experiment 2: visual

[4thdimensional]

[Doc appears on the scroll very casually. He's trying to play chess with a rather fluffy puppy, a Yorkie with a bow in her hair.]

Yes, yes, Miss Curie, excellent work! Now some positive reinforcement for your training---have at it!

[He tosses her a treat, which she catches expertly. He smiles---then stares wide-eyed at the glowing scroll.}

I've activated this blasted scroll too early again. My apologies for the mundane display, but I was hoping to address everyone this morning, so I hope it won't trouble you if I continue. I've been discussing the matter with my current companion, but as she is a canine and I have yet to invent a speech translator, as you can imagine our conversations haven't been as illuminating as I would hope.

[He scribbles a note to himself on a nearby paper. Looks like he'll be trying to invent that translator---and he's smiling when he looks back, sounding as casual as he can.]

I've lived a relatively long life, and as we all have, I've made mistakes. And lately, as I'm prone to do, I've been pondering a rather pointless hypothetical scenario: if you had the opportunity to alter your past, would you take that risk?

Comments

[Visual]

[surpriserainbows]

I....I dunno man, I mean...

There's a lot of things I don't like about how my life's been, you know, but...without them?

I dunno if I'd have gotten some of the good I've gotten now.

[Visual]

[4thdimensional]

That's very true. For example...if I hadn't lived most of my life alone, I wouldn't have a friendship that's very dear to me now.

But there are minor errors that I often wish I could alter---for example, a failed showing at a scientific demonstration. But the only cure for regrets is to make our best decisions in the present, isn't it?

[Well, that's mostly the only cure. He sighs and pets Curie, who is now squirming against his side and begging for attention.]

But some damage is irreversible, unfortunately.

[Visual]

[surpriserainbows]

...Yeah.

[Irreversible damage is something that she's horribly, horribly familiar with. That she had spent most of her initial time her punishing herself over, hating herself with.]

I mean, you ask me, life is kind of just made up of accidents. Like...life is kind of like a juice spill on the floor. Nothing about it was intentional but it adds a bit of color to it.

...Man. That was awful. Uh. I guess, man, what I'm saying is that maybe we can't really help mistakes, because that's what really, really kind of defines who we are in the end. Maybe it's like you said. You can't really gain by regretting, but you can learn by regret.

[Visual]

[4thdimensional]

Learn, and hopefully avoid the regret the next time you make a choice. But life is also like a mosquito, in that it buzzes uninvited into your plans and drains you dry---

[He cuts himself off with a snort.]

I'm even worse. But my point, simply stated, is that the only perfect vision is hindsight.

[discorderly]

Of course not! I've never made any mistakes.

[4thdimensional]

...of course you haven't. You're the living embodiment of perfection, as anyone can see.

[discorderly]

Obbbbbbbbviously~

[4thdimensional]

Well I certainly hope you're right---if you can achieve anything, then Ms. Fluttershy is safe.

[He means that. Really. It's dangerous to poke here, but...well, he's worried about it all too.]

[Visual]

[namedforcat]

I think my answer to that would depend on the day you asked me. Today? No, I wouldn't. I know how it works out and right now I'm relatively content with it. I'd like to think my answer would be the same tomorrow, but I can't say for sure.

[Visual]

[4thdimensional]

True, but lately I have the feeling that there's a certain darkness hanging over every tomorrow.

That simply means we'll have to become more observant and make informed decisions.

[But given how that's been going recently...]

[Visual]

[namedforcat]

Which is usually the best idea, but don't get bogged down in minutia, second guessing yourself with everything. It's a fine balance, I've found.

[Visual]

[thepoweroflove]

Doc, you don't have to apologize for that; the scrolls do that all the time.

[He's not going to answer the question Doc asked because haaaa like he's going to do that.]

It's amazing how much you've trained Curie already.

[Seriously Doc, are you some kind of Dog Whisperer.]

[Visual]

[4thdimensional]

Well, I make a habit of only taking the best. It's a rigorous training program for any dog.

[But given how he's cooing and petting her fuzzy head...well, clearly she's getting a break now.]

Is she still tracking you when I let her out of my sight?

[Visual]

[thepoweroflove]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm her mom or something.

[Which isn't bad at all really, even if it was a little weird. Marty's just glad the she really likes him.]

[visual]

[millionbitpipes]

.....no. No, there's a lot of stuff I'd like to change, but...

[Harvey pauses, obviously saddened and thougtful. After a few seconds, he makes an effort to shake it off, or perhaps just hide it better.]

It'd cause a paradox or somethin', probably. Make everything worse.

[visual]

[4thdimensional]

Yes, it's very possible. It could cause disaster enough to unravel the fabric of space-time.

But there's also the possibility that it won't. Unforeseen consequences are inevitable, but the timeline could be more resilient than you expect. Hypothetically, of course.

[visual]

[millionbitpipes]

...yeah. Hypothetically.

[Harvey says dryly, obviously not buying it. He ain't gonna fourth-wall anybody, but everyone from his world has seen your movie, buddy.]

Visual

[downstairslife]

If I could be assured that I wouldn't just make things worse?

Who wouldn't?

Re: Visual

[4thdimensional]

Sometimes our scars define us, and we don't want to lose that. And, of course, it's not possible to guarantee that changing the past won't make things worse.

So if it were to happen at all, one would have to carefully weigh the risks.

Voice

[break_a_melody]

Yes. If there were errors in the present too severe to allow to persist, wouldn't you do just that as well?

[His kind invested in time travel for this exact reason, to alter man's history as it would suit the interests of Starman. Though he can think of several, more personal aims to use the technology for... Not that he could dare.]

Time isn't so fragile that it can be unraveled by a lone individual's meddling. It's a worthy risk.

Voice

[4thdimensional]

No, but it can be severely altered in unexpected ways. One must always ask if it's worth the risk of changing from the reality you know.

Voice

[break_a_melody]

Certainly. That's only responsible. Say that...

[Yes, now why did he choose to change the past?]

... not just yours, but your entire people's survival could be guaranteed with it. A single use could reverse a fate that is in its strictest sense "ultimate". That would be sufficient to allow for a use.

[Nevermind that the reason his people are put in such a precarious situation because of their decision to invade.]

[soulofblue]

I...tried to do something like that once. By going to a parallel dimension instead of through time, but...

[4thdimensional]

What happened?

[soulofblue]

I was killed.

But it's alright, I deserved it. It didn't last anyway. Never seems to...