"Thank you for remembering."—Book 1 of the Guardians of Childhood—Ombric
Hiro finished telling her and when he was done Sophie leaning on the wall looked at him with a look of sadness on her face. She hadn't interrupted but when he was finished she said, "I'm sorry about—"
But before she could finish Hiro raised his hand, "Please don't say it!" he sighed, "I've heard it enough from other people the last thing I need is to hear it from you. You hardly know me."
"But I have a brother." She whispered, "And I couldn't imagine losing him." She winced, "Actually I could, I guess in a way. I already have."
Hiro frowned, "I guess I understand." He said. But it still wasn't the same. An awkward silence filled the room. It was soon cut off by a beep and they both turned to see the armor was done. It was purple, and light, and surprisingly strong.
Sophie took it out a banged a knuckle on its surface. "Nice." She complimented him.
"Good." Hiro said. "I'll leave a note for my Aunt and we'll be on our way. You get on the armor while I write it."
She did as she was told. Surprisingly the armor fit perfectly, and slipped over close like her slipping into water. She button and clipped it under her arms. The clips were strong. Then she put on the helmet. The glass was crystal clear and covered her mouth and nose but she could actually breathe quite normally. Hiro came up to her. "Fit okay?" he asked.
"Yes." But his voice sounded a little muffled and it took her a moment to figure it out.
"Good." He said, "Now touch the button on your ear."
It took her a moment to translate what he said, but she finally touched the button.
"Can you hear me?"
She smiled at him, "Yah!" she said.
"I'm assuming you said yah. Judging by your smile." He smiled back, "But perhaps you should turn your mike so I can hear you."
"OH!" she said and felt for another button on her ear. She found the small button and pressed it. "How's that?" she asked.
"Perfect." Hiro said. "Okay, let double check you visual communication. Press the left of your helmet." She did and the helmet lit up with words and graphs that she couldn't begin to understand in neon yellow. It described the components of almost everything in the room. She looked around herself in aw.
"Wow." She whispered.
"This will give you maps, readings, and anything else you ask for through voice command. Simply say screen and whatever you want it to show and it will show it." Hiro said. "Test it, ask it to show me."
"Screen, show me Hiro." The screen did, it showed a close up of him in the helmet. She smiled.
"You can also tint the helmet by command so people don't see your face."
"Screen, stop showing me Hiro." The picture of Hiro left and she turned to him.
He nodded and said, "Let's go." He climbed onto Baymax moving a little bit to the right so Sophie could fit next to him. She looked around the messy room, at the bed where Baymax had taken care of her. At the screen where she had seen all his friends and finally at a photograph of him and Tadashi. Sophie looked back at him.
"Are you sure your Aunt won't mind?" She asked.
"Trust me." He said holding out his hand, "She won't even know I've left. I'm sure I'll be back by tomorrow."
Maybe. Sophie thought. But she couldn't help think that it would be a long time before either of them saw there families again. She looked up at Hiro on Baymax's back and grabbed his hand. He threw her up onto the back of Baymax. Instantly the magnets on her palms and knees stuck to Baymax's metal. An opening in the roof appeared and she looked up. Baymax knelt then jumped. She felt the heat from his back as he too took to air and they zoomed though the clouds. It was late nearly 11 and the sun was rising high in the sky.
Sophie and Jamie had both been flying with Jack. He had one time snuck them into Norths workshop to meet the Yeti. Now remembering that she laughed. North had been so angry with Jack, but was really kind to Jamie and her. "You know better then to bring kids to the workshop!" North had shouted putting his hands on his hips with a fierce sneer on his face. Then he turned to Sophie and Jamie smiling and said, "I'm sorry you have to see this, would you like some cookie while I show Jack who boss is?" Even Jack had laughed, and none of them could forget it.
So this ride was actually relatively boring. There was no laughter, or wind. No sound at all unless you count Hiro's constant orders to Baymax. She couldn't even hear the robots engines. It was a muffled mess. She saw that Hiro was busy, and very carefully released her hand from Baymax's back. Her other hands and her knees stayed clinging on. She reached for her helmet and pulled it off. The helmet sticking to the magnet on her hand.
Hiro shouted, "Hey!" but his voice was soon lost as the wind hit her face blowing her blond hair out of her eyes. She closed her eyes and drowned out the boosters and the electronics and focused only on the wind. If she focused really hard it was just like it had been when Jack took them flying to Norths Workshop.
Hiro noticed the tenses leaver her shoulder. He marveled at the ease on her face as she closed her eyes. He of course couldn't hear anything at all. But she seemed to enjoy the noise, the wind. Almost like they were old friends. Honey who was on video communication noticed the blank look he gave. "What is it Hiro?" she said, worry crossing her face.
Hiro didn't look at her just whispered, "I'll talk to you later." The video cut off and he continued to stare at Sophie. He wondered how she could enjoy this so much. Before he knew what he was doing he was reaching for his own helmet and pulling it off. It came off easily and the wind hit him like a wall pulling back his hair from his face and making his eyes water. At first he hated it. But then saw the clouds; it wasn't like seeing them through a screen. And he saw the sun, just beyond them and the open sea. He could smell all kinds of things and the wind hitting him seemed no more harmful. Instead it felt wonderful.
He closed his eyes and sighed. He hadn't flown like this. Not in a long time, since they first tested Baymax packs. And it was the most wonderful thing he could remember.
Sophie laughed. He was surprised he could hear it. Turning he looked at her, her huge smile her eyes sparkling. A second laugh from this mysteriously new friend. And this time he laughed too.
Milo had lived in Atlantis for a little over a hundred years. He forgot exactly how long. He could remember at one point keeping track. But soon he lost it, and he finally decided it didn't matter whether or not he remembered how long he lived there. He would live here until he died. He had learned a lot from these scrolls. Secrets, storied, history thought to be lost to humanity for ever. Being one of the only people able to read there language at one time he was the soul knowledge for everything about Atlantis.
Now he ran his fingers over the scroll carefully looking for exactly what he needed. Tracking.
His eyes lit up as he recognized the word and he pushed up his glasses. "Found it!" he said and laid the paper for everyone to see. He pointed to the words as he read them. "The star stone could be used to track good and glows in the presence of evil. It can track down magical items such as, stones, relics and keys." He looked at them smiling.
"That's it!" Holly said, "We could use the star stone to find the keys. They'll point us right to them." She smiled.
All the other Guardians did too. This was the best news they had heard all day. And even better was when Milo said he had quite a few of the crystal he could give to them. After a person died in Atlantis there stone was either passed on to the next generation or given to a newborn. But still, even as there numbers grew what they considered was a lot of crystals. There were exactly 50 in count. And for a growing city taking six was un thinkable.
Holly knew that and she protested but Kida insisted. "I can not ignore the limits. But this is more important then our people alone." She raised her self to a regal posture and said, "The fate of Atlantis relies on you. To not give you the stones could lead us to a terrible fate." A fate worse then death. She hadn't said it out loud but she knew everyone was thinking it. Fear and darkness was indeed a worse fate. And she shivered inwardly at the thought of even her kingdom under Pitches control.
"We'll leave at dawn." Holly said, "Katherine and I shall ride Kailash. We'll head toward Santoff Claussen. Like it or not we may need Tsars sword. And Ombric may be the only who can help us get it." She looked at Kathrine to assure it was alright. "Nightlight you shall go with the three new Guardians."
Nightlight wanted to protest. He would rather be with Katherine. She was his duty now. No one else. Besides he wasn't so sure he liked these new Guardians. Hiccup and Merida seemed to agree. They would rather not have him at there side. But although Nightlight was willing to keep this to himself they had no problem revealing how they felt.
"We don't need Nightlight's help." Hiccup had said as politely as possible, but there was clearly anger behind his tone.
"Aye." Merida said, "We'll travel faster the three of us.
"I can't allow that." Holly said. Merida opened her mouth to protest again but Holly raised a hand. "You have no idea what these keys look like. Or anything about us. You need someone to lead you, and I think that person should be Nightlight." She gestured to him. "He will lead you, and help you. And we have no time to waste. So I suggest you don't argue." Hiccup didn't like it. But he didn't argue anymore. And a shared glance between Nightlight and Merida said that they would keep an eye on each other. Pretending not to notice Holly went on, "we'll leave in the morning, when we're rested are ready." She said to Milo and Kida. "I am sorry we couldn't stay any longer."
"You're always welcome here Holly." Kida said, placing a dark hand on her shoulder and turning to the others. "You all are." Hiccup, Merida and Rapunzel nodded thankfully. "But until then explore the city and relax. I have a feeling this will be your last chance to relax for a long time."
With that Kida led them out of the library and out into the Atlantian city where the air was thick with the smell of fish and sea salt. Most of them didn't know what to say. Nightlight looked like the last thing he wanted to do was talk to any of them. He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. Shot Rapunzel a sour look then walked down a path away from them. Hiccup had no problem with that. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to him. What could there be to talk about anyway? It was clear that they wouldn't get along. So why did Holly force him to join them. Holly seemed to read Hiccups mind better then even Toothless.
"Be patient with him. He is an ancient spirit but is as innocent as a child." She smiled at them.
Katherine whistled and her Goose landed in front of them. It's pearly feathers glowing the light it seemed, it let a honk and she pet his head. Then she climbed on. "Would anyone like to fly around?" she asked. "The city is magnificent from the skies."
Hiccup and Merida shook there heads. Rapunzel however was feeling that urge to fly again. Like she had done her first time in the skies. Though now that she remembered it she shook her head trying to fight back the tears behind her eyes. Katherine shrugged as if it wasn't to unusual and took off into the air. Holly smiled at Kathrine's shrinking figure then turned to the three of them standing like statues frowning. She placed a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder making her jump. "Perhaps I could give you a tour." She said.
Rapunzel smiled weakly, "I think I just want to go for a walk on my own." She said and pulled away.
"Me two." Hiccup said heading in a different direction.
"Aye, I suppose we should meet here at night fall." Merida said walking away as well. Holly watched them all go and sighed. Her smile slipping from her face as quickly as it had come.
Kida came besides her, "They are the team Man in Moon called for?"
"Yes." Holly whispered crossing her arms sadly and brushing a stray white hair out of her face. "They've been broken I'm afraid."
"I can see that." Kida said.
"They will become a team though." Holly said confidently. "They will heal."
"Perhaps." Kida said, "But I must know. Do you want them to heal?" she looked at Holly with a raised eyebrow, "Or harden?"
Holly didn't answer. She wasn't so sure herself. It didn't matter. They'd be gone by tomorrow. Nightlight would lead them just fine she was sure. He was wild and a little more on the free spirited side. But he was a Guardian. They would need him and he them. Kida couldn't stand the stretched silence so raising her hand she said, "Some villagers are very anxious to see you again after all these years. Shall we pay them a visit?"
"Lets." Holly said glad for the change of subject.
