A/n: A few things to say!

Estrella-Dorada

I love that you have been re-reading my story again. That makes me very happy. I didn't think my work would be compelling enough for that but it motivates me to keep continuing ^^

Yep! Demon 626 is Stitch's 'true' programming. Jumba basically created it as a back up to take over if the Metamorphosis programming failed (which it didn't because Jumba forced it to activate) but as explained in Chapter 55, he blacked out when encrypting him due to how much pain he was in, so it was unknown what actually happened to the programming during that process and Jumba just assumed it was gone since Stitch didn't carry it out. He just operated on his basic programming, which was the one he had when he arrived on Earth. Destructive and mischief, yes, but not as evil as he is capable of being, because that was what his brain reverted to after being encrypted. Jumba set him up to start to forget his memories to prevent the Metamorphosis from having any chance of reactivating, and as a safeguard.

I guess it helps to think of it like this; his programming was supposed to be like a triangle—you want to create a triangle and have the blueprints for it, but instead you end up creating a square instead.

Stitch had 3 functions as intended when created by Jumba - Metamorphosis, his evil 'true' programming and his normal destructive programming. His destructive programming was the main program, with the evil programming being a back up to take over if the Metamorphosis didn't activate. However since it was a back up option, Jumba didn't prefer having his true programming activated since birth considering he was aware that Stitch could turn on him, even with his DNA. So it was basically his choice of a very last resort option. He also had no idea what the evil programming was truly capable of either.

But since Mitch ended up inside when Stitch was created, a fourth program activated, and that was his Stitch personality. The side of him that's understanding and capable of loving. Stitch turned out different how Jumba expected him to be and that was why he questioned how Stitch rebelled against his orders when it was in his very biology not to be able to. He couldn't ever figure it out!

The damage from the fall and the electrocution combined was enough to reactivate the evil programming, which Stitch calls Demon 626 as you know! So here we are currently. But there is also another underlying reason which will be explained in the final upcoming chapters as everything comes together. XD

I hope this doesn't sound confusing for you since English isn't your first language, but that's the best I can explain it, for you and everybody that reads this. ^^

Yes! That is what I was intending with the locket and medal-of-honour. It's how they chose to establish their connection with each other, so kind of like 'wedding bands' in a way!

The damage to the roads and Mr Kuakini's store is mostly due to the big storm. So don't feel too worried that its because of something else on top of everything else that is going on.

I'm glad you like my idea of Stitch having his father's hair! Speaking of pictures, I have drawn a few of him of how I personally envision him as an adult before. It's fun to do so!

Oh yes, 621 has a LONG way to go now to redeem himself. Maybe it's possible, maybe its not. But I won't spoil anything XD

I'm honestly amazed at how on point your speculating is and I love reading all of your reviews. Thanks again for taking the time to write them out and I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts. ^^

To my other reviewers:

Thank you for your reviews, as usual! I love hearing your thoughts and feedback and each time I create a new chapter I always keep in mind what I can do to keep you hanging on to your seats (haha, not literally but you get the idea). I'm really grateful you've stuck by me for this long because this is probably the only fanfic I've ever actually invested this much time/effort into. I never expected it to go as far as it did or end up here!

On another note:

Now that's said, I was wondering how many of you would be interested in an art pack I was thinking of putting together? Over the years I've done a bunch of stuff based on this fic so to thank you for investing in my story, I was considering sharing something like that. This will come about once the story concludes, but if you're interested at all please let me know in your reviews or via message so I can work on getting it organised. ^^

As I mentioned before, things are going to go down hill, and that starts right now. So I hope you enjoy what's to come!

…

…

…

Where am I?

A sound. An echo... was it, a cough? Who was coughing?

A voice.

"Chops! How many times must I be telling you, BACK DOWN ON THE SPICES! Am not wanting to spend evening stuck in lavatory again!"

Who are you...?

"Can it be?"

A thud. Something thrown across the room.

"Have I truly done it?"

Done it? Done what?

My vision cleared. Something? No, someone, in front of me...? I was in a container. Where was I?

"AHA! AFTER FOUR LONG YEARS OF HELL JUMBA FINALLY HAS SUCCEEDED!"

Proud laughter.

Glass around me shattered, and the someone... big...? The Big took me into it's arms. I was startled, unable to take my eyes off Big.

"Oh you are being so very small, look at you!" Big said before pushing it's face to mine. "I cannot believe it. You are finally here... Finally my child is born! He is alive! Thank Rofplar!"

Big blubbered all over me. I didn't like that. A loud savage sound. But wait... was that coming from me? Was I making such a noise?

"Ah, ah. No growling at me now 626, I am your father."

Father? 626?

Was that me? I was 626? And what was a father? I realised then that Big Father had four eyes and they were staring intently into mine. I had no idea what I was. I held out my arm and looked at it and was greeted with the sight of three more arms as well. I moved them around, one at a time. I was blue and I was fluffy. Did I have four eyes like that too?

My 'father' wasn't blue like me so maybe I didn't. I reached up to feel my eyes. They felt different to Big Father's. I didn't have smaller ones on the side.

Long things on my head. I could move them and feel them. Ears?

"La"

Big Father was intrigued by that. It pushed it's face right against mine.

"That's it! Speak my little child, speak to me!"

"La... Laaa"

Those eyes stared into mine, a huge grin on it's face. "What is it, my little one, what are you trying to say? Speak to papa!"

"Laavaatorree."

An eyebrow raised at me. Big Father sputtered. "W-wha...?! No no no! Don't say that!"

"Spy says?"

"No! Say 626!"

"Throw oat."

Big Father pushed a finger underneath my chin. "Aye... all the first words you could say, you pick that one. Unbelievable!"

It put a big hand to it's head. Did I do something wrong? I tried again. Maybe another word would make it happy.

"F-fhurst."

Big Father just shook it's head at me again, but smiled. "My name is Jumba, little one. I am a Kweltikwanian from planet Kweltikwan. Can you say that?"

"Jumbo am that planet?"

"Ack! No! Jumba!"

"Jum...bao. Kwelcorn?"

He sighed. "Jumba. JumBA."

"Ba ba?"

I saw Big Father put a hand to it's head again. "Eh, whatever..."—it paused and then grinned—"I am a father!" It laughed again. "JUMBA IS A FATHER!"

"JumBa is fat?" I tried again, but Big Father just sighed at me. It wasn't mad like it was at that other word though. Instead I was wrapped in something warm and the Big Father's face was at mine again, nuzzling me.

I didn't feel like growling. It felt nice.

I wondered what this Big Father was. I wondered what I was.

And then the warm faded. Big Father faded.

Who am I?

…

…

…

"...!"

Distorted sounds.

Cars...?

Crickets, too.

I sat up, vision clearing pretty quickly. Lightly put, I felt like utter crap as I reached up to rub my head.

Where the hell am I?

Oh. That was right...

As my memory came back to me I remembered what had happened. I'd run away from Mr Kuakini yet again. What was this, the second time now? I had no idea where I wanted to run to, but I knew I hadn't wanted to go back home so I just ran and ran. I wanted to be away from him. From everybody. That was really all I could do at this point.

And somehow I'd ended up here. Wherever this was. Somewhere on Kauai. On a road. Resting against an old light-post that had wood that dug into my back like that mattress spring.

"Damn it..." I hissed.

It had been a long time since I'd had that dream—my birth was one of more vivid memories I had and time to time I'd relive it in my head. I'd started my life not knowing a thing or not even knowing what I was. Of course, I had gradually learned as the days past; Jumba wasn't an it, he was a male and I was a male too. We were called 'aliens'. I was born smart so I had picked up things fast. Those days were quite bittersweet to me. Not so much my first word, though. Occasionally my father reminded me of that.

I'd wondered for a long time what Lilo's first word might've been. Probably something much nicer than mine. I wondered how she'd react if I told her my first word was 'lavatory'. My father's toilet had the privilege of being my first sentient word.

Ugh. I'd been a weirdo since the moment I was born. I pulled at my ears.

I was unsure of how long I remained at that light-post, just quietly watching the cars go past. I guessed it was around eight o'clock by that point, judging by the sky. I was still myself, though that darkness surrounding my vision was still there. It hadn't changed and had just seemed to stagnate.

What was I going to do? What?! WHAT?!

I screamed in frustration. To my horror somehow a human in a passing car heard me and slammed on the breaks. I had to quickly scamper away as they climbed out to investigate after pulling over and I ended up at the top of the light-post. They probably thought a murder was taking place.

Whoops.

Eventually they left. There was nothing I could do, I realised as I looked over the streets ahead. I could see the town from here as I was up on a hill.

Absolutely nothing.

I couldn't die. I couldn't dehydrate myself. I couldn't leave. Did an alternate option even exist or was the only option death and destruction? My mind was too much of a mess to even think there was another option possible available and I doubted there was.

I loved being up high. Looking over landscapes during the night relaxed me quite a bit so I remained perched up there for a while. The phenomenon of lights flickering about in the distance had always amazed me; the atmosphere on Kweltikwan had been very different to the one here and that had never happened.

There was a lot of things I appreciated about this planet. Kauai had such a beautiful landscape. Back on my missions I remembered the noises the native alien wildlife had made as I'd scouted habitats. The wildlife here sounded vastly different. Probably not alien to Lilo, but it was certainly alien to me. A lot of things were.

I'd adapted to living on Earth for the most part but humans were the most alien to me—I was still trying to figure them out.

I eventually left that light-post, climbing down and continuing along the road. I'd figured I'd just go wherever it would lead me and as I walked I wondered if it would still be there after what I was about to do. I wondered if any of this area would still exist.

Probably not.

This really sucked.

I hadn't stopped walking for hours. I wasn't tired, just at the end of my rope. I was exhausted.

I missed Lilo terribly but I couldn't even bear the idea of facing my family now they knew the truth about me. As soon as I walked back in that door I'd be the ultimate mood killer—I didn't want to put Lilo through that, let alone more cause more tension among the family. Not after things had finally been looking up after so long.

I hadn't really been paying attention to where I was walking. It must've been along some back road that was very isolated/quiet because it took me two full seconds to realise there were headlights in front of me and a car was about to hit me, but I didn't react in time. Nothing would happen if it did, anyway.

However the car seemed to slow before stopping. Perhaps they'd seen me despite how small I was.

I paused. A click of a lock and the car door opened. I could see a human male get out and stare at me in the dark. I didn't know this person. They were nothing but a stranger to me. This was just what I needed, actually—a stare-off with a stranger. I only remembered then I wasn't disguised and realised that was why he was staring. It was too late to try to hide.

It was probably his worst nightmare come true—a pitch black isolated back road, on the outskirts of... wherever I was...?

No streetlight, completely alone and not a soul in sight, except for me. The 'alien in the middle of the road' scenario that was only supposed to happen in fiction. He was shocked, that much I knew for sure. He kept rubbing his eyes and I could hear his heart racing from where I was standing.

"Hello?"

Now I just felt like I was in a movie. I'd seen this scenario numerous times before on account of the many family movie nights we'd had. I actually twitched my ears to see if his car radio was making strange noises, but to my dismay it wasn't. That would have been perfect if it was and a good story to tell Lilo.

The 'villain' in the middle of the road always turned out to be a murderer. Currently I was the villain.

Well, I wasn't exactly far off the murderer part, I could give myself that.

When I didn't respond the human actually came a little closer to me and I could see him a bit better. He was a teenager with piercings and he reminded me a lot of David. He was wearing a uniform I'd never seen before. Perhaps he was a shift worker of some kind. Or maybe he'd just finished work and was on his way home somewhere which happen to be the way I was headed.

He was shaking. "H-hello?"

I just stared at him. I could hear him muttering 'oh my god' to himself repeatedly. When he reached out and touched me was when he realised he wasn't dreaming. Right now he was the bravest soul on Kauai. Of course, I wasn't going to hurt him or anything but... I'd seen enough humans be scared of aliens to know how they reacted to them. This guy was just a weird yet unique exception.

I finally drew the line though when he went to pull out a camera to take a picture.

"Don't even think 'bout it."

He screamed and jumped back. "It talks!"

I really wished I was able to roll my eyes at that point. Instead I just grit my teeth before shaking my head and starting to walk away.

"Wait! What are you?"

I paused. Oh me? I'm nothing much, just the alien terrorist that's about to destroy your world.

"..."

"Are you... going to abduct me?"

...He literally stopped me mid-step at that due to the absolute absurdity of his question.

"Do you see ship?" I gestured around and he stared at my arms.

"...N-no?"

"Do I LOOK like I'm about to abduct you?"

He looked around briefly. "Um... no?"

"There is your answer."

He blinked. "...But isn't that what aliens do? Abduct people?"

For heaven's sake. His mind was warped by Hollywood. I walked away—I didn't want to deal with this! Yet sure enough—"Wait! Come back!"

"I said wasn't gonna abduct you, go away."

He was grinning. "What are you?"

"What do you think I am?"

"An alien?"

I clapped slowly. Even in the dark I could see his face go red.

"Uh... yes?"

"..."

He was quiet but he continued to walk alongside of me. "What are you doing out here? Did you just land on Earth? Man, I can't believe I'm even saying this... Am I really the first person to ever meet an alien?"

I stopped at that. He stopped too, waiting for me to respond.

"No."

"No way! Really?!"

"Ih. Really."

"There's more?"

I didn't answer to that. "You're brave."

"What?"

"You," I pointed at him. "Following me. Still talking to me. Not scared?"

"No, why?"

That made me pause. "You... want to talk to me?"

"Well, yeah. You look wicked. Never seen an alien like you before and this is the most exciting thing to ever happen to me. Couldn't come at a better time too, after tonight! Are you some kind of dog alien?"

"No."

"I always thought aliens were grey. You know, those really creepy ones that probe humans. But you're not like that at all."

I looked up at him again. "Well, except your eyes perhaps," he continued. "They look very alien."

Always the eyes. "What do you want?"

He had no answer for me. I walked faster. His car was getting a distance away by that point but he didn't seem to care.

"Well... are you going somewhere?"

"..."

"Do you have other alien friends here too? Why are you here?"

"Never mind that."

"Do you have a family?"

I paused again. I looked away from him at that.

Here I was. Out in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, talking to a complete stranger and just... having a casual conversation with him like he was an old friend.

Why was I here? Was this how everything was going to end? I wasn't going to see Lilo, just be here with some teenager that kept asking questions about me because I'd stupidly exposed my identity to him in my lack of self-awareness?

No. No, I needed to go home.

But I couldn't. I just couldn't.

I reassessed why I was there. Originally, it was to get away. Not to get into more trouble yet somehow trouble always ended up finding me instead. Well, to be fair it was my fault he'd stopped in his car and seen me. I was too out of it to even realise I was exposed and that my alien features were out. I only had myself to blame for his curiosity.

My ears fell down. He noticed. "Hey, I'm sorry man... what's up?"

"I think you should go."

"But..."

"Forget you ever saw me. 'Kay? Bye."

I ran. However, I didn't expect him to be so persistent; he actually chased me a fair way and I realised he wasn't going to give up so I just stopped and faced him.

"Look. Cool, you got to see me, ih? Real alien! Yes, we exist!" I gestured to myself. "But now you need to go, okeytaka? Go home. Leave me alone."

"Why?" he panted, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "Why are you so keen to get away in an area like this, is somebody after you?"

"..."

"I mean, this area isn't exactly populated. And I can tell you seem very intelligent. You know here is a long way from town. There's not another place for a few miles so why are you out here?"

"To escape," I muttered. "Bad things."

"Can... I be of any help?" he asked hesitantly.

I shook my head. "Nobody can help."

"Are people coming after you?"

"No, isa not that."

"Then—"

"It DOESN'T CONCERN YOU!" I shouted. "Needed to be away. For me! Alone, now pleechi-ba, go away!"

He looked crestfallen. I felt a bit bad but it really was none of his business and this was the last thing I needed right now.

"I'll go. I'm sorry for bothering you."

"..."

Finally he walked away. He called back to me again one more time as I had my back turned. "You know, if you have anybody here that's waiting for you, you shouldn't worry them. Even if you need to escape."

My ears perked. I looked back at him, walking away. He climbed back into his car and drove up towards me since it was the way he was originally headed. I had stepped aside to let him pass but he pulled up beside me. Then I noticed his car was packed full of belongings.

"What you mean before, 'after tonight'?"

He had a distant look. "Well. I left my family tonight. After I got home from work and after ma hit me. Told me to not come back."

My eyes widened slightly. I hadn't expected to hear that. "Oh. Why?"

He shrugged. "I don't wanna get into it too much, but basically my father's gone, left years back and I don't like ma's new partner. I think he's using her. Of course, she disagrees and turned on me. Thinks the world of him and is blindsided. She's... not good lately when she's like that. She gets really angry when she drinks and stuff. So I got out. Do you know what I mean by this?"

I nodded.

"Wait, you do?" he looked dumbfounded.

I just stared at him. "Been here few years. Naga new to Earth."

He looked shocked. "Oh. Then why are you out here?"

"'Cuz something bad."

"Bad family? You ran away too?"

"..."

He looked awkward. "Well... how about a lift? Back to town. Out that way isn't much if that's where you're headed, just the outskirts of the island and the sea. Like I said this area isn't populated."

The sea. That meant water. And I knew what I was like around water at the moment. I sighed.

"Fine."

I went around and climbed into the passenger seat of his car. It was cluttered so I had to squash myself inside.

"Sorry. I was trying to figure out where to stay for the night so I figured I'd just stay in my car and find somewhere private."

That explained a lot. "Way out here?"

"I was headed for the beach. There's an isolated one back down there. But may as well just find a motel, seems more wise now that I think about it. I guess I was just miserable and driving for the sake of it, not really minding where I was going. Luckily I was paying attention or I might've hit you."

I nodded. I could relate.

It was quiet between us for the trip back. I felt weird sitting in the car with this... friendly stranger but he seemed to have no issues with me, nor was he scared of me. And even if he wanted to do something to harm me he couldn't. It truly was a first though—somebody actually interested in me and what I was rather than being scared. After an hour or so, he finally pulled back into town. We still hadn't talked much, only the occasional passing comment but as he pulled back into familiar streets, I was shocked when I realised just how far I'd run. He pulled up at the town's only 24 hour mart and I recognised fully where we were—near the motel I'd stayed at with my father. It was a street over.

He parked the car. "Well. Here looks good. You can leave now. I promise I won't tell anyone about you."

I was surprised to hear that from the friendly stranger. "Why?"

"I dunno, doesn't seem like anybody would believe me anyway. Saying I met a talking... dog?"—I gave him a look—"I-I mean, alien?"

Fair enough. I looked at my lap.

"Hey. If you were out there to escape bad things, I get that. But if you actually do have a family here, I think you should go back to them."

I just looked at him.

"Things might be tough but I'm sure they are worried for you, yeah? Gotta appreciate that and all. What you have."

My family. Worried about me. Would they really be though? What about Nani? After all, she had a gun at my head earlier today so how could I go back to her? I mean, she could have misfired by accident and actually killed me. Of course, that hadn't happened but the thought of her actually having the gall to aim the gun at me in the first place...

I never wanted to go through that again. But I did want to know why she did it.

Poor Lilo. She was probably really worried about me. And my father.

As much as I didn't want to and as scared as I was, I knew it was inevitable I would have to go back. I had things to do. To say. And I had to do them before it was too late.

The human continued. "You don't wanna end up in a situation like me. I mean, you could probably handle it better and all but..."

He had no idea. I shook my head. "Naga."

"I see. Well. Thanks for at least letting me have a chance to meet you. Makes up for all this..." he gestured to the back. "I'll be okay I guess. I'd rather be anywhere than with... them. Ugh." He put his hand to his head. "Maybe I can find my lil bro... though its been years and I have NO clue where he and my father are so that might be a long shot."

"More family?" I asked.

He sighed. "Long story short my biological pa left my ma and my bro went with him. We had a huge fall out, the kind that can't be repaired. Left us years back. I stayed with ma but she got worse once... he came along. My stepdad." He said the word with such disdain that I was taken aback.

I felt sad for him. I could tell he wasn't lying, but there wasn't much I could do at this point in time. Things were just too bad for myself and my family and at the moment that was my only priority. I opened the door and climbed out. He did a double take at me when he noticed me retracting my alien features.

"Whoa. That's cool."

I nodded. "...Thanks."

"No problem little buddy. See you around."

I just gave him a slight smile. I knew that probably wouldn't happen. "Good luck."

As I walked away I heard him call out to me one more time. "Oh, I gotta small favour to ask. I mentioned my bro, yeah? If you see him around can you perhaps let me know where he is? I can give you my cell phone number to call me."

"...?"

He climbed out of his car before rushing over to me and he bent down beside me to show me a picture. I recognised him, standing in between a woman with red hair and a man with brown hair who I guessed was his father and he pointed to somebody in the picture, standing off to the left.

"That's him. His name's Keoni."

My heart almost stopped at hearing that.

Keoni? That dream guy my brain had obnoxiously thought up to annoy the crap out of me? The same guy that dream Lilo had swooned over and abandoned me for? This guy though... he was different. He didn't have any muscles at all, even mild ones, and he was like a stick. But his hair was ginger... just like in the dream. In fact he looked almost identical in every other aspect and that really freaked me out. The air leaked out of my lungs.

Was it some sort of weird coincidence? The 'Keoni' in my dream had been much older and Lilo was also grown up too so how could this be possible?

It wasn't. What worried me the most was that this guy looked only a little bit older than the real Lilo, but not by much. If this person actually existed outside of my mind then there was a very real possibility my dream—or nightmare I should say—could actually come true. Especially if something happened to me and I was out of the picture—whether I be dead, or by some miracle the Metamorphosis didn't happen as it was supposed to and Lilo lived on, even if it was without me.

Oh no. No no no no NO!

A voice interrupted me. "I never got your name! I'm Kimo."

My nightmare wasn't going to actually come true, was it? Please no! It couldn't! It wasn't possible! I couldn't lose Lilo to this... this...

We married! We carved our initials into that special tree and we made a promise!

"Uh... are you—"

"Stitch!" I finally remembered my own name.

He looked stumped. "St... Stitch? That's your name? But..." he trailed off in confusion.

I turned away from him swiftly, putting my paws into my pockets. "Little girl. Take me in, change me. My best friend. She name me."

"Here?"

I nodded quickly. I just wanted to leave. "Three years ago."

He gave me a thumbs up. "Keep her close then. Don't let what happened to me happen to you and your family, alright?"

I gave a slight nod, swallowing.

"Here's my number. Remember, if you do see him, please call me. Kinda my last hope at the moment."

"Ih..."

"Thanks Stitch. Catch ya later."

I turned and ran away from there as fast as I could.

Twenty minutes or so later, I was sitting on a bed in that same motel I'd stayed at with my father. I'd figured there was no point trekking back home this late. I looked at the clock.

11:45 P.M.

Of course, I'd broken into a room. But I was going to leave as soon as the sun was up. I wasn't particularly in the mood to punch another hole in the roof and feel like a fugitive again.

As I sat on the bed, I thought to myself. The only thing was on my mind was Keoni. How the hell did my brain dream of him like that? It had to be nothing more than a coincidence because the only way that was possible was that I'd actually seen him before at some point during my three years on Kauai.

I had an excellent, photographic memory. The best. So I would have remembered him. Perhaps he'd been one of those fleeting faces on the beach—I'd seen him there in the past but never paid complete attention. That was the only way I could explain having seen him.

I collapsed back against the bed, sprawling my arms and legs out. My vision was starting to get a little darker. Inch by inch, everything I could see around me was starting to be consumed. As I lay there I remembered the GPS chip was gone. There was no possible way my father could track me. Unless the B.U.G found me, that was.

I sighed.

I tried to get some sleep but I couldn't so I just lay there on the bed, flicking my claws about and tracing 8's on the blankets.

Lilo...

Putting the television on didn't help. I thought I saw glowing green eyes on one of the channels as I flicked through them but I figured it was just a hallucination. Since it was early morning, there were only infomercials on so I just turned it off and threw the remote across the room.

I miss you so much. If only I could tell you how I really feel.

...Silence.

I lay down again with my arms behind my head. She had asked me what boochibu meant the last I saw her. I needed her to know. I didn't want to keep something like that from her.

In Tantalog it was a very special term. A term of endearment, reserved for somebody truly special—a soulmate. It basically meant the significant other was more than just a partner—they were a lifelong mate; another half to complete a whole. It had taken me a while to accept that I had feelings for Lilo. It had taken me even longer to realise just how deep my feelings for her actually were.

I would kill for her, and I would allow myself to be killed for her. I couldn't live without her because she completed me. She filled that empty space inside of my heart that had existed for so long. She had helped me find myself, and realise there was more to me than what was inside of me. And I would be forever thankful to her for that.

She had saved my life.

I respected she was nine, and I could wait until we were older. I was still a kid myself even if I was mature. But what I couldn't wait on was my feelings for her. So she had to know why I considered her a boochibu.

I just hoped I'd be able to tell her before it was too late.

Somehow, Jumba managed to find me with the B.U.G. I had predicted he would. It was probably my genetic signature and heat map, which would be easy to seek out from the air.

I didn't remember falling asleep but I'd heard a tapping on the window and that had woken me up. I'd been a little scared at first to peek out, thinking it was motel staff or security, but when I realised what it was I just let the small robot inside.

It was blinking a red light at me. I had no idea what that meant but I figured it was a message of some kind, so I reached out to press the screen with my claw.

It flickered, and then Jumba's face appeared. He was lying in his bed.

"626. Am not going to come get you due to being late so instead have recorded message which if you are seeing right now, means has found you and activated. I'm exhausted, family is exhausted. Little girl is here right beside me and has not left my side since we got home."

The angle of the B.U.G's camera shifted, and I saw Lilo snuggled up beside my father on the bunk. My heart sunk. Even asleep, I could see bags underneath her eyes. Not as severe as mine were but... she had been crying again.

I lowered my head in guilt. The message continued.

"626. I'm not sure if we will see each other again before programming is activating. I'm not sure what is going to happen. But if there is anything you want to say or record for family and any messages you wish to relay to Lilo that... well, may not get chance to in person, now is absolute time to do so. Once got home after gun incident, I organised a few things. Did messages and such of my own. Dug through files. I... think I may have come up with one solution. One that does not involve either of us dying, but... is also not good outcome either way and would be a huge risky move. If it means Earth is being spared and family's lives are being saved, I will resort to this solution because am having literally no other option. Cruiser is not being option to knock you out like last time, as you are aware, so am not knowing what will be happening to us. Heaven forbid..."

He sighed, and I could see him wipe away a tear.

"Anyway, I have organised things, as I have said. Essential things. So is all taken care of. That and"—the angle suddenly tilted again so that I could see Lilo in frame as he continued talking—"have made her and family members wear special devices, you see? Little bands, not to take off. However, if there is... eh... personal message you are wanting to be leaving Lilo for her ears only, well... little chip there will allow you to record. Is in robot, which will send back to me once done and I'll put into her band. Can speak in native tongue so don't worry about bad English as will translate. I know you love her, 626. So let her know that before is too late and do or say what you need to. Just leave rest to me, okeydokey?"

He looked directly into the B.U.G after that, leaning forward and his voice lowered slightly.

"Son. I know and I acknowledge I have not been the best parent to you. I have spent entire life struggling to forgive myself, even though you forgave me for what I did. But just know, that I have always loved you and there has not been one single day Jumba hasn't. Ever. Just as have never questioned my love for you, Jumba hasn't ever regretted creating you and giving you my DNA. What I did regret was taking out my personal problems on you and using you as a placeholder to get the revenge I wanted. You are a miracle child—my greatest success and my masterpiece. I cherish you dearly, 626, because you made my life worth living after that horrible ex-wife con artist. Even after all the suffering Jumba endured I always had you to keep me going and I do pray to Rofplar we can get through this, for both our sake, but I am also willing to die with you. So please... do not ever fear that you are entirely alone in this, even if right now you are not by my side. I... I will see you in morning, hopefully. Godspeed, son."

The message flicked off. I sat there in mild shock for a moment or so—it took me a few minutes to be able to even move my head without just breaking down into a sobbing mess.

"..."

I closed my eyes tightly and it took me a while to compose myself. My thoughts were all jumbled.

Sighing slowly, I turned to face the B.U.G.

I barely slept. My head pounded and I could hear my heart beat in my ears. Gazing out of the window, I sat and watched the sun rise. Rays of light beamed into the motel room. The ocean glistened in the distance and I could hear the crashing of waves.

I left the motel room shortly after, quickly running away from there and weaving through the car park down to take a jaunt along the beach. Nobody was there, save for a few early morning surfers.

I ran. Ran along the sand, feeling the wind whipping my ears and vest back. It felt so freeing. I laughed. I'd always felt happiest when I was running.

Soon enough, the beach came to a rocky end. There was no more going forward. I didn't look back as I climbed back up to the road above and walked along the footpath, paws deep in my pockets, clutching onto Ku-Tiki tightly as I walked.

Lilo had given him to me to give me strength.

Now, I needed it more than ever.

It took me a while to walk back into the town centre. At least another hour. I stood outside Mr Kuakini's closed store for a while. I had no idea if he was going to open shop today after what had happened, but I doubted it. I thought for a moment before looking about me and upon seeing nobody around, I picked at the lock with my claw and went inside. The lock was just big enough for it to fit in there.

Once inside, I sat down at the staff table. I pulled aside some sheets of papers and a pen and started to write a letter to the best of my ability. Once done, I left it there, on the counter, and then I closed the door back up and left.

I thought about going home. As I looked at a clock through a store window I realised it was shopping day—the day that Nani usually headed down to the grocery store to get a weeks worth of food for our family. She had a set routine, so I wondered if she would come after the events of yesterday. It was right on the hour.

I doubted it. I mean, after everything that had happened...

But to my surprise, I saw the buggy approach. I hid behind a post box as she drove past, and went into the parking lot behind the store. She was alone.

As she walked into the mart opposite the road from where I was standing, I could tell she'd been upset too. She looked tired and utterly deadpan. I was scared to face her. But even if I went home, she would go back there eventually and I would be forced to.

Hesitating slightly, I made up my mind.

I ran across the road and went into the mart after her.

I was quiet as I looked for her in there, ignoring the stares I got. It was a small mart so it wouldn't be too hard. I avoided other customers and eventually our eyes met. She'd been down the third aisle when I'd made my appearance and we stared at each other. I was quivering slightly.

She paused, looking down into her cart. A customer near her was a little annoyed that she blocked something she needed and eventually just pushed past her to get it but Nani barely seemed to notice even as the customer huffed away. I could tell she was out of it.

I approached her slowly, finally standing beside her.

"..."

She was quiet as she looked down at me. And then, she spoke.

"I'm sorry."

I had no idea what to say to that. Let alone how to respond. So I just said what came to mind.

"How did it feel?"

"What?"

I pointed to myself. "Point gun at me. Life in your hands."

She frowned. "..."

"How you feel?" I repeated. "How it make you feel! Tell me!"

"TERRIBLE!" she cried at me. "That's how it felt, Stitch! Okay? Awful!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Why did you do it?"

She sighed. "Because for a moment or so, I thought it was the right thing to do. I thought about David. I thought about Lilo. I thought how none of us would ever have a future to look forward to. How Kauai would just go up in flames, and there would be nothing left. It's a future I couldn't begin to imagine. I've already lost my parents and... I'm not ready to join them yet. This is my home. It's all I know. I can't lose that."

I swallowed.

"I know this doesn't make up or excuse it, but... during that moment, I felt that living was more important. I felt that was being threatened and... that was how I reacted to it. I can't explain it very well."

"Natural instinct."

She stared at me. "Wh...?"

"Human instinct," I elaborated. "When threatened, nature take control. For you, that was power. To end my life, save yourself. Like when humans... get powerful. If somebody love in danger. You have baby, isa why you felt that way. Ih?"

"I... I guess that was it."

I looked at the floor. "I lost my home."

She leaned against the cart but began pushing it along to continue to shop. I helped her, knowing what she usually purchased.

"Home? You mean your home planet?"

"Ih. I never saw it. Only from distance. On hill. And then... banned. Never go back. They kill me on sight. Never knew home 'cuz Jumba forced me to be terrorist and made me illegally."

"..."

"I lost that, but... I find you. And Lilo, at pound. Life... better. Lose one good thing but gain another."

"But we'd have nothing after the program activates... it's like you said, we'd all die at your hands. How is that anything to look forward to, Stitch?"

I couldn't answer her for a few moments. I tossed some oranges into the cart. "Then why did Naanee not do it?"

"Because that would make me a monster," she responded. "I couldn't... kill a child. Somebody else's child."

"..."

She continued. "And if I did, I'd probably have done something similar to you due to the burden of guilt."

"Gaba?"

She looked to the side, before responding quietly. "Suicide."

"Do you love me?" I simply asked.

Nani looked back at me at that. "I... do. You broke my heart."

"Meega? How?"

"Because I did the worst thing imaginable to you, and you still said you loved me. And for a brief moment, it made me see what Jumba saw in you. You've had so much bad luck... terrible things happen to you... yet you still care about others rather than yourself. You're... I don't know. You're amazing. I couldn't destroy that. I couldn't destroy Jumba that way."

I rubbed at my head. I felt something.

"Do you forgive me, Stitch?"

I looked at her. "I—"

I felt woozy. And then Nani suddenly vanished. The store vanished.

That spotlight appeared before I could process what was happening, and underneath it was that chair. That same blasted chair that kept haunting me. This time it looked clear and I could see it far better than I ever had before. I felt my body being tugged forward by an invisible force, inch by inch and as the chair got closer, I could see every scratch, every indent. Every mark. The closer it got, the more horrible and tarnished it looked.

By the time I was beside it, it looked like something straight out of a horror movie. The brown tarnish I saw was dried blood that lined the edges.

"TIMES UP!"

What? No... NO. Not now! Please no!

I screamed. I could hear the words but there was no sound.

"NAANEE! HELP ME!"

Everything was just black around me. I struggled. I clawed at the air. I snarled and hissed and even reverted to full animal mode to try and escape, but it was no use. Just as I'd been dreading, I was forced roughly onto that chair. The rope restraints tightened around my wrists and legs, binding me to it. There was no escape.

And then the paralysis came.

I couldn't move anything. Any feature of my body. Nothing responded at all, save for my mouth. It was the worst feeling I'd ever had. I couldn't even begin to describe how awful it felt and it was only comparable to dying. I felt like I was trapped in my own body. A prisoner of my own body.

My fathers words rang in my head.

'A prisoner of his mind'.

No. NO.

"Here we finally are! Are you excited?"

I couldn't breathe. Demon 626 appeared before me, grinning. He sat on the side of the chair beside me.

"Listen up 626 and listen up good. Why should you do that? Because I'm in control now."

He flicked at my nose. I couldn't do a thing about it.

"You'll find that I've left you two things—the ability to see and the ability to speak. Oh you have NO idea how much I wanted to take those away from you as well, but I left them solely for the purpose of being able to hear you scream in agony. I want to hear your pain 626, I want to hear it loud and clear as I BREAK you. Bit by bit. I WANT that in my grasp!"

He grinned at me. "Because nothing brings me greater pleasure than to hear your heart shatter as I strip you clean of everything you know and love. I will crush your soul and ground it to dust. I will RUIN you."

I choked. "W-why... why are you doing this to me?"

"Simple. You betrayed me. You betrayed Jumba. You went against everything YOU were supposed to be and I had to sit back, dormant and shut away in here and just accept it because of Jumba's incompetence at actually erasing me. So now I want you to remember that 626 by making you suffer for it. You became this pathetic and embarrassing purely of your own accord. A complete failure! You let your emotions control you and WORST of all, you let that little pest into your heart. She has a hold on you. A weak, stupid little human child. And you think that's the best thing ever don't you? Letting a mere insignificant... hatchling from an inferior species dominate you and control you. Keep you in check."

I couldn't do anything other than cry quietly. He picked up my tear with a claw and licked it.

"So, all you have to do now is sit there. That's not too much to ask, is it?" He smiled at me and leaned into my face. "But because I'm kind I'll let you watch. It'll be just like a movie—you like those, right? All those precious little family nights I've seen there in your mind! You snuggling up with that kid! So you're bound to enjoy this too."

"Don't you dare lay a finger on Lilo!" I snarled. "Because if you do I will break every single bone in your body before ripping you apart and shoving them so hard down your throat you choke."

In response to that, he jumped up and pumped a fist into the air.

"Atta boy! That's the kind of fight I like to see in you! Why can't you speak this clear all the time instead of that stupid broken English you put on to look like a suck up? Anyway... too bad for you though, it's come too late."

He walked away from me but looked back and winked.

"Oh, and good luck with that? Considering I'm your conscience and you... kind of cannot actually physically hurt me? If anybody hurts her, it would be YOU. Your body, remember? But go off. Take your anger out on me. It just won't work how you expect is all."

I tried as hard as I could to move and break free. Never had I felt the urge to kill so badly in my life.

"GO. TO. HELL!" I screamed. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"

"Tsk tsk."

The monster waved a finger at me.

"I can and already have. Clearly you do not listen because As I SAID to you before... you ARE in hell my friend. And you might wanna hold on tight because..."

He trailed off for a moment and turned, facing forward with his arms ahead of him like we were starting to speed forwards. I screamed as everything around me warped and distorted and Demon 626 screamed in anticipation.

...It's gonna be one HELL of a ride!"

And then... everything went back to normal.

Somewhat.

It was weird. In a part of my mind I was still sitting there, looking out from that chair. Except now at the same time I was back in the store, in front of Nani. She was staring at me and I went to call out to her but... nothing happened at all. It was like I was seeing both at the same time—looking out a window in my mind, yet at the same time everything was still as it always had been.

But then that suddenly vanished. I quickly worked out what it represented. What that... absolute monster was showing me. Making me understand.

My heart pounded hard inside of me. And then it happened.

My body moved of it's own accord.

I could feel everything, yet I couldn't actually move. I could feel my mouth turn up into a grimace. But I wasn't doing it. No, I was strapped down tight in that damn chair, paralysed.

It was Demon 626.

"Stitch? Did you hear what I said?" Nani repeated, sounding worried and Demon 626 laughed slightly so that I could hear it.

I had no idea what he was going to say, and that frightened me to the core. I had to sit there and watch while he tore my family apart. Destroyed my life and everything I'd built up with my family over the past three years. Turned those that loved me into enemies.

And he damn well would do that. He would do it to see me suffer. Because he knew Jumba wouldn't let me die. So here he was, doing it instead. Something far worse than death.

Because here I was, looking through my own eyes, trapped within my own mind. My body wasn't mine anymore. His voice had become mine.

An eternal imprisonment. Or as my father had said, an eternal damnation.

I was nothing but his puppet now.