Chapter 8: Not So Bad -or- Lightning In A Bottle
SPACE -DR. HAMSTERVIEL'S SHIP-
"That is it!" Dr. Hamsterviel's rage hit another peak. "That is all you are capable of, you miserable human?!"
"It appears so, you vile vermin," Lani held her knowing smile.
Dr. Hamsterviel had offered Lani a deal, if she showed him her powers Seam wouldn't be harmed by his bodyguard. Lani accepted the deal and was moved to a more spacious prison, though she had a plan the whole time. Knowing that her powers weren't going to be working right, all she was able to do was make a blue outline to what she attempted to shift the gravity of. Since the evil scientist hadn't see her powers before, she labeled the weakened form of her ability an "aura reading". Needless to say Dr. Hamsterviel wasn't happy, not that he ever was.
Gantu was the unlucky one, getting the business end of the gerbil-akin alien's wrath. As much trouble as the giant whale's caused for her extended family, she felt a bit sorry for him because Dr. Hamsterviel's harsh tone.
"You stupid giant, you," Dr. Hamsterviel kicked his oversized foot. "You said she could warp gravity like experiment 628. Did that look like gravity warping to you?!"
"Well, no sir," Gantu admitted. "But..."
"'But' nothing!" Dr. Hamsterviel squeaked.
"Aww," Lani cooed at the noise. "You squeak when you get all mad. It really ruins the whole villain thing, Hamsterwheel."
"Hamsterviel!" the mad genius tried to growl.
"Sir, I..."
"Shut up!" Dr. Hamsterviel cut Gantu off. "I have business to see to, you will remain here with the child. Find out what she knows about her friends 627 and 628, and be quick about it!"
Dr. Hamsterviel stormed out of the large cell, the sliding doors closed making the scientist wish he could slam them shut. Gantu sighed heavily, preparing himself for the task he was given. It was pointless and he knew it, she wouldn't tell him anything he needed.
"You had to tell him about 627 and 8, didn't you?" Lani shook her head. "You couldn't keep it to yourself."
"Dr. Hamsterviel needed to know about the trogs," Gantu told her.
"They're not trogs, they're my o'hana," Lani glared in her own anger. "And family doesn't sell out family."
"I figured you wouldn't talk," Gantu made his way for the door. "I'll just tell Dr. Hamster..."
"Wait," Lani stood in front of his path. "How can you and Jumba understand Seam? The language, I thought I made it up."
"You thought you invented Na'vi?" Gantu snickered at the thought. "You're smart, I'll give you that. But not smart enough to create a full language."
"If the rat was nicer to you, you wouldn't be such a ika patooka," Lani walked away from him. "Just stop and think for a moment, what happens when he gets his army of experiments?"
"I'll be right at his side," Gantu defended his status.
"As his receptionist, holding his calls," Lani openly told him his fate. "But you can change that, you know. Just help us and we'll find you a place in the o'hana. Or you can keep working for Hamsterviel and tell him the only thing you could get out of me was a suggestion of using the lighthouse as the rendezvous location. Its the only dock big enough for this ship. So, what's it gonna be?"
Gantu scoffed as he walked out of the room, he wasn't going to help her. It was partially her fault he had to work for Dr. Hamsterviel in the first place. Their brief convorsation didn't heighten his sympathy in the slightest, Lani's was wavering but she didn't place too much thought into it. She did feel sorry he put up with it, however it was his choice. It wasn't as if she didn't have help, 627 was waiting in the vents the whole time. He was the only person she could talk too now, with Jumba being stored far away for them to make a plan.
"Oh, Kavi," Lani pat him on his head. "Gantu just doesn't get how things work."
"Evil?" 627 tilted his head to the side.
"He has potential for good, but he's waisting it on the rat," Lani shook her head at the thought. "He's acting bad like you, only you're different. You can only say evil, but you only act out a little bit. You're good, you wouldn't be here if you weren't. Right?"
"Evil," 627 nodded at her statement.
"Everyone can reach their potential, they just need a motive," Lani closed her eyes to rest. "They just need to remember the important things."
KAUAI, HAWAII
"His molecules aren't fully charged!" Jumba yelled as two guard charged at him. "There is no telling what will happen."
The guards wouldn't listen, all except for one. This guard turned on the others, blasting them away from the scientist and the experiments. 621 and 624 ripped 626's fusion chamber right off the machine, not seeing one of the officers swing his covered tail at them. Falling over, the chamber rolled on the floor with 626 inside. Another solider jumped up to blast the experiment, until 221 jumped in front of 626's chamber and zapped the enemy.
Turning his attention to 626, 221 realized being in the chamber would do no good. So he smashed the container with his head, freeing 626 from the prison. 626 wasn't sure what was happening, though he did know to stay close to this experiment.
"316, is that being you in suit?" Jumba pushed past the officers attacking his experiments.
The fake UGF agent shook his head, the being Jumba called was standing behind it. With a flash of light, a tall, orange squirrel-like experiment with his tail cut off stood in place of their allie.
"Ah, 623," Jumba gathered the experiment out of the room. "I should have been knowing it was you, with judo fighting style so unlike Galactic Federation."
623 grunted, helping the experiments fend off their targets as they made their escape. One troop member shot at 221 and 626 with a net, thought it didn't hold against 221's electricity. They were falling behind Jumba and the other experiments, so the two were easier -in a sense- to try and capture. By accident, the soldiers tripped over a large vase. The floral and aquadic contents spilled and sprawled, 221 getting caught in the unshattered glass case.
626 stepped back slowly as 221 sparked around the case, though nothing he did would let him escape. He even sparked while he stood in the water, turning the liquid dangerous with his surges. The guards were safe thanks to the rubber on their feet, something 626 wasn't lucky enough to have. 626 was accidently electrocuted, twitching about until he broke the vase with his unknown strength. 221 was free to subdue their opponents and get 626 back to Jumba.
That memory came to Stitch as he was chasing 221 around, both running above the ground on wooden stands. 221 had a weakness after all, which Lilo seemed to have figured out ahead of time. She stood underneith them, holding up a large vase -a skinnier one than Stitch remembered.
"Grab him, Stitch!" Lilo waved the glass in the air.
"Meega nala kweesta!" 221's voice crackled as he fired at Stitch.
Just like in his memory, Stitch was exposed to the shock. It disoriented him enough to fall off the stands, though not before taking 221 with him. Stitch landed safely while 221 was caught and contained in the vase by Lilo, who sighed when he was under control. Or as much control as he could be, what with buzzing around to try and break the prison. Lilo was satisfied with his capture, it was an easy one since she and Stitch worked so well together. Now nothing was stopping her from putting their o'hana together, nothing except for Stitch.
Spending a little time with his cousin, Stitch didn't want to part with him. What Lilo taught him still rung true in his mind, nobody gets left behind. 221 was now a part of their family, even if he had stirred up a little chaos. It wasn't entirely his fault, 628 did say pod form could make them angry. Lilo had to agree with him, 221 probably didn't mean it. Besides, they couldn't just turn over someone so powerful to the bad guys. What if Stitch and 221's other cousins were just as dangerous, or more so? They couldn't do that, they needed to think of another plan.
A/N: I don't think I've explained why it took a shorter time to get to Kansas then it did in What Could Have Been. The reason is like taking a normal trip, just with a flying car. If you've ever gotten lost the first time, that's just because its a new journey to a place you've never been to. But then the next time, the ride is faster since you actually know how to get there. And seeing as the rendezvous is coming up, they're going to need to get there as fast as they can to help Jumba and Lani.
Next Time: With new evidence brought to light, Chopsuey must choose whether or not to help his "cousins".