A/N: *happily singing* I feel good! So here's another great chapter!
Chapter Two: Preadolescence
We are all imperfect human beings.
That is why we make mistakes and then learn from them.
Sometimes, I had to learn it the hard way…but I'm glad I did.
One year later…
I could feel the perspiration forming on my forehead. All eyes, including my mother's, were staring through me. Why did she want me here for this?! Of course I knew how to spell all the words that the judges had given me, since I was one out of the three left standing, but still it's not logic that a eleven year old girl should be at a Spelling Bee meant for teenagers ages sixteen to eighteen! My mother informed me that it could be for anybody regardless of age, but I highly disaccord.
Standing in front of the microphone, the judge presented monotonously to everyone, "If Yoko can spell this word right, she will become San Fransokyo's Spelling Bee Champion."
I understood why his voice was droning. We all have been sitting and standing here in this diminutive building for about more than six hours (or more precisely six hours, thirty-two minutes, fifty-five seconds, and four milliseconds), eliminated forty-seven other competitors, and had only three ten-minute breaks. It mostly appeared to me that some of the audience where dead, with the exception of aunt Lemon and my mother, or were about to get up and walk out the door. Sadly, the two security guards kept everyone inside with just making a look to any parent that tried to leave.
The other two competitors that sat behind me didn't spell the word correctly. A short, rotund teen competitor sat quietly behind me, refusing to smile as she hoped that I wouldn't spell the word right. The other competitor, however, seems to be supportive as he gave a innocent smile and waited for the judges to repeat the word yet again.
"Yoko, the word that you have to spell is…"
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis
One of the longest words in the English dictionary. Yes…this was definitely going to be a piece of cake. I glance out to the crowd, only to find that everyone was still asleep, except aunt Lemon and mother (I'm guessing that they drank five cups of coffee during their last break), and so I didn't panic as much as before. I tried to imagine myself playing on the piano that uncle Fred's parents gave to me at age three, then gradually tapping my fingers on the side of my legs, as if I was actually playing, and said loudly enough for everyone to wake up:
"P-N-E-U-M-O-N-O-U-L-T-R-A-M-I-C-R-O-S-C-O-P-I-C-*inhale*-S-I-L-I-C-O-V-O-L-C-A-N-O-K-O-N-I-O-S-I-S."
I clinch my fists, kept my eyes shut very tightly, and looked away from the audience. I could hear the stupefying gasps and murmurs within the crowd. I was so thankful that they awoke in the middle of my spelling. But then the bricks collapse on me as soon as I heard that stupid buzzer.
Buzz.
I didn't spell it accurately.
"WHAT?!" I heard mother furiously yelled out as soon as I saw her jumping up out of her seat. Her bursting anger startles everyone, especially the ones that sat next to her (poor father and uncle Wasabi), but she process on like a mad woman, "I know darn well that my baby spelled that word right! It doesn't sound wrong because it ain't wrong!—"
The judge quickly, but nervously, grabbed the microphone and stated rather seriously, "Ma'am, if you don't settle down right now, you will be sent out and Yoko here will forfeit."
As soon as this was told, mother became embarrassed and sat back down without another word, still frowning as she kept quiet. The judge looked back up at me, kindly smiling and insisted, "Since you mostly spelled that word right, you get to try again. It's up to you."
I heard the rotund girl behind me huff in unfairness. I agreed. It wasn't fair that I could go again for the spelling while the other two didn't. But before I could answer, the judge's young assistant came up to the judge and whispers something in his ear. The judge's pupils waxed larger at the realization of his mistake, and glanced up at me, directly saying, "Sorry there, Yoko. My assistant told me that you genuinely spelled it correctly. Yoko Hamada…You are San Fransokyo Spelling Bee Champion!"
As much as I wanted to bounce up and down in excitement like people would expected, I didn't. I only bowed and ran up to my family, who couldn't hold their enthusiasm any more.
"Oh, quick, quick! Let's take a picture of this moment!" said aunt Lemon, using her cell phone for a selfie of us smiling. After that was done, I saw the same competitor, whose parents seemed to be fussing at him for not winning, and scampered off to greet him. Seeing the gloomy look appear on his face, I tapped on his shoulder to get his attention. He slowly turned around and hastily wipes the tears away from his face.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey."
"So…I think that you did a fantastic job," I admitted, trying my best to smile.
"Um…Thanks, I guess," he said awkwardly. I didn't want to be in this awkward moment, so I oddly left with a wave of "Good-bye" and headed back to my family.
"I think we should celebrate back at my café," Cass cheered, holding me by the shoulders. "Dinner's on me!"
"Yeah, free food," hollered uncle Fred. It all sounded great, but noticing that after so many hours and minutes of waiting, I really had to go to the restroom!
"Uh…I got to got powder my nose," I tell them, heading over to the nearest stall.
"Okay," I heard dad call out. "We'll be here waiting!"
I couldn't believe it. I won the San Fransokyo's Spelling Bee! I felt the confidence bubbling inside me like a million fireworks about ready to burst out of my chest. How could a eleven year old win a Spelling Bee and be able to spell one of the longest words ever? By being intelligent, that's how. I couldn't help but smile at myself when using the sink's mirror and whispered, "I'm Yoko, that's who I am."
I heard faint sounds of laugher that gradually grew as footsteps where made into the restroom. The same rotund competitor from the competition came walking in with another girl, who I'm assuming is her sister because they looked related to each other, stops in her tracks to grimace at me and mocks, "Well, well, well. If it isn't Miss—what's that word—Nepotism."
Nepotism. I always feared that somebody would point that out to me just because I'm a daughter to my father. I always hated when someone would constantly nettle me by saying "Oh, you are going to be just like your father" Or "Because you are Hiro's daughter…" because that would be the only reason people become so blinded when they take one "good" look at me.
"Oh look, Dyna," the sister said. "Miss Hamada here is shaking like a leaf."
Was I really? I was worried that a premonition was going to happen soon in this restroom, and that I should be on my way out by now. So without giving any eye contact to the two paled girls, I immediately started heading out the door. But I guess I wasn't quick enough because Dyna grabs me by the hoodie and throws me back inside.
"You and I both know why that judge gave you an opportunity to spell that one word again," Dyna venomously spat out at me. "It's because you're daddy's little girl."
I had never been so terrified before in my life, other than being in pain from my affliction. My heart was literally pounding against my chest fast-paced. I thought that my pain would return because of my heart going in a fast rate…yet again…I'm pretty sure I won't though. But still, I never had any dilemma between a student or anybody in general other than my family.
Since I didn't want any trouble with Dyna or her sister, I calmly explained, "No, it's not because of that. He just gave me the chance just because. You didn't like the idea, and neither did I. So please, leave my daddy out of this."
I don't know weather it was because I sounded like a complete idiot, or the fact that I looked like a "wimp" because both of the girls guffawed and then glared back at me again.
"You're nothing but just a big bowl of abstruseness," Dyna lowly said to me, lightly shoving me. Good thing that I had some balance, because I didn't fall. Then, without even thinking ahead, I bitterly snapped, "Yeah well you know what Dyna?! I think that you're just a big bowl of fat and emptiness!"
That was when everything spiraled downhill. Without much of a warning, she suddenly shoves me hard enough to where my face connected to the hard, cold floor tiles. Then at that very moment, a fire of rage rushed through my mind as I heard the two girls laugh at me. Where were their parents?! As I slowly lifted my face off the ground to give a deep, hard glare at Dyna, she takes notice and mocks, "So Miss Hamada, are you that worthy of being a genius, or just a pathetic unworthy one like your father?"
Then in an instant, I angrily got up and charged straight for Dyna. I pinned her down as I constantly slapped across her pretty face. I even threw in a few punches as I grew more furious. I'd assumed that Dyna's sister ran out to tell everyone what was going on, because then I heard adult voices and footsteps rushing over to the ladies' restroom. But that didn't stop the slapping and punching that I was giving Dyna. I was quite surprised that she didn't scream or cry for help that much as she tried her best to get me off.
I soon heard Cass, mother, aunt Lemon, and aunt Gogo coming inside the restroom as I felt familiar, strong arms wrapping around me, hearing aunt Gogo's voice saying, "Yoko, stop! Stop it right now!" But I didn't listen and kept myself in place.
Before I was yanked off, I pressed my long, unclipped nails on the right side of Dyna's ear and in one swift move, made a long deep scratch along the ear to her cheek. That was when Dyna hollered in pain and placed her hand on the injury.
I noticed the drops of blood left on the floor as I was being dragged away, but I also know that the evidence was on my right finger tips as well. Aunt Gogo held on tight to my arm as I saw my mother fussing at Dyna's mother, then saw the judge, the two security guards, and my father staring at me.
Boy was I in trouble now as I sheepishly looked up at them and showed my gapped teeth by smiling weakly. My father was alarmed that I got involved in a real fight as he looked at red body fluid that still covered my finger-tips. The judge only shook his head back and forth in disappointment for my actions and sarcastically says, "You're right Dr. Hamada. She is going to be somewhat like you when she gets older."
Another year later…
25 years
A Quarter of a Century
Today was the Day
The day of the-uncle-I-never-knew's Bereavement
At age twelve now, father thought that I was mature enough to come see the mourning of the loss. Old students gathered around the SFIT (the college that I was going to attend someday), placed illuminated candles on the stairs, and listened in on my father's special speech:
Twenty-five long years ago, a family member of mine passed away in a fire accident.
He wanted to help people through out the rest of the universe, but sadly he never had the chance to see what his creativity has done to those in need. As time passed by, more and more students each year came by SFIT to learn and get an understanding of better technology. But no student can understand what it was like to have a very bright student, whose mind is extraordinary for building helpers for the universe; pass away when his future for San Fransokyo was just the beginning.
My brother was a very exceptional student. To me personally, my brother was the best brother that anyone could have imagined. He always believed that there were no dead ends when it came to using the brain with new ideas…
As I tried my best to focus on listening, I couldn't help but see the tears flowing through my father's eyes as he continues. I looked around at all the rest of people to see if they where listening in. Some of them were praying, others cried silently in their tissues, and a few had a pokerfaced expression as they listened. I looked up to my mother, who was crying as well, and saw her nodding in understanding of the speech. I didn't quite understand why she was crying for a person she never met. Was she just feeling contrite for my father?
Looking over to my other side, I saw aunt Gogo creeping a few tears out the corners of her eyes; aunt Lemon and uncle Wasabi letting their tears cascade down their faces; Cass and Fred quietly broke down. I felt awfully bad that I was one of those who didn't at least shed a single tear. I remembered the time that Baymax showed me recordings of my deceased uncle testing Baymax out. I couldn't help but cry in that because he truly did have a good heart and he loved his brother. I know that he still does and he'll always be close to my father's heart.
My father's speech was approximately ten minutes long I suppose. But there was a moment of silents as people mourned, then that was about it. Everybody left. Well…except for my family and I that is. Poor father was on his knee in sorrow as he stared at the picture of my deceased uncle. Mother gestured me to try to get him to come back home with us. As I crept closer, I knew that the loss was definitely serious. I gently wrapped my soft hand in his and whispered, "Daddy…"
For a second, he was completely startled when he heard me. But he slowly looked over his shoulders at me with a sad smile and sniveled. I gazed into his red, watery eyes for a minute and saw something. I had never ever seen so much dolor in his eyes before in my life.
But that was a lie.
He did express thisto me so many times before, I just hadn't notice. All those times I have gone to the hospital, he was very determined to see me and make sure that I was alright. He didn't want me to…die. When cameras flash at him after saving the city, or in the middle of showing a business company his opinions on a new project; he would always be there for me.
Love
"Daddy, I think it's time to go home," I said timidly, not really wanted to disturb the moment.
"…Okay," was all my father could say as he held my hand and we walked over to the car. I looked up at him in reassurance and softly said, "Hey…Everything will be okay."
One year later…
I was finish.
The little guy was finally complete. I called him: Scout. His big, round eyes where made out of a toy car's lights, the whole body was made out of sliver carbon fiber scraps molded together, a small solar power was attached onto back of his neck to collect sunlight for power (got too lazy to use batteries), and his lower body region was made from electrical circuits by the solar power to create a force on gravity. In other words, he can "fly" by floating in the air and never touch the ground.
When I showed this to my family, they were quite amazed by my creativeness. Mother, Cass, grandmother, and aunt Lemon thought that Scout looked…cute. I had always wanted a puppy, but mother wouldn't let me, so I decided while I'm stuck in the house, I could construct a companion who would be able to support and understand me.
For example, when ever I was in one of those Pain moments, he would immediately contact Baymax and my parents by using his speakers ("ears"). Also, if I was loss in the city and couldn't find my way back, Scout's eyes can track me down easily with seeing everything that I'm doing on my phone. He doesn't have a voice box, so he just occasionally chirps whenever trying to get my attention. I named him "Scout" because the book To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favorite stories I've ever read.
Despite his small size, which is bigger than the size of my six inch feet, he can be pretty tough in most situations. I gave him retraceable small weapons and hands for protection or support when around me. The only time he has ever been afraid was when he was correctly activated and introduced into the world. Every time he saw new faces, he would either pass out or hide behind me. But soon enough, he started trusting my family and Baymax.
While I sat in my bedroom, home alone again, I began to play chess with Scout out of boredom. I have always wondered to myself, when will be my next Pain attack? I know it's horrible to think like that, but it's my life. I don't like the idea that my family grows worried about me every time I ended up at the hospital, because it makes me into thinking that…I shouldn't be here.
Should I?
Scout thought he had me trapped as he moved his knight and pods over to my king. So using my cockiness, I casually moved my pieces and replied, "Checkmate."
Another year later…
I'm back at my second home.
The hospital.
As I lay in bed, I expressed my ideas onto a new invention. Since Baymax has to stay with me more often, I've decide to build a high-speed car that'll get my father places when being part of the Big Hero 6.
On the electronic big blue print, I sketched out the physical form of the car. Because red and blue are the highlights of the team, I had decided to uses those colors. I haven't debated on using nitrous oxide or not, but whatever I use, I knew that it'll come out just perfect for my father. I hadn't told him or anybody else besides Scout about my new project, because I want it to be a surprise.
I felt a little dizzy now and then, but I was a tough girl so I could handle it. I got messages from my aunts and uncles everyday, but it was never to a point where it was annoying. I love them, and they love me; that's how family works.
Aunt Honey: Hey there Yoko! I heard you where back at the hospital. I know the doctors say the same thing every time, but I'm just checking you out and making sure that everything is fine. Love you!
Aunt Gogo: Hey, kiddo. Back at the hospital again? Well remember what I'd told you before: stiffen up that upper lip and keep your head up. Brighter days will come your way. Love ya, kiddo.
Uncle Wasabi: Hi little niece. I know I probably said it a million times before, but I'm praying for you…literally. I hope you get out of there soon. Love you.
Uncle Fred: You know what, Yoko? If I ever had a new power where I could cure diseases so kids could live a better, worry-free life; I would have given it to you first. Love you, Yoko.
While I was reading all the messages on my phone, a little pearly white dove landed on ledge of my room's only window.
Wait…an actual dove?
Do my eyes deceive me? I couldn't believe it! I had never since a dove before, in fact, I don't think I had ever since one in the city at all. I rise out of the bed and headed to the brightly shined window to take a closer look. The dove's eyes were softly shaded brown as it looked back at me as well. I could see a reflection of myself. But the weirdest thing was how it stared at me. I mean instead of flying away, it appeared to be inspecting me. As I side the window open, the dove didn't move. But as soon as I slowly reached my hand to touch it, the dove quickly flew away in an instant.
'Drats!' I cursed to myself, watching the dove fly high to the wind and skies.
From that moment on, I knew something was coming my way.
Something…promising.
Something…loving.
Something…or someone other than the heavens...
…was watching me.
But who?
A/N: *smriks* I think I know who. Please, read and review!
Notes: I only own Yoko and Scout.
Next Chapter: Yoko will finally be 15! (Coming soon)