Robert Callaghan // ʏ๏кคเ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
pushtheboundaries) wrote2014-11-20 10:04 am
pushtheboundaries) wrote2014-11-20 10:04 am
fic; a hundred thousand little pieces p3
Yokai is swift, merciless, and cruel.
The Lucky Cat Cafe. The school. The mansion (though that does involve a brief fight with another man who seems to harken towards the superhero ideals of the 60s but it makes him no less an opponent and he has to make a retreat because it's as though he knows his every move before it happens.)
He goes for full on chaos, causing as much destruction and terror as he can as he tries to convince his students there's nothing left of him to 'save'.
He targets things close to them, and were close to him in an attempt to sever himself from his past. Krei Tech's new face is absolutely annihilated, dozens injured or killed, and he relishes it all.
This is freeing. Lifting. Purging. He clings to these thoughts and ideas, terrorizing the city, and it's only through the other active heroes of the local area (three even coming in from Metroville) banding together that his great plan to destroy the entire coastline (and how did he ever come up with that? even he doesn't know, he just needed to make a threat for them to stop) that he's even rivaled in terms of sheer force.
In the end, they defeat him in a similar manner as they had before; disarming him. As his microbots are stripped, stolen, and destroyed, leaving him with barely enough to hold in a hand, he lets himself fall in to the ocean and fall and for a long period of time he just hopes it all weighs him down enough so that he's finally done.
He wakes up on a beach somewhere in Canada with a cluster of microbots upon his shoulders, pulls his remains back together, and carries on.
---
It's during this time that he finds an answer to a question; where do they all come from? Because he goes from a mantle to a coat of the things, and after some experimenting, he is able to have what he has draw towards what he hasn't. And it leads him, once again, towards where it all began, until he's once again standing at the ruins of Kreitech and this time in its deepest bowels, where he's greeted by the sight of still-functional machines.
He recognizes them from his dreams. His nightmares. They are not the same, but their design has changed very little from when he first built them to replicate the microbot design in to nigh infinity. He wonders, partially, how they're still functional, then why, and then there's such a heavy sensation in him as he realizes that he can't bring himself to destroy them.
He falls to his knees in numb shock, microbots clinging to him as though to offer some desperate sort of comfort, and it seems like years before he can bring himself to even move.
---
Shin has been talking with Gogo.
He's been racing against her, more like, a friendly rivalry, and while there are other things he first reports that is the only thing Robert can focus on. Shin would have him believe he's gone back to working with Yama but that he was just waiting for him to return, because they both know where his loyalties lay, he laughs. He doesn't realize just how disgusted his mentor really is until he sneers, you know she's just using you to get to me, right?
It stops Shin cold. He stammers about how they all thought Yokai was dead, how they didn't think-
Idiot.
He's rarely ever dismissed Shin so, and he can see the pain; he pushes past it, pushes back Shin, and takes a look at the decay of their 'headquarters'.
Then he raises his hands, and has the microbots get back to work.
---
The next time he fights the Big Hero 6, they're ready for him.
They must have realized that he wasn't going to go down so easily, even with such a power to face him, but this time they don't bother getting backup. They don't need it, really; they're a match for him on his own, and without the benefit of a grand plan, Yokai perhaps does not want to necessarily have to be forced in to a retreat but he does not discount the possibilities, and has secondary plans if such a thing occurs.
What he doesn't have a new plan for is their new device.
All of the sudden, to him? The world is nothing but white and, for a moment, ȁ̸̵̹̟̯̣̹͈̰͎̗̯̥͒̃̓̔̇͛̌̃́͘͟ͅg͉̮͚̯̳͉̝̝̦͉͚̝͔͍͈̪̞̻͙̋̎ͧͯ̄͘͢͠͡ő̃͒̔̓ͬ̋ͧͪ͡҉̙͎̬̮͓̲͓͕ͅn̶̶̵̻̺̯̟̭̻͔͉̭̙͍̖͐̓̄́̍ͪ̔ͭ̐͋ͬ̉y̸̸̪̬͇̥͈͚͈̞̠̤̭̰̪̜̒̍̈ͮ͛. To the outside world, he crumples much like the microbots, falling from high on to a hundred thousand liltle pieces of metal, spasming as though in siezure. There's no scream from him, no sound of pain but a stilted, horrible gasping sound, as though he's forgotten how to breathe.
He has.
The world is w̢͇̯̪̅̊ͦͫ̎͟h͓̯͕̪͍̔͊i̧̬̮͉͔̪̖͖͂͐̽̒ͥͭ̅̈̀t̷͙̖̺ͦͭ͢ẽ͒͌҉͍̟͚̫̤͍̀ and P̷̨̱̳̟̯̙̞̘͉̰̻̮͍̻͈̂ͩͨ̂̀̉A̵̙̩̖̫̯̭̝̤͙͙̹̠̯̜͍̘̥̫͔ͤͯ̇ͮ̀͞͞͡Ï̶̵ͩ̑͛҉҉͕̩̖ͅŃͧ̍ͪ̚͏̧̹̮̗̱̘͍̣̬, not a single thought crossing his head as it feels like he's having all of his prior headaches condensed into a single moment that then stretches for eternity. Robert Callaghan is dying and doesn't even have the presence of mind to understand it, his brain is numb and then the faintest of sounds creep in to his perception as the white begins to fade.
-think it would do that!
He's not breathing, I think you've killed him!
He can't even move, he's still in such agony. He understands he's trembling, but not why, and there are hands on him pulling him out from the mass and he can't even get his feet under him, he doesn't understand what's going on, he's-
they're still moving, careful-
-can't do that to him again-
-probably deserves it-
-scan him, damn it, find out what's gone wrong!-
-diagnosis; severe-
Shaking hands barely manage to curl in to claws as he tries to raise his head and can't, he's too weak, there's blood leaking out of his nose and eyes and even his ears and maybe he is dying, he doesn't understand what happened and he's suffocating with all these bodies around him-
-there's a figure there, almost as tall as he, holding what looks like a small radio transmitter, and then he understands as someone tries to secure his hands behind him. He understands that that, there, whatever it is, is/was the source; just as quickly, he understands that if it's used again, so will the entire sequence repeat itself.
There is an unholy screech of fear-rage-terror from him, but he's not even sure it's from him directly; the microbots are lashing out as well, piercing forwards in a single spike, and there is a gutwrenching scream from somewhere as it goes through the figure, dozens of feet behind him, and when they pull back there is blood.
He has never seen the microbots bloodied before.
But the fear-rage-terror-abhorrence is still strong, still overwhelming, and the microbots whisk him away even while conscious thought is difficult. He leaves pain in his wake as pain still covers him as closely as the microbots do, but at least they try to get him away from it all.
---
Days are needed to recover, but he is still wary. While before he held a certain respect for his students, now there is a certain fear, but with it comes the understanding that this is all because of him.
He drove them to this point.
This is his mistake.
Yokai begins working more closely with Yama out of necessity; he remains in the shadows, rarely broaching the light, and trades favors for supplies as he tries to understand just what has occurred and how he can counter it.
Based on what he can learn through trial and error upon his own self, it may be that they were trying to interfere with the signal to the microbots - but that signal is coming directly from his own brain, and so it interfered with that function, as well. He is lucky that the most essential of organs do not require conscious thoughts, or else he would be dead.
The microbots shiver for him, but he continues to experiment. There is little he can do to block such a signal from his own head, short of a brief experiment with a total-blocking device; for the first time in years, the microbots are dormant, and the sight alone of them so lifeless and still terrifies him enough to immediately remove and let them destroy the band.
He has lived too long with them to dare under go any length of time without.
---
Sins, they call themselves in private. Yama is Greed, a title which he laughs about in public and sneers of behind closed doors. There is Envy, a disfigured woman who claims to have been an experiment, and displays abilities that science balks at because they simply make no sense; Sloth and Gluttony are siblings, Lust an androgynous figure who turns heads every time they step in to a room. Yokai finds himself disgusted by them all, but especially Pride, who almost never shuts up.
It is probably no surprise that they call him Wrath.
Together they discuss how to deal with the Big Hero Six, but despite his close ties to them, Yokai refuses to speak of anything but what is publicly known. Envy accuses him of protecting them; Pride makes some comment about everyone having their pets. By the end of it, 'Wrath' excuses himself by all but tearing the door off its hinges; the microbots sweep him up and away, and with a dark heart, he begins to carry out his own stages of the plan.
It's a good one, not like his only-so-focused attempts to get the Six to reject him; but when all is said and done, many people whom he has no ties to will get hurt, and he is only so certain if such a thing is worth it.
---
There are occasional team ups; despite his preference to work alone, he cannot deny that they each have their uses. And when they all work as one, the results astound even him.
Predictably, it all still goes to hell.
Maybe it was inevitable, Greed turning upon Sloth in a murderous stroke, or Envy upon Pride; the Sins tear themselves apart, and while Wrath only defends himself briefly, he does linger around to watch them all fall and he can't help but laugh, madly, because what did they think was going to happen?
This alliance was doomed to failure from the start.
The Six are astounded when he's the one to free them, microbots forcing them back to their feet. It's Wasabi who ventures a tentative question along the lines of does this mean you're helping us, and to that, Yokai laughs again before throwing them away.
Help them, he orders curtly, referring to the innocents - civilians, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, everything in between - currently at stake. His former students hesitate only a moment before he snarls, what are you WAITING for!? before mobilizing, Gogo rolling forwards slowly at first and then off in a yellow blur.
But just as he's making to leave, his gaze lingers upon Hiro - he's as tall as his brother once was, now - for far too long, the two of them sharing a look that is silent as much as it is loud.
I'm sorry, Hiro finally says. Back when...I didn't think the Breaker would do that to you.
Memories that Callaghan has tried to forget. He lingers there for a few moments, eyes dropping towards the boy's armored midsection...and then, before he can think to find words, the thought of leaving overwhelms him and he flees the scene.
---
Yama calls for him sometime later. He is dubious, especially after watching him murder an 'ally' in cold blood, but Shin is persistent, and he finally consents. There's the familiar smell of smoke and unwashed bodies, here in the club that serves as Yama's own base of operations, but everyone gives him and what microbots he brings a wide berth and it's the best he can expect.
He's taken to the meeting room, welcomed by Yama, and then the world is w҉hit̵e͏.
When he's aware again, he's on his hands and knees and Yama is laughing, waving something in his hand, and rage is overwhelming and he lashes out and again- w̡̡̛hi̡t͝e̡.
He's collapsed on the floor, hands to his head, and Yama is talking but he can't understand what he's saying because there is no thought there is only p̶̡̟͎̖̫̗̜͓̈͛̎ͫ̎̆̊͠a̟̻̮͍̝͈͙ͫͨͥ̓͗ͧ͟ȉ̵̞͉͙̝͔̿̅͋ͤ̅ͭ̀͟ͅͅn̟̮̞̩ͫ̉ͨ̒̄͐͌̏.
He's dying.
He wants to die.
-at last, where you've belonged all along!-
It hurts.
---
Shin has betrayed him.
What was once his Voice is now that which keeps him silent. Silent, obedient, and constantly in fear that color will fade and he will hurt. There are occasional taunts of mercy, but that's all they are; taunts. Yokai stills his trembling shoulders, steadies his shaking hands, and gets to work building whatever he's asked for. Occasionally Yama is even pleased, and there is nothing but a mocking pat on the shoulder and a new project.
When Yama is displeased, he ends up weak for days, sick and ruined and worthless and still forced to act as though he is functional.
He considers running; there is nowhere to run. He burned those bridges himself, and despite a few recent pinpoints of light, there is no doubt whom those who could help him would think of him were he even able to make contact.
God, it hurts.
---
They have him monitoring Big Yama Mark V. Yama remains the controller, but he remains there for backup and support, should Yama desire it. Really, he's just a dog following the leash, as Yama never fails to remind him, and he's a dog following orders as well when the leash is tugged through Shin, who motions him forwards.
There is little enthusiasm in the response, but there is, at least, a professionalism as BY-MV falls under the BH6 (a task which will no doubt end up in another wretched state, but he did his best, perhaps if he does better now his punishment will be lessened and isn't that a wretched thought all on its own). He moves forwards swiftly, lethally, covering the retreat.
It's not the first time he's been coerced to do this, and it won't be the last; the previous he was ensuring a shipment reached its destination without harassment. Of which there was some, but only to him as he shielded the haul.
Nevertheless, this is practically an old game for him and the Big Hero 6; they know each other's moves, even the ones they think are new again, but none of them have the pain-driven desperation that Yokai has, and before long Honey Lemon has lost her bag and is looking up at him with wild and scared eyes as he moves in for the kill.
He intends to make this quick, but just as he's pulling the microbots in position, of all things, there is a child running and screaming Auntie!
Auntie?
He will remember the next few moments for the rest of his life; a woman chasing down her young child, who in turn is trying to outrace the microbots as they move for his former student.
The microbots, in turn, making to bash that child back, and let the angle sweep it back to it's presumed mother but for that he needs to look at her
and his heart stops
because he would recognize his own child anywhere.
The child is thrown back, the scream cutting off in a horrific choking sound, and his daughter falls to the ground as she catches him, agony written all over her face
and agony fills him, too, a piercing pain even as the edge of the world taunts at wh̛it̸e
out of the corner of his perception he hears Shin screaming desperately, but the world is falling, and he is falling, too, the microbots spasming around him as for the first time in years, his eyes meet those of Abigail's
and all those worn pieces of him, strained thin
all these fragmented little bent out of shape bits
s̢ha͢t҉t́eŗ
and the world is light and dark at once and then, nonexistent.
The Lucky Cat Cafe. The school. The mansion (though that does involve a brief fight with another man who seems to harken towards the superhero ideals of the 60s but it makes him no less an opponent and he has to make a retreat because it's as though he knows his every move before it happens.)
He goes for full on chaos, causing as much destruction and terror as he can as he tries to convince his students there's nothing left of him to 'save'.
He targets things close to them, and were close to him in an attempt to sever himself from his past. Krei Tech's new face is absolutely annihilated, dozens injured or killed, and he relishes it all.
This is freeing. Lifting. Purging. He clings to these thoughts and ideas, terrorizing the city, and it's only through the other active heroes of the local area (three even coming in from Metroville) banding together that his great plan to destroy the entire coastline (and how did he ever come up with that? even he doesn't know, he just needed to make a threat for them to stop) that he's even rivaled in terms of sheer force.
In the end, they defeat him in a similar manner as they had before; disarming him. As his microbots are stripped, stolen, and destroyed, leaving him with barely enough to hold in a hand, he lets himself fall in to the ocean and fall and for a long period of time he just hopes it all weighs him down enough so that he's finally done.
He wakes up on a beach somewhere in Canada with a cluster of microbots upon his shoulders, pulls his remains back together, and carries on.
---
It's during this time that he finds an answer to a question; where do they all come from? Because he goes from a mantle to a coat of the things, and after some experimenting, he is able to have what he has draw towards what he hasn't. And it leads him, once again, towards where it all began, until he's once again standing at the ruins of Kreitech and this time in its deepest bowels, where he's greeted by the sight of still-functional machines.
He recognizes them from his dreams. His nightmares. They are not the same, but their design has changed very little from when he first built them to replicate the microbot design in to nigh infinity. He wonders, partially, how they're still functional, then why, and then there's such a heavy sensation in him as he realizes that he can't bring himself to destroy them.
He falls to his knees in numb shock, microbots clinging to him as though to offer some desperate sort of comfort, and it seems like years before he can bring himself to even move.
---
Shin has been talking with Gogo.
He's been racing against her, more like, a friendly rivalry, and while there are other things he first reports that is the only thing Robert can focus on. Shin would have him believe he's gone back to working with Yama but that he was just waiting for him to return, because they both know where his loyalties lay, he laughs. He doesn't realize just how disgusted his mentor really is until he sneers, you know she's just using you to get to me, right?
It stops Shin cold. He stammers about how they all thought Yokai was dead, how they didn't think-
Idiot.
He's rarely ever dismissed Shin so, and he can see the pain; he pushes past it, pushes back Shin, and takes a look at the decay of their 'headquarters'.
Then he raises his hands, and has the microbots get back to work.
---
The next time he fights the Big Hero 6, they're ready for him.
They must have realized that he wasn't going to go down so easily, even with such a power to face him, but this time they don't bother getting backup. They don't need it, really; they're a match for him on his own, and without the benefit of a grand plan, Yokai perhaps does not want to necessarily have to be forced in to a retreat but he does not discount the possibilities, and has secondary plans if such a thing occurs.
What he doesn't have a new plan for is their new device.
All of the sudden, to him? The world is nothing but white and, for a moment, ȁ̸̵̹̟̯̣̹͈̰͎̗̯̥͒̃̓̔̇͛̌̃́͘͟ͅg͉̮͚̯̳͉̝̝̦͉͚̝͔͍͈̪̞̻͙̋̎ͧͯ̄͘͢͠͡ő̃͒̔̓ͬ̋ͧͪ͡҉̙͎̬̮͓̲͓͕ͅn̶̶̵̻̺̯̟̭̻͔͉̭̙͍̖͐̓̄́̍ͪ̔ͭ̐͋ͬ̉y̸̸̪̬͇̥͈͚͈̞̠̤̭̰̪̜̒̍̈ͮ͛. To the outside world, he crumples much like the microbots, falling from high on to a hundred thousand liltle pieces of metal, spasming as though in siezure. There's no scream from him, no sound of pain but a stilted, horrible gasping sound, as though he's forgotten how to breathe.
He has.
The world is w̢͇̯̪̅̊ͦͫ̎͟h͓̯͕̪͍̔͊i̧̬̮͉͔̪̖͖͂͐̽̒ͥͭ̅̈̀t̷͙̖̺ͦͭ͢ẽ͒͌҉͍̟͚̫̤͍̀ and P̷̨̱̳̟̯̙̞̘͉̰̻̮͍̻͈̂ͩͨ̂̀̉A̵̙̩̖̫̯̭̝̤͙͙̹̠̯̜͍̘̥̫͔ͤͯ̇ͮ̀͞͞͡Ï̶̵ͩ̑͛҉҉͕̩̖ͅŃͧ̍ͪ̚͏̧̹̮̗̱̘͍̣̬, not a single thought crossing his head as it feels like he's having all of his prior headaches condensed into a single moment that then stretches for eternity. Robert Callaghan is dying and doesn't even have the presence of mind to understand it, his brain is numb and then the faintest of sounds creep in to his perception as the white begins to fade.
-think it would do that!
He's not breathing, I think you've killed him!
He can't even move, he's still in such agony. He understands he's trembling, but not why, and there are hands on him pulling him out from the mass and he can't even get his feet under him, he doesn't understand what's going on, he's-
they're still moving, careful-
-can't do that to him again-
-probably deserves it-
-scan him, damn it, find out what's gone wrong!-
-diagnosis; severe-
Shaking hands barely manage to curl in to claws as he tries to raise his head and can't, he's too weak, there's blood leaking out of his nose and eyes and even his ears and maybe he is dying, he doesn't understand what happened and he's suffocating with all these bodies around him-
-there's a figure there, almost as tall as he, holding what looks like a small radio transmitter, and then he understands as someone tries to secure his hands behind him. He understands that that, there, whatever it is, is/was the source; just as quickly, he understands that if it's used again, so will the entire sequence repeat itself.
There is an unholy screech of fear-rage-terror from him, but he's not even sure it's from him directly; the microbots are lashing out as well, piercing forwards in a single spike, and there is a gutwrenching scream from somewhere as it goes through the figure, dozens of feet behind him, and when they pull back there is blood.
He has never seen the microbots bloodied before.
But the fear-rage-terror-abhorrence is still strong, still overwhelming, and the microbots whisk him away even while conscious thought is difficult. He leaves pain in his wake as pain still covers him as closely as the microbots do, but at least they try to get him away from it all.
---
Days are needed to recover, but he is still wary. While before he held a certain respect for his students, now there is a certain fear, but with it comes the understanding that this is all because of him.
He drove them to this point.
This is his mistake.
Yokai begins working more closely with Yama out of necessity; he remains in the shadows, rarely broaching the light, and trades favors for supplies as he tries to understand just what has occurred and how he can counter it.
Based on what he can learn through trial and error upon his own self, it may be that they were trying to interfere with the signal to the microbots - but that signal is coming directly from his own brain, and so it interfered with that function, as well. He is lucky that the most essential of organs do not require conscious thoughts, or else he would be dead.
The microbots shiver for him, but he continues to experiment. There is little he can do to block such a signal from his own head, short of a brief experiment with a total-blocking device; for the first time in years, the microbots are dormant, and the sight alone of them so lifeless and still terrifies him enough to immediately remove and let them destroy the band.
He has lived too long with them to dare under go any length of time without.
---
Sins, they call themselves in private. Yama is Greed, a title which he laughs about in public and sneers of behind closed doors. There is Envy, a disfigured woman who claims to have been an experiment, and displays abilities that science balks at because they simply make no sense; Sloth and Gluttony are siblings, Lust an androgynous figure who turns heads every time they step in to a room. Yokai finds himself disgusted by them all, but especially Pride, who almost never shuts up.
It is probably no surprise that they call him Wrath.
Together they discuss how to deal with the Big Hero Six, but despite his close ties to them, Yokai refuses to speak of anything but what is publicly known. Envy accuses him of protecting them; Pride makes some comment about everyone having their pets. By the end of it, 'Wrath' excuses himself by all but tearing the door off its hinges; the microbots sweep him up and away, and with a dark heart, he begins to carry out his own stages of the plan.
It's a good one, not like his only-so-focused attempts to get the Six to reject him; but when all is said and done, many people whom he has no ties to will get hurt, and he is only so certain if such a thing is worth it.
---
There are occasional team ups; despite his preference to work alone, he cannot deny that they each have their uses. And when they all work as one, the results astound even him.
Predictably, it all still goes to hell.
Maybe it was inevitable, Greed turning upon Sloth in a murderous stroke, or Envy upon Pride; the Sins tear themselves apart, and while Wrath only defends himself briefly, he does linger around to watch them all fall and he can't help but laugh, madly, because what did they think was going to happen?
This alliance was doomed to failure from the start.
The Six are astounded when he's the one to free them, microbots forcing them back to their feet. It's Wasabi who ventures a tentative question along the lines of does this mean you're helping us, and to that, Yokai laughs again before throwing them away.
Help them, he orders curtly, referring to the innocents - civilians, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, everything in between - currently at stake. His former students hesitate only a moment before he snarls, what are you WAITING for!? before mobilizing, Gogo rolling forwards slowly at first and then off in a yellow blur.
But just as he's making to leave, his gaze lingers upon Hiro - he's as tall as his brother once was, now - for far too long, the two of them sharing a look that is silent as much as it is loud.
I'm sorry, Hiro finally says. Back when...I didn't think the Breaker would do that to you.
Memories that Callaghan has tried to forget. He lingers there for a few moments, eyes dropping towards the boy's armored midsection...and then, before he can think to find words, the thought of leaving overwhelms him and he flees the scene.
---
Yama calls for him sometime later. He is dubious, especially after watching him murder an 'ally' in cold blood, but Shin is persistent, and he finally consents. There's the familiar smell of smoke and unwashed bodies, here in the club that serves as Yama's own base of operations, but everyone gives him and what microbots he brings a wide berth and it's the best he can expect.
He's taken to the meeting room, welcomed by Yama, and then the world is w҉hit̵e͏.
When he's aware again, he's on his hands and knees and Yama is laughing, waving something in his hand, and rage is overwhelming and he lashes out and again- w̡̡̛hi̡t͝e̡.
He's collapsed on the floor, hands to his head, and Yama is talking but he can't understand what he's saying because there is no thought there is only p̶̡̟͎̖̫̗̜͓̈͛̎ͫ̎̆̊͠a̟̻̮͍̝͈͙ͫͨͥ̓͗ͧ͟ȉ̵̞͉͙̝͔̿̅͋ͤ̅ͭ̀͟ͅͅn̟̮̞̩ͫ̉ͨ̒̄͐͌̏.
He's dying.
He wants to die.
-at last, where you've belonged all along!-
It hurts.
---
Shin has betrayed him.
What was once his Voice is now that which keeps him silent. Silent, obedient, and constantly in fear that color will fade and he will hurt. There are occasional taunts of mercy, but that's all they are; taunts. Yokai stills his trembling shoulders, steadies his shaking hands, and gets to work building whatever he's asked for. Occasionally Yama is even pleased, and there is nothing but a mocking pat on the shoulder and a new project.
When Yama is displeased, he ends up weak for days, sick and ruined and worthless and still forced to act as though he is functional.
He considers running; there is nowhere to run. He burned those bridges himself, and despite a few recent pinpoints of light, there is no doubt whom those who could help him would think of him were he even able to make contact.
God, it hurts.
---
They have him monitoring Big Yama Mark V. Yama remains the controller, but he remains there for backup and support, should Yama desire it. Really, he's just a dog following the leash, as Yama never fails to remind him, and he's a dog following orders as well when the leash is tugged through Shin, who motions him forwards.
There is little enthusiasm in the response, but there is, at least, a professionalism as BY-MV falls under the BH6 (a task which will no doubt end up in another wretched state, but he did his best, perhaps if he does better now his punishment will be lessened and isn't that a wretched thought all on its own). He moves forwards swiftly, lethally, covering the retreat.
It's not the first time he's been coerced to do this, and it won't be the last; the previous he was ensuring a shipment reached its destination without harassment. Of which there was some, but only to him as he shielded the haul.
Nevertheless, this is practically an old game for him and the Big Hero 6; they know each other's moves, even the ones they think are new again, but none of them have the pain-driven desperation that Yokai has, and before long Honey Lemon has lost her bag and is looking up at him with wild and scared eyes as he moves in for the kill.
He intends to make this quick, but just as he's pulling the microbots in position, of all things, there is a child running and screaming Auntie!
Auntie?
He will remember the next few moments for the rest of his life; a woman chasing down her young child, who in turn is trying to outrace the microbots as they move for his former student.
The microbots, in turn, making to bash that child back, and let the angle sweep it back to it's presumed mother but for that he needs to look at her
and his heart stops
because he would recognize his own child anywhere.
The child is thrown back, the scream cutting off in a horrific choking sound, and his daughter falls to the ground as she catches him, agony written all over her face
and agony fills him, too, a piercing pain even as the edge of the world taunts at wh̛it̸e
out of the corner of his perception he hears Shin screaming desperately, but the world is falling, and he is falling, too, the microbots spasming around him as for the first time in years, his eyes meet those of Abigail's
and all those worn pieces of him, strained thin
all these fragmented little bent out of shape bits
s̢ha͢t҉t́eŗ
and the world is light and dark at once and then, nonexistent.