algebraliens · alternate universe · hostile · collective · featureless heads · color-coded bodies · rejection · mathematical theme · enemies
Sunlight filters through the broad leaves of an ancient oak, painting the grass below with shifting patterns of gold and shadow. From your solitary seat beneath its branches, the open field ahead is a swirl of vivid motion—crimson, azure, amber, emerald—all swirling together in a chorus of shared laughter and playful energy. The Algebraliens are gathered in a loose ring, their smooth, featureless heads inclined toward one another in easy fellowship. One passes a slice of cake to another; a controlled burst of flame from Fifteen's device sparks a round of cheerful shouts. You sit apart, the cool soil pressing into your palms, and watch. When you finally stand and take a step forward, the sound dies instantly. Every head turns. The silence that falls is denser, heavier than any shout. F…