Chapter Text
Fourteen watched Zro and Fifteen fade behind the clouds. He cheered, letting out a long, celebratory, howl. He slowed his peddling a bit, watching the clouds go by. After a little while, he emerged above the clouds. He inhaled deeply, then sighed happily.
He was finally free.
After years and years of trying and failing, he finally had a proper taste of freedom. Ten was skinless, Fourteen was adrift above the clouds, and Fifteen was powerless to do anything. He couldn't feel happier.
“FREEDOM! WOOHOO!”
His voice echoed in the silence. Despite being free, he was alone. He wondered how long he'd have to go before coming across anyone. A few stray stars streaked across the sky. Fourteen watched them dance in pairs in the darkness. He wanted friends.
And food.
But mostly friends.
He peddled in the darkness for a while before he started to drift off. He stopped for only a second, causing the engine to stop and making him lose altitude. He jolted awake and began peddling again. He sat in silence, bored out of his mind. A shooting star whizzed over his head.
“H-hey! What kind of sick joke is this, HUH?!” He knew the heavens could bear no answer, but had nobody else to speak to. “I'm stuck here, peddling in the middle of SPACE! I finally get free and THIS is how I'm repaid?! I hate you, Universe!”
As if the universe itself responded, the engine combusted. Fourteen yelped and peddled faster. Despite his peddling, the propeller was stuck, smoke pluming out the engine and bike's exhaust. It burst again, catching into a ball of fire. Fourteen desperately kicked the propeller off the bike to save himself from the flames. He quickly hopped off the bike, kicking off it to move from it. The bike exploded, ash calmly drifting out in all directions. The fires died, eaten alive by the frigidness of space. Fourteen looked above him. There sat a planet.
It wasn't just any planet, either. It was Earth, one of the most interesting planets to exist in the vast nothingness. The planet was always visible from the playground, but he'd never seen it so close. It had its own moon. It had oceans, continents, and people! The Equation Playground was all the same. Seeing Earth so close was like a dream come true. For too long had he been trapped in that cage, studying maps of places he wished he could see. Now he was there, face to face, with Earth.
“Thank you, Universe.”
He pulled out a map of Earth. Right now, he was above Goiky. Fourteen hugged his map, crumpling the paper slightly. He wanted to see it all. But he had nothing to use anymore that could get him to Earth. He refolded his map and pocketed it. He looked around for something to use to get to Earth. He spotted the propeller he'd kicked off Nine's bike. He grabbed it and tested the propeller. It would work, with enough wind force. He stuck the end of the pole in his mouth and blew into the hollow pole. The propeller spun slightly. He wrapped his legs around it, turned himself around, and blew into the pole again. It jammed halfway, so he blew harder. Something snapped and sent him flying towards Earth. He tried to grab the propeller, accidentally knocking it from his grasp with the tips of his fingers.
“No-!”
He felt gravity grab hold of him. He was close enough now, but had nothing to stop his decent. He braced for the fall. He hit a tree, falling down every branch on the way down. The final branch stopped him short of the ground. He sighed, relieved. The branch snapped back into place, sending Fourteen flying back into the air. That time, he missed the trees, falling straight to the ground instead. Fourteen got to his feet, dizzy and pained. He staggered forward a bit, then fell to his face.
****
“...re...ay?” A voice. “...llo?” It became slightly clearer. “Are...okay?”
“Am I...okay...? Is that what you want?”
“He talked! He's okay!”
Fourteen opened his eyes, staring straight at somebody's feet. He looked up, seeing they resembled a two-toned book. She smiled.
“Yeah, he's okay.”
Fourteen got to his feet. “Ahh...What a landing. That tree was so mean, too!” He rubbed his head. “Oww...Who knew Earth's floors hurt so much?”
The book and the nail shared a look. The book spoke again. “Are you...from another planet?”
Fourteen stretched his arms above his head, slumping forwards slightly afterwards with a hearty sigh. “Where am I?”
“Oh. Uh. Earth.”
Fourteen pulled out his map. “I was right above the Grasslands when I saw Earth. But I might've been tossed off-course when I lost the propeller...” He jabbed a finger against the map. “I should be somewhere around here?” He looked up from the map. “Uh. A forest. Wow, I need a more detailed map.”
“Is he ignoring you?” The nail asked the book.
“I think so?” The book shrugged. She tapped Fourteen's shoulder.
“Huh? Eh?” He looked over at the book. “Oh. You're still here. I thought I was dreaming!”
The book stared at Fourteen, slightly confused. “I'm Book.”
“I'm Naily,” the nail said.
Fourteen pointed a thumb at himself. “Fourteen.”
“Now that we nailed the greetings, where'd you come from?”
Fourteen pointed to the sky, looked up, then realized the Equation Playground wasn't visible. “Another planet. I finally got free, and then I crashed here!”
“Well,” Book said, “we were heading that way, so you can follow us, if you want.” She motioned to the direction behind Fourteen.
“Are there people there?”
“Yeah?”
“Great! Let's go! Yay!” He ran ahead of them, putting his map away.
“He's...interesting.”
“He doesn't look like an Object,” Naily said. “I've never seen a living number before!”
“I wonder if he'd get along with the rest of the group.”
“I dunno.”
“Hm...”