Graduation

"This is such a bad idea."

"We're never gonna get another chance to do this man."

Hiro was currently riding on his moped, driving through a neighborhood, Wasabi on the back, holding a baseball bat.

"Smashing Ikeda's mailbox though? Really?"

"This is for all the times he said my stuff sucked. Now are you gonna do it or am I?"

Wasabi rolled his eyes, wondering how he got pulled into it but he did owe Hiro a favor for their last mission so with much hesitation, he reared the bat back as Hiro sped up.

"Been waiting to do this for four years!"

Ikeda was leaving his house. a cup of coffee in his hands when he stopped short, seeing the two drive by, Wasabi swinging right at that moment. The mailbox crumpled with a sickening CRUNCH before it went flying across the lawn.

"SEE YA AT SCHOOL LATER!"

"HAMADA!"

Hiro cheered as they sped off.

"I can't believe we did that!" Wasabi snickered. "And it was awesome!"

"Right? Who else?"

"Check your freaky hit list of people you don't like. We got all morning."

"Callaghan's old address it is then!"

oooooo

"Hey! My hair is fine!"

Aunt Cass gave Hiro a look, running her comb through his messy locks anyway. They were in the livingroom, Hiro dressed in a nice dress shirt and some blue slacks over his usual hoodie. "You need to look nice for this and my goodness I will get this hair to sit flat on your head for ONCE in your life."

"It's not, we both know it's not." Hiro grumbled a bit. "It's a big deal, I get it but you already got me in the monkey suit."

"You need to look decent, Hiro. Just do this for me."

Hiro rolled his eyes, looking to where Baymax was, holding Mochi in his arms. "You two see what she's doing to me?"

"She is: Taming that mop top you call a hair style."

Hiro looked up at his aunt with a glare. "You turned him against me."

"Style Chip. I was bored while you were off at band camp."

"It was NOT band camp!" Hiro scoffed. "It was band… touring. Of sorts. It just so happened to be at a campground-OW! Hey!"

"Sorry. I think I almost-"

Hiro's hair sprung up as he gave her a challenging look.

"Fine! Look like a mess. See if I care! I need to get ready."

"What? Didn't Dad look like this during his graduation?" Hiro called back with a smirk.

"Yes, he did and I never heard the end of it from your mother."

Hiro stood up, dusting himself off, looking to Baymax.

"Well, Tonight's the night. What do you think?"

"I think you will do fine. You practiced your speech all night - against warning and reminder you were going to be busy today."

"You are SO sassy."

I can't believe it. I'm gonna graduate from SFIT!

oooooo

The campus was packed with students and their families. The showcase building was used for this particular ceremony, the lights turned on low except for the stage in question.

One by one students were called up, some sitting in the chairs on stage, a few giving speeches about their time at the school and their hope for the future.

Hiro shifted a bit in his seat, feeling like he was fourteen again, awaiting judgement for his work. This time, he was just feeling like he was going to melt into the floor.

I can do this. I can do this… I'm 18 not 14. I got this.

He caught the eyes of Ikeda in the crowd as the older man shook a fist at him, Hiro biting his lip to keep himself from grinning.

That had definitely been a highlight to his last day as a student.

"Hiro Hamada?"

Hiro stood up, going to the podium, clearing his throat.

"It's been a long four years. We've had a lot happen, some ups, some downs. Some pretty funny situations too. Like the time Professor Higgsbury got his little curl set on fire and didn't notice for like two minutes."

The crowd snickered as the teacher in question rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

Hiro chuckled. "But we still made it and most of us without major incident and now we'll be out and making changes in the world. Going on to shape the future and make names for ourselves. I'll never forget this experience and I hope many others will get to share it as well. I just wanna say… Thank you. Let's have a good life everyone."

He took his diploma, hurrying off the stage before he might add on anything that he hadn't written into his speech.

I did it. I did it!

I actually did it!

He sat with his friends, getting a few pats on the backs and whispers of approval. The rest of the graduation went off without a hitch, before long the students leaving the building.

"We did it!"

"No more classes, no more tests and…" Hiro threw his cap into the air. "NO MORE FINALS WEEKS!"

The team cheered as they hugged each other, proud of each other for making it this far.

"We had a pretty good run didn't we?" Gogo asked, looking up at the building.

"We really did." Honey Lemon wiped a few stray tears away. "Just hard to believe how fast it went."

"Sometimes felt like we'd never get out of there but it was so worth it." Hiro smiled.

"Alright, so who wants to get some celebration food at the Lucky Cat?"

"AYE!"

They hurried off, Hiro trailing a bit behind, looking back at the building. Namely at a plaque on the entrance.

In Memory of Tadashi Hamada

"... Thanks, Big Bro."

Hiro picked up the pace to catch up with his friends. He knew the future wasn't going to be easy but he wasn't going to give up. He wanted to keep going and to see what would happen with his ideas and his plans.

He graduated.

How hard could the rest of his life be after that?