CHAPTER SEVEN:

の真理のためにファイト!行く!

A Fight for the Truth! GO!

The morning after Dr. Rupert's visit was a very interesting one. Nick was reading the comics section of the newspaper when the doorbell rang. Chopsuey sniffed the air, then opened the door.

"Oh no. You're back." He moaned as he stepped to the side and let Dr. Rupert and Page in. "I'd know that rosemary scent from anywhere!...granted, it's nice…" He admitted.

"Oh, it's not much, really!" Page said humbly.

"So what do you want NOW?" Nick asked as Dr. Rupert adjusted his jacket slightly. "Another riddle or something?"

"Nope. We have come to challenge you in a fight." Dr. Rupert told him and Chopsuey as Page stood by his side.

"Er…" Nick looked behind him, noticing some people were...missing. "Say, what happened to the freaky-deeky superheroes from yesterday?"

"Oh! The Majestic Twelve are on a mission to MARS!" Page said proudly. "Right doctor?"

"Nope. It's a lie." Dr. Rupert said cheekily.

"GAAAWWWW!" Page moaned, mouth wide open in shock.

"The truth is simply that they returned to the mainland." Dr. Rupert explained. "This fight is going to be between two mutual experiments."

Chopsuey pointed at the dragon who was sucking on a lollipop near them. "Who's…that?"

"That's 421. We can't understand much of what he says though." Dr. Rupert said.

"I get the feeling I've seen him before." Chopsuey admitted as 421 looked him over.

"Pon-pon-pon!" The little dragon said as it patted Chopsuey on the head. The experiment smiled slightly. This guy was cute.

"He's staying with me until I find his book owner." Dr. Rupert told him. "But unfortunately I've had no luck…still, my travels take me all over the world. Eventually I shall find the one who can read his book!"

"These guys don't know yet about that thing, right?" Page asked. "Should we tell them?"

"If they win, yes…we'll tell them all about the "book" and the "experiments"." Dr. Rupert told Rupert.

Nick felt a chill rise in him.

"You…know the secret of the books?" Nick asked. "You know a way I could power Chops up?"

"Of course! Dr. Rupert knows EVERYTHING!" Page said happily. "He's so wise!"

"So you want to know the truth too, Mr. Grey?" Dr. Rupert asked, raising an eyebrow as he cast an amused expression at her. "Simply defeat me…" His eyes turned steely and serious, a powerful glint entering them. "I'll tell you what you desire to know…"

"I'm looking forward to a good match!" Page said. "Let's meet at the stream, okay? There's no people there…"

…Chopsuey's eyes widened. Nick gasped.

"You're…you're really an alien?" He gasped. "And you know Jumba?" He held the book open. "What the heck do you think you're doing, trying to fool us like that!"

"Let's get 'em!" Chopsuey said, clenching his fists.

"Iaedo-Iedo!" Nick shouted.

Chopsuey raised both his fists and swung them, and a glowing green bolt of fist-shaped energy soared through the air.

"Ha-ha! I already told you I know everything…including the fact that you can't win with your power! Votum!" The rabbit-like being hollered out.

Page crossed his arms out and his body glowed. He sent a cross-shaped blast of energy sailing right at the other blast, and with a mighty BA-BOOM Nick and Chops were sent flying back. They hit the ground and staggered to their feet.

"Cut…the…crud!" Nick spat out as he took in some deep breaths.

"If you just stand there, you're going to lose, youngling!" Dr. Rupert laughed, raising his book and spreading his arms as he announced the next spell. "Vespera!"

Page raised both his hands and clenched them as they glowed. Then two swirling rays of light twisted and turned, aiming at Nick and Chopsuey.

"Take this! Shield Spell…ADVERSOR!"

Chopsuey slammed his fists together, claws clenching. A pulsing shield rose up in front of them, shaped like a stone tablet with pulsing green neon light shining from it.

"Hmph! Don't show such a weak shield!" Dr. Rupert shouted. "It's insulting!" He held his book up and it glowed more brightly than before. The shield was knocked down into chunks that dissolved in the air, and the force of the blow sent Nick and Chopsuey flying back.

"D-Darn it!" Nick groaned as he got back to his feet, helping his partner up. "The difference between our spells is too great…it must be because he knows the book's secrets…I know! Chops! Iadeo-Iedo!"

"Right!" Chops jumped into the air and swung his fists. The bolt of fist-shaped energy swung at Dr. Rupert and Page, who leapt into the air…

And they were shocked to see Nick appear right in front of them, jumping at them. "TOH!" Nick shouted as he jumped through the air

"Desperate, aren't you? Throwing yourself into the fray!" The hamster laughed.

"HAH!" Chopsuey laughed, suddenly appearing from behind Page and grabbing his side.

"You'd better tell me the book's secret!" Nick shouted as he held his book open and it glowed brightly.

"So you think you can beat me?" Dr. Rupert laughed as he jumped back.

Nick shouted out a spell. "Iadeo-Iedo!"

But then Chopsuey's eyes widened as his strike missed…because Page FLEW right out of his claws, missing the blow!

"The wings, they're…not fake?!" He gasped as he fell to the ground and Nick picked him back up.

Dr. Rupert and Page stood side by side, smiling as the other two took up another battle pose. "Wow, you're desperate!" Page admitted.

"So I shall give you a hint in the form of a riddle." Dr. Rupert said cheerfully.

"A riddle?" Nick asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Alright, I love these things!" Page said, clapping his hands happily.

"Here it is." Dr. Rupert said, smiling as he raised a paw digit in the air. "Red on the top, green underneath…what's the name of my pet?"

"That has NOTHING to do with this battle!" Nick groaned rolling his eyes.

"ERRR! Incorrect! It was Ula'Ula Oma'Oma'O! Red and Green!" Dr. Rupert laughed.

"Oh…you know Hawaiian?" Nick asked.

"A'ole." Dr. Rupert said, nodding.

"Well two can play at that game! Chopsuey always has a lima ulu!" Nick laughed. (Green thumb)

"Hardy-har-har." Chops groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Let's move on to riddle number two! What does the book do?" Dr. Rupert asked.

Nick raised his own book, grinning as it glowed. "EASY! It takes the power of a human heart…strong emotions…and turns it into energy that powers experimental moves! Like…THIS! Iadeo-Iedo!"

Chopsuey swung his fists again and the blast sailed at Dr. Rupert.

"Exactly!" Dr. Rupert laughed as he raised his own book. "Votius!"

Page's powered-up cross-blast whizzed at the "Iadeo-Iedo" and the two attacks canceled each other out.

"Now for the next riddle…" Dr. Rupert's gaze became solemn. "Where…do the spells born from?"

"The book." Nick said simply.

"You think so? If you do, that's INCORRECT!" Dr. Rupert said.

Page shook his head back and forth. "Try again!" He told them.

"Wait…what if…the reason I couldn't read the book until recently…" Nick scratched his head. "What if it wasn't because I couldn't read the characters? What if it was because…there wasn't really anything WRITTEN in the book!"

"Yes, yes, now you're right at the door! Open it up…realize the truth!" Dr. Rupert proclaimed, pointing at the sky.

Nick slammed his fist into his palm. "That's it! The spells don't come from the book…the power was always sleeping within the experiment! The moment that power is truly awakened, it appears as a spell from the book!"

"CORRECT." Dr. Rupert said, clapping his paws. "So you know what you must do now…"

"Yes…I do." Nick said, turning to Chopsuey, who blinked.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"You don't have to believe in the book." Nick said. "You and I have to believe in ourselves!" He said. "The power's always been inside us…we just need to believe that we can use it." Nick insisted, placing his hands on his partner's shoulder.

"…does this mean…I've always had the power to beat Stitch?" Chopsuey asked.

"People have the potential to do anything they want!" Nick said happily. "There's infinite potential…so let's do this!"

Chops blinked his black eyes a few times, then looked down at his clawed paws.

"I have a great power in me…I've had it all this time…if I had realized this before, I could have shown father my strength sooner-no, it doesn't matter now. I can show everyone my power now in this fight…I can prove that I'm not worthless!"

Nick smiled as a shining aura of green light arose around them, encasing them in it's glow. He hugged Chopsuey tight, and his partner hugged him back.

"Ooh, look at that!" Page said. "It's like a stairway to heaven!" He gasped.

"Even if he's our enemy, it warms my heart to see such beautiful light." Dr. Rupert admitted, smiling happily.

The light swirled up into the skies, vanishing…and Chopsuey and Nick stood there, with Nick raising the book as it pulsed with a beautiful glow.

Nick opened his mouth and spoke. "The Sixth Spell! IMPERIUM!"

A glowing light of many colors swirled down from the sky, splitting the clouds above them. It struck Chopsuey and then spread out in a blast…when the dust settled, he was covered in that glowing, multicolored light and he now had extra arms sticking out, along with spikes that jutted out from his back. Above all, he was larger and more muscular, and his snout was sticking out slightly…fangs jutting bigger, drool coming from his mouth and a nasty glint in his eyes. He even smelled bad…

"Eep." 421 whispered as he covered his head and hid behind a tree.

"Woah, he's glowing…and BIGGER!" Page remarked. "What's going on, doctor?"

"Oh, when you glow like that, orange juice comes out of your nose." Dr. Rupert remarked.

"Really?" Page asked.

"Lie." Dr. Rupert laughed.

"GAAAWWWW!" Page moaned, falling back onto his butt.

"Ch-Chops?" Nick asked. He was slightly frightened by Chopsuey's new appearance.

Chops turned around. He blinked slowly. "Ni-Nick? That you?"

"What's happened to you? How do you feel?" Nick asked.

"I no…feel different…" He muttered. "Except…hard…to think…head…muddy…"

"Let's take advantage of this!" Nick said. "You're bigger and stronger, so let's test your power out!"

Chopsuey nodded and rushed forward at Dr. Rupert and Page. Page jumped forward, stretching his arms out as Dr. Rupert launched another cross spell…

But the blast fizzled against Chopsuey's body as he struck out. Page and Dr. Rupert were knocked back by his claws and they tumbled along the ground as Chopsuey roared into the sky.

"Chops? You're…WAY stronger!" Nick realized.

"Yeah…" Chopsuey said, his voice slowly returning to normal. His snout began to change shape and revert to it's normal form and the smell and drool vanished. "I…remembered what I wished for in my heart! To become so strong that you wouldn't ever need to get hurt when you took an attack for my sake! You kept getting the brunt end of things for a long time because you were so kind-hearted and I only had that one spell, "Iadeo"…"

"Hey, I think ALL your spells are nice…" Nick protested.

"I will win this fight without you getting hurt anymore, Nick!" Chopsuey shouted as he rushed forward.

"Take THIS! VESPERA!" Dr. Rupert shouted. Page raised his paw/hands and the swirling light from before shot out at Chopsuey, aiming for his head…

But to their amazement, Chopsuey ducked, dove right at them, then slammed his fists right into the ground. A small chasm opened up, and they barely jumped away in time!

"Ah-ha! Your strength, speed, defense, everything is increased!" Dr. Rupert laughed. "But…if my guess is right…and it usually is…"

Chopsuey growled…but then he gasped as the light vanished from his body and with a "WHA-WHOMP" his body shrunk back to normal.

"It only lasts for so long." Dr. Rupert said. "About a minute, I estimate. Now then…time for my next move! If I focus on your book keeper while you're charged, you'll waste all your energy trying to protect him. Militis!"

Page knelt down and got on all fours, then gently blew…from that breath of life a shimmering set of forms appeared! Little toy soldiers charged forward, covered in armor and holding shields and swords high!

"Holy cow!" Nick yelled as they swarmed over him, jabbing him. "Hurting me! With pointy things!" He screamed, grabbing them and tossing them off. "Quick, IMPERIUM!"

Chopsuey jumped into the air, stretching out his arms as the other two arms popped out from his body and spikes grew from his back. His rainbow glow returned and he quickly began whacking the little soldiers through the air like flies…while advancing on the doctor and Page.

"AAA! He's getting closer!" Page yelled. "Do something, doctor!"

"GOTCHA!" Chops yelled as he jumped onto Page. And before Page could do anything…

KA-DWOOOOOSH!

Page was flung high into the air, vanishing with a "ping" into the sky. They all stood there, silently staring as Chopsuey turned back to normal.

After a few moments, Dr. Rupert sighed, then shrugged. "Ha-ha-ha-ha! I guess I should have expected this from two wild cards like you! Today's my loss!" He began to walk away. "I hope we meet again!"

"Not…so…fast." Nick said, suddenly picking him up by the scruff of the neck. "Talk, you wascally wabbit. You said you'd tell us all about the book and the experiments!"

"You sure you wouldn't rather have Big Boing's breast size?" Dr. Rupert offered.

Nick promptly swung the rabbit around by his tail.

"STOP, STOP, IT-WAS-A-JOKE!" He begged. "I'LL-TELL-YOU-EVERYTHING!"

…Dr. Rupert, 421, Chopsuey and Nick know sat underneath tree. As 421 lay curled up, snoozing lightly, he whistled in his sleep. The rodent doctor took a deep breath, then spoke up. "As you have realized, when a sleeping power inside of an experiment's awakened, a spell appears in the book. But it's not that simple. A spell can only be awakened for a REASON."

"Oh yes, that's happened to us before…" Nick admitted. "When we were in the middle of a fight against this creepy experiment! What was it's name? Kixx?"

"Yep, that was him." Chopsuey said. "Well we showed HIM!...and his book keeper too." He added with less gusto and bit more guilt.

"Yes, when your heart grows, when you realize something important, power is awakened. But…the number of won battles doesn't increase the number of spells! Furthermore, the book has other roles…it'll tell you when a certain number of experiments are left. But there remain some mysteries that I have yet to uncover…" Dr. Rupert told them, nodding his head.

The doctor's face became serious. "There is untapped power in an experiment…and a book's reaction to a human heart…I still don't know the full answers to either of those riddles. In any case, I must continue to investigate and learn all I can…and so should you. Now…"

He stood back up and dusted himself off. "Page needs me. I'd best be going."

"Wait…you were giving us a teaching battle, weren't you?" Nick asked. "Going kinda easy on us!"

"You're smart." Dr. Rupert complimented. "Listen, I want you to be well-informed…and I want you to remember me. Jumba and I were close friends, school chums, partners…that was many years ago, but I remember them well…they were some of the best years of my life…" He said happily, eyes filling with nostalgia, the tiniest hint of tears filling them. "But remember this as well…"

He turned his head to the skies, folding his arms. "Dark forces are gaining power even as we speak…so I must prepare. I am always looking for companions in the struggle against these powers." He smiled at them as he walked off. "I do hope we meet again, Nick…Chopsuey…"

As he walked off, Chopsuey turned to Nick.

"He's an unusual person, isn't he?" He asked, scratching his stomach as he did so.

"…I kinda like him." Nick said. "Weird is good! And you know…those guys are nice. I think that…"

"What?"

"…well…" Nick rubbed the back of his head. "Eventually you'll have to return to Jumba…but if you returned as a champion who had a just and fair heart…one who truly understood "ohana"…then maybe you could convince Jumba to stop forcing his children to fight…"

Chopsuey blinked slowly. But before he could say something in response to that…

"Wait. I hear something." Chopsuey said, putting his hand to his big ear. "It's Page!"

"What's being said?" Nick asked.

"Ah hem. "Sorry I lost, doctor! I should have flown back sooner!" "Don't worry Page! Don't you know that when a bunny flaps his ears as strong and fast as possible, he can fly too?" "Really?" "Nope. It's a lie"."

Then a loud "GAAAAAWWWWW" ripped through the air. This woke 421 up. He bounded off in the direction of the shout, then curled up into a spiky ball, rolling on the ground after the doctor.

"Okay, they're ALL weird." Nick remarked. "You know…their spirit reminds me of Carmen and Jenny…"

PREVIEW!

Nick: Who is this unusual person?

Chopsuey: I don't know...but I do know one thing...

Nick: What's that?

Chopsuey: She's got the fire in her soul! Look at her dance!

Nick: She's dancing with a purpose...to defend the one she cares so much for!

Chopsuey: Jenny and Carmen take the stage on the next Alternate Fate: Fantasy!