Chapter 11: Get the Mask
Hiro looked to his twin as he and the others made their way to the island.
"You okay?"
Hideki was grimacing. He hadn't held the microbots in full force in a long time. Down below, their friends were riding a raft made out of them. "
Getting… a migraine…"
Hiro frowned, rubbing his back a little before putting his hand back to the magnet. "I know buddy. I'll help when we get there."
"If I puke, do I get a free kick to the jewels on Callaghan?"
"Yep but only if you aim for anywhere BUT us."
"Sweeeeet…." Hideki grinned tiredly up at Hiro before narrowing his eyes in focus.
Before long, they had made it to Akuma Island. Hideki nearly collapsed as he let go of his control on the microbots. Hiro had his twin lean against him.
"You okay?"
"Take. Your. Freaking. TURN." Hideki grimaced.
Hiro shook his head.
"We can't leave 'em here."
"I ain't hauling them. We can summon 'em right? We know how fast they move. We'll be fine."
Wasabi looked around as the team started to get was a large "QUARANTINE: KEEP OUT" sign on one of the fences. He pointed to it as he followed the others.
"Quarantine? Do you guys KNOW what that is?"
Baymax held up a finger.
"Quarantine: enforced isolation to prevent the spread of disease or in some cases, death."
"Oh and this one has a skull face. A skull face!"
"Look out, your inner old lady is showing." Hideki muttered.
They looked, around tense.
There was a sound behind them as they were about to cut a hole into the door.
All Hell broke loose as they broke into attacks, Baymax firing off his rockets, Fred using the flamethrower, Gogo and Honey Lemon throwing disks and chemical balls and Wasabi looking for something to slice. The twins ducked down, Hiro covering Hideki watching the chaos.
They halted before realizing it was just a pigeon standing in the middle of it all. It cooed at them before flying off.
"... Wow… All that over a pigeon?"
"Just… shut up Hideki."
Wasabi cut a hole in the wall with his blades as they started to walk through.
Hiro was in the lead, Hideki just behind him near Fred.
"Seven intrepid friends, lead by Fred their leader, Fred. Fred's Angels." Fred started humming.
Hideki couldn't help but bob his head along.
"Na na na…"
Hideki do NOT encourage him! Hiro grimaced.
"Fred's Angels…"
"Harnessing the power of the sun…" Hideki hummed.
"With the ancient amulet they found in the attic." Fred continued as Wasabi felt his eye twitch.
"The amulet is green!"
"It's probably an Emerald."
"Fred, Deki, I will laser hand you both in the face if you don't stop!" He hissed.
Fred shrugged while Hideki gave his best kicked puppy look.
Hiro cleared his throat, looking back as he gave his best "Tadashi" glare.
"Ahem. Trying to avenge our brother's murder here."
"Sorry, Hiro-nii." Hideki looked to Baymax speeding up a bit to catch up. "Hey, Baymax, can you find him?"
"This structure is rendering my super scanner as you would put it, useless."
"Great, the robot's broken." Wasabi facepalmed.
The twins gave him a look of pure venom but carried on until Honey Lemon stopped near an open door. She gasped as she looked in.
"Guys, you need to see this."
The others looked to one another before filing, in eyes widening.
There were pieces of metal and machinery all over. There was also an area like in the warehouse that looked like it was being used for some sort of experiment on a person.
Hiro looked around, feeling a little sick as he noted the blood like before.
"What was happening here?"
Hideki paused, looking at an insignia on one of the walls.
"Tori."
The rest of the team looked, seeing the same bird that Hiro had seen.
"No way…"
"What… is Callaghan doing with all of this?" Hiro murmured as he went over to what looked like an abandoned observation deck. "Hideki-erm… Baymax gimme a boost."
The robot hurried over, helping the boy inside before the rest of the team followed suit.
Except for Hideki as he walked through a door.
Hiro gave him an irritated look.
He blinked.
"What? We don't have to ALL go it like you say."
"The. Point. Is. Stealth." He hissed.
"Sorry."
Hiro sighed and shook his head before he looked at the computers, taking off a glove and laying his hand over it.
It was still warm.
Which means Callaghan's been using this.
He was about to turn it on when they heard a very… very familiar noise.
Everyone ducked down, peering out at the sight of the masked man in question being brought into view. He stepped down before stopping as another person came into view.
They gasped as they realized who it was.
Callaghan… but he wasn't the one in the mask. Hiro and Hideki growled a little, seeing he was wearing the second transmitter.
Those belong to us.
"It's only a matter of time. The pieces are all here."
"Hiro, Deki…" Honey Lemon whispered, looking to the twins.
"What's the plan, Doom Twins?" Wasabi asked.
The twins growled softly, looking to one another before their visors glowed as their microbots began the fast journey to their side.
"GET THE MASK!"
The team burst out from their hiding spot, Hiro taking his spot on Baymax's back as Callaghan growled at them.
"I thought I disposed of you."
Hideki held up his hands as his microbots surrounded him, creating long tendrils.
"You thought wrong, Calla-Creep."
"You killed our friend." Gogo growled, readying her disks. "And you two are outnumbered."
Callaghan sneered, pointing at them.
"Yokai, attack."
The man lunged forward, grabbing his sword as he swung it.
SHING!
Wasabi tried to deflect it, trying to break it into pieces but was stunned to find the katana blade was unscathed.
"Did you forget? I taught you about your lasers." Callaghan smirked. "Doesn't take much."
Yokai shoved against the laser blades.
Fred lept at Callaghan.
"SUPER JUMP! GRAVITY CRUSH!"
The former professor waved his hand as the original microbots slapped him out of the air.
"FALLING HAAAARD!"
Yokai turned his attention to Hideki, charging at the boy as he swung his blade down.
CLANK!
Hideki looked up to see a wall of violet and red in front of him. Hiro looked down as he jumped down from Baymax's back.
"Get away from my little brother!" He screamed, kicking at the man square in the back.
Yokai let out a grunt of pain as Callaghan narrowed his eyes.
"I should've gotten rid of you both when I had the chance."
"Why us?" Hiro questioned as he dodged an attack by Yokai as Gogo and the others had to contend with the microbots controlled by Callaghan.
"I needed your microbots, for what is none of your business. It won't be needed anyway.." Callaghan sneered. "I have all that I need."
Another wave of black microbots descended on the twins as they tried to use their own to combat them while trying to avoid getting stabbed.
"ACK!" Hiro winced as his armor was sliced through as a cut formed on his arm. "BAYMAX!"
Baymax flew down, picking both twins up as he pulled up. The twins microbots were shaky as they tried to get the mindset back in sync to control them.
"Ngh….." Hideki winced, feeling his head pounding. It hurt to just try to control them.
Hiro narrowed his eyes.
"Just keep hold of it Deki. There's seven of us and only two of them."
"Right…" But why is it that we're getting our butts handed to us then!?
Callaghan narrowed his eyes, sending another wave towards them.
"Yokai, Destroy!"
Yokai came forward, riding on the wave towards the two brothers, raising his sword to strike.
"Oh no you don't!" Honey Lemon shouted, throwing one of her bombs at him, getting the man stuck in a pink sticky substance. Yokai lost his balance on the microbots, trying to get out.
"Come on! THIS IS NOTHING!" Callaghan shouted, his temples seeming to tense a little.
Yokai kept struggling but had no success.
Gogo lunged forward, striking him in the back of the head.
"LIGHTS OUT DEMON BOY!"
Yokai slumped a little but recovered quickly, struggling again.
"W-What the…?" Honey Lemon gasped. "T-That should've knocked him out!"
The mask… Hiro thought before he and Hideki nodded to each other, both lunging forward, one creating a shield as Hiro took hold of the mask.
"He can't get out at least." He said before ripping it off… a gasp escaping him as he saw the man's face. "W-What…?"
Yokai went limp, collapsing to the floor, wheezing and coughing.
Hiro knelt beside him, shock in his eyes as he got a better look at his face.
"T… Tadashi…?"
"What!?" Hideki's head snapped over his eyes wide. "No way…"
All the others looked as well, all in shock seeing their friend collapsed on the ground.
"But… why?" Honey Lemon whispered. "Why would he?" she looked to Callaghan, growling a little, the others following suit.
Callaghan scoffed, sneering at them.
"Are you that blind? That stupid?" He growled.
Hideki narrowed his eyes and made a motion as if he was going to throw a punch as his microbots created a fist.
"Shut up!" He shouted, about to attack, when Hiro grabbed his arms holding him back. "NO! LEMME GO!" The bots fell to the ground.
Callaghan took his moment to use a good number of the microbots to make his escape. Yokai, or rather, Tadashi was useless now. Dead to him.
He had what he needed.
Baymax hurried over, scanning Tadashi.
"He's badly burned. He needs medical attention urgently. He is unconscious. There are a large sum of sedatives going through his system." He replied, gently lifting up one of his arms, moving the sleeve back, revealing angry red burns traveling up the once fair skin.
Everyone winced.
"Tada-nii…" Hiro murmured before narrowing his eyes. "We need to get him to a hospital. Now."
"Wait-" Hideki started when Baymax carefully lifted Tadashi up. "What if that's what Callaghan is waiting for? You saw the weapons, you saw his little "prep" area. He might just be waiting to take out Tadashi again!"
"He's right kid." Wasabi sighed. "That… would make all too much sense. Callaghan's a smart man. Dangerously smart."
"Then… Baymax, can you treat him yourself?"
"Yes but I require more than what I am equipped with." Baymax replied, part of his armor lighting up as a list of supplies and tools were listed. "I require these to properly tend to Tadashi's injuries."
"Leave that to us." Fred volunteered. "I know a guy who knows a guy."
"We'll get the medical stuff. Hiro, just focus on taking care of him." Gogo added narrowing her eyes.
Hideki looked at the fallen mask and lifted it up, tearing off the transmitter, using a button on his helmet to lift the visor. He moved to put it on but was stopped by Hiro.
"Don't."
"But… Hiro-nii-"
"If he used it to control Tadashi then he's modified it." Hiro growled a little. "He can take anyone if they put it on."
"Right." It hurt to do so but Hideki tossed it to the ground and crushed it beneath his sneaker. "No more of that then. We'll turn up the frequency on our new ones later."
"You heard 'em team. Let's go."
oooooo
Before long, they were back at Fred's place, Baymax turning one of the many guest rooms into a makeshift hospital room as he tended to Tadashi, having the right equipment now.
The rest of the team waited outside, the twins being the only ones allowed in. It wasn't a spoken rule but rather an unspoken one.
Tadashi was their friend but he was their big brother. They needed the time alone.
"NGH!"
However, it wasn't simple. Tadashi was thrashing, trying to get up, to get away but he was still unconscious and it was causing him extensive pain as well.
Hiro and Hideki were terrified as they tried to hold their brother down to the bed.
"What's going on!?"
Hiro scanned their sibling with his eyes, noting the black and silver bands on each of Tadashi's limbs. "The bands… That's it. They're like restraints."
"Or strings." Hideki muttered.
Without being asked or told to, the twins rushed to get them off, cringing at the damage underneath.
Once they were off, Tadashi went limp, his entire body relaxing into the mattress. Baymax was quiet as he continued to work on him, taking extra care with the more severe burns.
Not much later, Baymax was finished as he did a final scan.
"He is stable now."
The twins sighed in relief, Hideki trying to hide some tears in his eyes, Hiro looking exhausted as if he hadn't slept for days.
"Thank goodness…" He murmured, looking over Tadashi.
He was bandaged up, his arms, his chest, parts of his legs. He was on an oxygen mask now as his wheezing slowly halted.
"He'll really be okay?"
"Yes. And the sedatives should wear off shortly. He's no longer being given them in large doses so it should wear off."
"And he'll be Nii-san again?" Hideki asked softly, lowering his head a little. He felt angry… hurt… and most of all, scared that his brother would be taken again. If not by Callaghan then by death itself.
Baymax patted the teenager's head affectionately.
"Yes. He will return to normal. He just needs time to heal, Hideki."
Hideki smiled a little, giving a nod.
"Thanks, Baymax."
Hiro nodded but was silent as he looked out the window, leaning on it, pressing his forehead to the cool glass as he hummed in thought.
Hideki frowned and sat on the edge of Tadashi's bed, taking his hand.
"Hiro's got his insane mind going again, Dashi."
Tadashi cringed a little as he squeezed Hideki's hand. The boy's eyes widened.
"H-Hey. Can you hear me?"
"Ngh….?"
He's waking up.
"Hiro! Look!"
Hiro straightened up as he hurried over to his brother, taking his other free hand.
"Dashi?"
Tadashi slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry… but it cleared up quickly, seeing his two brothers before him.
"Hiro… H-Hideki…?" he asked, his voice sounding hoarse.
"Yeah, that's right." Hiro nodded, his voice cracking a little.
Hideki nodded quickly.
"Yup. We're right here, Bro."
Tadashi slipped one of his hands out from his brother's, cupping one of Hideki's cheeks, relief in his eyes.
"You're okay… Oh thanks heavens, you're okay."
Hideki laid his hand over Tadashi's, smiling a bit.
"Yeah. You saved me, Nii-san. Thank you."
Tadashi nodded slowly. His hand was a little shaky. He felt weak and sore all over.
"Anything for my Otoutos."
"You're the best." Hideki took his hand again, giving a gentle squeeze. "Just don't scare us like that again."
Hiro nodded, wiping away a few tears.
"You really know how to give us heart attacks."
Tadashi chuckled a little, pushing himself up a little so he was sitting up. He cringed a little at some of injuries, ignoring them as he brought his brothers into an embrace.
"C'mere…"
The twins both hugged him. They were shaking as they tried to keep it together. Hiro cried out a little, sobbing a bit.
"You're alive… You're really alive…"
"Tadashi…!" Hideki buried his face a little. "Thank goodness… Thank goodness…"
"Shhh…" Tadashi nuzzled both of them, stroking their heads.
Man, I missed them. I didn't think I'd cause them so much pain.
He held them close as they came on to the bed, curling up with him. He continued with stroking their heads as he hummed softly, trying to calm them down.
Gradually, they began to do so as the last of the day's adrenaline faded away. giving way to exhaustion as they kept close to Tadashi on either side of him.
"Thanks, Nii-san." Hiro whispered, closing his eyes. "We love you."
"Always have… Always will." Hideki murmured, nuzzling.
"I love both of you too. Always will." Tadashi nuzzled them, laying back on his pillow, sighing in relief.
The twins smiled, curling up to him.
At that moment, nothing else mattered but the present. They had their brother, they were all alive and for the moment, safe.
