Clouds Roll Over the Hills
Hiro's Journal
Hiro Hamada – Captivity: Day 63
I finally found it! A future in which I do not die. That future exists in the ghost lines. It's just a shadow, a faded reality of what could have been had Tadashi not died or perhaps it's something more… I followed many of the possibilities and all of them are fairly bleak. My chances of survival are slim no matter how I look at it but a slim chance is better than no chance. A slim chance is worth fighting for so that's what I'm going to do. It's not going to be easy and from the looks of things I'm not going to come out of this unscathed but I refuse to let them win.
They think they have me cornered, broken and trapped. They think they've already won but they don't know me. I'm a Hamada and a Hamada fights to the very bitter end, come hell or high water. We fight for what is right and I will be damned before I let them take that from me. He taught me that…
Tadashi is the one that taught me that and that is why I need him. I need him to keep me on the straight and narrow. I need him in my mind. I need him in my heart. I need him in my life. Failing the latter, I'll settle for the first two.
"We're here!" Gogo announced making her way towards the airplane door.
Tadashi closed the journal he'd been reading, slipping it back into the pouch connected to his suit. The pouch began at his right hip, curving around it to end just past the small of his back. He'd fitted it to his suit in order to carry the charges and smoke bombs they'd used when they'd initially rescued Hiro. Zipping it closed he stood and made his way over towards Gogo's side, joining her at the airplane door just as she threw it open.
Air rushed through the plane with a loud whoosh, immediately equalizing the pressure between the cabin and the air outside, bringing a surge of mist and clouds with it. Tadashi blinked, waiting a few moments before peering out, taking in the landscape before them. They were flying over a gorge, located not too far north of the city of Los Anjo-shi. The landscape was vast, wild and more than a little dangerous, covered in sand, rocks and shrubbery barely visible in the already fading light. The bedrock below was dry, the river that had once run through it but a memory on the vast scroll of history.
Lights twinkled in the distance, becoming brighter with each passing moment, coming to life beneath the darkening sky. They marked a beginning to the night life that would soon have the city of Los Anjo-shi in its grasp and an end to the hub-bub of the busy day that had just passed. A fitting time to start a mission that would change the very course the future was set to take.
Swiveling gracefully on one foot, Tadashi turned and made his way over to Baymax, fully armored and prepared for the mission ahead. Springing up, he grabbed hold of the hand holds Hiro had installed into Baymax's armour, securing his hands before sliding his feet into the accompanying foot holds, engaging the magnets to keep him in place. "Alright guys. Let's go get my boneheaded brother back." Tadashi declared, sheer determination in his eyes.
Honey Lemon and Gogo climbed up beside him and Fred grabbed hold of Baymax's left arm. Wasabi did not move. Tadashi turned to face him in question. "Still terrified of heights so I don't love this." Wasabi grumbled hesitating a moment longer before reluctantly grabbing onto the other arm, clenching his eyes tightly closed as he did so. "Okay, I'm ready."
"Let's go, Baymax." Tadashi gave the command the moment he was certain Wasabi was secure, not giving his friend time to back out. Leaning in closer, he hugged Baymax's body in order to streamline their flight path, heart beating a rapid rhythm in his throat as Baymax obeyed his order. There was no turning back now. Not for Wasabi, not for him, not for anyone.
Baymax made his way to the door and threw himself out of the airplane, leaning into the free fall. A moment of weightlessness embraced the group, the sounds of the aircraft fading away as they tumbled down, surrounded by wind, clouds and rushing air. One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand, four one thousand… "Baymax! Any time now!" Wasabi called out, clinging to Baymax in sheer terror.
"Engaging thrusters." Baymax announced a split later, launching them forward. Free of the aircraft, Baymax began to weave through the sky, flying dangerously close to but easily avoiding, cliff faces, rocky outcrops and stone pillars. Easily orientating himself he headed straight towards the newly installed glass complex built within the heart of the largest gap in the canyon.
"Wooo-hooo!" Fred fisted the air, the ensuing rush of adrenaline making him giddy with excitement. Rushing air, high speed and Baymax's graceful flow filled him with a surge of joy and freedom second to nothing else he'd ever experienced. "We're off! Commence, Operation, Fredzilla to the Rescue!"
"How many times do I have to tell you we're not calling this, or any other mission - Fredzilla to the Rescue?" Gogo called down to him, scowling behind her mask. "Not now. Not Ever." Fred's naming conventions were both ridiculous and unimaginative and she really wished he'd take a break from them.
"You have a better idea?" Fred asked, almost daring her to change the name. Gogo was usually the last person to volunteer names for their missions. She was often of the opinion than naming the missions was a complete waste of time. Honey Lemon was indifferent. Wasabi took too long to settle one he liked and Fred, well Fred was Fred. So it was that most of their previous mission names had come from Hiro.
Fred's dare was, however, a dare Gogo was not afraid to take on for a change. She glanced at Tadashi, silently noting his focus on the task at hand. That single minded focus was a trait she'd always admired even if it was more often set on getting Hiro out of trouble than anything else. Tadashi was once again wearing his black suit, amber lines emphasizing the toning his martial arts training had given him. A suit he'd built specifically to save Hiro. He was strong, resolved and fiercely determined to get back at those that had hurt his baby brother. Which is why this operation, like the one that came before, belonged solely to him.
"Operation Sunfire Strikes Back."
- BH6 - BH6 - BH6 –
A/N: Oh my word this chapter was hard. I seriously struggled to get the bit after the journal entry right.
Guest: The gang is all set to go fetch Hiro and bring him back. Mwahahahahaha
Ern Estine 13624: Oh, don't worry. They are hot on his heels.
CrazyBlueOwl: Just to be clear. My earlier response doesn't mean there is no future Hiro. It simply means that future Hiro will not be buying the nuclear weaponry. Oh and I'd start running. Tadashi has you in his sights :P
Dreamer: Glad I could clarify some things up for you XD. Tadashi being over protective is the best part for me. It's so much fun to write though he does go too far at times. I know all about procrastination. I do it all the time. Just depends on how my life is going at the time I guess. As for your not so great intentions, as long as they are directed at Inquisitor it's all good. I will miss you and hope you will enjoy what you find when you get back. All the best for forming a routine.
shooting2stars: Don't tempt Tadashi. He probably would have included that if he thought it would do any good... It's such a relief to know that you feel I'm doing the various characters well. That was my biggest concern when I started this, that they would end up out of character. They are awesome together and come hell or high water, they will get hiro back, don't you worry about that.