#now in webserial form

[wingedcatastrophe]

The Inathamel Emergency Services Brigade ;; a wip intro

Inathamel is a melting pot of civilization, a city-state sandwiched between three other kingdoms. Malyn has only just finished the training required to join the Brigade and has been assigned to their very first posting. They quickly find that a melting pot of cultures also happens to attract a whole host of emergencies and problems, and everyone is quick to call on the ESB for help. It's a firefighter story in fantasyland because i spend too much time watching shows like 911 okay it'll be wacky and fun and sometimes sad, as the genre goes. The Inathamel Emergency Services Brigade will be posted bi-weekly to a wordpress blog starting sometime in the near future! More updates on that later. For now, keep an eye out for character intros coming in the next few weeks!

Genre: High Fantasy, episodic drama Content Warnings: violence, trauma, medical emergencies, natural disasters, inter-personal drama Wordpress link: coming soon!

Taglist (ask to be added/removed!) @theaistired

[vivlily]

can you please explain who these horses are????

You made a mistake in asking me, but I will try anyway. This will go over some general things and mainly focus on white and cyan, not so much the other horses.

They are characters from a Twitter webseries/game(?) hosted by @/snakesandrews. Where viewers essentially vote on whatever horse they think might win. These horses bounce around randomly off of objects like a screensaver of sorts, and a horse wins once it touches a png of a carrot.

These horses are typically referred to by their color until they win and are thus given a name, for instance, orange, eventually becoming jovial merryment.

How much or how little these horses win as well as what goes on during a race end up leading to a lot of fan made content. And for the most part, any characterization of these horses is largely up to fan interpretation.

For these two horses, white and cyan specifically? White and cyan and brown would go on to not win one match for quite some time, leading to them being put into a race all on their own. Which brown would eventually go on to win and attain the name Door Knob. Leaving white and cyan in their own little race. With a special little map, file this special little map for later.

It is important to note that these races do not usually last much longer than around 2 or 2 and a half minutes. Cyan and White would go on to race for a whole 7 minutes and 9 seconds. This led to a lot of fans depicting them as sort've not wanting to win, usually because of enjoying one another's company or something similar. I'm a yuri minded individual, so you can probably guess how I decided to interpret it.

As you probably realized, since they had a defined time for the race, a winner also exists. This is where White had won, earning the name Superstitional Realism. This led to a lot of fans depicting Cyan as either feeling betrayed or upset by white winning. Some also show Cyan being happy for white.

It here that white, now superstitional realism(I will refer to her as Sup from now on), would join the next days' race and proceed to not win. And in the next day's race, white would be mysteriously missing. It is in this race that Sup is missing that something unusual happens once the race is over.

Cyan has lost every single race, every single one. This race where Sup is missing is followed by a video in which Cyan was racing all alone in an empy room with only herself, eventually obtaining her first win. But did such a win even count? There was no one for Cyan to even race against after all. It was assumed Cyan would get a name for her victory, but the fanfare screen would simply continue listing her name as Cyan.

People expected that Cyan would finally join the next race proper, only for the next race to be a race between what looked to be 7 distorted horses (6 a form of cyan, and 1 white). Despite there being 6 cyans, they still lost to the distorted white horse, whose fanfare screen read "a Mysterious figure." Leading many to think this might be cyan reliving her worst moments, and more specifically, the moment where she get left behind by white.

The latest race as of this post was with the regular set of horses interspliced with the 6 distorted cyans having a race of their own. It's unknown if this "nightmare" world is real or in cyans head. But one of the 6 distorted cyans does win and is rewarded with the name of Garbage Bin. We then cut back to the "normal" world where Sup remains missing and jovial merryment wins the race(go figure).

Now, do you remember that special little map where cyan and white initially raced in? The "normal" world race was taking place on the very same map, just with more color and rounder edges. This leads to me and probably a few others believing that that last race was the other horses looking for cyan.

My assumption for why Sup has been missing for the last few races is because white had already gone back to look for cyan ahead of everyone else.

As for how the story might end? Well, you can find out both today and Friday as the series seems to be having it's last to races.

Will jovial win once more? It's possible. It's annoyingly possible. And will cyan and sup have a happy ending? I SURE HOPE SO. SAVE YOUR GIRL.

Whadya mean I'm getting emotional over screensaver pngs?!?

Apologies if this was long winded, I'm not used to typing this much and suck at using words. BUT you made the mistake of asking me, dear Anon. Always remember there is always yuri for those with eyes to see. Now go consume some fan content, there's a lot of really good writers and artists out there, show them some love.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

how about (webseries + dream bbq? if it's no problem) ena with an s/o who has a child?? like ena discovers they have a child and when they become a thing, they introduce her to their child?? i'd also love to see mother ena <33

Yes oughh. She could be a good mother :(( /ref

Gonna put the hcs under a cut because I think I locked in a little too much haha

.........

Webseries!Ena

Above all things, your kid was your pride and joy.

They were basically a mini version of yourself. Boundless. Full of energy. Ever curious about the world around them.

They just spawned in one day while you stood around pondering what having a child would be like. It was only a fleeting thought, a small wish you kept in the confines of your heart, convinced it would never come to fruition.

But it seems like the Great Runas heard you and was feeling particularly generous.

Now you have someone who looks up to you for guidance and love, and for years it's always been that way. Just you two against the world.

Then Ena walked into your life, and she hasn't left since. She claims to have seen a "mini you" running around recently and thought you had shrunk in size, being disappointed she couldn't catch you.

Only then do you realize she's seen your kid but didn't know...

So after building up a close relationship with her, you figured now would be a good time for a proper introduction. You invite her over to meet them, and you explained to them beforehand about her arrival.

Untimely as ever, she walks in, but before you could say anything, she's rambling excitedly. "Salutations! So you're the little fragment of joy I saw running amok the other day. If not a clone, what's your relation to my beloved partner? Sister? Nephew? No, no, wait..you're their third cousin twice removed!" She grins, crouching down to their eye-level.

"Ena..this is my child."

"...ohh, I see. I see." Something in her tone shifts as her gaze meets yours. It's subtle, but she looks disheartened. "Dare I ask..who's the father? Or mother? Or...alternative parent?" Each question is laced with more dread than the last, her hands fidgeting with the fabric of her geometric skirt.

Of course, you should have known...

"There's nobody else. I promise. It's always been just us." You reassured her, before looking at your kid with a smile. "This is Ena. The one I was talking about earlier. Don't mind her fancy words. She's been good to me."

"Woah..you're Ena??" They seem astonished, at first, but then a skeptical look crosses their face. "My friends say you guys are bad luck, and trouble always comes from you."

Your girlfriend's yellow half still smiles, but inside she could hear her cubic heart crack. Yet she maintains her composure. "Ahaha! Not to worry, little one! I have been your parent's most loving other-half for....3.5 consecutive months! The follies you hear are just that! I'm most confident that we'll get along!"

After that initial meeting, Ena tries spending more time with your kid...although they still seem nervous around her, which she chalks up to them listening to the rumors and utterly despising her presence.

She wants to set a good example, and she's been great at warning them about falling rain rocks, stopping them from taking blood samples/IDs/files from strangers, and making sure Moony (who gets the "fun aunt" designation) isn't being a bad influence.

Yet it never feels like it's enough, stressing as though she's the mother herself, even when you remind her she's not.

That crack in her heart has only gotten bigger. Like a neglected pebble that was lodged into a car's windshield last week.

Her Sad form had one major breakdown when she discovers your kid warmed up to Moony quicker than her, but you reassure her that they will. It'll just take some more time.

"Bu..But what if *hic* we wun out of tiiiiiime??????"

"We won't, Ena. I promise."

One night, while your kid was at a friend's sleepover, you and her went out to a party to celebrate an anniversary. She got Drunk and had to be carried back to your place, where she kept giggling and babbling nonsense about motherhood (yet somewhere in her nonsense, you could hear her sadness, deep longing, and desires for acceptance)--and she promptly passed out.

Your kid came home earlier than expected, saw her Demon side for a framerate or two and got scared, running to hide underneath their bed.

The next morning, you tell her what happened, and you wish you didn't.....because now she's facedown on the couch, sobbing her eyes out. "I give uuuppppp," she wails, hitting her fists against the cushions. "I-I'll be nothing morwe than a..a-a stwanger to them! They can bawely even look at me!!"

You only understand half of what she's saying, but as you try comforting her, your kid suddenly walks in, looking very confused.

"Oh hey, um...." You panic a little, although they see your girlfriend crying and quietly go over to her, their gaze full of worry.

"Mom?"

Immediately she falls silent and looks at them in shock, wiping away her static tears. "Wh-What...did you just call me?"

Even you're astonished.

After months of being referred to as "Miss Ena" and "My Parent's Girlfriend of 3.5 Months"....they finally call her "Mom".

She looks at you, then your kid, then you, and back to them, eyes still wide.

"I-I'm sorry. I was just nervous." They explain, feeling a little guilty for waiting this long. "It's only been us two for a long time. But I know you love my parent, and they love you, too. I want you around more often. So...I-I'm ready to call you "mom", if that's okay."

"Bu...But what about your fwiends?" She sniffles. "Y-You still believe them?"

"Nah, they were actually real jerks. So I left them. That's why I came home early last night."

"What? But..you've known them fowever...and now you're lonely because of me..." She mumbles, feeling sad that she's the reason for yet another ruined friendship. She's ruined a few of your past ones simply by existing...and now your kid's.

But they don't seem bothered by it at all. "I'd rather be lonely than have friends who talk bad about my mom all the time."

Hearing that word makes her cry again, but now her blue side is actually smiling for once. She sits up, allowing you kid to climb onto the furniture and into her lap, embracing her tightly. "Thank you..." She whispers. "Thank you so much."

Never before has she cried happily. It's a new feeling.

But she welcomes it. Just like she's ready to fully welcome your kid into her life.

All the while, you smile too, nearly tearing up yourself.

You couldn't be prouder.

Dream BBQ Ena

It's just another day at the office, where Ena eavesdrops on a conversation between you and Froggy.

"Ughh, fine. You can go home early. But you know...you should bring that duplicate of yours to work sometime! We could always use the extra-!"

"Hell no. My kid's not gonna get wrapped up in all this mess. And that's final."

"Ehh???? You get the final say??? Remind me again who hired you?"

"Um...Ena?"

"....right, erm...okay. You can go on, I guess. But I expect you back here early tomorrow." Froggy grumbles, suddenly getting the suspicion that you two are being watched, and promptly calls out to his coworker. "Oi! Ena!! Stop being a creep and come talk to us!"

Her head peeks around the corner, followed by the rest of her body. "Sorry to intrude on this private board meeting, fellow associates." She pretends she didn't hear anything about your kid--being unaware of their existence until literally right now.

Yet you know that she knows, as it's obviously bugging her when she walks you home (after promising Froggy that this is an escort, not an unmandated break). Salesperson is chatting away about tomorrow's goals and yesterday's deadlines, but you haven't heard a word out of Meanie yet.

She always found it odd that you didn't work the longer hours like she did, as though this job wasn't the core focus of your life. It wasn't in your blood. In your veins. It didn't define you. Consume you--unlike her.

Oftentimes she wonders what kind of life she'd lead if not burdened by her duties.

Today, she discovered the reason why you randomly asked if this job had paternity leave.

It's your kid, who just spawned into this world one day and hasn't left your side. They've grown some, but still they run to greet you after work like always, and you'd pick them up with a smile bigger than the sun.

However, this evening's routine is different because of Ena's presence, as she awkwardly stands in the doorway.

"Who's that?"

"Oh!" You set them down, clearing your throat. "I think it's high time that I introduce you to Ena. We work together, and we are together, if that makes sense."

"Ohhhh...so does this mean she's my mom now?"

The question is innocent, blunt, and unassuming, holding a twinge of excitement and hope, even.

Your kid adores you, but every now and then has wondered what it'd be like to have two parents. They've seen different media about it, and heard about it from friends, too, so you knew this subject would come up eventually.

While you've entertained the idea, you weren't sure about Ena's feelings towards motherhood, considering her job and all.

In embarrassment, you lightly scolded them and turned to apologize to your girlfriend...only to see that she's frozen on the spot, like a TV segment somebody forgot to unpause. Her geometric claws twitch at her side, and her eyes are hidden beneath her hat. It's like some uncomfortable memory had resurfaced...triggered simply by saying the word "mom".

You wonder what's wrong, but her Salesperson side slaps her out of the trance, and she teleports into the middle of your living room space, scooping up your kid. "Ah! I see we have a CEO in the making! Coming soon to a dying business near you! Do you plan to step into my beloved associate's shoes once they retire? Are you investing wisely?" She puts them down, and kneels, grinning from center line-to-ear. "What's your evaluation of my work-life balance, little entrepreneur?"

"....um. Good?"

"Thanks for your feedback."

Least to say, it's not the best introduction...but not the worst, either. You'll try again tomorrow.

When tomorrow comes, you decide to bring your kid to the Hub to meet your coworkers (after they've been practically begging you to), making sure they didn't go down into the casino.

While they play with Kane, you're sitting on the pier, overlooking the bloody ocean. Ena shows up and sits beside you, but her movements are rigid. She's not chipper. She looks uncomfortable, and her Meanie side seems to crave conversation. An explanation.

So you talk.

"Darling..I'm sorry I didn't mention them before." You frowned, your hand resting on hers. "I wanted you two to meet a lot sooner, but-"

"Is there someone else?" Her voice is flat, although you detected a slight tremor in its tone.

Sure, Meanie would yell at people if she even thought they were trying to flirt with you....but this was different. This was insecurity at its core, and it's understandable for her to feel that way. If it was reversed, you'd get insecure too.

"No. It's only been [Child] and I. I'd never do that to you."

"......."

"Look, I know what they called you was a little..awkward. I'm sorry. I already talked to them abou-"

"They're your reason."

"Huh?"

"They're your reason for what you do. Everything you do, you do for them. But...where's mine?" Tiny cracks and vines begin to creep along her body, and her hands tremble. Salesperson doesn't interfere this time. "Wh-What..am I even doing here, [y/n]? I take the stupid jobs I'm given...I clear the smoke....and for what? Myself?! WHAT AM I EVEN FIGHTING FOR ANYMORE?!! A MINIMUM WAGE??? A POINTLESS EXISTENCE???"

"Ena. Hey. Hey."

She suddenly looks at you, static tears falling freely from her eyes. But you bring her into your arms before she could think of drying them. And she buries her head into your chest, clutching at your uniform, desperate for grounding.

Ever since her flashback when you two met the vending machine entity in the Lonely Door...you've been worried sick for her well-being. You didn't wanna see her fall apart like that again. Especially not after the rain rocks consumed her in the white and barren Uncanny Streets, and you thought you've lost her forever.

Your biggest regret would've been that she never got to meet your child...

"If you want...my little entrepreneur could be your reason, too." You suggested, and she looks up at you with wide eyes, as though you've just forgiven her of all sins. "When we get to the Boss, we'll take them down, for their sake. All the work we do along the way? It'll be for them, too. We can both parent them. It might be hard with our job and all, but...we can make it work."

"...you'd...let me to be their mother?" Her voice breaks. "You trust me with such a sacred task? But before you said...you didn't...wh-what if I-?"

"Nothing bad will happen to them, my love. We got our coworkers here to look out for them." You brush away her tears, removing her hat so you could kiss the top of her head. And she cuddles back against you.

Seeing her react this way made you wonder if, maybe in a past life, she was a mother at some point...or perhaps, more tragically, she had a child and lost them during the war, and only Meanie was left to carry the burden.

It's no wonder she was falling apart in your arms at the prospect of helping you raise your kid. She didn't want the same tragedy to befall them.

"Don't think of it as an "assignment" or "task" I'm giving you. Something tells me you really, really wanna be in their life. So...do you?"

Before she could give you an answer, your kid comes over, oblivious at first. "Kane is funny. He wants to invite me to a party! Can I.......Miss Ena?" They look at your girlfriend in worry. "Are you..okay?"

She manages to compose herself and sniffles, before Salesperson takes the reigns again. "I'm..operating at a sufficient level." Her smile is gentle as she sits up, her eyes warm as she looks at them. "After much discussion, I am open to being your co-parental unit. Complete with a lifetime supply of love and protection protocols." She extends her clawed hand to them. "Starting today, you may address me as "mom", "mother"....whatever fits your budget."

Your kid takes her hand, but is quick to turn that handshake into a full embrace. "Sounds cool, mom. "

It felt extremely foreign to Ena, to receive physical contact from an entity besides you that's not violent in nature.

But this one is related to you. Made of your own flesh/blood/code/etc. So in a way...you were the one embracing her. And in that way, it made her feel comfortable enough to wrap her arms around them.

Something about this moment brought her peace, as though GØD finally decided to give her a break.

For once, everything was quiet...

Only for it to be disturbed by Kane's yelp of fear and the sound of a meteor crashing.

But right now, none of you were worried about it.

[qrowscant]

LINK ROT / TRANSMISSION 001 / APRIL 3rd, 2024

Link Rot is a multimedia webserial following those within a research station. Once dedicated to the study and containment of a newly discovered life form, complications arise following its unexpected merge with the station's AI. TRANSMISSION 001 - In which you survive the unthinkable, and the world is worse for it.

General warnings can be found in the 'About' section. Any videos will have flashing warnings if applicable.

additional rambling under the cut

wow!!! it's been (checks archive) almost exactly a year since i originally conceptualized Link Rot, and since then it's grown into a beast of a story i cannot wait to tackle.

currently i'm aiming for updates once every month/month and a half (with occasional vacations to work on bite-sized projects). i'd like to do more, but i have a job and don't want to burn myself out. for now, i will take things slow B) maybe this will change in the future!

i hope you all enjoy reading my story as much as i enjoy creating it. there's a couple of hidden things on the website, so if you find anything fun let me know

and lastly,

take this

[thedexcat]

ENA:DBBQ Speculation Megapost

OBVIOUSLY SPOILERS AHEAD Hyperfixation waxes and wanes over the ocean of interpretive works, and I once again find myself on the shores of a new captivation. Now, I'm not the type to listen to other's interpretations of things before forming my own thoughts. Perhaps this will be retreading old ground, perhaps there will be fresh takes. I just want to commit my thoughts to writing before I slide down the slippery slope of feature-length lore videos and whatnot.

So, where to begin on the subject of ENA: Dream BBQ Chapter 1? I think a good starting point would be...

1: The Title Character Herselves, ENA

Right from the very first trailer, we could all tell: This ENA is different from the one we know from the webseries. Some say that this is a different ENA from before. Others suggest that perhaps something changed her. Maybe it's something in between. For the purposes of this post, I will be referring to this ENA as being her own individual, with no connection to the previous ENA until proven otherwise. The ENA of Dream BBQ will be simply be referred to as ENA. The ENA of the webseries will be referred to as "Ur-ENA"

So, we have a salesperson with a bit of a short temper. But as we experience the world through her eyes, there are some questions that come to mind. The first of which is, "What is her job anyway?" Well, right off the bat, there's some troubling implications. She appears to be after a "Boss", who has gone into hiding, and whom ENA and Froggy refer to as their "Target". The obvious interpretation is that ENA is a contract killer of some sort. But... there is room for doubt.

It was Froggy who first refers to The Boss as a "Work Target", very specifically using English words, that "wacky language" as he calls it. He may have coined this phrase without necessarily knowing the connotations of referring to a person as a "Target". This is brought up by Theodora the Genie, who asks ENA, "Do you even know the ingredients of that word salad?"

But, for reasons we'll get into later, it wouldn't be particularly surprising to anyone if ENA was hired to kill someone. Not after the incident.

CHEESE AND RICE, ENA

As you talk to more and more people in the game, it becomes clear that this ENA is universally despised. Even a lot of the more agreeable characters tend to have some hint of resentment in their words when speaking to her.

This brings us to what appears to be the underlying theme of Dream BBQ: Sin and Forgiveness. ENA has evidentially committed some unspeakable act in the past, some great Sin that has made her known throughout all the worlds. As to the severity of this Sin? We get a hint when ENA first lays eyes on the Bathroom, a place that has been referred to as somewhere where Sins are absolved and Truth is revealed (seriously, two of the stalls have a damn confessional window between them).

"A giant bathroom? Uggh... It's not enough for this many bodies. I hate myself."

This seems to be heavily implying that ENA was apparently responsible for a horrific massacre that occurred in the past. An act beyond any hope of redemption, hammered home by the conversation with Theodora if you actually make it to the Bathroom.

When first speaking to Theodora, she mistakenly forgives ENA's Sins briefly, which immediately mends the gaping wound in her body. Whatever is going on with Human(?) ENA, it seems clear that the wound is representative of guilt rather than a literal physical injury. Ultimately, Theodora offers to fulfill one of ENA's Asperations, and you're presented with the only dialogue options offered in the current version of the game. You're given a list of choices, but you quickly learn that desires are never fulfilled, nor quenched. Any option that would immediately bring ENA peace is doomed to fail for one reason or another.

Like the rest of them... Like the rest of them... A blissful life? No, that aspiration is beyond what ENA is capable of herself, and cannot be granted.

Eternal happiness? No, the natural order of things cannot be changed.

Frank's forgiveness? Refuted outright, in a way that implicitly says "You know perfectly well why you cannot have that." Punishing the Moon? No, the only one that deserves to be punished for being born is ENA herself. All that ENA can aspire to is to perform the task that she has been given. Nothing more. You leave with more questions than you entered with.

Despite all this, ENA carries on with an unwavering faith in G0D and destiny. Several of her interactions bring up matters of faith in a way that seems to... agitate people. Perhaps they see her penitent ways as a means to evade the consequences of her past actions. Perhaps they may even be right. Regardless, ENA seems to find comfort in the idea of an inevitable fate outside of her control.

(And now for the super speculative part that has me going off of 'vibes' more than anything concrete.) As for her Sin, well, my personal interpretation is that the Incident occurred due to ENA being negligent rather than malicious. I could be way off, but the intense weight of her guilt feels like it comes from a 'personal failure', a mindset reflected in her extremely adamant work ethic.

When attending the Purge Event, even though it's for the sake of reaching the Bathroom, she seems completely devastated by the thought that she is on some level slacking off while on the job.

Her limbs get tangled in gnarled branches emerging from her heart. In these moments, she is fighting against herself. Are the branches restraining her from performing her duties, representing her intrusive desire to lose her worries in the vore disco Purge Event? Or are the branches the opposite, her sense of responsibility unnaturally forcing her not to partake in any of the frivolity?

Honestly, it's too soon to tell exactly. Regardless of the specifics, my personal takeaway is that her work ethic probably stems from some disaster that she could have averted if she were more dutiful. Yet she is still at odds with herself, perhaps yearning to live her life in the carefree way that she (probably) used to. Anyway. That's my analysis/interpretation of ENA herself. But I'm not done with this post yet. We've barely touched the subject of...

2- The Genies of the Doors

Beyond each Door lies a land governed by a Genie. In keeping with the 'digital' theming of the series, I've taken to calling each land beyond a Door a "Domain".

Beyond the Lonely Door is the Domain of the recluse Theodora.

Beyond the Crowd Door is Domain of the deviant Pierro.

And lastly, beyond the Horse Door lies the Domain of a fresh corpse.

Therein lies an interesting issue: Genies, while powerful granters of desires, can be killed. Not only that, but one person you can question at the start of the game has this to say: "No Pierro the Genie, no town." This implies that their existence somehow reshapes the world around them, fitting for such powerful entities. So... what does that imply about a Genie getting killed? The game branches twice in the first chapter. The first branching moment is whether to go to the Purge Event or to complete all the sidequests to unlock the Humanboard and ascend to the orb in the sky. These two branches end up leading to the same destination, the nexus outside the Bathroom. Here, the game branches a second time...

If you fail to cross the river (or interact with the puking guy on the other side. fuck that guy he made me do even more runs.) you end up taking a roundabout path to your destination, and you ultimately find that Theodora, the Genie of the Lonely Door, has died at the bottom of what seems to be a well.

But hang on... If you successfully cross the river and go directly to the Bathroom, Theodora is alive and well! In the well! So what gives?

Well, after your meeting with her in either branch, the world begins to change. Places begin to lose their definition, becoming either distorted or changing into pure white geometry. Landmarks become clipart drifting in the air. Real estate investors swoop in on the newly freed up land. The Domain of Theodora is no more, and the Lonely Door is closing.

Many of the people are gone, replaced by familiar strangers.

...I would like to take this moment to point out that the main theme song of the game, Anemoia, is a word meaning "Nostalgia for a time or place that one has never known."

Anyway, this inevitable loss of identity seems to imply that no matter which route you take, Theodora dies. Whether you're too early or too late, ENA doesn't find out who or what killed the genie. Between this and the murder of the unnamed third genie, there is some malicious entity just barely out of sight, slaying genies for unknown reasons. When considering what this could mean for the story down the line, I recall a certain line spoken by a certain goblin of a girl.

"Rude entities like you get punished for the sins of others." Someone is maliciously reshaping the world. And if these acts are as disastrous as they seem, then ENA is in a prime position to take the fall in their stead. She's already known to have caused some kind of calamity, and she's attempting to seek audience with the genies as they're actively being killed off. Should we meet with Pierro in a later installment, I imagine that things will take a swift downturn from there. It's a shame we don't know anything about the third genie...

...or do we? *Vsauce theme*

3- The Shadow of Ur-ENA

The connections between Dream BBQ and the webseries are few and nebulous... but they are there if you look in the right places. The Extinction Party is mentioned by one of the taxi driver's heads, and the location of that episode can be briefly spotted behind one of the doors of the Purge Event. The Domain beyond the Lonely Door starts morphing into the setting of Auction Day. But there's one point of connection that's been nagging at me... and it's pretty obtuse 🐬

Dialing a hidden phone number, we're met with Phindoll....'s answering machine. The message explains that he's looking for some kind of employment. Perhaps he suddenly lost his job? Who was he working for back when we saw him last? ...Oh, yeah. Runas. That wish-granting entity... on the other side of a... Door... ... The Great Runas might be fucking dead, guys.

We've now seen implications that this game takes place before Auction Day... but after Temptation Stairway. If linear causality has any role in this story, it's as a horrified onlooker.

Of course, this can be reconciled if Runas turns out to be the new genie that replaces the murdered one. But dialogue early in the game suggests that temporal shenanigans may be afoot. After all, the low-poly lady at the desk claims...

"You are too late! The Boss isn't even born yet!"

She's... a very blunt, straightforward person. None of her other lines are nearly as ambiguous and confusing as this one, so I'm inclined to take this line at face value. We are in no position to be making assumptions about how concepts like time even work in this setting. So what does this all mean? ... ... I dunno. We only have chapter 1 to work off of, after all.

But if Runas was in fact the murdered Genie, then there is one suspect in particular that pops into my mind. Someone who has met Runas. Someone who was... unimpressed. Dissatisfied. And found herself trapped inside his domain for a long, long time.

That's all for now. There's some glaring points in the story that I simply didn't have enough insight on to really remark upon. (Was that the Holy Code in the ending cutscene? What does ENA's body-hopping power entail? What was with the other ENA in the sewers, and who was she talking to?) Also at this point, my fingers are snapping in half from typing out all of these thoughts. A lot of this was just my personal interpretation, so don't be surprised if it clashes with the analysis of other people. In all likelihood, when the future chapters come out, I'll look back at this post and laugh at how dumb I was.

[lakesbian]

i have had like 10 friends rec worm to me but nobody’s given me a good like, gist of its vibe and what its abt because ‘its best blind’, could u please give a like brief summary and vibe check of it 😭 it’s so long i dont wanna try and invest that much time without knowing much abt it

so, worm is a 1.7 million word long webserial written in 2010. 1.7 million words seems like a lot, but it was also written over a relatively short period of time, which means the writing style is very easy to parse--the ideas aren't without complexity, but the language itself isn't intimidatingly dense. you can get through it at a very decent pace. i agree with your friends that there are vast portions of worm that hit best when you're unspoiled, but the thing is that worm is long enough that giving you the basic plot pitch is in no way spoilers for any of the things that i wouldn't want to see spoiled for someone. i'm actually kind of baffled they're not telling you Any Thing, because it is in my estimation one of the best books i've ever read, but it also Needs a briefing before you get into it for like five different reasons. which i will now provide. i swear to god this is brief by my standards it's just that i am very thorough

worm is a story about superheroes and supervillains, set in a world where superpowers are traumagenic--rather than appearing randomly or innately, some people gain powers after a traumatizing event happens to them. the protagonist is taylor hebert, a 15yo girl who has the power to control insects and desperately wants to be a superhero. and then accidentally finds herself scouted by a team of teenage villains instead. who's to say how she's going to react to all that!

one of the most compelling things about worm is that the superpowers in it serve as visceral, hyper-literal metaphors for the trauma and traumatized coping mechanisms of the characters with those powers. each power is incredibly specific and thematically relevant to the person who has it, and it's incredibly interesting and evocative. it feels so natural and well-done that it comes off like how superpowers are just meant to be written.

the fact that superpowers stem from trauma also means that worm is fundamentally a narrative about trauma. specifically, about traumatized teenagers and the relationships they form as they cling together while struggling through growing up traumatized & mutually coping with an increasingly intriguing, intense, and far-reaching escalating plot. worm's depictions of trauma + mental illness--including unpalatable trauma responses, including traumatized characters who are allowed to be complicated and nuanced and messy while still receiving narrative respect--are deeply real-feeling and impactful, and they're placed in the context of a well-spun + engaging story.

i really do have to stress how excellent the character writing is. worm is fully deserving of being as long as it is. over the course of 1.7 million words of character development, the average reader's reaction to the main characters goes from "sorta interesting" to "okay, i want to see where this goes" to "augh...really likable" to "i am now on hands and knees crying and these characters are going to stick around in my brain forever." wildbow has incredible talent for efficiently conveying complicated, real-feeling, and viscerally evocative characterization. many of the interlude chapters (chapters written from the perspective of different characters other than taylor) are so interesting, fleshed-out, and emotionally affecting that they make you wish you could read an entire novel about just the side character being featured. with that level of characterization for just the side cast, it's not surprising that taylor (& co) are genuinely just downright iconic. and i do not say that lightly--taylor is truly one of the best-written protagonists i've seen in anything. ever.

the other main pitch-point for worm is that it's a fascinating deconstruction/reconstruction/examination of the conceits of the superhero genre. it answers the question of--what would the world have to be like, for people with superpowers to act the way they do in classic cape media? and it does this well enough that it's interesting even if you have only a passing familiarity with cape media. i am not a big superhero media fan, but worm addresses virtually every aspect of cape media that was under the sun around 2010 in a way that's so interesting i still find it incredibly engaging. the approach it takes makes the narrative very accessible even to people who aren't usually cape media fans.

and speaking of the narrative: the end of the story is coherent and satisfying and deeply thematically resonant*. the way worm follows through on all of its main mysteries & plot threads is excellent. you don't have to worry about getting thru 1.7 million words and being dissatisfied by the author shitting the bed at the end, or anything like that. he does an amazing job of weaving together plot events in a way that makes each successive one feel rationally, thematically, and emotionally connected to what came before. there's really only one part where i feel the story stumbles a bit, but i think it was the best option he had for the narrative, and it's by no means a dealbreaker. it's in fact really impressive how cohesive and satisfying worm is for such a long webserial released over such a brief period of time.

*this is subjective ive seen some people who didnt love it but ive never seen anyone who downright Hated it who didnt also demonstrate egregious misunderstanding of literally everything worm is about. so thats a good sign

as for the downsides of worm/things that might put you off:

there is a very long list of trigger warnings for it. if you have any trigger warnings you want you should ask your friends to let you know about the relevant parts, because the fact that it's About Trauma (& about typical cape media circumstances presented very seriously) means that traumatic and violent things & their realistic aftermath are constantly happening and/or being discussed. i would not classify worm as needlessly dark or spiteful to the audience by any means, but it is intense and covers a lot of heavy topics. i do assume if your friends are all recommending it to you, they think none of the material would be too much for you, though!

worm was written in 2010 by a white cishet guy from canada. it's typical levels of 2010-era bigoted, it has a deeply lesbophobic stereotype character, it has some atrociously racist stereotype characters, the author really hates addicts, It's Got Blind Spots. i think worm is generally fully worth reading despite these, but very fair warning that it can get bad. i think what exacerbates this is that worm is generally extremely nuanced & sympathetic regarding ideas such as "crime is a result of systematic circumstance vs people just being inherently evil" and "mentally ill people who are traumatized in unpalatable ways are still deserving of fundamental respect as human beings" and so on and so forth, so it's extra noticeable and insufferable when you get to a topic the author has unexamined biases on and all that nuance drops out. the worst part is that a lot of this is most concentrated in the early arcs, so you have to get through them without being super attached to any of the characters yet. it is worth it though.

worm like. Does have a central straight relationship in it. and it's a very well written straight relationship for the most part and i like it quite a lot. but worm also passes the bechdel test with such flying colors that it enters 'unintentionally homoerotic' territory. which means a lot of people were shipping the main character ms taylor hebert with her female friends while the story was being released. which caused the author to get so mad he 1. posted a word of god to a forum loudly insisting that all of the girls are straight and 2. inserted a few deeply awkward and obvious and out of character scenes where he finds an excuse for the girls to more or less turn to the camera and go "i'm not gay, btw. this is platonic." This is fucking insufferable, and will piss you off immensely, but then you will get to any of the number of deeply emotionally affecting scenes between them, and at that point you will be too busy sniffling piteously and perhaps crytyping an analysis post on tumblr to be mad about all that other shit. also they're only a couple tiny portions out of an entire overall fantastic novel

overall: if those points don't sound like dealbreakers (i hope they aren't they're really massively outstripped by the amount of devastatingly good moments in worm, worm still has a thriving fandom over a decade later for a reason), you should absolutely give it a shot and see what you think. my final note is that you have to read up until the end of arc 8 to really see where what makes worm Worm kicks in, so aim for at least there to see how you feel about it if you're just thinking about dipping your toes in vs fully committing. i hope that was helpful and not too long :)

oh and don't go in the comments section on wordpress if you don't want spoilers. or anywhere else in the fandom at all. you will be spoiled. quite possibly for things you could not even have imagined were topics to be spoiled on.

[littleeggrock]

gimme ur dream bbq theories

RIGHT! (long post, put a cut for convenience. inor spoilers for some smaller details)

FIRST AND FOREMOST:

ENA (in my opinion) IS NOT AN ENTIRE SPECIES. while understandable, i personally think this is dumb :') it really minimizes her character as a whole. though, i do not disagree with the fact that there are multiple of her. think back to what the shaman says the first time we meet him:

"one person can be in two places at once"

given multiple other things, like the easter egg in the webseries that says "FORGET YOUR PAST," the plane like things in the starting area along with the siren like ambience' in an urban/suburban-like setting, and Meanies little meltdown when talking to the vendor man ("WAIT! I'M NOT DOING WHAT YOU SAY I'M DOING!) with the bullet rain and wasteland-like area, it's led me to believe that ENA herself was once one whole person. each little split persona ENA we see show two minuscule facets of her personality. we've got the happy and the sad, the customer service voice and the one who's had enough of retail-hell bullshit.

yes, there are multiple of her. yes, they exist semi-simultaneously. No, they are not a species. They are parts of a single whole, fractured by some sort of intensely traumatic event. perhaps a war of some kind if the planes, sirens, and bullet rain are more than just abstract artistic choices meant to darken the tone of the game at certain times. I'm unsure whether this is some digital circus "TRAPPED IN THE GAME!" or something more along the likes of u m a m i's Interface and SAFE MODE, where uploading ones consciousness to a digital interface was seen as the only means of survival in an increasingly uninhabitable world. or perhaps this is simply what the world looks like for them now.

to elaborate on existing semi-simultaneously, it's important to note the fact that our familiar blue/yellow ENA shows up for a split second in the end credits scene. whether they're swapping physical location, or simply replacing the others existence is unclear.

THEORY NUMBER TWO!

While not directly related, i do believe that The Great Runas from Temptation Stairway is/was a genie. given that he's revered like some sort of godly figure, and has the ability to grant wishes, it seems obvious now that we have a name for what these deities are.

stemming from this, it's worth noting that the area we end up in after the Lonely Door begins to close appears to be the very same place as where Auction Day takes place. same cube face rock in the sky! potentially Temptation stairway as well, though the specifics aren't as clear there.

so, as for the significance of this... I'm really not sure. some of it depends on where Power of Potluck takes place timeline wise. if these are in fact in chronological order, this doesn't work at all. but if its a one off set in-between/before extinction party, auction day, and temptation stairway, oh boy.

i believe that it was the closing of whatever door powered the world ENA and Moony resided in for AD and TS that triggered the emergence of Dream BBQ ENA as we know her. the place became closed off, simply ceased to exist after the door closed, and ENA ended up changing drastically to combat it and escape. Froggy cites her "salesperson tricks" that she uses to get out of "predicaments," perhaps this version of her has some form of dimensional transport between whatever these doors are. personally I'm leaning towards a pocket dimension type deal but there's really no way to know.

THIRD, FINAL, and FAR LESS SERIOUS THEORY

when you think about it the purge route of Dream BBQ is really ENA:

joking(?) about killing their boss with a coworker

catching a taxi to an illegal party

having a BAD trip

making it to the bathroom

smashing someones bong because the smoke was bothering the aforementioned coworker

[whyamiherewhosummonedme]

The pipeline was:

1. Found your account through the drinking concentrated virus post

2. Decided to follow you

3. Scrolled through your blog, found out about the things you like

4. Almost cried genuine tears over the Godzilla short

5. I am now seriously considering watching Marble Hornets.

Thank you

Perfect. The pipeline is working as intended. Do it watch marble hornets it is so worth it. It is a niche 16 year old horror ARG webseries that has over 9 hours of playtime, most of which consists of characters stalking one another. It also gave rise to basically all forms of youtube horror to this very day as well as permanently shifted pop culture. Slender: The Eight Pages is a Marble Hornets fangame. And yet despite its incredible impact on the cultural zeitgeist basically nobody knows about it. Watch Marble Hornets. Watch Marble Hornets. WATCH MARBLE HORNETS.

(And when you do, do so by finding a playlist that includes totheark. TTA is a side channel that has most of the ARG stuff. Too many people don't know that there's a side channel at all)

[most-creature-vibe-tournament]

Round 2 poll 2

Propaganda:

Bdubs (Hermitcraft / life series)

Horse

I'm not even mad that Glares didn't win the mob vote because BDubs is basically just a Glare in human form.

#but bdubs is 100% more creature coded#it’s because he leans into it#Jon is obsessed with staying human#while bdubs said ‘people call me a weird little thing so I made my eyes bigger and grew moss all over’#and I love that for him

Taylor Hebert (Worm (webserial by Wildbow))

Human girl who has superpowers that let her control bugs. She shunts all emotions off into her swarm of bugs, leaving her totally blank and stoic. She outsources sensory-input to her bugs, so she never looks or reacts to anything. In a fight, she reacts to opponents there is no possible way she could see, because she sensed them with her bugs. Overall has virtually no facial tells and moves in a way that makes her seem like she isn't a person. very creature <3 she is just a bug girl

shes such a FREAK. shes completely human (tho with an eldritch alien creature extradimensionally attached to her mind) but God does she not act like it sometimes. she has the superpower to control bugs and uses it to become the worlds most terrifying hero slash villain slash warlord slash apocalyptic threat. she has her bugs crawling all over her all the time. she uses a swarm of flies to scout out areas and then leaves flies in everybodys hair so she can keep track of where they are. she practiced having her bugs make noises until she figured out how to combine their noises into human speech so now she can talk through her swarm. she makes decoys of herself out of large pillars of bugs. once she was concussed and in the hospital and subconsciously calling her bugs to her so she was just covered in insects while the doctor tried to help her. then there was ANOTHER time she was hospitalized and got bored so she made a bunch of bugs so a little dance on her chest. whenever she's in costume and talking she has her bugs make noises to distort her voice and make her sound more scary and she doesnt even realize shes doing it anymore. she surrounds herself in a swarm to disorient her enemies. she doesn't even notice when her hair covers her eyes or anything like that because shes scouting out the area using her bugs so she doesnt have to see. she once used a tide of bugs to clean herself off and dust off her dress after having sex.

#she views herself as more of a swarm of bugs with a girl-shaped computer to control them than a girl herself#her body is just an extension of her bugs which is large and inconvenient but ultimately part of the weapon

#taylor “dissociates into bugs” hebert#taylor “keeps bugs in her hair” hebert#taylor “choke them with bugs” hebert#taylor “no one could ever love me” hebert#taylor “violence is always the answer” hebert

[inviernainvicta]

Finished Red vs. Blue again last night with some friends (okay, I *say* finished, but it was the end of Season 13, I know you know that counts) and I just have to say... god fucking damn.

Sometimes when I talk about how formative this show was for me, it feels a little silly. Oh really, the webseries about a bunch of dipshits in a box canyon defined your whole life? Really, *that* show?

Yeah. Yeah it did.

I am who I am today because of RVB. As a person, as a friend, as a creator, all of it. Some of my best friends I met through this show. A few of the people watching it with me last night had never seen it before, and came out of it realizing they understood me a lot better now that they had. It's just... such a special show, and it's hard to put into words why.

Red vs. Blue is 18 days older than I am. April 1st and April 19th, 2003. I literally grew up alongside this show. And now, with Restoration having concluded its run... I've outlived it too. Weird feelings, I'll tell you.

I love this show. I always will. There are parts of it that are dumb, and outdated, and lets be honest it probably could have ended half a decade sooner (I will stand by Season 17 being fantastic though, you can FIGHT me). But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. It's Red vs. fuckin' Blue. And if you've never seen it before... you might be really surprised at what that actually means.

Ain't that a bitch?

[pleasantspark]

Jeffy's 20th Birthday vs Masquerade: How one message failed and another one fixed it.

Cw // CSA, SA, ABUSE, Child Abuse

Note: I am aware that SML has in the past did tasteless shit, but in this entire video, it has handled it properly. SML is capable of handling serious topics in which Hazbin failed to do.

SuperMarioLogan is a puppet indie tv webseries where Logan Thirtyacre and a bunch of his friends record videos that were originally for adults but has somehow catered to kids.

These videos are true edgy, and inapproperiate and somewhat even NSFW. Today we'll be talking about Jeffy's Birthday. Which was uploaded 10 days after my 20th birthday.

Jeffy's 20th Birthday comprised heavily of flashbacks abour Jeffy's childhood, and compared to Masquerade was handled better than what the message was about, it didn't have the main villain act all goofy and menacing and it showed that the person being abused did not like it.

In J2B, Feebee was sexually assaulted by CJ, and we see the mental toll it took on both her and Jeffy. Jeffy was obviously traumatized due to his guilt of not protecting his sister. Even mentions of the guy flies Feebee into fear.

Fear.

In which Val lacks to put into Angel Dust, to me, Angel Dust seems like he wants the poison. I know some victims go back to their abusers, but Angel Dust only did because it was for plot reasons and a major disagreement with Husk. It seems forced and almost for the sake of people wanting HuskerDust.

Angel compared to Feebee feels no genuine fear, other than having a panic attack at the end of Poison, he for the most part spends his time listening to Val's abuse. If anything, it seems like Angel tolerates being yelled. Which is a form of abuse.

Feebee reacting negatively to being SA by CJ coupled with the fact of Jeffy bearing witness to his sister's abuse caused him to hurt CJ, what has Husk done in order to stop Val?

Nothing.

He has done nothing to stop Val, other than to babysit Angel Dust at the "consent" club, Husk is NOT suitable to be Angel Dust's partner, he's just babysitting a grown man who Made his choices and every now and then he's living like there's no tommorrow.

Angel Dust's poor characterization and sudden switchup seems forced, and unlike Feebee was "able" to stick up to his abuser, Feebee never had the chance to do so.

She died after getting hit by a truck (more precisely Woody's truck.), by the end of the video, Jeffy advenges his sister and kills CJ.

So in conclusion, Jeffy's 20th Birthday showcases actual trauma and reactions by a victim of abuse. Rather than Angel Dust, who we see is being babysat by Husk in Episode 6. It's ridiculous to think he's supposed to represent a victim of abuse when its giving me mixed signals.

[sharkface]

i dont know anything about red vs blue but i want in on this drama what happened what is restoration

The shortest possible version of this. Which is hard to do because this was a 21 year webseries with an absurd amount of background and moving parts to get into as well as a notoriously complicated story.

Restoration was the final "season" of Red vs Blue that to be frank should not have been able to release considering the company had been in gradual collapse for years prior to its announcement and release and most people had agreed the "true end" to the show happened in 2015 even though seasons would keep releasing until 2024. Restoration is not Terrible but it was clearly rushed and had the bulk of its content cut in order to make it happen at all before the company that was founded on its success finally shut down.

Grimmons is a pairing of two cast members which is so ubiquitously accepted as not just fanon but legitimate canon (agreed upon by the guy who made and acted one half of the pairing), like, not just as in everyone agrees they SHOULD be lovers, but like, they have just been stated to have fucked at least twice in series (one of these times got retconned but that itself is complicated so for our purposes can still be considered canon) and are actively portrayed as like, an old married couple who only isn't actually together based on a mutual respect for the current status quo and a general mutual dislike for Change and Emotional Communication. They are essentially in an unstated relationship in universe but what this translates to in real life is a solid 21 years of gaybait. The baiting had been ramping up in recent seasons (a writer for the show would drop his proposed Confirmation Scene that didn't make it in when the company announced its closure) and the trailer for restoration featured the two of them having a Meaningful Moment completely alone looking at the sunset in the place they met. This was The Moment right. Like the only moment they would ever have to do it, the moment they should do it, even if they did it in a kind of half assed way.

Not only did they not do it even though it seemed like they would (like. It had the exact buildup you'd expect and then it just. aborted) but at the end of the show one of them discharged the other form the army and they are separated forever. End of series. If this made you mad to read imagine how the oldheads felt. We felt bad. LOL.

The chucker v tuckington wars are honestly way easier to explain, Church and Tucker were close in early seasons so they were the popular ship for blue team, not as ubiquitous as grimmons but like, the obvious one, Plot Circumstances made it a lot more difficult to ship them, Church leaves, enter Washington who now has the closest relationship with Tucker on blue team, they have a dynamic that is so easy to ship it mostly manifests in fandom in ways that are boring as fuck (when they're not. Racist and ableist. But don't get me started on that.). Washington and Church don't really like each other which means you can't apply the throuple solution and everyone starts arguing about how like, Church had Tucker's heart first but Washington is better for him or whatever, like, very typical ship war shit. The truth is that all three of these men are terrible people and it doesn't matter who Tucker likes because his taste is dogshit either way. People started joking that whichever guy Tucker ends up having a Meaningful Moment with or about in restoration is the guy who wins the ship war but Tucker does not speak to or about either of them for the whole season. <3

LOVE LOSES. RED VS BLUE OVER

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

How about a request for Ena? The reader is a cat-terpillar, which is to say, they're a big long fluffy entity, with a lot of limbs, essentially a caterpillar cat. They're big and soft and sweet, and very chill, meandering through life at a nice slow tempo. The personality of a nice warm mug of chamomile tea, or hot cocoa with mini marshmallows.

It would be nice to have a fic with them comforting Webseries!Ena after a rough day. Whatever format works best for you!

"Nyah...what a lovely day this is." With a small hum, you rested your chin on top of your two uppermost paws, curling up underneath the warm sun.

The weather was particularly nice today, with not a single rain rock floating in the sky, nor was there a storm cloud hanging around to dampen the atmosphere. But even if it did rain and thunder, it still wouldn't bother you in the slightest, as it's simply part of life.

Having wet fur and general feelings of discomfort weren't ideal, although you didn't worry, knowing that the sun will eventually shine down on you with its warmth once again. So what would be the use in stressing about things outside your control?

Unfortunately, the blue and yellow polygonal lady who was tracing shapes in the dirt beside you begged to differ, as she kept looking up at the clouds every now and then. It's like she was afraid it'll suddenly crack into pieces and fall onto her head.

"You think so? I disagwee." Her blue half mumbled, attracting your attention as you saw her bringing her knees to her chest. "My day's been awful from stawrt to finish..."

"Ah, I'm sorry to hear that, Ena." You look down at her.

Even though you had only met her a little while ago, she's comfortable enough to stay in your presence and even keep you company, which was always nice. Being a large cat-terpillar, many people were often scared of you until they discovered your personality greatly contrasts all appearances. You're sweet, kind, and mellow towards everyone you meet.

Ena was no different despite knowing about her species and the reputation they hold. She seemed lost, and so you invited her to sit and relax with you. Just to help her calm down before she got panic-striken.

Yet despite your best efforts, she still looked deeply saddened by something else. So much so that even her cheerful yellow half was frowning as she gazed up at you. "Tell me, kind stranger..perhaps you have a remedy for this predicament I'm in?" She leaned against your body, knowing you didn't mind your personal space being invaded.

Her way of speaking was most unique. A bit complex, but you understood that what she wanted was simple. "Meow..of course. Did you wanna talk, or-?"

"I don't know what I want anymowre!!" She instantly flipped into her sadder state, putting her head in her hands. "I just....feel like disappearwing!! Don't waste your bweath on someone as worthless as me! I'm mowre useful as a scwatching post! So go ahead and tear me apawrt!! Come on!! DO IT!!!"

You didn't do anything, instead letting a few moments pass before speaking. "Maybe...you'd like a hug instead?"

"....actually...yes." She sniffled, quieting down a little. "That sounds like a better idea...."

But when she tried to fully embrace you, she hit a roadblock: she had no idea where to put her arms.

No matter how far away they moved from her body, nowhere felt quite right. And while you were able to wrap a few pairs of your own arms around her torso, she couldn't do the same and felt the crushing weight of despair and stupidity washing over her.

Then the static waterworks began.

"Ohh, what's wrong with me??! I can't even hug you wright!! I really am useless!!" Burying her face into your neck, she just hiccupped and sobbed, her fingers clutching at your fur like a lifeline.

Normally, she'd be glitching and spinning out of control. But somehow you managed to help her physical form remain stable. A simple hug is all it took, and it's all that she needed in order to finally let that sadness out. So you just hushed her softly, not alarmed by her sudden and violent mood shifts in the slightest.

It's something she couldn't control, just like how you couldn't control your size or "scary" feline features. Why should you judge her for that when she never judged you?

"You aren't useless, my dear. There's no "right" way to hug someone. You have the intention, and that's enough. I don't get many of these, so....I appreciate this." A purr rumbled in your throat.

"Huh? Y-You...You bawely get hugs??!" Ena looked up at you, her white half displaying an utterly distraught expression. "But you're...you're so nice! What's wrong with other people??? Do they think you're too big to love or something?!!!! WHAT KIND OF CRUEL WORLD IS THIS??!!" Her more masculine voice screamed in outrage.

"That's a first..maybe I am "too big to love". But it's alright. I'm not worried about those other people. Just you right neow." You held her closely again, letting her cry some more. "Thank you for being so caring and considerate, Ena. You're a wonderful friend."

"Friend...? But...we've only met five minutes ago..."

"Have we really? Because it seems like we've known each other for longer." Patting her head, you smiled as her colors turned back to their normal tones. But you weren't going to let her go unless she did so first....and the poor girl was still clinging to you like you're the world's softest pillow.

Whatever she must've went through before meeting you had to have been terrible, but she did blubber something about a rude entity and tripping over a pebble.

You didn't interrupt once, allowing her to talk.

At that point, she suddenly remembered that she was on her way to an auction when she got lost and winded up on a serious of unfortunate misadventures leading to your location.

But maybe she was destined to find you and get these sad feelings off her chest.

Even so, you didn't like seeing her so troubled over missing the event. And that's when you came up with an idea after she dried her tears. "I think I know where that is. I was gonna go..but changed my mind. I don't like crowds too much. But now I have a reason to change it again."

"Wha...What do you mean?"

"I can provide you with transportation there so you don't lose your way again. Don't worry. For friends, it's free of charge." You wink, seeing her cheering up right away. "Only thing is that...we might get there a little late. I never like rushing to things."

"Oh I'm not worried about that! Auction Day is an all-day event!! How could I refuse such a generous service?" Her yellow side laughed, immediately climbing onto your back. But as soon as she got settled, she suddenly looked apprehensive, tilting her head. "Is this alright? I'm not too heavy?"

"Nope. You're as light as a polygonal feather." You chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll be safe up there, Ena."

"This is much appreciated, friend. But erm...you mind going slow? I tend to get motion sickness."

"That's fine by me. Now let's be on our way."

[qrowscant]

LINK ROT/ TRANSMISSION 003 / JULY 7, 2024

Link Rot is a multimedia webserial following those within a research station. Once dedicated to the study and containment of a newly discovered life form, complications arise following its unexpected merge with the station's AI. TRANSMISSION 003 - In which you are tested once more.

General warnings can be found in the 'About' section, a few specific warnings under the cut:

emetophobia, skip from "You're okay." to "You return" of the first page to avoid.

heavy parental emotional abuse in Test 01, if you are especially sensitive to that i do recommend popping over to the archive and skipping it!

now for additional rambling:

i went through a disgusting amount of serious things this month, but link rot was very helpful for stepping away from all of that. nothing says "time to relax!" like putting my beloved ocs through the shredder.

transmission 004 should (IN THEORY) take wayyy less time, i have the majority of it written + coded! if things get less insane, expect it in 3-4 weeks. if not, my bad lol.

okay bye! thanks for reading.

[itsclydebitches]

It's weird to think Vol 10 of RWBY just straight up might never happen. much less further volumes. No matter how bad it got I would still have loved some form of ending but Barabas comments don't paint a hopeful picture. Alas fics of RWBY will go until the end of time.

It's very weird. Most shows I come across have either already concluded, or give their audience an estimate of when things will wrap up ('We're planning another two seasons and each takes us about two years to film, so...'). I have shows that unexpectedly get more content after providing an ambiguous, but still satisfying ending (Alice in Borderland), shows where each season is self-contained so it can end whenever without issue (Bake Off), shows that were cut short and had to scramble to wrap up (Sense8), and of course there are always shows that are straight up cancelled and can't do a thing to mitigate that... but RWBY feels almost, almost unique in this combination. It's a webseries rather than a traditional TV show. It's gone on for a decade with absolutely no indication of where it's heading. Each season feels threatened to the point where the fandom can no longer differentiate between a real cancellation concern and Internet exaggeration. The story has hit what's arguably its most important narrative peak - the team has traversed an alternate world, Ruby has "overcome" drinking the tea, Summer finally appears on screen - only for news of the story's future to remain frustratingly vague. Not only have we never had a sense of when RWBY's story will end, now we don't even have confirmation of whether it will end. That's such a frustrating way to approach storytelling given that your audience relies on some level of commitment to remain engaged.

I too want RWBY to finish up because I am not immune to the Sunk Cost Fallacy: I put this much time into the series and it needs to satisfy me with a conclusion, even if the conclusion itself will inevitably be unsatisfying. Outside of any normal disappointment with a story you love getting the ax, I generally don't mind embracing unfinished works. I read abandoned fics, watch cancelled shows, browse barely started comics, because getting a taste of the world is always worth it if it's compelling to me. I never regret meeting characters whose stories go untold because as a writer myself I can at least imagine that on my own terms. But RWBY? Losing it now would be a real kick in the teeth. I personally don't think the story is salvageable at this point, but at the very least fans deserve a conclusion: one that will likely please a lot of devoted viewers and allow critical fans to put a satisfying tick mark on the box in our heads labeled "RWBY."

Given its popularity I wouldn't be surprised if RWBY wound up cancelled and then concluded in a comics run, or a one-off movie. Beyond the fact that this would no doubt mess up the writing even more (now you have to iron out this mess of a plot on a time limit, in a new medium, with new authors!) it would, unfortunately, be kind of hilarious too:

[generic tour guide voice] "Hello. Welcome to RWBY. Our fandom is known for having copious side stories connected to the canon in confusing ways. Some are incidental to the main series. Some outright contradict it. Some are crucial to your understanding of the primary plot and must be engaged with in a timely manner. These texts range from comic runs to random bits of information in abandoned mobile games. Please note that this corpus did not grow naturally across decades of storytelling, as is the case with fandoms like Star Trek and Star Wars, but was rather cobbled together by RT in an attempt to 'fix' numerous, ongoing issues with the webseries. Our latest addition? The ending. Yes, if you would like to finish RWBY please refer to this index of sources that together provide a semi-cohesive conclusion to a ten year show. Now, on your left you'll see the ongoing brawl as fans attempt to determine whether this index is canonical or not. Please watch your step..."

[putting-gangle-in-places]

they should go to the plane form the hit webseries HFJONE

(sad probably)

Now how did she end up in this place?