Group Warning

"And that's all we have about the fight that happened the other day."

I spot mom watching TV after entering the living room.
"What are you watching?"
"The news, an update about the fight that happened two days ago, she was quite-"
"Actually I'm heading to school right now, so I don't have much time, sorry! Bye mom."
"Oh, no worries! Have a good one!"

I leave the house, heading to school, taking the opportunity to think about the recent events.
'Nothing happened yesterday, I wonder when the next fight will happen...
Gaia... I haven't seen her before, I wonder where she came from...
Maybe from a neighbouring region? If so, I wonder if the group knows about her? I'll have to ask next time I see them.'

The day continues, fairly calm, with not much action happening.
Soon the bell rings, and the school day ends, so I head to the club room.
"Greetings Kazu!"
"Hey Tarou, how's everything around here?"
"It's good, I guess Shin had to do something else though, I don't know where he is, but Hiro is here."
"Hey."
"You just relaxing here?"
"Yep, I nominate you to go out there today."
"Oh yeah, Hiro mentioned that, so I guess it's your turn to go out there, and keep an eye out."
"Oh, yeah sure. Alright, cya then, if anything happens I'll be back."

'Well that was lucky, gotta thank the fact Hiro is lazy. I guess I'll go check out the area near those two.'

...

In the north across the river, on the other side of town, lies a rival school, that's where those two are from.
'Hm, don't see them... Am I going to need a fight to miraculously start soon or something?.'
"Watcha doin up there?"

The sudden unexpected voice scares me and nearly causes me to fall off the tree I was standing on.
"HUH, What?! Oh, it's you, geez don't scare me like that."

'That damn Ayako, always sneaking around with her invisiblity...'

"Heh, I'd also accept a hello."
"Yeah yeah, hello to you too, though if you're here, then so is he, isn't he? Come on out Tomo."
"Well damn, was hoping to scare you too. So, what are you doing around these parts? I didn't hear of any fighting for us to check out."

Ayako and Tomo from the rival school, Aya with her invisibility and Tomo with his magic to make certain people unable to perceive him. With me we form an Observer's Group. All we do is just watch any fights that happen, though I haven't seen them for these past few fights.

"You haven't been hearing of recent fights anyway. You missed two already."
"Hey, that's not fair! One ended waaay too fast, and the other, well..."
"Hm? What is it Aya?"
"Oh wow, calling her Aya now are you? Hmmm?"
"Stop teasing me. Seriously, where were you for the latest fight?"
"You don't know? Well, since Aya doesn't want to, I'll explain.
We didn't go because there's no way we'd risk it."
"Risk what?"
"Hello? Did you not see who was fighting?"
"Yeah, did she go easy on the enemy or something? Nah, she'd never do that."

'Gaia? Well I guess they do know of her then.'

"Are you talking about Gaia? I was actually here to ask about her since I haven't seen her before. But what did you mean by risking it?"
"Kazu, her senses are crazy high, I think she'd notice us fast."
"Yeah, she probably would, even if I was invisible."
"So... What DO you know about her?"
"She's super strong, very mean, and no one can hide from her. I've seen people try and fail when I went on vacation up north to Oyama, which is where she's from. She must be here to bolster this regions strength or something, which is gonna mean a lot less fights in the long term."
"How do you know all that?"
"I might be a fan... She does have quite a following."

'Of course he is...
Well this is interesting, super strong senses huh?
...Wait a minute.'

"Wait you said super strong senses? Do you think she would have noticed me?"
"You were there?! I didn't expect Kazu to be so brave..."
"Woah, that's bold."
"Well she didn't seem to notice me..."
"Well either she knew you were just a civilian, is saving you for later, or maybe you just lucked out, where were you anyway?"
"I teleported to the roof of a nearby building, taller than I usually go for, it was an apartment building, do you think that helped?"
"Maybe, she could have thought you were just a resident and automatically tuned you out, or who knows. Well, luckily it was just you!"

The moment Tomo finishes speaking, I feel a terrible pit in my stomach.
'Oh no.'

...

'Maybe I can get to them fast enough, maybe it'll be fine. She wouldn't do anything to them right? She's a hero, she wouldn't...

"You had friends with you?! And they were on the ground? Not good..."
"I think your friends are about to be in huge trouble."

Damn.'

I finally reached the school, teleporting right into the club room.
"IS EVERYONE ALRIGHT?!"
"Huh? Kazu? Did you just climb up the window?"

'Only Hiro? Where's Tarou? Am I too late?'

"Hiro, what happened to Tarou?!"
"Oh, yeah... About that... It's a mess, I think he got in trouble."
"What happened?"
"Some woman showed up, pointed at him and the principal told him to follow.
She also said that 'He was the other one', whatever that means. Do you know what's happening?"
Sigh "Uh, well, I think it's because we went to watch the fight-"
"The fight that happened the other day? Oh damn."
"Yea... I guess I'll go check on him, he should be at the principal's office, right? What about you?"
"Usually I'd already have gone home, but I don't wanna chance running into her right now, so I'll just nap here."
"Right, well off I go."

...

'The principal's office, and there's Tarou right in front. I hope he's ok...'

"Tarou? You good?"
"..."
"Tarou?"
"Oh, hi."
"Are you ok?"
"She was so scary."
"The principal?"
"No, the principal almost looked fearful of her too."
"...Gaia?"
"She caught us. Shin wasn't at club because she found him on the way to school, I think he stayed home."
"Did she hurt you or?"
"No, there was just so much yelling. I guess we didn't stay as hidden as we thought, or not as good as you, since you seem fine.
Shin was right, we shouldn't have gone to see the fight... That was irresponsible."
'He sounds so grim... I need to get his mind off of this.'
"Woah, you're not planning on shutting down the club or anything right?"
"Huh? Are you insane? I might have gotten the scare of a lifetime, but I MUST continue my duty! What made you think that?!"

'Ok, that got him looking more normal.'

"That's right, you gotta remember our duty, and if you think about it, the alternative would have been the villains potentially winning, right?"
"...Yeah, that's true."
"So don't feel too bad about it!"
"YEAH! Well, I'll certainly not be trying to get close to any more fights if I don't have to, but you're definitely right!"

He then turns to leave.
"Where are you going?"
"Home, she basically shut us down for the day, and I'm not trying to get yelled at again."
"Ok, well cya Tarou."
"Yeah, cya, but be on the lookout, you might be next, she's really scary."

'That's the first time I see Tarou look lifeless, and for that long too. She must give one hell of a level of fear to people...'
I turn around, bumping into someone leaving the office.
"Oh sorry, I wasn't loo-"

I look at her and freeze.
'It's her, I thought she had already left... Was she in the office this whole time? Did she hear anything? Was she distracted talking to the principal? Am I doomed? Oh no.'

"Are you ok? I didn't hurt you right? It's no problem at all, you don't need to worry about a thing ok?"
"Oh, uh... Yeah, and ok..."
'She said all that with such a bright smile?!'
"Just try to be more careful next time, have a lovely day now~"
'Acting cutesy?! Is this how she normally is? Or is it a front she puts around her icy self?
Am I just getting tricked so that the bite is even more vicious?'

"Yeah, y-you too-"
'Oh, she left already, maybe she really didn't notice me back then... Must have thought I was just a resident looking down... Right? Somehow I don't trust that I'm off the hook...'

...

"I'm home."
"Welcome home Kazu!"
"Hel-"
'...Huh? HUH? HUUUUHH?? She's... She's HERE?'
"Hello there little Kazu."
'...Gaia?!'