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Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

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NinjaDebugger said:
The point I am trying to make here is that the men involved seem to have otherwise healthy brains and live complete lives, which means it is quite likely that in the future we will be able to completely eliminate sleep as a necessity, even without bullshit space whale magic.
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'Healthy human brain' could also be taken to mean 'normal human brain' because not sleeping isn't normal. At all. When 99%+ of the population flat out needs to sleep, one or a handful of people not needing to should be a sign that something is different. You may or may not call it 'wrong', but it's certainly different.

And, since we can't speculate on what sort of people they may have been like, or what they might have done with their lives had they not been different, we can't tell whether what makes them different is a good thing or a bad thing. And we shouldn't speculate on that matter either.

Normal people's bodies do do strange things without sleep (and I don't think anyone is denying that), so Vicky's statement that she can't 'fix' people so they don't need to sleep is, more or less at least, accurate.

It is, in a way, a lot like Amelia's 'I don't do brains' rule; she likely could do it to some degree at least, but she'd rather say she can't because she either believes it wouldn't be healthy for people (due to what's been discussed), or doesn't want to risk doing something she's not sure about.
 
NinjaDebugger said:
The point I am trying to make here is that the men involved seem to have otherwise healthy brains and live complete lives, which means it is quite likely that in the future we will be able to completely eliminate sleep as a necessity, even without bullshit space whale magic.
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Here's a better contradiction to spurious claims from Scientific American:

The easy experimental answer to this question is 264 hours (about 11 days). In 1965, Randy Gardner, a 17-year-old high school student, set this apparent world-record for a science fair. Several other normal research subjects have remained awake for eight to 10 days in carefully monitored experiments. None of these individuals experienced serious medical, neurological, physiological or psychiatric problems. On the other hand, all of them showed progressive and significant deficits in concentration, motivation, perception and other higher mental processes as the duration of sleep deprivation increased. Nevertheless, all experimental subjects recovered to relative normality within one or two nights of recovery sleep. Other anecdotal reports describe soldiers staying awake for four days in battle, or unmedicated patients with mania going without sleep for three to four days.
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And then:

Another rare disorder, Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI), is an autosomal dominate disease that is invariably fatal after about six to 30 months without sleep. FFI is probably misnamed because death results from multiple organ failure rather than sleep deprivation. The pathological processes include degeneration of the thalamus and other brain areas, over-activity of the sympathetic nervous system, hypertension, fever, tremors, stupor, weight loss, and disruption of the body's endocrine systems. FFI belongs to a class of infectious prion diseases that include Mad Cow Disease.
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So, six months without sleep will kill you due to brain damage. 11 days is the record for a healthy human, and he lived.
 
aquinas said:
Here's a better contradiction to spurious claims from Scientific American:



And then:



So, six months without sleep will kill you due to brain damage. 11 days is the record for a healthy human, and he lived.
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Not quite, You die in six months, but it is unclear if it is DUE to the sleep derivation, or if the sleep derivation is a symptom of the prion disease that also takes out most of your internal organs. Your quote suggests that it is more likely the later as the infants show irregular degeneration in several brain areas having to do with body regulation. Such a degradation would be a CAUSE of insomnia, not be a symptom OF insomnia, and could explain the organ failure.
 
doomlord9 said:
I'm kind of surprised there wasn't even a half-hearted attempt at the classic "It's been about 400 years but we finally figured out a way to wake you up!" joke.
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Because that kind of shit is seriously mean spirited. Zach doesn't deserve this especially considering what he'd just suffered through. Because if he'd bought it it would be stuff that would bring people to tears.
 
I'm probably going to get the terminology wrong, but micro-sleep is a thing.

It's where you're awake, you nod off and fall asleep for a few seconds, then snap back awake, without realizing you were asleep at all. Sometimes this can happen in the middle of a conversation without the other member of the conversation even noticing... It's not a solution to short/long term memory transfer, but it will keep you from going insane/dying after a week or two of no sleep.

Sleep walking is also a thing, and some people can remember things they did while sleep walking even though they were asleep at the time.
 
The obvious answer is to have Riley and Rey whip up a brain that takes a page out of the dolphin's playbook. Only one lobe sleeps at a time.
 
I can't find the source right now, but there was a guy who claimed he could do that. He claimed it felt like being in an acid trip, because while you could "function" nothing made any sense and you hallucinate like crazy. He could go for extended periods without "sleep" though.

From an IC perspective though, I suspect that they copy Ms Militia or some other cape with non-regenerative lack of need for sleep.
 
Beyogi said:
Because that kind of shit is seriously mean spirited. Zach doesn't deserve this especially considering what he'd just suffered through. Because if he'd bought it it would be stuff that would bring people to tears.
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It's Zach he would probably be angry in the short term but the guy love jokes and would find it funny long term I think.
 
As much as I'm enjoying the Vicky and Crystal, and Vicky and Chevalier stuff, it has (finally) occurred to me that a: quite a while ago I posted some speculation about Zach and Theo's bro level as applies to M/M, b: that Zach and Theo have been "closer" to each other than just about anyone, and c: that this has occurred before anything interesting has happened between Theo, Missy, and Riley. The merciless teasing writes itself!

It also just occurred to me that Alexandria and Chevalier have been parahumans longer than Vicky and Lisa have been alive, and that this may cause some rather interesting conflict

PSEUDOEDIT: And then dasstan imps me while writing.
 
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Amelia, Ch 264- Sabah
Amelia, Ch 264- Sabah


"From who?" Vicky asked. "Everyone knew. And I do mean everyone. Show of hands, did anyone in this room not know?" I didn't know. I glanced at Lily, but she didn't raise her hand, either.


Eric was the only one who did. "Guess I've been a bit out of the loop," he dismissed his lack of awareness. Is that what I am? Out of the loop? It made sense, I was never really 'part of the group' to begin with, and lately I spent my time roaming Europe with Lily and Eric. A habit I need to break.


Eventually the groups started breaking apart. Crystal and Vicky dipped off into a side room. Emma followed Zach, doing her best impression of a mother hen. He didn't seem to mind. Lily and I don't act like that. Eric drifted back over to us after everyone started going off to do their thing. Yum Kaax and Tir went to do their thing as well.


"So," I started once the three of us were more or less out of earshot. "You knew about that?" I was asking Lily, of course.


"Yeah," Lily shrugged. "Heard about it."


"Who told you?" I asked.


"Victoria," she answered. "We try to keep up on what's going on in Missy's life. I think Vicky feels a bit guilty for the whole business with Dean. I just think she's a good kid, and us former Wards have to stick together in this organization full of indies and former villains. Vicky says she's happy with their arrangement. As far as Theo goes... eh, like father, like son."


I glanced toward where Missy had left. "Think she might be bi?" I asked.


"Who knows," Lily shrugged. "But with the tech this group has, it's not exactly like that's hard to change." Right. That tech. The same stuff that brought me back from the dead, complete with a new body that was in absurdly good shape. If I'd been given the chance to use it at thirteen to make myself straight, I would have taken it. If I'd been given the chance at nineteen, I probably still would have. Only after my father's death, and my Trigger, and meeting Lily, did I accept that part of myself.


Even still, there was a part of me that would consider it, a chance to have a normal life. But I was a parahuman, so that was impossible. Maybe I should have asked for my backup to have a different genetic code so I wouldn't get my powers back.


"I think I'm missing some context here," Eric interrupted my thoughts. "Who's Dean? And what's that about Theo's father?"


"Dean is Vicky's old boyfriend," Lily answered. "I don't know the whole story, just that he died in the Leviathan attack on Brockton Bay. The way I understand it, Missy was crushing on him hard for a year before that happened. Vicky and Dean both knew about it, but... well, Vicky's default solution to problems..."


"Punch the nearest acceptable target, and if that doesn't help, then either steamroll or ignore it?" Eric suggested.


"The Wards used to call her Hurricane Victoria," Lily confirmed. "So, yeah, they pretty much pretended they didn't notice. I think Vicky feels a little guilty about that, now. Especially with her new powers letting her know just how deep Missy's feelings ran, but that's just my guess. It's not like she's going to talk about it. But, yeah, she's keeping an eye on Missy, in her own way, I feel nothing but pity for anyone who hurts that girl."


"So that just leaves Theo's father," Eric prompted. "I know he was some asshole Nazi supervillain who's dead now. That's about it."


"That's about all I know, too," Lily admitted. "Leviathan, again. Just goes to show you that Endbringers don't discriminate. But he had these twin sister girlfriends that weren't too much older than us. I'd feel worse for them, but they were supervillains, too. So, y'know, no sympathies there. Guess it's in the genes. Or maybe it's just because he grew up around it."


"What about Riley?" he asked.


Lily shrugged. "I'm sure Amelia and Vicky are keeping an eye out." Translation: she's Bonesaw, who cares what happens to her? "Besides, as protective as Missy is over her, you'd be better off picking a fight with Vicky. At least when she rearranges your insides, they still obey the laws of physics. No matter how you look at it, though, it's their business. They can do whatever they like with their personal lives."


Lily had gotten pretty big on the 'social equality' front. Going through Europe and seeing how gays and transgendered individuals were treated outside the USA and western Europe given her a mission. I envied her in that. What mission do I have? I dropped out of engineering. I took a hiatus from fashion, and the more I thought about it the less I wanted to go back. Everyone else had these grand hopes and dreams. Changing the world, creating whole new worlds of their own, killing the Endbringers. What do I have? Sure, I get to help with all these amazing things. But that's all I do. Help. I was never one of the important ones, never needed, not since the Simurgh, at least.


My thoughts were interrupted by Lisa's voice on Eric's com. "Victoria, Eki, Janus, need you in the main office."


"Well, ladies," Eric smiled. Hard to believe he was ever a girl. "The bosses need me. Maybe then we can go home and get some sleep."


"You just want to get back to your fire breathing girlfriend," Lily teased.


"I don't like the idea that they might be attacked without us there to protect them," he replied before rushing off to the meeting.


"He's pretty transparent, isn't he?" Lily smirked at his retreating form.


"Yeah," I agreed. "I kinda envy him, actually."


"If you tell me you have a crush on Spitfire, I'm going to have to slap you," she smiled.


"Not about that," I smiled. "She's no competition for you. It's just... he knew from twelve years old that he was different, and he embraced it pretty much right away. More than that, he didn't even have a role model like Legend to say it was okay. How long did it take us to come to terms?"


"Seventeen," Lily admitted. "Plus some disastrous attempts at relationships with men."


"Twenty," I replied. "Although I guess in my case it meant less to me. Career was always first, relationships were suppose to wait until I had my degree." Even now, I can't say I've embraced it. I accept it as a reality, but I don't feel any pride in it the way Lily and Eric seem to. Just one more thing Sabah does that doesn't really matter. Even my relationship with Lily, when it started, was as much about having an ally as anything. Fuck, that sounds horrible when put that way.


"Penny for your thoughts?" Lily asked.


"You'd end up overpaying," I answered. "I'm just daydreaming. Nothing important."


"If you insist," she answered. "Seriously, though. Talk to me."


"Just thinking about school," I half lied. "I really should go back. This semester is a flop, but putting it off makes it easier and easier to just not go back."


"You're right," she agreed. "But I think your designs are already brilliant. Not everyone is cut out for school. Some people just have natural talent to work with. Besides, you've already made more money off your designs than any of your teachers ever will."


I smiled. "Thanks, that means a lot," I hugged her. Our costumes made it hard to kiss without partially undressing.


"Anything you need," she replied. "Just let me know."


"Thanks," I answered. I just wish I knew what I needed.


Eventually Crystal returned, looking more than a little unhappy. "What's wrong?" Lily asked.


"Oh, the usual," Crystal sighed. "Vicky's going off to Philly, no surprise. Leaves us even more short handed in LA. I'm stuck in charge of a group without my cousin to be our poster girl anymore. And no one even asked me if I was okay with all this."


"Oh, wow, that sucks," Lily agreed.


"I have no idea what to do," she sighed. "We were already having trouble pulling recruits. It was already a pain in the ass, when Alexandria's right there being Alexandria. Hard to compete for potential heroes when someone that prestigious is right there in the city with you. Vicky made it happen, as best as she could, but we were barely making any progress. And now? Fuck."


I hesitated, then finally spoke up. "I'll go!" I exclaimed. Oh shit, that sounded way too enthusiastic. "I... I mean, this is important, right?"


"Sabah, are you sure about this?" Lily asked.


"Yeah," I insisted. "LA's got some pretty prestigious design schools. I can do classes again. And Crystal's talking about needing someone to draw in members. I can do that, too. I'm an Endslayer, even Alexandria can't put that on her resume. Plus I'm still mostly a rogue. I can draw that crowd as well. And with Tapestry, I'm about as heavy hitter as heavy hitters get. You can use all that, right?"


"Honestly?" Crystal replied. "I really could. Might even be what sells Anima on joining. Possibly the most powerful projection user this side of the Siberian, and she uses her abilities to be a one person special effects crew for plays and concerts."


"See, it's a good idea," I told Lily.


"But... what about the portals?" she asked.


"I don't do anything for those," I pointed out. My only function is to be your arm candy, and rubbing it in all these countries proverbial faces that they need a lesbian girl to help solve their problems. I'm not happy doing that. "I can make an actual impact in LA. Don't worry, we'll still see each other plenty," I told her. "Eric ferries us about all the time, already."


"But when school starts up again," she argued.


"By that time, the portal networks will be done, and every country will have at least one," except China. "Then you can stay with me in LA, right?"


"I guess," she agreed reluctantly. Sorry, Lily, I have to at least try this.


===============


A/N- Ah, Sabah, one day she'll figure out what makes her happy.

... The day after she can no longer have it...


Also. 'Hurricane Victoria' amuses me in a special way. Because I have a sister named Victoria. And another one named Katrina. Heh. Speaking of, their facebooks are now full of photos of my nephews.
 
TanaNari said:
A/N- Ah, Sabah, one day she'll figure out what makes her happy.

... The day after she can no longer have it...
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I can't remember, are Author's Notes the ones that are false according to WoG, along with every other comment outside of the story, or the ones that are true according to a WoG that was lying anyways?
 
Alterego9 said:
I can't remember, are Author's Notes the ones that are false according to WoG, along with every other comment outside of the story, or the ones that are true according to a WoG that was lying anyways?
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The only way we will ever know something is genuinely true is if the characters start breaking the fourth wall. And even then, we're subject to unreliable narrator.
 
cosoco said:
What? Bonesaw's modifications obey the laws of physics. Not necessarily the laws of nature, or common sense, but definitely the laws of physics.
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Besides, as protective as Missy is over her, you'd be better off picking a fight with Vicky. At least when she rearranges your insides, they still obey the laws of physics.
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Notice she's comparing Missy and Vicky here. When Missy rearranges your insides, she rearranges your insides.
 
NinjaDebugger said:
The point I am trying to make here is that the men involved seem to have otherwise healthy brains and live complete lives, which means it is quite likely that in the future we will be able to completely eliminate sleep as a necessity, even without bullshit space whale magic.
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how is their brain "otherwise healthy" when they have BRAIN DAMAGE!!! Also, even the linked to case (think it was a guy from India or something) it mentioned that starting in 2009 the guy started complaining about his lack of sleep making him feel "like a plant starving for water."

And in a case linked to on that page, a guy that had never required sleep from the time he was born, the case was attributed to brain damage from an injury the mother received during pregnancy.

Brain damage does not result in the next step in human evolution. This isn't the movie 'Phenomenon.'
tarrangar said:
It's Zach he would probably be angry in the short term but the guy love jokes and would find it funny long term I think.
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Angry in the short term? He'd be the first one laughing when he found out the truth.
Alterego9 said:
I can't remember, are Author's Notes the ones that are false according to WoG, along with every other comment outside of the story, or the ones that are true according to a WoG that was lying anyways?
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What about the comments that are lies inside the story, thanks to first-person narrative?
DreadnaughtVV said:
Notice she's comparing Missy and Vicky here. When Missy rearranges your insides, she rearranges your insides.
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Manton limit. Also, pretty sure with Singularity, she'd more tear to shreds than rearrange; kinda hard to rearrange something that's been atomized.
GiftofLove said:
You gain the ability to eat and shit out your nose when Missy is done with you. If you're lucky.
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No, that's Riley.
 
dasstan said:
I kind of feel bad for Trevor. Only gay guy on the team and two of the straights went and got inside of each other, first.
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It was Tohu that got inside of Zach first....;)then to add insult to the analogy they even covered Zach in (healing)spit then filled him with Theo...i think Trevor being the Only Sane Tinker in the AmeliaVerse he would be going WTH is going on here... i now christen a new ship for Zach/Theo - Fighting for Piece(because of elastic heart) and another boat to nowhere called Zach's First.... Tohu/Zach forever:D
EDIT:Tohu/Zach - the one that got away...
 
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edale said:
how is their brain "otherwise healthy" when they have BRAIN DAMAGE!!!
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In this context, "otherwise healthy" implies that they have no other health problems, and no major behavioral shifts.
edale said:
Brain damage does not result in the next step in human evolution. This isn't the movie 'Phenomenon.'
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NinjaDebugger is not suggesting that everyone hit themselves over the head with a brick so that they can avoid sleeping. Rather, the existence of these cases proves that there is some arrangement of neurons which allows a person to think and act normally without spending 8 hours a day motionless. That implies that those cases could be studied, and some sort of procedure to remove the need for sleep could be created.

And I think it was implied that the superpowers in that movie came from aliens, not the tumor.
 
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