Title: His mission

After The BRAIN is destroyed, the world begins to settle once more, everything heals and life begins to grow. One of the fallen gets a second chance to revive what was lost in battle. But can he succeed?

I Still Own Nothing!

_-_-_Part 17: Lost_-_-_

Everything was dark. Suddenly new optics opened with a jolt, looking around frantically the small being felt strangely calm as he saw a large figure holding him. Tilting his head he watched as he was carried form a large circular object and wondered just what it did, or even what he was. He thought of feeling things around him and found he could lift up his arms. His mind seemed to jump every few seconds to a new thought, causing him to lose the previous one in the fuss.

Holding his hand up to his face he wiggled his fingers. Reaching up he began to feel around, exploring everything that he could, and eventually he would reach his face as he traced his optics. He felt the metal and tapped them, hearing the echo of the metal hitting each other, and he smiled for the first time.

After a few moments, the thing put him down and he felt his legs buckle under his weight. He put his hands on his knees and pushed his weight up. The larger thing laughed and that caught his attention. He looked up at the other and blinked. The small mechanical sound of his optics still rang out in his head, and to the small stitchpunk's surprise it was getting louder.

"Hello 5, welcome to the world…"

And with that statement, 5's world turned red.

_-_

He felt like someone had covered his optics with a thin red film, making his vision seem as though it was covered in blood. He reached up to try and touch his face but drew back violently when he felt sparks against his cold metal fingers. He felt the ground as it shook under him and he tried to get up. Stumbling back he shuddered under the weight of his pain. Falling to the ground he inhaled the loose dirt and smoke and almost instantly started to choke on it.

Giving up, he let himself crash to the hard ground; the only movement he made was the involuntary shuddering that he appeared to make when the monstrous machines moved closer and closer. Feeling his body as it was pulled away from the ground; he looked up and saw that the left side of his face had completely blacked out. He could even see the wires that hung out from his left side. The right side was already starting to crackle as he glanced at the smaller figure that held him up.

He remembered this one vaguely; He saw him from the moving shelter. He never got to see the others number but now all he was concerned about was being able to see at all. He looked up at the other while his eye socket began to spark. The elder who held him gave a sad look, but 5 was able to catch something else; a comforting smile, weak, but there. The look showed 5 that the elder knew that the younger of the two was scared. He was showing him that he had nothing to be afraid of. But 5 wouldn't have been able to pick it up at first. After all, the one holding him looked equally scared.

Suddenly the other looked up as he noticed the machines as they drew closer. 5 groaned as he was pulled to his feet, and as a person tried to push themselves to the absolute limit, 5 began to walk.

He felt his eye start to fade. Looking back to the elder he tried his hardest to help him by supporting himself, but couldn't. Feeling the others movements lag he closed his optic tightly and prepared for the worst. Suddenly he felt the two of them pushed far from their oncoming death. He felt new arms around him and looked up to see one of the other stitchpunks. He remembered this one, this was 7.

He felt like he was getting blown up into the air, the lighting changed and soon everything was bright. The one's supporting him faded away and he was on his own once more.

_-_

5 looked around the empty space to see he was alone. Reaching up he sighed and felt the left side of his face, smoothed over by his leather patch. He turned to the large white area and started to walk, unsure of where he was going. He saw something in the distance and gasped, his walk turning to a run as he took off.

He saw the cat beast as it hovered over his mentor. He reached out and tried to cry out but soon found his voice to be paralyzed. He touched his throat as more objects became visible. He saw the large can a few yards from 2, and he noticed 9 looking out, holding on.

'Don't just stand there…do something…do something!' his mind cried out. He felt his mouth forming the words but they refused to be heard. He turned back to see the beast as it bit down, catching 2 in its mouth before it turned and kicked the can over. He watched as it took off and the world faded back to red. He felt the ground as it crumbled under his feet and in an instant his word fell apart as the cat beast and his captive mentor fled into the distance.

In the back of his mind a new sound began to appear, these hauntingly familiar. He heard the cold sound of machines; crashing, haunting, and burning.

Turning around he saw 2 as he fell to the ground cold, his mouth steaming as all life faded was sucked from him.

Almost instantly after, he saw the large silhouette of the fabrication machine as it picked up the elder's lifeless body. Suddenly a large electric saw appeared as one of its arms and 5 watched in horror as it moved closer to 2.

5 tried to look away but he was paralyzed along with his voice. Gasping he watched the other attachments of the fabrication machine constructing a long snakelike object. He saw it as it attached long needles and rusted scissors, a broken doll's head with eerie eyes and ragged teeth.

He watched as the mechanics worked like clockwork, so used to building weapons and beasts. The only thing to pull him from his trance was the sound of the drill heating up.

5 cried out in his mind, straining to pull himself away before he could see the next thing to happen.

Staring helplessly he watched as the blades dug into 2's body, cutting through, breaking his mechanics and slicing him in half. He watched as the fibers of his leathery material broke apart and frayed, ripping into a liquid state as everything started to dissolve.

'No, no, no.' His mind cried out. 'Not 2. Not again.'

The machine melted in the background slowly until it dissolved completely. The only thing left was 2's upper body which stayed suspended in thin air. 5 fell to the ground as the force restraining him failed and he was free.

Instead of running from any potential danger he ran straight to it; He needed to reach 2. As he moved closer he was able to see the lifeless expression on his mentor's face. 5 stared at him as he was finally next to the floating body.

Reaching out his arm he traced the others face with his hand as the white world around him shattered.

He glanced down as the ground broke into a million shards to revile the library. Floating down to the emptiness he walked in, looking around as he moved to the center of the large building.

He saw the fountain and he as he sat beside his closest friend, watching as he repaired parts of the others legs. As he moved in to get a better look he noticed the first elder as he walked past 1. Taking a moment to see the other he saw something on their leader's face that he never saw before. Sorrow; 1 was sad over the loss of 2. He stayed behind so the other couldn't see as he sat alone with his elbow on his leg, resting his head against it. No one would see the saddened expression on his face as he looked down in shame and disappointment, all for himself.

5's legs seemed to start again without any thought and soon he would be facing a familiar sight. He watched as he sat with 2 and tried to repair him before they had to leave. He remembered this part well.

He didn't have much time, and could only repair what would be equivalent to their femurs, and they still rested beneath the seamstress's material. He felt the same rage that he did back then, he wished for nothing more than to tear the foul material from the other and burn it. But he didn't have the time. He just didn't. He built two makeshift legs, nothing like he would have liked to make for the other. He wished he could have worked on them for a longer period of time, but some things just never turn out how you wish for them too.

5 watched as the other him slipped the two makeshift legs into the extra material of the seamstress, almost as if putting them there for the other's health, much as human's give things of meaning to their loved ones who have passed on. He remembered the books that spoke of giving money to help them cross over, and he smiled. He had given the other the legs to cross over on.

As soon as he finished that work, 9 and the others faded into the picture. 5 had his head bowed as the others began to place 2 onto a small piece of wood. They rearranged him and set him up with his arms across his chest, staring upward before his optics were blocked with 1's coin.

As soon as they were done they all lifted the wood up and placed him into the water. 5 looked up again to see 2 as he started to drift away. He reached out and frowned as 2 moved farther to the metal bars where he slipped from his vision. As soon as he started to pass through, he and the others began to fade away until it was only 5, the real 5.

The whole place was silent as he walked over and sat beside the fountain. Putting his metal fingers into the water he moved them around, making ripples and small splashes. His mind was as tranquil as the fountain's water, and it surprised 5 at how calm he was. He thought he would be more shook up but found that he was at peace, if only for the moment.

"It's strange," He started as he looked up at the opening in the fountain and the path that took 2 to his final adventure. "The one thing that took you away…is the same thing that allowed me life…"

'Well what would you expect?'

5 jumped and turned around. His optics fell on 2's soul as it walked out from behind a pile of books.

"You're…not a part of my dream." 5 stated as the soul moved to take a seat beside him. "You're the real 2…"

'You are correct.' He laughed as he pat the other's shoulder. When he was touched, 5 broke down and moved to hug the other tightly. 'Now, now my boy…You shouldn't always be so concerned for me.'

"But…it's been so long since I've seen you; I never thought I would get to see you again." He stopped and pulled away. "Why did you leave me before? I needed you…"

Looking away the elder then turned back to him after a moment of thinking.

'I didn't mean to 5, you have to understand. I've had much to prepare for.' 5 looked to him with a puzzled look on his face. 'You see, I'm quite old. I'm not like I was before, I'm not like you. You're young, healthy and strong. I needed time to myself to prepare for my…final journey.'

"Final? 2 you're not going to fade away!" 5 exclaimed and watched as 2 seemed to laugh it off. "I've already recovered 1,6 and 8…you're the last one, and you still have a bit over a month before you fade, stop talking like you're going to die tomorrow. If you were to die, then I would…I-"

'-You would continue to live as you always have. You have always pulled through against unbelievable odds, I was happy to take you under my wing as my apprentice, and my son.'

5 looked back to the soul and frowned. "I don't understand…"

'It's simple 5; I'm here to tell you…just how much I'm proud of you, I may never get another chance. You have always meant the most to me. I taught you everything that I knew in hopes that you would put that information to good use, and you have.'

5 held onto 2's hand, just now realizing that he didn't go through the transparent soul as his metal fingers stayed on top of the others. He held on tightly, he was scared that if he moved even a little the other would disappear.

'5…you have grown so much since I was last alive. I wished to see you one more time before…' He trailed off and looked down before he tried smiling once more.' I'm happy to see you have developed into a fine, brave fighter who works to make things right. You have changed and matured so much since we were under 1's rule. You stood up against him, fought machines, even fell to an almost certain death and still and survived by unbelievable odds; it was in that instant that I knew that I could trust to leave you.'

"I wouldn't have ever survived the cliff without you…" The one-eyed stitchpunk whispered out as he held the elder's hand. "2…there's still so much I wanted to learn from you…"

The elder chuckled a bit and moved to place a hand on the others shoulder, giving him a calming smile, laced with sadness, much like the one he gave him after he came back for him that day on the battlefield.

'My boy…you have long since surpassed me. There is nothing more that I could possibly teach you…I can finally move on. You have allowed me the courage to take risks even in this simple state…I'm no longer frightened by what might happen in the future. Thank you…'

"2…" 5 whispered out again, noticing when the other's greenish soul began to fade away slightly. "No! Where are you going! You can't leave me, not now!"

'You needn't worry over me anymore 5…I can take care of myself, much as you can take care of yourself. I'm proud of you 5, never forget that.'

"I won't…never…I'll never forget 2, I promise."

5's body began to shake as 2 got up from where he was sitting and began to move until he was floating above the water. 5 stood up and held the top button on his chest, clenching it as he tried his hardest not to reach out for the other. As 2 began to float back to the metal bars 5 felt a chill run through him as he reached out as it to stop the other even though he was far past arm's length away.

In an instant he was paralyzed again, though this time he was lucky enough that his voice worked.

"2…"

The second stitchpunk froze and looked as though he was shaking. Turning around he gave his apprentice a saddened look, as a smile played out on his face. He always tried to calm and reassure the other that everything was ok, even if he knew the dark outcome wasn't always to be desired.

'You will never see me like this again 5. I am truly sorry.'

_-_-_

5 cried out, sitting straight up in his bed as his chest heaved up and down painfully. Clenching his chest he jumped as the sound of the wind blew outside of the building. It was still raining hard even though there was no longer any thunder or lightning. It seemed that during the night the wind must have pushed his container's door closed, though 5 didn't seem to mind being in the dark. He was more concerned about calming himself down.

He put a hand over his optic's patch as he felt dizzy.

A dream… It was only a dream.

He had dreams like that before, but never all together, and never that intense. 2 was always there when he had those nightmares, now he was alone in his dark container. The only thing that was with him in the dark space was the flashing green light coming from the cylinders meter.

…Flashing?

5 turned to the light as his optic widened. He scrambled out of his blanket and bed and crashed to the ground. He didn't have time to try and light the room as he reached for the cylinder. Picking up the meter he watched as the last green soul on the meter started to blink frantically before it completely disappeared, leaving 5 completely alone. There was no more movement in the small container as 5 fell to his knees, his chest stopping as his mechanics screeched to an almost nonexistent low, his optic staring into the darkness as he tried to see, hoping to see anything at all.

Suddenly the weight of what happened began to pull itself onto 5. The fifth stitchpunk began to press the meter to get it to turn on. After pressing it a green flash went over it as if scanning the areas for souls. But after nothing showed up, it faded back to darkness.

Frantically 5 began to press and press. His movements becoming ragged as he practically hit the meter to show him 2's soul, but it just wasn't there anymore. 5 began to press it again as his movements slowed into sorrow, he had to, and it had to. It just had to work! The other couldn't be, no, no he couldn't, maybe if he pressed one more time…no another, just one more, it had to show up!

But nothing came. And after a few more minutes, the meter shut completely.

It was gone. He was gone.

2 was gone.

Part 17 done with a cliffy! o.O

*Dies* I have had so much work to do it's not even funny *Cries*

I have been planning this chapter for awhile and I'm happy about how it came out ^^; the writing at the beginning is supposed to be a bit choppy and rushed as its 5's dream.

-Notes-

-This chapter was mostly a dream sequence, but the 2 at the end isn't a part of 5's dream, he's the real 2. As a soul he can go in and out of dreams if he wanted as it's only a matter of connecting the soul's minds together. So 2 was actually having a conversation with 5 as it was the only way for him to communicate with him.

-The meter is not broken. It was designed to shut itself down after no more souls could be detected. And since 2's soul faded away, it shut its self down.

Thank you for reading this chapter! Only three chapters left! Thank you for sticking around and reading the updates to this story. It really means a lot as I put a lot of work into these chapters, and save for a few mistakes here and there I'm glad that everyone seems to enjoy it ^^. Thank you so much for reading and I hope that you come back to see the next chapter that will be posted next Tuesday. There also might be some art of the characters up too on Deviant Art. Thanks so much!