The Blue Werewolf

Part II: The True Hearted

C/By: Kenjaje

Edited by: raVen

Chapter 7: The Little Secret

October 30: 2:27 PM: Second Floor Hallway

Stitch and Lilo burst out of the elevator even before it hit the second floor. They checked her old room first, but he wasn't there. Lilo suggested the kitchen, and Stitch was already three steps ahead of her. He wasn't there either.

"Man, the guy's always around, why can't we find him?"

"Stitch can find!" He exclaimed, and no sooner his nose was kissing the floor with whiffs and sniffs. "Bo has strange scent, recotaka?" He told her, as he ran across the floor, his nose magnetically attached to the ground. He led her all around, trying to find the freshest scent. One trail led to the front door, and halfway down the steps. "Is stronger…but not recent…and changed somehow…" He mumbled.

"What's that mean?" She asked. He gave a shrug, and then continued back into the kitchen. "Are you sure you know where you're going?" She asked, chasing him.

"Eh! Follow!" He ordered, leading her into to laundry room. Bo was standing in the middle of the room, looking around.

"I was crazy to think it was in here…" He mumbled. Lilo came rushing up to him so quickly she slammed into his leg, throwing his balance off a tad, and threatening to make him fall down. "Whoa there, where's the fire?" He asked, holding out a hand to pick her up.

"No fire," she panted, "it's the book—"

"You found m'book?" He interrupted with a hint of excitement in his acute drawl.

"Yeah my…my dog took it." She said, giving Stitch a look of "sorry, but it was the only thing I could think of".

"He didn't…tear it up did'ee?"

"No…I did…it was an accident I swear, but there's something freaky about your book—it," Lilo looked behind her, and grabbed the book from Stitch. She opened it up, tore a page out, and showed Bo what they had done nearly a dozen times; just to be sure they weren't imagining things. Lilo looked at Bo, expecting to see the same shock and appall that she and Stitch had experienced when they saw the strange spectacle, but his face was oddly calm and stern, and his eyes were rather cold, as if they'd just crossed forbidden bounds.

"Come with me." He spoke, taking the book from her grasp. Stitch and Lilo followed him up to her old room, a dreadfully silent and distant walk, and when they were all inside, he shut the door. "You didn't tell anyone about this, did you?" Lilo's heart thundered, the strange man suddenly seemed very frightening.

"N-n-no, we came straight to you." Bo's eyes seemed to relax, and his posture seemed to lift.

"Good." He said with relief. Lilo eyed him.

"You knew, didn't you?" She said quickly. "You knew that book wasn't normal…and you probably know that it does have words in it too, don't you?" Bo's posture changed again, his eyes examining Lilo.

"Of course I knew," he said, his voice losing the southern accent, "but more importantly…how do you know?" Lilo's jaw dropped ajar, and her eyes rolled to the left, trying to fabricate a reason. She glanced over at Stitch. He nodded.

"I…I, uh…" She swallowed. "Well, uh, it was…my dog." She explained, matter-of-factly.

"Your…dog?" Bo questions, his deep, amber eyes gleaming disbelief. "Let me guess…your dog told you about the letters?" He asked with a bit of a tease.

"Well…yeah," Lilo replied in the same tone as before, "you see…Stitch is…" She paused, as if waiting for his further approval. He shrugged, and pushed his hands forward as if to say, "go on, go on". "My dog isn't a dog; he's actually a genetically-altered evil genius experiment." Lilo gave a big grin. Bo stared coldly for a moment, then his eyebrows relaxed, and then he gave out a small chuckle, which snowballed into a hearty laugh. "Hey! What's so funny?"

"You've got quite an imagination kiddo," he told her, his accent returning, "your dog an alien…next thing you know she's gonna tell me it can talk—"

"Miga alien!" Bo's eyes shot open at Stitch's protest, and his back slammed against the wall. The book in his hand dropped open to the floor. His chest heaved silently.

"I told you…" Lilo spoke frankly, rolling her eyes at Bo's surprise. "My dog can talk, pretty well actually. He knows his own language. But that's beside the matter—I want answers; I want to know why he can read that book and we can't." Lilo commanded.

"You're really pushy aren't ya?" Bo commented, recomposing himself. "Well, I suppose telling a couple won't hurt anything." He leaned down to pick up the book and walked over to the desk at the far wall. He slid the book into the door and sat down at the chair, facing them, his elbows propping on his thighs and his gloved hands folded before his face.. "Take a seat." He said, pointing the bed, and they sat.

"Tell what; hurt what?" Stitch asked, but Bo seemed to ignore him.

"That book," Bo began, "is very ancient. Its text can only be read by those who have fallen under 'the curse'." He said ominously.

"The curse," Lilo asked, "what curse?"

"The Curse of the Werewolf, of course," He told them frankly. Lilo blinked and smacked her head, feeling rather dumb, and Stitch shifted uncomfortably.

"Only werewolves can read it…that would explain why I can't, and why you can Stitch."

"Eh." He agreed.

"Well," Lilo began to ask, "If you know so much about it, what does it say?"

"That I dunno." He replied honestly. "I've worked on it for a long time, and I don't have much. In fact, you remember me talkin' about m'cousin when I first met you right?" Lilo thought back.

"Yeah, you said he went to go surprise you, and you did the same thing at the same time, and that's why you had to stay here." She recalled.

"That's what I said." Bo corrected. "M'cousin…is a werewolf. I been searchin' for him for a long time, and I know he's around here somewhere. I wanted to ask him if he could help me…translate the words." Lilo began to get edgy.

"You're not…a werewolf hunter…are you?" She asked sheepishly.

"Maybe…maybe not," he replied, "but that doesn't matter, if you're worried about your dog. He's safe; I can already tell he's not a werewolf."

"But you just said…" Lilo's face dawned confusion, "You said only werewolves can read that book…and Stitch can read it…"

"Well, like you said, Stitch is an alien, maybe he can read it too; who knows. But that thing ain't a werewolf."

"But you're wrong, Stitch is a werewolf, he's been a werewolf for about a year now." She protested.

"If he were a werewolf," Bo began, walking over to them, "he would have the mark on his left hand…or paw…or whatever he calls it." Stitch watched as Bo grabbed his arm and opened his hand. "The mark looks like a wolf's paw print, and it glows slightly purple. I don't see a paw print, do you?" Lilo glanced at his hand, and then giggled. "…what's so funny?" He asked, as Stitch began to chuckle too.

"Go ahead Stitch; show him 'the mark'." Stitch stood up on the bed, turned his left side to Bo, and let his lower-left arm punch out of his side. The look of surprise and fear took Bo's face again as Stitch opened his other left hand to reveal the faintly glowing paw print. Both of them burst into a roar of laughter.

"Right…he's an alien…shoulda seen that comin'…" Bo mumbled, recomposing himself again. As their laughter died down, Bo began to speak once more. "Well, you proved me wrong again. He's an alien, and he's a werewolf."

"Yup," Lilo said, hopping down from the bed, extending her hand to help Bo to his feet, "and if you're a werewolf hunter you'd better watch out."

"Oh really?" He asked, mocking threat, "an'why's that?" His eyes squinted deeply, and his face moved closer to Lilo's, but before he was too close, Stitch rose up from below, his teeth beared and his growl deep. Bo's face drew back with curiosity. "You're guarding her?" He asked.

"Eh. Naga takkata kibasa Lilo rebitaga." He snapped.

"I'd watch it if I were you, Stitch has mutant alien powers." Lilo warned.

"I guess I'd better not hunt this one then." Bo said with a tease. "I'll tell you what; if you keep this all a secret, Stitch won't be harmed by me in any way." Lilo thought for a moment, then extended her hand.

"It's a deal." They shook. "And by the way," Lilo said, as she and Stitch went out the door, "Stitch is a walking super-computer, so if you want him to help you read that book, I'm sure he'll do his best; won't you Stitch?"

"Eh." Stitch said, as they left the room, shutting the door. Bo sighed, and sat back in his chair, rubbing his thumb against the palm of his gloved left hand.

"I suppose I've been through stranger." He said to himself. "Hm…but the way that…Stitch acted. Usually werewolves aren't protective…unless…it's that kind." His head leaned against the back of the chair. "I guess I'll have to keep an eye on him…and if he is that kind of werewolf…poor kiddo's gonna be in for some real 'eart breaks…"

"…So, I was just wondering, if you wanted me to stop?" Lilo paused, and stared into the mirror of the bathroom, the towel paused over her hair. "No…that doesn't sound right…" She told herself, continuing to dry her scalp. "Maybe I shouldn't ask him…I mean he's got to have a good reason as to why he didn't tell me he could go werewolf without the moon, right?" She asked herself, staring at her reflection as though it would talk back to her. "The last thing I want to do is make him say something he doesn't want to say…but at the same time I don't want him to feel like he's always gotta watch over his shoulder…"

She finished drying her hair, and went closer to the sink to brush her teeth, tossing the towel aside next to her dirty laundry. "I'll ask him…" She decided, "But only if he starts talking about it first. Maybe I should give it a rest for a while…try to talk about something else. That's it!" She said with a foamy smile, and spat out the paste. She opened the door to see Jumba coming down the hall.

"Finally!" He mumbled, dashing into the bathroom. Lilo quickly wondered if he heard anything, but began to think otherwise when she heard him talking, "Six peoples, and only one facility. Maybe Jumba should think about putting on an addition…" She giggled and rode the elevator up to her room.

"Hey Stitch." She greeted to her friend lying on his bed.

"Lilo," he said with a lightly serious tone, "Stitch been thinking."

"Again?" Lilo asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Eh." He said sincerely, "Stitch remember being at places that were destroyed…but Stitch not actually remember being destructive." He told her.

"That's because you didn't—at least I don't believe you did. I mean, if you were going to be destructive, wouldn't you have done it a long time ago?"

"Maybe…" He said, as she went to her bed. "But, for some reason…still feel like Stitch did it. Feel guilty." He waited for Lilo to say something, but she only stared it him with concern. "Remember, Lilo said Stitch 'restless'? What if Stitch destroying places…Stitch not want to destroy anymore…but what if werewolf make Stitch destroy?"

"Well…let's say you are," she began hypothetically, "you already feel guilty…do you think it's your fault that you're being destructive, or do you think we should blame your werewolf side?" Stitch thought for a moment.

"Stitch want to blame werewolf side…but not want to use as excuse. Destroying is not One, True Place for Stitch, not anymore. Even if Stitch blame werewolf, is still Stitch that destroys…"

"I think," she began sentimentally, "that you shouldn't feel guilty at all. I mean, you said yourself that the werewolf side of you could be forcing you to do things you don't want to do, and I think you're right, and as long as you know you wouldn't do it in your normal form, and that your werewolf form is out of your control, then you don't need to be punished or anything." There was a pause as he mulled her words. "If it's worth anything," she said, "I forgive you. I mean, technically it's not your fault." Stitch sighed. "Don't worry about it; besides that was just a 'what if', I'm positive it's not you. If anything, you were probably chasing down the werewolf that bit you last year."

"Maybe…" His voice drifted. Lilo remembered the decision she had made in the bathroom just a few minutes ago, but she decided she wouldn't ask her question.

"He's already miserable as it is…poor Stitch." She thought with sadness. She slid underneath the blankets of her bed and pulled them up to her chin. "G'night Stitch," she bid, "try not to wake me up this morning when you come back home, ok?"

"No problem," he told her, his voice sounding rather distant and sad, "Stitch not going tonight." Lilo lifted her head and leaned on her elbow.

"You're not going?" Stitch nodded, his back facing her. "Are you sure; you've never skipped a night before…"