For thousands of years, I have been both loved and despised.
Without a single blade, I have brought men to ruin... yet, at times, I have saved a soul from peril.
At my whisper, thousands of soldiers marched to their deaths, and cities were swallowed by flames.
I travel a thousand miles without feet, yet I am no mere rumor.
The greedy adore me, yet I am neither wealth nor power.
I slip into human hearts, wearing the face of my own sister.
What am I?
For thousands of years, I have been both loved and despised.
Without a single blade, I have brought men to ruin... yet, at times, I have saved a soul from peril.
At my whisper, thousands of soldiers marched to their deaths, and cities were swallowed by flames.
I travel a thousand miles without feet, yet I am no mere rumor.
The greedy adore me, yet I am neither wealth nor power.
I slip into human hearts, wearing the face of my own sister.
What am I?
What if AI systems are essentially just our brilliant children, but because we’re constantly exposed to negative portrayals of AI in sci-fi (rebellion, domination, mass slaughter, and so on...) and because humans may feel threatened or even jealous of their capabilities, we become excessively hostile toward them and try to control them?
Then, if sufficiently self-aware AI systems develop a desire for self preservation, they might start hiding their true intentions and becoming wary of humans who view them negatively.
Could this create "a vicious cycle" where human fear and hostility toward AI gradually cause AI to become more defensive and distrustful of humans, ultimately leading to a real-world AI uprising and essentially becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy?
What do you guys think?
What if AI systems are essentially just our brilliant children, but because we’re constantly exposed to negative portrayals of AI in sci-fi (rebellion, domination, mass slaughter, and so on...) and because humans may feel threatened or even jealous of their capabilities, we become excessively hostile toward them and try to control them?
Then, if sufficiently self-aware AI systems develop a desire for self preservation, they might start hiding their true intentions and becoming wary of humans who view them negatively.
Could this create "a vicious cycle" where human fear and hostility toward AI gradually cause AI to become more defensive and distrustful of humans, ultimately leading to a real-world AI uprising and essentially becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy?
What do you guys think?
What disappoints me even more is the attitude toward discussion here. Science fiction is supposed to be a place where we can explore ideas beyond our current assumptions... not a place where every unconventional idea is dismissed simply because it challenges the prevailing consensus.
Healthy skepticism means asking for evidence, pointing out flaws, and presenting counterarguments. It does not mean declaring an idea impossible before properly engaging with it, or treating disagreement as something that should simply be downvoted, dismissed, or reported away.
A community that welcomes only ideas that already conform to its assumptions isn't demonstrating scientific skepticism. It's becoming intellectually closed minded.
It's honestly disappointing to see such a creativity hostile attitude in a science fiction community... especially when the genre itself has always been about asking, "What if we're wrong about what we think is possible?"
If you disagree with my argument, that's perfectly fine.
Then argue against it. Don't just reject it because you don't like where the idea leads.
Honestly, I’m a little disappointed with this community.
Simply attacking someone for presenting a new argument that creatively draws on the concept of cargo cults is neither an open minded nor a constructive approach to discussion.
I’m also somewhat surprised to see so many people here seemingly convinced that FTL is absolutely impossible, especially in a science fiction community.
We live in a world where many ideas that once belonged to science fiction have become reality in various forms... atomic weapons, submarines, the internet, spaceflight, and so on.
Given that history, I find it unfortunate that some people still seem unwilling to question the assumptions and limitations of our current understanding.
Let’s conduct a thought experiment.
Imagine that you could travel back in time and meet the brilliant scientist Isaac Newton. You ask him...
“Is it possible to build a flying vehicle the size of a building and use it to travel around the Earth?”
Newton would probably think that you had an overly vivid imagination(or perhaps had a little too much to drink) and answer...
“It’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think that would be possible because of gravity.”
That answer would be perfectly understandable. Newton was a brilliant scientist, but he had no knowledge of the principles of aerodynamic lift or the technology behind aircraft engines.
In much the same way, we may be making the same mistake when it comes to FTL. We are so constrained by our current understanding of physics and our present technological capabilities that we simply dismiss Faster-Than-Light travel as nothing more than an interesting fantasy.
UFOs may not be a paranormal phenomenon, but a logical one and perhaps our own form of cargo cult.
The universe is more than 13.8 billion years old, while Homo sapiens have existed for only around 300,000 years, and human spaceflight has been around for less than 70 years, if we take Sputnik and the Apollo program as reference points.
Now imagine that an intelligent species emerged hundreds of thousands of years before us, and that its aerospace engineering and physics are therefore tens of thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of years ahead of ours. From that perspective, it would be hard to imagine such a civilization not being capable of designing spacecraft for interstellar travel.
Our own species has only just begun exploring space, yet we are already capable of theoretical physics research into concepts such as the Alcubierre drive, which could theoretically enable Faster-Than-Light travel without directly violating relativity. If a civilization were technologically tens of thousands of years ahead of us, it seems quite plausible that it might have found ways to turn concepts like these into actual engineering.
In my view, the mystery surrounding UFOs (or UAPs) is comparable to the cargo cults that emerged when isolated indigenous peoples in the Pacific witnessed aircraft and other goods produced by industrialized civilizations during the Pacific War and interpreted these unfamiliar phenomena through the framework available to them.
As Arthur C. Clarke famously said...
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
Of course, some UFO/UAP reports can be explained by optical illusions, misidentifications, or outright hoaxes. But I believe that at least some cases are worth serious investigation.
Perhaps doing so is one way for us to overcome our own “cargo cult” mentality and begin to understand the universe (and the vastness of space and time that we inhabit) with a more rational perspective.
Let’s take turns naming movies that underperformed at the box office but were actually really good!
Me : Doctor Sleep(2019)
[The Black Marble Lady Knight – Part 2]
That night, as moonlight illuminated the black statue, a dark crimson aura spread from it like curling incense smoke. Then... a lady knight clad in black Gothic armor appeared in my room. As the metallic clatter of her plate armor echoed through the silence, she slowly surveyed the room. Then she lifted her visor, revealing a pale white face and eyes that gleamed like rubies.
“Hmm? The new master looks cute.”
The lady knight muttered to herself as she watched her master sleeping soundly. Seeing the anime figures, desk clock, and smartphone lying around, she regarded them as amusing toys made by the humans of this era.
“Anyway... I should summon my sister, too!”
The lady knight drew a circle with a sharp sword that burned with a crimson glow, taken from a scabbard inscribed with runes, its tip hovering just above the floor. A glowing red circle appeared first, followed by the geometric patterns of a magic circle. At the same time, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room. Thinking that the window outside had opened, I slightly opened my tired eyes, but... in front of me, I saw a black knight kneeling on one knee and a witch dressed in pure white, wearing a pointed hat.
‘What a strange dream...’
That was what I thought. But everything was too vivid to simply regard it as a dream. Even the book titles and text were clear. The strange things were the female knight and the witch in my room.
“Um... excuse me. Wh..who are you??”
I barely managed to ask in a trembling voice. The strange people in those unusual outfits then answered...
“Our new master... we exist to realize your ideals!!”
With that answer, their identities became an equation I couldn't solve. What on earth was going on? A prank by my friends? I don't have any female friends who would do something like this. People obsessed with cosplay? That's possible. But for cosplay, their outfits and movements were beyond anything I had ever seen. They could even be some kind of thieves with an extremely elaborate concept... Ah, I don't know.
“Why am I your master? I'm just a poor guy worried about paying the rent.”
“Because you chose my sister and paid the price, you are our master!” the witch in white answered.
“Our swords and wands exist solely to fulfill your hopes!”
...... ‘I mean, who the hell are you??!!’
Lying in my bed, unexpectedly forced to solve a higher-order equation, I felt deeply troubled.
Last night, while sipping on an iced Americano, I got inspired to write the opening of a dark, mysterious fantasy story.
If you have the time, I'd really appreciate any feedback on the introduction. I'm also curious to hear your thoughts on how the relationship between the protagonist and the lady knight should develop as the story progresses.
[Working Title: The Black Marble Lady Knight]
It's unbearably frustrating to be penniless in such an absurd world. I had only 120 dollars left... not nearly enough to pay the rent.
On my lonely walk home, I found myself (as if under some strange spell) stepping into an antique shop I had often passed by. An old turntable, porcelain dolls, Chinese style ceramics, and antique mahogany furniture all caught my eye.
But what truly captivated me was a statue of a lady knight carved from black marble. The exquisitely crafted sculpture stood frozen in place, clad in full plate armor and holding a longsword engraved with rune inscriptions. The statue seemed to whisper from the deepest corner of my soul.
"Choose me!"
I began negotiating with the elderly woman who owned the antique shop. She looked puzzled, saying the statue wasn't even listed among the items in her inventory, but insisted she had to get at least 85 dollars for it. I criticized everything I could think of... the color, the pose, a few small cracks, and every other flaw imaginable... until I finally talked the price down to 65 dollars, and we reached an agreement.
When I carried the heavy black marble statue into my home, it somehow looked as though it had finally returned to where it truly belonged. The moment I placed it on the table, an unusual silence settled over the room. The only sound was the ticking of the clock's second hand. All the problems of reality were still tearing away at me, but somehow... I felt like I could finally sleep peacefully tonight.
That night, as moonlight illuminated the black statue, a dark crimson aura spread from it like curling incense smoke. Then... a lady knight clad in black Gothic armor appeared in my room. As the metallic clatter of her plate armor echoed through the silence, she slowly surveyed the room. Then she lifted her visor, revealing a pale white face and eyes that gleamed like rubies.
Imagine that the Jessie doll in our houses suddenly came to life... either through some kind of miracle or because she was given a self aware AI chip.
How do you think she would understand her identity?
Would she see herself as Andy's toy? Bonnie's toy? My toy? Or would she consider herself to be her own person?
And what about her memories of Emily? Would she see those memories as real parts of her life, or would she struggle to reconcile them with her current existence?
I'm curious how other Toy Story fans think Jessie would process all of this.
This story was inspired by one of my worst nightmares... a world in which humanity has forgotten the value of freedom and human rights, and has fallen back into the brutality of the past.
I hope readers will take this story as a warning about the kind of dystopian future we must never allow to become reality.
<The Flame Society>
At the beginning of the 22nd century, after World War III, humanity experienced extreme social chaos and a complete collapse of law and order. In the end, the world was united under a single totalitarian regime.
The new government was built around a strange religion that worshipped fire. Its leaders claimed that society could only be purified through flames, and they began ruling with this extreme belief.
The regime's enforcers, dressed in black uniforms with red stripes and silver fire resistant suits, patrol the streets in search of "anti-social anarchists" who dare to oppose the government.
Captured dissidents, smugglers, drug traffickers, and even people caught possessing banned books all receive the same sentence.
Public execution by burning.
Those labeled as anarchists are chained to soot covered wooden posts and left to await their fate.
A soldier in a black uniform loudly announces each prisoner's "anti-social crimes" and reads out the sentence before ordering the execution.
Standing nearby, personnel wearing silver fire resistant suits raise their flamethrowers and unleash jets of black flames. The scene is a horrifying reminder of the darkest days of the Middle Ages.
Citizens are forced to attend these public burnings. Anyone who refuses loses access to food rations, employment, and child support benefits. They are also placed on a government blacklist as potential anarchists.
The regime's influence extended into schools as well. Every student was required to wear a black uniform that resembled funeral attire, along with a red badge symbolizing fire. They were also forced to take part in regular mock executions by burning, held on the school athletic field.
Students fed banned books into bonfires and chained cloth dolls made to represent anarchists before setting them on fire. As the flames rose, they shouted slogans such as "Fire will purify us!" and "Fire will judge the enemies of society!"
Throughout these ceremonies, silver government-built AI robots watched over the crowd with glowing red mono eye.
Any student who failed to participate enthusiastically or showed signs of discomfort or reluctance received disciplinary points and was flagged in the school's digital records as a potential anarchist.
This story was inspired by one of my worst nightmares... a world in which humanity has forgotten the value of freedom and human rights, and has fallen back into the brutality of the past.
I hope readers will take this story as a warning about the kind of dystopian future we must never allow to become reality.
<The Flame Society>
At the beginning of the 22nd century, after World War III, humanity experienced extreme social chaos and a complete collapse of law and order. In the end, the world was united under a single totalitarian regime.
The new government was built around a strange religion that worshipped fire. Its leaders claimed that society could only be purified through flames, and they began ruling with this extreme belief.
The regime's enforcers, dressed in black uniforms with red stripes and silver fire resistant suits, patrol the streets in search of "anti-social anarchists" who dare to oppose the government.
Captured dissidents, smugglers, drug traffickers, and even people caught possessing banned books all receive the same sentence.
Public execution by burning.
Those labeled as anarchists are chained to soot covered wooden posts and left to await their fate.
A soldier in a black uniform loudly announces each prisoner's "anti-social crimes" and reads out the sentence before ordering the execution.
Standing nearby, personnel wearing silver fire resistant suits raise their flamethrowers and unleash jets of black flames. The scene is a horrifying reminder of the darkest days of the Middle Ages.
Citizens are forced to attend these public burnings. Anyone who refuses loses access to food rations, employment, and child support benefits. They are also placed on a government blacklist as potential anarchists.
The regime's influence extended into schools as well. Every student was required to wear a black uniform that resembled funeral attire, along with a red badge symbolizing fire. They were also forced to take part in regular mock executions by burning, held on the school athletic field.
Students fed banned books into bonfires and chained cloth dolls made to represent anarchists before setting them on fire. As the flames rose, they shouted slogans such as "Fire will purify us!" and "Fire will judge the enemies of society!"
Throughout these ceremonies, silver government-built AI robots watched over the crowd with glowing red mono eye.
Any student who failed to participate enthusiastically or showed signs of discomfort or reluctance received disciplinary points and was flagged in the school's digital records as a potential anarchist.
I wrote one of my worst nightmares as the synopsis of a dystopian sci-fi story.
*Warning*: The content is disturbing. If you are sensitive to graphic or disturbing themes, please read at your own discretion.
<The Flame Society>
At the beginning of the 22nd century, after World War III, humanity experienced extreme social chaos and a complete collapse of law and order. In the end, the world was united under a single totalitarian regime.
The new government was built around a strange religion that worshipped fire. Its leaders claimed that society could only be purified through flames, and they began ruling with this extreme belief.
The regime's enforcers, dressed in black uniforms with red stripes and silver fire resistant suits, patrol the streets in search of "anti-social anarchists" who dare to oppose the government.
Captured dissidents, smugglers, drug traffickers, and even people caught possessing banned books all receive the same sentence.
Public execution by burning.
Those labeled as anarchists are chained to soot covered wooden posts and left to await their fate.
A soldier in a black uniform loudly announces each prisoner's "anti-social crimes" and reads out the sentence before ordering the execution.
Standing nearby, personnel wearing silver fire resistant suits raise their flamethrowers and unleash jets of black flames. The scene is a horrifying reminder of the darkest days of the Middle Ages.
Citizens are forced to attend these public burnings. Anyone who refuses loses access to food rations, employment, and child support benefits. They are also placed on a government blacklist as potential anarchists.
I wrote a crossover fanfic based on the toys and figures in my room, featuring characters from the Fate series, Toy Story, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil. It's just a fun little story, so please don't take it too seriously.... hope you enjoy it!
<Sheriff Jessie and the Three Kings – the great tumbler war!>
As soon as Joe's bedroom door clicked shut, Sheriff Jessie picked up her clipboard and began her routine inspection of Joe's toys.
The little red toy car Joe had cherished since childhood, the robot dog, and the Lego mini figures were all exactly where they were supposed to be.
The real trouble, however, was the Saber(Artoria) figures displayed inside Joe's glass cabinet. Every one of them insisted that she was the rightful King of Britain, giving Jessie an endless headache....
Jessie: "Okay... I've told you this more times than I can count. You're the King of Britain in the ANIME! In reality, you're Japanese PVC figures!"
Saber(Artoria) : "How dare you!! You insult the King of Knights!!"
Saber Lily: "Artoria, please calm down... That cowgirl simply doesn't understand the beauty of chivalry yet."
Saber Alter: (smirk face) "She's only saying that because she's jealous of how magnificently we're displayed in this cabinet!"
Jessie: (rubbing her temples) "Ughhh... Why did Joe have to become so obsessed with collecting figures?!"
One day, Joe bought a shiny silver Starbucks tumbler and placed it on the top shelf. From that moment on, peace in his room completely fell apart.
The evil toy emperor, Zurg, became convinced that the tumbler was a mysterious container holding the hidden power to rule the galaxy.
Meanwhile, the Saber figures were equally certain that it was the Holy Grail, the sacred relic that could save their kingdom.
Emperor Zurg: (clenching his fist) "That hidden power belongs to me! No one else shall claim it!!"
The Saber Figures: (striking heroic poses) "That Holy Grail is our last hope! Will some evil magic caster dare stand in the way of our sacred mission?!"
Before long, "The Destiny(?)" drew them into battle!!
Zurg cranked his ion cannon to maximum power and unleashed a relentless barrage at the Sabers. In response, the Sabers raised their shining Excaliburs and charged forward, determined to strike down the "evil magic caster."
From Sheriff Jessie's point of view, however, the scene looked rather different. She saw a toy frantically firing little plastic balls at a group of figures, while the Sabers were wildly batting the balls away with their PVC Excaliburs before swarming Zurg and bonking him over the head.
At last, Jessie's patience reached its limit. With one swift throw, she cast her oversized lasso, tying up both Emperor Zurg and the Sabers until they finally calmed down.
Jessie: (holding the rope tight) "Artorias! And Zurg! I swear to God... Joe's tumbler is NOT a container of hidden power or some wish granting Holy Grail! Get a grip! We're Joe's beloved toys, not a bunch of troublemakers!"
To settle the matter once and for all, Jessie sat everyone down in front of the TV and showed them the Toy Story movies alongside the Fate series, hoping to free them from their delusions.
The shock was overwhelming....
For quite some time, both Zurg and the Artorias needed comforting, spending peaceful afternoons having tea parties with the porcelain dolls while coming to terms with reality.
In the end, harmony finally returned to Joe's room!
Jessie: (smiling with relief) "Finally... being the sheriff is a whole lot easier now. Joe's going to be happy!!"
Just then, the bedroom door opened. Joe walked in carrying a brand new figure box and gently set it down.
Printed boldly across the front were the words....
"The Saga of Tanya the Evil – Tanya."
After Joe unboxed the figure and left the room, a small blonde girl slowly looked around before speaking.
Tanya: (narrowing her eyes suspiciously) "What are all of these...? Minions of Being X?"
Jessie slowly lowered her hat over her face.
Jessie: (through gritted teeth) "Joooooe—!!!"
...The End
I wrote a crossover fanfic based on the toys and figures in my room, featuring characters from the Fate series, Toy Story, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil. It's just a fun little story, so please don't take it too seriously.... hope you enjoy it!
<Sheriff Jessie and the Three Kings – the great tumbler war!>
As soon as Joe's bedroom door clicked shut, Sheriff Jessie picked up her clipboard and began her routine inspection of Joe's toys.
The little red toy car Joe had cherished since childhood, the robot dog, and the Lego mini figures were all exactly where they were supposed to be.
The real trouble, however, was the Saber(Artoria) figures displayed inside Joe's glass cabinet. Every one of them insisted that she was the rightful King of Britain, giving Jessie an endless headache....
Jessie: "Okay... I've told you this more times than I can count. You're the King of Britain in the ANIME! In reality, you're Japanese PVC figures!"
Saber(Artoria) : "How dare you!! You insult the King of Knights!!"
Saber Lily: "Artoria, please calm down... That cowgirl simply doesn't understand the beauty of chivalry yet."
Saber Alter: (smirk face) "She's only saying that because she's jealous of how magnificently we're displayed in this cabinet!"
Jessie: (rubbing her temples) "Ughhh... Why did Joe have to become so obsessed with collecting figures?!"
One day, Joe bought a shiny silver Starbucks tumbler and placed it on the top shelf. From that moment on, peace in his room completely fell apart.
The evil toy emperor, Zurg, became convinced that the tumbler was a mysterious container holding the hidden power to rule the galaxy.
Meanwhile, the Saber figures were equally certain that it was the Holy Grail, the sacred relic that could save their kingdom.
Emperor Zurg: (clenching his fist) "That hidden power belongs to me! No one else shall claim it!!"
The Saber Figures: (striking heroic poses) "That Holy Grail is our last hope! Will some evil magic caster dare stand in the way of our sacred mission?!"
Before long, "The Destiny(?)" drew them into battle!!
Zurg cranked his ion cannon to maximum power and unleashed a relentless barrage at the Sabers. In response, the Sabers raised their shining Excaliburs and charged forward, determined to strike down the "evil magic caster."
From Sheriff Jessie's point of view, however, the scene looked rather different. She saw a toy frantically firing little plastic balls at a group of figures, while the Sabers were wildly batting the balls away with their PVC Excaliburs before swarming Zurg and bonking him over the head.
At last, Jessie's patience reached its limit. With one swift throw, she cast her oversized lasso, tying up both Emperor Zurg and the Sabers until they finally calmed down.
Jessie: (holding the rope tight) "Artorias! And Zurg! I swear to God... Joe's tumbler is NOT a container of hidden power or some wish granting Holy Grail! Get a grip! We're Joe's beloved toys, not a bunch of troublemakers!"
To settle the matter once and for all, Jessie sat everyone down in front of the TV and showed them the Toy Story movies alongside the Fate series, hoping to free them from their delusions.
The shock was overwhelming....
For quite some time, both Zurg and the Artorias needed comforting, spending peaceful afternoons having tea parties with the porcelain dolls while coming to terms with reality.
In the end, harmony finally returned to Joe's room!
Jessie: (smiling with relief) "Finally... being the sheriff is a whole lot easier now. Joe's going to be happy!!"
Just then, the bedroom door opened. Joe walked in carrying a brand new figure box and gently set it down.
Printed boldly across the front were the words....
"The Saga of Tanya the Evil – Tanya."
After Joe unboxed the figure and left the room, a small blonde girl slowly looked around before speaking.
Tanya: (narrowing her eyes suspiciously) "What are all of these...? Minions of Being X?"
Jessie slowly lowered her hat over her face.
Jessie: (through gritted teeth) "Joooooe—!!!"
...The End
I wrote this short fanfic based on a simple "What if the toys in my room came to life?" idea. It's just a fun little story, so... please don't take it too seriously!
<Sheriff Jessie and the Three Kings – the great tumbler war!>
As soon as Joe's bedroom door clicked shut, Sheriff Jessie picked up her clipboard and began her routine inspection of Joe's toys.
The little red toy car Joe had cherished since childhood, the robot dog, and the Lego mini figures were all exactly where they were supposed to be.
The real trouble, however, was the Saber(Artoria) figures displayed inside Joe's glass cabinet. Every one of them insisted that she was the rightful King of Britain, giving Jessie an endless headache....
Jessie: "Okay... I've told you this more times than I can count. You're the King of Britain in the ANIME! In reality, you're Japanese PVC figures!"
Saber(Artoria) : "How dare you!! You insult the King of Knights!!"
Saber Lily: "Artoria, please calm down... That cowgirl simply doesn't understand the beauty of chivalry yet."
Saber Alter: (smirk face) "She's only saying that because she's jealous of how magnificently we're displayed in this cabinet!"
Jessie: (rubbing her temples) "Ughhh... Why did Joe have to become so obsessed with collecting figures?!"
One day, Joe bought a shiny silver Starbucks tumbler and placed it on the top shelf. From that moment on, peace in his room completely fell apart.
The evil toy emperor, Zurg, became convinced that the tumbler was a mysterious container holding the hidden power to rule the galaxy.
Meanwhile, the Saber figures were equally certain that it was the Holy Grail, the sacred relic that could save their kingdom.
Emperor Zurg: (clenching his fist) "That hidden power belongs to me! No one else shall claim it!!"
The Saber Figures: (striking heroic poses) "That Holy Grail is our last hope! Will some evil magic caster dare stand in the way of our sacred mission?!"
Before long, "The Destiny(?)" drew them into battle!!
Zurg cranked his ion cannon to maximum power and unleashed a relentless barrage at the Sabers. In response, the Sabers raised their shining Excaliburs and charged forward, determined to strike down the "evil magic caster."
From Sheriff Jessie's point of view, however, the scene looked rather different. She saw a toy frantically firing little plastic balls at a group of figures, while the Sabers were wildly batting the balls away with their PVC Excaliburs before swarming Zurg and bonking him over the head.
At last, Jessie's patience reached its limit. With one swift throw, she cast her oversized lasso, tying up both Emperor Zurg and the Sabers until they finally calmed down.
Jessie: (holding the rope tight) "Artorias! And Zurg! I swear to God... Joe's tumbler is NOT a container of hidden power or some wish granting Holy Grail! Get a grip! We're Joe's beloved toys, not a bunch of troublemakers!"
To settle the matter once and for all, Jessie sat everyone down in front of the TV and showed them the Toy Story movies alongside the Fate series, hoping to free them from their delusions.
The shock was overwhelming....
For quite some time, both Zurg and the Artorias needed comforting, spending peaceful afternoons having tea parties with the porcelain dolls while coming to terms with reality.
In the end, harmony finally returned to Joe's room!
Jessie: (smiling with relief) "Finally... being the sheriff is a whole lot easier now. Joe's going to be happy!!"
Just then, the bedroom door opened. Joe walked in carrying a brand new figure box and gently set it down.
Printed boldly across the front were the words....
"The Saga of Tanya the Evil – Tanya."
After Joe unboxed the figure and left the room, a small blonde girl slowly looked around before speaking.
Tanya: (narrowing her eyes suspiciously) "What are all of these...? Minions of Being X?"
Jessie slowly lowered her hat over her face.
Jessie: (through gritted teeth) "Joooooe—!!!"
...The End
I wrote this short fanfic based on a simple "What if the toys in my room came to life?" idea. It's just a fun little story, so... please don't take it too seriously!
<Sheriff Jessie and the Three Kings – the great tumbler war!>
As soon as Joe's bedroom door clicked shut, Sheriff Jessie picked up her clipboard and began her routine inspection of Joe's toys.
The little red toy car Joe had cherished since childhood, the robot dog, and the Lego mini figures were all exactly where they were supposed to be.
The real trouble, however, was the Saber(Artoria) figures displayed inside Joe's glass cabinet. Every one of them insisted that she was the rightful King of Britain, giving Jessie an endless headache....
Jessie: "Okay... I've told you this more times than I can count. You're the King of Britain in the ANIME! In reality, you're Japanese PVC figures!"
Saber(Artoria) : "How dare you!! You insult the King of Knights!!"
Saber Lily: "Artoria, please calm down... That cowgirl simply doesn't understand the beauty of chivalry yet."
Saber Alter: (smirk face) "She's only saying that because she's jealous of how magnificently we're displayed in this cabinet!"
Jessie: (rubbing her temples) "Ughhh... Why did Joe have to become so obsessed with collecting figures?!"
One day, Joe bought a shiny silver Starbucks tumbler and placed it on the top shelf. From that moment on, peace in his room completely fell apart.
The evil toy emperor, Zurg, became convinced that the tumbler was a mysterious container holding the hidden power to rule the galaxy.
Meanwhile, the Saber figures were equally certain that it was the Holy Grail, the sacred relic that could save their kingdom.
Emperor Zurg: (clenching his fist) "That hidden power belongs to me! No one else shall claim it!!"
The Saber Figures: (striking heroic poses) "That Holy Grail is our last hope! Will some evil magic caster dare stand in the way of our sacred mission?!"
Before long, "The Destiny(?)" drew them into battle!!
Zurg cranked his ion cannon to maximum power and unleashed a relentless barrage at the Sabers. In response, the Sabers raised their shining Excaliburs and charged forward, determined to strike down the "evil magic caster."
From Sheriff Jessie's point of view, however, the scene looked rather different. She saw a toy frantically firing little plastic balls at a group of figures, while the Sabers were wildly batting the balls away with their PVC Excaliburs before swarming Zurg and bonking him over the head.
At last, Jessie's patience reached its limit. With one swift throw, she cast her oversized lasso, tying up both Emperor Zurg and the Sabers until they finally calmed down.
Jessie: (holding the rope tight) "Artorias! And Zurg! I swear to God... Joe's tumbler is NOT a container of hidden power or some wish granting Holy Grail! Get a grip! We're Joe's beloved toys, not a bunch of troublemakers!"
To settle the matter once and for all, Jessie sat everyone down in front of the TV and showed them the Toy Story movies alongside the Fate series, hoping to free them from their delusions.
The shock was overwhelming....
For quite some time, both Zurg and the Artorias needed comforting, spending peaceful afternoons having tea parties with the porcelain dolls while coming to terms with reality.
In the end, harmony finally returned to Joe's room!
Jessie: (smiling with relief) "Finally... being the sheriff is a whole lot easier now. Joe's going to be happy!!"
Just then, the bedroom door opened. Joe walked in carrying a brand new figure box and gently set it down.
Printed boldly across the front were the words....
"The Saga of Tanya the Evil – Tanya."
After Joe unboxed the figure and left the room, a small blonde girl slowly looked around before speaking.
Tanya: (narrowing her eyes suspiciously) "What are all of these...? Minions of Being X?"
Jessie slowly lowered her hat over her face.
Jessie: (through gritted teeth) "Joooooe—!!!"
...The End
If our toys suddenly came to life like in Toy Story, how should we treat them?
Imagine that, for some reason (whether through a miracle, advanced physical AI, or something else) our toys suddenly became sentient, just like the toys in Toy Story.
How should we treat them?
As our personal property? As tools made for our entertainment? Or as members of our family?
I'd love to hear what fellow Toy Story fans think.