Chapter Twenty-Four: The Chase

Hizashi screeches as he tightly grips the handle above the door's interior.

"Oh, don't be such a baby!" Nemuri grins as she presses further down on the accelerator as she spins the wheel clockwise, narrowly squeezing in the space diagonally before picking up velocity to pass the car and speed down the innermost lane. "I don't even need to switch gears in this thing."

Hizashi has nothing against the speed. It was a long trip, longer than the bullet train, but they need the car to attract less attention and to have it available so they could scoop the kids up and book it out of there – hopefully before they do something stupid or attract attention. "We need to get there alive!"

"We're fine. It's easier than touge and you've been in a car with me for that. Speaking of – it's been a while. You should come again and split the cost for a new set of tires." It's a costly hobby and it would be nice to tease Hizashi's for his screams of fear. Why be friends if she can't mess around with him a bit?

Hizashi pales as he remembers the long winding roads.

His phone pings and he checks the notification.

"Is that Yua?" she asks. "We get confirmation that those two are in Kanagawa?" They are headed there on Shouta's and police's hunch after they checked the nearby perimeters. They are currently taking the highway counterclockwise to pass Matsumoto rather than risking heavy traffic on Tokyo's outskirts. It's not exactly like they can cut through Chichibu Tama Kai National Park to save on time.

"Not exactly." Hizashi jumps in his seat as Nemuri honks the horn twice. He relaxes as he realizes that it's towards an upcoming car and not in response to him.

"What do you mean not exactly?"

"They finished getting through the CCTV footage. They were last seen at Nagano Station which makes Shouta's theory more likely. They've reached out to check the cameras to see if they got off there, but that will take more time. They had some strings pulled to track their phones but they've both lost signal at the station. They're probably turned off, but that's where our luck ends. We're lucky we got even this much this fast. Trying to get authorization to track them through hardware rather than connection will take a lot longer." Even if they were getting responses fast, it drags out the period of unknowing which is bothering both of them.

Hizashi is all for his students spreading their wings and take action but this really isn't the time. He doesn't know why they want Bakugou and he suspects there's a snake amongst them to leak the information of the camp, but it doesn't make sense to be him. Bakugou would have helped or left with them but there's been many testimonies stating he fought the villains. They also would have had better communications to locate him.

Then there's Kotogara who was actually the one to leave before Bakugou, even if by only a few seconds. He can still hear the lingering question she once asked him: why do people become heroes? He suspects something more is going on with her, but he's never taken it to mean she would side with villains. If anything, she reminds him of Shouta in several ways. Reserved and serious. Doesn't emote well. Impossibly high expectations on themselves. Even catching her feed a cat brought back a wave of nostalgia, and until today, Hizashi can't imagine Kotogara being disobedient. He sees their differences too, but he doesn't want to believe she's the traitor. For one, he knows she's not stupid enough to think escaping wouldn't be suspicious. Second, she handed in the tracker found on Yaoyorozu which aligns with Tsukauchi's intel so even if she is chasing the villains it isn't like she's leading them into a trap.

Nemuri speeds up again. The speedometer nearly reaching the installed limiters.

"You're Shinsou," says Todoroki.

"Yeah." His tone carries a 'so what?' with it.

"You're friends with Yuko. Have you seen her?"

"Yuko? Oh, you mean Kotogara." Shinsou knows they're close. He sees them together all the time. He used to think it was only natural since they were in the same class and had plenty of opportunities to spend time together, but he realized after becoming her friend that it was more likely that something happened and she went with the flow of it.

Todoroki continues to stare at him waiting for an answer.

"I haven't seen her since we talked earlier, and that was before Yanagi woke up. That's a few hours ago now. They were telling us to contact our families, so she wanted to talk to her sister in private." Shinsou hadn't been surprised she was the first person she wanted to tell. She tells him about her sister quite often. It's taught him two things. Kotogara loves her sister a lot and she doesn't have many friends or much going on since she's always referencing her. "Though she also seemed overwhelmed so I wouldn't be surprised if she's cooped up somewhere."

"And you didn't think to check up on her?"

"What are you? A guard dog?" Shinsou exhales. "If you haven't noticed there's a lot going on for everyone. Kotogara isn't exactly the kind of person who goes around seeking comfort. It's best to give her some space if she needs it."

Todoroki wants to argue that isn't how she is. She voices her quibbles and strife to him all the time. Though, he pauses. There are some things she's tight lipped about. She's open about her past and her family, but beyond that she's quieter like whatever happened the day she was late to class. She's also more tense when talking to most of their classmates.

"Hey Shinsou, did you know the invisible girl from Class A passed the entrance exam because there were switches on the bots?" Tetsutetsu walks into the room eager to share the more light hearted news he's learnt from talking to others, even as half his body was wrapped in bandages, when he feels the tension of the room he entered into. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," replies Todoroki.

Shinsou replies simultaneously, "What do you mean switches on the bots?" He wonders if Tetsutetsu is trying to get under his skin because that's the only reason to tell him something like that. If true then his failure to get into the Heroics Department the first time was entirely on him, which isn't a great feeling. He knows there had to be something because he looked into the students from the Department of Heroics before the tournament and some of their quirks weren't those of brute strength, but not knowing exactly how allowed him deniability that there was more he could have done.

Todoroki takes one last look around the room before walking out. He glances into rooms as he makes his way back to the common area.

Uraraka still hasn't returned Kirishima's phone, but Kirishima has taken to cheering and occasionally giving tips as he watches on beside her. Kirishima looks up as he hears steps. "Did you not find Kotogara?" he asks. Todoroki frowns which answers him in a way. The floor is plenty spacious though and there isn't much to do so Kirishima reasons they probably missed each other.

"NOOOOOO!" Uraraka shouted as her character died. She's about to start another round when she spots someone from the corner of her eye. "Momo!" Uraraka stands up. "Are you okay? Should you be out of bed?"

"I've been cleared by the nurse." Yaoyorozu looks to the ground. She's still nauseous but she doesn't feel good for other reasons.

Uraraka smiles in relief. One more friend to cross off the worry list. It doesn't last long as she's reminded of who hadn't woken up yet and the medical staff's vague answers had only serve to cripple her with more worry. The only positive is that they are allowed to visit them in their rooms.

"What happened after I passed out?" Yaoyorozu did all that she could but it seemed things escalated during her unconsciousness. Or maybe it had already started during their separation.

"It was the League of Villains again, though they traded their numbers for skill this time," answers Kirishima. If he's being honest to himself, he was ready to bolt back during the USJ invasion after being separated into small numbers. It was only because of Bakugou's unwavering determination face them on anyway that relite his spirit. Bakugou may have talked big but he followed through on his words. Unlike himself, where he talked big but had only felt secure in specific circumstances. He thought he held out well this time with his on directive, but hearing the stories from his peers had been making him reassess if he's capable or just lucky.

"Fire and explosives are the short version." Uraraka had been with Kirishima so she's unaware of Momo's exact circumstances. She wishes she could have done more. "Urg, I wish I could have done more." She feels like she frequently relies on other people's strength. She made a promise to herself to be more proactive and believe in her own strength, but she had to rely on Kirishima to against the armed girl. Even after training during her internship fighting barehanded against someone with a weapon is a huge disadvantage. Uraraka glances over to Kirishima. "I never did thank you for the defense."

Kirishima waves a hand dismissing the statement. "If it weren't for you, we'd be burnt to a crisp so I say we're even."

"Awase was trying to get you to safety," adds Todoroki, informing Yaoyorozu with what information he had. "You two were chased after a Nomu when reaching us fighting off other villains, which eventually ended because of the blue forest fire."

Blue? That was beyond hot. Hotter than a cremation chamber. Everyone would have had to evacuate – even the villains. "I see."

Jirou enters the space skittish. She's only a step in when she looks back through the door she entered through, taking a few steps forward as she keeps staring over her shoulder.

"Kyouka, you're well." It's a relief to Yaoyorozu. She still doesn't have the full scope of things, but having indefinite confinement in the hospital and from what she does know about the attack, it's only logical that some had been harmed in the attack.

Kyouka's head snaps towards Yaoyorozu in disbelief. "You're awake," she says in a breathy tone. She's been feeling guilty that others had suffered so severely while she shamelessly hid up in a tree with Mineta. Worse, she would do it again as to not become another number on the casualty list. They weren't ready to face a threat like that. She wasn't ready for a threat like that. Midoriya left them to charge in to help while they hid and look at the results. She was fine while Midoriya had been on life support until he stabilized.

"Did something new happen? You seem on edge?" asks Kirishima.

Jirou looks around, looking for any adults. She had been relieved to be safe in the hospital, but endless hours without any updates of what happened to the villains, their next steps, or when they would be release (and are they going to resume camp or will they be sent home?) has riled her up with anxiety. Not knowing had led her to playing spy. She only wanted to get some answers and ease her worries but… "I heard something I shouldn't have." Her quirk made it all too easy.

"Eh?" Uraraka squeaks. She thinks of the girls as so sure of themselves that seeing the changes are surprising to her. Perhaps not quite as shaken as Tsu, but the unease is undeniable.

"Well? Don't keep us waiting?" Kirishima leans in anticipating some juicy gossip.

Jirou feels everyone's eyes on her and she freezes up. She doesn't want to keep it to herself, but she also worries how they'll react.

"If it is better left unsaid then you don't need to tell us," says Yaoyorozu.

Jirou swallows her saliva gathering in her mouth with a gulp. Even then her mouth and throat feel incredibly dry and scratchy. "It's just that…" She looks at Momo waiting patiently. Todoroki's dry expression. Ochako's confusion and worry. Kirishima's anticipation. "Bakugou and Yuko snuck out. The teachers and the police say they're likely chasing after the villains to Kamino."

"Eh?!"

Jirou shushes them and places a finger to her lips as she looks around.

"Well, that does sound like something Bakugou would do. Man, he should have told me." Kirishima's shoulders slumped before turning to Todoroki. That explains why he couldn't find her. How long had it been? He sees Todoroki clench his fist.

"But that doesn't sound like Yuko." Uraraka tries to understand the situation. Doubt rises to her mind with the mention of Bakugou with some of the accusations lingering around in the back of her subconscious. "I can't imagine her breaking the rules."

"Either way, Kamino? How do they even know where they are?" Kirishima is left scratching his head.

"I thought it was strange." Yaoyorozu looks down.

"What was strange?" Kirishima is confused. Didn't she just wake up?

"I placed a tracker on one of them before I was incapacitated, but it wasn't with my belongings and the nurse knew nothing of it. I thought it may have fallen out when being saved, but confiscation also makes sense."

Todoroki thought back. The three of them among others had been helping those with difficulties or incapable to gather together until emergency services arrived. Yuko had taken over for Awase once they landed safely. In other words, Yuko would be the likely culprit. He doesn't condemn her actions, but she didn't have to go off without more support.

At this point Yuko assumes it's some form of deep sated attempt to self-sabotage. Even if she goes to them there's no way she could confront all of them. Injuries would be expected. Death at worse. The thought of someone telling Eiko that she died was enough to keep her conflicted.

Her uncertainty continued throughout the train ride and arriving in Yokohama hasn't led to any finalized decisions. She walks aimlessly trying to come to some sort of conclusion.

The people who attacked her and her peers are nearby. They need to be stopped or the cycle will continue. The police know though. But are they competent? They should have taken action immediately. Or is it too dangerous for them? Did they need to collaborate with heroes? This is a group that is strong enough to take on two classes with a small group.

But Kyosuke's with them. She's sure it was him. Or it is a coincidence? She's not good with faces, and his face was covered anyway, but that quirk... Memories of third and fourth grade resurface. A boy who adamantly defended that he wasn't a villain and would never be one. Maybe a family member instead? But his quirk hadn't been inherited. It made some of the other kids even crueler like it was his destiny.

Yuko scratches her arm as she turns around the corner.

She also hopes it was just a trick of the light. That she had been seeing things, but for a moment it had looked like that man always wandering about with no money or plan was with them too.

It's an itch in her mind. One that won't go away. One that will not be satiated without a clear answer.

The thoughts cycle in her head. Would she have the same feelings if they had attacked someone else. Would she care as much if she didn't think people she knew were among them? Her aimless wandering is a poor attempt to stall. To somehow outlast the intrusive thoughts that constantly nag at her. Her mind fixates on the situation regardless of how she tries to distract herself.

Yuko wants to curse. She wants to lash at someone or something.

Hyperfixations are something Yuko is all too acquainted yet, but this isn't a case like Todoroki where the worst outcome she could imagine is someone hating her – even it that is an uncomfortable thought – and it's not harmless like her inquiries into book knowledge. It's not just wrongfully barging into someone's business with a lack of consideration for the other person. It's not correcting someone on technicalities or accurate information. Giving in to the urge now can get her killed.

Everything had felt so easy growing up. Adults would give hard rules and one would only need to push the boundaries enough time to gain a sense of where they really are. It was like a checklist. Do this. Don't do that. Such black and white thinking was comfortable. It was easy to think she knew how the world worked. How she was meant to act within the confinements of that system. As long as someone could explain the how and why in a way she could understand, Yuko could quickly acclimate.

But once she thought she was settled, cracks would form and become larger with each passing year.

At first, she attributed it to people misbehaving. Those not following will get in trouble, and people had gotten punished and reprimanded before so it still made sense.

But then people would break the rules and not get punished. Or someone would break the rules but someone else would get blamed for it even if they did everything right. It was clear as day that different people are held to different standards. Some people can get away with things others never could. A teacher even once scolded her for following the rules too much. After the repeated scenarios happened enough Yuko realized that adults don't always follow the rules either. Even in a collective society they often don't.

There's no simple answer to why that is. She tried to reason with it. Tried to find logical explanations. However, more exposure, ageing, and insight revealed that her reasonings were poor excuses. The world. Society. Such things weren't so easily explainable and it's uncomfortable. It's messy and she doesn't want it to be true. Even things like laws that Yuko thought as a set of rules were highly interpretive. Even hard sciences, including math, has loopholes even if the explanations were beyond her understanding.

Yet here she is, barely holding back going to the next district over. It's wrong. As a student and a citizen, interfering and taking personal action is wrong. It wouldn't be much different than Akaguro breaking the regulations to try and enforce his vision on the world. No, it isn't even for the communities that would be affected. She can reason they would be better captured and imprisoned. Yuko even believes that is what should happen. Her emotions tell her that her motive isn't logic bound.

This is all for herself. Her ego. Her curiosity. Her essence.

Yuko stops in the middle of the alleyway.

Behind all the reasons and excuses this is for herself.

The same way she itches to know what happened to those likely kidnapped children. Not having answers bothers her. There's a lack of control. A sense that she doesn't know enough to operate within.

Maybe she hasn't changed.

Here she is acting like a child. Prioritizing herself. Only thinking about herself. Pushing the boundaries knowing there will likely be repercussions and yet acting like she could avoid them. Intervening on an ongoing case because she's egotistical enough to think she knows better. Even going back now without doing anything would get her into trouble – she did sneak out. Even after criticizing others doing the same.

She punches the brick wall, uncaring of the scratches and pain it leaves. If anything, there's a small sense of relief. A sensation to focus on that doesn't have to do with criminals or her actions.

She doesn't know where the lines are. There are undeniable faults of society and she wants to help, but what gives her the entitlement to believe she has the answers.

She punches the wall again.

It's soothing. There has to be something wrong with her if hurting herself is soothing. Tingles prick up her left arm and up and down her spine. It's a momentary cooling freshness as if menthol had been slathered across her. If it feels this way by using her hand then would her head clear if she used it instead.

Yuko taps her forehead against the wall. Her soft, oily, and sweaty skin impacts the uneven roughness that lightly scratches her face. She does it again a little harder. And again.

"Would you stop acting like a crazy person and lead us to the villains already?!"

Huh? Yuko knows that voice but he shouldn't be here. Even as she looks over, she believes her eyes are deceiving her. "Bakugou."

"Who else? Now stop stalling and lead the way already. Or if you're chickening out then at least tell me where to go."

Her personal desires are pushed aside like a flick of a switch. It's like she's in the forest all over again. They're after him. He shouldn't be here. No, why is he here. Did he follow her all the way there? Did she just put him in the way of danger? They are far enough away from their base, but even being this close poses a risk.

He approaches but Yuko's mouth refuses to open. Her ability for speech vanishes as she stares at her mistake.

It's frightening how clear that become now that someone else is trying to get involved.

"Did you turn stupid bashing your head into the wall? No, you have to be stupid for doing that in the first place."

She feels the back of his knuckles tap her head when she still doesn't respond. His resting expression never looks stereotypically happy, but she can see his ire as his frown becomes more and more defined.

"You shouldn't be here," Yuko blurts out finding her voice.

Bakugou steams. His irritation elevates to outright annoyance. "I can be where I want to be. There's also no one here for you to play nice so you can drop it." He wouldn't like admitting it, but he wasn't the first to act. Still, he refuses to be left behind.

Play nice? Bakugou's words confuse Yuko, but she's stuck trying to think of a way to fix this. He needs to go back. They need to go back. "The hospital was suffocating and I needed some air. We should go back."

"That's bullshit. We both know that."

Bakugou's anger always clearly shows. It's as defined as a character in a comic. It's usually a helpful indicator, but he's right. He knows who she left for. She doesn't know how much he knows or how much he knows she knows, but at minimum he knows she left with the intention of finding the criminals.

"I was wrong. They weren't where I thought they were." She's been wandering about so it should be believable.

"You're a terrible liar."

What gives her away? Is she really that obvious? Or is it what Bakugou want to believe. "I'm not lying."

Bakugou grinds his teeth and pulls the collar of her shirt. "Chicken out if you want, but do it after you tell me where!" He was interrupted before. He won't be stopped again.

"You're going to stretch my shirt."

Bakugou grips tighter and pulls. Who cares about a stupid shirt? "We're heroes, so tell me where—"

"We aren't heroes." Yuko cuts him off stating the obvious.

"What was that?"

"Heroes this. Heroes that. Your dedication to that goal is admirable, but we aren't heroes. We're students."

"Same thing."

"A hero would know when they're causing more harm than good." Everything was value judgements. How much collateral is acceptable in stopping someone? When is it appropriate to bargain? What is appropriate to bargain? How much force is considered justified?

"You coward. Leave it to me then. I'm strong."

"I didn't think you were stupid." That got a reaction out of him. "It's not about being strong. I don't think you're weak. Sometimes you need to let go." Yuko is a hypocrite. She's telling him to let go when she won't let things go herself. Stubbornly holding onto things and hoping things work in her favour while trying to rationalize why she's right and the world is wrong. "You don't think I want to go over there and inflict back as much pain as they've dealt?"

"So then do it!"

What to hold onto and what to let go. Yuko is learning she still has a long way to go, but she can start here. "It's illogical to do it with you here when you were one of their goals, but even if you weren't here I wouldn't." It still nags at her. She wants answers. She wants them stopped.

"You're the one who— What?!"

Kyosuke receives an unexpected surprise.

He went out for a breather to put space between him and the others, but even the furthest depths of his imagination couldn't prepare him for this. The hideout isn't even in the same prefecture as U.A's camp. He had found the tracker so he expected some for of attempt at confrontation, but he expected a squad of heroes outside the building, not Kotogara and the boy Shigaraki wanted half way across the district.

The smart thing to do would be to leave. There's no reason to draw attention to himself. Two-on-one puts him at a disadvantage and their quirk matchups are atrocious.

Even so, he finds himself moving forward to intervene anyhow. Maybe from nostalgia. Perhaps from anger. Or possibly just to pass the time. He would have to look deeper in himself, more than he was comfortable with, to determine the answer and so he ignored the reasoning behind it. He reaches into his coat for his Greek-style drama mask and wears it over his face before using his quirk.

"You're the one who— What?!"

Kyosuke quickly controls Bakugou so that his palms are facing forward and his arms are downward to minimize the actions he could take stagnant even while Kyosuke controlled him while recognizing it won't matter in the long run as Kotogara has a perfect counter with the space to safely utilize various options. He does make her look downward. The less she can scope the situation the more time he can buy.

"Look at this." He approaches so he doesn't have to speak as loud. "Has strait-laced Kotogara become a rule breaker?" His voice is mirthful.

Bakugou tries to resist the constraints. When he can't his palms heat up as expected, but he can't direct his attack in a way that will free him. Kyosuke expected shouts but he's quiet as he continues to struggle.

"You can't have Bakugou."

"I don't need saving."

"This isn't about needing to be saved. It's about them not achieving their goal."

"I won't let them!"

Kyosuke muffled a small chuckle. "You should think about yourself some more." He finds amusement as both U.A. students take his words to mean about themselves. He never clarifies. "If it makes you feel better, I have no interest in him. He was only meant to be Shiragaki's pet for a side project."

"I'm not anyone's pawn."

"Everyone is a pawn." Kyosuke speaks confidently. "It's only whether you recognize it and whether you've decided who or what you're a pawn for."

"Are you really Yanagita Kyosuke?"

"You know him?"

"Aw, you remember me." Kyosuke tilts his head even thought they can't see him. "Though I have to wonder. What is it that you remember?" She had always seemed content doing her own thing. He continues to wonder whether she was ignorant of everything going on around them or if she had the fortitude to brush it aside for her own pursuits. "Our school days? The games we played? Or is it blasting me through a wall that you remember so clearly?"

Speechless. She doesn't say a word. Too bad. He really is curious.

"Why? You never wanted this, yet now you're doing this?"

"Why?" Kyosuke keeps his tone light. It helps to keep him detach from the emotions that swelled within him. "Things don't always turn out how we want them to. Unfortunately, there's only so much I can do alone."

Kotogara grit her teeth. "I'm sorry about back then but—"

"Don't be." His words quickly quiet her. "I think you misunderstand something. I was happy you stopped me back then. Even now, I'm not mad at the results of our most recent confrontation." Silence. "Confused? Can I not want you to succeed while also believing you'll fail? I can't – no, I don't want to wait around for a someday. I want that day to exist while I'm alive, not some possible day that may never come to be. Improvement? How many decades, how many centuries, will that take? I wouldn't make a good harbinger but I can support those who have the potential to be. I may not benefit from it, but if others like me can profit from it then that's what matters. My life is already a forfeit."

It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.

Change doesn't come easy. People would rather adapt that confront. He blends in better than most and he's still suffered. But it's not just him. He's met so many more who have faced worse. People he's come to care for.

Even now, he's more likely to be imprisoned than force change. However, even if there's a small percent it will work, he'll take it. He's desperately clinging to anything.

People don't listen, and those who do haven't taken enough steps to enforce change.

And if even those with well thought out arguments and plans can't garner attention then what is there for him to do. He's not as smart, inspirational, charismatic, and he has no power. His family has no influence. No power. If better people can't do it then he certainly cannot.

Kyosuke just wants some control over his life.

It doesn't matter what form it takes.

"You still there Bakugou?" Kotogara doesn't say a word to his speech and speaks to her classmate instead.

"Of course, I am!"

Kotogara breaks his thread with slicing gale. Using their previous position as a frame of reference while using his voice as confirmation as to not accidentally cut him. She releases herself and immediately runs towards Kyosuke.

"Even so, I can't let you continue." Kotogara understands, she has to, and yet still attacks. He wouldn't have it any other way. He can't just be prey though.

"You should have done that sooner!" Bakugou regains movement who is also quick to turn to him for retribution.

A rumble shaking everything stopped all three of them momentarily. An earthquake? Japan isn't shy to those but most were miniscule that were typically easy to ignore.

Sirens blare. Even from their position in the ally they can hear the collective buzzing and ringing of phone alerts happening simultaneously.

Kayama and Yamada reach Kamino and struggle to find parking before they start their search. They are in touch with local authorities to be on the lookout for Kotogara and Bakugou, but they can't sit around waiting. They have someone stationed watching the villain's perimeters too in preparation if needed.

A few people stop them on occasion wanting to talk to them, but they keep it brief to keep on track.

"I should just shout at them so they'll come to us." Yamada groans. It's peak humidity season and his clothes aren't meant to ventilate sweat.

"As if. If they ran away before, your quirk will only alert them to stay far away from you. Not to mention how much attention it will draw to everyone else." Kayama is beginning to get annoyed. It was exasperating at first but she got a thrill out of it at first. Now she wants to heard the brats and get it over with. If Aizawa doesn't punish them, she'll do it herself. School hierarchy be damned.

Yamada phone rings and he quickly reaches it to answer. "Updates?"

"Confirmation they're in Kamino. Footage of arrival at 15:10. Currently trying to trace their exact tracks, but they were heading south."

Meaning they can't be that far away. Still, it's a densely populated city, and while it isn't rush hours, it is summer break and peak tourist season.

Kayama grabs his phone out of his hands.

"Hey!"

"What about their phones?"

"Kotogara's was briefly turned on at 15::17 at 57-12 but was turned off at 15:19. We are still—"

Kayama and Yamada can't hear the next few words as sirens start blaring. Yamada is fine where Kayama covers her ears briefly as she adjusts to the noise.

"That's not an Earthquake Early Warning." Kayama winces as she removes her hands from her ears.

"It's not a tsunami warning either!" Yamada hates natural disasters almost as much as he hates the bush and countryside.

Alerts pop-up on their phone in addition to the blaring noise. Shortly after they feel a deep rumble.

Emergency Alert. Citywide Emergency Alert. The alert listed isolated areas where people should stay inside or take cover while mentioning to evacuate if possible. Reason: simultaneous large scale villain attacks – coordination suspected.

The two look to each other. Even with villain attacks, state of emergencies aren't common.

Yamada's stomach drops. Either this is a high magnitude coincidence that will need all hands-on deck, them included, or this very much have to do with the villains hiding out nearby.

Kayama's heart pulled in every direction. There luck has been running thin for a while, so she can only hope this isn't the final straw that will break the camels back. Either way they need updates to navigate this.