@inquisitive-mess wanted me to do a comparison between Cathy and like the one I made with Lina and Isabella, so here it is!
The main difference between sphinx’s and manticores is that sphinx's are smaller and leaner, smaller than real lions in fact. Whereas manticores are bulkier and more muscular, Ann has broader and more exaggerated features than Cathy.
Ann has three rows of teeth, and three sets of canine teeth that stand behind each other
This is the main comparison between sphinx and manticore, Cathy is leaner and slimmer, Whereas Ann is more muscular and has broader arms, shoulders and chest.
The last difference is that Cathy’s forepaws have four digits in total whereas Ann has five. Ann’s claws are also bigger and darker
This pretty much covers all the differences, thanks for reading!
For those who don’t know, manticore Ann can’t talk and can only make noises. She lost her ability during her transformation, so she doesn’t have any way to interact with people. She stumble upon sign language accidentally when she flying around one time in the dark and saw a deaf person moving their hands to talk to a person. She so look into it and discover that she still able to do it ever though she has paws now. She currently learning it herself and hope she can teach someone, so she can finally talk again without any help.
I was planning to do this when I got a little better, but I figure I do it now. I didn’t think a sphinx would fit Ann personality, so I wanted to keep it in the same species as Cathy.
I end up deciding to make her a manticore. Her reason and why it happen is link to her past and how her emotion that she withheld became too much for her and it let out all at once. Her emotion plays a part on how her needles and tail will react to people, if stung/prick by them.
They ask me to draw Sphinx!Cathy comforting Manticore!Ann. I drew Cathy handing Ann her support stuff animal, Vincent, when Ann feel little overwhelmed.
Featuring Will Parr and mention of Juan Trastámara by @weirdbutdecentart100
Monster AU created by @spooner7308
T/W: Hints of Past Abuse and Imply Self-Harm
It was a clear starry night at a park on outskirts of London. A young man was walking through carrying two plastic bags with him on each hand. This has been his daily routine for the last two week when he get off of work. Will had a lot things in his mind due to recent events that happen to him and trying to handle it as anyone in this kind of situation as best as they can. He soon arrived at the bench he been sitting at in those weeks, which was well lit due to the street lantern shining from above and large bush behind it. Normally this isn't great idea for anyone who was outside all alone this late at night to sit somewhere that was easy for anything to happen, but he already knew there wasn't anything worse then what he had been dealing with.
Will place the bags on the bench, unpack one of them, pull out well packed item in paper, and place it at the edge of the bench. He then sat down little further from the package, place other bag on his lap to unpack it, and pull out a bottle drink and a wrapped sandwich. He place his drink next to him, took the wrapper off the sandwich, and start eating it. He take in the silence surrounding him to clear his mind and recollect his thoughts. Of course that ended when he heard little ruckus from the bush behind him which cause him to stop briefly. He already knew the cause of it and seeing that the package was gone when he only moving his head slightly confirmed it. It was Ann, his younger recent new manticore sister.
Will didn't know what going on or how it was happen, but all he know was after seeing Juan as a gargoyle, he try calling Ann to see if she was okay. After multiple attempts of no response, he went to her home and work to see she was there with no luck. He spent two days looking for her all over the city and found no clue on where she was. He started to think the worst may have happen and have lost her forever. This is when he decided to sit on large rock in local small park and look up at the sky trying to clear his mind. He soon saw a large figures flying over him from a distance and him being curious on what it was decided to follow hoping it would lead him to some answers. He follow figure until he end up in a open field far from the city where he lost it. He look around to see if he can find it, but he saw nothing until he heard something close by. He slowly walk to the source and saw what it was.
A large feline creature laying on the grass with their eyes closed and ears listening to sound surrounding it. This of course scared him and he started to step back quietly, so he doesn't alarm it. As he was withdrawing, he accidentally tripped on a raised tree root from a nearby stump, which cause him to fall and made a sound. This alert the creature as Will watch it got up on their feet, turn toward him revealing their piercing green eyes, and was walking to him. Will was freaking out and try to get up, but his ankle stung a bit. When the creature got close to Will, it open their mouth showing him it fangs and Will knew it was over for him. He closed his eyes and wait for the attack to end his life, but it didn't come. He heard a sad moan, which cause him open his eyes, saw the creature had stop near him, was in tears, and shivering. He was confused by this and didn't know what was going on until he noticed it was scared. Out of instinct, he raised one of his arms and try to pet it, but it took a step back when his arm got close to it and tense up even more. Will then took a good look the creature and realized that this was Ann.
After learning this, Will try talking to her, but she didn't reply back. He soon discovered that she can't talk anymore after asking some yes and no questions. He even asked what cause it, but Ann looked down to the ground while she shake a bit and Will learn that this may a sensitive subject to her, so he didn't push it further. Since then he try to get use to Ann new form, but was having some differences. He know she still the same person and hasn't done anything to change that, but he can't get over the fact that she was this dangerous being and could attack or kill him. He witness how she ate her food first time he brought her some, which he though it was cute at first when she got in a certain position and was pretending to stalk it before the horror came when he saw her attack it and shallow it whole leaving nothing behind. He almost dealt with a random needle hitting him when he accidentally surprised her. Luckily, Ann was able to use her tail to move him before the needle touch him. Ann felt bad after this incident and Will learn why Ann was always hesitate whenever he gets to pet her. Will took these things into consideration and thought he was able to overcome this, until a few days ago where Ann stop showing herself and stay hidden in the bush throughout the visits. He didn't know why she was doing this and it was bothering him. He want this to stop and would like to know what's on Ann mind, so he can finally understand her and be a good brother to her. Will plan to talk to Ann to tell her how he feels and maybe learn the reason behind her evasion.
What Will didn't know is that Ann had been able sense his emotion ever since their first meeting. She knows whenever he felt stressed, scared, worried, and happy. She can tell Will was trying accepting this and understanding it, but Ann know what Will really want and she can't do that. As soon she ate her first meal with Will and saw the look of horror on his eyes, she knew the truth. She then try to be careful around him, so she gives him time to get use to it, but after the needle incident, she knew how impossible it would be. This is why she start to be distant with Will. She doesn't want him to worry about her, become a burden to him, and be force accepting this. She also knows that Will on the verge of fearing her and would leave her completely. All would it take is for him see Ann do something that would endanger his life or him to realize that Ann isn't there anymore. What doesn't help either is that she have this whisper that keeps on telling her on how Will fear her, how she was this horrible person, and how Will would be glad to leave her.
Will finish his sandwich and took a sip of his drink. He knew it was time for him to talk to Ann, so he got up, threw his trash away, walk around the bench to the large bush Ann was hiding, and said calmly " Ann, can you come out of there please? We need to talk." After few minutes pass by, Ann emerge from the bush with a light gray sleeveless sweatshirt and stand in front of Will. Ann's eyes were not looking at Will and she was shaking a little. She had a feeling that today was the day Will is going to tell her that he doesn't want nothing do with her and abandon her, like what she fear would happen. Will notice Ann wasn't looking at him and ask her " Please Ann, this is very important what I'm going to tell you." Ann moved her eyes to look at Will, which made her more nervous because she wasn't ready for this. The whisper soon begin, " Looks like he done dealing with you. Maybe if you were normal and not this horrible person, maybe he won't throw you away." Ann try to ignore it, but knew they were speaking the truth. Will clear his throat and try to overcome his nerves on talking to Ann. Ann sense Will currently mood, which proved that this was it. It's going to happen. " Times up for you. Say goodbye to first people who care for you. You nuisance." The whisper was telling her, which started to affect her now and trembling badly. Will finally said " Ann, there something I have to..." This is when he saw Ann stressing out and went up to her. Will place his hand on her shoulder and ask " What's wrong Ann? Are you okay?" Ann wasn't able to hear Will due the whisper drowning his words " I guess I was right. You truly are worthless piece of....." Before whisper could finish, Ann yell "Shut up" not realizing that she said it out loud, which resulted her letting out a mighty roar.
This scary the crap out Will, which cause him to withdraw his hand from Ann and made him falling onto ground landing on his butt. Once Ann got done yelling, she closed her mouth and didn't hear the whisper anymore. She was relieved about it, until she sense uneasy emotion coming from Will that cause her to look at him and her heart sank. What she saw wasn't her brother, but a frightened person who had fear in their eyes. Someone who fear for their life and saw her as not a person, but a monster. After seeing this, Ann turn away from Will and knew what she had do. She need to stay away from Will to free him from this burden and lock herself somewhere she can't scare or hurt anyone anymore. She looked at Will one last time with sadness before running away from him, spread her wings out, and flew away from the area.
Will only can watch as she saw his sister with regret and sadness in her eyes before flying away to the unknown. After he recovered from shock, he tighten one of his fist and slam it to the ground. This wasn't part of the plan and he was beating himself for it. He hate how he just stand there like an idiot for letting Ann run away knowing something was wrong with her and didn't mean to roar at him. He need to find her and help her with she is dealing with like how big brother suppose to do. He failed her once in his life and doesn't want to lose her again, so he got up from the ground, head to where she ran, and start looking for her. He didn't know where she would be, but he had a feel that she would head somewhere she feels safe.
Ann soon land in the backyard of her house. She was lucky that she bought a house a little away from the city and had large yard. It would be hard to explain that a manticore was roaming around the area. She head to her house and went through the custom window she had build for herself that led into the basement. Once she was inside her basement, her eyes adjusted to darkness and walk up the stair that leads into the sitting room with a lot in her mind. She blame herself for what happen and ruin the relationship she had with her brother. She walk past boxes and stacks of books on the table she though would help her ease Will, but looks it will go to vein. She then head up another flight of stairs and went to her room to hide. Her room was bare as it could be. It only had a bed, bedside table, chest of drawers, and a bookcase. She wasn't the kind person who had a lot of stuff due to past experiences on how she was raised in current time. She walk up to her bedside table and look at the picture frame that was on it. It was a picture of her and Will at her graduation. This was one of the best days and one of the happiest memories she had. She soon started crying as she stare at it because it hurts her so bad knowing nothing changed. She thought her life was going to get better and be able to enjoy her new life, but her past mistakes mess things up for her and transform her to who she truly was.
The whisper soon returned " You know this was bound to happen. Once he saw how horrible of a person you are, he was going to abandon and hate you. Just like others had and matter of time until you be all alone again and be forgotten. Like you supposed to be." Ann didn't even fight it and let it sink in, because it was the truth. The whisper continues " And what makes it worse is that you play Will along making him think he still has his little sister, but the fact is she's gone and only the monster exist. They don't call manticore 'man-eaters' for nothing. I won't got past you if had thoughts on eating him, since that's what they do. Lie and kill people." Ann blood ran cold when she heard this and questioned herself. Would she done that? Would she go that far to kill and eat Will like he was another meal to her? Is she that horrible of a person? All this thoughts were hurting her deeply that it cause her to bump the table as she turn around knocking the picture frame off the table on to the ground and crack the glass on it. Once she realized what happen and done, she head to nearby corner, sat down on the ground, curled herself up as she closed her eyes, and let herself get swallow in her own sorrow and pain of being alone again.
Will soon arrive he thinks Ann would be at, since he knows there wasn't many places she would go to. He walk up to the door to her house and knock on it hoping she would answer. When she didn't, he sigh and should of known better she wouldn't answer. It wasn't going to be that easy. He decide to walk around her house and hope he can find a way to get inside. He discovered a little large window close to the ground that was slightly open and went to it. After some close inspection on the window it, he concluded that this must be how Ann gets in and out of the house and proved that she was here. He decide to go through it, so he open the door to the window and slide inside as he held it. Once inside, he turn on his light on his phone, saw he was at the basement, and head up the stair to the sitting room to see if Ann was there. He looked around and didn't see her, but something caught his eyes on the table. He walk to the it, pick up the books on it, and notice some of the titles on it. Like 'Mythical and Fantasy Creatures' with bookmark on manticore, 'Human Behavior', and 'Animal Anatomy'. He was confused by these books, put them back on the table, and head to another room. As he walk in each room using light on his phone, he notices boxes with a weird cloth that cover something, sharp metal tools, and some rope, saw broken metal pieces on the floor in the dining room, and scratches and dents on the walls in a hallway. This made him wonder what Ann was doing and what's really going on here.
He soon found the other flight of stairs and walk up it knowing that there wasn't many places left to check. As he walking on the top level of the house, he heard a faint noise coming from a certain room coming up and head to it with caution. He soon got to the room, slowly open the door, walk inside it, and used his light look around. He notice how little stuff was in this room and made him remember how Ann used to be when they first met. He always want to ask Ann about her time here with her new life, but decide to wait until she was ready to tell him about it. He only knew what he saw and heard from the former owner of the shop that Ann owns now, which was little. He soon saw a frame on the floor, which Will walk to, pick it up, and saw it was cracked a little, but still could see the picture of him and Ann. This made him smile a little when he saw this because it made him glad that he was there for her. He then place it back on the table facing up and was ready look around more when he heard a familiar moan nearby that cause him to turn to the noise and found the person he was looking for in a corner all curled up, looking sad, and using her wings and tail to cover her body.
This hurt Will when he saw Ann like this because she look like one of those cage animals who looks so helpless and accepted their fate. He though to himself as he walking to her " Ann...." He slowly try to comfort her by putting his hand on her, but Ann's ears moved when she heard Will approaching and needles spout out all over her, which he avoid touching by pulling back in time. Ann's needles soon retract back into her body, steadily open one of her eyes to see who was here, and saw it was Will. If Ann was in the right state in mind, she would have been trilled to see Will, since it would show her that he did care for her. But as it stands now, this only Ann feel worse knowing that she only endanger Will the longer she interacts with him. Ann moved her eyes to look at the ground and thought to herself " Please leave, Will. You don't deserve to get more hurt than you already have. I don't want to continue burdening you." Will notice Ann looking at him before turning her eyes to the ground and could see the grief she was. This was killing him, since he couldn't understand Ann and didn't know what was going on. He though to himself "If only there was a way to cheer her up a little, so I can learn what is going on with her." Then he had idea what he can do and got started on it.
He headed out the room, which Ann heard and though he finally left, until he came back a few minutes later. He sat down in good distance across from her as he crossed his legs, place Vincent on his lap, scrolled through something on his phone, until he found it, and tap on it. Ann's ears perk up when heard this and made her cry a little in a good way. This was a song from the musical Will took her on the night of her graduation, which was a surprised for her and was her first musical. Will saw Ann's reaction and they both continue to listen to it. After the song was done, Will turn his phone off and started talking " Do you want know something, Ann? I wasn't interested on going to see that show, but after seeing you at the shop and how you looked so defeated, I knew I had to do something. I know how it feels to be so alone, especially when we got reincarnated to a new time and how life can beat you up time to time." He looked at Ann and told her " I may not know what happen to you during your time here up to our meeting and why you transform into what you are now, but I'm sorry that I haven't been a good brother to you. I know in the past, we weren't really in good term per say, but when I met you again in the current time, I knew this was my chance to do that. I though I was doing a good job, since I already know what you been through in the past. But when I saw you in your new form, I though I failed you due to how scare you were when I saw you. " Will took a deep breath, pick up Vincent to place him little closer to Ann, and continue "I been trying best to accept this, which has been a little hard to tell you the truth. At first, I couldn't look pass the being you become due to how easy for you to kill something and threatening you got thanks to additional feature you gained, which scared me a bit. But overtime, it became more easier to do, since I know you were same person despite all that. I felt like I was able to do this, then you started to put some distance between us and I didn't know why, which made me think I did something wrong, like not accepting you soon or did something to hate me. That what I want to ask you when we were at the park. I would like to know if it was something I do to fix this and a way for me to do that."
Once Will was done talking, Ann took in everything he had said and felt what he was feeling. This hurt her knowing that he blame himself for being a bad brother and thinking it was his fault why she been acting like this. Ann need to tell him the truth, so he knows what was really going on. So she got up on her feet, grab Vincent by her mouth, and carry him as she walk out of the room to head to another room. Will got curious on what she was doing, so he got up and follow her after her. When he got the room where Ann was, she already had keyboard in front her, Vincent right beside her, and monitor behind her on the computer desk turn on. Will look confuse by this and wondering what Ann planning, until he saw her move tail and begin typing with it on the keyboard, which cause him to look at the monitor and saw the words appearing on the screen. This surprise him because he didn't think he would finally have a way to communicate with her and how creative she was to figure this out. He focus back to the screen and begin reading what she wrote.
" Will, I don't blame you for anything. You did nothing wrong and been a great big brother to me. You did a lot for me and I appreciate for all you done." Will smiled a bit as he read this and Ann continue " You been patience with me and help me out in ways you can't imagine. I wish I was a good sibling to you like you been for me and be able to pay you back for it, but I know that not going to happen.." Ann tighten her paws a little and wrote " Thanks to what I have become revealing who I truly am and how I cause nothing, but pain and trouble to people." Will was shock when he saw this and didn't know why Ann though this. Ann started to shake a little and resume " I been able to sense your feeling ever since our first meeting due to new instincts I developed, so I could tell what mood you were in. I knew how scare and angry you were when you first saw me, what you felt when we had our first meal together, when my needle almost hit you, and the fear you had when I roar at you." Ann look at Will in the eyes with sadness and typed " I'm so sorry Will. I'm sorry that transform to this creature and not your human sister anymore. I try really hard to act normal around you to give you time to get use to my new form, because I knew you were scared of me and I know that what you wanted. That why I try to teach myself eat with utensil again, but I kept on breaking them by biting them off or in half with my paws. Then I try walking on two legs, but I fell every time and hurt myself doing so. I even try read books to help me out, but that didn't work either. I also wanted you to be more safe around me and was ready to do something for that." Ann start to tear up and went on writing " After the needle incident, I knew I what had to do, so that when I started to be distance with you. I didn't want to burden you anymore or think you have to accept this because we're family. I wanted you to enjoy your new life and fulfill your dream on being a songwriter, like you plan to be and told me. What happen earlier proved to me what you truly want and how I won't ever be that sister you see. Just a monster in your eyes" When she was done, she push the keyboard away from her showing she finish talking, look down, grab Vincent with her paw closer to her hugging it on her side, and wait for Will see the truth, so he can leave her. Like she knew would happen.
Will just stand there reading this and couldn't believe what he had just read. Is this how Ann saw things every time they were together? What she though he wanted due to it? How she thinks he saw her as nothing, but this ferocious monster? This hurt him deeply knowing Ann felt like this way and what she was going through just for him. What made him curious on what she meant by wanted to be more safer around him, until he remember the boxes with stuff inside them. He list the items in them in his head and wonder how would that help. Then he though about the books and how one was about manticore and the other about anatomy. After some thinking, he finally realize what she meant and it horrified him completely. In fact, it downright killing him inside finding out how far she was willing to go just to satisfy him and making sure she doesn't hurt him anymore. His hands started to shaking thinking about it and he rush to her.
He grab one of her shoulder, which result her freaking out, having a needle shooting out of her, and him getting hit by it directly, but he didn't care about that. He look at her dead in the eye and told her in serious tone " Listen to me very well, Ann. I don't blame you for what happen and how you turn into what you are now. I would still care for you and love you no matter what. I don't want you to ever think that I would wanted you to harm yourself just make me happy. It's true that there were times I wish things were back to what it use to be, but I rather deal with a large cat who scare me a little than losing you again." He started to feel the numbness running through this body and spoke some more " I'm sorry that I haven't been telling you personally how I feel, rather you guessing what they were. I don't see you as a monster at all, nor I will never will. As I say earlier, I already know you're the same person and the fact that you care so much about my safely and willing to push yourself to the point where you hurt yourself proved that you are still that same person I remember and love to call my sister." The numbness soon took over his body, knock him out, and begin to fall to the ground, but Ann was able to catch him with his paws and gently place him on the ground. Ann smile in her head and though to herself when she heard what had said "Thank you, Will. I need to hear that" Ann took the needle out of Will, which she got rid of, lay down near Will as she rest her head on her paws and begin humming a familiar tune as she wait for paralysis to wear out. She was very glad to have someone like him here to help her with her thoughts and very proud to call him brother.
What Ann didn't know was that as Will was knock out, he was able heard Ann's humming and it reach into his dream, which cause it become something light and heartwarming. His dream involved him and Ann in her manticore form on a open field, where he was comforting her by petting her to make her feel relaxed. He plan to do this once he wakes up, so she would feel better about herself and to show her how much he is happy to have a sister like her, despite being human or not, which didn't bother him one bit. Not any more.
I finally was able to do her in color. Sorry for the wait. I plan to do this earlier, but I got sidetrack with other things.(Getting ready for the holiday, life, and etc.) I can said i’m glad how she turn out. It’s one of my better work.
