A/n:

Golden-Star (Estrella-Dorada)

First, thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, I have read every one of your reviews and I appreciate every one of them! I am happy that you are enjoying the story so far and even more so that you also enjoy LiloxStitch as a ship, because it is one of my favourites!

Your line of thinking has been very accurate/correct so far, and I'm amazed at how receptive you are! While I will let what it is be revealed over the next few chapters, you are right in yes, there has been interference with the concussion, but also from something else too. Chopsuey was indeed cruel with his taunts, but he is like that because of his treatment by Jumba. He will have redemption though, I love his character and I think he deserves more attention.

I do not mind which way you write your reviews as I use translate myself to understand what you are saying. Your reviews have also given me some new ideas/inspiration so thank you. I hope you will continue to enjoy the rest to come!

To my other reviewers: Fabfix67, Guest, TheNaturalLlama3, Liz, Floremartin and everybody else

Thank you so much for sticking by and reviewing! You all really encourage me to want to keep at this to the end and I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks for suggesting ideas and what you'd like to see. While I may use them, I do have my own plans too, but just know that I do appreciate them. I've been a little afraid of coming out as a LxS shipper for a while, due to fandom police and how they treat people, but the positive reception has encouraged me to keep writing, because it is a ship that makes me happy.

It's been a fun journey, as I started this fiction back in 2017 and originally had no idea where I was going to take it. It bounced around in my head for a long time before I started writing it, so I'm excited for the next few chapters and where they will go because I don't even know myself how things will end up! XD Updates are scarce because I write from the top of my head rather than follow a plot, so as soon as motivation/inspiration hit me, I am able to get it out onto paper (or in this case, an office document).

I hope you enjoy the rest of what's to come. From here on, things will start being revealed and Stitch's nightmare will start becoming his worst reality. It's going to get pretty bumpy!

Nani, Iwalani and David were in the kitchen when we walked in and went quiet upon seeing the machine in Jumba's arms. Pleakley was standing off to the side with his arm around Lilo.

My father put the device down on the table and Nani stood up at that, backing away slightly.

"What is that, Jumba?" she asked him, looking wary. "What's the meaning of this?"

He looked at me before clearing his throat. "For while now you've been bothered by finances and stress, yes? Is main reason why you are so angry and snappy, especially towards 626."

Nani went to speak but he raised a hand and cut her off.

"Listen. Right now damage to family is irreversable. Before it gets worse, however, I have proposal."

"A proposal?" David voiced, sounding intrigued.

Jumba nodded. He pulled the cover from the machine, and the three of them stared at it. I rubbed my arm uncomfortably.

"What is it?"

Jumba didn't answer her, instead he pulled a lever and pushed a few buttons before the machine whirred to life and started spitting out money on the table. Nani stared in utter shock.

"It makes money?!"

"Mhmm. One hundred percent accurate to original with identical security imprinting. Is impossible to distinguish as alien-made from authentic currency."

David and Nani looked utterly shocked. Iwalani looked curious.

"How much can it make?" she asked my father.

"As much as you are needing."

Nani sat down again, putting her head into her hands. Jumba looked at me before looking at her.

"Well, what are you thinking?"

It took her a moment to speak. "Are you sure this can actually work? I could actually use this to pay the bills?"

"Why wouldn't it work?"

Nani closed her eyes. "I..."

"It will work, Nani. Our technology is light years ahead of yours. Notes are exact duplicates of originals."

She looked at him. "Why have you done this?"

"Because it needed to be done. No other reason."

"..."

"Well Nani, this should help you out a lot, right?" Iwalani voiced, putting her arm around her niece. "Now you won't have to stress out."

Nani was quiet. Jumba picked me up during that time, placing me over his shoulder as he pulled out a chair and sat down with them.

"You know this cannot go on."

Nani sighed. "I know, Jumba."

I saw her eye me briefly at that. I thought for a moment before pushing against my father, and he let me down. I headed over to pick up something before walking back and facing Nani. She stared down at me with no expression on her face. I pulled out the white and gold duck and held it up to show her.

"Why did you buy this?"

She looked away.

"Tell me."

Silence. It took her a full two minutes before she drew in a sigh. "Because it was your birthday."

I frowned. "Is that all?"

"What do you mean 'is that all'? Can't you just be thankful I got you something?"

Jumba grunted at that but I put up my paw. "You're lying." She stared at me in contempt at that, but I continued. "I can tell when human lying."

"So you think I'm lying now do you?"

"You are," I told her. I put the duck down beside her on the table. "Isa other reason you bought this."

"..."

"Do you care about me?"

Nani closed her eyes. "You know I do."

"Isa why you got this, ih? Way of showing?"

She couldn't answer me.

"Naanee naga want this anymore than Stitch does."

"No! No, I don't, Stitch!" she eventually buckled, standing up and facing me. I backed away slightly. "I hate how you've changed! I hate how things have got between us! It's my WEDDING tomorrow, instead here I am stressed and sad because our family has been falling apart."

"You were cause, you know..." Jumba voiced.

"You called me an idiot."

I knew that had bothered her more than she let on. "Ih."

"Did you mean it?"

It was my turn to go quiet. "Naga. But you were scaring Lilo. Taking out on her. Irrational. No need for that."

"Maybe because she went behind my back."

Lilo growled slightly at that. "Because you don't understand, Nani! You refuse to even try and listen to me!"

Nani looked at her. "What?!"

"You just see Stitch as the problem, but he's not! He loves me! And he took me out in the ship because it was something I've wanted for a long time and it makes ME happy! It was never to defy you! But with how angry you've been, I didn't have much of a choice! Remember, Stitch ran away with me because YOU forced us apart!"

Nani closed her eyes, looking away from her sister.

"You're being completely unfair!"

"Fine!" Nani cried. "I get it! I know!"

"Huh...?" Lilo asked at that whilst my ears perked up. The older Pelekai sister sighed.

"I know how I've been, Lilo! Sometimes, as much as I try not to, I just can't help but let anger overwhelm me. You have a temper, well... so do I."

Lilo looked perplexed at hearing that. Jumba looked astounded.

"I'm just doing what I think is best for you Lilo," she said quietly. "What I think mom would have wanted. Since she's gone, I've had nobody to help me here raising you and have had to guess for myself. I've struggled alone in this for so long. But when Stitch first came along and I lost my job, things went downhill from there and just never seemed to stop."

"What do you mean?!" Jumba stood up at that, sounding furious. "All of this is not being entirely 626's fault!"

"I never said that it was!" Nani yelled at him. "On MY end thing's have been bad since then. It's like I've had no good luck since that night. It's nothing to do with Stitch at all. It's like once I lost that job, things just progressively got hard for me in doing well for myself."

"You're still trucking along though, aren't you?" David spoke up at that and Nani stared at him.

"I mean... you've had so many bad things go on in your life Nani, yet you're still strong. You raised Lilo, and brought the aliens along into the family and you did that alone. Things may have been bad for a while, but you got through them. There is no doubt you will get through this too."

"Exactly," Iwalani voiced. "We all went through the biggest rough patch when my sister and her husband died, but look where we are now. Look at your wonderful family. If they didn't care about fixing things, then I am quite sure Jumba would not have created this machine for you."

"You've done a really good job, you know!" Pleakley voiced.

"And Stitch wouldn't be asking about the duck and if you care about him!" Lilo also voiced. "He wants things fixed too!"

Nani put her head in her hands and David put his arm around her.

"I know you're stressed, but instead of taking things out on Stitch and the family, let us help instead. We're getting married tomorrow, yeah? How about just focusing on that now? And you'll have more money in the bank now with that machine, so you won't have to worry. We can afford what we need for our child and for the home. For the family."

I could hear Nani crying into her arms. Jumba gave a sigh and looked at me.

"We will be at wedding, if that is what is bothering you."

Nani paused at that. She looked at me. "And you?"

I looked away from her. I still wasn't happy, but I remembered who had saved me from that watery grave. I looked at the duck.

"..."

Nani looked away, but her head snapped back slightly when I spoke up.

"I... guess. You have not been good to me."

She nodded.

Jumba stood up. "For sake of family, will attend wedding. But as I said before, if something is happening to 626, then we will deal with it as needed to whether it interrupts ceremony or not. And if you are wanting us to come clean after wedding, then as promised, we will."

I nodded quietly.

"Very well," she rasped and David handed her a tissue. "Once tomorrow is over, we will talk."

"Would be best. Now, I have much to do. Excuse me." Jumba pet me on the head before heading back for the ship.

"Jumba?"

He paused, turning to look at Nani.

"Thanks."

He gave a grunt of approval, before leaving and closing the door behind him to head back outside. I looked at Nani again before taking Lilo's hand and we headed back up into the dome.

Tonight's the night!

I couldn't sleep. I looked across to my alarm clock. Since I'd gone to bed a bit earlier than usual only an hour had passed since I'd hit the pillow. I hadn't even bothered to take off my outfit. Lilo was exhausted above me and had fallen asleep within minutes. I'd just been about to try and tell her the truth as well, so now I was on edge. I didn't want to wake her up because I knew I'd just lock up again and fumble over my words. Time was running out for me however and I knew I'd have to make a decision soon.

I was utterly terrified. I had no idea what was going to happen to me and I didn't want to play games with the demon version of myself inside of me either.

I sat up in my bed and looked down at my paws. I was shaking.

What was going to happen to me tonight? Was I going to lose control? Turn into a monster? I realised that I didn't want to sleep. I couldn't. If I slept then I would be unaware. I could easily fall into whatever trap 626 had planned for me.

I sat up in the bed. It was only ten past nine.

I had been clenching my fists when I heard the phone ring downstairs. I figured it would just be the family calling about tomorrow, but when I heard the dome door open and saw Nani appear at the staircase holding the phone, I knew it wasn't.

She looked at me but didn't say a word, holding out the phone quickly before leaving. I was confused. Who...?
I exited the dome behind her as to not wake up Lilo and went outside onto the porch, feeling a slight sting in my fur from the cool night air.

"Hello?"

"Stitch."

Upon hearing Mr Kuakini's voice my heart pounded. I'd forgotten about him on account of the day's events – not to mention, I'd run off on him this morning.

I was quiet. I really had no idea what to say. He continued.

"Listen, we need to talk about this. It isn't just something I can brush aside, y'know? I want you over here tomorrow morning. I know the wedding isn't until afternoon. You have no excuse. I'll be waiting."

I swallowed. My voice locked up again.

"See you then, Stitch."

A click. He hung up.

I stared down at the phone in my paw for a few moments, before turning and trudging back inside.

Tonight's the night!

Well, if it was then why hadn't anything happened yet? I stared at the alarm clock again. It was approaching two in the morning by that point and I still hadn't slept. I tossed and turned. I couldn't make myself comfortable no matter how hard I tried to.

As I lay I felt tears stream down the sides of my face onto the pillow. I wanted to scream. To shout. Hell, even throw a huge tantrum from how frustrated I felt, but all I could do was lie there in the dark, staring at the palm trees blowing in the wind outside and the moonlight seeping in through the window.

The hours passed, and I lost track. I must have ended up falling asleep eventually because next thing I knew, the sunlight was hitting my face. I bolted upright in fright.

Strange. I didn't feel any different. I looked at my paws and clenched them. I was still in control. Tossing back the covers, I looked at my body and pat myself down.

Nothing seemed different?

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Gotcha!"

I jumped. Everything around me went black.

No! NO!

"Scared, weren't you?"

I growled at the darkness. "What are you playing at?"

Demon 626 appeared in my subconsciousness, sitting cross-legged in that chair again as a bright spotlight shone down over us both. I shielded my eyes.

"Figured I'd stir things up a bit. But don't worry! Thing's will change soon!"

What?!

He picked at his claws and smirked at me.

"Last time you were up all night you made the biggest fool of yourself and I just wanted to see it again, is all. You making an idiot of yourself! He laughed. "You're SO easy. Thought you were a bit smarter than THAT at least!"

"GO TO HELL!" I roared at him and he laughed again.

"Take a good look around you, my friend!"

"What do you mean?"

All of a sudden his face appeared right before mine. I stumbled backwards in shock, and when I fell backwards I hit that same pile of dead bodies I was on before.

"You're already in hell."

I screamed myself awake.

I sat up in shock. It took me a moment to realise I hadn't actually woken up before, I had been dreaming. It was still dark outside.

I looked to my alarm clock.

6:35 A.M.

My heart was racing. What the heck was that?!

I started to realise then just how easily this demon could manipulate me. I was so out of touch with reality now that 626 could create his own and trap me inside of it, and I wouldn't know any different.

I threw back the covers and raced outside, jumping in the cruiser before taking off into the sky.

And up there? I screamed. And screamed. I hit my paws against the dashboard and threw my body around the cockpit in rage. I let weeks worth of bottled emotions out.

"Why is this happening to me?" I cried to myself, slumping my head against the controls, exhausted. "Aga ba..."

Silence. I had no idea how long I remained up there for, with the ship set to idle, just staring out at the clouds passing by outside. I could see frost developing against the glass and the dashboard computer informed me that it was -62°C outside.

I felt like jumping out of the hatch. But even doing so I knew I wouldn't die. I'd just fall and bounce off the ground and probably knock myself out. I hated that my father had made me indestructible.

Why was this happening? Where had things gone so wrong?

I must have cried myself to sleep. When the ship started beeping at me, I woke up in fright. It was warning me of an approaching plane on a flight path in line with the cruiser, which I realised must have drifted slightly from it's original idle position. Wiping at my eyes, I turned off autopilot and flew back home. It was approaching eleven. Geeze, I must have been wrecked from that dream to just fall asleep so easily like that.

But for now, it was time to face the music.

Thankfully I hadn't been questioned upon landing the ship. Nobody was there to hassle me about it and I figured they were probably already starting to prep for the wedding. I had no idea where my father was. I was glad that nothing had happened to me yet, but it also doubled my fear not knowing what was going to happen.

I felt numb as I trudged down the road, heading towards Mr Kuakini's residence. My feet dragged with each step and I didn't care who stared at me as I passed. I must have looked terrible. When I arrived at the residence, he was already outside, sitting down on a chair on the porch. He eyed me as I walked up.

We stared at each other.

"..."

"Come here."

My ears lowered. I hated his tone; I felt like I was being scolded. Slowly, I walked up to him. I hadn't realised I'd been opening and closing my paws again and he reached out and took my paw to stop me.

"Why did you run away like that?"

I couldn't answer him. "..."

"Stitch. Answer me."

I closed my eyes. "Scared. Confused."

He looked away. "I will admit, I have felt the same."

I felt him take my paw and he stood up, leading me back into the house. I couldn't hear any noise inside.

"Alanna and Kalia have gone to the store to get some food to bring to the wedding," he said to me, leading me into Mitch's bedroom. "So I'm glad you came now." He closed the door behind us and pointed to the bed. "Sit."

Quietly, I sat down, avoiding that stupid broken wire.

"Well then," he crossed his arms behind his back. "Tell me. Tell me the real reason as to how you knew about that chair, Stitch."

I stared at him. "Already did. Dream."

He shook his head. "No, I don't believe you. You had NO idea about my son being disabled so how could you have possibly known about that chair having that scratch on it? You must have snuck in there and looked at it yourself behind my back at some stage!"

"No!" I cried at that. "Honest!"

"Why are you intimidating Mitch?"

"G-gaba?"

He paced around before me. "The birthmark. The freckles. The way you stand, the way you tense your hands like that. What are you doing?"

I couldn't answer him. I couldn't answer him because I was being myself doing those things and I had no excuse for that. I didn't even know I had those strange freckles.

"I told you before you reminded me of him. Are you doing this on purpose? Making me face up to my past?"

"What?!" I shrieked. "Naga takabah!"

"Then what is it, Stitch?! Why are things so weird when I'm around you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly.

He breathed out through his nose in a heaved sigh. "It's not just the things I've mentioned before I've noticed – there's other things about you that I cannot shake having seen before."

"...?" I stared at him, confused, so he elaborated.

"For example, when you work, you stare at things and get distracted by them. I've seen you looking out the window a few times, like you're daydreaming about something."

"So?"

"It's the way you do it, Stitch! It's almost like a pattern! Every four and a half minutes or so on the dot you'll stop what you're doing and stare at nothing for a few moments before going back to what you're doing."

I gave him an odd look. "You timed me?"

"Because you're supposed to be working."

"That's weird!" I retorted. "Also, I have lot on my mind! Give me a break!"

"I DO! I assign you breaks Stitch! But the fact you do it so consistently is what bugs me."

"Aga ba?"

"What?"

"Why?" I repeated, in English.

"Because my SON would do that during his homework! He kept drifting off when I was talking to him, just getting lost in his own little world. And he did it just as frequently as you do."

"..."

"What were you doing in here when you slept over?"

"Gaba?"

"I heard you make a racket. You set off the neighbour's dog. After you left yesterday I checked and found marbles all over the floor. Were you going through Mitch's stuff?"

"..."

"Well?"

"..."

"STITCH!"

Crap. I knew I should have packed those away, but I'd forgot. I cringed.

"Uh... accident."

"What?"

"It was accident!" I told him. "I tripped, fell over. Fell onto marble bag."

"How did you manage to trip?"

"...I'm dumb, okay?"

He stared at me and I looked away in embarrassment. For a moment I wondered if I should tell him about the journal but he was already on edge with me as it was and I figured it was because I'd touched Mitch's toys. Obviously he didn't seem to like that at all and I didn't want to make things worse.

"You're not dumb," he said quietly. "You're not dumb at all."

I just looked at him.

"And I know you're not because YOU know what's going on here too. Don't you?" He narrowed his eyes at me. "You're hiding something!"

"..."

Mr Kuakini faced me. "That's why you ran, wasn't it?"

I sighed. "Ih."

"So what's going on then? I thought I was going crazy after I saw you under that UV light."

I couldn't answer him. I stood up to leave but he grabbed my paw. "Stop avoiding this. What were you doing in here that Sunday night?"

"I told you! I fell!"

He just looked at me suspiciously at that and I sighed. "Feecha..."

I slumped down against the door. "When I fell, I hit marbles. One roll under bed. I hear... difference in sound when roll. On this..." I tapped against the floorboard with my claw.

He looked confused, so I flipped up my ears, pointing to them. "My ears, pick up sounds humans not hear," I explained. "Something... under floor. So I look. Find journal."

"Wait, what?" he asked slowly. "What do you mean?"

"Under floor itself."

"Oh, UNDER the floorboard, is that what you're trying to say?"

I nodded. "Ih! Hidden journal."

"And you found that because of a marble?"

I nodded. He went quiet for a few moments. "Did you read it?"

There was no point lying. I looked away from him in guilt.

"Figured just as much," he sighed. "Well, where is it?"

"Back under floor. Wanted hidden."

He looked down. "Can you get it for me?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Private?"

"Mitch is GONE, Stitch. He's been gone for years. It doesn't matter any more."

So he thought. While I wasn't exactly Mitch himself being an alien, I knew what he wanted and I felt it too; a nagging feeling in my mind I couldn't explain and it wanted that journal kept there. I knew that thought wasn't my own because he was me now, so I detested it because it was the right thing to do.

"What give you right to read?"

"What gave you the right to read it?"

Darn it. I snarled slightly, looking away. He had me there. "I had... good reason..."

"As good a reason as mine I'm sure, considering he was my son."

I had nothing to say to that.

He'd think I was crazy if I told him the reason why I'd read it. So I just silently obeyed him, crawling underneath the bed to retrieve the journal from underneath the floorboard, even though I didn't want to. It was much easier to pry loose this time and thankfully there was no massive spider.

"Here," I coughed, sliding myself back out from underneath the dusty bed and handing it to him. "You not like it, even if read."

"Why?"

"Bad things in there."

I went to open the door to leave. He didn't stop me this time, instead just staring down at the journal. I watched him quietly, before slipping away.

An hour before the wedding, I stood in front of the mirror in the dome, staring at myself. My wedding outfit, the beautiful blue suit and top hat I was to wear that matched my father's, was laid out behind me on the bed.

I couldn't think straight.

For so long I'd wanted this day to happen. Because it meant I would feel a true part of the family. It wasn't my wedding or special day, of course, but just being there and participating in the event was something that was special to me. I belonged somewhere and I was part of a family.

The family was okay with me; I didn't have to worry or feel nervous about meeting them. But I was still a bit anxious about the other guests that would be there.

Nani and I still weren't talking. The last interaction I'd had with her had been when she'd handed me the phone last night. Since I'd screamed myself hoarse up in the cruiser a few hours before, most of my pent up feelings had been released and I felt a little better.

But I was still unsure of what to do. Whether or not to attend the wedding. It didn't help that I had no idea what Demon 626 was planning.

I thought about what David had said to me – about Nani. That even if she didn't act or show it, she would appreciate me being there. I could go for him, and for everybody else that wanted me there, but not for her... but that wouldn't feel right to me. It was her day and she deserved to be happy, even if we were on bad terms with each other.

I was distracted from my thoughts when Lilo appeared behind me because she made my breath catch in my throat.

She was dressed in her wedding outfit – the yellow and white dress I'd seen before – and she looked stunning. It really suited her. Her hair was curled as as opposed to being straight, with half of it tied up. Glittery yellow star barrettes decorated her hair.

She smiled at me as I looked her outfit up and down. Her yellow shoes glimmered under the light with a metallic glaze. "What do you think?"

"Beautifa," I said softly. "Lilo... look amazing."

"Thanks Stitch!" She smiled at me, walking over to stand beside me.

"I mean it, Lilo," I told her. "You look beautiful."

She closed her eyes sightly at that, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. "I hate my hair though, they made me curl it."

"Why?"

"Because..." she sighed. "I hate dressing up in this kinda way."

"Don't..." I told her, taking her hands into my paws. I knew she was self-conscious.

She kissed me on the nose. "Well... what are you doing, are you coming?"

I looked away from her. "..."

"I know it's going to be hard for you, Stitch," she told me gently, going around to my front to put her hands on my shoulders before I felt her put a finger under my chin and tilt my head up. "But I will be there, Jumba will be there. And even if Nani doesn't say anything to you, I don't think she's going to try and make it bad for you at all. I think, she just wants to focus on the wedding and David. But David wants you there. We all do, regardless of what my sister thinks."

I sighed.

"Like I said before, do it for yourself, Stitch. Only you can choose what makes you happy."

I stared at her. "You do, Lilo."

She went quiet. I put my paw to her cheek. "You make me happy. You always have."

Lilo smiled warmly at me upon hearing that. She drew me into a hug and I rested my head against her shoulder.

"I don't know, what going to happen to me, Lilo," I said softly in our hug. "Scares me most. But after wedding, chi chabada I'll tell you, ih? It's time. Time Stitch tell you everything."

She drew back and looked at me sadly. "Everything? You mean, all this strange stuff that's been happening to you? That voice and the green eyes and what you've been so afraid of?"

"Ih," I nodded, feeling my breath catch and a lump in my throat. "I..." I sighed. "Why Stitch so scared. You have a right to know."

"I promise I'll support you the best I can, no matter how bad it is," she whispered into my ear. "I promised I would never give up on you, even if it's the worst thing in the world. I can't lose you again."

I felt a tear stream down my face. She pulled back and wiped it away. "Come on. Let's get you dressed."

I looked at my suit before looking at her. She paused at my hesitation.

"..."

"You'll come, right?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah... yeah Lilo, I will go."

"Good. I'm glad," she smiled.

Lilo helped me pull off my bounty outfit, before helping me into the tuxedo. After placing the top hat over my head, she stood with me and stared in the mirror as I looked at myself in the suit. She'd fixed up the cuff links.

"Gosh you're... uh..."

My ears perked. "Hm?"

She couldn't face me, and I heard her heart racing.

"What, Lilo? What is Stitch?" I asked, and she turned away from me. I took her hand into my paw.

"Pleechi-ba, tell me Lilo!"

At that she sighed, before looking at me again. "You're handsome. In that suit," she said quietly. "I like how it looks on you."

It was my turn to go red, but hearing that almost melted my heart in the best way possible. Lilo had, and always would, accept me for who I was. I leaned over and kissed her gently, and she accepted it.

"I know, Lilo young, ih?" I told her and she rested her head against my shoulder. "But when we older, you..." I put a claw under her chin and tilted up her head. "You will be Stitch's first priority. I can, and WILL do anything for you, Lilo. Make you happiest girl on Earth. Stitch do anything to do that."

"Stitch..." she murmured against me at hearing that. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me."

"You too."

I felt her grip my paw, before we sat down together and waited until we were called to go.

I headed to the Birds of Paradise Resort with Lilo and my father shortly after that. We went with David, since Nani and David were not allowed to see each other at all before the wedding. As David drove there, I gazed out the window idly, not talking to anybody. I could see my father eyeing me every so often, but he said nothing.

I was trying to piece together how Demon 626 had manifested; it was the only thing occupying my mind. So much so that I barely noticed when we arrived and Lilo had to tug my sleeve to get my attention. She led me into the reception with the family. I could see the event room to the left where the wedding was taking place and hear chatter from inside of there. I knew a lot of people I didn't really know would be in there. Looking around I spied no UGF guards. Standing out as much as they did, I knew they had no place here.

My heart pounded slightly as more and more people entered the lobby. They stared at me because I was beside my father, and we stood out quite a bit in our matching outfits. I wasn't worried about that though.

Something had changed inside of me to trigger the cell. Something strong enough to bypass those encryptions. But what?

Jumba had found no physical errors. I was in perfect health, apart from my mental decline. Nothing was wrong or different inside of me, and his internal examinations had returned as normal. But it had to be something, right? The only possible way for that cell to activate and bypass those encryptions was for it to be reprogrammed entirely – in such a way it could reject those encryptions. An unrecognised format.

But what? What was strong enough to affect something INSIDE of me like that?

This played on my mind as I entered the function room with my father and we sat down in our seats. My ears perked slightly upon hearing 'Here Comes the Bride' start up but I couldn't bring myself to look up. I felt like I was trapped in a void, and the scenery around me was distorted, like I was viewing the wedding through an old camera lens.

People stood up around me. I remained in my seat. I was too small to see anything anyway.

Nani walked past, Uncle Joe walking her up the aisle with his arm looped around hers. Lilo was in front of them, throwing out petals. She was a beautiful flower girl.

Snippets danced across my vision, like strips of 35mm film.

...Something powerful enough to reprogram that cell.

"Dearly beloved. Honoured guests. We are here today to join Nani Pelekai and David Kawena in matrimony."

I am the most powerful creature to exist.

"As have passed the years they have been together, their love and mutual understanding of each other has matured. Now, they will live as partners; two souls will join in an ever lasting bond of marriage."

This shouldn't be happening.

"If for any reason you oppose the joining of Nani and David, and believe neither should be united in matrimony, speak now, or forever hold your peace."

What went so WRONG? What was the turning point?

"David Kawena, do you take Nani Pelekai to be your bride, promising to love her, cherish her both in sickness and good health, and remain faithful to her as long as you are united in matrimony?"

There has to be something.

"I do."

"Nani Pelekai, do you take David Kawena to be your husband, promising to love him, cherish him both in sickness and good health, and remain faithful to him as long as you are united in matrimony?"

This... will this be my end?

"I do."

Can I be saved?

"With rings exchanged, and eternal vows righteously spoken, I now present you, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Screams. Cheers. Shouts of joy. This was too much – I couldn't focus. Hundreds of electrical sparks were zapping away at my brain. I felt a surge throughout my body. Around me, chairs moved as the humans jumped up. Bodies pushed up against my smaller frame.

Electricity?

Reprogrammed.

My eyes widened. Could it be...? I pulled my head down into my arms.

SHUT UP. I need to think!

The power line. That day, we'd returned back home after the storm I'd been electrocuted and 11,000 volts of electricity had surged throughout my body. Enough to instantly kill a human, but not me. Surely that alone wasn't enough to...

Wait a minute! THE FALL! The chip had been knocked off centre in the back of my head!

But Jumba had fixed that? Repositioned it back inside of it's protective sheath? Yet, still, I'd been so tired, even after it was fixed.

All in a short amount of time, I'd been concussed and electrocuted. But the chip was nowhere near the cell, how could...?

I felt the back of my neck. That same seering pain I'd felt before shot through there again. This time, Lilo wasn't there to pull my paw away. My vision flickered as I dug. I clawed and clawed there until my skin ripped open. I felt my muscles and tendons ripping as I pulled. Eventually I felt bone. The more I dug, the more the pain seared. Where was it? It was supposed to be here!

White hot pain. Where was that DAMN chip? My skull started to rip apart and I could hear bones crunching. I could feel my jaw stretching and stretching until it ripped.

It was too late. A monstrous face appeared before mine. One final scream from the people around me, and I blacked out.

"626!"

I jerked up, covered in perspiration. Around me people were clapping and I barely registered Nani and David walk past beside me. I felt my face and jaw. I was fine. There was no blood.

I hadn't disfigured myself. Frantically, I felt the back of my neck. It hadn't been ripped open.

Another hallucination, I realised.

"626!" Another shout.

I looked blankly at my father. "...?"

"You okay my boy?"

I couldn't answer him. I looked down as my head ached. The screams and shouts of joy around me didn't help.

Was the chip still there? I felt the back of my neck. I had pain there, but nothing like what I'd felt before. I couldn't tell.

Had falling down the hole and being electrocuted like that been the reason all of this was happening? That voice had started up only shortly after that and Demon 626 had started appearing. It made sense. But I had no way of knowing for sure – I still was puzzled on how the GPS chip could have interfered with the cell.

No, something else had to be going on.

"Pa?"

"Mmm?"

"Despite encryptions, is possible that cell... might've been reprogrammed?"

"Reprogrammed?" he said, when he sat up and his eyes went the widest I'd ever seen them. "I've accounted for all possible causes... but that wasn't one of them, I never..." he put his finger to his chin in contemplation. "Hmm... it SHOULD have been detected but... reprogramming in specific sector of D9A7 pad could possibly bypass original programming protocols causing unidentifiable blanket effect due to pads unique composition thus making connections appear as normal and rejecting encryption cycles and fail-safe!" he slammed his fist into his other one. "Why didn't I think of this before! I knew that might've tripped me up when I designed it, but was only way I could safely align with your nervous system! I didn't even think it may be bypassed in such a manner!"

I didn't have a clue what he was on about, but I jumped slightly when my father suddenly took my head into his hands. "626! YOU'RE A GENIUS! May be last shot we have if sector is still open, wait right here!"

"...?"

I figured I'd probably assumed right, considering his reaction. Maybe this was my last chance to be saved. I sat in the chair, perspiring as the guests around me followed David and Nani out of the venue in celebration.

I couldn't see Lilo. But then I saw somebody else much shorter than the adults. A kid?

No, they looked very thin.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to see them better. When one guest finally moved out of the way entirely I realised who it was and I nearly choked on my own breath in shock.

Dressed in a fancy looking tuxedo, holding onto a cane with a weird looking blue ball on the top and smirking at the guests from his position against the wall with a leg cocked up, a pair of black eyes locked onto mine.

An even bigger devious smirk.

Chopsuey was here.