Mable: I've been planning this fic for a long time, since back when I wrote my fic about Six's suicide attempt and the others' attempt to help. This is sort of… Eight's trial, if you would, but unlike Six's tale this one will be broken into chapters. I've just had such a bad writer's block; I'm thinking maybe writing something different may help me work over it. Especially when I'm feeling such a high inspiration for it. Anyway, I don't own 9, Enjoy!

Magnetic Attraction

Chapter One: The Addiction

There were some things that the Stitchpunks just did not talk about. Nine learned this from his short time living with them. Neither One nor Seven talked about whatever happened years ago and caused her to leave with the twins. Six didn't like talking about visions that he had gotten wrong. While Two had rescued Five, and Five was comfortable with losing his eye, he didn't actually like talking about the events around when it happened. One and Two also didn't talk about the Scientist even though they knew him best; Nine assumed it was a mourning mechanism.

Yet there was one thing that Nine had to mention as he had clearly seen it in the act, and it involved Eight. Eight was the quietest of the group. At first Nine assumed that it was because Eight had nothing to say, but upon knowing him longer he realized that it was instead because he let One speak for him. The Guard wasn't dimwitted like one would assume either, he just kept mostly to himself and did his own thing. Sometimes he did things that Nine didn't understand and during one of these incidents boldly asked the others.

"Why does Eight use that magnet on himself?" Nine asked out of nowhere. He purposely waited until he had a few of the others together in the workshop. One and Two had been talking about finding a chessboard, Five was arranging tools, and Nine strode in with the question on his lips. Needless to say, the three simply stared for a few moments. Then One turned further and inquired, "He's still doing that?" There was obvious displeasure in his voice and Nine nodded. "I noticed it earlier… Why? You've seen it too?" He feared that the others would shut down the conversation.

"Of course I've seen it," One growled in frustration that wasn't aimed towards Nine. "And I thought he had stopped." Two also looked upset, but in a softer and more concerned way. Five simply looked awkward in the corner. "I… Yeah, he's still… He's still doing it," Five added in, confirming that he knew about it. "Then why didn't somebody tell me? I thought I was very clear on the matter!" One snapped again and Two stepped in. "Well, obviously just talking hasn't worked. I didn't really think it would, but I had hoped it wasn't…" he trailed off.

"I thought magnets were used for sedation," Nine remarked and Two solemnly nodded. "They are, but smaller doses can be used for euphoric responses." One started out of the room and Two called after him, "And where on Earth would you be going?" He already knew, One knew it and yet spat back, "To deal with this again. Excuse me." Then the Leader vanished through the curtain. At this time Nine was still a bit unsure about the whole thing. "I think I understand enough. Why is One so angry about this?" he dug deeper and Five took the liberty to explain.

"Eight's been using the magnets for years, and for more than just practical use. I think it was after an injury or something, but he started using it and couldn't stop. He's still using them now, apparently," Five joked at the end. Two took his own turn, "There's a few complications that can arise from this, but the biggest trouble is that we don't know how magnets will affect his core," he tapped the side of his head to clarify. "If years of use could cause something disastrous we wouldn't be able to know until it was too late… The fact that there may be addiction involved is also concerning."

"I guess you don't want something like that hanging over your head," Nine concluded. "Literally." The other two nodded and he glanced to the doorway. "But One told him to stop?" They both nodded. "Back at the Cathedral One had forbid it. He uh, forbid a lot of stuff. He used to have this list-," Five set his hands apart as though to measure said list. It actually made Two chuckle a little; Nine thought it sounded a little forced. "Ah yes, that list. I was almost surprised when it didn't return." He grew more solemn, "But magnet use like this… I wasn't against it."

"How doesn't it put Eight to sleep? When we used it on you for your legs you could barely stay awake, and before you did you said whatever you could." It had been a bit amusing at the time. Even with Two undergoing massive surgery, under magnet he had babbled and laughed, and then fell unconscious. Two got a slight smile, "It's a tolerance. You see, if one of the twins were injured and used it they wouldn't have even been awake as long as I was. Eight's used it so long that his body doesn't react the same to it. He feels euphoria without exhaustion."

"Then how do you even work on him?" Nine asked in alarm. Five quietly admitted, "We have to use a stronger one… But Eight usually deals with pain alright." Nine was slowly starting to see why One had been so upset. From what he was hearing it sounded like this magnet was something to become concerned about. "Why doesn't he just stop?... I guess it's not that easy," Nine knew he was somewhat naïve, but it quickly occurred to him that nothing would be easy. "I think I understand..." Five and Two continued discussing it in concern while Nine stepped out.

"What do you think One's going to do?" Five had asked his mentor. Two didn't seem very confident, "Most likely he'll confront Eight, call him out on still doing it, may try to confiscate the magnet… You know Eight, he won't argue with One, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll stop. Unfortunately, he listens to One so well on everything else that I have no doubt One will believe him if he says the right thing." This didn't bode too well for Nine who decided he needed a second opinion. He headed into the twins' study, able to hear One upset nearby as he did.

The twins were pasting newspaper clippings into their book while Seven watched nearby. From her set aside helmet and spear it was possible that she had just finished working on them and was taking a break. "Hey!" Nine waved and crossed over to sit beside her. She smiled back to him, "Afternoon, Nine." The male waited only a minute before asking, "Hey, this might sound weird… But you know about that thing Eight does with his magnet, right?" Her brows raised a bit in surprise, "His habit? I do, but I didn't think that you knew."

"Apparently One thought he stopped. That's what he's yelling about; I asked him, and Two and Five, about what it meant." He noticed that the twins were looking over and waved to them as well. He then noticed her lack of surprise as she reached for her helmet, holding it briefly. "You knew he hadn't?" She gave a nod and slid the helmet on. "I had a feeling he wasn't going to stop just because One said to. He just stopped doing it as visibly. Usually he goes somewhere, like his room. Sometime when he knows One's not going to come looking."

She sighed a bit in distress. "I do wish he would stop though. I don't trust magnet use beyond when it's completely needed." Nine nodded in understanding. He felt like he was getting somewhere and dared to ask more. "Do you know how frequently he uses it? Or how long? Is there any sort of side effect afterwards to tell?" Seven tapped her fingers on the book beneath her. "He probably uses it every couple of days, but I'm not sure about anything more. Eight and I don't spend a lot of time together outside of sparring." A new voice suddenly broke in, "He uses it every day."

Nine blinked and turned around to stare into the space behind the lift and the book. There was a lit candle that he could see, but nobody else. "Six?" he inquired in confusion and right afterwards a face could be seen peeking out. "Back here, I'm working." He was then gone again and Nine looked to Seven, a lopsided smile on his face, then stood and headed behind the book. Six had a little setup in the area; half-filled inkwells littered the floor, finished drawings laid out to dry, and a large piece of paper was currently tacked onto a titled book like an easel.

Six's arms were drenched in ink from the elbow down. He had been going all out on the paper hung before him and was currently staring it down like it offended him. Nine approached and took a closer look; there looked to be a few unfinished buildings already sketched in, but not much else. "Is it the city?" Nine asked in interest, and Six hummed in response. "It's a city… I just don't know which one yet…" He pursed his lips and raised a hand to his lips in a thinking pattern. He must have not made contact though as there was no ink on his face when he lowered it.

"You know about Eight's habit as well," Nine stated in a bit of confusion. "How frequently does he use it?" Six now dragged his mismatched optics from the drawing and to Nine instead. "Every day. Sometimes once, sometimes twice, always before bed. Doesn't use it long, but he still uses it the same way." It seemed that Six knew the most about Eight's habit, which truly took Nine aback. After all, One hadn't even known he was still using it and the two of them were so close. "And side effects? Anything that might make him stop?"

Six pondered this only for a second, "…He can't focus as well afterwards. He gets afraid, afraid someone will be able to notice it on his face… But he won't stop. Eight doesn't want to stop." Nine protested a bit, "But if he did want to stop. Two said it could be dangerous, maybe we could convince him." Six suddenly got a skeptical look. Again, not like his normal behavior. Six was usually quiet but helpful, happy and interested in his work, but now Six seemed much more calm and concentrated better than usual. It suddenly occurred to Nine that Six must have slept the night before.

"Eight won't want to," Six spoke and Nine asked, "How can we be so sure? Maybe Eight can't stop." For a second Six got a disturbed look and moved his hands to rub his key, "Eight's predictable. If he can't stop, if he's become too needy on it, he won't stop." Nine bit his lip, knowing Six was right. "But he's not stupid, if we had enough evidence he would half to stop." The smaller shrugged, "Maybe. Eight's not stupid, he definitely isn't, but he lives in the moment and sometimes he doesn't… I don't think he thinks for long term. I think he's afraid to."

It seemed to make enough sense. Nine gave Six a smile, "Well, thanks. You're the only one who was able to give me this much." Six smiled back sheepishly, "It's nothing. I just- I've been around Eight for years. I know him. I know him better than One does." With that confident statement finished he returned to his work, and Nine was lost in thought again. He started to head back to the study when he stopped with a sudden idea and glanced back. "Six… If we all, let's say, sat down and talked to Eight about this, insisted he stopped and that we helped him, would you do it?"

The Artist paused midway through a stroke of his hand. He slowly looked down, thought, and then looked back. "…Okay." That was all he said and elected a warm smile from Nine. "I'll ask the others. Maybe if we all tried we could do it. Good luck on your drawing!" He hurried off while Six lingered there, his mismatched optics dropping towards the floor. He didn't have to see things before they happen to know that this wouldn't be as simple as Nine was expecting it to go. He looked back to his drawing and tried to focus his anxiousness into it.

Nine sat back down beside Seven and the twins now approached in their curious way. Their optics flickered in curiosity and Nine explained, "I just talked to Six about Eight. I'm thinking maybe we should all get together, sit Eight down, and talk this own." Three and Four tilted their head before looking towards Seven as she spoke. "Talk? Nine, we've tried talking before. It doesn't work. Eight will say anything to keep going," Seven pointed out. Usually Seven's doubt didn't bother Nine, but for some reason he felt slightly annoyed at the dismissive response.

"I know you think that and I know One will think that too, but doing nothing isn't an answer. Has everyone tried sitting down together and talking to Eight?" The twins shook their heads in answer. "We need to all stand together if we want to show Eight how serious we are. Trust me, I'm certain of it," Nine firmly reassured the female and the two twins. She wasn't fully sure if she believed this, but gave a nod. "Alright. If you can get the others to agree, and Eight, I'll make my input. The twins too." Three eagerly nodded and Four hesitated, but then got a look from the other twin and nodded too.

"Thanks guys. We'll need your support," Nine smiled at them and stood. "I'll go ask Five and Two now and try to find One later." Seven smirked a little, "It might be a while. Once One starts yelling he has to run the whole track or he resets." The twins seemed to giggle with flickering optics and Nine chuckled in agreement. He then dismissed himself and returned to Two and Five with his plan. As he explained it he certainly noticed the concern on their faces, the uncertainty, but he insisted his point further. "Eight is always able to dismiss or run, but this time he can't."

Unsurprisingly, Five was the first to back Nine's ideals. "That's true, Two. One tells him, you tell him, he walks away from me, but we never all tell him at the same time." The Healer smiled to the zippered male, "I think we should do it!" With this Two smiled, "It is certainly worth a try. What did One say?" Nine hesitated for a moment as he remembered the last Stitchpunk he had to ask. "I haven't asked him yet… I don't see why he'd disagree, right?" Two gave a nod, "I don't either. One can be very reasonable."

Nine and Five shot each other looks. Two must have noticed as he chuckled and continued, "I'm serious. One may seem stubborn, and he is, but he is rational and I see no reason why he wouldn't see this as an excellent opportunity." Maybe Five and Nine weren't as sure, but Two's confidence managed to persuade the zippered male further. He dismissed himself and headed out to find One. Thankfully One wasn't far, unfortunately he was practically stewing as he paced the marble floor.

"I have told him how many times about the dangers and he still goes to ignore me! Lies to me! How can I trust him as a guard when his lips spill nothing but false promises?!" Nine wasn't sure what Eight said to One, but to him it sounded suspiciously like he had blown his leader off with false promises. Both Two and Seven had acted like this wasn't too far out of the question. "One," Nine announced his presence. "I've been thinking about Eight's problem with the magnet and I have an idea on what we can do."

He didn't wait for One to chime in and continued. "We could all confront Eight at once. It would keep him from running, we could make him hear our concerns, and maybe it could convince him to stop." He then waited for the Leader's reaction. He took a few moments to ponder it. Then he abruptly broke in with, "Yes. That sounds more than fitting." Nine blinked in surprise, "Really?" One furrowed his brow, "Of course. Why would you ask me if you thought I would say no?" Nine coughed, "Uh… No, I was just… So how do we do this?" Nine offered mostly to get One's opinion and make him feel more involved.

One knew Eight better than Nine did anyways. If anyone would know it would be him. "I'll lead him into the study. He won't ask questions if I say I need his assistance. You will have the others already in there, waiting for the confrontation, and we will stack the evidence for him and make certain that he listens." Nine nodded in understanding, "The others are all willing. I'll get them together." He started to stand when One stopped him, "Wait until sunset. Eight will find it strange if I suddenly want him following me after reprimanding him."

He brushed off his cape. "In the meantime you and the others should think over what you are all going to say. It is of dire importance that we are convincing and persuasive, or this may fail as well…" One suddenly got a saddened look. "And I don't know where I would go from there…" Nine reached out to pat his shoulder, "Don't worry about that, One. We'll handle it… We'll get through to him, we have to. If Eight really does have such a big issue, then he won't be able to ignore it any longer." One obviously agreed and didn't push Nine's hand away.

"Let us hope this will solve all of our troubles," One spoke and then the two parted ways. One to wander around contemplating his thoughts and Nine to go update the others on the plan. This could go either way, but in the end he knew that it was Eight's call. He hoped that he would make the right one.

Mable: Stay tuned for the next chapter where the group finally confronts Eight on his addiction to the magnet. I hope everyone enjoyed!