When a million other realities are just a magic mirror away, Twilight does have to wonder what makes her own so special.
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Obselescence
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Ew gay
Chapter 1: 3,516 Words
Complete: 0 Words total.
...
Wat
My head hurts.
4472641
It's a weird thing Fimfic does, which tends to hurt most when you import stuff from Gdocs. The gist of it is that the total word counter tends to lag behind the published chapter word counter for like, up to an hourish or so. So if you create a chapter and submit it quickly enough, the 0 word story thing can appear.
Should right/write itself quickly, though.
12 likes
0 views
heahea.org/img/389-Impossibru.jpg
And so, Twilight experiences the predicament of fanfic writers everywhere...
Fun!
4472653 Likes update in realtime, views don't.
int4eresting thoguht experiment, but using science when the multiverse is magically charged is a flawed concept. when magic is involved, science is only a reference book.
fate is far to complex for theri to be a yes it is predetermined or no it isn't. evil twilight made a choice, and so did this tiwlight, but at the same time the next twilight may never have even existed at all and sunset shimmer had become something akin to her. yet she would not simply BE sunset shimmer acting like tiwlight, she would go about events diffierently.
twilgith does not have to exist, but where she does she brings light. evil twilight needs to stop existing, yet at the same time her existence will breed new heroes. when there is a choice between left and right, then nothing is fated.
but of course magic included, this is not the multiverse theory. science is a reference book when magic is involved.
4472651 Ah
Well, this was still a fun read! I like how the first version actually IS 'Evil' Twilight, so to speak. XD That one decision is gonna cascade into a ton of other decisions that makes her miserable! The second/real Twilight made the right decision! If we don't believe in free will, then why bother doing anything?
Ya know, I somehow saw that ending coming... it was still pretty good though.
I kinda feel bad for the me that hated the story though, or the me that never even read it... or the me that hates Twilight.... or the me that hates fanfiction or-
Signed,
--Pyro The Pardoxically Challenged Reader
that kind of hurt my heart.
And I kind of hate the 'ignorance is bliss' sort of endings.
Maybe it's because ignoring something doesn't make it not exist.
And now that I know it exists, it hurts me.
Maybe ignorance is bliss?
YES! MLP Comic reference!
Also, how often does Twilight have existential crises?
That last part got me...
It was a very good story! Have you thought about expanding it a bit, maybe having Twilight look into other universes? Even run experiments on how little chances effect each alternate one?
4472674 Ah thank you for telling me that
4472707
I'm sure some Twilights do
4472725
Good answer.
Obs, you've done it again!
Have you been reading my stories, Obsy?
~The lizardman is honored if you have
4472695 is it ignorance when the reality of the situation is that her lack of free will theory is unprovable?
besides time and again fate has been hsown to not be an element of mlp to begin with. just look at how the Tree of Harmony, basically as close to a god in power as we may well see, behaves. its actions do not seem to indicate predestined events, simply adapting to how things play along. it is pretty clear the Box was always a seed, and it being used to defeat tirek was simply because of circumstances than it something the tree foresaw.
hell look at the ideas for alternate worlds in the comic. it seems they cannot access worlds that are only so differetn as what tiwlight had for breakfast that day. the worlds are different in a fundamental way. whether being a world only of mortals and technology, or a world where the Tree of Harmony itself never grew. or where dinosaurs are walking around.
It doesn't seem like it really needs the dark tag. I'm sure enough people have had dimensional-existence mindfucks that its a normal thing for people.
Somewhere should be a closing quotation mark, and I'm going to assume it's meant after the last ellipsis. (And speaking of which, way too many ellipsis. Seriously.)
*first
... It's a good story, but I can't help feeling like you wrote it after finishing studying for your Philosophy 101 final.
oh, very good, very good indeed, I do love a nice philosophical work to sink my teeth into.
4472813
It has the dark tag because the first Twilight IS a Twilight who has just started down the path to becoming evil. That's much the point - that in her chain of multiverses, she's just made the first step on the path towards darkness. The first small mistake. Some will be pulled out before it is too late, but this story is showing us a fork where the darkness has just begun to take root.
It's a fascinating story, and an interesting philosophical conundrum. But - if one is to take the dice analogy, perhaps there is a reality where we make the 'bad' choice. But...it is not a simple coin flip, but rather a number of dice being rolled, and...well, just because it may happen does not free us of the fact we still have the power to choose.
Or, put another way - it may be true we are slaves to destiny, but if so, then it doesn't matter anyhow. But it may also be true we are not, in which case...well, in either scenario, living as if we have the power to guide our lives produces a better outcome. It isn't even a Pascal's Wager, because in there you are giving something up to believe in God, whereas here - accepting the 'slave to destiny' viewpoint in some ways removes morality from the equation, which leads more people to indulge in undesirable outcomes to the collective as a whole, regardless of the truth of the matter, and similarly choosing to believe in empowerment, true or not, leads to better outcomes.
Well, one could appeal to Leibneighs: Because Faust is good and omnipotent, and because She chose this Equestria, it must be the best of all possible Equestrias.
)
(Of course, she didn't. That's why this is a fanfiction.
In any case, it's fascinating to see someone else approach the Many Worlds Hypothesis and to do so from a much more philosophical angle. Especially when that someone is you, Obs. I've made use of the concept of parallel worlds in my own horsewords, but only to allow for the mutual existence of contradictory headcanons and to give Lyra a cool job. (Lyre. String theory. I'm clever.
) I never thought too deeply about the existential ramifications.
Of course, thinking too much about other legs of the Trousers of Time is anything but productive. Dwelling on could-have-beens means you miss out on ises and will-bes. One Twilight understands this, and hopefully the other's friends will be able to get her out of her slump. Preferably before she tries to collapse all probabilities into a temporal singularity.
But I ramble. The point is, thank you for this story.
Why do I feel like, now that one of the Twilights has thought of this idea, they're never going to let it go until they find some means of either predicting the future, or controlling the choices available to them in such a way as to have a subtle understanding, or actually be able to influence them.
4472856
Yes, you're exactly right. 'firs' should have a 't' at the end. Twilight agrees with you.
4472641
You missed Chapter 2: -3,516 Words
One thing I like about the multiverse theory is the solipsistic idea, the self will always end up in the world best for it.
At every decision, every fork in the road, you follow into the 'verse created with the best outcome.
That morning when you almost crossed a road before seeing the bus that was headed down it, a universe was created where you didn't, and your relatives and loved ones are now mourning your death.
The same for the other guy who didn't see the bus coming, he may have died in your universe, but he lives on in his own one, because there is never a 100% chance of death. Something, anything could have been changed along the huge tree of decisions to prevent that outcome, and that guy lives on in his infinitely improbable universe.
If you think about it this way, you never die. You will always be in the one universe where you survived.
Now, I wonder if we can condense this idea into a catchy abbreviation that convinces people to go out and do stupid and life threatening stuff.
And then Twilight 1 became Owlman.
So, how closely does this follow to how the comics portray alternate universes? Do they explicitly state that every choice creates a new reality? If they don't, I'm going to think of it in a very different way. This fic pointed out some of the things that I don't like about some versions of the multiverse idea.
)
(and besides, it's not like the human world versions of them was created by them making different choices
4472683
Even after all this, I still feel more like the first Twilight in the multiverse situation. But not for her own sake - rather, for the sake of those around her.
Consider this - maybe in another universe, Rainbow Dash had made different choices, and became a different pony. She still went with the other five when they went into the Everfree forest during the Nightmare Moon incident, but when the Shadowbolts made their offer, she accepted. Now, there are two different universes: one where she helps her friends, and one where they are abandoned. Therefore, in the multiverse, her choice to help her friends is meaningless, because even if she chooses to help them (which would make them happy), this choice creates another universe where those five ponies - who are just as good and deserving of happiness as the five ponies in the other universe - are left abandoned and sad.
You see, I like to have the concept that a pony like Pinkie Pie has the power, through her actions, to increase the sum total of happiness in existence, if even slightly. To use this version of the multiverse, though, that is actually impossible, as all choices must be explored. You can't actually have a positive effect on reality. So everything you do is pointless. It's really quite sad.
4472760
That last idea would be nice, if the worlds had to be different in fundamental ways. I only have a problem with the multiverse idea when EVERY choice creates new universes.
Only chapter is marked as "Chapter One", seeming to imply that there will be more...
but the story is marked as Complete?
Love the story, and the moral!!!!
The idea of a multiverse is both fascinating and horrifying to me. Heck on story on this site called 'Hard Reset'(which I highly recommend) delves deep into the idea. I guess until science proves it theirs no telling if its real.
But if it is the implications are enormous! Their could be realites out there where I chose something different to eat this morning, to a world filled with talking magical equines. And each would be just as real as the next.
A problem that arises though is am I simply a roll of the dice? Do my actions matter? Because according to the multiverse theory every conceivable possibly has already occurred. So what's the point... I think the movie Matrix summarize it the best. You've already made the choice now you must understand WHY you made that choice.
I think I've found the perfect theme music for this story:
Twilight and Spike's characters are spot-on from beginning to end. Twilight's existential crisis, in particular, emphasizes an important lesson I think a good portion of younger generations need to take to heart. Just because the possibility for alternate outcomes exists (regardless of multiverse theory) doesn't diminish the importance of the choices we make. Focusing exclusively on "what ifs" and "could have beens" hinders our ability to fully live in the present and determine our path in life.
It reminds me of episode 26 of Gurren Lagann. Spoilers!
The Anti-Spirals capture Simon and his team in a extradimensional labyrinth, a multiverse born from their conscious thoughts and memories. In essence, they become slaves to their own "what if" scenarios, unable to move forward as their own uncertainties literally hold them in place. Only when the real Kamina manifests within Simon's multiverse and urge him to decide his fate for himself does Simon gather the strength to reject this apathetic existence and keep moving forward.
Spike is the Kamina to Twilight's Simon. He may not have much life experience yet, but he's grounded enough to keep Twilight from becoming lost in her own insecurities. An invaluable friend for any brilliant mind that tends to get lost in thought.
Kudos again on a great read!
Looks interesting.
4472677 If magic exists, then it is by definition something science can study. It isn't actually supernatural by virtue of appearing in nature.
Our science breaks down once magic is involved, because every law and theory does not take magic into account. If magic is real, then it has rules and can be studied. These rules might be ridiculous (magic can only be used on Wednesday by human beings with birthmarks and wearing only one sock), but if it exits in that other reality then the study of magic is just another science. And if the rules it follows are drastically different than the "ordinary" rules that govern physics... well, the rules of subatomic particles and the rules of titanic celestial bodies are almost as bizarre in regards to each other. And yes, they can be connected with a grand unified theory (when we make one everyone can agree upon), but if the world has magic then magic is a part of that world's physics.
Other, less mystical differences would make our science completely invalid in a different universe. Imagine that the circumference of a circle in an alternate reality is actually 3. Or high temperatures are achieved by particles going slower and more movement and action makes it colder. Entropy might run in reverse, every action creating energy until the universe is so oversaturated that it explodes. A universe where argon doesn't exist: its spot in the periodic table is filled by some other element that behaves completely differently.
And that is only scratching upon the surface of possibilities. I'm limited by our physics and human senses and so cannot possibly imagine a rule that has no equivalent in our universe, or something that replaces colors to "see", or any of a vast number of other possibilities that could exists without even the remotest of connections to any form of our matter, our energy, our laws of physics, our everything.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent there. I'll conclude on this note - My Alternate Universe: Magic Is Science
4473476 ............... magic cannot be studied by typical science. by design one would have to mix the arcane and science, which is basically still purely magic.
4472760 Your right. fate isn't a real thing in the show.
It just tears me up inside when we see a dismal world that doesn't get a happy ending, and then we ignore it, pretend that just because a different world is happy that everything is all good. I don't like seeing that first world get left behind.
I admit, this reminded me of Owlman's mentality in Crisis on Two Earths. Very well done. Faved.
It's funny how I'm writing my own mirror universe story and I read this. It kinda makes you wonder, what if the Twilight from Equestria met the human Twilight during her trip? Either way, this was a good one-shot story.
Aha, gods, I love these sorts of fictions. Very deep, very thoughtful, lots of interesting questions explored, and wrapped up without actually solving any of them. This is my jam.
Personally, I take a more Pratchett-ian mindset with multiverses; there may be many universes out there, but there isn't a universe for every possibility.
Congrats for making it to the feature box.
4473490 Magic cannot be studied by real science because it is supernatural. Science can study anything it can observe and measure. In a fantasy world, magic can be observed and it can be measured. Saying it isn't a science is like saying psychology isn't.
4473490 No, if doing the same thing with magic always reproduces the same effect it can be studied scientifically. You know, because science is just figuring out how it all works. Unless magic reacts randomly and has no way to predict what it will and can never reproduce the same results even under the exact same circumstances you can study it in a scientific manner.
You don't seem to understance what science IS, but magic does not make it stop working or make it something you can ignore. Magic is just something else to figure out the rules of, like gravity or magnetism.
Unless it is totally random it can be studied. Magic does not preclude science, it merely adds another set of variables to account for.
Want to know how I keep my mind from exploding from all the "What if..." things?
When I start down those thoughts I eventually just lock-on to just one or two and follow those down, then just move onto other random thoughts.
I really like how you actually included an ending for this chapter that shows Twilight making the alternate decision. It's a Self-Demonstrating Example. :)
It seems to me that the multiverse doesn't demand a world for every choice, but every possible choice. A distinction that can make that infinity of possibilities seem a lot less ... smothering though its all-encompassingness? There has simply got to be a better way to say that, but I'm tired.
Inset bioshock meme here
Curses, someone all ready posted an Owlman video!
But in an alternate universe, I was the first one to post an Owlman video.
This was a good fic though. Every version of me will favorite it.
It's times like this that makes you think that your life is meaningless.(Somewhere out there is a universe where Twilight didn't become a princess.)
I'll just leave this here:
This is pretty standard stuff.
I am honestly surprised that there are people out there that have trouble understanding this endless multiverse stuff.
Good story.
Who’d never been faced with proof that their choices didn’t matter and never had.
Twilight Sparkle of universe 193405. You have come to the opposite conclusion. All those Twilight Sparkles, NONE OF THEM made EXACTLY the same choices as you, are you DARE to say you're not unique?
“It stands to reason that we never really made them. We’re just living in the world where we did.”
But wouldn't that mean all the Twilight Sparkles who went back in time to talk to themselves would have ended up crowding out the library if they all had only ONE past to share?
Twilight shook her head. “No, because, see, the multiverse theory means that there’d have to be a Twilight somewhere who made those choices. It just happened to be—” She shook her head again. “It’s just... It’s not that simple, Spike.”
There are an infinite number of realities Twilight, but which one you live in, is your choice.
Spike didn’t realize that yet, but he would. Someday. He was still a baby dragon, and had a long way to go before he’d grow out of it.
You're being egocentric Twilight.
Twilight 193405's CHOICE to let her fatalism rule her weakened her ability to MAKE choices.
Twilight 193405-1 on the other hoof, realized the existence of other Twilight Sparkles did not diminish her own existence or choices.