retrospec | We don't exist in a vacuum

We don't exist in a vacuum

[The top of the post contains a link to a medical journal article explaining a technique in internal surgery using micromachines the size of a nanite.]

Hitori Togusa
4/22 near Recolle Police Department
I've been doing a lot of thinking, because of the chocobos. It's chocobo hatching season, by the way, go to the Downs and watch, it is the cutest thing you will ever see.
But we don't know where the chocobos started. Somebody might be able to find some evolutionary link that exists in our world now, chocobos descended from dinosaurs or something. I started to try to look it up, but evolutionary biology is pretty far beyond me.
So I went for something closer to home, so to speak. A new medical technology. Something that got brought through from the world of the guy I'm remembering. They use it at the Recolle hospital all the time. A couple of the people on here have probably gotten it as a treatment before.
But it means that somebody out there in this world has to have come up with it. Or at least they think that they did. Surgeons suddenly have the strange combination of surgical technique and computer coding skill that it takes to do surgeries with those things. It didn't exist before about a year ago. And it wouldn't exist if this guy Retrospec is shoving my head full of memories of wasn't one of the lucky few they picked out.

But I guess my point is that we aren't the only ones being changed. Somehow, I'd gotten really really focused on just us, the ones who are remembering things, instead of keeping my viewpoint wider. So maybe instead of just asking where it stops for us, we should also be wondering where Retrospec's meddling stops for everyone else in Recolle, too.

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[ Huh... well, he's never really read anything from a medical journal before, but since he supposedly used to be a doctor, he might as well read through this one and see if he understands anything. Maybe one of those words from that conversation in his memory -- "spyrite" or "spyrix" or whatever -- will show up here.

...No such luck. Oh well. ]

Was this other version of you actually involved in medical research?

[Togusa knows what he means, but, he has to keep being specific.]

Hitori Togusa This guy, he’s not me. But whoever it is that Retrospec is showing me the memories of? Definitely not a doctor or researcher.
Hitori Togusa This tech is common in his world, but he wasn’t involved in its creation.

Right.

[ eyeroll... ]

Why are you so sure it came from "his" world and that the development wasn't a coincidence? It's not like the different places people have remembered have been completely without common technology.

Hitori Togusa It appeared at the hospital shortly after I received a memory about the technology. Which isn't conclusive. But, when I discussed it with the medical professionals on here, Dr. Izunia, and, at the time, Dr. Trevelyan, they hadn't heard of it. And then here it was, being used in the hospital, acting like it had been a part of the medical tech for years.
Hitori Togusa In addition, talking to tech experts, Yoon-sung Lee, there's nothing else like the micromachines on the market. A kind of technology like that, it should have more support, or it should be the building block of things in other areas. And there's nothing.

[ Well, okay, those are reasonable arguments. ]

So you think it was just because you got a memory? You didn't even have any interaction with the hospital or anyone in the medical field in between when you remembered and when you discovered the technology was being used here?

Hitori Togusa Correct.
Hitori Togusa I'd probably spoken with Dr. Izunia between those time points, but just as a friend, I didn't mention the memory to her.

If that's the case, and if it isn't the only case like it, do you think that means someone who remembers having a certain medical procedure done might not have really had that procedure?

Because the technology didn't really exist fifteen years (or however long) ago?

Hitori Togusa Maybe not. The micromachines have only been in development the last few years in the first place.
Hitori Togusa But it's just a new technique to be able to do existing surgeries. You remember getting your appendix taken out, it still got removed, but maybe the scar is gone now because instead of even a laperscopic removal, it got chopped up by these things.

You're suggesting something similar could have happened with other technologies, though, right? Not just this one? I mean, I know the world I've been remembering had its own kinds of medical technology, since that version of me apparently specialized in it.

And if these things are somehow being incorporated into our history retroactively...

I don't know, I guess it doesn't really matter. I'd be curious to go through my own old medical records now, though.

Glad someone else brought this up, to be honest.
Lately, I've gotten to wondering if even the citywide view is too narrow.
A lot of what they seem to do wouldn't be possible unless they could reconfigure spacetime pretty much on the fly - but if you allow for that, where does that leave basic physics? What happens to all the other sciences built on it? Is there anything meaningful left?
Can't do shit about it one way or another, but I'll admit, it's been bugging me.

Hitori Togusa There has to be some kind of spacetime change. They didn't just make chocobos appear here, but they appear throughout history, some famous paintings contained chocobos now instead of horses. It's a full alteration.
Hitori Togusa I'm Officer Togusa, are you new, I don't believe I've seen your name on here before?

Oh right, easy to forget... New as of a few weeks ago, yes. I work in life sciences over at the university.
So you can imagine that when I think too hard about the possible mechanisms of Retrospec, it starts to feel kinda personal. 🙀

Hitori Togusa Pleasure to meet you, then.
Hitori Togusa It's hard to think about the mechanisms, when the effects, themselves, have been so widespread. Changing people's biology, for example. Adding body parts or changing eye color or adding injuries.

Yeah, no kidding. Not to mention what's temporary and what's not. It's outside the scope of conventional biology for sure.
But on the other hand, a lot of things in the natural world look less connected than they are. Every connection, no matter how deep or obscure, is a potential avenue for understanding. When you view it that way, every point of data matters.
If I didn't view it that way, I'd really be in the wrong line of work...

Omigosh are there really books about all the new species which as popped up since then?! I need to get on those!

Hitori Togusa Right? I didn't even think about it until recently!
Hitori Togusa The chocobos have been a normal part of this world now, which means there are people who know how to take care of them, and it turns out those people have written books. So in a way, it's all new things to learn.

And what about the elephants and dragons out of the city?

I've been making my own observations in the field, I didn't even consider study!

Hitori Togusa Oh those things? The monsters that keep popping up? I'm honestly not sure.
Hitori Togusa How would you even look? I don't know what any of them are called.

That's a good question! I've been making my own names for them, but . . .

I doubt any textbook is going to have the draco candidus in it

Edited 2018-04-24 19:56 (UTC)

Hitori Togusa Candidus?
Hitori Togusa Much as I hate to suggest it, this might be one to ask Zee about, if Retrospec knows anything more about those creatures. Why did the same things appear repeatedly?

Yes, Candidus.

Have you been outside the city much? There's actually a great deal of consistency with the changes made to the ecosystem out there! I've documented at least ten new species!

Hitori Togusa Quick google says Candidus, 'white, shining.'
Hitori Togusa OH YOU MEAN THAT ONE.

Hitori Togusa I mean. Yes. Any name for those is probably better than the vague scream of 'not that thing again.'

Hitori Togusa ...are the metal birds with jet engines on their wings back again?

Yes! They have roosting perches that they keep in the more hilly areas north of the city especially! I've not worked out if they have nests though...

[NESTS. Togusa might cry.]

Hitori Togusa I know they are very efficient hunters and can shoot electricity, so I do hope you aren't trying to get too close to them.
Hitori Togusa I only know one person who might have the power to take them on if they attack people again.

Oh wow, only one... really?

Who's that?

Hitori Togusa Eleanor Lamb. Back in August, she and I were able to take out one of the birds between the two of us.
Hitori Togusa I was only able to help because I was cheating. I had been given a power set similar to hers.

Hitori Togusa I'm useless again, but she's gotten a significant- upgrade since then. So to speak.

Oh wow, you must think really highly of Eleanor!

She is pretty strong... probably way more than me.

Hitori Togusa I do. She's likely the most powerful person in the city, but she's quiet about it. And she's a good friend.
Hitori Togusa Do I get to ask what makes you powerful, too? Or is that too personal?

Wow, *really*? I'll have to be sure to ask her about that ♥ I've seen some cool things from her, but that's pretty bold of a claim when I've seen people do some amazing things!

And terrifying.

It's not personal, but I'm not that strong.

so you're saying you think they're rewriting history as we go
is that the basic idea or am i misunderstanding

Hitori Togusa Yes. It's harder to see the effect now, but for a while, chocobos had completely replaced horses. Any story or painting or anything you remember being about horses had the birds instead. No matter how old it was.
Hitori Togusa Another new name? I'm Hitori Togusa, are you recent on the app?

oh yes
reiji suzukaze, just reiji is fine
i'm not really a permanent person here
i'm just here on business
but it's good to meet you hitori-san

what you're saying does make sense though
if this app does what all of you say
then someone would have to make sure nothing seems too weird right

Hitori Togusa Good to meet you, too, Reiji.
Hitori Togusa It's so strange. The world keeps shifting to match whatever change occurs, so, like you said, nobody except us notice that anything seems too weird. The birds have been here all along, and surgeons are suddenly trained in the use of micromachines.
Hitori Togusa Retrospec often mentions having to keep things level when changes occur, so I assume they're behind it.

that would make sense
and i guess if given the choice between mass panic and brainwashing
it's probably easier for them to keep doing what they're doing?
keep a ball in forward motion instead of making it take a sharp left and maybe stall
if you follow

Hitori Togusa It makes sense. Some of the ways that Retrospec keeps the world from noticing that anything is wrong is by giving other people information about the change.
Hitori Togusa Maybe that's what I'm pointing out with this post.

it's a good thing for people to be aware of
don't get me wrong
i certainly appreciate the service you're providing

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