[A/N: before beginning, I'd like to point out that a fair part of this
chapter is taken up just by Jumba speaking. Expect a long article of pure
text, and don't be confused by it]
*********
Love and Burden
by The Great Red Dragon
***
Chapter 6
***
"In the forest pitch dark,
Grows the tiniest spark
It bursts into a flame,
Like me, like me"
'Isobel', Bjork
*********
It was dark, and cold enough to suggest a windy winter night.
Auron tried to sit up, but he couldn't. He looked around himself, and saw that he was strapped by his wrists and ankles to an operation. He tried to cry out, but he was unable to make a sound.
Then, a shrieking sound that resembled a guitar at his right startled him abruptly. In the distance, walking in some kind of lasting light, were three figures coming towards him. As they got closer, he saw that they were all considerably tall, and wearing long, black cloaks and hoods.
Auron struggled desperately against his bindings, but an unrelenting feeling of agonizing fear was spreading throughout his body. He squeezed his eyes shut, thrashing with all his might against the binds that held him, but to no avail.
When he opened his eyes again, the three figures were standing above him. They had lowered their hoods, and Auron saw to his horror three Predators before him, identical to the one he had fought with.
One of them raised his arm, and a pronged pitchfork-like weapon appeared from within his sleeve.
"No", another Pred hissed coldly.
"Let the Dragon deal with him."
All of them back away from Auron simultaneously. They vanished into the darkness, and Auron looked around himself in panic.
Then, as if in slow motion, he saw something at his feet. Something huge and spiny-looking was crawling onto the table.
Auron realized in horror that it was a gigantic scorpion, completely silver as if it had been drenched in liquid metal. The creature had no features on its head whatsoever, exempt from two blade-like pincers.
The scorpion loomed over Auron, who felt ready to explode with a scream building up in his throat.
The scorpion raised one of its giant claws, and Auron screamed. The scorpion brought down its lethal appendage swiftly, ready to slice Auron in half-
***
Auron fell off of the couch with a thud. But even his sudden impact didn't scare away his dream fast enough.
"No!!!", he shouted chokingly, and sat up straight.
His fear caused a gasp and a scream from a certain audience that had been watching him. He opened his eyes, and found Aron and Garon backing away from him slowly.
Immediately, his anxiety was replaced by a feeling of foolishness.
He shook his head dully and looked back up at the surprised duo.
"'Morning", he muttered, friendlily enough.
The twins stopped moving away from him. Garon seemed relieved and back to normal now that everything seemed okay.
"Good morning!", he greeted in return.
Auron smiled and glanced at the nearby clock on the wall. It was 7:35.
"What're you two doing up so early anyway?", he asked them, while picking himself up from the floor.
For a moment, Aron and Garon looked confused at the question [to them, 7:35 AM wasn't at all early], but Garon finally answered;
"We, uh, wanted to see if you were up."
Auron nodded and settled himself back on the couch.
"Well, I am now", he stated obviously.
"How long have you been watching me?", he added.
"Not very long", Garon answered.
Then, he felt the need to ask the obvious.
"Did you have a bad dream?"
Auron groaned and sat back, his feet dangling over the edge of the sofa.
"Yeah", he answered lazily, before lying;
"Just a buncha stupid stuff I didn't understand."
Garon blinked in understanding.
"Aron once had a bad dream too", he added informatively, motioning towards his brother next to him.
"He woke up screaming and hit me in the face with a pillow-"
"Shut up!", Aron mumbled, with embarrassment evident in his voice.
"What?", Garon asked.
"It's not as bad as the time you wet the bed-"
"Shut up!"
Auron chuckled as he watched a small scuffle build up; he liked these two kids.
"Hey, c'mon", he said abruptly, preventing a shoving-match.
"If you really think you're both so tough, why don't you try to take me down?"
Aron was a bit unsure of this. Garon, however, saw a chance to play and pounced upon Auron, who fell over playfully.
"Oh, he speared me!", he commentated artfully as Garon giggled before jumping him again.
Aron saw the two of them wrestling around ["The armbar! I give, I give!"], and couldn't help but realize how fun of a guy this Auron may be.
He didn't have much time to think, as Garon pulled him into the 'fight', and they double-teamed their new friend.
"Hey, two-on-one isn't fair!", Auron said as they pinned him down.
"Go pick on somebody your own size!"
Garon and his brother laughed out loud as they playfully wrestled with their newest comrade. Already they liked Auron, and liked the fact that he liked them as well.
It felt good to have a friend. They both knew that the others were their friends as well [except for Owen and Peka, who counted as 'parents'], but it felt special to have a buddy outside of their Ohana.
*********
Peka heard the playful action from the top of the stairs and smiled to herself.
When she had gotten up not too long ago, the mixed emotions of the night before were still lingering in her mind. She had been wary about going downstairs and facing Auron, and afraid of she may feel then. But now, as she heard Auron peacefully playing with her children, a large number of her worries were melted away.
However, some worries were still strong in her mind. They did involve Auron, but included Jumba as well.
Quietly, she made her way down the stairs. She slid past the living room without being seen, and exited the house through the front door without a sound.
As she walked down the stairs onto the driveway, the same quiet contentness that Auron was alright was what was keeping her nerves from boiling over again. She had remembered everything Jumba had told her about what he did to 541, and it was all backed up by Auron's words.
And the only question she wanted answered was 'why?'.
Peka hoped that if she was alone in her confrontation of Jumba, the tension wouldn't ride on top of him as much if they all were there. Perhaps she'd get the answer only in that way.
***
She tapped lightly on the door of the shackhouse. From inside, she heard Jumba answer in a tone that seemed almost too weak to fit his proud, mighty voice.
"Come in..."
Peka silently noted the deep sadness evident in his voice. She was unsure what she should feel for him, now that she knew what he had done. She didn't want to hate him...but she wondered if it would be just to feel anything else about him.
Peka pushed the door open, and the light streaming in from the outside illuminated the room which had before been dark.
She looked around, and found Jumba sitting on a stool in a corner that had not yet been struck by light. He looked up as she caught sight of him, and his eyes showed dark rings that indicated a loss of sleep.
Quietly, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her, entrapping the darkness once more. Her eyes and Jumba's remained in contact as she walked slowly over to him and pulled up a stool for herself. As she sat down, it occurred to her eerie the dark scene was....but there was no reason to be afraid.
"Hey...", she greeted somberly.
Jumba nodded to her and lowered his head slowly and sadly.
"Tell me", he whispered.
"Do you hate me now?"
"I don't know", Peka answered in the same dark neutrality with which she had entered.
"I don't really know what to think."
The large alien nodded back at her.
"I dezerve to be hated", he said miserably.
"I dezerve much worse than that...I realize that what I did cannot be matched easily."
He looked up at Peka...and for the first time in all her memory, she saw tears in his eyes.
"I vish I could take back everyzhing I did to Experiment 541", he said.
"I vish I could take back every bad zhing I ever did in my life...I never zhougt I could allow to let happen..."
Peka nodded at him and said;
"That's why I'm here."
"Vhat do you mean?", Jumba asked her.
"I want to know why you did it", she answered solemnly.
"Whoever did that to 541 was not the Jumba that I knew and loved....who I still know and love."
She sighed and re-settled herself on the chair.
"I can't hate you, Jumba", she said in realization.
"You gave me my life, and I'm forever-grateful for that...but I need to know why you did that to another creature you gave life to. Trust me, I'm not going to judge you on it, but I need to know why."
Jumba swallowed a sob in his throat and nodded. He sat back slightly, and tried to sigh away some of the empty feeling inside him.
Slowly, he began.
***
"In zhe beginning, vhen I vhas still lead-scientist of Galaxy Defense Industries, I vhas given a chance to contribute to zhe Grand Council vith zhe creation of something new and extraordinary.
Experiment number 1 began as a contribution to zhe Grand Council, but zhey viewed it as dangerous, and ordered me to stop zhe creation of this new species.
But....I had created life! Life zhat was intelligent, zhat could think, act, and function as any natural being could! I grew attached to my Experiment, and it vhas my instinct to continue my rezearch, and I did.
Vith each Experiment I created came an improvement in zheir physical statistic and prowess. Each succeeding one was better than zhe last, and it became my ambition to create zhe ultimate life-form.
But...as my work progressed, and zhe Experiments began to form emotions of zheir own...I grew close to zhem. Only zhen did I realize how isolated I had become in my work, and how lonely I had grown. Zhe Experiments became my friends, and I no longer felt alone. I a way, I felt as if I were zheir father, and it gave me a feeling of accomplishment.
But zhings began to change...
One day, I vhas contacted by a creature called Zimbel. I vhas wary of him from the beginning, and his motives made me feel even vorse. He said he represented a small 'organization' zhat vhas interested in my vork.
Immediately, I vhas afraid. How could he have known about my Experiments, vhen I had kept it completely secret? He vouldn't tell me, but said zhat he vhas interested in vorking vith me. At first I refused, but he threatened to expose my vork...apparently, he vhas interested in creating a prototype Experiment for his organization.
I finally agreed to vork vith him, under zhe condition zhat ve vould keep it hidden from zhe other Experiments. To mask our togetherness from others, we lied that ve were working on a military project.
I regret it all...
541 took longer to breed than zhe others. Zimbel demanded his bodily capabilities to be so great zhat I thought he vould die before he could breathe...but it vorked!
Zimbel ordered zhat 541's brain be manipulated to make him more aggressive than anything else I had created. Vhen he did awake, his first instinct vhas to destroy...and I was forced to become a slave-driver.
I had thought I vhas only to breed 541 for Zimbel, and zhen hand him over, but Zimbel insisted zhat not only to I make him, but also train him to fit the organization's needs. Once again, I objected strongly, but Zimbel continued to threaten me vith exposure, and I vent along with him.
Although I never let it show, it hurt me so much to treat my own creation in the vay I did. As he grew, I knew he hated me, and that hurt me even more.
Then, one day, Zimbel approached me vith a demand: he vanted me to turn over all of my Experiments to him and his organization for zheir own use! Zhat vhas vhen I put my foot down and refused.
I decided zhen to end vhat I had been doing. 541 was so dangerous that I felt he vould hurt others if I let him free...I zhought I had to kill him.
Zimbel protested, and in the process, 541 escaped. I did vhat I could to stop him, but he vanished completely...as did Zimbel."
***
Jumba sighed deeply and looked up. Peka's face was full of shock.
Jumba smiled slightly.
"I take", he said.
"I told you zomething you did not know before."
"Jumba...", Peka said quietly, awedly.
"Why...why didn't you tell us before?"
The look of sadness returned to Jumba's face.
"It is still my fault", he said.
"I should never have cooperated vith Zimbel in zhe first place."
"But it isn't your fault!", Peka objected.
"I thought that you were...but they made you do it!"
Jumba shook his head.
"I should've fought", he said.
"Instead, I became a devil to one of my own children, and made his life a true Hell."
Peka was still awestruck.
"But...but..."
Jumba shook his head.
"I never heard from Zimbel again", he said.
"But I vhas still scared. I began making Experiments with the same strength- increasing process I used to create 541, to protect us if ever a threat should arise...but I never heard from zhem again."
He sat back and continued.
"Everyzhing fell apart once zhe Galactic Alliance uncovered my vork...and ve all had to run away, in different directions."
He shifted himself uncomfortably and pulled at the hem of his vest.
"I told you before", he said.
"I lost all contact with zhe other Experiments...I vould think about them all everyday...but I'd alvays vonder what became of 541..."
He smiled weakly at his knees.
"I guess I know now."
Peka's over-given enthusiasm slowly died down into a small yet honest smile. Now she understood.
"His name is Auron", she told Jumba.
"He came to Earth on accident, just like Stitch did...and he found a family that he loves."
Jumba said nothing, but Peka swore that she saw a tear slide from his eye to floor, in the air of a father learning the successful fate of a long- lost son.
Peka smiled to herself. Even though Jumba blamed himself for the abuse that Auron had suffered, it all made sense to her now. Jumba was still the Jumba she had known all her life, and had not changed. She was still able to love him like she had all her life...he was still all right.
Peka looked at Jumba, and her smile continued.
"I saw him once before", she told her creator quietly.
"I didn't want to think what I saw was true...so I chose to forget it. But now, I'm glad to know that it wasn't all that I thought it was."
Jumba looked up and wiped the tears from his numerous eyes.
"I didn't vant anybody to see him", he said with a slight smile.
"Only one other aside me and Zimbel knew he existed."
"Who was it?", Peka asked.
Jumba opened his mouth to respond...but fell short of what he was about to say.
"I believe ve have had an audience", he stated, pointing towards the window.
Peka turned around, but knew what he had meant before she did.
"You guys can come in!", she called loudly.
In slow embarrassment, the door to the shackhouse creaked open and Stitch, Owen, and Twyla walked in.
"Sorry...", Stitch murmured remorsedly.
"We shouldn't have eavesdropped."
"I think that's okay", Peka assured them.
"Yes", Jumba added.
"I von't have to repeat zhe same story twice."
Peka turned to face him.
"I think you'll have to anyway", she told him seriously.
Jumba nodded in his knowing.
"To 541", he said in equal solemness.
Then, his facial expression broke slightly to show nervousness.
"But I can't do it alone", he confessed.
"Don't worry", Peka said, reflecting the thoughts of the other Experiments.
"We'll go with you."
Jumba swallowed heavily.
"541 might be upset...", he warned.
"He'll listen", Peka foretold.
"I know he will."
Juumba stood pondering for a moment, and finally nodded in agreement.
"Yes", he said.
"Let us go zhen."
*********
[A/N: how's that for updating-time? At least I've improved compared to the last chapter...
To me, it's kind of a personal relief that Jumba wasn't the bad-guy that I portrayed him to be in 'Before Perfection'. He's still on the good-guys list]
[P.S: most extreame priness asked me how the names of Auron and Aron and Garon are pronounced. Well, Auron is what it looks like ['ar-on'], as is Aron and Garon [air-in] [ger-in].]
*********
Love and Burden
by The Great Red Dragon
***
Chapter 6
***
"In the forest pitch dark,
Grows the tiniest spark
It bursts into a flame,
Like me, like me"
'Isobel', Bjork
*********
It was dark, and cold enough to suggest a windy winter night.
Auron tried to sit up, but he couldn't. He looked around himself, and saw that he was strapped by his wrists and ankles to an operation. He tried to cry out, but he was unable to make a sound.
Then, a shrieking sound that resembled a guitar at his right startled him abruptly. In the distance, walking in some kind of lasting light, were three figures coming towards him. As they got closer, he saw that they were all considerably tall, and wearing long, black cloaks and hoods.
Auron struggled desperately against his bindings, but an unrelenting feeling of agonizing fear was spreading throughout his body. He squeezed his eyes shut, thrashing with all his might against the binds that held him, but to no avail.
When he opened his eyes again, the three figures were standing above him. They had lowered their hoods, and Auron saw to his horror three Predators before him, identical to the one he had fought with.
One of them raised his arm, and a pronged pitchfork-like weapon appeared from within his sleeve.
"No", another Pred hissed coldly.
"Let the Dragon deal with him."
All of them back away from Auron simultaneously. They vanished into the darkness, and Auron looked around himself in panic.
Then, as if in slow motion, he saw something at his feet. Something huge and spiny-looking was crawling onto the table.
Auron realized in horror that it was a gigantic scorpion, completely silver as if it had been drenched in liquid metal. The creature had no features on its head whatsoever, exempt from two blade-like pincers.
The scorpion loomed over Auron, who felt ready to explode with a scream building up in his throat.
The scorpion raised one of its giant claws, and Auron screamed. The scorpion brought down its lethal appendage swiftly, ready to slice Auron in half-
***
Auron fell off of the couch with a thud. But even his sudden impact didn't scare away his dream fast enough.
"No!!!", he shouted chokingly, and sat up straight.
His fear caused a gasp and a scream from a certain audience that had been watching him. He opened his eyes, and found Aron and Garon backing away from him slowly.
Immediately, his anxiety was replaced by a feeling of foolishness.
He shook his head dully and looked back up at the surprised duo.
"'Morning", he muttered, friendlily enough.
The twins stopped moving away from him. Garon seemed relieved and back to normal now that everything seemed okay.
"Good morning!", he greeted in return.
Auron smiled and glanced at the nearby clock on the wall. It was 7:35.
"What're you two doing up so early anyway?", he asked them, while picking himself up from the floor.
For a moment, Aron and Garon looked confused at the question [to them, 7:35 AM wasn't at all early], but Garon finally answered;
"We, uh, wanted to see if you were up."
Auron nodded and settled himself back on the couch.
"Well, I am now", he stated obviously.
"How long have you been watching me?", he added.
"Not very long", Garon answered.
Then, he felt the need to ask the obvious.
"Did you have a bad dream?"
Auron groaned and sat back, his feet dangling over the edge of the sofa.
"Yeah", he answered lazily, before lying;
"Just a buncha stupid stuff I didn't understand."
Garon blinked in understanding.
"Aron once had a bad dream too", he added informatively, motioning towards his brother next to him.
"He woke up screaming and hit me in the face with a pillow-"
"Shut up!", Aron mumbled, with embarrassment evident in his voice.
"What?", Garon asked.
"It's not as bad as the time you wet the bed-"
"Shut up!"
Auron chuckled as he watched a small scuffle build up; he liked these two kids.
"Hey, c'mon", he said abruptly, preventing a shoving-match.
"If you really think you're both so tough, why don't you try to take me down?"
Aron was a bit unsure of this. Garon, however, saw a chance to play and pounced upon Auron, who fell over playfully.
"Oh, he speared me!", he commentated artfully as Garon giggled before jumping him again.
Aron saw the two of them wrestling around ["The armbar! I give, I give!"], and couldn't help but realize how fun of a guy this Auron may be.
He didn't have much time to think, as Garon pulled him into the 'fight', and they double-teamed their new friend.
"Hey, two-on-one isn't fair!", Auron said as they pinned him down.
"Go pick on somebody your own size!"
Garon and his brother laughed out loud as they playfully wrestled with their newest comrade. Already they liked Auron, and liked the fact that he liked them as well.
It felt good to have a friend. They both knew that the others were their friends as well [except for Owen and Peka, who counted as 'parents'], but it felt special to have a buddy outside of their Ohana.
*********
Peka heard the playful action from the top of the stairs and smiled to herself.
When she had gotten up not too long ago, the mixed emotions of the night before were still lingering in her mind. She had been wary about going downstairs and facing Auron, and afraid of she may feel then. But now, as she heard Auron peacefully playing with her children, a large number of her worries were melted away.
However, some worries were still strong in her mind. They did involve Auron, but included Jumba as well.
Quietly, she made her way down the stairs. She slid past the living room without being seen, and exited the house through the front door without a sound.
As she walked down the stairs onto the driveway, the same quiet contentness that Auron was alright was what was keeping her nerves from boiling over again. She had remembered everything Jumba had told her about what he did to 541, and it was all backed up by Auron's words.
And the only question she wanted answered was 'why?'.
Peka hoped that if she was alone in her confrontation of Jumba, the tension wouldn't ride on top of him as much if they all were there. Perhaps she'd get the answer only in that way.
***
She tapped lightly on the door of the shackhouse. From inside, she heard Jumba answer in a tone that seemed almost too weak to fit his proud, mighty voice.
"Come in..."
Peka silently noted the deep sadness evident in his voice. She was unsure what she should feel for him, now that she knew what he had done. She didn't want to hate him...but she wondered if it would be just to feel anything else about him.
Peka pushed the door open, and the light streaming in from the outside illuminated the room which had before been dark.
She looked around, and found Jumba sitting on a stool in a corner that had not yet been struck by light. He looked up as she caught sight of him, and his eyes showed dark rings that indicated a loss of sleep.
Quietly, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her, entrapping the darkness once more. Her eyes and Jumba's remained in contact as she walked slowly over to him and pulled up a stool for herself. As she sat down, it occurred to her eerie the dark scene was....but there was no reason to be afraid.
"Hey...", she greeted somberly.
Jumba nodded to her and lowered his head slowly and sadly.
"Tell me", he whispered.
"Do you hate me now?"
"I don't know", Peka answered in the same dark neutrality with which she had entered.
"I don't really know what to think."
The large alien nodded back at her.
"I dezerve to be hated", he said miserably.
"I dezerve much worse than that...I realize that what I did cannot be matched easily."
He looked up at Peka...and for the first time in all her memory, she saw tears in his eyes.
"I vish I could take back everyzhing I did to Experiment 541", he said.
"I vish I could take back every bad zhing I ever did in my life...I never zhougt I could allow to let happen..."
Peka nodded at him and said;
"That's why I'm here."
"Vhat do you mean?", Jumba asked her.
"I want to know why you did it", she answered solemnly.
"Whoever did that to 541 was not the Jumba that I knew and loved....who I still know and love."
She sighed and re-settled herself on the chair.
"I can't hate you, Jumba", she said in realization.
"You gave me my life, and I'm forever-grateful for that...but I need to know why you did that to another creature you gave life to. Trust me, I'm not going to judge you on it, but I need to know why."
Jumba swallowed a sob in his throat and nodded. He sat back slightly, and tried to sigh away some of the empty feeling inside him.
Slowly, he began.
***
"In zhe beginning, vhen I vhas still lead-scientist of Galaxy Defense Industries, I vhas given a chance to contribute to zhe Grand Council vith zhe creation of something new and extraordinary.
Experiment number 1 began as a contribution to zhe Grand Council, but zhey viewed it as dangerous, and ordered me to stop zhe creation of this new species.
But....I had created life! Life zhat was intelligent, zhat could think, act, and function as any natural being could! I grew attached to my Experiment, and it vhas my instinct to continue my rezearch, and I did.
Vith each Experiment I created came an improvement in zheir physical statistic and prowess. Each succeeding one was better than zhe last, and it became my ambition to create zhe ultimate life-form.
But...as my work progressed, and zhe Experiments began to form emotions of zheir own...I grew close to zhem. Only zhen did I realize how isolated I had become in my work, and how lonely I had grown. Zhe Experiments became my friends, and I no longer felt alone. I a way, I felt as if I were zheir father, and it gave me a feeling of accomplishment.
But zhings began to change...
One day, I vhas contacted by a creature called Zimbel. I vhas wary of him from the beginning, and his motives made me feel even vorse. He said he represented a small 'organization' zhat vhas interested in my vork.
Immediately, I vhas afraid. How could he have known about my Experiments, vhen I had kept it completely secret? He vouldn't tell me, but said zhat he vhas interested in vorking vith me. At first I refused, but he threatened to expose my vork...apparently, he vhas interested in creating a prototype Experiment for his organization.
I finally agreed to vork vith him, under zhe condition zhat ve vould keep it hidden from zhe other Experiments. To mask our togetherness from others, we lied that ve were working on a military project.
I regret it all...
541 took longer to breed than zhe others. Zimbel demanded his bodily capabilities to be so great zhat I thought he vould die before he could breathe...but it vorked!
Zimbel ordered zhat 541's brain be manipulated to make him more aggressive than anything else I had created. Vhen he did awake, his first instinct vhas to destroy...and I was forced to become a slave-driver.
I had thought I vhas only to breed 541 for Zimbel, and zhen hand him over, but Zimbel insisted zhat not only to I make him, but also train him to fit the organization's needs. Once again, I objected strongly, but Zimbel continued to threaten me vith exposure, and I vent along with him.
Although I never let it show, it hurt me so much to treat my own creation in the vay I did. As he grew, I knew he hated me, and that hurt me even more.
Then, one day, Zimbel approached me vith a demand: he vanted me to turn over all of my Experiments to him and his organization for zheir own use! Zhat vhas vhen I put my foot down and refused.
I decided zhen to end vhat I had been doing. 541 was so dangerous that I felt he vould hurt others if I let him free...I zhought I had to kill him.
Zimbel protested, and in the process, 541 escaped. I did vhat I could to stop him, but he vanished completely...as did Zimbel."
***
Jumba sighed deeply and looked up. Peka's face was full of shock.
Jumba smiled slightly.
"I take", he said.
"I told you zomething you did not know before."
"Jumba...", Peka said quietly, awedly.
"Why...why didn't you tell us before?"
The look of sadness returned to Jumba's face.
"It is still my fault", he said.
"I should never have cooperated vith Zimbel in zhe first place."
"But it isn't your fault!", Peka objected.
"I thought that you were...but they made you do it!"
Jumba shook his head.
"I should've fought", he said.
"Instead, I became a devil to one of my own children, and made his life a true Hell."
Peka was still awestruck.
"But...but..."
Jumba shook his head.
"I never heard from Zimbel again", he said.
"But I vhas still scared. I began making Experiments with the same strength- increasing process I used to create 541, to protect us if ever a threat should arise...but I never heard from zhem again."
He sat back and continued.
"Everyzhing fell apart once zhe Galactic Alliance uncovered my vork...and ve all had to run away, in different directions."
He shifted himself uncomfortably and pulled at the hem of his vest.
"I told you before", he said.
"I lost all contact with zhe other Experiments...I vould think about them all everyday...but I'd alvays vonder what became of 541..."
He smiled weakly at his knees.
"I guess I know now."
Peka's over-given enthusiasm slowly died down into a small yet honest smile. Now she understood.
"His name is Auron", she told Jumba.
"He came to Earth on accident, just like Stitch did...and he found a family that he loves."
Jumba said nothing, but Peka swore that she saw a tear slide from his eye to floor, in the air of a father learning the successful fate of a long- lost son.
Peka smiled to herself. Even though Jumba blamed himself for the abuse that Auron had suffered, it all made sense to her now. Jumba was still the Jumba she had known all her life, and had not changed. She was still able to love him like she had all her life...he was still all right.
Peka looked at Jumba, and her smile continued.
"I saw him once before", she told her creator quietly.
"I didn't want to think what I saw was true...so I chose to forget it. But now, I'm glad to know that it wasn't all that I thought it was."
Jumba looked up and wiped the tears from his numerous eyes.
"I didn't vant anybody to see him", he said with a slight smile.
"Only one other aside me and Zimbel knew he existed."
"Who was it?", Peka asked.
Jumba opened his mouth to respond...but fell short of what he was about to say.
"I believe ve have had an audience", he stated, pointing towards the window.
Peka turned around, but knew what he had meant before she did.
"You guys can come in!", she called loudly.
In slow embarrassment, the door to the shackhouse creaked open and Stitch, Owen, and Twyla walked in.
"Sorry...", Stitch murmured remorsedly.
"We shouldn't have eavesdropped."
"I think that's okay", Peka assured them.
"Yes", Jumba added.
"I von't have to repeat zhe same story twice."
Peka turned to face him.
"I think you'll have to anyway", she told him seriously.
Jumba nodded in his knowing.
"To 541", he said in equal solemness.
Then, his facial expression broke slightly to show nervousness.
"But I can't do it alone", he confessed.
"Don't worry", Peka said, reflecting the thoughts of the other Experiments.
"We'll go with you."
Jumba swallowed heavily.
"541 might be upset...", he warned.
"He'll listen", Peka foretold.
"I know he will."
Juumba stood pondering for a moment, and finally nodded in agreement.
"Yes", he said.
"Let us go zhen."
*********
[A/N: how's that for updating-time? At least I've improved compared to the last chapter...
To me, it's kind of a personal relief that Jumba wasn't the bad-guy that I portrayed him to be in 'Before Perfection'. He's still on the good-guys list]
[P.S: most extreame priness asked me how the names of Auron and Aron and Garon are pronounced. Well, Auron is what it looks like ['ar-on'], as is Aron and Garon [air-in] [ger-in].]