Once upon a time - there was a big problem. Numbers were beginning to disappear all over the universe. No one cared at first because it was just old numbers who lived in the remotest corners of space; and, they were just too big to understand anyway. All the numbers continued to dance and play like there was no tomorrow. But then a terrible thing happened.

The Octillion Family was hosting a banquet at the Big Numbers Club for their honored guest, Great Grandpa Googolplex. Everyone loved Great Grandpa Googolplex. He was grand and majestic but he could be very silly too. He and his son, Googol, lead the Multiplication Dance which seemed to go on forever. After the dance, everyone begged Great Grandpa Googolplex to tell the story about the Number who had lost her decimal. The story was a little naughty, so the smaller numbers had to leave the room. Just as he was getting to the good part, a strange coldness entered the room. Great Grandpa Googolplex stopped in mid-sentence. No number dared speak as the room got colder and colder. Everyone knew what was happening They felt the approaching darkness. Some numbers panicked and tried to run away. Others began to cry. Great Grandpa Googolplex lowered his head. "It's the Zero," he said, and all the numbers in the room disappeared into the cold, dark silence. Only the few trillions in the room managed to escape.

The Zero! Every number had heard stories about the Zero, but no one really believed them. The Zero - or Cipher, or Nought, or Void - as he was sometimes called, was supposed to be a terrible creature who would eat up all the numbers. But no number had actually seen the Zero so they danced and played without a care in the World. The truth is - the Zero is real. He lives in a castle at a place called Horizon and he is invisible. The Zero calls himself "The Great Mouth." He has an enormous appetite - and yes, he does eat numbers. He has been eating numbers for a long, long, time. He eats and eats and eats and eats. Poor Zero is hungry all the time. He will not rest until he has eaten all the numbers.

Meanwhile, the remaining numbers were preparing for battle. "United we stand - divided we fall!" But there was disagreement among the ranks. "If we are to win, we must all become even," cried One Thousand Ninety Six. Seven Hundred Eighty Three shot back, "The day I become even is the day I die!" So the numbers formed into groups called "sets." There was the "Prime Number Assault Team" and the "Fractal Defense Squad." But nothing worked. The Zero kept eating and eating. Numbers would run from set to set trying to escape the hungry Zero. After a while only a set of five remained. One, Two, Three, Four, Five. They were the best warrior numbers.

The Zero was just waiting. What would happen next? Five had a brilliant idea. She became a star! Zero opened his mouth to swallow her. Five sharp points ripped Zero's lips until black blood flowed everywhere. It was a good trick, but Zero finally swallowed Five. How senseless! Four stepped forward and became a pyramid. Just another snack for the Zero. Without Four, the others were without direction. Zero ate gentle Three - beginning, middle, and end. Proud Two became a line with two points - one called Yes and one called No. Two began to dance the Opposition Dance. But Zero just waited until Two was tired. Gulp!

Now just One remained. Poor little innocent One! "Oh, mighty Zero, don't eat me! It would be pointless!" Zero grinned. One was very clever. One had a secret. Zero knew One's secret. One knew that Zero knew. They were partners all along! The secret is - One is the smallest and the biggest! How is this possible? Because One is the Number of the Set of All Sets. One contains all numbers and all numbers contain One.

Zero and One laughed and laughed. "The Big in the Little and the Little in the Big!" One and Zero loved each other. It was sad that Zero would soon eat One and One would be gone forever. But they had plenty of time. One decided to give Zero some presents. "Here are some magic numbers for you to taste. I present my son, Pi." Zero gratefully swallowed him up. "And now my daughter, the Square Root of Two." Zero gobbled up the mystery. And then One danced the Paradox Shuffle. One was tired after the dance and Zero was still hungry. Time to eat! They both knew what to do. One became a sphere that was bigger than big and littler than little. Zero, who was everywhere and nowhere opened his loving mouth. One jumped in and there was nothing.

But then a strange thing happened. After a long time, or perhaps no time at all, numbers were forming inside Zero. Or perhaps Zero, who was asleep, was dreaming the numbers. Could it be? Yes! The Birth of All Numbers! They rejoiced in the darkness. "New day dawning, time for dancing!" But first they had to escape from the dreaming Zero. So the numbers created a rainbow. The numbers pushed the rainbow through the Zero's lips. What excitement! All the numbers had to be quiet until it was time. Bang! All the numbers ran up the rainbow laughing and dancing, "Free! Free!"

Zero woke up and realized the numbers had escaped. And then he laughed. The numbers were running away from him like lightening - up, up, over the rainbow - right into the open mouth of his twin sister Nil, who was waiting patiently, at the other end of the rainbow.