Hi there! ^_^ Welcome back. Anyways, this is my latest story, and also my newest. It's out of the ordinary, cause I've never done this before. I don't think no one's tried.

I held back on writing this because I couldn't think of a name for the OC who appears in this—and also because I was afraid of making 7 OOC. (But she doesn't look or sound OOC in this). I wanted to try this for so long; I had the idea ready and I just didn't have any motivation to actually write it. But now I do. :) Also, I wanted to write this for my friend, darkgirl11. She was the one who actually convinced me to change my mind. I was iffy then, but then I actually started it.

I spent about three days typing this, had a bit of insomnia, but other than that it was worth it. I don't know when I'll have chapter two posted, just know that I am working on this. So, keep a look out. ;)

7 was used to having time for herself, which was mostly everyday. Venturing into the Emptiness was liberating. She could practice her fighting skills without having an interruption of any kind. Climbing from mountains of rubble to catch a better view of the world made her feel like she was invincible. And she was. 7 was a skilled fighter, a reliable friend and a motherly figure to the twins, 3 and 4. With her bird skull adorning her head and her spear in her hand 7 trekked the bleak land, watching the wind pick up the dry soil. She had seen this time and again, and she would continue to see it for the rest of her days.

Several months had passed since the downfall of the B.R.A.I.N.'s tyranny. She, 9 and the twins had been the only survivors. Or so she though. A few days after the Machine's fall, the five stitchpunks were brought back to life. This lead to the most tearful yet wondrous reunion. Each stitchpunk awoke in the same place they died. 7, 9 and the twins searched for each of them and brought them back to the library, their new home. Once they were brought home, 9 and 7 tended to their wounds. They got to work on 2 right away. He had lost his legs when the beast used him to attach him to the Seamstress. It took several hours to build 2 a new pair of legs, but they succeeded and 2 was good as new. He needed to rest, but with enough time and motivation he would be walking again.

1's hand was shattered in the explosion. He was missing a few fingers, but once he was willing he allowed 9 and 7 to fix his hand. 5's injuries weren't so serious, considering he had a hole on his patch. 9 suggested they'd use the opportunity to find him a new optic now. But 5, grateful, insisted he was used to having one optic, but he thanked him nonetheless. Respecting his decision, 9 moved on to check on 6. The striped stitchpunk didn't show any physical injuries nor psychological. The artist appeared alright, though he could never be sure, so he enlisted that 7 notify him if she saw any changes in him. The good news was, 9 gave him his black key, which 6 took almost immediately. Over the next few days, everyone saw that 6 didn't obsess over "the source" anymore, he was finally moving on and putting the past behind him.

8's injuries were by far more complicated. With 5 by his side, 9 began tendering to his wounds. The obvious part was patching the burns he got when the Factory exploded. After his burns were dealt with, 8 seemed to be moving on swimmingly. He no longer used his magnet as frequently as before, seeing how using it led to his kidnap, he saw that he needed to be more focused now.

Many changes came along with these new discoveries. Several weeks after everyone had readjusted there seemed to be some romances going on. It began with 9 and 5 first. The two were passing time outside in the courtyard. It was after 5 had returned from a scouting expedition, and 9 came out to greet him. The two talk for a while and several minutes later 5 initiated the first kiss. That was when it was revealed that 5 was in love with him even before 9 told him of his own feelings. Afterwards, the two have been closer than ever.

7 made another discovery after that one. 4 came to her and announced that she and 6 were together. 7 wasn't exactly surprised, as she already knew. She knew before she took her and her sister from the cathedral years ago. How she felt when they left. How sad she was whenever she thought about 6. 4, through her optics flickers, asked if she was mad at her for keeping it secret. But the pale stitchpunk wasn't mad and was proud of her, and even supported their relationship.

The next discovery was even more surprising. When 7 saw 3 and 8 walking out to the courtyard and saw how 8 treated her. She thought that he was just being polite, until 7 saw him kiss 3's hand. That's when she started thinking there was something more between them. A few days later she saw the two sitting down on the stone steps. She saw how 3 rested her head on 8's shoulder. It looked sweet how the guard allowed 3 to put her head against him. The following night 7 returned from her nightly patrol, and walked in on 8 and 3. She saw 8 give the hooded stitchpunk a trinket—a silver locket he found when he went to scout. It was a human-sized locket, but 3 could use it to keep something in it.

In the course of eight months all these changes transitioned. Everyone found it overwhelming and wonderful at the same time. The B.R.A.I.N. was gone, but there were still some beasts roaming the Emptiness. The stitchpunks had taken down six of them in a matter of two months. Usually about two or three came to attack, but then suddenly more appeared. It was unpredictable. But it was something they weren't used to or unprepared for. It became normal for them to encounter a beast. Not running into one became unusual to them. That was what 7 thought as she got ready for her day.

Today was like any other day. The sun shone through the open windows and more prominent through the doorway. 7 grabbed her spear, her skullmet and left her room. Placing her skullmet on she was ready to start her daily morning routine. Walking past the mountains of books, the pale female scanned the library in its monotony. Nothing out of the ordinary was transpiring. 7 caught a glimpse of 3 and 4 emerging from their room. The hooded twins spotted her and waved to her. 7 waved back to them and she continued on her way. She then saw 2 walking on his cane. When she was in view, 2 broke the ice.

"Good morning, 7," said the elderly inventor.

"Morning," answered 7.

"Off on your patrol?"

"You know it."

"You be careful now."

"You know I will."

Ending their little prattle, 7 continued her stroll. Climbing over the pile of books wasn't so hard, the pale stitchpunk enjoyed it. Jumping off, she was outside and made her way down the stone steps. Ambling down the courtyard, 7 looked from the angel statues to the new greenery that was sprouting from the garden. It was good that life was returning to this desolate world. Keeping that in mind, 7 exited through the iron gates and ventured into the Emptiness.

Returning home was the hard part of the day. 7 found it more and more easy to leave then to go back. She would never admit it, but the reason she hated going back was because of the relationships that bloomed. Well, it was part of it, but she hated going home because she was without a partner. It didn't bother her that much, she had gotten used to it. Perhaps someday she might find someone, but for now, she was remaining single.

No one knew this, no one even questioned it. Everyone saw her and thought that she was a free spirit. An independent soul. They weren't wrong, she was free spirited. 7 never let anyone take her down, physically and emotionally. When somebody needed her she came to their aid. In return they helped her out in anything she needed, such as agreeing to be her sparring partner, helping her search for any beasts, listening to her ideas. She appreciated it and the others saw that. She in turn supported them and anything they deeply cared about. It was the least she could offer and vice-versa.

Entering the library, she found nothing unusual. Lifting her skullmet a little, seeing how she didn't need any further need for it. 7 was home and she found nothing out of the ordinary in the Emptiness. Nothing she wasn't used to, just the same things she's seen before. Looking at the library, another day had gone; she'd almost stayed the whole day out today. She wished she could've. But 7 remembered she had a proposition here. Tending to the twins when the need arose, watching out for the others, defending their home from the beasts that lurked around.

A series of voices drifted in the room. 7 turned her head to the right, deciding to go over and check what was going on. She knew it came from behind a heap of books, and she recognized those voices. 9 and 5 were deep in conversation. 7 picked up a bit of their talk.

"You know," said 9, "you've ever thought there might be some surviving humans out there? Somewhere far from here?"

"Hmm," said 5, "I have. But where would we start? No one's seen one in years. Maybe there all gone for good."

"Come on, 5, don't you think some might be out there?"

"There might, but finding them would—"

"Humans are giants. Finding one will be easy."

"But explaining ourselves to them won't be easy."

"Maybe at first, but after we explain to them with enough detail and kindness, they'll understand us."

"Do you really think there might be more out there? And that we can convince them to create more stitchpunks?"

"Why not? Someday having a stitchpunk will become a tradition."

"If you say so."

"I know so."

7 made a turn and caught them sharing a kiss. She let out a small smirk.

"Hey, you two," she said, raising a stitched brow. "Am I interrupting anything?"

5 and 9 pulled away as quickly as they heard her voice. Both exchanged sheepish glances. The two struggled to collect their words.

"It's alright, it's alright," 7 assured. "Nothing I haven't seen before. So what were you two up to?"

This brought up their previous conversation. "Oh," began 5. "9 was telling me how they're might be some humans out there who might've survived."

9 shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "I might be right on this. Wonder where we would start."

"Somewhere far away from here," offered 7. "Where beasts wouldn't roam usually." She looked up at the ceiling, which had a gaping hole as a result from the war. "Perhaps there are some living on the outskirts of this city. And, I don't know, maybe there's some plant life that survived that we never noticed." She shrugged. "It's just a thought."

"But you might be on to something," said 9. "I'd like to be able to find more humans and help them any way we can."

"That's sounds great," interjected 5, nodding.

"Well," reiterated 7, "I'll leave you guys alone. Sure you might want to get back to what you were doing." She gave them a playful smirk, chuckling as she turned around and strolled away.

On her way to her room, 7 almost bumped into 6.

"Oh, 6," said 7 in surprise. "How are you?"

"Mmm..." he squeaked. "I'm...f-f-fine." Despite not being plagued by the source and the B.R.A.I.N., 6 was still his same reserved, introverted, shy self. It would take a lot more time to adjust to a Machine-free world.

"That's good," said 7, smiling. "Where's 4?"

"She...she's with...3...," replied 6, wringing his hands, his pen-nib fingers dripping fresh ink. "Showing 8 something they found."

"I'll go see the twins later," retorted 7. 6 gave a quick nod and walked past 7, obviously in a hurry to get to wherever he needed to be. The pale female saw the doorway to her room and continued on her way. Flipping back the curtain she used her door, 7 looked at her surroundings and made her way to her bed.

Her room was an alcove adjacent to the bookcases that surrounded it. Human furniture such as chairs and a wooden table still remained, but that didn't bother 7 one bit. Her room contained a bed, a mirror, two spools of thread, four cushions, some rope, a box where she stored blankets, three candles, a wooden block beside her bed. It was all she needed and nothing more. Setting her spear against the wall and removing her skullmet, 7 laid back in her bed and let out a much needed breath.

Another day has come and gone, she thought as she gazed at the ceiling. But for how long? Until a beast ends her? Until something much more amazing happens? 7 wasn't sure and thinking about this made her end the topic quickly.

She was better off this way. She didn't need anyone. After everything she's been through, 7 found solace with the fact that she didn't have someone like the others did. They were lucky, she supposed. They worked at their relationship and it somehow brought them together. 7 was happy for them. No matter how many times she deluded herself into thinking she needed someone she always realized that being alone was better. It was better. And that's how it was going to stay.

And she kept that in mind as she laid on her side and closed her optics, ready for a nap.

The sun hadn't risen yet when 7 exited the library. She was getting a head start on her patrol, well, more like spending the day away from the same monotony. She had her spear in her hand, her bird skull atop her head; she was ready. With the coast clear, she sprinted down the stairs and raced towards the black iron gate. She looked over her shoulder at the library once she was on the other side of the stone wall. Many times she's looked at it with the intent on leaving it behind just dissipated all too soon. Without anywhere else to go, 7 always returned because it was her home and where her friends are. Remembering that, the pale female turned towards the dusty road and headed off to her destination.

7's favorite spot to go to was an old knife store. The door and the windows were broken, making it easy for her to access. The walls were decked with knives of all sizes. 7 brought back a penknife home from this very store. Even though she had her trusty spear, which she cobbled herself, she wanted to have that penknife close by just in case. So that penknife was really just for emergencies. 7 also thought of teaching one of the twins how to fight. She could give the penknife to one of them. Just because they were young didn't mean they were going to depend on her to defend them forever.

7 had almost made it to her hangout when a scream caught her attention. It came from somewhere across the street. Instinctively, she ran, spear gripped in hand, ready to fight. Jogging past a mountain of cinder blocks and an overturned trash receptacle, 7 saw something moving. Whatever it was it was tangled in barbed wire. Looking at it more closely she came to the realization that it was a stitchpunk. There was another stitchpunk? So it was not just the nine of them? Whoever this was, 7 went out there and did what she did best.

"Hang on!," she called. She grabbed the barbed wire and used her spear to cut it off. The unknown stitchpunk let out a few groans, either out of struggling or the wires were cutting into its fabrics.

"Hold still; I'm almost done," said 7, grabbing the last strand. She sliced the barbed wire and the sticthpunk was free. Now looking at him more closely, without the barbed wire tangling him, 7 could see who this stitchpunk was.

Judging by the body type, it was a male. His fabric was a smoky grey, his front was held in place by small hooks. His hands were made of copper, while his fingers were sharp and silver. He had a black band on his right arm. His feet were made of steel. 7 looked at his optics: the lenses were silver-rimmed and his pupils were a hexagonal shape. Finally, she looked at his face. He had an angular shape, which actually looked attractive to 7.

"Thanks," said the grey stitchpunk. His voice was deep, like a baritone. It sounded sultry.

"You're welcome," replied 7. She found she had a hard time trying to avoid staring, but something sparked inside her. She didn't know what it was, but was sure it would go away. Then the stitchpunk turned around, about to leave.

"Wait," uttered 7. "Where are you going?"

"I have to get out of here; some beast was after me," explained the grey stitchpunk. A beast? 7 hadn't seen one today. The last one she saw was another Cat Beast. Maybe this stitchpunk had been fighting them off for them and she didn't know it.

"W-wait," said 7, grabbing him by the arm to stop him. "What's your name?"

"Null," replied the grey stitchpunk.

"Null," repeated 7. "My name is 7. Listen, if you're in any danger, you should come back with me—"

"I can't risk luring the beast to you," explained Null. "You should run away. If I can, meet me back here tomorrow. I'll find you."

With that Null turned heel and ran. 7 watched him jog down the alley, jumping over a corpse's hand. He was athletic by the looks of it. She wondered where Null came from and how he ended up wrapped in barbed wire, and what beast was chasing him. 7 could ask him tomorrow, and she was already anticipating it, wishing tomorrow could come faster.