"Hiro, Tadashi was our best friend, but some friends just can't be replaced," Honey Lemon reasoned.
Replaced!
"That's it! If Tadashi can be replaced, then I'll be happy again!" I smiled, an idea already starting to form.
"Um, Hiro? Are you sure that's the best way to go about this?" Wasabi asked looking sceptical.
"I'm absolutely sure."
With a determined expression, I ignored Baymax and the team asking me what I was doing as I ran out of the Nerd Lab, checked out of the school, and sprinted to the café. The bustling streets didn't even faze me as I tore past everyone. Tears were streaming from my eyes now with every passing moment. I brushed by Aunt Cass, who was startled to see me home so early, and scared Mochi half to death as I stormed up the stairs, flopped down, and started bawling on Tadashi's old bed.
"Merowww!" He hissed at me and prowled away with a bruised ego, but seeing Mochi only brought back memories…I remembered the time I put rocket boots on him and tried them out in the middle of the night. I woke up Tadashi and he was really mad, but in the end he was there for me. He even helped me improve my design. I buried my head in the pillows. Tadashi was my biggest role model, an even bigger role model than Robert Callahan was.
Then a black cap caught my attention.
"If I'm going to do this then I have to get started now." I said to myself.
Jumping out of the bed, I grabbed Tadashi's hat and rushed down into the café. Aunt Cass opened her mouth to talk to me but I ignored her. I was too focused to do anything else. I rushed down to the organized chaos I called the garage and started typing on my computer. Gathering any information on biology, engineering, robotics, and everything to do with the human body.
As I researched deeper and deeper I slowly realized this was going to be harder than I thought. Scientists don't even know all there is to know about the human body, how in San Fransokyo am I supposed to do this now!? I had to. If I was ever going to stop those horrible nightmares and bring back my happiness I needed to.
Finally, after hours of scouring the internet for any possible info that could help me, I closed my tab and dragged my feet into the café. I glanced at Aunt Cass, it looked as if she wanted to say something to me but thought better of it. Eyes heavy with sleepiness, I climbed up stairs in crashed on Tadashi's bed. That part of the room even smelled like Tadashi, and soon I was going to have him back. I was going to build a human-like Tadashi Hamada robot, and it was going to be perfect.
With that thought in mind I drifted off to sleep. I figured that since I started my project me nightmares would go away, I was very wrong.
"Callaghan is in there, someone has to help." Tadashi told me looking me straight in the eye. He made his decision.
All I could do was watch Tadashi in horror as his hat fell off once he flew up the steps and into the flames.
That's where things changed. For so reason every time I had this horrific nightmare I didn't know Tadashi would die. This time I did, and I didn't plan on just staying there this time.
Instead of me standing there frozen in shock, I decided to run after Tadashi. The thick smoke burned my lungs as I cried out for my brother.
"TADASHI!" I yelled, my throat hurting with every breath.
Suddenly I heard pounding footsteps coming in my direction. "Hiro! Smoke rises, cold air sinks! Get your head down!" Tadashi commanded. I ducked under the layer of smoke and I instantly felt relief.
"What the heck are you doing here?" He demanded. "you know what, it doesn't matter, you need to go back."
"N-no! Tadashi, you're going to die! I can't live without you!" I pleaded with him.
"That's a risk I'll just have to take," he answered.
"No! I won't let you!" My voice quavered. I grabbed Tadashi's hand with every fiber of strength I had and twisted his wrist.
"Hiro! Wha... Hey- Ow! Hiro, stop this right now!" He struggled against my grip but I was too scared that he would die to listen to him. I dragged him towards the exit as fast as I could and Tadashi stumbled along behind me. I knew time was running out, the explosion was going to happen any second now.
Finally, after what seemed like ages, I pushed open the door leading outside and forced my brother to come with me. I knew once I let go of him that he would try to run back inside to save Callahan, so I pulled his arm behind his back and waited for the explosion to happen.
A wall of white light emitted from the school and a deafening boom shook the ground. I let go of Tadashi and stared at him, not knowing how to react. His face had a mixture of anger, shock, and disbelief, he didn't know how to react either.
"You...you just saved my life..." He stuttered.
I had no words, all I could do was stand there and grin like an idiot. I couldn't believe it. I saved Tadashi. I saved Tadashi! It felt unreal, then it hit me. It was unreal, this was only a dream. This was just a silly little dream!
My expression changed from happy beyond belief to sadness and grief. My eyes started welling up with tears. This was just a dream, and as much as I wanted to believe it wasn't, it was. I threw my arms around Tadashi as hard as I could and buried my head in his chest. I never wanted to let go of him, ever. Tadashi hugged me back and comforted me as I tried to hold back my tears.
"Hiro," he softly spoke my name, "this isn't going to work."
That small phrase caught my attention, "w-what do you mean 'this isn't going to work?'" I queried.
"The robot of me you're trying to build, its not going to work," Tadashi warned me.
"So you mean I won't be able to build it?" I asked crestfallen.
"No no, you will build it, but it will only make you grieve more."
I looked up at him with a tear stained face and realized that this was actually Tadashi. My dead brother came to me in my dream. "Tadashi..."
"Yes, Hiro. I'm here, I'll always be here," a single tear slid down his check. "I'll always be here, just...not in the way you want me to be."
"Why! Why not!" I cried. "Why can't you just stay! Tadashi, I need you! I need you back!"
"No, Hiro, you don't need me. Why can't you just except the fact that I'm-"
"NO! It's not fair, everyone keeps saying that I should move on but I can't! I...I just can't..." I choked out.
"I know it's hard, trust me I know. Don't you think it's hard on me to see you every day and not even be able to communicate with you?" Tadashi asked.
"I...I guess so. I'm so sorry but I just can't let go yet. I need to do this."
"Okay, but I'm warning you now, nothing good is going to come from this."
"Thanks," I smiled up at him.
"Oh and by the way, mom and dad said hi." He smiled. "Take care, knucklehead!"
"Good bye, Tadashi."
Then for the first time in a month, I actually didn't wake up screaming. I felt well rested and ready to start the day. Despite what Tadashi said, I was ready to start building the robot.
