A/N I just figured 8 deserved a little characterization and I wanted to explore why he was so loyal to 1.
'9' and it's characters belong to Shane Acker and Focus features. I own nothing.
"I'll never understand your loyalty to him 8..."
The large stitchpunk didn't ponder 7's remark very long. He knew exactly why he followed 1. Others didn't have to understand it, so long as he did.
When he had activated, the scientist had brought him down the stairs and given him to a soldier. "Take good care of him."
The soldier simply nodded and snapped his hand to his forehead in a salute. 8 remembered doing the same before they left. He wasn't sure how, but he felt it was the right thing to do.
Then his world was plunged into chaos.
Bits of metal were flying through the air and people were screaming. Some of the soldiers they were with fell and didn't get up. There was a man in front of the group that was making hand signals and every time he did the soldiers stopped or ran.
When they stopped in an abandoned building 8 tugged on the sleeve of the soldier he was with. "Why are you following that one man?"
The man didn't even look surprised 8 was talking. He just smiled down a moment before looking ahead once more. "He's our leader. Every soldier needs a good leader. Otherwise it's even crazier out here."
Then the man they were following came up to them. "Okay Jenkins, we gotta set him down here." He turned to 8 and said with all seriousness. "It's too risky to take him any further."
8 nodded was set down behind a wall. The soldiers then headed out into more of the chaos. Before he left though, the soldier called Jenkins turned to the stitchpunk and snapped another salute. 8 did the same.
He never saw Jenkins again.
He sat there for who knows how long. What was he suppose to do? The explosions were getting louder and there was a new sound. A metallic whining sound that scared 8 a little.
Suddenly, another stitchpunk ducked behind the wall, his head covered by a cone-shaped piece of metal. He glanced back outside before he noticed 8 was even there. "Who are you?"
"I'm 8." 8 cocked his head. "Who are you?"
The other stitchpunk was wandering over to a helmet that had been left behind. "1..." After inspecting it for a few more seconds he turned to 8. "Can you lift this?" 8 simply nodded. "Good. Get over here."
In a few moments they were on the move, the helmet providing a fairly decent shelter. A few times it was knocked off by a running person and once, a piece of metal went through it and nearly hit 1, but it was better than nothing. 8 regarded his fellow stitchpunk when they were stopped for a moment. 1 was really smart and knew exactly what to do. Even when that metal nearly hit him he had just charged on ahead.
8 had found his leader.
A/N Well, if you liked it feel free to review.