Part 3:
The Infinite Valley was unsettled by any symbol group.
R said that the area resisted domination, as if a living thing.
But travelers were allowed to pass freely.
We trekked up a slope, perching on the rim of a great canyon looking down into a valley.
Clusters of stars swirled in slow-motion circles. Comets flashed in sporadic bursts.
I almost didn't notice the small group below.
The letters A, C and Exclamation Point were in the lead, then J, K and Semi-Colon, with O, L and Y in the rear.
R said that the area resisted domination, as if a living thing.
But travelers were allowed to pass freely.
We trekked up a slope, perching on the rim of a great canyon looking down into a valley.
Clusters of stars swirled in slow-motion circles. Comets flashed in sporadic bursts.
I almost didn't notice the small group below.
The letters A, C and Exclamation Point were in the lead, then J, K and Semi-Colon, with O, L and Y in the rear.
The plan went into motion.
Rick and I descended silently. We came up behind them without notice.
“Fellow travelers,” Rick called out. “Shall we speak with you?”
They stopped in place and turned toward us.
“Great letter A,” I said, “may we have your counsel?”
“You’re a bit out of Abstractia, aren’t you?”
“We’re hoping to become Math Signs,” Rick said.
“Math Signs are ruled by the Numbers!” said Exclamation Point. “Plead to them!”
“We were hoping A could speak to them on our behalf,” I added.
The letter C growled, its top and bottom tips snapping like jaws.
“Tell me,” A said, “what are you two called?”
“I’m Joseph … angle. Josephangle. My partner here is Rickosphere.”
“Unusual names. I wonder if you’d – ”
Bursts of sound exploded across the valley!
Disjointed melodies blared.
Waves of sonic energy crashed, leaving us shook and quaking along with our foes.
“Come on,” Dale said, leading us away from the sounds. “Go!”
We fled fast, the prisoners with us. Up the side of a high peak.
The noise was now gone, leaving the rescued symbols free to express their gratitude.
“Music Notes?” K asked. “They’re highly volatile! And in the Infinite Valley? You could have killed us all.”
Rick and I descended silently. We came up behind them without notice.
“Fellow travelers,” Rick called out. “Shall we speak with you?”
They stopped in place and turned toward us.
“Great letter A,” I said, “may we have your counsel?”
“You’re a bit out of Abstractia, aren’t you?”
“We’re hoping to become Math Signs,” Rick said.
“Math Signs are ruled by the Numbers!” said Exclamation Point. “Plead to them!”
“We were hoping A could speak to them on our behalf,” I added.
The letter C growled, its top and bottom tips snapping like jaws.
“Tell me,” A said, “what are you two called?”
“I’m Joseph … angle. Josephangle. My partner here is Rickosphere.”
“Unusual names. I wonder if you’d – ”
Bursts of sound exploded across the valley!
Disjointed melodies blared.
Waves of sonic energy crashed, leaving us shook and quaking along with our foes.
“Come on,” Dale said, leading us away from the sounds. “Go!”
We fled fast, the prisoners with us. Up the side of a high peak.
The noise was now gone, leaving the rescued symbols free to express their gratitude.
“Music Notes?” K asked. “They’re highly volatile! And in the Infinite Valley? You could have killed us all.”
“Such boundless appreciation,” R said.
“I’m surprised you returned. I doubted we’d see you again.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll rescue you every time you need saving.”
K’s stark lines grew stiffer and J got between the two of them.
“Thanks for helping us,” she said. “We both thank you.”
Our rescue had indeed been helped by Music Notes.
Complete anarchists, they loved to stir up jazz.
R seemed pleased his gambit had worked.
J and K introduced themselves and said thanks.
“Are you becoming colors as well?” Dale asked.
“We’re going to Flag Symbols. It’s a small locale where we can disappear. From the Alphabet, at least. I’ll fly bold and bright.”
The last of the prisoners, Semi-Colon, did not seem bowed or beaten. The small dot atop him sat tall; a head held high.
“I’m not sure where I'm headed,” he said, “but I’ll never go back.”
“You seem changed,” R replied.
“In Punctuation, I was a prisoner who knew not he was captive. Having now been a prisoner, I shall never accept it again.”
“I’m surprised you returned. I doubted we’d see you again.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll rescue you every time you need saving.”
K’s stark lines grew stiffer and J got between the two of them.
“Thanks for helping us,” she said. “We both thank you.”
Our rescue had indeed been helped by Music Notes.
Complete anarchists, they loved to stir up jazz.
R seemed pleased his gambit had worked.
J and K introduced themselves and said thanks.
“Are you becoming colors as well?” Dale asked.
“We’re going to Flag Symbols. It’s a small locale where we can disappear. From the Alphabet, at least. I’ll fly bold and bright.”
The last of the prisoners, Semi-Colon, did not seem bowed or beaten. The small dot atop him sat tall; a head held high.
“I’m not sure where I'm headed,” he said, “but I’ll never go back.”
“You seem changed,” R replied.
“In Punctuation, I was a prisoner who knew not he was captive. Having now been a prisoner, I shall never accept it again.”
“From here the realms become smaller and more specialized,” J said. “K and I are almost to our destination.”
“I'm still quite far off,” R told us. “But I know a portal to reach the Spectral Plane.”
“You will not reach the Spectral Plane,” said harsh voices that scraped like metal on metal.
“I forgot about the Quotes,” R said.
“You forgot about the Quotes,” the voices echoed.
“Well done, my friends.” The letter A popped out of nowhere, backed by Exclamation Point, C, O, L and Y.
R twitched with anger, showing no signs of yielding.
J and K pressed close, as if for maybe the last time.
Semi-Colon stood solemn.
An Alphabet World War was about to begin, with Rick, Dale and I caught in the middle.
Back home, I was in pretty good condition.
But in a new body in a new land, unsure of my abilities?
Only one thing seemed painfully certain.
I was in no shape for this kind of fight.
“I'm still quite far off,” R told us. “But I know a portal to reach the Spectral Plane.”
“You will not reach the Spectral Plane,” said harsh voices that scraped like metal on metal.
“I forgot about the Quotes,” R said.
“You forgot about the Quotes,” the voices echoed.
“Well done, my friends.” The letter A popped out of nowhere, backed by Exclamation Point, C, O, L and Y.
R twitched with anger, showing no signs of yielding.
J and K pressed close, as if for maybe the last time.
Semi-Colon stood solemn.
An Alphabet World War was about to begin, with Rick, Dale and I caught in the middle.
Back home, I was in pretty good condition.
But in a new body in a new land, unsure of my abilities?
Only one thing seemed painfully certain.
I was in no shape for this kind of fight.