Stage 3:

Tadashi looked better or so we thought when we arrived at the kennel about a week later. The DNA test results they had done on me to prove we were family had come back positive.

Now all that was left was to watch a dumb "how to care for" video as if we needed to know how to care for Tadashi. But we figured it might help to have Baymax catch whatever we missed. We wanted Tadashi to be healthy after all.

But it was creepy…. And sad at the same time.

I paid attention on and off until it started talking about Mercy Mode.

The tape explained that mercy mode would be activated if a Connie tried to become violent like they naturally were, or if they were completely submerged in water. They'd be electrocuted until their heart stopped.

"There goes showering…" Aunt Cass muttered cringing at the cartoon image of a Connie being zapped under water by it's collar, it's eyes large X's it's tongue protruding out.

I felt a little sick and made note to never allow that to happen to Tadashi.

It also explained a lot about Tadashi's collar. The collar was stuck to him, it was sending electrical charges to his brain, via something they implanted under the skin when he was being "neutralized" for the disease. Basically it was keeping him calm but it also rendered him speechless.

It was the same for all Connies.. I just wished I could hear my brothers voice again.

When it was over we got up and went to where Leon was waiting with Tadashi. He was staring ahead but he was cleaned up. Leon had cut his hair to match how he had looked in his picture and he was wearing the clothes we brought for him. With his hoodie you couldn't really see the collar.

Aunt Cass had started to cry and hugged Tadashi. I kept back while I quietly grilled Leon over some of the things.

"What if I wanted to stop Mercy Mode?"

Leon looked around before lowering his voice his eyes serious. "You'd have to jam the collar or… You'd have to keep him calm. I shouldn't be telling you this but…. You can get the collar off if it starts to go active…" He quickly wrote down a note and folded it up giving it to me. "Do not show this to anyone, do not open this unless it's an emergency of Mercy Mode going active and any other means of sedating him won't work."

I sighed shakily taking this wondering if we were ready for this. It was no going back but knowing my brother getting stressed could very well kill him it was scary.

"You'll do fine… Now ma'am if you'll just sign here and would you like the number of our in house doctor?"

"We have our own." Aunt Cass brushed him off as Baymax stood beside Tadashi gently taking his arm.

Baymax was scanning Tadashi his brown eyes glowing briefly as he did. He glanced to me and gave his best reassuring look before turning to Tadashi again and giving his arm a gentle squeeze. Tadashi just looked at him tilting his head.

ooooo

After getting Tadashi home we tried to get him settled. He was sitting in front of the TV now just staring blankly at the images moving across it.

I sighed and sat next to him. He only glanced at me before looking back to the TV.

"So uh… Good show bro?"

Nothing.

"I thought you hated HGTV."

Still nothing.

I clapped loudly next to his ear. Only a flinch as he moved away.

"Tadashi c'mon…"

"Hiro."

I turned to see Baymax giving me a look I knew all too well. It was the: "Your not helping" look as I took a step back. "... Sorry…"

"It is alright… Tadashi?"

My brother looked up at the sound of his name. Baymax knelt in front of him keeping his voice calm.

"It's almost time for bed for the both of you. Can you come with me?"

It was nice to see that Baymax was still himself even with all this weird stuff. I felt sorry for him since Tadashi made him, so they did have a special connection.

Maybe that's why Tadashi actually acknowledged him without realizing it or maybe…

No.

Tadashi was neutralized. That collar would keep any spark down… Be it his laugh or his voice…

Or the hunger that tore apart the infected area's.

oooo

I couldn't sleep. It was hard falling asleep without Baymax to help me drift off, or having some sort of stimuli but I was still wide awake. I was still worried. I got up with a sigh as I grabbed my glasses off my nightstand slipping them on. I'd be blind without them.

I headed downstairs and quietly to Tadashi's room. Baymax was charging but still awake as he nodded to me. "He is asleep… It is alright."

"Thanks…" I whispered before looking to my brother. He looked so calm and… Peaceful. Although it was hard to ignore the red restraints around his wrists keeping him tied to the bed. It was protocol if we wanted to keep him from knocking things over or hurting himself he had to be tied down at night.

It was still hard to watch though. I sniffled feeling a lump in my throat. "Tada-nii…"

"Hiro there is a chance he's still in there...'

"How…?"

"I do not know… I only ask that you give him time."

I nodded before laying beside Tadashi not really caring at this point. I was tired now and just wanted to sleep.

In my dreams I couldn't stop seeing a cartoon version of Tadashi being electrocuted.