Naoto Shirogane (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
truedetective) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
retrospec2017-06-01 01:41 pm
truedetective) wrote in retrospec2017-06-01 01:41 pm
Entry tags:
I reach out to the truth; text
It's no secret that what we've experienced over the past several months has been unnatural, to say the least. Things that shouldn't be possible have been occurring with regularity. Our memories have been changing, our physical bodies have been changing, the world has been changing, and sometimes it seems that though we are the only ones aware of it.
Upon observation and analysis, I have a theory-- rather, a hypothesis. I'm not entirely happy with it, because it seems ridiculous even to me. Yet it would seem to explain everything that is going on here. I've yet to encounter a piece of evidence that would disprove it... though I welcome any suggestions, because as I've said, I don't like the implications either.
Before we get to my hypothesis, let's examine the oddities we've faced.
1) Memory alteration, version 1. (Which may in fact be memory preservation.) We are the only ones aware of changes to the world and the prior state, such as the existence of horses.
2) Memory alteration, version 2. We have awakened to "hallucinomemories" of things that seem impossible, of lives we've never lived, of people we've never met. Often, these memories accompany us remembering skills and abilities that return fully and immediately-- such as a completely new set of languages spoken.
3) Physical changes. Eye color, hair color, even physical limbs changing to something new.
4) World changes. We all shrank, temporarily, while the rest of the world did not.
It is worth noting that these only ever apply to users on Retrospec. There doesn't seem to be any instance of non-Retrospec users encountering these; moreover, people who did not previously use Retrospec but who were given access to the app suddenly began experiencing these as well. For that reason, I believe Retrospec users are "awakened" of some kind. I don't know if that's the best term, I'm not a writer.
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But I digress. The point is this: I believe that this world is a simulation of some kind. We are inside some sort of vast computer program.
However, we are real people. I don't know whether our physical bodies are hooked up to some computer in "reality" or our minds were copied, but we existed elsewhere at some point. This is the reason for items 2 and 3: The "hallucinomemories" we've been having, the skills we've been relearning, the physical changes... these aren't invented. We're remembering our real selves, our prior lives. I'm sure of this much; I have personally remembered shared experiences with other "awakened" Retrospec users, with shared details that none of us had told the other.
This also explains items 4 and 1. As a simulation, the world and its parameters can be changed. It would be trivial to change our size, or to replace horses with chocobos.
Retrospec is the key to this, obviously. I do not yet know whether it is intrinsic to our being "awakened" or if it merely exists as a means for the simulation operators to keep tabs on us. But it, and the company behind it, do seem to be the masterminds.
Think about it: Isn't it odd that a social media company would limit its presence to a single city? Where are the nationwide Retrospec users, where are the international ones? Does that mean that this city alone is the simulator?
Again, I am aware that this seems far fetched. But this theory does seem to explain every question we've encountered, and I can't think of any data to disprove it. If you know of any information that might make this less likely, I eagerly await it.
I don't like the idea of being a data simulation any more than you all do. But I am resolved to find the truth, even if it's unpleasant.
-N
Upon observation and analysis, I have a theory-- rather, a hypothesis. I'm not entirely happy with it, because it seems ridiculous even to me. Yet it would seem to explain everything that is going on here. I've yet to encounter a piece of evidence that would disprove it... though I welcome any suggestions, because as I've said, I don't like the implications either.
Before we get to my hypothesis, let's examine the oddities we've faced.
1) Memory alteration, version 1. (Which may in fact be memory preservation.) We are the only ones aware of changes to the world and the prior state, such as the existence of horses.
2) Memory alteration, version 2. We have awakened to "hallucinomemories" of things that seem impossible, of lives we've never lived, of people we've never met. Often, these memories accompany us remembering skills and abilities that return fully and immediately-- such as a completely new set of languages spoken.
3) Physical changes. Eye color, hair color, even physical limbs changing to something new.
4) World changes. We all shrank, temporarily, while the rest of the world did not.
It is worth noting that these only ever apply to users on Retrospec. There doesn't seem to be any instance of non-Retrospec users encountering these; moreover, people who did not previously use Retrospec but who were given access to the app suddenly began experiencing these as well. For that reason, I believe Retrospec users are "awakened" of some kind. I don't know if that's the best term, I'm not a writer.
----------
But I digress. The point is this: I believe that this world is a simulation of some kind. We are inside some sort of vast computer program.
However, we are real people. I don't know whether our physical bodies are hooked up to some computer in "reality" or our minds were copied, but we existed elsewhere at some point. This is the reason for items 2 and 3: The "hallucinomemories" we've been having, the skills we've been relearning, the physical changes... these aren't invented. We're remembering our real selves, our prior lives. I'm sure of this much; I have personally remembered shared experiences with other "awakened" Retrospec users, with shared details that none of us had told the other.
This also explains items 4 and 1. As a simulation, the world and its parameters can be changed. It would be trivial to change our size, or to replace horses with chocobos.
Retrospec is the key to this, obviously. I do not yet know whether it is intrinsic to our being "awakened" or if it merely exists as a means for the simulation operators to keep tabs on us. But it, and the company behind it, do seem to be the masterminds.
Think about it: Isn't it odd that a social media company would limit its presence to a single city? Where are the nationwide Retrospec users, where are the international ones? Does that mean that this city alone is the simulator?
Again, I am aware that this seems far fetched. But this theory does seem to explain every question we've encountered, and I can't think of any data to disprove it. If you know of any information that might make this less likely, I eagerly await it.
I don't like the idea of being a data simulation any more than you all do. But I am resolved to find the truth, even if it's unpleasant.
-N
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And no, I don't think it seems too far fetched a theory. It actually lines up, though it could easily be a magical illusion, or a forced dream, or any other similar concept depending on your world view.
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I'm not ready to believe in "magic."
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Adding "magic" into the mix requires the acceptance of an entirely different set of rules.
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It's something that happened to me about a month ago, but we haven't seen one another in person since we were shrunk down and there was a lot going on then.
Would you like to see? I have free time.
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Can you explain it without having to show me?
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I don't want to talk about it too much over the network.
I'll put on a good show for you though. Meet me at the practice field at school?
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[And, sure enough, in an hour, there she is?
She's still looking a little awkwardly at Yukiko, or perhaps more accurately not looking at her.]
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Okay. Thanks for coming.
[Closing her eyes, she fights back distress in her voice, bothered by the way Naoto's avoiding her gaze.]
Are you ready?
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Still, she should probably watch this.] If you are, I am.
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About the size of a golf ball, it hovers in the air before her. Months of practice has made it easier, and it rolls between her fingertips like a marble.]
This...is the first thing I learned I could do.
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Sure is fire hovering above her hand.] It doesn't burn you?
[She holds her hand out hesitantly towards it, reaching for it... only to pull back when the heat becomes too much to bear.] ...it's still hot.
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[She flicks the fireball high into the air and it vanishes with a puff of smoke.]
It's still fire. But honestly, it feels nice? Almost like it recharges me. I...had an accident and actually felt better when I got hit with it. It's so strange.
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[She looks away, suddenly extremely nervous.]
It was definitely flame from somewhere else. Also I touched a match the other day and it didn't hurt. So maybe it's just fire?
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Anything might be helpful to solving this mystery, so if you don't mind...?
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I...don't intend to do that again. Not...to anyone. It's someone else's special power, and I don't want to spread information around without meaning to. Not again.
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...I suppose that's fair, if it's someone else's secret. It changes nothing about this.
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Trust me, I'm positive. Fire doesn't hurt me anymore. If you have a match, I'll show you
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At any rate, I believe you. You don't have any reason to lie to me about something like this.
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[Don't ever, ever look in Yukiko's purse. It'll be like looking into the abyss.]
And you're right. I don't have a reason to lie to you.
[At. All.]
This isn't the only thing I can do, either.
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