"Where are they? They should of been back by now." Alexis says as she is pacing around near the entrance to the library as the twins come over to her flickering at her.
"I know. You're telling me that they're alright and shouldn't be worried. You're probably right but still something just doesn't feel fight. Maybe I should go and see what's keeping them." Alexis says as she begins to walk toward the entrance before being tackled down. Alexis then looks to see it is 3 and 4 with worried expressions.
"Alright you two. Point taken I won't leave. No matter how much it's worrying me. You win. Now kindly get off. You two are heavier than you look." Alexis says as she laughs slightly before the two stitchpunks get off her smiling allowing her to get up before the three then hear footsteps and see its the others as the three run over to them.
"You're back!... With 1, 6,7 and 8... What happened?" Alexis asks worried upon seeing the entire group and 7 with an injury on her leg as 9 helps her over to sit on a book.
"Long story short the cathedral is no longer an option for anyone." 7 says as 5 begins to stitch up the injury on her leg.
"There will be more. Won't there?" 9 asks as 7 nods.
"What? Well it's not safe here." 1 says hearing this.
"But can't 10 help protect us? She's protected each of us before from the cat beast." 6 says as he looks at Alexis.
"10? That woman won't protect us. She will only get us killed if we trust her to do so." 1 says.
"Hey!" Alexis says angrily as 6 goes over to her looking at her knowing he doesn't want her to make a move in anger.
"Alexis stands more of a chance then 8 or any of us do against one of those things." 5 says as 1 gives him a dirty look.
"Well I'm not trusting it. 8 stand look out. I'll search out a safer retreat." 1 says as he and 8 walk off.
*Timeskip*
"Well isn't that a beautiful sight." Alexis says as she sees the twins and 6 showing 9 information on the talisman that awoke the machine.
"What is 10?" 7 asks she walks over to Alexis.
"Seeing the others act least acting happy and cheerful. Even if it is only for some good news." Alexis says.
"That's probably not the only reason 9 is smiling." 7 says causing Alexis to look at her curiously.
"What do you mean?" Alexis asks.
"9 cares very much for you I hope you know that. You listen to him even when the rest of us won't for whatever the reason. You give him a reason to see life in a different way. You give him hope like you do the rest of us." 7 says.
"Yeah. Right. You guys don't need me to give you hope. Besides 9 acts so shy but then act so protective around me. If he does care then he hasn't let me know. But honestly 1 is right. I can't protect everyone. I wish I would of went with 5 and 9 to rescue 2 when they left. Maybe if I had gotten there sooner he wouldn't of been gone." Alexis says sadly.
"Don't blame yourself Alexis. Nobody knew it would happen. And don't listen to 1 and 8 they're just scared like the rest of us. But I think if you take a closer look at 9nand how he acts around you you'll see that I'm right. You keep telling me that you haven't found your reason to keep surviving but I think you have even if you don't see it. You've found love and a family." 7 says.
"I still don't quite see it 7 but thanks for talking to me. If anything I needed to hear that." Alexis says as she gives a slight smile.
"You're welcome 10." 7 says as they walk over to the boys listening to them talk as 1 then comes over.
"Dark science. What good does this useless rubbish do us? Forget it!" 1 says as everyone looks at him.
"You know something. What do you know?" 9 asks as he walks over to 1.
"I know enough to leave their ancient evils to molder. Look what they've left us with. Leave it be I say. But you always asking questions! So many pointless questions. Probing! Pushing! Like 2! He always had to know too much!" 1 shouts angrily as he tears a piece in the page of the book.
"I was right. You did send him out to die!" 9 shouts angrily.
"What?" Alexis asks mumbling to herself enough to get 6's attention knowing she saw 2 like a father.
"He was old! He was weak! Sometimes one must be sacrificed for the good of many." 1 says admitting to sending 2 to his death.
"You coward!" 7 shouts enraged with Alexis as she jumps at him putting her spear against 1's neck while Alexis shifts to her wolf form showing her fangs growling.
"Traitor! 2 only wanted to help all of us and now because of you he's gone! He wouldn't of been out there if it hadn't been for you!" Alexis says as she growls viciously while the twins and 6 grab her and try to pull her back away from 1 with no avail.
"7, 10 we know what he did was terrible but it won't bring 2 back. Taking vengeance on 1 isn't the answer." 9 says as 7 reluctantly pulls her spear away from 1 as 6 and the twins manage to get Alexis to back away from 1 both females still clearly very angry before 7 then runs off.
"Come with me 10. Please." 6 says as he gets Alexis to follow him away from the others.
*Timeskip*
"It'll be okay. Please just stop crying." 6 says as he is trying to comfort Alexis.
"Because of him 2 is gone. Regardless of whether or not 9 awoke the machine 2 would never have been out there for the cat beast to have taken him if it wasn't for 1." Alexis says angrily as 6 hugs her before Alexis hears something and shifts to wolf form growling viciously.
"What's wrong?" 6 asks as he quickly gets alert of his surroundings.
"We're not alone. Just stay behind me." Alexis says as she protectively gets in front of 6 before seeing a snake like machine appear in front of them and screech.
"What is that thing!?" 6 shouts before Alexis then jumps at it biting and clawing into it causing it to scream and throw her off as she then lunges and attacks it again before it screeches at her and runs off.
"It's heading towards the others. We gotta warn them." Alexis says as 6 nods and follow after her.
*Timeskip*
Once arriving they only see 1,3,4, 5 and 9 before seeing 2's lifeless body on the ground nearby.
"What happened? Where's 7 and 8? Where did 2's body come from?" Alexis asks with fear and worry in her voice.
"That creature it used 2 to hypnotize us and then it took them." 5 says sadly as everyone looks at him.
"We have to go after them!" 9 says pointing in the direction the creature went.
"What? 8? Where's 8?" 1 asks as he wakes up from lying on the ground.
"That thing has them. It's taking them back to the machine." 9 says.
"Then it's too late. We.. We have to get out of here. We must try to find another safe place." 1 says as he quickly begins to back away.
"No more hiding! We're going after them. All of us." 9 says as he goes over to 1.
"Need I remind you the outcome of your last heroic venture!?" 1 asks as everyone but him goes over to 2's body.
"I can't let this happen to them.. To anyone else." 9 says as everyone but 1 looks at him sadly.
*Timeskip*
The group except for 1 then later make a makeshift funeral for 2 as they place him on a piece of a board and let him drift down into a tunnel on water while comforting each other as they watch their friend drift away from them.