There was another one somewhere out there. One had seen him. He had seen him hiding in fear in the toy shop. He was currently heading there, dodging humans left and right, avoiding machines more fearfully. He ran forward and dove through a hole in the wall. When he had passed into the shop, he looked around carefully. He saw china dolls, some of which lay broken on the ground. He saw toy trucks and planes. He saw tin soldiers and little drums, whistles and balls. He felt sad. They would never get played with by little girls and boys. One doubted if there even were any girls and boys left. They were too slow.

Shaking off the melancholy feeling, he began to look around. There was no sign of life. One went for where he saw the creature had been cowering, behind a pile of ragdolls. He smiled at what he saw. The little creature lay there, sleeping deeply. One crawled in beside him. He lifted his head off the knot of cloth he was using as a pillow and instead put it in his lap. One then proceeded to doze until a bang sounded outside. Two, for that was the number painted on the mismatched back, jumped violently and sat up, looking frightened.

"It's alright. That was a grenade," One said soothingly. "And it sounded like it was far down the street."

Two blinked and tilted his head curiously. "You're a Stitchpunk, too!"

"Yes."

"What's your number? Where did you come from? When did you get here? Were you watching me sleep? Why? How did you know where I was? Did you see those huge machines? Why are there so many humans running around? Do you know where Maker is? What is—"

"Slow down!" One gasped. "There is plenty of time to answer questions. Now, I'm One. I came from my hideout in the library, which is right down the street. I got here maybe an hour ago. Um, what were the other questions?"

"Were you watching me sleep?"

"Every few minutes, yes."

"Why?"

"Because you look different than I do. I think you look interesting."

"You look interesting, too. I studied your schematics. May I look at your insides?"

"Um, sure."

Two eagerly unfastened him and parted the fabric. He looked around, touching this, tracing that.

"I could watch my internals work forever. Yours are just as interesting," Two finally murmured, tapping on something that made One yelp.

"Hey! That feels weird!"

"Oh, sorry," Two said sheepishly as he closed his new friend and buckled him back up. "I'm still learning. Maker said I had the potential to be a doctor for our kind. But in order to do that, I'll have to study everybody's insides and see how they're set up and how they work. Do you think I have what it takes to be a doctor?"

"I think you're a very curious Stitchpunk. And that could be a dangerous thing."

"Why?"

"Because the humans are at war with the machines."

"Why?"

"I…I'm not sure…Something about a specific machine going crazy and sending war machines everywhere to kill all life. That's all Maker would tell me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. The way he acted was as if he had something to do with it."

"Why?"

One felt annoyed. "I don't know."

"Oh. Alright. I should have asked. I was too busy looking at everything in his workroom and bedroom. I didn't know he was going to abandon me."

"I know what you mean. I tried to follow him and nearly got stepped on."

"Why are we so small?" Two asked softly.

"Would you stop asking me all these questions? I don't know the answers to half of them."

"Oh, I wasn't asking you. I was just wondering."

"Oh. Alright then."

There was another bang and Two huddled close, whimpering in fear. One wrapped an arm around him and shushed him gently.

"We need to get back to the library," One muttered.

"You mean, go out there?" Two gasped, optics tiny circles.

"Yes."

"But the humans can kill us just by stepping on us!"

"Follow close behind me and you'll be fine."

After a harrowing run, Two sat on One's large makeshift bed and cried. One held him, rocking him back and forth.

"I know. I know. But it's just the way the world is. Shh, it's alright."

"I-I'm scared."

"It'll be alright."

"Aren't you scared?"

"Yes. I'm even more scared now that you're here."

"Why?"

"Because Maker said I was to be in charge until a leader was chosen, you know, since I'm the oldest."

"You're scared of being the leader?"

"I'm scared of messing up."

"Oh, One, we'll be fine." Two yawned. "I'm tired."

"Good. Let's sleep."

"What about the booming?"

"You won't even notice it after a while."

Two yawned again and curled up under the piece of cloth. "Where'd you get the blanket?"

"I cut it from a flag that had fallen."

"So pretty. Blue with white stars…"

"The edges have strips of red and white along it."

"Mm…" Two drifted off to sleep and One lay there and stared at him. He was in charge of somebody. He had somebody to be responsible for, somebody to lead around, somebody to care for. He did feel scared. What if he messed up? What if something bad happened? One swallowed. He would deal with it one day at a time, just as Maker had suggested.