Disclaimer: I still don't own 9, though I'd love to. It still belongs to Shane Acker, Tim Burton, and Timur Bekmambetov. They're not suing me, you shouldn't either.

Note: I know, I know, "Stitchpunks shouldn't sleep, they're mechanical!" I figure no matter what they're made of, they likely have some sort of energy source that needs to recharge every once in a while, so why the heck not let the poor dears sleep? Honestly, they deserve it.
Note 2: Wow, guys! I wasn't expecting the turn out I got for the first chapter! Thanks so much for your support! And the good news is, this chapter's actually longer than the last one! Okay, not much longer, but it's still something! lol

READ & REVIEW Acknowledgments:

15animefreak15: 8-o Holy, smokes, what a review! LOL! You get uber-kudos from me cause that was one of the best reviews I've ever had. And probably the only time I've ever heard someone call 6 "awesomesauce", lol. Well, anyone reading this can thank her for it because it was that comment that caused 6 to turn up twice this chapter.
WhisperOfTheNight: Thank you very much! I wasn't sure about my character portrayal, so it's good to know I'm doing it right. Since the movie didn't have much in the way of character development it was hard to figure out a way to properly get into those characters while writing them.
Toto red: I KNOW, RIGHT?! Lol, it was just so hard not to get into this movie, it was so awesome! Thanks for being patient with Pretty Toys, I promise I'll update it when I get a chance, I've just got uber-bad writers block.
Sylver O. Maybee & schellibie: Thank you so much for your reviews, and I hope you continue reading and enjoying! Remember, folks, reviews feed my need to write!

Chapter 2

"He will lead us… he is the last one…"

After 1 retired from his ranting and 8 lumbered out with him, the neurotic artist in the corner was left to his visions. And now he could stop inhibiting them out of fear.

"We must… must find the last one…"

"6?"

A hand connected with his shoulder, causing him to jump and yelp. He turned quickly and 5 ducked to avoid the antique key that swung over his head. "Whoa, 6! Calm down, it's just me!"

6 caught his breath and calmed, looking sheepish. "S-sorry, I just get so engrossed in my work, and…"

"No, it's okay. I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that, I should know better. It was my fault." The apprentice joined him at the paper, gazing at the number scratched across it. "So, you really think he's out there somewhere?"

"I know it," 6 replied. "No matter what 1 says, all of the authority in the w-world can't change the future. He will find the source… then we will all be free…"

"What do you mean 'free'?" 5 asked.

6 stood a moment, still and silent. He then shook his head. "I-I don't know. Even if I can see these things, I can't always tell what they mean. I have seen… a red eye. Green light. Then… darkness…" He shuddered, hugging himself with his pen-nib hands. 5 wrapped an arm around his shoulders reassuringly. "Something bad is coming… we must find… find the last one…"

5 looked at the number scraped across the paper on the floor. The time will come when you will know who to follow… He shook his head. No, there was only one he could follow, and that was his mentor. He didn't care who this… 'last one' was. He looked back to 6, who was still muttering to himself, lost somewhere in the future. "Come on…" he urged, pulling the shaking seer away. "Let's go get some rest."

"No… can't rest… must find… must find the last one…" 6 muttered. He didn't put up any resistance, though, and let the one-eyed apprentice lead him through the darkness.

(1) - (2) - (3) - (4) - (5) - (6) - (7) - (8) - (9)

3 yawned voicelessly as he finished reading the page he and his brother lay on. He clicked to his brother that he was done, but received no response. So he tried again. Again, there was nary a flick.

Puzzled, he crawled over to where his brother lay on top of the page, lifting the hood covering 4's face. The other twin's eyes were shuttered and he breathed gently. 3 smiled and stood up, walking over to the candle burning next to them and picked up the long-handled brass cap. It was hard to pull it up and cover the flame with it on his own, but he didn't want to wake his brother. When he finished he put the cap down, struggling not to just drop it. He then joined 4, curling up against him.

Though they were twins, 4 was the younger of the two. They calculated 3 minutes and 43 seconds between their 'births'. And though it wasn't a long time to humans, everything was more vast to the tiny stitchpunks. Especially in the empty, post apocalyptic world. And it was so easy to lose everything out there, but the twins swore if everything else was forfeit they at would at least never give up each other.

3 sighed contentedly against his brother's back and flickered a quick goodnight before shuttering his glass eyes and dozing off as well.

(1) - (2) - (3) - (4) - (5) - (6) - (7) - (8) - (9)

7 looked across the dark Emptiness. There it was in the distance, that building she found while exploring. The one the twins would love. If only she could convince them that it would be worth breaking a few of 1's dumb rules. She didn't even glance as the bucket lift pulled up into the watchtower. "Kind of late for a check up on me, don't you think?"

5 shrugged. "I brought you some oil."

"Thanks," 7 took the make-shift cup. She drank deep the black liquid in it, feeling it pour over her gears and sooth the kinks. They stood in comfortable silence, gazing from the watchtower over the dead city. After a while she spoke again. "I'm sorry, by the way. For what I said to 2, I mean. I was…frustrated."

"It's okay. 1's been grinding everyone's gears lately. You're the only one brave enough to disobey him. Of course, look where it got you. Night watch."

The warrior shrugged. "He thinks it's punishment, but I consider it almost a reward. From here I can survey all of the surroundings, track the beast's movements if I see it. If I figure out where exactly it keeps coming from, I might go take care of it myself so we can stop worrying about it."

"Don't even joke about that," 5 warned. "That thing is dangerous. And I don't mean the normal kind of dangerous things are out here, I mean it's… well… machine dangerous. It could tear you apart in seconds."

"I can handle myself."

5 opened his mouth, then closed it. "Forget it, it's not worth arguing with you over. Not that you'd listen to me, anyway."

"That's right, I wouldn't," 7 grinned, nudging him with her elbow. "Cause I'm just stubborn, right?"

5 tried not to smile back, but ended up grinning anyway. An honest smile was just so hard to manage those days. So when there was one to be allowed, it was hard not to let it. "Yeah, stubborn like me, huh?"

"You wish, I'm ten times more stubborn than you!"

"Okay, okay," 5 laughed. "You win, you're definitely more stubborn than I'll ever hope to be."

They fell into silence again, the only sound the whistling of wind through the watchtower. Looking at them, many would think they'd be a perfect couple. Love that this wasteland devoid of such comforts needed. But no. They were more siblings than lovers, him teasing her, her pushing him around. They couldn't honestly imagine being in a relationship deeper than that. 7 didn't even think of the subject, period. She had too much to do, had to protect them all, make sure it was safe. And 5, well, he was in love with his work. After 2 had saved his life he taught him the wonder of creating and repairing. Inventing. It was his passion, and he couldn't imagine anything, or anyone, else coming before that.

"5!"

"What?" the apprentice was snapped out of his thoughts by 7, who was making a face at him. "What?" he asked again.

"You were zoning out. I said you should probably get back before 2 wonders where you went."

"Oh, yeah, you're right," 5 sighed, pushing off of his position leaning against the rail. "Good luck with the, you know, watching. Tell me if you see anything interesting."

"Like a two-headed cat-beast with a thousand teeth and twenty razor-sharp claws?" 7 teased.

5 thought about it, then shuddered. "Great, thanks. Now I'll never be able to sleep again."

7 laughed as he went back down. "'Night, 5."

"'Night, 7. Don't fall asleep on duty, or 1 will have your head."

"I won't."

(1) - (2) - (3) - (4) - (5) - (6) - (7) - (8) - (9)

5 yawned as he made his way back to the workshop. He'd checked on 7, made sure 6 went to sleep… he could have checked on the twins, but he was sure they were fine. Unlike the artist and the warrior, they had each other, just like 5 had 2, and 1 had 8, even if their relationship wasn't much past 8 being able to make those unfortunate dolls 1 gets angry with squirm.

Speaking of the two, 5 slowed as he approached. 8 was waiting outside of the cloth entrance. Which meant 1 was inside. Apparently, he wasn't satisfied going to sleep without having thoroughly yelled at all members of the survivors.

"Now, be reasonable," 2's voice floated out to them. "It was simply something that we wished to fix. It does no harm."

"You two should consider yourselves lucky I even let you go out into that… that forsaken Emptiness! But to bring something like this back…"

"It is only a toy, 1. Nothing to get worked up about."

8 sneered at 5 as he passed by, carefully avoiding contact with the large stitchpunk. The apprentice entered to find his mentor standing between the leader and an old, broken toy soldier they'd found. 5 could never understand how 2 could almost unquestionably follow 1's leadership, yet be the only one brave enough to stand against him when the need arose. 7 could disobey him, but even she had trouble when they were face-to-face.

1 pursed his mouth, staring down the opposition. He didn't dare send 8 after the old inventor, fearing the others may stand up for the kindest of them. The main problem with trying to conduct authority against 2, however, was that he simply wasn't afraid of being punished. Unlike the twins and 6, if 1 took his inventions and broke them he would either simply fix them or find something new to build. There was one thing he could use, though…

"Very well, you may keep it," 1 announced. "However, punishment must be given."

"If you say so," 2 relented calmly. "What will you have me do?"

"Oh, no, not you," 1 said slyly. He turned swiftly on the newcomer, snarling. "I hold you responsible for this, 5! 8!"

The guard appeared behind the startled apprentice, looking as if this had been what he was waiting for. 5's eye widened as 8 grabbed him roughly by the arm.

"Let us remind him what the punishment for disobeying me is…"

"Wait!" 2 cut 1 off, hobbling over as quickly as he could. He gently pushed 5 away from the two threatening him, lowering his head in submission. "Take the toy if you feel so adamantly about it. As I said… it is just a toy."

"I thought you would see it my way," 1 smirked triumphantly. He waved to 8 who lumbered over to the toy soldier and threw it over his shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse us," he turned and exited with a cut, "Good night." 8 followed with a snarl.

When they left, 5 sighed. "I'm sorry, that was all my fault…" he said lightly. "If I'd just waited outside…"

"Now, now, my boy," 2 smiled soothingly, putting a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "There are many toys in this world, but there is only one 5. If something happened to you, I could not bare it." He gestured toward the back where two beds they crafted from old wooden boxes were. "Let's not worry about it anymore. It is late, and we must rest."

5 helped the frail inventor to his bed, helping him settle into it. They said their goodnights and the apprentice put out the light before settling into his own.

'There is only one 5.'

He mulled over that thought. It was true off all of them. They were… all alone in that huge, empty world. All they had was each other, the eight of them. No, if 6 was right, nine of them. If only 6 could be right.

If only…

(1) - (2) - (3) - (4) - (5) - (6) - (7) - (8) - (9)

6 tossed and turned in his shoe-box bed. The bed 2 and 5 made him was deeper than the others, as they had noticed his tendency to throw himself off of the bed in these fits. It wasn't his fault, honestly. The visions simply overtook him when he slept. This night was no different.

Running… trembling… falling… falling!… a red eye… fear… a flash of green… then… darkness…

"Gah!" 6 woke up, flailing. "No! C-can't sleep! Must find the last one!"

He struggled out of the box, foot catching on the edge. He landed hard on his side but didn't stop. He instead pushed himself up and stumbled across the room to his precious paper and ink. He dipped his fingers in and began scraping them across the paper desperately. He had to draw it before it faded. A circle, split in three. Odd symbols adorning each third. The source. He knew of it, he could draw bits and pieces of it, but this was the first time he could draw the whole thing. In his vision he came face-to-face with it. He moved the paper to the side and drew it again. And again. Before long, the floor was covered with the image

"The source… the last one will find the source…" he muttered, eyes beginning to shutter on their own. "And then…" he crossed his arms on top of the cryptic number he'd drawn once more, "…and then we will be free…" His eyes shuttered fully and he finally drifted into a peaceful sleep.

(1) - (2) - (3) - (4) - (5) - (6) - (7) - (8) - (9)

7 stifled a yawn as she entered 3 and 4's library. Before she turned in, night giving way for the morning twilight, she wanted to make sure the twins were okay. Not that anything could happen in their stone and wood sanctuary. But she felt an odd, overwhelmingly protective, almost maternal need to watch over them.

She walked through stacks and rows of books, stepping over writing utensils. Finally she reached an open book, with two lumps under one of the pages. She suppressed a chuckle as she turned the page up, finding the twins curled around each other like kittens. A bit of wind passed through, telling her how they'd ended up covered.

4 shifted and snuggled closer to his brother, the insulation of the paper having vanished. So 7 scooted off of the book, returning moments later with the cloth handkerchief they shared as a blanket, covering them. 3 groped for the edge in his sleep, pulling it over them. 7 smiled.

"Good night, boys," she whispered, leaving them to their sleep. She decided that she needed to get some sleep herself before 1 decided she should have an early wake up call after her long night watch.