Mable: So the new arch begins! A bit rushed, but I managed to put it together in time, so that is good. I don't own 9, Enjoy!

Souls Run Deep

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Small Spark

A few days had passed and the edition was nearly finished. The bed was being taken apart and moved into the new bedroom presently. Eight lugged it over into the other room and helped Five and Two set it up. The small bedroom beside the larger chambers was to be the baby's room and Six took the time to cover the walls in large pieces of paper covered in numerous designs to give the baby something to look at on the walls. They were only in black and white, but the scenes were pleasant, trees and flowers.

One allowed Child to overtake his old bedroom and the Stitchpunk gladly moved out of the Workshop. Unfortunately, all he had for a bed was a makeshift one of blankets he made on the floor, but it was good enough. He even made a small bed in the corner for Pet who was pleased with his new bed. However, soon Two and One decided it was time to work on the baby's body and to find more things to decorate the small room.

Seven was the one who mentioned the house, "It's two floors and in good condition. We could probably find something there." It had been something she passed when she was out scouting and was certain about. Two was curious and One was skeptic, but soon the entire group left the Library and headed out towards the building. It was near a large group of destroyed homes, so it was a shock that it still stood, completely intact.

Of course, a few windows were broken out, but that wasn't bad enough to turn the Stitchpunks away. They entered cautiously into the main hall as they took in their surrounds. "Look at this!" Two said with a wide smile, "All these pictures, still intact! A family must have lived here." Looking at more pictures he also saw another clear indication; a baby's photo. It was in black and white and a bit dim, but it interested him nonetheless. He approached it with Five following behind curiously.

"How precious." Two murmured as he stared at the picture depicting a small infant. He assumed it was a girl, because her clothes were decorated in ribbons, and it appeared that she was wearing a small dress. Suddenly he was overwhelmed with emotion as he realized that this was what he was also going to have, and he doubled over in a fit of sobbing. Naturally, Five was horrified, "Two?! What's wrong?" He rested a hand on his mentor's shoulder in concern.

To even more shock, Two abruptly stopped crying and began to laugh like it was nothing. "Just a bit emotional, Five. Nothing more." He then began to speak like nothing had even happened; prompting Five to glance back at One who gave him a look signaling that it wasn't an issue. What Five didn't realize was that Two's moods had been changing rapidly all morning and that fits of crying were the last thing that was worrying One.

"If there was a baby then there is a good chance that there is a nursery. Perhaps we can find some things that we can take home with us." Five agreed with this and followed him to the stairs, as the Inventor added in that the nursery was usually near the master bedroom and that the master bedroom was typically on the second floor. One decided to follow them as well, but Eight didn't. He decided to follow Six who was walking around curiously.

It wasn't too long until he found something that interested him. In a small out cove of a room was set up a painting easel, before it a small table with a dried bouquet that was being painted, and Six approached curiously. "They painted too…" He murmured as he managed to climb up onto the stool. Eight wasn't sure what he was so interested in, but did call up with a quick, "Careful up there."

Six soon found what he wanted on another little table beside the easel. Little bottles were lined up together and he opened one to see what he desired. It was a thick liquid, brightly colored, and obviously oil paints. He was surprised that it hadn't dried out and instead seemed to be in pretty decent shape other than being a little thick. There were only four bottles; red, blue, yellow, and white.

He could tell by the old palette covered with dry paint, and he surprisingly did know what a palette was, that the four colors were used to make other colors. Technically, these four would be all he needed, and he wasn't even sure that he needed a paint brush. Either way, he did manage to find a small row of them. Most of them looked to have dry paint on them and were partially unusable. He took the smallest up and looked it over.

"Six?" Eight called again, obviously not liking Six being out of sight without knowing if he was alright. The Artist picked up the bottle of white paint and headed to the side. "Can you carry something for me, please?" He asked before abruptly dropping the small bottle. It wasn't glass, so it wouldn't have broken, but Eight still managed to catch it. He called back up, "Yeah, but you could give me a little warning before dropping things on my head."

He didn't sound annoyed, more amused, but Six still felt the need to apologize with a quick, "Sorry." Before dropping yet another bottle down upon the guard who managed to grab ahold of it. Soon, Six dropped down all four and grabbed the paintbrush before climbing down, "Look!" He exclaimed happily, "I found paint, real paint! Now I can try to make pictures like the ones we saw in Paris."

"There's only four colors?" Eight asked in confusion, becoming almost offended that they only found this much, "Who paints with white? The paper is white." Six actually felt a little amused and nearly laughed at the comment, "The white's used to make more colors. Like pink." This definitely made Eight looked confused and Six knew why, "Not that I'd use a lot a pink." Eight looked amused now, "You never told me much about what colors you liked. I always knew you were hiding something."

"No, I don't like pink." Six insisted, taking the white bottle with a smile, "I like blue. Dark blue." Eight obviously liked taunting Six, though, "I saw the way you said 'like pink'; you've been waiting for this moment your entire life. The moment you'd actually get ahold of something pink. Everyone thinks I'm stuck on that," He gestured back to the magnet, "But you're the one hiding some sort of secret obsession with a color that just happens to be liked by Three and Four."

Six knew what he was insinuated and playfully huffed as he opened the bottle of white paint, "I just meant you can only get pink with white and red." Eight smirked and prodded a bit more, "The same color that two little girls like. You know-." He was quieted the second some small cold drips hit his face. It took him a second to realize that Six had dipped his fingers into the white paint and gently flicked it across Eight's face.

The Guard didn't know how to react, but Six did. He was comfortable enough with Eight now that, upon seeing his face, he burst out laughing. Eight immediately wanted retaliation and popped open the bottle of blue, "Fine, you like blue so much," He repeated the action that Six had committed, purposely flinging more that the smaller had. A large drop of blue went right onto Six's left optic and the male wiped it off with his arm while Eight chuckled.

Six retorted with a handful of white paint that he threw right into Eight's face. Eight gave him this weird look and suddenly Six knew this wouldn't be the end. He prepared himself with another handful of white as Eight lifted the blue bottle above his head.

As predicted, Two was right. There was a small nursery upstairs in the house. It was decorated in pale pinks and yellows, very appealing, and yet Two was a bit skeptic to enter. Five wasn't sure why, but One knew and crossed the room to check the crib. "It is empty." He explained and Two exhaled in relief before beginning to investigate the room. He was soon drawn to the soft blankets peeking from the crib, "Five, please cut some of this cloth free."

The Healer did as told and began to cut the fabric in a large piece. One assisted him in gathering the fabric while Two began to search the room for anything else. His eyes landed on a stuffed bear resting on a nearby chair. He immediately got an idea and put his mind to a determined state. He was certain, when he arrived home, that he'd make a stuffed bear for his son. Five managed to gather the cloth, "I'll move this outside." He pointed out and hurried out of the room to do so.

One approached Two and looked at the playthings that he was viewing. "Do we have enough fabric for the body?" Two nodded, not looking over, "Of course. We had that before we came. This trip was mostly for things that he would need comfort wise." He smiled and rubbed his abdomen a little before resting a hand on a nearby wooden block, each side having a little carved upon it. "Perhaps I could make him a few of these. Though smaller."

"I would hope so." One abruptly spoke, though Two recognized the playfully comment before chuckling himself. "Actually," He added, "I was thinking of, perhaps, a vest." He touched his own with a smile and made a small suggestion, "Perhaps red?" One seemed pleased at this, "Yes. He would look regal." With that, Two corrected with a smile. "He will look regal. Just as soon as he joins us." Once again, the two were pleased, and basked in the thoughts.

Meanwhile, in the hall, Seven had spotted another set of stairs and headed straight towards them. She felt no need to tell Nine and Child who were nearby as they were too busy with each other. Child was still mentoring Nine in Luxembourgish so the two were focused on the present lesson instead of on her, while heading in the direction of what looked like a bedroom. She continued along towards the stairs.

Seven was soon alerted to the sounds of footsteps behind her and smiled a little before speaking. "There didn't look to be a third floor, so I am guessing that the stairs lead into the attic. It may be dangerous. There could be beasts nesting." She wasn't too sure about this, but preferred to keep the two safe who she now looked back upon. The twins still looked curious, smiling in reassurance, and still continued on behind her.

"Wait down here, girls, and I'll come back once I make sure it is safe." She explained to the twins who now looked taken aback. They looked at each other in alarm as though they couldn't believe she was insisting that they stayed down here. She decided to leave them be and began to head towards the steps again, without fear. Walking along the sloping boarder, she headed up into the darkness of the attic, and was met with what she expected.

Dusty, worn, and only lit by a single cracked window; the attic was both dismal and had a slight charm to it. Seven's optics slid across the room and took in the stacks of old boxes and old furniture covered in white sheets. Something was partially uncovered on a table that she was drawn to, though, that looked like a birdcage. She was drawn to it and crossed the room to see it clearer.

It was obvious that Seven very much enjoyed birds, but there was something birdcages that seemed to be so inviting. She touched over the bars and imagined what bird could've been kept inside before it had been left to spend the rest of its days in the attic, unused and unneeded. It was both tragic and not so at the same time. Spending one's life trapped forever while also being able to enjoy the comfort of a safe life.

She had fled her own birdcage, the Cathedral, years ago to become what she was today. However, she occasionally wondered what it would've been like if she would've stayed. She was covered in scars, faced horrors beyond what she had ever expected, and yet never found true freedom. One wasn't the only think that kept Seven grounded. She soon found that she, too, kept herself trapped. There was nowhere to fly away to and no one to seek sanctuary in.

Less a Cat's claws clipped her wings. The thought of such made her shiver. That Cat Beast still haunted her. It had followed her, hunted her, for years before its defeat. Though it didn't stay dead and now could still be out there, hunting her, waiting for her to attempt to flee her cage again so that it could pounce upon her and tear into her fabric with its sharp claws. Birds were always prey to Cats in the past and it would remain that way.

Seven was the only one who was seemingly distressed about the current situation of searching the home. Most of the others had found things they needed and were slowly moving them outside. Such as, Five finally moved the cloth outside where he found Six and Eight, only to stare in confusion. They seemed to have brought a few bottles out, but that wasn't nearly the confusing part. Eight and Six were splotched with random colors.

Eight was covered in a mix of white and red spots of what looked like paint. If he was covered, Six was drenched, soaked in blue. His yarn hair was nearly completely dyed from the paint and there were clear rivets where it had ran down the rest of his body. Both looked well humored so Five decided to ask, "What happened?" Six answered with an innocent smile, "We found some paint… We had a little accident."

It didn't really look like an accident, but Five wasn't going to ask. Especially when he noticed white paint smeared across Six's lips when the only one who had white paint on was Eight. Curiously, he also has some on his mouth, and Five pointedly decided not to address it. Instead, he laid the cloth down beside the bottles. He could now see the small designs on the blanket. It was all white, very soft, and covered in shapes of pale colors.

"I think that the baby will like this." He spoke to the others who he now noticed were acting a bit quieter than usual. He sat up and stretched before heading back inside. "Two might need more help…. I think there's a sink somewhere if you, maybe, want to try rinsing off. May still have water that can be turned on." He then entered inside while the Artist and Guard stood there awkwardly.

"Think he saw anything?" Eight suddenly questioned and Six shook his head, "The fabric was bundled up too high to see us… Maybe we should look for the water?" Eight was moving in, "In a second." Then tilted Six's mouth up so that their paint smeared lips could meet again.

Neither Three nor Four were feeling very happy with their current situation. "Why does she not trust us?" Three asked her sister pitifully, "I showed her with the Arachnid Beast that I can hold my own… A bit… That I'm not completely defenseless." Her sister wasn't as saddened. She was instead quite annoyed and crossed her arms as such. "We're not children. Will the baby arrive and we still be treated as such?"

"Probably." Three pointed out in a sulking fashion as she wandered with her sister along the way. That's when Four stopped them and stared ahead, suddenly smiling wide, "Look!" she flickered her optics quickly and Three looked up to see that her twin was pointing towards another set of stairs. This time, they went downwards instead of upwards, and Four looked quite happy to see them. "If the attic is too dangerous, then why don't we go into the basement?"

Three perked as well and grew excited, "Oh let's!" She agreed before putting a hand up signaling her sister to wait and dashing off. She quickly went up to the nursery, gestured to Five that she needed a match, he gave her one, and the two exchanged a quick embrace before she headed back to her sister's side. Now, with a light source, they headed towards the stairs. Some light from the window at the end of the hall shined downwards, so they didn't light the match right away.

They slowly dropped down the steps into the darkness as they filled with mischievousness and rebelliousness. They knew it wasn't too mature, but decided that taking the risk was fine, since the others considered them children anyway. The bottom of the basement was in poor condition and Three lit the match to see more. It looked like there were old mechanical parts stored about, as though for a car, and the two approached closer to examine.

That was when Four stepped in something wet and the two noticed a very strong smell. It wasn't bad, like blood, but just a strong scent that was dizzying. It looked oddly colored, too. However, they couldn't tell if it was the match making it look odd or not. Either way, they tried to find a way out and managed to steer clear of the liquid. That way, until something caught their attention. It looked like a figure in the back of the basement and the two approached.

The second they saw it was a body, the match throwing light on the empty sockets, Three leapt back in alarm. Neither of them had been unguarded enough to see a body this closely. She dropped the match in alarm and Four was horrified at the prospect of being in the dark.

Until it landed upon the liquid.

Mable: I will just end it there… Next chapter will be up tomorrow! I hope everyone enjoyed!