ruga-subculture
A group of individuals who, through new mathematical insights into space-time, experience altered perception and emotional expression, leading to chronic derealization and dimensional dysphoria.
1 chapter across 1 book
The City of Folding Faces (2018)Jayinee Basu
Mara undergoes an invasive and painful GUA Lab test to map the unique facial expressions and neurotransmitter activity of the Ruga, a subculture altered by new mathematical insights into space-time that affect perception and emotional expression. The chapter explores Mara's fragmented identity and emotional turmoil, illustrated through metaphors and her experiences in the surreal Casino environment where identities are digitized and transformed. Her fragile trust and memory fragmentation culminate in a mysterious package at home, signaling an impending shift.