09 March 2007
The Middle Theory
By Fenny F. (Jeff R.)
Written: A.D. 8 March 2007 (Gregorian); A.E. 8 March 3310 (Kitarian Standard).
Original Web Release, First Edition: A.D. 9 March 2007.
*****
Sometime in the [Kitarian] 32nd century A.E.
The gentle fox showed he was not the hardened, heartless being that many youkai are, when tears fell from his eyes.
Dr. Roberts noticed this, and faced a conflict within – after all, it was a kitsune who tricked him in the first place, marooning him in this land – a land seemingly after time.
However, his own experiences – and the entire collected folklore of the Japanese people – could not explain the creature he now observed.
After all, since when do youkai risk personal harm, to protect the lives of mortals? And when the time came – when he could save either his friend, or a host of strangers he never knew.. his choice was unusual – for mortals, much less demons.
The Doctor wondered, “Have I found – in this member of the race which betrayed me – the unique soul whom I have sought for so long? Perhaps.. I should ease his pain – as he did for so many others.”
He looked at the crushed-hearted monoke-warrior, then spoke, “Time can be such a pain in the wookus sometimes, can't it?”
A bit confused, Fenny looked up for a moment at Roberts, his ocean-blue eyes almost as wet as their image-sake. “Life can be a pain – but time?”
“The idea that once something happens, it's always set and done – forever, we sail a constant heading toward the future, with a never-varying speed. Many of my people – for thousands of years, in fact – used this idea in the governing of their lives. They called it 'linear time.'”
“Yeah.. at times like these, it really sucks.”
“Linear time was not the only idea of time put forth by the human species, though. Certain cultures thought, for example, that time was cyclical. To them, a clock would likely be revered not only as a small timekeeper, but as a calendar as well.”
“There were a few of my kind who also had a similar idea,” Fenny lamented. “They were ridiculed.. their ideas relegated to the domain of myth.”
“And then, there was a third idea – a middle path, so to say. One.. that I have experimented for years to support.”
“Middle path? What kind of idea? And.. what did your experiments show?” Fenny had known for quite some time, that Dr. Roberts was a practicing experimental scientist.
“The Middle Theory, as I have dubbed it, suggests that time – like the surface of a planet – has two types of behaviour, depending on the vantage point of the observer.”
“Two types?”
“Yes. In the many years of the older models' existence, no one ever thought to combine them. You see... to us, because most of us exist for such a short time in the grand scale of the Universe, time seems linear – flat. Much like a person standing on the surface of a planet, because the planet is so big – and so close – relative to the observer, a round planet appears flat.”
“So, wait just a minute. You're saying that our seemingly linear existence, is actually round?”
“In a manner of speaking. And – just as someone can see the roundness of a planet by distancing themselves from it in a spacecraft...”
Fenny understood – and finished the Doctor's theory. “...you can see the roundness of time, by backing away.”
“Exactly.”
“But.. that leaves one problem. How does one back away from time, when we are creatures which are so intertwined with it? Even as a 9-tail, I cannot do that.”
“Not on your own... But that's when technology comes in.” The Doctor pulled out a golden watch from a small bag next to him. “This is the embodiment of my life's work – something I have never shown another living soul, until now.”
“A watch? Why does a watch need to be secret?”
“Looks can be deceiving – you, of all fursons, should know that, youkai. But.. you are no ordinary demon – I saw the proof a few minutes ago, when you cried. You have a heart.. a conscience.”
“Well,” Fenny yerfed, blushing, “I do what comes naturally. And.. whatever that watch is, it is beautiful.”
“You like her, do you? That's good.. because she's yours, now,” Roberts said, handing the watch to the fox.
“I can't possibly accept this! It's obviously special to you.”
Dr. Roberts chuckled heartily, then said, “No worries, Modestsune. I've built five of them – one for me, and four for others; but alas, you are the only one so far I believe I can trust.”
“Trust? You must be desperate to place that in a kitsune,” Fenny yerfed with a giggle. “What is it, anyway?”
“That depends. It is a representation of cyclical time... it could be the greatest piece of technology the Universe has yet known. Or.. it could be a weapon – an instrument which could unravel all the good there ever was.”
“Umm...”
“It is the proof of my theory.. the machine which distances its user from linear time, allowing them to escape it.. a time machine.”
“But.. why?”
“Escape the binds of linear time, Fenny... take hold of the wheel – for at last, you control your own rudder and sails.. But use that command cautiously – with great power, comes great responsibility. May I suggest your first mission?”
“What?”
“Save him.. right that wrong.”
Fenny thought for a second, then wrapped the Watch's chain around his paw, clenching it in a death grip. He gritted his teeth.. and just before vanishing, said, “Thank you.”
THE END
***** ¶ 3/09/2007 12:16:00 AM
By Fenny F. (Jeff R.)
Written: A.D. 8 March 2007 (Gregorian); A.E. 8 March 3310 (Kitarian Standard).
Original Web Release, First Edition: A.D. 9 March 2007.
*****
Sometime in the [Kitarian] 32nd century A.E.
The gentle fox showed he was not the hardened, heartless being that many youkai are, when tears fell from his eyes.
Dr. Roberts noticed this, and faced a conflict within – after all, it was a kitsune who tricked him in the first place, marooning him in this land – a land seemingly after time.
However, his own experiences – and the entire collected folklore of the Japanese people – could not explain the creature he now observed.
After all, since when do youkai risk personal harm, to protect the lives of mortals? And when the time came – when he could save either his friend, or a host of strangers he never knew.. his choice was unusual – for mortals, much less demons.
The Doctor wondered, “Have I found – in this member of the race which betrayed me – the unique soul whom I have sought for so long? Perhaps.. I should ease his pain – as he did for so many others.”
He looked at the crushed-hearted monoke-warrior, then spoke, “Time can be such a pain in the wookus sometimes, can't it?”
A bit confused, Fenny looked up for a moment at Roberts, his ocean-blue eyes almost as wet as their image-sake. “Life can be a pain – but time?”
“The idea that once something happens, it's always set and done – forever, we sail a constant heading toward the future, with a never-varying speed. Many of my people – for thousands of years, in fact – used this idea in the governing of their lives. They called it 'linear time.'”
“Yeah.. at times like these, it really sucks.”
“Linear time was not the only idea of time put forth by the human species, though. Certain cultures thought, for example, that time was cyclical. To them, a clock would likely be revered not only as a small timekeeper, but as a calendar as well.”
“There were a few of my kind who also had a similar idea,” Fenny lamented. “They were ridiculed.. their ideas relegated to the domain of myth.”
“And then, there was a third idea – a middle path, so to say. One.. that I have experimented for years to support.”
“Middle path? What kind of idea? And.. what did your experiments show?” Fenny had known for quite some time, that Dr. Roberts was a practicing experimental scientist.
“The Middle Theory, as I have dubbed it, suggests that time – like the surface of a planet – has two types of behaviour, depending on the vantage point of the observer.”
“Two types?”
“Yes. In the many years of the older models' existence, no one ever thought to combine them. You see... to us, because most of us exist for such a short time in the grand scale of the Universe, time seems linear – flat. Much like a person standing on the surface of a planet, because the planet is so big – and so close – relative to the observer, a round planet appears flat.”
“So, wait just a minute. You're saying that our seemingly linear existence, is actually round?”
“In a manner of speaking. And – just as someone can see the roundness of a planet by distancing themselves from it in a spacecraft...”
Fenny understood – and finished the Doctor's theory. “...you can see the roundness of time, by backing away.”
“Exactly.”
“But.. that leaves one problem. How does one back away from time, when we are creatures which are so intertwined with it? Even as a 9-tail, I cannot do that.”
“Not on your own... But that's when technology comes in.” The Doctor pulled out a golden watch from a small bag next to him. “This is the embodiment of my life's work – something I have never shown another living soul, until now.”
“A watch? Why does a watch need to be secret?”
“Looks can be deceiving – you, of all fursons, should know that, youkai. But.. you are no ordinary demon – I saw the proof a few minutes ago, when you cried. You have a heart.. a conscience.”
“Well,” Fenny yerfed, blushing, “I do what comes naturally. And.. whatever that watch is, it is beautiful.”
“You like her, do you? That's good.. because she's yours, now,” Roberts said, handing the watch to the fox.
“I can't possibly accept this! It's obviously special to you.”
Dr. Roberts chuckled heartily, then said, “No worries, Modestsune. I've built five of them – one for me, and four for others; but alas, you are the only one so far I believe I can trust.”
“Trust? You must be desperate to place that in a kitsune,” Fenny yerfed with a giggle. “What is it, anyway?”
“That depends. It is a representation of cyclical time... it could be the greatest piece of technology the Universe has yet known. Or.. it could be a weapon – an instrument which could unravel all the good there ever was.”
“Umm...”
“It is the proof of my theory.. the machine which distances its user from linear time, allowing them to escape it.. a time machine.”
“But.. why?”
“Escape the binds of linear time, Fenny... take hold of the wheel – for at last, you control your own rudder and sails.. But use that command cautiously – with great power, comes great responsibility. May I suggest your first mission?”
“What?”
“Save him.. right that wrong.”
Fenny thought for a second, then wrapped the Watch's chain around his paw, clenching it in a death grip. He gritted his teeth.. and just before vanishing, said, “Thank you.”
THE END
***** ¶ 3/09/2007 12:16:00 AM
