Stitch Triverse, BOOK 1: UNION

Chapter 4: C E L E B R A T I O N

Chapter 4
C E L E B R A T I O N

Out in the reaches of space, far away in the realm of Telon-12, known as a planet in the outer ridges of the Turo system, lied a deserted town. Dark skies hung over this place, as if to amplify how desolate it was.

The place seemed a wreck, everything was either bent, mangled or devastated far beyond repair- far beyond anything salvageable. Things had not kept quiet however...

Huffing and footsteps came from a lone pale red-skinned Plogonarian who found himself trapped in this ominous locale, garbed in a single toga-like attire. He seemed old, like he had seen action around this galaxy before. Not of the legal kind though. He seemed to be cleaning up his act and used the town as a makeshift shortcut back to where he would've called home on Telon-12. Still, what was interesting was the alien was running from something in this dreary place.

Loud footsteps thundered behind him as this Plogonarian ran and ran for his life. One could easily see the fear in his single big eye as he tried to make his escape around this ghost town.

Turning around occasionally, one would think he was paranoid for all the wrong reasons. However, he knew what he was running from- something far worse than his thoughts could imagine.

Turning a corner and hiding in an abandoned restaurant, he hid himself below a window, hoping what he was running from would leave him alone. The Plogonarian's breath was harsh from his mad dash, like one would be if a monster was far behind them. However, the worst was yet to come.

The Plogonarian then felt himself get picked up and get slammed away with relative ease by something incredibly strong. Tossed about like a rag doll, he found himself down the floor of this alien's restaurant floor, bruised. He looked up trying to hide his pain and see what attacked him...

Ahead lied the silhouette of what looked to be a red assassin, his hair spiky and hiding one of his aglow red eyes. Twin antennae of a mechanical sort hung above his head, complimenting his ripped attire and the four arms and two legs he stood on.

His attire though, was an open yet thrashed coat, belts and a pair of shorts that managed to fit something so savage. The main focus of this mysterious power was a pair of gauntlets that glowed of a blood red light, the claws on them burning of pure plasma, never halting that yellow glow that signified something so hot, it could kill on contact.

Something else about this creature emanated fear, but one couldn't really put their finger on what sent shivers down spines. He took a step forward, eyeing his prey...

"Tay cannot run much longer..." the mystery monster said, raising one of the two claws of plasma to the Plogonarian ahead of him.

"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I-- I have a wife and two kids back in the greater city of this planet," his prey wailed consumed with fear to the red-eyed assailant.

Aiming the four-bladed blazing claw at his opposition, the beast spoke again with a mere chuckle- "Meega naga gonna kill you... Meega just want the answer to one question- where isa the Astral Jumpers?"

The Plogonarian looked surprised at this monster's interest in the Astral Jumpers. Why would someone who looked so deadly want to follow the Astral Jumpers? Did he wish to... kill them, perhaps?

"W-- Why chase them? They've gotten over 300 counts of criminal activity in the universe, what use would you have with them," the Plogonarian ached out.

"Oh, naga any reason at all... meega just wanted to pay a visit to one of them. See how things were keeping", the mysterious assailant said to himself with a shaded grin that only served to mask his inner agenda with the girl criminal and her Variated Experiment.

"R-- Really? You... you really want to find them though? You surely have some kind of a problem if you're tailing them," the Plogonarian spat out.

The assailant was biding his time.

After a short silence, he spoke again- "Tay wouldn't know just where in the universe they would be, ih," with the Plogonarian stammering and trying to find the words.

"A-- Bu-- I-- I was hearing on a Federation news bulletin they were somewhere in the M-- Milky Way Galaxy! That's about all I know," the pale red Plogonarian fumbled with his words.

The silhouetted terror merely looked at him with another smirk, pointing the burning claw of his closer to the Plogonarian's face.

"Tay have a name, correct," he asked.

"B-- Bo-- Bob! It's Bob, sir!" he spat out in fear. The fear crawled closer as the killer being stepped backward, heading for the entrance of this mangled shop.

"Bob," he stayed silent for a moment- "Well, Bob? Tay love family very much, ih?"

Bob looked on in complete disdain at what the monster was going to do... or rather, his lack thereof.

"Y-- Yes?!" he yelled, the red-eyed being easing closer to the door.

"Then tay can go back to them," the beast said with a smirk.

"R-- Really!?" Bob cried happily.

However, that happiness was a mere ruse.

Following his move to the door, out of complete disregard for what Bob had told him, the monster fired a volley of his plasma claws into the back of this restaurant, his claws hitting a oven which had been leaking oil over the length of time it had been abandoned and...

BOOM!!

The entire restaurant had went up in an explosive fireball... Bob had no chance. Fire and debris coated the sidewalks of this desolate and destroyed part of Telon-12 following the explosion, along with a screen of smoke that pervaded the area, as if the harsh effects of war had stricken the land fierce.

Walking through the flames without any a single scratch, this red assailant stood with a smile that had little to no regard to life but itself. A smile that cared about causing anarchy to the galaxies and nothing more.

"Milky Way Galaxy, ih? Then... meega's going there. Or better yet... a friend of meega is..." the beast said raising a claw to himself with the feeling of another "job" well done.

The burning golden claws on his gauntlet reloaded themselves with ease. He chuckled to himself, his laughter turning more and more sinister with every breath.

Nearby while he made his exit, a radio that survived the blast started up with a PSA...

"...Astral Jumper threat. Also, be advised, there have been sightings of a powerful predator tracked and investigated by authorities within UGF space. This unidentified being is a extreme hazard in himself, so if you do indeed spot him, run immediately and take cover in any rational hiding spo--"

The PSA stopped dead in its tracks, as the radio was then crushed by the assassin's foot, strength that hadn't been seen in the universe since Experiment 626 was created years ago. He left no trace of his crime, yet the damage was still abound.

This assailant only went by one name. A name harrowed by the galaxies for deeds done that he himself made sure never to be linked to. A name that made everyone quiver in fear at the mere mention of him. A name that would never be uttered without death watching behind whoever said it.

A name... that would never able be traced. And he was coming for the Astral Jumpers, whoever he was...

♦ ♦ ♦

The sound of a song used for an alarm clock came about Kyozuki Yamada's room. The sound of super-chill synths and low high-hats entered the room as a glowing morning came from outside the city of Kamakura and entered into the young surfer Stitch freak's wooden yet homey room.

To Kyo, this was a relatively ordinary wake-up call, but there was someone else who was in the humble house, someone new- Yuna and Stitch.

The alarm's burst of music had Yuna groaning, groggy from her deep sleep as she hobbled up with a big yawn from what would've been a sound sleep for her.

See, Yuna was well-known to be an interesting sleeper at her age of 10- she'd snore, she'd be incredibly sound in her rest and even more was the fact she'd punch and kick in her sleep, performing a hidden art of sleep karate. Of course, this need not apply here due to her being awakened by the loud alarm.

"Guh... m-- morning already? Couldn't we have... five... five more minutes..." Yuna said, rubbing her eyes of sleep.

Stitch mimicked her, waking up with a yawn and a rub of his own eyes too, giving off the certain synergy that Yuna had with him.

Kyo on the other hand got up rather giddy- stopping the song that came from, surprise surprise, his own phone as an alarm.

With a tap of a button or two of his own Disney Mobile phone, Stitch model of course. "Ah... always a good day when you can rise with a good tune. Sleep well, dudes?" questioning the girl and the Experiment.

Yuna, whom stood in her usual pink sleepwear, gave a rather big yawn and followed up- "Y-- Yeah... the mattress your Uncle gave us could've been comfier, but I ain't complaining."

Stitch nodded and added to what Yuna said. "Ih... naga the best feeling on the back," he added.

Yuna only looked at him with a smirk after. "Says the one who has the sterner skeleton," Yuna said with a chuckle.

Kyozuki then walked over to where his own Experiment 626 slept. Back before Yuna and Stitch arrived in Kamakura, Kyo tried hardily to discipline the Experiment, soothing its savage attitude it had towards everyone and everything.

Because of this, his thinking led him to get a dog bed for Stitch- an odd move for one whom idolizes a Hawaiian and a Okinawan who proved to be clever in their own different ways with alien life. Even moreso, one of these idols was in the room right now. He kept with the dog bed for weeks though, up to now where Yuna and her Stitch arrived in Kamakura.

That said and with a nudge, he woke up his alien partner.

"Hey dude, wakey-wakey," Kyo enthusiastically elbowed the Experiment.

He woke with a moan afterwards. "G-- G'morning..." Kyozuki's Stitch said with a yawn following his move, timidly waking up.

Yuna had to give a double take at the twin Stitches- it was crazy how both of them could be so alike, yet so different at the same time.

With that, Kyo stepped back, looking at his now awake compadres.

"Well! Considering that you two haven't explored Kamakura yet, I figured it'd be best to show you around today. Hit up a few of the choice spots, maybe the GAME-Haruda shop, the beach, end off with one of the Kamakuran flash mobs we pull off down at my favorite pad here, the city dock if we're lucky enough... Sound good to you dudes?" he explained.

Seemed like Kyo was planning an all-Kamakura tour today for his new friends. Perfect timing what with Yuna and her Stitch's disguises made the night prior.

Yuna of course, gave a energetic nod- "Sure, sounds good to me! It'd be sweet exploring this place! After all, a city's not our usual stomping ground, huh Stitch?" passing a question to her blue and fluffy friend.

"Ih! Sign me up, baby!" Stitch said, excited to even be given the opportunity to explore Kamakura.

Kyo smiled at this- he was getting to go hang out with his "idols". This was a dream come true to most Stitch fans, especially given Kamakura's obsession with the "fictional little monster".

He grinned at this as such, waving the three along- "Well then, let's not bail on an opportunity like this then! Let's get going as soon as possible... you know, after breakfast and all!"

Yuna raised an eyebrow at the mention of breakfast. "Breakfast? Is your Uncle gonna be helping us with that," she questioned.

Kyo had an answer almost immediately- "Nah, nah- he's out at work right now. Coincidentally enough, my Uncle works a surf shack down at Kamakura's main beach. Of course, you dudes can't hit that place up because the moment they'd see you two in beachwear... the fandom stampede would continue once more. So when I said the beach, I've got a plan- no worries, dudes!"

Yuna's trusty Stitch only added to this- "Breakfast still means food for meega," rubbing his belly after.

Though, this still had Yuna more than a little curious- "You said it was just you and your Uncle... don't you have another adult around here? Like a Dad or a Mom?"

Kyo felt himself shrink a little at Yuna's question. He never recalled having a mother, but his father was another story entirely, in fact one he was hesitant on telling at the moment. He looked away, Yuna catching this alongside Stitch with a drop in her tone.

"It's... complicated, isn't it?" she said.

Kyozuki nodded, but he didn't let it bring him down.

"Yeah... you know, I might just tell you sometime on that. But for now, let's not be totally bogus. Let's go make up breakfast and then I'll show you around!" he said, changing a worry to a laidback optimism of his own.

Yuna and Stitch followed suit with the surfer fanboy, not wanting to be total downers. The Okinawan duo gave a raise of their arms to the air and chanted a loud "YEAH!", as if to add to their excitement of exploring their newfound friends' home.

Kyo's Stitch though, looked on at Kyo in worry. It wasn't the showing that worried the timid odd Experiment. It was Kyo himself. Just what was it about his family that had him so hesitant?

Alas, there wasn't time to dwell on that factor- Kamakura was out there to explore... following a nice and simple Japanese breakfast, of course.

♦ ♦ ♦

The powerhouse of a city was still as towering and mental as ever, but the group of Stitches, Yuna and Kyo had started on a tour around the city of Kamakura.

Yuna's disguise as Flo was working well despite a few double takes. Stitch's counter to that as Joker also worked, surprisingly alike back in Hawaii, Stitch's trial to blend in human life ended up working just as well.

Kyozuki's own Stitch though worked well as a plush, in fact, Kyo had been keeping him as still as ever when bringing him into Kamakura, even before he had managed to tame his own Experiment. Nonetheless, they had stopped by the GAME-Haruda Shop first, but the store itself wasn't anything to write home about, as it was a family run hobby shop.

After this though, Kyo's phone went off as he led Yuna and Stitch down the street from the GAME-Haruda Shop.

Curious, Yuna piped up in a rather distinguished voice- "What's up? Who's that ringing you?"

One could tell she was trying too hard to make her voice fit in.

Kyozuki looked at his Disney Mobile phone as it vibrated, a picture of a girl with a green and magenta shirt, overalls (albeit with one strap on and one strap off) and brown hair parted off and hanging on her back showed up as an icon on the digitized screen, a wallpaper of a certain already known Experiment 626 in the background.

Kyo had to exclaim. "Oh hey, it's Chiro!"

This was only met with Yuna and Stitch's off-kilter voices not far behind exclaiming the very same thing- "Chiro? Who's Chiro?"

Kyo turned around and explained himself. "Chiro Yokoi, she's been my best friend for years, dudes... wonder what she's up to?" he said.

Upon picking up and pressing the touch screen on his phone, he started talking. "Yo, Chiro!"

Yuna and Stitch, or rather Flo and Joker as they were to be known in Kamakura, looked at each other curiously. It was as if they were thinking the same thing, that sense of synergy the two shared showing.

They could hear the light bit of Chiro's voice on the other end of the Disney Mobile phone Kyozuki had as the two had talked on, it sounded bubbly and somewhat charming for a fangirl of sorts. Then again, if Kyozuki Yamada said she was a friend, chances are, they would be cool with her whenever they got the chance to meet her.

"You want to do what!? Oh yeah, I was supposed to surf with you today, wasn't I? Well... do you mind if we have company? I've got two newbies to Kamakura and I'm giving them the tour, dude!" Kyo said.

Yuna and Stitch had recalled their plan earlier- GAME-Haruda, this beach Kyo knew, flash mob, though questions were certainly abound over this beach the master surfer knew.

"Alright, meet up at the alley where you-know-what is... you know!" Kyo's tone turned into whispering into his Disney Mobile phone indistinctly before he said his goodbye and hung up the mobile device.

"Ahh... the Yamadas and the Yokois go way back, you know?" Kyo said as soon as he hung up.

After their inevitable eavesdropping, Yuna looked up, once again trying to disguise her voice.

"So, where are we going now in this city, dude? Weren't we hitting up some beach?" she said. Again, the fact she was trying to hard was definitely showing.

Kyozuki raised his hand up and waved the duo along- "Yep! Follow me, dudes!" he said.

♦ ♦ ♦

The edge of Kamakura had its fair share of dank alleyways. Of course,Yuna and Stitch had to fish themselves out of one before they were spotted and forced into hiding earlier. It was one of these smelly alleys on the southwest end of Kamakura that Kyo, Yuna and Stitch stood near, Kyo's Stitch held in his hands all the same maintaining his "plush" form.

"Ugh, dude... you sure you wanted to come here?" Yuna asked, plugging her nose after due to the foul stench. It reminded her of when her and her Stitch first arrived into Kamakura.

Kyo nodded, he knew his way. Of course, being Yuna and Stitch's guide, he better have known his way at that.

A cheery voice called down from the alley.

"Yoo-hoo, Kyo dude!" the voice sounded.

Kyo and Yuna turned around justly, looking to where the sound came from down the left of the way.

Standing there was the same girl from Kyozuki's phone, brown hair, overalls and striped shirt included. She gave quite a crazy grin to Kyo, lightly socking him with her hand as soon as they met.

"Kyozuki, dude!"

"Chiro! Heh, hopefully the walk went well?"

"You know it, man!" the two trading off friendly banter.

One could tell immediately they had history, much like Kyo had said- the Yamadas and the Yokois go WAY back.

You see, Kyo had known Chiro Yokoi since the days of grade school, her family owning a bread shop dubbed Yokoi Breads in the city. On top of this, her mother and father had acted like a second family to Kyo, especially given recent events. What those events are remained to be seen.

Chiro looked over after her usual "secret handshake"-like rigmarole with Kyo, meeting eyes with Yuna. To Chiro, all she could see was a girl dressed up in a tie-dye shirt and blue shorts with some kind of a swimsuit underneath, though something was odd about her.

Even more odder was the disguised Stitch, the punk look was off-putting enough to be believable, but she could also see something with him.

"Hey, you and you... you've got names, do you?" Chiro asked brightly with a smile.

Yuna spoke up with a nod. "Sure do, yo- name's Flo. Awesome to meet you!" she said with a smile, her disguise seeming to work well despite Chiro's suspicions of her.

Her Stitch complied too with a wave, though Yuna had to do the talking for him. "My partner's name is Joker. We're the most tubular pair you've ever seen, dude!"

Kyo looked to Chiro, whom was a little confused at this whole thing. A thought crossed his mind.

"Maybe I should tell her who they really are... we're best friends, she can keep a secret for the whole gang so we can keep our cover in the city, yeah?" his head said for him.

He had to make a decision. It was either now or later. And granted, if it was later, he didn't want her to get angry that he'd been lying to her.

"Hey, Chiro? You think you can keep a secret when we get to this beach?" Kyo said.

"Huh? Oh sure! Of course, you know my lips are sealed whenever you have anything private, dude!" Chiro said understandingly.

Yuna and Stitch looked at one another, catching on with what Kyo's plan was with a nod. Kyo nodded a more assuring nod after, waving the group ahead down the central alley path.

"Great, now come on! You guys are gonna lay eyes on paradise, dudes!" he said- alluding to this beach he was taking them to.

Granted, Kamakura's main beach on the south end of the city was the only beach the others had known, but a promise of paradise was more than enough for Yuna, Stitch and Chiro to follow down the path no matter how terrible of smell it seemed to be...

♦ ♦ ♦

Some time after going down this dank and darker route blocked off by the skyscrapers of the Kamakuran city, the group found something absolutely marvelous at the end.

"Whoa..." mirrored Yuna and Chiro upon seeing the wonder of it all.

At the end of the urban path they took, it appeared nature had hid a small and secluded beach. The sands and the city stone met up all the same as the ocean water kissing the sands farther out. The ocean was blue and clean, not as crystal clear as Yuna's home of Izayoi Island, but it still managed its excellence. A line of rocks varying in height jutted out along the sides of this place out farther to the sea, allowing for seclusion. And on both sides, palm trees and hibiscus bushes laid, keeping this place truly akin to a paradise. It was a natural marvel hidden away.

But how did Kyozuki know some place like this and manage to keep it hidden from the Kamakuran public?

"Ladies and gents, welcome to Crescent Beach! This is my little secret beach, I come here often to catch some waves in peace and relax easy..." Kyo said.

Yuna had perked up, all the while trying to be cautious as to not blow her cover just before the fact. "How in the heck did you find a pad like this, dude?" she asked.

"Well, in my treks throughout the city, I managed to find this place a long time ago when I was in public school! Walking home from school one day, I decided to trek into the alleys and after following this one and risking my nose something fierce, I reached here. Natural marvel and a Yamada well-kept secret!" his explanation delivering just the answer the group wanted to hear out of him.

"Now that's rad, dude! Amazing you kept it a secret for so long from me this long!" Chiro socked his shoulder.

Yuna piped up after his little story. "So, you're saying... we're safe here?" her voice had a tone of confusion under its Kamakuran try.

"Yep, you're good, dudes," Kyo said, turning to Chiro.

"You remember that secret I wanted you to keep? It's not this beach, but it'd be nice if you could keep it secret," he continued to his good friend.

"Uhh... sure, I'll keep this beach a secret, but what are you getting at, dude?" Chiro was obviously confused, but ever so curious about what the surfer was getting at.

"You'll see. Okay, dudes! Go on!"

"Oh, thank goodness..." Yuna said, her actual voice coming to before she took the bubbly hat off of her head, her pigtails bushing up from their held place back to normal. Stitch did equally so, taking off his tuque and scruffing up his hair back to its usual self. This move clearly revealed themselves as who they were to the Kamakuran girl.

Yet to Chiro, she could barely contain herself. She was so giddy! Why? Because in front of her eyes, THE Yuna and Stitch stood there! The ones from the TV shows and movies! Kyo knew celebrities, celebrities that were thought of as fiction!

Chiro squealed loudly, her true inner fangirl coming through. Luckily it was just them at Crescent Beach or else if this was in public, the consequences would be quite dire.

"Kyozuki, you know Yuna and Stitch!? How the heck did this happen?!" Chiro said, her excitement coming through her voice.

"Well, they came from another place, if I can make this easy... But wait... there's more to this secret!" Kyo said, whispering to his Stitch "plush" as it leaps down on its own, coming to life.

Kyo's Stitch muttered and looked around the vista as Chiro's glee peaked higher than ever before.

"You even have a Stitch too, dude!? Oh my God, they look so cool in person!" Chiro said, breathing in and out quickly in her happiness.

Kyo rubbed the back of his head with a grin. "Yeah, this is the secret I wanted you to keep from the world. Yuna and these two Stitches aren't safe out there in that crazy fanatic city. One look at their true identity and they'll freak out! I don't want that to happen to these dudes..." he said.

"That means in the city, call Yuna and Stitch here by the names Flo and Joker... you think you can keep these guys a secret, Chiro?" Kyo continued.

Chiro nodded, calming her hyperactive self down. "Yeah, dude... count on me to keep this secret! Yuna and Stitch? Uh-uh, Flo and Joker!" she pointed out.

Yuna perked up with a smile. "Thanks, Chiro. We really appreciate you doing this for us!" she said with a bow.

Chiro smiled back, though a question seemed to dawn on her.

"Anytime! Though, I gotta ask... can I have a hug with you, Yuna?"

"Huh? Uh... well, I am a lover and a fighter, so--"

"AWESOME!"

Chiro abruptly hugged Yuna before she had the chance to react. To Yuna, Chiro's hug was so tight... To a normal person, it would have felt crushing to them, even choked them. Yuna though was made of sterner stuff for a girl of 10, so to her, it just felt like a squeeze.

She patted Chiro's back after this sudden hug with a anxious grin. "Heheh... T-- Thanks... Chiro... Ichariba Chodei..."

"So, weren't we supposed to surf out here?" Chiro asked, but her question was already answered by the fact that Kyo pulled his trusty blue surfboard out from a pack on his back, though one could tell he was lugging it around the whole way.

"Yeah, dude! Hope you brought your swim things, dude?" Kyo asked.

This was met with a scoff from Chiro- "You know it, and I'm go--"

"I CALL FIRST DIBS!" Kyo cut Chiro off, running behind a palm tree with pack on his back. Chiro's face drooped after.

Yuna and Stitch didn't have much to do in order to get into the beach scene, not to mention they didn't need a palm tree. Yuna had worn a usual underneath of her disguise- her iconic swimwear made by her Gram, a red and yellow bikini top and notched shorts tied snugly. Upon taking the shirt and shorts she used as a disguise off, she was already set.

"See, this is why we planned ahead!" Yuna said, propping her hands behind her head with a smile.

Stitch dropped his shorts, shirt and jacket in addition, leaving his own usual orange hibiscus swim trunks on him. He left his disguise clothes in a pile with Yuna's disguise near Yuna's orange backpack she carried with her and nodded with a trademark "Ih!".

Yuna noticed Kyo's own Stitch in all their changing, unlike her own Stitch, he was just sitting there. Kyozuki walked out after that dressed in his own swim trunks, a red set with twin white stripes trailing down them and white string untied. Chiro already gave a hearty nod and ran behind the same palm tree and bushes he was changing behind.

"Hey, Kyo? What's the deal with your Stitch, why didn't he bring anything with him?" Yuna asked, her arms crossed.

"Well, dude- I tried to give him clothes before... but he just ripped them up. I'm sure he absolutely hates clothes. However, that doesn't mean he's not opposed to surfing though. In fact, that's why he isn't so savage as he used to be. I taught him how to lighten up what with the advice from my "idols", you know?"

Yuna immediately knew what he meant by "idols"- Lilo and herself. She smiled knowing that she was of some good inspiration to the surfer fanboy.

"Well, I'm glad to have given you some ideas to help tame your own Stitch. Sure I never could've been here before, but hey! If I was on TV, then it's something!" she said with a laugh after.

Kyo chuckled himself after, the boy seeing her modesty there and then.

"By the way, Kyo?" Yuna asked.

Kyo himself gave a tilt of his head in curiosity.

Yuna smiled at him. "Thanks for taking us in when we needed it, Kyo... Until we can find our way back home, it means a lot that you added us to your "ohana", you know?" she said- genuinely happy at his trusting move to give Yuna and Stitch some refuge in his Yamada household.

Kyo gave a smile right back to her. "Anytime, Yuna. Mi casa es su casa. I've already got enough to be thankful about from you anyways, dudette!"

She chuckled after, again- catching onto his belief in his "idols". "I know, Kyo- I know..."

Chiro, some time after, came out in her own wear. Oddly fitting for her fangirl-like nature, her swimwear was a warm-colored two-piece top and shorts combination that was modelled after a cartoon character in their realm named Marina Coralyte. The story behind her was she was a surfer girl who teamed up with fabled mermaids to beat pollution incarnate. But that's another story for another time.

"Whatever happened to ladies first, huh?" she questioned the Yamada boy.

"Hey, you shoulda called dibs, dude!" Kyo said, lightly socking Chiro on the arm, her doing it right back with a laugh.

Chiro looked over at Yuna and Stitch in their wears. It was like they stepped out of the TV with the exact swimsuits they were wearing. And that thinking got the girl excited again, but she didn't want to overdo it like she did last time hugging Yuna.

A bit after, Kyo dragged his surfboard out to the water, Chiro, Yuna and the two Stitches following atop the board as the five went off paddling into the ocean, looking for waves to surf on that day. Yuna wasn't much good at surfing compared to her Stitch or even Kyozuki himself, she was but a novice (despite the surfboard in her room), but at least it would've been fun, right? All in all, that afternoon seemed to linger well in good spirits...

♦ ♦ ♦

While the others had their fun in Kyo's hidden Crescent Beach, elsewhere as twilight had fallen, the Astral Jumpers were hidden in an alley near the Kamakura Dock, between stores that stretched out to the actual dock itself. One could see assorted graffiti abound the alley they were in. There was even one of a dapper triangle of sorts among the stylized words and art that laid in this narrow way.

At this hour, one could hear the sound of loud electro music blaring from farther out and the lights bright to boot. Yai and Kyohaku Stitch veered out from the alley, obviously catching onto this odd ceremony happening down at the dock...

"What is with that unorthodox racket? The sound of it is irritating! All these screeches sound awful... I'd much rather prefer the sound of a pleasant orchestra over this mess!" Yai said, aggravated by the noise of the electronic music coming from whatever was going on.

"Naga know, but meega naga like it much either..." Kyohaku Stitch said.

Kyohaku's ears, much like any Experiment 626, were a lot more sensitive and the loud nature of this event was getting to him as well.

"Stay here, I'm going to look into this mess..."

Yai had stepped off into the streets, blending in well with the Kamakuran people coming down the way to this odd event. And on the odd positive, she knew she wouldn't be caught out here. No one would've known she was an Astral Jumper in these parts. Nonetheless, she walked down to the happening on the other end of the Kamakura Dock.

Around her was an interesting display. The loud beats were one thing, being pumped out by a boy with a skull bandana, a T-shirt of some bigwig label and a setup of CDJs and laptop, yet a large chunk of Kamakura folk were dancing. Some of them were even taking it a step beyond and break-dancing in the center in a circle.

This kind of sight made Yai immediately not want to be a part of it.

"This is just outright stupid. Why would you want to do a dance like this to unimpressive music like that? It's just... wrong!" she had thought.

Straight as the Astral Jumper had turned around though, she was met with someone walking down the way to the Kamakura Dock... or rather five someones.

Kyo, Chiro, both of the respectively disguised Stitches and Yuna all walked down the way.

Yai looked rather nervous, her thoughts saying what she wanted to- "Blitznak! That looks like that cursed girl from the rune! If she sees me, things are gonna take a turn for the worse, if the ancient artifact was any indication!"

"Welcome one and all to the Kamakuran flash mob! It's kinda a pastime of this place," Kyozuki explained to his public.

Chiro even nodded. "It's quite a blast every time one of these happens! And they do happen often, like every odd night!" bobbing her head to the music playing.

Yuna gave a smirk, knowing she was gonna enjoy this. "Oh, this already looks radical, dudes! Where I come from, we have a dance that's sim-- huh?"

Yuna interrupted herself as her brown eyes met with someone whom looked off-key... or at least to Yuna's understanding.

It was a shorter girl with flaxen hair in big ponytails whose attire looked way different than the other Kamakurans, what with the sweater, shorts and her socks and sandals. She tried to dance, but one look could tell she was failing at even doing it, tripping over her legs once all too often. Her attempt at dancing wasn't good.

She stepped forward towards this girl as she fell again. "Hey! You need some help there?" Yuna asked the girl on her knees in her attempt of a Kamakuran dialect that matched her Flo identity.

She looked up at her with a gasp. "A-- Uhh... Nah, nah, I'm fine! Don't worry about me... I-- I gotta go!" the flaxen girl sputtered.

Yuna stopped her for a moment- "Hey, you don't have to be scared! I'm not gonna bite!"

The girl was caught in a cold sweat, but she knew her answer was still to get out of there. "I-- I'm sorry, ma'am!" she blurted out, running away, her ponytails bobbing behind her.

Yuna vaulted a hand out, trying to get her back.

"Hey, wait! There's no need to... run..." Yuna watched as the awkward girl ran off.

Though one thing about the girl's appearance stuck out to her. Her mahogany sweater's back insignia. A golden mark that looked of a cross between Tantalog and some other ancient galactic history that slanted to the left. Yuna knew Tantalog from Stitch, but not that much to know if that mark was from the language.

"Dude... something tells me I'm gonna be seeing more of her."

The girl, whom the disguised Yuna had no clue was in fact Yaiko Galaxia, ran back behind the alley she was originally hiding in, catching her breath from running that fast. She never had strong lungs having been raised in the junk piles of the galaxy and this was fact.

"Ah... t-- that was close..." she said.

Kyohaku Stitch looked to her after her rush back here. "Gaba?"

"T-- That girl saw me! You know, the one from the rune! At... at least, I think it's the same one..."

Yai brought the Tri-Rune again from her pack, looking on at the ancient picture for a moment to try and see any similarities in the girl on the left. While there were some she could note, the eyes and the curls on the side of the tanned girl's head, Yai making the mad dash had her blank on the rest.

Something slid out from under her grabbing her Tri-Rune from the pack as she held it... it was a picture. Sliding it out, Yai took a look.

Right in frame was a girl in a violet and white dress, wearing a very jagged crown atop her head. A tapestry of sorts hung from her dress as well. Her skin and look seemed to bear a strikingly odd resemblance to the girl she ran into, though her brown hair looked refined into a more regal look, twirls and strands abound. She had to have been a princess of some kind in the realms, perhaps even before Yai's time, the pic being a memoir of sorts.

Yai stared at this picture for a while. It was obvious this royal girl, whoever it was meant a lot to Yaiko before her trek as a Astral Jumper began. Why else would she have a picture of her? But that thought didn't last long before she made a sudden move.

With one swift growl, she ripped the picture into pieces, tossing them aside into the trashy alleyway.

Kyohaku looked surprised by this. "P-- Princess... tay okitaka?"

She retorted back with a harsh attitude- "Yeah, I'm fine! Now let's get somewhere less noisy before I have a headache!"

Kyohaku Stitch did a double take at Yaiko before he nodded.

But Yai had one more thing to add- "Oh and one more thing? DON'T call me princess right now! I'm not in the mood!" Kyohaku Stitch nodded once again before turning and running down the alleyway.

Yai was just about to follow before stopping. She turned around at the pieces of the regal picture ripped up and got to her knees, looking at what she did. She looked disappointed in herself as she picked up one or two of the pieces focusing from the chest to the head of this female, about ready to shed a tear. A moment of pause for her was a rarity.

"Yaiko?" the Variated Experiment called behind her.

Yai immediately perked up and stood, dropping the pieces of the picture she was holding. "M-- My apologies! I'm coming!" she said, running to catch up with Kyohaku Stitch.

With that, the two Astral Jumpers had fled the scene deeper into the alleys of Kamakura. Though Yai's hesitation to leave after ripping the picture seemed like a shot in the dark that maybe there was some good buried in the cold girl... Maybe being the keyword given her nefarious records.

Yuna on the other hand, followed Kyo and Chiro and their respective Stitches into the crowd of the Kamakuran flash-mob after that encounter. She could see clearly that this place was more a place of escape for the Kamakuran folk, all of the teenage or even older souls dancing (or even break-dancing) their cares away.

"As you can clearly see, these dudes know how to party," Kyo stated. And he wasn't wrong.

"Up on the decks there, my friend Zane handles the DJ work. He even owns the store Fashion Grunge here, so I know him well there! His girlfriend Twilight hangs out in the flash mobs... I bet she's here, isn't she?" he explained.

Kyozuki looked over to the side and found a girl of auburn hair, dressed in blue shorts, a white shirt and red sweater over her attire among the crowd as he nodded, confirming that girl was indeed Twilight. Even moreso, the boy with the skull bandana was a friend of Kyo's, Zane.

Chiro had spared no expense and started her dancing in the crowd, following their collective, switching between all sorts of moves. Kyo had kept near Yuna. But it seemed as though Yuna's curiosity had looked into the circle of people break-dancing.

"Yo, Yuna... you doing what I think you're doing?" Kyo asked.

Yuna gave a smirk and a nod to him without a word, stepping further into the crowd and into the ring of people.

The other Kamakurans looked to her for the moment, having stepped in.

"Whoa... who's this girl?" one of them asked.

"She kinda looks familiar, but man- her look's fly!"

"Is she gonna dance though, bro?"

More and more of them perked up at Yuna's entry. The others saw Flo here, a newbie about to make her mark into Kamakura. But to herself, she knew she, meaning Yuna, was gonna rock this circle, the build-up of the new song playing matching her entry.

The moment the electronics did their thing, Yuna leaped right in, spinning and moving to the beat in a form that the others hadn't seen. She was break-dancing, yes- but for a girl her age to be pulling moves like this? It was an awe. Yuna's agility and endurance not only in her island's "eisa" dance, but also her blackbelt mastery in karate helped her pull off these moves without delay. She even did a one-handed handstand, flipping into another dance move. Every move she performed, the crowd was more and more enticed.

Kyo was in awe, as was Chiro. This was the "idol" they knew so well? Say it ain't so! She had a crowd going as well with her performance.

"Go, go, go, go!" they cheered as she continued to the beat playing out.

One final build up on the track playing out and she did one incredible kick turning into a flip in the air and landed with ease, all without losing her bubble hat or blowing her cover. The rest of the Kamakuran crowd went nuts at the sight of it.

"Man, girl- what's your name?" one of the admirers asked the disguised Yuna.

"Name's Flo. Just... Flo" she said.

"Flo? Whoa, where'd you get those moves?" another of the crowd had asked.

Yuna shrugged. "Guess it was just natural for me, dude!"

The crowd had raised her up high, crowd-surfing her across the waves of dancing mad souls.

"FLO, FLO, FLO, FLO!!" they now cheered as she was carried about with a grin.

Being careful in the city was one thing, but being accepted was another. And it seemed like Yuna did just that.

Kyo looked to Chiro with a smirk- "I think she'll be a fine fit in Kamakura, don't you think, dude?"

"No worries there, dude!" Chiro retorted with a giggle.

And with that display, the rest of the night of the tour had been a success...

♦ ♦ ♦

After the Kamakuran flash mob had packed it up for the night and the stars in the sky had fallen over the city, Yuna, Kyo and the gang walked back up the way back to the Yamada home down on the southeast end of the city. Yuna, or rather Flo managed to make her mark on the city well tonight, plus Kyozuki managed to get to show her the whole of Kamakuran culture. Needless to say, it was an awesome day...

Chiro gave a yawn.

"Bro... that was awesome... thanks for inviting me for today, dude!" she said to the taller Kyo.

Kyo nodded, holding his Stitch close to him akin to his "plush" form. "Yeah, anytime Chiro! Tonight was a trip and a half. But I think this is where we break off here, huh?"

"Yeah, agreed... Dad'd be wondering where I am and all."

Yuna spoke up in her normal voice, since no one was around, bowing to Chiro.

"It was sweet meeting you tonight, Chiro!" she said, her Stitch doing similarly in synergy.

Chiro turned to Flo and Joker with a overly gleeful smile- "Ditto, meeting you guys was a dream come true!"

Kyo retorted back with equal way- "You and me both..."

Yuna gave a grin and a chuckle. "Well, I'm glad!"

However, a voice cut into the conversation like an iceberg crumbling.

"You kids are out awful late, aren't you?" it said rather lowly.

The group looked at one another before they turned around to find to find an adult man dressed in a black suit with an equally black pair of shades on his face, an intercom on his ear. His look said it all to the group of teens slash Yuna and Stitch.

"Well? Going to answer the question?" he urged.

One might recall him from the night Kyo found his own Stitch, but he wouldn't have known or even seen this person. The real question to everyone here was "who was this guy"? And what exactly did he want?

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