Nani and David began making wedding plans the very next day. As I'd told Nani, he was elated, despite his situation with his job. I sat across from them at the kitchen table and watched.
"Do you think we should invite Lani and the kids too?"
"Hmm," David responded. "She is a good friend of yours, yes?"
"Yeah. Probably my best friend honestly."
"Do you want her to be a bridesmaid?"
"Yes. Lilo is going to be the flower girl."
"Very well..." David wrote her name down on a piece of paper. "I will invite my friends Kahoni and Tua from work. How about auntie, you wish to invite her?"
"Yes, put her down. I haven't seen her in three years."
"Okay," David responded. "Anymore family?"
"There is my Uncle and his family. But the last time we saw them, mom was pregnant with Lilo. Not sure if it's worth it?"
"Ah... I'm sure he'd like to see you."
"They live in Atlanta though. I know he's busy with his job."
"No harm in asking, right?"
"Okay," Nani told him. "Put him down. Lilo should meet her cousins."
"Are any of them around her age?"
"No, they're all adults."
I put my head in my paw and watched them. Listening to them discuss how many people they were planning on inviting made me a little worried.
First of all, Jumba Pleakley and I were all aliens. We'd never met nor known anything about the rest of the family. I didn't even know Lilo had an uncle until Nani mentioned it just then. I'd only first heard of her aunt when she'd mentioned about her helping out to me. Apparently she had cousins too.
Would Nani's family be as accepting of us? I didn't see why not as Nani and Lilo took us in as a part of their family.
"I'll invite our grandparents too. Not sure if they'd come though."
"Okay. I'll invite all of my family too. Mom and dad, my sister and her husband and children and my grandma."
"How big do we want this to be?" Nani asked.
"Not too big. Just big enough. Family and close friends only."
Nani looked across to me and noticed me slouching.
"Stitch?"
I looked at her. She stared at me.
"Everything okay?"
I was about to answer, but David spoke up, pretty much saying what was on my mind. "Oh! Jumba, Pleakley and Stitch have not met our families and friends yet, have they?"
Nani shook her head. "They don't even know about them."
I sat up at that. "Not know we aliens?"
Nani shook her head. "Auntie only briefly knows that two others live with us and that Lilo has a pet, but that was all I told her."
I sat up at that. Just a 'pet'? Really?
"Jinjiba..." I sighed.
"Well... I think, just don't tell them anything when they come. Just have your usual disguise."
I knew what 'usual disguise' meant. She was implying for me to keep up the 'I'm a dog' act.
"Why not just tell? Not friends, but o'hana, ih?"
"It's not that simple, Stitch. We are estranged from some of our family. They know as much about us as we do about them. My uncle is probably the closest. My dad used to always be in touch with him. Lilo and I grew up never really seeing our family."
I sighed. "Naanee... how is fair I have to act like stupid dog on your wedding?"
She stared at me at that. "Stitch... that's not what I meant..."
"Naga?" I asked. "Then gaba else Stitch supposed to do? Be mute whole time? Is same as being dog! Tay on YOUR wedding? Big special day? Inga tu smishta if you think that going to happen!"
She went quiet. She knew I was right. David looked uncomfortable but remained quiet.
"For Jumba, Pleakley, isa very different!" I stood up in my chair. "They can talk, be themselves even with disguises. Stitch cannot. I just look like dog... get passed off as one, all time! So unfair!"
I scowled.
Nani spoke gently. "I know. I hate it myself... but, you can still wear something too Stitch!"
"Ih and get talked about! 'Why that dog wearing clothes, look so silly'! Always happens, you know this!"
Nani sighed. "You don't look silly!"
She put her head to her hand.
"Look, I'm not going to risk your identity to my family. I don't know them. They could tell other people for all we know. You can still talk and be yourself, just not around them. I'm just trying to protect you."
"So everybody else gets to be 'themselves', but I just have to be stupid dog cuz you're 'protecting' me."
"Stitch I said you can be yourself, I just don't think you should 'be yourself' around them! That's all! How would they react to seeing you talk? You KNOW they are going to think you're a dog, we all do. You're fine doing this around everybody else, so I'm not sure why you seem to disagree with this so much? We always go places and you never have an issue pretending to be a dog."
I held up my fingers and counted. "Komda, I DO have issue. I do for sake of o'hana! You think fun what happen to me last night?"
They stared at me in disbelief.
"Bonda... I'm NOT DOG!" I screeched. Nani was startled by that. David was as well. He'd never seen me angry before. Seeing Nani's reaction he put his hand on her back. I felt a little bad for yelling at them but after last night at Macki McCaw's, this had definitely rubbed me the wrong way.
"Jinja, I sentient being!" I continued counting. "Tay JAIJA, everybody else are strangers! Random people! Wedding is FAM A LEE! Special! O'hana!"
"Stitch, I still don't think..." she trailed off.
I looked away from her, furious. "Feecha. Stitch kha araimi shol, okeytaka? Not want dog at wedding, ih?"
She looked a bit upset. "I-I'm not sure what that-"
"I WON'T GO!"
Her eyes went wide. Before she could say anything more, I jumped from the table and bolted from the room.
I didn't care anymore. I knew they probably were going to think I was overreacting, but this was Nani's WEDDING. Not just some regular special occasion. It was a very special thing to our family.
To me.
I'd always wanted to be part of a wedding. Feel like a true part of a family.
Nani had accepted Jumba, Pleakley and I as part of her family. If I couldn't 'be' her family at her OWN wedding, then what was I?
That's right. Just a stupid dog.
I didn't go far. Just up to the tree-house. It was my venting space.
I didn't listen in on what was happening inside, so I had no idea what was going on. I just sat with my back against the wood, looking down at the river through the panels. Lilo's picture of her late mom was beside me. The one that had encouraged her to do her dance. I stared at it.
Her mom looked very much like her as a child. I knew that Jumba was my father and as much as I loved him, sometimes I wondered what it would be like if I had a mother and father like me.
Sometimes I felt outcasted for being so different from my father. Today was one such case.
Nani's words had hurt me a lot. I knew she was just trying to protect my identity, but not being able to talk to other members of my own supposed 'family' was heartbreaking for me. Jumba and Pleakley would be fine to talk to them. They were nothing like me and looked relatively human when in their disguises. But what was Jumba supposed to do? Just say I was his 'pet' to them? That was NOT going to sit well with him. Jumba was proud of me; I was his child and he liked making that clear.
Not being able to say I was his child to our own family would be the ultimate insult to him. Nani had been afraid of him before when he'd slammed his fist on the table for yelling at me. This was one path she did not want to venture down.
I could understand Nani's reasoning, but that still didn't make it right. She'd basically lied to her aunt about me in saying I was a 'pet'. I did get her not wanting to reveal much information but it was still insulting to me considering how much she spoke of me as family. I tolerated her calling me a dog in public but this was just downright hurtful that she couldn't be honest with her own family ABOUT her own family.
If her family couldn't accept us then what was the point of us being here? I mean... they didn't HAVE to accept us, but why should we change things about ourselves to suit them? It was what I'd told Lilo just before.
To just be herself.
So why couldn't I do the same? I couldn't help how Jumba created me! Just because I looked like a stupid mutt on their planet didn't make me one!
I sighed. This was so unfair. I was so happy and excited for Nani. Especially with her baby and how kind she'd been to me lately, wanting my support. I'd even passed of the one I cherished most to spend time with her.
This was how I was repaid? 'Be yourself at my wedding, just don't speak to my family!'
'YOUR family!'
I growled. Screw that.
In my anger I jumped from the tree-house, jumped across the riverbank and vent my frustration out on a tree. I slammed my fist into it. The tree uprooted and flew into the air, slamming against the side of the hill behind our home with a loud CRACK. It made the area shake.
I roared and grabbed another big one, ripping it from the ground and throwing it high into the air. When it came back down I smashed it in half. I tore it to shreds in seconds.
I had no idea that Nani, David and Jumba were watching me.
"626!"
My spines flared at that. I paused. I didn't turn around though. I just caught my breath.
"626, my boy... look at me."
I drew in a deep breath and eventually turned around and faced my father across the river. I could see Nani behind him, on her knees with her hands to her face. She was crying but she looked shocked at what I'd just done. They'd never seen me in rage like this before and the strength I was capable of exerting. This was nothing though.
"Tell me... what happened? Why are you doing this?" Jumba asked me calmly. From his tone I realised Nani and David must not have said anything to him.
I sneered. "OKAY! Papa?"
He nodded as I pointed at Nani.
"Bs'chilk ntz hasna lizknz fet lhlisja ainoah. Z'nck zna kds zna ebbtilka zna sejnas! Ana GAIMA dugo na EECH. ASAMA MEEGA! GAKACHA MEEGA!" I roared.
Jumba's jaw dropped open. "Wh- WHAT?"
"IH!"
Jumba turned around to face them. I leaped back across the riverbank to his side.
"Is... is this being true?" he asked Nani. "626 tells me you are making wedding plans, however you are inviting more members of family and you do not want 626 speaking to them because you are not wanting him to reveal identity?"
Nani took a few moments to compose herself. "Jumba... look. It's NOT what you think, please! I just don't want him talking to my family because we don't KNOW them! I don't know what they may or not do! They could tell other people about Stitch and that he can talk! I said to him that he can be himself but just not so in front of the other members of our family, that's all!"
Jumba scowled at that. I knew he'd be angry.
"You accept us into your family, yes? Big 'o'hana' now, as you put it so? I had no idea there were more, is first I've heard of this!"
Nani sighed. "We were going to invite David's family, but also invite my grandparents, aunt and uncle and their families."
"As 626 just told me! WHY you never tell us about them?!"
"Because they are estranged! I DID tell my aunt, just not everything. And honestly? It... uh, slipped my mind. I... meant to. Really!"
Jumba had all four eyes narrowed. "For over two years? Bah, is lie! You repeat motto to us, so many times! 'Ohana means family. Means nobody is left behind or forgotten'! You accept us, so why you not tell others about us?"
"Y'ahc batz nailks haech," I said quietly.
Jumba was furious at hearing that. "Yes, is true 626. Easy for both Pleakley and myself to be conversing at wedding."
I didn't have to explain anything more to my father after that. He knew.
He went over to Nani.
"Larger girl. From how I am seeing it, we are fine to be being 'ourselves' in disguise. Talking to family. No troubles! But 626 is to be being quiet? Not able to talk to anybody. Having to be ridiculous earth MUTT for special day. You may say otherwise, but this is VERY clearly what you are implying. Don't beat around bush!"
David gripped Nani's hand. "I'm not trying to be mean..." she sobbed. "I'm just worried about Stitch being found out. We don't know our family that well... please Jumba. You know what it's like here... everybody thinks Stitch is a dog. Dogs can't talk! What if they told somebody and THAT person told somebody that works in the FBI, or the media? Or news got through to Area 51? It would spread like wildfire! You know what happened with the ship on Thursday!"
Jumba laughed. "Oh yes, Jumba is being very much aware of all that, larger girl. But I will tell you this," he shook his fist at her.
"I will not stand by on big, special occasion which means a LOT to my son, watching him have to act like STUPID earth creature and not be able to talk to OWN SUPPOSED FAMILY just because he is similar to one! Is hurtful to him and very HIGHLY insulting to me! Yes, is risk if he is to be talking, I am aware of such thing, but how 626 feels about this is FAR more important to me. We can deal with being found out by stupid other peoples as long as is controlled! What cannot deal with is you making my little creation miserable like this!"
Nani had nothing to say to that.
"Your little sister seems to have more smarts with judgement than you too! She is being one to tell teacher man about us. She trusted complete stranger yet you cannot trust your own family! Is ridiculous!"
"I..." Nani trailed off. "I never meant to hurt him..."
Jumba pointed at me. "OH REALLY NOW? LOOK AT HIM, LARGER GIRL. LOOK WHAT YOU MADE HIM BE DOING! YOU THINK 626 IS NOT AFFECTED BY SUCH STUPID THING? IS JUST PUPPY DOG TO YOU?"
"No!"
Nani looked at me. I was sneering and had my claws arched. As much as I tried to hide it I felt tears build up.
Lilo came bounding down the stairs in her towel, mostly wet, screaming at that moment. She'd been in the shower. She ran to Nani and looked between us. "What's going on?!"
Jumba continued. "Yes, 626 is acting like stupid mutt when we are going out because those are strangers. It really does not matter and has no affect. But when family is involved, situation is entirely different. How would you feel if your family told you that you couldn't talk to others of SAME family, because you were being different?"
Nani was quiet. David looked miserable. "Jumba..." he started, but Jumba put up a hand.
"Are you really so distrusting of own blood relatives that you are willing to shut down 626 like this? Just because how he is looking? Is he not family to you?"
"Jumba, please! Stitch... I-"
"Enough. I don't want to be hearing it," my father said calmly. "626 is first and foremost in my life and if you are going to be treating MY SON-" he pointed to himself "-this way, then I will NOT be attending wedding either! Clear?"
He picked me up and walked away with me. Lilo cried out after us and I ended up crying at seeing how distraught and panicked she looked. Nani stopped her and I could see Pleakley running down the stairs with his wig on backwards. Jumba carried me down the driveway. I didn't know where he was going, but I think this had affected him too. I was honestly surprised he hadn't lost his temper.
I just settled against him and closed my eyes.
"626!"
I groaned and opened my eyes. As my vision cleared Jumba came into view. I looked around and stood up from his lap.
"Where are we?"
"Eh, is place I come when needing break," he muttered.
I looked around. We were on some cliff outskirts. My memory kicked in and I remembered them from when I'd first met Lilo and rode up here looking to see where a city was.
We were alone.
Jumba scratched the back of my head. "Just... cannot believe this. Is absurd."
I nodded.
"I will not tolerate this. Not in the slightest. Is ridiculous that larger girl cannot respect you enough to allow you to speak to members of family. All because of being scared of us being found out. What are they going to do? Kidnap us? You know they would never get away with that under my watch and watch of Bubbles-man."
"Ih..."
"Feels like she is just discriminating against you. I've had enough of this ridiculous comparison of you to lower earth creature. Who cares if you look different to me, you are still same species as me and I am, as you say, your papa."
"I know... " I responded. "Does... feel lonely... sometimes."
"Eh? He looked surprised at hearing that from me.
"Meega... not like you. Different. Fur, claws..."
He sighed. "Would rather be like Jumba? I just made you like that because I wanted you to be better."
"Naga... I am happy with how I am. How you make me..." I told him. "Just... would be nice, if others like me."
"Ah... well. There is 621, although not sure what was happening to him. He mutated himself. Horrible, hideous creature. Wonder if still is being that way."
"Ih, remember..." I responded. "Do... miss him?" I asked my father.
He sighed. "As his creator, I feel slight something. But... how he turned out was a result of my doing. I was too blindsided by being proud of you to notice. I was terrible. Unlike you, he did not have my DNA so he was just creation of mine, not biologically related to me. You are. Is why you looked so different to him."
"Meega felt bad for him. Still not remember what happened between us."
Jumba put his hand on my head. "Is probably best you don't."
I looked up at him. "Everything that happen, blur..."
He nodded. "Yes. Is reason for that."
"Gaba?" I asked. I frowned at hearing that. Did Jumba have something to do with why I couldn't remember things?
He sighed. "626. I locked away those memories under original encryption. Encrypted that part of hard-drive. Is why you might remember bits and pieces, but rest is blur."
"Why?" I asked, clutching his shirt. "Why keep from me?"
"Because what you did was..." he looked away. "Awful, 626. And I made you do it. And what I did to you was just..." he looked away.
I knew most of the things I'd done, such as murdering other aliens and destroying nearly everything but I'd always known there was more. Something really big Jumba had never told me and been keeping from me.
"What... what I do? Can please tell me?"
He sighed. "I have hidden away from you because I have been scared of you turning on me. What I did to you was worst thing imaginable..."
I shook my head. "Naga, would never turn on you. No matter what."
"I could not be sure on that, 626. Had always wanted to tell you at right time... but, I think with what is happening to you now, perhaps best if you are knowing sooner than later..."
He sighed. He put his arms around me and we gazed out into the ocean.
"Many many years ago, before exile to earth, Jumba worked for GDI..."
Planet Turo, 14 years prior
Twenty three year old Jumba J. Jookiba stood before the towering building, holding his briefcase in one hand and resume in the other. At least 80 stories high, it was easily the tallest building in the Xenon Hemisphere.
Galaxy Defense Industries had been the eccentric Kweltikwanian's ideal choice of work since he'd graduated from Evil Genius University. Not necessarily a dream job, so to speak but with their technology and his genius brains, the possibilities of new inventions were endless. He could just see it – him selling his inventions all over the galaxy. Becoming famous. Becoming RICH. And THEN finally... he could set up his own laboratory and start experimenting!
With his own evil twists of course. After all, he WAS an evil genius.
Heading inside, Jumba approached the receptionist drone and stated why he was there. He was ushered by another drone into a waiting area for his interview. Around him a few other Kweltikwanians sat, alongside a few other species he'd forgotten the name of.
"Hmph..." he muttered to himself, picking up a copy of the Fleemzorg Weekly Gazette. None of them even looked the part for the job. Out the corner of his left eyes he saw one of the candidates picking its nose with its tongue.
"Revolting..." he uttered.
"JOOKIBA!" a voice piped.
Jumba dropped aside the newspaper and quickly stood up, gathering his things and heading into the interview room.
The interviewer was a tall, gangly alien with two long tentacles flexing out of his head. Jumba found it extremely hard to concentrate seeing that and how they kept twitching about and a few times the interviewer had cleared his throat at him.
"Eh, come again?"
"I asked you, Mr Jookiba, what is it exactly you can BRING to a galaxy-wide empire such as GDI? Why are you suited to joining OUR all around respected, hard-working and devoted team?"
"HAH!" the eccentric scientist bellowed at that. "Well, first of all, I am not particularly caring so to speak if company is 'galaxy-widely' known or empire or whatever it is being. That has no significance to me and is completely irrelevant to interview, yes? Reason for gloating, no?"
The alien went to cut him off, looking furious and shocked, but Jumba raised a hand.
"I can bring you things you can only DREAM of. My inventions are mind-boggling... life-changing... ESSENTIAL to all daily needs and complexities that life brings. My ketchup flavoured rocket-fuel can propel ships for years, plus is tasty treat! No more wasting gophinks on sauce bottles, eh?"
"But wh-"
"My defence system blueprints and ideas are GE-NI-US and even beyond that! I laugh at your feeble attempts of deflecting space debris with your 9000 series laser systems. Instead of deflecting and thus destroying other ships and planets, you should be collecting! Harnessing energy for creating more efficient fuel sources for rockets!"
The interviewer tapped his fingers.
"Trust me. You need my ideas," Jumba continued. He looked at the tentacles."You having hard time staying still with those, yes? Tell me, do you have trouble with paying attention?"
The interviewer looked as though he was about to blow his top."Are you s-serious right now, JOO-JOOKIBA?!" he spat.
"Oh yes am being very serious. So, yes? Okay then. Here, be trying this. Can help with stutter too."
Jumba reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device, throwing it to him.
"What is this, Jookiba?"
"Is spidget spinner, my latest invention! See that, it spins! Can convert into cube too. Very very useful for tics, like unable to be being keeping hands still."
The interviewer went red.
"Go on, try it! Be selling those around galaxy, will be making BILLIONS!"
The alien growled at him, but sighed and tried the device out. "Hmm... it is rather... eccentric and unique, Jookiba."
"Of course, is genius!"
The interviewer cleared his throat. "Well then. What are your qualifications?"
"All education and recent EGU degree. Am also self taught in nano-robotics and micro-circuitry, wetware engineering, biomechanics and genetic experimentation. Also ran joke store for few years with friend, was very fun!"
The interviewer looked at him as though he'd grown another head. "Self-taught?"
"You bet. With all my genius brains," he chuckled.
The alien stared at him. "Well, I think we can conclude our interview here, Jookiba. I have other candidates, but I will contact you once we... eh, have a strong discussion about your interview and qualifications."
Jumba snorted. "Bah, you know I am better than rest of idiots out there."
The interviewer looked mortified. Jumba just walked out grinning. He didn't actually care or not if he got the job, but it would help him earn enough money he needed to build his lab and carry out his dream of creating life.
The eccentric scientist rubbed his hands together as he left the building.
A week later he got the job.
Seven months into working for GDI, Jumba Jookiba had a reputation of being the best scientist in the organisation. His inventions had sold for billions, including his widely acknowledged 'spidget spinners' and his rocket ships and defence systems were some of the best in the galaxy.
He lived in the complex as his shifts ran both through night and day. Jumba never seemed to tire of working. He was always coming up with new ideas. Each staff member had their own little personal android assistant, courtesy of him, and he'd even built his own. They loved him. His visions, his ideas. And most of all his eccentric personality.
He saved his money, never spending anything on himself. Others were curious about this but he brushed them all off. It was none of their business.
But two years into working at GDI, Jumba met Zenda – a fellow Kweltikwanian like him. She was beautiful – to him anyhow. Long red/orange locks flowed down her back and she always had one little strand of hair that was covering her two right eyes.
He'd worked with her for a while but the two had never directly interacted outside of brief acknowledgements.
The two finally started talking by chance after an exam. One of Jumba's co-workers had been trying to cheat off his tests again and Zenda had poked him to warn him about it with a gesture of her head.
Once the exam was finished they had lunch together. Zenda wasn't as smart as Jumba, but she had a thing for painting. While on breaks she would show him her paintings and artwork. He was amazed. His life had been dictated by numbers and equations, so seeing something so... unique... really captivated him. Zenda worked as part of the administration team on the fourth level of the building.
Their relationship had developed and eventually the two decided to marry. Jumba was the happiest he'd ever been and Zenda had been beside him every step of the way. He moved out of the complex and lived with her.
But there were things Jumba kept from her. And was very careful to keep from her. From everybody.
Years ago he'd been cheated, used and robbed by somebody he once considered a true friend. After doing his research into his 'friend' he'd realised that he'd had some seriously revolting traits about him, some of which included being an extreme fetishist and also having having an affiliation with underage and unconsenting alien individuals. As a result, Jumba seeked revenge against him. His advanced knowledge of weapons and weapons systems made him the perfect leader of an assassination squad known as the 6-26B's. Working for GDI helped him finally get the parts he needed for his weapons and he'd snuck them home.
Jumba's first target had been his ex-friend, whom he'd killed and covered the death up as a suicide.
His second assassination had been the same. Anybody that wronged him lost their life. To cover up this dark side of himself, he used his 'eccentric evil-genius scientist' personality he was known and loved for. Sometimes it was hard to balance the two, especially when stress got to him. There were days he would snap at Zenda and his temper would flare. He always felt bad afterwards. Even though he was ruthless and remorseless, she had that impact on him.
However, into their sixth year of marriage, Jumba had noticed change in his wife. She no longer painted. She no longer cared about the beauty of space around her, which is what had attracted him to her in the first place. He feared that the 6-26B's might have been discovered, but it soon became apparent that this wasn't the case.
Things had changed at work too. Something was off. Most of the scientists and his co-workers he'd started off with had left, all within the same time as each other.
The company's shares were starting to go down and the chairman of the board couldn't figure out why. So, as a result they drilled Jumba. They overworked him to the point of exhaustion with coming up with new and innovative weapons systems and ideas and he eventually fell extremely ill as a result. His sickness had lasted for a long time, during which he was unable to work, but strangely enough, the shares of the company went back to normal and they were no longer facing bankruptcy. Once Jumba went back to work nothing seemed different, with the exception of Zenda. Once he'd become sick, she seemed to change. More and more she wanted to know things about his inventions and plans and what he was planning to do with them. He was suspicious, but trusted her in that she was his wife so he told her.
But then he wondered if he'd made the right choice.
Zenda had gone from a care-free spirit to a hard working business woman. She had no more time for him or a relationship. She was focused on her job and only that.
It irritated Jumba highly. Eventually she was promoted and soon enough she'd made her way up to the top. He was head scientist of his department but this had made him jealous. After all, she'd started out in administration so why had she suddenly been so 'qualified' for working on the board?
To vent his frustrations, he started on his secret lab. He built it off-planet, on a small drifting mass of rock that had once been part of a larger asteroid belt. He'd been keeping an eye on this belt for a while. Since it was in a red-zone, no ships ventured near there and best of all, it was isolated. Jumba began creating experiments. Most of them failed and died off, but his first real success came with Experiment 6-1. During the weekends he'd scoured the galaxy for genetic templates of different creatures. Using those templates, he'd started messing around with genetics, seeing what he could come up with. Experiment 6-1 was just a mass of atoms with eyes, but it was a life form regardless. It lived and breathed. It couldn't communicate but it was aware of it's own existence. Jumba kept it in his lab and it floated around aimlessly watching him. Still, he was proud of it – his first living creature he'd created himself. Eventually 6-1 perished and Jumba was saddened. He tried again, eventually creating Experiments 6-2 and 6-3. He improved on these experiments, giving them limbs.
Since Zenda was never home on the weekends, she was unaware of Jumba's activities. Jumba became so wound up in his experimentation that he sacrificed the 6-26B's as a result. His partners cut him off and were angry with him, but he hardly noticed. His relationship with Zenda had deteriorated, things were bad at his job and Jumba just wasn't himself anymore.
To make matters worse, Zenda started arguing with him, accusing HIM of being the one that was breaking down their marriage. Jumba grew depressed. His experiments were the only things to keep him going.
But then, things looked up for a while. Zenda seemed to over-exhaust herself and as a result the two re-kindled and became close once more. Feeling that their relationship was mended, Jumba started discussing the possibility of a child, however the woman was adamant on not having one and insisted she couldn't as much as she wanted to. Jumba was greatly disheartened by this as he did want a child, so he opted to create an experiment that would be his greatest success yet and Experiment Subject 621 was born.
He brought his experiment home and Zenda was beside herself. At first she seemed thrilled with the concept, but it quickly turned into something else. Jealously. And Jumba noticed it. He began to worry that she would reveal his experiment to the GDI, or even hurt his little creation, but she didn't.
Or so he thought.
Despite their relationship was okay, Zenda gradually relapsed back into how she had been before. She returned to being a highly-strung business woman with no time for him and it was far worse than before. Angered by this, Jumba sent 621 out for him to collect DNA samples. While 621 also became his personal assistant, Jumba set out some plans for his next experiment and kept up his other experiments. He nicknamed his creation 'Chopsuey' because his creation loved to steal his food behind his back, especially his chopsuey.
But then a year later, Jumba finally figured out what was going on with Zenda.
With Zenda's strange behaviour and everybody seemingly giving him the cold shoulder at work, he decided enough was enough. He created a microscopic device, harnessing it to a tiny bug native to Turo. He used electrodes to manipulate the bugs brainwaves, forcing it to bend to Jumba's will and he was able to control it.
He used this little brainwashed bug to spy on Zenda and what she was doing. It turned out Zenda wasn't really 'Zenda' at all. She was an undercover agent hired by GDI and her real name was Gamada Luxschroge. She'd got close to him and married him only to steal from him and manipulate him into giving her his money. After learning this, Jumba instantly hacked into her computer one day when she was off on a 'business trip' using a new program he'd coded with 621's help and found copies of most of his classified documents there regarding bio-weapons and nuclear technology. Her painting programs were just disguised malware programs coded to download data from his computers without him knowing. Whenever she sent him pictures via email, or their social messaging services, she was really DOWNLOADING his data. Jumba punched himself repeatedly in the head at this for not realising how stupid he was. How foolish he had been! He'd always thought the interview had gone too smoothly back when he was first hired!
He had no programs to warn him about the activity. He hadn't even THOUGHT such a thing could happen to him!
Betrayed, furious and the most angriest he'd ever felt in his life, Jumba used his brainwashed bug to also spy on members of the board. The more he spied, the more he learned. It had all started back with the interview.
They'd only hired him to steal his secrets. Most of the inventions he'd made were his, but for years and years they'd bribed him to create systems for them using his programming. He'd only earned half as much money as he was supposed to from them, they had stolen the rest and covered it all up so that he was 'getting paid correctly' and wouldn't think anything was wrong. The systems they were going to use to expand their business but they wanted to literally dominate the galaxy.
Jumba never wanted that!
They'd also purposefully made him fall ill. During his time away from work, they'd stolen everything from his computers in his office.
The real blow was that they were planning to dispose of him because they knew he'd snitch. Jumba was shocked. They were stripping him of everything... his life's work, his experiments... his weapons. EVERYTHING. Once he learned about this, he went to salvage what he could but their home had a 'mysterious' power surge. When he turned back on his equipment, he'd lost everything. Access to his plans. His work.
Of course, when Gamada arrived back home, she acted as though nothing was wrong, but he knew. He damn well knew. As did 621.
They had everything.
Jumba didn't quit his job. He didn't do anything to make it obvious he knew what they were doing to him. He still had enough money stashed away in his lab to live and some of his most highly classified designs were there. He encrypted everything.
His anger and rage propelled him. The days went by and as they did, more and more Jumba wanted revenge. Revenge on them all. So he decided he was going to do it. He was going to create an experiment that could kill and he would revamp the blueprints he'd created a year prior in order to do so.
While he worked, Jumba continued as normal but he was a hull of a man. He remained married to the scam artist, but he had to act as though nothing was wrong because he had a plan in place and he was going to execute it. It kept him going. It kept him from slumping into deep depression.
He had enough DNA samples, but he wanted more. If he wanted this to work, then he would require DNA samples of some of the most strongest and most monstrous creatures in the galaxy!
621 did the job for him, acquiring the samples and Jumba trained him up to watch his lab while he was out at work, having moved his experiment back there from their home in case something happened to him. His lab's location was top secret. He only kept necessities at his Turo home and he also managed to collect some samples himself as well.
Gamada was aware that Jumba was working on a new experiment and she began to probe, but Jumba was careful with what he told her. He told her false information as well, knowing she'd snitch to the board.
But first and foremost, he'd made his decision. He was going to kill her, every single one of the board members that had betrayed him AND he was going to create the ULTIMATE monster to do it for him. One that could demolish everything. One that could destroy a whole planet if it wanted to.
One that was not only indestructible, but ruthless and cold.
One that had venom so toxic it could make aliens explode like balloons.
One that had teeth so sharp it could eat through solid metal.
One that had bones so strong it could hold up to 3000 times it's own weight.
But such power needed to be controlled. He didn't want his own monster turning on him. So he thought about how much he wanted a child and then the idea struck him, just like that!
A way that he could control his monster AND have a child at the same time.
He would use his own DNA. It was genius!
Not only would he finally get to be a father, but he would also be able to extract the revenge he so desperately sought.
The idea motivated and kept him going. 621 helped him, but Jumba started neglecting him for his work. 621 became sad and eventually he disappeared on the odd occasion and Jumba never even noticed.
Finally four years later, he had done it. Created his monster.
Experiment 626 was born.
Jumba took his little creation out and held him in his arms. The creature was small, blue and fluffy. He was tiny. He had Jumba's body type, albeit a little slimmer and the same facial structure and nose. Jumba could see himself in his baby.
He kept his baby in his lab and began to raise him. Jumba was thrilled with his creation. 621 came back and seemed to have put his neglection behind him, but Jumba started doing it again. 621 finally snapped and went to attack his creator, but 626 had stopped him and he'd vanished.
However two months later, 621 managed to mutate himself with some of the DNA he'd collected and had been keeping to himself and came back to kill them both.
He'd told Jumba that he'd warned Zenda about his lab and everything that he'd been doing, completely turning on him. Jumba cowered as the creature he'd created went to slice him in half, however once again his baby saved his life. The two experiments fought. His once beloved Chopsuey ripped 626's arm in half and his baby screamed in pain. His bones were still only developing their strength. Jumba shot the monstrosity in the head, knocking him down and quickly restoring 626's arm back to normal. Just as he'd done so and was charging up 626's molecules for his new missions, the police broke in and disrupted the cycle. Jumba watched in absolute horror as the warning screen flashed 'molecular bonding incomplete'. Without his molecules being fully charged, his little monster would likely glitch out and die in the future. But Jumba had no time to worry about that as he was dragged away to Captain Gantu, who had apprehended Chopsuey and 626 was separated from him.
He figured Zenda had ratted him out. But it was actually far worse than that.
It turned out 621 had been the one to do so.
Shortly after, 626 came to bust him out of prison and the two of them escaped together. Jumba went back to his lab to salvage his most personal possessions before flying home to Kweltikwan with 626 and hiding out until things died down on Turo before going back for a bit. He resigned. They seemed happy about it.
Gamada was aware of 626, but didn't seem to care and finally the two decided to divorce. She feigned misery but he knew she was actually happy about it and he also knew it was really because of what she'd been doing alongside the board. They thought they'd won.
He began training 626 how to kill, sending him off on missions to different planets for four months and preparing him for his programming to carry out his ultimate plan. During this time, Jumba was targeted. He barely escaped. He knew the board had finally started trying to kill him off. It fueled his rage and he was glad his assassination training had really helped prepare him for this type of situation.
626 got stronger, colder and ruthless each passing day and Jumba laughed at it all. He was PERFECT! Not long after that first attempt on his life, he watched from his hidden laboratory as his little monster destroyed anyone and everything in his path. Jumba heard him tell him that he did it to make him happy one day and that worried him.
He was supposed to be doing it because that was what he was programmed to do, not to make him happy.
Still, monitoring his behaviour, Jumba told him his purpose was to collect him DNA samples, but that was just a cover to ensure he was acquiring the right amount of data for Jumba to execute his programming. 626 didn't know what Jumba wanted him to do, but Jumba gradually began explaining to him about the board and Zenda, how they'd been deceiving him for years and how he was going to be the one to kill them all.
To his utter disbelief, 626 disagreed with his intentions.
"WHAT?!" Jumba had roared at his creation after his four months of training.
"NAGA! NAGA ABATA IKI!"
"BUT IS BEING WHAT YOU ARE DESIGNED TO DO!"
626 sneered at him. "Naga. Queesta naga et naga nala. Gaba ne purcho? Et DNA hagata?"
"To make you DO what I wanted you to do! Was just lie to train you up! Stop being such little pain in keister and OBEY YOUR CREATOR!"
"MEEGA NAGA TAKABAH!" 626 screamed at him.
Jumba lost it and rage consumed him. First his wife, then his job... now his own CHILD was turning on him. Without thinking, he shot 626 at point blank with the one gun he had that he'd designed himself as 626 was bulletproof and his little monster fell to the floor lifeless, magenta blood seeping from his head.
"What a waste..." Jumba muttered. "I may as well just.."
He was about to put his gun to his own head and shoot, but then he stared at the still experiment on the ground. The one experiment he'd put his heart and soul into creating. For four whole years. Even if 626 was rebelling against him, he was STILL his child. He had his DNA.
This seemed to hit Jumba and the initial shock of what he'd just done had snapped him back to reality. He was a killer... but he'd never wanted to kill his own blood. He wailed in heartbreak before scooping up 626 into his arms and quickly going to operate on him to save his life.
A week later, 626 was restored. He was fine...but he'd become a little clumsy, Jumba noticed, dropping things easily and tripping over himself a few times.
Jumba sighed. He knew this was the damage he'd done from shooting him. He did feel very guilty.
He thought about why 626 might have rebelled to his plans and purpose. What had been the one thing that made 626 so different from Chopsuey? He pondered on this for hours and hours but then it hit him just like that.
626 was half him. Jumba had emotions and compassion, even if it was very little and he was remorseless. He'd been hurt by Gamada and he felt pain and anguish. He'd passed those traits onto 626 by giving him his DNA. He'd done so to control his monster from killing him, but in turn he'd just made his monster exactly like him. It had backfired in a way.
626 was mostly quiet. He did remember what had happened and Jumba feared that his creation hated him.
"I'm... sorry 626," Jumba had muttered. "I've had to hide you, all your life, as you are illegal. I have not... been good to you. Lied to you... now I go and shoot you in head!"
626 just stared at him. His ears went down and he looked away.
Jumba was still content on carrying out his plans. Nothing would change that. He went over to his creation and picked him up, strapping him down with restraints. He masked his pain at doing so, but this needed to be done.
"Gaba...?" his little son asked, sounding terrified. "Keela meega? Hatea meega?"
Jumba choked. He looked away.
"Forgive me 626..."
His little creation looked up as he strapped a device to his head before looking at him.
"Pleechi-ba, naga make'a meega kaphong!" he uttered sadly as Jumba went over to his computer. "Naga meega kaba, naga meega deeka! Naga boodoo!"
Jumba was quiet. His pleas pierced through him. He paused for a moment, but then steeled himself before flicking the switch and 626 screamed as he was electrocuted.
Jumba clenched his fists. He looked at his computer. Jumba sighed and typed in a code.
'6-26B'
'Metamorphosis System Activated' the computer responded.
Jumba turned to watch his creation. His eyes lit up red but slowly his entire face was consumed in red light. Jumba could see his bones and nerves showing through and cringed slightly at the sight. It was horrifying.
626 broke out of the restraints. Jumba stepped back watching him. His face returned to normal and he stared at Jumba blankly before walking past him. Jumba chased after him.
626 jumped into his cruiser and took off, Jumba barely managing to get in behind him.
"626!" he called. "626!"
There was no response. Jumba knew by that point there was no going back and the worst sort of dread filled him. He began to regret his decision.
626 flew to Turo and started for his old address. He jumped from the cruiser and Jumba watched as there was a beep and 626 began to grow. His body changed as he morphed. In one swift movement he ripped the home from it's foundation and threw it into another house, proceeding up the road and flattening everything in his path. He was headed for GDI.
Jumba followed him in the cruiser as he took out nearly half the town. 626 completely morphed into a monster. He looked exactly as Jumba had only ever seen him on the computer. He wasn't his small, blue fluffy little monster anymore.
He wasn't just a true monster; he was a doomsday device.
626's face lit up again as aliens screamed and ran for their lives. He killed everybody that got in his way, some ripping them in half or others stepping on them and completely desecrating them. Both adults and children. Jumba watched in sheer horror as 626 finally located his targets, ripping the entire top half of GDI open and throwing the building across the city, causing a massive explosion. He watched as his monster picked up Gamada and then bit her in half. Jumba looked away as his former partner perished. The one he'd spent almost 12 years with.
He felt sick.
The rest of the board members suffered a similar fate, 626 mutilating them. He threw some of them high up into the air. Some landed over his spines when they came back down and each of them swelled up and burst. Jumba almost threw up as he was showered with organs and remains.
He watched as his original interviewer was picked up by 626. As 626 ripped the tentacles from his head, Jumba saw a small metal object fall down to the ground beside him.
He went over to see what it was and realised it was a spidget spinner. Likely the same one he'd given the now dead alien years ago.
Once 626's targets were killed, plasma guns emerged from his back. He grew even taller and leveled the entire city until it was basically a wasteland.
He was seeing the apocalypse right before his eyes. And it was completely his fault.
Jumba ran for the cruiser and tried to keep himself alive. It was all he could do. 626 saw him and kicked him hard. Jumba slammed into the side of a building and fell to the ground. He cringed feeling sharp pain in his chest and he knew that he'd broken a few ribs.
The only way to stop the programming was for 626's brain to shut down, but his bones were made from titanium and steel. Jumba had no chance of knocking him out or penetrating his skull where he was. He hobbled back to the cruiser, barely avoiding a blast from one of 626's guns. It scathed his side and left a nasty patch of seared off skin. He had no time to acknowledge the pain though.
As he flew around in his cruiser an idea suddenly hit him. 626's molecular density made him heavy and caused him to sink in liquids. Turo had a vast beach, spanning out with Wuncs that occasionally came to the shore. He flew in front of 626 in the cruiser. If he could just lure him out into the water...
626 tried to grab it, but Jumba flew it towards Turo's beach. His plan worked. 626 chased him.
He flew out over the ocean and as predicted, 626 chased him into it, eventually tripping over as Jumba once again predicted he would. Even as a monster, he was still clumsy.
To Jumba, it was a godsend.
His son fell face first into the water. Jumba charged the cruiser at his head, activating the hyper-drive, before jumping out and bracing for impact in the water. The cruiser slammed into the ocean and into 626's head before exploding. Jumba covered his face, feeling debris hit his arm and breaking it.
He moaned in agony.
He watched as flames and smoke billowed out of the sea, but then he saw 626 start to shrink. Jumba cried out in success. He swam forward the best he could and pulled his creation into his arms. He was unconscious, but otherwise unharmed. The blow from the cruiser's hyper-drive was just strong enough to knock him out.
As Jumba held his child's body over his shoulder, he looked at what once was Turo and shuddered.
He'd spent a long, long time on this planet. Seeing it desecrated by something he had created destroyed him. He thought it would make him proud, but instead had the complete opposite affect.
He'd never meant for this to happen. He only wanted revenge on those that had harmed him. But seeing the wasteland, it had hit him hard and he'd realised the extent of his actions. They were life-changing.
He could never come back from this.
In sheer pain, Jumba dragged himself out of the water. He walked around the dead city until he found at least one hover-car still in tact. He slung 626 in before himself and then flew back to Kweltikwan. He was on the verge of blacking out, but before he did so he put 626 into his computer and installed an encryption he'd created specifically for the purpose of shutting down that section of his brain, locking most of his memories inside of it, but he blacked out before he could lock all of them. Luckily though, he did hit off the reboot key as his body slumped to the floor.
The last thing he saw was 626 waking up before everything went black.
When Jumba came around, he was propped up in his bed. 626 was curled up at the foot of it. Jumba felt his arm in a sling.
He groaned, causing 626 to perk up. The experiment looked at him.
Jumba could see nothing in his eyes. It scared him.
626 had the television on. Jumba pointed the remote at it and the sound came through. Every channel was about Turo being destroyed. It wasn't a nightmare – 626 had done what Jumba had designed him to do. Except FAR worse.
626 was NOT happy about it. He looked away from the TV.
"You fix me up?" Jumba asked him gently, wondering if he'd ever speak to him again.
626 avoided looking at him and stared at the wall. "Ih."
"Why? Why not kill me, for what I am doing to you?"
He shrugged. Jumba was astounded.
"Even though I blacked out?"
He shrugged again. "Feema ma meega," he responded bluntly.
Jumba was puzzled by this. He sighed.
"Well... you and I both likely executed when they find us, ey?"
626 just sighed. "Naga kaphong..." he said miserably. "Aga ba tay meega deeka..."
Jumba felt terrible. He felt like a true monster. After what had happened today, he would never ever forgive himself for what he put 626 through. He'd wanted revenge. Instead, he'd ruined lives and destroyed the one city he'd found purpose in. He was nothing short of a terrorist now. If he and 626 weren't executed, they'd be banished to deep space to die.
Jumba decided from that moment forth to fix everything. If dying was the only way to do so, then so be it. To him, it seemed the most logical solution.
He didn't realise that to 626, it was the worst solution instead.
He pushed himself out of the bed and went to fetch his gun. 626 perked up and followed him.
"Why follow me?"
"Gaba eiek?" he questioned, seeing the gun. He looked scared.
"Don't worry... am only using on myself, not you."
626's eyes went wide. He lunged at Jumba and knocked the gun from his hand before destroying it. Jumba was shocked.
"But... is only solution, 626. Look what I have done, I am REAL monster here, not you."
626 jumped up into his arms. "Naga. Aka chunga. Beesa sota et tu gata queesta... meega naga da chatti nay diego."
Jumba almost dropped him in shock. "But... why? WHY 626?"
"Tay buto... juda tay buto..."
Jumba closed his eyes. He didn't want his child to see him cry but it was too late. He looked away. A moment later he felt 626's wrist across his eyes, his fur absorbing his tears.
"I will..." he responded slowly. "The fact that you say such a thing to me, after what I've put you through... I truly do not deserve such words from you, but I promise you 626. I will never do such a thing to you again. I'm horrible... so very horrible... but all I can do now is be better... better for you."
626 nodded. Jumba knew his memory of the incident would start to fade shortly.
"I know I will spend rest of life making up to you. I'm so, deeply sorry. If I die... please, accept that I deserve it, yes?"
"Naga aceeto... farumba chi..." 626 replied, putting his tiny arms around Jumba's neck the best he could.
They remained that way as the UGF police and army broke inside. Jumba's home had been found.
Everything was destroyed in an instant. His computers smashed to the ground. His possessions destroyed. Other things were taken for evidence.
But he barely noticed. All he could do was stare blankly as 626 was pulled away from him and locked into a capture container. His eyes never left his fathers as he was taken away. That was the last he saw of his son before he was blindfolded and dragged out by the authorities.
Jumba had no idea what was going to happen after that.
He really didn't care if he died. As he told his child, he deserved to. He was the true monster, not 626.
But if he was to be executed, he would die at peace, knowing that 626 forgave him and that was all that mattered to him.
Present
"...so then came trial. I was offered freedom for capturing you and executing you since you have metamorphosis programming and I was only one that knows how to subdue you. Otherwise they were going to banish me on deserted asteroid. I knew if I wanted any chance of seeing you again, I would have to go after, so took that option."
I was in complete shock. Everything I'd thought I'd remembered was wrong. Chopsuey and I hadn't fought after my missions, it was BEFORE. He'd ripped my arm in half... I still had that big scar under my fur. Now it made sense.
I had leveled Turo... I'd become a huge monster and killed everything. I'd EATEN people.
And I hadn't wanted to.
Not only had Jumba shot me in the head and killed me but once I'd been revived he'd forced me to follow my true programming... the Metamorphosis System. Despite my protests he'd forced me against my will. He USED me. I pushed myself back out of his lap, tears flooding my eyes.
"Naga... no... no!"
Jumba teared up. "Is why... I blocked off memories..."
I collapsed against the cliff-ledge, too out of it to feel myself slip off the edge. Jumba lunged forward and just barely grabbed my tail, pulling me back up.
He sat me down. I was so distraught. I cried. And cried.
I was a true monster. He was a bigger monster... and now, I was likely going to become that monster again and do the same thing to Kauai that I'd done to Turo.
Kill everybody. EAT LILO.
I screamed at that and banged my fists to the ground. Jumba picked me up and put me over his shoulder.
"Hush..."
Eventually I cried myself out. "You u-u-use m-me..."
"I know..."
"K-kill me..."
He went quiet for a few moments before responding. "...and have been suffering whole life for it..." he said softly. "...still never been able to figure out why you forgive me..."
That's right. I had forgiven him. Before I was taken away.
I wondered why myself. I had no answer for it. Why would I forgive the same father that killed me and made me kill everybody else? WHY?
I sighed. I remembered why.
"Because dad."
"Hmm?"
I pulled back and looked at him. "Forgive you because you my dad. See that... you could redeem yourself. In four eyes."
He stared at me. "That is why... you were forgiving me? Because I'm your father?"
"Because I know you never meant to do it."
He swallowed. "No... I didn't."
"Naga yourself. Like meega, naga self when glitched. Hurt Lilo."
"Well... the difference was being that I was aware of what I was doing and still did it. But... I don't know why I forced myself to do it. I just... felt compelled. Like it would make me justified. For what pain they caused me."
I stared at him. He sighed.
"I'm sorry 626. I truly am. Please... you are not being turning on me, are you? Is what scares Jumba the most. Keeps him awake at night."
I stared at him for the longest time and then I growled furiously.
"I ... REALLY REALLY HATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MEEGA!" I roared at him and he looked shocked before I saw his heart basically rip in half through his eyes. He looked devastated.
I raised my claws, outstretched fully and felt like slashing him across the face. He just looked heartbroken.
I shook. But then I lowered my ears. I felt ashamed. Seeing him so broken... it hurt.
He'd spent years dealing with this. If I hurt him over it I'd be hurting myself worse.
I drew in a deep breath and lowered my paw, retracting my claws. "...but... naga... I no turn on you," I put my paws to his face. "Love you..." I said sadly. "Stitch... still proud being yours. Jumba... best papa."
He was quivering beneath me. I'd really scared him. I heard his heart overworking itself and worried that I'd scared him too much, but it eventually slowed down. He said nothing but just hugged me tightly.
"You are not monster, 626. You are pure."
I cried into him. "I sorry for... scaring you. Just... so hard."
"I understand 626. I've told you that I deserve to die for what I did."
"So I..." I responded. "Again..."
"No," he snapped at that, putting his hands on my shoulders and pushing me back to face him. "You do not 626. Everything you did was a result of my programming. Everything was MY fault and only mine, you hear? You are not responsible for anything. For eating aliens, for stepping on people, for killing police... for destroying city... is all MY doing, you hear? MINE."
I gave a sob. He put both hands to my cheeks and cupped my head that way.
"Never... ever... EVER say that to Jumba again, that you are deserving to die. Okeydokey?"
I gave a slow nod. He gave a nod himself and hugged me again.
"Just remember... no matter how bad I may have been in past, and what I have done... my love for my child will never waver. I was very, very evil. I acknowledge that and have paid for it everyday of my life until now. Is why I work so hard and stay up so late... to ensure this never happens again. I am truly truly terrified right now with strange happenings to you, yet readings returning as normal. But... there is only so much I can do and anything I come up with I have already done."
I sighed.
"We can only hope luck is being on our side, ey 626."
"Ih," I responded quietly.
We gazed out at the ocean. We'd been here for a while. I could tell it was approaching late afternoon.
"Not sure what is going to happen with o'hana now having conflict with larger girl. Truly... do not like this. But will not stand to see you treated in such manner. Is very hurtful to me. Insulting."
"Ih... Nani hurt me..." I responded, clutching his shirt. "Not sure... why be like this to me, after what Stitch done for her. How kind she be to meega."
He sighed. "I do understand where she is coming from, 626, however it is wrong. Absolutely wrong."
"Tu blijida," I responded.
Jumba sighed. He sat like that with me for a while longer with me snuggled in his lap.
"Ey... dark clouds forming, look," he pointed over the ocean. I cracked open an eye and saw them. It looked eerie. "Big storm coming again."
"Home?"
He nodded. Before we stood up, he pushed his nose to mine.
"Love you 626. Very much. Okeydokey?"
"You too," I responded.
My father put me over his shoulder and started to head down from the cliff. I sighed into him.
I had no idea what was going to happen when we got back home, but we both had to face the music.
I just hoped Lilo was okay.