Chapter Text
“Hup-two-three-four-Hup-two-three-four!”
The six were training.
“Great job, Imaginary! Keep up the good work, Pi! Whoa! Perfect form again, Vertex!”
I smiled. Perfect form. My usual form. I silently took a breath and struck the dummy. It flew to the other end of the room.
“Wow.” Was all a stunned Prime could say.
That was an amazing move.
You;re so good at fighting.
These kind of compliments follow me everywhere. Is it my fault that I have a perfect memory? No, my real ability is as far from this show as plus is from minus.
“Hey, how did you knock the dummy so far?” Euler’s constant asked.
“Practice.”
That afternoon, Euler’s held a meeting.
“We are here to discuss the topic of randomness.”
“Sir, why?” Axiom queried.
“There have been… disturbing reports of a villain who thrives on order and cannot be defeated with any sort of plan. We need to practice randomness to have hopes of defeating him. First, random things in math. By going over these kind of things, we can get a grasp of randomness.”
“The pattern of prime numbers!” Prime called.
“The random sample!” Axiom shouted over him.
“The number 37!” Pi and Imagery Number chorused.
“452,756,291,967,345,769!” I yelled.
Everyone turned to look at me.
“What? It was the most random number I could think of.”
“Interesting choice. And you didn’t choose 37?” Euler’s asked
“No, because 37 is the least random number in math.”
“Huh. She’s right! If you look at psychological results, when asked to pick a random number, people almost always go for 37.”
“Personally I prefer 8.” Axiom said.
“Nothing random about luck.” I replied.
“What about 91?” Pi asked.
“Near the end. Perfectly predictable.”
“Surely 29!” Prime called.
“That’s a prime number.”
“But the pattern of prime numbers is the most random thing!!!”
“It’s not. After 2 and 5 every prime MUST end in 1, 3, 7, or 9.”
“Yes it is!”
“No it’s not.”
“YES IT IS!” With that Prime rushed at me. Axiom activated his ability and grabbed one of his arms. Euler’s grabbed his other.
“LET ME AT HER!!” Bellowed Prime. Visible panicking Axiom bonked him on the head. Prime went limp.
“That was a slight overreaction, Axiom.” Euler’s remarked.
“I’ve seen bigger reactions over smaller things.” I replied.
“WAKE UP!!!!” Imaginary screamed into Prime’s ear.
This was the most recent of our many attempts to wake up Prime. Axiom’s bonk seemed to have sent him into a coma, as Imaginary’s scream only made us all wince at the volume.
“That’s not working.” Axiom stated.
“Thank you, master of the obvious!” Sighed Pi, rolling her eyes.
“Hey!”
“It’s true.” I said, not looking up from my book. “Axioms are rules of math. AKA the obvious.”
“Why aren’t you helping?”
“How is combat supposed to get someone out of a coma? Am I supposed to martial arts him awake? Karate his head?”
“…Good point.”
“Besides, if screaming and dousing him in gallons of water hasn’t woken him up the best thing we can do is wait it out.”
The others looked at me strangely.
“Fine. Let me take a look. Just because I’m the team medic doesn’t mean I can solve a coma though.”
After looking over Prime, I figured it out.
“Stand back.” I said, clenching my fist. My telempathy started up for the first time in years. I placed my hand on Prime’s forehead - and pulled it back immediately.
“He’s looking for the armour of randomness.” I breathed, sure that my telempathy was broadcasting my schock.
“WHAT?!” The entire room screamed.
I focused one thought - ‘Wake up!’ into my hand, and slapped Prime on the cheek.
“I’m awake!”
“We know what you’re after. No point in hiding it from us.”
“First order of business, how did you know I was looking for the armour of randomness?”
“Also how was your slap more effective than my yelling?” Added Imaginary.
There was no point hiding my power anymore. “Fine. A secret for a secret, Prime.”
“Ladies first.”
“Fair enough. But how do I know that you’re not lying when you tell yours?”
“Fine. So you know this villain who thrives on order? I was thinking that my family heirloom, the armour of randomness -“
“FAMILY HEIRLOOM?!” Shrieked Pi and Imaginary.
“Yes, family heirloom, and it was stolen a few years ago. I still haven’t found it. I was thinking since this villain thrives on order then the armour of randomness might help us defeat them. But I need to find it first. Your turn.” Prime finished, gesturing for me to speak.
“My power isn’t a combat enhancer. I just have a really good memory and read a lot. My actual ability is telempathy. It means I am both a telepath and an empath, meaning I can control and read both emotions and minds. Not ideal for a world centred around math.”
“So every time you beat me you’re reading my mind?”
“No, Prime, you’re very easy to fight.”
“Tell that to every villain he’s ever taken out!” Euler’s replied.
“Thats not the point. He always uses the same patterns that seem random but end up repeating after the first few moves like prime number patterns, which are not completely random.” I replied, cutting off Prime before he could even start. ‘I usually keep it turned off anyways. It’s not very useful. However even with it turned off I can channel thoughts or emotions into my attacks.”
“So when you knocked that dummy to the other end of the room that wasn’t perfect form?”
“It was, but it was also me releasing several weeks of watching Pi and Imaginary arguing over cake flavours. Surely you can agree to disagree?”
“NO!”
“That’s not important. Wait - what?”
“What?” Euler’s asked.
“N-nothing!” I said, grinning sheepishly.
“Ok!”
I went over what I had just sensed from Prime. When I said that I kept the power turned off Prime sent a wave of relief through my system, but when I mentioned the channeled hits, he panicked.
“I am getting in this way over my head.” I muttered that night.
Why is Prime panicking over my channeling hits? Is he worried his thoughts will filter into mine? That’s not how telempathy works. Why is he relieved I keep it off all the time? Is it bc he’s scared i will read his thoughts? This is so weird. He also was panicking when I explained my ability. Why? I feel like there’s something he’s not telling us about the armour of randomness. I guess I’ll just keep my ability active until i get some answers. Great. Dreamwalking again. I sighed. I really hate dreamwalking but it’s the most reliable way to get some answers. Thoughts like these breezed through my mind as I lay in bed. I have to start dreamwalking again. I haven’t done that for a while. I wonder what Prime is dreaming of?
The next morning I sat up in bed sharply. The contents of Prime’s dream flashed by. The armour. A mysterious boss instructing him to locate it. Secretly slipping away around the same time the new villain shows up. Terrorising the city.
Prime is the villain behind all these attacks?
“This is bad.” I said aloud.
“What is?” Prime asked, walking in.
“Nothing, I just found a connection between all these attacks.”
As expected panic flooded his systems.
“It’s not a theory yet. I still need to find some evidence.” I continued as if I hadn’t sensed Prime’s panic.
“I’ll… leave you to it!”
This was very bad. Prime is the villain and I don’t know who to trust anymore. Is Euler’s in on this? If that’s true the team is compromised. I need to find a way to gather evidence without any of the team noticing. How do I gather evidence without the team noticing?
I slipped into Prime’s room and place a hidden camera in the corner.
I repeated this process for every team member and linked all the cameras to my laptop.
One day, Prime slipped off. I quickly dashed out the door and hid in the corner, checking the cameras. One glance was all i needed. I snapped a photo and ran off.
“Vertex! Where are you!?” I heard Euler’s calling. I would be in big trouble once I got back.
Where will he hit? Shopping centre. Department store. Pawn shop. Antique shop. Department store again. Where hasn’t he - oh no. No. I have to beat him! He’s headed for -
“The town square. Why am I here? I don’t think the armour is here but I have to check anyways.” I heard Prime mutter. As soon as his back was turned I dashed for the alarm.
“How - VERTEX!!”
“You’re an open book, Prime. Once I turned on my telempathy, you never stood a chance.”
“No I’m not!” He yelled, rushing at me. I dodged and then instead of striking I backflipped over him. While he stared around in confusion, I relaxed and let my instincts take over, something I had never done before. Instantly I noticed him aiming a hit at me, but instead of dodging I ducked and hit him with a low kick. Rinse and repeat. I kept changing what I was doing so that he couldn’t predict me, ducking, rolling, dodging, striking, telempathy off, telempathy on, ducking, striking, rolling etc.
Out of the corner of my eye i saw Euler’s fly over with the rest of the team following. The scene she saw visibly shocked her.
“Is that Vertex fighting the villain we’ve been - WHOA! Watch it!” I heard her say.
“Sorry, boss! I’ll try to aim better!” I called back.
“Vertex, keep them occupied! Axiom, get the public to safety! Pi and Imaginary, help Vertex but fight randomly. I will -“
“NO PLANS! He thrives on order, remember!?” I interrupted.
“Never mind. Just do SOMETHING, everyone!” Euler’s amended.
Green vines sprouted around me. I scaled them and instead of leaping on Prime’s head I perched there and let Pi and Imaginary help.
“Watch your 3 o’clock and reverse your 4!” I yelled.
As expected Imaginary did the exact opposite. Good. This would be helpful.
“GRAGH! STOP THAT!” Prime yelled.
“Prime?” Pi whispered. Prime raised his fist and I tackled Prime backwards. I felt energy flush through me and saw that Pi was staring at her hands in shock.
“Did I just…”
“STOP TALKING AND HELP!” I yelled. Axiom zipped over and landed several rapid fire punches then dodged and landed a few low kicks before getting flung to the other end of town.
“Owwww!!!” He yelled as he flew through the air.
“NOT what I meant, Axe.” I muttered.
“He’s alive and he’s not seriously injured!” Euler’s yelled over.
“Well that’s a first.” Me, Pi, and Imaginary called back.
Suddenly green light sprang around me, whisking me and Prime apart. While he was flung through the air, I got a good look at Imaginary. For some reason he was surrounded by a halo of green light. His eyes were wide open and they were the same bright green as the light surrounding him.
“Hrruaagh!” He yelled. The plants holding Prime collapsed inwards and flung him through the air. Suddenly the green light faded and he collapsed.
“Are you ok, bro?!” Pi tutted over her brother worriedly.
“I’m fine. Too many plants.” Imaginary groaned.
“You are clearly not fine.” I replied firmly. Suddenly I saw a brilliant blue light. Pi was bathed in light as well, this time blue. Her eyes weren’t neon like Imaginary’s but instead a soft shade of blue. I felt refreshed just by standing near her, and I realised something.
I thought back to what Euler’s had said about Axiom being not seriously injured. Usually Axe was so reckless that he ended up being in a critical condition after battle. Imaginary had never controlled that many plants before. But he had controlled enough to toss Prime as far as Prime had as Axe. Pi had somehow managed to revitalise me earlier without using water - and she was doing it again. We had to all be developing strengthened powers.
Axiom - Enhanced Durability.
Pi - Healing aura?
Imaginary - Extreme plant control.
Euler’s - ???
Me - ???
Prime - ???
And why?
My thoughts were interrupted by a crash from around the corner. I dashed over - and froze.
Axiom - Enhanced Durability.
Pi - Healing aura?
Imaginary - Extreme plant control.
Euler’s - Telekineses?
Me - ???
Prime - Passive combat enhancer?
Somehow Prime was suspended in mid air but somehow still hitting a struggling Euler’s. And he seemed to be dealing more damage than before, Euler’s was down on one knee tanking it all.
“HEY UGLY!” Axiom yelled. “Taste - uhn - my - uhn - fists! OW!” Off Axe flew again, hopefully landing near Pi.
I jumped out and landed on Prime’s head. I switched my telempathy on, focused all my anger into my fists and punched him with both hands at once. The shockwave flung me off and broke Euler’s telepathic hold on Prime. I was left with a ringing in my ears.
“Wow. I have a lot more anger than I thought.” I remarked dryly.
“WHAT?!” Euler’s yelled. “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”
“NOTHING!” I shouted back.
Prime was curled up on the floor. I slowly approached and touched his forehead. I pulled in all the information I needed then quickly tied him up with his own rope. I grabbed the rope and ducked. Prime’s fist flew over my head. How did I just do that? I quickly aimed a kick and he slumped unconscious. How?
Axiom - Enhanced Durability.
Pi - Healing aura?
Imaginary - Extreme plant control.
Euler’s - Telekineses?
Me - Passive sensory enhancer?
Prime - Passive combat enhancer?
There’s so much more about us that I don’t know. It’s been 5 years. Prime had been imprisoned. He has a power blocker on that he will never get off. That way when we visit him he won’t try to mimic our abilities and escape. I’m writing this down because I need to get word out - the villain behind Prime is still out there. The battle is far from over. This story is the first of many about us and our mission to end this threat for good. If anyone is out there - if any of you have experienced similar - please reach out and contact us. We need all the help we can get.
- Vertex Point, second-in-command of Numerical Heroes.