Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE IDEA.

Also, all of these were written BEFORE THE MOVIE CAME OUT. Hence, being slightly AU.

[EDIT]: The genders of the twin are 'up to our imaginations'. I've been on the 9 forums for a while now and that was an EXTREMELY hot topic among us, and Shane himself said so. The twins have no true gender. Thank you. :3

She Knew

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"Silence is the most powerful scream."

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Running and running, eyes flashing, with a heart full of sorrow, she never stopped. She couldn't. She had promised. Promised him. To keep running, to not look back, to never stop, no matter what. Her feet hit the ground, thump after thump, stumbling here and there. Her breath was hitched and uneven, but she kept going. She had to keep going, keep running, keep searching for help, for home.

But, oh, how it killed her. Each step took her farther. From it. And him. With each step a pang shot through her, as if her 'heart' was being ripped to shreds. It ached and lurched, her heart screaming to go back, back to him. Her mind screaming to keep going, to find help. They were at war, torn in different directions. Go back to him and die. Go forward to help and live in agony, alone. Mind vs. Heart, the battle went on despited her growing distance. Slowly, that battle would no longer matter.

For her soul knew what her heart and mind didn't.

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{Flashback}
4's optics flashed, as she buzzed around the library, searching for her favorite book; Beauty and the Beast. She stepped atop one book to get a better look around, glancing from on side of the room to the other. Ever since the last CSM attack, books had been tossed and misplaced, included that one. Perhaps it was even destroyed. 4 shuddered at the thought, unsure if they had another copy within reach. 3 stood behind her, looking around with a small smile. If he could laugh, he would be. Poor 4 didn't seem to realize she was standing on the book she desired. He stood watching has she sighed and huffed, never once looking down. Perhaps he should tell her? His smile grew.

Now where would the fun be in that?

4's eyes blinked in annoyance. Where was that darned book? It had to be around here somewhere... She turned around, glancing at 3. Her eyebrow rose as his silly expression. His smile only grew again and he waved, his optics blinking out his greetings. 4's lips twitched into a smile and she gave a small wave back. For a minute, they stood there, just smiling, looking at each other. They were lucky, really. None of the other stichpunks had someone as close as they were. 4 felt her heart swell. She was the luckiest stichpunk alive to have a brother like 3.

3 finally gave in and point down at 4's feet, signaling her to look down. She did so, and her eyes began flashing rapidly. She looked up at 3 with a grin, hoping off the book, diving at him. His optics flashed excitedly as she collied into him, engulfing him into a hug. Her optics flashed joyfully as she pulled away, running back to her book. Quickly grabbing the cover, she heaved it open. The cover flopped down, dust flying everywhere. 4 swatted at the dust in shock as 3 'giggled'. She looked at him, grinning sheepishly. It had been longer then she thought since she had last read her book.

Neither stichpunks noticed the dull red glow coming from a far hallway, or the clicking of metal on wood.

Once the dust settled, 4 began reading the book she had already by far memorized. But it never deterred her. She loved reading, and this was her favorite. Her favorite character was Belle. 3 always said it was because she was so alike Belle, but 4 always brushed him off. She wasn't beautiful, she wasn't brave, she wasn't adventurous, and she was that smart. That was more 7 then herself. With her focus solely on the book, she read.

3's optics flashed softly as he watched his sister dive into the book. Sweet, tender, and most-definitely beautiful, she was Belle in his optics.

A soft thud brought him out of his thoughts. His body went rigid. 4 didn't notice. He slowly glanced around, desperately trying to find the source.

'click click click'

He began to shake. Something... something was there... with them...Terror flooded his mind as he caught a red glow out of the corner of his optic. He spun around.

Nothing.

'click click click'

His breathing became faster. He shook, his head swinging from side to side. Where was it? Where was the beast? His optics flashed erratically, as he realized in horror that they were alone.... with a beast. The others had gone out in search for materials.

They were alone.

4 was still oblivious to her brothers growing panic.

'click click click click'

3 began ringing is hands, back up to 4, optics flashing. Where was it? Where was the beast? The noise continued to grow closer, yet still the beast was out of his sight. He turned, to pull 4 out of her book spell and froze. His mouth fell open in a scream no one could hear.

Looming over his unaware twin, a CSM raised it's claw, ready for the kill.

Faster then he knew he could move, he shot forward, ramming into his sister. Her optics flashed furiously, as they landed roughly. She spun on him, glaring angrily. He stared past her, his optics wide. Only when she turned and saw the claws puncturing place she had stood in a second before did she realize what her brother had just saved her life.

Her body froze was the machine yanked it's claw out of her book. She barely registered her brother dragging her up and into a run. Her legs finally began to function again as 3 dragged her through the doorway, the CSM on their tail. 4 grasped her brothers hand tightly, as they sprinted down the hall.

He gripped back just as tightly.

'CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK'

The monster was barely a foot behind them, leaping and bounding closer and closer. It's claw swiped out at them, miss by an inch. Her mind was flooded with fear. What would they do? They weren't fighters! They couldn't defend themselves! All they could do was run, run as fast as their small bodies would allow! And the CSM was faster, bigger, and catching up.

She wanted to cry, if only stitchpunks could.

With every twist and turn down the hallways, the twins hope grew. If they could get out of the library, perhaps they could find the others! They could find help! They would live!

That hope came crashing down as the CSM took a large leap through the air with a roar of anger, smashing into them, it's claws swinging furiously. 3 felt cloth tear and seams rip as he flew down the hallway, landing in agony. He laid there in pain before a shock hit him.

4.

He shot up has terror shot through him, the pain of his wounds in the far back of his mind. His heart shattered when his optics landed on his missing twin.

Pinned under the CSM's claw, she layed unmoving. 3 went cold.

No... no... she can't be....

Suddenly her optics began flashing wildly, her legs flailing, her mouth open as if screaming. She looked at him, her optics pleading, calling out to him. Everything rushed to him again, as he jumped up, pain coursing through his body. Caution to the wind he ran at the beast, optics flickering a battle cry. He dove at the monster, grabbing it's other claw. It quickly turned on him, glowing read eye piercing through him. It screeched at him, tossing it's arm around to free it of the attacking ragdoll. It thrashed him around, banged him into the wall, even bit at him, but 3 didn't let go, his only thoughts on saving his sister. Free her from the beast.

Painfully, he began climbing up the monsters arm, desperate to reach it's back. If he could just reach it, he could mess with the wires or anything. He just had to get 4 away from it.

4 watch in horror as her brother was beat, thrashed, and bashed against everything. Pain was obvious through his eyes, yet he kept going, kept climbing. Her heart pounded and cried 'Stop, stop, run away!' but she could only stare in sorrow and terror. She wanted to scream at him, shout at him, tell him to leave her, to run far far away. But she couldn't. She could only lay frozen as her brother was murdered, because of her. She could feel her being shatter as he looked at her, inches away from it's back.

His optics flashed a message of pain and love. A message of hope and courage. Of sorrow and regret. He asked her of only one thing.

A promise.

She had to promise him, to run and not look back.

To leave him.

'Promise me.'

She shattered.

'I promise.'

He smiled, his broken and beaten face slight deformed from the beating. He climbed onto the back off the beast and as much force as he could mange, he rammed his hands into an opening on the CSM's back. The beast screamed in agony, roared and screech, as 3 pulled wire after wire. Finally, it rose on it's hind legs, freeing 4. It clawed at 3 desperately trying to get him off.

Her optics met his.

And she knew.

And it killed her, but she ran.

And never looked back.

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{End Flashback}

She collapsed, after running mile after mile. She had nothing left. She had to stop. She could only hope the others were near. The rips and tares throughout her body hollered in agony. She could no longer move. It was too much. Her mind began to shut down. Images flashed through her mind. Images of 3. When they first awoke. When they met the others. Playing and learning from 7. Their first trip to the library. Then making it their home. The books they read together.

Their last hug.

His last smile.

She gave in, welcoming the darkness. Just as everything began to wisp away, she heard a female voice cry out.

"4!!!!"

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When 4 awoke, the other stood around her looks of sorrow and angst among all their faces, even the cowardly and spiteful 1 looked close to a breakdown. 7 quickly grabbed her, taking her into her arms. 7 gave out dry-sobs holding the smaller stichpunk close. 4 buried her head into 7.

They didn't need to tell her.

She knew.

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THE END.