Check 11 - Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust is harder.

Hiro felt like the inside of his lungs were on fire as he fell and fell. The air just whooshed around him like a never-ending chasm into the unknown. It was a feeling he was both familiar with and hated. Usually, when he felt this way, it meant he was in an altered state and he didn't appreciate the Universe jerking him around like that.

The initial blast hadn't exactly been unexpected. He'd felt the energy release from whatever mechanism moments before its actual full-out released. If he'd had a moment or two more, he might have even been able to get out of the way, but such had not been the case. The force of the compressed air had thrown him back hard enough to see stars, but it was the wall of flames, real or imagined, he wasn't sure, that had followed that had done a number on him.

With the thoughts of Tadashi's death so recently in his thoughts, it was no stretch to understand why his mind had pulled up the image moments before he'd blacked out. That, of course, had been followed by the whole feeling of falling through fire, again something he'd experienced both in real life and in his own mind. Sometimes it became hard to tell the difference between the two, but he was getting better at it.

The fire hadn't lasted long, swallowing him into the oblivion of whatever void he now fell through. It was the lack of pretty much everything else that clued him into the reality that this was not happening in the physical world.

As in times before, he felt himself land on what had to be some kind of solid ground, only to have nothing visible around him, like he stood in a giant black cube with no reflective surfaces. He half expected an apparition of Tadashi to appear but none did. What was going on?

"Hello?" he called out, his voice falling flat, as if in a padded room meant to deaden all sound. One thing was sure; this wasn't like with the Makt. No energy-like entity possessed him. His mind had literally been ripped out of his body and put into whatever this place was.

No response. Nothing. Whatever had brought him had either done so by accident or wasn't willing to talk, which was totally unfair, especially after whoever, whatever it was had sent him out to the shrine in the first place.

The teen turned around to look in all directions, still nothing. "Whoever you are, I really wish you'd stop jerking me around. I went to the shrine like you wanted. Now what?"

Something started to filter up through the non-existent floor under his feet, reminding him of a gaseous fog, or maybe dry ice. The only problem was it was slowly rising. In only a matter of seconds, it would be up to his waist. Small eddies of unseen, and unfelt currents made the fog move about, stirring it in strange patterns. There was almost something familiar about some of those patterns but his mind refused to understand as panic welled up inside. The levels were rising, now reaching up his chest and towards his shoulders.

He made the mistake of taking a step back and felt the ground disappear beneath him once more. Only, this time, it was like he submerged into a pool of water, not unlike when he'd slipped in that hot tub on the rooftop of the hotel in Los Angeles amidst all the bomb chaos. He felt whatever substance he was in fill his lungs as he tried to claw his way back up above the surface.

….

A rather loud gasp filled the enclosed space of Daisuke's car and he almost swerved into one of several pillars before coming to a stop. A quick glance over indicated Hiro was now hyperventilating, or something close enough to call it that. It reminded him of someone who'd been underwater too long and couldn't get enough air after surfacing. This was, understandably, followed by coughing. Baymax had said the teen had inhaled at least some smoke.

"Easy now," he said, not entirely sure what to do. One thing was certainly, Hiro would likely breathe better if he didn't have that funny helmet on. So, putting the car in park, Daisuke reached over and removed it.

Once more, Daisuke noticed something odd with Hiro's eyes, now that he could see beyond the tinted face shield. They were a mix of bronze and gold, almost cat like, without the central slit.

Hiro bent over, still coughing, closing his eyes. If the robot's diagnosis was correct, he was also probably in a decent amount of pain. Chances were good bringing him in through the main parts of the house like this would cause a lot of questions and he wasn't sure just how much Hiro's guardian knew about the teen's current attire.

"Master Daisuke?" Suzue's voice came over the link.

Then, of course, there was Katou. Daisuke felt sure his fellow detective wasn't aware of the teen's activities, something he felt Hiro would like to stay that way for now. All the half hints and partial comments that were quickly ended were starting to make sense, though he still felt more in the dark than ever knowing there was a decided side to his cousin not even his sources had yet been able to uncover. Just who all knew, he wondered.

"Master Daisuke, are you all right? Answer me."

Daisuke let out a sigh. "I'm fine. But I suggest having Baymax enter without us. Perhaps you could help him remove his armor before rejoining the others."

"Understood."

Knowing Suzue, she'd already seen the robot's current state, as well as Hiro's. It wouldn't be hard for her to figure out how to remove the armor. And, with HEUSC's help, she'd be more than capable of bringing the robot in without any of the staff or guests the wiser. The fact that Hiro had left under some kind of stealth meant he didn't want others to know and so he would honor that. For now.

By this time, Hiro had managed to get his breathing mostly under control. It helped that Daisuke retrieved the filtered mask he'd used earlier and put it over his cousin's face. The oxygen filter cleaned the particulates out of the air, making it easier to breathe. Short of somehow giving the teen straight out oxygen, this was the next best thing.

More than a little worn out, Hiro leaned back against the seat, visibly wincing. He moved almost gingerly, as if the armor he wore hurt more than protected his body, which probably wasn't far from the truth. Some of the pieces did look potentially uncomfortable. One thing for sure, it wasn't an ASV, which Daisuke found he preferred, given what he could see of the ensemble.

"How do you feel?" he asked, not sure if Hiro felt up to talking or not. Smoke inhalation wasn't fun under the best of times. And the fact that the teen was still breathing a bit hard probably didn't help matters either. At least he hadn't thrown up, which was always a possibility, though it would hint at further issues.

A sort of forced laugh escaped Hiro's lips. "Could be better," he admitted.

This kid was forcing Daisuke to show more humanity than he was used to disclosing in public and the man couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable with it. "I don't suppose you'd be up to telling me what you were doing out there."

"Not really."

He supposed it wasn't any more than he expected but he released a sigh anyway. "I thought I told you to stay in the mansion."

Again, there was that almost forced laugh, a humorless one, but still a laugh. "You did."

Realizing he probably wasn't going to get anything more out of Hiro for the moment, Daisuke ran a hand through his hair before putting the car back into gear. "I don't suppose you want the others to see you like this either," he commented, paying attention to the road ahead.

Hiro didn't answer, probably focusing on breathing, as his eyes were closed again, though Daisuke felt certain he hadn't dozed off. He understood the desire to keep things close to the vest but this might be pushing things to their limit.

Driving slower than he had upon leaving the villa, Daisuke debating what he should do. As a responsible adult, it was now up to him to make a few critical decisions in regards to the minor currently in his charge. Hiro was in no condition to do much at the moment. He probably didn't need a hospital, though it wouldn't hurt to have a doctor give him a look over. Then again, Baymax did seem capable of taking care of him, so long as there was nothing too serious. All the same, they'd have to keep an eye on him.

Now that he thought about it, it was probably a good idea to have Baymax scan Cass Hamada too. He'd almost forgotten her in the rush of events. "Suzue, please be sure to have Baymax attend to my aunt once he's more presentable," he ordered through his earring.

"Will do."

Chances were good she had Baymax already inside and was divesting him of his armor. After all, Hiro had needed a decent moment to get his breathing under control, during which time they'd just sat there, not moving. Based off of what he'd seen of Baymax, he'd probably already been at the back veranda, waiting for them, before he'd been startled into stopping the car. Reason dictated that if he came in on squealing tires, it would only alarm the others, something he wasn't sure he wanted to do.

"HEUSC, what is the status of the fire?" He waited, no longer hearing the sirens. Such an emergency would require immediate access to the property, a point that had not been lost on him, despite the urgency of other matters. It was possible such a diversion had been used to allow some entity onto the grounds without the verification checks he'd previously requested. He scowled at the idea.

"The fire is seventy percent contained," the AI reported. "I have deployed more drones to help contain the scene."

A wise decision, Daisuke thought. At least they'd have plenty of security footage of what was going on, though the thought of someone possibly slipping through all the chaos still niggled at the back of his mind. "Keep constant rotations on all security and drones. Report any anomalies immediately."

"Understood, sir."

Hiro removed the mask from his face and set it in his lap. "HEUSC is really efficient, isn't he?" he asked quietly.

Now having reached the front of the manor, Daisuke parked the car. "He is at that." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he gave himself a rare moment of discomposure. "None of this makes sense. I don't understand why someone would do this."

"Agreed."

Daisuke glanced back over at his cousin, who was now staring out the front window. Even though his eyes had returned to their normal color, there was something different about them, almost like the layer of a mask had been peeled away. Again, the impression that there was more to Hiro than he let on filled his mind. Hiro had seen things, maybe even done things beyond most people's experiences. He just wished he knew what those things were.

"Was Aunt Cass mad?"

The detective shifted in his seat, deciding to wait to suggest they go in, since Hiro was now at least talking about something. He decided it wouldn't hurt to try probing just a bit to see who all might know about what was going on. "Why would she be mad?"

Hiro continued to look out the front window, as expressionless as Daisuke usually was. "About me leaving the mansion."

Just how much should he reveal, Daisuke wondered. But perhaps the best course was the truth. It might prompt Hiro to divulge more later on than he apparently cared to at the moment. "I'm not sure she knew you'd left," he admitted. "There was a small incident that must have triggered a memory or trauma she'd experienced. Maybe it was the stress from the day, but she passed out in the dining room."

Daisuke watched Hiro's reaction closely and noticed the teen's face twitch a bit, his eyes now looking down at the floor of the vehicle. Despite that slight show of guilt, he could see the brain synapses firing behind his expression. "Did she say anything?"

"She asked us to find you," Daisuke responded. "She seemed to think you were trapped somewhere." He decided not to mention that Cass had said something about a car, just to see what would happen.

Whatever thoughts that triggered in the teen, they didn't get voiced. "Anything else?"

He debated. It was possible Hiro had no idea who the two his aunt had mentioned were. But it was also just as possible that he did. It was a decided gamble, but he wasn't sure which way he wanted to bet. "I think that should wait until we get you inside," he decided. They'd sat outside long enough Suzue had surely gotten Baymax taken care of and down to the others. "Did you want to change before facing them?"

Daisuke hadn't planned on making the offer but decided it was best to make it, not just out of respect but as a sign of trust. If he was up to what he thought he was, chances were good Hiro would want to keep it as close to the vest as possible.

"I'd appreciate it."

True to form, he'd guessed correctly. "Very well." Daisuke exited the car, walking around to help Hiro out. He somehow thought the teen might appreciate it, considering how pale he looked. He did notice Hiro grab the helmet, though it cost him in the pain department. Well, he supposed he'd do the same in his shoes. He'd have to make sure he had one of the staff find him some ice.

…..

With everything that had happened, it would be understandable if appetites weren't what they were only an hour previously, but it was bad form to let good food go to waste. So, after a quick word with the kitchen staff, Daisuke made his way to the sitting area off the dining room. He'd deposited Hiro in his room, having to help him a bit on the way up. He'd thought to offer his further assistance but somehow couldn't make himself do it. What did he know about whatever reason the teen wore that armor? Some things were best left until a later date.

By the time he'd finished talking with the staff, and taken a moment to straighten his clothes, he managed to arrive in time to see Cass with a cold compress at the back of her head. Apparently the bump he'd thought he'd felt earlier wasn't an illusion and she really had hit her head. The fact that she seemed to talk more coherently, though, was a nice change from before.

Hearing him walk in, Cass looked up, eyes expectant. "Where's Hiro? Did you find him?"

Daisuke put out a calming hand before finding an empty chair to fall into. This day had more than worn him out, and it wasn't even over yet. "He's upstairs and will be down in a few minutes," he assured, noting that Cass was now chewing on her lower lip. There was no denying the maternal feelings she had for Hiro.

He saw her relax a bit, wincing as the motion jostled her head. But since neither Baymax, nor any others in the room, had mentioned anything serious, he supposed he could assume things weren't too bad. That was a relief.

"So just what happened out there?" Katou asked from a chair near Daisuke's chosen seat. "I gather you went outside for a bit. We could hear the sirens."

It was inescapable, Daisuke supposed. Katou knew him all too well. "There was a fire on the property, nothing too serious. I went to investigate but there was nothing I could do so I left the fire brigade to it."

Katou looked thoughtful as he contemplated that tidbit. "I guess that explains why you smell like smoke."

Crap. He'd been so caught up in getting everyone situated, he'd forgotten about the smell. He saw Katou give him an intense look, a question in his eyes that he wasn't sure if he wanted to answer just yet or not. Hiro still hadn't joined them and he wondered if he should send someone to look for him, again, when the teen entered the room. Baymax didn't move to help, though, or even comment.

Moving much slower than before, Hiro almost shuffled forward; face still not the right complexion. The effort more than showed on his face as he made his way to the only available seat, on the sofa next to Cass.

"Hiro," Cass seemed to breathe, seeing him in a less than ideal state. "Are you hurt? What happened?" She seemed to shiver at the smell of smoke in such close proximity, swallowing hard as if trying to not throw up. But, since it wasn't the same attire he'd worn as before, chances were good the smell was nowhere near as strong as what was on Daisuke, who hadn't taken the time to change at all.

Looking around the room, Daisuke could see the questions in both Katou and Cass's eyes, and, even to a degree, in Suzue's. While she'd help monitor things after he'd had her called to the basement, she wasn't exactly privy to everything that had happened.

The butler approached the teen with a cup of water he'd brought from the kitchen, placing two painkiller tablets in the youth's hand. "I was told to give you these," he said before excusing himself. Daisuke resisted the urge to acknowledge a job well done, though part of him applauded the man for remembering amidst all the chaos.

"What in the world is going on, Kambe?" Katou asked when no one seemed inclined to answer Cass's earlier question.

Daisuke watched Hiro down the medication before gingerly leaning back against the back of the sofa, careful to not let the back of his head rest against the surface. He was definitely feeling it, he thought with a sigh, not envying him. But Cass and the others were waiting and Hiro didn't look inclined to say much of anything. He closed his eyes, gathering himself as he breathed in deeply before releasing his breath.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not really sure," Daisuke admitted. "And that bothers me." He let that sink in for a moment. Whoever was moving the pieces around on the chess board, it definitely was not him. Not used to being the one manipulated, he found he hated every second of it. This was his game board, dammit! He resisted the urge to slam a fist against the nearest hard object, not really wanting to move.

Instead, he pressed a palm to his forehead. The smell of the smoke, though he'd not thought of it for a bit, now refused to leave his senses. A long, hot bath was decidedly in his future. Maybe he should ask for one or two of those painkillers as well. He could feel a tension headache forming at the back of his neck.

Katou leaned forward. "What happened after you went to look for Hiro? I think everyone in this room deserves to know." Like Daisuke, he seemed to understand that the teen wasn't up to much talking at the moment.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kambe noticed Cass had slipped her hand to her nephew's and was now holding it. She was taking this a lot more calmly than he thought she should. Didn't most parents freak out upon seeing their charge in such a state? Memories of his mother's concern over small bumps and scrapes as a child surfaced and he had to push them aside. She had to know something about his unusual activities, and maybe the real reason behind that suit of armor now presumably sitting up in the teen's room. He'd bet money on it.

Well, there was nothing for it, he supposed. "You're right," he agreed. "After I went down to confer with HEUSC, I was able to locate Hiro out on the grounds through a security feed. As to how he got out there, I have no idea." He paused, seeing Cass give Hiro a look. Let her think what she wanted for the moment, whatever that might be. "He was near the shrine, probably curious. You'll have to ask him about the why and how."

All eyes went to Hiro again, but the youth didn't seem to register the attention, his eyes closed like he had dozed off. Daisuke knew better. Though not necessarily obvious to the untrained eye, he could see the teen's muscles tightening just a bit, his fingers squeezing Cass's back. Understandably, with the amount of pain, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep for a while, even if he wanted to.

"I was about to send someone out to retrieve him when something exploded in the area, causing a fire," Daisuke continued. "I didn't want to wait to see what would happen so I went myself. It's probably a good thing because the initial blast had knocked him and his robot back, rendering him unconscious."

Cass glanced over to Baymax, who was still standing by her side of the sofa. Correctly guessing her unasked question, the robot informed them all of Hiro's injuries. Daisuke could see her visibly resisting the urge to pull the teen into her arms. Apparently this was not the first time he'd done something like this.

Standing, Katou looked more than a little agitated. "Shouldn't we call a doctor or something? Both Hiro and his aunt need medical care."

He was too tired for this. "It's fine," Daisuke sighed. "I defer to Baymax's judgment."

At that comment, both Katou and Suzue gave him incredulous looks. "But Master Daisuke!" Suzue was the first to protest.

"One of your guests passes out and gives herself a knock to the head, experiencing some kind of hallucinations, while another gets thrown by a blast?" Katou had his hands on his hips as he leaned towards the man of the house. "And you don't think it necessary to call in a doctor? Did you inhale too much smoke or something?" He gave Baymax an almost growling stare, as if daring him to counter the possibility.

Daisuke sat up. "The only smoke I inhaled came from the smell on my clothes after the fact," he retorted. "I'm willing to trust what I've been told."

To say Katou looked frazzled, and perhaps a bit scandalized was probably putting it mildly. The man looked like he might have an aneurism. Typical Katou. He always got so worked up over every little thing.

"Dinner is served," the butler interrupted, re-entering the room with a slight bow.

Possibly realizing it best to help diffuse the situation, Suzue started for the doorway leading back to the dining room. "I don't know about you, but I think this discussion might go better after we all get some food in our stomachs."

Daisuke found he had to agree and so stood to join her. As he did, he passed by Cass, the scent of the smoke wafting towards her. He paused, seeing her tense up, eyes going wide. Next to her, Hiro winced. Perhaps Cass had squeezed his hand too tightly, or jostled him.

Hiro sat up right, almost ramrod straight, eyes wide. "Oh crap!" And then he collapsed, falling back against the couch with a soft thud.