Chapter 14:
Sting
I
"Gotta give the humans credit," 149 began nonchalantly, taking two handfuls of books from the shelf that was as tall as her. "Some of this stuff actually seems kinda neat." She held the four books she had acquired in a single stack, alternating the top one to read each title. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, A Million Baby Names, Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley, and The Complete Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen.
"Whatever it is..." She flipped two of the books open like suitcases, sending their pages banging into their back covers. The other two books dropped to the floor, with the huge hardcover of Hans Christian Andersen landing on 149's toe. Though she hardly felt anything, she gave the book a sharp glance, as if warning it not to strike her foot again.
"Do they sleep in this thing?" 150 questioned in disbelief as he examined Lilo's bunk beds, whose blankets lay splayed and unmade across the mattresses like they had been knocked unconscious.
"If you slept in the bottom bed, you'd always be scared that the top one was gonna fall and crush you,"
"That's why you sleep in the top one," 149 responded perkily as she returned dropped the books she held to the floor.
"So why have a bottom one at all?" The larger Experiment questioned further, smiling as he enjoyed the debate.
"Just a formality, I guess," She chirped, crawling up the nearest wall, across the ceiling, and then plopping down into the top bunk. "Oh. This is actually super comfy. Feels even cooler when it's this high up." The nimble Experiment, laying sideways along the top bunk, rested her hands behind her head and propped her feet up on the wooden barrier. 150, for one wonderful moment, forgot the mission 621 had sent them to do at the meek human house, as he looked at a pair of docile feet that begged to be tickled. With his flesh hand, he reached up and quickly ran a thick finger along the bottom of 149's foot, doing so until his partner pulled her vulnerable feet away with a boisterous, snort-filled giggle. 150 could not say how pleasing anyone else would find the snorting, but to him, such laughter was more pleasing than most music. 149 almost immediately leaned over the wooden barrier to smile down at him with the ghost of her previous cackle.
"Hey!" She exclaimed merrily.
"Sorry," 150 chuckled, though his apology was a blatant lie. "I saw an opportunity." He received no reply but 149's smile, feeling to him like a rapturous ray of sunlight after rushing out of an exceptionally chilly building. He was perfectly content to remain silent, so long as he could be allowed to savor the smile for the rest of the day, or the week, or the year, if he could. To his dismay, though, he was not even allowed to enjoy it for a full minute, as 149's face declined into a scornful glower. 150 could tell by her eyes, however, that the frown was not for him.
"Can you believe those three?!" 149 growled, her hands clenching into fists against the wooden barrier. "Four, technically, since 345 would probably be stayin' here if Hamsterviel hadn't gotten 'im,"
"Maybe they just got tired of waiting," 150 suggested, not even attempting to match 149's frustration.
"Waiting?" The nimble Experiment repeated, confused.
"You know, to take over the Federation. We've been fighting them for ages, so maybe they don't see the point anymore,"
"Well, of course it's gonna take a long frickin' time," 149 retorted, her voice filled with malice, yet 150 could feel none of it heading in his direction. "It ain't easy overthrowin' a whole government! And after all the plans 221 and I had, he goes and ditches 'em all just like that?!" She hopped down from the top bunk and paced the room anxiously, as if she were trying to stomp the floorboards down to the ground floor.
"Don't it seem strange to ya, bud?!" She turned to her comrade. 150's mouth opened to answer, but it had yet to prepare any words. It was then that he realized, as a tardy response was crafted in his head, that the traitors' behavior wasn't strange at all. More than that, he realized that he actually wanted to join them. He wanted to stay in the house with the bizarre bed that came with the fear of being crushed while sleeping. 150, in one second, had already lived in the house for an hour in his imagination. He quickly returned to reality, however, when he saw what was in front of him, and knew that living in the house would be dreadful without it. He was ready to answer, but the not-too-distant sound of the door breezing open and clicking shut was faster than him.
"One of them's here!" 149 exclaimed as loudly as she could while still whispering. They both knelt down in a huddle at exactly the same time, internally surprising 150 with their synchronization.
"Right, they're not stronger than us, but they could be faster than us," She began urgently. "So whichever one it is, she can't see us before we get her,"
"Right," 150 nodded.
"So I'll hide low-"
"And I'll hide high-"
"I'll make sure she can't run-"
"Then I'll grab her." Their voices seemed to merge into one, much to their mutual delight, though it delighted them each differently. They confirmed their plan with a silent high five, after which 149 stomped on the floorboards several times more. This time, she performed a boisterous tap dance.
"The heck are you guys doing up there?!" A voice called from downstairs.
"It's the taller one, then," 150 denoted after hearing the voice's notable maturity.
"No biggie," His ally responded coolly as she rolled under the bed. "And, uh, no pun intended," She added once she was out of sight.
Hearing the echoing creak of wooden steps growing louder, 150 hurriedly crawled up the bedroom walls, stepping over a colorless poster of a strange man with hair that seemed plastic, before coming to rest on the ceiling like a rug. Though he felt no strain from clinging to the ceiling, he still grew more impatient for each second that the older human was not in the room.
"Lilo?" Nani finally strolled into the room, her walk slowing when the room seemed strangely barren. "Stitch?"
150 scarcely blinked as he waited for the ideal moment to drop down to the floor. He primarily focused on her long hair that flowed like a nightly waterfall, while 149 had nothing to follow but the human's bare feet. The human moved slowly past the bed, practically stopped near the very spot where 149 was hidden. The metal-handed Experiment braced himself, his hands and feet already loosening their grip on the ceiling. Then, with speed that violently shattered the suspicious silence, 149 reached out with both hands and clutched Nani's ankle. In mere moments, 150 plopped skillfully to the floor and grasped his distracted target in an unbreakable bear hug, ensuring that his metal hand muffled her mouth.
"Nicely done, bud!" 149 complimented enthusiastically as she sprung out from beneath the bed. She then turned to the squirming Nani with much less passion.
"Don't tire yourself out, now," The nimble Experiment commented sarcastically. "C'mon, bud, let's get her out of here before the others come back,"
With apt speed, 149 led the way to the bedroom's window, hopping up on the desk as if it were a stepping stone. With 150 and his captive following close behind, 149 leaped out of the window. The two Experiments created a fleeting golden cloud around their feet upon landing on the hot sand. They then sprinted to the house's rear, towards the camouflage of the forest of palm trees, as 150 carried Nani as effortlessly as a briefcase. Both Experiments' feet hit the ground as forcefully as they could as they ran, ensuring that they were stalked by a trail of crater-like footprints.
II
Though their trip was rushed as much as possible, 149, 150, and Nani all felt like it had taken hours. Nani never stopped struggling, and 150's arms never loosened. When the rest of the Rebellion and their docile pod came into view, 621 could be seen leaning against the pod near its ajar door. He tossed the diminutive cylinder of a white key repeatedly like an impatient driver awaiting a tardy customer. When 150 thrust his captive into the pod, though, the marksman bolted upright, slammed the door shut just as Nani pressed up to it, and then locked the door.
"They're find you, you know!" The oldest Pelekai exclaimed defiantly to her kidnappers through the glass window. "You can't beat them, no matter how hard you try!"
621 stepped as close the glass as he could, his smirk revealing a menacing, pointed armory of teeth.
"Want them find weega," 621 retorted sinisterly. "Not beat them. Want them back,"
"...They won't go back," Nani responded more lowly. "Not after everything you've done to them,"
621 raised his sneering head at the prisoner. "Youga see," He snarled as he turned away from the pod-turned-cell, and to 149 and 150.
"Good work, you two," He complimented them. The marksman's ominous smile seemed sturdier than any smile he had recently made.
"I don't suppose that, while you were there, you found out anything especially interesting about the traitors' new base?"
"Well, it was pretty colorful," 150 answered, scratching his head with his flesh hand. "Smelled real nice, too,"
"Yes, yes, but aside from how nice it was?" 621's smile persisted, though it now seemed to struggle.
"Uh, they have two beds stacked on top of one another…"
"Anything useful?!" The marksman snapped. "Anything that could help us? There must have been something! Surely you must have seen something!"
"He'd-a told ya straight out if there was somethin'!" 149 defended before 150 could think of an equally effective retort.
"It's just a plain ol' place! If you're lookin' for somethin' there, then you can go look for it!"
"Watch your tone, 149," 621 sneered, his grin deceased, as he pointed an irritated claw at his defiant comrade.
"You know I'm older than ya, right?" 149's defense continued. "More experienced. Don't tell me about my tone!" She took a deep breath before lowering her voice, yet its power never wavered.
"Look, we're doin' what ya asked. It ain't our fault that life's not goin' our way,"
621's ears retreated behind his head. "I know…" He replied somberly. "I'm sorry, it's just…" He raised his head again, forcing it to display a stern, concentrated face.
"I'll go keep watch for the traitors. I'll shoot into the air when I see them, then you two bring the human and we can sway our allies back to us,"
"Alrighty," 149 responded, although the marksman had turned and left before she spoke.
"He's getting tense," 150 commented in awe. "I mean, more than usual,"
"Yeah," 149 muttered, scowling at 621's departing back before smiling up at her ally. "Don't mean he can talk to use like that, though, right?" She gently elbowed him in the gut, but he never noticed.
150 was focused completely on her smile, not so much it but the fact of its existence. The fact that, after such a heated conversation, she could still smile afterwards. More to 150's delight, she chose to share such a smile with him. For a few seconds, the metal-handed Experiment wasn't standing in a forest near a pod imprisoning his own captive. Instead, he was floating in the perfectly blue sky above him, unsure of where he was floating to, and totally at peace with it.
"You alright, bud?" 149 asked, confused but not unnerved. 150 thought he'd be dragged down at the broken silence, but he continued to float like a colorful balloon.
"I'm fine," He answered softly. "Are you?"
"I'm good," She answered, moving to walk past him.
Her hand moved towards his flesh one as she walked, and for a second, 150's floating became flight at the prospect of his fingers intertwining with hers. She kindly patted his arm twice, and he was demoted to floating again as she walked away.
"Fuck…" 150 exhaled as he smothered his face in his differently-skinned hands. As his fingers slid down from his eyes like melting wax, he looked up to discover a familiar pink face frowning down at him. With closer inspection, 150 found that 624 was hanging from the giant tear-shaped leaf of a nearby palm tree.
"Hey, 624…" He mumbled as he walked away, his head hung as if the sand was the most fascinating thing around.
"Where are you going?" The pink Experiment inquired, trying not to sound suspicious. She didn't completely succeed.
150 stopped. "I dunno...Just walking," He muttered over his shoulder.
624 dropped down from her leaf to catch up to her metal-handed ally. "You think 149 might like to join you?"
"Maybe," 150 answered glumly as he resumed his futile walking. 624 walked backwards with him.
"Why don't you ask her?" She suggested with a smile.
"...I told you, 624," He responded, now more irritable, but still undoubtedly depressed to 624. "I don't know what I'd say-"
"Just make it up,"
"I can't make it up," 150 objected, his mellow tone gradually rising to sternness. "It has to be right. It has to be perfect,"
"Oh, nothing's perfect, 150," 624's smile never faltered as she reversed. "It just has to be true. You can stutter and improvise all you want, and it'll be okay so long as it's what you really mean,"
"I..." The huge Experiment breathed deeply as he made to walk faster. "I'm just not ready,"
"Alright!" To 150's shock, the pink Experiment leaped onto him, her feet clinging to his stomach. Her fists were planted firmly on her hips as her back seemed to be propped up against the air. Had 150 been in a better mood, he would have chuckled at the tickling sensation of 624's toes digging into his belly. Instead, he only looked at her with wide, surprised eyes.
"You can't keep doing this, you know," She scolded.
"What?"
"This. Thinking about how much you love her, but doing nothing about it. You know what's gonna happen if you do nothing?"
"...Nothing?"
"See? You know, and still you let it eat away at you! The only way to get it out is to to tell her,"
"W-What if she doesn't like me for it, though?" 150 retorted as if 624 had insulted.
"Why wouldn't she?" The pink Experiment questioned. She waited patiently for a seemingly imminent answer, but it never came.
"See? If you can't see why she'd stop liking you, then she probably won't,"
"...I just don't feel ready," 150 objected with frustration.
"Then when will you be ready?" 624 asked more mellowly. Once again, no answer came but a depressed glower. With a confident smile, the pink Experiment looked over 150's head, finding 149 clinging to the trunk of a nearby palm tree, curiously examining an unusual brown sphere.
"Hey, 149!" The pink Experiment called to her, giving a petrified 150 the horrific sensation of a ghostly electric shock running up his spine.
"Whatcha need, 624?" 149 responded casually as she dropped down from the tree with her strange orb.
"150 wants to tell you something,"
"What, does he need more people to stand on his chest?" She joked. The diminutive percentage of 150's brain that wasn't panicking laughed silently at 149's joke.
"Well, he might, but that's not it," 624 hopped down from her larger comrade, leaving him alone with 149.
"What's up, bud?" She innocently asked 150's back. She peered around him when he did not turn, whistling to earn his attention. The metal-handed Experiment jolted as he turned, wiping his forehead with his flesh arm.
"Woah, you okay, 150?" 149 questioned with a nervous chuckle. "Looks like you're meltin'." This prompted 150 to wipe his sweating forehead again, doing so quickly as if the sweat threatened to burn his skin.
"Yeah, I'm okay," He exhaled.
"Good...So, you wanted to tell me somethin'?" She asked with a smile, which both soothed and stabbed her friend.
"Yes, I..." 150's flesh and metal fingers fiddled with one another as he searched frantically for something else to say, but his search was in vain. He looked again at 149, who still smiled as she patiently awaited an answer. She'll probably wait for ages for you to talk if you made her, he thought. He couldn't imagine wasting her time so selfishly, and he finally decided that he had been selfish enough lately. He forced his wobbling fingers to be still as he took a careful breath. He shut his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, 149's radiant smile was still waiting for him. 150's heart felt like it was trying to climb out of his chest. He had spent ages trying to keep it in, but now decided to try letting it escape instead.
"Do...Do you remember when we were created?" He asked hesitantly. 149 raised her eyebrow, but her smile persisted through her confusion.
"A little, but not a whole lot. It's been ages," She chuckled, hoping that 150 would do the same, but her hopes were quickly dashed.
"I didn't think you would, and I don't remember much, either. But I do remember sitting in this dark, glass case. I thought that I should be scared, but you were sitting beside me, holding this hand..." He held up the mechanical substitute at the end of his left arm.
"Somehow, that made me feel safer..." 150's lips curled ever so slightly into a vague smile. "And on every mission I had with you, I felt just the same. I knew we'd pull through so long as you were there," His smile grew as he spoke, though he did not yet notice that 149's was shrinking.
"You're so amazing in battle or in any kind of tough spot; you always know exactly what to do, even when you're really pissed or really scared. Even when you're scared of something, though, you still run right up to it and punch it in the face!" 150's heart was racing as it had done many times when in 149's presence, only this time it wasn't hurting him.
"And you're so funny-On purpose, I mean! When you mean to be! I think most, if not all, of the times I've ever laughed have been at your jokes and pranks. You're-" He was silent for a moment, and then let out a bellowing laugh as his hands glided over his head. He was still oblivious to 149's diminishing smile.
"You're just so fantastic that I could go on for the rest of my life about all the things I love about you! And you know what?" Another chuckle escaped his beaming jaw. "I don't really care about overthrowing the Grand Councilwoman or any of this revolution stuff! I stopped caring ages ago; I don't even remember when! I only keep supporting this Rebellion here because you care about it, and that's all the reason I need!" He emitted a much quieter laugh. 150 finally noticed that 149's smile was gone, but he said nothing.
"You know, I used to not like that you were with 221, but actually, it makes me happy. It makes me happy if it makes you happy. So if you want to stay with the Rebellion or go back to that house with 221 and the others, or wherever else you might want to go, then I want you to go for it. And I'll follow you and defend you and help you wherever you end up, because, at the end of the day, nothing else matters to me as long as you're happy."
The metal-handed Experiment panted quietly as he patiently awaited a response. For a minute that felt like a lifetime, 149 frowned but looked at nothing, although her eyes were in 150's direction. The taller Experiment's heart pounded just as excitedly as it had done when he was still talking.
"You probably need some time to think, huh?" He asked before much longer. "I get it. I'll give you some time to yourself..." He turned to walk away, but smiled over his shoulder before he started. "Take as long as you need." 150 departed through the scattered rows of trees, with no destination in mind and sporting the widest smile he'd made in years. Before too long, a very familiar pink-furred Experiment slid down a nearby tree, and his smile expanded further.
"How'd it go?" 624 asked with a modest smile. To her surprise, she was answered by her ally getting on one knee to more easily hug her in his enormous arms.
"Oh,"
"I should've listened to you ages ago," 150 whispered. He pulled away, allowing 624 to see a smile which she reflected only a small fraction of.
"Thank you,"
"...You're welcome," 624 answered softly. Shortly after 150 had left, 624's brain was still burdened with questions. She was pleased that he seemed less burdened, but found herself being burdened with a plethora of discomforting questions. For as long as 624 had known her metal-handed comrade, the missions and attacks that excited the other Experiments scarcely brought a smile to 150's face. Years of dodging and firing bullets, and somehow one small exchange with a friend had brought a greater smile than any of the Rebellion's plights had ever hoped to create. 624's mind rattled until her attention was captured by the vibrant golden glow of a blaster bullet being fired into the sky.
III
The sound of four pounding hearts was the only sound in the forest for what felt like hours. 621, who stood between 149 and 150, had seen for himself from the treetops that the traitors and their other human friend were approaching, but the other two Experiments and their captive had no idea when they would arrive. Nani's arms were restrained behind her by 150. She looked towards 621 and 149, each clutching a blaster and fixated on the trees in front of them as if they would flee if they turned away.
"Excuse me?" Nani broke the silence, earning the attention of the two armed Experiments.
"I'm pretty sure I know what you guys have in mind," She continued quietly but sternly.
"You think they'll come here and then you'll say 'come back to our ship or I'm gonna shoot her', and you're just assuming that it'll be enough to convince them...It won't work." Nani noticed that 621 had stopped facing her, but she could tell from his furrowing brow that he was still listening.
"I'm serious; somebody already tried something like this, with a big spaceship, too, and it didn't work then, either. Look; people change, that's just how life is. I know you miss your old friends, but you can't expect them to just turn back to the way they used to be. Like it or not, they're going to stay changed no matter what you do," She was almost pleading. 621 returned his unpleasant glare to her, along with the barrel of his blaster.
"Maybe..." He growled. "But. I. Can. Still. Kill. You." He spoke slowly ensuring that the hostage understood every word in her strange language. When Nani went pale, 621 found it appropriate to lower his gun and return his attention to the trees.
"You sure this'll do it, 621?" 150 spoke up.
"Of course," The marksman answered firmly. "You saw 626, 221, and 10 jump out of the ship for the humans, didn't you? They'll do anything for these pathetic creatures,"
"I did. It's just...I don't know if that's the same as this,"
"What do you mean, exactly?" 621 sighed with growing agitation.
"Well, I was just thinkin'...There's nothing to really make them want to come back. They might just pretend to come back, then attack us after we let this human go," 150 sounded innocent in his explanation, but he could still feel the malicious heat of 621's judgement.
"Do you have any suggestions for how to improve this plan, then?" The marksman questioned impatiently.
"...I don't really know," 150 confessed. "I mean, if 624's song won't work, then I'm not sure if anything will,"
621 showed his vicious, sharp teeth with a furious scowl. "Well, I'm not going to let them take my dream away so easily," He growled.
"Your dream?" 149 repeated, confused.
"Our dream," 621 corrected hurriedly.
149 shot him a befuddled look, and then sent it in 150's direction. At that moment, the trees in front of the Rebellion crackled and tilted in opposite directions. From between them emerged who the Experiments knew as 626, 221, and 10, along with the shorter human whose name the Rebellion hadn't bothered to remember. 621 had expected the traitors to be in horrified awe when they found their friend at gunpoint. Instead, they glared at him like a jury faced with the most blatantly guilty defendant.
"I think the point here is quite clear," 621 stated, his gun-wielding arm pointing straight at a pale Nani.
"Very clear," Sparky growled. "Why the hell do you need to do this stuff-?!"
"Don't blame this on me!" The marksman snapped. With his two free left hands, he pointed furiously at his hostage. "This is your fault! If you hadn't abandoned us, then we wouldn't have to resort to this-"
"Oh, shut up!" Stitch exclaimed, his face reddening like burning metal. "What do you honestly expect to happen, 621?!"
"Don't tell me to-"
"Answer me, you sick little fuck!" The blue Experiment snapped.
"You...You are going to come back with us, and if you don't, I'm going to shoot this worm in the head!" 621 growled through his teeth.
"Alright, now let me tell you what's really going to happen," Stitch began with a fiery glower. "You're going to let my mom go..." Every Experiment on each side, save for 621, felt a sharp jolt at Stitch's words. 149 and 150, in particular, felt an especially painful jolt.
"And then we're going to let you walk away," Stitch continued. "And if you don't, then Sparky is going to zap your guns away, and then we're all going to come up there and punch you in the face until you can't stand up, and then break your legs so you really won't be able to,"
621 looked at his two comrades through the corners of his eyes. Both of them seemed ready to defend themselves, but their furry brows were moist, and their faces were pale like chilling corpses. The marksman returned his attention to Stitch, their flaming glares locking, and kept his blaster pointed firmly at Nani.
"We'll just see about that!" 621 declared, his finger wobbling on the trigger.
"Shit, 621, stop!" 149 suddenly exclaimed, shocking 621 enough to retract his armed hand. Everyone else was similarly surprised.
"What the hell are you thinking?! Didn't you hear them?!" The nimble Experiment berated her comrade.
"Don't tell me you're intimidated, 149," 621 retorted. "That's not like you,"
"Well, look at them!" She gestured to the three opposing Experiments, whose eyes continued to burn like a blazing building. "They meant that! You even try to shoot the human, and we're screwed!"
"We can defend ourselves!"
"For a little while, but the moment they get a hold of us, they're gonna do everything they said and then a little more!"
"We need to make an example out of this creature!" The marksman objected. "These traitors need to see the consequences to their actions!"
"There's consequences to your actions, too!" 149 retorted louder. "Is making your statement really worth the suffering you're about to go through?! That you're about to put 150 and me through?!" Looking briefly over 621's shoulder, 149 noticed 150 whispering into Nani's ear. From his lip movements, she guessed that he said something along the lines of 'I'm going to let you go in five seconds.'
"This is very disappointing, 149," 621 growled. "I thought your loyalty was stronger, but now I see you backing away like a disgusting coward, just like Jumba was!"
"You planned for them to be scared!" The nimble Experiment retorted loudly. "But you've only pissed them off! And I think you know better than anyone what an Experiment is capable of when they're pissed off!"
Just then, 150 released his captive, and Nani darted immediately towards her family.
"No you don't!" 621 roared as he fired at her without a moment's hesitation. A sickly green bolt burst from his blaster, and everybody else began a furious charge in the marksman's direction. 150, however, stepped desperately in front of 621, and the plasma bullet came to rest snugly inside the metal-handed Experiment's right shoulder. 150's agonized scream and graceless fall to the sandy ground halted everyone in their tracks. 621's widened eyes watered as he clasped a hand over his mouth, attempting with little success to resist the powerful urge to vomit. 10 rushed immediately to the groaning 150's side. 621 would have done likewise, but a relentless hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" 149's shouting chimed with the disgusting crack of her fist striking 621's cheek. She dealt another blow that landed on the marksman's nose, and it puked a splatter of blood that sprayed a nearby bush. 621 fell to his knees, and another punch sent him to his back and beneath 149's knee. The nimble Experiment grunted monstrously with each strike, while 621 made no sounds that weren't from his cracking bones. Within seconds, the marksman wore a wet, crimson mask, and a reddened 149 had lost count of how many times she had punched him. In her fury, she had not noticed that while 621 had flinched and grunted plenty, he had made no attempt to stop her. 149 pulled her fist back to throw a punch that could have been the fifteenth or the five hundredth, but then she felt her arm grasped in a gentle grip. Her first instinct was to violently pull her arm free, but then she heard the voice of the hands that held her.
"Come on, we need to help your friend!" Lilo pleaded. 149 was a moment away from tearing her fist away, but it only took Lilo's kind but anxious tone to get her to look at 150 instead. Felix, Nani, Stitch, and Sparky were gathered around the tall fallen Experiment, while the medic frantically analyzed the frothy green wound in 150's right shoulder. Without another word, 149 ran to her friend's side with Lilo following close behind.
"You can fix him, can't you, 10?" The nimble Experiment questioned anxiously as she knelt by 150's sweating head.
"I-" Felix stammered. "Y-yes. Yes, I can! I have a plan, but first, we need to get him back to our house!"
"Right!" 149 hooked her arms under 150's armpits, prepared to lift him up any second. "626, pick up his legs."
"I'll keep his arm supported," Felix added as he, Stitch, and 149 each raised their assigned body part, earning a long groan from 150 in the process. The Pelekais and their newest companions bolted through the trees with their patient, leaving 621 to lie and breathe slowly as his blood painted the sand red.
IV
Nani nearly threw the front door off its hinged as she thrust it open for the hurrying Experiments. Within seconds, 150 was whisked into the house and onto the couch, his wounded right arm facing his saviors.
"What was that gross green stuff that that big Experiment got shot with?" Lilo worriedly asked Sparky, who stood back with her and Nani to allow Felix, Stitch, and 149 to work.
"Plasma," The electrician answered anxiously. "621 get it from Hamsterviel ship. Meega shot with plasma one time." He lifted his left foot and pointed at it. "Here,"
"Yowch," Lilo winced. "Did it hurt?"
"Ih," Sparky nodded.
"How much?"
The golden Experiment extended his antennae horizontally to form a lengthy singular line. "This much,"
"But Felix fixed you up, right?"
"Ih," Sparky nodded. "But that in base, with medicine," He turned to the couch where the medic was hurriedly finalizing his plan of action in his head.
"Felix can save him," Lilo urged with confidence. "I know he can,"
"Okay," Felix began as Stitch and 149 anxiously awaited instructions. 150 made an effort to stifle his pained groans through his clenched teeth.
"First, Stitch, I need you to go to the washroom and wash your hands real thoroughly,"
"For sure,"
"And 149, I need you to find something for 150 to bite down on,"
"On it." Both Experiments dashed out of the room to complete their assigned tasks. They returned mere seconds later, Stitch with puffy-furred hands and 149 with a thin hardcover book.
"Nani, get bandages and wet cloth, quickly!" Felix commanded urgently.
"I-I'm not sure if we have any, but I'll look!" Nani stammered as she darted for the upstairs washroom.
"Alright, usually I'd use a special lotion that dissolves the plasma," Felix began, wiping his moistening brow. "But since we don't have it, Stitch..." He breathed in quickly as he rested a clawed hand on his friend's shoulder. "I need you to pull the plasma out,"
"Oh, fuck," 150 grunted through his teeth, and Stitch repeated him with his eyes.
"I take it that's what this is for," 149 added breathlessly as she held up the book she had selected.
"Yeah, it's probably gonna hurt," Felix confessed. "Actually, it will,"
"If it'll get it out, then do it!" 150 demanded through his teeth. "You've never been wrong, 10! Just do it quickly!"
"O-Okay!" The medic responded urgently. "You ready, Stitch?"
"Uh, not really," The blue Experiment panted as he descended to one knee. "But we should start anyway. Right; 1...2...3!" Stitch's claws dived into the edges of 150's green wound, earning a particularly boisterous grunt from the huge Experiment as 149 allowed him to bite down on the book's spine. The plasma was like slimy fire to 150, but it was like harmless putty on Stitch's skin. Regardless, the blue Experiment was still disgusted as he dug for the back side of the plasma bolt. He sweated almost as much as 150 as he heard and felt the hot stickiness of the wound like a repulsive jelly. Stitch resisted the horrific temptation to look closer at his work. Once two of his fingers were on the deepest side of the bolt, Stitch carefully scooped it out into his fist. Were 150 not muffled by the hardcover, his scream might have shattered all the house's windows. As the metal-handed Experiment echoed his cry, Stitch hurriedly scraped off the last stray remnants of the projectile as blood started to stain 150's fur.
At that moment, Nani reappeared gripping a roll of white bandages in one hand, and a towel dripping like a tiny rain cloud in the other.
"Will these do, Felix?" She questioned.
"Ih, great!" The medic hurriedly took the items from her. "Thank so much, Nani!" He wasted no time in dabbing away the puddle of blood that had formed on 150's shoulder, ignoring his patient's pained breathing all the while. Once the bloody spot had been cleared away, Felix bandaged 150's wound as tightly as he could. Then, to everyone else's relief as much as his own, 150's breathing steadied.
"You're gonna be alright, 150," 10 said soothingly as he gently patted his patient's head. "Just let your arm rest until it heals,"
"Will do," 150 responded, pushing against the couch's back with his metal hand to sit upright. Once he was vertical, he wrapped his left arm around the medic, pulled him close as his warm, grey fingers stroked Felix's emerald fur.
"Thank you so much, 10," He told him softly.
"You're welcome, 150," Felix gleefully reciprocated the hug. "That's why I was made, after all; to take care of my friends." The two Experiments parted to share a warm smile.
"Oh, and my name's not 10 anymore," The medic added. "It's Felix now,"
"Felix?" 150 repeated, letting the name replay in his head like a looped recording. "That's a real nice name, actually." He turned his attention to his blue-furred surgeon.
"And what's your new name, again?"
"Stitch," The blue Experiment answered with a smile.
"C'mere, Stitch," 150 beamed as he held his left arm out, while his right lay lifelessly at his side. Stitch gladly hopped over for the chance to embrace yet another reclaimed friend.
"I'm real sorry you had to do that, Stitch," The injured Experiment confessed in a whisper.
"I'm sorry you had to feel it," Stitch replied. "So it balances out,"
"Heh, I guess it does," 150 chuckled as they separated. He discovered Nani standing beside him, smiling a unique kind of smile that 150 had never been given before. It seemed to act as a warm and inviting barricade trying to contain joyful tears. Without any words or hesitation, the human and the shot alien hugged.
"Thank you so much," Nani whispered as she gently stroked the fur on his back. "I don't know if Lilo could bear to lose anyone else. Thank you,"
150 was surprised; he thought the human would thank him for saving her own life. And the mentioning of somebody else only sharpened his curiosity. Nevertheless, he was too tired and relieved to ask questions, so he simply said,
"Youga wakata,"
"You're real brave, you know," Nani added.
"Naga," 150 chuckled softly at the statement. "Meega scared whole time,"
"I know," She pulled away to look in his softly burning eyes. "But you still did what you did. That's what makes you brave,"
150 smiled shyly as he felt somebody climb onto the couch next to him. He discovered that it was 149, who hugged him even faster than Nani had. For a moment, they each felt like speaking, but decided instead to simply enjoy each other's embrace. 150's heart vibrated as if it were about to sprout a pair of angelic wings. Before it could, however, 149 quickly pulled away.
"Hold on for just a moment, bud," She said anxiously, patting his good arm. "I'll be right back. I promise," She hopped down from the couch, leaving a befuddled 150, still surrounded by Nani, Lilo, Stitch, and Felix, to watch her approach a reluctant Sparky.
"Hey," Was all the electrician could think to say.
"Hey, 149 repeated. She cleared her throat before continuing. "So, uh...What's it like here?"
"It's nice, Sparky answered. "Really nice. It's so warm, and the ground is real soft. I really like the different colors, too. Much better than all the gray and silver and black at our old base,"
"I thought you said that this planet was a joke, though," 149 gave a slight smile.
"Well, uh..." Sparky stammered as he fiddled with his right antennae. "I guess I spoke a little too soon," He chuckled. "The humans are actually real nice. Well, Nani and Lilo definitely are, but there's quite a few more that seem just as nice. Besides, after everything we've just gone through, I don't really think we should judge,"
"Touche...So, uh, 221?" 149 hesitated.
"Oh, my name's Sparky now," The electrician smiled.
"Sparky?" She repeated with a murmur of laughter. "That's actually kinda cute," She shook her head, realizing her digression. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about...Us. We always imagined what it'd be like once we were finally in charge of the Federation. It was that thought that brought us together, kept us together. We loved each other because we loved thinking of us standing together above all those soldiers and people pissing themselves...Now that we're not thinking about that image anymore..." Her lips hovered, having yet to find the perfect words.
"I get it," Sparky nodded softly. "Actually, I was gonna sat just the same thing any second. New planet, new home, new life, whole new start; makes sense, right?"
"Right," 149 smiled. "Don't mean we can't still be friendly, right?"
"I don't see why not. We can keep pranking each other and stuff,"
"Oh, for sure!" The nimble Experiment lit up at the idea. "I'll tie your antennae around your head while you're asleep!"
"Then I'll hide under the floorboards and grab your ankle when you walk by!"
"Can't wait!" 149 laughed. "You know, staying here actually sounds pretty good,"
"It really is. I promise you," Sparky laughed back. He peered over his former lover's shoulder, noticing 150 gladly letting Lilo feel his metal hand.
"Can I just ask you something?" The electrician inquired, his brightened face dimming. 149's smile faded with his.
"I hate being nosy, but are you...Hell with it; are you leaving me for 150?"
"Yes," She answered surprisingly fast. "It's just that..." Once again, the perfect words eluded her. Drawing a frustrating blank, 149 grabbed her long ears and yanked them down past her chin.
"Goddammit," She growled through her clamped teeth and furrowed eyes. "I'm doing this shit again! First I dump 177 for you, now I'm dumping you for 150! What is wrong with me?!" Her eyes watered behind their lids, burning as if they'd been splashed with acid. She only opened her eyes when she felt a friendly scratch behind one of her tugged ears. Her vision was distorted and blurry with tears, and she wiped her eyes quickly before she thought Sparky could notice.
"There's nothing wrong with you," The electrician's smile gradually returned. "We've all done things that make us feel shitty. I have, and so have Stitch, Felix, Lilo, Nani, even 150. We can't always justify it, but screwing up is sometimes the best way to learn what we really need. More importantly, though, sometimes it's feeling what I bet you're feeling right now that makes you really want to do something great for somebody else. So don't ever feel like any of us will think any less of you for your mistakes. We're all Ohana, you see, and our job is to make each other happy,"
149 wiped the last residue of tears from her eyes.
"Ohana, eh?" She repeated softly. "Alright...Thanks, Sparky," She smiled at him as she let her ears stand up again. "Just...Thanks so much,"
"You're welcome," He responded. "Plus, after taking that plasma bullet, I'd say he's earned himself a reward. Anyway, go see the big guy. I bet he's already missing you,"
The nimble green Experiment simply nodded before returning to 150's side on the couch. He had been locked in a lighthearted thumb war with Stitch, while Lilo merrily refereed.
"Hey, bud," The metal-handed Experiment greeted enthusiastically, oblivious to his silver thumb being trapped beneath Stitch's. "Oh, alone, please," He hurriedly requested to the others.
"Oh, I see," Nani replied slyly. "Come on, guys, let's get some of that leftover pizza for our new friends." She was followed to the kitchen by Lilo, Stitch, and Felix, with Sparky close behind, leaving 150 and 149 alone on the couch.
"You alright?" The metal-handed Experiment worriedly asked his friend immediately. "You look a little upset,"
"I'm fine," 149 answered, rubbing her eyes one last time while maintaining a smile. "I was just talking to Sparky. He says he's completely fine with it,"
"Fine with what?" 150 questioned. He received no answer save for 149 standing up and slowly and intimately moving closer to his lips.
150's heart quaked as his whole body tingled with delightful electricity. For a moment, he was deathly terrified that he would be jerked awake on the Rebellion's base by one of Jumba's announcements. When 149's nose was millimeters away from his own, however, his terror became elation. This sight and sensation that had only existed in his imagination for years was now in his hands. He stroked 149's furry back once with his left hand, but found the dream sensation couldn't penetrate his metal fingers.
"Wait, wait, hold on," 150 muttered, gently pulling 149 away.
"What's wrong?" She asked softly. He held up his metal hand.
"Right now, I've just got this one," He began. "But it...It's not the same. It doesn't feel the same, you see,"
"Oh, I see." 149 looked around the metallic glove. "Is there a way to take it off?"
"There is," 150 answered, regaining his smile. "There's a tiny knob at the base of the thumb, like a button. Just pull on it-" His instructions were swiftly obeyed, and the substitute hand loosened with a mechanical sigh. 149 carefully pulled the glove off, placing it gently on the floor before observing the left hand that she had not seen in an eternity. Its fur was ruffled, looking somewhat like the bushes in the forest they had recently fled. There was a palm with a sticky pad, just like the other Experiments', but it owned no fingers. The hand had only five diminutive hills bordering it, looking good for little more than slapping or weighing down flat objects.
"How's that?" 149 asked in a whisper, gently massaging the incomplete hand.
"Much better," 150 answered, moving what little he had for fingers intimately beneath 149's chin. "Thank you..."
149's fur was warm on his palm, but her nose was even warmer against his own. His good arm curled around her as their kiss persisted. For a moment that began to feel longer than the time 150 had spent yearning for it, there was no Pelekai house, or planet Earth, or Rebellion, or Hamsterviel. There was only his shut eyelids, the warmth of silky fur against his fingerless hand, and the liberation of being held so close to 149. It was a world that 150 and 149 could have spent an eternity in, and they might have had Lilo not entered the room with a small book in hand. She made no sound, but it didn't take long for the two embracing Experiments to detect the presence of a third resident.
"You guys are cute," Lilo chuckled as the two Experiments parted. "Here, catch." The girl lightly tossed her book to 149, which she caught gracefully in her outstretched left hand.
"Oh, sorry about book," 150 said glumly, glancing at the floor where Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe sat beside his prosthetic hand, its cover dented with unsightly tooth marks.
"Oh, it's okay," Lilo responded with a forgiving beam. "I'd rather the book have holes in it than you." She earned a scarlet smile from the injured Experiment.
"Wataba?" 149 inquired, holding up the book Lilo had given her; A Million Baby Names.
"That's a book full of names," The girl answered. "Your friends all have names now, so I thought you guys would like to name each other,"
"That's a great idea!" 150 exclaimed, beaming down enthusiastically at 149, who excitedly pulled the book open.
"Here," She held the book at a distance where 150 could easily read its text. "Let me know when you want me to turn the page,"
As 149 flipped slowly through the book's numerous pages on command, 150 gently stroked her back with his fingerless hand all the while. It was a surprisingly short span of time before 150 announced that he had selected a name.
"You sure?" 149 questioned. "We're only on the second letter of their alphabet,"
"I'm positive," 150 beamed at her. "You'll love it. Trust me,"
"If you say so." She pulled the paperback back to her. "Right, once I've picked you a name, you'll say my name and I'll say your name at the same time, alright?"
"Sounds good," The bandaged Experiment chirped as 149 began her search. She took only slightly longer than her friend had.
"Oh, I see what you mean, bud," She said merrily as she plopped the book on the couch's arm behind her. "There's names in there that just fit so perfectly. Alright, you ready?"
"Yup,"
"And if we don't like our choices, we can always choose new ones,"
"Alrighty,"
"Okay..." 149 held up three fingers as she counted down. "3, 2, 1-"
"Bonnie!"
"Clyde!"
They both went still, repeating the suggested names in their heads over and over, learning and adjusting to the taste of their sounds.
"Bonnie?"
"Clyde?" They each repeated, and then smiled. "What do you think?" 150 inquired.
"You're right; it's perfect," Bonnie smiled. "It's short and sweet, but also a little tough-sounding,"
"It just made me think of you," The injured Experiment beamed as Bonnie reddened.
"So what do you think of Clyde?"
"...It's great! It sounds a little rough but real nice at the same time,"
"It made me think of you," Bonnie smiled, and Clyde reciprocated with an abundance of crimson in his face. "I love you, Clyde." Bonnie's words made Clyde turn even redder. The sensation of embracing her was already a dream come true, but hearing those words made it feel like so much more than a dream. He struggled to keep his eyes dry as his fingerless hand curled once again around his longtime friend.
"I love you, too," He whispered as their noses met once more. "My Bonnie,"
In their embracing, they did not notice Lilo hurriedly rushing a curious Stitch out of the room. For what felt like centuries, nobody entered the living room, leaving Bonnie and Clyde to kiss to their hearts' content.
V
Hello?! Hello?! 621?! 300?! 502 and I are cornered! He's been shot; some fucker got him in the back with...Some green stuff! It's burning him! He can't stand up! Oh, shit, there's, like a hundred of them, and they've all got that weird fucking green ammunition! 621, I...I don't think we're gonna make it! We're gonna blow the ship up, alright?! At least we'll take Gantu with us! I...We're so sorry, 621...We're so sorry...Just...Thank you so much...For what you did to Pig. Tell that bitch that we're waiting for her in...Oh, God...We're so proud of you, 621. You really are the best of us...We-
The agonizing, angelic echo faded as 621 felt something pulling on his upper arms. He obeyed it, letting the unseen force pull him to his feet.
"What the hell happened, 621?!" The invisible force questioned with shock and concern. As the marksman's vision readjusted, he realized that the force was 624, and the once blue sky behind her and faded into a soothing orange.
"Come on; let's get you to the water and clean you up," 624 put an arm around 621, ready to guide him, but he quickly pulled his arm back.
"I can walk," He growled. "I'm not that injured,"
"Then what, may we ask, were you doing just lying on the ground?" A familiarly deep voice questioned. 621 turned around to find that 300 had accompanied 624.
"I was thinking," The marksman snapped.
"Thinking?" 624 repeated, folding her arms and raising an unconvinced eyebrow. "Like, about where you went wrong?"
"...Yes,"
"Where, then, did you go wrong?" 300 inquired. "In all honesty, I thought this would have worked. Did one of the traitors attack you?"
"You thought wrong," 621 began. "When the traitors showed up, 150 suddenly released the human. I tried to shoot her with a plasma blaster before she reached the traitors, but 150 stepped in front of my gun and took the bullet in the arm. This..." He gestured to his beard of blood. "Is my punishment, courtesy of 149,"
"Shit!" 624 exclaimed, grasping the bases of her antennae in panic. "Is he okay?!"
"10 was with him, so he should be alright," The marksman answered. "The only way to know for sure is to go to their house and see..." 621 trailed off as his eyes lit up like newly installed light bulbs. "That's it!"
"What's it?" 624 and 300 both leaned in.
"That's exactly the problem!" 621 ran his upper hands excitedly over his furry Mohawk. "We've made too many assumptions! We've assumed that they couldn't resist your song, 624, and we assumed that threatening their new friends would be enough to get them back! We've always been wrong because we don't know our enemy!"
"I believe I know what you're about to suggest," 300 muttered.
"Don't you always, 300?" 621 responded with sinister enthusiasm. He pointed a clawed finger to the distance in the house's direction.
"We're going to that house!" He declared. "And we're doing some reconnaissance!"