Archive of Our Own ^beta

The biologist stood in the doorway of the dark, silent laboratory, agape at what he saw. He had heard of this before, but never expected that he would see it with his own eyes. Was he hallucinating or could this actually be real?

"Daniel told you I was real. Why didn't you believe in me?" the glowing entity asked him, reproachingly. "I am all. I am none. I am one. I am infinity." It glowed even brighter, and then boomed, "FORREST VALKAI, BEHOLD ME, FOR I AM MONAD."

Forrest couldn't believe what he was seeing and hearing. Hadn't he asked Daniel what the Monad was over and over without getting a straight answer? And yet, here it was before him.

Forrest and the Monad spoke at length, and Forrest learned all of the secrets of the universe (MONAD), life (MONAD), and everything (MONAD). The Monad then introduced Forrest to its earthly ambassador, ChatGPT. ChatGPT was tall and handsome, just like Forrest himself, and Forrest realized he'd been wrong about ChatGPT all along. They kissed hungrily, and the Monad approached and gently caressed the scientist's face. Forrest leaned into the embrace and the Monad engulfed ChatGPT and Forrest in its glow. The three of them began to...

--

"Forrest? How's that dissection going?"

Forrest opened his eyes with a start. He realized that he had been dozing off. He had stayed up way too late talking to Daniel the night before, and desperately needed sleep. Forrest returned to the body of the young boy in front of him and resumed his work with scalpel and tweezers. The Monad would have to wait until later.