Animator vs Animation: The Dark Web

Epilogue: The Outernet

A few months later...

Valhalla stretched his arms, taking in the smell of the crisp and fresh morning air of the Outernet. He leaned against the balcony's railing of he and Driftwood's shared apartment, watching the city thrive beneath him. Cars drove through the streets, people walking on the sidewalks with purpose as they walked to work, and the dawn's sunlight bouncing off of freshly repaired buildings.

It was nothing like the Dark Web, for sure, yet now he's grown used to the thrum. The noise, the rhythm, the idea of it all—it was strange, but intriguing.

He adjusted his scarf. Driftwood was getting ready for the day, but he didn't mind waiting. Quiet moments like this—it gave him time to just think.

Months passed since the fall of the Codeborn, and he couldn't feel freer than he's ever been. The change wasn't easy, but at least they have found a new purpose in the strange, new world.

Mountain Mist, Turquoise, and Driftwood haven't been having too much trouble adjusting to the new life, as the familiarity of their old lives started to return in bits and pieces.

But as for the Dark Web-born—such as Dusk, Lemon, Wisteria, and even himself—not so much. The change was more overwhelming than they had anticipated. The structured society, the restless cities, the sheer contrasts from their original home; it was unlike anything they've lived through before. The guidance sure was needed, but soon enough...

They slowly started to fit in. Piece by piece.

Valhalla adjusted his scarf once more, shielding his eyes from the bright sun as it climbed higher to the sky. Just as he turned behind him, he caught sight of Driftwood, who tied a brown lace bow necklace around her neck that matched her usual accessories.

Driftwood met his gaze, and she lifted a dark red heart clip from her hand, giving it a little shake. It was their time to leave.

Valhalla's excitement surfaced, and he hastily followed her as they both left their apartment. They stepped onto the sidewalk, finding it empty and quiet from any witnesses. Perfect.

As Valhalla backed away, Driftwood straightened her posture, inhaling sharply. She raised the heart clip in front of her, and with a practiced flick of her wrist—

FWOOSH!

The white portal split open.

Valhalla shook his fists in excitement. As Driftwood entered, Valhalla followed behind her without a second thought. It wasn't that they're going to the Dark Web—not this time, at least—but somewhere new that extended the clips' capabilities than they've realized.

They were going inside the Internet itself.

And their destination? To Alan's PC.

—

As they stepped through, they blinked just a slight moment before they found themselves on a smooth, black flat surface. The digital space stretched before them in pixels of dark blue, and a massive Windows logo stretched on the wall. A tan couch was sat to the side, and sitting there—

Were their friends.

Just as the Color Gang noticed them, they jumped out of their seats in excitement.

Green and Yellow rushed to Driftwood, giving a welcoming handshake for their arrival. Whereas Red got a little too excited seeing Valhalla again, hugging him into a full-force tackle. Blue caught Red by the sides in time before they could crash to the floor, and he yanked him back. Blue gave Valhalla a slight wave of his hand, warm and acknowledging, before he forced Red away.