9 Forevermore Chapter 10

9 Forevermore
Written by *pieface123 and *Tifa-the-Strange

Going After the Machine

1's eyes flickered before they adjusted, the frozen face of the unknown stitchpunk right in front of him, he gasped in terror as he crawled away, getting the loose thread off of him.
The leader continued to make frightening bodies as he pushed the thread off of him. 5 shook his head as he recovered as well. "We have to go after them!!!!" 9 yelled frantically, pointing the way the seamstress left with the two warriors.
3 & 4 huddled up close to 5 who grabbed a knife from the ground. "E-e-8... Where's 8?" 1 asked, stuttering as 4 looked at the knife grimly, sobbing quietly with her brother comforting her.
"T-th-that thing has them!!!"
1 held his chest in fear, thinking the worst. They were unprotected. "Then it's too late...!" he muttered frightfully.
"W-we must hide..." 1 stated, getting up and cringing. "We must try to find another safe place...!"
"No more hiding!!" 9 barked, throwing his hands down and out as he approached the leader. "We're going after them and finishing this!!! All of us!!"
"May I remind you of your last heroic venture!?!" 1 pointed out to the horizon where the Church once stood. "We lost a home thanks to you, almost killing everyone!!" he glared menacingly at 9. "If any of the children or their mother's end up dead, it will all be your fault for doing so. You awakened a threat and now it's releasing every type of demon in order to kill us!! X is seeking revenge and will do anything to gain it!!! We will find another safe place and hide!"
The twins hid behind 5 as the argument grew louder. "Look, running and hiding from him isn't going to fix it!!!!"
"... He's right..." everyone turned to 5, he hadn't spoken a word since the battle. "9's right... We can't hide forever..."
1 groaned, flicking a hand and turning away. He knew the mechanic was right. "You fools will end up getting everyone killed... including 0's unborn child," that caused 5 to smile a little. "Actually..." he muttered, "...she just gave birth... using the body I made..."
"What?" he perked up at the very statement.
"0's child is among us now..." 5 told.
1, even though he would never admit it, was proud that she had finally had her child. 1 sighed, crossing his arms as a silence fell over them. "... Well... might as well... go see the young fool..." 1 couldn't hide a small smile. 9 sighed and looked at 5, "We'll have to tell them that were going after them..."
"Yes..." 5 nodded, "Before it's too late..."

6 returned from his drawing corner an into the room where 0, 2, 13 and their children were in, holding up another drawing of the Source, it was like the Source would not leave his mind, maybe he was going insane.
"T-the source," he muttered to himself, heading up to them. 2 looked up from his son's face. "Oh... hello 6."
"H-hi-" 6 smiled once he noticed the newborn, "Y-y-you're a d-dad now... A r-real dad... S-sorry that I m-missed it..."
2 smiled proudly, patting the artists shoulder. "It's alright... and thank you... it feels great..." he looked back at 0 and their son, his smile widening. 6 smiled and looked back at his love and children. It was a nice feeling.
Parenthood was a big responsibility, 6 knew that when his children were captured, but it was never a burden, it was a gift, a miracle to see small life forms alive, formed thanks to both his and 13's souls, nothing but love brought life to his children.
"Dad..." 5 spoke from the exit, the mechanic was happy to see the child unharmed and well, but he needed to speak fast.
2 smiled softly at his 'son' in the doorway, "5... do you want to see your new little brother?..."
The mechanic nodded; maybe the problem could wait just for a few seconds.
2 waved his hand for him to come over, the inventor looking down to see his son squirming and blinking his optics. "Oh, you're in luck, he's waking up..."
The little boy stared at the one eyed stitchpunk before him once his optics adjusted, he cooed softly. 5 felt so happy, watching the stithpup alive was amazing, "D-did you name him?" he felt stupid for asking, he was still glad that he left the child's body without any symbol or number.
2 chuckled softly, still looking at his son. "We haven't decided yet..." the boy continued to move in his sleeping mothers arms, curiously tugging on her poncho as if wondering why she wasn't moving.
"Don't worry... Little brother... Mom's just sleeping," 5 muttered to the child, it felt good to be the newborn's 'brother'.
The boy looked up at him in curiosity, 2 smiled. "Do you want to hold him?" he asked 5.
5 nodded, he felt excited as 2 gently took his son from his bride's arms, handing the small infant to him. "Gentle now, he's still a newborn." 2 told with a small chuckle.
5 nodded, "I-I will..." he smiled down at the small stitchpup. The boy blinked at the mechanic, staring at his only eye. Soon, the infant reached up and placed his hands gently on 5's eyepatch.
The mechanic laughed softly, "Don't worry, I like having one eye."
The boy giggled at the feel of the soft leather patch on his hands, patting it gently. "It looks like he likes you..." 2 and 5 looked at 0, who just woke up.
"I like him too," he playfully lifted the boy up, the child laughed as 5 swung him around.
"I-I'm glad t-there is no m-more danger... In h-here I mean..." 13 said as she approached the little boy, her daughter in her arms as 6 held their son.
0 sighed as she got up in a sitting position, smiling at 5 and her son playing. "Me too... but we're not out of the woods yet…" 0 groaned slightly and rubbed her now normal size stomach. "But I doubt anything would be worse than that pain..." she smiled, "It was all worth it..."
5 frowned when she said that, he gently placed the baby bow in his mother's arms before 5 spoke, "M-mom, dad... 8 and 7 have been captured..."
Everyone turned to look at him, 5 squirmed in the uncomfortable silence. "What happened?..." 2 asked finally, "Did the beast..." he didn't want to think of the things they were going through.
5 nodded, "The Seamstress got them... 9 wants all of us to go save them before it's too late..."
"Well, of course we'll go..." 0 then looked at 24 and Miu, then down at her child. "... Someone should stay and watch the children though..."
2 thought for a moment before speaking to 5 in private, nodding in agreement. "I think it would be best."
"Just to keep them safe, X could have made more monsters and we need to keep them hidden."
0 nodded, thinking as she rubbed her sons back. "...who should stay?" 3 and 4 looked at each other before both raising their hands, flashing. 0 giggled softly, "Are you sure you two can handle it?"
They nodded with determination, the inventor and mechanic smiled as 5 walked towards them, "3, 4. This is a big task and we really need the children to be safe, X will do anything to destroy us, even threaten the little ones again. Are you sure?"
The bookworms took off their hoods after a moment, saluting, this time they weren't kidding. 5 chuckled, nodding in respect for the young looking stitchpunks, he pat their shoulders. "We're all counting on you two. We know you won't fail us." He took out his map, pointing to an area near the factory, "We'll be here, if we take too much time to return, go there quickly to see if we achieved our goal... or failed..." 4 looked at him worriedly before he gave them the map. "Remember," he pat their hoodless heads, "Keep them and yourselves safe."
2 smiled proudly at 5 as the mothers gave their children to the blue twins, saying their goodbyes. 13 didn't want to stay away from her children, but she needed to help the others, she kissed the foreheads of her little ones, telling them that they were coming back soon.
0 did the same, rubbing her son's back as she kissed his forehead, telling him she would be back and to listen to the twins. She gave the infant to 4, who handled the boy carefully. She turned to 5, hiding her blushing face as she gave him a quick hug goodbye.
5 found it odd that 4 hugged him, she never hugged him before, alone that is, she always hugged him alongside her brother. She looked sad. "Hey, I'll be alright, and so will everyone. Don't worry." he muttered to her.
5 could have sworn he heard 4 sniffle and hug him tighter. 4 nodded and released him, holding 0 and 2's child as she walked with her brother.
The mechanic stood there, confused... and worried for her for some odd reason besides them staying safe. "Come," 2 pulled his arm gently, "Let's end this..."
5 nodded, shaking away his thoughts. 0 sighed and placed her feet on the floor, slowly standing up. "Uh..." she mumbled and patted her stomach with a small smile.
2 and 5 stood alongside her, aiding her for anything before all of them prepared themselves.

Everyone said goodbye to their children and the small twins as 1 lead them out of the library. 5 was distracted, looking back at the library as his parents discussed names for their baby. Why was 4 so worried about him? And why was he feeling so worried for her...? She would be safe...
He stopped for a moment and stared at the library. 4 should be safe there, no, she would be safe from the machines... Unless the Seamstress returned with an army. He shook the thought. But why was he feeling this way? 4 was a friend to him since they met, but now it was like she was different.
5 put his hand over his button; if he were human his heart would have been hurting. The mechanic sighed. Why did he feel this way all of a sudden?
'Maybe I'll ask her when we come back...' he thought before holding his quiver.
5 nodded to himself and turned, catching up with everyone.

A blimp like machine flew near a metal barrel as many others were on lookout around the outside of the factory. The stitchpunks pushed away a piece of wood before they looked at the factory. 13 hid behind 6 before she gasped at the sight of the large tall building.
6 wrapped his arms around her, giving her a comforting pat on her back. "I'm going in..." 9 said to 5, the mechanic grabbed his shoulder. "I'm coming with you..."
"No, I need you here..." the stitchpunk said, stopping his friend. He looked at the rest of the stichpunks and sighed, "If I don't make it back..." he turned to 5, "Destroy it... We wouldn't want the children to suffer a loss thanks to me..."
"B-but..." before 5 could answer his friend's request. 0 came over looking at 9 before sighing. "9... let me go with you... you might need help distracting it…" the new doll could see the elders hand turn into a fist. "... Besides... I have a score to settle with that monster..."
9 looked at her, "But... if we can't destroy it and you die thanks to me..." he trailed off, thinking of the consequences.
0 sighed as well, shaking her head as a small silence filled the dusky air. "...you don't know what he put me through..." 0 surprisingly said that without her voice cracking at all. "...and my child is NOT going to live while he still breathes..."
9 admired her determination; it made him have so much respect for her. He didn't ask what X did, just nodded. "Okay..."
0 smiled and nodded in thanks, holding up her long needle she used as a weapon.  "I can be your diversion... trust me... he'll get distracted by me..." she said with a roll of her eyes.
9 nodded, both of them ran towards a piece of metal sticking out from the ground when the blimp machines weren't looking. "H-hey!" 5 reached out to them, "W-wait!" he saw that it was too late and they were running towards the entrance, "H-how will we destroy it?"
5 sighed; he looked around until a puddle of gasoline caught his eye. The mechanic formulated a plan as he looked up at a full barrel.
13 shivered, she kept staring at the factory as she felt something deep inside her, as if she knew the factory. She wondered why, she had never been here but she somehow knew something about it.
6 held her close, nuzzling her shoulder as he felt her shake. 2 and 0 had also spoken about her being the diversion on the way to the factory, and he respected her determination... but he was so worried.
He prayed to their Creator to protect her and to keep her safe. 2 then turned towards the couple as he heard 13 whimper. "What's wrong?"
13 shook her head, "I... I-I-I d-don't like i-it here..."
2 walked over to her, taking her shoulder to comfort her. "W-what's wrong?..." 6 muttered, gently caressing her cheek.
"I d-don't know... b-b-but I d-don't like it h-here... B-bad things h-happened here... I d-don't know h-how I k-know b-b-but b-bad things h-happened h-here..."
2 stared at her, she didn't know but bad things happened within the factory, that's what he understood from her. How could she know these things if she had never been there?
'She shares not the soul of our Creator,' X's voice echoed within the inventor's mind. 'She has a different soul...'
6 started to hum softly to the dancer, kissing her cheek, "S-shh I-it's okay..." 2 continued to ponder the thought.
13 hid her face on his chest, "I d-don't want to b-b-be here... I f-feel a-awful h-here... It h-hurts..." she held her chest.
What could it possibly mean? 2 thought, What if... what if X is right?
What if 13...? ...what if what?... 6 ran his hand up and down her back, kissing the back of her head. "T-13..." he whispered. 2 sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"I f-feel a-awful h-here... L-like something b-burning h-h-here..." she held his hand, placing it over where her heart should be. "I d-don't like i-it..."
6 frowned, nuzzling her forehead. "h-hey..." he whispered more, softly nuzzling his optics against hers. "...I-I'm h-h-here...I-it's g-g-going to be a-alright..."
13 blushed, hugging him tightly, letting out a small whimper. "I l-love you, s-6..." she muttered, "I l-love you..."
6 held her close to his chest, keeping her safe in his loving grasp. He smiled softly, "S-say that a-a-again... p-please, m-my l-love...." he loved it when she told him that.
Her cheeks turned red, muttering, "I love y-you... I w-will always l-love you..."
"O-one m-more time..." 6 whispered against her lips.
Her trembling ceased once she looked at him, his eyes were calm and his lips were soft, his gentle touch was so wonderful. "I l-love you, s-6."
6 smiled and finally pecked her lips softly, "I-I love y-you too..." their sweet moment was interrupted as 1 annoyingly cleared his throat, getting their attention. "IF... You two are through..." he muttered with a stern gaze, he turned to 5. " I would like to hear this 'brilliant' plan of yours."
5 looked at the pool of oil, then the barrel and the factory before facing 1 and the others, a confident smile on his lips as he took out a match from his bag, "We're going to need a full barrel..."

"So what's the plan?" 0 whispered softly as she and 9 sneaked inside the opening of the factory.
9 explained to the elder what they would do once they reached the main chamber, 0 made a few suggestions that made the plan even better. 9 fought the urge to ask what happened between the stitchpunks and X, they only gave him hints and clues to what might have happened, but he wanted to know more.
0 nodded in determination after all was said. They both sneaked and headed to the main chamber. She hoped this plan would work.
"0... um..." the young doll spoke before they reached the chamber, "If you don't mind me asking, this has been bothering me and I just need to know... What did X do to you, exactly? Not just everyone, but you."
0 winced slightly, tensing up at the memory before sighing. She lowered her head, "D-do you really want to know?..."
9 nodded, "I want to know what we're dealing with... and have the reason why I got the whole 'never trust newcomers' welcome when I woke up..." he hid under a metal ceiling, hearing metallic legs scattering around the hole above them. "... 2 was the only one who gave me the warm welcome, he never stopped smiling, except when the Cat Beast appeared."
0 smiled slightly at the mention of 2's kindness, but her frown was still there. She sighed before muttering, "H-he... he betrayed us... he made us think he was good when I found him out in the emptiness... even 1 trusted him..." 0 sniffled, wiping her eyes slightly. "Then... when we least expected it... he kidnapped the children... a-and..." she shivered, "H-he... he tried to rape me..."
9 stopped in his tracks, tightening his grasp on his lightstaff. "No wonder no one trusted me..." he looked at her, "All of you didn't want that to happen again... You weren't expecting him to do that..."
0 nodded slightly, not looking at him. "Now you know..." she cleared her throat and finally turned to give him a comforting, weak smile. "But hey, once this is taken care of we would all trust you a little bit more..." she patted his shoulder, "Just... don't take it personally okay?"
He nodded, "Don't worry, I won't. You had a reason."
0 nodded, patting his shoulder softly. She got a slight pang of fear then... she didn't want history to repeat itself. She didn't want her son to live while X still wreaked havoc... this ends here. "... come... we have something to finish..."
"Yeah, lets..." 9 then ran off alongside 0, running towards their goal.