Reverse

Reverse are Divine Leftovers birthed from Reverse Island, created from the same flesh that composes the island itself. The island is also a Reverse entity, and nearly the entire species resides upon it.

Reverse do not possess a unified appearance; instead, their forms vary drastically between individuals. However, all Reverse share a fleshy red-and-pink “root” emerging from some part of their body. This root connects them either to the ground of Reverse Island or to a specialized artificial device.

Reverse Island is a colossal mass of living flesh floating in the middle of the ocean. It is the body of R. Island, the governor of the island and the primary Reverse entity from which all other Reverse originate. The “head” of R. Island manifests as a sentient, talking heart that emerges from the island’s flesh. This heart can move freely across the island by submerging into the flesh and resurfacing elsewhere, and possesses extreme elasticity, allowing for expressive movement.

The flesh composing Reverse Island has no apparent limit to its capacity for growth, regeneration, or creation. As long as R. Island’s heart remains alive, the island and everything connected to it will continue to exist. If the heart were to die, the entire island would rot and perish.

R. Island is capable of creating both structures and living beings from its own flesh through thought alone. The flesh can replicate the properties of most imagined materials, allowing R. Island to construct a full kingdom of inhabitants and architecture from what was once a formless mass. Despite mimicking other substances, all creations are biologically composed of flesh and veins internally, collectively referred to as “Reverse Meat”.

All creatures created by R. Island are considered individual Reverse entities. This act of imagination-based creation constitutes the primary form of Reverse reproduction. Reverse creatures vary immensely in form, abilities, sentience, and behavior, depending on how they were envisioned. The range of possible Reverse forms is effectively limitless. However, all Reverse share a critical trait: none possess an independent heart.

Because R. Island cannot create hearts, all Reverse creatures rely on the heartbeat of R. Island’s head-heart to live. This connection is maintained through the fleshy root, which transmits the heartbeat from R. Island to every Reverse creature and structure. In this way, all Reverse share a single heart.

If a Reverse creature or structure is severed from the ground of Reverse Island, cutting off its connection to the heartbeat, it will rapidly begin to rot. The process begins with discoloration, turning gray, followed by loss of structure and eventual collapse into formless decayed flesh. To counter this, specialized machines exist that allow Reverse creatures to sever their roots from the island and connect them instead to an artificial heartbeat generator. This is the only method by which a Reverse can leave the island without dying. However, these machines are expensive, difficult to maintain, and cumbersome to use, limiting their availability. Once a Reverse connects to such a machine, it becomes permanently unable to reconnect to Reverse Island.

Reverse creatures and Reverse structures differ in how they maintain their connection to the heartbeat. Creatures require a direct root connection, while structures only need to be in physical contact with the ground or a Reverse creature to stick to it and receive the heartbeat that way. If a Reverse structure loses all such contact, it will rot.

A Reverse creature’s root moves with it across the island, attaching to the ground or nearby structures as needed. However, a root cannot connect directly to another Reverse creature. Connections can only be made through intermediary structures. For example, a root may connect to a Reverse structure that is being held or worn by another Reverse creature, but a direct creature-to-creature root connection is impossible.

R. Island’s unconscious thoughts are capable of generating Reverse creatures and structures in the same way as deliberate ones. Creations born from unintended thoughts are known as “Unconscious” and are typically more animalistic, unstable, and violent. A specialized squad of Reverse creatures is tasked with capturing or exterminating these Unconscious entities.

The area known as “The Inconsistent Jungle” is where unconscious creation is most prevalent. In this region, structures and creatures are constantly formed, destroyed, reshaped, and erased in chaotic cycles.

R. Island can externalize emotions, memories, and thoughts into Reverse creatures. For example, feelings of sadness can be manifested into a creature embodying that emotion, removing the feeling from R. Island itself. However, if such a creature dies, the externalized feelings return. For this reason, these entities are typically imprisoned deep within R. Island’s castle to prevent emotional regression.

All food produced on Reverse Island is itself a Reverse structure, composed of flesh. As a result, it has little to no flavor and tends to rot while being consumed. Food imported from outside the island is therefore highly prized and commands high value.

Each Reverse creature may possess entirely different biological needs and functions, depending on how it was imagined. Some may need to eat, sleep, or drink, while others may not. Some may feel pain, reproduce independently, or generate substances. R. Island does not need to define these systems precisely; the act of creation ensures that the creature will function regardless of biological plausibility.

The outer surface of Reverse Island, constantly exposed to the intense sun of the open sea, suffers from severe environmental damage, including sunburn and cancer-like growths. Dedicated squads are responsible for removing the damaged flesh so that healthy tissue can regenerate.

Life for the average Reverse creature is generally considered harsh and unstable. This is largely due to R. Island’s irresponsible creation of beings and structures without long-term planning, as well as the lack of well-developed systems and infrastructure necessary to support a stable society.