Chapter 57, everybody, and happy Good Friday! Which is not a Tuesday, I know, but it's been just a little busy on this end and when I was writing this and the next chapter I realized it needed something else and some smoothing out and by that time it was 2AM and I wasn't dooming you all to late-night typos. :P
In other news, several of my hens now have baby chicks so there is fluff inspiration. :D
So as with all my fics, the climax and ending give me grief sometimes because aaaah sitting down and writing it aaaah—I mean I wrote down an outline so I know where to go but STILL. The good news is, having to split this chapter for readability also means that a chunk of the next chapter is written, and once that's done we'll be back to our regular posting at a decent hour on the right day schedule. *phew*
Continuing blanket disclaimer: I still have not finished Season Two. We're flying blind, boys. And again, I am still in denial of the end of "Countdown to Catastrophe" don't at me this is how I cope, okay? D: And it's very strange writing this knowing both shows are over but were going strong when I started that's a weird feeling and yet I should be used to it by now. Once again, if you are dissatisfied with these shows ending, send all salt to Disney corporate every nastygram they get that represents fifteen people who couldn't be bothered so WRITE TO THEM.
So back to the fic…yes the boys are still taking notes from Jurassic Park although Dr. Liv Amara is taking notes from Dr. Liv Octavius from Into the Spider-Verse. Rooms where computer servers are stored are usually kept cooler too, because a computer overheating can be catastrophic—can remember putting my potato of a laptop on a couple of ice trays when I was doing rendering for Westwood assignments because otherwise it'd go blooey. :P
In other news, the only reason I didn't have Baymax quote Launchpad with at least seven when asked if he had any questions was because it didn't sound right in his voice, but he's definitely channeling him here. and I imagine the computers would interfere with his scanners as well considering they run on electricity. Also…writing Baymax dealing with monsters is hilarious because aside from him saying oh no literally nothing phases him. XD
And for the record, wasn't entirely expecting the monster in the banks or the components that make it up I love how people think I know what's coming because at most it's only the broad strokes I get to the nitty-gritty and I'm going dude wow now what like everyone else. ^^;
Also speaking of monster components: yes, pythons and boas are the ones that do the crushing wraps, but other snakes can and will flip their bodies around to wrap around whatever they're fighting against I have smashed too many snake heads with a shovel in my chicken house to say otherwise.
As for Honey Lemon's scene, she pointed this out to me and I went yes do it. Mass spectrometers are common in procedural shows such as CSI and NCIS, but I wanted to look it up and make sure—they are indeed used for identifying unknown compounds, so win.
There really is such a thing as a Sherman Tank—the M4 Sherman, used in World War II—so there's a reason Sherman finds this amusing. And me, trying to figure out if Sherman the Tank or the Sherman Tank reads better there….And Fred brings up that old trope of how nobody ever turns the lights on when they're investigating a room. Also, the return of Fred's song and…once upon a time I had found a transcript of Chien-po's chant from Mulan but have since lost it so this is my best guess, sorry. ^^;
Angelwings2002, thanks for the review! Ah thank you thank you and YES! And yes hopefully the delay was worth it. XD I mean Tadashi does know Fred, these two talk comics totally. XD
Hexyah, thanks for the review! We're getting the band back together. And good, it wasn't just me who said it. XD
Big Hero 6 © 2014 Disney
Ducktales © 2017 Disney
So this was not how he expected this night to go.
Okay go back honestly he wasn't sure what he expected but he was pretty sure that following a griffin-version of one of their supervillains down some creepy stairs with a bird-clone-version of a different supervillain and his maybe-cloned definitely-feathered brother wasn't anywhere near the list. Pretty sure it wasn't even where the list could be seen.
But he could, as Wasabi said, have that breakdown later—at this point they had caught up with the griffin, who had apparently taken the time it had been waiting for them to rip the code box out of the wall and tug a big handful (pawful?) of wires out before peering into the hole it had made.
Baymax had reached the landing when it reached in, pushed something, and made the whole door slide open, giving them a very smug look as it did so.
'Kase was the first one to react.
"I have been crawling in vents for nothing," she told Tadashi flatly, glaring at him.
"This is not my fault," Tadashi protested. "Destruction of property was a low priority."
"Destruction of property is allowed when the property owner is attempting to kill you," Baymax said, one finger up.
'Kase pointed at Baymax before following the griffin. "See? He gets it."
"I did not teach you that," Tadashi told Baymax, aghast—seemed to realize who could have, zeroed in on "Hiro."
"This was a recent lesson," Hiro said, scurrying after the other bird-people. "And it fits, so…."
"It fits Hiro—"
"Before you get any momentum on that, tell him what you did when you hacked this place last time," 'Kase interrupted, pointing back at Tadashi.
Hiro glared at Tadashi. "Seriously?"
"It was just to get the doors open—" Tadashi started.
"And then it had some pettiness involved and apparently a movie quote," 'Kase said drily, watching the griffin rip another door open. "Glad to see you finally got past the whole let's get the right code thing."
The griffin growled at her.
"Was the movie Jurassic Park?" Hiro asked. When Tadashi nodded: "Okay fair but you lost scolding me privileges on everything else."
"I did not," Tadashi said. "I maybe lost scolding you about hacking."
"I've been listening to this for like the past hour," 'Kase told the griffin when it huffed questioningly at her. "I can guarantee that whatever you've been doing, I've been suffering worse."
The griffin (it was easier to just think of it as the griffin) made a noise that was either disparaging or agreeing, forced the door open and padded in.
"No," Nox whimpered, burying his face against Tadashi's collar as they followed the griffin in. The girls hissed at the various computer banks, Tadashi stopping Violet before she could bite at one of the servers—
"Someone explain to me why it's freezing in here," 'Kase said, hunched in on herself with arms tightly crossed.
"To keep the computers from overheating," Hiro said, trying his darndest to stay in the here and now and not back to that cold underwater base—winced when they turned a corner to find the griffin at a computer bay trying to get the green screens to show something else. Deep breath—focus. Even if this thing was lying…they had found the computers and that meant they could find everyone else.
"Okay," Hiro said, doing his best to ignore his shaking legs as he ran up to the computer banks, the griffin grumbling under its breath—why became obvious to Hiro when he watched it try to type, when even one key at a time didn't work because its talons ended up slipping and hitting several keys. Okay you know what if this thing was Obake he felt sorry for him because having his thing ripped from him like that had to be like the worst punishment ever.
Tap at the keyboard, squint as the screen changed from sickly green to something else—
Squint harder when the overhead lights came on. "What—"
"When using computers, one should be in a well-lit area to prevent eyestrain," Baymax offered from by the light switches.
"Thanks, Baymax," Hiro ground out—coughed on a laugh at the sight of the griffin's scrunched-up expression. "Okay, back to hacking without the dramatic lighting—oh, ouch."
Baymax blinked. "I was alerted to the need for assistance—"
"Not that kind of ouch, Baymax."
"So I'm guessing this lady never cleaned her desktop," Tadashi said, wincing as he put Nox down.
"Apparently not. Okay search bar time—"
"Uh, guys," 'Kase called. "There's something moving out here and I don't think it's human."
Everyone froze, looking—
Baymax blinked. "It is: not."
"Great, wonderful, really wanted that confirmed."
Hiro glanced at the screens again. "How fast do you think we can get rid of it?"
"Mmm, different plan," 'Kase said. "Big guy comes with me, the rest of you nerd at the computers."
"Wait 'Kase no," Tadashi said.
"Trust me, whatever it is, it's less painful than listening to you to quote things."
"Now that's uncalled for," Hiro offered.
"And if you really want it neutralized, you're going to hurry up and hack that thing while we keep this thing off your back. Now get moving."
"Yeah but 'Kase—" Tadashi started—too late, gone, with Baymax waddling after her. "…Is the only one who actually knows what Grump's saying."
"Who?" Hiro asked—looked at the griffin when Tadashi pointed. "So that wasn't my first name choice, but it fits."
The griffin huffed, barked at Nox—
Which alerted them to the fact that Nox was the only bird-kid here.
"Oh no," Tadashi moaned—went to the door, stuck his head out looking for them. "Girls? Girls!"
"So yeah we'd better prioritize the hacking business," Hiro muttered, tapping at the search bar. "What am I looking for?"
Tadashi shook his head, ran back to them. "Start with…I don't know, monster commands. There's got to be a way she's making them attack—we were in a room full of them and they were perfectly fine until like, these sparks shot across their eyes—"
Hiro felt most of his innards tighten up coldly at that thought, that he was in a room alone with three such monsters—
Shiver and shake that thought off, start searching—glance at Grump when the griffin made a sort of hrouagh noise at Nox and pointed at the keyboard.
"Does Nox understand Grump?" Hiro had to ask.
"Yes," Tadashi said. "And they hacked into Sycorax before."
That was true in Nox's case at least, and right now they needed the help, sources be hanged.
"Come on, Nox," Hiro told him. "It's okay—we need your help."
Nox seemed torn, still afraid of everything—glanced at him, at Tadashi—
Back at the computer, resolve apparently steeling before joining them at the keyboard.
"Okay," Hiro breathed, going back to scanning the files. "Let's get started."
'Kase's limbs were shaking as they progressed through the warren.
"Okay, here's the plan," she hissed at the robot. "We either knock this thing out quickly or lure it back to the hall and away from the computers, then we knock it out. Any questions?"
The robot blinked at her. "I have: numerous questions. What is your plan for incapacitating the unknown life form?"
"Mmm, mostly hitting it until it stops moving. Any other questions?"
"This seems unsafe."
"That's not a question but fair." Look around, ears fanning and turning, trying to listen for whatever was scuttling about. "Now we just have to find it."
"The: computers, and biometric scanners, are interfering with my scanning capabilities," the robot offered. "I detect: four life forms in the immediate area."
"In the computer room?"
"In the server banks with us."
Oh please don't tell her this thing had buddies.
"Okay then," she squeaked, mincing along. "This just got harder."
"We must also avoid damaging the: server banks, as that will interfere with Hiro and Tadashi's work," the robot said.
"Great any other good news you got for me?"
"Three of the life forms are small, and getting closer." Look, point—"There."
"Where—oh you girls are in trouble," 'Kase said when she recognized the shapes.
"No," Violet said, scurrying over to the robot.
"No," Webby insisted—started squawking about how they would fight and win Tadashi and this flock this flight had been showing that fighting with SKREEE and SCREECH and claws worked and she was all for this decision.
"No," Lena said, staying with Webby and trying to see everywhere at once—zeroed in on something, froze—
'Kase followed her line of sight, whipped her head around, trying to see, blinking green lights affecting her ability to see in the dim warrens—
"Oh no," the robot declared.
Which was when the thing on the ceiling screeched and lunged, long body uncoiling, sharptoothed maw splitting open in several places and clawed limbs reaching out—
'Kase grabbed the girls and leaped down a side passage, the monster hitting the robot and rolling it, long coils wrapping around the red—
Webby squirmed free—was yanked back by 'Kase as she barked for the girls to stay back—
"Scanning," the robot said, apparently unperturbed by the monster clawing at it and trying to eat its head. "I detect traces of: lizard, mongoose, cobra, and human DNA. I cannot assess the patient's health as I do not have a matching database in my records."
"Go with about to be critically injured," 'Kase said before shrieking and launching herself at the thing to get it off—
She saw the spines on the back right as the robot rolled, making her land where Hiro had been sitting on it—
"I also detect traces of: porcupine DNA," the robot announced, holding the weird snapping jaws at bay. "Please exercise caution."
"Thanks," she gasped, scrabbling to hang on. "What was your name again?"
"I am Baymax."
"Well thanks—"
Which was when the monster decided that trying to crush Baymax like a tin can wasn't working—it uncoiled, multiple limbs getting traction on the floor and nearby computer banks, yanking itself backwards and snarling before folding over itself and scampering away.
"You know we can't be lucky enough for that thing to just go scurry for a hole to hide in," she pointed out after a beat. "We've got to stop it before it gets to the boys."
"The species sampled are all adept in: tunnels," Baymax said. "We must exercise extreme caution."
"And keep the girls close, since it's big enough to eat them," she said, looking around—"Girls?"
Baymax blinked, scanning the area before declaring "Oh no."
"Uh, yeah," she said, hopping down. "I don't know if you have any reservations about violence or whatever, but this thing needs to be put down, and fast."
Trying to hold the line in the break room was not working.
Honey Lemon had thrown a few chem balls at the door to block it when they finally had to retreat, hopefully that would be enough but it meant they needed to find another way through once they took care of the monsters—
"Wait we make a way through!" Fred yelped, pointing up. "Honey Lemon!"
"I'm on it!" she barked, throwing an acid ball at the ceiling. "Everyone get back!"
The advancing monsters did not, the advancing monsters were victim to several very heavy desks falling down on their heads.
"Ooh they're going to feel that one in the morning," Fred said.
"Sorry," she said, wincing as she threw a few more chem balls—mostly to trap the monsters, mostly to give them a way upstairs.
"I mean it worked, so," Wasabi started—flinched at their monster, Sherman, barking and growling at one of the side halls.
"Feel bad about it later," Gogo said, climbing up to the next floor. "And we're going to need a way into the stairs again."
Sherman barked, helped lift Honey Lemon and a very hesitant Wasabi up before clambering up himself.
"Thanks," she said, patting his shoulder before looking around. "Wait, where are we?"
Fred hopped about a bit. "Hmm, judging by the stuff around us, I'm going to say…a different part of the evil fortress."
"This looks like office space," Gogo pointed out. "Guess even evil genetics corporations have paperwork."
"Uh, we do still need to get our friends out of here," Wasabi pointed out.
"Right—do you want to cut the door open, or do we let Sherman the Tank do it?"
Sherman made a noise that might have been a chortle if he had still been human.
"We can see if the doors are made of the same stuff as the shutters," Wasabi said, mincing in that direction through the swivel chairs and desks.
"And if those fail we've got Honey Lemon's acid bombs," Fred pointed out, indicating the floor.
"Not for much longer—I'm running on empty," Honey Lemon said, panic starting to flutter in her chest with earnest. It had been there almost all night, like it usually was when they were on a mission, but right now—
Tight hug, almost crushing, feeling so, so familiar—
"Sorry—I just—"
"It's okay, I get it."
There was the panic that was the question of if this was the real Tadashi, and if it wasn't what then, how was Hiro even handling this oh man he was probably in desperate need of a hug—
Yelp when something nosed her arm—
"Sorry! Sorry," she said, waving her friends off before grinning sheepishly at Sherman, who shrugged as best he could before pointing. "What? What is it?"
"Honey Lemon that's not a good idea," Gogo called as she followed him to the next room.
"I'll be okay, just hold on," she countered, fingers hovering near her chem purse just in case. Reach the next room, look around—notice a light switch on the wall, hit it—
"Honey Lemon we're going to have to talk about this," Fred said, poking his head in. "You don't turn the lights on, there's staging and thematic elements to consider."
"Wruuhf," Sherman noised.
"My dude I don't speak monster so I'm just going to pretend you agree with me."
"Wuff."
"That did not sound agreeing," Mini-Max pointed out.
"Guys wait," Honey Lemon said, flapping a hand at them. "I know what this is!" Hug Sherman. "Thank you!"
"Yes thanks my man!" Fred said, also hugging him. "Why are we thanking him?"
She gestured at the room. "It's a chemistry lab—I should be able to refill my purse at least a little—"
Sherman started growling.
"Okay my dude respecting personal space now," Fred said, leaping back with paws up.
"There are unidentified life forms approaching," Mini-Max announced, leaping onto Sherman's head and pointing. "This is little cause for alarm, for JUSTICE is prepared to take on all comers!"
Sherman apparently took that as a cue to move forward, being careful of the counters as he squeezed past. Honey Lemon waved at Fred, led him down the next aisle made by the counters and politely ignored his muted remix of "Fred's Angels."
"Six intrepid friends led by Fred their leader, Fred," he mumbled quietly, bouncing a little but being cautious of the various glass instruments. "Tackling the monster queen to rescue their friends—mmm-mmm-mm. With the power of their mystical amulet—mmm-mmm-mm—they'll bring her reign to an end—mmm-mmm-mm—"
Honey Lemon shushed him when she saw Sherman stiffen ahead—tapped out a sequence on her purse, caught the chem ball, readied it—
Something launched itself at Sherman, screeching, causing him to rear back and sending Mini-Max flying—he teetered on his back leg—
Her chem ball softened his fall and kept him from getting a back full of glass, him thrashing at the thing clawing at his snout—
"No wait!" she squawked, recognizing the shape—grabbed it, tugged it off—
"Oh hey—Louie, right?" Fred asked, pointing at the bird-kid she was having to hold at arms' length.
"Freddie—"
"Oh right," he said, catching Louie and mostly pinning him.
"Are you okay in there?!" Gogo called.
"We're fine!" Honey Lemon called back. "We found Louie—and Huey," she added, looking at where Sherman was huffing at to see the little red-clad bird-kid huddled under a desk, puffed up and hissing.
"Fear not!" Mini-Max said, now on the floor and apparently trying to coax Huey out. "For we are here as defenders of JUSTICE! And should that not serve as enough comfort, I am also huggable, which makes me a better superhero companion!"
"Yes it does!" Fred agreed. "Okay my dude we're going to need you to calm down now repeat after me ami ma mo tofu da—"
Louie didn't, but he did finally exhaust himself and sag—or maybe he finally recognized them, it was difficult to tell.
"Holy cow Honey Lemon check it it worked!" Fred squawked.
"Uh, yeah Freddie," she said, gingerly patting Louie on the head—he purred, which was probably a good sign. Crouch down, address the other bird-person in the room. "Come on, Huey, it's all right—it's all right Sherman's a friend."
Sherman huffed, maybe to agree, backed up to give the bird-kids some space, debated before backing up the rest of the way to go help Gogo and Wasabi. Huey was still puffed up, hissing—relaxed a little once the big whale-monster was gone, but still trembling, looking at her with big scared eyes—
Darted at her when she put her arms out, glomped on her with a tight hug and a distressed keen.
"It's okay, it's okay," she said, patting his back and rocking him a little. "Everything will be fine, okay?"
"Wrr," Huey whimpered.
"Hugging also makes you a better superhero companion," Mini-Max observed, pointing at her.
"Yeah," she said, still petting Huey to get him calmed down—looked at Mini-Max—
Spotted a box behind him.
"Wait, what's that?" she asked, prompting Mini-Max to investigate.
He came back out with the box held aloft. "These are the gene cleansers that Huey had earlier." Put it down, open it, blink at the contents, then her. "One has already been used."
By who? But better yet—
"I have an idea!" she squawked, picking the box up and putting it on the counter. "Freddie, take Huey."
"No," Huey whimpered, hanging on when she tried to pull him away.
"My dude, it's okay, trust me we want to give Honey Lemon the space when she gets into her chem zone," Fred said, gently unhooking Huey's paws and holding him cradled in one arm. Louie had moved to the back of his costume, was hanging onto the curving horns on top and peering over the yellow eyes at Huey to whistle. "See? Good vibes, calm vibes, we are supporting Honey Lemon in what promises to be a most epic plan."
"It does indeed!" Mini-Max declared, leaping up to the counter as Honey Lemon scanned the room. "How may we be of assistance?"
"Find a mass spectrometer, firstly," she said.
They did, and as she put one of the gene cleansers in and started gathering materials she explained her plan.
"The gene cleansers will revert any monster back to their normal selves, right?" she asked. "So, instead of just loading up my chem purse with chemicals we may or may not have available to us, we specifically fill it with gene cleanser and then go to town!"
"Like when we went up against Nega-Globby with the anti-glob formula?" Fred asked—pumped a fist when she nodded. "YES I am LOVING this idea!"
"Thanks—the only problem is, then I can't make my other chem balls," she said, face falling slightly. "So if we need cushions or shields or anything else like that, we don't have them."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, but if we don't have to fight any monsters, the need becomes much less, correct?" Fred asked. "So I'm thinking it's worth the risk."
"Okay then," she said, turning to the computer when it pinged the results. "Let's get to work."