Chapter 42, everybody! Sorry for the delay in this chapter—December has been very busy with decorating. We will be seen from space this year. \.o./

I think in my writing up on this I might be getting close to having it entirely written out…might bump it up to posting twice a week once that happens but in the meantime know that we have updates clean into the new year—and to this fic's first anniversary. :D

Continuing blanket disclaimer: I still have not finished Season Two. We're flying blind, boys. And again, a good chunk of these chapters were written before I had been able to bring myself to watch "Countdown to Catastrophe"…and in other news, yes I'm still in denial of the end of "Countdown to Catastrophe" don't at me. D:

So in this chapter…honestly I understand people with Karmi, I know I didn't really care for her (although to start with, it was from the fear of a one-dimensional I must be mean to Hiro for no reason character). And then I started writing for her in my fics, and…honestly, she was me in my first college: younger than the average attendee, antisocial, preferred drawing and writing to interacting with others, warded off relationships like the plague. So actually yeah, I do like Karmi and am more than happy to give her a fair shake in my fics.

Also, was sus of the term "Mayoi" after finding out that "Sycorax" is the name of a witch in The Tempest (which Professor Knox quoted)—"Mayoi" is not only a species of plant, but they also mean doubt, hesitation, and bewilderment in Japanese and also contain the kanji for lost in the name. Very sneaky.

Also, Hiro and Karmi are quoting Treasure Planet and the Blue Sky movie Robots, while Fred quotes The Road to El Dorado. Fun movies. :D And, thanks to dah884 on AO3 bringing up Globby…guess which two dudes show up this chapter. :D Real excited about these two Felony Carl is my favorite after Obake. :D And before that is another part that got posted earlier on Tumblr…and quotes from Season 3, shh. Globby's singing his own theme song and quoting Robots and Amphibia, by the way.

And when I wrote that one line I was being facetious I wasn't expecting the mayor of San Francisco to actually destroy the city.

Angelwings2002, thanks for the review! Ah thank you! And yes—Violet, like all hummingbirds, can fly when hopped up on sugar. :D Yeah that occurred to me too because that'd be a little heavy but we can argue they were little milkshakes. XD Me too on all counts. Thank you, I shall do my best! *salutes*

Hexyah, thanks for the review, and congrats on being review #77! Oh yes let us bird-nerd. Starting off, not technically—the olders refer to themselves as a group, the bird-kids refer to them as flock-flight, and She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named refers to them as escaped experiments. I would think if we want to get scientific we could call them homo avem, which would be Latin for bird-person, although some San Fransokyans might consider them tengu. For the biological points: bird-people are oviparous, usually raising one young at a time. Bones would be closer to avian bones since those are built for flight and are therefore lighter than human bones. Lungs work like bird lungs, rest of the internal organs would be a mix since bird bodies are built for flight and are therefore very streamlined compared to human bodies (one reason why birds lay eggs is so they don't carry around that extra weight during gestation). As for the integumentary system, which I had to look up—I'm going to say more along the lines of birds with the growing of feathers, and that like birds bird-people do not sweat (since it would end up trapped under the feathers). Instead they cool off like birds do, with wings and feathers lifting and panting and such. They do still produce the oils like human skin does, since oil production is important to preening (and is possibly spread during the bird-kids' grooming). Instincts are stronger with the bird-kids since they don't already have a human frame of reference to go off of, so bird-kid is 70/30 bird/human and the olders is reverse. And sorry for the long reply but thank you for giving me a chance to nerd about all this I have been LOVING the whole bird-people thing. :D And yes—she's not married to Stan Lee for nothing. :D Good question….

Big Hero 6 © 2014 Disney

Ducktales © 2017 Disney

Yes, their arrival at SFIT in a limo several minutes late caused a stir, as did Hiro stumbling into class late, but Professor Granville seemed to accept him saying that they had come from Fred's and ended up stuck in traffic—now here was hoping he could fluff through one class without his books, all of which were still in his lab.

"Totally pushing it," Karmi sang under her breath, focused on her notes.

Hiro scowled at her, swallowed his response—he had other things to worry about right now, and he didn't need to antagonize her or let her know she had antagonized him.

Not when he was planning on using her.

He wasn't able to squeeze that in until about halfway through his first study hour, had to work up to going to her lab and positing this—mostly because UGH dealing with Karmi was trying.

Her expression when he knocked on the doorjamb of her lab said the feeling was entirely mutual.

"Uh…so," he started. "You and I both know this wouldn't be a thing unless it was dire—"

"If it's another stupid accusation against Sycorax, you can stop right there," she said flatly, going back to her microscope. "Because you and I both know you're just jealous because I got the awesome internship and you got stuck with some lame one at Krei Tech."

"Okay firstly my internship is not lame—"

"Sure. What was the cow suit for again?"

UGH give him strength. "Nggh—forget that, okay? I just want something checked."

"Mmm, sorry—there's no cure for being a dweeb."

Groan, finally succumbing to temptation and stalking back and forth outside her lab with fists balled. Remind him why he was doing this again? Oh, right, because he was trying to kill two birds with one stone, forgive the metaphor.

"I just want something checked so I can win a bet," he said finally, coming back to the lab door.

"And I'd help you because?" she asked.

Good question. "I'd give you halfsies?"

"Of what, a bag of gummi bears?"

Groan, close his eyes and count to ten. "I'd owe you a favor?"

That did cause Karmi to pause and consider. "Hmm, that is tempting…what is it?"

Might as well jump on this, he'd probably not get a better chance—finally go in her lab, pull out the feather as he approached her.

"Can you scan this and tell me what kind of bird it came from?" he asked. "You've got the equipment for it…."

Her expression suggested he should have probably had a more solid excuse. "Seriously? That's what you want to owe me a favor for?"

"Hey, you were okay with examining the Mayoi."

"And look what happened there—oh let me guess, this thing is your latest attempt to tie Dr. Amara into your crazy monster conspiracy."

Hiro had to swallow his first several responses, finally shrugged. "Fine—I mean scanning it and proving me wrong would be a great way to rub it into my face, but—"

"Ugh, give me that," she hissed, snatching it from him. "I'll scan it and get back to you."

"Thanks Karmi, you're…." Tried, really couldn't bring himself to finish it like he usually did. "…decent."

"Whatever," she muttered, writing something down in her notes before going back to her microscope. Seemed to register that Hiro was still standing there after a few moments, waved him off. "Go away."

"Gladly," he muttered under his breath, heading for the door. "Hey hold it—when are you getting back to me? Because I kind of need it today—"

"Two things," she said, holding two fingers up and not looking up from writing in her notes. "One, I have a life, and two, every time you ask me this is going to the bottom of my to-do list."

"So…before lunch?"

"If I say yes, will you leave me alone until then?"

"If I say yes and you have it done then, I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day."

"Now that actually is a compelling reason—fine, hour before lunch, now get out of my lab!"

"I'm not in your lab!" he shot from the hall—couldn't resist sticking a toe in. "I am now—"

Fresh on his list of things to do: figure out how Karmi rigged up her door to close by remote control. In the meantime…homework, he supposed. Lots and lots of homework.

Now here was hoping it was all sufficiently distracting.


Tadashi had a couple of shocks upon waking up from a seriously spotty sleep. Firstly, being on a ledge in San Fransokyo, lights flicking on inside the window suggesting he was about to have some encounters he couldn't just yo wassup out of.

Secondly, having two bird-kids with him and 'Kase—

Crushing internal pain when he recalled just why they had two bird-kids: the others had been attacked, maybe captured, maybe dead.

And it was his fault.

'Kase would argue the point, but it was—he should have insisted Nox go back with the others, that he stay; he would have been able to get in and out with 'Kase fast enough that way, would have been back with the others by now…if he had just—been better

You graduate high school when you're thirteen and this is what you want to do with your life!?

Sigh—probably not, experience told him that kids had a habit of doing their best to circumnavigate any attempts to keep them out of trouble; apparently him telling Nox he reminded him of Hiro wasn't just nostalgia.

Tadashi, NO!

'DASHI!

…No…apparently it was a habit of going half-cocked into a thin plan and hurting people he cared for that reinforced that similarity. Of convincing little kids that he helped take care of that he'd always be there, and then failing utterly.

He was a terrible brother.

"I can tell you're awake and beating yourself up—stop it," 'Kase muttered, still mostly leaning against him, Huey curled up against her.

"Sorry—ahahahoww!" he wheezed, trying to twist away from her pinching him and waking up Louie in the process. "Sorry Lou—I'm apologizing to LOUIE stop pinching me."

"Make me," 'Kase said, sitting up and blinking blearily—she looked like she had gotten about as much sleep as he had, which was to say none at all. He didn't know about her, but he had been twitching awake at every little sound last night.

Unfortunately, their actions woke up Louie and Huey, and past experience with Nox suggested they would be having to work overtime to keep them from running off—

Huey immediately opened his beak wide, begging for food.

"Sorry, Huey," Tadashi told him, catching 'Kase's wrist before she could complete the lunge—wince when her solution was to reach down and pinch his arm. "Ow. We'll work on breakfast, okay? Just hang on a bit."

Huey burbled in disappointment, sagging against 'Kase, Louie looking dejected as well—brightening before pulling out the bracelet and rubbing it against his beak, purring.

"Also on the list of things we need to do: returning that," Tadashi said, grimacing.

"No," Louie noised, nibbling on the bracelet.

"As happy as I am that you know a word, you need to get that out of your mouth it's not food."

"NO!" Louie barked when Tadashi tried to take it away from him fully—pulled it back before stuffing it in his pocket.

"Okay fine! We'll come back to that!"

"The answer is still going to be no," 'Kase told him, eyeing the windows worriedly.

Tadashi could guess why. "Come on, we need to get out of here—maybe we'll be lucky and find a food cart that doesn't ask a lot of questions."

"Or that accepts either stolen bracelets or random rocks as payment."

"No," Louie said, hissing with a hand on his pocket protectively. And then hissing when Tadashi picked up the box of gene cleansers.

"Sorry Louie—will you STOP?" Tadashi demanded of 'Kase.

"Something's gotta break you of that habit," she countered, causing him to huff before jumping off the ledge and angling away.

As it turned out, he really had very little to worry about the bird-kids this time: Louie and Huey were still shaken up and worried, were clinging tightly to them as they flew away from the building and angled over back alleys.

Unfortunately, Huey's extra weight coupled with her clipped wings meant 'Kase had to land earlier—Tadashi was on edge as they dropped into a back alley.

"Think Sashi's dumpster chicken is back here?" he asked her, eyeing the nearest dumpster.

"I, me, personally, am not going in that," 'Kase said, waving a finger at the trash and the thick layer of flies it had. "I'd rather raid a restaurant and hope for the best—wait where's Grammercy's restaurant from here if I'm going to make a scene I'm going to make a scene."

"Remember that time I questioned if you were being a bad influence on the bird-kids?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure I'd remember that."

"Maybe it was something I wanted to say and that whale-monster last night got in the way."

Silence, neither one of them fully able to resist glancing around in worry. A monster in the sewers was one thing—one that attacked cops right in the open was quite another.

"Okay, let's just—forget it, we'll think of something else," Tadashi said, waving one hand and trying to wrangle a squirming Louie with the other. "Just—Louie!"

Louie chirped but otherwise ignored him, bounding for the end of the alley—Tadashi ran after him, spotted what had attracted his attention—managed to catch him before he could do any damage to the motorcycle parked at the end of the alley.

"No no no, Louie, we've got enough problems without dealing with an angry biker guy—" Tadashi started, lifting Louie up and hauling him away from the bike—pretty sure the owner would be mad at any damage and that he'd be big enough to break Tadashi in half, even with the bike being solid glittery pink. Start to scramble back when he heard someone—

"You and me, me and you, doin' what we gotta do—AWOHYINYIIEGH! Hi there."

"Aaah," Tadashi noised, which was the usual way to wind down from screaming like a little girl. "Uh, hi?"

"Yo what's up?" 'Kase asked—shrugged when Tadashi looked at her. "What? It worked for you."

"Oh you know, can't complain," the guy said, gesturing a little and not seeming very bothered by having this conversation with bird-people.

Of course, Tadashi figured that was because the guy had his own problems. "Uh, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah I'm actually having a really great day—nice weather, big plans…I mean the big plans involve fast food and a movie, but it's the little things, right?"

"Uh…right," Tadashi noised, looking him up and down. "But…you know, are you sure? Because you look like you lost a fight with a Jell-O factory."

The guy looked down at himself, poked his chest—like he just now noticed he was coated head to toe in a pink gelatinous substance. "Oh yeah no I'm supposed to look like this—tourists, right? Allow me to introduce myself: Globby! Defender of San Fransokyo! Trademarked."

Tadashi was now fully at a loss. "How long was I out again?"

"So I'm guessing having this conversation with bird-people doesn't faze you at all," 'Kase offered, waffling a hand.

"Honestly I don't think I'm in a position to question other people's life choices," 'Globby' said, dropping the heroic pose.

"No kidding—I think I remember you actually. Weren't you a purse thief? A lousy purse thief?"

"Hey, harsh—but on point," Globby admitted. "And one of the reasons I changed professions. Lousy work conditions being one of them."

"Them being how you look like you lost a fight with the mood slime from Ghostbusters?" Tadashi asked, still trying to get his mind to click properly on that point.

"Eh no separate incident—more like wanting to destroy the whole city. I mean, come ON! That's kind of excessive, don't you think? Especially wanting to blow the city up that's—that's not right, right?"

"Yeah sure," Tadashi agreed, head too light. "The guy could have just run for mayor."

"True—hey are you okay?"

"Sure fine—just—kinda have to sit down for a bit."

"He's been having a day," 'Kase offered.

"Oog," Globby noised in sympathy. "Hey, what about chocolate? Chocolate makes everyone feel better, right?"

"Unless they're allergic."

"Uhh, no thanks," Tadashi said, waving the chocolate off—and then putting a hand on Louie's head when he started sniffing at it. "Kinda make it a point not to eat anything that used to be a pink compound of unknown composition."

"Okay these are fair points," Globby offered, eating the chocolate—had a pensive moment before pointing at 'Kase. "You know, you seem familiar."

"I guest-starred on Sesame Street," 'Kase said flatly, eliciting a snort from Tadashi.

"No I don't think that's it."

"Order's up," the big biker dude Tadashi had been worrying about said as he walked into view, a couple of flats of Noodle Burger meals in his hands—took note of everything going on around his bike. "Friends of yours?"

"Oh sure," Globby said. "This is…um…."

'Kase sighed and took pity on him when it became clear the biker dude was friendly. Ish. "'Kase, Huey, Louie, Tadashi," she said, pointing to each of them in turn. Considered Globby for a moment. "And Globby."

"We already know each other we're roommates—Felony Carl, great guy, known him since he was Misdemeanor Carl."

Tadashi was really worried his face was going to default to blank dumbfounded-ness for the rest of his life. "I'm sorry, what? Felony Carl?"

"It was my mom's idea," Felony Carl said, shrugging.

"And I see that you too do not question chatting up bird-people in alleys," 'Kase observed. "Tadashi I'm disappointed we could have been walking down the street all this time."

"I don't really make it a point to question people's life choices," Felony Carl said—looked at Tadashi. "Are you okay?"

"He's had a day," 'Kase offered.

Wasn't sure what to make of Felony Carl and Globby exchanging glances like they did—he was almost sure he could have guessed at the unspoken conversation if he wasn't so dizzy from exhaustion, hunger, a continuing battery of shocks—

Like the latest one of one of the flat boxes of food bags being offered to him.

"Hungry?" Felony Carl asked.

Tadashi blinked, not really processing this, disbelief warring with the overwhelming needs singing through him, of food, of not running for two seconds, of letting these two adults take the responsibility for just a minute—

'Kase finally made the decision.

"Oh what the heck—you know what? I had a day too," she said, grabbing a bag. "'Dashi, eat something before you fall over."

Fair enough. And what the heck, he trusted these guys, weirdly enough.

"Okay, thanks," he said, taking one—and then two more for Louie and Huey. "But I need to hear more about this city nearly being destroyed business."

"It was epic," Globby said, hands out. "Me, a crucial part of the plan—"

"It is pretty impressive," Felony Carl assured them.

And it was probably worth the added stress of the story due to the relief of something in his stomach and the flavor bursting in his mouth—enough to make him reiterate the thanks for the wonderful meal bit of his mealtime prayer. And with Huey and Louie making short work of their burger and fries, he felt a bit better about everything.

He hoped Nox was okay. He hoped everyone was okay, but Nox was the major question mark—he had an idea of where the others were, if they were still alive; Nox, not so much.

I'm coming, okay? he thought. Just—wait for me, okay? Wherever you are, if you're somewhere safe, stay there, please.

I'm still coming, Nox.


Nox had been right, the Fwah-nest was much better when there were others around.

He had shown Lena the koi-pond, the pond filled with fish, and they weren't hungry but they thought it would be grand fun while Webby and Violet were busy tracking down 'Dashi's-Hiro to practice how Sashi caught fish, Lena suggesting the trick she had figured out, where spreading your wings made the sun not dazzle the water so you could see in and under at fish

Catching fish wasn't challenging though, because as soon as they stepped into the water the fish swam up to them—Nox and Lena giggled a little at the fish swimming up to their hands and nibbling gently on their knuckles with mouths that had no teeth, whistled and warbled that maybe they wouldn't eat these fish because that was no-good-bad, eating nice fish that nibbled at your hands and swum around your legs feeling weird and slippery but happy—

"Hey my dudes!" Fwah greeted, coming up to them with something in his paws. "Are you saying hi to the koi? Hi fishy dudes," he said to the fish, putting the thing he was carrying down and fiddling with it. "Here watch this they love this stuff." Pull out something flat that smelled of food, tear a piece off, flick it into the water.

Several of the fish quickly darted to the bit of food, nibbling eating and sucking it down.

Lena whistled interest and concern, looked at Fwah, who handed them pieces of the food-slices—Nox took one, sniff, lick, bite—not very interesting compared to other foods and he was full-happy-full enough that he wasn't interested in eating this food. Watch Fwah shred a food-slice to give to fish, imitated and drop shreds, chirping and chirruping in surprise and interest and Lena-look-look-look—

Lena held the food-slice over the water, gingerly dipped it in, whistled interest as the fish nibbled happily, gingerly patted a few as they nibbled with vigor—

"Aren't they fun?" Fwah asked, shredding another food-slice. "These dudes love bread, although they go nutty for fish flakes too."

"Brrrah," Nox echoed—he was going to make an effort to learn more words for 'Dashi, 'Dashi would be so impressed when he found them—

That horrible all-eating ache was less now, the terror that maybe this wasn't 'Dashi's-Hiro and that 'Dashi was never coming now only a background fear—he hadn't realized how terrible it was to be separated from flock from flight until Webby and Lena and Violet had found him, had made him not only anymore—Fwah was okay Honey-Lemon-Aiko was okay Gogo was scary like Grump Baymax was maybe-okay 'Zabi was skittish and he wasn't sure at all about Maybe-'Dashi's-Hiro anymore but they were different flock different flight this was his flock his flight this was good was safe was home.

And with good and safe and home, Nox could once again believe with all his might that 'Dashi was coming to save them.

But that also meant that if this was 'Dashi's-Hiro 'Dashi's-Hiro needed to be with them so when 'Dashi came they were all together and here—that had been a long discussion, Nox had been convinced and then not convinced through Maybe-Dashi's-Hiro's actions, Webby was fully convinced and Lena and Violet were eh, maybe and not fully into it.

But if Maybe-Dashi's-Hiro was 'Dashi's-Hiro then it meant that he needed to be with them which meant that him going off away from the Fwah-nest was bad-bad-no good-bad—hence why Webby and Violet were out looking for him they'd bring him back this wasn't like the bad-forest they could navigate here they knew where north was—

"—and then after this we can have lunch," Fwah was saying, looking at them as Baymax waddled over how could Baymax stand to go that slow how—"Hey, weren't there supposed to be four of you? Baymax, where's the other two?"

Lena and Nox quickly whistled and squawked excuses, hoping to distract—

Baymax looked at them, looked around, blinking, looked at Fwah. "Webby and Violet: are not here."

Fwah was up on his feet so fast that he knocked the rest of the food-slices in the water. "Oh no they're LOOSE! Okay no don't panic we just go get them real quick Baymax keep an eye on these two MINI-MAX!"

Nox waited until Fwah ran off, idea occurring to him—whistle and chirp idea to Lena, who nodded, chirruping and churring before following him out of the pond and away from the friendly-fish who were NOT food to stand in front of Baymax.

"Want 'Dashi-Hiro," Nox said, with all the confidence he could muster—words, Nox, use your words—

Lena nodded, right next to him. "'Dashi-Hiro," she said. "Want 'Dashi-Hiro."

Baymax blinked, looked around, looked back at them. "Hiro: is currently at school."

"Want 'Dashi-Hiro," Nox insisted.

Lena nodded in agreement they had planned this this was a good plan and it should work—"'Dashi-Hiro. Want 'Dashi-Hiro."

Baymax blinked, considering. "Would seeing: Hiro, improve your health?"

Nox and Lena both nodded yes yes yes because 'Dashi's-Hiro was supposed to be part of flock of flight that's why 'Dashi was looking all over—

Baymax blinked again, considering….

Finally put out paws. "We will go see: Hiro."

Lena and Nox chirped success, put paws in Baymax's big clawless paws that still could make sharp poke, forced themselves to stay at his speed as he waddled out because Baymax could protect them from bad things and that was a lot of way to go if you had to walk because of broken-wing.

Lena warbled pleased that plan was working so far, question on how long this was going to take and what was going to happen.

Nox was happy to note that he was not the only one who didn't like the weird travelling-box-thing, or the fact that Baymax was really very difficult to climb on and cling to. Sit next to him, one on each side, pressed close and eyeing the not-feathered not-flock not-flight around them—

One that looked familiar blinked at them several times. "Oh…there's more."

Baymax blinked at them, looked up at her. "Yes."

Not-feather-not-flock-not-flight didn't seem to know what to do about that, went back to staring at something that really didn't seem all that interesting, got off the next time the travelling-box-thing stopped.

Lena whistled question—Nox shook his head at her around Baymax, looked up at Baymax, poked him and whistled question, adding "'Dashi-Hiro" for good measure.

"Hiro's school is in: two stops," Baymax said, as they got moving again.

Lena crossed her arms, hunched, chattered bored this wasn't like limo this smelled and—WHAT WAS THAT!?

Nox had his paws clasped over his ears at the noisy CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—he had nearly forgotten he hated that sound hated it hated it hated it it hurt when it was right over his ears and it was sudden and scary and he hated it.

Lena didn't like it either, Lena was wilfed down to nothing and pressed against Baymax so hard she was squished against him and causing some of the soft to roll up chattering fear-what-no-bad—Nox buried himself on Baymax's other side, not liking this either—

But they had to get to 'Dashi's-Hiro, they couldn't risk 'Dashi's-Hiro being separate from them, flock and flight only did good when they were flock and flight not only only was trouble only got hurt only was lonely and scared and no good-bad-no—

Baymax was singing soft lullaby again, making Nox relax a little—chitter at Lena, get chitter back maybe worth relaxing….

At least until the next loud CLANG-CLANG-CLANG.