I successfully managed to finish chapter two somehow. Took nearly the whole week to write. ^_^
In this chapter we see how 7 and Null interact. I wanted it to be like a vitriolic kind of dynamic. :) I like how they joke around. :D We see talk about the beast Null was running away from and why. Hopefully, we see more about the new beast, and how 7 and Null think of taking it down. :D
Also, I like to think of Null as the strong silent type and that he doesn't take to strangers easily. Hey it works for me. 8D
Just like promised 7 headed out to the same spot she found Null. She's been wondering since yesterday about Null and where he might've come from. She didn't remember seeing him before, if she had, she would've remembered him. Running into him was an unexpected experience. She didn't tell anyone about Null when she returned to the library. Null made it clear that he didn't want anyone to know about his existence. Although, he didn't tell her directly, 7 could tell by his body language and his tone of voice. She was here now and she could find out everything she needed.
Null wasn't here yet, so she decided to wait. 7 found a cinderblock and walked towards it. She gingerly sat on it, placing her spear next to her. She removed her bird skull, seeing how there was no use for it at the moment. So until Null shows up, 7 will just have to wait.
She wondered why she didn't tell the others about Null. They would have liked to meet him. He could tell them about the beast he told her and show them where it was and how to kill it. That was still on her mind and prepared to ask him when he arrives. Seeing how she snuck out before the sun rose, 7 didn't mind waiting for him.
Would it bother him if she asked him about himself? It might a little at first, but then he might open up after talking for a bit. What if he had a rough past? What if he didn't want to talk about his past or himself for that matter? If Null was uncomfortable talking about himself, 7 would respect that and step back. So many other possibilities ran through her mind as well, but maybe she'll save them for another day.
Sighing, she uttered, "Wonder when he's coming." She wanted to lean back, but remembered she was sitting on a cinderblock. 7 hopped off and sat on the dusty ground. Crossing her legs and resting her back against the cinderblock, she glanced up the sky which was still a bright shade of orange. The sun was going to rise soon, she noted.
Ten minutes passed and Null still hadn't showed up. 7 busied herself by talking to herself, pacing from the cinderblock to a pile of broken bricks and back, thinking about her questions she wanted to ask Null. She also entertained herself by practicing some of her fighting moves. Five minutes in, the sun rose higher and 7 was lost in her own world. She didn't even hear the footsteps approaching.
With her spear in hand for a move she was trying to perfect, 7 turned around, not knowing Null was behind her and she was about to cut him across the chest.
"Sorry," she said, jumping back, holding her spear behind her back. She shrugged out of embarrassment, but Null didn't feel embarrassed himself and only brushed her reaction off.
"It's alright," said Null. Looking at him now, 7 realized how tall he really was. He was a head taller than 9, but still shorter than 8.
"You came," said Null.
"You told me to," replied 7.
"I didn't think you'd show up."
"Well, I did, didn't I?"
"Heh."
7 walked over to the cinderblock to retrieve her bird skull. Null followed.
"So, about this beast you told me about," said 7 as a starter, crouching down to pick up her skullmet. While she waited for him to answer, she leaned her spear against the cinderblock and placed her bird skull on.
"Right," said Null, optics surveying everything from the walls to the litter that scattered the dry ground. 7 turned around, bird skull topped on her head. Her optics gazed back at him through the skull's eye sockets. Null found it disturbing to look at her that way, but he shrugged it aside and continued. "You see," he said, "I ran into him while searching for a weapon. He caught me off guard."
7 grabbed her spear and cocked her head. "Let's walk," she said, "you can tell me on the way."
"On the way to where?" Null quoth.
"Your home."
Null's eyes blinked. "I-I...," he stuttered. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why?" 7 reiterated, raising a stitched brow while placing a hand on her hip.
"Because," stated Null, "I just met you and I don't know anything about you. You could be one of the bad guys for all I know."
"Luckily for you I'm not," retorted 7. "Now come on, unless you want to be dragged back there."
Null's pupils blinked in a quizzical way, as if he had been asked if he was asked to perform a ridiculous demand. 7 cocked her head, still intent on seeing his home. The grey stitchpunk saw it and she was not backing down. Exhaling, he bit his lip in resolve and took the lead.
"It's this way," he said.
7 smirked. "Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"
Null scoffed.
The way to Null's home was easier said than done. It was nearly ten blocks from the spot he and 7 met. Most of the road was littered with sharp objects, like broken bottles, knives, rifles, human corpses, furniture. While on the way, Null did talk to her, mainly about the beast because 7 was persistent. He knew she was not changing her mind about it, so he told her all he knew about the beast.
"I call it the Stag," said Null. "On account of its deer skull for a head. He's about the size of a real deer, though I've never seen one before, at least not a real, living one. I saw one in a book before. One that's in my home." He paused to catch his breath. "Anyways, the Stag has glowing red eyes, horseshoes for feet, long legs cobbled out of pipes. Its tail is made from a fan blade." He stopped in his tracks. "That's where I live." He pointed at the brick and mortar building.
It was a still-standing structure with its windows shattered and the door torn open from the war on the machines. 7 knew that was the reason the doorway was wide open, so she didn't need to ask. The path was clear and there were heaps of rubble surrounding the brick building. 7 was surprised it didn't suffer much damage from the war, and maybe Null could tell her how long he's been hiding out here.
He and 7 walked up the wooden steps to the brick building; the pale female feeling a haunting vibe envelope her. The moment she stepped over the threshold, the moment the feeling kicked in. She felt like the house itself was watching her. She looked through a doorway and saw human-sized furniture scudded with years worth of dust. Lifting her skullmet for a better view, 7 surveyed the walls as she walked. The paint was peeling away, revealing cracks. The staircase was still standing and usable. A doorway to the left led to what 7 could make out was a type of office. The hallway ahead of the two showed a door that surprisingly wasn't broken off. The house was rather lucky that way.
"Come," said Null, walking towards the staircase. 7 took one last look at the world outside and followed the grey stitchpunk.
Climbing up the stairs wasn't so taxing as one might think. Having been experienced on this department, 7 enjoyed it. Null led her to a hall on the left, towards a room where the door was halfway opened. This must be where Null spends most of his free time. Entering said room, 7 saw that it resembled something of a teenager's room: there was a plane replica hung on strings from the ceiling, a telescope on a table by the window, an armoire across the bed, an old rug sprawled on the floor beside the bed, an ornamental army tank lain on the floor in a corner. Following Null, 7 saw he was leading her to the table that had the telescope. The pale female also noticed that Null had tied a string for easier access. Null grabbed onto the string and began his ascend.
"You comin'?," said Null, looking over his shoulder. 7 wordlessly followed him up the table.
Null offered his hand to 7, which she grasped and he pulled her up on to the table. Taking the spear out of her mouth, seeing how she needed both hands to climb, she held her spear in hand, watching the view of the Emptiness from the upstairs window. Null went over to his telescope. It was a human-sized telescope, but it didn't matter; it provided Null with a view of the world and keep watch of beasts.
"Wanna take a look?," he asked, holding the telescope by the short end. It was a good thing it was on its perch or it would've fallen over. Not wanting to be rude, 7 took a peek.
She saw buildings from a far distance at a closer range. She's used 5's telescope up on the watchtower plenty of times before.
"When did you see this beast, the Stag?," queried 7, pulling away from the telescope.
"I ran into 'em just yesterday," replied Null. "I went out to look for a new knife, when I heard a noise. I turn around and I see the Stag scrounging around the dirt. It wasn't my intention to give myself away, I was observing it from behind a rock. When I climbed it to get a better look I lost my footing and tripped. Naturally, the Stag heard me and it went after me. It chased me for a while. I crawled through a barbed wire fence and I got tangled in it.
"Luckily, the Stag couldn't get me, although it could've just jumped over the fence. I got away from it, but I knew it would come back for me. While I was trudging through the road, trying to get untangled and with the wire cutting into my fabric. And then I met you." He ended his explanation with that, as though waiting for 7 to continue where he left off. "And thank you—again. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't shown up."
"Well, you wouldn't be talking to me right now," retorted 7, running her across the her spear's blade. She looked at him from the corner of her optic, smiling mischievously. Null let out a chuckle.
"Funny," said Null, putting his hands on his hips. " Yeah, well"—he walked over to the right side if the table—"since we've got this beast on our hands, we gotta find its weak point." He jumped on to the window sill. 7 ambled over to where Null went and hopped on to the sill. She was surprised that the glass on the window was shattered. It made it easier for Null to look through his telescope.
"What do you think is his weakness?," she asked, looking out at the barren wasteland.
"Hmm." Null crossed his arms. "Don't know."
7 paced over to the left side of the window. "What if I told the others about the Stag?," she suggested.
"Others?" Null uttered, looking back at 7.
"Yes," said 7. "My friends, at the library, which is my home." She paced back towards him. "I can tell them what you told me, or I can bring you to them and we can all help defeat the Stag."
"No," retorted Null, "I don't want to put your friends in danger. No." He shook his head, turning around, scratching the back of his head. Judging by the way he acted, 7 could pick up something was bothering him.
"Look, my friends and I have dealt with much worse than the Stag," said 7, trying to convince him to change his mind. "We defeated the Fabrication Machine and that was harder than it looked."
That seemed to grab Null's attention, but 7 still had to make sure she was getting somewhere.
"I just don't want to put anyone else in danger," spat Null. "Your friends are better off not knowing."
"Well, it won't last for long," said 7. "Eventually, the Stag will find them and we'll have to defend our home. It's one way or the other. They can't go on knowing that there's a beast out there. It's not right!"
An infinite silence.
"Alright," said Null. "You can tell them about the Stag. Just don't tell them about me. I don't want anyone to know me."
It didn't sound fair to 7, but she could tell he was adamant about remaining unknown to her friends.
"I won't," sighed 7. Null nodded as a response, as he had no verbal answer. His next utterance brought up an interesting point.
"You actually defeated the Fabrication Machine?" Null asked, turning around. The way he asked, it was like he was asking for a never before seen wonder.
"Yeah," said 7. Her face fell. "You've never seen it before?"
"No, but I was told about it by my human," said Null. 7 noted he he looked down, like he was feeling about mentioning his human creator.
"Null?" 7 placed a hand in his shoulder. The grey stitchpunk looked her in the optics.
"Come," he said. "I'll take you home." He gently shrugged off her hand and hopped back to the table.
"Wait," said 7.
"Come on," repeated Null, not turning around.
7 didn't want to drop the subject or talk about the Stag. She wanted to know what happened to his creator, but she had to take it one step at a time. She didn't want to keep him waiting, so she jumped onto the table. Running past Null, she leaped off the table, landing on her feet. This caught Null by surprise. He looked down from the top.
"Wow," he chuckle, raising a brow. 7 smirked back. The grey stitchpunk jumped, stumbling as he landed. He wasn't as graceful as 7, and this got a laugh from the white sticthpunk.
"You gotta work on your landing," she said.
The two went back the way they came from. When they were at the front door, or whatever was left of it, 7 was rethinking Null's offer.
"Hey, you don't have to walk me home," she said. "I can find my way back on my own."
"Nah, nah," insisted Null, "it's the least I can do." He walked down the steps. "Besides, I wanna know where you live," he added. "So that I can—"
"Come over to see me?," interrupted 7, cocking a brow. Null shrugged, chuckling. 7 shook her head and laughed as she ambled down the stairs.
"You know, I'm not completely helpless," said 7 once she was by his side. "I can take care of myself."
"What makes you say that?," asked Null.
"Oh I don't know," said 7. "Just a thought."
Null chuckled.
"This the place?," uttered Null.
"That's it," said 7, standing by him.
The two were a few yards away from the library. It's gate wide opened for her return. 7 briefly wondered if 5 was watching them from the watchtower. Null on the other hand surveyed it from its stone wall to its dark windows. The centerpiece of the garden was what grabbed Null's attention. Something about seeing specks of greenery impressed him.
"You sure you don't want to come in?," offered 7.
"I'm sure," replied Null. "I don't trust newcomers that easy." 7 wanted to argue back, but didn't see much point of it and just got ready to go back home.
"I'll come back tomorrow," said Null.
"You want to come here, or should I go to our spot?," asked 7. Again, Null rebuffed her with his trademark scoff.
"I'll wait for you at our spot," he said, folding his arm under his chest. Looking to his right, Null felt unsafe suddenly, and decided to end the visitation. "I have to get back, I'll, see you tomorrow."
"See you," said 7.
Null started his trek back to his home while 7 made her way to hers. When she entered the courtyard she felt her insides race. As she walked down the cobblestone path, the yearning felt stronger. Usually coming home was a dread to her, now she was feeling refreshed. Renewed. 7 felt the unease lift from her. She thumped up the stairs, a smile on her face. She looked around the library, glad to be back. 7 was ecstatic when she heard two sets of footsteps come her way. The twins appeared from behind a mountain of books.
"Hey guys," she said, lifting her helmet.
The twins flickered to her. 4 tugged on 7's arm, signaling that she wanted her to follow them somewhere. The pale female obliged and walked with them. The hooded twins took her to the fountain, where she saw 6 kneeling over a pile of papers and a new bottle of black ink.
"Hi, 6," said 7.
"...7...," replied 6.
She stood beside him, observing the scraps of paper. 4 knelt beside 6, flickering to him. The striped artist understood and faced 7.
"Ngnnn." 6 looked from 7 to his papers, wincing as though he was startled by a noise. "I...I want to...show you...something."
7's interest piqued. "Really?" she said, smiling gently. "What is it?"
6 gingerly picked up the paper in front of him. The one he had been eying, like it was his most important piece. The striped stitchpunk stood up and turned the paper over for 7 to see. A sigh escaped 7's lips.
"Oh, 6, that's incredible," said 7.
The striped stitchpunk sketched a portrait of 4. Apparently, he sketched her sitting on a hardcover book, with her hands folded on her lap. 7 looked over at 4 and the hooded stitchpunk in turn flickered a response. 6 looked at the pale female, waiting for her to say something.
"It's beautiful, 6," she said. "You really outdone yourself. You really captured 4's beauty in every detail." She looked at the portrait and at 6 again. "I am really impressed."
6 smiled, lowering the paper to make contact with 7. He let out a quiet giggle and went back to 4. The hooded stitchpunk endeared her head onto 6's shoulder as soon as he sat next to her. 3 turned to look at 7. She flashed a reply to her.
'They're really happy, you know,' she said through her optic flickers.
7 in turn nodded. "Yup, they sure are."
3 grinned.
The white stitchpunk waved goodbye to the three and walked away. The three waved back and went back to what they were doing. From behind one of the tall bookcases, another stitchpunk appeared, having been listening the entire time.
1 watched 7 make her way to her room, his optics looking down at the floor, downcast. He let out a sigh, a heavy cloud shrouding him. He strolled away, desperate to be alone for a while.
Oh, and I just wanted to let you all know that 3 and 4 are both females in this story, but you guys probably already knew that. ^_^ Also, having their quotes italicized with apostrophes instead of quotation marks is how I have them speaking. Hey, it's my story, I'll write however I want.