A/N: Maybe... 9X7, 5XOC maybe. Sorry if the BRAIN scene seem weird. I just wanted to keep it at BRAIN, not identify BRAIN as he or she.
Disclaimer: I Own nothing! 9 is property of Focus Film.
Chapter 14
It was everything the twins could ever hope for. They found art supplies to decorate the first floor with.
6 and 8 especially enjoyed throwing glitter around and hanging paper chains. The twins wore themselves out showing projections of how things should be decorated. So much so that 7 had made them take a nap before the actually party to could start later that evening.
While the twins recovered, 5 and 10 went to prepare some oil for tonight. Thinner oil for the smaller punks and something a bit stronger for the others. 2, 9 and 7 went exploring to see what else they could find for the party. 6 and 8 sat on the bottom floor trying to clean the glitter out of there fabric.
And 1 watched it all with distant….
The twins were up after a few hours to help 7, 2 and 9 finish decorating with the muti-colored glass beads and string they had brought back.
Then the party started…..
"Hurry 10, We're late." 5 called, as 10 hurried behind him, her thimble full of oil. Careful not to spill her precious cargo 10 entered the bucket lift behind 5.
As they reached the first floor 5 hurried out to join the others by the fire, 10 followed, well she would have if the sight before her had not stopped her.
"Ah!" 10 exclaimed as she fumbled with the thimble, she had not been down since the twins had taken a nap.
A glittering, glassy wonderland greeted 10's optics. Not an inch of space was not decorated. Glitter across the ground, on the rocks and rubble. Paper chains swaying lightly in the air. Small Christmas lights had been strung to illuminate the place from above. Multi-colored glass beads refracted the light making small rainbows in places. 10 stood spell bound until 2 touched her arm.
" Do you like it my dear?"
Since the new patch was sewn onto 10's body no one could see the glow but at that moment 10 was happier then she had been in a long time.
"Oh 2, its wonderful. It's like a fairy tale." 10 sighed. She couldn't believe how beautiful this place could be.
2 link his arm though hers, seeing as how she was still holding the thimble with both hands, and lead her towards the others into this magical realm.
"10, there you are."9 called as she approached guided by 2. He removed the burden from her and 10 took her place around the fire.
10 glanced at the faces and noted 1 was missing. "Is 1 not joining us?"
"That wet blanket, no way." 7 smiled, downing another cup of the stronger oil. "But I am sure he's watching us." She gestured up with her chin and 10 raised her gaze. Sure enough there was 1, drumming his fingers on the railing above and looking down with disgust.
1 had he own reasons for watching. 2 had asked something of the twins and they had happily agreed. He wanted to be watching when it happened. Too bad he was forced to wait while the others drank there oil and exchanged old stories. Laughing, giggling, talking, playful shoving. 1 hated it all. There was no place for happiness in this world of death. Or was he jealous? 1 pushed the thought from his mind.
An hour into the party 7 was on her fifth cup of strong oil and seemed to be find. 9 on the other hand was on his third and getting a bit woozy.
"7…Did I ever tell you how pretty you are?" 9 blurted out. If she could have blushed 7 would had, especially when 8 and 5 started laughing. She shot 5 a look that stopped a giggle mid-voice box.
7 reached over and took 9's hand, he practically melted at her touch. "Soooooo….Pretty." 9 crooned.
The twins had clicked and flashed all over the scene, it would be fun to play this back for 9 later but sparing 7 any more embarrassment they latched onto 2's arms flashing at him expectantly.
2 smiled and nodded. At that the twins were off. 4 grabbed 10 and pulled her under a rather bright light. "4? What are you?" Before she could finish asking 3 pushed something onto her head. 10 tried to remove the object but 4 stopped her hands. So 10 resigned herself to just feeling what it was. Her copper fingers ran along a smooth metal band with something on the front of it. The word ring came to mind. It was a ring.
3 and 4 stepped away from 10 but motioned for her to stay every few feet they got from her. If she took a step back towards the others, the twins would shake their head no frantically till she stayed put.
"What's going on? 3? 4?" 10 asked to the twins retreating forms. Once they were a safe distance away, 3 began a projection, it was only one image, a pen and ink drawing of a large bird. The music that followed was what they wanted 10 to hear.
"You two kept this? For all this time?" 4 stood obediently to catch his brother when the song ended but until then he motioned for 10 to dance.
10 smiled to herself, so this is what they had been up too. She took a moment to center herself, it had been so long. Three notes later she began.
She didn't hear the happy cries at her movement or 6 crooning the word "Sound." In those few steps 10 and the music became one. She knew ever step by heart, those she had no heart to speak of. Passé', Jete', Releve' sous-sus… 10 finished as the song came to a close. 3 collapsed into 4's waiting grip. It was tiring but well worth it. Seeing what he had wanted 1, gripping his new staff, retreaded to the shared bedroom.10 just stood there in perfect unmoving harmony. She had completely forgotten the others were there until….
"OHMYGOSH! 10!THAT was so….WOW…" 9 yelled. 10 snapped back to reality and immediately felt embarrassed.
"No more for you." 7 took 9's cup away.
"Awww 7! That was mine." 9 pouted like a child. The others began to laugh.
The small tinkle of metal hitting the ground drew the groups attention. 10 had thrown off the ring encircling her head and took off running away from the group.
"Oh dear, I think 10 thought we were laughing at her dancing." 2 spoke his voice full of worry.
"Wait 10!" 0 moved to chase after her but stopped when he felt 9's drunken optics against his back.
"Please 5? Go after her? You know her best…besides me." 0 added.
5 took off after 10. He found her halfway across the room, leaning against a pile of rubble. Out of view from the others. Her hand over her patch. 5 felt an instant pang of guilt watching her run her fingers over the patch.
"10?" 5 ventured coming close to her.
Optics brimming with confusion met his. "hi 5."
He sat next to her. "What happened back there? You looked like you were having fun."
"I was but…I…I don't know…I just got embarrassed, and…" 5 watched as she continued to stroke her patch.
He pointed, drawing her attention to it. "10?"
"The other me is having a fit. I started to see things, like memories, only they weren't mine. It was unsettling." 10 shivered involuntarily. "I got scared and ran…I'm sorry." Optics begging for compassion glance up at him.
5 wrap his arm comfortingly around 10's shoulders and she curled into the love she felt there.
"It will be okay. I promise." 10 smiled at him and 5 was happy. "Come on we should…"
"Do you hear something?" 10 interrupted.
5 listened, and out of the dark came a very soft melody. Gentle, lofty and peaceful. Full of dreams and promises.
"It must be the twins playing something." 5 said rubbing at his optics. He suddenly felt very tired.
"But the twins are back there…" 10 yawned. "And the music is…coming from…over…there." She cuddled closer to 5. She sighed, feeling warm all over and very sleepy.
5 felt a shock run through him. "That's not right…" But any fears he had were soon soothed away by the continuing melody.
His optics shuttered once, then again. He wrapped his arms tightly, protectively, around 10. She was already asleep, her head on his shoulder, her body cuddled close.
One blink, then another, then darkness, as 5 drifted off to sleep.
The beast had them now……
It slithered slowly towards the helpless ragdolls. Covered from top to tip with fabric, for silence, and a similar design as the seamstress. It's face, a manic laughing clown, a Halloween leftover, created to give nightmares, its eyes red and glowing. It possessed six arms, the first two an extra large pair of stitchpunk like hands for holding and grabbing, The second set were tentacles most likely from a toy octopus, long and flexible. The last arms were different, one held a sharp blade the other a circular shied.
The beast stopped only inches from them, the melody from its core, never ceasing. The beast made a low whistle for its partner in crime.
From the shadows came a 10 legged contraception also wrapped completely in fabric for stealth. It made no sound as its fabric covered legs clicked across the ground. On its back, a metal wire cage, the kind for small pets or birds. The cage was halfway filled with cotton balls and bits of soft fabric. Intended to keep the kidnapped warm and asleep for the journey back to BRAIN.
With a quick click the top of the cage was opened and both stitchpunks, 5 still holding 10 close, were eased into the cotton ball bed.
They didn't stir…….
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"Well, we didn't mean any harm." 7 said looking into the fire.
"Don't worry 7, 5 will bring her back soon." 2 patted 0's arm speaking. 0 was getting jumpy and 2 was trying to keep him calm.
"It was beautiful dancing…" 9 drifted in and out now. Having had way too much to drink. "…better if it was 7…"
"9, you really need to shut up now." 7 snapped.
8 giggled.
3 and 4, who until this point had been poking at the fire, leapt up and moved away from the others, in the direction 5 and 10 had gone.
They clicked and flashed quickly to each other. Could 4 hear it? Yes, could 3? What is it? Where was it?
They held close, there could just pick up the faintest music.
"3? 4? What's wrong?" 2 asked.
They looked at the old mentor and pointed in the direction of 10 and 5 before wandering off to follow the sound.
"3, 4 get back here." 7 called playfully. When they didn't listen, instead turning a corner around some rubble and out of sight, she stood to chase them.
9 mumbled for her to stay but she struck a quick pose, teasing him before she darted off. Turning the corner 7 did something she had only done once before in her entire existence…
She screamed….
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3 and 4 felt increasingly happy and sleepy as they approached the noise. They joined hand as they ran.
There joy turned to horror as the turned the corner, wishing that they could call for help, as tentacle arms wrapped around them lifting them close.
The struggled blinking rapidly, fearfully, as the beast brought them towards its chest. They found the source of the sound and struggled again. There small forms quickly losing energy as the music entered them. They blinked, struggled, flicker… blink… kick…and reaching for each other as they lost the battle.
Fingers and arms entwining, holding tight for possibly their last sleep ever, 3 and 4 passed out.
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7 turned the corner smiling, when she caught 3 and 4 she was going to give them a terrible tickling. They knew better then to run off.
She came face to face with a ghastly beast with a manic face, laying 3 and 4 into a cage next to 5 and 10. 7 screamed…
The others at the fire heard her, while those in the cage did not stir. 7 could only hope help would arrive. She hadn't thought to bring her spear.
The beast lashed out at her while the cage toting beast retreated. She dodged and jumped trying to keep her optics on the direction of the cage.
The beast stabbed at her with the knife, its curling tentacle arms slashing for her. No matter what she did she remained on the defensive, She couldn't get close enough to even try to strike with her bare hands and she was starting to feel weak. Like something was draining her strength.
Movement to her left caught her attention , with a roar of fury 8 joined the fight, swinging his large knife at the beast.
"7!" 0 screamed following on 8's heels. He tossed her, her spear and taking a flying leapt, she caught it and landed in a roll.
She couldn't stand….7 struggled and pulled but her left leg had seemingly gone numb, her arms felt heavy and her optics clicked. What was happening to her?
She was vaguely aware of the fight now, of someone calling her name. She heard it now, the music. Had it been playing this whole time? This soft, dreamy music. She tried to fight, tried to shake it out of her head but…in the end, 7 collapsed to the floor…sleeping.
"7!" 0 yelled getting 8's attention. 8 saw 7 on the floor, unmoving, and thinking the worse had happened to her, he went into a rage.
He was the protector and he fail…again, 7 was dead. 8, screaming unnaturally, stabbed and stabbed at the beast, piercing its chest with his blade. At once the music stopped and a snapping sound was heard. 8 removed his blade ,which was covered in small gears and bits of metal. The beast shrieked and back away trying to escape with its life.
0 wouldn't let that happen, as the beast had it attention on a raging 8, 0 came in for the kill and took the beasts head right off.
The Beast died painfully, 8 seeing the threat was over cradled 7's form to his body. "7?...7?" He whispered gently shaking her. She mumbled in her sleep and 8 sighed deeply, she wasn't dead. 2. He had to get her to 2.
8 lifted 7 gently and held her to his chest. He was warm, he was strong, he would protect her. He looked at 0 who nodded. "Go, I'll find the others." 0 watch 8 retreat towards the safety of the fire.
He had no idea the others were being carried further and further away with ever moment.
They were going to BRAIN…..
A/N: Dun Dun DUUUN! What will happen to our fabric covered heroes? Will 5, 10 and the twins escape? Will 9 ever revel his true feeling towards 7? Does 8 have a thing for 7? Does 1 have a thing for 10? Stay tuned and find out.
Also I'm moving this week so updates may be a bit more sporadic for a week or two. : )