It turned out that Mr Kuakini was on his way up to the ship. Lilo wasn't with him, but I could hear her down the end of the driveway getting into his car, Nani seeing her out. He approached me and stared down at me. I was about to open my mouth to speak when Jumba appeared right behind me in the entrance. The two of them stared at each other. I remained quiet.
Finally the silence was broken.
"So what becomes of him? Tomorrow?"
Jumba looked away slightly. "I cannot be answering that. All we can do is continue to hope for miracle." My father bent down and picked me up. "I've done the best I can and there is not much else I can do. I'm exhausted."
I put my paw against his nose. He took it and moved it aside. "626 is not to speak of this to family," he said to me before looking the man dead in the eye. "And neither are you."
Mr Kuakini looked a little alarmed but then a deadpan expression crossed his features. "They have to know."
Jumba stared at him for a moment, before beckoning and turning and heading into the ship, putting me down again. Mr Kuakini followed and my father went over to his laptop, picking it up and carrying it over to the man. He showed him the screen as an image flicked onto it. It was one I hadn't seen before but I flinched back instantly, in a mixture of fear and disgust.
The image showed me. As the true planet-destroying monster I was. And in it I was tearing off the top of a building, reaching inside and picking out my victims. I could see their faces contorted with pain as I slayed them. Alien remains were stuck against my fur and I was holding up the ripped off leg of one unfortunate female alien. My claws were covered in blood. But what scared me the most was seeing the expression on my face.
It wasn't me. The monster on the screen was absolutely NOT me. It was something else. An entity with no soul.
Absolutely nothing.
And my eyes reflected that. Completely void and empty. I was just a blank state running a program. I wasn't even an alien.
I was something that should never have existed.
The image changed and my stomach twisted. Jumba had opened a folder that played out a slideshow and as it ran though the images, the worse they gradually became. Photo's of newspaper articles were mixed in between, documenting the events of that day, but the majority of the images were taken from the air, showcasing the destruction and devastation I'd caused that planet. Something had taken pictures during that time and I figured it was probably reporters. I'd never known any footage of what I'd done to exist but then again, my father also kept things from me.
Like that number.
I couldn't see the pictures as well anymore as my eyes had blurred over from tears but I had long turned away. I couldn't look at them. Mr Kuakini was dead silent as he viewed these. Still as a rock with no expression on his features. No reaction so to speak of either.
Jumba pulled the laptop away, looking stoic.
"They only know what I've told them. This, the absolute scale and true death toll of what 626 did—they do not know about. How devastating 626's Metamorphosis system is and what the outcome of such an event was. And now that you've seen aftermath for yourself, you should know why they cannot know. Showing this to family and then saying they have one day left before happens to Earth? Would result in mass panic. How do you break something such as this to general population with such short notice? That will all be slayed and there is no stopping it?"
Mr Kuakini finally turned to look at me. I backed up against the wall shakily, putting my hands over my face. I heard him approach me slowly and turned into the wall, sinking down against it.
"Naga!" I cried out at him as I saw him reach out towards me. "NAGA! STITCH MONSTER!"
He paused and I cried.
"Don't look at me! D-don't look at... at me..." I sobbed. I felt so ashamed and rotten. I just wanted to die there and then and I knew that feeling wasn't just flowing from me.
Mitch was traumatised by the situation. I knew this because of how he reacted in my mindscape to seeing Gamada and Turo. And like me, he had wanted to bury that past and forget it ever existed. He wasn't a murderer and had been forced to become one. But now that his father was seeing him for who he was... who I was, his emotions had fully overloaded and he was utterly ashamed. Because all he'd truthfully wanted was to live pain-free. This had been a huge burden to him, and I felt that heavily in that moment because he'd never wanted Mr Kuakini to see that he'd once been so utterly evil and monstrous, all because of what Jumba had made me do.
I wasn't Stitch there. In those pictures. Mitch wasn't Mitch either.
Both of us had suffered terribly and I think Mr Kuakini was realising this at seeing how I reacted to him. Trying to make myself as small as possible and shrinking back into the wall like a frightened animal, something I would never have thought I'd do. But I couldn't help it. I didn't know how else to react to having something that had been the bane of my existence being exposed in this manner. It destroyed me to the core.
He rubbed a hand over his face, looking back at my father before jabbing a finger towards him. His stoic expression had vanished and I saw his features twist in fury as he slammed his fist against the metal bench. "You made him do it. My son is in there and that's what he did that day. YOU put him through that."
Jumba's eye twitched.
"And now I have to stand back and accept this!" he yelled. "That tomorrow the same thing he did to that planet will happen to Kauai! I've ONLY just got a second chance with him, and now that will be t—"
"HE-IS-MY-SON!" my father roared, pointing to himself, "I CREATED HIM."
"..." Mr Kuakini looked enraged but looked away at that. I saw his fist clench before he drew in a deep breath.
"I know that Jumba. But Mitch IS in there too, and I know he is. I've accepted he's yours now. But he's MINE too."
Jumba glared at him. He continued.
"I don't know why he ended up in there. And even with you being a renowned scientist, I know that's something you still can't explain, correct?"
My father grunted. "No. Is no rational explanation for it."
"So then you'll just have to accept it. And since MY child is involved, I have every right to be angry about what you put him through."
Jumba was shaking. "I am WELL aware of what I put him through and am sick of being reminded like this. Yes... YES, I was very bad father to him! To 626! I put him through the worst kind of blitznak possible and yet he STILL managed to forgive me. I know he is in pain and I know he has that anger in there. Is being something he cannot escape from. And I have expected him to attack me or even try to kill me over it, only he never did. I've been waiting years! But when he finally did the price I paid was almost insignificant in comparison to what he should have done to me because 626 is not full alien! Has human soul!"
Jumba pointed to his eyes and I saw Mr Kuakini's expression falter as he realised the scars were there.
"What happened to you?"
"He slashed me."
They looked at me. I faced away. "..."
Jumba wiped at his brow. "Had he not been human boy, he would have killed me with his alien instincts because like monster on laptop, and like 621, he was supposed to be evil. I have spent entire life... every single waking moment of my day, looking out for 626. Giving him best possible life here on Earth and making him happy because I GOT that chance to. Proving myself as father to him to make up for past. Both of us were banished from our own darn RACE because of what I put him through and should we go back to our home planet we will be executed on sight! I deserve to die for what I did to him, instead I just strive to make things as right as I can with what time left I do have with him now!"
My father walked right up to Mr Kuakini and I could see him quiver in anger.
"So you listen here and listen good," he sneered. "626 HAS forgiven me—which means YOUR boy has forgiven me."
Mr Kuakini's eyes widened. He flinched back at that before looking at me again in pure astonishment. He approached me slowly again and my ears lowered.
"..."
"M-Mitch... is this true?"
I gazed up at him sadly. "Ih."
"After... all that, and what he di—"
"YES!" I cried, standing up. "YES, I DID. I DID dad."
Jumba looked startled for a moment or so but then went stoic again. Mr Kuakini was in shock.
"You said..."
"Dad?" I repeated bitterly. "Why wouldn't I? You are my dad. I'm Mitch."
"You're Stitch," my father said to that, walking over to stand beside us both. "626."
"You're my dad too," I muttered, folding my arms across my knees as I sat back against the wall. "Just accept it already."
Jumba put his hand to his head. Mr Kuakini looked a little awkward. Chopsuey however, picked that moment to laugh at us from the intercom. "Uh-oh. Plot twist."
Jumba scowled and Mr Kuakini jumped slightly. "What was that?"
"621..." Jumba face-palmed, before sighing and collapsing down into his chair. "What about little girl? Isn't she waiting to go?"
"Yes. But I told them to give me another fifteen or so minutes to talk to you and they decided to just wait at the car. Lilo and Nani... though, where is 621? That's his cousin, right?"
"Cousin is one way to put it," Jumba responded. "But yes, I created 621."
Mr Kuakini looked at me. "I see."
"Is currently in 626. Literally." Jumba told my other 'father' and he looked stumped.
"Uh... he's what now?"
"In 626. Microscopic. Size of blood cell. Has gone inside with nanites, little itsy-bitsy robots I created to try and destroy back-up programming. The thing 626 keeps calling demon."
Mr Kuakini looked perplexed. "His... his cousin is in his body?"
I nodded. "Ih. Helping me. Trying to save me."
621 snorted over the intercom. "I'm doing it so I can survive too 626. Not because I like you. I don't want you ruining this planet as well when I have nowhere else to go either. "
I sighed.
Jumba nodded. "Has gone in to prevent nanites from eating through circuitry and making sure they destroy back-up only. If nanites circumnavigate from programming and act on own accord can be dangerous and if were to eat through 626's internal circuits he would become paralysed."
Mr Kuakini flinched at that before I saw his face falter. "P-paralysed? Just like he was before?"
"Hm?" Jumba looked at him with his head in his hand.
"My son. His legs were paralysed. He was in a wheelchair."
Jumba looked shocked at that. "Well... yes. Ironically same thing would happen I guess. Did not realise that was case initially."
"It can't!" Mr Kuakini cried out at that. "Please! You can't let that happen!"
"I can't do anything but 621 can—is why is inside him to prevent from occurring. But I have no idea if he'll succeed in stopping back-up before it reaches cell."
"And what if he doesn't?"
Jumba sighed. "If 621 destroys back-up, then 626 will be free of back-up, however there are two risks. First being nanites could still paralyse 626 and attack circuitry. Second being, even if 621 does destroy back-up, it could have already corrupted cell enough for it to activate. We have no way of knowing currently. But right now our best chance of doing anything at all to help 626 is to have back-up eradicated for good. This is not a fool-proof plan merely one of the only few options I have left. Has no guarantee of cell being stopped and could still activate. Worst possible outcome is activates and on top of that he is paralysed... and yes, I GET it 626!" He sighed again as I glared at him. "But worst comes to worst, and Metamorphosis does activate, I have one final plan for that... and outcome will be terrible but will be the ONLY choice I have in saving Earth."
Mr Kuakini stared at him. "How terrible?" he asked quietly.
Jumba wouldn't answer him. I swallowed slightly. "Pa...?"
He looked away from us. "Just make most of time with him now. Is all you can do. Go back to little girl because 626 needs to be with her. 621 will do the best he can for us. I have faith in him."
"Well THAT's something I'd never thought I'd hear in this lifetime Jumbo Jookiba," came Chopsuey's astounded voice through the intercom. "You? Having faith in MWA?"
I snorted at that. How he'd said it had actually made me laugh.
Jumba scowled. "Give me some credit."
"Are you just saying that for the sake of it now that I'm actually doing something that benefits you because it involves HIM and his OH so very important life?"
"No! Am saying it because I mean it!"
"Yep, you've completely lost it," my cousin responded.
Jumba banged his fist on the bench. "I have NOT. Just... Just help him 621. Please..." I heard the falter in my father's voice. Chopsuey must have heard it too.
"That's why I'm in here Jumbo."
"..."
Mr Kuakini was quiet during this exchange. He looked back and forth between us.
"How will he get back out of Mitch?"
Jumba eyed him at that. I could tell he didn't like hearing me be called that and I knew Mr Kuakini wouldn't stop, but of course my father just had to go and escalate the situation, didn't he.
"His name is Stitch. Has device on suit he is wearing, will allow him to teleport out and regrow back to original size when done."
"Mitch." Mr Kuakini simply said.
Jumba sneered at him. I put my hand to my head and sighed. For Rofplar's sake.
"STITCH. HE IS EXPERIMENT 626."
I couldn't stand it anymore and stood up, putting out both of my arms between them. I was fed up with their bickering so I roared at them both.
"AGABBA!"
They looked startled. I pointed at my father. "Pa... I AM human okay? Mitch is real, is in me." I turned and pointed to Mr Kuakini as well. "And you... you are Mitch's DAD ih? But just accept that I'm Stitch now. I don't like being called Mitch but makes YOU happy, ih? So I let you. But just STOP putting me in middle like this. Pleechi-ba! Am so tired of it!"
I pulled at my ears. They went quiet but I saw them look at each other.
"I'm my OWN alien now. Mitch old, Stitch new version. Just get along or something. 'Cuz that's all I want. Now NOT time to argue this 'n you both know it."
Jumba sighed. "Fine... fine, 626."
Mr Kuakini just nodded.
I rubbed at my eyes. "All I want right now is to be with Lilo," I looked at Mr Kuakini. "I need her."
He stared at me but then his gaze trailed off. "Okay..."
Jumba walked over to me. "Keep antennae out."
"Aga ba?"
"Will bounce 621's vocal frequency through router on his suit to them, so you can hear him through your speaker when he talks. Cannot bring intercom, obviously."
"Okeytaka," I muttered, letting them regrow out of my head. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mr Kuakini eyeing something on Jumba's desk and he picked it up, but Jumba blocked my view when he started inspecting the back of my head.
"Bring him straight back to me if ANYTHING happens. I don't care what time it is," Jumba turned once done and said to Mr Kuakini. He stopped, putting down something he was holding and Jumba just watched.
"S-sorry. I just saw..." he trailed off.
I peered over to see what he was looking at. It was a polaroid. Jumba walked over to look as well. "I have doubles, keep it."
He looked elated. "Really?"
"Eh... I will not sugar-coat that it may very well be the final hours you will be seeing of him tonight," my father responded bluntly. "Have confirmed your child is in him, so now you are having right to have it."
Mr Kuakini's face dropped but he knew better to oppose or question it. He pocketed the polaroid. I didn't see what it was but it must've been a picture of me.
"Let us hope 621 is successful," Jumba continued. "Just go. Go and be with him."
I walked over to Mr Kuakini and held his hand. He was tense for a moment or so before squeezing my paw back.
I looked back at my father as we left the ship and headed down to the car.
Lilo and Nani were sitting in the backseat, talking. Lilo smiled when she saw me. She was super excited and had no idea what had happened to me recently. For her sake, I tried to perk up. I didn't feel as scared as I did before, knowing that I had a chance to be helped with 621 inside of me. It wasn't the highest chance... but it was better than nothing.
I would take that.
Mr Kuakini talked to Nani briefly and alerted her that I may need to come back if anything happened to me. She left after that and Mr Kuakini got into the car. I curled up against Lilo in the backseat as he reversed out of our driveway and started back to his own home.
He watched me in the mirror, but I didn't make eye contact with him. Lilo was gently running her finger in a circular notion around my palm. It made me feel relaxed.
"Are you okay Stitch?" she asked me, sensing my mood.
I looked at her and nodded, resting my head against the crook of her neck. I didn't want to be bitter about the situation around her right now.
"What do you like for snacks Lilo?" Mr Kuakini asked.
My ears perked a little at that, but I drifted slightly as Lilo told him what her favourite snacks were, looking out the the window in a slight daze. They conversed for the rest of the trip there. Lilo was a little apprehensive of talking with him as she was with people in general she didn't know too well, but she warmed up fairly quick and seemed happy enough.
"How is your shop?" Lilo asked him. "Was everything all fixed up?"
"It's an ongoing process," he responded. "It will take another month for everything to be back to how it was as the entire floor needed to be replaced throughout the whole building." I saw his expression falter slightly and wondered why, but didn't have to ponder on it for long with his next response.
"I just want you to understand that when I... snapped a little at you that day, I was very stressed. It was quite a big financial burden to me."
Lilo stared. But then she seemed to remember. "Oh. I'd forgotten about that."
Mr Kuakini nodded. I eyed him.
"How he reacted was justified."
"Stitch?" Lilo asked.
"Yes..." he responded. "He came to see me shortly after that."
Lilo put her hand on my head. "To work for Nani! Isn't he great?"
Mr Kuakini just nodded. He went quiet after that for the rest of the trip. When we arrived, he parked and turned off the engine before turning to face us.
"Lilo. I am aware about Stitch, as you know. Being Mitch, who is my son."
"I know!" Lilo told him. "I'm really happy he is."
"My wife and my daughter have only recently become aware about it. Before I brought him back to your place tonight we'd just told them the truth about his identity. So they will still be adapting to the idea of it."
Lilo gave a nod. "I understand. It was a shock to me too because I used to see Mitch when he was alive."
He stared at that. "What?"
Lilo looked at me. "When I broke my wrist when I was younger, I was beside him at the hospital. Stitch showed me the photo. We also spoke to each other once. He wrote about it in the journal."
Mr Kuakini looked a little distant. "The part about him thinking it was cool you liked aliens?"
"Yeah!" Lilo smiled at me.
They looked at me. "..."
"Well... does it bother you Lilo if I refer to him as Mitch?"
"No," Lilo responded. "Mitch is a nice name."
"Jumba wasn't happy about it. I just wanted to see how you feel about it."
"I'm fine with it! Stitch wants to be called Stitch though. I know he likes it because I named him that."
I gave a nod and he looked between us. "You two... are very very close. I can tell."
I just looked at him. While he was aware that I liked Lilo, I'd never actually told him the full truth about how I felt about her. I wondered if I should.
"Mitch?"
Lilo smiled at me encouragingly. "I'm okay with it, Stitch..."
"Okay with what?" Mr Kuakini kept his gaze on me.
I sighed. "I love her." I simply told him.
He looked at me in wonder. "Love her? As in she is your family?"
I shook my head. "Naga. I love her. As more than that."
He looked at me weirdly before realisation quickly dawned upon him. "Oh... well, that explains a lot."
I tilted my head.
"As in how defensive you got of her that day outside of the store. About having the groceries replaced. I'd never seen anything like it."
"You made me mad," I told him. "Hurt her. She was crying."
He looked saddened. "I know. I'm sorry, Mitch."
I just nodded. "I think I've always had crush on her..." I said quietly. "Even before, when I was a human."
He smiled at me. "Well as long as you are happy, Mitch then I'm glad. Like I said, you are my son as well, even if Jumba created you. He did not create your soul. And I do not care about what you are now and do not judge you for it either. Do Nani and Jumba know?"
Lilo kissed my cheek as he asked this. I nodded.
"I see. Well... come on inside then, its getting cold out here."
Lilo looked at me as we were alone for a moment. "Stitch... that's really great. I'm so happy that Nani was okay about it... but now your dad is too. Maybe we will be okay to be together in the future after all."
I wanted to smile at that moment. I really did. But I just looked at her solemnly.
"Everything okay?" she asked me. "You seem sad...?"
I sighed. "Lilo... I don't have long until bad things happen," I told her. "I just... want to be happy with you now."
She looked sad as well. "Well then let's do that, okay?"
I nodded. She leaned over and kissed my nose before we both climbed out of the car and Lilo claimed her sleeping gear.
Lilo gripped my paw as we went inside. As we entered the living room Alanna and Kalia went quiet for a moment and I could feel their eyes boring into my back. Lilo put her stuff down, looking a little shy but she smiled.
"Lilo, this is Alanna and my daughter Kalia." Mr Kuakini introduced them to her.
My angel gave a small wave.
"I've seen you around the island before a few times," Kalia said to her. "You're Nani's little sister yeah?"
Lilo nodded. "Yeah..."
She looked at me. "So this... this whole time you were with Stitch you've been..."
"With Mitch," Mr Kuakini spoke up.
She rubbed her arm and sat down on the couch. Alanna was holding the journal. "So... it's true then? You're really Mitch?"
Everybody went quiet. I gazed towards her, taking note of the expression on her face. I could see that she'd been a bit upset. She must have cried when we'd left before.
"Yes." I told her. She looked down at the ground.
"..."
Lilo put her arm around me, but remained quiet.
"H-how?" Alanna asked. "How is that possible?"
"His soul go in me when Jumba created me," I told her. "I know I am him too."
I sat down on the floor in front of them, Lilo sitting beside me. They edged forth slightly as well so they were closer to me and Mr Kuakini also sat down on another chair beside us.
"How did you know?"
I tapped my head. "Mostly memories. Started having them. And dreams. Couldn't explain."
Mr Kuakini nodded. "When I was showing him the albums he was able to name places we'd been to. He knew about Kalia's recital and what happened that day."
"The day his legs started going..." Kaila said quietly.
I rubbed at my arm.
"I don't know... this just doesn't feel real," Kaila said. "I can't see how you can be Mitch. He was my brother."
I had a feeling this would be difficult for them to accept. It was different with Mr Kuakini because he had longed for this to happen, but they had both got over Mitch's death years ago and now were faced with the knowledge that he was just suddenly 'back' from the dead. There was no way I could prove to them I was Mitch, other than the words that left my mouth. Mitch and I obviously couldn't separate like we could in limbo or in a state of death. I could only just do things as Stitch that he did when he was a human, like the way I ate dinner that night and Mr Kuakini knew what I would do.
I knew gradually in time they would see things the way he did. But with the limited time I had right now, I didn't think it would reach that point unless I could convince them tonight. They would probably not come to accept this as easily as Mr Kuakini had either.
"It is him sweetheart," my other father said to her. "Truly."
She shook her head. "I... I guess I just need to see it for myself to believe you."
"You will."
Lilo finally spoke up. "He is him. I know Stitch and how he acts. He's always been different and not just because he is an alien."
I looked at her. She stroked my ear in response.
Alanna cleared her throat slightly. "Well... I still find it hard to believe. Even if he does have that birthmark and the freckles on him."
"Freckles?" Lilo asked at that. "Stitch has freckles?"
I gave a nod. "Ih, Lilo. All over me."
"Where?!" She was super intrigued by this revelation.
"Come, I'll show you." Mr Kuakini stood up and led her down to Mitch's bedroom. I followed them in and he put on the blacklight. Lilo's eyes lit up.
"THAT IS SO COOL!" she yelped, inspecting me. "Wow!"
The others joined us in the doorway, but they both remained quiet.
"Lilo you can put your stuff into here for later," Mr Kuakini told her.
"Okay!" she said, and left to go and fetch it. Alanna stepped into the room, but I saw Kalia turn and leave.
"I... I just don't know how to feel about this, John," she spoke and looked down at me. "Like all of this. Restoring the room, and having Lilo in here tonight. It feels too sudden. This room had been shut away for the past three years and the amount of times you told me it would never be opened again too. Now it's like Mitch hasn't died. Like everything is normal again, but he's not here. It's like you've forgotten your grief."
I frowned at that. Mr Kuakini looked surprised to hear that from her.
"Forgotten? I cried close to every single night for the past three years. And you think that now I've just forgotten my grief because of this?"
She went quiet but didn't look at me.
"Mitch is here, Alanna. He might not be alive anymore so to speak, but if I have another chance to see him again, I'm going to take it. And I already have."
"Is there definite proof?"
"Did you not see it for yourself just before?"
"I saw something," she paused. "Something I couldn't explain. Looking at him."
"You saw your son."
"..."
I felt awkward. "Should I be here?"
They both looked at me at that but didn't answer me. I rubbed my arm again, feeling uncomfortable. It reminded me of the time Nani had talked about me to the family in the kitchen thinking I was asleep.
"I cannot prove it, naga," I told Alanna. "But I am Mitch. I know because we separate when I died. I saw him, go in me. He become me."
"You... died?"
Mr Kuakini sighed. "There is a lot to explain about him. But this is all real. The reason I've been able to go back into this room is because of him. This is his room. And it's his say now as to what happens to it."
I looked at him, startled. "My room?"
He gave a nod. "Who else's would it be?"
"..."
"Well, how do you feel about it all?" he asked me quietly. "Do you want to be back in here?"
I thought about that. Mitch's room was pretty cool, there was no doubt about that. I really did love the space theme and the wallpaper covered in drawings that could only be viewed under the UV light. But I also felt a strange sense of comfort and ease being in here as well. This was Mitch's space—the room he found comfort in the most. And I knew he'd spent a lot of time in this room after being bullied so it was home to him.
The only place I couldn't handle being near was his grave because it was essentially my grave. That was too weird for me, knowing that the skeleton buried deep beneath the dirt there had once been me. A living, breathing human. I'd briefly looked with my xray vision to see it as I'd left with him that day he'd taken me there, solely to give myself some type of personal closure walking away from that grave but it had hurt more than I anticipated.
"I want to be in here," I admitted. "Is my room."
Alanna eyed me at that. I could tell she was bothered by how I'd said it but she approached me again at that, bending down and pushing aside my fur to look at my forehead. She pulled out a picture from her pocket and looked at it before handing it to me.
"..."
It was the picture Mr Kuakini had showed me before. The one that showed his head up close.
"That birthmark is exactly the same. But what if it's just a coincidence?"
I sighed. I handed the picture back to her.
"Is me," I told her, tapping the picture with my claw. "I'm alien now."
She just put her hand to her head at that, but turned away from me.
"I... I just can't see it."
"Mitch, please leave us for a little while, okay?" Mr Kuakini stepped aside from the door for me. I gave a nod.
"Okeytaka."
He gave me a sad smile before I turned and headed out of the room and the door shut behind me.
Lilo was sitting in the living room by herself. Kalia must have went into her bedroom.
"Stitch? What is going on?"
I sat down beside her. "I think they are having hard time with this..." I gestured to my body. "With me... identity."
"Do you think it's all too sudden for them?"
"Ih. But either way, truth had to come out. Either that or Mr Kuakini keep getting weird about it. Make them question things."
"Do they believe it's you?"
"I think they do, but don't wanna accept."
"You can't blame them 626," a voice erupted from my mouth and Lilo jumped. "This is the weirdest identity crisis I've ever heard of. And I thought MY identity crisis was bad enough when I was mutated."
Lilo looked at me in utter disbelief. "Was that...?"
"Eyy hatchling! It's your good ol' pal 621 here. Miss me?"
"Where are you?" She looked around the room. "Why are you talking from Stitch's mouth?"
"He's in me," I told her. "Jumba shrunk him, he's trying to get rid of Demon 626. Jumba made tiny robots. Nanites... they destroy him. 621 wanted to go in and makea sure do job. Keep meega safe. Otherwise, if go wrong, I end up like Mitch. No able to walk anymore."
Lilo looked amazed to hear that. "R-Really?"
621 growled at me through my speaker. "He's sugar-coating it. I'm only doing this because I don't want him to do something stupid. Which he could potentially do soon."
I noticed he omitted the truth. Lilo looked at me sadly.
"Not walk again? But you were already paralysed before, weren't you?"
I laughed slightly. "The irony, huh."
"That won't happen Stitch? Will it?"
She looked utterly devastated.
"Not if I can help it," Chopsuey told her. "I'll destroy that damn program. And the quicker I do it, the sooner I can get back to making his life miserable."
I scowled at that, but closed my eyes. I just hoped he would be able to get rid of Demon 626.
Chopsuey's taunting I could deal with. But I couldn't handle how evil that beast was.
Alanna and Mr Kuakini spoke in that room for a while. Eventually Kalia came back out. Lilo and I were sitting and playing a small card game she liked. I thought it was a bit rude of them to do this and leave her out here alone like this—even though I was with her—but then again they did just have a massive bombshell all dropped on them involving a member of their own family.
She approached us, looking down at me.
"Stitch? Can I speak to you?"
I gave a nod. "Be back soon, Lilo."
"Okay boochibu," she said to me and my face heated up terribly as I left.
I followed the girl into the corridor. She brought me into her bedroom and I looked around, this being the first time I'd entered it. It reminded me of Nani's room in a way, except there was far too much pink. Her room was completely covered with posters of pop idols and boy bands, taking up nearly every section of the wall—so much that I couldn't even see the wall itself. I just looked around blankly and couldn't stop myself from raising an eyebrow. Lilo's room would never look like this, even when she was older.
I could see lots of make up and nail polish on her desk beside an old coloured computer I'd never seen before that looked far more modern than ours.
The room was so overly girly I couldn't help but cringe. Kalia noticed the way I reacted.
"You hated them."
"Huh?" My ears flipped up.
"My posters..." she gestured. "From how you're reacting it's... it's the exact same as he did."
"..."
She sighed. "Are you really Mitch?"
I shrugged. "You said I reacted the same as he did. Is this not proof enough?"
I was met with a long drawn out stare. "Stitch. There is only one way that I'll ever accept or believe that you're him."
"Gaba eiek?"
She looked confused. "...?"
"What's that?" I asked her.
"My letters. If you're him, then you'll know the ones I'm talking about."
I felt annoyed. But I knew why. The nagging feeling I was getting from within told me I wasn't the only one getting tired now, Mitch was too. He just wanted them to accept it. I had to rack my brain. It was always on and off for me with how well I remembered Mitch's past. Sometimes visions and memories came easily, whereas others I had no memory of at all or they took time. I was really relying on him inside of me to help me out at this point when a fleeting vision of a book appeared in my mind, kept up on the top of a shelf. I don't know why it appeared like that, but it was what he remembered.
I looked up and around the room until I recognised that location. Sure enough, that book was there. It was just like déjà vu. The shelf looked a bit different from what Mitch remembered, but this was also years back when he'd been alive.
I pointed. She looked startled for a moment, but then her jaw dropped open when I walked across her room and climbed up the wall to the shelf to get the book I had in mind down. I opened it up and sure enough there were multiple letters in there stashed throughout the pages. I didn't remember what they were, or why she kept them hidden though.
"These?"
"H-How? How did...?"
I shrugged again. "I just remember. Mitch knew it."
"You're right..." she breathed. "You were the only one that knew I kept those hidden from mom and dad. Before you stopped walking you were so nosy and you found them one day and after that you kept annoying me about it repeatedly so when I tried to get dirt on you, you hid your journal away before I could get it for revenge."
"What were letters of anyway?" I asked her as she put the book back.
She looked embarrassed. "They were... for my crush. Utterly stupid..."
I stared at her before smirking. "Ah. Heh..."
She went quiet for a long while after that. Eventually she looked up at me, but her eyes looked a bit glossed over. It was finally hitting her, I realised. "Mitch?"
"Ano," I said, remembering something else and blurting it out. "That was his name, ih?"
"HOOOLY CRAP—!" she yelped, before running at me and throwing her arms around me. I smiled.
"Hi."
She drew back and put her hands against my face. "You didn't see those letters... yet you knew his name?"
"It just... kinda comes to me," I told her, looking down to the carpet. "How I remembered everything."
She brushed my fur back as Alanna had done, staring at my birthmark. "Geeze... Mitch... I thought you died. I was literally there when you did and it was the hardest day of my life..."
"I did," I said softly. "I went into place called limbo for long time."
She looked amazed. "Limbo exists?"
I nodded. She just gazed at me for a few moments before speaking again.
"All this time I saw you, it was you all along..." she said softly. "You were there, at my graduation. That was you when I mentioned about not having pets coming there and your reaction to it... no wonder you got mad. And then when you stopped me from going across the street..." She looked dazed. I put my paw against her hand and she rubbed her finger across my claws a few times in a gentle motion. "Those times you came to see us as well. No wonder dad was acting so weird about you for the past month."
"Dad wanted me back. So I came back. But, I am Stitch now. Only call me that."
She gave a nod. "But... but dad calls you..."
"Mitch, I know," I told her, looking back at her. "But I only let him 'cuz makes him happy. I am Stitch."
She gave a nod. "This is like some kind of miracle." She sounded a little breathless as she let go of my paw and held her head. "I need to process this..."
"Ih, is strange for me too," I told her. "I still not know how to feel. Never believed in life after death... but is real and I am happy I got second chance."
She gave a nod. I turned to go back out to Lilo.
"Mi–Stitch?"
I looked back at her. "...?"
"I'm really glad you're back. I've missed you so much."
I smiled at her, but deep inside I knew this was going to be short-lived should 621 fail and Demon 626 succeeded. And as a result of that, I couldn't allow myself to get close to her as I'd done with Mr Kuakini. It would hurt them even more now they knew about me if they knew what I was going to do.
It had been hard for Mitch to accept his father seeing me in my Metamorphosis form on the laptop. I couldn't begin to imagine how they'd handle it.
I quietly left the room and headed back out to Lilo, trying to reassure myself that somehow things might be okay... even if I had very little hope they would.
A little later on, all of the family was back out in the living area. We'd been sitting and playing some board games. Alanna hadn't spoken much since coming back out to me, but Kalia was lively now and happy. Lilo was delighted by it as well and beamed at me whenever I looked at her.
Lilo had warmed up to them a lot, especially Kalia. They were getting along really well. As they chat amongst themselves with Alanna, my other father looked down at me when I sat by his side.
"Kalia seems much happier. What happened?"
"She realised was me. I told her something, only she know about it."
He gave a nod. "Alanna still isn't convinced. I had a feeling this would be hard on her. But I couldn't hold it back anymore, Mitch. Especially now knowing what's going to happen. I could lose you again tomorrow and I would have never had that chance to tell them. I couldn't live with myself it that did end up happening."
I nodded. "Maybe... I need to do something to prove to her Mitch in me."
"She saw you though? In there. She told me that when she looked at you. I can see you too."
"I know. But she need to hear Mitch for herself. Do something she know."
He gave a nod. "Well... I guess that is up to you how you want to go about it. But there is one thing that may help."
"Gaba?"
He nodded towards the window.
"She has a little grave out there she put in after you died. You wrote a poem to her once, that you did at school. It was silly, but it made her day brighter. I don't know if that's something you would remember or not if Mitch is inside of you. But I know he would remember that for sure." He looked towards his wife. "If you can recite that to her... if you remember it, then she may start accepting it just as your sister has done."
I was perplexed. "Okeytaka..."
"But do it when you have a moment alone with her. Normally she goes outside each night for a bit. I have a feeling she will later on after what happened today."
I gave a nod. Mr Kuakini looked at me and sighed.
"I want to take a picture. Are you okay with that?"
I shrugged. I didn't see why not. He gave a nod, standing up to leave the room and I presumed he was getting a camera. I joined the family and Lilo back at the table. Lilo was losing the game and Kalia was winning at this point, but Alanna had stopped playing and was instead watching quietly.
I saw her glimpse at me as I sat down. She kept her gaze focused on me and I tried to ignore it for the time being.
Eventually Mr Kuakini returned with a camera. He gestured for us all to get into the frame. Kalia put her arm around me, and Lilo put her head against mine but Alanna didn't get into the picture though. Mr Kuakini didn't say anything about it, just watched her a little sadly as she left the room once it was taken.
"Well, don't forget to do that Mitch. I'll get some snacks for Lilo."
He stood up and left.
A few hours later, we were starting to get ready for bed after having a fun night. Lilo and I were in Mitch's room and I thought this would be a perfect moment for me to show her my special message to her, and finally tell her why I considered her a 'boochibu' and what it meant.
She was in a great mood. Very happy. Her eyes were shining and I couldn't wait to see how she reacted to my card.
"Kalia is great! She's so nice Stitch," she was saying to me as I was looking at one of Mitch's stuffed toys. "I had so much fun with her."
I smiled. "That's good Lilo."
"It's still weird to think she was your sister."
I just shrugged slightly. "Well... she is still. Kinda. If you wanna see it that way."
She just nodded and pulled out her sleeping bag. My ears perked slightly at a noise outside of the window, so while Lilo was setting the bag up on the fold-up trundle I walked over to have a look out. I could see a shadowy figure in the dark. Mitch's bedroom window faced out over the back garden.
"There!" Lilo's voice interrupted me as she finished what she was doing. I turned to look at her but then looked back again, wondering who was out there.
Kalia appeared in the doorway. "You two going to bed?"
"Yeah!" Lilo told her.
She saw me looking out of the window. "That's just mom, Stitch. She goes out there each night for a little bit."
I thought about that and what Mr Kuakini had said.
"Lilo? Meega choota boocha taba."
"Okay Stitch. Where are you going?"
"Grada."
She hugged me. "Okay!"
I looked at Kalia briefly before walking past her and starting to head out to the back garden. It was now or never, I figured.
As I left I could hear Kalia asking Lilo how she understood what I was saying.
It was indeed Alanna in the garden.
The garden itself was actually really nice. There were a few lights decorating the outer boundary of it and the grass had a really nice smell to it as well that made me think of summer instantly. Alanna was sitting on a wooden bench just like the one I'd seen out the front. I figured a small area with a bunch of flowers on it was the grave. As for the grave itself it was a rock sitting there and I could make out some letters etched onto it. It was a little memorial space.
She didn't hear me at first, but when she saw me standing before her in the dim light she jumped. Her heart raced.
"OH GOD..." she breathed, holding her hand to her chest. "S-Sorry... I didn't hear you Stitch," her tone was a little flat. "What are you doing out here? Do you need something?"
I looked away slightly before looking at her again. "Naga."
"Is Lilo okay? Is the bed good enough for her?"
"Isa fine."
"Right. Well... I'll be inside soon, if John is looking for me. Today has just been a lot to deal with."
I'd figured as much. She turned away from me slightly and I figured she didn't want to continue on the conversation. If anything she seemed little angry I was there so I wondered what the best course of action was at that point.
It was obvious now that she refused to believe I was Mitch despite looking at me before and crying when I'd said 'hi' to her. Or she was having too much of a difficult time accepting it and didn't know how to process it. She was Mitch's mother after all, so I anticipated it would be hard for her to deal with something like this. For me though? I'd never had a mother at all. That horrible con-artist Jumba had married certainly wasn't a mother to me, so I never knew personally what it was like to have one. But Mitch did. This was all entirely alien to me, but something he longed for. I still didn't feel comfortable enough around her as I did with Mr Kuakini, and I probably wouldn't even when she believed me, but I also knew Mitch would never let me live it down if I couldn't give him that closure he needed with her before it was too late. He'd be really sad. And I knew it would be selfish of me not to do so when the opportunity was right here in front of me. He'd suffered enough in his life, as had I.
So I thought. It took a long while for me to remember what that poem was, because I couldn't remember it at all. The memory was very blurry. But then Mitch really seemed to pull through. He knew he had to and he wanted her to believe he was in me. He did so just as Alanna saw me standing there still. She'd turned away from me as I'd been remembering.
"You're still here? Go inside! Go on!"
I rubbed at my eye. "Roses are red, my name is Dave. This poem makes no sense. Microwave."
There was no reaction from her.
"..."
I turned to go back inside but then I felt a hand reach out and stop me. "No wait!" Her eyes were wide. "How? How do you know that poem?"
I just looked at her.
"Well?" she cried at me, shaking me by the shoulders slightly. "Tell me! HOW!"
"..."
"No..." Alanna put her hands to her head and I heard her voice crack. "T-this can't be happening... how can you be Mitch? HOW?!"
I sat down beside her on the bench and pointed to my head. She pushed back my fur again before looking into my eyes as she had before. Like Kalia, she put her hands to my face but she didn't say anything for a long while. She just stared at me again instead.
"After hearing that I think you're in there but I just... just can't believe it. I just can't!" she finally spoke.
"Why not?"
"Because I watched my son DIE, Stitch. And now... now that's you? My own son? And I should just believe that despite how impossible this is?"
Mitch fully let loose at that. It was to the point where even I had started speaking without realising what I was saying. "MOM. Darn it! It's ME! Why can't you just listen to me?!"
She flinched back. I raised my hands to my head in shock. I had not expected that to happen either so ultimately I was just as shocked as she was.
"S-soka... I..." I trailed off. "I-I don't—"
"That outburst..." she simply said.
"Gaba?"
"When he was mad, or frustrated about something he had an outburst. Like you just did. Identical, actually. Always said I never listened to him."
"Not me speaking..." I told her.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm Stitch," I told her. "I would never call you my mother. I don't even have mother. But he in me. Really wants you to believe him."
She looked dumbfounded. I think that outburst from him had made her realise I was telling her the truth.
"Well... do you?"
"Good Lord..." she said and I saw her begin to cry. "And you knew that poem too. My favourite one. It's so ridiculous."
"Ih. He did at school. For you. Was day of diagnosis. Why special to you, ih?"
I heard the air leave her lungs. "Did John tell you that?"
"Naga."
"So... so you just remembered that?"
I nodded.
"I can't believe this is actually happening..." she breathed. "You really are him after all. Oh my God..." Her fists clenched. "You came back to us? But... I don't understand how? Why?"
"Can't answer that. Mr K wanted it and to see Mitch again. So here I am. But I'm Stitch now, okeytaka? Rather be called that. But I know Mr K is my dad too. Like Jumba."
She gave a nod. "O-Okay. Can I... hug you?"
I didn't answer her. Instead I just crawled up and hugged her myself. She relaxed almost instantly.
"Even this feels the same. It's really you..."
"Ih. It's me."
When she finally drew back, she put her hand to my cheek. "Honey."
Honey? I guessed that was an affectionate name she had used for him. A wave of what I could only interpret as 'love' washed over me. Mitch was clearly very happy.
I stood back up to go inside to Lilo again. Alanna had told me she'd be back in soon, but I could already see her mood had lightened significantly, much like with Kalia.
As I walked back into the house, I felt this weird feeling. It made me pause for a moment as the feeling was almost like a wave of relief washing over me. After a moment of trying decode it, I realised what it was.
Mitch was thanking me. I'd given him the closure he'd wanted. Now I could finally get on with my own existence and identity—as Stitch. No more debating who I was.
Now I just wanted to be me and spend time with my angel.
With what time I had left anyway.
Lilo was lying in the trundle bed when I returned. Mr Kuakini had stopped me on the way in and I'd been about to tell him what had happened, but ended up not needing to when Alanna stepped back in and said she wanted to tell him something. So I bid them goodnight and left them to it. Both of them hugged me quite tightly.
I was certain now the family would be at peace. Knowing I was here, even though Mitch wasn't alive anymore. He lived in me and I was okay with that. Now I was sure they would be okay with that too.
My angel sat up when I entered. She pushed back her sleeping bag and jumped up to join me on Mitch's bed. "Everything okay?"
"Ih." I told her, smiling. Finally I could spend the night with her now. Just us two together.
"That's good. I wondered where you went."
"Just something personal," I told her. "Mitch's mom."
"I understand..." she told me, smiling. "This room is so cool though. There are so many stars. And that light is amazing. What is it exactly?"
"Ultraviolet light. Called UV. Detects fluorescers that cannot be seen normally."
"You really liked space, huh Stitch..." she told me. "Even before you became an alien."
I nodded. "I wanted you to see here once," I told her. "Just after met that time, you say to me you liked aliens. Always wondered what Lilo would think of here. I think you also drove my craze for it. Space and aliens."
"I did?" she beamed. "Well... I think it's amazing!" she hugged me tightly. "I'm glad I finally did get to see it and now knowing that it makes it even more special to me."
"I'm glad too. Really." I put my claw under her chin and tilted her face towards mine. She gazed back at me at that and we just stared into each others eyes for a few moments. I leaned over and kissed her on the lips gently. She returned it and I felt my face flush.
This was by far the most longest and loving kiss we'd shared so far.
She stood up and wandered around the bedroom after pulling away, a little breathless. "You don't mind me looking around here, do you?"
"Of course not."
She grinned. I could tell she was also flustered from that kiss too. I just watched her as she investigated Mitch's bedroom, going over to his plush toys and picking some of them up to look at them from the chair they were on. After that she looked at the map of the solar system up on his wall above the bed.
"Is your home planet on here?"
I shook my head. "Naga. Planets only humans know. Ours undiscovered. Technology not good enough to reach that far in space to see."
"Did Mitch know much about space?"
"Little bit. Know more now though."
She nodded. She opened up one of his drawers and looked inside of it. "Hey! What is this?"
Lilo pulled out an ice-cream tub. I stared at it for a moment but almost instantly knew what it was despite never having seen it before. I was getting more déjà vu again.
"My bottle caps."
A stunned look crossed her face and she opened up the lid. "Bottle caps? You collected them?"
"Ih."
"Cool! Gosh, there are so many of them!" She gasped as she pulled out a metallic blue one. "Hey, this one looks awesome Stitch! Where'd you find it?"
"Naga retcha. Soka."
She smiled. "It's okay. But this is a neat collection, Stitch. I tried starting a collection once but it's nowhere near as good as yours. I just started taking photos of fat tourists instead because they were always so rude and obnoxious to me when I was on the beach. It made me feel better and I found that fun."
I smiled at her sadly at hearing that. That made a lot of sense to me as I'd always wondered the truth about why she did that. They deserved to be put in spotlight and embarrassed for how they acted.
"Hey Stitch!" my angel suddenly cried to me and I faced her. "I want to see the freckles on you again!"
"Okeytaka. Flip that switch and turn off light."
Lilo nodded, heading over to the door and flicking on the blacklight. I pulled off my outfit this time so she could see my body better.
"Wow..." Lilo exclaimed, running her hand along my belly and then down my back. "It's almost like somebody took a pepper shaker and dusted it all over you."
I laughed at her analogy. "Nah..."
"This is your skin, right?"
"Yep."
"So then do aliens in space get freckles like this? Do they have skin too?"
"No," I told her. "Have skin ih, but pa said they were impossible for me to get biologically. But Mitch had them so just more proof I am him."
"It is!" she agreed. "Plus they make you even cuter!"
I felt my face heat up again at that. I was glad it didn't show under the UV light. She was about to put back on the light when she noticed the walls covered in the UV detected drawings.
"Whoa... that's literally the coolest thing I've ever seen. Did he make these?" she asked me. "Well, I mean you. Mitch. Did you make these?"
"Ih. But I don't remember it."
She laughed and turned back on the light. She picked up a photo on his desk and looked at it. "I wonder if all the freckles are in the same places they were on you here."
"Good question." I was curious about that too. "Have a look."
"Hm..."
Lilo studied the photo for a bit before looking at me underneath the UV light again. She inspected me for a few moments before turning the light on again. "Well... from what I can see they are. Like this one here"—she pointed to a spot on my neck—"is quite big in the photo but I saw it right here on you as well in the UV light. But I guess theres lots of new ones on you now too, since you have alien features."
"Ih."
She smiled at me. "That's amazing."
"Lilo have freckles?" I asked her.
"Only a few small ones. See?" She showed me her arms and I inspected them. "I think my skin is way too dark to get them."
"Okeytaka."
She put her hand on top of my head. "So then," she piped and my ears perked up. "What happened to your art skills Stitch?"
I deadpanned her and she laughed. "I'm just kidding silly!" Lilo poked my nose. "I love your art. I love everything you do."
I paused for moment before smiling. She'd reminded me about what I was going to do. I went over to Mitch's pillow, pulling out special message I'd made for her from where I'd kept it hidden. "Uh... Leelo?"
"Yeah Stitch?"
"For you..." I told her, holding out the card to her. Her eyes lit up.
"For me?!" she squeaked in joy. I grinned.
"Ih!"
She opened up the card excitedly and read what I'd wrote. I'd actually drawn her an image of us in there beside it. Well, tried to at least.
"This is so wonderful Stitch. I love it!" She hugged me tightly. "I'll treasure it for the rest of my life, thank you so much!"
"You're welcome boochibu."
She smiled, putting her hand to my cheek. "Do I finally get to know what that means?"
I nodded and grinned. Finally I could tell her.
"IH! It means—"
"626! I FINALLY LOCATED THE BASTARD!" Chopsuey's voice blared from my mouth. I was FURIOUS at the timing but my heart pretty much dropped instantly at what he said. I was angry that I would have to put that on hold yet again much to my disappointment, but my life was pretty much at stake right now—I had to focus on what was happening inside of me.
Lilo looked very alarmed. She gripped my paw tightly in worry.
"The... t-the back-up?" I asked shakily.
"IH!" I heard him yell. Then I heard that familiar horrible laughter echo in my head and I cringed.
"And it took him THIS long," Demon 626 said. "Man... you two are freaking hopeless. I can't believe this is what I'm up against. All that hype for nothing."
I growled at that before crying out to my cousin, who had growled even louder than I had. "Kaba detaka Chops! Pleechi-ba!"
"I'm WORKING on it 626!" he growled back at me. "So don't distract me! Already got Jumbo screaming at me too from his end."
Demon 626 laughed.
"Haha... you should see this loser 626 he's got nothing! Not even one single gun! I'll clean him up and then use him like the buttwipe he's good for!"
"Rizlenk my KACHOOTA." Chopsuey snarled back at him almost instantly.
I bit my lip. Lilo was going to ask what that meant and I couldn't tell her. She looked at me for a moment or so, looking frightened before hugging me tightly.
"Stitch..."
"I hope he wins..." I muttered against her, knowing that another war was about to rage inside of me. Only this time, I wouldn't be able to see it.
And not only that, I had that fear of the nanites missing Demon 626 and getting me instead. I could leave here tomorrow unable to walk again. Or even worse, the Metamorphosis System triggered and activated and everyone would be dead by the time I left.
I shuddered deeply and my stomach twisted again. I was shaking terribly by now.
Lilo just held me close. She snuggled against me and started singing her favourite lullaby to me. She sang it over a few times. She stroked me and ran her hand through the tuft of fur on my chest. Her love was soothing and it was exactly what I needed right now. She was the only reason I was able to hold myself together and remain calm.
Thank Rofplar she was in my life. That I had a chance to come back as Stitch and be with her. My angel was my saviour.
621 had to win. Otherwise... I was completely and utterly screwed.