Ch. 23 Being Strong

Mayhem wakes up, looks around and sighs. He was still in Nani's purse, he stands and opens the purse. He examines the house, feeling something isn't right and so he flies out of the kitchen and goes to Nani's room. When he enters, he sees both Nani and David as well as Lilo were sleeping in one room.

He flies up to Nani and gently pulls her hair, "Nani."

She stirs a little, but not enough to fully awake herself from the slumber and so Mayhem proceeds with the action once more; however, he puts more force in it. "Nani!"

She was still sleeping as if nothing was going on and this only made Mayhem angrier, so he pulls really hard and shouts. "NANI!"

The result of the scream close to her ear made her shot up from her bed, as Mayhem pulled out some strands of hair and then he meets Nani's hand as she swats him to the wall. When she pulls back, Mayhem pushes himself off the wall.

He mutters, "There goes...my...dignity."

He falls to the floor as Nani shakes her head to rid ringing, in the process she accidentally slaps David which wakes him up and then he kicks Lilo off the bed. She wakes up from the act and says, "Ow. What was the big deal David?"

David looks at her as he tries to put an apologetic face, "I'm sorry, Lilo. Nani, why did you slap me?"

Nani sighs, "Sorry."

She adds, "I heard someone screaming into my ears loudly and then the moment I woke up, I felt some strands of my hair being ripped and that is when I flailed my arms around."

She looks down with a blush of embarrassment crosses her face, "I guess I freak out."

David consoles her, "Don't worry Nani."

Lilo comments, "Yea, sis. We're all still jumpy after these latest events."

Then they hear, "That voice was me!"

All look for the source and see a flying spec, confused by the thing.

David asks, "Did that spec just speak?"

"I'm not a spec!" It proclaims, "It's me. ...I'm Mayhem!"

David looks lost, "Mayhem?"

Lilo giggles, "Oh yeah. Mons turned him into a fairy."

Mayhem yells, "Not funny! I've been a fairy for a few days and I hate it!"

He flies to Lilo and lands on her shoulder while asking, "Please, tell me when can you get Mons and the others back?"

Lilo answers glumly, "We already got them."

Mayhem questions with elation, "Then can I stop being a fairy? I don't like this at all and I don't want Onyx to see me like this."

Lilo replies, "Fine, I think you should change back. ...Considering what has happened."

Mayhem asks, "Wait, what? What happened?"

Lilo looks to Nani for confirmation and she nods.

Lilo continues, "We manage to save the cousins as well as Ty and Crimson, and destroy the lab in the process."

Mayhem comments, "Then why don't you sound so happy?"

Lilo replies, "Because, Onyx."

Mayhem asks slightly worried, "What about him?"

She responds, "He decided that he wanted to be a merman and never come back to our home."

Mayhem reiterates, "You mean... He is out there in the ocean. He chose to stay in the ocean and never live his former life?"

She nods and Mayhem quickly retorts, "Is there a way of getting him back?"

She nods again and Mayhem looks down as he now sees why the atmosphere in the household has changed so dramatically. Lilo jumps out of the bed and leaves with Mayhem still on her shoulder as they go into the kitchen where Lilo just grabs an apple and eats it.

Mayhem asks, "What are we to do now? Are we not going to look for him?"

Lilo looks to him and states, "We are going to find him. We will, even if he doesn't want us to. I'll make sure Crimson and Stitch drag him, even if he is flailing around and screaming."

She turns her gaze and asks, "But why would he turn on his family, his ohana?"

Mayhem thinks, 'Was it me that caused him to leave? Is it my fault? I-I didn't mean for this to happen.'

Then he thinks back to the day where he and Onyx were talking and Onyx said something, but what was it... What was it?

He closes his eyes and thinks, the memory slowly surfacing from his mind and then it finally starts.

'"I'm just tired…."

"…of feeling like a trapped animal. The pain…it's just too much."

"I know pain means you're human, but how much pain can one bear. How much suffering does this person have to endure, seeing the one they love the most and yet can't even have them. Can't do anything to them; can't hug or kiss or any of those things."

"Exactly, so you're not my only problem here. …Now, if you don't mind me. I need to go and think somewhere."'

Mayhem softly states, "So... that is why?"

Lilo asks him, "What you said?"

He replies, "Nothing. Just can't wait to be back to normal."

After she is finished eating her apple, she walks onto the elevator and places Mayhem on the desk as she grabs some clothes. Mayhem was too far out of it to even notice Lilo changing, he didn't even notice she picked him up until he heard the door slam.

Both go onto the elevator and when it went down, Lilo slowly walks from it and both exit the door.

Jumba's Lab...

Both walk in and walk up to Mons' pod, both look to him seriously.

Lilo asks kindly, "Mons, do you think you can change Mayhem back into his original self? Please."

Mons looks to her and replies, "Okie-taka."

Mayhem flies off Lilo's shoulder and looks up to the pod, "Well? ...I'm waiting."

Mons breathes and says, "normali immutationis."

A white light engulfs him, soon he starts to grow to his normal size and the clothing is evaporating. When the light finally dissipates, he is back in his normal form and then looks back to Mons. "Thanks for changing me back."

He walks back as Lilo follows him, both stop and Mayhem releases a sad sigh.

This perplexes Lilo, "What's on your mind?"

He answers, "I can't help but feel like the reason Onyx high-tail out of here, no pun intended, wasn't entirely my fault; however, I believe it is mostly me."

She retorts, "Well after that fight, I guess I would feel the same way as you do."

Mayhem looks down and asks, "Would it be all right if I saw Crimson and Ty?"

Lilo nods and the two of them walk to the medbay, when they reach it. Both look through the window and see Ty and Crimson hooked up to many machines and also Stitch, Kalen, Kindra, B, Chrys, Sapphire, Ajax, Angel, and Ranveera were sleeping around them.

Mayhem states, "Wow, they look horrible."

Lilo counters, "You would look bad too after a serious fight."

He replies as he looks at Lilo, "I guess you're right."

Mayhem turns back to Ty and Crimson then drops his ears, and says softly, "I feel really sorry that had to happen to them."

Lilo adds, "But, what can we do? No one can predict the future."

Mayhem comments, "True. I just can't wait for Onyx to come back to his senses."

He adds, "After all, we're a distant family; however, we're still family. So I must help out more."

Lilo looks back to him in shock, "What did you say?"

Mayhem answers as he looks back to her, "I'm saying that we're family, and as such, I must help around since we're down one member."

Lilo asks, "Are you coming down with something?"

She places her hand on his forehead then on his face and finally under his chin.

He pushes it off and asks, "What are you doing?"

Lilo answers, "Trying to make sure you're not sick."

He retorts with a stern look, "I'm not sick, I'm being serious about this. 100%, positively, absolutely, honestly being serious about this thing."

She replies, "I thought you out of all people would be against the whole ohana thing."

She adds, "Especially the kids."

He cringes at the sound of the word, but eases up fairly quick and looks to her.

He adds, "Yeah, but I do have something on my side that'll make the kids somewhat deem me likeable."

Lilo asks, "What is it?"

He answers, "I can't and won't tell."

His mind, 'Hopefully, I can act the same Onyx does since me and him share DNA. I bet I can turn on my paternal instincts and they're good or even better than Onyx's. Oh god, but this is the part that is going to kill me. Thinking like him. Thinking like him is going to be a nightmare, but since I'm already in this mess. Might as well be part of the solution, so that way it can be solved faster and so I can revert back to my normal self even faster.'

He turns and asks, "Um... What do nice people do for people whom are injured?"

Lilo answers, "Try to take care of them, comfort them and be nice."

All those words were like poison for Mayhem, he holds back the feeling to gag and looks at her.

He forces himself to say, "What should we do first?"

"Well...," Lilo starts, "It would be nice to help the cousins find their one true place. But I don't want to bother Stitch, seeing as this is more important."

"Nonsense," Mayhem interjects.

He adds, "If anything, I'll go and help out with the cousins."

Lilo states, "Crow, Clammy and El Carbon have been fixed by Jumba. Crow now protects crop fields, Clammy now stops making people feeling extremely nervous and El Carbon breathes out Carbon Dioxide. So we can find them a proper home. Vacuum is a shoe-in to find a home."

Mayhem asks, "How can we help Clammy find a good home?"

Lilo retorts, "He will, that's all you need to know."

Mayhem rolls his eyes and says, "Okay, so what about Mons?"

Lilo sighs, "Can't, we need him when Onyx returns so we can turn him back to normal."

Mayhem questions, "What if he doesn't?"

Lilo states, "We're not going over this again, he'll come back."

Mayhem retorts, "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry for being realistic. Any way, who is first?"

Lilo answers, "Vacuum, since the house cleaning business is just down the block."

Mayhem and her go to where the other experiments are and take out Vacuum, Crow, Clammy, and El Carbon. The six of them head to the house cleaning service where they meet with the lady in charge, she is tall while wearing her light blue uniform that has black smudges on it like her black hair along with her fair skin. On said uniform is the name-tag, 'Helga' on it.

Helga asks without any emotion and not even looking from her magazine, "What can I do for you today?"

Lilo voices happily, "The real question is, 'How can we help you?'"

Helga doesn't seem to care and replies, "If you're not here on business... (she points to the door) There's the door."

Lilo retorts, "Excuse me, I don't think you heard me."

She comments, "I did and now get out."

Lilo yells, "Excuse me! I'm just trying to help you here lady!"

Mayhem adds, "Yeah! We're just trying to be nice."

She quickly flips her magazine to shows her face with her hazel eyes, "See this face, it is my care-face. As in, I don't care what you say unless you need me."

She covers her face once again with the magazine and Lilo mutters, "Jerk."

Mayhem steps closer to Helga and asks, "Excuse me?"

She replies once again without moving the magazine, "What?"

He adds, "Can I borrow your face? My butt is on holiday."

Helga drops her magazine with anger, "What did you say! Are you trying to be funny?"

He retorts, "I'm just asking a simple question. Here, let me rephase it because apparently you didn't understand the first time around. Is that your face? Or did your neck just throw up?"

Helga stands up and cracks her knuckles, "So you think you're funny with your jokes."

Mayhem counters, "Actually, I'm looking at the biggest joke man has ever made. YOU!"

Lilo walks up to Mayhem and whispers, "What happen to being nice?"

He replies, "She wasn't being nice to us, so I see not need to being nice to her."

She whispers again, "You're not helping anything."

Helga shouts, "How dare you insult me like that! Are you trying to die you wanna-be comedian?"

Mayhem hollers, "Once again, I think your parents are the best comedy team for making you, their biggest joke!"

She jumps over the counter, lands in front of Mayhem and is flaring her nostrils like a bull. "You have until the count of three to leave before I call the cops and they send you to jail."

Mayhem states calmly, "Tsk. Tsk. Isn't the customer always right?"

Helga stops and comments, "Normally, but seeing as you're not customers. I think it doesn't apply to you."

Mayhem walks back and pulls Vacuum, a small white mouse-like experiment with a brush and a vacuum-like tail, "See here, my cousin, Vacuum, would like to work here in this place."

Helga spats hotly, "Sorry, I'm not hiring as of now."

Mayhem comments, "Okay, fine. But I would be sorry if I were you."

She asks, "Why?"

Mayhem answers, "He is the best of the best, but seeing as how you're not even hiring. We might as well take our leave."

He turns with Vacuum, walking up to Lilo, grabbing her as well and the rest slowly walk, "Sayounara."

Lilo mutters bewildered, "What are you doing?"

Mayhem responds quickly, "Trust me."

He counts softly, "3... 2... 1... and..."

"Stop!"

The group freezes, Mayhem glances to Lilo with a big smirk, she lightly laughs and they all turn to see Helga. Mayhem quickly hides the smirk as Helga walks up to them with a quesionable expression."

"Yes?"

She asks, "Is he really as good as you claim he is?"

Mayhem states, "He is the absolute. You'll won't find someone as good as him. He is bar none. Second to none."

Helga looks at Vacuum and says, "You're hired here and might as well stay with me."

Vacuum jumps with jubilation, "Yeah!"

He jumps to her and hugs her gently, "Meega home."

She smiles, "Yes you are."

Mayhem couldn't help but smile at the sight, he actually started to like doing this.

He looks to Lilo and she sees his smile, "What?"

She responds, "Nothing, just amazed about how well you took care of the situation."

She adds, "I guess you do have a heart after all."

He retorts, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She replies, "Huh-uh, sure."

He laughs with her and she smiles back to him. They leave and Mayhem voices his thoughts, "Who is next?"

Lilo ponders for a moment before replying, "I think we should go to the greenhouse for El Carbon, since he produces heavy amounts of CO2 and it is located close by."

Mayhem's P.O.V.

We continue onward to the greenhouse for El Carbon, but my mind wasn't functioning at all. In fact, to be honest I felt more like I was on auto-pilot than anything else in the world.
I couldn't help but thing about Onyx and about everything else, maybe this was meant to be. I mean, I gained enough trust from these people to help me secure my safety and when the time draws closer is when I'll explain everything and then leave Onyx to be with the fish. Meaning, I get to rule the world and get everything I want. Get everything I want. Get... Everything... I... Want. Gee.. When you put it like that, it doesn't feel like a win at all; instead, if feels like... Like... Nothing.

"Mayhem?"

A voice brought me out of my thoughts, "Huh?"

Lilo asks, "Are you still thinking about Onyx?"

I gave her my iciest glare, "Of course not. I know he'll come, he better come or I'll find him and drag him home and then pound him."

Lilo retorts, "Sure."

I loudly reply, "It is!"

I change the subject, "How much longer until the greenhouse?"

She comments, "Not much farther."

We finally reach the greenhouse, I really didn't think it was all that because it looks musty and rundown. But, then again there it is - all those plants are growing well.

Lilo says, "It may not look like much, but it is a good greenhouse."

Not.

I comment, "Of course it is."

Not.

I add, "I mean... Look at this place. It's... unique."

It was as wide as a medium food market and as high as a two story building, basically a cramp rainforest."

I ask, "Shouldn't the place be... I don't know... Bigger?"

Lilo responds, "Well, no one wanted to expand this place because the other greenhouse companies bought most of the business."

She looks back to the place, "Dr. Book!"

Man. How many people does she know? And yet none of them are kids? Hasn't she ever heard of 'Stranger Danger' before?

We see this guy coming close to us, Dr. Book seems to be in his early thirties with short spiked hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a red shirt with black shorts and seemingly looks like he's smart.

"Hello there Lilo, where's Stitch?" he asks as he looks to me.

She answers, "He's not feeling well, this is my new member. Mayhem."

He approaches me, ruffles my fur and smiles as I try to bite back this demeaning insult as I was holding back the action of screaming at him with white hot anger. It was hard to just glare at him and biting down on my tongue, my mind burning with hateful thoughts. Many hateful thoughts.

When he was finished, I eased up and couldn't help bit give a feral growl.

He asks in a babyish tone, "Does the doggy need a treat?"

Does old man want to die in his sleep?

Lilo must've known what I was thinking because she nudges my side, making me look at her and glaring me like 'do-anything-and-you-will-be-sorry' look.

I ask, "What?"

She grumbles, "Don't do anything like last time."

I reply, "I won't do any of that sort."

I so will do something like it. She's not the boss of me.

Lilo speaks, "If I see you pull something, I'll make sure you get it."

I put my hands up to defend myself, "I won't pull anything, I swear on my heart."

If I had a heart to actually swear.

I lightly chuckle and Lilo asks, "What is so funny?"

I answer, "Nothing. Let's just get this over."

Lilo says, "El Carbon come over and introduce yourself."

The short blue centipede-like experiment with huge eyes, no back markings, eight arms and four legs with three fingers and toes on each hand and foot and two short antennae that resembles a earless, four-spined Stitch walk up to her and looks at Dr. Book.

He says, "H-h-hi. Me-meega El Carbon."

He offers one of his numerous arms to the doctor, "Achi-baba?"

Dr. Book takes the happy and shakes it, "Um... Yes. I'm Dr. Book."

Lilo smiles, "I can see that both of you will be great friends."

He asks, "How?"

I reply, "Because my cousin here loves to exhale CO2 and your greenhouse there needs some of it desperately. Making all of the florid plants more eye appealing for people."

Dr. Book ponders and looks back to El Carbon, he smiles at him and El Carbon copies the action.

Dr. Book says, "Welcome to the family El Carbon."

El Carbon licks the doc's face and he laughs as well as everyone else. El Carbon happily licks the doctor and he pets his head.

Lilo, Clammy, Crow and I all wave goodbye as we left them.

I ask, "So what are we going to do with explosive nerves and crop eater pest?"

Lilo answers, "Mayhem, I told you already that they were modified by Jumba."

I retort, "The last time he changed an experiment, it went completely south."

I add, "So how do we know these won't malfunction?"

She comments, "So, he goofed once."

I respond, "Once?"

She reiterates, "Fine. Yes he made mistakes, but they won't be it. They will be fine."

I counter, "Don't count on it."

She states, "Don't over analyze for once."

I say, "Okay. I won't be so harsh with my statements."

So we all go to the farm once again and Lilo was describing how good Crow could take care of the crops while I was thinking of how we can bring Onyx back. But I kept getting was nothing.

In fact, I didn't even notice the red crow-like experiment was gone when Lilo came back.

"Mayhem!"

That brought me out of my thoughts quickly, "Huh?"

She adds, "We need to find Clammy his home."

I respond, "Right. Right, the un-jittery experiment that now can stop panic attacks."

Lilo states, "Hey, don't be like that."

I retort, "Sorry."

We head to the hospital, the reception lady is and she looked so happy for our return.

"Oh, look-y here. Dorothy and her dog Toto with another pet."

I retort, "Oh well, what do we have here. The Wicked Witch of the West."

She growls, "What do you want?"

Lilo calmly explains, "Well, we would like to give Clammy here a job at the hospital because he can help calm people down."

She says, "That is useful, fine he can stay and I'll be sure Dr. Stone would love to adopt this one too."

Lilo states, "That's good."

I speak, "Yes, that's good."

She takes the pink Retro (210)-like experiment away probably to where Dr. Stone.

Lilo and I left the hospital, heading back home.

Suddenly I feel myself falling onto my face, "Uff."

Lilo was laughing at me and I push myself off the ground, "What did I step on?"

I look back and see three pods: A blue, a yellow, and a red pod. Lilo walks back and sees the pods.

She says each pod by order, "Blue is 590, yellow is 365 and the red is 622?"

I stand up and dust myself off, "Fantastic, there doesn't seem to have an end to these things."

We both head back to the house and show Jumba the pods, he said he was going to study these pods.

We had some dinner and then we went to bed.

A/N: Sorry for the long update, I'm having some writer's block and so I try to do some rewrites to my first fanfic, "How My Life Ended". Hopefully, to get inspire for a new idea. Thanks for reading and please review. Also, you should try to join Experiment Alpha's Roleplay forum. Just saying.