Oh boy. Chiasmata and especially its counterpart Electrophoresis are not for kids.
(Made after reading an article about kids and fear.)
- This
panel. Good lord. - The very concept of the Dark Triumvirate. Sibling is always watching you, you never know when Sister may strike, Brother is the most sadistic mastermind you'll ever see... their actual forms count too. And it's very possible they're not the only ones.
- The Location itself. Creepy texts on the walls ( which may or may not be made by Ibrahim before), constantly changing rooms, 'robots' (which are implied to be the shells of the aforementioned Triumvirate) run rampant and their allegiance is unknown, multiple secret passageways... it just screams Nothing Is Scarier.
- Creepy Awesome: The way the story and its creatures manages to avoid the stereotypical powers and monsters. All of the monsters in Electrophoresis (except the Triumvirate) are actual humans, and the designs are also beyond expectation.
- All superhumans have something about them that puts them in Uncanny Valley, and, if known, their backstories too (see WMG page). Under all the awesome powers and advanced technology, they were all unassuming, normal people before being hit by a Cold Light. The characters in Electrophoresis are assumed to have to willingly enter life-threatening situations on a regular basis without their friends or family even knowing where they are. And even with magic, they're all still humans who've probably never even held a gun before, much less had any proper combat training prior to their 'enlightenment'.
- Device, for example, is nothing short of a very excitable, nerdy guy. But Word of God has said his home country, Israel, tried to get him extradited multiple times, and what he did back there was considered illegal. On top of that, he hasn't got a civilian identity.
- Ibrahim's niece, Jamila, does not even know he's still alive. And apparently Ibrahim thinks it's for the better. Let that sink in.
- The fact that each character has a backstory before ending up in the Location. How many of their loved ones, friends and family are in complete confusion where their friend went? How many 'missing' posters were hung? They have no idea their friend/family member just gained terrifying powers, and an even more terrifying side effect to go along with it, and are now stuck in a living hell.
- There's a brief moment where someone is just sitting in the shadows watching everyone. It is rather likely Alice Hemsley, but that doesn't stop it from being scarily paranoia inducing.
- Don't get me started about 564. Its description in the PMMM AU also qualifies:
