"Shaylin is seriously going to trust you with a scalpel?"
"You bet ya she is!"
Takashi was currently in an O.R. helping set up some of the equipment that was going to be needed for Obake's operation with Eboni. Mainly the equipment Shaylin and Eboni were going to use for their part of the procedure.
"Well, more so my tools and some weird ones the guy brought in." Eboni grinned, picking up a tool neither recognized. "Regardless, I get to do a form of surgery!"
"Lucky…" Takashi glanced to the side, giving a slight pout. "Wish I could help."
"Maybe you could ask if you could assist?" Eboni chuckled. "I mean, someone's gotta hand the tools to us and track the vitals and since this is a pretty airtight operation that not many can know about I don't see why you couldn't help. You're pretty knowledgeable about this med stuff so you'd be useful."
Takashi had a hopeful look in his eyes.
"You really think so?"
Eboni winked.
"I know so. I'm sure I can convince them."
"... I love you. Like a sister."
"Love you too, Takashi." Eboni chuckled. "Now, shall we get back to set up?"
"Yes!"
oooooo
He was drowning. It seemed like he was caught in the ocean with the taste of salt water that was in his mouth but the green coloring of the water said otherwise.
"Obake…"
Obake looked around frantically, trying to swim up but to no avail. He was too heavy. He just kept sinking lower and lower.
"Obake…"
He looked above, seeing Liv standing on the surface of the green water, a sinister grin on her face.
"Run as you like but you can never escape me. I will find you."
Obake cried out at electricity pulsing through his body, the left side of his head screaming in pain.
"I'll always find you."
"Bob! Bob, wake up!"
Obake's eyes snapped open as he sat up quickly, a gasp escaping his mouth.
He was back in the hospital room now, Liv nowhere to be seen. His breathing was rigid as he looked around, his eyes soon landing on Kim, who was standing next to his bed, concern in her pale blue eyes.
"K-Kim…?"
Kim nodded, taking hold of one of his hands.
"I'm right here." She pushed him back gently to lay down. "It was just a nightmare. You're okay."
Obake nodded, trying to steady his breathing.
"R-Right…" He closed his eyes, bringing a hand to where his implant was. "She… She's not here."
Kim frowned at this.
"Liv is nowhere near this hospital and there is no way I would let her get within a 100 feet of this place without throwing a scalpel at her forehead."
Obake looked to Kim with some slight amusement in his eyes.
"So violent."
Kim gave a small smile.
"I do what I have to, to protect my family." She stroked his hair. "Especially from devil women like her."
Obake nuzzled her hand, relaxing.
"Not sure if you'd be saying that if you knew what I've been doing for the past year…" Obake sighed. "Kim… I… I did some pretty awful things while I was gone… things I'm not proud of."
Kim pulled up a chair, sitting down, still keeping a grip on one of his hands.
"I'm listening."
Obake closed his eyes.
"Kim… I almost destroyed San Fransokyo. On. Purpose."
Kim's eyes widened at this.
"What?"
"I don't know if you heard of it by now but a star appeared that could've possibly wiped out the city if it weren't for the work of Big Hero 6. I'm the one who created that star."
Kim brought a hand over her mouth.
"I remember Shaylin mentioning that to me… Oh my goodness… Bob… What-?"
"I was played." His free hand gripped at his blanket. "Liv… she convinced me to do the things I did. That if I was to be remembered I had to destroy the city and rebuild it in my image. That it was the only way I could be respected. That it was the only way for me to be seen as the genius that I dreamt of myself to be. That I wanted to be." Obake's eyes were misty. "She made me forget the things that mattered so much to me… She made me think that was all gone. That I had nothing. So I had to make something from nothing…" Obake looked to Kim. "Kim… I hurt a lot of people… I hurt them and I didn't even care that I did because my brain was not in the right mental state… and I hate myself for it. I hate that I bought into her lies. I hate that I thought I had to take drastic measures to become a legend, so much as to try and replicate the work of someone who never intended harm with it. I hate that… I forgot about you and Trina… I…" He lowered his head. "I'm not sure there's anything I could ever do that would make up for all that. The only thing I feel I can do is to keep Liv from causing more damage or harm to anyone else. I'm not sure exactly what her game is but I can't sit back quietly and do nothing. I'm not sure exactly what to do but I have to do something…"
Kim squeezed his hand, giving him a gentle look.
"And I'm sure you'll figure that out in time." Kim frowned a bit. "Bob… I can't say I'm not upset to hear that you caused a lot of problems in San Fransokyo. But… I can't place all the blame on you. I saw the notes for the implant. She caused you to have amnesia so you couldn't recall certain things or events. She stripped away your freedom with that shock control. She turned you into Obake. It wasn't your choice. You were manipulated. You were used. You did everything you did because you were beaten into submission and you weren't even aware of it. I can't excuse everything that happened… but the fact you want to do something about it is enough for me." She leaned in, resting her forehead against his. "Bob, I can't say whoever you hurt will forgive you but at the very least, trying to stop Liv is very much a way to try and make up for all that happened. To keep her from harming anyone else, like she harmed you and others who got caught in the crossfire."
Obake nuzzled Kim, tears escaping his eyes.
"Kim…" He let out a shakey breath. "I don't deserve someone as patient as you…"
"You stop that right now." Kim looked him right in the eyes. "I never have and will never love anyone else as much as I love you, Bob. You messed up but that's behind you now. What matters is what's happening in the present and what you plan to do going forward. In which, you're going to correct what you did as best as you can. You're here and back in mine and Trina's lives. You did a lot of horrible things but that doesn't mean you're beyond help and not deserving of anything good. And no matter what happens, know this…" Kim leaned in closer. "I'm never giving up on you."
Obake's eyes were wide in shock before a small smile came to his face, leaning in closer himself.
"Thank you."
The distance between them closed as both their eyes slid shut. Obake brought his hands up to Kim's cheeks, Kim doing the same with his. They held like this for a moment before pulling back gently, gazing into each other's eyes, smiling.
"I forgot how good those felt." Obake chuckled. "I may not be able to tell right from wrong very well at the moment but I won't deny how right that did feel."
Kim giggled.
"I missed them." She nuzzled him. "And I'm going to correct that problem soon. All I want you to worry about right now is resting and recovering. Okay?"
Obake nodded, nuzzling back.
"Okay."
Kim kissed his cheek before pulling away, standing up.
"I'll be back again soon to take you in for surgery. Trina should be back before then to keep you company."
"Good. Where did she run off to? Could've sworn she fell asleep with me last night."
"She did. She just got up before you did. Had to take care of something." Kim smirked, making her way for the door. "Secret stuff. She'll let you in on said stuff when she's ready."
Obake chuckled.
"I see. Very well then." He blew a kiss her way. "I'll see you on the other side then."
Kim smiled.
"See you then."
oooooo
Trina was coming in from an early morning patrol. While she preferred being with Takashi when she was out on patrol it wasn't unusual for the girl to be by herself sometimes. She could take care of herself and well… sometimes she had to be alone.
And someone had to be sure no shady figures were sneaking around Saga.
Trina slipped into the back of the hospital through the ER bay. Soon as she was sure no one could see her she removed her mask, undoing the braid her hair was pulled back in.
And if there had been, they would've known the wrath of Kame.
Trina heaved a sigh of relief as she made her way down a hallway, poking her head into one of the ORs. There, she saw Eboni, Takashi and Shaylin finishing up preparation for Obake's surgery.
Takashi looked up, taking note of her.
"Ah, Trina, welcome back." He smirked. "Though you could have invited me to go with you. Just saying."
Trina chuckled.
"Nah, had to go it solo this time. By the way, no weird activity."
"Yet." Eboni held up a finger, not looking up from her work of organizing tools. "Key word is "yet". Not sure what it will be or when it will happen but when weird stuff like this happens something else is going to follow. Need I remind everyone here for Dragoness?"
Takashi shuddered.
"Thankfully that devil woman has been quiet but point taken."
Trina nodded.
"Well, when something comes, we'll be ready. I know I certainly will be."
"I'll be counting on that." Eboni grinned. "So, you gonna tell your dad that you become a ninja turtle now or you gonna wait till later?" She eyed the armor that Trina was still wearing.
"Not yet. He's got enough to worry about." Trina gave a sheepish look. "I think I'll tell him after the surgery stuff is over."
"Sounds solid." Eboni focused back on her work. "Then you get changed up and get a word in with him. His surgery is coming up fast and he needs to stay relaxed."
Trina gave a salute.
"You got it."
"Good. Now, away with you, we need to sterilize the area." Eboni smirked, giving a wave with one of her hands.
Trina chuckled before hurrying out. She quickly changed out of her armor and into her casual clothes before heading to her father's room.
Knock knock knock!
"Come in."
Trina smiled as she poked her head into Obake's room, seeing the man was sitting up, reading something on a tablet. He looked to her, smiling back, gentleness in his pale blue eyes.
"Ah, Little Star."
"Hey, Daddy."
Trina made her way over, sitting on the edge of his bed.
"How you feeling?"
"Still slightly sore but doing better… and just wanting to be done with hospitals for awhile."
"Totally understandable. Never fun being stuck in bed… or being denied scones."
"Not for much longer." Obake snickered. "I will have my revenge."
Trina giggled.
"Indeed." She eyed the tablet in his lap. "What'cha reading?"
Obake's grin faded as he looked at the article he currently had open.
"Just seeing how San Fransokyo is doing. They… had a bit of an almost catastrophe happen over there."
Trina frowned, looking at the article.
"Yeah, heard about it from Shaylin. It was the strangest thing. But things are doing okay over there from what I hear."
"Yes…"
Obake scrolled down, seeing a picture of Big Hero 6. He smiled a little, seeing they were still going about their duties.
Good, that means there's still someone out there to keep Liv in check if she tries something.
"Oh yeah, those guys." Trina smiled. "They're pretty awesome. Especially that Hiro kid."
Obake's eyes went wide at hearing this, looking to Trina.
"How do you know the leader's name?"
Trina rubbed the back of her neck.
"From a special source. I got a lot I need to tell you Dad but now is really not the time. I want you to focus on getting better first before I tell you about some of the insanity that's been going on for the past year."
"Okay then…?"
Obake raised an eyebrow at this but shook it from his mind, focusing back on his tablet, going to a different article had opened on a separate tab.
Trina's face gave a sour look at seeing it. Especially with the photo that was displayed at the top of the article.
"Eck… That lady." Trina crossed her arms. "I don't know how she just walks around with that smile on her face when behind the scenes she's such a monster."
"It's part of her game." Obake narrowed his eyes at the photo of Liv. "I don't know exactly the goal of that game but the act is part of it. The act of being kind and welcoming, charitable, to lure her victims into her web and before they have a moment to escape it's already too late and no one's the wiser because no one could ever believe such a kind and loving person would ever do such horrendous things." Obake sneered. "A monster with the mask of a beautiful smiling face."
"Sounds about right. She's lucky I'm not there in San Fransokyo. She would've gotten a nice hard wack from my bo staff to the face." Trina grinned. "Then she would actually match how she looks on the inside… after a few more wacks."
Obake chuckled at this, patting Trina's head.
"I knew you were my favorite daughter."
Trina giggled.
"I'm your only daughter."
"Exactly." Obake smiled.
Sort of but I am not divulging that right now. In due time.
"Bob?"
Trina and Obake looked to the door to see Kim present, a gentle look on her face.
"It's time."
Obake nodded, turning off the tablet and handing it to Trina.
"Hold onto this for me, will you?" He asked.
Trina nodded.
"Of course." She kissed his forehead. "Love you, Daddy."
"Love you too, my Little Star." Obake smiled.
Trina smiled back, stepping away as Kim walked in with nurses behind her, adjusting Obake's bed for transfer. As he was rolled away, Trina followed for as long as she could until the OR doors stopped her in her tracks.
She stood there for another moment, staring at the OR before heading off down the hall.
Her mother had work to do and so did she.