Chapter 1

7 moved stealthily through the emptiness. Ever since an unfortunate incident a year ago, she had to be even more careful as she patrolled the wastes. Especially since 8 had mysteriously disappeared six months ago. Somehow everyone felt far less protected without him, even herself. Though she was a formidable warrior in her own right, 8 had what she didn't have: brute strength.

She looked ahead, her senses on full alert, expecting any kind of trouble. "What do you have planned this time?" she asked herself out loud.

The emptiness could not answer. It was dead and barren after all. She sighed and kept moving. Before too long, she began to sense something was following her. A rustling sound behind her made her pause. When she stopped so did the sound.

"Hmmm..." she looked back suspiciously, but saw nothing. She thought maybe she'd been imagining things and kept on moving.

The rustling started up again, this time a little closer.

She quickly spun around, searching the area, but still she saw nothing. Just dust and clouds. She turned back again, gripping her spear tightly as she moved. Something was out there, she just knew it.

"You won't catch me off guard."

Suddenly something erupted out of a pile of rubble behind her. 7 constantly faced it, gritting her teeth. Now what?

It was the Seamstress. That Medusa-like monster that 9 had killed before. How was it alive? How? It focused on her, raising its arms high and screeching loudly.

7 frowned. Not this thing again. She rushed it, moving in a zig-zag formation. It wouldn't grab her this time if she could help it. The beast followed her actions, roaring and trying to stab at her with its arms. It almost snagged her a few times, but the female stitchpunk managed to avoid it. 7 moved to the side and threw her spear at its face. The beast easily, avoiding it, grabbed the spear in its scissor hand and snapping the wood in two.

7 stared. So much for that move.

The Seamstress seemed to laugh at her before it charged. She ducked under it, taking a smaller blade out from inside her seam. She'd come prepared this time.

But not prepared enough. The beast suddenly turned, tripping her easily with its tail. She fell to the ground and dropped the blade. It rolled out of reach. As she tried to grab it, the beast stabbed her leg, pinning her down with its needle arm. The female stitchpunk cursed, turning her head to glare at the machine.

The Seamstress wasn't fazed by her look and grabbed her up, beginning to wrap the thread around her body. 7 struggled, trying to free herself. Not this again! She'd vowed to never let this happen again, and yet it was anyway. The beast ignored her struggling. Pulling the rope taut, the Seamstress immobilized her limbs. 7 continued to wiggle frantically, glaring at the machine. It ignored her look and stuffed her inside its body before slithering off.

Trapped in the beast, 7 kicked and bashed her head against {nixed "the"} it, trying to get out. She had a pretty good idea where it was taking her and she didn't want to go there again. The Seamstress was unfazed, basically ignoring her struggling, or it simply just not feeling it.

7 kept this up for a long time then eventually gave up. The only thing she was accomplishing was making herself worn out. She needed all the energy she could get if she was ever going to get out of this alive.

She rested, trying to come up with a plan of escape. She looked down at the string binding her and started chewing on it in an attempt to free herself. The Seamstress, meanwhile, came upon the ruins of the factory, sliding easily through a crack in the wall. As 7 worked it began to twitch and writhe as if it was going to throw up but seemed to get control of itself when it stopped in front of a large, black mass.

She froze, hearing the sound of clicking metal. What was that? Now she heard a soft chuckle which made her look up and try to see through the Seamstress' fabric.

"Welcome," a familiar voice said in an almost mocking tone.

The Seamstress spit her out, holding her up in her metal hands. 7 found herself staring into a face she knew very well.

"1!" she exclaimed, not so much surprised as she was angry.

The older stitchpunk smirked at her, casually folding his arms. He seemed totally at ease and enjoying her reaction.

She began to struggle harder even as the machine held tighter. "I knew it!" she said on a hunch.

"Knew what?" he asked as a long, metal arm snaked over his shoulder and moved toward her.

She jerked her head away from it, not wanting it to touch her. "I knew only you would be foolish enough to do something like this!"

1 didn't respond as the arm grabbed her up and held her in place as the Seamstress let go and slithered away. She struggled harder which only made another arm come down and grasp her legs, holding her completely immobile.

"Mind repeating that?' the older stitchpunk asked.

"1, let me go!" she shouted, glaring at him. Was he that far gone already? What had the machine done to him anyway? He looked normal but everything was off about him now.

His grin widened and she could see fangs now. "Why should I?" he asked casually. "After I just found you again?"

"Why bother looking for me?" she demanded. "You know I don't want to see your sorry face again after what you did!"

He reached out, grabbing her front and pulling her closer, smiling that smile. "I'll give you a moment to dwell on it."

She shot him a look of utter disgust. "No." there wasn't anything to dwell on.

He wasn't deterred, pulling her closer so their faces almost touched. 'Think again."

She hissed, jerking her face away. She didn't like being so close to him. When she did this he grabbed her chin, making her look at him again. "None of that."

She angrily spit on him. Who did he think he was anyway?

He growled, pulling her closer still, now she could see her reflection in his optics.

"You really think I'm going to give up that easily?" she demanded.

Behind her a third mechanical arm came down and slowly ran over her spine as 1 said, "It's not your decision."

She felt it, shuddering at the touch.

He smiled, grabbing her arms now. "I see we understand each other."

What did he mean by that? This was only making her feel sick. "I understand that you're not thinking straight," she stated, gritting her teeth.

"On the contrary, my dear, you are the one who doesn't seem to be making sense," he responded.

"What?" she growled. "Do you think I want you to do this to me? Don't be so conceited!"

Suddenly he threw back his head and laughed a cold, chilly laugh that made her wince. She didn't get what was so funny. He laughed a while longer, then suddenly stopped and stared at her. "As I said, it's not your choice anymore."

"Well I'm not going to enjoy it," she retorted.

"You don't seem to think the same way I do," he observed.

What kind of a statement was that? "We're not the same person," she pointed out angrily.

"Oh..." he stroked her cheek, almost lovingly, "I daresay you will be very close to me very soon.."

Meaning he was going to kill her. Not if she could help it. He could just keep that idea but it wasn't going to happen.

"Doubtful," she stated, jerking her face away. She didn't like him touching her. The feeling of his hand on her fabric made her sick.

"Hmmm, why ever not?" he asked quietly. "I can't see you being in any position to make pleas—or rules—for me."

She looked at him directly and spoke as if he was slow. "Because I am not you and I'm not going to give up just because you say so."

He smirked, mocking her with his optics. ""Well I do believe I can change that," he remarked calmly.

She had one word for that. "No."

While she spoke his free hand snaked up her front and played absently with the green button. She pulled away, hissing with disgust when she became aware of this, which he in kind responded by ripping the button off her.

That actually hurt but she decided not to show it and simply gritted her teeth together. He dropped the button to the ground and she heard it clatter on the junk below them. He then placed his hand inside the opening he'd created and touched her parts.

"Stop it!" she shouted, not liking his hand inside her body.

Obviously this wasn't the reaction he expected. He paused, frowning. "...Seven."

She glared at him defiantly. What did he want from her anyway? To suddenly melt into his touch and let him do what he wanted? Fat chance of that.

He looked down again, running a finger over her spine though it made her wiggle uncomfortably. 'Hmmm..." suddenly he grabbed it, chuckling darkly.

She froze. What in the world? She felt him jerk on it. "Stop it!" she shouted. That hurt. A lot!

He looked up at her. "No." and he did it again.

She flinched in pain. He frowned again, as if he'd expected more of a reaction that that. She glared at him again.

"What's wrong 1?" she taunted him. "Don't like what you got?"

Suddenly he let her go, pushing her away and snapping his fingers. When he did this, a bright light came on behind him and she could see the dead eye of the fabricator.

Her optics widened in shock. Oh no...

1 grinned down at her. "Don't like what you see, 7?" he asked, throwing her words back at her.

"You could say I am disgusted," she said. "Disgusted that you would be dumb enough to let power blind you like this!"

He proceeded to stare her down as he said, "It's not just power."

She looked away, not believing him.

"It's also about safety," he went on. "I assume you remember..?"

"There's no safety with you!" she spat.

"But there is," he grinned. "As long as I say so, nothing here will hurt you."

She didn't look back at him. That was a lie and they both knew it. Something surely would hurt her and, even if what he said was true, she still would not stay.

"However," he went on. "If you don't do as I say I will make things happen. Things of a very unpleasant variety."

"So either obey you or die?" she snapped.

He smiled as if she'd finally come up with the right answer in a test. "You summed it up nicely."

She frowned. "You might as well kill me now then!" she said.

His smile grew wider. "I don't think I will~"

She growled. "I will not become your slave!"

"I do not need to break your will," he spoke as if she had said nothing. "Your spine will do, and it's far less trouble."

7 looked at him with a mixture of disgust and horror. He wouldn't. "Go find someone else to play with!"

"Unlikely," he replied, leaning back and looking down at her almost lovingly. "I have grown... well rather fond of you, my dear." He spoke those last words as if he were mocking her.

Well the feeling definitely wasn't mutual, and that was easy to tell by her expression and body language.

He continued to stare her down. "But why am I telling you all of this?" he said as if he was reading her mind.

"I don't know," she responded. "Maybe you like to hear the sound of your own voice."

Now he was grinning again. "As I said, it's pointless," he replied, ignoring her second statement. "This decision has already been made."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

He leaned close again. 'Think..."

"I'm thinking!" she replied coldly. Wait what? Had he suddenly changed the subject? "I'm thinking you'd better get your ugly face away from me."

"Give me one reason why I should."

7 was tempted to threaten him but she wasn't really in the position to, seeing as she was basically helpless anyway and they both knew it. Instead of replying, she chose to glare at him hatefully, hoping to get her message across that way.

"...Nothing?" he smirked at her now, amused. "I thought so. I guess we resume what we were doing then."

She shook her head. She didn't want that.

He came toward her again and continued what he'd been doing previously. She growled at him, wishing she could yank his hand out of her body. He ignored her, running his fingers tenderly down her spine. "Hmmm..."

"You're disgusting." she snapped.

He finally pulled his hand away. "What makes you say so?" he inquired.

"You know why," she replied, coldly.

He smirked. "I want to hear it from you."

"You really think I'm going to enjoy you treating me like I am nothing but an object?" she shouted.

"You apparently do not grasp the concept," he said simply.

"Concept of what?" she shot back, "You raping me?"

When she uttered those words he threw back his head and laughed.

She didn't see any humor in this. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

He grinned down at her, still chuckling. "7... I am above such frivolities."

She made no reply to that which made him sigh in disappointment. He must have been expecting her to. That's when she noticed how close he was to her. She drew back her head and thrust it forward, slamming it into his face, hard.

He hissed in pain, drawing back. Behind her another mechanical arm came down and touched her, digging its sharp tip brutally into her arm. She gritted her teeth, holding in her screams. It turned, twisting deeper into her arm. She still said nothing, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. A fifth came down now, halting in front of her, making her jerk her head back as she stared at it. It flashed forward and grasped her around the neck.

"No!" she screamed, beginning to choke.

1, who was watching her, simply responded with. "I'd say yes."

She struggled and gagged. "Stop it, 1!"

He looked away without a word.

"One!"

Still nothing.

She struggled madly, wanting to just get out of this alive. She would not let him kill her so easily. Another arm made a grab for her. She ducked her head, narrowly missing it. She shouted at the other stitchpunk again. "One!"

He turned back to her. "Yes?"

"Stop It!"

"I'm not doing anything," he replied, snickering.

"Call it off!" she shouted. She knew it had to be connected to him somehow. He could lie and say it wasn't him but she knew it was.

"No!"

She glared at him hatefully now. Of course he wouldn't call it off. Who did she think he was anyway?

"I'll pull through with it."

She blinked. What was that supposed to mean? What did he want from her anyway? She continued struggling, wiggling madly. She had to get out of this, now! He seemed amused by her actions, raising a brow and watching. She just ignored him, continuing with her attempt to get liberated.

Suddenly the arm at her front moved to her back. She froze. What was it going to do? She felt it cutting the fabric on her back open, cutting the thread binding her, and she winced. When it finished it moved away and she felt herself bleeding through the tears.

1 glanced at her. "Now does it dawn on you?"

She stared at him intensely, trying to ignore the pain. "Just get it over with already!"

He shrugged at her, moving backward to watch as a set of cables came down toward her. She saw them, panicking and struggling again. "Stop this!"

He laughed at her some more. "Still haven't gotten it, have you?" he asked. "I never wanted you dead. I have far greater plans for you."

She froze. "Plans?" What did he mean?

He waved a hand dismissively. "Yes but I doubt you'll want to hear about it."

Not if it meant she had to go through more of this. 'That's right."

The cables suddenly went into her back, latching onto her spine. She jerked in pain. "STOP IT"

He spun around "SHUT UP! I WILL NOT STOP IT JUST BECAUSE YOU TELL ME TO!"

His words made her flinch. He'd sounded just like her and it bothered her. He stared at her, folding his arms. "7, I thought you were cleverer than that."

She refused to look at him.

"Fighting it will only make it hurt more," he pointed out.

"Do you really think I will just sit back and LET you do this to me?" she growled. She didn't care what he actually intended to do with her; all she cared about was not letting it happen.

He smirked at her. "Let me explain..."

"I won't be your servant!" she snapped.

"That wasn't my intent."

She hissed making him pause. "Stop dragging things out!" she screamed. "Out with it already!"

The response he gave her was something she hadn't expected. "I want you to become my queen."

His queen? She blinked. How could he even think she would ever consider that? She shot him a look. "You've got to be kidding!"

"I am not kidding." He suddenly turned away as another set of cables came near her. She jerked back, screaming. "No!"

He paused at her scream. "And do you think this will stop me?"

"I won't be your queen!" she shouted defiantly. "Not now or ever! So go ahead and kill me!"

"I won't."

He wouldn't kill her? Why was he playing these games with her? "Stop fooling around, 1!"

He sighed as the wires wound around her arms, yanking them outward and away from her. She struggled violently, wanting to just get away.

He paused again, watching her. "Stop fighting already!"

She screamed at him. "NO!"

His optics flashed red briefly. 'Do it!"

'NO!" he wasn't going to order her around. Never! She would never do what he wanted.

He growled at her, obviously very unhappy that she wasn't going to do what he wanted. "...Fine! Then suffer!"

"I'd rather suffer than become something I don't want to be!" she threw back at him.

"There is no choice." he told her

"There's always a choice!" she argued.

"Not for you!"

"Yes for me!" she shouted at him. "You can't tell me what to think!"

"You'll feel differently soon."

"Don't count on it."

He made a rude noise that brought out an eye roll from her. How mature. Making the sounds that children make when they don't like things.

Suddenly more wires appeared and dug painfully into her sides. She grunted on impact, gritting her teeth together as 1 watched her with a stony expression. She panted heavily as they dug further in, lowering her head. She wouldn't cry out again. Not this time. More wires appeared and pierced her body. She took it all without a sound.

Then suddenly, the room filled with static. She jerked feeling charges going through her.1 was grinning at her now. "Any last words?" he asked.

She screamed a curse at him but his only response was that smile. She shot him a look of utter hate. How could he be so calm about this? How could he smile?

At that moment high voltage shot through her frame. She gasped, her thoughts scrambling as her body filled with agony that shut out any other feelings. She tried resisting, tried to ignore it, but the more she did so, the worse it became. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore and she began to scream.

She screamed for what felt like forever and then...

The lights went out and darkness filled the entire room. The electricity stopped as she went limp, blacking out.