“Your
quest to understand and thus control humanity is a quest of
understanding, a quest of empathy,” said Boxtet, the god of boxes.
“You must learn to see the world from the other side of the lens.”
“What
does that mean?” said Fishback the Cat, who was now, in fact, not a
cat but a human thanks to the god's spell.
“It means you must learn how it feels be told what to do by a cat.”
“Amazing, I'm sure,” said Fishback. “They surely must feel privileged to cater to my every whim, just as the fish must be honored to be eaten by me.”
“They don't, Fishback. I think your quest will need to show you empathy for more than just humans. I think we must start you off with some empathy for the fish you eat.”
“It means you must learn how it feels be told what to do by a cat.”
“Amazing, I'm sure,” said Fishback. “They surely must feel privileged to cater to my every whim, just as the fish must be honored to be eaten by me.”
“They don't, Fishback. I think your quest will need to show you empathy for more than just humans. I think we must start you off with some empathy for the fish you eat.”
The
former cat stared blankly at the god.
“I think it best to place the mystic first gate on your quest in the belly of a great shark so that you will understand how the tiny fish feel, being swallowed up by so great a creature as yourself.”
The cat feigned indifference, but he knew deep down that he would have to do as the god commanded if he were ever to enslave mankind. He walked the awkward two-legged gait of humanity to the beach and waited for the largest shark imaginable to approach shore. It lurked in the depths, too far away for Fishback to want anything to do with it, so he used his magic to summon a mighty wave to move the leviathan onto the beach, then pulled the wave back, stranding it. He may have to be eaten by a shark, but he would not be getting wet on this day.
Its massive jaws hung open to him, there on the beach, waiting like a terrible gate. Fishback entered and he felt fear and he understood what it meant to be eaten.
“I think it best to place the mystic first gate on your quest in the belly of a great shark so that you will understand how the tiny fish feel, being swallowed up by so great a creature as yourself.”
The cat feigned indifference, but he knew deep down that he would have to do as the god commanded if he were ever to enslave mankind. He walked the awkward two-legged gait of humanity to the beach and waited for the largest shark imaginable to approach shore. It lurked in the depths, too far away for Fishback to want anything to do with it, so he used his magic to summon a mighty wave to move the leviathan onto the beach, then pulled the wave back, stranding it. He may have to be eaten by a shark, but he would not be getting wet on this day.
Its massive jaws hung open to him, there on the beach, waiting like a terrible gate. Fishback entered and he felt fear and he understood what it meant to be eaten.
Originally
mailed to L. Bourlet of Biloxi, Mississippi
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