Homestuck Without Words, A Liveblog

When you have nothing to live for, you might as well figure out WHY you have nothing to live for. Even if that means attempting to read a centuries-old webcomic without the benefit of the original text.

[homestuck-without-words]

As mentioned before, “psyche” means “life”. From the Greek for blowing air. The air that was mythologically first blown into humans. Giving our clay the spark of autonomous intelligence. So the meaning of “unpsyche” is clear. To drain the air from the lungs. To puncture. To remove. Life.

Deep down, I think we all knew. The PPP could not last forever. While the circumstances and subject matter were grim. It was as close to happy, comfortable times as any of us were likely to get. There at the end of all things. But before the Nothing. So while we were not prepared when our time playing at remote research and pure conjecture abruptly ended. None were truly surprised at what came next.

The others called it the Adventure. I did as well. Group cohesion is key to the success of any project. But privately. I always referred to it by a different name. The Hunt. Only one thing about the Hunt surprised me. Just how good at it I was. Just how much it made my blood sing to see another’s. I was even better at the Hunt than I was at researching.

And I am a damn good researcher.

[homestuck-without-words]

Time has all but run out.

Am I the Nibbles? Am I foolishly wasting time with this silly endeavor instead of simply leaving? And is leaving less possible than I expect? What caused Nibbles to slide back down into thon's hole? Was it simply a lack of physical ability? Or did thon realize thon was unprepared to leave thon's confines? Being confined is restrictive and maddening. It is also easy and comforting. The paradox of freedom versus the paradox of isolation. It is impossible to truly have both. Only sealed within a box are you sure to be alone.

There is a lot here that a scholar of history would love to dig into. The small creature's use of First Overflow communications code. The use of canned beverages to change numbers, possibly spatial-temporal data. Maybe I am just too tired and hungry to do this any more. Maybe this proves I am no longer a scholar. Maybe this proves I never was.

There's really only one truly important part of this file. Nibbles taking the time to craft a crude but effective spear. The possible Pokemon asks if this is really necessary. It does not understand. It may fly away from any danger. The rest of us are not so lucky. The rest of us. Eventually. Must arm ourselves. Or die.

And I no longer plan on dying.

[homestuck-without-words]

This nearly broke me.

My preparations are all but complete. I have two decisions to make. Do I bring Homestuck with me? And do I bring it with me?

[homestuck-without-words]

Is this a Pokemon? Just freed from its capture device?

[homestuck-without-words]

Wait wait wait what is going on. Is that. From that. Oh yes it is. The looping nature confused me. This confirms it. Appearification is akin to teleportation.

[homestuck-without-words]

Oh fuuuuuuck that looks. Fucking incredible. Please never stop.

[homestuck-without-words]

Ahhhh too much please stop

[homestuck-without-words]

That looks like appearification to me. Either this cloned recent existing objects. Or it moved them. The sharp thing is missing.

[homestuck-without-words]

Did the lively animation of recent files suddenly cease? Or am I fading that much already? Nibbles wanted this thing. Now it is here. Did thon “appearify” it?

[homestuck-without-words]

Nobody knows. The trouble I have seen. Nobody knows. My sorrows.

I miss you. So much.

[homestuck-without-words]

Wait wait. Appearify. Did Nibbles create this from nothingness? Its mysterious origin does not reduce its appeal.

[homestuck-without-words]

Fuuuuuuck that looks good. Nibble that shit for me, Nibbles.

[homestuck-without-words]

This is not helping.

That looks. Really good. Quite tasty. I never had a gourd. Read about them. Once found an unspeakably ancient instrument made from one. Crumbled to dust with a single touch. I cried then.

I cannot afford to cry now.

[homestuck-without-words]

The Pokeprod, short for Pokemon Production. It was the extremely shortlived phase of civilization in-between the Last Abundance and The Switch. As everything choked on plastic, much of it generated towards the production of Pokemon merchandise (colorful creatures with personalities). Humanity kind of. Lost it. Enough became convinced.

Enough became convinced. That was the Switch in a nutshell, huh?

But this was before that. Enough became convinced that they had only one hope. One possible course of action that could save them. Make the fictional creatures of Pokemon real. If they could do that. They could make the idyllic world of Pokemon real.

The first step was hunting down every remaining. Wait.

Wait no. This just says “poke” and “prod”. Nibbles is poking and prodding.

Nevermind. Sorry. The withdrawals are starting to get to me.

Both of them.

[homestuck-without-words]

Or not. This was another classic Nibbles fantasy. Because the sharp bit is still in the other room. This is a less thrilling but more explicable turn of events. I suppose I should take that.

[homestuck-without-words]

The punishment device has been upgraded. Nibbles is hardcore.

[homestuck-without-words]

A new and interesting room indeed. On the left is a map of the Eastern Hemisphere of Earth. Or, at the time indicated by the bottom text field. Western Hemisphere. On the right is a circular diagram made up of many more circles. Maybe this is actually the circle nightmare room. An archaic child punishment device rests against the machinery.