[Hello again! I probably won't be updating for the next few days due to Easter and such. So, what has been going on with Hiro while the team's been dealing with broken ankles and technical difficulties? Let's find out!]
It was impossible to tell time in this room. There were no windows, no clocks, no cracks under the door that light could filter through. The door was simple enough, and could probably have been opened by even an amateur lock-picker.
Unfortunately, Hiro was not an amateur lock-picker. In fact, he'd never had any reason to open a locked door, and thus had never even considered how a lock might work. As he stared at the lock mechanism, however, he realized that perhaps this would be a good tidbit of knowledge to pick up on.
It doesn't appear to run on any sort of electricity... and I am fairly certain that it could be opened with a key. That's about it. Unable to glean any further knowledge from the offending keyhole, Hiro rose from his position on the floor and returned to pacing.
After that first conversation with his captor, he hadn't been able to deduce anything other than the fact that he had obviously stolen some of Hiro's tech at some point. Having this information tucked away for future reference, his mind was now focused entirely on the problem at hand: How to get out.
What I wouldn't give for Tadashi's infallible sense of one-mindedness right now.
While the Elder Hamada had a completely focused mindset, this was one trait (of many) that the brothers did not share.
While Tadashi would be so focused on a project or idea that he'd crash into things, Hiro would sometimes get into such a state that he couldn't focus on anything completely. While this meant that he was exceptional at multitasking, it also meant that keeping his head on one thing at a time was nigh to impossible.
Come on! What would Tadashi do? Take inventory, Hiro! What do you have with you? Okay, we've got a table. Brilliant. I'll pick a lock with the table. Wow, you're so smart. I wish I'd thought of that.
And now you're talking to yourself. You know, if Baymax were here, he'd probably call the others... or diagnose you with puberty..or-
No! Inventory! Chair! I have a chair! I can... No... Maybe I can-
This is impossible.
Finally, Hiro gave up on attempting to take inventory and flopped onto the bed. The headache was still there, but having taken Ibuprofen every few hours, the pain had receded until it was almost nonexistent. The current issue of being incapable of following a train of thought was mainly due to the lack of sleep he had been getting in the past few days, a severe decrease in caffeine intake, and the fact that Hiro may or may not have had a case of what Aunt Cass would call 'scatter-brained-ness'.
While Hiro was mentally berating himself and essentially just being furious with everything and everyone in general, he didn't hear the door creak open and a man limp through.
"Well. I thought you might want something to do other than pace, but you're obviously too busy."
When the raspy voice hit Hiro's ears, he winced and sat up. "What do you want?"
"I don't want anything. I thought you might appreciate something to do," the man explained, setting a Rubik's Cube on the bed.
The young college student's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Will you tell me why you kidnapped me now?"
Once again, Hiro sensed that the masked man was rolling his eyes, although he couldn't see said optical sensors. "To throw your team off my trail. You aren't serving any purpose by being here, other than keeping the Big Hero 6 from interfering with my other plans." Anticipating the following question, he answered accordingly: "And while I may be a murderer, by no means do I lack hospitality. Thus, the Rubik's Cube."
Hiro tilted his head slightly, taking in the amused figure. "Why are you targeting the prison?"
The Sukochi laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "Let's just say that there's someone there who I have a score to settle with."
"What did he do?" Hiro's voice was growing slowly quieter, unconsciously trying to match with the almost-whisper of the Sukochi's voice, and realized just as he was doing so.
"...He caused me some physical injury. I won't say any more than that."
Physical injury...
Hiro looked over the man in front of him, it suddenly dawning on him why he had never seen him without the maskābut what was more, was that now that the man was no longer wearing the cloak, he could see the slight differences in his armor on one side.
While on his left side the armor was plated, revealing black leather beneath, on the other side was completely gold-red, reaching deep into what appeared to be a cyber prosthetic. The prosthetic started just above his knee, resulting in a very slight change in design, and suddenly the reason the man limped became clear.
"You've lost a leg."
"It goes a little deeper than that, but yes, I have lost a leg. How nice of you to notice," Sukochi replied with barely concealed sarcasm.
The young genius fell silent for a few moments, then ventured curiously, "If it isn't too hard for you to talk about, may I ask in what manner you lost it?"
The masked man remained silent for a few seconds, then replied in his usual monotone voice. "You may ask, but I will not give you the correct answer."
"Then how about a lie?" Hiro figured that, if nothing else, he would be able to rule a few things out.
"I lost it in battle with a pirate." This said, he left, leaving the Rubik's Cube on the bed.
After he had shut the door, Hiro looked down at the Rubik's Cube and frowned.
"I don't even like Rubik's Cubes. I always end up breaking them or something."
It's better than pacing.
"True. I guess I could occupy myself with this, if nothing else."
He leaned back on the bed, sighing, and heard the bed-springs creak beneath him.
That's when the idea finally hit him.
[Looks like Hiro's finally got an idea. Took him long enough, huh? Anyways, I'd like to thank you guys so much for the support you've been giving me! Please review and let me now how I did! I'd love to hear your theories on who the Sukochi is, too... And I am hoping to reveal the identity of the Sukochi at some point in the next two chapters, so just trying to throw a little anticipation in there... Anyways, Oblivious ou! *throws self out of frame*]
