Cube Land
Chapter Six: Comprehension
Twilight saw understanding dawn in the biped's eyes. He stared at the words she had written, then looked at her, then back at the page. She could tell he was not reading the words themselves, but the meaning behind them. Finally, his arms dropped and he looked Twilight in the eye as if seeing her truly for the first time. She felt a huge sense of accomplishment blossom from her chest, and very nearly started jumping in sheer joy.
The biped blinked a few times, then looked back at the book that he held. He flipped to one of his earlier entries, showed it to Twilight, and motioned with two stubby fingers towards her eyes.
She shook her head sadly. Twilight had tried reading the cubed characters before she wrote her message. They were neat and orderly, but it was still gibberish to her. He closed the book with a sigh.
Though communicating was certainly easier than it had been before, charades and pantomimes could only express so much. How does Princess Celestia deal with foreign dignitaries that don't speak Equestrian? pondered Twilight. There had to be a spell for it, although she couldn't remember any at the moment. She hoped that actions and motions would be enough for the time being.
Twilight looked up and saw that the biped was still watching her. He looked away after a moment, scratched the left side of his face, then gathered up his writing supplies and disappeared into his bedroom, reappearing a short while later with his tool belt, his sword, and what looked like a miniature shovel and pickaxe attached to both sides. The pickaxe wasn't whitish-grey like his other tools: it was a bluish-green. He went inside the kitchen briefly, returning with a large loaf of bread in hand, munching on it as he headed towards the front door.
As he was about to touch the buttons on the wall beside the entrance, he paused. He stopped and seemed to think for a moment before looking at Twilight and beckoning her over. Curious, Twilight cantered over to the metal door.
The biped twisted the handle on the door and pushed. The door didn't budge. He motioned with his arm towards seven unassuming buttons beside the door, slightly higher than Twilight's head. The seventh button was below and apart from the rest. She looked up, wondering what he was trying to show her. The biped proceeded to press the buttons in a specific order: the first one, followed by the third one, and finally the fifth one. After he pressed the fifth button, Twilight heard a whir of machinery and an audible clink.
The denizen of the cube land reached for the handle once more, twisting it and revealing the door to be unlocked. Twilight's eyes widened with realization. As she pondered how he had made such an intricately locking contraption, he closed the door and pushed the separate seventh button. Another clink was heard, and he twisted the handle again and pushed, showing the door to be locked once more. He pointed at her, then at the buttons, and stepped back. Twilight felt a rush of excitement as she realized his intent.
He wants me to unlock the door! He's practically giving me the key to his house!
Twilight eagerly stepped forward and, remembering the combination, pushed the three button code with her hoof, eliciting a click from the door once more. Twilight looked up at the biped with a grin on her face. She saw him nod in approval, also smiling.
Day 95, late Night
As I write these words, only one of them is still awake and watching me: the purple one. She is always watchful. Thankfully, she does so now without suspicion. The events of the past day have forged a bond of trust between the six and myself. Fighting side-by-side makes a lasting impression.
I refer to the purple one as 'her' and 'she' as I have since learned that they are all female. The way they relieved themselves made this readily apparent to me, as does, in hindsight, the manner in which they've acted since I found them.
In fact, the purple one is beside me on the couch as I write, possibly trying to compare her own flowing language to my blocky one. Her fur is a royal, emboldening colour, like the sky just after sunset and just before dawn.
...
Dawn. A good name, I think, with multiple meanings. She made me realize their intelligence, 'dawning' it upon me, and she was the first one to awake during dawn the previous morning. I will use it hereon.
Back to the recount.
...
I was pleased that Dawn was able to remember the code after only showing her the combination once. After displaying her understanding by unlocking the door, I conveyed the motions of myself going outside. Dawn nodded quickly and ran back to the living room to her pack mates. At the time, I thought it was strange that she comprehended my intent so readily, as my plan was to return to the mine and unearth the secrets of the Pit by myself.
They, however, had every intention to follow me.
I didn't realize until I went to close the door behind me, nearly slamming it in their faces. I tried to convey the dangers of not only being outside, but of the mine and the Pit itself, and even tried to block them leaving by standing in the way. Nothing worked: either my hand signals were unable to convey the appropriate message or they had faith that I could protect them. At that moment, I was almost regretful that I had shown Dawn how to operate the locking mechanism, as I now had no way of keeping them inside and out of harm's way. I sighed, expressing my displeasure, but relented, stepping aside to let them file out before locking the door behind them.
The blue one seemed the happiest about being outside again. She immediately took flight after stretching her wings, performing all sorts of aerial acrobatics. Loops, rolls, zig-zags, dive bombing from height only to pull up at the last possible moment before impact... At first, I thought she was simply showing off, but after watching for a little while, it seemed that she didn't care whether myself or the others were watching. She seemed to be zipping around for purely her own pleasure. I cannot relate as I am only comfortable with both feet on solid ground. If I had wings, perhaps I would feel the same inclination.
The white one, however, was looking detestably at the ground and the tiny brown splotches marring her otherwise perfect fur. The area around my house is equal parts grassland and marsh. This does not bother or hinder me; however, most other beings dislike the amount of water present in the ground, including my guests. After trying to wipe some of the dirt off on a block of grass, it did her more harm than good and only served to spread the mess. When she noticed me watching, I made the motion of washing my hands, as there was a small pond on the way to the Mine. She responded with wide eyes and a vigorous nod.
After the blue one had her fill of soaring and was merely hovering a few blocks high, I started on a direct course towards the Mine, fully expecting them to accompany me. After only a few steps, I heard a short, sharp whistle above their normal chattering. I whirled around to see Apple with a hoof still partially in her mouth, surprise evident in her eyes that I reacted as quickly as I did.
Dawn waved me over and pointed over a hill, in the direction of the obsidian. They began walking towards it, beckoning me to follow. I presumed they wanted to show me something important that I had missed yesterday.
We traversed across the muddy ground for approximately eighty blocks when I heard the tell-tale rustling of a Creeper. The six did not hear it, or if they did, they did not associate it with imminent danger. I barked a warning, my sword at the ready in an instant.
The name 'Creeper' is an apt one. They can hide in plain sight by any vegetation, be it tree, shrub, or even a grassy hill due to their green colouring and leaf-like texture. As if that wasn't enough, they are the only monster of the Night that can survive in the daylight: everything else is set ablaze by the purifying warmth of the sun. Perhaps it is for the best, as I do not know what happens when a Creeper burns. It seems quite possible that the sulpher within them would ignite, scarring the land in a devastating manner each and every sunrise. The thought terrifies me.
I scanned the area, my head on a swivel, searching for the green abomination. A startled hiss from behind me, which scared me more than I'd like to admit, caused me to whirl around towards the source, sword extended. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what I was to bear witness to.
The Creeper was suspended four or five blocks in the air within a purple sphere of light, struggling madly to break free. It might have been comical were it not wailing in primal frustration and using its head as a battering ram, making a sickly thud with every attempt.
I tore my eyes from the disturbing sight to see that Dawn was responsible for trapping it. Her horn was glowing in the same manner when she made my journal float in front of me, her eyes hard and staring at the Creeper. At that moment, I felt quite fortunate that she was on my side.
I have no idea why or how she can accomplish this incredible feat of distant manipulation. The only being that has a similar power would be an Enderman, and I know next to nothing about them. They only appear during the Night or deep underground where I have neglected to place a torch. Though they catch fire in the daylight, the Endermen are not aggressive... as long as I watch where I look.
If I so much as glance at their pure white eyes, their wrath is immediate and they will assault me until their dying breath. I have only enraged two of them: I learned what angers them the second time. Ferocity aside, their shape is vaguely similar to mine, although they are taller, thinner, pitch black in colour, and do not have any digits by which to grasp. Despite not having hands by which to do so, they can 'hover' a block between the stubs of their arms and carry it around. I have seen them carrying dirt, stone, and everything in between, including chunks of my house. After waking up to a hole in my wall one too many times, I was forced to make my house three layers thick.
The Endermen also have the astonishing ability to vanish in a puff of purple particles only to instantly reappear in a nearby location, or somewhere else entirely. The fact that Dawn's extended grasp outlines that target in purple is... curious, to say the least. There may be a connection between them. Only time will tell.
...
With my sword ready to strike, I motioned for Dawn to drop the Creeper, as she couldn't possibly hold it suspended forever. I intended to cut the monster in two, using its mass and the speed of its fall to assist my effort.
Dawn seemed to struggle with the decision. Her eyes and expression kept changing until she glanced behind at her pack mates, lingering on the yellow one, who was cowering behind Apple. She turned back with a resoluteness she did not have before. I motioned again for Dawn to drop the Creeper, but she shook her head firmly. She took it upon herself to deal with the hissing menace in a way I did not think possible.
She made it fall unconscious.
I have never seen a Creeper sleep. In fact, I have never seen any monster sleep. I didn't know they were even capable of slumbering.
Dawn lowered it to the ground before dissipating the purple sphere. The Creeper looked quite odd lying on its side. I briefly entertained the thought of it struggling to stand back up without the use of arms. It was quite the mental image.
With its eyes closed and its frown slightly less pronounced, it looked almost peaceful.
No, that's the wrong word. It looked... docile. That works better.
I stared at the motionless Creeper for a short while I drummed my fingers on my sword handle. I glanced at Dawn, then at the yellow one, who was no longer quivering with fright. Sleeping or not, the Creeper was still a threat, and I did my best to remove as many threats as possible. On the other hand, I didn't want them to think of me as a cold-blooded killer. I am stronger, taller, and physically more imposing; I needed to appear less hazardous, not more so, if I wanted to keep what trust I had gained.
I made my decision. I took one last look at the disdainful Creeper sprawled on the ground, then put my sword back in its spot at my waist and walked away, continuing in the direction that we were originally traveling.
This land did not have mercy until the six brought it with them from whence they came. I am still not sure if sparing it was the correct decision, but I can't take it back now.
When we arrived at the small clearing containing the rectangular outline of obsidian, Dawn beckoned for me to come close and watch. I did so. She pointed with her hoof towards the four corners of the structure, then held it against the air as if there was something stopping it. She leapt through the hole in the middle and landed like she had fallen from a great height.
I didn't understand what she was getting at, so I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders.
Dawn chirped in her language towards the others, calling them over. She talked animatedly with them for almost a minute, some of them replying in kind, and some simply nodding.
I cannot deny that I was, and still am, envious of their ability to communicate. I know that envy is a wasted emotion, but still I am subject to it. I have nobody to speak with, to share my feelings and frustrations and ideas. I haven't spoken to a soul since I left my parents to their devices and doomsaying.
Envy aside, I still want to help these poor, lost beings return home and no amount of resentfulness will stop me from doing so. As I look upon their sleeping faces as they are sprawled out on my furniture or curled up in front of the fireplace, I feel a sort of kinship with them. They are people, like me, but the word 'people' does not describe them properly. They are completely different from everything and anything that I have ever known or seen. I must think of a different word for them. Maybe Dawn can help me before she too falls asleep... I will not write any further until I do.
...
Ponies.
This is the word that Dawn has written. It took some time to narrow down the specifics of the word, but I believe it is the one I was looking for. Ponies, ponies. Practice makes perfect. I am a crafter, they are ponies.
It is not as difficult as some of their other words to copy, although it is naturally less cursive when written in my hand.
Back to the recount.
...
The... ponies... all lined up behind one another, in single file fashion. They proceeded to walk single file around the obsidian. The ponies then jumped or flew, depending on if they had wings or not, through the centre of it, one at a time. They feigned surprise and looked around, as if seeing the world around them for the first time. After they had all finished going through the formation, they gathered together in front of the obsidian and sat there, watching me. At that point, I just had to put the puzzle together.
I walked over to the obsidian and attempted to do what the ponies had done. When I was within the confines of the obsidian, however, I felt a hum that reverberated through my entire body, stopping me in my tracks. There was power in the purple stone, this I knew before, but I had never felt anything remotely close to the energy seeping into my bones. Perhaps the configuration, the specific way the blocks were arranged, made the difference.
I'm not sure how long I was standing within the rectangle, but the pink one broke me out of my reverie. She nudged me with a hoof and pointed to where I was standing. She balanced on her hind legs, then made a series of warbling and whooshing sound effects, complete with waving her forelegs in a wave-like fashion. After that, she did what Dawn had done, holding a hoof against the thin air within the obsidian as if something was there. She made some more sounds that I cannot accurately describe, then pranced with a flourish.
It was at that point that I understood. The obsidian was not a marker for their arrival; it was the cause of their arrival. Somehow, someway, the fourteen nigh-indestructible blocks had transported the ponies from their land into mine. Did they build it themselves? How did they originally make it 'work' if it wasn't functioning properly now? I do not know, but I must find out.
I exited the obsidian ring and felt the humming cease. There had to be a way to reactivate the obsidian, to enable to dormant power once more. If it brought the ponies here, I have to assume it's the only way to send them back.
I looked at the six, who looked back at me with hope in their eyes. I motioned for them to follow me. There was only one place that could possibly provide a solution to their problem.
The Pit.