The Invisible Prodigy

Chapter 2

It was late in the afternoon when Mika's last class ended. Her professor had praised her work in front of the whole class, resulting in more grumbling from her fellow students. She sighed disconsolately. Being a child prodigy wasn't all that great in the long run. Sure, she was smart and artistically talented, but she'd give anything just to be a normal high schooler. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice where she was going and tripped over a folding sign in front of a café.

"Ow," she groaned, picking herself up off of the ground. Her hands were scraped badly, but not bleeding.

"Hello." She heard a kind synthetic voice from above her. Looking up, she saw a large, white robot standing over her.

"I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion."

"Um...hi?" Mika said hesitantly.

"I was alerted to your need for medical attention when you said 'ow'." Baymax continued, a screen with ten emojis lighting up on his chest. "On a scale from one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"

"Um..." Mika was slightly stunned. "I don't know...maybe a four?"

"I will scan you now." Baymax's head dipped up and down. "Scan complete. You have scrapes on both your palms. I suggest treating with bacitracin and bandages."

"Ok, but—" Mika was cut off when a boy with spiky black hair burst through the door of the café.

"Baymax, what are you doing out here?" he exclaimed.

"I was alerted to a need for medical attention." Baymax responded, pointing at Mika.

"Why, what's wrong?" the boy asked her.

"Oh, nothing," she assured him, hiding her palms from him. "I'm fine now."

"Sorry about Baymax, by the way," the boy said. "He can be a bit..."

"Huggable?" Baymax finished.

"Not quite what I had in mind, but sure." The boy laughed. "My name's Hiro Hamada, in case you were wondering."

"I'm Mika Katsumi."

"I am Baymax."

Mika giggled. "You already said that."

"You have no idea how many times I've heard him say that," Hiro said. "He introduces himself to anyone and everyone."
"Hiro!" A woman with short brown hair and an apron stuck her head out the door. "Dinner's ready!"

"Be right there, Aunt Cass!" Hiro called back.

"Who's your new friend?" Aunt Cass asked. "Does she want to stay for dinner?"

"Oh, no, I'll eat at home," Mika told her. "I should probably get going, my grandma will wonder where I am."

"Ok," Hiro said, grabbing Baymax's arm. "I'll see you around?"

"Sure, bye!"

Mika quickly walked home, blowing on her stinging palms. Hiro seemed nice, but once he learned she was a prodigy, he was sure to think less of her like everyone else.

"It's got to be worth a try, though," Mika spoke to herself. "I just won't tell him I'm a prodigy...unless he asks, of course."