Chapter 1. The Beginning
It has been almost a year and Tadashi can't get used to the silence in their home. His home. He throws his backpack in a corner and sighs deeply. His gaze focus on a specific section of the floor and his heart aches again. Instinctively, he imagines the familiar hair mop coming out of the hole with wide scare eyes.
He hates the council, he hates the chancellor for made stupid rules. But mostly, he hates himself.
He prepares himself a cup of tea and takes out one of his medical books. He tries to concentrate in the words but his mind seems to like to torture him with undesired thoughts. The ones that haunt him every night and makes him want to scream until his voice becomes hoarse.
Tadashi decides to work on his new project sketch instead. He stares at the blank paper waiting for the inspiration to arrive. If he comes with a brilliant idea, if he gets it to work, it would help a lot of people in many different ways and…maybe they could free his baby brother from the juvenile lockup.
He tries to draw something. Doodles, whatever. But nothing comes to his mind. And he's so frustrated.
Tadashi stands up with a growl. He grabs the cup to throw it at the wall and with a smack, it falls to the floor in little pieces, next to a black bot with a yellow weird face. Forgetting about the pottery fragments, he holds the last invention of his brother—Megabot, he recalls— close to his chest like a stuffed bear.
The tightness in his heart doesn't cease. He starts wondering if it would never cease.
There's a knock on the door but the person at the other side doesn't wait to an answer. His mother's best friend appears with concern written all over her face. Tadashi has always called her Aunt Cass and she was the only member of the council that he doesn't resent. After all, she warned them when an inspection was coming.
He leaves the bot in the table and rubs his eyes just in case they were watery.
"Tadashi," she hurries to say. "Tadashi we need to talk. I'm going to help you but there's not much time"
"W-What's wrong?"
"It's about your brother."
It was the first time Tadashi Hamada had seen his mother crying and he didn't know what to do. She was being held by his father while the last one whispered comforting words, but both of them were shaking slightly with fear.
The six year old kid walked timidly towards them.
"Dad, is mom okay?" he decided to finally ask.
During that time neither of the both parents had noticed their child's presence so they didn't know how much he had heard. Still, they tried to hide their sadness with a smile but failed miserably when it faltered.
With a long sigh, Mr. Hamada patted the bed with the hand that wasn't around the woman's shoulder.
Tadashi did as his father told him and instantly he was part of a big embrace. Mrs. Hamada hugged him tightly as she sobbed softer.
"Sweetheart…" Mrs. Hamada tried to say. "You…you're going to have a...sibling."
Tadashi tilted his head in confusion. He had barely heard about having a younger sister or brother, none of his friends had one.
"And why are you sad?"
"Oh honey...it's complicated."
But they knew Tadashi was a smart kid, it wouldn't be fair if they hide something from him. Besides, it was better if he knew the risks and would be easier to convince him to keep his mouth shut. So his father told him the horrible truth. A family can't have more than one child. The Ark couldn't support more people. If anyone break that law, they would be floated.
When he finished talking, Tadashi was angry. He didn't want another baby. A baby that would probably be the reason of his parents' death. Everything was fine with just the three of them, why couldn't they give the baby back?
"I thought the radiation wouldn't dissipate until about a hundred years" he says as Aunt Cass hands him a guard's uniform and goes outside to keep watch.
Tadashi changes his clothes rapidly trying not to focus on his displeasure. A long time ago, his dad wanted him to be part of the Guard, but he refused immediately. He didn't wanted be part of the Ark that gets people imprisoned or killed, even if it's not their entire fault.
"Well, yeah...they still not sure if it's survivable. That's why they're sending them and not more capable people" Aunt Cass says when he gets out and they start to walk in a fast pace through the station.
Of course they'll do something like that. Risk other people's lives who are not valuable enough for their use.
Tadashi's heart beats way faster than usual and he feels like is going to go out of his chest if he doesn't calm down.
"What I'm supposed to do now?"
"You go and enter to that ship. If you get caught by someone before you can, tell them you're making sure no one is trying to run away." Her eyes are sternly and he doesn't remember seeing her that way before. Not even when his parents got floated. "Don't let anyone see your face, not until you land. Don't look for Hiro until the doors are sealed. Got it?"
Tadashi nods. He'd be lying if he didn't say he's excited and scared at the same time.
"But wait…what about you? If they find out–?"
If she dies too, he wouldn't be able to bear with the guilt. He already carries the blame of his parents' death. Another one would be too much.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." she caresses his cheek and gives him a quick tight hug. "Oh sweetie, I bet your parents are so proud of what you've become."
I'm not so sure about that, he wants to say. But instead he tells her: "Thanks Aunt Cass. For everything."
She manages to smile a little. He really wants to believe that this is not going be the last time they will see each other.
"Go, it's time. Save that brother of yours and tell him to stop getting in trouble." She bits her lip, and Tadashi knows she's not done yet. "You know I never really get why they kept repeating that phrase in the Unity Day ceremony, but...maybe I do now...may we meet again."
Tadashi never understood it either. For him it was always like saying trust in destiny and put your life in the hands of fate. Now thinks he actually he sees the truth too. Yeah, in some ways is about fate but it is also a quote of hope and reassurance.
"May we meet again."
He starts to turn around, closing his eyes, preparing his mind for what's coming.
"Wait a second" she says. "Last hug."
Aunt Cass's arms wraps around him once more.
The Hamada baby was destined to be unpredictable. Only eight months had passed when Mrs. Hamada went into labor with the only company of her firstborn son.
It had been really difficult to keep it secret without anyone noticing that something was off, especially when the woman's belly started to grow up and she had to hide from the council, the neighbors and the entire Ark's population.
Now, Mrs. Hamada was desperately trying not to scream so she wouldn't alert some cadet.
She was scared. Scared because she didn't know why the baby was coming earlier; she didn't know if she or he was healthy; she couldn't get the help of a doctor if something went wrong; she didn't want to know what would happen if someone came through that door and saw her like this.
The labor lasted way more than the one with Tadashi. Mr. Hamada was still in work and there was no way he would arrive home earlier.
When she finally felt the baby coming out, she ordered Tadashi to bring her a blanket, who was watching the whole scene feeling a little perturbed. His mother looked sweaty and tired. What if she passed out?
Mrs. Hamada was biting a towel to muffle her screams. She heard a loud cry and panicked raised in her heart, she wrapped the newborn with the soft little blanket rocking him back and forth until quickly it faded into soft noises.
Tadashi climbed the bed to have a better look of the baby.
"Well, you're going to have a little brother now" whispered Mrs. Hamada exhausted with weary eyes. "Say hi to Hiro."
Carefully and full of curiosity, Tadashi poked the baby's cheek.
"He's really...small."
Even in her state Mrs. Hamada managed to smile.
"That's how babies are supposed to be."
"He's chubby too."
Mrs. Hamada laughed, but suddenly her gaze turned serious.
"Can you promise me something Tadashi?"
Tadashi nodded.
"We're going to need your help...to keep your brother safe yes? It's going to be really hard since now but...we'll do everything to protect him okay?"
Tadashi stared at his brother for a while. Hiro had been quiet the whole time, but he kept his big eyes open. He looked so innocent, without any knowledge of what the future hold, but he was so tiny that it made him look mostly frail.
"I promise."
The floor is cold and hard. Hiro wishes they had at least give him something to entertain himself. Materials so he could build something. He wouldn't try to make an awesome device to escape, of course not. It wouldn't matter, there's no place to hide. Not anymore.
He closes his eyes and imagines how it's the world outside of these four walls. He had only see it once and he fears it would've been his last time.
He remembers it all too well. The way the light of the sun reflected the moon side by side the blue planet that their ancestors had once called it home. It was all too good to be true. A picture taken from a history book.
But in four years there will be an opportunity of gain his freedom. He finally will be able to let go all his fears. He could actually make his blueprints and ideas become real. Hang out with Tadashi and just live.
The chances of getting executed were less than fifty percent. It's not like he'd killed someone. His only crime is that he exists (okay yeah, maybe he did try to take apart that machine with his brother's tools but it was one time, and they never find out).
Seriously it's not his fault he was born. It's not his fault Hiro's parents were careless enough to have another baby.
Tadashi would have probably slapped him if he'd heard him saying those things.
He doesn't care.
He doesn't care because even though his big brother has always been there, he doesn't know how it feels. Not being wanted. Being a mistake.
His thoughts are interrupted when the doors open with a crack and Hiro can't help but jumps startled. Three guards enters. One with a box and a shave head, the other one with beefy arms stays in the door and the last one walks towards him.
"C'mon kid, it's time for you to go." says the third one with a raspy voice.
Wait? What?
"N-No...I'm not even fifteen yet." Hiro stammers walking far away from the man as possible.
"Hey, it's okay."
No, no, no. He is supposed to get review at eighteen. He...
He doesn't want to die.
He goes cornered between the intersection of two walls. The raspy voice man tries to grab him by his wrist but Hiro kicks him in the lower parts as hard as his scrawny legs allow him to. He hears him curse at the same time Hiro runs to the exit. The beefy man covers the entrance like a big dark barrier. Hiro tries to punch him but fails when beefy man grabs his fist in a firm grip.
Hiro is trembling like a frightened kitten. Panic rises from his stomach to settle down on his mind and he cannot longer breathe properly.
"Let me go." Oh, he sounds so pathetic. "Please, I didn't...I just…"
Shave head man puts him a metal wristband, apparently made of steel.
"W-What…?"
"You should be grateful kid." says the man he kicked after he caught his breath. "You're going to Earth."
A/N: This chapter has been in my files for like a month and I thought that it was time to publish it. Honestly I do have several ideas for this AU, but tell me how was this and if you would like me to continue.