It's a small, small multiverse (CLosed)

[DarkNFrilly]

It had been four years since the world had been inundated with stuffed snowmen and reindeers, platinum blonde Halloween costumes and a never ending repetition of "Let It Go" memes and parodies.

But when it looked as if the phenomenon had finally begin to subside, the worst occurred.

A sequel was announced.

And so as the world braced itself to be overrun by overpriced merchandise, an even odder thing happened.

The sequel disappeared.

It wasn't cancelled. It simply disappeared. The master version, the pirated copies, the trailers...everything associated with the sequel disappeared.

And it wasn't the only movie that disappeared. DVDs of movies with princesses from Belle and Jasmine to Aurora and Cinderella were suddenly blank. Youtube singalong clips disappeared from the 'net. Even old style videotapes were found to be erased. And it wasn't just one studio whose productions had been mysteriously affected. Other studios had had their animated movies mysteriously deleted, regardless of the medium that the movies had been on.

The official explanation was that the disappearance of all these movies had been caused by a momentous 'hack.' Of course, the official explanation couldn't possibly explain how the movies had been so thoroughly wiped out of existence, especially in versions that had existed before the advent of the internet. But an epic 'hack' by persons unknown was the only hypothesis that even came close to providing a reason for this phenomenon.

Well, it wasn't the only hypothesis. Just the only reasonable one. An alternate hypothesis had been proposed by one Dr. Anatoly Kuznetsov, a leading figure in the esoteric fringe of theoretical physics. Most experts, though, thought Dr. Kuznetsov's theory was highly unlikely.

Actually, they thought it was nuts.

Nevertheless, the government had to go through the motions of listening to Dr. Kuznetsov. He was, after all, their leading expert in certain left field military research. And so a very, very junior agent was dispatched to listen to the ramblings of Dr. Anatoly Kuznetsov.

 

[Lordmikel]

Alex Green had drawn the short straw. He was fairly certain it was rigged for him to draw the short straw. No one wanted to go and meet Dr. Anatoly Kuznetsov. He read the letters, that the Doctor had written, all thirty four of them. The man did have an opinion about the disappearance of the videos. The reading was certainly made for entertaining reading.

Alex maneuvered his car to outside of the Doctor's house. The house seemed normal enough. While Alex did consider the disappearance to be important, his niece was certainly going through Princess withdrawal, he didn't understand how meeting with the Doctor would solve anything.

Removing his sun glasses, Alex made his way to the door, ringing the doorbell as he awaited an answer.

 

[DarkNFrilly]

A woman who could have been a stand-in for Angela Lansbury during her "Murder She Wrote" days opened the door, an inquisitive smile on her face.

"Ah, you must be the man the government sent over to talk to the doctor. Come in, come in," the woman said, stepping back from the door as she ushered Alex in. "He's waiting for you in the study, and in a bit of a mood," the woman warned as she led Alex down one of the halls branching off from the foyer. "But then he's be in a bit of a mood for the last few weeks. Tea helps," the woman observed, "And I was about to fetch him a cup. Would you like a cup as well?" she asked Alex.

 

[Lordmikel]

"Tea would be wonderful." Says Alex. While he wasn't much of a tea drinker, if it calmed the old man, perhaps it would calm him too. Somehow he suspected this afternoon wasn't going to get any better. "Well hopefully if he gets to tell me his story, he will be a bit less grumpy." He didn't really say anything about him feeling better.

Alex enters the study, seeing Dr. Anatoly Kuznetsov. "Greetings sir, I'm Agent Alex Green, I am told you have a story you would like to relay." Alex took out his notebook, "I am here to listen."

 

[DarkNFrilly]

Anatoly Kutzensov was almost a parody of himself. He was indeed the mad Russian scientist, the one who explored and postulated with vigor and certainty those areas of theoretical physics that other scientists timidly put forth their hypothesis, ready to snatch them back out of the light at a moment's notice. And because of the work he had done on their more esoteric military projects, he was also the scientist his Western handlers treated very, very gingerly.

At the entrance of Agent Green, Anatoly shot out of his chair, the forefinger of his right hand pointing in the air, his long white hair and beard already in disarray, as if they had already foreseen their owner's actions and had moved hastily to comply with them.

"A story?" Anatoly roared incredulously. "You think I have a story to tell you, Agent Green? Petya i volk is a story. Baba Yaga is a story. Ded Moroz is a story. I have no stories to tell you. What I have to say is nothing less than the revelation of the fabric of the universe itself!"

 

[Lordmikel]

Alex cursed himself for using the phrase. Didn't one of the other agents warn him about that. Probably not, that might have been glossed over. "Yes, the revelation of the fabric of the entire universe. I wouldn't be here for anything less." Baba Yaga, an interesting choice, giant chicken legs and a hut. He hoped the lady came back with some tea soon, he knew some calmness would be needed. "Why don't you start at the beginning, what is the revelation?"

 

[DarkNFrilly]

It was at that moment that the Lansbury look alike entered the study and served a round of tea. The whole process of serving tea seemed to have a settling effect on the Russian scientist. After a few sips, both his voice and demeanor seemed much calmer.

"So tell me, Agent Green," Dr. Kutzensov began, "Are you familiar with the concept of multiple universes?"

 

[Lordmikel]

Alex was quite glad when the doctor seemed to calm down. The question took him a bit by surprise, as who didn't know about multiple dimensions. But then he realized there were a few.

"Going left instead of right, killing a butterfly in the past and suddenly we all look different. Yes, I'm familiar with multiple dimensions. Not that anyone has traversed or anything. But I do understand the concept behind it."

He takes a sip of the tea, thinking it is quite good.

 

[DarkNFrilly]

Kutzensov took another sip of his tea, his demeanor obviously affected by the beverage.

"A little bit more complicated than that," Kutzensov replied. "Although the theory has been fertile ground for those who wish to explore the possibilities of counterfactual history on the grand or mundane scale, theoretical physicists such as myself use the concept of multiple universes to explore the possibility where the laws of physics aren't the same as they are in our universe. Consider, for example, a universe that doesn't allow for the formation of stars. Without stars, no solar systems, and hence, no individuals like you or me."

"Of course," Kutzensov continued, "there might be universes that exist where you and I live in a world where the mind can directly influence matter and energy with thought and rituals. Magic, if you will. Or it might be a universe where we perceive reality differently that what you or I do."

"Which brings me to the explanation of the phenomenon that has recently overcome our world. Tell me, Agent Green," Kutzensov asked, "Do you really consider it feasible that a group of unknown hacktivists, besides having deleted digital copies of certain movies, have somehow deleted VCR videotapes that have been untouched and in storage for decades? The idea is simply ludicrous!"

 

[Lordmikel]

Alex had also heard this theory before too. It simply seemed much more outlandish. Worlds out there where physics were different. Where the laws of gravity did not work. "The idea of physics being different from world to world does seem a lot more far out of the realm of possibility."

"Now while it is true that a group of hacktivists might have some difficulty in getting at everything, with a good handle of what needed to be done, any group could do what the rest of us could think of as impossible. As Sherlock Holmes says, once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. We just simply have to find the truth." Alex smiles, "It truly won't be anything just like Abra Cadabra."

Alex knew of the Flash villain from the future who had technology from the future which made him do like magic.

"So is that then what you are thinking? Some other dimension is involved?"

 

[DarkNFrilly]

"Well, perhaps the idea of realities where the laws of physics differ is too much for the simple layman," Kutzensov allowed. "It is the common fare among theoretical physicists these days, and so cannot be considered too outlandish."

"And no, you are correct, this is not the work of a villain from the comic books that are so popular these days, though perhaps you might be closer to the truth than you think," Kutzensov continued. "Tell me, Agent Green, do you know the author Ray Bradbury?"

 

[Lordmikel]

"I've heard the name, perhaps read one or two of his works. Nothing that screams about parallel universes though." That was actually a true statement, although he suspected even if he had read it all, he would still be getting an explanation of some kind.

Alex wrote down a few things, "so not an evil mastermind, but something else? Please, share."

 

[DarkNFrilly]

"Ah, I did not say that there might not be a malevolent mind somewhere in the works," Kutzensov replied, obviously enjoying contradicting the young agent at every turn. "I am saying I am trying to build an explanatory house, and you keep trying to skip the foundation. Patience, my dear Agent Green, patience."

"Ray Bradbury once said," Kutzensov continued, “Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations. Consider that quote. It turns the author from creator to observer. So postulate this, Agent Green: what if there are certain stories that are not stories at all, but the observations of certain minds of other dimensions that otherwise we humans could not interact with? Not all artistic creations, of course. But what is the unconscious mind of certain people can perceive the happenings of other universes, and their conscious mind translates these perceptions as stories, ballets, operas, poems, paintings...whatever medium the observer's mind can best utilize."

"I believe that the development of new mediums allows for the human mind to contact new realities, or perhaps a cluster of new realities. So approximately eighty years ago, with the advent of animated movies, the human mind came into contact with a cluster of realities I will call the princess universes.' The latter pronouncement was actually made with a note of embarrassment in Kutzensov's voice.

 

[Lordmikel]

Alex couldn't recall if that was an episode of the Twilight Zone or Darkwing Duck which made reference to hearing reality from other worlds and making it a story. "Princess Universes?" Asked Alex in slight disbelief.

Alex tended to be an end thinker. Find the problem and solve it. It really was that simple, so while the Doctor may be thinking he was ignoring the foundation ... well he probably was. "So the stories we all know, didn't come from someone's imagination, but by that person hearing, being connected, what have you, to a different dimension."

Alex didn't think the thought to be too outlandish. He liked to think people were creative, but if one watches enough movies, it does seem like writers are lacking in imagination. "Tell me more about these Princess Universes. Do you think there is a problem there?"

 

[DarkNFrilly]

"I don't believe all stories are actually observations of other realities," Kutzensov answered. "Perhaps just a small percentage." The scientist shrugged. "However, I do think the deletion of all formats of certain animated movies should be viewed as empirical proof that other realities besides our own exist."

"Does this mean that there is a problem in the princess universes? Possibly, possibly not. Consider a solar eclipse. Simply because we cannot see the bulk of the sun does not mean the sun has disappeared. This may be what has happened with the movies that have disappeared. Something has intervened between us and the princess universes, blocking our view."

"However, it may be possible to directly investigate what has happened." Kutzensov stroked his beard and gazed at Agent Green thoughtfully when he made this last pronouncement.

 

[Lordmikel]

"Not everything?" Well that was disappointing. It would explain so very much about Hollywood.

It was the next statement that caught Alex's attention. "So traveling to these other dimensions?" Thoughts of Stargate, Sliders, and many other dimension hopping shows jumped through his mind. They always ended strangely. "Or are we going to be watching through a window? Seeing what is happening, but nothing more?"

Watching didn't seem as exciting as going there. Sadly Alex realized he was actually enticed by the idea of going to a different dimension. He would probably need to get a drink after this interview.

 

[DarkNFrilly]

"Theoretically, if we knew an alternate reality existed, and had some basic notion of its properties, we could...watch it through a window," Kutzensov answered. "However, whatever happened that deleted the various animated depictions of the princess universes would also prevent us from directly observing it."

"Traveling there..." Kutzensov rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That would be feasible. Though doing so would present its own unique challenges."

 

[Lordmikel]

"What kind of challenges?" Alex couldn't believe that he had just asked that question. Perhaps there was some hallucinogenic in the tea making him more susceptible to insane ideas.

"But it does make sense that a window to the place wouldn't work for the same reason the tapes are missing to begin with. Since it would make sense that it is a continuing thing and didn't wipe out everything at once." Of course this was all theoretical, there was no way to prove any of it.

 

[DarkNFrilly]

"Are you familiar with the movie "Enchanted", Agent Green?" Kutzensov asked. "Or the movie "Cool World" perhaps?"

 

[Lordmikel]

"Both yes, although it has been quite awhile since Cool World. Enchanted though came though a magic well. I don't recall on Cool World how they changed worlds." Alex paused as he looked at the Doctor. "I'm not knowing of any magic wells around here."

 

[DarkNFrilly]

"What you want to remember is the conversion process, going from real to animated," Kutzensov answered and, with a smile, added, "And don't worry. I've got the magic well."

 

[Lordmikel]

Alex stopped writing at the mention of magic well. He held his pen in his hand as he let the words sink into his brain. "Magic well?" He debated how long did he truly have to stay here. His boss had said until the old man was satisfied and wouldn't bother us anymore. Sadly Alex felt he was not at the point in time. "Well the transformation process is usually depicted as fairly easy and not painful." He couldn't believe these next words were coming out of his mouth, "so tell me about this magic well."

 

[DarkNFrilly]

"As far as the transformation being easy," Kutzensov remarked, "Perhaps that me so for the subject of the process, but I assure, developing the process itself was no mean task. Painful?" The doctor shrugged. "This is a subjective experience, and I could not comment on it."

"But if you wish to know more about my magic well," Kutzensov added, rising to his feet, "Just follow me."

 

[Lordmikel]

In for a penny, in for a pound. He wondered if years from now when they finally find his body if they will wonder why it was at the bottom of a well. How did the old man get him to go down it, was there foul play. He wondered at what moment he lost control. When he drank the tea, first arrived here, more likely when he drew that short straw.

Slowly Alex stands, knowing he would have to see whatever it was. "Please, lead the way, I'm quite interested to see what it is."

 

[DarkNFrilly]

Kutzensov led Alex out of his study, down the hall and to the kitchen. From there the scientist opened a door and led Alex down a flight of stairs to the basement. The basement itself was quite ordinary, looking for all the world like a home office, except for a steel door on the far wall. Except for what looked like some type of electronic lock next to the door, there was no hinges, knobs or any attachment to the door itself.

"My magic well," Kutzensov announced, gesturing toward the door.