Being One Of Us: An alagorical story of innocence, family and understanding.
Author's Notes (revised): Being One Of Us is my novel-sized fan fiction written in the format of a sequel to the flim, taking place several years after the ending. The story will include several OCs who play major roles in the plot. The story is somewhat of an allagory, an allagorical story is a story in which characters or setting repersent both what they are in the book and also a person or group of people. Pay attention to colors, I often use them as foreshadowing; for example, Gold = Joy/Love/Stitchpunk beings, Blue = Fear/The unknown, Green = Life/Unity, Red = The Machine/Beasts/Anger, Gray = Solitude/Mystery, Black = Death, White = The Past. I will also include short bios of the characters as they're revealed at the bottom.
Being One Of Us
A story of understanding
The ruins of the once-great human civilization where starting to be redominated by the Earth. One might not be able to tell as the land looked utterly lifeless. But if we look closely we see short green moss is growing the cool damp places beneath the demolished buildings and growing on the small patches of suitable soil. The rains have returned the plants where allowed to grow. The patches of soft moss had a green glittery glow to them - a green glow these lands have seen before.
All the humans were dead but life was recognizable in some form. Scurrying across the dead civilization was a small single surviving machine. He balanced himself on many thin silver legs, his one-sectioned body had many glowing red eyes. He was similar to the, now extinct, ant. The nimble little machine stopped at a small patch of moss next to a non-human made memorial. He looked at small circle of graves made of twigs and sections of fabric labeled "1", "2", "5", "6" and "8" honoring the passing of the small rag doll-like creatures. The machine angrily kicked some dust upon the memorial for the creatures that destroyed his kind and his creator. He quickly made his way to the center where a gold medallion was placed in the ashes of a fire pit. The ant machine snatched it and placed it atop his body.
He took the medallion and pressed its three buttons in the same order he has watched the human-like dolls do before. A bright green smoke was sucked from the moss and into the medallion. A strange reaction but he had no time to process it now. The ant machine scurred away.
The machine quickly make his way over the spilt entrails of the human-homes. He came upon an open space void of plant life because of its fine sand. Half-buried in the brown dust was a heavily damaged figure of steal. He had many arms, several sections of his body attached to a tail once that kept him attached his factory and at last was his eye where all his programing and knowledge was kept.
The brain of the Fabricator machine was the only peace salvageable. The ant machine spent much time attempting to repair its creator and has been successful. All he needed now was something to power him. Most machines can run on oil or electricity but both where out of the question.
However, the Fabricator could run on another power source: souls. It is a mystery how this is possible but we know how he goes about it: using the gold talisman he can suck up the green energy from a victim. The ant machine offered the gold trinket to his creator and pressed the three buttons in sequence.
The symbols on the talisman flashed a bright green and a beam of green shot from it into an outlet on the Fabrication machine. A low rumbling sounded and the Fabricators single red eye lit up again. He had one priority on his mind: revenge on the puny human-like creatures.
The ant machine was startled by the sudden awakening and accidentally dropped the talisman. He was immediately ordered to retrieve it by the creator. He quickly scurried down the sand and toward the talisman that rolled by to the nearby memorial, back where it was found.
A sound! The machine looked around the large open human-street littered with stone ruins. Someone is coming! It was one of those strange doll creatures. While he was programmed to attack the doll, he did not; he had not the aid of his many fallen machines and he had something much more important to do. Later the machines will regain the talisman but now they has to regroup in secrecy
At the memorial one of the surviving human-like creatures looked silently at the graves. He was the last born of his kind, the Stitchpunk, labeled with a "9" on his back. He walked to the center of the monument and picked up the talisman and used a thread he found to tie it around his neck.
He and the other Stitchpunk where created and brought to life using the talisman with pieces of the soul of one human survivor we can only call the "Toy Maker". The Toy Maker is dead now, giving his last bit of life to 9 so that he may restart life on Earth.
However that story is over now, he had been successful but not without losing five of his friends. 9 missed them all dearly and visited this memorial often to remember them.
1 was, at the beginning, the self-proclaimed leader with a sour temper but he quickly lost influence over the others - he was the last to die, sacrificing himself to save 9. 2 was an intelligent, fearless and somewhat eccentric inventor who was however frail and old - he died because of a tragic accident. 5, 9 probably missed most, had missing an eye and had a meek personality - he was unable to escape the Fabricator in time. 6 was a strange artist who brought premonitions though his art and words that 9 only understood - he sacrificed himself for reasons nobody fully understood. 8 was none-too-bright but robust and powerful - help came too late for him.
9's memories grew fainter and fainter every time he came here. It was almost maddening. He didn't want to forget them. It was at this visit he started to speak to the memorial.
"7 and the twins aren't really much company - I mean they're nice but it's not much. Not like before, with you guys around" But there was no answer, 9 continued, "We really haven't had much time to get to know each other though"
The memorial was still.
"You'd sure be help with preserving the human-city and taking care of these new green plants too" But there was still no sign of life
"I really miss you" He said at length, "Can you hear me?"
Nothing. Then he shouted;
"Can you hear me?"
When nothing answered him he left the memorial with his head hung low watching his copper feet drag through the green moss. Suddenly there was a green pulse in the moss. 9 quickly rose his head and looked back to the memorial. The fabric on the graves ruffled and he was blown by a calming warm wind. He smiled at the wind and the purple sun-set sky. They could hear him!
Characters (In order of apperance/mentioning)
*~* Stitchpunks *~*
9 . . . To Save Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from burlap, hands and feet molded from copper. Body held shut by a brass zipper. Normal height. Most advanced and refined of the Stitchpunk beings.
Details - Perviously defeated the Machine, now lives in peace with the other three surviving of his family, 3, 4 and 7. Is unable to let go of his departed friends and visets the Memorial often seeking guidance.
1 . . . To Protect Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from canvas, steel claws, poorly constructed. Held shut with two belt straps. Of average heigtht and skinny figure. The firstborn of the Stitchpunk beings.
Details - Once the protective self-proclaimed leader of the Stitchpunk, lost his influance quickly once 9 appeared. Upon realizing he was no longer a use to the group, killed himself to save 9.
2 . . . To Inspire Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from a mix of burlap, canvas and leather put together in patches, bronze hands and worn wood feet. Held shut with a shoelace. Weakest and shortest of the Stitchpunk beings.
Details - An elder and kindy inventor and medic. Killed in part by 1's intention and a mistake of 9's.
5 . . . To Guide Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from pale burlap with a leather eyepatch, copper hands. Held shut with two bronze buttons. Smaller than average.
Details - Reluctant student of 2's and map-maker. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.
8 . . . To Gaurd Us
Number Placement - Shoulder
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Half of his body was burlap, the other an canvas-like material, steel-and-copper hands and feet. Large and bulky. Held together with two clips.
Details - A devoted fallower of 1. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.
7 . . . To Defend Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Bleached canvas-like fabric skin, copper hands and feet, held shut with a blue-green button. Smaller and more nimble than the majority of the others. Large scar on back from a battle with the Cat Beast many years ago.
Details - Perviously a loner and Beast-slayer, after the defeat of the Fabrication Machine now lives with 9, her apparent mate, and 3 and 4. Still retains her independant nature.
3 . . . To Teach Us
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Broader face, larger and hands and taller than 4.
Details - Child-like and twin of 4. More curious, outgoing and more easily hurt than his sister.
4 . . . To Define Us
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Smaller mouth, hands and slightly shorter than 3.
Details - Child-like and twin of 3. More cautious, rational and shy than her brother.
*~* The Machines *~*
The Ant Driod
Allegiance - The Machines
Gender of Species - All Male
Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attatched to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.
Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.
The Fabrication Machine
Allegiance - The Machines
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attatched, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, apposable tail attached him to his Factory.
Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the exermination of life. Killed by 9.