Chronicles of the Elusive Angel (5):
Passion
C/By: Kenjaje
Edited/Revised by: raVen
Chapter 1: Troubled Visitor
Rain patted daintily on the windows surrounding the perimeter of the tower. The occasional lightning flashed, and a muffled sound of thunder echoed from the clouds. But inside, it felt safe, warm, and secure. The elevator hummed as Lilo came up from the floor, she wore fresh pajamas from the drier, and a towel in her hands still dried her damp hair. Stitch glanced at her, and stretched out on his bed.
"Man that felt good." Lilo commented, as she tossed the towel—along with the wet mass of clothes she had worn during the storm—into the pile of already existing dirty laundry on the floor. "I'm just glad you didn't have much mud in your fur. It took forever to clean out what was in there already." He sifted a hand through the soft, blue, and now clean strands of fur on his head as she spoke.
"Eh." He agreed, hopping down to the floor as Lilo jumped on her bed, which lacked sheets.
"This wait is starting to get on my nerves," she said, "I don't like how Zeus is able to run free for the night. No telling what he'll do." Stitch jumped up and sat near her, popping his joints.
"Tomorrow, catch Zeus. Eh."
"It's not like we have a choice, it's gotta be the first thing we do." She paused and craned her neck to look outside. "It might just be me, but I think the storm is starting to picking up a little bit." She said, lying back, and sighing. "If I wasn't so exhausted, I don't think I'd be able to get to sleep." Lilo closed her eyes.
"Miga legatchu." He agreed, yawning.
"I just hope the whole island doesn't sink while we're asleep" She huffed, and relaxed her arms behind her head. The bare mattress scratched at her legs and neck, but she would have gone to sleep from sheer weariness anyway, had there not been a noise to arouse her. Stitch apparently heard it also; it was fast, and sounded like a small, hollow, tapping. The two scanned the rows of windows, and Lilo was the first to spot the source as the sound came to their ears again. "Angel!" Lilo exclaimed, jumping off the bed.
"Angel?" Stitch repeated, as he followed Lilo. She bent over and picked up the towel on the floor as she passed it, and then mashed a button on the wall. The window slid open along with a loud thunderclap from outside, and Angel's face was lit up behind the dark sky.
"What are you doing here?" Lilo asked, as she helped Angel through the window and wrapped the towel around the shivering bundle of matted fur. "Are you alright?" She asked, mashing the button again to close the window.
"I…I'm fine," Angel said, shivering as she wrapped the towel tighter. "I got caught in the flood, and it washed me near here." She finished, as Stitch walked her to the bed.
"We know how you feel." Lilo said. She and Stitch both rolled their eyes. "Our little cousin has put up one heck of a storm."
"You mean an experiment made this storm?"
"Eh, Zeus."
"Zeus?" Angel's eyebrow lifted, "What kind of name is…never mind." She said, withdrawing the rest of her statement. "Well, I suppose that comes to me as no surprise." She continued expectantly. "Which one is it?"
"599. 'Creates large storms', and who knows what else." Lilo said. She peered into the distance, a sudden realization occurring to her. "Speaking of cousins, I hope all the others are ok…"
"They are." Angel said briskly, rubbing the towel across her arms. "We all found each other around the time the storm started." Angel paused to sneeze. "We made a makeshift shelter on some high land after the first floods started to break loose. Since then, all that have been able to help have been on water-control, while the rest are waiting safely at the shelter." She sniffled, sliding off the bed and walking toward the window to look outside.
"Were you on flood-control?" Lilo asked.
"No," She replied, turning back toward them, "I was at the shelter for a while, but…" Her manner changed, she gripped the towel tight around her, and a sour look showed on her face as she paused. "But, they suggested I come here and stay with Stitch." She finally said.
"Well," Lilo smiled, "it's alright with Stitch and me if you stay." Lilo said. "Right Stitch?" She asked, elbowing him.
"Oh, ah…eh." He agreed, snapping back from his distant silence. Something about Angel's situation didn't seem right to him, she seemed sad about something.
"Thanks, you two." Angel smiled, and her posture relaxed as she felt at ease.
"Hey, how about I get us some ice cream?" Lilo proposed. "After swimming around in all that water, I feel hungry." She complained, rubbing her stomach as it growled. Stitch saw a twinkle flickered in her eye. A usual sign that she had a devious plot or idea she was going to secretly execute, either that or she was being clever.
"Suga." Came their reply.
"Ok, I'll be right back." She said cheerfully, leaping onto the elevator and taking it down to the floor below. Stitch heard her footsteps until she reached the stairs, then they slowly muffled into silence. The room was quiet for a second, until Angel sneezed again.
"Getchaba." Stitch said, turning to face her. She said nothing in response, but her face gave the kindest smile Stitch had ever seen her give. She rubbed the towel on her head to dry her ears, and held it down in front of her, not sure of where to put it. "Allow miga." Stitch said, as he took it and put it back into the pile of to-be-washed items.
"Stitch…" She said, at first cooingly, but then wonderingly. "You are Stitch…right?" she asked, her voice a bit uneasy, as she was a bit afraid to ask the question.
"Uh-huh," he said, nodding, "Stitch and Lilo back to normal." Angel smiled again, her uneasiness left her and she giggled under her breath.
"Are you sure? You're not Lilo trying to trick me, right?" She asked again, looking into his eyes. Stitch blinked, his eyes darted around quickly as if looking for an answer, until he finally straightened his shoulders and nodded. "Ok, I trust you." She replied, turning around and walking to the bed. She sat on the floor with her back up against it. Stitch sat close next to her. She stared into the distance while he sat down, but a moment after Stitch stared at her, she gave him the smile again. "It seems like a long time. Since she and you changed, I mean."
"Yeah." He replied, half thinking about the entire day, while he stared at her. She sighed heavily, and leaned over, putting her head on his shoulder.
"Even though it's only been about a day…it still feels like a lifetime. And the last time you and I talked together feels even more distant." Stitch leaned his head back, and felt Angel grab his left hand. "I couldn't really sleep last night, you know. I tried, but I kept having a dream that those robots changed you…forever." Her tone started to get dreamy, and Stitch closed his eyes as he listened to her."We—Lilo and I—kept trying again and again, but we couldn't change you back."
"Naga, Stitch fine. Robots not harming Stitch anymore." He said calmly, patting Angel's hand.
"I know," she said smiling with reassurance. "But I couldn't help thinking about it. I keep wondering, 'what would happen, if Lilo wasn't there'? Since, she's the one that really changed you." She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him, as if really expecting an answer to her question. He couldn't tell what to do, and he sighed with relief as the elevator hummed, catching Angel's attention. Both of them looked over to the elevator, expecting to see Lilo with a few bowls of ice cream. But, in opposite, only two bowls of ice cream, and a few napkins, arose on the platform.
"Lilo?" Stitch asked, after pausing for a moment. He stood up and walked to the platform, extending his extra arms to carry all the items, and then walked back to Angel, who was now leaning against the bed again. He stopped after a few paces, and turned, expecting to see the elevator go down. "Does she…want us to be alone?" He thought, finally turning back and giving Angel her bowl.
"Where is she?" Angel asked, taking her bowl with a thanking under her breath.
"Naga nota." Stitch said, turning back once again to eye the elevator. "Just eat." He said, taking his spoon and lifting it to his mouth. Angel took the spoon as well, ate what was on it, then lifted the bowl and took the whole of it into her mouth. Stitch's eyebrow lifted as she chewed the entire bowl's worth and swallowed with a noisy gulp.
"Gaba?" She asked, as she saw Stitch gazing at her. He turned his head, shrugged, and ate the rest in the same manner. Both were hit with an agonizing brain-freeze.
"Nagitcha," he replied, after shaking off the extreme cold, "Stitch just didn't expect Angel to eat like that." He continued, his voice full of honestly. She laughed.
"Well, I sorta got it from you. Along with the interesting ability to pick my nose with my tongue…" She replied, a grin crossing her lips. Stitch didn't know whether to laugh, or just smile, so he hid his face a little bit. "I feel bad, Lilo eating all alone…" Angel said, her eyes drifting to the platform.
"Angel wait here, Stitch get Lilo." He said, picking up the bowls and pacing to the elevator. She nodded in reply as he seemed to disappear through the floor. It settled quietly as it arrived to the second floor, and Stitch stepped out as the doors opened with a swish of air. A shimmering blue light cast out from Jumba's room's open door. Stitch saw the computer in the corner of his eye, and assumed that to be the source.
The hallway was quiet as Stitch trotted down. He passed the bathroom, and Lilo's old room, staring at the door as he walked by. When he came to Nani's door, however, he tiptoed across, not wanting to wake her, lest he suffer her wrath. As soon as he felt out of range, he quickly darted the rest of the way, and slowed down when he got to the stairs.
He walked down slowly; the area was dark. The T.V. was fuzzy with light in the living room, but no one seemed to be presently watching it. The kitchen light was the only one on, and it was easy for him to see Lilo, and the bored expression on her face as she stirred her half melted ice cream. He looked down at his feet, letting his ears down, silently debating whether he should approach her, or to go back upstairs. But Angel would wonder if something was wrong if he came back alone, and he was also carrying dishes, so he decided to continue on.
"Um, Lilo?" He asked, meekly approaching the kitchen.
"Huh?" She said, her head lifting, and the dull expression turning to wonder. "Oh, hi Stitch." She said, a weary smile forming on her face. "Are you done already?"
"Eh." He replied, twitching the bowls in his hand while walking to place them in the sink with a glassy chink. He washed his hands of the sticky mess and took a seat adjacent to Lilo. "Something…bothering Lilo?" He asked, after he paused for a moment.
"No, why?" She replied.
"Because, Lilo didn't come back up…"
"Oh." She said, stirring the slush a bit more before she lifted a spoonful to her mouth.
"Why, though?" He continued, a tone of concern in his voice. Lilo smiled, hiding her fatigue.
"Because, Angel is here…and I just wanted you two to be together for a while. Alone. That's all."
"But, down here, Lilo alone."
"I don't mind. I just didn't know if you wanted me there."
"Lilo doesn't have to le-"
"C'mon," she interrupted, quickly standing and walking her bowl to the sink. "Let's go, Angel's waiting on us." She passed him, and grabbed his hand, leading him up to the elevator. Stitch wanted to speak, but couldn't find the words. "Is she trying to avoid being with me if Angel is around?"
"I knew she would do something like that." Angel said aloud to no one. "I knew that coming here would stir things up a bit…but they…" She let out a sigh. "I wish I could tell her that she doesn't have to, but what if I'm wrong? What I'm just assuming things? Maybe she was just busy because of her sister or something." She turned to the nearest window, and put a paw to the glass as a flash and thunder echoed across the sky. "At least its just for one ni-"
"So, I figure," came Lilo's voice, "that because we were in each other's bodies we were at a disadvantage, but now that we're back to normal we should be able to take on Zeus no-problem." Lilo finished as she rose up from the floor. Stitch nodded and spoke in agreement. "That's why I left, I just needed time to think. But still…"
"Talk in the morning." Stitch said. "Miga echuga."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." She agreed with a yawn. Groggily she slumped over to the bed. "Where can Angel sleep?" She said aloud, to no one in particular. "I don't think we can bring the extra mattress up here at this time of night very easily…"
"I…don't mind me, I'll just find some place to sleep…maybe on the floor or-"
"The floor? What are you crazy?" Lilo exclaimed. Stitch laughed, though he didn't really know why. Perhaps his mind was already half asleep, and the other half wasn't quite under control.
"Well, I don't know, I don't want to be a bother…"
"Nah, you're not a bother. You can just sleep in my bed." She pointed to the object of discussion. "Oh yeah," she said dully as she looked back, "I forgot, Pleakley washed the sheets today. I'll be right back, they're just in the laundry room." Lilo said, walking to the elevator. But Angel dashed in front of her, beating her to the platform.
"I'll go." She quickly volunteered.
"You don't have to-" Lilo tried to retort, but Angel had already disappeared Lilo looked at Stitch questionably. He shrugged. "She's your girlfriend, you tell me why she's so shifty." Again, Stitch let out a laugh.
"Let's see…" Angel thought, "The laundry room is, this way." She pointed, trying to remember the house from when she was last inside. It had been a little while since she'd been in this part of the house, probably as far back as when she first met Stitch.
The halls were dark and quiet; a peaceful silence compared to what went on outside. Angel wondered how Stitch got out of the flood; she assumed they were caught, by their implying it, though she didn't actually know. She didn't sink, but it was still plenty difficult to get out of the current. "Must've been a miracle for him. He still looks a bit shaken though…"
She realized she'd passed the laundry room without realizing it, and quickly backtracked to the noise of the humming dryer. She glanced around in the dark, her eyes trying their best to see. She didn't exactly have Stitch's night-vision, and the fuzzy memory of the layout didn't help much either. She stumbled over a basket as she followed the wall, finally making contact with a light switch.
She squinted as the light pierced her eyes but quickly she blinked away the spots and made her way to the happily churning machine. With a few failed attempts, she finally figured out how to stop and open the dryer, where inside she sifted through the bundles of different masses. Pulling out the sheets. She shut the dryer, and instantly it began to hum again.
She smiled and turned to head out into the hall, but paused. She scanned the room, remembering the last time she was here. Lilo had given her the makeshift bed out of the basket to sleep in, and set it in the laundry room for the night, claiming that she wanted her as far away as possible. And back then, Angel remembered she was deceitful, and stole out to meet Gantu at the ship in the middle of the night. Angel sighed with remorse; she wished that had never happened—a memory she wanted to forget.
Deep inside of her, she felt the strange feeling again. She had no way to describe it until Stitch claimed it was her 'programming'. It was relentless, always showing up when she last wanted it to. A little voice that commanded her will. A ringing sounded in her ear.
"No." She silently ordered, and the feeling simply vanished. She shook her head, turned off the light, and walked back to the elevator. "It's never been that easy to control before." She said under breath. "Just hope it stays that way."
"There you are!" Lilo exclaimed, as Angel rose up from the floor. "I was beginning to think we might have to search the house for you." She snickered.
"Soka," Angel apologized, chuckling, "I guess I didn't know this house as well as I thought."
"That's ok." Lilo said, sliding off the bed, Stitch following in toe. Each of them grabbed an item and began working. Lilo and Stitch put the sheets on the beds, while Angel did the pillows. In no more than a few minutes, they completed the task. "Finally." Lilo sighed. "We can get to sleep."
"Eh." Stitch agreed, rubbing his eyes. Exhausted, and already on the verge of conking out, all three went to their beds. A small rumble came to let them know that the storm was still on outside, and as they quieted their rustling, the rain pattering against the walls grew louder until the noise froze at a steady beat. "Enchu-jae." Stitch said to Angel and Lilo in the other bed.
"G'night Stitch,"
"Enchu-jae boochie-boo." Came their replies. Another rumble echoed outside, and Lilo felt Angel shift uneasily. Darkness flooded the room as Lilo turned out the light, and for a long while it was quiet, until Angel's voice sounded just barely above the noise of the outside rain. "Lilo."
"Hm?" Came her response.
"Thank you." Lilo turned to face Angel, even though she couldn't see her, and gave a smile before she turned back and fell quietly to sleep.