BH6 Series AU-Ish Thing

[microbrobotics]

[ Liv Amara is lying. He can feel it in his gut, darnit, and he isn't going to let something like a false positive sway him from that. Because like heck Mr. Sparkles is behind the city suddenly filling up with monsters. That guy couldn't bio-tech his way out of a paper bag.

So when Baymax picks up a massive power surge from Sycorax while they're out on patrol, Hiro already knows what he has to do. Sneak in. Alone. Could he get help from the others? Probably, but they're (rightfully) a little bit skeptical of both Hiro's assumptions and his tendency to suggest sneaking in undercover, especially when his rivalry with Karmi is involved. Which - okay, fine, yes, it would be great to show up Liv's mentor as being a massive fraud, but it's not why he's here today.

He doesn't quite convince her to help him sneak in. That would have been smarter, probably, but it's much faster to have Baymax distract her while Hiro swipes her keycard. That gets him past the initial security and into the parts of the facility he's bypassed before. A few wires pulled here, a console override there, and he's descending deep into the facility. Past sublevel 9, down ... well, he's not sure which level he's on? The elevator indicates sublevel 10, but it's such a long drop past 9 that he's wondering exactly how big this level is. And what the hell even needs to be down this far into the ground.

When the elevator finally comes to a halt, Hiro carefully creeps out into the underground vault. It's almost completely dark down here, save for the occasional flicker from a distant panel. The ceiling is somewhere high overhead - he can't see it, though whether that's from distance or darkness, he can't tell. ]

Baymax? I made it in.

[ Static answers him. The portable scanner he brought still works, but he's so far underground that he can't get a strong enough signal to contact Baymax. Or anyone else. If there's a monster down here ... He swallows nervously, trying not to think about it. He can hide if he has to, right? There's a forest of cylinders down here. Some filled with liquid, some filled with god knows what else, but more than a few of them are empty. He could hide in one of those, right? Totally safe. Yep. Definitely a great idea coming down here ... ]

Keep it together, Hiro. You've got this. Amara's up to something, and I'm gonna find out what it is.

[ His scanner still detects an energy surge coming from the opposite side of the vault. Something hot and volatile? It isn't clear on what the energy is, just that it's massive. And that it matches what he scanned the other day. Whatever it is, he's going to come face to face with it real soon. ]

Comments

[tadeadshi]

What? Oh--

[Energy signatures. He looks at his own hand still aflame and kind of smiles a little. Then shrugs a shoulder looking back at Hiro.]

If you're investigating that, then... You found it.

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro follows his brother's gaze. And his eyes go wide again as he sees what's causing that glow. He gropes for that scanner, clumsily drawing back up so that he can confirm what his eyes (and his brother) are already telling him. ]

It was you? You did that?

[tadeadshi]

Yeah, I. I did.

[He sees Hiro get the scanner and decides to prove it, making it stronger in his hand so the scanner picks up the spike, then lowers it again.

He takes a breath and offers his free hand.]

Come on, let's... Not talk here.

[microbrobotics]

[ His brother just casually set himself on fire. Cool. Awesome. He's having the worst hallucination right now, isn't he? That has to be the only explanation. He's been caught already and tossed into a tube and gassed with some kind of hallucinatory agent -

(But Tadashi's hand is warm and solid, and when Hiro tugs on it to stand up, it holds his weight--) ]

I - I don't understand. This isn't possible.

[tadeadshi]

It's... A lot. I know.

[Once Hiro's on his feet, Tadashi just puts one hand on his shoulder, then starts leading him to the end of this walkway, one turn int oa sort of open area. There are tables of equipment, a few beakers and chemicals (entirely for quick extinguish of fire or burn salves), and one large cryo-tube that's open and empty. Against the wall are some burn marks that look like they've been there for a while.]

I.. didn't think it was either f or a while.

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro takes all of that in as he walks, trying to glean whatever clues he can. Fire extinguishers, burn salves, a cryo tube ... is this all for Tadashi? For - those flames that leap out of his fingertips? What the hell are they doing to him down here? How did they get him here in the first place?

And when did he start thinking about this in terms of how rather than disbelieving in the whole scenario? He still knows he has to be hallucinating, but ... he can't help but squeeze his brother's hand more tightly, just clinging onto him. ]

Tell me everything. Anything.

[tadeadshi]

[He moves a couple things around and gets a chair for Hiro who looks like he needs to sit down. It's fine. It's fine, he tells himself, it's just his little brother who snuck into the high security sub-level of Liv's lab where he's supposed to be kept secret for the time being, it's fine.

He takes a breath and leans against the table. His hands aren't on fire now, letting a table lamp illuminate the area.]

I remember the expo. And I remember running in. After that, it's kind of a haze... Until I woke up here. [He looks at his hand, flexing and unflexing his fingers individually.] They've been working to help heal me. I was... apparently not in the best condition when they found me.

[microbrobotics]

[ Is Tadashi really surprised that Hiro somehow snuck into a top secret lab? That is the least weird part of this story, let's be honest.

He all but collapses into the chair, trying to keep himself from shaking. That - sounds plausible? It's possible at least, and after almost making a star in the bay he's a little more flexible on what possible includes. And most importantly, this guy is talking like his brother, even if Hiro is still certain this is a trick. It's close enough to not being a trick that maybe - just maybe - ]

They pulled you out of the wreckage alive? [ His voice is a whisper, barely daring to hope. ] You - you would have been in terrible shape. You'd have to be.

[tadeadshi]

[He rubs at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.]

I think they have photos somewhere in their files. Away from me, I- I'm not... really permitted to look.

[It doesn't mean he hasn't though. They are related, and when Tadashi wants answers, he can be just as sneaky as Hiro to get them. He doesn't want to give a definitive 'yes' though; Hiro shouldn't see those photos.]

I've been here since. I have this - [A small flame on the end of one finger before he puts it out again] and they want me to stay down here to run tests with it.

[microbrobotics]

[ God. He both does and doesn't want to see those photos now. They're horrifying, surely, but they'd be proof, wouldn't they? That what he's looking at is really his brother, resurrected and relatively whole. Is it possible that this is what Amara's been working on? That this is what she needs the gold for? It doesn't make any sense, but. Well. Neither does any of this.

He watches those flames appear with muted awe and horror both. Superpowers. Well - he's seen that a couple times already. With horrifying results, but ... His gaze goes up to his brother's face, trying to see if there's anything else wrong with his brother physically. ]

That's insane. They - they saved you, but - why didn't they tell us? Are they keeping you captive? Are they hurting you?

[tadeadshi]

In order: I don't know, no, and no.

[He huffs a sigh but he's smiling at him, same as he's ever been.] I wish I had better answers for you, but I've been down here since I woke up. I don't even know what day it is.

[microbrobotics]

It's February. Months since the expo. We've - we've been --

[ Fortunately for his secret identity, Hiro breaks down before he can actually go into what he's been doing all this time. He rushes forward, just throwing his arms around his brother for a moment. Even if this is a trick, if he gets one more hug with his brother, then it's worth it. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Tadashi just lets out a quiet oof before looking down, and wrapping arms around him. He's missed his family, his brother. He keeps himself warm to help warm Hiro too and hugs him tight.]

I'm sorry. I had no idea.

[microbrobotics]

[ That's weird, Tadashi, but he's not going to knock it right now. Because Tadashi is warm, and solid, and not a hologram. If he's a trick, it's one hell of a trick. Close enough to real that he can believe it, if only for a moment.

He doesn't say anything for a moment. Instead, he lets out a strangled sob, clinging tight to Tadashi's back. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Oh man... He hasn't had to deal with a crying Hiro in a very long time, since before he turned to acting out instead. He keeps his voice low:]

It's okay. I'm here, I"m not going anywhere.

[microbrobotics]

Y-you - you better not. I can't. Can't deal with losing you again.

[ His voice is unsteady, choked by sobs. The wound was raw enough even before Obake tore it open again. ]

[tadeadshi]

You won't.

[He pets through Hiro's hair once before carefully pulling away just enough to look at him.]

You shouldn't stay too long. I just... [He looks around the area again, like he's trying to figure out a puzzle.] I don't have a way to communicate outside of here.

[microbrobotics]

[ He's a little older, with a few fresh scars on his face. Nothing major - his experience with the Six has been remarkably injury-free, all things considered - but there is a relatively fresh (if also very faint) lichtenberg figure along his neck. Thanks to the mild electrocution he got by pulling that energy amplifier out of Obake's star machine.

He scrubs at his face, lightly, still staring up at his brother. ]

That doesn't matter. I'm gonna get you out of here.

[tadeadshi]

You're-- What?

[Whoa whoa, he hasn't been out of this place since they found him. He isn't sure it's even safe for him to be out there, not until he's certain he has full control over this power. And he isn't sure he wants to find out how Hiro got those scars; he may have to fight someone.]

That may not be a good idea.

[microbrobotics]

[ Well. Obake's already dead, probably, that ship has sailed. Also, Hiro looks up at his brother like he's just grown an extra head. ]

What else am I 'sposed to do? Leave you down here?

[tadeadshi]

I don't know. I wish I knew.

[He looks down at his hands, ignites small flames then extinguishes them.]

I don't know if it's safe for me.

[microbrobotics]

Then - then I'll stay instead, okay?

[ He knows there's no possible way that will work. Even if he isn't caught somehow, Baymax will sound the alarm after an hour without contact. ]

[tadeadshi]

You'd be caught and escorted out by security...

[He gets it, Hiro, he does. It's hard not to say screw it and run out with him. But he has to think about their aunt, their friends, their home...]

Just.. Give me a little time, okay? I'll figure something out.

[microbrobotics]

[ Dammit. His eyes are already welling up with tears. ]

No! I don't even know if I can get down here again!

[tadeadshi]

I'm not sure you would get down here again.

[He rests a hand on Hiro's shoulder looking around the area carefully.] But I think I can help you get out of here.