A/N: Apparently there were more than 11 chapters. :D


Weight of the World

Chapter 12: Blue Eyes and Madness

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9 held back his grunt as he adjusted 6 in his arms. He was carrying the poor stitchpunk now, his friend too weak to walk without stumbling. 9 was shocked as to how little time 6 had been inflicted with what appeared to be a disease. It had come fast, and had taken so much damage already. 9 swallowed his worried half-smile.

He walked past the small opening in the door and peered inside. After seeing nothing of danger, although he expected as much, he walked on.

The room reminded him of the First Room, papers tossed everywhere and books stuck forever on one page where someone had left them. Melted candles' wax dripped all around the place, but there were no flames. There was however a few strange things about the room. For one, it was warmer than the hall had been, and though it had no window, it was easy enough to tell where the heat was coming from. 9 only had to walk into the middle of the floor to see it tucked in the far corner, a small radiator, the metal a dull red color, and seeming the source of the warmth. Since there was no electricity, the stitchpunks had had to figure out how to either deal with it, or learn to make their own currents. 9 had somehow come with the knowledge of basic scientific principles, and had invented himself a lightstaff that consisted of a light bulb and wire, and of course the staff. So, 9 had to wonder, if there was no electricity, how was an electrical appliance working?

"Someone's in here..." 7 said behind him, making 9 blink. He no longer flinched at the small things. "I feel it. It's watching us..."

9 felt it too, but he hadn't paid attention to what it was until she had brought it up. A presence, a form, somewhere near them, just watching them. It was listening...

"Is it dangerous?" 9 soke quietly, uncertain himself if it was. How could it be? 9 had defeated the monster that made anything dangerous in this world. Besides, why would 6 lead them to their doom?

7 was behind 9, but he could tell she was gripping her spear tightly, lowering her skullmet, and preparing for defense. 9 spoke anyways.

"Hello?" he called, his voice sounded flat and boring as opposed to the usual echo when he spoke this loud in the places he had been. "Come out, we won't hurt you..." Unless of course they hurt us, he added in his head, though he thought it highly improbable.

9 held 6 tightly, protectively, getting slightly uneasy in the silence that answered his call. He stepped backwards, right into 7.

"Hey, careful." she said softly, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder as her optics continued to search the room for the thing she knew was inside. 9 turned his head the other way, scanning the other side of the room carefully.

He saw what he was looking for almost immediately, but he didn't react, both in caution and protectiveness. He had seen it right by the radiator, down a bit, behind a book. The faintest outline of a figure leaning flat against it, obviously trying to hide. But 9 had only seen that after he had seen the initial giveaway. The purest blue he had ever seen had caught his attention. Dark, beautiful, mysterious... Two lights the size of his optics were present where the figure's own optics should have been, but 9 wasn't so sure they were optics...

The figure was staring right at him, its eyes piercing 9's very soul.

9...

For the first time in a while, 9 winced. He had heard the name in his mind, and not even 6 could speak to him there. 6 could read his mind, but talking to him through it was different.

And another thing, how did it know his name?

"What is it?" 7's voice came quickly behind him, and before 9 could say anything, 7 gasped. "9, get 6 somewhere safe."

Before 9 could stop her, 7 sprang out from behind him, and in a flash, the figure had slipped back into the shadows, safe. 7 ceased immediately, gracefully coming to a halt and holding her spear delicately, making it look an extension of her arm as she waited for the figure to jump out at her. 9 held in his sigh of relief, and instead used this moment to tell 7 his hunch.

"7, wait!" he cried, shifting 6 slightly and immediately feeling a twinge of guilt when the artist moaned in pain. "Sorry, 6. 7, what if she's harmless? Don't attack yet!"

7's shoulder twitched, but her optics and most of her attention remained on the shadows, prepared for anything to jump out at her. "She? How do you know that?"

9 blinked, surprised himself. Maybe it was a slip of the tongue? How else could he feel so surly that this was a feminine stichpunk?

"I... I don't know." he admitted.

A soft giggle made him jump, and turn frantically to his side where it had come from. He could see her now, much clearer. Her glowing blue eyes pierced him, made him immobile. 7 saw his reaction and sprinted back the way she had come to throw herself in front of 9, her spear held protectively over him and 6.

"You're not getting to him." she said firmly, glaring at the stitchpunk still half hidden in shadows.

6 made a noise, his head slowly shaking. His daze broken, 9 looked down to his friend.

"What's wrong, 6?" he asked gently, rubbing his arm. The artist moaned something unintelligible, raising the arm to point to the mysterious new stitchpunk.

"D-draw... ing..." he said, very weak. 9 understood, for the most part.

He looked up, just in time to hear the new stitchpunk speak.

"Why would I want to?" she asked with a coy tone, a smirk on her pretty face. Her voice was like liquid gold, making 9 shiver with a strange feeling inside of him brewing. "You two invaded my home, started to attack me. Why would I want to do anything right now but make sure you leave, you pathetic female?"

7 was listening at least, until the stitchpunk insulted her. Her optics went mad, glaring acid into the stitchpunk and her body language telling 9 she was going to attack.

"Alright, bitch." she breathed, tensing her muscles. 9 panicked, the words to make 7 stop caught in his throat. She was one of the two 6 had drawn, they couldn't harm her! Stop, 7! Why couldn't he say that?

6's optics flew open, and 9 could feel the sudden strength in his body. 6 leapt out of 9's arms and leapt at 7, who had already begun sprinting, her spear raised.

"Leave her be!" 6 screamed, pouncing on her and surprising everyone. Anger pulsed through 9, but he was too frozen from shock to move.

Once 7 was down, the wind knocked out of her, 6 didn't stop. He grabbed for her spear, which she offered little resistence to since she was practically immobilized for at least a few more seconds, and he held it high over his head, looking ready to kill 7. But 9 knew what would happen if he tore her body apart, it wouldn't kill her, but it would separate her soul from her body, and she would have to haunt this place for the rest of eternity.

Words caught up to 9.

"6! Stop!" he screamed, flying now at 6, who easily, surprisingly, dodged. 9 fell flat on the floor, cursing himself and trying to pick himself up. He looked back at 7, who was rising now as well, still in a bit of shock. The wild look in 6's optics told 9 he wasn't going to hold back, and before he could even say a word, 6 plunged the spear into 7's midsection.

The world seemed to stop, 9's legs and arms seemed like goo, and his optics tightened in pain from 7's own anguished cry. He heard someone screaming, refused to believe it was himself that could sound that wounded, and felt his heart split in two.

"7!" he screamed, suddenly having the strength to move a mountain. He hauled himself up, and like an animal, grabbed 6 by his hair and torso, and threw him at least three feet away. 6 fell, keeping his head unseen, and began to dry sob himself. But 9 didn't care if he was defending the last hope for life on this planet, he hated 6 with a passion now, wanted to murder him, wanted to cut him into pieces and feed them to the Catbeast itself.

But he knew he couldn't do that now, 7 was pinned to the ground, held by her own spear to the floor. Her controlled moans of pain hurt 9 like it was him who had been stabbed. He knelt weakly by her, taking her hand.

"9, I'll be fine if you can get me to 2..." she said, panting heavily, trying to block out the pain he knew she felt. "Just help me up, 9..." She gripped his hand like he was the only thing keeping her conscious.

"Ok, 7, I promise... You'll be ok." he said, screaming frantically inside and crying like a baby, but outside showing only strength for 7 to feed from him. Still holding onto her hand, not that she would have let him go, he reached up, and as gently as he could, unwedged the knife from her back. 7 muffled her cry into her own arm, then looking up to 9.

"I can move my legs, but it's going to be painful." she admitted, holding his hand harder. "Can you carry me?"

Without hesitation, 9 nodded, not trusting his voice any longer. He had forgotten 6, and the reason 7 was injured. All there was in this room was the immediately medical attention 7 needed and his hidden worry.

Even 6's sobs behind him didn't give him sympathy. 6 knew what he had done, how much 7 meant to him. Right now at least, 6 was no friend to 9.

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"He's in love with the female..." Katrina said when 9 had left, walking out of her partial shelter and kneeling by 6, cradling his head. 6 was still shaking, his body and his head knowing what he had done to 9. "Just like you and F, am I correct?"

6 looked up at her, his mouth stuck in a frown, but his nod telling her she was right.

Katrina frowned slightly, looking back toward the door. "I shouldn't have made her mad. I should have acted more civilized..."

6 stopped sobbing, but shrugged.

"Will she be fine, 6?" Katrina asked, concern now present in her voice.

"2 will help..." he said weakly, no longer ashamed at what he had done but more depressed at knowing too much of the future already.

Katrina paused, her body completely still. Her eyes closed, and when they reopened, they were of a different color. A pale orange now was present, and Katrina sat up slowly, helping 6 up with her.

"I hope she's alright." she said then, her voice different, changed like her eyes. It was more young now, a light voice of a female teenager. Her posture was different as well. She no longer held herself high like a queen, but flexed herself like a proud girl of 15. "It feels like it was me who hurt her... 9 isn't going to be happy."

6 didn't show any confusion at her change, but instead nodded, adding his own two cents and looking after the door like Katrina did.

"Won't be happy for a long time..."

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