Character art by SpartaDog

Notes For Commissioned Artists

Attention to detail gets you everywhere with me! <3

• Cisgender Male (he/him)
• Spots don't have to be precise, but at least keep them in the same general locations
• Tail end is completely black
• Usually wears hair half-braided and half straightened as pictured
• NSFW ref and details

Personality

• If given free reign, Mikhail is an enthusiastic entertainer. He is not exactly the most happy-go-lucky person, but he does his best to make people around him comfortable and happy. He overcomes his shyness through entertaining, whether through contortion, dance, acting, or, less frequently, humor.

Loves

• Penelope
• Contortion
• Entertaining
• Games (video, board, role playing), especially with friends
• Wide open spaces and fields
• Sprinting
• Intimacy
• Learning through experience
• Rainstorms
• Soccer
• Amphibians
• His family

Likes

• Performing
• Participating/helping Penelope with her 'witchy stuff'
• Travelling/visiting different places
• Being around people
• Trying all different types of foods
• Exotic herbs and spices
• Very spicy foods
• 'Prey' species
• Honey
• Mead
• Arthropods

Dislikes

• Feeling awkward/out of place
• Being insulted
• Belligerent people
• Transphobic people
• Bigoted people in general
• Peanutbutter
• Most condiments
• Lions

Hates

• Being made a fool
• Standing up for someone only to find out they were in the wrong
• Bullies
• Doing math on paper
• Itchiness
• Botflies
• Droughts

Character Information

Deep in the savannas of Mikhail's home, droughts were not only common, but a yearly event. Most creatures that live there have adapted to this, becoming resilient and able to travel long distances on very small amounts of energy or even hiding in mud, surrounded by a mucous membrane until the spring returns, essentially hibernating. Mikhail was a cheetah. Cheetah's didn't really have either of those adaptations. His parents and siblings always told him he was overreacting, but Mikhail just simply couldn't handle the hot, dry summers. That's why, the moment he was able, he packed up his meager belongings and moved across the world to the mostly-temperate and humid Melodia City.

At just sixteen, it was not going to be easy for him, but he didn't care. His family was definitely not what you would call rich, so Mikhail had to find odd jobs and perform where he could for tips in order to even get the plane ticket to get there, but he did it.

His head was full of grand ideas about how Melodia City worked, thinking that his talents and flexibility would land him work easily. He was, sadly, mistaken. The city was surprisingly bright and full of all kinds of green plant life from what he was expecting, though. Mikhail struggled to find employment and even a place to stay, ending up spending a lot of time sleeping outdoors. After a few months of unemployment and doing street performances to just make enough tips to even get food, he finally landed a part in a performance for a smaller theatre.

He was with them for a short while, but always was nervous and could tell by how… empty the theatre was during shows that they were not doing well. He wasn't sure why, since the performances were all top-notch. Or so he thought. His own parts went well, but he ended up seeing a recording someone had made of one performance, and immediately recognized the reason their acts were not that popular. The chemistry of the performers was just not there. Everyone performed their functions near-flawlessly, but they all looked like they were in separate universes, each performer creating this imaginary bubble around them to keep the others out. It ended up making the theatre unable to continue operations. Mikhail had finally started making money and got an apartment, but had to leave it only a few months after getting it.

And so homelessness became his reality again. He wasn't able to save any money, since even his tiny single-room apartment was expensive to live in, which meant he couldn't even afford to travel home, which he was desperately missing at this point. For several months, he performed on the streets, gathering meager tips that he was able to eat with, but not much else. He was lucky enough to find a pool with free shower access to keep himself clean, but he disliked using it without paying the membership fee, even if he wasn't going to be swimming. It wasn't terribly expensive, but he didn't really make enough all the time to keep payments up.

One day, while entertaining a rather small crowd during a heavy traffic time, he was in the middle of a performance when a rather large and beautiful cow woman suddenly joined him and started twisting her body up in interesting ways to go along with the music. She looked very excited about someone else being as flexible as she was, and her excitement, plus the excitement of the crowd already there, garnered him exponentially more tips than usual. Once the show was over, Mikhail thanked the woman and offered her half of his earnings, only fair for her help, but she refused. It was enough to get him a flight back home. But… Suddenly he no longer felt homesick.

He had a nice long chat with his new, fast friend and before he knew it, the lovely bovine, named Penelope Lavandula, was offering the spare room of her home to him. He wasn't really in a position to refuse such an offer, but nearly did anyway. Penelope was not having his objections, though. And the way she chatted with, and looked at, the bird that was perched on her shoulder seemed to tell him that he wasn't going to be able to refuse. There was something magical about her and her avian companion.

When they got back from the city, arriving at the Lavender Milk Potion Emporium, he learned that it was indeed magical. She was a witch. Her avian companion, self proclaimed 'Grand High Empress Lady Adrasteia', was her magical familiar, and along with her aunt June and her chiropteran familiar, they owned and ran the shop. Mikhail had many questions, which both Aunt June and Penelope found quite amusing. They attempted to teach him about magic and introduce him to other forms of spellcraft, but he was unable. It was not for lack of trying, though. Mikhail just seemed to be the opposite of magical. His spirit, according to an oracle they went to see, was so grounded to the mundane that he actually cancelled out all magic around him. This news was unexpected, but not exactly unwelcome. Mikhail's interest was more in the witch herself than the actual magic.

Penelope and he were fast friends, hanging out and playing games, watching movies and shows, and doing several other fun activities when they weren't busy. Mikhail did end up helping her with her magics and spells, but he was used as a sort of anchor when performing dangerous or powerful magic. All they would need to do if things got out of hand was to touch him and it would instantly stabilize. He thought it was rather strange seeing Penelope and other witches looking like they were struggling or straining, but seeing none of what caused it.

While Mikhail was staying with them, he helped out around the shop to make a small allowance and to pay for his room and board. Aunt June told him that he didn't have to, as long as he was still looking for work, but he didn't feel right staying for free. He kept an ear to the ground and his eyes open for any opportunities for work. Often times the opportunities he did find didn't need him or were too far for him to be able to reach out in time, so he remained without work for quite a while.

Mikhail was attracted to Penelope, but was a bit shy about it, unlike her. He'd get really embarrassed and decline her advances, but only because he was not used to being hit on. He had also never met a transgender person before, and after cuddling with her on the couch a few times while watching something on the tele, he could feel that there was something more to her. He was actually quite pissed at himself for being that way, since he was always scoffing at people that made derogatory comments or treated people in the GSRM community differently, yet there he treating her differently.

It didn't take him long to open up, especially after Penelope walked in on him once while he was relieving some pent up tension, and the two of them quickly became lovers. Their relationship was not something that they set in stone or hammered out details for, since Mikhail had just recently been scouted for a place in the 'Cirque du Lune Gibbeuse' circus troupe and wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but it was clear that they both cared deeply for each other.

It wasn't long after that Penelope's aunt, June, passed away. It was very sudden, her passing only a couple days after getting violently ill. Penelope told him it had something to do with 'her condition' whatever that meant. When he asked, she said it was a magic thing and that he shouldn't worry. It was obvious that she was trying to convince herself more than him. He did his best to comfort her and be with her, but he was leaving to perform with the new troupe soon. By the time he left, though, he felt sure that Penelope was going to be okay. It was hard, but if he didn't go, it was probably going to be years before he got another opportunity like it.

Even while he was gone, the two of them were in contact frequently. Penelope would take trips out to see his shows and the two of them would spend the nights together, when time permitted. Mikhail ended up having a fit of jealousy when Penelope told him about an intimate encounter she had with another person, but after talking with her about it at length, the two of them decided to officially be in a relationship. An open one. They set ground rules and communicated to each other about everything, a very critical component when in any kind of relationship, and have been very happy ever since.

Mikhail has continued working with the Cirque du Lune Gibbeuse, travelling around the country, and occasionally the world, to perform in their shows. Penelope frequently comes to his shows when she can, and has even closed her shop a few times just to take an extended vacation to go see the shows in other countries. Though Mikhail never really got a star performer role, he did get a few solo numbers that he really enjoyed. He is not afraid to admit that he really enjoys the spotlight, as long as the crowd is entertained.

Penelope noticed a trend that Mikhail was ignorant of, during his travels. Many of the areas in which the troupe performed were strong centers of magical energies. However, after a few odd interactions with the Ringmistress, Mikhail began to suspect that she was also a witch, though he never felt strong enough about it to ask. He recognized some of the odd dizzy spells she would get were the same that Penelope would get when a spell went awry or an accumulation of energy was suffocating her. As soon as the Ringmistress touched Mikhail, she seemed to get well immediately, which is what made him the most suspicious. He never got any bad feelings from her, so he just let her be. If she were to offer the information to him, though, he would certainly be open to discussing it with her.

Mikhail is still trying to improve his performance at every opportunity, hoping that one day he can be a star performer and headline a show. Beyond that goal, Mikhail just likes being happy and making other people happy. Despite the excitement of the things that influence his life, he leads a very simple existence. Though he may end up being a very critical component in future events, his role in them will mostly be passive. It is rather difficult to be an active participant in events that you are unaware of, after all...