The military hangar was vast. At least twice the size of the average airplane hanger. Set against the side of a mountain outside San Fransokyo, the base the hanger belonged to was infamous for both its failed experiments and for snatching up SFIT students just after graduation.
It was supposed to be top-secret, but stories got out anyway. From the overeager scientists chatting with their friends back in the city, to gruntwork soldiers and guards out for a drink, rumors spread about the goings-on at Compound V-1123.
Some said they held aliens, like the fabled Area-51 of the older generation. Some claimed the government was bioengineering super soldiers. It seemed that almost everyone had a theory or two about the Compound.
But outlandish as the rumors were, the truth was much more dangerous.
★★★
"Ready when you are, sir," called one of General Carrey's scientists from the front of the control room.
The General, a short but proud man with greying hair and squinty eyes, strode up to the head of the chamber, staring through several inches of bulletproof glass at the enormous interior of the hanger. It looked so vacant. Before now it was usually filled with an array of projects of varying sizes, all lighting up and making strange sounds. But they'd cleared everything out over a month ago for this.
Currently, the only things occupying the space were a set of tracks that led to a large circular device situated in the center of the room. It was maybe 15 meters by 15 meters and looked like a dissectional segment of a particle collider. Back when Alister Krei, that idiot billionaire, had been developing this tech over a year previously, it had looked neat and symmetrical. But this one was still in the beginning stages. There was no plating over most of the device. Wires hung in their cages for all to see. Well, all who had clearance. Pretty much just the eight scientists in the room, 2 guards, and the general himself.
Of course, the beta aesthetic wasn't all that separated this from Krei's Silent Sparrow vanity project. When Alistair was in control there had been two roughly identical machines. Here and now there was only one. Better to start slow, get everything right before pressing their luck.
"Turn it on," General Carrey said without any flare. "Give it power nice and easy, now. We want to make it to the probe stage this time. Our backer was very explicit about when he expects results!"
A couple of the scientists seated behind him at their control panels looked a little miffed, as if the general were stating the obvious. But they said nothing and began to flip switches and ease levers forward.
The result was instantaneous. First, the lights all flickered and dimmed. Not just in the control room, but in the hanger as well. They would have seen the same thing happen to the entire base had they any windows with which to view outside.
Then the negative space inside the machine's circular arch began to glow. At first it was just a transparent shimmer in the air, a luminescent heatwave. But the glow quickly intensified and solidified, becoming the unmistakable purple swirling void of a portal.
All over the room, the scientists were calling out readings to one another. Stability reports, detected energy and low radiation levels, et cetera. They waited a minute, monitoring the portal. They weren't idiots. They knew they would have to close it soon, or else it might become unstable. But there was one thing they needed to do first.
"Send in the probe!" Carrey ordered. He heard a disjointed chorus of "yes sir" behind him, followed by the typing of commands on keyboards. Below them in the hanger a large, dark shape began to zoom down the set of tracks, heading right for the portal.
The general turned his gaze back to the wormhole. In a way, it was beautiful. The serene pink and purple light shimmered like the northern lights in a rich evening sky. But he knew from viewing the footage of Krei's and Callaghan's attempts that it was highly volatile.
About halfway down the track, a rocket on the probe ignited and greatly accelerated the whole device, making it rush toward the portal at breakneck speed. Where it had taken around 20 seconds for the probe to travel half the distance to the portal, it now covered the second half in barely 5. They heard a roar and the control room shook before, at the last possible millisecond, the probe detached itself from the tracks and zoomed into the mouth of the wormhole and out of sight.
"We have a successful launch!" Cried one of the engineers behind the general. The declaration was followed by cheers, but Carrey didn't join them, being too focused on the portal.
"Receiving images and readings from the other side now," called a different voice.
More cheers.
Their celebration was short-lived, however. General Carrey didn't believe in superstitions or premonitions, but a second before it happened he felt the back of his neck prickle. His body went cold and his bones ached like they sometimes did before a storm.
Then a deafening voice rang through the hanger, over the intercom. It was cold, like a chain in the winter, and dreadfully familiar. The voice was dripping and fancy and southern. And it only spoke one word.
"Activate."
For a moment, nothing happened. The general turned to his scientists, eyebrow raised while his left hand tapped nervously against his trouser pocket. He patted it down in an unconscious search for the familiar feel of a hard, round barrel, anything for self-defense. But he'd elected not to wear his weapon, feeling it didn't go with his formal attire or secure setting.
"What was-?" he started to ask.
Then all hell broke loose.
A shape sped out of the portal. Carrey turned just in time to see it emerge. Something big had burst through their side of the rift, smashing one side of the machine as it went. The thing, only a shadow from this distance, appeared to leap off of something which kept speeding away from the portal.
Too late, General Carrey realized that the thing had ridden through the portal on their probe, whose rocket was still active! And now the probe was hurtling directly at them even as the thing from the portal escaped to the side of the hanger.
"EVERYONE GET DOWN!" Carrey screamed, whirling away from the front of the control room and diving behind one of the stations. But it was no use. The probe hit the outside of the command room and exploded. The protective glass did nothing. The entire room was ripped apart in half a second before the millions of disparate pieces crashed onto the floor of the hanger two stories below. Smoke billowed thickly, concealing any potential trace left of General Carrey and his crew. Alarms started blaring and red emergency lights flashed through the dark hanger, but over the sound of the explosion the alarms could barely be heard.
The round, voluminous and vaguely man-shaped thing which had emerged from the portal raced with speed it shouldn't have had the rest of the way to the hanger wall. It raised a fist which then detached, rocketing at the wall and bursting through it like it were made of cobwebs. It exited through the freshly made hole, reconnecting its fist. And not a second too late! Behind it, the portal device had been damaged. Part of the machine had been bent, with many sparking wires torn free. The portal crackled, fizzing in and out of existence. And then the whole machine erupted.
The explosion from that dwarfed the one the probe had caused. The hanger and its surrounding buildings were leveled. The shockwave from the blast took care of everything else at the compound save for the walls surrounding it. Even still, part of the wall crumbled in places, allowing an exit to the thing which had come through the portal. Miraculously it had survived, it being both lightweight enough and armored enough (though only just) to be carried by the shockwave rather than destroyed by it.
There were a few soldiers stationed outside the base who were clear from the blast zone. Most were in shock or curled up on the ground holding their ears after the explosion. But one caught sight of the thing and charged it. He whipped out his weapon, eyes frantic, and took aim. But in the confusion he'd grabbed his taser, not his gun. The shot did absolutely nothing.
Before the thing reached him, the soldier got a good look. As fire where the base used to be reached for the sky, light was cast onto the thing. It looked like a robot. Not just any robot, the soldier was certain he'd seen this one on the news before! Big and white and red, almost huggable were it not for the crippled form and blazing red eyes. It seemed to be missing most of its armor, too.
Not enough to stop it, though. It swung a fist that connected with the soldier's head. He crumpled, and the robot kept its pace. Every few seconds thrusters in its feet and remaining hand flared halfheartedly. It wasn't anywhere near sustainable, but it was enough to give it a fast pace. Much faster than its short and stubby legs could have managed otherwise.
The robot turned towards the glowing outline of a city on the horizon. It had to get there, and fast. A flashing warning popped up in its vision, orange and urgent. Battery Level 22%. Charge required.
It quickly searched its memory banks. Where was it supposed to recharge? Ah, yes. The Lucky Cat Café. That was its target!
Red eyes narrowed. Baymax began to make for the city as quickly as he could.
★★★
Behind him, past the burning military base, a figure suddenly appeared in a flash of purple light on the mountainside.
"What the..?!" He straightened up and looked at the inferno down below. The fire and moonlight reflected off his helmet visor glinted on the mechanical armor he wore. His head turned towards the city. Already he could see lights of approaching helicopters from far off.
"This isn't right..."
Something caught his eye. A weird flashing in the distance on the ground, past the base's boundary fence. He zoomed in on it as best he could, displaying the closeup on the inside of his visor of Baymax using what remained of his thrusters to race towards San Fransokyo, and he muttered under his breath.
"Ohhh, this really isn't right!"
There came another purple flash accompanied by a swift whoosh, and he was gone.
————————————————————————————————————
Saryn sank onto the alleyway concrete, sitting criss-cross-applesauce and sizing up the man sitting across the ring from them. They powered up their bot with a press of a button on their controller. The man across the ring looked as if he had expired milk shoved under his nose at all times. He didn't look like a big threat, at least. A bit muscular and tall. But then Sayrn didn't look like much either, just a kid in shorts and a tanned hoodie adorned with a few pins. Besides, that man, Hammond, had a long rap sheet.
And Hammond had backup. At least five bouncer-esque henchmen spread through the small crowd that was surrounding the two fighters. Saryn wasn't really worried about the fight; they were confident that they could best him and claim the winnings from the pot. The pot which sat off to the side by the announcer, already full from the betting pool. But getting away safely was another matter. Hopefully they'd be able to slip through the crowd and make it back home before any of the henchpeople caught them.
Sayrn knew they'd have to make a run for it, too. This was a strictly in-and-out fast type deal. No playing the opponent, no stringing along and hustling by losing the first match on purpose. That man was a notoriously sore loser. Saryn had to win, grab their cash, and run.
"Aaaanndddd in the Red Square we have old-timer crowd favorite Hammond Kit!" Declared the announcer, a tall woman with her hair pulled back and an eyepatch. She gestured over to Saryn's opponent. The crowd whooped and cheered, less because he was a good fighter and more because he promised entertainment. The man gave a grin that looked more like a dog’s snarl, leveling his gaze at the young teen.
Saryn tried to keep their face clear of any fear as Hammond activated his bot as well. They felt a little more confident seeing his bot of choice. Anthropomorphic in design with a four-toothed spinning saw blade like a throwing star on the end of one arm and a circular shield on the other. This bot was just a copy of a copy of a... they weren't particularly special, but they were easy to build and repair so a lot of people flocked to them, making their use quite predictable. These bots were only ever a threat if their operater was a formidable driver.
"In the blue square," the announcer continued, turning away from Hammond, "up-and-comer Darren Teller!" She gestured to Saryn as she delivered their fake name.
The crowd clapped politely, but Saryn hadn't attended enough fights yet to attract any real recognition, so they didn't let the lack of enthusiasm get to them.
Remember... Win, grab the money, skedaddle! Saryn's hands tightened on their controller. They took a deep, calming breath and focused on their bot as the announcer started the countdown and spun a decorative umbrella in the middle of the ring.
Their bot was roughly the size of an RC racer, but a little taller. It was shaped like a rather boxy computer mouse and was completely black. The 'armor' was mostly plastic and aluminum sheeting, spray-painted DIY style. Against the other bot's sawblade it really wouldn't do anything. But the bot needed to be lightweight. Saryn had very nimble fingers, so gaming, Bot-Fighting, and sleight of hand came easy to them. Speed would win them this race.
"Four... Three..." the announcer looked back and forth from Saryn to Hammond, wondering how this would go. As the longtime announcer for all the top Bot-Fights in San Fransokyo, she normally had a good idea of who would win a match before it even started. But Saryn was a newcomer, and they had could recall a boy their age who used to frequent these fights and turn the tables on any player. She was right to be hesitant here and now.
"Two... One! Let the battle begin!" She withdrew her umbrella and whooshed out of the ring, placing a foot protectively on the lid of the betting pot.
Hammond went on the offensive immediately. His bot darted forward, the four-toothed saw whirring to life. Saryn had expected this. They drove their bot forward like they were going to meet the opponent head-on in the center of the ring. At the last possible second before the two would have met, Saryn sent their bot zooming around Hammond's in a half-donut skid.
Hammond's saw slashed through the air and missed Saryn's bot completely. The mouse droid came to a halt behind the warrior bot and nudged forward against the back of its legs teasingly. It darted back as the warrior spun around and took another swipe with the saw.
Saryn heard Hammond grunt with frustration as he missed again. The teen’s bot began circling the opponent, moving too quickly to be caught by an attack.
"This isn't a game of cat and mouse, little boy!" Hammond snarled, already quick to anger. "You have to face me at some point!"
"I'm not a boy," Saryn said calmly, slowing their bot but keeping it just out of range of the other droid. They'd gotten the prey hungry quite easily. Now to properly bait the hook. They braked, bringing their bot to a full stop.
"If it's a fight you want then what are you waiting for, slowpoke?"
They winced internally. Slowpoke? it was all they could think of in the moment, but it seemed to do the trick. Hammond's lip curled back and his brow furrowed. The older man thrust his joystick forward, making his bot run towards Saryn's.
Saryn didn't move. They watched as the other bot came within range, raising its saw arm. But still Saryn didn't shift out of the way. Their strategy was the same as if they were being charged by a bull.... mostly.
The saw started to descend. Speed was still on Saryn's side, however. At the last possible second, they once again veered their bot out of the way and the opposing bot's saw came down on the street top. The spinning blade sank into the asphalt quite easily, as if the pavement were actually wet dirt. But friction slowed the blades significantly. Enough that one of the prongs caught fast. There was a loud metallic clack and the spinning saw came to a sudden halt.
"What?!" Hammond slammed a button on his controller, trying to restart the saw. When that failed, he tried making his bot jerk the arm free of the asphalt. No such luck. The crowd gasped, suddenly realizing what had happened. Hammond's bot was stuck! Unable to free its arm from the ground.
Saryn took a moment to enjoy the futile spectacle before moving in for the kill. They zoomed their bot around to the side of Hammond's and pulled a trigger on the underside of their controller. A slot opened up on the front of their bot, through which a small metal cylinder protruded. With another squeeze of the trigger, a white light appeared on the side of the trapped bot's abdomen.
Instantly, sparks flew off its armor as the laser began to sear in. There was no beam, just the ghostly drilling light digging into armor. Hammond let out a yip of frustration and surprise, but he was drowned out as the crowd around them cheered. Saryn couldn't help but cock a smile as their laser steadily burnt through the armor plating.
Hammond quickly moved the bot's other arm so the shield caught the laser, giving the main body a reprieve. Saryn wasn't concerned. The laser rapidly ate through the flimsy metal disk and continued searing away at the plating on the abdomen. They'd been confident the shield was just for decoration. If it had any substance to it, enough to actually make a difference against the laser, then the bot would have too much weight on one side and be unusable.
Understanding of the inevitable outcome dawned on Hammond's face just as victory shone in Saryn's eyes. There was nothing to be done. He had lost, and Saryn had won. The laser was going to breach the armor and start burning up the bot's insides. Any second now....
Saryn must have hit the battery because a millisecond after the laser scorched all the way through the armor, Hammond's bot exploded! Charred bits of metal and circuits and wires flew in every direction. A few people cried out and the crowd scattered. A good thing, since now that Hammond's bot was gone, Saryn's laser was directed right at a space where several people had been standing a moment before! The teen hastily killed the laser and powered down their bot.
"S-sorry!" They stammered as the acrid smell of corroded batteries singed their nostrils a little. "Everyone okay?"
Distracted by the mini explosion, they had forgotten about their plan. Win, grab the money, skedaddle! As they had their back turned to survey the remnants of the crowd and ensure there were no injuries, Hammond and his men moved forward.
Saryn yelped as they were lifted by the scruff of their neck. They felt a blade slip under their chin, giving their skin the barest of caresses. It felt unnaturally cold as the blood drained out of Saryn's face. Like an icicle. The crowd froze, staring in shock, then backed away.
"W-wait!" Saryn cried, all the victorious adrenaline vanishing from their body, leaving them suddenly chilled and empty. "What about me?! Someone help me!"
No one so much as gave them a second piteous glance. Within five seconds the alley was cleared of all except Saryn, Hammond, and his thugs.
Saryn was shoved roughly against the alley wall. They let out a loud "oof!" as the air was pushed out of them on impact. It seemed one of the henchmen had grabbed Saryn, rather than Hammond himself. Typical.
The teen bot fighter tried to think over their 'in case of emergency' plan. This certainly qualified! Their hand inched towards the pocket of their shorts, in which they had homemade smoke bomb pellets like those goofy magicians on old programs. They had never had to use them in a situation like this before but knew from extensive testing that they would work... They just needed to reach into their pocket first.
But luck just wasn't on their side. Hammond saw the movement and strode forward, quickly grabbing Saryn's sneaking hand and pinning it against the wall.
"No more tricks from you, kid," he growled.
Saryn gulped. "S-sorry... You seem reasonable," they lied, "I'm sure we could come to an agreement? One that doesn't involve bodily harm."
They tried to keep their body from shaking, but it was no use. Saryn shivered, visibly terrified of the six muscular men surrounding them. Hammond growled, leaning in close so his eyes were an inch away from Saryn's. He yanked the bot controller out of Saryn's other hand.
Sayrn cursed themself internally. They hadn't even remembered they were holding the controller. If they had, maybe they could have used the laser to escape. It was too late now, though.
"You know," Hammond growled, still in Saryn's face. He passed the controller off to one of the henchpeople. "I can accept defeat. I'd still be pissed, I might punch a dumpster or somthin', but I can accept it."
Saryn wasn't sure that was true. Of the seven fights they had ghost-watched to gather intel on Hammond, the man had gone into a rage every time he lost. This was exactly in line with his past. But Saryn wasn't stupid enough to say anything about that.
"What I can't accept," Hammond continued, a vein throbbing in his forehead "is you destroying my bot. I made it myself, you know? And you blew it up!" His face started turning purple. "You blew it up! If you'd just fried a circuit or burned through a wire, no biggie. Those can be replaced. But I have to start from scratch now."
The older man suddenly pushed away from Saryn, even releasing their wrist. This time Saryn didn't try anything. The henchpeople had formed a fairly tight half-circle around them. Using a smoke bomb would be pretty useless this close-quartered.
But Saryn’s eyes, wide and full of fear, were darting around. Looking for any possible escape. They were coming up empty, though.
"What... What are you going to do?" Saryn returned their gaze to Hammond. "You can take my bot!"
They hoped the offer would work. On their phone they could remotely self-destruct their bot, so if they got away unharmed Hammond would have no use for it. Of course, their phone had been left at home so their mothers couldn't track them with its GPS. Now Saryn wished they'd brought it anyway, tracking be damned!
"Oh, I am!" Hammond promised. "But that's only the start of my… restitution. You're gonna have'ta make this up to me. By yourself." Hammond gave an evil, depraved grin at that and cracked his knuckles. It made Saryn's stomach drop. What was that supposed to mean? Clearly nothing good, but they really didn't want to find out.
Hope seemed so far away. The henchmen all started to tighten in on Saryn, cracking their knuckles and looking excited. Saryn began to feel fresh adrenaline pump through their system. They started to consider making a real run for it. They were much smaller than the others; maybe they could slide under the thugs' legs and run down the alley? Once back on the main road it was just a few blocks to their house.
"Uh uh!" Hammond shook his head. "I know that look, kid. The one in your eyes. You’d better stay put! We'll end up hurting you a lot more if you don't comply."
A new, female voice suddenly cut through the late-night air from behind the henchpeople, clear and snarky. It made Saryn jump.
"Comply with this!"
Hammond turned around just in time to see a girl in a yellow mechsuit fling some sort of metal disk right at his face! He yowled in surprise and dove aside. The disk hit the bricks right above Saryn's head and ricocheted back to slam into one of the henchpeople's face! There was an audible crunch and the man howled out in pain, reaching up to hold a nose that no longer looked the right shape. The other henchpeople abandoned Saryn instantly, moving threateningly towards the girl.
Confusion flooded Saryn's brain, followed quickly by a burst of relief and hope. They knew that girl from the news, from the posters on their wall! That was Speed Queen! Which must mean....
As if on cue, the rest of Big Hero 6 flooded into the alley. First came Lizard Guy, dropping down from one of the rooftops far above their heads. The suit was shaped somewhat like a monster that would be right at home in a Kentucky Kaiju movie. He spread his arms as if daring one of the henchmen to attack.
"Oh yeah!" he said. "Nothing like stopping a good ol' fashioned mugging to get the superhero juices flowing. Classic!"
Chop Chop and Tall girl quickly followed him, also dropping down from the top of a building, though not before Tall Girl threw down two green, gelatinous balls the size of apples. Upon contact with the pavement, the balls stuck fast and expanded to the size of compact cars, catching the two superheroes safely before popping into a pool of sludge.
Saryn's breath caught. They were going to be alright! The superheroes, their idols, were here to fight off the bad guys- bad guys who seemed to be too stunned to move.
But Saryn turned their eyes skyward, anticipation and excitement taking over the fear that had been there a moment before. He has to be here... He has to be here... He has to- YES! Saryn could have whooped, they were geeking out internally so much.
Their favorite members of Big Hero 6 descended into the alleyway and dropped protectively right in front of Saryn, between them and Hammond. The large armored robot, Red Panda, turned slightly and looked at Saryn.
"We are here to rescue you," it said unnecessarily.
The kid on its back, who was wearing a purple mechsuit, also looked down at them.
"Are you alright?" he asked. When he spoke, Saryn saw the gap between his two front teeth.
"Yeah," Saryn replied a little breathlessly. "You got here just in time. You're Captain Cutie, right?"
The boy grimaced a little. "That's not... Uhh, I mean, yeah, I am!" His voice deepened.
"You won't be so cute when I'm through with you!" A voice snarled suddenly, interrupting them. Hammond had picked himself up and was facing Red Panda with his shoulders squared.
"What are you waiting for?!" he snapped over his shoulder at his hired muscle. "Get them!" He turned back to face Captain Cutie and his robot as the henchpeople began their attack.
Suffice to say, it didn't go their way. Not even a little bit. Hammond, in his infinite anger and lack of wisdom, pulled his fist back and delivered a punch into the center of Red Panda's breastplate with all his strength. There came another sickening crunch that Saryn could hear clearly even from behind the large robot. Hammond's eyes widened, pupils changing size rapidly, then let out a shriek of pain and crumpled to the ground, gingerly holding a limp wrist.
"I was alerted to your need for medical attention when you said 'aaaaaaaaaaaaoooowowowow,'" Red Panda said mechanically to Hammond, badly mimicking him. "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"
That struck Saryn as a little odd. They vaguely remembered a few weeks ago when Big Hero 6 had reprogrammed all those malfunctioning Buddy Guardians to become healthcare droids, and how they had said something strangely similar when around someone in pain. But that hadn't lasted. The public had been attacked by them and no longer trusted them, even reprogrammed. So the police had rounded them all up and scrapped them.
"Not now, Baymax!" Captain Cutie hissed, but the droid was already bending down to inspect the wrist.
"S-stay away from me!" Hammond cried, trying to blink away tears as he scuttled back. One of the henchpeople hurried forward to help his boss up.
"I am trying to assist you," the robot said.
Saryn was distracted then by the sound of the other Big Hero 6 members clashing with the henchmen. It was actually quite fun to watch, especially after having just been on the receiving end of the guards' malice.
They'd branched off, one musclehead per superhero. But they didn't make any headway. Speed Queen was zooming so quickly around her opponent (the one with the now-crooked and bleeding nose), dodging all his thrown punches, that the man was having a hard time following her. He kept spinning himself in a circle over and over until finally he tripped to the ground, too dizzy to remain upright.
Tall Girl bested the henchman who had gone after her even faster. She simply typed a combination into her purse, which spat a yellow opaque ball into her hand. She threw the ball with great precision and it collided with the man's chest. He was immediately enveloped in a cloud of some foul-smelling gas, making him retch and hold his nose before turning and running off down the alley and out of sight to escape the putrid scent.
Chop Chop, on the other hand, was backing away slowly, body hunched and shrunk, while his opponent stalked closer, grinning and holding a long, wicked-looking knife.
"Why do I always end up fighting the blade people?" he asked no one in particular. The henchman smirked wider, seeing weakness, and in one fluid movement hurled the knife through the air at Chop Chop.!
The green-suited man let out a high-pitched squeal of fear and slashed his arms up in front of him while his eyes squeezed shut. Plasma blades flared to life at his forearms and sliced the thrown knife right out of the air! He opened one eye cautiously, then the other, and upon seeing the two smoking halves of the thrown knife on the ground, he grinned. Chop Chop rose to his full height, body seeming to unfurl after he'd so fearfully tried to make himself small. Even under the mechsuit, it was easy to tell that he was ripped, and he stood even taller than Tall Girl herself!
The henchman took one look at the suddenly towering and confident figure before him wielding twin plasma blades and turned tail, running off with his companion.
Flame Jumper (or 'Lizard Guy' as the owner of Saryn's favorite Comic Book store called him) had a vastly different approach to taking care of the henchman who attacked him. He ran full-tilt at his, shouting a long and ridiculous battle cry. His henchman beckoned him on with a haughty grin, as if to say "I've got this idiot."
And then Flame Jumper released a roaring stream of fire from the mouth of his suit, singeing off the man's eyebrows and making him yelp and fall back onto his butt.
Hammond and his remaining henchpeople all ran for it, swearing and tripping, even crawling and crab-walking to get away.
"Yeah!" Flame Jumper shouted after them, cupping his claws around the mouth of his suit. "You better run! Tell your friends not to mess with Big Hero 6!" He spoke their team name like a sports announcer introducing them.
Captain Cutie (Saryn had to figure out a better name to call him; that fanfiction name, while apt, was just too awkward for their taste) slid off Red Panda's back and high-fived a couple of his teammates before turning back to his robot (had he called it Basement or something earlier?) and fist-bumped it. The robot made an odd sound and wiggled its fingers.
"It's so nice when things go smoothly!" Chop Chop sighed.
"You good?" The purple-suited kid turned to Saryn, a look of sympathy in his eyes. Saryn realized as the adrenaline started to wear off again that their legs were shaking. Captain Cutie hurried forward and grabbed them by the elbows, helping to steady them.
"Woah, easy there!" he said. "Do you need to sit down? Want Baymax to take a look at you? He's programmed as a healthcare bot on top of fighting crime."
Saryn shook their head but held onto the boy for a moment longer until their legs stabilized. "I'm alright... Just got a little too excited there. Thank you, all of you! But.... Baymax? Do you mean Red Panda?"
The boy gave an uncomfortable laugh. "That's really not his name. Just something a crazy frie- ahhh, I mean, it's a name a fan gave him that stuck."
Saryn nodded slowly. It made sense that the names they knew Big Hero 6 by weren't even their real alter egos.
They peered a little closer at the droid now. Seeing it on TV did it no justice. Up close the real thing was incredible to behold! And despite the mixture of nervousness and giddiness they felt at being rescued by their idols, Saryn couldn't help but geek out.
"That's clearly AI!" They nodded to the droid as a whole. "I saw how it acted on its own when Hammond hurt himself... Those have got to be High-Dynamic range spectral cameras!" They looked gleefully up at Baymax's eyes. "I've been drawing up plans for something a lot like that... And I'm guessing you used a carbon fiber framed skeleton? That way it's light enough to still be able to fly but durable enough to fight."
The other kid raised an eyebrow, impressed. "You really know your stuff! And you're not enrolled at SFIT?"
Speed Queen nodded. "Yeah, they could give you a run for your money."
Saryn shook their head, still eyeing the droid. "I considered it; robotics is one of my three big passions. But there was that fire a little over a year ago, that evil professor, and like five attacks on the campus in as many months…. My parents wouldn't let me enroll even if I wanted to, and I prefer getting in and out quickly, taking what I need in between when I'm in a dangerous situation. Besides, my skills are nothing next to yours! All my stuff is old ideas I kinda tinker with and force together. But this is way beyond anything I've ever made!"
They gestured at Baymax. "I mean, on my bot I have to charge it all day and then hope the fight isn't too long or he'll die on me. But this guy seems to be going strong. How long does his battery last?"
The gap-toothed boy grinned proudly. "Until recently, maybe a day. But I was able to put together a clean internal power source. It has to be switched out every five years or so, and the design limits output so it's really only good for battery charging; I've had problems with villains who were literally power-hungry trying to steal energy devices from me before, so I threw in some safeguards. But this baby should keep Baymax here going until it's time to swap out sources!"
Saryn whistled, finally stepping forward away from the wall. "That is so cool! I could talk about this stuff for hours! I wish we'd met under better circumstances, but when your idols are superheroes I guess being mugged is the fastest way to meet them." Saryn's voice flattened out sardonically.
"It's a good thing we found you before those guys could do any damage," Captain Cutie replied. "San Fransokyo needs all the bright young scientists it can get, even if you're not attending SFIT."
The boy grimaced a little. "Not that your worth depends on intelligence, I mean that-"
Saryn waved their hand dismissively. "It's okay, I understand. And really, thanks for saving me." Saryn turned to address the whole team. "That guy is such a sore loser, I don't know what he would have done to me if you hadn't shown up!"
"What were you even doing here?" Speed Queen crossed her arms and looked him up and down, unimpressed. "It's past midnight, and you're what, thirteen?"
"I turn fifteen next month!" they protested.
"But... I was here Bot-Fighting," Saryn admitted sheepishly. There was no point hiding it. Their bot was right there on the ground behind Chop Chop, and this was one of the prime fighting locations. And they were just too tired to sustain any lie right now.
"You know," Captain Cutie spoke up, "it's pretty dangerous to Bot-Fight alone like this." His voice was serious, but after a moment he gave Saryn a small almost self-satisfied smile. "But I'm working to fix that."
Saryn couldn't help but smile as well. It was mostly from relief- they had been a little worried about getting in trouble or looking bad in front of their idols, but now that it was clear they wouldn't be getting more than a lecture, they let their remaining worry evaporate.
"What's your name?" Tall Girl asked sweetly.
"Saryn," the teen replied, not even thinking to give their fake name. Then, a little stupidly, they asked, "What's yours?"
Instantly they flinched internally. Growing up they had been told that it was always polite to ask, and their own experience gave them reason to always check before assuming anything about anyone, but these were extenuating circumstances.
But the superheroes didn't seem to mind. They all introduced themselves with the names Saryn had already known them by. When the boy in the purple armor said his name, 'Captain Cutie,’ Saryn couldn't help but snort. Luckily it seemed to go unnoticed.
"Here," Chop Chop picked up Saryn's bot and the controller one of the henchmen had dropped in the fight and passed them back to their owner. Captain Cutie eyed it, looking impressed.
"Thank you!" Saryn said as they took the bot. "I'm glad it's okay- I built it myself."
"You did a great job!" the small boy said. "That looks like a 3D printed exoskeleton! And we overheard on the police scanner... Something about lasers?"
Saryn nodded. "I found the designs online for one of those engraving lasers like they have in factories and shop classes and whatnot. Managed to miniaturize it!"
"Very impressive!" Chop Chop commented, patting Saryn on the back. Thankfully his plasma blades were off again. "Not that I approve of illegal Bot-Fighting, but I appreciate the scientific side."
"Hey," Saryn defended, adjusting the pin on their jacket, "it's only illegal if you bet on it."
"Speaking of," Speed Queen spat a wad of gum out onto the pavement (Chop Chop took two hasty steps back) and quickly inserted a fresh stick in her mouth. "Aren't those your winnings?" She jerked a thumb over her shoulder towards a dumpster.
Saryn blinked in disbelief. At the base of the dumpster was a shallow, ceramic pot which contained the betting pool. It seemed to have been kicked aside as the crowd ran earlier.
Saryn hurried forward and scooped up all the money, shoving it in their pockets. "I can't believe they left this!"
"I can't believe we're letting her take it all," Chop Chop said.
"Them," Saryn replied automatically, but their brain was still too fuzzy to truly register or care.
"Aw, come on, Wasabi!" Flame Jumper said. "The kid's clearly not evil, let them keep the cash."
"We should get out of here," Captain Cutie cut in. "I know Chief Cruz said he'd look the other way with us but we still don't want to be caught this late protecting a kid who was Bot-Fighting illegally."
The others nodded. Tall Girl stepped up to Saryn and took their shoulder gently. "Will you be okay getting home on your own?"
Saryn hesitated. "Normally, yes. I only live about three blocks that way," they gestured down the alleyway. "Once I make it back to the street, anyway. But..."
"But that's the way those thugs went," Speed Queen finished.
Saryn nodded. "They're probably long gone, but I'd hate to be wrong and run into them alone again. Not until I can practice more escapism."
"I could walk you home?" Captain Cutie suggested before turning and looking at the rest of his team. "Just real quick, then I could meet you back at the base to unwind. My aunt thinks I'm staying with you tonight anyway." He nodded to Lizard Guy.
Everyone seemed to agree, and before they knew it the group was splitting up. Saryn, the big droid and his rider going west down the alleyway, and everyone else disappearing to the east.
The two teens and the large friendly robot walked down the alley in silence for a while. Saryn didn't know what else to say. They had dreamt of meeting their idol for so long, but all the things they talked about in their fantasy, like asking for autographs, talking about the daily perils of saving the city, why they had formed Big Hero 6 in the first place... They all seemed so empty now. Still, Saryn hated the silence and cleared their throat as they reached the flickering orange lamp post lighting the street at the end of the alleyway.
"Thanks again for rescuing me. If I hadn't made it home, well, two moms worry more than one!" They laughed a little dryly. Captain Cutie blinked, not getting it.
"Uh, yeah, I guess that math is right."
Saryn laughed but continued. "I know you guys have bigger things to face, super villains and whatnot. So it means a lot that you made time for small problems like me."
The other boy's eyebrows furrowed. "Hey, don't talk like that. You're not a problem, just a person who needed saving. That's what we're here for! And really, it wasn't an inconvenience to us or anything. I mean, those guys were dollar store baddies. For us superheroes, anyway. We'd have had a tougher time if you'd been Bot-Fighting with the people in Good Luck Alley.
"Besides," he continued as they turned, led by Saryn, to head down the late night street. "Supervillains have been quiet lately. We bagged a couple the week after the bot attack on the city, but since then there hasn't been anything big. We seem to have put all the ones that aren't hiding in prison."
The boy smiled suddenly. It was kind and genuine, and he clasped Saryn on the shoulder. "But even if there was supervillain activity in San Fransokyo, I like to think that we would have been there to save you anyway. Part of the job is helping anyone who needs it, not just fighting big bads."
Saryn smiled back, feeling real warmth and comfort spread through their chest, and the boy took his hand back. They crossed two streets before Saryn spoke again.
"I know it's not very likely we'll run into each other again, but I have to ask... Is there something else I can call you besides 'Captain Cutie?' It worked fine when I was just thinking about you after seeing you on the news, but now I've met you it feels super weird."
The boy laughed. "Too true! I'll be honest, I wasn't thrilled when Kar- I mean, when that writer penned me that alter ego. It still feels strange, actually. This is probably a big superhero no-no, but you seem trustworthy. You can call me Hiro. Just please, don't tell anyone."
Saryn raised an eyebrow, a tiny glint of recognition lighting their eyes. They weren't sure why they felt they knew that name, but they quickly moved on from it. That didn't stop the curiosity from running at the back of their mind, though.
"I'll keep it to myself, I promise." Saryn drew a little X over their heart. "This is me, by the way." They stopped and pointed to the nearest building.
It wasn't the best house by any means. Single story but with what looked like a sizable garage. The quaint abode was situated between a closed dine-in Pizzeria and a 24/7 laundry place. It was the only house on the entire block, and it looked old. Not old as in run down or decrepit, but old stylistically. Like the way buildings were designed here before the Great Catastrophe.
"Thanks for walking with me to keep me safe," Saryn told Hiro, turning to face him. "Even if I hadn't run into those guys again on my own, I get a lot of stuff shouted and thrown at me when I'm out."
"Not a problem," Hiro promised. He bit his lip hesitantly all of a sudden as if he were trying to talk himself into something quickly.
"I'd probably get slapped by Fred and GoGo if they knew I'd told you this, but I've already told you a lot anyway. If you're ever in trouble again and need help, swing by SFIT or the Lucky Cat Café." He winced a little. "Aahh, assuming you can and you're not, you know, cornered in an alley again."
Saryn smiled. "Don't worry, I learned my lesson. Next time I'll set off my smoke bombs and get away as soon as I win the fight!"
"It's late," Hiro told them, choosing to ignore that comment. Saryn wasn't sure if that was because they were disappointed Saryn was planning to go back after everything that just happened, or if turning a deaf ear was Hiro's way of showing support.
"It is approximately 2:17 AM," Baymax spoke up, raising a finger. Saryn jumped, having forgotten the robot was with them.
"Right," Hiro said, also ignoring the start. "You're safe now. Get some sleep, and if there's a next time... Try not to get cornered."
On that note, Hiro climbed onto his robot's back, magnets locking him in place. Wings sprouted from Red Panda's back and the duo rocketed off into the night sky, leaving Saryn on the ground, waving after them.
Hiro was halfway back to the base when he realized what Saryn's "two moms" comment meant.