OK! Here is chapter 2! I'm sorry it took so long –bows- but college is a betch and work is even worse. Thank you so much to all who subscribed. Now…on with the fic!

Disclaimer: Same as last time geez…

The rope that's wrapped around me
Is cutting through my skin
And the doubts that have surrounded me
Are finding their way in

6 paused in front of 1's throne room. He nervously glanced back at 9. He didn't really know what was going on any more than the younger stitchpunk did. 1 hadn't bothered to tell him exactly why he wanted 9 to be brought to him. And 6 was too afraid to ask. All he knew was that 1 had taken his paper as a reassurance that he would do as he was told. And he wanted his precious paper back. Honestly, it was completely unnecessary. 6 always did what he was told. But 1 could be…paranoid.

"Would you like to me to go in first?" 9 asked, sensing the others distress.

6 wrung his hands together and nodded. "I think…that would be best."

9 patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It's just 1, you know? Just because he and 8 like to bully us doesn't mean you have to be afraid." He glanced behind him to where the twins were standing, talking amongst themselves. "I think you guys should stay out here though." The two crossed their arms, clearly offended. "I know, I know. We'll just be a minute, okay?" 3 and 4 rolled their eyes in unison but didn't protest.

9 entered 1's throne room with 6 trailing nervously behind him. Sure enough, 1 was expecting them. He was sitting on his throne and when the pair entered he leaned forward slightly and smiled. "Well, well. It's about time you two showed up."

8, who was standing beside 1, agreed with the leader. "About time."

"What is it that you want, 1?" 9 asked. He stared up at the other unflinchingly. He hadn't been around as long as the others but he was already tired of 1's condescending attitude. He didn't for the life of him understand why the others put up with it. They were all worth so much more than 1 had them believe.

"There you go again with your juvenile attitude. But no matter…this is precisely the reason why I called you here today. It has become increasingly obvious to me that you have no regard for the rules that we have had, and have kept us safe might I add, since before your very awakening! Your blatant insolence is a danger to us all. So, I have taken it upon myself to remedy the situation."

9 fought the rising urge to facepalm. "Oh, really? How do you plan on doing that?"

"So glad you asked." 1 sneered. "8! Produce the scroll!"

"The…what?"

"The really long piece of paper you fool!"

"Ohhh, right. Right." 8 reached behind him and pulled out what appeared to be thin white paper wrapped around a cardboard tube. 1 grasped the scroll. "What I have painstakingly prepared for you here is a list of every rule that currently applies to us as a group."

1 held the paper by the end and let the rest roll down the steps of his pedestal. "As you can see…" The list rolled across the floor. "The list has gotten…" it rolled past 9 and 6, then right out the door. "Quite extensive over the years." 9 and 6 followed the scroll with their eyes and watched as the twins started documenting the thing in the next room.

"You've got to be kidding me…" 9 murmured.

"Lot of paper…" 6 said almost approvingly.

"I'll have you know this is not a joking matter, 9! I expect you to read this list thoroughly, lest you make any more dangerous mistakes."

9 picked up a section of paper that happened to be near him. "Just when was the last time you updated any of this?"

"The list does not need to be updated. It's perfectly fine." 1 huffed.

"Don't you think you should revise it depending on…"

"Absolutely not! This is the foundation that has kept us alive all these years! I will not have you tempering with it!" 1 began to roll the scroll back up.

"This is…completely ridiculous." 9 said, for lack of any other argument. He knew that 1 could be set in his ways, but this left him utterly speechless.

"Ridiculous…" 1's optics narrowed. "What's ridiculous is that you think you can waltz into our group and try to change things. I don't know if you've noticed 9 but nothing good ever happens when you're around. If you want to keep things running smoothly around here I suggest you take this seriously." 1 held out the scroll as though challenging 9 to take it.

The younger stitchpunk gulped back any retort he may have had. Do I really mess things up? Does everyone notice? Damnit… 9 stepped forward and snatched the set of rules from 1's hand. "Alright. I'll look them over."

"Excellent. We have an agreement."

"S-s-speaking of agreements…." 6 piped up in the back ground. "You said…y-you said.."

1 scoffed at the striped stitchpunk before snapping his fingers. 8 stepped forward and plopped a large stack of paper in front of 6 who scooped up his belongings with joy before scurrying out of the room. 9 once again bit back a sharp comment against 1 and exited the room as well.

6 was already setting up his supplies and the twins were eager to see what his next drawing would be for he seemed to be impatient to get started. 9 sighed and shoved the scroll unceremoniously into his tummy-cavity. "I'm sure 5 will at least get a kick out of this…" he murmured as he made his way back towards 2's workshop.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"A kiss. A kiss?" 5 pondered over the new word. It was strange…he had never seen anyone kiss before. But now that he thought about it, it seemed…nice. Frederick and Amelia seemed to enjoy it a lot. The two in the novel that is. He was becoming quite attached to them. He should really do this reading thing more often…but no matter. He now knew what had to be done. He must engage 9 in this "kiss." And then…well, he didn't know what would happen after that. Back to the book then…

THUD!

"Well, that was a complete waste of time." 9 sighed as he entered the room.

5 looked up from the book, startled and oddly embarrassed. "What happened?"

9 smiled and pulled out the scroll. "What else? The Hundred Year Old Encyclopedia of Rules, written, edited, and never-revised by our glorious leader. I hope your book is a little better?"

"Erm…yeah. It's about…feelings."

"Feeling what?"

"What? Oh…no. Feelings. Emotions. You know, like anger or sadness. Happiness and love."

"Love?" 9 scratched the back of his head, trying to remember if he had ever heard this word before. "What's that feel like?"

5 could feel his face becoming warm as his gears quickened their pace. "It's…a really strong Like for another person. When you don't want to be away from them because you miss them all the time and…and when you want them to be happy…I'm sorry. I'm not explaining it very well."

9 shook his head. "No, 5, it's fine. That makes perfect sense." He smiled reassuringly, "It's like what we have."

"What!" 5 nearly fell backwards in shock.

"You know, you're my best friends and we're always together and you make me happy and stuff."

5 heaved an exasperated sigh and buried his face in his hand. "I don't think I explained it well at all…"

9 frowned. "So we don't have love?"

That's a heavy question. 5 thought to himself. 9 really didn't seem to be getting the right idea about it and 5 was trying desperately not to say too much about the subject for fear of saying something he would regret later. All this talk was getting his hopes up for nothing. Unless 9 was just not good at expressing his feelings…maybe he really did know what he was talking about, at least when he said that there was love between the two of them anyway. Maybe…

THUD!

"My boys! I have found the most beautifully shaped lugnuts! Here, come take a look!" 2 stated with pride as he entered the room. 9 obliged 2's request as 5 nearly doubled over in a wave of relief. Okay, that subject was avoided for now. That's good. Isn't it?

"This was quite a find. I've been looking for this specific kind for quite some time now." 2 chuckled happily. "Ah! 9, how did you're meeting with 1 go?"

"It was…informative." He stated dryly.

2 smiled at that. It would seem that 1 and 9's views were like oil and vinegar; never mixing, very little common ground, but not completely unable to coincide, he hoped. "How's the reading going 5?"

"It's…well it's not bad. There seems to be some sort of plot…and characters…" He mentally kicked himself for trying to lamely to avoid the obvious.

"Did you get to the kiss scene yet?" 2 winked.

So much for avoiding the obvious. "Yes…I did just leave off at that part." He murmured, rubbing his arm timidly.

9 looked between the two of them. "The what scene?"

"It's just something that people do when their in love." 5 explained quickly. "It's not a big deal, really."

"So people know that they're in love when they kiss?" 9 questioned, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

5 could almost feel the metaphorical light bulb going off above his head. "I guess they do…"

Cliffhanger time! I know…all that time waiting for a new chapter and no kiss yet. I'm sure 9 will figure the whole Love thing out…eventually…..or maybe the twins need to dig up a playboy. The boy is kind of slow. ;)