#Mausebrooke

[ukatoyaki]

old design on the left. New one on the right

[wovetalesarc]

in   order   to   begin   a   new   life   for   himself   &   to   avenge   the   life   of   his   father   ,   a   former   occult   detective   ,   marshall   weatherly   has   traveled   from   his   hometown   of   boston   to   mausebrook   ,   connecticut   to   become   the   new   writer   for   their   newspaper's   fictional   oddities   section   ﹙   later   known   as   ❛   the   weatherly   report   ,   ❜   ﹚ as   well   as   investigate   the   odd   goings   on   in   this   seemingly   happy   little   town.

danny   estrada   was   a   well   revered   occult   detective.   his   work   was   unknown   to   the   world   of   humans ,   but   among   other   creatures   &   the   netherworld / paranormal ,   he   was   respected ,   feared   &   even   adored.   he   had   no   powers ,   he   wasn’t   really   a   magic   user   or   had   any   bargains   with   demons.   he   was   a   human   who   earned   his   keep ,   but   was   also   a   threat   to   those   who   wanted   to   wreak   havoc   in   the   world.   danny   enjoyed   what   he   did ,   but   he   knew   he   couldn’t   continue   on   working   like   this   forever.   deciding   to   retire   at   a   young   age ,   he   eventually   settles   down   into   a   small   apartment   in   boston ,   where   he   earned   a   job   as   a   grocery   bagger.   on   moving   day ,   he   bumped   into   a   young   woman   who   was   about   to   finish   her   final   year   in   her   graduate   program.   all   it   took   was   one   look ,   &   he   knew   he   made   the   right   choice.   two   years   later ,   danny   &   alana   would   get   married ,   giving   birth   to   their   son   marshall   shortly   afterward.

the   first   few   years   were   blissful   ━━   almost   too   perfect   beyond   words.   marshall   was   a   bright   young   boy   who   looked   &   resembled   his   father ,   a   man   he   admired   &   wanted   to   be   like.      danny   &   marshall   were   very   close   &   it   almost   seemed   like   nothing   could   tear   them   apart.   then ,   life   of   course   intervenes ,   &   danny   is   contacted   by   an   old   friend   in   need   of   help.   he   tries   to   refuse ,   but   he   also   can’t   resist   helping   old   friends ,   so   he   decides   to   do   this   one   last   case   &   then   be   done   for   good.   alana ,   who   knew   of   danny’s   past ,   wished   him   well   &   danny   tells   marshall   that   he’ll   be   back   in   time   for   his   final   softball   game.   unbeknownst   to   the   estrada   family ,   that   would   be   the   last   time   they’d   ever   see   danny   &   after   a   year   of   searching ,   he   would   be   pronounced   dead.   at   age   six ,   marshall   would   attend   his   father’s   funeral ,   which   to   him   seemed   pointless   since   his   body   was   nowhere   to   be   found.   if   there’s   no   body ,   then   why   were   they   treating   him   like   he   died ?   it   confused   him ,   angered   him   &   rather   than   stay   for   the   remainder   of   the   service,   he   leaves   in   a   huff ,   breaking   down   in   his   room   in   private.

not   too   long   after   his   father’s   passing ,   marshall   struggles   with   his   speech.   he’s   always   been   a   very   shy ,   usually   soft   spoken   child ,   but   it’s   almost   as   if   his   father’s   death   had   made   it   worse.   school   becomes   incredibly   agonizing   as   he’s   bullied   relentlessly   for   his   inability   to   answer   questions   in   class ,   &   it   makes   him   more   &   more   closed   off   the   older   he   gets ,   less   wanting   to   be   around   people.   at   the   age   of   eight ,   alana   decides   to   take   marshall   to   a   speech   therapist ,   thinking   it   would   be   good   of   marshall   to   learn   techniques   to   help   him   ﹙ she   originally   wanted   to   do   it   earlier ,   but   with   his   grief   /   family   counseling   &   therapist   sessions ,   she   didn’t   want   to   overwhelm   him ﹚.   at   the   very   first   session ,   they   are   greeted   by   a   very   kind   secretary   named   allison   weatherly ,   who   helps   a   nervous   marshall   ease   up   just   before   his   session ,   making   him   laugh   with   her   silly   expressions   &   general   goofiness.   alana   sees   this   &   thanks   her ,   and   it   gets   the   two   to   start   talking.   thursdays   at   the   speech   therapist’s   officee   become   both   marshall   &   alana’s   favorite   day   of   the   week ,   if   only   because   they   get   to   see   allison ,   who   always   seems   to   brighten   their   days.   a   year   into   the   sessions ,   allison   finally   strikes   up   the   courage   to   ask   alana   out ,   &   not   too   long   after ,   they   elope   &   are   officially   married.   when   marshall   turns   10 ,   allison   asks   if   she   can   officially   adopt   him   as   her   son ,   to   which   he   happily   agrees.

alana   &   marshall   add   the   name   weatherly   to   the   estrada   last   name ,   not   wanting   to   entirely   lose   their   connection   to   danny.   however ,   alana   encourages   marshall   to   use   the   name   weatherly   more ,   &   he   agrees ,   unsure   why ,   but   he   didn’t   want   to   argue   with   his   mother.   as   marshall   grows ,   his   speech   continues   to   improve   but   he   continues   to   be   bullied   in   school.   puberty   is   unkind   to   marshall   &   it   only   makes   the   bullying   worse ,   leaving   marshall   to   come   home   upset   &   angry   at   people’s   lack   of   acceptance   of   him.   allison ,   seeing   how   angry he was ,   would   approach   him   &   try   to   get   him   to   vent ,   but   he   struggles   to   get   the   right   words   out.   she   then   figures   out   a   system.   using   her   records   which   she   adored   so   much ,   she   organizes   her   music   by   genre   &   based   on   the   song   or   album   that   marshall   plays   when   he   gets   home ,   it   gives   allison   &   alana   an   idea   of   what   is   going   on   with   him.   it   helps   marshall   to   open   up ,   but   it   also   awakens   a   love   of   music.   on   quiet   nights   when   there   was   no   work   or   school ,   the   estrada-weatherly   family   could   be   seen   laughing   &   singing   to   songs   as   allison   plays   them   on   her   guitar.   those   were   some   of   marshall’s   favorite   nights,   but   it   also   makes   him   miss   his   father   &   how   he   wishes   he   was   around   to   see   this.

as   marshall   reaches   the   age   of   14 ,   he   begins   to   have   very   strange   daydreams.   not   nightmares   ━━   daydreams ,   as   they   would   happen   in   the   middle   of   the   day.   the   first   time   happened   during   a   school   field   trip,   where   he   sees   someone   in   the   distance   calling   out   to   him   ﹕   ❛ hey   kid.   come   a   little   bit   closer. ❜   the   person ,   if   they   were   a   person ,   was   singing   out   his   words   to   the   tune   to   that   jay   &   the   american’s   song ,   &   before   marshall   could   approach ,   suddenly   he’s   surrounded   by   his   classmates ,   blood   oozing   out   his   nose.   its   dismissed   as   dehydration   &   he’s   allowed   to   go   home   early   that   day ,   but   it   happens   again   a   few   weeks   later,   this   time   when   him   &   his   moms   are   out   at   a   restaurant.   he   excuses   himself   to   go   to   the   bathroom   &   he   recalls   the   music   playing   indoors.   it   was   staying   alive   by   the   bee   gees,   but   then   . . .   he   hears   someone   else   singing.   the   voice   gets   louder   &   louder   as   he   approaches   the   bathroom ,   &   then   as   he   opens   the   door ,   something   jumps   at   him.   he   screams ,   blacks   out   &   is   awoken   again   by   a   crowd   of   people ,   his   nose   bleeding   &   his   pants   wet.   he’s   taken   to   neurologists   &   doctors   to   try   &   analyze   what’s   happening   with   him ,   but   they   find   nothing.   allison   tries   to   distract   marshall’s   worries   &   teaches   him   to   play   guitar.   meanwhile ,   when   the   episodes   happen   more   frequently ,   he’d   stay   home   &   watch   tv   with   his   mother   when   she   returned   from   work ,   a   lot   of   it   investigative   work   &   true   crime   documentaries.   both   his   mothers   helped   to   awaken   two   interests   in   him ,   &   it   helps   ease   the   strangeness   he   feels   when   he   has   his   dizzy   spells / daydreams,   the   vision   of   someone   getting   closer   with   each   visit ,   but   he   has   no   idea   why.

once   he   turns   15 ,   the   weird   vision   of   the   strange   man   stops   &   he   suddenly   can   begin   a   normal   life   again. during   this   time ,   alana   becomes   a   bit   ill ,   though   there   is   no   explanation   as   to   why.   as   the   years   go   on   , she   becomes   more   &   more   ill ,   &   at   age   18   she’s   completely rendered bedbound ,   unable   to   work   &   too   weak   to   stand.   marshall   wants   to   stay   home   &;   stay   by   his   mother’s   side ,   afraid   of   what   might   happen   if   he   leaves ,   but   alana   encourages   him   to   follow   his   dreams   &   to   not   put   them   aside   just   because   of   her.   unbeknownst   to   marshall ,   this   would   be   the   final   goodbye   he   &   his   mother   would   have ,   &   not   too   long   after   allison   drives   marshall   up   to   nyu,   they   get   the   word   from   her   caregiver   that   she   had   passed   on.      there’s   a   lot   of   pain   &   regret   that   marshall   feels   in   that   moment   &   it   only   makes   his   more   negative   tendencies   even   worse ,   closing   off   from   allison   &   unable   to   cope. he   lost   both   his   parents.   what   was   he   supposed   to   do   now ?

he   studies   journalism   at   nyu ,   but   attempts   to   get   in   the   music   scene   by   playing   at   a   small   club   called   the   grindhouse   café   , which   was   just   a   few   blocks   from   his   apartment.   his   apartment   was   a   little   rundown ,   but   nothing   major   &   on   either   side   of   him   lived   two   people.   on   his   left   lived   anthony   terach ,   an   engineer   major   &   a   singer   at   the   grindhouse ,   &   on   his   right   lived   mara   sable ,   an   art   history   major   &   a   painter,   who   worked   at   the   grindhouse   &   frequented   as   a   customer   often.   marshall   mainly   stayed   closed   off   from   these   two   people ,   especially   not   liking   anthony ,   who’s   fake / cheery   disposition   really   irked   him.   mara ,   however ,   always   tried   to   make   nice   &   while   he   didn’t   show   it ,   he   did   appreciate   it   from   time   to   time   &  often   found   himself   thinking   about   her   whenever   he   was   home   alone.   the   nights   at   the   grindhouse   served   as   a   welcome   escape   from   the   real   world.   there   he   could   play   songs   he   enjoys ,   not   think   about   his   mom ,   allison   or   the   guilt   he   carries   from   not   staying   in   boston.   he   would   continue   to   frequent   the   club   for   years   as   he   finished   his   major ,   eventually   befriending   &   falling   for   mara ,   though   he   doesn’t   do   anything   about   his   romantic   interest   for   her   initially.

right   out   of   college ,   marshall   is   hired   to   work   part   time   at   the   village   voice ,   an   arts   &   culture   weekly   newspaper   that   focuses   on   city   nightlife.   he   becomes   the   resident   music   &   theater   critic   there ,   seeing   shows   &   giving   his   honest   opinion.   at   the   start   he   gives   rather   fair   reviews ,   but   as   his   life   worsens   his   reviews   become   more   negative ,   being   much   more   harsh   &   mean   than   actually   constructive.   he’s   asked   by   his   editor   to   soften   up   his   approach ,   but   he   does   no   such   thing.   during   this   time ,   he’s   asked   by   allison   to   come   home   to   help   sort   through   his   mother’s   things ,   but   he   has   absolutely   no   interest.   he   continues   to   play   at   the   grindhouse   &   things   with   mara   begin   to   progress ,   seeing   her   as   the   only   bright   spot   in   his   dreary   life.   one   night ,   after   a   show ,   mara   &   marshall   walk   home   together   right   after   her   shift.   rather   than   go   to   her   respected   apartment ,   she   invites   herself   over   to   marshall’s   &   that   was   that.   these   evenings   together   would   become   a   regular   thing   &   marshall   clings   to   that   bit   of   happiness   &   sort   of   ' alive ❜   feeling   he’d   get   whenever   he   was   with   mara,   even   if   it   disappears   just   as   quickly   when   she   decides   to   head   back   to   her   place,   or   cancel   plans   to   go   hang   out   with   anthony.   mara   makes   it   known   that   she   isn’t   interested   in   anything   serious   &   that   she’d   like   to   experience   dating   &   fun   before   settling   into   a   relationship.   marshall   tries   to   respect   this   , but   he   finds   himself   so   jealous   when   he   sees   her   with   anthony ,   berating   his   talents   &   badmouthing   him   quietly   whenever   at   the   grindhouse ,   wishing   mara   would   stop   seeing   him.   despite   being   clearly   uncomfortable   with   the   arrangement ,   marshall   continues   to   see   mara ,   far   too   in   love   with   her   to   stop.   he   hopes   that   his   patience   will   be   rewarded   with   her   deciding   to   be   serious   with   him ,   but   that   moment   never   comes.

after   much   complaint   from   readers ,   the   village   voice   decides   to   fire   marshall   off   the   paper ,   not   wanting   his   negative   energy   to   bring   down   their   readership ,   seeing   as   how   they   were   struggling   to   keep   that   already.   taking   to   the   grindhouse   for   solace   &   comfort ,   he   is   instead   met   with   mara   laughing   &   flirting   with   anthony   &   it’s   enough   to   make   him   on   edge.   already   tired   of   the   rejection ,   seeing   mara   clearly   enjoy   anthony’s   attention   over   his   sticks   a   knife   in   his   chest   &   twists   it ,   so   when   anthony   comes   by   to   greet   his   fellow   neighbor   with   a   smile ,   marshall   barely   realizes   that   he’s   punched   the   poor   man   right   in   the   face ,   knocking   him   out   flat.   as   an   ambulance   is   called ,   mara   curses   marshall   out   who   finally   reveals   his   feelings   &   frustrations.   ❛ i’m   not   yours   to   claim.   i   don’t   owe   you   anything , ❜   were   her   words   &   that   ends   their   romantic   affair   instantly ,   mara   never   wanting   to   speak   with   him   again.   in   addition ,   the   owner   of   the   grindhouse   asks   marshall   to   leave   &   suggests   that   perhaps   he   doesn’t   come   back.

depressed   &   struggling   to   find   work ,   marshall   is   eventually   called   home   by   allison   once   again , only   this   time,   he   accepts.   the   two   reunite   &   reminisce   about   alana ,   as   well   as   marshall’s   less   than   successful   ventures   post   college.   he’s   worked   at   the   village   voice   for   some   time   &   devoted   so   much   time   to   the   grindhouse.   what   was   he   meant   to   do   now ? allison   suggest   that   perhaps   he   try   to   make   a   fresh   start   somewhere   else ,   because   he   deserves   to   have   a   happy   life   &   a   career ,   just   as   his   parents   hoped   for.   while   thinking   on   what   to   do ,   marshall   finally   goes   through   some   old   items   that   were   left   behind   by   her   mother ,   accidentally   finding   his   father’s   old   journal   stashed   at   the   bottom   of   one   of   her   boxes.   curious ,   marshall   skims   through   his   father’s   writings ,   only   to   discover   who   danny   truly   was.   at   first   he   believed   that   maybe   this   was   a   book   of   stories   he   created ,   but   then   he   realizes   that   danny   was   using   this   to   record   experiences   &   his   cases.   upon   further   inspection ,   one   case   that   is   constantly   mentioned   is   that   of   a   demon ,   who’s   main   goal   was   to   capture   as   many   souls   as   he   could ,   both   dead   &   living.   the   demon   in   question   is   constantly   at   odds   with   his   father ,   &   while   his   name   is   never   mentioned ,   marshall   quickly   deduces   that   this   is   perhaps   his   father’s   biggest   nemesis.   there   is   a   brief   mention   of   a   town   called   mausebrook   in   connecticut   in   his   notes   &   something   about   it   being   the   main   entrance for   the   netherworld.   curious   to   discover   more   about   his   father’s   secret   career ,   marshall   finds   an   ad   for   a   new   newspaper   columnist   in   the   mausebrook   gazette.   he   applies   and   is   offered   the   job   rather   quickly.

upon   his   arrival ,   he   quickly   discovers   that   mausebrook   is   literally   the   town   of   his   nightmares.   it   was   a   kind ,   chatty   town   with   beautiful   scenery   &   kind   people   as   well.   so   many   people   would   approach   marshall   to   make   small   talk ,   but   it’s   the   last   thing   he   cares   about.   settling   into   his   new   home ,   he   gets   another   one   of   those   visions   again   ﹙ the   first   one   in   almost   20   years   ﹚ ,   this   time   the   voice   of   the   person   is   clear ,   with   taunting   words.   the   movers   have   to   help   marshall   up   to   his   feet when he faints ,   but   he   knows   he’s   getting   closer   to   finding   out   more   about   his   father.

the   mausbrook   gazette ,   aware   of   his   reputation   at   the   village   voice ,   gives   marshall   a   column   to   do   with   as   he   pleases,   thinking   his   way   of   thinking   could   be   of   interest   to   their   readers ,   as   their   news   reports   tend   to   fall   on   the   chipper   side.   they   call   it daydreams , which   ends   up   confusing   many   of   the   town   citizens ,   as   it   wasn’t   a   weather   report   at   all.   it   earns   him   the   name   ❛ the   weather   man , ❜   &   lots   of   teasing   jabs   from   people.   initially   set   to   use   the   column   to   continue   reviewing   plays   &   art   programs ,   he   ends   up   running   into   .   .   .   strange   happenings   in   the   town.   he’d   notice   things   that   shouldn’t   be   there ,   or   experience   strange   occurrences   that   shouldn’t   be   happening   .   .   .   hauntings   &   more.   deciding   to   use   the   column   as   a   sort   of   journal   like   his   father ,   the   newspaper   actually   loves   the   idea ,   thinking   the   stories   are   fabricated   in   order   to   captivate   the   townsfolk.   marshall ,   admittedly   frustrated   that   they   didn’t   believe   him ,   decides   to   roll   with   it   &   continues   to   use   the   section   to   write   about   what   he   sees   &   experiences   in   the   town   of   mausebrook,   all   while   trying   to   find   clues   as   to   what   happened   to   his   father ,   the   demon   he   keeps   seeing   &   what   this   all   means.

unknown   to   marshall   ,   the   demon   ﹙   known   to   a   small   few   as   the   wanderer   ﹚   that   was   at   odds   with   his   father   ,   was   planning   to   kill   danny   &   send   his   soul   in   a   constant   spiraling   abyss   in   hell   ,   as   he   couldn’t   let   him   stay   in   the   netherworld   for   fear   of   him   becoming   too   powerful   in   the   afterlife.   the   demon   lures   danny   back   to   his   roots   in   his   hope   to   capture   him   ,   hoping   to   eradicate   him   from   this   world   so   the   souls   of   the   living   would   be   his   for   the   taking   ,   as   it's   what   he   feeds   off   of   for   power   &   longevity.   danny   does   go   back   to   mausebrook   &   he   is   captured   ,   but   just   as   he’s   about   to   be   tossed   ,   he   has   one   last   trick   up   his   sleeve.   knowing   a   bit   of   magic   ﹙   for   emergencies   only   ﹚   ,   he   puts   up   a   fight   &   cuts   his   own   finger   ,   using   the   blood   to   smear   against   a   wound   that   he   elicits   on   the   demon   during   their   scuffle.   uttering   a   few   words   ,   this   connects   the   two   &   binds   them   together   ,   meaning   that   neither   can   die   while   the   other   lives.   

danny   is   sent   to   the   abyss   without   the   demon   realizing   what   had   happened   ,   believing   he   attempted   to   kill   him   with   a   curse   &   it   failed.   danny   is   still   alive   &  won’t   die   unless   the   demon   is   destroyed   ,   keeping   him   safe   for   now.   however   ,   there   is   a   catch   to   the   spell   ,   one   danny   didn’t   realize.   because   he   used   blood   to   bind   him   ,   that   means   others   of   his   own   blood   can   also   be   connected   to   the   demon   ,   but   at   a   lesser   degree.   this   is   why   marshall   can   see   the   demon   later   on   in   life   ,   &   once   the   demon   realizes   what   danny   has   done   ,   he   tries   to   lure   marshall   in   so   that   he   can   be   rid   of   him.   unlike   danny   ,   he   can   kill   marshall   if   he   wanted   to   ,   but   alana   ,   who   is   very   much   aware   of   danny’s   life   &   knows   the   demon   has   something   to   do   with   this   ,   protects   her   son   by   selling   her   soul   to   the   demon   ,   exchanging   his   protection   for   her   own   life.   cruel   as   ever   ,   the   demon   decides   to   slowly   suck   her   life   away   rather   than   take   it   instantly   ,   which   is   why   she   died   so   slowly   over   marshall’s   late   teen   years.

with   her   gone,   the   demon   is   still   bound   to   the   promise   he   made   with   her   of   not   killing   marshall,   though   that   didn’t   mean   he   couldn’t   ruin   his   life   a   bit   with   misfortune.   a   lot   of   the   things   that   happened   to   marshall   post   his   graduation   was   influenced   by   the   demon’s   doing   ,   ruining   his   life   solely   simply   because   he   was   his   father’s   son.   once   he   realizes   that   marshall   was   planning   to   move   to   mausebrook,   he   decides   to   lift   the   barrier   he   created   to   stop   their   visions   ,   &   allowing   their   connection   once   again.   he   can’t   kill   marshall   with   his   own   two   hands   ,   but   he   can   make   his   life   a   living   hell   &   if   they   ever   are   to   ever   cross   paths,   he   will   be   ready   for   him.

[weathercritic]

the   town   of   mausebrook   is   a   happy   ,   prosperous   town   filled   with   happy   citizens   &   teaming   with   boundless   opportunity.   when   you're   here   ,   everyone   is   your   friend   &   neighbor   ,   &   they   accept   all   types   of   people   regardless   of   background   or   culture.   that   was   the   hope   that   millicent   mausebrook   ,   the   founder   of   the   town   strived   to   achieved   ,   wanting   to   create   a   place   where   all   could   feel   welcomed   &   there   would   be   no   need   to   fear   the   possible   prosecution   of   others.   mausebrook   was   officially   founded   in   october   of   1692   when   millicent   wanted   to   leave   her   hometown   of   salem   ,   massachusetts   &   begin   life   anew.   she   grew   to   love   this   area   due   to   the   heavy   bat   population   found   in   the   forests   surrounding   the   town   ﹙   her   favorite   animal   &   now   the   town's   mascot   ﹚   &   decided   to   make   a   new   home   here   ,   welcoming   anyone   who   wandered   her   way.   the   town   has   flourished   ever   since   then   &   millicent's   descendants   continue   to   live   &   work   in   the   politics   of   the   town   ,   striving   to   continue   achieving   millicent's   dreams.

rumors   among   some   of   the   townsfolk   does   spread   from   time   to   time   over   the   history   of   their   little   town.   many   wonder   how   millicent   was   able   to   raise   &   create   a   town   so   quickly   ,   as   well   as   gain   support   when   women   in   leadership   was   looked   down   upon at the time.   not   many   argue   further   when   these   questions   are   presented   &   unanswered   ,   but   there   is   more   to   the   story   of   mausebrook's   founding   that   isn't   found   in   any   history   book.   millicent   mausebrook   didn't   just   leave   salem   for   the   sake   of   wanting   more   ,   but   she   left   because   she   was   being   persecuted.   the   salem   witch   trials   had   begun   running   rampant   in   their   town   &   she   knew   she   would   be   next   when   her   friend   sarah   was   one   of   the   first   victims.   millicent   was   a   witch   ,   but   sarah   was   not   ,   &   she   knew   many   of   the   town   of   salem   didn't   like   her   ,   especially   considering   her   less   than   obedient   ways.   she   ran   away   hours   before   the   townsfolk   could   tear   down   her   home   &   she   ran   until   she   made   it   into   the   state   of   connecticut   &   stumbled   upon   a   tremendous   discovery.

among   the   trees   &   the   forests   where   the   bats   reside   ,   she   discovers   the   entrance   to   another   world   .   .   .   the   underworld   ,   so   to   speak.   the world went by many names , but essentially it was a land where creatures resided & lost souls roamed. there   were   many   creatures   &   ghosts   sneaking   out   from   this   world   ,   seeking   refuge   in   some   way   ,   but   unable   &   too   afraid   to   brave   the   human   world   for   fear   of   being   hunted or killed.   millicent   immediately   connected   with   them   as   they   all   shared   the   same   feelings   of   being   prosecuted   &   together   they   decided   to   make   their   own   town   where   no   one   would   need   to   be   afraid   of   being   prosecuted   ever   again.   once   news   of   their   town   grew   ,   millicent   ,   along   with   other   witches   who   would   come   to   live   with   them   ,   would   teach   some   creatures   how   to   make   glamours   so   they   appeared   normal.   some   would   live   in   the   town   ,   others   would   live   in   the   forest   &   others   would   only   merely   visit.   there   were   of   course   creatures   who   wanted   to   do   horrible   things to the citizens   rather   than   live   a   happy   life   ,   but   millicent   would   take   care   of   it   herself   ,   as   she   wanted   nothing   more   than   to   keep   her   home   as   safe   as   possible. she would eventually pass that mantle down to another , much more able person & then that would be passed down from person to person for years.

no   one   ,   not   even   the   mausebrook   family   themselves   knew   of   millicent's   witchy   background   ,   as   she   kept   that   secret   from   her   future   husband   &   children   ,   never   once   allowing   anyone   to   witness   her   magic.   however   ,   it   is   because   of   her   that   the   town   remains   as   successful   as   it   is   ,   as   well   as   the   reason   why   so   many   odd   goings   on   continue   to   occur   behind   the   shadows. danny estrada , marshall's father , would move to mausebrook from his home in california in order to begin a life of his own , as well as study the occult & all things paranormal. he would stumble upon an older man who was tasked with keeping the town safe & on his dying breath , he asked danny to keep watch of the town , forgetting to mention that he'd need to pass down his job to another when he no longer wanted the responsibility. so when danny inevitably retired , it left with no one to be the connection between the living & the dead . . . until marshall weatherly came into town.

[occultalist]

the   streets   of   mausebrook   were   usually   known   for   their   cleanliness   &   pleasant   scenery   ,   but recently it's been thrown   into   chaos   over   the   last   week   ,   trees   &   poles   plastered   with   missing   pet   signs   ,   all   of   them   of   the feline variety.   its   not   uncommon   to   find   a   missing   pet   sign   or   two   when   living   in   any   town   or   city   ,   but   it's   been   growing   &   growing   in   numbers   ever   since   ,   all   to   the   point   that   the   town   is   considering   holding   a   town   council   over   the   matter   ,   which   is   as   close   to   them   admitting   something   is   wrong   that   marshall   has   ever   seen.   clearly   this   is   the   work   of   something   paranormal   ,   though   the   question   still   remains   if   the   said   culprit   was   either   a living creature , or a dead one of some kind.   he's   gathered   as   many   clues   &   flyers   as   he   could   in   order   to   try   &   figure   out   the   reason   for   this   sudden   epidemic   ,   but   he   finds   himself   drawing   a   blank   on   a   cause   ,   his   vast   knowledge   of   the   town   thanks   to   working   at   the   local   newspaper   doing   him   no   favors   at   this   time.   at   a   local   cafe   ,   he   buries   himself   in   all   the   flyers   trying   to   write   down   notes   &   wait   for   some   sort   of   inspiration   to   strike   ,   but   nothing   comes   to   mind   &   he's   admittedly at   his   wits   end.

he   doesn't   sense   her   ,   but   @claervoiant   appears   at   his   side   &   refills   his   cup   of   coffee   ,   his   focus   so fixed   on   his   own   work   before   him   , but   only   when   she   speaks   does   he   finally   shake   himself   out   of   his   trance.   ❝   you   sure   you   know   what   you're   doing   ?   ❞   this   waitress'   tone   isn't   at   all   accusatory or rude   as   marshall   would   expect   it   ,   but   much   softer   &   curious   ,   as   if   she   really   was   concerned   for   his   wellbeing.   clearing   his   throat   ,   he   doesn't   dare   make   eye   contact   with   her   as   he   attempts   to   clean   up   the   table   he   was   sitting   at   ,   hiding   the   missing   posters   of   the   cats   with   his   notebook.   it's   embarrassing   enough   that   he   looked   so incredibly   disheveled ,   &   there   was   no   way   he'd   be   able   to   explain   him   investigating   the   missing   cat   epidemic   that   was   definitely   connected   to   something   spooky   related.   he's   had   enough   of   people   staring   at   him   like   he's   crazy   today.   ❝   does   anyone   ever   know   what   they're   doing   one   hundred   percent   of   the   time   ?   ❞   he   tries   to   appear   charming   ,   but   it   fails   when   he   can't   garner   the   courage   to   look   at   her   ,   hiding   behind   his   coffee   mug   as   he   takes   a   sip   ,   a   smile   revealed   sitting   between   ruddy   cheeks   when   he   finally   sets   down.   ❝   just   working   on   a   personal   thing.   not   sure   what   you're   getting   at   ,   but   i'm   fine.   ❞   he   clears   his   throat.   ❝   well   .   .   .   as   fine   as   one   can   be   ,   anyway.   ❞

[wovetalesarc]

one   hand   braces   itself   on   the   jeep's   door   handle   as   they   drive   through   the   streets   on   the   bumpy   terrain   ,   the   investigator's   stomach   lurching   with   every   jolt   &   bump   they   hit   ,   but   he   does   his   best   not   to   actively   show   how   sick   he   feels.   if   he's   being   quite   honest   ,   he's   been   slightly   dreading   coming   out   here.   not   because   of   miriam   ━━   no   ,   she   seems   quite   lovely   &   they've   talked   for   hours   on   the   phone   &   over   emails   planning   this   whole   excursion   ,   but   he's   been   frightened   of   the   concept   of   adventure   outside   of   mausebrook   ,   conneticut.   putting   himself   in   danger   at   any   degree   was   already   enough   for   him   ,   but   he   supposes   if   he   wants   to   be   anything   like   his   father   ,   he   needs   to   get   out   of   his   comfort   zone   &   be   willing   to   travel   elsewhere   ,   especially   if   it   means   helping   another   in   need.   a   lost   soul   ,   or   a   ghost   ,   as   many   would   call   them   ,   approached   him   about   how   he   wasn't   able   to   go   to   heaven   or   hell.   in   his   past   life   ,   he   was   an egyptian prince who was executed   for   a   crime   he   didn't   commit   &   there   is   proof   of   his true   location   on   a   bit   of   hieroglyph   ,   which   he   believes   has   been   broken   &   stolen   by   the   true   perpetrator   ,   a   royal   guard   who   stole   a   piece   of   the   wall   &   has   it   hidden   somewhere   in   an   abandoned   pyramid.      it's   asking   a   bit   much   to   go   to   egypt   to   do   all   this   ,   but   he   can't   imagine   living   with   no   place   to   call   your   own   ,   &   he   knows   his   father   would   help   in   a   heartbeat   if   he   could.

miriam   rambles   on   &   marshall   does   his   best   to   listen   &   be   polite.   the   sun   is   hot   ,   the   road   bumpy   &   he   feels   just   about   ready   to   keel   over or explode.   how   miriam   is   able   to   withstand   all   this   is   beyond   him   ,   though   she   is   probably   more   used   to   this   weather   having   been   born   into   it.   he   misses   the   cool   air   of   new   england   temperatures   already.   even   when   it   was   hot   ,   you   were   at   least   guaranteed   a   cool   burst   of   air   or   two   ,   but   here   ?   he'll   be   lucky   if   he   finds   even a tiny spot of shade.   ❝   i'm   sure   the   tourist   stuff   is   not   of   interest   to   a   local   like   you.   we   don't   have   to   do   that   if   you   don't   want   to.   i   don't   mind   skipping   it.   ❞   he   smiles   as   if   it   was   a   kind   thing   of   him   to   suggest this to her   ,   &   not   because   he   wanted   to   get   this   adventure over with   lickity   split.   ❝   we're   investigating   this   lost   bit   of   hieroglyph   in   an   abandoned   pyramid.   a   prince   was   sentenced   to   death   for   murdering   his   father   ,   but   there   could   be   evidence   in   that   broken   bit   of   wall   that   says   otherwise.      ❞   marshall   shrugs   ,   still   clinging   to   the   door   handle   as   they   hit   a   really   hard   bump.   he   shouldn't   have   eaten   on   the   plane   ride   here.   that   breakfast   airline   platter   was   not   worth   it.   ❝   i   doubt   it's   worth   any   money   ,   but   clearing   someone's   name   sounds   like   a   good   cause   as   any   ,   right   ?   ❞ he laughs nervously , hopeful she won't ask why he even cares. anything abnormal is already hard to explain , & ghosts asking for your help are especially hard to comprehend.

they'd spoken plenty of times on the phone, coordinating this adventure, facetimed enough, the works — yet, miriam is nervous. this was their first time actually exploring together, which meant figuring out a whole new dynamic from the one she already shared with her life - long friends. shawky and buzzy did the adventuring. miriam joined sometimes, usually only if there was some kind of secret passkey to decode. she usually was content to help from behind the scenes, but didn't mind going out into the field. however, despite the nerves, she was quite excited. she loved any opportunity to speak her mother tongue, and nearly leapt at the opportunity to get to use it. it helped that @wovetales was cute too, she thought, though she'd keep that one to herself.

“ is this your first time in egypt? ” they'd landed in cairo hours ago at this point, finally making their way out into the desert with a rental jeep that miriam was all too happy to commandeer. the air was warm and hot, familiar yet strange all at the same time. she was born here, and there was a connection for her, but it was still new. she hadn't ventured out of cairo much, but when she had, one of her friends was behind the wheel while she typed away on her dissertation. “ maybe once we're done, we can go see all the touristy stuff. have you ever wanted to see the pyramids? they're pretty impressive. and, if you don't mind, i wouldn't mind stopping and seeing some temples. i wasn't very good at reading hieroglyphs last time i was here, i wanna try my hand again. ” god, she's rambling. “ remind me what we're looking for again? ”

[ukatoyaki]

working on a video to properly explain mausebrooke

[ukatoyaki]

what is Mausebrooke? Let me explain

Mausebrooke is less of a story and more of a shared universe inspired by classic horror movies. There are stories within it, but it’s more of a bunch of scattered oc lore.

The world is totally populated by animals - insects and aquatics included - and the dead have started coming back to life. And also, there’s a supernatural phenomenon that blesses certain people with psychic powers. It’s a lot.

The sad truth is that most stories people make are not much more than bits and pieces of lore kept in a folder of documents and notes, usually on toyhouse. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I still want to share this world with people.

So what I’m doing is more or less just making the building blocks, setting up some lore, but leaving a lot of it blank to fill in so I and possibly other people can have fun messing around with it.

I don’t think anyone is going to see this, but I’m going to keep it pinned for people to see. Any questions can be answered using the ask box.

if you have any questions or want to contribute, just shoot me an ask

[ukatoyaki]

A new project has entered the ring

more info coming soon

[ukatoyaki]

The cast of Mausebrooke in the wooooods

I love the NITW art style I wanna do more with it someday. Anyway here’s my book cast