DISCLAIMER: I do not own Lilo & Stitch in any way. I only own Experiment 000. Any other OCs in this story belongs to their respective creators.
(P.S. I usually put up credits for any borrowed scenes and such at the end of the fanfic, I have not forgotten to give credit where it's dued)
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CHAPTER TWENTYFOURTH: KOLOBOS! 552'S PRICE
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"It doesn't seem natural…" Jumba told us just before I headed off to take a closer look at that strange group of clouds that came out of nowhere.
"What can you make of it?" 627 asked right after I left.
"Not sure," I overheard Jumba reply just before they were out of my range of sight, "But let's hope I'm not and that it is natural."
"Easy for you to say…" I say to myself as I come to an abrupt stop at the top of one of this island's mountains. About to take a closer look at this…Situation.
I look at the clouds…It's strange, clouds don't move this fast nor in this strange formation…It seems as if they're been controlled…Nah, no force other than God can control such nature…Is there?
"Hm…" Hold on…That can't be right…I feel life energy in those clouds…That's impossible, clouds can't have life energies…That's…Not normal…These clouds aren't made by natural means, that's for sure…
"Whoa, lighting…" I say to myself as in the distance I see a flash of light descending from the clouds, and without missing its cue, thunder drums throughout the air…Hm, maybe I'm wrong and it really is just a storm like any other. Still…Something's not right…Hmmm…
"Huh! What the!" An earthquake? No, it couldn't…The rocks are crumbling…This seems more like…A…Rock slide! Ugh, the rocks under me are crumbling…Whoa! "Damn, this isn't good!"
I try to jump aside to avoid getting caught in the fall, but I soon hear another rumble behind me. I turn and almost immediately after this giant boulder come and slam right on me, throwing me right unto the unstable ground…OK…The ground didn't gave away…But this isn't the end, an avalanche of boulders are coming right at me! I roll and avoid one of them, but that one destroyed my rather unstable ground. I gasp as it begins to crumble, but I try my best to block any beatings to my head as more avalanches comes dropping right on top of me…No! The ground under me crumbles and I fall down the mountain with the mess of boulders…Ugh…So much…Boulders…
"Gaahaaa!" I cry as I feel my body land onto the cold, hard ground and a mess of rocks dropping on me, burying me under…Ugh…Now I…Have…A headache…Light…Headedness…Ugh…………
----------Third person----------
"Huh!" Jumba retaliates as he quickly spins around while heading back to the house.
"What's wrong?" 627 asks as he trails ahead of his creator.
"I thought I heard something…" Jumba answers as he looks at the clouds above, "But it must've been my imagination…"
627 blinks, keeping watch at his creator as he continues to look at the clouds, as if looking for a sign of what he has heard. So far nothing has signaled if what Jumba heard was true or just his mind playing tricks on him. Jumba gave a heavy sigh as he wiped his forehead from the dots of perspiration forming, he felt weak all of a sudden, and he sat down on the nearest sitting place he could find.
"Jumba," 627 began, "I don't think it's such a good idea, the storm seems to be coming in fast."
"Quiet, 627!" Jumba ordered as he sat, feeling that very disturbing presence he recognizes…Something is watching him.
"You have thought I was gone…Did you not?" That voice is too familiar to him…
'Experiment 552…' Jumba thought to himself as his eyes widen…Though, that doesn't stop 552 from knowing what he's thinking. 'You're…Alive?'
"In a sense of the word." The malicious experiment responds. "Now, are you ready to play our game?"
"Our game?" Jumba asked, but before an answer could be given, Jumba let out a cry of pain as he clutched his chest. In his mind, a horrible scene took place, a horrific scene of one of his beloved experiment, being tortured and massacred to death. Soon that thought subsided, but Jumba let out another cry of pain as another thought came into his mind, the scene of another experiment of his being murdered, two hooks imbedded into both his eye sockets, sending blood splattering all over the place. The victims of 552…Their deaths in his hands, are being displayed to their creator…
"Watch…Learn…" 552 commands as it continues to pour these horrific visions into Jumba's mind.
"Jumba! Are you OK!" 627 worriedly asks his creator as he helplessly watches. "What's wrong!"
"Feel their pain…" 552 continues. "You have brought this suffering to them, did you not?"
Jumba continues to cry out in pain, the mere presence of these thoughts inflicting pain to every limb on his body. More visions of all the experiments slain at the hands of 552 continue to arise; tears of blood begin to drift down his cheeks as the visions continue to haunt him.
"Their deaths were avoidable…" The haunting voice of 552 continues to taunt. "You created me…And have sealed their fate…Now, their voices of agony cry out in the Abyss. My world. My kingdom."
"I…Command you…To stop…" Jumba manages to say between the cries of agony as the visions flood his entire thoughts.
"Command me? Believe it or not, Jumba, I am the one commanding you." 552 taunts once again. "The pain shall resume until it has set you free. That is what you wish, is it not?"
"Jumba! Snap out of it!" 627 shouts, unaware of the dreadful truth that lies within Jumba's suffering. "What is wrong!"
"552…" Jumba whispers, then rears back as his cries of agony and suffering intensify louder.
"552?" 627 echoes, then with a change of his vision to x-ray mode, he scouts the area and tracks down the experiment. "You!" 627 cries out as he spots it.
"Yes…It is I…" 552 firmly says. "For I have come to claim what is overdue."
"552!" 627 angrily cries out as he glares at 552. 552 only chuckles as he cancels his Chameleon ability, a power that has been the primary skill for his original function, stealth missions. 627 growls as he changes back his vision to normal, face to face with the diabolical experiment that has been the center of suffering for many experiments in the past. 627 readies to charge in for the attack, but 552 just points at him and chains materialize out of nowhere, wrapping around 627's neck and slowly suffocates him as the chains bind him in place.
"Guh…Uuurk…" 627 chokes as he tries to break free from the suffocating chains.
But 552 ignores the helpless experiment and turns to Jumba, who is on his knees and suffering with the terrifying visions that keeps pouring in his mind. "All of them have met their fate…And so, you shall face yours…For you have created me, and you have brought this to them all…And now, you shall pay the price…" He raises one of his arms; the hooks up in the sky as one lightning pops from the clouds and commence a loud thunder which shakes the earth with its mighty roar. "Let the pain set you free."
552 sends his hooks down, aimed for Jumba's head. But inches before the hooks can even make contact to his head; a black streak zooms in and sends a punch across 552's decimated face. The punch sent the experiment flying, but he didn't seem injured by it and got up with ease. "555…" 552 announces. "Pleasure to see you again…"
555 was glaring, he was pissed big time. He hissed and jumped at 552, claws and punches ready to rip him apart. 552, on the other hand, just reared one hand back, waited for 555 to close in…And at the right cue, 552 thrusts his hand in and collides right unto 555's chest, sending the experiment flying back and smacking right against a palm tree. Surprisingly, the palm tree didn't broke loose from its roots or anything, but the slam to it left the experiment on the ground, coughing as he slowly got up from his side and into a sitting position.
"We have yet our game to finish…" 552 reminds 555 as he manages to stand up. "But you must be patient, for it is not your turn yet, child."
555 breathes a bit heavily. "552!" He shouts as he growls at the experiment before him. "You have done this to me…" He continues as he reveals his left arm…No longer is it a flesh and blood, scaly arm, but a solid, metallic arm. The metallic arm has been painted with the color black to match his body color; still…It is quite evident that the arm is metallic…The nerves destroyed on his shoulder by their last encounter has destroyed the feeling and movement of his left arm…Resulting such handicap and repair…
"You…You bastard!"
552 just chuckled. "I may have severed your arm, but soon enough our game shall come to an end…And your arm shall be the least of your concerns."
555 didn't replied, he just eyed and glared at the experiment before him. The mark on his right arm glowed at the very presence of the experiment. He hissed and charged at 552, throwing a punch with his metallic arm. 552 though, dodges it with a simple jump, rendering the punch to land on the ground, crushing and cracking the ground as the punch thrusts deep into the earth's crust.
"I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do!" 555 screams out as he angrily turns to 552, closing his metallic fist as he tries to control himself from going into an uncontrolled rampage.
"Kill me, you say?" 552 chuckles. "Foolish child, you cannot kill what it is merely toying with you."
552 grinned, but that grin soon went away as the experiment turned around. There, 627 stands, his second head out in the open and in its mouth lays the chain that has been choking him, a good use of his second head to chew off the chains.
"Then may I give it a whack?" 627 asks as his second head spits out the chains and hides once again in his shoulder, then continues while throwing a punch at 552. "You're not toying with me!"
552 takes the punch and flies toward the ground, skidding and bouncing as it comes to a stop about 30 feet from 627. But, as strong as the punch was, 552 got up with no problem. And then with speed, 555 comes from the side and punches the demonic experiment with his metallic fist. The force was enormic, the punch sent 552 flying straight into a palm tree, completely pulling its branch out of the ground and toppling the palm to the ground. 555, still in rage, charges right to where 552 landed and throws another punch to the staggering experiment, sending him again to the ground 30 feet away, letting his body skid to the shoreline, the ocean's gentle waves colliding with the body as it reaches an end on the shore. 555 growls and heads closer to the 'lifeless' body of 552, gripping his fists as he gets closer to the experiment he despises, ready to cave in his head with a well-placed punch.
"Get up you…" 555 demands, trying to keep cool. "I know you can sustain far worse than this…"
552 didn't waste any time, he just got up like nothing and threw a punch to his opponent, which 555 had an easy time blocking. 552 gave another toothless grin and threw another, 555 just blocked it like nothing. 552 jumped over 555, who in return threw a punch in which the experiment jumped to avoid. When he lands behind him, 552 throws his hand back and impales one of his hooks right into 555's back.
"HIIISSSSSSSAAAAAHH!" 555 hisses as the hooks are impaled from his back through his belly.
"Can you feel it 555? Your life bleeding out. Your venom, the very thing that gives you life, which causes you your slow death." 552 proceeded into lifting 555 in the air, his hook still impaled in him. "To bleed to death is quite peaceful in a way, you should be thankful."
555 continues to hiss in pain as his body weight slowly drives him further down the hook, impaling him deeper into it. "HIISSSSAAAHH! You…Bastard! HISSS!"
"Hey!" A voice called out from afar, 552 looked and saw 627 charging right at him! "Let him go!"
552 chuckled. "As you wish." He rears his hand back, and with one strong swing, 555 is detached from the hook and sent flying to 627. The speed of 627's charge and the speed 555 was thrown proved to be an impossible dodge or catch, thus 627 collides with 555 and both of them are sent flying back against a mess of palm trees, all of them ripped from their branches and sent to the ground, all of them landing where the two experiments are lying.
552 looks at the site, remembering what 555 told him about sustaining more blows than just his simple punches. "Child, I can sustain more than what you can ever throw at me. You're like a puppet trying to go against its master. And when you go against your master, you can only lose." 552 then turns to Jumba, who is watching in inexplicable horror. "Can you feel it, Jumba? The pain, it will soon die away along with everything you know. The pain shall set you free from the suffering…"
Jumba was terrified; the nightmare he thought was over years ago is still here, and now it's coming for him!
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Back at the rubble of rocks from the rockslide, where we last saw Zero…A concentration of light is emitting from under the pile…Suddenly, a ray of light emits from under it all…Soon more rays of light emits from the rubble…And soon, a huge burst of light flashes as a loud boom erupts from the rock pile as the pile of boulders burst up into the air and breaks into pieces as a ball of plasma energy erupts from it…And as the light dies down, a silhouette stands there, one arm held up in the air…A buster cannon in place of a hand…
----------000's POV----------
Phew…Once again, able to breathe the clean air again…How long have I been out cold? Oh well…I lower my arm and morph my buster back to my hand…Those clouds…They weren't normal alright…It's 552…The experiment is still alive…Should've guessed it…Eh? What's that? I sense Jumba's and 627's life signals…Including 555's…And 552…Yup, that mix of death and living life signal it's his alright…And where's him, there's usually a fight going on…
Not wasting any time, I breathe deeply and begin my way to the site, if I hurry, there might be a chance for me to stop 552 from killing anybody…As soon as I get to the area I find a bunch of palm trees on the ground…And two bodies right under them!
"Oh no…" I whisper to myself as I run toward the scene, using my strength to push and lift the palm trees off of the bodies…It's 555 and 627…Aw man, that gash on 555's stomach looks nasty…
"555!" I say as I lift him up in a sitting position, "C'mon! Wake up!"
555 moans…He's waking up!
"I'll be fine…" He growls as he slaps my hand away. I take notice of his arm…It's metallic…The nerves that were damaged…
I hear a second moan…
"627…" I begin as I turn to him, "You OK?"
627 sits up and rubs his head, "I'm alright…But you gotta stop 552 before he kills Jumba."
I gasp and change my view; I see 552 standing in front of Jumba, his hand raised to send his hooks down on Jumba's skull. I morph my hand to a buster cannon, jump out of the debris of fallen trees, charge up my shot and shoot right at 552. Direct hit! He didn't even saw it coming! I land next to Jumba and turn to him, "You alright, Jumba?"
He's shaken up, but he nods and stands up…
"Zero…"
Eh? I turn around to the smoke and spot a silhouette standing in the middle where the blast landed…And sure enough I know who it is…
"Ughn!" As of nowhere a punch strikes right across my face, sending me flying to the ground and skidding on my side…Ow…I stand back up and look at the smoke…There he is, walking out of the smoke…552…
"Zero…My puppet…What of you to come back to me…Come to finish our game?" Keep talking 552, sooner or later you'll have to die and bring all of this to an end…
I charge right to him and I punch him right across the face. He fumbles back but…Damn, doesn't seem like the punch faced him in the slightest to even be knocked out cold…He really is something else…
"Child, you cannot possibly win this game…" 552 mocks. "For you are merely a puppet with its strings around my fingers, you can only win when I say so."
"Guh!" 552 did that so fast I could barely keep my eye on him. He punched me so hard that I went airborne a few feet away; landing just a few feet close from Jumba's house…I get up, only to spot 552 standing right in front me, his eyeless sockets staring right on my face, sending chills down my spine…552 rears his head back and…
"Gaaah!" Headbutts me right on the face, sending me flying against a wall on the house and through the wall, into the house.
I slowly open my eyes with a moan, I've landed on the sofa…Soft landing…But dang, I must've flown through at least three rooms.
"Hey! Are you alright?"
Eh? I look to my left and spot one of Jumba's experiments, looking right at me from the edge of the sofa.
"Zero!" That voice…It's 624…She comes running at me…
"624, no! Stay back!" I cry at her, and she stops right next to the experiment. I try to get up, wiping away a drop of blood from my mouth. "Argh, kid…" I begin, looking at the experiment standing next to 624. "I'm alright…But you and 624 better take cover…Before…"
Before I could finish, something from the wall behind us breaks through the wall and crashes my little meeting with 624 and the experiment. I get up on one knee, lifting a giant piece of wood panel off of me and the experiment that has broken off the wall from behind us.
"Aaaaaah!" I hear a scream; I look up and spot what came through the wall behind us…Hooks and a few chains…And one of the chains has 624!
"Angel!" I cry out her name, not wanting to lose her to 552…Especially not her…She's the first friend I made after my creation…The first one that gave me a warm welcome after 619 and 520 were about to attack me…
"So, I see you are familiar with her…" 552 says as he begins ascending on thin air, the chain holding 624 gently floating right next to him. He then looks at her, "Angel…Your name, is it not?"
624…She's so scared…552 has involved my friends, my creator, everyone, into this 'game' of ours, there's no need to involve 624 too!
"552!" I cry out in anger, glaring at him. "Let her go!"
552 only chuckled. "You know her name…You know your creator's name…And you know 555's name," He turns his head to 555. "Is it so, Rycon?"
I blink and look at 555. The experiment is glaring at 552, pissed off to the extreme…Rycon? That's 555's name?
"And now child…" I turn my head to 552 as he continues. "Perhaps it is time for you to learn my name…" He grins his toothless and scarred grin. "My name is Kolobos…Commit it to memory…"
Kolobos…552's name…A demon like him has a name? Heh…
"Soon our game shall come to an end…" He lifts up his hand and…Some sort of…Portal opens up in the sky… "But now, you shall pay the price that is long overdue to you…"
Oh no…He doesn't mean…
624 is terrified, I can see it clearly in her face…Now the vortex 552…Errr…Kolobos opened up begins to suck in…I try to hold my ground, but Kolobos simply chuckles and enters the vortex…And 624 along with him!
"624!" The experiment next to me cries out as he watches 624 disappearing into the vortex.
624 can only scream. "Aaaah! Help! Jumba! Zero!"
"Angel!" I cry out, building my courage and jump after Kolobos and 624, letting the vortex's force suck me in right into it.
"000! No!" Jumba cries out to me. But it's already too late, I'm already inside the vortex, Jumba and the experiments' cries drowned in the noise of the vortex and winds surrounding me…Darkness…Silence…The cold of time and space…Hm? A red light…And a mix of strange sounds enters through my ears…This place…Where's this…?
TO BE CONTINUE…
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Geez! I've been really slacking off with this fanfic. Heheh, anyway, the end is almost here. I'll be finishing this fanfic soon!