Graduation and Evolution

by gurgi27

Summary:

It's been a long road and Hiro and friends are finally at the graduation finish line, but things don't go quite as planned. When a series of bombs go off, old friends, and new, come together to discover the truth behind it all.

A continuation of the BH6 Aftermath series

Chapter 1: Prologue

(A few notes: this is the continuation of my Big Hero 6 Aftermath Series, the previous story being "Nothing Drives You Crazy Like Family. While I try to write my stories so they can be read as individual stories, it is highly recommended you read at least the previous one before continuing on with this one, as there are characters from another fandom's universe you may not be familiar with. I will also be referencing many incidents from all the previous stories in this series, assuming the reader has already read them.)

Prologue

It wasn't easy finding someone talented enough to design let alone build incendiary devices of the type Thomas Matheson liked best. He'd thought Rachel Amesbury was a gift from above when he'd found her a few years back in New York. He hadn't immediately brought her into the organization, mostly because she was still a student, but her work had been exemplary, even at the testing stage. And her loyalty seemed infallible. It helped that money was involved.

He'd also been trying to get into Adollium at the time, and so hadn't lent as much attention to her as he probably should have. Through various channels, he'd learned about the substance and was looking into the potential applications when he'd gotten word that there was an upcoming group of wannabe terrorists who'd heard about him and wanted a chance to prove themselves.

Feeling he could trust Rachel, along with a handler, he'd sent her to help audition the group, though he was more circumspect about it than he might normally be. Experience had taught him caution so he left no ties to be found between him and her, at least none that could easily be found. In the meantime, he did the same with the Adollium and the people he was working with in the country of Poliador. Having the buffer of a foreign entity between him and his supplier had helped keep things from falling back on him too much.

Things appeared to go well with Rachel and this new group she'd infiltrated on his behalf. The leader, a woman whose name he could never remember, had her own ideas of social justice, which he knew would have to be curbed down the line. But, for the most part, he left them be, waiting to see what would happen. And it would allow Rachel the ability to spread her wings a bit.

A good half a year or more down the line, they staged their first major demonstration at a bot tournament in Los Angeles. There, things went horribly wrong. In a bid to use the bombings as cover for a larger crime, one he'd insisted on to help bolster his terrorist funds away from his more legit businesses, someone killed his golden goose. This came in the wake of someone destroying the cargo ship meant to bring him some much needed supplies from Japan.

Even though the cargo ship explosion had occurred several months prior to the Los Angeles incident, he'd had a hard time covering his tracks while trying to figure out just who was responsible for taking down the vessel. When his personal bodyguard ended up in Japanese custody, he knew it was probably best to cut his losses, especially when a new head of the Kambe Group was announced after the arrest of Kikuko Kambe for the murder of her daughter-in-law, among others. He'd had his suspicions about how that had happened and had asked various entities to look into the matter.

The news that Rachel Amesbury, too, had been murdered, was a blow he felt keenly. The only upside to the whole debacle was that he had still gotten his hands on the majority of the digital currencies stolen from the national treasury, which he divested as discretely as possible so as not to draw undo attention. The best course was to hold on to them long enough that the investigation ran cold before doing much of anything with them until the time was right. In the meantime, he used everything in his power to figure out what in the hell had happened in Los Angeles.

He didn't care that the group had been taken down. The people who had done it may have done him a favor, especially since the leader had gone rogue from the original plan. But whoever was truly responsible for the death of his golden goose, for almost stopping the theft of who knew how many billions of dollars— well, that person had to pay and he would find him or her and make them, within an inch of their life. He swore it.

Chapter 2: Chapter One: Waiting for Graduation

It was with immense relief that Hiro Hamada stepped down from the stage. His final project presentation had gone off without too much of a hitch. There'd been the usual hesitancy as he got started, but once he got going, he was more than able to get the point across. An effective demonstration of his project hadn't hurt either.

From the audience section, his friends gave polite applause. Unlike the student showcase, this was not the place for loud accolades. The professors judging the projects wouldn't appreciate it, nor would the rest of those waiting out in the hallways.

Technically speaking, usually only the student and his or her professors were allowed in for final project presentations, but they'd made an exception for Hiro after it became apparent he needed the extra show of support or he'd literally freeze from stage fright. His aunt probably could have sat in, as he was still a minor, but she had work to attend to. As things stood, his friends had to quietly get up from their seats to help him leave the auditorium before he turned into some kind of jelly monster, his limbs threatening to buckle up under him, leaving the professors to discuss things in hushed voices.

"Whoa!" Wasabi exclaimed as Hiro sort of flopped onto the nearest bench outside of the auditorium. "Careful!" He quickly moved out of the way in case the teen somehow managed to kick him in his over exaggeration of fatigue.

Baymax shuffled into view, having had to wait outside the venue in case he somehow interfered with Hiro's presentation. Cheating was not unheard of. Even though Hiro had never cheated himself, the rules were absolute on that end. "Hello, Hiro," he greeted, leaning slightly towards the teen. "How did your presentation go?" He refrained from mentioning any of Hiro's vitals, though they were understandably somewhat elevated.

Leaning back against the bench, Hiro closed his eyes, one hand covering half his face. "Coulda been better," he admitted. "I kinda choked up there and forgot half of what I was supposed to say, but at least I got through it okay." It helped that his project was easily moved off stage by one of the student helpers he'd employed over the last month.

"You did amazing!" Honey Lemon countered, her honey-blonde hair swinging in its ponytail with her enthusiasm. She wore the usual yellow tunic-style shirt over white leggings, though she'd forgone wearing the matching cardigan since it was practically summer and not even the central air in the building had kicked in quite yet. "I'm sure you'll get a passing grade."

GoGo, in her usual bike messenger outfit of tight-fitting leggings and shorter shorts over the top, sat down next to Hiro, nudging him with one hip. "What she said. I don't know why you're so worried. Everyone gets a bit tongue-tied up there. You shoulda seen Wasabi." She gave the older male a knowing look.

In a defensive gesture, Wasabi put his hands out, making his dreads-style hair dance with the motion. "Hey now! I didn't get tongue-tied! I just momentarily lost my train of thought."

"Whatever you say," GoGo responded with a disinterested expression. She nudged Hiro over a little more when Fred decided to join them, sitting down next to her in his somewhat boneless way, one hand over her shoulders in an almost protective manner. She was still getting used to it but didn't hate it.

Beanie almost sliding down to his eyebrows, Fred looked more like a bum than a millionaire scion verging on the billions. He preferred a much more casual, almost skater-style outfit. "I think you all did awesome," he stated. "Though, if I had to guess, I think Hiro's more worried they'll give him a failing grade and he won't' get to walk next week. He did say he invited family in from out of town."

Honey Lemon looked thoughtful as she tried to recall who Fred meant. "What was their name again? I can't seem to remember."

Hiro sat up. "Kambe," he supplied. "They're the ones Aunt Cass and I visited almost two months ago."

"Oh! Now I remember!" Honey Lemon perked up. "You said the head of the family is your cousin, right?"

"That's right," Hiro confirmed as he stood. "His name is Daisuke."

Fred nodded sagely, a faint gleam of something verging on excitement in his eyes. "Kambe. Yeah, they're a big name. Can't wait to meet him."

GoGo rolled her eyes. "Whatever it is you're thinking, the answer is no. Just no." She stood at the same time Hiro did, making Fred fall slightly towards where she'd been sitting before he righted himself. "Come on, guys. I thought we agreed we'd all head out for pizza once this was over."

Hearing that, Fred practically leapt to his feet. "Yes! I'm starving!"

It wasn't hard to notice GoGo rolling her eyes at her fiancé, but Honey Lemon only smiled. She was just glad the two had finally settled on a date later on that summer. They didn't want to take away from everyone's graduation, but also didn't want to wait too long. And no one wanted to think what came after that because everything else was pretty much up in the air after summer, though Honey Lemon was thinking about potential grad schools. Chances were good Wasabi was as well.

Hiro had to smile as he watched Fred and GoGo as they headed out at the front of the pack. Not far behind them came Wasabi and Honey Lemon, animatedly talking about their own final projects and how they'd gone. The teen was happy to take up the rear, Baymax in tow. In a way, he looked forward to graduation, though his stomach filled with butterflies at the same time.

He still wasn't sure if Daisuke was actually coming or not, though he supposed Aunt Cass had heard from Suzue, or would soon. He'd tried messaging his older cousin, but the man must have been busy doing something because he hadn't yet responded one way or another. Despite having his private phone number, Hiro still hesitated to use it unless he felt it necessary, not wanting to break any trust, so he'd settled with using the email address instead.

Invitations had gone out as soon as he'd gotten them, which hadn't been all that long ago, but he was sure the Kambes had said they'd keep that week open, looking for the invite. But Hiro also knew plans sometimes had to change, and that things came up. He could only hope he'd get some kind of confirmation one way or the other soon.

"If you do not hurry, the others will leave us both behind," Baymax spoke up, alerting Hiro to the fact that his distracted thinking had slowed them both down.

Giving his faithful companion a bit of a chagrined smile, Hiro quickened his pace in time for GoGo to pause and look back, inquiring on whether or not he was coming or not. He gave an affirmative reply and quickened his pace, all but grabbing Baymax's arm to drag him along.

---

On the other side of the world, in a country called Japan, Daisuke Kambe parked his car outside the main Kambe estate manor and headed inside. Despite the early or late hour, pending on how you looked at things, he'd only just gotten home from putting another black market dealer behind bars and was ready to crash for a few hours.

Suzue met him at the door, letting him into the mansion since the morning staff had yet to begin their shift. Working as behind the scenes support, she, too, was looking forward to sleep. Unfortunately, Daisuke's most recent jaunt into the world of keeping Adollium out of the hands of would-be thugs and terrorists had taken much longer than originally anticipated. It hadn't helped that Katou wasn't available for this particular assignment, having been called elsewhere by their division chief. It was probably just as well. The man was at the tail end of recovering from some fractured ribs.

"Welcome back, Master Daisuke," Suzue greeted in a quiet voice. He looked every bit as tired as she felt, she thought as she closed and locked the door behind them. Perhaps now was not the time to mention the letter that had technically come the day before.

Daisuke gave her a tired smile. "Thanks. Did anything come in the mail?" His question negated her earlier concerns about mentioning it, knowing he was expecting something from the United States, from one person in particular.

Walking in tandem with him as they made their way to the massive stairs, Suzue nodded. "Yes, I left it downstairs, though. Do you want me to go get it?" Part of her decidedly hoped he'd say no.

The head of the family contemplated that for a moment before shaking his head. He'd taken a moment to read the email Hiro Hamada has sent him earlier, though he hadn't yet replied. "No. I think it can wait until we both get a few hours of sleep in." He didn't miss the look of relief on her face as they crested the top of the stairs.

It helped that he'd also gotten a digital copy of the announcement he expected to see from Cass Hamada, his and Hiro's mutual aunt. He hadn't officially accepted the invitation yet, but had asked Suzue to make the necessary arrangements for accommodations; sure his aunt wouldn't have sufficient room. That and he liked his privacy. From what he recalled, the only room in the whole layout of the Lucky Cat Café building that was large enough to accommodate was Hiro's room and he doubted either party would be comfortable with such an arrangement.

After saying goodnight to his companion, Daisuke made his way to his room, where he decided to have a quick shower before sleep. Having been the man on the ground, he'd gotten in more than the usual amount of exercise. But once he was out of the shower, and dressed for sleep, he noticed his phone on the bedside table where he'd left it earlier. Falling onto the bed, he decided he'd better send his cousin a reply so he didn't feel like he was being ignored.

---

By the time Hiro had gotten home from the somewhat late lunch, he was just about ready for a nap, but didn't take one. He hadn't checked his phone the entire time they'd been at their favorite pizza place, having turned his phone on silent. But he finally checked upon entering the family home.

Realizing he'd missed a mail from Daisuke, he quickly checked it. It didn't tell him if he'd gotten the official invite yet or not, but it did acknowledge his intention to come, with Suzue and Katou in tow, even if he had to drag his fellow detective to get him there. It might not have been his exact words, but it was the general gist. He was sure they'd get more details later, realizing Daisuke had only responded to curb his anxiety on the matter. He had no idea what kind of schedule the older man had kept since they'd returned to the States and so could only guess.

All the same, the teen went to inform Aunt Cass of the response so they could plan accordingly, Baymax waiting just inside the private entrance of the building. She was busy in the café, as usual, taking an order at the register. He waited respectfully for her to finish before scooting around the counter and giving her a hug. After the initial inquiries about how his finals presentation went, he managed to give her the news.

Wiping her hands on a clean dish towel, Cass thought about sending a message herself, until she remembered the time difference, and then she thought better of it. She knew her nephew kept odd hours after talking to Suzue about his typical schedule. "Do you have anything else going on today?"

Hiro shook his head. "Not unless something extracurricular comes up.

The term "extracurricular" was a code Hiro used to indicate any super hero work he did as part of Big Hero 6. He'd used it long before Cass had learned about his involvement, but it seemed silly to change it now. He'd also reinstalled the communications app he'd created just for her so she could keep in the loop of any mission chat when he did end up having to go out. An unfortunate incident in Japan a few months ago had necessitated the reinstallation, but all had ended well there.

"I was thinking I'd actually head out to the garage and play with those robots Daisuke sent me," Hiro continued.

The day the robotics parts had arrived from Japan had been a big deal, though Hiro had neglected to divulge the actual cost of them. Daisuke had insisted on purchasing them as part of his birthday gift prior to their returning to San Fransokyo. Cass had been a bit hesitant about it all, until her purchases from the street market started to arrive as well. After that, they both decided to let the matter drop.

Cass ruffled his hair, even though she had to go up on her tip toes a bit to reach. He'd somehow grown about half an inch over the last few months. "Don't have too much fun," she said fondly, resisting the urge to give him another hug before he headed towards the back part of the building. She quickly turned to wash her hands before filling another order.

Meanwhile, Hiro made his way, along with Baymax, to the ground floor garage at the back of the three-story house. For additional light, he left the garage door open, since it was only early afternoon, not expecting anyone to disturb him as he fiddled with the various robotic parts. That and it saved on the light bill.

Over the last month, he'd build several small robots of varying uses. The current project was the last of the lot Daisuke had purchased for him and was more akin to a battle bot, like his fighter bot, though he wouldn't really be able to use it outside of any bot fight tournaments at school, or maybe professionally. It was just something fun to have around. He could always see if one of his friends wanted to pit it against his trusty Megabot he'd used to beat many a back alley bot fighter over the years.

In the back of his mind, he wondered what he'd do for the rest of the week. Having already taken the rest of his finals tests, he had nothing else to do but wait and pick up his graduation robes, unless he opted into any of the many end of term activities he usually skipped out on. It was going to be a long week.

---

The rest of the week passed with a mix of boredom and excitement as Big Hero 6 went on several smaller missions between waiting for grades and picking up graduation robes. This was interspersed with plenty of time spent with friends during the day and watching movies with Aunt Cass at night.

When the weekend finally came, Hiro was more than ready for graduation to get there already. Due to a weird schedule, the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology had their graduation ceremonies over the course of several days, with the main commencement on a Monday, and each individual discipline following over the next few days. His was scheduled for that Tuesday, though Daisuke and company would miss most of the first day, if they felt up to going to any of it at all based off of what he'd learned of their intended itinerary.

The day after Hiro had done his presentation, they got a formal acceptance from the Kambes in regards to the graduation invitation. Daisuke had personally called to confirm plans, despite the difference in time zones. He'd even gone so far as to accept on Haru Katou's behalf, though Hiro wasn't sure if the detective had actually gotten his invite yet or not. But all that mattered was that they were coming.

Cass, after making sure they had arranged suitable accommodations, had made it her personal mission to have Hiro clean their living quarters during every spare moment when he wasn't with friends, just in case they decided to visit the family home. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, considering she usually ran a tight ship anyway, though Hiro was encouraged to keep his areas, especially his room, cleaner than usual.

Since his aunt wanted to be there for the majority of the festivities, Cass had arranged for her employees to mostly run things without her while the Kambes were in town. In the meantime, she prepped as much as she could to make things run as smoothly as possible. While they'd handled the café for a good week and a half while they'd been in Japan, Cass couldn't help but want to make things as easy on her employees in the off chance something happened.

Having experienced life with various major events that went horribly wrong, Cass knew it was better to plan for the worst and hope for the best. As such, she'd also stocked up on various supplies, including a few extra futons, food, and first aid supplies. One never knew if they'd need them, but it was better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

All the while, Hiro's anxiety grew as he waited for the announcement of final grades, something that would happen Monday morning, right before the main commencement. At least the one that he worried about the most. The other grades had already posted, but apparently the one for his presentation was still not available, which only fueled his anxiety. At least he'd somehow managed o pass his chemistry class, despite having almost destroyed the lab a few times.

Sunday night, after spending who knew how much time pacing in agitation, both Baymax and Aunt Cass suggested quite strongly that he go to bed. And so, after much struggling to succumb to that idea, Hiro did, dozing off with a sense of restlessness that almost threatened to make him sick.

Chapter 3: Chapter Two: Arrival

 

Daisuke was wide awake when the massive plane landed. Being basically the same size as any major commercial liner, they'd had to land at the San Fransokyo International Airport, where they had made arrangements to park the plane at one of several hangers on property. Suzue and Katou were still in the process of waking up by the time they'd taxied to the designated deplaning area, which was at a currently unused portion of the runway near the far terminal.

While last minute preparations were made outside the plane, and the various procedures the flight crew had to go through prior to deplaning occurred, Daisuke enjoyed a croissant with clotted cream and jam. Suzue and Katou both requested strong, black coffee to help them wake up. Of the two, Katou was probably the most accustomed to longer flights, but he'd also had less sleep as he'd stayed up trying to research the area a bit, and to brush up on his English. He'd thought about taking a crash remedial course but had decided his time was best spent on other things the week prior.

By the time the cabin doors had opened, everyone was at least coherent. Daisuke was the first to emerge into the morning sunlight, as calm and collected as ever in his usual suit coat and tie. Even though this was technically not a business trip, he still had a reputation to maintain upon arrival. Suzue was not far behind him in a more business-casual outfit than her usual cargo shorts and safari-style shirt. And Katou wore the usual button-down shirt with a tie and tan slacks. He'd left the typical jacket back in Japan, assured the weather wouldn't require its use.

Someone had taken the liberty of rolling out a carpet at the bottom of the moveable stairs where Daisuke now stood looking down. Various personnel lined the carpet that ended at a dark, four-door sedan, which had been unloaded from the cargo hold prior to their exiting the plane. Anyone looking from the outside might think them foreign dignitaries for all the fuss being made. Chances were good they were either employees of the more local Kambe Conglomerate office, or airport personnel.

Without so much as a word, Daisuke made his way down the steps and onto the carpet, fully aware of the two people following close behind. It was probably a good thing he was going to drive, as he wasn't sure how the other two would handle the difference in driving in the States. That and he still wasn't sure if either was fully awake.

Even though there wasn't really a schedule for the day, they did need to stop at a few locations either before or after heading to the hotel. With graduations for the various colleges and universities in the area staggered to help offset any overflow of visitors, he felt glad they'd thought to reserve their suite as far in advance as possible. If they'd had to worry about the typical traveler's budget, they likely wouldn't have gotten any accommodations at all, but the Kambe family did pull weight, even in the States. The money didn't hurt either.

Thanks to having had their luggage already transferred to the trunk of the car, minus any carryon they'd brought with them into the main cabin, there wasn't much else they needed to do there, except pass through passport control, which wouldn't be much of a problem. Daisuke didn't have any carryon luggage to content with, but Katou and Suzue had both brought a small bag, just in case.

"We will, unfortunately, miss the main convocation," Daisuke had informed them when they'd first boarded the plane the night before in Japan. "However, I've been assured that most visitors aren't expected to attend this, as it's mostly meant for the graduating students. In the meantime, it might not be a bad idea to consider doing any errands anyone might have before we meet up with the Hamadas."

Now that they were getting into the car, the reality of being on American soil settled in for the whole party. Suzue, not having been before, wasn't sure what to expect. On Katou's part, he'd mostly been to the East Coast on matters of business, tracking down black market dealers of Adollium, so he wasn't overly sure what to expect from the new area either.

As they drove out and away from the airport, they were both surprised at the mix of Japanese and American architecture, especially the Torii Gate Bridge, which took more time to cross than expected. Apparently they'd arrived in time to deal with the morning rush hour, making their progress a bit slower than anticipated. But, thanks to HEUSC, they were able to navigate to the part of the city where their hotel was located without incident.

Upon arrival at the multi-storied building, Daisuke casually surrendered the vehicle to a valet as a bellhop unloaded their luggage. Thanks to the suite they'd booked, they had a more private entrance to the fancy-looking hotel, with a dedicated staff. All Daisuke had to do was sign on the dotted line, after flashing his passport, and they were led to a private elevator that took them all the way up to the penthouse level. It was almost as good as being at home, except no one spoke Japanese.

The concierge on shift showed them to the suite, giving them the keys to the room as they explained any amenities that might be confusing. Unlike in Japanese hotels, the shower was not separate from the bath, as an example. They were followed closely by the bellhop, who deposited their luggage inside the spacious main living area.

On the same level as a presidential suite, the accommodation had three bedrooms with separate bathrooms, a kitchen and dining area, as well as a separate sitting area. The décor was also on another level from what any typical person might be accustomed to. To the Kambes, it was pretty average, though, to Katou, it was the height of luxury. And if he hadn't come as Daisuke's friend, and gotten somewhat used to how the man's house looked, he might have felt intimidated by it.

As a matter of course, Daisuke took the master bedroom. Suzue was more than willing to give Katou the pick of the two remaining rooms, though he was chivalrous about it and gave her first choice, even going so far as to move her luggage for her while Daisuke inspected things. It helped that the room he chose had two beds in it, while the one Suzue had picked only had one queen sized-bed to contend with.

It had only been a few weeks since Katou had been approved for return to work without restrictions. His cracked ribs from playing bodyguard to Cass Hamada had finally healed and he fervently hoped nothing like that would happen while they were there. He'd had to leave his service pistol back home, but, thanks to special permits, he had access to a more American version should he need it. He hoped he wouldn't. He was more comfortable with his service weapon than the semi-automatic Daisuke had provided.

While Daisuke finally decided things were to his liking, and had taken his luggage to his room to unpack, Katou decided to try out the sofa in the main area. It was as comfortable as it looked, which wasn't saying a lot. It seemed more for show than for lounging. The area was likely designed more for entertaining guests than for comfort, which he supposed made sense. The sitting room area, partially blocked from view by a half wall, looked more promising, with a giant television available.

"I could easily sleep for another couple hours," Haru admitted as Suzue came out of her chosen room, having dressed down to her more typical look. She'd even thrown her hair into a ponytail instead of the more sophisticated bun she'd worn earlier. "How about you?"

Suzue shook her head. "Oh no. I'm far too awake for that. Besides, there are a few places I wanted to look at before this evening."

During the previous day, they'd discussed visiting the Hamadas more in the evening, to give Hiro plenty of time to recover from whatever festivities the university might have for the graduating class. This was a plan that Cass Hamada had approved of, as it was tradition for the graduating seniors to participate in some kind of activity as a last rite of passage before they walked with their respective classes during the smaller graduation ceremonies to follow. It was also possible Cass was running around like a crazed woman with any last minute preparations, something best to avoid.

"Guess we gotta wait for Kambe then," Haru sighed. There wasn't any place in particular he was interested in seeing at the moment, outside of the inside of his eyelids, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. Maybe he could convince everyone to take a nap after lunch. He was still trying to get back up to par and the mandatory physical therapy hadn't helped as much as he'd hoped. He still got a bit winded and worn down when he overdid things.

Suzue gave him a somewhat pained smile at that, not sure what Daisuke had planned for the day beyond their evening visit.

---

In a completely different realm, and who knew how many millions of miles away, mostly because there likely wasn't a way of measuring it, Loki frowned. It had taken months-Months!-to finally get to where he was. Pretending to be his adoptive father had been hard enough, but trying to track down Thor had been even harder.

After his last jaunt down on Midgard, he'd come across the funny character known as Dirk Gently, who had finally come out with the notion that he was there simply because the Universe wanted to tell him that he needed to tell Loki it was time to step it up. And he didn't mean step up his potential rule of the known universe and all its realms. No, he meant it was time he stopped pretending to be something he wasn't and use his life experience, knowledge and wisdom to help out Hiro. Unfortunately, setting things up so that he could safely leave Asgard had taken time.

Every time Loki thought he'd gotten close to catching up to Thor, the man was gone. It was infuriating! Why couldn't his adoptive brother just stay put for five minutes? He was like a child hyped up on sugar, gallivanting across the nine realms like he had no gods' given good sense. Chances were good he really didn't, prompting him to almost rethink his plan, but it had to be done or he'd be stuck with the ruling of Asgard since dear old dad had decided, after he'd escaped Loki's enchantment, to up and retire in Norway of all places.

Sitting on the throne, Loki resisted the urge to rush through all the pomp and ceremony of transferring leadership to his boorish brother. True, the man had come a long way over the last few years, but he was still just so puerile, it made him almost want to vomit.

No, Loki, he told himself. He needed to calm down or he'd give the gambit away. It was bad enough that he'd had to make peace with Heimdel simply to find the brat. The blond-haired oaf had given him that hard of a time. And Loki could only hope that the usual guardian of the Bifrost hadn't figured out who he really was, despite his abilities. Why did they all have to make this so difficult? Pretending to die hadn't been this difficult.

As Thor finally approached the throne, Loki stood with all the majesty and regality of their mutual father-figure, staff in hand. "Thor, Odinson, I pass on to you the crown of Asgard, with all the rights, responsibilities, and duties to her people. Treat them well."

There was a lot more pomp that went with it all but his heart wasn't really into it as he transferred power to his slightly older, adopted brother to the cheers of all assembled. Thankfully, he'd thought to try and repair what damage he could to the monarchy, as it were, prior to this whole debacle, but at least it was done. Thor could have Asgard. He had other places to be.

As the so-called after party and feast began, Loki tried to slip away but was pulled aside by Thor, who tried to be all jovial in his drunken stupor. If the oaf couldn't see through the facade, that was fine with him, but he was not ready to let the man make a fool of him either. So, after doing his due diligence as the supposed father-figure, he made his excuses and left under the pretense of wanting time alone to commune with his deceased wife.

Once all was said and done, it was likely they'd figure out what had really happened, but, just like the real Odin, Loki was retiring from the role. And if he didn't see Asgard again, well, so be it. He still had access to Odin's Ravens, and would likely use them from time to time, but he had other places to be, mainly Midgard. There was a woman waiting for him, and a teenager fast approaching something akin to godhood.

---

Lucifer Morningstar lounged in his bedroom at the top of the Lux night club in Los Angeles, California. It had been a rather lazy morning, all things considered. With Chloe Decker out on a week or so long vacation, in another country no less, he really didn't have much to do besides the usual bevy of sins.

Out in the main area of his penthouse apartment, the elevator dinged. He almost didn't sit up, until he sensed the presence of his ever faithful companion, Mazakeen Smith, otherwise known as Maze, the demon who had followed him all the way from Hell. "What is it, Maze?" asked in a bored tone, not wanting to move, unless it was something that actually presented some excitement. Life was mundane without the detective there.

The darker-skinned woman strode into view, her tight-fitting clothes were all black leather, and her grin was the type to rival a Cheshire cat. "Still in bed?" she inquired in a sultry voice that was also somehow condescending.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. What else would he be doing at this time of day? Especially without his favorite toy around? "What do you want?" Knowing she likely wouldn't intrude into his more personal space without provocation, he decided it best to pull on a robe and go out to her.

"I love it when you pout," Maze said with a smirk. "You're always so moody when she's not here."

The devil poured himself a drink at the wet bar. "I am not." He downed the alcohol in one gulp. "My evening just wasn't up to the usual standard."

Maze laughed as she leaned elbows on the counter across from him, oozing seductive energy she knew he wasn't in the mood to return. After a moment or two of playing it up, she straightened. "Fine. I thought I'd remind you that Hiro Hamada graduates this week. That and there's been some activity on that front."

Lucifer perked up at that, though not in the way one does when they're pleased with the news. It was more like he was expecting it and yet dreading it at the same time but didn't want to show it. "Do tell."

The demon moved to sit in the small area near the balcony windows and sliding door, where a small assortment of chairs, sofas, and a coffee table sat. There, she took up residence on one of several chairs, crossing her legs in a provocative manner. "As expected, the police are up to their eyeballs in political red tape, but our eyes and ears on the ground managed to dig something up. There are whispers of someone looking into the death of Rachel Amesbury, and they don't have friendly eyes."

Lucifer rolled his eyes again. "Why must you always speak in riddles when you have some delicious news to share? I do hope it's not the same people who looked a few months back from Japan. You know we cleared that of anything too suspicious."

Maze shifted, both feet now firmly planted on the ground. "Unfortunately, it's not. That would be easier to explain. No, these people, whoever they are, are a lot more careful, a lot more devious. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if they were the real ones responsible for the bombings last year. Rumors say it might even come all the way from the person who bankrolled them in the first place."

More than a little intrigued by that notion, Lucifer refilled his glass and joined her in the next chair over. "Do you think this might pose a threat to any of our… associates?" If Maze wasn't going to mention a certain teenager, neither was he, but he wasn't about to sit idly by if there was potential danger either.

"I honestly couldn't say," Maze replied, sounding almost like she regretted not having more information. "If whoever this entity is were to somehow find out he's involved, it's more than possible, but it's likely too soon to tell."

Lucifer worked his lips as he contemplated that, one elbow resting on his knee, chin in hand. "That does present a potential problem. Should I warn the whelp when we don't even have confirmation of any possible dark overtures, or should we keep it to ourselves?" At the very least, they needed to keep an eye on things, something he knew Maze was already aware of.

"And what about Hiro's graduation?" Lucifer asked, switching gears. "I understand his friends will graduate as well. I do hope that doesn't mean we'll see Stark in the area. The last time was bad enough."

Maze shook her head. "Not as far as I can tell, but there are a few visitors from Japan who might spark your interest, the head of the Kambe family, for example."

Hearing that, Lucifer couldn't help but sit up straight. "Daisuke Kambe? Here? In the States? Oh my. I heard he was going after black market dealers, but if he's here officially, that does make things more than a little tempting. I confess I'm interested enough to actually want to meet him."

"I thought that might be the case," Maze smirked. "I took the liberty of checking his travel plans. Apparently he arrived in San Fransokyo only a few hours ago. I don't know his actual schedule, but I'm sure we could arrange a meeting that might be beneficial to the both of you." Her eyes glittered at the possibility. Kambe was a well-known name, even in the States. Rumor had it they were somehow related to the Hamadas through marriage. Perhaps that was what had brought them to the other side of the pond. She was still digging into that aspect but felt fairly certain in her assumption.

Lucifer stood with energy, slapping his thighs as he did. "I think I'd like to meet this man," he announced. "See if you can arrange a meeting later this evening. And if not, we can always crash the graduation. If he's there to support the young Hamada, you can bet he'll be there somewhere."

A smile that would rival the most mischievous of mice slid across Maze's face as she also stood. "I'll see to it," she promised. This was going to be fun.

Chapter 4: Chapter Three: Emergency

The general commencement ceremony, or lecture, went on for what felt like hours. In reality, the various speakers and invocations and whatnot only took about an hour and a half. But, with the largest auditorium full of a mix of anxious and sleep-deprived young adults, and some older ones, the energy was one of restlessness and boredom. Some of the speakers did have a tendency to drone on and on, making it feel like more time had passed than it had.

Wasabi nodded like he was taking every word seriously. It was almost surprising he wasn't actually taking notes, Hiro thought as he watched him out of the corner of his eye. On the other side of the teen, GoGo had slouched down in her chair and was chewing on the usual wad of gum, looking about ready to take a nap. Honey Lemon was on the other side of her, also paying a lot more attention that most around her.

Fred wasn't with them, having been called away by some business with his mother, who had only stopped into town long enough to meet with him before jetting off to the family's private island to perfect her tan. Baymax waited patiently in Hiro's lab, as there wasn't enough room for everyone in the auditorium and Hiro was in more than good hands with his friends and fellow college grads. And Aunt Cass was back at the café, helping out between any final preparations she felt were needed in the family living areas.

Ever since the night before, Hiro had felt more than a little anxious about events. He'd worked himself up somehow, the stress mounting as time for him to walk down the long path to accepting his diploma approached. It almost made him feel ill. It didn't help that the air conditioning didn't seem to be quite up to the task of keeping such a large, occupied area at a decent temperature. They apparently hadn't gotten it fixed in time after one student had made a mess of things during setup.

As the last speaker finally finished, and any closing invocations and remarks were given, Hiro wasn't the only one who felt relieved. A smattering of applause sounded, though it quickly died as the shuffling of thousands of feet drowned it out. Those closest to the exits were in a hurry to get outside and to fresher air, though their actions made those stuck in the center have to wait longer as chaos ensued.

GoGo rolled her eyes as a few fights broke out where people tried to rush the doors. She hadn't moved from her seat, though she noticed Hiro tugging at the tie around his neck. It was no secret that the teen hated wearing anything constricting, but he looked more miserable than usual. "You good?" she asked, noticing some sweat breaking out on his forehead. It was warm inside, to be sure, but she wasn't sure it was warm enough to warrant that.

"I just really need some air," Hiro said as he continued to tug at the tie, finally just taking the dumb thing off. He undid the top button of his shirt, glad he wasn't yet wearing the heavy, black robes they all had to wear the next day. The dress shirt was bad enough.

Hiro hadn't felt much like eating that morning. The thought of food had made his stomach flop in ways he knew meant trouble if he didn't obey its injunction to remain empty. There were many times when he'd felt this anxious, but he could count them on the back of one hand, unless he decided to add in the multiple timelines he'd lived through. All that aside, he knew enough not to tempt fate and so he'd headed to the convocation without having eaten. Thankfully, Baymax had been wise enough not to say anything.

It didn't help that he'd had a hard time sleeping the night before. Every time he'd closed his eyes, he could see his professors telling him he'd failed his final. As of ten minutes before the graduation speeches, his grade hadn't been posted yet and the worry was eating him alive.

Finally, after what felt like another eternity of waiting, the area around them cleared enough for the small group of friends to make their escape. Hiro made a beeline for the exit, not stopping until he was outside and could feel the slight breeze on his skin. He took in deep breaths, almost making himself pass out from the amount of oxygen he was taking in.

"You might wanna take it easy," GoGo commented as she finally caught up to him, the others trailing behind her. Honey Lemon and Wasabi were talking back and forth about the different speeches and their take on them, looking as animated as usual, though no less glad to be out in the open air.

Hiro had to bend over his knees a bit to stave off the sudden dizziness too much oxygen had produced. He surfaced, looking a bit red in the face. "Not gonna lie, I really don't want to do that activity they have planned this afternoon."

From what he could gather, it was supposed to be some kind of pool party for the robotics and other similar disciplines. Each group had their own thing, splitting up so as not to overcrowd any one venue, unlike that morning. But the idea of sitting out in a pool, especially when he still couldn't really swim, was not his idea of a good time. He didn't care that there was supposed to be a barbecue along with it. The idea of food only made his stomach twist in a far from comfortable manner.

Honey Lemon looked over as the teen sort of wobbled. "Maybe you should get Baymax and go home and rest," she reasoned. "I'm sure no one will mind." She didn't say it but couldn't help but think he needed a nap.

"Might need to give him a ride," GoGo said, looking less convinced at the teen's ability to traverse the distance between campus and home without issue. She gave Wasabi a pointed look. "You should probably take a cold shower when you get there, and try and get some decent sleep. And stop worrying about that stupid grade. Worrying isn't going to change it one way or the other."

Hiro gulped at her tone. Out of all of his friends, she was definitely the most authoritative of the bunch when it came to their young leader. She was definitely the one who called him out on his crap the most, but was just as quickly to offer comfort when he needed it. Realizing GoGo was right, the teen nodded. "Yeah, good idea. Just need to get Baymax."

Organizing Wasabi and Honey Lemon to her cause, GoGo made sure Hiro retrieved his robot without fuss, albeit deactivated because of the press of the crowds on the sidewalks making getting anywhere difficult. She played defense while Honey Lemon helped him lug the case down the sidewalk to the parking lot where Wasabi had managed to pull up with his van.

Once all were situated, Wasabi carefully drove around the milling students and visitors, going much slower than GoGo cared for, but Hiro wasn't paying enough attention to worry about it as they slowly made their way off campus.

In what took twice the usual time, they finally arrived at the Lucky Cat Café. GoGo insisted on helping Hiro lug Baymax up the stairs, admonishing him to take at least a cat nap before she left with the others to get ready for the pool party. She concurred with Honey's assessment that the teen probably hadn't gotten more than a wink of sleep the night before.

Upon hearing her nephew come home, Cass excused herself from the café so she could see what was going on. "Not going to the party?" she asked, seeing Hiro looking more than a little out of sorts.

"Nah." Hiro tried to downplay just how crappy he felt. "Wasn't feeling it."

She'd caught him on his way towards the second set of stairs, the ones leading to his room. Something told her to give him a second look so she approached him from across the living room and lifted his hair so she could feel his forehead. "You do feel a bit warm," she decided.

Hiro didn't bother trying to duck or anything. Her hand actually felt good on his forehead. "It was really crowded in the auditorium and I got overheated," he explained. "I think I just need to go upstairs and cool off, maybe sleep a little."

What he'd expressed was more than possible, Cass decided. She' heard the school was having some issues with their central air prior to the graduation. It was bad enough they'd almost considered hosting the massive commencement speech outdoors but had thought better of it when they couldn't decide on a location. The students could stand the lack of air conditioning one last time. "If you're sure that's all it is. You didn't really seem to eat anything this morning. Want me to fix you something?"

But Hiro waved her off. "I need to get Baymax upstairs. Then I'll get some water or something from the fridge. Maybe after I've cooled down a bit, I'll actually feel like eating. Don't wanna push it."

Knowing he was probably right, Cass nodded. "All right, but promise me you'll try to eat something before this evening. I've got to help with the lunch rush but I'll come check on you when I have a chance."

"Sounds good," Hiro replied as he started lugging Baymax's case up the stairs. By the time he reached the top, he was too tired to activate the robot and just headed directly to the bed instead, where he flopped down on top of the covers. After a moment, he decided it would be better to at least change into something more comfortable and so he shed the slacks and button-up shirt in favor of his usual t-shirt and cargo shorts. Now feeling a bit more like his usual self, he lay back down on the bed, hand over his eyes as sleep claimed him, the overhead fan blowing cooling air his direction.

---

Throughout the course of the day, Cass popped up to check on Hiro, who remained out for the count. Knowing he'd had a hard time sleeping, she didn't think much of it, though she did check his temperature once or twice, just to be safe. It was low grade at worse, so she told herself to just keep an eye on it, forgoing activating Baymax, not sure if he was in travel form for a reason or not. That and she was a bit distracted trying to do too many things at one time.

As the day wound down, she found she needed to focus on the end of day activities with the café, finally calling it a day as the last straggler left and she was able to lock up. Thanks to her usual routine, and those on the late shift, everything was pretty much already cleaned and put away, making it one less thing she had to worry about.

When the last worker left, she locked the door for the last time that night, double-checking to make sure the closed sign was turned to face the street. Noticing a set of headlights illuminating the sidewalk that hadn't been there a second before, she peered out the window as a dark sedan pulled into one of several parking spots next to the side of the building. It took her a moment to recognize the occupants, mostly because of the tinted windows.

She exclaimed in surprise and excitement upon realizing Daisuke and party had just arrived. She quickly removed her apron and left it sitting out on the counter as she headed to the back of the café and the private entrance to the family home. In all her excitement, she forgot she was going to check on Hiro again.

Feeling more than a little jittery, much like she would had she downed five shots of espresso, Cass opened the door before Daisuke, or anyone else, could knock on it. "Come in!" she ushered, looking around to make sure there were only the three of them and she wasn't leaving anyone out. "I know it's not much to look at, but if you'll follow me, we can sit in the living room."

Daisuke entered, immediately recognizing some of the cat-themed wall decorations she'd picked out back in Japan. He couldn't help but smile at that, wondering where all the others had ended up, especially since he knew they hadn't made their way onto the café walls. "Thank you for having us," he said politely as he presented his aunt with a gift, a store-wrapped box of gourmet chocolates.

Suzue and Haru followed after him, looking around in obvious curiosity. The entryway was well-maintained if not homely in quality. Haru found he instantly liked it, being a nice change from the super fancy hotel.

The initial entry was almost like a stair landing, with a short set of stairs leading towards the back of the café and store room. This was, of course, separated by a doorway to keep the business and living areas apart. There was an umbrella stand behind the door, with the stairs leading upstairs pretty much right there, white banister and all. And, going up the wall were various family photos, along with the cat decorations recently added.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, a decent-sized living area opened up, with the kitchen just around the corner. All one had to do to see the kitchen was reach the top of the stairs and look to the extreme left, as there wasn't a wall separating it from the main area of the second floor. But there was a window seat right off the top of the stairs, with a few comfy looking pillows.

A few meters ahead of the top of the stairs, a second staircase began, turning after a few steps to follow the outside wall of the house. The window seat, which was part of a nice-sized bay window, spanned the distance between the two sets of stairs between floors. The stairs to the third floor were visible to the rest of the room until they were about halfway up, and then the view was blocked by a wall that protruded into the floor. With a door sitting on the same side as the stairs, it was possible it was either a bathroom or a closet, though the visitors weren't sure which.

There was a dining area just off the kitchen and initial open area, with a more comfortable seating arrangement further back. It was there that Cass now headed as she set the box of chocolates down on the dining room table. "I wasn't sure if you would be hungry or not," she said as she headed towards a sofa, "but I made some snacks if you are."

Daisuke took the liberty of looking up the second set of stairs, briefly, just to see what was up there. There wasn't much visible, besides another wall with a door. Curiosity momentarily sated, he followed the others further in and found a comfortable enough looking chair to sit in. "It's fine," he assured her. "We had dinner before coming over."

Cass didn't miss seeing him look up the stairs and took it for what it was. "Hiro's upstairs," she said. "He got overheated earlier and ended up falling asleep."

Throughout the course of the day, Daisuke had felt it best to divest himself of the suit coat due to the warmer temperature. Like the others, he'd changed into his more casual attire of a button-down shirt and waistcoat, still wanting to look at least someone respectable. "I see."

Around him, Suzue and Haru settled into various chairs. With the reflection of streetlights in the windows, he was reminded that it was after dark and attributed that to part of Hiro's fatigue. He didn't doubt the teen had been up at all hours the night before and probably needed the sleep.

"So," Cass began as she tucked one leg underneath her, shoes now off, "how was your flight over? Did anything exciting happen? Tell me all about it."

In the natural course of adults, the four began exchanging stories of events that had happened since they'd last seen each other.

---

Upstairs, Hiro groaned in his sleep. He rolled over to his left, feeling a sharp stab of pain that woke him instantly. He rolled to a sitting position, cradling his right side. "Ow."

The red case housing Baymax beeped as the robot inside activated, the top folding back to allow the vinyl frame to inflate to full size. Once fully inflated, the robot stepped free of the base and looked around. "Hello, I am Baymax," he began before realizing where he was and stopped from continuing the usual startup speech.

He turned to face the rest of the room where Hiro's bed lay at one end, a floor rug between the two. The teen was hunched over, knees drawn to his chest, in obvious pain. "I will scan you now," he stated, recognizing the signs of distress.

Hiro winced, forcing himself to slide to the edge of the bed. "I need Aunt Cass," he stated. His breathing was more labored than usual, sweat having broken out on his skin almost from head to toe. He attempted to make his way across the room but collapsed a few staggering steps later.

---

Below the main part of Hiro's room, Cass and company were talking away when their conversation was interrupted by the sound of something thumping loudly above them. Cass looked up in surprise."What was that?"

From years of police training, Haru immediately got to his feet, noticing that Daisuke did the same, both visually sweeping the immediately area for potential threats. They made their way slowly to the side of the room closest to the stairs, pausing when Baymax became visible.

"Aunt Cass," Baymax announced in his maddeningly calm voice, "Hiro requires your immediate assistance."

Hearing that, Cass uncurled from her position on the sofa and joined Daisuke and Katou at the foot of the stairs. "What's wrong?" When she didn't get a response, mostly because Baymax had returned to the upper floor, she made her way up the stairs, Daisuke and Katou behind her, just in case.

It was dark on the third floor, but light flooded the room as Cass flipped the light switch, momentarily blinding them all. When she could see again, she saw Hiro lying curled up on the floor, breathing heavily. "Hiro!" She quickly ran to his side, Daisuke joining her. Haru chose to hang back by the stairs.

She gently turned the teen to face upwards, feeling his skin, which was clammy to the touch. When she brushed his forehead, it was hotter to the touch than it had been earlier in the day. She quickly looked up at Baymax, who had waddled to the other side of the room so as to be out of the way. "What's wrong with him?"

Tilting his head to one side, Baymax spoke. "Scans indicate Hiro's appendix is inflamed. Diagnosis: acute appendicitis. Recommendation: immediate transport to the nearest hospital."

Daisuke couldn't help but look up sharply at the robot's declarations. He'd squatted down near Hiro's head to check his vitals, just to be safe. "If it is his appendix, Baymax is right," he agreed. "The sooner we can get him to a hospital the better."

"Everything all right up there?" Suzue called from the floor below. Katou headed down the stairs to let her know what was going on, rather than risk adding another person to the room above.

The Kambe family head stood, contemplating. "It will likely be faster to take him there in person than to wait for an ambulance. But we can't all go." There was no way they could all fit in the vehicle he had driven, and he knew wherever Hiro went, Baymax followed.

Cass went to the bathroom at the top of the stairs for a wet washcloth to wipe off Hiro's face. "I don't care who all goes but I'm coming." She didn't even question Daisuke taking charge of the situation, glad someone else was as her heart pounded. She vaguely recalled her nephew relating one of the repeated timelines and a similar experience. She hoped this wasn't as extreme, that timeline having led to Hiro's condition requiring a prolonged stay at the hospital when his appendix had actually burst.

"I would also like to accompany you," Baymax spoke up, as expected, as he moved in to scoop Hiro into his arms.

Coming to a sudden decision, Daisuke nodded. "I think Katou and Suzue should stay here for the time being to keep an eye on things," he said as he headed back to the stairs ahead of the robot. It wouldn't do to leave the house unwatched. One never knew how long things would take.

Upon seeing the descending party, Suzue and Haru moved back into the main living area of the second floor. Suzue looked distressed at this sudden turn in events, with Haru looking solemn. "You want us to stay here?"

"Yes," Daisuke confirmed as they reached the landing. "Too many people might only complicate matters."

In the meantime, Cass quickly ran to retrieve her phone and keys, just to be safe, double-checking to make sure she had her wallet and any pertinent ID cards on her. "Who's gonna drive?" she wondered aloud, not sure if they would all fit in her truck or not. If Baymax continued to carry Hiro, they'd probably be able to fit, but she wasn't sure how fast she could go. The clutch needed some work.

Once more, Daisuke took charge. "I will. I'll need you to direct me to the nearest hospital. We can worry about everything else later."

Cass nodded as she led the way down the stairs to the ground floor. She kept looking back as Baymax slowly made his way down the shallow steps. She felt just as jittery as she had no more than an hour ago when the Kambes had first shown up. Once at the bottom, she held the door open for the robot and then her older nephew, locking the door behind them.

Daisuke made his way to his car, opening the back door so Baymax could set Hiro on the seat before joining him in the back. He shut the door, walking around to let Cass in the front passenger side before getting into the driver's seat. "Suzue," he said, activating his stud earring communication device, "make sure to keep an eye on things while we're gone. I'll try to give you an update as soon as I can."

"Understood," Suzue responded over the link.

Cass put on her seat belt, hearing Baymax do the same for Hiro behind her. "You can tell them if they get hungry they can eat anything in the fridge."

Daisuke didn't respond to that as he started the engine and reversed. "We'll worry about that later," he said as they peeled out.

The speed almost threw Cass back against the seat, but she supposed she couldn't blame him for being in a hurry. There was no way of knowing just how long Hiro had been sick with this. If she had to guess, probably since the night before, which didn't bode well. If only she'd thought to check, or activated Baymax earlier. She mentally scolded herself for worrying about things she couldn't change now. Instead, she gave her older nephew directions to the nearest hospital and hoped for next to no traffic and no cops to pull them over.

Chapter 5: Chapter Four: Waiting

Whether it was luck, or just the Universe being nice, or maybe the late hour, there was next to no traffic. Daisuke made it to the emergency department in record time, parking next to the drop off zone like he owned the place. He put the car in park before exiting the vehicle and opening the rear door for Baymax to work his way out before going around to the other side and letting Cass out.

Rather than wait for the robot to remove Hiro from the car, Daisuke did it for him. "I could use some help," he called out as he moved towards the automatic sliding doors, which had already opened at their proximity.

Upon hearing his words, or maybe because they saw a man carrying a limp figure in his arms, several hospital staff rushed over, ushering Daisuke to place Hiro on a gurney. A bevy of questions flowed as an intake nurse tried to get down any pertinent information.

Meanwhile, Cass finally caught up to her nephew, Baymax in tow. When she realized what was going on, she took over answering any pertinent questions about Hiro, deferring to Baymax on anything she wasn't sure regarding any allergens or other factors she couldn't immediately recall.

While that took place, another nurse had started taking Hiro's vitals, placing a disposable blood pressure cuff on the teen's upper right arm, along with hooking him up to a heart monitor. Somewhere during that process, they'd moved him into an alcove that could be screened off with curtains.

Since Cass was occupied with the intake nurse, Daisuke took it upon himself to stay near Hiro until she could join him. He stayed out of the way of any medical personnel but felt the teen needed someone there just in case. He wasn't surprised when someone decided to start an IV line, having heard that Hiro hadn't eaten much of anything, and likely hadn't had much to drink lately either.

Finally, Cass came over to take his place, asking if he'd be willing to stay with Baymax in the waiting area, since they didn't want to allow the robot into the tight space they were working in. That and they didn't have quite the same outlook on robots that Japan did. He could now understand why Hiro had thought to install a protocol in the robot to report back on the condition or status of any of his friends who might become admitted to a hospital, even if it meant hacking into the system to get the information.

Daisuke followed an orderly to the designated waiting area, where he pulled out his smart glasses and instructed HEUSC to tap into the security cameras he'd noticed in the emergency ward. "Suzue," he touched his earring, activating it, "how are things at the café?"

His female cousin was more than happy to inform him that nothing had happened since they'd left for the hospital, outside of their both finding the tea pot and tea leaves. She'd been happy to discover that Cass preferred loose leaf tea to the packets common in the West.

After she'd finished her exclamations of joy over the tea leaves, Daisuke gave her an update on where things stood. Thanks to the security cameras, he was aware of the moment the doctor came to examine Hiro, but since the teen was still unconscious, the man apparently ordered a CT-scan and ultrasound to rule anything else out, despite Cass reporting what Baymax had told them earlier. He supposed they needed to go through the hoops but couldn't help but feel a bit impatient with them. At least they'd placed an identifier band on the teen's arm, complete with allergy warnings and other risk factors indicated.

"They've decided to run some tests to rule out anything else," Daisuke reported. "I'll let you know when I have any more information." He ended the connection when she acknowledged his last words, switching recipients. "HEUSC, pay for any expenses Hiro's treatment may incur. Also, if they decide they need to admit him for longer than 24 hours, make sure he is given a private room." A quick search on the internet had told him that some patients were discharged only a matter of hours after waking in the recovery room, though not all were so lucky.

"As you wish, sir. Balance: Unlimited."

That taken care of, Daisuke leaned back against the hard seat he'd been directed to, Baymax standing next to him. The only thing they could do right now was wait and see what conclusions the doctor came to after he'd satisfied his curiosity, and possibly some unofficial quota.

---

While they waited for test results, Cass was pretty much left alone with Hiro, the curtains to their cubicle of space pulled shut. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of those more private hospitals that afforded actual rooms for its emergency department, but she was more hopeful for the actual rooms, since it was almost a guarantee that Hiro would be fully admitted and in a room before morning. The question was whether or not he'd be pre or post surgery.

Cass checked the time on her phone, groaning. They'd already been at the hospital for over an hour, the time quickly heading to midnight, with Hiro was still out for the count, which was something someone had already commented on. What was taking them so long? It wasn't like they were overly busy or anything.

Finally, the doctor returned, a tablet in hand. "Well, it looks like you were right," he said without preamble. "It's his appendix and there's only one remedy for that. I'm going to need you to sign an authorization for surgery since he's a minor. In the meantime, we can get him prepped while we wait for a surgeon to become available."

A nurse moved around the two conversing adults to hang a bag of antibiotics on the IV pole while Cass accepted the tablet and quickly scanned through the agreement just to make sure there were no surprises. The doctor also described the procedure and any expected complications while she scrolled through the digital document. Sure she understood things to the best of her ability, she scribbled her signature.

The doctor accepted the tablet back, checking to make sure all was in order before giving her a brief nod. "Someone should be in shortly to take him up to the next floor. In the meantime, sit tight."

"Wait!" Cass called before the doctor could leave the area. "What about my other nephew? The one in the waiting area with Hiro's healthcare companion?"

Turning back, the doctor seemed to hesitate a moment. "As long as you add him to the appropriate paperwork that should be fine. I'll have an orderly take you both up to the waiting room on the next floor when they come to get him." He gave a curt nod before leaving this time.

Cass began to pace, watching the nurse out of the corner of her eye as she made sure all the medication from the additional IV bag dripped down the line and into Hiro's arm. This was so nerve-wracking. Part of her wondered if she shouldn't somehow reach out to Jack Harkness or someone else, since she still had no idea where Loki was. And since they wouldn't let Daisuke back to the cubicle, all she could do was pace and hope for some good news.

After a few minutes, another nurse came with a second tablet, instructing her on how to add Daisuke to the approved visitors list. She thought it wise to also give him authority to make decisions in the off chance she couldn't. She thought about adding Suzue and Haru to the list but hesitated, not sure what their take on things was. She did, in hindsight, make sure Baymax was on the list so he could at least go up to the surgical waiting room with them.

By the time she'd finished, an orderly came to escort her to the upstairs waiting area, with two more to wheel Hiro up to the surgical suites. She insisted they stop for Daisuke and Baymax, threatening to make a scene if they didn't since she'd signed all the paperwork allowing it.

---

Haru had just about dozed off when someone knocked on the door at the bottom of the stairs leading to the ground floor. He startled from his position on the sofa, momentarily confused about his location when the sound of knocking came again.

In the kitchen, Suzue was brewing a pot of tea using some chamomile leaves she'd found. Ever since Daisuke and company had left for the hospital, she'd felt more than a little anxious, not sure what to expect next. When the knocking sounded for a third time, she exchanged glances with Haru before putting down the tea pot and walking around the counter. "Should we answer it?"

"Something tells me it's not going to stop until we do," Haru replied as he got up from his seat and headed across the open floor towards the stairs. "But I didn't think they were expecting anyone else, so maybe you'd better stay up here and be ready to call for emergency services if things get ugly."

At Suzue's nod, Katou made his way down the stairs, trying to go as quietly as possible. At the bottom, he took an umbrella from the stand behind the door and held it at the ready as he reached for the lock. Whoever was out there knocked for the fourth time as he turned the handle after disabling the lock. The door opened, leaving the knocking individual with hand raised, a look of surprise on her face.

"Um…" Honey Lemon looked about as shocked as Haru felt. "I was looking for Hiro?"

A quick glance told him the woman standing in front of him wasn't much of a physical threat. Definitely taller than most females he knew, the additional centimeters her high heels provided were far from necessary. If it weren't for those heels, he'd be able to look her right in the eye without having to tilt his gaze down as he usually did. But, with the heels, he actually had to look up a bit. "Hiro's not here." It was the first thing his brain could come up with, not sure who she was.

The honey-blonde young adult wrung her hands, now looking worried. "I was afraid of that," she admitted. "I've tried getting in contact with him but he's not picking up. I was hoping he was here but…" She paused, now looking like she was even less sure.

Realizing she was hesitating because he was a stranger in a home she obviously knew, Haru held out his hand. "I'm Haru Katou," he introduced, using the Westernized version of his name, with surname after his given name. "I'm a friend of Daisuke Kambe's, Cass's other nephew."

Any confusion on the woman's face cleared and she almost looked relieved. "I'm Honey Lemon," she introduced, "one of Hiro's friends."

A car passed by, reminding Haru that they were basically standing in a halfway point, inside and outside so he invited Honey Lemon inside. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "I was just asked to look after the place while Cass and Hiro are out. Did you need them for something?"

"Who was it?" Suzue asked from the second floor, not quite peering around the banister, keeping out of sight in case of trouble.

Haru looked up the stairs, not immediately seeing her. "It's all right," he called up to Suzue. "It's just one of Hiro's friends."

Hearing that, Suzue came into full view with a smile. "If she's a friend of Hiro's you should probably invite her up. I'm sure Cass won't mind."

"Uh, yeah." Haru gave Honey a sheepish grin as he rubbed at the back of his head. "Did you want to come up? We're kind of house sitting while they're out."

Honey Lemon looked around as if debating. "I don't know. I really just came to see if something was wrong. We all knew he wasn't feeling that well this morning so I wanted to make sure."

By this time, Suzue had decided to come down. She glanced quickly at Haru, not sure if she should mention anything or not. They hadn't exactly been given any instructions one way or the other. And there really wasn't much news besides the fact that Hiro had officially been admitted at the hospital for testing. She bit her lip.

The look of distress on Honey Lemon's face was getting to him and if something didn't change soon, Haru knew he'd blurt something he probably shouldn't. "Last I heard, Hiro was still not feeling all that great. I think they were having him checked out, just to be safe." It was the truth, just omitting certain details. If what Baymax had diagnosed was correct, the teen wouldn't be coming home for a while, and neither would his aunt, if Haru knew anything about her character.

A look of understanding filled Honey's face. "That makes sense. In that case, could you ask him to give us a head's up when they get home? I know the others are probably just as worried as I am."

Haru gave an almost nervous laugh as he ruffled his hair again. "Yeah, sure. Will do."

Honey Lemon had opened the door again, her back turned to him as she turned the knob. If she heard the tension in his voice, she didn't show it. "I'd better get back to the others," she said as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. "It was nice to meet you." She gave both Haru and Suzue a slight bow before heading off.

A sigh of relief escaped Haru as he closed the door. He looked like he might have just had the biggest reprieve of his life as he leaned weakly against the door panel. "That was close. I wasn't sure what we should tell her."

"It's probably best to leave it at that," Suzue agreed. "I haven't had any other updates from Master Daisuke. And until we have more information, it's probably best to not say too much." Part of her wondered if staying out this late was typical of the teen and then decided it didn't matter.

What they didn't see was a slight glimmer of what might have been heat near the door before it disappeared as Haru relocked it. The two headed back up the stairs, ignorant of the phenomenon, summoned by the scent of the brewing tea.

Chapter 6: Chapter Five: William

 

On the second floor of the hospital, Cass paced, hand resting on her chin as she all but marched back and forth, potentially wearing the industrial carpet down with her movements. At this time of night, there weren't too many people in the designated waiting area, which was designed to hold quite a few people as they waited for friends or family to enter the various stages of their treatment.

Despite their being next to the only ones in the waiting area, the receptionist on duty had given her a printed ID number to watch for on the monitor instead of using Hiro's name. The receptionist had then disappeared down a hallway and had yet to return. The last time Cass had checked, the screen indicated Hiro was still in prep and she could only assume that was because they were still waiting on the surgeon or some other member of the team. She hoped whoever it was would hurry up.

Daisuke had chosen to sit in one of several small groupings of mostly comfortable chairs, glasses still on as he watched security footage. He'd had to deploy a small drone to help keep an eye on things, but felt the risk well worth it if for no other reason than to stay in the loop. He just didn't tell Cass he'd done so, in the off chance something happened. But, for the time being, he could safely say they were only waiting for someone from the surgical team to come before wheeling Hiro into an operating room.

A quick hack into the scheduling system of the hospital told Daisuke the surgeon on duty was currently occupied, and the on-call one was delayed. In the meantime, he did note that a small team of medical staff were keeping an eye on his cousin in case anything changed while they waited. Since it had been potentially a lot longer since signs of Hiro's illness had first presented, he thought this a good precaution.

As Cass passed by his location again, he couldn't help but look up, tempted to say something. It was likely wise he chose to remain silent. Everyone needed something to do while waiting on things beyond their control. He had his current, self-appointed task. Pacing, in comparison, wasn't a bad option.

When he looked back at the video feed, Daisuke noted that another person had joined the team in Hiro's current room. The individual checked something on a monitor before calling for various medications, which were added to the teen's IV line. Soon, the small team added a breathing tube to the many wires and other implements already in use, taping it in place so it wouldn't dislodge and cause other issues.

Daisuke was just about to say something when he noticed a man heading their direction from across the waiting room. He frowned; feeling he somehow looked familiar, though he couldn't immediately place why. The man had fair skin, dark, slicked back hair, and was wearing a casual jacket over a button-down shirt and slacks, not dissimilar to Haru's typical attire, only darker.

"Cass," the man called out in a gentle yet concerned tone as he approached the pacing woman, looking a bit out of breath after his quick jaunt across the floor. He wrapped her up in his arms as gently as may be. "I came as soon as I could."

Whoever this man was, it was obvious his aunt knew him because she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into his embrace, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly. "I was hoping you would," she said, almost too quietly for Daisuke to hear.

The man cradled her head with one hand, pulling her in close as he kissed her on the forehead, which was slightly hard to do, considering their different in height. He actually had to lean downward to accomplish this. "How is he?"

At his question, Cass did pull away so she could look at the status board, though Daisuke could have probably answered the question for her. Thanks to his drone footage, he'd noticed they'd moved Hiro during the short exchange between this new stranger and his aunt, heading into the surgical suite. He refrained from answering for her, though, not sure who this man was just yet, or what to make of him.

Cass sniffled a little. "Looks like they just took him into surgery." She held up the slip of paper they'd given her with the ID number, just to be safe, comparing the numbers. "It'll probably be at least an hour before we know anything." It was obvious she was all but vibrating with anxiety as she clenched the paper in one hand.

The man pulled her back into his arms, smoothing her hair and whispering calming words into her ear. "I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier."

Daisuke chose that moment to remove his glasses and stood. There was no point in watching things for the moment, though he quietly instructed HEUSC to keep an eye on the surgical team and to let him know if anything of concern occurred. He noticed Baymax hadn't reacted to the man now escorting Cass to the nearest seat, though he was certain the robot had seen him. Perhaps the robot was occupied with something else at the moment.

The nearest available seat was akin to a small sofa, allowing the stranger to sit down next to Cass. And while he didn't cozy up to her in the way some might, he did put a reassuring arm around her shoulders in a manner that was familiar but not possessive. "And how are you doing?"

Cass looked up into his face with a mix of pain, anxiety, and hope. "Could be better," she admitted. "I just wish I'd realized sooner. I hope everything will be okay."

Before the man would pull his aunt into another comforting embrace, Daisuke walked the few steps over, holding out his hand. It was, perhaps, a bit rude, but he felt an introduction necessary. "Daisuke Kambe," he stated. If this were Japan, he'd have likely bowed, but he wanted to see what the man would do. Despite the casual look, he had an air of authority and grace about him that both intrigued and warned him caution was needed. Part of him didn't care.

Now looking up at Daisuke, the man sitting next to Cass gave him a contemplative once over, perhaps debating on how to answer. He glanced at Cass, lips pressed together as he evaluated things.

Cass saved him the trouble. "Loki, this is my other nephew, Daisuke. Daisuke, this is Loki, though he sometimes goes by William." A brief hint of humor flashed in her eyes at that.

Understanding lit up Loki's face as he moved to stand, easily taller than the shorter Japanese man. He offered his hand, giving Daisuke's a firm shake. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I have, of course, heard of you. And I appreciate your looking after Cass for me earlier this year. I would have come and helped but other engagements kept me away."

So this was the infamous Loki of Asgard, Daisuke thought as he sized the man up. All things considered, he was solidly built, well-muscled, and yet somehow more mild-mannered than he'd anticipated. "It was nothing," he said in response to Loki's comments, refraining from mentioning that he, too, was aware of the man and his relationship with the Hamada family. And his grip certainly spoke to more physical strength than one might have thought possible given his laid-back appearance.

Loki gave him a calculating look, probably evaluating him just as much as Daisuke was him. It was difficult to tell what he thought of him though, as his expression was just as carefully neutral as the Kambe head kept his. The two seemed relatively similar on that end, which might not be a good thing if it came down to a battle of wits.

Cass, by this time, had brought her emotions under control. She gave Loki a reproving look. "Play nice," she admonished. "You two can size each other up later."

"Of course," Loki soothed as he returned to his seat next to her. "This is neither the time nor the place."

At this point, Baymax chose to waddle over. "Hello, Loki," he greeted with a slight wave. "I hope you are well." He kept his voice low lest he attract the attention of anyone nearby.

Loki gave the robot a curt, yet acknowledging nod. "Quite well, all things considered. I may have a bit of a hangover from all the mead, but that's only to be expected. Thor doesn't know when to stop and the celebration went on for quite some time. I had a hard time getting away."

"Celebration?" Daisuke wasn't sure he'd heard correctly and had to confirm. What was there to celebrate in their given situation? He found an empty seat close enough to easily converse and sat down.

A smirk crossed Loki's face. "Yes. You see, for the past year or so, I've been the acting king of Asgard. Thankfully, I was recently able to confer that honor to my troublesome oaf of a brother. Unfortunately, he made tracking him down rather difficult and that was what kept me away longer than intended." He turned to Cass with an apologetic smile. "I had to make sure things were settled back home before I could return. Unfortunately, the coronation ceremony, and resulting festivities, took more time than I care to admit."

"I'm just glad you're here now," Cass said, snuggling up against his side, feet tucked under her. She'd removed her slip-on shoes, leaving them on the industrial carpet.

This behavior certainly explained why Cass had blushed when Daisuke had first mentioned the Asgardian god back in Japan. The reason for her blushing then was more than obvious now. There was no denying that she'd developed feelings for the man. It was also obvious he at least had a fondness for her as he put his arm back around her shoulders. It was an almost protective gesture, almost like a dragon defending its horde. Daisuke sat back, observing them. He still had reservations, that niggling suspicion that the man was playing her, but he couldn't be sure until he got to know the man better.

Daisuke's phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket to identify the caller. "Excuse me," he said, standing and walking towards the far end of the room where no one else was before answering the call. It was Katou, hoping for an update. Apparently Suzue had dozed off after consuming a decent amount of chamomile tea. He was unsurprised to learn one of Hiro's friends had stopped by the café looking for them. Haru's decision to keep things vague was also appreciated, since the information at the time had been limited.

The man sighed. At some point during the next twelve to twenty-four hours he knew he'd have the chance to meet Hiro's friends and super hero teammates. He wasn't yet sure how that would occur, but knew they'd need to be informed of Hiro's condition when it did. With their graduation ceremony scheduled for some time that morning, he wasn't sure when they might expect more from them. At the very least, an excuse for the teen's absence would have to be made.

"HEUSC," he said, touching his earring after he'd ended his call with Haru, "I want you to track the movements of Hiro's friends for me. Also, keep an eye on the café in case something else should happen."

"As you wish, sir."

That accomplished, Daisuke returned to the area where Cass and Loki were sitting. Loki held up a finger to his lips, indicating a need for quiet before looking down at Cass. She had fallen asleep against him. And it was no wonder as to why. A quick glance at his watch told him it was now after one in the morning. A quick check on Hiro indicated he was still mid-surgery so there was nothing for it but to sit back down and wait, not wanting to wake his aunt with an interrogation of the man she obviously had feelings for. That could wait until later and he made a mental note to do so once the crisis was over.

---

A little more than an hour later, the progress board changed, indicating Hiro was headed to recovery. Before too much longer, the surgeon headed to where Daisuke, Cass, and Loki sat. Cass was still out for the count against Loki's side and he intended to make sure she wasn't disturbed unless it was necessary.

"I'd ask to talk to Ms. Hamada but it looks like she's currently occupied," the surgeon observed with a tired smile. "Which of you is Daisuke Kambe? He's also indicated as a guardian for Hiro."

Daisuke stood from his chair and strode forward. "I'm Daisuke Kambe," he responded. He glanced quickly at Loki, who watched impassively; possibly more worried about making sure Cass remained undisturbed.

After making sure Daisuke was who he said he was, the surgeon went on to tell them how Hiro's surgery had gone. There hadn't been any complications. He did mention it was a good thing they'd brought the teen in when they had or his appendix would have likely ruptured prior to surgery, which would have complicated things. As things stood, he expected Hiro to remain in the recovery room for a few hours, recommending that either Daisuke or Cass head back in case the teen needed any reassurances from someone he knew.

Not sure what he should do in this situation, Daisuke debated. Cass was the one who should really be with Hiro during this time, but it didn't look like Loki was willing to wake her. Chances were good she hadn't slept much in the last twenty-four hours. "How long do you anticipate Hiro staying in the recovery area?"

The surgeon checked his tablet, which he'd brought with him. "No more than two hours. After that, depending on how he responds, we'll decide if he needs to be admitted into a room, be discharged, or head to the outpatient department until he's stable enough to go home. We won't know for sure until he wakes. We'll have a better idea then."

"I recommend attending to Hiro now," Baymax spoke. He had positioned himself off to one side so as to stay out of the way.

Not having previously noticed the robot before, the surgeon gave Baymax a look over. "You must be the healthcare bot I've heard about. Unfortunately, I don't think hospital policy will allow you into the recovery area."

Baymax tilted his head as he contemplated this. "I will remain here if Daisuke will go to Hiro. That way I can keep an eye on Aunt Cass." There was the unspoken notion that he'd be able to keep both Cass and Loki in the loop should Daisuke, or some other hospital staff, not see fit or be able to do so.

"You should go," Loki spoke up, seeing the indecision on Daisuke's face. "Cass likely named you as a guardian in case something like this happened. Don't worry. I'll look after her."

Daisuke refrained from mentioning that was part of what he was worried about, but he knew he had to trust that her faith in Loki was not misplaced. "Very well. Take me back to Hiro."

After only a brief pause, the surgeon indicated for Daisuke to follow him towards a doorway, where he handed off the older cousin to a nurse so he could properly prepare to enter the recovery area. There, he was asked to wash up and don a surgical gown and face mask, in case of germs. He was also given a visitor's bracelet, something they'd previously neglected to do. When he was finally deemed ready, another nurse escorted him into the room assigned to the younger Hamada.

The teen lay on a portable hospital bed, which was slightly elevated so he was in a semi-reclining position. They'd removed the breathing tube, replacing it with an oxygen mask. Daisuke noticed the IV line still in place, along with the electrodes connected to an EKG machine. He only saw a saline bag, though, not sure if this was normal or not. He debated on asking but decided to refrain.

A nurse indicated a chair near the bed where Daisuke could sit and wait while another nurse checked on Hiro's vitals, noting something down on a tablet. When neither was looking, Daisuke recalled the small drone he'd had following the teen, reintegrating it into a secret compartment inside the bottom of one of his shoes. While he disliked admitting he wore elevator shoes, they did come in handy for concealing small bits of tech.

Not sure what to do while waiting for Hiro to wake, Daisuke looked around the room. It was a private area, meant for one patient at a time, which was nice. There were various cabinets and medical equipment visible, all looking neat and orderly. There were also a few locked cabinets that likely contained more. He fully approved.

Hiro groaned slightly, bringing Daisuke's attention back to his younger cousin. The teen coughed slightly, moving one hand up to his throat. He opened his eyes a slit, closing them again at the brightness of the room. "My throat hurts," he rasped behind the oxygen mask.

A nurse moved in, asking about any other pain, assuring him and Daisuke that having a sore throat was normal. She then inquired about any nausea or other discomfort.

"Ta-Tadashi," Hiro rasped as he looked over towards Daisuke, squinting. "Is that you?" He reached out a hand. Since it was his left side, it was the one without the IV line.

Daisuke took Hiro's hand in his, since this seemed to be what was required. "No," he answered. "It's Daisuke. Tadashi isn't here." He glanced up at the nurse, who assured him it was possible Hiro was experiencing a case of emergence delirium, which would soon pass. Though not as common in older children, it wasn't unheard of.

Despite the announcement that Daisuke was, in fact, not Tadashi, Hiro didn't let go of his hand. "I passed out upstairs, didn't I?" he asked, awareness beginning to assert itself.

"You did," Daisuke confirmed. "But Aunt Cass and I were able to get you to the hospital in time."

A sort of huffy laugh escaped Hiro's lips as the nurse removed the oxygen mask. "Figures. Kinda thought my appendix might have burst or something."

The Kambe head assured him such had not been the case. And when Hiro inquired about their aunt, he was able to tell him he'd left her in the waiting room with Baymax. He refrained from mentioning Loki, not sure how he might take that, let alone the rest of the hospital staff. It didn't help that he couldn't immediately recall the other name the Asgardian apparently used.

When the nurse again inquired about Hiro's pain levels, the teen reported mild discomfort around the surgical site. And, upon asking if he felt up to sipping some water, Hiro was more than willing to give it a go, though he needed help holding the cup and its accompanying straw. But he handled things like a pro, almost as if he'd done this before.

Daisuke received instructions to make sure Hiro only sipped his water for the time being while they made sure he could keep it down. In the meantime, he needed to help keep Hiro company so they could continue to monitor his awareness and vitals.

The teen had begun to shiver a bit and another nurse brought over a heated blanket to help ease that. "What time is it?" he inquired once his body was more under his control. The cool water helped ease his sore throat and he started to feel the first pangs of hunger he'd felt in over a day.

Looking at his watch, Daisuke was able to inform him that it was well after four in the morning now. He thought about calling Suzue or Haru and giving them an update but decided against it. Chances were good they were still asleep. That and he didn't think they'd appreciate him using his cell phone in the recovery room. Suzue had likely removed her earring prior to sleep.

As more time passed, Hiro became more alert; his vitals becoming stable and strong enough they decided to remove the IV line and had him walk once around the room. This was accomplished with the teen hunching over like an old man, leaving him a bit winded. All things considered, he was deemed to be making remarkable progress.

By the time two hours had elapsed, Hiro was more than happy to try some gelatin, feeling ravenous. Experience had taught him to take things easy, though he really didn't want to. Thankfully, due to his progress, there was talk of discharging him sooner than anticipated. Hearing this, Daisuke quietly asked HEUSC to alert Baymax so he could pass the message on to Loki and Cass. He debated having HEUSC tap into the security feed to make sure the two weren't up to anything improper but didn't, mostly because it wasn't really any of his business.

When Hiro was more than able to keep what little food they offered him down, they decided to move him into the next room, where they removed any monitoring equipment, deeming it no longer necessary. Daisuke was permitted to take off any protective clothing in transit, pleased to see that Cass and Loki were able to join them, with Baymax in tow. The new area resembled something not dissimilar to a waiting room, but with less people and some medical equipment on standby, just in case.

"I'm so ready to go home," Hiro confessed upon seeing both his aunt and Loki enter the room with his healthcare companion. It was probably wise he didn't make a fuss about Loki being there, especially since a nurse stayed in the area, just in case.

Sometime between six and seven in the morning, the surgeon came into the room where Hiro was now in a wheelchair, to give final instructions, as well as to check on Hiro's incision one last time before discharge. "I don't think antibiotics will be necessary at this point," he told the adults, "but if he expresses any pain, you're welcome to give him any over the counter painkillers he can tolerate so long as you follow the instructions on the bottle."

Turning to face the teen, the doctor leaned over a bit so he could look him in the eye. "As for you, young man, I want you to refrain from any strenuous activity for a few weeks. And, for the next few days, you shouldn't climb any stairs if you can help it. Just make sure you walk around every few hours to work the kinks out."

Hiro resisted the urge to roll his eyes, more than aware of how things worked, though he wasn't thrilled with Cass, Loki, and even Daisuke confirming they would make sure he didn't overdo things. But, all in all, he supposed things could have been worse.

While Cass signed the discharge papers, and Hiro changed back into his clothes, Daisuke went out to get the car, pulling around to the designated area for patient pickup. And, after final instructions to call the doctor if there were any abnormalities or concerns, the nurse wheeled Hiro to the front lobby, the others trailing behind him like a miniature parade.

Knowing the drill, Hiro got up under his own power and slowly made his way to the main entrance and patient pickup zone where Daisuke was waiting. If there was any way he could prove an extended stay unnecessary, he was more than willing to do it, even if it was uncomfortable. He was sure the others in his party knew it as well.

Daisuke was waiting outside the car and held the rear passenger-side door open for the teen as he approached. He resisted any urge to help him get inside, curious to see how he'd manage, or if he'd ask for help. Hiro didn't ask and so he didn't offer, but he did shut the door before turning to the two remaining adults and one robot on the sidewalk. The nurse had left their company inside, taking the wheelchair with her.

Cass was talking quietly to Loki when Daisuke took the few steps towards them. Baymax had yet to move to the other side of the car, making the Kambe head wonder what was going on. "Did you need a ride somewhere?" Daisuke asked out of courtesy, not sure if the man had a vehicle or not, or if he even knew how to drive.

A flash of a smile Daisuke wasn't sure how to quite identify crossed Loki's face as he took Cass's hand and kissed it. "Cass has just invited me over for breakfast," he informed the Japanese native. "So, if you're willing, I would appreciate a lift."

Irritation warred inside Daisuke for a moment before he smoothed it over. It was more likely it had surfaced because he was tired. Despite having a brief nap the day before, mid-day, he had stayed up all night and it was beginning to show. "Very well," he said graciously. "I believe it only proper for you to sit up front." He turned to Cass with a slight bow as he reached to open the front passenger door for her.

Loki beat him to it, opening the door so Cass could get in. If it hadn't been for her impromptu nap in the hospital, she might have responded differently, but, with her anxiety at least somewhat eased, and not quite as tired as she might have been otherwise, she merely rolled her eyes at the expression she caught on Daisuke's face.

Meanwhile, Baymax deflated so he could enter the back cabin of the vehicle while still giving ample room for Loki, who ended up directly behind Daisuke as they all entered the car. It was a quiet, somewhat awkward ride back to the Lucky Cat Café.

Chapter 7: Chapter Six: Two Alphas

It wasn't until almost nine that Daisuke pulled up to the Lucky Cat Café, due to traffic. The local shop was already quite busy with the morning rush, mostly students grabbing something on their way to graduation, or a blue collar worker catching a late breakfast on their way to work. There were several regulars who liked to just sit and read while drinking their tea or coffee, with a few would-be writers working on manuscripts that might or might not ever see the light of day. This, of course, made it next to impossible to find a parking spot.

After some debating, Cass instructed Daisuke to just park in front of the garage, behind where she had her truck parked so it wasn't taking up customer parking. Getting back out would be a pain, but at least it allowed him to park, and off the street, an added bonus. There were a few impatient honks from behind him as he pulled into the indicated area, but he ignored them.

Hiro had dozed off a bit in the back seat, leaning against Baymax's arm, which the robot had kept inflated. He startled awake as Daisuke exited the car and shut his door with a loud sound. He immediately winced, as he'd accidentally tensed his abdominal muscles.

Loki exited the vehicle without waiting to see if Daisuke would open the door for him, deciding it unlikely. Seeing the man head towards Cass's door confirmed his suspicions on the man's state of mind so he went to the other rear passenger door to help Hiro out of the car.

Hearing a group of fellow SFIT students as they made their way past the café, Hiro looked up sharply, realizing the time. "Oh crap," he said. "I'm gonna miss my graduation ceremony." But if he thought about attempting to walk after his fellow graduates, his companions made it abundantly clear that wasn't going to happen.

"Oh no you don't," Cass said once she was free from the vehicle. "You're going straight upstairs to rest, young man." She already had her keys in hand to unlock the private entrance. Behind her, Baymax exited the vehicle and Loki shut the door while the robot re-inflated. She unlocked the door, glancing quickly towards the doorway leading to the café, which showed a decently busy room. She released her breath and headed up the stairs.

Before Hiro could do anything, like trying to follow the crowd to the college campus, Loki scooped him up into his arms and entered through the door behind Cass. He could feel Daisuke rolling his eyes behind him as he made his way up the stairs and into the second floor living area.

"Good morning," a cheerful voice greeting Cass as she entered the dining room area off the kitchen. In the kitchen, Suzue was rinsing out the tea pot and Haru was sitting at the table.

Cass moved further in to make room for those behind her. "Good morning," she returned Suzue's sentiments. She glanced at the kitchen sink, noting a few dishes waiting to be washed. "I should have called ahead," she said to no one in particular.

Loki, meanwhile, bypassed her and headed into the living room portion of the main floor, Hiro protesting in his arms. He set the teen down on the sofa before turning to face the rest of the room. Behind him, Daisuke chose to stand near Katou, with Baymax taking up a position at the foot of the stairs leading up to the third floor. "Good morning," the Asgardian greeted the two strangers he had yet to officially meet.

"Your friends stopped by," Haru reported, looking over at Hiro. "They wanted to make sure you were all right. I wasn't sure what to tell them though."

Daisuke moved a chair out from under the table and sat. "This morning?" He had neglected to give them a head's up until after he'd gone to get the car. He supposed he could have left a message on either Suzue or Katou's phone, but he hadn't. He also doubted his partner meant the earlier visit from one Honey Lemon.

The Japanese detective with taupe-colored hair gave a nod and a bemused smile. "Yes, though I didn't quite catch all of their names. They wanted to know if you were up to going to your graduation ceremony and I had to tell them I didn't know."

"I could still make it if someone will give me a ride," Hiro spoke up from the sofa. This prompted all adults in the room to look his direction with such intensity that he sort of shrunk back in the cushions. "Or not."

Suzue moved around the kitchen counter, heading towards where Loki stood not too far off some shelves. "Sorry to change the subject, but I don't believe we've been introduced," she said, extending her hand.

The Asgardian took her hand in one of his and gave a slight bow. "Loki Laufeyson," he introduced. "At your service."

The expression that crossed Suzue's face was a mix of shock and surprise as she removed her hand. "The Loki of Asgard? The same Loki who tried to take over half the planet?"

A silly smile crossed Loki's lips as he looked over at Cass almost shyly. "Yes, well, that was a different time and a different version of myself. As you can see, I currently have no world conquering intentions."

Haru decided it was his turn to enter the conversation. "Currently? And what about all those people you hurt?" The police side of him wanted to pull out a pair of handcuffs and snap them over the man's wrists, but he knew he was way out of his jurisdiction. And, for all intents and purposes, it looked like Loki was an invited guest.

"Katou," Daisuke said in a warning tone. Now was not the time or place for such confrontations. That and he couldn't help but feel his exhaustion weighing down on him. Haru and Suzue may have gotten sleep the night before, but he sure hadn't.

The older detective gave Daisuke a look. "You can't seriously be telling me to drop it after everything he's done. He's an international criminal!"

Daisuke released a heavy, very vocal sigh. "This is neither the time nor the place," he began. He couldn't help but look quickly over at Hiro, recalling how he'd reacted to Stark's finding out about Loki living in his Los Angeles home under the guise of a bodyguard. They definitely didn't need to rile the teen up.

"Guys," Hiro spoke up, sounding more than a little out of sorts. "I am too tired and in too much pain to deal with your stupidity. If you're going to duke it out, could you please take it outside? I really don't want to ruin Aunt Cass's kitchen."

Reminded of what the teen was capable of, Haru's eyes went wide and he wisely refrained from saying anything else. Instead, he glanced quickly over at the teen as if he'd explode, offering a slight sigh of relief to note that Hiro's eyes hadn't started glowing like they had any time he'd done some god-like feat like he had in Japan.

"I'd appreciate you guys not ruining my kitchen," Cass spoke up as she took eggs out of the fridge. "Or any other part of my house for that matter." She shut the fridge with force, causing Suzue and Haru to flinch from the resulting sound.

Haru stood and turned to Cass, giving her a formal bow. "Apologies. I will try to refrain from doing anything to cause you further trouble."

"Since you aren't willing to let me at least go and pretend to walk at my own graduation, the least you can do is help me upstairs so I can take a nap," Hiro continued as if he hadn't been interrupted at all. "And since I know Daisuke's gonna be stubborn about admitting how tired he really is, I insist he be the one, and that he take a nap, too." His tone was decisive, almost commanding in a frustrated kind of way.

Hiro's words, however, caused scrutiny focused in Daisuke's direction, though it was Suzue who spoke up first. "You do look tired," she admitted. "Perhaps you should listen to Hiro and go lie down?"

The expression on Daisuke's face could only be called a pout. It was certainly sour enough to curdle milk, but his exhaustion was obvious. There were shadows under his eyes and he did look to be having some trouble keeping alert.

"I think you should," Cass encouraged in a no nonsense voice. "You can use Tadashi's bed. I know the bedding is clean."

It was almost as if they were ganging up on him but Daisuke had to admit they were right. "Fine," he agreed. He moved towards Hiro but the teen had already stood with an effort and was slowly making his way towards him and the staircase. "I can carry you."

Hiro held out a hand to ward off the offer. "You know I'm supposed to walk around," he countered. "I'm not at death's door yet."

All eyes seemed to follow his progress across the room, with Daisuke following behind him. Once he reached the stairway, however, Baymax was there to stop him. "I will carry you up the stairs," the robot announced and scooped the teen up into his arms before he could protest, careful not to jostle him too much.

No one started talking again until after Baymax, Hiro, and Daisuke, disappeared from view.

---

"You get really cranky when you're tired, don't you?" Hiro asked as soon as Baymax put him down inside his bedroom.

The room took up most of the upper floor, with a bathroom just off the stairs, behind which was the area, still cordoned off, that had belonged to Tadashi. The screen that separated it from the rest of the room reached the end of the bed, leaving a decent opening into that section of the room. And, unlike the side Hiro claimed as his personal space, it was just as well organized now as it had been when the older Hamada was still alive.

Daisuke followed him into the room, watching as the teen took a seat at a desk with a computer near the bed not hidden by a Japanese screen. "You're one to talk," he said, knowing he sounded every bit the sulky child he imagined others sometimes saw him as. It was almost like he could let the mask slip when only Hiro was around. That or he was just too tired to care.

Hiro gave a devil-may-care shrug, hands out and away from his body. "That may be, but I'm technically still a teenager so it's kinda expected." He sat forward, wincing, one arm instinctively going to his stomach area. "Hey, I'm pretty sure you stayed up the whole night because of me so…thanks."

"I'm just glad everything turned out," Daisuke said with a faint smile. "After our talks a few months back, I was worried."

A sigh escaped Hiro's lips as he gingerly got up and transferred to the bed. It helped that it was higher up than a typical mattress. At least it wouldn't be difficult when he needed to get out again, but it made getting onto it a bit of a struggle. He did not miss that aspect of things. "Yeah. Gotta admit I was too. Wasn't sure if it would be like last time."

Daisuke moved closer, taking up the now empty chair and sitting down so he faced the teen. "Last time?"

The teen gave a light laugh, not wanting to move his abdominal muscles any more than he had to. All the same, just to be safe, he grabbed a pillow and held it like a teddy bear, pressing it lightly against his stomach as a brace. "Yeah. This isn't the first time I've lost an appendix. Granted, it wasn't in this time line."

A look of confusion crossed Daisuke's face, until he recalled how Hiro had apparently lived multiple time lines over and over again. "Ah. I see. Dare I ask what happened?"

Hiro scratched at the back of his neck. Any pain meds from the hospital were definitely starting to wear off and he debating asking Baymax to get him some from downstairs, since the robot had stationed himself in his charging base after depositing him on the floor. "Well, it happened when I was fourteen, before Tadashi had a chance to try and convince me to go to SFIT. Except, that time, my appendix actually burst and I had to stay in the hospital for a few days until the infection cleared."

"As I recall, you may have mentioned something about each time line having to reset," Daisuke mused.

Now looking off into the distance, Hiro sort of nodded. "Yeah. After trying to form Big Hero 6, and failing miserably, I made a few other mistakes. And then the Makt sort of stepped in and possessed Baymax. I'd already repeated the time line more times than one could probably count in a lifetime and my body and mind weren't exactly happy about it so when the Makt forced me to look at what I was blatantly ignoring, I had a mental breakdown.

"A friend of ours, The Doctor, had to come and intervene, giving Tadashi something to pull me back from the brink long enough for me to get my head on straight." His expression darkened as he recalled the affects of that serum and how it had essentially chemically reset his brain. "After that, I caught Tadashi helping Professor Callaghan using the portal that started it all. He tried to get me out of there, tried to save me because something went wrong. And then he got sucked into the portal and so did I."

There was more to it. Daisuke could feel it, but he didn't want to press the issue, seeing the haunted look in his cousin's eyes. Even as tired as he was, it was impossible to miss. "When you first woke in the hospital this morning, you called me Tadashi."

Hiro sort of perked up at that, shaking off the memory. "Yeah, sorry about that. For a second, you really did look like him. Must have been dreaming." What he didn't mention was that he'd actually seen Tadashi standing there next to Daisuke, only to have him vanish the moment his vision had really cleared. He wasn't sure what it meant but knew he'd figure it out eventually.

From downstairs, the smell of eggs cooking wafted upwards. There was also the scent of some kind of baked goods, though neither Daisuke nor Hiro could immediately identify what. "I guess if you wanted to eat before you crash, now's a good time," Hiro commented, noticing Daisuke did look a bit hungry. "But if you do, think you could ask Aunt Cass for some painkillers for me? I don't think I'll be able to doze off without something."

Before Daisuke could make it all the way to the stairs to go and see about food, Loki became visible coming up. Daisuke backed up, almost bumping into Baymax, who merely blinked at him. Loki carried a cup of apple juice and a small plate of scrambled eggs. "Pardon me," he apologized, realizing Daisuke had intended to head downstairs. "Cass thought Hiro might need might need some pain medication and didn't want him to have it on an empty stomach."

Daisuke moved back towards the bed, reclaiming his previous seat at the computer while Loki brought the food to Hiro from the other side. The arrangement wasn't ideal, since there didn't seem to be a chair for the far side, but Loki found one on the other side of the screen dividing the room, wheeling it over so he was now facing him from across the bed, with Hiro in the middle.

"I hope you don't mind my joining you for a few minutes," Loki said as he sat down. "I know you both must be tired, though I did hear Hiro mention something about food before sleep."

It took just about all Daisuke had to not get up and demand some kind of explanation. He knew that, at any moment, his stomach would demand food as well, but he could ignore that if he tried. Situations like this required him to have patience and be diplomatic or he'd get none of the answers he was looking for in regards to this man. "I don't mind if Hiro doesn't."

Hiro had taken the liberty of filling the moments of silence with the scraping of a fork against the ceramic plate, chewing the scrambled eggs carefully before eating them. While it was true he'd had some soft food back at the hospital, he hadn't been given much and knew his stomach might demand more. However, he also knew caution was needed as he downed the pain pills with some of the juice.

Probably anticipating such concerns, his aunt hadn't sent a large serving, just enough to quell any hunger while giving his stomach enough to hopefully not get upset from the medicine. "I don't mind," he answered once his mouth was empty and he could focus on carefully eating each mouthful of egg that followed. "I figured you two would need to talk so talk away. Just pretend I'm not here."

The quip reminded Daisuke of similar circumstances back at his manor where it seemed as though he and others talked about the teen as if he wasn't there when he was. It had seemed warranted at the time, to distance and protect him. Now, he wasn't sure if that was wise or not. He leaned back in the chair, folding his arms across his chest. "What did you need?"

Loki sat with his elbows on his knees as he leaned towards the bed, looking directly at Daisuke. "I gathered from the bits of conversation I just overheard between the two of you that you are aware of Hiro's…. unusual circumstances."

"If you mean am I aware that he's no longer quiet human and has developed abilities beyond most human understanding, then yes," Daisuke answered, choosing to not beat around the bush. "I am also aware of his repeated timelines, though I don't know much about that, as well as some details of his more recent adventures in Los Angeles and hints about his kidnapping in New York."

A look of something Daisuke wasn't quite sure what crossed Loki's face. "I see. So all that's really lacking are the details, of which I'm sure he has informed you most are classified."

He'd been right. A battle of wits with Loki would indeed be interesting. Daisuke could almost feel his fatigue falling into the background at the prospect. "I actually found that out when the First Division of the Tokyo MPD wasn't satisfied with my report on recent matters. When Hiro's involvement came to light, I imagine it set off all kinds of red flags and the higher ups were told to put a lid on it."

Loki nodded slightly, as if it were only natural. "Of course. If his name were thrown around too much, it would certainly have caught the attention of the right people. It may have also caught the attention of others less savory if it wasn't suppressed in time."

By this time, Hiro had finished his eggs and juice and had set the plate and cup on the edge of the desk near Daisuke. The motion drew both men's attention his way and he waved it off as he curled up on the bed. "Don't mind me. Just gonna doze off here if that's okay."

"I must ask, in the course of those recent events, was anything Hiro might have told you about his abilities or other unusual aspects discussed or reported to anyone who might have compromised such information?" Loki stared directly at Daisuke, his expression and tone now more serious.

Daisuke straightened, uncrossing his arms so he could lean forward as well. Loki was not speaking to him as a curious bystander, or some other party who just happened to be there. He was speaking as someone in potential authority, possibly as an operator or maybe even a cop. The question was why. "Those details never appeared on any report I'm aware of," he stated. "And those who were privy to such information were given only limited information, enough to explain some of Hiro's more unusual abilities."

"And who, might I ask, were those individuals?"

The strength behind Loki's eyes was intense, almost like lasers. Daisuke wasn't sure if he could look away even if he'd wanted to. "Myself, Suzue, Katou, and possibly Hoshino, though not because I told the latter. HEUSC, my AI butler, is also privy to that information but won't divulge it without a direct order from me."

Loki sat back with a short but loud exhalation of air. "And how much do they know?"

Daisuke had to think about that for a moment. "They're mainly aware of what Hiro can do and less of the why. I had to give some explanation, as did he, which mainly consisted of his having endured a lot of trauma. As to anything specific, I never told them, nor did Hiro. Why?"

"Hiro's case is an unusual one," Loki admitted, hands now clasped in front of him. A quick glance at the bed confirmed that Hiro had indeed dozed off, or at least looked like he had. "Even I'm not privy to what all has occurred to him, though I am likely one of the few who knows more than most. The others are his immediate friends, Cass, Tony Stark, Jack Harkness, and one Lucifer Morningstar. Well, and possibly Alistair Krei, but who knows just how much he knows?"

The mentioning of Krei's name set Daisuke's nerves on edge. How was it that he knew anything about Hiro?

"At the very least, I know Krei is aware of Hiro's super hero identity," Loki continued. "And I believe his secretary is part of the same organization, or a rival one to that which Jack Harkness technically belongs to."

Daisuke looked thoughtful. "I've heard and seen the name Jack Harkness before," he admitted. "It was on the police report for the Los Angeles bombings as the agent in charge. But that indicated he was FBI."

Rolling his eyes, Loki shook his head. "If that were all, I would be more concerned. And, as things stand, I'm not entirely sure about him either, but I believe he can be trusted. He and Hiro's team have worked together before, back when Hiro first encountered the Makt."

"Excuse me for asking, but what exactly is your roll in all this?" Daisuke interrupted. "One would hardly expect the infamous God of Mischief to care so much about one individual."

A bevy of emotions crossed Loki's face as he contemplated how to answer that. "I met Hiro during the New York incident," he confessed. "And, at the time, I had other intentions before I met him and his friend, Kally Carmichael. Seeing their plight, I had a change of heart."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Daisuke crossed one leg over the other, adjusting his position. "Forgive me if I don't just accept that explanation."

A slight snore escaped Hiro and Loki debated. What needed to be said to convince Daisuke of his sincerity would likely take much longer than the man had patience for. He had to remind himself the Midgardian was sleep-deprived and that he wasn't in the best state of mind for such a discussion. "Perhaps it would be wise to postpone this conversation until after you've had a chance to sleep. I'm sure your friends, not to mention Cass, would appreciate it if I were to not monopolize your time and give you the opportunity to do what you allowed her earlier this morning."

Reminded of his fatigue, Daisuke nodded. "Fine. But I fully expect to resume this conversation later. If there is anything that might present a threat to my cousin, or aunt, I feel I should be made aware."

Loki smiled a half smile at that. "We shall see. There are many things about our young friend here that not even his aunt is aware of. And, to be honest, I'm not even sure if he is either. But, as you say, we will resume this conversation later. I've probably been upstairs longer than anyone expected and should return before they send a search party. If you wish to join me downstairs for breakfast before bed, I won't say no."

Maybe it was stubborn pride, or just because the exhaustion hit all at once, but Daisuke declined the offer of going downstairs. Instead, he made his way over to the other bed in the room. It wasn't the hotel, or as private as he might like, but it was still away from the noise of everything downstairs. That and he doubted he was fit to drive at the moment.

Behind him, he heard Loki gather the used plate and cup. "I do hope you have a good rest," he said before heading down the stairs. "Baymax, please keep an eye on things and call if help is needed."

"I shall do so," Baymax said, speaking for the first time since coming upstairs in the first place.

Daisuke sighed as he listened to Loki's steps retreat down the stairs. Sure the man was gone; he stretched out on the borrowed bed and was asleep within a few minutes.

Chapter 8: Chapter Seven: Awaiting Graduation

 

It was unfortunate that, despite a little grease for some wheels, and his devilish charm, Lucifer had been unable to locate the man he'd sought. He'd found his hotel suite without issue. Or, rather, Maze had. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that his quarry hadn't been there and apparently hadn't returned all night either. In fact, when Lucifer inquired about his return, the concierge was unable to confirm that the man had been in his room at all since the day before. So much for that.

There was a small upside to all this. After a six hour drive to San Fransokyo the night before, he'd been able to find a penthouse suite in a neighboring hotel. It was likely too expensive for most tourists and parents of graduates to afford, but it suited his needs perfectly. And he didn't mind sharing it with Maze either, not that she'd been idle. He'd sent her out early to try and track down Daisuke Kambe, though he had yet to see her have any success. Well, the morning was young, as the saying went.

After lounging around until about eight or so, he decided to get up and make his way to the campus of the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. If Daisuke Kambe couldn't be found at the hotel, chances were good he'd be at the graduation. It was the main reason he'd come to the States, after all. Or at least that's what Maze had told him. Anything else was just a bonus.

Traffic, of course, was a nightmare, being in the middle of rush hour. The good point was that he had his convertible and could play his music without too much issue, though he couldn't blast it like he might have if he were on the highway. And, thanks to a stroke of good fortune, he'd been able to find a decent parking spot on campus. It did take him some asking around to figure out which building he needed, but the walk was well worth it.

Lucifer inhaled deeply, a gratified smile on his face. Ah, the smell of young souls, so full of hope and a bright future. Some would likely end up with those hopes dashed soon enough, but the excitement and trepidation was easy to feel as soon to be graduates milled or ran about in their dark robes. He did think to text Maze to let her know where he'd gone, even stopping to take a few selfies with some promising looking students.

Arriving at the appropriate venue, Lucifer was only mildly surprised to learn it was technically a ticketed event. He supposed it was a form of crowd control, with each graduate only having so many tickets to spread around. That, of course, wasn't a problem for him. All he had to do was use his wit and charm and he was past the gatekeepers and allowed access into the main entrance. From there, it was only a matter of following the crowd of obvious parents and family members into the main arena, as it were.

Since he was early, there was plenty of time to find a seat, which was not assigned, and people watch. There was always the possibility he might see someone he knew. The chairs, sadly, did leave much to be desired, mostly being of the metal folding variety. He decided it might be better to stand off to one side after a while, especially when more than one person tried to edge past him into the row he was blocking.

There was an area cordoned off near the front for the graduating class. Someone had used tape to try and keep spectators from sliding down each row, with a printed paper saying "reserved" placed on each chair. There were no names, leading the devil to believe the graduating class was not to be put in any type of order by either name or class rank. He supposed there was a certain kind of grace in that. No student need feel shamed by their lack of standing, or too puffed up either.

After a period of time, he wasn't sure how long, the crowd began to settle into seats and Lucifer decided maybe he'd better find one too. He chose one on the end. This was, in part, because he preferred to be able to leave quickly if necessary, and partly because most of the other chairs were already occupied. At the least, he would be able to see the graduates as they walked past, unless they were on the other side. His section was in the middle so the odds were split.

The anticipation mounted as everyone quieted down and the typical graduation marching anthem played over the loudspeakers. It was a long, droning song of Classical nature, and was often put on repeat until everyone had had a chance to parade around in their various robes and finery. It was really just a way of showing off, but Lucifer couldn't fault them for wanting to flaunt their hard work.

One by one, in two separate lines, the graduates marched down the long stretch of the floor, heading towards the reserved seats. With everyone basically wearing the same color robes over-clothes, it was hard to tell who was who, but some body types stuck out more than others and the devil looked for those, sure he'd spot at least some of Hiro's friends, and by extension, the teen as well. They usually traveled as a group, after all.

Ah! There was a woman of exceptional height, blonde hair up in a sophisticated bun. And not too far from her was a shorter, more compact form with dark hair with a streak of purple at the front. They were followed by the burly yet tall form of an African American who could have been a footballer but had chosen physics over sports. In order, they were Honey Lemon, GoGo, and Wasabi. But there was no Hiro.

Further ahead, a tall, lanky man with a beanie waved as GoGo solemnly walked past. That would, of course, be Fred Whitmore. But, again, where was Hiro Hamada?

Lucifer turned to look at the other side of the room, hoping to see the short teen there, but to no avail. Either he had already passed by and was waiting to sit, lost in the crowd of people generally much taller than him, or he wasn't there at all. And if he wasn't there, chances were good neither was Daisuke Kambe. The devil frowned, wondering which it was and if that should make him worry.

A sense of disappointment filled the devil, one not easily dispelled. He wasn't sure if Hiro's friends had seen him or not. They all seemed to be taking this ceremony relatively seriously, unlike some of their fellow graduates. Maybe, once it was over, he'd go over and ask them about their missing friend. Perhaps their solemn expressions weren't just for the sake of the ceremony.

The music came to an end and the graduates sat with a shuffling of many feet and scraping of chairs. At the front of the room, on a raised platform, a professor approached the podium and began to drone on about how they were all entering a new chapter of their life and blah blah blah. Lucifer didn't really care about the actual words. He'd probably heard them all before at some point or another.

Leaning back, feet resting on the support bar of the chair in front of him, he crossed his arms. He could have just up and left, but that would be rude. That and there was a part of him that stubbornly refused to believe that Hiro wasn't somewhere in the crowd. The teen wouldn't miss his own graduation if he could help it, and he doubted Cass Hamada could or would stop him. No. He had to be there. He had to be.

---

Breakfast was likely more Western in style than Suzue and Haru were used to, but that was part of visiting another country. Cass gave them the choice of how they wanted their eggs, scrambled, poached, fried, or in an omelet. And then there were the muffins similar to what she'd made when she'd visited Japan, along with fresh fruit and bacon.

Daisuke might not appreciate things the same way the other two did, but it was more his loss since he never came down after Loki returned from delivering the eggs for Hiro. Instead, the four adults enjoyed a relatively decent American breakfast mixed with light conversation.

The occasional wisp of conversation filtered up from the downstairs café, along with the smell of brewing coffee and baked goods. For all intents and purposes, it made for a laid-back atmosphere, only missing quiet music and maybe a cat.

Mochi chose that moment to make his appearance from the direction of Cass's bedroom, where he'd been hiding since the night before. He twined between Cass's legs as she tried to bring over the plate of bacon, almost tripping her. But she was so used to this behavior, she gave it little mind, twisting a bit to accommodate.

"I didn't realize you had a cat," Haru said as he noticed the Japanese Bobtail. He reached down to scratch Mochi behind the ears as the cat passed by his chair.

The cat paused under the pressure of Haru's fingers, purring and rubbing up against the man's legs. When the detective stopped, he looked up with big, expressive eyes until he started scratching behind his ears once more.

"Do that long enough and you'll have a friend for life," Cass observed as she set the plate of bacon down at the table. She took her place next to Loki, Suzue and Haru sitting opposite so they could all converse more easily.

With the food now ready to eat, Haru stopped petting Mochi, who sauntered off in a huff. "Thanks for the food," the man said with a slight bow and pressing together of his hands, which Suzue imitated. He'd opted for poached eggs, wanting to give them a try since Cass seemed to do them differently than he'd seen before, steaming them in a sort of mold in a skillet. He had them with toast.

Loki reached for the pepper at the same time as Suzue and she withdrew her hand, noting she looked a little uncomfortable. He pushed the shaker towards her. "Go ahead," he said.

The Kambe mechanic took the shaker, eyes wide as she quickly used it on her omelet before returning it to the table.

Cass rolled her eyes. "So, what are your plans for today, since no one's going to the graduation for obvious reasons?" She looked at the two younger guests as they exchanged glances.

"With Kambe out for the count," Haru spoke up, "and Hiro here, I honestly have no idea. But I'm perfectly fine just hanging out and not doing a lot."

Suzue nodded in agreement. "I think whatever we end up doing later on will depend entirely on what Master Daisuke and Hiro want."

Looking at her with some curiosity, Loki couldn't help but comment. "You call him Master Daisuke a lot. Is there a reason you don't just use his first name?"

Suzue turned beet red at his question and he could almost imagine steam escaping from her ears. "I could never! I hold Master Daisuke in the highest of regards!"

"You sometimes just call him by his given name," Haru said under his breath as he cut up one of his eggs, the yolk running over the toast.

Cass kicked Loki under the table. "Don't tease her," she admonished. "Can't you see she's uncomfortable as is?"

A slight laugh escaped Loki's lips, though he wasn't trying to be mean. He was just amused, easily guessing at the woman's feelings. "I didn't mean to tease. I was honestly curious."

Haru Katou put his fork down and leaned back in his chair. "Why don't we talk about you? What can you tell us that might convince us you're not the bad guy everyone else thinks you are?"

"Mr. Katou!" Suzue's face blanched now from a sense of horror. Even though she wanted to know, the way he'd gone about asking was more than a little rude.

Holding out his hand in a placating gesture, Loki tried to ease the tension. "He has every right to ask. We are, after all, all in the same house. And I am sure you hold Cass and Hiro in high esteem or you wouldn't be asking. Daisuke wanted to know the same thing, without asking in the same way. But I have no issue telling either of you."

It now seemed that both Suzue and Haru held their breaths as they waited to hear what Loki had to say on the matter. The Asgardian seemed a lot more calm and collected than either would have thought possible as he turned to Cass and took her hand in his to kiss it briefly, almost as if in apology, before turning back to the two waiting Japanese guests.

"While it is true I do indeed have a history of making unfortunate choices that have hurt many," he paused, seeing Katou's expression, "it was not meant to necessarily cause mass destruction. In hindsight, I admit a temporary sense of pleasure at my attempts of domination, but they never really brought me any joy. It wasn't until I met Hiro and one of his friends that I realized the real reason behind this, a deep longing for acceptance."

There really was no way to describe the expressions on Haru and Suzue's faces at this declaration. Blank might come close as their minds tried to process this. It was obvious they were struggling.

An almost melancholy expression crossed Loki's face as he looked down at his hands, which rested on the edge of the table. "In a way, I think I did all those horrible things because I wanted to prove that I was different from my brother, that I was every bit the leader and king we were both born to be. Unfortunately, I took things in the wrong direction. When I first met Hiro and his friend, Kally, I had every intention of using them to further my desires. But, seeing them as they were, I came to the realization that I already had everything I thought I wanted, but not what I needed.

"I was the ruler of Asgard, but not as myself. I had a whole realm at my beck and call, but no respect for who I really was. I had all the power and none of the joy." He gave a funny sort of smile that only lasted for about a second as he sort of huffed. "It's funny how we only truly realize what it is we need when we come across those who are so much like ourselves that it can't be ignored. And, despite being in situations as dire, if not more so, they can still accept us for who we are, flaws and all."

His introspective tone and expression were no mirage, nor were they fake in any way. Katou felt confident in that belief. Whatever had occurred in the man's mind at that meeting had had an obvious affect on him. It was true there was something decidedly different about Hiro. As far as Kally was concerned, he couldn't say, having never met her. But there had to be more to it than that. "And just where did you meet them?"

Loki looked Haru directly in the eye so there was no mistaking what he was about to say. "I met them in a secure Hydra facility after they had both been kidnapped in order to fabricate a robot meant for world domination."

It was almost as if Haru's brain had frozen at that declaration. He blinked several times, trying to clear the sudden fog from his brain, or to simply get it to start working again. He wasn't sure which.

"That information, of course, is classified, as are any details associated with the incident," Loki continued. "So I would appreciate it if you didn't just tell anyone. My involvement, at the time, was not well-known, and still isn't by the majority. In fact, those who are aware of my involvement in that incident can be counted on one hand." He held out his hand as he spoke.

Suzue bit her lip, not sure what to make of this. "Who?" she asked before she could think.

The smile that crossed Loki's face this time was almost ironic in nature. "Hiro and Kally, of course. Then there's Cass and Baymax. If there are any others, it wasn't because I told them, though I suppose it's possible there are more." He purposely left off the Hydra doctor who had turned on the enemy, not sure what had become of him.

Despite what the man had just told them, Haru was having some difficulty swallowing it whole. "So because of Hiro, you gave up the person you were before?"

Loki sighed. "It wasn't all at once," he admitted. "I suppose, in a way, you could say they offered me the chance to change, to realize who and what I really was. The process, as I'm sure you understand, is ongoing. But Cass has helped tremendously in that. Am I fully converted from what I was before? Who is to say? This is why I said I don't currently have any intention to conquer the world. I found something I want more than a throne." He kissed Cass's hand again, making her blush.

Chapter 9: Chapter Eight: Out of Body Experience

Hiro could see the exhibit hall as if he was there. The hundreds of chairs set up in different sections. The platform with its podium and fold-out stairs on either side for the graduates to march up on one side and down the other on their way to have their name announced to the gathered audience. He could even see all the people gathered there, sitting in their respective seats, either on the main floor or up on the portable stage.

One of the professors was giving a speech, talking about how they were headed into a bright future. It was more of the same as the day before, just a different take on the theme. But that wasn't what caught Hiro's interest.

It was almost like he was on the scaffolding above the floor, looking down through a camera lens. He could zoom in and out as he focused on different parts of the room. There were quite a few familiar-looking people, mostly fellow students and professors. But there were a few others he thought he recognized in the audience as well. Was that Lucifer Morningstar he saw sitting at the end of one row? It sure looked like it.

Voices filtered up to him, all talking over each other so they made a cacophony of sound that hurt his ears. He wanted to somehow block them out but couldn't. And underneath that was a sort of electrical hum he knew shouldn't be there. He just couldn't pinpoint where it came from.

Without too much thought, he envisioned himself now on the ground and found himself standing in one of the aisles. Despite this, no one seemed to realize he was there as he walked forward, free of any pain he knew he should be feeling after his recent surgery. The closer he got to the front, where the stage sat, the louder the hum became.

How could everyone there not hear that? It was so loud! Hiro could practically feel it running through his entire body like someone had turned the bass on a stereo way too high. And the pitch was such that any animals sensitive to high frequencies should be howling in agony. In fact, he wanted to go down on his knees, covering his ears to try and shut it out.

The next thing he knew, there was an almost sickly sweet smell that permeated the air around him, not unlike antifreeze. But there was also the hint of almonds mixed in with it that more than confused him. Except the antifreeze scent threatened to overwhelm him, just like the high-pitched humming. It almost made him want to be sick.

In the background, the professor continued to drone on and on, with the agitated whispering of many voices that had to be the thoughts of everyone gathered playing just behind it. But that whine, between that and the smell, he wanted to curl up into a ball and shut it all out. Except he couldn't do that anymore than he could understand why he was there in the first place. Wasn't he supposed be at home, resting?

A bright flash of light caught his eye and he looked up, trying to determine where it had come from. From a lower perspective, on hands and knees, he could see under the platform stage if he looked straight ahead. And in the shadow of that stage was something he doubted was supposed to be there.

With an effort of will, Hiro forced his mind to focus, to zoom in on what he saw hiding in the shadows. And then he pushed his sub consciousness to do the same thing he'd done back at the Kambe estate seconds prior to a moderate earthquake had struck. He sped up time.

In fast motion, the professor finished up his speech and went to sit down. A second professor took his place, giving another speech Hiro couldn't hear or understand. But, sometime during that speech, another flash briefly lit up the underside of the stage with an almost green light, which was almost immediately followed by an even brighter flash of light and a concussive blast that lifted the stage off the ground and shot out air and whatever else might be in its way outward.

The rows of students facing the stage erupted in chaos as chairs were pushed back, bodies flying as if sprayed with compressed air from a can. It was almost like watching dominoes, chairs flying into those behind them, bodies and all. Screams filled the air as something triggered the fire alarms and the overhead sprinklers activated.

The next second, everything rewound with such speed that it gave Hiro whiplash and he staggered back in the aisle, everything suddenly moving in slow motion. The first professor was up on stage, speaking into the microphone as if stretched to the slowest of speeds possible, his words long and meaningless. If a hummingbird had flown into the building, its motion would have slowed to the point of almost standing still.

"Get out."

He had no idea who had said it but the words echoed in his mind.

Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Now.

GET OUT!

---

Daisuke woke to the sound of Hiro screaming, momentarily disoriented and not sure where he was. But then he sat up and looked around the screen that divided his side of the third story room from the rest of the floor to see Hiro sitting up, eyes vacant as he repeated two words over and over again.

"Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Footsteps sounded on the stairs as Daisuke quickly got to his feet and made his way to Hiro's side. He noticed Baymax step free of his charger at the same time, the robot waddling towards the far bed as well.

"What's going on?"

The first person up the stairs was Loki, who paused to look around and assess the situation. He quickly turned to address anyone behind him on the stairs. "Stay there." He then moved towards Hiro, following right behind Daisuke.

Hiro had clutched the pillow from before against his chest and was almost rocking back and forth as tears leaked from his eyes. "Get out! Get out! Now!"

Not sure if this was one of those times where he should touch the teen or not, Daisuke had refrained from reaching out once he'd arrived at the bed, his hand hesitantly wavering out but not making contact. He noticed Loki going around to the other side of the mattress.

Whatever inhibitions Daisuke felt, he saw Loki didn't as the Asgardian reached out a hand to touch Hiro, though he was glad he hadn't done the same a moment later when Loki's body stiffened. It looked, for a moment, as if the God of Mischief's eyes rolled back in his head. The next second, he released his hold on the teen with a sharp exhalation, eyes wide.

"What happened?" Daisuke asked, not sure what to make of this at all. It certainly didn't seem to follow the pattern he'd grown somewhat used to for any phenomenon the teen usually experienced.

Loki turned to look at Daisuke like one who'd seen a ghost. "We need to get those students off campus now," he stated.

"What?" Daisuke couldn't help but exclaim in shock. And then instinct took over as he tried to find a way to understand the problem. "How are we supposed to do that from here?"

All the while, Hiro continued to rock back and forth, now whispering those two words over and over.

Suzue appeared at the top of the stairs, Daisuke noticing her as he looked that direction. She looked just as shocked as he felt, though he couldn't show it. "Suzue, call emergency services."

"What should I tell them?" Suzue wondered, not at all sure what was going on, just that something had changed. Behind her, Cass and Haru waited, Haru keeping an eye on things from below in case something happened.

Loki looked over at Suzue and the others at the same time Hiro seemed to snap out of whatever was going on, except he hadn't. He'd just stopped rocking, eyes now glowing faintly with a blue light. In tandem, the teen and the God of Mischief spoke, their voices almost echoing as if from down a long tunnel. "There's a bomb!"

---

It was weird to walk into the building without Hiro there with them, Honey Lemon thought, and it was even more weird knowing he wasn't going to walk up the stairs and onto the stage in only a handful of minutes to accept his diploma, or at least the folio it would eventually go into. She'd felt almost fidgety the entire time, though she'd done her level best not to show it.

After stopping by the Lucky Cat Café again that morning, and learning that Hiro was still not feeling well, she and the rest of the group had headed to the SFIT campus, robes in hand. It was a bit subduing, knowing they weren't all there, though Honey couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it than what that Katou guy had said.

But now, now she felt on edge, like something was wrong. She looked around, almost nervous, realizing Wasabi and GoGo also seemed on edge. It was almost like they were about to head out on a mission that might end up in disaster. Perhaps it was from all their years working as super heroes, or maybe something else. She wasn't sure, but something definitely didn't feel right.

The professor on stage was talking about the future, but she couldn't really attend to his words. What was it she felt? It was almost as if Hiro were there, trying to tell her something, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. She was tempted to get up in the middle of his speech and do something, though she didn't know what.

Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a flash of movement, something small and thin, something that could have been a person running down the aisle, except no one was there.

On the stage, the professor's speech was coming to an end. Another minute passed and he ended, heading back to his seat as a second professor made her way to the podium.

"GET OUT! THERE'S A BOMB!"

It was not so much a verbal shout as it was a sonic boom that resonated in everyone's brains. About half a second or so passed before panic set in and people began rapidly standing and making a break for it. At the same time, the fire sprinklers activated, showering everyone with water that had sat in pipes for at least a year, leaving an almost metallic scent in the air.

"Everyone! Please make your way outside in an orderly fashion!" the professor at the podium commanded, trying to regain some semblance of order. Somewhere in the distance, sirens became audible despite the sound of panicked people trying to drown it out.

Doors to the outside were thrust open, allowing in sunlight while giving those inside an avenue out. The press of the crowds to exit became an issue, almost like a bottle neck with too much liquid trying to get out despite the calls of the professor for order, and ushers trying to organize those nearest the doors.

An almost dark energy seemed to emanate from one person in the crowd as Lucifer Morningstar stood. An almost bubble of space formed around him as people instinctually avoided him. He strode through the crowd like a fish swims through water, making his way to the front. He didn't know why, but that seemed the best place to be at the moment.

Honey Lemon, GoGo, and Wasabi had stayed where they were as everyone else around them made a mad dash for the exits. They almost had to huddle together to keep from being swept up by the masses. "That was Hiro's voice," Honey exclaimed over the sound of the crowd. "I know it was!"

Wasabi, being the tallest of the group, despite Honey in her heels, saw Lucifer before the others did, pointing him out. "What in the world is he doing?!"

The devil strode as calm as could be, or at least with a determination that was as close to it, right past them and towards the stage. "Leave!" he ordered those still on the stage as he walked.

Seeing a man with glowing red eyes heading their direction, the professors and other staff on the raised stage fled, one or two tripping on their way down the steps. The next second, there was a bright flash of light as the platform they'd been on only moments before popped up like someone had shoved it.

A great wash of compressed air flew out from where the stage had been, shoving anything and everything in its path backwards. All this seemed to happen in the flash of an eye as the three friends registered what was happening. One second, a somewhat familiar figure appeared next to them, ordering them to hang on. The next, they were somehow outside the building, a bit out of the way of the masses of people who had managed to get out before the explosion.

Free of the building, Wasabi ran a short distance away and dry-heaved into the grass. Honey Lemon hugged her torso and shivered. GoGo turned to glare at the man who'd laid hands on her, pausing as she recognized who he was. "Jack. What the heck?"

"A thank you would be nice," Jack Harkness said as he closed the Vortex Manipulator on his arm. He looked as dashing as ever, with his dark hair not quite messy but definitely not as defined as other males had theirs. He wore a dark gray pea coat over a button-down shirt and pants. To say he looked roguishly handsome would be an understatement, with a strong jaw line and chin, and almost hazel eyes.

Honey Lemon supplied the thank you for the whole group, giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek that was more a spontaneous expression of gratitude than anything.

GoGo, as usual, looked impassive as she blew a gum bubble and let it pop. She'd opened her graduate robes to show her typical attire underneath. "What I want to know is how you knew where to go to get us out of there. The why is obvious."

Jack frowned a bit at that before giving her a wry smile. "All right, it's true about the obvious. But I also couldn't let you guys get hurt so I took a little peek into the time around you and managed to pop in at the ideal moment to keep you out of harm's way."

"Cut it a little close, didn't you?" GoGo gave him a look. "What about Fred? I know he was further back, but he was in there too."

Honey Lemon gave her a nudge, asking her to tone it down a bit. "I'm sure Fred made it out without any problem."

Now putting his hands up in the air, Jack had to give a bit of a laugh. "Fine. You caught me. I actually got to Fred first and he begged me to make sure you guys were safe. To be honest, I was kind of surprised Hiro wasn't here, especially since it was Baymax who tipped me off about him seeing the bomb ahead of time."

By this time, Wasabi had finished dry heaving and came back over, looking hot and sweaty in his robes. He, too, had pulled them open so he could get some air, though part of him was tempted to just take the whole thing off. "Thank you!" he said upon seeing Jack for the first time. He'd been in such a hurry earlier, he hadn't really registered the man's presence. "I definitely did not want to die today."

"See? It won't hurt you to say thanks," Jack said, giving GoGo an admonishing look.

GoGo put her hands on her hips and basically glared at him. "I thought you were busy doing that Torchwood stuff."

Jack made urgent, hushing noises and motions with his hands. "No one's supposed to know about that here! When Baymax made sure to let me know how dire the situation was, I made an exception."

All around them, the various graduates and their family and friends had started to mill about, the immediate shock wearing off. Unfortunately, not everyone had made it outside. In the meantime, the police, fire, and EMTs had arrived and someone said the bomb squad was on the way.

"Look," Jack started to usher them away from the crowd, "unless you want to get caught up in the whole mess that is emergency services, I suggest we head somewhere else. Personally, I'd prefer to meet up with Fred and then see Hiro so he can give us a better idea of what's going on. From what I gather, he had another one of those premonitions and I want to make sure it's not the same people as last time."

Honey looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hiro should be at home, but he did have some visitors over so things might get a bit crowded."

"Honestly, I just want to change out of this thing and maybe cool off," GoGo said as she lifted the corner of her robes. "Whoever thought wearing black in the middle of summer like some kind of shroud had to be an idiot."

Jack glanced around at the emergency responders as they went through the crowd and tried to organize them into groups based off of injury severity and likelihood of seeing anything. Various officers were also taking down information on each person present, presumably to get statements later. If they wanted to get out of there before they were added to the queue, they needed to leave now. "I dropped Fred off at his place before coming for you. I can take you all there and then we can worry about what comes after. Sound good?"

Since the majority of them had at least a change of clothes, and some toiletries at Fred's mansion, all were in agreement. Sometimes it was easier to stay overnight there, and most had a room they used for that purpose, with GoGo and Honey Lemon usually sharing, and Wasabi and Hiro doing the same. That would, of course, change soon.

Once more, Jack ushered them a bit away from prying eyes before opening his Vortex Manipulator and requested they all grab onto a part of him before he activated the device and literally whisked them across space in the blink of an eye. Moments after they disappeared, a young man they hadn't noticed came out from around the nearest structure. He looked around before whipping out his cell phone and making a call.

Chapter 10: Chapter Nine: The Lucky Cat

The announcement that there was a bomb was certainly shocking. Seeing Hiro and Loki speak in tandem, as if they were somehow linked together by something no one could see was more so. Out of those present, only Cass and Baymax had seen something like that happen before. And, even to them, it was unusual, especially since the two weren't currently touching. However, hearing there was a bomb took priority over any curiosity about this event.

Suzue pulled out her phone and fumbled, her fingers wanting to dial the number used in Japan, which was decidedly different than the one in the States. "I don't know the number!" she confessed in an almost panic.

Saving her the trouble, Cass pulled out her phone and dialed 9-1-1 to put in the tip. Not sure how to best convey how they knew, she lied, saying she'd seen someone suspicious with what looked like a bomb in the area before hanging up. She was well aware they'd be able to trace the call back to her and wasn't sure how she'd handle that, but decided she'd worry about that later. Hiro's friends, not to mention hundreds of other people, were in danger.

Now that that task was out of the way, everyone could focus back on what was happening with Hiro and Loki. The two hadn't moved since declaring there was a bomb. If it hadn't been for Loki mentioning the graduation prior to their syncing up, they likely wouldn't have known where. As things stood, they were more than a little vague and details would be needed. Despite this realization, there didn't seem to be much anyone could do about it at the moment.

Suzue decided there was no point in staying at the top of the stairs, especially with two other people directly behind her, one of whom was the direct aunt of Hiro, so she moved further into the room. "I don't understand what's going on," she admitted.

Daisuke still stood next to Hiro's bed, on the side with the computer, while Loki was on the other, though he was standing ramrod straight, just like Hiro. Except Hiro was sitting. And Baymax was standing not too far from Daisuke's position. Neither adult was touching the teen, and yet both seemed frozen, until Daisuke shook himself as if he'd had a sudden chill.

"Hiro appears to have had a premonition," Baymax supplied. "However, the sequence of events does not follow the usual pattern."

That was an understatement, Daisuke thought as he sat in the swivel chair behind him. The fact that both Hiro and Loki still had not moved after declaring there was a bomb was more than a little concerning. He looked directly at Baymax, since he was the one most likely to know how to handle the situation. "Suggestions?"

Baymax tilted his head to one side, possibly searching through his memory banks for any details that might help with the situation. "I do not know. Hiro usually comes out of such occurrences relatively quickly."

Cass chose that moment to push past both Haru and Suzue, who were standing in front of her, and made her way towards the bed. "There's only one thing to do," she said as she headed towards Loki's side of the bed and wrapped her arms around the Asgardian in a full-out embrace.

"I wouldn't—" Daisuke held out a hand in warning but was too late as Cass made full contact with the God of Mischief.

For the briefest of moments, it appeared as if a visible electrical charge ran down the course of both adults. The next second, it was gone as Loki sort of collapsed in Cass's arms, his body going limp. In fact, with the sudden change, she almost dropped him, staggering under his weight.

On the bed, Hiro also sort of crumpled, except he had the pillow in front of him that he'd held to his stomach upon waking. He lay slumped forward over the stuffed rectangle; though Daisuke sort of jumped forward to ease him back against the mattress, lest he cause any damage to his incisions. He looked meaningfully at the robot. Haru, in the meantime, hurried over to help Cass with Loki.

Baymax shifted slightly so he was facing the bed more fully as he scanned both Hiro and Loki. "I do not detect any injuries or other causes for concern," he stated. "However, both Hiro and Loki will require sustenance upon waking in order to regain lost energy."

It took Haru a bit more effort to help Cass ease Loki into a sort of sitting position against the half dresser where an empty fish tank sat. Rather than get back up, Haru decided to just park next to the unconscious god on the floor. Cass claimed the chair Loki had brought over earlier from the other side of the Japanese screen. He had neglected to put it back before heading down to breakfast.

"I don't know about you, but I think we deserve some kind of explanation," Haru spoke up from his position. Loki was more solidly built than he'd expected. It hadn't helped that he'd basically become dead weight after his collapse and the man couldn't help but wonder how Cass hadn't fallen over because of it.

Sure Hiro was situated, Daisuke reclaimed the swivel chair, one hand over his face as he sort of reclined. Having only slept maybe an hour, he was still more than a little tired and wouldn't mind going back to sleep, but he knew Katou was right. "Hiro woke me when he first called out," he stated. He then went on to explain what had happened prior to everyone else joining them. "As to what he saw, I can only guess."

Cass exhaled. "Hiro and Loki have a unique relationship," she said, causing all to look her direction. "They've shared a connection several times before just this last year. If I'm being honest, I think he's probably one of the few who can really understand what Hiro's going through with all of this. My guess is because of their history together, it made it easier for them to sort of connect this time around."

At that moment, Cass's phone rang and she pulled it out to answer, having stuffed it back in her pocket after calling the police. "GoGo," she answered, "what's going on? I thought you were supposed to be in the middle of your graduation ceremony."

Everyone seemed to wait on egg shells as Cass conversed with GoGo, not sure if the bomb had gone off, the crisis averted, or something else. "Is everyone all right?" Cass asked, concern written on her face as well as in her tone. "No. Hiro's here. He's been asleep ever since we brought him back from the hospital. I know. They weren't aware of the issue until we got back. No. We have no plans of going anywhere, but things might get a little tight." The woman nodded a few times. "Jack's here? Right. I'll tell them." And then she hung up the phone.

"I take it the Jack you mentioned is the infamous Jack Harkness?" Daisuke asked as they waited for Cass to gather her thoughts. Whatever she'd heard from this GoGo had to have been bad news from the way she was acting.

Cass took a steadying breath. "Yes, Jack Harkness," she confirmed. "He and the rest of Hiro's friends are heading over right now. In fact, they will be here literally any moment."

Suzue and Haru exchanged glances, not sure what to make of that. "Jack?" Suzue mouthed, not having really heard much about him, and Haru shrugged.

Daisuke chose to stand at that moment. "If they are coming here, it might be wise to head downstairs where there's more room, that way we give both Hiro and Loki a chance to recover. If Katou will help me, we can put our guest on the other bed while the rest of you go downstairs and make ready."

Groaning as he got back up, Haru moaned inwardly. He was still getting his strength back but was more than happy to accept Daisuke's help as he lifted Loki from one side and they sort of ferried him between the two of them. Upon reaching the far bed, they had a bit of an issue getting around the screen, as the opening wasn't quite big enough for three people, but they got the job done.

In the meantime, Cass got up and ushered Suzue back down the stairs where they hastily cleaned up what remained of breakfast, putting away any leftover food and rinsing off the dishes. There was no way of knowing how quickly GoGo and the others would arrive, or by what means. The proprietress was just glad they'd gotten some kind of warning in advance.

Huffing a little from carrying the unconscious man, Haru had to take a moment to regain his breath, Daisuke standing only a few feet away as he waited for him. "I really need to get back up to full strength," he said. "Now I understand how Kamei felt after chasing down that would-be-terrorist after he locked you all in the safe room at the Poliador embassy."

"Hm." Daisuke's tone was noncommittal as he frowned. Internally, he was debating on whether or not he should go downstairs to meet with the others or stay upstairs with Hiro.

As if sensing his indecision, Baymax waddled towards him. "I will keep an eye on Hiro and Loki," he stated.

It was probably the best they were going to get, Daisuke decided with an inward sigh. "Very well. Katou, let's go." He headed down the stairs, wondering just what kind of man this Jack Harkness was.

---

It had not been, perhaps, Lucifer's best idea to date. Generally speaking, walking towards the site of a bomb that is about to go off is not a good idea. But, he'd hoped that, thanks to Chloe Decker not being anywhere near their location, he'd be able to absorb at least part of the blast with his devil powers and survive. In a way, he'd been right. But he hadn't taken into account the fact that it was shape-charged to spread out like a lawn sprinkler.

In the natural course of such things, the bomb sent out waves of compressed air that literally spread out and around in a fan pattern, shoving anything and everything backward like a scythe harvesting wheat in a field. So, while he was at the center of the explosion, and took the brunt of that, he didn't and couldn't take it all.

Those students, parents, and others who were not lucky enough to get out in time were literally shoved together like a child squishing play dough into as small an area as possible. That alone resulted in more than enough injuries, hopefully none too severe. The real danger came from the chairs and bits of the stage that had flown off with the force of the explosion. The devil's wings had taken a decent chunk of that as well, and he could only hope anyone who'd seen them would think they'd been hallucinating in a moment of crisis.

When all was said and done, he was the one closest to where the stage had been, kneeling in a battered kind of way, having fallen to his knees. There was blood on his face and limbs, his clothes practically shredded from the force down to his boxers. To say he was unfit for company was an understatement.

A high pitched ringing seemed to fill the air and Lucifer had to tilt his head from one side to the other, popping his neck in the processes. Thankfully, the ringing didn't last long as his body took over and righted itself. Unfortunately, his clothes were ruined and he could only thank the stars above he had made it a habit to pack a spare suit in his trunk in case of such occurrences. It was a trick he'd picked up from working with the Los Angeles police.

Slow clapping filled the air as he stood and he looked over to the nearest door where Maze stood. Anyone else left in the room had been unceremoniously shoved to the far end and were either dazed or unconscious. A few had passed on, something the devil had felt at the time of their passing, though their number was less than a dozen. There were likely a few who wished they were dead, but he knew they'd make it. Probably.

"Maze," Lucifer said, recognizing the woman clapping. He staggered a bit until his body regained equilibrium. Sometimes it took a moment, pending on the damage. He then made his way over. "How nice of you to show up after the fun is over." He gave her a reprimanding frown.

The demon smirked. "Look at you," she said. "I always did say I like you in red."

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he pushed past her and into the light of day. Since it was at the back of the building, there weren't as many people, though he saw some of the professors he'd scared the dickens out of earlier milling around nearby. "You could have come sooner and helped out."

"What, and take up all your fun?" Maze gave him an almost predatory smile. "You did say you were bored earlier. Wasn't this excitement enough?"

Sirens were evident as he continued towards the parking lot. "Could you at least tell me if Hiro's friends made it out? I was a little distracted with trying to take care of a bomb."

It wasn't hard for Maze to keep pace with him as he made his way to the car. "Jack popped in last second and removed them maybe a second or two before the blast. I saw him before I dived out of the way."

"So you were there," Lucifer said, disapproval coloring every word as he opened the trunk of his car and began removing his suit coat and shirt to reveal well-toned muscles, wiping away the blood while he was at it.

Maze smirked again, giving him an appreciative glance before looking away. "Better hurry or they'll arrest you for indecent exposure," she stated, now leaning against the side of the car.

Lucifer popped up from behind the trunk lid long enough to give her a look before going back behind it while he changed into clean pants and buttoned up the new shirt. A minute or so later, he slammed the trunk closed and adjusted his cuffs, smoothing his hair back. "If Jack was there to cart them away, that complicates things. And I'm sure they'll eventually head to one of two places. Which do you think the most likely?"

While the devil headed around to the driver's side, Maze got into the passenger side of the car. "If I had to guess, since Hiro wasn't at the graduation ceremony, they'll go wherever he is."

"Which is…?"

Maze smiled in an almost seductive way. "The Lucky Cat Café." It was almost as if she were boasting that she hadn't just sat idly by while he'd been inside trying to absorb a bomb. And she hadn't been idle. She'd managed to track down a generalized location of Daisuke Kambe as well. She was really good at her job, after all, and was able to report that Hiro Hamada had been at the hospital earlier for an emergency appendectomy, before returning home with Daisuke in tow.

Lucifer put the car in gear, looking around before whipping out of his parking space. Since they were a bit removed from the action of the auditorium where the bomb had been, the traffic hadn't yet achieved impossible navigation status and so he made his way out before it did. "Then it's off to the café," he stated as he grinned. Despite having a rocky relationship with Jack Harkness, he really was looking forward to the eventual confrontation.

---

Teleporting onto a public street was not the best idea, but was certainly better than just showing up inside a person's house without preamble. Luckily for Jack, his Vortex Manipulator didn't bring them out onto the street, but in the area next to the Hamada garage, though someone almost ended up appearing inside a vehicle he hadn't expected to be there. It was a black sedan that he knew wasn't typically parked there, making him wonder just who it belonged to.

At the same time, another dark car, without a roof, pulled into a parking spot that had opened up on the side of the building. Two occupants got out and Jack almost instantly groaned, recognizing them. "What are they doing here?" he wondered out loud.

Fred was the first of the Big Hero group to look around the side of the building to see who he meant. "Lucifer! My man!" he called out, realizing who was there. "Haven't seen you in a long time." He sauntered over to the man in question, almost reaching to hug him, changing it to a handshake last second when he realized the devil wasn't about to reciprocate.

"This just keeps getting better and better," GoGo said under her breath as she followed after her fiancé. "Aunt Cass is gonna freak out."

Out of all of the Big Hero 6 team, Wasabi was probably the one who knew Lucifer the least, having been out of commission half the time they'd been in Los Angeles due to injuries sustained in the initial bombing incident. From what he'd heard about events later, he didn't think he'd missed out on much.

"Well if it isn't my favorite San Fransokoyians!" Lucifer greeted with a smile, safely out of the line of a potential hug he didn't want or need. "I thought I might see you here."

Maze slammed her car door, causing a few to jump from the loud sound, reminding them all they were out in public and were currently blocking the sidewalk. "Jack," she greeted. There was a dangerous gleam in her eye.

Seeing her expression, Jack sort of gulped, remembering her repeated attempts to kill him in an effort to "take out the trash". He quickly put on a gallant smile to hide his discomfort. "Maze! It's so nice to see you again."

"Save it," Maze said in as bored a tone as she could manage. She topped it off with one of her looks of disdain. "We gonna just stand out here all day talking or see if they'll let us in?"

Lucifer took the initiative, straightening his suit coat before approaching the door leading to the private entrance of the Hamada home. "Here we go then." He knocked loudly on the wood panel and took a step back; the others sort of grouped behind him as they waited.

It didn't take long for Cass to answer the door, though she did look distracted, glancing behind her and up the stairs. When she turned to see who was actually at the door, she had a moment of fog before her brain started working again. "Oh. There are more of you than we were expecting." She momentarily scratched at the side of her head before stepping back to let them all in. "Go head. The others are waiting upstairs."

When it came Jack's turn to enter, he did give Cass a big hug, though she sort of stiffened up in his arms so he cut it short. "Sorry for the short notice," he said as she shut the door behind him. He was the last one inside. "But I figured I'd better get over here before the cops do so we can sort things out."

"Why would the cops come here?" Cass wondered aloud as she headed up the stairs. Short of sending someone over, or possibly just having them call about her bomb tip, she wasn't sure why they'd bother.

Jack didn't answer as he made his way up the stairs ahead of her, waiting for everyone to gather in the living room area, which was starting to look a little crowded. The space captain paused, seeing a few people he didn't recognize already seated in the room. "Hello" he greeted, reaching out a hand to Haru, who happened to be the nearest person. "Captain Jack Harkness."

Giving him the once over, Katou stood to shake hands. "Haru Katou," he returned. Since no one else was standing on ceremony, he felt no need to do so either. "And sitting next to me is Suzue Kambe." The woman gave a slight bow.

Honey Lemon sort of jumped like a nervous rabbit. "Oh! I haven't introduced myself yet to the others." She looked over at Daisuke, giving him a slight bow as she did. "I'm Honey Lemon." She then pointed at the other members of the Big Hero 6 team in turn. "That's GoGo, Fred, and Wasabi. We're friends of Hiro."

"Before we get going," Fred spoke up from a spot near GoGo, "I gotta ask, what's up with Hiro? I heard he was sick but no one ever really said with what."

Cass exchanged glances with Daisuke as she found a chair from the dining area to move closer. "When Honey Lemon came by earlier, there wasn't much to tell because we forgot to update Haru and Suzue," she confessed. "But Hiro had to have an emergency appendectomy in the middle of the night and that's why he stayed home today."

Honey Lemon gasped, hands going to her mouth. "Oh no! Is he okay?"

Out of those who hadn't been there during the initial crisis, only Lucifer and Maze didn't look surprised by this revelation.

"He's fine," Cass assured. "He's actually upstairs right now, sleeping. Baymax is keeping an eye on him."

Daisuke gave her a wry look, wondering why she didn't mention the fact that Loki was up there, too. Though, if she wasn't going to say anything, he wasn't either. That and it wasn't his place. "I heard you mention the desire to get things sorted out before the cops show up," he said, now looking at Jack.

Looking a bit like a fish out of water, Jack stared at Daisuke like he somehow confused him. It didn't help that Daisuke had assumed an almost devil-may-care stance, leaning back in the chair, hands folded across his stomach, a sort of smirk on his face. "Who exactly are you? I don't recall you being introduced," Jack said.

"Daisuke Kambe."

Now looking more than a little confused, Jack looked like he was trying to do some complex math calculations. "Kambe. Kambe." And then he straightened, a bit wide-eyed. "Wait, the Daisuke Kambe of the Kambe Group out of Japan?"

The smile Daisuke gave in return to that question was beyond a smirk. It was self-satisfied and potentially a bit arrogant to anyone who didn't know him. "Yes," he confirmed. "I'm also Aunt Cass's nephew."

Lucifer perked up at this. "Oh! I've been looking all over for you!"

The look Daisuke gave his way could have curdled milk. "And who might you be? I seem to recall you not being introduced either."

Giving as dashing a smile as he knew how, Lucifer extended his hand. "The name's Lucifer Morningstar, God-given and all that."

Daisuke didn't look impressed, which seemed to put the fire out a little in Lucifer's eyes. "I see," the Japanese man said. "I seem to recall you work with the Los Angeles Police Department with a Detective Chloe Decker. Is she with you?" He glanced at Maze, recalling that she hadn't been introduced either.

The devil laughed after glancing at his companion. "That's Mazakeen Smith, an associate of mine. Detective Decker is on vacation."

Realizing they'd gotten off topic, Haru decided it was up to him to return them to it. "Like Kambe said earlier, you mentioned wanting to get things sorted out before the cops come. I take it you're some authority figure? That or a lawyer."

At that, Jack whipped out his credentials. "FBI, currently," he replied. "And I'm sure you realize the local police will soon show up simply because Cass called in a tip about a bombing that took place across town. They're going to want to know how she knew that information and if she's involved."

It looked like the Big Hero members were about to protest and so Cass stood. "I knew the risk when I made the call," she admitted. "Being falsely accused of things is kind of par for the course with us. What do you need to know?"

"For starters, I'm assuming Hiro had a premonition," Jack stated, now getting down to business. "The fact that he's currently incapacitated due to a medical emergency will certainly play in our favor if anyone decides to press the issue."

Suzue held up her hand, looking around at the various individuals in the room. "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand. What does Hiro's current state have to do with anything? I know his abilities are of a sensitive nature, but how do you know about them and what do you intend to do about it?"

The expression on Jack's face was difficult to read as he returned his credentials to his pocket. "I was the lead investigator in Los Angeles," he finally answered. "I have also worked with Hiro and his team on other matters of…international security, the likes of which I can't discuss due to clearances you don't have. Suffice it to say, we have a history together. And, given the circumstances, and that history, I can claim him as a confidential informant."

Suzue glanced over at Daisuke, who looked more than thoughtful at this turn of events. "Master Daisuke?" She wasn't sure what he was thinking but couldn't help but wonder.

"I knew about his involvement in Los Angeles," Daisuke confessed. "And what he is proposing makes sense. It saves us the trouble of other arrangements while protecting all involved. That said, it's best to give him all the details."

Jack gave an appreciative smile. "Wise choice. Shall we?" He settled in to hear what Cass and the others had to say; well aware that Hiro's friends were paying close attention to the details as well.

Chapter 11: Chapter Ten: Stop Teasing

Loki woke with a terrible headache. Hand to his head, he sat up with a groan. It took him a moment to push past the pain, but once he did, he was able to get to his feet and walk around the screen separating him from the rest of Hiro's room. The teen, as far as he could see, was out for the count.

Voices filters up from downstairs and he thought he recognized each and every one as he made his way over to the computer desk and the swivel chair there.

"Hello," Baymax greeted from his charging station. He had returned to the base after everyone else had made their way downstairs. "Scans indicate you have a headache. On a scale from one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"

Loki sat down and turned the chair to face into the room. "I honestly couldn't tell you," he admitted. "I admit to not expecting things to transpire as they did. I had no intention of sharing the experience with Hiro, though it certainly seems to have saved time. I doubt he was able to convey to anyone what he'd seen."

Baymax contemplated that for a moment. "I believe you are correct," he stated. "I would like to better understand what occurred after you announced what you saw. I cannot explain what transpired."

The Asgardian couldn't help but look confused. "Transpired? I assume I passed out shortly after conveying what Hiro saw."

The robot blinked slowly, computing this response. "You do not remember speaking in tandem with Hiro before collapsing after Aunt Cass broke the connection?"

Loki's eyes went wide for a moment. "I'm sorry?"

Head now tilted to one side, Baymax continued to contemplate what his sensors read from the man in front of him. "It would seem that you were not conscious for this phenomenon. I do not believe this has occurred before and I am unable to compute why."

Now that Loki thought about it, there was a rather murky moment after he'd touched Hiro and saw the explosion on campus. He wasn't sure he could explain it any more than Baymax could. "That doesn't make sense," he said to himself. "Why wouldn't I be able to remember?"

A knock sounded audibly from the ground floor and Loki looked sharply towards the stairs. It was no secret that he was not well-received on most fronts due to his past experiences on Midgard. If whoever was knocking happened to be police, there was no way he wanted to be found out. It was time to take on a persona he hadn't for a while. With no more than a thought, he transformed his outward appearance to reflect the bodyguard he'd impersonated back in Los Angeles, Samuel Jackson.

---

Jack went downstairs to answer the door with Cass, respectfully standing behind her so that when the officers calling saw her, they saw him as well. Detectives sent from the San Fransokyo Police Department, Detectives Small and Gray asked if they could come in.

"Gentleman," Jack said, pulling out his credentials for the second time that day. "I'm Special Agent Jack Harkness. I've been assigned to this case."

The two officers exchanged glances. "I wasn't aware the FBI had been looped in already," Gray said, rubbing at the back of his neck. He was an older detective, unlike his partner.

Giving a bit of a shrug, Jack smiled. "I was already in the area when I got the call. I'm sure our wires were just crossed, which is why you weren't aware of the change in jurisdiction. Though I definitely look forward to working with you and your department."

"Come on," Small said, nudging his partner. "We should probably check in with HQ."

Taking the hint, Gray nodded. "We'll look into that, but could you answer a few questions in the meantime?" He looked directly at Cass.

"Me?" Cass couldn't help but look surprised by this turn of events. She hadn't exactly expected Jack to swoop in and take over the way he had, but she also had hoped that would put an end to any questions they might have.

Jack gave them a look. "I'm already talking to her about the tip," he stated with a hint of warning in his tone. "I think your efforts would be better served helping sort out the mess at SFIT. I'll be expecting a full report on your findings."

Detective Gray did not look happy about that but knew there was nothing he could do about it. The FBI took precedence when it came to terroristic attacks. "Let's go," he urged his partner, succumbing to the earlier suggestion that they leave.

The two detectives headed down the sidewalk to where they'd parked their car down the street a ways. There hadn't been any parking spots closer and Cass could only feel glad they'd decided to use the private entrance for their little escapade, as opposed to going through the café. Even if she wasn't working, she didn't want her customers inconvenienced.

Shutting the door to the outside, Cass leaned against the door jamb. "That was close," she admitted. "I don't know what I'd have done if you hadn't shown up."

Jack gave her a knowing smile. "Oh I'm sure you would have come up with something, isn't that right?" He looked up the stairs and at the man standing at the top, one Samuel Jackson whom he knew to really be Loki. Why Cass hadn't mentioned his presence there was beyond him, but he supposed she had her reasons.

Loki gave Jack an acknowledging nod. "I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty of raiding your medicine cabinet," he said, looking directly at Cass. "Your nephew wasn't too happy about it, but the others were able to smooth things over."

"Oh," Cass said as she and Jack made their way up the stairs, not sure why he'd need the medicine cabinet. "Something wrong? I know we left you upstairs with Hiro. I hope you weren't getting something for him. He can't have any more painkillers for another two hours."

The disguised Asgardian laughed a bit uncomfortably as he moved back so Cass and Jack could join him on the second floor. The others further back in the room were suspiciously quiet, watching the exchange. "It was for me," he confessed. "I didn't expect my most recent encounter with Hiro's skills to result in a headache."

Hearing this, Cass couldn't help but approach him and give him a once over to make sure he wasn't harboring any other ill effects. "There's still some bacon and muffins from earlier," she stated, now heading into the kitchen. "Baymax did say you would need something once you woke up. I take it Hiro's still out for the count?"

Now that there was no risk of a stranger entering the abode, Loki dropped the façade of the bodyguard, returning to his normal visage. "Yes, he's still asleep," he confirmed, ignoring the harsh intake of breath that came from Haru and Suzue in reaction to his change in appearance. "I hope you don't mind my donning that persona again, but I didn't want to risk getting arrested for the wrong reasons."

"Something says you might need to revise your statements a bit," Jack said as he glanced at Daisuke, Haru, Suzue, and then to Cass. "I wasn't aware that Loki was present. You should have said something."

Lucifer smirked from his corner of the room. He and Maze had sniffed the man out before anyone had noticed his presence as Samuel Jackson. There was no mistaking the scent of his soul. It was no surprise that Honey and the others had immediately recognized him once he'd shown himself, though the devil had no idea why Daisuke had gone along with hiding his presence. There was obviously a lot he had to learn about this new pawn on the board.

For his part, Daisuke did look a bit like he was pouting, his expression not quite sour. The morning was practically gone and he was tired. And yet he had the feeling it was far from over. He'd definitely have to hold himself in check or they'd all regret it. "I wasn't aware of your ability to change your appearance," he confessed as he gave Loki a pointed look.

The Asgardian gave a bit of a shrug as he sat at the kitchen table upon Cass's orders. "I have found that it is sometimes better to hide in plain sight," he stated. "And when it comes to local law enforcement, and certain individuals, it has been easier to take on the appearance of someone else. 'Samuel Jackson', the persona you just saw, is one I created during the Los Angeles incident in cooperation with Hiro. It was, if truth be told, his idea."

"It's true," Jack confirmed when Daisuke, and even Haru, looked his way. "The two of them kept most of us out of the loop about the decision, though, for a good chunk of the investigation." He gave Loki an admonishing look.

Loki rolled his eyes, but gave Cass an appreciative smile when she placed a plate of food in front of him. He definitely needed it. "We can worry about the past later. You were talking about the present and the recent events involving a certain teenage god."

Hearing him use that word, quite a few people sat up in their respective seats, minus Lucifer and Maze. Had it been a slip of the tongue? A metaphor? It was anyone's guess but it made various individuals exchange glances and whisper among themselves.

"Stop teasing," Cass admonished him with a slight shove from behind. "Just because Hiro can do some unexplainable things doesn't mean he's a god."

Loki looked up at her, having to partially turn to meet her gaze. "A figure of speech," he placated with a smile.

Daisuke looked on, stone-faced. He'd used the notion of Hiro having help from the Japanese Kami as a means to help explain to his friends why Hiro had some of the abilities he had. Hearing the God of Mischief call Hiro a god was something else, and he doubted the man had been joking. But, if he wanted to play it off as a joke, he supposed it would be wise to go along with it.

"In a few previous instances where I witnessed Hiro's unique abilities," Daisuke spoke up, "he usually was able to explain what he'd seen. Given current circumstances, the best we have for that would be what you saw when you connected with him earlier."

When Jack gave a confused glance to the room at large, Cass quickly explained how Hiro and Loki had a few encounters where the God of Mischief had been able to see into the teen's mind enough to help clear up details in previous incidents. She'd thought he'd known, but supposed Jack hadn't really been privy to that detail before now.

Now back in the spotlight, Loki put down his knife and fork. "Yes, well I suppose I should describe what I saw during that moment." He then went on to convey what he'd seen in Hiro's mind, flashes of the vision the teen had had leading up to the bomb going off. "As to what happened after that, I confess my mind is a blank."

"Has that ever happened before?" Lucifer asked. He'd seen Hiro during some of his episodes of seeing into the future and they had not been pretty. Getting a confirmation that Loki had never experienced a lapse of memory following trying to share the memory was more than a little concerning.

After that, Cass explained what had happened once she'd made the call to emergency services, and how she'd somehow broken Loki's connection with Hiro by embracing him. When asked why she hadn't mentioned Loki being there earlier, she could only shrug. "It seemed the right thing to do at the time," she confessed.

Jack looked more than a little thoughtful. "So it's possible Hiro saw more than what you did." He looked directly at Loki, making it a statement, not a question. "And Hiro is currently in a position where he can't confirm or deny such." He now turned his gaze to Daisuke, Haru, and Suzue. "And you three are aware of his abilities but hadn't made that known prior to this moment. At least not to me."

Daisuke gave him a smile that made Jack reevaluate what he thought about the man. "I hadn't had a chance to bring it up," he said in response to the unspoken accusation. "The local police are quite efficient and arrived before I had a chance. That and I saw no reason to bring it up until necessary."

A look of dawning comprehension crossed Jack's face. "Your name was on the reports I had quashed a few months ago when Hiro's involvement became apparent. I knew I recognized the name for more than just your immense wealth. You were there during the attempt on Cass' life and subsequent capture of the woman responsible. It's a story I'd like to hear in detail at a later date."

It was nice to finally know who'd been behind the sudden classification of beyond top secret on that incident, Daisuke thought. Though he wasn't sure if Jack had done so at the behest of someone else or not. Well, he'd find out eventually. Either way, he supposed he did owe the man a debt of gratitude for that, keeping his new-found family out of the lime light and the scrutiny of individuals who might have tried to abuse Hiro's abilities.

"Now that we're all on the same page as to what happened," Daisuke spoke up, "I'd like to know what you propose to do about it. This type of attack seems a prelude to something much larger, and I gather that by taking charge over the local police, you plan on fully investigating the matter. I'm sure we can also expect other agencies to try and join in, or even try to take over."

That was a sobering thought and Jack had to take a moment. "If it comes to that, I pull rank and we go from there," he stated. "As to a plan, we work with local authorities to get to the bottom of what's going on, and hope Hiro has more insight than what Loki saw."

Haru couldn't help but look worried at this statement. "We?"

Jack smiled at that. "Yes, unless you'd rather sit on the sidelines. I did my homework and know that you and Daisuke are both with the MPD in Tokyo. I also know you're both working on a special task force to take Adollium out of the hands of black market dealers. It only makes sense to have you officially join the investigation. And if Loki wants to keep playing bodyguard to Hiro, like he did last time, I won't say no."

The devil looked up from examining his nails. "And what about Maze and myself? I know we're outside our usual area. And with the Detective on vacation, we're not exactly in the usual position."

"You'll help, too, of course," Jack confirmed.

GoGo stood and faced Jack, hands on her hips, despite Wasabi cringing behind her. "You better believe we'll be involved in this, too," she stated.

The space captain gave a slightly nervous laugh. "I figured you'd realize when I said 'we', I basically meant everyone in the room, Cass notwithstanding. I need someone to act as Hiro's official handler, though part of me wonders if it might not be a bad idea to have two play the role." He glanced at Daisuke.

Suzue cleared her throat, looking around. "I may not have the same skill set Mr. Katou or Master Daisuke has, but I'm excellent when it comes to support."

Daisuke had to acknowledge that aloud, in case Jack had his doubts. And while he liked the idea of being Hiro's co-handler, he also didn't mind being on the ground if necessary. "I have no problem with that," he admitted, once things had been set and sorted. "If Lucifer acts as liaison to the local police, it might be wise to have Katou work with him as well."

The Third Division detective gulped at that idea. He wasn't sure if Lucifer was the devil or not, though the others certainly seemed to treat the man as if it were a possibility, but he wasn't sure about having to work with him, or with Maze for that matter. And then he steeled himself, knowing this was for the good of them all. There was no way of knowing how far this all went, or what the end goal was, but he was in a position to help and knew he had to do it. "I'm in," he stated.

Fred sort of wormed his way into a standing position, moving to GoGo's side. "Maybe it would be best if we did a bit of digging on the ground with our fellow college students," he said. "I mean, we know these guys. Maybe they saw something they don't wanna share with the cops."

It was a valid point, Jack realized. He gave a nod. "The sooner we get going on that the better. I'm not sure what the school's decided about your interrupted graduation, but it might also be a good idea to look into that and see what they plan on doing. In the meantime, anyone who needs to get any non-related tasks out of the way, now would be the time to do it. In the meantime, it looks like I have some paperwork I need to get started on."

Chances were good the streets were still a mess with everything that had happened. And Daisuke felt certain he was still probably not in the best state to drive so he decided it would be wise for him to go back upstairs and try to take a longer nap.

With nothing else there for him to do, Lucifer opted to head out as well, Maze in tow. He'd get his chance to talk to Daisuke one on one later, with a few more topics in the mix than he'd originally planned.

"Let's go, guys," Fred encouraged the Big Heroes in the room. "The sooner we get going on the whole campus thing, the better." They followed him down the stairs and out into the daylight.

This left Cass, Loki, Haru, and Suzue in the room once Jack headed downstairs to the store room and used his Vortex Manipulator to disappear. Loki had just finished up his second breakfast and felt better for it. It helped that the pain medicine had finally kicked in, taking the edge off the headache from earlier.

Haru sighed, ruffling his hair. "This is definitely not what I signed up for when I agreed to come out here," he said. "So now what do we do? Kambe's taking a nap and everyone else is sort of just waiting to see what happens."

Suzue looked thoughtful. "We could always go back to the airport," she suggested, which prompted several odd looks directed at her. "I don't know how many of you know this, but Master Daisuke's plane isn't just for show. Like most commercial liners, there's plenty of space, and some of that includes a mobile command center."

The look of surprise and shock on Katou's face was amusing in a way, Loki thought as he saw the reactions. "I didn't realize Daisuke had so many toys at his disposal," he admitted.

"Master Daisuke likes to be prepared," Suzue stated. "But, in the off chance we need any of the equipment he brought along, it might not be a bad idea to make sure it's ready for use."

Cass looked thoughtful. "How are you going to get out there? I don't think Daisuke would appreciate you taking his car."

Suzue smiled. "Not a problem. With HEUSC, I'm sure we can find a way to get there, even if it means summoning a helicopter."

Looking more than a little uncomfortable with the idea of being so flashy, Haru couldn't help but give a nervous laugh. "Or, we could just use the public transportation system."

"Better choice," Loki agreed. "Less obvious. I don't think most of the locals would appreciate a helicopter landing in the middle of the street, not to mention the local authorities."

He made a good point, Suzue had to agree. "Then it's settled. We'll use the public transit system. Mr. Katou?" She stood, indicating he should join her as she headed to the stairs leading down to the main level. The man only hesitated a moment before joining her.

"And then there was one," Loki said under his breath as he stood to help Cass with the dishes. While everyone else was busy with their respective, self-appointed tasks, he had a few in mind as well. And those entailed spending as much time as possible with a certain woman while Hiro and Daisuke were out for the count.

Chapter 12: Chapter Eleven: Starting an Investigation

As soon as Daisuke reached Hiro's room, he made his way over to the computer desk next to the teen's bed. A quick glance at Hiro confirmed that he was out for the count, which wasn't unexpected. Such manifestations of ability and power seemed to come at a price. Add that on top of recovering from a major, albeit routine surgery, chances were good he'd stay asleep for a while.

Pulling out his glasses, Daisuke activated the digital feature that let him connect to HEUSC and the basic equivalent of a virtual computer. "HEUSC, I want any and all video surveillance from the SFIT campus for the past ten days. Compile and analyze for any suspicious activity, particularly in regards to the Tadashi Hamada building. I want to see if we can figure out who planted that bomb."

"As you wish sir."

While HEUSC was busy doing that, Daisuke decided to check his emails and other connections to see if he could pick up on any chatter. As far as he could tell, the police were still combing the scene, with the various students and spectators either sent to nearby hospitals, separate locations for questioning, or released for the time being. There were, sadly, a few who were headed to the morgue, but that couldn't really be helped.

Despite Jack basically pulling him into his investigation as part of his team, the Kambe head had every intention of doing things his way. He had no problem keeping tabs on Hiro while he was at it. In fact, he kind of preferred it that way, even if Loki was acting as his bodyguard. That morning's developments had certainly made an impression and he somehow doubted the God of Mischief would purposely hurt the Hamadas, but the possibility was never zero.

"Suzue." He touched his earring, activating it. "Where are you now?"

"Mr. Katou and I are on our way to the airport," she reported over the link. "I figured you'd want me to make sure the command center was prepped and ready to go should we need it."

Daisuke smiled. "Always anticipating me, aren't you?" he asked as he typed in various commands on his virtual keyboard. "Let me know when you get there.'

"I thought you were going to take a nap," Katou said, joining the conversation via his earpiece. It was only fair he get a say in the matter, since he was his partner.

A sort of huff of laughter escaped Daisuke's mouth as he leaned back in the chair. "Later. I want to get things set up first."

"But you do plan on getting some sleep, right?"

Katou was as persistent as ever. Sometimes Daisuke found it downright annoying. But then again, he supposed he could be just as frustrating to his fellow detective. "Don't worry," he assured. "I fully intend to once I finish up what I'm working on."

If eye rolls had a sound, he felt sure he'd have heard one over the line. As things stood, he did catch the faint sound of disbelief from Haru before he ended the connection to focus on the task at hand. If he was going to better understand Hiro, he needed to know more about various things. And while he knew he could just ask Jack, he wasn't sure if the man would actually be willing to give him the information he wanted.

Technically speaking, he was probably doing things he shouldn't. And he knew it probably wasn't the wisest move on his part, but he also knew that the person he was contacting already had someone on the inside of at least one front. How else had he gotten the information he'd had two months ago? Perhaps it had been his meddling that had actually alerted Jack to the fact that Hiro's name was getting too much attention before he'd shut that down. Either way, there was a strong possibility this individual knew someone who could get around the FBI officer.

"Hoshino, how quickly do you think you can be ready to leave Japan?"

---

To say things had gone according to plan would be an exaggeration, but it was what it was. The main point was that they'd created a scene of panic and chaos. The fact that they'd chosen a completely different city in which to do it was probably an added bonus, especially since if they'd gone for Los Angeles, people might have immediately made the connection, despite the fact they had used a completely different type of bomb, with a completely different bomb maker in tow.

It helped to know that at least one person on the target list was in the area, though one couldn't be sure if they'd been affected by the blast or not. Either way, it had sent a clear message, even if no one could yet understand what that message was. Let the law enforcement scramble around like ants in a kicked hill. When they finally figured out what was going on, it would be too late. He'd covered his tracks well.

The real question was who were the others he should target? One of his informants on the ground had reported an interesting-looking group of people who hadn't reacted the same way as the others. And the fact that they appeared to have a technology that was likely decades beyond most people certainly was intriguing. He wouldn't mind getting his hands on whatever device had made the apparent teleportation possible. It would be useful.

The police frequencies were still abuzz with all their investigations into the matter. The fact that they were treating it as a terrorist act was amusing. Well, they weren't wrong, even if the overall goal wasn't apparent just yet. He'd managed to trace at least one or two of the original party from Los Angeles back to this area and he knew it was only a matter of time before his actions drew them out into the open. He was a patient man. It was only a matter of time.

---

Hiro woke to early afternoon light. He had no idea as to the actual time, but assumed it was after the usual lunch hour. His stomach growled at him, reminding him he hadn't had much to eat in the last thirty odd hours. The eggs he'd taken with pain medicine earlier were long digested and his stomach reminded him of the need for sustenance by twisting in that almost painful way that usually comes when you don't eat on a regular basis.

When he tried to sit up, his abdominal muscles reminded him why he hadn't eaten much. On top of which, it felt like he'd performed about a million crunches in his sleep, making the muscles ache more than he remembered they should after having an appendix removed. What had he been doing while unconscious?

Vague memories of a premonition surfaced, foggy at first, becoming clearer the longer he was awake. Had he been able to convey the warning in time? He had no idea.

Hiro awkwardly rolled over when his attempts to sit up failed miserably. His mid-section was not up to a lot of flexing and he didn't want to push it. All the same, rolling over took more effort than he cared to admit. And, as he exited the bed, he almost ran into the swivel chair, which was closer than usual to the bed.

"Hello, Hiro," Baymax greeted quietly from his charger. "Do you require my assistance?" He blinked at the teen, not otherwise moving.

The teen put out a hand, using the bed as a sort of ballast to keep upright. Unsurprisingly, he felt on the weak side, a side effect of surgery and using his abilities. He knew he'd need to eat something soon, but first he needed to take care of something on the other side of the room, in the privacy of the bathroom. "I think I wanna try walking on my own first," he admitted as he stumbled forward, almost wishing he had a cane or something. "But I am getting kinda hungry."

"I will contact Aunt Cass and let her know you are awake and require food," Baymax stated as he watched his progress across the room. His stomach momentarily lit up with a text icon. "Your aunt has been contacted."

Hiro sort of patted what part of the robot he could reach on his way to the smaller room at the head of the stairs. "Thanks, Baymax. What's everyone else up to?" He hadn't really looked around, keeping his eyes on the goal, but he needed to pause to catch his breath.

Baymax stepped free of his charger so he could move closer to Hiro in case he was needed. "Daisuke is currently sleeping in the other bed," he informed. "Your friends are helping Jack investigate the recent bombing. And Aunt Cass and Loki are downstairs."

The teen nodded. "Guess the bomb went off then. Hope everyone made it out okay." He clutched at his stomach, feeling the painkillers wearing off. "Think I'm gonna need some more pain meds," he admitted.

"I will let Aunt Cass know," Baymax decided, calculating how long it had been since the teen had last taken any. While he did that, Hiro slipped into the bathroom.

---

Lucifer stood in front of the San Fransokyo Police Department Central Building. Strictly speaking, he didn't really need to be there, but he was curious. Chances were good Jack had set up his command center there, since it made the most sense. And he'd never really been inside it before.

The building in question was down one of several long streets not too far off the bay. In fact, dead north of it, as the crow flies, sat Akuma Island. West of said island was the famous Torii Gate Bridge, which connected the two peninsular cities that reached across the bay. The devil had heard of a secret government facility on that island, though he couldn't be sure about that. Rumors stated that it had been abandoned, and potentially destroyed.

Entering the precinct, Lucifer noticed the similarities to the building he was used to. There was a large almost reception area for waiting individuals, criminal or otherwise, and a reception desk that restricted access to the rest of the building jutting out away from a wall of frosted glass doors and windows. At the desk, an older sergeant sat, looking more than a little bored.

The occasional officer walked through the front area, only to disappear into the back. Not bothering to check in at the desk, Lucifer simply followed one of the officers into the back areas, momentarily getting turned around until he saw a conference room and the unforgettable figure that was Jack Harkness. He'd certainly gotten a lot done in a short amount of time, the devil thought as he noticed the various chairs and tables set up around the room.

"Someone's been a busy boy," Lucifer said as he entered the room.

If he'd hoped to get a reaction out of Jack, he was disappointed. "Some of us actually work for a living," the man said as he continued to write something on a smart board using a digital pen. The glass was pretty high tech, though not unexpected, given the fact that they were in a city chock-full of the stuff. "I figured you'd make your way here eventually."

Lucifer made an almost scoffing snort as he sat on the edge of one of the tables. There were a few boxes of various bits of evidence from the scene already present, which said a lot about what all Jack had been able to get done. There were even a few officers working on digitizing statements taken down earlier. "Impressive setup you have here," he complimented. "I take it you pulled a few strings."

The space captain turned with a shrug. "Being who I am comes with a lot of perks," he stated. "I noticed Maze isn't with you."

It was obvious, really. The demon did give off a different kind of vibe that people could pick up on but many ignored in favor of her looks. She was a predator through and through. But she was also really good at hiding that fact when she chose to.

"Ah yes," Lucifer acknowledged. "I sent her on a few personal errands. And while she does occasionally play bounty hunter, she's not always comfortable around a precinct." He supposed part of that had to do with the fact that she was a demon, but he could be wrong about that.

Jack turned back to what he'd been writing, which basically turned out to be a timeline of events as they knew them. "A few witnesses claim they saw someone of your description at the scene," he continued. "Care to explain that?"

He supposed it was only a matter of time before it got brought up, but Lucifer couldn't help but be partially surprised the man had managed to pick those small details from random statements. He supposed it just meant the man was more attuned to him that he wanted to admit. "Yes, I was there," he conceded. "I heard the mental scream just like everyone else did. And when a bunch of professors decided to freeze up, I chose to scare them into action. If I hadn't, you'd be scraping them off the ceiling. I admit I had hoped my presence would be seen as more of a hallucination than anything else."

"What were you doing there?" Jack inquired, glancing over his shoulder so he could gauge the man's reactions.

Lucifer debated. He could go with the whole truth or the partial truth. "I was there to support Hiro," he decided. "I hadn't yet heard about his hospital stay and so wasn't aware of his absence. I'd also hoped to run into his cousin, but we all saw how that turned out. He was definitely not what I expected."

Jack rolled his eyes. He had no idea why Lucifer was interested in Daisuke Kambe, though he had his suspicions. He also suspected there was a lot more to the devil's story than he was letting on. "That's it? I'm pretty sure I heard someone saw you exiting the building after the bomb went off."

It was Lucifer's turn to roll his eyes. Of course someone had noticed. "Yes," he sighed heavily. "I was inside when the damn thing went off. But, thanks to my unique characteristics, and the lack of a certain female detective, I obviously came out fine. I'm sure you would have come out just the same. I've heard the rumors about you as well, about your inability to die."

The space captain gave him a warning look, signaling him to silence as several officers looked up in curiosity. "My survival skills aside, you should have mentioned it when I was conferring with my confidential informant's handlers."

Code names. Ah, well, that was fun too, Lucifer thought. And, in a way, he wasn't wrong. Hiro was essentially an informant of sorts, just not of the typical kind. His information was usually pretty spot on. It was an ability he wasn't sure he wanted to understand, or see again. Each time he'd witnessed the teen see into the future, it had not been pleasant for either party. He could only thank the heavens he wasn't the one who experienced it with all its horrible after effects.

"I didn't come by so you could interrogate me," Lucifer said as the others in the room turned back to their respective tasks.

Jack turned to face him head on, now looking a bit impatient. "Then why did you drop by? And please don't tell me it's because you were bored."

Lucifer went through a short moment of indecision before he decided how to answer. "I was curious, mainly about any leads you might have so far."

"Too early for that," Jack said as he headed over to a table with a laptop. He typed rapidly at the keyboard, potentially looking up something. "The lab just got the bomb fragments no more than an hour ago. Looks like your standard C4 composition, prima cord or similar. As far as they can tell, a remote detonator was used. No prints they can lift. So, the best we can do right now is compare it to other incidents and see what happens until we get more information."

Lucifer made a thoughtful sound as he digested that bit of information. "So, at least for now, it's safe to say we can't connect it to any of our past bombings, which, unfortunately, also doesn't negate the possibility. Their bomb maker of choice was taken out of the equation, after all."

Jack gave him a look. "Any reason you might think it's related to last year?" His fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Shrugging, Lucifer straightened. "Not really. Call it a sense of déjà vu. After all, when you consider all the players involved, there are only a few changes in the lineup."

It was a decent point, but couldn't be counted as anything more than coincidence at the moment. Not without more evidence to support the theory. But, because a supernatural being felt a bit uneasy about the possibility, Jack couldn't dismiss it either. "I'll look into it," he promised.

The devil nodded, now looking a bit distracted. "I think I'll head out for now," he said, "but I'd appreciate being kept in the loop. I believe you still have my number from last time. It hasn't changed."

Jack nodded, not sure he wanted to use it unless he had to.

Realizing that was about all he was going to get from the man, Lucifer decided it was time to head out and see what he could find on his own.

Chapter 13: Chapter Twelve: Mobile Command

After careful consideration, and realizing Daisuke was probably still asleep, Cass thought it best to have Hiro come downstairs for lunch. That way they didn't wake her other nephew should anyone want to talk during the meal. And since breakfast had been a bit later than usual, Loki and Cass were also ready to sit down to the early afternoon meal, prompting the proprietress to cook enough for four people. She wasn't sure when Daisuke would wake up and didn't want to leave him hungry.

Requesting that Baymax carry the teen downstairs when he was done doing whatever it was he needed to do upstairs, Cass was more than happy to get to work on their meal. With Loki helping, she quickly whipped up some grilled chicken with stir-fried veggies and rice noodles in a simple sauce. In the off chance Hiro wasn't feeling up to the offering, mostly because she wasn't sure how his stomach would handle certain foods, she'd also prepared some rice porridge in a thick broth.

While Loki prepared the chicken, Cass got everything else ready; using some instant rice for the porridge, since she was certain Hiro was more than ready to eat. She was setting out plates on the table when Baymax carefully carried Hiro down the stairs, not surprised to see the teen looking a bit grumpy at the prospect. His independent streak not-withstanding, she felt she could understand his frustration.

Safely on the level flooring, Baymax chose to set Hiro down. It was likely he, too, had picked up on the teen's frustration and need for independence. "Hello," he greeted Cass and Loki as he followed closely behind Hiro, just in case.

"Hey," Cass said in response as she turned to face the two. "How's my little man?" She went to give him a hug from the side, not sure how he'd feel about a full hug at the moment.

Hiro rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to hunch over as he tried to make his way to the table. "Could definitely be better. I feel like I did a million sit ups in my sleep."

"You did rock back and forth for a while," Loki noted as he brought over the chicken and set it on the table. "I'm sure that didn't help."

Taking the nearest chair, Hiro sat down; glad it was already partially pulled away from the table. Walking was tiring, even with what little he'd done. Memories of another timeline surfaced again, and how it had taken forever to get back to some semblance of normal. He knew he'd hate every minute of it.

Cass took the liberty of sitting next to him, after making sure the rice porridge was also on the table. "I wasn't sure what you'd feel up to eating," she confessed, "so I made sure there was something a bit easier to manage."

Despite his feeling hungry, Hiro knew from experience he needed to not overdo it. The rice porridge his aunt had made wasn't quite the same as what he'd last had in Japan. While there was the traditional rice and broth, it was decidedly thicker, with some well-cooked veggies and soft pieces of the chicken he suspected Loki had cooked. "I think I'll go with the porridge for now," he decided. He could always go back for more if he felt up to it.

Before Loki sat down, he provided the pain pills the teen had asked Baymax to request. "Don't overdo it," he cautioned, scooting his chair a bit closer to Cass's. "Your situation is unique and it's possible your abilities might interfere with your recovery if you're not careful."

"Yeah," Hiro responded as he tasted the porridge Cass served him in a bowl. He guessed she'd gone ahead and served him so he wouldn't have to lift anything that might be too heavy. It was frustrating but also nice at the same time. The crock she'd used to make it in was one of her heavier ones. With a few spoonfuls of food in his stomach, he downed the pain pills with a hefty drink of water. "Where are the others?" He looked around, not expecting to see them, per se, but not sure if someone had fallen asleep on the couch or something.

Loki served up the chicken to Cass and himself before taking a helping of the vegetables. "Jack went to set up his investigation. Suzue and Haru went to the airport to get some things. And everyone else went out to see if they could figure out if anyone saw something that might help figure out who's behind the bomb."

Hiro idly nibbled at his food. "And Daisuke's taking a nap. Makes sense. Guess there's not much else anyone can do right now." In the usual course of events, it wasn't like they could just rush in and make things all better. His years of experience had told him that. They needed to understand who was behind this and why. And doing that sometimes took time. "So, how can I help?"

"The best thing you can do right now is worry about recovering," Cass stated between bites. "Though, I'm sure that after we finish up here, Loki might be interested in hearing more about what happened in Japan. He and I were talking about it earlier."

Now looking at the Asgardian, Hiro couldn't help but wonder what all he could say that might be helpful. "I guess that's fine," he hesitated. "Not sure how any of that might relate to what's going on now, but a second set of eyes never hurts."

Loki chewed and swallowed his mouthful of noodles. "A second perspective indeed," he agreed. "However, I'm also interested in hearing about your manifestations. It's possible it may help us all better understand how to help you harness them better."

Hiro gave a nonchalant shrug. "I thought I was getting on fine with figuring things out," he admitted. "But I guess I still have a long ways to go. And there were some things that were different, like being able to share my memories with Daisuke, and helping Aunt Cass explore hers like you helped me explore mine."

There were more examples, to be sure. Not to mention some things that had happened that not even the Japanese police had been able to connect to Mio Kimura or her mother, like the bombs that had gone off at the shrine, or the theft of his electro magnets. There were a few other things as well, but he was too busy focusing on food to pay them too much mind. But Loki was right. Hearing about those experiences might help him figure out how to better harness his abilities, which would hopefully help them in their current situation.

Loki looked thoughtful at the mention of those few things. "I'll want more details, of course," he stated. "But it does sound like your abilities are maturing in ways I wouldn't have guessed. I also can't help but wonder just how much Daisuke and the others know about you and who and what you are becoming."

That notion made more than Hiro thoughtful as Cass glanced between the two males at the table. "Becoming?"

Fork in hand, Loki glanced over quickly at Cass to see her expression, which was as confused as her tone suggested it was. "Yes. It's obvious Hiro isn't average, but is slowly becoming more than what he was. As to what he is becoming, that remains to be seen." He refrained, yet again, to mention that he and Lucifer had already discussed the possibilities at length the year before when all the bombs and such were going off in Los Angeles. The teen's abilities then had been formidable. He wasn't even sure what to expect this time around, especially after that morning's manifestation.

Getting more than a little used to the idea of the adults talking around him, about him, Hiro chose to ignore the rest of the conversation in favor of eating his porridge. All things considered, it was pretty good, and mostly satisfying. He surprised himself with how much he ate.

Once the meal was over, he knew he needed to move around. Not only would it help facilitate his recovery, but he knew it would help with his digestion. That and sitting on the couch would be more comfortable. So, while Loki and Cass cleared the table he made his slow way across the room to the sitting area and his favorite part of the couch. Baymax was not far behind him.

Since it took the two adults a bit to clear the table, rinse off the dishes, and put any leftovers away, Hiro walked a lap or two around the far part of the room before settling down. Cass and Loki soon joined him and a discussion of their experiences in Japan ensued, lasting long enough that Hiro was encouraged to walk around a bit a few times before all was said and done.

---

The route Haru and Suzue had to take to get to the airport was probably a bit longer than was necessary, but public transportation was cheaper than a taxi. That and Haru wanted to see the city a bit while they were headed out. So they took the trolley to the main transportation hub where they hopped onto one of the monorail trains before making a transfer to reach the airport. Once there, they had to go through security and a few other verification checks before they could reach the plane.

Once past all that, Suzue took over and made sure they had ground transportation to the hanger where the plane was parked. There was likely an easier way to get there but Haru was stubborn. It helped that just mentioning the Kambe name seemed to get results. Upon entering the hanger, the man was struck with awe again by just how large the airplane really was.

Comparable to a Bering 767, the craft was large enough to accommodate two to three hundred passengers under normal conditions. And by normal, Haru meant the standard air transportation accommodations for the common people, not billionaires like the Kambes. After hearing there was essentially a mobile command center onboard the plane, the detective no longer had to worry about what took up the rest of the space inside. The cargo area alone could have made due.

After showing her ID once more, ground crew in the area opened the airplane for them, pushing stairs to the side for ease of entering. "This way," Suzue prompted as she headed into the area Haru knew best, the main cabin. But, beyond that was a door he'd assumed led to an area reserved for the crew. Oh how wrong he was.

"Normally we'd go in from the back," Suzue explained, "but I felt it would be better to go back this way." She headed into the back section, which did contain a space for the crew. But it also had another door that was coded with a hand print scanner, which she put her palm on.

A lock clicked and the door opened slightly. Suzue did have to push it all the way open to enter the back section of the plane, which was lined with computer equipment, server towers and similar. There were also several monitors comparable in size to what Haru was used to seeing the control room back at the Kambe estate. Or at least it seemed that way in comparison to the rest of the room. There were even a few counter areas with digital desktops.

Suzue flicked a few switches on a panel near the door before heading to one of the desktops and typing away. The various monitors came to life with different projections showing their current geological region, heuristic data for said region, and other information Haru wasn't sure what it represented. The mechanic continued to type away, inputting parameters and the like, potentially inputting some code while she was at it. Chances were good some of it was passwords allowing them to connect to her super computer back home.

Once the initial setup was complete, Suzue sat back in the swivel chair she'd chosen upon entering. She reached up to her earring to activate it. "Master Daisuke? I've completed initial setup."

After waiting for a moment for any kind of response, and not getting one, Suzue asked HEUSC if he had an update on Daisuke. She got back a reply that the man was sleeping, which wasn't all that surprising. It had taken them a while to get to the plane and she knew he'd been about ready to crash for a few hours.

"So now what?" Haru wondered out loud as he leaned against one of the countertops. "I suppose we could go back now that everything's up and running."

Suzue shook her head. "I want to go into the cargo area and check on a few things. I made sure to pack various drones and other equipment."

Of course she had, Haru sighed. Well, those toys might come in handy later so he decided it would be wise to follow her lead as she headed to the end of the plane and a section of wall she opened with another press of her hand, which revealed a narrow set of stairs leading down. At least he could say he'd been productive.

Chapter 14: Chapter Thirteen: Don't!

Daisuke woke and wasn't sure where he was, let alone the time, or even the year. For the briefest of moments, he was back at his mansion as a child, wondering if he had to go to school or not. It took him a moment to bring his mind out of the past and into the present, still not sure on the time, though he did recognize the room.

Sitting up, he had to resist the urge to groan. The bed was not the same firmness he was used to. In fact, it was probably harder, which hadn't done his back any favors. He sort of rolled to a sitting position, now facing the dividing screen.

Ambient light suggested it was well into the afternoon, he thought as he got up and moved further into the room. A quick glance over at the other bed indicated that Hiro wasn't there. This was confirmed when he looked at Baymax's charger and saw that it was empty. Chances were good they'd gone downstairs, though he had no idea how long ago that had been.

Brushing off his clothes, Daisuke took a moment to make sure his hair was decent in the mirror before heading downstairs to see what the others were up to. He could hear vague voices as he made his way down the stairs, not sure where they were coming from until he reached the bottom landing and turned to face the majority of the floor.

Loki, Cass, and Hiro were sitting back in the living area, with Baymax standing off to one side. Apparently none of the others had returned just yet, or intended to. He wasn't sure where Suzue and Haru were, not having been awake when they tried to contact him. He'd slept hard and it showed, despite his attempts to fix his overall appearance.

Seeing him out of the corner of his eye, Loki stopped speaking mid sentence to turn Daisuke's direction. "Good morning," he greeted. "Although, it's probably more appropriate to say good afternoon." He gave an understanding smile. "Would you care to join us? We were just discussing Cass and Hiro's adventures in Japan earlier this year."

It took a moment for Daisuke to comprehend what he meant by that, his brain still trying to fully wake up. Once he realized what Loki was saying, he decided it best to join the conversation and so headed over to find a seat. "Have you heard from the others?" he wondered as he took up a seat near Hiro.

"Not really," Cass admitted. "Though I'm not really surprised. Jack pops in and out like a jack-in-the-box, and Lucifer and his friend are pretty much the same. The others do usually give a head's up. But I have no idea what Haru and Suzue are up to."

Daisuke allowed his body to sink into the cushions, his body relaxing into the softer material than the bed upstairs. "I see. And what part of the Japan trip were we discussing?"

Hiro shifted a bit to make more room for Daisuke, readjusting his legs, which had fallen asleep in the process. He'd probably need to get up and walk around in a bit, but wasn't looking forward to it at the moment. "Basically, Loki wanted to hear about my manifestations."

A look of understanding crossed Daisuke's face. "Ah. And at what point were you before I interrupted?"

The teen shrugged. "We pretty much went over the highlights, no details yet. I mean, there was a lot to cover." He rubbed at the back of his neck. Moving his arm back down, he seemed to notice the area where the IV had been and glared at it for a moment before putting his arm back down.

Hiro's slight preoccupation wasn't lost to Daisuke, who happened to be looking right at him, but he wasn't sure if the others had seen it or not. He wasn't sure if they'd covered the teen's manifestations of power at the time Mio Kimura tried to shoot Cass or not as well. He honestly wouldn't mind hearing more about it from Hiro's perspective, not to mention the others' as well. He had a feeling no two of them had seen things the same way, the event having occurred so quickly most might have missed what had really happened.

"A lot, indeed," Loki mused as he looked into the distance. What he'd heard alone was enough to get a general idea of things. "And it would seem that you experienced, first hand, a good majority of his manifestations." He turned his gaze to Daisuke, eyes now intent. "I suppose this explains your reactions to our little conversation earlier."

Cass perked up at that. "Conversation? When was that?"

Loki waved an errant hand. "It was right after Hiro had fallen asleep shortly after we got back from the hospital," he explained. "Daisuke and I had a measuring of wills, if you will. The main point was probably to determine our mutual trustworthiness."

It was a decent reason, Cass had to acknowledge. "I guess that makes sense," she decided. "But I hope it turned out well. I'd really like for the two of you to get along."

Daisuke smiled. "I think we can both agree that we have Hiro's best interests at heart. I would, however, like to finish that conversation at a later date, as I previously mentioned."

"As would I," Loki agreed. "But now is not the time."

Next to the older man, Hiro rolled his eyes. He'd been awake for part of that before pretending to sleep had turned into actual sleep. He had no idea just how far the discussion had gone before they'd had to break away from it. He could see Baymax looking his direction, with the hint of a reminder that he should probably move around. His limbs said the same thing, the previous pins and needles sensation having faded.

Hiro stood and then wished he hadn't as the world seemed to swim around him. "Whoa." He almost immediately sat back down on the edge of the couch, his head spinning, and eyes going wide. In fact, the pupils dilated so much, they almost took up the entire space.

Daisuke reached out a hand to steady his young cousin, only to pull back his hand as he received a shock. It was more than the typical static shock, being more like he'd somehow managed to stick a non-insulated metal object into an electrical outlet. He grimaced in pain, shaking out his hand as a tremor of some kind ran down the length of Hiro's body.

Sensing something had changed, more than immediately seeing it, both Loki and Cass looked over in time to see Hiro close his eyes, neck stretched as he appeared to look up at the ceiling, except his entire body had gone tense, and his jaw was clenched.

Loki got up and cautiously walked over, noting that Daisuke was nursing his hand as if it had been burned. "I want you to very carefully stand up and move away from Hiro," he instructed. "If casual contact was enough to cause the sensation I believe you are feeling right now, I would hate to see what would happen if you were to make more physical contact with him."

"What's going on?" Cass wondered out loud, not really sure what she was witnessing. It was obvious something was going on with Hiro, though she had no idea what.

Baymax shuffled forward slightly, moving so he could get a better angle on the situation. "The energy around Hiro appears to have increased significantly," he reported. "This is likely due to the manifestation of an unknown phenomenon."

In the course of moving as carefully away from Hiro as possible, Daisuke gave Baymax a look. His hand still felt the sensation of being punctured by about a thousand or so fine needles, an unpleasant sensation to say the least. It almost reminded him of getting burned by that energy gun Franz Weinski had used back on the cargo ship he and Katou had stopped the year before. The sensations were similar.

"Don't."

The single word, spoken so forcefully, made Daisuke turn towards his cousin in an attempt to understand why such a command might be issued. With no context to the word, he had no idea what the teen didn't want to happen. It could be anything, and yet the force behind it demanded some kind of obedience.

In the short expanse of time that Daisuke's back had been to Hiro, the teen's head had snapped back to a more normal position, and he was now staring directly ahead. His expression was intense, his eyes glowing with that unnatural blue from before. There was no other way to say it. Hiro had to be experiencing another premonition.

"Don't what?"

Another tremor ran down Hiro's body and he grimaced as if in pain. "Haru! Suzue! Don't!"

Hearing those two names, Daisuke couldn't help but reach for his earring. "Suzue? Are you there?"

"Yes. Did you need something?" Suzue's voice came loud and clear over the link between them.

"Where are you now?" Daisuke asked, wanting to demand the answer but modulating his tone in the hopes of not causing any unnecessary panic.

"We're just about to leave the airport," Suzue responded. "Why? Is something wrong?"

At that moment, Hiro made a sound that was between a groan and a scream, his body tensing as his skin began to sweat. Even from where he was standing, a few feet from his cousin, Daisuke could feel heat radiating off the teen like a fire.

"Master Daisuke?"

Hiro began to pant, still grimacing, one arm going to his mid-section as he hunched slightly. Whether this was because he'd done something to exacerbate his incisions, or for some other reason, those present weren't sure, but it was certainly concerning.

"Master, Daisuke, please talk to me. What's going on?"

Half gasping breathes escaped Hiro's mouth as he looked down at his hand like there was something on it. It looked like he grasped something with that same hand and yanked it free from his body, an exclamation of pain following.

Cass came up behind Loki, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Can you see what he's seeing?" she wondered out of loud.

The Asgardian glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. "Unfortunately, I somehow doubt it wise to try at the moment," he admitted. "Whatever premonition has taken hold of him appears to be catastrophic in nature."

Hearing that, Daisuke thought it wise to insist Suzue and Katou remain where they were until he could gather more information. The knowledge that even Loki hesitated to try and figure that out in the same manner as before was more than a little disconcerting. But there had to be some way.

Cass positioned herself directly in front of Hiro, ignoring Loki and knelt so she was more or less at eye level with him as she pushed back a strand of her hair. "Sweetie, this is Aunt Cass. We need to know what you're seeing."

In response to her words, or perhaps because she was now the closest person to him, Hiro sort of snapped his attention to her, his neck almost cracking with the motion. He reached out a hand with the speed of a viper attacking to touch her face.

The sudden tensing of Cass's entire body was understandable, her eyes going wide as some of whatever energy he possessed passed to her. She let out a slight gasp as his hand withdrew just as quickly, her entire body suddenly devoid of energy. Loki caught her before she could fall back, a cacophony of images flashing before her eyes.

"What just happened?" Daisuke asked. Hiro's brief interaction with their mutual aunt had been so quick he'd almost missed it. The look of shock on her face was decidedly concerning but he refrained from going to her, seeing Loki already fulfilling that duty.

Cass felt like her body had been shot out of a canon, or maybe torpedoed into the ocean. Everything felt almost as if it was a half step out of alignment with reality. With eyes wide while her mind tried to process what had just happened, she almost missed Loki telling her she needed to breathe.

"There was a car," Cass said, her voice shaky. She could feel the ground beneath her, feel Loki's hands supporting her back from behind, but her mind was caught by the images Hiro had shown her. "It…" She had to swallow hard, emotion bubbling up as what she'd seen overlapped with memories from her past. "It rammed into the trolley with Suzue and Haru inside." She shuddered. "There was an explosion—"

Daisuke practically whipped his head around at that. "Suzue, whatever you and Katou do, stay where you are until I can send someone for you. Do not leave the airport."

"Kambe, what's going on?" Katou asked, having joined the conversation with his ear piece.

Loki had knelt so as to better support Cass, his hands gripping her shoulders. "Cass, I need you to try and focus," he said as gently as possible. A quick look up told him Hiro was still under the influence of whatever energy had possessed him. Well, one thing at a time, he supposed. "We need to know where this is going to happen."

Tears leaked out of Cass's eyes. "Please, no." She shuddered, turning into Loki's embrace. "Not again. I can't watch this again."

The God of Mischief wrapped one arm around her while bringing his other hand up to lightly touch her temple. It would be easier to look into her memories than to try and see Hiro's at the moment. All the same, as he made mental contact with her, he couldn't help but stiffen at what he saw, especially with the overlapping images of her brother's staged car crash on top of a similar vehicle colliding with a trolley car.

"Union Square, near Kearny and Geary," Loki reported, seeing the cross-street signs as he concentrated on the more recent event. "It's not an exact location, but as close as I'm going to get."

Daisuke pulled out his glasses and put them, instructing HEUSC to generate a map of the area, which he manipulated with his hands. "Judging from the location in question, and where Suzue and Katou are currently, this is likely to happen within the next twenty to sixty minutes. Unfortunately, I can't pin down a better time."

"Master Daisuke?"

Reminded that he had yet to inform his colleagues of current circumstances, Daisuke gave them an update. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure when this is supposed to occur, but it appears that in Hiro's current premonition, both you and Katou are somehow involved."

There was a moment of silence from across the airwaves while both Suzue and Haru digested this information before a reply came. "Understood. We will await your further instructions."

At that moment, Hiro let out a groan as his entire body shuddered. "Thanks for nothing," he said under his breath as his body collapsed to one side. Once more, his body went limp, his torso twisted slightly in a manner that was likely not comfortable, let alone helpful to his overall recovery.

Reacting on gut instinct, Daisuke lifted Hiro to a more upright position, only partially shocked there was no residual reaction from excess energy, just the tingle of static electricity. Knowing the overall motion might have caused some damage to the teen's incisions, he lifted Hiro's shirt to look at the bandages, which showed hints of blood. Daisuke quickly looked up and over at Baymax.

Correctly interpreting the man's unspoken question, Baymax scanned Hiro. "There is no cause for alarm," he stated, despite detecting a rise in vitals in Daisuke and the others. "It would appear that whatever residual energy Hiro may have possessed has sealed his incisions and healed any damage caused by his recent surgery."

"He's been healed?"

The robot contemplated that question for a moment before answering. "Yes. However, I believe the resulting trauma of this encounter will have other consequences."

Not sure how to take that, or if he was completely willing to take the robot's words as truth, Daisuke gently peeled back the medical tape holding the gauze in place. He was careful to remove it without causing any further injury, or touching the parts tainted by Hiro's blood. Once removed, he could see that the robot was right. The incisions that should have been there were fully healed, leaving only slight signs of scarring. "How is this possible?"

Loki stood, helping Cass to her chair. He'd noticed her limbs had yet to regain their full function, which didn't surprise him. "If I had to venture a guess, it would be that the energy he channeled for that premonition was somehow used to correct the damage. Unless he's somehow developed the ability to subconsciously heal his body, that's the only other explanation."

"We need to let Jack know about the crash," Cass spoke up, her mind still reeling from what she'd seen. Was that what he had to deal with on a constant basis? If so, she had no idea how he managed to keep sane.

Baymax's stomach lit up briefly. "I have sent the information to Jack," he informed as all eyes turned his direction. "At this time, I recommend preparing a nutrient dense meal. I believe it likely that Hiro's metabolism has changed as a result of his encounter. It would also be wise for Aunt Cass to consume something to boost her blood sugar levels and replenish her energy."

Not really hearing the robot, Cass shook her head as Loki bent to check on her. "I can't believe that's how Hiro's premonitions are. I don't even know how to process what I saw, let alone what I felt." She shivered slightly, prompting Loki to find a blanket to wrap around her shoulders.

Loki looked up at Daisuke. "I don't suppose you know how to cook, do you?" he asked.

The question made Daisuke look away slightly. Despite having had more experience with cooking in the last few months than he'd had previously, he definitely didn't feel comfortable with it. Yes, he'd successfully helped make some banana bread with his aunt, and had essentially followed directions to finish off a wok-full of stir fried rice, but he decidedly didn't feel that it qualified him for much else in that department.

"I take that as a no," Loki sighed. "I thought as much. Very well. Do you think you could handle ordering something for delivery?"

Daisuke's eyes went wide for a brief moment at the request. He had no real idea as to what might be available. But it was a relatively simple task, all things considered. "I'm sure I can manage."

Loki nodded. "Then I leave it to you while I attend to Cass. It would seem the experience might have been too much for her."

There was no real way of knowing what his aunt had seen, or experienced, as a result of the brief contact she'd had with Hiro. Having experienced something he felt might be similar, Daisuke felt certain it had to have been more than a little overwhelming, especially if it was the first time she'd experienced the teen's side of the equation. Even he hadn't exactly had that, just seeing the teen's memories and not a premonition. There likely was no reference point he could draw upon for it.

Glasses still on, Daisuke moved into the dining area and asked HEUSC to pull up a list of local restaurants that delivered. After scrolling through the various menus, he chose one he felt would supply the necessary requirements Baymax had outlined. He instructed HEUSC to place the order on his behalf.

"Balance Unlimited."

With that reply, Daisuke thought it best to make sure Hiro was still breathing, despite there not being any alarm raised by Baymax. Once that was done, he debated on how best to get Suzue and Katou back to the café.

Chapter 15: Chapter Fourteen: Becoming

After leaving the precinct, and rejoining with Maze, Lucifer wasn't sure what he wanted to do. The demon's errand had concluded far more quickly than anticipated, not that it had anything to do with current events. And now, with not much on his plate to accomplish until they received more information, he wasn't sure what to do so he simply drove around town.

"When are you going to tell them about the recent developments with the Rachel Amesbury case?" Maze inquired as they stopped at a red light. "I know it's possible it's nothing, but shouldn't they be made aware?"

Lucifer drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, a counterpoint to the song on the radio playing in the background. "Were you able to confirm anything about that besides the rumors?"

The demon frowned. "Unfortunately, no, but it's possible Jack might have more resources, as much as we both don't like him. That Kambe guy might have some, too. The rich do tend to have a lot of toys."

Lucifer sighed, knowing she was right. But he also didn't want to raise any false flags or expectations until they had something concrete to deal with. He worked his lips into a frown as he contemplated the possibilities. "Have any of our contacts been able to track that money stolen from the Federal Reserves?"

"No." Maze shook her head as the light turned green and Lucifer drove forward once more. "Whoever's sitting on that money is being really careful about it. Not that I'd expect us to know any sooner than other parties involved. You know they've flagged all the accounts. Unless whoever was behind this found a way to work around it, law enforcement will know before we do."

She was right and he knew it, but that didn't stop the irritation from surfacing. At this point of any game, he at least had something more to contribute, a suspect to question, or some tidbit of information he could dig up. Not having anything besides rumors, shadows of rumors, was more than a little disappointing. "What about the campus bombing?"

Maze ran one hand through her hair as they continued down towards the wharf. She wasn't sure if he had any destination in mind or was just driving to try and clear his head. It beat going back to the hotel and doing nothing, she supposed. "I figured I'd leave that to Hiro's friends for now," she admitted. "They're more likely to get a witness to come forward, being a peer and all."

"True." A wave of energy, almost like a beacon, seemed to light up the sky, but not in a manner that most mortals could see and the devil had to pull over or risk running into someone. He turned to look at his companion, his expression almost shocked. "Did you feel that just now?"

The expression on Maze's face almost mirrored his, though it was perhaps a shade more grim. "Unfortunately. And I'm pretty sure you know what it means."

The two of them had felt something similar before, back in Los Angeles. At the time, they hadn't exactly had the knowledge they did now, but there was no mistaking that energy for anything else. "Hiro," they said at the same time.

Whatever was going on, something had changed with the teen. The energy, though decidedly familiar, was on a different level than before. That could mean many different things, but chances were good something else had happened. Lucifer had no idea what, though, and that bothered him. "I think it might be a good idea to return to the café," he decided as he looked around to gauge the traffic around them, and his chances of making a U-turn.

"I think you're right," Maze agreed.

Seeing an opening, Lucifer gunned the engine, heading towards the first intersection where he could turn around and head towards their new goal.

---

When Hiro attempted to get up to walk around, he definitely had not expected to immediately fall back down into the quintessential rabbit hole. There had really been no warning, outside of a brief, intense sense of vertigo. The next moment, he was falling, only to land near the Union Square trolley station.

It took him a moment to understand what was going on. It was a typical busy day, with various trolley riders getting on and off at the main station. This was a hub for transitions, including from a bus line that came up from the airport. It was also used to transition from a taxi or similar to a more user friendly mode of transportation for Market Street, the Financial District, and the Wharf area. There was also a line that went past the Lucky Cat Café.

Suzue and Haru appeared in the crowd and boarded the trolley bound for the area with the Lucky Cat Café. Hiro found himself on the same trolley without having moved of his own volition. The two were chatting about something he couldn't really hear. It was almost as if everything was muted. It matched the slight haze around the corners of his eyes as well, almost like smoke.

As the trolley headed down the track, Hiro felt the back of his neck prickle, almost like someone was watching him. He turned this way and that, trying to see who it might be, but couldn't for the press of the people in the car, let alone the various pedestrians and the like on the sidewalks on either side of the tracks. The feeling grew in intensity as they approached a major intersection.

The faint screech of tires fighting against the pavement filled his ears and he looked up, noticing a car speeding towards his location. Eyes wide, he pushed to the side of the trolley where it would hit, waving his arms. "Don't!"

It was hard to see the driver. The late afternoon sunlight reflected off the windshield, possibly making it difficult for the driver to see out as well. But there was no mistaking the swerving of the wheel, sending pedestrians running in a panic, some even shaking angry fists as the vehicle passed them.

Behind Hiro, Suzue and Haru also managed to push their way to the side closest to the speeding vehicle. Their mouths moved but no sound seemed to come, drowned out by the sound of the approaching car. But the expressions of horror on their faces was unmistakable as they pointed before looking around as if trying to figure out a way to stop the impending tragedy.

Hiro wasn't sure if time sped up or slowed down. The next moment, he was no longer inside the trolley, but standing outside it on the sidewalk as the car slammed into its side at full speed. The larger vehicle rocked on its tracks, sending the passengers into each other, or out the open doorways and onto the street.

Haru looked up in shock, pulling something from his mid-section that was covered in blood. Suzue had lost all color in her face and was almost doubled over, the side of the trolley dented in near them.

"Suzue! Haru! Don't!"

He wasn't sure who he was talking to with his third word, but it wasn't the two friends in distress. He was about to head their direction when the car suddenly exploded, sending anyone and everyone near it back. Some people landed a good fifteen or so feet away. Others weren't so lucky, the nearest inanimate object stopping their progress in a painful manner. Even Hiro was thrown back by the blast, despite knowing he wasn't really there.

Almost as if from a great distance, he heard Aunt Cass talking to him as fire filled the area. The smoke was so intense, he wanted to cough but couldn't. Subconsciously, he reached out a hand, feeling the presence of skin he couldn't see as a smaller explosion filled the area. He felt the smallest bit of energy leave him as his hand fell back to his side and everything froze.

Through the smoke and flames, a man in a cloak strode towards him as if nothing was there. He almost reminded Hiro of a professor he thought he'd seen back at the New York Science and Technology Expo, but quickly brushed that thought aside. Either way, there was a power and majesty him that was hard to deny, despite the patch over one eye.

"Hello, young Hiro," the man greeted.

From his position on the ground, Hiro couldn't help but hunch over, one arm covering his mid-section. Part of him said this was because he was channeling Haru being impaled earlier, but another part of him said it was a reaction to real life and his recent appendectomy. Either way, it hurt a lot.

Now panting, Hiro looked up at the greeting. "Who are you? And why is this happening?"

The man gave a grim smile as he reached out a hand. "You are more in the moment than you realize," he stated. "Just as there is more to you than perhaps even you realize. However, there are people around you who are close to the truth about what you are becoming."

Grimacing in pain as the man helped him to his feet, and still hunching over to protect his injured mid-section, Hiro tried to make sense of what he was saying. "Becoming?"

"What did you think was happening?" the man admonished. "Your transformation began the moment you entered that portal, and it continues even now. You are on a path not of your own choosing, but one chosen for you. The choice you have to make is how you handle this transformation you are undergoing. Up until this point, you seem to have been floundering a bit, though you do seem to have gotten a grasp on some of your abilities as time progresses."

Hiro couldn't help but stare at this declaration. He'd already accepted that he was no longer quite human. And Tadashi had done a decent job of trying to guide him through things. He'd even gotten so far as to sort of gain some kind of control over some of his abilities. He suspected Loki knew more about what was happening to him than he let on, though. But the idea that this was something he was pretty much stuck with didn't bode all that well.

"You have certainly gained some knowledge," the man admitted. "But your growing abilities have begun to draw attention, mostly out of curiosity, but some from less than savory sources. It was no accident that you came in contact with my son, Loki. He, out of all those around you, is likely the best one to help guide you into what you are becoming, but even his knowledge is limited."

Realization dawned on the teen like a cloudless morning. "You're Odin."

Odin smiled. "Indeed, I am. And you are on the road of becoming something even more powerful than any mortal can ever imagine. As you continue to learn to harness your abilities, you will still struggle, but you will also come across those who can help you. There will also be some who wish to hinder you. Learn how to properly discern the difference and you will survive. Failure to do so will result in events the likes of which I'm afraid many might not survive."

Kally had been right when she'd mentioned her brief encounters with the All-Father. He loved his riddles, though Hiro suspected there was more to it than just trying to make him think outside of the box. "Can't do much at the moment," he said before thinking. "I know I should have worse injuries back a few months ago, but I have no idea how I managed that. Sure would be nice to know now."

The wizened man moved closer in one fluid motion, his hand reaching up to touch Hiro's forehead. "I can give you a jump start on that, much like another did several months back. However, you will have to figure out how to activate that power for yourself. For now, I offer a small gift, the energy you have amassed for the moment turned to something useful."

Hiro felt Odin draw something on his forehead with one thumb, though he couldn't understand what. "Thanks for nothing." The words came out of his mouth before he'd even thought to say something. And whatever it was he might have thought to say was certainly not that.

One moment he was standing there, slightly hunched over as Odin stood over him. The next moment he felt himself flying back in slow motion, much like the time the Ancient One had sent his soul flying like a booger, back to where he'd come from. And just like that time, he felt certain there would be repercussions as everything else faded from around him and he fell back into oblivion.

Chapter 16: Chapter Fifteen: Let's Go

The last thing Honey Lemon expected was to get a phone call from Jack Harkness. Typically speaking, he might call Hiro if something came up, even though he did have everyone's numbers. It was one of those things he'd insisted on last time they'd had to work together. But to have the man call her instead of Hiro was pretty much unheard of.

Eyes wide, Honey listened to whatever Jack had to say before hanging up and turning to the rest of her group of friends. "Guys, it sounds like we need to suit up and head to the intersection of Geary and Kearny."

The expression on Wasabi's face could only be called shock as he quickly looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear her. "Why would we do that?" Despite the question, he began heading towards the parking lot and his vehicle, where they kept a spare set of armor just in case. They hadn't always done this, but there had been enough times when something had come up that they'd decided it was a wise idea. Especially since they were about to head into the working world and might not be able to return to home base quickly.

GoGo was the next to question, even after Honey Lemon mentioned who the call was from. "He wants us to prevent a crash from happening? How does he even know there's going to be one?"

Honey resisted the urge to wring her hands as they walked. "Apparently Hiro had another premonition. Unfortunately, they aren't sure when it's going to happen, just that it's going to be soon, so we'd better hurry."

Nodding, Fred quickened his pace, forcing the others to match to keep up. "If Hiro says something's going to happen, we better believe him. Come on, guys. Let's go!"

It didn't take long to reach the van, Wasabi using the key fob to unlock it quickly so they could all get in. Fred, since all he had to do was basically dive into his kaiju suit, took the front passenger seat while Wasabi got behind the wheel. This left Honey Lemon and GoGo to take up the back, where they could use the middle seat as a sort of changing screen while they put on their hero gear.

"Wasabi, so help me, if we get there too late because you're driving is too slow, I will pummel you," GoGo warned as she donned her helmet. Part of her already wished she'd just taken over the driving from the start. Thankfully, the location in question wasn't that far away.

Teeth grit, knuckles a bit white as he gripped the steering wheel, Wasabi chose to ignore GoGo's comments in favor of making it out of the parking lot. Despite the hour, there were was still plenty of traffic near the SFIT campus, especially with the recent bombing. There were a lot of curious people who hoped to get a glimpse of the carnage by driving slowly past the location in question, even if it meant clogging up the parking lot.

Honey Lemon pulled on her platform boots and settled her chest armor into place. "It would be so much easier if Baymax were here and we could just fly over," she mused, but supposed it was for the best that the robot stay with Hiro. The teen probably needed him more than they did, though his overall size and strength would certainly be helpful. Not to mention his ability to fly.

With some careful driving, Wasabi was able to bring them to the location in question within a reasonable amount of time. The afternoon rush hour was closer to the end than it was to its beginning, which helped. All the same, Wasabi had to find a parking spot a bit out of the way, glad his windows were tinted as he took the opportunity to change in the now empty cabin of his vehicle while the others waited outside.

Fred had taken his suit from the trunk area, quickly diving inside and switching out his beanie for a bandana. The bandana was more expendable and less likely to fly off in the middle of battle. He clapped his covered hands together in excitement. "It's been a while," he admitted when GoGo gave him a look. "You'd be excited, too."

GoGo rolled her eyes, noticing when Wasabi joined them, carefully locking the van behind them. She shook her head but didn't comment. "Let's hope we're in time," she said as she slapped her skates onto her boots. "Let's go."

While GoGo took point, the others ran to keep up with her, Fred using his super jump to leap frog after her. This, of course, startled many pedestrians in the area, and caused a few cars to slow down as they noticed the iconic armor and grouping. Those used to the area knew something was going on and so decided it best to try and avoid the area. While those not familiar with the Big Hero 6 whipped out camera phones and tried to catch them on film. For the locals, it was less of a novelty and more of a call to evade.

"No signs of any speeding cars yet," Honey reported as she paused near the intersection in question. With her tinted visor down, no one could really tell who she was. The same could be said for the others, minus Fred. His Kaiju suit covered him completely. She turned towards the south to see if she could see anything in that direction but couldn't.

GoGo skated around the area, urging any pedestrians to keep a wide berth around the intersection. The occasional flash of light from the many phones taking photos was more than a little annoying, but she'd learned to ignore it. "Sure would be nice to have a better idea on timing," she griped. From past experience, she knew that wasn't necessarily going to happen.

From down the tracks, the sound of the trolley bell could be heard faintly as an elongated car made its way towards them. The vehicle in question was full of various riders, mostly tourists, judging from the amount of cameras and phones pointed towards the streets.

"What's the plan?" Wasabi asked, since none had been previously discussed earlier.

From what Honey had conveyed, chances were good the car in question had some kind of explosive device inside it, which didn't bode well. The fact that it was going to ram into a trolley car also meant that whoever was driving didn't care about human life.

Thankfully, no vehicle showed up to ram into this particular trolley car, giving them more time. Unless Hiro or Jack had somehow gotten the location wrong. While it wasn't likely, it wasn't impossible.

"We find a way to stop the car when it gets here," GoGo said, her voice grim. Similar thoughts to Wasabi's ran through her head. What kind of bomb was likely to cause the destruction they'd had described to them? Was it on a detonator? A timer? Or maybe set to go off on impact? There were too many questions and not enough answers to judge the situation accurately. Either way, someone was likely to get hurt.

Wasabi grimaced at that, clenching his gauntlet-covered fists as he looked upward. Why was it always so simplified? These things required steps to ensure the best results! Experience, of course, had taught him that sometimes you had to just wing it, but he didn't like it.

"Do you think he might have meant Third and Market?" Honey wondered as she looked around. "You can still see both Kearny and Geary from there. And there's more crossover with the tracks."

GoGo had to admit it made sense. As the second in command, Hiro being the first, she decided to make an executive decision. "All right, guys, we're going to Third and Market, which, if I remember right, is between two stations."

Fred jumped up in the air, one arm up as if punching the sky. "All right! Let's do this!" As someone who frequented the line, he had to agree with this assessment and was quick to follow after GoGo as she skated towards the intersection in question. Thankfully, it wasn't too far away.

With the trolley line, a train line, and traffic, the area was perfect for mass casualties and chaos, GoGo thought as they approached the skewed intersection. Add in the bus routes and you had a disaster in the making that was potentially much larger in scale than the one at SFIT earlier that day. Whoever was behind this had likely chosen their location with that in mind.

Since this area was different from the other, the trolley schedule was also different. GoGo could see one of the cars already heading their direction, going west to east, more or less. And, as before, there were those who caught sight of their iconic armor and were either making room or making a scene with cameras flashing. It was more than enough to make her grind her teeth. What did they think this was? An exhibition of some kind?

South of them, traveling up Third Street, came the sound of screeching tires. This was followed by the honking of many horns and the yelling and screaming of people as a vehicle careened across multiple lanes of traffic as if it didn't care who or what it hit.

"It's show time," GoGo stated in a calm voice as she pulled her throwing discs free of her back. "Wasabi! See if you can take out its tires! Honey Lemon, try to slow it down with one of your foam bombs! Fred, get those people out of the way!"

Wasabi gave her a salute as he ran towards the vehicle in question, dodging sightseers. In the meantime, Fred leapfrogged around the intersection, yelling at everyone to get out of the way. Some listened. Others thought it some kind of show and simply paused to offer applause. In a rare bout of frustration, Fred decided the best way to avert the oncoming tragedy was to stop the other car in question. He jumped directly in front of the trolley, forcing the driver to apply the brakes, along with a barrage of cuss words that stopped upon seeing the vehicle headed towards where the giant lizard-clothed man now stood.

Between the Kaiju-suited man and the incoming car, Honey Lemon programmed in several chem balls and threw them at the street to create a strong adhesive surface the tires of the incoming would hopefully stick to. But, as requested, she also prepared several foam balls to throw as soon as Wasabi had a chance to do his thing.

Now closer to the vehicle, GoGo noticed the individual behind the wheel didn't even seem to be driving. It looked to be on some kind of autopilot. She threw a disk, hoping to change the course of the vehicle even just a little bit. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Fred was not moving from the current collision course, intent on making sure the trolley didn't move. "Wasabi!"

In response to her part exclamation of agitation, part order, the OCD physicist ran near the vehicle, plasma blades activated as he swiped at the tires on one side. This left the car lopsided as it dropped several inches, throwing sparks. It was going too fast for him to try and follow up with the other side, but he tried to stab the other back tire before it passed him completely and rolled into the adhesive glue Honey Lemon had thrown earlier.

More screams filled the air as a child panicked and ran out into the street. Wasabi saw her at the last second and made a dive for it, rolling as he scooped her out of the way at the last second, inches shy of the gluey surface. "You're okay!" he tried to tell her as he got to his feet, hoping that was true.

Whoever was controlling the vehicle refused to let the adhesive deter them and pushed the car to try and move through the glue, even though it decidedly slowed things down. Honey Lemon now stood between the oncoming vehicle and Fred, who had still not moved, his arms held out wide in case the trolley driver got any ideas.

"Everyone, get out of the way!" GoGo yelled as a sort of popping sound filled the air. "Honey, throw that foam! It's gonna blow!"

Honey Lemon lobbed several chem balls at the vehicle as the strong glue finally managed to slow the thing down to almost a crawl. She had no idea how it was still able to keep moving but it somehow managed despite the industrial strength of her chemical formula. Four colored balls soared into the air and fell to the ground, two to either side of the vehicle, creating a barrier of sorts around the front section. The other two landed on the hood, the shells breaking on impact to coat the metal with industrial-grade foam, forming a sort of cave around the front half of the car.

Moments later, the ground shook as if from an earthquake as whatever mechanism inside the vehicle activated, sending shock waves outward. Honey Lemon lost her footing, falling to the ground with a thud sure to cause a bruise on her backside. Wasabi was shoved, child still in tow, to one side. He managed to take the brunt of the compressed air, wincing at the pressure as it pummeled his back. GoGo was thrown to one side like a rag doll.

"GoGo!" Fred's voice, though muffled by his hood, was still clear over the connected helmets' systems. He'd managed to reach the front of the trolley in time to keep several passengers from disembarking prior to the bomb going off, though it rocked the trolley car, possibly causing whiplash to many onboard. But, seeing his fiancé thrown, Fred didn't stay where he was for long as he bounded towards her.

The woman in the iconic yellow and black armor slowly pushed up from the ground, resisting the urge to shake her head or take off her helmet. Her ears were ringing. Having been closer than Honey Lemon, and more off to the side, she'd taken more of the impact, landing on her side, where the foam had diverted the forced of the blast. Her left shoulder hurt like nobody's business and she grimaced when Fred reached her, trying to help her up by grasping her shoulders from behind.

Outside of many ears ringing, there seemed to be a silence thicker than a shroud as everyone tried to digest just how close they'd come to something a lot worse than being thrown, or feeling like they'd tripped over their feet. And then the child Wasabi still held wailed in fear more than pain and he released her to her mother before slowly trying to stand. He wobbled a bit, unsteady on his feet.

Near the vehicle, a suit of iconic cherry red appeared as Baymax landed, minus the usual teen riding on his back. He had scanned everyone on his way down, noting that most present were more in a state of shock more than anything else. Since it wasn't the kind of shock that would require immediate medical treatment, he chose to focus on the four closest to his location. The man in the car was beyond needing assistance, having either been dead prior to the explosion, or as a result. There wasn't enough left to tell either way.

"Please prepare for departure," Baymax said as he moved to GoGo and Fred's side. Out of the four, GoGo had the worst injuries, which included a dislocated shoulder and various bruises on the side of her body that had slammed against the pavement.

Honey Lemon managed to get to her feet while the onlookers were still sorting themselves out. She shook her head to clear any last confusion, hoping the ear ringing would end quickly as she made her way over to Baymax. She was joined by Wasabi, who was moving a bit stiffly but appeared otherwise unharmed.

In the distance, sirens became audible as emergency responders rushed to the scene. Despite their years in service to San Fransokyo, the Big Heroes never stuck around once their part of the job was done. As such, Honey helped GoGo secure herself to Baymax's back, using the electromagnets supplied for that purpose while Wasabi, now more than used to events, chose to take a position on her right while Honey Lemon took the left.

Knowing exactly where they were headed after this, Fred didn't waste time waiting to see if Baymax would grab him from behind his Kaiju hood. Instead, he activated his super jump to leap clear of the area while Baymax launched into the air. It was better to not overbalance the robot since Wasabi usually hung from his left side while Fred clung to the right. And, with his super jump, he was able to quickly disappear while onlookers' attention was taken by the rush of emergency vehicles arriving on the scene. Jack was nothing if not thorough; likely having dispatched them as soon as he'd realized the exact location of the calamity.

---

Fred arrived at Wasabi's van before the others did, waiting for them to show up so he could safely remove his super hero gear without too many witnesses. He didn't have to wait long as Baymax landed not too far from them. He immediately shed the Kaiju suit in favor of helping GoGo down from the robot's back, tossing his suit to the ground in favor of helping.

"We need to get you to a doctor," Fred worried as he helped GoGo to the van, where he removed her helmet. Her shoulder was obviously out of joint. He couldn't help but notice her grimaces of pain as he tried to help remove the body armor. Her boots were the easiest parts to remove so he started there while she sat in the doorway of the main cabin of the van, trying to control her breathing.

GoGo hissed when he removed her armored sleeves, despite the care he took on her left side. Her overall black suit kept any skin from showing, while also giving some support, but it wasn't much. "Let Honey help with the rest," she said, trying not to sound too sharp, teeth clenched.

While Fred tried to help GoGo, Honey quickly removed her armor and changed into her more casual clothes from before. She took over helping her friend change, after encouraging Fred to get his suit out of sight. "Maybe you should have Baymax drop you off at the emergency room," she worried as she saw the bruising on GoGo's side. "I'm pretty sure you could pass this off as being at the scene without being involved." Worse to worse, they could see if Jack could clean up any camera footage to corroborate that story should anyone get too antsy with the security footage.

On the other side of the vehicle, hidden by a wall on two sides, Wasabi changed out of his gear as well, though he had every intention of taking a long shower once he got home. There was no way of knowing how dirty that section of the city was and he wanted to make sure he wasn't contaminated by anything he'd regret later.

"I agree with Honey Lemon's suggestion and will request that Daisuke manipulate any security footage to back up the suggested story," Baymax stated as he continued to stand guard over the area in case anyone got too curious about what was happening in that secluded section of the parking lot.

Fred looked over at that, having just stuffed his suit into the cargo area in back. "He can do that?"

The robot swiveled slightly to look at Fred as he came back around. "Yes. He has an AI similar to JARVIS that should be able to do this."

Fred nodded sagely. It would be just like a billionaire to have something like that. "I agree with this plan. Gotta look after my girl."

Now back in her normal clothes, minus the iconic black leather jacket, GoGo rolled her eyes as she cradled her arm. "What I want to know is why you're here and not with Hiro."

Baymax took a step back from the vehicle. "Aunt Cass asked that I assist," he stated. "Hiro is currently sleeping and should be fine for now. Aunt Cass assured me she would contact me should anything change."

It made sense, all things considered. And the robot's timely arrival had saved them some trouble all the way around.

"I can just drive you over if you'd rather not fly there in Baymax's arms," Wasabi offered, now feeling more like himself. "That might be easier to sell than having Baymax fly you over there since he only showed up at the last minute."

GoGo nodded. "I think that might be better," she stated. It would likely be easier to manipulate any footage of a vehicle than it would be to add an entirely new element. That and it would mean less perceived involvement of the Big Heroes in general, something she felt might be a good idea.

Honey Lemon packed their gear back into the duffel bags they'd originally stowed them in, and secured them back into the compartments meant for the fold-down seats. Since they didn't use the seat-stowing option often, it made sense to use that space for other things. Fred's suit, being too large for such a thing, was already taken care of, though Honey threw a blanket over it just in case.

"If you no longer require my assistant, I will return to the Lucky Cat Café," Baymax announced.

While Fred helped GoGo put on her seat belt in the front passenger seat, Wasabi went around to the driver's side. Honey Lemon double-checked to make sure there was nothing visible that would give their secret identities away before going up on her tiptoes to give Baymax a kiss on his helmet. "Tell Aunt Cass thank you for us," she requested.

For the briefest of moments, Baymax's cheeks showed red, though it was just as quickly gone. Even though Honey Lemon knew it was a programmed response, part of her couldn't help but feel the robot somehow was pleased and slightly embarrassed by her attention. With the tall woman now safely inside the van, the robot stepped out and away from the vehicle before jettisoning off into the sky, giving Wasabi more than enough room to back up and be on his way to the hospital. He'd already contacted Daisuke, asking that he have HEUSC alter the camera footage in question.

Chapter 17: Chapter Sixteen: Hoshino

For the second time that day, Lucifer and Maze approached the private entrance to the Hamada home. They were only mildly surprised when Loki answered the door. "Surprise!" Lucifer said at Loki's quizzical look. "May we come in?"

Looking somewhat annoyed, Loki held the door open to let both pass through and into the entryway. "If you're looking for Hiro or Cass, they are both currently sleeping," he informed. What he'd really hoped was that the doorbell was a food delivery person, not the devil and his demon spawn.

Lucifer appeared a bit put out by that announcement. "Well that's no fun," he grumped. "I was really hoping I could talk to Hiro. I gather he had another one of his premonitions. I could feel it all the way by the wharf."

As much as Loki wanted to be surprised by this, he couldn't find it in him to feel that emotion. "He did," he confirmed. "Unfortunately, it took a lot out of him, as usual. If you want to talk to him about it, I suggest coming back tomorrow."

Maze looked on impassively. It was clear to her they weren't expected or wanted. "Maybe we should return to the hotel," she said in Lucifer's ear. "I don't think we'll get much of anywhere tonight."

Now more annoyed than anything at her observation, Lucifer rolled his eyes. "I could have told you that," he said before straightening his jacket. "Fine. But please do tell Hiro we came calling. We really do need to have a chat."

Opening the door again for them to leave, Loki stood to one side. "I'll be sure to inform him," he promised. He just didn't say when he would. As he looked out the doorway while the two left, the Asgardian noticed a flash of red before it disappeared behind the building. This prompted him to follow the two visitors outside, except he deviated to head towards the garage instead of keeping an eye on the departing duo.

Seeing the garage door closed, Loki opened it enough to slip inside, noticing Baymax had returned from his errand. "Welcome back," the God of Mischief greeted as he moved to help divest the robot of his armor. He'd gotten decent at the task and soon had Baymax back to his normal form. "I hope everything went well."

"Yes," the robot answered as Loki put his helmet away. "Did I miss anything while I was away?"

Loki had to laugh slightly at that. Sometimes he forgot Baymax was really a robot and not something more, though he occasionally wondered. "Cass fell asleep soon after you left, admittedly with a bit of help." He looked at his hand for a moment.

After hearing the Big Heroes were up against a potentially nasty situation, Cass had insisted Baymax go help out where he could. Even without Hiro there, she knew the robot would be helpful. Soon after that, however, the fatigue, mental, physical, and emotional, hit her like a freight train. The Asgardian had thought it best to help her doze off for the time being. He hadn't expected the robot back so soon, though, but wasn't displeased.

Once more, the garage door was opened to let both Loki and Baymax out, and was then shut again to keep out prying eyes. Skirting the vehicles in the driveway, the two made their way back inside and up to the second floor. "Were the others able to diffuse the situation?" Loki asked as they crested the stairs.

Sitting at the dining room table, Daisuke looked up from working on whatever it was he was doing with his virtual toys. It looked like he might have been typing something but Loki wasn't sure. His interest in the conversation was obvious, despite the dark glasses he wore.

"Yes. While they were unable to disarm the bomb, they were able to contain the explosion, which resulted in minimal injuries to all civilians in the area," Baymax reported. "GoGo had to be taken to the hospital to treat a dislocated shoulder. The others received only minor injuries."

Loki nodded as he joined Daisuke at the table. They'd moved Cass to her room earlier, though Hiro still lay, asleep, on the couch near the back wall. There was no way of knowing how long he'd be out. It was at Baymax's insistence they leave him where he was so he could more easily monitor both him and his aunt at the same time.

"Reports are already starting to surface about the incident," Daisuke spoke up as he swiped at some invisible screen only he could see. "Most of it appears to be speculation, but I was able to have HEUSC manipulate any video footage to suit our needs prior to their being pulled."

That announcement brought a smile to Loki's face. He wasn't even sure if he'd bring it up to Jack or not, though it was likely the man could figure things out on his own. Either way, he didn't care if the man approved or not. "I'm just glad they were able to diffuse the situation."

For the second time in less than an hour, a knock came at the door below. Loki sighed. "What now?"

Baymax turned to scan the area in question. "It would appear that there is a delivery," he announced.

Daisuke removed his glasses. "It's probably the food I ordered."And while he normally would let someone else take care of it, he chose to go down to the door himself to accept the delivery.

"When I decided to come over," Loki mused, "I had no idea just how busy things would be. Though I suppose one can safely say there is never a dull moment when it comes to this household."

The robot made no comment. Instead, Baymax blinked at Loki before waddling to the back of the second floor to check on Hiro.

Daisuke soon reappeared at the top of the stairs with several delivery cartons, prompting Loki to head over to help unburden him. "Just how much did you order?" the Asgardian wondered aloud as he set down the Chinese Takeout on the table. It helped that someone had put the containers in bags, but there was decidedly more than just four people could eat.

"Did you forget about the others already?" Daisuke said in amusement. "Katou and Suzue should be rejoining us shortly." While Loki had been busy tucking Cass into bed, the Kambe head of house had ordered a Lift for the rest of his party so they could rejoin them without having to worry about the chaos that was likely still ongoing at the trolley incident. An update from HEUSC indicated they should arrive any time now.

For the third time in so many minutes, a knock sounded again. "And here they are," Daisuke said as he headed back down to open the door after depositing his share of the takeout bounty. He returned only a minute or two later, with Haru and Suzue in tow, both looking hot and tired despite having ridden over in a car.

"I never want to have to do that ever again," Haru stated as he found the nearest chair and fell into it. "I don't know what was up with that driver, but he refused to turn on the air conditioner. It was boiling hot in there."

Suzue nodded in agreement. "The hanger was bad enough. But just because our driver wasn't hot doesn't mean we weren't!"

Deciding to show some kindness, Loki brought out a pitcher of chilled water, along with some cups. "Unfortunately, I've noticed that not all natives are sensitive to the needs of their visitors," he soothed.

Haru accepted a cup of the cold water with a nod of thanks. "What I really want to know is what happened and why we needed to divert from our original plans." He looked directly at Daisuke, as he was the one who'd been contact with them about the whole situation, albeit without the details he would have liked.

In answer to his words, Daisuke removed his watch and pointed it at the nearest blank wall before touching his earring. "HEUSC, please show the unedited footage from the trolley incident."

"As you wish, sir."

A stream of light came from the miniature projector built into the watch, showing the footage in question on the far wall. When it became obvious the room might be a bit too light to see it accurately, Loki quickly shut a few curtains to diminish the interior lighting without turning off the overhead lights. Since the cameras that had caught the scene in question didn't record sound, there wasn't any to be had and they had to content themselves with just the visuals.

It was almost like watching a silent movie, except in full color. There was no mistaking who the Big Heroes were in their iconic colors of mottled blue, green, yellow, and pink and purple, with black, skin-tight suits underneath their armor. Minus the Kaiju. There was no way of knowing what he had on underneath that outfit, but it seemed more than sufficient to get the job done. And, having met the team, it also wasn't hard to guess which was which.

When Fred jumped in front of the trolley, both Haru and Suzue held in gasps, not sure if the car would stop in time. This reaction was followed by sighs of relief when the trolley did stop. And then the angle switched to Wasabi and GoGo trying to stop the car, with Honey Lemon throwing some colorful orbs. They weren't sure why she'd thrown them, until they burst on the street, spreading some kind of goo across the pavement.

"I gotta admit," Haru spoke up as they watched their attempts to make the vehicle stop its forward progress, "they do work well together."

And then they reached the part where Honey Lemon tossed several orbs that burst into foam, which seemed to almost stop the vehicle in its tracks. Except that the thing seemed to explode moments later, the concussive force throwing back anyone in the immediate vicinity and out, like a ripple on the water. Those closest were thrown the most, with those further away, mainly pedestrians and other onlookers, were merely pushed over or into each other.

Suzue winced as she noticed GoGo go down. Part of her couldn't help but think that if the woman had worn one of their ASV suits, any damage would have likely been a lot less than she knew it had to be. It was understandable that the other members of the team would rush to her aid as quickly as their own ailments allowed.

The footage ended with the appearance of Baymax, who then helped them leave the scene moments before the emergency services arrived. And with that, the projection ended, leaving the room as silent as the video had been.

After a moment or two, Daisuke reached over and retrieved his watch, slipping it back over his hand and securing it. "After the fact, I was asked to have HEUSC edit some of the footage so the one in yellow, GoGo, was shown as a civilian in case of questions. She was sent to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder. As for the others, I don't know what injuries they may have sustained."

Haru looked thoughtfully around the room. "That big one in red—that was Baymax?" He glanced over at the robot in question.

Sensing the attention, or maybe just hearing his name, Baymax swiveled around to face him. "Yes," he responded. "I arrived in time to safely transport everyone away from the scene. As for the others, they did not sustain any injuries requiring medical attention. There were some contusions, but nothing of concern."

The Japanese cop nodded. They were lucky they'd gotten out of that without worse injuries. Just watching it had made him cringe. "What about the driver?"

Daisuke shook his head. "From what I can tell, it's possible he wasn't alive to begin with. While you were gone, I looked at some stills from the scene and it didn't appear that he was conscious." What he didn't say was that it reminded him of what he'd learned about the crash that had killed Hiro's parents all those years ago. The similarities were too close to dismiss and he for sure meant to get his hands on the reports as soon as they were available.

At that moment, Suzue's stomach gave a growl and she responded with an embarrassed half smile. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "We didn't have much for lunch." She glanced at the takeout containers sitting on the table. "I don't suppose…?"

"Aunt Cass asked that I order dinner," Daisuke stated as he went to open some of the containers. "She's currently asleep, but I don't know think she'll mind if we don't stand on ceremony just this once."

Loki went for the plates and cutlery. "I'm sure she'll be more than understanding," he assured as he set them on the table. It helped that Daisuke was the one who'd actually purchased the food, and that the woman in question was still asleep. He made a mental note to go and check on her once the others were settled.

The next few moments were filled with a bit of shuffling as chairs were moved and everyone situated. Plastic bags were removed to make things easier, while all the containers were opened and service utensils added. Daisuke had asked HEUSC to take care of the order and the AI had seen fit to make sure that included fried rice, orange chicken, beef and broccoli, spring rolls, and an assortment of other protein dishes the others weren't familiar with. Daisuke supposed that's what they got when he let the AI butler decide based off of overheard conversations.

The Asgardian made sure to make up two plates for both Hiro and Cass, going off what he knew of both their tastes. He made sure to set those aside before joining the others. He was only mildly surprised at the hunger shown by both Suzue and Haru once they officially began the meal, though, given what Suzue had said, he supposed he shouldn't be.

Over the next twenty to forty minutes, conversation included speculation about the current case, a discussion of the Big Heroes and their recent encounter with the car bomb, and Haru and Suzue's adventures with the mobile command center. In the background, Baymax listened in, keeping a tab on Cass and Hiro, who were both still sleeping.

When the meal was over, and everything cleaned up, Daisuke thought it might be a good idea to head back to the hotel. Despite his nap, he was tired and wanted to sleep in a bed more suited to his tastes. The one he'd slept on earlier wasn't bad, but it hadn't done his back any favors. That and he was looking forward to soaking in a heated tub. He felt sure the others were ready to call it a day as well.

"Please let me know when my aunt and cousin wake up," he requested of Loki as the group from Japan made their way out to their car. "And I'm sure it goes without saying, please let me know if anything else happens. I'd prefer to stay on top of things." Eventually he planned on sitting down with the God of Mischief and having a longer heart to heart, but that could wait until later. For now, it was best they head out.

After agreeing, Loki shut the door behind them before returning to the upper floor. There he made sure to check on both Hamadas before settling in to wait for either or both of them to wake from the day's ordeal.

---

Ryo Hoshino hadn't expected Kambe to send a private plane to pick him up at the Haneda Airport. He supposed it could have just as easily been at the Narita Airport but was glad it wasn't. It was further away and he wasn't sure he wanted to spend any more time sitting than he had to. Granted, most of his travel time would likely involve him sleeping, but he didn't like to be idle any longer than he had to be.

The fact that Kambe had called him in the small hours of the morning had definitely not put the Division One detective in a good mood. But, he supposed it could be accounted for with the notion that Daisuke had simply forgotten the time differences, or maybe just didn't care. Either way, he'd been up and ready to fly out before his usual start time for work, having already gotten the go-ahead from his division chief. Kambe had to have pulled some serious strings to make that happen.

If Hoshino was correct in his calculations, his current travel arrangements would bring him to San Fransokyo sometime around midnight their time. He wasn't entirely sure about that because he was basing this off of commercial airline speeds. But he figured it would take about eleven hours. And since he hadn't really had the chance to sleep much thanks to the early call, he knew he'd sleep most of the time while onboard.

Kambe had better have someone there to pick him up, Hoshino thought as he settled into his seat in the private jet. The fact that the stewardess looked wide awake didn't improve his mood, but he was civil. He wasn't about to embarrass his country, or his division, by being inhospitable. That and it went against his personality.

It had taken him about an hour to wake up and pack his bags after Kambe's call. During that time, he'd received a mail from his superior approving the time away. And then he'd had to make his way to the airport, which wasn't as hard as it would have been during normal business hours, but presented its own challenges for the same reason. If it hadn't been for Kambe sending a car, he might have had some issues. All the same, the drive had taken some time, during which he supposed the plane had been prepped.

Of course, once he arrived at the airport, he had to go through the private terminals and all the various passport control checks. And this was on top of checking his luggage through security. It had helped that Kambe, once again, had smoothed the process for him, but it was still a pain and he'd had to down a coffee to keep himself awake enough to endure it all.

Now, sitting in the plane, waiting for it to taxi down the runway, Hoshino couldn't help but wonder just why on earth the billionaire detective needed his assistance. He hadn't exactly been clear about that over the phone, keeping things brief. He supposed that might be due to the man's need to get everything arranged, though he could be wrong. Kambe could probably get it all done in his sleep with the help of his AI butler, HEUSC.

When the stewardess came back around from wherever she'd been up front to check his seat belt prior to takeoff, Hoshino was more than ready to be in the air, have his seat reclined, and to go back to sleep. The coffee hadn't been large, so there wasn't much caffeine to contend with. That and the lack of overall sleep pulled at his eyelids. He wasn't sure if he would feel the lag once he arrived in the states or not and didn't immediately care.

Overhead, the seat belt sign lit up near the front of the cabin. Unlike in commercial liners, there wasn't one over every single seat. He supposed that was due to the fact this was a smaller jet with limited seating. He almost wondered if this was the same plane the Hamadas had used to get to Japan in and then dismissed the notion. Kambe had likely gone all out for that escapade.

The captain came over the speakers, announcing that they were ready for departure and Hoshino noticed the stewardess preparing for takeoff by taking a seat near the galley. Not too long after that, he felt the plane begin to taxi, his window shade being pulled down so he couldn't see the tarmac outside. And soon after that, they were taxiing down the runway and into the air.

As far as takeoffs were concerned, this one was pretty smooth, though it was a bit more intense than he might have felt on a larger commercial liner. All the same, once the plane leveled out to its intended flight path, he was more than happy to stand and let the stewardess adjust his seat into a pseudo bed so he could catch some sleep, hoping that when he did wake up, he'd already be in American.

Chapter 18: Chapter Seventeen: Comparisons

Jack fell back onto the couch of his mini suite hotel. Unlike other places he'd stayed in, this one wasn't meant for any kind of living in or entertaining, but he'd learned from previous experiences it was a good idea to have a place close at hand that didn't break the bank.

The room was long, sort of divided with a good-sized living room area that had a partial wall hiding the bed from view. But there was also a desk and a nice-sized television in the bedroom area, and a mini fridge. The bathroom wasn't bad either. It was a definite upgrade to some places he'd stayed in. And he'd learned from experience that sometimes it was better to not try and weasel in on someone else's accommodations.

He supposed he could have just transported back to his place, but that took more brain power than he'd wanted to extend for the moment. That and it was easier for people to find him this way, as opposed to being all the way in another country, even if he did get unlimited worldwide coverage with his cell phone. It was one of the perks of his job, and who he knew.

The second bombing incident was a bizarre counter to the first. The lab was still processing everything but it didn't look like the bomb was of the same C4 construction as the previous one. At least it wasn't in that they hadn't used prima cord. There was also a potential difference in the detonation mechanism. The first seemed to be set via a simple remote using a phone. The second was a lot more complex, potentially set to go off after hitting an opposing force at the right strength.

A few other points of difference were the delivery methods. The first was obviously put there in advance, potentially on the "quick when no one was looking" side. It had been a bit sloppy. The second bomb came delivered via a self-driven car with a supposed driver at the wheel to make it look like someone was pulling a kamikaze move. They'd found remains of the remote device under the steering wheel, partially burnt by the blast but still recognizable.

In regards to the man behind the wheel, as surmised by some on his current team, he'd been either unconscious or dead at the time of the incident. The autopsy hadn't come back yet so he couldn't be sure about that. But he was a known drunk in the area. And, as in a case he'd uncovered from almost fifteen years prior, the car had been stolen. The interesting point was the case he'd found that held similarities involved the Hamada family. He'd definitely need to look into that.

Jack sat up, partially wishing he had a mini bar in his room. He really needed a stiff drink at the moment. He'd probably regret it in the morning, but that was neither here or there. It was just bizarre how everything seemed to somehow connect with previous cases involving certain individuals. Or at least appeared to do so.

Since he'd only seen the fourteen-odd-year-old report shortly before calling it a night, he hadn't really delved into it, but had someone looking into things. The initial ruling was that it was a drunk driver who'd lost control, but added notes from some unknown entity suggested otherwise. He wanted to know who that entity was and how they'd known.

All this thinking in circles was making his head hurt so Jack stood and went to his overnight bag to retrieve the small bottle of whisky he had procured earlier. It wasn't his drink of choice but served in the case of an emergency. Its smaller size meant he likely was only going to get buzzed, which was hardly fair, but he didn't really feel like going out on the town, nor was he familiar with the local bars. If this had been Los Angeles, he'd have gone to Lux, if for no other reason than to annoy Lucifer. But he didn't even know where the devil was staying, not that he couldn't find out. He just didn't care.

There was also the question of who Daisuke Kambe was, outside of a man with no budget limit and somehow being related to Cass and Hiro. Initial inquiries provided a backdrop of a typical high society lifestyle, the man only recently taking over the family business within the last year or two. His grandmother was in prison for the murder of his mother, which was always an interesting tidbit. And he hadn't had the chance to look further than that, minus the fact that the man was a police detective and had ties to many of the international law enforcement agencies. Like himself, Daisuke was probably more of an operator than a cop.

Upon meeting Daisuke, Jack found he wasn't even tempted to flirt with him. It was not necessarily unusual, but definitely a reason for pause. The two people with him, on the other hand… he'd been tempted. But the timing hadn't exactly been appropriate and so he'd refrained. He hadn't had a chance to look into them either, but assumed Suzue was somehow related to Daisuke, if for no other reason than they had the same last name. Whether that was blood relation, or by marriage, he wasn't sure yet.

And then there was Haru Katou, who he knew to also be a cop. From what he could tell, the man was a no-nonsense type. It would be fun to mess around with him if for no other reason than because he could. Then again, with a partner like Daisuke Kambe, who knew what he was used to? The rich had a tendency to be temperamental, or at least eccentric. Perhaps there was more to them all than met the eye.

Downing the rest of his whisky in one gulp, Jack decided all this mental energy would be better used by trying to get some sleep. One never knew what the day might bring, especially not when terrorists and Hiro were concerned. It wasn't that they were synonymous or anything, but things definitely got interesting when the two collided. With that in mind, he tossed the now empty bottle, turned off the lights, and went to bed.

---

When the private jet arrived in San Fransokyo, it was every bit as dark as Hoshino thought it would be. Due to a bit of turbulence, he hadn't gotten as good of sleep as he'd hoped. But, since it was also still technically the middle of the night, he hoped he'd have the opportunity to get a bit more before he had to be up and active.

Once again, the stewardess had been a lot more alert than he was. He'd had enough presence of mind to grab his small carryon case before leaving the cabin and walking down the short set of stairs to the tarmac. Despite it being night, the temperature was moderate, not balmy or chilly. He supposed that was due to the difference in location but didn't want to dwell on it.

Someone, and he didn't have enough mental energy to really bother with who, escorted him through the appropriate protocols as he made his way into the private section of the airport and through passport control. This person then escorted him through the various corridors and whatnot to a car where a driver took over once his luggage had been stowed in the trunk.

Safely in the back of the sedan, Hoshino had little mental energy to look around at his surroundings, though he might have seen a bevy of colored lights and interesting architecture best viewed in daylight, if he'd thought to look. But, since his brain still felt like it was oozing out his ears, he was too distracted to really notice. All he could hope was that the drive to whatever hotel Kambe had set up for him wasn't too long.

As they made their way through the various streets, most of which were pretty empty, Hoshino had a chance to try and contemplate just what Kambe wanted from him. There were multiple possibilities. Chances were good it had something to do with his extended family in the States, though, so he felt a need to keep that in mind.

Despite his limited experience with the younger Hamada, he knew there was something different about the teen. If anything was going on, Hiro's involvement was likely. Whether this was just from proximity or some other reason, he wasn't sure, but he felt certain the teen was involved. His previous research into him told him there was a lot more to the kid than met the eye. And the fact that the reports of his involvement in the Japan incident a few months back had essentially been classified said volumes. Just who was this kid anyway?

While these thoughts went through his head, the driver made his way to the hotel where Daisuke and the others were staying. Upon arrival, he called back at his passenger, who seemed to have dozed off, before opening the door.

Hearing the driver leave the vehicle, Hoshino came back to himself enough to let himself out of the car. A bellhop was there to help him with his luggage, loading it onto one of those hand-pushed trolleys. It was kind of nice to not have to lift a finger, though he had no idea what room he was expected to go to, even if the bellhop already seemed to know. They totally bypassed the concierge desk in favor of the elevator.

Hoshino's eyes widened when the bellhop pressed the elevator button for the top floor. His mind was too overwhelmed to really take in all that was happening. As they exited the elevator and made their way to the end of the hall, he didn't even register the fact that there were fewer doors than he was used to seeing in a hotel. Not to mention the fact that these doors appeared to be far fancier than what he'd normally expect.

Upon reaching the end of the hall, instead of handing him a room key, the bellhop knocked. It was a polite, light tap, which Hoshino could appreciate, but he wasn't sure what to expect from this behavior. When the door opened, and Daisuke Kambe appeared on the other side, understanding washed over him. Behind the man was what appeared to the living area of a large suite.

"Hoshino," Daisuke greeted. "So glad you could make it."

Stepping aside, Kambe waited for the bellhop to bring the luggage inside, Hoshino following behind him in a daze. "Wait. Is all this space for you?"

Daisuke smiled in a way he wasn't sure how to interpret. "I'm sharing it with Suzue and Katou, of course. And now with you."

"Wait." Hoshino's brain seemed to stop working. "I'm staying here?" He looked around, eyes wide as he tried to take in the grandeur that wasn't quite on the same level as the Kambe Estate but came pretty close.

The head of the household nodded curtly. "Yes. I believe Katou's room has two beds." He pointed towards the bedroom in question. "He's currently asleep. And I may or may not have forgotten to tell him, so keep that in mind."

Halfway across the room after Daisuke had pointed out which bedroom he was to share, Hoshino paused. It was hard to tell if the man was being serious or not. He didn't know him well enough to tell. He blinked a few times, his thoughts feeling even more sluggish. When he turned around, he noticed Daisuke headed towards another room with a backward wave. Chances were good he wasn't going to get anything else out of the man until after the sun had come up. The fact that Kambe had stayed up at all to greet him was probably about as accommodating as he was willing to be for now.

With a sigh, Hoshino grabbed his suitcase and headed towards the room he'd been assigned to. It wasn't the first time he'd had to share space with Katou, though it usually wasn't in the capacity of sharing space in a hotel. Well, since he doubted there were other rooms, and Kambe probably wanted to keep him close, it was likely too late to request a separate room. He opened the door and stepped into the room beyond, hoping Daisuke had been right about there being a second bed.

---

Hiro felt like he'd been a bit of a prick. In fact, he was pretty sure he'd been downright rude to Odin. How on earth could have done that? Mentally, he scolded himself over that. Had he really told the All-Father "thanks for nothing"? If Aunt Cass found out, she'd be furious. Or at least irate.

The teen had no idea how long he'd been out of it when he came to once more. What he did know was he felt shame for his parting words. And his body felt like jelly, despite the fact that Odin had essentially told him he was going to help him out. Part of him wondered if this was how Kally had felt after Odin had done something similar for her. The Asgardian had hinted there might be consequences for such help, more implied than spoken.

From what he could recall of Kally's encounter with Odin and his runes, whatever he'd done to her with them had awakened her Valkyrie side, but had left her body in a weakened condition. She'd had to relearn how to walk, even if it had happened at a faster rate than was typical. And it had taken her body a while to catch up with what her activated DNA said was possible. He couldn't help but wonder if something similar was going on with him.

There was an upside, he supposed. At the present moment, he felt no pain from his abdominal area, which was nice. Prior to whatever had happened, he'd felt some almost gut-wrenching pain before everything sort of just went numb. He'd attempted to stand, hadn't he? That bit was still a bit hazy.

And then there was whole vision of the trolley crash and various individuals involved. Had he managed to let the others know? And if so, had they managed to avert disaster? The last two premonitions were certainly outside the usual, with his inability to recall if he'd been able to convey them to anyone or not. He'd become so caught up in the moment it was impossible to tell.

A thought niggled at the back of his mind and he vaguely recalled Aunt Cass calling out to him as if from a long distance. He'd tried reaching out to her, unsure if he'd made contact or not. But he'd touched someone. He was sure of that much at least. He recalled the feel of skin much cooler than his, and the recollection of some of his energy leaving him. He hoped whoever he'd touched hadn't had any adverse reactions as a result.

Now looking around, Hiro realized he wasn't in his room. He was still on the couch, lying there like he'd had a sleepover. Baymax wasn't too far away. And, judging from the amount of light, it was dark outside, though he wasn't entirely sure on the time.

Noticing his charge had woken up, Baymax waddled forward and leaned forward slightly. "Hello, Hiro," he greeted in quiet tones. "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"

Hiro had to take a moment to evaluate himself. As far as he could tell, there wasn't any pain, just the sensation that his body had no bones in it at all and he conveyed that to his robotic companion.

"I can confirm that you do indeed have all of your bones intact," Baymax stated. "However, it is possible that, like in Japan, the energy you expounded was more than your body had to give. It will likely take some time for your body to recover enough energy to function as you are accustomed to. Would you like something to eat?"

The suggestion reminded Hiro that he hadn't eaten in some time. And, not knowing what the actual time was, he wasn't sure exactly how long it had been since he'd last eaten. "For sure," he said without thinking. His mind was preoccupied with other things, most of which he couldn't even put into words. It was like part of his mind was playing the fuzzy snow on an old-school television when it wasn't quite tuned right. The rest was jumbling everything together like someone throwing random crap into a blender.

Baymax waddled off while Hiro's mind was thus occupied, heading for the kitchen. It was probably a good thing they'd left Hiro in a somewhat upright position instead of putting him prone on the cushions. It helped that the couch in question wasn't quite long enough to accommodate that either.

Hiro was momentarily surprised when Baymax returned a few minutes later with a plate loaded with what looked like a mix of Chinese takeout. It was cold, having likely been in the fridge, but he doubted the robot had wanted to try to use the microwave to heat everything up.

With a plate now in his lap, Hiro decided to test the theory that he actually had some motor function, not having previously done so. It would suck if, like so many times before when he'd experienced any kind of energy overload, he wasn't able to even lift a finger. With a large exhalation of breath, he decided to give it a go.

It was true his limbs didn't have much strength, but he was able to move his hand and fingers to grip the fork Baymax had thought to add. He felt grateful the robot hadn't gone with chopsticks, which he doubted he had the current dexterity to use. But, with an awkward grab, he could manage the fork and so tried to lift it.

In many ways, Hiro felt much like he had when he'd somehow become transformed back into a toddler. He had to hold the fork with his whole hand and scoop, hoping nothing fell off the utensil. It helped that a lot of the rice had clumped up as it got cold, the various sauces and whatnot helping everything to stick to the small grains. But he managed to lift a forkful to his mouth without too much trouble, though some of the rice did fall off and back to the plate.

Hiro closed his eyes as he tried to savor his first bite. This was probably the most solid food he'd eaten in a while and, even though he knew it was likely takeout, it tasted pretty good. It would be even better if it would melt in his mouth and he didn't have to chew but he was willing to overlook that, as the rice was tender despite being cold. It had nothing on Aunt Cass's cooking though.

"You're awake," Loki said, prompting Hiro to open his eyes. He hadn't even heard the God of Mischief enter the room.

Swallowing his food, Hiro looked up with a sort of chagrined smile. "Yeah. And just about as worn out as you were that first time you delved into my head."

Loki laughed lightly at that. "I'm sure. I'll forgo asking how you feel since you still seem to have your humor intact. I'm sure Baymax has already taken care of that at any rate." He moved to sit next to the teen. "You may be interested to know your aunt is still asleep after yesterday's events. I'm afraid you sharing your premonition with her was a bit too much for her to handle."

"Ah crap," Hiro exclaimed. "Don't tell me that wasn't just part of me dreaming." He groaned, his fork-wielding hand resting on his knee. "Unbelievable."

The Asgardian reached out a hand to touch Hiro's upper arm. It was both a gesture meant to reassure and to evaluate the teen's energy levels. "She'll be fine," he assured. "I felt it was a rather spur of the moment instance where she was the one you subconsciously focused on. Had I been the one to reach out, it would have turned out differently. But I'm sure the experience will do her more good than harm."

Hiro let himself go limp against the back of the couch, his head sort of lulling over the top so that he was looking skyward. "I had no idea. I just heard her voice in the middle of everything and sort of reached out. I honestly thought it was just part of the premonition."

It wasn't hard to commiserate with the demigod and Loki felt it necessary so he moved his hand to the teen's shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze before letting go. "I'm sure this goes without saying, but there is no instruction manual for what you're going through."

"Odin said you were the most likely person to be able to help me," Hiro mused. "Even if your knowledge isn't as extensive as what I'll eventually need." His words seemed to make Loki tense up next to him. Hiro could feel it even if he couldn't see it.

The God of Mischief looked almost stricken as he stared at the teen. "Odin spoke to you?" He licked his lips as if his mouth had suddenly gone dry.

Hiro returned his gaze, his face expressionless. "Yeah, after the premonition, or at the end of it. He just kind of showed up, mentioned you, and that I should expect more interest from individuals who are just curious or might have ulterior motives." It was hard to miss the fact that Loki had gone pale, though the why behind this was beyond Hiro. "You okay?"

Loki gave a hesitant laugh, looking as if he wasn't sure what he wanted to say or even think. "By chance, did he say anything else about me?"

Understanding seemed to fill Hiro's head like someone had flipped the light on. "If you're asking if he was mad at you, the answer is no. He actually seemed pretty happy. At least he smiled when he mentioned your name."

Loki sat back, causing the cushions to bounce just a little, which also made his knee knock into Hiro's plate, almost spilling it. He was quick to cover the incident. "I don't mean to be rude, or sound like you're incapable, but did you need some assistance?"

The fact that the Asgardian had changed the subject in an almost relieved manner was more than a little amusing. "I'm not as far gone as all that," Hiro retorted in amusement. "I did manage one forkful before you got here, you know."

Looking a bit wry at that, Loki didn't back down. "That may be so, but I can't help but wonder. Just the small encounter your aunt had with the energy you'd amassed was enough to leave her incapacitated."

As if to prove himself, Hiro forced his fork-wielding hand to move, scooping up some rice and shoveling it into his mouth. He gave Loki a pointed look as if daring him to contradict the effort it had taken him to do that much while he chewed.

With a funny kind of smile that was almost nostalgic, Loki got up, slapping his hands against his thighs. "Very well. I can see that you have this well in hand. I shall take the liberty of borrowing the second bed in your room for the duration, if you don't mind." With that, he headed towards the stairs, making Hiro wonder just where he'd been prior to joining him in the first place.

Chapter 19: Chapter Eighteen: Morning Explanations

Fred was more than happy to take GoGo back to her apartment once she was released from the hospital. Thankfully, her injury didn't look like it would require any surgery or any other major repairs. All the same, he'd made absolutely sure they'd given her the best care money could buy, trying not to fuss too much over her since he knew she hated that.

Despite his knowing she disliked him fussing, Fred was nothing but a gentleman when it came to the woman he loved. After everyone else had gone home, he'd asked Heathcliff to stay on standby, knowing GoGo wouldn't be up to driving, even if she'd had a car with her.

True to his word, Wasabi had dropped Fred and the injured woman off at the emergency doors of the nearest hospital as if she'd been a victim of the recent bombing attempt before heading out with Honey Lemon. And it was only thanks to Fred's status as GoGo's fiancé that had allowed him beyond the waiting room doors.

Now outside of GoGo's apartment building, Fred courteously opened the passenger door for her, having to walk around the vehicle to do so. Heathcliff had driven one of the more standard-sized vehicles to pick them up in, which was just as well. GoGo's apartment wasn't in one of the areas of town that allowed room for any stretch limos parking on the side of the street, no matter what the time was.

GoGo looked too tired to argue with Fred's overtures. Her injured shoulder was supported with an arm sling that literally wrapped around her chest to keep her from moving things too much while everything healed. She had strict instructions to do some minor stretches to maintain range of motion, but was basically told not to do anything strenuous for at least a week, at which point they'd reevaluate things.

When GoGo dropped her keys, she sighed in resignation, allowing Fred to chivalrously get them for her. She wasn't going to go and complain about her condition. It wasn't her style. Besides, things could have been much worse. But it sucked that she was essentially put out of any action for a while.

"You good?" Fred asked as he unlocked the door for her and handed her the keys. It helped that she shared an apartment with Honey Lemon but it was late enough he hadn't wanted to call or text her for help. He wasn't sure GoGo wanted to bother her roommate anyway.

Accepting her keys back, GoGo nodded. "I should be fine." In a way, over the last two years, most of them had been put out of commission for one reason or another. It was only natural that it be her turn. The only other Big Hero hadn't yet suffered some kind of debilitating injury that put them on the sidelines was Honey Lemon. Well, her time was probably coming. It was just a matter of when.

Going inside, GoGo shut the door behind her by pushing her backside against the panel. Fred waited to hear the lock click before he headed back to the car. It was hard to see her this way and he knew it would only get worse once they were married, especially if kids were in the cards. It wasn't that she didn't want them, or that he didn't either. It was just that they weren't sure when it would happen.

"Let's go home," Fred said to Heathcliff as he settled in the back seat. He had a lot of thinking to do.

---

When Cass woke, she was only mildly surprised to find someone had moved her to her bedroom. It stood to reason that one of two people had done that, and she was fairly confident she knew which of those two had done so. Loki had been the one to help sooth her after the initial crash from whatever it was she'd seen from Hiro's mind. The vision had taken her so strongly it had taken a lot out of her. To say she was still processing it would be an understatement.

Judging from the light coming in through the curtained window, it was either late afternoon or morning. It stood to reason it was more likely morning from the fact she smelled the strong scent of coffee filtering into her room, along with the smell of eggs cooking. A small part of her wondered who was cooking, but she chose to ignore that in the hopes it wasn't Hiro, who would more likely have burnt the house down by now and knew better than to try anything that didn't include reheating something without her supervision

Cass pushed aside the quilt, discovering she was still wearing the same clothes from earlier. The idea that someone might have taken the liberty of helping her change into pajamas had given her a moment of hesitation, but any embarrassment that might have caused was put to rest. She yawned and stretched, deciding to forgo a change of clothes for the time being. She'd worry about that later when she took advantage of the shower.

Upon entering the main area off her room, Cass immediately noticed Loki moving around in the kitchen. She'd figured as much but felt relieved she'd been right. A quick glance over at the couch where she'd last seen Hiro showed he'd either been moved to his own bed or was otherwise awake and off somewhere else. She doubted Loki would have let him go far without supervision, all things considered.

Hearing her moving around, Loki looked up from frying something on the stove. "Good morning," he greeted. "I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty of cooking some breakfast. Hiro already ate both plates of food set aside last night, though I'm sure he'll want more before too long."

Cass stopped short at that, not sure how to take it. It was true she'd somehow slept through dinner, but she had no context for when the food had been eaten. The fact that Hiro had eaten her share as well as his own was not surprising. But the fact that Loki seemed to indicate there was something not necessarily unusual about this but to be expected was. It was almost as if he'd somehow adjusted to a change she wasn't yet aware of and could only take on faith.

"Well, all right then," she said as she continued on her way to the bathroom. "Sounds like I missed a few things while I was out of it." She paused once more outside the bathroom, glancing over her shoulder towards the kitchen where Loki had resumed his activities.

A slight smile graced Loki's lips. "Indeed. And we can discuss those things after you've had a chance to freshen up a bit. I'm sure you will feel better for it."

Cass knew he was right and so continued on to her original destination, shutting the door for privacy. She emerged several minutes later, hair brushed, morning breath gone, and feeling more like her usual self. She made a quick detour to her room to change into clean clothes before joining Loki at the table.

The Asgardian had served up two plates, one for her and one for himself. Each contained scrambled eggs, some sausage, and two fluffy pancakes. "I've set a plate aside for Hiro," he explained when she noted the absence of a third place setting. "I also hope you don't mind too much if I take the liberty of staying here during the duration."

In the middle of pouring syrup on her pancakes, Cass looked up and almost spilled. "Oh. No. Not at all. In fact, it kind of makes sense." She put the syrup pitcher down. "I mean, if you are going to continue acting as Hiro's bodyguard, you should remain close by." She blushed slightly, not at all upset with his suggestion for other reasons as well.

If Loki noticed her blush, he chose not to mention it. "I thought it best that I use the spare bed in Hiro's room. It wouldn't do to call undo attention to the arrangement. And I thought it would be the most suitable for all involved. I've already consulted with Hiro on this matter."

Cass nodded, stuffing her mouth with pancake lest she make any further comments that might cause embarrassment to both herself and to her guest. It also gave her time to think through anything else she might want to say. She swallowed, and then took a large drink from her cup. "You mentioned something happened with Hiro earlier."

The Asgardian smiled slightly at that, though the teen hadn't exactly been mentioned when he'd said a few things had occurred while she was asleep. "As far as Hiro is concerned, he woke and took the usual time to recover his strength. He's still recovering, understandably, but is doing considerably much better than before. It would seem that he had a visitor in his sleep though."

Looking up at that, Cass couldn't help but wonder what he meant by that. "Visitor? Daisuke? Or maybe Jack?" She doubted Lucifer would pop over just to check in on him.

An almost pained expression crossed Loki's face as he looked partially off to one side with a sigh. "No. My father. I'm not sure how familiar you are with what Midgardians call Norse Mythology, but they at least understand that Odin is a powerful rune user. Apparently he appeared to Hiro and used one of many runes to heal his body, or at least give it a strong nudge in the right direction. He did something similar for Kally last year, which activated her Valkyrie genes."

Cass blinked a few times as she tried to process what he'd just told her. "A Norse god, the Norse god did something to Hiro with a magic rune?"

"In a manner of speaking." Loki dabbed at his lips with a napkin. "I didn't get the details, but it would seem that my father decided to step in on Hiro's behalf. There will, of course, be consequences to this, many of which are from his previous injuries. His body needs to relearn a few things. In the meantime, his metabolism will likely be increased yet again. He may choose to ignore it, but it would be wise that he does not."

Thoughts of Hiro passing out due to not eating enough back in Japan flooded Cass's mind. It was true that Hiro had a tendency to forget to eat as often as necessary. It probably didn't help that he had a penchant for things not exactly healthy for a growing boy. And, with the whole New York incident, his recovery was a long one. The teen was stubborn, which hadn't helped, but it wasn't a secret he was probably never going to bulk out like many others his age had. He'd probably always remain thin and gangly.

Not for the first time, Cass noticed Hiro's absence, unable to remember if Loki had mentioned where her nephew was now before she'd freshened up. She looked behind her, just in case he popped up near the stairs, but didn't see anything. Nor could she hear anything coming from upstairs. "And where is Hiro now?" she wondered out loud.

The smile returned to Loki's face at her antics. "When last I checked, he was in the garage with Baymax," he replied. "I instructed Baymax to let me know if he decides to leave the area, or if something else should arise."

"Probably fiddling with his armor then," Cass mused. She absently cut another piece of pancake and slipped it between her lips, chewing as she contemplated. "I'm sure he hated missing out on all the action yesterday."

Loki made no comment on that topic, choosing to only acknowledge it with a slight humming sound as he ate. His thoughts roamed to his most recent conversation with Hiro and how he'd dreamed of Odin telling him Loki was likely the only one who could help him figure things out. His adopted father was, by no means, the first to mention that possibility, he mused as he thought of his brief encounter with the Ancient One the year before.

The Ancient One had said something about some kind of battle going on in the universe, though he had no idea what she'd meant by that. But the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't help but wonder if that wasn't more from her universe than from his current one. But, then again, with all the random terroristic attacks lately, he couldn't help but wonder if that wasn't what she'd meant. It was also possible she'd lost her mind.

Realizing her last comment hadn't gotten her any new information, Cass decided to try a different tact. "About yesterday…" she wasn't sure how to put this and so thought carefully before continuing, despite Loki looking up. "You used your magic to put me to sleep, didn't you?"

Loki sighed as he set his utensils down. "I did," he admitted. "You weren't handling it well and I thought it might be best to let your mind settle without outside stimuli. I hope you don't mind."

What he'd said made sense and she acknowledged the gesture for what it was. "I still can't wrap my head around it," she said almost to herself, choosing to address any other concerns with Loki's decision later. "And this is normal for him?"

A slight chuckle escaped Loki's lips as he took up his utensils again. "Normal is subjective. But, for him, I believe it is a fair term. Though I'm sure he shielded you from the impact as much as possible. Believe me when I say, having direct access to that kind of energy is draining, both mentally and physically. He's had a longer time to try and at least get used to it."

Hearing that, Cass fell silent as she contemplated it. It was true that Hiro had dealt with whatever it was a lot longer than she had. She'd only seen him go through it, until fairly recently. Her mind had no real reference for it; even with the taste she'd been given. She'd left that to Loki and others who seemed to have a better handle on things, but she supposed she'd have to change that way of thinking before too long. After all, she was still his legal guardian, until he came of age, even if he had lived who knew how many time lines somewhere in there. Someone had to look out for him.

"I can see you are having deep thoughts," Loki said with a smile. He glanced down at his now empty plate. "I think it might be best to leave you to them for now. In the meantime, I'll be sure to take a plate to Hiro. I'm sure he'll want something before too long."

Cass watched as Loki got up and cleared his plate before heading to the sink. She wasn't sure if he was really leaving to give her space or because he wasn't sure what else to talk about and then decided it probably didn't matter as she idly played with her food. The truth of the matter was that her mind was still having a hard time wrapping around the idea that Hiro had a lot more on his plate than she'd previously thought. And experiencing even just a hint of it was more than enough to make her run for her bed and hide.

---

When Haru woke, he didn't expect to see the lumpy form of another person sharing the same room as him. The only thing that made it even remotely acceptable was that there were two beds, and that whoever this unknown individual was, he, or she, had taken the previously unoccupied bed.

Not being quite awake, it took the taupe-haired man several long moments to realize what he'd been staring at before jumping like a startled cat. Thankfully, he'd already moved to the edge of the bed, covers pushed to one side, feet dangling towards the floor, or he'd have found himself tumbling in a twist of thick fabric, and likely hurt himself. As things stood, he almost fell off the bed but didn't as he took a double-take, realizing he vaguely recognized the profile of the person whose back was turned to him.

"Hoshino?" he inquired, not quite using his usual normal volume. Chances were good, if it was indeed Hoshino, he had gotten in late and he didn't exactly want to wake him. At least it wasn't waking up to find Daisuke in his bathtub after thinking the man had already left his apartment. He still wasn't sure why Daisuke had moved to the tub in the middle of the night and continued to feel it a good idea not to ask.

The man released a sigh when his question received nothing more than a slight snore. Chances were good Daisuke had brought him in as an unknown element. Well, at least unknown to the local police and investigation units. Obviously his party, and Hiro and his aunt, knew who he was. He wasn't about to go and broadcast it to the world, in the off chance he did something to incur Daisuke's wrath. One never knew what the man was planning.

So, instead of thinking too deeply about what his old partner's presence might mean, Haru quietly got dressed in the relative darkness of the room. With the curtains closed, there wasn't much light, but there were enough gaps between the wall and the hanging fabric to provide enough that he didn't kill himself trying to navigate around. He even managed to find his toothbrush before shutting the bathroom door and flinching as he turned on the light.

If Hoshino had gotten in as late as he suspected, mostly because the whole timing of everything likely meant he'd had to basically quickly pack, hop a train to the airport, and maybe doze off on a flight before being picked up by someone, only to arrive at the hotel—chances were good he would sleep for quite a while longer, especially with jet lag. He wasn't sure who had actually gone to pick him up from the airport, rejecting the idea that Daisuke would go in person. He'd probably ordered a service to pick him up. But Kambe would have still had to be awake when the Division One cop showed up if for no other reason than to let him into the hotel room. He wasn't sure if that meant Daisuke would also still be asleep or not, though he'd only known the man to sleep in a few times since he'd met him and those times usually involved him being under the weather.

Not sure what to expect, and having taken care of his morning routine in the bathroom, Haru made sure to turn the light off before exiting, closing the door just in case. He then made his way into the large living area of the massive suite, only mildly surprised to find Suzue sitting at the table with a cup of what was likely tea. "Morning," he greeted as he made his way over to the kitchen area where he thought he saw the tea pot.

Suzue sipped from her cup before returning the greeting. She didn't offer to get up, just watched as he made his way around the counter.

"Kambe not up yet?" Haru asked as he found a tea cup and poured a serving. He supposed he could look for something to eat in the fridge but chose not to just yet. He wanted to make sure he was awake enough to not burn himself on the stove. That and he wasn't sure if someone had ordered room service or not.

Deciding she needed a refill, Suzue got up and joined Haru in the kitchen. "He's actually been up for a while now," she replied. "Although I believe he might be heading to the Hamada's house right now."

Haru couldn't help but look up in surprise before offering to fill her cup. "He's already gone? But what about Hoshino? Does he just expect him to sleep all day or did he actually say anything before he left?"

It was just like Daisuke to go off on his own. It didn't help that the man didn't appear to have left any instructions for him in regards to his former partner. The man was downright infuriating at times. And no matter how much Katou had come to expect it, he still couldn't help but sigh heavily as a result.

"Master Daisuke did request we stay put for now," Suzue stated as she accepted her now full cup and headed back to the table. "He said he had a few things he needed to look into before we do anything else. He's likely gone to talk to Hiro, if he's awake."

The chances were good she was right. Haru, not wanting to bother with discovering if room service was available or not, headed to the fridge. If he recalled correctly, Daisuke had asked that it be stocked with the basics. Opening the door showed him he'd been correct and he peered around the large surface to see Suzue's reaction. "Want me to make you something? I don't know if you've eaten yet or not but I'm sure making breakfast is better than sitting around and doing nothing."

Suzue looked up, having just sat back down. "No," she confessed. "I haven't eaten yet. If you don't mind?" Her expression turned almost wistful as her stomach growled.

Haru gave a brief chuckle. "Not a problem." He pushed up his sleeves. It was just like Daisuke to neglect the little things. "Just leave breakfast to me."

Chapter 20: Chapter Nineteen: An Interesting Encounter

 

Hiro sat at his computer in the garage, typing out some complex calculations he wasn't really paying attention to. Like many things in his life, this was one of those he'd done so many times he could do it practically on autopilot. And he was doing it more as something to do while his mind mulled over the more recent developments in things.

Not too far from his current location, Baymax stood in observation mode. The last few days had certainly been busy for the teen and he felt constant monitoring a necessity, not only for his physical well-being, but for his mental and emotional one as well. Although, while neurotransmitters and other physical indicators could give the robot an idea of Hiro's emotional state, it did nothing to tell him what was on the teen's mind.

Before the robot could inquire, the garage door flipped open to reveal Loki bending slightly to enter the space. Having come around from the outside, it made sense. And, since the man was taller than some, Baymax didn't blame him for ducking so as not to hit the door frame or mechanisms. "Hello, Loki," he greeted the Asgardian, not at all surprised to see him. Nor was it surprising to see a covered dish in his free hand, obviously containing food.

Loki entered the space, heading for Hiro's work station. He knew better than to put the plate directly in front of the teen when he was working on something. So, instead, he put it off to one side before finding another rolling chair to sit on nearby. "I hope you don't mind my joining you. I thought you might also appreciate a snack."

The influx of natural light bathed the whole of the garage space in mid-morning glory. Or at least as much as the neighboring building, and the angle, would allow. It probably needed a good airing out anyway. Sounds from the street became audible as traffic passed the intersection and café only a wall or two away from them. But only Aunt Cass's truck was visible in the length of parking reserved for the residents, which hadn't moved since it had been parked there a day or two before.

"Hey," Hiro greeted in a distracted manner as he finished typing out the complex code, coming to a stopping point. On screen, the 3-D computer projected a virtual model of his creation, some kind of fire suppression device. He spun the image with the motion of one hand.

Loki tilted his head to get a better view of what Hiro had instructed his computer to create. "What is that?" he inquired, not sure what to make of the device. It reminded him of several things, including those light fixtures some people placed on walls that could be activated by pressing on the center of the fixture. But the lines were more angular, not yet filled in with much detail, so it was possible he was wrong.

Hiro stretched, arching his back as he turned his chair to face the Asgardian. He scratched at the back of his neck before noticing the plate of food. With a quick glance asking for permission, he pulled the dish towards himself. "Back during my repeated timelines, I tried to stop the auditorium fire by building and installing fire suppression devices throughout on the down low. I figured it wouldn't hurt to pull them up out of my memory, just in case. That and it gave me something to do."

It was a fair point, Loki supposed as he watched the teen eat. The fact that his appetite was just as veracious as it had been earlier said a lot about his recovery, and his metabolism. He'd guessed correctly that Hiro would require more sustenance now than he had before, a fact that would likely complicate things since he had the bad habit of skipping meals. He just wasn't sure how much of a recovery he'd made in the last few hours with his motor functions; sure Baymax had had to carry him downstairs.

"Your aunt is still struggling a bit," Loki admitted.

Hiro looked up at that, eyes going somewhat wide. "From my sharing that vision?" He had no way of knowing just how much he'd shared with her. All he knew was it hadn't been like when he'd entered her memories, even the times she'd shown him around them. There was no way of knowing if she'd viewed it as a spectator or as someone actually there. Either way, he knew, from experience, that it was a lot to handle.

For his part, Loki scrutinized the teen's face, wondering what he was thinking. His expression didn't give much away, making him wonder. "Yes. I think having a glimpse into how you experience things was a lot to take in."

Stomach demanding he keep feeding it, Hiro scooped up another forkful of food, chewed, and swallowed before replying. "I can't say I'm surprised." He looked more than thoughtful as he took another bite and chewed more slowly this time.

"It is possible Aunt Cass also experienced an overload of energy as a result," Baymax said, trying to be helpful. "I detected a slight increase of energy prior to you disengaging."

A heavy sigh escaped the teen's lips at that. "I was hoping that hadn't happened," he admitted. "Sometimes it's more than enough for me. No wonder she's struggling."

Loki looked more than a little thoughtful at that. "I think that, perhaps, knowing the possibility existed has helped to some extent. If she had gone in as blindly as you had, chances are good she wouldn't have handled things as well as she has. All things considered, it could have been a lot worse. Thankfully, she hasn't had any physical backlash, as you have, so there is that."

Now finished with his plate of food, Hiro pushed it back towards the Asgardian. "At least there's that," he agreed. "Maybe being in close proximity to me all this time helped, too. Like slowly becoming immune to something by repeated exposure."

Hand now to chin, Loki contemplated. "I suppose something of that nature is possible. Those in close proximity to you may have developed a sort of immunity that might at least decrease any potential harmful side effects. What concerns me, however, is the effect it may have had on her mind. But, as I said, since she'd seen you go through similar, it hopefully won't be as hard on her as it would be otherwise."

It was no secret that Loki had experienced more than Cass, but he'd also had different training, not to mention more exposure to the unknown than she had. All things considered, he knew it was something she'd have to come to terms with on her own. He stood, hands brushing his pants before reaching for the empty plate. "Be that as it may, I should probably take this back upstairs and check on her. I'm sure she shouldn't be left alone too long."

Hiro watched as Loki headed to the open garage door. When it didn't look like the Asgardian was going to say anything else, he turned back to his computer.

"Oh," Loki said, stopping at the entrance, "one more thing. I'm sure it goes without saying, but please don't head off on your own. As your bodyguard, I will do my best to make sure you stay safe, but there is a part of me that can't help but wonder if what is currently occurring isn't somehow more closely related to your family than might be obvious."

The teen whipped his head around at that, something he regretted a moment later as phantom pain filled his abdominal cavity. Despite Odin have used that excess energy to force his body to heal, his mind was still catching up to the fact.

Baymax took a step forward, blinking slowly at Loki as the man stared at the teen. "I will make sure Hiro does not leave the area," he stated before turning his attention back to his charge.

Since the robot didn't make any indications there was a cause for concern, despite the look of pain that had crossed Hiro's face, Loki nodded. If there was anything he needed to worry about, he felt sure Baymax would have said something. Satisfied, he continued on his original course, disappearing from sight.

---

The college campus was a mix between pockets of activity and emptiness, Daisuke noticed as he made his way across the grounds. He made his way to the building he would have been in the day before had circumstances not dictated otherwise. The local police had cordoned it off with tape, with several officers standing guard at key points around the perimeter. The Japanese detective nodded at their thoroughness.

While the billionaire could have just as easily sent a drone to the location to look around, he'd wanted to see it in person before they began any clean up. HEUSC had technically already scanned the whole building earlier, but he couldn't help but feel they'd missed something. Call it a gut feeling.

The exterior of the building didn't show much signs of damage, likely a result of the blast being contained inside somehow. That or it hadn't been meant to destroy the whole building, just the main area. He walked around the building just to be sure his assessment was correct, nodding to himself as he completed the circuit, returning to the front of the building.

Various spectators occasionally strolled past, pausing to look at the building in question. Perhaps they, too, hoped to see signs of visible damage. That or they were simply curious. Like a moth to the flame, as it were, he thought.

Deciding he'd seen all he could from the outside, Daisuke approached a section of police tape where two officers stood guard. Strictly speaking, he was part of the investigation, but he wasn't sure if they knew that. But he had come prepared, pulling out his detective's badge and flashing it just quickly enough they could see it but not see it wasn't from the local precinct.

Being somewhat distracted with a conversation between the two, they waved him in. He'd definitely have to have words with Jack about that, sure that if he'd been able to use his badge, anyone else might be able to use a fake badge to get in without issue. Perhaps it would be wise to get a temporary badge from Jack, Daisuke mused, just in case he came across some officers who actually cared more about making sure only those authorized got on, as opposed to who had won the latest sports event.

Now inside the building, he could smell the unmistakable scent of smoke and burnt C-4. It wasn't as strong as it likely would be once he moved into the actual auditorium, but it was unmistakable. He looked around the main foyer area, trying to determine the exact entrance into the auditorium area, pausing at the sight of two sets of double doors on either side of the entrance hall. Both were standing open, likely propped open to help air out the area. Smoke sometimes took a while to clear, especially when indoors.

Voices became audible as he approached the doors nearest his position. It stood to reason there would be some people inside, possibly building inspectors, maybe even bomb squad members making another sweep of the area, just to be safe. It had likely taken quite a while to clear the building the day before of any civilians, leaving some tasks for the next day. And, if it was in any way related to the Los Angeles incident, he couldn't blame anyone for having the bomb squad give it another look over, just in case.

While he'd waited for Hoshino to show up the night before, Daisuke had done more digging into the whole terrorist bombings in Los Angeles from the year before. With much of the reports redacted, as expected, he'd had to sift through various reports to get any new details he might have missed. He'd still need to consult those who were present about events to get a full picture, but he was more than aware that, near the more major parts of the series of events, various people went back to plant bombs in areas already cleared. With that in mind, it was definitely wise they were doing so now.

Ahead, he could see a dog sniffing near where the stage probably had sat. It would make sense that traces of the explosive substance would still linger there, if reports were accurate, and footage. It was an odd place, depending on what their overall goal was. The location did present a nice area to spread the damage into the audience, based solely off of the initial reports on the charges used. The heaviest casualties would have resulted on the stage itself, and within the ranks of graduates, who had sat closest to the stage. The question was, was it the intention of the perpetrators, or was it just convenience?

Daisuke stood near the back, glasses on as he scanned the entire interior. Someone had at least cleared some of the chairs scattered by the explosion. The smell of the C-4 was decidedly stronger now. The far end of the room appeared darkened, mostly on the floor area, though the underside of the portable stage was visible if he zoomed in on it. He felt it best to stay where he was for the moment, so as not to distract the dogs looking for whatever it was they were trained to find.

Several other men in uniforms, mostly coverall-style, were talking not too far from his position, apparently discussing some finding as they kept referring to a clipboard one carried. Perhaps they were just trying to figure out where everything had been in relation to where it was now.

"Who are you?"

Daisuke turned at the question gruffly spoken. Two men stood near his position, both in wrinkled suits not dissimilar to ones detectives back in Japan might have worn. They didn't have the same kind of identifying pins the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department used, but it wasn't hard to figure out what they were. "Daisuke Kambe," Daisuke said, acknowledging them.

The two men exchanged glances, almost as if trying to decide if they'd heard the name before or not. One was decidedly older than the other, reminding him of Cho, a fellow Third Division detective he'd only known for a few months prior to his murder. The younger detective didn't really evoke any memories outside of the stereotypical cop.

Taking the initiative, the older of the two took a step closer to Daisuke. "I'm Detective Gray and this is Detective Small," he introduced, probably feeling it necessary after Daisuke's no-nonsense introduction. "How did you get in here?"

Hands stuffed in his pockets, Daisuke didn't bother taking off his glasses, knowing full well HEUSC was recording the interaction. He'd have to look these two up later, if the AI butler wasn't already doing so. "I came in the front, just as I'm sure you did." A slight smirk of a smile graced his lips, wondering just how far he could push them.

"That's not what he meant," Detective Small said, sounding slightly sulky. "Who let you in?"

His smile increased in size, lips moving in an amused way. "The officers guarding the doors, of course. I'm sure they felt it a wise move, considering who I work for." Daisuke mentally added "for the moment," since he had every intention of working his own team.

Getting more than a little attitude, Gray put his hands on his hips as he looked up at the Japanese man. He was a bit on the shorter size, which probably didn't help with the intended impression he was trying to give. "And who do you work for?"

A sparkle of mischief briefly touched Daisuke's eyes. "Agent Jack Harkness." He doubted they'd ask for any further details, seeing them both sort of blanch at that name. Apparently Jack had made quite the impression. Either way, he had no intention of telling them his official capacity was as Hiro's co-handler. He doubted they even knew who the teen was, outside of initial investigations into Cass, and he meant to keep it that way.

Gray cleared his throat like he had something caught in it. "Well then. I guess we'll leave you to whatever it is you're doing then," he said. He gave his partner a meaningful look before the two headed out the doors towards the front of the building.

What an odd pair, Daisuke thought and then promptly chose to forget about them for the time being. Chances were good they were just doing a quick canvas, more out of curiosity than anything, before getting to what they were supposed to be doing. He somehow doubted Jack would let two such individuals run wild. The man didn't seem the type.

Hands still in pockets, he made his way through the maze of chairs to the front of the massive hall. If one were to really pay attention, it was obvious which areas had evacuated before the bombs exploded, mainly near the front. There were some side doors near that area that appeared to be thrust open, door hinges affected by the blast. They'd possibly been closed at the time, or partially open. He couldn't be sure without actual footage to confirm. And he wasn't about to pause to determine which was the case.

What had the others said about the incident? The most glaring point was hearing Hiro's voice yelling there was a bomb. The obvious was that it had been planted under the stage and, once the warning had come out, many had tried to flee. It was likely most had headed towards the main doors at the back, not the side doors.

Daisuke gave the area a glance over, recording it all with his glasses. The feeling he was missing something didn't dissipate, but he somehow doubted he'd find whatever it was there. Local investigators seemed to have things well in hand. He'd done his best to avoid the bomb squad and their dogs, not wanting to interrupt their work. Perhaps what he was missing was more on the speculation end and less on the physical. He'd definitely have to ask Hiro for details about what he'd seen of the event and compare it with what had actually occurred.

Feeling there wasn't much else he was going to get out of the scene, Daisuke made his way out of the room using one of the side doors. A second set of doors led out of the building, but appeared to be locked so he had to head to the front of the building, passing the officers on duty that had waved him inside in the first place. It was time to head back to the hotel to see if Hoshino was awake and brief him on what was going on.

On his way back across campus, he paused to glance back. "HEUSC, pay for all renovation and repair work for that building," he ordered.

"As you wish, sir. Balance Unlimited."

Chapter 21: Chapter Twenty: Unexpected Visitors

Lucifer didn't normally loiter around the hotel when there were things to be done. And there were plenty of things to be done, but he'd missed several chances to corner Daisuke Kambe and he wasn't about to miss another one. So, while he went over some of the details of the case in his penthouse suite, he'd asked Maze to keep an eye on the neighboring hotel where the Kambe party was staying. She was to report to him the moment she saw the Kambe head returning, having previously discovered the man had left for the morning.

Right in the middle of looking over the whole layout of the second bombing location, the devil felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He quickly pulled out the device, frowning at the interruption. That frown turned into a smile when he saw the text from Maze, informing him that Daisuke Kambe had just returned to the hotel in question. He quickly shot off a reply that he was heading down and would join her shortly.

He then went to the bedroom to check his appearance in the mirror, straightening his shirt and tie before putting on his suit coat. Burberry was his choice of attire, usually in darker shades. He decided against adding any cologne, sure it wouldn't be appreciated. Daisuke Kambe seemed a relatively straightforward, no nonsense kind of person and he didn't want to give him reason to think poorly of him, not sure what the man thought of the devil from their previous encounters the day before.

On the way out the door, he adjusted his cuff links. It was almost a subconscious process. After all, he had gotten used to the finer things since coming topside, as it were. Sure he had everything he needed, he felt no inhibitions about letting the suite door close behind him as he strode to the elevator and directed it to descend to the ground floor. He walked out of the building as if he owned it.

There were few men of true distinction in the world and Lucifer knew he was one of them. Loki was another. He suspected Daisuke Kambe of being a member of that exclusive club. Though only recently having come into the lime light as the head of the Kambe family, the man had made major strides in cutting corruption in the family business. He had to applaud him for that. It took guts to go up against old ways. And a certain amount of ego as well. At the least, it spoke of a strong will.

Lucifer met Maze just outside the building. She was leaning against the wall, almost hidden by some topiary. He could sense her before he saw her in her iconic black leather, idly playing with one of many knives she usually kept hidden on her person. When she saw him, she put the blade away, stalling the need to admonish her. If it hadn't been for the hearty smattering of leaves near her, any passersby would have seen the blade and possibly called the cops.

"Maze," he acknowledge with a slight nod of his head as she pushed away from the building and joined him. She didn't seem to see the need to greet him back as they crossed the parking lot.

---

Daisuke turned his car over to the valet like a man who had too many things on his mind. He strode purposefully into the private entrance of the hotel and straight to the elevator, sure any messages would have made their way up to the suite of rooms he and his party used. To his knowledge, Suzue had kept Katou there with her, and Hoshino had yet to emerge from his assigned room. He'd checked on his way over from the SFIT campus.

He had yet to check in with the Lucky Cat Café and its inhabitants, though he knew that would need to be done sooner than later. He hadn't wanted to intrude on Cass and Hiro's recoveries, unsure of their current state of being. When last he'd heard anything, they were both still out for the count, left to Loki and Baymax's tender care.

There was another point he'd need to get back to, he told himself as the elevator opened on the appropriate floor. The two of them had yet to discuss previous happenings with Daisuke's younger cousin, something that would need to be corrected before too much time passed. He'd already had HEUSC digging up whatever information he could on Lucifer and Jack, just to be safe. One never knew what might turn up when continued digging. All the same, there were some things only those who'd been there would likely be able to relate and he knew he'd need that information if he was going to effectively do his job.

Opening the door, Daisuke didn't wait for formalities as he took off his suit coat and folded it over one arm as he made his way into the suite, heading to his room for a quick refresh. His earring beeped for attention and he reached up to activate it. "Update me," he stated, almost sounding gruff. Suzue and Haru weren't immediately visible and he wasn't sure where they might have gone in the few minutes since he'd checked on their positions.

"Security cameras have detected Lucifer Morningstar and his companion are making their way to the hotel. They will arrive in four minutes and thirty-five seconds."

Daisuke rolled his eyes at this development, heading into his room and placing the suit coat on the bed before heading to the bathroom, where he looked at his appearance in the mirror. As far as he could tell, everything was still in proper order so he headed back out into the common areas double-checking he had his glasses available should he need them.

Suzue entered the main area shortly after he did, coming from the more communal bathroom. He gave her a curt nod. "Where's Katou?"

The woman didn't seem surprised by his presence or inquiry and so glanced over at the door leading to the man's assigned room. "I believe he was checking on Hoshino," she stated as she made her way to the kitchenette. "I was thinking of ordering some room service."

Her reminder that it was closer to lunch time was not unwarranted and Daisuke could feel his stomach remind him of the same. "Why don't you order enough for six?" he asked. "I have reason to believe Lucifer Morningstar and his companion will be joining us shortly."

With her hand only partially in the air, corded phone receiver in hand, Suzue couldn't help but look up in surprise. "They're coming here?"

The amused expression Daisuke flashed her way was more than enough to confirm. "Yes. It somehow wouldn't surprise me if they'd laid in wait for my return."

"Understood," Suzue said before turning her attention to placing the order. She hung up the phone when finished. "About how long do we have until they arrive?"

As if in answer to that, a light tap sounded on the door. "Apparently not long," she answered her own question. Glancing at Daisuke, she headed to the door in question at a brief nod from him, noting he'd made his way into the less formal sitting area, sitting down in one of the chairs.

While Suzue strode towards the door, Haru and Hoshino exited their room, one behind the other. Both looked up, hearing Suzue greet their guests, though it was Haru who noticed Daisuke's return first. "What's going on?"

"It would seem Mr. Morningstar has something to discuss with me," Daisuke answered as the two MPD detectives made their way to his location. "If it doesn't have anything to do with the case, chances are good it has something to do with Hiro."

Hoshino stopped short, hearing the teen named, but continued on, silent and waiting while Suzue showed Lucifer and Maze into the room with them. Not having met either before, he couldn't help but look at the both of them with a mix of curiosity and caution. Haru had tried to give him a bit of a quick rundown of events prior to their exiting the bedroom, though it lacked details he was likely to get later. He didn't need his former partner to tell him the two newcomers were dangerous, though, feeling the predatory vibes coming from both as they sat on the couch kitty-corner to his chosen seat.

Daisuke gave his usual disarming smile, having stood long enough to greet their guests, out of courtesy, before reclaiming his chair. "Mr. Morningstar, this is Ryo Hoshino, a fellow detective from the Municipal Police Department in Tokyo. Hoshino, this is Lucifer Morningstar and his companion, Mazakeen Smith."

"Call me Maze," the exotic-looking woman said, all down to business as she sat next to her boss, one leg provocatively crossed over the other where the now blushing detective got more than the typical view.

At a raised brow from Daisuke, Hoshino cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Nice to make your acquaintance," he said, now looking away, something that seemed to amuse the older woman.

Daisuke leaned back in his seat, fingertips pressed together in front of his chest. "I take it you have some business with me," he said, addressing Lucifer.

Called back from looking around him, Lucifer gave one of his most charming smiles. "Ah, yes. I do. I had hoped to meet with you sooner, but then all this business with Hiro occurred."

The Kambe head didn't so much as change his facial expression. "So I take it whatever it is you wish to discuss with me has nothing to do with my cousin then." That seemed to give the man pause, something Daisuke noted with amusement. "If not about Hiro, then what did you want to talk about?"

Lucifer seemed to need another moment. In fact, the moment went a bit longer than was perhaps necessary before Maze nudged the man. "I understand you've been working with various law enforcement agencies in regards to Adollium," he finally said, giving Maze a look.

Off to Daisuke's left, Suzue's expression shifted. She looked about ready to say something but then decided not to at a nudge from Haru, who was sitting next to her.

"And what did you want to know about Adollium?" Daisuke asked, unfazed by the question. Since the released knowledge of its existence, minus some important details, various parties had come out of the woodwork looking for more information. But, if he was going to direct Lucifer's inquiries to the proper entity, he definitely needed to understand the nature of them.

Lucifer shifted in his seat, possibly unsure of how to continue with whatever thought he was having. It was obvious Daisuke wasn't reacting the way he'd expected and the thought only amused the Kambe head more. The devil was indeed an interesting character, but he wasn't about to give anything away for free.

Clearing his throat, Lucifer shifted once more, as if he couldn't quite get comfortable. He tried to sound nonchalant and somehow failed. "I confess I don't know the full capabilities of this substance, but it has gotten me curious."

There was a decided smirk on Daisuke's face now. "You and many others. It is not my area of expertise. That would fall more into Suzue's department." He didn't so much as deviate where he was looking, despite naming another in his party. "I just find great satisfaction in making sure it stays off the streets and out of the hands of those who would use it in ways my parents wouldn't approve."

"I understand your father was researching it back in the day."

This time Daisuke couldn't help but tense. That information had not been made publish knowledge. In fact, those who knew about it could probably be counted on one hand, at least those he was aware of who weren't in jail or dead.

Suzue looked over at her older relation, eyes wide. If she was going to say anything, it was cut off by a look as the man in question forced himself to relax. Next to her, Haru had also tensed, more than aware of the monumental breech this potentially represented.

If Daisuke had been wearing his glasses, a small section of the virtual screen would have shown his elevated heart rate. It was with an effort of will that he forced himself to relax, the corners of his mouth to turn back up, even if it didn't reach his eyes. "And how did you come to such a conclusion?"

Chances were good both Lucifer and Maze had noticed the slight change in his demeanor. Neither struck him as fools. It didn't help that Lucifer leaned forward, looking directly at Daisuke, his expression almost unreadable. This was not a man to be trifled with. There was power behind those eyes, eyes that momentarily glowed red and made more than a few people in the room want to squirm. Hoshino sort of did, something Daisuke saw out of the corner of his eye. Should he dismiss the man, knowing they were headed into territory that involved things not mentioned in police reports?

The air in the room seemed somehow thicker, despite only a second or two having passed since his question. To say he waited on bated breath would probably be to lie. How on earth had the man known? Or was he just phishing for information? Various reports indicated Lucifer Morningstar was a scrupulous businessman and potential dealer of secrets. Was he trying to feel him out for another client?

Next to the devil, Maze hadn't changed her posture, lounging back against the couch as if she owned the place, though her expression was also now unreadable. She seemed to think Lucifer had let the moment drag out long enough, however, and so nudged him with one of her booted legs.

A sigh escaped the devil's lips. "I confess I wasn't sure until now that I'd found the right person," he admitted, now looking introspective. "Kambe isn't a common name, but one can never be sure. But, if it will set you at ease, please know that I said that more out of a test than for any other purpose."

Suzue almost looked like she wanted to murder him and it was only thanks to Haru that she didn't get up from her seat. She quickly looked over at Daisuke, who remained where he was, fake smile still in place, eyes deep and troubled. "Master Daisuke?" Even Hoshino had sat forward, feeling the tension.

Forcing his body to relax once more, Daisuke momentarily closed his eyes. Being in the cross-hairs was all a matter of course for someone in his position as leader of the Kambe group. Not to mention the attention he'd drawn to his family after the knowledge of Adollium had become public. "I don't see why that was necessary," he admitted, not thinking before he spoke, still trying to absorb the shock of the initial question.

Lucifer seemed to think it a good idea to sit back a little as well, no longer leaning quite as far forward. "You see, I knew your mother."

"What?!" It was Haru who'd spoken out this time, going to his feet. He knew the man was named after the devil of lore but had yet to buy the idea he was anything more than a man who liked the name. And to hear him making such a bold statement set him on edge. He looked over at Daisuke, who hadn't moved, noting his expression was one of shock, eyes wide, his pupils seeming even wider. "Is this some sick kind of joke?"

Hoshino got up to try and reason with his former partner. "Haru," he said in a low voice, not sure what was going on. He moved to block his somewhat friend, just in case he got any ideas. There was no need for violence, especially if the man in the crosshairs refused to initiate it.

Now looking introspective, gaze turned slightly down, possibly looking at his hands, which rested near his knees, Lucifer continued in a quieter voice. "You see, I met her by chance a little over twenty years ago in Japan. She had only recently separated from your father over the matter of that substance. I found her in a moment of weakness, desperate over the fate of her only son."

His words seemed to punch holes in the air and Haru sat back down, feeling deflated. Rather than risk another outbreak from him, Hoshino made sure to position himself closer to the man, just in case, though he, too, couldn't help but feel like something horrible had just occurred. Like a car crash, or a sudden explosion, the silence was deafening.

"I would have gone with her," Daisuke spoke up, his voice quiet, fingers pressing together once more in front of his chest. Whether this was in an attempt to keep his composure, or just to put distance between him and Lucifer was anyone's guess. "But my grandmother convinced father it was for the best that I didn't."

All eyes seemed to look at Daisuke at this admission. It was no secret that Kikuko Kambe was a controlling matriarch. It had been at her insistence that Daisuke had gone to school abroad. It had also been she who'd tried to mold and shape him into the "perfect" heir to her empire of crime, something he'd worked hard to dismantle over the last year. There was a thought that wanted to niggle free with that notion, but he didn't have time to give it proper attention at the moment.

"Back in the day," Lucifer continued as if there had been no interruption, "I would grant the occasional favor or two in exchange for something else in return. Perhaps I felt your mother's plight, and, in a moment of weakness, decided to grant her one. I would look out for you in exchange for a favor at a time of my choosing. I confess I had forgotten all about it until just recently, though I feel I kept my end of the bargain, whispering into your grandmother's ear to send you out of the country, and further away from her influence."

Not having met Lucifer before, and only now feeling his presence, Hoshino couldn't help but speak out. "How is that even possible? You would have only been in your twenties, at most, back then."

Lucifer laughed. It was almost amused, but not quite at the same time. "No matter how many times I try to convince others, they never seem to believe me, so allow me the latitude of giving you a bit of a demonstration. You see, I'm the Devil." Eyes glowing red, horns seemed to sprout as the man stood, skin changing to the face of a red tengu, minus the long nose. He stared intently at Hoshino until the man blanched, and possibly had a small crisis requiring a change of clothes.

If Hoshino had been standing, he'd have backed up until he'd run into whatever was behind him, eyes wide. Meanwhile, the other members of his party remained as still as stone, some eyes wide, others hardening at this display.

Thankfully, it didn't last long as Lucifer reverted back to normal and returned to his seat. "I can't say I feel satisfied with my promise to your mother," he continued, looking back at Daisuke. "Back then, as I said, I granted favors on a whim. But I somehow feel I might be able to finally fulfill that promise in full. As for your mother, her untimely death could be grounds for breaking of such a contract, but I am a man of my word."

It, understandably, took a moment for the room at large to regain their composure. Daisuke, having seen and heard a bit more of the supernatural since meeting Hiro, didn't seem as phased as the others, but he still had to close his eyes and swallow. Hearing about such things in writing or illustration was one thing. Seeing it in person was something else entirely.

"Since you and Hiro's party are acquainted," Haru spoke up, breaking the silence, "I gather he's aware of this….side of you?"

His hesitancy was warranted and Daisuke couldn't help but give his partner a shrewd look, surprised at how quickly he'd seemed to recover from the shock. Perhaps everything had rubbed off on him after all.

Lucifer waved an errant hand. "One might say that, though I confess I've never shown them my devil face before. At least not that I can remember." He looked momentarily thoughtful before brushing the notion aside. "Be that as it may, they are aware. I have had to showcase some of my other abilities in their vicinity before."

"Would one of those be the ability to take on the brunt force of a bomb blast?" Daisuke asked, face neutral once more. While he'd not been there to see it, HEUSC had managed to get the footage showing it moments before any security cameras on sight had ceased to function. It was one of many things he'd perused the night before while waiting for Hoshino's plane to arrive. He'd just not paid as close attention to it as he probably should have.

This time Lucifer glanced over at Maze as if it some oversight on her part Daisuke knew about that. "Yes, well… when I first encountered Hiro and his aunt, it was during the initial bombings at that bot tournament. I had a hand in freeing them from the wreckage. And, since they'd already encountered Loki, I'm sure it was no leap on their part to accept me for what I am."

It made sense, though Daisuke would definitely want to hear details later, either from Lucifer, Loki, or Hiro. He wasn't sure if he should ask Cass about it or not. But that was something to worry about later. "You said you were finally able to fulfill the promise you made to my mother. How so?"

Lucifer seemed to debate, once more glancing at his companion, who simply shrugged. "I have come across some information that might be beneficial. How it might be related to current events, I couldn't say. But I have heard your name whispered in dark places. There are those who are quite displeased with your activities in regards to Adollium. I would advise you to use caution going forward with your endeavors to keep it out of the hands of those who would misuse it."

This time Daisuke's mouth lifted into a genuine smile that almost seemed to relish the idea of a challenge. "I look forward to the chance to take those entities head on."

"Don't be arrogant!" Lucifer warned in a harsh tone. "Many of these people have deep pockets and deeper roots. I couldn't consider myself paid in full without warning you how foolhardy it would be to continue venturing into these situations without proper precautions. You have already garnered the attention of several hostile parties, one of which claims credit for bombing your estate earlier this year."

Hearing that, Daisuke couldn't help but tense. The only incident to come to mind was from the aborted memorial for his mother and cousin when the Hamadas had gone to Japan. No matter how much digging he'd done, he hadn't come across any indications of any party who might be responsible. It had been a constant thorn in his side, realizing it was entirely separate from the attempt on Cass's life. "And who might that be?" he wondered aloud, keeping his tone almost flippant.

"I don't have a name," Maze spoke up for the first time since being introduced. "Yet. I do, however, have a network I trust implicitly."

Lucifer nodded. "If Maze says there's a credible threat, I would believe her. And, for your sake, as well as Hiro's, I will have her continue to dig until we find out the party responsible. After all, I do feel a sense of obligation to the young whelp, knowing what he is."

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door, causing more than one head to turn towards the entrance to the suite. "That must be room service," Suzue reasoned as she stood and headed over to answer the polite knock. It was unlikely anyone else, outside of Loki, knew where they were staying.

A uniformed man pushed a loaded cart into the room, dispensing of the various domed dishes and the like onto the dining area table before leaving with a slight bow. Suzue made sure to shut the door firmly behind him.

"I think it would be wise to curtail any further discussion of this matter for now," Daisuke decided as he stood. "But if you wish to join us, I believe Suzue requested enough for all present."

Suzue had, at this point, lifted one of the many domed lids, allowing the most appetizing of aromas to fill the room. This was followed by a second and a third. Haru went to help while Hoshino sort of sat there, unsure of what to do.

The smile that crossed Lucifer's face was gracious as he accepted the invitation. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate a chance to wash up," he said, glancing over at Hoshino, as if silently telling the man he'd better take that opportunity as well.

Taking the hint, Hoshino made a hasty retreat to his shared room while everyone else prepared for the mid-day meal.

Chapter 22: Chapter Twenty One: Influence

 

Honey Lemon hadn't meant to sleep in as late as she had. And part of her felt certain no one else on the team had either. But, after the events with the car and trolley the day before, she wasn't overly surprised. A bit of a veteran at getting banged up, she'd gone home and had a nice soak in a tub of hot water, and then had taken some vitamin supplements in the hopes they would help with stiff muscles in the morning.

Despite her attempts to curb any repercussions from being thrown, her body was just as stiff and sore as she'd hoped it wouldn't be. Her backside definitely hurt where she'd landed on the asphalt. She just hoped the resulting bruise wasn't as bad as some she'd had in the past.

Thinking about that, she couldn't help but wonder how the others were doing. She took her phone off the charger and looked to see if she had any missed texts or calls, only mildly surprised to find she had none. Surely the others were up by now, she reasoned, glancing at the time. It was closer to lunch than breakfast and she wasn't sure if she should head over to the Lucky Cat Café to see how Hiro was doing or not. And then she thought about GoGo.

Despite being roommates with GoGo, they didn't share the same bedroom. It was sometimes best to text first so she sent off quick text to her best female friend, which didn't immediately result in a reply. It wasn't entirely unexpected. Chances were good GoGo had slept in as well. In fact, the least likely of their group to sleep in was probably Fred, who seemed to have the energy of a toddler and the stamina of a professional athlete. He'd likely check in on his fiancé soon, if he hadn't yet so she sent him a quick text to ask.

Fred's reply was almost immediate, one of many emojis the mascot liked to employ. It was just as quickly followed up with the indication he was headed to their place and would let her know when he arrived.

With that taken care of, Honey shot off another text to Wasabi, not sure what he might be up to. He'd seen decent enough the evening before, more than able to drive, so she wasn't sure what injuries he might have sustained from the car explosion. His reply was a minute or two after her initial inquiry, but he seemed to be up and about, negating one worry. She made plans to head over the Lucky Cat closer to noon, sending the invite to Fred and GoGo as well.

Jack hadn't asked them for their report on the incident the day before yet, and she could only assume that was because he was up to his ears in other things. It was probably only a matter of time before he did ask so she decided to sit down and type up her account of events, just in case. Saving it on a cloud drive, she again checked the time and decided she could sneak in a quick shower before heading out.

---

Cass hadn't expected Loki back so soon. She'd sort of thought he'd stick around Hiro for a while, possibly trying to get a better idea of what all had happened on his end the past few days. That or question him about their time in Japan. But that was apparently not the case as Loki re-entered the living level of the Lucky Cat Café and immediately went to wash the dishes.

"Everything okay?" Cass inquired, noting an air of distraction around the man. She headed towards the sink, not sure what to expect.

Loki looked up from scrubbing the plate Hiro had used, setting it down in the sink before turning to face her. "I find myself thinking deep thoughts," he admitted, then smiled at how silly it sounded. Using a dish towel, he dried off his hands before taking her up into his arms. "Hiro has pointed out a few details I thought intriguing."

More than willing to stay in Loki's arms for as long as he wanted to hold her, Cass tried not to move. "Dare I ask?" she wondered, savoring the sensation of his arms around her.

"Hiro ventured the notion that by being in close proximity to him, some of the… unusual energy he occasionally expels has had an effect on those around him." He gently turned Cass so she was now facing him. "Considering recent events, and how I was able to connect with him without touch, it makes a certain amount of sense."

A thoughtful expression crossed Cass's face. "If that's true, then why haven't I felt it more?" Her nose crinkled at the idea.

Loki released his hold on her as he contemplated that. "Perhaps it has more to do with how many times he's purposefully shared that energy with me," he mused. "There have been, of course, the few unintentional times as well. However, since you expressed having had recent encounters with him during your time in Japan, it does make sense that he'd be able to show you his vision in real time when that might not have been possible otherwise."

Not sure if she followed his logic or not, Cass blinked a few times as the idea tried to cement in her brain. "I'm not sure I understand," she admitted. "Are you trying to say the only reason I was able to see his vision is because he'd entered my head before? And if that's the case, how come you were able to see them when he'd never entered yours?"

It was obvious there was some kind of disconnect, and it showed on Loki's face as he gently pushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "That's not exactly what I'm saying," he said. "What I'm saying is that as a mortal, had you not had those encounters with him, it's probable he wouldn't have been able to share that vision with you. What is likely is that, over the course of time since he began changing into whatever it is he is becoming, the energy around him has subtly influenced everyone who comes in contact with him. However," and he held up a hand to stay any comments, "the more a person is exposed to those powers and energies, the more likely they are to experience them given time."

Various expressions crossed Cass's face as she digested that. "If I'm following your logic," and she hesitated for a moment, "are you saying that it's possible even his friends and classmates might have been somehow influenced or changed by whatever it is Hiro is?"

Loki couldn't help but let out an amused sort of laugh. "Close enough," he said, pulling her close again and kissing her forehead. While she was thus distracted, he sent off aspects of himself to check in on the others, mostly because he hadn't heard anything from them since the night before. He was unsurprised to learn the Big Heroes planned on heading their way within the hour. And it looked like Daisuke and company were occupied, at least for lunch, with no mention of their plans after the fact.

He didn't bother sending any invisible inquiries Jack's way; sure the man would make whatever he wanted known soon enough. Loki did, however, quickly check on Hiro to make sure he hadn't gone anywhere. He hadn't.

"I don't know if you had any meal plans for the early afternoon, having only just eaten," Loki spoke up, pulling back a bit so he could look Cass in the eyes, "but it might be wise to make something available. I have reason to believe Hiro's friends will be joining us shortly."

Hearing that, Cass seemed to go into overdrive mode as she sort of looked around in rapid fire, trying to recall what plans they'd had. If things had gone according to the original schedule, she and her Japanese friends would have likely been on some outing. But, as things stood, she wasn't sure what to think. "What about Daisuke and the others?" she wondered aloud as she headed to the fridge, looking inside as if unfamiliar with its contents.

The sudden spurt of activity was not unwarranted, though it was also somewhat amusing. Not sure how he could help, Loki chose to stay out of the way. "Daisuke and his party appear to have taken care of their own needs for the time being," he informed. "I believe they have brought another entity into the mix and will likely bring him up to speed."

Cass paused, not sure what he meant by that. "Another entity?"

"A man named Hoshino."

Her reaction was a mixed one. The man wasn't a bad egg by any means, but he hadn't been the most accepting. She had no reason to dislike him, outside of his dry sense of duty. "I didn't know he was coming," she admitted.

Loki watched her school her expression, not sure what it meant. "I take it you are acquainted with this individual, though I can't seem to place the name."

"Hoshino was the main detective investigating in Japan," Cass replied as she went after a canister in one of the cupboards. She'd come to the conclusion it would be wisest to make some kind of baked good that could be easily shared. It might have been just as easy to order something in but she'd felt the need to be productive.

Understanding crossed Loki's face. "Ah, the one who you described as a straight-laced officer," he recalled. "I wonder just how much he is aware of Hiro and his abilities." He said this last part more to himself.

Cass began measuring out flour and other ingredients into a large bowl. "Who knows? I understand his access to that kind of information was limited, but he did see a few things he might have trouble coming to terms with."

"Such as…?"

She relayed to him how Hoshino had been there when Hiro had predicted an earth quake, as well as when he'd been "possessed" by some entity warning them about the impending attack on the woman. It culminated in a brief description of his involvement with the final arrest of the woman who'd tried to kill her. "I'm not honestly sure how much he thinks was coincidence, trauma, or what," she confessed.

Loki looked more than thoughtful at that, wondering if some intervention might be necessary on his part. Hoshino had not been mentioned during his brief discussion with Daisuke about who all knew about Hiro's abilities the day before. At least he didn't think he had been. A lot had happened since then.

While his mind was thus occupied, Cass had managed to whip up some kind of batter and was scooping it up into a baking pan. "Forgive my inattentiveness," Loki apologized as he realized several long minutes must have passed by while he'd been lost in thought. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Cass moved the now prepared loaf pan into the oven, which had had ample time to pre-heat. "I'm just about finished for now," she admitted as she shut the oven door and set the timer. "It's not exactly a lunch item, but I know they love my lemon bread."

"This is why I love you," Loki said almost too quietly to hear.

The proprietress looked up. "You say something?" She had gone to wash the mixing bowl, only mildly surprised when he insisted on taking over the cleanup.

His smile could have lit up the whole room, if it had been necessary. But, with the late morning light streaming in through windows unobstructed by curtains, it wasn't necessary. "It was nothing." He had turned away, in the guise of focusing on cleaning the bowl he had in hand so she wouldn't see the expression on his face. He didn't turn back around until he'd thoroughly scrubbed the bowl and rinsed it.

Any further interactions in that direction were cut short as Hiro appeared around the top of the stairs, looking slightly winded but walking on his own. Baymax was not far behind him. "Is that lemon bread I smell?" the teen asked, unaware of the moment he'd interrupted.

His question was almost cut short as his legs tried to give out, prompting both Cass and Loki to momentarily freeze before rapidly making their way towards him. Baymax was there first. "I have got you," he said as he managed to keep the teen from tumbling down the stairs. He scooped him up and carried him the last step or two into the main living area.

"Guess my body's still working out the kinks," Hiro said with a hesitant chuckle. There had been a brief moment there when he wasn't sure someone would catch him in time and it showed on his face. "I just hope it doesn't take as long as Kally's did back in New York."

Seeing that he was fine, and that Baymax had him well in hand, both Cass and Loki stopped short, giving each other sheepish looks. "When Odin is involved, one never knows," Loki spoke up, sounding thoughtful. There were other factors involved, of course, but he figured those were obvious.

There was likely a way to get around it, but Loki couldn't think of anything off the top of his head. It might be something he never learned from his adoptive mother. Either way, all they could do was wait and see how things turned out. "Perhaps you should take a moment to clean up before your friends arrive," the Asgardian suggested, noting that Hiro's appearance was disheveled. Chances were good he hadn't done so since before his emergency surgery and would need it.

Reminded of that little detail, Hiro couldn't help but sniff at his person. "Yeah, I think you might be right," he admitted as his nose wrinkled a bit. "Wonder if I have time for an actual bath or if I should settle for a shower."

Loki looked vague for a moment before blinking rapidly a few times. "From what I can tell, your friends are still in the process of waking up so you might have time for a short bath."

Not one for soaking longer than necessary, unless he fell asleep in the tub, Hiro rolled his eyes. But it was nice to know that he'd supposedly have time. The idea of standing in the shower, even for the few minutes needed, made his knees wobble, and he wasn't even currently using them to support his weight.

"I will assist you," Baymax assured, noticing his friend's change in demeanor. Before Hiro could respond to that, he turned and headed up the stairs leading to the third floor, disappearing from view.

Cass headed back to the kitchen to check on the oven, Loki following her. "I wonder what else I should make," she said out loud.

---

Jack was up to his eyeballs in paperwork. Despite the Big Hero 6 being able to negate most of the potential damage from the trolley incident, there was more than enough work to make most people's heads spin. He'd noticed someone had edited the security footage to hide the fact that several of their number had gotten hurt, particularly GoGo. He'd unearthed a hospital bill with her name on it. Part of him couldn't help but wonder who'd taken the initiative, and then he remembered who all he was dealing with.

To say he'd done some further digging on Daisuke Kambe's associates would be an understatement. In fact, the main reason he was behind on paperwork was because of said research. The usual PR jacket was pretty standard. What he'd been most interested in was the man's work with various law enforcement agencies around the globe. He'd worked with several, all in the name of taking Adollium out of the hands of criminals. But it was Katou Haru who had caught his eye on those ends, tending to be the man on the ground for the majority. At least as far s he could tell.

The main reason behind his poking around was more to get an understanding of the man's character. His brief encounter was far from enough to come to any conclusion. While Daisuke was practically an enigma and knew how to play poker with the best of them, Katou appeared to be more of an open book. Not that he'd seen anything about Daisuke gambling in the traditional sense. Rich people gambled in ways 'normal' people could only dream about, if they could even conceive of the possibility.

Katou, for all intents and purposes, seemed a pretty straightforward kind of guy. His record wasn't entirely trouble-free. There was a hint of some rebellion when he'd had issues overcoming a bank heist where the man had shot a woman and inadvertently killed her. The main issue there was the psych evaluation and inability to maintain a steady hand for his shooting qualifications post incident. That all changed after the man had worked with Kambe.

The connection he had with Hiro was undeniable, Haru having been present during the teen's recent trip there. He'd definitely want details about that trip to Japan, though he knew he was in no position to ask for them. Sure, he'd managed to regain some of the trust he'd lost with the Big Heroes, but he knew he had a long way to go. Unfortunately for them, he had an obligation to the Doctor to keep an eye on their teen leader. Well, it was whatever.

Jack was brought back from his reverie by an officer placing a report in front of him, one he'd been anticipating all morning. The bomb squad's initial findings were pretty standard. What he'd hoped to get with a more detailed analysis was an idea of if the incident with the trolley was related to the one at the SFIT campus. A quick perusal confirmed the likelihood, which didn't bode well. He'd suspected, of course. Nothing ever seemed to be random in the long run when Hiro became involved. Whatever sixth sense that guided him seemed more than able to sniff out connections, even if it took a while to tie them together.

Detectives Gray and Small made their way into the command center, both looking less than pleased with something. They didn't so much as beeline for Jack as saunter over, as if taking a peek at whatever anyone else in the room was doing. He'd have to assign someone to keep an eye on them, just in case. They seemed a bit too eager for his liking.

"Something to report?" Jack inquired as the two detectives got closer to his current location, a desk at the center of the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the clock on the wall indicating it was close to noon.

Gray chewed his lower lip for a minute, hands stuffed into his pockets. "We were just at the auditorium," he admitted. "A guy named Kambe showed up. Said he was part of the investigation."

Judging from the disgruntled tone, Jack could guess at what kind of meeting that had been. "Yes, Kambe's part of my team," he confirmed. "I'm sure he wanted to get a look at ground zero, so to speak." He didn't offer any further explanation of where the man fit into the scheme of things, getting the impression he'd likely go off and do his own thing at some point. For the time being, that was fine, but he hoped it wouldn't come down to having to pull him back from going too far. If what his research revealed was true, the man sometimes went into gray areas. Not that Jack was one to talk, but there were established protocols for a reason.

"He got a look," Gray continued, glancing at Small.

Jack stood, so the two weren't lauding over him in any way, his tall, solid frame, seeming to dwarf the two. "And what about canvassing the area? Come up with anything yet?"

Small gave his partner a sideways glance, lower lip twitching. "Not yet," he admitted.

Now coming around the desk, Jack made sure to give them both an intense, though not quite intimidating looks. "I'd like you to focus your attention on the intersection with that car bomb," he all but ordered. "There are far too many witnesses who need to give statements and I think your talents might be best served talking with them and anyone else who might have been in the area."

In a way, he supposed it could be said he'd put a bulls eye on GoGo with that one, as her name had come up in the reports, after Daisuke had presumably changed the camera footage to make her a victim and not one of the rescuers. He'd been relieved to learn her injuries weren't as bad as they could have been, even more glad the others hadn't needed medical attention as well. "I believe the officer over there has a list of people who were unable to come in last night," Jack continued, indicating a sergeant near the door.

Knowing they were being dismissed, the two detectives made an about face and headed for the door. Whether or not they appreciated the assignment or not was of little consequence. If they were professional, they'd get the assigned job done. But, if not, Jack would make sure they were assigned to a completely unrelated case.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he contemplated everything that had occurred so far. If things were like Los Angeles, chances were good they could expect something to happen later on that day, though he had no idea how to prepare for it. Hiro would likely get another premonition, which would help, but he definitely needed more information before they could even begin to say they had a grasp as to who was behind all this. With that in mind, he got back to the reports at hand, debating on asking for someone to bring him a sandwich.

Chapter 23: Chapter Twenty Two: Making Plans

 

Honey Lemon arrived at the Lucky Cat Café at about the same time as Fred and GoGo. Wasabi had cited some issues with his van as an excuse to not show up, though the others figured it was more likely to do with an inability to get out of bed after his knock back the day before. It was also possible he'd had something come up for real. The van had sounded a bit rough. That and Honey had it on good authority that a professor had wanted a chat with him about potential grad schools.

The Whitmore butler dropped both Fred and GoGo off, as parking was limited. Honey had taken the trolley over. Since they were closer to the SFIT campus than some other establishments, it made the most sense. And, with people still curious about the whole bomb thing, there was more than the usual amount of traffic in the area. Thankfully, most didn't stop and take up the limited parking available.

GoGo gave a sort of nod that was more head lift than most, wincing as it tweaked her shoulder. Her affected arm was in a sling, the kind that actually strapped around the body to keep things as quiet as possible. It made sense, given the potential damage further movement might cause. And, knowing GoGo, the restriction was probably warranted.

Fred sort of sauntered over, hands in his pockets, beanie pulled low over his forehead in his classic slacker attire. No one looking at him would believe he was the son of a rich family. "Hey, Honey Lemon," he greeted, giving a brief wave before moving to shield GoGo from a pedestrian who'd walked a bit too close to his fiancé, risking jostling her.

The resigned look on GoGo's face was more than enough to prompt a maternal smile from the chemist of the group. "Hey Fred, GoGo," she greeted. "Wasabi got distracted by something on campus. He may or may not join us later."

"We going in or what?" GoGo asked in a somewhat grumpier than usual tone. While she had taken pain management medication earlier, chances were good she'd need another dose soon. That and she was getting hungry. Having had to fend for herself for breakfast, she'd gotten by on the most simple of meals, just enough to quiet her stomach and take the meds upon waking. But that had been several long hours ago and her stomach was getting close to demanding something more substantial.

Out of politeness, Honey knocked on the door to the private entrance before opening it and heading in. She wasn't sure if anyone could hear it over the hustle and bustle of the café practically next door to the entryway, but they had a standing invitation to come and go as needed. "Aunt Cass?" she called as she reached the first step. "We're coming up!"

There was the sound of someone moving around upstairs before Loki appeared at the top of the stairs for only a moment, almost as if checking to see who all was there. Taking that as invitation enough, the blonde headed up, the others following. Fred made sure to shut the door behind them. It wouldn't do to leave it open for just anyone to enter.

The wonderful smell of fresh-baked lemon bread wafted down, along with a few other more savory scents. Rounding the top of the stairs, it became apparent what had made the other appetizing aromas. Cass was putting the finishing touches on a bowl of pasta salad, leaving it on the counter to make room on the table for everyone else. There were also some pre-made finger sandwiches and a stack of plates.

"Come on in," Cass invited.

Fred sort of did a happy dance. "Oh yeah!" He did look around after a moment. "Where's Hiro? He not feeling up to eating?"

The last they'd all heard, Hiro was still in recovery mode from surgery. It only made sense if he was resting in his room. Of course, after the car bomb premonition the day before, it was even more likely he was still out for the count. It was no secret that such things tended to do a number on their diminutive leader.

Loki appeared at the top of the stairs to the third floor, helping Hiro descend, one step at a time. The teen was obviously in need of the support, though he wasn't necessarily hunched over as expected. "Hey, guys," the teen greeted. His hair was damp, suggesting either recent sweating or a shower. But at least he was smiling and didn't look like death warmed over, just exhausted in the way most who've overdone things do.

GoGo leaned against the counter. "Look who's up and about," she said, popping a gum bubble. "Looking pretty good, all things considered."

Hiro laughed. "I might say the same thing," he responded. "I heard you had a bit of trouble with a trolley." He didn't so much as pointedly look at her brace but it wasn't hard to miss the intent of his comment.

Doing her best to shrug with one shoulder, GoGo gave another nonchalant chew on her gum. "Coulda been worse. No one died, so there's that."

"Ah," Loki said with understanding. "That's right. I never gave you any of the details, did I?' He helped the teen to the table, pulling out a chair for him when it looked like he wasn't quite up to the task.

Hiro rubbed at the back of his neck, momentarily closing his eyes. "It's been a busy morning."

Cass didn't comment as she encouraged the others to help themselves to the food. She had no way of knowing what all Loki and Hiro had discussed before she'd gotten up for the day and so had nothing to say on the matter. But she did take the initiative of filling a plate for her nephew and taking it over to him, something she doubted he felt up to doing at the moment. She'd seen him in a similar position too many times to know he was still struggling to regain full control of his body.

At Fred's insistence, GoGo took a seat next to Hiro while he took care of her plate. With only one functional arm, he'd correctly guessed she'd have issues. And while he knew she hated it just as much as Hiro probably hated having to rely on others, he also knew it was something she appreciated. Even if she blew out her breath in a huff like their leader did, slumping back against the chair.

"Not too much to tell," GoGo spoke up. "It was a typical mission to stop a bombing. There was a car someone was probably controlling remotely, with a bomb under the hood. They tried to crash it into a trolley but we managed to stop it. Honey coated it in foam, limiting the blast range. Most of us got thrown, but the citizens were pretty much safe."

Leave it to GoGo to keep things simple. Hiro knew there was a lot more to it and figured it might be wise to petition Daisuke for the actual footage, if possible. That or possibly hack into the system, though chances were good the footage had already been altered to keep any suspicions off of the Big Hero members, particularly GoGo, since he knew she'd have had to go to the hospital. It's what he'd have done, alter the footage to make her an innocent bystander, and he felt sure the others would have done the same. Or found someone to do it for them.

"Anyone hear from Jack?" Hiro asked as the others situated themselves around the table. He noticed both Cass and Loki chose to stand on the other side of the counter, in the kitchen, to give everyone else room at the table.

Honey Lemon tucked her feet under the chair as she sat, adjusting her plate so it wasn't too close to the edge. "Not since last night. If I had to guess, he's probably been busy."

Next to her, Fred fussed a bit with GoGo's plate until she took charge of it, though he didn't seem to mind. "I'm sure he expects us to pretty much do what we did yesterday, go back to the campus and sort of poke around, see what others know about yesterday. That or he's giving us a chance to recover."

"Probably the second one," Cass spoke up. "Jack's not a monster, even if he is arrogant." She chose to forget her initial reactions to the man. He did have a certain charm to him. But, after having met Loki, they were lost on her. But, for all his faults, she had to admit he took care of his people.

Not waiting on ceremony, Hiro had started in on one of the sandwiches while they talked. He sided with Aunt Cass's opinion about Jack's not communicating, though part of him couldn't help but wonder if there wasn't more to it. The man did have a ton of resources at his disposal, including that vortex manipulator thingy, which he'd first shown to Hiro on their initial meeting. But it wasn't something to worry about until he decided to pop up again so he chose not to give it a second thought.

The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of eating and shuffling while everyone just sort of enjoyed each others' company and the fact they all hadn't died the day before. During that time, a thought niggled at the back of Hiro's mind, one that would require others to help out since he was still relearning how to use his body after Odin's intervention. Man that sucked. But it was what it was.

When Aunt Cass reached for his empty plate, inquiring if he wanted more, he nodded. "I'd like to go out after we're done," he admitted. "If that's okay with everyone." He wasn't sure how the others would take that; sure they might not think him up to it. He still hadn't told his friends he was technically no longer in recovery mode from surgery but from a Norse God using his pent up energy to force his body to heal.

"Where did you have in mind?" Loki asked. As Hiro's appointed bodyguard, both self and by Jack, he couldn't, in good conscious, let Hiro go out and about on his own. And he felt certain either Cass or Daisuke should be there as well, since they were supposed to be co-handlers.

It took Hiro a moment to answer because he was chewing. Once he swallowed, he looked directly at Loki, knowing he was the real obstacle in the way. "I wanted to go to the campus and look at the auditorium myself."

Various expressions crossed the faces of his dining companions. The Big Heroes, having mostly been there, had had a firsthand experience with everything that had occurred there. Hiro, on the other hand, had only seen it in his mind. Curiosity was only natural, though there were still some unexplained parts with all that, like how Hiro had managed to project his voice to the entire crowd present at the time.

Honey glanced over at the teen, recalling how she'd seen a vague outline of Hiro, heading down the walkway before he'd called out the warning about there being a bomb.

"Do you really think that's wise?" Cass spoke up first, breaking the silence.

A sort of half smile that was almost a tick flitted across Hiro's face as he shrugged. "Dunno. But I kinda wanted to see if I could pick up on anything. Short of spirit walking, that is. But I'd rather be where it happened so I can get a better idea of the different 'scents' there, if that makes sense."

Loki nodded slowly, looking at Cass out of the corner of his eye. He'd heard how Hiro's ability to pick up on different auras had improved. "It might not be a bad idea," he admitted. "However, we'll need to make sure someone else is there who will allow us entry. The police are still investigating the area, after all. And since you are technically a minor, and an undercover informant, we must keep that in mind."

A frown turned Hiro's lips downward as he contemplated that. There were always technicalities. And, since things had happened so recently, there would likely be people who were still milling around like moths drawn to the flame. "Maybe we can go in the back way?" he asked, almost hopeful but not sure if he dared or not. If worse came to worse, there were ways around that but he knew it would be best to stay within the confines of his current boundaries.

Fred stood to take his plate to the sink, returning to the table but not sitting back down. "I don't know if it's possible, but maybe you could see if your cousin will help with that. Isn't Daisuke a cop or something? And I'm pretty sure I heard Jack say he was an official part of the investigation. I'm sure Jack would make sure any officers there would know about that in case he needed access."

"What Fred said is correct," Baymax spoke up, having stood silently in the background, observing. Since he'd previously seen no need to communicate, he'd stayed silent. "It might be useful to ask for his help." He blinked slowly as Hiro looked his way.

Seeing that everyone was mostly finished, and the serving plates were pretty much empty, Cass went to put them in the sink as well. "I'd feel a lot better if you had both Daisuke and Loki with you."

"You're not coming?" Hiro couldn't help but look surprised by that. Here was a chance for his aunt to potentially see him in action in an official capacity. Though, in a way he couldn't blame her either.

Cass picked up a sponge, getting it wet. "I was thinking I'd pop down to the café and see how things are going there," she admitted. "I feel a little weird not having done so already when it's literally right under our feet."

She made a good point, Honey supposed as she thought about everything. "I think we should go too," she spoke up. "I'd prefer to go inside, of course. But we can always act as some kind of decoy if he needs to sneak in."

"Works for me," GoGo said, pushing her plate away from her. She stood with some effort, trying not to twist her upper body too much. "We could see if Daisuke'll meet us there."

Fred took the initiative to clear her plate for her, noticing a look of pain momentarily cross her face. "I can call Heathcliff back over to give us a ride," he offered.

"Good idea," Hiro praised, sure he wasn't up to walking the distance. He quickly finished eating, glad his fine motor skills, at least as far as feeding himself, weren't impaired. Things were improving, but it was a lot slower than he liked. He hoped he could quickly learn that thing Odin thought he was capable of doing to get his body back up and running faster. Whatever that was.

Baymax shuffled forward, his belly momentarily lighting up. "I have contacted Daisuke to ask that he meet us at the SFIT campus," he informed.

In the meantime, Fred had whipped out his phone to call Heathcliff back to the café for the promised ride. It helped that he'd asked his butler to be on standby with one of the larger cars, otherwise they might not all fit, since Wasabi wasn't there. Perhaps they would run into him on campus.

"Could you help me upstairs for a minute to brush my teeth?" Hiro requested of Loki. He also needed to grab his shoes, and his emergency gummy bear stash.

While the two males, plus Baymax, went upstairs, the others finished cleaning up.

---

The last thing Daisuke expected to get was an email on his phone from Baymax. Hiro was understandable, but it was a decided first to get one from the robot. But it was definitely in line with the robot's speech patterns, short and sweet, straight to the point. Unlike some others he knew. The man glanced up briefly to see Lucifer dabbing at his lips with a napkin.

The meal hadn't been unpleasant, but the Kambe head was more than ready to part with his current company. There was something about the devil and his demon sidekick that rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe it was because the man was literally the devil of Christian faith. Or maybe it was the potential of chaotic madness he sensed underneath the cool veneer. Loki, in comparison, seemed tame, though Cass was likely part of the reason for that.

"Something wrong?" Suzue asked, looking over at her cousin.

While the meal was pretty much coming to its end, Daisuke didn't usually check his phone unless something needed his attention. Whatever it was hadn't come through her earring, so it had to be either of a personal nature or meant for him alone. How he'd known to check, though, was beyond her. He usually kept his phone in his pocket. But, then again, they were in the middle of an ongoing investigation so it did stand to reason he'd at least look at the device if it so much as vibrated for even a second. Whoever had sent it apparently prompted the man to actually open the mail and read it.

Looking slightly distracted, or maybe just thoughtful, Daisuke looked up; noting everyone at the table was now looking at him, including Hoshino and Haru. "Hm? It's nothing," he said, brushing it off. "Aunt Cass just wanted me to check in with her when I have a moment." Strictly speaking, it wasn't an outright lie. His aunt had been mentioned in the text, though it was more a request to meet up with Hiro than with her.

Lucifer pursed his lips together briefly, contemplating what his senses told him. There was likely fun to be had there, but it would probably be best not to antagonize the man, especially not when he'd previously confessed granting his mother a favor. "I think it's time we head out," he said. "I'm sure Jack has something for us to do down at the precinct. And if not, there are always other things we can do to occupy our time."

Taking the hint, Maze wiped off her mouth, setting the napkin down next to her plate. "I have a few contacts who wanted to connect," she admitted. "And there are a few bounties in the area I wanted to look into."

The devil and his associate made the proper apologies and tokens of thanks for the hospitality as they made their way out of the hotel suite. Hoshino, Suzue, and Katou stayed at the table, finishing their respective meals while Daisuke walked the two out. They were finished by the time Daisuke returned.

"Okay, Kambe," Katou said, putting his utensils down. "What did that message really say? I know you and I feel confident in saying there's more to it than a request to call your aunt."

Daisuke didn't sit back down. Instead, he placed his hands on the back of his chair and looked around at those still at the table. "Apparently Hiro wants us to meet him at the auditorium," he admitted. "I'm not entirely sure why though so don't ask."

Katou rolled his eyes. "Wasn't going to." He stood, looking around as if debating. After another second or two, he picked up his plate and took it to the kitchen sink and rinsed it off. If room service came, they'd probably reclaim the dishes and take them to be washed, but he wasn't sure how that worked, not having stayed in a hotel where he'd ordered room service before.

The Division One detective followed his example. He was still waiting for an explanation of why he'd been called out there but supposed he'd get it in due time. "Are we all supposed to go?" Hoshino wondered out loud, making room for Suzue in the kitchen so Suzue could bring her and Daisuke's plates over.

Daisuke hadn't moved from his position at the table as he contemplated. "I'm sure no one would mind," he stated. Strictly speaking, there hadn't been any specific requests outside of Daisuke joining Hiro and company, though he got the impression that it wouldn't hurt to have the others join them. "That way I can bring everyone up to speed." He looked over at Hoshino in particular.

"Guess we'd all better get ready then," Katou spoke up as he headed back to his shared room. It wasn't that he didn't look presentable, but he definitely wanted to brush his teeth. Part of him debated on bringing the semi-automatic he'd stashed in the room safe but thought better of it. He didn't quite feel comfortable using a firearm in another country, though he wouldn't mind having access to an ASV suit, just in case something happened.

While Katou was thus occupied, Daisuke took the opportunity to freshen up; sure Suzue and Hoshino were doing the same. Making sure he had his smart glasses, and requesting an update from HEUSC as to Hiro's whereabouts through contact with Baymax, he led his party to the elevator, requesting the valet have his car brought around.

Chapter 24: Chapter Twenty Three: Experiment

It was a little weird going to the SFIT campus, despite having spent the last few years there as a student, Hiro thought. He hadn't set foot on those grounds since his finals the week before and he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous and jittery. What he had in mind was something he'd only done once or twice a few months ago. And he wasn't even sure if it would work now or not, the circumstances being so different than before.

Thanks to Heathcliff, Fred's butler and some-time chauffeur, he and his friends had made it to the campus without issue. Loki was still by his side, though he had chosen to take a less imposing form than his usual bodyguard personae of Samuel Jackson. Instead, he looked more like his usual self, except with shorter hair and softened features to make him less obvious. He also wore the type of clothes that blended in with the crowd. For all intents and purposes, he was going by William while they were there.

Hiro shook out his hands, sucking in a lungful of air to calm his nerves. They were still technically just off the parking lot, though Honey Lemon, Fred, and GoGo had already dispersed to check out on the general situation around them. Despite wanting to stay by Hiro's side, mostly because they felt he might need the support, the teen and his current guardian had expressed a need for them to continue their pre-assigned mission from Jack. Baymax and Loki would surely be enough to keep Hiro company while they waited for Daisuke to join them.

Several benches sat nearby, intended for those who might be waiting for a ride, or possibly just wanting to rest their legs. Hiro headed to the nearest one and sat down, Baymax waddling behind him. Despite having regained more strength and mobility over the last hour, Hiro's motor functions were still iffy at best and he didn't want to test them any more than necessary.

Loki sauntered nearby, keeping an open eye to any potential threats, choosing to stand while they waited. There weren't as many people in the area as the day before, which was a nice change. Any other graduation ceremonies had either been moved to the other side of the campus, away from the damaged auditorium, or to a completely different venue. If they hadn't been outright canceled. A few had even been rescheduled, though no one was expected to attend if they didn't feel safe after what had happened, leaving the area less populated than it might have been otherwise.

Hiro had just about dozed off when Daisuke pulled up in his dark sedan. The sound of multiple car doors closing within a decent proximity, not to mention the scent of the man's royal purple aura pulled the teen from a hazy dream. He didn't bother standing as he looked over at the parking lot and the four individuals heading their way, only mildly surprised to see Hoshino had somehow joined the group.

"Hey," Hiro greeted, shading his eyes as he looked up at his much older cousin.

Loki rejoined the party, having temporarily moved away to make sure a small group of young adults weren't a threat. They weren't. They were just gossiping about recent events, hoping to get sight of anything interesting to post to social media. He'd diverted their attention to other matters before returning to Hiro's side. "Afternoon," he greeted the Kambe head, including the rest of his party with a slight nod of acknowledgement.

Daisuke took a step forward, nodding an indication at the fourth member in his group. "This is Ryo Hoshino from the First Division of the Tokyo MPD," he introduced.

Taking the initiative, mostly because he hadn't used the name William around Daisuke's friends, not sure if he remembered Cass had used that name, Loki stepped forward. "William Lawson," he introduced, shaking Hoshino's hand. Suzue and Haru both looked at each other at this, apparently unsure how to proceed. "I'm Hiro's bodyguard for the duration."

Hoshino returned the gesture, more than happy to have his hand released. Despite the slight build of the man standing in front of him, he couldn't help but feel the strength of his grip, resisting the urge to massage his hand after the fact.

"I've explained the general situation to Hoshino," Daisuke stated, now addressing Hiro. "I figured it would be wise to bring in another entity that is at least partially aware of your circumstances."

The teen nodded. "I appreciate it." He wasn't as familiar with Hoshino as he was the others of Daisuke's party, but the man did know more about his abilities than others did, which might be helpful. It also probably helped to have someone else Daisuke could order around outside of Jack's influence.

Hands now in his pockets, Daisuke gave his cousin the once over, evaluating his overall condition. "So, what exactly did you want to do here?"

Using Baymax as a support, Hiro stood. "I wanted to see the auditorium in person," he answered. "Maybe I can pull a rabbit out of the hat and look back and see the person who planted those bombs. Figured it was at least worth a shot." He shrugged, shaking slightly with the effort of standing. Odin had been right about there being other repercussions and he was so ready for those to be over with.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Daisuke asked, giving his cousin a more critical look over. "While I know you were somehow healed from your previous injuries, you appear to still be recovering from their impact."

The wry smile that crossed Hiro's face was a bit uncertain but also not at the same time. "Won't know until I try."

Hoshino's lips twisted into a frown. "I'm not sure what's going on here but I get the impression it's not something you'd want most people to know about."

It was an easy guess on his part, Hiro thought as he contemplated the detective who'd just spoken. "I mean, if you were in my shoes, would you?"

With the question turned back on him, Hoshino had to take a step back, both mentally and emotionally. The expression on the teen's face was impassive at best, but he couldn't help but feel like the weight of at least a century had focused on him, making it somewhat difficult to breath. He didn't know what all this teen had gone through, nor was he sure he wanted to, but the general explanation he'd gotten told him the niggling thoughts he'd had about Hiro Hamada were more than just suspicion.

"Didn't think so," Hiro added when Hoshino couldn't or wouldn't answer. "But if there are no other objections, I'd rather get this over with while I still have some energy in me. Relearning how to use my body is kinda tiring."

Taking the hint, Loki moved in to give Hiro a supportive arm to lean on. "We should go before we garner too much more attention." He looked pointedly at the few people who had stopped to stare at the group. There was no mistaking the atypical aura around them, atypical because only one of them was technically a student there. Not to mention, despite personal feelings, Loki had to admit the majority of those there were physically attractive in one way or another, even if his desires aimed at a woman not currently with them. The Japanese had a decided aesthetic that drew the eye.

Katou exhaled, falling into step behind Loki and his charge. "I somehow get the feeling we're third wheels," he said to Suzue, who was walking near his side. Daisuke had taken the lead in his typical style, walking like he owned the place. Hoshino wasn't far behind them, nodding in agreement.

---

The auditorium looked much the same as it had that morning, Daisuke thought as they approached the building. There were different guards around the perimeter than there had been before, but that was about it. He quickly flashed his detective's badge like he had every right to be there as he passed them, getting no push back as he escorted his group past the initial police line. He noted that the bomb squad did seem to have wrapped up their investigation and were no longer present as he led the way to the main doors.

Two officers stood at the main entrance, trying to look imposing, though they were the same ones he'd bypassed earlier and so quickly allowed Daisuke and party to enter. He did inquire if anyone else was in the building, just to be safe. He got a negative in reply, hoping it meant they would be alone. There was no need to let others see what other powers the teen might manifest, nor was there any way of knowing if he would or wouldn't. But he suspected there was the decided possibility and figured it would be best to keep witnesses to a minimum.

A small drone rolled from the heel of one of his shoes and he sent it take a quick look at the interior while they waited in the front entryway. "HEUSC, anything of concern on any of the camera feeds?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Loki had found Hiro something to sit on while they waited for him to make sure the building was secure. The teen had removed a bag of gummy bears and was chewing on a handful of them. It was probably not a bad idea, all things considered.

"The building is secure," HEUSC announced through Daisuke's earring.

Sure the AI butler would have announced if there were any problems, Daisuke nodded, noting that Suzue appeared to have gotten the same message through her earring as well. "Looks like we're good," he announced to the others. "Shall we?" He indicated they should proceed into the main hall.

The area was just as Daisuke had left it, chairs still scattered around the far end of the massive room, minus the pathways that had been cleared earlier. The floor was just as blackened, with only a few minor changes here and there where the bomb had actually gone off. He supposed the bomb squad was responsible for those changes and so dismissed them for the time being.

Hiro sort of stumbled forward, Loki and Baymax keeping pace with him as he made his way to the middle of the arena. It was quite the walk for someone in his condition, but he made it all the same. Reaching his intended location, he sort of swayed a bit, his robot steadying him while Loki went to retrieve the first usable chair, just in case he should need it.

Daisuke hadn't followed the teen, allowing the distance between to grow while Hoshino, Katou, and Suzue watched. Chances were good they'd stayed back because he had. In the meantime, he pulled out his glasses and put them on, activating them. "HEUSC, continue to monitor the building and alert me immediately if anyone enters from the outside."

"As you wish, sir." The drone zoomed towards an opening, heading outside to keep over watch.

Suzue glanced around pointedly. "Shouldn't we be a bit closer?" she wondered aloud. There was a decided distance between them and Hiro.

Next to her, Katou sort of swallowed harder than was perhaps necessary, likely recalling previous manifestations of the teen's power. "I'm perfectly fine staying back here," he announced.

Hoshino looked a bit apprehensive, possibly also recalling the one major manifestation of Hiro's powers, though what he recalled of them was anyone's guess. The incident had involved the teen somehow slowing time long enough to divert a bullet headed for his aunt's chest, while sending said bullet and somehow throwing everything back in a manifestation of energy so vast it had surpassed human comprehension. It would be understandable if the First Division detective was still coming to terms with it.

Taking all this in, Daisuke seemed to nod to himself. "Katou, you stay here, near the rear doors, just in case someone tries to crash the party. Hoshino, take the right-side doors near the front. Suzue, take the ones on the left. As one of Hiro's designated handlers, I'll keep an eye on him."

The various Japanese natives moved to their assigned locations, Daisuke heading towards Hiro and his small group. Not much appeared to have changed in the few short minutes while everyone arranged themselves. And readings from Daisuke's glasses indicated no change in energy around the teen.

Hiro rubbed at one temple, as if a headache had formed there. Since Daisuke wasn't entirely sure what the teen had in mind, he supposed it wasn't unexpected. It was possible he was just winging it, hoping for guidance from some great beyond. Then again, it could be like that time back at the mansion in the command room when he'd managed to manipulate the security footage with his mind, using it as a catalyst to look back in time.

"Not gonna lie," Hiro spoke up, looking over at Daisuke, "I'm kinda nervous. But if it will help us figure out what's going on, and why I'm somehow so connected to this, I gotta try."

Loki had moved to stand behind the teen, the chair he'd procured sitting a few feet to one side where Baymax stood in observation mode. "Trepidation is only natural," he said, placing his hands on the teen's shoulders. "I only have a basic grasp of what you were able to do in Japan and can only hope this will be an extension of those abilities. If you treat it as such, it might make it easier."

Apparently the two had lightly discussed what Hiro had in mind while waiting for everyone else to get situated. It was interesting to note that Hiro had refused the chair, for now. Knowing all he'd already gone through, Daisuke wasn't sure that was a wise move, but he wasn't about to voice it. Whatever he planned on doing seemed to require Loki's assistance and that might be the reason behind the decision.

"Let's do this," Hiro said to no one in particular. He took a deep, hopefully calming breath and closed his eyes.

At first, nothing happened. And then Hiro's eyes flew open, glowing with a combination of blue and gold, something Daisuke had never seen before. An almost gale-force wind of energy, one more internally felt than externally, seemed to rush out of the teen. It made breathing suddenly more difficult, like the air had literally thickened around them.

For the briefest of moments, the air rippled around them, like a heat haze. And then it became immensely less difficult to breathe, like a protective pocket had formed around them, allowing Daisuke to look around. With his glasses on, he could see the same kind of haze of energy through his glasses as from previous manifestations, except there were definable edges that didn't quite reach those standing by the doors. Perhaps it was more like their positions were protected from joining whatever energy bubble encompassed the room because, now that he looked at things, it seemed their locations were almost note quite in the bubble. Maybe it was more to do with proximity to Hiro than anything. He just hoped they hadn't had the same momentary difficulty breathing that he'd had.

The sound of breathing became more audible from Hiro, prompting Daisuke to look his way. He noticed Loki had also changed eye colors, his glowing more a glacial blue. And the Asgardian's whole body had tensed, his grip on Hiro's shoulders appearing to tighten in a way that was likely to leave bruises later.

Just what kind of relationship did those two have? It went way beyond the God of Mischief having any kind of feelings for their mutual aunt. And since he'd only had general descriptions of previous manifestations of Hiro's powers with Loki around, he wasn't sure how that all came into things. However, the event from the morning before, when Loki had reacted in tandem to Hiro's premonition of the first bombing should have given him more than a subtle hint. It was almost like the two were somehow linked in ways beyond mortal comprehension.

Whatever the connection was, Daisuke found he was both impartial observer and concerned relation, both sides wanting to war within him. Experience told him to let it play out. But there was a small part of him that wanted to pull the two apart, though he wasn't sure why. Jealousy? Fear that Loki was really just using his cousin? He wasn't sure. He'd accepted the man. For now. But the more he saw the relationship between the two, the more he knew he didn't understand it and that bothered him.

A loud and rather harsh sounding intake of breath pulled him from his thoughts and he looked at his cousin as the teen sort of hunched over, arms wrapping around his mid-section. Hiro sort of groaned, his eyes now closed as his face creased into a grimace of pain. Despite Baymax's previous announcement that any residual energy from the day before had somehow healed the surgical site, Daisuke couldn't help but wonder.

The teen began to pant, as if he couldn't get enough air into his lungs. Despite this, Loki still maintained a firm hold on his shoulders, moving to accommodate Hiro's motions, his body still just as tense. From the corner of his eye, Daisuke saw Baymax still observing things, not moving. If he wasn't going to intervene, chances were good it wasn't safe for Daisuke to either.

And then Hiro sort of slumped. If it weren't for Loki's firm grip, he likely would have fallen over and slammed into the floor. But that motion seemed to pop the bubble of energy around them like static shock. The air pressure changed drastically, causing a moment of disorientation before Daisuke came back to his senses and quickly moved the few steps between him and the duo to catch Hiro as he slid out of Loki's grasp.

Baymax, having sensed the change as well, was just as quickly next to Loki, arms encompassing the man as his body seemed to give out on him at the same time. The Asgardian looked much like a fish out of water as he tried to get his breathing under control, eyes wide, body limp. "I have got you," the robot said.

Footsteps sounded loudly as Katou ran towards them, the sound echoing in Daisuke's head like he was having some kind of out of body experience. He staggered, trying to keep Hiro from slipping through his arms, the teen suddenly feeling ten times heavier than he remembered from the other day.

"Master Daisuke!"

Suzue's voice seemed to echo in his head like a jackhammer. His entire body buzzed to the point he didn't realize when Katou had pried Hiro from his arms while Suzue helped him down to the floor. Losing contact with Hiro seemed to help but he still felt disoriented in a way he hadn't felt before, the room sort of sliding around him like some fun house mirror room on steroids. It was vertigo of the worst kind.

"Should we call for an ambulance?" Hoshino's voice broke into the confusion in Daisuke's brain as the man leaned over him. How had he gotten there so quickly? Hadn't he been on the other side of the room?

Soft vinyl rubbed against the hard floor, making his whole body hum. "There is no need," Baymax spoke up. "The effects should pass momentarily."

Out of the corner of his eye, Daisuke noted that Loki was now sitting on the chair he'd brought over earlier for Hiro. He looked out of sorts; one hand pressed to his head, much like Hiro had done prior to whatever it was that had just happened. He also noticed the man's eyes had returned to their usual color.

"Have a lollipop," Baymax said, thrusting a red confectionery in front of Daisuke's face as he leaned over the man. "Your blood sugar levels are low. This has likely caused disorientation."

Suzue took the candy from the robot when Daisuke seemed unable to do so for himself. She removed the wrapper. "Forgive me," she said as she pushed the hard candy between his lips. It had an artificial cherry flavor to it.

If it weren't for the fact that Daisuke's limbs were not exactly responding to him, something he somehow found ironic, he'd have pulled the lollipop out o f his mouth and tossed it away. But, as things stood, his limbs were not cooperating, giving him a greater understanding of at least part of what his cousin had to put up with on a potentially constant basis.

For his part, Hiro was now leaning against Katou, who was doing his best to keep him upright. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was more under control than it had been a minute or two ago. "Can I get one of those, too?" he asked in a strained voice. "I'm too tired to reach for my gummy bears."

"What exactly happened?" Hoshino wondered aloud, having taken a step back. Seeing several in his party in a somewhat incapacitated state probably wasn't helping things, but it was what it was.

Baymax waddled to Hiro, supplying him with one of the lollipops, which Katou had to help the teen with. "It would appear that those in the immediately area were affected by the energy discharge," he supplied helpfully, realizing neither Hiro, Loki, nor Daisuke were in a position to answer.

Suzue looked up at that, still crouched near Daisuke, who was at least able to stay sitting upright without need for support. "You mean like when Hiro tried to enter his aunt's memories?" There were other examples she could have picked but it was likely the one where the majority of the party had some context.

The robot tilted his head. "Yes," he answered. "Given time, and a proper diet, they should all make a full recovery."

"What I want to know is if Hiro was able to do what he wanted," Katou spoke up, eyeing the teen as he sucked on his candy.

Hiro removed the confection from his mouth, motor function returning enough that he could. "Something like that," he admitted. "It wasn't quite what I'd planned though."

It was likely that was all the explanation they were going to get for the moment, which suited Daisuke. He was more focused on regaining his own motor functions, feeling a great kinship with his cousin the longer it took for it to return.

"I am detecting three individuals headed this way," HEUSC reported. "Security footage identifies them as Hiro's associates."

Baymax blinked expressively as he took a few waddling steps towards the front of the building. "I recommend sending someone to meet them out front in order to bypass security," he stated.

Realizing the robot was right; Katou took it upon himself to do just that. "Be right back," he said as he headed for the main doors.

"Not one of my favorite things to experience," Loki admitted as he tried to shake off any residual energy this most recent event had generated. Unlike the others, he'd managed to maintain some semblance of balance. "Even though it hasn't been that long since lunch was likely consumed, might I suggest finding something for everyone to eat? Then we can discuss what transpired."

Daisuke sort of grunted as he tried to stand and couldn't. It was like getting sucker-punched by Aunt Cass all over again. "I highly doubt the local authorities would appreciate us having a picnic here," he quipped. The lollipop had dissolved and he'd managed to remove the remaining paper stick without help, an improvement over the last few minutes.

"We could go to my lab," Hiro offered, "once everyone can walk again that is. I still have the space for another week before they reclaim it." Technically speaking, he was supposed to be cleaning out all of his belongings during that time but wasn't going to mention it.

Suzue took a step back as Daisuke tried to stand. She hesitated to offer her hand, as he looked intent on doing it himself. She did put out a steadying hand as he stumbled slightly upon regaining his feet, giving him a questioning look.

"I'm fine," Daisuke said, brushing off any help in favor of straightening his clothes. It seemed, of the three of those affected; he had taken the least of any damage. Glasses still on his face, he put one hand to his temple and closed his eyes. A brief wave of nausea filled him but he pushed past it. "But I agree we should all head to Hiro's lab."

Everyone looked up as Katou returned with Honey Lemon, Fred, and GoGo in tow. "You all look worse than I feel," the adrenaline junky stated as she stopped short and looked at the group as a whole. "Let me guess. Hiro had another one of those incidents." GoGo glanced wryly at the teen.

Hiro gave a nervous kind of laugh. "Something like that. I was trying to find the aura of the person who planted the bomb and got a bit more than I bargained for."

"I saw several officers headed this way," Honey Lemon stated, wringing her hands. "Maybe we'd better find a way to get you out of here before they get here."

Loki attempted to stand, falling back into the chair. "I would recommend it," he admitted. "But it would seem that at least two of us will require a little help."

Before anyone else could comment, Baymax scooped Hiro up into his arms. "I will carry Hiro," he announced.

Taking the initiative, Katou moved to help Daisuke, bypassing Loki. He noticed Fred going over to help the Asgardian, which was probably just as well, as they were closer in height. He noted that the lanky man was a lot stronger than he looked as he had the God of Mischief lean against him.

When it came to helping Daisuke, he wasn't sure what to expect. The last time Katou had offered to let his partner lean on him had been back on the cargo ship when they'd chased down who they'd thought was Shigemaru Kambe. Daisuke had pushed away any help back then, but apparently felt a need to accept it this time around. At least he wasn't physically injured, which helped.

"I recommend using a side exit," Baymax stated as he headed towards the left side of the building. Unbeknownst to him, it led to the same area where Jack had teleported Hiro's friends moments before the bomb had gone off the morning before.

With no objections presented, the rest of the party made their way to the side exit, going at a pace much slower than typical for anyone involved. Daisuke had to lean heavily on Katou, his legs still not working quite right, while Loki appeared to be recovering much more quickly, a fact that annoyed the Kambe head to no end. Voices could be heard just as they reached the side door and slipped out just in time to avoid the officers entering the main room.

Chapter 25: Chapter Twenty Four: Consequences

 

Wasabi hadn't expected to get a call from one of his professors at nine in the morning, asking to meet with him around ten. The prospect had made him more than a little anxious, not sure what the man wanted to talk to him about. With that prospect ahead of him, he found his appetite had decreased significantly. It didn't help that he needed to eat something to take the necessary pain medication to silence the protests of abused muscles, not to mention a headache.

When the appointed hour finally arrived, he was already on campus and waiting in the reception area of the department offices. The fact that everything was still running like a mostly well-oiled machine was likely a miracle, all things considered. The police hadn't shut down the administrative sections of campus, though there was talk they might if anything else was found. The anxious man heard such gossip as he waited, hands pressed firmly against his thighs lest he fidget. It was no secret the bomb squad was now systematically combing the entire campus, just to be safe.

"Wasabi?" The professor stood in the doorway of his office, addresses his student by his preferred nickname. Not all professors were so inclined, but it was what it was.

Stealing himself, Wasabi stood and headed towards the open door. "Professor," he greeted. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

At the professor's urging, he entered the office and took a seat on one of several chairs facing the desk. All the furniture was of a modern, no-nonsense design. And, now that Wasabi thought about it, he recalled how this particular professor had been at the graduation. It wasn't much of a stretch since he was also technically the department head, but it certainly begged to question where this interview might end up going.

The professor moved to sit behind his desk, elbows resting on the surface, fingers steepled together. "I wanted to talk about yesterday," he admitted. "I noticed your friend, Hiro, wasn't there, but I could have sworn I heard his voice minutes before the bomb went off."

Wasabi's eyes widened and his mouth fell open, moving without making any sounds. He cleared his throat, swallowing hard while trying to recompose himself. "Sir, about that, I have no idea how that happened or why. What I do know is that Hiro couldn't have been there because he was out after major surgery."

The physics student looked around, trying to be covert about it, feeling the walls closing in around him. The door behind him had closed upon their both entering the room and he couldn't help but feel it was on purpose as he tugged at his shirt collar. "Is it getting a little hot in here?"

"It is a bit stuffy in here," the professor admitted. "They're still working on fixing the air conditioner." He leaned back in his chair now, looking quite pointedly at the student before him. Despite his words, he didn't look put out by the ambient temperature.

Wasabi swallowed again, not sure what his professor wanted. "Sir, I don't know what this has to do with anything. You were there just like the rest of us. There's no way any of us knew what was going to happen." Was he just being nosy or was there some ulterior motive? The man wasn't sure and it made things even more uncomfortable.

Sitting forward again, the professor decided to change topics. "I understand you've also applied for the masters in physics program."

The new graduate took a deep breath, letting it out slowly while he got his emotions back under control. "Yes, I've applied here as well as other universities." What he wanted to ask was where the man was going with this but didn't dare.

Now shuffling some paper, the professor looked like he was gathering his thoughts. "I've had a few recommendations already come in for you and your friends," he admitted. "I've also had a few inquiries about one in particular, though I've had a hard time getting a hold of him. When was the last time you talked to Hiro?"

Feeling more than a little uncomfortable with this scrutiny, Wasabi stood. "I don't know what your fascination is with my friend, but I don't know what to tell you. When last I checked, he was asleep, but that was yesterday. Why don't you try calling his aunt? I'm sure you've got her number."

His abrupt motion seemed to give the professor pause and he froze for a second before putting the papers down. "I can see I may have gone about this the wrong way," he pseudo apologized. "The point of the matter is that I had someone stop by last night who was asking about you and your group. They seemed to have a particular interest in Mr. Hamada."

Alarm bells rang in Wasabi's head, not at all sure what to make of this. "Who would ask about us? We're a pretty average brunch," he thought out loud. "It's not like there aren't others out there with more interesting qualities." He twisted his lips into a pucker as he contemplated what all that might mean. "You wouldn't happen to know who?"

The professor gathered the papers back into a pile and set them to one side, almost as if he just needed something to do. "They said they were investigating the bombing incident and your names came up as persons of interest."

Eyes going wide, Wasabi couldn't help but stare. As far as he knew, Jack was in charge of that and there was no way he'd go behind their backs to talk to a professor about them when he could just ask them anything outright. There had to be something else going on here. "I don't know what to tell you," he reiterated. "Hiro's been either at home or the hospital for the last two or three days. And the only other time he was on campus was for the general commencement, after which he immediately went home. I don't know who these people were who were asking about him, but I somehow doubt they were actually involved in the investigation because the agent in charge has already talked to us about it."

This was apparently news to the professor because he sort of pressed back into his chair like someone had shouted at him. "I wasn't aware."

"Maybe you should verify these things before you go and make people uncomfortable," Wasabi continued, allowing anger to override the anxiety he'd felt earlier. The nerve of the man! "Now, if you don't mind, I have places I need to be." He turned and left the room, too irate to be rational. And, knowing the state of mind he was in wasn't fit for company, he headed out to find a place to calm down.

---

To say things had not gone as expected would be an understatement, Hiro thought as he stared out at the ruined arena hall. The moment he'd let his spirit float free from his body, tethered as much as possible to keep him from wandering too far, he knew this wasn't going to be quite how he'd imagined. Despite this, he was able to rewind events for the past few days, getting slightly dizzy from seeing everything speeding in reverse, including the explosion and prior milling of various spectators.

The unfortunate thing was that he wasn't able to push things back as far as he'd wanted. It was almost as if there was some kind of block there, keeping him from going back more than a day prior to the event in question. This, unfortunately, meant he couldn't see who had planted the bomb, though he knew it was there at the point he was able to rewind to.

Chairs were already set up at the point he was able to push back to. There were a few people putting out reserved signs on the first section of seats, currently frozen as Hiro moved around them. The stage was also already in place, with the podium there, and chairs for the various professors. And there was the red light of the bomb, gleaming like a demon's eye underneath it all. If he hadn't known to look for it, he might have missed it entirely. Just how long had it been there anyway?

Walking towards the stage, Hiro couldn't help but feel a sense of unease fill him. What was it that was putting him on edge? Surely it wasn't something from the past. But if not that, what? He had no idea and that didn't thrill him by any stretch of the imagination. It was almost like that feeling of your skin crawling when something was wrong. He'd learned to listen to this sixth sense, but it definitely wasn't helping things with his current task.

Focus, he told himself, pushing everything else out of his mind. If he wasn't able to go back far enough to see who'd planted the bomb, his next task was seeing if he could get a sense of their aura. With the difference in time, it might not work as well as he'd have liked, but he had to try.

Standing right next to the stage now, Hiro closed his metaphysical eyes and reached out to the energies around him. There were a lot, all things considered. Most were the typical ones he was used to encountering in his daily life on campus. There were a few outliers, but nothing that really stood out. Until one sort of wafted into focus.

It was almost metallic, like pewter. There was an almost gun powder consistency to it, with hints of deepest crimson, like dried blood. But it wasn't the dominant aura, more like one that so permeated the one it clung to that it almost overwhelmed it. Underneath it, though less strong in what could only be called will was a sort of olive green one, except more muddy in color. Whoever it belonged to was more of a follower than a leader.

The next second, Hiro found himself flung forward in time, as if flicked like a booger from someone's finger. Except he was viewing events through the eyes of the audience as he came upon the day of graduation leading up to the actual bomb exploding. And, like the person whose eyes he was borrowing, he felt himself thrown back by the blast, unable to exit the building due to the press of the panicked crowd.

---

Hiro must have dozed off on the way to his lab because he didn't remember the actual journey over. He did recall typing in the code to his lab space, though, which he supposed was more important. But, even if he hadn't been conscious enough for the task, he knew Honey Lemon or GoGo could have punched the numbers in for him. The fact that he'd zoned out was more concerning.

If he was being fair, it did make some semblance of sense, all things considered. He had expounded a lot of energy again. It was yet another reason he needed to figure out how to do what Odin suggested he was capable of doing, healing himself, and hopefully without all the added consequences using his growing abilities seemed to entail. The sooner the better. In the meantime, he felt more like he was floating in the ether than anything.

"All right, guys," Fred spoke up, blacking out his cell phone's screen, "I've ordered a few pizzas for delivery. I hope everyone's cool with lots of meat and cheese. I also asked for a few liters of soda. If I remember right, Hiro should have some cups and paper plates stashed somewhere we can use."

Honey Lemon went to rummaging around the main desk for the items in question while everyone else either sat on one of the few chairs, a stool, or the floor. One or two chose to stand. Loki was, understandably, on a chair, his strength still returning. Daisuke had also taken up a chair while Suzue had offered GoGo the only other seat, the rolling stool. She'd chosen to stand. Hoshino and Katou sat on the floor while Fred looked out the window, as if he could see the front from there, though he kept his phone in hand for the text telling him the delivery driver was arriving.

Baymax had somehow managed to sit on the floor, turning himself into a chair of sorts, where Hiro currently sat, his body still limp. The teen didn't seem with it, despite having opened the door minutes before. At least not to the others in the room. Despite this, his eyes were open, though he seemed to be staring off into space a lot. The only consolation was that his eyes were their normal color.

"I would ask how you're doing," Loki spoke up, looking directly at Daisuke, "but I think I can tell just by looking at you."

Despite having made it mostly under his own power across campus and up the stairs into the Ito Ishioka Robotics Lab. He'd been more than happy they'd taken an elevator up to the required floor, and that the walk to the lab space in question hadn't been that far from said elevator. As things stood, he'd need a bit more time to recover, looking slightly flushed from the exercise. "I might ask the same of you," he quipped.

The God of Mischief laughed. "Touché. I suppose we are both in good company. However, seeing as this is your first foray into the realm of energy backlash, I can't help but wonder how you're handling it."

Katou and Hoshino both looked between the two sitting men, as if watching a tennis match. It wasn't quite a measuring contest, but it certainly was entertaining. And since neither of them had experienced what the two were talking about first hand, all they could go off of was what they'd observed, which, in Hoshino's case, wasn't much. Either way, it hadn't looked pleasant and it was more than a little odd to see the Kambe head in such a state.

Detective Katou had, of course, seen Daisuke out of action a few times since they'd become partners, but none of those times had been like this. The closest thing Haru had to relating to things was his own recovery from cracking his ribs, or getting shot in the leg when trying to apprehend Hattori for Sayuri Kambe's murder. "Personally, I think you're both struggling."

GoGo sighed as she wished the stool had a back she could lean against. "Dare I say you're all pretty and should stop debating about it?" She said this more under her breath than anything, not sure or even caring if anyone else heard her. It wasn't the first time, nor was it likely the last time she'd say something unto that effect.

Knowing the mood she was in, Fred went over to check on her and make sure she didn't need anything before his phone chimed with a notification that the delivery guy was on campus. "Anyone wanna help me bring up the food?" he asked, knowing the delivery driver likely wouldn't.

Katou got up with a bit of an effort. "I'll go with you," he volunteered. "Beats twiddling thumbs while we wait for Hiro to make up his mind if he's awake or not."

With his words, several pairs of eyes focused in on the teen. Hiro's eyes were currently closed; head resting on one of Baymax's arms like it was a pillow. "I'm awake," he said, his words somewhat slurred. "I'm just not entirely here at the moment."

This time Daisuke chuckled, noticing Haru give him a look out of the corner of his eye as he followed Fred out the door. He recalled giving a not quite similar answer to his detective partner when he'd ended up spending the night over at the man's house. It amused him just how much he and his cousin were alike sometimes.

"Be right back," Haru promised as the door closed behind him and Fred.

Suzue moved over to where Daisuke was sitting, trying to not appear as if she were checking in on him. There was a decided part of her that couldn't help it. She had to make room for Honey Lemon as she moved between the two with a stack of paper plates and plastic cups.

"Sorry," Honey Lemon apologized, realizing she'd inadvertently cut Suzue off. She put the tableware on the nearest empty space.

The woman's intentions were not lost on Daisuke, and while it was a bit annoying, he couldn't fault her for it. "I'll be fine once I've had something to eat," he assured. "I'm sure the same can be said for Loki and probably Hiro." He glanced at the youth and Baymax as if asking for confirmation.

Baymax tilted his head before looking down at Hiro, probably scanning him as much as the angle allowed. "Yes," he responded. "Food should help recovery."

Mouth twisted into a frown, Loki also contemplated the teen, noting that he still seemed somewhat out of it. "I confess I'm not quite so sure." There was definitely something off with how Hiro was acting, almost as if he wasn't fully there. Whether that was from his spirit traversing other realms, or for some other reason, however, he couldn't tell without being able to actually touch the teen to check his energy. Unfortunately, in his current condition, and with the chair he was in, that wasn't entirely possible. His seat didn't have wheels, which meant he'd actually have to get up and go to Hiro if he wanted to check and he definitely didn't feel up to that just yet.

Despite this, there was a decided difference to the quality of the air he wasn't sure if the others could feel or not. The majority of humans weren't sensitive to it, but part of him wondered. Having been in such close proximity to Hiro over the last while, he wouldn't be surprised if his friends, and even his cousin, couldn't feel it and just didn't realize it. Anything was possible. What was more surprising was that Baymax wasn't saying anything about it.

Hearing Loki's tone, Daisuke couldn't help but look over, wondering what was going on in his head. "Something wrong?"

Before Loki could answer, Wasabi burst into the lab, looking a bit flushed and in pain. He had to pause near the doorway, one hand pressed against the nearest stable surface as he steadied himself. "Guys, we got a problem."

Honey Lemon headed towards him, eyes a bit wide, not sure if Wasabi was having a panic attack or was just in pain from the day before. "What's wrong?" she asked, reaching him in a matter of steps. Her mind was going a mile a minute, trying to figure out if she needed to use the usual calming efforts when he freaked out, or if there was a genuine threat.

Wasabi took a deep breath, wincing as it forced his back muscles to contract. He really should have taken the time to do something about that before coming over, but his news couldn't wait. "I got called in to a professor's office this morning and he was asking about us, specifically Hiro." He glanced over at the Big Hero leader to emphasize his point. "Someone was impersonating an officer, wanting him to dig up information on us."

Hoshino had stood from the ground upon Wasabi's arrival and now took a few steps forward, but paused. The irate man didn't know him, and he didn't really know the man in question either, not having been introduced, but cop mode was asserting itself and he decided to let it have its way. "Try to calm down," he instructed. "I think you need to give us a few more details."

Looking at Honey Lemon with wide eyes, Wasabi debated on following those instructions until his friend nodded, giving the basic introductions. Once that was taken care of, he divulged the details of his conversation with the department head only a few hours earlier.

"And what did you do in the time between?" Daisuke wondered, forestalling any further questions from Hoshino. "You mentioned heading off to cool your head. Something must have happened between that put you in this state."

Wasabi moved further into the room and away from the door, something he probably should have done earlier but hadn't. "I went on a walk around the hydroponic gardens," he admitted. "When I came across who I thought to be two students conversing, except I didn't recognize any of them."

"Not an impossibility," GoGo commented from her chair. The SFIT campus was pretty big. And with its various departments, it was entirely likely there were many students there they'd never encountered before.

Perhaps it was because Hoshino had worked with emotional witnesses before, or because he somehow instinctually knew they needed to move forward with caution, he put out a reassuring hand. "What was it they said or did that made you concerned?" He kept his tone gentle and as soothing as possible while glancing at Daisuke and wondering what was taking Katou and Fred so long to return.

Wasabi had to take a deep breath as he steadied his nerves. "They were talking about the trolley incident last night, but not like they'd just happened to be there. They sounded like they might have actually been involved with the whole incident. And they were talking like it hadn't been the first time something like this had happened either. In fact, it kind of sounded like there are more incidents planned."

Hearing that, Daisuke immediately reached for his earring. "HEUSC, I want all security footage for the area in question. See if you can't locate and identify these individuals."

"As you wish, sir."

That done, he returned his attention to Wasabi. "Was there anything else about them that stood out? Anything they might have said?"

The burly man closed his eyes as he leaned against the nearest desk. "One of them mentioned seeing us when we exited the auditorium with Jack."

Honey Lemon inhaled sharply. "Do you think they saw Jack using his Vortex Manipulator?"

From her position, Suzue mouthed the words, exchanging confused glances with her colleagues.

Wasabi nodded. "There is absolutely no way they didn't," he confirmed. "They mentioned seeing us grab onto Jack and disappearing before reporting it into their superior."

Daisuke put one hand to his chin, contemplating. "I take it this Vortex Manipulator is some kind of teleportation device."

From his perch, Loki sort of smirked at that, having both heard of and seen the device in action. It had nothing on his own abilities to transport himself in the blink of an eye, but, for what it was, it was impressive.

"Yes," Honey answered for her friend. "Jack is technically from the future and works for a group called Torchwood, though he also works for a man called the Doctor who has helped us out before."

This was all apparently going over Hoshino's head and it showed, the confusion more than evident on his face as he tried to piece it all together. "You knew about this?" he asked Daisuke, realizing he didn't look as surprised as he felt.

"I knew there was such a device," Daisuke admitted. "Hiro told me a bit about it not too long ago." While not strictly the truth, it was enough to sell the lie. He'd had HEUSC do some digging that had resulted in hints and rumors that confirmed the reality of it.

At that moment, Fred and Katou appeared at the door outside the lab, both of them with arms full with either pizza boxes or bottles of soda. Honey quickly went to let them in, briefing them on at least the two supposed students.

"Not good," Fred admitted as he set the pizza boxes down. "How's Hiro taking this?" He looked over at the still unresponsive teen. Hiro's eyes were open, but he definitely did not look to be mentally present. "Guess that answers that question. Anyone know what he's doing?"

Baymax looked up after doing a quick scan. "Hiro appears to be spirit walking," he announced. "This is something he has experimented with several times over the last few months."

Katou set down the bottles of soda he'd carried before turning to face the room in general. "You mean like in the old folk tales?"

The robot was silent for a few minutes, possibly accessing some online database. "Yes," he confirmed. "However, this is not like the times when his soul fully detached from his body. Hiro has been testing how far he can travel before severing said connection."

Hoshino looked a bit skeptical of the claims but, in the end, seemed to just go with it. "If he's doing that, it might be best to leave him be for now."

"I agree," Baymax stated. "Perhaps it would be wise to consume the meal provided while we wait. I will closely monitor him for any complications or concerns."

Loki slowly got up from his chair. "Please do," he requested. "I need to know if I'll need to go searching for him like I did that one time in Los Angeles."

Not bothering to explain himself further, he sort of shuffled towards the food, grabbing a plate on his way over. Pizza was not his typical choice, but at least Fred appeared to have ordered from a location that actually produced a decent representation of the dish.

"Would you like me to get some for you?" Suzue offered, addressing Daisuke. While he'd managed to make it over from the auditorium under his own power, she wasn't sure if he was quite up to moving at the moment, despite no longer looking winded.

Daisuke smiled slightly, guessing at her thoughts. "It's fine. I'll let everyone else go first and we'll go from there."

Looking a bit put out by this, Wasabi couldn't help but insert himself. "But what about what I just told you?"

Katou's face scrunched up at that. "Sounds like I missed something. Someone wanna catch Fred and I up to speed?" He'd obviously missed the hurried explanation by Honey Lemon.

So while everyone else filled plates, Daisuke explained to his partner, and the mascot, what Wasabi had reported in full. "I've already asked HEUSC to look into the two individuals he saw discussing recent events. As to the professor, I'm not sure if there's a way to figure out who wanted to find out if Hiro's friends were somehow involved. But it certainly begs to question who would want to know and why."

Haru Katou nodded in agreement. "It definitely sounds suspicious. Did you contact that Jack guy to see if he knew anything about it? Even if he didn't send someone to ask around, he should know it happened."

Daisuke sighed, knowing he was right. "Seeing as I didn't exactly get his number, there's not much I can do at the moment."

Katou gave him a look. All it took was a simple order to HEUSC to make it happen, leaving him to wonder why it hadn't been done yet. Well, Daisuke had his reasons, he supposed, though he usually didn't understand the majority of them, even in hindsight. He went to snag a slice of pizza before the others could finish it off. "Be that as it may, someone should probably look into it."

Before anyone could get any further on that topic, Suzue thrust a paper plate in Daisuke's direction. She'd put two pieces of pizza on it. "You should eat before the others finish it all," she said. "I've already set aside a plate for Hiro."

Judging from the way the others were going to town on the food, Daisuke felt certain the precaution was worth it. One would have thought they'd never eaten before in life. "Thanks," he said, accepting the plate. If everything he'd heard from Loki and Baymax was true, eating something sooner than later would be wise. He bit into the crust, brows lifting a bit at the taste. "Not bad." He took a bigger bite.

"I have contacted Jack," Baymax announced from his position on the floor. "Haru is correct to assert that he should be made aware of this incident."

Well, what was done was done, Daisuke supposed as he chewed. The next question was what were they going to do next? He didn't feel he could just leave Hiro behind while he went out and worked on whatever, especially not since he was one of his handlers. And he didn't dare move the teen while he was out metaphysically doing whatever he was doing.

Noticing the look on Daisuke's face, Haru nodded. "If I didn't know any better, I think it might be wise for at least some of us to stay here. If the rest of everyone here wants to go out and about their previous activities, I'm sure no one will mind."

Loki finished his pizza and wiped his hands and lips with a napkin. "Perhaps you," and he looked directly at Wasabi, Fred, GoGo, and Honey Lemon, "can continue your previous tasks in talking with your fellow classmates. Since at least three of our current party are still recovering from more recent events, it is likely best we stay here for now. But let us all meet up at a later time, at the Lucky Cat, perhaps?"

Calmer than he had been earlier, mostly because the pizza seemed to have given him a much needed boost, Wasabi nodded. "I can work with that," he agreed. "But I definitely don't want to go off on my own again. Maybe we should go in a group?"

Honey checked her phone. "A few of our fellow classmates wanted to meet up," she informed. "Think we should?" She looked at her friends, expression a bit wistful but worried.

GoGo would have shrugged if it hadn't been for her shoulder. "Might as well. I doubt Hiro's gonna be up and about for a while and there's no point in just sitting here doing nothing." She disposed off her trash.

Taking her lead, the others cleaned up after themselves before heading out. Honey did hang back a moment to request an update if there should be any changes, and then followed after the others.

Loki sighed as he reclaimed his seat. "This might be a while," he admitted as he looked towards Hiro.

Chapter 26: Chapter Twenty-five: A Sense Unease

Getting a message from Baymax was not unheard of, but the contents were certainly not encouraging. Jack looked up from his phone, face a mask. Underneath, his emotions were on a roller coaster as he tried to determine who might have been stupid enough to break protocol. And if no one on the team, or the Force, for that matter, had, then who had been looking into Hiro and his friends? Either way, it didn't bode well.

It didn't help that Lucifer had hinted at a sense of déjà vu about the whole incident, which might play into that. Call it a gut feeling. Then again, it might be someone else looking at the Big Hero 6 team. Despite that possibility, he knew it was his duty to make sure there wasn't some other malicious party at play, related to current events or not.

Jack looked around the bull pen, debating on whom he should have dig into the matter. The sad fact of the matter was that he didn't know any of these officers well enough yet to decide if he trusted them or not. Whoever he sent to dig into Hiro and his friends' potential third party investigator might uncover some things they didn't want to make public knowledge. That left him with really only one choice: Lucifer.

The space captain frowned, debating if there were any other options besides him that he could utilize. Chances were good Kambe was already working some angle, but he knew the Devil and his demon had resources the billionaire might not have. Decision made, he activated his cell phone and made the call.

---

Twiddling thumbs was all fun and games when the stakes weren't high. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and Haru Katou knew it as he looked around the room. He noticed Suzue taking a peek at all the drawers and other implements out in the open in Hiro's lab. He supposed it was only natural she'd want to poke around. Daisuke looked deep in thought, having finished his food and disposing of his plate not more than a minute or two ago. Loki seemed just as deep in thought. And Hoshino looked potentially antsy. Haru couldn't blame him.

"I know this might not be the ideal time," Haru spoke up, ignoring Baymax and Hiro, who he'd noticed out of the corner of his eye, "but maybe we should take the opportunity to discuss a few things while the others aren't here. Might as well be productive while we wait for Hiro to finish whatever it is he's doing."

Loki and Daisuke exchanged looks, possibly debating the wisdom in that request. "I have no problem with that," the Asgardian admitted with a shrug. His energy was coming back in spades, making a quick recovery now that he had food in his stomach. "I know there were a few of you who had some questions regarding my history with Hiro. And it's possible at least some of them have some bearing on current events."

With GoGo now gone, Suzue took up the chair she'd been using. "I don't know much about what you two have done together," she admitted, "but I know Los Angeles was a big part of it." The majority of what she knew she'd heard from Daisuke or from Hiro while he and his aunt had been in Japan.

Hoshino chose not to return to his previous location on the floor. Instead, he leaned against one of the desks sitting closer to the middle of the room, arms folded. "From what I understand, Hiro was a lot bigger part of that whole bombing incident than reports indicated. In fact, it's my understanding he predicted the majority of them."

All eyes turned to the Division One detective. "How do you know that?" Daisuke inquired, keeping his expression neutral. He'd suspected Hoshino had some kind of in with someone in the know simply based off of conversations they'd had back at his manor. At the time, he'd dismissed it, being more concerned with the task at hand, mainly scanning documents and figuring out who was trying to kill his aunt.

If they thought to make Hoshino nervous, they were in for a rude awakening as the detective remained calm and collected. "I have a friend who has a friend working at the LAPD. After this last spring's incidents, I asked to be connected, which is how I learned those things I knew prior to this. I wasn't sure if Hiro was the target at the time and it made sense to dig into any enemies he may have made over the last few years."

Loki looked thoughtful at this admission, possibly trying to decide just who had blabbed. Technically speaking, all entities involved had supposedly been sworn to secrecy about the incident, especially any who knew of Hiro's more than typical involvement and abilities. Though, he supposed it also shouldn't be surprising. Men were weak, after all. Well, most men.

Arms folded, Daisuke assessed Hoshino, something he'd done several times over the last year or so, but his estimation of the man was slowly rising. "And what did you find out?

Hoshino shrugged. "Well, there are the somewhat redacted reports I'm sure you've seen," he looked pointedly at Daisuke, well aware that he'd look into the matter as well. "Most mentions of Hiro Hamada are limited. But my source indicated he was a major player in those events. He was also the one who made the connection between there being moles in the ranks, as well as the real target of the attacks, a diversion so they could rob the Federal Reserve."

"That's quite a lot," Loki had to admit. It would be wise for him to not underestimate this man, he decided. Whether or not Daisuke had discovered those details or not prior to this moment was beside the point. The fact that a normal rank-and-file detective had somehow unearthed said information was more than ample reason for concern. "Who else might have intercepted this information?"

His question seemed to give Hoshino pause, his eyes going wide at the potential implications. "The information as sent over the phone," he admitted.

"So anyone could have intercepted it," Daisuke said, now pinching the bridge of his nose. While not likely, the possibility still existed, and he could well guess where Loki's thoughts were going with this.

Katou couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he listened. "Are you saying it's possible current events are simply an extension of the Los Angeles incident? If Hiro was indeed instrumental in stopping what I understand was a terrorist attack, and the individuals actually behind it are still at large…."

His partner nodded, putting his arm back down to his side as he looked at the teen in question. "It's entirely possible he may be a target. And after hearing Wasabi's account of someone making inquiries of him and his friends at the behest of some unknown party calling themselves law enforcement, it makes it even more likely he's at least on their radar."

All eyes seemed to focus on the teen once more. Despite their attentions, Hiro didn't wake from whatever meditative state he was in. Baymax, however, did look up. "It is also possible these unknown individuals are investigating his involvement in the campus bombing," he reminded. "Many students reported hearing his voice prior to the explosion."

Loki drummed his fingers on the nearest surface, which happened to be a nearby table. "Also a possibility. If someone flung Hiro's name around too casually, it would only be natural for someone to inquire."

It seemed to Suzue that they were in a similar situation to the one in Japan when they weren't sure who the target of all the various events was. And, now that she thought about it, there were a few points from then that hadn't been solved, or hadn't seemed connected. "What if you're both right?" she hazarded.

"Explain." Daisuke looked at her with intensity, causing her to swallow harder than normal.

Taking a deep breath, Suzue calmed her nerves and gathered her thoughts. "What if the bombings were pre-planned and originally had nothing to do with Hiro or his friends? It is possible whoever is behind them only learned about Hiro after the first bomb when, as we've established, his voice was heard by all in attendance. Since he wasn't physically there, it would cause some kind of gossip."

Loki nodded. "It's possible he was put on their radar then," he admitted. But the idea there was more behind all this niggled at the back of his mind. He felt Jack probably felt the same, since he had been more than willing to keep him on as Hiro's bodyguard, just like last time. There was definitely more going on than met the eye. "It's also possible this all part of a much larger conspiracy."

It was a sobering thought to be sure and left the room momentarily quiet as various thoughts ran through their minds. "At this point, I think it best to keep an open eye," Daisuke spoke up. "It's entirely possible Hiro is a target, though I somehow doubt he's the only one."His comment earned him the shrewd look of several in the room.

"After Cass explained to me all that happened in Japan, I think it safe to say everyone in this room is a potential target," Loki spoke up. "At least from that point of logic. The real question is how far back does this go?"

---

The house seemed rather quiet with everyone gone, Cass thought as she straightened a pillow on one of the couches. Despite the usual sound of the café below them, she found the silence a bit disconcerting after the last few days. But, at the same time, it was nice to not have to worry about the others too much.

After her nephew had headed out with Loki and the others, she'd made sure she was presentable before heading down to the café. Several regulars greeted her with enthusiasm, but her employees assured her they had everything handled and that she should take care of her relations. They all knew her oversees nephew had come to visit and support Hiro as he graduated. And that was about all they needed to know about the situation for the time being.

Practically pushed out of the back kitchen, Cass had made her way back to the upper floor living space, where she bent her mind to cleaning the kitchen and dining areas with a vengeance, just to have something to do. Once she'd finished that task, she felt more restless, trying to figure out what else she could do besides watch a movie or read a book. While both were appealing in their own way, they wouldn't satisfy her desire to do something.

After several moments of debating, Cass went for her car keys and wallet. The truck needed a tune up, on top of some clutch work, and she had a friend who'd offered to give it a look more than once. She shot off a quick text, to make sure the offer was still good, before heading down to the ground level. Getting a positive response, she locked the door behind her and headed for the vehicle in question, sure she'd be back in plenty of time for the others' return. But if not, she had her phone, which was almost as good.

---

There were a lot of things going on in the world. Sometimes it became hard to focus on just a few things. It was even harder to focus on just one or two. The fact that Hiro had been able to multitask while his mind had wandered off was practically a miracle.

In the background, he could hear his friends discussing recent events, including Wasabi's revelation that one of his professors was looking into them at the behest of an unknown third party. Definitely something to be concerned about, but not where his mind was currently focused.

The moment they'd set foot into his lab, Hiro's mind had decided to more or less detach from his body. If it hadn't been for months of practice doing something similar, tethering his soul so it couldn't wander too far, it might have just off and floated away, like a helium balloon a child lost hold of. But, because of that practice, it had almost become second nature and he didn't even need to think about it to accomplish the task.

Not unlike his time in the Hydra Base, where he'd connected to the computer system, Hiro found himself floating in an ocean of energy and information. Unlike that time, it wasn't computer code, but the life force of everything around him. In a way, it was like looking at the world through a slight heat haze, distorting things around him while making other things clearer to his view. It was a bit disconcerting to see the very matter that made up everything around him.

Focus.

It was another thing he'd gotten used to, the voice of Tadashi whispering in his ear, helping him figure out how he was supposed to do something without actually telling him what to focus on. It was both annoying and reassuring. If it weren't for that slight guidance, he'd feel inclined to believe he was doing something he shouldn't, not that his mind and body had given him much say in the matter.

Hiro breathed in, metaphorical eyes closed. Just like when he sought out specific auras, he needed to hone in on anything out of the ordinary around him. If he focused on specific soul energies, he could actually see them as if he were standing right next to the individuals. In regards to his friends, it had almost become child's play. The more familiar he was with their energy signature, the easier it was to sort them out from everything else around them.

As an exercise, Hiro focused in on the energy that signified Honey Lemon. She was with Wasabi, GoGo, and Fred; all four had apparently just left the Ito Ishioka Robotics lab building. There were a few random students and teachers in the area as well, but he managed to push them into the background of his thoughts.

Moving further away from the building, Hiro found himself gravitating towards the Tadashi Hamada auditorium building, where there were more people than before. Either something had happened or various people had gotten off of some lunch break. A second look provided the answer as he recognized the aura of Jack Harkness. The man practically oozed charisma, though why he was there was beyond the teen. Maybe he wanted to see the area in question for himself.

"Walk with me."

Hiro couldn't help but tense up at those words, not immediately recognizing the voice behind them. And then it dawned on him. The last time he'd heard that voice had been on a similar jaunt, only to end with his being flicked back to his body like a booger from someone's finger. Who was that person again?

Next to him, the bald individual, possibly a woman?—stood, not looking at him, but ahead. She wore yellow robes he thought fit more in a Kungfu movie than anywhere else. "Who are you?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she began walking forward as if strolling down any old walking trail, hands behind her back. "You've grown," she said after they'd walked several paces, passing the auditorium building. No one seemed to even realize they were there, making Hiro believe she was as much in the spirit plane as he was.

"Half an inch is hardly worth commenting on," the teen retorted, hands swinging freely next to his hips as he kept step with her.

A sort of shallow laugh escaped her lips. "I didn't mean in statue," she quipped. "When last I saw you, you were hanging to the coat tails of another. Now you are reaching a point where you can almost stand on your own."

Not sure how to respond to that, Hiro made a funny noise in his throat. "I don't recall doing that," he said under his breath, prompting another laugh from his current companion.

The Ancient One paused, turning to face him. "You cling to false belief that will only hold you back. After all you've been through, do you still believe you are nothing more than a product of events around you?"

Hiro scowled at that. "I'm not sure I know what you mean," he admitted.

She sighed. "If the past few months have taught you anything, I would have liked to hope it was that you are more than what you seem."

This time Hiro rolled his eyes. "I coulda told you that. It's not just anyone can do half of what I apparently can do."

"You're deflecting," the Ancient One stated. "Deep down, you know what you are, what you are becoming. You also know you have more say in things that you are willing to admit. However, it seems there is a part of you not yet willing to accept that. Continuing to deny what you are will only end in heartache and despair. If you are to truly protect those around you, you must fully acknowledge your true self."

Hiro felt inclined to pout. Why did everyone around him, especially on some supernatural level, feel the need to talk to him in riddles? It wasn't like he was going to immediately understand what they were talking about, after all. Why couldn't they just tell him what they wanted him to understand without beating around the bush?

The Ancient One stared intently at him, scrutinizing his face, seemingly looking deep into his soul. For all he knew, she was. And, because of their difference in height, she had to bend slightly to do so, making her look even more imposing than she had before. "I can see you are not yet quite ready to understand your place in this universe. I should have realized this earlier. But there will come a point where you will no longer be able to hide in your false belief that you are nothing more than an anomaly in the vast span of things. When that time comes, I may not be here to help you."

Without any further warning, the woman was gone, prompting Hiro to spin around to try and see if she'd just walked off without him noticing. But this exercise was a pointless endeavor. He couldn't sense any trace of her, outside of the faint golden shimmer of energy from where she'd stood only a moment before.

"Who on earth was that person?" he wondered aloud. Whoever she was, she had to have a lot of power, especially when he thought back to how easily she'd flung him the last time he'd encountered her. More confused than ever, he decided maybe it was time to make his way back to his body.

Chapter 27: Chapter Twenty-Six: Happier Times

Jack had felt it a wise idea to check in on the two areas where the terrorist attacks had occurred. Still cordoned off from the public, he only had the minor annoyance of fawning females to contend with. He'd chosen to go to the college campus first, giving a few waves and nods of acknowledgement to the women who had somehow emerged upon his arrival. Unfortunately for them, he had neither the time nor the inclination to give them his attention.

Something Lucifer had said the day before bothered him. Despite the difference in bomb construction, the fact that the two incidents had occurred in proximity to various parties was indeed concerning. There was something almost eerily familiar about the whole situation, though he didn't have enough information to really put his finger on why.

After Lucifer had left the afternoon before, he'd had one of the officers comb through the police archives to see if there were any incidents that might resonate with current events. It wasn't until later that night that one report surfaced, causing his brows to rise in surprise.

He'd recently learned that's how Hiro's parents had died but hadn't been able to give it much thought. Was there more to it than just a random drunk driver plowing into them like the random notes indicated? He'd bet money there was. But, again, he didn't have enough information and knew he'd need to talk to various individuals about the situation before coming to any conclusions, including figuring out who had added those notes. Either way, the similarities between that and the trolley incident were a bit too coincidental to be ignored.

Since he'd gotten the trolley report too late in the evening to do much about it, he'd let it be, hoping for more information from the forensics department from the current events. And he hadn't been disappointed. The bomb squad had managed to retrieve fragments from the device that had destroyed the car meant to literally derail the trolley system. It was of a similar type to the one at the auditorium, linking the two incidents through concrete evidence.

The car in question had been stolen that morning, another point that ran parallel to the Hamada incident that had left Hiro an orphan. And the so called driver in question had been another known drunk, probably taken off the street. Again, forensic evidence suggested, as the Big Heroes had reported, that the man hadn't been alive at the time of the crash. There was no way it was unrelated.

Jack came back to himself inside the auditorium's atrium. An officer stood nearby, waiting to escort him into the main room arena, particularly the area where the stage had sat. Since he'd technically missed seeing the explosion, all he could do was speculate on events, going off of Lucifer's and the bomb squad's word about the expulsion pattern.

As far as he could tell, the structural damage was limited, which was nice. And there were still the decided hints of scent from the plastic explosives used. The various parties he'd sent to look things over appeared to have done a thorough job of things, but it never hurt to double-check, just in case.

Hands stuffed into his pants pockets, Jack made his way towards where the stage currently sat, in a state resembling one of those folding tables someone had sat on and broke. The thing was decidedly on its side, with the legs partially melted near where the bomb had faced the audience. The back legs looked a bit worse for wear but were more intact. Maybe it was thanks to Lucifer's intervention, but it didn't look like the cleanup would be as bad as it could have been.

Kicking aside a bit of debris near the wreck of a stage, Jack's heavy boot hit into something that skittered across the floor. If he hadn't hit it with his boot, chances were good he wouldn't have even noticed its presence. But, now that it was a good two or three meters from him, Jack couldn't help but walk over to investigate. On the way over, he pulled out a pair of gloves he'd had stuffed in one pocket, bending to pick up the item in question.

"What have we here?" he wondered aloud as he took the item between two fingers and held it up to eye level.

At first glance, it didn't look to be anything remarkable. The fact that it was still there told him it didn't have any bomb residue on it, or the bomb squad would have likely picked it up, one of the dogs sniffing it out. Instead, it seemed more like something one might have dropped in the chaos. Not sure why, Jack deposited the item in an evidence bag, sealing it. It might be nothing, but it was better to err on the side of caution than to wantonly throw away potential evidence.

Taking another probing sweep of the room at large, Jack stuffed the item, bag and all, into his pocket. There didn't seem to be too much else he could do on the matter. Aside from that, he thought he'd noticed a tiny drone hovering nearby, possibly keeping an eye on things. For whatever reason, however, it didn't give him the typical vibe of a sinister entity spying on him. Chances were good it was from one of the Big Heroes, or even the Kambe group. He wouldn't put it past them. But, just to be safe, he pulled out his cell phone in the guise of calling someone and snapped a quick pic of the thing, setting a mental note to ask about it later.

With no further inclination to dig any further, at least for the moment, Jack headed back to the front of the building. Once more, he kept a careful eye on his surroundings as he made his way back out of the building and to his vehicle. There was one other place he wanted to visit before heading back to the precinct and asking certain parties to join him there.

---

Their discussion had certainly not gone the way Daisuke had expected, but he couldn't complain. Despite the reminder that Hiro and company's involved in the Los Angeles bombings were classified, Loki had given them more information than was conveyed in the after action reports. It helped that he was able to give a first-hand account of many incidents regarding the overall topic.

Things were just starting to get more interesting. Loki had just reached the part where Hiro had uncovered the real target of the LA terrorist group after having another premonition on a roof away from the action when the teen in question suddenly sat up in Baymax's arms.

Unlike in previous times Daisuke had observed, there was no harsh intake of breath, no shuddering of the body. Instead, Hiro just sat up like he'd decided to shift positions. "Well that was interesting," the teen commented to no one in particular.

"Welcome back," Loki said before anyone else could react. "I take it your mental meandering has come to an end?"

Hiro shook like a wet dog, perhaps trying to restore lost circulation from sitting in the same position for too long. "Something like that," he replied. "Definitely not what I was expecting."

Katou and Suzue appeared to be doing their level best to avoid at least appearing like they were staring at the teen. In the meantime, Hoshino was blatantly looking at the youth in question, not sure he understood what had just happened. While he'd seen a few incidents of the teen doing otherworldly things, this time hadn't seemed all that spectacular.

Not waiting to see if anyone else was going to react to recent events, Hiro pushed his way out of Baymax's arms. "Do I smell pizza?" he asked, nose slightly raised as he took a whiff of the air around them.

Not waiting for anyone to tell him to retrieve the saved plate, Haru got up from his seat and removed the item from the pizza box they'd saved for the mere sake of keeping the pizza clean. "Here," he said, handing it to Hiro. "I'm afraid everyone else drank all the soda, but I saw a water fountain down the hallway if you want some water. And I hope you don't mind it's gotten a little cold."

Hiro accepted the plate with a smile. "It's fine. Definitely not the first time I've eaten cold pizza." He took an appreciative sniff, the scent of pepperoni still strong. It wasn't from their usual pizza joint. That one didn't deliver, but it was from a decent chain. And, at that point, he was happy to have anything, though the three meager sliced didn't look anywhere near enough based off of how empty his stomach felt.

Sure the teen didn't want everyone just starting at him while he ate, Daisuke cleared his throat. "Back to the matter at hand," he stated, giving his companions a meaningful look. "It's probably too soon to make any conclusions about current events, but I'm sure we can already draw some correlations."

"You still haven't explained what you want me to do here," Hoshino spoke up, addressing the Third Division detective.

Daisuke gave his classic Cheshire cat smile. "I would have thought that obvious. I need someone I can trust who the local authorities don't know."

While they talked, Hiro chose to block out the conversation and so wasn't sure what else they mentioned as he bit into his pizza. He closed his eyes, savoring the sensation of greasy cheese and pepperoni oil dancing on his tongue. The next second he was transported.

---

The pizza joint was an older one, with an arcade section for those willing to try their luck. It even had a juke box. Various booths and tables filled the rest of the space, wood décor separating various areas with ornate construction. The lighting was softened with paneled glass fixtures with low wattage bulbs in an attempt to invoke a sense of nostalgia most were too young to understand.

A popular hangout for high schoolers and college students alike, the pizza joint catered to those who wanted to hang out after classes, or for a study group that had no intention of getting any actual work done. During peak business hours, it was loud and chaotic, with servers corkscrewing their bodies to weave through the crowds headed to the arcade, or various chairs not pulled in close enough to tables.

Overhead, hidden speakers played tunes from an earlier day, though most conversation was usually too loud for it to be audible, especially during peak periods. The first time Hiro had visited, he'd felt incredibly overwhelmed and out of his element as he followed Tadashi and his friends he hadn't yet established any kind of relationship with during one of his multiple repeated timelines. He'd felt incredibly uncomfortable stuffed between Honey Lemon and Tadashi in the back corner of a combo booth/table, probably the largest in the joint. It hadn't helped that the two had flirted under the table, playing a game of footsie that had inadvertently included the then fourteen-year-old.

A slight blush crossed Hiro's face as he recalled that moment. He wasn't, to this day, sure if the two older individuals had realized they were nuzzling feet under the table until Hiro had inadvertently pointed it out. They had certainly been embarrassed when they both learned the foot they were nudging did not belong to the person they'd thought it had.

Now standing at the front entrance, just inside the vestibule where patrons waited for a table to become available, Hiro found himself staring at a mostly empty room. There were no signs to indicate a specific time of day, though he doubted it was during any of the usual busy times since there only seemed to be a few tables occupied. And those that he could see seemed to be taken up by college students.

The bell above the door jangled as it opened from the outside and Hiro instinctually moved out of the way so whoever was entering wouldn't bump into him. He needn't have worried, as he wasn't there on the physical plane. All the same, it was a force of habit, though he did have to do a double-take upon recognizing the rather large party that had just entered.

It was almost like déjà vu, except not at the same time. There was Fred, Wasabi, Honey Lemon and GoGo, joking with each other as they walked past him. But, behind them, Katou, Suzue, and Daisuke also entered the restaurant. They were followed by Hiro and Baymax, who were taking up the rear. It was decidedly weird to see himself like this, not having had such an experience before, outside of reviewing his own memories.

He couldn't hear what they were all talking about, their voices somehow muffled, like hearing something from another room. But he knew it had to be something from either the present or not too distant future because GoGo was wearing her full-arm brace, while Fred was making sure no one bumped into her and trying not to look like he was at the same time. What he found really surprising about the arrangement was an apparent lack of Loki's presence, potentially indicating the man had either not joined them, for whatever reason, or was somehow disguised. He doubted the Asgardian would leave him alone if Daisuke and company were still in town, and so couldn't help but wonder where the man was.

The group walked past Hiro as if they couldn't see him at all, which he supposed wasn't entirely surprising. Someone was already showing them back to the usual booth/table combo, pulling up an extra table to extend the available space, and adding in a few chairs while everyone situated themselves.

It took him a moment to realize Honey Lemon and Haru had taken up the same spaces Tadashi and Honey had that first time Hiro had visited this place. Unlike at that time, Hiro wasn't sitting between the two, though, so there was that decided difference. GoGo and Fred were sitting next to each other, with Daisuke and Suzue also next to each other. The Hiro of whatever time this was, was sitting near Honey, but it was closer to the outside part of the booth seat, with Baymax standing behind him in a bit of a corner where he wouldn't be in the way.

A male server appeared and took their order, writing it down on a notepad not unlike one Aunt Cass used in the café. Hiro observed this all from his third person perspective, wondering when the other shoe would drop with this scenario. Surely he wasn't being shown this for just kicks and giggles. His premonitions usually heralded some kind of disaster. But, for all outward appearances, nothing like that seemed to be happening here.

Drinks were brought and served around the table, again reminding him of that first time with Tadashi and his friends. It was decidedly strange to observe it all as an outside, especially as he continued to see his self interacting with them, joking and chatting like he hadn't a care in the world. Something good must have happened prior to this or he knew he wouldn't have acted that way, though, for the life of him, he couldn't understand what.

One by one, Hiro's attention drifted to each individual around the table, starting with Fred and GoGo. Those two were a classic couple, with Fred doing his level best to not overdo things with his offerings of help. But, with one arm out of commission, GoGo needed more assistance than she probably cared to admit. At least there were no issues when the pizzas appeared, sliced and piping hot, though Fred did have to rearrange a few things to make sure her pizza of choice was close enough she could reach.

Daisuke and Suzue weren't a traditional couple, but there were decided attraction vibes going on between the two. Perhaps it made a difference that they were both a bit older than the others in the party, closer to their thirties than mid-twenties. That and a difference in influential spheres probably made things more complex. He still wasn't sure just how Suzue was related to Daisuke, not that he'd ever really looked into it, but it wasn't hard to tell she had a thing for him.

When his gaze turned to Honey Lemon and Haru, Hiro's eyes went wide. The two had the same silly expressions on their faces that Tadashi and Honey Lemon had had back then. He almost blushed, feeling the phantom brushing of two different feet against his legs. Were those two…? Surely not.

"Puts a smile on your face, doesn't it?"

Hiro all but spun around at the voice from behind his shoulder. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you, Tadashi."

The older Hamada didn't stop looking at the table in question, but he did move one hand to ruffle Hiro's hair.

The teen ducked to limit the contact. "What should put a smile on my face?" he wondered, now that he'd established who he thought was next to him.

A slight laugh came from Tadashi's direction. "Seeing nothing but disaster can take a lot out of a person," he stated. "Sometimes it's nice to see the possibilities that aren't all doom and gloom. It helps keep your perspective, and gives you hope for the future."

Haru Katou and Honey Lemon were both obviously blushing now, with Honey smiling a slightly wistful yet hopeful smile. This prompted Hiro to take a closer look, noticing their fingers kept brushing each others' as they reached for various things on the table.

"Don't tell me," Hiro said, trying to not sound slightly alarmed,' that you're okay with this. I mean, you and Honey Lemon… you were totally a thing."

This time Tadashi put a hand on Hiro's shoulder. "Never discount the possibilities," he admonished gently. "She deserves happiness, too. The death of your brother should never negate that."

It took Hiro a second to realize the change in tone and wording. When he glanced over at his companion, the Tadashi look-alike was gone. He spun around, just to make sure he hadn't just walked off into some other part of the room. When he didn't see him, he looked back at his friends and family, scrutinizing them with greater care.

Sometimes it's nice to see the possibilities.

Those words echoed in Hiro's mind as the scene faded around him.

Chapter 28: Chapter Twenty-Seven: Aspects

Hiro opened his eyes, the taste of cold pepperoni burning the back of his tongue with its oils. For the overall taste, it had a killer after burn, probably from the oregano seasoning used in the meat. He chewed and swallowed the mouthful of food he had, blinking to clear away any cobwebs his out of body experience had left behind.

While he'd had several premonitions in the same day before, more or less, he'd never had so much variety in such a short amount of time. And, as far as he could tell, no time had lapsed around him during whatever that brief encounter at the pizza joint had been.

Daisuke was in the process of answering Hoshino's question of what he wanted him to do while in America, Suzue and Haru paying close attention. Perhaps it was the first time they had discussed the matter in any detail, though it seemed more like they'd just not yet been included in the loop. Knowing what he did of his older cousin, Hiro couldn't say he was surprised.

He looked down at the pizza slice still dangling in his hand, the cold cheese looking a bit sad, now that he thought about it. Part of him wished he had a microwave he could use to heat it up with when a slight hint of steam suddenly rose from the piece in question. In surprise, Hiro dropped the slice, the mangled triangle making an almost inaudible thud against the paper plate. In fact, he almost dropped the plate as well, though it wouldn't have had far to go, since he was still sitting in Baymax's lap.

A barely audible gasp escaped the teen, more like a partially sharp intake of air that anyone not near him would likely have missed. Loki, who happened to be the closest organic individual near him, looked up at the sound, brow furrowing a bit as he gave Hiro a questioning glance.

"Sorry," Hiro apologized. "Bit my tongue."

His comment earned a few looks his way from the others in the party, though they all just as quickly looked away and resumed their conversation. Loki, however, wasn't fooled as he scrutinized their youngest member. There was no mistaking the slight hint of magic in the air, or what humans would call magic. It was undeniable, and definitely had a different flavor than any other energy the teen had used to date.

To prove nothing out of the ordinary had happened, Hiro bit into the now hot slice of pizza, almost burning his tongue on the melted cheese. For the life of him, he wasn't sure how he'd done it, other than to wish it were and somehow it was. He'd often thought about how to make his abilities work, debating if a non-muscular control was the answer. Perhaps, in many instances, it was, though there seemed to be more than enough areas where it didn't seem to be the case.

Baymax looked down over Hiro's mess of hair, his bell-shaped head tilting to one side. But since the teen hadn't mentioned the sudden change in temperature to the food he was consuming, he decided it might be wise for him to refrain as well. "I recommend finding some form of fruit to add to your meal," he said instead. "That way it will be more nutritionally balanced."

Hiro laughed at that. "Not a bad idea," he admitted. "I'll probably want more in a little bit anyway." He finished off his pizza, noting that the others appeared to have finished whatever conversation they were having around him and were likely just waiting on him. "So," he said, licking his fingers of any remaining grease, "now what?"

"How well do you know the professor Wasabi spoke about earlier?" Daisuke asked, now looking directly at Hiro.

It would not surprise the teen if his older cousin had asked HEUSC to do a bit of a background check on the man in question, but he didn't blame him for asking either way. Hiro shrugged. "About as well as anyone else on campus, I guess. I mean, I've met with him a few times to discuss my degree and various classes as they relate to graduating. I might have taken a class or two from him somewhere in there. Outside of that, I really couldn't tell you."

Daisuke looked thoughtful as he leaned back in his seat. "I suggest avoiding him for the time being, until we know if he's somehow involved with current events."

The thought seemed to leave a bad taste in more than one mouth as everyone in the room looked around or indirectly at Hiro. The pint-sized super hero couldn't blame them, or Daisuke's warning. Having heard what Wasabi had said about everything, he felt the warning more than necessary. "I'm sure you've already started on trying to find out who was pretending to be a cop, asking him about us. Any luck?"

The Kambe head's lips worked a bit as he contemplating what he'd learned so far, which wasn't much. The cop in question, probably an imposter as implied, had at least dressed the part, but had used glasses and potential face augments to hide their identity from any facial recognition. So, despite HEUSC being able to pull the image from various cameras in the area, there were no matches to be found. Yet.

Loki seemed to stare off in space for a moment before straightening in his chair. "Perhaps we should tablet that for now," he spoke up, his expression unreadable. "It would seem that Cass has gone off on her own somewhere and I'm not sure where."

Hearing that, both Hiro and Daisuke's heads whipped around to stare at the Asgardian. "What do you mean she's not there?" Daisuke asked.

"Is her truck still parked in the back?" Hiro wondered at the same time.

Daisuke touched his earring with one hand. "Well, HEUSC?"

There was silence as they waited for the answer from the AI butler. "Cass Hamada's truck does not appear to be parked at her residence," the AI reported. "Security footage suggests she left the property approximately fifty seven minutes ago."

When Daisuke relayed that information to those who didn't have a direct link to the AI communication, Hiro surged to his feet, regretting it the next moment as vertigo filled him. He put one hand to his head, the other pressing against Baymax for balance. "I think I'm going to be sick," he announced to the room at large.

Loki quickly got up in search of a trash can. It was obvious something had changed with Daisuke's announcement. He had just found a trash receptacle when Hiro clutched at his chest, gasping as his body spasmed. For the briefest of moments, it looked as though the teen had split into three different aspects of his self. One stayed exactly where he was now, being the most solid of the three. The other two seemed to shift off to either side of him by a good several inches, and were both more on the transparent side.

Hiro let out another sound of pain as the different aspects of himself came back together before separating again, the two transparent aspects trembling as if they were the disturbed surface of water. His face scrunched up, eyes closed for a moment. When they opened, they were glowing blue, the color dominating the entire visible parts of his eyes.

"What in the world?" Hoshino wondered, watching in horror. This was nothing like anything he'd seen before. Out of the corner of his eye, he could guess it was unlike anything the others had seen either.

Before anyone else could answer, or ask further questions, Hiro arched his back so that his head was pointed at the ceiling as he let out the most ungodly sound. The two aspects that had shimmered just off each of his shoulders seemed to shoot out like some visual effects from a movie, moving faster than the speed of light, and just as quickly disappearing from view. As for the teen, he likely would have fallen over it if hadn't been for Baymax waddling to support him from behind, his arms wrapping around his middle to hold him upright as his body sort of slumped in the robot's arms.

Loki didn't exactly drop the trash can he'd found, but it did land with a bit of a bang on the ground as he set it down, causing Suzue and Katou to jump a little. He moved to Hiro's side in one smooth motion, reaching out a cautious hand to feel the teen's energy and aura. Despite having seen more of Hiro's unusual abilities and phenomena than any other in the room, this was something new. His fingers tingled inches from touching Hiro's skin and he pulled back.

Not sure the reason behind Loki's hesitation, Daisuke walked over. "Do you know what just happened?" He, too, reached out a hesitant hand, pulling back at the unpleasant tingle of energy coming off of Hiro.

"If I didn't know any better," Loki started, then hesitated, licking his lips, "Hiro has somehow split off aspects of himself, sending them to gods know where. It's a variation of his soul leaving his body, in a way, except it's more like splitting one's self. I learned the technique from my mother and can now do it with ease. But, to my knowledge, this is the first time Hiro's ever used it, and without any instruction from me, I might add."

Katou couldn't help but look at Loki like he'd spouted a third eye. "Is that normal for something like that? Because it didn't exactly seem pleasant. And how on earth could he do something like that if no one's ever taught him how?" He knew his question was a bit off base, considering everything he'd seen the teen do, and most likely without any formal training, but the words were out of his mouth before he could even process them.

The Asgardian turned his head to look down and away from all the eyes now staring at him. "Yes, well, it's not exactly a comfortable sensation, no matter how many times you do it. And not everyone can. It requires a certain kind of focus and ability to process things on multiple levels, with all aspects of self acting almost independently, almost as separate entities. I suppose, in a way, he did do something similar back in Los Angeles, though it was likely completely subconsciously done, just as he did yesterday. And I somehow doubt he actually split himself at the time. Typically speaking, it is only recommended to send off one aspect at a time, unless you know what you're doing."

Looking more than a little worried, Suzue bit her lip. "That doesn't sound good," she admitted. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

"Unfortunately, no," Loki replied, looking every bit as concerned as the others in the room probably felt. "I have, upon occasion, gone after him, but there's no way of knowing just where those aspects have gone. And, like before, it's probably best we just wait and see."

Daisuke looked around at his usual companions, noting their expressions and degrees of tension. Chances were good none of them felt comfortable just sitting around, jaw jacking while they waited for Hiro to do whatever it was Hiro was doing. They'd already done that song and dance no more than an hour before. "Why don't you three," and he looked at Suzue, Hoshino, and Katou, "head to the airport and see what you can dig up about potential enemies. Mr. Morningstar hinted that someone out there had claimed responsibility for the bombing of my mother and cousin's memorial and I want to know who."

It took a moment but Haru seemed to get what he was aiming for. "Right," he said, standing. "We can use the time to show Hoshino around a bit so he can familiarize himself with the area while we're at it."

Suzue bit her lip, well aware that Daisuke had HEUSC looking into matters as well, but it never hurt to get human eyes on things. The AI did occasionally miss things. And it wouldn't hurt to look around as well. That way they didn't feel like they were just sitting around waiting for something to happen. "Do you think it's safe to use the public transportation?" she wondered aloud.

The billionaire detective shrugged in an almost careless manner. "I don't see why not, so long as you avoid those areas already affected. I'm sure the police have them locked down anyway. But stay in touch, just in case."

"Understood." Suzue motioned for the other two men to follow her out of the lab, only glancing back briefly before exiting to make sure everyone else was okay before leaving.

Both Daisuke and Loki seemed to let out a collective sigh as the door closed behind the three Japanese as they left the room. A quick look Hiro's way indicated Baymax had lowered the teen back to a sitting position against him. The robot was also back in a sitting position on the floor. Outside of that, not much had changed, with Hiro's eyes still wide open and glowing with that eerie blue light, almost like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"Well, this should be interesting," Daisuke mused as he settled in to wait, debating on pulling out his glasses to connect with Suzue's super computer in the meantime. Either way, he could only hope nothing else too crazy would happen.

---

Cass thanked the mechanic once again as she exited the shop. She'd had a few moments getting there, where the clutch had almost given out on her, but she'd managed somehow. It was unfortunate she had to leave the vehicle behind, but there were more than enough means to get back to the café without any issue. And it was probably for the best she get her truck taken care of now, as opposed to waiting. Worse to worse, she could always rent a vehicle during the duration. If she was lucky, Daisuke might even insist on paying for one for her.

The proprietress shook that thought aside. While in Japan, she'd had no issues being at his mercy. But, on her home turf, it somehow didn't feel right to expect him to give her charity. Besides, there were plenty of ways she could get around without his help and she moved towards the nearest station for just that purpose. It wasn't a trolley stop, but one of the monorail stations.

As a resident, she kept a transit pass, just in case she needed it, though she usually didn't. It was a simple matter of scanning her card at the entrance of the station and deciding which direction she wanted to go. Not wanting to head directly home, mostly because she knew there wasn't much going on there; Cass chose to pick a train headed for the main part of the city. It wouldn't hurt to spend some time visiting various areas of interest in the area and so she settled into a seat, glad it wasn't during the usual rush hour.

In a way, it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. At least for the moment, she needn't worry about the café or Hiro, feeling sure he was in good hands with both Loki and Daisuke present. She felt certain they'd contact her if something were to happen.

Cass took a moment to look out the window as various buildings flashed past. The monorail was probably the fastest mode of transportation in the whole city, going faster than most cars on the highways. She smiled in recollection of Daisuke's driving the other night as they'd rushed to the hospital and had to amend her thoughts a bit. His driving might possibly be faster. And then there was Baymax, of course. The robot was indeed as fast as a jet, if not faster.

For the briefest of moments, she couldn't help but wonder what it must feel like to fly on Baymax's back. The idea of not having a secure bubble of some kind to keep her in place was more than a little frightening. She wasn't sure how Hiro could feel so secure, knowing only a set of electromagnets kept him from potentially plummeting to his death every time he went out. But, for someone so young, she supposed the thrill of it all superseded any fear.

The car she was in suddenly lurched, practically throwing everyone forward. It was almost as if someone had thrown the emergency brakes, stopping the train like a giant's hand had placed itself in its path. Cass was not immune to the fallout, slamming into the pole just ahead of her. Thankfully, she hit it with her shoulder, having sat near the end of the bench in question, but it hurt like the dickens. At least it wasn't the same shoulder she'd dislocated the year before.

Moans and groans could be heard throughout the car as the various passengers got to their feet or otherwise righted themselves. There were even a few young children who had burst into inconsolable tears, more out of fright than pain.

"Is everyone okay?" Cass called out, taking charge of the situation. She had no way of knowing how things were in the other cars, but she could worry about that later. She gingerly moved through the car to make sure no one was too badly injured by the sudden stop. Thankfully, no one was. Most were either stunned or bruised, though it looked like one or two might need a look over from a professional due to a few visible goose eggs and cradled limbs. At least there was no visible blood, for which she felt thankful.

Sure no one was in any immediate danger, she pulled out her phone and activated the app connected to the Big Hero communications frequency. When she didn't immediately hear anything from that, she shot off a quick text to the whole group, just to be safe.

Honey Lemon was the first to respond, indicating Hiro was likely out of pocket, still trying to recover from trying to get a sense of the bomber. She didn't go into any further details, but promised to round up the rest of the team and look into matters. At her suggestion, Cass pulled out a pair of ear buds so any of her fellow passengers couldn't hear any further conversation between them.

It only took a minute or two for the communications app to fill with chatter as Wasabi, Fred, and Honey Lemon activated their comm. devices. GoGo chimed in, but assured everyone, probably for Cass's benefit, that she wouldn't be joining in on this one.

When some of the passengers in the train looked ready to try and exit the car through one of several emergency exits, Cass encouraged them to wait, realizing they were on one of the elevated sections of the track. There was also no way of knowing if the tracks were currently electrified or not, making it safer, at least for the time being, to remain where they were.

An almost streak of light seemed to shoot through the car, though it paused for like half a second as it came abreast of Cass. She wasn't sure, but part of her couldn't help but think it looked like Hiro. The next moment, it had continued into the next car, prompting her to wonder if this wasn't another one of those moments like Honey had confessed to witnessing at the graduation. She'd definitely have to ask Loki and Hiro about it later.

Chapter 29: Chapter Twenty-Eight: Emergency Summons

The last thing Hiro had wanted was to feel like his body was splitting itself apart like it had in the TARDIS. The pain associated with that had been excruciating beyond words. To feel it again the moment someone had mentioned Aunt Cass was something else. Only this time had been different. Instead of being in a stream of pure energy, he'd been in his lab, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. The next moment, he felt his body literally splitting into three distinct pieces, like someone had taken an ax to his body with two fell swoops; with nary a care in the world how much it hurt him.

With each spasm that filled him, he felt even more nauseous, which didn't help matters in the slightest. It also didn't help that time seemed to have slowed down around him, making every moment seem to last forever, despite there only being two real moments where his body convulsed. He lifted his head towards the ceiling and screamed. The next moment, he felt the two offshoots of his self break free from the main core of his body as they shot off into opposing directions.

Perhaps the most disconcerting part of the whole experience was that his mind seemed to have split with the different parts of his body, forcing him to see three different things at the same time. Despite this being so much like that time in the TARDIS, he didn't have any extra energy, or even an excuse to blame it on, other than it seemed some outside entity deemed it so. And, while he'd had the energy of several different entities inside him back then, it was just him this time around, making it all that more traumatic. Even when his soul went off, separating from his body for a time, it hadn't been like this.

One aspect shot off towards his house, where they'd all last seen Aunt Cass. From there, it wove through the streets like a blood hound following a scent, only to pause at his aunt's mechanic of choice. It was evident she'd been there by the iconic green truck in the parking lot, awaiting service. From all appearances, she'd dropped it off and moved on, since her aura wasn't strong enough there to indicate an active presence.

The second aspect sped towards the more bustling parts of the city, where the skyscrapers and heavy business resided. He knew the area well, mostly from flying through or riding the local trains and trolleys, not to mention the occasional visit to the main police precinct. But he found himself following the tracks of the monorail, not unlike the one time he'd ridden on Baymax's back during their initial outings as super heroes, except his robot wasn't with him.

And then there was his main body, which had now slumped in Baymax's arms while Daisuke and Loki seemed to keep watch. He didn't see Suzue, Katou, or Hoshino there in his lab, correctly guessing they must have gone somewhere at Daisuke's orders. It made sense to send them off on various errands, especially since there was no point in them just chilling and waiting for whatever current fit that had taken over the teen to subside.

Despite his body not exactly responding to him, he could still hear Daisuke and Loki discussing the Los Angeles events, particularly when Hiro had his premonition about Stark's plane blowing up while he and Loki had gone to visit Lux. Daisuke had many questions, understandably, and Hiro might have been tempted to focus more of his attention on those answers if it weren't for the fact that the part of him that had gone into the main city came across something that required a lot more attention

Hiro had zoomed along the tracks like a super-heated comet plummeting across the landscape, but he paused at the far too obvious scent of plastic explosives. Now that he knew what it was, he could more readily identify it on the slightest of whiffs. His spectral self paused near the tracks of the monorail to look around, realizing this was not a premonition but something that was happening in real time, a decided change he wasn't sure he appreciated.

Kneeling near the device in question, it wasn't hard to see that it was indeed similar in construction to the one used at his and his friend's graduation ceremony, just not situated as a shaped charge meant to cause a wide-spread spray of destruction. No, this one seemed a lot more focused, likely meant to take out the supporting girders it was secured to. There was a flashing red light, like some kind of evil eye winking at him. But, despite his attempts to physically touch it, he found that this aspect of him had no substance, in the traditional sense, which would have allow him to disarm the device.

The teen glanced up and down the track, trying to judge when the next train might barrel down the tracks. The schedule was pretty accurate, only going off by maybe half a minute or so at any given point, so he felt it was more a matter of recalling when the next train was expected than anything else. Something told him that whoever was controlling the bomb would likely wait until a train came by to detonate, wanting to cause as much damage as possible. Regardless, any fallout below would cause significant issues as things stood, an open arcade of pedestrians coming and going being directly below his current position.

Another, closer look at the bomb indicated there wasn't any kind of countdown clock he could see, which didn't necessary negate there being one. But the overall construction did remind him of those he'd seen in previous timelines, or movies, meant to go off at a signal typically provided by an outside device, like a cell phone or other similar thing. With that in mind, there really was no way of knowing when it might be activated, but he felt it likely to be imminent.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, only mildly surprised his hand didn't go through his head, though he supposed it made a certain kind of sense. The easiest way to describe it was that he'd become some kind of hologram, partly because he saw a few pedestrians from down below pointing up at his direction. Any thought that he was there in spirit only were set to rest with that knowledge as the amount of people looking up at him began to grow.

"Gotta stop the train," he said to himself as he moved back up onto the actual monorail tracks. He glanced around, trying to judge the time, realizing there was a train expected to cross that particular section in no more than a few minutes. He could even feel the hum of the electricity as it shifted to create the necessary magnetic force to push the train cars along, mildly surprised that it didn't zap him like it would any normal person stupid enough to step on the rails.

At the same time, his other offshoot aspect continued to follow the scent of his aunt's aura, stopping short as it led him to one of several stations for the exact monorail line he was currently standing on. If she'd gotten on that train, and he did nothing, chances were good he'd be an orphan all over again.

Hiro's chest tightened painfully and he pressed one hand against his ribs, as if to hold himself together. He'd almost lost her already several times this year. There was no way he was going to let it happen again. Without any further thinking, he ran down the edge of the tracks, heading towards the direction the train was expected to appear from.

No more than a mile or two down the line, on a relatively straight but elevated section, the train became visible. Even if the engineer could see him on the tracks, there was no way they'd be able to stop the car in time. Even if the electricity was turned off, or the polarity of the magnetic force reversed, the train would still need room to come to a screeching halt. There was no way that thing was stopping on a dime. And chances were good that bomb was going to go off just in time for the front end of the train to plummet down into the crowd below. He'd been stupid to stay in one area long enough to garner attention.

With a growl of frustration, Hiro continued to head towards the train as fast as his legs would carry him, forgetting that he'd somehow gotten there in practically the blink of an eye earlier. In the meantime, he had his second self head down the track from the station he felt sure his aunt had boarded the train on, hoping to reach her before anything else happened. From below, the sound of sirens began to appear, though he had no time to give them any real notice, nor the flashing lights that accompanied them from below.

The train was traveling a lot faster than he'd care for, but there wasn't much else he could do. On pure instinct alone, Hiro planted his feet, sure the engineer could see him as clear as day now, with no visual obstructions to get in the way. An almost haze of heat seemed to build up inside his chest as he pushed his hands out in front of him in an almost blocking karate stance, palms facing the train. Every muscle in his body seemed to tense as the heat built and the train plummeted towards him, shock evident on the engineer's face.

Hiro pulled his hands towards his body maybe an inch before pushing them away from him with an almost inhuman scream of exertion. Witnesses would likely describe what happened next as a sort of desert heat wave washing over the lone figure standing above the city, hands shoved forward as if pushing back an invisible force while the train barreled towards him. Until it suddenly wasn't.

With every fiber of his being straining against the inertia urging the long snake of technology to push forward, Hiro somehow managed to hold it in check. Somewhere in there, the driver must have realized something was going on long enough to do his part to stop the forward motion of the train, stabbing buttons and toggling switches to shut off the current so that the whole length sort of shuddered as it fell an inch or so to the track, its forward momentum suspended.

At that same moment, a bright flash of light filled the view of the engineer as he tried to get a clearer view of the person blocking the track. Hiro had the presence of mind to use that moment to disappear from view, dropping to the support below while the bomb, maybe a mile ahead of them, detonated and that section of rail fell to the ground below. Thankfully, cops called to talk some crazy person down from the tracks had managed to get most of the crowd out of the way, but there were likely still some casualties, not to mention a lot of damage from the steel girders that had crashed down like pile drivers.

The second aspect of Hiro continued to speed towards the train from behind, passing through the various cars like a shooting star. He only paused momentarily at the concentrated "scent" of Aunt Cass, making sure she was unharmed. Sure she was, he continued through the rest of the train at breakneck speed, only to slam into his other aspect like a colliding star. The only difference was that there was no visible explosion, though the released energy did make the train rock a bit, something he hoped they'd equate with the explosion.

More sirens sounded as the other emergency services were requested at the scene. From the corner of his eye, Hiro noted more cops pushing back the crowd of people to expand the parameter. He thought he caught a glimpse of both Jack and Lucifer in the mix but wasn't sure as pain shot up in his chest once more and he felt the almost familiar sensation of his body spasming before flying apart, only this time it was more of a summons as the now joined aspects of his self were called back to the main body.

---

Daisuke and Loki both almost jumped out of their skins as Hiro's split aspects rejoined his body. He all but surged out of Baymax's arms, heading for the trash can Loki had pseudo brought over what felt like mere moments earlier. He then promptly made good on his earlier threat of expelling the contents of his stomach, body heaving to the point he could barely breathe as he gasped and choked.

It took a moment for both men to realize what was happening, but Loki was the first to reach Hiro's side, kneeling to support the teen as his body expelled what seemed like everything he'd ever eaten in life. Daisuke looked around for something he could use as a tissue, well aware of the necessity once things quieted down a bit. The way Hiro was behaving more than hinted at the notion he'd need at least one or two before all was said and done. For his part, Baymax remained where he was.

After a few minutes passed, the stomach spasms finally passed enough that Hiro felt comfortable with looking up, panting heavily from the unexpected exertion. He accepted the tissue Daisuke provided, hoping that blowing his nose wouldn't trigger his gag reflex into a bout of dry heaving. Thankfully, it didn't, but it was a near thing. He leaned back against Loki's strong chest, trying to catch his breath.

"When you're ready," the Asgardian spoke up, "I'd like to hear where you went."

Hiro closed his eyes, sensing Daisuke pulling the wheeled stool closer rather than seeing him to do. He needed a moment to regain his composure, not to mention calm his heart and breathing. "There was another bomb," he finally managed. "Downtown, on one of the monorail lines. Aunt Cass was there."

Loki's breath hitched in his throat as the worst scenario filled his mind before it was dispelled by Hiro's next words.

"I was able to stop the train before it reached it," the teen continued. "But it was a near thing. As far as I could tell, no one in the train was badly hurt, but it looked like several people on the ground were. It was part of an elevated section over an open arcade."

Daisuke's hand immediately went to his earring, demanding HEUSC give him an update on the situation, requesting he relay the same information to Katou and Suzue.

The sound of soft vinyl filled the background as Baymax got to his feet. "Honey Lemon, Wasabi, and Fred are heading there now," he informed. "GoGo has chosen to take a precautionary position on the ground level with the other spectators."

"If I had a spare here, I'd totally suit up and head over," Hiro said, his voice cracking just a bit. "Getting all those people off the train is gonna be a pain."

Loki resisted the urge to roll his eyes, more than able to feel the lack of energy coming from the teen. "It might be better to let those already there handle the situation," he observed. "I'm sure they're more than capable. I only ask for a moment of reassurance."

Guessing at his unspoken question, Hiro nodded. "She's shaken but not badly hurt. Maybe some bruises from when I stopped the train. Last I saw, she was trying to keep the other passengers calm."

Daisuke looked thoughtful at all this, having relayed what he could to the rest of the party. "I tend to agree with Loki. There's not much we can do to help. It might be best to head back to the café and wait there. I'm sure that's where the others will expect us to be."

An almost wry smile that wasn't exactly happy crossed Loki's lips, only one side of his mouth actually moving. "If you'd be so kind as to bring your car around, I can bring Hiro down. I don't think he has the energy to walk on his own.'

It was like heading there earlier all over again, Hiro supposed, his body once again depleted of the ability to function properly. But there was no real helping it. Now that the shock was wearing off, he knew he'd need something to eat, besides the emergency gummy bear stash in his pocket. And it wouldn't do to give rise to further speculation from others by remaining where they were. All in all, he had to reluctantly agree to the plan.

At a nod from his young charge, Daisuke got up and headed towards the door. "I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes," he stated. "In the meantime, it might be best to take care of a few things so they don't end up being an issue later."

The hint taken, Loki took the opportunity to deposit Hiro back into Baymax's care while he disposed of the trash receptacle and its contents. Once that was accomplished, he led Baymax, carrying Hiro, down to the ground level parking area. Once there, they only had to wait a few minutes for Daisuke to come around with his sedan, negating the need for traipsing across campus. It was a relatively quiet drive back to the café.

---

If Jack hadn't needed to stretch his legs, he might have missed the initial call that came in about a potentially suicidal jumper up on the monorail tracks. How anyone could have gotten up there without some serious elbow grease and ingenuity was beyond him, but there was a part of him that couldn't just dismiss the notion there was more to it than some idiot making life more difficult for everyone involved.

The sergeant on duty dispatched a pair of squad cars to the location in question and Jack was willing to leave it at that when Lucifer Morningstar burst into the bullpen, looking more than a little unsettled. "Jack," the devil said, his voice strained as he made his way over to the space captain, "I think we have a serious problem."

Jack stopped in his tracks, taking in Lucifer's whole demeanor. "What's going on?" he asked, feeling his muscles tense under the pressure he felt coming off the man before him.

It took Lucifer a moment, or at least it felt like it did, before he answered. "It concerns the young whelp. I feel something has happened and we might need to intervene."

"Captain," the dispatch sergeant called out from his duty desk, "you might want to head over to that attempted suicide call. You're being requested."

That just about confirmed that there was more to what was going on than appeared on the surface. "Got a name on the requester?"

When the sergeant shook his head, Jack took matters into his own hands, grabbing Lucifer by the upper arm and pulling him towards the back of the precinct, which also led to the lot where the patrol cars were parked. However, instead of continuing on to that location, he pulled the devil into the nearest restroom, quickly making sure it was empty of any other occupants.

"Really," Lucifer said in a huff before Jack flipped open his vortex manipulator. The devil's eyes widened as he saw the man type in some commands into the device before he felt his entire body disintegrate in a rapid fire manner. The next moment, they appeared inside a totally different restroom meant to house a lot more people. "What do you think you're doing?! Unhand me!"

Jack released Lucifer's arm a moment before the man demanded it. "Hurry," he said in response, not bothering to wait and see if the devil was following or not as he headed to the exit, thanking all the stars in the heavens no one else had been using the facilities at the time they'd appeared there.

It only took a second for Lucifer to fall in behind him; though he did pause a moment as they exited into what looked like a department store on the ground floor level of a tall building. "What in the world?" He didn't have time to wonder long as Jack continued to charge through the area, heading for the nearest exit. If the man was in this much of a hurry, chances were good something bad was going down and he decided to hold in any further complaints until after it was all over.

The two men burst into the main arcade, Jack holding up his badge to negate any protests from officers or others in the area as he pushed his way through the crowd. They arrived just in time for a massive explosion to fill the air, coming mostly from above as a section of the monorail track violently separated itself from the rest of the line, only to come crashing down on the now panicked crowd.

With no real concern for his own safety, Jack continued through the stampede of people rushing to get out of the way, somehow coming across a bullhorn on his way. "Everyone, please evacuate the area in an orderly fashion!" he ordered, his voice more than commanding. Despite this, the crowd continued to move like ants from a disturbed hill, their progress sporadic and making little sense. It probably didn't help that there were at least a few pedestrians who'd become trapped and/or injured by the falling scaffolding and girders from the train line above.

A quick glance upward gave Jack the knowledge that there was a train further down the line. Thankfully, it didn't appear to be moving, something that had likely kept it from plunging down into the ever more panicked crowd. Lucifer pulled him back just in time to avoid getting smashed by another section of melted metal that had succumbed to gravity.

Sirens filled the background, growing louder as emergency vehicles made their way to the area. Jack pulled out the handheld radio he'd almost forgotten he had strapped to his hip, and began giving orders to expand the parameter they'd tried to create when they'd thought there was a suicidal maniac about to jump. What were the chances that same person had been the one to activate the bomb? He shook his head. There were too many variables to jump to any conclusions. The main priority, at the moment, was to secure the area, evacuate it, and extend the parameter in case there were more bombs.

Lucifer didn't bother with waiting for firefighters or other rescue workers to join the fray. Once he'd managed to keep Jack from being squished like a bug, he ran straight towards the worst of the carnage, where fire was burning and probably toxic smoke billowed. This was indeed a right real mess, but he had to do his part to rescue any individuals who might still be alive in there. And, thanks to his heavenly gifts, he knew which were already too far gone to save.

There was little surprise for the devil when Jack joined him only a minute or two later as they ducked under some of the debris to make their way to the worst of the mess. "Over there!" Lucifer called, shielding his face from the worst of the heat. "I sense several souls in that direction!"

Jack didn't bother waiting for any further information before leaping over a fallen object in his way, singing his clothes. He found two people there, supporting one with his bulky frame while Lucifer released the other with his inhuman strength, having to lift a pole the explosion had blown over. The trapped individual squirmed free, limping after them until Lucifer simply lifted them into his arms and rushed towards the open.

Both men had to take a moment to clear their lungs from the smoke, which billowed up like something from a chimney. Whoever had set that bomb had certainly chosen an ideal location, sitting in a nest of various buildings meant for commerce and related. "There are at least three more in there we might save," Lucifer huffed, trying to catch his breath. "The others are too far over the line to bring back."

Giving a thumbs up, Jack headed back in, despite the protests of several officers heading his direction. Behind them, a fire truck pulled into the area cleared for it, fire fighters hooking up the giant hose to the nearest water source available while the bomb squad joined them. At the moment, the fire seemed the highest priority, as it threatened to move to the neighboring buildings at any moment.

Not to be left behind, Lucifer charged in after the space captain, heading in a slightly different direction to scoop up a child that had somehow avoided getting crushed. Her mother hadn't been so fortunate, likely pushing the preschooler out of the way moments before being hit. He emerged from the smoke, bent almost double to try and shield the young girl as he all but stumbled forward.

No more than a minute later, Jack staggered out of the inferno, supporting two individuals who looked to about college age. He handed them off to EMTs, following Lucifer's example before heading further away from the mess to regain his composure.

One of several medics ran up to the two men as they wheezed a distance away, bringing oxygen, which Jack was more than happy to suck down like a starving man. "Did we get everyone?" he asked after taking several deep breathes of the pure gas.

Someone had managed to find some chairs, likely from a nearby outdoor café, which Lucifer and Jack both sank into. "Everyone who was still alive," the devil responded, needing a decided moment while EMTs fussed over the both of them. After another minute of their vitals being checked, he impatiently brushed them away.

An officer approached, recognizing Jack as the person in charge. "Sir," he saluted. "We've pushed back the parameter as far as we can, requesting more engines from neighboring areas to help contain the fire. We still need to evacuate the train stuck on the tracks."

Several bright flashes of color caught the corner of Jack's eye, mostly pink and green. He wasn't sure where they'd come from but instantly knew who wore those iconic colors, not surprised to see a lack of the iconic yellow, though he did miss the cherry red of Baymax in full armor. "Think we have a ladder tall enough to help get them down?" he asked the waiting officer. "If not, we might need to bring in some choppers."

"Look!" another officer shouted as the Big Hero Jack knew as Honey Lemon tossed several brightly colored balls, which burst upon contact with the ground.

A mound of fast-hardening foam erupted, which the burlier Big Hero carved into an uneven set of stairs. The two continued this process, building the height of the impromptu staircase at the far end of the area. In the meantime, Fred used his super jump to reach the train above them, heading inside the front car. Chances were good he was encouraging everyone onboard to head to the back of the train.

"I want a team of EMTs over there," Jack ordered. He sent out a silent word of thanks for their timely arrival and ingenuity. It left more to help put out the still raging blaze. "And if there's not a command post situated, I need that done right away."

The officer immediately relayed instructions, heading towards a makeshift command area someone had started. Jack paused before following him. "Why don't you go supervise our friends and make sure their identities stay a secret."

Lucifer nodded. "Keep an eye out for the young whelp, will you?" he asked. "I thought I sensed his presence but can't feel it anymore."

Giving him a brief nod, Jack continued after the officer who'd approached them, all business. Hiro would have to wait.

Chapter 30: Chapter Twenty-Nine: Your Take

Suzue was only mildly surprised to hear from Daisuke no more than ten or so minutes after they'd left the college campus. Hoshino and Katou had been quite helpful in finding a driver to take them to the airport. As such, she was able to report that her party was not on any of the main transportation lines and was thus not affected by them. She did promise to get to work on looking up everything she could about the most recent bombing as soon as they arrived at their mobile command center.

It was probably for the best that Daisuke had thought to use his phone, instead of the earring link. As things stood, their driver looked a bit oddly at them, visibly trying to appear as though he wasn't listening in on the conversation. Perhaps it was natural curiosity, but the attention was not appreciated and Suzue did her best to make the call brief.

With traffic swarming towards the massive pillar of smoke, like that proverbial moth to the flame once more, their going wasn't as difficult as it might have been otherwise. People at least had the courtesy to pull over to the side of the road if they were going to stop and gawk. It helped that HEUSC was actively giving Suzue suggestions to pass on to the driver for a smoother trip.

All in all, it didn't take nearly as long to get to the airport as it had the previous time. Not having to switch modes of transportation between, from trolley to buss or monorail, certainly helped. And, not wanting the driver to get too nosy, Suzue was more than happy to direct them to drop off their party at the departure drop off area near the main terminal. From there, it was an easy matter of bypassing the usual security checkpoints for the more exclusive private terminal. It wouldn't have done to advertise their access to it if unnecessary and everyone in their party felt the precaution justified.

Hoshino did voice his hesitation as Suzue requested a ground car to take them to the private hanger, eyes almost bugging out of his head. In the end, though, he apparently decided to just roll with it, until they actually got into the hanger, bypassing further security with ease.

"Kambe never does anything by halves," Hoshino commented as he stared at the massive plane housed in the hanger obviously meant for a commercial liner. He shook his head, having to quicken his step when Katou called for him to hurry up.

Since the two closest to Daisuke had gotten things situated the day before, there was no need to go through the main cabin and so they headed to the tail of the plane where a short flight of portable stairs had been pushed up against the body of the hull. Suzue typed in a code at the door there, opening it before disappearing inside.

The Division One detective followed his old partner inside, pausing at the wall to wall tech that met his eye, only mildly surprised when Katou seemed to know exactly where to sit. Suzue had already taken up a chair along one wall with some massive screens, and was typing away at the keyboard. A map of the city appeared on one monitor, while an active display of police activity pulled up on another.

"Here," Katou said, holding out an ear bud to his former partner. "You might need this."

With only a hint of hesitation, Hoshino inserted the piece in his ear, immediately hearing the police frequency chatter. He gave Katou another wide-eyed look, questioning the legality of this. When Katou smiled back at him, he decided it best to not question it and found a vacant chair.

Katou turned back to the monitors, having chosen to sit next to Suzue, with just enough room between them they wouldn't bump into each other. "We're all set up here," he reported through his own ear bud. "Suzue's looking into that information you requested and I'm keeping an eye on the scene. Looks like that Jack guy and Lucifer are there, along with four of the Big Heroes. As far as I can tell, they've built a makeshift staircase to the back of the monorail train and are helping the passengers evacuate. How are things on your end?"

Watching the monitors, Hoshino noticed a few small drones exit the plane from another monitor. They flew at what seemed top speed towards the area in question. "Won't those get in the way?" he wondered out loud.

His words were spoken at the same time Daisuke reported that Hiro had decided to take a nap but that they'd made it back to the Lucky Cat without incident as well. If it weren't for his years of training, he might have missed it, with everything else going on in the background. As things stood, it took him a moment to realize his cell phone was vibrating in his pocket. When he pulled it out and looked at the caller ID, his expression changed. "I need to take this," he stated, standing. "I'll be outside."

Not bothering to get an acknowledgement from either of his current partners, mostly because they both seemed relatively busy, Hoshino exited the plane and activated his phone. "This is Hoshino," he answered, the device pressed to his ear. After a second, he took the ear bud out so he could ear better with less chatter going on in the background. "Understood. I didn't realize who you were earlier but I can meet you there. I'll just need a minute."

Another moment passed before Hoshino nodded, hanging up. He hesitated a moment before putting his ear bud back in. "Hey, I need to step out for a bit," he announced. "A contact of my mine wants to meet up."

"Contact?" Katou's voice spoke over the line. "I didn't know you had any in the area."

Not waiting to see what else he might say, Hoshino removed the bud once more and stored it safely in an inner pocket, making sure it was deactivated. He somehow doubted his contact wanted to be overheard. That done, he approached one of the security people near the hanger, asking for a ride back to the main building.

---

When Hiro and company had returned to the Lucky Cat Café, the teen had gone straight to his room, only mildly annoyed when everyone followed him upstairs. It helped that it was just Daisuke, Loki, and Baymax. And that the robot had to carry him up there, if he was being honest. If it had been the whole crew, he wasn't sure how he'd handle it. Sure, there was plenty of room, but he was more than ready for a nap, though he suspected someone would suggest food before too long, especially since he'd thrown up everything he'd eaten back at his lab.

Loki claimed the same seat he'd used earlier, on the side of Hiro's bed with the empty fish tank. Daisuke took up Hiro's computer chair since Baymax had set the teen down on the mattress before heading back to his charger.

Hiro couldn't help but glance between the two older men as they seemed to contemplate him in return. Daisuke was leaning back in his seat, arms folded, while Loki was leaning forward with his hands on his knees. The teen released a huff of breath, blowing his hair out of his eyes. "I know you guys wanna know more about what happened back there," he started, "but can that wait until after I've had a nap?"

"I was actually going to take the opportunity to ask about New York," Daisuke responded. "There's no telling when the others might return and I'm certain there are things you might not want discussed around the others."

The teen shrugged. "My friends know most of what happened," he admitted. "I mean, at least from what Kally was able to convey to them and all that, or what they saw themselves. I haven't exactly felt like talking about it too much. If you wanna know more, maybe Loki will tell you." He yawned, reaching for his blanket. "But I'd check in with the others, if I were you. I wasn't able to see if Katou and them made it okay."

Realizing his young cousin was right, Daisuke stood. "In that case, we'll let you sleep." He looked pointedly at Loki. "I'm sure Baymax can keep an eye on things while we head downstairs so we don't keep you up."

Loki didn't need the hint but followed it regardless. If Hiro was okay with him divulging things that only he, Kally, and, in some part, Cass was privy to, he supposed it was fine. He did notice Daisuke contacting Suzue while they headed downstairs, requesting any updates once they were able to get to the airplane and process the data of the ongoing rescue. While he did that, Loki sent an aspect to check in on the situation and make sure Cass was okay. Seeing she was helping to muster the passengers to the back end of the train helped and he left her to it. But he had every intention of taking her up into his arms the moment they faced each other again.

Daisuke headed to the table and sat down. "Hiro did show me some of what happened after he'd been kidnapped," he recalled. "But I wouldn't mind your take on things. I know he was incapacitated through various circumstances, which included his abilities trying to manifest, as well as some of the conditions of his circumstances."

Taking up a chair opposite the Midgardian, Loki allowed himself the slight luxury of slumping a bit in his chair. "I've already given you some of the details," he reminded. "As to the manifestation of his abilities, I think they were somewhat hampered by the need to survive. The main concern was that Hydra discovered his mutated DNA and wanted to try and use it to their own ends."

Not knowing how long everyone would be away, Loki chose to give the general gist of details for what all he was aware of during the New York incident, including his own involvement in rescuing both Hiro and his friend, including a few of his own observations into matters. It helped that they'd gone over some of it before so he could brush over those bits.

"The most interesting turn of events is when Hiro somehow managed to detach his mind and inhabit their computer systems," the Asgardian admitted. "When Hiro asked me to place him by that power generator, I was understandably hesitant. I know more about the power of the Tesseract than most and wasn't sure what it would do to him. But, in the end, it was likely the safest place for him, and allowed him to take control of their whole system, allowing the Avengers and his friends into the compound."

Daisuke let the information soak in as he contemplated it. There were likely many details Loki hadn't shared, or couldn't. There was no way of knowing what had occurred in Hiro's mind during any of this, outside of what the teen had shown him of his memories back in Japan. As to how he'd managed to take over the entire computer system of a mountain-sized base… well, that was something else entirely he'd have to ask the teen about. But, considering the young man was literally a tech genius, he supposed it wasn't as huge of a stretch as it might be for others.

At that moment, his earring chimed for attention as Suzue reported in. "From the looks of things, they've been able to get the fire under control and have bomb squad sweeping the area to look for any evidence that might have been left behind. They've also managed to get all the passengers off the train and are treating them in a separate area, though none are being released just yet. I took the liberty of checking in on your aunt and she's fine, bruised but otherwise unhurt."

"I appreciate it," Daisuke responded. "What about the other things I asked you to look into?"

"No luck yet," Suzue said. "Mr. Morningstar must have access to sources we don't, but I'll keep digging."

Daisuke nodded, even though he knew she couldn't see it. "It's possible. Anything else I should know about?"

This time Katou's voice came over the link. "Hoshino left a while ago," he reported. "He didn't say where he was going though. Apparently he got a call from someone. Think we should have HEUSC locate him?"

Lips pressed together, Daisuke contemplated. "I'm sure whatever he's doing, he has a reason," he decided. "Leave him be for now. But if you don't hear anything back from him in an hour, send a drone to find him."

"Understood."

The chair Loki was sitting in moved as the man stood. "Perhaps it would be wise if we started on some dinner," he suggested. "And you can tell me what all you know of Hiro's abilities while we work."

Daisuke stood as well. "I hope you know I'm not very skilled in the kitchen," he stated.

Loki smiled. "I am aware, but you can follow instructions, can you not?" He smiled in a way that Daisuke wasn't sure if was meant to give him encouragement or make him feel unsettled.

With a bit of misgiving, Daisuke headed to the kitchen behind the God of Mischief. "I'm sure I can keep up."

---

Jack was more than ready to sit down. He didn't care where. After running into the blazing inferno of probably toxic smoke from the latest bombing, he was exhausted. Despite his inability to die, his body did get tired. The only real up side to current events was that any burns he'd gotten had healed, so he was good on that department, noting that his companion, Lucifer, was in the same situation. Well, there was something to be said for being of heavenly descent, he supposed.

The space captain accepted an unopened bottle of water from a subordinate, happy to let the bomb squad take lead on things now that the fire was out. There was still plenty of heat coming from the scorched area, but he supposed they had ways to deal with that and so let them at it.

"Remind me not to be so reckless next time," Jack requested as he fell into the nearest available seat, a camp chair someone had set up in the mobile command tent someone else had gotten ready. There were still probably things he should be doing, but he felt he'd more than earned a minute or two of recovery time.

In a similar chair next to his, Lucifer laughed. "I somehow doubt my reminding you would do much," he quipped. "You're a do-gooder, Captain. Not that that's a bad thing." He, too, accepted a bottled water, sipping for the moment. "Lucky for the both of us, our Big Hero friends were there to take over the other duties." Once he'd made sure the train passengers were able to get safely down, he'd returned to the main party, helping out where he could.

Jack sat up, recalling the rescue efforts of Hiro's team. In all the hubbub, he'd learned Cass was there in the mix. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised, hearing she'd helped get everyone organized prior to making their somewhat precarious way down the makeshift stairs Honey Lemon had created out of industrial foam. That was another thing they'd have to worry about cleaning up later. For the moment, he was just glad things hadn't been worse, thankful for the timely report.

"Did they ever figure out who was supposedly attempting to commit suicide prior to the bomb going off?" Lucifer wondered, having heard about that initial call. While he'd felt he already knew who the person was, he wasn't sure if there was confirmation of it.

Shaking his head, Jack flagged down an officer, requesting they have someone bring Cass Hamada from the rescued passengers to the command tent. "Not that I'm aware," he admitted. He gave Lucifer a critical look. "But it sounds like you have an idea. Now that I think about it, before coming over here, you mentioned something about a certain teenager." He refrained from mentioning Hiro by name, deciding to err on the side of caution.

Lucifer glanced at the officers still working in the open tent and made a gesture, indicating they should head back into the open and away from prying ears. Once they were a good distance from the command post, he glanced around once more to make sure there were no eavesdroppers nearby. "I suspect the so-called jumper was actually Hiro," he confessed. "However, that's not what I meant earlier when I mentioned him back at the precinct."

"As I recall, you said he might need our intervention," Jack mused, one hand to his chin in thought. "But I don't recall seeing him here."

The devil took a moment to straighten his clothes, which were a bit singed in parts. "Yes, well, moments before I burst into the precinct, I felt his energy erupt in a most violent manner. And when you were requested at the scene, I confess my thoughts turned to the worst. Unfortunately, it seems any conjecture on my part may have been misguided. Perhaps his aunt can shed more light on the matter."

Jack was about to say something when an officer approached them, Cass in tow. "Sir," the woman said as she turned over custody of her charge.

"Sorry to take you away from your duties," Jack apologized, dismissing the officer. "I got it from here."

Cass stood a few steps back from the two men, looking a bit self-conscious, one arm across her chest, holding the her wrist with the opposite hand. "You two look like you had fun," she observed. "What's this about? They were this close to sending me home, since I'd given my statement already."

The two men exchanged glances. "I wondered if you could give us any insight into Hiro and his involvement with this incident," Jack spoke up before Lucifer could say anything, reminding them all of who was in charge of the investigation.

Blinking a few times, Cass had to take a moment. "Hiro? As far as I know, he's been with Daisuke and his friends. Although…" she paused, her expression twisting in an uncertain manner. "When the train came to a sudden halt, I thought I saw him run through the car, only really, really fast."

It was Lucifer's turn to look uncertain. "You thought you saw him? In one of the passenger cars?"

"Well, yeah," Cass said with a shrug, though it made her wince a bit as the muscles she'd bruised activated. It was definitely not as bad as dislocating a shoulder, though. An EMT had checked, just to be safe, deciding a trip to the hospital hadn't been necessary, though over the counter pain remedies had been recommended, along with ice. "He sort of paused after he passed me before continuing on his way as if there were no walls or anything."

Jack looked around, hoping to find something to sit on. He felt certain everyone in the party would appreciate it, despite having given up any seats he'd had earlier in favor of secrecy. He spotted the same table he and Lucifer had used after rescuing people from the fire and indicated they should head in that direction. With the police line still enforced, there were no civilians to worry about eavesdropping, and less officers in that direction. Worse to worse, he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

The other two adults followed him to the small table and fell into the chairs surrounding it. "Allow me to clarify something," Lucifer continued as if there had been no interruption. "Are you telling us that Hiro somehow managed to spring through the train at a high speed, going through the walls between as if they weren't there?'

Cass gave an almost wry look that could say almost anything to her emotional state. "More or less. I mean, it happened so fast I wasn't even sure if I seeing things or not. After that, I contacted Honey Lemon and asked her to send the others over to help out, not knowing what was going on. By then, the bomb had gone off and I figured I'd better help get everyone to the back of the train."

"So you haven't contacted Daisuke or William?" Jack asked, using Loki's pseudonym. An officer had approached from the command tent, bringing over more bottled waters, possibly feeling they weren't nearly hydrated enough after events. He accepted the bottles, dismissing the officer with a word of thanks before distributing them to his two companions.

Not having been given anything while sequestered with her fellow passengers, Cass was more than willing to crack open her bottle and take a hearty swallow. "I was just about to when one of your officers had me brought over." She pulled out her cell phone and auto dialed Daisuke's number, waiting with the others as she put it on speaker phone at Jack's request.

"Hello, Aunt Cass," Daisuke's voice came over the line as he picked up the call from his end. "Are you still with Jack and Lucifer?"

The two men looked at each other once more, exchanging looks. In a way, it shouldn't have been surprising. Daisuke Kambe did seem to have a way of staying on top of things. And, now that Jack thought about it, he thought he could see a small, flying object hovering not too far from them. "Is that your drone?" he asked before Cass could say anything.

A moment of silence passed, possibly while the man in question debated on how he wanted to answer that. "Correct. I asked Suzue to deploy one after I returned to the café with William and Hiro."

"That drone must be listening in as well," Lucifer observed, realizing Daisuke had used Loki's alternate identity as well.

A slight laugh came over the line. "Funny how prying eyes can be literally anywhere," the Kambe family head observed. "If you want to continue this conversation, might I suggest a more private location?" In the background, there was the sound of pots and pans and other cooking implements coming in contact with each other. "If you do plan on coming here, however, I suggest bringing something for both yourself and Jack, as I'm not sure we've cooked enough for everyone otherwise."

Cass sort of jumped from her chair at the sound of something metal possibly landing hard on a counter or the floor. "Please don't burn down my kitchen," she requested, her voice almost cracking with the plea.

Daisuke laughed once more. "There's no need to worry. William is in charge of the preparations. I'm merely helping as requested."

The proprietress sat back in relief. "So long as it's not Hiro," she breathed.

"Hiro is currently asleep," Daisuke reported. "Earlier activities appear to have worn him out, though I wouldn't be surprised if he wakes soon. Shall we expect you all to arrive shortly?"

Cass glanced over at Jack, the one who had the real say in what they were doing for the moment. Since they were technically meeting in an official capacity, she wasn't sure if he would approve a change of venue or not. She bit her lip, making an uncertain noise.

With a nod, Jack answered for her. "I have a few things to finish up here but we'll likely be over in no more than an hour. I'm sure at least two of our party would appreciate a shower and a change of clothes after what's happened. I can have an officer drive Cass home."

"Very well." And then the call ended.

Jack released a sigh. "Need a lift to your hotel?" he asked, looking at Lucifer. "I don't see Maze around." He stood, pushing his chair under the table before sweeping up his unopened bottle of water.

The devil was quick to follow his lead, mirroring his actions. "Maze had a few errands to run," he replied. "But I wouldn't mind, so long as you give me a bit more warning before doing you know what." He looked meaningfully at the sleeve hiding Jack's Vortex Manipulator.

With a bit of help, Cass got to her feet as well, forgoing asking what Lucifer meant; sure it was none of her business. "If you could get me that ride sooner than later," she requested. "I want to get home and check in on everything."

If she looked a bit anxious, the two men could easily attribute it to a fear for her kitchen, given her comments to her nephew over the phone. All the same, Jack flagged down another officer, relaying the request. He noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the drone following them, splitting off from their larger group to follow Cass and the officer. He supposed the precaution made sense and so motioned for Lucifer to follow him back to the tent.

"Where are we going now?" the devil wondered, sounding somewhat impatient.

Jack didn't turn around, just kept going. "I need to make sure I leave someone in charge before we head out," he stated. "Can't just disappear whenever I want to, you know."

If it was meant as a barb, Lucifer chose not to react to it, hastening his step to keep up with the space captain's strides. Hopefully whatever he had to do wouldn't take long. Now that he was aware of the reek of smoke, he was more than ready to get back to his hotel and some clean clothes before going back out in public.

Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty: More or Less

When Honey Lemon got the call from Cass about the whole train thing, she'd been quick to get her fellow Big Heroes into gear. She'd taken the opportunity to scan the police frequencies to get a generalized idea of what was going so they wouldn't go in blind. She'd also had Cass plug into their usual app so she could keep tabs on what was going on. She did have to reassure her that Hiro was resting, since that's what he'd been doing when they'd last seen him.

With the majority of the team all in close proximity, it was really only a matter of getting their gear out of Wasabi's van and suiting up. It was no surprise that GoGo volunteered to sit this one out, even though everyone could tell she hated having to do so. They all knew she wouldn't be able to do much in her condition, so it was likely for the best. Despite this, she insisted on coming with them, promising to stay behind police lines once they got there.

The drive over had been a little hectic, and Wasabi had to park further away from the action than they usually liked, especially since Baymax wasn't available. This freed Honey up to keep an ear open to the police channels, allowing her to relay the basics to Cass about the bomb, including a request to try and get her fellow passengers to the back of the train. All were in agreement that it would be best to leave the blazing inferno to the fire department.

GoGo released a wistful sigh as she watched her fellow super heroes head into the fray, though she did follow them as far as the police line, just keeping far enough back so as to appear as nothing more than a casual observer. She did keep an ear bud in place so she could stay in contact, pretending to be on her phone, pulling out the device with the video app activated, just in case.

"What a mess!" Wasabi commented, upon seeing the chaos, but he got to work, heading to the part of the track where the monorail sat, waiting for its passengers to disembark.

It took a moment or two of debating to figure out the best way to help get them down from the three-story tall tracks, but Honey Lemon had already programmed in the first round of chem balls by the time they got close enough to do something with them. The burly hero activated his plasma blades to start carving the mounds of industrial foam the moment they hardened. From there, it was a simple matter of making their way up and over to the tail end of the train.

While they did that, Fred took the liberty of heading up with his super jump to make evacuation that much easier. There was no way of knowing if anyone onboard was hurt or not and he doubted Cass was up to the challenge of helping them if there were. So, with that in mind, he made his way into the train, helping direct people to the appropriate car while Cass took charge of organizing them in an orderly fashion, since there wasn't enough room in the end car for them all.

Thankfully, there weren't many injured, at least not any who required immediate help. There were a few. And those who were the most in need of medical attention, he took the liberty of taking up into his arms and expediting their evacuation. A few minor heart attacks might have resulted from his jumping out of the train, but there were EMTs ready on the ground. Someone, probably Jack, had summoned them. He was able to deliver them directly to the help they needed before going back for more.

By the time Fred had managed to get the worst injured out, Honey and Wasabi had finished making the impromptu stairway, widening it as necessary to make it as safe as possible. There were no railings, but, between the three of them there, they were able to help get everyone down by the time the fire department had gotten the fire out. Cass was the last one down, giving Honey Lemon a quick hug before joining her fellow passengers waiting to be checked out by the EMTs, as well as questioned by the police for any information they might be able to give.

Not wanting to be caught up in that mess, and partly because they had other things to do, the three Big Heroes quickly left the scene, using a back alley to disappear from sight while everyone was distracted. They met up with GoGo back at the van to change out of their gear.

"Think we should head over to the Lucky Cat?' Fred asked once he'd divested himself of the kaiju suit, stowing it in Wasabi's van.

GoGo was leaning against the side of the vehicle while Honey was inside, changing. Wasabi had opted to let her go first while the adrenaline junky and otaku kept an eye out for any witnesses. "They'll probably keep Aunt Cass until everything's cleared," she reasoned. "So unless Hiro's managed to make his way home, there's no point going there right now. And even if he is there, he's probably sleeping. Probably better to wait."

Fred's stomach growled, reminding them that dinner time was approaching, though it wasn't surprising for the otaku, considering the workout they'd all had. "I wouldn't mind stopping off somewhere for a bite," he admitted. "I doubt we'll find much else on campus tonight anyway, so might as well unwind. We could even head to my place and order in, if you want."

The puppy dog eyes inspired an eye roll from GoGo and a maternal smile from Honey, who had joined them outside the vehicle so Wasabi could take his turn to change. "I don't mind," the chemist responded. "Beats just heading back to the apartment for ramen."

"I'm all for early bed," GoGo stated, staring off into the distance as she popped a gum bubble. "The past few days have worn me out."

Not to be daunted, Fred smiled. "In that case, we can make it a sort of after party and everyone can crash at my place." He gave a nonchalant shrug in his almost boneless way. "Better than just ramen. That and I know you like that hot tub."

His smile was infectious and GoGo caved sooner than she'd meant to. "Fine," she agreed. "So long as Wasabi's good with it."

Wasabi exited the van at that moment and everyone explained the plan to him. He dithered for a moment before agreeing. Fred's place did have an amazing hot tub, and they all had a change of clothes there for emergencies, not to mention a spare swim suit. After a day like they'd had, a good soak was likely more than warranted. With that in mind, he cheerfully got behind the wheel, making sure everyone was buckled in, and headed to Fred's place.

---

The officer dropped Cass off next to the Lucky Cat Café, waiting for her to get out her keys to the side door before driving off. It helped that it was still daylight, the sun not yet going down, which was nice. And there were plenty of people coming and going, both pedestrian and via car. Their corner was typically busy regardless.

With a bit of a sigh, she entered the private section of the ground floor, pushing the door shut behind her with her back. She flipped the lock. It was one thing to show her fatigue in front of strangers, another to let it take sway while in the privacy of her own home. Before she could contemplate climbing the stairs, however, Loki was by her side.

"Welcome home," the Asgardian greeted, noting the fatigue in her eyes. Not giving her the potential to protest, he swept her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs, careful to make sure she didn't knock into the walls or décor lining the stairway. He did, however, set her down once they reached the second floor.

Cass sniffed the air appreciatively. "Whatever it is you two have cooked up smells amazing," she admitted with a smile. "I feel like I could eat at least two or three servings."

Daisuke came from around the counter, an apron over his usual button-down shirt and slacks. "Welcome back," he greeted as he took off the apron. He picked up a stack of bowls on the way to the table, setting them out. "It looks like it will just be the four of us for now. Hiro's friends are heading to Fred Whitmore's home, and Suzue and Katou have opted to eat out."

"What about Hoshino?" Cass couldn't help but wonder why her nephew had omitted mentioning the man.

Pulling out a chair for her, Loki helped her sit. "I believe he was running a personal errand," he answered in place of Daisuke, saving the man the trouble. "He's a grown man so I'm sure he can find something on his own, unlike a certain teenager we all know."

It took Cass a moment to realize Hiro wasn't in the room. She looked around, as if she might see him in the living area. When she didn't, she glanced towards the stairs.

"Hiro was still asleep when last I checked," Loki stated as he took the pot of Japanese beef curry he'd had Daisuke help him make and placed it on the table. This was followed by a bowl of steaming rice. "It might be best to let him sleep as long as his body and mind will allow."

She blinked a few times at that, not sure if there was some hidden message or not. "Oh. Well, okay then. Let's eat." She served up a healthy amount of rice, ladling up some curry, which looked a bit paler than she was accustomed to. "Did you use the roux blocks in the cupboard? It looks a bit different than usual."

Loki chuckled slightly. "Actually, no. When I learned Daisuke had helped his fellow detective make this meal before, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and put him in charge of cutting up the vegetables. While he did that, I decided to make the roux from scratch. I think it gives it a certain elevation a pre-made item doesn't."

From all appearances, Daisuke had an expression of long suffering on his face. But, since he wasn't sporting any bandages on his fingers, Cass could only assume it was because of previous experience or the conversation during the meal preparation that had put him in such a mood.

"Well, either way, it looks and smells delicious." And to prove her words, she took a hearty spoonful and tasted it, her lips twisting into a smile that mirrored her sentiments. "It's not quite the same as the store-bought, but I think I like this better."

Loki gave Daisuke a knowing look, getting an eye roll in return. "I hope you don't mind I added more than the traditional potatoes and carrots I've seen used. I thought it might be wise to add as many nutrients as possible."

A slight shake of Daisuke head warranted a glance from his aunt, but he turned it into a smile. "I'm sure those more traditional natives will forgive the change." Despite this comment, he didn't seem to have any less of an appetite, eating with the usual grace of a well-mannered individual. Chances were good Katou wouldn't mind, though Suzue would have likely given it a side-eye, not sure what to make of some of the vegetables they'd added to the mix.

Despite all that, they all quickly finished their portions, and some even had a second. During that entire time, Hiro's chair was conspicuously empty as the teen remained upstairs, likely unconscious. Cass was just about to get up and help with the cleanup when Loki put out a hand to stop her. "Allow us," he implored in his silkiest voice. "You've had a rather trying day. It's only fair we clean up as well."

Cass was about to protest but decided against it. Everything was catching up to her from earlier. Despite not having seen the actual explosion, hearing about it was more than enough to make her shudder after the fact. After she'd gotten back on the sidewalk, she'd looked back to see just how close they'd all come to the ultimate tragedy. It was a lot closer than she'd have liked, but at least they'd somehow stopped in time.

While Daisuke took his and her bowls over to the sink, Cass got up from the table and headed towards the stairs, debating on going up and checking in on their youngest member. She hesitated at the partial landing when a loud knock sounded on the door from the floor below. She sort of froze for a moment before shaking it off, hoping no one had noticed. Diverting from her original goal, she headed down the stairs, careful not to jostle her sore muscles.

The knock sounded again, though she wasn't sure if Daisuke or Loki could hear it over the sound of the dishes clinking in the sink as they washed them by hand. It was probably just as well. Whoever was on the other side didn't have the opportunity to knock a third time as Cass opened the door to reveal both Lucifer and Jack standing on her doorstep. Both looked in better condition than she'd last seen them, obviously having changed clothes, and smelling of scented hotel soap.

"I hope we gave you enough time to eat," Jack apologized as he stepped into the main entryway, followed by his companion.

Cass sort of rolled her eyes as she shut the door behind them. "We just finished," she admitted. "Daisuke and Loki are upstairs, cleaning up."

The trio tromped up the stairs, with Cass setting the pace. With her shorter legs, it was slower than either male would have liked, but it was her house and thus unwise to complain. They both knew what she was capable of and, despite both their abilities to recover from the worst, neither wanted to test her limits.

Daisuke was wiping his hands off on a dish towel as they all rounded the corner and headed into the dining area. "Gentleman," he greeted as he spread the towel over the oven handle to dry. "I understand you had quite the eventful afternoon."

Try as either Lucifer or Jack might, Loki was not visible in the room. When it became obvious what they were about, Daisuke informed them that the God of Mischief had headed upstairs to check in on Hiro.

"Is the young whelp not well?" Lucifer asked without thinking. Considering the last few days, it wasn't an unexpected question.

Loki appeared at the top of the stairs at that moment. "He's just worn out," he assured. He continued down the stairs, joining them at the table, though no one was sitting. "Why don't we take this into the living room?" he suggested, indicating they should all precede him.

Once everyone was situated, they all sort of looked at each other before Jack cleared his throat. "I'm sure you're aware of the most recent bombing incident."He paused to gauge everyone's reactions, none of which were really surprising. As usual, Daisuke and Loki were hard to read. "What I want to know about, however, is from a call I received prior to the incident, about a potential jumper on the tracks minutes before the incident."

This time Loki and Daisuke exchanged glances, not having heard of this prior to that moment. "A jumper?" Daisuke questioned. "There may have been something on one of my feeds, but nothing of note once other events occurred. About what time was this?"

Jack told him, prompting another glance between the two men who'd stayed with Hiro. "I take it you might have some idea."

"You should probably know," Lucifer spoke up, "I felt a surge in the energy I've come to associate with Hiro prior to that incident. So there's no point in hiding anything from us, nor would I advise it."

Daisuke was tempted to roll his eyes at that. As if Lucifer was really in charge! "We were at the university at the time," he answered. "In Hiro's lab." Not knowing either male as well as he'd gotten to know Loki, he chose to refrain from saying anything else.

Seeing that Daisuke wasn't going to answer, Loki released a silent sigh. "If you're implying what I think you are, the answer is yes," he stated. "Hiro did indeed predict that bombing, though I'm not sure predict is the most accurate word for the matter. The truth is he sent an aspect, or possibly two, to the location and saw it in real time. Your so-called jumper might have been one of those aspects."

Cass sat up a bit from her usual perch. "Then maybe when I thought I saw him running through the train, it could have been one of those aspects?"

"Without confirmation from him, I couldn't say for sure," Loki replied. "However, it's entirely likely. Whatever the case may be, the exercise has worn him out."

Now looking thoughtful, Jack frowned. "So it's possible someone mistook him for a jumper then," he said to no one in particular. He looked up, now focusing on Loki. "You said he'd sent possibly two. I thought he was only capable of sending out one."

This time Loki let his sigh become more visible. "Those previous instances weren't so much a sending of aspects as they were his detaching from his body. In this most recent incident, he stayed conscious, but two parts of himself traversed to where ever this incident took place. Think of it as splitting your consciousness, forcing you to focus on two or more locations at the same time. It's not something just anyone can do."

Lucifer gave the Asgardian a look, brows raised. "But isn't that one of your signature moves?" he wondered. "I have it upon good authority that you do that quite frequently."

"And it took me a great deal of time to learn how to do it properly," Loki returned in kind. "As I said, it's not something just anyone can do. It takes practice and careful training from someone who understands the mechanics of how it works. Those who can do it without such instruction are a rare breed indeed."

It was a sobering thought and left the room silent for several minutes. "I know Hiro's considered a bit of a prodigy," Cass spoke up, "but isn't this taking things to a whole different level?"

"When it comes to Hiro?" Jack almost rolled his eyes. It should be obvious. "All that aside, perhaps it might be better to ask why this time was different. "

Daisuke smiled at that. "Perhaps it might be easier to ask why the universe hasn't fallen apart. When it comes to my cousin, I've come to expect the unexpected. Speculation doesn't really seem to bring much to the table. You either accept him as is or deny what he is and possibly live to regret it."

The sound of footsteps interrupted the conversation as Baymax appeared with Hiro in his arms, his soft vinyl squeaking slightly on the floor. "Not how I'd put it," the teen quipped, "but I can understand how you'd get that impression." He sort of chuckled as if to a private joke. "As to why this time was different, no idea." He shrugged.

Realizing the robot was intend on bringing Hiro all the way into the living area, Daisuke made room for him on the smaller couch, moving to one side. "I take it you heard what we're discussing?"

"More or less." Hiro grunted a bit as Baymax set him down and helped him get situated. "All this talk and no real answers. Though, to be honest, I can't say I'm thrilled with all the changes. And don't ask me to explain how it's possible because I can't. Though, to be honest, I kind of liked this change. It's not as horrible as witnessing the events as if I'm there, only to have to turn around and see them all over again in real life."

It was a sobering reminder that this was just as new and crazy for the teen experiencing it as it was for everyone else witnessing it. In a way, it was a wonder Hiro hadn't up and lost it after all he'd been through. There was no denying he was made of sterner stuff than the typical person. Those who had seen his premonitions, however, couldn't help but be in agreement with his sentiments.

Loki reached out a hand and touched Hiro's shoulder, his seat being next to the small couch. He felt a slight tingle of energy travel up his arm and down his spine, though he was able to repress the need to shiver. "Witnessing your aspects' manifestation was painful to watch. All things considered, your recovery is rather remarkable for someone so inexperienced with them."

The teen shrugged again, a devil-may-care smile on his face. "Who knows? Maybe it's thanks to that little boost I got yesterday. Or maybe I'm actually getting the hang of things. Who knows?"

His older cousin gave him an assessing gaze, lips pressed together. Somehow he wasn't quite buying that but wasn't about to say it. Chances were good Hiro knew more about it all than he was letting on, even if he wasn't willing to admit it. Even to himself.

"Staring at me isn't going to change what I said," Hiro stated with his best poker face. He swung his legs back and forth over the lip of the couch, his feet not quite touching the floor. He was going to be short forever, he knew it.

The sounds of shuffling and some throat clearing filled the air as the adults shifted. A not quite chuckle escaped Daisuke's lips, more of a quick huffing of air than sound, though it did make his shoulders shake and his lips to turn up in amusement. "I'm sure it's been said before, but it's worth mentioning again. It's likely not as important as to the how so much as it is that he can do all these things. I've found it's sometimes best not to question what cannot be understood by mortal thought."

If Katou had been there, he might have rolled his eyes. Hoshino would have likely agreed with Katou, though that was anyone's guess. Either way, Daisuke was sure Hiro didn't appreciate all the questions he wasn't going to answer, regardless of the reason. From his experience, no one liked being interrogated, especially if they'd done nothing wrong.

Perhaps sensing that they weren't going to get much further that night, Jack slapped his hands against his thighs and stood. "Sounds like we're at an impasse," he stated. "But I think Kambe's right." He noticed a slight smile from the man in question at his use of his family name. "It's best not to question things too much, especially not when everyone's emotionally drained and on high alert. But, if anyone decides they want to talk about it later, I'm always available."

Lucifer rolled his eyes loud enough it could almost be heard by the whole room. But he, too, stood, preparing to leave. "I think you're right," he admitted.

"Wait."

The command was as absolute as it was eerie, all eyes turning to Hiro, who was sitting up straight, face expressionless, eyes glowing blue. The sight itself wasn't as shocking as the tone of command so strong it almost bound everyone to their spots, like a scene flash frozen. Only Baymax and the teen seemed unaffected by the change, the robot tilting his head slightly as he scanned everyone in the room.

There was a strange sort of echo behind the command, one both Cass and Daisuke had heard before. And if their thoughts were correct on what was occurring, things were about to get far more interesting, and not necessarily in a good way.

Hiro stood, almost mechanical in his movements, furthering any thoughts his relations might have about what was about to happen.

With an effort, Lucifer was able to slowly turn his body, eyes wide at the implications. Unlike when his brother, Amenadiel, froze time, he found himself unable to break free easily, reminding him of the conversation he and Loki had had a year ago about what Hiro was likely becoming. As things stood, his movements were practically in slow motion while the others were barely able to move at all.

Everything around them seemed to have stopped or become so muted that it was nothing more than a buzzing in the background. Even the sounds that had come up from the busy café below them fell into the background, like someone had turned down the volume.

Cass sort of looked around, moving the only part of her she could, her eyes. It was obvious what everyone felt as their eyes went wide. For her part, she felt her skin prickle, though she wasn't sure if it was from goose bumps or a chill in her soul. Either way, it wasn't pleasant.

The teen turned slightly to face the alcove window between the two sets of stairs, the curtains open to let in the evening light. Near the right side, as if from something on the street had caused it, a flash of light lit up, followed shortly by the sound of an explosion making them all jump as time seemed to restart itself. Everyone except Hiro, who sort of swayed a bit where he stood. A shiver ran the length of his body and he wrapped his arms around his chest as if to keep warm.

It took a moment or two for the screams downstairs to start up, with Jack and Lucifer running for the stairs like men possessed. Loki immediately went to Cass, who looked beyond spooked by this unexpected event. It was probably a good thing she was already sitting or she might have needed him to catch her.

"You might want to check your car," Hiro stated, addressing the remaining person in the room. Despite his expression of power, he seemed in no immediate danger of collapse.

Not waiting for further information, Daisuke followed after Lucifer and Jack, activating his earring connection to Suzue and the others as he patched in to HEUSC for a live feed.

Cass leaned back in her chair, looking a bit pale. "What just happened?" She felt a bit dizzy, images of a car crash from over ten years ago flashing through her mind.

"Breathe," Loki reminded her as he brushed hair out of her face. The contact, unintentionally gave him access to her thoughts and he recoiled slightly at the images he saw, gasping like the proverbial fish out of water, his eyes going wide until Baymax reminded him to do what he'd just told Cass to do: breathe.

The smell of smoke entered the living space as soon as the ground floor door was opened. A passing breeze further flung it up the stairs and into the second floor area of the Lucky Cat Café. Lucifer's voice could be heard from the business below, trying to calm down the customers and baristas on staff. "Please remain where you are. I've already contacted the appropriate emergency personnel so please remain calm."

Chances were good the patrons were freaking out, or gawking at the sight of a car engulfed in flames next to the building. It didn't help that the vehicles on either side of the burning sedan were also now in flames, along with a giant scorch mark stretching up the side of the building, with a few spots threatening to burst into flames.

Before either adult still upstairs could protest, Hiro headed, under his own power, towards the stairs. His faithful companion was right behind him as he made his way down those stairs. Both Cass and Loki were too distracted to give him any notice.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of BH6 Aftermath