[Third Person POV]
Wherever Baymax moved, plates were suddenly filled to the brim with steaming food. The aromas were rich and varied—savory spices, grilled meats, roasted vegetables. The warm, mouthwatering scent seemed to cling to the air itself, wrapping around everyone like a cozy blanket. Stomachs growled in unison.
Meanwhile, robot butlers and maids glided around the room with practiced elegance. Each one carried pitchers, bottles, and trays, pouring drinks into cups with flawless precision. Not a single drop spilled. The whole thing was unnerving and impressive at the same time—like they'd walked into the dining hall of some futuristic castle.
Pixie-Bob leaned forward warily, eyeing the food in front of her. "Is anyone else completely unsettled by this?" she asked, brows drawn tight in suspicion. But the hypnotic pull of the meal was too much to resist. She caved, taking a bite of the dish before her—her expression immediately melting into pure bliss. "Ughhh… Oh my goodness. Forget everything I said. This is so goood~"
Her reaction set off a ripple. Tooru, lounging in her seat while a pair of robotic maids fussed over her drink, practically squealed. "It's like I'm in a five-star restaurant!" She raised her glass in a toast, beaming. "Thanks, Tony!"
Tony gave a finger-gun and a casual wink.
Tooru's entire face went scarlet. She whipped her head away, covering half her face with her hand while dramatically extending the other. "D-Don't look at me…" she whispered in mortification.
Tony froze mid-motion, lowering his finger with visible confusion. "Uh… okay? Am I being pranked? Because this is the second time today a girl's reacted like that."
"Maybe you… did something to them?" Denki suggested, scratching the back of his head.
Tony rubbed his chin, muttering like a detective unraveling a great mystery. Then, with a snap of realization, he straightened proudly. "Ah-ha! I've figured it out. My leadership instincts yesterday must have triggered their natural attraction. Women, after all, are biologically drawn to strength and confidence. They know I'm already in a relationship, though, so instead of confessing, they're repressing those feelings—thus the awkward avoidance. Truly…" He shook his head solemnly, "…I pity them. Desiring the unattainable."
Denki made the mistake of stuffing his mouth with food at that exact moment. His cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk as he choked and wheezed, slamming a fist against his chest. Others just stared at Tony in silent disbelief, their expressions ranging from deadpan to outright surprise at the mental gymnastics it took to reach that conclusion.
Eventually, the chatter resumed, lively and overlapping. Laughter and clinking cups filled the hall as they ate heartily, some already asking for seconds. Kota, however, didn't make it that far. Slumped in his seat, he let out a tiny groan, arms limp at his sides. His small frame was no match for the feast, and he was sinking into a food coma.
Mandalay noticed immediately. She rose, gently patting his head before excusing herself. "I'll take him back to the dorms." She helped him up, his half-lidded eyes blinking sluggishly. The girls all waved and shouted goodbyes as he shuffled out, but Kota only grunted, rubbing at his tired eyes before disappearing into the dorm.
By the end, everyone's stomachs were full, faces flushed with contentment. Baymax rolled to the center of the room, standing tall in his round, soft way. He raised his arms slightly and asked in his gentle, programmed tone, "Are you satisfied with your care?"
A chorus of voices erupted at once. "YESSS!!" They roared, some hands thumping their stomachs in unison.
Baymax gave an exaggerated bow, extending his arms outward in a grand flourish. "I am glad to hear that…"
That was the final straw for Mina. She collapsed forward onto the table, genuine tears welling in her eyes. "He's so adorable and cute, I need him!" she wailed, stretching her arms dramatically toward Baymax. "I want to take him home with meeee!!"
…
They all watched as Baymax stood at the center of the field, guiding the last carts of food and equipment back into the Helicarrier. In his hands were a pair of glowing traffic wands, and with each precise motion, the robotic butlers and maids wheeled everything neatly into place.
"Baymax, stay behind," Tony ordered casually, hands slipping into his pockets.
Once the final cart disappeared into the cargo bay, the massive doors shut with a heavy clang, and the Helicarrier rumbled before slowly ascending back into the clouds.
Baymax obediently remained on the ground, the soft whir of his systems the only sound as the others glanced curiously at Tony.
Melissa raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you tell him to stay? What are you planning?"
Tony smirked. "Nothing much. I just realized something: Baymax is the perfect training partner for some of you." His eyes flicked toward a certain freckle-faced hero-in-training. "Especially you, Deku."
"Eh? For me?" Deku blinked, tilting his head, his notebook already halfway pulled out in reflex.
"Yup. Baymax, activate Combat Mode."
Baymax's normally gentle eyes brightened as a holographic screen projected from his stomach. Everyone leaned forward as a massive scroll of selectable modes appeared, listed in alphabetical order: Artist. Architect. Bartender. Baker. Backup Dancer. Comedian. The list went on endlessly until finally, with a beep, it stopped on: Combat Mode 🥊💥.
"Tony!" Mina shouted, pointing an accusing finger. "How could you make that adorable, squishy ball of sunshine into a fighter?! It's inhumane!"
Tony groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He's a robot, Pinkie."
Melissa stepped in, her tone more explanatory. "Believe it or not, Baymax has been programmed with nearly fifty-thousand martial arts styles, combat systems, and tactical maneuvers. If Baymax were his own individual hero, he would qualify as S-Rank. In terms of sheer versatility and efficiency… he might even surpass All Might."
The air fell into stunned silence.
"…That's bullcrap," Bakugo finally barked, voice dripping with disbelief. "You're telling me this puffed-up balloon is stronger than All Might? Don't make me laugh!"
Tony grinned slyly. "Funny. I was going to let Deku go first, but why don't you give it a try? You can go all out. Don't worry, after all it's just a robot." He stepped back and gestured to the open floor like a showman unveiling the main act.
Bakugo cracked his knuckles, explosions sparking to life around his palms. "Heh. Fine by me. But don't come crying when I blast this overstuffed pillow-case into pieces!" His grin widened ferally.
"You monster! I can't look!" Mina wailed, covering her eyes dramatically and turning away.
Momo leaned toward Mina, whispering with a smirk. "Trust me… you're going to want to look."
"DIIIIEEE!!" Bakugo roared as he blasted forward like a rocket, smoke and sparks trailing in his wake. His palms flared, explosions primed, aimed directly at Baymax's face. The entire ground trembled and fractured completely under the pressure of his take off.
And then—
In one impossibly smooth motion, Baymax shifted to the side, his padded hands locking around Bakugo's wrist and the back of his head. Using the momentum against him and the force of Bakugo's explosions, Baymax pivoted, spinning them both in a sudden blur until they looked like a spin top.
CRACK!
Bakugo's body whipped downward like a ragdoll before his face was slammed into the ground with brutal precision. The impact shook the field, debris bursting outward as rubble cracked beneath the force.
Baymax pressed him flat, pinning him effortlessly. His round, harmless face looked down without a shred of malice as he declared in his calm, monotone voice:
"Target subdued."
The class froze.
Bakugo lay dazed, lines of blood trickling down his forehead as his teeth gnashed. He tried to push up, but Baymax's grip held him firmly in place.
Mouths hung open. For Class 1-A, who knew Bakugo's combat ferocity firsthand, the sight was shocking. Nobody had ever seen him taken down in one clean move before. Class 1-B, meanwhile, was impressed beyond words, murmurs of awe spreading through their ranks.
Tony crossed his arms smugly. "Not bad for a balloon, huh?"
"Baymax," he ordered, "switch to Healthcare Mode and patch him up. After that, return to Combat Mode."
Baymax obediently shifted, his glowing screen flipping to a medical interface. His gentle, reassuring tone returned. "You appear to have sustained cranial trauma. Administering treatment…" He set to work tending Bakugo's wounds with a practiced efficiency.
Aizawa, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, his voice low and cautious. "How effective is his healing capability?"
Tony shrugged, as if it were nothing. "With the tools I've built into him, plus the custom meds I've designed, even if someone lost an arm right now… Baymax could reattach it, and within a week or less it'd be as good as new. Don't tell her I said this but his medical capability surpass Recovery Girl by a lot"
Aizawa's lips stretched into an unnerving grin, his tired eyes glinting with something dangerous. "…Oh really now? That strong, huh? That's good to hear. I was worried it was a shame we couldn't bring Recovery Girl along."
Everyone else paled, shivers running down their spines.
One by one, the students turned to glare daggers at Tony. Their collective thought screamed louder than words: You should have sent that thing home!!
********************************************
+31 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3