FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Communication, that's the challenge we face today, communication. In a world where a computer screen can reduce human interaction to a mere block of text and digital identities known as avatars have given rise to easily embraced alter egos, is it any wonder the human race would forgo the joys of social pleasantries in favor of a consequence free reality? And

what greater control can be exerted over one's own life then in a digital environment where virtually every aspect can be altered to suit one's own personal tastes?

Don't like your neighbors? Block them, and they cease to exist. If you dislike an E-mail someone sends you, or a comment that they leave you, they can be dismissed out of hand with no more than a thought and a simple push of a button.

But such are the perils of walking an easy road. Such are the trials we shall face in these coming days. That without true physical contact with another living being, we will begin to lose sight of what it means to be human. That free to filter reality as we see fit, we will become apathetic to the needs of others, desensitized to all but that which we enjoy. And that given enough time: we will build castles in the sky out of useless stuff and discarded dreams. And having taken up residence within them, we will never want to leave.

Excerpt from: Me and my ego.

How the digital age gave rise to a new kind of reality

Chapter Thirty Two : Welcome to Cyberside.

Passing through a bright tunnel of light that opened up into an infinite sea of stars, Kato experienced a moment of disorientation so absolute and intense that it seemed to him as if he lacked the senses to truly understand what he was seeing.

It was a SynCity in miniature. A SynCity so small that it could quite literally have fit in the palm of his hand. There was only one problem.

It was constantly getting bigger . . .

What the hell happened? Zane threw the switch and then . . . There had been pain. Pain unlike anything he had ever experienced before. It was as if his mind had been ripped free from his body, and his consciousness then flung across the far reaches of the universe. Oh yeah . . . that happened.

Checking himself to see if anything anatomically important might be missing, Kato was delighted to find that he wasn't in fact dead, although the fact that he was approaching the ground at an altogether unhealthy speed was still a bit disconcerting.

“Well,” He said to no one in particular. “At least falling is better than being dead. Now if I could only figure out how to stop. Then things would be great.”

“Amateurs.” Said a familiar female voice. “This is why I hate following them around. I mean, could there be anything more boring?”

Twisting himself around with all the grace of the great cat that he was, Kato caught sight of something that made his breath catch in his throat.

Circling above him was a red and gold phoenix with plumage made entirely out of fire and a truly impressive wing span. No way. Is that . . . “Phoenix?”

“Hey Zane,” Said Phoenix to the man who was riding around on her back. “Looks to me like his eyes still work. Think we should give him a medal?”

Dressed in a black and white pinstriped zoot suit, complete with a feathered cap and a cane, Zane looked like he had recently stepped out of the great depression in fine style.

“Now Phoenix, be nice. Its not every day someone gets to see what SynCity looks like from up here. At least, not without jumping out of a plane first.”

“I guess so.” Drifting down so that she could insult him at eye level Phoenix sniffed the air and said. “Still, at least he hasn't started to piss himself yet.”

Ignoring the slight, and along with it the urge to unzip his pants and take aim, Kato asked calmly. “Um, Zane, since I'm sure its safe to assume that this is Cyberside, and not simply some pain induced hallucination, why are we some forty thousand feet in the air?”

Using his cane to point out the gaping hole they had made in the sky, Zane said. “Since we entered through one of the back doors. I figured you'd want to skip the whole 'welcome to Cyberside, would you like to create an avatar?' spiel and get on with the real reason you came here.”

“Oh, that makes sense.” Closing his eyes for a second, Kato just looked at Zane and said. “And while I can't fault you for your logic, there is one, tiny, insignificant little thing I feel the sudden and overwhelming urge to point out.”

“Yes?”

Kato pointed towards the ground. “I'm falling!”

“Right, we skipped the new user tutorial along with the introduction didn't we. I always forget about that part.” Zane waved the matter away as if it were unimportant. “Alright. Here's your first lesson in how things work in Cyberside. The only reason your falling, is because you think your falling.”

I'm only falling because I . . . For the briefest of moments, Kato wondered if someone's brain could spontaneously implode. “Fantastic! Next, you're going to tell me that reality is entirely subjective to our desires!”

“It is, and it isn't. But you've already missed the point.” Spreading his hands he attempted to explain the world around them. “You aren't really in reality, not anymore at least. Where you are is a world created purely out of digitized information. The air you're breathing isn't really air, the gravity you're feeling isn't really gravity, and yet, your mind and your body are telling you they are. So what can be inferred from that little bit of information, hmm?”

“That if I were to imagine myself hitting the ground?”

“Since we're here illegally, it will most definitely hurt.”

I think I'm starting to hate this place already. “So the only thing I have to do is imagine that gravity doesn't exist and I'll be able to fly?”

“That,” Said Zane. “Or think really happy thoughts.”

Taking a deep breath Kato cleared his mind. Happy thoughts. Um . . . how about a rabbit and a mouse arguing about giving me a spare, no, that was a tire. How about a whale and a potted plant falling towards the ground. Falling? Fuck! I know! How about . . . I'm in a parallel dimension where everyone has wings and can fly. Praying for wings as he looked over his shoulder Kato thought. Nope, that ground just keeps on getting closer. With just a slight hint of panic adding spice to his voice, he said. “Its not working!”

Rolling her eyes in disgust, Phoenix just looked at Kato and said. “This is why no-jacks like you should always bring along a partner. In case you need someone to, scrape you off the side of the street.” Flashing the array of wickedly sharp talons on her feet she said. “I know, why don't you let me carry you to the ground. If you ask me nicely, I promise I'll be careful.”

That's it. That's the answer! Staring at the flames that surrounded Phoenix's luminous body Kato had an epiphany. Fire!

“Watch it birdbrain,” He said as he figured out the trick. “Or I might just decide to pluck all your feathers and eat you.”

“Ha!” Phoenix just laughed. “The day someone like you can catch someone like—” The rest of whatever she had been about to say was cutoff as she let out a loud squawk.

Waving the tail feather he had stolen in her face Kato said. “You were about to say?”

“You! How!” Snapping her beak in a fury as she chased after him she shouted. “How the hell did you do that!”

“The same way you did,” Said Kato, showing off the wheels of wind and fire that burned at his feet. “Once I figured out that all I had to do to give myself the power of flight was to access my avatar's movement parameters, the rest was easy.” Stretching out his hand, Kato snapped his fingers, and caught a katana as it fell out of the air. “Oh, and let's not forget, I gave myself a few other things as well.”

Swinging the sword, adjusting the weight of it each time, Kato continued tweaking it until it began to feel like a natural extension of his own arm. It would never be as good as a real sword, but the neural feedback it would cause would be enough to make all but the most dedicated of users think twice.

Now isn't that interesting. Thought Zane as he unraveled the layers of code that Kato had sought to surround himself with. Usually the first thing people change about their Avatar's is their physical appearance. By making themselves more attractive or simply by removing what they consider to be flawed, they unconsciously reveal their innermost thoughts to the world. But by only giving himself a weapon . . . Letting the thought trail off Zane clapped his hands together and declared. “Like a fish to water, this kid's a natural.”

“You.” Leveling the sword at Zane, Kato shouted. “You jackass! You could have told me there was a user interface!”

“Now where's the fun in that? Besides,” Said Zane. “Doesn't it feel better to figure things out on your . . . own?” Before he had even finished speaking, Kato had already managed to swing his sword. Zane blinked. There had been a flash of naked steel, and rather then simply take off his head, Kato had settled for splitting the feather in his hat.

“Well now, that wasn't very nice.” Watching as Kato sheathed the sword in one smooth continuous motion, Zane said. “If your aim had been bit off by even just a little, you might have put somebody's eye out.”

“Be grateful I didn't.” Driving his sword home with a decisive click, Kato said. “Its not always like this though is it? Like we're characters in some kind of game.”

“Of course not.” Fixing the feather in his hat with no more than a wave of his hand Zane said. “This area that we're in now, its a kind of freespace. That means there are no rules, no boundaries to keep people from doing whatever they want to do, from feeling whatever it is they want to feel.”

“From being whatever it is they want to be.” Added Phoenix almost wistfully. “Of course there is only one problem. If you stay here long enough, you can end up ghosting.”

“Ghosting?” Recalling that he had heard her mention it once before, Kato said. “And . . . what exactly is that?”

“Its not something we should be talking about.” Said Zane. “Especially now that were in Cyberside. Even knowing that it can happen . . . increases the risk.”

“Well I'm not seeing anything about ghosting in the interface so—”

“You idiot!” Knocking Kato sideways with no more then a gust of wind, Phoenix started screaming at him. “You absolute fucking moron! Don't you get it yet? The reason why his clothes changed?” Phoenix flared her wings. “Or how about why I just happened to turn into a gigantic bird?”

“Maybe,” Fighting to regain his balance Kato said. “Its because you like being one?”

Hitting him again she said. “Its because the system is designed to read the surface level of your thoughts! To give you exactly what it is that you want, when you want it, before you yourself even knew you wanted it!” Phoenix pointed to the sword that he held. “You wanted a weapon, right? Well, Cyberside could have given you any number of different weapons to choose from. Instead, it simply gave you one that was familiar. Now, if you want to disappear forever, then both of you can go right ahead!” Cupping her wings to her body, Phoenix plummeted from the sky, leaving Kato and Zane the make their way to the ground without her.