Mable: Here's the next chapter! I don't own 9, Enjoy!
Fabric Runs Shallow
Chapter Fifty-Two: The Model Expectations
Seven led Velvet out front as the other Stitchpunks preparing to leave continued to get their bearings inside of the Library. Eight was waiting surprisingly patiently, to himself on the steps and looked back when the two approached. "Alright, here we are." Seven greeted as she smiled back to the other female, "Velvet, this is Eight. Eight, Velvet." The Guard stood and the ribbon tied female felt a little uneasy at how large the other was, giving a small, "Hello there." However, Eight was as casual as usual, and greeted with a, "Hey." Then he looked back between the two, "So whose sparring with who?"
The Warrior paused and Velvet interrupted before she could, "I actually haven't ever, you know… Sparred or anything before." She explained with a small shrug and Seven gave a friendly smile before offering, "Then you can watch us first. Let's finish what we started." She turned to Eight and pulled down her helmet while he returned with his own bit of a smirk, "You sure you can endure anymore?" The female accepted the challenge and soon the two were in another brawl. Velvet watched in surprise as the small female held herself against Eight who was practically a giant.
She moved so quickly and yet so elegantly at the same time. She watched eagerly, clutching her mallet close and waiting to see the outcome. Unfortunately she soon found herself distracted again. Now the others came out to head off to scout. The twins came with them to see them off, but waited by the doorway as the other hopped down the steps. As Five passed by Velvet found herself calling to him, "Be careful!" Five looked back and waved with a smile, "We will."
She paused before trying, "Just remember if you get attacked by something; you don't have to be faster than it, you just have to be faster than your friends." This roused a bit of laughter out of Two who followed by patting Five on the back in a friendly way. "We shall keep that in mind!" Five chuckled a little and Velvet waved as they headed off towards the gate. She then looked to Seven and Eight who briefly paused their sparring match. "Will they be okay? There could be Machines everywhere out there." Seven was slightly amused at the other's assumption, but also felt a little confused about the female's concern.
Whether or not there was something going on with her and Five she had just been but in the Emptiness the day before. She should've known that it wasn't that dangerous. "They'll be fine. Two's leading the way and he's been out there many times." Velvet smiled a little bit, "Yeah, you're right." She then stood, "You were amazing back there! How do you get your body to move so fast?" The Warrior wasn't unfamiliar to compliments and humbly brushed it off. "Just a lot of practice and many more Beasts that I wanted to fight…"
She paused before adding in, "Though I go into the areas where they run amuck. The others try to steer clear of those because they don't want to outright confront the beasts." Velvet nodded before blinking and asking, "Then why do you confront the Beasts? Can't you just… Walk around them?" Seven smiled wider and confidently stated, "Every Beast that we take down is another one not haunting as in the future." The other smiled once again, "That is true! After seeing you out there, you and Eight, you must take a lot of them down."
Now Eight spoke, "Not as much as I'd want, but there's not enough time in the day. So this is yours?" He suddenly changed thoughts when he lifted the mallet off of the ground. "Oh, yes!" Velvet perked, "I found it in the kitchen back at home. I think it was used for hitting cuts of meat. Like a meat tenderizer." The Guard looked it over, "Yeah, it would work for that. It's still in pretty good shape." He shifted it around to test its weight before looking back to her, "Think you'd be willing to make a trade? I could give you something lighter and quicker."
Velvet now gave a thankful smile before reaching forward and taking ahold of it, "That's a nice offer, but I've sort of grown attached to this old thing." He released it and the sudden weight caused it to plummet downwards, the handle being still held while the actual head of the mallet struck onto the ground. She stared downwards before looking to him, he raising a brow slowly, and she remarking, "I, uh… I didn't say I was good with the weight." He gave a smirk and she gave a soft huff, not liking the patronizing look that she was receiving.
"It will probably be a bit more difficult to learn…" Seven murmured thoughtfully before remarking, "But it would be possible for you to become more familiar with the mallet. At least to the point where the weight isn't as much of a problem." Both others didn't seem convinced, "That's a nice thought, but I doubt that… It's not like I can change my body, right?" Eight seemed doubtful as he casually crossed his arms and pointed out, "It's not like you using spear or me using a knife. It's like someone your size using a weapon of my size."
"If I knew better, Eight, I'd think that the only reason you're against the idea is because you want the mallet. I don't recall you having a blunt weapon." The Guard grumbled to himself as there was a little truth to the statement before uncrossing his arms. "Alright, Seven's got a point." Velvet raised a brow of her own to mock his previous look, "That you want my mallet?" Eight immediately responded, nearly interrupting her, "About training making you use a weapon easier. You aren't just born able to fight; size or not, Seven and I had to work for it, Six had to work for it."
"What kind of weapon does Six use?" Velvet asked curiously. She actually had formally met the striped male the day before and honestly found him a little interesting. Mostly because he had taken in the role as Artist and had acquired an actual job that was based on some sort of art. Though because of this she hadn't gotten the impression that he was a fighter of any kind. Eight didn't directly answer, "We're not exactly sure. It depends if a pocket watch counts as something. Still he had to work to get to where he is."
"Eight is right." Seven pointed out. "If you work at it then you'll get better." Velvet smiled and followed up asking, "So you're really going to teach me? I'll try my best, but I don't even know where to begin." Honestly Seven hadn't meant to set herself up as somewhat of a mentor, but now thinking it over she realized that she actually enjoyed the idea and decided to go along with it. "I will. Here, we can start now…"
To say the others were surprised when Two suddenly stopped them on their way home just to look in a shop was an understatement. Apparently they hadn't noticed the shop of models before, or at least didn't think it was important, but Two's optics spotted something and suddenly he needed in. While the door wasn't open they were able to head inside through a vent on the side of the building, entering into a store lined with displays of planes and animals, and such. All were made of fine wood that was set together.
There were also kits; boxes with the means to make these same models. Yet Two's optics seemed to look on a model resting on one of the high shelves. It was the model of an old ship and while not being too big, definitely not big enough for them to actually use, he seemed captivated by it. "Two?" Nine found the need to ask after a few minutes passed of complete silence. The Inventor seemed to suddenly shake the somewhat hypnotized repose away before looking to him. "Ah, yes, there will probably be one of those kits with the parts to an identical model around here."
The others looked upwards before Five pointed out, "Two, if you want the ship we can get it down… Somehow." He obviously wasn't thinking before he spoke, but seeing his Inventor so entranced with it made him want to get it for him. He rested an arm on Two's shoulder and the shorter male looked to him before insisting, "That one is high on the shelf and fully put together- It would be a chore trying to carry that back. A deconstructed ship would work just as well, I guarantee it." Whether or not Two really wanted the finished one he was correct on every account.
Nine, however, wasn't ready to give up and turned to his twin. "Maybe we can find a way up." He suggested and None perked at this comment. Though Child, still facing Two, tossed in his own two cents into the conversation, "Maybe you can also fall and break your neck." Nine gave a lopsided smile at this, "I think I can handle a little climbing." He kept his voice low enough that Two wouldn't hear and turned back towards the wall before heading over with None in tow. Five, Two, and Child meanwhile searched for a kit, with Child frequently looking over to make sure that Nine wasn't doing anything too risky.
The twins climbed onto the counter and then made their way onto one of the back shelves. None had to boost Nine before getting pulled up by his twin, and then the two weaved through a shelf of knick knacks and such. Halfway through None stopped as he noticed something along the way. It was a small, green tinted bottle with a small model of a ship inside. "Here, why don't we give Two this instead?" He asked happily and the older twin shrugged, "I don't know. It's a little small. He'll probably prefer the one higher up."
None was insistent, "Think about it; It's smaller so he could carry it around, it'll be easier to get to, and all we'd have to do is crack the glass open to get to it." Still Nine shrugged it off, "I know, but I think he likes the bigger one because it's a little closer to life sized… Sort of." He gave a goofy smile before persuading, "Let's go get the big one. It's worth going all the way for something better." None exhaled before following a few steps, and only then stared upwards at the ship in question. Now he became insistent and spoke outright, "Nine, why does it have to be the biggest option? Why can't it ever be simple?"
Nine was surprised at his twin's remark, "What do you mean? Two wants the other one." Yet None was certain, "But this one is just as good! Do you just ignore it because it's smaller, or is it because I suggested it?" There was a sudden hurt look and Nine was completely confused at this. "What? No! Why would I- Why would I choose the bigger one just because you want the smaller one? That doesn't make sense!" The twin seemed to immediately falter from his stance and looked down. "It just seems that way… Whenever I make suggestions they're always ignored, even when they are simpler."
Now Nine felt a little bad. None did have a point; most of the time Nine led them instead of None. "Oh None, I'm sorry…" He murmured slowly, coming closer and putting a hand on his twin's arm. "I wanted to give Two the other one because it was the one he wanted so bad, not because I don't want to take your suggestion." He then smiled in a friendly way and insisted, "How about we get both of them? He's not going to turn either down and then he'll have the larger one and the one that he can carry around." The slightly younger male gave a small smile, "Thanks."
It was enough of a gesture that None felt better. Now Nine headed forward, twin in tow, and the two climbed upon a model box on the edge of the shelf. The picture on the box was almost identical to the ship except lighter in color by far, and naturally not put together. As they stood on it to climb up, Nine kneeling down to boost his twin, he suddenly felt an odd shift in weight as though he was unsteady. "What…?" He asked himself quietly before there was a loud snap and the shelf gave way, "What?!"
Suddenly the nail holding that side of the shelf to the edge gave way and the two dropped as well. Nine managed to clutch his twin who dropped on top of them and as the shelf collapsed to the floor. The second the edge hit the floor Nine and None were thrown off of it. They catapulted a short distance and landed to the ground roughly, finally separating as they released one another from the rough launch. Nine's head in particular thumped the ground hard and his vision briefly spun. He actually could hear the others' reactions from nearby. Such as Five's cry of, "Oh God!" followed by Child's quick, "Damn!"
He continued just to lay there for a few seconds as None struggled to sit upwards nearby, the sound of items rolling off the shelf still being able to be heard. Suddenly a couple of glass bottles began to roll down, one being the one with the ship in it, and Five cried out another, "Hold on!" None managed to sit upwards and noticed that Nine was still lying there before his attention went to the bottles. The one with the ship rolled off the shelf halfway down and smashed into the floor while the other continued. Quickly he leapt to his feet and ran over to block the bottle.
It struck into him enough to cause him to fall on his backside, but that kept it away from Nine, and two rushed to his side while Five and Child rushed to Nine's. Child crouched down behind Nine and slowly lifted him into a reclined position on his lap and chest, "What did you hit?" He demanded, talking quite loudly as though he feared that Nine wouldn't hear him. Five meanwhile crouched beside them and ripped his bag off of his bag. "What landed on him? Did you see?" Nine blinked before groggily lifting a hand, "I'm okay." He somewhat slurred as his head ached. "I just… I just hit my head…"
Two and None soon arrived where None crouched at Nine's feet, "This is my fault! If we wouldn't have fought he wouldn't have gotten hurt!" He was nearly frantic and Nine murmured, "No, None, I'm okay. Really." Suddenly Child tilted his head upwards quickly and peered into his optics. The younger male stared back, wanting to question what he was doing but having trouble getting his words together. Meanwhile Child watched as his pupils seemed to flutter, "I think it's a concussion, because I have no other idea what this could possibly be."
The albino explained with a slight tinge of dread in his vice. Five now looked before turning to None, "Where did Nine leave his Lightstaff?" The male didn't answer and instead dashed off to grab it, returning quickly. Five turned the staff on above Nine and watched his pupils' movement before deciding. "It's a minor concussion. It shouldn't be too bad, but he's going to be a little confused for a bit. He can't sleep until at least after we get home." Child gave Five an unimpressed look, "I'm not that dense, Five." The Healer waved the comment off and Two now spoke, "You two weren't going after that ship, were you?"
The younger zippered male nodded meekly as though he was afraid Two would be angry. Instead the Inventor looked guilty, "Oh Nine, you shouldn't have gone up there for that. You could have put your life in danger." Now Nine spoke, "It's okay, Two." He wanted to say more, but his mind suddenly drew a blank and refused to say anymore other than, "It's okay." Now Five glanced over before double taking, "I think that box, on the shelf, I think that it's another ship. It's just not put together or out of the box."
Two perked a bit, but then waved it off, "That's- That's the least of our concerns now. We need to get Nine somewhat up and back to the Sanctuary." There was a pause before Nine spoke again, "No, Two, take it. Don't worry about me." He gave a small smile even in his somewhat foggy state of mind. Now Two was reassured and stood, "Alright, but if you need help carrying him just tell me." He spoke to Child before excitedly running off with None and a hesitant Five in tow. "I don't need to be carried." Nine insisted as Child tucked an arm under his knees, "You're carrying me like a girl."
"It's a good thing Seven isn't here. She might have called you out on that." The albino pointed out matter-of-factly as he held him securely against him. "It's easier than trying to hoist you over my back, Poppet. Just don't fall asleep or there's a chance you won't wake again." The zippered male groaned, "Fantastic. That's all I need." He could hear the others going into the box before hearing Two remark, "Oh look! A ship in a bottle! Well, the bottle's broken, but the ship is in good condition!" He could just feel a giddiness that he knew his twin probably felt as well.
Suddenly he didn't mind that his head hurt and that he hadn't reached the ship; regardless of what his twin thought he would always come first in his book. With that Nine released an exhale and rested his head against Child's shoulder, letting his body now focus on trying to stay awake.
Mable: Nine's just a little clumsy; he's got the worst luck, doesn't he? ^-^ I hope everyone enjoyed! The next chapter shall be posted tomorrow!
