that stupid headband?"

"I was wondering when you would notice. See this?" I pulled a pin from either side of the band, and held them out in my hand. "These can receive telepathic messages, and allow them to bypass the canceler. This way I can still hear you, but you can't read me. It also lets me choose if I want to listen or ignore you." I couldn't help but smirk at his offended expression as I put the pins back.

"Anyway, I'll leave you here for a bit. I have other things to take care of." I walked away, pausing at the doorway to turn and glance back. "You better be here when I come back. Can't have you wandering around by yourself in your current state now." Something much like irritation, but far stronger, flared in my senses as I stepped out and shut the door between us. Not that the physical barrier would do anything if my brother decided he'd had enough. But he knew as well as I did he needed me, and unless I really provoked him he wouldn't do anything.

My pace quickened, anxious to get back to my lab. Honestly I had seen this coming, but I hadn't expected it to happen so soon. I hadn't completed countermeasures yet, and suddenly I needed them right now.

"That annoying girl. And the idiot. If they hadn't messed with him, I would have had a few more months to prepare, at the very least. Now, because of them, Kusuo and I are on a deadline! A very tight one!" Irritation of my own boiled beneath the surface, and I had to restrain myself. I wouldn't let it get in my way. I had a job to finish.

-Ψ-

*knock knock*

I turned over and pulled the blanket higher, hoping to ignore both the morning sun and the annoyance outside my door. It wasn't meant to be. Just a moment later Kusuke swept in, oblivious to my annoyance.

"Good morning, Ku...riko?" Who? Why did he go from cheerful to confused in the space of two seconds? Wait, Kuriko? I threw the cover off, revealing my smaller figure dressed in the now too large night clothes. Kusuke set the tray he carried on a table, studying me with a critical eye. Like a fool I froze, unnerved by his stare. Then...

"Kuriko! My adorable little sister!"He practically pounced on me, squeezing me in a hug.

"Get off!" He had an amused smile even as I shoved him away. Why does it feel like my face has gone red?

"You had an accident with your powers, didn't you? What did our parents call it? Bed-psyching?" Shut up already before I have to do it for you.

"Who cares?"

"I don't, but you are cuter as a little sister than my pain in the ass brother." He had to dodge my fist when I swung at him. Even half hearted as it was, it still would have hurt quite a bit. As if you're not a pain, you really have no place to talk.

"Anyway, I brought you some food."

"I don't want anything from you."

"Not even… this?" Now that's just not fair. He had reached into a pocket of his coat and pulled out a small container. The rich brown of the jelly showed through the plastic cup, practically taunting me. I want it so bad, but I'm not about to accept anything from him. But the jelly is right there, I just need to take it.

"If you really don't want it, I guess I'll just throw it out." I snatched the cup out of the air with telekinesis before it hit the trash bin, bringing it to my hand.

"So you did want it. Why didn't you say so?" Can I wipe that smile off your face for you? You did that on purpose. I peeled the lid off, then paused when I had a thought.

"You didn't do anything funny to this, did you?" It would have been the perfect thing to trick me with.

"Don't worry, I didn't tamper with it." And I'm supposed to believe you with that smile?

"Still don't believe me? Fine." He lifted his headband and I had just a moment to scan his thoughts before he put it back. There hadn't been anything malicious or deceiving, so I took a spoon from the tray he had brought and started eating. I was still a little lost on what to do, but no matter what I needed to keep my energy up. And refusing to eat at all wouldn't do anything for me.

"You spend all night working on another one of your projects?" I doubt he meant for me to pick up on his exhaustion, but I did.

He dropped into the chair with a deep sigh, bringing his hands up to rub his face and push his hair back. I briefly saw both his eyes, the usual shine slightly dulled, before his hair fell to shadow his face once more.

"I don't know how you've managed to survive for so long, surrounded by those people. Although with your abilities, you should have been able to avoid anything that would cause such a problem. So tell me. Why, did those simple humans, get the better of you?" He ground out the words harshly, stressing his syllables in frustration.

"Unless there's something you don't want me to know? Something that could be used against you?"

He wanted to know what happened, likely so he could know what he needed to do, but telling him would also give him leverage against me later. I absently held the ring in my pocket, rubbing my fingers on it to ascertain it was still there. The slight movement caught his attention, and I once more found myself under his critical gaze. Then his expression lifted and he became cheerful once more.

"Ah well, it's not like it matters anymore. What comes next is something long overdue. Those silly little baubles you wear have served their purpose. You do remember when they were made, I said they were only a temporary solution. Now comes the fun part." A wide grin spread over his face, doing nothing to ease my apprehension.

"It's finally time you learn full control of your powers!"

-Ψ-

Soon after found us in Kusuke's lab, him having dragged me down there when we had finished eating. He had been showing off his inventions, many of them impressive, some of them disturbing. I recognised some, the glider and powersuits, among others.

"What do you have in your hand?" Kusuke had pulled out a bag of what must I assumed was candy, going by the sweet smell, and was munching on it while he showed me around.

"This? It's chocolate dipped coffee beans." So not quite candy, but still something sweet. And it was coffee flavored too.

"Give me some." He's eating them, so he couldn't have done anything to it.

"You didn't want anything from me earlier. Why now? Or is your addiction to sweets that strong?"

"Just give me some."

"Alright, alright, fine. Here." He took a handful from the bag and held it out. I took them, happily popping a few in my mouth. He finished showing me around then stopped to sit. I came to stand in front of him and our eyes locked. We were suddenly stuck in a stare down, neither of us willing to back down.

I was just waiting for him to do… something. It was as if... he was the one waiting.

"Notice yet?" He asked. Notice what? What was he waiting for me to notice? I took a step forward, and ended up grounded on shaky hands and knees. Standing still I hadn't noticed, but the attempt at movement made it obvious something was wrong. All my strength had left me.

"What did you do?" I demanded. Whatever it was, it didn't have to be very strong. Even for all my supernatural powers, my body was only human.

"A simple paralytic. You've never been exposed to anything like it, so you have no resistance to it. All it took was a few coffee beans filled with it to take you down." He reached down and lifted me, a feat that should have been near impossible for him. Not that I weighed much, but he didn't have much muscle.

Ah, a power suit frame. I could feel the metal braces hidden beneath his clothes, lending him extra strength. He put me in an old chair that was worn, but comfortable enough.

"I bet you're enjoying every moment of this. I feel like I'm your play thing." He had retrieved a set of syringes and come back to my side, unwrapping an IV catheter. I don't trust anything he would want to inject in me.

He grabbed my arm and pressed down hard, taking advantage of my weakness to immobilize it. The needle poked through my skin even though I had tried to resist it. Of course my powers would choose now to become unresponsive.

The medical tape he used to secure it was uncomfortably tight, as annoying as the pricking of the needle itself. Despite my protest Kusuke uncapped the first syringe with his teeth and plugged it in, draining the contents into my bloodstream. I went completely limp, unable to even hold my head up anymore. He pulled away, but not before slipping his hand into my pocket and taking my ring.

"I swear Kusuke, if you don't have a good reason for this, I will make you regret it." Doing something like this without any warning, he never explains anything unless he feels like it.

Something was connected to each of my suppressors and a cable laid over my shoulder, numerous ends splayed in my lap. Kusuke worked quickly, attaching them in various places all over my body. I was semi-grateful he at least did something to support my head so I wouldn't be looking at the floor and get a sore neck. I could feel them drawing energy from my suppressors and spreading it through my body. Finally he sat back at his computer. I assumed the things he put on my were also plugged in to it.

"Alright, let me tell you how this is going to work. Because your suppressors give a direct connection to your powers, I am using them to control said powers. I can trigger or shut of powers, and control the strength of them. The plan is to shut off all but one at a time, and the one that remains active will gradually increase until it is at full strength. You are to do whatever you must to bring it under your control, whether it is suppressing it or finding a way to shut it off entirely."

"And why was it necessary to drug me?"

"I am simply taking precautions. This is a mental battle, not a physical one. By taking away your ability to move, you can focus entirely on the task at hand and not have to worry about destroying anything." Ah, I suppose that made sense. Doesn't change the fact this still sucks, but at least I know now.

"Before we start though, I am curious about something." He held up the thin shiny ring I both loved and hated.

"Germanium is an element I used in the creation of your suppressors that disrupts your power. Why do you have a ring made of that material?" So those have Germanium in them too? Then the ring must add just enough to cancel out my most basic power.

"I found it interferes with my telepathy, and I kept it because I appreciate the quiet once in a while."

"And you had this with you. You were wearing the ring, couldn't sense them coming, and by the time they had come in contact it was too late. Am I right?" He was, and now he knew that the ring could be used against me. Although he already knew about Germanium, so it really didn't make much of a difference.

"Well, that's all I needed to know. No point wasting anymore time, we should get started."

"Fine. Just get it going already." He turned back to his computer, and I suddenly felt… nothing. It was as if all my power had been sucked into a void, and simply didn't exist. Noise started to filter back in to my mind, telepathy having been restored to its usual level.

"We'll start here. I'm here to monitor and stop it if something goes wrong, but this is your fight." Kusuke stated. He focused back on me with a contemplative look. "As much as we go at each other, I care about my little brother and don't want anything to happen to you."

"Good luck, Kusuo. I wish I could do more to help, but the rest is up to you."