Chapter 51, everybody! Welcome to Klub Kaiju.
Once again, of course Fred's dad is for alliteration he's Stan Lee—the movie novelization for the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie actually lampshades this when J. Jonah Jameson names the Green Goblin, pointing out to one Peter Parker that nothing makes a name stick like alliteration! The book then proceeds to list about half-a-dozen other Marvel characters to prove that point.
Moving on, Wasabi's birthday! And that is Gogo's actual canon suggestion, although she never said how to procure it….In other news, Obake's sleepless nights are not going unnoticed and Aunt Cass is making plans. And one of the reasons that Season 3 bugs me so much is that it sacrifices character information for 'humor'—example being "The Dog Craze of Summer," where Wasabi helps to wrangle Professor Granville's dogs with no issue despite "Steamer's Revenge" mentioning that Wasabi is allergic to dogs. Will give that episode some props for showing us that there are reasons to fear Granville (she walked off in heels carrying about 200 pounds of dog) but the character regression for Hiro wasn't worth it (his behavior in that episode would make sense in Season 1, but not Season 3).
Moving on…Mom watches a lot of murder shows and apparently formaldehyde is an effective poison because it doesn't usually show up on tox scans. Also according to Mom you used to be able to obtain formaldehyde if you're a hairdresser, but she's not sure if that's changed recently. And, like morticians, they'd probably ask just why you needed the stuff. Failing that, antifreeze falls under the same umbrella of not usually being scanned for and reportedly tastes sweet, which is why you have to keep it away from animals and small children. Saying all this, please do not commit murder there are better options. D:
Moving on from topics of murder…Aka Buru is Japanese for Red Bull, while Okiru is from Baby Daddy. Cruz, meanwhile, is talking about San Fransokyo specifically and not San Francisco I know a guy living there and every time it's on the news I worry about him deeply. D:
So in canon Wasabi's birthday present ended up being them fishing his car out of the bay and fixing it but since that car chase didn't happen in this AU…Tadashi's referencing a comedian who was canceled a while back and then absolved in 5-pt print on the second-to-last page of the paper—love how the bad news always get splashed everywhere and when it's proven wrong that's buried. Moving on…apparently during the design phase the guys doing the Big Hero 6 movie tried to give Baymax a mouth and eventually nixed it for the exact reason Tadashi gives. Also please look up Extreme(ly Dumb) Sports because the backwards hat and sunglasses gets a mention in that book. XD
Juxshoa, thanks for the review! Me too….
Big Hero 6 © 2014 Disney
Work on finalizing the kaiju apparently also doubled as another team meeting, called by Tadashi.
"Please explain why we're treating the kaiju as some secret clubhouse," Obake demanded.
"OOH yes let's do that!" Fred said, both hands up. "I vote we call it Klub Kaiju—both K's, alliteration, Dad says alliteration is key."
"We'll put that on the to-do list," Tadashi said. "But that's actually not why we're here."
Honey Lemon taped up a piece of paper, bouncing around to beam at them. "Wasabi's birthday is coming up—anyone have any ideas?"
"Surprise party!" Fred said, putting a hand up.
"A bag of cash?" Gogo suggested.
"A vacation to the other side of the country with his friends, perhaps with Cass supervising," Obake said.
"Obake's been stuck on this idea for a while now," Tadashi told Honey Lemon. "I think when we told him to get out more he took it to the extreme."
Yeah, Hiro reflected, glancing at Obake. Couldn't shake the weird feeling from yesterday, from most of the week of Obake's restless nights, constantly thrashing in his sheets like he was trapped, face doing something weird—
And then yesterday, when he had been sleeping relatively soundly—Hiro had explained it to Fred, sat next to Obake with plans to tease him when he woke up—
Had watched with growing concern as he started twitching and kicking, crying out and looking more and more distressed—
Stop it stop it I'm sorry I'm sorry!
He wondered if it had anything to do with Aunt Cass starting to take notes during her murder shows, mumbling darkly about someone…but Obake had been upset to the point of deteriorating health all week, and at this point it was either figure it out himself or sic Baymax on him.
Huff, hating that he didn't know what to do to fix this, that he couldn't fix this like he could a robot, turned his attention back to the conversation at hand.
"Ooh, I know! What about a puppy?" Honey Lemon asked.
"Wasabi lives in a dorm," Tadashi pointed out.
"Wasabi: is also allergic to all dogs," Baymax said.
"Ooh! Robot dog!" Fred offered.
"If you're going to get him a living thing, just get him a bonsai tree," Gogo said.
"Hey," Tadashi and Honey Lemon said, pointing at each other.
Okay so that was nice, and so was the surprise party at the Lucky Cat, but Hiro couldn't exactly bring himself to be enthused. There was still the overhanging cloud of Obake and his night terrors, and the downright weird stuff he had said earlier…there was something he was missing.
And he definitely worried that if he didn't get to the bottom of this soon, Obake would be gone for good.
Okay, so on a different day he would have probably questioned the new stock of household chemicals sooner. As it was, it was the bundle of chicken wire and the shiny new axe that finally had him asking Cass just what she was making these purchases for.
"Uhhh…Halloween decorations," she said finally.
Arch an eyebrow at her. "You are a terrible liar."
"You only think that because you're getting no sleep," she countered, pointing at him. "You look like a Tim Burton character, you know that? AND you're not eating—are you okay?"
No. "You're still a terrible liar, and deflecting doesn't change the subject."
"Yes it does." Look at him with real concern. "This isn't about him, is it? Don't worry, I have a plan. Also don't ask about the plan, I'll let you know when we need to get our stories straight."
"Does this have anything to do with that little bottle of antifreeze you're keeping behind the expresso machine?"
"I mean I would have gone with formaldehyde but as it turns out it's a little hard to get when you're not a mortician," she said, grimacing a little.
"You know a chemist, you realize."
"Yeah, but I'm afraid Honey Lemon will ask questions."
Not that he didn't have questions. "When the time comes, get me, I know how to dispose of a body."
"Okay now I'm wondering how you know."
"Experience," he muttered, opening the fridge and grabbing an Aka Buru. And then a Monster drink on top of that. And an Okiru. Was probably going to be one of those days.
"Oh…kay," she noised, watching him pour all three cans into the blender along with some ice—would have to pass on the booze, no matter how tempting—she'd have a fit and it wouldn't help him anyways. "This isn't about that guy, is it? Don't worry, if he ever shows his face around here again—"
Mental note: do not tell Cass that you and he are one and the same. Ever. "He's not coming back," he told her. At least, back then he never had a reason for visiting the café more than the one time.
She looked skeptical. "While I'm happy at the positive thinking…you don't actually believe that."
It was a statement of fact and he treated it as such. "I don't know what he'll do now," he sighed, turning the blender off.
"Well I know what'll happen if he ever comes back," Cass insisted. "And it'll involve cast iron."
"I thought the plan was to put antifreeze in his coffee." Which would work, honestly.
"I can't guarantee what I'll do in the heat of the moment."
"You will most likely have witnesses if you go with the cast iron."
"I mean depending on the witnesses I might have help," Cass mused. "Some of the old ladies that come here are secretly vicious."
"Good for them." Pour his drink into a thermos, put the lid on, turn—
Ran smack into a hug. "It's going to be all right, okay?" Cass said, hugging him tightly. Oh good grief like this was actually going to help this wasn't a situation where he could hug his way out of it.
Sigh, decide to humor her. "Should push come to shove I'll hand you a skillet and point you in the right direction."
"Good."
Police Chief Diego Cruz had told his daughter that despite the big city living, he was fairly certain she'd enjoy moving into San Fransokyo because it'd have bustle but with low crime. She had seemed skeptical, especially when he assured her that he was going in before her to wipe out all crime and clean up the streets. Honestly, he had been expecting purse snatchers and bot-fighters.
Wasn't exactly expecting Cass sitting at his desk that morning.
"Ah," he noised. "So, Cass, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I want a restraining order," she said flatly, arms crossed.
Blink. "Do I at least get to know what I did?"
"Not you—against this guy that came to the café!"
"Oh boy," he sighed, sitting down and pulling a notepad over. "What guy? I'm going to need a description, preferably a name that'd be really helpful."
"Uhh…I don't know his name," she admitted. "But I can give you a physical description."
"Okay," he said, jotting down blue eyes dark hair sharp clothes when she rattled those off. "Also, what did he do?"
"I…don't really know," she admitted.
Diego put down his pencil at that. "Cass, I have questions, starting with what did you do to your expresso."
"What? Nothing's wrong with my expresso," she said quickly—which made him suspect something. "Listen, it's just—he gives me bad vibes."
Blink. "How many times has he been to the café?"
"Once," she said, wincing.
"How many times have you seen him?"
"Once."
Blink, blink again. "When was this?"
"About a week ago."
Blink a few more times. "Cass…this isn't really grounds for a restraining order, you know that right?"
"Can you at least put a police bolo out on him?" she asked. "Arrest him or something? You said you could put them in the holding tank overnight."
"Cass I really need an explanation."
"I…look, you remember Obake—I think he ran away from this guy I think he's his dad and ever since he's visited the café Obake can't eat or sleep and I am really in desperate need of a way to make that guy go away."
Obake—the creepy kid who had been so dismissive of him. "Do you have proof of the abuse?"
"Um…not like, physical…but look—he's been living with us for months now, I'm pretty sure I can recognize a sudden change in behavior and this is totally a sudden change in behavior and it came from that guy and I am not sitting back and watching this kid waste away. He looks like an older Obake if that helps narrow down the search."
Oh good grief—rub at his forehead, not needing a case like this first thing in the morning. "Okay. Description like that, we can work with. Do you have a picture I can send to our tech guys to age up?"
"Uhh yeah hold on he's not big on pictures," Cass said, tugging her phone out.
Diego had honestly figured the kid didn't show up in mirrors either, but decided to keep that to himself. It would explain the attitude and behavior…and even if that was just the way the kid was, an abuse allegation was serious, and he was fairly certain Cass wouldn't just make such a thing up out of the blue—he knew her too well for that.
"Ah!" she noised. "Here I knew I had one—sent it to you just now, tell them he's the kid in the middle."
Diego checked his phone to see a picture of the three boys under her care, Tadashi and Hiro sandwiching a disgruntled Obake in the middle. "Okay, I'll get that started right now." Looked up when she thanked him and started to leave. "Cass—tell me, and be honest, was he ever a happy kid?"
Her expression suggested no. "He…I think he was starting to get there—he was starting to calm down and loosen up and smile—like an honest smile…and then it all stopped again, and then this happened. I think maybe the guy found him and threatened him…I don't know, I just know he's upset and I hate that I can't fix it."
"And when you first met him, you said he was living by himself?"
She nodded. "You know that old abandoned restaurant in my area? He was living in that."
He nodded, looking at the photo—finally looked up at Cass. "Go home, Cass—take care of your kids."
She nodded, turned to leave. "Thanks, Diego."
Nod, sigh as he looked at the photo again. He hated cases like this. Mostly because he wasn't allowed to punch the perp when they happened. Get up, head for the labs.
Might as well get started.
Wasabi's birthday party went without a hitch, he loved the cake patterned after his sock drawer and the trip to the organization store and the little bonsai tree plus care book and supplies. Was more ambivalent about the edits to his car that Obake had suggested, although to be fair Tadashi had fielded through a lot of them and had to deal with a grumbling teen—two once Hiro learned what all Obake had wanted to add.
"Guys, there is no reason for Wasabi's car to ever end up in the bay, Fred and I got rid of the stop sign at the top of the hill, we didn't need to put in an outboard motor in his car," Tadashi told them.
"It wasn't just a motor, it could have been a submarine and it would have been awesome," Hiro insisted.
"Okay fine but Wasabi would not make use of a turbo booster and what is even the logic behind this…bubble…shield…thing?" he asked, gesturing at the schematics.
"Because going fast is awesome and um…safety reasons."
"And the remote control?"
"That was for Gogo," Obake muttered.
"Yeah no no enabling backseat driving," Tadashi said. "Wasabi will appreciate the upgrades we did give his car, how's that?"
"Underwater mode would let us see sharks up close!" Hiro tried. "And then we can follow the remora around! That'd be cool!"
"We still don't really need an underwater mode."
"Fine I'll tell Fred you won't do it."
"Now how did Fred get dragged into this?"
"Because this would be how we do the cool underwater shots with the squid," Hiro said.
So Wasabi's car had an underwater mode, to Wasabi's confusion. Honestly to Tadashi's confusion as well but with Obake acting weird and Hiro doing his darndest to drag him out of that morass Tadashi really couldn't argue. Besides, it wasn't like it was obnoxious or in the way.
"By the way, Fred, Hiro dragged you into this," Tadashi told him as they were driving around testing the new upgrades.
"Okay," Fred said, nodding. "I mean I was coming anyway, so—"
"No I mean his justification for underwater mode was filming some underwater shots."
"OOOH that'd be cool like—I was planning on doing the shots in my pool but that could work!"
"Can we not please?" Wasabi asked. "Because I feel like my car would just end up at the bottom of the bay and I do not want my car to end up there."
Obake found that funny for some reason.
"Also, this is for you," Obake said quietly, handing Gogo a remote control. "In case of emergencies."
"No," Tadashi said, taking the controller away from her. "We already discussed this Wasabi's car does not need a remote control."
"Why does my car have a remote control?" Wasabi asked.
"It also has a turbo mode and a shield," Hiro offered.
Note to self: never leave these two alone with anything ever again.
But Obake's insistence coupled with his behavior as of late…well it was weird. Weirder. Coupled with the nightmares and the not eating and his health going down the tubes and he was seriously starting to…no scratch that he was concerned and Obake not letting Baymax scan him to get to the bottom of it was worse. It finally got to the point that he tried sneaking off Obake's watch after he went to bed, only to immediately shake him awake when another one of those nightmares started.
"I know, I'm working on it," Aunt Cass said. "Just do me a favor, okay? Be there for him and keep an eye on him—don't let him out of your sight—okay I know the invisibility cloak but you know what I mean."
Tadashi had serious concerns that her I'm working on it had something to do with the new stuff in the garage, so his next stop was fielding it by Fred the next time they had churros.
"Yeah Hiro told me," Fred said as they leaned against a boardwalk railing looking out at the weird new statue in the bay. "He fell asleep in the kaiju and then had some nightmare with bad vibes. Really left him in a funk."
"Well at least he actually got some sleep," Tadashi said, frowning. "I don't know, I wish there was a way to just knock him out or something. It's like something got him spooked, and I know it wasn't the Halloween decorations." Although he did have a look that Tadashi couldn't immediately place when he saw them decorating—like he had realized he was late for something.
"I mean cartoon mallets look fun, but I feel like Baymax would frown at that. You know, if he had a mouth," Fred said.
"I did try giving him one, for the record—it just ended up looking freaky."
"Fair, fair," Fred said, nodding. "Hmm, is Obake the plushie sort of guy?"
"Actually he's kind of bony."
"No I mean would he go for a stuffed animal."
"Oh. No. He's got this snooty I'm totally an adult and above all that attitude. You know, like teenagers do."
"My bro, don't judge, it wasn't too long ago we were going through the same turbulent times."
Ah yes, what Aunt Cass semi-lovingly called his word to your mother stage, mostly because he had been wearing his caps backward with sunglasses at the time. "I don't know, Fred—I want to help, but I don't know how."
Fred considered this. "Ooh, wait I got an idea."
Tadashi listened, nodded. "Well it's a good idea as any—let's do it."