#[ 🌹 | to keep hiding the pain i’ve been burying { V; PERSONA } ]

[cursedxartist]

Unprompted; Valentine's | ACCEPTING

@kingspuppet said: It had been difficult for Goro to imagine enjoying anyone's company. Most people irritated him or couldn't hold up to the impossible standards he had set. But somehow Scarlet was different. They were alike in many ways, and it was never a chore to be by her side. So for the first time in his life he feels like showing gratitude to someone. He's picked out a small box of assorted chocolates that he promptly hands to Scarlet upon her arrival to his barren apartment. "I know it's rather cliche, but it is tradition to show kindness to those you care for on this day." He can already feel his cheeks beginning to heat at his rather sentimental admission. How embarrassing. "I'm not particularly fond of this holiday, but your companionship means a great deal to me. So naturally I must express my sincerest appreciation."

Scarlet had only JUST gotten home. One single heel clad in sock mismatched from the other barely slipped out from its shoe when her roommate and companion PRACTICALLY THRUSTED a box towards her, almost as if the boy were waiting for her return and wished to get this process over as soon as possible. This sudden gesture very nearly threw her off balance as she was caught off guard, though she recovered just as quickly. Still, the artist removed her shoes and entered the home properly before tentatively accepting the gift. At first, she was unsure of what it was; not once did it cross her mind that it could be a valentine, as she had never gotten one before. That was, however, until Akechi specifically mentioned the holiday.

Cheeks grew WARM in a BRILLIANT shade of pink, with no melanin nor makeup to hide, her flush lay BARE and UTTERLY UNOBSTRUCTED. For some moments she simply stared at the little box that nestled neatly in her grip. It was then that she remembered that she should actually respond to this gesture, flush somehow growing darker.

❝ Ah - thank you, ❞ she finally uttered, gaze SNAPPING up from the box to meet his own. ❝ In March... White Day is the day in which the receiving party of Valentine's reciprocates the favor, yes? I quite detest being indebted to others, so I best begin planning your gift promptly. ❞

Lithe fingers fiddled with the edges, contemplating what would make an appropriate response. Hesitantly, she stepped forward, and like a stray cat, AFRAID yet DESPERATE for kindness, she gently bumped her forehead against his shoulder.

❝ I apologize... Your kindness is most appreciated, and I am sincerely grateful for my first celebration of this day being in your company. I do hope my reciprocation will be up to your standards. ❞

[cursedxartist]

The lights in these rooms were always UNBEARABLY BRIGHT. The artist sat with their chin tucked ever so slightly downward, attempting to somewhat shield their sensitive eyes with thick bangs. Violet irises vibrated beneath squinted white lashes as they watched the man in silence, a florescent hum from above filling the air that their voice left vacant. It wasn't until they were prompted to speak did they bother to do so.

❝ Such is the subject of the investigation. ❞

Words were chosen with the UTMOST CARE, avoiding any vocabulary or gesture that could be as a yes, for unexpressed fear gnawed at their heart that such confirmations, however subtle, could be taken as admittance.

judgement!arcana starter | @cursedxartist​

“Let’s get this over with, shall we? I’m sure you don’t want to be here any more than I do.”

The prosecutor starts curtly as he sets his briefcase down on the table of the interrogation room, putting on his reading glasses before pulling out the case file on the teenage punk sitting across from him.

“Criminal trespass. Is that right, Swan-chan?”

[cursedxartist-moved]

Cracks In The Armor | ACCEPTING |

@jesterofinaba​ said: “ goddamnit! don’t you ever do that to me again! i was terrified something had happened to you! ”

What a predicament the artist found herself in, albeit it wasn’t exactly unfamiliar.  Thin skin scraped against the cool brick wall of their apartment on which she was pinned, her arm bent PAINFULLY behind her.  She was so close to the place she had begun thinking of as home.

❝ What a frail, little freak you are, ❞ the assailant laughed, his grip tightened.  

With an ABHORRENT, DISGUSTING crack and pop, her shoulder slipped from it’s socket, and Scarlet let out a GUTTERAL SCREAM.  The grip on their arm released, and she slid down the wall onto her knees, one leg bent awkwardly outward and the other tucked under herself like an unstable, newborn deer not yet knowing how to walk.  She curled over herself, shifting so that her injured shoulder was closest to the wall while cradling her arm in her free hand in a feign attempt at protecting herself from further harm.  Small whimpers escaped past pale lips as she tried her best to keep her breathing even.  The man stepped closer, looming above her in victory.

❝ Is that all it takes to bring you down?  Pathetic.  And here I was hoping that the newest person in this town would at least bring something interesting to the table. ❞

Beneath the cover of her cloak, Scarlet reached between the buttons on the front of her dress, grasping at the butterfly knife she kept there. In a swift, continuous motion, she SLAMMED her shoulder into the wall, popping it back into place.  Following this momentum, her leg swung low and collided with the man’s, knocking him off of his feet.  Then, like a feral animal, she pounced on her prey, straddling his torso.  Lithe fingers twisted her knife, and with a quick rotation and flip of the wrist, the blade GLEAMED in the moonlight before promptly being pressed to the other’s throat.

❝ You would be smarter if you did not underestimate me, ❞  she said cooly, her voice low and punctuated with ICE.  She stood above him, keeping her knife pointed at him.  ❝ Lucky for you, I would rather not get my hands dirty tonight.  Leave before I change my mind. ❞

With that, he scrambled off, and Scarlet keenly watched his movements to ensure he didn’t try to turn the tables on her once more.  Just as he sprinted out of sight, a familiar voice SHOUTED from behind her at the other end of the alley.  She spun around on her heel, locking eyes with Adachi.  For the briefest moment, an image of Benjamin shouting at her for going out at night flashed through her mind as Adachi yelled at her.  She had long since gotten used to older authoritative figures berating her.  She would not show weakness, she mustn't.  Her expression fell into complete and utter APATHY as if she were shutting down.  But something about this was... different.  

❝ You... were worried about me? ❞  Her voice was hollow, but her brows furrowed beneath thick bangs.  The adrenaline which once coursed through her veins began to WANE, and her shoulder grew sore.  She didn’t so much as wince, not wanting to show Adachi that level of vulnerability or prove that they were right to worry about her.

[cursedxartist-moved]

@jesterofinaba​​ || continued from [ x ]

Sat on the floor with the curtains drawn, the moon providing the only light source in the room, Scarlet read.  The gentle illumination reflected a soft, cool glow across her skin and hair, leaving her eyes as pale as the moon above.  However, with how still she was, it was easy for her to blend into the shadows.  

She made a point to stay up late, knowing Adachi would be coming home this weekend, though she tried to tell herself that it WASN’T because she wanted to make sure they got home safe.  No, she just wasn’t used to sharing a home with someone, and she didn’t want to get STARTLED by the sounds of the other coming home.  

The door opened, and with a simple utterance, quickly the tables turned, however, and it was SHE who startled THEM.  The older of the two SHRIEKED, and the artist couldn’t help the smallest but ever wicked grin which tugged at the corner of her lips.  A tiny chuckle was muffled in the palm of her hand.

❝ Oops. ❞  That was all they could say before the lights were flipped on.  Her once pale gaze GLEAMED cherry red as light flooded the room, causing her to practically hiss in pain.  

❝ I was in the dark because I have photophobia, ❞  she said, setting her book down on the table and opting to RUB at her eyes, trying to make the splotches of blues and greens in her vision fade away.  ❝ My albinism causes my eyes to have no melanin. ❞

Blinking rapidly, she kept her head ducked down ever so slightly so that her gaze may be shielded under thick, snowy white bangs.  She stared at him through a squinted glare which made her look much more mad than she ACTUALLY was.  ❝ I have no pigment in my irises to protect my eyes from light. ❞

[cursedxartist-moved]

Nothing But The Truth | ACCEPTING |

SEND ❓+ A QUESTION AND MY MUSE HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO ANSWER TRUTHFULLY

@kingspuppet​​ said: ❓+ favorite cheesy horror film?

❝ Cheesy, hm? ❞  The artist pondered. 

Much of the horror that they had shown the other were arguably cheesy in the sense that many affects from the 1930s did not exactly age well, but they PERSONALLY would not qualify that as cheesy.  What would do so would have to be many of the movies their brother had enjoyed in life - 80s horror movies.  They COMBED through the catalogue in their mind of the many movies they had stayed up into the wee hours of the morning watching with Tristan in their little makeshift pillow fort before coming up with an answer. 

❝ Re-Animator.  H.P. Lovecraft was a despicable being, but the 1985 movie is incredibly fun, I must say, with many memorable quotes and surprisingly well executed effects.  Herbert West is also a very intriguing character.  ❞

[cursedxartist-moved]

Your Muse As Tea | ACCEPTING |

send me “ ☕ “ for my muse to drink tea uniquely flavored after your muse, and i��ll tell you what my muse tastes! in addition, i may also add how much it would heal my muse depending on their relationship with yours!

@jesterofinaba​ said: ☕ [:eyes:]

The cup was unassuming; a clear teacup with a very translucent tea that barely held a light shade of green, with a spall sprig of leaves nestled at the bottom.  It looked like any basic green tea, if perhaps more pale.  The taste, however, was anything but basic.

A near OVERWHELMING BITTERNESS engulfs the artist’s senses.  Had it been anyone else, they would have SPAT the drink right out, but they had the uncanny ability to consume practically anything - and thus, they persisted.  

And with this perseverance they were met with such a comforting taste:  beautiful floral notes accompanied by honey-like sweetness, with WARMTH which threatened to melt their icy cold heart, and eased away any scratchiness in their throat.  It was tantalizing, really, enough so that they continued to sip the herbal oddity to get to its soothing reward.

[ +FULL RECOVERY ]

[cursedxartist-moved]

@jesterofinaba​ || spooky month

❝ My ancestors invented Halloween, of course I adore this time of year, ❞  Scarlet began matter-of-factly as she began to unload a haul of mushrooms, wild flowers, and apples she found in the nearby woods.  Many preferred the busy city of Tokyo, but the artist certainly held a FONDNESS for the rural terrain of Inaba.  While Tokyo had a decent balance of nature and city, the hiking trails were far too... manufactured.  Inaba had untamed lands which bore gifts, of which she never took too much of, and would be quite useful in preparing meals from her childhood.

❝ Halloween originates from Samhain, a Gaelic festival which later became All Hallows Eve by colonizers, and then evolved into Halloween.  It is a very culturally significant festival which I have been unable to celebrate properly for some years now, ❞ she continued, organizing her gathering into piles based on the type of plant.  Chicken of the woods, three rather large puffballs, and several types of flowers.  ❝ Many traditions celebrated today originate from this holiday.  It is on this day where the warmer seasons transition to colder as the Earth approaches the middle point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice.  The days grow shorter, the nights longer, thus marking the end of the harvest season.  Ireland has an extensive history with starvation, so this day is in part a celebration with great feasts before the world is plunged into darkness.  The veil between the otherworld, Tír na nÓg, and our world, is said to be at it’s thinnest, allowing supernatural entities to drop in for a visit. ❞

[cursedxartist-moved]

Cracks In The Armor | ACCEPTING |

@jesterofinaba​ said: “ i’m a bad person. ”

❝ I think it downright foolish to divide people into such nuanceless categories, ❞  the artist spoke bluntly, as if it were just a simple fact.  

❝ Morality is defined by the society in which you reside.  Morals vary from place to place, with very little - if any at all - attributes or actions being considered to be abhorrent across all social standards. ❞  There was a small pause as they recollected their thoughts.  Now was no time to go on some long, arduous drivel about societal standards and the arbitrary standards of morals.  

❝ That aside, I too am considered a bad person in this society; why should I care?   You are not worth any less than I, Adachi-san. ❞

[cursedxartist]

Shadow and Bone | ACCEPTING

@kingspuppet​ said: “ there are no children anymore. only survivors. childhood and innocence are luxuries afforded to the privileged. not us. ”

A calm nod, one almost inappropriate for such a solemn subject.  

❝ Alas, it is so.  Unlike other mammals - who are able to fend for themselves in a matter of weeks, months, or barely a year - humans take dreadfully long to mature.  With such long stretches of vulnerability, it is quite easy to irreversibly traumatize a child.  So we are forced to grow quickly, or even become inhuman altogether, to survive this world. ❞

[cursedxartist]

Scarlet’s Thoughts | ACCEPTING

send me a ★ and i’ll bold what applies to your muse.

@jesterofinaba​ said: ★ [pick a verse]

Main Verse: I like you / I hate you / I dislike you / I love you / You are family / I would take a bullet for you / I would shoot you / I would lie to your face / I would say something cruel to you on purpose / I would say something cruel to you accidentally / I would cheat on you / I would physically hurt you / You annoy me / You amuse me / I’d laugh at you / I’d laugh with you / I’d manipulate you / You scare me / You confuse me / I wish I knew you better / I trust you / I don’t trust you / You inspire me / I consider you an equal / You are beneath me / You’re better than me / I would trust you with my life / I think you’re mean / I think you’re petty / I think you’re childish / I think you’re smart / I think you’re stupid / I think you’re a bad person / I think you’re a good person / I’m not sure what kind of person you are / I wish you would listen to me / I want to make you proud / I wish you would notice me / I want to impress you / I would hurt other people for you / I’m not sure how to make you happy / I’m a bad influence on you / You deserve better than me / We make a great team / I’d have a one night stand with you / I’d have a relationship with you / I would marry you / I fantasize about our life together / I would trust you with my most treasured belonging / I would tell you my darkest secrets / You disgust me / You intimidate me / I hope I intimidate you / I’d hug you / I’d let you hug me / I’m scared of losing you / I don’t think you like me / I want to be better for you / I respect you / I don’t respect you / You’re my mentor / You’re my friend / You’re my best friend / I have a crush on you / I could easily watch you die / I’d get drunk with you / I’d party with you / I’d comfort you / I’d prank you / I’d spike your drink / I’d act behind your back / I’d abandon you / I’d hurt you to get what I want / I would choose my happiness over yours / I would choose your happiness over mine / I despise how much I care for you / I need you / I’m dependent on you / I don’t know what I’d do without you / I’m scared of you leaving me / I’d give my life for you / You frustrate me / I’d call for you in a time of need / I would protect you / I’d visit you in hospital / I’d carry you if you were hurt / I’d feel guilty if I hurt you / I’d let you be near me when I am vulnerable / I’d ignore a phone call from you / I’d call you at 3am / I’d break you out of jail / I’d get angry at you / I would shout at you / You’re too loud / You’re too quiet / You’re too sensitive / You can’t take a joke / You embarrass me / I feel nothing for you / You’re reckless / You’re bossy / You bore me / I would ask your advice / I would blame you for something I did / I would cry in your arms / You have the power to hurt me more than anyone else /

[cursedxartist]

🌹; Tag Dump Pt. 3

Tags Located Below

verse tags

[ 🌹 | can’t open up and cry ‘cause i’ve been silent all my life { V; MAIN } ]

[ 🌹 | my endless days of study and toil are finally near fruition { V; COLLEGE } ]

[ 🌹 | i was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend { V; DEMON } ]

[ 🌹 | a ray of light in the moondance { V; SIDHE } ]

[ 🌹 | i’m now becoming my own self fulfilled prophecy { V; UNDETERMINED } ]

[ 🌹 | the things that make you special are what make you strange { V; BSD } ]

[ 🌹 | it doesn’t take a killer to murder; it only takes a reason to kill { V; BSD: PM } ]

[ 🌹 | it’s like sickness grew to be a part of me { V; HANNIBAL } ]

[ 🌹 | painted on the canvas that deceives me { V; IB } ]

[ 🌹 | sleepless nights and days of damnation { V; OBEY ME } ]

[ 🌹 | to keep hiding the pain i’ve been burying { V; PERSONA } ]

[ 🌹 | i’m pretty sure i’m worthless if i can’t be of service { V; BSD: BEAST } ]

[ 🌹 | i’ve got no angel keeping me in line { V; HAZBIN } ]

[ 🌹 | she’s wasting all her time looking through the past { V; HOMESTUCK } ]

[ 🌹 | our skin getting cold under moth eaten clothes { V; A GHOST STORY } ]

[ 🌹 | lately i’ve been wishing i were five foot five { V; GENIE } ]

[cursedxartist-moved]

So my Frankenstein hyperfixation came back full force, sending me on a deep dive at 2:00 AM when I have an exam tomorrow at 1 PM, but that’s besides the point. I have decided Scarlet’s third-tier persona in their persona verse will be Johann Konrad Dippel instead of Adam. I originally went for Adam due to the creature (Scarlet’s initial persona) wanting to be like Adam was to God when he is instead treated like the Fallen Angel (alluding to Paradise Lost), because Satan (who the creature truly relates to) and Prometheus (who much of the story is inspired by, hence why it’s called “The Modern Prometheus”) were already taken in the persona universe. I didn’t really feel satisfied with Adam as a choice since the whole point of his character, in Frankenstein, is that he is a symbol of the unobtainable love that the creature (and by extension, Scarlet) crave from their creator, from their father figure, from their “God” but were rejected, thus causing them to spiral.

BUT turns out there may be a real man who inspired the novel, aside from Mary Shelley’s recently deceased loved ones and those she told ghost stories with on that fateful night. Alchemist Johann Konrad Dippel, who was known to be an alchemist trying to create an “elixir of life,” avid dissector, and possible grave robber who experimented on Cadavers, was born in and oftentimes experimented in Castle Frankenstein.

There are so many other similarities I do not have the time to get into them all right now but oh boy I am connecting the dots.

[cursedxartist-moved]

@jesterofinaba​ || x

Crouched close to the forest floor, the artist pats a large, round puffball mushroom about the size of a volley ball; its stark white flesh contrasted greatly against the grass.  It wasn’t long before they proceeded to pluck it from the ground with a satisfied glint in their eye.  This joy could only last so long, however.  Eyes pale and hidden beneath their crimson hood stared at the cop with disdain veiled behind a completely blank expression.  Oh, how wonderful.  A questioning is precisely what they wanted.  Lithe fingers slide beneath her cloak to an interior pocket, pressing record on their phone to preserve the audio of what was to come.  They knew their rights in police questioning by now.

❝ Very well. ❞

Without much of a word, Scarlet shifted the mushroom under one arm and produced a small pouch - one a bit bigger than an average wallet - from their bag before handing it to the officer.  In which contained their passport, proof of citizenship, and driver’s license for the visually impaired.  They had been a citizen of Japan for quite a while now, and such identification had been requested by police stopping them so many times that they decided it best to put everything together into one container and simply hand the whole thing over without any fuss.  They knew the drill by now.  It saved time that way.

❝ Though I am unsure I will be of much help as an eyewitness, ❞  they held their cane up a tad higher, bringing more attention to it.  ❝ I am rather blind. ❞

Was that a pun?  Perhaps slightly.  Though it was definitely an accurate statement.  Of course, they new it was possible to witness something in other ways, but it was still best to make it known that they most certainly cannot see anything, even if they wanted to.

❝ Before we venture forth, however, I would like to see your identification as well, officer. ❞

[cursedxartist-moved]

❝ ...You all are getting therapy? ❞

[cursedxartist-moved]

@jesterofinaba​ || p4 AU

It had been a rather peaceful afternoon, the day offered a moment of brevity between commissions, and so Scarlet took this opportunity to explore a bit.  Of course, the only LOGICAL choice was to go to a small town in which there was a potential serial killer and she would stick out like a sore thumb.  She was mainly going to venture into the surrounding woods, perhaps visit a local shop or two, but having gotten used to Tokyo over the years, she underestimated just how much she would stick out.  She had gotten used to blending in a bit in the colorful street fashion, which seemed to be lacking in Inaba.  Some of the residents acted as though they’d never seen a foreigner before, let alone one as odd as the artist.  She felt eyes on her AT ALL TIMES, a feeling she did not miss from when she had lived in more rural areas such as this, causing her to soon ESCAPE into the foliage.  Another underestimation she made was how much she startled certain citizens, particularly the elderly, who apparently felt the need to call the local police about this SUSPICOUS, cloaked stranger LURKING amongst the trees.

In the meantime, Scarlet, with white cane in hand, almost happily foraged in the largely untamed woods, tapping the cane from side to side as she trudged forward.  Though it wouldn’t be too long until she heard an approaching set of footsteps scuffling through the fallen leaves.  She waited a moment, listening keenly like a deer during hunting season, seeing if it was just a passerby.  Though that didn’t seem to be the case.  What a nuisance. 

❝ I can hear you following me, ❞  the artist called out.  Lithe fingers carefully reached into the messenger bag on her hip which hid beneath her cloak, grasping at one of the many knives within, before she pivoted to meet the stranger’s eye, keeping her cane by her side and out of the other’s view.  It was always a GAMBLE to let others see her visual aids, as not everyone had a keen enough eye to know its purpose, but others viewed them as a sign of WEAKNESS which she had to keep hidden.  ❝ State your business. ❞

[cursedxartist-moved]

Anti-Honesty Hour | ACCEPTING |

Ask my muse a question and they will respond with a blatant lie.

@jesterofinaba​ said: "Aren't you tired of getting screwed over? Want to get revenge?"

❝ What ever do you mean? ❞  Scarlet inquired with a tilt of her head.  ❝ I, for one, am tired of being consumed with hate.  It is a waste of time. ❞