The Universe's Plaything

''Author's Note: This being my first ever Pasta, I do NOT expect it to be very well received. That being stated, I would very much appreciate constructive criticism here so that I may grow as a writer. I'm hoping to use this as an introduction into a universe where one character will be the protagonist in a series of unrelated stories. I thought that by creating this universe and giving this character's back-story here, readers can already well acquainted with the protagonist so that the stories' plots can progress without stopping for a detailed description of the protagonist. Enjoy!''

Pseudo-scientists often theorize that there are infinite planes of existence in the Universe, different dimensions if you will. Some of these dimensions differ from the one we currently are conscious of very slightly, while in others, the whole course of human history is radically different than ours, if it even exists at all. Interestingly, no two dimensions are exactly the same. There will always be a difference, no matter how minute or massive, between one dimension and the next.

For most of us, we are conscious of our one dimension, beginning at our conception, and supposedly ending at death. No one can really say what happens after death though. No one can say that our existence just ends at death, or that there is some divine or occult deity out there watching us and deciding where our consciousness goes after we shed our mortal coil. However, these unknowns are of no consequence to Ryan...

The Universe seems to have made a special exception for him. Though each dimension is different, for Ryan, there's always a set of constants. He'll always be a 5'10, 160 lb, light-brown skinned, Caucasian male who lives in the United States of America or it's equivalent. He'll always have the first name of Ryan, though his surname will change with each incarnation of him. He'll always be a very intelligent, quick-witted, insightful, and logical person with little patience for incompetence coupled with arrogance. He'll always have an accurately sharp tongue towards those who antagonize him, causing him to keep a reputation of being a cold, sarcastic smart-ass to those he doesn't like. They'll see a cynic, a pessimist, and a misfit. Those that know him, however, will see that he is kind and caring to those with whom he associates, and that he has a good, if also dark, sense of humor. They'll see that he walks with an air not of arrogance or pretentiousness, but of purpose and a healthy dose of confidence.

The final constants the Universe have for Ryan are the facts that: 1.) No matter which dimension Ryan is currently aware of, there will always be an apocalyptic event, causing irreparable damage to society, causing Ryan to strive to survive through the events unfolding around him. 2.) When Ryan eventually does die, he simply becomes aware of another dimension in which he'll live out his life, ignorant of the eventual death and destruction in his future, and ignorant of the cycle he's forever trapped in.

No one can really say why the Universe made a special case for Ryan, partly because no one's aware of the fact that the Universe has made a special case for him. Maybe it hates him for some inexplicable reason and feels the need to endlessly punish him for it. Maybe it feels compelled to study him, his actions, and his thoughts in a variety of extreme scenarios. Or maybe, just maybe, it finds him entertaining to keep messing around with. Like a child's toy, a doll, a plaything...

After reading this, and taking in all this information, the one question people should ask is, "Is Ryan the Universe's only plaything, or are we all stuck in a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and we're just ignorant of it?"