The days were warm and sunny as always with cool often clear moonlit nights, two full weeks since the Sickness struck him down a creature called Gantu now with eyes that saw clear started to fully understand why his life was spared. His heart and soul burned more brilliantly now as he stood on the shore with arms folded across his chest and looked out over the sun lit seas, the fiery glow from the sun in his eyes seemed to make them shine more blue as he saw upon the distant horizon a road that would lead him on towards his future. What lay ahead on those distant shores and far off worlds he did not know but what was known to him was that the first chapter of his life was finished on this earth, to truly know life was to experience it in all it's colors and if he was to test the strength of his wings Gantu had to take to the winds and fly.
When the waves roll on over the waters
And the ocean cries
We look to our sons and daughters
To explain our lives
As if a child could tell us why
His recovery had been amazingly quick though it did take some time before he was able to eat solid foods again, his friend and in truth little hero had stood right by his side even now and took care of him. As he rose his eyes skyward the gray shorcan watched some seagulls flit and flap their long wings as they caught every breeze, such pretty things he thought.
That as sure as the sun rise
A loud crashing sound filled his ears as his gaze was jerked downward towards the waters once again, in the distant he could see creatures the earth forms called humpbacked whales leaping high into the air seeming to fly from ocean to sky in all their effortless power.
As sure as the sea
Gantu breathed out slowly as he watched them send great walls of sea spray into the air with tail flukes slapping against the waters surface, to his left the sweet songs of tropical birds floated over the tree tops and filling his heart with the sound of their beautiful music.
As sure as the wind in the trees
The magic and wonder of life shone all around him and for once in his life Gantu felt at total peace with the universe and his eyes glittered with quiet joy, smiling he leaned a hand on his hip as he watched the whales at their ways when the palm rubbed against something hard and metallic. Looking down Gantu saw he was touching the handle of his blaster as it hung in it's holster by his side and drew the gun out slowly, gingerly he ran his finger tips over the barrel and frowned. This weapon symbolized the anger, hatred and bitterness that almost claimed his life not to long ago, a dull ache surged in his chest as he remembered how many times he had turned his blaster against the innocent and allowed violence and rage to control and hurt him as well as the friend he now loved.
We rise again in the faces of our children
We rises again in the voices of our song
We rise again in the waves out on the ocean
And then we rise again
The experiments often harmless and friendly had the plasma blaster crammed in their faces just for circumstances they could have never controlled, for being created and programmed to do what they did. Gantu's breathing increased as he stared at his gun, he had let the demons of his mind control him for far to long and now it was time to rise up and live again. He would break those chains and become free as cocking an arm back Gantu yelled with great fire and renewed passion in his voice and soul.
When the light goes dark with the forces of creation
Across a stormy sky
We look to reincarnation to explain our lives
As if a child could tell us why
That as sure as the sun rise
As sure as the sea
As sure as the wind in the trees
"NEVER AGAIN!"
We rise again in the faces of our children
We rise again in the voices of our song
We rise again in the waves out on the ocean
And then we rise again
The blaster was sent spiraling through the air in a swirl of yellow and red with the holster right behind it, the items hit he water with a splash and were watched until they sunk from view. Those were his old ways and Gantu knew he was better than that now, never again would he raise a hand to strike down another but would look at the world and those around him with an open and clear mind.
We rise again in the faces of our children
We rise again in the voices of our song
We rise again in the waves out on the ocean
And then we rise again
To do that he needed to answer a few other questions that had remained hidden in the deep and shifting shadows of his past, his body was well now but his mind and spirit has old wounds that needed to be healed if he was to create a new and better future for himself and for the one who he now loved like a brother. 625. To take those first steps down that road was to first admit he had made mistakes; it would be hard to fix them but the former captain knew he was never the type to back down from a challenge before, he had debts that needed to be repaid. Turning away from the oceanic view Gantu walked down the beach with a small smile forming on his lips, there was much work to be done.
And then we rise again
The winds blew in the tall leafy green of the palms as heavy foot steps made their way towards a small ball park outside of town, a small group of children where practicing their batting and throwing skills with a yellow preradactyl like creature called Slugger. The sound of their happy laughter filled the air as Slugger cracked another baseball high into the air sending it sailing towards left field, as the players left him to find the balls he'd hit the winged creature felt that he wasn't alone as he noticed it had become dark all of a sudden which was odd since it was a clear sunny day. Turning around his dark eyes went wide when he saw a very familiar face stairing down at him, fear clenched his heart as he backed up it was the same manacing shark like creature who tried to capture him before. Turning Slugger started to flap his tiny wings and make a speedy retreat but something stopped him, not a net nor a shot of hot plasma but a single solitary word.
"Wait.''
Confused the expreiment turned around to see the gray giant kneeling down to almost his level but he was still a mountain of a being, carefully Gantu reached a open hand out to Slugger encouraging him to hop onto his finger seemingly wanting to talk. At first he was apprehensive and with good reason but there was just something deep inside those glossy honest blue eyes that Slugger couldn't help but trust. Jumping onto his index finger Slugger was lifted up as Gantu got to his feet and drew in and unsteady breath before speaking.
"I want to just tell you that….I'm sorry for the way I treated you before..I was wrong and there is no excuse for what I did. Can you ever forgive me?"
Slugger tilted his head at Gantu as he blinked his shiny black eyes in silent though, at first glance he figured this must be some kind of trick but seeing his face and hearing that almost plea in his deep voice told the dinosaur like experiment that he was telling the truth . His eyes were honest and true with not a hint of deseption , his words from his heart that only asked Slugger for his forgiveness and frinedship if only for a moment. Tilting his head to one side and then the other again the winged alien snorted happily three times as if saying "Yeah I forgive you.'' in Slugger talk. Deep inside Gantu felt a surge of joy as he hugged the little creature careful though not to crush him before letting him go, opening his hands the shorcan let Slugger fly away towards the children and waved good bye before leaving to find where the other experiments were and make up for all the pain he had caused them.
It had been a day of shopping for Lilo and her alien dog Stitch as her older sister Nani had sent them to the store to pick up some milk and a few other items along the way, they had just stopped off at Kiki's Coffee Hut to pick up some more coffee since Stitch guzzled it all down during one of his java binges.
"Nani says if you drink all this coffee in one day she'll sell you to the funny farm where they'll use you for scientific research and lock you in a padded cell so no more till tomorrow.'' Lilo told him firmly as she went to pay for the coffee.
Stitch pouted for only a moment when something caught his attention and he begain to tug at Lilo's muumuu while making rapid "eh" sounds and pointing motions towards the door.
"Not now Stitch, we stopped by the saved ice stand already on the way here.'' said the child in an annoyed voice as he fumbled around in her bag for the money.
Her ignoring him only made his actions more insistant as she handed the cash up the lady at the counter and placed the bag of coffee in her duffle, turning Lilo felt her friend take her by the arm and hurried her towards the door and right outside.
"What? What is it you badly need to show me?" Lilo frowned at his sudden strange behavior, when 626 pointed towards her hula school she couldn't belelive what she was seeing either as her mouth and eyes went wide open.
Experiment 613 was shaking Gantu's hand as he leaned out from his alarm room window and looking rather happy doing so, the ex-captain dressed in a pair of black shorts and a white t-shirt turned down the street waving with a smile to Yarrp as his broad shouldered form vanished amongst the buildings and trees. The duo would not have believed what they saw had they not seen it with their own eyes and leaping a stride their plastic tricycle sped swiftly after Gantu to see what in the world was going on, tailing him to the beach the saw him exchange friendly words and hugs from Kixx and Cannonball. 601 said something that made Gantu laugh as they shook hands again and the orca like alien was off once more. Neither Lilo nor Stitch was as amazed as Gantu was when he went around to ever single experiment he had ever hurt and received forgiveness in exchange for his apology, he thought that they'd all hate him forever not that he'd blame them. It was as if they could clearly sense that he meant everything he said and were willing to be his friend if he was willing to be theirs, that touched him in a way he could have never described as a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The cousins no longer saw him as a cold hearted experiment hunter but as a creature with the same burdens that they all had to bare and who simply made a mistake.
They broke off the pursuit of Gantu's travels when Lilo remembered they both had to be home in time for dinner or else face the wrath of Nanizilla, it was midafternoon fading into early evening as the pair rushed home as fast as they could go to tell the Ohana of what they had just witnessed.
"So you're telling me Gantu was going around and actually making friends with all the experiments?" Nani said with a raised eye brow as the family had settled at the dinner table to enjoy the pizza she had brought home.
"Yeah," her younger sibling piped up as she drank some of her soda and Stitch swallowed a pizza slice whole. " Stitch saw it too. I knew he had good in him somewhere. Bet it was because of all the help we gave him when he was sick.''
Upon hearing that Nani almost inhaled soda and glared at her sister. "You mean to tell me you when all the way to his ship in that wicked storm after I told you to stay home??"
Before anything further could be said on the subject a loud knock at the door was heard as Pleakely jumped up out of his chair and rushed to go answer it with a loud "I'll get it!" When they heard him call to everyone to come outside they all exchanged confused glances before getting up from the dining room table and hurried out the front door where quite the surprise was waiting for them all.
Standing before their home with arms drawn behind his back and looking proud was Gantu who had a large assortment of wrapped parcels behind him along with a huge one addressed to Lilo, a soft smile was on his face and a warm twinkle was in his deep blue eyes as the small family was all gathered before him.
"Gantu?..what…what's all this?" Lilo asked looking up at him, the wondering of what was in her gift betrayed in her voice.
"Things I owe to you all.'' he replied as he reached into his shorts pocket and pulled out a small envelope which he handed to Nani.
Inside was a cheque for quiet a handsome sum of money as Gantu told her was for all the damage he had ever done to her home and she thanked him with a smile, Pleakley received a gift set of makeup and wigs which he almost when nuts for and made everyone stare at his glee as he rushed in the house to try the stuff out. Jumba got the latest high-tech upgrades for his computer and thanked the captain also for the thoughtful gift and shook his hand, Lilo watched as Gantu reached down and grasped the string holding her present closed.
"I believe you will know full well what to do with this surprise.'' he grinned with a playful smirk and with a jerk of his wrist the string came undone and the box lid flew open.
"Fibber!, Amnesio!, Hunkahunka!!, Tank! and Nosey!" said Lilo joyously as ever last experiment Gantu ever caught came bounding out of the box at her, scooping up little Fibber she hugged him tight as Hunkahunka flitted around her head and the other experiments looked just as happy to be free once more as Gantu looked on with laughter in his eyes.
Stitch on the other hand looked a little sad when he didn't see a cretin face emerge from within that box, that one who completed him and made him feel special. Who he longed to hold and give his ever lasting love too and Gantu noticed this and smiled ever wider.
"Experiment 626,'' the shorcan spoke strongly causing everyone to fall silent as Stitch jerked his eyes up to meet Gantu's. " you came to my aid when you never had too, you could have let me perish and rid my presence from your life but spared my own. You taught me more than I could ever repay…this is for what you said to me.''
Drawing a hand out from behind his back Gantu revealed a small something being hidden under a white cloth, grabbing the top he pull it off and Stitch's eye went wide with surprise and utter joy.
"ANGEL!!"
There sitting in the palm of his hand was the beautiful pink female form of his lost love 624, she had a red bow around her neck making her look as pretty as the day she and Stitch met. Thinking his heart would burst Stitch ran to his mate and wrapped his arms around her as Gantu set her to the grassy sand below, he licked and nuzzled her all over her face as if it were the last time. Everyone was happy but none could have been more than the loving couple that hugged before them, Stitch turned from his bushie boo and looked up at Gantu who just looked back and nodded.
"I would like a moment alone with 626 if I could." Gantu said to them all, one by one the reunited Ohana walked back in the house as Stitch and Gantu stood alone facing each other on the beach below.
Kneeling down again Gantu kept his eyes locked on Stitch's black gems as he cleared his throat and took a breath before he broke the long silence between them.
"There is one last experiment I did not make a mends with today,'' the shorca said as the sun set's golden fire burned all around them, the night was falling once again and soon a silver full moon would take the fiery body's place. " …626...I forgive you and no longer do I see you as my enemy. You may call me Gantu and I can do the same for you…Stitch."
Stitch watched quietly as Gantu who had been his mortal foe for so long extended a hand towards him in a simple token of peace.
"I mean this one this time…I'm sorry for everything…can you forgive me?"
"Eh.'' 626 grinned a toothy grin and placed his small paw into Gantu's. "Gantu.''
"Stitch.'' he replied closing his fingers around the blue experiment's hand and they shook on it before that handshake turned into the one thing no one would have ever expected to see in their life time. A hug.
Everyone watching at the windows of the house did not take their eyes off what they were seeing , two old enemies who once hated each other with a raw passion; hugging on a sunlit beach. Scars faded and bitterness was long forgotten for once a fearsome foe had now turned into a dear neighbor, the flora and fauna around them seemed to be drawn up in the moment as the sky splashed with a rainbow of pinks, oranges and reds that faded into blue seemed to shine more brightly. Stitch and Gantu knew that in each other they were one in the same, ragged and torn once but now made strong and beautiful with the loving touch of a friend. What ever peace was found in the universe it was felt by them now as Gantu's once icy darkened heart was filled with an ever growing light, the black abyss of his soul was destroyed when he offer his rival his hand in friendship and refused violent conflict with him anymore. The demon lay dying and Gantu himself held the sword but it was not his hand alone that lay upon the hilt, 625's hand was gripping it with him as was Stitch, Lilo, Jumba and Pleakley's.
Letting Stitch go Gantu stood up and they exchanged glances before the captain waved goodbye to him and walked off down the beach back home, Stitch stood there waving until he could not see Gantu's shape any longer just as the stars were starting to wink into view one by one. The moon was at it fullest as it's ghostly light shone down on where they stood, Angel called her lover inside to finish dinner with the others.
Rise Again © to the Rankin Family 1996