when you come back to this in a month and,, it looks terrible qwq - - kind of higher quality: https://www.deviantart.com/ferndrift/gallery/79153922/dtae - - The code is a little buggy - no transition for the pagedoll, sorry! I just don't have the time/energy to fix it rn - - entry for Purple Caverns - hope the changes I made to the design are alright, I absolutely adore your characters !! I've named them Melody aha <3 space to go home, click/arrow keys for next piece of art c: good luck to everybody who has entered! - - I was going to do an animation meme n all but I ran outta time :') - - 1. Reference sheet! This should show how I changed the design :3 2. Semi-lineless? icon/bust or headshot hnghghg. Started experimenting with more shading styles here 3. Fullbody! Not too satisfied with this one 4. Least favourite of the lot,, another fullbody ^^; looks a bit weird now 5. Animated pagedoll :D - - credits contest: @thymeskip design: @thymeskip background: @thymeskip art & code: me rip audio: 'this is home' - cavetown thanks to photoshop, procreate, firealpaca and also canva for a couple of things !! - - bio [cont. in notes & credits, may have some typos because I'm tired] - - Name: Melody Age: 16 Gender: Genderfluid Pronouns: Any (mainly using she/her and they/them in the bio for simplicity's sake) SO: Asexual Height: Pretty tall/average Species: Cat/mermaid? hybrid Fav fruit: Pomegranate Fav colour: Yellow - - Personality- Melody is a sucker for a happy ending, even if she doesn't think she'll ever get one. Her creative attitude and friendly demeanour are perfect for socialising and she enjoys hanging out with almost anybody, but her anxiety often pulls her back from interaction. Constantly worrying about others' perception of them, this often puts a strain on their relationnships - in turn causing more distress and worry. They don't think they can keep up with their friends' capabilities and use these thoughts against themselves. Many nights are spent awake fretting about safety, opinions, and the like. She absolutely hates attention being drawn on her for the wrong reasons, and will go to extreme lengths to avoid it. Additionally, Melody despises swimming although she is spectacular at it, because she thinks it draws attention to her tail, which she is ashamed of. Her childhood was spent alone. She grew up without the guidance of a guardian, weaving inbetween places where she didn't belong. This plays a fundamental role in her anxiety as she grows older. Often caught daydreaming, they love to reminisce about escaping the laboratory where they were raised and meeting their friends for the first time. She loves to try new & adventurous things - provided that they are completely safe. While she may not be that ambitious, she's determined to be the best cat? person? she can be. At the end of the day, Melody can't see the powerful love & respect of her many friends that pours out to her. She truly is popular for her great insight, and while she's still scared for the future, with every step she feels a little brigher now.
Backstory- [tw for murder, possession, anxiety, that sort of stuff - this got awfully long, my apologies! skip to the end for a TLDR] Melody was the result of one of Arka Lab's intial major experiments, the first of many hybrids yet to come. The success of her existence was kept quiet, and heavily celebrated among the highest members of the institution - which was later revealed to be headed by Arcade and Nightshade, whose intentions for the place were... dark, to say the least. She spent her childhood without friends, as the only young 'specimen' kept at the lab. Named M-001 by Nightshade in accordance with their naming system, she referred to herself as Melody instead. Eventually, the loneliness and isolation became too much. She was well-fed and cared for, but alone in an overwhelming environment. She simply left the building, walked by its sprawling gardens, and exited through the unguarded gate. Surprised by how easy it was to leave, Melody took her newfound freedom and ran. Over the next few months, she became aware of Arka Lab's motives and met two other cats - Fern & Daisy. They bonded quickly, Melody's anxiety beginning to show as she became ashamed of her tail, thinking it as a trademark of the lab, who had at this point hurt many. As the group grew with the addition of May and Azure, Melody joined them as they began towards Arka Lab, planning to find Fern's sister - Amber, who apparently lived nearby. At this point, unknown to the travelling cats, Amber was being possessed by Nightshade and forced to act as the head of Arka Lab. Only Melody knew that Nightshade and Arcade were the true masterminds, but she thought everybody else knew this - so why tell them? Also kept secret, Nightshade was sister to Fern, having removed herself from Fern's memory back when they were ~11. At this point, the royals of their world have been overthrown by he rebels. The lab has a neutral alignment, and takes advantage of the unruled society, taking charge with nobody able to protest. When the lab attacks a small town they are passing through, Melody defends the town alongside its residents. As Azure falls in the river, Daisy urges Melody to jump in and save her, concluding that since she has a tail designed for swimming, she would be able to save he drowning cat. Melody hesitates, but after a few moments dives in. She is unable to rescue Azure, who is swept downstream and lost to the currents. Melody blames herself for the death of her friend. This pressure is alleviated years in the future, when she discovers that Azure is in fact alive. Following the murder of May (who was a messenger for the lab but worked as a spy against them) by the lab's assassin, she feels guilty - although relieved that the assassin didn't recognise her. She is still wanted by the lab. Atlas, who is only a couple of years older than Melody, joins the group as a winged hybrid - the only true hybrid in this world. He was once captured by the lab, and it was his DNA that was utilised to engineer future hybrids - like Melody. When Fern is forced to cross a bridge without them as it will fall after one crossing, Melody is distraught that she may lose another friend and wishes her a safe return. Following Amber's death, she comforted Fern, quickly getting over her feelings of betrayal that Nightshade was Fern's sister as they have now discovered. Melody now spends her time painting for a living, often visiting her good friends. TLDR; Melody was raised in a lab which she escaped, felt guilty for the supposed death of two of her friends and overall had a very important part in the downfall of Arka Lab.
