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"There's just something about [Shrignold] that could convince you to sell your soul for blueberry muffins."
— Camera Man, Teaching Fear, Ask #38
As of now, the AU has been turned into a Fanfic on ao3
Teaching Fear is an alternate universe (AU) of the popular webseries Don't Hug Me I'm Scared. It follows the three Gribbleston children; Doi, Robin and Harry, who awaken one day, finding themselves in an exact replica of their home, but something seems off. Their parents are gone and each day, a different 'teacher' visits them, claiming they wish to teach the kids valuable life lessons. But those lessons seem to have ulterior motives, as a nefarious cult leader made of stone and hay pulls the strings, and he has big plans for the main trio.
The AU started off as an ask blog in Amino, but will soon become a full independent webcomic in Comicfury and/or Webtoon.
This comic provides examples of:
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#-B
- A Friend in Need: Despite having no healing abilities, Wadsworth tends to take up the role of the comforter whenever the people around him are hurt. Especially whenever Shrignold isn't around to help/ is hurt.
- Accidental Misnaming: Larry can't seem to get his wife's name right.Larry: Wave to the audience, Glenda.
Gweneth: It's Gweneth...
Larry: Yeah, that's what I said Gretchen. - Anger Born of Worry: Wadsworth is prone to this whenever Shrignold harms himself most notably when he finds him passed out in the Cathedral in the second mini comic.
C-D
- Common Law Marriage: Despite raising a bunch of children together and staying over at each others' houses long enough that they are practically roommates that just so happen to own separate houses, Wadsworth and Shrignold are not a married couple. Thanks to Malcolm's laws.
- The Dreaded: The mere invocation of Malcolm's name is enough to make everyone quail. And for good reason too.
E-K
- Evil Is Bigger: Malcolm is the largest character of the cast, both in size and muscle mass.
- God Is Evil: For a self-proclaimed one and only true God, Malcolm spends an alarming amount of time abusing his subordinates and eating gravel rather than helping his community thrive.
- The Heavy: Malcolm isn't the true Big Bad, but he is their primary enforcer.
- I Am Not Weasel: Robin keeps mixing up his animals, telling Shrignold he thought he was a wasp after apologizing for swatting him in the face with a flyswatter, and calling the equally incorrectly-named Ratty a rat, even though he is a pocket gopher.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Shrignold muses about how great their Malcolm-approved content is, only for Wadsworth to dryly cite a survey that states otherwise.Shrignold: Luckily, we have created a channel that only airs Malcolm-Approved content!
Wadsworth: According to recent surveys, most children would rather eat a bowl of thumb tacks than watch cartoons on MBC
Shrignold: (Promptly smacks him in the face with his wing) - Jerkass:
- Robin is constantly mean to Doi, threatening to kill his Animal Companion with a broom because he believes it's vermin and even after Doi is allowed to keep it, he keeps a grudge on the critter for no reason. On a separate occasion, he chastises Doi for always ruining their snow days by underdressing and refuses to share his scarf when his younger brother was hypothermic out of selfishness.
Robin: (while Doi is Freezing to the point he's blue) You always ruin our snow days by underdressing! Who EVER told you a T-shirt and a pair of shorts was weather appropriate? You can't have my scarf, by the way. It's MINE!''
Harry: Nobody cares about your silly scarf, Robin.- Paige calls green "ugly and wrong" when asked why it's not a creative color and then makes a point of comparing it to Colin's "garish" digital art (Especially evil since Wadsworth has hinted Colin's been suffering from self-esteem issues), she then promptly threatens the audience that she'll kill them if she finds out they've been shading with black. She also gets a kick out of boring students half to death during her creativity classes by stifling their creativity and trying to get them to do exactly as she does.
- Kick the Dog: Malcolm frequently abuses Shrignold just for speaking out of line. Bonus points for hurting him in front of Wadsworth and Benson.
L-S
- Marriage of Convenience: Larry and Gweneth, as well as a handful of Citizens of Clayhill who don't wish to face Malcolm's wrath for not finding a "Special one" in time.
- The Penance: Shrignold's cult upbringing has affected him in such a way that even the slightest "sinful" thought causes him to self-flagellate in order to suppress any and all unholy thoughts. He's harmed himself to the point of fainting more than once.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Malcolm forces people to marry the opposite sex to keep his numbers up and to keep them docile. He'll also kill widows to "reunite them with their lovers", as he sees getting remarried as a sin.
- Sycophantic Servant: (Subverted) Wadsworth appears to be that at first glance, but in truth, he and Shrignold actually respect each other as equals most of the time despite Wadsworth being subordinate. He's never afraid to bring Shrignold back down to earth every time he gets on a high horse. Not to mention it is heavily implied that their relationship is far from platonic. So any and all 'ass-kissing' might as well be genuine flirting.
