Chapter 4: The Weight of Knowledge

Chapter 4: The Weight of Knowledge

Max woke up feeling drained, his body still recovering from the intense process of building the arc reactor the night before. His limbs felt heavy as if the weight of what he had accomplished was finally catching up to him.

"I feel so tired," he muttered, stretching his sore muscles. "I should rest and continue building the armor this afternoon."

But as he lay there, trying to shake off the fatigue, a sudden, sharp thought hit him like a bolt of lightning.

"Oh, I almost forgot... Tadashi is going to die soon."

The timeline flashed clearly in his mind. The events were already set in motion. The day he had felt that splitting headache at Aunt Cass's café—that was the same day Hiro got arrested for illegal bot fighting . Tadashi had gone to great lengths to keep Hiro from wasting his potential on those underground matches. To pull Hiro back on the right track, Tadashi had shown him his Baymax project, inspiring Hiro to apply his brilliance to something greater—getting into the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.

It was that very night that Hiro got serious, developing the idea for the microbots and preparing to present them at the annual showcase for admission into SFIT. And that was where everything took a dark turn. The fire, Callaghan's deception, Tadashi's tragic death while trying to save him—everything was about to unfold.

"I can't let Tadashi die," Max whispered to himself. "But I can't completely change the story either."

Max paced back and forth, the gears in his mind turning. Hiro's motivation, his path toward becoming a hero, was tied to the loss of his brother. If Max interfered too much, he might derail everything. But there had to be a way—some way to save Tadashi without altering the course of the future entirely.

Max stopped in his tracks, an idea slowly taking shape in his mind. "I'll let Tadashi get hurt—just enough to survive. He'll be injured, unconscious for a while, but still alive. That way, Hiro will still have the push he needs to go after Callaghan, but Tadashi won't have to die."

A surge of adrenaline replaced the tiredness Max had felt earlier. He knew what he needed to do now. "I need to make something. A shield. Something that can protect Tadashi when the time comes."

He sat back down, ideas rushing through his head like a torrent. "It'll have to be a forcefield of some kind. Maybe not as powerful as the ones in Stark's tech, but strong enough to keep Tadashi alive when that fire breaks out."

Max's mind raced through the possibilities. If he could build an arc reactor, constructing a forcefield wouldn't be out of reach. But he couldn't stop at Tadashi. There would be more dangers in the future—Callaghan's rage, Hiro's eventual encounter with the villain, and the crucial rescue of Abigail from the portal.

"I need to make shields for everyone in the group," Max said, thinking of Hiro and his friends—Baymax, Go Go, Honey Lemon, Wasabi, Fred. "Not too powerful, just enough to be life-saving."

But his thoughts circled back to Callaghan. Hiro would eventually go after him, and Max knew he couldn't interfere with that directly. Callaghan's motivation was his daughter, Abigail, believed lost in Krei's experiment. But Max knew the truth—she was still alive, trapped on the other side of the portal. That would be his task for the future: rescuing Abigail and preventing Callaghan's revenge from spiraling further out of control.

"First things first," Max muttered, standing up and heading toward his basement lab again. "I need to start working on that forcefield tech."

The thought of what lay ahead drove Max forward, despite his exhaustion. He had the power and knowledge now, but with that came responsibility. Tadashi's life—and the future of this world—depended on what Max did next. There was no room for mistakes.

As he gathered his materials and started sketching out the designs for the forcefield, one thing was clear—he couldn't waste any more time.

He got some missions to accomplished.

-----

The excitement was palpable as the day of the SFIT (San Fransokyo Institute of Technology) annual showcase arrived. Max was making his way toward the exhibition hall, thoughts racing through his mind. Today wasn't just about Hiro's big reveal; it was also a chance for Max to get closer to his own goals. He had worked tirelessly on the arc reactor, but there was something else he needed to give to his friends—something that could make a real difference.

Max adjusted the strap on his wristwatch, a sleek black device he had modified himself. It wasn't just any watch; it was a prototype forcefield generator, one that he hoped would prove to be a game-changer.

As he entered the bustling hall, he saw them: Tadashi, Go Go, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Fred, and Hiro. They were all gathered near the entrance, excited and ready for Hiro's big moment. Max approached with a smile, joining the group just as they noticed him.

"Max! You made it!" Tadashi greeted him warmly. "What are you going to show today? I'm curious."

Max smiled and reached into his bag, pulling out the arc reactor. Its soft blue glow immediately drew the group's attention, their eyes widening in awe.

"Whoa," Fred whispered, his eyes locked on the device. "Is that... a mini nuclear reactor or something?"

"Not quite," Max replied, holding it up for them to see. "This is an arc reactor. It's a clean, portable energy source. With this, you could power anything—machines, robots, even an entire building. The energy is virtually limitless."

Go Go crossed her arms, studying the reactor with a critical eye. "Limitless energy, huh? Sounds like something that could revolutionize the tech world."

"Exactly," Max said. "But I'm not ready to show it to everyone yet. Still needs a little fine-tuning before I unveil it to the public."

Wasabi leaned in for a closer look, clearly intrigued despite his usual cautious nature. "If you can really get that to work, Max, it could change everything."

Hiro was practically vibrating with excitement as he eyed the arc reactor. "That's incredible! How did you manage to build something so compact?"

Max chuckled. "A lot of late nights and a few breakthroughs. But, like I said, it's not quite ready for the spotlight yet."

Honey Lemon's eyes lit up as she admired the device. "It's beautiful, Max! You're really pushing the boundaries of what's possible."

Max nodded, but quickly shifted gears. "Now, I've got something else for all of you. Something that might not be as flashy, but it could be a lifesaver."

He pulled out a set of watches—sleek, black, and with a distinctly futuristic design. One by one, he handed them out to each member of the group.

"Okay," Fred said, putting his on immediately. "What's this? A secret agent gadget or something?"

Max smiled. "In a way, yeah. These watches are prototype forcefield generators. If you're ever in a dangerous situation, the watch will activate a forcefield around you to protect you from harm."

Tadashi, holding his watch, raised an eyebrow. "Wait, seriously? You've made forcefield tech? How does it work?"

Max explained, keeping it simple. "It's not too complicated. The watch has sensors that detect incoming threats—like impacts or dangerous forces—and triggers a protective field. I've tested it, and it works in a pinch. These are just prototypes, so they're not perfect, but they could save your life if things get dicey."

Go Go eyed the watch on her wrist, testing its weight. "How strong is this forcefield? Are we talking light protection or full-blown shield?"

"It's strong enough to block most impacts," Max assured her. "But don't go testing it with a speeding car just yet."

Wasabi, who had been skeptical, finally put his on. "Well, I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. I like the idea of a backup plan."

Fred was already pretending to activate his, miming a forcefield bubble around himself. "Boom! Shield up! Man, I feel like a superhero now."

Tadashi chuckled, but there was genuine appreciation in his voice. "Max, this is amazing. You're really thinking ahead."

Honey Lemon smiled warmly at Max. "You're so thoughtful, Max! Giving us something like this—it's incredible. Are you planning to make more of these for the public?"

Max nodded. "That's the goal. I want to eventually mass-produce these so that anyone can protect themselves in dangerous situations. Imagine a world where people could prevent injuries from accidents or protect themselves from natural disasters."

Hiro, who was always up for something tech-related, grinned as he put his watch on. "Max, this is seriously cool. You're always working on something cutting-edge."

As they talked, the announcement for the next presentation came over the loudspeaker. It was Hiro's turn to showcase his microbots. The group began making their way to the stage, excited for Hiro's big moment.

As they settled into their seats, Max leaned back, watching Hiro step up to the stage with his usual confidence. He smiled to himself, knowing that the watches on their wrists weren't just prototypes—they were insurance. Maybe nothing would go wrong, but if it did, he'd given them a little extra protection.

"Alright, Hiro," Tadashi whispered from beside Max. "Show them what you've got."

Max watched Hiro begin his presentation, feeling a mix of pride and anticipation. The showcase was Hiro's big moment, and while Max's arc reactor remained hidden for now, he knew that soon enough, his own projects would make waves. But for now, it was about making sure the people he cared about stayed safe.

Hiro's microbots whirred to life, taking the audience by storm with their innovative potential. The crowd erupted into applause as the tiny machines demonstrated their incredible capabilities. Max clapped along with the rest of the group, knowing that this was just the beginning.

As the night went on, Max felt a sense of satisfaction. He wasn't here to change the world just yet, but he'd taken a step toward something bigger. He'd given his friends a gift of protection, and soon, he'd unveil even more.

But for now, he let Hiro bask in the spotlight. There was plenty of time for Max's turn.