To Save Us All

Chapter 25~

7 and G watched as the beast picked itself off of the cold hard ground that the Emptiness had always been. They all knew it wasn't just another beast, yet none of them cared much for the power and strength of this machine. The BRAIN could see through it, and that was enough to allow hate in the hearts of those who knew it not before. C and D, once innocent and almost child-like despite their many collected learnings, were now also burning with hate and need for this creature to cease living.

Without another word, because none of them had anything much to say anymore, G nodded to the two brothers and ran off, 7 and 8 following.

C turned to his brother, smiling sympathetically, as if he knew they would die.

"Get F out." he said simply, using three different voices, friends who had fallen.

D hugged his older brother, agreeing that he thought this was the end, and that they were made only to help F.

But that wasn't necessarily true...

The Balloon flew past the Factory and over the other side of it, fluttering down to the ground like a leaf on the wind as 5 gently eased the steering nail upward, coaxing the Balloon to the ground as gently as possible.

5 guided them far beyond the factory, giving them time to think and space to concentrate. As soon as they were a foot from the ground, 9 took a running start at the basket wall, grabbed onto the side of it with one hand, and flung himself over, landing on his feet like a cat. 1 rasied an eyebrow and the twins' optics widened. 6 didn't react at all.

9 looked up at them with a thankful smile and took off for the factory, not waiting for the others.

"Wait! 9!" 5 cried, frantically lowering the Balloon the rest of the way and attempting to perform the same agility move as 9 had just done, but failing miserably. He landed flat on his face with one leg sticking up, but if there was pain he ignored it.

9 glanced over his shoulder, but didn't stop. 5 grunted as he got up, furiously brushing himself off as he sprinted after 9, reaching his hands out to grab at him. "9! Stop! Wait!"

5's frantic cries made 9 slow to a halt, turning his body half way and waiting for his best friend to catch up.

When 5 reached him, he simply slumped in his arms, shaking his head. "9 you can't... Do this... Alone..." he panted, hugging his arms around 9's waist so the youngest couldn't run off again.

9 struggled in his friends grip, but his heart wasn't in it and he couldn't help but smile. "5, I was made for this..." he said with a small chuckle, settling for resting a hand on 5''s back. "Besides, I won't be gone forever..."

"I know..." 5 said, his panting slowing. 9 wasn't panting at all. "When are you going to realize... You're not alone in this... You never will be."

9 closed his optics and shook his head. "I wasn't. But now I have to do this by myself... I'm the only one who can. You all know that." he said gently, nodding his head toward the others, who were either watching from the Balloon or were already on the ground.

"I do... But now you need us more than ever. You need us to guide you there..." 5 said, his panting ceasing and his grip loosening. "You can't get to the BRAIN if one of it's machine's kills you first."

9 pulled his mouth into one corner of his face, furrowing his eyebrows. "I don't want you to go in there with me. I got in there without detection once and I can do it again-"

"But this time it knows your coming." 5 interuppted, staring right into 9's optics with his one good one, trying to persuade him with his look.

There was a silence as 9 realized 5 was right. This time, the BRAIN was waiting for him. Although it didn't know which one to watch out for, it knew he was coming. He couldn't sneak in the way he had when he was rescueing 7 all that time ago.

Time. Was it really that long ago? Or could it have been a few minutes ahead, when he would have been rescueing 7? Was this a different time, or just another shot? Did he have the choice or did he have to fullfill the prohecy?

"Well..." he said uncertainl, looking down at the waiting 5, who gripped his waist tighter as he saw 9's pondering look.

9 wasn't one to be a follower. 1 knew that the most. The way everyone looked up to him for answers he longed to find prooved he was a true leader. And leader's don't follow orders.

They make them.

"Follow me, then..." 9 said with a smile, coaxing one out of 5. His friend loosened his grip and gestured for the others to follow with his arm, a bright smile on his face. 6 perked up from his crouched position next to the twins. He ran straight toward 9, smiling as well.

The twins, however, looked terrified, not wanting to go any closer to the Factory as they weren't thhe fighting types.

But that was the horrible thing about war. Everyone is a soldier.

1 looked down at the two with pity from the Balloon, climbing down, careful not to puncture his dignity like 5 had. He landed gracefully enough, not having to perform any stunts as 5 and 9 had. As 5 moved ahead with 6, 9 met 1's optics.

Although it most certanly wasn't the first time 9 had experienced deja vu, 9 thought back- or forward- to when the two natural leaders had finally made peace in the end... Or had it been the beginning?

9 smiled and turned away, gently breaking the gaze. 1 nodded and turned to the twins, helping them along with words of encouragement.

C and D approached the building F was trapped in with caution, only scurrying from each hiding spot as the beast focused its attention back on the most athletic opponents. When they were close enough to see F's face, they recoiled slightly.

F was sitting back on her heels, her hands folded neatly in her lap, and her hair hiding her face, the only thing visible on it being a small smile. And evil smile, one of hate and of insanity.

The brothers gulped- was F alright? They turned to the beast to see it was now far enough away for them to just snatch her and run, but they weren't so sure F would come so easily. She looked dazed, as if she wasn't really there, almost as if she was somewhere entirely different.

Only 6 could really help her now.

9's group had gotten to a point where they could see the entrance of the Factory- exactly like last time for 9. he remembered it all too well, when he had gone in there to save 7 and 8, though he only came back with 7.

This time... He hoped his hunch was right. It had already happened after all...

5 crouched next to 9, peeking out through the hole in the same wagon he had used for cover before. The others caught up, and soon everyone was under the wagon's protection.

Surprisingly, the scene looked similar to when 9 had been here before, rescuing 7. There were spider bots everywhere, blimb-like machines flocking the sky, and even a few new ones that didn't look as threatening but easily could have been. It was one of the lessons 9 had learned by living this a second time.

Don't judge anyone by how they look. And in this case, that included machines.

9 turned to look at 5, to see him shuddering and glancing around, flinching at every spider bot that came close enough to see them but didn't for they were in the shadows. 6 was huddled with the twins, who were reacting the same way, flinching at every little thing. 1, 6, and 9 were the only one's who were calm enough.

9 bit his lip in thought- now what? He looked to 6 for an answer to his thoughts.

The artist broke his stare at the ground as he heard 9, and looked up to the savior. "Keep running." he said, staring hard into 9's optics. 9 gulped and nodded, looking back at the factory.

5 glanced in between the two. "K-keep r-running? Wh-what did he m-mean by that?" he stuttered, grabbing 9's arm. 9 shook him off, shaking his head.

5's optics went wide as he realized it himself, and he grabbed 9's arm again. When 9 looked at him, slightly annoyed, 5 cracked a weak smile, no longer shuddering and flinching, strong.

"Keep running, 9." he said, the strength 9 needed flowing from him and giving direction and purpose to the one who needed it.

"Keep running."