034. [Text]

[explosivecombat]

It's been explained to me before by a few people here that alternate worlds are simply a reality for them - that there are dimensions that supposedly run parallel to theirs, coexisting alongside them but not touching or crossing over at all, save by methods that are exceedingly difficult to master and control. Some of the Pokédex entries here seem to support this notion as well - there are mentions of things being able to tear open portals to parallel worlds and the like.

It's also come to my attention that a large amount of people here seem to share the same home world, just with different variations that may or may not be incredibly minor - a school in one world where it doesn't exist in another, a landmark that's slightly different, a renamed city, an event in history changing things ever-so-slightly such that one group of people exists or doesn't. It's not dissimilar to my own world's situation, when it's put that way - what happened with us is exactly that latter instance, actually, it's just that something diverged early on and as such things played out differently. However, it wasn't enough of a split to mean that some of us - myself, people I know, people I don't - don't exist in that other version of my world; we do, it's just that our lives and circumstances are different to account for the change.

If all of the above is true, then it makes me question - it's possible that all of our worlds are connected like that, even those that are drastically different, isn't it? If all worlds run parallel to one another, obviously no two are the same; there's been some sort of change that would warrant the separation in the first place. So if all worlds are variations on each other, those variations also have variations; isn't it possible that those worlds containing countries and races and abilities and practices that you've never heard of or dreamed possible are just further out from the source? Those are the worlds that have been filtered through more and more alternate scenarios until that particular set of circumstances was created.

Although if that's the case, then logically speaking, there should be one master world at the root of all of it - something that we can trace all of existence back to. I'm not saying that would be possible now, since for all we know that world is long dead; just the same, perhaps that world is what chooses us - what decides that we're the fortunate ones, the ones that have withstood the general test of being run through multiple scenarios and circumstances and not been killed or weeded out in the process.

It really is rude of me to make people sit through all of this, but it's something I've given a lot of thought to in the past, and it's been coming up time and again recently, so I thought I would revisit it. I've always found the notion that we were all born because some higher power decided we, specifically, needed to exist to fulfill a certain role in life to be farfetched and hackneyed; in my experience, God doesn't care what you do with yourself, as long as you're not upsetting the natural balance of the world. But I've always maintained that those who change the world have been chosen by the world in some way or another.

Who knows? What with proof that alternate worlds like this exist, maybe I'm right.

Comments

[explosivecombat]

Say what you will about alchemists, but we do believe that there are some answers that humans aren't intended to receive and knowledge that they aren't entitled to have.

That said, however, what you've just said is a compelling argument for not doing anything - what we do here doesn't matter when we return home, so why should we bother? By your own logic, there's no point. So it seems to me that our options are either accept that everything we do is meaningless and therefore we shouldn't do anything, or just work with what we have here for the time being and therefore this line of questioning is valid and no more frustrating than anything else we do here.

[sadisticwarfare]

I'll never understand alchemists.

While I can certainly see where you would come to that conclusion, I choose to see it as an opportunity to do what I couldn't in Amestris. Yes, it won't matter when we return home, but sitting around and doing nothing isn't something I can do. I have no interest in waiting to be sent home - but you already know that.

[explosivecombat]

Then I fail to see the harm in seeking answers, whether I can utilize them or not.

Bear in mind that I'm one of the few with no time left, as you so aptly put it.

[sadisticwarfare]

I know how you are, yes.

I didn't intend for that to come across as rudely as it did, my apologies. It's not as though I have much longer left either.

[explosivecombat]

[And that...will actually get him to pause for a moment; he types something and deletes it a few times before finally settling on something, as little as he likes it.]

...That was out of line, actually. On my part.

[sadisticwarfare]

[That gets Archer to hesitate as well. He's used to Kimblee saying things that irritate him and then continuing on as if he hadn't said anything at all. The apology probably shouldn't strike him as something odd - Kimblee has apologized for things before, after all - but nonetheless it still seems strange.]

Apology accepted. Don't concern yourself with it.

[explosivecombat]

[...]

I do that to you often, don't I?

[sadisticwarfare]

Do what to me often?

[explosivecombat]

Say things that are completely out of line for the sake of getting you to back down.

[sadisticwarfare]

Yes, you've done that quite a few times in the past.

[...He should probably add something onto that, huh...]

I appreciate the apology.

[It's not exactly what he wants to say, but he's not entirely sure what to say. This is too much character development to deal with at once, okay Kimblee!!!]

[explosivecombat]

I do it because it works, not because of personal interest in harming you.

You realize that, correct?

[sadisticwarfare]

You shouldn't do it at all.

[He does understand, however. He does the same thing.]

It is good to hear that you're not trying to harm me. I didn't believe you were, if only because we've known each other for so long.

[And we're friends, you asshole.]

[explosivecombat]

I know.

[There's a pause, and then another.]

That I shouldn't, I mean.

[And apparently that is about where the character development has decided that it really wants to get off this train, because as poorly-worded as that was you're not getting anything else, Archer.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Then why do you do it?

[He's pretty sure he already knows the answer to that though. Kimblee does it for the same reason Archer attempts to provoke Kimblee when they're fighting. He does it because that's just how they've always done things and hell, maybe that's how Kimblee has always done things period. Kimblee's bright enough to find someone's weak point and pick at it to win the argument, it's not difficult to think that he's been doing it for a long time. It's something he's aware of at least, but changing or stopping the behavior entirely might be nearly impossible. Archer does understand that because he operates the same way.]

[explosivecombat]

I've already told you that. Because it works.

[...]

It's efficient.

[...no really, what is there to even ask...]

[sadisticwarfare]

Is winning the argument really that important to you?

[explosivecombat]

That's the point in having them, isn't it? People don't bother unless there's a point to be made or there's something else that they want to achieve, so if there's a way to win, it makes little sense to me to not take it.

[sadisticwarfare]

Winning through any means necessary defeats that point entirely. What you're trying to do in an argument is get the other person to agree with your point of view, correct? Using tactics like that will only make the other person mad at you and even less likely to listen to what you have to say, regardless of if you make a good point or not.

"Winning" isn't the purpose of an argument. Changing the other person's mind is.

[NOT THAT HE'S ONE TO TALK ABOUT THIS...]

[explosivecombat]

Actually, I've managed to do that quite well with the tactics I use, on multiple occasions.

...This isn't the point here and you know it.

[sadisticwarfare]

Then what is the point?

[explosivecombat]

[...you are really fortunate he is not in the room with you right now, because this is the exact point when he would storm out.]

You're the one changing the topic and getting irrationally angry when I don't follow you.

[sadisticwarfare]

I'm not getting angry.

[...it's not like he gets angry at everything!!]

What is is that you want to talk about then?

[explosivecombat]

I don't know, Archer. Forget I said anything, if it pleases you.

[sadisticwarfare]

No, if I'm getting off-topic then please redirect me to what it is you want to discuss.

[explosivecombat]

You know, at this point I really can't tell if that's sarcasm.