It was hard for Tadashi to be patient with his little brother sometimes. He turned and smacked the top of Hiro's helmet. "You graduated high school when you were thirteen, and this is what you're doing? You're wasting that big brain of yours!"

It was well known that both the Hamada brothers were tech prodigies, but Hiro -- he was something special. He was a bona fide genius. Not that he did much with his brain other than build fighting bots.

Just then, a police car with its red lights flashing pulled up and blocked the end of the alley.

Tadashi Hamada reached back and shoved a helmet on his little brother Hiro's head. He gunned the scooter's engine and took off through the crowd.

A short time later, Tadashi sat in his cell, staring across the hall at Hiro. Because of Hiro's age, he was given his own cell, while Tadashi was locked up with Yama and his goons. Hiro could see that Tadashi was furious.

"I'm on a roll, big brother," Hiro replied, grinning. "There's no stopping me now."

"Oh, no," Tadashi groaned, realizing they'd been caught up in a gambling raid. It wasn't long before he and Hiro were headed to jail, along with Yama and everyone else the cops were able to catch.

Finally, a police officer yelled, "Tadashi and Hiro Hamada!" The boys stepped out of their cells and glanced sheepishly at their aunt Cass. She'd come to pick them up, and she looked worried.

Hiro and Tadashi nodded. They had expected her to lecture them, and they knew they deserved it. They hated making her upset.

It was a long ride home. Aunt Cass started in on them as soon as she got behind the wheel. "For ten years, I've done the best I could to raise you. Have I been perfect? No."

"Uh, hi, Aunt Cass," Tadashi said.

"We're okay," Hiro said, ducking his head. She twisted both their ears. "Then what were you two knuckleheads thinking?"

She rushed to embrace them both. "Are you guys okay? Tell me you're okay!"

"Is it like the blind raising the blind? Yes," she continued as she parked her pickup in front of the café she owned, the Lucky Cat. It was on the first floor of an old Victorian, and they all lived together in the apartment upstairs.

Hiro knew he had to say something, too. "We love you, Aunt Cass."

"We're sorry," Tadashi said as they got out of the truck.

Hiro and Tadashi cringed at the closed sign hanging in the window. They knew she'd had to close up to get them out of jail.

Hiro and Tadashi also went upstairs, to the bedroom they shared. Hiro gathered some tools that were scattered on his desk while Tadashi watched.

"Well, I love you, too!" she grumbled as they entered the café. She grabbed a giant pastry from the counter and took a bite. "Stress eating! Because of you," she mumbled with her mouth full. Then she walked upstairs to their apartment with her fat cat, Mochi, following her.

"You've got your priorities straight?"

"I hope you've learned your lesson," Tadashi finally said.

"I really do," Hiro replied, making an adjustment to his robot, then heading for the door.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Tadashi asked. Hiro smiled. "There's another bot fight across town. If I book it, I can still get there on time." Tadashi threw up his hands in frustration.

"Seriously? Are you gonna keep hustling bot fights, or are you gonna do something with your life?"

"Absolutely," Hiro said.

Hiro fidgeted for a second. "What, like go to college like you so people can tell me stuff I already know?"

Hiro shrugged. "They wouldn't say anything. They're gone."

Tadashi shook his head. "Unbelievable. What would Mom and Dad say?"

"Really?" Hiro said, surprised.

"反正我也拦不住你,但我也不能让你一个人去."

The answer hurt. But it made Tadashi realize he was the only person who could steer Hiro in the right direction. "Fine," he said. "I'll take you."

"I can't stop you from going, but I'm not going to let you go on your own."

Tadashi rode off with his brother on the back of his scooter. But suddenly, he made a turn.