Kimink

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I don't know what to say, but maybe I'm better suited to drawing backgrounds than people. Maybe I should exercise more

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Happy Birthday Pierrot!!!🎊🎉

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Hello, I just came up with this idea and I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts on it @nekoboydreams @destinysquared @darthsuki. I developed this concept, and my friend contributed feedback and additions to refine it further. I’d like to share it with the mods of the TFC page. I used a translation app, I hope you can all understand it.

Our world and TFC are not the same. One exists in three-dimensional space, while the other exists only on paper. Neko created a 2D world called TFC, where he established the rules and laws of that world. Naturally, if he wants a character to die, that character will die instantly. In that world, Neko holds the power of oversight, equivalent to that of a god. The MC is someone from the 3D world who has been transported into the story. As long as the MC makes a decision that creates a large enough butterfly effect, Neko, from the outside world, will perceive it as a bug and reset and fix it.

At first, the MC only realizes that this is a game they once played. After several attempts to act in ways that alter the storyline, everything gets reset back to the beginning. The MC realizes they cannot directly change the plot, so they begin planning to detach themselves from the storyline in order to survive. However, any decision that crosses a certain red line is blocked by the world’s rules, causing their plans to repeatedly fail. After many attempts, the MC realizes that no matter how much their actions deviate from the original plot, some force always returns everything to its initial state. Even coincidences occur in a logically consistent way that pulls the MC back into the “game.”

At that point, the MC only has choices within the options that Neko allows the player to make (the moments when we choose actions to branch into different story paths). That is the power, the weight of the word “author” who created this world. The MC realizes they cannot change the ending or influence anything related to the storyline. This drives them into extreme stress, madness, and doubt about their own existence, leading to self-destructive actions in an attempt to escape that world. However, those actions also count as altering the storyline, so the world does not permit them. A world without the MC cannot continue its narrative. Everything must unfold according to the sequence set by the “god” of that world.

With no other choice, the MC is forced to accept it and drift along with the storyline, eventually becoming numb and turning into a puppet of the script. What happens next will depend on the MC’s choices and the god who created the world.

By the way, here is my artwork of Pierrot and MC

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What would it be like if my OC had her hair tied up by Mc? This is her reaction

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Columbina

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as if they were holding your hand

Harlequin

The grip is confident, almost possessive, with fingers clasped tightly together as if they have no intention of letting go. There is energy and impulsiveness in this gesture, as if to say, “I'm holding you, so you're with me.”

Jester

This is not a rough grasp, but a playful intertwining—a light, almost dance-like touch. The fingers are bent gently, as if the gesture is accompanied by a binary smile or bow.

Doctor

The grip is calm and supportive, not squeezing, but holding. The fingers gently wrap around yours, as if checking your pulse or simply letting you feel his beloved patient nearby.

Ticket Taker

Here, the gesture is more formal and gentle. The fingers are not intertwined, but touch each other lightly. It resembles a gallant touch or a polite gesture of accompaniment.

Pierrot

The grip is firm and emotional. You can see the tension in his fingers. The gesture speaks of passion and strong attachment, trying to stay with you longer like this, alone with your touch, as if you might disappear.

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I love this ver too

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What if my mascot was a monster in TFC?

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Ticket Taker, Tragedy, & the Blood Moon 🎭🩸

This is my Ticket Taker character study (so far).

I will be integrating many of my theories into this post, Keep in mind that these are theories; this is just my attempt at understanding him.

I firstly want to talk about the Blood Moon at the end of Jester’s performance and who’s directly placed in front. I want to thank @erissaacorn for his contribution to this observation.

The moon in these story retellings seem to be significant, so paying attention to which characters mention, discuss, or are even positioned to it, is significant.

Blood Moon: Sacrifice, Transformation, Survival, Violence, Pain

Let’s look at the above frames’ presentations. When the others enter in their monster forms on the spotlight’s cue, a red glow rims its outer edge, pulling focus toward Jester and the carnage left in the aftermath. Not only do we see the details of the remains more clearly, but we also see another force that obscures both the corpse and the moon.

Even though the stage becomes illuminated, the remains are still protected from our view. They’re preserved, at least until the lights go out. And when they do, the moon returns to a regular full moon.

I will go ahead and list some additional meanings of a blood/red moon. In a way, it might be a table of contents for this post. The colors have no meaning.

More Red Moon Symbolism:

-end times

-new beginnings

-catastrophe

-absolute moral judgement

-guarding the meaning of what’s lost

-opening up the darker side

Blood Moons and Theatre 🩸🌙

Let’s talk about the significance of Red Moons/ Blood Moons in theatre, specifically in Shakespearean plays such as Julius Caesar and Macbeth.

Shakespeare often depicted celestial imagery to foreshadow doom, such as the descriptions of a “fiery moon” in the acts leading up to Caesar’s death.

Here are some passages from Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar:

Act 1, Scene 3:

“The night was tempestuous, and the heavens themselves were in arms. Fiery shapes did soar across the sky, as if the world itself bled. A lioness prowled the streets, and graves yawned, yielding up their dead. Comets burned fiercely, and the clouds seemed swollen with a red flood, threatening doom.”

Act 2, Scene 2:

Calpurnia cried in her sleep, “When beggars die, there are no comets seen; but the heavens blaze forth the death of princes! All around, men shrieked and wailed, as if the sky itself mourned. The night glowed crimson, and every fearful sign spoke of Caesar’s fate.”

These cosmic events were omens to Caesar’s betrayal and murder by the conspirators.

If the blood moon in Jester’s play is an intentional symbol, then the staging likely is also. The character positioning feels deliberate, the troupe forms two pairs (Pierrot & Harlequin; Ticket Taker & Doctor), while Jester stands centered between them all, as if he has orchestrated the entire scene within his performance.

Here we could interpret this blood moon as having a similar omen. The omen of betrayal and sacrifice.

This frame holds much power. If we consider the above symbolism with the moon, and pay attention to character positioning, it may be meaningful to consider who is in front of it. Ticket Taker is the one closest (and eclipsing) the moon. Ticket Taker, a character obsessed with cleanliness and order, is the one closest to the mess. Closest to the disorder. The carnage. The blood.

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, blood is also symbolic of guilt and moral corruption.

Macbeth after killing King Duncan:

Act 2, Scene 2:

“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”

With this line, blood is inescapable guilt.

Act 3, Scene 4:

“I am in blood, stepped in so far that… returning were as tedious as go o’er.”

Here, blood represents Macbeth’s transformation from a noble warrior to a morally dead man. There’s no turning back. Death sealed the corruption.

Other symbols for blood

Blood is often associated with family (ex. bloodlines), but it’s also a representation of pain and suffering. Tears hold that same symbolism. In a way, blood and tears go in tandem. They paint two different types of pain.

Blood = physical pain

Tears = emotional pain

Blood represents the act.

Tears represents the response.

In the case of Ticket Taker, whose symbol is defined by a tear, him standing in front of the bloody aftermath could balance that emotional cost of “wrongdoing.”

Blood is thicker than water. Blood is thicker than tears.

As Columbina was devoured, they had all cried (at least according to this account) and they all were covered in her blood. Some more than others. The tears can represent the consequences of moral choices. When survival comes into play, morality often shifts. It narrows. Risk becomes irrelevant through desperation.

Since I love making parallels between the two: notice how TT is the one who sheds the most tears and Doctor is the one that wears the most blood. TT’s symbol is a teardrop ; Doctor always has blood on his gloves.

Keep this in mind:

Morality is shaped by painful decisions, responsibility, and emotional truth.

Blood without tears marks moral corruption. Tears with blood marks guilt.

Ticket Taker & Morality

The question “why?” is at the center of morality as a whole.

Morality refers to a person’s beliefs about what is fair, just, and right or wrong.

Modern psychodynamic theorists usually say that morality develops as people learn to deal with feelings like anxiety, guilt, and shame.

After Columbina was devoured, TT was likely confronted not just with her death, but with the questions of what should have been done, what might have been avoided, and the painful truth that he lived while she did not.

The mask he wears and the teardrop showing his sorrow reveal his inner torment. He is both a witness and a participant in survival’s costs. Just because he ate the least does not exempt him from blame.

That blame creates guilt marked by the blood he consumed.

Ticket Taker has his share of obsessions, particularly with cleanliness and organization. These are measures of order and control, along with rules and his preoccupation with obedience.

Because disobedience has deadly consequences.

His behaviors are likely stemmed from not only a trauma wound, but in preservation and prevention.

Morals aren’t just about what you do but also why you do it.

Along with the concept of a “why,” integrity is the foundation for morality. Of responsibility. And “why” is the root to integrity, along with trust.

I talk about Ticket Taker and trust more here.

Moral order comes from these ideas, as they’re very tightly laced, which is why human morality in general might interest him.

But TT may simply see morality as a human construct, irrelevant to the values of monsters. It could just be interesting reading material and a useful bit of knowledge to manipulate us. Not to his own belief system.

Ticket Taker is a dominant-coded character with a clear value system rooted in hierarchy and power.

Here are some other reasons why human morality might interest him:

1. Studying human morality provides insights that can be used both to fit in and to exploit them.

2. Texts on human ethics follow patterns, and many ethical systems (like Deontology or Utilitarianism) offer well-defined rules and structure that could interest him.

3. Exploring how the diverse cultures of another species approach morality is a fascinating topic, and as an intellectual, he’s clearly drawn to philosophy and psychology.

A legacy shaped by loss

The circus’ very existence is a commemoration to Columbina’s ‘sacrifice.’ And, as we see of Ticket Taker, he serves a high functioning role in maintaining its structure and its image. He’s conscientious and serious when it comes to maintaining its order.

In the game, he sees us as a threat to that image. A threat to that structure. We’re dangerous.

Her loss was a legacy that brought each of them together and also created a relatively discrete way for them to feed. This legacy is an act of preservation and, that who seems to do that firsthand is Ticket Taker.

He hands out the pink tickets, he likely runs the pink tent, he watches The Fools when they hand out flyers, he has her mirror where he depicts her telling the story. And now, in the frame, he’s the closest to her when the lights try to illuminate what’s left. More on some of these details here.

Even in death he tries to protect her. Preserving her memory and protecting her image. The remnants of what’s left. Sublimating it into the circus almost obsessively.

A blood moon can symbolize the lasting memory and meaning of what’s been lost. Its red glow is more than a warning; it’s a quiet guardian in the sky, keeping watch over what passes.

💧 TT’s Grief & Saudade

Saudade is a Portuguese word that doesn’t have a fully accurate english translation, but it’s best described as “a feeling of sadness and incompleteness, a yearning for something that may not return.” An example being a permanent loss that has lifelong damage. It’s a melancholic lasting presence of love through absence. Where love and sorrow exist together.

A symbol represents a character’s identity. And as I have mentioned many times before, TT’s symbol is a split teardrop—a symbol not only of incompleteness, but of grief itself.

Saudade isn’t just sadness, it can shape a person’s very identity. It can be a longing so profound that it irreversably shapes who a person becomes.

🕊️ Survivor’s Guilt

Let’s look at some facts: She was the “weakest.” Delicate. No claws. Hardly bearing fangs.

Now she’s dead and who’s left as the “weakest” now?

He is.

If he cared for her as deeply as suspected, this leaves perfect opportunity for survivor’s guilt to take root.

What if this reasoning sparked thoughts like, “Why not me?” inside him?

What if, given the chance to turn back time, he could have taken her place? I wouldn’t be surprised if he keeps replaying it in his mind that way.

Those thoughts are tied to a need for control. His way of trying to influence the outcome and cope.

But he can’t. She’s dead and he’s alive. But what can he control now?

How he lives.

Nearly everything he does is for the circus, and by extension, for her. His life isn’t just lived with guilt, but with a permanent longing for her presence.

And I believe he projects this yearning onto Carol. I think he sees many traits of Columbina in Carol or tries to force those qualities, likely exploiting her family issues to lure her into the circus.

He has likely devoted his life to the circus to honor Columbina’s memory, losing a part of himself that day and trying to make up for it through an overwhelming sense of responsibility. This is a clear symptom of survivor’s guilt, along with his emotional withdrawal and need for routine. Routine limits emotional risk, which prevents future loss. He also mentions trust four times in his tent. Perhaps this reflects an obsession that serves as another defense against his guilt.

All in all, his life has become the memorial.

🎭 Ticket Taker & Theatre

TT’s mask looks more theatrical compared to the others; the expressions are more fixed and it appears to be a full-head mask.

We not only see this with his current mask but also with the one he wore in his past.

Also, in a recent AMA, he’s expressed interest in musicals and has listened to opera music 🎵💙 (I’m so glad I asked this one).

Not to mention his forth wall breaks, particularly in the beginning of Day 2 when we make our choices. It’s like a mini puppet show lead by his hand and our word.

When we consider these bits of information, TT is likely related to theatre.

🎪 Ticket Taker is an Actor

TT is not just a ticket taker, businessman, or finance manager: he is an actor. And actors play many roles.

An actor is someone who tries to make you believe something that isn’t real.

This sets the basis for his tent:

“Don’t Trust What Your Eyes See.”

TT’s performance in his tent is an interplay between his roles as actor and audience. He observes us, but he also mimics the other members of the troupe, even adding some symbolism while doing it.

As part of the act, he even mimics Columbina. I’m unsure if his “don’t trust your eyes” bit is supposed to be applicable to her story. The other reflections he creates are accurate (with the exception of some minor costume details). He captures personality well and hypothetical interactions. So maybe her part is an exemption to that line.

What I also see that line insinuating is that we shouldn’t rely solely on one account of the events. Considering that each of them have put up their own walls and have developed their own ways to cope, there are inconsistencies. Biggest example is in Jester’s retelling, he mentions romance. Unlike Harlequin and TT. Instead, we shouldn’t simply trust what we see from them, but rather rely on our own discernment and interpretation.

He might also be telling us not to judge solely based on what they did. Morality evaluates intentions, not just actions. So, in a way, he’s saying, “Don’t judge what was done; there was no choice involved. It was survival.”

So there’s an emphasis on some kind of mistrust, whatever that is.

🌓 Ticket Taker & The Moon 🌗

The moon is the silent observer of events. It’s present, even when obscured by light or darkness. It always watches from a distance, and its visibility is variable.

The moon itself is a mirror. It doesn’t produce its own light but reflects the sun’s light.

The moon is theatre’s mirror. It’s a luminous illusion that uncovers truth exactly because it isn’t real.

Even if theater is fictional, it can reveal real truths about our instincts, society, and emotions through the actors’ various guises.

The moon takes different forms depending on the sun’s reflected light—its spotlight. In a way, it performs with that light. Taking on different masks per each phase or act.

The moon borrows light; the theater borrows life.

Maybe TT is incomplete because he no longer has that light. He no longer has his sun. He’s just a half and needs a whole. Whether that be Columbina, Doctor, or Jester.

In a famous line, Hamlet defines theater:

Act 3, Scene 2

”To hold, as ‘twere, the mirror up to nature.”

Theatre reflects reality. Feelings. Behavior.

And as for Ticket Taker, he is its actor and makes reflections of reality. Light and darkness are very dramatic in his tent. Throughout his performance, he goes from standing in the spotlight to becoming the monster lurking in the dark.

I’ve mentioned this before, but Ticket Taker is Cancerian. Cancer is the only zodiac sign that’s ruled by the moon; most of the others are ruled by planets. The exception being Leo, which is ruled by the sun.

According to astrology, the moon strongly influences many things for Cancerians, from their moods to their emotions and intuition.

I would also like to add that Cancerians are often characterized as having a hard exterior and a soft interior. I believe that this also suits TT’s character well. I will explain this more later.

My amazing mutual @shadow-ren also noticed this little detail about the posters! The moon kinda looks like TT! And look, it’s the closest one to the light! (I actually think that’s kinda what his face looks like).

💵 Parallels with Pantalone (Commedia Dell’arte)

I have made consistent comparisons between Ticket Taker and the Commedia Dell’arte stock character, Pantalone.

I will make some quick comparisons between the two:

The prominent qualities of Pantalone’s character are greed, wealth, and status. One of Ticket Taker’s roles is as finance manager. He’s also assumed to hold a high “rank” in the troupe, managing the circus alongside Jester. TT’s most prominent colors is dark royal blue/midnight blue, which is a regal shade of blue. He also presents what many perceive as a “gentlemanly” front. He also brings a condescending, authoritarian energy to us when we’re in his tent.

Pantalone is also considered the “comic foil” of another stock character named Dottore. Doctor and Ticket Taker show many contrasts that fit these two characters. So much so that I honestly believe they shared an act together at one point.

Pantalone is depicted as an elderly man, oftentimes with a hunched back. He is also short and skinny. TT is the oldest member of the troupe, and his signature bow has often been jokingly attributed to him having back problems or a “hunch.” TT, compared to the other troupe members, is physically smaller in height and physique.

Pantalone has a strong ego and takes pride in his intelligence. He is often described as cunning but also gullible. Ticket Taker is incredibly intelligent. He words things with manipulative intent while maintaining plausible deniability. He creates double meanings in his words and disorients you. That takes strategy and cunning execution.

Now, this is the part of the analysis where I’m going to be ballsy. A big hallmark to the Pantalone character is his gullible nature to his servants and being the “butt of jokes.”

Ticket Taker didn’t seem to be easily fooled by Pierrot when he tried to lie about us. I imagine he can predict the others as well. With the exception of one.

TT is devout to Jester. He would do anything for him and for the circus. His loyalty and respect run deep, yet such devotion also leaves him open to manipulation. I honestly believe that Ticket Taker is being manipulated by Jester. He’s his joke.

Pantalone is the father of one of The Lovers. I believe that Columbina and Ticket Taker may have shared some kind of father-daughter bond (moreso emotional, not biological). It would also make sense if he wanted to keep her apart from them, for her safety.

Now, the final two qualities that characterize Pantalone are holding grudges and emotional extremes. I’ve actually discussed these emotions in an old monster form prediction I had for TT (it’s near the end of the post).

In that post I described a theory that Ticket Taker may hold grudges, possibly against Pierrot or at least Harlequin, particularly because of the events of Columbina’s death.

Also in that post, I talk about TT’s emotional reactivity, most notably when he switches up very fast from “controlled” to aggressive. A clear example is when he uses an emotionally charged word like “despised” to describe those who disobey him, even after we’ve only disobeyed once, only to praise us shortly afterward. That’s emotional turbulence. This can also be a comparison to the “never forgives or forgets, even the smallest things” quality of Pantalone.

🎬 Back to the Frame

Let’s go back to the frame analysis and TT’s positioning to Columbina’s body and the blood moon.

We can interpret his proximity to her corpse as an intensification of his suffering.

Those who stand closest to a tragedy feel the most pain.

People most directly connected to a loss are the most affected.

💧TT & The Red Moon🩸

The event of a blood moon occurs when the Earth’s shadow passes over the moon, darkening it and causing the red wavelengths of sunlight to illuminate it.

One metaphorical interpretation for blood moons are that they give us a chance to self-reflect.

👤 Ticket Taker’s Far Side/Shadow

Just as blood moons allow us to reflect, they also remind us to stay in tune with our shadow selves.

Our shadow self contains our “darker” or “hidden” qualities that we try to repress or prevent others from seeing. An exploration of our shadow self can bring us face-to-face with our suppressed emotional aspects, including rage, shame, and grief.

TT’s mask is half black, or, half-shadowed. That side could symbolize how he might be covering up these shadow aspects, his emotions of grief, pain, and anger.

He’s a character defined by scrutiny, always seeming to have “everything under control.” Yet his mask is literally painted with grief, with the same tears that he shed on that moonless night. His mask is a mirror to his own trauma and inner turmoil.

🌘 His Eclipse

A blood moon can be associated with bloodshed or extreme/traumatic events.

There are multiple ways to interpret why TT’s head is eclipsing most of this moon.

It could symbolize that he is the one bearing the weight of the consequences. Notice how he’s not simply covering the moon; he’s practically merged with most of it. It’s like the guilt and judgment have become a part of him. It’s become who he is. It’s his identity.

Remember: the moon is an observer. And in this frame, the moon is shadowed in red or “covered in blood.” It’s watching. Judging the scene.

They are all being judged.

Another reason why TT may be positioned in front of the moon and in front of the bloodshed is to block it from OUR judgement. From OUR moral take on the scene. He’s not only preserving her image, but also blocking our opportunities to criticize and immoralize their survival. As if it were simple and ours to scrutinize.

TT is THE character defined by grief. Taking into account both his suffering and his theatricality, maybe it’s safe to say that Ticket Taker is the embodiment of tragedy. Carrying her tragedy. And this frame may be representative of that.

🎟️ Final Comments ✨

In my eyes, Ticket Taker’s preference for routine seems less like habit and more like a way of coping with survivor’s guilt. He, as the oldest and now “weakest,” lived when she did not, and that survival haunts him. He compensates for it through his responsibilities in the circus. He does it as a memorial for her and, in a way, takes the identity of it.

The world feels unpredictable and dangerous, so he clings to strict patterns, structure, despises disobedience, and imposes order wherever he can. To him, routine isn’t just comfort. It’s a fragile attempt to control fate. If everything runs as expected, maybe tragedy can be avoided.

His grief twists the way he experiences reality. The mirrors, the mask, the painted teardrop, the looming blood moon; they all reflect his need for predictability. It’s a defense against further loss. He punishes others when they fail to obey, likely as a way to project his fear, self-blame, and control over disorder. An act of prevention.

On the surface, Ticket Taker presents a controlled, hard exterior. Under a professional guise, he masks himself from us and the world. But that mask began to slip when we disobeyed him in his tent. We did so just once, and he mentions “despising” the disobedient, revealing the intense, pent-up emotions he usually keeps buried.

His world is one of fractured perception and rigid order, where grief and the fragile illusion of control do more than shape how he survives. They define who he has become. A truth he wears on his very face.

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I don't know if you'll see it, but I wanted to try tag @nekoboydreams. I drew my mascot, the circus and Neko too. It's not pretty because I'm not an artist (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)... Love from Vietnam

Actually, I didn't want to tag Neko because I know he's busy, and many other people have tagged him already. But I want to give him my art.... HELP 😭

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Warning: Fake blood

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