3 months later
Everyone was down on the lower level in the church. Pew were piled around the room, some in splinters while others were barricading the door. 6 was sitting in a clear space, choosing to draw outside his studio corner today. A large mess of ink spewn around the floor in splotches and blobs. 6 himself was almost unreconcilable due to the fact that he was completely covered in ink. Not a single spot of white was left on him. 6 scratched his head, sending more ink slipping down his face. He scribbled on his paper again, sat up on his knees for a moment to reflect, then crouched down to it once more. 3 and 4 both wondered up behind him, cataloging his picture for a second.
The Source.... of course...
The twins raised a stitch, they were beginning to worry about him. 8 and 1 came down from the second floor in the elevator. 1 scuttled past them and into his bed room, thinking 8 would wander off to play with his magnet.......
but 8 had other ideas.
The largest ragdoll snuck up behind the twins, silently.. They didn't notice him, too involved in cataloging 6's next masterpiece.... Well it WOULD have been a masterpiece...
8's hands whipped out and snatched both the twins cowls, wrenching them around so the backs of the hood covered the twins faces. 4 flickered in panic, the light of his eyes dully making their way through the hood's thick fabric. He stumbled forward, pushing into 6..6 lost balance and fell, face first, onto the paper. His ink covered form splattering all over the floor, ruining the painting. Oh but it wasn't over yet... 3 also panicked, he rushed forward in the surprising darkness of his hood, smashed into 4, and they both fell ontop of 6, covering themselves in the black liquid as well. 8 let out a roar of laughter, it echoed threw the cathedral.
6 lifted himself up, the twins, who were confused about what had happened , were still laying on his back. 6 managed to his elbows and looked down over his drawing.
"AH!" 6 whimpered, jumping up and pushing the twins back onto their behinds. 6 looked down at the ruined art work, hanging his head in depression.
The twins had just figured out that their hoods were the things causing the darkness, they whisked them around just in time to see 6's head droop. It took only seconds to see why he was so upset, the twins felt saddened that they had helped cause this .... with a small bit of guilt welling up. 8 had laughed himself off his seat,curling into the fetal position and howling with larger stitch punk felt no remorse, no guilt. The prank had turned out better then he had hoped.
Had 7 been here, she would have hit 8 over the head and gone to 6 to comfort him, beckoning the twins to help her. 6 would have been cheered up, 3 and 4 free of guilt, and 8 punished.
Yet she was not. No one had seen her since she had left, 1 kept saying she was most likely killed a few days after she left, even if most of them refused to believe it. Ever since she left, 8 had loomed his power over them. 7 could not help them, she could not interfere any longer.... so 8 had three personal servants... four when 2 left 5 at home. 8 had them get him oil, fan him with feathers, folded pieces of paper, or whatever else would do. They made his bed, cleaned his room, he once even made them carry him.... not an easy or safe task.
3 looked down at his outfit, scratching his skin to free it of some ink. The eldest twin sighed and walked up to his twin, snatching 4's arm and leading him to the upset artist. 3 reached out and put a hand on 6's shoulder, 4 coping his twins movements. 6 stiffened, he looked at both of them, before sighing... but not as sadly as it could have been.
"Were bacccccckkkk!"2 announced as he and 5 wheeled in their roller blade, it was covered in objects they had found in the emptiness. 8 heaved himself to his feet and went to 1's room to alert him of 2 and 5's return. The twins pulled 6 up to 2 and 5. They flickered together, trying to tattle on 8's crutally towards them, but 2 didn't understand... "Look at you. Did you go for a dip in one of 6's ink jugs?" The elder laughed "We should get you cleaned off.". 2 turned back to the roller blade and pulled a ripped piece of fabric off it, then started to rubb the twins clean. 5 came around the roller blade and got another piece of fabric, beginning to rub 6's optics free of ink.
"Mean..."
"What?" 5 asked, gazing back up to 6 quietly. The ink covered stitch punk looked up as 8 came into the room, leading 1 towards them.
"Bully.." 6 muttered, slinking slightly behind 5's taller form. 5 followed the smaller Ragdoll's gaze with his optic before looking to where 6 was staring, when he caught sight of 8 the cycloped stitch punk could easily understand the just of what had happened.
"So what useless items have you brought back today?" 1 asked, he looked over the haul of junk in annoyance and snobbyness. 2 gave a chuckle.
"No useless things today, m'afraid. I could only get my hands on some stuff that was useful ." 2 smirked, making 1 send him a withering look. 1 pulled a bed coil from the pile.
"And this will help us by....." 1 asked, raising a stitch.
"Its metal we could use to build things or repair ourselves..." 2 explained. 1 muttered and dropped the object onto the pile, he then pulled out some paper.
"And this-"
6 jumped 1, snatching the paper from his fingers and whipped back behind 5, giving the papers a crumbling hug.
"Do you really need to ask?" 2 joked. 1 gave a grumpy 'humf' in replie. 3 and 4 were finally cleaned off and they shot off towards the skate. They leaped onto 1, using him like a ladder before piling onto the the junk heap, pulling out odd items and cataloging them.
"Those two..." 1 grumbled, dusting himself off. Before he could continue, something caught his eye. It was at the very back of the skate and it cause 1 to scream. 'What is that doing here!!" The eldest pointed to a dark green, oveler shaped object on the back of the roller balde.2 looked to the object in question, before giving a forced laugh.
"Oh, ah... how did that get there..." 2 muttered.
"How could your bring that in here!" 1 ranted, marching up to 2 angrily, 8 behind him every step of the way.
"Oh 1, if taken apart properly it could do us great goods! Like.... make a separate bed for the twins in the casings, so they won't have to share that jewelry box any more...and the black powder could-"
"It is dangerous!" 1 roared, he grabbed 2 by his front felt. 5 leaped in and grabbed onto 1's arm, trying to ease it into releasing 2's chest.
"I-im s-sure 2 knows-s what hes d-doing!" 5 said weakly. 8 reached out and took 5's frail arm in his hand, almost bending it. 6, who was now not shielded from sight behind 5's body scuttled off towards the entrance to the dwelling, trying to get away from the arguing.
"Let him go! He didn't do anything, I brought that here.." 2 exclaimed to 1 calmly.
"He is just as guilty as you!" 1 argued...
The twins were oblivious to the arguing going on, they were sorting through the 'riches' 2 and 5 had brought back in wonder. Pieces of glass and string kept them amused for a few moments before they moved onto the comic strip found rolled up at the front.. then finally they got to the back. They twins looked down at the green oveler shape in wonder, they had never seen it before... 4 poked it with his finger and 3 observed its back, before they moved to the other side. 4 was the first to point out the pin with the large loop that was lodged in one end... far too big to be a needle.. They looked at it before 3 bravely reached out to it. 4 looked at 3 as if his twins had lost his mind, but it was far to late to stop him. 3 grasped the pin tightly, then tugged at it. They both watched as it was pulled out of place, making a chinking noise as it exited. They were silent...
4 looked to 3 in annoyance, blinking something along the lines of 'Way. To. go.' . His twin glared at him before flashing something in the form of 'Shut up!'. 3 held the pin up to the light. Just as he thought.. it wasn't a needle.. its unlooped end wasn't pointed.
The twins knew they should let 2 know they broke his new 'toy' before 2 found out himself... After all, 7 would have made them, if she were here... The twins should do what she would have wanted them to, it was the right thing to do..
The twins crawled down and made their way over to 2. The elder was still trying to reason with 1..
"I'll be careful!" 2 explained "As long as-"
Tap.
2 looked down at the twins when they tapped him. "One second." he said before looked back 1. "Like I was saying, as long as no one removes the-"
Tap, Tap.
2 looked down at the twins, but before he could respond 3 shoved the pin into his face. "THE PIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 2 yelled.
1 whisked around to 8. "Let that simpleton go and get that grenade out of here!!! As quickly as you can!!!!" 8 tossed 5 to the ground and charged up to the skate, he ripped the grenade off it and hurried to the door. 6 didn't have time to get out of the way as 8 pushed him down with his hand and trammeled over him to the door. With one quick thrust the grenade was out. Then a second later it exploded. The pressure of the air pushing threw the door sent 8 flying into the air, landing on top of 6. A stain glass window above them cracked, the plane slid a little more on an angle into the church, but luckily still managed to stay up there. 2 was the first to react.
"8!" 2 cried."Get off 6! Now!" 8 gave a groan as he lifted himself off 6, who was looking slightly flat. 6 sputtered something, his arm was bent the wrong way and sparked wildly. "I'll get him to the workshop!" 2 said, hauling 6 onto his shoulder. 6 whimpered in pain, but was already fading into the sweet bliss of recharge. 2 quickly dragged 6 into the workshop's safe walls... but outside things were none to better..
"You-You little atrosities!" 1 snarled, rounding on the twins, they both were gaping at the burn marked entrance of the sanctuary. When 1 spoke to them, they turned their heads so fast they almost snapped their necks. "What were you thinking! If at all!" The elder was marching up to them, undiscribeable fury on his features. The twins trembled and stepped closer to each other, 3 crouched behind 4 while he crouched down into a cowering form.
5 leaped to their aide, he hurried up to the twins and stood between 1 and them... even if he was shaking himself.. "I-Its not-"
"Not their fault! Bah!" If 1 could spit, he would have. "They pulled the pin! They made the explosion! Why just last week, an entire bookcase crashed to the ground! The week before that they broke ten glass jars, making loud smashing noises!" 1 ranted, 8 came up behind him, liking where this was going.
"Its just that, with 7 gone, theres no one to watch them-"
"Whats next! A light bright sign saying 'All you can eat, stitch punk buffet!' " 1 continued, ignoring 5. "Or ' All Cat Beast Welcome!'!! Maybe we should cover ourselves in motor oil and make beast calls to attract them!" 1 hissed and slashed the air with his hands. " Well thats the last straw!Ive had enough!"
"Hes had enough!" 8 chuckled darkly.
"But-"
"The twins are ostracize!" 1 interpreted 5.
"Ya- wait... ostra-what?" 8 asked, looking down at him. 5 also stared at him in confusion, even the twins peeked out from behind 5 with a blank face. 1 muttered into his hands about being surrounded by morons before responding.
"Banished, Exiled, Kicked Out!" 1 growled, stomping his foot. The twins clutched each other even closer, horrified at the thought. 5 also stepped closer to them, spreading his arms out over them. 8 even looked shocked, he thought 1 would let him ruff them up a bit..
"1! Their just kids!" 5 explained, but the leader would have none of it.
"8! Get them out of here!" 1 ordered, 8 shook himself free of his confusion and stomped up to the three stitch punks. He knocked 5 out of the way with one hand, 5 slammed into the roller blade causing it to tip over. 8 laughed gruffly before turning to the twins, he reached out and rapped his hands around one of each of the twins arms, he tugged them apart forcefully and held them up over his head, dangling down by their lims. It didn't hurt, but they were still very frightened. 8 exited the sanctuary and dropped the twins a few steps away from the door. The sun set shone brightly in the distance, not that it comforted the twins in any way. 1 slipped out the door after them. "You have till the count of five to be gone!" 1 gestured to 8. "Or else!" 8 picked up a nearby iron nail, bending it in half.
The twins gulped and looked at each other quietly, not knowing what to do.
"one...."
A clanging noise was heard in the church, but 1 ignored it.
"two.."
8 smiled, creaking his knuckles.
"three.."
A crashing noise came again from inside the church, 5 leaped out the hole a moment later. "1!, 1 stop!" 5 pleaded, snatching onto the leaders arm. 1 pulled his arm away.
"They've had enough chances." 1 snarled "Four!"
5 twiddled his fingers, trying to think of a way to help them. An idea came. "I'll get 2!" 5 hollered, racing back inside.
"Four and one Half.." 1 muttered. the twins looked up at him, questionly. He looked soo.... tired, his eyes shone with sadness, but he refused to lower his scowl. He was almost pleading them to run off before he finished counting. 1 closed his eyes " five." He turned away, waving to 8 to continue.
8 was on them in a second, he slammed down the knife in front of them, scaring them into a retreat. The twins scuttled away into the open of the emptiness, 8 stood watching them from afar.. the two seemed to freeze in the distance and 8 became confused. They twins were backing away from something behind a garbage mound, before turning to flee. The beast burst from the shadows, right on their heels.
8 lifted his knife, ready to come to the twins aide, but was stopped when one set a hand on his chest. The leader was looking at the spot where the twins had disappeared. "It is far too late." He muttered. "Far too late."