oculusxcaro

[oculusxcaro]

Khare grimaced as the alarm on her cheap phone chimed out loud, signalling it was time to leave for Pauli's. Once again it was the start of another night and while she was glad just to be able to stay somewhere, it was hard not to feel trapped in the same old cycle she'd been in since coming to Gotham. Get up, get out of the bathtube and dry off. Throw on her work uniform which had since grown a tad worn since it had last been repaired by skilled hands quite some time ago. Khare studied the stitching he'd left, fingers tracing the excellent threading that had since held up and were now the smartest thing about the outfit. Even the fabric looked faded and dull, no longer the vibrant pink it had once been. Oh well. It was just a uniform at the end of the day, and wistful though she felt looking at the repairs, she'd be late for work if she lingered much longer. Living in another part of Gotham now meant that she'd have to leave earlier if she were to arrive on time and while the way there and back was, at the very least, safer what with being on the main streets as opposed to being tempted by short cuts in the alleyway, it meant being outside longer and at this time of year, it wasn't nice no matter how bundled up you were. The bitter cold of winter nearly took her breath away as dry air hit her lungs, chafing them uncomfortably even as she struggled to pull an old scarf over her face. She could feel her eyes water and not just the ones in her face as she picked up a brisk pace to gain some sort of shelter from the icy wind in between buildings... Eleven at night was hardly the warmest time of day in Gotham and while some people were still out and about, most wisely chose to stay inside if they could. Khare blinked as she turned the corner to where the first line of shops awaited, their signs looking... different somehow. It was January, she wagered, glancing back and forth as she struggled to gain her bearings. Perhaps some places had finally taken down belated Christmas decorations that should have been taken down during the first week of the year but it wasn't that. Everything looked wrong, the familiar signs and colours of Grand Avenue all messed up. Greens and blues glittered vibrantly, hurting her eyes with how dazzling they were. Other colours were muted or gone altogether as though they'd blown a fuse. It was pretty much a sea of green and blue at this point which wasn't helped by the dark, not that Khare needed much light to see well in darkness anyway but... she'd relied so heavily on certain buildings to serve as landmarks to get around Miagani Island, and now she'd gotten all turned around, ending up in another part of the area altogether... Where was she? And why did everything look so different? It was as though half the colour spectrum had completely disappeared from the city, leaving her in a world of green, blue and a bizarre glowing vibrancy of yellow-grey that hurt to look at.

[oculusxcaro]

Hi everybody, sorry to have been so quiet lately! 2025 started off a little rough on this end but it's probably quite a bit rougher for some of you across the pond for reasons we all know and loathe already. Despite that, I hope life is treating you okay (or will start getting better soon - some of you have been through some really rough patches which none of you deserve and I wish things were better for you all 🙁) Just a smol life update about a little somebody I haven't mentioned for a while - R.orschach, my corn snake! It's been one whole year since he came home with me way back in 2024 as an itty bitty shoelace and he's uh, grown quite a bit since living it up in his lovely big vivarium?

Unfortunately it's the best photo of us since my health hasn't been the best these last few months (curse you winter!) but I'm determined not to let 2025 be a shitty year for writing like 2024 was! Making a spot of dinner really quick and then we'll see about tackling an ask or two. After not writing for a while, it's daunting af to even look at what's waiting but thank you all so much for your patience and love! Really hoping to get connected with you all again in spite of how awful the world state is rn. Keep holding on as best you can, people - nothing is forever and things will get better soon! <3

[oculusxcaro]

Becoming A Patron Saint

Patron Saint of Horror

You're the patron saint of the dawning moment of realization. The patron saint of comprehension, maybe. The patron saint of understanding. The patron saint of knowing exactly what's going to happen. Of seeing clearly. Of not being able to look away.

Tagged byStolen from: personae-obscura Tagging: @elisethetraveller, @question-marked, @ratwhsprs, @sanguine-salvation, @violetgleams and anybody else who'd like to do this??

[oculusxcaro]

I'll probably add additional notes and otherwise tidy this post up as I think about it more but regarding Khare's metahuman powers, there are certain limitations that mostly pertain to her level of skill (or rather lack thereof). For example, she can paint just about anything she can imagine (i.e: animals, fire, objects or even make doors where none currently exist) but more advanced concepts such as, say, a time machine, are far beyond her imagination. Regarding her creations, they are at best semi-sentient, operating primarily on their creator's will and desire. Were Khare more talented (and patient), she could create more realistic pieces but time is of the essence with her work. Paintings don't last forever and the drier they become, the less swiftly they are able to function until at last they remain stationary. Doors are one of the few things still 'operational' and won't open for anybody who isn't Khare or has 'permission' to visit.

[oculusxcaro]

Starting a new life for yourself was difficult, especially in another country with only a paintbrush to your name. Still, for Khare it was enough and the newcomer was able to eke a meagre living. Water was everywhere and her abilities, she didn't exactly need to worry about finding herself some lodgings when she could simply make them. For that to happen though, she needed more supplies and Khare had her eye set on the artshop downtown. Gotham was a city with high crime but... it wasn't like she was trying to steal anything worthwhile, just a few more sets of paint - the good acrylics that were stronger and more durable than basic watercolours. The dim light of a nearby lamp post didn't illuminate much in this rundown part of the city. There was hardly anybody here except Khare and the makeshift minion she had almost finished scrawling on the wall. One more lick of paint and her creation would be ready to come to life to which it did, a lopsided little monkey with crossed eyes awkwardly pulling itself out of the wall before glancing around the empty street, black smudge of a mouth making silent ooks and eeks as it awaited commands. Bugger but it looked alright! The monkey scratched itself and smiled when Khare explained what she wanted it to do, the sketchy simian lolloping across the street with a clumsy gait as it approached the art store. Such a creature did not operate on logical principles - it was a creation of paint and imagination, come to life albeit with its creator's equally clumsy talent. Still, it was capable enough to get past the locked doors, the childish-looking painting slipping through the letterbox and disappearing inside to get the items she desired. Khare idly toyed with the paintbrush in hand, chewing on the wooden end. Maybe she should paint more creatures to ensure the task was a success and that supplies could be carried out more easily.

[oculusxcaro]

It was getting harder and harder to cover up the eyes. More uncomfortable too with how dry winter could be and while Gotham was no stranger to rain, lately it had started snowing which brought little relief to her skin except when walking to and from work after her shifts.

Khare sighed as she unravelled the sticky bandages covering her left forearm, wraps which now went all the way from her wrist up to her bicep. More bandages needed to be wrapped around her torso too but thankfully her uniform hid those, at least for now. The eyes... Khare no longer felt disgust as they rolled in their sore pockets, tiny orbs frantically darting to every source of movement within their limited range of sight. They'd been a part of her for well over a year at this point and while gouging them out slowed down their growth, they would inevitably regrow, each time in greater numbers than before. The relief of cold water splashing her eyes couldn't be described with words, Khare only sighing again as she soaked her arm in the sink with strong intentions of staying in the bath all day until it was time to go to work again. Her eyes - her actual ones glanced up at the mirror and Khare's expression remained impassive as she stared back at the stranger in the mirror. Her face had gotten paler in recent weeks, hollow even. Her eyes, once a pale blue with sickly gold rings lining her pupils were now cloudy looking, faded almost. That wasn't what interested her though, rather the inside of her mouth which she hadn't dared look at in weeks... Hooking a finger into the corner of her lip, Khare pulled back to reveal a grinning smile. Outwardly things looked... fine, if she didn't smile too much or open her mouth too wide but inside next to her old teeth, there was a line of new denticle growths in between the gums and inside of her cheeks. Those had sprouted some months back, small and budding and sore. At first Khare had frantically tried removing those too but they were in too deep and besides, she had no such tools avaliable to pluck them out even if she could do so single-handedly. Now, there were three new teeth completing the set along with a tiny eye that rolled at the sudden appearance of light, dingy as this run-down bathroom was. It was slightly better than her old apartment where she'd gotten thrown out. If it hadn't been for Senja, Khare would have had nowhere to go. The barista had let her stay a little while over at her place until someplace else was accepting new tenants, and since then Khare had mostly kept to herself despite feeling like a shitty friend about it. Best not to get too involved with anyone any more. You don't know how long you've got left. Khare swallowed dryly, tongue lolling as she let go. Her lip rolled back into place slowly with nary a trace of drool clinging to her fingers, eyes inside her mouth still begging for water like the ones on her arm currently soaking in the sink. Outside the darkening window, Khare perked up slightly at the sound of voices as fireworks rang across the evening skies instead of the gunfire she'd grown accustomed to here in Gotham. New Year's Eve already? She had sunk herself into work but she hadn't realized she'd forgotten Christmas had come and gone, let alone the whole of fucking December... "New year, new me." Khare sighed as she slapped a handful of cold water into her face, letting some of the droplets flow into her mouth. it was hard to believe she'd lasted so long at this point without... something happening to her, but it did seem that the appearance of new growths had slowed down, at least for now. The waitress turned away from the mirror, dry tongue licking at equally dry lips. Since when had she always been so thirsty?

[oculusxcaro]

my very well-loved watercolor palette 🎨

[oculusxcaro]

So I had a couple more thoughts about metahuman!Khare at work tonight regarding her painting ability and differences from her main verse. She's definitely leaning towards the villainous spectrum if not becoming outright (albeit low tier) villain because honestly? Without the trauma of being experimented on and seeing scores of other people who weren't so lucky, she's a LOT more confident and... well, kind of a jerk.

Regarding her metahuman powers, anything that allows her to make art goes. It works best (and quickest) with pencils and paint, and that shit's expensive which prompts her to commit minor crimes to get by. She cannot, however, alter other people directly (aka turn them into things they're not) but she can do things like paint a pair of wings on their back which MIGHT be functional (though whether or not you'll actually be able to fly isn't that likely because she's so fucking BAD at art) Her weakness? Without any art media on hand, she's basically like anybody else. No super strength, no supersonic speed, not even the regenerative powers like she has as a biological experiment. Khare's no trained fighter but why bother when she can simply paint a (really ugly) tiger to protect her? Her powers even extend as far as being able to create edible food and water with nothing but paint but the taste is nowhere near as good as the real thing and honestly, it'd look questionable af. Khare's greatest power is that she can create almost anything she puts her mind to but her crippling weakness is that she doesn't have a very good imagination in order to really utilize it.

[oculusxcaro]

That feel when you're so inactive but already contending with another brainworm aka potential muse. I'm not going to do it because I already have far too many muses and too little time to write but... in a metahuman AU where Khare was never experimented on, her powers would be living art. Anything she draws would come to life but the kicker? She's a bad artist. Wouldn't stop her conjuring a Picasso-faced rhinoceros to send after police lmao.

[oculusxcaro]

Pancakes from the Golden Diner, NYC

[oculusxcaro]

Do not get her started on the Condiment King. Do NOT get her started.

[oculusxcaro]

☆ put this star into the inbox of your favorite blogs - it's time to spread positivity!

// Thank you so much for sending this, Wolfy! The same goes to you too in that you (and Elise!) are absolutely wonderful and a joy to have around! I adore you very much and love your blog ~ ♥♥♥♥♥

[oculusxcaro]

Classic apple pie

[oculusxcaro]

Introducing - Sybella Mavros

Known to most as Sybella Mavros. Her true name is known only to a handful of people around the world.

CEO and Head Researcher of Prometheus.

Very calm, assertive in nature. Never seems to lose composure or control of her emotions.

Incredibly well-read what with having researched genetics for decades. Has researched other fields of medicine and human anatomy a lot longer.

How long? She's a LOT older than she looks here. We're talking Babylon old here.

Always wears a golden pendant with a strange green stone in it. Is never seen without it.

Does NOT like men.

[oculusxcaro]

The crowd claps politely as a red-headed woman steps onto the stage, looking like she'd just stepped straight out of a modelling magazine. The professional-looking business suit she's wearing however soon puts any thoughts of her just being a pretty face to rest as she approaches the mic, accompanied by two-similarly dressed women who also wouldn't look out of place in a beauty pageant.

"Hello everybody, thank you all for coming today. As you all know, I am Miss Mavros. I am here today to present a crucial breakthrough of a prototype we at Prometheus have been working on for some time now. It's taken years to develop, but as you'll see shortly, the results will be as immediate as they are impressive."

The crowd murmers slightly at this, a handful of people looking to one another while the rest stares transfixed, eyes locked onto the redhead pacing back and forth on stage.

"Here at Prometheus, we're not just dabbling in cosmetic changes. Our primary research is looking at things on a deeper level, particularly when it comes to genetics. For example, how hard is it for the average person to stick to a diet in this day and age? Contrary to what others might tell you, it's not always your fault if you're unable to lose weight easily. In some cases, it's quite literally your own body working against you, but today I'd like to introduce somebody who will help provide us all with a live demonstration of one of our products. Would you all please welcome Delvin, who has so very kindly volunteered to be the very first person to officially take one of our products."

A man steps out onto the stage, his weight noticably in the upper levels of healthy. He shuffles shyly towards the mic whereas the two women who accompanied Mavros step back, one of them quickly turning on a black panel already placed on stage.

"Thank you for joining us today, Delvin. As you can all see, our friend Delvin here has tried all manners of losing weight without much success. It's difficult, tedious work, especially in this day and age when so much of our food supply is pumped with sugar, chemicals and e-numbers you couldn't even pronounce the name of. Here at Prometheus however, we don't think improving yourself should be so difficult or time-consuming. In fact, we think it should be easy and to make it so that your body works with you, not against you."

Delvin glances back and forth, clearly looking awkward at all the attention now directed to him. Mavros however seems not to notice, instead beckoning one of the women from before to come forth and deliver a briefcase to which she does. The contents of the case reveal a small white box, of which consists only of a vial filled with pale green fluid.

"One simple dose of treatment and simply watch the weight melt off you. Delvin, if you would, please."

Delvin steps onto the scales, the image of which is projected on a bigger screen that comes down to show people at the back of the crowd what's going on. He then offers his arm and the woman quickly finds his vein, injecting the syringe of green fluid. The man's face contorts slightly in discomfort as cold liquid enters his bloodstream but he stands in place obediently, waiting for something to happen.

Within 30 seconds, the reading on the scale starts to drop. Delvin's weight starts to decline, going from 280lb which hits 279, 278… seconds more pass as the crowd oohs and ahhs at the live demonstration of immediate weight loss, Delvin's physique quite literally changing before their eyes. Gone is the paunchy face as cheekbones start becoming more defined, the man's soft features soon becoming harder, more rugged as his weight continues to fall.

260, then 255. The crowd is watching with rapt attention, whispering animatedly amongst themselves while Delvin sweats and sweats though manages to maintain his composure. The weight loss started slowing after 270 but it finally clicks to a stop at 240, an effective show of the man having lost 40lbs in the span of five minutes.

The women help Delvin off the scale while Mavros approaches the crowd again.

"This is just the surface of what we at Prometheus are hoping to accomplish and, if all goes according to schedule, will soon be able to offer to you, the public."

"M-Miss Mavros, I-I don't… feel so good…"

"That's to be expected, Delvin. The effects of treatment should wear off shortly once your body has adjusted to the change. After you've had a rest and something to drink, you'll be feeling like a brand new person."

Delvin shakes his head wearily but allows himself to be escorted offscreen, walking away with tottering steps as Miss Mavros continues talking like nothing happened.

"Here at Prometheus, we take utmost care to ensure the personal safety and well-being of each and every one of our medical participants. Even the smallest steps of research are carefully monitored to ensure the comfort and dignity of those who undergo our tests willingly and while side effects do occur, they are only temporary. Over time, the benefits will far greatly outweigh any temporary bouts of dizziness and nausea…"

She claps her hands together, face beaming as she continues with her speech.

"Today was just a tiny demonstration of the kind of research we've been looking into. Ultimately our long-term goals are to tackle genetic flaws, to strike disease at the root cause before they can take hold. Cancer will be a thing of the past and even people who have lost bodyparts thanks to accident or warfare can look forwards to regaining what - until now - would be lost forever. It's all very exciting and I hope to surprise you all very soon with the things we've got in store."

This time the smile does reach the corner of her eyes but there's a cold gleam to them, perfectly arched lips crinkling in vague amusement at the rousing applause her speech derived.

[oculusxcaro]

Brisket Grilled Cheese