🖌️ The life painter 🖌

@fromcanvastolife

Rosa / (MALEVOLENT PODCAST/lovecraft oc -- rp tumblr) / written by mari.

1,306 posts

🖌️ The life painter 🖌️

"Hi there! A pleasure to meet you, my name's Rosa.

Yep. Like the flower. Yeah, I'm the painter! Would you like something painted for you? I can make... most things.

.....Yes, er, I usually don't go out there telling random people about it, but you're right, I can pull out stuff straight from the canvas. So if you need any object, or clothes, or... I dunno. Body parts? Do you have any missing body parts? I can draw 'em for you. Orrrr, I can make you a portrait too, just a regular one. You decide. I'll just get my brush, okay?~"

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RP account for ROSA🖌️ (she/her) & cia: Bel 🩰 (she/her) Lillith 💤(she/it/he/they, whatever) Ilyth'la 🎃 (they/she) Yhoundeh (he/it)

-> malevolent podcast OCs <-

semi-lit / literate rp / or just funsies • oc / canon friendly • au / multiverse / crossover friendly

🖌️penned by Mari🩷 • she/her • 20s

mun and art account at @malakytarts and my follow will come from there.

🖌️posts are all in character or narration. Rosa's the main OC here, so her speech will be normal color or pink, depending on the occasion. The others' will be with their respective colors.

🖌️ posts with OOC mean it's me, mari, speaking ✌️

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RULES

🎨 feel free to start rps, send me asks, @ me or message me for plotting =)

🎨talk to me before using or reposting my art please. i allow it depending on the case, but talk to me first.

🎨 flirting in character is okay and highly encouraged! make her blush!!

🎨 no explicit sexual content on posts or timeline. >>> i do nsfw rp (on DMs or discord, depending on the chemistry between characters) WITH PEOPLE OVER 18 ONLY (mun AND muse), no exceptions. please don't lie about your age for nsfw rp purposes, or i will block you =(

info and art of Rosa below. i will attach here all art, backstory comic and info about her in future reblogs! see ya!

#malevolent podcast #malevolent rp #malevolent roleplay #malevolent #malevolent oc #horror rp #🖌#🖌️#rosa #rosa finkler #🩰#🎃#isabel finkler #bel finkler #lillith #ilyth'la #pumpkid #💤

6/11/2026

~2.5 hours (I think)

Group napping!!!!

Characters included are:

Far left Jackson James-de la Rosa Jr @twelve-starry-eyes

The one in the middle gettjng dogpiled is The Manager @nonbinarytoast2 's design

on the lap is Candy @rook-o-nines

Bottom right is Rosa @pointyhatfox

And of course my oc Mr. Emcee on the right also

but i stay silly! *←said in the most world-weary voice you ever did hear*

“but I stay silly!”

sensiblereblogifposts

Reblog you stay silly

on it boss

fromcanvastolife

Would YOU like to be trapped in an enclosed space? I don’t think so! You know what, I’m leaving them with you. This is where Im releasing them after their rescue. Get along with them or they’ll bite you >:(

"IF THERE WEREN'T ANY BUGS, MAYBE?? Maybe I would?! Oi, come back!!! I don't want these ants!!"

Her eyes dart from you to the insects, then to you again, several times. She looks angry... and desperate. More desperate than angry, really.

"They need their natural habitat!! You're being irresponsable releasing them here!"

They didn’t leave but they did sit down. The ants immediately crawled up and…oh god, they were going into their eyes, nose, and mouth. The guy didn’t even react and just kept talking, coughing every so often when one went down the wrong pipe.

“Oh, they’ll be alright! They can live nearly anywhere. They thrive anywhere they have flesh they can crawl into. You’ll do great!”

It wasn’t even malicious just…ignorant. The idea that people didn’t want bugs to live in them didnt even pass through their mind.

“I’m being plenty responsible! Once they’re in your brain for a bit, you’ll learn how to hear what they have to say too. I think you’ll learn to get along after that. Harper and you will probably get along best if I had to guess based on vibes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa watched that unfold with horror in her eyes. There were eldritch horrors who were kind of scary for her, though now that she also was partially an eldritch horror too, she didn't find them so madness indulcing - and there were BUGS. Bugs, in her humble opinion, should be placed above eldritch horrors in a scale of the most scary type of being.

"Right, but I don't want them crawling on my flesh! They're gonna have to find another flesh to crawl on, and I definitely don't want them in my brain. Sorry, but I will have to refuse!"

“Oh, it won’t only be on your flesh! Most of them are under my skin anyways. See? You don’t have to worry about that. Most of the time they’re only under but they only crawl so much on top of my skin because my body is a bit overpopulated.”

They rolled up their sleeve and under the skin there was constant movement of dots. The bugs ran in circles, up and down, and around each other as if dancing.

“They only eat you when you don’t find someone else for them to eat. I usually just stop at the nearest hospital for someone on their death bed,” they shrugged.

“It’s not really up to me whether or not they find you home though. I was sorta joking about it but they seem to like the idea…If it were up to me, I’d listen, but now you guys have to talk and work it out.”

fromcanvastolife

"No, there's no under the flesh, or on the flesh, or inside the brain, I'm NOT home for your ants and I'm not food either, they'll have to find someone else!"

The chandelier dangled as she spoke, and on the ceiling there looked like small cracks were forming around it. Rosa didn't seem to notice that, though, because she looked just too impatient and anxious with the ants.

"I don't want to hurt your little guys, so now, please, go away."

“Oh! They aren’t my guys. People always assume that but think of them more like smaller humans. They think for their own and everything like that but it’s just easier for people to hear my voice than theirs.”

As they said that, a chorus of chirps, coos, and cries broke out. They didn’t notice the chandelier threatening to fall either.

“They say that they just want you to hear their voice. Can you just let a few in your brain so you guys can talk and bond? It won’t hurt at all.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa raised a brow, puzzled. That sounded somewhat like a cult or something in that vein.

"Who are you, then? What are you?"

“I’m Anthony! Anthony Antoine Antonio to be specific,” they stuck their hand out before pausing, realizing she probably wasn’t going to come down and shake their bug-infested hand.

“As for what I am…uh— I don’t really know how you want me to answer that?”

“What’s your name?”

fromcanvastolife

She looked down at the hand.

"Charmed," Rosa replied. She didn't really look charmed. "My name's Rosa."

"I guess I mean... What type of creature you are. Obviously not human. Not an ant, either. Are those even ants? What are they?"

“It’s nice to meet you! I’d introduce you to my friends but I think we’d be here for hours,” they laughed. “Maybe, another time?”

“But no, they’re not actually ants. I found them in this weird abyss thing when I was traveling around and they took me in and I befriended them! I just call them ants because that’s what they look closest to,” they explained it as if it were an everyday occurrence.

“As for myself, I’m just sorta…me? I guess? I wasn’t really spawned with a manual of what I am nor has anyone told me? I’m not human and I’m not the bug’s species either though. How about you?”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes, of course. Another time. Now, what I am. It's complicated, I--"

The chandelier broke and started to come down right on top of Anthony. For a moment, Rosa disappeared from their view, which was why she didn't fall along with the chandelier, reappearing on top of a big cabinet meter away, perched like an ape.

They yelped and covered their head as broken glass slashed into their skin. What came out was gelatinous blood and the stench of mold, as if food were rotting in the back of the freezer. The bugs swarmed to their rescue, forming thick layers that acted as bandages. The ones on the ground feasted, simultaneously acting as a vacuum cleaner.

“…ow…”

they stood with their arms awkwardly separated from their as they processed what even happened.

fromcanvastolife

"Damn," Rosa hissed, "Shit."

Her instinct was to ask if they were okay - if they were anyone else, she'd have ran to their rescue. The weird ants prevented her from doing so, though, and Rosa could only watch in mild horror as they worked on Anthony's skin. She looked livid even from a distance.

"Are you... uhm, okay in there?"

“I’ll be—“ they winced as the bugs stuffed themselves into their wounds.

“—Yeah, I’ll be— ow—! alright.”

They cautiously stepped through the glass until they were a distance away. The ants swarmed around each step, shifting major shards away from their shoes.

“I’ve had weirder things fall on me,” they tried to laugh it off, waving a hand. “You ever seen a ceiling of an eldritch-like Waffle House collapse on someone when you’re trying to order? I haven’t until it happened! I still got my food though.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked horrified watching the bugs interacting with Anthony and the things around.

"Goddamn, you have it rough, don't you?" she tried to say that in high spirits, but she was just too scared to laugh, even if in a fake way. "I suppose the... ants helped you then...?"

“I just consider myself to have bad luck,” they laughed, finally out of the piles of glass.

They were bleeding, thick crimson dripping down their forehead, but they didn’t pay much mind to it. The bugs packing into their wounds like gauze.

“I’m alive though, partially thanks to them! I can’t complain, but uh….can you come down from the cabinet, I’m paranoid that’ll fall too…”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shook her head vehemently, "Sorry, look, I don't want it to fall on you again either, but I really can't go to the floor with your... friends there. I don't want them inside my brain, and also, I'm scared of bugs."

As if predicting their counterpoint, she quickly added: "Yes, I know they are not bugs, but they look like bugs, and my first point stands still."

They tapped their chin, “What if they didn’t look like bugs?”

As Anthony said that, the critters became piling on top of eachother, gradually forming the shape of a…cat? They moved together cohesively, taking a step towards her. A meow resonated from its chest but the noise was odd, like it were coming from a walkie talkie.

“Is that better?”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked quite worried on top of that cabinet. She eyed the cat-ants with confused furrowed brows, then looked back at Anthony.

"I mean, yes, but I still don't want anything inside my mind. I don't know what your deal is with them, but I want only myself accessing my brain."

There were many entities out there who shapeshifted and wanted to control you by hijacking your brain. She was still part human, and thus, more succeptible to this kind of thing. The guy seemed to be in a situation similar to a hivemind, where the ants and them were kind of one, but not literally? It puzzled Rosa, but it also reassured her she didn't want to be in their shoes.

"I think you should speak to the Manager! They are nice, and whatever you need they'll probably be able to help you."

“They’ll stay out then, I promise. I didn’t mean to scare you but it won’t hurt at all even if they did. It’s peaceful,” they tried to reassure.

The cat-ant meowed again, rubbing its body against the cabinet she was perched on. If she listened closely, a soft purr vibrated from the animal(s).

“The Manager? That fella? I’ll pass. No offense to them but I d rather solve any problems I’m having myself. Besides, I don’t really have many issues right now!”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed unsure still. However... well, they weren't really bugs anymore, so immediately they were less frightening. She carefully knelt on the cabinet, and in the next moment, had spawned right next to Anthony.

"Hi. Good to properly meet you," she extended a hand towards them for the ant-friend to shake it.

Anthony grinned and shook her hand. The cat-ant pawed at Rosa’s leg but the form of their body loosened a tad whenever it made contact. The paw sprawled out with ants like putty being slammed against a table before it returned back to its typical shape.

“It’s nice to properly meet you too!”

A “meow” came from the Colony but it sounded distorted, like it went through seventy different recordings.

“They think so too.”

“What’s The Manager like? The Colony won’t let me talk to them.”

As they said Manny’s name, the cat hissed and Anthony put their hands up in silent surrender.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa felt the paw on her and would've found it very cute if it hadn't gotten partially undone in ants on her pants. She kept her face up, avoiding the cat as the ants reassembled themselves into the cat thing again.

"... A-aw, well. Thank you. Glad to... uhm, to know. Now the Manager... well, they are... there's no way around it, they are an all powerful being that commands this place. With an iron fist..." Rosa said that with a straight, serious face and waited for a second before smirking again to deny it, "I'm kidding, about the iron fist part at least. But for a cosmic deity with potential for infinite evil, you'll be surprised to see how they are actually extremely reasonable and kind."

She looked down at the cat-ant. Rosa genuinely didn't know if their reaction was a normal one or a bad omen.

"They have long dark hair, and are always wearing a white suit. Do you think the colony is scared of them?"

Anthony laughed, “That performer that gave us skin said the same thing! He said that The Manager is super chill and will give us a room if we ask.”

“But I can understand why they react the way they do,” The Colony was now rubbing against Rosa’s leg, purring.

“This guy shot me in the chest and head unprompted and The Manager came to us around that time. I don’t know specifics but they’re probably just worried the person that shot me and them are associated but I think I should give everyone a chance! Unfortunately, whenever I try, they just take over my body and then snip the ‘go unconscious’ wire. I don’t think they actually snip anything—I sure hope not—but boom, I go good night. They probably control my body for a bit too because I wake up somewhere else but I don’t remember any of it,” they shrugged as if this were all normal.

“It’s not too bad though, just annoying.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa nodded, pretending what they were telling her was normal. Her gaze went from Anthony to the cat, and she wondered if she should pet it. Tentatively, the artist approached her hand to the animal(s?) to see what would happen.

"That's... a situation, for sure. And they won't tell you why they don't want you to visit the Manager?"

The purring increased as they were pet, ants cushioning around her hand whenever she pressed too hard.

“Not really. I mean, I know they think The Manager is associated with the person who shot me. Are they connected though? Do you know someone with a cowboy hat? Thats the one who shot me.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa pet animal very lightly.

"Oh, a cowboy hat? Yes. I know him..." Rosa looked confused, then worried. If Jackson shot this guy... Jackson wouldn't just shoot people for no reason. She raised a brow at Anthony and felt her uneasiness growing. "No idea as of why he shot you? He just showed up and shot you?"

“Basically, yeah! I was just trying to say hi then it was pew pew,” they rolled their eyes.

“Some people are so inconsiderate. He’s luckily my organs are in the place normal human’s are. I would probably be dead if they were. Is he normally like that?”

fromcanvastolife

"No, he really isn't," Rosa stood up again slowly and grimaced in an awkward manner. "But were you showing up to him with... one million ants around him, perhaps?"

Anthony was confused by how she stood up, looking her up and down before brushing it off. People often misinterpreted him so it would only be rude to do the same to another.

The cat-ant pawed at Rosa, trying to continue to be pet.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I? They travel with me everywhere. People always say not to travel alone for safety, so I bring my friends along with me.”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes but... friend, you can't just show up to new people with a million ants around them. I mean, you can, but it scares people. And I don't say that just because I'm afraid of insects; anyone would be scared about one million ants showing up out of nowhere."

She looked at the cat.

"It's not usual. And I don't mean to say your ants are bad, or that there's something wrong with them, or that he should have shot you; but it's just so unusual to be surrounded by one million ants that people get freaked out." Rosa slowly crouched. She was hesitant, but ended up bringing her hand to gently pet the cat-ant again. "It's like being approached suddenly by several people surrounding you and getting no explanation. It's scary, because the person doesn't know your intentions. Maybe Jackson thought you'd harm him."

“But I wouldn’t be scared about a ton of people approaching me? I don’t understand? Those are just new friends normally. Isn’t that what people think? I don’t want to hurt anyone,” they frowned.

The Colony meowed in agreement.

“Just because something is different doesn’t mean it’s my fault or job to control my friends. It’s not like I can control the fact that it’s different. Plenty of things are out of the normal but people have grown used to them. I shouldn’t be shot for being different.”

fromcanvastolife

"I'm not saying you should be shot for being different, of course not. And obviously the situation could've been dealt with differently."

Rosa sat down on the floor criss cross near the Colony, wondering if they would come closer.

"I'm just saying that was probably what Jackson thought. He probably got intimidated by the crowd of ants and got suspicious, and thought you meant some kind of harm. They can be a bit impulsive and we're all... kind paranoid here, actually; there was a really big bad dude wanting us all dead not too long ago. That probably didn't help."

The cat-ant climbed into her lap and laid down. If she looked closely, the ‘eyelids’ were shut.

“Big bad dude..? Who is that? Why would anyone want you all dead? That’s stupid. You don’t deserve any of that,” their eyebrows furrowed together.

Anthony thought for a moment before having a moment of panic, “I don’t want Jackson to think that I’m associated with that guy at all! That’s the opposite of what I want.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa was slowly growing fonder of the cat-ant. When it didn't look like a million ants, they were cute.

"The guy's name was Kayne. He was a god - I mean, he is a god, but he's trapped now, thankfully. Thanks to the Manager and a few others."

Her hand lowered to touch the Colony very lightly on their head, giving them little headpats.

"Ah, I don't think he thought you're associated with Kayne specifically; I think they may just have been scared in general and shot you. Knowing him, he probably felt very bad afterwards, since I don't really think you're a threat to the Waylay." She smiled sadly at Anthony, almost apologetically so. "But do say, when did the incident with Jackson happen?"

The ant-cat purred, pressing its head into her hand. Oddly, she could now feel the vibration that the sound came with typically. It was a skill they were trying to improve on when it came to mimicry.

“Huh, I’ve never heard of the guy but hopefully I never have to see him. I can promise you I have nothing to do with Kayne though!”

The purring stopped for a minute when he was mentioned but swiftly resumed.

“I really hope he doesn’t think that I’m related though and it was all some big misunderstanding. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet and everything has just been so fuzzy lately,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t like the idea of someone being comfortable shooting me out of nowhere. I want to think people aren’t like that.”

“It was fairly recently? Time is odd to me because of how I travel between universes. The different paces that time passes at makes telling things like this nearly impossible. I think I’ve slept once since it happened? That could mean a week or a day? Ive been to a few other locations between now and then.”

fromcanvastolife

She gently pet it behind its ear. "You're a baby, aren't you?" she said to the ant-cat with a small smile; then, Rosa looked at Anthony again.

"People usually aren't like this; though depending on which god you're talking to here, I'd advise being careful. Many of them are friendly, but some are less friendly. Definitely avoid a guy named Campbell, he's just... ugh, yeah.

"But where else have you been in your trips?"

The cat-ant nodded in understanding, rolling onto its belly.

“Why is Campbell bad? I feel like most people have some goodness in their heart…even if they end up shooting you.”

“Even the most judgy people in other worlds have always done some nice thing for me, even if it was unintended. As for the places I’ve gone? I’ve been to thousands over my life time. If I like a place, I’ll settle down for a bit, maybe return every so often, but I don’t stay for long. I know that place isn’t what I’m looking for. It’s not the home I grew up in.”

fromcanvastolife

She continued to caress the cat-ant on the head. "Will you bite me if I pet your belly, darling?" Rosa asked it before looking at Anthony again.

"... Even Campbell must have some goodness in his heart; he has a kid who likes him. And... one that hates him. But the fact is that he kidnapped me and tried to gift me to another god as an apology gift. To his fucking ex-husband. It was just... awful."

"At least you've been travelling a lot. Seeing many things, that's nice. Well, it can be nice, depending on where you go. So you're looking for your home?"

The cat-ant shook its head. Anthony grinned at the interaction before his face swiftly soured upon hearing of the events.

“Yikes…okay, there’s certain people Im know I’d like to stay far away from and that list is very slim. He might be on the list…at least he’s willing to try and give an apology gift…even if it’s in his own corrupt way.”

“But yeah, I’m looking for home. I have vague memories of when I was growing up but not much more than that. I just know I’ll recognize it when I see it,” it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself that.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa gently brushed her fingertips on its belly, light scritches, the lightest she could do so not to make the ants visible again.

"At least he accepted the breakup that came after," Rosa huffed. "The king didn't accept me as a gift, thankfully. I was expecting Campbell to kind of make a show out of it, but turns out he can actually respect others when he wants. He just usually doesn't I guess. I'd say stay away from him and his offers. But aside from that, here inside the Waylay, he can't hurt you. The Manager doesn't really like trouble, so overall violence is forbidden here."

"Oh, so you have pieces of memories from your childhood, but you forgot most of it? You're suffering from memory loss?"

“I don’t really plan to stay long. My friends don’t really like The Manager much. They’ll let me know when they’re ready to leave but for now, we’re capitalizing on the fact this place has regular access to food.”

The cat-ant nodded in agreement while purring.

“I don’t know, frankly. I don’t know what level of forgetting your childhood is normal. It wasn’t like I was there for too long, roughly until I was 16 probably? For my species, that isn’t a lot…I think? I don’t exactly know much about my species other than what I assume.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shrugged, playfully, lightly drumming her fingers on the cat-ant's head, then continuing to pet it.

"Well, that's fair. I doubt the Manager would mind you staying. I've never seen them baning anyone. What do you know about your species though? Or what do you assume? You look like a human, kind of."

She booped the cat. "But then again, I look like a human too, and I'm... not. This little guy looks fairly like cat and like... ants, and apparently it's not either. That's what I like about this place though, y'know?" Rosa sighed, smiling, hands resting on top of the cat's body as she looked up at Anthony. "Everyone's a little weird, a little different from normal. And even those patrons who are mostly normal are okay with those things. I feel like... I really feel like home, here."

The cat let out something akin to a hyena laugh at her behavior.

“I’m human akin, I think. I don’t know if my health issues are expected from my species or not. I would like to hope not but it could be because I’m out of my environment. It’s like how you don’t expect a fish to breathe out of water,” they shrugged. “It’s hard to say.”

“I could rant for hours about theories but plenty of them would conflict and intertwine in ways that don’t make sense.”

“At the end of the day, I want a place where what I am isn’t weird and I have people like me. I can find out what me really is. I’m glad this place is accepting but no where I go is fully accepting despite the advertisements…no offense. Besides, I still need to figure out my health. I’m just…” his posture deflated before bouncing right back. “…let’s say I’m not in the best place. I don’t want to bring the mood down.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tilted her head at them, but she didn't seem offended at all. The calm smile remained on her lips, and her voice sounded sweet when she replied:

"I understand. Finding your own place is difficult. Maybe what's home for me is not home for you, and that's fine. I do hope you find what you're looking for, anyway. There's nothing such as being with... your own kind, or at least with people you love, in a place where you don't feel out of place. I think everyone deserves that."

“As much as I want community of people like me, I think I can find community is every place I go. People are good and I think assuming friendship from every interaction makes the trip a bit less lonely, y’know?” they smiled. “You’re apart of my community. The person that smiled as I walked by is community. It doesn’t take much.”

“If I’m gonna take awhile to find my real home, I might as well make the most of it. Call me naive but I’d rather that than be miserable.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed to consider their words, truly consider them; she was focused on Anthony for a few seconds and had halted the petting. At last, she nodded.

"That's a nice way of facing the trip," she smiled back. "And I suppose your friends help you on the way, too."

The cat-ant nudged her hand with their head.

“Oh, for sure. I wouldn’t be here without them,” they pet the creature for a minute and they meowed.

“As much as this place has gave me chaos, the Waylay has some nice people. There’s been you, Emcee, and Daisy. I didn’t get along too well with this guy and his bird but stuff happens…I still need to send him an apology basket.”

“Do you know that guy at all? I’d like to give him stuff that he likes in the basket if I can.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smirked at the cat, continuing to pat its head with her fingertips.

"Hmmm... the guy with a bird?" she tilted her head, eyes widening a little in curiosity. "Do you know his name?"

“Uhhh, he looks sorta scrappy? He yelled at me about going after him and attacking him,” he rubbed the back of the neck. “It was an accident, in my defense.”

“I never got a name.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, I see..." Rosa nodded. They sure had gotten themselves in big trouble since arriving. That wasn't a good sign. But also, some of the most fun people out there were like this. "Well, I can't say I know who he is. I hope you can find him, though."

“I hope so too! I’m glad to have found you though,” Anthony swiftly switched their presentation to something more lighthearted, grin accenting their face once again.

“I didn’t mean to get off to a bumpy start with you though…I feel like that’s how it’s been going with you Waylay folk but maybe, it’ll start looking up? I don’t know. What was the turning point for you not to be so scared of me? I could try to mimic that.”

fromcanvastolife

"Well, as I said, showing up with several ants surrounding people usually is threatening or intimidating. Most people like to have their personal space respected, too. So my advice would be for our little guy here..." she booped the cat-ant, "to show up as something slightly more familiar and less intimidating than a million of beings. At least for the first meetings. Once people see you mean no harm, they will probably be less intimidated by the ants. It's like showing up with your hands in a place people can see, versus with the hands behind your back. The feeling of being surrounded by many makes most feel scared and defensive, y'know? It's instinct."

She started to raise to her feet, but not without gently grabbing the cat and holding it in her arms like a baby against her chest.

"You're not a bad person. Most people here are traumatized one way or another, so it's not necessarily your fault you triggered them. I'm sure the folks will soon see you're actually pretty nice."

The cat meowed when booped then stocked out its “tongue” (which was really more ants). It rolled around playfully in her hold a bit, trying its best to mimic what purring what both felt and sounded like. The sound was accurate but the vibrations were a bit off.

“Oh! That makes sense. I didn’t even think about instincts being why people freak out…I’ve basically always been with them so I didn’t even think twice about it,” they laughed at their own obliviousness.

“I really hope people like me though…going places to place can make it hard to know what to say. There’s so many different cultures and expectations and god, even somewhere that I was for a year was impossible to adapt to. I wish there was some handbook.”

fromcanvastolife

Gently, she brought it to her face and touched its nose with hers, like Rosa used to do with her own cats years ago.

"Yeah, cultural differences are crazy. What is very common in a place can be rude or weird in another one. I've gone to a few... distinct worlds before. Sometimes it's difficult to know what to expect." She raised her head again to meet Anthony's gaze and smiled at them, compassionate. "It's quite awkward, quite the situation. Thankfully, my wife guided me through most of them at that time..."

She sighed. It wasn't a sigh of pure sorrow anymore, but the absense got Rosa almost every single day. Even with her newfound family, even with renewed hope and dreams, Rosa felt like what she still had of Nilah wasn't enough to compensate the goddess'... sudden departure.

"Those were nice trips."

The ants rubbed their nose against hers and licked her face. It was an odd sensation having bugs imitate a tongue but the affection in it was distinct.

Anthony didn’t catch onto the signs immediately and their eyes scanned for a wedding band, curious if that was a thing in her culture. They always enjoyed the shiny gems and meticulously crafted designs.

“Wife? Can I meet her?” They beamed.

But then they caught one hint, face dropping, “…What do you mean by were?”

fromcanvastolife

The cat-ant's affection was a good balance to counter the sadness in her heart as she replied.

"My wife... " Rosa visibly swallowed, averting her gaze before continuing. "My late wife's dead now."

There was no ring or band around any finger, but Rosa was wearing some jewelry. On her neck, a pedant lay; a metal oval made out of silver with intricate patterns engraved. At first glance, it looked like a normal necklace one would have, maybe one of those in which inside there is a small picture; but this one had a faint purple-pink glow emanating from inside.

On her right wrist, two bracelets rested, too. Both made out of glass beads. One was of a dark purple, with small light pink-red dots inside, like little stars floating in the liquid. The other one was identical, but instead of purple, it was green, as green as Rosa's eyes, and had inside yellowish dots that shone faintly like tiny fireflies.

“Oh…oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Anthony moved closer, putting a hand on her back.

Their eyes caught on the jewelry, but especially the image. They couldn’t look away, trying to notice every little detail within the picture.

“If I’m allowed to know, how did she die?”

The ants licked at her again and again, hoping to help a little bit. What they noticed most were her eyes. It was irregular within the bounds of potentially being another species, but she looked almost entirely human despite that fact. Huh, odd.

The ants couldn’t remember what she had said about herself earlier due to the chaos of it all. Maybe, it got mentioned already?

fromcanvastolife

The pendant was one of those that could close to hide the picture, and usually it would be closed, but as it seemed, in the chaos with the cabinet and the chandelier, the little thing had opened partially, and there Anthony could see, instead of a photograph, the tiniest of the paintings. It was a woman Anthony would have never seen before, and yet for the ants, she would somehow carry a feeling of distant familiarity; long hair that fell straight until the mid of her back, in the same color of red wine. She had the lightest skin, wore a black suit with silver jewelry and purple details, and bore the most intense pair of purple eyes. Anthony would have this feeling that they'd have found her gaze piercing and cold and sinister and wrong in any other circumstance but in this particular picture. In this painting specifically, she looked soft, with a small, playful smirk and an amused, fond gaze.

If Rosa noticed them staring, she didn't say anything. All the painter could muster to say, actually, was one single word. "Kayne," she muttered, and then fell silent.

The ants quit their licking and a paw came to the pendant, trying to open it more. They were careful and if she focused on each individual ant, their eyes were longing. It was like craving a flavor that you never tasted.

“Oh…I’m so sorry…Im fortunate to not have known much about that man,” they hesitantly stepped forward with open hands. “Would a hug help..?”

fromcanvastolife

She was gentle in taking the pendant away from the ants, quickly closing it completely and placing it on her back. "Sorry, little ones. But... it's just this painting is so old it could fall apart easily. It was made almost half a century ago. I... I don't want anything to happen to it. It's one of the last things I have left of my wife."

Rosa looked at Anthony and then gently shifted the cat-ant to one hand. It was heavy, she was struggling a little, but she opened her arms for the hug. "I think it would help."

The cats meowed.

“They’re saying sorry.”

Anthony came closer and wrapped their arms around her. Their body wasn’t especially warm but their touch was soft, rubbing reassuring patterns over her back.

“Love is an important thing no matter where you go. I’m glad you’re holding it dear.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa sighed, leaning her head on their shoulder. After a few moments she replied.

"You're really kind. Thank you, Anthony. And thank you..." she looked down at the cat on her arm. "Uhm... do they have a name?"

“Each one has their own name but you can call them Colony,” they smiled.

The cat licked her once more.

“I appreciate it, really. If I’m gonna ever be remembered, I want it to be known for being kind. I don’t understand why people want to make other’s life harder.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smiled, and once she retreated from the hug, she gave the cat-ant a few headpats more. "Pleasure to meet you, Colony." Then, she gently placed it on the floor, by her feet.

"That's a good goal to have. A good way to be remembered. Some of the people I remember the most after all those decades are the ones that were kind to me."

The Colony purred, rubbing against her leg.

“I’m the same way. I may remember the events of those who are mean, but never the faces,” he smiled. “I wish I could take you with me on my travels.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa's eyes widened and she let out an amused chuckle of surprise.

"Ah, well, I'd love to visit you! Maybe we could hang out at some point. You could show me a place you like. Right now... well, as per usual, there's stuff happening that I'm involved with and I can't really leave for long. But I'm not against spending some time traveling. And..." She smiled, "I'd like to know which place ends up being your home, if... no, when you find it, and if you feel like sharing it with me."

The ants squeaked and Anthony grinned, “They could take you where they feel most at home if you’d like? It’s the closest I have to home, at the very least. We don’t have to stay there for long.”

fromcanvastolife

Somehow Rosa's eyes widened even more, and she tried to hide her awkwardness when she replied, "Ah, I- I'm really thankful for the invitation, really. But... I fear right now is not the best time. There's..." Rosa scratched her nape, trying to find the right words, "someone at the infirmary who's in a coma, and... well, when they wake up we'll have some trouble. But I gotta be here to help solve it when it happens, you know?"

It was a half truth. Well, it was true, actually, but it wasn't the only reason she was refusing. But Anthony didn't have to know that.

“Oh! That’s okay. Another time then?” they smiled, blissfully unaware. After all, their intentions were pure at the very least.

“I would hate to cause some sort of issue because I took you on a vacation.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, another time, for sure," Rosa nodded, smiling. She wanted to believe it wasn't a trap of some sorts, because the fellow seemed genuine, but after Campbell, who also had seemed very genuine at the time, Rosa had sworn to be more careful. Maybe she should talk to the Manager first to access just how trustworthy the guy was before going on a trip with them and their ants. "It's going to be okay, I'm sure. We've dealt with worse. But I want to be here to ensure the trouble will be minimal, when it inevitably happens. I think..."

Before Rosa could continue, though, both Anthony and her could hear a scream from the corridor. "A NEW CAT!"

It was a girl, ten or eleven years old at most, wearing a dress and shoes from the nineteenth century's children's fashion. Her similarity with Rosa was undeniable; the features, even the hair texture, they were very close, though many years separated their appearence. Only her colors were slightly different, and Anthony could see it better as the child quickly floated from her spot in the middle of the corridor to Anthony's side, quickly inspecting them. Her hair was long and of a light brown color, just like her honey-colored eyes; the opposite of Rosa's short and dark hair. Her skin was lighter, too... actually her whole body emanated a blue-white glow that dessaturated all her hues, and if Anthony looked close enough, they'd see her feet didn't quite touch the ground completely. "Is this a new cat? Is this your cat???"

Anthony couldnt even reply before being interrupted by the new person. The cat-ant perked up but remained in Rosa’s arms despite wanting to leap out.

“They’re my friends, yeah!” They turned with a big grin, gesturing to the cat-ant that was sticking their tongue out playfully.

fromcanvastolife

The kid's attention immediately shifted from Anthony to the animal, and she got closer to inspect it before stating:

"It is a different cat, it looks kind of... distinct for a cat. Why is it like this?"

"Bel! That's kind of rude. It is Colony. They are actually several small ants."

Isabel looked fascinated. "And they are all together now?" She reached out to tentatively touch the cat's snout with her cold, spectral finger.

The cat unwound slightly, making it easier for her to see the hundreds of ants that came together in order to create this being. It quickly came back to have it was previously, licking her hand once it was in range.

“Yeah! They’re my travel buddies. They can come together to make all sorts of shapes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tensed up, losening her grip on the cat and averting her gaze to focus on Anthony instead. When the cat licked the kid, it would feel her 'skin' was actually icy-cold; the girl felt like a walking corpse, and tasted like salty water and fog. She giggled, hand moving forward to pet the animal(s).

"Literally many ants... How many are there? When they are together, they don't even look like ants!"

"... Aren't they nice? They even... have names of their own." Rosa replied as she took a deep breath. She glanced down at the cat, and upon seeing it was fully cat now, she adjusted it on her arms, holding it more firmly and confidently again. "I wonder who gives them their names... Is it you, Anthony?"

The cat wasn’t deterred by the sensation and just kept licking her affectionately before rubbing its head on her. They were purring and gradually crawling farther and farther out of Rosa’s hold, threatening to fall.

“I don’t know the exact population size of the colony but I’d estimate a thousand-ish? Maybe more? It’s hard to say,” he shrugged. “But they name themselves! They name themselves off of things they like usually like there’s a ton of Anthonys.”

He laughed a bit, thinking that idea was quite hilarious and sweet simultaneously, “but there’s also a ton of object names. Lots of food names too.”

fromcanvastolife

"The little guy seems to want to be with you now," Rosa said, offering the cat to Bel, who promptly got the it in her hands.

"It's heavyyy! For being ants they are really heavy." She squeezed the animal against her chest and face affectionately, as if it was a real cat. She didn't mind at all when the little insects would unwound a little; apparently Rosa's little sister didn't have her same fear at all.

"That's adorable though. I imagine there are indeed many Anthonys. They must like you a lot!" She chuckled. "Must be nice having a thousand friends that are always with you. At least you'll always have good company and someones to talk!"

The cat meowed and continued its antics.

Anthony giggled, “They’re pretty dense. They’re a fat cat.”

The cat hissed at them playfully.

“Oh, for sure! I just wish more people understood them.”

fromcanvastolife

"With time they will, I'm sure. Don't worry about it. Just remember about the first impression thing, it may help." Rosa smiled, petting the cat again.

"Awww, they are cute! Look Rosa, when you squeeze it, the ants come out!"

"Ahh- yes, I know. It's... charming, isn't it?"

"She is afraid of insects," Bel chuckled and smirked, and Rosa rolled her eyes. "Are you new here, Anthony? Are you going to stay in the Waylay with Colony? You should get a room! There are other cats here, Colony and them can be friends! There's Ro with Chamomile and also Wil with Sassy!"

Anthony giggled, “Yeah, I assumed she was a bit scared of insects based on the initial reaction. Jumping on a chandelier tends to signal that.”

Okay, now they were just teasing. There was no need to mention that specific detail.

“But yeah, we’re new here! The place is lovely and I’d love to stay for longer, but this isn’t my home. I don’t really need a room. I’m assuming that there is an outside or somewhere else that I can sleep. I don’t wanna take up a room. I’ll certainly visit though!”

The cat-ant seemed quite pleased at the idea of meeting other cats though, meowing enthusiastically when it was mentioned.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa rolled her eyes again and Isabel didn't really seem surprised with the information, but chuckled anyway, clearly having fun.

"You should bring a camera. To take pictures of all the places you visit, then show us later," the artist commented, very excited to leave behind the matter of her phobia. "Will has a camera and it keeps taking pictures all the time. Its pictures are quite good, too. I think it is a nice way to immortalize the moment. Maybe you could talk to it, if it interests you. Will also has Sassy, as Bel said, so you two could both be busy at the same time." She pointed at Anthony, then at the ant-cat.

"Will's cat is adorable. I love Sassy," Bel commented, smiling. "I think you should start with it. And you should totally take a picture of us to bring to your travels, so we can keep you company. And also give us a picture. I'm bad with technology, every time I touch something electronic, it fails. It's annoying. But! I can keep pictures."

“Oh! I haven’t even thought about that! Y’know, that reminds me of those futuristic worlds that I’ve gone to where you can take a photo of the moment and then later, you can go into the photo and relive the moment. I never understood how that worked but I was always super intrigued by it!”

The cat-ant perked up at the mention of Sassy. New friend! New flesh.

“I’ll go talk to Wil and give you some many pictures! I don’t know where it is but it’s on my list of things to do!”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa and Bel seemed both impressed, too. "That sounds very cool. I'd love to test that someday." "You'll bring me with you as well, yes? You'll wait me...."

"Of course, sis. You can come."

"Huh, you better..."

"Well, I guess that settles it," Rosa smiled, seemingly pleased with the outcome of everything. She bent down to pet the ant-cat one more time before looking at Anthony. "See you around, then, Anthony and Colony?"

Bel knelt down to pet the cat's body as well.

#malevolent rp #malevolent oc #rosa #the ants #ant fella #bel

sMOOCHES

Rosa's blushing, a faint pink shine coming from her cheeks. She allows it, though, and clears her throat with a little chuckle when the kiss is parted.

"How daring you are!~ Smooching a lady so suddenly..." she says in faux reprimand, but the artist IS smiling.

#malevolent rp #malevolent oc #rosa #malevolent roleplay #anon asks #smooch

fromcanvastolife

Would YOU like to be trapped in an enclosed space? I don’t think so! You know what, I’m leaving them with you. This is where Im releasing them after their rescue. Get along with them or they’ll bite you >:(

"IF THERE WEREN'T ANY BUGS, MAYBE?? Maybe I would?! Oi, come back!!! I don't want these ants!!"

Her eyes dart from you to the insects, then to you again, several times. She looks angry... and desperate. More desperate than angry, really.

"They need their natural habitat!! You're being irresponsable releasing them here!"

They didn’t leave but they did sit down. The ants immediately crawled up and…oh god, they were going into their eyes, nose, and mouth. The guy didn’t even react and just kept talking, coughing every so often when one went down the wrong pipe.

“Oh, they’ll be alright! They can live nearly anywhere. They thrive anywhere they have flesh they can crawl into. You’ll do great!”

It wasn’t even malicious just…ignorant. The idea that people didn’t want bugs to live in them didnt even pass through their mind.

“I’m being plenty responsible! Once they’re in your brain for a bit, you’ll learn how to hear what they have to say too. I think you’ll learn to get along after that. Harper and you will probably get along best if I had to guess based on vibes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa watched that unfold with horror in her eyes. There were eldritch horrors who were kind of scary for her, though now that she also was partially an eldritch horror too, she didn't find them so madness indulcing - and there were BUGS. Bugs, in her humble opinion, should be placed above eldritch horrors in a scale of the most scary type of being.

"Right, but I don't want them crawling on my flesh! They're gonna have to find another flesh to crawl on, and I definitely don't want them in my brain. Sorry, but I will have to refuse!"

“Oh, it won’t only be on your flesh! Most of them are under my skin anyways. See? You don’t have to worry about that. Most of the time they’re only under but they only crawl so much on top of my skin because my body is a bit overpopulated.”

They rolled up their sleeve and under the skin there was constant movement of dots. The bugs ran in circles, up and down, and around each other as if dancing.

“They only eat you when you don’t find someone else for them to eat. I usually just stop at the nearest hospital for someone on their death bed,” they shrugged.

“It’s not really up to me whether or not they find you home though. I was sorta joking about it but they seem to like the idea…If it were up to me, I’d listen, but now you guys have to talk and work it out.”

fromcanvastolife

"No, there's no under the flesh, or on the flesh, or inside the brain, I'm NOT home for your ants and I'm not food either, they'll have to find someone else!"

The chandelier dangled as she spoke, and on the ceiling there looked like small cracks were forming around it. Rosa didn't seem to notice that, though, because she looked just too impatient and anxious with the ants.

"I don't want to hurt your little guys, so now, please, go away."

“Oh! They aren’t my guys. People always assume that but think of them more like smaller humans. They think for their own and everything like that but it’s just easier for people to hear my voice than theirs.”

As they said that, a chorus of chirps, coos, and cries broke out. They didn’t notice the chandelier threatening to fall either.

“They say that they just want you to hear their voice. Can you just let a few in your brain so you guys can talk and bond? It won’t hurt at all.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa raised a brow, puzzled. That sounded somewhat like a cult or something in that vein.

"Who are you, then? What are you?"

“I’m Anthony! Anthony Antoine Antonio to be specific,” they stuck their hand out before pausing, realizing she probably wasn’t going to come down and shake their bug-infested hand.

“As for what I am…uh— I don’t really know how you want me to answer that?”

“What’s your name?”

fromcanvastolife

She looked down at the hand.

"Charmed," Rosa replied. She didn't really look charmed. "My name's Rosa."

"I guess I mean... What type of creature you are. Obviously not human. Not an ant, either. Are those even ants? What are they?"

“It’s nice to meet you! I’d introduce you to my friends but I think we’d be here for hours,” they laughed. “Maybe, another time?”

“But no, they’re not actually ants. I found them in this weird abyss thing when I was traveling around and they took me in and I befriended them! I just call them ants because that’s what they look closest to,” they explained it as if it were an everyday occurrence.

“As for myself, I’m just sorta…me? I guess? I wasn’t really spawned with a manual of what I am nor has anyone told me? I’m not human and I’m not the bug’s species either though. How about you?”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes, of course. Another time. Now, what I am. It's complicated, I--"

The chandelier broke and started to come down right on top of Anthony. For a moment, Rosa disappeared from their view, which was why she didn't fall along with the chandelier, reappearing on top of a big cabinet meter away, perched like an ape.

They yelped and covered their head as broken glass slashed into their skin. What came out was gelatinous blood and the stench of mold, as if food were rotting in the back of the freezer. The bugs swarmed to their rescue, forming thick layers that acted as bandages. The ones on the ground feasted, simultaneously acting as a vacuum cleaner.

“…ow…”

they stood with their arms awkwardly separated from their as they processed what even happened.

fromcanvastolife

"Damn," Rosa hissed, "Shit."

Her instinct was to ask if they were okay - if they were anyone else, she'd have ran to their rescue. The weird ants prevented her from doing so, though, and Rosa could only watch in mild horror as they worked on Anthony's skin. She looked livid even from a distance.

"Are you... uhm, okay in there?"

“I’ll be—“ they winced as the bugs stuffed themselves into their wounds.

“—Yeah, I’ll be— ow—! alright.”

They cautiously stepped through the glass until they were a distance away. The ants swarmed around each step, shifting major shards away from their shoes.

“I’ve had weirder things fall on me,” they tried to laugh it off, waving a hand. “You ever seen a ceiling of an eldritch-like Waffle House collapse on someone when you’re trying to order? I haven’t until it happened! I still got my food though.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked horrified watching the bugs interacting with Anthony and the things around.

"Goddamn, you have it rough, don't you?" she tried to say that in high spirits, but she was just too scared to laugh, even if in a fake way. "I suppose the... ants helped you then...?"

“I just consider myself to have bad luck,” they laughed, finally out of the piles of glass.

They were bleeding, thick crimson dripping down their forehead, but they didn’t pay much mind to it. The bugs packing into their wounds like gauze.

“I’m alive though, partially thanks to them! I can’t complain, but uh….can you come down from the cabinet, I’m paranoid that’ll fall too…”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shook her head vehemently, "Sorry, look, I don't want it to fall on you again either, but I really can't go to the floor with your... friends there. I don't want them inside my brain, and also, I'm scared of bugs."

As if predicting their counterpoint, she quickly added: "Yes, I know they are not bugs, but they look like bugs, and my first point stands still."

They tapped their chin, “What if they didn’t look like bugs?”

As Anthony said that, the critters became piling on top of eachother, gradually forming the shape of a…cat? They moved together cohesively, taking a step towards her. A meow resonated from its chest but the noise was odd, like it were coming from a walkie talkie.

“Is that better?”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked quite worried on top of that cabinet. She eyed the cat-ants with confused furrowed brows, then looked back at Anthony.

"I mean, yes, but I still don't want anything inside my mind. I don't know what your deal is with them, but I want only myself accessing my brain."

There were many entities out there who shapeshifted and wanted to control you by hijacking your brain. She was still part human, and thus, more succeptible to this kind of thing. The guy seemed to be in a situation similar to a hivemind, where the ants and them were kind of one, but not literally? It puzzled Rosa, but it also reassured her she didn't want to be in their shoes.

"I think you should speak to the Manager! They are nice, and whatever you need they'll probably be able to help you."

“They’ll stay out then, I promise. I didn’t mean to scare you but it won’t hurt at all even if they did. It’s peaceful,” they tried to reassure.

The cat-ant meowed again, rubbing its body against the cabinet she was perched on. If she listened closely, a soft purr vibrated from the animal(s).

“The Manager? That fella? I’ll pass. No offense to them but I d rather solve any problems I’m having myself. Besides, I don’t really have many issues right now!”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed unsure still. However... well, they weren't really bugs anymore, so immediately they were less frightening. She carefully knelt on the cabinet, and in the next moment, had spawned right next to Anthony.

"Hi. Good to properly meet you," she extended a hand towards them for the ant-friend to shake it.

Anthony grinned and shook her hand. The cat-ant pawed at Rosa’s leg but the form of their body loosened a tad whenever it made contact. The paw sprawled out with ants like putty being slammed against a table before it returned back to its typical shape.

“It’s nice to properly meet you too!”

A “meow” came from the Colony but it sounded distorted, like it went through seventy different recordings.

“They think so too.”

“What’s The Manager like? The Colony won’t let me talk to them.”

As they said Manny’s name, the cat hissed and Anthony put their hands up in silent surrender.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa felt the paw on her and would've found it very cute if it hadn't gotten partially undone in ants on her pants. She kept her face up, avoiding the cat as the ants reassembled themselves into the cat thing again.

"... A-aw, well. Thank you. Glad to... uhm, to know. Now the Manager... well, they are... there's no way around it, they are an all powerful being that commands this place. With an iron fist..." Rosa said that with a straight, serious face and waited for a second before smirking again to deny it, "I'm kidding, about the iron fist part at least. But for a cosmic deity with potential for infinite evil, you'll be surprised to see how they are actually extremely reasonable and kind."

She looked down at the cat-ant. Rosa genuinely didn't know if their reaction was a normal one or a bad omen.

"They have long dark hair, and are always wearing a white suit. Do you think the colony is scared of them?"

Anthony laughed, “That performer that gave us skin said the same thing! He said that The Manager is super chill and will give us a room if we ask.”

“But I can understand why they react the way they do,” The Colony was now rubbing against Rosa’s leg, purring.

“This guy shot me in the chest and head unprompted and The Manager came to us around that time. I don’t know specifics but they’re probably just worried the person that shot me and them are associated but I think I should give everyone a chance! Unfortunately, whenever I try, they just take over my body and then snip the ‘go unconscious’ wire. I don’t think they actually snip anything—I sure hope not—but boom, I go good night. They probably control my body for a bit too because I wake up somewhere else but I don’t remember any of it,” they shrugged as if this were all normal.

“It’s not too bad though, just annoying.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa nodded, pretending what they were telling her was normal. Her gaze went from Anthony to the cat, and she wondered if she should pet it. Tentatively, the artist approached her hand to the animal(s?) to see what would happen.

"That's... a situation, for sure. And they won't tell you why they don't want you to visit the Manager?"

The purring increased as they were pet, ants cushioning around her hand whenever she pressed too hard.

“Not really. I mean, I know they think The Manager is associated with the person who shot me. Are they connected though? Do you know someone with a cowboy hat? Thats the one who shot me.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa pet animal very lightly.

"Oh, a cowboy hat? Yes. I know him..." Rosa looked confused, then worried. If Jackson shot this guy... Jackson wouldn't just shoot people for no reason. She raised a brow at Anthony and felt her uneasiness growing. "No idea as of why he shot you? He just showed up and shot you?"

“Basically, yeah! I was just trying to say hi then it was pew pew,” they rolled their eyes.

“Some people are so inconsiderate. He’s luckily my organs are in the place normal human’s are. I would probably be dead if they were. Is he normally like that?”

fromcanvastolife

"No, he really isn't," Rosa stood up again slowly and grimaced in an awkward manner. "But were you showing up to him with... one million ants around him, perhaps?"

Anthony was confused by how she stood up, looking her up and down before brushing it off. People often misinterpreted him so it would only be rude to do the same to another.

The cat-ant pawed at Rosa, trying to continue to be pet.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I? They travel with me everywhere. People always say not to travel alone for safety, so I bring my friends along with me.”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes but... friend, you can't just show up to new people with a million ants around them. I mean, you can, but it scares people. And I don't say that just because I'm afraid of insects; anyone would be scared about one million ants showing up out of nowhere."

She looked at the cat.

"It's not usual. And I don't mean to say your ants are bad, or that there's something wrong with them, or that he should have shot you; but it's just so unusual to be surrounded by one million ants that people get freaked out." Rosa slowly crouched. She was hesitant, but ended up bringing her hand to gently pet the cat-ant again. "It's like being approached suddenly by several people surrounding you and getting no explanation. It's scary, because the person doesn't know your intentions. Maybe Jackson thought you'd harm him."

“But I wouldn’t be scared about a ton of people approaching me? I don’t understand? Those are just new friends normally. Isn’t that what people think? I don’t want to hurt anyone,” they frowned.

The Colony meowed in agreement.

“Just because something is different doesn’t mean it’s my fault or job to control my friends. It’s not like I can control the fact that it’s different. Plenty of things are out of the normal but people have grown used to them. I shouldn’t be shot for being different.”

fromcanvastolife

"I'm not saying you should be shot for being different, of course not. And obviously the situation could've been dealt with differently."

Rosa sat down on the floor criss cross near the Colony, wondering if they would come closer.

"I'm just saying that was probably what Jackson thought. He probably got intimidated by the crowd of ants and got suspicious, and thought you meant some kind of harm. They can be a bit impulsive and we're all... kind paranoid here, actually; there was a really big bad dude wanting us all dead not too long ago. That probably didn't help."

The cat-ant climbed into her lap and laid down. If she looked closely, the ‘eyelids’ were shut.

“Big bad dude..? Who is that? Why would anyone want you all dead? That’s stupid. You don’t deserve any of that,” their eyebrows furrowed together.

Anthony thought for a moment before having a moment of panic, “I don’t want Jackson to think that I’m associated with that guy at all! That’s the opposite of what I want.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa was slowly growing fonder of the cat-ant. When it didn't look like a million ants, they were cute.

"The guy's name was Kayne. He was a god - I mean, he is a god, but he's trapped now, thankfully. Thanks to the Manager and a few others."

Her hand lowered to touch the Colony very lightly on their head, giving them little headpats.

"Ah, I don't think he thought you're associated with Kayne specifically; I think they may just have been scared in general and shot you. Knowing him, he probably felt very bad afterwards, since I don't really think you're a threat to the Waylay." She smiled sadly at Anthony, almost apologetically so. "But do say, when did the incident with Jackson happen?"

The ant-cat purred, pressing its head into her hand. Oddly, she could now feel the vibration that the sound came with typically. It was a skill they were trying to improve on when it came to mimicry.

“Huh, I’ve never heard of the guy but hopefully I never have to see him. I can promise you I have nothing to do with Kayne though!”

The purring stopped for a minute when he was mentioned but swiftly resumed.

“I really hope he doesn’t think that I’m related though and it was all some big misunderstanding. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet and everything has just been so fuzzy lately,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t like the idea of someone being comfortable shooting me out of nowhere. I want to think people aren’t like that.”

“It was fairly recently? Time is odd to me because of how I travel between universes. The different paces that time passes at makes telling things like this nearly impossible. I think I’ve slept once since it happened? That could mean a week or a day? Ive been to a few other locations between now and then.”

fromcanvastolife

She gently pet it behind its ear. "You're a baby, aren't you?" she said to the ant-cat with a small smile; then, Rosa looked at Anthony again.

"People usually aren't like this; though depending on which god you're talking to here, I'd advise being careful. Many of them are friendly, but some are less friendly. Definitely avoid a guy named Campbell, he's just... ugh, yeah.

"But where else have you been in your trips?"

The cat-ant nodded in understanding, rolling onto its belly.

“Why is Campbell bad? I feel like most people have some goodness in their heart…even if they end up shooting you.”

“Even the most judgy people in other worlds have always done some nice thing for me, even if it was unintended. As for the places I’ve gone? I’ve been to thousands over my life time. If I like a place, I’ll settle down for a bit, maybe return every so often, but I don’t stay for long. I know that place isn’t what I’m looking for. It’s not the home I grew up in.”

fromcanvastolife

She continued to caress the cat-ant on the head. "Will you bite me if I pet your belly, darling?" Rosa asked it before looking at Anthony again.

"... Even Campbell must have some goodness in his heart; he has a kid who likes him. And... one that hates him. But the fact is that he kidnapped me and tried to gift me to another god as an apology gift. To his fucking ex-husband. It was just... awful."

"At least you've been travelling a lot. Seeing many things, that's nice. Well, it can be nice, depending on where you go. So you're looking for your home?"

The cat-ant shook its head. Anthony grinned at the interaction before his face swiftly soured upon hearing of the events.

“Yikes…okay, there’s certain people Im know I’d like to stay far away from and that list is very slim. He might be on the list…at least he’s willing to try and give an apology gift…even if it’s in his own corrupt way.”

“But yeah, I’m looking for home. I have vague memories of when I was growing up but not much more than that. I just know I’ll recognize it when I see it,” it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself that.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa gently brushed her fingertips on its belly, light scritches, the lightest she could do so not to make the ants visible again.

"At least he accepted the breakup that came after," Rosa huffed. "The king didn't accept me as a gift, thankfully. I was expecting Campbell to kind of make a show out of it, but turns out he can actually respect others when he wants. He just usually doesn't I guess. I'd say stay away from him and his offers. But aside from that, here inside the Waylay, he can't hurt you. The Manager doesn't really like trouble, so overall violence is forbidden here."

"Oh, so you have pieces of memories from your childhood, but you forgot most of it? You're suffering from memory loss?"

“I don’t really plan to stay long. My friends don’t really like The Manager much. They’ll let me know when they’re ready to leave but for now, we’re capitalizing on the fact this place has regular access to food.”

The cat-ant nodded in agreement while purring.

“I don’t know, frankly. I don’t know what level of forgetting your childhood is normal. It wasn’t like I was there for too long, roughly until I was 16 probably? For my species, that isn’t a lot…I think? I don’t exactly know much about my species other than what I assume.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shrugged, playfully, lightly drumming her fingers on the cat-ant's head, then continuing to pet it.

"Well, that's fair. I doubt the Manager would mind you staying. I've never seen them baning anyone. What do you know about your species though? Or what do you assume? You look like a human, kind of."

She booped the cat. "But then again, I look like a human too, and I'm... not. This little guy looks fairly like cat and like... ants, and apparently it's not either. That's what I like about this place though, y'know?" Rosa sighed, smiling, hands resting on top of the cat's body as she looked up at Anthony. "Everyone's a little weird, a little different from normal. And even those patrons who are mostly normal are okay with those things. I feel like... I really feel like home, here."

The cat let out something akin to a hyena laugh at her behavior.

“I’m human akin, I think. I don’t know if my health issues are expected from my species or not. I would like to hope not but it could be because I’m out of my environment. It’s like how you don’t expect a fish to breathe out of water,” they shrugged. “It’s hard to say.”

“I could rant for hours about theories but plenty of them would conflict and intertwine in ways that don’t make sense.”

“At the end of the day, I want a place where what I am isn’t weird and I have people like me. I can find out what me really is. I’m glad this place is accepting but no where I go is fully accepting despite the advertisements…no offense. Besides, I still need to figure out my health. I’m just…” his posture deflated before bouncing right back. “…let’s say I’m not in the best place. I don’t want to bring the mood down.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tilted her head at them, but she didn't seem offended at all. The calm smile remained on her lips, and her voice sounded sweet when she replied:

"I understand. Finding your own place is difficult. Maybe what's home for me is not home for you, and that's fine. I do hope you find what you're looking for, anyway. There's nothing such as being with... your own kind, or at least with people you love, in a place where you don't feel out of place. I think everyone deserves that."

“As much as I want community of people like me, I think I can find community is every place I go. People are good and I think assuming friendship from every interaction makes the trip a bit less lonely, y’know?” they smiled. “You’re apart of my community. The person that smiled as I walked by is community. It doesn’t take much.”

“If I’m gonna take awhile to find my real home, I might as well make the most of it. Call me naive but I’d rather that than be miserable.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed to consider their words, truly consider them; she was focused on Anthony for a few seconds and had halted the petting. At last, she nodded.

"That's a nice way of facing the trip," she smiled back. "And I suppose your friends help you on the way, too."

The cat-ant nudged her hand with their head.

“Oh, for sure. I wouldn’t be here without them,” they pet the creature for a minute and they meowed.

“As much as this place has gave me chaos, the Waylay has some nice people. There’s been you, Emcee, and Daisy. I didn’t get along too well with this guy and his bird but stuff happens…I still need to send him an apology basket.”

“Do you know that guy at all? I’d like to give him stuff that he likes in the basket if I can.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smirked at the cat, continuing to pat its head with her fingertips.

"Hmmm... the guy with a bird?" she tilted her head, eyes widening a little in curiosity. "Do you know his name?"

“Uhhh, he looks sorta scrappy? He yelled at me about going after him and attacking him,” he rubbed the back of the neck. “It was an accident, in my defense.”

“I never got a name.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, I see..." Rosa nodded. They sure had gotten themselves in big trouble since arriving. That wasn't a good sign. But also, some of the most fun people out there were like this. "Well, I can't say I know who he is. I hope you can find him, though."

“I hope so too! I’m glad to have found you though,” Anthony swiftly switched their presentation to something more lighthearted, grin accenting their face once again.

“I didn’t mean to get off to a bumpy start with you though…I feel like that’s how it’s been going with you Waylay folk but maybe, it’ll start looking up? I don’t know. What was the turning point for you not to be so scared of me? I could try to mimic that.”

fromcanvastolife

"Well, as I said, showing up with several ants surrounding people usually is threatening or intimidating. Most people like to have their personal space respected, too. So my advice would be for our little guy here..." she booped the cat-ant, "to show up as something slightly more familiar and less intimidating than a million of beings. At least for the first meetings. Once people see you mean no harm, they will probably be less intimidated by the ants. It's like showing up with your hands in a place people can see, versus with the hands behind your back. The feeling of being surrounded by many makes most feel scared and defensive, y'know? It's instinct."

She started to raise to her feet, but not without gently grabbing the cat and holding it in her arms like a baby against her chest.

"You're not a bad person. Most people here are traumatized one way or another, so it's not necessarily your fault you triggered them. I'm sure the folks will soon see you're actually pretty nice."

The cat meowed when booped then stocked out its “tongue” (which was really more ants). It rolled around playfully in her hold a bit, trying its best to mimic what purring what both felt and sounded like. The sound was accurate but the vibrations were a bit off.

“Oh! That makes sense. I didn’t even think about instincts being why people freak out…I’ve basically always been with them so I didn’t even think twice about it,” they laughed at their own obliviousness.

“I really hope people like me though…going places to place can make it hard to know what to say. There’s so many different cultures and expectations and god, even somewhere that I was for a year was impossible to adapt to. I wish there was some handbook.”

fromcanvastolife

Gently, she brought it to her face and touched its nose with hers, like Rosa used to do with her own cats years ago.

"Yeah, cultural differences are crazy. What is very common in a place can be rude or weird in another one. I've gone to a few... distinct worlds before. Sometimes it's difficult to know what to expect." She raised her head again to meet Anthony's gaze and smiled at them, compassionate. "It's quite awkward, quite the situation. Thankfully, my wife guided me through most of them at that time..."

She sighed. It wasn't a sigh of pure sorrow anymore, but the absense got Rosa almost every single day. Even with her newfound family, even with renewed hope and dreams, Rosa felt like what she still had of Nilah wasn't enough to compensate the goddess'... sudden departure.

"Those were nice trips."

The ants rubbed their nose against hers and licked her face. It was an odd sensation having bugs imitate a tongue but the affection in it was distinct.

Anthony didn’t catch onto the signs immediately and their eyes scanned for a wedding band, curious if that was a thing in her culture. They always enjoyed the shiny gems and meticulously crafted designs.

“Wife? Can I meet her?” They beamed.

But then they caught one hint, face dropping, “…What do you mean by were?”

fromcanvastolife

The cat-ant's affection was a good balance to counter the sadness in her heart as she replied.

"My wife... " Rosa visibly swallowed, averting her gaze before continuing. "My late wife's dead now."

There was no ring or band around any finger, but Rosa was wearing some jewelry. On her neck, a pedant lay; a metal oval made out of silver with intricate patterns engraved. At first glance, it looked like a normal necklace one would have, maybe one of those in which inside there is a small picture; but this one had a faint purple-pink glow emanating from inside.

On her right wrist, two bracelets rested, too. Both made out of glass beads. One was of a dark purple, with small light pink-red dots inside, like little stars floating in the liquid. The other one was identical, but instead of purple, it was green, as green as Rosa's eyes, and had inside yellowish dots that shone faintly like tiny fireflies.

“Oh…oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Anthony moved closer, putting a hand on her back.

Their eyes caught on the jewelry, but especially the image. They couldn’t look away, trying to notice every little detail within the picture.

“If I’m allowed to know, how did she die?”

The ants licked at her again and again, hoping to help a little bit. What they noticed most were her eyes. It was irregular within the bounds of potentially being another species, but she looked almost entirely human despite that fact. Huh, odd.

The ants couldn’t remember what she had said about herself earlier due to the chaos of it all. Maybe, it got mentioned already?

fromcanvastolife

The pendant was one of those that could close to hide the picture, and usually it would be closed, but as it seemed, in the chaos with the cabinet and the chandelier, the little thing had opened partially, and there Anthony could see, instead of a photograph, the tiniest of the paintings. It was a woman Anthony would have never seen before, and yet for the ants, she would somehow carry a feeling of distant familiarity; long hair that fell straight until the mid of her back, in the same color of red wine. She had the lightest skin, wore a black suit with silver jewelry and purple details, and bore the most intense pair of purple eyes. Anthony would have this feeling that they'd have found her gaze piercing and cold and sinister and wrong in any other circumstance but in this particular picture. In this painting specifically, she looked soft, with a small, playful smirk and an amused, fond gaze.

If Rosa noticed them staring, she didn't say anything. All the painter could muster to say, actually, was one single word. "Kayne," she muttered, and then fell silent.

The ants quit their licking and a paw came to the pendant, trying to open it more. They were careful and if she focused on each individual ant, their eyes were longing. It was like craving a flavor that you never tasted.

“Oh…I’m so sorry…Im fortunate to not have known much about that man,” they hesitantly stepped forward with open hands. “Would a hug help..?”

fromcanvastolife

She was gentle in taking the pendant away from the ants, quickly closing it completely and placing it on her back. "Sorry, little ones. But... it's just this painting is so old it could fall apart easily. It was made almost half a century ago. I... I don't want anything to happen to it. It's one of the last things I have left of my wife."

Rosa looked at Anthony and then gently shifted the cat-ant to one hand. It was heavy, she was struggling a little, but she opened her arms for the hug. "I think it would help."

The cats meowed.

“They’re saying sorry.”

Anthony came closer and wrapped their arms around her. Their body wasn’t especially warm but their touch was soft, rubbing reassuring patterns over her back.

“Love is an important thing no matter where you go. I’m glad you’re holding it dear.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa sighed, leaning her head on their shoulder. After a few moments she replied.

"You're really kind. Thank you, Anthony. And thank you..." she looked down at the cat on her arm. "Uhm... do they have a name?"

“Each one has their own name but you can call them Colony,” they smiled.

The cat licked her once more.

“I appreciate it, really. If I’m gonna ever be remembered, I want it to be known for being kind. I don’t understand why people want to make other’s life harder.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smiled, and once she retreated from the hug, she gave the cat-ant a few headpats more. "Pleasure to meet you, Colony." Then, she gently placed it on the floor, by her feet.

"That's a good goal to have. A good way to be remembered. Some of the people I remember the most after all those decades are the ones that were kind to me."

The Colony purred, rubbing against her leg.

“I’m the same way. I may remember the events of those who are mean, but never the faces,” he smiled. “I wish I could take you with me on my travels.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa's eyes widened and she let out an amused chuckle of surprise.

"Ah, well, I'd love to visit you! Maybe we could hang out at some point. You could show me a place you like. Right now... well, as per usual, there's stuff happening that I'm involved with and I can't really leave for long. But I'm not against spending some time traveling. And..." She smiled, "I'd like to know which place ends up being your home, if... no, when you find it, and if you feel like sharing it with me."

The ants squeaked and Anthony grinned, “They could take you where they feel most at home if you’d like? It’s the closest I have to home, at the very least. We don’t have to stay there for long.”

fromcanvastolife

Somehow Rosa's eyes widened even more, and she tried to hide her awkwardness when she replied, "Ah, I- I'm really thankful for the invitation, really. But... I fear right now is not the best time. There's..." Rosa scratched her nape, trying to find the right words, "someone at the infirmary who's in a coma, and... well, when they wake up we'll have some trouble. But I gotta be here to help solve it when it happens, you know?"

It was a half truth. Well, it was true, actually, but it wasn't the only reason she was refusing. But Anthony didn't have to know that.

“Oh! That’s okay. Another time then?” they smiled, blissfully unaware. After all, their intentions were pure at the very least.

“I would hate to cause some sort of issue because I took you on a vacation.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, another time, for sure," Rosa nodded, smiling. She wanted to believe it wasn't a trap of some sorts, because the fellow seemed genuine, but after Campbell, who also had seemed very genuine at the time, Rosa had sworn to be more careful. Maybe she should talk to the Manager first to access just how trustworthy the guy was before going on a trip with them and their ants. "It's going to be okay, I'm sure. We've dealt with worse. But I want to be here to ensure the trouble will be minimal, when it inevitably happens. I think..."

Before Rosa could continue, though, both Anthony and her could hear a scream from the corridor. "A NEW CAT!"

It was a girl, ten or eleven years old at most, wearing a dress and shoes from the nineteenth century's children's fashion. Her similarity with Rosa was undeniable; the features, even the hair texture, they were very close, though many years separated their appearence. Only her colors were slightly different, and Anthony could see it better as the child quickly floated from her spot in the middle of the corridor to Anthony's side, quickly inspecting them. Her hair was long and of a light brown color, just like her honey-colored eyes; the opposite of Rosa's short and dark hair. Her skin was lighter, too... actually her whole body emanated a blue-white glow that dessaturated all her hues, and if Anthony looked close enough, they'd see her feet didn't quite touch the ground completely. "Is this a new cat? Is this your cat???"

Anthony couldnt even reply before being interrupted by the new person. The cat-ant perked up but remained in Rosa’s arms despite wanting to leap out.

“They’re my friends, yeah!” They turned with a big grin, gesturing to the cat-ant that was sticking their tongue out playfully.

fromcanvastolife

The kid's attention immediately shifted from Anthony to the animal, and she got closer to inspect it before stating:

"It is a different cat, it looks kind of... distinct for a cat. Why is it like this?"

"Bel! That's kind of rude. It is Colony. They are actually several small ants."

Isabel looked fascinated. "And they are all together now?" She reached out to tentatively touch the cat's snout with her cold, spectral finger.

The cat unwound slightly, making it easier for her to see the hundreds of ants that came together in order to create this being. It quickly came back to have it was previously, licking her hand once it was in range.

“Yeah! They’re my travel buddies. They can come together to make all sorts of shapes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tensed up, losening her grip on the cat and averting her gaze to focus on Anthony instead. When the cat licked the kid, it would feel her 'skin' was actually icy-cold; the girl felt like a walking corpse, and tasted like salty water and fog. She giggled, hand moving forward to pet the animal(s).

"Literally many ants... How many are there? When they are together, they don't even look like ants!"

"... Aren't they nice? They even... have names of their own." Rosa replied as she took a deep breath. She glanced down at the cat, and upon seeing it was fully cat now, she adjusted it on her arms, holding it more firmly and confidently again. "I wonder who gives them their names... Is it you, Anthony?"

The cat wasn’t deterred by the sensation and just kept licking her affectionately before rubbing its head on her. They were purring and gradually crawling farther and farther out of Rosa’s hold, threatening to fall.

“I don’t know the exact population size of the colony but I’d estimate a thousand-ish? Maybe more? It’s hard to say,” he shrugged. “But they name themselves! They name themselves off of things they like usually like there’s a ton of Anthonys.”

He laughed a bit, thinking that idea was quite hilarious and sweet simultaneously, “but there’s also a ton of object names. Lots of food names too.”

fromcanvastolife

"The little guy seems to want to be with you now," Rosa said, offering the cat to Bel, who promptly got the it in her hands.

"It's heavyyy! For being ants they are really heavy." She squeezed the animal against her chest and face affectionately, as if it was a real cat. She didn't mind at all when the little insects would unwound a little; apparently Rosa's little sister didn't have her same fear at all.

"That's adorable though. I imagine there are indeed many Anthonys. They must like you a lot!" She chuckled. "Must be nice having a thousand friends that are always with you. At least you'll always have good company and someones to talk!"

The cat meowed and continued its antics.

Anthony giggled, “They’re pretty dense. They’re a fat cat.”

The cat hissed at them playfully.

“Oh, for sure! I just wish more people understood them.”

fromcanvastolife

"With time they will, I'm sure. Don't worry about it. Just remember about the first impression thing, it may help." Rosa smiled, petting the cat again.

"Awww, they are cute! Look Rosa, when you squeeze it, the ants come out!"

"Ahh- yes, I know. It's... charming, isn't it?"

"She is afraid of insects," Bel chuckled and smirked, and Rosa rolled her eyes. "Are you new here, Anthony? Are you going to stay in the Waylay with Colony? You should get a room! There are other cats here, Colony and them can be friends! There's Ro with Chamomile and also Wil with Sassy!"

Anthony giggled, “Yeah, I assumed she was a bit scared of insects based on the initial reaction. Jumping on a chandelier tends to signal that.”

Okay, now they were just teasing. There was no need to mention that specific detail.

“But yeah, we’re new here! The place is lovely and I’d love to stay for longer, but this isn’t my home. I don’t really need a room. I’m assuming that there is an outside or somewhere else that I can sleep. I don’t wanna take up a room. I’ll certainly visit though!”

The cat-ant seemed quite pleased at the idea of meeting other cats though, meowing enthusiastically when it was mentioned.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa rolled her eyes again and Isabel didn't really seem surprised with the information, but chuckled anyway, clearly having fun.

"You should bring a camera. To take pictures of all the places you visit, then show us later," the artist commented, very excited to leave behind the matter of her phobia. "Will has a camera and it keeps taking pictures all the time. Its pictures are quite good, too. I think it is a nice way to immortalize the moment. Maybe you could talk to it, if it interests you. Will also has Sassy, as Bel said, so you two could both be busy at the same time." She pointed at Anthony, then at the ant-cat.

"Will's cat is adorable. I love Sassy," Bel commented, smiling. "I think you should start with it. And you should totally take a picture of us to bring to your travels, so we can keep you company. And also give us a picture. I'm bad with technology, every time I touch something electronic, it fails. It's annoying. But! I can keep pictures."

#sorry for the delayyy aaaaa #i was busy dying bc of my thesis but #i am back #i may be on and off for the next two weeks but i'll try to reply whenever i can #in more or less two weeks i'll be totally back #and we can rp moreee <333 #more ant shenanigans

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

Isabel was a wanderer in the heart. Even after decades showing up as a ghost to Rosa, it was often that the painter would spend days without seeing her older sister. Isabel retained the ghost form and maturity of a child, and yet she was in the world longer than Rosa had been, which was enough to keep the younger sister confident the other could take care of herself. Additionally, not much could do harm to Bel now that she manifested in the physical world only in spirit. In the Waylay it was easier to manifest, but Rosa knew Bel liked going around and seeing the world by herself, because it was the type of freedom she didn't have when she used to be alive.

That time, however, Rosa could feel something was wrong. There was strangeness in her absence, as if the girl had not left willingly. She felt like something had snatched her from Rosa again, as it had happened more than seventy years ago. She lay down to sleep in that night with her head heavy, and after hours turning and turning on the mattress, Rosa finally fell unconscious and dreamed with the King in Yellow. Somehow she knew it was not Candy's King, Campbell's King or any of the other Waylay residents King, She knew in her heart that this one was her universe's King in Yellow, and that Hastur had come for her.

@fromcanvastolife 🖌 & 🩰

The landscape was wrong beautiful, beautiful in the sense that it was PERFECT. No sharp edges, no set path, as each path lead back into another, and the best part, It was even from the right to the left, what wonderful symmetry.

In front of you a sheet made of an organic substance is stretched across a square frame, visibly it resembles cotton, emotionally, if it had emotion it would wish to be skin.

fromcanvastolife

From studying nature since she was child in her father's art atelier, Rosa knew it seldom was totally symetrical or round or perfect. At first glance it could look beautiful, but the more she looked at it, the more Rosa had the sense it was odd and twisted, almost artificial in a way.

The cloth right before her was what stroke her as the oddest thing, though. She wanted to touch it, to feel it on her own skin, and yet from her long term, intimate contact with the supernatural - so much so Rosa herself was now part of it! - somehow the painter feared it was a trap of some kind.

So she walked around it, bright green eyes never leaving the piece of cloth until she was past it, and Rosa hesitantly continued forward, away from it.

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

[FUHHCKET]

Just ahead of you stands a massive wall made out of dark stone it stretches out lengthwise as far as the eye can see, you don’t know how you didn’t notice it until now, but it was definitely here this whole time, given the fact that it looks old.

Plant life, unfamiliar but natural, (at least in this terrain,) clings to bumps and cracks in the stone wall by crimson vines wherever it is able, the plant appears to produce bright flowers, and in some places, though just out of reach, fruit. It’s like a picture out a storybook.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa finds herself with no other choice but to stop. She gets closer to the wall, inspecting it with her eyes first before laying a hand on it. She feels its texture, its temperature; it's cold against her soft olive skin. And though the artist is not one to particularly dislike the cold, for some reason it sends a shiver down her spine and all her hairs stand up with it as if she had just been scared.

She removes the hand from the wall, and then touches the plants. Someone is likely toying with her, she knows it because she can feel a presence surrounding herself, though Rosa can't really pinpoint where it comes from exactly.

"Hello?" Rosa calls, not particularly loud, but not shyly either. She knows they can hear her anyway. "I know you're there, somewhere. Who are you, that are approaching me in my dreams?"

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

"Hello!?" A voice echos back from the other side of the wall, they sound hurt, afraid. "I-it’s been so long.. since I heard another voice, are you R-"

the voice pauses, and you’re met with only the sound of wind before it cautiously speaks once more, "you’re not gonna hurt me.. are you?"

fromcanvastolife

Rosa retreats a few steps immediately, staring at the wall with wide green eyes. She has to contain the urge to call for her sister, because for a moment, the godling was sure it was Isabel's voice at the other side. "Wh-who are you?"

She stutters her question, and can feel her skin colder with sweat, because even in this dream everything feels real somehow. For a moment, Rosa isn't sure if she is even dreaming.

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

"I can’t say.. I’m not allowed to, I’m sorry," there is a shuffling behind the wall before they speak once more "I think this stone is lose, just give me a second to- there!" A small gap appears as the person, so longing for connection, pulls the stone away, the hole is small, your only chance of seeing through would be if you put your eye up against it. "May I see you?"

fromcanvastolife

Rosa lunges forward towards the hole before halting abruptly. Frozen in place, she has to keep reminding herself that whatever is being shown to her may be a trap; and yet the painter cannot contain the anxiety in her heart and not look because it could be her sister. Would it matter in the end? Maybe whoever set this trap already had their hold on her, if they could access her in her dreams. Not knowing, not being sure, however, is what really bothers Rosa.

She advances carefully then, standing just short of a meter from the wall, and aligns her left eye to the hole to peek as the godling slowly, tentatively takes half a step forward, closer...

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

Through the hole in the wall you could see a set of fingers pressed against the surface, and an eye, a bloodshot, tired looking eye, that at first glance you could assume belonged to a corpse.. til it saw you, and all at once life, and joy, and sadness well up into that eye. "You.. are real. You’re really real!!"

fromcanvastolife

The back of her head screams for Rosa to wait, to think again and consider what type of trap that scene could be, but the urge to fully see the mysterious figure is just too strong. Rosa lunges forward, bending down to place her left eye as close as possible to the hole on the wall, hands now digging on it as she tries to see the person whom she thinks is her older sister.

"O-Okay, you can't say who you are. So... so t-tell me instead... uhm, a thing only my sister would know. Maybe you're not my sister, you- you're not saying you're my sister! But would you know something only she would know, p-perhaps?"

#I sincerely apologize for the delay my friend #<- it's okay! i understand :)#i'm in thesis hell so my replies may take a while to come for the next two weeks #but i shall reply whenever possible!#heheheh #you're being very mean to rosa #i love to see #🖌️#also yes she will attempt to outwit this mysterious tormentor with the power of grammar and loopholes #as per usual

new youtube video on my channel!

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tears of the loser

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the tears of the loser

sneaky peek here, the whole thing is already available on patreon tho!

you would get a twinkie. it has a cute little drawing of a cat taped to it. :D -f.t.b

"Oh! It's taped on the... uhm, yeah, there we go! Such a cute drawing, too, we have another artist among us! That looks great. Thank you so much for this, my day has improved for sure."

She will place it on her bedside table. The drawing. Because the pastry she'll eat right away. "Let's see what flavor is this now..." Rosa bites it.

#anon asks #f.t.b #rosa #malevolent rp #malevolent oc #malevolent roleplay

fromcanvastolife

Would YOU like to be trapped in an enclosed space? I don’t think so! You know what, I’m leaving them with you. This is where Im releasing them after their rescue. Get along with them or they’ll bite you >:(

"IF THERE WEREN'T ANY BUGS, MAYBE?? Maybe I would?! Oi, come back!!! I don't want these ants!!"

Her eyes dart from you to the insects, then to you again, several times. She looks angry... and desperate. More desperate than angry, really.

"They need their natural habitat!! You're being irresponsable releasing them here!"

They didn’t leave but they did sit down. The ants immediately crawled up and…oh god, they were going into their eyes, nose, and mouth. The guy didn’t even react and just kept talking, coughing every so often when one went down the wrong pipe.

“Oh, they’ll be alright! They can live nearly anywhere. They thrive anywhere they have flesh they can crawl into. You’ll do great!”

It wasn’t even malicious just…ignorant. The idea that people didn’t want bugs to live in them didnt even pass through their mind.

“I’m being plenty responsible! Once they’re in your brain for a bit, you’ll learn how to hear what they have to say too. I think you’ll learn to get along after that. Harper and you will probably get along best if I had to guess based on vibes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa watched that unfold with horror in her eyes. There were eldritch horrors who were kind of scary for her, though now that she also was partially an eldritch horror too, she didn't find them so madness indulcing - and there were BUGS. Bugs, in her humble opinion, should be placed above eldritch horrors in a scale of the most scary type of being.

"Right, but I don't want them crawling on my flesh! They're gonna have to find another flesh to crawl on, and I definitely don't want them in my brain. Sorry, but I will have to refuse!"

“Oh, it won’t only be on your flesh! Most of them are under my skin anyways. See? You don’t have to worry about that. Most of the time they’re only under but they only crawl so much on top of my skin because my body is a bit overpopulated.”

They rolled up their sleeve and under the skin there was constant movement of dots. The bugs ran in circles, up and down, and around each other as if dancing.

“They only eat you when you don’t find someone else for them to eat. I usually just stop at the nearest hospital for someone on their death bed,” they shrugged.

“It’s not really up to me whether or not they find you home though. I was sorta joking about it but they seem to like the idea…If it were up to me, I’d listen, but now you guys have to talk and work it out.”

fromcanvastolife

"No, there's no under the flesh, or on the flesh, or inside the brain, I'm NOT home for your ants and I'm not food either, they'll have to find someone else!"

The chandelier dangled as she spoke, and on the ceiling there looked like small cracks were forming around it. Rosa didn't seem to notice that, though, because she looked just too impatient and anxious with the ants.

"I don't want to hurt your little guys, so now, please, go away."

“Oh! They aren’t my guys. People always assume that but think of them more like smaller humans. They think for their own and everything like that but it’s just easier for people to hear my voice than theirs.”

As they said that, a chorus of chirps, coos, and cries broke out. They didn’t notice the chandelier threatening to fall either.

“They say that they just want you to hear their voice. Can you just let a few in your brain so you guys can talk and bond? It won’t hurt at all.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa raised a brow, puzzled. That sounded somewhat like a cult or something in that vein.

"Who are you, then? What are you?"

“I’m Anthony! Anthony Antoine Antonio to be specific,” they stuck their hand out before pausing, realizing she probably wasn’t going to come down and shake their bug-infested hand.

“As for what I am…uh— I don’t really know how you want me to answer that?”

“What’s your name?”

fromcanvastolife

She looked down at the hand.

"Charmed," Rosa replied. She didn't really look charmed. "My name's Rosa."

"I guess I mean... What type of creature you are. Obviously not human. Not an ant, either. Are those even ants? What are they?"

“It’s nice to meet you! I’d introduce you to my friends but I think we’d be here for hours,” they laughed. “Maybe, another time?”

“But no, they’re not actually ants. I found them in this weird abyss thing when I was traveling around and they took me in and I befriended them! I just call them ants because that’s what they look closest to,” they explained it as if it were an everyday occurrence.

“As for myself, I’m just sorta…me? I guess? I wasn’t really spawned with a manual of what I am nor has anyone told me? I’m not human and I’m not the bug’s species either though. How about you?”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes, of course. Another time. Now, what I am. It's complicated, I--"

The chandelier broke and started to come down right on top of Anthony. For a moment, Rosa disappeared from their view, which was why she didn't fall along with the chandelier, reappearing on top of a big cabinet meter away, perched like an ape.

They yelped and covered their head as broken glass slashed into their skin. What came out was gelatinous blood and the stench of mold, as if food were rotting in the back of the freezer. The bugs swarmed to their rescue, forming thick layers that acted as bandages. The ones on the ground feasted, simultaneously acting as a vacuum cleaner.

“…ow…”

they stood with their arms awkwardly separated from their as they processed what even happened.

fromcanvastolife

"Damn," Rosa hissed, "Shit."

Her instinct was to ask if they were okay - if they were anyone else, she'd have ran to their rescue. The weird ants prevented her from doing so, though, and Rosa could only watch in mild horror as they worked on Anthony's skin. She looked livid even from a distance.

"Are you... uhm, okay in there?"

“I’ll be—“ they winced as the bugs stuffed themselves into their wounds.

“—Yeah, I’ll be— ow—! alright.”

They cautiously stepped through the glass until they were a distance away. The ants swarmed around each step, shifting major shards away from their shoes.

“I’ve had weirder things fall on me,” they tried to laugh it off, waving a hand. “You ever seen a ceiling of an eldritch-like Waffle House collapse on someone when you’re trying to order? I haven’t until it happened! I still got my food though.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked horrified watching the bugs interacting with Anthony and the things around.

"Goddamn, you have it rough, don't you?" she tried to say that in high spirits, but she was just too scared to laugh, even if in a fake way. "I suppose the... ants helped you then...?"

“I just consider myself to have bad luck,” they laughed, finally out of the piles of glass.

They were bleeding, thick crimson dripping down their forehead, but they didn’t pay much mind to it. The bugs packing into their wounds like gauze.

“I’m alive though, partially thanks to them! I can’t complain, but uh….can you come down from the cabinet, I’m paranoid that’ll fall too…”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shook her head vehemently, "Sorry, look, I don't want it to fall on you again either, but I really can't go to the floor with your... friends there. I don't want them inside my brain, and also, I'm scared of bugs."

As if predicting their counterpoint, she quickly added: "Yes, I know they are not bugs, but they look like bugs, and my first point stands still."

They tapped their chin, “What if they didn’t look like bugs?”

As Anthony said that, the critters became piling on top of eachother, gradually forming the shape of a…cat? They moved together cohesively, taking a step towards her. A meow resonated from its chest but the noise was odd, like it were coming from a walkie talkie.

“Is that better?”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked quite worried on top of that cabinet. She eyed the cat-ants with confused furrowed brows, then looked back at Anthony.

"I mean, yes, but I still don't want anything inside my mind. I don't know what your deal is with them, but I want only myself accessing my brain."

There were many entities out there who shapeshifted and wanted to control you by hijacking your brain. She was still part human, and thus, more succeptible to this kind of thing. The guy seemed to be in a situation similar to a hivemind, where the ants and them were kind of one, but not literally? It puzzled Rosa, but it also reassured her she didn't want to be in their shoes.

"I think you should speak to the Manager! They are nice, and whatever you need they'll probably be able to help you."

“They’ll stay out then, I promise. I didn’t mean to scare you but it won’t hurt at all even if they did. It’s peaceful,” they tried to reassure.

The cat-ant meowed again, rubbing its body against the cabinet she was perched on. If she listened closely, a soft purr vibrated from the animal(s).

“The Manager? That fella? I’ll pass. No offense to them but I d rather solve any problems I’m having myself. Besides, I don’t really have many issues right now!”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed unsure still. However... well, they weren't really bugs anymore, so immediately they were less frightening. She carefully knelt on the cabinet, and in the next moment, had spawned right next to Anthony.

"Hi. Good to properly meet you," she extended a hand towards them for the ant-friend to shake it.

Anthony grinned and shook her hand. The cat-ant pawed at Rosa’s leg but the form of their body loosened a tad whenever it made contact. The paw sprawled out with ants like putty being slammed against a table before it returned back to its typical shape.

“It’s nice to properly meet you too!”

A “meow” came from the Colony but it sounded distorted, like it went through seventy different recordings.

“They think so too.”

“What’s The Manager like? The Colony won’t let me talk to them.”

As they said Manny’s name, the cat hissed and Anthony put their hands up in silent surrender.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa felt the paw on her and would've found it very cute if it hadn't gotten partially undone in ants on her pants. She kept her face up, avoiding the cat as the ants reassembled themselves into the cat thing again.

"... A-aw, well. Thank you. Glad to... uhm, to know. Now the Manager... well, they are... there's no way around it, they are an all powerful being that commands this place. With an iron fist..." Rosa said that with a straight, serious face and waited for a second before smirking again to deny it, "I'm kidding, about the iron fist part at least. But for a cosmic deity with potential for infinite evil, you'll be surprised to see how they are actually extremely reasonable and kind."

She looked down at the cat-ant. Rosa genuinely didn't know if their reaction was a normal one or a bad omen.

"They have long dark hair, and are always wearing a white suit. Do you think the colony is scared of them?"

Anthony laughed, “That performer that gave us skin said the same thing! He said that The Manager is super chill and will give us a room if we ask.”

“But I can understand why they react the way they do,” The Colony was now rubbing against Rosa’s leg, purring.

“This guy shot me in the chest and head unprompted and The Manager came to us around that time. I don’t know specifics but they’re probably just worried the person that shot me and them are associated but I think I should give everyone a chance! Unfortunately, whenever I try, they just take over my body and then snip the ‘go unconscious’ wire. I don’t think they actually snip anything—I sure hope not—but boom, I go good night. They probably control my body for a bit too because I wake up somewhere else but I don’t remember any of it,” they shrugged as if this were all normal.

“It’s not too bad though, just annoying.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa nodded, pretending what they were telling her was normal. Her gaze went from Anthony to the cat, and she wondered if she should pet it. Tentatively, the artist approached her hand to the animal(s?) to see what would happen.

"That's... a situation, for sure. And they won't tell you why they don't want you to visit the Manager?"

The purring increased as they were pet, ants cushioning around her hand whenever she pressed too hard.

“Not really. I mean, I know they think The Manager is associated with the person who shot me. Are they connected though? Do you know someone with a cowboy hat? Thats the one who shot me.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa pet animal very lightly.

"Oh, a cowboy hat? Yes. I know him..." Rosa looked confused, then worried. If Jackson shot this guy... Jackson wouldn't just shoot people for no reason. She raised a brow at Anthony and felt her uneasiness growing. "No idea as of why he shot you? He just showed up and shot you?"

“Basically, yeah! I was just trying to say hi then it was pew pew,” they rolled their eyes.

“Some people are so inconsiderate. He’s luckily my organs are in the place normal human’s are. I would probably be dead if they were. Is he normally like that?”

fromcanvastolife

"No, he really isn't," Rosa stood up again slowly and grimaced in an awkward manner. "But were you showing up to him with... one million ants around him, perhaps?"

Anthony was confused by how she stood up, looking her up and down before brushing it off. People often misinterpreted him so it would only be rude to do the same to another.

The cat-ant pawed at Rosa, trying to continue to be pet.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I? They travel with me everywhere. People always say not to travel alone for safety, so I bring my friends along with me.”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes but... friend, you can't just show up to new people with a million ants around them. I mean, you can, but it scares people. And I don't say that just because I'm afraid of insects; anyone would be scared about one million ants showing up out of nowhere."

She looked at the cat.

"It's not usual. And I don't mean to say your ants are bad, or that there's something wrong with them, or that he should have shot you; but it's just so unusual to be surrounded by one million ants that people get freaked out." Rosa slowly crouched. She was hesitant, but ended up bringing her hand to gently pet the cat-ant again. "It's like being approached suddenly by several people surrounding you and getting no explanation. It's scary, because the person doesn't know your intentions. Maybe Jackson thought you'd harm him."

“But I wouldn’t be scared about a ton of people approaching me? I don’t understand? Those are just new friends normally. Isn’t that what people think? I don’t want to hurt anyone,” they frowned.

The Colony meowed in agreement.

“Just because something is different doesn’t mean it’s my fault or job to control my friends. It’s not like I can control the fact that it’s different. Plenty of things are out of the normal but people have grown used to them. I shouldn’t be shot for being different.”

fromcanvastolife

"I'm not saying you should be shot for being different, of course not. And obviously the situation could've been dealt with differently."

Rosa sat down on the floor criss cross near the Colony, wondering if they would come closer.

"I'm just saying that was probably what Jackson thought. He probably got intimidated by the crowd of ants and got suspicious, and thought you meant some kind of harm. They can be a bit impulsive and we're all... kind paranoid here, actually; there was a really big bad dude wanting us all dead not too long ago. That probably didn't help."

The cat-ant climbed into her lap and laid down. If she looked closely, the ‘eyelids’ were shut.

“Big bad dude..? Who is that? Why would anyone want you all dead? That’s stupid. You don’t deserve any of that,” their eyebrows furrowed together.

Anthony thought for a moment before having a moment of panic, “I don’t want Jackson to think that I’m associated with that guy at all! That’s the opposite of what I want.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa was slowly growing fonder of the cat-ant. When it didn't look like a million ants, they were cute.

"The guy's name was Kayne. He was a god - I mean, he is a god, but he's trapped now, thankfully. Thanks to the Manager and a few others."

Her hand lowered to touch the Colony very lightly on their head, giving them little headpats.

"Ah, I don't think he thought you're associated with Kayne specifically; I think they may just have been scared in general and shot you. Knowing him, he probably felt very bad afterwards, since I don't really think you're a threat to the Waylay." She smiled sadly at Anthony, almost apologetically so. "But do say, when did the incident with Jackson happen?"

The ant-cat purred, pressing its head into her hand. Oddly, she could now feel the vibration that the sound came with typically. It was a skill they were trying to improve on when it came to mimicry.

“Huh, I’ve never heard of the guy but hopefully I never have to see him. I can promise you I have nothing to do with Kayne though!”

The purring stopped for a minute when he was mentioned but swiftly resumed.

“I really hope he doesn’t think that I’m related though and it was all some big misunderstanding. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet and everything has just been so fuzzy lately,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t like the idea of someone being comfortable shooting me out of nowhere. I want to think people aren’t like that.”

“It was fairly recently? Time is odd to me because of how I travel between universes. The different paces that time passes at makes telling things like this nearly impossible. I think I’ve slept once since it happened? That could mean a week or a day? Ive been to a few other locations between now and then.”

fromcanvastolife

She gently pet it behind its ear. "You're a baby, aren't you?" she said to the ant-cat with a small smile; then, Rosa looked at Anthony again.

"People usually aren't like this; though depending on which god you're talking to here, I'd advise being careful. Many of them are friendly, but some are less friendly. Definitely avoid a guy named Campbell, he's just... ugh, yeah.

"But where else have you been in your trips?"

The cat-ant nodded in understanding, rolling onto its belly.

“Why is Campbell bad? I feel like most people have some goodness in their heart…even if they end up shooting you.”

“Even the most judgy people in other worlds have always done some nice thing for me, even if it was unintended. As for the places I’ve gone? I’ve been to thousands over my life time. If I like a place, I’ll settle down for a bit, maybe return every so often, but I don’t stay for long. I know that place isn’t what I’m looking for. It’s not the home I grew up in.”

fromcanvastolife

She continued to caress the cat-ant on the head. "Will you bite me if I pet your belly, darling?" Rosa asked it before looking at Anthony again.

"... Even Campbell must have some goodness in his heart; he has a kid who likes him. And... one that hates him. But the fact is that he kidnapped me and tried to gift me to another god as an apology gift. To his fucking ex-husband. It was just... awful."

"At least you've been travelling a lot. Seeing many things, that's nice. Well, it can be nice, depending on where you go. So you're looking for your home?"

The cat-ant shook its head. Anthony grinned at the interaction before his face swiftly soured upon hearing of the events.

“Yikes…okay, there’s certain people Im know I’d like to stay far away from and that list is very slim. He might be on the list…at least he’s willing to try and give an apology gift…even if it’s in his own corrupt way.”

“But yeah, I’m looking for home. I have vague memories of when I was growing up but not much more than that. I just know I’ll recognize it when I see it,” it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself that.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa gently brushed her fingertips on its belly, light scritches, the lightest she could do so not to make the ants visible again.

"At least he accepted the breakup that came after," Rosa huffed. "The king didn't accept me as a gift, thankfully. I was expecting Campbell to kind of make a show out of it, but turns out he can actually respect others when he wants. He just usually doesn't I guess. I'd say stay away from him and his offers. But aside from that, here inside the Waylay, he can't hurt you. The Manager doesn't really like trouble, so overall violence is forbidden here."

"Oh, so you have pieces of memories from your childhood, but you forgot most of it? You're suffering from memory loss?"

“I don’t really plan to stay long. My friends don’t really like The Manager much. They’ll let me know when they’re ready to leave but for now, we’re capitalizing on the fact this place has regular access to food.”

The cat-ant nodded in agreement while purring.

“I don’t know, frankly. I don’t know what level of forgetting your childhood is normal. It wasn’t like I was there for too long, roughly until I was 16 probably? For my species, that isn’t a lot…I think? I don’t exactly know much about my species other than what I assume.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shrugged, playfully, lightly drumming her fingers on the cat-ant's head, then continuing to pet it.

"Well, that's fair. I doubt the Manager would mind you staying. I've never seen them baning anyone. What do you know about your species though? Or what do you assume? You look like a human, kind of."

She booped the cat. "But then again, I look like a human too, and I'm... not. This little guy looks fairly like cat and like... ants, and apparently it's not either. That's what I like about this place though, y'know?" Rosa sighed, smiling, hands resting on top of the cat's body as she looked up at Anthony. "Everyone's a little weird, a little different from normal. And even those patrons who are mostly normal are okay with those things. I feel like... I really feel like home, here."

The cat let out something akin to a hyena laugh at her behavior.

“I’m human akin, I think. I don’t know if my health issues are expected from my species or not. I would like to hope not but it could be because I’m out of my environment. It’s like how you don’t expect a fish to breathe out of water,” they shrugged. “It’s hard to say.”

“I could rant for hours about theories but plenty of them would conflict and intertwine in ways that don’t make sense.”

“At the end of the day, I want a place where what I am isn’t weird and I have people like me. I can find out what me really is. I’m glad this place is accepting but no where I go is fully accepting despite the advertisements…no offense. Besides, I still need to figure out my health. I’m just…” his posture deflated before bouncing right back. “…let’s say I’m not in the best place. I don’t want to bring the mood down.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tilted her head at them, but she didn't seem offended at all. The calm smile remained on her lips, and her voice sounded sweet when she replied:

"I understand. Finding your own place is difficult. Maybe what's home for me is not home for you, and that's fine. I do hope you find what you're looking for, anyway. There's nothing such as being with... your own kind, or at least with people you love, in a place where you don't feel out of place. I think everyone deserves that."

“As much as I want community of people like me, I think I can find community is every place I go. People are good and I think assuming friendship from every interaction makes the trip a bit less lonely, y’know?” they smiled. “You’re apart of my community. The person that smiled as I walked by is community. It doesn’t take much.”

“If I’m gonna take awhile to find my real home, I might as well make the most of it. Call me naive but I’d rather that than be miserable.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed to consider their words, truly consider them; she was focused on Anthony for a few seconds and had halted the petting. At last, she nodded.

"That's a nice way of facing the trip," she smiled back. "And I suppose your friends help you on the way, too."

The cat-ant nudged her hand with their head.

“Oh, for sure. I wouldn’t be here without them,” they pet the creature for a minute and they meowed.

“As much as this place has gave me chaos, the Waylay has some nice people. There’s been you, Emcee, and Daisy. I didn’t get along too well with this guy and his bird but stuff happens…I still need to send him an apology basket.”

“Do you know that guy at all? I’d like to give him stuff that he likes in the basket if I can.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smirked at the cat, continuing to pat its head with her fingertips.

"Hmmm... the guy with a bird?" she tilted her head, eyes widening a little in curiosity. "Do you know his name?"

“Uhhh, he looks sorta scrappy? He yelled at me about going after him and attacking him,” he rubbed the back of the neck. “It was an accident, in my defense.”

“I never got a name.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, I see..." Rosa nodded. They sure had gotten themselves in big trouble since arriving. That wasn't a good sign. But also, some of the most fun people out there were like this. "Well, I can't say I know who he is. I hope you can find him, though."

“I hope so too! I’m glad to have found you though,” Anthony swiftly switched their presentation to something more lighthearted, grin accenting their face once again.

“I didn’t mean to get off to a bumpy start with you though…I feel like that’s how it’s been going with you Waylay folk but maybe, it’ll start looking up? I don’t know. What was the turning point for you not to be so scared of me? I could try to mimic that.”

fromcanvastolife

"Well, as I said, showing up with several ants surrounding people usually is threatening or intimidating. Most people like to have their personal space respected, too. So my advice would be for our little guy here..." she booped the cat-ant, "to show up as something slightly more familiar and less intimidating than a million of beings. At least for the first meetings. Once people see you mean no harm, they will probably be less intimidated by the ants. It's like showing up with your hands in a place people can see, versus with the hands behind your back. The feeling of being surrounded by many makes most feel scared and defensive, y'know? It's instinct."

She started to raise to her feet, but not without gently grabbing the cat and holding it in her arms like a baby against her chest.

"You're not a bad person. Most people here are traumatized one way or another, so it's not necessarily your fault you triggered them. I'm sure the folks will soon see you're actually pretty nice."

The cat meowed when booped then stocked out its “tongue” (which was really more ants). It rolled around playfully in her hold a bit, trying its best to mimic what purring what both felt and sounded like. The sound was accurate but the vibrations were a bit off.

“Oh! That makes sense. I didn’t even think about instincts being why people freak out…I’ve basically always been with them so I didn’t even think twice about it,” they laughed at their own obliviousness.

“I really hope people like me though…going places to place can make it hard to know what to say. There’s so many different cultures and expectations and god, even somewhere that I was for a year was impossible to adapt to. I wish there was some handbook.”

fromcanvastolife

Gently, she brought it to her face and touched its nose with hers, like Rosa used to do with her own cats years ago.

"Yeah, cultural differences are crazy. What is very common in a place can be rude or weird in another one. I've gone to a few... distinct worlds before. Sometimes it's difficult to know what to expect." She raised her head again to meet Anthony's gaze and smiled at them, compassionate. "It's quite awkward, quite the situation. Thankfully, my wife guided me through most of them at that time..."

She sighed. It wasn't a sigh of pure sorrow anymore, but the absense got Rosa almost every single day. Even with her newfound family, even with renewed hope and dreams, Rosa felt like what she still had of Nilah wasn't enough to compensate the goddess'... sudden departure.

"Those were nice trips."

The ants rubbed their nose against hers and licked her face. It was an odd sensation having bugs imitate a tongue but the affection in it was distinct.

Anthony didn’t catch onto the signs immediately and their eyes scanned for a wedding band, curious if that was a thing in her culture. They always enjoyed the shiny gems and meticulously crafted designs.

“Wife? Can I meet her?” They beamed.

But then they caught one hint, face dropping, “…What do you mean by were?”

fromcanvastolife

The cat-ant's affection was a good balance to counter the sadness in her heart as she replied.

"My wife... " Rosa visibly swallowed, averting her gaze before continuing. "My late wife's dead now."

There was no ring or band around any finger, but Rosa was wearing some jewelry. On her neck, a pedant lay; a metal oval made out of silver with intricate patterns engraved. At first glance, it looked like a normal necklace one would have, maybe one of those in which inside there is a small picture; but this one had a faint purple-pink glow emanating from inside.

On her right wrist, two bracelets rested, too. Both made out of glass beads. One was of a dark purple, with small light pink-red dots inside, like little stars floating in the liquid. The other one was identical, but instead of purple, it was green, as green as Rosa's eyes, and had inside yellowish dots that shone faintly like tiny fireflies.

“Oh…oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Anthony moved closer, putting a hand on her back.

Their eyes caught on the jewelry, but especially the image. They couldn’t look away, trying to notice every little detail within the picture.

“If I’m allowed to know, how did she die?”

The ants licked at her again and again, hoping to help a little bit. What they noticed most were her eyes. It was irregular within the bounds of potentially being another species, but she looked almost entirely human despite that fact. Huh, odd.

The ants couldn’t remember what she had said about herself earlier due to the chaos of it all. Maybe, it got mentioned already?

fromcanvastolife

The pendant was one of those that could close to hide the picture, and usually it would be closed, but as it seemed, in the chaos with the cabinet and the chandelier, the little thing had opened partially, and there Anthony could see, instead of a photograph, the tiniest of the paintings. It was a woman Anthony would have never seen before, and yet for the ants, she would somehow carry a feeling of distant familiarity; long hair that fell straight until the mid of her back, in the same color of red wine. She had the lightest skin, wore a black suit with silver jewelry and purple details, and bore the most intense pair of purple eyes. Anthony would have this feeling that they'd have found her gaze piercing and cold and sinister and wrong in any other circumstance but in this particular picture. In this painting specifically, she looked soft, with a small, playful smirk and an amused, fond gaze.

If Rosa noticed them staring, she didn't say anything. All the painter could muster to say, actually, was one single word. "Kayne," she muttered, and then fell silent.

The ants quit their licking and a paw came to the pendant, trying to open it more. They were careful and if she focused on each individual ant, their eyes were longing. It was like craving a flavor that you never tasted.

“Oh…I’m so sorry…Im fortunate to not have known much about that man,” they hesitantly stepped forward with open hands. “Would a hug help..?”

fromcanvastolife

She was gentle in taking the pendant away from the ants, quickly closing it completely and placing it on her back. "Sorry, little ones. But... it's just this painting is so old it could fall apart easily. It was made almost half a century ago. I... I don't want anything to happen to it. It's one of the last things I have left of my wife."

Rosa looked at Anthony and then gently shifted the cat-ant to one hand. It was heavy, she was struggling a little, but she opened her arms for the hug. "I think it would help."

The cats meowed.

“They’re saying sorry.”

Anthony came closer and wrapped their arms around her. Their body wasn’t especially warm but their touch was soft, rubbing reassuring patterns over her back.

“Love is an important thing no matter where you go. I’m glad you’re holding it dear.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa sighed, leaning her head on their shoulder. After a few moments she replied.

"You're really kind. Thank you, Anthony. And thank you..." she looked down at the cat on her arm. "Uhm... do they have a name?"

“Each one has their own name but you can call them Colony,” they smiled.

The cat licked her once more.

“I appreciate it, really. If I’m gonna ever be remembered, I want it to be known for being kind. I don’t understand why people want to make other’s life harder.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smiled, and once she retreated from the hug, she gave the cat-ant a few headpats more. "Pleasure to meet you, Colony." Then, she gently placed it on the floor, by her feet.

"That's a good goal to have. A good way to be remembered. Some of the people I remember the most after all those decades are the ones that were kind to me."

The Colony purred, rubbing against her leg.

“I’m the same way. I may remember the events of those who are mean, but never the faces,” he smiled. “I wish I could take you with me on my travels.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa's eyes widened and she let out an amused chuckle of surprise.

"Ah, well, I'd love to visit you! Maybe we could hang out at some point. You could show me a place you like. Right now... well, as per usual, there's stuff happening that I'm involved with and I can't really leave for long. But I'm not against spending some time traveling. And..." She smiled, "I'd like to know which place ends up being your home, if... no, when you find it, and if you feel like sharing it with me."

The ants squeaked and Anthony grinned, “They could take you where they feel most at home if you’d like? It’s the closest I have to home, at the very least. We don’t have to stay there for long.”

fromcanvastolife

Somehow Rosa's eyes widened even more, and she tried to hide her awkwardness when she replied, "Ah, I- I'm really thankful for the invitation, really. But... I fear right now is not the best time. There's..." Rosa scratched her nape, trying to find the right words, "someone at the infirmary who's in a coma, and... well, when they wake up we'll have some trouble. But I gotta be here to help solve it when it happens, you know?"

It was a half truth. Well, it was true, actually, but it wasn't the only reason she was refusing. But Anthony didn't have to know that.

“Oh! That’s okay. Another time then?” they smiled, blissfully unaware. After all, their intentions were pure at the very least.

“I would hate to cause some sort of issue because I took you on a vacation.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, another time, for sure," Rosa nodded, smiling. She wanted to believe it wasn't a trap of some sorts, because the fellow seemed genuine, but after Campbell, who also had seemed very genuine at the time, Rosa had sworn to be more careful. Maybe she should talk to the Manager first to access just how trustworthy the guy was before going on a trip with them and their ants. "It's going to be okay, I'm sure. We've dealt with worse. But I want to be here to ensure the trouble will be minimal, when it inevitably happens. I think..."

Before Rosa could continue, though, both Anthony and her could hear a scream from the corridor. "A NEW CAT!"

It was a girl, ten or eleven years old at most, wearing a dress and shoes from the nineteenth century's children's fashion. Her similarity with Rosa was undeniable; the features, even the hair texture, they were very close, though many years separated their appearence. Only her colors were slightly different, and Anthony could see it better as the child quickly floated from her spot in the middle of the corridor to Anthony's side, quickly inspecting them. Her hair was long and of a light brown color, just like her honey-colored eyes; the opposite of Rosa's short and dark hair. Her skin was lighter, too... actually her whole body emanated a blue-white glow that dessaturated all her hues, and if Anthony looked close enough, they'd see her feet didn't quite touch the ground completely. "Is this a new cat? Is this your cat???"

Anthony couldnt even reply before being interrupted by the new person. The cat-ant perked up but remained in Rosa’s arms despite wanting to leap out.

“They’re my friends, yeah!” They turned with a big grin, gesturing to the cat-ant that was sticking their tongue out playfully.

fromcanvastolife

The kid's attention immediately shifted from Anthony to the animal, and she got closer to inspect it before stating:

"It is a different cat, it looks kind of... distinct for a cat. Why is it like this?"

"Bel! That's kind of rude. It is Colony. They are actually several small ants."

Isabel looked fascinated. "And they are all together now?" She reached out to tentatively touch the cat's snout with her cold, spectral finger.

The cat unwound slightly, making it easier for her to see the hundreds of ants that came together in order to create this being. It quickly came back to have it was previously, licking her hand once it was in range.

“Yeah! They’re my travel buddies. They can come together to make all sorts of shapes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tensed up, losening her grip on the cat and averting her gaze to focus on Anthony instead. When the cat licked the kid, it would feel her 'skin' was actually icy-cold; the girl felt like a walking corpse, and tasted like salty water and fog. She giggled, hand moving forward to pet the animal(s).

"Literally many ants... How many are there? When they are together, they don't even look like ants!"

"... Aren't they nice? They even... have names of their own." Rosa replied as she took a deep breath. She glanced down at the cat, and upon seeing it was fully cat now, she adjusted it on her arms, holding it more firmly and confidently again. "I wonder who gives them their names... Is it you, Anthony?"

The cat wasn’t deterred by the sensation and just kept licking her affectionately before rubbing its head on her. They were purring and gradually crawling farther and farther out of Rosa’s hold, threatening to fall.

“I don’t know the exact population size of the colony but I’d estimate a thousand-ish? Maybe more? It’s hard to say,” he shrugged. “But they name themselves! They name themselves off of things they like usually like there’s a ton of Anthonys.”

He laughed a bit, thinking that idea was quite hilarious and sweet simultaneously, “but there’s also a ton of object names. Lots of food names too.”

fromcanvastolife

"The little guy seems to want to be with you now," Rosa said, offering the cat to Bel, who promptly got the it in her hands.

"It's heavyyy! For being ants they are really heavy." She squeezed the animal against her chest and face affectionately, as if it was a real cat. She didn't mind at all when the little insects would unwound a little; apparently Rosa's little sister didn't have her same fear at all.

"That's adorable though. I imagine there are indeed many Anthonys. They must like you a lot!" She chuckled. "Must be nice having a thousand friends that are always with you. At least you'll always have good company and someones to talk!"

The cat meowed and continued its antics.

Anthony giggled, “They’re pretty dense. They’re a fat cat.”

The cat hissed at them playfully.

“Oh, for sure! I just wish more people understood them.”

fromcanvastolife

"With time they will, I'm sure. Don't worry about it. Just remember about the first impression thing, it may help." Rosa smiled, petting the cat again.

"Awww, they are cute! Look Rosa, when you squeeze it, the ants come out!"

"Ahh- yes, I know. It's... charming, isn't it?"

"She is afraid of insects," Bel chuckled and smirked, and Rosa rolled her eyes. "Are you new here, Anthony? Are you going to stay in the Waylay with Colony? You should get a room! There are other cats here, Colony and them can be friends! There's Ro with Chamomile and also Wil with Sassy!"

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

Isabel was a wanderer in the heart. Even after decades showing up as a ghost to Rosa, it was often that the painter would spend days without seeing her older sister. Isabel retained the ghost form and maturity of a child, and yet she was in the world longer than Rosa had been, which was enough to keep the younger sister confident the other could take care of herself. Additionally, not much could do harm to Bel now that she manifested in the physical world only in spirit. In the Waylay it was easier to manifest, but Rosa knew Bel liked going around and seeing the world by herself, because it was the type of freedom she didn't have when she used to be alive.

That time, however, Rosa could feel something was wrong. There was strangeness in her absence, as if the girl had not left willingly. She felt like something had snatched her from Rosa again, as it had happened more than seventy years ago. She lay down to sleep in that night with her head heavy, and after hours turning and turning on the mattress, Rosa finally fell unconscious and dreamed with the King in Yellow. Somehow she knew it was not Candy's King, Campbell's King or any of the other Waylay residents King, She knew in her heart that this one was her universe's King in Yellow, and that Hastur had come for her.

@fromcanvastolife 🖌 & 🩰

The landscape was wrong beautiful, beautiful in the sense that it was PERFECT. No sharp edges, no set path, as each path lead back into another, and the best part, It was even from the right to the left, what wonderful symmetry.

In front of you a sheet made of an organic substance is stretched across a square frame, visibly it resembles cotton, emotionally, if it had emotion it would wish to be skin.

fromcanvastolife

From studying nature since she was child in her father's art atelier, Rosa knew it seldom was totally symetrical or round or perfect. At first glance it could look beautiful, but the more she looked at it, the more Rosa had the sense it was odd and twisted, almost artificial in a way.

The cloth right before her was what stroke her as the oddest thing, though. She wanted to touch it, to feel it on her own skin, and yet from her long term, intimate contact with the supernatural - so much so Rosa herself was now part of it! - somehow the painter feared it was a trap of some kind.

So she walked around it, bright green eyes never leaving the piece of cloth until she was past it, and Rosa hesitantly continued forward, away from it.

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

[FUHHCKET]

Just ahead of you stands a massive wall made out of dark stone it stretches out lengthwise as far as the eye can see, you don’t know how you didn’t notice it until now, but it was definitely here this whole time, given the fact that it looks old.

Plant life, unfamiliar but natural, (at least in this terrain,) clings to bumps and cracks in the stone wall by crimson vines wherever it is able, the plant appears to produce bright flowers, and in some places, though just out of reach, fruit. It’s like a picture out a storybook.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa finds herself with no other choice but to stop. She gets closer to the wall, inspecting it with her eyes first before laying a hand on it. She feels its texture, its temperature; it's cold against her soft olive skin. And though the artist is not one to particularly dislike the cold, for some reason it sends a shiver down her spine and all her hairs stand up with it as if she had just been scared.

She removes the hand from the wall, and then touches the plants. Someone is likely toying with her, she knows it because she can feel a presence surrounding herself, though Rosa can't really pinpoint where it comes from exactly.

"Hello?" Rosa calls, not particularly loud, but not shyly either. She knows they can hear her anyway. "I know you're there, somewhere. Who are you, that are approaching me in my dreams?"

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

"Hello!?" A voice echos back from the other side of the wall, they sound hurt, afraid. "I-it’s been so long.. since I heard another voice, are you R-"

the voice pauses, and you’re met with only the sound of wind before it cautiously speaks once more, "you’re not gonna hurt me.. are you?"

fromcanvastolife

Rosa retreats a few steps immediately, staring at the wall with wide green eyes. She has to contain the urge to call for her sister, because for a moment, the godling was sure it was Isabel's voice at the other side. "Wh-who are you?"

She stutters her question, and can feel her skin colder with sweat, because even in this dream everything feels real somehow. For a moment, Rosa isn't sure if she is even dreaming.

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

"I can’t say.. I’m not allowed to, I’m sorry," there is a shuffling behind the wall before they speak once more "I think this stone is lose, just give me a second to- there!" A small gap appears as the person, so longing for connection, pulls the stone away, the hole is small, your only chance of seeing through would be if you put your eye up against it. "May I see you?"

fromcanvastolife

Rosa lunges forward towards the hole before halting abruptly. Frozen in place, she has to keep reminding herself that whatever is being shown to her may be a trap; and yet the painter cannot contain the anxiety in her heart and not look because it could be her sister. Would it matter in the end? Maybe whoever set this trap already had their hold on her, if they could access her in her dreams. Not knowing, not being sure, however, is what really bothers Rosa.

She advances carefully then, standing just short of a meter from the wall, and aligns her left eye to the hole to peek as the godling slowly, tentatively takes half a step forward, closer...

#Perhaps my influence spreads farther than rearranging a landscape.#<<<< LOOKING AT YOU #chewing on the bars of my enclosure #grgrgrggrrrrrrr

hands on his neck ready to SQUEEZE bc he is insufferable, even if he's the loser

(soon on patreon c:)

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

Isabel was a wanderer in the heart. Even after decades showing up as a ghost to Rosa, it was often that the painter would spend days without seeing her older sister. Isabel retained the ghost form and maturity of a child, and yet she was in the world longer than Rosa had been, which was enough to keep the younger sister confident the other could take care of herself. Additionally, not much could do harm to Bel now that she manifested in the physical world only in spirit. In the Waylay it was easier to manifest, but Rosa knew Bel liked going around and seeing the world by herself, because it was the type of freedom she didn't have when she used to be alive.

That time, however, Rosa could feel something was wrong. There was strangeness in her absence, as if the girl had not left willingly. She felt like something had snatched her from Rosa again, as it had happened more than seventy years ago. She lay down to sleep in that night with her head heavy, and after hours turning and turning on the mattress, Rosa finally fell unconscious and dreamed with the King in Yellow. Somehow she knew it was not Candy's King, Campbell's King or any of the other Waylay residents King, She knew in her heart that this one was her universe's King in Yellow, and that Hastur had come for her.

@fromcanvastolife 🖌 & 🩰

The landscape was wrong beautiful, beautiful in the sense that it was PERFECT. No sharp edges, no set path, as each path lead back into another, and the best part, It was even from the right to the left, what wonderful symmetry.

In front of you a sheet made of an organic substance is stretched across a square frame, visibly it resembles cotton, emotionally, if it had emotion it would wish to be skin.

fromcanvastolife

From studying nature since she was child in her father's art atelier, Rosa knew it seldom was totally symetrical or round or perfect. At first glance it could look beautiful, but the more she looked at it, the more Rosa had the sense it was odd and twisted, almost artificial in a way.

The cloth right before her was what stroke her as the oddest thing, though. She wanted to touch it, to feel it on her own skin, and yet from her long term, intimate contact with the supernatural - so much so Rosa herself was now part of it! - somehow the painter feared it was a trap of some kind.

So she walked around it, bright green eyes never leaving the piece of cloth until she was past it, and Rosa hesitantly continued forward, away from it.

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

[FUHHCKET]

Just ahead of you stands a massive wall made out of dark stone it stretches out lengthwise as far as the eye can see, you don’t know how you didn’t notice it until now, but it was definitely here this whole time, given the fact that it looks old.

Plant life, unfamiliar but natural, (at least in this terrain,) clings to bumps and cracks in the stone wall by crimson vines wherever it is able, the plant appears to produce bright flowers, and in some places, though just out of reach, fruit. It’s like a picture out a storybook.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa finds herself with no other choice but to stop. She gets closer to the wall, inspecting it with her eyes first before laying a hand on it. She feels its texture, its temperature; it's cold against her soft olive skin. And though the artist is not one to particularly dislike the cold, for some reason it sends a shiver down her spine and all her hairs stand up with it as if she had just been scared.

She removes the hand from the wall, and then touches the plants. Someone is likely toying with her, she knows it because she can feel a presence surrounding herself, though Rosa can't really pinpoint where it comes from exactly.

"Hello?" Rosa calls, not particularly loud, but not shyly either. She knows they can hear her anyway. "I know you're there, somewhere. Who are you, that are approaching me in my dreams?"

$the-fractured-sun-rises blog's avatar$

the-fractured-sun-rises

"Hello!?" A voice echos back from the other side of the wall, they sound hurt, afraid. "I-it’s been so long.. since I heard another voice, are you R-"

the voice pauses, and you’re met with only the sound of wind before it cautiously speaks once more, "you’re not gonna hurt me.. are you?"

fromcanvastolife

Rosa retreats a few steps immediately, staring at the wall with wide green eyes. She has to contain the urge to call for her sister, because for a moment, the godling was sure it was Isabel's voice at the other side. "Wh-who are you?"

She stutters her question, and can feel her skin colder with sweat, because even in this dream everything feels real somehow. For a moment, Rosa isn't sure if she is even dreaming.

#🖌️#malevolent rp #rosa #the fractured sun rises

fromcanvastolife

Would YOU like to be trapped in an enclosed space? I don’t think so! You know what, I’m leaving them with you. This is where Im releasing them after their rescue. Get along with them or they’ll bite you >:(

"IF THERE WEREN'T ANY BUGS, MAYBE?? Maybe I would?! Oi, come back!!! I don't want these ants!!"

Her eyes dart from you to the insects, then to you again, several times. She looks angry... and desperate. More desperate than angry, really.

"They need their natural habitat!! You're being irresponsable releasing them here!"

They didn’t leave but they did sit down. The ants immediately crawled up and…oh god, they were going into their eyes, nose, and mouth. The guy didn’t even react and just kept talking, coughing every so often when one went down the wrong pipe.

“Oh, they’ll be alright! They can live nearly anywhere. They thrive anywhere they have flesh they can crawl into. You’ll do great!”

It wasn’t even malicious just…ignorant. The idea that people didn’t want bugs to live in them didnt even pass through their mind.

“I’m being plenty responsible! Once they’re in your brain for a bit, you’ll learn how to hear what they have to say too. I think you’ll learn to get along after that. Harper and you will probably get along best if I had to guess based on vibes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa watched that unfold with horror in her eyes. There were eldritch horrors who were kind of scary for her, though now that she also was partially an eldritch horror too, she didn't find them so madness indulcing - and there were BUGS. Bugs, in her humble opinion, should be placed above eldritch horrors in a scale of the most scary type of being.

"Right, but I don't want them crawling on my flesh! They're gonna have to find another flesh to crawl on, and I definitely don't want them in my brain. Sorry, but I will have to refuse!"

“Oh, it won’t only be on your flesh! Most of them are under my skin anyways. See? You don’t have to worry about that. Most of the time they’re only under but they only crawl so much on top of my skin because my body is a bit overpopulated.”

They rolled up their sleeve and under the skin there was constant movement of dots. The bugs ran in circles, up and down, and around each other as if dancing.

“They only eat you when you don’t find someone else for them to eat. I usually just stop at the nearest hospital for someone on their death bed,” they shrugged.

“It’s not really up to me whether or not they find you home though. I was sorta joking about it but they seem to like the idea…If it were up to me, I’d listen, but now you guys have to talk and work it out.”

fromcanvastolife

"No, there's no under the flesh, or on the flesh, or inside the brain, I'm NOT home for your ants and I'm not food either, they'll have to find someone else!"

The chandelier dangled as she spoke, and on the ceiling there looked like small cracks were forming around it. Rosa didn't seem to notice that, though, because she looked just too impatient and anxious with the ants.

"I don't want to hurt your little guys, so now, please, go away."

“Oh! They aren’t my guys. People always assume that but think of them more like smaller humans. They think for their own and everything like that but it’s just easier for people to hear my voice than theirs.”

As they said that, a chorus of chirps, coos, and cries broke out. They didn’t notice the chandelier threatening to fall either.

“They say that they just want you to hear their voice. Can you just let a few in your brain so you guys can talk and bond? It won’t hurt at all.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa raised a brow, puzzled. That sounded somewhat like a cult or something in that vein.

"Who are you, then? What are you?"

“I’m Anthony! Anthony Antoine Antonio to be specific,” they stuck their hand out before pausing, realizing she probably wasn’t going to come down and shake their bug-infested hand.

“As for what I am…uh— I don’t really know how you want me to answer that?”

“What’s your name?”

fromcanvastolife

She looked down at the hand.

"Charmed," Rosa replied. She didn't really look charmed. "My name's Rosa."

"I guess I mean... What type of creature you are. Obviously not human. Not an ant, either. Are those even ants? What are they?"

“It’s nice to meet you! I’d introduce you to my friends but I think we’d be here for hours,” they laughed. “Maybe, another time?”

“But no, they’re not actually ants. I found them in this weird abyss thing when I was traveling around and they took me in and I befriended them! I just call them ants because that’s what they look closest to,” they explained it as if it were an everyday occurrence.

“As for myself, I’m just sorta…me? I guess? I wasn’t really spawned with a manual of what I am nor has anyone told me? I’m not human and I’m not the bug’s species either though. How about you?”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes, of course. Another time. Now, what I am. It's complicated, I--"

The chandelier broke and started to come down right on top of Anthony. For a moment, Rosa disappeared from their view, which was why she didn't fall along with the chandelier, reappearing on top of a big cabinet meter away, perched like an ape.

They yelped and covered their head as broken glass slashed into their skin. What came out was gelatinous blood and the stench of mold, as if food were rotting in the back of the freezer. The bugs swarmed to their rescue, forming thick layers that acted as bandages. The ones on the ground feasted, simultaneously acting as a vacuum cleaner.

“…ow…”

they stood with their arms awkwardly separated from their as they processed what even happened.

fromcanvastolife

"Damn," Rosa hissed, "Shit."

Her instinct was to ask if they were okay - if they were anyone else, she'd have ran to their rescue. The weird ants prevented her from doing so, though, and Rosa could only watch in mild horror as they worked on Anthony's skin. She looked livid even from a distance.

"Are you... uhm, okay in there?"

“I’ll be—“ they winced as the bugs stuffed themselves into their wounds.

“—Yeah, I’ll be— ow—! alright.”

They cautiously stepped through the glass until they were a distance away. The ants swarmed around each step, shifting major shards away from their shoes.

“I’ve had weirder things fall on me,” they tried to laugh it off, waving a hand. “You ever seen a ceiling of an eldritch-like Waffle House collapse on someone when you’re trying to order? I haven’t until it happened! I still got my food though.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked horrified watching the bugs interacting with Anthony and the things around.

"Goddamn, you have it rough, don't you?" she tried to say that in high spirits, but she was just too scared to laugh, even if in a fake way. "I suppose the... ants helped you then...?"

“I just consider myself to have bad luck,” they laughed, finally out of the piles of glass.

They were bleeding, thick crimson dripping down their forehead, but they didn’t pay much mind to it. The bugs packing into their wounds like gauze.

“I’m alive though, partially thanks to them! I can’t complain, but uh….can you come down from the cabinet, I’m paranoid that’ll fall too…”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shook her head vehemently, "Sorry, look, I don't want it to fall on you again either, but I really can't go to the floor with your... friends there. I don't want them inside my brain, and also, I'm scared of bugs."

As if predicting their counterpoint, she quickly added: "Yes, I know they are not bugs, but they look like bugs, and my first point stands still."

They tapped their chin, “What if they didn’t look like bugs?”

As Anthony said that, the critters became piling on top of eachother, gradually forming the shape of a…cat? They moved together cohesively, taking a step towards her. A meow resonated from its chest but the noise was odd, like it were coming from a walkie talkie.

“Is that better?”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa still looked quite worried on top of that cabinet. She eyed the cat-ants with confused furrowed brows, then looked back at Anthony.

"I mean, yes, but I still don't want anything inside my mind. I don't know what your deal is with them, but I want only myself accessing my brain."

There were many entities out there who shapeshifted and wanted to control you by hijacking your brain. She was still part human, and thus, more succeptible to this kind of thing. The guy seemed to be in a situation similar to a hivemind, where the ants and them were kind of one, but not literally? It puzzled Rosa, but it also reassured her she didn't want to be in their shoes.

"I think you should speak to the Manager! They are nice, and whatever you need they'll probably be able to help you."

“They’ll stay out then, I promise. I didn’t mean to scare you but it won’t hurt at all even if they did. It’s peaceful,” they tried to reassure.

The cat-ant meowed again, rubbing its body against the cabinet she was perched on. If she listened closely, a soft purr vibrated from the animal(s).

“The Manager? That fella? I’ll pass. No offense to them but I d rather solve any problems I’m having myself. Besides, I don’t really have many issues right now!”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed unsure still. However... well, they weren't really bugs anymore, so immediately they were less frightening. She carefully knelt on the cabinet, and in the next moment, had spawned right next to Anthony.

"Hi. Good to properly meet you," she extended a hand towards them for the ant-friend to shake it.

Anthony grinned and shook her hand. The cat-ant pawed at Rosa’s leg but the form of their body loosened a tad whenever it made contact. The paw sprawled out with ants like putty being slammed against a table before it returned back to its typical shape.

“It’s nice to properly meet you too!”

A “meow” came from the Colony but it sounded distorted, like it went through seventy different recordings.

“They think so too.”

“What’s The Manager like? The Colony won’t let me talk to them.”

As they said Manny’s name, the cat hissed and Anthony put their hands up in silent surrender.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa felt the paw on her and would've found it very cute if it hadn't gotten partially undone in ants on her pants. She kept her face up, avoiding the cat as the ants reassembled themselves into the cat thing again.

"... A-aw, well. Thank you. Glad to... uhm, to know. Now the Manager... well, they are... there's no way around it, they are an all powerful being that commands this place. With an iron fist..." Rosa said that with a straight, serious face and waited for a second before smirking again to deny it, "I'm kidding, about the iron fist part at least. But for a cosmic deity with potential for infinite evil, you'll be surprised to see how they are actually extremely reasonable and kind."

She looked down at the cat-ant. Rosa genuinely didn't know if their reaction was a normal one or a bad omen.

"They have long dark hair, and are always wearing a white suit. Do you think the colony is scared of them?"

Anthony laughed, “That performer that gave us skin said the same thing! He said that The Manager is super chill and will give us a room if we ask.”

“But I can understand why they react the way they do,” The Colony was now rubbing against Rosa’s leg, purring.

“This guy shot me in the chest and head unprompted and The Manager came to us around that time. I don’t know specifics but they’re probably just worried the person that shot me and them are associated but I think I should give everyone a chance! Unfortunately, whenever I try, they just take over my body and then snip the ‘go unconscious’ wire. I don’t think they actually snip anything—I sure hope not—but boom, I go good night. They probably control my body for a bit too because I wake up somewhere else but I don’t remember any of it,” they shrugged as if this were all normal.

“It’s not too bad though, just annoying.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa nodded, pretending what they were telling her was normal. Her gaze went from Anthony to the cat, and she wondered if she should pet it. Tentatively, the artist approached her hand to the animal(s?) to see what would happen.

"That's... a situation, for sure. And they won't tell you why they don't want you to visit the Manager?"

The purring increased as they were pet, ants cushioning around her hand whenever she pressed too hard.

“Not really. I mean, I know they think The Manager is associated with the person who shot me. Are they connected though? Do you know someone with a cowboy hat? Thats the one who shot me.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa pet animal very lightly.

"Oh, a cowboy hat? Yes. I know him..." Rosa looked confused, then worried. If Jackson shot this guy... Jackson wouldn't just shoot people for no reason. She raised a brow at Anthony and felt her uneasiness growing. "No idea as of why he shot you? He just showed up and shot you?"

“Basically, yeah! I was just trying to say hi then it was pew pew,” they rolled their eyes.

“Some people are so inconsiderate. He’s luckily my organs are in the place normal human’s are. I would probably be dead if they were. Is he normally like that?”

fromcanvastolife

"No, he really isn't," Rosa stood up again slowly and grimaced in an awkward manner. "But were you showing up to him with... one million ants around him, perhaps?"

Anthony was confused by how she stood up, looking her up and down before brushing it off. People often misinterpreted him so it would only be rude to do the same to another.

The cat-ant pawed at Rosa, trying to continue to be pet.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I? They travel with me everywhere. People always say not to travel alone for safety, so I bring my friends along with me.”

fromcanvastolife

"Yes but... friend, you can't just show up to new people with a million ants around them. I mean, you can, but it scares people. And I don't say that just because I'm afraid of insects; anyone would be scared about one million ants showing up out of nowhere."

She looked at the cat.

"It's not usual. And I don't mean to say your ants are bad, or that there's something wrong with them, or that he should have shot you; but it's just so unusual to be surrounded by one million ants that people get freaked out." Rosa slowly crouched. She was hesitant, but ended up bringing her hand to gently pet the cat-ant again. "It's like being approached suddenly by several people surrounding you and getting no explanation. It's scary, because the person doesn't know your intentions. Maybe Jackson thought you'd harm him."

“But I wouldn’t be scared about a ton of people approaching me? I don’t understand? Those are just new friends normally. Isn’t that what people think? I don’t want to hurt anyone,” they frowned.

The Colony meowed in agreement.

“Just because something is different doesn’t mean it’s my fault or job to control my friends. It’s not like I can control the fact that it’s different. Plenty of things are out of the normal but people have grown used to them. I shouldn’t be shot for being different.”

fromcanvastolife

"I'm not saying you should be shot for being different, of course not. And obviously the situation could've been dealt with differently."

Rosa sat down on the floor criss cross near the Colony, wondering if they would come closer.

"I'm just saying that was probably what Jackson thought. He probably got intimidated by the crowd of ants and got suspicious, and thought you meant some kind of harm. They can be a bit impulsive and we're all... kind paranoid here, actually; there was a really big bad dude wanting us all dead not too long ago. That probably didn't help."

The cat-ant climbed into her lap and laid down. If she looked closely, the ‘eyelids’ were shut.

“Big bad dude..? Who is that? Why would anyone want you all dead? That’s stupid. You don’t deserve any of that,” their eyebrows furrowed together.

Anthony thought for a moment before having a moment of panic, “I don’t want Jackson to think that I’m associated with that guy at all! That’s the opposite of what I want.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa was slowly growing fonder of the cat-ant. When it didn't look like a million ants, they were cute.

"The guy's name was Kayne. He was a god - I mean, he is a god, but he's trapped now, thankfully. Thanks to the Manager and a few others."

Her hand lowered to touch the Colony very lightly on their head, giving them little headpats.

"Ah, I don't think he thought you're associated with Kayne specifically; I think they may just have been scared in general and shot you. Knowing him, he probably felt very bad afterwards, since I don't really think you're a threat to the Waylay." She smiled sadly at Anthony, almost apologetically so. "But do say, when did the incident with Jackson happen?"

The ant-cat purred, pressing its head into her hand. Oddly, she could now feel the vibration that the sound came with typically. It was a skill they were trying to improve on when it came to mimicry.

“Huh, I’ve never heard of the guy but hopefully I never have to see him. I can promise you I have nothing to do with Kayne though!”

The purring stopped for a minute when he was mentioned but swiftly resumed.

“I really hope he doesn’t think that I’m related though and it was all some big misunderstanding. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet and everything has just been so fuzzy lately,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t like the idea of someone being comfortable shooting me out of nowhere. I want to think people aren’t like that.”

“It was fairly recently? Time is odd to me because of how I travel between universes. The different paces that time passes at makes telling things like this nearly impossible. I think I’ve slept once since it happened? That could mean a week or a day? Ive been to a few other locations between now and then.”

fromcanvastolife

She gently pet it behind its ear. "You're a baby, aren't you?" she said to the ant-cat with a small smile; then, Rosa looked at Anthony again.

"People usually aren't like this; though depending on which god you're talking to here, I'd advise being careful. Many of them are friendly, but some are less friendly. Definitely avoid a guy named Campbell, he's just... ugh, yeah.

"But where else have you been in your trips?"

The cat-ant nodded in understanding, rolling onto its belly.

“Why is Campbell bad? I feel like most people have some goodness in their heart…even if they end up shooting you.”

“Even the most judgy people in other worlds have always done some nice thing for me, even if it was unintended. As for the places I’ve gone? I’ve been to thousands over my life time. If I like a place, I’ll settle down for a bit, maybe return every so often, but I don’t stay for long. I know that place isn’t what I’m looking for. It’s not the home I grew up in.”

fromcanvastolife

She continued to caress the cat-ant on the head. "Will you bite me if I pet your belly, darling?" Rosa asked it before looking at Anthony again.

"... Even Campbell must have some goodness in his heart; he has a kid who likes him. And... one that hates him. But the fact is that he kidnapped me and tried to gift me to another god as an apology gift. To his fucking ex-husband. It was just... awful."

"At least you've been travelling a lot. Seeing many things, that's nice. Well, it can be nice, depending on where you go. So you're looking for your home?"

The cat-ant shook its head. Anthony grinned at the interaction before his face swiftly soured upon hearing of the events.

“Yikes…okay, there’s certain people Im know I’d like to stay far away from and that list is very slim. He might be on the list…at least he’s willing to try and give an apology gift…even if it’s in his own corrupt way.”

“But yeah, I’m looking for home. I have vague memories of when I was growing up but not much more than that. I just know I’ll recognize it when I see it,” it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself that.

fromcanvastolife

Rosa gently brushed her fingertips on its belly, light scritches, the lightest she could do so not to make the ants visible again.

"At least he accepted the breakup that came after," Rosa huffed. "The king didn't accept me as a gift, thankfully. I was expecting Campbell to kind of make a show out of it, but turns out he can actually respect others when he wants. He just usually doesn't I guess. I'd say stay away from him and his offers. But aside from that, here inside the Waylay, he can't hurt you. The Manager doesn't really like trouble, so overall violence is forbidden here."

"Oh, so you have pieces of memories from your childhood, but you forgot most of it? You're suffering from memory loss?"

“I don’t really plan to stay long. My friends don’t really like The Manager much. They’ll let me know when they’re ready to leave but for now, we’re capitalizing on the fact this place has regular access to food.”

The cat-ant nodded in agreement while purring.

“I don’t know, frankly. I don’t know what level of forgetting your childhood is normal. It wasn’t like I was there for too long, roughly until I was 16 probably? For my species, that isn’t a lot…I think? I don’t exactly know much about my species other than what I assume.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa shrugged, playfully, lightly drumming her fingers on the cat-ant's head, then continuing to pet it.

"Well, that's fair. I doubt the Manager would mind you staying. I've never seen them baning anyone. What do you know about your species though? Or what do you assume? You look like a human, kind of."

She booped the cat. "But then again, I look like a human too, and I'm... not. This little guy looks fairly like cat and like... ants, and apparently it's not either. That's what I like about this place though, y'know?" Rosa sighed, smiling, hands resting on top of the cat's body as she looked up at Anthony. "Everyone's a little weird, a little different from normal. And even those patrons who are mostly normal are okay with those things. I feel like... I really feel like home, here."

The cat let out something akin to a hyena laugh at her behavior.

“I’m human akin, I think. I don’t know if my health issues are expected from my species or not. I would like to hope not but it could be because I’m out of my environment. It’s like how you don’t expect a fish to breathe out of water,” they shrugged. “It’s hard to say.”

“I could rant for hours about theories but plenty of them would conflict and intertwine in ways that don’t make sense.”

“At the end of the day, I want a place where what I am isn’t weird and I have people like me. I can find out what me really is. I’m glad this place is accepting but no where I go is fully accepting despite the advertisements…no offense. Besides, I still need to figure out my health. I’m just…” his posture deflated before bouncing right back. “…let’s say I’m not in the best place. I don’t want to bring the mood down.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tilted her head at them, but she didn't seem offended at all. The calm smile remained on her lips, and her voice sounded sweet when she replied:

"I understand. Finding your own place is difficult. Maybe what's home for me is not home for you, and that's fine. I do hope you find what you're looking for, anyway. There's nothing such as being with... your own kind, or at least with people you love, in a place where you don't feel out of place. I think everyone deserves that."

“As much as I want community of people like me, I think I can find community is every place I go. People are good and I think assuming friendship from every interaction makes the trip a bit less lonely, y’know?” they smiled. “You’re apart of my community. The person that smiled as I walked by is community. It doesn’t take much.”

“If I’m gonna take awhile to find my real home, I might as well make the most of it. Call me naive but I’d rather that than be miserable.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa seemed to consider their words, truly consider them; she was focused on Anthony for a few seconds and had halted the petting. At last, she nodded.

"That's a nice way of facing the trip," she smiled back. "And I suppose your friends help you on the way, too."

The cat-ant nudged her hand with their head.

“Oh, for sure. I wouldn’t be here without them,” they pet the creature for a minute and they meowed.

“As much as this place has gave me chaos, the Waylay has some nice people. There’s been you, Emcee, and Daisy. I didn’t get along too well with this guy and his bird but stuff happens…I still need to send him an apology basket.”

“Do you know that guy at all? I’d like to give him stuff that he likes in the basket if I can.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smirked at the cat, continuing to pat its head with her fingertips.

"Hmmm... the guy with a bird?" she tilted her head, eyes widening a little in curiosity. "Do you know his name?"

“Uhhh, he looks sorta scrappy? He yelled at me about going after him and attacking him,” he rubbed the back of the neck. “It was an accident, in my defense.”

“I never got a name.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, I see..." Rosa nodded. They sure had gotten themselves in big trouble since arriving. That wasn't a good sign. But also, some of the most fun people out there were like this. "Well, I can't say I know who he is. I hope you can find him, though."

“I hope so too! I’m glad to have found you though,” Anthony swiftly switched their presentation to something more lighthearted, grin accenting their face once again.

“I didn’t mean to get off to a bumpy start with you though…I feel like that’s how it’s been going with you Waylay folk but maybe, it’ll start looking up? I don’t know. What was the turning point for you not to be so scared of me? I could try to mimic that.”

fromcanvastolife

"Well, as I said, showing up with several ants surrounding people usually is threatening or intimidating. Most people like to have their personal space respected, too. So my advice would be for our little guy here..." she booped the cat-ant, "to show up as something slightly more familiar and less intimidating than a million of beings. At least for the first meetings. Once people see you mean no harm, they will probably be less intimidated by the ants. It's like showing up with your hands in a place people can see, versus with the hands behind your back. The feeling of being surrounded by many makes most feel scared and defensive, y'know? It's instinct."

She started to raise to her feet, but not without gently grabbing the cat and holding it in her arms like a baby against her chest.

"You're not a bad person. Most people here are traumatized one way or another, so it's not necessarily your fault you triggered them. I'm sure the folks will soon see you're actually pretty nice."

The cat meowed when booped then stocked out its “tongue” (which was really more ants). It rolled around playfully in her hold a bit, trying its best to mimic what purring what both felt and sounded like. The sound was accurate but the vibrations were a bit off.

“Oh! That makes sense. I didn’t even think about instincts being why people freak out…I’ve basically always been with them so I didn’t even think twice about it,” they laughed at their own obliviousness.

“I really hope people like me though…going places to place can make it hard to know what to say. There’s so many different cultures and expectations and god, even somewhere that I was for a year was impossible to adapt to. I wish there was some handbook.”

fromcanvastolife

Gently, she brought it to her face and touched its nose with hers, like Rosa used to do with her own cats years ago.

"Yeah, cultural differences are crazy. What is very common in a place can be rude or weird in another one. I've gone to a few... distinct worlds before. Sometimes it's difficult to know what to expect." She raised her head again to meet Anthony's gaze and smiled at them, compassionate. "It's quite awkward, quite the situation. Thankfully, my wife guided me through most of them at that time..."

She sighed. It wasn't a sigh of pure sorrow anymore, but the absense got Rosa almost every single day. Even with her newfound family, even with renewed hope and dreams, Rosa felt like what she still had of Nilah wasn't enough to compensate the goddess'... sudden departure.

"Those were nice trips."

The ants rubbed their nose against hers and licked her face. It was an odd sensation having bugs imitate a tongue but the affection in it was distinct.

Anthony didn’t catch onto the signs immediately and their eyes scanned for a wedding band, curious if that was a thing in her culture. They always enjoyed the shiny gems and meticulously crafted designs.

“Wife? Can I meet her?” They beamed.

But then they caught one hint, face dropping, “…What do you mean by were?”

fromcanvastolife

The cat-ant's affection was a good balance to counter the sadness in her heart as she replied.

"My wife... " Rosa visibly swallowed, averting her gaze before continuing. "My late wife's dead now."

There was no ring or band around any finger, but Rosa was wearing some jewelry. On her neck, a pedant lay; a metal oval made out of silver with intricate patterns engraved. At first glance, it looked like a normal necklace one would have, maybe one of those in which inside there is a small picture; but this one had a faint purple-pink glow emanating from inside.

On her right wrist, two bracelets rested, too. Both made out of glass beads. One was of a dark purple, with small light pink-red dots inside, like little stars floating in the liquid. The other one was identical, but instead of purple, it was green, as green as Rosa's eyes, and had inside yellowish dots that shone faintly like tiny fireflies.

“Oh…oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Anthony moved closer, putting a hand on her back.

Their eyes caught on the jewelry, but especially the image. They couldn’t look away, trying to notice every little detail within the picture.

“If I’m allowed to know, how did she die?”

The ants licked at her again and again, hoping to help a little bit. What they noticed most were her eyes. It was irregular within the bounds of potentially being another species, but she looked almost entirely human despite that fact. Huh, odd.

The ants couldn’t remember what she had said about herself earlier due to the chaos of it all. Maybe, it got mentioned already?

fromcanvastolife

The pendant was one of those that could close to hide the picture, and usually it would be closed, but as it seemed, in the chaos with the cabinet and the chandelier, the little thing had opened partially, and there Anthony could see, instead of a photograph, the tiniest of the paintings. It was a woman Anthony would have never seen before, and yet for the ants, she would somehow carry a feeling of distant familiarity; long hair that fell straight until the mid of her back, in the same color of red wine. She had the lightest skin, wore a black suit with silver jewelry and purple details, and bore the most intense pair of purple eyes. Anthony would have this feeling that they'd have found her gaze piercing and cold and sinister and wrong in any other circumstance but in this particular picture. In this painting specifically, she looked soft, with a small, playful smirk and an amused, fond gaze.

If Rosa noticed them staring, she didn't say anything. All the painter could muster to say, actually, was one single word. "Kayne," she muttered, and then fell silent.

The ants quit their licking and a paw came to the pendant, trying to open it more. They were careful and if she focused on each individual ant, their eyes were longing. It was like craving a flavor that you never tasted.

“Oh…I’m so sorry…Im fortunate to not have known much about that man,” they hesitantly stepped forward with open hands. “Would a hug help..?”

fromcanvastolife

She was gentle in taking the pendant away from the ants, quickly closing it completely and placing it on her back. "Sorry, little ones. But... it's just this painting is so old it could fall apart easily. It was made almost half a century ago. I... I don't want anything to happen to it. It's one of the last things I have left of my wife."

Rosa looked at Anthony and then gently shifted the cat-ant to one hand. It was heavy, she was struggling a little, but she opened her arms for the hug. "I think it would help."

The cats meowed.

“They’re saying sorry.”

Anthony came closer and wrapped their arms around her. Their body wasn’t especially warm but their touch was soft, rubbing reassuring patterns over her back.

“Love is an important thing no matter where you go. I’m glad you’re holding it dear.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa sighed, leaning her head on their shoulder. After a few moments she replied.

"You're really kind. Thank you, Anthony. And thank you..." she looked down at the cat on her arm. "Uhm... do they have a name?"

“Each one has their own name but you can call them Colony,” they smiled.

The cat licked her once more.

“I appreciate it, really. If I’m gonna ever be remembered, I want it to be known for being kind. I don’t understand why people want to make other’s life harder.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smiled, and once she retreated from the hug, she gave the cat-ant a few headpats more. "Pleasure to meet you, Colony." Then, she gently placed it on the floor, by her feet.

"That's a good goal to have. A good way to be remembered. Some of the people I remember the most after all those decades are the ones that were kind to me."

The Colony purred, rubbing against her leg.

“I’m the same way. I may remember the events of those who are mean, but never the faces,” he smiled. “I wish I could take you with me on my travels.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa's eyes widened and she let out an amused chuckle of surprise.

"Ah, well, I'd love to visit you! Maybe we could hang out at some point. You could show me a place you like. Right now... well, as per usual, there's stuff happening that I'm involved with and I can't really leave for long. But I'm not against spending some time traveling. And..." She smiled, "I'd like to know which place ends up being your home, if... no, when you find it, and if you feel like sharing it with me."

The ants squeaked and Anthony grinned, “They could take you where they feel most at home if you’d like? It’s the closest I have to home, at the very least. We don’t have to stay there for long.”

fromcanvastolife

Somehow Rosa's eyes widened even more, and she tried to hide her awkwardness when she replied, "Ah, I- I'm really thankful for the invitation, really. But... I fear right now is not the best time. There's..." Rosa scratched her nape, trying to find the right words, "someone at the infirmary who's in a coma, and... well, when they wake up we'll have some trouble. But I gotta be here to help solve it when it happens, you know?"

It was a half truth. Well, it was true, actually, but it wasn't the only reason she was refusing. But Anthony didn't have to know that.

“Oh! That’s okay. Another time then?” they smiled, blissfully unaware. After all, their intentions were pure at the very least.

“I would hate to cause some sort of issue because I took you on a vacation.”

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, another time, for sure," Rosa nodded, smiling. She wanted to believe it wasn't a trap of some sorts, because the fellow seemed genuine, but after Campbell, who also had seemed very genuine at the time, Rosa had sworn to be more careful. Maybe she should talk to the Manager first to access just how trustworthy the guy was before going on a trip with them and their ants. "It's going to be okay, I'm sure. We've dealt with worse. But I want to be here to ensure the trouble will be minimal, when it inevitably happens. I think..."

Before Rosa could continue, though, both Anthony and her could hear a scream from the corridor. "A NEW CAT!"

It was a girl, ten or eleven years old at most, wearing a dress and shoes from the nineteenth century's children's fashion. Her similarity with Rosa was undeniable; the features, even the hair texture, they were very close, though many years separated their appearence. Only her colors were slightly different, and Anthony could see it better as the child quickly floated from her spot in the middle of the corridor to Anthony's side, quickly inspecting them. Her hair was long and of a light brown color, just like her honey-colored eyes; the opposite of Rosa's short and dark hair. Her skin was lighter, too... actually her whole body emanated a blue-white glow that dessaturated all her hues, and if Anthony looked close enough, they'd see her feet didn't quite touch the ground completely. "Is this a new cat? Is this your cat???"

Anthony couldnt even reply before being interrupted by the new person. The cat-ant perked up but remained in Rosa’s arms despite wanting to leap out.

“They’re my friends, yeah!” They turned with a big grin, gesturing to the cat-ant that was sticking their tongue out playfully.

fromcanvastolife

The kid's attention immediately shifted from Anthony to the animal, and she got closer to inspect it before stating:

"It is a different cat, it looks kind of... distinct for a cat. Why is it like this?"

"Bel! That's kind of rude. It is Colony. They are actually several small ants."

Isabel looked fascinated. "And they are all together now?" She reached out to tentatively touch the cat's snout with her cold, spectral finger.

The cat unwound slightly, making it easier for her to see the hundreds of ants that came together in order to create this being. It quickly came back to have it was previously, licking her hand once it was in range.

“Yeah! They’re my travel buddies. They can come together to make all sorts of shapes.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tensed up, losening her grip on the cat and averting her gaze to focus on Anthony instead. When the cat licked the kid, it would feel her 'skin' was actually icy-cold; the girl felt like a walking corpse, and tasted like salty water and fog. She giggled, hand moving forward to pet the animal(s).

"Literally many ants... How many are there? When they are together, they don't even look like ants!"

"... Aren't they nice? They even... have names of their own." Rosa replied as she took a deep breath. She glanced down at the cat, and upon seeing it was fully cat now, she adjusted it on her arms, holding it more firmly and confidently again. "I wonder who gives them their names... Is it you, Anthony?"

The cat wasn’t deterred by the sensation and just kept licking her affectionately before rubbing its head on her. They were purring and gradually crawling farther and farther out of Rosa’s hold, threatening to fall.

“I don’t know the exact population size of the colony but I’d estimate a thousand-ish? Maybe more? It’s hard to say,” he shrugged. “But they name themselves! They name themselves off of things they like usually like there’s a ton of Anthonys.”

He laughed a bit, thinking that idea was quite hilarious and sweet simultaneously, “but there’s also a ton of object names. Lots of food names too.”

fromcanvastolife

"The little guy seems to want to be with you now," Rosa said, offering the cat to Bel, who promptly got the it in her hands.

"It's heavyyy! For being ants they are really heavy." She squeezed the animal against her chest and face affectionately, as if it was a real cat. She didn't mind at all when the little insects would unwound a little; apparently Rosa's little sister didn't have her same fear at all.

"That's adorable though. I imagine there are indeed many Anthonys. They must like you a lot!" She chuckled. "Must be nice having a thousand friends that are always with you. At least you'll always have good company and someones to talk!"

waylay-managment-2

( BEFORE THE EVENTS OF EP. 59 )

Everyone knew the Manager sleeping was a rare event. This was one of the scarce nights where the god would be trying to get their rest, but for some reason, even in dreams they wouldn't be able to shake off the unnerving feeling of being watched.

It'd felt like that for a while, though the sensation had been faint enough to be brushed off as paranoia. Now though, submerged into their subconscious, it gave the Manager the feeling of when you're are sure someone is behind you, the voyeur's eyes glued on your nape, almost as if someone's inside your mind.

@fromcanvastolife 🖌️ & 💤

*they turned over in their bed to see the other side of the room, praying some shadow beast was standing in the corner.*

fromcanvastolife

There was... nothing. The room was empty and the sensation had weakened a lot. Now it was barely a tingling in their conscience - easily forgettable.

They should go back to sleep; better take advantage of the rare moments of peace in their work to rest. They were so tired after all...

waylay-managment-2

“Get out of my head…”

*but they were already falling asleep again.*

fromcanvastolife

Just like that, they were dreaming again. And surpringly, they weren't having nightmares. Those were good, pleasant scenarios, though slightly vague in content. This or that person appeared a little out of character here and there. Not terribly wrong, but definitely something was missing, like when one copies a copy of a picture, and the final result is a slightly blurrier image each time.

They'd be sure of this when they interacted with their daughter Lilith. She was alive again, and smiling. But there differences in her smile from what they remembered.

"Dad?" she called, and now no matter how much the Manager tried to wake up, it was like consciousness was just out of reach.

waylay-managment-2

“Lili?”

*they turned around and looked to her, but their mind was fuzzy. They felt like everything was covered in cotton.*

“Something… something’s wrong…”

fromcanvastolife

"What's wrong, dad?" She grabbed their hands, squeezing them gently. "I'm here. It's going to be okay."

The world seemed so bright and colorful again. Everything was so well! Letting their fears go and enjoy the moment was probably the right thing to do. It was so tempting, too. Their child was back - that's what the Manager wanted after all, wasn't it?

waylay-managment-2

“You… you don’t…”

*but they were holding her back.*

“Your voice, it’s… you’re not talking how you used to.”

fromcanvastolife

"I know. But we haven't talked for a while, have we? I... I changed a little. I hope that's okay for you..." she smiled fondly at them.

In the distance, there was a noise. It was calling... calling a name, but it was impossible to make out the word. It started as static, then shifted slightly in their ears and was so, so faint. It could be so easily lost in the fresh breeze that gently caressed their skin...

waylay-managment-2

“Oh, of course it’s okay! I don’t mind. I just… you look the same is all. I hadn’t noticed you aged.”

*they turned to the source of the noise.*

“Is that… is there someone else here?”

fromcanvastolife

"Well, we are outside," Lili replied, pulling her dad back and gently pressing their foreheads together. "Other beings must be out there, too. But I don't feel anyone dangerous, dad."

Again. Someone was calling. Someone was calling them. The voice was muffled, so low, the Manager couldn't recognize whose voice it was. But it was calling, ᴹᵃⁿᵃᵍᵉʳᵎ ᴹᵃⁿᵃᵍᵉʳᵎ

ᴹᵃⁿᵃᵍᵉʳᵎ

"I missed you, dad."

waylay-managment-2

“I- I missed you too. God how I missed you.”

*they nearly started to cry. But they couldn’t get the voice out of their head.*

“This… I- I think someone needs me. I swear I can hear someone calling for me…”

fromcanvastolife

"I can't hear anything. Are you alright, dad? I think we should take a walk, there's so much I wanna show you here..." She started to pull them by the hand, but at the same time the voice got clearer.

"ᴵ ᵏⁿᵒʷ ʷʰᵃᵗ ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ᵈᵒᶦⁿᵍ, ʸᵒᵘ ᵇᶦᵗᶜʰ. ᴵ ᶜᵃᵘᵍʰᵗ ʸᵒᵘ ʳᵉᵈ⁻ʰᵃⁿᵈᵉᵈ. ᴸᵉᵃᵛᵉ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᵇᵉ, ᵗʰᵉ ʷʰᵒˡᵉ ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ ᴺᴱᴱᴰˢ ᵗʰᵉᵐ."

It was Rosa's voice. Lili looked back at her dad. "Dad?" she called, distressed.

"ʸᵒᵘ ᵇᵉᵗᵗᵉʳ ᵍᵒ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖᶦᵗ ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᶜᵃᵐᵉ ᶠʳᵒᵐ, ᵒʳ ᴵ ˢʷᵉᵃʳ ᴵ'ˡˡ ᵐᵃᵏᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ʳᵉᵍʳᵉᵗ ⁿᵒᵗ ʰᵃᵛᶦⁿᵍ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵇᵃˢᵗᵃʳᵈ."

waylay-managment-2

“Rosa? What are you saying?”

*they pulled Lili into their arms.*

“Whatever you’re saying, it is not about my daughter.”

fromcanvastolife

"ᵂʰᵃᵗ ᵃʳᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ˢᵉᵉᶦⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉˀ ᴼʰ⁻ ᵍᵒᵈˢ, ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ˢᵒ ˡᵒʷ."

"ᴳᵉᵗ ᴮᴬᶜᴷ. ᴵ'ᵐ ˢᵉʳᶦᵒᵘˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵗᶦᵐᵉ ᵐᵒᵐ'ˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ʰᵉʳᵉ ᵗᵒ ˢᵃᵛᵉ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵃˢˢ, ʸᵒᵘ ᶠᵘᶜᵏᶦⁿ…"

"Dad? Let's go away, please. I'm scared here," Lili pulled The Manager away from the sound, but for a single moment, the whole environment seemed to blink and change. Their Lilith trembled in their arms.

"ˢʰᵉ'ˢ ᵐᵉˢˢᶦⁿᵍ ʷᶦᵗʰ ʸᵒᵘᵎ ᴵᵗ'ˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᴸᶦˡᶦᵗʰᵎ"

"ʸᵒᵘ ˡᶦᵗᵗˡᵉ⁻⁻"

waylay-managment-2

“It’s okay. It’s okay baby. I’ll protect you. I’m here.”

*they held her tighter as tendrils shot up from the ground, enveloping them and making a small, dark space where they could be.*

“See? We’re safe here. I’ll keep you safe.”

fromcanvastolife

There were footsteps approaching the outside of the tentacle cocoon. Someone was running at full speed towards father and daughter, and they shocked themself against the tentacles because of the inertia. Then they started to pull it.

"Manager!" It was Rosa's voice. She was so close now. "You're in a dream, it's not real it--"

She was interrupted, and had started to scream a bunch of curses at someone. Delicate hands had grabbed one of the tentacles and were pulling it with increasing force.

"Not- Your daughter! Lillit--" Her scream was muffled, and then the hands vanished, leaving a scratch on the tentacles, as if the woman outside had been violently pulled from there. There were noises of limbs shocking against each other and a dark presence approaching.

The Manager's Lili was static. At first, she looked like she was afraid. But looking closer now, there was something wrong with her, like her features were slightly off. Was that their Lilith? Had she always had that nose?

waylay-managment-2

“Lili, are you alright?”

*they looked at her a little closer.*

“What’s going on? What happened to you?”

fromcanvastolife

"I-- I don't know, but I thought you said you accepted me regardless of what had happened before-!"

They couldn't wake up still, but now they knew something was wrong. Something was wrong. Outside, the voices had started to argue again.

". . . ᵍᵒⁿⁿᵃ ᵇᵉ ʲᵉᵃˡᵒᵘˢ . . . ⁿʸᵃʳˡᵃᵗʰᵒᵗᵉᵖ ᶦ ᵐᵉᵉᵗˀ"

"…. ᶦⁿˢᵒˡᵉⁿᵗ . . . . ⁿᵒᵗ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳ . . . ʷᵃⁿᵗ ᵗᵒ ˢᵗᵃʸᵎ"

"ᵗʰᵉʸ ᵃʳᵉ ᵍᵒⁿⁿᵃ ᴷᴵᴸᴸ ʸᵒᵘ."

"ⁿᵒᵗ ᶦᶠ ʸᵒᵘ ˢᵗᵒᵖ ᵐᵘᵈᵈˡᶦⁿᵍ ᵗʰᶦⁿᵍˢ."

"ᵗʰᵉ ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ ᴺᴱᴱᴰˢ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ, ʸᵒᵘ ᶦᵈᶦᵒᵗ."

"ᵈᵒ ʸᵒᵘ ʷᵃⁿᵗ ᵐᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵈᶦᵉ ˡᶦᵏᵉ ᵐʸ ᵐᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᵈᶦᵈˀ"

waylay-managment-2

“Of course I will! I love you owlet, I always will. You know that. I just… I…”

*they held a hand to their head.*

“I… I don’t… something’s wrong…”

fromcanvastolife

For a moment, their Lili looked... hurt. There was pain in her eyes, but it wasn't hers. She hugged the Manager, and it didn't feel like hugging her. It was somehow different. It was such a genuine, desperate hug, though.

The voices outside had stopped. Everything was fine, everything was going to be okay.

Then there was a scream and they saw Lilith fall apart in their arms. The Manager could feel her turning into mist, everything around them flowing downwards like sand in a hourglass. The dream was over.

When they opened their eyes, they were in their room again and it was day. The lights were off, simply because the lightbulbs all around them had exploded. Before the god, there was Rosa, her hairs all up with what they could only assume was static electricity. On the floor, another god lay down. Chilling blue eyes tinted with rage, skin all dark with sharp feathers coming out of her arms, the lightest blue hair they'd ever seen. She was stunned, in pain.

"Manager?," Rosa called, approaching them carefully, "are you okay?"

waylay-managment-2

*they shot up, pure fear in their eyes.*

“Where is she?! Where did…”

*then they seemed to remember where they were. It was like watching their heart break through their eyes. Both Rosa and the god could swear they saw tears as they realized it was a dream.*

“Oh…”

fromcanvastolife

"M-Manager," Rosa called again, bending down to look the god in the eyes. She tried to evaluate if they needed any kind of medical care, but the artist figured their wounds probably were just psychological. She gently placed a hand on their shoulder, caressing them with her thumb. Maybe this could ground them. "Hey. I'm here. You're back... I'm sorry, I was slow. I didn't know what else to do."

They'd be able to deduce some sort of weapon must've been fired against the goddess lying on the ground, because the tiles on the floor had been singed by heat. But there was no gun or anything like that in sight, and it was Rosa's left arm that looked blackened and slightly scorched. The air smelled like ozone.

"It's Lillith," she added, looking back. Lillith didn't say anything, didn't do anything, besides gazing at them with narrowed, resentful eyes.

waylay-managment-2

“Yes. It was.”

*tears started streaming down their face.*

“I’ve never had a dream like that before…”

*they brought a hand up to their cheek and wiped some of the tears away.*

“I… I’be never dreamed she was… that she had…”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa let out a breath. She didn't realize she was holding it. "Lillith..." she mumbled. And then realized it wasn't her Lillith they were talking about. The Manager was talking about theirs.

Gently, she brought her thumb to their other cheek, wiping the remaining tears. "Oh, Manager," Rosa whispered, hands cupping their face. Slowly, the woman enveloped them in a hug. Probably no words would ease the god's pain; she could only hope soft gestures would, even if just slightly.

waylay-managment-2

“She was alive Rosa.”

*they sobbed into her.*

“She survived. She was okay. And- and she just wanted to be with me. She needed her dad. And- and I didn’t- I didn’t listen. I tried so hard— I tried so hard! And she’s gone.”

fromcanvastolife

"I'm so sorry, my darling. I'm really sorry," Rosa replied in a whisper, holding the god against her and caressing their back, their head, in constant light motions. "I'm here for you, okay? You can cry, don't worry."

She didn't expect that. She didn't expect so much sadness to pour out of them. It broke her heart.

Lillith remained quiet, now crouched in a corner of the room. Zoning out, the utmost apathy. Awaiting.

waylay-managment-2

*they sobbbed, starting to scream.*

“I failed her!”

*they clutched Rosa, as if afraid she would die to.*

“I failed her! She needed me! She needed me to save her and I failed! Just like I did with Kayne!”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa tightened the hug. She continued to caress their back - slow, constant and circular motions on their shoulder blade.

"I wasn't there. But I know you tried your hardest. I know you did your best. It's just unfortunately... sometimes our hardest is not enough," she whispered. "It's not your fault."

waylay-managment-2

“I DID NOTHING! I JUST HID! WHAT GOOD DOES HIDING DO?! SHE TOLD ME WE HAD TO RUN AND I DIDNT LISTEN BECAUSE IM TO DAMN STUPID!”

fromcanvastolife

She held them tighter, then looser. That information surprised Rosa. The Manager was always so proactive to defend. She had seen it with her own eyes. She'd been promptly defended by them, and so it was difficult to believe they hadn't done the same for their own Lilith before it all. Rosa caught herself feeling an array of emotions from compassion to disappointment and guilt.

The artist was silent for a moment, all her movements had halted. Then, her hold tightened again as she continued to hug and rested her head against theirs.

No words would placate their pain. There was nothing she could do to change the Manager's past, just like they couldn't, no matter how much they regretted it. She only hoped her acceptance of their story and compassion towards their feelings could comfort the Manager somehow.

waylay-managment-2

*they continued sobbing into her, holding her as tight as they could.*

fromcanvastolife

Rosa didn't say anything, but started to rock The Manager gently, from one side to the other, again and again and again. Slowly, she placed a kiss on their head before going back to rocking them - just like her mother and sister used to do when she was feeling hopeless and couldn't stop crying.

waylay-managment-2

*they managed to take a few breaths and slow their sobs. Rosa could feel their tears through her shirt now.*

fromcanvastolife

Rosa started to hum a calm song to them, one her dad used to sing for her to sleep. Left and right, left and right, she rocked the Manager gently.

She didn't seem to mind the tears wetting her blouse.

waylay-managment-2

“I… I’m the reason she’s dead. If I had just been faster. If I had just prepared her, told her to run…”

fromcanvastolife

She shook her head, still holding them close.

"Kayne's the reason why she's dead. His brutality and bloodlust and absolute psychopathy killed her. You may have made a mistake, Manny, and... and it's really tragic it happened the way it did, but you're not the reason why she's dead. If you knew it would end up like it did, you'd have done things differently - but you didn't know. And this already tells me it's not your fault. You didn't mean for it to happen the way it did, and you regret it did."

She shifted to look them in the eyes and touched their forehead with hers, caressing their back again. "We can't change the past, so there's no use in dwelling in it. Still, you're entitled to your grief and regrets, but... please, don't forget you're not alone. You don't have to carry this burden by yourself."

waylay-managment-2

“But— but if I had been faster— if I had just need better—“

fromcanvastolife

"I know. And....... if- if I could do it again, I'd have stayed when my wife sent me away that day. I wish I could change it, I wish I could change..... " She took in a shaky breath, eyes closing before they could get filled even more with tears. "M-maybe the result would be different; or maybe it'd be similar even if we did change it, but oh gods, I know I'd feel better dying by her side."

The Manager could see how her lip quivered, how Rosa swallowed her saliva with difficulty, because for very little had she not started to sob, too.

"But we didn't, we survived. And sometimes it sucks to have survived. But... i-if it means anything for you, I'm glad you did, and I'm glad to at least be here with you now."

waylay-managment-2

*their tears slowed to a stop and they relaxed into her.*

“I’m so sorry baby…”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa didn't say anything, she just held the Manager close - breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out...

Rosa's Lillith must've moved again, because a tile of the floor creaked loudly. Now for some reason she'd changed forms again - she wasn't a huge three meters woman with sharp feathers and stormy eyes anymore. Instead, she chose to appear wearing her human-ish disguise. The goddess was still very tall for a human, about 1,90m, but her skin was now pale; her hair, black as the night with blueish hues and ice blue eyes. Human enough to be passable as a mortal, though still kind of uncanny. She'd usually stay in her preferred form, but the Manager wore their human skin and her mother's wife looked so disgustingly human as well... Lillith felt left out in her goddess form.

waylay-managment-2

*The Manager looked up at her.*

“You gave me that dream, didn’t you?”

*dream. Not nightmare. Dream.*

fromcanvastolife

Lillith looked at them briefly and replied, simple and cold: "Yes."

waylay-managment-2

*they… smiled?*

“Thank you. For trying, at least. It was… it was actually quite nice to see her alive again.”

fromcanvastolife

Both Lillith and Rosa seemed surprised by their statement. Rosa would never admit it but there was a slight touch of relief in her, too.

Lillith was clearly at a loss of words. "..... oh... right. I tried my best."

Then she fell silent. Her eyes were still wide open, gazing at the surroundings and then back to the Manager, fingers drumming over and over on her knee. Should she request it or not? That was so unexpectedly out of her plan she didn't even know how to react. Lillith was having trouble believing they were being genuine. There must have a catch.

"She wants to stay," Rosa said at last. "Here, in the Waylay."

Lillith glared at her, as if she wanted to fulminate the woman with her gaze.

waylay-managment-2

*They almost laughed.*

“Oh dear, you don’t have to ask. Or, I guess, give me good dreams. Of course you’re welcome to stay.”

fromcanvastolife

"W-wait, what? Really...? But-" Lillith seemed really taken aback. "Even after I tried to trap you in your dreams?"

It couldn't be real. She had tried to keep them dreaming forever so they wouldn't be able to see her in the Waylay. They had already expelled her from there once just for being a bitch to Rosa. Lillith didn't think they'd be that forgiving now.

"I told you you could just ask like a normal person."

"Shush. How was I supposed to know it'd be that easy?"

waylay-managment-2

“It’s alright. I don’t blame you. These things are difficult. But… we’re all just trying to be the best we can. The safest we can. and if that means that you’re here, I don’t mind.”

fromcanvastolife

For a moment Lillith looked as if she was about to cry, but soon her nonchalant gaze was back again. "Uhm, good; thank you, Manager."

Rosa had a soft smile on her lips, but had started to pick at her nails.

"Can I ask if there's anything being done about him? Rosa told me he's after the black stone. We can't allow him to go through with this bullshit."

"Manny has a plan," Rosa replied and looked at the Manager.

waylay-managment-2

“Yes. The Blackstone isn’t the last thing he needs. I can’t tell you what that is for security, but it’s somewhere he can’t see. Only me and his Lilith know of it, not even Arthur. The plan is to distract him with Arthur while Lilith makes the killing blow. If it doesn’t work, we use the last piece with the Blackstone to try and fracture him before he can use it.”

fromcanvastolife

"Interesting plan. And risky. But I suppose it is doable. This Arthur you chose better be smart, we can't afford failures with a being such as... him."

waylay-managment-2

“Oh, he’s an idiot, but he only needs to stand out in the open.”

fromcanvastolife

Lillith, for the first time, grinned. It was a wicked smile, all fangs and ill intent. Rosa harshly scratched her own palm of her hand, then massaged it.

"I bet this he can do."

"... Poor guy," Rosa sighed. "A bait."

"Oh, please. I bet if Kayne doesn't really erase him completely in the process, your Manager will reward him somehow. In the end, everyone will be... happy," She said this smiling, and yet there was that hesitance to complete the sentence.

waylay-managment-2

“Not bait, no. But think about it. When have you known a Nyarlathotep to not go for a shiny dagger on the ground, even if it’s cursed to stab them in the heart?”

fromcanvastolife

"Uhm, I didn't use to know many Nyarlathoteps before here, just one. But that's... kind of a textbook definition of what a bait is..." Rosa smiled awkwardly at the Manager. "Something that distracts you from your own demise."

Lillith dusted herself off as she got up, "I know you have... big feelings and consideration for humans, Rosa, considering your own... b a c k g r o u n d , but it is clouding your judgement. One Arthur Lester is a small price to pay for the fate of the universe."

waylay-managment-2

“Nono. He won’t die. Not if he does his job right. He just need to get Kayne close enough to put the lighter in his pocket, no harm required. Then Lilith will take care of the rest.”

fromcanvastolife

"I could bet my immortal life there will be harm done, though," Lillith huffed, amused. " This K a y n e ," she spoke his name with utmost ressentment, "isn't amongst the most merciful creatures, not even with those he supposedly cares about. As soon as he realizes the human doesn't want to assist him, he'll tear him apart."

Rosa's expression sulked a little and she grabbed her own sleeves. Then, she winced, blowing her scortched left hand. "The Manager can bring him back, though... right?"

"When Kayne is done with the guy, there won't be anything left to bring back. You know that more than anyone."

waylay-managment-2

“Not for you, maybe. For me? Yes. I can bring him back. I’ll have almost unlimited power when Kayne is gone. Not because his power will go to me, because I’ll be able to do anything I need to without fear.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa smiled a little, seemingly more at ease with the new information. Lillith just seemed to ponder it before lightly leaning on the wall with her back.

"I suppose, if you think it will be enough to bring him back. If you think he is worth the trouble as well."

"I mean, after basically helping save the universe, I think he's earned some respect, even if he is a human," Rosa replied and crossed her arms. Lillith just hummed back and shrugged.

waylay-managment-2

*he’d be worth the trouble anyway.*

“Well, now that thats settled, I need to get to work. Are you two alright?”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa nodded. "Uh. I think I burned my hand, a little bit."

Lillith's face looked kind of scortched, too. Her feathers definitelt had seen better days. But the goddess just nodded anyway.

"If you give me a room here I'll be just fine."

waylay-managment-2

*The Manager looked between them.*

“Both of you. Infirmary. Now.”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa nodded as she got out of the bed, "It's been a while I don't see Daisy indeed."

Lillith didn't protest, but she stared at the Manager with slightly wider eyes for a second, as if she wasn't expecting that reaction from them. "Right. Where's it?"

waylay-managment-2

“Down the hall go the right.”

fromcanvastolife

Lillith nodded. "Much appreciated," she stated, and then headed out of the room.

"Are you okay, Manny?" Rosa asked then, as soon as the other goddess was out, and grabbed their hands on her own. "That... must've been weird. Don't you wanna go to the infirmary with us? Is everything... alright in there?" she pointed to her own head slowly, but obviously meant their head.

waylay-managment-2

*they nodded.*

“Yea. I’m a bit shaken, but… yea. I… I need to see Lili.”

fromcanvastolife

She pouted. "I'm really sorry about Lillith. She... well. She's just like that," there was a sigh and Rosa averted her gaze. "Not even when she's supposedly being nice she is really being nice. Are you... *ahem* are you sure you want her to stay? I mean I... I don't..." Rosa shook her head, "No, you're right. Forget it. We can't really... leave her outside now."

Rosa's features were unsually furrowed as she sighed ruefully again, clearly annoyed and disturbed, but there was a glimpse of hesitance, as if the woman didn't know what to think about that all, much less what to say.

waylay-managment-2

*they looked at her for a moment.*

“Do you want me to stay with you for a while?”

fromcanvastolife

Rosa's eyes widened, and she shook her head, seemingly embarrassed. "Ah- No, no it's fine! I'll be alright. I just... I wasn't expecting to see her so soon. But you should go talk to Lili. She'll be happy to see you."

Whatever stupid shit Lillith had done to attract Kayne's attention to herself didn't matter now. She wouldn't tell Rosa, and Rosa sincerely didn't make much of a point of knowing. It made her sympathize with Lillith, and that was the most disturbing notion. What mattered was that Lillith couldn't leave without being at risk, and though Rosa didn't want to be near her daughter in law, she also didn't want to be the one kicking one of her last connections to her late wife out, straight to her death.

"I'll go see Daisy, then," she smiled softly, squeezing the Manager's left hand with her right hand, and then letting it go. "Tell me if you need anything."

waylay-managment-2

“I will.”

fromcanvastolife

She seemed more at peace, somehow, with their answer. "Thanks. See you, friend. Tell Lili I said hi."

And with that, Rosa left the room.

🖌️ The life painter 🖌 @fromcanvastolife - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag