~Ok, I'm writing this now because the *bleep* internet isn't working right now, and I'm bored out of my mind. *sighs* On with the story! *half-hearted cheering* ~

It had been several months since 5-3-9 had come. The two experiments had settled into a daily rhythm. 5-3-9 would help out in Tooth & Claw during the day, as well as performing in the bar every Saturday. She learnt English and other languages from Stitch in the evenings.

It was a nice life.

Stitch had even given 5-3-9 a name; Shuu-Nohea*, or just Shuu.

On this particular day, Shuu was reading the newspaper (now a relative term, as there is no paper involved; it's all electronic) off the Weave ** over a breakfast drink of coffee*** when an article title caught her eye.

"Unknown Alien Attacks Police"

She quickly clicked on the title, bringing up the article. The first thing she noticed was the large, albeit blurry, picture of the alien. . . It was small, about two feet tall, it had six limbs, two antennae, and large ears.

And it was blue.

It was almost a copy of Stitch.

Shuu blinked and stared at the picture for several long seconds. She then began to read.

It explained that some time last week, the alien had made an unauthorized planet-fall in a town called Littleton, in the depths of the Canadian Rockies.

It had taken up residence in a large cave system, the only known entrance being at the base of a cliff. Some police officers had attempted to contact the creature, but to no success; they where just attacked and thrown from the place.

It didn't seem to respond to any earth languages, or respond in any way but attacks or long, drawn out howls.

Shuu had read enough. She called up Stitch, who was already working in Tooth & Claw.

Within minutes, she had read the article to him. In rapid Turian, she gave her opinion.

"I believe that this alien is another one of Jumba's experiments. . . I couldn't recognize him from the picture; it was too blurry. I know he's one of the later experiments, probably over 6-1-0, I'm sure.  I think that it's our duty, as his 'siblings', to . . . calm him down. He's obviously not thinking properly, judging by his actions."

Stitch thought for a split-second, then nodded his assent.

"I'll be down in a minute to get some supplies. Go start the hover-car."

*** Some Time Later, On The Outskirts Of Littleton ***

Stitch whistled from the depths of the hover-car at the scene before them.

The entire area in front of the cliff was swarming with reporters; the only thing stopping them from actually going into the caves to try to get an interview from the 'creature' was some very haggard-looking police and their flimsy-looking barricade.

Stitch steered the hover-car just over their heads, and landed next to the barricade. When he and Shuu got out, they were immediately pounced upon by the blood-thirsty media.

"Who are you two?"

"What is your connection to the Littleton Creature?"

Stitch rolled his eyes and placed a protective paw on Shuu's shoulder as they walked towards the police.

"Just ignore them. . ." He whispered in Turian in her ear.

". . . And they'll go away?" She whispered back hopefully.

". . . Nope."

When they got to the police, one of the younger officers approached them, calling to them in English,

"You are under arrest for. . ." He then paused, and seemed at a loss for what crime they had committed.

Stitch rolled his eyes.

"I double-parked my hover car once thirty-five years ago," the blue alien said sarcastically. "But I think I only get a fine for that."

He and Shuu brushed past the officer and approached a senior member of the team.

"Good day to you. . ." He glanced at the man's name-tag, "Corporal Warren. I am Stitch, and this is my friend Shuu. We saw an article this morning on the *ahem* individual currently residing in the caves, and we believe that he is a sibling of ours. Is it possible for one of us to go speak with him?"

The senior officer squinted down at Stitch suspiciously, then lit up.

"You're that Stitch fellow! The experiment of that Jumba. . . In my younger days, I was on one of the crews watching you when you first came to Canada!" He smiled a grin that revealed teeth too white to be anything but artificial dentures. "You may go in. .  . But I warn you, he's already sent three of my officers to the hospital. . ."

Stitch nodded. "I don't believe I'll have a problem with that, but than you for the warning anyway."

The blue alien turned to Shuu and said in Turian,

"I'm going in there alone."

Shuu blinked.

"What? No! You can't!"

Stitch sighed. "I can and I will. We know for sure that this experiment isn't in his right mind, and that you're an. . . obsolete. . . model in comparison to him. I don't want you hurt."

Shuu held up a claw in preparation for a barrage of protests, then stopped. She realized that nothing she could say would convince him otherwise. . . even she saw the reasoning.

". . . Damn your superior reasoning brain. . ." She growled, then sighed. "Just be careful."

"Hey, even he's obsolete in comparison to me, right? I'm. . . superior in design than the others, and when I was designed, I was made to be immune to the venom of the backspins of all the existing experiments. . . You have nothing to worry about."

With those words, he shifted his bandolier to a more comfortable position, then scuttled into the caves, muttering as he did so,

"I knew it was a bad idea to teach her English swear words. . ."

Cautiously, he looked around in the gloomy darkness, trying to spot the other experiment, his eyes piercing the shadows.

His ear twitched at a slight sound above him, and he whirled around, aiming two blasters at the experiment that had just lunged towards him from the ceiling.

The unknown experiment had been driven close to insanity by the thought that he was the only one remaining of his species. He gave in to his programming, and it said,

"DESTROY!"

Stitch quickly fired off a volley of shots at the experiment, hitting him many times. He barely slowed down.


Now the unknown experiment had lost the element of surprise, he leapt towards what he perceived as a threat, letting loose a howling war-cry that was animal in nature.

Now Stitch also had programming, but had put it to proper use. He had thought up a plan ahead of time. Stitch, being Stitch, had never forgotten his first three days with Lilo. He remembered the first night with her, when she had restrained his animal side by placing a Lei**** around his neck.

He had brought one along for just such a purpose. The blue alien had it ready in one paw for the opportunity when it would be possible to place it around the other experiment's neck.

They both lunged for each other at the same time, wrestling on the ground when they hit each other. The blasters lay forgotten on the stone floor. After a few minutes, Stitch knew that the unknown experiment had to be in the 6-2-0's, to hold out for this long against him.

He had a hard time of it, but finally Stitch got the other, snarling, experiment in a position that he could loop the Lei over his neck. Stitch was on the other's back, restraining the other experiment's arms and legs with his own.

But he made a crucial error. He forgot the back-spines, which had been retracted into the other experiment for the duration of the fight.

As a last-ditch resort, the other experiment almost reflexively extended his venomous spurs, strait into Stitch's chest.

Stitch did nothing more than grunt. This gave him the opportunity to release one of the captive experiment's arms momentarily and loop the Lei over the other's neck.

The other experiment retracts the spurs and falls limp, purring. . . In a state of shock.

Stitch got up. His chest was tingling slightly. But, he'd been poisoned before. . . This was just his body dealing with the toxins.

He dragged the other experiment out of the caves, into the sunlight.

Shuu immediately ran over, and hugged Stitch.

"You're all right!"

Stitch rolled his eyes.

"Of course! . . . But I think we should check out this guy. . . I don't think he's eaten in a while."

Shuu rolled over the unknown experiment, who was still lying still and purring under the influence of the Lei.

Her eyes widened. "This is 6-2-5! I recognize him from the lab! . . . Pretty annoying guy, I might add."

"No wonder he was so hard to take out. . . He only precedes me by one!"

They both carried the ever-purring 6-2-5 back to the hover-car, pointedly ignoring all of the reporters.

When they got into the hover-car, they activated the tinting in the windows, so no-one could see in. They placed 6-2-5 on a seat in the back.

Stitch slumped, exhausted in the passenger seat as Shuu tentatively spoke to 6-2-5 in their native language.

"Hello? 6-2-5? Are you all right? It's me, 5-3-9."

6-2-5 blinked, and his slightly glazed eyes sharpened.

"5-3-9? Is that really you?" He asked. ". . .I . . . Thought everyone was dead. . ."

Shuu smiled. "So did I. . . But I was found by Stitch!"

She waved a paw to Stitch, who lifted one of his own in acknowledgement.

"Stitch?" 6-2-5 looked puzzled. "What's his number?"

"6-2-6."

*** Back At Tooth & Claw***

On the way back, Shuu, and after he had recovered a bit, Stitch, explained how they had both arrived on Earth. 6-2-5's story was shockingly close to Shuu's; he'd escaped at the same attack that she had.

When they entered Stitch's shop, it was already pretty late.

Just Stan was immediately introduced to 6-2-5.

Within minutes, they were exchanging different sandwich making and eating techniques.

Who knew that they both liked bread so much?

Stan opted to bring 6-2-5 back to his house. When they left, they were already fast friends. *****

*** The Next Morning ***

Shuu woke up and looked around blearily. ****** Usually, it was Stitch that woke her up to the smell of breakfast in the oven, the blue experiment having been awake for nearly an hour already.

She took a deep breath in through her nose. . . and couldn't smell breakfast.

Unusual.

She looked across to Stitch's chair, and notices that his cuteness level just went up a notch.

He was wrapped up in a large duvet on his sofa chair, like a large cocoon, only one ear sticking out, twitching a little in his sleep.

When she glances over at the clock, she's surprised to see that it's already an hour and a half later than when they usually wake up.

She grabs one of her pillows and jumps onto the arm of the chair, whopping his ear playfully with it, with the intention of waking him up.

"Lazybones."

He didn't react.

Shuu frowns, and peels back the blanket, revealing Stitch's face briefly.

He just groans and turns over, face down, away from the light.

She whops him again.

Nothing.

"Stitch? Are you all right?"

A small moan.

Shuu detangles Stitch from the duvet and turns him on his front.

There, on his chest, are three inflamed puncture marks.

Then she remembers what he said yesterday.

". . .I'm. . . superior in design than the others, and when I was designed, I was made to be immune to the venom of the backspins of all the existing experiments. . . You have nothing to worry about. . ."

But. . . 6-2-5 was the model right before Stitch. . .

She gasped at the realization.

When Stitch was first designed, 6-2-5 hadn't been created yet. . .

*'Shuu', in their native Turian, means 'One', and 'Nohea' is Hawaiian for. . . I forget, and I can't get on the internet right now, but I think it means 'lovely' or something. . . Oh, and I hope you realize that I don't speak Turian (*many readers gasp and faint with shock*), but I just liked the sound of 'Shuu', ok? O_o 

** A 'modern' internet, ok? Come on, there's bound to have been improvements in a century, right? . . . Net. . . Weave. . . get it?

*** Only she is allowed to drink coffee. . . It doesn't sit well with Stitch's system. Makes him too hyperactive and jittery. . . Remember the 'San Francisco' incident? I do. . . *shudders*

**** I think that's what they're called. . . Those flower-necklace things?

*****. . . Not in the romantic way, you perverts! O_o Oh, and I have no idea where the idea of 6-2-5's personality and love for sandwiches comes from, so if it was you, reader, tell me! . . . Or, if you know, tell me where, ok? Thanks. :3

******Oh, and Shuu always sleeps on the bed, and Stitch usually just sleeps in the large comfy chair. . . They're not a couple or anything. . . Yet. . . *knowing grin*

~Wooohooo! 'Nother chapter! The next one's going to be the last one, and you'll find out how Lilo died. . . The more reviews I get, the sooner the next chapter gets out! :3 ~