Kathleen became a frequent visitor to the lab. The team didn't really mind, she just kind of became another member of the place. She wasn't in the way and most of the time she just needed help with school stuff and they happily obliged her. She didn't always come empty handed either.
"I smell fresh chocolate." Fred said, sniffing the air.
Kathleen giggled as she set down a box on one of the free lab tables. "You did… And that's because I made a cake for you guys."
"Cake?"
"We get cake!?"
"Hey! I was her friend first so I get first slice!"
Everyone looked to Hiro smirking.
"You're her favorite so of course you do." Gogo chuckled.
"Ah they grow up so fast." Tadashi commented ruffling his hair.
"Takashi quit!"
"I swear Takashi is picking up what Tadashi left behind." Wasabi whispered to Honey.
"Guess it runs in the family." Honey giggled.
"Hamadas for ya."
Kathleen shook her head. "Now if you guys wanna stop goofing off, I got cake to serve up here… And by the way… I aced my robotics test."
They all cheered, pulling her into a group hug.
"That's our Kit Kat!"
"Way to go kiddo." Wasabi ruffled her hair.
"All that extra lab time paid off." Hiro grinned. "Way to go!"
"Ah our little nerdet in training." Fred wiped away a fake tear. "If only she could graduate high school sooner so she could be with us."
Kathleen gave a sheepish look. "Just wanna pace it."
Honey hugged her. "She's still ours!"
"Part of the big old nerd lab family." Gogo chuckled. "She's knows everything now… so she's basically one of us… and honestly. Our sanity companion along with Takashi with being the two non heroes."
"Speaking of heroes… Anyone seen Immortal 7 lately?"
"He's annoyed at me." Hiro said quickly. "So he's just been keeping out of sight." You owe me bro.
I need to remember to alternate. Tadashi thought. Thanks Hiro.
"I'm sure he'll pop up from time to time, maybe he needed space." Kathleen smiled. "That's something I can understand."
"Yep." Hiro nodded. "And he's just got his own stuff too… But anyways... Cake?"
Kathleen cut up pieces serving Hiro first before getting to the others as they dug in.
"Mmm! Yep! I nicknamed you right Kit Kat!" Fred grinned. "This tastes great!"
"This is as good as your Aunt Cass's cake Hiro."
Hiro said nothing enjoying his slice as he tried to swipe extra frosting off of Tadashi's plate. "Hey!"
"C'mon… You don't need all that extra sugar Takashi…!"
"Neither do you, you sugar addict! Mein!"
Hiro hmph'd and ate his cake eying Tadashi's. You will drop your guard….
"There's plenty for seconds." Kathleen giggled. "Don't need to steal from each other."
"Good point… Besides it has his nerd germs all over it." Hiro smirked.
WHACK!
"OW!"
"Hello pot the name is kettle."
Everyone threw their heads back laughing.
"Oh that's just perfect!"
Hiro rolled his eyes chuckling before serving himself another piece. "Ahuh laugh it up. What goes around comes around."
"Well I'm glad you guys like it. You've been helping me a lot and you've been working hard so… thought you'd like this."
"It's great Kathleen." Tadashi smiled. "You're a really great baker."
"Better watch out for any boys… They taste this cooking they'll fall head over heels." Gogo smirked in Hiro's direction. "Right Hiro?"
"Oh shut up Gogo!"
Kathleen giggled. "That's what my friends have told me before. Quickest way to a boy's heart is through his stomach I think is what Kailey said once."
"Truer words have never been spoken."
Amen to that…
"Any plans for today Kit Kat?" Honey asked.
"I got most of my homework done so… I think if it's alright I'll just hang around here and watch you guys work."
They all looked to each other and nodded. "Fine with us."
"As ruler of the lab… It's alright."
"Oh no squirt I'M King of the Lab now." Tadashi ruffled his hair.
"Nooo! I'm being overthrown! Subjects! Halp!"
They all looked before holding up their hands. "All Hail King Takashi!"
"Ah I feel so loved." Tadashi grinned. "Sorry Hiro, your reign is over."
Hiro actually pouted. "Aw man."
Kathleen side hugged him. "Don't worry you're still King of the Garage."
"Huzzah!"
Tadashi shook his head.
"King Takashi!" Fred laughed. "... I think I finally got your nickname."
"That so?" He asked.
Fred went over to him, making the same hand motion he had with Kathleen.
"I hearby dub you… Paladin!"
Tadashi looked at him surprised. "How'd I score a nickname like THAT?"
"Cause you're always following the rules, making sure everyone's alright… I'd go with Medic but that's kind of Baymax's shtick and I can't steal those. So… Paladin it is cause you're also honorable."
Oh if these guys only knew about the other side of me… This is just hilarious.
Tadashi bowed his head. "Alright, so be it."
Everyone clapped. "Alright so that's seven out of eight nicknamed… Yes Fred I'm counting you in that."
"Fredzilla suckers!" Fred said striking a pose.
"Of course." They all deadpanned.
"What? It's awesome!"
"You know we can't ever call you that on the battlefield right?" Hiro asked raising an eyebrow.
"I know but still!"
"Hey it suits him." Tadashi shrugged chuckling.
"Agreed." Kathleen giggled.
"So that just leaves-" Hiro cut himself off. "I mean great we're all nicknamed-"
"One day Hiro Hamada…" Fred laughed maniacally. "YOU WILL BE GIVEN A NICKNAME!"
Hiro huddled closer to Tadashi. "Ahuh… Suuuure…" He whispered to Tadashi. "If you love me you will prevent that!"
"Like he's going to listen to me." Tadashi whispered back.
"Point taken… Least he can't pin one on me." Hiro smirked a bit. "I'm immune!"
"This is Fred… he'll probably find something."
"Hiro's too cool for a nickname." Kathleen smiled. "Just how he is."
HIro blushed a little grinning. "Aw shucks…"
"I mean it." She blushed a little herself.
Hiro smiled. "Thanks Kat… By the way… I need a little favor…" Since no one else will do it…
"Fire away."
"Weeell…. I've been filming all my tests with Kokoro and I was wondering-"
"Hiro, I don't want to be near the psycho-bot."
Hiro got close giving his best puppy eyes as he whimpered. "Pleeeeeaaaase Kat?"
"No! I'm not falling for that again! I can tie up a psycho but there is no way I'm-"
The whimpering turned into a sniffle.
"... Oh you are evil"
"So is that a yes?"
"You owe me a whole bag of gummy bears for this."
Hiro grinned and pulled her to his work station. "You won't regret this!"
Everyone looked at each other.
"... Heaven have mercy on her soul."
"Well this could lead up to five movie scenarios…. We might need an exorcism on that bot…"
"... Anyone want to go watch?"
All hands went up.
They all got up quietly, Tadashi pulling out his phone to act as a set of eyes as he had the lense look through a crack in the door.
Hiro and Kathleen stood in front of the robot as he held up a director board "This is Hiro Hamada and Kathleen Coleman and this is the…" He looked at it. "60th test of my robotics project… Alright ready?"
Kathleen nodded. "Ready."
Hiro took a deep breath and turned on the robot. It started to go well as Kokoro stood still watching the teens for a moment… Before its optics landed on Hiro and lunged for him.
"AH!"
Only instead of beating him senseless or any of the very violent scenarios going through Hiro's head… The robot was hugging him, petting his hair.
"... Okay this is marginally better."
Kathleen was trying really hard not to fall over laughing.
"T-That's kind of adorable."
Hiro chuckled a bit. "At least he's not being mean…"
Kokoro just kept petting his hair… Before looking to Kathleen.
"...Go ahead. Sick 'er."
"Oh no nononononono-"
Too late as Kokoro pulled her into an embrace. It seemed to give the look of: "MINE!"
"... I think this robot sees me as his own." Kathleen said noting the expression Kokoro was giving.
"... He'll have to suck it up then." Hiro noted.
WHACK!
"OW! Kokoro quit that!"
Kokoro shook his head, hugging Kathleen in a protective stance.
"Uh… hi?"
He petted her hair.
Hiro hummed in thought. "Starting to remember… Aha! I GET IT NOW! I FINALLY REMEMBER!"
"Well what's his function?"
"Guard bot, mostly meant to act as a foot soldier of sorts to send in on missions too dangerous for normal people to go in. Like Baymax but sleeker and not totally equipped for medical stuff… I just.. need to finish his programming…"
"That explains why he was heavy in combat, he would have to know self defense… and Kokoro… fits him. Heart of courage."
Kokoro seemed pleased… Nuzzling Kathleen while giving Hiro a death glare.
"Oh don't give me that look! You beat me up for two years! But yeah… Hooray for non violent reactions! … For the most part."
Kathleen looked up at Kokoro nuzzling him. "Be nice to him, he's my friend, he's not gonna hurt me Kokoro."
Satisfied with this Kokoro let her go and stepped back onto his charging base.
"Alright… Time to power down now big guy, good job-"
WHACK!
"OW!"
Kathleen giggled. "Let me."
She walked over to Kokoro, shutting him off.
"There."
"Well that went… Sort of well…" Hiro remarked rubbing his head. "Remind me to put a do not do harm to Hiro Hamada program in him somewhere… Still has daddy issues."
"Noted." Kathleen looked at where Kokoro had hit him.
There was a large bruise on the side of his head, faintly shaped like a hand. "... Yeah.. I need to tweak his servos… Or maybe put mittens on him before testing…"
"Good idea…" Kathleen went over to the mini fridge pulling out an ice pack and towel, putting it over the bruise. "There…"
He gave her a grateful look. "Thanks… But hey not so psycho is he?"
"Guess he was just as confused as we were… and needed a little love I guess."
"I suppose so… Plus two years pretty much of not knowing what exactly your main programming should be… I'd be confused too… At least Tadashi's bot was squishy so seemed casualties were slim…" But man… Looks like I'm gunning for 90 tests….
"Yeah… and I understand Kokoro's pain… but he knows now."
Hiro nodded looking to Kokoro. "Yup… Still gonna need to do some tweaks, like figure out a better off switch or maybe a vocal command like Megabot and Baymax have for shutting down so I don't ever have to go after a battle crazed version… Then again once I get him all finished up and pretty… He'll be better."
"Yeah, maybe I could help design his outward appearance."
Hiro grinned. "I'd like that."
Kathleen smiled. "Then I'll oblige… Oh Hiro." she hugged him, giggling. "You're making progress! I'm so proud of you!"
Hiro hugged her laughing a bit. "This was the most successful test yet!"
"Yes!"
"And we're still alive!"
"Yay for living!"
He spun her around a bit before they both stopped hearing what sounded like: "Oh man no foot chase?"
"... You guys are SO doomed!"
"RUN!"
There was a sound of many foot steps before it went quiet.
Kathleen shook her head. "Silly nerds."
"Our friends." Hiro deadpanned.
"They're nice nerds though."
Hiro nodded before looking to her with a small grin. "Though you know what this means now that you're rolling with us."
"Hm?" she looked at him curious.
Always wanted to say this!
"Welcome to nerd school… Nerd."
Kathleen was quiet before she laughed throwing her arms around him again.
"Glad to be here!"
Hiro hugged her keeping her close.
I'm really glad she's here…
Kathleen rested her head under his chin, nuzzling a little.
"Not sure where I fall in nerd categories though since I'm not really good at any science… just cooking."
"You are chef nerd." He nuzzled her. "That's kind of science isn't it?"
Kathleen hummed in thought.
"Well… when it comes to baking you gotta be sure to have all the right ingredients… now that I think about it, whenever I was doing chem stuff with Honey I was oddly reminded of when I start putting things together for a recipe."
Hiro grinned. "We might make you an SFIT student yet."
Kathleen giggled. "Maybe I will look into a form of science… sky seems to be the limit here."
"Yup, I even saw someone once make rocket boots for their cat…. But his sucked… Mine are better." Hiro boasted a bit.
"Oh you…" she nuzzled him again. "If there's a science for cooking I'll take it."
He nuzzled her sighing in content. "If it means free food and seeing you happy… I can only see it going well."
"Yeah…" She closed her eyes. "Only bummer is by the time I can actually get into college you guys will have already finished your four years."
"Who knows…" He held her close. "Maybe you'll get lucky… And the one useful bit of that jerkwad Callaghan's wisdom is… There is no age limit here."
"True…" She looked up to him smiling. "Just don't want to steal your thunder. You're the child prodigy."
He smiled touching his forehead to hers. "You're too kind…. Just a nerd… Prince of all nerds but hey…"
She giggled. "If anything… I would love to go here… it would mean being with all of you… I love it here… I always look forward to coming here after school to see you guys…"
"And everyone would love to have you here…" Hiro hummed in thought. "Actually… Wonder if it would be possible for you to take a couple of classes here…"
"Maybe… I'd just have to do really well."
"Well… There's one surefire way to get in…"
"I'll need some help…" Kathleen smiled.
Hiro grinned and took a step back bowing. "At your service madam."
Kathleen nodded, standing tall, feeling a sense of hope… and a bit of pride.
I finally feel like I know what I want to do…