The forest trail spat Adelheid out into the edge of the city.
Skyscrapers reached for the sky, their windows catching the dying sun in golden fire. Neon signs flickered to life as the streets buzzed with life — cars sliding along glowing rails, drones whirring overhead, and the chatter of people rushing home.
Adelheid stopped at the edge of the sidewalk, her synthetic chest rising and falling though she didn't need to breathe. She pulled her maid's cap lower, trying to hide her glowing screen-face.
But no one gave her a second glance. In this city, strange tech wasn't unusual. To them, she was just another service bot, painted in frills for novelty.
She almost laughed at the irony.
Maybe she could disappear here. Maybe—
The ground shook.
A harsh metallic roar split the air. Down the street, three bulky robots stomped into view, their eyes burning red. They were nothing like her—crude and brutal, all jagged plating and heavy weapons grafted to their arms. People screamed, scattering as one of the machines fired a burst of energy that shredded a parked car into molten wreckage.
Adelheid froze. Their gaze snapped toward her.
Targeting reticles flashed across their sensors.
"Unit C-17… terminate."
Her screen-face widened in shock. They're after me?!
She stumbled backward, but the robots were fast. One raised its arm, a cannon whirring as it locked onto her. Adelheid bolted, sprinting across the crosswalk as the ground exploded behind her. Shards of pavement rained down as she dashed into an alley, her servos screaming with the effort.
Another blast grazed her shoulder, searing her plating. Her feline ears flattened in panic.
I just escaped! I can't—
Then the air shifted.
A blur of red and white dropped from above, landing between her and the attackers. A massive inflatable figure puffed up his arms like shields, the blasts ricocheting harmlessly against his vinyl frame.
"Medical assistance required?" The voice was soft, gentle, almost comically out of place amid the chaos.
Adelheid blinked, stunned. "…What?"
"Baymax, hold them!" another voice shouted.
Adelheid turned — and her screen lit up with awe. Charging into the street came a group she recognized from half-remembered posters and broadcasts: a young man in sleek purple armor, a girl on magnetic wheels whipping discs like blades, another wielding plasma cannons, a man in green suit spraying fire, and a sharp-eyed girl with a crossbow-like launcher.
The heroes of San Fransokyo.
Big Hero 6.
The armored boy, Hiro Hamada, pointed straight at her. "Protect the bot! They're after her!"
Adelheid stumbled, confused. "M-me? Why—?"
But she didn't have time for answers. The battle erupted. Baymax held one robot at bay, inflating extra shields as it pummeled him with blasts. Go Go zipped around another, hurling discs that sparked as they carved through metal joints. Honey Lemon slammed a glowing sphere onto the ground, trapping the third machine in a sticky pink polymer.
Adelheid's processors overloaded just trying to follow the chaos. She wasn't a fighter. She wasn't even supposed to exist. And yet—
One of the robots broke free, turning its cannon on Hiro.
Adelheid's glowing eyes flared. Without thinking, she lunged forward, swinging her arm. The servos in her joints whined as her palm connected with the robot's chest — harder than she thought possible. The machine crashed into a dumpster, sparking violently.
Everyone froze for a heartbeat.
Adelheid stared at her hand, trembling. I… I did that?
Hiro grinned, adjusting his helmet. "Nice hit, Maid-bot."
Baymax stepped closer, placing a large, soft hand on her shoulder. "You appear distressed. Please remain calm. We will keep you safe."
Adelheid's digital expression flickered between shock, fear, and something else she hadn't felt since before her death—hope.
For the first time since awakening in this body, she wasn't alone.