Villefort bowed to his sister. "Ladies first, my dear."
"Oh, no. Age before beauty," replied Maharene.
"I insist!"
"No, I insist."
Both sighed. "We'll go in together." They joined hands and stepped into the black battle cruiser, without even bothering to knock.
Gantu had a plasma blaster drawn. "If you annoying Earth salespersons go away, I might not shoot!"
"Wait!" Maharene cried. "We come in peace!"
The eight-foot alien laughed. "Oh, please. Nobody falls for that cliché line."
"Vaporize us if you must," Villefort replied in a taunting voice. "But you'd miss out on a great business opportunity."
"Wait, big guy," 625 piped up through a mouthful of sandwich. "Let's hear them out before you do the usual violent reaction to anything you don't understand."
What I don't understand is why I keep that useless freeloader around, thought Gantu but holstered his weapon. He kept one hand on it in case he needed to draw it again. "So, if you earthforms aren't salespeople, what are you doing in my 'humble abode'?"
"We could ask what you're doing on our planet," answered the female twin coolly.
"I'm not an alien. I'm a Samoan!"
"Right," Villefort shook his head. "You're a Samoan. And that blue thing really is a dog!"
Gantu growled. "The abomination?"
625 devoured the rest of his sandwich. "I see you've met my cousin, Experiment 626."
"Experiment?" Villefort hissed to his sister. "Do you see what I see?"
"Yes, I do," she replied from the side of her mouth.
The yellow creature continued. "Everybody knows Jumba Jookiba was a kooky mad scientist who got himself banished from his home planet for making illegal genetic experiments. 626 was designed to wreak havoc. I could too, but destroying cities just isn't as satisfying as a well-made sandwich."
Maharene arched an eyebrow. "We're listening."
"Uh, isn't there a sandwich in the kitchen that needs your attention?" Gantu interrupted nervously.
625 ignored him. "My la-hoo-ser partner here keeps trying to catch them for an evil gerbil, but he's always getting his butt kicked by the little girl and my do-gooder cousin!"
"These experiments," Villefort inquired. "All have numbers?"
"Oh, sure. Course now a days some of them go by names. Like Splodyhead, Angel, and—"
"That's enough!" Gantu snapped.
"Stitch," finished the yellow koala-like creature.
"Thank you," Maharene began. "And you are..."
"Experiment 625, at your service. Gantu here sometimes calls me a few things I can't repeat in a G-rated story—"
Gantu stomped an elephant-like foot. "625! Can't you keep your mouth shut?! You're giving away strategic information!"
Maharene smiled as she opened the purse and removed the two experiment pods. "We needed that information, and we're willing to pay."
625 grinned. "You humans are smart. Fish-face here would sell his own grandmother for those experiment pods."
Gantu's hand curled into a fist. "Zip it, trog – or I'll zip it for you!"
Villefort pointed at the 'trog.' "We want him. In exchange for these pods."
"You want the sarcasm machine?" asked the former captain.
"We do?" Maharene asked.
Villefort elbowed her and extended his hand. "I do not joke about business."
"Sold to the earthform!" Gantu reciprocated the handshake with a grip that nearly crushed the man's hand bones.
"Now, now, G-man," 625 stammered. "We've had our differences."
Gantu took the pods. "Stop whining. You're finally useful for something."
625 shook his fist. "Well, who needs you?"
"Come see your Auntie Renie, oopsie-poopsie," sang Maharene. "I'll let you play with my ruby bracelet – if you promise not to swallow it."
The yellow koala-like creature crossed his arms. "I'm not a baby."
The twins exited the ship and headed for Kokoua Town, strolling until they reached a dessert shop called Sweet Temptations.
Lilo and Stitch were inside, calmly eating coconut cake. Stitch was also sipping from a cup of coffee.
"May we sit here?" Villefort asked.
Lilo nodded while Maharene set down 625.
"Cousin?" Stitch asked.
"What are you doing here, Sandwich Boy?" Lilo asked suspiciously.
"I, uh, ran away from Gantu," lied the experiment.
"We found him in the woods," quipped Villefort.
Maharene returned with a box of marzipan and set it in front of 625. "If you want anything else, you need only ask."
Hmm, thought 625. Maybe life with them won't be so bad.
"Ooh," Stitch cried, reaching for the rich chocolate.
625 slapped his paw. "Sorry, cuz. Those are for the beautiful experiments."
Stitch crossed his arms. "Phooey."
"It's just candy," Lilo said reassuringly.
"Not just candy," retorted 625. "It's marzipan."
"What's the difference?" the little girl asked innocently.
"Marzipan is its own substance, like uranium and Velveeta. I mean, ever had a Velveeta sandwich, with garlic bread? Delish."
Stitch just growled. "Selfish," he muttered in alien.
Villefort rose. "Renie and I have to step out for a few seconds." They walked out the restaurant, where Lilo and the experiments could not hear them. "Did you see Stitch's reactions? It's just as I suspected."
"What?" Maharene asked.
"He's jealous of the little yellow rat. And apparently 625 doesn't like him that much either."
"What's this got to do with us?"
"Don't you see, Renie? Stitch – 626 – was designed to destroy stuff. But somehow he became our cousin's pet. And if we were to break his delicate balance, he'd got back to wrecking things."
"I doubt that, Ville. Love is the most powerful force in the world, and Lilo apparently loves him very much."
"We saw him lift those suitcases. That thing is a freak, and we can break him. If we broke up his friendship with our cousin, that might be enough to drive him over the edge..."
"That'd be fun, but if we're going to do this, we'd need some stakes."
Villefort smirked. "That's the best part. Ten bucks the creature goes mad."
"You're on." Maharene grinned. "But why did we buy the cute little yellow experiment?"
"Don't you feel the hostility between them? If we were to elevate 625's status..."
"Then Stitch would feel inferior! That's brilliant!"
"Yes, sometimes I amaze myself with my cleverness."
The twins shook on their bet.
Back at Gantu's ship, the former captain was studying his pods. He knew 611 was designed to be the ultimate superweapon, thanks to the mishap involving 119. "What does 079 do?" He entered it through the container computer.
"Experiment 079. Primary function: Aurum transmutation."
"Aurrum?" Gantu repeated. "What's that? Only one way to find out." He took a glass of water and dropped 079's pod. The pod expanded into a golden orb, then there was a flash of light.
Experiment 079 was standing in the floor. He had shiny black eyes, and looked a little like a gopher. His fur was a golden brown. The fur caught the light, and seemed to sparkle like real gold. It almost hurt the eyes to look at him. 079 was rather pudgy. He stood on his hind paws and had a pair of front limbs that reached. He touched the glass with the front paws. When his fingers touched the clear glass, a dot of golden color appeared – then spread rapidly until the whole thing was bright and yellow.
Gantu picked up the glass and tapped it. It was metal. And solid. Some of it rubbed off on his hand. "Holy nebulas. This experiment turns everything it touches to solid, twenty-four carat gold!"
The experiment apparently was more comfortable walking on all fours, so he bent over. His front paws touched the titanium floor. Once the floor was gold, the tired creature curled up and fell asleep. Apparently, turning things to gold used up his energy, and only his front paws could perform transmutation.
The shark-like alien realized the floor was solid gold, which is softer than lead. His immense weight was making him sink into the floor. "Oh, blitznak." He took the other experiment pod, and repeated the activation process. "I'm sure Dr. Hamsterviel won't mind if I borrow his superweapon to get a few more experiments from the trog and little girl."
Experiment 611 was chartreuse and hot pink. The body was squarish, and the four feet looked more like tires. In fact, the whole thing resembled a small car. The headlights seemed to be the experiment's eyes. The exhaust pipe emitted carbon dioxide rather than uburnium exhaust. The body gleamed like metal, but Gantu found it felt warm to the touch. As paradoxical as it seemed, Experiment 611 seemed to be both living creature and metal machine. A very feminine creature and metal machine.
"611," he finally said at last. "Is a car. A GIRL CAR!"
611 emitted a growl, and squirted motor oil in Gantu's face.
The loud noise woke 079 with a start. He leaped up on his hind feet and jumped on 611, who morphed into a unicycle. 079 pedaled with his hind paws out of the ship.
Gantu grabbed his plasma blaster and started to give chase. "Come back here, you sneaky little trogs!"
Unfortunately, the three aliens were heading straight toward Lilo, Stitch, 625, and the twins, who were heading to the Pelekai residence.
079 hit a rock and was thrown off 611. He landed at Lilo's feet. One paw was in the air, and the other was on a rock. The rock changed to solid gold.
The twins and 625 ducked behind a palm tree.
"Cool," Lilo commented, picking up the rock. "This experiment turns things to gold! Like that king in the story. I'm going to call him Midas."
Stitch ran to the fallen 611. Before his eyes, she morphed into a remarkable likeness of a cherry-red 1958 Plymouth Fury.
The ground began to shake with Gantu's footfalls. The experiment hunter emerged. "Hand over the abomination, little girl!"
"No," she cried, throwing her hands around Midas. "You can't have him!"
Gantu opened a clear pill-shaped capsule and scooped up 079. "Oh, yes I can!"
Lilo grabbed the other end. "Oh, no, you can't!"
"Fine," Gantu growled, tilting the container so Midas slid out into the little girl's hands. Front paws first.
Lilo felt her hand get heavier. To her horror, it was turning into yellow metal – and the effect was spreading.
"LILO!" yelled Stitch. Before him, his best friend had turned to solid gold.
Gantu snickered in mock sympathy. "Sorry about that, trog!"
611, tires screeching, drove forward and slammed into Gantu's legs. Unfortunately, they were too solid for her to knock him down. The experiment hunter kicked her aside. She was too big for one of his capsules.
"This isn't the last you'll see of me, abomination!" Gantu yelled, retreating. "I'll be back for those two experiments."
Stitch wasn't even listening. He turned on 079, his extra set of limbs, antennae, and back spikes appearing. "Your fault!"
Midas sniffled and began to cry. Stitch took the capsule and scooped him up in it.
A tear dripped from 611's headlight eye. Stitch's grief was very visible.
Sadly, the blue alien picked up the gold statue of his best friend and the capsule to begin the hike home. 611 and followed, not knowing where else to go.
In the bushes, 625 commented to the twins, "So I guess those are the experiments. I knew Gantu wouldn't keep them for long."
"Never mind that," Villefort hissed. "Go with your cousin. Renie and I have some shopping to do."
625 shrugged and stepped out, following the tracks.
Once the four experiments were out of earshot, Maharene turned to her brother. "It's working better than we thought. Lilo's out of the picture, and already 626 is grieving."
Villefort nodded. "You don't seem too unhappy about our cousin becoming a block of solid gold."
"I'm not," she replied. "If it weren't for her and her sister, their parents would still be alive."
"Lilo and Nani aren't to blame for Auntie and Uncle's deaths," reasoned the older twin. "You've misplaced your blame."
"Well, I need to blame somebody! Anyway, we're getting off the subject, Ville. Let's go out and buy some goodies for our little yellow pet."
At the Pelekai house, Jumba met Stitch, who was carrying the gold Lilo. "Little girl turned to aurum?"
"Ih," replied Stitch.
Jumba glanced at Midas. "079. Little too set-off-happy with your golden touch, no?"
Pleakley stared at 611 and screamed.
"What are you screaming about?" asked the mad scientist.
Pleakley put his hands on his hips. "That thing looks like that evil car from a book I rented from the library. You see, on Earth, they let you read books for free but still expect you to go to the bookstore to buy them. It's fascinating!" He held up a book titled Christine. "A car becomes totally evil and goes on the rampage."
"That Stephen King earth person stole my idea!" Jumba insisted. "I wanted to make 611 both living, breathing creature and inanimate object. So I used genetic manipulation and cybernetic implants to make her into a buggy. In Qwelterkwan, auto accidents are the leading cause of death. I flunked my drivers test, so I needed a buggy that could drive itself anyway. She does not need uburnium to work, only oxygen. She has the best traction anyone can ask for, can be metamorphisizing into any vehicle, can outfly any police cruiser, and is self-repairing. Her body is curved and graceful, and she can change into any color I desire. Beauty in-car-nate! And to top it all off, she can run over people who upset and is armed to the grille with lasers and plasma cannons." He laughed. "She is my ultimate superweapon!"
Pleakley shook his head. "She's a real, live Christine! Aaaugh!"
Jumba rolled his four eyes. "Stop with the panicking, one-eye. 611 won't attack unless I tell her to."
"Oh...good. But I'll still call her Christine."
611's headlights blinked twice.
"Apparently, she is likening new name." Jumba slapped Pleakley on the back too hard.
"Toka oppropo 611 choota, gooba keso ba?" Stitch asked. ("If 611 is so good, why was she dehydrated?")
Jumba shrugged. "Former in-laws made me get rid of her after she nearly ran over ex-wife."
Stitch pointed to Lilo.
"Do not worry about little girl," the former mad scientist said. "I have a formula stored in computer that can reverse 079's effects."
Stitch sighed in relief.
625 was in the bushes and had witnessed the whole thing. He waited outside by the door after Stitch, Pleakley, and Jumba had walked in.
Jumba went into the room he shared with Pleakley to turn on the computer. He realized the cable was chewed through. "626, have you been using electric cords for floss again?"
"Soka," he said, with his head hung.
"Luckily, I am a genius so I can fix it. Won't take but a couple hours-" Jumba was interrupted by the door opening. "Bigger girl is back."
Nani glanced at the gold Lilo statue in the living room and screamed.
Pleakley ran to the living room. "Nani, this is not what you think."
The older sister pointed towards the statue. "Is that really Lilo?"
"Ih," Stitch replied sadly.
"And how did this happen?"
Stitch pointed to the capsule containing Midas on the coffee table. "Cousin."
"I'm working on a cure," Jumba quipped.
"I trusted all of you to protect my sister!" Nani wailed. "How could you let this happen?!"
625 poked his head in the door. "I saw the whole thing. Stitch really could have saved her-"
This was too much for Nani. Her cheeks were flushed red as she pointed towards the front door. "OUTSIDE! NOW! You are not allowed in this house until Lilo's flesh again."
Stitch, head hung, walked out the door.
625 crossed his arms in amusement. "Guess you really are in the doghouse. I never thought I'd see the day when you were in trouble and I'm not."
Stitch ignored the taunts, threw himself on the ground and began to sob.
TBC
"Oh, no. Age before beauty," replied Maharene.
"I insist!"
"No, I insist."
Both sighed. "We'll go in together." They joined hands and stepped into the black battle cruiser, without even bothering to knock.
Gantu had a plasma blaster drawn. "If you annoying Earth salespersons go away, I might not shoot!"
"Wait!" Maharene cried. "We come in peace!"
The eight-foot alien laughed. "Oh, please. Nobody falls for that cliché line."
"Vaporize us if you must," Villefort replied in a taunting voice. "But you'd miss out on a great business opportunity."
"Wait, big guy," 625 piped up through a mouthful of sandwich. "Let's hear them out before you do the usual violent reaction to anything you don't understand."
What I don't understand is why I keep that useless freeloader around, thought Gantu but holstered his weapon. He kept one hand on it in case he needed to draw it again. "So, if you earthforms aren't salespeople, what are you doing in my 'humble abode'?"
"We could ask what you're doing on our planet," answered the female twin coolly.
"I'm not an alien. I'm a Samoan!"
"Right," Villefort shook his head. "You're a Samoan. And that blue thing really is a dog!"
Gantu growled. "The abomination?"
625 devoured the rest of his sandwich. "I see you've met my cousin, Experiment 626."
"Experiment?" Villefort hissed to his sister. "Do you see what I see?"
"Yes, I do," she replied from the side of her mouth.
The yellow creature continued. "Everybody knows Jumba Jookiba was a kooky mad scientist who got himself banished from his home planet for making illegal genetic experiments. 626 was designed to wreak havoc. I could too, but destroying cities just isn't as satisfying as a well-made sandwich."
Maharene arched an eyebrow. "We're listening."
"Uh, isn't there a sandwich in the kitchen that needs your attention?" Gantu interrupted nervously.
625 ignored him. "My la-hoo-ser partner here keeps trying to catch them for an evil gerbil, but he's always getting his butt kicked by the little girl and my do-gooder cousin!"
"These experiments," Villefort inquired. "All have numbers?"
"Oh, sure. Course now a days some of them go by names. Like Splodyhead, Angel, and—"
"That's enough!" Gantu snapped.
"Stitch," finished the yellow koala-like creature.
"Thank you," Maharene began. "And you are..."
"Experiment 625, at your service. Gantu here sometimes calls me a few things I can't repeat in a G-rated story—"
Gantu stomped an elephant-like foot. "625! Can't you keep your mouth shut?! You're giving away strategic information!"
Maharene smiled as she opened the purse and removed the two experiment pods. "We needed that information, and we're willing to pay."
625 grinned. "You humans are smart. Fish-face here would sell his own grandmother for those experiment pods."
Gantu's hand curled into a fist. "Zip it, trog – or I'll zip it for you!"
Villefort pointed at the 'trog.' "We want him. In exchange for these pods."
"You want the sarcasm machine?" asked the former captain.
"We do?" Maharene asked.
Villefort elbowed her and extended his hand. "I do not joke about business."
"Sold to the earthform!" Gantu reciprocated the handshake with a grip that nearly crushed the man's hand bones.
"Now, now, G-man," 625 stammered. "We've had our differences."
Gantu took the pods. "Stop whining. You're finally useful for something."
625 shook his fist. "Well, who needs you?"
"Come see your Auntie Renie, oopsie-poopsie," sang Maharene. "I'll let you play with my ruby bracelet – if you promise not to swallow it."
The yellow koala-like creature crossed his arms. "I'm not a baby."
The twins exited the ship and headed for Kokoua Town, strolling until they reached a dessert shop called Sweet Temptations.
Lilo and Stitch were inside, calmly eating coconut cake. Stitch was also sipping from a cup of coffee.
"May we sit here?" Villefort asked.
Lilo nodded while Maharene set down 625.
"Cousin?" Stitch asked.
"What are you doing here, Sandwich Boy?" Lilo asked suspiciously.
"I, uh, ran away from Gantu," lied the experiment.
"We found him in the woods," quipped Villefort.
Maharene returned with a box of marzipan and set it in front of 625. "If you want anything else, you need only ask."
Hmm, thought 625. Maybe life with them won't be so bad.
"Ooh," Stitch cried, reaching for the rich chocolate.
625 slapped his paw. "Sorry, cuz. Those are for the beautiful experiments."
Stitch crossed his arms. "Phooey."
"It's just candy," Lilo said reassuringly.
"Not just candy," retorted 625. "It's marzipan."
"What's the difference?" the little girl asked innocently.
"Marzipan is its own substance, like uranium and Velveeta. I mean, ever had a Velveeta sandwich, with garlic bread? Delish."
Stitch just growled. "Selfish," he muttered in alien.
Villefort rose. "Renie and I have to step out for a few seconds." They walked out the restaurant, where Lilo and the experiments could not hear them. "Did you see Stitch's reactions? It's just as I suspected."
"What?" Maharene asked.
"He's jealous of the little yellow rat. And apparently 625 doesn't like him that much either."
"What's this got to do with us?"
"Don't you see, Renie? Stitch – 626 – was designed to destroy stuff. But somehow he became our cousin's pet. And if we were to break his delicate balance, he'd got back to wrecking things."
"I doubt that, Ville. Love is the most powerful force in the world, and Lilo apparently loves him very much."
"We saw him lift those suitcases. That thing is a freak, and we can break him. If we broke up his friendship with our cousin, that might be enough to drive him over the edge..."
"That'd be fun, but if we're going to do this, we'd need some stakes."
Villefort smirked. "That's the best part. Ten bucks the creature goes mad."
"You're on." Maharene grinned. "But why did we buy the cute little yellow experiment?"
"Don't you feel the hostility between them? If we were to elevate 625's status..."
"Then Stitch would feel inferior! That's brilliant!"
"Yes, sometimes I amaze myself with my cleverness."
The twins shook on their bet.
Back at Gantu's ship, the former captain was studying his pods. He knew 611 was designed to be the ultimate superweapon, thanks to the mishap involving 119. "What does 079 do?" He entered it through the container computer.
"Experiment 079. Primary function: Aurum transmutation."
"Aurrum?" Gantu repeated. "What's that? Only one way to find out." He took a glass of water and dropped 079's pod. The pod expanded into a golden orb, then there was a flash of light.
Experiment 079 was standing in the floor. He had shiny black eyes, and looked a little like a gopher. His fur was a golden brown. The fur caught the light, and seemed to sparkle like real gold. It almost hurt the eyes to look at him. 079 was rather pudgy. He stood on his hind paws and had a pair of front limbs that reached. He touched the glass with the front paws. When his fingers touched the clear glass, a dot of golden color appeared – then spread rapidly until the whole thing was bright and yellow.
Gantu picked up the glass and tapped it. It was metal. And solid. Some of it rubbed off on his hand. "Holy nebulas. This experiment turns everything it touches to solid, twenty-four carat gold!"
The experiment apparently was more comfortable walking on all fours, so he bent over. His front paws touched the titanium floor. Once the floor was gold, the tired creature curled up and fell asleep. Apparently, turning things to gold used up his energy, and only his front paws could perform transmutation.
The shark-like alien realized the floor was solid gold, which is softer than lead. His immense weight was making him sink into the floor. "Oh, blitznak." He took the other experiment pod, and repeated the activation process. "I'm sure Dr. Hamsterviel won't mind if I borrow his superweapon to get a few more experiments from the trog and little girl."
Experiment 611 was chartreuse and hot pink. The body was squarish, and the four feet looked more like tires. In fact, the whole thing resembled a small car. The headlights seemed to be the experiment's eyes. The exhaust pipe emitted carbon dioxide rather than uburnium exhaust. The body gleamed like metal, but Gantu found it felt warm to the touch. As paradoxical as it seemed, Experiment 611 seemed to be both living creature and metal machine. A very feminine creature and metal machine.
"611," he finally said at last. "Is a car. A GIRL CAR!"
611 emitted a growl, and squirted motor oil in Gantu's face.
The loud noise woke 079 with a start. He leaped up on his hind feet and jumped on 611, who morphed into a unicycle. 079 pedaled with his hind paws out of the ship.
Gantu grabbed his plasma blaster and started to give chase. "Come back here, you sneaky little trogs!"
Unfortunately, the three aliens were heading straight toward Lilo, Stitch, 625, and the twins, who were heading to the Pelekai residence.
079 hit a rock and was thrown off 611. He landed at Lilo's feet. One paw was in the air, and the other was on a rock. The rock changed to solid gold.
The twins and 625 ducked behind a palm tree.
"Cool," Lilo commented, picking up the rock. "This experiment turns things to gold! Like that king in the story. I'm going to call him Midas."
Stitch ran to the fallen 611. Before his eyes, she morphed into a remarkable likeness of a cherry-red 1958 Plymouth Fury.
The ground began to shake with Gantu's footfalls. The experiment hunter emerged. "Hand over the abomination, little girl!"
"No," she cried, throwing her hands around Midas. "You can't have him!"
Gantu opened a clear pill-shaped capsule and scooped up 079. "Oh, yes I can!"
Lilo grabbed the other end. "Oh, no, you can't!"
"Fine," Gantu growled, tilting the container so Midas slid out into the little girl's hands. Front paws first.
Lilo felt her hand get heavier. To her horror, it was turning into yellow metal – and the effect was spreading.
"LILO!" yelled Stitch. Before him, his best friend had turned to solid gold.
Gantu snickered in mock sympathy. "Sorry about that, trog!"
611, tires screeching, drove forward and slammed into Gantu's legs. Unfortunately, they were too solid for her to knock him down. The experiment hunter kicked her aside. She was too big for one of his capsules.
"This isn't the last you'll see of me, abomination!" Gantu yelled, retreating. "I'll be back for those two experiments."
Stitch wasn't even listening. He turned on 079, his extra set of limbs, antennae, and back spikes appearing. "Your fault!"
Midas sniffled and began to cry. Stitch took the capsule and scooped him up in it.
A tear dripped from 611's headlight eye. Stitch's grief was very visible.
Sadly, the blue alien picked up the gold statue of his best friend and the capsule to begin the hike home. 611 and followed, not knowing where else to go.
In the bushes, 625 commented to the twins, "So I guess those are the experiments. I knew Gantu wouldn't keep them for long."
"Never mind that," Villefort hissed. "Go with your cousin. Renie and I have some shopping to do."
625 shrugged and stepped out, following the tracks.
Once the four experiments were out of earshot, Maharene turned to her brother. "It's working better than we thought. Lilo's out of the picture, and already 626 is grieving."
Villefort nodded. "You don't seem too unhappy about our cousin becoming a block of solid gold."
"I'm not," she replied. "If it weren't for her and her sister, their parents would still be alive."
"Lilo and Nani aren't to blame for Auntie and Uncle's deaths," reasoned the older twin. "You've misplaced your blame."
"Well, I need to blame somebody! Anyway, we're getting off the subject, Ville. Let's go out and buy some goodies for our little yellow pet."
At the Pelekai house, Jumba met Stitch, who was carrying the gold Lilo. "Little girl turned to aurum?"
"Ih," replied Stitch.
Jumba glanced at Midas. "079. Little too set-off-happy with your golden touch, no?"
Pleakley stared at 611 and screamed.
"What are you screaming about?" asked the mad scientist.
Pleakley put his hands on his hips. "That thing looks like that evil car from a book I rented from the library. You see, on Earth, they let you read books for free but still expect you to go to the bookstore to buy them. It's fascinating!" He held up a book titled Christine. "A car becomes totally evil and goes on the rampage."
"That Stephen King earth person stole my idea!" Jumba insisted. "I wanted to make 611 both living, breathing creature and inanimate object. So I used genetic manipulation and cybernetic implants to make her into a buggy. In Qwelterkwan, auto accidents are the leading cause of death. I flunked my drivers test, so I needed a buggy that could drive itself anyway. She does not need uburnium to work, only oxygen. She has the best traction anyone can ask for, can be metamorphisizing into any vehicle, can outfly any police cruiser, and is self-repairing. Her body is curved and graceful, and she can change into any color I desire. Beauty in-car-nate! And to top it all off, she can run over people who upset and is armed to the grille with lasers and plasma cannons." He laughed. "She is my ultimate superweapon!"
Pleakley shook his head. "She's a real, live Christine! Aaaugh!"
Jumba rolled his four eyes. "Stop with the panicking, one-eye. 611 won't attack unless I tell her to."
"Oh...good. But I'll still call her Christine."
611's headlights blinked twice.
"Apparently, she is likening new name." Jumba slapped Pleakley on the back too hard.
"Toka oppropo 611 choota, gooba keso ba?" Stitch asked. ("If 611 is so good, why was she dehydrated?")
Jumba shrugged. "Former in-laws made me get rid of her after she nearly ran over ex-wife."
Stitch pointed to Lilo.
"Do not worry about little girl," the former mad scientist said. "I have a formula stored in computer that can reverse 079's effects."
Stitch sighed in relief.
625 was in the bushes and had witnessed the whole thing. He waited outside by the door after Stitch, Pleakley, and Jumba had walked in.
Jumba went into the room he shared with Pleakley to turn on the computer. He realized the cable was chewed through. "626, have you been using electric cords for floss again?"
"Soka," he said, with his head hung.
"Luckily, I am a genius so I can fix it. Won't take but a couple hours-" Jumba was interrupted by the door opening. "Bigger girl is back."
Nani glanced at the gold Lilo statue in the living room and screamed.
Pleakley ran to the living room. "Nani, this is not what you think."
The older sister pointed towards the statue. "Is that really Lilo?"
"Ih," Stitch replied sadly.
"And how did this happen?"
Stitch pointed to the capsule containing Midas on the coffee table. "Cousin."
"I'm working on a cure," Jumba quipped.
"I trusted all of you to protect my sister!" Nani wailed. "How could you let this happen?!"
625 poked his head in the door. "I saw the whole thing. Stitch really could have saved her-"
This was too much for Nani. Her cheeks were flushed red as she pointed towards the front door. "OUTSIDE! NOW! You are not allowed in this house until Lilo's flesh again."
Stitch, head hung, walked out the door.
625 crossed his arms in amusement. "Guess you really are in the doghouse. I never thought I'd see the day when you were in trouble and I'm not."
Stitch ignored the taunts, threw himself on the ground and began to sob.
TBC