After two months of difficulties, including withdrawing Esai from his school, filing a California homeschool affidavit on the California Department of Education on their website, and finding the best curriculum (I.E. good schedule, how the boy will learn, etc.), the Flores family finally had a homeschooling schedule as planned.
So far, Esai is scheduled for classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far, ever since he started weeks ago, he was performing exceptionally!
However, they still are having trouble with trying to find whoever's gonna be his babysitter for whenever they are not around and finding a nearby social homeschool social group. Those were two of the persisting issues since almost all babysitters in their local area were already taken, and San Fransokyo doesn't exactly have any homeschool social groups.
However, these issues wouldn't last for long.
One day, Esai was finishing setting up a puzzle of a DNA strand. Alba looked at him with a smile.
"Are you typing down notes?" she asked. Esai nodded as he went to Alba's laptop, and typed the notes down.
"Yep. You know that DNA is made up of nucleotides known as Adenine, Thymine-" he began, and Alba added,
"Guanine, and Cytosine. I know; I took Biology as well." she said. Esai chuckled as he finished his notes and puzzle.
"Done! How did I do?" he asked, scooting back. Alba walked over, looking at the puzzle, and the notes. She looked on and smiled with satisfaction at seeing the results.
"Amazing, Esai!" she said to him, patting him on the shoulder, making the boy smile. "At this rate, you'll be done with homeschooling in a couple of months." she cheered. Esai giggled and nodded.
"Good! So…now what? Are we finished for today?" he asked, hopefully. Alba nodded.
"That's correct. We're done…for assignments. In about an hour or two, we'll be heading out to meet a couple of parents who had homeschooled children." she said. Esai raised a brow.
"Huh? I thought you couldn't find a social group in San Fransoyko." he replied. Alba nodded.
"You're right. That's why I brought together a couple of people from online to gather together at the Golden Gate Park for a social gathering!" Alba said with a happy smile. Esai nodded in understanding, before groaning to himself.
"Dang it!" he said. Alba chuckled.
"You still need to make friends. You're still human, after all!" she cooed softly, squishing his cheeks. Esai frowned.
"But isn't loneliness essential to being human?" he asked. Alba scoffed.
"That's NOT what they meant! They're referring to the fact that no one can share the same point of view in life that YOU do. You still need to at least share them, otherwise you'll go crazy." she teased. Esai groaned at this; he never liked socializing with any other kids his age, especially thanks to the bullying incident with Emma nearly over a month prior. Alba noticed this and shook her head.
"Sweetheart, I know you might still be a little bit on edge after what happened with you and Emma, but I want you to know something (aside from the fact that THAT was kind of your fault as well): Not every kid is like her. A lot of them are really sweet and would like to make friends with anyone. Trust me, just give them a chance. I promise you won't regret it." she assured.
Esai looked at her, and upon seeing her smile, ended up giving in.
"Okay, momma. You win…" he grumbled. Alba perked up and cheered, hugging him.
"Good! Now, see you in an hour, calabaza." she cooed, before kissing him in the left cheek, and skidded out of the room, leaving Esai alone. He sighed to himself, before he flopped on his back to the ground, staring at the ceiling. Basco and Otis, the family pugs who were in the room at the time, approached him and lied down next to him. Esai leaned his head against the two of them affectionately and continued staring at the ceiling.
"I hope this goes well…" he muttered to himself, anticipating what will happen today…
Later on, Alba's car drove along the streets of San Fransokyo, zooming past everything else, as if the driver was excited to get to someplace before its too late.
It was time to head to the non-official social group, and Alba was excited. She wanted to meet up with the parents, and hopefully get Esai to make some new friends, to distract himself from his private life. In the backseat, Esai was just looking outside, admiring the rest of the city. He had a small smile on his face; he was admittedly excited that he was going to Golden Gate Park. He has looked up all the beautiful pictures of the park, and it would prove to be inspirational for his future drawings. Not to mention, the place has a herd of bison in a paddock, which excited him because bison are among his favorite living animals.
However, the reasoning for why he has to go there…it did concern him. However, his mother did promise that he would have a fun time, so that, plus with the fact that no matter how many times he would argue, her decision would remain unchanged, made him want to just be done with it (and in his mind, he hoped to make at least one friend).
Before long, the car parked at the park near the Elk Glen Lake. Alba got out of the door and approached Esai.
"Come on, little fella. Everyone's further up at the park's main garden itself. Let's get going." she said as Esai crawled out, slower than she wanted. Esai nodded, understanding her.
The two of them walked along the road, eventually arriving at the large patch of grass where people have picnics in the park. Alba looked around, hoping to find the group before her eyes caught several figures waving at them.
"Oh, there they are! Come on!" she said, grabbing Esai's hand and pulled him forward. Esai gasped at his mother's grasp as he was yanked forward.
"Mom! Calm down!" he said to her as he was pulled forward. Alba looked at him and smiled sheepishly with a shrug.
"Sorry, little fella! But I'm too excited about this. Keep up!" she replied happily before she turned ahead and kept running towards the group. Esai furrowed his brows, knowing what that meant; "Don't care, keep up!"
At last, they have arrived at the group, and Alba and the other two adults eagerly greeted each other. Esai looked at the other two adults, and inspected each of them…
One of them is a woman with olive-tan skin and short brown hair going down her chin. Her nose looks a bit weird, but Esai didn't pay further attention to that.
The other one is a man who is in his mid-40s with gray hair and is partially bald. He also sports a few wrinkles surrounding his eyes. Unlike the woman, once Esai looked at the man…he felt something twang inside of him. Something about the man felt very familiar. And ALSO, that sense of familiarity is accompanied by …a sense of uneasiness. In the back of his mind, he made sure to do his best to keep his distance from the man.
With that in mind, he turned towards several other people. There, he noticed…only two other kids. One of them is a boy with short blond hair. He was around the same age as him, but instead of Japanese-American like with Esai, he was of Caucasian descent, with bright blue eyes.
The other one, to his surprise, is not even in the same age group. The other 'child' is a girl, around eighteen years of age. But unlike with the boy, there were a lot of interesting features about her. In addition to a puffy strawberry red hair tied to a ponytail, the tall girl has bright purple eyes. Esai shrugged at that part, thinking that she may have some contacts on. Aside from the eyes, the girl also supports a metallic arm where her left arm should be. It appears to be mostly intact and clean, but Esai could also see some wires inside of the arm, some of them burrowing into the flesh.
"Esai." he heard Alba call out to him, and he looked up at her. She had a raised brow in confusion. "Are you alright? You've been staring at the other kids." she said, a hint of concern. Esai looked at her, a bit dumbfounded at first before he giggled shyly.
"Sorry…was a bit distracted. What is it?" he explained and then asked. Alba then nodded in understanding and then gestured her hand towards the two adults.
"So, anyways; Esai, I would like for you to meet the two people I had help arranging this. This lady is Ms. Grant. And this man is Mr. Sawyer. Say hi to them." she said, patting him on the back. Esai looked back at them and waved his hand.
"Hi." he greeted. Miss Grant and Mister Sawyer smiled and nodded back.
"Pleasure to meet you, young one." Mister Sawyer said.
"Same here, sweetheart." Ms. Grant added with a smile. Alba smiled at the scene, and gently rubbed the back of Esai's head. Then, she looked at the other two kids behind the other parents.
"So, who are the other two kids?" she asked. They nodded, as they looked at the boy and girl. Ms. Grant gestured the boy towards her.
"This is my foster child, Daniel Knox." she said, patting the boy, Daniel, on the back. Daniel looked at Esai and Alba, and smiled, waving at them.
"Hi." he said happily. Alba chuckled and nodded, while Esai waved back at him.
"Hello there, little one. You look nice." Alba replied. Esai nodded.
"Yeah. Hello." he replied. The adults looked at them and smiled warmly. Then, Mr. Sawyer pulled his daughter closer to him.
"And THIS is my daughter, Suritu Sawyer." he said, pattering her in the back. The older girl, Suritu, waved at them while wearing another bright smile, though Esai noticed that it seemed to have faltered when her father patted her on the back.
"Hello!" she said. Esai and Daniel waved back, though they eyed each other, wondering why is there a grown-up doing in a private organization for homeschoolers!
"Alright, now that the introductions are underway…now what?" asked Ms. Grant, now realizing that now that they're here…they didn't plan aside from getting the kids together. Mr. Sawyer clasped his hands together and smiled.
"I guess, we leave the kids to their own devices, while WE just hang around nearby so that the kids won't be on our sights." he suggested. Alba and Ms. Grant looked at him and nodded, and looked at the kids.
"Alright, so you three just…well, just stick around and…talk about stuff." Alba instructed as they stepped back for a while, before adding, "Don't go too far!"
Mr. Sawyer added to this with, "And keep an eye on the children Suritu!" before they left, leaving the kids alone.
Suritu, Esai, and Daniel looked at the direction their parents went before they stared at each other. After a while of silence, Esai broke it with,
"I don't think they went far with their plans."
The other two shook their heads in agreement.
"Nope." Daniel said.
"Not at all." Suritu added.
After another period of silence, Esai then pointed to Daniel.
"So uh…you're Daniel, right? W-What do you like to do?" he asked. Daniel slightly grew a smile, and as they sat down, he began with,
"Well, I like lions, going to outer space, and I like to eat broccoli." he stated. Esai immediately stuck his tongue put and pulled back in disgust.
"Yuck! I hate broccoli, it tastes awful!" he complained. Suritu giggled to herself and scooted closer to him.
"Broccoli is healthy for you, Esai. Your name is Esai, right?" she asked. Esai nodded as he placed his hands on the ground.
"Yeah. Esai Flores. And huh? Broccoli is nasty!" he replied, crossing his arms. Suritu grew smug and crossed her arms as well.
"Did you eat any?" she asked. Esai was about to retort when he paused for a moment. He tried to think of a retort…but he came up with nothing. He sighed to himself as he crossed his arms. Suritu and Daniel looked at each other and grew smirks in victory.
"Anyways, what about you; what do you like?" asked Esai to Suritu once he admitted defeat. Suritu straightened herself up, and replied with,
"Well, I like being by myself, outside in the world, and not cooped up like some kind of animal." she said. Esai raised a brow in intrigue.
"You rarely go outside? Why?" asked Esai. Suritu sighed through her nose as her smile faltered a bit.
"Well, it's for more private reasons. I don't like to talk about that." she said, shaking her head. Esai looked at her and felt a saddened aura coming off from her. He immediately grew uncomfortable seeing her beginning to grow sad. Luckily for him, Daniel stepped in with,
"Is there anything else you like? Something that makes you happy?" he asked. Suritu looked at him and nodded.
"Y-Yeah. I like that. Um…I also like making new friends." she said with honesty. Daniel grew a smile and crawled over to her.
"Then you can be our friend! Right, Esai?" he asked, turning towards her with a new smile. Esai looked at the two of them, not expecting them to want to be friends so soon. They haven't even gotten to know what he likes.
However, a part of him wants him to accept this offer. He was always lonely whenever he is at home whenever his mothers are at home. Sure, he has his two dogs, but a pair of dogs can only do so much for a child. And…plus, looking over notes over and over again does get kind of boring after a while.
After a while, Esai looked at them and nodded. Suritu immediately beamed with happiness, as she then grabbed Esai and pulled him and Daniel into hugs. The two boys were taken by surprise at this movement, but Suritu wasn't paying attention.
"Oh, that's great! I know we just started, but I'm already looking forward to the next meeting…preferably whenever we ACTUALLY have a plan to what we shall do!" she cheered. Daniel and Esai looked at each other, and smiled, blushing at the girl's display of affection, and not knowing how else to react to this.
Rwooosh!
Suritu, Daniel, and Esai flinched at hearing the sound of rocket whooshing in the sky. They looked up, and they saw a red figure flying above the park at a fast pace. Esai recognized what that was, and he gasped in delight!
"Oh my gosh; it's BIG HERO 6!" he cheered in delight as he pointed at the flying mass. Daniel and Suritu looked up, following his gaze, and their faces brightened up as well.
"Big Hero 6! That's awesome!" Daniel cheered, scooting beside Esai to get a closer look. Suritu looked as well, and she was admired by the sight of the flying machine, though she did raise a brow in confusion.
"Wait…why are they out now? I don't recall there being any criminals out now." she asked.
"Perhaps they're on patrol, young ones." a familiar voice said from behind them. The three turned around, and they saw Mr. Sawyer with a water bottle on his hand.
"Oh, Mr. Sawyer. Did you see them? That was Big Hero 6!" Esai said, pointing at the sky trail. Mr. Sawyer nodded with a chuckle.
"Of course. I'm sure everybody with ears could've heard the flying one zooming across the sky." he said with a shrug. This made Esai fluster a bit. Daniel then stood up.
"Can we go see them? Please, oh please?!" he pleaded, hands clasping together. Mr. Sawyer chuckled as he approached them and patted him on the head.
"It's gonna be difficult to catch up with them, so…I'm not so sure." he replied with uncertainty. Esai and Daniel then whined. Suritu then patted them in the back.
"Sorry, guys. Maybe next time." she said, assuring them with a calm, soothing voice.
"Okay." Esai said, crossing his arms in disappointment. Mr. Sawyer looked at the boy, and pondered about something for a moment before his eyes widened.
"Excuse me, Suritu. Would you mind taking this bottle to our car, and refill it?" he asked. Suritu raised a brow, but she stood up and approached Mr. Sawyer.
"Why not just do it yourself, father?" she asked, a hint of sass in her voice. Mr. Sawyer shook his head and made an 'I don't know' expression.
"I just don't feel like it. I like the people I'm conversing it, and I would like to get back to them soon." he explained with a frown. Suritu looked at him, and then at the kids. Something inside of her is going haywire, telling her to not trust him. Mr. Sawyer patted her on the shoulder and leaned in closer.
"I won't do anything to these kids. Trust me; I'm not that person anymore." he whispered in assurance. Suritu narrowed her eyes at him.
"Father…I hope you're serious. Because if not…" she said, clenching her fists. Mr. Sawyer noticed her metal arm, and he could see a slot opening up. Instead of being intimidated, he gestured his head to her arm. Suritu looked down, and she noticed the tip of a blade extending outwards. She gasped and flexed her hand, and the blade retracted. After looking at the two children, who were distracted with talking to one another, they sighed to themselves in relief. Suritu then grabbed the cup from her father's hand and turned away.
"Don't make me regret this, father." she told him before she walked away. Mr. Sawyer nodded, before looking at the two boys talking to one another.
"I wish I can see Big Hero 6." Esai said, sighing to himself in disappointment. Daniel looked at him and raised a brow.
"Why? Do you want an autograph?" he asked. Esai shook his head.
"No…I wanted to ask them 'why?'" he replied. Daniel raised a brow.
"Why what?"
"Why bother fighting if crime isn't going away…"
Daniel looked at Esai, now confused.
"What do you mean 'crime isn't going away'?" he asked.
"Are you two still talking about Big Hero 6?" asked Mr. Sawyer as he approached them, kneeling. Esai and Daniel nodded.
"Duh. They're awesome!" Daniel replied. Mr. Sawyer nodded, but then Esai then added,
"But they're in the metro…metro-uh…whatever part of the city. Momma and Meemaa said there's a lot of crime in there." Mr. Sawyer nodded in agreement.
"Oh, yes; they're right! Only the bravest of heroes will dare to go to the city and face the crime there." he said, sitting down. Esai, as he listened to this, then remembered what he and Honey Lemon said during their phone conversation a while back;
"Esai Flores…out of everyone in this world that I have met; you might have the highest potential to change the world for the better.?
"Is that what Big Hero 6 is doing? Do you think I can help as well?"
"Well, of course! Remember this; you are far more than what you are right now. You just need the guidance, willpower, and empathy, as I said"
Esai's face brightened, and he looked at Mr. Sawyer.
"But I can be brave! And my older sister, Lucy, said that I could help Big Hero 6 by helping others! And I want to prove it!" he said. Mr. Sawyer looked at him and smiled at him.
"You want to help them?" he asked. Esai nodded with a smile.
"Yep!"
Daniel nodded as well.
"I wanna help too! I wanna be partners with that fire-breathing member!" he added excitedly. Mr. Sawyer chuckled.
"Oh, you two. I know you must be so desperate to meet your heroes, especially since they should be there around this time! Not to mention; I can especially see Esai here helping the team out in a way…But, I'm afraid I can't permit that!" he stated, shaking his head. Esai and Daniel groaned.
At this point, Mr. Sawyer could see Suritu coming back with a new water bottle. He nodded and stood up.
"That must be my cue. I must go, and remember what I said." he said, standing up. Esai and Daniel nodded with disappointed pouts.
"I've got your water, father." Suritu said as she approached them with a water bottle. Esai noticed her briefly inspecting them as she hands Mr. Sawyer the bottle.
"Thank you, Suritu! Now, take care!" Mr. Sawyer said cheerfully, as he walked past her, allowing Suritu to walk back to the kids.
Suritu looked at the two kids, and after eyeing them for a moment, then sat down between them, smiling.
"What's with the pouty faces?" she asked. Esai sighed and looked at her.
"We can't go into the city to meet Big Hero 6…" he replied sadly. Daniel nodded in agreement. Suritu looked at her father, and then back at the kids, before chuckling and patting them in the head.
"Don't worry; there's always a next time! Now, come on; let's forget about them for today and head to the playground! Come on!" she said, standing up and taking their hands. Esai and Daniel looked at her, and then at each other.
Neither of them were paying attention to Mr. Sawyer, who was looking back at the two kids with a dark smile.
"These kids may be smart, but they'll never resist the opportunity to sneak out and meet their idols…" Mr. Sawyer thought to himself as he walked away, back to the two mothers.
Later on, Suritu and the children began to approach the playground, with Esai and Daniel tagging behind her. Esai turned to look at Daniel, who was still carrying a disappointed look.
"What's wrong?" he asked Daniel. Daniel looked at him and sighed.
"This stinks! I want to go to the city and meet Big Hero 6, not stay in some dumb playground." he replied. Esai nodded in agreement.
"I know. Instead, we have to follow Suritu!" he said as they approached the playground. There, he could see a large group of kids mingling with one another at the playground. He then grew an idea, and he nudged Daniel's shoulder. Daniel looked at him.
"What?" he asked. Esai grew a smirk and leaned closer.
"What do you say we sneak out of here and get to the city ourselves?" he asked, deviously.
Daniel raised his brows.
"Huh?" he asked. Esai leaned in closer and whispered something to Daniel. Daniel's expression grew from curiosity to one of excitement.
"Awesome! Wait…so if we're gonna escape, then how do we escape the sight of Suritu?" he asked. Esai looked at Suritu, who was looking at her metal arm. However, since she was turning back, Esai couldn't tell how she was feeling.
"I don't know…let me check how." he said as he looked around and began to inspect their surroundings.
Meanwhile, Suritu was checking out her metal arm. It had been aching for a while, and she tried to put it off for a while before it seemed to be getting worse. Suritu sighed through her teeth.
"Is it dirty again? I must've forgotten to wash this up." she said to herself as she inspected it. She looked at the wires burrowing into the skin and sighed to herself. She remembered the day she was said to be given, according to her father, 'a wonderful gift from my friend to help you improve'. She wasn't expecting to have her arm brutally replaced by this metallic contraption. The memory just haunts her to this very day, and she shivered to herself.
Then, she shook her head, not wanting to remember this for a moment. She sighed to herself again.
"That was a long time ago, Suritu. Now, you have your chance to protect that little boy…you promised Katja, Edgar, and most importantly…" she thought to herself as she smiled slightly, turning around to look at the children…only to see no one there.
Her eyes widened, and she began looking around, looking for Esai and Daniel.
"Esai! Daniel! Where are you?!" she shouted, not caring if her shouting got the attention of numerous other people. She ran around, looking at the playground, and she ran towards the playground, hoping that the children are there.
Meanwhile, in the treetops not far, Esai and Daniel were at the top, looking at Suritu, who was in the playground, searching for them in the playground. Various kids looked at her in confusion. Daniel and Esai looked at each other, and they smirked at each other.
"That should keep her busy." Daniel said as they began to climb down. Esai nodded, following him before they got to the ground. Esai then grabbed his hand.
"Come on!" Esai said as he and Daniel then ran away from the playground.
"This is exciting, Esai! I can't believe that we're doing this!" Daniel exclaimed as they ran across the park and towards the street leading north away from the park. Esai nodded.
"Yeah! Suirtu's probably gonna kill us, but I'm sure she'll understand why we're doing this!" he said. Daniel nodded in agreement as they continued running across the park, eventually reaching towards the far northern end.
"So, how do we get to Downtown?" asked Daniel as they looked around. Esai raised a brow, scratching his head in confusion.
"Um…let's say; we'll get the public bus!" he suggested. Daniel nodded, but then raised a brow.
"How are we gonna find one?" he asked. Esai looked around, and eventually, he found a bus-stop. He pointed towards it, and the two of them ran towards the bus-stop.
At around the time they've arrived, a public bus was beginning to pull over, preparing to drop off its passengers and pick up new ones. Esai and Daniel looked at each other in excitement.
"This is gonna be awesome!" Daniel said! Esai nodded in agreement, but then remembered something;
"Wait…do you have change? I think it costs four dollars to ride the public bus." he explained. Daniel nodded.
"Yeah. Ms. Grant gave me fifteen dollars." he explained. Esai nodded as the bus stops in front of them. The door opens and out stepped several people. Esai and Daniel stood to the side, waiting for an opening.
"Esai! Daniel!" a voice called out. Esai and Daniel gasped in shock, and they turned towards the source, and they could see a frantic Suritu Sawyer running along the streets, a look of fear and panic on her face. Esai and Daniel gasped and looked back at the door. It was clear.
They then rushed inside and took a seat. However, they didn't get far, as the bus driver shouted at them.
"Hey! I need a change!" he called out. Daniel nodded and he fished out four dollars from his pocket.
"H-Here, sir!" he said, giving it to the bus driver. The driver nodded, and after accepting the change, closed the door. Esai and Daniel sighed in relief as the bus started. The two of them could still hear Suritu calling out for them, and Daniel lifted his head, looking out through the window.
He could see Suritu frantically grabbing her hair, and her looking around for a moment…before their eyes met. Daniel gasped, and shrank back down.
"She saw me!" he said. Esai looked at him in shock and raised his head, and he could see her rushing towards them in panic, as the bus began to speed up. Esai shrank down and glared at Daniel.
"Why did you have to look back at her?" he asked. Daniel flinched and cowered further down.
"I…I just thought she might've run off already!" he replied. Esai sighed in frustration, and they sat there, listening to Suritu shouting at them, only for the bus to not listen to her. Esai looked at the bus driver, and he could see that he looked indifferent to her pleas.
Before long, the boys heard a whistling sound, and soon, Suritu's shouts stopped. Esai and Daniel sighed in relief, and now they have a look of guilt on their faces.
"I don't hear her anymore." Daniel said. Esai looked at him and nodded.
"Yeah. I think she got stopped…oh, dear." Esai groaned, feeling the guilt creep up inside of him. He shook his head.
"Now I wish we haven't snuck out like that…" he said to himself. Daniel looked at him with sympathy.
"Me too, Esai…but I don't think we can turn back, now." he stated. Esai looked at him, and then back at the window. He could see a patrol officer scolding Suritu, who was shouting back at him. Esai felt something else inside of him upon seeing her in that situation.
He felt sad. Seeing Suritu all concerned and upset for them, makes him grow concerned and upset as well. Esai lets out a sadden sigh; it was probably empathy.
"Oh, Suritu…I'm sorry…" he said to himself as he sat down, remembering how Honey Lemon talked to him on the phone before, wishing him to be a good boy. However, there's no going back now; they have to keep going. So, the two kids sat there, as the bus kept driving along the streets.
Eventually, the bus arrives at downtown. Esai and Daniel looked on and were admired by the sheer size and beauty of the buildings.
"Wow…Downtown San Fransokyo is amazing!" Daniel said. Esai nodded.
"Yeah! Is this your first time, here?" he asked. Daniel shrugged.
"Sort of; I live with my foster family not too far from Downtown. This is just my first time in THIS part." he clarified. Esai nodded again in understanding. Then, he raised a brow.
"Wait; foster family?" he asked. Daniel looked at him and nodded.
"Yeah; never really knew my birth parents. I've always been passed from one foster family to another. I have an uncle named Orso Knox though, but he's always out on the road, so he couldn't care for me as a dad would." he said. Esai frowned a bit, but Daniel smiled and nudged him playfully.
"Don't worry; I'm not too upset! Uncle Knox visits me occasionally, and he is a cool dude! I wish I could be with him, but my current foster family is enough. After all, according to Ms. Grant; family is not always blood." he said. Esai chuckled at the gesture and then nodded in understanding.
"Okay. Hey, this is our stop!" he said, pointing to the next bus stop.
The bus soon stops at the stop, and the door opens, and Esai and Daniel soon skedaddled out of the bus, and into the sidewalk. The two of them began to look up and around. Numerous pedestrians walk past them, though some of them looked at the kids with confusion. But the kids didn't care; they have a brand new place to explore!
"Awesome! Come on; we've got a new place to explore!" Esai said as he took Daniel's hand again. Daniel nodded as the two of them ran through the streets.
Nearby, a pigeon lands on a light pole, and eyes the two children. As we zoom in, however, we could see camera lenses on the pigeon's eyes.
The pigeon is a spy camera.
Somewhere else, we see Mr. Sawyer hiding behind one of the many trees, looking into a tablet, seeing what the spy pigeon was seeing. There was a chuckle from him, and he pulled out his cellphone, dialing up a number, before placing it in his ear. Once the other end picks up, he said,
"I've spotted them. Their parents don't know just yet; I've got them distracted. Get ready to lead them to the ambush spot!" he instructed.
"Yessir." a feminine voice on the other end replies before she hung up. Mr. Sawyer chuckled as he types something up on his tablet, before he places it back into his pocket, before walking back towards the other two mothers.
Back at Downtown, it was a big adventure for the two boys.
Esai and Daniel continued running along the streets, passing past many pedestrians as they took in the sights even more. Daniel looked up and gasped at seeing the news on the wall of a building; it was a Breaking News, praising Big Hero 6 for their bravery since their first endeavor against Yokai.
"Look! It's them!" he said happily to Esai. Esai looked at where he was pointing at, and he smiled even more!
"Cool! Come on; they've got to be around here somewhere!" he insisted as they continued running along the streets, all while being spied on by the bird-camera.
The boys passed various sights and spectacles, including well-known places like the Lucky Cat Café, the San Fransokyo Police Station, the San Fransokyo Museum of Art, and the Comic Book Shop.
Eventually, they stopped at a corner to recollect what they've seen.
"Wow…this place is amazing! But…where's Big Hero 6?" asked Daniel. Esai shook his head and shrugged.
"I don't know. Things have been peaceful so far. And I'm sure as heck that I won't be causing any havoc to get their attention." he said. Daniel nodded in agreement.
"So what do we do now?" he asked. Esai shrugged again, but just before he could come up with a response,
"What are you two doing here?" asked a voice from beside them. Esai and Daniel jumped in shock and gasped, wondering whether Suritu had finally caught up with them. But instead, it was someone else.
It was a woman, in her mid-30s. She had silver hair tied up to a ponytail, with a slender body and piercing amber eyes.
Esai and Daniel sighed in relief, and the former straightened himself up.
"Uh…we're just looking for our heroes." he said. The woman chuckled and crossed her arms.
"Big Hero 6? Yeah, you're not alone; a lot of people are searching for them, mostly to get their autographs. But they're very elusive, so it's not easy to find them." she said, nodding to them in sympathy. Esai and Daniel pouted. However, the woman approached them with a smile.
"However, I know where they're most often are! I think I can take you where you'll find them!" she said happily. The two boys gasped in delight!
"Really?!" asked Daniel. The woman nodded with a chuckle.
"Of course! They should be in Good Luck Alley, where a lot of criminals are. Do you want me to walk you there? It's not far from here." she explained. Daniel nodded rapidly, but Esai grew a bit concerned.
"Um…I don't know…" he said. Daniel and the woman looked at him in confusion.
"What's wrong?" he asked. Esai looked at her and shrugged.
"I…I'm not supposed to go with strangers." he explained. Daniel then frowned a bit in understanding, while the woman nodded as well.
"I see; well, let's fix that. What are your names?" she asked. Esai and Daniel looked at each other for a moment, before they looked back at her.
"I'm Esai." Esai said.
"And I'm Daniel." Daniel replied. The woman smiled in content.
"That's good. My name is Katja. Nice to meet you both." she replied. She then clasped her fingers together. "There; now we're not strangers anymore." she finished before she approached them with extended hands.
"So, do you want to go now? Big Hero 6 is probably waiting for us!" she said with a smile. Immediately, Esai and Daniel's faces brightened and they nodded!
"Yeah! Let's go!" Esai said, hopping in place. Daniel did the same. Katja smiled and nodded.
"Now come on. Let's get going!" she said as they began to rush towards their destination. Daniel and Esai giggled in excitement.
Now, every wise child knows that even with the introduction of names, it is still very risky to go anywhere with strangers. However, Esai and Daniel were so excited to meet their heroes, they had forgotten about this vital tidbit.
And that is what Katja wants…
Soon, the three of them arrived at the entrance to Good Luck Alley.
"Here we are!" Katja said, cheerfully as they walked inside. Daniel and Esai looked around, their faces still excited…for a while. Their smiles then faltered as they head further inside. Even during the daytime, Good Luck Alleyway still looked creepy, with puddles splattered across the ground, and dark shadows looming along the walls.
"U-Um…a-are you sure this is the place, Miss Katja?" asked Daniel, now growing concerned. Katja didn't look at them, but instead just kept walking forward. Esai looked at her, and he immediately felt something was off with her.
No longer did he feel a sense of safety around this woman…well, he never felt being comfortable around this woman in the first place. However, his excitement for Big Hero 6 had blinded him. Now that the blind feeling was removed, Esai felt like he was in danger. Katja's smirk as she released Daniel's grip, and scratching her left ear, while her whispering,
"Where are those fools?"
made that feeling grow even more! Esai and Daniel looked at each other and gritted their teeth in fear.
"We can't stay here." Esai mouthed. Daniel nodded; this wasn't worth it! They'd rather face Suritu's wrath than deal with a potential abductor! With that resolution in mind, they decided to try and get away from here.
"They should be here soon, honey-pies." Katja said to them with a voice of assurance. However, Esai and Daniel soon wiggled their hands-free from her. Katja turned to them and raised a brow in concern.
"What's wrong?" she asked. Esai and Daniel stepped back, and the former grew a polite smile.
"U-Um…I-I think we can go and search for them on our own…not in this place." he explained politely as they stepped back. Katja frowned at this and pouted, which Daniel and Esai could easily tell it was false.
"Aw, come on. They're not far. Don't you want to meet them, and hug them?" she asked. The kids shook their heads.
"W-We never said anything about hugging them! W-We just wanted to see them!" Daniel replied, continuing to step backward. Katja stepped forward towards them as she began to plead with them.
"Oh, come on! There aren't any bad people out here at this time! You should be safe! I thought we were friends!" she said, hands reaching out towards her. However, Esai and Daniel began to pick up speed as they backed away.
Then, there was another voice from behind them.
"Wait a sec, boyos! Leaving so soon?!"
Daniel and Esai gasped as they turned around…and their eyes widened with horror.
There, stood a group of around seven or more people, four males, and three females, and their ages ranging from late teens to mid-thirties.
One of them, a twenty-seven-year-old man stepped forward and looked at the kids.
"Now, we just wanted to have new friends, and have you guys stick around with us for brunch!" the man said. Katja pointed at them with an irritated look.
"You're late!" she scolded. The others looked at her indifferently, before one of them, a woman in her early thirties approached her.
"You've decided to bring two of them?" she asked in a strange accent, looking at the kids, who stepped back in fear. Katja shook her head.
"I was supposed to bring Esai, but his friend decided to tag along. Not that it matters." she replied. Esai and Daniel stared at her in shock.
"Y-You're with them?" asked Daniel. Katja nodded. Esai then narrowed her eyes at her.
"Why did you lure us here?!" he asked, standing bravely. Daniel, seeing this, then repeated his act.
"When Big Hero 6 finds us, you'll be sorry!" he added. They thought it would scare the bad people to the bone. Instead, it made them laugh. One of them, a fifteen-year-old boy then pointed at him.
"Yeah! Like I'm scared of a bunch of stupid kids in fancy clothing!" he teased. Esai looked back at him and gave a glare!
"And you guys are any better?!" he shouted.
"Alright, that's enough!" Katja ordered, and everyone turned to look at her. Katja approached them and took their hands forcefully.
"Now, Esai; you and your friend are coming with us!" she instructed, pulling the two boys with her. Esai and Daniel tried to resist, pulling back, but they were only kids. They were too weak and thus were left at the mercy of the bad people.
"Get away from them!" another voice shouted. Esai and Daniel then found themselves being pulled back while Katja was shoved to the side. Esai and Daniel struggled for a moment against the grasp of whoever grabbed them, until they heard,
"What the hell are you guys doing here?!"
Esai and Daniel gasped, and then looked up; it was Suritu, and she was glaring at the group. They, including Katja once she got back up, looked at Suritu with shock. Katja narrowed her eyes at her.
"Suritu…what are you doing here?" she asked firmly. Daniel and Esai widen their eyes upon hearing this, and they stared at their friend.
"Suritu? Do you know these people?" asked Esai. Suritu furrowed her brows and narrowed her eyes.
"Katja, leave them alone! They made a mistake coming here, so let me take them back, and you don't have to worry about them ever again!" she insisted as she stepped back. Katja sighed and shook her head.
"Why can't you just accept that what we're trying to do is for the boy's benefit?!" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"How is it helpful to him?!" she asked, not caring whether the kids had any idea of what was going on. Suritu then straightened herself up, and she said with firmness.
"We are getting out of here. I know you're concerned for him; but he's fine! He's got a family that I'm sure gives him a lot of love and care. Right, Esai?" she asked, looking down at him. Esai, while confused, nodded as he glared back at the gang.
"My mothers and sister love me!" he said. Katja looked at the boy and shook her head again.
"Well, this isn't about what you want, child. This is about your safety. Quicksilver!" she instructed, snapping her fingers.
Immediately, there was a blue blur, and Esai and Daniel fell to the ground. They heard the sound of Suritu grunting as she was pinned against the wall on the left.
"Scarlet!" Katja called, and Esai and Daniel immediately felt themselves being thrown up into the air. They noticed red mist surrounding them and began to wiggle in place as they were pulled towards the group. Esai turned back and noticed the woman with the strange accent glowing red from her eyes, red mist surrounding her body. He turned and called out to Suritu, who was pinned by a strange man with blond hair and a growing mustache and beard.
"Let us go! Suritu! Someone, help!" Esai cried as Daniel was taken to the hands of the fifteen-year-old boy, while was in the hands of the telekinetic woman.
Scarlet just held onto the boy, her powers keeping him from kicking and punching her away. She, along with her other friends looked at him.
"He's SO cute!" a twenty-year-old girl with green hair gushed over childishly. Scarlet nodded.
"Yes, he sure is. But, he's gonna be resistant as long as he has the memories of his life." she said, face growing upset at the prospect.
"What do we do about this one?" the fifteen-year-old boy asked, referring to Daniel. The others turned to him, and Scarlet shrugged.
"We don't need him; after I'm done erasing this boy's memories, I'll erase his as well, and just leave him back at the park." she explained. Esai stopped struggling for a moment upon hearing this, before he noticed Scarlet raising her left hand, which was glowing scarlet-red, like the rest of her body.
"Now, little one; just hold still while I erase your memories, and then you will soon be free." she cooed softly as she moved her hand closer to the boy's forehead. Esai's eyes widened in horror, and he lets out a scream of horror.
Suritu looked on, and she tried her hardest to break free from Quicksilver's grip. The man raised a brow.
"What? You want the boy to be safe, don't you? He'll be fine in Sanctuary. Trust me." he spoke with a shrug and sly smile. Suritu glared at him, grasping his arm.
Then, an idea came into her mind, and she smirked.
"We'll see about that!" she said before a bright flash appeared for a moment. Quicksilver was taken aback by the flash for a moment, and as he shook his head, he heard Scarlet yelping in pain.
Suritu had suddenly appeared right beside her and punched her with her metal arm on the forehead. This caused her to drop Esai and cancel out her powers for a moment. With a quick burst of speed, she grabbed Esai and approached the fifteen-year-old boy. She swiped her legs underneath him, causing him to collapse and lose his grip on Daniel. Suritu then grabbed Daniel, and the two of them ran past the group, who were taken off-guard.
Katja, who was watching the scene from nearby, was stunned at her daughter's abilities.
"Huh? S-Since when can she teleport?!" she asked. She then shook her head and stepped forward, pointing towards the fleeing people. "Don't let them get away!" she ordered.
Suritu carried the two boys on both of her arms as they ran across the alley, heading towards the bright light. Then, what appeared to be a portal appeared right in front of them, and Suritu found herself suddenly running deeper into Good Luck Alleyway.
She skidded to a stop, and turned around, seeing more of the weird mutants running towards them. Daniel shouted in horror, while Esai looked at Suritu!
"How is this happening?! What's going on?!" he demanded. Suritu looked at him, and responded with,
"We'll talk about that later! Right now, I've gotta get you guys outta here!" she said as she noticed the people running towards her.
Immediately, the fifteen-year-old boy spread his arms back, and to everyone's shock, electricity began to flow from the light-bulbs, and towards the boy's arms. Suritu crouched down and grabbed the boy's shirts.
"Wait, w-w-hat are you doing?" asked Esai in fear.
"Something that I think will make you guys throw up!" she said as she then tossed Esai and Daniel high up into the air! The two kids screamed in fright as they were flung up onto the air.
Back on the ground, Suritu ran towards the wall, and away from the spot where the boy shot his electrical currents from! The boy growled in frustration as he flung his arms forward repeatedly, shooting out currents, which the woman easily dodged. Katja then grabbed the boy by the shoulder and glared at him!
"No, you moron! You'll hit the boys!" she scolded, making the boy flinch!
Meanwhile, Suritu noticed the boys flying on the same height as the building's rooftop. With another teleportation, she grabbed the kids, and launched towards the roof! Taking a brief moment to catch her breath, she looked at the two kids, who had looks of shock!
"Are you two good?" she asked. Esai and Daniel, once they got over their shock of what just happened, turned to her, and shrugged.
"Sort of; I still feel a little dizzy!" Daniel said. Esai pointed to him and nodded in agreement.
"Me too!" he replied. Suritu gritted her teeth and shrugged.
"Sorry! Anyway, let's keep going!" she said as she kept running, only for another portal to open up, and out stepped Katja, Scarlet, and Quicksilver! Suritu and the children gasped in fright, and that fear grew once another portal opened up, and out stepped the others!
"Oh god!" Suritu said as she held the children closer to her! Katja stepped forward and grabbed Esai!
"Give him to me! He's not safe here!" she ordered. Suritu pulled back, and even Daniel reached out to help her!
"Leave my friends alone!" he shouted. Esai shouted in panic as he felt Katja's nails scraping against his skin through his shirt!
"Suritu! Make this easier for us!" Katja cried out! Suritu pulled back as the other stepped in closer, most of them have their powers at the ready! At this point, Esai couldn't take it anymore, and once he saw that Katja's waist was within reach, he leaned forward, grabbed onto her, and bit down as hard as he could!
Katja screamed in agony as she lets go of Esai, causing the three of them to collapse on the ground due to the sudden release. Daniel and Esai got up, and huddled closer to Suritu, who immediately stood up, and flexed her metal arm in front of them, and within a moment, a metallic blade was extended! Esai and Daniel gasped in horror, while Katja and the others stepped back, growing wary! Now that they know that Suritu can teleport, they didn't want to risk any injuries.
"Do you want to have these boys at risk?! Do you know what your boss is talking about?!" Suritu shouted as she held the boys closer! Katja's glare grew more hateful as she clenched her fists.
"Why? Why would you subject the boy to a world that isn't prepared for him?! Do you know what's gonna happen if his secret comes out?!" she shouted, stepping forward. Suritu gritted her teeth as the two of them stood their grounds, eyes locked. Daniel and Esai looked at one another.
"W-What secret?" asked Daniel to Esai. Esai had a feeling of what Katja was talking about, but he didn't want to say it out loud, for it would confirm his fears. Scarlet then stepped beside Katja, and her hands glowed again.
"Just give the word, Katja, and I'll separate them!" she suggested harshly. Daniel and Esai held Suritu closer!
"No! Please don't!" they pleaded. Suritu growled, and it looked like she was ready to attack!
What followed next was something of a miracle to Esai Flores…
Whizzzh!
Something flew past Suritu at an incredible velocity, and struck Scarlet in the forehead again! Scarlet stammered back as she clutched her forehead!
"Not again!" she muttered to herself. But the others were not paying attention; they were too busy seeing something yellow making a U-turn before they heard a sound of a rocket from behind! Everyone turned around, and there were shouts of surprise.
Esai, from behind Suritu's arms, peeked out…and his eyes widened in shock, with a smile slowly growing on his face!
There, charging at them with weapons at their disposal with the sun's rays reflecting against them like they were angels from heaven…was Big Hero 6!
The green member with plasma blades sliced forward, making two of the mutants step back in shock! The pink one with a purse typed something up, and out came two small balls. She threw them elegantly, and tossed towards Katja, Scarlet, and Quicksilver!
Quicksilver jumped aside, but Katja and Suritu were a little slower to react, and when the balls hit, they were flung back, and before long, they found themselves stuck at a yellow gooey-substance!
The yellow member skated by, and without any effort, she zoomed past the remaining two, grabbed their shoulders, and with the momentum of her speed, spun and tossed them backwards.
Quicksilver was jumped at by the monster-suited member, who had his arms stretched like a stereotypical monster.
"Ha-ha! Got ya, now!" he said as he lunged forward. But Quicksilver super-sped to the side, making Fred catch nothing, and he fell face first.
"Ow…" he said, but he shook it off as he joined the others.
Finally, the giant, red robotic member landed right behind Suritu and the children, and got placed into a fighting position, ready to protect them! Esai and Daniel looked at it with excitement, and it got better, when the final member; a short, purple suited member, crawled down from behind and approached them.
"Are you kids alright?" he asked. They nodded before they turned their attention back towards the mutants.
By now, the team has encircled the three kids, all of them ready to fight! The other mutants looked at them, and the majority looked like they were ready to fight! As Katja glared at them, she heard static coming from her left ear. She used her free hand to press it, and the voice of Mr. Sawyer was a bit frantic.
"Fall back! Do not waste your time with Big Hero 6!" he ordered.
Katja was taken aback for a moment, and it seemed that Mr. Sawyer felt this, because he replied with,
"I'll discuss why later! Just, fall back!"
Katja, while reluctant, nodded.
"Yes, sir." she said before she looked at Scarlet, who used her telekinetic powers to pry open the goo, and the two of them walked down free.
"What the heck is going on, here?!" asked the leader of Big Hero 6. The green-haired mutant stepped forward.
"We are trying to bring one of those kids back to our Sanctuary! But this girl won't let us!" she said, pointing to Suritu. The team looked back at her, and the two kids immediately stepped forward to defend her.
"That's not true! They want to take me away from my momma!"
"These guys are crazy! Don't listen to them!"
The two of them continued talking over one another, and no one understands what they were saying, so the pink member approached them, and she tried to calm them down.
"Hey. Hey, please calm down! Please!" she said, eventually placing her thumbs on both of their lips, silencing them. The two kids froze for a moment, staring at her, and then at everyone else. Then…tears began to string down from Esai.
"They…they wanted to take me away…I don't know why…" he whimpered, as he then hugged himself. The pink member looked at him in sadness, and even Daniel noticed how he was, so even he started to cry.
"I don't wanna go…I don't wanna go…" Esai whimpered, wiping away tears. The team stared at them with pity, before the rest turned towards the mutants. Acting offended, the fifteen-year-old spoke up.
"We're trying to help you, Esai! You need a place to be safe!" he protested.
"The only place HE'S going to is back to his mother!" the yellow member said, stepping in front of the pink member and the kids protectively. Meanwhile, the pink member looked at the mutant teenager, and then back at the kids.
"Your name is Esai?" she asked. Esai looked at her, and nodded, sniffling. The pink member sat there for a moment, seemingly looking at the ground. Esai and the others couldn't see most of her face due to it being tinted by the visor, which was covering everything but her mouth, but Esai could feel the air surrounding him begin to grow…heated. He could see her mouth exposing her teeth as if she was holding back her anger.
"I'll be with you in a second." the pink member growled out, as she stood up to her…rather tall height. She turned around and approached them.
"WHO ORGANIZED THIS?!" everyone flinched at her shouting, even the other members of Big Hero 6! The other mutants cowered a bit in fear before the teenager mutant pointed to Katja, who was walking towards the mutants with Scarlet.
The pink member looked a bit confused for a moment at how they were able to get out, but she shook her head, before she approached her, and jabbed her finger at her chest.
"If you, or any of your buddies EVER. And I mean, EVER, come near these children again," she began with a protective tone.
"No…Big Hero 6. Never…never again…" Katja said, shaking her head, stepping back in submission. The pink member stared at her for a moment and then stepped back.
"You have been warned…" she said, fists clenching. Katja nodded, and she turned to the other mutants.
"We fall back. Now…" she instructed. The other mutants began to protest.
"B-But, what about Esai?!"
"H-He'll be in danger!"
Katja puts up a hand, and the others were immediately silenced. They sighed in defeat before the green-haired mutant flexed her hands.
Immediately, another portal opened up behind them, and they stepped back. As the mutants stepped through, Katja then turned back towards Big Hero 6.
"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Big Hero 6. The world is not prepared for what he has in store, and if you're not careful…they'll come for him." she warned, as she then stepped inside, before the portal closes, leaving Big Hero 6, Suritu, and the kids alone for now.
For a while, nobody said and did anything, as they processed what just happened. Then, the monster-suited member jumped for joy!
"Hoo hoo hoo! Did you guys see that?! One of them could create a portal out of thin air! Oh man, we must be approaching the age of mutants!" he said, cheerfully. The yellow and green members approached him and grabbed his shoulders.
"Not the time! We still need to know what the hell just happened!" the yellow one stated!
"I…I think I can explain what happened." Suritu's voice said, interrupting them. Everyone turned to her, and she nodded.
Soon, the rest of the team was questioning what has happened, while the kids were left to cool off. The pink member and the giant robot stayed with them, wanting to make sure they're alright. She noticed Esai was still wiping away several tears from his eyes. A feeling of protectiveness overcame her, and she knelt to their height.
"Hey…are you alright?" she asked. Esai looked at her and nodded.
"A little bit…thank you, guys." he said, voice still quivering in fear. The pink member nodded and gently caressed his back.
"Not a problem! Our programming prevents us from injuring a human being." the robot stated in a monotone voice softly. Esai smiled at it before he raised a brow.
"Programming? But…she and the others are humans…or are they?" he asked, the smile growing bigger. The pink member scoffed and chuckled.
"It's a saying, Esai!" she said, ruffling his hair. Esai giggles at the gesture.
"I know, Lucy." he said…only for him to cover up his mouth in shock. The pink member gasped at this as well. Daniel looked at the both of them, confused for a moment. Esai shook his head.
"I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to call you Lucy. I-It's just that…well, you sound a bit like her. Not to mention, you have the same hair color, same height, and…" he rambled before he eyed her purse. He could see the periodic table and its various properties.
"Wait…Lucy's a big fan of Chemistry. So that means…" Esai thought to himself as he looked at Daniel and then back up at her, eyes widening in shock.
The pink member, or Lucy/Honey Lemon as she was revealed to be, stared back at him for a moment in shock.
"He figured it out!" she thought to herself before she immediately grabbed his shoulders.
"Please don't anyone about this, Esai! NO ONE can know about who I am!" she pleaded frantically. Esai and Daniel stared at her, and the former frowned in concern.
"W-What? W-Why not?" he asked.
"Because if our identities get out, then we'll be in big trouble; not only with the law but with any bad people who want to get revenge on us! You'll be in danger too because of this!" she explained, hoping that Esai would understand and agree with her.
Esai pondered for a brief moment, mind processing her words. After a while of thinking, he realized that given what happened earlier with him and Daniel and Suritu; if his sister's identity gets out, then they'll know where they live, and not only will the kill her but take him away again, this time with no resistance at all…
With this in mind, Esai nodded in agreement.
"Okay. Daniel and I will keep your secrets safe! You can count on us, Lucy!" he said with determination, with Daniel nodded in agreement (though he was still a bit confused since everything was going by a bit too quickly even for him). Honey grew a smile, and without even thinking, gave him a big hug.
"Oh, thank you so much, little one!" she cooed.
Esai was taken aback at first, not expecting her to hug back. However, he soon felt the familiar warmth his sister's hugs provides, and he very well remembered the day Honey said her saying the same thing to him before she left for college for the first time.
*Flashback*
A six-year-old Esai was crying, holding onto his older sister's legs.
"Please don't go, Lucy. I don't want to be alone. I'll miss you." He whimpered to himself. Honey tilted her head with a sad smile as she patted him in the forehead.
"Oh, sweet-pea. It's okay; we'll see each other again." she said with a warm smile. Esai, stubbornly, shook his head.
"No! No one is better than you, Lucy! No one's better than cooking food, or singing a lullaby, or even gives better hugs than you! I don't want to be alone!" he cried out, tears streaming down like a river.
"B-But you've got momma and meemaa!" Honey assured. Esai still shook her head.
"It's not the same. I love you, Luciana! Please don't go!" he cried out again.
Honey remained staring at him, a bit frantic on how to calm him down, especially since the bus to the city will be here soon! So, she frantically tried to come up with an idea on how to calm him down.
Eventually, she gasped to herself with a smile and looked at Esai.
"Esai, look at me." she said. Esai looked up and wiped his nose. Honey then knelt down, being eye-to-eye with him.
"Esai…I know this may seem scary to be the only child in this house. I understand that…however, I want you to know this, alright?" she said, wiping away a tear. Esai looked at her, confused.
"What? What do I want to know?" he asked, voice still quivering. Honey smiled and cupped his hands together.
"The fact that I'm leaving this house to go to college is NOT going to affect my love towards momma, meemaa, and especially you." she said. She brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes as she continued with,
"Although, yes, you might have to accept hugs, food, and lullabies from your mothers from here on out; this bond will be the same as always. I'll never forget your eyes, your big brain of yours," she said, tapping his forehead, making Esai giggle.
"I'll especially never forget your smile." she added, leaning in to rub her nose against his, and Esai laughed even more. Honey then gasped and pulled back.
"And the most important part I'll never forget. You know what it is?" she asked.
"What?" Esai replied, walking closer. Honey then grew a devious smirk.
"Your cheeks! They're so squishy, I could just eat them up! Omnomnomnom!" she went, pressing her face against his cheek. Esai squeaked and laughed as the ticking went on for a few seconds before she pulled back. Then, as Esai's giggling began to soften, Honey asked him,
"Esai, promise me that you'll be a good boy. Be strong for momma and meemaa. Be strong, for me…" she pleaded, cupping his hands again. Esai looked at her with a smile and nodded.
"Okay, Lucy! I won't let you down! You can count on me!" he said, hugging her! Honey's smile faltered as she felt tears beginning to fall from her eyes as well. Immediately, she hugged him and held him close to her.
*Flashback ended*
Back in the real world, Esai found himself shaking his head as Honey patted him in the shoulder.
"You heard him; we've gotta go, Esai." she said.
"Alright, we've gotta get these guys back to Golden Gate Park." the leader of Big Hero 6 then called out, as if to reemphasize her point.
Quickly, Honey pressed the button on her mask, covering up her face again, before she stood up.
"Alright, let's get you two home. But remember what I said." she said to them. The boys nodded as they approached the giant robot.
"So…we're riding on this robot back to the park?" asked Esai, growing a bit anxious. Honey nodded.
"Yep! I'll hold on to you but be sure to hold on tight to our leader as well. It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" she explained as the robot got itself prepared for launch. Daniel giggled in excitement as the others began to climb on. The yellow member picked him up and climbed aboard.
"Hold tight. Like what our friend said; it's gonna be bumpy." she instructed him. Daniel nodded.
"This is gonna be awesome!" he said, as the purple leader's hands and kneecaps got attached to the robot's magnetic extensions. Esai found himself squeezed between Lucy and the purple leader.
"Hold on tight, kids!" the purple leader said. Daniel and Esai looked at each other, and smiled in excitement!
"Ready?" asked Esai as the robot begins to activate its rockets. Daniel nodded!
Suddenly, the robot's rockets activated, and the team was immediately launched into the air. The kids, as one would expect, screamed in surprise at first. But, as they grew used to the flying speed and the wind pressed against them, they began to grow excited. Before long, they cheered and shouted in delight as if they were in a roller coaster. The team listened to their cheers of happiness, and, especially Honey, felt their hearts warm-up at such innocence.
Eventually, the team arrived at the Golden Gate Park and landed near the spot where, conveniently, the three kids first met. As they dismounted, they heard laughing from behind them. They turned around, and they saw Alba, Mr. Sawyer, and Ms. Grant laughing with each other.
"You saw the look on that man's face when Mr. Sawyer threw a cherry pie on his face!" Ms. Grant giggled. Alba laughed loudly as well.
"Yeah! That small fair was amazing! I should thank you, Mr. Sawyer, for…" Alba began before she froze upon seeing Esai, Daniel, and Suritu with Big Hero 6. Ms. Grant and Mr. Sawyer also froze on the spot as well.
"Uh…we didn't do anything wrong." she said, raising her hands in surrender. The purple leader then cleared his throat.
"Uh, that's not w-what we're here for. We just came by to drop off your children. They were in a peculiar situation." he explained. The parents raised their brows in confusion, as they looked at the children.
"What? W-What happened?" asked Ms. Grant as she approached Daniel to ensure he's alright.
"He's alright. But…phew, you wouldn't believe what happened!" the green member stated, patting Daniel in the forehead. The parents looked on with intrigue.
Soon, the team was explaining what happened, with the kids sitting nearby. Esai looked at Suritu, a feeling of guilt present in his face. He and Daniel looked at each other with a frown. They then crawled over to her, seeing her face looking at her father with contempt. Esai feared that the girl might be mad at them.
And in his mind, she had the right to be mad. They did sneak out after all…
He reached out his left arm and patted her on the shoulder. Suritu's purple eyes moved towards them, and her expression didn't change.
"What is it?" she asked, a bit angry. Esai and Daniel cowered in fear as the latter sat next to Esai, clasping his hands.
"Um, Suritu? We're…really sorry for sneaking off like that. W-We just wanted to meet our heroes." he said. Suritu looked at him and sighed.
"Well, you got what you wanted." she said, looking away from them. Esai gulped, and then he spoke up.
"W-We know how upset you are, a-and," he began.
"Upset? Esai, Daniel, 'upset' doesn't even BEGIN to describe how I feel. On one hand; I'm VERY mad at you two for sneaking off like that! You could've been killed, or kidnapped! In fact, you almost did!" she scolded. Esai and Daniel looked down, feeling the urge to cry again. Suritu looked at them and then sighed.
"But, on the other hand…I guess I shouldn't put the whole blame on you. I mostly blame my father…" she said, looking back at Mr. Sawyer. Esai and Daniel raised a brow in confusion and looked at Mr. Sawyer.
"Mr. Sawyer? I-I thought he was a nice person." Daniel said, truthfully confused. Suritu looked at him again.
"Yes…that's what he wants you to think." she said.
Now Esai and Daniel looked at her, a little bit alarmed by what she said. Suritu turned towards them so she can explain more easily.
"My father…he's a very cunning man. However, his intentions are…well, not that good." she explained. Esai frowned at this, now feeling a bit foolish for listening to him.
"W-Wait…are you saying he's the one who told us to go there? But he didn't." Daniel stated. Suritu nodded and pointed at him with her metal arm.
"And THAT is where his cunningness lies. You ever heard of reverse psychology?" she asked. Daniel and Esai raised their brows in confusion.
"What is that?" they asked in unison. Suritu sighed as she tried to try and define the term.
"Reverse psychology is when someone tricks someone into telling them to do one thing when they want them to do the opposite. Does that make sense?" she explained, and then asked.
Esai and Daniel pondered for a moment before they looked at her.
"Yes." Esai said with a nod.
"Nope." Daniel said, shaking his head. Suritu sighed at the latter's response.
"It's fine, for now. Look, the point is; when it comes to people like my father…be careful. I've been a victim numerous times to his manipulation schemes…and I've done a lot of bad things in my life that I wish I could take back." she said, voice growing sad as well. Esai and Daniel noticed her tone, and they caressed her back. Suritu smiled at their gesture.
"Thanks. I don't want to talk about it, but…just be careful, okay?" she asked, pulling them closer to her. The kids nodded.
"We're your friends. To the end! I mean…if you still want to be," Esai said, frowning a bit. Suritu just smiled and nuzzled her face against his head.
"Of course I do; you little rascal!" she said, making Esai giggle. Daniel pouted at the gesture.
"Aw…" he whimpered. Suritu turned to him with a grin.
"Want some too? Okay, then!" she said, before giving the boy the same treatment. The boy fought back by hugging her, pushing her to the ground. The three friends laughed as they tussled with each other.
"Well, it looks like someone's having fun." the yellow member's voice said. The three new friends looked up, and they saw everyone looking down at them. Suritu and the boys straightened themselves up and looked at the adults.
"We're finished here. We've gotta get going. Just wanted to let you know that." the purple leader stated, gesturing his head back to the giant robot. The robot's hand raised, finger pointing upwards as if to state something,
"There is a: midterm exam that-" it began before the rest hushed them.
"Uh…okay, big fella. T-There's no need to let them know about what we do in private!" the green one pleaded with a frantic smile. Esai and Daniel giggled.
Soon, after saying their thank you's and goodbyes, the team climbed onto the robot and prepared to take off. Esai and Honey took one last good look at each other, and the two of them waved with big smiles on their faces. Before long, they blasted off, and flew off into the distance, before eventually going out of sight.
"I can't believe one of them is your sister." Daniel whispered while everyone else was distracted. Esai looked at him and nodded in excitement before he gestured him to be quiet as the adults turned around. They coward down a bit in fear, but the two mothers just stared, not doing anything. Then, Alba spoke up,
"You know; given what Big Hero 6 told us, and the fact that what you did probably came from us being unprepared for today…I think you two have been punished enough. So you get a lucky break for now." she said, the news making the kids sigh with relief. Ms. Grant nodded with a sigh of her own.
"I just…I was so grateful for the superheroes, and for Suritu here," she gestured to the girl, who smiled at her. "that they were there to protect you two." she finished, as the two of them approached them and hugged the life out of their kids. The two boys embraced their mothers, just happy to be back by their side!
Suritu and Mr. Sawyer stared at the scene before them, before the latter cleared his throat. Suritu turned to him, and a glare formed on her face.
"You sent them…didn't you?" she asked. Mr. Sawyer raised a brow, though Suritu could clearly tell it was a façade.
"I didn't send them to the city; they did that on their own volition." he said, crossing his arms. Suritu wasn't buying it and approached him with a menacing glare.
"But you tricked them. Had I not been there…I don't know what you're planning, but once I find the evidence I need…your life will be going down to Hell." she promised. Mr. Sawyer, however, just shrugged.
"Whatever; not the first threat you made to me that didn't fall through." he said with a smirk. Suritu's fist clenched, and she gritted her teeth…but she just stepped back, realizing that he has a point…
"I'll wait for you in the car." Mr. Sawyer then said, before walking off. Once he was far enough away, his face grew into a scowl.
"Big Hero 6 got in the way. They may be regular humans with gear for weapons, but from what I've seen, they could have the potential to be formidable, though…I should have my friends and family lay low for a while, while I look for a way to get around them…and my daughter." he thought to himself as he walked away.
Back at the park, Suritu stared at the direction her father went when she felt someone patting her shoulder.
"Excuse me, Suritu?" asked Alba. Suritu turned to her and grew a smile.
"Yes?" she asked. Alba looked down at Esai, and then back at her.
"Um…I was wondering if…considering what happened today…you can be his babysitter?" she offered. Suritu was taken aback by the offer.
"M-Me?" she asked, placing her regular hand on her chest. Alba nodded.
"Yes. You see; we have a schedule planned for his homeschooling…but my wife is at work a lot, and at some days, my part-time job gets in the way. So…" she began, but Suritu nodded.
"Of course! I'll do it!" she said. Alba did a take-back, while Esai smiled in happiness.
"Great! I won't be alone, anymore!" he said as he ran forward and hugged Suritu. Suritu immediately picked him up and hugged him back as well. Alba looked at them and smiled. After a while, Suritu then looked at Ms. Grant and Daniel, who were walking away.
"What about him?" she asked. Alba turned to Daniel, and then back to her.
"Don't worry. Ms. Grant is fine; her husband's got a well-paid job, so she's at their house at all times." she replied. Suritu nodded in understanding.
"Oh…well then great!" she said before she hugged the two of them. Esai giggled, while Alba was taken aback at the gesture…before giving in and hugging her as well.
So, today has been quite eventful for Esai and his new friends. However, this day was only the true beginning of what is to come for the boy…
AN: Hey everyone, superkoola here!
Phew, I think I keep breaking my record for the longest chapter; 12, 791 words, not including the AN. Amazing!
So…yeah, we finally meet Big Hero 6! While it might seem Esai might've recognized Honey Lemon too soon…well, to be fair, they never encounter someone they are close to within the film and the show. Plus, given Esai's IQ of 645, it would make sense for the boy.
And the new "villains": I would like to give the villains an interesting motif, because…well, I won't spoil it until later on!
SO…that's all I have to say about this chapter! Hope you enjoy it, please be respectful to those who think differently, and stick around for more!