Big Corps Shatter Small Streamer Rules!! (1)

It's 8 PM. Time to dive into the endgame with Himaru again today. But Himaru hasn't turned on her stream. The fallout from that is massive. Since she didn't start, all her viewers flooded over to me for our collab.

621 viewers. An insane number poured in, and it feels like only the hardcore fans showed up because the chat speed is ridiculously fast. I can't even keep up with my eyes. Of course, most of the chat is trash-talking Himaru.

I can't let the target harassment slide. I temp-ban the chats badmouthing Himaru and keep fighting the war between sword and shield.

The viewers are freaking out, but I'm chill. She might just be running late.

"It could happen. Let's wait patiently!"

I can wait forever. Of course. If I go "hmm" here, that's like a vassal betraying the king. I feel that deep down.

"Th-that... I don't know either?! Ah!! Maru's thirty too!! Thirty!! Eh!!"

I used what I learned. Himaru said I could use it too.

I glance at chat—reaction's pretty good? Did I handle that well? Heehee.

"I-it's fine. She'll come if we wait. Let's wait together. Young. Cha. Young. Cha. Dance. Eurachacha."

The viewers are busy donating to each other, laughing and chatting among themselves.

"Everyone's pretty pissed, huh. Got it. Guess I have no choice but to unleash my power."

Can't be helped. Can't let the toxic talk slide. Insulting me? Whatever. Most of the time it's just haters anyway. Who else grows as fast as me?!

Even so, the meds didn't fully kick in, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so I had to suppress the chat. After over 10 minutes of suppression, it calmed down. A few Himaru haters grumbled occasionally, but most settled.

"RP...?"

RP. Roleplay, the VTuber concept. I don't have one. I did it because people said VTubing is good. But male VTubers aren't popular. I did it because it sounded fun, but later learned it only works for female VTubers.

"Well..."

I made the donor feel awkward again. But I really don't have an RP. Himaru's a big corp. Gotta follow big corp behavior.

"Um, do... does Himaru have an RP? Does she stick to it?"

Sudden slander chats make me hiccup a few times.

"N-no cursing! If Maru doesn't keep RP, then I won't either."

"I don't really have one. Like, people said VTubing's better than no-cam, so I did it."

I'm bad at lying, so it shows right away. Had to be honest.

Sweet viewers. They praise me tons.

Sudden dino war erupts. KingRano vs KingPino pride clash lights up. Shrimp backs don't always break in whale fights—sometimes it's good. Every stream has a chairman. Mine's the dinos.

The fight ends with Himaru's arrival. Dinosaurs really saved Earth. They probably said while blocking the asteroid: "Kraaak. Tiny lizards. Future's yours." Euhuhu.

At 8:52 PM, Himaru finally starts her stream. She rarely latches, so the impact is huge.

Clicky-click. Mouse sounds calm the spam.

"Ah... Uh. Sorry, everyone."

Himaru has no excuse. She fell asleep watching my stream. My soft voice and chill broadcast brought on the drowsiness. Like ASMR. Soft voice sleepy enough, plus pen scratches while drawing? Total sleep inducer.

Couldn't hold out, dozed off. Woke up at 8, thought "huh?" and closed eyes again. Then a chill hit—eyes snap open.

Checked time: Oops, late. Regular stream at 7 PM, an hour late. Rushed prep, went live at 8:52.

"Sorry. Nothing to say."

Hoarse voice tips them off.

"Nothing to say. Scold me."

"Sorry first... I'll reflect after today's schedule."

Himaru jumps into Discord right away. Sena's already waiting.

Then they endgame together. But that was Himaru's mistake. More stress than yesterday.

Dazed state = dizzy, game not clicking, energy low, snipers hyped. Just wanna log off. If it was fun for stream, I'd drag it, but it drags every time. Viewers starting to rage.

Time for a call. Himaru thinks.

Late + bad PR + botched game—can she handle? Holding back won't fix PR. Late to collab = awkward with Sena. Gotta decide.

"Hoo..."

Himaru sighs big and speaks.

"Sena. Wanna switch games?"

Suddenly switch games? I'm stunned, can't speak.

That's how it goes. I'm used to it. Collab with 5, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mid-chat switch to 4-player? Someone sits out. In small streamer world, lowest tier leaves.

Small streamers have ranks too. 0-viewer > 10-viewer power, 100-viewer = god. Himaru's divine.

Small streamers grind hard. Ponder identity, direction. Me and streamer pals talked daily: How to grow? More viewers? Try this?

Old small streamer Discord with 200-300 members. Healthy feedback, but mostly circlejerk. Mutual views heavy, backtalk heavy, factions formed, newbies shunned.

Luckily escaped thanks to random female VTuber I met.

That female VTuber... retired or reincarnated? Learned tons. Mentor figure.

No, anyway. I'm used to it. Multiplayer groups? I'm always the one out. Always.

Wanna play so bad, but hold back: "Sudden thing came up, have fun!" Smile, end stream, solo. Small streamer duty.

Used to it. Dozen times, gets easy. Early complaints "no awareness," but trained to sense it early.

This is it. Signal to bow out gracefully.

"Like... too many snipers, it's tough. How 'bout a duo game?"

Himaru's words make me flinch.

"Shall we look for another game?" "Y-yeah...?"

Answered quick, but what's this pattern? Head throbs.

Snipers suck, but I'm collabing? You say it—you're low tier. You play villain. Small streamer lesson.

"Sena, anything you wanna play?" "I... um..." "Anything but total trash is fine. Got something? Something casual?"

Himaru's pattern baffles. Normally: "Sena, say you got something." "Aw, 4-player. Shame." "How many?" "Hmm... Nothing fits? This was fun but numbers wrong."

New pattern. Asking indie streamer Sena's opinion? Rare. No clue how to reply.

Usually luck-based: Good luck, leader's game fits all, snag seat. Bad luck, doesn't, solo end stream sadly.

"How 'bout bunny game?"

Bunny game...?!

"Y'know, yellow bunny and pink bunny hopping."

"Yes! That's it."

Bought it. Couldn't play. Told mentor-VTuber bravely, she said "later," then game shelved forever. Watched YouTube lots, but fuzzy now...

Wanna try anyway.

"I-I like it!"

Thought she wanted me out 'cause boring. Big corps best. Big corp retainers best. This why big corps rule. Mid-tier welfare on another level. I ain't fired yet. Get to play my game!!