[Verse 1]
The summons went out
To every corner of every fold
To the ones with power
To those who could tip a war
They waited
And waited
And then from the east gate —
Six of them
Confetti
A drum
One had a flower crown
One had a snack table
“Is this the festival?”
Castor looked at Cassie
Cassie looked at the list
The list said: yes, these are the ones
[Pre-Chorus]
Golo needed a roll call
Simple enough
She said: I need the one who—
Everyone answered
She said it again
Everyone answered again
She put down the list
[Chorus]
Any one’s — that’s what they are
Any one’s — showed up from afar
Not the right ones
Not the best ones
The only ones who came
Any one’s — The Ones now
That’s their name
[THE ONES — introductions]
FABLE arrived first
She made everyone believe
The festival was still happening
For eleven seconds
Everyone believed it
Then she kept talking
And they believed something worse
GLIMMER arrived second
Released a burst of light
The enemy would have been blinded
Also: everyone else
“That was impressive,” said Herc
From the ground
“Sorry,” said Glimmer
[releases another burst]
“GLIMMER”
“Sorry”
RUMBLE arrived third
Stamped once to announce himself
The camp moved four meters to the left
“That was a small one,” he said
Nobody asked for a large one
ECHO arrived fourth
She had already copied Fable’s power
She was now also narrating
Both of them
At the same time
About each other
DRIFT arrived last
He arrived four hours late
Because he slowed down time in the hallway
And forgot to exempt himself
He arrived slowly
Still arriving slowly
Still — there he is
PEBBLE had been there the whole time
Nobody had noticed
She had asked the floor to announce her
The floor had not heard
She had been whispering
[Bridge]
Golo looked at the six
The six looked back
Fable was narrating this
Echo was narrating Fable narrating this
Glimmer released a small burst — just nervously
Rumble stamped once — “sorry, habit”
Drift was still catching up to himself
Pebble said something to the nearest stone
The stone did not respond
Golo: “What are all of you called”
Silence
“When I say ‘the one’—”
All six answered
“Right,” said Golo
“You’re The Ones”
[Final Chorus]
Any one’s — that’s what they are
Any one’s — showed up from afar
Not the right ones
Not the best ones
The only ones who came
Any one’s — The Ones now
And they’re going to Level 289
Somehow — The Ones
[Outro]
Cassie looked at Solara
Solara looked at the six
Fable was telling the stones they were brave
The stones could not hear her — that was Pebble’s thing
Pebble was trying to correct her
Fable narrated the correction
Rumble asked: “Where are we going”
“Level 289”
He stamped once
The ground agreed