GOGO LOOKED at her phone screen, listening to Hiro's phone ring on the other end. She held the nape of her neck and worried about him because he had become very distant to her.
HIRO SAT at his desk, listening to music on his computer. His phone had been ringing and he had tried to ignore it at first. It was persistent and he could not stand it anymore.
Hiro quickly grabbed the phone, about to cut the line when he saw the caller ID. He sighed because he knew that GoGo would want to ask him what had been going on with him.
He was not ready to talk to her; to anyone, but he knew that he needed to talk to someone. It was eating at him since he saw the criminal's corpse hanging in the alley and he was losing sleep. The phone rang again.
Hiro cut the line and went back to his music.
GOGO LOOKED at her phone and furrowed her brow.
"What is going?" GoGo said to herself.
GoGo started a redialling and a dark figure moved toward her from the shadows. She sensed it and waiting for the right moment. The masked man in a brown jacket drew a dagger, about to stab her and she rolled out of the way. He stabbed the dagger into the bed instead and she stared him down.
The man dislodged the dagger from the bed and She kicked him, causing him to smack his head against a wall. She threw a punch at him and he dodged it. She threw two more at him and he weaved through them swiftly. He held her wrist and kneed her in the ribs. She threw a kick; he dodged and punched her in the gut. She fell back and slammed against a window, causing it to crack.
The man threw a kick at GoGo and she rolled out of the way, towards her bedside drawer. She pulled out gloves from the drawer and dodged a punch he threw at her. She put on her gloves and maglev discs shot out of the wardrobe and onto the gloves. She threw a maglev disc at him and he flipped laterally out of the way. The maglev disc lodged into a wall and he kicked her shoulder. She threw another maglev disc at him and held her shoulder in pain. He kicked the maglev disc into another wall and gave her a spinning roundhouse kick.
GoGo fell on the ground and she bled from her nose. The man stomped toward her and she rolled out of the way. She launched herself to her feet and he tackled her through the door and into the hallway.
GOGO STRUGGLED to her feet and the man punched her. She fell toward the stairs and leaned on the guardrail.
"What was that?" Kaien called from the living room.
The man threw a kick at GoGo and she flipped over the guardrail to avoid it. She smacked against the edge of a table and fell on the floor.
Kaien ran up to GoGo and saw her turning painfully on the floor.
"GoGo," Kaien said as he knelt beside her.
Kaien looked up and saw the man walk slowly toward him. He grabbed a baseball bat that was leaning against a wall and he ran up to him.
The man dodged Kaien's swing and bashed the bat in his face. He stumbled back and dropped the bat. He kicked Kaien in the gut, bashed the back of his head against a wall and punched him. Kaien fell on the ground and the man lifted him up.
He punched him twice, breaking his nose and bashed his head thrice against a mirror. He fell over and went unconscious. The man looked at Kaien and then turned to GoGo.
She groaned and her vision became blurry.
GoGo strained to look at the man and he disappeared from her sight in between blinks. She looked at her father's bloodied up face and went unconscious.
HIRO SCREAMED as he woke up from yet another nightmare. Baymax walked up to him.
"Are you okay, Hiro?" Baymax asked.
"It's okay," Hiro said, "Just a bad dream,"
Hiro sat up and held his head. He sweated profusely and breathed tremulously.
"Are you sure? Is there anything I can do to help?" Baymax asked.
"No, it's fine," Hiro said, lying to Baymax.
Hiro felt like he was losing his mind and the more he tried to forget, the worse it became. He needed to talk to someone about this, but the fear of his loved ones thinking of him as a murderer kept him in a cycle of misery.
Hiro got out of bed and prepared for class.
HIRO WALKED down the stairs and came to the main floor. Aunt Cass saw him and called out.
"Morning, Hiro," Aunt Cass said with a smile, "Breakfast's ready,"
"It's okay, Aunt Cass," Hiro said absentmindedly, "I'll skip breakfast,"
"Are you sure?" Aunt Cass said, trying to persuade him, "It's your favourite,"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Hiro said.
Hiro continued down the steps.
"Okay, bye honey," Aunt Cass said.
Hiro did not respond and he went down to the café. Aunt Cass wondered what was going on, but decided to ignore it.
HIRO WALKED up the steps of Ito Ishioka Robotics Lab and headed for the main entrance. Honey Lemon, Wasabi and Fred came out of the building and nearly bumped into him.
"Oh, Hiro, it's terrible!" Honey Lemon said.
Honey Lemon hugged him and he was confused.
"What's wrong?" Hiro asked.
She pulled away from him and was surprised.
"What?" Honey Lemon asked.
"You mean you don't know?" Wasabi asked.
"GoGo's in hospital, so is her dad; we were just told," Honey Lemon said.
"What happened?" Hiro asked.
"We'll explain on the way," Wasabi said.
The guys walked away from the building and explained to Hiro what happened as they went to the parking lot.
HIRO OPENED the door and the guys rushed into GoGo's hospital ward. She laid in bed with her torso wrapped in bandages and her arm in a sling.
The guys massed around GoGo and Hiro stood there, disbelieving his eyes.
"GoGo," Hiro said in disbelief.
"How do you feel?" Fred asked.
"What do you think?" GoGo said angrily.
Hiro walked toward GoGo.
"What happened?" Honey Lemon asked concernedly as she sat at her bedside.
Hiro tried to touch GoGo and she moved her arm away. He took it aback.
"A man snuck in through my room last night and attacked us," GoGo said, "Thank God for neighbours or I'd be bleeding out on the floor,"
"How'd he look like?" Wasabi asked.
"He wore a mask. It had two vertical crimson lines and wore a brown jacket over a black jersey and jeans," GoGo said.
"Another villain," Fred said with excitement.
GoGo frowned at Fred.
"Sorry, bad timing," Fred said.
"Why didn't you call anyone?" Hiro asked.
"Call? I was trying to call you the whole time!" GoGo yelled.
Hiro frowned and looked away from GoGo.
"You were too busy brooding over who the Hell knows what and ignored me," GoGo said, "Now my dad's in a coma and well -, I look like freaking mummy,"
"GoGo, I –," Hiro tried to say.
"Just get out," GoGo said, shaking her head.
"Yeesh," Fred said.
"GoGo, it's not his fault," Honey Lemon said.
GoGo turned away from Hiro and Honey Lemon looked at him worriedly. He tried to reach out to her and withdrew his hand.
Hiro sighed and walked away reluctantly.
"Hiro, don't leave," Honey Lemon said.
He left the room and slammed the door.
HIRO HELD his head angrily and groaned as he walked down the halls. He walked passed Kaien's ward and glanced in, seeing him lie in his bed motionlessly.
Hiro shook his head angrily and headed for the exit.
A CAR drove up to the back entrance of a club in the evening. Two men came out and knocked on the door. A bartender came out of the club and talked to the men. A dark figure swooped passed their car.
One of the men gave the bartender a bag and he nodded. The bartender returned to the club and the men walked back to their car.
The masked man in a brown jacket ran up to the first man and kicked him. The masked man dodged a punch from the second man and elbowed him. The first man threw a punch at the masked man and he flipped over and kicked him in the head. He snapped the first man's neck.
The second man threw a punch at the masked man and he spun around him. The masked man stuck a small device in the nape of the second man's neck and bashed his forehead on the car.
The man looked at the second man who hurriedly entered the car. The second man turned on the car and saw that the masked man had gone. He panicked and drove off.
SEVERAL MEN and women packaged drugs into small bags monotonously in a large abandoned factory. Mr. Yoshinori and another well-dressed man walked in between the rows of packers, inspecting them.
"As you can see, Mr. Rogers, everything is going smoothly," Mr. Yoshinori said, "You needn't worry,"
"Yes, the wife says that as well," Mr. Rogers said with a chuckle, "I just want to ensure that I get the payback on my investments,"
"Yes, but you should trust us; I have never let you down before," Mr. Yoshinori said.
"That is true, Mr. Yoshinori," Mr. Rogers said, "Well, let me leave you to your business,"
"It's a pleasure," Mr. Yoshinori said.
Mr. Rogers nodded and headed for the factory's exit. Mr. Yoshinori turned and walked toward his office when a man ran up to him.
"Shi Yoshinori! Shi Yoshinori!" The man called Mr. Yoshinori.
"Hai," Mr. Yoshinori inquired.
"Tōsha wa, tōsha no ran no izureka ni kōgeki sa remashita," The man told Mr. Yoshinori about the attack.
"Fū ga?" Mr. Yoshinori asked who the assailant was.
" Watashi wa kare ga amarini mo hayakatta, wakarimasen," The man said that he did not know, "Neji o toridashimashita,"
Mr. Yoshinori frowned and the man bended over, panting heavily. Mr. Yoshinori growled as he saw the device blinking in the man's neck.
"Anata wa baka," Mr. Yoshinori called the man foolish.
"Huh?" The man asked.
"Koko ni kare o michibikimashita," Mr. Yoshinori said that he was followed by the attacker.
"Dōiu imidesu ka?" The man inquired what he meant.
Mr. Yoshinori turned the man around and yanked the device out of his neck.
"Kare ga anata ni torakkā o okimasu," Mr. Yoshinori told the man about the tracker.
"Shirimasendeshita," The man said that he did not know and apologized, "Gomen'nasai,"
"Anata wa orokadesu," Mr. Yoshinori called the man stupid.
Mr. Yoshinori looked around and ordered.
"Tatemono o kakomimasu," Mr. Yoshinori ordered his men to surround the building.
Mr. Yoshinori turned to the man and he ran off. Mr. Yoshinori muttered to himself as he drew out his phone. He dialled a number.
Smoke canisters flung into the room and exuded a thick cloud, covering the room entirely. The packagers panicked and ran off.
"Kore wa, watashiniha nani mo arimasen," Mr. Yoshinori said.
One of Mr. Yoshinori's guards walked around, training his gun. A figure swooped passed him and he screamed. The guard fell at Mr. Yoshinori's feet with his gun lodged in his eye.
"Tsk, jikei-dan," Mr. Yoshinori said.
A guard walked around slowly, trying to make his way through the smoke. The man turned and saw a figure standing nearby. The guard fired at him and the figure slipped away. He panted as he looked around, training his gun.
Mr. Yoshinori looked into the smoke closely as the guard fired around frantically. The man yelled in horror and Mr. Yoshinori heard him choke. A gunshot echoed and the decapitated guard fell out of the smoke.
"You shouldn't have come here; this isn't a game," Mr. Yoshinori said, "I've dealt with vigilantes since I entered this business and you won't leave here alive,"
"I'm not a vigilante," The man said.
"Kare o yattsukemasu," Mr. Yoshinori ordered.
Headlights lit up the room as police cars amassed around the factory. Police officers entered the room, training their guns on the man in the brown jacket. The masked man looked around then at Mr. Yoshinori.
"These are your men, aren't they?" The masked man asked.
"You've done your homework," Mr. Yoshinori said, "Give up,"
The man chuckled.
"You think this is funny?" Mr. Yoshinori asked.
"Yeah, you've just proved my hunch was correct," The man said.
The man pulled out a detonator from his jacket and pressed it. Bombs exploded around the factory, sending waves that broke the windows and rubble that smashed the police officers. Mr. Yoshinori stepped back fearfully and the masked man ran up to him and kicked him. He tried to crawl away and the man walked toward him.
"Let's talk about this," Mr. Yoshinori said, "I'll give you money,"
The masked man stepped on his chest, pinning him down.
"Please," Mr. Yoshinori aid.
"Money can't buy what you took from me," The masked man said, "Or what I'll take from you,"
He drew a dagger and stabbed Mr. Yoshinori's forehead. He looked at his corpse and walked away as the factory caught fire.
HIRO WORKED on his PC whilst listening to music on his headsets. GoGo entered the room with her arm in a sling.
"Hiro," GoGo said.
He did not hear her and continued working on the computer.
"Hiro!" GoGo yelled, getting impatient.
He sensed a presence in his room and responded absentmindedly.
"I'm kinda busy, Aunt Cass," Hiro said, not turning to her.
GoGo walked up to him and yanked the headsets out of the PC.
"Hey, what the –," Hiro said as he turned, "Oh, I didn't see you there,"
"Ugh," GoGo said and she sat on his bed.
He turned to her
"I didn't know you were discharged; I was coming over there actually," Hiro said.
"Oh really?" GoGo said sarcastically.
"I mean I would've come over, but I wanted to give you space 'cuz I thought you'd still be angry," Hiro said.
She sighed.
"Hiro, we need to talk," GoGo said.
"About what?" Hiro asked.
"About us," GoGo said.
He looked worried and she smirked.
"I'm not breaking up with you," GoGo said, "But, I feel like we've been drifting apart lately,"
"Really? 'Cuz I don't think so," Hiro said, playing dumb.
"Hiro, I know there's something wrong with you," GoGo said, "You've been so distant,"
"What're you talking about?" Hiro asked.
"Stop doing that! Ever since you saw that criminal, you've been pulling away from me," GoGo said.
He fell silent.
"For crying out loud, say something! I'm tired of this," GoGo said, "Did I do something? Why are you doing this to me?"
"I don't wanna talk about it," Hiro said.
"Well, I do," GoGo said, "You either tell me now, or I walk,"
"It's complicated," Hiro said.
"How complicated?"GoGo asked.
He did not respond.
"Say something, damn it!" GoGo shouted desperately.
"I killed someone!" Hiro shouted out in frustration.
Silence fell between them. He looked at her, seeing the shock in her eyes. Unsure of what she was thinking, he sighed and looked at his lap. He was in a corner and he had to come clean.
"I didn't know who talk to about it," Hiro said, "It's been haunting me since then and I was afraid of what you'd think of me,"
"Why? What happened?" GoGo asked concernedly.
A tear rolled down Hiro's cheek as he continued speaking. He fought for composure.
"It was during the blackout," Hiro said in a hoarse voice, "This man in red who worked for an ex-bot fighter attacked me. I tried to run, but I ...,"
He held his head in frustration and slouched, placing his elbows on his knees.
"He grabbed a metal bar, about to kill me and I crushed his skull with it," Hiro said with a lump in his throat, "I murdered him,"
He began to cry, shaking his head.
GoGo got up from the bed and hugged him.
"It's not your fault, Hiro," GoGo said reassuringly.
He cried into her shoulder.
"You were trying to defend yourself," GoGo said.
"I've been telling myself that since then, but it doesn't help," Hiro said.
"Don't blame yourself, Hiro," GoGo said.
She held his shoulders and looked at him.
"I killed him," Hiro said.
"You're not a murderer; you never will be," GoGo said.
He sighed and shook his head.
"I need be alone right now," Hiro said.
She looked at him concernedly.
"Okay," GoGo said with a sigh, "Just know that I'm here for you,"
She gave him a peck on the cheek and rose to her feet. She looked at him and he turned toward the window.
GoGo sighed and headed for the door. He watched her leave and she shut the door behind her as she did.
As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.