Of Paradise Lost

9 and 7's romantic confession that evening by the riverbed remained their secret. They were reluctant to tell 3 and 4 about their newfound romance and between all the traveling and work, they could only find so much time to be affectionate like a couple anyhow. When 9 and 7 could find time, they snuck away from the twins or created a good excuse as to why they had to leave camp together. And with every night spent holding each other beneath the hollowed tree trunks and glowing moonlight, they fell further in love.

The twins were no fools though, and naturally had their suspicions. They noticed that 7 was somewhat careless about her scouting duties these days. She would rush home, dried mud caking her feet, and greet 3 and 4 in her usual fashion. When she'd see 9, she'd smile at him like he was some great treasure of hers.

Stranger still, 4 woke up one night to find that 9 and 7 were not resting with her and her twin in their family pile. The younger stitchpunks finally returned to camp just as she was about to wake 3. 7 had a flower tucked in one of her bird helmet's eye sockets and gave 9 that special smile again. 9 smiled back, looking as if he were in the presence of an angel.

When 4 reported her sighting to 3 the next day in the cargo hold of La Vita Nuova, they both thought over recent events in their travels and took guesses on what was happening between 9 and 7.

You don't think it's… love? 4 asked her brother in clicks.

Well, Nine always had a soft spot for her, but strong Seven falling for young Nine? I don't know, I just don't see it.

Maybe she doesn't feel lonely anymore. Maybe she's happy now, 4 said and smiled sappily. It's so romantic; lovers brought together by a journey.

3 was slightly annoyed by his sister's fictitious ramblings. They did her no good in his mind. Still, he was just as curious about this form of love, since he had only known about it after reading a few romance novels with 4.

There's only one way to know, he said. He looked at 4 and smiled.

-Partners in crime?

-Partners in crime.

It did not take long for the twin stitchpunks to find some more curiosities. 9 and 7 would speak to each other only to communicate plans when they were around, but never anything else. And while 7's formerly diluted focus was a prime example, 9 seemed a bit dazed about something on his mind too.

When 7 reported to 3 that 9 was becoming a better fighter by the day, an opportunity arose for the twin spies. They kept their distance as they followed 7 and 9 out to their secret training spot to avoid the wary 7. Once they reached the clearing, the twins hid behind some tall grass to observe the match that would ensue.

First, 7 and 9 shook hands before their battle. They both walked ten paces away from each other and stood on opposite sides of a patch of dirt. 7 charged straight into battle and tried to knock 9 off balance with a kick, but he was too quick for her. He not only dodged her attack, but also grabbed a hold of 7's left arm. She attempted to jab him with her right arm, but was blocked again before realizing that her right arm too was caught. 9 held her still with both arms caught in his hands.

"Do you surrender?" 9 asked, smiling.

7 smiled pleasantly at 9, but then she kicked him in the chest and knocked him flat to the ground. She quickly had him pinned under one metal foot.

"You should know by now that I never surrender," she said, grinning at her victory.

9's brow furrowed as he lay there in the dirt, even after 7 released her foot. "I almost had it this time."

7 grabbed 9's right hand and pulled him back onto his feet. "Yes you did. You've improved a lot, but if I let you win your battles, you won't get any stronger."

"Well, it still might have made me feel better."

7 pulled 9 close without a second thought. "Even better than this?" she asked and kissed his lips warmly.

3 and 4 clicked with surprise. They had hoped that they might find a sign of a romance between their friends, but they had no idea that they would find proof. They walked out into plain sight, interrupting 7 and 9's kiss. The warrior and the apprentice were quite embarrassed.

"Three? Four? I… we thought you were back at camp," 9 murmured.

7 was less shocked. "Did you two spy on us?"

The twins nodded, stifling chuckles. There was no use lying to the sharp 7.

7 gave them a look that an annoyed parent might, and then gave in. She sometimes found it difficult not to act like the twins' mother when she had taken care of them after they left 1's group, but they were still older than her. They needed to know about her and 9 at some point.

"Well, now you know," she said. "It doesn't really change anything between us, does it?"

4 paused and walked up to the pair. She formed a peculiar shape with two copped hands: a heart. The message rang clear to both 7 and 9. She was asking if they truly did love each other.

The couple nodded in unison.

4 smiled back at them, then turned to her brother. Come on, Three, she clicked.

-But why? 3 asked as his twin practically dragged him back to camp by the arm.

Don't you know that lovers need their privacy? Sheesh, you need to read more romance novels.

3 did not answer back. He only grimaced at the thought of reading more of that frilly romance.

Each new day brought the four travelers closer on their journey. Sadly, there was an obstacle. The rain had completely dissipated, which meant that the river was lower. It made everyone nervous about heading off downstream. They were forced to camp in a swamp that had been used as battling ground in the war until conditions improved. Dead logs and sticks were everywhere. The mud was thick and sticky, and all of the stitchpunks dreaded leaving camp and heading off into the sinkholes and nasty pools. They knew that there had once been life here, but war, pollution, and nature together had changed this place into a shadowed wasteland.

After a week of camping in the impassible swamp, the twins were more than eager to leave. The eerie sounds of the night, destruction of life, and remains of the war buried in saturated earth were just a little too close to their old home for comfort. They sat by their campfire that night across from 9 and 7, glancing over at their ship every now and then.

"We'll get out of here," 9 said, "The rain will come back soon. And I'll bet that this is just a dry patch of the river."

3 and 4 smiled at him. They could tell that 9's words were wishful thinking, but they wanted to believe in them too.

7 noticed their doubt and indicated for them to sit with her and 9. They obliged, sitting together as a family despite the tough times. And so, all the stitchpunks fell asleep like that. 3 clung to one of 7's arms while 4 leaned against 9's back. 7 herself rested comfortably against 9's body, which made him a little squished in the group, but he hardly minded it. The body warmth of everyone around him was so comforting that he couldn't care.

"Nine?" whispered 7 in the middle of the night, hoping that he was awake and not the twins. Luckily, she had found the right time to speak to him.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" 9 whispered back.

"Look who's talking," 7 retorted. "Nine, do you really think the rain's coming back?"

9 paused. "I-I don't know. I mostly said that to calm the twins down."

She sighed. "I knew it."

"I want so badly to get us out of here. I keep thinking-no, seeing this place. I keep seeing home when I close my eyes."

"Home?" 7 asked, puzzled.

"Yeah. It's that same safe place I saw when you told me to close my eyes."

7 chuckled. "You have a great imagination, Nine, but it was just a dream."

"No, Seven. I know it's out there. It's hard to explain, but…" He shook his head. "We might never get there now. I hate it when life gets difficult."

7 shifted slightly and nuzzled her forehead to 9's. "Don't say that. Difficulties are what make life interesting." When he didn't respond, she opened her eyes and looked into his own. They were sad and fearful for all of them, like a truly good leader's eyes should have reflected. "Hey, don't you worry. You always see us through."

9 smiled slightly at that. 7 was the only person that could bring his spirits up when he was feeling down. They shared a special bond. "Goodnight," was all that he had to say that evening to make things all right in his world…

Something wet struck 9's optic the next morning just as the stars were fading with the day. He yawned and opened his eyes wide to find raindrops had began to splotch he and his little family's fabric skins.

3 and 4 woke up soon after and clicked in rejoice of the rain falling down on their faces. 7 was also pleasantly surprised when she awoke. She smiled up at the sky as a thanks for the wonderful water.

If there was one thing that 9 was sure of that day, it was that someone or something out there had answered their prayers.

"Stop! We have to stop here!" 9 cried out suddenly as he and 7 rowed their ship one day soon after. "I can feel it. We're here!"

"Nine, are you feeling all right?" 7 asked, chuckling lightly at his enthusiasm.

"I can feel it, Seven. We've finally found it! We've finally found home."

"I'd call you reckless, but then I'd be the pot calling the kettle black." She turned her oar sharply, slowing the boat. "You haven't been wrong yet."

Soon the stitchpunks had safely landed the boat on the riverbank next to a large patch of tall grass. The passengers all hopped out, 9 first. He was still acting too excited, as if he had been exposed to a magnet or two. He took off through the lively grass and over a mound of dirt ahead, leaving his companions in the dust.

"Wait up!" 7 called from behind with the twins following. They were tired and could not keep up with the excited 9, even the lightning quick twins.

9 did finally stop for his family, but he was still very anxious to keep running. "What's the matter?" he asked the warrior stitchpunk with a playful smile, "Can't keep up?"

7 smirked and knocked 9 to the ground with a playful shove. 3 and 4 giggled at the fallen 9.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry. But I think we're close," he said and pointed to a high hill ahead of them surrounded by thick trees. "I know we're close."

"Well, we're following you, Nine. But don't forget, we haven't all got our land legs back."

"Right," replied 9, conscious of 3, 4 and maybe even 7's fatigue. He stood up from the ground and turned back to the trail. "Come on, let's go!"

They all ran up the hill as fast as they could, laughing blissfully at the idea of some great discovery on the horizon. But then something happened when they entered the thicket of trees. The tall, healthy trees around them were replaced with mere stumps with their cores ripped out by machine saws and blades. 9 slowed down as the disturbing once-forest surrounded him. 7 and the twins still followed, but had slowed to a walk. Then 9 stopped dead in his tracks at the top of the hill.

The sight of the valley below was heart wrenching. This was not the beauty that he had envisioned. It was unlike all of the life he now knew was still out there in the world. This was just another terrible memorial of what humanity and its metal beasts had destroyed. Perhaps it was the worst that he had ever seen because of the contrast to all the life.

"Nine? Nine?" 7 called from behind before she too stopped and stared at the sight before her. 3 and 4 looked down at the scene with great horror and sadness.

What they all saw was a battlefield, or rather, what remained of it. The grass that once grew was now shriveled; dying or dead. The machines with their blades, poison gas, and crushing force had eradicated all of the plant life that had once been in this place. Even more disturbing than that were the human bones scattered around like driftwood washed up on a beach. These people had tried to hide from the machines out here, but had failed to elude the bloodthirsty monsters. Two walker skeletons remained in place of these annihilators, but for those two machines, some fifty men had been slain.

9 could not help what he did next. He dropped to his knees and shut his eyes in despair. "I-I was sure that… I c-could feel that we were close. I thought that… we would never have to see this again."

7 hugged 9 lightly when she felt it appropriate to do so. After a while, she helped him to stand and they walked back to the boat together. 3 and 4 tried to show 9 sympathy, for the sight of such violence against nature had hurt them as well. However, the youngest stitchpunk seemed to have been wounded within his very soul. Not even 7's love could cheer him up after that day's venture.

They had not found paradise in this world. 9 saw now that their world was one of silence, endless dreams, and ever-lost paradise…

"Farewell happy fields where joy forever dwells.

Hail Horrors!"

–John Milton, Paradise Lost.