Author's Notes: I didn't have time to spell check this very well so bare with me. The third part were the line between Stitchpunks and Hybirds starts to blurr. Color is very important in this part. We explore 6 and Dapple's definition of "family" and see how well it fares in society. We also get a look at -7. There is a reunion between 9's group at 10's group. Several Lord of the Rings referances for you to notice in this one *hint*10*hint*.
Part III: Black and White
It was moon-high when 5 made it back to the Sanctuary, on the way he asked the beat up gray doll many questions; His new friend only stayed silent and stared at him shyly. 5 knew he must be careful. It was late and, although there wasn't a cerphue anymore, 10 would be grouchy about him showing up so late. 5 and the gray doll made their way as quietly as they could past the throne room and to the bedding quarters behind the stone wall. After passing 8's room they where halted by a voice from behind:
"You have some nerve showing up after moon-high!"
5 stopped cold, at the other end of the hall was stood 10, who obviously wasn't very happy. 2 was behind the ornate elder, also looking at 5 scoldingly. 8, who was a rosed by 10's shouting, emdged from his room. 10's eyes wided as he approached 5.
"Who's this?" 10 demanded nudging 5 aside
"He was hur-"
"Meeting in the throne room! Now!" 10 ordered suddenly before turning to walk to the main room
The others fallowed, their eyes staring at the new gray creature who hid behind 5. 10 stood upon his book and watched 5 like a hawk as he gave his story.
"I found him hiding, he wouldn't talk to me but he didn't seem like he wanted to hurt me either. He lost a hand and got torn somehow, so I thought I'd help" 5 said, "Can he stay?"
"I don't like this one" 10 growled stepping down from his podium and looking down at the gray doll, "He's got some sinster eyes, comparable to that of a - machine. Those evil red eyes should tell you he's not to be trusted! Savage creature!" The patched doll backed away but 10 continued to stare him down, 10 snapped, "Have you anything to say! Speak! You vile machine!"
The gray doll ran away from the white cloaked leader and crouched behind 2, shivering. 2 comforted the stressed doll. Looking over his wounds quickly, 2 looked back at 10 who'd then calmed down a bit.
"He can't talk, something severed his vocal chords. It almost looks like a bite" 2 explained
"Then you'd best fix it so he can explain himself" 10 grumbled
2 looked back into the gray dolls cut throat. The gray doll nudged him away and pointed to the patch of wires sticking from his head.
"Oh, I see" 2 said
2 carefully moved a wire before the gray doll jerked and white lighting came from his wound.
"S-S-S-parks! Sparks! Argghh!" Sreatched the patched doll as his body convulsed, then saying calmly, "My name is Sparks"
"Okay Sparks - Where did you come from?" 5 asked
"And what, dare I ask, are you?" 10 added folding his arms
"Machine-ragdoll hybrid number -5 - Government expriment. Classified! Classified! - Healing driod. Reassembled in fabrication mill."
Sparks' voice glitched and fuzzed out many times, making his rushed speach practically untraslatable. Sparks laughed neveriously, "In case you havn't noticed: I'm a doll!" His wires lit again as he shouted the last word
"So you say" 10's eyes narrowed, "I do believe you metioned you were a machine hybrid"
" - W-W-Welcome to the age of the machine! -" Came a voice from Sparks that wasn't his own
"What? I knew it! 8, dispose of it!" 10 ordered
"No, wait!" 2 objected
8 snatched Sparks by his wires and suddenly the gray dolls body stiffened and electrisity blasted out form his head. Sparks cried a distorted shreik. 8 was frightened by the small doll and dropped him immedatily. Sparks stood straight with his red eyes staring into nothing. The Stitchpunks were no less that overwhelmed by the sudden epsiode.
"Sparks, what happened to you?" 5 asked
Sparks made a high pitched sound, sounding like a streatching record and his head turned slowly toward the one-eyed doll.
"The humans! The humans! Government experiement - iement - iement! Testing! No! No!" Sparks started to thrash around as if he where trying to ecape the jaws of a terrable monster, "Stop! No more! Can't - can't - grrrahhhg!"
10 was snatched by the front of his cloak and pushed in close to Sparks' patched face.
"My body is in shreds, my mind - experiment! - my mind! My head! Why? Why? Why? You ask me why?" Sparks hollered into the elder's face, "Beware and be frightened; the humans. Cutting, slicing, rearranging what's inside - inside - I can't breathe! Can't breathe . . . Humans are evil - my mind -."
Sparks voice hushed and he realesed 10's cloak and stared mindlessly. 2 put a claw and the still gray doll's back.
"What about the humans, Sparks?" 2 asked
"The humans?" A bolt of white came from his head, and he giggled madly before exploding into a fury of words in scores vocies not of his own, "- WOULD YOU LIKE SOME FRIES WITH THAT, SIR? - CALL 1-800-2256-8924 NOW AND RECIEVE A FREE GIFT WITH YOUR ORDER! - GREEN! - BARIUM HYDROXIDE! - OOOOHHH! WHO LIVES IN A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE SEA? - CUPCAKES! - NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP! NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN! NEVER GONNA TURN AROUND AND HURT YOU! - IN RECENT NEWS TONIGHT - THIS IS SPARTA! - METAMORPHIC ROCK! - YOU SPIN MY HEAD RIGHT AROUND, RIGHT AROUND! - SCREW YOU GUYS, I'M GOING HOME! - OUR FINE CHANCELOR - STRIPED SWEATERS! - I WON! - AM I MISSING AN EYEBROW? - FALLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD! - MACHINES OF PEACE! . . . "
"He's mad." 10 rasped at one point
Sparks fell backwords to the ground, writhing and stuggling aganst and unknown threat, his red eyes wide in terror.
"I seems to have no effect, sir. Try it again. The machine appears to be great deal of pain. Remove the skull cap and insert the needle. It appears to be having an adverse effect to it, sir. Continue the expriment! Try it again! We're loosing it, sir. Dispose of this one and make another" Sparks mumbled before quieting and lying still
The room was quiet, no one could think of a word to say to the disturbed little rag doll lieing on the ground breathing harshly. At last 2 approached him and helped him up. Sparks rubbed the side of his head and regained his submissive deminour.
"I'm sorry. That happens to me sometimes, don't worry about it. If you leave me alone it should pass" Sparks whimpered, "But I've never had an episode that big before. Ooww." Sparks put his black claw over his head
2 glanced up at 10 who was still eyeing Sparks like he came from another planet. At length 10 spoke;
"He may stay, but only in a sicluded room close to mine so that I may keep an eye on him. Take him there and repair him if you wish. The meeting is over"
Everyone in the room dispersed and went back into the crack in the wall where their bedrooms where. 10 stayed where he stood.
"5, wait. I want to speak with you" 10 said
5 went back into the throne room. Now it was just he and 10, that made 5 a little nervious. 10 motioned the one-eyed doll in closer with his good claw.
"I havn't gotten my answer, what where you doing outside so late?" 10 tried to sound polite
5 wanted to tell him it was none of his bussiness but knew that would only make the elder more suspisious.
"I was out - at the Memorial, I hoped I would find 9"
"Why?"
5 paused, knowing 10 would not like his answer;
"Want the truth?" 5 answered trying to build up his courage, "I was looking for 9 because he seemed like a good leader, a-and he might know what's going on. We could use him, don't you agree 10?"
"And what's worng with me? Am I not good enough for you? What was my fault that has made me so wrong in your mind?"
10's scowl made 5 back off but he continued his argument. An old hatred came back to the one-eyed doll.
"I know what you tried to do - you sent 2 out to be killed, remember? And I bet once you thought the rest of us where no use to you, you would have done the same!"
It was true - this simple fact only elivated 10's self-hatred. 10 clawed at his temples in frustration.
"No! You lie! 5, I beg you not to tell 2 what I tried to do. My mind was clouded - I - I-"10 struggled to find an excuse
"I was right all along. Tomarrow I'm going out to find 9, he was a better leader than you'll ever be!"
"I am twise the leader 9 was!" 10 roared and struck 5 down with his golden claw
5 fell to the floor, clutching a rip in his chest caused by 10's attack. At first 10 didn't want to believe he caused the wound but when he realized his new claw was able to do some significant damage he started to feel less helpless. He was finally able to fight back. 5 stumbled to his feet.
"I'm telling 2 what you did" 5 said
"No 5, please!" 10 took the one-eyed doll by the shoulder, "Do you know what he might think of me if he knew this? 2 could - He could have me sent away for this! It would be a good reason to get me exiled, or worse" 10 clutched his throat
"All right, all right, I won't say anything" 5 said, "You should."
With that 5 exited. Leaving 10 to stand alone again. 10 glanced and his poweful golden claw and flexed it before leaving to his room for the night - hopfully to meet Zero again.
However, it was not 10 to whom the dreams came to. That night, on the east of town, 9 and the twins slept in their room in the Museum. This night, it was the dreams of 9 that the mysterious Zero haunted;
There was a large room, cluttered with many books, tools, notes and other objects. He stood upon a desktop, from there he could see the pale light coming through the ajar window. Everything appeared to be in shades of brown. It didn't take long for 9 to recognize that place as the Workshop, although it was somehow different.
Usually 9 knew when he was dreaming, and quickly dedused that was so because he could see the Toy Maker not a far distance away working a new creation. Before he could investigate he was interupted by a thin, youthful voice from behind;
"Hiya!"
9 turnned toward the squeak and saw a small, white Stitchpunk peeking out from behind a book. She emdged and it was clear how frail and sick-looking she was, her eyes where sightlessly dull - dispite this she seemed chipper.
"I heard you" The child stumbled up to him and extended and skinny hand to prod him, her white eyes tried to look in his direction but missed, "You're new!"
The little girl nearly fell over, 9 caught her and put her back on her weak feet. This only reasulted in her going into a giggle fit.
"She's blind" 9 whispered to himself
"I can see, I can see feelings" Zero answered
"I havn't seen you before, I've never drempt of others" 9 answered peering around at her back, "Zero. No, that can't be right. That would mean you'd have to be older than 1 and he's never-"
"That's because he dosen't remember me" Zero answered, her happiness fading, "It's not his fault though. But now something bad is happening"
"What do you mean?"
"My memories float in the air, even when I'm gone. But something bad is twisting it and scattering the spirits"
"That-that would explain what's happened at the memorial" 9 mused, he looked back to Zero, "But what's this about 1?"
"He's remembering again - but something's wrong. Something's wrong. Something's upset the balance."
"What do you mean?" 9 asked, the dream started to echo and blurr, "Wait! Zero!"
"Trapped in my memory. Trapped in my memory. Don't become trapped" Called Zero's voice although her figure had faded away
The browns for the dream blurred together and rippled.
"Wait! What happened to you, Zero?"
9 found himself back in his room. Everything was as it was, the documents still cluttered on his shelf, the small room covered with wall-to-wall books save only a small broken window to the outside. 3 and 4 still cuddled up on either side of him, both still asleep. The nighttime blue still loomed in the Museum while the twany sunlight reached through the window. Soon his troubled thoughts about the dreams faded. He nudged the twins awake, they slowly rose their hooded heads and greated him with a "good morning" flicker.
"Let's get up, I don't think 7's come back yet" He said, "So we should probably leave her alone, no going out today"
The yellow sun slowly emerdged from the sea of ruins, turning the night blue a brief greenish color. During this time 6 made his way back to the Sanctuary, rolling a glass bottle filled with white liquid. He managed the get his gift up the front steps and work the elevator up to the throne room. Once he exited the elevator he was noticed by 2.
"6, there you are. I thought something might have happened!" 2 exclaimed rushing the to striped rag doll, "I know you're troubled by your dreams, or, um, lack of, but - what's this?"
2 tilted his body around 6 to look at the little glass bottle. He read its' label.
"Whiteout? That's rare. Where did you get this?" 2 asked inquizitivly
"Sister" 6 answered with a cheerfull nod
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Familes give gifts" He said as-a-matter-of-factly, "White for me, black for her. New for both of us. At first it might be strange but get to know it and we're happy"
"That's a lovely thought 6, but who told you this?"
"White for me" 6 repeated and went to roll the bottle to his corner
2 watched bewilderedly as 6 opened the whiteout and began to scribble, though it didn't show well on the light paper. Behind him he heard a painfull moan. 2 turned and saw 10 exit his room, his cloak on crooked and his claw rubbing his forehead.
"Good morning, 10" 2 greeted awkardly
"Good morning? Don't make me vomit" 10 reasponed less bitterly and more angonized, "Good morning, when I havn't gotten any sleep last night at all? See me later and see what your good morning gets you"
"I think 6 may be sick, and you don't sound too hot either" 2 answered
"You're observant" 10 let himself fall into this throne
"You should try to get some sleep 10" 2 said feeling concerned for the elder
"Sleep? What good is that? I can't dream"
2 was struck, that's exactly what 6 said the night before. Now he was certain something was going wrong. Before he could think of any question to ask, 10 grumbled;
"Now go away, can't you tell when an old fool wants to be left to his own?"
The moon was unusually bright, turning the smog clouds luminous blue. There had been many clear, bright nights in a row since 6 first encountered his new friend, Dapple. 6 sat on the root waiting for Dapple, gazing up at the tilting leaves and branches of the massive tree above. The Clearing was a place that brought more peace and serenity than 10's Sanctuary could ever dream to bring to anyone - including to 10 himself. The pair of striped dolls met every night and talked about families and their dreams, not even thinking about the strange fact that both wore the other's name on their back.
Dapple finally arrived, it always took her a long time to get there. She scrabled over the ruins and felt the flat bricks of the Clearing with her claws to make sure she was in the right place. After knowing she was at the Clearing, Dapple bounded across the soft grass patches and sat down beside her "brother".
"Sister." 6 greeted
"Brother." Dapple answered, "I have brought my painting I made with your gift"
"I brought mine, in white"
The pair exchanged their art. Dapple also had 6's drawing talent, being his copy. However she had a much different style. In black ink on dark paper was her dipiction of her family, drawn all in one continous line, never breaking. On the pale paper drawn in whiteout was 6's dipiction of his own family, drawn in quick, sketchy flecks. 6 sat close to the tree tracing Dapple's lines with his claw. Dapple was far away, running her hand over the drawing to "see" it. 6 looked over to the black-and-blue rag doll and shyly approached her.
"I-I brought you another gift" 6 said
Dapple turned her eyeless face toward him.
"'What is it?" She asked
6 took his other gift from beside the tree root. He held a forked twig he found in 2's room and placed it in Dapple's hooked fingers.
"I knew you have a hard time coming here. You can feel what's around more easily"
The night's bright, white moon penitrated the massive curciluar hole in the Sanctuary where the clock once was. The pale light shone as a spotlight on the throne. The Sanctuary's king still kept his spot upon his seat, so deeply troubled by lack of sleep that he didn't bother wipe away the white ash that covered him, turning him into a white ghost. 10 had finally fallen asleep and he was granted his wish: that night he was visited by Zero again.
He found himself upon the bookshelf again, gazing into a book as big as he was. 1 turned the page of the Shakespear play, and continued to read motionlessly. Behind him were the restless nosies of the white, weak child rolling around on the floor.
"1, you're being so boring! I wanna do something" Zero whined
1 blinked in an annoyed way and continued to read.
"1 . . . !" Zero dragged on her whine until she was answered
"Whaaaat . . . ?" 1 snarled mimicking her wail
"I'm bored"
"Then entertain youself, do I look like your father?" Snarled the pale rag doll
Zero groaned and pushed herself to her feet. She felt around for something to play with and soon came upon a feather. Zero tossed the feather into the air, let it touch her face and blew it back up. She continued this game until she blew the feather atop 1's head. 1 swung around toward her.
"Do you mind?" He snapped
"Sorry" Zero said, "What are you doing anyway?"
"I'm reading" 1 grumbled dryly turning his head back to the text
"Can I read too?" Zero asked stumbling toward his voice
"By all means, if you'll be quiet"
Zero bounded over and took a spot in front of him, she leaned back on him to keep herself from falling over. Of course, being blind, reading was impossable and she soon became dreadfully bored again. Her favorite sense was touch and it wasn't long before she was poking at the blet buckle on 1's stomach. Her prodding soon evolved into a very irritating, constant finger jabbing into the gut, all the while she queitly chanted;
"Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish."
After a short while 1 growled, "Do you see this claw? If you continue that infernal action it's going to be-"
"No." Zero answered
"What?"
"No, I can't see it"
1's eyes widened in questioning. He waved his hand before her white eyes and when she didn't reaspond he realized.
"Oh dear" He rasped in sudden sympathy, "I didn't realize"
"It's okay" Zero squeaked light-heartedly
"Well, since you can't see, I shall read for you - if you havn't anything to do?"
"No." Zero said, "But can we play after?"
"Humph. My sympathy has its limits. Let's just see what kind of a mood I'm in and I'll consiter it" 1 scoffed
The fallowing morning the golden sun was hovering just over the dead Human-City. After telling the twins to say in the Museum, 9 went out to visit the Memoral. He walked the path leading to the graves, holding his light staff in one hand in case of a machine attack. The Zero dream he had only added to the ever growing mountain of questions - and he was about to discover more mysteries.
He walked to the center of the graves, he wanted to look at the talisman and remember his friends. 9 reached the center and bent down to pick it up but his copper hands only swept up gray ashes. The talisman was gone! 9 thought he remembered it being taken by a rat-headed monster, or was that a dream too? Everything seemed to blur together now.
9 turned his head around to make sure he didn't just put it somewhere else. He optics blurred past a black figure standing on a mountain of bricks. 9 looked back at the split bricks and saw atop it was that shadowy rag doll.
"Well, look who happened to turn up again?" The black rag doll jibed jumping down to the ground
"You!" 9 exclaimed, staring at the shadows' red number, "Who are you?"
"I am Tzarina, it means queen, Queen of Beasts. But I havn't any time to chat with the likes of you!" Tzarina's nasty voice recoiled, "I'm on a mission"
"A misson? Who sent you on a mission?"
"That is none of your concern" Tzarina was within spitting distance of 9 now, her shoulder blades rose impatiently, "Where is the one called 2?"
"2? What do you want with 2?" 9 retorted slightly devensivly
"He knows something" She hissed, her red orbs shifting
The exchange was interupted by a pricing war-cry. Tzarina swung her maned head around and saw standing on the spilt wall of the Workshop stood a white, skull-headed figure. The dark doll's hackles raised and she hissed fearfully as the white doll ran down toward her.
"Stay away from him, evil machine!" 7 cried raising her spear toward the black doll
Tzarina was thrown into the air by the spear. She spread her arms and legs and glided softly to the ground but before she could think, 7 continued her attack. Tzarina was kicked in the head by the bleached warrior and quickly jumped right into conflict. For a brief moment the pair reseambled a human fighting with a lionness. 7 was too nimble to be hit by Tzarina's big heavy paws. Soon the black doll was strangled and held to the ground with 7's spear while her claws flailed helplessly.
"7! No!" 9 cried snatching the bird-skulled Stitckpunks' hand
This was enough time Tzarina needed to kick 7 off her. Tzarina sprinted on all fours to make a retreat but 9 was knocked away by the warrior and 7 persued her. The black doll was priced by the spear and forced into the dirt. 7 pull the spear out of the machine's back and stabbed her again. Tzarina jumped away, cornered by the edge of the massive sinkhole, baring her silver teeth in fear. With a flash of white, the shadowy doll was tumbling down to the bottom of the hole.
"7! Don't hurt her!" 9 shoved 7 back
The pair looked down into the hole as the black figure struggled to push itself up. The red eyes stared up and them. From the black figure came a massive roar. The sound bounced through the Emptiness and was answered by a far-off metalic hollar. The black figure at the bottom of the sink hole limped away into shadow.
"What are you doing?" 7 pushed 9 away, "You idiot! I almost had it!"
9 glanced into the shambles, hearing metallic cackling coming closer.
"She wasn't-"
9 was slammed by something heavy and lolled across the dirt. The youngest Stitchpunk rose up and saw a hump-backed body with red orbs and six long dangly legs looming over him. The hyena beast cackled and came closer slowly, swishing his hook tail. 9 wasn't going to wait for the machine to get him and stumbled into a dead run.
The Cackle Beasts' thundering feet and barking were frighteningly close behind. 9 spotted outcrop of rusty cars and pulled himself up. He jumped to the hood of a car and looked behind, the Cackle Beast's snapping white teeth that where coming toward him. 9 grabbed his staff and slammed the machine's skull, causing a tooth to go flying away. As the Stitchpunk continued up the pile the beast snarled contemptiously.
9 reached the very top of the cars and saw a dead Walker sprawled out over the other side, leading to the ground. He looked behind and saw the Cackle Beast slinking toward him. Before 9 had time to think a metal claw slammed down, knocking him onto the dead Walker. He slid down the mangled machine and slammed into the dirt below.
Without even bothering to look behind him, the Stitchpunk continued to sprint away. He turned on his heel around a corner in the street and was startled to find it was a dead end. 9 turned around to run back but there was the machine, stalking toward him on six legs, cackling mockingly.
Then he remembered he still had his staff. He went to turn on the light when cold metal claws closed in on him. The lightbulb staff fell to the ground while 9 was lifted up by the freezing hand. The Cackle Beasts' skull snapped in antisipation while the 9 struggled in vain. His optics flashed around to find escape and when he looked up he found 7 standing on a concrete wall, wedging her spear inbetween a crack. Then all he saw was the gaping teeth of the machines' skull about to rip into him.
The skull was gone in a sudden blurr of dirty gray. The claw was stiff and crashed to the ground and 9 fell out of its' cold grip. 9 looked back to where the machine was and found him crushed by a massive chunk of gray concerite. He looked back up at 7, standing by a crack that turned into a huge hole. She looked down upon him with the bird skull pulled over her face.
"7, thank-"
The white warrior immedatly turned her scarred back on him and jumped to the other side of the wall. She was gone again.
Dapple was making her away away from the Factory, a number of Seekers and Skouts where crawling around the area collecting bits and peaces for their master. However they paid little heed to Dapple, not programmed at keep an eye on her. She was safe if they saw her. She trotted the long trek toward the Clearing, humming a little tune her and her "brother" made up.
All around her she felt her own happy energy, making the energy of the Seekers around her happy too. All she "saw" was the warm, gold happy feeling of her and the machines. But then she stopped cold thinking she felt an insense glow of red anger. Yes, it was there, she could hear it crawling in the ruins. She heard something leap in front of her. She felt its anger, it was almost flaming red in rage, it was in the shape of a lithe rag doll, on it's chest was a shining "7" with a slash through it. Its face was glinting white like it was covered with stars and had two orange gems for eyes.
"The bleach-faced warrior!" Dapple gasped
"-6, baby. Still hanging with that old nut case, -1?" Purred a smooth bass voice, "Too bad y'all aren't free like me"
The red anger lept away and she heard it exit over a pile of ruins.
Dapple crawled over a tree root and walked foreword grazing her "seeing" twing over the ground. 6 spotted her and dropped his new drawing and embraced her.
"Sister!" He squeaked, he released her and ran over to his drawing, "Brought a new gift! I don't see yours"
"I am sorry. My firstborn gave me a job to do, I must draw plans for machines now. I had no time" She answered miserably, "But I still love my firstborn. Family"
"I brought a new gift" 6 answered trying to perk her up
He placed his drawing in front of a the eyeless rag doll. Dapple ran her weak claws over the drawing creating a picture of them in her mind.
"In white" 6 added
Dapple grinned with her tiny, harmless fangs and went back to "seeing" 6's picture. Her claws stopped.
"I love them" She said
"Can I bring someone to see you?" 6 asked
"Really? You could do that?" Dapple turned her head toward him, "I do love my family but they don't understand yet. Besides Cicatrix but he's-"
"I know someone we can trust" 6 reasured her
"6, I must tell you something" Dapples tone became stern
"What?"
"Beware the bleach-faced warrior, 6"
"Beware the bleach-faced warrior" 6 repeated
A red creature hiding behind a tree root grumbled lowly. Slasher lurched to jump in on them but paused - Negative would be most pleased if he told him where Dapple was sneaking off to the past few weeks! Slasher turned away and ran off toward the Factory.
"She's been doing what?" Snapped Negative from atop his posion throne
"Yeah, yeah! Going to a puny, dirty, stripey Stitchpunk. Thinks they're brother and sister!" Slasher nodded abesent-mindedly, "Funny, ain't it?"
"No, you idiot! This puts us in terrable danger, Slasher!" Negative rasped fearfully, "What if that savage she's been seeing tells its friends? We would be discovered. And the Fabricator isn't ready for an attack" Negative let his head drop into his claws, "Oh why, Dapple. Why do you have such a free spirit?"
"Oh" Slasher grunted, "So what do we do?"
"We have no choice I'm afraid - for the good of the Fabricator" Negative swallowed, tried to delete all memories of the striped doll, and turned his eyes to his kin, "Slasher, if you see her go to the Clearing once more - kill her. I'll to my best to convince her to stay, but sometimes there things need to be done"
10 hadn't moved from his throne for the whole day again, he didn't even care enough to give orders; asking 2 to take over for him was all he said. 5 couldn't complain, 10 wasn't mad with power again but it almost pained him more to see the elder so destrought and weak. All 10 could think of was getting back to sleep, his dream world and Zero were far better than the shell of a life he lived in the Sanctuary. It was midday when sleep finally reached that poor fool.
Close to the stair well leading down to the below floor of the Workshop came scuffling and Zero's tell-tale giggling. 1 stepped daintily around the creeky wood floor and somewhat saracstically searched the room. The frail child's giggling was hard to miss, as was her little feet sticking out from behind a coat hanging down from its hanger. 1 knew better than to find her right away, although her hiding spot was dreadfully obvious, she'd have said he cheated.
"Oh, where ever could that little scrap have gone?" He asked himself half heartedly, "Perhaps she has dissapeared. How convenient for myself, I finally get my own space and peace!"
1 plopped himself down on the base to the coat hanger. Zero's giggling had stopped and he heard her sniffling from the coat behind him. Reader, 1 didn't mean what he'd said; he was only practicing acting, and poor Zero was his only victem when the Toy Maker so busy with making a new Stitchpunk. 1 continued his personal play.
"Although I do admit it is rather quiet without the brat" The sniffling behind him stopped, "Maybe I drove her off, I certainly complain about her enough. But I do need company"
He slouched his shoulders and drooped his head in a mellodramatic fassion. He hid his eyes behind his claws and cried;
"Oh, woe! Have I made a horrable mistake! Poor Zero, so young and alone!" He cued her for enterance
1 paused, Zero hadn't come. Did he make a horrable mistake? Did she really run off. Zero wouldn't survive outside, she barly survived the Workshop!
1's back was impacted and he was tackled to the ground. Atop him was a giggling, writhing Zero. 1 turned himself on his back in an attempt to excape but Zero sat firmly on his stomach.
"You can't get rid of me, can you?" She asked playfully
"It's a curse" He reasponed light heartedly
"We're pals, right?" Zero lied down on the other Stitchpunk so her head was on his chest
"I suppose" 1 answered curtly
"And we'll be friends forever, right?"
"Oh, I can only hope" He sighed rolling his eyes
"You're so grumpy" Zero giggled, then she gasped bombastically, "Hey! Let's wrestle!"
"No! No wrestling! Zero stop it! Desist! Stop that! Zero, that tickles!"
The Toy Maker, holding the new being he'd just brought to life in his palm, came closer to the shuffling from the small room and the sounds of Zero and 1's laugher. He glanced down at his latest creation with an amused smirk.
"Those are the others, they're good playmates but 1's a little protective of his friend" He whispered down to 2, "Don't be surprized if he snaps at you"
The Toy Maker entered and crouched down to veiw the pair. Zero heard him coming and looked up to where she thought he was and greeted him enthusatically. However 1 saw the newcomer and stood in front of the little girl while trying to appear intimidating.
"Zero, 1, say hello to 2." The Toy Maker set 2 on the ground
"Hiya!" Zero ran out and slammed herself into 2 in what she intended to be a hug
"Why hello. You're energetic, aren't you?" 2 replied returning her hug
"Thanks, let's-"
"Ah-ah-ah, Zero!" 1 pulled her away from the other by one of her dangling scraps, "What have I told you about strangers?"
"He's not a stranger, he's family" The Toy Maker objected looking down at 1 scornfully
But 1 defiantly pushed Zero behind him, glaring at 2. 2, just recently brought to life, didn't know how to handle the rejection.
"1, don't be difficult!" Snapped the creator
1 jumped at the noise and stepped aside from Zero fearfully. Zero trotted over to 2 and begged him to play. The Toy Maker stood back up, 1 stared up at him hatefully.
"I don't know what part of me you came from 1, but please, be nice to 2"
"1! 1! 1! 1!", the old leader was shaken awake.
He opened his eyes irritably and was greeted by uneven optics and a striped face. 10 groaned and nudged 6 off with his golden claw.
"That's not my name anymore, 6." He muttered as the striped doll continued to ramble
"Beware, beware, beware" 6 panted
"What? What? Is Cat Beast near?" 10 leaned himself foreword
"The bleach-faced warrior. Beware the bleach-faced warrior" 6 continued shaking 10 by his ash-covered sholders
10 let out an annoyed quip and let himself slink back into his throne. He thought all this nonsence was finished when "the source" mystery was solved. He put his forehead in a claw and tolerated a few more minuets of 6's babbling.
"My sister, she said beware the bleach-faced warrior. The bleach-faced warrior is full of hate. Beware the bleach-faced warrior!"
"6!" 10 silenced him
The patriarch blinked tiredly and let himself go limp.
"Please, I'm old and tired. I havn't time for your games" He sighed, "Pardon me for not thinking of a more inteligent sounding phrase: but please do shut up, 6!"
The striped doll stood motionless as 10 ignored him and pretended to go back to sleep. 6 turned away and went into his room, he didn't speak for the rest of that day.
The Clearing was alight with golden glow of the sun. The long leaves of the willow tree danced on the cracked stone masonry floor. 6 patiently waited for Dapples' arrival, batting at some yellow butterflies.
The world started to twirl and turn from gold to blue then to red and black. The storm of color seemed to be blocked out by a white figure. 6 saw a white Stitchpunk who was young and sick. She said nothing but just stared back at him in pain.
A clap of thunder sounded and the white doll lit up like a strike of lightning, lieing on the gound, broken. For a second she turned into a striped figure. Then it was dark again. Massive silver fangs and red eyes bared down and the thunder turned into a roar. And finally, black and nothingness, accept the pattering of rain.
"Now what is all this about, 6?" 2 asked climbing over a peice of human rubbish, made slick from last night's storm
"Sister. We give gifts. She can't see objects so she has a hard time getting to the Clearing, so I gave her a stick to see with" 6 answered chipperly leading the elder closer to the willow tree
"So that's what happened to my crutch!" 2 responded, then chuckled joviantly, "Oh, from what you said she's sounds absolutly lovely, 6"
6 paused, remembering last night's strange dream, he discarded the thought and answered, "She striped just like me, she draws just like me, she thinks just like me"
The artist could not see the differances between him and his "sister".
"I can't belive you found someone else out here, and you didn't tell us sooner!" 2 smiled looking at the gold sun, "She must be very special"
"Sister" 6 answered
He crawled up the tall tree root that conceiled the Clearing lit in gold. 6 lifted himself over and halted, his optics shrunken into pin points. A black smog cloud covered the sky.
"What is it?" 2 looked over the root and stopped also, "No."
A broken striped doll lie in the center of the place of peace. Her back was bent sharply. Oil lie stagnet from her neck. Her head lie decapitated, the rag around her eyes was gone. She was drenched with rain. Dapple has been slaughtered. Her oil stained a picture she'd brought and blacked out all that was drawn on it. It looked like that last thing she ever wanted was to see again.
"She's dead. The poor dear." 2 whispered and looked at 6
6 hadn't budged, his unmatching eyes didn't move from his sister. 2 put a claw on 6's shoulder. The striped doll hid from the truth in his hands. 6's breathing shuttered.
"We should leave her here, at least she'll be somewhere she loved" 2 assured his friend
The Stitchpunks went back to the false security of the Sanctuary. Dapple was dead. Without this love 6 was just like 10 now: his will was broken.
It was stormy again that night, the rain came down in silver, drenching sheets. Tzarina trudged blindly though the soft mud, the spear wounds in her back sparking in the rain. She let out loud cries for her fellow machines without realizing she only stumbled deeper into the Stitchpunk's territory.
"Negative!" She yowled desperatly before dropping to her knees in the mud
Tzarina let out an airy howl before falling on her side into the muck. She picked up foot-fall approaching her from behind, she forced her head to move and look up. She saw above her a huge doll figure starting down at her intensely. Tzarina had no engery left to fight, she simply sighed and let her head fall back into the mud and let sweet sleep envelop her.
In the Sanctuary 10 sat alone and still, covered in ashes, on his throne. 2 and 6 left that morning to an unknown desitination, 8 was patroling the boarders and 5 was in his room. The elevator started to creek, someone was cranking it up. Nothing on 10 moved accept his eyes which focused on 2 and 6 as they exited the bucket.
"Where were you two?" 10 demanded in an unintimiating tone
"Dapple is dead" 6 whispered
"What? Who?" Some ashes fell off 10's face as he rose an eyebrow
"6 made a friend - "
"Sister" 6 corrected blankly
"- Sister in the Emptiness" 2 answered, "He went take me to meet her but I'm afraid we found her murdered"
"Murdered"? 10 repeated lostly "How so?"
"When he found her, her spine was snapped and she was decapitated. Either one could have killed her"
"Broken back, decapitated" 10 muttered to himself in a troubled tone, clutching his throat loosly and rubbing it, "Why does that bother me so much?"
"10, she was brutally slaughtered, it wouldn't surprize me if you where bothered" 2 told him slightly offended at his disrespect
"Of course, it's a horrific way to go!" 10 barked back and then his voice became slurred again, "But it's something else, like I can see it reflected in the pit of my memories"
2's pupils shrunk in surprize, realizing what 10 was trying to remember. There was a clunk at the elevator that scattered both the elder's thoughts. 8 entered the room, wet and a little muddy from the rain. He had what looked like a black heap of soked fur slung over his back, but it was really a shadowy doll. 8 dropped the strange newcomer onto the floor. Sparks peered out from the crack in the wall and made a happy noise seeing his love interest but quickly his expression changed realizing that she was hurt and out cold.
"What is this?" 10 snapped standing up, the first time he made the reflex in days
"I found it outside walking in cricles in the rain. I thought it was a beast because of the noises it made" 8 explained in as much detail as he could muster, "But I saw it and it looked like one of us only, um, different"
As the leader and his gaurd spoke Tzarina's red eyes shuttered open. At first her vission was blurred but she saw the fimilar skinny, pale shape of her father-figure.
"Negative, thank you for - " The black doll jumped to all four of her feet and her dorsal fur stood up in fear, "You're not Negative!"
"Indeed I'm not" 10 spat distrustfully, "See, now here's another one! A being just like us but with the evil eyes of the machine!" He turned his head toward his fallowers
"Tzarina" 6 grinned at the black creature, "The Understanding, Dapple told me about you"
10 and Tzarina both gave 6 the same confused stare. 10 flicked his claw.
"2, 8, you take 6 to his room and stay there. I can handle this odd creature" 10 ordered
2, 8 and 6 exited the room leaving only the patriarch of the Sanctuary and the queen of Beasts.
"Now Beast, explain yourself. Are you not realated to the gray, red-eyed creature?" 10 asked
"Sparks? What have you done with him, you savage!" Tzarina lowered herself into a fighting position only to wince back when her spears wounds stung
"I beleive you are in no position to make threats" 10 smiled arrogantly, "Your friend is fine because he fallowed my rules and you will do the same until I get to the bottom of your origin"
"I will never comply to the rules of you terrable Stitchpunks!" Tzarina barked stingingly
"Calm down, I assure you that I won't exploit you, I am perfection" 10 articulated stepping down from his throne, the movement caused the squeaker lodged in his chest to make a very unflatering "squeeee".
Tzarina nearly fell over with a cackling fit.
"Perfection? You? Ha! There is no such thing as perfection!" The black doll howled with a grin of fangs, "I see Nip and Tuk got to you, old one. You're hardly worthy of being a Cat Beast squeak toy let alone perfection itself! Negative told me Stitchpunks have very small brains!"
"I'll admit, sometimes I have to believe you" 10 answered rolling his optics
"I beg your pardon?" Tzarina questioned immediatly ceasing laugher and looking at the Stitchpunk king with the slightest hint of reaspect
"I can't tell you how many times in a day I feel like I'm surrounded by utter morons" Groaned 10
"Oh, I agree" She said a little more softly, she smirked, "Well! Since Negative was created with your data, you can't be all bad"
"Who is this Negative?" Asked 10 in a more scolding tone
"If I told you that, I wouldn't be a very loyal little dolly now would I?" Tzarina's lip curled into a most unpleasent smile
"Very well, I allow you to stay in my Sanctuary to be healed" 10 added with a sneer, "I'll get an answer from you yet"
Sparks burst from the shadow, causing 10 to flinch at the new pair of red orbs. Sparks put his claws around the taller, black doll and looked at 10 with begging eyes.
10 nodded his head slowly and dropped back into his chair, "You can take her to your room and repair her back"
The next morning the white warrior was walking about in the west of Human-City. It had been nearly a week since she left her mate at the twins. 7 was still offended that she'd been compared to the cowardly 1. While she wondered the shambles with her bird skull pulled over her face, she'd given it a lot of thought. She realized she had one thing he did not; freedom. He was his own prisoner in the Sanctuary, but 7, as she saw it, was free to go where she wanted and do what she wanted.
Her thoughts faded off when she heard something knock a gray brick off a rubble mound. 7 pulled her spear out of its' holder and scanned the area for Beasts. She faced another direction seeing a black shape stride behind a stone wall. As she approached the Beast she picked up on a bass hum and metallic claws tapping along with the rythem. She spotted a lithe cat-like figure slide over the tops of the rubble. 7 swung her spear into a fighting position but the Beast slipped away behind another wall.
Soon enough she saw it reappear only about a meter away. Something about this Beast startled her: the simple fact that it had a Stitchpunk body. It was made from dark bown denuim, had a long tail it balanced with and its face was a metal, silver and black cat head with glinting orange eyes. On its' back were two safty pin priceings that held a sythe in place. The strange beast approached her and she noticed the "7" on its chest that had been slashed out.
"Hi baby" Came the smooth, bass voice of the Beast, "I see y'all are just like me; y'all just wanna be free, run from place to place, no worries 'bout anyone no one - sept yourself 'course"
7 was struck by how the strange cat-like creature knew exactly how she felt, or how she thought she felt. As the Beast turned its' head to laugh to itself she thought she could see something behind its' face.
"But you know, freedom don't come easy baby" The Beast reached behind it and in unsheathed its sythe, in turn 7 lifted her spear tensely, "Too bad you just stumbled into my part of this little ol' City!"
The brown creature swung his sythe foreword, 7 lept over the weapon and swung her spear at the Beasts head. The Beast ducked out of its' way and thust a leg out and threw 7 into the dust. He stood up, chuckling behind his expressionless face. 7 jumped up to her feet.
"You sure are a talkative Beast" 7 smirked behind her helmet, "And won't I be glad when I shut you up?"
"This cat ain't about to be told off by a little birdy, baby" The Beast retorted
She bolted foreword toward the Beast. The Beast backed off a few steps but 7 stopped short of him and jumped over him. Lifting her spear into the air and aimed for the neck. After she thrust down the spear slammed out of her grasp and she hit the dust again.
"Y'all gotta learn some new tricks" He said throwing her spear back to her
7 snatched her spear and replied jokingly;
"I didn't think that would work" She flung her spear into a timber pile hanging over the Beast, "That's why I lured you under there"
The Beasts' metal cat face thrust up as the wood crashed down toward him. The timber grazed his back as he ran away from it. A ploom of dust rose up from the impacting timber, out of the dust shot the cat-like Beast. He landed on a grand piano that was jutting out of a trash pile. 7 pulled her spear out as the Beast impacted the keys.
The white warrior jumped onto the keys of the piano. The Beast stood up, cracked his neck and held his sythe up.
"I don't know if you or your little machine friends noticed, but this place belongs to us now" 7 snarled, the notes of the piano booming lower as she walked toward the Beast
"Machines? Friends? Baby, you're a bit too quick to judge me. Didn't I tell you I was free?" Answered the Beast making the piano notes clang higher as he drew closer, "And the whole City is my territory!"
7 let out a cry throwing her weapon into the Beast. He let out a yowl, jumping away, pulling the spear out of his arm. The Beast swung the sythe toward her but it only clanged into her spear. The bird and the cat pushed aganst the other with equal stength.
"So what I heard about the avian warrior is right, you fiesty little Beast-slyer you" He purred mockingly
"Oh? I havn't heard a thing about you, little kitty" 7 threw back
"Some call me -7, some call me 'felidae', but by most I'm just 'the bleach-faced warrior'."
The pair pulled up and their weapons sparked as they slid apart. The bird and the cat steped one note away from the other.
"And what exactly did you hear about me?" 7 questioned
"That you're a good fighter" Came the Beasts unexpected reply
7 swiped her spear at him. It made a thin slice on his chest before becoming lodged in the piano. The white warrior left her weapon and came at the Beast in a fury of punches. The Beast backed up to aviod being hit. He slammed his sythe down on her but her copper hands wrapped around it and she pushed it back up. The bird and the cat were at a stalemate once again.
"You fight pretty well for a woman" Commented the cat
"Really? I was thinking the same thing about you!" The bird sneered pushing his weapon back at him
"I was expecting you'd fight a little dirty" The Beast laughed
"Like what?" 7 replied in offense
The Beast dropped low and jumped into 7, his metal head crashing into her like a battering ram. She tumbled across the keyboard, stopping a few keys short of where her spear was stuck. The Beast landed atop her weapon.
"Kinda like that" He snickered
7 grumbled, she had enough playing with this odd-looking, smart-alacky machine! She burst onto her feet, swiped her spear from right under the Beasts feet. The Beast fell down onto the keys with a clang! Almost immediatly he hopped right back up. 7 yelled as she used the rod of her spear to bat the Beast off the piano.
He lolled across the ground as the white warrior jumped down a sprinted after him. The Beast's back crashed into a big tire. His gleeming orange shuttered open. He let out a gasp when he saw the avian warrior over him, swinging her spear for his neck.
The cat head flew away and rolled across the dirt. 7's grin of victory dissappeared when she looked back at the Beast. It wasn't a Beast! She saw a fabric face looking back at her. It was a Stitchpunk! Her spear was stopped when it hit one of his optics. His face was eye-stingingly bright, like a splash of bleach. 7 pulled her spear away; the optic was bent and the yellow glass shattered so that now that eye was red, rather than orange. His white face was distorted in hate and shame.
"Y-you're one of us" She breathed
This was all she could utter before the bleach-faced warrior lept onto all four limbs. He ran past his silver cat mask and placed in back over his face. He bounded away over the shambles - to be prisoner to his City once again.
It was sun-high, 3 and 4 were left at the Muesum alone because 9 went off to look for 7 (and visit the Memorial). The twins were poking at a new patch of moss that was growing at the base of a step. The pair frooze when they heard hyena laugher creeping up from behind.
"Well look, if in' ain't those book-readin' shirmp!" Nip barked
"Yeah, wah' she say" Tuk replyed nodding her head
3 and 4 faced the pair of smiling, hooded bullies with scowls.
"What do you want?" 4 flashed
"You can't just wonder into our home like this" 3 clicked defensivly
"Yes-huh! We do what we wan't cuz we're bigga'!" Nip hollared puffing her hood out
"Ya! Touch!" Tuk squealed leaping up and tearing a twig off a nearby sapling
"You two are going to be in so much trouble when 9 comes back!" 4 flickered irritably
"Ooooooo!" They wooted mockingly
"Always do what daddy says?" Tuk giggled
"No!" 4 retorted without thinking
"Betcha do!" Nip barked in a sing-song tone
"No we don't!" 4's eyes lit furiously
"Daddy's girl! Daddy's girl!" They negative twins chanted dancing in a circle
"Yeah we listen to him, so what?" 3 clicked stepping up to the slightly bigger twins, "9 and 7 teach us to be good and smart. I bet your parents are going to be angry when they find out how bad you are"
"Parents? We don't got none!" Nip snorted, "Negative, he our leader, he just wants us ou' of his hood!"
"Yah, su we do wha' we wan' out hera!" Tuk added, "Oh! There's BleachFace, he's rearry nice to us, yah!"
"All right fine, BleachFace counts as our parent - but he ain't never around!" Nip reasponed cuffing her sister on the head
"Who's that?" 3 blinked tilting his hooded head
"BleachFace is -"
"Shut up, stoopid head!" Nip howled smacking her sisters' head again
Nearby a burlap creature rose his head at the howl. 9 assumed the animal noise was a machine or that strange black doll he'd encountered twice before. It must be after the twins! He clutched his light staff and sprinted closer.
"Don't hit her!" 4 flashed shoving Nip
"It okay, she hit me all time!" Tuk giggled in an almost friendly way
"No it's not okay. She can't just push you around" 3 flickered throwing a glare at the older sister
"I can hit her if I want to!" Nip snapped throwing a silver claw into both the twins' faces
9 watched the twins stumble to the ground after be smacked by a colorpointed doll. He realized it wasn't a monster he was dealing with and his grip on his staff loosened. He wasn't ready to let the two gray twins pick on 3 and 4.
"Hey!" 9 called briskly walking into the confrontation
"9!" 4 clicked raising her head
Nip and Tuk yelped and jumped a foot in the air. They'd been spotted! They ran in different directions to escape but their heads impacted with a clunk! The sisters bumbled into the ground.
"3, 4, who are these two?" 9 asked standing over Nip and Tuk who proceeded to wail and whimper pathetically
3 and 4's eyes glimmered white as they acted out the bullying they'd experanced the past week. 9 watched intently. Nip and Tuk continued to sob.
"So you weren't lieing. I'm so sorry I punished you" 9 reasponed nodding his head sympathetically, he looked back down at the gray sisters sternly, "And you girls have some explaining to do!"
"9! I just fought with a strange creature!" Called the white doll sprinting over to her mate, "It looked just like us but it had a Beast's head put over its own real one. It had a bleached face" 7's ramble suddenly halted when she spotted the two sisters, "What are those?"
"3 and 4 have been telling the truth the whole time, they have been being framed the whole week; and there are the two that were doing it"
"What?" 7 gasped realizing she'd been faslely acussing her best friends, she thrust her foot down and held Nip and Tuk under her, "You sniviling cowards!"
"7, calm down, they're just kids" 9 told her
"I want an explaination from you two right now! Who's in charge of you little monsters? I'd like to give them a peice of my mind!" 7 shouted into the whining sisters' faces
7 was met with no answer, just uninteligable whimpering and nervious giggling that sounded like it should have come out of a hyena. 7 realized she wasn't going to get an understandable answer out of them, this only made her more angry.
"Use words, you drooling Beasts!" 7 snapped
A highly unfitting squeak broke through the scolding. Small grins appeared on Nip and Tuk's dirty faces. The bullies broke out into hysteical cackling, immitating the embaricing squeak several times to each other. 7's was too confused to have kept a strong enough hold on the sisters so they broke free.
The sisters bounded away continuing the mock the squeaker. 9 was the first to bolt after them, fallowed by a very dumbfounded 7, 3 and 4. 9 saw the two leap over a pile of rubble and the squeaker cryed out its' high-pitched scream again. The burlap doll's head came over the hill just in time to witness Tuk jump off the belly of a pale doll. A huge light twany doll lundged for the sisters but they ran off into the Emptiness. The squeaker inhailed with another annoying "squeee" as the pale doll pushed himself to his feet with a cry of;
"Foolish tricksters, come back!"
"1!" 9 called as a big smile crept across his face, "8!"
The white-clad doll shifted around and couldn't help to smile himself at the sight of the old friend, although he half dreaded the sight of the youngest Stitchpunk. 7 and the twins rose up from beind the ruin hill let out a gasp (or flicker) of surprize. The twins were the first to run down and greet them, dispite that the elder and his guard had been unpleasant to them in the past. 8 thundered toward the twins hollaring a happy, untranslatable, sentance. The twins were soon squished in two massive arms and lifted off the ground and shaken lovingly. 7 and 9 grinned at each other and ran down the hill toward 10.
"Oh no" was all 10 could utter before he was embraced by the mates
"I can't believe how much I missed you, you grumpy old sausage!" 7 commented after realesing him
"1, I knew you had to be alive when I couldn't sence you at the Memorial" 9 said letting to of the elder and giving him some space
"My name is - guh -" He huffed as the twins ran into and hugged him, "My name is 10 now"
"I see you got some nice duds to go with the new name" 7 said with a not-so-good-natured smirk
9 looked at 10's attire with a troubled face, it was nearly the same as his old outfit. 10's head looked into the Emptiness.
"They got away" 10 grumbled begrudgingly
"Huh? Oh, forget them" 7 waved a hand in the direction Nip and Tuk ran in, her eyes stared low, "Woah, nice claw"
"Thank you" 10 answered with a smirk flexing his golden hand
"How did you get back in your body?" 9 questioned
"I'll be happy to explain back at the Sanctuary"
"The Sanctuary?" 9 asked throwing a glance at 7 whos smile had faded
"Yes, my prized home is left standing. You'll find the others residing there as well" 10 spoke with the same sly smile he'd given 9 the first time he entered the massive cathedral, "You're always welcome to stay"
9 paused, he looked at 7 and the twins who also were unsure about heading back to the unsafe prison of the Sanctuary. 9 couldn't turn down 10's offer, it was the only way he could see 5 and the others. 10 watched with the same grin as 9 answered.
"All right, we'll stay until we find out what's going on"
The sun had started to set and 9 and his company had long since been reunited with their once departed friends. While the happy exchange went on they didn't know they had been watched by a bitter black hybird. The golden light beams coming from the windows in Tzarina's room grew long as the sun fell. The black doll saw the Sanctuary as a cage she was forced into. She paced from one end to the room to the other, angrily making low rumbles and growls.
A gray creature entered to room meekly. Sparks was aware she was in one of her moods and didn't speak a peep until she noticed him.
"Sparks, I won't allow these savages to keep us caged any longer" She huffed athoritavly, as she approached him, "As soon as dark comes, we'll escape with the Stitchpunk called 2 and go back to the Factory where we belong!"
"You forget, Tzarina, that I was exiled from the Factory" Sparks said in a serious tone, his wires lit up the dulling room, " - Age of the Machine! -"
"Negative's orderes?" She asked lifting a crimson stitched brow
"Yes"
"Negative and I are close, I'll convince him to lift the punishment" Tzarina said in a much less stinging voice
"Um, thanks, but no thanks" Sparks whimpered putting a black claw behind his head
"What?" She breathed in a way much less angry, more dissapointed
"I like it here. The Stitchpunks aren't - stuffed crust! - savages at all, really. I don't know how Negative ever came up with that idea but-"
"No! All Stitchpunks are bad! You are being corrupted already, my poor, dear friend" Tzarina said putting a big paw on his cheek careingly, "You must go with me tonight"
"Sorry Tzarina. But I'd like to call these guys my friends now too" Sparks said, "It might be a little bit weird for us at first, but if we get used to it, we're happy"
"What a cute thought, cute but ignorant. But if that's what you want, then I won't try to stop you" Tzarina bit back the urdge to roar at him in rage, but there was this odd aura around the glitchy, gray doll that forbid her from bringing harm to him, "But I'm going back where I belong"
The room became blue as the sun dissapeared. Tzarina backed out of the room and into a hallway in the Sanctuary. She turned her maned head back at meek Sparks.
"So we have to be seperated again" Sparks whispered, Tzarina bounded down the hallway leaving him all alone, "Maybe it isn't ment to be" He whimpered letting his head drop to his chest
Tzarina let her pace slow, hearing footfall from further down the hall. She walked toward it and saw 2, all alone, at an interection between two rooms. This is too easy!
"Ah, hello" 2 chripped diplomatically
Tzarina let out a sick, happy hiss as she pulled back to pounce. Her claws jumped back into her fingers as she saw a large group of what she was convinced was her enemy join the old Stitchpunk. Her jaw parted and she let herself shrink away from her attacking position as 10, 3, 4, 7 and 9 were staring her down.
"Tzarina" 9 spoke first
"You're not in your room!" 10 added swiftly
"What's that Beast doing here?" 7 snarled
"8 found her hurt and we're keeping her here until we find out where she came from" 10 explained
"What are you doing out here?" 2 asked
"Nothing" She spat in defeat, there were far too many Stitchpunks for her to take down, "I'm going back to my room"
With that Tzarina stalked back into the dark of the Sanctuary. She may have lost this battle but she was deturmind to win the war. At the next opportunity she'll take 2 away!
Nighttime made no differance in the bussiness of the Factory. The machine minions still scittered around, the majority of them on patrols. The great Fabricator himself was alone in his chamber, save his appointed representative, Negative. Negative tended to stay in his own room whenever he could but he simply could not resist when his creator called him. The white doll knew exactly why he was summoned, he'd been avioding the matter for a long time and the Fabrication machine finally noticed.
"-1" Rumbled the Machine's mechanical voice
"Y-yes, master" Negative squeaked as he trembled and clutched his tail
"-5, -6 and -9 have been absent for the past few days" The hulking metal beast pulled in closer to Negative, "Where are they?"
"Within the vacinity, I assure you" He replyed
"No -1, where are they? You have been avioding this simple question every time I asked you. You know where they are, I demand you tell me!" The Fabricator boomed
Negative shunk away and swallowed hard before answering in a thin breath;
"Missing, master"
"What?"
"I mean - Sparks was exiled, Dapple is dead and Tzarina is missing" Negative corrected
"Dead? Impossable, machines don't die - where is it? It must be repaired" The Fabricator grumbled
"I assure you, I don't think there will be bringing her back" He clutched the throat implictitivly
"-6 was under your protection! I trusted you. Now I want you to tell me exactly how it was killed!" Bright white sparks flew from the Machine's head
"She wonders, you know that master. I-I don't know how she died" He answered knowing he would be destoryed if his master knew it was he who ordered the killing, "Likely Stitchpunk 9 killed her"
The Fabricator let out a vengefull screech and slammed an arm into a barrel of oil. The barrel groaned in half and was flung clear across the room. Negative was thankful he wasn't at the reciving end of that blow.
"What about the other two?" The Fabricator demanded
"Sparks was suspected of treason so I exiled him. Tzarina just dissapeared, that's all I know, I assure-"
"Imbecile! Your assurance means nothing to me any more, -1. You failed me. I knew you were a waste of my time" Interupted the great Fabricator's raging voice as he rose up a hand
"Please! Master! No!" Negative pathetically covered his face with his claws and curled into a ball, "I only want to please you, but I cannot match your perfection. I did my best! Don't dispose of me"
The Fabricator lowered his arm at his creation's rediculous pleading. The little fool showing his ultimate weakness to him pleased him. This didn't hide the fact that he'd lost his trust in Negative.
"You know I could snap your puny spine with a single claw, -1. Oh yes, I should kill you! The energy I used to bring you to life would be put back into good use! But I will not. No. I still need you"
"Oh thank you. Mirciful, mirciful Machine! Oh praise the great Machine for he'd spared my life. Magestic, beautiful, loving Machine!" Negative gushed groveling under the Fabricator
"Enough, get on your feet, you bone-bag!"
"As you command, master"
"I want all of your kin back. Gather them all, I'll repair the ones that need it" The Fabricator snarled turning back to his work, "-9 in particular, once it's back in the Factory it will take over for you"
"What will happen to me once she's leader?" Negative choked nerviously
"You will become a part of me again"
"No!" Negative cried knowing that ment his certain demise, "I don't want to die! I'll do anything, please don't kill me! M-master!"
The Fabricator turned, if he had a mouth it would have been curled into a smirk. He was aware Negative didn't mean half of the goveling he bumbled though his fangs, but he enjoyed the power he had over him. It reminded him of his time when he was exerminating the human race. Ultimate power was so sweet to the Machine. He didn't recognize that the "love" Negative spoke to him sparked memories of the Toy Maker and the love he was deprived of when he was seperated from him. The Fabricator used his first hybird as a tool for the love he was never shown, without him even realizing.
"I assure you, -1, I won't" The Fabricator thundered, "Just lie down on your puny, little back, show me your soft, pathetic belly and tell me how powerful I am"
Characters (In order of apperance/mentioning)
*~* Stitchpunks *~*
9 . . . To Save Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from burlap, hands and feet molded from copper. Body held shut by a brass zipper. Normal height. Most advanced and refined of the Stitchpunk beings.
Details - Perviously defeated the Machine, now lives in peace with the other three surviving of his family, 3, 4 and 7. After enountering Tzarina, is deturmind to discover where she came from.
10 . . . To Perfect Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from canvas, steel claws, poorly constructed. Held shut with two belt straps. Of average heigtht and skinny figure. The firstborn of the Stitchpunk beings.
Details - Once the protective self-proclaimed leader of the Stitchpunk, lost his influance quickly once 9 appeared. Upon realizing he was no longer a use to the group, killed himself to save 9. Changed his name to 10, a number recognized as a symbol of perfection, to mark his second term and Stitchpunk leader. Had a squeaker lodged in his chest that he's often humiliated by. Losing his grip on reality.
2 . . . To Inspire Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from a mix of burlap, canvas and leather put together in patches, bronze hands and worn wood feet. Held shut with a shoelace. Weakest and shortest of the Stitchpunk beings.
Details - An elder and kindy inventor and medic. Killed in part by 1's intention and a mistake of 9's. Other than 9, the only one that seems to understand 6. Knows something about "Zero".
5 . . . To Guide Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from pale burlap with a leather eyepatch, copper hands. Held shut with two bronze buttons. Smaller than average.
Details - Reluctant student of 2's and map-maker. Killed by the Fabrication Machine. Distrusts 10, knowing his intentions in 2's murder perviously. Veiws 9 as a superior leader to 10.
8 . . . To Gaurd Us
Number Placement - Shoulder
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - New skin is a brownish-tawny fabric, steel-and-copper hands and feet. Large and bulky. Held together with two clips.
Details - A devoted fallower of 1. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.
7 . . . To Defend Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Bleached canvas-like fabric skin, copper hands and feet, held shut with a blue-green button. Smaller and more nimble than the majority of the others. Large scar on back from a battle with the Cat Beast many years ago. Hates 1 for reasons not fully understood.
Details - Perviously a loner and Beast-slayer, after the defeat of the Fabrication Machine now lives with 9, her apparent mate, and 3 and 4. Still retains her independant nature. Dispises 10.
3 . . . To Teach Us
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Broader face, larger and hands and taller than 4.
Details - Child-like and twin of 4. More curious, outgoing and more easily hurt than his sister.
4 . . . To Define Us
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - The Stitchpunk
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Smaller mouth, hands and slightly shorter than 3.
Details - Child-like and twin of 3. More cautious, rational and more shy than her brother.
0 . . . To Remember Us
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - N/A
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Made from think white silk wit ha few stray scraps and threads hanging off her. Thin aluminum hands. Big sightless eyes. Extremely weak.
Details - Playfull but sickly Stitchpunk. No one is sure weither she existed or is a figment of 10's imagination. Blind. Her favorite sense is touch, loves meeting new people and always wants to play.
*~* The Machines *~*
Ant Driods
Allegiance - The Machines
Gender of Species - All Male
Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attatched to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.
Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.
The Fabrication Machine
Allegiance - The Machines
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attatched, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, apposable tail attached him to his Factory.
Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the exermination of life. Killed by 9. Created Stitchpunk beings of his own to eliminate the original nine, however his main motivation is something unknown. Rules Negative and in turn, the rest of the hybirds, with fear and intimidation.
The Skouts
Allegiance - The Machines
Gender of Species - All Male
Anatomy - Rat skull head, raptor-like body with springs in legs. Long whiplash tail. Highly aposable fingers. Stitchpunk-sized. Fairly inteligent and programed with pack mentality. Shakes victems until dead.
Details - Created by the Machine. Fast, nimble but very fragile. Used to collect items and patrol boarders.
The Cat Beast
Allegiance - The Machines
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Long monkey-like legs, cat skull head with one lightbulb eye to see at night and spiked back. Two-and-a-half Stitchpunk heights.
Details - Created by the Machine. Nimble and powerful but uninteligent. Enjoys toying with her pray. Killed by 7 but salvaged by the Machine.
The Cackle Beast
Allegiance - The Machines
Gender - All Male accept the Matriarch
Anatomy - Six extremely long legs with fingers of variable sizes. Hump-backed bady with a spotted hyena skin draped over it. Possium skull head with rubber ears. Fishing hook at end of tail. Almost two Stitchpunk heights.
Details - Created by the Machine. Similar programming as Cat Beast. Usually in packs with a ruling Matriarch.
*~* Machine-Stitchpunk Hybrids *~*
Negative (-1) . . . The Innocent
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Male
Anatomy - White leather skin, frail steel claws, bone tail with stinger, needle fangs. Held shut with two buckles in an "X" across the chest. Red slitted eyes. Shorter and scrawnier than 1.
Details - Created by the Machine to be the leader of the others of his kin. Skittish and very weak but self-loving and irritable. Worships the Machine like a god, fallowing him blindly, however often regreats the bad things he's been forced to do. The only hybird to speak directly to the Machine.
Tzarina (-9) . . . The Understanding
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Made from a black purse with fur trim. Fur runs down head like a mane, over chest and down back going into a long tail. Zipper runs down the back of her head. Heavy paws with razor blade retractable claws. Red eyes and soild silver fangs.
Details - Created by the Machine as a soilder and heir to Negative if he should die. Deeply reaspects elders for their apparent "wisom". Hostile and pig-headed but cannot fight the almost motherly side inside her. Heavy claws make her attacks ineffective on foes that are too fast to be hit. Holds romantic feelings for Sparks that she doesn't comprehend.
Sparks (-5) . . . The Healer
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Majorly a tough gray fabric with patches and stitches. Many stitches along his face and a "Y" insision on his chest. Black metal claws and a white electrical plug for a tail. Shorter than Tzarina and skinny. Red eyes. Exploded patches of wires stitcking out of a wound in his head.
Details - Created by the Machine to recharge himself and bring machines to life. Sparks is submissive and jumpy. He tries to please everyone and tends to be friendly to those who show kindness to him. The wires often glitch causing Sparks to convulse and scream something from his memories - usually something unuseful. Wants to be in a realationship with Tzarina.
Cicatrix (-2) . . . The Strong
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Dirty pale burlap skin covered in several patches and stitches. Smallest of all the hybirds and Stitchpunk. Plump. Four heavy arms modled after the Machines', two other apendages sticking from shoulders for welding. No tail, wire-cutter teeth.
Details - Created by the Machine soley for laybor. Able to lift things three-times his weight but his health is fading fast. Peacefull and fasinated by nature. Mauled by Slasher and lost his voice, his current fate is unknown.
Slasher (-8) . . . The Loyal
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Made from a red pin cusion. Has stripes of black tar drawn on him. Rows a neddles rising form head, back, shoulders and jaws. Tall and skinny. Medical needle tail, red eyes and huge needle fangs.
Details - Created by the Machine as an enforcer of Negative. Dense and misguided by Negative. Enjoys tormenting the "lower" dolls, being Cicatrix, Sparks, Dapple, Nip and Tuk.
Dapple (-6) . . . The Seeing
Number Placement - Back
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Made from a wool black-and-blue striped sweater. Patch of white fur on head as hair. Frail hooks for fingers. Long tail with the head of a paintbrush at the end.
Details - Created by the Machine to design beasts. Speaks in a slow soft voice. Loves all of her kin, even Negative and Slasher who abuse her. Has dreams for a "family". Takes punishment without fighting back, even if she's undeserving. Ordered to death by Negative and killed by Slasher.
BleachFace (-7) . . . The Independant
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - None
Gender - Male
Anatomy - Tall, lithe and dark brown with a long tail that is tipped with white. Tall collar around neck and swift copper claws. Face is stained with bleach. Wheres a dark metal cat-like mask to hide his face. Red eyes with yellow stained glass, making them appear orange.
Details - Ran away from the rest of the hybrids for an unknown reason. Calls Human-City, "the City" and claims that it all belongs to him. Navigates ruins with ease and enjoys picking fights and playing mind games. Has a strong sence if independance.
Nip (-3) . . . The Loving
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Head and body made from gray denium, arms and legs made from the same material. Green camo cape and hood, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket swen into belly. Boarder face and more heavyset than Tuk. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.
Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys picking on anything smaller or apparently weaker than herself. Loves the company of her sister but dosn't realize it until she's alone. The leader of the sisters.
Tuk (-4) . . . The Careing
Number Placement - Chest
Allegiance - The Machine
Gender - Female
Anatomy - Head and body made from gray demium, arms and legs made from same material. Turquoise camo cape and good, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket sewn onto belly. Skinner than Nip and has unfocused eyes as a result of being beaned on the head too much by her sister. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.
Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys fallowing Nip around. More friendly than her sister but still enjoys her wicked ways. A little slower because of being hit on the head too much. More submissive than Nip.
*~* Others *~*
The Toy Maker
A scientest and ex-toy maker hired by the State to create the Machine. The Machine was taken away from the Toy Maker before he was able to complete testing on it. Only after the Machine went mad with power did he create the nine Stitchpunk creatures to continue life on the dead Earth. Died after bring 9 to life.