CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE END OF THE BEGINNING, PT. 1

The next day, after Nick had beaten Bonnie and Clyde, the two robbers were released into Cobra Bubble's custody on Parole, and were currently locked up with the rest of the experiments that Nick and Stitch had captured. Until Angel sang her song backwards, they were all threats. Luckily she was on her way.

Until then, Cobra had his hands full. True, the experiments were locked up in a special government facility in indestructible, inescapable cells, but nevertheless, they made a loud racket. Cobra passed the time by playing solitaire. "Hmm-hmm…put that there…and…ha! I won."

Too bad that the problem with playing solitaire is that you don't get to really gloat. So Sam was feeling a little bored…and annoyed.

Why annoyed?

Well...

"WE WANT FOOD! WE WANT FOOD! WE WANT FOOD!"

Cobra silenced the experiments with a terrible glare, then reshuffled the deck. He sighed. For some reason he REALLY wished that being an agent of the secret shadow government came with a good dental plan. He hoped that Nick, Lilo and Stitch at the very least, were enjoying themselves. He turned his radio on.

"Hey, listen up to Dougie, man! Double D knows what he's talkin' 'bout! It may be a dog-eat-dog world out THERE, but it's a Dougie Doug world in HERE, and you'd better believe I'm gonna take advantage of it! Now, I've got a special guest speaker today. Meet Mrs. Hasagawa!"

"Oh, hi dearies. Aloha."

"So Mrs. H, how's it hangin', babe? Still on the dating scene?"

"With a little bit of luck I'll be married in the fall!"

"Ooh! Who's the lucky man?"

Cobra chuckled. Suddenly something caught his attention from the cells.

"Hey, no mooning! Ugh. I hope the kids are happy right now, cuz things can't get much worse for ME."

Nick and Stitch however, had other problems at the moment. They'd woken up to terrible weather. Or rather…to see huge tornadoes ravaging the island! Stitch took one look at them and immediately said "Cousin bad." "Yeah…lemme guess…it's Phoon, right?" "Ih." "This is bad. We'd better go stop her."

Then Stitch noticed something. Something VERY bad. Stitch, arm shaking, pointed at Lilo's bed.

Lilo was gone.

Kidnapped.

"This is REALLY bad." Nick said quietly.

"Ih."

As a matter of fact, 621 had snuck inside the room and had kidnapped her, clamping his hand over her mouth so she couldn't speak. He and she were now in a cave near the beach, and Lilo was tied up in front of 621, who paced the floor. "Lemme go!" she shouted. "No." he said. "You're going to be bait for 626 or Nick, depending on who shows up. Perhaps they'll BOTH come…then again, with Phoon on the loose, they wouldn't dare try that. Of course, Phoon is not the only one we released."

"What?" "You know, it's quite interesting how you name the experiments you catch. I heard that Jumba and Hamsterviel, in the early days, used to name theirs…back when they really loved having the company." "So what changed?" "I wish I knew. In any case, we released FIVE experiments. You know them as Phoon, Tank, Kixx, Amnesio and Felix." "Felix and Amnesio? Didn't Hamsterviel…" "Yes. Hunkahunka spoke the truth. Hamsterviel did hurt them. Therefore they're eager to punish you and 626." "His name is STITCH!" Lilo shouted, stomping her foot. 621 shrugged. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. What's in a name? In any case…"

621 walked over to Lilo and lifted her chin, so that she was looking right at him. His black claws almost cut into her skin, but instead they just hovered above it, as his big black eyes stared into her tear-filled brown ones. "They're on their way here." He said softly. "They're going to really vent some anger and frustration. I doubt you'll survive long enough for anyone to rescue you, but hey, you never know…" "Why are you doing this?" Lilo begged. "Jumba's sorry that he made you feel bad! He's not a bad person, not really…and we'd let you and 561 into our ohana if you wanted to be a part of it." A voice suddenly spoke up.

"Oh, you would?"

Lilo gasped. It was 561! He'd been hiding in the shadows of the cave. He stepped forward, eyes gleaming. "I really don't understand you humans. Showing kindness towards those that hate you, towards those that would gladly kill you. It just doesn't seem logical." "Humans are not really logical creatures anyway." 621 said. "You're so much weaker than most species, and yet…there is something about you humans that few other species have…no matter how often you find yourself in danger, no matter how many times you fail, you keep getting right back up and trying, even harder than before. Why try when you'll keep failing?"

Lilo's eyes blazed with passion. "Because we won't fail if everyone works hard and works together! That's a part of being an ohana…working together, supporting each other! You don't understand that because you don't have anyone who cares about you…but…if you wanted, you could be a part of OUR ohana…" 621 released Lilo and walked towards the entrance of the cave. "Here come Amnesio and Felix...oh, and Kixx too." He said softly. "It's a pity…you're a good person, Lilo Pelekai. You and Nick. But I'm not meant to be a part of your family. I'm just experiment 621. Nothing else. And I just follow orders. Don't take this personally." With that, he walked out of the cave, leaving Lilo alone. Lilo suddenly noticed that the ropes had been sliced free. She was free! She was…was…

With 561.

The dark dragon slowly walked towards her, flexing his claws. "I think I'm going to have a little fun with you, Lilo. It's been so long since my last time…but first…I have something to show you." He walked out of the cave, and tossed something in. Lilo gasped in horror. It was Victoria! She's been tied up, and she was unconscious on the floor. Lilo ran over to her and helped her up as best she could. "Victoria? Victoria!" "Don't bother. She's in a deep sleep. Another benefit to darkness. I'll do her in front of you first. Now let go of her." She shook her head. "Fine…then this will get messy." Lilo, still holding onto Victoria, tried to run, but she was petrified with fear of the advancing dragon. All she could do was scream as 561 came closer.

Meanwhile…

Nick pulled his pajama pants up, and brushed some of his hair back with his hand as he faced down Phoon. He had immediately rushed out to go find Phoon and stop her, while Stitch went to rescue Lilo, having caught her and 621's scent. So Nick was left to face down the experiments.

Phoon was normally a little pink elephant in the shape of a football. She had pretty green eyes, a small, stubby tail, and a happy laugh. Now her eyes were huge and frightening, her upper legs and turned into muscular, enormous arms and hands to match, and super huge claws. Her bottom legs had grown big and thick like tree trunks, and she was also pretty fat. Her trunk was now thicker than a pipe used in construction, and she grinned, showing snaggle-toothed fangs. Nick groaned.

"I don't have time to deal with this…I gotta find Lilo!" Phoon responded by grabbing a car and throwing it at him. Nick ducked, and it sailed over his head, hitting the street and exploding. Nick raised his fingers. "Time to shoot an elephant out of season!" He said. "TOXIC BULLET!"

BANG! The purple, toxic energy bullet soared through the air…and Phoon smacked it away. "Okay, then, uh…" Nick took up a pitching position. "Try THIS on for size! BRING THE HEAT!" Nick tossed a fireball…which Phoon blew away with a wind blast from her trunk. Nick was caught in the blast and he sailed through the air, landing with a THUD.

"Ow…good thing the concrete broke my faaalll…OW." He staggered up. "That's it! Now I'm serious! ICICLE UPPERCUT!" Nick slammed his fist into the ground, and icile spikes shot up, racing towards Phoon. Phoon tried to blow them away, but to no avail. They slammed into her, and she went sailing through the air. Nick saw his chance. He ran after her, and when she landed, groaning, he raced up to her, picking her up.

"Take a nap." Nick said, swinging her back and forth. "Rock a bye-baby, on the tree top, when the wind blows the cradle will rock…"

Singing the lullaby worked like a charm, and Phoon soon fell asleep, reverting to her normal, cute little self. Gently rocking her, he walked back to the house and laid her down on the porch steps. He knocked on the door, and Nani opened it up.

"Who's ther-Nick, you did it!" "Shhh! She's still asleep. I gotta go stop Tank and the others." He handed Phoon to Nani, and ran off. "Wait! What am I supposed to do?" Nani asked. "I dunno! Sing her a lullaby or two!" Nani looked down at Phoon, who was just waking up. "Okay, uh…sing a lullaby." Nani picked Phoon up, and the little pink elephant squealed in confusion. "Shh…shh…it's alright, it's alright." Nani gently stroked Phoon, and began to sing. "Aloha oe…aloha oe…"

Meanwhile…

561 chuckled cruelly as the recently-arrived experiments Felix and Amnesio kicked Lilo over and over. Felix was a green-furred experiment with curved ridges jutting from the back of his head, and with dark green claws and a small trunk. Amnesio was a beetle-like experiment with big, dark compound eyes and delicate wings. However, both he and Felix were more than a match for Lilo, who could do nothing but take the punishment they both dealt out. Victoria, who had woken up, was being held tightly onto by 561's tail. She squirmed and shouted at the evil experiments to let Lilo go, but they simply sneered at her.

"Now you now how we've felt…NOT! You haven't even BEGUN to suffer!" Felix snarled. He spat on her. "You're gonna be a long time dyin, Lilo." Amnesio said. Suddenly darkness enveloped them, and they began screaming. Lilo scurried away, frightened. 561 stepped forward, face serious and frightening. "I shall be the one to kill her. Not you. You've had your fun." Felix and Amnesio ran to the other side of the cave, hugging each other and frightened. 561 grinned and stepped forward. "Now…to commence with your beautiful destruction, Lilo." He stretched his wings and dove at her, dropping Victoria who ran for the exit. Lilo ran to the side and 561 collided with the wall of the cave. Lilo grinned, and ran for the exit. "Ha! So long, sucke-"

"And who said YOU could leave?" it was Kixx, the short, muscular purple experiment that Nick had fought so long ago. He cracked his knuckles. "I just love humans. They make good punching bags!" He punched Lilo in the stomach, and she fell down, coughing terribly. 561 walked over to her, grinding his taloned feet into her back. "You're going to scream in agony for hours once I get started on you." He said, in a matter-of-fact way. "Your light shall be extinguished." "Get off of her!" Victoria shouted, rushing at him. "Poor, foolish girl." He leisurely wrapped his strong tail around her and flung her away. She landed hard in the sand and groaned. 561 looked down at Lilo again. "Now, where were we?"

"MEEGA NALA KWEESTA!"

Kixx turned around, snarling. 561 looked up, irritated…and a palm tree flattened him, and then a huge boulder flattened Kixx. Stitch ran over to Lilo and helped her up. She stood there for a few moments, coughing and wheezing. "Lilo…" Stitch said, hugging her tightly. "Stitch worried…glad Lilo okay." "Such foolish sentimentality. Now both of you will die here, and nobody will be able to help you…for my darkness shall consume you!" Kixx stood up, cracking his knuckles. "Hold it. I wanna have some fun." Felix and Amneiso walked out. "Us too." "Yeah, we wanna punish them both for letting us get captured!" 561 shrugged. "Very well. Far be it from ME to prevent you from obtaining revenge…go ahead. Fight all you want. But leave Lilo and Victoria alive…for me." Kixx shrugged. "Fine by me. Prepare for a pummeling, losers!"

Meanwhile…

Nick looked up at the huge threat he now faced. It was a huge, orange armadillo, with an armored back, a huge jaw, thick, tree-like legs and a huge nose. This was Tank, a metal eating experiment. His armored back was made of a special type of bone-metal as well, and was extremely hard. Someone had given it a paintjob by the looks of it. It was now red…with an "H" painted on the center region. Hamsterviel. Honestly! Then again, it was a nice touch. The doctor must be trying really hard at being evil, Nick thought.

Tank roared in his face. Nick raised both his hands into the air. "Bring it, you overgrown armadillo! Time to make myself a pair of boots!" Tank roared and rushed towards him. Nick concentrated, feeling the wind between his hands as it swirled and formed into orb shape…

He slammed it into the ground with a shout. "AERO TRAP!" Then jumped away. Tank rushed at him…

THA-WOOOOOSH!

A huge tornado sprung up from the ground, carrying Tank high into the sky. He went around and around and then the tornado vanished, and Tank plummeted to the ground…but Nick was ready. He jumped up, right fist encased in flames. "Try this on for size! SHORYUKEN!" Nick delivered the flaming dragon uppercut to Tank's falling body, and with a THWUDDA sound, Tank went flying, far, far away…towards the beach.

Where it was NOT looking good for Stitch. Felix was firing off lasers from his trunk, Annesio kept dive-bombing Lilo, and Kixx kept on punching Stitch every time he saw an opening, which was often. It looked bad. Finally Kixx executed one of his most devastating techniques. He spun around and around, becoming a huge whirlwind of punches, and he whizzed towards Lilo! Stitch immediately jumped in front…and took a huge volley of spinning punches. A moment later he collasped, groaning. Kixx laughed deeply. "Say goodnight, "cousin"." He sneered.

He raised his fist.

"Noooo!" Lilo shouted, whacking him over the head with a piece of driftwood. Kixx growled and grabbed her, slamming her down. "Stupid girl! You're next, wait your turn!" Lilo grabbed some sand and threw it in his eyes. Kixx screamed and clawed at his eyes while Lilo picked up Stitch. "Stitch, we gotta run!" "Run?" Amnesio said, hovering in the air, laughing cruelly. "How stupid." Felix said, as he stepped forward next to Amnesio, trunk poised to fire. "And where are you going to go?" 561 asked softly, giving Lilo bedroom eyes. Kixx, Amnesio and Felix advanced towards Stitch and Lilo, ready to rip them apart. Victoria staggered up. "No…won't let you…" She stepped forward…then collapsed in the sand. 561 grinned. "Maybe I should start with HER now."

Yeah, it looked bad.

It looked like it would take an ARMY to beat them.

That…or a Tank.

KABOOOOOOOM!

Kixx, Amnesio and Felix all lay under Tank, and all of them were unconscious. 561 gaped at the sight. Victoria immediately woke up and gazed at the sight.

It was like something from out of science fiction.

"Wow, an experiment fell from the sky." Lilo said. "That was convenient." Victoria said. "Convenient is good. Yeah…it's good." Stitch and Lilo slapped hands. "Hit me high!" Slap. "Hit me low!" Whoosh!" "Too slow." Stitch smiled. 561 rolled his eyes. "If you want something done right…do it yourself." "Back off, freak-a-leek! BRING THE HEAT!"

A fireball suddenly slammed into 561, sending him flying into the water. Nick grinned, and stepped off of the street, onto the beach. "Hey guys. I guess everything is cool?" Stitch and Lilo ran to him, hugging him. "I missed you guys too." Nick said warmly, walking over to Victoria and untying her. "I was so worried, Lilo. And Victoria, I'm glad you're okay. We should get you home. Oh, I got a new power, too. A cool grey aura flared up when I touched down after knocking away Tank…" "I'm just glad you're okay." "Ih. Stitch happy Nick oketaka." "Good thing you're alright, Nick." "I'm kinda glad I'M alright too, heh-heh." "Hey Nick, you beat Tank and Phoon, right?" "Yep." 'Well…where's Gantu and 625? And 627?" "Yeah…funny that we haven't seen either of them…" "Nick, maybe you'd better head home and check on Nani, Jumba and Pleakley."

The four of them walked back onto the street, headed for town. Nick looked at Lilo. "Lilo, I gotta tell you somethin-"

"HEY! HAOLE!"

It was Keoni! Nick gulped. What on earth did Keoni Jameson want now? The red-headed surfer boy approached Nick angrily, fuming. "You've got some nerve, lying jerk! You stupid haole, because of you…why…why I oughta…"

"What is your problem, man? And I am NOT A LIAR!" Nick shouted. Keoni drew back, momentarily scared, but then suddenly rushed forward, grabbing Nick. "You're putting her in danger with your stupid heroics, haole! Leave her OUTTA this!" Keoni shouted, throwing Nick down and storming off. Nick rubbed his butt and stood up. "Lilo, do you think I'm…well…getting you in danger?" "No." Lilo said. "I kinda LIKE all this adventure…sorta. Kinda." "Yeah, I know what you mean. So maybe we should-"

Suddenly Nick realized that it had gotten dark. Very dark. "What's going on?" Nick thought. Suddenly he saw what was causing it. He tapped Lilo on the shoulder. "Uh, Lilo? I think I know a good name for 561." "What?" Lilo asked, looking at Nick. Nick pointed at the sky. 561 was in the air, wings spread, head thrown back, laughing evilly. His dark aura was spreading across the sky, covering all, from the clouds to the birds to the sun. "Eclipse." Nick said.

Stitch's ears suddenly perked up, and he felt a chill. He could hear screams and shouts from the town. People were panicking, running as fast as they could to go somewhere, ANYWHERE. It was utter chaos. Stitch muttered something Nick didn't understand. "What was that?" "He said that this is horrible. He said that this is just plain evil." Victoria nodded slowly. "He's right. I thought things had been bad before but…"

"This is very bad." Lilo said. "Kokaua Town just became Suck City, USA." Nick said. "Ih." Stitch said. "This…this is bad. Yeah…it's very bad."