I must admit, I’m not the biggest fan of Happy Tree Friends (too much gore for me). That being said, it does have some very cute characters, Lifty and Shifty included. They’re rotten jerks, but the lovable kind you eventually feel at least a little bad for when things keep going wrong. There’s surprisingly little hypno art of them; I could only find one picture. That particular one, by Princess-Josie-Riki, was wonderful, and inspired me to make this.

This WAS going to be a comic, but over two dozen episodes of Happy Tree Friends, screenshots and editing of everything from Lifty and Shifty to a firework to filling a horrible fridge with ice cream, and the realization that even in the show it doesn't seem like shading and line colors are consistent later, I finally threw in the towel. I am SO sorry.

On the bright side, I now get why Flippy and Fliqpy are so popular.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

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Happy Tree Friends

Tranced Thief Twins (Part 1)

Starring: Lifty and Shifty

Guest Starring: Kaa

Featuring: Cro-Marmot, Flaky, Giggles, Nutty, Lumpy, Flippy/Fliqpy


Lifty and Shifty leaned back on their couch and recliner, respectively, and gave each other a satisfied smirk. This had been one of their better heists. The twins had found Cro-Marmot outside of his ice cream truck again; lucky for them, he’d left the truck open and the keys inside. There was no heat wave this time; the ancient critter was useless to them, and after last time, they had no desire to take him with them. The raccoons left him on the side of the road and drove home with the truck, ice cream and profits in tow.

They’d been enjoying the ice cream since, chowing down on the best (and some of the only) food they’d gotten hold of that week. They had enough to fill their fridge and more; the rest lay in the truck, securely locked up by Lifty, and the key hidden by Shifty. They were still debating what to do with the money; so far, suggestions had included everything from candy (both for themselves and to sell to Nutty), to firecrackers (Shifty was trying to work out a plan where they could steal from Fliqpy’s victims; Lifty vetoed it on the basis it purposely got Fliqpy involved), to ordering a pizza (Shifty immediately vetoed that one, saying he’d had enough molten things in or on him for a lifetime. Lifty helpfully suggested not eating things while they were steaming hot or leaving people who could help him pinned under rubble. Shifty helpfully suggested Lifty take the pizza and his complaints and shove them-)

Lifty cut him off with a surprised yell, and Shifty whirled around to find a massive snake behind him. Caught trying to get a sip of Shifty’s lemonade, the snake froze; sheepishly, he spoke up, surprising the siblings. He introduced himself as Kaa, and asked if he could stay for a bit? Things had gotten chaotic outside; there was a screaming porcupine flying through the air, her quills caught in a red and white firework, while a chipmunk and a candy-coated squirrel chased her down the street (the squirrel licking his lips for some reason), both armed with fire extinguishers, while a moose drove after the porcupine in a fire truck and a bear in a military uniform started hyperventilating. He’d left after the squirrel had sprayed some foam, oohed at the sight, and started eating it, the chipmunk had begun unsuccessfully trying to stop him, the moose had hit both of them, the porcupine had flown out of sight, and the bear had started attacking people. He was still a bit shaken; surely, they wouldn’t mind if he hid until things settled down!

The brothers had the same blunt response: Get out!

Kaa chuckled as he slid up and over the recliner; really, he’d be no trouble at all! He knew how to make plenty of space-

Lifty and Shifty immediately bolted.

Kaa blinked.

Well, that hadn’t been what he was going for.

Lifty snickered as he raced for the door; he’d managed to grab the bag of money. No way they were losing this! They’d drive off in the ice cream truck or their van and-

Lifty tripped over Kaa’s body, laid out across the floor. Before the raccoon could react, Kaa’s tail had begun wrapping around his legs. Lifty frantically tried to pull himself out; he didn’t want to be a meal!

He perked up, grinning in relief as Shifty ran back. His brother would-

Shifty grabbed the dropped bag of cash and sprinted for the door, only looking back to give his betrayed brother a snicker before he left, slamming the door shut behind him.

Lifty growled in exasperation. Of course. Why would he expect anything else?! He was about to be snake food because Shifty couldn’t be bothered to care!

Great. Here he came now.

The snake slithered over, looking stunned. Kaa asked: did Shifty do that a lot?

Yes, Lifty was happy to inform him. Yes, he did.

…Did he want payback?

Lifty scoffed. Unlike Shifty, he wasn’t going to sell out his sibling to save his own skin. Besides, Kaa’d just eat him afterwards anyways.

Kaa blinked in confusion. When had he said he was going to eat either of them? He’d meant that he could arrange his coils so they didn’t take up much room, so he wouldn’t be underfoot until he left. What he had in mind wasn’t remotely lethal or painful.

Lifty raised an eyebrow as he looked at the snake. All right, he had his attention, so what was the plan?

Kaa smirked; he knew he had his attention (when you thought a snake was going to eat you, what else would you be paying attention to?), but did he have his trust? He was going to need to hear it, need to see Lifty look him in the eyes so he knew he meant it.

Lifty shrugged and looked into Kaa’s eyes. He tru-

Lifty’s jaw dropped as Kaa’s eyes spun with colors; beautiful, enticing colors that demanded his attention and made his thoughts fuzzy with their flow. Kaa beckoned him closer, and Lifty leaned in, his pupils beginning to shrink as he looked deep into the spirals. His thoughts, his troubles, all were soothed and swept away by the sea of colors that washed over him, leaving only bliss and the desire for more. Lifty smiled, his pupils the size of pinpricks as Kaa began to wrap him in coils, the snake’s loving squeezes making him moan in delight; it was the first massage he’d ever gotten, and it would be far from the last. Spirals flooded the raccoon’s mind and vision as the snake began to speak: telling him how he could just relax, letting his mind drift in the pretty colors, how Lifty could leave all his thoughts and will to Kaa and trust the snake would keep them safe, leaving plenty of room in his head for colors and commands. How Lifty would provide food, entertainment, conversation, anything his master needed, and how in return, Lifty would be free to live the life of a pampered pet, filled with all the colors and coils he could ever ask for, cherished and never betrayed.

Lifty nodded along eagerly, his eyes spiraling madly as his tail wagged behind him; he wanted to be Master’s pet! It was a better life than any he’d had or could possibly imagine! Who needed free will or thoughts? He just needed Master!

A tug on the neck sealed the deal; a PING! rang out in Lifty’s head as the raccoon broke out into the widest, happiest grin that had ever crossed his face.

Kaa chuckled as Lifty began to purr, snuggling up against his coils. He really had just slipped in for shelter, but the cute raccoons were a nice bonus. Good thing they’d left their door open when they were running in and out with ice cream. That was going to be good too! In the meantime, though, he had to ask; did Lifty trust him?

Lifty’s response was a resounding yes.