Chapter 10: Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. For this one I really had to make sure I nailed it. I hope you like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.
The next morning, Naia walked in to see Leo and Ruby sitting around Stitch who was on the table with Ruby's record player.
"Hey mom, check this out." Ruby said as she put Stitch's claw to the record. Opening his mouth, the music from the record played from it surprising Naia.
"Wha? How?" Naia asks.
"Ruby made Stitch an Elvis fan. Saw this coming a mile away." Leo chuckles when they heard a knock at the door.
Walking to it, Naia answered to reveal Mr. Bubbles at the door startling her.
"Oh uh is something wrong?" She asks nervously.
"Heard you all caused quite a bit of trouble at the Luau." He said when Arista walked out of their room to see Leo and Stitch walk up to him.
"What are here for now? To shut down the Marine Lab?" Leo glares.
"Without you posting bail for your mother you will have to find a new way for extra cash, like finding a sponsor." He said when Stitch growls at him and throws a book hitting Mr. Bubbles in the face. "Hey!"
"Good dog." Leo chuckles.
"What is that thing?" Mr. Bubbles glares.
"That's my puppy." Ruby said walking over.
"Really?" He said before turning to Naia. "I cannot allow you to keep employing people at a place that can no longer afford the payments. Do I make myself clear?"
"Absolutely." Naia nods.
"And the next time I see this dog I expect it to be a model citizen, capiche?" He asks.
"Uh okay." Ruby said.
"Yes sir." Leo glares.
"New sponsors, model citizen. Good day." Mr. Bubbles repeats before walking away.
Closing the door, Leo bent down and rubbed Stitch's head surprising him.
"Huh?" Stitch said looking up confused.
"I don't like him either. Though next time let me hit him." Leo said causing Stitch to laugh when he noticed Arista up. "Arista, where's Aquata?"
"Sleeping in, those beds are very comfy." Arista said.
"Oh well is everything alright?" Leo asks.
"I should be asking you that. Who was that man?" Arista asks.
"A man who's trying to ruin my life." Leo sighs walking to the kitchen.
"How can one man ruin your life?" Arista asks sitting down.
"This guy is a Social Worker; do you have those in Atlantica?" Leo asks as Arista shook her head. "Well basically he doesn't think Ruby and I are doing well living with our mom and if we don't find a way to convince him that we are doing well he's gonna take me and Ruby away."
"What? He can't do that." Arista said shocked.
"Unfortunately he can." Leo said pouring two glasses of juice.
"But what'll happen? Don't you want to come back to Atlantica someday?" Arista asks.
"Of course I do, more than anything, but things are different up on land." Leo said.
"Does different mean you never get to be happy?" Arista asks getting his attention. "Your mom told us, how you work yourself tired helping her and your sister you help so much but no one helps you."
Leo tried to figure out what to say when Arista walked up and hugged him.
"What if I tired to help you?" She asks.
"I'd like that." Leo smiles when Aquata walks in yawning with a smile on her face.
"Okay one way or another I am gonna find a way to bring mattresses to Atlantica. Those things are a million times better to sleep on than shells." She said.
"Before any of that I could really use both your help." Leo said.
"What do we have to do?" Aquata asks as Leo hands her some juice.
Walking through town, Aquata and Arista tried to help Leo and Naia find sponsors for the Marine Lab while Ruby tried to make Stitch into a model citizen. Unfortunately, Ruby's idea of a model citizen was Elvis Presley.
At Ms. Hasagawa's Fruit Stand, they tried to ask her if she could donate, but when Ruby tried teaching Stitch to dance, he spun out of control and knocked the poor old lady face first into a watermelon causing the 4 of them to cringe.
Next stop was the local coffee house.
"Please, we would really appreciate it." Naia said.
"I'm sorry Naia, but with my recent hire and tourist season over." The owner said.
"Any bit helps." Leo said.
"Lesson two, guitar." Ruby said handing one to Stitch and as he started to play he played a high note that ended up shattering everything made of glass in the shop.
"Nevermind." Arista sighs.
"We'll show ourselves out." Aquata sighs.
Next stop was Kauai's most popular hotel. While everyone was talking to the manager, Ruby was teaching Stitch to flirt with an old lady. Needless to say, that did not end well for anyone.
"I'm sure Elvis had his bad dates too." Ruby said as Leo grabbed her, and they ran out.
Last stop was at the lifeguard station at the beach.
"It would help save lots of sea life." Naia said.
"You know I think we might be able to help." The lifeguard said.
"Really? Thank you." Leo smiles.
"Alright final test." Ruby said as Stitch walked out dressed like Elvis. "It's all you, knock them dead!"
As Stitch started to play everyone seemed to enjoy him and the music, but the second people broke out their cameras the flashes made Stitch go out of control causing everyone to evacuate the beach removing any hope of getting that sponsor.
Sighing Leo, Ruby and Naia sit down against the fallen over lifeguard tower in defeat.
"Hey Ruby, how's it going?" David asks walking over with two surfboards. "Leo?"
"We've been having a bad day." Ruby said.
David looks to Arista and Aquata who nod saying it was true.
"Well I may not be a doctor, but I know that there's no better cure for a sour face than a couple of boards and a few choice waves. What do you say Leo, up for surfing like old times?" David offers.
"Why not." Leo smiles.
(Play Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride)
As David and Ruby paddled out on his board, Leo, Arista and Aquata were watching.
"This is how we humans have fun in the water." Leo said getting Stitch's attention too as they watched Ruby and David surf the waves.
"Okay that looks like fun." Aquata grins.
"Can you do that?" Arista asks.
"Can I surf?" Leo smirks as he grabbed the board and swam out there.
From the beach, Naia smiles as she saw her son surfing the waves again.
"He's still got it." David smiles as Leo rode the wave back to them.
"Ha! In your face." Leo smirks when Arista moves in and kicks off his board and into the water causing everyone to laugh.
Soon David, Ruby, Arista and Naia were laughing as Leo was teaching Aquata how to surf.
"Okay Aquata just keep your balance." Leo said holding the board in the water as Aquata tried to stand up.
"You guys make this look easy." Aquata said struggling to keep her balance. "W-Whoa!" Aquata yelps as she falls off the board and on top of Leo knocking them both into the water.
When they resurfaced Leo looks to see Aquata's hair had fallen down covering her entire face causing him to burst into laughter.
Parting her hair so she could see Aquata couldn't help but giggle as well.
On the beach, Stitch was watching them all with interest and then when they buried Ruby in the sand and built a Sandcastle on top of her Stitch tried to do the same by himself but realized it wasn't as fun.
Grabbing a board, Stitch walked up to Leo and nudged him softly.
"Huh? What's up little guy?" Leo asks as Stitch looks to the board and then to him. "You want to surf with me?" Leo smiles.
Up on top of a palm tree, Jumba, Pleakley and Red were spying on them while Pleakley was on the phone.
"Oh you know Mom, can't complain me and my science colleague are camping out with a convicted criminal and had my head chewed on by a monster!" Pleakley shouted so Jumba could hear him.
"What is this? 626 willingly heading towards water?" Jumba said confused as Leo, Ruby and Stitch made their way towards the water.
"Odd." Red said equally confused when he got a beeping noise. "Receiving another call."
Pleakely answers revealing it to be the Grand Councilwoman. "Oh uh hi."
"Mr. Pleakley you are overdue. I want a status report." She said.
"626 cannot swim. Why would he risk drowning?" Jumba asks.
"Jumba a little help here." Red said.
"I would have thought you all would have captured 626 by know." Grand Councilwoman said.
"Just uhm a few loose things to pack." Pleakley said nervously.
"Hold on. We are going swimming." Jumba said confusing them.
In the water, as Leo paddled they started riding down a big wave causing Stitch to freak out and grab Leo's leg.
As the wave formed a tube the three of them smiled causing Stitch to slowly let go and have fun, but just as he did Jumba jumped out of the wave and snatched him off the board causing Leo and Ruby to fall into the water.
(Song End)
When Leo and Ruby resurfaced, they gasped for air.
"What happened?" Ruby asks.
"Guess I'm a little more rusty at this than I thought." Leo said.
"Where's Stitch?" Ruby asks when Stitch burst out of the water and grabbed onto Ruby for dear life until Jumba yanked him down underwater with him still holding onto Ruby. "Ruby!"
"What happened?" Naia asks swimming out.
"Stitch dragged her down!" Leo said as she both dived after them.
Underwater Stitch fought against Jumba loosening his grip on Ruby allowing her to float up towards Naia who pulled them both up.
"Are you okay?" Naia asks.
"Where's Stitch?" Ruby asks as Leo dived down to look for him.
Underwater Stitch was struggling as Pleakley swam in with a pair of handcuffs and a scuba tank. Grabbing Jumba he forces the two of them into the cuffs before biting down on the tank sending them flying far away.
As Stitch felt like he was about to drown Leo swam in and grabbed him.
At the shore, Arista, Aquata and David ran to Naia as she placed Ruby down.
"Ruby sweetie, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Naia asks.
"I'm fine." Ruby said when Leo climbed out of the water with Stitch and places him down.
"Are you okay Stitch?" Leo asks as Stitch coughed up water and growled wondering what happened causing everyone to jump back.
When Naia did she saw Mr. Bubbles standing near the sand.
"David, take Ruby." Naia said before walking over. "It's not what it looks like…there was an accident…I swear." She said as he took off his glasses.
"I know you're trying Naia, but you have to think about what's best for your children. Even if it removes you from the picture." He said causing Naia to tear up. "I'll be back tomorrow morning for Leonard and Ruby. I'm sorry." Turning around he walked back to his car.
As David walked over with Ruby, Naia sniffled before taking her daughter home.
"Leo what just happ—" Before Aquata was about to ask when Leo ran after Mr. Bubbles. "Leo wait!" She said as she and Arista ran after him leaving Stich alone with David.
"You know I really believed they had a chance…and then you came along." David sighs before walking away making Stitch look in Leo's direction before walking over.
"Hey!" Leo yells getting Mr. Bubbles attention before he tackled him and pressed the social worker against his own car. "Why?! Why can't you just leave my family alone?!"
"Leonard calm down." Mr. Bubbles said as the girls and Stitch stopped in their tracks.
"Leo?" Both girls said shocked.
"No I won't! Why do you keep showing up and ruining my life?!" Leo said as tears poured down his eyes. "I remember you! Ten years ago you walked up to me and said right to my face that my dad was never coming home and now you show up to take me away from my mother! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?!"
Everyone was shocked to see Leo break down in front of them as he clinged to Mr. Bubbles sobbing.
"Please. There's gotta be something I can do to make you look the other way. Don't you have a heart?" Leo sobs.
Grabbing Leo by his shoulders Mr. Bubbles lifts him up so he could look him in the eyes.
"I do have a heart Leonard and that's why I can't stand to see a young man like yourself throw away your future like this. Say I turn around and walk away, let you keep bailing your mother out with your college money. At best you have a year before your money is all gone and your family is out on the streets. I'm doing this so you and your sister can have a better future than that." Letting go, Mr. Bubbles stood up. "You've taken care of your family for long enough."
Leo watched in sadness as Mr. Bubbles got in his car and drove away leaving him on the side of the road.
Aquata and Arista looked out and saw the boy who helped them get their family together was being taken away from his family and Stitch felt even worse seeing Leo broken down like that.
That night, Stitch was walking along the docks when a family of ducks walked past him reminding him of the Ugly Duckling story.
At the end of the docks, he saw Leo sitting with Naia and Ruby for what they thought was their last night together.
"Ruby, Leo…I'm sorry." Naia frowns.
"Don't worry, you're nice. Someone will want to sponsor the lab so you can keep it. I would." Ruby said trying to make her feel better.
Sniffling Naia pulled her kids in close. "Aloha ʻoe, aloha ʻoe E ke onaona noho i ka lipo. One fond embrace A hoʻi aʻe au Until we meet again." Naia sang. "I love you both so much."
"We love you too, Mom." Leo said as they all hugged.
In Leo's room, Stitch picked up the music box and opened it playing Endless Sky.
"It was a gift, from Ariel, she's Aquata and Arista's sister." Leo said looking at him. "I found a mirror at the wreckage where I lost my dad and it led me to her. What happened to your family?" Leo asks surprising Stitch. "I hear you crying at night. Is that why you wreck things? So if you destroy them they can't make you feel awful?" As Stich put the music box down, he climbed off the bed and picked up the Ugly Duckling. "After my dad died. I tried my best to keep my little family together, but I just couldn't do it on my own. If you want, you can be part of our family."
Stitch looked to Leo and made his way to the window not wanting to cause his family any more trouble.
"Ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind…but if you want to leave. I'll understand." Leo said as Stitch climbed out the window and left.
As Leo rested his head against the headboard, he went downstairs to get one last look at the Marine Lab.
Walking downstairs he looked to see Aquata and Arista taking care of the fish.
"There you go, all better." Arista said cleaning out the tank of one.
"Thank you, your majesty." The fish said as Aquata fed them.
"Hey." Leo said getting their attention. "Thanks…for coming up here. It meant a lot to me."
"Leo, we're sorry about what happened." Arista said.
"Yeah me too. I would've liked to see Atlantica at least one more time." Leo said.
Arista took out her mom's mirror and held it out to him but Leo pushed it back to her.
"You both need it more than me." Leo said before hugging them both. "I'll miss you all."
"We will too." They both said hugging him back.
In the wilderness, Stitch looked to see the Marine lab in the distance before walking deeper into the forest.
Placing the book down, Stitch opens it to the page where the Ugly Duckling found his family. Looking at the other he saw the Ugly Duckling crying. "L-L-Lost….I'm lost."