[Video]

[notaheroascientist]

[the screen turns on to reveal Carlos in his ever-present lab coat, pushing his glasses up his nose as he nervously grins at the screen]

I believe this is the point where introductions are in order, so...my name is Carlos and I am a scientist. I am not of this world, but from what I have been told neither are any of you. I'll need to run some surveys on that later - scientifically speaking, other worlds are very exciting. I mean, I'm here in a world where an entire city can be built on the back of a giant turtle the size of - well I don't know what size yet, I'll need to run some tests, or maybe just find an accurate map - but it's got to be at least the size of Rhode Island! There are just so many rules of physics that this thing must be breaking! Like, how does a turtle that large even float? And that's just in this world, I can't even begin to hypothesise about what else might be...

[Carlos coughs, suddenly remembering that this is actually the time for introductions, and figuring out what on earth (or in this case, what on turtle) he is meant to be doing next, and not time for Science]

Um. Yes. But I can figure that all out later, I'll need time to organise a proper survey questionnaire anyway. In the meantime - this is me, hello [Carlos waves quickly], and I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me where to get food, groceries, that sort of thing. Also is all of this [Carlos waves around him to indicate the place he's been set up in] something paid for, or am I going to need to pay this all back? I meant to ask, but I kind of got distracted with all of my questions about the turtle.

Also I...I realise this is a long shot, but the last otherworldly universe I got stuck in had this fantastic wifi, and I didn't have to worry about my phone's battery dying either. Which meant being stuck in a desert that was not of this world wasn't so bad, because I could still ring home. That...that's not going to be possible here, is it? I mean, obviously if time is not passing in my world then there is no time in which anyone will be able to answer the phone, but I...I just thought I'd check. Just in case.

Comments

[akito]

Ah, hello! Welcome to Keeliai!

Um.. You'll have to buy your own food, clothes, and other necessities, but it's not too hard to find a job! And the best place to buy everything would be the marketplaces. If you haven't been to the Welcome Center yet, that's a good spot to go for job listings, and other pertinent information!

Your phone battery will run out here, and there isn't any wifi. It would be nice if there was! But... [ he'll shrug it off with a laugh. ]

Oh! Um, and I'm called Gazelle. [ on the network, at least. ] It's good to meet you, mister Carlos!

[notaheroascientist]

Of course, I do not expect to have all of my expenses paid for me. Also even if they were I very much doubt the supplies I need to rebuild my scientific equipment would be included. Do you know if there are many available positions for scientists here?

[Carlos looks slightly sad about the wifi and phone information, but not at all surprised either. He was expecting it, just...hoping otherwise.]

Y...yes. It was...would be nice. I'll have to keep my phone turned off, I don't want to risk not having any battery when I get back to my own world. Thank you, Gazelle.

[akito]

If you're from a time with cell phones and wifi... The technology here isn't as advanced, comparatively. But they make up for it by mixing it with magic. There are definitely some other foreigners here that would know more about science jobs than me! I just work with skates and deliveries. I'm positive that there's something though!

[ yeah you get used to it pretty quick, Carlos. there aren't even any video games here either. :'( ]

Um... Also, the network is secure right now apparently! But it was recently hacked by the evil M-chan, so the most important conversations should be made in-person. He also has some followers around, if you weren't filled in on that already! So be careful if you're wandering around by yourself, ne?

[i_speak_softly]

[It is always time for Science.]

Breathe, friend. You know size has nothing to do with buoyancy.

[notaheroascientist]

Well the buoyancy of an animal that lives in the ocean can certainly allow it to grow much larger than animals on land, yes, but after a certain point the sheer weight of its bones would be greater than what its buoyancy can keep afloat, and...

[Carlos blinks, suddenly noticing the appearance of the person talking to him]

...I...I'm sorry, are you a turtle?

[i_speak_softly]

[Don chooses not to answer that question directly.]

Hi. Welcome to Keeliai.

video;

[6collegecredits]

[Darcy just has thing amused grin on her face.]

It's been a while since I heard someone talk like that. All science-y.

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[notaheroascientist]

[Carlos says this with absolute sincerity]

I am so sorry.

[Having no one to talk sciencey with would be the worst]

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[6collegecredits]

[She laughs, not having expected that response.]

Thanks. I didn't think I'd miss it as much as I seem to.

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[watcheslanterns]

Hello Carlos! I'm Rapunzel! [She smiles and waves enthusiastically.]

They give you some things to start off with, but most people end up getting jobs to make any future purchases. But there are many people willing to help each other out, too!

video;

[notaheroascientist]

Hello Rapunzel. [Carlos waves back, grinning. And isn't that cute, she's named after a fairy tale character!]

I do plan to get a job, yes, although it's been a while since I've had to send out any job applications...

[raavashing]

I'd guess it's about seven times the size of the city on it's back. As in, you could fit seven cities of the same size as this city before you filled it up. Maybe half another city this same size to fill in the gaps. The Great Turtle is pretty big. But what does that have to do with how it swims and stays afloat?

[notaheroascientist]

Right, right, but how big is the city? Is it a city the size of Oklahoma or the size of Sacramento? Assuming you even know what those cities are, I'm not sure yet how similar or different all our words are geographically.

There's a number of factors that go into what size an animal can be, but when we're talking about big creatures like this the biggest influence is gravity. Basically if you are big, you weigh more, and the greater the pressures are on your body. And there's only so much weight that your bones can support! And you could just have bigger, stronger bones, but they're heavy too, so eventually you'd just collapse under your own weight.

Of course this isn't as big an issue for creatures that live in the ocean, as the buoyancy effects of water means that you weigh less. So sea animals can get a lot bigger - but those pressures are still there, and this turtle has got to be way over the limit! Unless somehow it's got something that gives it really, really, really good buoyancy to offset the issues...

[andaway]

Hello, Carlos. Welcome to Keeliai, I'm Clark Kent.

It could be possible to build some kind of rudimentary cellphone line, and even wifi station if we out our minds to it- we've built so much already. [The radio itself is proof of that, and so is the fact the network has been retaken from Malicant himself.]

But I'm pretty sure calling home would be futile. There's been some people who would technically have the ability to contact with people back home in one way or another but so far none of it has worked. It probably has to do with time itself and how it works a little differently in here, like you said.

[notaheroascientist]

I...I thought so. Scientifically speaking it shouldn't even be at all possible. In fact I still haven't worked out how it even worked at all in the otherworldly desert, but...nevermind. I'd just hoped it would be possible anyway. I'm...I'm really going to miss being able to call my boyfriend.

[Video]

[deusrexmachina]

[Rex can't help but chuckle at all that rambling and thinking out loud.]

Hey, Carlos. Welcome to life on the turtle.

Gotta say... If your message had been text only, I would have thought my older brother had arrived. Tests and surveys would probably be the first things on his mind in a place like this, too.

Re: [Video]

[notaheroascientist]

Thank you. I can't say that this is where I'd most like to be - scientifically fascinating though it is - but I hope I can at least make some new discoveries while I'm here.

And your brother sounds like an excellent human being.

[Video]

[tactile_telekinesis]

[Someone hasn't clicked that this guy is a suitemate despite living in the kitchen and living room area.]

Hey Carlos, I'm Conner. [A lot of what Carlos had said he's just barely caught because it's excited talk and questions. So many questions.]

The suit is paid for, it's really just food and clothes you'll need to get yourself. I think someone might have told you already but there's the market places in all the sectors and different kinds of restaurants as well.

And yeah, no luck on the phone working.

[Video]

[notaheroascientist]

[Well, to be fair Carlos didn't exactly hang out in the kitchen area long. He just kind of stared at the mess for a few seconds, decided it was not worth thinking about right then, and moseyed right on to his room.]

Clothes, yes...do you know if anywhere sells lab coats? I've only got the one, and wearing the same one all the time wouldn't be pleasant.

[And why yes, Carlos does in fact plan to wear a lab coat every single day]

Yes. I've...I've heard. I didn't expect otherwise, really.

video; anon location so she can be in costume and show off

[mictlanrises]

[So painfully cheerily!]

Hi, Carlos!

[Aracely jumps up in the air and flips and... stays in the air. Just chilling in the lotus position.]

Floating's not so hard once you get the hang of it, and the turtle's really old. He's had so much more time to practice than me.

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[notaheroascientist]

[For a moment, Carlos just stares. Then his face breaks out into a big, excited grin. There's a floating woman on the screen. A floating woman! This is just so cool.]

You can float! How do you do that? How did you learn it? Or were you born with the ability? How long can you stay up for? Oh, oh! And how high can you go?

[backinakidflash]

[Bart snorts.]

Some scientist. Don't think of them as laws of physics. Think of them as guidelines. And then remember that all the cool painters color outside the lines anyway.

[notaheroascientist]

There is no such thing as Scientific Guidelines. There are only Scientific Laws, which are what we assume to be the rules on the universe according to observation and facts and logic. But if something breaks those laws, then that means that we don't really understand it yet. That means that what we thought we knew, we didn't know! And now we need to try and understand what the laws really are, because obviously the first one was wrong...

[And through all of this, Carlos looks oddly happy for someone whose scientific knowledge is being proven wrong.]

Video

[superoverachiever]

The power thing is kinda taken care of, but as far as connecting to outside places? Not as much.

Video

[notaheroascientist]

Yes, a few people have mentioned that. Although there must be some kind of connection, I mean, how exactly were we even brought here in the first place?