Pets

Ah, I’ve been looking forward to this topic for quite a while! Allow me a brief moment of nostalgia. When I was young, I had a favorite video game. It was all about collecting and training fantastical creatures. I absolutely loved it and spent an unreasonable amount of time playing it. What was it called again?.. Pocket Critters?.. Compact Monsters?.. Hm. Something along those lines, I’m sure.

Anyway, as I grew older and gained some experience in game development, I decided to create something similar — with my own improvements and design variations. Naturally, I built a prototype in one of the early versions of the Simulation. Even back then, it featured hundreds of different creatures, a system for hatching pets from eggs, and a bonding mechanic between the creature and its owner.

Unfortunately, like many of my projects, this one was eventually abandoned — I moved on to other things.

Even so, the prototype turned out to be surprisingly useful. When all of my unfinished projects were forced to compile into a single data structure, this “pet project” (ha!) unexpectedly became a critical component in generating new worlds. In essence, it populated the multiverse with diverse fauna, allowing countless worlds to become more stable, vibrant, and self-sustaining.

And, perhaps most importantly, these creatures retained a built-in affinity for interacting with humans and humanoid beings. In other words, Pets in the current version of the Simulation are more than happy to assist those who care for them and treat them as companions.

Even in combat. Ahem… especially in combat.

That said, there is a certain irony to all this. As much as I adore these creatures — and as much as I would love to have a companion of my own while wandering the multiverse — that, unfortunately, is not meant to be. As it turns out, in my current state I’ve developed a severe digital allergy to virtually every pet species inhabiting the Simulation.

You know, I feel a bit like the protagonist of an old TV show. There was an episode about the end of the world, a library… and a pair of broken glasses. What was it called?..

Damn it, I can’t remember.