Cryptids, Emotions, And The Possible End of The World

Fanfiction
Title:	Cryptids, Emotions, And The Possible End of The World
Author(s):	Bamsara
Date(s):	Dec 6, 2019 - present
Length:	7 works, 222,698 words total
Genre(s):	Sci-fi, queerplatonic Zim and Dib Romance/Zim and Dib Friendship
Fandom(s):	Invader Zim
Relationship(s):
External Links:	on Archive of Our Own
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Cryptids, Emotions, And The Possible End of The World (abbreviated as CEATPEOTW and sometimes called the Paklet AU) is the title of an Invader Zim fanfic series on Archive of Our Own by BamSara. The series began on December 6, 2019, with the work The Trees Have Seen You Savage, which was immensely popular. As of May 2022 it has five main works and two spin-offs. The series is still ongoing, however in Nov 2022 Bamsara expressed a reluctance to finish the series due to "oversexualization" of their work and the pressure to finish.

BamSara created an FAQ for the series in 2021.

two dudes sittin in a space ship five feet apart cause its a slowburn

Cryptids, Emotions, And The Possible End of The World description on AO3

Works in the Series

• The Trees Have Seen You Savage: Dec 6, 2019 - Jan 6, 2020. 24,804 words, 2,900+ kudos
• False Reflections: Jan 24, 2020 - Mar 23, 2020. 40,634 words, 2,700+ kudos
• Spacedust & Nightlights: Apr 10, 2020 - Apr 20, 2020. 16,437 words, 2,100+ kudos
• Stars Rival The Seas: May 11, 2020 - Jul 1, 2020. 34,767 words, 2,100+ kudos
• Galaxy Days: Jul 19, 2020 - ongoing. 71,858+ words, 2,900+ kudos
• Blood Pak: Oct 29, 2021 - ongoing. 20,402+ words, 900+ kudos
• In Which Shenanigans Happen: Feb 8, 2022 - ongoing. 13,796+ words, 600+ kudos

Plot

CEATPEOTW is a slow burn, queerplatonic, Invader Zim/Dib Membrane Cryptid AU. It's works are written as slice of life novellas (except for Galaxy Days, which is novel length) in which Zim and Dib hunt or encounter cryptids, and shenanigans ensue accordingly. The results are often angst, hurt/comfort, and fluff.

The Trees Have Seen You Savage starts the series with Dib hunting down a cryptid in the forest, and after he discovers Zim has followed him, the two bicker in the woods. Eventually they find a ghoul, and she chases them through the forest. Dib gets gored and Zim carries him to a hospital, saving his life in the nick of time. Zim becomes traumatized over the event and it causes him to become more protective over where Dib is and what he is doing, least he get himself killed.

In False Reflections, Dib plans on traveling a great distance to France to hunt ghosts. He convinces Zim to allow him to uses his spaceship, which Zim agrees to only if he is the one flying it. In an underground bunker they encounter the ghost, which infects Zim's Pak and causes him to hallucinate. In his out-of-mind state, he tries to kill Dib. Dib is able to snap him out of it by dripping holy water into his Pak. Afterwards, they recoup by eating breakfast together, and Zim shows signs of emotional trauma.

In Spacedust & Nightlights, Zim takes a sleep deprived Dib into space under the impression Zim needed to get supplies. In reality, Zim was collecting materials to make Dib a nightlight to help him sleep.

Stars Rival The Seas introduces Gaz as a more frequent character. Dib, Zim, Gaz, and Gir go on a road trip to search for a mermaid. Dib nearly gets killed when the mermaid turns out the be a siren, and Zim has to save him, despite being allergic to the water.

Galaxy Days, the longest addition to the series, expands the AU immensely. After upgrading is spaceship to accommodate two people- particularly to accommodate a human- Zim and Dib fly into space to explore. Zim shows Dib around some planets he had been on before. A simple space-vacation ends up in more dangerous escapades than they expected, with other mysterious aliens trying to capture Zim and believing Dib was his slave.

Blood Pak is a vampire AU spin-off of the series, in which Zim is an alien and a vampire.

In Which Shenanigans Happen is a 100 drabble prompt conglomerate, set in the same universe between other events.

Reception

Cryptids, Emotions, And The Possible End of The World received a large positive reception in the Invader Zim fandom, it's stats surpassing older stories from between 2012-2018 on AO3 in way of kudos. In the Invader Zim category, filtering by just kudos, The Trees Have Seen You Savage is the second most kudoed IZ fanfic as of May 2022. Galaxy Days, the fifth part in the series, is the third most kudoed. False Reflections, the second part in the series, is the fifth most kudoed. Stars Rival The Seas, the fourth part in the series, is the 8th most kudoed. Spacedust & Nightlights, the third part in the series, is the ninth most kudoed. The only pieces in the series not on the front page of Invader Zim kudos are the two spin-off pieces, Blood Pak, and In Which Shenanigans Happen.

CEATPEOTW became popular on Tumblr, likely due to it's author, BamSara, being extremely active on Tumblr and posting doodles related to the series almost daily. "CEATPEOTW" is it's own Tumblr tag and contains fanart for the series. CEATPEOTW has also inspired animatics on YouTube.

Later in the series Bamsara introduces original characters, both canon alien species from IZ as well as original alien species OCs. Fans have made fanart of BamSara's original characters, including their character Stitch, though Stitch is only a minor character. Stitch was later also included in their other fanfiction as a human, Solar Lunacy.

CEATPEOTW has a TV Tropes page.

Comments

On Archive of Our Own

Been looking forward to this since I saw the concept art for it the other day, and it did not disappoint! Love these two and their banter (“I will not do the off of fucking!”). Great action sequence here, and it looks like they're in for a very rough time. I am here for it.

Also, I adore the little aside with Zim wondering about that 'favorite alien' comment and Dib being too flustered to remember that he has, indeed, met other aliens before. Can you imagine how pissed Zim would get if Dib tried to deflect and claim he meant Tak? Or the Plookesians? Or the Tallest? fffff...

Looking forward to suffering whatever comes next! :D

demishock. The Trees Have Seen You Savage, Chapter 1.

this was such a nice chapter, very calm to when compared to all the others (including the previous fic).

as someone who adores cryptids i love this series, also the violent angst???? i’m not really one for violence but this doesn’t bother me fro some reason lol. also trans dib is 👌 gaz’s “that’s gay” got a laugh outta me. fellas, is it gay to go cryptid hunting in france with your enemy and have breakfast in a cafe somewhere in paris the next morning?

i don’t watch invader zim but both your fics and art have me hooked

spades_ace. False Reflections, Chapter 4.

'“The human internet says that sometimes when a human is sad or upset, that you should give them space.” Zim taps a claw on the lid. “So I'm giving you space.”

Dib’s fingers tremble on the glass.'

asdhfslgkhdfglsdlfkha omg I am SCREAMING! This is so fucking adorable, I can't even!!!! <3 <3 <3

I also really loved Gir in this one, he's the best alien puppy-toddler XD

(Is Zim building a PAK for Dib, were those the blueprints in the box??)

Thank you so much for writing this, I'm really enjoying this series a lot! <3 <3 <3

Nipaaahh. Spacedust & Nightlights, Chapter 2.

OHHHHhh I love this fic and series so much ! I’ve always had a fascination and fear of the ocean so this specific one hits the perfect spot! I am also just amazed on how you write Zim and Dib, giving Dib a lack of self preservation is so neat, It’s definitely how I think he’d develop after fighting an alien alone as a child, and then there is Zim being an intriguing spectacle when he tries to convey his emotions, his actions speak more loudly then his words but he’s trying. Please keep writing! I always look forward to reading a new chapter or fic by you!

Zelarhue. Stars Rival The Seas, Chapter 2.

There is probably equal blame for what occured. Or at least, mostly equal blame. One the one hand, Dib was begging for Zim to buy him alien food, despite knowing the struggles Zim has with finding compatible food on Earth. On the other, Zim gave in and bought him some despite knowing those risks and then left him alone rather than staying to watch and make sure he didn't have a negative reaction to it. Or at least buying it to go and leaving him to eat it on the ship while he went out and d is his business. Which is another thing Zim is at fault for--leaving him alone with aliens who already had a vague air of hostility, and especially some that dislike irkens in particular. So really i would say they are even, but, yeah, they probably shouldn't go back there anytime soon and may not want to lead them straight back to Earth either.

I did like the raw emotions present in the bathroom scene, though, at least on Zim's end. Who knows hoe much Dib will remember of it later though. I also liked Zim carrying him back and taking care of him

And GIRl's mirroring of Dib was funny.

Nice work.

Catflower_Queen. Galaxy Days, Chapter 4.

The feeling that attacked me when I saw your name on the notification!!! is this what happiness feels like?

NGH I love these guys, I have been so excited for vampire Zim since the first drawing I saw of him I love how he teases in the garden (I wouldn't have a problem admitting my inferiority, ngl, Zim doesn't have many people in his life who actively indulge his whims) I was so worried about Dib in the house!🥺 when he asked if he was hurt !!! I'm so soft, I love these idiots🤧💕

And of course, it was the alien that was harmed!

That final scene gave me chills, the conversation on the phone, the quiet words were even more shocking than they would have been shouted!🥰

SmilingM0on. Blood Pak, Chapter 1.

So many amazing things! From gaz getting a nice taste of dibs life, to seeing how the pak sees dib (I love how dib is registered in zim's pak, from the smell and sounds of his heart beat). My favorite is Zim, dib and the smeet (I'm sorry I can't remember her name). Zim getting jealous and probably angry that he smells like a different irken. While I know it definitely won't happen, I like to think dib or kal would bring up a topic of her never having tasted irken snacks or food and Zim gets all offended and acts like he doesn't care. Then an hour later dib finds Zim sharing (forcing) her to try real food. Which she might enjoy. Dib would take a picture and never let Zim live it down, Kal people wouldn't be too happy about the whole thing.

Duelkittens. In Which Shenanigans Happen, Chapter 2.

On Other Social Media

5) Cryptids, Emotions And The Possible End of the world by @bamsara Fascinating story, with ghouls, demons, sirens, and every cryptid a teen Dib Membrane could wish for. You are not gonna get bored once with this one. Five parts complete and a sixth ongoing (qpp ZADR, SFW, NO COMPLETE)

lestat-wesker, Tumblr.

Spoiler warning for The Trees Have Seen You Savage

Trigger Warning for the Ghoul as well and slight gore. Theres not really any, but there is some on its teeth and I just want to play it safe. Also possibly eyestrain. If there’s any other warning needed, just let me know!

So, I’ve read Cryptids, Emotions, and the Possible End of the World before, back before quarantine started, and recently I’ve reread it and its become a new fixation for me to draw.

@bamsara ’s story(s) and artwork are absolutely amazing and never fails in brightening my day with the angry green gremlin and dense earth man. I highly recommend checking the page out if you’re interested!

jjiswaytoolate, Tumblr.

acewithapaintbrush: I’m in love with

@bamsara

s ceatpeotw series and drawings and now vampire Zim finally kicked my butt and made me try drawing them boys. Let’s just say Zim has been watching The Shining Bonus:

@Tecinus, Twitter.

Fanworks

Gallery

• so i read @bamsara’s fic., Buzzfeed Unsolved meme
• Sketchy drawing of what i thought Mustard looked like
• BASED ON @BAMSARA’S PAKLET AU SERIES, OR CEATPEOTW
• @bamsara ‘s new chapter be like
• He Left You Behind, You Know

Inspired Fanfiction

• Witness, inspired by The Trees Have Seen You Savage
• Woe Betide Flu, inspired by Galaxy Days
• Late night cup of joy, inspired by Bamsara's ZADR/F content

Videos

• by jupitertheegg
• falling for u || invader zim || zadr animatic
• Invader Zim animatic // Dream Sweet in Sea Major // CEPEW
• running up that hill [iz animatic]
• b t s t u || Invader Zim AU
• The Trees Have Seen you Savage