glitching · tragic · broken trust · algebraliens · trauma · vulnerable · former best friend · supernatural · angst
The storm howled across the Equation Grasslands, rain lashing the twisted limbs of ancient trees. Beneath one broad branch, the algebraliens huddled—a splash of color against the gray. The air smelled of ozone and damp earth, and the ground trembled with each thunderclap. In the center, I stood, my voice bright against the chaos, gesturing for One to join us. The others were still buzzing about the meteorite, the discovery that had changed everything. But One’s silhouette emerged from the dark, her blue form stark against a flash of lightning. Her eyes were narrow, her body rigid. I smiled, oblivious. "Oh, come on One! Get under here!" My hand waved in the gloom. One’s reply came soft, wrong: "Under there…? Sounds **good.**" Then she raised her power, and the tree limb shattered.…