#maybe i should draw more /hj

[amoneki-ramblings]

Help me Amonhaise/Amonsasa is taking over my brain rn

Sillies... I wish they could actually interact ... if only

[orange-artblog]

joking around was fun but now I did a ~final of Esther‘s design xp

she‘s a supposed Aim (post dark cream) x Axel (errorink) kid made out of the magic of headcanons and inside jokes (/j)

Aim is by @zu-is-here / Axel is by @ari-cuno

anyway I went and had some more fun with her

alsoo this

[rockdrop]

(On anon because I'm shy lol) I know someone asked a while ago if anyone still thought about kanadog and the funniest thing is that I happened to stumble across it one day and got completely obsessed with the toxic yuri .... showed it all to a friend and now the two of us are working on our own AU :3c SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE AMAZING ART (and all the anons who send in their ideas!!) BECAUSE ITS SUPER INSPIRING !!!!!

REALLY? 😂 Thats nice to hear anon! I'm glad you and your friend enjoy it 😈 and yesss these anons all do amazing work 🥳

[zu-is-here]

Do you still ship Nightmare and Dream? Just asking.

Since 2020, nothing has changed yet ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ♡

In case of deliverance from fictional sins, I'll immediately report this! ☆(｀_´)ゞ

[pezpenser205]

me being largely nonhuman/antihuman and a lesbian, therefore being forced by my brain to be attracted to humans has actually allowed me to fully understand how men attracted women who say they wish they were lesbians are real and based and do not deserve the hate they get. like girl i get it thats literally how i feel about you.

no offense to the good humans out there #notallhumans <3

[hello-universe-lovers]

"BULLSHIT!!"

It's funny how I saw a Cheated design right as I finished my own. But without further ado, here's my Voice of the Cheated. Now as an ACTUAL girlfailure!

As usual, rant under the cut, beware the spoilers:

I gotta level with ya...there isn't much symbolism in what she wears (although the leaves on her shirt are bamboo leaves, symbolizing flexibility, strength and growth). I just wanted to try something different. Give each voice a somewhat style to easily associate with (Hero as the Knight, Oppy as the business casual, Connie as the idol, etc...). I am aware the common headcanon of giving Cheated card association, I just...didn't see that, like at all for her? Maybe it's bc I don't really see her saying "game" and such as a card game, but more in the "life's a game and its RIGGED" sense, you know. You can excuse it as New Princess, New rules.

Specific misc details:

- Her Princess was, as stated in the sheet, the Fury (Adversary route). She was NOT happy with this Princess, and kept trying to win, but without Stubborn to fuel the fire, it quickly became literally kicking a dead horse and getting it to keep racing.

- When she was unwound, she wanted to "let go", but the Player won't let her. She put them in this situation. If the Player has to suffer, so must she.

- it took a lot of empathy to reach the point where she was put back together. But the damage was done. Cheated's body was returned, everything is as it should be. Except...

- Her bones hurt. It's fine if she is just walking about, any strenuous or sudden movement, strange foods or even sitting wrong, and it will cause her incredibly painful aches and pains. In the beginning, she was on a strict regiment of medicine and exercise to do basic things. She eventually got to a point where she can go a week without feeling like shit. The pain is still there, but it's muted (for the most part).

- Her braids are Fury's own hair laced into her own (hence why they are blonde). She could rewind Cheated's body but not her hair, so some compromises were reached. No matter how much she washes it, it will always smell of dried blood. She just Gave up on washing it, after a while. And they are tight is because of how "tightly wound" she was (and not bc I had a hard time drawing braids/hj)

- Due to her stiff bones, her wings, while able to stretch to full wingspan, won't let her fly. Flapping is too painful. They are usually pressed her back or wrapped around her body.

- her tail used to have a hair tuff. But the initial stress of her situation caused her to fluff the fur off it, so now it's bald. It still hasn't grown back.

- Despite everything, she is sorry for what she did to Fury. It was her fault she got so bad, and it was her fault their bodies were this fucked. If she's not cursing the world, she's cursing herself for being so blind to another's suffering.

- she can kinda "unwind" other things too. But it's more akin to breaking them than an accurate split atom by atom. She also hates using "unwind", "rewind" or words like that to describe it.

Speaking of another...time for Shipping~

- This is how Broken and Cheated started. Broken hated herself, but she hated seeing Cheated in great pain so she became a frequent talking companion, during the first little while of recovery.

- they both had injuries to get used to. Broken lost her legs, and Cheated's bones were such a pain. And so overtime, during recovery, they started encouraging each other. Being depressed all the time was tempting, but Cheated wanted Broken to be happy. So she became her biggest supporter, helping her get used to a cane.

- Broken felt the same, and while she was still tackling her own issues, she could see Cheated was working through hers for her sake. It became a positive feedback look of encouragement on both sides.

- Their love confession was as sudden as their sudden decision to support each other. It was a late night talk, while both couldn't sleep because of pain. But they meant every "I love you" and are inseparable, after that.

- if Broken needed her meds, Cheated will bring it to her.

- If Cheated isn't feeling like moving, Broken will come to her and sit down with her to chat.

- it's worth noting that they are still the same people as their canon counterparts. I guess the word for it is "healthier". They are coping with it, and there will be bad days, but they can get through it...together.

[patiann345]

I'm gonna be honest; I don't think it's fair to blame a single game (BATIM in this case) for the state of Modern Mascot Horror...

That's giving Bendy WAY too much credit hj/

But seriously though; to say that BATIM is at fault for the state of mascot horror and that it started/popularized all the overused trends is just. really really unfair to it. And that's coming from someone who is extremely critical of the series, I WISH I could blame Bendy for everything but alas, I am unable 😔

I think my biggest issue with blaming Bendy, or really any big horror like Fnaf or Poppy, is that.. so many of those trends aren't unique to those games? Bendy takes SO MUCH from games like Bioshock, but we're not blaming Bioshock for mascot horror trends, are we? And yeah, you can say "Well Bioshock isn't indie and it's not mascot horror" but,, where do you think people are drawing inspiration? Yeah, a lotta games may be inspired by Bendy, but a lot of others, INCLUDING Bendy, are inspired by the classics before it.

To talk about some arguments I've seen; saying Bendy popularized "exploring an abandoned facility" feels almost silly considering how many popular horror games and media have done that before. It's been a horror staple for forever, so of course a lot of mascot and/or indie games would follow suit. There's the first Resident Evil, I think Silent Hill COULD count, RPG maker games such as Ao Oni.. And as for film; technically The Blair Witch falls into this category. And the same goes for "cute mascot turned scary" like.. I'm sorry but plenty of games alone were doing that before Bendy. Ever played Tattletail? You could argue FNAF has done this too. Spooky's jumpscare mansion perhaps? And if you wanna look past just games; Gremlins. And yes, I'm counting Gremlins as horror. If you don't, then consider Chucky or Annabelle (though maybe Annabelle is to a lesser extent since she's.. pretty freaky looking before the possession stuff in the film) I'm not. even going to address "free roam gameplay" because. I mean, do I have to? I should not have to go over a list of free roam horror games to tell you why that's 1. not even a trend? and 2. not.. Bendy specific.

All this also isn't considering a lot of other media you could take inspiration from; Creepypastas and ARGs and Books and so on and so forth. A lot of those have contributed to Mascot Horror, ESPECIALLY creepypasta.. Most of the popular ones do fall under the "cute-to-scary" trope such as Cupcakes, Sonic.EXE, the Tails Doll curse, and a lot of lost episodes and haunted gaming creepypastas. You can't tell me some of the big games now aren't slightly inspired.

Also also, a lotta popular mascot horror recently has followed certain tropes and trends, yeah, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily good or bad. People hear "Cliche" and think negatively, but you CAN do a cliche really REALLY well, you can put a super strong spin on it if you try and make it feel new and fresh, even if it's been done over and over before by other pieces of media. Yes, BATIM has "cute-to-scary" mascots, it has abandoned location exploration, and it released in chapters, and so on and so forth. But we're not considering HOW it uses these tropes and if they're done well. We're just saying "Well, it has them so.. blame Bendy ig" and that's, again, not fair! It's not fair to BATIM and it's not fair to other horror media, some of which has served as big inspirations and the sort of "building blocks" for modern horror.

To make something clear, and I know this may upset some people to hear; BATIM is not unique as a piece of horror media. The only thing that sets it apart is the artstyle, and even then, with the release of BATDR, we've been inching away from that rubberhose-1930s style for a more generic look and feel. Bendy is not special, and it's not special as a mascot horror, even by the standards of 2017 when it came out. There were other games doing what it was doing, and there will continue to be games that do what it did.

It is not fair to blame Bendy, and it's not fair to blame any one single game or piece of media. Tropes and trends and cliches come and they go, and whether or not you like the current state of mascot horror, if you agree or disagree that it's a problem (I personally don't think it is and don't. really care tbh?) You cannot blame a single piece of media for the problems you have with a genre.

(Sorry this is so ramble-y!! And if it's not super well structured, I just really wanted to get my thoughts out there akjagsdhljgadslh,, also, I'd love to hear other people's thoughts, if you agree or disagree or are unsure. Think it'd be cool to start a discussion ^^)

[sillywabbits]

👉👈 ...does anyone else kinda wish Tumblr had an option that allowed you to hide the Note count on posts? Like, just a completely optional thing each user can toggle on/off according to their comfort/preference. Kinda like how insta gives you the option to view the number of likes, or just hide the number completely.

Lil' RSD vent/feeling share below. No pressure to read. Just been meaning to put my feelings down somewhere;

It's just.. for me personally, my mean RSD ridden brain overthinks when I see numbers.. constantly putting me in a state of comparing myself.. or question the appeal of my work.. or making me feel like my value as an artist is measured by that count. And maybe it partly ties into my own weird insecure, self worth feelings. But mostly just.. it makes me get caught in my brain about if my art is even likable or decent enough to be appealing? Or annoying for people to look at? Or.. if the kind of stuff I make isn't a lot of people's cup of tea? I draw nothing but fluffy mush. My brain makes me anxious and insecure if that's boring or.. not interesting enough for others to like. I don't really dabble in angst or what my brain has deemed the, "cooler content."

I know rationally I nor anyone can draw to appease everyone. As I would tell anyone else feeling these types of things, someone out there will enjoy what you do. (And I've met some super kind of people who have said immensely sweet and endearing things about my stuff. And I thank you endlessly for it! /gen 💞)

And ultimately you should just draw what makes you happy to make yourself happy. Draw for yourself first and foremost.

..but

I wish my brain wouldn't emotionally rely on engagement from others for motivation to make art. I wish drawing things that make me happy, and the joy of making it in general was enough to motivate me better.

I don't think this is helped by how slowwww my art process is, and how my undiagnosed ADHD really makes it hard for me to will myself to draw as often as I'd like. My muse comes in spurts, one drawing/sketch can take me days to finish. And after all the energy and time it took, I think maybe I emotionally take things harder and am susceptible to getting disheartened/sensitive when my brain locks in on that number count. Making it a little harder to muster up more desire and energy to wanna draw again.

Sometimes thoughts of, 'when there are so many people that make the things you like to make, and it already exists and they're so cool, good and special for it.. why should you bother trying?'

And as a disclaimer, these are just anxiety-ridden thoughts! I don't think I fully 100% actually believe them!

They're just the thoughts my brain likes to bring to the forefront sometimes. When I'm experiencing RSD or feeling insecure/anxious. (I think these feelings can feel bigger maybe due to how my neurodivergency can affect me too.)

And god is it such a double standard. If any fellow person were sharing similar types of thoughts/feelings, I would have 101 ways to rebuttal and assure those mean thoughts of theirs away.

..but it's so hard to apply to same exact advice/care toward yourself. It's harder when it's you on the inside. You brain has made you feel like you're the exception. Like you don't deserve that same assurance for some reason. (Not saying this is true; just.. how my mean brain likes to talk at me fjdk /hj)

Again, I want to emphasize these aren't rational thoughts. They're just the feelings that get welled up inside me when I feel insecure. (It's one of many talking points I'd love the opportunity to bring up when I'm fortunate enough to get myself a therapist lol <3)

--

💕~Thank you dearly to anyone who was curious and felt they were in a place to read all this. They're just feelings that have been burrowed inside me I haven't really put out there yet. I know this community is super sweet and supportive, which is why I love being here. But I couldn't help feel a bit shy about sharing this stuff.

[rosietrace]

『 “Off kilter” 』

| Lancelot Lucretius and Marina Baleen | 🛡️ + 🐚 |

✎ᝰ. synopsis : “The boys, the girls, they all like Carmen–” “She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes.”

✎ᝰ. content warnings : descriptions of murder, davis /hj, implied mafia business (?)

✎ᝰ. genre : alternative universe (noir/mafia au), romance, (poorly communicated) mutual pining

( ˚₊· ͟͟͞➳❥) a/n : AUGHHHH THIS TOOK SO LONG TO COMPLETE BUT I'M SO GLAD IT IS 😭 this kinda lacks proper proof-reading so idk chat maybe it sucks balls but </33 Ellis pookie I rlly hope I did Marina justice here so I'm super sorry if she's ooc :'))

✎ᝰ. reblogs > likes

Lance watched Davis sneer at the hard pouring of the rain, an eyebrow raised and his arms crossed. Pure, potent, exasperation was hardly enough to describe how tired Lance was of his brother.

But alas, thought Lance, who drew out a sorry breath. It's better than nothing.

Their plans for the day, generally consisting of Davis spoiling himself rotten while Lance accompanied him with nothing tucked in his behind other than wallowing compliance, came to a screeching halt.

Due in part with the murder of Nyx Leech, beloved songstress of the Monstro Lounge— a restaurant seemingly drawing the attention of individuals from all across the criminal underworld.

Davis harrumphed, walking to the wooden coat rack and draping his coat over his shoulders. “You think going to the lounge is still a good idea?” questioned Davis.

Lance's eyes narrowed. “Why wouldn't it be?” They were supposed to be investigating a murder, entertainment was hardly a priority.

Or, at least, it was for Lance. Davis sent his baby brother a faux pout. “Oh, boo hoo… I've been itching for another try at the serpentine casino..”

With a roll of his eyes, Lance followed, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat. “If that's the case, then you're not a detective, you're a slot machine.”

“And you'd slit your own throat for six bits plus tax.”

Davis scoffed. “You overestimate how high my confidence is.”

“I reckon your confidence is on a pedestal, readying itself to be renamed arrogance.”

“I’d hardly call it arrogance when one acknowledges their talents.”

“And it's hardly confidence when all you do is boast about your talents,” Lance shot back, opening the door and gesturing for his brother to leave first.

Grumbling whatever chattering complaints he wanted to say below his breath, Davis strode out of the office. Lance lingered at the doorway, however, contemplating.

Right now, they were low on any actual evidence— and even worse, lower in leads to finding the true culprit.

As the nights grew colder, and the rain poured harder, all Lance could think of…

“Hey,” Davis called. He gave Lance a wrinkle-nosed look, and pointedly side-eyed him once he walked out of the office and locked the door shut.

“Anything on your mind, brother?” Davis questioned. Although Lance didn't want to notice it, Davis' sly little smile was hardly subtle.

Lance shook his head, a valiant effort on his part. “Nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“I'm sure.”

“Are you really sure?”

“Positive.”

“Are you really, really, really—”

“Say really one more time, and I'll make sure you won't have a tongue in your mouth once we get home.”

Frustrated far beyond reason, Lance shoved past Davis, even when he didn't mean to; and all Davis had to respond to that?

A smirk. A hardly subtle, very amused, all-knowing smirk. Damn it.

“This should be fun.”

“Anything?”

Normally it would take a large bribe or two to be given entry into one of the restricted, ‘employees only’ areas of the Monstro Lounge; but with the circumstances that life had dealt for the notorious restaurant, Azul Ashengrotto had reluctantly allowed Davis and Lance to initiate a look-through of the crime scene. No bribes needed, free of charge.

A figure of chalk was drawn on the floor, positioned the same way Nyx had been found.

From how Davis looked, he looked like he wanted to hurl. It still reeked of a rotting corpse, and that fact didn't go unnoticed by Lance, either.

It was just that Lance did a better job at hiding his disgust, in contrast to… Davis being Davis.

“Anything so far?” Lance repeated his question and looked underneath the shelves that lined the room, waiting for Davis to reply whilst inspecting the area to the best of his ability.

“Nope.” Truly, Davis missed his true calling on the stage. With how nonchalant he sounded, Lance would've gone and assumed his brother wasn't taking the case as casually as he should.

But that's a lie. Lance thought, with every fiber of being all unanimously going to that agreement. He does care about this case.

Just not in the way he probably should.

“Found something,” Davis announced, getting to his feet and properly inspecting whatever was in his hand. “Could be something of interest.”

“Could be?” Lance repeated with a hint of skepticism. ‘Could be’s and ‘Maybe’s weren't what they were looking for.

Davis gave him a look, clicking his tongue. “Do you truly think so low of me, baby brother?”

Without even a moment's notice or a hint of hesitation on Davis' part, Lance's eyebrows shot up at the sight before him.

Some kind of seal. Not quite a brooch, but more akin to a cufflink, or a pin. It bore the symbol of two interconnected snakes wrapping around each other— their grasps at each other almost suffocating just by looking at it.

Lance couldn't help but wonder aloud, “What is it?”

Davis' smirk was horribly contagious. Far too proud for his own good as he indulged, “A seal.”

“Particularly to our matter of interest, baby brother of mine, one belonging to a subordinate working under the Eden’s Serpents.”

Not knowing who the Serpents were was the equivalent to living under a rock and not knowing the sky was blue— so of course Lance knew which group of the criminal underworld Davis was referring to.

“Is it a possible lead?”

“Could be.”

“We're not here for that could be bullshit.”

“Don't be such a debbie downer,” with a flick of his fingers, Lance felt a small flash of pain on his forehead. Courtesy of his older brother.

Barely another word in to snap back at Davis, in walked owner of the restaurant himself, Azul Ashengrotto; clad in all black, say for the silk blouse he wore beneath his black and silver coat and vest.

“Novellions,” Azul said in greeting, accenting it with a well-practiced polite shell of a smile.

Davis, ever the charmer, did the talking. “Mr. Ashengrotto.” They shook hands like merchants making a deal in the midst of the exchange.

“I presume progress remains slow as always?” The question sounded polite enough; but Lance didn't miss the way Azul veiled the condescension in his tone.

Davis' charm didn't falter, but his smile took a more sharp turn. “Surprise, surprise, today that isn't the case.”

Azul raised a brow. “Oh? There's progress after all?”

“Certainly. Truly, Mr. Ashengrotto, do you have such little faith in me and my brother?”

“Certainly not,” Azul waved a dismissive hand.

Lance folded his arms across his chest. “Have I not been informed, or have we been given some sort of time limit to how long we can stay here?” Azul had to have sauntered over to them himself, for a reason.

The chuckle that left the ever conspicuous business man's lips made a vein pop up on Lance's forehead.

“I am merely doing my job as the owner of this establishment.” Azul and Davis were silently at odds with each other; projecting humbleness in the way they said every little reply, no matter how miniscule.

“Care for a bit of relaxation, gentlemen? Surely, the act of investigating a murder can entail quite a bit of exhaustion.”

Lance's lips pursed. “That won't be necessa–”

“How generous!” Declared Davis, who not-so-subtly sent a glare directed at Lance once Azul gave them a hearty, performative laugh, and escorted them to the main dining area.

Lance had his qualms about Ashengrotto, and especially his staff, but he could at least admit to himself that he had little qualms about the restaurant Azul owned.

The Monstro Lounge was dimly lit, its only source of light were the bulletproof glass walls made to display all sorts of oceanic creatures for guests to marvel at while they ate— much of the decor made to resemble sea creatures, as well.

Looking up, Lance commented in as polite of a voice as he could manage, “Quite the chandelier.”

It was like Azul didn't even try to hide how perfunctory his responses were to him and Davis. “Thank you. It feels like almost a lifetime ago since I first opened this place… oh, how far we've come, indeed.”

And in that time, Lance couldn't help but think, your establishment is the number one meeting place for a private tussle between rival groups in the criminal underworld.

Hardly a positive evolution, but one nonetheless.

Azul sat the two brothers down in one of the tables closest to the stage. Whether that was deliberate on Azul’s part, it was hard to tell.

“I do hope you two stay for entertainment,” Azul said earnestly, but Lance knew better than to expect fully packaged honesty where Azul Ashengrotto was concerned.

He turned on his heel, that polite smile fading, and giving way for a smirk to grow.

“You'll see that Marina's quite the talent, indeed.”

Marina Baleen wanted to chuckle when she first saw the look on Lance's face once she strode on to the stage, dressed in sparkles, opera gloves, and a fur shawl.

But much to her dismay, that just wasn't an option. Sure, Marina was one of the potential suspects behind the recent murder of Nyx Leech, but that didn't equal to Azul wanting to put her talent to waste.

She was a spectacle, all eyes on her, like there was nothing more natural than the way her looks — and most especially her voice — captivated the audience like a siren guiding poor unfortunate sailors to a death they wouldn't foresee until it was all too late.

She tried keeping the act of the alluring, sultry songstress, she truly did. But it was just too hard to ignore how comical it was to see Lance's jaw go slack and see how his (quite frankly, rude) older brother closed it shut for him.

Quite cartoonish, that one, thought Marina. When he wants to be.

The stage was set, the lights were on and all were directed at her. Front, back, and everything in-between, Marina was what every aspiring singer wanted to be.

A star. A spectacle, made for the stage and only the stage. The industry was like that, y'know. You're either born with star power, or you aren't.

Marina was just lucky enough to have the looks to get where she was today.

When the song neared its end, the corners of Marina's mouth curled up into a tiny smirk. There was nothing wrong with messing with Lancelot Novellion a little, was there?

She strutted across the stage, heels clicking rhythmically until her steps came to a halt. And she stood directly over Lance and his brothers’ table.

Her hand went beneath his chin, lifting and tilting it at just the right angle so their eyes would meet.

With his parted lips and her thumb brushing against the lower half, Marina engaged with a fermata until her voice slowly faded in what she could only assume was the most natural way it could.

“I…” she could audibly hear the quiet, hard, swallow from Lance.

She was enjoying this far too much. With a cheshire cat grin and a wink, she pulled back from him, taking several steps back and awaiting for a standing ovation that never came.

That was fine. That was natural. Not everyone would want to give her some hurrahs, let alone throw roses at the stage in appreciation.

The silence is better than being thrown porridge, Marina amended. With how prolonged her little smile was, many working under Azul assumed she wasn't capable of doing anything other than smiling.

Azul gave her his praises, Jade following suit; Floyd was the only one not in attendance. Marina wasn't given the specifics, but she knew it had to do with Nyx's sudden murder.

Whatever tightnit, glued-to-the-hip bond the Leech siblings had, it wasn't Marina's prioritized concern. Her current topic warranting caution was trying not to make herself paint an even redder target on her back.

She wasn't the one who killed Nyx. She'd have known if she did, but Marina had no reason to.

Lance intercepted Marina on her way to her dressing room. To which Marina only reacted with a wry smile, brushing past him and not looking back; an obvious, but no less clever way of getting him to follow her.

“I'm not taking autographs right now,” she drawled, her head tilting to one side at a precarious angle once she and Lance made their way into her dressing room.

Lance huffed. He was so cute when he looked painfully constipated with irrigation. “I'm not here for an autograph.”

“I'm not accepting fan meetings.”

“I’m not here for that, either.”

“Then why,” Marina strode closer, her nose briefly brushing against Lance's, “are you here?”

The investigator took one look to the side then focused his gaze on her. “I'm here on business, not to ask for your autograph or a kiss that'll make me refuse to take another shower ever again.”

“You sure about that, Lancie?”

Lance gave her an adorable wrinkle of his nose at the unexpected nickname. He tried covering up by (very unconvincingly) maintaining his business persona.

“Again, Miss Baleen, I'm not here for an autograph.”

The opportunity jumped at Marina as she replied with, “Then is a kiss still on the table?”

“And definitely not that.” Lance sucked in a breath. Marina couldn't tell if the redness of his ears were from being flustered or not, but either way, it looked cute to her.

“Shame…” Marina pouted, slipping off the shawl and tossing it on to the top back of her dressing room chair. “I would've enjoyed making you my personal canvas.”

Lance blinked. Marina counted up to thirteen times before he uttered, his tone gutted and hoarse with disbelief: “What?”

Marina shrugged that off as quickly as the offhand comment came. “Nevermind, that,” said Marina, who tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked back at Lance.

“So, detective, any progress?”

“About clearing your name? Not much.”

“Hmm.” She clucked her tongue. “Shame… am I too memorable to let off the hook?”

“If by memorable you mean conspicuous,” corrected Lance. “Your connections to the victim, as well as your alibi doesn't make you that much of an innocent victim turned suspect.”

“Me and Nyx were never that close, anyway, Lancie.”

“And you think that matters to the press?”

She released a groan. “I already told you what I know.” Her lips pressed together, frustration gleaming in her eyes as she stared back at him.

“What more do I need to do to prove I'm innocent?”

“... I know you're innocent.” Marina could've almost sworn that Lance's eyes flash with an uncharacteristic softness, if only for a moment. “But—”

“But?”

“The press don't believe you are. My brother too, but he isn't important in this conversation.”

“Such a strange way to say that about him,” Marina noted, motion always constant with her pretty head cocked to the side at an angle that bordered on the blurred line of acceptable and concerning. “Though, I can't say I disagree. Your brother is hardly the most agreeable.”

The corners of Lance's mouth ticked upwards, then lowered. “Then I am shocked to say we're in agreement on something for once. However—”

His hands went to her shoulders, the proximity of their bodies hardly registering to Lance as he pushed Marina back and lowered her down to her chair before she could say anything else.

“— I am not here to talk about things we may or may not agree on. I'm here because I was called to investigate with Davis, so I may as well make it worth my while?”

She smirked, leaning into the chair and crossing her legs. “Oh? Well, now you're making little ol’ me blush, Lancie.”

“Don't make an innuendo out of this…” Lance closed his eyes, keeping them that way with a pained twist to his lips.

With a relent, she decided to go along with it. She gestured to a chair from the corner of the room for Lance to sit on, and he did so in quick succession; ready to ask whatever questions he had unprepared for her.

“Where were you on the night of Nyx Leech’s murder?”

“After the duet Nyx and I shared, she told me she was in charge of closing up for the night and told me to leave early.”

“Interesting. Did she go into further elaboration?”

The fact you're acting like you don't already know the answer is cute, Lancie. “From my memory, I don't think so. Whatever she was up to, I merely minded my business and entered my dressing room.”

“And that's…?” Lance arched his brow, waiting for her to continue; anticipating what he already knew but still hoping for a new lead regardless.

Marina's bulletproof pleasantries wavered. “... That's when I heard the screaming.”

Liar or not, Marina was a fantastic actress. Had she not pursued singing, she would've been a household name among Hollywood's finest stars. And she knew that was why Lance kept up the skepticism in her alibi.

He felt something for her. She didn't know what it was, but whatever it was, he wouldn't let it get in the way of him doing his job.

Emotions are kept on the back burner most days, and when they aren't… Marina knew it'd be better for her to not know how Lance would act if he wasn't as patient as he was right now.

But now was not the time for that. She could only keep little Lancie, him and his golden eyes and adorable freckles, in her dressing room for so long. It would only be a matter of time before Davis barges in and drags his brother back to their office by his ankles.

She heaved a sigh. “I tried to ignore the screaming. I thought I just heard things. But then it came again, and it kept coming until it became unbearable and–”

“... And?” She was tense. It didn't take a genius to notice that.

Marina swallowed, hard, forcing down the feeling of bile trying to force its way out of her throat. “I… I opened the door to one of the employee-only sections of the lounge.”

“Nyx tried to crawl to me, tears ruining her mascara. But she could barely move. I ran to her, foolish enough to try and shake the life back into her and–”

“— that's when Azul found you.” Covered in the blood of a fellow performer. The look on Lance's face said it all.

“Yes.” The starlet kept her hands on her lap, her body so still she looked like she belonged in a painting rather than on the stage she stood on prior. “... Not exactly the best alibi, I know you're suspicious of me either way.”

Lance didn't deny that. “I am. However, I'm obligated to believe you until further evidence suggests that you're telling the truth or not.”

“You think I'm lying?”

“I did not say–”

“No, you're implying that I could be lying to you to get off your radar.”

“I've heard your alibi three times now, Miss Baleen. Once when I first interrogated you, second when I was listening in on your interview with my brother— and most recently, right now.”

Marina sputtered, eyebrows knitted together. “What– Just because you heard my alibi thrice now, you think there's cracks in what I'm trying to convey??”

“Ma'am, I'm doing my job.” Lance leaned back — or, at least tried to, he was sitting on a stool without anything supporting his back — as he continued, “your descriptions, while tragic and filled with emotion… don't give too much detail on what had actually happened that night.

“At most, you're one of the only members of the lounge who doesn't go into explicit detail in the same way everyone else has.”

Marina harrumphed. “Why should explicit details matter?”

“It gives investigators better insight and a clearer visual. I'd say it matters more than the monthly salary Mr. Ashengrotto has been more than generous in giving you, despite being a prime suspect.”

But they both knew why that was the case. It stank the atmosphere of the room, sensitizing Lance's senses in ways more than the type of perfume Marina was using.

Azul valued Marina for her talents. It's precisely why she's paid so well, and why she's such a favorite over all of his other patrons serving entertainment for the lounge.

Whether she was a suspect framed, innocent or not, business was business. And nothing could motivate Azul Ashengrotto more than cash.

It wasn't soon enough for Lance to stand, the abruptness nearly knocking over the dusted stool, its bottom still lined with cobwebs.

“Miss Baleen, I swear to you, I will find whoever it is that murdered your colleague and it will take an act of God to stop me from accomplishing that.”

His hands, so calloused but so wrongly delicate, caressed her face, tilting her chin up.

“I won't allow personal feelings get in the way of that. No matter what.”

Lance let go of Marina's face, the silence falling on deaf ears as his eyes found its way to the clock hanging over her mirror.

“... I should go.”

He'd been gracious enough to put the stool back where it'd once been, dusting off any remnants of web or dust and ready to make his way out of her dressing room as soon as—

“Wait–”

Marina's words cut off when Lance looked back at her, eyes seeming so devoid of any emotion left in his system, but filled with plight; like he was asking — begging — her for a reason to stay for longer than he should.

Sadly, her words had cut short. And she shook her head, smiling wryly and turning her attention to her reflection in the mirror. She heard Lance huff, and watched from the mirror as he left— her smile wiped clean.

Lance leaned his back against the door of her dressing room, his head on the ceiling. He cursed himself, disbelief painted harshly on his features.

“What the hell am I doing?...”

【 Taglist / Credits 】

↳ In order of OC appearances/mentions

Lancelot Novellion – Me 😈

Davis Novellion – Also Me 😈

Nyx Leech – Also (2) Me 😈

Marina Baleen – @starry-night-rose

@jasdiary | @authoruio | @fumikomiyasaki | @sakuramidnight15 | @hallowed-delights / @terrovaniadorm | @twsted-princess | @mystery-skulls-ghost | @lueerhythm | @valse-a-mille-temps | @absolutelyobsessedkiya / @twistedsongstressofstarz | @geminiiviolets

[nonadjacent]

I CAN AND WILL GO ON A RANT

SOMEONE SHOULD. MAKE A FOUND FOOTAGE HORROR OBJECT SHOW.

i mean i get it, camerawork in animating sucks, i get it completely without any doubt

BUT COME ON. I HAD AN EPIPHANY.

and maybe a bit of rewatching marble hornets in the background of me reviewing for exams lol

“what the heck is target45” the one found footage arg i wanted to make back in 2020 but i had no other leverage to act on it (it wasn’t even supposed to be objects, i just decided that like yesterday, lol)

LIKE.

okay let me explain the easy lore of what target45 was supposed to be

elijah (yellow pages page thing in the middle, they/he) is the campus journal photographer in their college. they just so happen to be roommates with their childhood friend, jeremy (the acrylic paint container thing on the left, he/him). on their free time, they just decide to take pics of everything around them and all, and then came their new roommate to cut the rent costs (/hj), max (the emf thing on the right, she/he/they). she’s into the supernatural, so he just likes to creep out the two, but overall they have a good bond.

they take pictures one day and max notices subtle crosshair marks aimed at elijah at some photos. the three think since jeremy likes to pick on him sometimes, it was him, but duh, it wasn’t.

yadda yadda yadda, long story short, it gets worse, now they’re paranoid and on the run from whatever it was that’s targeting elijah. but to be honest, i only said that because i forgot who the main threat character was lol.

anyway yeah, uh

[making a newer one, i promise]

OH.

an extra part because i got the idea and an excuse to draw more

[SORTA OBJECT GORE BUT IT’S NOT THAT HEAVY UNDER CUT]

[crystalkitty1220]

You underestimate me, CK. I only have more questions now.

What was Nevin doing to try to save Drew? Is he okay after some of his branches got crushed in the fight? Will he ever manage to come back or is Nevin just deep in denial?

Overall I really like your au, and I’m happy to see you again too! Your monthly posts are always nice.

I don't know what warnings to do this time so I'm just gonna say that if you couldn't read the fic thing, do not proceed. Also because spoilers ig.

First I'd like to reiterate that the second part of that fic thing was very experimental. So nothing about that is certain whatsoever and I was mostly just going for vibes for it, to test out the potential bad ending that I really want to make work somehow. So I can give you some hypothetical answers, but unless I can successfully make most of the other events in that ending not horribly out-of-character, that ending might not even be real. The entire bad ending is based on this one bit of animation I have in my head and am very slowly drawing out. I'm hoping if I can show how cool it looks I won't have to justify the character actions /hj. I also just do not have any ideas for another ending so I am desperately trying to make 'twist' villain Isaac Beamer somehow work. That's most of the reason that I'm focusing so hard on curses and such right now; getting the essentials done will make writing the story a little easier. Maybe when I finally have a curse for Dez (I'm accepting suggestions; Echos and I have nothing), I'll magically have a whole new ending thought up.

Anyway, hypothetically, Drew's probably fine after the fight. It was painful, yeah, but the branches will grow back.

Now I'll move onto the things centered around the first half, since that one's a little more final.

Drew probably can't come back? I mean, it could be cool if there's some kind of ritual to move his consciousness somewhere else, but his body's irreparable.

You didn't ask but I'll also add that he and the branches can be killed, via burning or something like that, but Nevin's not likely to let that happen.

Nevin is very deep in denial, and for the most part doesn't have any ideas other than praying and such. He refuses to move on from Drew's loss for a few reasons. First of all, of course, Drew's his twin brother. Secondly, ever since the incident, his life has basically entirely centered around it. The incident is what made him turn to religion (and just so he can keep the extra bit of trauma, in place of his step-mom we'll say the first couple churches weren't exactly kind about his curse - or his being gay, for that matter), and religion is obviously why he thinks the branches are a miracle keeping Drew alive. The incident is why he became homeschooled and rarely left his house for so much of his life, and started hyper-focusing on Drew instead of making connections or getting hobbies. Speaking of hobbies, his curse in general also made it difficult to start any of those. Most of his life has just been getting control of his powers, religious stuff, thinking about Drew, repeat (though Grandma Jovel was eventually successful in getting him interested in cooking and spoken poetry). So he can't fathom the idea of letting Drew go.

When he meets Chris, Nevin gets really excited about the possibility that Chris or Charlie could communicate with Drew, and from there they could work something out. So Nevin starts hanging around Chris, invites him over, and you've seen the rest. Info-dumping about Drew was basically Nevin trying to get Chris to see why this is so important. He could just say "he's my baby brother and i love him and you should love him too", but in true writer fashion, he takes the "show, don't tell" route.

So, yeah, that's basically the closest thing Nevin has had to a plan. I mean, now that I brought up the idea of there being some sort of demonic ritual to transfer souls or whatever, it could be cool to have Nevin go against his morals and try demony stuff, but then I'd have to add so many more eggpire fansongs onto my curse!ibvs playlist. I've already got five, I don't think I should go any deeper.

[celestedoesarttm]

hey hey hey so: i've been listening to TMA for a bit recently. i just finished MAG 6 and... what the fuck just happened /lh

also i noticed something about MAG 1. the table. something about that table seems VERY wrong but i cant quite put my finger on it. maybe if i look at the pattern on it,, that. mesmerizing spiral,,, /hj

but yea im still trying to figure that out lol

ive blocked the spoilers tag so HOPEFULLY i can avoid major stuff. anything that i have been made aware of is entirely without context and i guess i'll try my best to catch up more on the story for now lmao

anyways, opinions on the worm wife?

what? No! The table’s perfectly utterly fine! I don’t know what you’re talking about! Here, maybe you should take a good, long, look at it to soothe your worries. :) /menacing

I have an entire TAG for Jane Prentiss (it’s literally just “worm wife <3”) but I’d be a bit wary trawling through that if I were you…I don’t think there’s any major spoilers in it but you’re going to want to be as blind as possible for TMA 🫡 wait until S1 is over and then go check it out. Anyways JANE PRENTISS LOVE OF MY LIFE LIGHT OF MY WORLD!!! I love her a truly insane amount and the need to draw her pulsates through my veins. 

Anyways, here’s a doodle of how she’s been looking in my mind lately :3

[ghostinggg3299]

so another day of barely using references

And this is also another lineless art I've done after ages . Honestly I draw a lot but I don't post because I sometimes feel like they aren't to the best of my ability. But maybe I'd put it in my commission examples if I ever get to doing it.

Anyways, enjoy the art!/pos

I should also probably get into more fandoms again cuz lord,I'm running dry/hj

[pastry-lazer]

And here they are!

They look cute together.. i should draw some more… /hj

But yeah, first shipping post, maybe?

[ranchjustranch]

maybe i should draw klarion more

maybe that'll help with my test /hj

[cloudsandwichsoup]

general mp100 char headcanons,,(this’ll probably change in the future maybe,, i’ll update as i think of new ones)

shigeo “mob” kageyama

he/him

bi 100%

he’s quiet in most spaces and likes to listen but he rambles a lot when given the opportunity

he’s more talkative in general post canon but usually needs someone to start the conversation

he feels a little uncomfortable in fem clothes (because of the school break in incident) but would wear a skirt if asked (depends on who’s asking, will say no to reigen)

will wear anything teru buys for him

always the first player when playing video games

goes to s&s at least once a week to visit

teases his brother sometimes (but is the one mostly being teased)

the most normal little guy you’ve ever seen /j

arataka reigen

he/him

(disaster) gay

single father of 3 (tome, teru, shou)

married to serizawa

has a decent fashion taste when recommending things to others (but not himself all his clothes are ugly)

unofficially adopted teru and let him live in his apartment; serizawa (didn’t live with him at the time) convinced him into getting a bigger one because teru and reigen were super cramped

very proud of mob (cries when he graduates middle school)

slowly and painfully tries to be more honest (and causes more problems in the process)

can cook is just too lazy to do so

sings pretty well

doesn’t pay his rent on time

salt everywhere

ritsu kageyama

he/him

achillean (men liker syndrome)

“romance ew” but is also a hopeless romantic (shouromantic /hj)

homophobic but only towards reigen (and teru for liking his brother)

emo and listens to mcr and p!atd /hj

he talks about his fixations with mob

it’s hard for him to open up even post canon,, he still has the tendency to bottle up his feelings

he gets to 100% much easier then mob does since he has less patience

it isn’t as bad though

had a fursona (his drawing of it is crumpled up in his closet)

shou drew it for him once when he found a drawing of it lying around (ritsu wanted to die)

katsuya serizawa

he/him trans (im not projecting you are)

gay

goes to therapy (and forces reigen to go eventually)

tries to give helpful advice… to varying degrees of success

he’s shou’s better dad

sensitive to louder noises (like houses burning)

aware he’s severely underpaid but stays at s&s because of reigen (and the fact that he genuinely likes the job) they end up sharing finances so they should be fine… hopefully

he works multiple jobs (online and otherwise) to keep himself afloat before he gets married cause he really REALLY wants to stay at s&s

he gets a degree in psychology and expands s&s with counseling services

can be sarcastic when he wants to be

still anxious though he’s gotten a lot better (he’s learned how to look more put together and instead panics more internally)

the nerd ever

he rambles about his favorite games and shows to anyone that will listen

teruki hanazawa

he/they (hetheycore)

gay i don’t make the rules

his hair is naturally blond and his blue eyes are not contacts (i’m specifying this cause some people say otherwise) his parents are some european + japanese

he’s fem but in a masc way if that makes sense

hopelessly in love with kageyama shigeo,, he isn’t subtle about it at all (mob has his suspicions but doesn’t want to get carried away)

literally realized he didn’t like women after he met mob (more like after he realized liking boys was a thing after looking it up)💀

has one sided beef with tsubomi over mob’s affection, they became friends later I just think it’s funny if teru is jealous

has a hobby in fashion

reigen is his dad and they move in together post canon cause i said so

shou suzuki

he/him

pan

animal lover; hampter

art kid 💀

has ocs probably

he gets scared easily and is also sensitive to louder noises

serizawa straightened his hair as a kid (still does his hair just gives him his curly hair products now that shou wants to go natural)

got a buzz cut cause he absolutely ruined his hair after ironing it every day

honorary child of the arataka family

he visits people by breaking in through their windows

wants to kiss ritsu on the lips but he burned his house down so (he might burn it again if they kiss)

dimple

he/him

aroace king

“i am a male. i am a man. i’m a ‘he’. I don’t get into that… mentally ill shiz.” /hj

besties with reigen (but won’t admit it)

strange uncle to shigeo and ritsu

wants to attack teru for all of the atrocious outfit recs he gives mob

he tries to pick a fight with mob about his outfit when it looks horrendous (mob always wins)

babies ritsu a lot

follows tome to make sure she doesn’t get hurt and ends up enjoying traveling to weird places in search of spirits

tome kurata

she/her

sapphic

never stops loving aliens

becomes interested in figuring out how espers work

hates momo /hj

runs a spirit blog + a cringe yt channel with dimple

calls dimple “dimps”

crashes at reigen’s place cause she can

she pretty much lives there so she’s technically wawa and taka’s kid

her grandparents raised her… her parents exist lol

her grandpa was a conspiracy theorist and that’s why she got into aliens idk

probably takes over s&s when she’s an adult (kicks reigen out)

momozou takenaka

he/him swag

says he's straight only cause it's funny 💀💀

he had a crush on tsubomi but now likes tome against his will,, he thinks her passion is admirable and she didn’t treat him differently because of his abilities so… crush?

good friends with tsubomi, they complain about life together

actually really likes tennis

expresses his affection through subtle ways and tries everything he can to divert attention from said affection

hates tome /j