Chapter 8 - Left Behind
Leroy and Reuben arrive onto the earthlike planet to gather some supplies. It appears to be medieval while still being high tech. They see alien citizens wearing primitive clothes but holding electronic devices. They continue walking through the town and see a bakery and blacksmith in the town center.
Reuben: Oooh, there's a bakery! I'll go get us some bread...
Reuben stopped and started patting and frisking himself and realized
Reuben: Wait, how are we gonna pay for the stuff?
Leroy grabs a small bag around his waist and tosses it to Reuben who looks inside and sees ores of precious metals.
Reuben: Where did you get these?
Leroy: I've been collecting that from the stuff we've been scrapping. The computer processors in Jumba's lab that we didn't need had plenty of gold for us to use.
Reuben jumps for joy and heads over to the bakery while Leroy heads to the blacksmith who he sees is forging swords that end up as laser swords.
Leroy: Nice setup you got here, how much for that hammer you're holding?
Blacksmith: Not for sale, but can I interest you in any of my weapons? You seem like someone who's into blasters but we don't use that sort of thing here.
Leroy looked around and spotted a large hilt and handle for a future sword.
Leroy: How much for this?
Blacksmith: Are you sure? But I haven't even put a blade on it?
Leroy: I'm in the trade of making weapons, and this is perfect for something I have in mind.
Blacksmith: You've got a good eye, I've been saving that handle for something special but I have a feeling you'll put it to better use than what I make for this planet.
Leroy reached for his bag but the blacksmith stopped him.
Blacksmith: Go ahead and keep it, on one condition.
Leroy looked curiously at the blacksmith wondering why he'd give him a free laser sword handle.
Leroy: Oh yeah, what's that?
Blacksmith: Be sure to come back and show me what you make with it. I'm curious to see what someone who specializes in blasters makes with one of those.
Leroy smiled and nodded towards the blacksmith and thanked him before heading out. He sees Reuben carrying bags of flour and yeast loading them into their ship's trunk
Leroy: I thought you were gonna get bread?
Reuben: Heh, with all the bread I need it won't all fit inside the ship. Besides, I got a few loaves to make a sandwich for Angel and feed all our new recruits. Let's head over to that butcher shop and we'll be good to go.
Back on the planet's moon, the Leroy clones have finished repairing the downed federation ships while their original pilots are handcuffed to the side.
628: With this many ships, we'll need to activate more clones to pilot them. But before that, there's something I gotta fix first...
Just then Reuben and Leroy arrive on the planet's moon with their supplies. They step out and unload, a few clones help with carrying their supplies to the BRB 9000.
Leroy: I'll be in my workshop if you need me
628: Actually I will need you
Leroy looked puzzled
628: I need you and the rest of your clones to come with me to the lab, I've figured out a way to get rid of that pesky failsafe Jumba programmed into you. If we want any hope of freeing the rest of our cousins, we can't risk losing to a song.
Leroy: Don't forget, with Angel's recording we have the weapon of sound on our side too.
628: Our enemy will anticipate us using her song against them, but they won't be prepared for their song to not work on us. Let's go. I also want you to tell me more about this, 627...
Meanwhile on Jumba's ship, Jumba continued staring out of the window into space thinking about 626. Just then, Lilo entered and sat down next to him carrying Fibber.
Lilo: So, are you ready to talk about this 628th experiment?
Jumba: Of course
Fibber then buzzed but Lilo could see Jumba visibly stressed about the subject.
Jumba: The experiment 628 is the one who freed 625 and 629 out of prison.
Fibber: Buzz!
Lilo: Are you sure about that?
Jumba: I am certain. That experiment is not my 628th experiment, that number belongs to 627.
Lilo looked down at Fibber who looked back up at Lilo smiling and didn't buzz.
Jumba: However, I gave that experiment the number 628 and kept him out of logs to not risk going to prison before Jumba could finish training you.
Lilo looked at Fibber again, still happily sitting on her lap as he did not buzz.
Lilo: Why didn't you tell me?
Jumba: It was supposed to be surprise gift for when Jumba finally retired and gave the experiments to you. That experiment was unstable, Hamsterviel was likely unable to control him. I had been making trips to lab in hopes of trying to fix the experiment permanently, we need to get him back before something terrible happens to him.
Fibber did not buzz and Lilo began to grow sad that she ruined Jumba's surprise. Jumba continued using his words carefully in the presence of Fibber to tell Lilo what she needed to hear for her to trust him.
Lilo: Well, we'll go stop and save that new experiment. After that, you can finally retire in peace. I won't tell any of this to the Grand Councilwoman, can't say the same about Hamsterviel.
Jumba remembered Hamsterviel has seen the true identity of 628, and with him close to making a recovery Jumba knew his time was almost up.
Lilo: Alright we're about to exit hyperspace soon. Houdini, I need you to make the whole ship invisible before we arrive, do you think you can do that?
Houdini happily nods then blinks and the ship and everyone inside turned invisible.
Back on the BRB 9000, Leroy continued telling 628 about 627 while they looked at his log on Jumba's computer. The rest of the Leroy clones continued entering the lab.
628: So, this is the cousin under captivity
Leroy: Yeah, Jumba made him way more powerful than any of us. That's why he's locked away in pod form. He's probably been locked away as long as you have.
628 grew angry at the thought of one of his cousins trapped in limbo like he was, unaware of how much time is passing and being locked away simply for existing.
628: We'll set course for Planet Turo...
Just then, the last of the Leroy clones enters the lab holding the capsule containing the remainder of clone pods.
628: But first...
628 then opens the fusion chamber and instructs the original Leroy to get inside. Once inside, the chamber begins to light up and glow green as 628 activates it but an error prompts up on the computer.
Error: Not enough power output
Leroy: Hmm, I wonder if it's because the molecular charger uses the ships power instead of Jumba's original lab.
628: Maybe...
He said as he looked at his palm. 628 then increases the power on his suit and places his hand on the fusion chamber. Once he does, green bolts of electricity begin to fly off of his hand and engulf the fusion chamber making the error message go away. After a few seconds another prompt on the PC appears.
Jumba's Computer: Modification Successful!
Meanwhile in another room of the ship, Angel begins to wake up and sees Reuben sitting on a chair across the room. He sees her wake up and gets up holding a plate with a heart shaped sandwich on it.
Reuben: Hey there Angel cake! Made ya a snack for when you got up.
Angel sits up noticing she's covered in bandages and that the pain in her abdomen is nearly gone. She rubs the top of her head and quickly remembers what happened before she passed out. This makes her furious and she swipes away Reuben's plate and it breaks upon hitting the floor.
Reuben: Aw man, it's got pieces of plate in it. Good thing I saw this coming and made ya two of them.
Reuben gets up and grabs the other sandwich wrapping a napkin around it and hands it over to Angel who has her arms folded and is pouting looking away from Reuben with her eyes closed.
Reuben: I know you're upset, but we're not the bad guys. I gave that up after working for Hamsterviel.
Angel opens one eye and sees Reuben smiling handing her a sandwich. She feels a bit of guilt seeing the sandwich he made for her on the floor and knows he's a nice guy. She takes the new heart shaped sandwich and begins eating it surprised by how much she loves the taste.
Angel: What did yuuga put in this?
Reuben: Oh you know the usual, bread, mayo, cheese, some mutton from that planet, and a bit more love than I normally put in them.
Angel was flattered but her expression changed to one of pity as she continued chewing.
Angel: You know Stitch is my Boojiboo, right Reuben?
Reuben rubbed the back of his head as he did feel guilty deep down about what he was doing.
Reuben: I know, I'm sorry. I just can't really help it. I was made with all the powers of Stitch, and I guess liking you is another thing we both share.
Angel continued feeling guilty but felt more comfortable with Reuben since she knew he cared for her.
Angel: If yuuga is not evil, why join Leroy?
Reuben: Me and him have been locked away in prison for years, and after Gantu left me behind I didn't think there was anyone out there who still cared about me. That if I ever did get out I'd have no one waiting for me outside. Leroy has spent 90% of his life in that prison, he's finally able to be free and live. The cousin who saved us wants to free us all from the Galactic Federation and Jumba. Even Bonnie who spends most of her life in prisons can't help the way she was made...
The two hear a knock and look towards the door and see Bonnie standing there still with a cast around her arm.
Bonnie: Hey, what's all the commotion goin' on in here? I can hear it from my room.
Bonnie walks in with a grin and approaches Angel.
Bonnie: I joined those tryouts to get out of prison, but then I realized my freedom would only be temporary, it always is. I love stealin' whether I'm programmed for it or not, but we both know I can't live on Earth as a free experiment forever.
Angel looked worried but she knew Bonnie was right, sooner or later she'd end up back in prison eventually. The group can hear footsteps and chatter coming from the hallways and see 628, Leroy, and his clones walk in. Angel sees 628 who is not wearing his helmet since the last time she saw him.
Angel: Boojiboo?
Leroy: HA! He wishes, ain't that right cuz?
628 grumbles but regains his composure and approaches Angel
628: Your boojiboo is a clone made by Jumba, I am the real experiment 626.
Angel was surprised but she was made not long before 626 was, and she remembered Jumba making him and testing her song against him and it not working like it didn't work on Reuben. She remembered seeing Jumba very happy with his latest creation, and the more she remembered and kept looking at 628 she knew he was not lying.
628: Despite my feelings towards you I have no intention of coming between you and Stitch, besides, there's more important things we gotta worry about right now. With the new ships we've stolen from the Galactic Federation, we should have enough firepower to take them on directly. We're setting course for Planet Turo.
Reuben and Angel both were shocked at this revelation.
Reuben: Planet Turo?! Are you crazy?
Angel: Why Planet Turo?
Leroy: We're gonna free 627
Reuben and Angel: 627!
Meanwhile, a small wormhole on the other side of the planet opens up but nothing can be seen.
Jumba: We're here
Lilo: Do you think they're on the planet somewhere?
Clyde: No I don't feel Bonnie is there
Pleakely: There they are!
Pleakley points towards the moon and they can see the BRB 9000 along with dozens of Federation ships.
Pleakely: Do you think they surrendered and that's why all those ships are there?
Jumba: Unlikely, look.
Jumba points at the federation soldiers tied up near the ships.
Pleakly: Well what are you waiting for, let's destroy the ship while they aren't looking.
Stitch: Naga, Angel!
Lilo: Stitch is right, we could hurt the experiments they captured. Let's get close and wait for an opportunity.
Back on the BRB 9000, Reuben is pacing the floor furious.
Reuben: There's no way 627 will join our side, all the guy knows how to say is "evil".
Angel: He's too powerful, even for yuuga.
Leroy: But with him on our side we'd be unstoppable, we already practically are.
628: Ih, even so nobody gets left behind. Don't forget Reuben, our goal is to free all of our cousins.
Reuben: But he's locked away for a good reason, he's pure evil. And on top of that, we have to attack the Galactic Federation headquarters. I'm sorry but I want no part in this.
Reuben steps out and Angel begins to do the same but is stopped by Bonnie and a Leroy Clone.
Bonnie: Sorry sugar queen, but so long as you can sing your song we can't let you leave.
Angel got mad and began singing her siren song in reverse. After she was done she saw Bonnie was unchanged.
Bonnie: I'm doin' this of my own free will.
628 let out a sigh and looked over at Leroy
628: I saw this coming a long time ago, he's just too fluffy for combat.
Leroy: I'll go get him
Leroy ran around the ship looking for Reuben but didn't see him. He then ran into his workshop to grab something and headed towards the ship's exit where he sees Reuben walking out onto the moon holding onto the keys to one of the stolen police cruisers.
Leroy: Wait up cuz, where are you going?
Reuben: Somewhere other than here, who knows.
Leroy: Why are you so afraid of 627?
Reuben: Because he's bad news. Even if we do break him out he's never going to join us.
Leroy: What makes you so sure about that?
Reuben: Because I've seen him. You alone stole all the experiments from Earth back then but not even you and your whole clone army could stop him.
Leroy: You know what that sounds like right?
Reuben: A challenge?
Leroy: That's right, and all of us are experiments just like him and he's just like us. He'll be glad we got him out will be free with us.
Reuben: If we're so free then why don't you want me to go?
Leroy: Ugh, fine. I know you don't like fighting. This mission is just not your style. I respect your right to want to sit this one out, but would you join us again after we've succeeded?
Reuben: Sigh... sure. Just make sure to reprogram his evil.
Leroy: Yeah about that...
Reuben: Hmm?
Leroy: 628 can only modify the DNA of an experiment once. If he changes more than that they could risk becoming unstable, and we're gonna remove his only weakness.
Reuben: What are you saying?
Leroy: We've checked Jumba's computer, we know how he was defeated and turned into a pod. If he's gonna be on our side we'll look like fools if our strongest experiment can be taken down by making him laugh.
Reuben: Very well, it was fun while it lasted. Thanks for getting me out of prison Lee, take care of the rest of our cousins won't ya?
Leroy: Choota! Don't talk like we're never gonna meet again, I will come back for you, especially if they put you back into that prison.
Leroy said as he grabbed onto Reuben's shoulders looking at him straight in the eyes.
Leroy: You guys are the only family I've had in my entire life. Even if you're not gonna come with us, you're still my cousin and we're still family.
Leroy let's go of Reuben and grabs the weapon he had on his back and hands it to him. Reuben notices Leroy was getting a bit teary eyed.
Leroy: Here, I finished this. Take it and go, we'll meet again soon.
Leroy walked away back towards the BRB 9000 rubbing his eyes and not looking back at Reuben.
Reuben: Aloha, cousin.
Reuben looked at the weapon Leroy had made for him and it was just like Gantu's old experiment catcher but with added features and the number 625 engraved on it. Reuben looked up at the BRB and saw an army of Leroy clones stepping out and entering the federation ships. The door to the BRB 9000 shut and began to take off, as did all the ships but the one Reuben had the key for. The ships began flying away and Reuben looked back and saw the ship he had the key for, it was the police cruiser that had the missing gun used for Leroy's weapon. He sat on a rock next to it and began to cry, feeling like he was alone again like he felt back in his prison cell.
As Reuben was sitting on the rock with his head down, he heard a magical noise coming from behind him and when he looked back he could see Jumba's ship was parked right behind him. Lilo stepped out and the other experiments and Jumba falling not far behind her.
Lilo: Hey Reuben, long time no see.
Reuben: Lilo? How long were you...
Jumba: We've been here for the past 10 minutes.
Nosy: And we heard everything
Reuben saw as what he had been seeing as his enemy was surrounding him, yet he didn't feel threatened one bit.
Lilo: I've alerted the Grand Councilwoman about the attack on Planet Turo.
Ace: If you're not willing to attack the Galactic Federation headquarters then you must be on the side of good.
The rest of the experiments in Lilo's team nodded in agreement.
Lilo: I knew Reuben wasn't a bad guy, and when I saw he was in the BRB 9000 along with Leroy and 628, I knew it had to be for a good reason.
Jumba: But that reasoning is no longer good is it 625?
Reuben: No, I know my cousins aren't bad but they are making a huge mistake. Do you think we can stop them in time?
Lilo: Of course we can, but not without some help.
Reuben thought Lilo meant him but then a federation ship can be seen arriving on the moon.
Lilo: And looks like he showed up just in time.
Reuben: Who?
The door of the ship opens and Gantu steps out immediately looking at Reuben.
Gantu: Hello, Reuben. Long time no see.
Reuben grew visibly upset and refused to look in Gantu's direction.
Reuben: I just turned away one group of friends, please don't make me turn away more.
Gantu walked up to Reuben but kept his distance, knowing Reuben is upset at him for not getting him out of prison sooner. Reuben stood there with his arms crossed looking away from everyone.
Gantu: I know I'm the last person you wanted to see right now, but...
Reuben: No, the last person I want to see right now is 627. Why didn't you come back for me sooner? If you helped get me out none of this would have happened.
Gantu: You know I have to listen to the Grand Councilwoman, it was her decision to let me go and not you. I made lots of cases for you but...
Grand Councilwoman: Enough, don't take my kindness for granted. If you want to see him so badly you can go back to that prison and join him!
Gantu remembered the last time he brought up Reuben and what the Grand Councilwoman had said to him.
Gantu: And since then I've only had one regret this whole time.
Reuben: Oh yeah, what's that?
Gantu: I should have taken her offer to go back to that prison with you until we both got out at the same time.
Reuben heard that and looked back over to Gantu who looked depressed. Reuben's hands began to shake as he walked over to Gantu, then his pace got faster and faster to which Gantu kneeled down and Reuben ran in for a hug.
Reuben: I-I missed you big guy...
The two hugged and the other experiments cheered. Lilo looked at her new team and noticed something.
Lilo: Umm, has anyone seen Stitch?
Everyone was looking around and inside Jumba's ship but Stitch was nowhere to be found.
Pleakely: Did Houdini forget to make Stitch reappear?
Jumba: No, 604 made everyone visible at the same time.
Lilo: So where's Stitch?
Back at the BRB 9000, 628 walks into Leroy's workshop and sees him and Sparky welding again, but Leroy had a serious demeanor.
628: What are you working on cuz?
Leroy was startled as he was lost in his work and his thoughts, Sparky again looked happy to be involved in something with his cousins as usual.
Leroy: Oh, you scared me. You almost ruined the surprise.
628: Surprise?
Leroy got out of his chair and walked up to a table with some vertical thin object covered by a blue blanket.
Leroy: Behold, my latest masterpiece.
Leroy revealed the weapon, a chainsaw laser sword. 628 looked at it in awe, similar to his first time seeing Angel.
Leroy: She's bootifa isn't she?
628: Ih. But, what powers it?
628 said as he saw no fuel tank attached to it or battery. Leroy grabbed the sword and threw it over to 628.
Leroy: You do.
628 caught the sword and inspected it unsure of what Leroy meant, until he saw the nodes on his palms while the sword was in his grip. He powered up his suit to half power, enough to activate the nodes and sure enough the chainsaw began to light up bright green and power on.
628: Egalagoo. This is gonna be perfect.
Just then, a beep can be heard from 628's wrist and he sees his suit's battery is at 5%.
628: Choota, just when I was seeing my new weapon.
Leroy: You'll have plenty of time to test it when we arrive to Planet Turo. Go charge and rest up, I set the coordinates to be far enough away from Planet Turo to give us time to plan an attack and give you time to recharge. Oh by the way, can you save the coordinates for this planet? I gotta come back again once we're done with our mission.
628: Okie taka, goodnight cousin. Take care of things while I rest, and don't worry, Reuben will rejoin us again.
Leroy: Yeah... I know he will. Still hurts y'know? I never lost anyone I actually cared about before.
628: You handled it well, your loyalty is much appreciated cousin.
628 stepped out of Leroy's workshop and headed towards the lab. Once he's out of sight, a shadow begins to emerge near the ship's entrance. Stitch can be seen inside the ship crawling around now that the coast is clear.
Stitch: Where are you, Angel...