#naoki tackechui

[theblueskyphoenix]

Grid Ghost Chapter 11: Cautionary

“Professor! Look! Look!”

Grace smiled as she beheld the invention before her. While still a work in progress, the mini power generator before her was quite a sight to see. She placed a hand on Obake’s shoulder, a proud look in her dark colored eyes.

“You’re doing wonderfully, Bob. Think you’ll be able to get it done in time for the open house?”

“You bet ya! I just need to put the finishing touches on the amplifier.” Obake held up the piece he was working on, an ecstatic grin on his face. “With this, this generator, or anything for that matter, can run on a huge amount of energy for days and never hit a low battery. Think of how much that could help people!”

“I’m sure it will.” Grace chuckled, squeezing his shoulders. “You’re going to make the world a better place, Bob.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so and I certainly can’t wait to see what you can do.”

Did you, though?

Obake sighed, looking at his reflection on the visor of the helmet he was working on. 

He should’ve been in bed right now but he just couldn’t bring himself to sleep. When there was work to be done he had to get it done when he could. Plus, he wanted some alone time in his lab and late at night was the only time he could get that.

It had only been a week now since detaining Dragoness. Saga had become a lot more quiet for everyone. Tadashi and Trina still went out to go help people but at least there was no concern of an arsonist causing trouble. Despite that, Obake couldn’t really rest easy with the information they had.

Liv has a whole team of people out there tracking other people like they’re rare animals. I can’t just sit by and let her get away with it. I’m not going to let them meet the same fate I did.

Obake lowered his head, feeling at the left side of his face.

I can’t… let someone else go through that same pain.

“Make it stop! PLEASE! I BEG YOU!”

“It’s okay, Bob. It’ll all be over soon. Just breathe.”

“AUUUUGH!!”

“Bob?”

Obake straightened up, looking behind him to see Kim in the entryway of his lab. She wore a look of concern as she peered in.

“You okay?” she asked.

Obake stared at her in silence before turning away, looking back at the helmet on the table.

“Just have a lot on my mind.”

Kim made her way over, pulling up a chair, sitting next to him.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked, rubbing his back.

Obake remained silent for a moment before letting out a sigh.

“It’s… strange for me to be doing what I’m doing now. I used to be a crime lord for a whole year and now, here I am trying to be a hero and help people… I have to wonder if…” he lowered his head. “If Granville would think differently if she saw me now.”

Kim frowned at this.

“I’m guessing the last time you saw her it wasn’t exactly a happy reunion?”

“Not really…” Obake closed his eyes. “It was right before I was going to destroy the city. I mocked her, Kim…”

“Bob…”

“Told her it was because of her I was the way I was… and while there was some truth it wasn’t her fault I decided destroying the city was a way to make the world a better place. I just…” He brought his hands to his face. “I was just so angry at her for not being there for me when I needed her. She said she looked forward to seeing what I could do and yet… she wasn’t there during therapy. She wasn’t there to help me pick up the pieces.” He sighed. “And Liv used that as a means of coercing me… and I want to let that go. I really do. I want to forgive it… but I just wonder if she could ever forgive me.” Obake moved his hands away from his face, looking at them. “As far as she’s concerned, she created a monster.”

Kim brought an arm around his shoulders, stroking his arm. 

“I think with time, she may forgive you. It’s like I said before, those you hurt might not forgive you but the least you can do to prove to them that you’ve changed and are truly sorry for what you did, by doing what you’re doing right now.” She squeezed his shoulder. “As for Granville, I think she would forgive you because you’re being the man that she believed you could be.”

Obake gave a small smile, bringing an arm around her.

“Thanks, Kim… I needed to hear that.”

“Anything to help.” Kim rested her head on his shoulder, looking at the helmet he was working. “So, come up with a vigilante name yet? I doubt you can go by Obake again.”

“I can’t and I won’t be. Instead, I’m going by a name that Trina and Tadashi came up with that I quite like a lot.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?”

Obake grinned, the left side of his skull glowing for a moment as the purple EL wire on the helmet lit up.

“Grid Ghost.”

oooooo 

“It seems we have a problem on our hands.”

Naoki was resting his chin on his hands, looking at the monitor before him. Coilin and Drake were staring back at him from a window on said monitor, both having their arms crossed. 

“Prey tell, Takeuchi.” Coilin raised an eyebrow.

“Erin has been apprehended.” he narrowed his eyes. “Not sure how but she was and her lab was ransacked. Any research she had on The Phoenix is now gone.”

“Hm… I see how that’s a slight problem but I don’t see how it affects us directly.” Drake closed his eyes. “I mean, Erin was a dear friend of ours and she will be missed but honestly, I’m not sure how much use that mutant would’ve been to Liv anyway. The stuff we’re looking into is way more valuable in regards to bettering humanity.”

“Think deeper, you two.” Naoki growled. “The fact Erin was apprehended means someone found out what she was up to. Which means they probably now know about us and by extension, know about Liv. I don’t think Ms. Amara would be pleased if the public found out the true nature of Sycorax. She already has enough to worry about. Let’s not give her a reason to turn her frustrations on us.”

“Fair point.” Coilin ran a hand through his hair. “I’d rather we not have our funding cut or have Liv sick one of her… “creations” on us because of a slip up.”

“Hear about what she did not too long ago?” Drake asked. “While the public didn’t know it was her doing, but she mutated a well known chef thief into a weird cat hybrid creature. Did you know she could do that? Last I checked she was still in the works with that kind of tech.”

Naoki grimaced, shuddering.

“I’ve seen the police footage. I was hoping it wasn’t whom I thought, but goes to show she’s making faster leaps than we are. That’s why we need to prove we’re useful so our own goals don’t wind up thrown to the wayside. I’d rather not become some freak of nature. We’re already after those.”

“You think I want that either?”

He narrowed his eyes.

“All I’m saying is… we need to be more careful… and we need to move soon. I already have my own plans in motion, I can’t take them back. What do you two plan to do?”

“We’re planning a capture of the water being soon. It’s taken a lot of deep research and coercion but we found some very willing people who know how to trap the being. For a price, of course.” Coilin grinned. “Regardless, we have a cage just for him.”

“Puts a whole new twist on a house of mirrors.” Drake chuckled. “He’ll be clay in our hands and eventually, Liv’s.”

Naoki smirked, leaning back in his chair, lacing his fingers together.

“Lovely. He’ll certainly be interesting to study. Do send me the video files later, won’t you?” He chuckled. “He won’t even know what hit him. Brilliant plan really. Where did you source the trap from?”

“Some odd folks who in our honest opinion are kind of too superstitious but yet are so helpful. We’ll explain more when we have the specimen. It makes more sense when there’s evidence to help explain it. What about you?”

“Yeah, what do you plan to do with those stitched together freaks?”

He grinned.

“First, get as much information as I can regarding to how their bodies are functioning… Then, when I have the data I need, I’ll simply take what I need. It doesn’t matter, they’ll just be part of my “trials” my clinic front is creating.”  He grinned. “No one will even realize they’re gone until it’s too late. I WILL achieve my goal… and by extension, bring Liv a step closer to hers.”

“Sounds like we’re all setting into motion then.” Coilin narrowed his eyes. “Though, I guess for once I have to say this. We must proceed with caution.”

“Indeed.” Naoki’s grin faded. “Whatever took her out could come for us next.”

“Well then.” Drake smirked. “We’ll just give them a nice “warm welcome” if they dare grace use with their presence.”

Naoki nodded, looking to a frame on his desk.

“A warm welcome indeed.” 

Naoki smiled. 

“Gentlemen, let’s begin.”

[theblueskyphoenix]

Grid Ghost Chapter 8: Returning to Roots

“Have you discovered the identity of the mutant?”

“Not yet. But I am making progress. Luckily, he isn’t too hard to find. The idea to look for a specific heat signature was brilliant idea, Naoki.”

“Give yourself some credit, Erin. You’re the one specialized on this mutant, not me. You provided the information, I helped provide resources and a solution.”

Erin chuckled, thumbing through her files on a tablet, glancing up once in awhile at her monitor set up.

“True. Bird Boy is of extreme interest to me and I know the most about him.” She pulled a picture The Phoenix, smiling softly. “But alas, I’ll only be able to do so much before I have to hand him over to Liv.” She sighed, resting a cheek against her hand. “I’ll just enjoy it while it lasts.” She shook her head, putting the image away. “Regardless, once I have more information I’ll be sending her another report. Rather not send a light one.”

“Sounds solid. Let me know how that goes.”

“Will do.” Erin looked up fully at the screen to her right, staring at the image of a man that was on it. “How about you? How’s the research going on those bumbling group of life savers?”

“Getting there. Footage from one of my droids has been giving me quite the show.” He smirked, pulling up an image of a group of people running into a burning building. “I’m starting to get results. I just need her to continue to follow them.” 

“How good are they in a fight?” 

“Deadly.” Naoki smirked, crossing his arms. “My girl won’t let me down.” His eyes narrowed. “Regardless, I’m going to get their secrets. My daughter’s life relies on it. I’ve been promised a handsome grant and state of the art facilities if I bring it to Ms. Amara’s attention.”

“Such a wonderful woman, isn’t she?” Erin grinned. “Giving us all so much, all in exchange for some small little things.” Erin stretched a little, leaning back in her chair. “Well, I got work to do. I got a bird to track and you got some life savers to harass. Send Drake and Coilin my regards.”

Erin closed the call with Naoki, turning her attention to her work.

“Alright, let’s see if we can find you again, Bird Boy.”

oooooo 

Tadashi hadn’t seen the streets of San Fransokyo in a long time. Almost a year if he remembered correctly.

It’s had to have been six months at least.

Regardless, it was weird to be driving through them again with Eboni on her motorcycle. 

Not much has changed. Still the same as I remembered it.

“Feeling at home?” Eboni asked, breaking the man from his trance.

“Huh? Oh uh… sort of. Feel more out of place to be honest.”

“Understandable.” Eboni looked at her instructions that were present on the visor of her helmet. “Okay… Right turn here at this light then our destination should be on our right.”

“Cool.”

Tadashi looked around, taking in everything he could. He knew he couldn’t stay for long but he was going to enjoy every moment he could get being able to be back in his home city. 

They soon came to a stop at an abandoned building that had clearly seen better days. It had holes in the walls and the glass of the windows it had were all shattered.

“Yeesh.” Eboni parked her bike, getting off with Tadashi. “Looks like there was a bad scuffle here.”

“And I think I can take a guess who one of the fighters were.” Tadashi said, hurrying over to it, feeling at the edges of the holes.

It has to be Baymax’s work. That rocket fist could break through anything.

Tadashi made his way into the building, looking around, pulling out his phone, turning on the flashlight. Eboni joined him, doing the same.

“So, we’re looking for something that resembles him. That’s what he said, right?” Eboni asked. 

“Something that resembles him but is unpleasant to look-” 

Tadashi jumped as his light landed on something. A robot that bore a striking resemblance to Obake, however, its outer platings were unfinished on one side, exposing the inner workings of the robot, including the skull area… and it was melted and burnt in some areas. It stared blankly back, not even moving a servo.

Eboni looked towards where Tadashi was, giving a flat look as she beheld the robot.

“Well… that’s disturbing… and a hunk of junk.” Eboni walked over to it, giving it a small kick in the head. “This was built by a genius, right?”

Tadashi shook his head, joining her.

“Blunt as ever.” Tadashi looked over the rest of the bot. “From the looks of it, this was a rush job. Had to get it out as soon as possible. Dangerously armed though. I would not have wanted to get into a fight with this thing when it was still active.”

“You could’ve melted its servos with ease.” Eboni’s flat look didn’t falter. “Actually, you could’ve melted this whole thing easily considering what seems to have already happened to it. The metal here is cheap. Rush AND a hack job. Obake wants this robot back, why?”

“His work. Guess he wanted to improve on it.”

“Well, I better be in that lab room to help then because this is just embarrassing.” Eboni stepped away, gesturing to Tadashi. “You pick it up, I’ll get him a helmet so people don’t look at us weird.”

Tadashi nodded, doing as told, lifting the robot up with ease into his arms.

“Huh, surprisingly light.”

“Probably used carbon fiber or something for the framework.” Eboni said, hurrying out, soon returning with a helmet, putting it on the robot’s head. “There, now that stupid red eye can stop staring at me.”

“So I wasn’t the only one being bugged by that.”

“It’s just so… lame. That’s all I got. But I feel like I’ve said that enough.” Eboni turned, giving a wave of her hand. “Come on, let’s head home before certain people start staring.”

They were soon outside again, securing the robot into the side cart. Just as they were about to leave, a car zoomed by them at top speed, buffeting the two.

“Hey! I’m trying to drive here!” Eboni shouted, shaking a first at them. “Stupid reckless idiots!”

ZOOM!

Eboni and Tadashi’s eyes went wide a big red winged robot zoomed past them, pursuing the car.

“... I’m not the only one who saw that, right?” Eboni asked.

“Nope. And if you know what’s right, you’re gonna go after it.” Tadashi answered, putting on his helmet, wrapping his arms around Eboni’s abdomen.

Eboni didn’t waste a second to start up her motorcycle, chasing after the robot.

The car sped up, keeping ahead of the robot as one of the passengers leaned out the window, hurling something at a figure on the bot’s back.

“GET A LIFE YA FREAKS!”

The robot sped up, flying right beside the car.

“Pull over now and maybe it won’t end in attempted assault charges too!” The figure screamed back. 

“You little-FLOOR IT!”

Eboni sped up, pulling up next to the car, Tadashi starting to loosen his grip.

Just melt the tires a little, make it sneaky-

“Oh, that’s it! Get me higher! I got this!” the figure on the robot shouted.

The robot pulled up as the figure leapt down, landing on top of the car, using magnetism to hang on.

“I SAID!” He pulled a sai out as it crackled with electricity. “SLOW… DOWN!!!!”

He slammed it into the side of the car as sparks started to surround it. The car started to swerve before being forced to come to a stop as the perps tried to make a break for it.

The robot was faster, landing in front of them.

“You are under arrest.” it said.

The perps were soon surrounded by 4 other people, all dressed in colorful armor. Tadashi and Eboni were wide eyed as they beheld the group. There was no need for questions. They knew who they were.

“Big Hero 6…” Eboni whispered.

Hiro…

Tadashi remained silent, his eyes locked on his little brother as he and his friends worked on clearing the roadway, cuffing the two perps to a lamp post with a set of magnetic handcuffs.

“The cops will be here to pick you up soon.” Hiro said, twirling a sai in his hands. “You can think about your life choices till then.”

The two perps growled at him but were unable to do anything with their restraints.

“Alright, let’s go team.” Hiro said, getting onto Baymax.

The rest of the group nodded, setting off.

“Hey!”

Hiro looked over his shoulder, seeing Eboni waving at him.

“Nice work! Keep it up!” She shouted.

Hiro smiled, giving a salute.

“Stay safe, citizens!” Hiro looked to Baymax. “Let’s go Baymax. Full thrust!”

Baymax nodded, doing as told, taking to the skies in seconds.

Eboni smirked, crossing her arms.

“You got one heck of a brother, Tadashi.”

Tadashi smiled, pride shining in his eyes.

“I sure do… He’s growing up so fast.”

I just hope I can see him again soon. 

Eboni elbowed him gently.

“And one day, I want to see you running right beside him. Ya got it?”

Tadashi was taken aback by this but soon let out a chuckle, wrapping his arms around Eboni’s abdomen again.

“Got it. How about we start with getting this robot back to Saga, hm?”

“That’s what I was thinking.”

Eboni revved her motorcycle, taking off. Tadashi looked back one last time, catching a glimpse of Baymax and Hiro in the sky.

I’ll be back one day, Hiro. 

Just keep doing what you’re doing.