84 Times (Big Hero 6 Fanfiction)

Chapter 18: Returning to San Fransokyo

Only a few months after moving back to New Yosaka City, Rose was finally able to have the chance to fly back to San Fransokyo over spring break. It was early April, and she knew just how perfect the weather would be back in San Fransokyo. Everything there was perfect. She couldn't wait to go back. 

Upon her arrival, rather than checking in to a hotel she could stay at or even getting some food to eat seeing as how she had skipped lunch due to all the excitement she was feeling at returning to San Fransokyo, Rose took a cab to the Lucky Cat Café. 

The girl entered the building, a beaming smile on her face as she looked around. The place was still the same as she had left it. Then she spotted a familiar face. After rolling her luggage to the corner of the room where she was sure no one would take it, she approached the woman.

        "Ms. Hamada! It's so great to see you! I would have called in or contacted you sooner to let you know I was coming, but I kind of wanted it to be a surprise!" Rose grinned and swiftly pulled Cass into a big hug. 

        "R-Rose! Oh my goodness, it really is a surprise to see you here! How are you? How have you been?"

She let go of Cass and smiled, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear before replying. She felt as if her whole soul was bursting with energy, and she couldn't believe that she was actually back in San Fransokyo.

        "I've been doing really well! I actually got a job in a café just like this one back at New Yosaka, though unfortunately there were no two mischievous brothers living there." Rose laughed and pulled the woman into another brief yet firm hug.

        "I'm so happy to be back! Where are Tadashi and Hiro?"

        "Ah...well. Uhm... H-Hiro is at SFIT right now since it's still the middle of the day..."

Rose gasped and placed a hand on her cheek.

        "Oh! My gosh, that's right! Hiro got accepted into SFIT didn't he? I remember reading about that in the letters you all sent! Thank you for keeping me updated, though you did stop after some time. I'll have to ask you about that when I get back, but I really need to go see Tadashi and Hiro right now. I have a few gifts for them! And you too, of course! I'll be back though!"

        "W-Wait! Rose!"

But before the woman could say anything else, the girl was out the café and calling for another taxi to drive her to the university. 

Tadashi. Hiro. GoGo. Wasabi. Honey Lemon. Fred. 

The list of names continuously ran through her mind as she sat in the car, her smile never seeming to diminish. She couldn't wait to see them all, and she was especially intrigued about hearing an explanation of their new superhero lifestyle. 

Rose made her way through the SFIT campus, beelining all the way to the robotics lab. 

Before entering the lab room, Rose let out a hearty sigh. She was still bursting with excitement and curiosity that she had to take a few moments to calm herself down. After a few slow inhales and exhales, she pressed her hands against the large steel doors and stepped into the lab. Just like the first time she had stepped foot in the room, people were hurrying all around and experiments were being performed left and right. The sight proved to both calm and excite Rose even further. She wondered what everyone was up to now that she knew their previous experiments were successfully completed as a result of inspecting their super suits in that image. 

        "Pix... is that you?" A rather deep yet feminine voice caught Rose's attention, causing her to spin around on her heels. It was Gogo. 

        "GoGo! Yes, it is me! Oh my, how are you? I saw in the news about your..." She lowered her voice and grinned.

        "New superhero life. I'm going to take a guess that you electronic-magnetic suspension bike was a success? I'm so proud of you!" 

She pulled the other female into a hug, but it wasn't before long that she heard another familiar voice.

        "Pixie?!"

Before she knew it, she was being bombarded with another hug, this time from Fred. His lax yet excitable attitude made Rose laugh as she hugged the two of them. It felt so good to be back. 

        "Hey everyone, Pixie is back!" Fred cried out, immediately attracting two other familiar friends.

        "PIXIE! How are you? Oh my gosh, it's been so LONG! We have got to catch up on everything, okay?" Honey's melodious voice rang in Rose's ears as the slender girl also joined the group hug.

Then joined Wasabi. 

        "Pixie, it's so great to see you back in town! How long are you staying for?" 

Rose sniffled and felt her eyes start to water. She really had missed everyone, and the fact that she was here being hugged by the gang was too unbelievable for her.

        "I want to be able to stay here forever." She wailed, trying her best to tighten the hugging circle that had formed around her.

After a few minutes of calming down and hugging each person individually, Rose wiped her eyes and spoke once more.

        "I have gifts for all of you... but if you don't mind me asking..." Rose looked away sheepishly and scratched the back of her neck.

        "Is Tadashi here?"

        "..."

No one replied as they all looked to one another. It wasn't until Honey opened her mouth to speak.

        "Pixie... I thought..."

        "Rose...?"

The sudden interruption made the girl turn her head.

        "Hiro?"

        "Rose! You're back!"

She grinned and nodded, hurrying over to embrace the young boy. Though he didn't look that young anymore... and he certainly seemed a lot different than when she had left. He seemed happier... more independent.

        "When did you get back? Why didn't you call and let us know you were coming back?" He smiled that adorable, toothy smile of his and looked up at Rose, the excitement clear in his eyes. 

Rose shook her head and squeezed Hiro tightly, snuggling her head against the top of his as she hugged him.

        "I wanted it to be a surprise!"

Finally, she let go of him and sighed heavily. All the excitement was starting to wear her out, but she still couldn't get the exhilarating feeling out of her until after she saw one more person.

        "Where's Tadashi?"

Rose asked, starting to walk in the direction of where Tadashi's lab was. 

        "..."

        "W-Wait, Rose!"

But none of them could stop the girl. She had reached the room and pushed the door open, expecting that familiar, charming face she had fallen in love with to be there working on a new project. 

But she was met with nothing.

At first Rose thought that she was in the wrong room... but that was unlikely. The cap that Tadashi normally wore was sitting on the desk in the room, boxes and papers were scattered around everywhere showing signs of someone working there, and even Baymax's charging station was positioned in the corner of the room. 

The smile soon faded from the girl's lips and the spark that had been fizzling so intensely in her seemed to flicker out.

        "...Tadashi?"