His Fate in Small Hands

[civic shuttle]

Anyway this made my day thank you

[random pine]

Glad to be of service Please tell him I am sorry for calling him a fucked up ice cream

[civic shuttle]

[random pine]

WAIT NO WAY

YOU DID IT MNBJHGNHMB

[civic shuttle]

now EVERYONE can be confused

[random pine]

This is the best thing that has happened to me

[civic shuttle]

I should really pay you for this masterpiece

[obsidian epoch]

I hear changes in profile pictures were in order

[civic shuttle]

I still can’t look at this without laughing help

[worn tree]

the Banan profile is now silly it seems

[civic shuttle]

I managed to fix at least the first part of the scene… so that’s good.

Maybe I can get the rest done tomorrow if I try hard enough

[dire fossil]

It’s now her profile.

[random pine]

Who took this picture of my brain!!!

[errant narwhal]

I thought that was AutoCaptcha

[past idol]

@civic shuttle for absolutly no reason whatsoever, if you have one, mind dropping the color pallete for the yellow lizard?

[tawny viper]

You know, i feel like it might be yellow /j

Orange, perhaps

[past idol]

all the tones i get are so ugly

idk

[civic shuttle]

I can put something together

[past idol]

hehehe

[civic shuttle]

lemme see if my ipad is charged

[silk stirrup]

I love this 😆

[past idol]

ok no wait, i hope you didnt spend to much time looking, i found sth that works

[tawny viper]

Wiki has a palette of possible orange lizor colors i think

[past idol]

true

that might be better

@civic shuttle since soul got one you get one too
the highest of paint quality images that there is to offer

ignore the fact that i never drew a lizard before in my entire life

[silk stirrup]

😆

[past idol]

they call me da vince jr for a reason

[tawny viper]

Wait so is pebbles meant to have crossed out eyes or is he meant to have HUGE eyebrows

[upper drum]

Eyeliner

[past idol]

i always add the emo eyeliner

cant do without it

[upper drum]

I like how utterly miffed Winter looks

[past idol]

well her entire work was just destroyed

also definetly spoilers for the last chapter, omg

[upper drum]

My face when the ancestral mission is completely ruined by a rotund lizard with two and a half brain cells

[past idol]

yikes, now that you say it i can kinda see it

[obsidian epoch]

Crossbrows

[past idol]

he looks so disturbed

[civic shuttle]

I DOODLED HIM FOR YOU HEHE

[past idol]

ohhh noooo

now i made you work when i was already done

[civic shuttle]

HER FUCKING FACE

[past idol]

shes very happy

if you couldnt tell already

[civic shuttle]

I love it thank you

Losing it at this lmfao

[past idol]

glad to spread some joy

[civic shuttle]

Another ms paint masterpiece

[past idol]

one day i will get a real art program and then i will redraw the both i made

someday...

[civic shuttle]

Do it do it

[tawny viper]

Krita :)

[past idol]

have that one written down

but first things first i need to replace that stupid mouse

[random pine]

Krita gang rise up

[random pine]

FORBIDDEN GUMBALL

[civic shuttle]

crunch

[past idol]

eyyyyy

dont you have ocs too?

i have plans taht i cant share

[civic shuttle]

#1236753481000550554

[past idol]

wait they had a thread this entire time???

bruhhh

how did i not know about that

[civic shuttle]

I MISSED IT TOO I WAS SO MAD

[obsidian epoch]

You never asked

[random pine]

KGHFJGBBGF
There's the thread yes, didn't share it cause not a lot going on

And soonTM hopefully an AO3?!

[past idol]

nice

just one problem, i have no clue what these characters are about but i wanna draw sth now

[civic shuttle]

HOW SOON

[random pine]

IDK MAN I'M STILL ORGANIzING

[civic shuttle]

want….

[past idol]

@random pine you have any memes you like?

[random pine]

There are several small excerpts scattered around stories-discussion, which is the level of lore people are currently at. I'll slap them into the thread real quick

[obsidian epoch]

I have a meme I like that Drymm drew

[past idol]

that might work too

[past idol]

gimmi

[tawny viper]

The superior shitpo- I mean art program. Yes. Art

[dire fossil]

Shitposting is art.

[worn tree]

hm? hello Drymm! how are you doing?

[worn tree]

oh wow thank you so much this is so validating /hj

what have people been talking about in here?

[civic shuttle]

#1225605782347972652 message amany made me art

[worn tree]

oh

[mint nova]

my microsoft paint skills couldn't even begin to make something that good

Poor winter is stuck with a sibling with more food motivation than brain

[dire fossil]

Has a single braincell that it shares with cyans.

[grave rune]

hm

[civic shuttle]

Gasp copyright infringement

[upper drum]

I wasn’t ready for Buff Garbage Worm

[civic shuttle]

No one can be

[dire fossil]

The Garbage Worm equivalent of Enot.

[mint nova]

Which iterator is that top right

[upper drum]

Moom

[dire fossil]

Pebbles’ big sister.

[civic shuttle]

Moom

[mint nova]

ah Moob

my one braincell forgot

[grave rune]

boom?

did somebody say boom?

[random pine]

So
I read Wish's story
I will lie down and cry now

GOOD SHIT

[worn tree]

[civic shuttle]

My baby boy old man

[tawny viper]

Me when fictional character from fictional setting ruins my emotions

[worn tree]

[tawny viper]

Actually that got me thinking, how long of a lifespan would an ancient have

[civic shuttle]

I dont have a solid number honestly. Easiest to go with a human-ish lifespan I suppose (but in this one year is about the equivalent of 3 of ours, so… 30-40, maybe?)

[civic shuttle]

Imagine me writing it

[tawny viper]

ignoring their likely suicidal tendencies

[tawny viper]

Don't have to imagine

[median arrow]

me wanting to drag out something more to make it hurt more

[tawny viper]

||you will pay for this ||
/j

[median arrow]

[random pine]

||Love how the first lost iterator has so many parallels to Crown. 👀 Lore eated||

[tawny viper]

||uh oh spaghetti-oh you better not be killing crowns now, will ya?||

[civic shuttle]

Abandoned… 🥺

Left to die

[civic shuttle]

This chapter is hurting me.

[worn tree]

[civic shuttle]

Arti’s limited vocabulary is as difficult for me here as it is for her

God

[upper drum]

If you ever want someone to look it over and provide some outside input, I’d be glad to!

(This is a devious plot of mine to see the next h🐟 chapter early)

[worn tree]

(hey! shhhh don't get caught /silly)

[civic shuttle]

Augh if I can get it to a readable state then maybe

Rn the scene is jumbled as I gut it for parts

I think I have to accept that arti’s feelings just can’t be fully explained by pebbles’ perspective

But I’m not sure if that will make the scene not sell

[upper drum]

Just use subtext

[worn tree]

good luck

[errant narwhal]

...why I get a feeling that this chapter (and with that behemoth 5k words long of a scene) is going to be painful for readers as well...

[civic shuttle]

Scene isn’t that long

That was the doc with all the different versions and cut bits

I will say it isn’t the length that’s gonna hurt ya

[errant narwhal]

but also

[tawny viper]

Bump

[civic shuttle]

I feel bad it’s not more active in here I gotta wriiiiite

Chap14 is so close to being done I just gotta fix up the last stinky parts ugh

[grave rune]

Attacks the fic with my anti-stinky gun <3

[civic shuttle]

Oh, now it smells so fresh!

[civic shuttle]

AUGH I got the sweetest comment this morning. I gotta write

[civic shuttle]

progress has been made

So close...

[tawny viper]

[civic shuttle]

Okay, chapter content complete… needs a final edit, then a proofread. Then post

[silk stirrup]

WOOOO

[civic shuttle]

I’m gonna take a break and get some coffee and food and then I will get it ready for proofread

Hopefully it won’t need major changes after proofread but we will see

[obsidian epoch]

👀

[errant narwhal]

Yooo
Probably gonna see that posted when I wake up in the morning then

[civic shuttle]

needs like, one tiny thing I'm hoping proofread can help with

[random pine]

Nice

[civic shuttle]

but I just sent it out to them

this ended up so long lmao

I am likely not posting it tonight though I am so tired

idk maybe

we'll see how proofread goes

[civic shuttle]

Got a pretty unanimous approval from proofreaders

I'm doing it

final edit :3

[grave rune]

HFISH

HFISH UPDATE SPOTTED

[grave rune]

i'll repost this from ao3

||the rain and the winter...
where it all began, those gilded monoliths that scrape the sky and scar the earth with but a breath.
and the end, the return to what was before, the bitter cold, a cycle complete, yet things are not quite the same as they were at the start. ||

[worn tree]

good job very good job

[random pine]

||DOES ARTI FEEL SHE IS LOSING ANOTHER CHILD ||
||ARTI REGRET..........||
||Pebbles is actually making me cry||
||THE ORIGINS OF THE ANCESTRAL MISSION ||
||THIS BABYYYY why is she so CUTE||
||Pretty ||
||Ohhh noooo Arti probably doesn't want Rain to have her heart broken just like hers...||
WAAAAA GOOD CHAPTER

Just when I thought I couldn't cry more

[woven ocean]

IM HERE

IM READING IT RN

||oh pebs. waxing philosopical are we||

||artificer cares about him so much im🥺🥺🥺🥺||

||he got rsd 😭||

[dire fossil]

||Rain. Winter. I see a correlation.||

[woven ocean]

||"Those big, searching eyes looked to him now. Rain asked him, shyly, slowly: 'Word?'

"Pretty?" He asked to confirm. She nodded. 'Pretty.' He made it up on the spot—a simple motion, easily replicated.

‘Pretty… pretty…’ The gesture was clumsy. Once again, staring intently, she carefully formed the sign with unpracticed hands. It was… endearing. She was cute.

Somehow, his puppet's throat felt tight.

After several repetitions, she looked up at him.

'Five Pebbles… pretty… too.'

Choked with emotion he could hardly process, he looked to his citizen. She was watching her child, looking… fearful." WHAT IF I STARTED CRYING RN WHAT IF||

||THE ENDING??? I MIGHT ACTUALLY CRY WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME||

really fucking good chapter holy shit

excuse me while i lie down and cry

[dire fossil]

||Pebbles doesn’t think he deserves joy. My friend, I assure you, you do. Please, find your solution. Your own Triple Affirmative.||

[woven ocean]

||YOU!! GET ME!!! YOU GET IT||

[dire fossil]

||“Five Pebbles… pretty… too.” It hurts.||

[woven ocean]

i want every character in this fic to be happy so bad. thats my only wish🥹

[woven ocean]

||literally gasped when i read that line||

[dire fossil]

||I am relatively not emotive, but if I could, I guarantee you I would.||

[woven ocean]

||that last line was like a sucker punch oh my god im holding this fic so close to my chest. oh my god||

fun fact but this fic was actually the first one i ever picked up for this fandom urghhhh

[dire fossil]

You’ll live with high expectations for everyone else, then!

This is probably the most well-written fic I’ve read.

[woven ocean]

fr

it's a huge inspiration

[dire fossil]

Another is ever so slightly more dear to me, but that’s because of its theme.

It’s written almost as well.

In terms of writing, HFiSH excels, more so than most other pieces of fiction I’ve read.

And I read a lot, when I was younger.

Now, I sadly don’t have as much time.

Theme, I’m a big sucker for Sisyphean struggle, which is not exactly what this is. Expanding. Breaking limits. Even if it means sacrificing the world around you for it.

Even if it means sacrificing yourself for it.

I love this fic with all my dear heart. Well, what little of it is left.

I love Pebbles. Platonically.

The depiction of Pebbles here is so raw.

Underclocking allows us to see what he is like.

Under that god complex.

Under all the problems he has.

He’s just a scared person.

[woven ocean]

its one of my favorite depictions of him it makes the brain worms i have for him go crazy

[dire fossil]

He’s scared. He’s guilty.

[woven ocean]

i love him romantically /j

i could talk for hours about his character but i feel like this fic does it well enough that i dont need to

[dire fossil]

He’s a young, rash fellow, given the divine power of a god.

And he paid the price.

[woven ocean]

im never not gonna be insane about him

[dire fossil]

“Best cautionary tale award goes to… Five Pebbles!”

I love him. Again, platonically - my heart belongs to another.

I’d give him a hug.

[worn tree]

[dire fossil]

I don’t know if he’d appreciate it in the moment - Squidcat. Welcome.

Welcome to the Five Pebbles Fanclub!

[worn tree]

oh... hi
I lurk HA! what makes you think I wasn't already in it

[dire fossil]

Alexa, play the DDLC opening menu soundtrack.

As I was going on, I’m not sure Pebbles would appreciate the hug in the moment.

I’m sure he’d call me rotund, roll me out of his chamber, and kill me because I refuse.

But I think it’d do well in the long run.

[worn tree]

complicated feelings loom in the background
||Rain was indeed very cute good little scug||

[dire fossil]

Spoilers, please.

Thanks.

[dire fossil]

I want to hug Pebbles, and then everyone who wants to do the same.

The Five Pebbles Fanclub must grow.

[woven ocean]

real shit

[dire fossil]

I don’t think he’d appreciate the gesture.

But I must.

Hey, has anyone done a “Five Pebbles gets charged for his crimes”?

[past idol]

Wth

You cant just make someone cry at 7 am

its to early and my eyes already hurt

all i did that chapter was cry
||tears becasue pebbs and arti just kept fighting and fighting
tears with like everything that arti said
tears at how cute rain is (also rain- winter- hmmmmmm) and her sighing pebbs' name
tears that they seperated
why did they have to seperate already, i was not menally prepared at all. just woke up and first things first i get a kick in the heart and now im depressed the entire day ||

but very good chapter
only gave me x100 worse depression

[obsidian epoch]

That makes two. Same time, same priority

The feels

||That is not the happy parting my mommy always told me about. ;.;||

Banan, you are a tormentor of feelings, I hope you feel bad about that! Melting my heart of stone before the first coffee.

[woven ocean]

i love fics that explore how lonely five pebbles is and how he's probably cultivated some sort of fear of abandonment (he would never admit this ever but its true) and this fic does that so well 😢

[past idol]

that dude needs therapy

and maybe some more friends that arent his mentor

or sister

[woven ocean]

i relate to him a lot in those aspects

it makes me like him more because like I Get It Man

[past idol]

now you get a hug too

everyone gets a hug after this chapter, we sure do need it

[woven ocean]

absolutely 😭i am not okay after that /pos

it's a part of his character that is explored very little but one i appreciate so much

[past idol]

and banan is probably sleeping peacefully while we all suffer

[woven ocean]

how cruel!!!

[obsidian epoch]

A torturer indeed. Sets up her devious trap and goes to sleep. To wake up to the end game of the inflicted damage

[dire fossil]

Joke’s on you, I lack the ability to suffer more than I do! /j /nav

[random pine]

(All of us crying on banan with the force of cycle rain)

[dire fossil]

At least one of us is an Iterator in disguise.

[dire fossil]

Looking at you.

You, o quick one.

[past idol]

With the power of tears

[obsidian epoch]

I take that personal

[tawny viper]

Hm, well, there are a few ways this can go now, I think
||Rain picks up the task on her own (arti is very sad)||
||Rain and arti do the task together (unlikely)||
||arti lets Rain do the task (EMOTIONAL)||
Or maybe something else

Good chapter :D
||arti no please come back please ple-||

[dire fossil]

||She’s gone. You loved her and you killed her.||

[tawny viper]

Anyways, few cases of unneeded space before a comma

Also, ||lack of gravity? Fallen? Lack of anti-gravity maybe?||

[past idol]

i hope its the first, more drama for us

[tawny viper]

Option 4:
||pebbles TAKES rain so that she can do the task (what the fuck you can't just do that)||

[past idol]

||ahhh, so thats why pebbs sturcture is broken. Arti fucking blew it up||

[tawny viper]

||grenades? Nah, demolition charges||

[past idol]

option 5
||we never see neither arti or rain again and pebbs just makes a scug himself.
tho i do have to say that the fact alone that rain is a similar name to winter is probably a sign that that is not the case||

[tawny viper]

||but the collar did say courier zero. Unless that just means "first courier"||

[past idol]

we will probably find out at some point

||but i will write my own fanficion for that story if we never see arti and rain again, i swear to god ||

[errant narwhal]

You ain't kidding...

Banan, I'd like to ask for a recompensation for my therapy cost

I commented everything I could on Ao3 already so I won't add anything more here

(More like I couldn't anymore )

[silk stirrup]

Lovely chapter, very spicy

||What was her name, though? Artificer?||

||Will be funny when Winter inserts Pebbles back into a puppet and he realizes it was all for naught||

[dire fossil]

||I mean, I’m certain she was.||

[civic shuttle]

Thank you I knew this would happen after submitting (freaking ao3….) but I just didn’t have the energy to find them all last night. I got most of them last night though

Tysm everyone

[civic shuttle]

Haven’t decided honestly

I was battling myself on that one

I know it’s frustrating for him to not have asked

[civic shuttle]

I promise this story isn’t a tragedy and pebbs will be a good boy someday. Might need a little time to get there though

Tysm for the comment ahhhh

[obsidian epoch]

You make a good job in proving us otherwise

Tragedy the game

[silk stirrup]

I think it was very well done. This chapter is my favorite so far, well done!

[civic shuttle]

thank you so much

[grave rune]

Can't wait for the next Winter POV

[civic shuttle]

Me tying up 13 chapters of relationship building in a ||catastrophic fallout||

[civic shuttle]

Me too I miss her…

[silk stirrup]

Pebbles trying not to ruin his relationships challenge...

[civic shuttle]

I’m sure that will also be a very happy chapter where everything is nice and good and no one cries

[civic shuttle]

he’ll get there…. Right???

[silk stirrup]

Tears of joy

[civic shuttle]

He was almost there here… almost….

[grave rune]

Oh god, imagine if he was so close to the goal but then got turned around

[civic shuttle]

Five pebbles wakes up and gives wonter a hug, then dies from rot roll credits /s

[silk stirrup]

Though I understand his actions, he doesn't have much of a future

He will die an agonizing death to the rot anyway

[civic shuttle]

…yeah, imagine

[grave rune]

I want Moon to see wormbles

[silk stirrup]

Me too! Yummy drama

[civic shuttle]

Gestures to moon & pebbles relationship tag

[grave rune]

Woooo yeah baby

[civic shuttle]

Tbh one of the biggest things I have to decide… pretty much now is how involved moon is

[grave rune]

The question would be then. When does this happen?

[obsidian epoch]

„I am like that? Where is the next void bath?“

[civic shuttle]

There are definitely two ways I can go with this

[civic shuttle]

[grave rune]

Oh goodness. The canon diverge!

Does... does this mean that Moon gets a new rarefaction cell sooner...?

[civic shuttle]

HMMM

[grave rune]

HMMMMM

[civic shuttle]

Nah pebbles chucked them off the side of his can

[grave rune]

yeah

[civic shuttle]

NO, moon, you can’t have my shit while I’m gone

[grave rune]

No neurons, either

Get them yourself

[civic shuttle]

He needs them for all the not thinking he will do

[grave rune]

Pebbles finds an army of slugcats, sends them to fix up moon

[silk stirrup]

"sorta fix it"

[civic shuttle]

Depends which things you want fixed

[grave rune]

Whoopsies the consequences of actions

[silk stirrup]

||Arti is sorta fixed, doesn't seem to hold such hatred anymore ||

[civic shuttle]

Boom tag achieved. Nuke it all

[civic shuttle]

Also seriously I love this so much

[grave rune]

Thank you :)

[tawny viper]

"i can fix her"

[tawny viper]

"if I can't have them, YOU can't have them!"

[civic shuttle]

This line is SUCH an early HFISH idea. This scene, them up on the can, has been living in my head for so long

[civic shuttle]

I’m sorryyyyyy it hurt to write it I was second guessing myself the whole tiiiiime

[woven ocean]

this is such a relief /lh

[errant narwhal]

I now develop a trust issue

[civic shuttle]

Ending will be… bittersweet I’d say

But not a tragedy

[woven ocean]

oh no im prepared to cry

i just want pebbles to be happy im writhing around in agony

[errant narwhal]

Joking aside, this chapter is really, really impactful. Like, darn, it got me feeling things

[woven ocean]

me too oh my god

im still not over kt

[errant narwhal]

In the true rain world fashion, eh?

[errant narwhal]

Yeah I had to sort myself out after finishing the first read-through

[civic shuttle]

I will leave the end open enough for there to be potential for a happy epilogue :’3

That being said, I can’t guarantee I will write an epilogue or sequel

[civic shuttle]

Wahhh I’m sorry!! Me too though I uh

Was kind of an emotional mess yesterday (unrelated) and then I finished up the chapter and was messed up

[errant narwhal]

The sinking feelings I had during this was akin to falling down a precipice only to find there are more cliffs for me to roll off at the bottom

[civic shuttle]

God I was so tired by the time it was posted I basically worked on it all day

[woven ocean]

what if we were weird flesh worms powering a giant computer (and were both boys)😳😳😳😳😳 /ref

[errant narwhal]

Well, we hope these positive responses would suffice to lift your spirit to make up for that!

[civic shuttle]

Yes ;0; I got so many comments… thank you so much

I reread comments all the time they’re everything

[civic shuttle]

Write it

Spread worm agenda

[woven ocean]

i keep thinking of off the string fic ideas

one is calloutpost propaganda

"damn pebbles why do you get to have two partners"

[silk stirrup]

What's calloutpost?

[woven ocean]

ui/5p

[tawny viper]

FPxUI

[silk stirrup]

Oh, a ship? Good luck with that

[tawny viper]

his fate in smaller hands

[woven ocean]

his fate in large hands

[tawny viper]

his fate in average-size hands

[random pine]

His fate between teeth

[errant narwhal]

Fate of all in His hand

[civic shuttle]

His Fate in His Hands (we can only hope)

[grave rune]

that one gif of someone running up to a basketball hoop and absolutely slaming it

[civic shuttle]

glass shatters

[grave rune]

metalpipe.sfx

[woven ocean]

im doing this to the worm ball

[random pine]

DO IT

[tawny viper]

now that i think about it the worm ball really changes the meaning of "can of worms"

[dire fossil]

I’d ceremoniously drop him in the worm pond.

[woven ocean]

erm...that's a whole other ball of worms🤓

[silk stirrup]

||Imagine this but with Winter and FP ||

[dire fossil]

Niko?

OneShot?

[tawny viper]

and make her ride lump

[tawny viper]

damn right

[dire fossil]

I’ve not played that.

[tawny viper]

go do it now :)

[dire fossil]

And I’m not willing to spoil myself.

[dire fossil]

Also, no money.

[tawny viper]

damn

[dire fossil]

As The Crane Wives’ song called ‘The Hand That Feeds’ say, “don’t got no money, but the change, that jingles in my pockets, remindin’ me how little I have.”

Go listen to it.

[errant narwhal]

Since Oneshot is mentioned, obligatory reminder that RW does reference Oneshot
Edited: don't actually look it up it's a spoiler...

[tawny viper]

Wait holy shit lmfao

[dire fossil]

I have feelings that this is spoilers, and will avoid looking into it.

[tawny viper]

It's fiiiiiine

... well uh not fine but shouldn't ruin anything

[errant narwhal]

Oh yeah, now that i think about it, this does spoil at least half of the storyline, gonna delete that just in case

[dire fossil]

That makes it worse, Epochs.

Now I know it was important.

[mint nova]

Do it again

I wasn't looking

[tawny viper]

Just forget about it :)

[tawny viper]

||one blank pearl mentions TWM|| <- spoilers

[errant narwhal]

the context is too vague! you will only get it when you get it

[mint nova]

I was being sarcastic xD, but thank you lol

[dire fossil]

Lord Apollon has cursed my mind with decent guessing abilities.

And I am willing to bet that by the time I get OneShot, I’d have it spoiled.

[tawny viper]

Iiii mean out of context it won't spoil much

[upper drum]

SUPER HUGE AND DEFINITELY REAL H🐟 SPOLIERS

[woven ocean]

what does the worm taste like

[civic shuttle]

NOO now I have to change my WHOLE FIC

[upper drum]

Please… I can’t… not another one…

[civic shuttle]

You owe me you just spoiled my whole fic

[upper drum]

Gaahahhh a Geas has been placed upon me once more

[civic shuttle]

Omfg if you

Fucking wrote one and cited HFISH as Insp I would lose my shit

Arti like bitch you’re next

(Don’t do this lmaoooo)

(Unless…)

[upper drum]

If I did I wouldn’t do it with Arti and pebbles… but who?

[civic shuttle]

Gotta be sos and saint

It’s how he gets his powers

He eated the worm

[woven ocean]

this is why he has a seizure qhen he eats meat

[civic shuttle]

Wait no don’t steal my plot twist

[upper drum]

Too late

[civic shuttle]

memories

[upper drum]

I really don’t know that I’m going to do another entry into “things slugcats shouldn’t eat” so soon, though

But someday I will write the H🐟 homage fic, I swear

[woven ocean]

i love h🐟

[civic shuttle]

Omfg you don’t have to lol

[upper drum]

No takesies backsies

It’ll happen

[civic shuttle]

[grave rune]

worm

im all for sos piloting a slugcat like a mech

[civic shuttle]

This just seems like the natural conclusion

[civic shuttle]

Fiiiinally managed to reply to all my comments

Thank you so much for leaving comments everyone ❤️ it means the world to me

[mint nova]

<3

[silk stirrup]

Can't leave any comments as I don't have an ao3 account, but know that I appreciate the story

||Also, I just realized Winter's brother is still alive in some alternate timeline since it seems like you use the timeline interpretation of the cycle||

[obsidian epoch]

I think banan has activated guest comments. If not, banan, you should

[civic shuttle]

I do allow guest comments!

Some of my fave commenters are guests it would break my heart to deactivate them

[civic shuttle]

Ah timeline theory. You make me sad.

And thank you ❤️

[errant narwhal]

Oh. I legit forgot about that small detail just mentioned in the main channel.
||Hmmmmm, i wonder... Is that how things can be salvaged? Try again? Probably not, that'd mean potentially the Courier line and Winter wouldn't exist in the 'next time'||

[past idol]

that would be really cool tbh

||we think its both in the same buts its actually not||

[civic shuttle]

I won’t say

[past idol]

||imagine, winter does her thing and pebbs is just dead, we readers think "oh noooo (or oh yes, idk maybe you want pebbs dead) pebbles will dye in the future" but since the thing starts with pebbs beign cycled maybe we get his first life from winters perspective and his secodn form his own ||

it would definitely be an interesting development

[modern dew]

||Arti dosent come back?!? (just read the new chapter)... ;-; That cant be good||

[civic shuttle]

Would you?

||there’s nothing she can do for him that won’t also hurt her and her pup ||

[modern dew]

||So what did she mean- like, is seems like she said "I stay", unless she was saying that to him? Or lied to him?||

[civic shuttle]

At the very end? ||she asked him to.||

As in, don’t do this

[upper drum]

||pebbles did not learn that the real solution was the family he found along the way||

[modern dew]

I suspected it was that... ||;-;||. To awnser the "would you"... Its hard for me to not read Arti as an overprotective parent,

Though I kindof do understand...

And like ||From what pebbles is saying, he is basically giving her the permission to not help him but stay around, though I get why Arti decides to leave because of what happenned, why did Arti come back?||

||Is it because Pebbs gave the permission that arti left? But arti themselves said they wouldent do it? I feel I'm a little confused, though I will concede I am way overthinking this||

[proud kindle]

||I would suppose to see if they could make amends. Considering how dead set he was on still sending them out on a suicide mission, I'd guess arti just gave up and said bye. There's never a place to ask for a one way suicide trip with a child in tow.||

[civic shuttle]

||Arti cant stay because of the connection she saw between pebbles and the pup. She fears that if she stays, pup will get wrapped up in pebbles’ suicidal mission. She comes back to take the pearl for pebbs as a final favor||

[proud kindle]

||Unfortunately, it seems that was indeed the case.||

[modern dew]

Ah yeah, I guess delivering the pearl isint a two-way trip, though I would be curious to know what the librarian outputted

[civic shuttle]

Ironically, ||right as pebbles finally opens up and starts to see them as people… Arti realizes she can’t let that connection happen.||

[woven ocean]

||poor pebbles is too wrapped up in himself and ambition to realize what he has||

[proud kindle]

||No happy ending for us here...||

[civic shuttle]

||that ‘stay’ was a final hopeless plea for pebbles to just not do it, so she doesn’t have to leave||

[modern dew]

I did figure that out ;-;

[woven ocean]

||that line broke me tbh||

[civic shuttle]

she already knows the answer, which is why she almost left without even asking

[civic shuttle]

Me too my heart hurt after writing this one

[proud kindle]

||I'd imagine that after all she's been through, all she wanted was a final place to care for her pup. To make amends, settle down, and make up for past failures. Pebbles didn't even give them a damn chance... ||

||banan, why you do dis to us /lh||

[civic shuttle]

Part of me wonders what it would have looked like if he could actually just… not

But he is pebbles :c

[civic shuttle]

I did it to me too

[modern dew]

Yeah I am feeling down too ;-; ,

[upper drum]

||happily raising rain on top of the superstructure with lots of fun adventures in a sitcom style, probably||

[modern dew]

Okay seriously though

||I must know what the librarian outputted||

[woven ocean]

we'll probably find out

[modern dew]

Will we though?

[woven ocean]

idk maybe

im not the boss here

[civic shuttle]

Do I spoil here

I haven’t forgotten librarian

[proud kindle]

Up to you.

[civic shuttle]

Ah that was a typo I was asking myself if I wanna spoil haha

[proud kindle]

I could go either way, though I know people here have their opinions.

[civic shuttle]

Nah I don’t though

[modern dew]

I mean TBH I didint think we would get to know

[proud kindle]

Likewise. Less spoilers here than most other threads.

[woven ocean]

i love the librarian

[civic shuttle]

I’ve been keeping things close to my chest this whole time

It was so hard not to spoil ||worm|| in iterator discussions

[modern dew]

||And like... I feel like I didint fully get the charactherisation that this search was as self destructive to pebbs... I just feel like... or at least... it feels to me like pebbs does indeed not have many options||

[proud kindle]

Yup. No ramble channel here for spoilers. Just a thread, and a lot of eager readers.

[civic shuttle]

We still don’t know where this fic is going ultimately do we

[civic shuttle]

He doesn’t. He gets to choose between do or do not, and both choices suck.

Around and around.

[proud kindle]

||He really doesn't, but it's either have the equivalent of internal hemorrhaging for an eternity, or ask the unthinkable to those closest. This would mean a one way trip for anyone involved, and he knows that. Bad, or worse.||

[civic shuttle]

I have things to say that I won’t

But I love this discussion thank you

[modern dew]

||How does he know its a one way trip- I must have missed something... because it would take a super long time?||

[proud kindle]

[To banan]
||Wasn't the destination like half a continent away?||

[civic shuttle]

Yes

[proud kindle]

Then there's the answer.

[modern dew]

Damn, wellllp

[civic shuttle]

and he doesn’t even know if he can survive it. He has very little information

[proud kindle]

Yeah...

[civic shuttle]

It’s uh… very high risk, very unknown reward, but when the alternative is resignation to a slow, painful death…

Clearly, we already know what choice he’s made. The outcome is still up in the air

[modern dew]

I mean- ||if he was transported to where he is now from there, then like, he should be able to survive... Goddamit I was really looking forward to seeing winter and knowing what happens there this chapterrr||

[proud kindle]

||That was likely over well built infrastructure, and not the back of a lizard. ||

||Pebbles is a daring man to attempt that||

||I suppose this is the definition of ballin' on a budget, but he really didn't have many options.||

[modern dew]

||Still, especially given meta reasons though I feel its fair to argue that Pebbs will have probably survived... though we know that despite all of that he dosent even make it, right?||

[civic shuttle]

Laughed

Literally ballin’

[proud kindle]

||Likely, yes. Though what banan has planned is uncertain. If the structure truly is cracked and leaning, then they may not even boot up properly.||

[proud kindle]

That's how I describe me and technology

10-1/2 old I3 laptop, still too broke to afford a replacement

[modern dew]

||No I meant like from what I have heard its possible the courriers never even made it to the capital so all they did was drag around the worm for... AWHILE||

[worn tree]

really cool discussion going on

[proud kindle]

||I don't think they did sadly.||

||Considering this was multigeneretional, this was likely a very long time.||

[civic shuttle]

I’m maybe writing something that will clear this up

But that’s for later

[modern dew]

||Its at the end of the timeline, thats usually assumed to be unfathomably far into the future||

[worn tree]

hi
I have almost nothing to add
other then ||pretty sure Banan said they didn't make it? it's somewhere in this thread I think||

[proud kindle]

||Sounds right. Didn't recall 100%||

[worn tree]

[modern dew]

||The one hope I have is that SOMEHOW, being dragged around for... Centuries? Millenia? Who knows how long. that had an effect on Wormy Pebbs||

[proud kindle]

||Based on the reaction, I'd assume it did.||

[civic shuttle]

Timescales will be elaborated on

I did a big think on it and have it where I like

[errant narwhal]

||was it really because of Pebbles giving her that last gratitude that made she decide to ask? ||

[civic shuttle]

[errant narwhal]

||also, I didn't comment anything about this back then, but arti did say something about this too (everyone dies)... But within the context of RW, that's not really the case? Nothing really dies?||

[upper drum]

||That's a matter of interpretation, in many ways. For Artificer, though, death is very real indeed.||

||If "nothing really dies" then why did losing her pups matter? Why did killing the scav chief matter? Why does growing old and fighting and eating and everything matter?||

[civic shuttle]

Pebbles doesn’t know what he is. ||if the core specifically dies, is that the death of pebbles? Will that cycle him?||

Back to that one log I wrote

How many parts of him have to die

Before he does?

He doesn’t know. I know, because I’m the author, but he doesn’t.

He’s not fully convinced he is ||that worm|| making this all the scarier

[errant narwhal]

||that's part of why i didn't ask at first because i wish to see how this would go, but I just got very curious now because I wonder if she had a way to communicate this to try to convince him somehow, would anything change? (Probably not )||

[upper drum]

||no, probably not. Tragically for her, I do think that pebbles would've made the same decision regardless of anything she could have possibly said.||

[errant narwhal]

.... Oh, there's the possibility of ||losing the core = not death which would cycle him so it's not a prolong suffering, but the rest of him could get stuck suffering with half-awareness until more of him dies enough to get cycle?....||

[civic shuttle]

Who knows?

He certainly doesn’t.

[grave rune]

so much discussion

looks like a bad scp article (lighthearted and positive)

[errant narwhal]

This information is class 5/worm classified!

[modern dew]

Because ||if we go by timeline interpretation, the pups "dying" is kinda more like them getting cycled into a seperate timeline, which... Is in effect death? but like, only for other people. There is a reason why the cycle is such discussion point is all I'm saying||

[errant narwhal]

Kinda wanna discuss on why the timeline intepretation is an unsatisfying way of how the Cycle works but not sure if this is the place for that

[worn tree]

stories discussion or any lore channel would probably work
as long as you are polite! and I'm sure you would be! if not then

[modern dew]

Yee would LOVE to chat about this after my supper

[errant narwhal]

Oh i mean this is banan's thread afterall

[civic shuttle]

Feel free!

I like that topic

I’ve gone with timeline theory for sake of this fic because it’s the only thing that makes sense to me

But it makes me sad

[obsidian epoch]

Wrap that theory up, put it in a blender and piece it back together. Call it original, use it to make you non-sad by reverting everything and anything

[modern dew]

Could use the "futurama theory" I cooked up awhile back

[obsidian epoch]

Ahh, the 'let's do the timewarp again' song, colorised

[civic shuttle]

What do you say? Wanna go around again?

[obsidian epoch]

With you? Always

[civic shuttle]

Such a good finale

[obsidian epoch]

And then Hulu happened and realized the next reality

[modern dew]

I havent actually watched futurama only clips on youtube so I am not catching this reference, heh

[obsidian epoch]

That reminds me, was that a one and done story, or did the series got picked up again after the Hulu event

[civic shuttle]

I didn’t watch the Hulu revival

[obsidian epoch]

Fair. Seems like they actually ordered yet another season.
I have to watch the revival soon. Heard it was an up and down spectacle

[civic shuttle]

Futurama often is

[obsidian epoch]

True, especially when it tries to go after trends

[errant narwhal]

Sorry, today has been extremely busy. Only just now that I have time to type
Not sure if anyone is around right now

So, why do I find the timeline theory 'bad' despite how it seems the most fit with the Cycles?

First, let's define what this theory entails so we are on the same page: it says that whenever something dies, their soul or consciousness goes to another timeline at the start of the same cycle they die in, right? So from their perspective they never did die at all, but from other's perspectives that someone dies and never comes back. Is this the general agreement of how this theory works?

[obsidian epoch]

That theory is a multiverse of madness.
I am not a big fan of the separate timelines theory as it does against the general awareness of the ancients of the cycle. If for the others witnessing the death, the dead will never return, why would they ever figure out they are even captive in such a cycle?

With each individual being their own protagonist a coherent narrative can't be established as each possibility is equally possible.

[modern dew]

More or less yeah- though I’m not sure I personally subscribe to that theory aswell, I’d say I think something similar to that

[dire fossil]

I wonder what the most canon interpretation is, but I think this works as a 'base' timeline theory.

[errant narwhal]

At first i was gonna make some other examples first but let's just skip to the main problem: this theory makes existence and even Ascension very lonely

Let's say, a group of friends: A B C and D are traveling together somewhere

Then in a cycle, A tragically died in an accident.
From A perspective, they return to the start of the cycle and can avoid that accident, keep going with their friends: Happy ending

But from other's perspectives, A died. Forever.
Now, let's say B got a brilliant idea and X themselves, so they go back to the start of the cycle and so could save 'A', happy ending?

But then C and D would lose 2 friends forever.

What would then be the best solution to that accident then? Everyone resetting their own cycle? But then are their friends in the new timeline considered actually them?

[dire fossil]

Someone has the idea of premonitional dreams.

I personally prefer a different path.

[dire fossil]

My idea works more like this.

Imagine timeline A. It is the 'main' timeline.

[errant narwhal]

For example, A knowing something by resetting their own cycle, would act somewhat different from A in B timeline, and so on

And this means eventually down the line, A themselves and A that B knows could be a completely different person

[dire fossil]

But then, say, a person "X" dies.

Person X cycles into timeline B.

Say, a friend, person "Y" follows suit, they'll meet person X again in timeline B.

So on and so forth.

This solves the problem of splitting souls.

To person X, timeline A doesn't matter anymore.

Their soul has left that timeline.

To person Y, same thing goes.

Oh, this does not solve the splitting souls problem.

Ignore my ramble.

[obsidian epoch]

Gotta call the Dalai Lama to solve that predicament

[dire fossil]

Actually, don't.

[errant narwhal]

So that means when someone got cycled, the new timeline would actually be isolated for them alone. In a way, they still forever parted with their loved one.

So at the very end, if A ascends, (and if ascension = afterlife that you can meet others eventually) if ascension ignores split timeline and contains any ascended, A and B might not know each other anymore by that point

[dire fossil]

I think we can solve this issue in that dying after a certain point, you enter a new you.

There's always a past timeline to feed into new ones.

You have died and lived an innumerable amount of times.

And when Ascension finally happens, your soul does not continue on into any new timeline.

But these timelines don't run one after the other. They run in 'parallel'.

In a strange sort of way, you have lived countless runs of your life.

Well, it doesn't even have to be your life.

It can just be any life, really.

Just that there can be no same soul in one run.

[obsidian epoch]

Hm

[dire fossil]

This means a potentially large sum of souls transversing all the timelines.

[errant narwhal]

That's why I don't like the theory tho. It incentivize you to just be selfish. If you can reset the cycle whenever you want and everything will be fine again, then you don't have to think about what your 'death' means to those you left behind

And if they have their own cycle too, then what they do wont matter to you anyway

I dont know how to elegantly explain it, but that kind of existence feels very 'lonely' to me

[obsidian epoch]

I think that can also explain the inexplicable of SoS

[dire fossil]

Some even skip certain timelines, because of different decisions that lead to someone or other not being born.

[dire fossil]

Is being selfish really that evil?

This goes deeper into morals than I'd like to, though.

[obsidian epoch]

What if SoS never solved the big problem in the reality we follow. Given Moon never really dies, if we take her as cornerstone, it can be that a SoS from a parallel timeline solved the problem and the feedback caused our SoS to get vanquished without a build up.

[errant narwhal]

Hmm, im not sure about the morality of this, like maybe you reset yourself to save your friend, but then what about your friends you left behind

[dire fossil]

They're with you in the new world.

They'll eventually be.

[errant narwhal]

That's interesting idea

But also more headache...

Like, then that means other timelines do matter

[dire fossil]

If they ascended in that timeline, then you went to a different timeline, one they went to before they ascended.

Is being selfish really all that bad, when the world around you cares not if you were?

Did you make a dent in their overall emotion?

[obsidian epoch]

That's the main gripe I have with SoS. She doesn't seem that seclusion seeking to work on the problem all by herself and never updating the others. What if the solution was made for her?

[dire fossil]

It may just be that I am a very selfish individual, and I'm spouting my own selfish opinion.

[obsidian epoch]

Hm

[rustic saddle]

You changed my timeline several times over for your own selfish desire. How blind were you, to only have realized this now?

[errant narwhal]

But how? Using my example from above, When A first died, B C D still is in the original timeline. If B then reset, they would wake up with A in the same timeline?

[dire fossil]

My theory?

[errant narwhal]

That makes another problem: this means if anyone ever dies, the best course of action would be having everyone cycle as well

[errant narwhal]

Yeah

[dire fossil]

They don't have to.

Again, the timelines don't have to be in order.

I can go to timeline C, while you go to timeline Z.

We'll eventually run through all the timelines, and then ascend in our last one.

Which one is our "last"?

[errant narwhal]

Then there's the headache of there being potentially completely different versions of someone across every timeline. Who then is that person

[dire fossil]

I have no fucking clue, to be honest!

The Void knows you'll ascend on a certain timeline. It'll independently choose to put you on that timeline last.

[obsidian epoch]

Also the sheer inevitablility to NOT end as an echo. You can't possibly be free of any bounds or regret across countless parallel worlds

[dire fossil]

But you cannot enter the same timeline twice.

Or can you?

[modern dew]

I think there is a lack of free will to chagr the outcome of events thatmlikits the timeline manipulatiok you can do. Bot really lack of free will but rather determinism

[errant narwhal]

But then there's no guarantee we all will arrive at the final timeline.

Since each timeline would branch off more and more, the circumstances that lead you to ascend might be different from mine, for example

[dire fossil]

I think I'd be satisfied, when I've lived through basically every version of me possible.

[dire fossil]

My theory isn't exactly the mainstream timeline theory.

First difference is that there are innumerable timelines.

Every single possibility is reached collectively.

You can only enter one timeline once, although you don't know this.

This means that you can wake up in a different timeline that's identical to your own.

[errant narwhal]

Wouldn't that make everything even more sad? What's the meaning of the struggles if everything you do doesn't matter

[dire fossil]

I personally struggle with that.

[obsidian epoch]

I begin to sympathise with the ancients

[dire fossil]

But I've decided to enjoy the pointlesness of it all.

One must imagine Sisyphus absolutely balling happy.

Either way, short vent done, back to the point.

[modern dew]

Wawa (rainworld is kinda sad)

[errant narwhal]

This turns into rather abstract philosophical discussion huh

[modern dew]

Ye

[dire fossil]

It's hard to not do that when concerning timelines.

To be honest, the possibility that there's no alternate timeline at all scares me.

This is my one shot at life.

And I find it difficult to do things when nothing matters in the grand scheme of things.

Knowing that the grand scheme of things doesn't matter as much as my own world does help me, but it can't patch it all the time. Vent done, by the way. I promise it's done.

[errant narwhal]

So would that mean, A and B could diverge into different timelines and never meet each other again? ( i know that in each timeline, for A there's B', B'', and so on, but then A and B are still forever parted)

[dire fossil]

I think I need a better explanation.

[errant narwhal]

It's kinda weird abstract thing to worry/obsess about i guess, but (trying to simplify here) I feel with each timelines that split, the loved ones you know will be more and more different from the ones who part into their own timelines

[dire fossil]

My idea is based on the idea that timelines don't 'split'.

They're all there.

They coexist, and don't exist simply because someone happened to cycle.

Say, there are only 3 timelines to simplify the explanation.

Let's call these A, B, and C.

Say, there are also only 3 people. Yes, very lonely, it's just for demonstration.

Let's call them X, Y and Z.

X can only enter timeline A once.

Well, any timeline.

Say, X will ascend on timeline B.

Therefore, they'll go to B last.

X goes through a route of, say, A, C, then B.

Y can take a different route.

B, A, then C.

Z can take yet another route. They don't even need to make it through all possible universes.

Say, simply C, then A.

If X intentionally Oyasumi'd in timeline C, then Z follows suit, they don't have to end up in the same timeline.

They meet counterparts of themselves in different versions of the timeline.

I think this model explains what I mean well enough.

The reason an innumerable amount of timelines must coexist is, well, Ascension itself.

You cannot meet a person once they have ascended.

And there are, then, an innumerable amount of timelines in which they do not exist.

[obsidian epoch]

Question: If they all start in different timelines, how even would that be possible?
So x knows y for three roundabouts, while y has to do two more rounds after x's departure. But meets x as a reflection on their journey? If x is done, wouldn't that delete them from A and C for y?

[dire fossil]

Exactly.

You don't have to encounter a person at all, if you happen to ascend in your very first cycle.

[obsidian epoch]

Oh boy

[errant narwhal]

I think i get that. But like

If X will go A C B
And Y go B A C
When X is in C, by the time Y comes to C, wouldn't that mean Y have information from A while X dont? Then how to gurantee event in C will lead back to X going to B next since Y knows something that X don't?

[dire fossil]

Innumerable. Timelines.

Anything can happen.

People forget.

[obsidian epoch]

No consequences

[dire fossil]

It's the most patchwork solution possible.

But if it works, do not change it.

They all influence each other in a weird way that makes shit happen.

[dire fossil]

I know things that you don't. You know things that I don't.

Your knowledge of previous timelines can influence that timeline.

But you can also choose to not.

This causes the "infinite timeline" idea.

Keep something to yourself, that's one timeline. Don't, that's a different one.

Did I solve the problem?

Epochs, I saw you typing.

Thank you.

[obsidian epoch]

I think I will stay with my single timeline way, wake up in the past with those having witnessed your demise noticing the conundrum as you return the next cycle like nothing happened.
You will return because you have no other choice but to.

[dire fossil]

I think the least patchy solution is the "premonition" solution.

[dire fossil]

How would this work, exactly? Because I don't see Arti's children resurrected.

[errant narwhal]

Im trying to reel back to the original problem.

Like, your idea of each individual will go across infinite timelines as a personal journey of some kind to reach ascension at the end, that probably doesn't contradict the canon, maybe? But it still doesn't solve what I have personal gripe with: (which now I kinda understand it might be value dissonance) it's still a lonely journey. One ultimately just need to ascend, and so any encounter with another individual is just a bonus, something that in the end doesn't contribute to overall meaning. I just find that sad

[dire fossil]

Does there have to be meaning?

Maybe Ascension is the end goal.

[obsidian epoch]

Their way of survival was to abandon artificer.
Tried time and time again until figuring out that finding their own path to salvation would yield results.
After all does arty encounter her children to have already ascended by the time she decides to.

As heartless as it sounds

[dire fossil]

It may be 'lonely', but that's your choice.

Are you not truly alone in this world?

[errant narwhal]

Yeah, it's really just what I feel

[dire fossil]

You came in alone. You will leave alone.

At least, that's what my beliefs lead me to say.

I'm sorry if this statement will make you enjoy life less, but think about it like this.

Do you know what happens when I die? You don't.

I'm alone after I pass.

[errant narwhal]

This is too far off the original topic i think

[dire fossil]

...Right.

[obsidian epoch]

Yep

Starting to regret signing up to be a rainman

[dire fossil]

My main argument is that you don't have to be alone.

You aren't alone. You chose to isolate yourself.

Everyone is just crusading as well.

[errant narwhal]

I mean, while I think this is related to the similar question presented by 'Ascension' vs 'Life' in DP, let's keep that for the next time.

So, to summarize, my viewpoint I'm presenting is that timeline theory would lessen meanings of 'life' and so im against it

[dire fossil]

I'd argue that it doesn't.

[tawny viper]

Maybe she goes mad and does not notice them?

[dire fossil]

If you find meaning in every little thing you do, your life won't have less of any meaning.

That's the fun in timeline theories.

Now, Iterators? That's a different beast.

[obsidian epoch]

For Iterators I see that theory as an absolute win

Infinite parallel running processes run by a leveled consciousness all working to a common goal

[dire fossil]

Infinite possibilities.

[obsidian epoch]

And yet they are the same in all of them

[dire fossil]

Was it out of choice, though?

Are they even the same?

We don't know. Downpour canon isn't vanilla canon.

Official AU or some other bullshit.

They may just be very similar timelines, who knows?

[obsidian epoch]

Iterators are bound outside of the cycles, not subject to alternative realities. Their choice is the same across all realities unless they get severely damaged in one or a few of them.
But as they have no soul, dying in one reality does not affect the other variants in any way.
Iterators are a constant and therefore created to suffer indefinitely as nobody can make a solution that synchs them all up for elimination as they don't share a soul.

SoS' solution might as well not be person oriented but location dependent. She knows that she across all timelines exists in the same perimeter, so why not cross out the structure, not herself. She dies when all her strata dies. So ascend it all in one swoop and the Iterator will be a lifeless husk across infinity

And the ||worm|| in banan'a story is the combining factor. The piece of the soul that is the structure that contains the most important elements of pebbles.

[civic shuttle]

I haven’t explained in-fic how cycling works and won’t because TL theory does make things sad. There are too many timelines where winter just dies and never makes it, for example… unless fate is a little more hard-handed in this universe than you would expect (winter always makes it. Or, another scug always picks up the task)

I like the idea of fate being an (almost) inescapable entity in and of itself tbh

[obsidian epoch]

So you subscribe to my theory of rinse and repeat on the same timeline?

[civic shuttle]

With RW already being a struggle against it in principle (escaping the cycle)

[civic shuttle]

Idk tbh

I’m not hard set on anything in the case of this story

But this isn’t about the cycle really—and explaining the cycle is a mess

HFISH canon: when characters die they don’t come back for the other characters

When you die you cycle. What does that mean? Hmm.

TL theory is one of the only ways to explain it

[obsidian epoch]

Maybe the general outlook on death and rebirth is so ingrained that you can only survive by trial and error. And at some point this journey leads you away from your peers as you try to protect them from the doom you caused

Yeahh, that is depressing as well

[civic shuttle]

The characters in HFISH seem to take death seriously

I like the idea that if someone dies

And you cycle yourself

[dire fossil]

Fate slaps you in the face?

[civic shuttle]

There’s basically nothing you can do to ultimately save them

Like there’s a cycle death

And there’s the cycle death

And if their time is up it’s up

Everything has to die die eventually

[errant narwhal]

...Final Destination thing? Fate will cause that someone to die no matter what?

[civic shuttle]

Eventually you end up in a cycle of dying over and over

[civic shuttle]

Yeah

Wish speaks of the Hand of Fate as a kind of diety in his oneshot

[errant narwhal]

You chose such a bleak setting, banan...

[civic shuttle]

Hey that’s RW

maybe we can find some hope in there, despite it all?

[errant narwhal]

But then that means if you reach that point, even Ascension will be out of your reach

[obsidian epoch]

Oh, that I like
So in general, as long as your biological clock hasn't run out every death is but a fleshwound.

[errant narwhal]

Or Saint, for that matter

That's... Scary setting

[civic shuttle]

Oh I didnt finish

At that point you are reborn

[errant narwhal]

Ah, + reincarnation

[civic shuttle]

If you die in all timelines

Rebirth

That’s the point where do one can stop it

[errant narwhal]

Hey wait a minute

Oh no

[obsidian epoch]

Mario extra lives, but others use your reserves as well

[errant narwhal]

This realization is so bad, and I don't want it to be confirmed/denied yet so I won't even type that ... But...

[civic shuttle]

The implications for pebbles, I know I’ll say that iterators are weird—again, at one point does one die?

Iterators may not have a true death like the others.

That being said this isn’t a heavy focus in this fic and won’t be explained

And I haven’t thought on it all that hard

Maybe pebbles being cycled is the hand of fate saying… there’s still a chance for this one?

Though I don’t view fate as a conscious entity

[modern dew]

plot armor

[civic shuttle]

Ultimate plot armor

You can’t die until you do what the author wants, bitch

[obsidian epoch]

Set five pebbles: plot armor = false

[civic shuttle]

Puppets dancing on the author’s strings

[obsidian epoch]

Also, one Funfact about CD, banan

There is a reason why I start this story that early.
...
Because I don't wanna think about this for as long as possible

[modern dew]

Personally, I take the quantum physics interpretation approach of

“Shut up and measure”

[obsidian epoch]

'Oh, it changed'

[civic shuttle]

Mood

I feel like the story isn’t about it and I kinda don’t want to sweat it too much

But now y’all know my headcanon

I wonder if that makes it better or worse for you?

[errant narwhal]

I dont like fate as a concept, but without going back to the past (so you can't change things with the knowledge) fate and circumstances are one and the same i guess

[modern dew]

Basically, I hold it true that death matters, you personally come back when you die but others dont, and that there are not multiple timelines. If you ask me how exactly this work, uhhhhhh

[civic shuttle]

Fate is pretty specific to death in this

Characters have free will

[modern dew]

(Though I have stated that I beleive its possible for an individual to “decay” and become so spread out they effectively die, ergo why Iterators can die)

[civic shuttle]

Timeline theory is just sad I don’t like thinking there are so many timelines where purposed scugs just never make it

[errant narwhal]

Or the implications for canon SM and Rivulet...

And Hunter

[civic shuttle]

Yeah

But I don’t have a better way to explain it either

Alas

Winter won’t die in this though :p

We ain’t making a timeline where she doesn’t do her thing

[errant narwhal]

Actually, if timeline theory is true, in any timeline that Hunter failed we'd have very different stories for all of the scugs after...

[errant narwhal]

Please say Pebbles too

[modern dew]

I mean technically, gourm, surv, monk, arti and arguably saint dont need to go to moon

Only riv

I guess saint does actually

[civic shuttle]

But moon needs my cuddles

[errant narwhal]

Saint would find Pebbles in somewhat better shape I thibk

[modern dew]

That kinda depends on what Riv does

Because Pebbs probably still angst themselves into wanting to give moon the rarefaction cell

He dosent know if she’s alive or dead remember

[civic shuttle]

He was gonna collapse soon anyway

[errant narwhal]

Huh, isn't that weird? He still has a lot of overseers, why can't he check on her state if he wants to

[civic shuttle]

Look at the massive hole the rot has eaten into him

[civic shuttle]

Doesn’t want to look…

[obsidian epoch]

Guilt

[modern dew]

Guilt

[civic shuttle]

Fear

[modern dew]

Shame

[obsidian epoch]

Constipation

[civic shuttle]

He doesn’t know she’s awake. Would you want to look at her corpse?

[civic shuttle]

Of the emotional variety

[obsidian epoch]

Of course

[errant narwhal]

I mean....... Yeah ok he probably didn't want to, but when he's giving the rarefaction cell he probably did check if she is in the state to receive it, surely?

[civic shuttle]

It may have helped regardless of her being awake

[modern dew]

What he tells Riv suggests otherwise

[civic shuttle]

Reactivated her

Or… at least been worth a shot

[silk stirrup]

None of the scugs need to actually, though canon survivor and monk do. Monk is the one who brought her her cloak and two extra neurons

[civic shuttle]

And cuddles

[modern dew]

“If she is somehow still alive” (he dosent even really beleive she is still alive after all this time but still gives the cell)

[silk stirrup]

We do not die easily

[modern dew]

That is true though

[civic shuttle]

He also probably wants to die faster at this point honestly…

[modern dew]

Poor Pebbs

[civic shuttle]

Poor pebbs 😦

[silk stirrup]

I don't think it is death, though, just like how moon's coma wasn't death

[modern dew]

All he did was push everyone he knew away from him, disragarded his sister’s saftey and killed her and self imposed isolated himself afterwards

[silk stirrup]

They'll be alive until they've been eroded down to dust

[civic shuttle]

Just pebbles things.

[errant narwhal]

On the other hand, the fact that he never checked on her... darn it, Pebbles, you couldn't face what you did, even at the very end?

[modern dew]

Of course he couldn’t 😅

[errant narwhal]

While understandable, damn if that isn't frustrating

[tawny viper]

They sure have it rough :(

[dire fossil]

Could you?

As a Pebbles apologist, he’s gone through a lot.

||Five Pebbles facing his alter ego Erratic Pulse - “She loved you. She loved you and you killed her.||

[errant narwhal]

At that point, On verge of collapse, when he stood nothing to lose anymore?

[dire fossil]

I think he took comfort in not knowing.

[civic shuttle]

He thinks she’s probably dead or not awake. Maybe her puppet is mangled, or trapped somewhere not visible… I’m not surprised he’s not brave enough to look

I probably wouldn’t be

[dire fossil]

Imagine her puppet locked in a state that screamed suffering.

He wouldn’t be able to let go of that image.

[errant narwhal]

I'd say in that condition, with nothing left to lose, it seems like what I'd have done. Seeing her alive means maybe the final chance to apologize.
Seeing her death will at least bring closure. Painful, but closure.

[civic shuttle]

They have perfect memory

[civic shuttle]

You’re not pebbles. I think it took him that long to be willing to face what he had done

[errant narwhal]

Fair

[dire fossil]

I wish I had it sometimes, but then I remember that life’s not thrown the nicest things to see for me.

[civic shuttle]

At least they got to play games together for pebbles’ last cycles

[dire fossil]

Which is adorable and sad.

[civic shuttle]

I don’t want it

[dire fossil]

Matter of fact, Iterators can delete memory.

SM broadcasts.

[civic shuttle]

Yeah they can

But that feels even worse in this case

[dire fossil]

But to them, it feels wrong.

[errant narwhal]

Totally rigged, considering the differences in calculating powers between them at that point

[modern dew]

Actually small clarification

When riv takes the rarefaction cell to moon he DOES look

[civic shuttle]

We don’t know how well pebbs is doing though

[modern dew]

ofc he hides his overseer though

[civic shuttle]

Moons back online so

[errant narwhal]

Moon would do that for him tho

[civic shuttle]

Moon would do anything for him

Why, moon…

[dire fossil]

||The parallels between OMORI and Rain World are incredible.||

Banan, no clicking. OMORI spoilers.

[civic shuttle]

Too late

[dire fossil]

Fuck.

[civic shuttle]

Gotta tag Omori outside of spoilers

[dire fossil]

Shit.

[dire fossil]

Sorry.

[civic shuttle]

But that’s probably not a huge one yeah?

Das ok

[dire fossil]

I won’t say what I’ve spoiled.

[errant narwhal]

There's a picture to paint there..., headcanon tho

Moon's disdain toward the ancients and the fact that she got excited to look after him.

She probably had bad experiences/impressions with them for a long, long time

Pebbles then was someone different in her life

[dire fossil]

Reminds me of Karessra’s work.

[civic shuttle]

I do wonder why she latched onto this so hard

Is pebbles being next to her really such a big deal?

I know it’s pretty unique, but she sure took this sister thing very seriously

[obsidian epoch]

she probably wanted something to add some more purpose to her existence

[civic shuttle]

Mhm. She was given a responsibility—be senior to FP—and took that so seriously

In hfish she’s pretty pushy about it too I kinda feel for pebbles on this one a little…

Though poor moon, too. How do you help a guy that doesn’t want to be helped?

[obsidian epoch]

reverse psychology

[errant narwhal]

Could it be that she understands too well how not having someone who cares for you feels, and so tried to be that someone for Pebbs...

[civic shuttle]

Possibly. She’s older, so she may have been alone for a while

But she didn’t seem to form this kind of attachment to the other local iterators

Why pebbles?

Hmm I have a log related to this but I’m not sure if I’m gonna use it or not

[obsidian epoch]

because pebbles is local local

[dire fossil]

Only for Pebbles to not want to have that someone.

[modern dew]

Less communication delay, similar problems, similar environment, same parents

[dire fossil]

Rain World messes with my brain chemistry in all the right ways.

[civic shuttle]

They just don’t get each other honestly

This was gonna be an upcoming chapter into and it still might be but idk… I feel like it doesn’t have an appropriate place now unless I add another chap

[obsidian epoch]

oh boy. Moon is beyond pushy in that one

[grave rune]

Put it in a chapter with moon

[grave rune]

Also I get both sides of this. Holy moly

[errant narwhal]

Hmm, yeah Moon kinda isn't in the picture (in H🐟) yet

[civic shuttle]

Well…

[civic shuttle]

Same

I feel for them both here

[grave rune]

Good job making no heroes nor villains

[civic shuttle]

They’re just people with flaws

Big brain computer people but still

[dire fossil]

Gods.

I would get into how gods are tools, but I am not touching religion here.

[obsidian epoch]

robots with feelings and imagination.
Wonder why the ancients created them so in their image, knowing they themselves do suffer from that level of self-awareness

[modern dew]

Bug in a maze. Bug in a maze

[grave rune]

You need clever thinkers to solve such an impossible problem

[errant narwhal]

It's refreshing in a way, problems in RW are too big it doesn't need villains

[modern dew]

Would a starving bug in a maze try to get out faster or slower then a non starving bug?

[obsidian epoch]

and then you give these clever thinkers teenage angst. Well done, you played yourself

[grave rune]

It would try to break the maze

[civic shuttle]

No villains here. Just a complicated struggle

[grave rune]

Try to fly out. Escape.

[modern dew]

Breaking the Maze might as well be solving it, for what its worth

[dire fossil]

I wish I made my story with no real ‘villains’.

[civic shuttle]

Buh I have a ‘solution’ to the bug in a maze thing

But I don’t wanna share it yet

[modern dew]

Make the solution the same as escape

[obsidian epoch]

breaking the maze as in razing the whole planet. No planet, no problem

[grave rune]

But it wouldn't be the only way to escape.

[modern dew]

There is the question of why the ancients didint do this

[grave rune]

Hah I have an OC who believes that

[obsidian epoch]

amusing

[dire fossil]

It’d leave Echoes.

[modern dew]

But yeah I feel in Canon SRS’s discussion with pebbs about the maze is what awnsers this question

[errant narwhal]

Destabilize the fragile dusty tectonic plate! Sink everything into the void!

[grave rune]

I think it's because

1. it'd be impractical
2. it's not a solution

I've said this before, but I think that solving the Great Problem involves breaking the cycle for everything. Which could involve breaking the laws of the universe

[obsidian epoch]

freedom for all!

[grave rune]

According to Moon, echoes are a horror story, a myth. It's just that they happen to be real

[modern dew]

I think the echoes were a big rumor in the population, but those with positions of power knew through the grapevine

[grave rune]

Ahhh fair

[modern dew]

To motivate why they built the Iterator you gotta know the big nasty golden puddle aint that safe

[errant narwhal]

And they don't even have to be as depicted in the horror story too, maybe they aren't exactly just caused by too large an ego.

They could be the Ascended who came back for all we know

[silk stirrup]

The reason they built the iterators was to ascend all creatures

Can't really expect a lizard to reach enlightenment and the void sea, can you?

[dire fossil]

That’s the ‘official’ reason.

[grave rune]

That could be true tbh. Would explain why you can come back to most save files and continue playing