Here's a new Nine story with a different twist. This is humanized and set in modern day. And to clarify ages: Three, Four, & Six are 16; Five, Seven, & Nine are 17; Eight is 18; Two is 19, but he's a prodigy, so that explains the med school; One is 20; and Zero is about 24.

This is a new shot for me. It's going to get a little intense in a couple chapters when we get into their pasts and why they've come together.

"There is another one?" One asked slowly, leaning on his staff.

Six nodded, his black, shoulder-length, wild hair going in every direction. His silvery eyes were wide, and One hummed as he took in the news.

"So?" Two asked after a few minutes of thoughtful silence. "What are we waiting for?"

"Where is he?" One asked, ignoring the second of their number.

"He's going to be in Israel in three days."

"Israel…" One hummed then shrugged. "Zero! Buy us airline tickets to Israel!"

"How many?" Zero asked, tapping on the keyboard.

"Eight. You are our base of operations. We'll need cellphones."

"Already got those covered," Zero said, heaving up a box. He handed each of his companions a cellphone.

"These are also videophones, GPS, internet, pretty much your standard iPhone, save they're better because I made them."

"Of course," Five said with a smile. "But what satellites are they going to be linked to?"

"All of them," Zero said with a grin. "So you should have no trouble whatsoever getting internet or coverage."

He went through a brief demonstration with them then got the tickets.

"Your flight leaves in four hours. I suggest getting down to the airport," Zero said with a nod. "Eat on the way there. You've got only brief layovers."

"Thank you, Zero," One said, then they packed a few things and left.

Two drove one car, Seven the other. Six rode with One, Two, and Eight.

"Tell us more about this Nine," One said, looking back at him.

Six blushed and looked down, playing with his hair. "I…I would rather you just meet him."

Eight glanced at him. "You okay, Six?"

"Huh?"

"You never say stuff like that. You tell us as much as possible about everybody who even comes to our door. The others say you told them everything about me that you could without prying into personal stuff."

"I don't do personal stuff. I see the future, not the past."

"Does that mean that Nine sees the past?" Eight mused.

Six shrugged. One had watched the whole thing then snorted.

"You know next to nothing about this boy, don't you?"

Six whimpered. "I'm sorry. But he's just as, you know, energetic, as I am, and I don't know if it's natural or if he's blocking me or what."

"What does this boy look like?"

"He's got Five's body structure," Six answered, closing his eyes. He frowned and opened them again, looking angry. "He's got piercing golden eyes, messy golden hair, kinda like mine looked like before I let it get long, he's got a pale skin, and a lot of freckles all over his face and shoulders and arms."

"Calm yourself," One said soothingly.

"No! I can't see him again! I'm sick of not being able to see him!" Tears began to wind down his face, and Eight unbuckled and slid into the middle to hold him.

"Easy, Six. Easy. It's okay."

Six pressed into the large chest, crying out his frustration. By the time they got to the airport, he had stopped crying and was listening to some of Eight's music. He was eager to meet this Nine, though there could be hiccups, like there were when he had joined.

He was by far the weirdest out of all of them. There were many strained moments. None of them had never really gotten along together until Six had had a vision-induced fit so violent that it had scared them way beyond terrified. It had happened because Six had been using his magic to keep his fits inside. When he had come out of it, One had demanded to know what that was. Six had been so ashamed, and he muttered out what he had been doing. They had listened then One looked around.

"We haven't been good to you, Six. We haven't been good to each other. Forgive us."

He had forgiven them, and they all asked each other for forgiveness, too. After that, their relationships were never the same. They weren't strained, not anymore. Zero had stopped hiding in technology projects. One had relaxed his harsh demeanor and became more open. Two had stopped trying to psychoanalyze them and keep them at a distance like a therapist. Three and Four had pulled their heads out of their books. Five had become less shy and more involved in their activities. Six stopped holding in his strangeness. Seven had opened herself to all of them, not just the twins. And Eight had stopped bullying.

What would this Nine be like? Six wondered as he sat down and buckled in. They were all in first class, and they were all sitting together. Six was sitting by Eight.

"So you really can't see anything?" he asked once they had taken off.

"Not really. He's got a lot of magic, like me. I don't know if he's doing it on purpose."

"Who knows," Eight sighed.

"I can't wait to meet him!" Six sighed, relaxing back. He felt somebody staring at him, so he opened his eyes to see a middle aged woman and her husband staring at him. A vision flashed in front of his eyes, and he came out of it to see them gawking at him; he couldn't help it that his eyes turned lime green every time he saw a vision.

"Don't get on the rollercoaster," he said. "She's pregnant and will go into labor. He'll be two months premature and will have to have a surgery."

They looked confused, and she stood up to pat herself. "Do I look pregnant to you?"

~Two, Five, there has to be a medical reason!~ Six begged over their bond.

"Ma'am?" Two said, grabbing her arm lightly. "My sister didn't even know she was pregnant until she went into labor. She didn't show. Some women don't. I'm a medical student. Zebulon has hunches, and they usually turn out to be correct. Definitely go to the doctor. I'm a med student, so I know the typical signs of pregnancy. Let me walk you through them, if you don't mind."

She glanced at her husband. "I'm too old, and we've given up hope…"

Six's eyes flashed again as he saw them in the hospital holding a healthy baby boy. He relaxed back in his seat, smiling through the rest of the flight. As they were getting off for their connection, the woman grabbed him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you."

Six nodded, following his leader to the other plane. Three and Four kissed his cheeks, teasing him.

"That wasn't as bad as the one with the dog and the car," Five said helpfully.

Six grimaced at the memory. "Did he have to call me the spawn of hell? I couldn't help that I saw that happening."

"Don't think about it," One said with a frown, turning to look sympathetically at him.

"Yes, One," Six said. "But…nightmares?"

"As much as I hate to say it, block them on the plane. Other people aren't used to your fits. But as soon as we get a night to ourselves, we'll be there to hold you while you scream."

Six nodded. They hardly got any sleep that night. When they landed in Israel, Zero had already gotten them a large suite in the hotel. The refused another room, and they tucked Six into bed. One patiently sat beside him as the others lay down wherever there was space. Two and Five got into the bed with Six while Three, Four, and Seven took another one. Eight went over to sit on the floor beside One, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes to rest.

"I'm sorry for all the fuss," Six muttered, looking at the floor.

"Hush. It's no trouble," One said. "Relax. Let them come."

Six did so. He hoped that Nine would get there soon…