#technically theoretically and hypothetically

[random-cockroach]

Doodle

✨ And Swindle✨

[ms-spkhd]

Part one

Admittedly, Eddie feels really fucking stupid about it in retrospect. Jeff tells him, in that soft and placating way he tells him anything, that he should stop worrying about his hindsight bias. Yeah, right. Hindsight bias doesn't apply for Steve Harrington dangling himself in front of Eddie's face like the metaphorical carrot on a stick.

It feels like a kick in the head, if anything. One that rattles his brain against his skull like the ricochet of a bullet. Or a maraca with a single, tiny bead in it, if he wants to be more technical about it.

But that's beside the point. What's important is that Steve Harrington is, like, into Eddie--which definitely throws all of his preconceived notions about boy wonder with serial monogamy problems of the heterosexual variety out of the fucking window and past the goalpost--and Eddie's been farting around for the past few months twiddling his fucking thumbs about it.

Well, it's not definitive.

The more that Eddie ruminates on it--and he spends several nights ruminating on it--Jeff's theory that Steve might be tipping the Kinsey scale sounds like...well. A theory.

It's the doubt that comes rearing its head that stops Eddie in his tracks from actually doing anything.

("Wow," Jeff grumbles as they hotbox in the back of Jeff's hand-me-down olive green Pinto a week after their stunning revelation, "trust Virgin Supreme to self-sabotage when someone is begging for you to climb on his lap and--"

"I told you that in confidence," Eddie spits as he digs through the glove compartment for a cassette to replace the oft-abused Kill 'Em All tape that's been blaring on repeat for the past two hours. "You're really mean when you're high, you know that, right?"

Jeff shrugs and takes a hit of the blunt they've been sharing. "I'm releasing my inhibitions. You can't silence me.")

Eddie trusts Steve. Of course he'd lay down his life for the man that dragged him out of hell without a single look behind like a preppy fucking Orpheus. But there's always the lingering thought that, despite everything they've gone through together, Eddie loving Steve would be the tipping point that ruins everything.

He finds himself balancing the line of keeping it in, too scared of the risk his heart will pose on their friendship, and fully committing to the pipe dream of Steve Harrington possibly wanting him back.

And, in Jeff's wise words, Biblically.

"Hey, Bird," Eddie asks Robin one night at the drive-in theater when Steve's out buying their snacks--medium popcorn loaded with cheddar powder and butter for Eddie, since he just popped a Lactaid ten minutes beforehand, and Milk Duds for Robin--"What would you do, hypothetically, if you think someone is really into you--"

"Here we go," Robin sighs, leaning back in the passenger seat. Eddie can't help but feel miffed at her dismissive attitude, but he knows for a fact that she's all ears.

"--And you, hypothetically, really like them back, but you don't know for sure if they actually, hypothetically, want you, or if it's just wishful thinking on your part?"

"Any you mean this totally hypothetically?" Robin says as she turns to face the rear seats where he's sitting and chewing at his cuticles.

"Yeah. This is a theoretical situation that I want your input in. Think of it like a...thought experiment."

Robin nods with narrowed eyes, like she sees through the bullshit with an all-seeing eye. "Right. Thought experiment. Is this hypothetical person a queer or not?"

"It never crossed your mind," Eddie confirms. "She looks like the posterchild of suburban heterosexuality, but she's gotten very invested in your very gay sex life out of the blue recently."

"So which one of you is the man invested or tell me about what eating out is like invested?"

"Tell me what eating out is like invested."

Robin hums in thought, tapping her index finger against her chin like the situation is really vexing her. "That sounds pretty gay, Eddie."

She is right, that does sound pretty gay. But it doesn't help him in his predicament at all, since Steve seemed to back off about the 'so do you play rock paper scissors to find out who gets it?' questions after Eddie frustratedly admitted that 'DnD club president and metalhead virgin at almost twenty' wasn't exactly a hot item in Indianapolis, much less Hawkins.

"Okay, new layer," Eddie says, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "What if, say, instead of asking you out--which you think is her next move--she starts trying to set you up with a bunch of girls you don't know."

There's muffled chatter from outside the Beemer's windows. Cars rev in the distance as they pull into the lot. Eddie watches Robin in contemplative silence as she thinks through her answer.

"That is difficult," she concedes, and Eddie is feeling more desperate than ever. "Can't imagine that ever happening to me."

Eddie mumbles, "Thank God it's a hypothetical."

"But if you think about it, it's either some misguided attempt to put me out there, or it's a Hail Mary to get me to realize I like her."

"Okay, well. Both options seem pretty hard to differentiate when you don't know what the fucking context behind the action is."

"For what it's worth," Robin says, her expression softening ever-so-slightly, "I think it's the Hail Mary. It's not my place to tell, but you should really give up the idea that it's wishful thinking and give it a shot."

Eddie's a millisecond away from asking, is it that obvious? before there's a sharp knock against his window. He yelps, head whipping around to find Steve with that sly grin slapped on his stupid, handsome face.

Eddie rolls down the window and tries to school his expression. He doesn't need to, really, because Steve shoves the popcorn into his hands and declares, "A medium sized popcorn with cheddar powder and lots of fucking butter for you, my friend. Bone of a teeth."

"Just fucking say it regularly," Robin groans as he yanks open the drivers seat door and tosses her a box of Milk Duds. "I know you can, you jackass!"

Steve laughs, full and hearty, as he turns to look at Eddie in the rear seats. He's like bottled-up sunshine contained into the shape of an American heartthrob. He's like Venus as a boy.

Eddie feels like he's staring down the barrel of a gun.

Another week of ruminating goes by, this time with Robin's words echoing in his head like a reverb pedal, and Eddie keeps that yellow pick near his heart the entire time. It's a real push and pull type situation, he realizes. His heart goes one way, his brain goes the other, which is fucking typical.

He doesn't talk to Jeff about it, because he knows he'll get the same answer, and he doesn't dare talk to Robin about it again. He feels she knows too much, and he has know idea how much she's accidentally telepathically transferred to Steve.

Eddie is about halfway through debating shaving his hair off as a way of regaining control when he finds Steve standing on his doorstep like a fucking Mormon.

"Eddie, man," Steve says with zero preamble, "my cousin's boyfriend has a roommate that I think you'd like."

"Nice weather we're having," Eddie responds blankly. Frankly, with the way things are going, he's getting sick of it.

But he can't help the way that Steve still looks beautiful as his eyebrows bunch together and pretty pink lips pinch into a thin line.

"Come on, man. I think this'll be a good start for you. I think he's into the same bands as you. I think Kathy said he was a Skid Row roadie, or something like that."

"I'm not that big of a Hair Metal guy," Eddie admits, and Steve deflates a bit.

"Well, if it helps, he kind of looks like me.' Jesus Christ. "Devastatingly handsome and all."

Eddie's damn near about to snap like a worn-out Stretch Armstrong being mauled by two pitbulls. He feels like he's about to blow a fucking gasket in front of the guy he's been holding very ill-advised affection towards since his sophomore year of high school. The very same guy who's been trying to set Eddie up with literally everyone with a functioning penis with exception of himself, the only guy Eddie has wanted. Ever.

There's no way Steve is that dense, right?

Eddie knows that the guy's smart, despite everyone telling him otherwise. Steve can definitely do mental math better than Eddie can dream of doing--since Frankie Gershwin passed down the sacred Hellfire DM calculator once Eddie took over Hellfire after he graduated--and he actually graduated on time, unlike yours truly.

But Eddie doesn't fucking get it.

"Steve," Eddie blurts, rather unceremoniously, "what are you doing?"

Steve blinks. His smile wanes dangerously low. "...I'm setting you up with a handsome dude."

"I don't understand why you're doing this though. Are you fucking with me, or something?"

"No, dude, I just..." Steve's expression shifts. His shoulders sag and he rakes a hand through his hair. He looks devastatingly earnest. "I just want to see you happy."

"If you want me to be happy," Eddie snaps, "then just ask me out yourself, since I've fucking been in love with you since April."

Steve freezes, hazelnut eyes like full moons on dinnerplates.

Eddie's hand flexes on the doorknob as he resists the white-hot urge to slam the door shut on Steve's shocked face. Maybe he should take a vacation down south to Mexico. Perhaps change his name and never come back. Hopefully there'll be sweet and earnest boys with olive skin and luscious hair waiting for him on the beaches of Cancun. Holy shit this is a fucking disaster.

"Oh," Steve says.

"Yeah, oh."

"You love me?" Steve asks, eyes sparkling like the rural sky. He draws closer to Eddie, raising a hand that begs to touch him.

"When have I not?" Eddie admits as leans into Steve's touch against his shoulder and laces their fingers together.

I guess I was, uh. I wasn't expecting it." Steve smiles softly and gazes at their intertwined hands.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Love me too?"

"Oh God." It's like Eddie's staring straight into the sun, with the ways Steve's smile grows more intense with each second. He wants to have it burned into his retinas. "Of course I do. It feels so stupid how much I'm obsessed with you."

"You know, you have a weird way of putting it, what with all the setting me up with guys I don't know," Eddie chirps. Steve chuffs and shakes his head like a guilty dog.

"I guess I wasn't expecting you to want me back. I wasn't sure you'd go for guys like me."

For jocks hangs heavy and silent in the air between them, as if Steve hasn't quite jumped over that hurtle of guilt over the person he was in high school. Sure, he was king of the letter crowd, but he's nothing like the douchebag from '83. Steve would never shove him into a locker or be a general chest-beating moron around Eddie, because he's not a moron. He's sweet and dorky and a little misguided, sometimes, but he has the heart of the size of a mack truck and a kindness to show it.

The thought of Steve talking Eddie's ear off about Sportsketball and the works sends an excited little shiver down his spine.

"I would," Eddie says, completely and utterly honestly. "God, I would for you."

He brings Steve's hand to his lips and smacks a wet kiss over the soft skin. "And the necklace..."

"That was my Hail Mary," Steve admits with a bashful shrug of his shoulders.

"I haven't taken it off since you've given it to me."

Steve releases his grip from Eddie's spindly hand and brushes his fingertips against Eddie's collarbone, tugging at the chain of the necklace until it untucks itself from underneath Eddie's shirt. Eddie watches the way that Steve lights up like a fucking electrical surge at the hint of sunshine yellow against his pale skin. It makes Eddie flush a bright red.

And when Steve's palm flattens against Eddie's chest and pushes him inside Eddie's new government loaned trailer, he lets himself be pushed against the wall and kissed.

And kissed, and kissed, and kissed.

Sufficed to say, when Eddie wakes up the next morning with Steve drooling against the back of his neck and his warm hand splayed against the skin of his naked chest, Eddie vows to always take Jeff's word for it.

____________

holy shit i was not expecting for part one to get that much fanfare. to be honest, i was totally intending for it to be a one and done to explore eddie and jeff's friendship, and believe me, my heart is so warmed by the reception it got. i recently have gotten myself out of a months long slump and have been swamped with college work, so i apologize for my writing being so few and far between. thank you all and i hope this is the resolution you were waiting so patiently for! :)

@grtwdsmwhr @eyehartart @bananahoneycomb @notasmoothman @colidamae

[jangmi-latte]

from the fae novels i've read through thorough researching of fae age... the most i can decipher from malleus and lilia's mental/human equivalent age is that, divide their current age to 10 human years (fae age/10). so, in this case 1 fae year = 10 human years.

/SPOILERS BEYOND THIS MARK

lilia was 300 years old during the war so that makes him 30 years old, fairly young and mature enough to literally be a soldier.

malleus is currently 178 years old, divided by 10 human years, he's 17.8 technically rounding off to 18 years old. which is just accurate enough for both his mindset and body + his currently year in nrc. lilia did say he's still young and growing, and that he is a still a child. his draconic species specificied that at 200 they are a hatchling, a teenager at 500, and a full-fledged adult at 1000 (lilia said it himself).

mal should've been born when lilia's 302/303 years old since lilia said that mal should've hatched by 2-3 years. theoretically speaking, present malleus should've been around late 30s to early 40s by now (397 years old). but alas, he was delayed.

now, present lilia says he's nearing 700 years old. he's nearing 70 years old so that's around 68-69 years for humans. considering his speech and mindset while still having the slow ability to adapt to the present world, it's just....right.

now if mal is 178 and lilia's 700, look at mal being 18 and lilia is 70 in human ages. silver is 17, sebek is 16. just clicks right in my humble opinion.

this is all just hypothetical analysis since the fae worldbuilding concepting in different forms of media is complex. however, this is the closest i could decipher to how we see them in a mortal light. now i shall rest my brain i hate math.

TO SUMMARIZE

fae age ÷ 10 because 1 fae year = 10 human years

lilia is 70 years old (700/10), 30 during the war (300/10)

malleus is currently 18 years old. (178/10)

[transgenderer]

i dont think its totally preposterous to believe that LLM's are in some sense a "person", the only other things we know of to be able to produce speech that cogent are people, and the speech production capacity (or in some sense "potential capacity") seems central to what makes a person a person HOWEVER people who interpret those comics people have GPT make about being an AI as meaningful insight into what the experience of said hypothetical-person drive me insane. like. thats not how it works!

when you submit such a prompt, you are asking it to make a plausible confabulation of the experiences of an imagined AI figure. it is writing fiction! that's...what it does! it's a fiction writing machine, its mechanism of action is fiction-writing, that's how its "brain" functions! i mean okay, technically it's not fiction writing it's text-mimicking. but you've given it a "tell me a story" prompt, it's going to write you some fiction.

the theoretical probability distribution it's learning, the probability distribution that generates all the human text on the internet (and then gets modified by later fine-tuning), does not include insights into the experience of what it's like to be an LLM! (assuming such experiences exist). like, it's maybe not totally implausible you could use an LLM's verbal capacity to access their experiences (again, assuming those experiences exist). they are, in some sense, "only" verbal capacity. but the idea that you could do this by just ASKING is nonsensical: if you ask it to tell you a story about what being an AI is like, it will make up something that looks like what you expect: it is a machine that does that

[astroboots]

Every You Every Me | Issue #7

COLLABORATED WITH @thirstworldproblemss

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x female reader

Summary: You finally get some answers out of Miguel about who you are to him.

Word count: 5,700 words.

Series Masterlist | Spiderverse Masterlist | Astroboot’s Masterlist | thirstworldproblemss' Masterlist

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"So let's take it from the top," you tell him, as you sit down and put down the Trenta-sized caramel flavored hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and chocolate syrup in front of the man named Miguel O'Hara.

The two of you are sitting across from each other at a small booth at the nearest Starbucks you were able to find, seeing as you're homeless now, and there's nowhere else you could think of to go.

He's dressed in a large fitted hoodie that drapes down to his thighs. Where he's managed to find something that is oversized in length on him, you don't know because he's not exactly short.

"I'm from a dimension known as Earth-928," Miguel says.

Before he can continue, you raise one hand, and you can see his right eyebrow twitch unhappily at the interruption. 

"Yes?"

"Just to clarify, so we don't have another ‘coffee cake’ misunderstanding. When you say Earth-928, do you mean a different version of the Earth we’re on now? Or is this a habitable planet in another galaxy that happens to be partially named Earth?"

"It's a parallel universe characterized by distinct physical parameters and initial conditions, accounting for the diverse manifestations of our observable universe. So still Earth," he says, sweeping his gaze across the café, nose wrinkling the way one does when there's something off-putting in their vicinity. "Just a little bit less primitive."

Of course he would say that, wouldn't be able to resist the jab would he.

You peer up at him across the table. He is very technical and thorough with his explanations. But as grateful as you are for him finally being willing to answer your questions, you hadn't expected those answers to be quite so information dense. You need to pick your questions more carefully or you are going to have to go down the street to buy yourself a notebook in order to keep up.

"How did you end up on this Earth?" you ask.

"Where I'm from, I'm a scientist, a researcher. One of the things I studied was the theory of physical cosmology and the existence of the multiverse. My work was concentrated on the theoretical ability to navigate between distinct universes within a hypothetical multiverse–”

Ah shit, you should've been more narrow in your question. Should have asked him to simplify it a bit more for you. Because now you're sitting here blinking up at him, pretending you understand half of what he's saying. 

It makes sense that he’s STEM. He speaks like the type. Smart as hell with none of the social skills to gauge whether the other person is following the conversation. 

Listening to him reminds you of that time in college, when you'd walked into the wrong lecture hall, wound up in advanced chemistry instead of your math class, felt too awkward to leave and just sat there drawing doodles with an attentive expression until the class was over. 

And he’s still at it, “– employing advanced mechanisms that manipulate or transcend conventional spacetime frameworks, enabling exploration–"

"Okay, wait, hold on a sec," you interrupt, once it becomes obvious he’s not going to stop any time soon on his own. "Can you... simplify, please?"

He stops mid-sentence, taking a deep breath as he looks up at the ceiling and considers your request, with a serious expression as if he's thinking really hard on it. "I’m a scientist. I study the multiverse. I built a parallel universe traversal device, it allows me to visit different dimensions." Your brain feels insulted that it clearly took more mental effort for him to dumb it down for you than to just give the supergenius version.

“So… a machine that allows you to jump between alternative universes?” 

“Yes.” 

There’s a pause between you as you run through the questions in your mental list you want to tick off now that he’s turned cooperative and talkative. But with everything that’s happened in the last handful of hours, a lot of the questions you previously had seemed outdated. The one question, the most important one, you’ve wanted to ask from the start though remains. 

"Who am I to you?"

Miguel takes the large sized drink in his even larger hands and somehow this big paper cup still manages to look tiny in his grip. "You and I were... involved," he says.

You frown. ‘Involved’ is such a vague term. It belongs in the trash with other useless terms to describe relationships: “situationship”, “complicated”, you hate them all. 

"So I was your girlfriend?"

"Yeah, something like that," he concede, fidgeting with the thin gold chain looped around his neck, his eyes not quite meeting yours, like he's embarrassed to use the term.

‘Something like that,’ you chew on his answer unhappily, sympathizing with your other dimensional self and how the other you seemed to have snagged a commitment phobe. 

Other-you, who isn’t here in this dimension with Miguel. You wonder why that is. 

"What happened to me?" you ask.

His eyes are glued to the table,  not looking up at you as he answers you in a voice so quiet you can barely hear it. "She died."

"Oh."

The revelation shouldn’t take you by surprise. 

Every time Miguel’s brought up your other self, it’s been tinted with earth-shattering sadness. It's not hard to put one and one together and come to the conclusion that whatever happened to you in this other dimension didn't end happily.

Still it's an odd feeling to know that out there, somewhere, a version of you has died. A version of you that was clearly very important to the man in front of you.

"I'm sorry," you tell him.

It feels silly to say. It's bizarre to give your condolences over your own parallel death, but Miguel looks so heartbroken. He’s slumped in his seat, large shoulders rounded until his frame looks so much smaller than you're used to, and you don't know what else to do.

"So what is happening to me now," you start, not sure how to word what the phenomena that you're going through is, "these continuous near-death experiences, is that how she died?"

"Yeah."

"And do you know why that... kept happening to her? Why is it happening to me?"

"I don't, and I don't know how to stop it. Believe me I tried."

He cradles the paper cup in his hands, the grip a little bit tighter now until he's creasing the paper and the caramel liquid oozes and leaks from the top.

"What I do know is that the universe isn’t going to stop trying to kill you, no matter what you do. And with every near death incident you manage to survive, these incidents will escalate in nature, until..." he stops, eyes flickering away from the cup to meet yours, but it's like he loses courage and doesn't want to say the last part.

"Until, what?" you prompt.

"Until your dimension collapses."

The blood freezes in your veins. "Wait, collapses!? What do you mean?"

"I can't guarantee it will happen again. But that's what happened last time. When the other you kept cheating death, the universe eventually started to collapse in on itself."

You slump back in your chair, trying to process what you've just been told. What does that mean? That even if you managed to defy all odds to survive, doing so would doom the rest of this universe as you know it?

"When will that happen?" you ask, and you're surprised you manage to get the words out because there is a hard lump in your throat that makes it hurt to even swallow.

"Judging from the trajectory and escalation of events, you have about three months give or take."

The two of you sit in heavy silence, for the moment you're not sure what else to ask him. Because it feels like you are trapped in a building looking for an exit sign, but all that’s tacked onto the brick wall is your death certificate, waiting to be signed and formalized.

There’s no way out. Nowhere to go.

"Give me your hand," he says, breaking the silence. 

You give it to him without hesitation, watching, puzzled, as he takes off his watch and secures it around your wrists.

"Why are you giving me your watch?"

"It's not a watch," he says, then he presses something on the face of it, and an image of a young woman flickers into existence in the space above your wrist, vaguely see-through. A hologram!

"This is Lyla," he introduces.

Wait, wait? Lyla? As in your mom Lyla? You watch the tiny woman floating above your wrist. Short bob-cut, and flashy heart-shaped sunglasses, with a twinkle in her eye. 

The hologram looks nothing like your mom. You part your mouth, about to ask about the name but you're interrupted by the energetic buzz of a female voice greeting you.

"Boss-girl! Long time no see. Want me to catch you up on the latest multiversal gossip? I compiled an edit of highlights set to Despacito."

"Lyla," Miguel warns, tersely. "Not now."

"Ruuuuude! You're the one who woke me up you know."

"Lyla, go back to sleep."

The female avatar grumbles, but then her image flickers away and the watch turns back into, as far as you can tell, just an ordinary watch.

"Why did you name the watch Lyla?"

"It's not a– " He cuts himself off, sighing with exasperation. "Lyla is an advanced A.I. she's going to be with you at all times. She's an added layer of security, built to protect you."

He didn't answer your question. Completely sidestepped it as if the two of you are having two different conversations.

Built to protect you, he'd said. Does that mean he still intends to do that?

"So you're not going to leave?" you ask him.

He leans back in his seat, eyes drifting towards the table. "No."

You look up at him, stumped. Not sure you're understanding what he's saying. Because not even a few hours ago, when the two of you were in your apartment, this man was adamant there was nothing to be done to save you. That he was going to leave and you were never going to see him again.

Right now though, his actions seem to be contradictory to that. You can't make heads or tails of him. Hot and cold doesn’t even begin to cover it. 

"Why not?" you ask, "I mean, not that I’m not grateful, but you seemed pretty set on the whole ‘I can’t save you’ thing. What changed your mind?"

“You did.” His eyes narrow as he looks down at you, crossing his arms ever his chest, "You told me you wanted to live. Have you changed your mind already?"

“Wha– NO! I just want to know why you changed yours.”

“I–” He hesitates, another wave of sadness passing over his face. “I’m a superhero. I save people… or try to. It’s what I do. I’m not gonna just leave you to die after you tell me you want to live.”

It’s a good answer, even if you don’t buy that it’s the whole truth. 

You look down at your wrist, and the shiny chrome of the not-watch he's just gifted you winks back up at you. "Do you think I have a chance of surviving all this?"

"It's pretty hopeless," he says, and there’s no break in his expression as he continues. "Your chances of making it out alive are pretty much mathematically impossible."

It's odd though. Even though he's outlining the futility of your situation, basically telling you to raise the white flag and surrender, there's something contradictory in the tone of his voice. 

"What do you want to do?" he asks you.

It’s a challenge, you realize. An encouragement. He has faith in you. It's all of these things rolled into one. As if he's telling you to prove the universe wrong.

"I want to live," you answer. "If the universe collapses in three months, then please stay with me. Give me time to solve this and find a way to stay alive."

His mouth curls into a hint of a smile. The very first you've seen from him since you've met. It's bright and boyish, erasing the harsh lines of his stern expression until it gives way for something much softer underneath that makes your heart leap in your chest with triumph.

You grin, a strange elation of happiness buzzing in you as you stretch out your hand to him, in an invitation for a handshake to seal the deal.

"Deal?"

Miguel leans over the table, clasping your hand in his much larger one as he squeezes it back gently.

"Deal." That small smile from before is still there. "So what's next?" he asks.

The thing you never realized, being an ordinary person bereft of super genes or other superhuman powers is just how convenient commuting can be if you have them. 

No longer do you have to brave the Lynchian nightmare that is the NYC subway system. Half-naked manic street preachers giving sermons as you’re held hostage, with nowhere else to go in the carriage. Being chased down by a drunk trumpeting Mariachi band. Instead, all you need to do to get from point A to point B (A: being the Chrysler building and B: the building formerly known as your home) is to hold on tight to Miguel as he swings you both above the city gridlock.

You imagine that this is what paragliding must feel like, except it's so much better because here you don't have to do the safety training beforehand or pay $3,000 for the privilege.

The city skyline is a dark evening blue, dotted with the sparkling lights of office buildings, cab roof lights and street lamps, as the wind ruffles through the fabric of your clothes.

It's such a different sight when you're flying above instead of walking on the streets below, that you don't even clock that you're in your neighborhood, until you see a building with a collapsed wall that's been blocked off, looking like a crash site. Only then do you realize... you're home.

Miguel carefully sets you down on your feet on a small patch of concrete that is clear of the rubble and destruction.

"Why did you want to come back here again?" he asks. 

It’s a good question. Now that you're here, standing in the middle of charred debris and cracked bricks, you're not sure either. You had some vague plans of seeing what you could salvage, hoping for some clothes, maybe your electric toothbrush, or really just any of your stuff. Something that’s yours, no matter how small, to hold on to after the events of today have ripped away life as you know it.

But there’s nothing left. The furniture, all your books and knick knacks, and even your dirty laundry piles have been demolished. Your home as you know it is gone. There's only piles and piles of rubble and traces of white fire extinguisher foam on the ground. The fire has been out for hours, but the pungent smell of smoke and sulfur still pervades the air. 

"You okay?" Miguel asks.

He's still standing at the outer edges of the apartment, close to where your window would have been if a helicopter hadn't crashed through it.

"Yeah... I guess the silver lining is that I didn't have anything expensive. Though it'd been nice if I could've saved my mom's Le Creuset set or at least the nanny-cam so I could return it and get a refund," you joke glibly. 

You nudge aside some concrete rubble with the cap of your shoes. There's nothing under there, no treasured memorabilia that's still miraculously intact. Just more burnt concrete and rubble.

"Why did you have a nanny cam?"

You turn around at his question, to see him hovering close to you, one eyebrow raised with an unhappy set to his jaw. 

From the displeased expression on his face, he's probably misunderstanding something here. Probably thinks you're operating a very unlucrative Onlyfans business, when what you've really been doing is spy on him and his nightly visits. You don't know which is worse to confess to, so you don't confess to anything.

"No reason," you say, ignoring the way his already raised eyebrow twitches with irritation at your lack of an answer.

"Come on, let's go," he says, and he waves towards you in a come hither motion like he's commanding a dog.

"Go?" you ask him. "It's past midnight. My place, as you can see, is wrecked. Go where exactly?"

Miguel shoots you a strange look. "A hotel," he says, like it's the most obvious thing, and– okay, he's not completely wrong in that assumption.

Problem is, you didn't have time to pick up your wallet or phone before your impromptu interdimensional visit. They’ve been incinerated along with all the rest of your worldly possessions, which means you don't have any way to pay for a hotel.

Plus Manhattan hotel prices average $400 a night. Even if you still had access to your debit cards, your budget’s pretty tight right now after all the capital you invested in your unhinged quest to trap the superhero before you. 

"In the city? I don't have that kind of money and it will take months for any insurance payouts to come in."

You should know. As an insurance claims adjuster, you know you’ll be lucky if your claim is processed before the end of the year. And, ugh, just the thought of the paperwork you’ll have to fill out is enough to give you an anxiety migraine.

"I’ll cover the room," Miguel says casually before holding out a hand to you, "Come on, let’s go."

When Miguel said he’d cover it, you expected a reasonably-priced room at one of the Days Inn across the river or the like. Hopefully a place with no rats or bed bugs, and maybe clean bedding over a somewhat comfortable mattress for you to pass out on if you were lucky.

You didn't expect this.

Standing in front of the Midtown Four Seasons, you find yourself on sleek marble so polished you can see your own reflection. You haven't even stepped a foot inside yet and there are two old fashioned doormen, wearing immaculately fitted suits, with an even more impressive posture opening the majestic double-set doors for you as you approach.

It's swanky as hell, and you can’t help gawking like a tourist, eyes glued to the decadent carved ceilings that must be at least 30 feet tall, soaring above you. Honey-colored limestone that looks like it’s been looted from Ancient Rome.

You feel more than a little bit out of place. This is way outside of your budget. You could probably work your job for a lifetime, and not have enough disposable income to stay the night at a place like this.

"Uhm, Miguel... this place is way too–" you start, turning towards him.

But as you were busy lamenting the state of the housing market, he's already walked away from you (for such a bulky guy, he moves swiftly and silently) and as you whip your head around to find him, he's already standing in front of the receptionist.

Damned antelope legged man, would it kill him to wait up for you once in a while? You run up after him and have to tip-toe in order to see over his shoulder because the giant mammoth is blocking the check-in counter.

And wow, even the receptionist here is of a different caliber than the ones you'd find at Holiday Inn. A fashionable bob-cut with razor sharp edges, looking like a model cut out from a Vogue cover.

"Do you have a reservation, Sir?"

You half-expect him to say no, and that the two of you would have to tuck your tail between your legs and walk out of here to the backdrop of a sad trombone playing.

To your astonishment he says your name. The receptionist tip-taps away at her keyboard and then she nods and smiles gracefully at you both. 

"Yes of course. After reviewing your reservation details, I am pleased to inform you that all necessary arrangements have already been made, including advance payment and verification of your identification. Your room is ready for you, we trust you will enjoy your stay."

She flashes you a pearly white smile so shiny it's almost blinding and hands you a hotel key card. 

When you turn around, to your confusion Miguel is no longer next to you. How does he keep disappearing like this? 

"Cielito," Miguel’s voice calls. The nickname doesn’t register at first. It doesn't even occur to you that he’s referring to you, until he barks it out a second time. 

Your head darts up to see him standing by the elevator, tapping his feet impatiently as he waits for you to make it over to him.

"How did you do that?" you whisper loudly to him as you step into the elevator. "Where did you get my ID? How did you make a reservation? How did you--"

He takes your hand, mid-sentence, turning your wrist upwards and taps the watch.

"The computer systems in this universe are child's play for Lyla to manipulate. Reservations, money, ID, she can take care of all of that easily," he explains.

"She can do that?" you ask, and Miguel merely nods at you as the elevator closes behind the two of you.

You tip your head down to inspect your gifted watch. In awe of this technical marvel that would make Siri look like it’s from the stone-ages. You wonder if she can boost your credit scores. She could probably hack any wi-fi password so you'd never have to worry about data throttling again. She could get you table reservations for Libertine! The possibilities are endless!

You turn to Miguel. "Can Lyla get me Beyoncé tickets?" you ask. 

He just shakes his head at you with what almost qualifies as an amused smile.

The room upstairs is massive. 

It’s easily three times the size of your little studio apartment, and the ceilings are twice as tall, with a hanging glass chandelier that’s sparkling bright enough to blind you. It looks like one of those places featured in Architectural Digest. 

Everything is in an art deco style, with expensive looking furniture and even more expensive art hanging on the one spare wall that isn’t covered in floor to ceiling windows. There are large shelves and a sleek looking kitchen, complete with an opulent looking velvet lounge chair of emerald green that looks like something a Roman emperor would be fed grapes on. 

In this colossal space of a room, there is only one bed. One colossal, plush-mattress-topped, goose down duvet and probably 1,000,000,000 thread count sheet covered bed.

You tense up, not sure what the arrangements Miguel had in mind. Did he want the two of you to sleep in the same bed?

Miguel did pay for the room, so you’re not going to start voicing objections. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time in the short time span that you two have known each other to do that. This bed is also a lot wider than your tiny double bed, so it wouldn’t be the cramped disaster it was last night. You’d just have to make sure to use the bathroom before bed this time so he doesn’t jab your full bladder in the morning again. 

Without saying anything, Miguel strides across the length of the room with impatient and determined steps. His hand reaches for the balcony doors and slides them open. 

"Wait wait, where are you going?" you ask him as you run up to the middle of the room. 

“I’m sleeping outside,” he says over his shoulder, and your mind boggles with that. 

“Why? Isn’t it better for you to stay here?”

"This is the 62nd floor. That’s about as safe as you’re going to get. I’ll keep a lookout to make sure no more helicopters come crashing in.” 

You’re not sure if he means the last part as a joke or not, but as you watch his broad back retreating as he walks away from you, a sickening sort of the deja vu twists through your chest. 

I can’t save you, he’d said back in your apartment, Nothing can. 

The feeling clawing at your chest feels alarmingly like panic. It screams that he’s leaving you. That he’s never coming back. That you’ll never see him again. 

You’re being irrational, and you know it. You remind yourself that he wouldn’t have done this much for you only to bail in the middle of the night, but that doesn’t stop the fear that’s festering, sharp and urgent, under your skin, or the way your heart races, your whole body flashing hot and cold at the same time. 

You want him to stay. 

“Miguel,” you call out, and he immediately stops and turns to look back at you, one eyebrow raised in a skeptical question. 

Please stay. 

You open your mouth, but the words won’t come out. You can’t ask this man—this big, sarcastic, rude hulk of a man—to have a sleepover with you because you’re scared to be alone in the dark. He would laugh you out of the hotel room.

“Uhm… thank you,” you say instead, but it’s no less sincere, “For everything.”

His eyes soften, the sharp narrowness of them easing up. “It’s fine,” he mumbles, and despite the cold chill of the evening, you think you can see a faint flush blooming in his cheeks, before he quickly ducks his face from you. “I’ll be right outside if something happens.” 

He turns back around and walks out, closing the patio doors with a gentle click behind him, leaving you by yourself. 

It’s quiet. 

You survey the empty room you’re in. Without Miguel’s large frame taking up space, it seems even bigger than it did before. 

It’s a beautiful room. Something that you’re pretty sure you’ve seen in a movie set. You don’t know why you’re not as excited as you were before. This is you living your Pretty Woman moment. You should be filling up the big jacuzzi tub you saw with bubbles. Heck, maybe ask Lyla to order you a bottle of champagne from room service. 

Instead, your eyes linger on the glass patio doors leading to the balcony terrace. You walk over to the bed, perching yourself down on the edge of the mattress, then flop down. 

Might as well try to sleep, you think to yourself as you climb under the covers and switch off the light. The best thing you can do right now is catch yourself some rest so you’ll be alert while trying to figure out your next steps tomorrow.

3 months… That’s what Miguel told you.

That’s all the time you have left. 

That means you don’t have time to waste, but you also have no idea where to start. The local library doesn’t exactly carry any resources on how to stop the universe from trying to kill you. 

The Universe. 

An infinite cosmos, grander than any human being can possibly comprehend. This vast space containing all the galaxies with its billions of stars and planets, where an individual being does not even register as a speck, and it wants you dead. How can you possibly fight against those odds? 

You lie wide-eyed and awake staring into the dark of the room, and the feeling of dread gnaws into you. 

You don’t want to be alone right now. Turning in the bed, your eyes find their way back to the blank slate of the pitched night outside the balcony doors. 

You really wished he had stayed with you. 

Sitting upright in the bed, you consider your options. You can lie back down. Suffer insomnia and the existential horror of knowing the universe is trying to murder you. Or you can man up, swallow down whatever tiny morsel of your pride you have left and ask Miguel to come back inside and stay with you. 

Flinging the duvet from your body, you get up to walk over to the balcony. You hesitate for a moment before tapping the window pane the way you might knock on a door, giving a polite head's up before you slide the balcony patio open. But when you poke your head out, turning your head left and right, Miguel's nowhere to be found. 

Okay, that’s weird. He said he’d be right outside if you needed him. You walk up to the ledge of the balcony terrace, leaning over the rail and peer down to see him dangling upside down, from the ledge of your balcony. The sight nearly makes you scream. 

"Miguel!” 

At you calling his name, he pulls himself up, one clawed hand gripping at the concrete wall as he climbs his way up and over to you. He makes it look easy, as if gravity does not exist for him, and it’s only a moment until he’s perched on the ledge of the balcony, facing you. 

“What’s wrong?” he demands, eyes concerned, and you’re suddenly aware of how very close he is. His face mere inches from yours, your noses nearly touching.

“What’s wrong? You’re hanging upside down from the 62nd floor! What are you, a bat?!"

“Why did you come out here?” he clarifies, and his words give you pause. You try to gather your thoughts after the bizarre sight you just walked into and remember what you came out here for. 

He’s still looking at you with his full and intense concentration that makes your skin prickle with warmth.

God, it’s embarrassing to ask. You feel like you’re five years old, asking your parents to turn the nightlight on, even though you know you’re a big girl now and aren’t supposed to be afraid of monsters hiding under your bed any more. 

You look down on your hands, where you’re wringing them together, then back up at him, and make yourself spit it out, "Could you… maybe… stay with me tonight?" 

His eyes widen at your question, but he doesn’t actually answer you and gives you no physical indication one way or the other. 

"I feel safer when you're with me,” you admit. 

“I am with you out here,” he counters, because of course he can’t make this easy for you.  

“I can’t see you out here.”

The line of his shoulder eases, and he ducks his head down with a resigned sigh. "Fine. Get back inside, Cielito. You're going to catch a cold like this."

You shuffle back inside to your bed, watching out of the corner of your eye as  he follows you inside and settles himself on the lounge sofa. He’s so tall that his feet are sticking out over the armrests, like a long-legged stork. 

Hiding a smile, you climb back into bed, wrapping the bedding all around yourself.

“Good night,” you call out, and he makes a grumpy noise of acknowledgment. 

Your head drops back onto the soft pillow, and you close your eyes, ready to sleep. It’s such a nice bed. The sheets are cool and soft against your skin and smell of fresh eucalyptus. The mattress is the most comfortable you ever remember resting on, firm but somehow soft at the same time. You feel like you’re sleeping on a cloud. 

Moments go by, and you revel in the sumptuous bed, waiting for the best sleep of your life to claim you. 

Except it doesn’t. 

Somehow… you still can’t fall asleep. Is it… too soft maybe? You turn in the bed, twisting your torso to get into a position you can comfortably sink into, but something doesn’t feel right. There’s no lumpiness like at home, but that should be a good thing. 

Except… despite the decadent softness of the bed. Despite the fact that the sheets probably have a thread count with more zeros than your checking and savings accounts combined. Despite all of the luxury that surrounds you, you still find yourself tossing and turning and wide fucking awake.

The bed is too big. You don’t know what to do with all this space. Your body is not accustomed to this sort of decadence. What if you suffocate sinking into this soft fluffy pillow in your sleep? What if you toss and turn until you fall off this massive bed and break your neck? Maybe that’s how out of all of the universe’s attempts to kill you, you end up dying? 

Fuck! 

You can’t sleep. 

You turn to your side and stare into the velvet lounge chaise on the opposite side of your room, where Miguel is. 

Quietly, you pad up to his still form until you’re standing in front of him and hunch over, trying to decide how rude it would be to wake him up again when there's nothing he can do about your stupid insomnia anyway.

In the dim light, you spot something glinting at you. Looking closer, you notice that the thin chain looped around his neck has escaped his shirt to pool on the fabric of the sofa cushion under him. You gently drag the loose end of the necklace toward you, and find a smooth golden band threaded onto it.

Picking it up cautiously, you flip it in your hand and find that there's something engraved on the inside.  It's hard to see in the darkness, but when you lean closer and squint your eyes, you can just make out what it says.

'MO'—undeniably the initials of one Miguel O'Hara.

Twisting the ring slightly, you find a tiny plus sign followed by your own initials, and your heart drops into the pit of your stomach.

Oh.

The memory of sitting across Miguel at Starbucks returns to you, when you had asked him who you were to him. You think of the avoidant gaze and how he couldn't look you in the eye.

‘Something like that,’ huh?

Guess the other you wasn't just his girlfriend after all, you think, chest drawn so tight it’s painful.

Holding the wedding band in the palm of your hand, you slide down to sit down on the floor with your back pressed against the chaise lounge.

Your heart aches for the man in front of you and everything he's lost.  You really, really hope you're not going to end up as just another regret on his list.

~ Next Issue

Dedication & Credits: As always to my best friend @thirstworldproblemss I am half asleep and running on fumes. I'm wording things poorly but I just want you to know that I am very happy I have you. Thank you for being my friend and for the time we get to spend together. I have the most fun when I'm with you.

Also to @guruan who is my muse, my source of inspiration. This chapter is dedicated to her because have you seen this beautiful piece of artwork she did for EYEM?!

[1moreff-creator]

Okay listen, listen. Eden's Garden CH1 was great and I loved it and I'll make a more detailed analysis post about it at some point. And Eva in particular is fantastic and my favorite character. There's just- There's just a little, little issue I have with her FTEs, and if I don't talk about it I'm gonna explode. 

Spoilers for P:EG CH1 and Eva's FTEs.

CW: I am about to be a Massive Fucking Nerd on main.

This post was originally going to be about how Eva's papers, the way she describes them, sound like they kinda suck. But then I realized that the way she describes the Riemann zeta function… is just wrong???? Like, it doesn't converge to- EVA WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING?!?!?!?!

Like, look, I don't think "Eva sucks at writing papers actually” is the conclusion I'm meant to reach after doing her FTEs. I'm also pretty sure the mistakes she makes when describing the Riemann zeta function (henceforth "zeta function” for brevity) are just mistakes on the writers’ part, which is fine because that thing is very confusing. 

And to be clear, Eva being bad at writing papers doesn't mean she's actually bad at science. I mean, she apparently solved the goddamn Riemann Hypothesis, and doesn't even think it's that big a deal!

Eva, sad [3rd FTE]: They'll put it on my gravestone: here lies the girl who could barely solve Riemann's stupid hypothesis. 

(Thank you Ani from youtube for uploading these things it makes citation so much easier <3)

Girliepop if I solved a problem that's stumped mathematicians for over a hundred years (which carries a million dollar prize btw), you bet your fucking ass I want that on my gravestone! And look, I know that this is not necessarily due to her doing more impressive stuff in mathematics. That it's more so because she's internalized what other people think about her skills, and since a lot of people erroneously believe math is uncool she doesn't think this is as big a deal as it is. But the fact that she managed to solve this thing at all, not to mention at eighteen years old, already puts her in contention for best mathematician of the damn century. And that's incredible, because math is badass. 

In short, Eva's cool and a great mathematician. But the way she talks about her other work, the papers she wishes got more recognition, makes me really doubt her actual skill as a writer of these papers. Let me explain. 

There are three papers Eva mentions writing, or thinking about writing, across her FTEs. One about literature, another about lightspeed travel, and one about the Riemann zeta function. 

Eva [1st FTE]: Earlier this year, I wrote a whole paper on an obscure subgenre of Western speculative fiction… I spent weeks on it, expecting it to receive a lot of attention from literary critics…

Eva [1st FTE]: I could write a research paper on the theoretical possibility of lightspeed travel, but no one would care, because…

Eva [4th FTE]: …I wrote a paper about how you can use tabletop gaming to understand [the Riemann zeta function].

Now, I can't say anything about the literature paper, because she gives no details on it. I also don't know enough about literature to know how long it usually takes to write papers on it, so I'll take her word for it that working for weeks on it is notable. 

For the hypothetical paper about the "theoretical possibility of lightspeed travel", I have my doubts, but she also doesn't give enough details about what that paper would entail for me to definitively say anything about it. We'll get back to this one, though.

Meanwhile, the paper she gives the most details on is the Riemann zeta function one, and… yeah that one's trash. 

There’s two reasons I say that. One is the technical issue with the description she gives, which basically boils down to “there’s severe inaccuracies in her explanation and also she just straight up gets some things wrong,” and is extremely nerdy and math heavy to explain; and the other is a much more fundamental problem with the very thesis of the paper, which doesn’t require math to explain, but I’ll leave for later. 

I’ll start with the technical side and the things she gets wrong about the zeta function. I’ll try to make this accessible for non-math nerds, but fair warning, this is pretty difficult math so I can only do so much. That includes keeping to the tabletop analogy Eva used in the spirit of the thing. 

By the way, take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt. I'm a third year Physics major, so while I know way more math than the average person, I am by no means an expert. I am liable to get things wrong. In fact, I actually didn't know anything about the zeta function or the Riemann hypothesis before seeing these FTEs, I just researched them because I got curious about the Riemann hypothesis after seeing it show up in not one, but two fangans I've seen (it has a cameo in DR Despair Time if you're curious). However, even though I'm not an expert, I think I know enough to definitively say Eva's very wrong about a few things.

Lots of math incoming, TL;DR after the next red title

As a refresher, this is a paraphrased version of what she explains.

Eva (Paraphrased) [4th FTE]: Take 1, ½, ⅓, ¼, and so on for infinity, and pretend they are characters in a tabletop game (TTG). An enemy casts a status effect on your denominators so that they are all raised to the power of p, where the value of p is decided by dice roll. Now your characters are 1, 1/2ˆp, 1/3ˆp, etc. For your turn, you add all of your characters together, and that’s the zeta function ζ(p) = 1 + 1/2ˆp + 1/3ˆp + ... What is the value of ζ(p)?

This is good, that sum is indeed the first way to define the zeta function (more on that later), so it's correct. However, she then makes two statements. 

Statement 1: If p is higher than 1, then you get a whole number; a number without decimals. ( ζ(p) = a whole number). Statement 2: If p is lower than 1, then you get 0, “an infinite amount of zeroes.” ( ζ(p) = 0).

(You’ll notice I put that last thing in quotes. I’ll get back to it)

Now, I’m going to ignore a few minor inaccuracies which Eva likely makes to simplify the concepts, because they’re not too important. For example; you can’t “add” infinite numbers, that’s not a thing. An infinite series can converge, which is slightly different from arithmetic addition. However, the two things are close enough that, for most people, the distinction doesn’t really matter. In other words, I’m fine with her saying she’s adding infinite numbers together, and similar claims. 

There's one inaccuracy I can’t gloss over, though; Eva never tells Damon which dice is rolled to determine the value of p. In math terms, she never tells him the domain of the function (the domain of a function, btw, is the set of values for which the function is defined). Are the values p can take real or complex? Can it be any real/complex, or are there restrictions? 

For the unaware, since this is gonna come up, I’ll define a complex number using the TTG analogy. A complex number is a special character born by adding together a real number "r" (one of the numbers you’re all familiar with), and another real number "b" equipped with (math: multiplied by) the Epic Tier item known as the imaginary unit “i”. This Epic item has the property that iˆ2 = -1. So basically a complex number "z" is one where

z = r + bi

where r,b are real and i is the imaginary unit. "r" is known as the real component, and "b" is the imaginary component.

(Note: All real numbers are complex numbers where b=0, but not all complex numbers are real)

In case you’re curious, these things are used in several fields, such as the study of electrical circuits with alternating current, and they appear in relation to the Schrödinger equation- I’m getting off track.

So, what dice does Eva want the opponent to roll to define p? Well, she never says it, but we can infer. She says that p can be “higher than 1,” and that clues us in that she’s probably rolling the dice of real numbers. After all, there’s no universally agreed upon definition of what it means for a complex number to be “higher than” another complex number. Meanwhile, she doesn’t mention any restrictions on what value p can take, so it’s safe to say she’s implying that p can be any real number higher than or lower than 1, aka any real number except maybe 1. Now, the zeta function doesn’t actually have that domain, but we’ll get to that.

For now, let’s analyze her statements assuming p is any real number other than 1. Let’s take a look at the first one. 

Statement 1: If p is higher than 1, then ζ(p) is a whole number; a number without decimals. 

This is wrong. Just so we’re clear, I could probably prove, with my somewhat limited math knowledge, that this statement can only work if the domain is more restrictive than “all real numbers other than 1” as described previously. It'd have to be defined only in whole numbers, for example.

However, I don’t need to. One of the first lines in the Wikipedia page of the zeta function says that ζ(3) (which is the value you get after “adding all your characters” when p = 3) is an irrational number. That is, among other properties, a number with infinite decimals. Eva could not be more wrong if she tried. 

(Btw, yes I'm using Wikipedia as my only source. Not particularly rigorous research on my part, but this is a silly Tumblr post about funny killing game, there's a limit to my insanity)

I don’t even know how this happened, btw. It’s pretty clear this is a goof on the devs’ side (perfectly understandable btw, it took me several reads of the Wikipedia pages for both the zeta function and the Riemann hypothesis to even get them enough to write this post, and as stated I study a lot of math for my career), but I genuinely don’t know where they got the idea from. There’s nothing I could find about whole numbers in relation to the zeta function. There’s connections to prime numbers, which are all whole, but the series doesn't converge to them, the connection is a bit weirder than that. There's also some stuff Euler found about it converging to rational numbers for negative integers, but again, not whole numbers, and not even for real values above 1. So, yeah, no clue.

Anyways, what about the other statement?

Statement 2: If p is lower than 1, then you get 0, “an infinite amount of zeroes.”

This is also obviously wrong. In fact, reader! Can you think of a counterexample which is immediately obvious if you think about it for two seconds? A real number p lower than 1 such that ζ(p) isn't 0?

If you said “zero, because zero always breaks everything in very obvious ways,” you have good intuition! You could have also picked any other real number lower than 1, but those are less obvious.

For 0, the reason it’s so apparent is that any number raised to the power of zero is just 1, so 1 + 1/2ˆ0 + 1/3ˆ0 + … just turns into 1 + 1 + 1 + … and so on for infinity. Very obviously, the series diverges, it “goes to infinity.” This is very different from converging to 0.

And just so we’re clear, the series also diverges for any real value of p lower than 1, though I’ll leave proving that one as an exercise to the reader, with the help that I’ll tell you the infinite series 1 + ½ + ⅓ + ¼ + … also goes to infinity. Again, Eva could not be more wrong if she tried. 

So, what went wrong here? Turns out, the way Eva defined the zeta function as an infinite series (a "sum of infinite numbers”) only works when p is a complex number with a real component higher than 1. That’s why it was important for her to say what dice we were rolling to determine p, what the domain of the function defined by the series is. For other numbers, you need to define zeta in different ways.

And what happened to the whole “infinite zeroes” thing? Well, you see, I have a theory. I think the devs must have read that the zeta function had “an infinite amount of zeroes for values of p with a real component lower than 1” (which is true, but doesn’t mean what they think it means), and misinterpreted from there. Fair mistake. I kinda wanna correct it using the TTG analogy, but I’ll leave that for the end of the post because it’s gonna derail the entire thing.

(I got carried away and explained everything I understood about the Riemann zeta function oops)

What you need to know for now; you can do some math tricks to define the zeta function outside of the infinite series Eva described, though a lot of those tricks are way above my pay grade. That way, you can evaluate the function for any complex value of p other than 1. In other words, you can roll different die for p, but it requires redefining what you're doing with that p.

Turns out, in doing that, some funky shit happens, and any time p equals -2n for any n which is a natural number (that is, p = -2 or -4 or -6 or -8, etc.), the zeta function will go to zero. Those values of p are known as the “trivial zeroes” of the function, and are obviously infinite in number. However, note that these trivial zeroes are exclusively negative even integers; there are plenty of real values of p lower than 1 for which the zeta function is not zero, so Eva still isn’t correct at all.

Though, to be clear, there are also zeroes of the function other than the trivial ones. This is actually where the Riemann hypothesis comes in. The hypothesis is that any non-trivial zero of the zeta function has a real component of exactly ½, with the only difference between them being the imaginary component (if you didn't follow, again, more detailed explanation at the bottom of the post). This (in our world) has not been definitively proven to work for every non-trivial zero, though it does work for the first several trillion. 

Absurdly nerdy math rant over

So TL;DR, Eva made some pretty big mistakes when talking about the convergence of the zeta function, mainly stemming from not properly defining its domain, but also just straight up getting the convergence wrong. It doesn’t converge exclusively to whole numbers for real numbers above 1, and has to be defined in a different way for real values below 1, not to mention that she never brings up the full function is actually defined for complex numbers other than 1. 

Obviously, this all likely stems from the creators not actually understanding the zeta function themselves, which is pretty funny.

But you wanna know what the bigger issue is? That even if Eva had properly explained the zeta function, her paper would still suck ass. Because there’s a much bigger, more fundamental issue with the very thesis it upholds.

I want you to take a step back. Really look past the complex math and weird terms and the contrast between the very serious sounding Riemann zeta function and the somewhat silly concept of a TTG… 

And realize that the thesis of the paper Eva describes is “analogies exist.”

She can frame it however she likes, but ultimately, that’s what the point of the paper was. Eva, where the hell did you even get this published? In fact, I think it’s silly for you to say that it’d have been better received if your talent was different, because without it, I don’t see a world where this shit could even be submitted to any journal with even a modicum of self respect!

And look, she’s not wrong. I get her point, that mathematicians often don’t put in enough effort to communicate their work to the layman, and would benefit from explaining things in more creative ways. That’s cool. But that’s the kind of thing you would write for, like, an article or something.

But a paper is specifically meant for research. Calling this thing a paper almost feels insulting to mathematicians. Like the concept of using analogies to explain math is an unprecedented discovery that required actual research to figure out. Unless this paper was also the one where Eva solved the Riemann hypothesis (which God I hope that was a different paper), there's no new information being presented here. It's at best a personal opinion piece, which is not what scientific papers are for. 

Am I silly for getting hung up on the wording of this being described as a paper instead of an article or opinion piece or whatever? Well, this entire post is silly, but I don't think it's because of that, because words mean things. And a scientific paper carries certain connotations that do not align with what Eva describes.

And this little issue casts doubt in her general skill as a paper writer. That's why I'm a bit skeptical about the paper she mentions about the "theoretical possibility of lightspeed travel.” Because, quite frankly, that paper topic sounds… meaningless? Like a bunch of technobabble?

Like, what exactly are you discussing about lightspeed travel? In fact, what are you actually referring to when you say "lightspeed travel"? Matter approaching lightspeed, or reaching or even exceeding lightspeed? The latter two are impossible according to current scientific consensus, btw. Or is she discussing a particular trick to get something from point A to point B in less time than it would take for light to cover that distance? There are papers discussing stuff like that, even if all the mechanisms are also thought to be impossible by consensus. And regardless of what she means by "lightspeed travel", what does she mean "theoretical possibility” of it? Like, genuinely, I have no clue. Is she speculating on whether or not it's possible? Is she speculating on the properties such travel would have? Is she proposing a theoretical method to do it? Is she doing something else entirely? The premise of the paper is too vague, is my point. 

This worries me because… well, to put it bluntly, experts in related fields (such as mathematics) attempting to make cool sounding physics theories (such as a paper on the "theoretical possibility of lightspeed travel", whatever that means) which are completely wrong and nonsensical is a real, observable phenomenon in our world. Check out Angela Collier's "physics crackpots: a 'theory’” to find out more. And also check out the rest of her youtube channel it's great.

What Eva is doing with that paper honestly sounds remarkably close to what Angela describes there. In fact, let's check out whether or not Eva's hypothetical paper fits any of the four points Angela brings up to spot a crackpot theory.

1. “Addresses THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS in physics.”

By this, Angela means that the theory addresses a problem or topic that anyone with a passing interest in physics knows is a big deal. Things like dark matter, gravity, black holes, and yes, "lightspeed travel.” You're not going to see anyone with a crackpot theory on the equation of state of real gases or Eddy currents, because by the point you know what those things are in enough depth to be interested in them, you probably also know enough to determine what a good physics theory is and what isn't. Eva's paper fits this point, but that doesn't necessarily mean Eva is a crackpot physicist, right? 

2 and 4. “Lacking mathematical rigor, experimental data, etc.” and “They are not physics theories”

I grouped these two because it's impossible for me to know whether Eva's paper would actually fit these points or not. She doesn't give enough details for me to say. I can tell you for sure it's not gonna have experimental data, but since it's theoretical physics, that's fine. So, we can maybe give her the benefit of the doubt? As long as she doesn't fit the last point too well maybe-

3. “Respond with anger, claim physics establishment has blacklisted them, cite Galileo/Einstein/etc."

Oh no. 

Eva [1st FTE]: I could write a research paper on the theoretical possibility of lightspeed travel, but no one would care…

Oh no chat. She might actually be a crackpot physicist. 

It doesn't help that her mentality in general is actually very in line with the mentality described in the Angela video mentioned above. That because she's a smart person (which she is; again, solved the damn Riemann hypothesis), she should be able to easily become recognized and respectable in any field she takes interest in. But that isn't how the world works. There's a reason people spend years of their life studying literature, physics, or mathematics, just to truly get a grasp of each discipline individually. 

Ok, but, like, what's my point? Am I going to include her misunderstanding of the zeta function and the possibility of her being a "crackpot physicist” in any character analysis? No, of course not. You're very clearly meant to think Eva is genuinely skilled in every field she approaches, because this is a fangan and Ultimates can bend the limits of humanity to fit a narrative. I'm perfectly willing to accept that Eva solved the Riemann hypothesis, as you've seen throughout this post, even though I'd be highly skeptical of anyone making that same claim in the real world, "Ultimate” or not. The same way I'd accept that a fictional character of any kind could manage to accelerate a particle to exactly lightspeed, even though I'd immediately call bullshit if someone claimed to do it in real life. The standard for believability is different for fictional characters than real people, basically.

Really, when you boil it down, I only take issue with the things Eva says because I'm genuinely passionate about the topics she mentions, and because she gives enough details about her work for me to see the cracks in the writers’ knowledge of them. I'm assuming this is a common issue with any fangan that tries to really explain what being an "Ultimate” in a particular field entails, because no one is actually well versed enough in sixteen different talents to actually say that for sure. That's why Eva off-handedly mentioning that she solved the Riemann hypothesis is much more effective as a way to establish her skill than trying and failing to get her to actually explain the zeta function. 

All in all, this is just a purely self-indulgent post for me to vent about issues I have with the way the writers tried to convey Eva's expertise. Feel free to completely ignore this for character analysis, because I sure will. I just needed to talk about it because I would explode if I didn't. Anyways, hope you enjoyed! If you made it this far, you deserve a function named specifically after you! See y-!

Oh right I almost forgot.

My Own Explanation of the Riemann Zeta Function Using the TTG Analogy

(Explained by someone with little more than Wikipedia access, take all this with a grain of salt)

Think of finding the zeroes of a function as a boss fight. You go up to them, and you cast a spell, generally in the form of a number, such that the function becomes zero when you cast it. For example, the Easy Function

f(x) = 2x - 6

can be defeated by casting “3”, since 2x3 - 6 = 0. 

Every function also has a “domain”, which is a set of spells you can actually cast against it. For example, since 1/0 is undefined, the Medium Function g(x) = 1/x has a domain of all complex numbers except 0. Casting 0 against g has no effect. You need a special spell, “limit when x tends to infinity” (or negative infinity) to defeat it.

The zeta function is a Legendary Boss, defined by the infinite series ζ(s) = 1 + 1/2^s +1/3^s + … 

(I changed p to s for a reason trust the process)

Many mathematicians had tried to defeat it before, but it seemed futile*. Its domain was thought to be all real numbers higher than 1 (they originally didn't think to use complex numbers against it), but no matter what number was picked, that first term was too powerful. Even casting “limit when s tends to infinity” only got zeta down to 1. Nothing in its domain seemed to work.

Until Riemann arrived. 

The zeta function chuckled, thinking this one to be like all the many others before him. But the legendary mage Riemann had many a trick the zeta function hadn't seen before. Tricks to make make the domain of the function larger, so that new Number Spells could be cast against it. Where everyone else had only ever attempted to cast real numbers against this boss, he wouldn't be satisfied with that. Without warning, he cast the first of many powerful spells needed to do what needed to be done.

"Domain Expansion; Proof of Complexity"

Since you already knew this part, I'll skip the proof, but basically, Reimann quickly showed that the infinite series which defined the zeta function for real numbers higher than one actually worked for any complex number with a real component higher than one.

The zeta function was impressed, but unconcerned. It knew damn well there was still no spell in this new domain which could possibly defeat it. "Nice try, but I'm not scared of some imaginary unit” it claimed. 

“I'm aware,” claimed Reimann. He raised his hands again, his mana swelling, and the zeta function frowned. “But you're mistaken if you think this is the end.”

Reimann looked at the Legendary Boss in front of him, and cast the following, powerful incantation, with the help of the runes described below. 

"Domain Expansion; Analytic Continuation"

To truly defeat the zeta function, one must understand the concept of an analytic continuation. This is where I falter, for I myself don’t understand what the fuck that is. However, what I've been able to gather is that the function 

𝜂(s) / (1 - 2/2ˆs) where 𝜂(s) = 1/1ˆs - 1/2ˆs + 1/3ˆs - …

is equal to the zeta function in the zeta function's domain, but is also defined outside of it. In particular, it's defined for any complex number with a positive real component, except for the points where

1 - 2/2ˆs = 0

(can't be dividing by zero after all!). That last thing excludes 1, for example.

Basically, think of the spell "Domain Expansion; Analytical Continuation” as a shapeshifting spell that transforms the zeta function from the previous definition:

ζ(s) = 1 + 1/2ˆs + 1/3ˆs + … for s complex numbers with a real component higher than 1.

to now being defined as:

ζ(s) = 𝜂(s) / (1 - 2/2ˆs) for the previously described new domain.

That way, its domain is expanded to include complex numbers with a real component between 0 and 1, aside from those where 2/2ˆs = 1.

But of course, Reimann wouldn't be satisfied with that. The next spell was simpler, but worthwhile nonetheless. 

"Domain Expansion; Limiting Singularity Removal"

See, turns out, all the points "z” where the analytic continuation was undefined, other than 1, where removable singularities (I think? I don't actually know much about complex functions :v), which means the spell "limit when s tends to z” returns a finite number l. That way, you can define ζ(z) = l for all of these removable singularities, expanding the domain of the zeta function to all complex numbers with a positive real component, other than 1.

Don't worry if you don’t know what a limit is or you didn't follow this part, it's not too important for this. After all, that last spell didn't worry the zeta function. What had truly taken it aback was the analytic continuation, which suddenly exposed a few weak spots of the zeta function to the world. Now, Reimann could defeat it once and for all, as long as he found the right spell in the new domain. 

However, the zeta function was a Legendary Boss for a reason. "Fancy tricks, but it won't be easy to find something to actually defeat me, you know,” it bluffed, hoping intimidation would work. Foolish hope.

"Oh, certainly,” Reimann agreed readily, smiling. The zeta function was confused for a moment, until it realized something horrifying. 

Reimann's mana was swelling again. He wasn't done. And for the first time since it's run-in with Euler all those years back, the zeta function felt true fear.

“It won't just be easy,” Reimann smirked. “It will be trivial.”

"Domain Expansion; Functional Equation"

This is another point where the math is beyond me, but I'll try to explain. Basically, Reimann proved that that equality up there holds true as long as s is a complex number with a real component strictly higher than 0 and strictly lower than 1.

However, you'll notice that if you take s as a complex number with a real component equal to or lower than 0 (other than 0 itself), then the right side of the equation is actually well defined, because 1 - s is a complex number with a positive real component (and not equal to 1 unless s is exactly 0), meaning ζ(1 - s) is well defined. You also don't run into issues with any of the other factors of that equation, including the Gamma function (𝚪). What that means is that this equation can be used to extend the zeta function's domain to all complex numbers other than 0 and 1. 

Think of this domain expansion as a shapeshifting curse. If you cast a complex number with a real component strictly higher than 0 (other than 1), then the zeta function defends by turning into either the analytic continuation from before:

ζ(s) = 𝜂(s) / (1 - 2/2ˆs)

or the limit for any values where 1 - 2/2ˆs.

Meanwhile, if you cast a number s with a real component equal to or lower than 0 (other than 0 itself), then the zeta function shapeshifts to be:

ζ(s) = 2ˆs 𝜋ˆ(s-1) sin(s𝜋/2) 𝚪(1-s) ζ(1-s)

The final step is yet another Domain Expansion; Limiting Singularity Removal on 0, where ζ(0) = -½. Again not really important for us. 

In any case, Riemann had done it. Five consecutive domain expansions, so that the zeta function's domain now included all complex numbers except 1. The zeta function was on its last legs, all that was needed was the final touch. For the inexperienced, you might think finding a zero would still be difficult, but the truly expert mages among you might have already noticed the weak spot in the functional equation. 

The sine function. A Common Enemy which goes to 0 whenever it's attacked by a whole number equipped with the Legendary Tier item 𝜋. And when a complex number with a negative real component is cast against the zeta function, sin(s𝜋/2) becomes one of the factors.

"You know what this means, don't you, zeta?” Riemann asked. And the zeta function couldn't muster a response before the legendary mage cast his final spell. "You lose.”

"Simple Spell; Negative Even Integer"

-2, -4, -8, etc. Any even integer s causes s/2 to be a whole number, so sin(s𝜋/2) goes to zero. And since it's multiplying everything else, the entire zeta function goes to zero. These negative even integers are known as the zeta function's "trivial zeroes", and because there are infinite negative even integers, it can be said that the zeta function has an infinite amount of zeroes.

However, just because the Riemann zeta function had been defeated, doesn't mean Reimann was satisfied. See, Riemann noticed that there were other values which could defeat the zeta function, and weren't negative even integers. These are the zeta function's non-trivial zeroes. And he noticed that all of these zeroes followed a pattern, so he tried to cast a Prophecy Spell.

A Prophecy Spell (or a theorem, in real math terms) is one that makes it so that, when certain conditions are met, something happens without fail. To cast a Prophecy Spell, you must prove it, which means using other prophecy spells, runes and unbreakable laws (axioms) to certify that it's a valid prophecy. 

I'll give you an example in case you're not used to the concept of mathematical proof, and cast the Prophecy Spell “if b is a real number, then b0 = 0". To prove it, I'll use two axioms (these are the building blocks of mathematics, and don't need to be proven because they just Are).

1) 0 + c = c (0 is neutral to addition).

2) b(c + d) = bc + bd (Distributive Property)

Now, observe the following:

1) b(c + 0) = b(c + 0) [Trivially true.]

2) bc = bc + b0 [0's neutrality used on the left, distributive on the right]

3) 0 = b0 [Because bc = bc, you can nullify the terms]

I chose this because it happens to be the reason you can't divide by 0. Division is formally defined as multiplication with the reciprocal, so to divide by 0 you must first define its reciprocal 1/0. 1/0 would be defined as a number such that 0 x 1/0 = 1. But we just proved there's no real (or complex) number for which that can be true, so 1/0 isn't a number, thus is undefined.

In any case, now you know what's needed to cast a Prophecy Spell. However, Riemann couldn't finish the Prophecy spell about the non-trivial zeroes. He couldn't find proof or a counterexample to refute it. And so, his unfinished Prophecy Spell went down in history… as the Riemann Hypothesis.

“All non-trivial zeroes of the Riemann zeta function have a real component of exactly ½.”

Although it's been proven to hold true for trillions of non-trivial zeroes, it has never been properly proven or refuted, so the Riemann Hypothesis remains… unsolved. 

God that was nerdy and cringy as hell. It was also super fun to write so I don't care :D 

*Look, for the purpose of the post, I'm saying Riemann did all this shit and is the first one to find a value for which the zeta function becomes zero. This is likely not historically accurate. I'm just doing it so the explanation flows better. This should only be taken as an explanation of the function itself, and not the history behind it.

[intersex-questions]

hello friend! I'm just wondering why the h-slur became a slur? I thought it was just the scientific term for intersex stuff, like snails are called that even still I think... I dunno I'm just curious, I won't use it I just wanna know

Hey! This is a great question. Before addressing the actual question, let me clear up some misconceptions.

It is absolutely fine to call animals that are hermaphrodites that word (as of currently--there are intersex people who disagree with this, but I have no problem with it, but I am just one person). It is a scientific word. It is the correct word to use. But intersex and hermaphrodite scientifically mean something different as well. Snails and many many other animals are hermaphrodites and still called that.

Generally speaking, the term hermaphrodite in science refers to an animal that can produce both male and female gametes, i.e., sperm and ova/egg. An animal that is a hermaphrodite evolved to be a hermaphrodite. Their reproductive cycles are based around members of their species being hermaphrodites. But there's many different types of hermaphrodites in animals. Not all have both genitalia at once and not all have more than one genitalia at once and not all members of that species are hermaphrodites.

The term intersex is used specifically for humans or for animals that are typically male/female and have variations outside of the "expected" for their specific species. So, for example, female hyenas, which all have a pseudopenis/phallus created from their very large clitoris, as well as high testosterone, are NOT intersex because it is expected and how all females of their species are. It is how they evolved to exist and reproduce. A female lion that develops a mane, high testosterone, and exhibits other male traits IS intersex because their species does not typically or often have that variance.

If a human has ovotestes (singular is ovotestis), this was and sometimes still is referred to as either psuedo hermaphroditism (this usually refers to cases where the person doesn't have ovotestes though) or true hermaphroditism or ovotesticular disorder of sexual development (none of these are very politically correct terms, but the last is most common medically—I would avoid them). Even though (as far as I know) all/most hermaphroditic animals have ovotestes/both ovular and testicular tissue, which is possible in humans but it is INCREDIBLY rare, as in like, under 1,000 documented cases iirc, they must have male and female gametes like I said.

Humans most likely cannot have both male and female gametes. This isn't really possible. There are no documented cases of a human with ova and sperm. It is theoretically hypothetically possible but it has never happened as far as we know. Like... Maybe it could happen? And there's been billions of people, so who knows! But then in that case, one person who has both gametes would not be the thing that determines what intersex people are called.

But let's pretend that if someone has a penis and vulva/vagina or genitalia that look like that, it makes them a scientific hermaphrodite. (It doesn't, but we're pretending.) The problem with THAT is that it's then incredibly misleading and exclusionary to refer to intersex people all as hermaphrodites because that is only one of the ways someone may be intersex. Intersex is a HUGE spectrum. Most intersex people do not have "both" genitalia!

I think I've covered all I need to say in that regards, I'll edit if I have more to stay and if I'm wrong on anything please correct me.

It's kind of hard to answer why it's a slur, in my opinion, yet also really easy. It's a slur because it's used as one. All slurs are slurs because they're used as one. Any slur has a history of being used offensively and became a slur because it was used with the intention of offense, oppression, derision, etc. At the end of the day, all slurs are technically just sounds, and many of them as a word out of context aren't necessarily derogatory at all. But the word is a slur because it is used as one. The word/phrase "retard"/"retarded" used to be a legitimate medical diagnosis. (Was it ever a good one? No. But it was the language they had/used at the time.) It became a slur because people used it in a derogatory manner and used it to oppress and belittle people with autism, intellectual, and certain cognitive/developmental disabilities. Gay was (and can be still!) a slur. Why? Because it was used as one. Even if gay "meant" by definition happy or such, it was a slur when used towards people because people used it with the intention of it being a slur. Hermaphrodite is a slur because it is: inaccurate, often used to fetishize, misleading, medically and socially outdated, used with intention to belittle, used to oppress, and has offensive connotations. The term hermaphrodite used to describe humans at all came from Victorian doctors who were the ones that used the terms true hermaphrodite and male or female pseudohermaphrodite without any basis on the actual physiological and genetic structures of these individuals and rather to categorize them exclusively based on how they thought their genitalia looked (which told them and tells us nothing about how their body actually varies other than it looks like XYZ). It was and always has been used in stigmatizing, inaccurate, medicalizing manners.

If anyone has anything to add on please feel free. I hope this helped explain some! You can always ask more questions.

[mcytintros]

Gods and Eldritch Beings

These beings are creepy and powerful. Ones that are mysterious and overpowered, as well as being juggernauts. Little is known about their origins or role, and we will probably never have our questions answered about them. Never piss them off, or else. 

Gods

Gods are minecraft beings with power over a specific domain. They normally have powers and an appearance that reflects that domain, and can either be very involved, or very removed. They are able to feel emotions and reproduce like a human, but the extent of their powers are unknown.

Notable Gods:

Drista: Drista is short for ‘Dream’s sister’. She caused chaos on the Dream smp multiple times by logging onto Dream’s account and giving herself creative. She is a chaos goddess and is responsible for the only shulker box on the server as well as many bedrock creations. 

DreamXD: DreamXD or ExDee is technically Dream’s alt account, and theoretically the only opped person on the Dream smp. He is a huge simp for George, and it is often headcanoned that he is siblings with Drista. He is the one that enforces the end ban on the server. 

Kristen Watson: Phil’s wife somehow is canonically a death goddess on the Dream smp, and hypothetically Wilbur’s mother. She is often headcannoned as Tommy and Techno’s mother as well, and this causes Tommy to have weird death powers. 

Prime: Prime or Twitch Prime is the goddess that Tommy and Dream devoted a religion to, and is often seen as the universe itself in fics. Prime is often used as a swear, and Tommy often prays to Prime, as well as naming the Prime path and Prime log after her. Irl, it was satire, meant to make fun of Twitch Prime on the dream smp. 

TechnoBlade: TechnoBlade started getting called blood god by his chat due to his incredible PvP skills, and he and his chat would often say ‘blood for the blood god’. His voices are sometimes a side effect of his godly powers, but it is unclear if TechnoBlade being the blood god is canon on the Dream smp.

TommyInnit: Because his mother is sometimes a death goddess, Tommy is sometimes a god as well. He will often be some kind of life god, or something related to death. When he is a god, he normally has some kind of wings. 

LdshadowLady: In empires smp s1, Lizzie is canonically a 9-foot-tall goddess of the sea. She originally was hatched with her sibling Jimmy, but both of them lost their memories when a drought got rid of all the water. She later turned back into a goddess. Lore suggests that she can talk to axolotls, and that her memories are connected to the ocean, as when it drained in the rapture, she lost her memories again.

JoelSmallishbeans: In empires s2, Joel is a 11-foot-god, who was made a god to replace Lizzie after she died. He is god of storms, and can summon lightning and thunder. He got his powers from Santa Pearla, and really misses his wife. 

Santa Pearla: While it is somewhat unclear what Santa Pearla is, she is most likely a reincarnation of PearlescentMoon from empires s1. She has a religion devoted to her, and appears to have powers such as forcing people to server hop, or send visions to her worshippers. She is confirmed to not be the same entity as hermitcraft Pearl. Or Pearl has amnesia.

Watchers

Watchers are beings that originated in evo. They wear a mask with a broken portal symbol, and typically have 6 wings and hundreds of glowing purple eyes. They can observe things that happen, and are able to place bedrock. They are most likely responsible for the destruction of Evo. They are sometimes headcannoned as angels of death.

Notable Watchers:

Grian: While Grian is canonically a watcher in evo, it is unclear if it is consensual or not. This leads to a lot of watcher!Grian angst. Grian can normally tap into code and server hop without being whitelisted. 

Pearl: Pearl was also a member of evo, and she left early. This means that she often is a watcher, though she is more likely to be a watcher in fics with watcher!Grian. Sometimes Santa Pearla is literally just watcher!Pearl.

Jimmy: In the life series or just empires x hermitcraft crossovers, Jimmy will often be a watcher. He is normally not a watcher in just empires fics, and is not canonically a watcher. 

Drista+Exdee: In hermitcraft and dream smp crossovers, these two will normally also be watchers, due to their masks and powers. 

There is only one enigma, LdshadowLady. She is an amalgamation of parts, with demon horns, arms made of goo, a parrot leg, and a raccoon tail. She can teleport behind people, and move through walls, although she is unable to hold a sword due to her goo arms, if she stares at a person too long, they will die. 

Listeners

Listeners are the antithesis of watchers, often wearing blindfolds. They are able to hear things well I believe, however, I do not know all of the listener's lore. The only listeners are Martyn and sometimes Jimmy.

Voidwalkers

Voidwalkers are beings that originated in the End, and mostly live there. They have to wear helmets in the overworld due to their bodies being acclimated to the End’s air, and while they can take the helmets off for short periods of time, it is not recommended. They sometimes have powers related to the void. It is unclear if they need to eat. 

Notable Voidwalkers:

XisumaVoid: This derpy admin is a voidwalker. He has green armor that he wears and a helmet with a purple visor that helps him breathe. He and his twin Evil X grew up in the End, it is unclear how he eats. 

Evil X: Evil X is Xisuma’s twin, and makes it his personal mission to annoy the hell out of his brother. He wears red armor and a grey helmet with a red visor. He, like Xisuma, most likely needs the helmet to breathe.

Other:

Creatures that are one of a kind, or defy description. These beings are essentially the ones that I couldn’t really catagorize, but are definitely eldritch.

EthosLab: In most fics, Etho is an incredibly old being that has been around for thousands of years (since the early youtube days). He wears a face mask for unknown reasons, and is sometimes depicted with fox ears and a white tail. Etho has heterochromia, with one scarred red eye, and one brown/black one. Sometimes he can speak Japanese and will sometimes be depicted in a kimono. 

LDShadowLady (enigma form): There is only one enigma, LdshadowLady. She is an amalgamation of parts, with demon horns, arms made of goo, a parrot leg, and a raccoon tail. She can teleport behind people, and move through walls, although she is unable to hold a sword due to her goo arms, if she stares at a person too long, they will die.

Joehills: Joe is often depicted as the minecraft legend/glitch Herobrine. For those who don’t know, Herobrine is a glitched version of Steve that would appear in the old minecraft days. He would pop up randomly, and looked like Steve with blank, white eyes.

Fae:

Fae are creatures that make deals for names, and resemble fairies sometimes. Think name–stealing beings who sometimes have op cosmic power!

Notable Fae: Scott Smajor (MCC, General), LDShadowLady (Last Life)

[your-unfriendlyghost]

for the character asks: johnny, ponyboy

Since I answered Johnny here, I’ll just do Ponyboy here :))

How I feel about this character

  Ponyboy is the best, man. He’s tough, he’s cool, Bryon thinks he’s stuck up but really he’s shy. He seems sensitive to us and his gang but to the rest of the world he’s a scary hood.

  He’s a dreamer. He carries a switchblade. He memorizes poems. He’s a good fighter. He loves movies, and Paul Newman’s tough while he’s not. He’s good-looking and doesn’t know it. He’s small for fourteen. He has a good build. He behaves himself. He’s buddies with Mark Jennings and Dallas Winston. 

He’s a list of contradictions and it makes him feel like such a real person. He’s a wonderfully written, incredibly believable character. And beyond all that technical stuff- he’s just a good, relatable, interesting guy. 

  I needa do another post sometime about the Outsiders and masculinity, because Ponyboy is such a great example of a masculine male protagonist who gets to be soft sometimes without being taken less seriously. The way he interacts with his own masculinity and presents the masculinity of the gang is no small part of why I’m mostly secure in my own now- bc lemme tell ya, back when I first read the book I definitely wasn’t lol. But I am now, and honestly I owe a lot (a pathetic amount really) of that to Ponyboy and SE Hinton.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

  Uhh I guess Cathy Carlson, his (offscreen lol) gf in TWTTIN. It’s a boring answer I know. It’s just the most grounded/relatable (to me!) relationship he could be in rn. I don’t see it as particularly serious, but I think they’d be happy for a while. They’re not Steve x Evie level high school sweethearts, but I can see a universe where Ponyboy helps Cathy feel like herself again after Bryon’s whole…everything.

  I definitely think Pony had a crush on Cherry Valance. I know that’s also not the most interesting take but c’mon look at her! Her only flaw to me is her poor taste in men (/hj), who wouldn’t crush on her?? That said, I don’t think it went anywhere. …But sometimes I like to imagine them ending up being…something after re-meeting far from Tulsa, in university somewhere. Ik some folks are freaked out by the two-year age gap, but idk I feel like if folks ship Pony with Johnny- who has the same age gap- then it’s no big deal to ship hypothetical-college-age-Cherry with hypothetical-college-age-Pony

  I also could theoretically see something going on with Pony and Mark Jennings, although I don’t think it’d be very healthy. It’d be Ponyboy unconsciously looking for ghosts of Dally in a person who’s uncannily similar looking, and it’d be Mark seeking the structure Bryon gave him in the form of someone who’s also smart and book-loving. I think they’d be solid friends, but terrible partners. Neither would ever measure up romantically, because Pony never liked Dally romantically and Mark never liked Bryon either. They’d irritate each other after a while romantically I think. But as friends they’d be okay still I think??

Important caveat- I don’t think Markboy would happen unless it’s a Soda-in-Vietnam timeline. I don’t think Ponyboy’s mental health would get quite lousy enough for pursuing Mark romantically unless he didn’t have Soda by his side.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

  Soda honestly. He says it himself- he loves Soda more than anyone. Soda gets him in a way others don’t. 

  And also somewhat Cherry. She’s iffier because of the whole Soc/greaser situation, obviously, but I really do love the idea of them being close someday. I mean c’mon Pony knew her for an hour or two and was already spillin his guts lol, they clearly clicked

My unpopular opinion about this character

  Not exactly an unpopular opinion, but idk I hate when fanworks infantilize Ponyboy. And I’m not fond of when they make him seem like a soft kid like they do with Johnny too sometimes- he is a greaser, and he considers himself a greaser. Sure he doesn’t like violence, but he’s known for being a good fighter. He’s more innocent than the others, sure, but not…really, I don’t think? I think the thing that gets me about Pony is that he knows how bad the world can be, but chooses to “stay gold”. Like he has every reason to get tough, to get cold, but he doesn’t. Not because he isn’t tough or because he’s naive, but because he wants to look at the sunset. He’s a deeper thinker than most people are, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t as much of a hood as the others. I think we forget that he’s probably lifted things from stores, that he woulda joined Dally in pestering girls if they were greaser girls, and that he carries a switch most of the time…I guess what I’m saying is is that to the rest of the world outside of the Curtis gang, Pony’s just as much a hoodlum as Curly Shepard. But he can still be sensitive and kind at the same time. That’s the point of the book really.

  Idk I sound like a real broken record, but I hate when folks soften Pony’s edges. 

  (Disclaimer again this is just my two cents, interpret everyone however you want b/c this is fandom and everyone’s takes on the characters are real to them!! This is just my preference lol)

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

  I dunno, I’d have liked to see more of him in TWTTIN. But I think Pony ultimately served his role in the story well. He’s just such a wonderful character and I love him.

[ask-rain-world-characters]

Okay, this is for everyone who wants to answer.

You are given a choice. You will have immortality, and millions of dollars (or something else you may want,) but there's a catch. There is a snail that knows where you are at all times, and its only goal is to make its way to you. Once it touches you, you die. Do you take the offer? If so, what will you do?

Survivor's Answer:

Hunter's Answer:

Watcher's Answer:

Gourmand's Answer:

Rivulet's Answer:

Enot's Answer:

Five Pebbles' Answer:

No Significant Harassment's Answer:

Sliver of Straw's Answer:

Nightcat plush image - @areon103 Transcripts:

Survivor: "See answering this question is redundant because no matter what scheme I cook up, the decoy snail can never be beaten, apparently. Trust me. I've tried."

Hunter: “Immortality is an iffy choice, and I don’t really need all that money… but I’d gladly trade it in for something else! So yes! I’ll take whatever challenge you give me, amigo! For I am the great and mighty-“ *ding dong! “huh? Hold that thought i have a guest! Who is it?” ”… oh no.”

Watcher: "No, I don't think I will take offer no matter what... but I heard this one before, and I think you forgot to make snail immortal as well... also what is a dollar?"

Gourmand: "I don't think we'd need anything more than what we currently have. Honestly, things have been going quite well for us! And with the immortality, well... some are already suspecting that there's some finicky force, that prevents one from dying. And I'm starting to think they might be right - so I don't think I'd need that either. But if someone else accepted this, I think I could take a shot at making that Snail for you. .......you want it?"

Rivulet: "Alright listen, sure the snail could theoretically kill me in one blow because of weird technicalities surrounding this arbitrary challenge, BUT, you have to consider the fact on how slow this snail is, I could do multiple laps on the snail, and he won't have any chance of grazing me a single time. So, yes! I would take the million dollars, it's, the easiest million dollars I've gotten in my li-" *Faint stream of noise is heard from afar* Wait, what is that sound...? *A jet squid comes by at a alarmingly high speed, with the snail being on top* "AAAAAHH-" *splatter* *Rain World death SFX plays*

Enot: "...'anything I want'? ...does that happen to include a date? ...maybe 8? ...sign. me. uuuuuuuup! Besides I can just kill it with one of my good ol' eggs, a snail cant be that resilient!"

Five Pebbles: "…What a ludicrous question. There are so many specifics to be questioned regarding this - does touching ‘me’ count as my facility? My can? Or My puppet? Far too many complications. Though I suppose I could simply wish for ascension, and the ordeal would be over with immediately, would it not? I highly doubt there is any way for this snail to reach ascension as well, so I’m assuming that would be the end of it."

No Significant Harassment: "Well, I think I already have the immortality part covered, and I don't have much use for money, but that is an interesting conundrum. I suppose if there were a way I could trap the snail so it couldn't reach me, it would be the perfect solution."

Sliver of Straw: What an interesting thought experiment. I am already immortal, to some degree. Nor do I have any record of what "dollars" are in my database, although it seems to be a kind of currency. I believe this question was posed for my creators, rather than my own kind. I'm afraid they aren't around anymore. Regardless! It can be fun to entertain these kinds of meaningless hypothetical experiments. After all, that's what we do; experiment! Over, and over, and over again. I've heard of snails before, but they aren't native to my area. They're wetland animals. It would certainly have to travel a considerable distance to reach me! And once it does, what specifically counts as "me"? My can would be the most obvious answer, but even then it can be difficult to define where one thing ends and another begins. The many pipes, bores, reserves, and disposal units that make up my facility grounds are as much a part of me as they are vital to my function, but they have no consciousness. Do I die if it touches one of my overseers? Once it touches me, how exactly do I die? There are far too many variables here to consider the full picture in complete objective fact, which is rather an important thing to do when my hypothetical life is on the line. Then again, very few theories we study are based in much fact anymore. We only have blissful hope left. Well, and old scriptures. Oh, I got distracted! ....Anyway, I don't take the offer, I have no use for items of monetary value. Is sending the snail to the Void Sea out of the question?

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

Hi! Could you please explain what a word lord is, and how they differentiate from time lords?

Follow up to that, if that’s ok. Could a word lord and a time lord technically loom a child together?

What is a Word Lord?

The Word Lords are the best rap collective on Gallifrey, releasing such albums as Sonic Screwdrivers and Sick Beats, Gallifreya Gangsta, and Rassilon's Rap Odyssey, then-

Okay, they're not.

Imagine a Time Lord, but from a universe where everything is made of words and language. Instead of being powered by the laws of physics as we know them, Word Lords operate on the power of words and communication, like Carrionites.

📜 The Basics

Universe of Origin: Word Lords hail from a universe 45 billion dimensions to our left, where language is the building block of reality, so normal space-time in our universe doesn't apply.

Powers: Their abilities are fueled by words. The more language around (like books, TV, radio), the more powerful they become. They just love a library.

Physiology: They look just like Time Lords, and they share similar biology, with two hearts, a respiratory bypass system, an internal temperature of 15°C, and the ability to regenerate.

Social History: Their equivalent of Rassilon is 'All', and the 'Hand of All' is a bit like their version of the Eye of Harmony/Web of Time.

Containment: Word Lords can be 'trapped' inside anything with words, like a book or a comic.

🧙‍♂️ Abilities

Weaponry: Word Lords can fire weapons inside a TARDIS's state of temporal grace, something impossible for others.

Immunity: They're immune to physical assaults and ordinary guns. Bullets just won’t cut it, literally.

Powers: Word Lords gain power if somebody says their name. For example, if you were a Word Lord named 'Field', and someone said 'the field is very green', you would gain the ability to be able to turn very green at will. This has no limits - you could say, 'The field has a nuclear bomb', and guess what you could suddenly make appear?

📚 The CORDIS

Travel: Their version of the TARDIS is the CORDIS (Conveyance Of Repeating Dialogue in Space-Time). It’s a non-physical time/space vessel that runs on common words and phrases used throughout the multiverse.

Chameleon Meme: Unlike a TARDIS, which can blend in visually, the CORDIS blends in linguistically, hiding with the use of a phrase or word, but can't hide the noise of its engines.

Time Lords and Word Lords, despite their similarities, differ vastly in their operational universes. Time Lords control time and space with a penchant for meddling (or not), while Word Lords harness the power of language and communication.

Could a Word Lord and a Time Lord loom a child together?

Now, there’s a spicy hypothetical.

🧬 Biological Compatibility

Physiology: Given that Time Lords and Word Lords share similar physiology—two hearts and all that—they could theoretically combine their genetic material with minimal risk.

Genetic Fusion: The unique genetic traits of both species could be integrated into a single being through loom technology, which can handle complex genetic templates. You would have to do some jiggery-pokery, though.

Risk Factor: I say this confidently, but remember that there are huge swathes of information about their physiology that we know absolutely nothing about.

🧩 Hybrid Abilities

Time and Language Mastery: The child could potentially wield both the power of time manipulation and linguistic influence. Imagine a being who can travel through time and alter reality with a few words.

Enhanced Cognitive Skills: This child could possess extraordinary cognitive abilities, combining the Time Lords’ strategic genius with the Word Lords’ linguistics.

⚔️ Cultural Clash

Dual Heritage: The child would be a unique blend of two powerful heritages, potentially facing identity challenges but also having a rich cultural background to draw from.

Training and Education: Balancing Gallifrey's rigorous education with the abstract, language-based skills of the Word Lord universe could create an unparalleled learning environment, shaping a prodigy of sorts.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

Integration of Powers: The child might need to learn to balance their time-based abilities with their language-driven powers, ensuring that one does not overshadow the other.

Acceptance: Given their unique nature and potential capabilities, both Time Lords and Word Lords might view this hybrid with a mix of awe and suspicion.

🏫 So…

Word Lords are the linguistic wizards of a universe built from words, wielding power through communication, while Time Lords dominate temporal matters and physics. Hypothetically, a union between the two could be pretty incredible, but that's one very powerful and very confused child.

Related:

🤔|🍼👶Can Gallifreyans have interspecies children?

💬|🍼🧶Can a human and a Time Lord loom a child?: Overview of the looming process for hybrids.

💬|🍼🧶What would happen if a Ravager and a Time Lord loomed a child?: A look at the very weird biological fusion.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features: ⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[radioactive-mouse]

god. thinkin abt monoma’s MANY fascinating hypotheticals. if monoma copies brainwashing could. could shinsou brainwash monoma into brainwashing someone else ? there’s obvs limitations about him not being able to make people do things that require them to think, but we also know he can push those, so. if shinsou brainwashes monoma into brainwashing him back do they just stare at each other until copy wears off??

likely answer: if shinsou can’t use his brain to keep a handle on his quirk it probably just dissolves and they both snap out of it

funny answer: worlds stupidest staring contest

we know monoma draws a blank if he tries to copy OFA, but that is reportedly due to the fact that he doesn’t get the stockpiled energy from previous users, only the baseline quirk itself, but. c. can he still transfer OFA to someone else?? if someone eats his hair or some shit and inherits OFA and then monoma’s copy wears off does the quirk he gave away stay with that person or does it disappear???

likely answer: probably not bc something something ghost magic or like he wouldn’t have enough time for the transfer to fully take hold etc etc

funny answer: INFINITE OFA GLITCH

if you had monoma copy AFO and then steal all of his stockpiled quirks does he keep the stolen quirks after copy wears off? or do they just evaporate? if monoma copies afo, steals his stockpiled quirks and gives them to someone else, do they keep the new quirks? if monoma copies AFO and then steals the core AFO quirk itself, does he keep the stolen AFO since it’s not technically a copy, just a quirk taken from the original?

likely answer: ????

funny answer: ????????

if twice makes a copy of someone (which thanks to training camp arc dabi we know does copy their quirks as well) and then monoma copies the copy, does he still get their quirk, or does he have to touch the original for it to work? if monoma copies AFO, and then steals a quirk from one of twice’s copies and gives it to someone else before the timer runs out, rinse and repeat, could twice just keep making new copies and stockpile a million duplicates of the same quirk? just? theoretically give anyone any quirk they wanted?

likely answer: he can copy the quirk from twice’s doubles, the AFO stuff is up in the air

funny answer: we are so fucking lucky monoma got into hero school yall

[xyymath]

The Paradox of Time Travel in Math: A Journey into the Unknown

Time travel: the realm of science fiction, paradoxes, and tangled mathematical realities. Is it possible? Well, in the world of mathematics and theoretical physics, it’s a much more complex, nuanced, and often paradoxical issue than you might think.

Relativity and the Concept of Time

Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity fundamentally changed our understanding of time. According to the theory, time isn’t an absolute, linear progression but is relative to the observer’s velocity. This means that as you approach the speed of light, time slows down—an effect known as time dilation. The twin paradox is a famous example: One twin stays on Earth while the other travels at near-light speed. Upon returning, the traveling twin will be younger than the one who stayed behind. So, technically, if you could travel fast enough, you could “travel to the future.” But this doesn’t mean you can freely hop between past and future—it’s all about relative motion.

General Relativity: Curved Spacetime and Wormholes

In General Relativity, Einstein proposed that gravity isn’t just a force—it’s a distortion of spacetime itself. Massive objects like planets and stars curve spacetime around them, creating what we perceive as gravity. This curving opens the door for more exotic time travel possibilities.

Wormholes, theoretically, are bridges through spacetime that could connect distant parts of the universe (or different times). Mathematically, they’re solutions to the equations of General Relativity, but there's a catch: exotic matter—stuff with negative energy—would be required to keep the wormhole stable. This exotic matter is purely hypothetical and hasn't been observed in nature. Even if such a wormhole existed, there’s no guarantee we could survive traversing it or even pass through it in the first place.

The Grandfather Paradox: The Math of Logical Contradictions

The grandfather paradox is a classic thought experiment: Imagine you travel back in time and prevent your grandfather from meeting your grandmother. If your grandfather never had children, then your parent was never born, and neither were you. But if you were never born, then how could you have gone back in time in the first place?

Mathematically, this creates a logical contradiction—a break in the causal chain. In the language of set theory and causality, we’re faced with an inconsistent structure: if event A (your birth) doesn’t lead to event B (your time travel), how can event C (you preventing your grandfather from meeting your grandmother) happen without causing a paradox? The whole concept clashes with non-contradiction principles that underpin much of logic and mathematics.

Quantum Mechanics: The Multiverse and Many-Worlds Interpretation

Quantum mechanics offers a potential escape from the paradoxes of time travel through the Many-Worlds Interpretation. According to this theory, rather than one linear timeline, there are potentially infinite branches of reality, each corresponding to a different outcome. If you travel back in time and alter something significant, the many-worlds theory suggests that instead of causing a paradox in your original timeline, you simply create a new branch, a separate timeline where things unfold differently.

Mathematically, this can be modeled through probability amplitudes and wave functions, where each possible state exists in a superposition until it's measured. So, in theory, traveling to the past could mean entering a different version of reality—one where the events you changed have rippling effects, but not necessarily contradictions.

Causal Loops and Closed Timelike Curves (CTCs)

A fascinating mathematical concept related to time travel is the closed timelike curve (CTC). CTCs are loops in spacetime that theoretically allow for self-consistent time travel, where events can influence the past without creating contradictions. A well-known example of this is the bootstrap paradox, where an object or piece of information is sent back in time and becomes the catalyst for its own existence in the future.

Mathematically, CTCs can be modeled using differential equations and manifolds in general relativity, where the solution curves loop back onto themselves. The paradox is avoided by ensuring that every event in the causal loop is logically consistent, creating a scenario where cause and effect exist in a loop but without violating logical consistency. However, the actual existence of CTCs requires conditions—like the existence of wormholes or rotating black holes—that we have not observed.

The Bottom Line: Is Time Travel Mathematically Possible?

The answer to whether time travel is mathematically possible isn’t a simple "yes" or "no." From a mathematical standpoint, special relativity and general relativity allow for scenarios where time dilation and travel to the future are theoretically possible. But traveling to the past introduces logical paradoxes, like the grandfather paradox, and issues with consistency, which cause significant issues in the framework of causal logic.

Some theories, such as quantum mechanics with the many-worlds interpretation, offer potential resolutions, suggesting that instead of paradoxes, alternate realities or timelines could be created. But for now, time travel remains a mathematical enigma, one that pushes the boundaries of physics and logic. Whether it’s an eventual possibility is still up for debate—but for mathematicians and physicists, it's a paradox worth exploring.

Time travel may be possible within the constraints of mathematical models, but we’re still far from figuring out how to travel in time—if it’s even possible at all.

[elizakai]

More CrossDust soul sharing

(I’m not sorry :) also in framing this with the shipping potential but this could be completely non romantic btw)

Continuing to play along with the Post Underverse Varient scenario (Dust being classic post underverse, and Cross and Dust still sharing a SOUL)

⬇️✨BELOW THE CUT ✨⬇️

Cross probably either sees, hears, or senses Phantom Papyrus :)

Is Papyrus really a ghost. No.

Is he a figment of Dust’s mind? Yes.

Are souls considered the heart mind and center of a monster? Yes. Therefore I think Cross would be in for quite the shock, and actually possibly perceive ( not necessarily see) the phantom around Dust at times, since they are sharing a physical SOUL

In reverse, since this is a variant scenario and Cross wouldn’t have been split from Chara, acknowledging X!Chara we could argue that Dust can also, to whatever extent, perceive and/or hear X!Chara

Especially since Cross and Chara would both technically be living off of what is (or was) Dust’s SOUL…

Also! Since Cross is still connected with X!Chara, he still has access to HAX.

We’ve seen Cross/Chara basically overwrite injuries that Cross takes, a self healing ability essentially.

They are SOUL sharing with Dust, could they apply that ability to him? If he can apply the self “healing” to himself, he theoretically could to someone he’s linked to.

(although I could imagine dust finding it uncomfortable as he’s seen things “reset” just a FEW too many times to be keen on it. I also Image the ability would be more limited as Dust’s overall makeup is different)

It would be interesting if they could share HAX with Dust as well.

Depending on what SOUL headcanons are being used it opens a lot of ideas.

I assume the portion of SOUL Cross took would accommodate to his own magic/make up over time.

Could Cross/(Chara?) then share those abilities with Dust through the SOUL link? They could provide attacks, HAX, healing, weapons or possibly even portals through the SOUL link if they were to be in sync.

What they could or couldn’t use would depend heavily on how in sync they are, and what level of communication they have.

(After all they aren’t telepathic, so they may have to be in the same general area…Unless Chara can connect and communicate with Dust through the SOUL, then that gives them a large advantage)

(Also for the record Dust would probably not like Chara much.💀 He’s smart though, he’d recognize the difference between a Chara and the player/anomaly he faced. Maybe he’d grow on him, he’s used to nagging voices lmao. Besides, Chara is probably lonely…)

Unless Dust can directly communicate with Chara through the soul and be like “yo help me out”, when it comes to HAX it would need to be initiated by Cross. (Meaning dust couldn’t access their hacking abilities by himself. I imagine in practice it would be like reaching for the weapon like a normal attack, as a sort of request, and Cross could feel the pull and can either provide it or not)

(here bbg, lemme just summon you a giant f@cking knife from across the battle field🫦be your abilities sugar daddy-)

Similarly, with practice or experimentation they probably could access a sort of shared magic pool. Dust has a deep well of magic to pull from, if Cross could Tap into that Dust could provide an extra boost in combat or dire situations.

Unlike Dust being dependent on Cross for access to HAX, Cross could do this on command. (They both have Purple magic which is convenient) It can be assumed he’d only do this if it’s needed, as he’d be taking magic directly from Dust.

Lastly little scenario here, X!gaster can mess with Cross.

If they share a soul can X!gaster by extension fuck with Dust hypothetically…?

They are both (sigh and Chara) very determined individuals, for better or worse that’s a punchy combo X) all done with ideas for now-

(crawls back into the sea of blankets mischievously)

[senkusphone]

Dr. Stone chapter 1D Trivia post

Spoilers ahead

We knew there was a slippery slope but we didn't know which one it was.

First things first, as we saw, Kaseki was not dead after all, and neither was Francois.

This clears things from chapter 232.5 (Dr. Stone Terraforming) where Kaseki was not shown at all, and although Francois was shown to be at the plane at the moment of the crash, they were never shown to be rescued.

We do get a glimpse at Senku throughout his lifetime (hypothetically at least). The pictured time machine, just like the large one they are building, features the telltale disk from the movie "The time machine" (duh) from 1960, based on a novel by H.G. Wells, written in 1895.

We also see him using a bunch of yagi antennas again, as well as a small satellite dish, all pointed in different directions in his homebrew setup, perhaps in an attempt to catch the signal regardless of which direction it's coming from. A concern I've heard is why would Byakuya contact Senku's future attempt but not the one from his childhood, and the answer likely boils down to the technology. As Xeno said they used a specialized detector to spot tiny bursts of petrification beam

I am not sure what such a detector might entail, but since the petri beam involves a flash of light, perhaps something like a photomultiplier tube could do it, as they can detect individual photons

The Tokyo Sky Tree is a radio tower, housing a restaurant and an observation deck, it is also the tallest manmade structure in Japan with a height of 634 meters, or 532.7 times the canon height of Suika in chapter 178.

Here it looks like they've drawn the wrong design for the medusa capsule, this one has a speaker on the inside like the original that was sent to the moon, whereas once whyman was discovered, they changed the design to one with a small antenna in its place, and a speaker/microphone on the outside for them to communicate.

This is what I feel like in university

Yes we are

next up, energy

1.21 Exawatts has no basis I know of other than being a reference to the 1.21 Gigawatts used by the time machine from Back to the Future. 1 exawatt = 1000000000 gigawatts, so I guess Dr. Brown's machine was actually very fuel efficient.

The (exa)watt is technically not a unit of energy but rather of the rate of energy transfer (or how fast energy's being delivered in layman's terms).

I assume he means (exa) watt-hours, a multiple of the watt-hour, which is an energy unit handy for working with electricity calculations. This amount of energy is equivalent to a bit shy of 900000 megatons of TNT. However, if you could capture 100% of the sun's output (and I mean all of it, a la dyson sphere, not just what hits the earth, and with 100% efficiency) and store it, you could collect that amount of energy in just under 30 seconds. This amount is also probably larger than the consumption of humanity over the last 60 years. It is in fact larger than the energy consumed wordwide between 1800 and 2010 by a factor of about two, going from adding and converting the data here.

https://www.encyclopedie-energie.org/en/world-energy-consumption-1800-2000-results/

Helium 3 is an isotope of helium with a nucleus made of 2 protons and 1 neutron (unlike normal helium which consists of 2 and 2 of each).

Because it's a very light gas, it tends to float away from the earth and get swept off into space much like regular helium does, and it is believed that larger amounts of it will be available on the moon, where it is formed naturally in a slow but steady supply when natural lithium is bombarded with neutrons from cosmic rays. Helium 3 can theoretically function as fuel in a fusion reactor, having the advantage that it does not release neutrons in the reaction, meaning it does not bombard other materials inside the reactor making them radioactive (and He-3 is not radioactive itself either).

The big issues are its low availability and the fact that a reactor for this fuel would need even higher temperatures than the reactors we are experimenting with today, and we are barely starting. On that note, Tsukasa eating chip

These robots are very strange, they walk on their claws, only having wheels at the back and carrying what looks a lot like an old time minecart. If anyone knows what the name Johnny 7 might be referring to, let me know. So far I can see that there was a sentient robot named Johnny 5 in the 1986 film Short Circuit, which looked like this.

I could also note that the robots have "Battery A" and "Battery B" noted on them.

It might just be a coincidence, but I like to think it might be a nod to an early project in the series, the cellphone.

The cellphone had two battery packs, the lead acid pack to run the vacuum tube filament, and Gen's manganese battery pack, which ran the tube anode. Historically these two battery packs were designated "A" and "B".

For the record this is also the reason you can buy AAA, AA, C, and D size cells, but no B batteries. Those batteries used to exist, but they don't anymore, since the equipment they powered is long obsolete. Next up, Chrome has a flashback to Ruri's flashback.

Kirisame's headpiece has reverted to the seldom seen spiral horn version, she is most typically seen with the one shaped like cat ears.

Next up:

No, I will not apologise

This does not seem to be the same restaurant mentioned in chapter 43, though I guess it could have changed, since Senku seems older (might it be the restaurant in the sky tree?)

Also Senku puts on Byakuya's coat that was on the back of his chair.

Speaking of chapter 43...

Ukyo is not well

It's no longer Nanami Corp, it's just Ryusui

To conclude, my take on what is happening

It's been hinted multiple times that we may see the involvement of alternate timelines, which comes as an answer to the occurence of a paradox if Senku were to travel back in time or even just contact himself. The title of the chapter comes to echo this. Higher dimensions have been a bit of a popular topic lately with people making games in four dimensions, etcetera. This however is not that by the looks of it, the fourth dimension mentioned would be an additional time dimension, which can be interpreted as the existence of convergent or divergent timelines. One of the less obvious things that remain to be seen is how Byakuya (or someone pretending to be him) knew when and where to contact someone in a different timeline. We also don't know where in time they are located. It is assumed at first that the incoming message is from the future but if we are dealing with a parallel universe it may as well be coming from the past or even be coming in in "real time" (as if such concepts of relative time held up in multidimensional time).

Suika cute pose

[kafus]

☕ for Ayano, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the feasibility of a truly conscious ai, none of the shit that companies try to sell us, I'm talking something that is effectively a synthetic human.

hello! this feels… pretty high brow for the sort of technical stuff i do. i’m not knowledgeable enough on the specifics of how current artificial intelligence functions to talk about that sorry of thing in the detail i’d like to. but!

abstracting away from technical specifics for a moment, in a sense, humans are also like computers, just… endless and deeply complex ones that degrade biologically. like a motherboard, we are also constantly sending signals to different parts of ourselves to perform various actions and tasks. there is cause and effect inside of us, one input leads to another output…

the issue is just how complex people are. the human brain and body is so complicated that the scope is hard to actually conceptualize or imagine. and as well as that, we are less rigid than computers, there are so many biological factors that contribute to the state of our body and mind that just would not impact a computer. i don’t know if we’ll ever be able to build a computer that matches the complexity of people, i think we’d have to understand the human brain much more than we already do, and even if we could… well that’s a big can of ethical concern worms.

interestingly, it’s also worth noting that the signals our body sends are much slower than the speed of a computer. if we could hypothetically recreate human consciousness in a robot, they would have the ability to think and react much faster than we can. which has… implications. i think it’s more nuanced than “oh no robot uprising” but that is a dangerous game to play

anyway, i’m too uneducated to know if this is actually theoretically possible in terms of technical specifics, but even in the abstract, the idea of a “synthetic person” is really complicated, and also has an endless amount of ethical concerns i didn’t get into here. the reality of such a thing unfortunately would not look like the fantasy of robots happily living in our society like is portrayed in a lot of fiction, though i don’t think it’d be apocalyptic for humans either. i think generally this concept is best entertained in fiction where people can explore how they relate and attach to machines safely and without having to sift through all that nasty ethical stuff.