I'm convinced this has to be the longest chapter SentinelSpockNimoy and I wrote for this fic so far.
I do not own Lilo and Stitch. Disney does.
The next day, Lilo and Stitch were able to persuade Reuben to change sides easily, which pleased even Gantu. The gigantic captain lowered the data pad, allowing Lilo and Stitch to examine the list of experiments.
"Stitch," asked Lilo, "do you think we should try training 513 next?"
Stitch felt a chill sent down his spine, remembering the incident that killed many people in the hotel back on Earth.
"Meega don't know," admitted Stitch.
"Are you sure about this?" asked Gantu, "you do realize that was the experiment that destroyed the hotel and killed countless innocent people."
"I'm sure," nodded Lilo.
"If it starts a quake here," Gantu warned, calculating the scenario as he'd been trained to do, "the shock could certainly destroy this planet, as it is smaller than Earth."
"Then we'd better make sure it doesn't happen," suggested Lilo, "right, Stitch?"
"Ih!" Stitch nodded.
Gantu reluctantly pulled out 513's pod and placed it in the containment cell.
"Here it goes," sighed Gantu.
The Shaelek crossed his fingers behind his back as he hydrated the pod. To his relief, all the creature did was claw at the glass until Stitch managed to get its attention.
"Hi," cooed Stitch, waving his paw.
513 stopped what it was doing and stared at Stitch.
"That's it," Gantu said to himself, "stay calm, stay friendly."
In response, 513 waved its paw in a friendly manner.
"There you go, stay like that," the captain muttered as he nervously chewed the end of his stylus.
"Yuuga change sides?" asked Stitch.
513 gave Stitch a blank stare in a moment of silence.
"How are we going to train it to keep its powers in control?" whispered Lilo.
"Maybe help it understand why making the big quakes is bad. Because it could harm its cousins and itself," Gantu suggested.
"Ok," nodded Lilo, "Stitch?"
The other two waited as Stitch relayed the information in his tongue. It seemed to surprise 513, as his ears and tail drooped sadly.
"Ok," sighed 513.
"Good work, Stitch," Gantu praised, "and as for you, 513, I may have an idea for where to use your abilities."
"Really?" chirped Lilo.
"You didn't think Earth was the only planet that enjoyed a good shake did you?" remarked Gantu.
Lilo gave Gantu a blank stare while tilting and scratching her head.
"I…don't get it," admitted Lilo.
But Stitch got it.
"Cold shake!" he said, "like at Nani shop!"
"Oh, ok!" chirped Lilo.
"Cousin needs name!" clamored Stitch.
"Ok then," suggested Lilo, "let's call him Richter, as in the Richter scale!"
"That alright with you, 513?" Gantu asked.
513 nodded eagerly.
"Okay, Richter it is, then."
Gantu recorded the experiment change in his log entry. Suddenly, he heard his communicator go off, so he stashed his data pad and answered it.
"Captain Gantu here," said Gantu.
"We have another situation. It's Experiment 509, on Draylon," the Councilwoman said over the transmission.
"Blitznak," Gantu swore, "we'll get right on it."
Gantu ended the transmission, catching Lilo's attention.
"There's another experiment on the loose?" gasped Lilo.
"You guessed it," nodded Gantu.
Gantu opened the doors, allowing Yin, Yang, Sparky, Splodyhead, Reuben and Slushy to step out of their containment cells. The gigantic alien captain led them Lilo and Stitch out of the security room and down the hall until they passed by Pleakley.
"Excuse us, Wendy, we're in a bit of a hurry!" Gantu called.
Pleakley paused in his tracks and focused his eye on Gantu.
"Ok then," asked Pleakley, "what's the emergency?"
"Experiment loose on Draylon!" one of the experiments piped up.
"Yeah, what he…or she…said," Reuben added, holding out a sandwich, "sandwich?"
"Ooh, my favorite!" chirped Pleakley.
Pleakley plucked the ham and cheese sandwich from Reuben's hand and started eating it.
"Er, if you don't mind, Wendy, we have to stop the experiment now," reminded Gantu.
"Oh, right," blurted Pleakley.
Pleakley followed Gantu, Lilo, Stitch and his cousins through the hall until they reached the hangar.
"Are you wanting to come with us, Agent Pleakley?" Gantu asked.
"Well," chuckled Pleakley, "Earth isn't my only specialty."
"Alright, but it could be dangerous," warned Gantu.
Once Pleakley finished the sandwich, he, Gantu, Lilo, Stitch and his cousins arrived at the captain's vessel. They boarded the ship and settled into their seats.
"Seatbelts, everyone! Reuben, I'll try to fly better than those other two, but no promises," Gantu announced as they took off.
"At least you think to try," Reuben muttered.
Fish Face isn't bad at all! the experiment thought, and he actually lets me make and eat sandwiches! And he even likes my sandwiches! Yep, this was a good choice.
Once the ship exited the planet's atmosphere, Gantu activated the hyperdrive.
"If any of you gets motion sick, don't do it on-" warned Gantu.
He suddenly heard someone get sick.
"-me," Gantu stared at the grossness he was now coated in.
"Ugh." he groaned.
Gantu pulled out a cloth from the bin and wiped the mess off his uniform while Lilo and Stitch turned their heads to find the source.
"Pleakley!" groaned Stitch.
"Sorry, Captain!" panted Pleakley.
"Oi ve," muttered Gantu.
Thankfully, the rest of the trip was short…but their welcome was not pleasant as they got their first look at the experiment.
"Oh-" Gantu began.
"Don't say it," Reuben interrupted, "don't even say it."
The entire capital city was covered in large strange vines with sproutlings emerging from even the tiniest crevices. Once the ship landed, Gantu, Lilo, Stitch, his cousins and Pleakley disembarked the ship and scanned the surroundings. To their dismay, the city seemed vacant thanks to the infestation.
"Anyone have an idea for how to beat this one?" the captain asked.
"The main root of this experiment has to be around here somewhere," answered Lilo.
"Where?" Stitch asked.
"And how do we get there?" Pleakley added.
"Hmm," Lilo placed her finger on her chin and thought for a moment.
"Dad," called Lilo, "do you have Finder's pod with you?"
"Did you catch that one?" Gantu asked.
"We actually befriended it," admitted Lilo, "it was easy."
"Oh, it's right here. Yin, water please," the captain held the pod out to the octopus-like experiment.
Yin sprayed the pod with water, and Finder activated within a matter of seconds.
"Alright, Finder, we need to locate the-YAAAAHHHHHH!"
Without warning, Gantu was yanked high into the air by the green vines that had wrapped around his ankles while they spoke. His pistol clattered to the ground beside them.
"Uh-ohhhhh," Stitch said, his ears drooped.
"That's not good," Reuben agreed.
"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Pleakley screamed, his arms flailing frantically.
Lilo raised her right fist into the air.
"Haʻalele hou 'kaʻina!" called Lilo.
{Transformation sequence activated,} said the armor shifter's AI.
The armor shifter's bracelet emitted energy that enveloped Lilo, morphing her outfit into her armor. She aimed her wand at the vines and pressed on the second button.
"Luku mea ulana lole!" chanted Lilo.
Lilo pulled the trigger, firing a powerful beam that cut through the vines. In a matter of seconds, Gantu landed on his feet.
"Are you ok?" called Lilo.
"I'm fine, though I'd never like to do that again!" Gantu assured them, "Finder, wherever you are, locate the source of the these…uh, things!"
Gantu picked up his gun while Lilo and Stitch scanned the area in search of Finder. Once they found the experiment, they followed it through the city, hoping to find the source. They were having a harder time as the vines were getting thicker and harder to move through. At the same time, they all had to keep vigilant, fighting off any sproutlings that even tried to attack them. Slushy froze a few solid while Splodyhead burnt some with its fiery plasma blasts.
"This is why I don't like plants," Gantu muttered.
"Well, the plant doesn't like you very much either, so there," Pleakley remarked.
Lilo scratched her head.
"Are all plants really that bad?" asked Lilo, "the plants on Earth don't attack people deliberately."
"Oh, he's just mad because anything he's ever tried to grow dies!" Pleakley snapped.
"Gardening lessons?" suggested Stitch.
"Maybe…"
Gantu fired at a vine.
"…later…Get off me!" Gantu roared.
Lilo and Stitch noticed a tiny little girl clinging onto Gantu's leg while whimpering in fear. Mistaking the feeling of her small arms for more vines, Gantu shook his leg, trying to knock the "vines" loose.
"Dad, wait!" called Lilo, pointing at the tiny girl, "I don't think that little girl is a vine!"
"Girl? What gi-" Gantu took a closer look at his leg, and finally saw what had grabbed it, "-oh. That girl."
Gantu carefully, but quickly picked her up and took cover inside another room, slamming the door shut.
"Sorry," he said, looking at her in his hand, "are you alright?"
"I-I'm sorry," whimpered the little girl, fiddling with her hands, "I was scared because these monsters keep chasing me."
"It's alright," Gantu assured, "I'm from the Galactic Federation. We're here to stop them. Say, you don't happen to know where the vines originate, do you, uh…"
"I'm Finn," replied the little girl, "I was in the park with my mom and dad when the monster attacked. These vines snatched up my mom and dad and I think I remember seeing them being carried over to the city hall."
"Finn," replied Gantu, "I am Captain Gantu. Do you think you can help me get to city hall?"
Finn scratched her head.
"I don't think I've been inside there before," admitted Finn, "but I do remember passing by it whenever I go to school."
"That's all I need," replied Gantu, "I can get in once we're there. Thank you, Finn."
Gantu emerged from the building with Finn in his hand, watching as Lilo, Stitch, his cousins and Pleakley keep an eye out for any incoming danger.
"It's at the city hall!" he called to them as he started running in the direction Finn told him, "this way!"
Lilo, Stitch, his cousins and Pleakley scurried through the city, following the Galactic Federation captain with determination to save the day. The vines got thicker and more dense as they got closer.
"I'm too big!" Gantu finally exclaimed, "I can't go any closer. We need someone small!"
"Leave it to meega!" declared Stitch, giving a salute.
"Just hurry!"
Even as he yelled it, the vines were multiplying and wrapping around the Shaelek's arms, legs, and body, to the point where he was completely immobilized.
"Blitznak!" he spat, since that was about the only thing he could do.
In response, Splodyhead fired fiery plasma blasts at the vines, cutting the captain loose. Gantu lowered Finn to the ground, compelling Lilo, Stitch and Finn to slip through the thick dense vines. While the gigantic alien fired at incoming vines, one of them snatched up Pleakley. Gantu snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the agent screaming.
"Oh, calm down, Agent, I'm coming!" shouted Gantu.
While the smaller ones went to the center, Gantu jumped onto one of the moving vines, then another, trying to climb his way to the frenzied agent. He didn't risk shooting, for fear of himself or the vines moving and causing him to accidentally hit Pleakley. Fortunately, Yin, Yang, Finder and Reuben also climbed onto the vine while Slushy, Sparky and Splodyhead ventured through the vines to catch up with Lilo, Stitch and Finn. Just as he was about to grab Pleakley, the vine Gantu was on whipped itself hard and sent him flying towards the center of the mass. At the same time, Yin, Yang, Finder and Reuben also landed nearby once the captain crashed into the ground. He groaned in pain, but he managed to stagger to his feet.
"Ooh, that's gotta hurt," Reuben commented, "he's not indestructible."
Meanwhile, Lilo, Stitch and Finn continued to venture through the thick vines in the city. Suddenly, while they were climbing one of the vines, Finn slipped and she was about to fall.
"Oh no!" gasped Lilo.
Lilo and Stitch reached out and grabbed each of Finn's hands.
"Come on!" Stitch said as they pulled her up.
Outside the mass of vines, they could hear the others screaming and yelling. It seemed the vines were quickly overtaking them. Lilo's thoughts went out to one person in particular.
"Dad," gasped Lilo.
Lilo, Stitch and Finn jumped onto a massive vine and slid down the plant like a slide, which took them straight to the city hall.
"There it is!" cried Finn.
Ahead, Lilo could see the vines entangling Stitch's cousins although Gantu attempted to free them by firing at the vines, but to no avail. One vine knocked Gantu aside as the others carried the experiments away.
"Cousins!" screamed Stitch.
Lilo, Stitch and Finn scurried towards Gantu, catching his attention.
"Where's Pleakley?" asked Lilo.
"Vine got him. Took him that way," the captain answered.
Gantu spit out a piece of vine from where he'd bitten one trying to catch him. His uniform was torn in several places where vines had dragged him down several times, and one eye was slightly swollen, but he knew he could just as easily be dead right now. For now, Gantu, Lilo, Stitch and Finn had their eyes focused on the city hall.
"I hope mom and dad are ok," peeped Finn, oblivious to a vine sneaking up behind her.
Suddenly, the girl was yanked out of their midst, causing her to scream.
"FINN!" panicked Gantu.
Gantu and Stitch rushed after her, but Stitch was batted back like a fly while Gantu was flung aside like a ragdoll. Lilo charged in front of Gantu and Stitch just as more vines came homing in, aiming her wand and pressing the first button.
"Ka ikehu'ākeʻakeʻa!" called Lilo.
Lilo pulled the trigger, generating a force field that blocked the vines' attacks. At the same time, Sparky, Splodyhead and Slushy arrived at the scene and launched their attacks at the vines, destroying them.
"Go, cousins!" Stitch cried as he joined the three experiments.
One vine started wrapping around Stitch, but the blue experiment bit down hard, forcing it to let go. At the same time, Gantu stood to his feet. Splodyhead, Sparky and Slushy gathered together, combined their powers and launched an elemental beam at the next wave of vines. Lilo suddenly noticed a strange glowing object being flung from the source of the attack, so she caught it in her hand. The strange object formed into a green diamond-shaped piece with a small metal attachment.
"What's this?" Lilo said to herself.
Lilo examined the bottom of her wand and attached the key to it, rotating it until it locked into place. She pressed on the first button and pulled the trigger. Within an instant, flames spewed out of the tip of the wand.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Lilo.
Lilo aimed the wand at an incoming vine, and the flames burned it.
"Fire in the hole!" Stitch called with a laugh.
Gantu, Lilo and Stitch scurried to the entrance of the hall, only to find that it was blocked by a vine barrier. Gantu tried to muscle his way through the thick vines. Only his gauntlets kept them from squeezing his wrists tightly.
"I knew I should've gotten a pair with retractable blades," he muttered.
Thinking fast, Lilo aimed her wand at the vine barrier.
"Dad," called Lilo, "I know what to do!"
Gantu pulled his hands out and stepped aside, allowing Lilo to pull the trigger, launching flames at the barrier. Splodyhead also joined in and fired plasma blasts at the barrier, both attacks incinerating the vines. They could see patches of vines burning away from the other side, too. In a matter of minutes, the barrier was destroyed, revealing Yang.
"Good job, Yang!" Lilo took a moment to hug him quickly.
"We need to hurry," reminded Gantu, "there could be something terrible going on inside."
"Ok," nodded Lilo.
Lilo, Stitch, Gantu, Sparky, Slushy, Splodyhead and Yang scurried into the building and raced down the hall until they reached the foyer. Inside, they could see Experiment 509 itself. Hundreds of civilians were restrained to the walls by vines, so Lilo took a few moments to scan the room. She soon found Finn and Pleakley restrained near the other cousins.
"There's Finn and Pleakley!" exclaimed Lilo, pointing at Finn and Pleakley.
"You get to the experiment," Gantu instructed, "I'll get Finn, Pleakley and the others."
Upon cue, Lilo, Stitch, Splodyhead and Yang charged at 509 while Gantu, Sparky and Slushy raced towards the wall. 509 took notice of Lilo, Stitch, Splodyhead and Yang, so it launched its sproutlings after them. Gantu fired at these sproutlings as Slushy tried to freeze them. Lilo pulled the trigger, and her wand started spewing out flames at some of the sproutlings while Splodyhead and Yang fired their blasts at the experiment. Stitch climbed up the experiments body, making a beeline towards its head. All the while, Gantu, Sparky, and Slushy continued towards Pleakley and Finn, who was the first of the two to spot their approaching rescuers.
"Gantu," Finn whispered.
Finn reached out her hand, although she felt rather exhausted as if she was drained of energy.
"Yes, I'm here. Hold on, Finn. I'm coming," the captain responded.
"Thanks for noticing me!" Pleakley chirped.
"Wendy, be quiet, or it'll notice we're here and come after us!" Gantu hissed.
Stitch pounced on 509's head and bit it hard. Gantu ignored the shriek of Experiment 509 as it thrashed its head in an attempt to fling Stitch off.
"Now hold still, both of you. Sparky, Slushy, can either of you cut or bite through these…these…"
Too late did Gantu realize he was now caught against the wall by the vines. His already tired body felt the strange draining sensation the other two felt, only a lot more. By now, his whole body except his head was wrapped tightly in the thick vines. However, Splodyhead and Yang noticed this, so they fired their attacks at the vines, burning through the vines and freeing Gantu, Pleakley, Finn and the other cousins. The gigantic captain barely managed to land on his feet and catch Finn in his hands while Pleakley landed flat on his belly. Despite his exhaustion, the alien captain pulled out his gun and fired at any sproutlings that got too close while shielding Finn with his hand. Stitch hopped off 509's head, allowing Lilo, Splodyhead and Yang to combine their powers. The others watched in awe as Lilo, Splodyhead, and Yang launched a combined attack at the plant experiment's head. The resulting attack set the experiment on fire as it shrieked in agony. The vines encasing the city began to rot away, lowering the other civilians to the ground.
"Now, Lilo!" called Stitch.
Lilo removed the elemental key and placed it onto her headband. She pressed on the third button and drew a circle, letting it form into a ring and position itself at the tip of the wand as she aimed it at 509.
"Mea inainaʻia ka hopu!" called Lilo.
Lilo pulled the trigger, launching the ring at Experiment 509 and landing on it like a horseshoe. She waved her wand in a circular motion until the ring shrunk and tightened around the experiment, reversing it into its pod form. All around, those who had been partially drained leaned against the walls or just sat down. Among those sitting tiredly against the walls were the other cousins, Pleakley, Finn, and Gantu, all of whom looked like they'd been through a war zone. Lilo pressed on the gem of her armor shifter.
{Barrier jacket deactivated,} said the armor shifter's AI.
Lilo's armor reverted into her outfit. After she picked up the pod and stashed it into her pocket, she and Stitch scurried towards Gantu. His one eye had swollen a bit more, but Slushy had already gotten to work on icing it. Other than that, all he had were minor scrapes, some bruises and a tattered uniform. Once Lilo and Stitch were close, they climbed onto the gigantic alien's lap, Stitch climbing up his torso.
"Gantu ok?" asked Stitch.
"Tired," he answered, "and my eye hurts. By the way, thank you for icing it, Slushy."
The turquoise experiment merely nodded.
"But yes, I'm alright, Stitch," assured Gantu.
Lilo gently hugged Gantu, catching his attention.
"Thank you, Lilo," the big alien said softly, "if not for you, we all would have been lost here."
He carefully placed one hand around her. Finn turned her head at Lilo, eyes filled with curiosity.
"Wow," chirped Finn, "you guys are so cool, fighting together like family!"
Gantu raised his good eyebrow, then turned to smile at Finn.
"That's because we are family," he replied, "in fact, Lilo has a special name for us."
"Oh?" paused Finn.
"Ohana means family," clarified Lilo.
"Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten," added Stitch.
"Hey, that last bit was mine, Stitch," Gantu reminded him, though not in a mean way.
Stitch only grinned in response. Finn scanned the room, hoping to find her parents somewhere.
"I'll let you have it this time," the captain sighed.
Half an hour later, they heard the sounds of ship engines as Galactic Federation reinforcements arrived.
"A little late, aren't they?" Reuben muttered.
To their surprise, the Councilwoman herself was the first person in. Apparently, Gantu had dropped his communicator, and she had thought the worst when she found it. Seconds later, troopers entered the foyer.
"Oh blitznak, not now," Gantu groaned, "they can't at least let me rest before they lecture me?"
Lilo and Stitch slid off Gantu and scurried towards Grand Councilwoman.
"We defeated 509," explained Lilo, "we're ok now."
She seemed surprised to see the two of them.
"Lilo," the Councilwoman said gravely, "I'm so sorry."
She handed Lilo Gantu's broken communicator, no doubt crushed under the vines.
"We'll try to find him, but I make no promises," assured the Grand Councilwoman.
Lilo and Stitch exchanged confused glances in a moment of silence and then returned their gaze at the Grand Councilwoman.
"We already found him," assured Lilo, pointing at Gantu, "he's over there."
"I know, I know," he groaned, not recovered yet from his exhaustion and the experiment's draining effect, which had literally taken a lot out of him.
Finn slipped out of Gantu's hand and started searching for her parents, catching Stitch's attention. The blue experiment scurried over to the tiny girl.
"Finn…okie taka?" Stitch asked.
"Yeah," nodded Finn, "maybe you can help me find my mom and dad?"
"Naga Stitch," Stitch ran off and quickly returned with Finder, "cousin find."
"Thanks!" chirped Finn.
Finn and Finder started exploring the foyer in search of her parents while the Grand Councilwoman approached Gantu and the troopers rushed to the other civilians' aid.
"Look, whatever I did, I'm sorry-agh, don't move, Slushy, that hurts-I'll do whatever I need to in order to correct my error, ma'am," the captain tried to sit up straighter, not that it helped his appearance any. He was covered in dirt and his uniform was rags.
"There's no need for apologies, Captain Gantu," assured the Grand Councilwoman, "I commend you for stopping Experiment 509."
"I didn't," Gantu corrected, "Lilo did. I'd be dead if she hadn't been here. That thing, it…it's like a leech. It literally sucks the life out of you. It feeds on others' life forces."
The Grand Councilwoman glanced at Lilo, who placed her hand behind her head and slightly ruffled her hair.
"I was basically useless, beyond flying us here," Gantu admitted, "mostly, I got in the way."
"Thank you, Lilo," was all the Grand Councilwoman could say.
"You're welcome," chirped Lilo, "Stitch and his cousins helped."
Soon, Finder and Finn found her parents, although they were barely alive. The tiny girl scurried towards them and knelt by their side.
"Mom! Dad!" called Finn, "are you ok? Say something!"
"Finn?" came a weak questioning voice, "you're alive?"
Tears of joy streamed down Finn's face upon hearing the sound of her mother's voice.
"Mom!" cheered Finn.
Finn embraced herself to her mom.
"How?" her mother asked.
"I met Gantu, Lilo and her cute blue buddy, Stitch," explained Finn, "they saved us!"
"Who, who, and who?" the woman's eyes searched the room.
Finn stood to her feet and turned her head until she found Lilo and Stitch.
"Lilo! Stitch!" Finn called while waving her hand, "over here!"
They came running over to her, after Lilo saw the Coucilwoman was still at Gantu's side.
"This is my mom and dad," Finn explained, gesturing to her parents.
"Good to meet you, Lilo, Stitch, and…Finn, didn't you say there was another?" paused Finn's mom.
"Gantu," clarified Lilo, "but he's hurt right now."
"Oh. I see," the woman said, "I thank you, Lilo. You saved my daughter."
"No problem," nodded Lilo.
Finn shyly took Lilo's hand into hers, much to her confusion.
"What is it?" paused Lilo.
"I was wondering…if you'd come visit sometime?" stammered Finn.
"We'd have to ask Gantu," Lilo replied, "he's the one that flies the ship."
"I was just asking…because, maybe we could be friends?" clarified Finn.
"We could always write to each other," Lilo offered.
"That would be great!" Finn chirped.
Finn embraced herself to Lilo, causing her to return the hug. They both felt Stitch's arms wrap around them.
"Aaaaaaawwwww!" went the two girls.
"What?" Stitch paused, "I'm fluffy!"
Finn and Lilo couldn't help but giggle.
"Stitch is funny," commented Finn.
"I know," Lilo said, "that's just him."
Stitch couldn't help but smile as he nuzzled his face against Lilo's, feeling sense of happiness that they both found a new friend.
Be sure to leave a review so I can use them to create pictures for the Galactic Federation.