Void Apple

A void apple, also known as a black apple, is a rare fruit created in the Matrioshka Multiverse through the careful application of The Word.
Void apples are large, sweet, and juicy. The exterior skin of a void apple looks lustrous black or very dark purple from a distance, but closer inspection reveals a starscape that appears to swirl 'within' the fruit, as though it were an apple-shaped window into deep space. In fact, this starscape is a live, visible light spectrum feed from the exterior sensoriate of the matrioshka brain itself, with the viewer's perspective determining the appearance independent of any mapping to the apple's surface. Destroying the apple, such as through mashing or juicing, breaks this connection, but the starscape as it appeared in the moment leading up to destruction remains visible in the remains (see Significance).

Manufacturing process

Creating a void apple involves the creation of a verse that serves as a wrapper for sub-verses involving the recording and interpretation of real-time data from the megastructure's sensor systems. Much in the way that a construct blank involves the equipping of an otherwise non-sentient program with a sentient blank platform, the creation of a void apple involves the equipping of the aforementioned verse with the form of an object tangible to the senses of blanks - namely, an apple.

Significance

Void apples are commonly served as a celebratory treat for those instance blanks who, through long experience, 'graduate' from their instances to become full citizens of The Substrate. The cosmic skin of the fruit represents the gift of knowledge of the true nature of the cosmos and the freedom to do as one chooses, while the shape of the fruit and delicious sweetness of the flesh are designed to appeal to the aesthetics of a mind that, while greatly advanced, comes down from venerable simian stock.
Though the fruits themselves are rare, void apple syrups and liqueurs are popular mixers for drinks. Such ingredients retain all of the flavor of the original fruit, and concoctions made with the skin retain its cosmic appearance, but the starscape seen within it are 'frozen' by disconnection from the megastructure's exterior sensoriate. Red Nebula is a cocktail made with equal parts void apple liqueur, cranberry juice, and gin shaken and served over ice. Stellar Wind is a non-alcoholic soft drink made with two ounces of void apple syrup, an ounce of a syrup made with cherry blossoms, and 3-5 ounces of club soda to taste. Both drinks are popular at Club Chorus and meetings of the Committee on Instance Design Standards regarding the more physically-accurate instances under their purview.

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

Current Location

Unallocated Space

Rarity

Void apples generally only occur in Unallocated Space, and then only when intentionally placed there. Because of the danger inherent in allowing connections between the artificial reality within the Matrioshka and the physical reality without, the whole fruits are kept rare by the careful management of agents of The Substrate. Byproducts are much more common, as these do not share the same real-time connection to the outside world and, thus, are far less dangerous to play with.