rational
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"The War Machines (Part I)" -- Season 1, Episode 1 by robinheliotrope
Fandoms: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who (1963), Terminator - All Media Types, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Terminator (Movies), The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
03 Sep 2015
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Summary
An alternate universe series. There is only one implacable killing machine in all realities stronger than Skynet...and it's on Sarah Connor's side. Begins in situ during the Sarah Connor Chronicles pilot, all timelines diverge accordingly. Also, the Doctor cusses. Canon divergence not tagged, because if you had to ask...
Enjoy. I'll post the next two episodes when I'm not tired. Working on more. Thanks for reading!
-- Jon Page
Series
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 6,370
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Kudos:
- 4
- Hits:
- 764
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r!Animorphs: The Reckoning by WhatWouldEnderDo
Fandoms: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
02 Jul 2021
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Summary
"You know who does have brains, though?” Marco continued. “The Yeerks. Maybe a thousand of them already. A thousand human brains, a thousand slaves, except those slaves can’t even THINK without their masters knowing about it. There is nothing standing in their way except us—did you get that? This isn’t some movie, where humanity’s going to rise up and pull some bullshit trick out of its ass. The Yeerks are WINNING. Did you not see Elfangor get eaten? Do you not understand the stakes? He was coming to destroy the planet because he thought that might be the only way to stop them."
Also posting on RoyalRoad.com as of August 2025
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Jojo's Rational Adventure: Cold Summer by SnowSage4444
Fandoms: ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
18 Mar 2017
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Summary
After his wife died in a carriage crash, George Joestar remarried himself to a bright young author hiding her works under a pen name, and their son grew up with a taste for literature and the strength of mind necessary for a Stand. Then came his research on the Stone Mask, and a world of intriguing new possibilities to exploit. Inspired by HPMOR. Rational!Fic with a Rational!Jonathan.
Series
- Part 1 of Jojo's Rational Adventure
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In 1944, an American deserter named Red falls for a powerful vampire named William - and the feelings seem to be mutual.
However, Red soon finds that vampires have a complex society with inscrutable rules that must be followed - or else.
Will they be able to make it work, with their relationship at the fringes of both vampire and human society? Or will Red be caught up in the wrong part of William's many rivalries?
PRAISE FOR THIS STORY:
"It’s not Animorphs the Reckoning but dangit sometimes I just want Visser Three and Marco to sit and drink coffee for ten pages and maybe kiss" - Callmesalticidae"Normally I go [to r/rational] for munchkinry and fun, but this was good and gripping, and I read the entire story to date in one sitting." - anonymous
"You know what you do well? Presenting strange information to our blank slate stand-in and have him actually ask questions about how things work. He's asking questions I actually want to know" - /u/leakycauldron
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A "rational" Dragon Ball fanfiction. When Goku was a child, falling and hitting his head erased his memory and completely changed his life. What would have happened if instead of making him forget, that incident had made him much smarter than he was? Meet a new Goku - who's much more clever, has a taste for philosophy, and a bit of a dark side...
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Having defeated Aizen, Ichigo finds himself confronting a far more insidious opponent - a philosophical dilemma.
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A young woman gains the power to reshape her environment and has to learn to survive as a hero in Seattle.
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Paragon is a story about Juliette. She wants nothing to do with the Passions that the rest of the world is clamoring over. Though they give power, they also change people. She must decide between joining the system or becoming the first to live without a Passion.
___Paragon is a high fantasy story that explores powers, magic, classes, and all of the excitement that goes along.
___Paragon will update twice monthly, on the 1st and 15th of each month. This might become more frequent if readership grows. Official website can be found here: http://storyofparagon.com/. Official Subreddit for discussion can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/StoryOfParagon/
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As a child Redmun Briandry had an ancient evil forced into his heart, something far worse than the monsters that roam the desolate land his people have been stranded in. Now a young man, it has whispered in his ear ever since, promising that it only wants to help, despite the pain and suffering it has caused.
At the behest of his abusive mother, he has been sent to track down his father's corpse and put an end to the legendary rampage the thing within it has unleashed. Yet the closer he gets, and the more he understands, the more terrified Redmun becomes that the Whispering Light inside of him is getting exactly what it wants.Mild Trigger Warning: Emotional Abuse
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The World of Pokémon: A Compilation of Essays, Reports, and Individual Accounts by VivatMusa
Fandoms: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
28 Feb 2023
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Summary
Welcome to the world of Pokémon! Researchers, trainers, tradesmen, nurses, and anyone else who is a Pokémon fanatic have teamed up to present to you the most comprehensive guide of Pokémon yet! From everyday advice columns on how to befriend your new companions to scientific papers investigating the genetic mystery of Pokémon variations, we have it all here!
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What if playing a children’s card game was like a fight in a Shounen anime? What if it took actual effort to play stronger cards, and duelists risked their lives just to summon their boss monsters? Nick has his advantages, as a duelist from our world suddenly transported to Yugioh GX. But if he wants to survive Duel Academy, he’ll need to step up his game. Character tags will be added as characters appear. OC/SI
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Where the Sun Doesn't Shine by SnowDog
Fandoms: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate, Animorphs (TV)
10 Nov 2020
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Summary
The Animorphs did it. They won the war, rescued Tom, and rode off into the sunset. But Jake only cares about one thing, and something's wrong with Tom. He's borderline comatose - listless, unresponsive - and no one can figure out why, or how to cure him. But Jake didn't fight this hard and for this long only to lose his brother - so he comes up with a terrifying, desperate, last-ditch plan. Will it be enough?
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The Presence of Will in Spite of It by Kashmira Qeel (EverythingNarrative)
Fandoms: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
26 Sep 2020
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Summary
Adora defects from the horde.
Catra leverages her connections.
A diplomatic truce is broken.
A daring rescue is undertaken.
Bravery is not the absence of fear, but—
Series
- Part 1 of World War Etheria, 1st Edition
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Out of Love and Desperation by Kashmira Qeel (EverythingNarrative)
Fandoms: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
08 Oct 2020
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Summary
Adora masters the starlight.
Catra gains the favor of Hordak.
The war begins in earnest.
It's going to be a near thing.
We do not hurt those we hold dear out of malice, but—
Series
- Part 2 of World War Etheria, 1st Edition
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The Humility to Ask for Help by Kashmira Qeel (EverythingNarrative)
Fandoms: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
11 Nov 2020
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Summary
Adora searches for Mara's legacy.
Catra searches for the key to victory.
They clash in the north.
They clash in the desert.
True strength is not unyielding fortitude, but —
Series
- Part 3 of World War Etheria, 1st Edition
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Who Cares When You are Gone by Kashmira Qeel (EverythingNarrative)
Fandoms: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
10 Dec 2020
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Summary
Adora tries to prevent calamity.
Catra causes it unwittingly.
In the aftermath, the war turns ugly.
And then it gets worse.
Home is not where you live, but —
Series
- Part 4 of World War Etheria, 1st Edition
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Kindness is a Choice by Kashmira Qeel (EverythingNarrative)
Fandoms: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
09 Jan 2021
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Summary
The world prison lies broken.
Armies of light descend from above.
Rebels conspire in the dark.
The cat returns.
Life is seldom gentle, but—
Series
- Part 5 of World War Etheria, 1st Edition
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We Can Do Good and That Must Be Enough by Kashmira Qeel (EverythingNarrative)
Fandoms: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
12 Mar 2021
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Summary
The Horde descends from a broken sky.
The resistance rises from the artificial underworld.
All worlds hang in the balance.
Two girls carry the fate of the universe.
The labors of reparation will never undo tragedy, but—
Series
- Part 6 of World War Etheria, 1st Edition
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a very special episode by Anonymous
Fandoms: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality - Eliezer Yudkowsky
15 Feb 2021
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Summary
Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres studied the petal lying on his palm. It wasn’t anything special: small, pinkish and split at one of the ends—almost certainly a part of cherry blossom. It wasn’t anything special, except it came out of Harry’s mouth.
After an especially intense glare, the petal dissipated in red sparks, and in a split second, Harry’s hand was empty.
He slowly blinked.
Then he immediately shoved his left hand into a pocket of his pants, took out a small, smooth pebble and pointed a wand on it. In one motion, the pebble was transformed into a petal of a Prunus serrulata flower, which Harry granted another intense glare. This time, the petal kept its form and just generally continued existing under the scrutiny.
“Alright,” Harry said to the empty room. “So at least I wasn’t suddenly granted the ability to annihilate sakura by simply looking at it.”
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Meditations on Philosophy, or how to be magic Socrates by Micheal
Fandoms: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
01 Apr 2023
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Summary
Homura, Sayaka, and Mami debate the finer points of the philosophical implications of their status as magical girls. a.k.a. superpowered, emotionally dependent, lichs micro-managed by an intergalactic civilization. PMMM with a rational Homura, hopefully.
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r!Animorphs: The Reckoning by WhatWouldEnderDo
Fandoms: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
02 Jul 2021
Tags
Summary
"You know who does have brains, though?” Marco continued. “The Yeerks. Maybe a thousand of them already. A thousand human brains, a thousand slaves, except those slaves can’t even THINK without their masters knowing about it. There is nothing standing in their way except us—did you get that? This isn’t some movie, where humanity’s going to rise up and pull some bullshit trick out of its ass. The Yeerks are WINNING. Did you not see Elfangor get eaten? Do you not understand the stakes? He was coming to destroy the planet because he thought that might be the only way to stop them."
Also posting on RoyalRoad.com as of August 2025
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Mystery Work
Part of Stubbed Works
Summary
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!
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Life is Sensitive to Initial Conditions by Thainen
Fandoms: Life is Strange (Video Game)
30 Oct 2015
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Summary
Life is Strange rational fic. What if Max and Chloe actually understood the Chaos theory? As the girls finally get a chance to think the last days' events over, they uncover some overlooked truths and give their story a new ending.
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Life is Sensitive to Initial Conditions by Thainen
Fandoms: Life is Strange (Video Game)
30 Oct 2015
Tags
Summary
Life is Strange rational fic. What if Max and Chloe actually understood the Chaos theory? As the girls finally get a chance to think the last days' events over, they uncover some overlooked truths and give their story a new ending.
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Mystery Work
Part of Stubbed Works
Summary
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!
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Tags
Summary
Some scenes from an alternate version of Disney's Aladdin.
What if people were good at wishing? The Genie's rules have holes you could drive a herd of camels through, but they don't have to. Aladdin and Jafar's wishes are shallow and limited, and lack the foresight that really effective wishing entails, but wouldn't a battle between effective wishers be much more interesting? And while we're at it, why does Jasmine have so little agency and basically act as a prize to be won in a battle between two men when literally the entire point of her narrative is that she's not that?
Not exactly a complete fanfic, but enough of one that if you've seen the movie you can probably fill in the gaps yourself.
Contains normative advice on the use and binding of Genies.
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Summary
Everybody has an anchor to hold on to. Something that keeps them within their limits. Someone that keeps them human.
Taylor Hebert's is gone.
Series
- Part 1 of Memorials
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Mystery Work
Part of Stubbed Works
Summary
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!
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Mystery Work
Part of Stubbed Works
Summary
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!
Bookmarked by LinkRue
21 Jan 2019
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Ch.205 last read chapter
Honestly, a mix between a rational story and a psychological story. Put upon a backdrop of Dystopian Fantasy, with the added flavor of A game system on top of it.
Has ups and downs as any story but never gets boring.
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The Metropolitan Man by Alexander Wales (cthulhuraejepsen)
Fandoms: Superman - All Media Types
09 Jan 2019
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Summary
The year is 1934, and Superman has arrived in Metropolis. Features Lex Luthor as the villain protagonist as he comes to grips with the arrival of an alien god. Occasional point-of-view chapters/sections featuring Lois Lane. Takes place outside any established comics continuity. Originally posted to ff.net back in 2014. Complete.
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Mystery Work
Part of Stubbed Works
Summary
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!
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Tags
Summary
Magic is real. Angela Ziegler has a messiah complex. Angela Ziegler is one of the most powerful people in the entire world. Her friend the talking moon gorilla is very worried about her. Let's, uh... let's see where that goes!
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Summary
A young mage steals a fallen star, who asks him for a favor. He decides to oblige, because the task is impossible.
Bookmarked by Featherfall
07 Apr 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Not an asterisk and obelisk fic.
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r!Animorphs: The Reckoning by WhatWouldEnderDo
Fandoms: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
02 Jul 2021
Tags
Summary
"You know who does have brains, though?” Marco continued. “The Yeerks. Maybe a thousand of them already. A thousand human brains, a thousand slaves, except those slaves can’t even THINK without their masters knowing about it. There is nothing standing in their way except us—did you get that? This isn’t some movie, where humanity’s going to rise up and pull some bullshit trick out of its ass. The Yeerks are WINNING. Did you not see Elfangor get eaten? Do you not understand the stakes? He was coming to destroy the planet because he thought that might be the only way to stop them."
Also posting on RoyalRoad.com as of August 2025
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 655,931
- Chapters:
- 82/82
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 567
- Kudos:
- 945
- Bookmarks:
- 179
- Hits:
- 79,059
Bookmarked by NTaya
22 Jan 2021
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
This is such an incredibly good story with such incredibly well-written characters. Hard rec.
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Tags
Summary
Some scenes from an alternate version of Disney's Aladdin.
What if people were good at wishing? The Genie's rules have holes you could drive a herd of camels through, but they don't have to. Aladdin and Jafar's wishes are shallow and limited, and lack the foresight that really effective wishing entails, but wouldn't a battle between effective wishers be much more interesting? And while we're at it, why does Jasmine have so little agency and basically act as a prize to be won in a battle between two men when literally the entire point of her narrative is that she's not that?
Not exactly a complete fanfic, but enough of one that if you've seen the movie you can probably fill in the gaps yourself.
Contains normative advice on the use and binding of Genies.
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Tags
Summary
Post-canon HPMOR flash fic. Tracey doses Harry with a love potion, but this has unexpected effects on a follower of timeless decision theory.
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A Common Sense Guide to Doing the Most Good by cthulhuraejepsen
Fandoms: Superman - All Media Types
30 Mar 2021
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Summary
A short piece on Clark Kent, effective altruist. This is either incomplete or complete but open-ended, and either way, I don't intend to add more to it, though I'm sure I could if I had a gun pressed to my head. This has been sitting in my drafts folder for a long time, and after reading it over a few times, I haven't found any sufficiently satisfactory conclusion to it, in part because the central question appears to me to be unsolvable. Apologies for any misrepresentation of effective altruism, Superman canon, basic science, or economics.
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Summary
An online message board devoted to a cult fantasy author wrestles with his baffling final book.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 51,788
- Chapters:
- 27/27
- Comments:
- 779
- Kudos:
- 3,181
- Bookmarks:
- 1,304
- Hits:
- 190,723
Bookmarked by NTaya
08 May 2021
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
It's very definitely not rational despite me tagging it at that, but boy does it feel like a crossover between r/rational and House of Leaves.
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Summary
Chaos: when the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future. One gene varies, one neuron fires, one butterfly flaps its wings, and Draco Malfoy's life is completely different. Draco has always found a certain comfort in chaos. Perhaps he shouldn't.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 102,712
- Chapters:
- 78/78
- Collections:
- 19
- Comments:
- 1,779
- Kudos:
- 10,876
- Bookmarks:
- 3,739
- Hits:
- 263,135
Bookmarked by disaffectedfae
27 Nov 2021
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Draco, but more science
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Summary
The world was not what it seemed. Too bad his only superpower was common sense and the world already thought he was a (very minor) supervillain.
Season One of The Calculator series.
Series
- Part 1 of The Calculator - All Seasons
Bookmarked by NTaya
25 Apr 2022
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Stopped at Ch. 8, but it's really good.