To Save Us All
Chapter 10~
9 completely forgot his prior worries as he stared into the red mechanical eye that glared menacingly at him and his fellow stitchpunks. 7, being used to machines and their red eyes, snapped 9 out of it.
"Run!" and with that, she took the panicing 5's hand and sprinted for the pipe that appeared to be her entrance, and was now serving as a quick exit. 9 bolted after her, hot on her heels.
The BRAIN spotted them, but was'nt entirely sure what they were. It only knew one thing.
They were alive.
In the past 9 had experienced, the stitchpunks had made it out safely. But this was a different past, now his present. He did'nt know what would happen, and he did'nt want to find out if he fell behind, knowing fate most likely was'nt on his side this time. He pushed himself as he sprinted beside 7, hardly keeping up. She was much too athletic for him. He heard his own gears whirring inside of him, the equivalent to a human heartbeat, but he raced on, knowing he just had to make it out. Or there was no hope for any of them. he had to save them. He had to save 2.
He knew what he would do, soon as he was'nt being chased by a menacing monster. He needed time to stop, breathe, and press the sequence. However, he knew that was'nt going to happen any time soon. He pushed on, trying to ignore thoughts that bubbled up inside of him. They had made it to the pipe that led to the surface, and just barely. A metal claw, large enough to crush a stitchpunk, reached in after them, as if the BRAIN was just a curious baby, reaching for a strange robotic toy it had taken interest in.
9 felt his insides grow hot with his sprinting. He could only take so much. He tried desperately to grasp one of the many thoughts he had ignored before, but almost as if they were ignoring him, they would'nt come. All he could think about was the searing pain that seemed to pulse, as if te pain were alive. He felt something snap as he continued to push himself, the small spark of enegry humans probably called adrenaline pulsing through him as well as the pain.
9 could suddenly see the light of day ahead, and he pushed for it, struggling not to scream at all of his pain. He pushed and strained himself, his throbbing feet hitting the metal pipe over and over, and his hands now flailing out toward the opening in the pipe, as if reaching it with his hands first meant he was safe.
And then he was out. Outside of the factory, his terror gone, his mechanical heart racing as he continued to follow 7 and 5, who hid behind a rusted old wagon that had somehow in the chaos been turned on it's side.
As 9 and the others took temporary refuge under this pathetic rusted wagon, he could feel their confusion and anger. He tried to push it away, looking to the factory, only to see it smoking and alive. He had brought it to life. Again.
No one spoke for several seconds- either choosing their insults for 9 or too confused to say what they were thinking because they themselves did'nt know- but 9 did'nt need need to hear what they had to say to them to know what they felt of him just then. A few random words were spat into his mind like he could read their thoughts.
Newbie. Irrogant. Fool. Traitor.
9 suddenly stopped thinking this way, that they hated him. It had taken him several tries at the same thing and the entire rest of his life to realize this; nobody had ever actually said those things to him (Except maybe 1, But he was different.). The only one who had ever thought these cruel insults to him (again, aside from 1 perhaps) was himself.
"I knew we should'nt have come." 5 was hugging his legs close to himself, crushing himself into a tight ball like his feelings would be extinguished like a fire. 9 knew what came next, but felt nothing as it did. 5 grabbed his shoudler's desperately and looked into his optics, as if the question he asked would only be answered in them. He cried out in an alomst pathetic voice, "Why?! Why did you do that?!"
"I..." 9 did'nt know what to say. He never truly had figured out why he had done that. It took him over, controlled him, but it could'nt be explained in words. And what he did was unforgiveable. He settled for, "I'm sorry."
5 saw something in him, in his optics as he said it, that he was telling the truth. He relaxed his grip, and looked anywhere but at 9, making 9 feel a ping of guilt. But he had'nt done it this time... The talisman had, and his memory... It had'nt been him , but at the same time it was only him. He did'nt understand it himself. He doubted it would ever be explained to him.
"What were you thinking?" 7 said, the accusation and sadness in her voice making 9 cringe slightly.
And all of the sudden he felt a deep anger he had almost no reason to feel right now.
"NO!" he shouted at a surprised 7. "Not again! I did'nt do it again! I need to go back! I can't take this anymore!"
5 did'nt seem to care about anything other than the fact that 2 was dead. His head sunk lower, as if shutting 9 out from his thoughts and trying to focus only on what could only make him even more depressed. 7 raised an eyebrow and shook her head slightly, too confused to put any words of her own into the conversation. Her mouth twitched slightly, as if she kept knowing what to say but changing her mind.
9 instinctively unzipped himself, causing 7 to look away in confusion and embarassment, and reached for the talisman.
But it was'nt there.
He digged further, as if it had just been out of reach and he was assuming things too quickly. After a few seconds of shaking his head in disbelief and looking around on the ground to see if he dropped it, he finally remembered where it was.
The BRAIN had it.
"Oh, Creator, what have I done?!" he cursed. 7 looked back to him when she heard the *zip* from his zipper as he closed himself, knowing he would'nt find anything he needed right now in there.
The talisman. His only ticket to saving them. His destiny. Things just could'nt be that easy, he knew it. But this... was something bad. He needed that talisman, and he had hardly any clue how to get it back... without dying.
Right.
7 was studying him, just like she had when all of this was over, and it was only him and the twins. He felt hot all over, but he had stopped running for a while now. "I know where we can find answers."
"I know you do." 9 heard himself mutter in frustration and... annoyance , but he was'nt sure 7 had heard him.
"What?" she asked, catching the feeling but not the words.
"I..." he did'nt want to explain it again, but he realized he had to, or things could go very wrong and more stitchpunks would be killed. "I know what's going to happen."
Not a very good start, but it caught 7's attention as she was turning to go. She turned to face him.
"Excuse me?" she said, her tone almost mocking, as if knowing the future was a talent everyone here possessed and he was being proud over nothing.
"I'm from the future. I have proof." he said, trying to phrase all the thoughts swimming around in his mind. Get the talisman. That's all he could think about right now. It seemed to be calling him in his head as he tried to push it away, like it was a dog that had too mch energy and he was the owner, trying to calm it down.
7 looked at him. For the first time since he first saw her, 7 had nothing to say. Nothing that could reach into his soul and show him what he had to find, or what the best parts of the situation were. Not this 7, anyways. The 7 he knew had grown sweeter, still owning her quality as the strongest and fastest of them all, but just a lot more understanding without machines going after her and her loved ones all the time. He wondered what had changed the 7 before him now into the 7 he would rather be talking to.
She clearly expected him to keep talking, because it was in her look that she was'nt going to say anything: Not that 9 could blame her. How should you respond to the statement he'd just said? Even he did'nt know what he would say to something like that.
"When you said 'I know where we can find answers', you meant to take us to the twins. In the library. I've seen this before, and if I act the same and pretend nothing has happened, I'm sure things will go just the same as before, but I won't get what I need to save those who have... been lost. It's my purpose, just as you all have a purpose. And they have a purpose."
"Who are the others you're talking about?" asked 7, optics squinting only the slightest bit as she folded her arms, making her figure show a lot more, and making 9 stare for exactly two seconds before he forced himself to continue.
"There is another group like us, but they only have 8. I'm the first 9th to be created, and probably the last." his heart sank as he realized he was the last. No more humans out here to make others, even if they wanted to.
"And you've met them? In the future?" asked 7, raising her eyebrows in shock more than accusation. The 7 he liked more was starting to show.
"Yes. They have letters of the human alphabet for names, instead of numbers like us. And they behave similar to us, in order." That last part did'nt sound right, like it needed to be rephrased.
"In order?" she asked, like she had read his mind.
"Yes. Like, C and D are sort of like the twins, E is like 5," began 9, 5 looking up at the mention of his name, "F is like 6, only female-"
"F is female?" asked 7, a smile growing on her face. She said the next line with a touch of pride that 9 had to smile at. "So I'm not the only one."
"Nope. You will be so happy when you find out what F said about females of the group. That I wil tell you later. G is just like you, brave, fierce, fast." 7 chuckled lightly at the last one as 9 jokingly hunched over remembering the sprinting he had done to get to that wagon they used as a temporary hideout.
"And the rest. A is just like 1, from what I've heard. And B like 2. And H like 8. But I have'nt met them." 9 felt his chest fall as if he had been a bird in flight now shot down.
7 was quiet, she knew what he meant, she knew death, even if she had'nt seen it before today. She was built that way, to understand death. 9 wondered if there was some sort of reason for that...
"Look," said 5, surprising the pair since he had'nt spoken since he had yelled at 9. "I belive you, but lets get to the point. Why did you come back? And how come there are'nt two of you standing here? And what do you want to get back? What was it called?"
9 organized these questions in his head, making sense of them and processing them before answering.
"I came back because my creator-our creator- had made me for that reason. That's what I assume, though I don't know the entire truth. What I wanted to get back is called the talisman, and it has a few unique abilities that I can assure you would make your head spin-"
"Why? Be cause your special just because you traveled through time?" interrupted 7, her tone sounding dangerous. Why were her moods so unpredictable? Was it just a female thing? He decided not to say these things out loud.
"No..." he said, making it sound like a question. Her face softened and she gestured for him to continue. "Because it made mine spin, too. I've done it, so I know what it feels like. And you've done it too, you're future self."
"What?" asked 7, her face showing some sort of pride that confused 9.
"Yeah. It's... um... complicated. I might tell you later. Anyways, in answer to your question, 5, I'm not entirely sure all of time's tricks myself, so I cant exactly say why that would be." Then, at 5's slightly disappointed look, "But I have theories. I'll explain them later to you, OK?"
5 smiled innocently and nodded. 9 loved that smile, that was the kindest smile he had ever seen, even compared to 7. 7 had sharp, cute smiles, that only somtimes showed you how she felt. 5 showed you his soul when he smiled, like he wanted you to see it, because he trusted you. He trusted everyone. And for that reason, 9 felt guilty and happy at the same time.
"So what are we going to do?" asked 7. They treated him like the leader already, when he had technically just met them. 9 sighed inwardly, thinking.
He felt a pull to the Scientist's room. He wanted to get there now. But two separate families of stitches were in danger, and they could need help.
"We need to be safe for tonight. Not just us." 9 looked at the slowly fading sky. They had maybe five hours of darkness left, "5, you need to make sure everyone stays inside tonight. Don't let anyone go out. I doubt 1 would let anyone anyways, but only if the beast comes through a window or something, stay quiet and hidden. It does'nt know were you are yet." he turned to 7, " 7, hide the twins. Keep them safe tonight. Don't let them make a sound." he paused, "I mean to say you don't have to have a voice to make loud noise. Don't let them catalog anything that could make loud sound if dropped."
7 rolled her optics and gave 9 a look.
"What?" he asked.
"You know, even if you're from the future, I know the twins a lot more than you do. Sure they come across something like that once in a while, but it's not everyday they act all clumsy and play all day. They were made to gather information, 9, not just have fun and be cute. And the information they have just found and showed me has'nt been any cause for celebration anyways."
"What do you mean?" asked 5. 7 looked to 9, as if asking him with her look if he knew what she was talking about.
"You have to see it for yourself." he said simply, seeing 5's face droop with hurt that he was'nt being told something. 9 broke. "OK! Creator, I'll tell you!"
He told him of the slideshow and the newspaper article on the BRAIN. 5 took it rather well, but 9 could see the hint of regret for asking in his optics.
"Now, we have to go. I'll be at the First Room. If anyone needs me, you know where to go. But 5, don't let anyone out otherwise. And 7, keep the twins safe."
"Can do." she said as she lowered her birdskullmet and raced away, 9's stare lingering on her ass as she ran.
"And i think all I have to worry about is 6, and he's pretty unpredictable, but I'll try." 5 said as he walked away, much less dramatic.
9 continued his stare until 7 was out of sight, then he just fell over backwards, tripping on something he had'nt cared to before.
"Creator!" he hissed, his copper molded hand flying to his behind and rubbing the soarness there as he got up, embarassed but glad no one saw him.
He looked to the ground at what he had tripped on, planning to kick it all the way back to the factory.
But he stopped. It was a pocketknife.
With a small "G" scrawled on the corner.
9 could'nt belive his optics, what he was seeing. He shook his, head, slowly, taking it in even though he wanted to push it away. It was definately G's pocketknife.
9 bent slowly to pick it up. What could this mean? Was the stitchpunk nearby? Was he in trouble? 9 looked all around, because his voice did'nt seem to be working. He even climbed over a few piles of junk to get a better view, but there was no sign of an injured G.
But he had to get to the Room. He unzipped himself, placed the talisman inside for safekeeping, and continued walking. He felt like 3 and 4 the way he analyzed everything carefully, looking for something he was'nt sure of. It had only been ten seconds before he spotted G, not on the floor injurred like 9 had pictured him, but standing healthily, a huge mechanical moser inches from him, dead as a ghost. He was currently scanning the ground for something his carefully crafted optics would definately be able to pick up if it was there.
9 knew what he was looking for.
"Looking for this?" he called out, taking the pocketknife out of him and holding it for G to see in the air. He tensed, and grabbed the nearest shard of metal that could be used as a weapon if you had the skill as G or 7. 9 paused, scared. He did'nt want to make G edgy, because he knew him, and what he could do with a random metal shard.
"Lay it on the ground and kick it here if you don't want your ass kicked." he said, his voice full of truth to carry out his threat. 9 belived him, but he had to say something to him before he inevtiably took off when he got his weapon back.
"Wait! I'm a friend!" said 9, laying the ground on the floor and gently kicking it toward G, not using too much strength. "I promise, I can't do any damage you can't take care of in two seconds, and I would'nt do it otherwise."
G picked u his weapon and considered him, seeming to agree. He could'nt do much damage.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"9," he said almost immediately, pointing to his back and turning slowly to prove himself, silently hoping it was'nt faded or washed out. Something told him the scientist would'nt use washable ink on life's last hope. "And I know yours, too. G."
"Wow, someone can read." he said, rolling his optics and turning slightly, not taking his gaze off 9. There was a white painted (rather messy) "G" scrawled on his back, like 9, except more in a hurry. This struck 9 as odd, was'nt it his creator who had been in the hurry?
"I need to tell you something that will sound so crazy that you'll probably try to cut my head off with another piece of random metal, but you have to trust me. You have to." said 9, trying to sound as calm and not-crazy as he could, but failing miserably. He sounded like 6... almost.
G considered him, like 7... So much like 7...
"OK," he said finally, after what had probably only been ten seconds but felt like the world to 9. "Spill it. If it's that important, I should hear what you have to say. You did find my knife..." he seemed like he was trying to remind 9 that he could and would cut his head off if things got too weird.
9 cleared his throat, a feeling of nervousness sweeping over him, before continuing.
"I'm 9, I'm from the future, and I know you're family may be in danger." he said, cramming everything into one sentence, impressing himself somewhere in the back ofhis mind.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" 9 said, sounding very much like 7, except hisvoice being a little more acidic at times.
"A, B, C, D, E, F, and H. They could be in serious danger right now. You need to help them." said 9, his voice growing, his courage rising.
G looked as stunned as he could be. "How do-"
"There's no time. Go check on them, see if they are still alive. If something happened, most likely the survivors are C and D, E, and F. They may have snuck through the tunnels."
"Tell me how you know this!" G yelled, grabbing his shoulders and shaking as hard as he could. 9 yelled, he was sure G was going to kill him if he did'nt calm down.
"Ok!" he said firmly over Gs voice, his overlaping G's a bit, "there's this instrument call ed the Talisman, that has apparently more than one purpose. It can suck out souls, and it can release them. But it can also sen d a certain stitchpunk throgh time. Me." G was listening intently, not looking as if he would ever apologize for what he just did to 9, "I was created by a different human than your own, our's was only indentified as The Scientist. He created me to save the rest if things failed, and they did. I went back in time to revive them. So now I'm here with you screaming at me and being chased by the beasts that had haunted me, as well as the stitches that had been dead in my future, that are now alive as if nothing happened!"
9 stopped himself from conitinuing, knowing he would probably get a punch in the face from G anytime now. he instinctively blocked his face with his arms. He waited several seconds, but realized G was'nt going to hit him. He was just staring at his hands, as if he had just killed many people.
"I need to find out more, but for now, I will belive you. I have to make sure they are OK." he said this almost to himself, nodding slowly in reassurance. "If you are tricking me, or if this is some sort of joke, " he paused, making sure was paying attention."I. Will. Hunt. You. Down." he said, whipping out his knife, pressing the button, and flicking at to his right, letting a long sharp apendage 9 recognized as a kitchen utencil swing out, all in one swift movement... like 7...
9 nodded as G turned to sprint away, toward the dying sun, his silouette scaring 9 as if he were a machine coming at him instead of a stitch running away.
9 turned after making sure G would'nt come back to sneak attack him, and made his way to the Room. The room that held just as much answers as questions, both giving the room an uncomfortable empty feeling, yet filled with something 9 could'nt understand. The room where everyone had been made, and at some point, a human rebel named Mike had entered, carrying his creations, his souls, and showing them to the Scientist, giving him the ideas...
The room where possibly the last human on Earth had given the very last of his soul to a small stitchpunk he named 9.