A/N: Its short, coz I really don't feel like writing
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The grand hall of SFIT was slowly beginning to empty out as the final presentations wrapped up, and the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden hue through the towering glass windows.
Students were packing up their displays, their laughter and conversations echoing through the enormous space as parents, investors, teachers, and tech enthusiasts meandered towards the exits.
It had been a successful event by all counts—bursting with creativity, innovation, and enthusiasm.
There was still a lingering energy in the air, the kind that only came after something magical had happened.
Hiro's presentation had been a roaring success. His microbots had stunned the audience, and the excited buzz around him hadn't died down even as people began to leave. Meanwhile, Krei himself was still visibly annoyed that Professor Callaghan had shut down his attempt to recruit Hiro on the spot.
Some were still chatting in clusters, comparing notes and trading contact information, while others filtered outside into the cool evening breeze.
Kaela stood near the upper balcony overlooking the main floor, arms folded, scanning the dispersing crowd with that sharp, analytical gaze of hers.
She had been shadowing Callaghan all day.
Ever since she stumbled upon that secret room earlier in the week.
Though she had gathered the photos, schematics, and surveillance files for Aiden to analyze later, her gut told her something wasn't right.
Tonight, especially, she noticed a shift in Callaghan's behaviour.
His posture had stiffened, his expression was stony, and he'd been lingering near Hiro's exhibit far longer than necessary.
Then came the moment that set off all her internal alarms.
She spotted Callaghan disappearing into a side corridor near the faculty wing, slipping behind one of the maintenance doors.
It was subtle—too subtle for a normal observer to care—but Kaela wasn't normal.
She moved quickly and quietly, her black boots making barely a sound on the polished floor.
She ducked into the hallway and gave herself a moment to activate her gear. A small bead on her collar glowed faintly, activating her stealth cloak—an invention Aiden had helped her refine weeks ago.
She followed him down a narrow flight of stairs that descended into a maintenance tunnel beneath the building. The air grew thick with dust and the hum of active machinery echoed around her.
Then she saw him.
Callaghan was wearing a heavy black coat now, and as he turned around briefly, she saw it—a traditional Japanese oni mask, red with white horns, tucked under his arm.
She didn't need confirmation. She already knew what he was planning.
Her eyes narrowed when she noticed him kneeling by a fuse box, tools in hand, a coil of wires and a portable ignition device in the other.
He was going to burn it all.
Kaela's heart rate didn't change. She was trained for this.
She didn't engage yet—first, she needed evidence. Quietly, she slipped out a small, spider-like drone from her belt and placed it on the ceiling. It scuttled into position and began transmitting footage to her private device.
Down below, Callaghan finished his work. With one flick of the switch, the machine let out a soft hum… then a spark.
Then another.
And then… BOOM.
A small explosion echoed in the depths of the corridor, and moments later, smoke began to rise from vents near the rear of the building. Fire alarms began to blare overhead. Students screamed, professors shouted, and panic rippled through the crowd.
People ran.
Chaos took hold.
The fire spread fast—faster than it should have. The flames raced up electrical conduits and into the grand hall. Tables and booths caught fire, paper pamphlets curled and blackened, and exhibits began to melt or explode in a series of spectacular chain reactions.
One poor student's foam-based invention burst into a cloud of blue powder and fire, sending sparks across the room.
Kaela didn't waste any more time.
As Callaghan made his way toward Hiro's exhibition stand, clearly intent on salvaging the microbots from the wreckage, Kaela dropped her cloak and leapt down from the ceiling ledge, landing silently behind him.
In one swift, practiced move, she activated her gloves, electrified it with a bzzt, and delivered a quick jab it into the back of Callaghan's knee, forcing him to the ground with a pained grunt.
"You're under arrest for arson, attempted theft of property belonging to a dear friend of my King and endangerment of innocent lives," she said coolly.
He turned his head slightly and saw her face, expressionless yet burning with quiet fury. His eyes widened beneath the mask.
"You," he growled.
But Kaela didn't waste time arguing. She slapped on a pair of high-density cuffs—also Aiden's design—and forced him to his feet.
The fire raged behind them, casting flickering shadows on the walls as the blaze grew into a monstrous inferno.
Outside, the chaos was in full swing. Students screamed and scattered, staff members tried to usher people away from the building, and the fire department had just arrived—only to stop in awe at what they saw.
Aiden.
He had appeared out of nowhere, descending from the sky like a vengeful god wrapped in black and gold. His cape billowed behind him in the updraft of heat. His eyes glowed a brilliant blue and gold, a storm swirling beneath his skin as he raised a hand above the crowd.
Baymax floated just behind him, scanning the building and sending alerts to rescue personnel, while Nimbus circled overhead on a specially designed pod, projecting calm-inducing waves to keep the panicked crowd in check.
Aiden clenched his fist, and the flames inside the building seemed to pause—as if recognizing their superior. Then, he inhaled.
A deep, rumbling sound echoed across the area.
The fire… responded.
It began to flow towards him, pulled by some unseen force, as if gravity itself bent to his will. The fire curled into streams, turning from orange to blue to gold, and flowed into Aiden's hands.
The inferno was swallowed up into him, until nothing but glowing embers remained—swirling harmlessly like butterflies in the night sky.
He exhaled, and the butterflies scattered, dissolving into the air.
Silence followed.
Then the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Even the fire department was speechless.
Aiden touched down lightly on the pavement, adjusting his collar as he glanced around. Baymax floated beside him and gave a friendly wave.
"Fire emergency… resolved," Baymax said with a cheerful ping.
Moments later, Kaela emerged from the building dragging Callaghan behind her, the oni mask half-broken, revealing his face.
"Got him," she said.
Aiden narrowed his eyes, walking over to meet her.
"Callaghan?" he said, voice low with mock disbelief. "You…?"
Callaghan said nothing, just glared back, sweat rolling down his face.
"I found his plans," Kaela said quietly, nodding to the data stick clipped to her belt. "It wasn't just about the fire. He wanted the microbots. And he's been building something—something big."
The news spread like wildfire. The press, already present for the fair, began filming. Cameras zoomed in on the disgraced professor as police took him into custody.
Hiro watched from a distance, stunned. His project—the culmination of everything he'd worked for—was nearly used as a tool for something nefarious.
Aiden walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You okay?" he asked.
Hiro nodded shakily. "Yeah… yeah. Thanks to you."
"Thanks to us," Aiden corrected, throwing an arm around his shoulder. "This is what we do, right?"
Behind them, the building still smoldered faintly, but the danger had passed. Students began cautiously returning to gather what remained of their projects. Honey Lemon ran up, her clothes slightly singed at the edges, but otherwise fine.
She threw her arms around Aiden without a word.
He hugged her back just as tightly.
Baymax stood proudly behind them all, arms open.
"This was… a successful intervention," he announced.
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