Chapter Summary: Tadashi builds an armor and a fighting chip for Baymax. Training ensues.
Disclaimer: I don't own Big Hero 6 and its characters.
"Okay. Arms up, buddy," Tadashi said as he pulled an electronic device from a shelf. "I'm making you a new chip."
Baymax did as he was told and Tadashi quickly scanned his robot. Then Tadashi made Baymax switched places and had the latter scan his body as well. He downloaded the scanned image of himself and Baymax to his computer. A 3-D model of Baymax's soft body and Tadashi's lean body appeared on the screen. With Baymax peering curiously over his shoulder, Tadashi opened another screen and downloaded several martial art videos.
"I fail to see how karate makes me a better health-care companion," Baymax stated.
"Just think of this as a new skill to learn when it comes to protecting the sick and injured," Tadashi explained as he linked the model of Baymax to a footage of a dojo scene. "If someone were to harm your patient or even prevent you from doing your job, you need to learn self-defense."
Baymax listened to his creator and looked at the screen. "... I still fail to see how I need to be physically fit enough to fight off ninjas."
Tadashi laughed as he watched the Baymax model take on several fighters with karate moves, as he programmed a fighting chip. He even include a special trigger that would put Baymax into a fighting "defensive" mode in case Tadashi is in danger. He will test it out later to see if it would work.
Once the program is running, Tadashi then rolled his chair over to another computer and began designing parts of armor suits for the both of them. While he's still going to upgrade Baymax into a battle bot, he wanted to fight and defend himself the masked man too since he's armed with the microbots.
"Let's make the best armor ever," he smiled with confidence. Then he fired up the 3-D printer.
"WHY-CAN'T-I-DO-ANYTHING-RIGHT!"
Tadashi yelled in frustration as he banged his head against the top of his desk. Hours has passed and all he had to show for his time and efforts were several misshaped carbon-fiber armor pieces were scattered all over the room.
Baymax looked over to where he is sitting on the floor, while petting Mochi who is happily sitting on his arms. "I recommend not to repeatedly bang your head, otherwise you will suffer-"
"SHUT UP, BAYMAX! I didn't program you to sass me!"
"... Sass is not in my nursing database."
Tadashi groaned loudly and fell back on his chair. "This is ridiculous!" he complained. "I study robotics engineering in a nerd school! This should be so easy to figure this out!"
He ran his hand through his hair in distraught. He realized he lacked the talent to build fighting robots like his brother, and he looked down on Hiro for his destructive inventions. Meanwhile, Hiro would sarcastically call him a "boring nerd" who makes his inventions "too safe". Tadashi bet his little brother is laughing at him somewhere in the afterlife, but it made feel depressed.
"I give up," he said weakly. "This is a dead end for me."
However, his words sparked something inside his memory.
"You have been putting off your project. It won't be good for your final grade," Professor Callaghan told him after Tadashi complained that his robotic nurse project isn't going anywhere after his 52nd test.
"I can't help it, Professor," Tadashi sighed as they both walked down the hall together. "No matter how much I tried, the big guys always keep falling apart on me. I'm ready to throw in the towel."
The old professor stopped him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Trying isn't enough. Use that big brain of yours to think your way out."
"W-what?" Tadashi stammered, staring in confusion.
"We push the boundaries of robotics here. You are going to go on and shape the future of science," Callaghan told him firmly, his blue eyes shining fiercely. "There is always a solution to a problem. You just have to-"
"Look for a new angle?" Tadashi suggested.
Callaghan smiled. "I'm pleased to have you as my student. You use that as your own personal motto."
"I guess I'll go back and work on Baymax again," Tadashi shrugged.
"That's good. I appreciate the determination of a future scientist. ...You remind me so much of my daughter."
"Was she the one who loved botfighting?" Tadashi asked. He rarely hears Callaghan talk about his personal life but whenever the professor did, he always talks about his daughter.
"The very same one. Abigail was my greatest joy," Callaghan trailed off. He stared off into the distance. Tadashi was curious of the past tense in his words.
"Was?"
"She died not so long ago. In an accident."
"Oh." Tadash felt bad for bringing up a painful subject. "I'm so sorry..."
"No, it's alright. You're not the one responsible for it."
Tadashi saw his professor's face darken, as though he was nursing a venomous grudge. This expression did not seem to suit this seemingly good man and it made the young student a little nervous. He continued walking with his professor before he reached his lab.
"Good luck on your project, Mr. Hamada," Callaghan said before closing the glass door. "Remember... There are no dead ends."
Tadashi repeated his professor's words under his breath and he felt energized again. His professor was always there to give him advice whenever he can't solve a problem. Even though Callaghan lived a good life, he did not deserve to die in that fire accident. Tadashi wished he could have saved him but he didn't regret trying in the first place.
The inventor cannot give up now. He has a masked man to catch and who knows what that criminal would do with Hiro's microbots.
He went back to the computer and opened some files where Hiro kept his designs for building fighting bots. Several blueprints for robots filled the screen and Tadashi couldn't help but become awed at how creative and imaginative they are. He remembered his mission and regained his focus. He checked through each blueprint before settling on an armor suit that looked practical and eye-pleasing, something that Hiro would find "cool".
"I found a new angle," he smiled to himself.
Tadashi then made a quick trip to his bedroom and gathered a few of old toy robots, Hiro's Megabot, and his textbooks on robotics. He needed a LOT of studying.
He returned to the garage without disturbing Aunt Cass who was watching her late night tv shows. He placed his stuff on the desk and pulled out his book. While he was pouring over his notes on his book and Hiro's computer files. Baymax walked over and looked at Megabot closely.
"Hiro was holding this when we first met," the robot stated.
"Yeah. He was," Tadashi said without looking.
After several minutes of studying, the inventor designed another armor piece following Hiro's notes. With just a push of print button, the 3-D printer created a carbon-fiber armor piece. Tadashi grabbed it and was thrilled to see it came out perfect. He was even more happy when it fitted into Baymax's arm. Even though he's still uncomfortable for going against everything he studied and what he built Baymax for, Tadashi knew he cannot rest easy until he catch the masked man. And it's not just bringing justice for Hiro. If he can build Baymax to help many people, he can upgrade the same robot to protect others as well. He'll be turning Baymax into a guardian. As he fitted each armor segment to Baymax, the fighting chip programming has just ended.
Tadashi finally added the last piece of armor to Baymax's soft balloon body and stepped back to admire his hard work. Baymax resembled a brown beetle crossed with a samurai and he looked a bulky under the heavy armor. The padding would protect Baymax's fragile vinyl body from harm and the hard plates would give Baymax offensive strikes.
Tadashi couldn't help but grin wide with triumph. "My first fighting bot... You hear that, Hiro? Who's a boring nerd now?!"
At this moment, Baymax's armor pieces began flying off and hitting the walls. Tadashi flinched and cowered back before he can get hit. Even Mochi the cat ran for cover. When it was over, Tadashi face-palmed himself.
"I swear he's doing this to me on purpose," he grumbled before putting the armor back on Baymax again, making sure they stay fitted. Then it was Tadashi's turn to put on his own armor.
Baymax looked down at himself and moved his arms. "I have concerns, Tadashi. This armor may undermine my nonthreatening, huggable design."
"That's kind of the idea, buddy," Tadashi replied. "And besides, you look tough and handsome."
He put on some elbow and knee guards, a pair of fingerless gauntlets, a teal carbon-fiber vest and shoulder blades. Then he added a teal helmet with a dark eyeshield that covered his upperface, leaving his mouth exposed. He then stood in front of Baymax, waiting for a reaction.
"Well? Do I look sick?" he inquired.
Baymax scanned him. "You looked healthy. Except upon closer inspection, you appear a little malnourished and in need of more hours of sleep."
Tadashi shook his head. He's going to teach his robot more about expressions and metaphors later. He went over to pick up the finished fighting chip and drew a frowning face on it. He went over to Baymax and opened the access port. He paused when he saw Baymax's green health-care chip-the object that what defines Baymax into who he is and his role. He cannot bring himself to remove the chip so he slid the red chip next to the green one.
Soon Baymax began to download the new programming into his database. He watched Tadashi gather and set up some old wooden boards as some sort of training test.
"You ready, Baymax?" Tadashi began as he pointed to a tall board standing in front of the robot. "Punch that."
Baymax quickly analyzed the board before punching swiftly. The board broke in two right in the middle. Tadashi's jaw dropped and then he whooped in excitement. Then he pushed Baymax into a pile of wooden blocks.
"Try this!"
With a swift slice of his hand, Baymax destroyed the wooden blocks too.
"It worked! This is amazing!" Tadashi screamed in delight, dancing a little. He pulled up a tough-looking mannequin to become a temporary training dummy. "Okay, strength is perfect so far. But I need you to practice on your control. Hit this without breaking it."
Baymax carefully pulled back his fist and hit the dummy in the chest. It flew backwards but it didn't break into pieces like the wooden board and blocks. The robot then turned to see Tadashi going into a fighting stance.
"Okay, now practice your new moves on me," Tadashi ordered.
"I cannot harm my patient, Tadashi," Baymax reminded him. "My programming prevents me from injuring a human being."
Tadashi realized that even though Baymax now learned offensive skills, the robot is still a pacifist and gentle caregiver at heart. "Just focus on your control," he told him. "I know you won't hurt me. Trust me, Baymax. Now... use a palm strike."
The medical robot was hesitant but he struck a hand forward with an open palm, holding back as much strength. And since he was so fast, Tadashi couldn't brace himself in time and was struck in the chest. He flew backwards and landed on the floor hard. He coughed and moaned in pain. He heard Baymax approaching him quickly.
"I apologize for injuring you," the robot replied as he gently picked up Tadashi back on his feet. "On the scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"
"Excellent!" Tadashi replied happily. He then gave a big kiss on Baymax's face. "Let's do this again. More control, try not to hit me that harder."
"Your answer isn't a number," Baymax blinked in confusion. "I wish not to hurt people with my new strength, Tadashi."
"Deal. Just let me do the people-harming, okay?"
Tadashi and Baymax continued practicing karate together, the inventor teaching him how to strike and block blows. Their sparring reminded Tadashi of the karate lessons he taught to Hiro for self-defense. The two brothers sometimes challenge each other in friendly fights, but Tadashi always wins in them. Baymax soon mastered karate flawlessly and Tadashi felt so proud for upgrading his robot into a warrior. If he had done something like this before long ago, then neither Hiro nor Callaghan wouldn't be killed.
He held up his fist, a large smile on his face. Baymax tilted his head as he looked at Tadashi's fist.
"Is this an attack move?" he asked curiously.
"No, this is a fist bump," Tadashi explained. "It's something you do when you are excited and all pumped up. Here.."
He carefully showed Baymax by manipulating his hand and made an exploding sound effect with his fingers. Baymax copied his creator's movements.
"Bata-latala," Baymax said in a poor attempt to make an exploding sound.
"Eh, close enough," Tadashi grinned. He straightened up his armor. "Okay, I'm going try out this special trigger I added into your battle programming. It's supposed to put you into defensive mode in case I'm ever in danger. You ready for this?"
"I am prepared to aid you," Baymax said.
Tadashi took a deep breath and was about to utter the word when he heard someone knocking outside the garage. He heard two familiar voices.
"Tadashi, it's us~!" Honey Lemon's voice was heard.
"We came to see you," Wasabi spoke up.
Tadashi sharply turned to Baymax, his mood dropped from excitement to cold irritation. "You didn't..." he hissed dangerously as he hurriedly began removing his armor.
"I contacted your friends earlier," Bamax nodded. "Those who suffer a loss require support from friends and loved ones."
Tadashi ignored him and opened the door of the garage, though not wide enough so his friends won't see the mess inside. He only saw Wasabi and Honey, and they looked a little awkward seeing him but they had smiles on their faces.
"Hey, Tadashi," Wasabi greeted him nervously. "We're sorry that our visit made you uncomfortable earlier. We didn't mean to disrespect Hiro's memory."
"Your brother is a friend to us," Honey said. "Remember we had a little pizza party weeks ago when Hiro took a break from his microbots project?"
The word "microbots" twisted Tadashi's side when he remembered someone started the fire to steal them and killed Hiro in the process. However, he kept a stone-hard blank face as his fingers tightened on door.
"So, how about you join us and we go out to pizza together?" Wasabi suggested. "Gogo and Fred couldn't come, so it'll be just the three of us."
"... I'm not interested."
Honey noticed Tadashi's bandaged hand and tried touch it. "Tadashi, your hand! What happened?"
Tadashi quickly pulled his hand away. "It's nothing," he said quickly. "I just had a little accident. Now, if you excuse me... I'm quite busy here."
"We just got here! Tadashi, please- we can't live like this!" Honey begged. She looked ready to cry.
"Then leave me alone!"
The door slammed right in front of their faces. Honey's lips quivered and she turned away, breaking into sobs. Wasabi just stared at the spot where Tadashi's face used to be.
"Tadashi, you're our friend!" Wasabi shouted. "If you didn't want to see us, why did you bother contacting us?! I'm tired, Tadashi-we're all tired. We just wanted to help you!"
Meanwhile inside the garage, Tadashi tried to shut out the words but it still managed to hit his chest like icicle daggers. It really hurt, but they still don't understand his loss. They don't know Hiro like he did. They will never understand...
He waited for Wasabi and Honey to leave before looking at Baymax. "Don't ever call them again," he ordered.
"I was trying to be helpful-"
"If you want to help me... YOU will help me catch that guy who stole my brother's microbots."
"You are experiencing guilt over your prevention of Hiro's death," Baymax stated. "If this isn't dealt with and resolved, intense feelings of remorse or anger can interfere with the healing process."
Tadashi stared at him and he could feel his blood boiling but he kept his cool. "You asked me if apprehending the masked man will improve my emotional state. Well, I can't be healed until we get the guy."
He bent over and picked up his armor. "Now before we do that, we're gonna go on a little patrolling."
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