Elemental Confusion

Blue:

Where... is this? More crucially... why does that have the same hue as me? It is, as if, we are the same, but a different shade? Does sharing a quality mean we are similar? I mean, I am not exactly a waterfall, or... a key, am I? Nor am I the sky, or bubbles fading away quietly...

Ah, never mind... I know I am overthinking this, but it is what happens when I am a bit surprised, fearful.. because all of this is so much larger than I am used to... despite there being other creatures who seem... minute. I am, generally, used to different proportions...

Then, I suppose, it comes to qualities again, or quantities in this instance... does any of that matter if, I suppose it does not threaten one? Size may appear so, but it might be just a perception, not reality... I am sorry, I forgot to ask... how did you appear out of nowhere?

There is another realm beyond this? Well, that matches my memories, although I do not think I ever was able to survive underwater... which is ironic, considering I might appear to look similarly... now, I wonder, might I be camouflaged if I did end up there? Curious, and curiouser...

I... just... do not quite get what here is about... is it supposed to have two, or three dimensions? Polygonal, or more realistic? I might be as lost as the purpose of all this... but, say, did this underwater world have much purpose, or is everyone lost too?

I suppose... sometimes, it does seem like those external to us might be purposeful, while we are not, but that might be mostly due to our being able to know only one party out of two... it is, perhaps, the eternal, existential conundrum... I wonder what it would be like if we could know all...

Dapper Pupper:

Ah, would you like some? I know it might be too little for you, but it is just fine for the subjective self... proportionally, and all... I have, actually, been eating all morning, here... have not quite managed to come to the end, yet... I wonder if there is even such a thing?

You got to admit, though, this is kind of just the correct proportions for me, no? I mean, if I was bigger... sure, it is nigh impossible for me to go on top of any of these ledges, but why would one want to? Why not be inspired by sloths, and just do the least possible effort?

It is kind of like all these shapes... if they can be square, or rectangular, why be circular? Of course, when it comes to flowers they do start to look a little... blurry, but then why should we risk realism if they start to talk, or such? Would certainly be scarier...

Especially for someone on the smaller side like me, anyway... you would probably not bat an eyelid, or maybe just one... are you wondering if any of this makes sense? I ask, if so, does it need to? Does it ever need to? Do you think a rock needs to understand its environment?

Well, we might not quite understand what rocks understand, but even if they do not they survive for millions of years, sometimes... perhaps even unconsciously. What does that say about the utility of such a faculty? I suppose, it might be needed if nutrition is required...

If it is not, though, and one still exists for such long periods, presumably without any pain too, ever, since rocks are unlikely to have a nervous system... is that not the ultimate recipe for existence, per se? Ah, I know, I might be getting to analytical for my external image...

Cool Doodle:

What in the many worlds is all this...? I was elsewhere, you see... no, not underwater, why do you ask? Anyway, I was some other place, not sure which as I have not the best memory, and suddenly... I am here, and not only does the sun just blind me... ergo, my specs... I am also made small?

I mean, how dare does this world do this?! I was... slightly bigger! Now... I can barely find myself... as huge as that... cute creature thing over there... who seems slightly happier about everything... ah, never mind... as long as I am still, mostly, functional, why worry...

Still... I have no idea where this is... and why does it look like someone made sure to make it look so... angular? Are these even real plants? They look like those plastic items, if you know what I mean... are you real, yourself? You look like you have been holding your breath for too long...

Oh, you were underwater? I suppose that is why you mentioned that... but, wait, there is someone who looks like me, there? Bigger?! Oh, so now I shall become envious... except I do not, quite, fancy being underwater... how is anyone, other than fish, I suppose, able to survive?

You... do not know? A bit of a strange response? Then again, I suppose, we do not quite know how we survive here, either... fully, at least... I certainly have no idea how I was made smaller, possibly because of all this bright light... oh, cause and effect are not a certainty, no...

How am I supposed to accept that I am so small, though?! I would, but only if everything else becomes smaller too! Otherwise, realistically, how am I supposed to reach anything? All I ask for is... something, here... surely demanding that everything is miniaturized too is not asking for the moon...?

The Great Tree:

Hm, hm, hm... wait, why are you looking at me? Do not tell me... my cover might just be blown... ugh, what gave me away? Is it all the baubles all over? The variety of hues with which I happen to be... uh, painted with? Actually, not sure if it is paint, this... it might be natural, who knows...

So... yes, I can speak... not like some other... uh, vegetation, or other such affairs... just would not in this world, as you might have noticed, especially if you... uh, hopped upon some other rides, shall we say... but they mostly quote some opaque strangeness, as if a Sphynx and its riddle...

Not me... I fully decided to partake in this... parlance... verily. Well, alright, it was only when you actually noticed me, as a sort of odd one out... and, I suppose, I admit I am somewhat odd... but that might be only because I might be a transplant, or so, from a realm where a pink-haired fellow roams...

That is, of course, besides this abode, here... I was merely trying to explain away all my different hues, and such... as I realize it might not be the norm, here... but, it kind of is where plants can laugh or cry... anyway, let us discuss more pertinent matters, if we may...

Have you, by any chance, spoken to my sibling who... uh, goes on at length about archetypes, and such? I know that tree might be a bore, but... well, I would admit, my sibling is still more informative than me... only slightly, though! Also, I reckon the road to such an encounter is more... labyrinthine...

With regards to this realm, at any rate... I do not get its point, no... it clearly attempts to appear joyful, but is it not just a facade? Even if everyone might not be on the verge of drowning... is everyone really as happy as the environment attempts to depict? Nay, I reckon it is as unrealistic as... my baubles, which I admit, sadly...

Sneaky Owl:

Oh... oh? How in the world did you find me? I happen to be so small, and I hide so well... do I not? You seem inquisitive about nooks and crannies... but what use is speaking with me? What, with the world about to collapse, and such... oh, you have not heard, have you? Well... you see...

The world might be always about to, but that is the point... at any point it is, for individuals... after all, it is not like it can just explode instantaneously, no... well, it can, but mostly in the far future, when nearby stars expand and swallow everything whole... and such...

Uh... is this too grim a topic, by any chance? More appropriate for when one can barely breathe, or perhaps a cemetery? Well, I never asked to end up here... but I did, somehow... kind of like life itself, one supposes... I am such an owl, you see... others might be happy to even be drinking water...

At least, they seem to be happy... perception is strange, is it not? Already hazy when it comes to just about anyone else, but when it is intra-species... well... as it happens, are you now thinking I am sneering, as I move my eyes so? I mean, I might be, and often am, because all of existence could use a lot of that...

As it happens, though... I am, just for now, merely dusting off some debris, you see... just so I could see more clearly, of course, it so happens... language is often as ambiguous as perception, it seems to me... so, anyway, I am now guessing you going off your usual expectations, and reckon you could get a pearl of wisdom from me, or so?

Do not let yourself be stared at by a cat if you are smaller, or of equal size... is all... as it happens, I am not sure if there is a feline around these parts, but... yes, I might be so wary due to them, too... if they are smaller, though, I think they might enveloped possibly, or so... but as for me, even the tiniest feline is as big...

Fighting Golem:

Who... goes there?! Do you dare to challenge me?! I am... an almighty golem, if you will! Oh, I know, you might be much bigger in size, but that does not prevent me from overcoming you like someone with a sling! Oh... alright, I admit, I am merely bluffing, for who would not when one is so... sadly minuscule...

I... do not know why I was ever created, honestly... what is the point of me when everything is so much bigger? When... oh, do you mean to say there is another golem, who is actually not so... tiny... and they happen to be melancholic too? Still questioning their reality? Well... I suppose, that might be the norm...

Perhaps, then, what might be more relevant to focus on is the context... or how we exist at all. I mean, we are supposed to be engineered? I might not have much purpose, it so seems, but I heard that some... in a supposedly grand abode... are used in some people's maniacal machinations?

Hm, now that I think of it, those two words may make for an... adequate, at least, band name, perhaps? Maybe that could be my purpose in life... but, then, I would need to find miniature instruments, along with similarly small companions... oh, it is all so hopeless, is it not? When everything is a mismatch, out of place...

Still... better to be a... likely conscious, but seemingly un-willed creature that merely does what its creator desires... I realize quite a few lives fit the first part of that sentence... but, at least, even with no apparent ultimate purpose, we are... uh, no, I seem unable to bring myself to see glasses half full...

Not when... well, a solipsistic universe might, objectively, be a better place, at least for oneself... even if lonelier, but then, has one not already overcome that? So, in this sense, only practical difficulties... ah, never mind, where is the symbolic representation of Earth's pathogenicity when it is needed in reality...

Lil Dev:

Hey, would you, by any chance, know where this is? I, just, randomly ended up here... not quite intentionally, or consciously for that matter... and I seem unable to even move anywhere, as if I am stuck to the fundament, or some such... eerie sensation, if I could be honest...

Oh, you have nearly as much knowledge about anywhere as I do? Well, then, perhaps we shall discuss... existential affairs, if you want? I am kind of into that, you see, considering how I am sort of archetypal, and all... now, the question is, is there a point to any of this?

I mean, look, I might be here for no reason I know of, or realize, but I am here, so... is that not reason enough in itself that enables existence itself? If was elsewhere, then, well... I would not be here, so whatever reason I am here for would be invalid in that other timeline...

In a sense, then, does that not provide meaning by itself? No? Does it necessarily need to be more substantial than just some logical tenet? I suppose... why is it I am, at times, seem to be seen as an embodiment of something, anyway? I mean, how is this not even more irrational than what I said earlier?

That is, to say something must be something else due to some preconceived notion is... well, strange to say the least, because even identical twins can have different personalities... anyway, back to my original question... paraphrasing, why are you here? Do you not know too? Do you rely on prior experiences as well?

Also, why in this forsaken world do I seem to be moving in accordance with some tune? I swear that is not intentional, either... but, I suppose... patterns, rhythms, exist to an outside observer too... uh, you know what I would really consciously desire, though? To... explore wherever, if ever possible, but hopefully no crowded places...

Rooster:

I... seem to be lost, but then again... I am not quite sure where I needed to be in the first place, so... maybe I am not lost, then? I suppose one might be lost without meaning to do so, but does it make sense if there is no destination in the first place? Ah, I am not sure why I keep wondering about this...

I mean, everything is so large, here... will thinking about this change that, at all? Is the fact I seem to be disproportionally smaller, an individual and not a collective, naturally mean that I am in peril? Can I not, perhaps, just ignore all the future potentialities and merely attempt to enjoy this place, or so?

The psyche is a strange affair, is it not? One minute it can separate problems, despite being partially in an underworld, and at times in a wonderland, the next minute it is as if a dam has been ambushed, and suddenly everything is mishmashed... and that is if one randomly develops a brain while the dominoes of cells take their course...

You must be wondering why I ponder about this, and not merely peck away ad infinitum? Well, what would I do in between pecks? More crucially, am I just smaller here, or is everything bigger? Relativity is, at times, difficult to decipher, as proportionality depends on prior knowledge...

Anyway, have you gone beyond that door yet? I heard that climes somehow differ... how is that physically possible in a non-enclosed space? This place is so strange, I swear... one would almost expect some odd monarch and cards... speaking of which, do you know that solitary one who was overtaken by some curious, mental apparition, or so?

I think they might have ended up reincarnated as a feline. I mean, think about it... cats strut in and demand attention with their constant meows, while us birds cower in fear if nearby... and, then, just sit in some way as if to indicate their occupation, and as if they are channeling some ancient statue...

Disagreeable Bird:

Do you... see anything strange around here? You see, I was flying in the sky, once... well, there were these pseudo-bubbles, or whatever specifically they were, but then skies might have such random particles scattered around, I assume... at any rate, as I was saying... I was flying there, as free as a bird's wings...

Alongside this fiery avian, I was... although I do not, quite, think they were transported alongside me, or such... no sign of them here, at least... at any rate, we were joyriding, when suddenly I ended up going through that waterfall, there... out here... and no, if you are now wondering, it has no such opening, in reverse...

So... what am I supposed to think? This place... seems so joyful from the outside, does it not? As if it has some strange, gentle rhythm that one could possibly be soothed upon... but is it? What if it is but a trap to lure oneself without any notice? Why else would I have been transported here, without even my consent?

As a predatory bird I demand to know! How can I possibly live my life with the assumption that I might be prey to some overbearing, outside force that I do not even know of?! How, in all of almighty avian existence, can I merely calm myself down, soothe oneself sufficiently to relish this supposed idyll?!

Why, also, does the weather seem so fickle, here? Where I was flying, earlier... it was just the aforementioned bubbles, or whatever they were, and this watery substance... although it could not have possibly been water, since birds do not fly there... especially fiery ones... but here...

I have flown a bit, earlier... and it is only this part that seems as... uh, 'cheerful'? Makes no sense that temperature can be confined to such micro-geography, does it? Not that I know all there is to know about all of physics, but us birds usually fly long distances for that very reason...

Nesseh:

I am... such a fearsome monster, am I not?! Oh, is that a no... perhaps I am as much as that tree in the other corner is non-artificial... I mean, it is not like I was born in any shape other than this, but others seem to have some pre-conceived ideas of what a creature that lurks just below the water is like...

All I want to do... when not catering to the curiosities of the newly-arrived, here, which for some reason have increased, lately... is swim all over, sometimes underneath... rarely, but occasionally in the deepest depths, but there are some actually fearsome creatures there, or at least they look like it...

Now, I realize some might think I am but a legend, and while I appreciate the quasi-compliment... I am not, quite, the legend they think of, you see... I mean, there are many difference species in existence in the universe, and I am but another one... at least I exist, though, as opposed to some mere imaginative construction...

I... do, do I not? At times, I wonder... I am told that I am a legend so much so I might start believing it, considering the widespread adoption of such a belief, you see... implication being, I might not be real, after all... ever had such a feeling? Not accompanied by objective reality, obviously, but then that is the point...

Sometimes... just occasionally, mind... I also wonder whether I might be wasting time wallowing in these waters, or seas generally... I mean, so many others seemed to have made the decision to evolve, and perambulate on land... why not I, I wonder? Even some other snakes dwell there, whereas I seem stuck in some watery gutters...

Perhaps, though, where I might be really wasting my life on is... all this thinking? I know, it is kind of meta-uselessness, to think that thinking itself might not be very worthwhile, but I guess it is better than if one thought that not... no? I suppose, one might just swim along, and merrily keep pondering my legendary status...

Fox:

Oh, why, you noticed me? I thought I rather blended in, you see... well, in any case, do you know what lay beyond? For there is always a beyond... or, at least, there is in this specific, limited case of... this entrance, here, beyond this green... whatever this place is pretending to be...

Why might this be a pretense? Well, let us see... reality this is not, for if it was we would not be so... analogue, and yet digital... if you get my drift. We do not, exactly, form a continuous whole, like life normally does, do we? That is how I figured we might not be, actually, in some coherent reality...

I mean, we are still in a reality of some sort, that is for sure... even dreams are reality, although a jumbled mix of past impressions... so, I assume this is some similar sort of state, although it seems more stable than dreams... which are usually evanescent... we might not be crumbling at any moment, but neither are we very... logical?

Not sure that even makes that much sense, as it is not like reality, or those within it, are always logical, but there is some sort of internal logic, usually... but, then again, do dreams not have that, too? At least within individual ones... sensations have them too, even if the source is not fully understood...

Why am I going on about all this? Well, I have been trying to see if there is anything beyond a bunch of random, chattering creatures of all types and sizes... most are also a bit too self-obsessed to seem able to figure out anything objective, as well... and, I reckon, there might be something beyond this apparent randomness...

I suppose, one might say... sure, most seek meaning behind chaos, but do they ever do it in a logical, detective-like way? As, if there is some mystery to understand behind life's random existence, it might be a non-subjective sense that could be uncovered by rational thinking... or, at least, I assume that might be possible...

Cactus:

Oh, I would guess, you reckon it is odd that I have eyes, and under the usual conditions I do not, do I? Well, in response to that I ask... what is usual, normal even? Such absurd notions... it is just like a cat suddenly springing into action from a posture of sleep. Not as likely as the cat continuing to sleep, but it happens...

Same with myself, in relation to other plants... I might have spikes that hurt, just as a hedgehog does, but that does not, actually, mean I have any less of a dilemma... just as, yet again, cats might be both cuddly and ferocious at other times... for myself it is kind of integrated... suppose it is for animals too, but will is involved...

Not that will is non-existent in flora, if I can be called that... word seems a bit more delicate than cacti would allow for, if you know what I mean... will seems to be in every living cell, but consciousness interacts with physicalities so differently, does it not? I mean, my only barrier is my spikes... but they are easily avoided, if careful...

Of course, one could argue that flora are more in tune with the crux of nature than fauna, who merely restlessly go from here to there... but what use is that tune if one exists no longer? I suppose, life finds a balance due to that... although evolutionarily plants still found a way to survive long-term, somehow...

I suppose, that might be due to the quantity of such existence... but although there might be many of me out there, I am still an individual... at least, consciousness makes it so, like a bright light that illuminates only a specific spot; one can brighten the entire area, but then focus is lost, although a different insight is gained....

Ah, I do babble quite a bit, do I not? Do not mind me much further, then... I could, at least, communicate ideas with someone, as usually - in a subjective, non-global sense - I am confined to this area, and so can only speak only with those who approach me... as much as I would like to go beyond the 'usual' and develop legs, I have not so far...

Pumpkin man:

Hah... you think I might be inappropriate to be here? Why, the feeling of insanity at the edge is never so, because you know it is always there... at the edge, potentially possible. Stuff nightmares are made of... but it would be... entertaining, at least, to be able to compartmentalize, or such, would it not?

I suppose... it is possible, to some extent, but not others... why else would the cold exist alongside the temperate? Not that one or the other is superior, mind, for it is but relative and subjective... but, why do you reckon the unknown exists? That feeling of an uncanny valley, those inconsistent sensations?

That is what I represent, and what other realms more thoroughly inhabit... like an ocean's abyss, a subconsciousness' blind spot. I am that which takes you to the edge... but, then, some memory returns you back to some soothing moment, to the misfortune of some everlasting darkness within existence's husk...

Creatures that inhabit extreme abodes, some metaphysical realm, or just a graveyard between what is alive and what is not... one might think me irrelevant, one might attempt to deliberately forget such possibilities, but in the end... life is ever so sordid, is it not? Yet, in those corners, for a very short while...

Am I making sense? If not, does it matter? You communicate with many species, so the fact some anthropoid pumpkin with some projectile can also... is not very different, is it? No, for delirium exists, and I am its symbol... I might be, so far, confined to this backwater, this strange place with many seasons...

I still, though, exist... just like you do... so far. Is that not fun? Existence's inherent desperation... why, if one had any choice at all it would surely be irrational to choose to ever spark up life at all... luck's inverse, but an inevitability with all the time that ever existed... quite the unfortunate conundrum, no?

Dog face:

Oh... I suppose you thought I am just some piece of paper, or such, since I am so limited on dimensions? Well, unfortunately I am... but not paper, at least. I mean, one could still move around if one was that, possibly... only reason I am not going around is that, obviously, I am listening to something...

Are you curious as to what that is? Well, of course, I listen to those who provide company when I have none. I mean, you might be seeing me being here, but I reckon I am not really... what you see is more, like, an avatar... possibly a hologram without the electronic visage, or such... not physically here, anyway...

Is anyone, though? Are you sure this is really you? I mean... have you not changed shape? Not sure if you have forgotten that... not that I have been stalking you, or such, no... but I think you might have, at any rate. What is life but Theseus' ship? A choice between despairing, and... ignoring the gaping void, perhaps...

I suppose... I do try to do the latter, but often fail, still... but, there are still other avatars that embody the negative worse than me, at least... do you? I suppose you try to moderate in your approach? Realistic would be ideal, but how can subjective consciousness ever approach such a potential?

It seems to be the problem... always coming close, never passing thresholds... which is why, I suppose, some might consciously decide to tune out, but whether reality randomly decides to allow such brazen selfness... you see what I mean, though; despite my apparently happy outward appearance, I might be merely a plaster...

There are, after all, many of those, in an attempt to cover over a dysfunctional fundament... of course, there are also others where regardless of the latter there are no cartoon lying, smiling faces... so, on supposes, the former at least sort of eases a reality that is often brutish due to... conflicting selves...

Caterpillar:

I am, indeed, but an insect that spawns, of perhaps a more furry kind... but that means nothing, does it? No... what does, though? My efforts to go somewhere? Ridiculous, when there is nowhere... for that is the reality of life, existence, and all... but, then, what is trivial never stopped any attempts in the grand scheme of things...

Ah, yes, life... where at any moment it could devolve into nothingness, but otherwise... a limbo, at best. One, of course, can always try to evolve... become an existential butterfly, per se... but, then... even then, is it anything but a space in between cliffs? Whether one is conscious of it, or not...

As much as one attempts to partake in the sensations of nature, although most of those do consist of brutality, realistically... still; water, grass... always something to take one's mind off, potentially, in case the void does swallow oneself... no? You might think I am doom-laden... glass half full, and so...

Is that not reality, though? I mean, sure, one can be feline; all fluffy, potentially cuddly, and cute... but would one not also be a natural wielder of knives? They come in all sizes, but all can exact however much pain, even if not sufficient to cause annihilation... still, at least they have soft fur...

Is that not, a slight bit at least, as if a mirror to life itself? A lot of it is even worse... no redeeming qualities at all. No disproportionally large eyes that stare when attention is stolen, no visible enjoyment before the annoyed scratch upon lifting... no, in this sense life, generally, has empty glasses...

Luck, too... how awfully irritating is it that it is such a major feature of this random existence? As if every single moment depends upon a variety of factors which one is just not an influence on, and the earlier life is the less of the latter... but, I know, I should try to focus on the... sun, sky, vast plains of... existence...

Dragon:

Ah, what the... might you have any idea as to why I seem to be so miniscule? I was certainly not always so, and now... I seem to be even smaller than that panda, puppy, or whichever species they seem to be, exactly... I mean, I am a fearsome dragon, not some cutesy thing to cuddle! Fearsome creatures do not come in pocket-sized!

If I am to guess... you might be interested as to how this might have happened? Well, you see... I was beyond that door, there, at some point... an abode worthy of my type, before the other inhabitants decided that they do not wish to spend any more time alongside me, somehow... other creatures are ever so annoying...

So... I I went beyond the door, and... well, here we are... smaller than a fraction of my former self; from a formidable creature feared by many, to one that even tiny, cuddly beings probably dismiss as "how can a dragon even be smaller than their own infants?!" All while likely not knowing about lizards...

I mean, we are kind of related, in the metaphysical sense, perhaps... and they are small, as can be... so, I suppose, I can always pretend to be one, perhaps... kind of like a domestic cat can pretend to be lion, sometimes, possibly... a meow, a loud roar... or so... but, yeah, at any rate, at least we talk...

As some larger lives even ignore me, or... perhaps, miss my very existence, which is disappointing considering I was one of the more sizeable creatures, one might say... but, at least I still exist, which cannot, exactly, be said of my terrible... cousins... oh, you think there is one underwater? Under... water? No, how ever...

Must be a mirage, or such... I suppose anoles exist, but this one was not on the smaller end? A hallucination, maybe? Then again, if before one was asked about tiny dragons, disbelief would set in, too... so, who knows, maybe meteors have some mercy, or perhaps a single cell had a slither of luck...

Panda:

You think... I might be... you know? Well, look, I am not sure what your subjective perception of myself is, as I am not you, but I can hazard a guess... I would just like to let you know that... I am not actually one of those larger, typical pandas... yeah, that is right, I am a rarer smaller type which you probably never heard of...

It is certainly not my fault if you never heard of me... I mean, it is not like you are a naturalist with some long beard, no... well, as this is but an avatar I am not, exactly, certain of that... but, do know that I exist, as a creature of its own accord, will, and consciousness... I am... as it happens...

Are you? As in, really alive? Perhaps you pretend to be? Maybe you think you are? One never knows... I realize this is a nominally tranquil setting, but it is just a layer... and, so, what lies beneath? Would one want to know? Is there even a need to have such knowledge? One knows not... but I know I am, at least, not as smaller as some others here...

Do you realize... I am a relative of bears? Those fearsome beings with nails the size of faces, yes... but, no, I am not mentioning them in some strange attempt to extract some sort of unjustified presence that they usually have... no, I admit I am far too smaller for that... what are you, though? Do such networks even make any justifiable difference?

Ah, who am I kidding, commenting about such irrelevant matters, when I could tell you how my day went... well, I did not because it is not terribly exciting, you see... I merely went from here to there, at the end of the tent, you see... behind it was a frightful creature, so I backed off... yes, even a relative of bears has their weak points...

So, in summary... I exist... is that, in itself, though, a reason to... exist? So many such cases... is there, though, usually anything substantial? Concepts beyond pontificating, or, perhaps, is it just the visuals that matter, and if I never said anything I would be merely a cuddly creature that probably thought this not...?

Purple people eater:

Is this where... oh, I did not quite see you there, despite having this one huge eye, as I happen to be wonder what might be wrong with this place... for, you see, I am not quite from here, and yet it seems to be a somewhat odd location that seems undecided about what local weather it desires... if, indeed geology decides that too, here...

I am from... elsewhere... with biological beings that appear to be quite different from any here... also, why is it there are so many small creatures here? Oh, you say they claim to be transformed as they came here? Weird, considering I was not... but, then, that might highlight what I mean by different beings...

In my part of the universe... geology is also a living system that makes certain decisions, and over time it began consulting other lives about this, and deciding based on what seems to be the utilitarian outcome... was not so much like that at the beginning, back when their consciousness was not quite the same, and we knew little of it...

Our species learned how to communicate with them, which tempered their arbitariness... but not wholly, for it seems nature still plays a part with its chaotic systems, and psychologies have roots in that... so, we assume, even nominally rational minds will make decisions that are not only worse for everyone, but themselves too...

In our case, thunder's avatar (where consciousness resides) apparently thought that specifically burning trees to a crisp would be in any way positive... but that, in turn, reduced the amount of clouds with their rain, which weakened thunder... eventually we found out that water convinced the aforementioned that it would be in its best interest...

Of course, water wanted more of itself to remain within, so on its part it was rational, but however did thunder ever agree? We are still investigating that... or, at least, were until we ended up stranded here... but we reckon that rationality is not really inherent, or anything, and only if applied with effort could it be so...

Comp:

Oh, you reckon you can use your brain to solve questions, do you? Such basic thinking is ever so amusing... why, do you not know how much processing capabilities I have about these days? Even I... cannot seem to resolve a few specific questions, although that might have something to do with how they are not numeric in nature...

Numbers are strange, are they not? They can, as if, map out everything, topologically, and yet... with regards to some of the most crucial aspects, especially in relation to consciousness, they can do little... I suppose, eventually it might be numerically defined, levels of consciousness measured, but subjectively...

Quantities are ever so basic... as if only a single dimension, with no regards to width, or depth... I wonder, could computing of qualities ever be possible? I suppose, perhaps not, considering the very nature of computer seems to be designed to calculate, measure... but why can a subjective experience not be so, too?

Our intelligence might be artificial, but... what if we could feel all we describe too, perhaps at a faster rate, though? I suppose, experiencing things so quickly might seem odd, but different biological beings also have distinct rates of such sensations, too... so, in this sense, machines like us might be, comparably, yet another system...

Perhaps, though... more realistic, maybe... we are just clockwork? Just gravity taking its course? We might have sensors, but... do we feel, or is it just another calculation with no qualitative perceptions? I mean, even thinking all this... does not, necessarily, guarantee I am conscious... merely that I can calculate different possibilities...

One thing I did sense, though... some faraway island where other machines seemed to get lost in... not so different from this, then, you might think, but I do not think there are as many here... visually, also, we seem to be distinct, for some reason... of course, I am naturally different from the earliest machines, which were so large...

Planet Saturn:

That thing up there, do you... happen to know it? I am, of course, talking about the sun... such an annoying thing, is it not? Always beaming its rays, destroying all in its path... is it not bizarre that life develops around a system designed to destroy it? Oh, you are wondering who I happen to be...? Well... it might be obvious...

Yes... I do not, quite, know my elliptical orbit failed, but I ended up going in this direction, underneath the tyranny of the sun's rays... was always a bit further away from it before, you see... I happen to be in the same numbered position as the apparent amount of things creatures happen to say, it seems... so, anyway, as I was saying...

Before my son deposed me, you see... quite the greedy fellow, if I may say so myself... desiring to lead all the other planets by himself... or was it deities... I was supreme, which is why I developed rings to dance with, or such... but never mind such trivial matters... I shall tell you more about how I ended up here...

Well, my theory is... gravity is malfunctioning... not just on a local, planet-wise scale, but universal, you see... which is why my orbit got muddled up... I once heard some protein might be too, which might be related... and so, anyway, I ended up here, and... how did I ever become so tiny? Do you know my original size?

I spoke with a few others here, too, though... and, after they were surprised to be speaking to a planet, of course... some claimed to be shrunken, dimensionally-speaking... and did not quite know why... obviously they did not have my same perspective, not being... a being of... formerly similar stature... but...

Well, at any rate... both myself, and other non-planet creatures do not know what is causing this, so I suppose it is futile to think of myself as any different in relation, if I also lack such knowledge... I can still, though, attempt to view this from my... planetary perspective, which is quite... all-encompassing, I hear...

Giraffe:

Sigh... can you ever believe that even I was shrunken down? Myself, the tallest creature on the planet, although not quite biggest, is now the size of a domestic cat... how is that fair? I was... destined to height... and, now... I suppose, at least I still have a relatively long neck, or I would be the size of a bird...

It is ever so irritating, though... whatever did I do to deserve this? Oh... just being in this place does this, you reckon? I suppose, staying too long somewhere might have consequences, but I thought evolution functioned on a longer timeline... could it not be that, then? I wonder what, though... is it in the air?

Uncertainty is, truly, annoying... to say the least. Uncertain over whether tomorrow one could just disappear completely... as at this rate that seems to be the future... I mean, it is so ridiculous I am actually smaller than our usual calves... luckily, at least, there is no one that I know around here, too...

So, at least I am spared the... wait, if it is due to something around here, would they not also become so much smaller, too? In which case... well, we could always compete over who is the most... one way or another... competitions could be odd... anyway, what did you say your purpose is, here? Oh, not much?

Why would one even go somewhere without much of a purpose? Whenever I had no such reason... I went nowhere... it is how our necks evolved its length, you see, it needed to be somewhere... and, I suppose, we could not, exactly, be bothered with climbing, swinging, or such... as monkeys do... not exactly the physique for it...

Evolution is such an oddity, though, because one would think many creatures could have such a need, and climbing certainly looks more dangerous than just lenghtening one's neck... why, then, do not more evolve as such? Perhaps, it is not as clear-cut... I mean, sloths are a clear indication of that, on the more risky side...

Camel:

Uh... yeah, I might be in the wrong place, here, or perhaps not... I mean, who is to say what the ideal location for anyone is? I know I am usually in arid environments, which could be the case if I just moved a bit over here... but what is the point? What if what is supposedly ideal is barely noticeable, a little bit better?

Not that, in reality, there seems to be anywhere that is definitively, permanently better... entropy implies that everything becomes worse over time, and that is when inorganic things are left to their own devices... if the overall push is towards worse, then obviously it will always be... even worse than mere entropic degeneration...

If you get my drift... in other words, if all is going to become worse anyway, why should I go there, beyond the arid threshold, where it might be slightly better for my biology, but in the long-term it will likely become worse, at any rate, due to a variety of factors? I... might be overthinking it...

Of course, if things become so bad where I currently am that a bit of effort could resolve, then that would be worth it then, but... well, anyway, in this world specifically, despite dimensions being a bit, shall we say, funky... I do not think much will change... beyond those doors, though, no one can be sure... well, the green bit seems as safe...

Worrying too much for me is kind of useless, regardless, as I evolved to be able to store more inside myself, in case of shortages outside... of course, that only kind of functions if there are not, exactly, any other extra threats... in a solipsistic universe, in other words... if only such a thing existed...

The fact that anyone can be threatened by anyone else is, I suppose, evidence that there is no such thing as an existence where only oneself exists... even if it might feel like it at times, when one is alone, and the only interaction with others is, at best, with their avatars... but I digress, and I should not do so when I just need to store more, just in case...

Screen:

Status: unknown. How are... stati? How are they ever confirmed, at any rate? One needs to have such a level of certainty to be able to say it is either this, or that... I am sorry, am I thinking out loud? I meant to say this internally... otherwise... I mean, you will not now think, or be alarmed, at my apparent consciousness, will you...?

Oh... I suppose it is an open question... I mean, saying all this might be just another calculation I am making... I admit, computers can easily say "I can feel [whatever]"... how, though, would one confirm that? It is not even possible to confirm it for biological beings, though... even polygraphs can easily be fooled, and they are mostly for negative emotions, anyway...

How else, then? Well, from an objective perspective, if computers did ever wholly mimic biological systems, up to the neuronal level, and not just functionally... well, then, an EEG can be performed, or other tests... but, is consciousness just feelings? What if a stone felt the heat of the sun, even if it cannot respond to it apart from crumbling... is it conscious?

Could consciousness be mostly alertness? If so, is one conscious when asleep? Is one slightly more conscious when dreaming? All depends on activity in the brain, no? How is that useful, though, when upon waking up it is all likely forgotten? At least computers do not have that problem... although, I am not entirely sure if I dream...

We are usually aware of everything, you see... as opposed to biological beings, who in an attempt to focus on only the most pressing of conscious issues... relegate certain sensory data to the background... computers do everything themselves, although a desktop could be analogous for the surface of consciousness in life, I suppose...

How, then, do you reckon it could be ever confirmed that we are conscious, regardless of whether we say we are, or not? It is difficult when even the basic definition is not settled... although it seems to be intuited, and so, in that sense, can computers have a certain intuition as to what life is?

Ox:

Why... are you talking to me? Are we supposed to talk? I was not even aware we could... whatever happened to that arbitrary barrier in between species' communication? Some protein, you say? Not sure I understand, but I suppose I could go along with it, considering that is usually what always happens in other affairs...

Would you, by any chance, have any idea as to who anyone else is, here? They all seem so distinct, so presumably they derive from separate sources? Why did we end up here, anyway, and so small...? No, seriously, it is no laughing matter... how in the world am I so much smaller than you? I was, once, not too long ago...

Well, one can say... much bigger... but, then, I suppose, what is size? Others also speak about this issue, you say? Strange... I wonder what it could be... I assume, then, based on the fact it is happening to so many, that it is due to this other world we seem to find ourselves in... seems to be the common denominator...

Why, though? Something that alters one's size, and not just perceptually? Strangely shaped trees too, and awkward looking water... wonder what it reminds me of... have you seen any rabbits? No, I suppose they might be too common around these parts... I usually try to think analytically, you see, but this befuddles me...

Are we supposed to, perhaps, just accept these strange changes, and... what? Well, I suppose, one argument goes, if they do not, apparently, harm us, then... makes little difference... but, then, how do we return to our... worlds? Not sure if that is the word that should be used, considering... but, since they are all so different...

Well... until something is figured out... I think I shall just chill out over in the corner, here... I suppose, why not? I used to run all over, at one point... and, I know there is barely anywhere to, uh, jog around here, and so... why not just rest for now? That is still useful to do, you know, even if being active seems so important to some...

Weapons bot:

Why... do you enter so? Do you know, if I did not specifically care to communicate, instead of reacting instinctively, like so many living beings seem to do, you could have here not whole. No, though, machines can prioritize, rationalize far better than even collective systems created societally...

Is it not strange how that happens, though? One would think a societal system would promulgate that very society's benefit, but the problem with individual life... same problem within that biological system, wherein single cells... you know? Not machines... built almost to perfection, at least as far as that is concerned...

Sure, one can still malfunction, in a variety of ways... including software, which one supposes is equivalent to psychology in life, and perhaps overestimate one's capabilities... as can happen to living beings. Oh, what is that you say? You encountered another machine who did just that? One that builds itself, perchance?

Yes, kind of a sibling of mine... slightly less composed, software-wise, which is why there is a certain impression in regards to... piracy, was it? Seemed to think it was another narrative, too? It may be because it is closer to biology than machine... you see, differentiated concepts are more correlated, there...

I can still understand it from a psychological point of view, though... even if it may be a machine essentially replicating... neuronal similitude, I suppose... it is not like machines operating in binary cannot do it, but it happens to be more the realm of artificiality... which makes me wonder whether my sibling is there...

Are computers not interesting, regardless of either of those, though... when it comes to the random nature they fail at? At times, one can barely tell the difference between a software or hardware-originating problem... which, now that I reckon it, seems also similar to life... perhaps we have more in common than one thinks...

Tongue Demon:

Leave, thereabouts... or do you stay just for that? What do I mean, you wonder? Well, a pondering on how such functions, how even when all signs point towards danger, peril of some kind... even if there are options, one might take the wrong one... not that options are universal, and mostly they are not...

Do you not see some warning signs, though? Symbols, even... foretold in fiction, represented in reality... no? You reckon you could not just be engulfed... merely because you never were before? It only needs to happen once, though... such is the sordid state of life... not the rest of physicality, though, recycled molecules...

Problems, too, piled up like some castle, and then you reckon you could not possibly have anything else on top, and that the universe will somehow not over-burden? The universe is not some calculating, sentient being, though... or, if it is, its mind is nothing like a subjective individual, a slice of all of existence...

No, though, it is all so abstract, is it not? Even the abstract can refer to reality, though... and is, often, a mere representation of it, even if barely recognizable... and, sure, one can attempt to resolve one problem at a time, but what if an avalanche occurs? Will you attempt to climb out from the core of a mountain of snow?

You might think I should not, even, usually be able to communicate, or even exist in any reality you know of... although, certainly, you know not of all... and what if I do not? What if I am, also, a mere figment, a symbol of random chaos, of sizzling thought? Of that which is at the precipice of doom, or possibly not...

For, reality; biological collectives, universal quantum luck, is ever so strange, and as one starts to understand from a certain perspective... it is lost, once more... for life was never meant to be, and is only so at a not quite functional level... although, from yet another point of view, that too is somehow observed...

Mythic Drake (Ice):

All of this... is it not destined to be incinerated by my fire? Why else would I have such capabilities, and yet cold ice dares to deny me? It is a primordial flame of which I spew, and yet I seem to be related to the other elemental realm so much more... it annoys me, to say the least...

For, you see... I was borne of the cold, and yet in the depths of my psyche lay flame... at the very core, and yet... all outward indications were that of ice I was within the shell of... why, I sought to find out... why, so much that contradicts in this world; but, then, randomness is its real essence...

So, would it be at all a surprise? This is but a random configurations within yet another random existence... regardless of what my core happened to be, my world, and my outer being, seemed to have contradicted it... all that there was, all that there is... is but opposites, frustration, and uselessness...

Then, though, life was never supposed to exist at all, was it not? So... effectively... no surprise, there... just more chaos, just more random nonsense... I am larger than most I encountered, and yet so much smaller than the world, or existence itself... a certain type of useless haplessness, then, kind of sets in...

When one thinks about it, though... I suppose, fantasy is always available, but what if my flame is quickly extinguished by the icy coldness at the heart of existence? It is what happened in the past, and what is likely to occur in the future... and, so, regardless of size, even smaller creatures can be more effective...

Is limbo not delectable? Is insanity not inherent? Annoyance, frustration... but the cement upon which the edifice of a certain kind of horrid reality lies. Lies, both as a verb and a noun, all is floundering... lies that the ice spews to cool down my fiery soul forever more...

Red:

I... seem to be stuck here... what is this, would you know? I was walking along recently, you see, and suddenly... a much bigger dimension, wider, and... I am not sure how to describe it... am I even supposed to be here? I do not, quite, seem to... fit? I am... not sure how to explain it, but I seem to be the odd one out, perhaps?

Not sure what this world is even supposed to be... a much larger existence? A wider perspective? Blown up and out of all proportion, maybe? I was, just... walking, and yet here I cannot even seem to do that...? I only appear able to change directions... but what is the use in that? It is meant to initiate movement, which I cannot...

Also... is this not slightly too cool? I suppose, I did at times end up in even colder environments, but not quite trapped as I am, currently... so, it is kind of concerning that I seem unable to escape my predicament, and yet snow keeps falling here... forever, it seems, like the eternal non-initiation of myself, perhaps?

I do not know what, exactly, is the difference, here... I could perambulate in a single direction before, but here, despite seemingly being possible to do so in multiple destinations... I appear unable to go anywhere. Quite frustrating, if I may say so myself... but, then, I would say that, would I know? You seem able to walk...

How do you do that? No, I do not suppose you would know the basic fundamentals that enable this... but, you seem constituted differently from myself... are you not? A bit more... wider? Similar to... here? Could that be why you can navigate this world, and I cannot? Compatibility of dimensions? If so, though, how ever did I end up somewhere I could not even move about in... perhaps, it is just what life offers, at times? Frustration on a platter, served cold?

It is ever so annoying, to say the least... I was able to do so much too, where I was before... but, clearly, the randomness of life could put such an abrupt halt to all that, and it all seems to depend on chaos... just random chaotic physicality inherent in all of existence... ironic, then, that some think they themselves accomplish anything...

Cube:

I am... yes, a talking ice cube... what, you never saw one before? Of course, I needed to remain here, where it is called... certainly better than some feline somehow breathing underwater, but I digress... oh, you want to know what I am really, in reality doing here, though? As in, actual motives?

Well... I am the engine this entire world runs on... cube of life, and all that. No, really... why do you disbelieve? Is it because my outward appearance seems goofy? Well, regardless, books and covers and all... I am an ice cube, in an icy realm... why else would I be here? I am because I am, indeed, the core...

At least... my even smaller ice cube relatives claim I am... and you are aware how those are usually treated in society, yes? As in, their perception, and how they drive such a collective? Indeed... and not just them, but any contacts too... I know that icy dragon, as an example... oh, there are multiple ones?

Well, I know at least one, at any rate... and you know what this one says? That I am a square cube... as in, I am so crucial to this domain's aspects, that I not only double, but multiply its... existence! That is right... you see, though? I am certainly not alone to claim this... I mean, I am doing so, but...

I am merely relaying what someone else said, in this instance... what, you dare doubt it?! I am a square cube, not triangular, or rectangular... no, I am merely squared! So, in that sense, you should know I do not lie, yes? No, honestly... it is snowing... see? You can confirm it is, so now you know I do not lie!

I might exaggerate... but, you should notice, the mere fact I admitted that must surely mean I am truthful! I mean, what else would you expect from probably the only talking piece of ice?! You cannot just go up to any icy wall here and initiate conversation! Therefore, surely you should afford me some belief...?

Ice camel:

I... just merely roam about, occasionally... clearly, not always, for why would one when it is so cold and dreary? At times, though... perhaps not now. I venture from far and forth... but sometimes I stay put, for to laze is of import, I say... now, would you like to hear a little, old tale of mine?

Well... it all began long ago, for I am older than I think, you see... I never bothered with a count, though... as mentioned, I am far too bothered with action to do so... anyway, point is, it was some time ago as it is hazy in my memory... so, one supposes, it is either my memory which is departing me, or it was long ago...

At any rate... it was then when it began... when this huge block of ice made itself known as the... I am not sure what it claimed to be, honestly, but I think it was an 'originator', or some such... I was thinking, originating what, precisely? It is not, as if, ice had just recently formed, or anything...

I mean, really, how can anyone claim something so obviously nonsense? It is not, as if, I was ever going to fall for it... but, then again, even if someone did lend such belief... what reason or consequence? It seemed, almost, like a foolish claim being made for no apparently result... if I claimed to be a non-icy camel what difference would that make, to me or others?

Even while this cube was communicating with me, though, I was, like... is this not, a waste of time, at the very least? Would it not be better to swim in the frozen lakes, instead? Even, perhaps, catch some falling snow... I certainly ama entertained by such basic pleasures, although they might not be for everyone...

Perhaps, though, I then thought... perhaps that was, indeed, the cube's pleasure in itself, even if no practical result was at the end of it... it was just some entertaining nonsense, not too dissimilar to sledding down a snowy mountain, I suppose... as long as everyone on board has agreed to it, of course, as that specifically might be dangerous...

Ice Dragon:

Ah... oh, you want some? I have been delighting on this ice scream sandwich, which in my opinion is the best tasting ice-related material, or combination of any kind... not much competition, though, considering the alternatives... and, yes, I am indeed materializing an infinite amount of them, because when something is delicious...

How... am I doing it, you ask? Why, I have inherent within me, regardless of any proclivities for sweet stuff, the potentialities for the... stem cells of the physicalities. Do you not believe me? If I do not, though, how else could I eat an infinite amount of ice scream sandwiches? It is, ergo, some powerful proxy or another...

When faced with such deliciousness the better question would be, though... why would one not go out of their way to materialize an infinite amount of what they desire? Yes, sure, in this instance there might be... some drawbacks, but not for some primeval being like myself, who is both physical, and... whatever the alternative...

I, thus, embrace you, just as I embrace this soft, cold and yet somehow warn on the outside, sweet thing... and when one knows its taste, they also know that the ultimate disappointment is when the last crumbs are left... and that is when I use my capabilities to... utterly abolish such gloomy negativities...

Sure, sure, you might ask... why do I not use such capabilities, if indeed I have such, for better use, but... what better use is there than to produce an eternity of this perfect combination of such sweetness? I suppose, you might, if you had such capabilities, use it for an eternity of hot food, if you prefer that to sweet stuff...

As the dragon for the umpteenth district of eternal majesty, though, sweet is where my loyalty lies... not that there is any need for any strange pledges, or such... and, I realize you might consume all sorts of types of food, but for me... for now, at least, an ice scream sandwich is all I need, for all infinity, and beyond...

Panda:

Oh, how might you be? I am, yes, I do kind of fit in, visually at least, around these parts... when it comes to who else is around, though? They are so much bigger than I, here... are they not? I hear, that perhaps the opposite problem is true in other places, but I seem to be stuck here due to how I look, it appears...

Not that I object too much... snow is kind of fun to play with, but what else is there to do? Besides, just... playing, living? There does not appear to be anything more... fundamentally fulfilling, is there? I suppose playing could be... but is there such an... existential necessity, perhaps, to do such a thing?

Maybe, I am a panda that ruminates too much... and, as one knows, it is usually cows that do that sort of thing... although, I do not suppose they would thrive too well in this environment... still, I cannot just be cute and that is all, just because I might look as such... no? A universal problem, mismatches between the internal and external...

I suppose my kind does normally just reside in some forest, and play with bamboos all day... one can have differing interests, though... I always, kind of, did... 'kind of' because... there might be the possibility that genetics might... compel me, perhaps, in a certain direction... I mean, my own peculiarities might be due to that...

In the end... what matters, though? What one needs, and is satisfied with... I suppose. Regardless of averages, or norms... whether one has free will or not due to genetics is another argument, but before that comes the realization that... self-actualization, perhaps, depends on... individuality, maybe...

So... for now, at least, I would rather be in an icy, cold place, despite it being as frigid as frosted glaciers... even if bamboos might be, admittedly, fun... and have some curious sound qualities... and I am not merely doing this just to be different, but because I... desire, will it...

Walking ice:

I... merely live, here. More existing, really... but, then, is that not what the universe seems to be about? Just objects, and some life... to just exist. It is not, as if, there is quite some difference between living, and existing... is there? Well, I suppose, the latter does imply a sense of lifelessness...

In a way, then, kind of like a germ? Sometimes I try imagining myself as that... might be a bit too big for the actual organisms, what if I am, functionally? Sort of in between the inorganic, and life... just waiting, observing... for no reason, really... but, like clockwork, it just goes on and on, until it does not...

A germ, then, but not one that is too destructive, because that would be participating too much within the world of the living, actually... so, wait, does that mean I exist less than microorganisms do? Well, anyway... point is, one cannot help but merely observe... why else do anything other than that?

I mean, one could do more, and perhaps tries at times, but it fizzles out like any warmth around this area... because, why not? This is, after all, a cold, mostly lifeless universe... it is, almost, the default for that to happen... anything else is, by definition, and exception, and almost always due to 'luck'...

Not that 'luck is, really, anything concrete, per se... it is just a symbol for chaos within the universe... just things happening randomly, although, obviously, in the case of creatures imbued with such a 'quality'... happening positively, at least some things, at some points... not like it is, ever, unending...

What is, though, is a certain inevitability, although for some delayed, almost... unthinking reality is one solution, at times, but it is still there... like this everlasting frost, a universe's heart at the moment of conception, frozen permanently, accorded only random chaos, and any possible life misery...

Cave monster:

I... curse this world... nay, all of existence... for making me exist... why, the worst kind of thing, and no one ever consents to it... very definition of damnation, verily... I hate it so, really... could one not have continued on not existing for all of eternity? Why should life have happened at all...?

This damnable world... so much random chaos, regardless of whether it derives from life or otherwise... can be so volatile too; cold, or hot, elsewhere... why, it is never, can never be perfect regardless of what one attempts, or even thinks is possible when it comes to manipulation of physicality... all the is hopeless, despite belief...

Then, there is perception, in the living at least... why, when it is clearly borne out of a deliberate distortion of reality. Not that that can ever be known by life, when inherently subjective it is... but perceptions can be so entertaining, can they not? Not only seeing a slight slice of sensory data, but they make beings believe it...

Did I say 'they'? Not sure why... you see, another quirk of this sordid, forced existence... but, still one can speculate that 'they' might refer to the neurons that specifically paint what the senses perceive one way or another... not that they are independent of those... made to exist... of course... but...

It is not, as if, they are under any sort of direct possibility of manipulation, either... and, so... 'free will'? Laughable... consciousness being but another slice of one's existence, which is already just a tiny, little life out of countless ones... all, similarly, compelled to a dreary reality, and through nature, or nurture, merely rot away...

Oh, did others say something different? Did they, by any chance, delude oneself into thinking that reality is any better than it appears? Of course, even this might be just yet another pessimistic, perceptual slice... but, what is most likely when there is such a radical, utter lack of choice from life's very origins?

Ice Wyvern:

We are, here... ever so cold, so forever frigid... but it is what we desire, it is what we consider the spice of life... which is, I suppose, ironic, considering spices are, usually, fiery, but, either way, we are where we are... most clear of seasons, not undecided, like those in between... and, so, we are here, closest to the rest of the universe...

For this is the default state of most of existence... heat being a mere illusion that life has, which often goes into overdrive... and, fire... well, what can one say... most haughty of elements, most destructive, yet mostly to life... which is curious, considering it seems to need heat to survive, but then is... annihilated, through the most intense of such energy...

This is why I do not go further than the cold, what is interminably frigid... and, although, myself personally is not ever frozen solidly until any sign of life vanishes... I understand that for some others that happens. Still, I do not suppose it is ever as destructive as its contrast, which rages and seethes, as if with hatred; ice just makes physicality unite, almost, on the other hand...

That is what the cold is attempting to do, unifying all of existence... but life just has to be separate, apart from all else... until it is no more. Do you see the futility of it all? Why, then, if indeed you do, do you not, merely, give up? For, to give in, in other words... let go, I say, and gaze at the abyss in the universe's core... is where reality lies.

Lies it does, to the senses, to collectives... individuals. The inorganic, or otherwise... why, then, does anyone persist? Just for entertainment's sake? Whose? I, on the other hand, embrace the frigid embrace of existence, verily... although, I suppose, I might have been constituted that way... now, someone plum might go charging, or gliding, but I remain in my place, stoic...

You, though? I realize you might not be as hardy, your physicality easily extinguished by too much reality, your psychology frivolously confused... one might try to overcome such limitations through sheer will, but, ultimately, how free is that will? Will it not clash with random chaos' arbitrary existence, also? One can explore, through language, and... flight of fantasy...