9 stood in front of the destroyed cathedral that was once known as Sanctuary, called by 1 when everyone was alive until it was burnt to the ground after everyone was attacked by the Winged Beast. He felt a deep feeling of regret as he walked around the stone rubble and the charred wooden beams that collapsed to the ground from the fire; he felt like he was responsible for the destruction of his friends' home. Using an old roller skate he found that survived the fire, he looked around the ruins for some things that haven't been damaged in the fire, and so far he had found an old Bible that had only a small blackened spot on its cover, which he was going to give to the twins to catalog, spools of thread that were still in good shape, a pair of scissors for cutting fabric and string that was once in 2's workshop, an unopened bottle of ink which once belonged to 6, 8's scissor blade and salt shaker mask that he left behind after the Winged Beast was destroyed, 1's cape and staff, and some of 2's tools and equipment from his workshop.
He continued scavenging the ruins until something shiny caught his eye under the rubble. He went over to the object and removed the rubble from on top of it. He began to tear up inside when he found the telescope from the Watchtower, the very first thing that 5 and 2 made together. He remembered his first and only time in the Watchtower with 5, and he never got the chance to let 5 show him the rest of the tower before they left to go save 2 from the Cat Beast and after the cathedral burned to the ground.
"It looks awful, doesn't it?"
9 turned around when he heard 7's voice from behind him. He found her standing next to the roller skate and looking at the stuff he found. 9 nodded sadly, "It's my fault your home got burnt down. Does it bring back memories of before I even came here?"
7 looked at him and said, "9, this was never your fault. The Machine and that winged creature were the ones responsible. Besides, this place wasn't really home to me anyway. It was more like a prison I never wanted to be in." She took 1's staff in her hands.
She added, "When 1 led us here, we felt safe from the war at first. But as soon as the war ended and the Beast came, he began to change, and he turned into a tyrant than a protector, and he became the coward he always was. He wouldn't let us go outside to let us explore the world or go collect things we wanted anytime unless we were ordered to go scouting. All he ever did was sit on his throne, acting like a pharaoh of Egypt, while he locked us up without fighting the Beast."
She put the staff back on the roller skate and came over to him. 9 asked her, staying on the subject, "So then you were the first to stand up to him?" 7 nodded, "Yes, I was the only one who stood up to him before you came here. It was before I left everyone." She remembered one of her last days at the cathedral before she and the twins left to live in the Library.
"I found 1 ordering 8 to beat up 6 for still drawing those markings on the Talisman after he took the drawing from him and tore it up. Then he grabbed 6 by the key around his neck and threw him aside and was about to punch him. I couldn't let him do something like that, so I ran over to them and stood between the two, and I refused to move out of the way. And guess what 1 did next."
9 guessed, "He ordered 8 to beat you instead?"
7 nodded, "8 didn't even hesitate to throw a punch at me. First he hit me in the face, then he grabbed me and threw me down and started kicking me around. But I refused to give in, and the more I resisted the pain, the more beatings 1 ordered. After a bit, 8 stopped beating me and he and 1 left me there in pain until 6 brought 2 and 5 over to me and they helped me get to 2's workshop to heal me. Before I passed out from the beatings, I noticed 1 looking at me with his same frown but then it turned to something that read regret." 7 rubbed her arms and thighs, showing 9 where she got beaten.
She continued as she rubbed her arms, "It hurt for a couple of days, but I learned to resist the pain in me." She and 9 both turned around when they heard a familiar voice behind them.
"I remember how badly hurt you were when 5 and I healed you."
2 came over to them with the twins as they flickered their lights in sadness at the loss of their first home. 7 frowned at them, "2! You and the twins were supposed to stay in the globe while 9 and I were gone." 2 said to her, "I know, 7, but it was like you said to 9 earlier; you both can't do this alone. Now that we're going to bring everyone back, we're all in this together." He looked at 9 and said to him, "Lad, I know you're afraid of losing me again, but now you know not to let history repeat itself again."
9 thought about what he said. He didn't want to lose 2 again after everything that's happened in the past, or worse, lose 7 and the twins. After some thinking, 9 sighed, "Alright. We're all in this together, but because I'm the one who started this, I'm the one who needs to bring everyone back. Those were the words the Scientist told me."
"Very well, lad." 2 said in agreement. Looking at the red cape and staff, he guessed, "I assume we'll be bringing 1 back next?" 9 replied, "Yeah. When I was about to revive you, I decided to bring the oldest back first before the younger."
2 smiled, "That's nice. Let's get this stuff home before we go get 1." Seeing a rope that was under the rubble and unburnt, he tied is to the roller skate, and 7 and the twins helped him move it out of the rubble. Once is was on solid ground, 2 and 9 started pulling the roller skate together and they headed back to the Library with it as 7 walked next to the skate and the twins rode on it together.
As they were walking back to the Library, 2 looked at 9 and said to him, "You know, before I came back to earth, the Scientist told me to take care of you and heal your wounds as you do your task." 9 said to him, "He told you that? But I'm not hurt anymore. In fact, I barely got hurt at all since you've been gone.
2 shook his head, "I mean your emotional wounds. He tells me you've been through a lot when you fought the Machine. I don't mean to rub salt in the wound, but it must have been really painful seeing those you once knew die before you," He sighed, "...including me." 9 nodded sadly, "When you and 5 died, I felt like a part of me had been torn out, and I knew it was all my fault. I keep trying to tell myself that the past is all behind me, but I was still pained by those memories ever since, and they wouldn't go away and leave me alone." He felt like shedding tears, even though he didn't make any of them being made of metal and fabric when he remembered causing the deaths of 2 and 5.
He sighed, "When we gave your body a proper burial and I set it afloat down the drain, I kept thinking to myself that I killed you. I was the one that caused everyone to die, and I made the Machine do this to you. I murdered you, and I never forgave myself." He stopped and began to sob. "And I knew you never forgave me for it."
2 knew how 9 was feeling right now. Even though he was disappointed that 9 placed the Talisman in the Machine even when he didn't know what would happen, he understood that he had just awakened that day and didn't even know about the world at the time, and he couldn't stay mad at his new friend forever or hold a grudge against him. 2 put down the rope he was pulling and placed his hand on 9's shoulder. He said to the young Stitchpunk, "9, listen to me now and listen well. You are not a murderer, and you did not mean for this to happen. You were just like an infant trying to know the world around it, and now you know not to make that mistake again. Remember, the past is in the past and everything will be fine again once this is over. Do you understand?"
9 listened to 2's words, and he felt a little better. He nodded with a soft yet sad smile, "Thanks, 2." He put his hands around the Stitchpunk elder and embraced him. 7 and 3 and 4, who have been overhearing their conversation, watched the tender moment between the two friends. The twins noticed 9's sad smile and came over him to give him a comforting embrace, and 7 followed them over and she embraced him too. After a while, everyone let go of 9 and he smiled at them, "Thanks guys. You have no idea how much it means to me to be with you all."
7 said with a gentle smile, "9, we're always here for you. Don't forget that, okay?" 9 nodded, and they continued their way back home. They reached the Library by sunset and once they reached the globe, they took the stuff off of the roller skate and stored it on the shelves. 2 had already set up a new workshop and he stored the scissors and thread 9 found next to the wall along with 1's cape and staff and the telescope. In the Stitchpunks' quarters, he had a bed made up of an old slipper with some pin cushions to use as pillows.
Soon everyone was starting to fall asleep. Everyone but 9. He sat on the edge of his quarters, his feet dangling over the edge, and stared at the crescent moon and the stars surrounding it. For some reason, there were now four stars surrounding it instead of five. He still believed they were his fallen friends surrounding it, and the one missing had been 2. He began to feel his eyes drooping and he let out a small yawn. After fixing 2 up all night the other day, he desperately needed some rest, but he was still so afraid of having the same dream that haunted him.
"Can't sleep?"
He turned his head when he heard a voice from behind him. He found 7 walking over to him and she sat down next to him. 9 sighed, "Not really. I've been pretty tired these past couple of days from lack of sleep. I want to sleep, but I'm scared of having the same dream again." 7 took his hand and held it tight as she looked at him. She said to him, "9, it's alright. It's just a nightmare, and those Machines can't harm you. They're dead."
9 replied, "But this dream was a little different." He sighed sadly, "The Fabrication Machine was going to kill me, and 2 and the others were looking at me as if they wanted me to die, and they all abandoned me, especially 5. Before the Machine could kill me in the dream, 5 called me a killer of our kind, and he angrilly blamed me for his death and the others' and left me to die. I thought I lost my best friend not only when the Fabrication Machine killed him, but he also never forgave me for everything." He looked at 7 and sighed sadly, "That's why I ran off. I couldn't stand the fact that everyone I meet dies in the end, and I thought you and the twins would die because of me."
"9, do you even hear yourself?" 7 said. "I know it's hard, but we do forgive you for everything that's happened. And remember what 2 said, you're not a murderer and you didn't mean to have everyone dead." 9 sadly smiled at her, "I appreciate your kindness 7." He kissed her lips and they left their spots to their bed. As 9 got comfy, 7 wrapped her arms around him and snuggled closer to him.
"Just try and get some sleep, okay? You worry me too much when you're upset and depressed." she said to him. 9 replied, accepting her gentle embrace, "I will, 7. Thanks for everything."
7 corrected him, "No, thank you 9. You brought 2 back to us, and we are more than grateful for it." She kissed his cheek and yawned, "Good night, 9."
"Good night, 7." 9 replied as 7 fell asleep. Before falling asleep, he felt a bit of happiness from the day he went through with 2 being alive again and being back in his beloved 7's embrace, along with those words of support and kindness from his friends. With 7's warm and gentle embrace and her gentle breathing, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Before falling asleep, he could have sworn he saw the same moth on the other side of the globe, staying there as if watching them the whole time.
So how was that? 9 is still feeling upset about his friends not being forgiven of him, but he feels a sense of hope and happiness from their support and compassion. This is also for all you 2 fans out there; this is just me showing that even though 9 did activate the Fabrication Machine and had 2 be the first of the Stitchpunks to go, he was still young and learning, and 2 would always be kind enough to forgive him for it. And yes, I know I keep mentioning the moth that keeps following the Stitchpunks around, but by the very end you'll all know why it seems important.
9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.