Mable: So here is my fic for the 9 anniversary, and my new chaptered fic in general! ^-^ It feels so good to get back on the horse again. Now you're probably wondering about 'When the Wolf Watches' and 'Magnetic Attraction', and I am still working on them. Basically they are on hiatus for a while because I've been so stuck with them, but they are not cancelled, and they will be finished in due time. Anyway, I hope everyone Enjoys! (Also, you may notice I'm trying a new type of formatting. Tell me what you think if you'd like!)
Our Inner Beasts
Chapter One: And so it Begins
It was unbelievable what one second could cause.
In one moment the pale warrior was plummeting to the Cat Beast, which moved its claws upwards desperately to block itself. In a surprising chance of luck, it managed to deflect the blow from its neck and instead the Stitchpunk landed on its back, its spear digging into the Beast's shoulder. "Run!" she called over to the remaining Stitchpunks watching; being Two, Five, and Nine. The Healer helped the Inventor to his feet and they started to run out the way they came in, only for Nine to run in the opposite direction.
"Nine!" Five cried out desperately after him, but Nine hurried over to where the Talisman had been left. He grabbed it and placed it into his zippered front before the others could get to him.
"Nine, hurry! We don't have much time!" Two warned in dread and Nine nodded before following.
"Which way?!" Nine asked, struggling to keep a clear head as he followed them.
Five struggled to think and suddenly spotted what looked like a metal pipe that went out of the Factory. "Maybe over there!" They dashed over as the Warrior, Seven, continued her assault on the Cat Beast. It was leaking oil from its wound and yet agilely rolled over, tossing the Stitchpunk off of its back as it growled towards her. It swung a claw forward and she rolled back out of the way, then dashed off to the side. Once she could see that the three had escaped she abandoned the battled and followed closely behind.
The Cat Beast lunged at her and landed in a puddle of water settled underneath some metal remnants, her barely skipping past its claws and continuing towards the tunnel and out. The Beast was prepared to follow when it stopped at the opening. Its claws grasped the edge of the tunnel as it watched the dolls running further out of sight. It growled after them, released a roar of anger, and then moved away from the opening. The oil was still leaking out and it needed to address it sooner than later. The Cat Beast retreated back inside of the factory.
It quickly got to work tightening a bolt that had been jammed out by the impaling spear. It would have to eventually be replaced, but for the moment it was enough, and now the Cat Beast approached the hidden Machine blanketed in the center of the room. It was more important that he did what he needed to. As it headed over to the center of the room and looked around it found that the Talisman it had brought, the one that's pattern was imprinted in its head, was now completely missing. It began to search around frantically, digging through the remnants, scratching desperately with sharp claws like blades.
The Talisman was certainly missing from the area and it let out a bellow of a roar in fury. They had to have taken it, it had lost it, and with it went the last chance to awaken its creator. The dolls had to have taken it and it knew it would have to go after them again and retrieve it. Yet after years there was a strange hopelessness, even for a creature that didn't feel something like that. Instead the Beast felt something different, a new idea forming with a confused drive that seemed to come from nowhere.
It couldn't survive as it was for much longer. All of the other Machines had fallen into endless slumbers, perhaps their leader had done so as well, and yet the Cat Beast seemed to survive onwards, as did the dolls. They were doing much better physically as well while he was falling apart. Something about their bodies kept better than his own. He supposed that if he was one like them he would live longer, live fine, and finally he decided that this was the only chance. For hours the Cat Beast pondered what he was going to do.
He couldn't survive much longer with these dolls managing to somehow overpower him, nor could he continue to substitute repairs on his own. It was obvious; he had to become like them and with that became his plans. Immediately he began to scrape through the metal pieces and loose objects lying around the factory in the attempt to figure out a way to create himself a new body.
"It's no trouble," Seven insisted with a warm smile as the three saved Stitchpunks looked at her with adoration, especially Nine.
"It certainly was! Why, the way you handled that Beast- I don't even want to imagine what would've come if you hadn't appeared!" Two insisted graciously.
Five added in with, "Why don't you come back with us?" He gestured back towards the Cathedral which she had escorted them back to. Nine hoped that she would say 'yes', but Seven got a disturbed look and gently shot the other male down.
"My work's out here. I can't go back to the Cathedral." She followed with a smile, "But I'm always nearby if you're in need." Two chuckled warmly, Five smiled sweetly, and Nine smiled in a goofy fashion, though was clearly disappointed as the female lowered her helmet and hurried off into the Emptiness. The three waved after her until Two stretched his back tiredly.
"Well, that was quite a day! Come, let's retire into the Cathedral. I think I may need a rest in a proper bed." As he led the way Nine and Five followed in relief. Five seemed to have gotten a great boost in confidence and Nine simply reveled in the slipping away of his guilt. However, there still was something that pressed at his mind and he turned to his friend.
"Five…" he began, "Should we tell Two about what One said? How One wouldn't go after him." It was as though suddenly the Healer had a shock of the memory and stared blankly ahead.
"I… I don't know…" He looked downwards, "I mean, One has his ways, but that was… Should we tell Two?" He seemed utterly torn and Nine contemplated it. He had to be honest and couldn't let One merely slip by when he had been so unhelpful beforehand, but at the same time Two was tired and stressed already.
"We should… But I guess it can wait." Five looked concerned and Nine sent a hopeful smile in an attempt to ease them both.
This was when Two called back to them, "Come along, you two! We should get into the Sanctuary in case that Beast comes back for a second battle!" Both of the Stitchpunks hurried their pace and climbed into the bucket lift, raising into the Sanctuary at a slow pace.
As they started to enter the upper area One was already waiting with a cold look in his optics and Eight at his back. "And should I even begin to ask-?!" One began in a loud and furious tone. Five winced at the anger and Nine glared, almost prepared to yell back and point out how they saved Two. Instead One was cut off by a choke and stared in surprise at the Inventor, "Two… You're safe…"
The Inventor smiled back, "Indeed I am. Though I don't much appreciate you scolding my rescuers." He stepped out of the lift and guided the two out behind him. One still looked surprised while Eight looked a little relieved and Nine caught a glimpse of a figure briefly peering from the shadows. "But for now we need to make proper sleeping arrangements for Nine for tonight. If you'll excuse us." He beckoned to the two Stitchpunks and guided them into the back, One watching with widened optics the entire time.
Nine felt a slight amusement and a brief smirk twitch at his lips, even though now he was feeling worse about not telling Two the whole truth. They entered the back hall and Nine was led to Two's room to grab extra blankets, then into Five's room where they made him a bed on the floor. "It's not the best, but we can make you a real bed tomorrow," Five insisted and Nine smiled at the idea while Two chimed in.
"You certainly can. Especially if Nine builds as quickly as he did here." Nine looked over to see Two studying the Lightstaff he had set down briefly. He felt a bit of delight at seeing the Inventor interested, but also concern.
"I- Sorry about using your things," he apologized insistently and Two chuckled.
"Don't worry about it! This is much more useful than a lance, and I already have a second hat almost put together. It just needs some minor things."
Naturally Nine immediately volunteered, "Maybe I could go out and find them for you." He offered and Five added I that he would go as well.
It was now that a new voice volunteered, "I'm assuring that this doesn't mean you two plan to immediately go right back out into that danger?" One's tone was supposed to be strict, but it seemed like he was still in a shocked state about Two, who spoke.
"It's not that dangerous. That Beast… It simply put me in a cage. It trapped me instead of killing me… I wonder why."
He hummed in thought briefly and One chimed in, "It doesn't matter why! That thing is still there, waiting to attack again!"
It was now that Nine volunteered, "Well, if it does, at least we have Seven to back us up." It was a clear retort of bitterness and One looked to him immediately, "You… What?"
Now Five tried, "We found Seven. Or she found us. She came in when we were at the factory and fought the Cat Beast. It was incredible!" He was beginning to grow more confident again while One was fighting his widening optics.
"I… Well… The twins? Did any of you three see the twins out there?"
Nine blinked in surprise, "Twins?"
Five and Two shook their heads in response. "No, we didn't. However, I didn't exactly expect Seven to bring them along for a Beast hunt in the Emptiness," Two explained to answer him.
One scoffed a bit at the comment, "It isn't as though she has before, right?" His tone was again laced with bitterness before finishing with. "You all had a long day. Get some rest," Then he left just like that, Nine still frowning to himself. One was acting significantly less aggressive than earlier, but what happened earlier still bothered the younger extensively. Even the ever present presence of Eight wasn't there when previously he had been following like a hawk. Regardless he again stilled his tongue and worked with the others to make a bedding.
"This should be enough," he encouraged when a proper bed looked made. "Thank you for doing this."
Two put a friendly hand on his shoulder, "It's no trouble! Though I'm ashamed to admit that we could've made a bed in the time it took to rescue me." He chuckled again in a friendly way and reached for Five, guiding him closer before bringing both into a one-armed hug. "Thank you both again. I'm not sure what would've happened if I was there much longer."
Nine put an arm back around Two while Five fully hugged him, holding him tightly to him as though he feared that Two would vanish. "I would always go after you. Just finding out you were gone…" Five trailed off and Nine noticed confusion and questioning in his optics. Five wanted to know why Two was out but didn't ask.
Soon Two pulled back and added then, "Just know, both of you, that I would always return the favor." There was a tender warmth between the three as Two now released them and headed for the door. "I'll be just next door if you need anything," he added in and then left. Now Five and Nine were left alone and the zippered male immediately laid down on his bed.
"You know; you did have to get stitched earlier. Maybe you should just take my bed."
Nine waved it off, "No, I'm fine. The bed's comfortable." In fact, it was so comfortable to the male that he fell asleep relatively quickly.
After hours of working ruthlessly, stretching what he had adapted to know about Machine mechanics and doll frames to its highest degree, the Cat Beast had achieved some sort of progress. The skeletal structure was starting to come together a bit, but there were more issues appearing. Firstly, the Cat Beast knew there would be trouble trying to move actual part into the body while awake, incredibly risky and difficult, and it also was becoming obvious that it didn't know what was under the fabric other than a basic frame.
While it could estimate well enough it seemed like it needed more, and desperate times called for desperate measures. He needed a model to work off of and a willing, or unwilling, assistant that could be frightened into working. Maybe it was a risk, but that short Stitchpunk was a clever one, and it had no doubt that success laid with it. Besides, the Cat Beast was at a standstill regardless, and as it finished tightening a bolt it knew its next move. They were hiding in the large building in the city; all it needed to do was wait and then strike and bring one back here for final preparations.
Nine woke after a weary night of tossing and turning. It turned out the bed really wasn't as comfortable as he thought, but he had a partial memory of Five waking him in the middle of the night and offering to switch with him. He glanced over to see that Five wasn't in his bed currently and couldn't fathom how he was awake and working yet. Looking over towards the doorway he could see that he wasn't alone. For a second it almost threw Nine off as it was not only a new Stitchpunk, but a very strange looking Stitchpunk.
A clash of stripes, yarn hair, and fountain pen fingers. Nine blinked at the male and he spoke, "How?" He seemed shaken and blinked, "How…. Could you?"
Nine assumed he was being accused of something, "How could I… What?"
The strange male murmured, "I saw- Two wasn't supposed to come back… It was supposed to happen, we aren't supposed to be here." He explained with a shiver as though of distress and Nine started to climb out of bed, growing more interested.
"You saw what? Why weren't we supposed to come back?" Suddenly it clicked; the pen fingers coated in ink, the ink drawing of the Beast. "You drew that picture! You're…" Then he remembered what Two said, "The one who drew that Talisman?"
The Artist suddenly looked to him in alarm, "You have it?! Where is it?!" Nine unzipped himself and presented it, and the male took it with shaky fingers, looking down at it. "But I… I saw it…" He looked back to Nine and quickly explained. "When I see something like that it happens. It always happens. How did you… Change it?" He then looked down at the Talisman, "I've never changed it before."
Nine was still confused, but was starting to understand it a slightly bit more. "You saw that something would happen and it didn't?... Alright." He didn't fully doubt him; Two had made it apparent that this Stitchpunk knew something. "What was supposed to happen?" The Artist turned away and Nine could see the '6' on his back.
"I-It's foggy… You, the others, in the factory, umm… There's a fight- The Beast, the Beast is slain. You take the Source." He raised it, "and slowly…" He pushed it forward as though putting it into something before stopping, mismatched optics widening as the Talisman drops from his hands and is juggled by Nine. Before the zippered male can ask, Six grabbed his shoulders, "Listen to me!" He suddenly blurted out in commanding. "Don't go back! I don't care for what- Don't go back!" Six demanded as he shook Nine.
"I-I won't!" Nine insisted, "I only went to go get Two. I don't plan to go back…"
Six insisted just as firmly, "Good. Because you think the Beast is dangerous, but inside that factory is something much worse. The Beast can hurt us, but it will kill us." Something in the comment sent a chill down Nine's spine. Six released him and looked down at himself before looking embarrassed, "I'm sorry. I'm… I'm a little…"
He trailed off and Nine insisted with a warm smile, "Hey, no, it's okay. I… Thanks for warning me. I believe you and I'm not going anywhere near the factory for now and this…" He looked to the Talisman, "What else do you know about this?" Six clutched his key and massaged it softly with a worried look.
"Oh, hey! Good morning!" Five's voice interrupted the conversation and both jumped and looked over. He was smiling and looked like he had been awake for a while, "I see you met Six."
Nine gave a lopsided smile, "Where have you been? I didn't expect you to be awake so early!"
The one eyed male looked embarrassed, "Well, I haven't been awake that long… You could've taken my bed. I went in with Two last night." He had found sleeping too difficult after everything from the day and only had rest once he climbed in bed with his mentor, letting the Stitchpunk who was like his father pet his head and put him to sleep. It was embarrassing to admit, but Five wouldn't have been able to go to sleep otherwise. "So what's the plan for today?"
Nine got an amused, lopsided smile, "You tell me. I'm the new one here."
Two had entered at this point as well and chuckled at the comment. He then winced inwardly, "Ah… It's a shame I lost all of the things I found while I was out."
"They're just things," Five encouraged back, but Nine hesitated and offered.
"We could go out and get them. It isn't too far."
Five looked unnerved and Six looked fearful. "Where?" he demanded, "Where are these things? Out there?" Nine reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder; Six reacted with a shiver as though he wasn't used to touch.
"Relax, we're not going to the factory again. I promise you," he spoke with a smile. Now Five took his turn, "The Beast could still be waiting out there." Nine looked to Two who hummed.
"Hmm… Well, I for one haven't learned my lesson, so it seems," Two quipped with an amused smile. "Come! Let's check out the Watchtower and see what we can see!"
Soon enough all three were perched in the Watchtower looking out at the Emptiness far below them. They had lost Six on the way who went to draw in his corner and now Two peered out through the spyglass. "I'm not seeing anything…" He murmured softly and then pulled back, "Five, you take a look. Your vision is better than mine."
Nine smothered the crack of an amused smile at the irony as the two changed positions and now Five stared through. "No, not from what I can see. No Beast."
Nine perked at this, "That's great! We can outwit the Beast and get the supplies! Who knows how long until it even notices anything, or if it will even come back after that fight with Seven."
This caused Two to chuckle, "Oh yes, no doubt that the Beast will be hiding with its tail between its legs after that assault!" He pumped a fist in a mock victory pose and Nine chuckled.
"Alright, here's the plan," Five abruptly announced as he turned towards them and stepped down. He sounded very authoritarian in a way that surprised both of the Stitchpunks. "I'll go with you to get the things… But Two, you need to stay," Five pointed out firmly.
Two was surprised at the comment, but caved with a firm nod. "I understand. I'll wait here while you two go. Just be careful." The younger Stitchpunks both agreed and began preparing for their journey, grabbing Five's harpoon, quiver, and Nine's Lightstaff.
The three headed through the throne room to reach the lift and at this time One took a step forward. "Where are you two going now? Didn't you get enough of the danger and horrors of that war torn world?" One's voice was filled with suspicion and something that almost sounded like fear. He looked towards Two directly, "And you, kidnapped by a monster and now eagerly heading back out." Two chuckled off his accusation as though One had merely recited an anecdote. Though personally Nine had a feeling One replayed these comments just as much.
"Oh, One, don't be like that!" he insisted with his normal warm and affectionate demeanor. "Nine and Five are heading out to get the things I left when I was taken. It's close by and these two can handle themselves." He rested a hand on Five's shoulder.
One retorted with a firm, "Absolutely not. After that… Disaster, you expect me to just allow you to waltz out of here?" Nine was surprised that Eight hadn't wandered over because of the steady rise in One's voice. Looking past him he found Eight over in the corner. Six was kneeling on the floor drawing in the curtained corner that Nine assumed was his bedroom and Eight was leaning against the wall beside him. He had a mix of a smug look and a smirk on his face as he flickered at the Artist's yarn, clearly trying to bother or annoy him.
However, Six seemed either immune to it or used to it, as he continued focusing on his drawing without a problem. Nine resisted the urge to head over and try to run Eight off as he already had trouble for the current moment.
Thankfully, Two didn't bat an optic. "I know, One, but there were so many good things I found. Healing supplies, extra bolts, a suitable replacement lens… I also found something I think you would've been interested in," Nine and Five already knew what Two was doing. "It was about… Oh… about this size around and made of what looked like gold leaf, with a small gem in the center of it. I believe it was once a button," Two continued to describe. "Now I couldn't use it, but I thought it would've looked nice if made into a proper cape clasp."
One looked stirred, but not fully convinced. "I already have a cape clasp that works perfectly fine. No amount of bribery is going to get you out of this Sanctuary."
Two looked alarmed, "Bribery? Goodness me, One, how can I bribe you with something I don't have? I think you are suspecting too much of me. I simply thought maybe it would look good on a second cape. You know we have that burgundy fabric downstairs…" He hummed like he was in thought rubbing his chin, "And of course it wouldn't be too out of the picture for the leader to have two of anything."
"Of course not. If anything, I should have enough to change throughout the day," One pointed out.
Two insisted, "At least one for special occasions. The burgundy and gold would contrast each other very well."
Now One gave a nod, "Yes, and how long would it take?"
Two quickly answered, "Not very long at all! In fact, let me go get everything now and I can begin working. The fabric is in the workshop, I believe. Come along, Nine, Five, you two can accompany me." He slipped into the lift and the two followed. They started to descend.
"Stop," One suddenly announced, hooking his staff on the edge of the bucket lift, "Do you not think I don't know what you're doing?" His optics narrowed in suspicion and Two stared back with a blank look. "You want to get down there and head out to get those things. Wordplay doesn't get you anywhere, Two," He growled and Two approached him.
Suddenly he lay a hand on his ties, "I promise you, One, I have no intention of doing that, and I promise- On my own fabric- that I won't be stepping out into the Emptiness." There was a silent moment where the two just stood there staring each other down.
Then One pulled back, "See that you don't." He turned in a sudden motion and headed to his throne as Five turned the crank. They slowly started to descend when Two added in.
"Oh One, wordplay gets me everywhere I need to go," for a brief second his playful smile turned into an actual smirk before reverting to normal, and Nine smiled back.
"You're clever, Two," he complimented and Two responded with, "Clever like a fox."
Mable: So in one split second, when Seven was supposed to have destroyed the Cat Beast, she missed, failed, and now something different has taken place. Everyone trapped in the web is oblivious to what is coming, what they have stopped, and how it's about to affect them… Except, you know, maybe Six.
Working on my other fic has allowed me to see that it's easier to tend to a fic, especially a multi-chaptered one, if I take care to post the chapters in a timely manner without trying to rush them out. So I'm going to try and balance finishing the chapter on time to creating a chapter worth reading, and hopefully I'll manage both. I hope everyone enjoyed!
