“Yarn. They lived a shitty life and tried to make up for it in one grand, self sacrificing gesture. Some folk might call that the cowards way out. Yeah you kids probably want to live forever but when you’re older you’ll realise that there’s shit you can’t undo and the thought of living with it weighs on you like a ton of bricks.
I don’t know if they seriously thought they were going to walk out of that Arena. Probably not. Does that make ‘em a coward? Na. Not in my books. You know what takes real guts? Admitting to yourself that you’re a piece of shit and trying to make good. You’d be surprised how many people can’t do that. How many folks who’d figure out a way to be in right.
They stood up in front of ten thousand people and told them they were assholes just by being there. Do you know how many people have stood up to the crowd. No one. No one in the history of rules lawyers ever tried to fight the crowd. And even if they had I don’t think anyone else could have won. Like I said earlier, it’s real hard to admit you’re a piece of shit, and Yarn somehow, amazingly, got thousands and thousands of people to do that. So yeah, maybe they led a mostly crappy life, but Yarn died fighting for the city’s soul, and that makes them alright by me. And if the Yarn riots are anything to go by, at the end they were alright by most folk in Bastion too.”
- from The Season XXXIV interviews: Senior Arena Technician Razor
“My respect for Yarn grew during the Team Heavy Metal versus Team Legit match. They proved to me that they were much more than a loud commentator grabbing the microphone to air opinions. They were so sharp and quick on their feet, with a knowledge of obscure amendments that I never expected to have to counter.
I didn't see it that way at the time – having been beaten up and ridden out of a mosh pit shortly before – but, looking back, it was a delight to know that somebody else had studied the works of the infamous lawyer Chair. I hope they realised that their knowledge of, and skill at interpreting, amendments was recognised as well as the famous stunts and Mesh business.“
– From Changing The Rules: My life in UMBA and UMBC, by Noggin'
The sun glares down through a cloudless blue sky onto a dusty Bastion square. Colorful awning decorate the building of sandstone and corrugated metal, and flowers grow in trellises along every window. At the centre of the square where once stood a well from which sackclothed peasants drew dirty water is a fountain. Under a curtain of crystal water is a statue. Not a glorious figure like the champions of the Arena, not a Wasteland adventurer or doctor smiling benevolently. No, instead it is a penitent figure.
Arch wonders into the square, with Monsters Strike and Bloop in tow. The latter has grown, and now stands half as tall as the gladiator, and has had a wide brimmed woven hat placed atop its head to keep from evaporating under the harsh desert sun. Arch purchases three Briquid Maxs from an old street vendor. They give one to Strike who sits on the ground and guzzles it noisily. They go to offer the other to Bloop, but feeling suddenly uncomfortable the Monster small recoils from the Briquid bottle. This is all suddenly very familiar to it.
Bloop searches about, suddenly seized by a feeling of… expectation. It feels like it’s been here before. Years ago, in what was almost a different life. Familiar yes, but different. The Monster can’t help but feel something missing from the scene. Or someone perhaps. It catches sight of the penitent statue, features obscured by the thin veil of water from the fountain.
Noticing the Monster's distress Arch kneels down and lays a hand on its shoulder. “Bloop? Are you okay?” The small Monster looks up at its Trainer, then glances back towards the centre of the square. Arch follows its gaze but sees only the fountain.
“Let’s go home Bloop. All your friends are waiting there.” They say concerned. To the side Strike finishes his Briquid and gives the Monster a brotherly squeeze.
“Yeah, come watch me practice.” He says swinging their axe around until a look from Arch quells such irresponsible behaviour in front of the impressionable little one.
Arch takes the small Monster by the hand and leads it home, towards the Monster sanctuary. As Bloop is led away it turns back towards the fountain, and the statue. A lone, penitent figure, smiling sadly after it. A face it still remembers.
