Check 19 - Trauma comes back as reaction, not memory

Daisuke hadn't planned on doing a workout, but, when Hiro had asked to use the gym, he figured it would probably be the best way to get some of the tension out. And it might also give him some space to think about things away from everything else. So, after lunch, and changing his clothes, he was more than happy to escort Hiro to the room in question.

It was a fact that something had drawn Hiro to the scene of the explosions. Whether or not that entity had done so on purpose, or it was one of those cosmic mysteries, he wasn't sure. But knowing Hiro had been drawn there at precisely the right time for the various bombs to go off didn't sit well with him. Just as hearing what he was sure was only a partial explanation as to why the teen could sense those kinds of things, as well as whatever else it was he had shown himself capable of doing— it was best not to leave the teen alone.

Upon entering the gym, Daisuke noted one of the staff had already supplied plenty of towels and fluids for both, though Hiro seemed to ignore those in favor of heading to the mats, where he almost biffed it. Daisuke noticed this as he made his way to the punching bags and got himself set up. Thankfully, the teen hadn't seemed to need any assistance so he'd taped his hands and strapped on the lighter of several pairs of gloves, warming up.

After several rounds of casual hits to the nearest bag, Daisuke decided to try out a routine he hadn't used since his university days. It would allow him to keep a decent rhythm while moderating his breath, giving him longer to work out should Hiro need the time. He figured Hiro might take a while and so wanted to give him the most time possible, so he danced around the lighter of two bags for a while, pausing to replenish fluids as needed, his mind trying to sort through everything he'd learned in the last twenty-four hours.

On his way up to change, he'd taken the opportunity to finally look at the report HEUSC had put together regarding the strange armor Hiro and Baymax had worn. After the AI had compared it to pretty much every known type on earth, he'd apparently found a match that had made Daisuke pause. While the colors were not exactly the same, the outline of each was unmistakable. What he wasn't sure about was how on earth Hiro had decided to become some kind of vigilante super hero.

Going off of who the teen usually hung out with, it also stood to reason that the other members of the Big Hero 6 team were his classmates and friends. Knowing a bit about Fredrick Whitmore, he supposed it made sense. The man was a known comic book nerd. It paid to keep tabs on potential competition, after all. And he'd done his due diligence in looking into Hiro's contacts as well, giving him enough information to feel certain of his deduction.

All this, of course, forced him to re-evaluate his younger cousin. All indications pointed to him being the leader of the rather colorful crime fighters. Considering the teen's IQ, he supposed he wasn't surprised, despite him playing things close to the vest. He just wasn't sure whose idea it was to start the group in the first place and why.

In a way, Daisuke could say he'd sort of created his own little vigilante team with Suzue, and now Katou, taking on the black market to remove Adollium from the hands of criminals. And he'd gone behind and around the law when it came to uncovering the truth behind his mother's killer. He supposed, if he looked at it that way, he and Hiro weren't all that different. Perhaps it had been something akin to the death of his brother that had pushed him in that direction.

Daisuke wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of one hand. Despite drinking half a bottle, he felt more parched than he should be. Maybe it was due to not keeping up on his boxing as much as he should have as of late. He'd have to remember to schedule in time for that more regularly, he thought as he took a healthy swig of liquid. The yellow-green liquid had a stronger flavor than usual, but he equated that to his thirst.

A quick glance back at the other side of the room assured him Hiro was still working out his muscles. He applauded the youth's thoroughness. It was better to work the muscles so they wouldn't freeze up on him again, even with the bruising. And, after having had to help his cousin earlier that day, he felt sure the teen had realized the same thing.

Taking in a few quick sips, again to try and replenish fluids, Daisuke went back to the larger of the two punching bags and went all out on it. If he didn't keep up, he'd be left behind. But, as he continued to hit the bag, he found his mind seemed to have slipped a bit. That or he was getting tired. The room around him took on an almost hazy quality. Part of his brain told him to stop but his body didn't want to.

When everything went dark for the briefest of moments, he blinked his eyes and found himself not in the gym, but back on the cargo ship heading to Panama where he'd confronted who he'd thought was his father. And the punching bag wasn't there anymore. Instead, he saw Frantz Weinski, the silver-haired assassin Hattori and his grandmother had hired as security.

Blood pumping, Daisuke tried to evade the attacks the man laid out at him. His AVS wasn't working, having been knocked out by the Adollium in the ship's antenna. It sucked, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He'd have to rely on skill alone. Swinging, he connected with something, though he wasn't sure if it was Franz or not, but there was an exclamation of pain so he supposed it had to have been. Except the man was right back up and at him in record time.

Daisuke ducked and dodged, hitting something every now and again as he went on the offensive. Once more, he struck something, this time with a powerful kick. The next thing he knew, someone had jumped onto his back and was trying to put a choke hold on him. He tried to buck the person off but to no avail. Whoever it was managed to wrap legs around his torso, squeezing tighter and tighter.

The man began to see black spots form behind his eyes. He was getting dizzy as he tried to catch his breath. Was it a man? Or was it something else? He fancied the partial sight of red dragon scales but shook the thought aside. There was no way an Eastern dragon was wrapped around his body, choking the life out of him. But it was undeniable that something had him in its grasp as he felt his consciousness slipping.

…

Daisuke seemed to explode from the bed, landing in a partial crouch that knocked over the IV stand from the force. He looked around, wild-eyed and frantic. He seemed to immediately take a defensive stance, almost crouching.

Having almost dozed off, Katou nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound and rush of motion. It took him a second or two to realize what was going on. "Oh crap!" He quickly got to his feet, remembering both the medic and Hiro had mentioned this might be a possibility.

Before he could reach the bed, however, Daisuke vaulted off it and at him, likely not seeing the detective for who he was. What he saw, Katou wasn't sure, but the sudden tackle was not appreciated. If he hadn't had that half a second to prepare, he might have ended up sending them both into the table, the only real obstacle between him and the sleeping Hamadas. As things stood, he knew he'd feel that in his ribs later on, sure he hadn't done too much damage.

With a grunt, Haru managed to get out from under the flailing man, narrowly missing getting a black eye. He tried to pin his arms but that didn't work out as well as he'd hoped, only managing to get knocked to one side as Kambe swung wildly. "Why me?"

Suzue had gone back to her room after they'd switched shifts maybe an hour or so prior. And the medic had opted to get some sleep as well, asking that they summon him if an emergency came up. Did this count as an emergency? Hiro had worn himself out after walking around the enclosure a few times after he'd woken up for food. And Cass was out for the count.

"Allow me to assist you," Baymax spoke up as he came up behind Daisuke and wrapped his vinyl arms around the struggling man from behind. Katou wasn't sure how well that would work but didn't take into account the robot's strong construction. It didn't matter how much Daisuke bucked or tried to get away. The robot wasn't letting go. "Please subdue the patient."

Perhaps it wasn't entirely what the robot meant by "subdue", but Katou wasn't going to take any chances, or the time to try and grab the syringe the medic had left, just in case. Instead, he did the next best thing and slammed a fist into Daisuke's head. The man went limp in Baymax's arms while Katou tried to catch his breath. He was just glad he'd hit in a spot that was likely to leave little lasting damage, though Kambe would definitely feel it the next time he woke up.

Realizing Baymax might need a little help getting Daisuke resituated, Katou did his best to get the man back in bed. By some fortune, the IV hadn't come loose, which was good. He did have to straighten the tubing though. And re-stand right the stand holding the saline and other medication.

Katou fell back into his chair near the bed once the task was done, exhaling. He fully expected Suzue to charge into the room at any moment, HEUSC warning her about the incident, but it didn't happen.

Instead, Hiro stirred from sleep. The teen stiffly sat, groaning as he did, before looking around. Noticing the differences in the room, including Daisuke's sleeping position, he gave Katou a questioning look. "I take it he woke up."

A bemused laugh escaped Katou's lips. "You could say that. I know everyone warned me he might react oddly, but I had no idea it would be so violent." He pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead. "If it hadn't been for Baymax, I really would have been in trouble. I still really can't help but wonder how you got the drop on him, even in his condition."

Hiro got up from the futon next to Cass's; glancing briefly at her to make sure he hadn't disturbed her. "Just lucky, I guess." He walked over, slowly as he worked out the stiffness, and stopped next to the cop. "Just be glad he didn't clock you too much. I can tell he got a few licks in before you did."

There was a decided welt on Daisuke's face from where Katou had hit him near the jaw line. "I didn't have time to go for the sedative," he replied. "I figured it was better to just get it over with and not force him to keep fighting before—" he let his shoulders sag.

"It's okay," Hiro said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He's your friend. It's understandable."

Katou gave him an odd look. "Now you're just weirding me out. Mind stopping?" What was with this kid? He almost made it sound like he was the older of the two, the one with the most experience. And there was no way that was possible.

Looking more than a little sheepish, Hiro removed his hand. "Sorry. It's just… the past two years have been pretty crazy, if you know what I mean."

With only the bare minimum of what he'd been told, Katou wasn't sure what the teen meant, but figured it would be best to just go with it. "That it has." Of course, his mind wandered to something completely different than Hiro's, turning his thoughts more to the past year with Daisuke as a partner on the police force. But he was right. It was still weird to have had to knock Daisuke out, though there was a part of him that had enjoyed it.

"Daisuke's vitals have stabilized," Baymax reported.

All things considered, it was probably a good thing. There was no knowing how long he'd stay unconscious this time, especially without the aid of drugs, but it was probably best they not tempt fate. Katou got up to retrieve the syringe.

Hiro made a funny kind of sound in his throat, looking like he was about to protest. "Maybe you should just let him be," the teen said. "If he follows anything close to the pattern my friend did, it's better not to mix anything else in with what's going on in his body right now. Sedatives can cause more confusion and I'm sure you don't want to have to deck him again."

Not sure how the kid knew that, Katou hesitated. Maybe he was right. He'd seen a few people come out of sedation before, only for them to be confused, sometimes delirious as the drugs fully wore off. And Hiro was definitely right about him not wanting to deck Daisuke again anytime soon. His fist still stung a bit from the contact. "Fine."

The sheets were understandably disheveled on the bed, almost shoved to one side. That was one thing Katou hadn't done as soon as he'd helped Baymax return his partner to the bed. Now that they'd decided not to use the extra sedative, he thought it might be a good idea to pull the covers back over Daisuke's body, just in case. But it looked like Hiro had the same idea and he looked to see the teen reaching for the white fabric.

Hiro seemed to pause moments after pulling the sheet over Daisuke's sleeping form, his hand brushing against the man's arm. For a moment, Katou wondered if the teen's back had seized again because he tensed, hissing through his teeth. The moment didn't last long, maybe a few seconds, though. The next second, Hiro had released the bedding. He looked at his hand, the appendage shaking a little, before thrusting it down to his side.

"You might want to get some ice before the bruising sets in," Hiro advised, breaking Katou from whatever daze he'd seemed to enter at the odd moment. What had that been all about?

The sound of vinyl rubbing indicated Baymax moving back into position near the foot of the bed. "I would also recommend applying ice to your ribs. As well as providing a cold pack for Daisuke's jaw."

Katou looked around, debating. If he went for some ice, it would leave Hiro alone with his sleeping aunt and cousin. Technically Baymax was there too, but he didn't count the robot as any type of defense. "I don't know."

"Trust me," Hiro urged. "You'll thank me in the morning. We'll be fine for the few minutes you'll be gone. HEUSC can call you if something happens. Right?"

"Of course." The voice was patched through a speaker on the wall, but it was a nice reminder the whole event had been recorded for posterity, just in case no one believed him later on.

Haru let out a sigh. "All right, if you're sure." He gave the teen a scrutinizing look. He saw steely determination, and something else he couldn't interpret. Nodding, he headed to the door. "I'm going to make sure you're locked in while I'm gone so don't do anything funny, okay?"

He could practically hear the teen rolling his eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it."

That was probably the best he was going to get. And since Hiro shouldn't be allowed to go alone, it was the best he could do in their given situation. It was in the middle of the night, after all.

With a press of his palm, the door opened. He turned to lock the door behind him, noticing Hiro making his way back to his futon. It was probably for the best that he went back to bed, he decided before heading out to find some ice, resisting the urge to nurse his side until he had turned the corner.

….

Hiro couldn't help but feel a bit jittery after Katou left the cell. Something had definitely happened the moment he'd brushed Daisuke's hand. It was almost like he'd received a download of a data packet from a computer, except not really. He supposed it was actually more akin to getting a sneak peek into the mind of his cousin, and more, his recent mental activity, which included fighting some silver-haired dude.

Well, considering he'd managed to tap into Aunt Cass's memory while she was living it, he supposed it wasn't a far stretch. Chances were good he'd gotten the look he'd thought he had, but was that glimpse just the man's hallucinations or something more?

They'd been on a cargo ship at night, and the silver-haired man was giving Daisuke a run for his money. There was some kind of hum in the air, almost like static electricity but at the wrong frequency. Hiro had never felt it before and it made his entire being tingle, but not in a pleasant way.

For some reason, he thought he also saw Katou there, peeking from behind one of several cargo containers, though he couldn't be sure. His angle wasn't the best. And unlike when he was in Cass's mind, he didn't have control of the view.

The name's Franz Weinski. He's the personal bodyguard of Thomas Matheson, an international arms dealer.

Was that Suzue's voice? It had to be. But why couldn't he see the imagery that must surely go with that tidbit? It didn't seem to quite sync up with everything that flash of whatever had showed him. And he somehow doubted Daisuke would have gone into battle without knowing his opponent. It just didn't seem like something he'd do.

Hiro shook his head, almost like a shiver had run down his spine as he settled on his futon, sitting with his legs folded in front of him. For some reason, his back and muscles didn't hurt quite as much, which was nice. Perhaps he'd somehow also gotten some energy from whatever data transfer he'd had with Daisuke. Whatever the reason, he'd take it. It was a shame it hadn't healed his bruises though. He could still feel those like nobody's business.

Previous experience told him that when his abilities, whatever they may be, showed him something, it usually meant it was important. It usually took him a while to figure things out, but the fact that he had an actual name, or two, to work with was interesting to be sure. He'd have to ask either Suzue or Daisuke about it later. Or maybe even Katou when he returned.

It was slightly surprising that Baymax hadn't mentioned anything about his little blip, if that's what he could call it. It did make him wonder about other things, though. If he could share others' memories, what else might he be able to do?

Loki had mentioned something about his being much more than even what he knew how to handle. It wasn't so much his exact words, but something hinted at. The teen already knew he wasn't exactly 'normal' anymore. But if he could show the Asgardian around in his own mind, and he could share the memories of others, didn't that mean he might be able to do something else along those lines? Like maybe share his with someone else?

The thought was more than a little intriguing. He'd always assumed he'd had little control over everything, but Loki, and the past thirty six or so hours had told him otherwise. After all, in that control room he'd been able to consciously look through the footage on camera as if he were really there, in full command of what he was doing. What if it was all a matter of perspective and practice?

Deciding there was only one way to find out, Hiro got back up and headed towards the bed. With Daisuke basically incapacitated, he was the best candidate for what he had in mind. That and it might give him the opportunity to try and show the man some of the things he'd been through without having to verbally explain anything. Aunt Cass already knew the general gist, though there was a lot there he hadn't yet been able to explain to her, nor did he think he'd ever be able to. But Daisuke seemed more ready for that conversation than most. And, worse to worse, even if Hiro did partially success, the older man might just think it part of the drug-induced hallucinations. He didn't see any downside to this.

"Hiro?" Baymax inquired, watching the teen carefully settle down on the floor next to the bed so that he was more or less sitting.

The teen gave his neck and arms a good stretch, wincing at the bruises. But, again, it was a different kind of pain than pulled and strained muscles. He could handle it. "I want to try something," he stated. "Keep an eye on things for a minute?"

An almost cold sweat threatened to break out on his skin as he shook out trembling fingers. Anxiety was understandable. He had no idea if this would work, nor if there would be any repercussions. A faint recollection of telling his friends he didn't want to be a guinea pig surfaced before he pushed it back down. Those were different circumstances where he'd attracted the energy of an entity not of their world he wasn't ready to deal with at the time. Yes. Totally different. No need to be nervous.

Forget the fact that he wasn't giving his cousin a say in the matter. He'd have to ask for forgiveness later. He just knew this was likely the only opportunity he'd have to give this a go without someone protesting. Suzue was as protective of Daisuke as Aunt Cass was of him. Yeah, it was better to ask forgiveness on this one.

If he thought about it, the human body was essentially the housing of the most complex computer so if he kept that in mind, this could work.

Hands now a bit clammy, Hiro reached out to touch Daisuke's nearest wrist. He hesitated once more before pushing past any misgivings and fear he might have, mentally bracing himself.

It wasn't so much that he felt a jolt pass through him the moment he made contact, but it definitely was not what he expected. Not dissimilar to when he merged with a computer, he felt his mind not exactly detach from his body, but leave it at the same time, his body slumping over as if asleep. After that, everything else just sort of faded into the background.