longer.blue

Okay so I said I would, my S Pen has been bugging out so drawing is hard - not like they'd look good anyway. A bit of pre-lore for my sona and the world she's in. In 2018 a unique lunar event was about to take place, as a blue moon would make a total eclipse of the sun. It all proceeded as expected, except when it reached the maximum eclipse of totality the ring of light that highlighted the moon shone a deep and beautiful blue. For 6 ordinary months the world was normal and calm, the event was merely a social media craze of the week. Nobody could have known how much was going to change. In august of 2018 a strange condition started to be reported in hospitals across the world. Not much was thought of it, with primary symptoms being a headache and dilated pupils. Most medical professionals assumed there was a new drug on the street. The first identified case was reported in Canada, where an autopsy revealed a man suffering from this condition had developed tapetum lucidum, a layer of tissue behind the eyes which is not seen in humans. It was also noted that the pupils had been dilated to an extreme degree and that their skin had became tougher and leathery. The condition was believed to be a rare genetic disorder and was given the name Lumivue Disease meaning light sight. Those found with the advanced stage of Lumivue would find it impossible to go outside during the day, or be near artificial lighting as their eyes would overcompensate for a need of light which gave the patients a burning headache. Research began to find a cure for the sudden condition, which in only a few months had been reported in 10% of the Earth's population. It was found common eye drops that could reverse the effects of dilation would ease the effects of Lumivue. As the condition was believed to be genetic and non infectious many companies would offer night time roles for those suffering the condition and even late night shopping in low light environments. But the following year, a new symptom emerged. An intense vertigo started to afflict those suffering from Lumivue, followed by intense repeating migraines. Strangely, most migraines had corresponding symptoms linked to Alice in Wonderland disorder, though all felt that they were getting smaller. No matter where in the world, it seemed that everyone suffering from the condition felt these new symptoms within the same week. 20% of the Earths Population was now believed to have the condition, and the damaged governmental bodies poured resources together to combat the condition. A planetary union was created at this time, as man world leaders sufferred from the condition. It was called the UEE - United Earth Effort. Many countries did not partake however, most notably America who had started to divide into a civil war following the president's sickness. In only a month, likely with more funding and focus being putting on targeting the disease, the UEE estimated that 30% of the population was suffering and that it was spreading. Over a 3 month period it was believed 6 million people were contracting the disease every day. The UEE having become more established, partnered with a private benefactor to create an artificial island in the British Channel which would be designed to house the UEE members. This was the start of a big development with multiple artificial islands across the globe to house investors and potentially be a safe haven from this spreading condition. Over the following 2 years the condition continued its spread, but was believed to have slowed down. Around 46% of the population had the condition, but many of the symptoms had since been reduced through existing medication. A breakthrough had been made as a new eyedrop came out called Solus which reduced dilation and would ease the migraines. However, it was privately owned and while the UEE tried to buy the rights, Aeson Co. asked for too great a cost. Whole the rich could easily return to a level of normality, an even greater poverty line was drawn as many could not afford the eyedrops. Unfortunately, no one was prepared for what would happen next. As 2022 came to a close, across the world New years parties were raving on, fireworks illuminating the night sky. 01:00 am GMT A minor anomaly was detected spreading across the planet, a gravitational ripple as if two black holes had collided in deep space ran through the world. 01:17 am GMT All individuals with the Lumivue experience intense and agonizing migraines and a feeling of vertigo. Most are considered incapacitated. 01:18 am GMT A passenger plane flying over mainland China suddenly drops out of the sky as the pilots - victims of the condition had become incapacitated, all passengers and many people in the city below are believed to have died on impact. 01:20 am GMT Emergency services become overwhelmed by emergency calls, with a large number of their staff being unable to work many people attempt to volunteer. 01:25 am GMT Despite many who suffer from Lumivue not having jobs, a large number of casualties occur following crashes and accidents in public transport, healthcare, construction. UEE emergency response estimates 8 million dead globally. 01:45 am GMT America's shaky civil war erupts as riots start to spread across the world as civil unrest reaches its breaking point. 01:50 am GMT Hoax calls are found across multiple emergency services of loved ones with the condition disappearing. UEE plans to speak to the public as they enact an emergency procedure. 02:00 am GMT More cases of disappearances are reported, with social media showing piles of clothes as if the individual had been raptured. #Rapture starts to trend globally. UEE estimates a global death toll of 15 million. 02:15 am GMT UEE's live speech to the world has the first recorded disappearance as the UEE representative for Australia suddenly vanishes into a pile of clothes. The feed is cut following this. 02:20 am GMT Social media starts to trend with #THEYSHRUNK as people are found to have not vanished but instead shrunk to around 2 inches in their clothes. Similarly the trend #Shrinkingdisease had also gained traction as a trend linked Lumivue and the victims of the shrinking. 02:30 am GMT A video is leaked showing the UEE Australian representative being carried out of the conference hall. At the same time, a streamer showed their following the street outside their house, showing piles of clothes all over. Very faintly a crack can be heard as the streamer steps near a pile. 02:40 am GMT Multiple media sites hurriedly take down videos of people harming and killing the victims of the shrinking. Death toll is believed to be 25 million excluding these killings. By 03:00 am GMT all individuals who were afflicted with Lumivue had shrunk impossibly so, their eyes reflecting back with wide pupils. All were unconscious at first, and many were killed by accident, unknowingly. In the following day, most world governments had dissolved as now 48% of the population had suddenly shrunk. Major systems fell apart The UEE enacted a full take over, establishing itself as the one ruling power built out of the remaining bodies of government. Most representatives were not allowed to have the condition, and as a result they were the least effected by the shift. Many accused the UEE of causing this event, believing foul play was involved but it was never released. On the 4th of January, the shrunken people started to wake to their horrifying new surroundings. They were no longer people, they could not work or help. They were either trapped in their homes alone, or at the mercy of the kindness of loved ones - colleague and strangers. For them, this would be the rest of their lives. In the following months, the UEE created guidance for those caring for the sick. The people were given the name Lumi's after the original name of the now simply named Shrinking Sickness. It was found the adjustments to sight and skin made those who had shrunk able to adapt to the new intense world they lived in. The various artificial islands around the world set up for the UEE became prosperous cities, and efforts were made to collect the uncared for Lumi's and provide sensible care and hopefully a cure. The world slowly started to adapt under the authoritarian rule of the UEE, forcefully molded into a society again as resources were pooled. With half the world now unable to work, it lead to famines and power outages. By 2026 the artificial islands had expanded into more sub islands becoming the focal point of the Earth's population. Continents were being supported through supply chains but a notable poverty afflicted those not in the UEE cities - known as Haven's, with Haven 01 being situated in the English channel. Lumi's became standard, everyday parts of life. People would even date and live together, though they often stayed in their own societies. They could even find work as the world adapted. Micronorm Corp, a subsidiary company of Aenos Co. had been developing "Micro Tech", which included Lumi sized, but simple phones and computers so that they could have a sense of normality. The Shrinking Sickness could still spread however, and the symptoms worked much quicker, with pupils dilating being only 7 days before shrinking. Aenos Co. developed an eyedrop modification of their original formula which could stop the shrinking effect but only so long as you were taking it, and once more it was not cheap. And this is where Ripley comes in, a survivor of the Great Shrink. She was already living in Haven 01 as a researcher for Aenos Co, though has now become a core member of Micronorm's product development line as a researcher working on Micro Tech. It pays well and was a comfy job, but little did she know just how much she would influence the future of this now changed and damaged world.