Cheer Up, Emo Girl
is a fanfic by FormerlyKnownasXYZed. It is a Total Drama Alternate Universe Fic. It centers around the lives of Gwen, Lindsay, and Heather as they grow up in the town of Dramatika, Missouri. It features other characters from Total Drama as well. The story follows a timeline that starts from the day Gwen is born.
This story features examples of:
- Adaptational Intelligence: Lindsay is far more competent and intelligent than her canon counterpart.
- Chekhov's Gunman: One of the author's more common devices is to pull a minor or one-shot character from an earlier chapter and then give them a major role later on.
- Friends with Benefits: Gwen and Heather start having sex long before they become an actual couple.
- Lampshade Hanging: The biggest comes when Jhonen Hodder tells his mom about how messed up the city is.Jhonen: Mom, I don't know if you've noticed this, but… this city isn't like most cities, in the US, Ireland, or wherever else. It's a strange place where lesbians are everywhere, all girls are whores, every older woman is a MILF, and incest is regarded as fairly regular shit.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Various characters, most commonly Lindsay, make fun of a Fanfic written by Bridgette. The flaws in Bridgette's fanfic are also the flaws in the meta story. This is not a coincidence.
- Relationship Upgrade: Gwen and Heather become a couple some 14 chapters after they start having sex.
- Self-Deprecation: By the author, when characters make fun of a Fanfic written by Bridgette. The flaws in Bridgette's fanfic are also the flaws in the meta story. This is not a coincidence.
- Unusual Euphemism: Geoff tells Ezekiel that Lindsay "likes tacos more than hot dogs".
