Chapter Eight
The best thing that I could think of to do was to release the dogs that were still there or at least the people who were still trapped as dogs. I also managed to get Baymax to store the papers before I made sure that all traces of the three of us would be gone. The false Tadashi is lying on the floor and I can see the larger Dalmatian staring in horror at what happened.
Of course Tadashi is looking in horror at all of this. This isn't the type of person he was. I feel so guilty about all of this. I should have been watching him more, he's my brother. I knew something was wrong and I just couldn't find the right words to talk to him. Now I'm just preying that they don't find us because if Tadashi attacks someone else in this form, there will be a lethal injection. I know that much already.
I don't know if the wound will remain that Tadashi caused, I don't know if he will have to deal with it when he gets back in his own body or not but I just have to worry about the here and now and as I try to pull the machinery off of Tadashi as quickly as I can and pull the weight of the much larger dog into my arms, I feel sad that he's not a puppy. I could travel with him much more easily when I could jut stuff him into a backpack.
I just want my brother back. I should be grateful because technically my brother is back. This dog in front of me is my older brother but I am still scared about what he did. I'm sure that he's scared too. It wasn't a very Tadashi thing to do.
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…
The first thing that I do when we get back home is send Baymax to a hidden location, I don't want to bring him into the discussion with Tadashi especially as I'm now witnessing his hesitancy at even being home right now. Something is wrong with him and as much as I do have a fear of him biting my arm off, I just want for him to be happy and feel safe and not be who they tried to turn him into.
"You can, come inside, you know," I attempt to remind him but Tadashi continues to stare at the house.
"No," he tells me with a shake of his head and I look at him warily, "I can't come inside, Hiro." I freeze. I can hear his voice and I can see the way he's stood there just staring up at the house as if he doesn't really understand it anymore. I don't understand a lot of what is going on but I hate this distance we hold because of the change of species. I'm proud that he's my brother.
"Why…" I begin but he cuts me off, looking at me from a side glance.
"I was," he turns to face me and starts moving backwards and I just want to hold onto him, stop him from moving, keep him with me. "I was out of control tonight. I did things that I would have never believed possible," I see the guilt in his eyes and I know that he's back to normal. As long as those drugs are kept out of his system, he should remain himself.
"I hurt somebody else," he says sounding disgusted. "You were right," he says and I notice the limp way his tail is hanging. "I have changed. I was one the man who invented Baymax, a health care robot. I wanted to help the sick and injured. I didn't want to become this, this attack dog. That's why I can't come inside."
I take slow breaths. I know that he's suffering but I'm suffering too. It haunted both of us.
I walk over to him. I have already accepted that he is my brother. I would really be a fool if I was to do anything differently. "I'm not leaving you," I tell him as I crouch in front of him and see that fear, those puppy dog eyes. He's in pain. He's in pain and he's my brother and that matters to me. It matters a lot to me.
"Tadashi," I say as I feel my knees getting dirty but it doesn't matter, I need to have him hear me right now. "That wasn't you. You wouldn't do that. They had you on some kind of a drug," he looks at me nervously. I have to rely on the fact that he is able to hear the truth from me. "I mean, look," I laugh weakly, "You let the house as a tiny puppy and they put you on enough drugs to change your body like this. I'd be all screwed up too," I tell him before I reach out and put both of my hands by his shoulder blades and he tilts his head. "Are you feeling okay now, though?"
Tadashi turns, I don't want to hear about the guilt that he has. I want for him to hear me, to listen to what I'm telling him. "Hiro, I can't be a part of this family." I don't want him to say this and so I wrap my arms around him again. I don't like showing my tears but thinking about losing him again brings so much pain to me. He can't leave me again. He shouldn't leave me again. "I hurt somebody," he tries to reason to me, "I could have hurt you."
"You didn't though," I try to remind him. "You were even ordered to attack me and you refused. You could have been killed and you still protected me because you're my big brother and I'm proud of that fact. When I thought you were dead, that someone else was responsible, I wanted to get my revenge. I think it's only normal to think that way," I shrug. I stand up, still keeping my hand on his head. "Let's go inside, hopefully Aunt Cass hasn't…"
"Hasn't what?" a voice comes from the darkness and I pause as I see Cass approaching us and then her face goes into shock as she looks at Tadashi. She turns, her vision going from one of us to the other. I hear her weak laugher. "I take it that something has happened," she says showing how worried she is. "However, no professional would believe me when I say that my nephew has been turned into a dog."
…
…
I don't think my mind will ever forgive me for hurting somebody. Even if I was influenced by drugs. Even if this man had ruined my life. I went too far. I should have stopped as soon as I knew that Hiro wasn't going to get hurt. I needed to protect my brother even if it cost me my life.
I feel Aunt Cass's protective arms around me. She knows something has happened. She's like a mother to the two of us and family can often see things that others just can't. "Hiro," Aunt Cass says, "I'm going to take him for a bath, okay?" she asks and I know that she's concerned about me. They both are.
I know that this is going to come out as barks but I want to say it anyway, "Aunt Cass," I begin but even though I'm hearing the echo of barks, my aunt turns to me in shock. Does she understand? Is she understanding me like Hiro does? She allows a weak laugh in shock and Hiro is staring at her, tryingto figure it out. "I'm sorry." I whisper as I bow my head. "I can't stay here."
Aunt Cass places her hand on the top of my head and gently ruffled my fur. "You're not going anywhere else," she tells me and I know that she'll do whatever it takes to stop me. She leans down so we can make better eye contact. "You really are talking," she says before she gives a quick sob, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm so happy just to hear your beautiful voice."
Hiro laughs at that, trying to make this night not feel as bad. "And what a beautiful voice," he winks at me. Aunt Cass doesn't respond to that.
"Are you okay?" she asks me now that we can speak the same language. She looks between me and Hiro. "I mean, you two worried me to the point where I was about to vomit if I couldn't find you .After all that you've been through, for the two of you to disappear and then return with you," she turns to me, "Injured and grown." Aunt Cass sighs before shaking her head, "I don't want to know right now." She turns apologetically to Hiro, "Go to bed. We'll talk in the morning." She turns to me and smiled, "Can I give you a bath?" she asks and I nod.
Hopefully they don't see me as much of a criminal as I see myself.
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…
Aunt Cass has put me in the bathtub and run the water enough so that I can keep part of my neck and my head above the water. She's being a little overprotective but it's not as if I can blame her. If this happened to Hiro, I wouldn't be able to keep myself from helping him. "So," Cass asks, "Do the wounds hurt?" she asks. They are tender and as she applies the shampoo to my fur, I try to not show the sting. "This reminds me of your mother," she says as she cups my backside to get the shampoo everywhere needed. It's not like I can do this for myself anymore.
"Because I'm completely dependent on you?" I tell her guiltily and I see her hesitancy upon my reply. I guess she didn't think that would be my response. I try to break the silence "And thank you," I tell her nervously. "Yes, the wounds do hurt but the pain is bearable," I tell her and Cass leaves a light kiss on the top of my head.
"You do understand," she says in an affectionate manner, "I can't see you as anything other than my nephew." I sigh, I hope that remains the case and I settle down in the bath but keep my chin above the water. I know if I as to show any discomfort It would cause her further pain. "So, are you and Hiro working on the case to retrieve your old body together?"
I nod but I feel that my energy has been sapped rom me. "Of course," I tell her honestly, "but it feel impossible." Cass gets some of the water and washes me behind my ears and the top of my head. I have a feeling that she can read through me and knows how much sadness I'm carrying. Being here with her and Hiro though, that's what is saving me.
"I want to help," Aunt Cass tells me and I sigh. I don't know how she can. It's as if I'm trying to solve an impossible puzzle. I shake my head and she sighs. Soon she's washed my whole body and picks up the large towel before helping me out of the tub.
"There's one thing that you could help with," I tell her and see how eager she is to learn what that is.
"What is it?" she asks as she dries my face very gently. I am beyond relieved that she appears to accept me despite this form.
Hopefully what I'm asking for is possible. I don't want to cause her further pain. I make a small whining noise that I didn't intend to make. "If I continue to look like this," I say as she wraps the towel around me and I sit on the tiled floor again. "If I go through the rest of my life as a dog. Can I either continue to stay here or go with Hiro? I feels safe here," I tell her and she places a hand on the top of my head with a kind and caring smile.
"Of course you can," she replied, "You're still my nephew, right?" she asks and I nod. I feel inside that we're family but I don't even know how my parents would react if they were alive and found me in this manner. I hope that they would give me a place to be safe but I wouldn't blame them if they were to reject me. I know I don't look like myself.
I smile weakly or as much as a canine can smile. I rub my head against her shoulder and she pulls me into her lap. "I just wanted to say thank you. You didn't ask for me to be this way. You didn't ask to be involved in this. I'm really sorry that I did drag you into this."
"As I said," Aunt Cass smiles "You are my nephew," as my tail drops she leans down and puts a hand on my chin to have me look at her. "I love you," she tells me, "I will always love you because you're an important part of our family." She laughs, "If I can help you by taking you on walks, giving you baths, and cooking or buying you food then that's all that I want. I just want you to be safe and live the best life possible. I need to learn a bit more about dogs," she thinks aloud and I know that she's just trying to help me.
"If I can do anything," I tell her and Cass pets me again.
"Be nice to Mochi for me?" she asks me. I guess she doesn't know how Mochi has become a good friend to me. I nod. I hope that she doesn't see us as the same. I hope she doesn't think that I'm only a pet to her. "He's a part of our family too, not as important as you and Hiro but he's still our cat."
"Just like I'm the family watchdog?" I ask and Cass hugs me again.
"You are my nephew, Hiro's brother, you can't change that," Cass tries to remind me. "Now, go see your brother. I'm sure that he's worried about you."
I'm sure that he is too. I just need to figure out how to help him.
End of Chapter Eight
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