Another old Nine story that I decided to finish today. I'm on a roll this past week, aren't I?

Five was pacing. He felt embarrassed and angry all at the same time. It wasn't fair! He was stressed. Very stressed. One yelling at him hadn't helped. Then Two had snapped at him. Snapped hard, too. The curse words had come unbidden to his lips and he swore at them for a good five minutes. One had been so shocked that he hadn't even called Eight, who was just as shocked, to stop him. He had stood there panting, shame catching up with him quickly. He ran from the room and to the secret passageway that everybody knew about. Now he was pacing far away from home in the Emptiness and it was getting dark.

Five swallowed as fear settled like a weight in his gut. He took a deep breath and started searching for a place to sleep. He was going around a corner when he ran right into the Cat Beast. He yelled and froze. But the beast didn't attack. It just stood there staring at him. Five slowly unfroze and looked up. Something was on its back. No…someone.

That someone slipped down and walked forward to study him. He walked around him then stopped in front of him. The strange Stitchpunk, who wore a dark blue cloak with a deep hood, got up on the beast again then held out his hand. Five hesitated, but one glance at the sky told him that being with a stranger was safer than being out in the Emptiness. He took the hand and was hoisted up onto the beast's back.

Five wasn't used to the rough ride and was grateful when it ran into a house and up some stairs. They settled in a room just as vision was mostly lost. The Stitchpunk led him through the rooms to a large object covered in cloth. Five climbed up after him. He was pulled to lie down and sighed. Whatever he was lying on was softer than his bed. The stranger silently curled up next to him and something covered them. Five's mind was burning with questions, but he was exhausted from his long run and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Five woke up refreshed and lay there with his optics shuttered for a while. There was a shift beside him and he opened them in surprise. Had he and Two finally soul bonded? Or had Six come into his room again? He turned to see a stranger's face relaxed in sleep. He reached down and was relieved to find himself closed. That meant he hadn't soul bonded. He turned slowly to face the stranger. He touched his face gently, tilting it this way and that as he looked it over.

Suddenly optics opened to stare at him. He looked alarmed and shot backwards. They stared at each other for a moment before the previous night's events hit them. They both relaxed. Five stood quickly and plopped down beside him.

"Thank you for letting me come here. I'm very grateful," Five said with a smile. The stranger nodded, patting his hand. "What's your number?" The stranger rotated and revealed a nine on his back. "Oh. Well it's good to meet you Nine." Nine made a few gestures with his hands, smiling. Five frowned. "Can't you talk?"

Nine looked embarrassed and turned away. Five was alarmed.

"No! Don't be like that! The twins can't talk out loud either."

Nine shrugged, shyly gesturing several times.

"No, really, it's alright. A soul bond would help you be heard."

Nine looked curious, drawing a question mark in the air.

"May I?" Five asked gently, gesturing at the zipper. Nine nodded.

The youngest Stitchpunk was slowly pulled open and Five gently took out his soul. Five then opened himself up and pulled out his own soul. Both of them noticed how Nine's soul was a much darker shade of green, but that didn't matter.

Five cleared his throat. "Now, soul bonding is just a mingling of souls. Once our souls mesh properly, which can take up to three hours, you and I will have a link, and we can share thoughts and feelings over it. Understand?"

Nine seemed to mull the information over before nodding. Five gently guided the two green orbs together, bracing himself for the initial contact. The jolt left both of them breathless. Five was fascinated, and he didn't care if Nine knew it. His new friend's mind contained knowledge. Lots of knowledge. It rivaled the twins' knowledge. Not just one of them—he easily outstripped one of them alone—but both of them together.

Within that knowledge was science, human medicine, mechanics, astronomy, architecture, literature, and he couldn't forget language. Nine knew at least ten languages besides English. German, Spanish, Greek, Italian, French, Cherokee, Chinese, Japanese, Swahili, and even Scottish Gaelic. Fishing around some more, he discovered two dead languages, Latin and ancient Greek, that Nine could read and write in.

~Damn, Nine! You're a genius!~ Five felt Nine blush over the link.

~I've been alone for such a long time. Learning was the easiest thing that passed the time.~

~How did you learn all those languages?~

~Oh, Father knows them. They were passed down to me. I'm glad they were. The library is very rich in languages. It's no big deal.~

~No big deal?! Oh Nine, this is wonderful! The twins will love you! You can teach them so much.~

Nine smiled at him for a brief moment then looked confused. ~Why were you out there in the wide world alone? None of you but Seven ever does that.~

Five blushed over the link then showed Nine the memory. Nine frowned.

~Could they not sense you were stressed? You know, over the link?~

~I've never soul bonded with them. Either way. One and Two are soul-lovers and One is very jealous. He never lets anybody else soul bond with Two.~

~You sound bitter.~

~I love Two. He's my best friend. I want…I wish…~

Nine felt a longing that wasn't his own. A longing to be held and understood better. Nine hummed over then link and nodded.

~I see. Have you conveyed your desire to them?~

~Well, no, but One would never allow it. He's a jerk.~

Nine shrugged. ~I would suggest doing so. Do you have any soulmates?~

Five smiled fondly. ~Six. He's the only one that'll let me touch him. He understands me so much. It's lovely. And it makes me feel loved.~

They sat there for hours, just enjoying each other's minds. They didn't know when the connection settled into place, but they didn't care. They actually fell asleep snuggled together. When they woke, their souls were back in place. Nine sat up and stretched.

~Well, that was lovely! Can you still hear me?~

"Yep. Nice strong connection. Now you don't have to be silent!"

Nine grinned. ~Yay!~

There was a noise and suddenly the Cat Beast leaped onto the bedside table. They had been lying all night on the bed on a soft pillow. Five squeaked in fear and cowered back. Nine smiled at him and drew him over to the table, which was a small jump away. Five stared at the machine hesitantly, but when no threat seemed present, he relaxed. Nine moved him forward.

~Come on. Pet him.~

When Five tried to draw back, Nine walked him forward and stretched out his hand. The older Stitchpunk flinched as his hand settled on the skull of the cat. The Cat Beast purred and bumped his hand. Five gently scratched at Nine's prompting, causing the machine to move forward then lay down.

~See?~ Nine said with a laugh. ~He's nice and cuddly.~

"Well," Five said after a minute of just petting the cat machine. "He's nice anyway."

~Would you rather cuddle with him or One?~

Five laughed. "I think I'd take the machine."

Nine smiled and they pet the cat, who Nine said was named Skull. They eventually stretched and Nine led Five into the bathroom. Five looked around when they had climbed onto the sink. Nine plugged the bottom and ran some hot water.

"What are we doing?"

~You're absolutely filthy! You're getting a bath.~

"Oh. Okay."

Nine taught Five how to properly clean himself, draining the water when they were done. They ended up on the desk.

"You have a lovely home."

~Eh, it works. It's not really fit for somebody our size, though. I have ropes hanging everywhere to help me get to places.~

"Whatever works, right?" Five asked with a laugh.

Nine smiled. Suddenly his head nodded, as if he was tired, and a green mist came out of his mouth as he exhaled. Five stared in alarm as his optics flashed violently and he collapsed. Five rushed over and stared in shock. He quickly unzipped his new friend and began to look for the problem. Three minutes later Nine woke. He stilled Five's hands as he sat up.

"What happened?" Five asked shakily.

~Visions of the Civil War.~

. "You see visions?"

~Yes. Of the past. From what I understand, Six sees the future. One is supposed to see the present, but he has a block on his. It's not really a conscious block either. It's just a defect in him.~

"One?" Five laughed. "I don't think so."

~It's the truth. I have seen him in my visions very often, though like I said, they're set in the past. Have you ever noticed that he shivers and grabs his head sometimes? Or that he trips and nearly falls over after a violent jolt?~

Five's laugh of denial caught in his throat this time. He could remember One doing those things very clearly. It had caused him and Two a lot of concern. While One had never let the middle Stitchpunk touch him, he had let Two. Two had reported that there was nothing physically wrong with One, other than the natural defects from being the first one the Scientist had designed.

"What are you saying?" Five asked slowly.

~I'm saying that I believe those actions are caused by visions attempting to get out. They're rebuffed by something every time. I don't know why, but Six hasn't unblocked them. If I could get close enough, I think I could, but we'd have to get him away from Seven and Eight. I could take them down with ease, but then One would probably run.~

"Don't look at me," Five said. "I'm not doing anything to risk Eight's wrath. Have you not seen him? He's huge! Not to mention strong. And not the brightest."

~Eight's smarter than everyone thinks. Including himself. Start treating him like he knows what he's doing and you'll be surprised.~

"But isn't he ruining his mind with the magnet? I mean, using one for surgery's fine, but he sneaks off and uses it a lot."

~Magnets don't ruin our minds. It's like drugs for humans without the negative side effects. It just makes him feel good. Don't you want to feel good, too?~

"Well…"

~I can prove it.~ Nine said with a nod. He walked over and pushed a small box out. ~Inside this box is a magnet. It's a very powerful one. So to equate it in human terms, we're about to get drunk. Or drugged out.~

"Wait a second!" Five yelped as Nine opened the box.

Suddenly all Five knew was a blessedly wonderful sensation that made his whole body tingle. It wasn't buzzing, like what he felt when he was with Six, but it still felt amazing. He never wanted it to stop.