A/n: Thank you so much for all the kind reviews! I read them all ;; I'm so happy you are enjoying the story enough to ask me to update XD
Things are going to start getting quite intense from this point on as the downhill journey begins for Stitch. As for that voice? Everything will finally be revealed soon so bare with me for a little while longer. :)
Thank you so much once again for the reviews, especially Floremartin, Maxi B, Guest, TheNaturalLlama3 and nonexisting28. Your feedback really helps to motivate me to continue to want to write and finish this. I've been having a rough time at home lately and this just lifts me up. :)
Also, the Auros System mentioned in this chapter is a shoutout to my bestie, Haisai D-Barenzu who has supported me so much over the past year through thick and thin.
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my head. I couldn't focus on anything at that moment. I was in too much shock to move and all of my limbs had frozen.
The beach became quiet as the screams of humans around us stopped just as briefly as they had started; we were alone.
Mertle was cowering behind me. I didn't rip my gaze from Chopsuey, only focusing on those claws against Lilo's neck. I was a strong creature – but now I was utterly terrified. I had to play the right card and I had only once chance at it. Lilo's life depended on my actions.
I could smell her fear; her small, fragile frame quivered beneath the monster and tears streamed from her eyes. "Stitch... help me..." I saw her mouth, though her voice had locked up and no words actually formed. I felt so helpless.
I had to do something before it was too late. But what?
The stand-off continued. After eyeing each other down for what seemed like minutes, Chopsuey was the first to break the silence.
"Well, well well... what have we here?"
English? That took me by surprise as I'd only ever heard him speak in Tantalog. Then again, it had been a long time. He must have taken note of my stunned expression.
"Ha ha ha. You always thought you were better than me at everything, didn't you 626? Speed, strength... Jumba's approval. All that superiority... yet you can't do something as simple as speak the language of this backwards water planet."
The two Kweltikwanians behind him laughed slightly.
I frowned at that. The idiot obviously didn't realise I could talk. I wanted to let loose what I really thought of him, but I wasn't going to do that in front of Lilo and Mertle – they were just kids.
When he pushed his claws further into Lilo's neck and she gasped I growled at him threateningly.
He just laughed again. "My my... it seems I've hit a nerve! This human means something special to you, yes 626?"
"Goobaja..." I sneered darkly.
"Really now 626, there is no need to be snappy. You always did have a short fuse."
I clenched my paws. I knew he was just trying to push my buttons at this point.
"Goobaja usa aba pobo takka," I repeated, lowering my voice to a dangerous tone. In response he just pushed his claws into Lilo's neck again and I felt ice flood through me when she let out a choked cry.
Enough!
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I screamed at him as loud as I could. That made him hesitate in shock for a moment or so and I lunged at him, only to be instantly shot at by one of the Kweltikwanian's. I just barely dodged the blast and it scorched the back of my leg.
I slumped down in pain, holding onto my ankle. "You monster..."
He looked deadpan at me. "So you CAN talk then? Typical. I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything less from the great 626." I could hear the masked disappointment in his tone.
"What do you want with her?" I sneered and he smirked at that. The two other aliens both aimed their guns at my face.
"Oh... I don't know just yet. Maybe I'll pick her bones clean, one... by... one..." he drew out slowly and Lilo looked mortified.
"I'll kill you before you have the chance!" I sneered and he just smirked.
"First you, now this weakling," he said in response to that.
I straightened up. What the heck was he talking about?
"Gaba?"
He snapped at my questioning, shoving Lilo aside to get right up into my face. Mertle went for her but one alien lunged forward and grabbed both of them, holding them in place.
"YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"
"Believe it or not, the 'great 626' naga mind reader," I responded to that and he spat in my face, forcing me to turn my head to the side. He didn't scare me.
"All I've ever wanted was Jumba's approval!" he snarled into my face. "When you were born, you ruined everything. And now this meat puppet gets his approval too? A weak inferior little hatchling? Over ME?"
I laughed. I figured he must have seen how Jumba acted about Lilo. "Jealous?"
That did it. He punched me in the face and I stumbled backwards. At least Lilo was out of his grasp now, that was the main thing.
"YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" he screamed.
"AMA GUNDA BAKA QUEESTA! YOU RUIN YOUR OWN LIFE!" I screamed back at him.
He roared and lunged at me. I rolled out of the way and flipped myself over onto his back, wrapping an arm around his neck. He roared and slashed at me, but I tightened my arm as hard as I could around his windpipe, trying to choke him. He stumbled backwards.
Before I realised what was happening, he fell over backwards so that I fell into the water with him on top of me.
Damn it! I kicked at his back, slashing him apart the best I could with my claws fully extended beyond their normal length. He grunted, but held me down. He was trying to push my head under. The water around us was filling up with blood.
"GET. OFF!" I screamed at him, trying to keep my head up. "JAKATA QUEESTA!"
"DEKETA!" he screamed back, slashing at my face. Pain exploded throughout my cheek. I could just barely see Lilo over the waves. She was screaming and reaching out for me, but the monstrous alien holding onto her kept her in place.
Water was getting into my nose and throat and I sputtered. He squeezed his claws around my neck as he tried to hold me down. My vision was starting to fade.
However in the darkness, an outline appeared, walking closer to me.
"Hm. Are you really going to let this flaw of an experiment beat you like this 626? You know you're stronger than he is."
Lilo...
"You want to rescue her, don't you?"
I can't live without her! I need her!
"Then do it, 626. Give in. You can be free from this. All you have to do is work with me."
I-I can't... get out of my head. Who are you?!
"You know she's going to die if you don't save her, right?"
No. NO.
I would never let that happen! That was it!
Enough was enough. I was stronger. I was smarter. I was SUPERIOR. Not him!
I began to shake.
"AGA GATA! KAPHONG!" I screamed, forcing myself up out of the sea. I punched Chopsuey's face as hard as I could muster. He flew up into the air a few feet, before falling down to the sand in a bloody heap, unconscious.
The 6-26B's fired at me. I quickly drew in a breath and dived under, looking up to see their blasts hit the water above me. Thankfully it wasn't very deep; I was able to get back onto the shore as they shot at where they thought I was. I hid behind a rock, waiting for them to stop firing and look around before I picked up the rock as quickly as I could and hurled it at one of the aliens. They tried to fire at it but I'd thrown it too fast. It smashed into them, and they fell down. The other one holding Lilo and Mertle flinched at that but kept his gun pointed at me. His hood had fallen down.
"Blitznak... you jareep-forsaken monster..." he snarled at me. His accent was far more mellow than my father's.
"Acha booka moopa?" I sneered, picking up another rock.
He sneered but then grabbed Lilo roughly and put his gun to her head. I froze.
"Just try it now, creature," he threatened. "I dare you to."
"Haffu hack choota futa queesta sha," I spat at him and he quickly shot at me again, before whipping the gun back to Lilo's head.
Crap.
The other alien stirred slightly. With the cloak having been knocked down, I realised the Kweltikwanian was female. I did a double take due to my surprise, but accidently let my guard down for a moment and his blast hit me in the arm.
I screamed, falling backwards from the direct blast. It had scorched my skin and fur.
"STITCH!" Lilo screamed but was muffled by the male's hand over her mouth. He approached me and pointed the gun to my forehead. "Any last words?"
I saw movement behind him and smirked, making him hesitate for a moment.
"Big Jerk."
Before he could react to that, a rock smashed over the top of his head and he went down cold, Jumba standing behind him looking beyond furious, panting from exertion.
"Papa!" I cried.
"626!" he shouted, running for me. Agents and UGF members surrounded the area, and I saw Lilo and Mertle being pulled to safety while the female Kweltikwanian was pinned down against the sand.
But what about...
I looked around for Chopsuey but then was suddenly tackled from behind before I could process that thought, Jumba falling backwards. Claws slashed at my back and I felt a massive fist punch me in the face again. I hit the sand roughly, now bloodied and bruised.
Chopsuey had mutated, only this time he looked different than he had before. The agents fired at him, but their blasts simply bounced off his armour. I saw spines growing out of his elbows and I quickly ducked to the side as he slammed one into the ground where my head had just been.
Shi-
I barely had time to even think as he tried to impale me over and over. I didn't have a clue if he had the same toxins as I did in them, but I couldn't get hit. When he accidently jammed one into a log I'd been pushed up against, I rolled into a ball and barrelled him over before picking up the log and smashing it into his head. He roared furiously, claws outstretched and lunged at me. A look to kill was in his eyes and I knew at that point he wasn't giving up until I was dead.
I couldn't dodge him this time but at the last moment an idea struck me; I turned on my infrared vision, focusing all my energy/power into my eyes – enough so to make them turn white from the exertion. As he dove on top of me, he looked directly into them and screamed in pain as he was blinded. While he put his hands to his head, I plunged all four of my claws into his sides at full length.
He howled as blood splattered over me. And then, he started to shrink. I jumped on top of him, whipping out my blaster and putting it between his eyes.
He panted below me, but snarled. He gurgled and spat up blood onto my suit.
"I HATE you 626..." he seethed, trying to swipe at me but he was too weak. "I HATE YOU!"
I glared at him, pushing the gun into his head further. "You hate me because I'm BETTER than you," I sneered back. "Pathetic! GET over it!"
"I wish you were dead..." he muttered, before his head slumped. He wasn't dead, but I'd finally defeated him.
I glared at him. Something about that struck into my heart and I went to punch him, teeth gritted but Jumba pulled back my paw and stopped me.
"Some people will never change, 626," he said blankly. "I'm sorry... he is lost cause..."
I stood back, exhausted, as Jumba pulled out a device I'd never seen before. He put Chopsuey into it and a few moments later, a small pod appeared. I stared in complete confusion.
Jumba showed it to me. It said 621 across the front.
"Is dehydrated form. Should have dehydrated him long time ago..." he muttered. "I will fix him up. Then... decide what to do with him."
"What... what about..." I started.
He glared at the two other aliens, now shackled by the United Galactic Federation Military. The male roared something across to him and Jumba just gave him a rude gesture in response.
This time however, I could hear what he roared back. "ONLY YOU WOULD LOVE SUCH A HIDEOUS ABOMINATION JOOKIBA! SHOULD BE DEAD CORPSE AT BOTTOM OF OCEAN, EATEN BY WUNCS!"
Jumba snarled furiously. He ran over and punched the male clean in the face.
"Shut up, Zhanthar or will be more than black eye I am giving you for jail."
The agents tried to push Jumba back at that. I walked over and looked up at the other Kweltikwanian. He glared down at me.
"You ruin Jumba life you fat ugly piece of– " I said and Jumba pushed away the agents, clamping his hand over my mouth.
"Don't interact with such filth 626."
Zhanthar snorted. "You ruined your own creation's life with that thing. You wait, 626. One day, you'll be replaced too. Just like 621 was."
Jumba lunged for him again, screaming in anger and the agents had to tackle him down as his former accomplice was dragged away.
"Piece of BLITZKORP," he sneered as he picked me up into his arms, carrying me away from there and over to a CIA paramedic truck. As I looked over his shoulder I could see some of the agents checking over Lilo and Mertle. Nani had arrived, as had David.
"What happen to them?" I asked my father.
"Psh..." he sneered again. "Rot in jail, hopefully. Could care less if they died."
As we walked the female looked at across to him, and I noticed their eyes met for far longer than they should have. I looked at her as well.
"Gaba isa?"
He eyed me.
"Gamada had estranged younger sibling," was all he said, before dropping me off by the truck and walking away from me.
My jaw dropped open as the female was led into a ship, followed by the male. Around them, Cobra and his agents started to deal with the aftermath of the situation.
I sat on a soft seat inside the CIA's paramedic truck, where an alien nurse from the Auros System cleaned up my wounds and injuries. She didn't speak to me in the process. Jumba had gone off somewhere but hadn't told me where. He'd seemed very distant when he'd dropped me there. Understandably so. I wondered what would become of Chopsuey.
I also wondered about that strange pod I'd seen him turn into.
Cobra and his team had managed to gather the crowd at the beach and clear their memories. They had diverted off the media as well, and the incident had been cleared off as a drowning. Most of the soldiers and military had left now and things were slowly returning back to normal. The blood on the sand had been cleaned up.
The nurse attending to me had six arms, four of which worked on me, applying bandages and antiseptics to help close over wounds. I kept staring at various bottled liquids strapped along her tail. It was distracting.
"Stitch?" I heard a small voice from outside. Lilo peeked in, looking in alarm at the female alien. Behind her, Mertle gripped against her shirt, also looking scared.
"Lilo..." I said quietly. Nani appeared beside them, looking in at me. She stared at the female alien as well, but I could see her looking over my injuries. They weren't used to seeing so many aliens.
The female nurse was apparently bilingual. "Hxh, szn'a shuchutzbiz naho mhyha, y'sjh," she spoke in Kweltikwan to me, a guttural voice emanating from her throat, informing me she was done and to leave the bandages in place for a few days.
"Kex zh'a yautz. Y'hzi scz'cho zhix," I thanked her.
She nodded. I pushed myself out of the cabin of the truck and Lilo embraced me into a tight hug. Her eyes looked red and puffy. She pulled back eventually and I saw her tearing up at my state. I must have looked terrible.
Nani was looking at me sadly as well. "Is... that over now, then? They attacked?" she asked, sounding somewhat blunt.
I nodded. "Safe now."
"I see. I'm... I'm glad you're okay..." she muttered.
I sighed.
Nani just looked at me before walking over to David. I knew she was talking about me to him as both of them looked across to me. I looked at Lilo and Mertle.
"Are you okay?" I asked them both.
Lilo nodded. She pulled back her hair and showed me her neck. A bandage was across it. Mertle seemed unharmed, just very shaken up.
"I... I should have listened to you Stitch..." Lilo said to me quietly, taking my paw into her hand while Mertle looked on curiously.
"Gaba isa?"
"About him. I thought... he wasn't like that. I thought, he might have been able to change, just like you did. But he... he was going to kill me. Pick my bones clean..." she whimpered.
I shook my head. "Eega chuti, Lilo. Very evil. Kaphong."
"I know. I understand that now... I'm just glad you're okay."
She kissed me on the cheek before picking up my tattered suit. "Oh Stitch... It's totally destroyed," she said sadly.
"Better suit than Stitch, ih?"
Mertle looked between us. "Is that what you didn't want to talk about before?" she asked quietly.
Lilo and I looked at her before looking at each other, but Lilo nodded. "Stitch was being stalked by those terrible aliens. They wanted to hurt him. The mean green guy was jealous."
"Why?" Mertle asked, looking inside the paramedic truck.
"Because Stitch was created to be better than him by his dad."
"Oh..." Mertle responded to that. She looked at me before reaching out to gently pet me on top of the head. My eyes widened in surprise.
"I'm... glad you're okay. The agent guy is going to bring me home now. I... I understand if you can't help me out now because of this."
I nodded. "Let you know. Stitch fine."
"Okay..." she said. "Bye..."
"Bye Mertle..." Lilo replied, holding me close to her.
We watched her walk away before Lilo looked into my eyes. "Nani was at the rehearsal thing. They stopped it and came straight here when they got the call."
I sighed. "Did... Naanee say anything?"
"No? What about?"
"Oh... never mind Lilo," I told her. I thought she would have kept Lilo well and truly away from me after what I'd done to her before. I could tell she was hesitant to be near me, but I was also sure that I was too bashed up by Chopsuey to prompt her to at least show some type of concern.
"Is he gone for good, now?"
I nodded. "Hopefully."
"I hope it's all over..."
I couldn't answer her at that.
Because I knew it was far from over; it was just the beginning.
We went home as a family, with the exception of Jumba. Now that the threat had been eliminated, the agents had left the house. Lilo helped me inside. Since my leg had been scorched by the laser blast, they'd given me some crutches to use to get around. I still didn't know where Jumba was.
I sat down on the couch beside Lilo. Pleakley hugged me.
"Poor Little Monster. I'm so glad you're okay!" he spoke to me, and I smiled.
Nani and David stood in front of us. My heart pounded slightly.
"Stitch..." Nani began. I looked away, bracing for the news that I was going to be kicked out of home.
"I know... what happened today was a disaster. I'm fortunate that both you and Lilo are okay. But that does not mean things are going to go back to the way they were, and they probably won't. I haven't mentioned about before... but..."
My ears flipped up. I looked at her.
"I'm giving both you and Jumba until my wedding to tell us the truth. About what you are. Because if by then, you refuse to do so? That is it. You will have to leave. This time, you are not to come back."
Lilo stuttered. "No–no... NO! YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T!" she shrieked. David went over and picked her up.
Nani shook her head. "Lilo, this is serious. Stitch is a danger to the family. I know from what I've seen and I need to protect you, even if that means separating you for good."
I grit my teeth and began to growl.
"Stitch. Naga. Dangerous."
"Really now? Have a listen to yourself."
I stopped at that and glared at her. "I'm not enemy here!" I hissed. "This is so unfair! I only growl at you 'cuz you grabbed my head! I don't like that, startle me!"
She seemed to think back.
"Perhaps so that time Stitch, but after this morning, I'm done. We will still have your birthday in two days time, followed by the wedding one day after that. But as I said – if you and your father do not come clean, then it's over."
I stood up. "I'M NOT BAD. Something WRONG with me. Why Naanee naga understand that?!"
"I do. But after how you spoke to me this morning, It's only the be–"
"THAT WASN'T ME!" I screamed, interrupting her.
"THEN WHO WAS IT, STITCH?!" she yelled back at me.
"I-I... naga nota..." I muttered. "Stitch don't even know."
"How come Jumba can't tell you then?"
"He not know either!" I responded. "Seriously! This is not fair!"
She crossed her arms. "Perhaps. But you know yourself you're dangerous. The way you spoke to me this morning, I felt like you were going to kill me. That's twice now you've... you've done that. I can't shake it."
"NAGA!" I screeched. "Ih, of course I am dangerous, I know that! But naga mean Stitch going to hurt ohana!"
"You will eventually! You slashed at Lilo when you had that nightmare, you made her fall out of her bunk as well! Not to mention TWICE you've tried to kill yourself now."
"What?!" Lilo screeched, but David held her tightly.
"BECAUSE YOU DROVE ME TO IT!" I screamed at the woman. "Blame me for EVERYTHING! Angry at me, outcast meega! Won't let me near Lilo! Won't allow me to talk at wedding, have to be guarded! You make ME out to be criminal! I thought I was FAAMALEE!"
Nani sputtered at that. "W-WHAT?! Now you blame me for this, do you?!"
I clenched my fists. "YES!" I roared. "YOU DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!"
She looked furious, but I raised up a paw.
"You care about baby, ih, I get that. But what about ALL times I have help you out! Like going to work! Getting you money! Helping you at work, move heavy stuff for boss! Stay with you when ill! CARE FOR NAANEE!"
She went quiet. I saw her start to cry a little.
"DO NONE OF THAT MATTER TO YOU?!"
"..."
I seethed, opening and closing my fists.
"I think, Naanee forget meaning of ohana and leaving Stitch behind."
She looked directly at me at that. I stared back at her.
"You know that's not true."
I arched my head. What a liar.
"Naga?"
She sighed. "Fine... but you know I am at maximum stress right now. That's why I booked the doctor. For therapy, you know? Stress management. I was supposed to be there half an hour ago, but instead here I am, screaming at you instead."
The room went silent.
"I still hold my words, Stitch. I'm not changing my mind on that. I've dealt with enough loss and stress in my life, on top of raising my sister. And having to care for the three of you as well. I'm basically the sole income now. You can do what you like at my wedding, guards or no guards, but just stay away from me because I'm just absolutely done at this point."
"What about my birthday?"
"What about it?"
I was in disbelief. "Not care anymore?"
"I wish I did, Stitch. Truly. You can have it. I'm not sure if I want to be there though."
I started to shake. "So... I still go to wedding, support Naanee – but Naanee not want to celebrate Stitch first ever birthday party for being three? Just make me stay away from her?"
She just looked at me.
"Why you save me then?" I asked her. "I offered you peace."
"You know why..."
"Really not care about Stitch, anymore?" I asked quietly. "Not love me? Not ohana?"
David and Lilo looked at us in disbelief and shock. Lilo was crying slightly and Pleakley looked very upset.
Nani didn't answer me. She didn't have to; I could see the answer in her eyes.
"Feecha..." I said. I stood up and left the room momentarily, before returning with a blue envelope. I opened it up in front of her and her eyes widened slightly. I pulled out my wedding invitation.
"Naanee, naga want Stitch near her," I announced, holding up the invitation. "Then Stitch no longer care about Naanee or love Naanee either. Give up. Bye bye."
I ripped the invite in half and let it fall at her feet. David and Lilo gasped, and Pleakley put his hand to his mouth in shock. Nani was in deep shock herself. I saw her wobble slightly.
I looked at her blankly before crutching out of the room to head up to the dome.
We were officially a broken family.