Chapter 19: Ransom

Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Sorry about the wait but things are gonna get excited from here and if any of you have seen the Little Mermaid series you'll recognize a moment I put into this chapter. I hope you like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.

As Gantu's ship approached a large ship, he and a trapped Jumba enter it.

"Prepare yourself for cruel and interminable torture." Gantu said.

"I'm not afraid of any torture." Jumba said when he was put in a containment unit hanging him upside down. "Excepting maybe a little bit."

"I'm certain Dr. Hamsterviel will find your little bit." Gantu said when the door opens and when both look to see a Hamsterviel enter but he was barely bigger than your average gerbal.

"Gantu, you're late!" Hamsterviel snaps.

"Ah. Dr. Jacques Von Hamsterwheel." Jumba mocks.

"Hamsterviel! It is Hamsterviel!" He snaps running in. "You stole my evil genius experiments, Jumba!"

"Perhaps, since you paid for experiments, the evil is yours. The genius was all mine." Jumba declares.

"What?! Come down here and say that!" Hamsterviel orders.

"Funny, you are shorter than I'm remembering but you still have twitchy nose, like gerbil." Jumba insults.

"I am not gerbil-like! I am hamster-like! You with your four eyes and inexplicable accent!" Hamsterviel snaps when Gantu clears his throat getting their attention.

"Anyway, I did find this one experiment pod. Jumba refused to reveal the location of the others so I brought him to you for interrogation."

"Only one?! You incompetent fish head of a minion! I kick your stinky oversized feet!" Hamsterviel said kicking Gantu's foot not hurting him in the slightest before pausing. "Wait. What? Interrogation?"

Turning to Jumba, he leaps up to try and attack him but he was too small to reach him.

"Don't just stand there. Bring me a phone book!" Hamsterviel orders.

Meanwhile back on Earth, Leo, Ariel, Ruby, Alana, Adella and Stitch were walking through the woods with flashlights.

"Are you sure we should be looking around this late?" Adella asks nervously.

"It couldn't have gotten far." Ruby said.

"Good thing we're on an island. We barely have any huge electric items for it to destroy." Leo said.

"I'm impressed you're handling this so well." Alana said looking at Leo. "Earlier you were freaking out about not wanting to do this."

"That's on the outside, on the inside I still am." Leo admits.

Picking up a large boulder Stitch picks it up to see there was nothing under so he drops it causing the ground to rumble.

"Be quiet." Ruby whispers.

"Sorry." Stitch said before sniffing the ground for its scent.

"Wait if Stitch is one of these experiment things how come he's not wild and destructive like that one we just released?" Ariel asks as Stitch looks to her. "No offense."

"None taken." Stitch said.

"Well because Leo helped Stitch learn to be good." Ruby said as everyone looked to him.

"Well I didn't do it all by myself." Leo said blushes embarrassed.

"Aw look at that." Adella smirks as Alana giggles.

"You may not admit but you really are good at helping others." Ariel smiles.

"Come on, let's focus on finding that experiment." Leo said walking ahead.

"Well that a cute reaction." Adella smiles.

"I think I'm gonna enjoy living up here for a while." Alana said.

Climbing up a tree, Stitch uses his night vision to look ahead before noticing electricity crackling in the distance.

"Maybe it went this way." Ruby said as they walked in the opposite direction.

Climbing down, Stitch pulls Ruby in the right direction.

"Or not." Ariel said as they chose to follow the dog.

At the detention cell, a stack of phonebooks had been made so Hamsterviel could reach Jumba.

"If you do not tell me where the other experiments can be found I will begin with the threatening!" Hamsterviel threatens.

"Your threatenings don't threaten me." Jumba said.

"Then I will threaten your family." Hamsterviel said.

"Ha! I have no family!" Jumba laughs.

"Perhaps I will activate the one experiment pod and leave you to its torture." Hamsterviel counters.

"Experiment 625? He has all the powers of 626." Jumba said causing Hamsterviel to laugh.

"He'll torture your little doughboy body into talking. Activate the experiment!" Hamsterviel orders.

Putting a beaker full of water down Jumba drops the pod into it causing the pod to glow.

"Run!" Hamsteriviel said as he and Gantu ran out and shut the door behind them.

From the pod a small brown experiment came out and growled.

On the other side of the door, Gantu and Hamsterviel were listening in.

"Any second now, you'll hear his tortured cries of regret. "Please let me out! I'll tell you everything!" Any second. His pathetic screaming, begging for mercy. Any second. Should be right about…now!" He declares but they heard nothing.

"I don't hear anything." Gantu said.

"Shut up I can't hear a thing!" Hamsterviel said.

Opening the door they look to see instead of hurting Jumba, 625 was busy making sandwiches.

"Funny thing about 625. He has same powers as 626. Even has advanced language programming. Unfortunately, he is also lazy coward, but he makes great sandwiches." Jumba chuckles.

"Ham or tuna?" 625 asks causing Hasmterviel to growl.

"I am irked!" Hamsterviel yells.

Following Stitch they saw the light was coming from the other side of the fence.

"Okay what's the plan?" Ariel asks.

"Okay uh Ruby and Stitch are the smallest. They go first and see what's going on then we follow. Adella, Alana you two might wanna stay back in case things get crazy." Leo said.

"You don't need to tell me twice." Adella said.

As Stitch climbs up he pulls Ruby up but pulls too hard causing her to fall over and land on a tent where Myrtle and all her friends were in.

"Ruby? What are you doing here?" Myrtle asks.

"You're having a camp-out? But you said everyone was sick." Ruby said.

"We are sick. Sick of you." Myrtle said.

"Yeah." The other said.

"Ruby what's going on?" Leo said as he and Ariel popped their heads up.

"Oh great Ruby's dumb brother is here too and who's she? Another weirdo?" Myrtle asks.

"Myrtle, always a pleasure." Leo narrows

"I remember her." Ariel said recalling when she and Attina first show.

"She's not a weirdo? Ariel is my brother's girlfriend and she happens to be the coolest girl in the world." Ruby said as Leo helps Ariel down.

"If you don't mind, we're on the looking for a weird yellow creature that has tons of sparks flying out of it. And we think it's in this yard." Ariel said.

"You mean that." Myrtle said pointing a green light coming from a bug zapper.

"Oops." Ruby said.

"Wow Ruby I didn't think it was possible but there's someone out there that's weirder than your family. No wonder your weird brother likes her." Myrtle said.

"Hey!" Looking up they saw Alana and Adella climb up and glare at her.

"You don't not talk about our sister like that!" Adella said.

"Or Leo's!" Alana said.

"Wow Ruby, between your family, your dog and them you freaks can join a freakshow." Myrtle said.

"Yeah." Her entourage said.

"Stitch normally I don't allow it but you want to spit acid on one of them I'll let it slide." Leo said as Stitch growls causing the four of them run away in fear.

"He can't really do that can he?" Adella asks.

"Of course not, but I'm not letting her get away with insulting all of us like that." Leo said.

"For a little girl she's really mean." Ariel said as they walked away.

Little did they know Experiment 221 came out of hiding before entering the bug zapper.

Walking back to the house, Ariel looks to Leo and Rudy.

'Does this happen often to you guys?" Ariel asks.

"Yeah, people think we're weird." Leo sighs.

"I don't try to be, I actually want friends and to fit in." Ruby said.

Hearing this Alana slowly walks up.

"Hey you don't need to change yourself for others. Trust me I tried that." Alana said.

"Really?" Ruby asks.

"You did?" Ariel asks.

"Remember Ariel? It was when we went to the Eel-ectric City with Pearl." Alana said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Ariel said cringing at the memory. "Daddy beached us for that."

"What are you talking about?" Leo asks confused.

"See one time I was trying to fit in with this girl named Pearl, she was one of the most popular mermaids in Atlantica and I wanted to be cool like her. But when Ariel and I went to her party she talked us into taking our father's seahorse chariot to the Eel-ectric City because I wanted to be cool like her." Alana said.

"But we soon realized that Pearl wasn't as cool as we thought and realized it was a lot easier to just be ourselves." Ariel said.

"You're also leaving out the party where daddy gave you that lecture for 2 hours." Adella smirks causing them to wince.

"Yeah…you see what we mean?" Alana asks.

"I guess so. I'll admit I really having you girls here. It's like I have 7 big sisters now." Ruby smiles.

Hearing this the three girls couldn't help but smile as they walked back to the house.

"Wow, I guess sneaking out is a common thing in your family." Leo chuckles.

"What do you mean?" Ariel asks.

"Well Aquata, Atinna and Arista snuck out to meet me, you and Alana snuck out to go to a party and Adella you snuck out to help us. Wonder what Andrina's gonna sneak off to?" Leo chuckles.

"Oh like you're not a sneaky one?" Adella narrows her eyes.

"Please I never suck out." Leo said.

"Yes he has." Stitch said.

"He has?" All the girls said interested.

"This doesn't count Stitch." Leo said quickly.

"Then what about the time you snuck out of chores to go surfing with David?" Ruby asks causing Leo to freeze.

"Uh…" Leo gulps.

"Ooh what happened?" Ariel asks.

"Last year Leo snuck out to go to a surfing contest with David and when mom busted him she made him clean all the fish tanks in the Marine Center for a month." Ruby said as they all laughed.

"Little sisters." Leo growls.

"That is so cute Leo." Adella said.

"How'd she bust you?" Alana asks.

"Mom caught Leo right as he was surfing and when she yelled his name he wiped out on the spot." Ruby laughs causing everyone even Stitch to laugh.

"I take it back, a bigger ohana is the worst." Leo whines.

"It's official I love the surface." Adella giggles. "You got anymore funny stories about your brother?"

"Tons." Ruby said.

"Oh no you don't!" Leo said as Ruby screams running ahead. "You will not say one more word!"

"Leo! Ruby!" Stitch said running to stop him.

As the three of them watched Leo chase Ruby and Stitch chase Leo they couldn't help but laugh and smile.

Finally another family with members as fun and as crazy as their own.

Arriving at the house, the 6 of them slowly snuck in through the kitchen door.

"Okay just go right to bed." Leo whispers as he opens the door.

"Leonard! Ruby!" Naia yells startling them as the lights turn on revealing an angry Naia.

"Uh oh." Leonard and Ruby gulped.

"Where were you two?! It is so past your bed time Ruby and Leonard you know to call me if you ever leave the house this late!" Naia snaps.

Gulping in fear, Ariel and her sisters slowly walked away only to be met with Attina, Arista, Aquata and Andrina.

"I can't believe you three snuck out." Attina said.

"And you didn't take us with you." Arista said.

"Do you have any idea how long Attina lectured us for? Too long." Aquata said.

"Uh oh." The three of them cringed as they were about to get lectured as well.

In the living room, Pleakley was on the couch exhausted.

"Just one more before bed." Pleakley said dialing a number.

On the ship Jumba was being held Jumba was singing a little tune when the phone rang.

"Huh? Oh phone." Jumba said noticing it. "Hello?"

"Is Jumba there?" Pleakley yawns.

"This is Jumba speaking." Jumba said.

"Jumba!" Pleakley said waking up causing Leo, Naia, Ruby and Ariel to look in. "It's Jumba!"

"Seriously?!" They all said surprised.

"Pleakley! How did you get number for Gantu's detention cell?" Jumba asks.

"I just called the number listed here. Detention Cell Phone. Oh Cell Phone. I get it." Pleakley chuckles.

In the main room of the ship, Gantu, 625 and Hamsterviel were sitting around trying to figure out how to make Jumba talk.

"There must be a way to make that morally bankrupt scientist talk." Hamsterviel said.

"I think I'm gonna make a sandwich. Hey Gantu, how about a sandwich?" 625 asks.

"I don't want a sandwich!" Gantu said annoyed.

"You sure? Last of the Bologna." 625 offers.

"I don't like Bologna, too fatty." Gantu said when an alarm went off.

"Unauthorized communication intercepted. Detention Cell 2." The alarm said as Gantu and Hamsterviel ran to stop it and see Jumba on the phone.

"So then the monkey says to the rabbi—"

"What's going on in here?" Gantu interrupts.

"Excuse me. Interrupting punch line." Jumba glares.

"Sorry." Gantu apologizes.

"Stop apologizing!" Hamsterviel snaps.

"Sorry." Gantu said as Hamsterviel climbs up the phone books and grabs the phone.

"Give me that. Now listen to me, you caller of Jumba, you." Hamsterviel said.

Back on Earth, Pleakley was listening to his demands.

"Yes? Yes?" Pleakley looks to them and puts his hand over the phone. "It's the kidnapper."

"What's he want?" Leo asks as Pleakley listens in.

"Okay, uh huh. Mmm hm. Good. Fine." Pleakley said before hanging up.

"What's he saying?" Ariel asks.

"He wants all other 624 experiments as ransom or we'll never see Jumba alive again!" Pleakley panics.

"What?!" Leo, Ruby, Ariel and Naia gasp.

"Wait for my phone call. I will then tell you the ransom exchange location and call you many nasty names!" Hamsterviel laughs tossing the phone to Gantu. "Hang that up."

Walking over to the wall, Gantu hangs up the phone.

"No slam it!" Hamsterviel yells.

"Oh sorry." Picking the phone up, Gantu slams it down harder.

Back on Earth, Pleakley was panicking running back and forth.

"What are we gonna do?! What are we gonna do?! What are we gonna do?!" Pleakley panics.

Looking from the hallway, Ariel walks down the hall to see Ruby and Naia helping her sisters.

"We're really sorry your first night here was a disaster." Naia apologizes.

"Well I don't think any of us saw the Big Dummy coming." Aquata said.

"We're just sorry we couldn't help you guys much." Adella said.

"Believe me you're helping us more than you realize." Naia assures.

Making her way down the hall, Ariel looks to see Leo and Stitch in Jumba's room using his tools to get Red up and working again.

"Come on Red, give me something." Leo said as Stitch attached his head back to his body and he suddenly turned on.

"Rebooting. Rebooting." Red said when his eyes turned back on. "Leonard, Experiment 626, explain situation? What is the location of Jumba?"

"Outer space. Gantu captured him and now he's being held for ransom." Leo said.

"Oh dear. This is very troubling." Red said when it noticed it was just a head and body. "And where are my limbs? You two were only able to assemble part of me?"

"Hey I'm still learning this alien tech stuff." Leo said.

"Dumb robot." Stitch said.

"Stitch do you mind finishing up? I need some rest." Leo said as Stitch nods.

Entering his room, Leo lays down on his bed when he hears a knock on his door.

"Uh Leo?" Looking up Leo sees Ariel by the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Leo said as she walked in and sat down next to him.

"Quite the crazy day we've had huh?" Ariel asks as Leo sat up.

"I'm beginning to think you and I are magnets for this sort of thing." Leo said causing her to giggle.

"Possibly." Ariel said before putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm really sorry about tonight. Jumba getting taken and when we tried to help we let a crazy experiment run wild. You were right, we should have thought this through."

"No you were, if I was so hesitant about being responsible we could have saved Jumba." Leo said.

"I guess you and I both have things we need to fix." Ariel said.

"Yeah I guess so. I guess I need to work on being a little more adventurous." Leo admits.

"And I need to work on not being so quick to rush into things." Ariel said. "If you want I can help you try and be adventurous."

"And I can help you look at the big picture." Leo offers.

"It's a deal." Ariel said kissing him on the lips which Leo happily returns.

"Guess we both need each other so we can step outside our comfort zones." Leo said.

"Another reason for me to love you." Ariel said hugging him as they both laid down to think.

"You know this is the first time we're dealing with trouble that isn't after you or me."

"Yeah this is different compared to Marina and Ursula." Leo agrees.

As Ariel rolls over she sees her mom's mirror on his bedside table.

"Well maybe since it's so different you and I need to think differently." Ariel said grabbing it.

"You think you and I can figure this out?" Leo asks.

"We've done crazier and dumber things haven't we?" Ariel asks.

"True enough." Leo said as she handed him the mirror and he looked at their reflection and for a brief moment saw Ariel in her mermaid form and him in his oceanic form. "Hey Ariel, I might have one idea. Can I count on your help?"

"Whatever happens I promise I'll be by your side no matter what." Ariel nods.

"Well Ariel then you might be able to help me with something tomorrow." Leo said.

"What?" Ariel asks interested.

"Whoever has Jumba says wants all 624 experiments but we're one short so that means we got to go out and find the experiment that got away from us or no Jumba." Leo said getting her attention.

"Wait are you saying what I think you're saying?" Ariel asks.

"Ariel, we need to go experiment hunting." Leo said.

"Sounds interesting." Ariel said.

"Well then tomorrow before Pleakley goes to meet the kidnapper we're gonna need to search all over town for that thing and we don't stop until we find it." Leo said.

"Music to my ears." Ariel smiles loving the idea of a new adventure with her boyfriend.