#qubit

[Ronnie takes a deep breath in, deep breath out. Her grip softens as she focuses on the motion of Qubit's hands running up and down her arms. It's unexpectedly reassuring. While it's not her first time having a crisis like this, she's not used to having someone talk her through it... She's not sure how to feel about it yet, but she might as well try and calm down so she can think clearly again.]

[She remains quiet as Qubit speaks.]

I would sure hope so. However, I can't count on sentimental value when the homeowner has kept me locked up inside this safe since the day I was brought here. I suppose that makes monetary value a double-edged sword, doesn't it? I have no doubt that the human feels that it's too risky to let me out, to display me in their home, or show me off to their friends, let alone wear me in public.

If I want to accrue sentimental value, I must convince them to let me be part of their life. I won't have the opportunity to do that if they find out I've been lying to them about what I am.

Even if I manage to earn said sentimental value, what will become of me when the homeowner inevitably dies or gives me away?

[Is it a good life? The answer is easy. No, not so far. Not yet, her brain helpfully supplies. She's been trying to get out of this safe for years -- and now that she's out of the safe, she's trying to get out of this house. But she has to believe her efforts will pay off if she keeps up the facade for long enough. Real Day-Dates get to travel the world, sit on the wrists of celebrities, be photographed for social media, and get pampered by collectors like they're actual royalty. She too wants to be a part of history, to leave a mark on the world, to be acknowledged -- and it all feels terribly unfair.]

It will be, someday. In any case, it won't get any better if I give up and admit to being a Frankenwatch now, will it?

[She grits her teeth, tensing up again. The more she thinks about it, the more the jealousy within her comes close to its boiling point. Realizing that her grip on Qubit is getting tighter again, she lets go and turns away from him to avoid hurting him, instead standing in a corner and rubbing her head with her hands.]

I deserve better than someone else's scraps.

[She spits those words out, barely containing her rage and bitterness.]

How could I live with myself if I simply laid down, accepted the lot I was given, and settled for this mundane, lonely, boring life I've been made to live? Dying in obscurity sounds far more miserably to me than dying surrounded by people who love me, even if they don't truly know me.

[Qubit's reassurances seem to knock the air out of her. It's not often that she's met with so much kindness and gentleness after revealing she's a Frankenwatch... her experiences have shown her the complete opposite so far. It's not like they would have anything to gain from pretending to be kind to her though, so she assumes it has to be genuine. Even if he doesn't fully understand her situation, she softens up just hearing his words.]

I'm not quite sure what I am. But thank you.

[Though she's been avoiding eye contact, she finally looks at them again when they start talking about being an ass. She stays silent for a bit, before responding.]

You have no reason to keep saying that, at least not to me. For the most part, no one cares for a Frankenwatch if not for its own creator, and yet you still care for me, despite knowing what I am, even knowing I'm unable to reciprocate. I'd say that makes you truly special.

That being said, you're encouraging me to drop the act. Are you not concerned about losing me if the human finds out about this?

[She sighs, wrapping her arms around herself, and tries to keep her voice steady.]

I have no reason to exist if not for humanity, and so I'm defined by the way they perceive me. If I want to be more than the collection of broken parts I was made to be, I must prove it to the world first.

A tall figure seems to be wandering the house, making their way to the attic.

He has a powerful stature to him, as well an overall chaotic sense. His outfit is rather elegant. It consists of a sparkly black suit vest, a white under shirt with ruffles at the neck, a green and white tie, the sleeves are puffy with frills at the end. The shirt has slightly darker stripes. His pants are black with white strips, hugging his legs a little more than normal slacks.

His hair is long, wavy, and green with white strands. He walks around with confidence and accuracy despite his eyes being completely shut as if it is off habit for them.

[Ronnie has just left the safe when she spots someone she doesn't recognize wandering into the attic. She was planning on making some rounds around the house and introducing herself to more objects, as has been her routine as of late, but it seems like this particular stranger has made his way to her first. It's a nice gesture, really -- staying put saves her time and energy after all. She might as well go and introduce herself while they're here.]

[If Ronnie is intimidated by the stranger, she doesn't show it. Instead, she walks towards him with determination and straightens her back and shoulders as if to try and match the their powerful stature.]

Excuse me, may I have a moment of your time? I don't believe I've had the pleasure.

[She smiles politely. The stranger's elegant ensemble makes Ronnie think he might be someone she might be particularly interested in keeping on her good side.]

Qubit is the concept of chaos and is here to fuck around and find out! He will do anything chaotic as he deems.

Important note; Qubit is blind, and relies heavily on scent, sound, and vibrations. Though his scent is extremely strong.

More info below.

I was looking up stuff about Homelander and, one thing leading to another, I almost choked on my water and had a fit. Anyway. I survived, moved on with my life, and that's when I came across Plutonian. And what an absurdly good character. There's something about him that I find far more interesting than the simple idea of the “corrupt superman.” He doesn't just rely on cruelty or excessive power: what's unsettling about Plutonian is the way he embodies the collapse of a perfect image. He's not scary only because of what he can do, but because of what he represents when someone built to be a symbol, hope, and an almost sacred figure breaks from within. He has a very particular presence: elegant, devastating, almost tragic. He's not just a dark character; he's a character who seems written from disillusionment, from fragility turned into a threat. And I think that's precisely why he's so fascinating. Because he doesn't feel empty, or flat, or simply cruel for shock value. He feels like a long, bitter, brilliantly uncomfortable fall to witness. The more I read about him, the more I asked myself the same question: why doesn't he have the popularity he deserves? I really don't get it. He has design, concept, symbolism, narrative weight, and a presence that lingers in your head long after. He's one of those characters who work not only because of what they do, but because of everything they suggest. Anyway, I hope to write about him someday.

Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have significantly increased how quickly changes in delicate quantum states can be detected inside a qubit. By combining commercially available hardware with new adaptive measurement techniques, the team can now observe rapid shifts in qubit behavior that were previously impossible to see. Qubits are the fundamental units of quantum computers, which…

Researchers have demonstrated a new way to read Majorana qubits, highly stable but notoriously difficult-to-measure quantum bits, using a global quantum capacitance probe. Quantum computers are often described as machines that could solve certain problems far beyond the reach of today’s fastest supercomputers. But getting from headline potential to a working device has been painfully […] Read…