Chapter Text
Jax pulled the tree branches over top of them. The small outcropping of bushes beside the circus rides out on the lawn were, surprisingly, well hidden. Jax sat down in the grass, grateful for not only the trees but the soft nighttime above them. The fireflies shifted like misplaced stars, casting tiny gold light between thick branches
Ragatha reached for the trees, loosely attached arm sliding off once more, fingers still curled around the green, white stuffing spilling from the crook of the elbow. Sitting down, holding onto the escaped limb, she smiled a half unstitched smile. "Wow, Jax. This really is a good hiding spot."
"Told you," his pride rose and fell. He pressed himself into the trunk of a tree, scooting further from her.
Ragatha frowned. He was still covered in blood. It was more than she'd ever seen in her life. It was alarming, and as it dried the smell did not improve. "Are you okay?"
His laugh was thin, reedy.
"Ow!" The yelp drew them both.
"Sorry," Zooble winced at the still tangle red ribbon. "My hands aren't responding still. My fingers are still half numb."
"Let me!" Kinger crawled to them, sticking one hand into the tangled ribbon.
Once in it didn't move.
"Oh."
Zooble swore under their breath.
Jax wiped his hands on his shirt, managing to get most of the scarlet mess off. "I can help."
Taking Gangle further into their arms, Zooble shook their head. "It's fine. I can deal."
Face blank for the briefest of seconds Jax looked around at the group. "I can help."
Gangle cleared her throat, voice small, misery in each word. "It can't get much worse."
"Fine," Zooble glowered, offering the ribbon, and now hand, to Jax.
Settling cross legged Jax smiled at Gangle, the expression incredibly soft. "I've got you." Carefully he found the end of a ribbon, weaving it carefully in and around the tangle mess.
Zooble, unwilling to get too far, drug themselves to the nearest tee, leaning back and winding their limbs absently. Of all those effected they seemed the most put together. It was the easiest when they spent so much time taken apart.
Ragatha moved in, arm around her knees, chin on her remaining hand. She looked deflated, most likely was.
"You okay?"
Ragatha considered a split second, ready to lie before shrinking, shaking her head. "Caine has never let anything like this go on for so long. And he hates people making a mess of his circus. I just, this isn't a normal in house adventure."
"He's never changed any of us like this either." Zooble's voice was even softer.
"Yeah."
Gangle squeaked. Before Zooble could pop up, anger rising, Jax was apologizing.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Jax gnawed on his bottom lip, eyes set wide. "I'll go slower, promise."
Kinger sat beside the pair of them. He seemed not to have noticed his hand was missing, head back to follow the lazily spinning fireflies above them.
Jax rubbed the back of his neck, absently tugging at one ear. "What… happened?"
There was a long silence.
"Didn't you see?" Zooble asked, voice flat.
"I told you all I saw."
Zooble's eyes narrowed further, watching him squirm. "Right."
Shrinking further under the gaze Jax's fingers shook.
"What else did you see?" Gangle's voice was surprisingly gentle, considering.
"It's hard to remember."
"Try," Zooble's tone was dark.
Jax didn't move his head, eyes still on the tangled ribbon. "After Caine changed us, Pomni was, she was mad, really mad. She said something about how he was changing us, it wasn't fair. She'd make him change his mind? I think."
More glances shared, the further Jax shrank in on himself. He couldn't stop himself form talking.
"He'd put us in a maze, told us to work together. I couldn't see. It was too dark." His words hitched.
It wasn't only Gangle who knew he was trembling now, it was visible in the silver night glow.
"She was, she looked scary. Pointy and green and purple."
"Like a disney villain," Gangle agreed.
Jax's smile was thin. "Disney doesn't have that much blood." He looked at a trembling hand. "And I'm not much of a disney princess." He looked down at the overalls, puffed sleeves, polka dots and lace. "Well."
"You look nice?" Gangle said, only one arm still knotted up, curled around Kinger's hand.
Jax didn't bite, didn't snort. His shoulders raised up higher and the perfect pink cheeks went red. "Well. Doesn't matter. The moment we changed Caine was gone. Pomni was, was really mad." He shrank further, fingers fumbling around the ribbon. "Caine had put us in this mirror maze. He was explaining the rules, something about needing teamwork to get out when she grabbed his staff. It all went dark. She-" he rubbed his arms. "I don't know. She left me in the dark. She said she wasn't going to waste the opportunity to heave real fun? I'd only just gotten out when I found you."
The final knot was undone and Jax held Kinger's hand. Wiping at his cheek he composed himself and turned, startling Kinger back to earth.
"Oh, hi, Pomni," Kinger smiled down at Jax.
Biting his lip Jax smiled a bit, "That's not my name."
Kinger tilted his head. "Really? You look like Pomni," he reached out and poked Jax's cheek.
Jax tried to brush him away, flushed pink.
Gangle giggled, her whisper carrying perhaps a bit to far. "It's like a mix. He's Jammi now."
Head on a swivel Jax looked back.
Shrinking, prepared for his usual anger, Gangle stuttered her apology.
Jax opened his mouth, nearly had Kinger shove a finger into it. Jax swatted off his hand before giving Gangle a shy smile, an expression never once seen on his face. "You can call me that if you want to?"
"Does that make her Pox?" Zooble asked, eyes closing, leaning further back against the moonlit tree. Gangle crawled over, rubbing the crumpled edges of ribbon. No longer knotted she looked a bit like a cat had swatted her around a while.
Glancing toward the still dark circus tent Jax, Jammi, shrugged one shoulder. "I guess so?"
With Kinger settled Jammi stepped in toward Ragatha kneeling down as she attempted once more to wind the thread back through her torn arm.
"Your turn."
Ragatha jumped.
Jammi tried not to take it to heart.
It didn't work.
Trying for a kinder expression Ragatha scooted to give him room, adjusting her skirt. "You really don't have to."
"I know," Jammi reached into his pocket and pulled out a needle and thread.
Hesitating still, Ragatha held out her arm gingerly. Tongue between his teeth, Jammi took her arm in his lap and began to sew the rip closed with tiny 'x' stitches.
Ever quieter, he glanced up at Ragatha. The moonlight above glanced across his face. Ragatha could see his eyes once more. No long small black pupils, but Pomni's red blue spirals. It only added to his nervous expression. Cornered rabbit.
"I hope she's okay," Ragatha spoke without thinking.
Once more Jax's gaze flicked up. "What?"
"Pomni. I can't imagine what this is like for her."
Jax seemed to deflate, watching his needle make the last round of stitching. "Niether can I." He pulled the last thread, tying off the end with a knot. "How does that feel?"
Stretching it before herself, Ragatha moved her elbow slowly. "Great. I'm sure it'll be perfect once we can get Caine to sort out this whole mess."
Scooting away, back against the tree, Jax nodded. "Yeah."
Ragatha lifted her head. She wasn't used to being able to read Jax's expressions so easily. Arms tucked underneath folded knees, cheek resting atop he shuffled absently.
Biting her lip Ragatha waited, watching quietly. The trees around them swayed in a faux breeze, one she couldn't quite feel if she was really paying attention. Across from her Gangle pressed herself into Zooble, mask tucked neatly under the thinner side of the pink triangle. Both had thier eyes closed. If not sleeping, simply recovering.
Kinger was quiet, eyes up up a small swarm of fireflies flickering across the sky above them, his newly returned hand linking fingers with the other, resting against his chest.
They were okay. Not all of them, not yet, but they'd be okay.
Settling finally, Ragatha finally found Jax out of the corner of her eye. He hadn't moved, gaze unfocused, absently picking at the lace trim of his gloves.
"Jax?"
He started, but didn't move. Like a scared bunny.
Looking up he found Ragatha's gaze and immediately dropped it. "It's Jammi, didn't you hear?"
She scooted in, stopping as she watched him pull away. "It's whatever you want it to be."
His laugh was a tiny bubble, caught before it could make any noise. He could only shake his head.
"Jammi," she tried. It sounded wrong. But he didn't look right. "How… is all of this for you?"
He did really look up then, still quiet, testing the question. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?"
"You don't sound fine. And no matter how you've changed, I'm still the same. I'm always here to talk."
His mouth opened, closed. "I'm still me, you know."
By her expression he was sure she in fact did not know.
"I'm not just reset clean slate with Caine's version of Pomni's personality slapped on. I'm still me, just…" he looked at his hand, brushed the ruffles. "Just a little different."
Ragatha scooted closer again.
He didn't move.
The pair sat, hip to hip, quiet for a very long time. "She's different though."
"Maybe."