Chapter 4: Turning into Ghosts
Lilo and Stitch stood by the volleyball net at the crowded beach. Despite the cheerful cries of most of the rest of the beach's visitors, the small blue genetically altered alien looked at the ground unhappily. Ears drooping, Stitch's face held a look of great sorrow and depression. The pair had arranged to meet Angel and 625 for a game of volleyball. Dressed in one of her usual red muumuus, Lilo was beginning to question having done so.
Lilo kept trying to comfort her sulking blue friend. "Stitch," she began. "Angel can love anyone she wants. Besides, you still have a chance with her." Lilo tried to keep the scolding tone from her voice. It bothered her that Stitch would act this way, especially when Angel seemed happy. "Look, here come 625 and Angel now," she announced.
"Ready to play?" 625 called, wearily eyeing Stitch.
"Yeah!" Lilo cheered as Angel and 625 walked up to them. She seemed gleefully unaware of the sudden tension between the two males of the group. If she did notice, she obviously wasn't about to let it ruin her excitement over the game. "Boys against girls!" she called out happily. She wasn't sure how Stitch and 625 would like being teamed up given the circumstances, but this would at least keep the two from fighting over who would side with Angel.
Lilo picked up the volleyball and went to one side of the net, followed by Angel, while Stitch and 625 walked to the other side. Stitch growled at 625, causing the sandwich maker to wince. Something told him that this probably wouldn't turn out very well.
Lilo served the ball. 625 was about to hit it back to the girls' side when Stitch rudely pushed in front of him and punched the ball up and over the net. 625 glared at Stitch but let his rude manner slide. The game continued.
Lilo and Angel worked well together and took turns hitting the ball. Things were different on the boys' side. Stitch always wanted to hit the ball himself, no doubt an attempt to get Angel's attention. Meanwhile, 625 had barely any chance to hit the ball whatsoever. Further more, Stitch's lack of teamwork and cooperation caused several crashes between to two teammates. The girls were winning.
The game had been going for almost half an hour when something strange happened. Stitch had just hit the ball over the net and it was headed Angel's way. Angel jumped up to hit it but it went right through her hand! Angel stared at her hand with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide with shock. No one else seemed to have noticed, though.
"Maka Maka!" Stitch called. Angel shook her head and threw the ball over the net. She was probably just imagining things.
They continued for a while before another strange phenomena occurred. The ball was headed towards Stitch and he took stance to return the hit. But just as he was ready to punch it back, the ball went right through him! This time everyone noticed and ran up to him. "Ball… went through me," Stitch said in a confused and uncertain voice.
"The same thing happened to me," Angel admitted.
"Maybe it was something you guys ate," Lilo suggested.
Angel nodded. "It was," she said in realization.
Everyone looked at her and waited for her to continue.
Angel went on, "Ghost food glows white. If you eat it you start turning into a ghost. The first day things can go through you on your will." Angel spoke like she was in a trance, the truth dawning on her. "The second day you can fly. The third day you are invisible. On the forth day you are a ghost forever. Stitch and I ate ghost food, so we are turning into ghosts." Angel paused to make sure everyone was listening and of course they were. "For the cure you have to go to the ghosts. They dwell past the river, forest, and mountain."
625 scratched his head. "How do you know all this?" he asked.
"I read a book about it in Jumba's lab. Come on, Stitch. We have to go."
"Ih," Stitch agreed. He started walking away with Angel.
625 grabbed Angel's arm and spun her around to face him. "You can't go!" he exclaimed, jealousy evident in his voice and eyes.
Angel smiled sweetly, "I'll be ok, 625. I already spent time with you. Now it's Stitch's turn." She gently pulled her arm from his grasp and walked off with Stitch toward the forest, leaving 625 and Lilo watching after them with concern.
After a while of walking in silence, Stitch noticed the flower on Angel's ear. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to it.
"625 gave it to me," Angel answered softly, unable look him in the eye.
Stitch gasped. His eyes narrowed to slits and a deep, predatory growled emitted from the back of his throat. He grabbed the flower and threw it on the ground, ripping it.
"You don't need that," he growled, jealousy even more evident within him then 625. He then stomped on the once lovely plant for good measure and pulled Angel by her arm to keep her going. Angel sighed softly as she looked back at the small pile of crushed petals. She could only hope this was going to end well and, judging by Stitch's attitude, there was little chance of such a thing happening.
Turning back around to see where she was going, Angel chanced a quick look at Stitch. He walked a bit hunched over, an expression of anger and jealousy blanketing his face. A bit of hurt tinged the corner of his eyes as well. Angel held in another sigh at the less than reassuring sight.