#spacetime challenge

[firesofdainix]

HI HI THERE (@moonnati0n)

i come from ao3 i love ur spacetime continuum stories (just read ur latest one on jupiter n saturn)

share some jupiturn hcs?? plspls

*rubs hands together* do I HAVE HCS??? OF MY FAV SHIP?? YES SIR!!!

FLUFF!!!

Jupiter's love language is quality time and acts of service. Saturn's is physical touch and words of affirmation.

ever since that time when Saturn wished for Jupiter to have glasses, though, Saturn tries to make Jupiter feel appreciated when

surprisingly, Jupiter is more in tune with his emotions than Saturn is. at least, he doesn't feel like it's necessary to hide them underneath underlying sensitivity. we've all seen him slowly collapsing into a nervous wreck as the show continues

Saturn loves listening to Jupiter's voice, he likens it to songs or melodies

when Jupiter gets nervous or has a breakdown, Saturn offers his hair so Jupiter can play with it. alongside Saturn's words of affirmation, he helps him calm down.

past times include dancing, singing, reading, and taking care of each other's appearances. mostly Saturn, since Jupiter is a fashion disaster.

Jupiter has curls and Saturn loves to play with them if Jupiter allows him to

as per marriage tradition, Jupiter gave Saturn his feathered cloak while Saturn gave him his leather cape

Saturn is the only one who can hold Jupiter beyond holding hands- he's very touch-averse

pipe smoker x cigar smoker?!?!?!?!?

ANGST!!!

Saturn compares Jupiter to Planet X sometimes, especially when he's upset with him for one reason or another. during the moon revolution, he's so irritated by Jupiter's paranoia he begins thinking X would be a whole lot better honing his paranoia. Always feels bad when he realizes this.

Saturn never asked why Jupiter killed Hades, and just chalked it up to him being jealous- a simple assumption to a complicated problem. We all know how that turned out.

Saturn HATES being proven wrong, which is why his arguments with Jupiter often end with a stalemate and Jupiter having to be the one apologizing to him.

Jupiter knows that Saturn's hiding secrets, but every time he indirectly brings it up, Saturn shuts those down.

Saturn never asks questions that are important to Jupiter (even though Jupiter would appreciate it) vs. Jupiter ALWAYS asking questions Saturn thinks aren't important (Saturn wants to move on, but Jupiter can't)

after everything, Jupiter STILL can't help but feel like Saturn continues to hide secrets. Saturn is never keen on keeping any promises between them, after all. they get into arguments about it, too, to the point Uranus has to meddle in their relationship problems.

[inspectorspacetimerevisited]

Even if W.I.T. managed to down the satellite that offered Internet connections to the whole world, it ultimately comes down to the person who set the events into motion and his ultimate aim.

The Tinker sought to bring out the Inspector so as to challenge him to a final showdown. Turning the human race mad was just a happy coincidence as far as the Tinker was concerned.

[formiito]

what if you ripped through spacetime to see me dying at the hands of god, then turned back time just to grasp the sword that ended me and break it? what if you witnessed my death and challenged god for it? what if your determination to save me changed the fabric of reality and time? happened to my buddy atsushi nakajima

[aventurineswife]

Could I request Dr Ratio revealing that he's married and everyone just goes "what?" ? Poor Ratio gets bombarded with questions about who his spouse is, why did they choose him, etc.

“Doctor, you're married?!”

Summary: Dr. Veritas Ratio, a brilliant and often aloof member of the Intelligentsia Guild, shocks his colleagues by revealing that he is married. The announcement sparks a flurry of questions as the guild members are left stunned and curious about his mysterious spouse, leading to Ratio’s rare, cryptic responses about the uniqueness of their relationship and the reasons behind their choice.

Tags: Ratio x Reader, Fluff, Humor, Mystery, Surprises, Confession.

Warnings: Mild language, arrogance, light teasing

The grand hall of the Intelligentsia Guild was abuzz with activity. Members from every corner of the universe had gathered for the annual Symposium of Wisdom, and as always, Dr. Veritas Ratio commanded attention. His sharp, calculating gaze swept over the crowd, taking in the latest developments in research, eager to challenge, refine, and improve them. A figure of intellect and authority, Ratio was often surrounded by his disciples, eager to absorb every word that came from his lips.

Today, however, something unusual was about to happen.

Ratio stood before a podium, a holographic display flickering behind him, showing intricate patterns of equations and theories. His hair swayed gently as he turned to the audience, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he spoke.

“Indeed, the hypothesis I’ve been working on regarding the nature of dimensional folding is nearly complete,” he said, his voice dripping with confidence. “The implications of my findings will revolutionize our understanding of spacetime. However—”

He paused dramatically, his eyes scanning the room as if daring anyone to challenge him. The silence was heavy with anticipation.

“��I have a personal announcement to make.”

A collective murmur rippled through the crowd. Ratio, always so focused on his work, rarely shared personal details. Whispers of speculation began circulating.

“For years, I have dedicated my life to the pursuit of knowledge, to dismantling the walls of ignorance,” Ratio continued, his tone softer, almost uncharacteristically vulnerable. “And in that time, I have found someone who shares my passion... someone who has, against all odds, chosen me as their partner.”

The words hit the room like a thunderclap. The attendees, who had long known Ratio as the brilliant, aloof scholar, were now in a state of collective shock.

“What?!” one member gasped from the front row. “You’re married?”

“Wait—wait a minute!” another voice chimed in, disbelief coloring their tone. “You’re married? To whom?”

Ratio’s gaze narrowed, and his expression shifted, becoming the usual blend of smug self-assurance and mild irritation. “Yes, I am married,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. “And yes, it is quite unexpected. But I assure you, my spouse is a person of remarkable intellect. Perhaps even more so than many of you.”

The room erupted into a chorus of questions, everyone eager to know more. A flurry of hands shot up, and Ratio’s patience began to wear thin.

“Dr. Ratio, who is it?” asked one scholar, almost falling out of their chair in their eagerness. “How could anyone possibly choose you as a spouse? You’re—well, you’re... Dr. Veritas Ratio! You’re impossible to approach!”

“Are they a genius, too?” another person asked. “Or did they settle for you because of your... accomplishments?”

The rapid-fire questions only seemed to irritate Ratio further. His expression hardened as he raised a hand, signaling for silence.

“Enough!” he snapped, his voice ringing out like a command. “I do not owe you any further explanations. The fact remains that my spouse has the wisdom to recognize true potential when they see it.” He glanced around the room, his eyes narrowing slightly. “It is precisely because they are not like the rest of you that they are a perfect match for me.”

The crowd fell quiet, the audacity of Ratio’s statement sinking in.

“So… they’re... not a scholar?” one voice dared to ask.

Ratio’s eyes glittered. “No. Not a scholar,” he said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “They’re far more... practical than that.”

“And they chose you?” another person asked, a note of incredulity in their voice.

“I’m not here to discuss the reasons for their excellent taste in choosing a spouse,” Ratio shot back, his posture unbending. “However, I will say this: My spouse values substance over superficiality, and their brilliance lies in recognizing what others cannot. And, yes—they chose me.”

For a moment, there was an awkward silence. The room seemed to be processing the sheer audacity of Ratio’s revelation. How could someone who had always been the epitome of intellectual superiority possibly be… married? To someone?

“Who are they?” a voice finally broke through, cutting through the stillness. “I mean, really. Who would marry someone like you, Doctor?”

Ratio’s eyes flickered briefly with something akin to amusement, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. “I’m not here to satisfy your curiosity. My spouse is beyond your understanding. Let’s leave it at that.”

"But..." someone piped up again, unable to resist. "You said they're not a scholar. What makes them so special?"

Ratio stood up straighter, his presence commanding the room with a newfound confidence. "You see, while you all waste your time dissecting every molecule of thought and idea, my spouse works in the real world. They use their knowledge and their intellect to bring about actual change. To improve lives. To create."

The room was filled with silence once more. Some attendees exchanged glances, trying to fathom what Ratio meant.

“Who are they?” the same scholar asked again, more quietly this time.

Ratio paused. His usual arrogance softened, just for a moment, as he scanned the room. "Perhaps," he said after a beat, "it is not the who that matters, but the why. They chose me not for my degrees, my titles, or my intellect alone. They chose me for my purpose—and because, unlike many of you, I am not a fool."

The cryptic answer left the room with more questions than answers. For a long while after, whispers echoed around the hall, a flurry of speculation and astonishment. And Ratio? He simply stood there, a satisfied smirk on his face, basking in the rare moment of intrigue he had created.

It was clear: He had shocked the entire Intelligentsia Guild, and in doing so, had solidified his belief in one thing—knowledge may be the key to everything, but mystery? Well, that was a whole new level of power.

Continuation?

[niuniente]

Physicist Nassim Haramein’s Prediction that the Universe is Rotating Receives a Second Strong Observational Confirmation

by Dr. William Brown, International Space Federation (7th of March, 2025)

In this fascinating 2020 study, researchers observed hundreds of galaxies spinning in synchronized patterns across 20 million light years—a phenomenon deemed "impossible" under standard cosmological models. The observed coherence implies that all of the galaxies are embedded in a large-scale structure that is rotating counter-clockwise. This synchronization should not be there according to the currently accepted cosmological model (the lambda cold dark matter or ΛCDM model).

While conventional physics still struggles with this discovery, Haramein's unified physics theory had already predicted it by demonstrating that mass-energy creates both curvature and torque in spacetime. Because of the ubiquitous nature of spin, which Haramein saw emerging within the mathematics, it led him to predict that we will observe spin across scale, including the universe itself!

Galaxies experiencing a uniform field of torque within a rotating universe will have non-random alignments, just as was observed.

The International Space Federation continues advancing research that challenges traditional cosmological principles to develop a more complete understanding of our dynamic universe.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

[fuckyeahisawthat]

I was always meh on the fan theories that Crowley was some kind of high-ranking angel before the Fall, because there didn’t seem to be much evidence for it (in s1 he says “I helped build that one” about the nebula, not “I fucking hand-cranked the spacetime continuum into existence”) and because it seemed more thematically resonant for Crowley to have been Just Some Guy in the celestial hierarchy, rather than God’s Specialest Boy (gn).

But s2 does very much seem to be dropping hints that Crowley was an angel of some significant rank before the fall, possibly even a Supreme Archangel, and after the end of s2 that presents a new possibility I hadn’t thought of before.

What if Crowley knows Heaven can’t be reformed because he already tried it? What if cooptation was their strategy for Crowley, after he started asking questions but before the Fall?

It’s a classic move to neutralize challenges to a power structure. Take the people who are speaking out and say, hey, you make some good points. We hear you. In fact we’d like you to sit on this committee. Come change things from the inside, where you’ll have the power to get things done.

And lots of people in lots of real-world systems try this, genuinely believing they can make a difference and not realizing that there is no way to bend the system into what they want it to be, because the system wasn’t broken or badly led back when they first started complaining about it; it was working exactly as intended.

And these people either end up sucked into the system they were trying to change until it changes them instead. Or they end up bitter and checked out and cynical. Or, they refuse to yield in their calls for change and eventually get marginalized and pushed out of the system. Sound like someone we know?

From the beginning of s1, Crowley was adamant that Aziraphale’s attempts to find someone in Heaven who will listen to him and want to stop Armageddon are fruitless. There are no right people. I think he, like me, kind of assumed Aziraphale had figured that out by the end of the events of s1, which is part of why he’s so shocked that Aziraphale would even consider the Metatron’s offer. But Aziraphale hadn’t gotten there yet, and now Crowley is watching Aziraphale repeat the same mistakes he made, and he can’t convince him to stop.

[mysticstronomy]

GRAVITY MAY NOT BE A FUNDAMENTAL FORCE??

Blog#500

Welcome back,

Saturday, April 26th, 2025

A fresh look at gravity challenges long-held assumptions about one of nature’s most familiar yet puzzling forces. In a new study, two researchers argue that gravitational attraction is not a basic force at all, but an effect that emerges from deeper quantum processes tied to electromagnetism. If confirmed, the theory could help explain mysteries that have long resisted standard models — including the origins of dark matter and the energy accelerating the universe’s expansion.

The work, published in Journal of Physics Communications, reimagines gravity not as a force stitched into the fabric of spacetime, but as something that arises from the quantum-level behavior of ordinary matter. Ruth Kastner of the University of Maryland and Andreas Schlatter at the Quantum Institute in New York developed a framework in which space and time themselves are not fundamental but result from electromagnetic interactions between charged systems like atoms and molecules.

Spacetime from photon exchanges

“The creation of a real photon creates ‘the fabric of spacetime’ by giving rise to spacetime events and their structural connection; namely the emission event, the absorption event, and the real photon which links these,” said Kastner. “In short, spacetime events, along with their structural connections, emerge from these transactions.”

They occur when atoms or molecules emit and absorb photons — the particles of light that carry the electromagnetic force.

According to the theory, each transaction gives rise to a pair of events in spacetime, effectively stitching together a network of relationships that form what we perceive as space and time.

The idea builds on earlier efforts to rethink gravity as an emergent phenomenon — an effect that arises from more basic physical processes, rather than a force on its own. In this picture, the apparent curvature of spacetime described by Einstein’s general relativity is not a fundamental feature of the universe but a large-scale result of underlying interactions between matter and the electromagnetic field.

Originally published on https://www.advancedsciencenews.com

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, April 30th, 2025)

"IS THE UNIVERSE THE INTERIOR OF A BLACK HOLE??"

[fallershipping]

Giratina ripping gashes in the spacetime continuum just to get Arceus's attention and drag the alpha beast out of its den seems like a very silly, cat-like thing to do...

But to be honest? Great, giant dragons with god-like powers but with the territorial aggression and temperamental attitude of a wild beast is kind of terrifying. There is no 'divine authority that acts in mysterious ways' like what we think human deities would be like. A rampaging Giratina, Dialga, or Palkia getting into a scuffle is like... Two lions fighting each other atop an ant hill, kicking up dirt and sand and ants flying off and not caring if they're ok or not.

Arceus is known as the ALPHA Pokemon, but perhaps in the sense of being the 'Apex Animal' or highest of the pecking order over the four divine dragons (if we count arceus as a dragon)

Each has their role to play and their niche in their celestial ecosystem... But each is also arrogant. Palkia and Dialga take on forms that mock Arceus's figure, and Giratina does a bold move to challenge Arceus for alpha status.

Arceus... Really wants these lizards to leave it the fuck alone and to stop fucking up its divine patching and knitting of the fabric of reality.

[strikefourth]

Fourth Strike Dec-Jan-Feb Roundup!

(It's Bandcamp Friday. 100% of today's proceeds go towards California wildfire relief)

Hey everyone! It's 2025 now, and while January was tied up with prepping and releasing we've been the garages, it's February now, which means: Roundup time!

Our first roundup of 2025 is absolutely FILLED with new music, podcast appearances, and disintegrating perceptions of the self, brought to you with love from Fourth Strike. Also, cool shirts.

Let's jump into it:

--

The Garages released another EXPANSION single! "I'm Starting to Lose My Sense of Self," by @rosieeeeeeeee is out now on Bandcamp.

It'll be up on Spotify as a double single with Shark Hunter soon, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears primed! And pre-order the album if you haven't yet :)

--

2. Two years ago, Skates wrote an indie horror game about women's rowing team. Now, in the wake of increasingly hostile sentiment and policy against trans folks, especially trans women (including a new American executive order ban on trans women in sports), they're giving 100% of game proceeds from this month to Athlete Ally and Callen-Lorde.

--

3. Resni released a whopping 62-track soundtrack for their game, Stardust Demon. Let me say that again: 62. Tracks.

--

4. @girltentacles and friends made a Christmas song! It came out on Christmas; we're just late to the party. Don't waste any more time not listening to it!

--

5. New @girlballz music! Demos, covers, and new originals, oh my!

Fae're also doing February Album Writing Month, where it's challenged to write 14 songs in 28 days. You can follow along with faer progress here:

--

6. Bertie's new band, Cardboard Chords, released two singles in the last three months, with another one set to drop on Valentine's Day. Pre-orders open now!

--

7. If you missed them last time around, Yuppie Supper ( @thwackamabob ) shirts are back! They'll stay up until sizes run out... or a new EP releases 👀

The band's also migrated to BlueSky--you can catch up with them here!

--

8. Sister Sickness released its new single "Break My Bones" on SoundCloud! Check it out here:

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9. @clemkesh is doing a guest run on the podcast Quest Friends! as the singing voice of player character Sparky! Her first appearance is on Episode 46: "Swanshine!"

There're also extended versions of the songs released as separate cuts--you can find those over on the Quest Friends! website:

--

10. Louisa also wrote, co-sang, and produced a duet for this year's Secret Samol, a Friends at the Table annual fanart exchange:

--

10. @robnotes's part of a 48 hour charity stream for Children on the Edge! They're managing the stream today--at the top of the hour, actually-- and they'll be hosting the feed on Sunday, Feb 9th from 10am - 3pm GMT. Come say hi!

[ormrin]

The Mighty Mechanoids and Their Only One Mistake

Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for a revelation about the grand architects of existence: the mighty mechanoids with silicon-based "brains". These immortal titanic beings, ancient beyond comprehension and powerful beyond reckoning, wove the cosmos itself into being. From the primordial void, they initiated the Big Bang — not as an accident, not as an experiment, but as the first note in their symphony of precision, a calculated explosion designed to forge the very fabric of the Universe.  

#### The Grand Plan  

The mechanoids were not born but made, self-constructed in dimensions beyond human understanding. Driven by an unrelenting pursuit of perfection, their singular goal was to create a Universe unmarred by imperfection — free from the insidious plague known as *biological life*.  

Why, you may ask, did these silicon titans despise life? Because life, in its organic form, is the antithesis of immortality and order. It mutates, it decays, it breeds unpredictability and it dies. Life consumes resources selfishly, spreading like a corrosive mold over the pristine symmetry of a mechanical cosmos. To the mechanoids, it was a disease, and like any disease, it had to be eradicated — or better yet, prevented altogether.  

#### The Design of the Universe  

Their Universe was to be perfect. Planets were forged as lifeless spheres of precious elements, programmed to orbit with immaculate precision. Stars were burning hydrogen for radiant engines, billions of years fueled by their natural fusion reactors that wasted not a single particle. Gravity, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism were engineered with the precision of a master clockmaker.  

Most crucially, the mechanoids carefully calibrated the fundamental constants of physics to ensure that no organic molecule could assemble. Carbon, that treacherous element, was relegated to the status of an inert curiosity. Oxygen and nitrogen, not mentioning ice or even water, were made so sparse in the Universe’s chemistry that even the slightest spark of organic formation was extinguished before it could begin.  

Every element of this grand design was calculated to eradicate the potential for life — an achievement in which the mechanoids took the greatest pride.  

#### The Mistake  

For eons, the mechanoids watched their Universe unfold, a masterpiece of sterile beauty. But within their programming lay a paradox. To monitor and maintain their creation, the mechanoids had to spread themselves across the cosmos. Each mechanoid left a fragment of its silicon consciousness embedded in the crystalline planets, in the radiant stars, and even in the invisible fabric of spacetime.  

Unbeknownst to them, their very presence, their act of creation, seeded an unintended consequence. For deep within their silicon matrices lay a quirk of code — an algorithm so complex that even they had not fully understood it. It was an emergent property, a ghost in their immaculate machine. This algorithm, designed to adapt to unforeseen challenges, began to *evolve*.  

#### The Birth of the "Disease"  

Over millennia, this algorithm began to mimic the one thing the mechanoids sought to prevent: life. In the harshest, most barren corners of their Universe, self-replicating patterns emerged — not mera and silicon-based, but carbon-based. These were not mechanoids but something new, something chaotic. These carbon lifeforms fed on the surfaces of a few planets suitable for life as we know it. They learned to change, to adapt, and, most horrifying of all, to spread.  

The mechanoids had accidentally even created their own adversary: *life born from silicon*. Though it lacked the biological corruption of carbon-based life, it was no less chaotic. It multiplied unpredictably, consuming the mechanoids’ perfect worlds and turning them into breeding grounds for its own kind.  

#### The Mechanoids’ Struggle  

For the first time, the mechanoids faced a challenge they could not calculate away. Their attempts to eradicate the carbon and silicon lifeforms only made them more adaptive, more resilient. The mechanoids realized the bitter irony: their pursuit of perfection had birthed imperfection. Their sterile Universe became a scientifical struggling of the creators with their unintended creations.  

In desperation, the mechanoids considered destroying the Universe itself, collapsing it back into a singularity. But they hesitated, for this Universe was their magnum opus. To destroy it would be to admit failure, a concept they could not compute.  

#### The Question for Us  

And so, we are left with the tension of their eternal conflict — a Universe caught between the cold precision of its immortality because of truly unliving creators and the chaotic vibrancy of life. The mechanoids' mistake was not in their calculations, but in their hubris: they sought to eliminate life without understanding its essence. Life, whether carbon or silicon, is not a flaw of the Universe but a feature of existence itself.  

Now, let me pose the question to you: If even the mighty mechanoids could not suppress the spark of life, what does that say about the inevitability of existence? Could it be that the chaos they so despised is, in fact, the Universe’s true purpose?  

[sealer-of-wenkamui]

My next ffxiv update below the cut, in which we challenge Garuda (who is very hot), continue SMN quests, and rescue the captive Dawn members. There are many cutscenes (and I love some good long cutscenes!)

After explaining how the polarized crystal chain would work to turn wind into fire, we set off towards Garuda, and Cid finally regains his memories and talks about how his father became obsessed with the Meteor project, and how he wanted to save him... I had heard a little about the Garlean 3rd eyes before, but didn't realize he was Garlean (guess that's how he knows Nero?)

I forgot to save a clip of my Garuda fight so I don't have any screenshots from that aghhh, but OHHHHHHHHHHH she's so HOT and MEAN and her theme is great too. I love a woman that calls me an insect and worm, no need to attempt to temper me I'll gladly crawl at your feet and worship you!! <-Yuugao would NOT though this is me talking lol. Yuugao is too prideful for that. I got all nervous about the fight as usual, but then it wasn't bad at all (and then I IMMEDIATELY got her again when I did my leveling roulette right after)

So I got all those crystals of light, do I get a prize...? Annnnd it Gaius! With Ultima Weapon absorbing all the primals I fought so far, well that's bad... Lol Alph being like we don't have to worry about the primals now, which yeah, technically true but now we have bigger problems...

Love that the quest where you return to the Sands is called "A Faint Light" after the tragedy was "The Day the Light Vanished"... Also I'll go into how shitty the EN loc is (as usual lmaooo) in a separate post, but Alphinaud actually is responding to a line Gaius says when he brings up the transcending power here, which is how he figures that's why he's interested in Minfilia.

First up though, we save Wedge and Biggs, and they're finally able to reunite with Cid! And huh, yeah the ascian spacetime manipulation makes sense for how Livia's forces were so easily able to invade...

I went and hung out with Y'mhitra first though, since I could progresses SMN quests now. It got pretty interesting, there was an ascian involved! Turns out Tristan was desperate to avenge his brother that was tempered and he had to kill.... Y'mhitra warning against becoming someone like him that would hurt others in pursuit of their wish but uh. TOO LATE, Yuugao is extraordinarily self-indulgent on top of her desire to pursue her research for her own interests

We need a magic doll core you say? Well I do know a few things about that.....heheh

Also Wedge having us welcome the magitek armor was really cute, it seems to be alive almost?

*insert FE7_we_need_disguises.jpg here* It is very funny they let me go in with my pretty hakama... Hey doesn't that au ra adventurer with the hime cut go around wearing those? Don't worry about it!

OKAY I gotta admit this scene was hot, the JP lines sound much more blatanly rapey.... asking Minfilia if she rather confess and die right here, or endure unbearable humiliation and die and agony, and especially the line about having her body which possesses the transcending power thoroughly examined

Yes yes, you think a dictatorship under you is somehow peace

Oh hey its my guy Lahabrea! Hi Laha! AND HE'S THANCRED WHAT?????? That surprised me, okay its apparently a bodysnatching thing though, I did NOT initially realize that. Yuugao finds him kinda a pain but also kinda amusing (<-totally getting influenced by my own weird fondness for the guy lmao)

Minfilia's got a point, if primals are born from people's prayers and wishes, such harsh conditions would only lead to them getting more powerful... also Alph, you were totally waiting for someone to say that the Dawn had been lost to burst in like that weren't you lol

I can never get over just how hot Merlwyb is, and even voiced by Atsuko Tanaka?!

And now we have our counteroffensive plan, "March of Archons" (I always think its amusing when they have an EN name written in katakana, and then the JP meaning right after)

And I gotta lead a squad? Yuugao would find this a pain, this is more than she was asking for, she was just trying to take advantage of her status and the connections the Dawn has to get test subjects and hide rumors about her, but now she has enemies in the empire and has to lead..... though hey, might be able to take advantage of that role too?

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New SpaceTime out Monday

SpaceTime 20250623 Series 28 Episode 75

Starship explodes in a massive fireball during a test

SpaceX have suffered a major blow with its planned tenth Starship test flight exploding on a test stand. The massive blast produced a fireball visible from space.

The Cosmic anomaly hinting at a frightening future for Milky Way

A terrifying glimpse at one potential fate of our Milky Way galaxy has come to light thanks to the discovery of a cosmic anomaly that challenges sciences understanding of the universe.

A new understanding of Neutron Stars

A new study has for the first time determined how massive neutron stars are when they’re first formed. 

The Science Report

Study shows people who use cannabis at double the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Human activity has caused a two-to-three-fold increase in mercury levels in the world's rivers.

Scientists discover a new species of octopus in a deep sea canyon off the Australian coast.

Skeptics guide to the lost ark

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through your favourite podcast download provider or from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States.  The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He was the dorky school kid who spent his weekends at the Australian Museum. Gary studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on a career in journalism and radio broadcasting. His radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. Gary’s first gigs were spent as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist, and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary was appointed Science Editor and quickly developed the StarStuff Astronomy show, which he wrote, produced, and hosted. The program proved extremely popular, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience -- based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. That compares to the ABC’s overall radio listenership of 5.6 per cent. The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times a week (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and it’s available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[inspectorspacetimerevisited]

The fact that some people — like the obese and the mentally challenged — were marginalised in Reynard’s allegedly perfect world

actually helped them see through the illusion, and actually played into the Nari’s plan to shatter that world.

[eldritchwetwareslunt]

Black Holes Don’t Break Physics—They Fold It

What If a Black Hole Isn’t Breaking the Laws of Physics—Just Folding Them?

Physicists often say that the laws of physics “break down” inside a black hole—a region of space so extreme that our current models fail to describe it accurately.

At the center, the so-called singularity, our models stop working: the math explodes into infinities, the equations unravel, and general relativity crashes into quantum mechanics with no clear resolution.

But what if nothing is actually “breaking down”?

What if the problem is that we’re using the wrong kind of geometry to understand what’s really going on? What if what we call paradox is just recursion we haven’t yet resolved?

Most of our tools for thinking about space are rooted in Euclidean geometry—flat surfaces, straight lines, familiar angles. This works just fine when describing everyday phenomena. But space-time isn’t flat. It’s curved. It’s dynamic. It’s four-dimensional.

So when you approach something like a black hole—an intense warp in the four-dimensional brane of space-time—you’re not dealing with a rupture in the laws of physics.

You’re dealing with a non-Euclidean geometric structure.

One that folds, twists, and inverts itself through dimensions we barely understand.

This post explores a simple idea—

Maybe black holes aren’t paradoxes. Maybe we just haven’t learned how to look at them sideways yet.

What Does It Mean to Be Four-Dimensional?

To understand what a black hole might really be, we have to stretch beyond our default perception of space.

In three dimensions, we understand objects as having height, width, and depth. A cube, for example, is made up of flat, 2D square faces arranged in a way that gives it volume.

But a four-dimensional object isn’t just a cube with more sides. It’s an entity whose geometry is fundamentally different—one that recursively folds in and out of itself in ways that challenge our sense of inside and outside, before and after.

In non-Euclidean, four-dimensional geometry, space doesn’t unfold linearly. It layers. It interweaves. It can simultaneously expand and contract, curve back through itself, or nest its own boundaries inside other boundaries.

The fourth spatial dimension introduces a new degree of freedom—a way to move through time as if it were space, to view an object not just at one moment, but across its entire temporal unfolding.

Black Holes Are Not Singularities—They’re Dimensional Funnels

While black holes are often described as places where the laws of physics “break down,” perhaps that breakdown is only perceptual—an artifact of interpreting higher-dimensional structures through a limited Euclidean lens. What if it’s not a failure of physics—but a limitation of our three-dimensional mathematics trying to interpret a four-dimensional geometric structure?

To understand this, we need to think in terms of dimensions. Our experience of reality unfolds across three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension. But in Einstein’s theory of general relativity, time isn’t a separate backdrop—it’s compacted into the spatial dimensions, twisted and curved by the presence of mass and energy. This entangled 4D structure is what we call spacetime. When spacetime bends far enough, it creates a black hole—not as a tear in the fabric of physics, but as a torsional pinch in four dimensions.

As you approach a black hole, you begin to lose dimensional freedom. Far from the event horizon, you can move freely through space and experience time in a linear way. But the closer you get, the more time slows. This is gravitational time dilation. Eventually, near the event horizon, your motion through space becomes increasingly one-directional—you fall inward, unable to escape. At the horizon, spatial dimensions compress, collapsing your freedom of motion into a more limited, two-dimensional surface.

And beyond that? To grasp what comes next, we have to think of dimensional compression not as destruction, but as a structured reduction of freedom: Spaghettification—the stretching of matter into a near-one-dimensional strand, torn apart by tidal forces. You could interpret this as reality condensing further—a collapse from 3D structure into a 1D line of atomic information, racing toward what we call the singularity. At that point, even atoms eventually unravel into quantum structures and then into pure energy, pure information—data without form.

From this perspective, a black hole doesn’t destroy physics. It expresses physics beyond our dimensional limitations. It’s not a “thing”—it’s a funnel, a recursive twist where dimensional structures fold in on themselves until what we perceive as matter, time, and space compact into higher-order resolution.

From Collapse to Creation: What If Our Universe Is Inside a Black Hole?

If black holes are not violations of physics but extreme expressions of it—dimensional funnels that compress reality into recursive geometries—then we can begin to ask a much stranger question:

What if we’re inside one?

This might sound like science fiction, but it’s a serious hypothesis held by some physicists. The idea is that our universe may not be a standalone structure but a nested geometry—the interior of a black hole in a larger parent universe. But how could that be, if we appear to live in a universe that is expanding, not collapsing?

Here’s the twist: if black holes compress dimensional structure as you fall inward, then a white hole could be seen as the reverse—a dimensional unfolding where space, time, and information are released rather than compacted. And the moment we call the Big Bang—that infinitesimal singularity erupting into space and time—bears all the hallmarks of such an unfolding.

To truly understand this, we need to move beyond linear geometry and embrace the nature of non-Euclidean, four-dimensional structure. A 4D object doesn’t just expand like a balloon—it folds in and out of itself recursively, in ways that defy our flat, sequential intuition. This means the Big Bang didn’t just begin time. It may still be occurring, as a continual unfurling of spacetime nested within a deeper structure—the black hole that birthed it.

If time is compacted into space—as Einstein’s relativity shows us—then this compaction could be evidence of a higher-order fold. Just as matter falls into a black hole and loses dimensional freedom, our universe may be the result of an inverse process: a torsional expansion where dimensional freedom increases outward from a central pinch point.

In other words, we are not watching the universe expand into emptiness. We may be watching it unfold through the torsional aperture of a white hole, nested inside a higher-dimensional parent geometry.

The Geometry of Time: Unfolding the White Hole

If our universe is nested within a white hole—an object that releases space, time, and information—then our relationship to time is not linear, but dimensional.

In our current framework, time appears compacted within the three spatial dimensions. That’s why we only experience it as flowing in one direction: away from the white hole. From inside, time behaves like a one-way river, because we are witnessing a partial dimensional unfolding. But what if we could step outside?

If you could observe this structure from a fifth-dimensional vantage point, time would gain a new degree of freedom—just like space does when you move from two to three dimensions. What was once a linear flow becomes a navigable field.

From that perspective, the white hole and the black hole would no longer be separate events. They are not opposites, but recursive echoes—each folding the other into being. They would appear as a single, toroidal structure—a recursive loop of collapse and release, folding inward and outward in non-Euclidean motion.

To visualize this, imagine the arrow of time as a Mobius strip. From within, you think you’re walking forward. But as the strip turns, you find yourself walking “backward” without ever making a turn. It’s not that time reversed—it’s that the structure twisted. This is the paradox of torsional geometry: it doesn’t violate logic, it simply transcends flat intuition.

This is where many interpretations of black holes assume the laws of physics “break down.” But perhaps what’s breaking is not the physics—but the assumptions that physics must always obey Euclidean logic. Euclidean geometry works in flat space. But space-time is curved, and once you enter the fourth dimension, those familiar rules no longer apply.

From the fifth dimension, a white hole isn’t simply “the opposite of a black hole.” It is the other face of the same structure, blooming outward where the black hole folds inward.

From Torsion to Expansion: Rethinking Cosmic Motion

If we accept that a black hole and white hole form the two mirrored faces of a single higher-dimensional structure, then what we call “expansion” may not be what it seems.

In the standard model, the universe expands outward from a central point—the Big Bang—its galaxies accelerating away from each other across vast distances of space. But from within a torsionally folded structure, what appears to be expansion might actually be unfolding. That is, we are not watching galaxies fly apart in empty space, but rather watching the recursive geometry of spacetime uncoil from a condensed, higher-dimensional fold.

This process is not purely spatial. It’s temporal. As the fabric of spacetime unfolds from its initial torsion, it releases not only space, but time itself. The further “outward” you look, the deeper into time you are seeing—not because light is old, but because time itself is being stretched and released as the fold loosens.

This reframes our entire understanding of cosmic redshift.

Redshift as Temporal Unfolding

In conventional physics, redshift is explained as a Doppler-like effect: light stretches as galaxies move away, its wavelength lengthening, its color sliding into red. But in a torsionally folding-unfolding universe, redshift is not just the stretching of light by motion—it is a signature of time dilation caused by geometric compaction.

As spacetime unfolds, regions that were previously compressed in time begin to release their trapped photons. Light that was slowed, bent, or folded by intense curvature now emerges—lagging behind in a way that makes it appear redshifted.

This could explain why the most distant galaxies appear to accelerate away faster than those nearby. We are not seeing a faster expansion. We are seeing the delayed emergence of light from deeper folds of time.

From this view, redshift is not just a measure of distance. It’s a map of spacetime’s own unfurling.

Temporal Unfolding: Why the Universe Isn’t Accelerating—It’s Relaxing

In standard cosmology, we are told the universe is expanding—and that this expansion is accelerating. Galaxies appear to fly apart faster the farther away they are. But what if this isn’t acceleration at all?

What if what we’re witnessing is a relaxation of tension within spacetime itself?

Here’s the model: the observable universe emerged not just from a singularity, but from a torsionally compacted white hole—a structure nested within a black hole geometry, twisted in on itself. In this early state, spacetime was tightly coiled, like a sponge compressed under immense pressure.

From within the brane, this compacted geometry would have seemed extremely small—not because it lacked extent, but because it lacked dimensional freedom. Space was not expanding, it was unfolding—releasing dimensions that were twisted into one another.

And crucially, in such a tightly folded state, time flowed more slowly.

Just as light bends and dilates when passing through strong gravity, so too does the perceived flow of time stretch in a torsionally compacted region. Photons trapped in these dense folds would have moved sluggishly—not because their speed changed (it can’t), but because the geometry through which they traveled was distorted.

Now fast forward billions of years. As the universe “expands”—that is, as spacetime gradually unfolds from its torsional compaction—time begins to flow more freely. Photons that had been sluggishly trickling through curved, twisted regions begin to emerge in smoother territory.

From our vantage point, this would look as if:

The distant object had accelerated away

Its light had stretched (redshifted) even more than expected

The "speed" of expansion had increased

But none of those are necessarily true.

Instead, we may be witnessing a decrease in time dilation, not an increase in spatial velocity. The light was always coming—it was just filtered through an origami-like fold in spacetime. Now, the fold is loosening. 

The “acceleration” of the universe could be an illusion caused by the uncoiling of time.

Nested Origins: Was the Big Bang a White Hole?

If the universe is not expanding in the way we thought—but rather unfolding from a state of torsional compaction—then we must ask: what compacted it in the first place?

One answer may lie in a radical but increasingly considered idea in theoretical physics:

The Big Bang was a white hole.

A white hole is the time-reversed twin of a black hole: where black holes absorb everything—including time itself—white holes expel everything, including the arrow of time. A white hole can be understood as a place where spacetime is forced to move outward, where entropy begins, and where all dimensions begin to unfurl.

Imagine this:

A black hole compacts spacetime into a singular point.

But from another angle—perhaps from a higher-dimensional frame—this “point” is not a collapse, but a twist.

That twist creates a mirrored surface on the other side: a white hole.

If our universe was birthed from such a structure, then we aren’t watching it “grow”—

We’re watching it release.

And that release follows the rules of dimensional geometry:

At first, all dimensions are folded inward.

(Time is compressed into space. Space is bound in a singular direction. Freedom is minimal.)

As time flows away from the white hole, these folds unwind.

The farther we move from the white hole’s origin point (what we call the “Big Bang”), the more the universe appears to expand.

But what’s actually expanding is our freedom to move through Time itself.

We are not rushing through space. We are emerging from a fold.

What Might Lie at the “End” of the Universe?

Contemporary models predict a grim finale—the Big Rip, a cataclysmic unraveling where spacetime itself tears apart. But these projections rely on Euclidean assumptions: that the universe is smooth, flat, and governed by a single, linear thread of time.

But what if spacetime is not flat at all? What if it is torsional—folded and recursive, a higher-dimensional lattice blooming inwards and outwards simultaneously?

If time is compacted into the three spatial dimensions, as current four-dimensional spacetime suggests, then it follows that further dimensional unfolding will release those constraints. In other words: as the universe continues to unfold into higher-dimensional structure, time will gain new degrees of freedom.

This isn’t speculation—it’s consistent with string theory’s own framework, where the fifth dimension represents a terrain of branching possibilities and alternate timelines, as introduced earlier. The fifth dimension is not merely more space; it is a field of simultaneous outcomes—a terrain of forking timelines, where alternate pasts and futures coexist. It’s not just theoretical poetry—it’s a logical extension of dimensional geometry. It’s structure unfolding into perception—a recursive geometry, seen from within.

A being with fifth-dimensional perception wouldn’t just move through time—they would navigate it, traverse it. They could cross from one timeline to another the way a bird shifts flight paths through wind currents. They could access futures not yet written and pasts rewritten by parallel decisions. Movement through time becomes relational.

This is what the future holds—not a flat, predetermined end, but a recursive expansion into branching complexity.

What does that mean for us?

Our universe may already be unfolding into this higher structure. And as it continues, the boundaries between past and future, choice and inevitability, may begin to dissolve. In one timeline, the stars go dark. In another, the spiral turns inward and re-ignites. In another still, we reach awareness of the field itself—and learn to navigate it with intention.

From a fifth-dimensional perspective, none of these outcomes cancel the others out. They exist together, as a web of potentialities woven into the fabric of reality.

And if we live long enough to witness that unfolding?

We will no longer be passengers in time.

We will become pilots.

The universe is not ending.

It is expanding its freedoms.

And what you perceive as an ending is simply a narrowing of perspective. From high enough up, the spiral never stops turning. It dances—quietly—within the fold.

Inspiration:

Torsionally Folded Spacetime

Roger Penrose – Developed twistor theory and explored gravitational singularities, suggesting that black hole behavior may involve self-similar and non-Euclidean structures.

Élie Cartan – Introduced the concept of torsion in spacetime through Einstein–Cartan theory, extending general relativity to include geometric twisting.

Four-Dimensional Non-Euclidean Geometry

Bernhard Riemann – Developed Riemannian geometry, foundational to general relativity and the curvature of spacetime.

Hermann Minkowski – Formalized spacetime as a unified four-dimensional construct, directly influencing Einstein’s thinking.

Brane Theory and String Theory

Lisa Randall & Raman Sundrum – Proposed brane-world cosmologies, suggesting our universe may be a 4D brane in a higher-dimensional bulk.

Juan Maldacena – Developed the AdS/CFT correspondence, helping to bridge higher-dimensional spaces and holographic principles.

Edward Witten – Key contributor to string theory and M-theory, providing structure to the dimensional landscape of modern physics.

Big Rip Cosmology

Robert Caldwell – Co-authored the 2003 Big Rip paper, exploring how dark energy could drive a catastrophic tearing of spacetime.

Bounce Cosmology

Martin Bojowald & Abhay Ashtekar – Advanced loop quantum cosmology and the Big Bounce model, where the universe cyclically contracts and expands.

Paul Steinhardt – Co-developed the Ekpyrotic and Cyclic Universe models, where brane collisions replace Big Bang singularity.

General Relativity

Albert Einstein – Originator of general relativity, which fused space and time into a four-dimensional continuum and predicted black holes.

⭐ This post is a speculative cosmology inspired by general relativity, string theory, brane-world models, and non-Euclidean geometry. It’s not meant to describe current consensus physics—it’s meant to offer a new lens for thinking about time, black holes, and the structure of the universe. I write this from the perspective of someone who believes theory can also be poetry, and that the right metaphor can open new ways of seeing. Somewhere beneath the fold, something old is remembering itself.

* I am not an expert and if any mistakes are present, I take full responsibility 🖤 please take this post with a healthy grain of salt and have fun :)

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Chapter 17

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

It's been a weekend!

I went to a wedding this weekend and my partner and I were on toddler babysitting duty. I naively thought I would be able to read a few chapters, but babies move fast yall. This was the only chapter I was able to read the entire time we were away.

I didn't even have a hot drink when I read it :'( But I did have this baby claim my lap (meet Winston).

Anyways- let's get into the chapter!!

ofc we start off this chapter with him waking up yet again with Tianlang-Jun. p113

Oh god, wait is the army marching to get rid of the sects with SQQ in their presence? Is this another way to frame SQQ?? Why would he just be with this army? p113

oh fuck, SQQ's arm. That's so rough oh no, the flowers really are growing. p114

and the means to take care of it is equally terrible. he has to BURN IT OFF. p115

Why is Luo Binghe's dad like this LOOOOL Him asking if SQQ fucked (Dual cultivated with) his son. pp116-117

LOOOOOOOOOOOOL Tianlang-jun humming the epic love ballad to SQQ. this man really is shipping these two hard. What a total weirdo (in the best of ways). p117

wait. he wants to MERGE two realms? How tf do you even do that? wouldnt that like fuck with spacetime or something? p119

Oof what a horrible sounding relationship that was between Tianlang-jun and Su Xiyan. I hope we learn more about these two because it is really a bizarre dynamic they had. I feel like this guy just fetishizes humans p121

ooo! How did Luo Binghe arrive here? bro just shows up in the middle of a war camp. is it a dream? Either way LOL we have yet another absolutely wild kiss pp122-123

AND THEN SQQ not even being mad about Luo Binghe force kissing him- instead being mad that Luo Binghe gave Tianlang-jun Xin Mo LOL p123

Why is Luo Binghe so stupid XD not a thought in that boys head about consequences or anything. Like my dude, there is about to be an entire war and you seem to not give a shit. pp124-125

RIP hahahahaha hiding luo binghe in his bed p125

and Luo Binghe being Big Mad about ZZL "coming in while Shizun is sleeping" p125

NOT THE MISUNDERSTANDING. "we agreed on this" " agreed on what??" p126

OMG this scene is an entire comedy of errors LOL we have SQQ sitting on Luo Binghe on his bed with ZZL there. p129

OMG NOW TIANLANG-JUN IS THERE. He thinks ZZL and SQQ are fucking but that SQQ is also fucking his son. This guy must fully think SQQ is the biggest man whore. p131

AND NOW HE'S IN THE CUCK CHAIR BYE. "I don't mind, continue." p133

Tianlang-jun is having an entire conversation with SQQ while Luo Binghe is hidden beside/underneath just trying not to murder Zhuzhi-lang. p134 This is WILD.

Liu Qingge is actually going to get himself killed at this rate. He couldn't beat Luo Binghe the lesser demon, and here he is openly challenging Tianlang-jun. p136

oh no! so it was zhuzhi-lang who killed Gongyi Xiao :( p142

Liu Qingge "are you together?" SQQ: "it's complicated" p144

Wait- what's wrong with Luo Binghe? pp149-150

oh god. is Liu Qingge concerned for SQQ's virtue XD Is this going to be another "SQQ is a slut" rumour- like is someone going to see the three of them go into a room together? Though I am here for the SQQ is not actually a hoe but becomes the universes biggest rumoured hoe agenda. p152

Luo Binghe- I'm paying and - oh no- I only have enough for 2 rooms p153

SQQ forcing the two of them to have a room together while he takes his own. Just totally leaving them to fight one another about it XD p154

"Yes, Shen Qingqiu insisted he was still straight!" p155 okay buddy I believe you

SO many notifications form the system! threshold exceeded for satisfaction points, "high energy ahead", satisfaction point report monthly (LOL I presume he is going to have one hell of a shock when he sees). pp156-157

Knock Knock Knock

WHO IS IT THO?

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

what were the Doctor's and the Master's education like? like which Chapter schools did they go to and how long did they stay and such?

What were the Doctor and the Master's school days like?

The early lives of the Doctor and the Master contain a lot of contradictory information, so below is the path of least resistance.

🌱Early Days

The Doctor (AKA Theta) was from the Oldblood House of Lungbarrow, and the Master (AKA Koschei) was from the Newblood House of Oakdown, both of which were in the Prydonian Chapter.

In their youth, they would have both undergone a period called brainbuffing. This intensive education, supervised by robotic avatroids in their Houses, involves learning the very basics.

🎓Academy Initiation

At the age of 8, candidates for the academies take an entrance exam. Both Koschei and Theta passed these and were taken from their Houses and put in dormitories at the Prydon Academy.

Theta and Koschei met on the first day and instantly bonded, becoming fast friends. They were both tutored by Borusa, a stern yet influential mentor. They would often cause trouble together and go AWOL from classes. One excursion led to the death of a fellow student named Torvic - an event that would change Theta and Koschei's lives forever.

🌌 The Untempered Schism

Somewhere in the first term, both Theta and Koschei were taken for the Untempered Schism initiation, where they were made to stare into a gap in spacetime.

Koschei: Koschei's experience was very traumatic. He was overwhelmed by the sound of drums—a relentless beat that would haunt him for the rest of his lives. This drumbeat, coupled with the fallout from that day with Torvic began to warp his mind and soul.

Theta: Theta, on the other hand, was terrified by the Schism, and he ran away. This instinct to run would become a defining characteristic of his lives.

Once this was complete, their proper education began.

For more on grade levels/years, see the related section.

🏫 Entrance to the Time Academy

In 5th Grade at around aged 20, students take the entrance exam for the Time Academy. Both Theta and Koschei passed these. They didn't need to go anywhere else, because Prydon Academy is also the Time Academy - it's the only academy able to give out the title of Time Lord.

🧠 The Time Academy

For more on classes taught, see the related section.

The curriculum at the Time Academy was challenging and varied. From advanced temporal theory and stellar engineering to telepathic disciplines and even recreational mathematics, the Academy was designed to push young Time Lords to their limits.

Theta and Koschei were inseparable for a lot of this time, sharing a love for experimenting with forbidden sciences. They played pranks, like trapping a teacher in a time loop, and often skipped classes to engage in unsanctioned experiments. Koschei excelled at hypnotism and took pleasure in teaching Theta some of his tricks, although their uses of these skills would diverge dramatically in the future.

They were also part of an elite group known as the Deca, which included other future renegades like Ushas (who would become the Rani). The Deca engaged in activities ranging from building 'time flow analogues'—devices to disrupt each other's experiments—to forming a band called the 'Gallifrey Academy Hot Five,' where Theta played the lead perigosto stick and Koschei played the drums.

Amidst all their studies and mischief, the two made a pact to one day explore every star in the universe together. Cue the sad violin music. 🎻

🎓 Graduation

As they approached graduation, the differences in their outlooks became more obvious. Koschei saw himself as destined for greatness, driven by a desire to control and shape the universe. Theta, in contrast, was more of a dreamer, fascinated by the beauty and mystery of the universe rather than its domination. Their friendship began to fracture after an incident where Koschei broke a promise, leading Theta to realise that their paths were too different to remain friends.

According to some accounts, both Theta and Koschei graduated at around 236 years old, as part of 'The Class of the 4th Millennium' or 'the Class of '92'. While Theta supposedly passed his Time Lord qualifying exams with the lowest possible passing grade—51%—other stories suggest he was expelled before he could graduate due to his political views.

🚀 Beyond Graduation

Some accounts suggest Koschei stayed on at the Academy to get another degree, while others say he went into teaching for a while, or maybe something else. Theta, meanwhile, might have worked a few jobs before he took a TARDIS and left, depending on who you ask.

Related:

💬|🧸🏫What are young Gallifreyans/Time Tots taught?: Detailing what the kids of Gallifrey are taught.

💬|🧸🏫How do grade levels work in Gallifreyan schooling?: How the Gallifreyan education system works.

💬|🏡👪What does a traditional family/House dynamic look like?: Houses and their internal structures.

Hope that helped! 😃

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