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Sand-Josieph In reply to Gnorian [2014-09-16 01:33:44 +0000 UTC]

That's actually a fairly close representation of how I imagined Cat's thought process. It's why I'm not exactly a fan of some of the fan interpretations of her being just a crazy clown and pretty much why I had PKEmi sing the way she did for the song: A bit of sweet, a bit of sensual but underlined by a tinge of loneliness and mental instability. ^^

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Gnorian In reply to Sand-Josieph [2014-09-16 04:30:58 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, you and PKEmi did an amazing job of portraying Cat. When I see the interpretations depicting Cat as a plain psychopath, I think "Did you not hear the song? Not just listen to it, but hear the emotion's in Cat's voice?" It's such that despite how wicked she is and how much she terrifies you, even as you cheer for the Mane Six, you feel bad for Cat. That's why her character is the best fiction in the fandom.


Here's one flash of an idea I had for her cat obsession. Someone had a stray cat cause an accident which killed her groom, but that seemed too random or contrite to me. What if instead, she and her groom/family/etc. were going to ride the Ferris Wheel or something like that, but she got out at the last moment because of a cat? Her cat who didn't want to join the ride, and so panicked and flesh from CC's grasp. CC left to find her cat among the crowd, telling the others to go on without her. They decided they'd have one rotation on the Ferris Wheel as they waited. As CC looked for her cat, she looked up to see the accident, which claimed the life of her beloved. There might have been other deaths too... she didn't notice.

In the asylum, she asked herself repeatedly why she wasn't there instead, why she was selfish and didn't die with him. She kept blaming herself for it, for everything. The doctors tried to assure her it wasn't her fault, her parents tried to console her. "Its all the fault of that cat!" they said.
"Where is that cat, who ruined my wedding...?" CC asked them. They had no answer, as no one had ever found the cat. She looked up at them, smiled through her tears as if realizing something funny, and said, "I am the Wedding Cat that abandoned her groom, who left for the Carnival as he met his doom. I am that Carnival Cat."

At first, she might have been joking. Soon, that seemed to be what defined her... new self. From her standoffish, reclusive state of before, she gained a new Carnival-inspired flair, a flirtatiousness, daring and lack of compassion she associated with cats. The doctors said her new persona was a defence mechanism, an attempt to subvert trauma by reacting in the opposite direction. She later escaped into the Everfree, leaping out of a high window and landing with the grace of a cat. They never found her.

By the time her carnival was set up, she had taken the name Carnival Cat (or perhaps was given it by Sludge).


That's my idea based off your fanfic and some of the other interpretations I've heard. I hope it was interesting to read.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to Gnorian [2014-09-16 05:00:50 +0000 UTC]

It was definitely a fun read! ^_^

Though I should note that future parts of my fanfic (if I ever get to writing them) are actually exploring the possibility that Cat's puppet was created from the souls of three separate individuals but all three lives were connected in some fashion. It all ties in with the little filly that stole Jewel's hair clip. It's not set in stone and I tend to like trolling my fans so don't take it at face value.  

What I can say is that Cat's Carnival isn't actually a carnival at all: It's actually a theme park that was built in the heart of the Everfree Forest by Sludge who was lonely and wanted some company. A disaster happened and when the three survivors returned in grief she accidentally absorbed them into her being. ... And I totally did not make that up right this moment! ^^'

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Gnorian In reply to Sand-Josieph [2014-09-16 15:27:22 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it (I didn't expect my overly simple synopsis pieces to be very enjoyable).

Working with three backstories has its pros. It can work as a surprise twist, which makes it good for trolling fans. It can be used to pad out content or make a situation more complex. It can be used to justify unusual behaviour in a character as a sort of split-personality disorder. It gives you three shots at getting your audience invested in a backstory, but weakens the effect of them all individually and can weaken the character's theme.

Well, everything seen in Catherine's park could be transported if set up for it, even the Catherine Coaster. I figure that once Catherine ran out of victims around Everfree, she would have soon moved the park? Had thought that's why she called it a carnival.

I'd thought Sludge took up residence in an abandoned theme park? I could imagine her building a puppet theatre, just not sure where she'd get the themepark obsession, as that seems more Cat's dig than Sludge's (of course, you know more about Sludge than others).

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Sand-Josieph In reply to Gnorian [2014-09-16 19:58:55 +0000 UTC]

I'm probably not going to stick with the three victims thingie and will probably have what some of the old stallion say be inaccurate. Like how the Cat was saying "I was betrayed" will probably be discovered as one of those inaccuracies when the view point narrator visits the Ponyville Hospital.

The whole thing about the theme park being called a carnival is something of a running joke throughout the story. Just like how Cat thinks she's a cat and Sludge's rather playful behavior. The fun part for me is giving those running gags a legitimate reason to be used.

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Gnorian In reply to Sand-Josieph [2014-09-17 10:23:53 +0000 UTC]

It's always interesting when some of the details turn out to be amiss. Will be eager to see how you weave it together, when you decide to continue the story.

Even if the reason is a joke, it's probably important to have some basis for why Cat considers herself a Carnival Cat. The elements are pretty thematic to the character. Of course, a carefree and silly reason could be used to emphasize her carefree nature, if done correctly.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to Lordoffantasy [2014-05-13 22:21:18 +0000 UTC]

The way I usually explain her existence is that she's "a lonely, lustful specter of the Everfree Forest". She usually goes after stallions though if a foal comes across her Carnival she'll probably take them in as well. Cat prefers to ensnare her victims in her world with promises of happiness and love while she devours their heart, hence her Cutie Mark.

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Lordoffantasy In reply to Sand-Josieph [2014-05-13 22:40:58 +0000 UTC]

so more ghostly being and less cupcakes?

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Sand-Josieph In reply to Lordoffantasy [2014-05-14 00:58:35 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, she was more or less a victim of a tragic accident at a wedding being held in the Everfree Amusement Park that ended up killing her groom. She went insane and later died of a broken heart. Now she's pretty much a spirit waiting to say the wedding vows she never got to say and latches onto any stallion that comes her way.

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Lordoffantasy In reply to Sand-Josieph [2014-05-14 01:13:40 +0000 UTC]

entrapping pones in her carnival. a more abstract threat than just gutting people.
what happens to her victims though? does she turn them into something of use to her dmeonic carnival?

also found this character through that anmiatic.............. when will that animation ever be done?

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Sand-Josieph In reply to Lordoffantasy [2014-05-14 02:21:02 +0000 UTC]

Most of her victims are absorbed into her minion Sludge who then uses their souls as cute little hand puppets. Others become the "animatronics" for her rides.

As far as the animation is concerned, I've finally got myself an animation program but I have some rather ambitious plans for the thing and I'm going to need some getting used to the program before I can really start.

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Lordoffantasy In reply to Sand-Josieph [2014-05-14 06:43:00 +0000 UTC]

.....here is an idea/suggestion. what if Sludge captures theri souls once they are weakned, and their empty vessels are changed into 'animatronics' for use? be more efficient i think. with each soul, they grow stronger and get a new minion.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to Lordoffantasy [2014-05-14 08:32:38 +0000 UTC]

That's basically how I originally envisioned them. ^_^

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Lordoffantasy In reply to Sand-Josieph [2014-05-14 02:49:18 +0000 UTC]

definitely creepy........ though not beyond saving either. thoguh the question is how do you stop a ghost........ well except for those elements of harmony.

hope to see something, someday.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to 069x-ray [2013-12-29 07:26:05 +0000 UTC]

Ooh, which back story did you read? Because the fandom has created several. And thanks!

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069x-ray In reply to Sand-Josieph [2013-12-29 08:22:34 +0000 UTC]

To tell you the truth, the first time I saw and figured out what she was, she almost came off to me as an evil ghost of some kind, like Ludwig Von Tokentakker in the 1997 Midway light shooter arcade game CarnEvil!

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Sand-Josieph In reply to 069x-ray [2013-12-29 21:29:21 +0000 UTC]

That is definitely true, though the character Carnival Cat is based on I actually created long before I even knew about CarnEvil.

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069x-ray In reply to Sand-Josieph [2013-12-29 08:16:13 +0000 UTC]

the one about Catherine being a runaway rich mare who lost everything and was driven insane after her coltfriend was killed in a Ferris wheel accident caused by a stray cat.... ah yes, this one: mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-ch…

also very disturbing how she's described to have created her oil pony colleague, Sludge. But cool at the same time!

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Sand-Josieph In reply to 069x-ray [2013-12-29 21:31:52 +0000 UTC]

Hehe...

There is one fan theory that suggests that Cat is actually the creation of Sludge, rather than the other way around! But yes, most theories have the Cat as the victim of a tragic wedding accident that happened at a carnival in the Everfree.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to rigifan32 [2013-09-02 15:24:38 +0000 UTC]

OK! ^^

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Sand-Josieph In reply to MyLittlePrimo [2013-04-01 17:20:09 +0000 UTC]

Awesome! Though I do kinda sorta like the latter designs better. Mostly because they seem more along the lines of a proper unnerving temptress than this one.

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MyLittlePrimo In reply to Sand-Josieph [2013-04-01 21:17:18 +0000 UTC]

Surely, but as you make more drawings of her, they should get better. Take it from me.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to phantomboy97 [2013-02-08 05:24:00 +0000 UTC]

Be my guest! ^_^

It would be interesting to see a human version of the Cat.

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phantomboy97 In reply to Sand-Josieph [2013-02-09 03:39:05 +0000 UTC]

Challenge accepted then. I'll make a gmod character of her AND a human version of her.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to PenadoxBlackmoon [2013-02-06 01:50:23 +0000 UTC]

That sludge pony is Sludge. Neither of the characters has a proper name. They are known simply as Sludge and the Carnival Cat.

And yes, you have my permission to draw the Carnival Cat. Though you might want to use one of my more recent pictures of the Cat ([link] ) for your reference picture.

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PenadoxBlackmoon In reply to Sand-Josieph [2013-02-06 02:15:34 +0000 UTC]

groovy, thanks! i'll link u when I finish

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Sand-Josieph In reply to Mickau [2013-01-24 02:38:20 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! She's actually been in the works for nearly twenty years as she was originally a humanoid character rather than a pony. It's funny how after all these years ponies are what it took for her to see the light of day. ^_^

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Mickau In reply to Sand-Josieph [2013-01-24 03:28:24 +0000 UTC]

twenty years!
WOW thats close
to my age and i,m 21
to work so hard on somthing
not meany people can do this

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Sand-Josieph In reply to CaptShowtime [2012-07-20 19:23:42 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! ^^

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CaptShowtime In reply to Sand-Josieph [2012-07-22 08:36:53 +0000 UTC]

are you going to keep this design for the halloween project?

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Sand-Josieph In reply to CaptShowtime [2012-07-22 22:08:43 +0000 UTC]

We're going to probably tone down some of her details so she doesn't look like a "Stoner" as the lead singer put it. XD

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CaptShowtime In reply to Sand-Josieph [2012-07-22 23:52:14 +0000 UTC]

really? aw...I love this design! Especially her coloring and outfit! oh and especially her eyes!!!! but i bet you'll come up with something awesome.

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Sand-Josieph In reply to CaptShowtime [2012-07-23 00:43:14 +0000 UTC]

Don't worry, it'll be awesome!

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CaptShowtime In reply to Sand-Josieph [2012-07-23 22:59:45 +0000 UTC]

omg i cant wait i'm actually in the process of my audition vid! oh and by the way im showtimeandcoal on youtube ^-^

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