(A/N: welcome back, everybody who's waited so long for this next chapter. I'll explain my absence from this story at the end of this, to date, the longest chapter in the story chapter. Until then, enjoy!)
Light On The Mayo
by The Great Red Dragon
Chapter 6
Despite the odd nature and request of these first few words, 625 was ready enough to react; his reaction, however, turned out to be quite odd as well.
"Ya gotta go?", he repeated, as pleasantly as he could.
"Well, that's just great: you just go on ahead, and I'm sure that you'll have a great time. We've got only the best toilet paper and air-fresheners, and I'm sure that Gantu cleaned in there since the last month, because I know for sure that I didn't. I mean, the ketchup stains are gone, so he must've cleaned up a bit, so it's sure to be nice and fresh-…"
He stopped short in mid-sentence, finally catching up on the appeal and realizing the strangeness of the request. He closed his still-open mouth, and looked quirkily at the lowed-down Experiment.
"…You gotta go to the bathroom?"
The Experiment nodded, barely moving his head from where it was.
"Yes, I do…if you let me…"
625 began to consider. He was all for making the Experiment refrain from another head-bashing, but he remembered the dire command issued by Gantu, for him not to release the Experiment, no matter what.
625 realized that by not avoiding and talking to the Experiment, he had already broken a few of the set rules, but letting the Experiment out of the shackles he was bound by would be the biggest rule-breaking out of all of the rules set by the captain.
For the most part, 625 was uncertain. He tried to compromise.
"…Okay", he said slowly.
"I – I mean, whaddaya want? Should I bring you a bowl or something, or would you rather like an empty bottle or whatever…?"
The Experiment looked confused, and 625, realizing that his foolish attempt wasn't caught on, sighed heavily and began his best to explain the circumstances to the captured Experiment.
"Look, I can't let you go", he told the Experiment.
"I can't let you out of those cuffs, so I can't let you go use the bathroom…you understand?"
A simple, "Oh…alright…" came as his answer, and the Experiment, as if reassuming his duty, hung his head again and shifted his knees together uncomfortably.
625 felt fairly annoyed to have his spirit and conscience lowered at such an innocent response, but his self-guilt overpowered his abstract devotion to the rules; another silent war of shoulder-angels and shoulder-devils waged, and the angels eventually grabbed the devils' pitchforks and threw them on the ground. While the devils went to retrieve them, the spontaneous goodness (and ultimate rule-breaking) kicked up in the sandwich-genius, and he spoke up once again, very quickly.
"Okay, I'll let you go use the toilet, but if you try to run away, I'll have to catch you and…and I'll have to put you back on the pole, okay?"
Before the Experiment could answer, 625 had knelt down to him and had undone both sets of cuffs and was hurriedly rushing the Experiment to his feet.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!", he urged, exclaiming with his hands.
The Experiment stood up slowly. He rubbed his wrists tenderly and seemed to stagger a bit before he could regain his balance.
625 was already behind him, giving him small, urging pushes towards the bathroom.
"Come on, come on!", he hissed.
"The bathroom's this way! C'mon!"
"Thank you, brother…"
"Enough with the thanks and the brother-stuff; hurry up before Gantu gets back!"
With quick shooing motions, 625 half-urged and half-pushed the Experiment all the way down the hall and to the door labeled (an earlier prank by 625) 'Le Toilette'. He pushed the door open and almost knocked the Experiment over as he pushed him inside, slamming the door behind him.
625 immediately sank against the door and exhaled greatly; it seemed like an accomplishment.
"Toilet paper's in the cabinet if you need it!", he called over his shoulder, at the door.
"And if you leave any sprinkles on the seat, clean it up – Gantu hates to find those!"
An quiet "Okay" answered from inside, and 625 settled against the door again. He heard the toilet seat being opened slowly (with both of them being so small, 625 figured that the Experiment had done what he himself always did – stand on the rim), and then, the gentle sound of someone urinating.
After about twenty seconds, 625 whistled silently and thought to himself; "Shoot, he must've been holding it for a looong time…"
625 heard the toilet being flushed ("Hope he didn't fall in…"), both lids being put down, and then the sound of running water. 625 wasn't sure whether to be impressed or irritated with the Experiment's properness; after all, he never washed his hands…
625 stood straight again as the door was opened. The Experiment's eyes met 625's for a moment before they fell back to the floor, and the Experiment lowered his head once more, as if ashamed by his natural needs.
"So…feel any better?", 625 asked, trying to smile.
The Experiment nodded.
"Sorry about keeping you waiting before, man – I didn't know you had to go so bad."
Another nod.
"Didya wash your hands?"
Nod.
"All of them?"
The Experiment started to nod…then looked, embarrassed, at the set of arms that protruded awkwardly from his back.
"Doesn't matter!", 625 said quickly, as cheerfully as he could.
"It's not really a requirement around here – G probably doesn't do it, either – and besides, ya probably didn't use that set back there, didya?"
After a moment, the Experiment shook his head.
"Great!", 625 exclaimed, feeling a bit stupid with pretending to be so happy.
"What're ya worried about, then?...c'mon, let's get you back on the pole…"
His voice dropped off considerably with his last phrase; it felt odd (and somewhat wrong) to return his new companion to the shackles after he had used the bathroom…but, as he knew of nothing else to do, 625 hurriedly turned around and began leading the way back to the main chambers. He heard the tamely footsteps of the Experiment following him, but didn't look behind him until they had entered the chamber that held the pole. He stopped in the tall, sloping entryway, and dared a glance behind him.
The Experiment had obediently stopped three steps behind him. As always, his head was lowered…but 625 could've sworn that he saw the Experiment's eyes travel quickly downwards once 625 had looked at him, as though he had been looking at 625…or at the pole. The Experiment shivered slightly.
His shoulder-devils were either gone or still searching for their pitchforks, as his conscience had taken full stand at his shoulders, and was positively yelling at him for what he was doing. Had he no decency? Was he a coward for playing jailer for Gantu, even though he felt badly for the Experiment? He had never really thought about an Experiment's life at Hamsterviel's place…but now that he did, he didn't believe it to be at all pleasant, and his conscience was viciously suggesting that he would stoop to a level so of delivering such a helpless Experiment to-
625 shook himself heavily and grunted. He put a hand to his forehead and gave a small, submissive moan: his conscience was a lot less abusive when it came to his gluttony.
"Uh…yeah, c'mon", he said distractedly to the Experiment; his emotions had given him a headache.
He lead the way over to the pole where the cuffs still rested. Without a moment of hesitation or even the slightest protest, the multi-armed Experiment dropped to his knees and held out both sets of hands, his head lowered once more.
625 stared at the Experiment with a sense of awe and guilt; what instilled this painful submissiveness in this small, feeble Experiment was beyond him…but he couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for it. After all, he was holding the cuffs.
"…Why won't you run?", he asked after a moment, his head cocked uncertainly.
The Experiment slowly lifted his head, and looked at 625 with sad eyes; a sadness that wasn't meant for himself (625 decided to ponder who it was meant for later). He spoke slightly louder and clearer this time – perhaps due to the fact that he wasn't crying or sobbing, or simply because he had spoken to 625 before and felt better about it this time. Still, his voice was as sad as his eyes as he spoke;
"I don't know…I'm afraid to…"
Now, 625 was truly confused with the Experiment. After all, what reason was there to be afraid? – he could just get up and run, and 625 surely wouldn't be able to catch him (even if he tried to make an effort). 625 didn't consider himself that scary, after all.
"Huh?", he said, a little too loudly to be polite.
"You're afraid?...of what?"
The Experiment lowered his head momentarily, then slowly looked over towards the entrance of the spacecraft.
"The tall captain…I'm afraid of him…I'm afraid he'd come back…"
"Fish-face isn't gonna be back until later, I'm sure", 625 told the Experiment, wondering why he was offering him to escape.
The Experiment looked unsure again, and continued to hold his arms in front of him.
"He'd know where to find me…", he worried allowed, and shivered.
"Couldn't you just…find some other place, where tuna-breath couldn't find you?", 625 suggested.
The Experiment considered this for a moment before answering.
"I could…", he replied quietly, his head lowered, before he raised it to look back at 625.
"But…what about you?"
"Me?", 625 asked, surprised more than ever.
"…Why? What about me? What do you mean?"
"…If I left, you'd be in a lot of trouble, wouldn't you?"
625 took longer to digest the Experiment's words than before. After being snarled at, despised, called names, and ignored by other Experiments that Gantu had captured (one had gone as far as to call him a traitor), the last thing he expected from a captured Experiment was concern for his well-being. He could understand a certain amount of intimidation, but concern?
He eyed the Experiment suspiciously for a moment, as if searching for a hint of sarcasm; there wasn't any. The odd severity of the situation was completely new to the sandwich-maker.
"…Why do you care what happens to me?", 625 questioned suspiciously.
This time, it was the Experiment's turn to look confused. His mouth opened slightly, and despite his submissive position, he managed a quizzical expression as he looked at 625.
"Umm…", he said, slowly, as if he himself was unsure of the right answer.
"Uhh…aren't I supposed to care about you?..."
625 scratched his head; he wasn't sure of anything, either. Again, he searched for a trace of sarcasm in the Experiment's eyes, but once more, found none.
"Uh…I dunno; are you?"
The Experiment nodded somewhat apprehensively, and eyed 625 not with annoyance, but with a sense of confusion that he didn't understand why one Experiment would care for another.
"Yes…I am…I'm meant to."
625 understood, and he felt silly for not realizing it sooner; there was only one reason for anybody to care anything about his lazy, sandwich-making butt.
"Oh! You mean, besides being the happy decorator and naturalist that you are, you're also programmed to like everybody?"
The Experiment nodded slowly and serenely, now that he had been recognized.
"Yes…I was created to care for, nurture, and love all living things."
625 gave a small snort at the corniness; whatever was Jumba thinking when he engineering this Experiment?
"Okay, okay – so you love everybody", 625 said, leaning against the pole; he had to test this subject.
"What about ol' Gantu who dragged you in here? Do you love him? Do you need to care and nurture him?"
The Experiment seemed to contemplate this, although he didn't seem upset with 625 taking his purpose lightly; another Experiment had surely put him on the spot for his programming before.
"I'm afraid of him…", he answered slowly.
"But only because I know why he's so rough. He's on a mission that's very important to him…he's driven for his own existence, and I don't think this situation is his fault. He was happy with his success when he caught me, but I don't think that he enjoys doing what he does."
"But that's not what I asked", 625 pointed.
"I asked if you feel all that silliness for him like you said."
"He's…very sad and lonely…so yes, I do", the Experiment replied, and his eyes looked sad again.
"He does what he does because he has nowhere else to go or no one to go to. He captured me and was happy about it, but that's not really him…he's not really as hard as he puts on…his heart is still very soft."
"Gantu? A soft heart?", 625 repeated, and laughed.
"I've been living with that sardine-headed oaf for a long time, and he's anything but soft. How can you know what he's like inside after just being thrown around by him?"
The Experiment shrugged.
"I don't know. I just do. I'm meant to. I can tell by someone's eyes."
625 blinked…and only then did he realized that he had been sharing eye-contact with the Experiment for quite some time now. Now that the subject had been introduced, turning away from him couldn't deprive what was surely coming.
"I've seen your eyes", the Experiment said quietly, revealing 625's fears.
"You're a bit sad, yourself…but your heart is even softer than the captain's."
"Okay! That's enough chit-chat!", 625 suddenly exclaimed loudly, standing up straight and breaking the eye-contact.
"You're supposed to be locked up again by now, so…let's see those wrists!"
The Experiment didn't bother to look surprised. Dejectedly, he extended all four of his arms again and lowered his head, not saying anything. 625 took the two identical cuffs into his hands and reached out, looking forward to not being mentally strained anymore.
Inches from the Experiment's hands, he stopped…and looked closer.
The Experiment's wrists were raw and bruised from the first time he had been cuffed. His right lower wrist looked particularly bad: it had a cut and was bleeding.
625 cringed at the sight and withdrew the cuffs. The Experiment opened his eyes slowly.
"Why didn't ya tell me that your wrist was so-!", 625 demanded quickly, happy not to go forth with cuffing the Experiment again.
"You shoulda told me while I was doing your head – shoulda told me that the cuffs were too tight! Look at what it's done, now!"
The Experiment glanced at his gently-bleeding wrist and looked back up at 625.
"I…I didn't think…", he tried to say, quietly.
"I didn't think…that you'd…"
"Oh, c'mon; I wrapped your head up, didn't I?", 625 pointed out, trying to sound irritated.
The Experiment reached up and gingerly touched the wrappings around his head. He looked back at 625, almost apologetically.
"I'm sorry…I didn't think…"
"Oh, what the heck!", 625 said, still attempting to act, deeply glad that he wouldn't have to re-clamp the cuffs.
"I might as well do your wrist, too. Here, I'll get the stuff; I'll be right back-"
He stopped. While it didn't feel right to clamp the cuffs back around the injured wrists of the Experiment, he wasn't entirely privy to leave him unrestrained while he went to get more med supplies. 625 thought for a moment and the Experiment watched him, obviously expecting something strange to happen.
"…Here", 625 said after a while, holding up the cuffs again.
"Give me your ankles."
"…My ankles?", the Experiment repeated, confused.
"What do you want my ankles for?"
"Look, just sit with the pole between your legs, okay?", 625 requested.
"I don't want to put these back on your wrists, so…would you please just do it?"
Still not sure what 625 meant, the Experiment warily sat back on his behind and stretched his legs in front of him, one leg on either side of the pole. 625 knelt down and fastened one set of cuffs around the Experiment's skinny ankles.
SNAP SNAP
The Experiment winced and looked away even before 625 clamped the cuffs shut, but opened his eyes in surprise when he felt no pain: 625 had been sure not to repeat the condition of the Experiment's wrist by applying the cuffs gentler; by most measures, the shackles were now quite loose.
"There", 625 declared, straightening back up.
"Hope that's more comfortable…while I'm at it, I'll get you a pillow for your butt, okay?"
The Experiment looked up, and for the first time since he had been brought too the ship, the Experiment smiled.
"Thank you, brother."
"Why are you always calling me that?", 625 asked, fixing the Experiment with an imminent stare.
"What's all this 'brother' stuff to you?"
The Experiment continued to smile.
"Well, that's what we are, aren't we?", he asked.
"We're family by creation, and brothers by gender."
"But our blood's artificial", 625 pointed out.
"Perhaps so", the Experiment said, shrugging.
"But we're still family. Famije. Ohana."
625 was taken aback; not so much by the fact that he hadn't ever considered his Experiment comrades that way before, but because of the Experiment's mention of 'ohana'.
"…How d'you know that last word?", he asked curiously.
"The only people I've heard say that word…how do you know it?"
The Experiment answered with his smile still in place;
"People around the island say it. I'm pretty sure it means 'family'. Where've you heard it?"
625 pulled at his ear and looked disgruntled; he didn't really feel like going into detail about Stitch and Lilo at the moment.
"Uh…somewhere", he excused.
"Hey, I'm gonna go get the stuff…hey, are you hungry, by the way? I was gonna get myself a sandwich, anyway, and if you want one, I can make you one, too."
The Experiment's smile spread to a wide beamed from ear to ear.
"Yes, please! Thank you, brother!"
"…Anything special on it?"
"I'll have whatever you're having, brother!"
"Okay…I'll go get everything then, okay?"
"Thanks again, brother!"
"…Sure…yeah…whatever…brother…"
And 625 waddled off to get the supplies and make the sandwiches, still pulling his own ear.
(A/N: anybody who read the last chapter when it was first uploaded and is now reading this one is surely wondering why it took so long for me to finally get the next chapter uploaded.
For the most part, my laziness is to blame, but also my management: with so many of my fics unfinished, I decided that it would be best to complete them one at a time, instead of scrambling chapters between the mess of them. My apologies to anybody ( TT, Blue, Mimic, kate, Took, DD2, Tobias, Mareo, ainominako, MTD, and WSforgive my shortening of your names, please) who waited for this chapter's completion for so long.
Seeing as the chapter's contents are getting much longer than they werein the earlier chapters(I actually intended for this to be a much shorter fic), I can't knock them off daily, so I'm not sure when I'll write the next one (I myself hope soon; I like handling 625did I manage him well in this chapter?).
Sorry, again - more than five months is a shameful amount of time to take for an update. Please forgive this busy Dragon!)