A/N: Okay, I know what you're probably thinking - WHY am I posting another AU fic when I still need to update my other one, and my other fics for that matter? A few reasons: 1. The next chapter of "Through the Bars" is taking a LOT longer than I thought it would, because it's pretty long. 2. I came up with this idea after putting up the Origin of Mewtwo clip in the "Saddest Movie Scenes" thread on the 9 forums, and it would not leave my head! 3. ... I just really REALLY wanted to post this. This WILL be multi-chaptered, but if this chapter seems a little similar to the Origin of Mewtwo, it's supposed to be, being inspired by it (as well as inspired by Pazam saying that how she thought that the guy who did the original voice for Mewtwo could have voiced the Scientist in 9, and then my own comment of how that made me think of the stitchpunks being created for a darker purpose). I have to warn you... this first chapter gets sad. Okay, I'll stop with my rambling, on with the fic!

Disclaimer: I do not own 9

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Chapter 1: Awakening

August 6th, 7:30pm.

Light and Darkness.

The world is dominated by both these things, and the struggle between the two is relentless.

For years we have planned. Researched. Tried to find a way to take control of this war.

Here, darkness and light aren't like they were in the old days, when they were just energies that couldn't be touched. Here, they are manifested into a physical form.

We have gone to ancient ruins, investigating the ways of the ancient stitchpunks. Many, many years ago when light and darkness were physical, as they are now. When the stitchpunks had control. When they were close to the Source

We now believe that we have found the secret to awakening that ancient power.

Some have called The Group's plot to control the energy of darkness evil, immoral, especially with cloning involved. But we ignore them. The nine stitchpunks we have created are meant to be perfect Shadow Warriors.

Each will have their own special power, though we won't know what it is until they awaken. That will be for us to discover together.

Despite being in separate cloning chambers, they communicate with each other in a hyper-dimensional space they call "Void". We have projected simulations to them, so they know about the world.

It is nearly time for us to Awaken them now.

And yet there are some of us who have doubts.

Our Shadow Warriors are meant to be perfect. But we are unsure if we have achieved that.

As we have written, we've been monitoring their growth. Most are as they should be.

But-

The scientist suddenly stopped writing, sighing as his optics turned toward the nine cloning chambers. The sitchpunks were still in Void-Sleep, as they had been for months now. Their brainwaves were operating steadily, according to the monitors. Everything was going according to their plan. But it is one thing to have a theory, and another to put it in practice. What if something went wrong with their perfect Shadow Warriors?

"47," a female member of The Group said, snapping the scientist out of his thoughts. "Are we ready to start their Awakening now?"

The other members of The Group turned and looked at 47 expectantly. He was the head scientist, and he called the shots. Their years of research had been spent of preparing for this moment.

47 looked at each of the stitchpunks in the cloning chambers. His eyes came to rest in particular on one, staring hard at it.

"Yes 1128," 47 said softly, glancing for a minute from her to the stitchpunks in the cloning chambers. "We're ready. It is time now."

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The nine stitchpunks hovered in the blackness known as Void, as they had since their creation. They knew that their Awakenings would happen soon enough - the scientists had told them they would several days ago.

But 1 was losing his patience very quickly.

"Our Awakenings will happen in time," 2 said, trying to sooth 1's impatience.

"Yeah, chill out, 1," 3 flashed in light patterns from his optics.

"We've been in here for months!" 1 barked in frustration. "Are we ever going to get out of here?!"

As if in answer to his question, the other stitchpunks suddenly noticed small blue particles seeming to come off of 1, floating upward. They knew what this meant - their Awakenings were finally happening.

It took only a moment later for 1 to notice, and he actually smiled. "About time, too," he said, "Finally we're getting out of Void!"

"You're leaving us?" 8 asked, startled. "Already?"

"Yes," 1 said, nodding as he continued to fade. "But, it shouldn't be more than a few minutes before you all come out of Void too." With a firm nod, 1 faded. Free from Void.

"I guess it's really happening, then," 2 said softly as he too began to undergo the change. "Well, it will lead us into a new adventure in the Outside, won't it?"

"But, 2..." 5 said slowly. He knew that the day would come, and it would be a relief to see Outside for real, instead of just simulations implanted in Void on occasion by The Group. But even though he knew that this separation was only for a few short minutes, he still didn't want 2 to leave. What if something happened? What if something went wrong?

The elder put a hand on 5's shoulder, smiling. "Don't worry, 5," 2 said encouragingly, "You'll see me again soon!" With that, 2 was gone as well.

3 and 4 glanced at one another, seeming to be concentrating for the smallest possible detail of who started "Awakening" first. After a moment, 3's optics flashed in triumph.

"Ha!" 3 said in his flashing speech, "I started Awakening first!"

"No," 4 flickered in retort, "I started first!"

"Guys," 9 said, laughing, "I think you both-" But he could see that the twins were too wrapped up in their arguing to pay any attention as they began to fade away.

The twin's stopped their flashing argument in their last moments of Void to wave at 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 before going back to their argument that the remaining stitchpunks strongly suspected they'd still be continuing Outside.

5's optics widened as the escaping of particles on his body began to float upward, as they had with those who had Awakened so far. He looked over at the others and hugged them, smiling. His gaze lingered for an instant on 6, who was closest, and was to be the next to go.

"See you on the other side, buddy," 5 said with a smile. He too faded from the Void, the last look they saw of him being one of expectation to see 2 again.

7 turned to 6, smiling. "I guess it's your turn 6."

6 nodded and hugged 7. "See you soon."

But suddenly, 7 gasped, causing 6 to immediately break from the hug. That same change that signified the "Awakenings" - the shining blue particles coming off of the stitchpunk who was undergoing the process - was taking place with her now. She could tell that from the slow feeling of fading that came with the process, as well as the blue light particles that rose up from her own skin.

"W-What's going on?" she stammered as she realized that it was happening to her, and that 6 hadn't "Awakened" yet.

"Your 'Awakening'," 9 said softly, stunned as the others.

"I know that!" 7 said, looking frantically from herself to 6. "But 6... 6 should have gone through it first!

6 felt confused, and a little unnerved. What had happened? Why was 7 undergoing "Awakening" before him?

"It must just a mistake," 9 said hurriedly. "They'll Awaken 6 next, won't they?"

"I'm sure they will," 7 said quietly, looking at 6 as the last of her light particles began to fade from Void, transporting her to the Outside. The Scientists would be waiting for her there - for all of them.

But before 7 faded from view, she gripped 9's hand and gazed at him with a look that said she wasn't sure at all.

And 6 didn't miss that look.

9 swallowed hard and looked at both 8 and 6. The three were the only ones left in Void. There had to of just been a mistake. 7 did come right after 6, after all... it must have just been an error, in a hurry for them all to Awaken. 6 will Awaken next, 9 assured himself, The Group have seen 7 Awaken before 6 and realize what happened.

But 9's assertion began to fade as he saw the particles begin to emit from 8. The largest stitchpunk looked around, surprised that he was going through "Awakening" now.

"8..." 6 whispered, fear filling his voice, "not you too!"

"Wait, what about you?" 8 exclaimed, optics widening in alarm as he realized that, once again, the smallest, mismatched member of the group had been skipped over. "You should've Awakened a while ago!"

"Why is this happening?" 6 asked, shaking.

9's breathing became hurried as his nervousness began to show. "It's just a mistake! They'll notice... they'll notice!"

"D-Don't worry," 8 said, putting a hand on 6's shoulder, "I'll just tell the Scientists what happened... 7, 7 probably told them..." 8 was stammering, in a panic about what to do for 6. Why was this happening?! I'll... I'll see you two.. soon... I promise." With those words, 8's presence faded away, the comforting weight on 6's shoulder gone.

Now it was just 6 and 9 now. The only two who hadn't Awakened yet.

"This doesn't make any sense," 9 said as he looked at 6. "I should of been the only one left to Awaken at this point! But don't worry, 6." he tried to say as he noticed his friend's frightened look, placing one of his hands on 6's, "you'll Awaken now. You've got to. The other's will tell, and-"

9's words instantly died out as he noticed something float up from his hand. Then another, followed by several more. 9's optics widened in alarm as he noticed what was happening. His Awakening was starting. He looked over at 6, whose optics were widened in shock and fear.

"No," 6 whispered, his voice barely audible as he started as the slow increase of blue light particles rising up into the upper part of Void. His whispered voice slowly became louder, rising in his panic. "No no no no no NO! 9, NO!" Breathing heavily, he tightly gripped 9's arm, even as the blue particles continued to flow upward. "Please! PLEASE! Don't leave me here!"

9 tightly held on to 6, hoping to take the younger stitchpunk along with him. "6... it's okay... you'll... you'll..." but 9 didn't know what to say to comfort 6 or himself. Why is this happening?! 9 thought frantically. What went wrong?! The only thing he could think of was that something had happened with The Group that was causing 6 to not Awaken... but that couldn't be it. They couldn't of done something on purpose to stop 6's Awakening... could they?

"I'll be trapped here!" 6 sobbed, gazing up at 9 with a fierce desperation, clinging to him tighter. "Don't leave! DON'T!"

"We'll... we'll come for you," 9 insisted firmly, staring into 6's mismatched optics, reflecting the fear that they both felt. "We won't leave you, 6!" Even as he said it, there was nothing he could do but have his fading form hold on to 6 tighter. There had to be a way for 6 to Awaken... there had to be.

But 6 gave 9 a look of despair, and that feeling was poured into the next words the striped stitchpunk said as 9 became transparent, nearly fading completely with the blue particles.

"You are now."

9 gasped at 6's words, his heart filled with a longing to somehow bring 6 to the Outside, away from the Void. And as he continued to fade, he heard something... something from Outside. An alarm... and voices...

"What's happening?!"

"It's what must be done!"

"You can't do this! Please, stop!"

"It's the only way!"

"We need to-"

"You will do nothing, Shadow Warrior 7!"

The fading stitchpunk could tell that whatever was going on out there, it wasn't good. The cries became indistinctive for the most part, but he was able to make out the word "imperfection" somewhere among them.

"We'll come for you, 6," 9 said as he began to fade completely. "... I promise."

Shuddering, 6's grip tightened around the fading stitchpunk, until in one moment it was as if there was only emptiness where 9 had been. Petrified, 6 stared as the small fragments of the blue particles faded away. There was no longer anyone at all in 6's embrace.

There was no one around at all.

No one except 6 who hovered in the blackness alone.

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A/N: Yes, I know that that was a very sad first chapter! But don't worry, there will be more! Hope you enjoyed reading it!