AN: Kudos to RGZ Archer for his amazing insight in describing the design for GoGo's maglev bicycle and super suit designs! (in addition to the real life examples that currently exist on the internet)

Chapter 4

Without self-control, a martial arts student is just like any fighter in the street. Loss of self-control is disastrous both in sparring and personal affairs. "Stronger is the person who wins over oneself rather than someone else", Lao Tzu.

Hiro followed his aunt downstairs to the kitchen. She was quite serious about the big breakfast part. He imagined it was also going to take a little time for her to get used to cooking for the two of them.

"You didn't have to, Aunt Cass," Hiro commented, looking at the dishes with Chinese vegetable egg pancakes, sausage links, and cinnamon rolls. A bowl of citrus fruit salad sat at the end of the red counter. It wasn't that Hiro didn't enjoy eating. He just found the task to be such a bother to schedule into his busy brainstorming and building sessions.

"Please," she handed him a plate. "I want to! Sundays have been our one day together, and nothing's going to change that."

Hiro just nodded but without wanting to dwell too much on that thought. He stabbed a cinnamon roll with his fork and got a spoonful of the fruit before turning to go upstairs.

"Hey, hold up," Aunt Cass caught the teen by the hood of his sweatshirt.

That, has got to stop. Hiro mentally groaned while pulling his hoodie jacket back into place. "Please, Aunt Cass? It's just that I have a lot of stuff to go through."

"No, Hiro," Aunt Cass wasn't going to let him coerce her this time. "You got the whole day, what's the hurry?"

He sat down heavily at the small table in the kitchen instead. "It's a lot of stuff," he grumbled.

His aunt just clucked her tongue once, feigning her sympathy. She sat down across from him with her plate. "Well, it won't be long before you'll be graduating, getting a job, and moving out with a girlfriend - preferably in that order - and so we need to be thankful for this day, right now."

Girlfriend...? Really? Hiro nonchalantly chewed on a strawberry. Hopefully she wasn't going to get anymore awkward than that.

Aunt Cass moved some sausage link and an egg pancake to his plate. "But honestly," she paused to look eye to eye with her nephew, "I just want to be able to talk with you."

"Yeah," Hiro shifted his eyes off from her gaze to look at his food.

"I also want to apologize if I seemed to come off as overbearing about a lot of your choices lately." Her tone was softer this time. "I will not lie though, when I say that our life was anything but a typical storybook tale. It's been a real challenge to try to stay one step ahead of everything!"

Hiro just nodded, eating slowly.

"Hiro, I just want to promise you... If there is anything you need to tell me, you should tell me or ask me, it's okay. I will do my best to try to understand you. After all, you are getting older and with that, more mature and responsible," She did to her best to explain most sincerely.

"Okay..." Hiro looked at his aunt again. He knew what she was saying, but yet a part of him wasn't sure how long she was going to keep her word. There are just some things he will never ever want to tell her about, just because.

"So... You still have not told me what the detective asked you about yesterday," Aunt Cass said after finishing a swallow of coffee. "After the conversations last night, I need to know the rest of the story!"

"Well, um, it was just about the microbots, really," he shrugged

"Such as... how Callaghan got them?" Aunt Cass pressed.

"Yeah, that.. and if my bot fighting history had anything to do with it. But it didn't," Hiro stabbed at another strawberry.

9/23/2023 - Thesis Idea / Rough draft for the report

I have been considering this project for some time. I want to do this in honor and memory of my parents, for what they dedicated their lives to doing. My father was a doctor from Japan, who specialized in treating patients in third world countries with live saving drugs. Japan also had developed medicines that could help cure some if these infectious diseases many years ago. He had spent much of his time helping to control high occurrences of infectious diseases, like ebola. Dr. Hamada also worked closely with other organizations like Doctors Without Borders. That was also how he met his wife, Abigail. She was an American nurse assisting though DWB. The work these people do is tremendous!

Even though I hadn't chosen the same medical career as my parents, I chose to instead support the healthcare industry through the application of technology and robotics.

It was hard to believe that just 25 years ago, the idea of using advanced technology in hospitals and doctor's offices was greatly frowned upon. There is still a lot of resistance about many ideas, but as long as the required security measures are in place, the technology is gradually becoming accepted.

Unfortunately, my parents are no longer alive. They would have been a tremendous support and great resource. However, my family did have connections with other colleagues and family that could also provide assistance.

For my thesis project, I want to design and build a robot, a nurse bot, that would care for patients. The robot would be portable, so the doctor could travel with it easily. The robot would also be friendly, non-threatening, and knowledgeable to help all kinds of people.

What I also understand that biggest resistance about tech in the clinical setting was the fear it would distance the patient from the doctor and nurse. Or worse, more mistakes would occur because the doctors and nurses rely and trust more on the tech's data, but not their own instincts. This is something I also like to improve upon.

Of course, the first beta I plan to build will be for our local hospitals and ER medbays. Perhaps if I contact children's hospitals as well, that will be the true test to prove that robots can provide care as well as a person.

- 6/8/2024 - Challenge -

My Dad often worked abroad, so we hardly got to see him in person very much. For the times he did have with us as a family, he made the best of it.

I remember he was most concerned about our wellbeing. That we would always have good manners, integrity, and responsibility towards everyone. He made sure we ate well too, with lots of vegetables and rice, and not so much candy.

It was even important to him that we also knew WHO we were. Even though our mom was American, he took great care that my brother and I also understood our Japanese ancestry. This was one reason why he wanted us to have Japanese first names. We have American ones too, as our middle names, but unlike many other biracial families, our parents chose to name us that way.

In addition, he wanted me to know how to eat with chopsticks as soon as I was able to. I think I was 5 when he threw away my kiddy chopsticks.

Dad strongly believed that the hand-eye coordination and dexterity improved with increased use. He also said it would help me eat slower too, because he said I was eating way too fast. I would be so hungry, I would finish my dinner before my mom was halfway through hers.

So he created this chopstick challenge. He would put a handful of hard uncooked short grain rice on a small plate. There would be another empty plate about a foot apart. He first asked me to pick up 10 grains, then 20 and 25, and transfer them to the other plate. Rice that I dropped on the table, or had bounced off the plate did not count. I also had to eat with nothing but chopsticks. No spoon or fork at all, just to slow me down when I ate.

It was really challenging learning how to use chopsticks that well! After I had managed to pick up the rice, he would time me, or race against me to see how fast I could do it.

I really appreciate everything he did teach me about how to be a better person. It was not just about knowing who we were, but how to also respect others so they would like us more. To try my best in everything I do, and to not give up. Because there may come a time that we will be fathers of our own families, and he hoped we would raise our children the same way.

I also thank him, as fate had it, as I ended up being the one to teach my little brother how to eat with chopsticks in the same way. I don't think I was as effective as Dad was, but I wasn't going to stop trying.

- 6/10/2024 - Keys -

My brother's curiosity about technology when he was a toddler was increasingly insatiable. One of the first incidents that I could remember was what Hiro did to our Aunt's laptop.

I think this was when he was almost 4. I was 8, so I was in school at the time. Aunt Cass was baby-sitting Hiro that day. She said the phone had rang, so she went to another room to talk because he started to sing loudly while he was playing.

She didn't talk that long on the phone, but when she came back she saw that not only did Hiro find her laptop, he had removed all the keys from the keyboard. She was speechless. The little black keys were sitting everywhere on the coffee table in the living room.

Aunt Cass was about to reprimand him for doing that, when she noticed that he actually was trying to put some back on the naked keyboard. He was trying to tell her "A B C" since he was singing the Alphabet song earlier. She told me that the three on the keyboard were A, B, C, D… in that order. Apparently, it must have bugged Hiro that the keys were not in alphabetical order.

Aunt Cass asked me if I could help her put the keys back on when I got home from school. Surprisingly, I was able to fix it and the keys still worked - except for the right shift key. It also took us some time to convince Hiro afterwards that it was okay they were not in order, because he tried to do it again!

We had to keep the laptop out of his reach for sometime after that. Until he started taking apart other things, like the remote control car, the DVD player, and then my Nintendo 3DS! This could be one reason I had also started to like robotics and technology so much. I had to put everything back together that my brother took apart!

- 6/16/2024 - Sweet -

This is the first time I ever felt like this about anyone before. I just keep thinking about her so much now. Her soft, blonde hair, her sweet, shiny lips, the way she smells so beautiful. My girl really is as sweet as honey when I taste her ki-

No. Just, no! Hiro quickly swiped the page. He had guessed there was something going between Honey Lemon and Tadashi, but that was way too much information. He tossed the tablet aside, rubbing his face.

The drive over to the Technology building normally doesn't take long, but a bottleneck from an accident at one of the intersections changed that. "Good thing we decided to make this one trip," Aunt Cass sighed.

Likewise, Hiro had taken advantage of the dull situation by looking through the tablet. While he still hadn't found clear answers to his questions, the written and video journal entries did help in understanding the background that prompted Tadashi to create Baymax. Many of the entries directly related to Baymax were video journals. Ironically, they were also the ones that Baymax played for him yesterday. He couldn't watch them again, just because it reminded him of too much.

The plethora of other journal entries apparently was the result of a creative writing class his brother had taken over the summer. Hiro figured out that Tadashi had been writing to one word prompts. As the expression goes, curiosity killed the cat, and he could not stop reading them, especially the ones about him...

- 7/14/2024 - Option -

College is not an option, ever. This is what dad told me hundreds of times. I was only in second grade, and I doubt I even had a clear understanding about what that was then. I just know I was getting tired of all the homework I had to do, when I rather just play video games. I finally got it though.

It's not just a school for more learning about, well, learning. College is the place where you actually get to apply what you have learned. It helps you learn how to set goals, and in short, help you prepare for a good career that will support you (and your family) for the rest of your life. Otherwise, life will not be easy.

Being that dad was a doctor, he didn't expect anything less for our future. While he was okay with the idea that we may not want to follow in his shoes, he at least wanted me to know we had to get higher education.

That being said, I still fail to understand how Hiro got it into his big head that swapping out college for bot-fighting was okay! Sure, it pays well right now, but that money comes with a price. Bot fighting is very risky, and it's practically rigged by gang leaders.

I'm glad now Hiro doesn't cover his tracks very well - he always leaves the bot-fight website up on his monitor. I saw where the active fight was, and got there just before he was going to get his lights knocked out. Worse yet, the cops caught us with that gang and threw us in the slammer. But what does Hiro do after all that? Look for another bot-fight to go to! I mean, the cops already took all the money he had, how was he gonna pull that off? I really have no better way to explain what I was thinking then without getting graphic.

Fortunately, this idea came to me after I remembered Dad's motto about college. I had to act like I was taking his side though, especially after he pulled that guilt card on me. It bothers him whenever I talk about our parents, like he's getting tired of me always being their messenger. Pictures and stories just aren't the same as the conscious memories of mom's touch, her hugs and words of encouragement. He never knew what it was like either to be scolded by Dad for what felt like an hour, after enduring the pain of punishment.

I'm worried about my brother now more than ever. It's easy being a big brother for him, but it's obvious he needs more guidance. I get it that he wants more supplies and equipment to build with, and the best stuff costs money, but.. illegal bot fighting? Heaven help him!

My plan worked though. If making bigger, better, faster robots is what Hiro loves, then reminding him what San Fransokyo's Institute of Technology was all about had worked. It's not just a lab of nerds, really. Hiro was in love with SFIT before I even showed him my lab. Of course, it was pure luck that Dr. Robert Callaghan was in the building to meet him that night too. Meeting him reeled my brother in completely.

I never felt so relieved ever before in my life after that. College will never be a option!

- 7/16/2024 - Lost -

I don't remember all the details of my early childhood clearly, but I do know the first 5 years was spent traveling to different places. My Dad was a doctor that specialized in treating diseases for third world countries. Because of this, sometimes we would travel together as a family if the trip was a short one. My mom and I stayed in Europe for a few weeks when my dad was stationed in Africa. We also got to see the pyramids in Egypt too.

I never was afraid of flying then, especially since we traveled by airplane often. I thought this was fun and exciting at that age, seeing different worlds with my family.

I was nine when this way of life changed everything I knew, forever. Usually it was my Dad who flew abroad by himself for most trips. But sometimes my mom's services as a nurse were requested too. After my brother was born, however, Hiro and I stayed with other family members if they both had to go. Often times we stayed with my mom's sister, and other times it was with my Dad's parents near Kyoto in Japan.

We were with my Dad's parents when the bad news came. A plane had disappeared over the ocean. It was flying to Beijing, China. At the time, all that our relatives could say was that the plane crashed into the sea. My young mind couldn't understand how, or why. Planes were supposed to not do that, especially if it was carrying my parents.

My Dad's parents were old, and not able to keep my brother and I for long, so our aunt agreed to take custody. My mom's parents lived in Oregon, but Aunt Cass was planning to move to San Fransokyo to start a business there, so she could make room for us. My brother could not understand why mom did not come back, or why I was moody and upset for awhile. He was only 3, but eventually Aunt Cass turned him around. She also told me to try to stay strong for my little brother, and for us to even hug each other if we started to feel scared. It took me longer to cope, than it did for Hiro. Visiting more with our relatives and remembering Dad's wisdom also had helped me.

A couple years later I was reading about airline incidents in general, and found an article about the one my parents were part of. That flight was described as "missing". Its wreckage was never found, nor was the black box. It was reasoned that if it crashed in the ocean, the currents and the depths scattered the debris far and wide. All the reports about it were very conflicting in nature. Even stranger, a few months later another flight from that same airline was accidentally shot down for being in a militarized zone.

It took me some time to swallow that reality. My parents were never really found. No one in my family really talked about that fact either. We all just said they died in a plane crash. I didn't want to fly again for a long time after knowing that.

Hiro looked up from the tablet after that particular journal. That, coupled with what Tadashi really felt about him after that night they got arrested, it just left a heaviness from sorrow in his gut again. Sometimes, just not knowing was better. He closed the tablet, then sighed before glancing to his aunt.

"Aunt Cass..." he finally asked, "How.. How did my parents die?"

She looked at him, appearing to be a little surprised by that question. That, and perhaps because he rarely seemed to care to ask about them before.

"In a plane crash," she wasn't sure why he was asking. "I thought you knew that."

"Well, yeah, but," Hiro looked at the tablet again. A lot of those entries were kind of personal, and he debated again about making an issue about it.

She looked over to him briefly, also glancing at the tablet too. "But?"

"Nothing..."

"No, what is it?"

Hiro ran his hand through his shaggy hair, quickly thinking about something else. "Just remembered that my mom's name was also Abigail."

"Yes," Aunt Cass had further hesitation.

"Callaghan's daughter, her name is Abigail. Just... It's kind of weird when you think about it."

"Hm, yeah."

GoGo walked into her area of the open lab at SFIT and sighed in disgust. When they had joked about this place being the home away from home, it was meant to just be that. A joke. She opened a bench by the wall to lock her duffle bag containing the now secret super suit. It was going to be a long sleepless night this time. The thought of trying to pass the time here at the lab didn't help her mood any either. GoGo took a final gulp from her lukewarm energy drink before pitching in it the trash can.

That moment was when she made up her mind. She really needed to find her own place, like now. Her roommate that she shared the apartment with was driving her nuts. That girl had brought over some guy and well, they were practically making out on the floor of the living room when she walked in. The month before, she forgot to pay her half of the rent, and had been eating some of GoGo's food too. Why do these thoughtless people exist?

With nowhere else to go after that, GoGo headed over to the lab. As long as she had her ID pass, she was still able to gain access after-hours. She really did not want to explain her awkward situation to any of the others in the Nerd Lab group either. That would especially be too much after the day they had.

Even though GoGo came to San Fransokyo from LA, she couldn't really afford the dorms the school provided. So like many other students in this similar situation, she looked to room with another student to cut down on that expense. Well, two failed roommates later, and she has totally given up on this idea.

GoGo had rode her old maglev bike here, but she craved something faster to zip along the dark roads along the bayside. There also was something she wanted to check on her new bicycle, to compare it against the blade wheel design of her super suit. The cyclist pulled out a couple sticks of gum from her jacket to chew, and activated the bluetooth she built into her helmet to sync with the radio-cast set on her smartphone.

She unlatched her lightweight, yellow maglev bike from the hooks with ease. Once latching her shoes in place on the pedals, the bike propelled quickly out into the long hallway. This way got her outside faster, even though it had a way of making the other students nervous. She never hit anyone though.

This time of night was absolutely the best. Hardly anyone was out on the roads, even the cops could give a rat's rump about how fast she was going... for a bicyclist. Once she got to the outskirts of town, where the stop lights were few and the cool breeze of the ocean filled the air, she pushed herself harder. Striving to go faster, trying to feel what part about this design was preventing it from reaching maximum speed.

The answer was in her grasp. Hiro had combined her maglev design with renewable energy powerpacks to create her supersuit. Then used the electromagnetic fields to lock the disks to her ankles and wrists. Those additional power cells allowed her to magnify her own speed with each stride, and made her go faster. But how he constructed the suit to make that possible, she failed in keeping up with all of his calculations.

The question she had for herself, was how to apply this concept to her bicycle. It operated differently that a single bladed skate. Or did it? Her first maglev concept replaced all the bolts and gears that propelled a normal bicycle. All that hardware caused friction and added extra weight, so she wanted to refine previous designs to make a much faster bicycle.

Adjusting the polarity on the magnetic rings inside the brackets and wheels was the easy part. Finding a streamlined design for the electromagnetic drive train that would provide blinding speed continued to plaque her.

The news updates she heard regarding the Krei building frequently interrupted the music she played. This seemed to be the most exciting event that had happened in San Fransokyo, since... the explosion that gutted the convention center. With the link made between the two, Callaghan was now in a lot of hot water.

GoGo eventually made full circle back toward SFIT. The ache in her muscles and the gnawing fatigue tried to consume her, slow her down, but she ignored it.

The lab was quiet now, and she felt like she was the only one there that night. Usually during the week there would be many more students throughout the building at work on their projects. She wondered again if that had something to do with the Krei mess too.

After hanging up her bike, the tired cyclist found a protein bar in her locker. She went over to sit front of her laptop at a work table to look at her other schematics for the bike. The idea Hiro had for the maglev blades she wore was truly a revelation for her. He literally dissected a maglev design she was working on for over a year, and had perfected it with perfect balance, thrust, and aerodynamics, in no time at all!

That amazed her, just how quickly he processed algorithms, formulas, and physics like it was as easy as breathing. Yet, when it came to common sense knowledge, Hiro needed help. The thing about him that almost amused her was how indifferent he acted toward her, toward the others. That boy would get so focused on task, he almost forgot about who they were as people.

After witnessing Hiro's reaction to Callaghan on the island, there was clearly something more bothering him. Something else that was there long before he lost Tadashi. In the length of time GoGo and the others had gotten to know him while building the microbots, through the funeral, and the chase after yokai, Hiro had not mentioned any other friends. He was an introvert and his shy demeanor confirmed that, and as a result, he guarded himself from opening up and trusting people.

Her assumption was that something must have happened in high school to sour him. Being who he was, Hiro must have immediately felt left out, then started to hang with the wrong crowd, and was very likely tempted with all the wrong things. Even though she could not fathom what it must be like for a brainiac, she knew all to well the pressures of trying to fit into a teenage world. Except he wasn't exactly a teenager, yet. Honey Lemon naturally had to tell her about the battle bot incident that landed both Hiro and Tadashi in jail. Something that crazy just had to be shared.

With that in mind, it was easy to guess that Hiro started to use his robots to protect him, to give him power. The bot fights gave him that rush. Because if he could out-smart a power mongering gang leader, then who would dare to try bullying him?

Gogo made this connection the night they found him in the harbor with a battle-ready Baymax, and suddenly being chased by out of control microbots. She wasn't sure if the others also noticed that about him, but she strongly felt that was why Hiro lost it during their fight with Yokai.

The one other person whom Hiro had admired, had completely betrayed him. Not only was Hiro angry, he was blinded with some kind of fear. So he did the only thing that made sense to him, tell his robot to "destroy" his source of pain. GoGo did not like his loss of control, but she felt it was more important to let him know that they would always be there to help him, to guide him.

Realizing just how much she was thinking about Hiro again, she squinted her eyes in an effort to clear her thoughts. She swiped through the windows on her lap top, wondering briefly where to find affordable studio apartments, but finally pausing to read the latest update on the headlining news. There would definitely be a lot more changes and rumors rippling through the school come the following week once it gets out that Callaghan was alive.

GoGo paused, then tapped a specific article to open it. There was one particular concern her group had about him. Even though they hoped to keep this superhero gig a secret, their antagonist knew everything about them, about Baymax, and all their upgrades. Would Callaghan reveal their identities to the authoritie? From what the news had reported so far, he had said nothing about them or Hiro. That was perfectly fine by her, as she especially did not want to have anything to do with the police, anymore.

However, she did become more aware of a security guard making the rounds there. She saw him in the hallway on her way out a couple of hours ago as well. That was new.

Everything in general was catching up with her. The fatigue was building in her body and a stress headache loomed. She rested her head in her hand, tapping at the touch screen, to look at existing designs on maglev propulsion systems. The lack of sleep was getting the better of her, and GoGo had been dozing off briefly. It took her a few minutes to finally will herself to wake up enough and move over to the old armchair for a nap.

"It's on the second floor, but it's a shortcut if you go through this lab."

That voice worked like a shot of pure adrenaline to her system. GoGo yawned to shake off the fatquie, and turned around to see Hiro carrying a big box followed by Aunt Cass with a hand cart loaded with more document boxes.

"Hey," she called out to them. She was a little surprised to see Hiro here already. Wait, How did they get in?

"Hi." Hiro just kept walking, but Aunt Cass at least paused to greet her.

"You guys have a key card?" GoGo had to ask. She did know the lab Tadashi had needed one, and well, she rather save them the trip if they didn't have it.

"Yep," Hiro now stopped to rest his box on the work table. He held up his brother's key card that he had found.

"It still works?" GoGo raised and eyebrow, popping her gum.

"That surprised me too! But Hiro wanted to try it since we were here." Aunt Cass agreed. "I'm sure that will change after tomorrow."

She shook her head. More suspicions about this place formed in her mind.

They had departed, leaving her with her own thoughts again. Sleep was futile at this point. She sat back down at her laptop to bring up her maglev designs. It didn't seem that much time had passed when she became acutely aware of someone looking over her shoulder.

"I told you, it needs more thrust," Hiro pointed at the pedal area on the bicycle schematics. "The wheels are as good as they're gonna get."

"Yes," GoGo turned to glare at him as she popped a bubble. "Now.. get lost."

"Thought about using something like a flywheel?" the boy genius did not let her attitude phase him as he continued toward the door.

It wasn't that she didn't like his help, she just wished she thought of these things first. A flywheel... Kinetic energy build-up, of course. Damn him.

A few more minutes passed before the two of them appeared again with more boxes. She was more ready for any further interactions, but none were made that time.

The minutes that passed this time was longer before she heard someone walking through the lab. It was just Aunt Cass by herself, pushing the hand cart. "Hey, I'll be heading out then. See you tomorrow!"

GoGo just waved. She noticed she wasn't followed by another this time.

Apparently Hiro decided to stay behind. That would have been okay if he was cleared to be there. But knowing that he got in with a key card of someone who was, well, no longer a student due to unlikely circumstance, that may be a problem.

GoGo popped her gum. Someone had to warn him about the security guard.

The door to the lab was open, and she slid through it quietly to see Hiro at the desk to the left. He was standing in front of the big holographic monitor, apparently trying to get past the log-in screen on the computer.

GoGo crossed her arms and popped a bubble very loudly.

Hiro visibly jumped, complete with an expletive statement.

"You'll have to be registered first to get access on the network," she told him rather matter of factly.

"Yeah, it's -" he turned to face her, the shock still evident on his face.

"I wouldn't recommend trying to hack into it, if that's what you were doing." She stepped closer, her hard gaze still on him.

"No! No, I'm not trying to..." He laughed nervously, stepping back against the desk. "When do the offices open?"

"Tomorrow morning at 9." GoGo popped her gum. "But if you're looking for Tadashi's files, you're not going to find them there, or on the servers."

Hiro's brow furrowed. "Then, where are they?"

"They probably became property of SFIT."

Just as soon as those words left her mouth, Hiro's eyes narrowed in anger. "They.. What? Why would they do that?!" He all but shouted, before turning away from her to walk aimlessly toward the round window in disgust.

"Hiro," GoGo sighed, not exactly expecting that reaction from him. So much for telling him about the guard. "Hey, look, it's okay. Ask about it tomorrow. Maybe with Aunt Cass's permission, you can get them back."

Hiro stopped and looked at her for a moment before turning away to look at nothing in particular. He appeared to be calming down, at least.

"Not having any luck, I take it," she stepped forward, softening her tone.

"Not really," he leaned on the edge of one of the small cabinets and crossed his arms.

GoGo nodded, not saying anything. She looked at the assortment of boxes to her right before walking closer to Hiro. Change of topic might help. "Did you see the news this morning?"

"Uhm, no."

"Callaghan's keeping his lips sealed about us. He's keeping our involvement secret now."

"Yeah. It was really between him and Krei all along."

"But don't you get it? It was because we, you, saved his daughter," she pointed to him, emphasizing his act of goodwill.

"His way of saying 'thank you'..?" Hiro asked, raising his eyebrow. "Even after he was trying to kill us before?"

GoGo nodded, crossing her arms. "The discovery that Abigail was still alive changed everything."

He was silent again, before asking a different question. "What about the explosion at the Expo, are they reopening the investigation on that too?"

"It's being reviewed as a felony, for obvious reasons."

Hiro just rubbed his face, then shook his head. "So he hoped scaring the crap out of us would make us leave him alone? What if ... What if I did not find out what he was doing with the other microbots?"

She let him talk, and watched him pace.

"If Callaghan succeeded at killing Krei, how would've that played out? Callaghan faked his death to become Yokai, and stole my microbots! Not to mention my brother dying for nothing-"

"You think he was planning to frame... you?" GoGo suddenly felt blindsided by that revelation. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"It's not exactly like that, just..." Hiro looked at her, making eye contact. "Why else were the cops were questioning me yesterday."

"Look," she gripped his shoulder, "Fortunately, you were on top of it, and we stopped him before he could, okay?"

He just nodded, swallowing.

A knock was heard on the open door, immediately grabbing their attention. "Excuse me, sir, ma'am. I need to ask you to step outside of this lab." He walked to the two of them with the intent to usher them out.

"I'm sorry, he's with me," GoGo showed the guard her badge.

"This lab is off limits to all students. How did you gain access?" He all but pushed them out of the door. Hiro was quick to grab some of his things as they were led out.

"He had his brother's badge," GoGo continued, since Hiro hadn't made an effort to explain himself.

With that, he had no choice. "I'm Hiro Hamada. Tadashi's brother." He held up his badge. Too bad they didn't really look alike.

The security guard took the badge, looking at it once more before pocketing it.

"Where is your ID card?"

"I... don't have one. Yet." He was looking nervous again.

"Look, sir, Hiro's starting tomorrow, so he was just getting set up. Okay?" GoGo stepped up to the officer.

"He looks awful young to be a college kid," the guard frowned.

"Show him your state ID," GoGo growled to Hiro, hoping at least it would prove he wasn't some punk kid off the streets.

He did so, quickly, giving it to the guard.

"He's still really young."

It took everything she had to keep from face-palming her forehead, and/or knocking some sense into this rent-a-cop.

"If I may take the time to educate you... Hiro is Tadashi's little brother, a kid genius, and had won a full scholarship last July to attend here. When you go back to check your records, the facts will all be there."

The guard just blinked, and was otherwise rendered speechless by her little outburst. As long as they were not in places they were not supposed to be, his job was done. "Well, okay then. So be it."

Gogo just nodded.

"Make sure to get your own badge tomorrow." He added, trying to regain some of his dignity back.

"Yes, sir," Hiro responded.

The guard followed them as they went to the elevator, then continued down a different hall.

"You seriously need to work on your ninja skills," GoGo told him, once they were inside the elevator.

"Thanks, anyway."

"Yeah. Whatevers." She said, her eyes on the doors. But with her peripheral vision, she noticed his gaze going down to her backside. GoGo was accustomed to his from other guys on campus, and after one of her looks, they also knew not to mess with her. But this, this was a surprise.

She popped her gum, facing him. "Did you just check me out?"

"Wha- no! I- I was noticing that you had the same clothes on from yesterday! Really!" He nervously explained, waving his hands in the air. The boy appeared as if he was going to melt from embarrassment right in front of her.

Gogo held his shaky gaze for a second longer. The elevator stopped and the doors opened.

"Right," She popped her gum, stepping out first. "Just haven't had time to do laundry, after all that Yokai bull crap."

"Sorry," he tried to apologize, on both accounts.

"Don't do it again." GoGo told him firmly, but she kept her eyes forward down the hall. Since when did he start caring about what she wore? He practically wore the same hoodie jacket and cargos everyday. She was just not ready to imagine that Hiro had started crushing on her. All she intended to do for him was to offer guidance.

When they reached her lab, she glanced over her shoulder. "Taking the bus home?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, bye," she walked into her lab area, leaving him out in the hallway.

AN, part 2: Yes, this chapter was a lot of fun to piece together, for obvious reasons!

Some details from the journals are things inspired from what my Korean husband has said to my kids (the only difference is that he is still alive, but is not a doctor). My son actually DID take all the keys off his dad's laptop, but I added the 'Hiro touch' for this fic. *snrk*

The plane crash... yes, I also was inspired by the Malaysia flights. I do offer my most sincere condolences to anyone who had been affected, however. I had thought that was so tragic and strange how that one just vanished. Anything that mysterious has to become fiction! Although in this fic, it's not the actual Malaysian flight.