caughtinanetwork | ♠ 09

[In the early hours of the morning, what people will see over their SFCs is a very large room that takes on the appearance of an art studio. Despite the many artistic supplies spread in various locations, the room does house a single man in it. This man is sitting in front of a canvas that doesn't have much on it, yet he's staring very intently at the canvas before setting the brush down. What can be seen is a painting of three hearts; one white, one black, and one gray. After a few moments of staring at his creation, he picks up the SFC which was already switched on prior to him painting this odd picture, the expression on his face rather neutral. Not happy or sad, simply neutral.]

Do call me curious dear Vatheon, but this is something I have been pondering for some time now. Why should we celebrate holidays we don't celebrate back home? Certainly some have been for the amusement of it, but take for instance this one we currently celebrated. For those who don't believe in love, a holiday entirely dedicated to it is seen as ridiculous. But that can be said of all people who don't believe in certain holidays, doesn't it?

Though this holiday especially can also arouse questions within us, particularly to matters of the heart as that seems to be its theme. A few I can think of are: Is there such a thing as true happiness or love? Is the feeling truly there or not? Can the supposed happiness and love gained with another who said they felt the same remain always? Or will it fade away like sand being washed away by the ocean?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

My world is one of the evidently many variations on what we call "Earth," although we have more or less abandoned that name in my time period. The events that we've celebrated here are all reminiscent of my own. In an unsettling, failed clone sort of way.

There seem to be quite a few people from this Earth, myself included. However half of the holidays celebrated here don't exist or are slightly different in that aspect.

Right, of course. Then I suspect that our "earths" are quite different in other regards as well.

If your people don't believe in a Goddess, don't live in castle towns or villages, nor have your laws dictated by a king or the church... Then yes, our earths are different.

If that's the case, then it could simply be a difference in time. There are certainly locations in the history of my planet that match those criteria.

Does your planet's history have information on a kingdom by the name of Trodain?

Hm. Not to my knowledge. Which probably means no. Granted, it's also possible that our planets share the same origin but are the results of a diverging timeline at some point. Considering how the creation of most worlds is postulated by either conjecture or mythology, it's possible that every planet called "earth" that we are aware of here comes from the same single point of origin, and we would have no way to be aware of it.

Well considering I've never seen anyone such as you in my world, it's very possible we are either from different earths altogether or as you said, from a diverging timeline. For all we know, we could be mirrors of each other.

Possibly. Assuming that there is, in fact, some sort of quantum relation between all of our worlds. It's an intriguing theory, but unfortunately we have no way of further validating it.

While we may not be able to further valid such a theory, I'm more interested in exploring this world.

[Tech shrugs, dismissively.]

Fair enough.

A friend of mine and I are trying to finish a boat, but I'm beginning to think something called a submarine I read in a book might be more useful.

Oh really? For what purpose?

To explore the surface world beyond the island.

Well, unless you plan to keep that exploration to the waters surrounding the island, I believe you'll need more than a boat. Or a submarine.

I'm not staying near the island's waters and going to explore beyond it. There's bound to be more lands and discoveries for us to find out there.

Without a doubt. But the problem is reaching them. Are you unaware of the barrier surrounding the water just beyond the shores of the island?

I may have heard something about a barrier. Is it that difficult to get past?

To date, it would appear that no one has managed. I have not made any attempts to test what it is or how it may be constructed, but considering some of our company, I feel that if the barrier still remains then it must be extraordinarily durable.

If what you say is true, a way to break it down can be found too. Even this supposedly durable barrier must have a weak spot.

Perhaps. But it's less a matter of whether it has a "weak spot," and more one of whether we actually have access to the resources we would need to take advantage of it.

All we need is some type of technology that would help us pinpoint the weaker spots or spot of the barrier around the island, yes? If we're able to do that, we can break those points and possibly tear down the entire barrier.

Edited 2013-03-11 05:08 (UTC)

If such things actually exist. But the barrier could just as easily be consistently impenetrable all around. If we are going to get past it, what we need is a way to counter or deactivate it. Create our own "weak spot," if you will. Also, I'm not entirely sure that tearing down the entire barrier would be the wisest course of action. Inclusion may not be its only function.

Tearing down the barrier means we're able leave as well as return, wouldn't it? It'd better we have a way to come back and go out beyond the island than not.

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