A/N: Ah! Sorry for not updating! My only computer was infected with a virus, and I couldn't use it for anything! Hopefully, no one is TOO upset I didn't update, so I'll stop right here and get to the chapter! Hope you like it!

Also: Yes, I have decided that 3 is a boy and 4 is a girl. :D


Chapter Three: A Plan


"Maybe…maybe this isn't such a good idea." 7 murmured, half to herself as she knew the others were practically too busy to hear her. After 6 had been hurt, all of them had decided this had to be dealt with. 9 had even figured out a vital piece of information when he'd had another dream—the machine was in the factory. 2 had come up with the plan to find and destroy it, but 7 didn't agree.

9 glanced up from what he'd been doing and looked at her. "What?"

"It's just, well, you know we try to stay away from the beasts, and yet you're going to them."

"We kind of have to," 5 said, "We can't just let it go like we could for the other ones."

"But—"

"7, you can stay here if you want." 9 told her. "1 and 8 aren't going anyways." He gave a mock grin. "You can keep them company."

"Ha, ha, yeah right." 7 retorted, "I'm going."

2 walked up to them, 5 close behind. "Alright; are you ready?"

7 nodded. "I am."

9 stifled a yawn. "I am, too." He glanced behind him as 3 and 4 darted over to join them. 2 hesitated. "Are you two sure you want to go?"

3 glanced at his sister, his eyes flashing. 4 flashed back, and both nodded, looking back at 2.

"Okay," 2 shrugged. "Let's go then."

2 and 5 walked ahead, murmuring about the plan and leading the way, while 6, who looked exhausted, followed close to 5, jumping slightly at every distant noise. 3 and 4 seemed to be excited somehow, having more energy to walk than any of them. 9 lagged behind, staggering every few minutes as his days of no sleep caught up to him.

7 fell in beside him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

9 gave a weak smile. "I'm…fine." He answered breathlessly. Obviously, he wasn't, but 7 said no more about it.

Suddenly, 2 stopped, and everyone froze, hearing what he had. A loud roar sounded in the distance, and 6 cried out, running behind 5.

"Ow!" 5 hissed as softly as he could as 6 unwittingly dug his fingers into 5's arm.

"Be quiet!" 2 scolded. Another roar, closer this time, and 2 slowly began walking again, nodding for them all to follow. He led them towards a small, squared shelter at the bottom of a hill. It looked hardly large enough to fit all of them, but it would serve as a good hiding spot.

9 let out a grunt and collapsed no more than ten feet from the box, and 7 bent down next to him. "Come on, 9! Get up!" she whispered, but he gave no acknowledgment that he'd heard.

5 appeared next to 7. "I knew he was too tired to come," 7 murmured as 5 helped her up. They both gripped 9 and gently carried him to the shelter. They leaned him against the wall, hoping he would wake up, but he didn't.

Suddenly, 7 grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "9!! 9, wake up!"

"What are you—"

"He'll dream! He'll be hurt!" 7 said, keeping her anxious voice down. "9! You have to get up!"

9 groaned, his optics blinking open. "Whaa…?" He mumbled.

7 sighed. "9, you have to stay awake. Until we destroy this thing…" she paused for a second, looking at the others, "none of us are safe to rest."

6 yawned and blinked slowly, fighting to keep his eyes open. "R-rest…" he repeated half-consciously, beginning to lean to his left.

"No, don't." 5 murmured, "7's right." He shook 6 gently, startling him. 2 nodded.

Without warning, the makeshift box they were huddled in was lifted and tossed, causing all seven to tumble out onto the dusty ground. 7 shook her head and looked up, her eyes widening in fear as she saw what was above them. A huge, black and gray machine with claws that looked much like the one she'd destroyed when 9 had first met them hovered staring for a moment, before it clawed at 9, who hardly had enough time to dodge the blow. Its two red eyes on its skeleton head darted to each stitchpunk as they sprinted for cover. 5 grabbed 6's hand, pulling him along as he slowed from weariness.

7 looked around for 9, but didn't see him. She began to call for him but gasped instead as the creature lunged at her. She felt someone push her out of the way, both of them grunting as they fell in a heap on the ground. "9!"

"Come on!" Even in his weakened state, 9 still had his courage.

Both ran after the others, who'd all gathered at the top of the hill. 2 had his spear out, and 5 aimed his arrow-shooting weapon at the beast, which was quickly getting closer.

"9! Go hide with 6, 3, and 4." 7 said, pointing to a metal post that the three were hiding behind farther down the hill, but 9 shook his head.

"No, I'm staying to fight."

"You can't! You're too weak!"

9 opened his mouth to answer, but didn't have the chance. 2 shouted in surprise as the beast reached them, and swiped his spear at it. It hardly did damage, if any. It roared in anger and returned the blow, thrusting 2 roughly into 5. "Oof!" 5 grunted they both fell in a heap.

7 grabbed her own spear and cast an annoyed look at 9 before jumping at the machine, hoping it would be easy to destroy. Her weapon did next to nothing to it, and it brushed her aside like a leaf. She gasped, struggling to get up, as the beast prepared to claw her again.

Thud!

A rock collided with the side of the beast's head, and it left 7 for the moment. "Get away from her!" 9's voice was filled with anger, and 7 watched in stunned shock as he threw another rock. The machine growled, leaping after 9. It swiped at him again and again, barely missing every time and stopping for a moment in between each blow as 9 threw yet another rock, each time stepping farther and farther away from the others.

9 bent down to pick another one up, but the machine had already recovered from the last hit.

"9! Look out!" 9 didn't hear 7's warning. He was aware only that something struck him from behind, and he went flying, colliding with something terribly hard before his senses dissolved into darkness.


Yay for cliffhangers! Well, yay for me, at least their fun. :D Whoa, this was a little longer chapter than the other two. Hope that made up for me not updating for a week! I hope you liked it, and be sure to review! But remember, no flames, please!

Thank you for reading!

Mitchie[Sparkl3Kitten]