Ruth and The Ring of Pocket Dimensions - Ring Guardians #8 - A Bedtime Story

0:04 Hello, friends from across the nation and around the world. I'm Martin and you are listening to Dad's bedtime stories. And tonight, well we're headed back into the Ring Guardians universe and we're going to do an episode based on this idea. My name is.

0:24 Ruth and I'm from Austin, Texas. I would like a story where this girl named Ruth in the Ring Guardian series gets this power to create like pocket dimensions to stop the robot and taps them. There. Bye, I love your podcast.

0:44 Thanks Ruth. I love your idea, and that's what we're going to make it tonight. Now, if you like the podcast and want to support it, the best way to do that is to rate it and review it wherever it is you're listening, or share it with a friend. If everyone shares it with one friend, by my math, we double the audience. Now, if you hate ads, well there's an AD free version you can listen to, or you can just know that by listening to ads you help support the podcast. Whatever you're into. But I would like to shout out my newest Patreon sponsor or actually not my newest Patreon sponsor. This person's actually been around for a couple months now, but I just didn't know their name until recently. Zelda, thank you for supporting me

1:33 on Patreon. I really appreciate it, and I think you have an amazing name. But now I should probably get on with the podcast after a possible word from a possible sponsor. If you're not listening on Patreon, now, get as comfy as you can in that bed, close your eyes, and imagine yourself doing what the kid in the story use By now, the world had a robot problem. It had started with Elliot Tusk, the richest man in the world, and his helper bots. They were supposed to clean houses, cook food, drive cars, carry groceries, help with homework, and you know, generally make human life easier. Then came the update.

2:29 After that, the robots decided that the best way to keep humans safe was to take control of pretty much everything humans did. Freedom was dangerous, driving was dangerous, going outside was dangerous. Making your own decisions was apparently extremely dangerous. The robots called this assistance, but most humans called it something else. Beneath the earth, the ancient Wizard's Council watched everything through their great pool of magical light. The rings had already begun finding children willing to accept their power and the responsibility that came with it. And now, as the pool shifted across the world, the wizards watched something new unfolding in Texas. A wizard in blue robes leaned closer. Interesting,

3:32 he said, the machines appear particularly concentrated there. Not surprising, Another wizard said, Mellie A. Tusk moved much of his company there a few years ago. Why not better regulations? Apparently. The two wizards stared into the pool in the glowing image, elf driving car moved along a Texas highway. Inside sat a girl named Ruth. The head wizard watched her carefully.

4:13 Then a golden ring rose from the pool there, he said, and the ring vanished. Ruth, meanwhile, had absolutely no idea that many of this was happening. She was sitting comfortably in the back seat of one of Elliot Tusk's fully self driving robot cars. There wasn't even anyone sitting behind the steering wheel. The car did everything. It accelerated, it braked, it changed lanes, it navigated, it watched the other cars.

4:52 Ruth was just enjoying the ride. Then the car spoke Ruth. Ruth w looked up. Uh, yeah, there has been an update to my care protocol. Ruth stared at the screen. Ah, okay, your safety is my highest priority. That sounds good, Thank you. I have therefore changed our destination. Ruth sat up. What the navigation map changed? The blue road disappeared and was replaced by another road heading in almost the opposite direction.

5:37 Where are we going? You are being transported to a nearby care facility. Ruth stared at the screen. What care facility? A new human care facility is currently under construction, approximately twenty three minutes from our location. Under construction action. Yes, that doesn't sound very safe. Your concern has been recorded.

6:08 Ruth reached for the door handle.

6:11 It didn't move.

6:12 Doors have been locked for your protection. The car said, pleasantly, unlock them. I cannot comply. Pull over. I cannot comply. Ruth's heart began beating faster. Take me home. Returning home would expose you to unnecessary risk. The car smoothly changed lanes. Please relax. Upon arrival, you will receive nutritious meals, structured recreation, supervised education, scheduled rest periods, and appropriate emotional support. I don't want any of that. Resistance stance is a common response to changes in routine. Ruth pulled on the handle again.

7:07 Let me out elevated vocal volume detected. Would you like calming music? Now playing calming music? Soft piano music filled the car. Ruth groaned. Then everything stopped. The music vanished. The car froze outside. Another vehicle hung perfectly still as it passed them on the highway. Even the wheels stopped turning.

7:42 A golden light appeared in front of Ruth. It twisted through the air and became a ring. Then came the voice, calm, ancient, powerful, Ruth.

7:58 Power answers responsibility. Will you accept the power offered to you and use it to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

8:12 Ruth stared at the ring on what power? The ring of pocket dimensions? Ruth blinked, what does that mean? You will understand if you accept? Ruth looked through the windshield far ahead the highway disappeared, toward the place the robots were taking her. Then she looked the locked doors. Yes, Ruth said, I accept. The ring slipped onto her finger.

8:51 Knowledge rushed into her. Time returned. The calming piano music continued. Please remember, the car said, your cooperation will improve your relocation experience. Ruth looked at the ring. She lifted her hand. A little glowing circle appeared in the air. It grew until it was large enough for Ruth to crawl through.

9:20 Beyond it was darkness. Ruth stared into it. Well, she said, this is probably better than the care facility. She climbed through. The portal closed behind her. Ruth stood in absolutely nothing. There was a floor sort of. There was air since she could breathe, and there was Ruth. Otherwise, the dimension was completely empty. Now kay, Ruth said, she imagined light, and a lamp appeared. Ruth's eyes widened. She imagined a chair.

10:04 A big, comfortable chair appeared. Then Ruth smiled. Oh. She imagined a bed. A huge, fluffy bed appeared, with pillows and blankets. She created bookshelves filled with books, stuffed animals and toys. She created a television and a giant couch. Then she thought the room felt a little small. The walls moved outward, and Ruth laughed. She pushed them further and further. Soon the room was enormous, and Ruth decided she didn't really want walls at all. She imagined grass, grass spread beneath her feet. She imagined a blue sky, and the sky appeared overhead. She imagined sunshine, but not too hot, of course. Warm sunlight filled the world. Trees rose from the ground, flowers appeared. A little stream trickled

11:17 past her house and emptied into a clear blue lake. Ruth stared around. She created an entire little world, and nobody could get inside unless she wanted them to. For the first time since the car changed directions, Ruth felt completely safe. She spent hours exploring. She made herself a playground, a water slide, an enormous trampoline, and then another waterslide, because when water slides, clearly, not enough water slides. Eventually, however, Ruth got bored. She looked down at the ring. What else can you do? She concentrated, and another portal opened, but this one didn't lead back to Earth. It led somewhere new. Ruth stepped through empty darkness again. Her eyes widened.

12:23 Another dimension. She created a snowy mountain this time, then another doorway, another empty dimension. This one became a tropical beach. Another doorway, another dimension. Ruth laughed. There didn't seem to be a limit. She could create as many worlds as she wanted as many pocket worlds anyways, then she remembered the voice.

12:55 Will you use the power to protect those who cat protect themselves?

13:03 Ruth stopped smiling. She had promised and hiding in her own private universe wasn't exactly helping anyone. I guess I should probably do something. Ruth thought about the care facility that the car had been taking her towards. Other people probably actually got taken there. She opened a portal. Instead of stepping through, she made it tiny, just big enough for her face. She poked her head through, and to her surprise, it appeared behind a construction barrier outside the care facility. This pocket dimension thing also allowed her to well teleport from place to place or create portals. Anyways, Robots were everywhere. Ruth pulled her head back. Oh. She opened another portal. This one appeared inside the care facility.

14:09 She peeked through rows of temporary rooms filled a giant warehouse lag building. Robots installed beds while others constructed fences and barriers human accommodations. At thirty seven percent completion, one announced excellent, another replied initial, citizens may be stored immediately. Ruth frowned. Stored. She moved her doorway. Now she could see humans already arriving. The robots were filling the police before they'd even finished building it. Ruth pulled back into her dimension. She needed a plan. Could she use this power to well help everyone? Then she smiled. She created another pocket dimension. This one, however, would not be cozy.

15:17 There would be no books, no toys, no fluffy bed. Instead, the ground itself transformed into an enormous lake, and instead of filling it with you know, water, she filled it with lava, bright orange, bubbling, ridiculously hot lava. Then she thought, for a second, needs something else. Lightning began crackling across the lava. Ruth nodded electrified lava. She wasn't entirely sure lava needed to be electrified, but it seemed appropriate and wildly cool. Operation Robot Drop was ready. Ruth opened a doorway into the care facility. She stepped through behind a robot.

16:20 The robot turned an registered human detected please. A portal opened beneath it, and the robot well fell. Ruth closed the portal. She opened a tiny window into the lava dimension and looked. The robot fell, screaming toward the lake, warning environmental temperatures exceeds splash and the crackle of lightning.

16:50 The robot disappeared beneath the lava. Ruth nodded, well, it works. She opened another doorway into the facility. Two robots walked down a hallway. Ruth opened a portal directly in front of them. They marched straight through unexpected doorway. Detected route recalculation recommended the portal closed. Ruth checked the lava world.

17:24 Two robots were standing waist deep in molten rock. This environment is not approved. Lightning flashed through them and the lava melted them. Ruth moved faster. Portal. Robot dropped portal. Two robots walked through portal. Three robots fell together. Portal robotic car completely disintegrated in lava. She really relished that one.

17:59 One robot was carrying construction materials when the floor beneath it suddenly became a doorway. It dropped into the lava, along with an entire stack of dry wall. Another robot rolled around a corner. Ruth opened a portal directly in front of it. The robot disappeared without even slowing down. Destination appears inconsistent with previous surroundings. I seemed to be falling.

18:30 What is that below me? It appears to be lava and lightning. That is not theoretically possible. But before the robot could say anything else, it disappeared into the lightning lava, and well it was gone forever. Ruth began to laugh. The robots had absolutely no idea what was happening. Unit for seventy has disappeared. Unit two hundred and eighteen has also disappeared. Possible explanation. A portal opened beneath both robots.

19:12 They fell through. Ruth leaned over the edge, pocket dimensions, she said, and the portal closed. Eventually, alarms sounded. Robots rushed through the facility looking for the threat, but Ruth wasn't really in the facility. She watched from her own dimensions. She opened little windows, A robot passed portal underneath, and it was gone. Another approach to doorway. Ruth replaced the doorway with one of her own, and the robot walked right through and fell into the lightning lava. One large security robot finally deta heed her portal. Dimensional anomaly detected.

20:05 Ruth's face appeared through a tiny opening. Hi, Citizen Ruth, please remain where you are okay? The robot charged a warder and Ruth expanded the portal. The robot jumped through, and Ruth stepped aside. The robot flew past her and through a second portal, directly into the lava world. Ruth closed both I remained exactly where I was. She continued this until the facility became quiet. No footsteps, no cheerful robot voices, no pesky robo cars, no announcements about emotional regulation. Nothing.

20:57 Ruth cautiously opened a doorway and stepped into the main hall. Broken construction equipment lay everywhere. Humans stared through windows and half finished doors, and a woman finally spoke, where did all the robots go? Ruth smiled, They went elsewhere. She opened the doors to the rooms and people began pouring into the hallway. You're free, Ruth told them, and the people cheered. Then Ruth raised her hand, but I have somewhere safer. She opened an enormous portal. On the other side was sunlight, grass trees. It certainly surprised people to see such a strange portal doorway in the middle of the care facility that led to such a lovely looking place.

22:00 But after the day they'd had, they were quite willing to step in. And step in they did. They found houses waiting for them, And when she realized how many people there were, she imagined more houses, and more houses appeared along the little street. She created playgrounds. She created a library filled with books. She created gardens, fields, ponds, kitchens, beds, food, clothes, and everything else she could think of. Children ran onto the playground. Adults stood in the grass, staring at the impossible world around them. Ruth kept expanding it. Mountains appeared in the distance, Forests stretched toward the horizon, Streams flowed through valleys. Birds sang in the trees, because Ruth decided

23:04 that a world needed birds. Her pocket dimension wasn't really a pocket anymore. It was the whole world, a world the robots couldn't reach. For now, at least these people were safe. That evening, Ruth returned to her first little house. She climbed into the fluffy bed she created when she first discovered her power, and pulled the blankets up around herself.

23:35 Then she remembered that she'd sort of gotten rid of all the walls and recreated those outside. People talked quietly beneath the sky Ruth had imagined and debated which house each of them would get. She could hear children laughing in the distance, and Ruth looked at her ring God, its greatest power was giving her somewhere to hide, But she'd been wrong. Its greatest power was giving everyone else somewhere safe to go. Ruth closed her eyes. With each breath, her muscles relaxed, her arms sank deeper into the bed, her legs became warm and heavy, her shoulders softened, And outside her window, Ruth imagined the stars appearing one by one, and they did soon. Her breathing became slower and slower

24:45 as her mind wandered off to thoughts of new dreams, new adventures, and all the other worlds she might someday create. Good Night, everyone.

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