The line between reality and nightmare

🕵️‍♂️ Welcome to the *Liminal Abyss* 🕵️‍♀️

You are the detective. The story unfolds through the questions you ask. Each ask shapes the detective's journey, influencing their perspective and decisions in this enigmatic world.

As you venture deeper, you may encounter mysterious characters and uncover hidden secrets. But beware—nothing is as it seems.

Dive in, ask your questions, and help reveal the truth lurking in the shadows. Your curiosity will guide the way.

Be careful.

So, I know the next panels haven't been coming-- They will!!! As soon as people ask questions, but um.. In the mean time, I wanted to write a fanfic! Both as a gift for a friend, and to stave off all those hungry lore readers. So, I wanted to show off a character early, via a fanfic! Baa. :] And although I don't have permission to show her in the story yet-- A friend's oc will also be featured in this, hence why it's also a gift. Also to answer all those shippers, Baa x Iris IS canon. But this moment isn't canon to the story. Iris belongs to @gl1ttrqueen, please check out her art and commission her. I love you, hun. Anyway, uh.. Here we go!! Hope I remember how iris acts..

Title: Melody in Two Colors

Baa sat on her favorite mossy rock in the heart of the woods, her delicate hands plucking at the strings of her lyre. The notes floated through the trees like sunlight through the leaves, warm and golden. Her melodies were her conversations with the world, filling the air with a language only she could speak fluently.

And then came the crunch of footsteps on fallen leaves—a sound she had grown to adore. Iris emerged from the shadows, her halved body gleaming in the dappled light. On her right side, the fiery orange pulsed with energy, a beacon of creativity and zest. On her left, a cool, serene blue shimmered with a quiet sensitivity that softened the world around her. Together, her colors made her whole, and to Baa, they made her perfect.

“I couldn’t resist,” Iris admitted with a sheepish smile, her orange side glowing slightly brighter. “Your music called me again.”

Baa looked up, her short horns glinting in the soft light as she smiled. “It always does, doesn’t it?”

Iris settled beside her, the orange and blue halves of her form gently blending where her sides met. She tilted her head, her wide expressive eyes searching Baa’s face.

“Sometimes I wonder,” Iris began, her blue side shading her voice with a hint of sadness. “How can someone as bright as you find beauty in me? Half of me feels… heavy.”

Baa’s melody faltered for a moment, and she turned to Iris, her eyes soft and tender. “But Iris, don’t you see? It’s your colors—your balance—that inspire me. Your energy paints my melodies with vibrant hues. And your sadness adds depth, like shadows that make the light shine even brighter.”

Iris looked away, her blue side dimming, but Baa gently reached out, her clawed hand brushing against Iris’s. “You’re a symphony,” Baa whispered. “And I can only hope to match your brilliance.”

For a long moment, Iris said nothing, her gaze locked on the place where their fingers entwined. Then, her orange side flared, as if igniting from within. She leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Baa’s cheek.

“That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me,” she murmured, her voice now tinged with the playful lilt of her orange side.

They spent the rest of the day there, nestled amidst the whispering trees. Baa wove melodies that danced in time with Iris’s laughter, her sadness, her passion. And in turn, Iris filled Baa’s world with splashes of color that made her music come alive.

" THAT!!..... Is... a... um. Good question! Luckily i HAVE AN ANSWER~! Sorry, getting a little ahead of myself..! AHEM! Well, it isn't NON-STOP, as you asked.. It's moreso.. stopping at random stops? I haven't personally left the train yet. I was too nervous to actually investigate. The train leaves after five minutes, so I can't risk getting stuck in a hostile environment! I did, however..

" Decide to conduct an experiment! See, when the train stopped, i decided to leave a landmark to test if the train arrives at the same spot when going back to this.. level. I call them levels to distinguish areas! "

" It took a while! But much to my shock, and.. unpleasant surprise.. The landmark I planted was gone! I suppose this either inferrs that it doesn't go to the same spot, or something removed what I had put. "

Perhaps a little skibidi?

" H-Hi! Okay, so um.. Hi! Hi. I research the paranormal. I know, I know.. it might sound.. dumb! But still, that's never stopped me before. Anyway! Back to the point."

"For the longest time I've been trying to investigate this.. thing. I don't know, it's hard to explain. People go.. missing, just poof! Off the face of the earth. I didn't know how it happened for a while until I figured it out. "

" They.. board this train, and it takes them somewhere. But it's no ordinary train, y'see- I... Gee, I thought documenting this would be easier! Anyway, it's my job to go to this dimension and document all of my findings! I want to crack this case, and maybe give.. a lot of families closure. "

" So without further ado... Let's do this! ...I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little nervous..!! "

" It took me ages to even be able to do this.. Too.. go to this dimension. For ah, future reference.. The train that takes you there is special and doesn't appear for just anyone. I had to, uh, pull some strings to set the right circumstances. A-Anyway, I don't wanna talk too much and have it leave.. so let's get on!! I'll document when I can. "

" Okay..! Um. I lost track of time, apparently time moves.. much faster on the train! I'm pretty sure it's been.. 4 days? It's odd. Maybe I should've taken more supplies with me rather than a few energy bars and water bottles.. Nobody HAS been documented to ever return.. that's why I'm doing this in the first place-- Oh jeez. What am I getting myself into... "

"Alright.. let's think rationally! The train has mostly been staying around purgatory. Or.. well, limbo. You get it! But it's also been approaching other areas of the abyss.. or.. well, labyrinth! I've paid attention, and it seems that it does revisit those stops, like an actual train system. So... I think, IN THEORY! I should be safe to get off on a stop and get back on the train later.. To, um, get supplies I mean. I hope stuff down here is edible.. Then again, it could be safer to wait.. What should I do? "