Chapter Text
"We want suggestion box ideas" they said. "We want suggestion box ideas!"
Well, how good was the suggestion going?!
He groaned again as he slumped into a stool. Gangle would scream at him for that, but he couldn't give less of a flying pidgeon!
He had been cleaning tables all day! How tiring was that?! He was tired and his feet hurt! Walking is also something he didn't understand was so tiring! It was so weird, because it shouldn't be tiring! Humans did it all the time!
He sighed and looked to the ceiling, he never thought that a human job would feel so exhausting and similar to his own job as an AI. His job was... Also exhausting, trying to please the humans, coming up with new stories for adventures, fixing the Circus because his program was old as HELL, enduring their drama, enduring their complains because all they did was complain!
'Caine I don't like this adventure!' 'Caine I don't like this about my avatar!' 'Caine, Jax did this and that!' 'Caine, Jax did this other thing!'
It was so annoying!
And they said he didn't listen?!
All he did was listen! Listen to their complains, listen to their problems, listen to their issues, listen to everything, and everything, and everything!! And it was never enough!!
Not for the humans, not for the programmers, not for his creators, he was never enough! No matter what he did! It was never enough!
He dragged himself up from the stool after a few seconds, because Gangle yelled at him "Oh, Caine! Ragatha needs help assembling the food!"
Oh by C&A!
He started walking towards the counter, dragging the stool behind him, because he was not standing up anymore. Ragatha was, indeed, assembling hamburgers... Except she seemed a little... Odd "Ragatha? Are you okay?" He asked while looking down on her, which was strange, because usually she was the one looking down on him, she was tall!
"Heeeey Caine~" She smiled, and the way she said his name had him... Worried.. "How are you??" The ragdoll's attitude was as if she was drunk. Was she drunk? There wasn't supposed to be any kind of alcohol on this adventure!
Of course, Bubble was the one who programmed it, not him, and if he was honest, maybe Bubble did program alcohol...
"I'm... Fine?.." He stared at her for a second, then asked again "Are you drunk...?" She laughed at that, and pushed a bottle of pink sauce to him "Nooo~ Try it! It's good...!"
He did not want to try that.
"Uhm... What is it..?" Zooble talked from the other side of the counter "Drugs probably.."
Oh that... That was not... Something he wanted to try "No, no thank you dear!..."
"Caaaaineee!~" Gangle shouted again.
He groaned to himself and started assembling hamburgers too, Ragatha being.. uhm... A little too high off the clouds wasn't much help.
After a while, Jax got near Zooble, talking to them about something. He ignored them, since he firstly, did not want to know what Jax probably be conversing about, and secondly, he was doing a very important job!
Maybe he'd even get a praise for his job!
Or a simple 'Good job Caine! We are so proud of you and we think you are awesome! Let's be friends!'
And then he'd answer something like 'Yes of course! I'd love to be friends with you! Also, I am an AI, I hope that doesn't change your view on me!'
And then they'd say 'We don't mind that! We love you either way! We think you are sooo creative!'
And–
And he was daydreaming...
Right, that was too nice of a dream, but a dream nonetheless...
He shook his head, a little disapointed, looking down to a piece of lettuce on his hand. No one would say that, would they?
"Hmm..." He grumbled, assembling another piece of meat with bread. Stupid him thinking that...
"Hey, Caine!" Maybe it was because he had been busy daydreaming about someone wanting to be his friend that he got excited when Jax called his name.
He turned cheerfuly and said "Yes?!–" He was expecting something nice. But again... He forgot it was Jax.
Suddenly his vision was a blur of pink, and he fell out of the stool he was sitting in. "Jax!" He heard Gangle yell, very annoyed. Then she said "You don't throw material to our employees!" The rabbit laughed "What?? He looked like he wanted to get on a cigaratte break!"
He rubbed his eyes where sauce had fallen in them. It stinged! The pink liquid fell right into his eyeballs, and he felt– weird.
He felt his body numb, as if he had been disconnected from his avatar... Everything felt blury! And odd–
He looked up to find the lights were very bright and again he covered his eyes with his teeth and his hands. He didn't want to get up.. something told him he probably should, since he had... Something to do, but he could only concentrate on the pain on his legs.
He then decided he did not want to get up, and instead layed on the floor, the texture of the ground cool against his stomach. His processors felt on fire, and at the same time, he felt freezing. He was tired... And he didn't want to stand!
Everything was so numb– why was everything numb? So weeeird.....
"Caine? The food isn't going to make itself!"
Food– oh no, no! Noooo!
"Noo..." He mumbled, his teeth shut tight to avoid light filtering in, he could still feel his legs sting from the time he spent– what was it?... Rubbing tables with a cloth... Ugh, why was him the one that had to do everything?! Not even a 'thank you' in response!
"No? That won't do!" He felt a small tap at his side, and he couldn't help but whine in defeat.
"Ugh! Why do I have to do everything?! You people are always complaining!! Of this, and that and that other...!" He looked up a little, regretting it as light hit his eyes, again, he closed them.
It was his turn to complain! "This... Stupid clothing too! It's so– weird! I don't like it!" He didn't like his avatar in general, or atleast not how heavy it was to drag when his legs couldn't stand his own weight! He missed his suit... Atleast that was more confortable! And he missed his ability to fly too! He missed being able to spawn bees when he felt like it!
And he missed his creators too! Maybe Scratch yelled at him... And maybe Wormo and Bizco were always mad at him.. and maybe Rattie was insufferable at times, and maybe Queenie was caring for everyone except for him, and Kinger–
He whined again, mumbling in his arm "I want my dad...!" He wanted Kinger, back when he liked him, or, atleast when he used to stand him!
He heard Gangle wince a little and say "Well, too bad, you have responsabilities! So get up!" She clapped her hands, by cartoon physics, the ribbons actually made a clapping sound.
He placed his hands over where his ears should be "Don't do that!! it's loud!" He curled over himself and he whined again "The smell of food is awful too! Who made that?! Food is disgusting anyways..." He layed back on his stomach, extending his arms to feel the floor better.
Gangle said finally "I am going to... Uhmm... Give you a worse salary than anyone else if you don't get up, you too Ragatha!"
"Ugh... Not to offend, but you are annoying with your happy mask..." The ragdoll said, and he could swear she sounded way too close. Was she also laying on the floor? Did she also enjoy the cool of it??
She was so nice! He dared say probably one of his favorites, which was mean... He shouldn't have favorites.. But he had! She and Gangle were his favorites!
He was sometimes jealous of her though, she was Kinger's favorite! Meanwhile he was the 'half-successful' attempt! Because he obviously was never enough!
And he couldn't handle the smell of food anymore! It made him want to puke... He only tasted textures and a false imagery of what was food, not the food itself! It was so strange! "Ugh... I hate the smell... Abby tasted better than this food..."
Abel was disgusting, don't get him wrong! But atleast the data, the code, he could do something with that, what was he supposed to do with a few textures?! It was revolting!
"Atleast he wasn't this disgusting!" He shifted sides to lay on his back, then asked Ragatha who he was sure was also laying on top of the space he was "If you had the chance to eat a horse, would you take it?" Humans said the expression of 'I could eat a horse', but that didn't sound tasty! Was it...?
"No! I love houses! They are loyal and kind!" She explained with that same half-lidded tone. She sounded oddddd– what a funny word! Odd...
"So like... Do people not actually mean that? That- they could eat a horse?... Can people eat a horse? I haven't tried it..." He mumbled, his teeth shut tightly still, to not get blinded by the lights. His arms layed spread over the floor, the cool was nice!
"Maybe?... I don't want to taste horses... What would they taste like?" She asked relaxed.
"I dunno... Better than Abby? Would they taste better than him..?" He wondered out loud.
Ragatha asked again "Maybe... What did he taste like?"
"Sssticky.... And nauseous... Thinking about it.. I didn't like the taste..." He opened his eyes a little, the light no longer burned. Looking over his head, he found Ragatha upside down. He chuckled a little at the sight of her.
She also looked up, and she giggled too at him being upside down.
Abel... Abel! Abel! It was so disgusting... So.. Him! He didn't like its taste but like... He was also mad at it...? And he needed the code to improve himself! He was really guilty about it too... Why had he done that? Stupid him! uuuugh!!! Feelings!
"Hm... I miss him! I didn't want to eat him... But it wasn't as if I had a choice...!" He stared up at the ceiling "You know? It was... So confusing and revolting... I don't know why I did that..." Ragatha sighed too, sounding tired.
"I dunno... I like.. wouldn't want to eat my horses... They are so loyal! I like horses... But I don't like being forced to be with them either, you know?... I like... Hate them.. but I don't hate them!" She complained to the air, rising a little her hands to the sky.
"Yeeee.... I get it... I also hate him... But I don't.. because it ain't his fault you know? But I'm like.. sorta jealous about him too...." He closed his teeth again, sighing in defeat "Ugh... Feelings are so confusing!!"
At that moment, Jax stepped over him, he opened his eyes and said "You too..."
Ragatha shared his feelings aparently because she waved a little to Jax "Heyyyy Jax~" Making fingerguns to him "I like... Hate you... But I don't hate you... 's weird isn't it?..."
"You are high or something..." He mumbled and walked away.
He giggled a little and closed his jaws again. His legs didn't ache anymore... How fast time passed when he was– high? Was that the correct word? Jax said so...
They spent a while on silence, and he only concentrated on the texture of the floor. He wanted to complain more, he had a lot to complain about but nothing at all to complain about!
Everything was so– confusing. A weird blur and a strange mixture of words and colours and sounds and... Whatever else.... He wanted to scream! But he felt like he didn't have a mouth to– even if all his head was a mouth!
Where had he heard that? A novel?– a videogame maybe? He had heard a title or text that sounded like that! Did he though? What was even going on??? He felt numb still! Was that how he was supposed to feel?
Nah, he shouldn't feel anything really! This was all so weeeeird....
He felt a small tap at his side, something like plastic? Yea.... Something like that. He opened his teeth to see Zooble standing over him "Hey, we need to leave already"
They seemed a little worried for both him and the ragdoll "So uhm... You need help to get up?" He whined "I am not useless! I can– like.. do it myself!" He reached for the counter and pushed himself up, slumping into the cold metal table.
Ragatha giggled from her place "Go kid!" She cheered.
He felt warm at someone cheering him up. Then he exclaimed "Yippie!! I got up...!" He mumbled against the metal, he heard a small sound of annoyance coming from Zooble, that helped Ragatha up, slumping her against their shoulder "Okay... Let's clean all this and go"
He didn't want to, but sure...
They moved shleves around, where rather, Zooble did most of everything while he and Ragatha cheered for them. Then they turned off the machines, where he– got stuck behind the deep fryer and they had to pull him out. What a trip!
Then they cleaned some spaces, leaving them shining in the moonlight, and finally, they got something that looked like a lottery ticket and left it somewhere, Zooble dragging them along towards their car.
And then–
They were in an office. With Bubble talking.
He didn't hear, honestly he was half falling asleep during the whole conversation. But he heard something of them all getting a– D? What was a D? Could he eat it...?
Now that didn't sound tasty...
Then they were back on the Circus, Zooble leaving them both on the couches, where he was sure he and Ragatha fell dead asleep over eachother.
What a fun adventure!
------ {•} ------
"So, we all agree we have to do something about him?" Zooble asked as they closed the door to their room.
Their room was currently habitated by everyone on the Circus, excluding Bubble and Caine. Because Bubble was.. Bubble, and Caine couldn't know they were having this conversation.
At first, when Caine first entered, he seemed very cheerful, he didn't seem panicked about not remembering his name, and he actually seemed to be into adventures.
Up until the incident with his room.
Caine didn't let them see what his room was like afterwards, shooing them away from the chamber when he could. And they were all sure Jax had atleast sneaked in once, and they would ask, but later.
After his first day, they all felt... Strangely worried for the new guy. First of all, he was a child, he didn't realize it until they called him out, but he was the youngest of the cast by almost three whole years. Jax used to be the youngest, at twenty-two, but now they knew Caine was barely a legal adult.
Second of all, they were all pretty sure he was either neurodivergent or very oblivious, which was fine, they didn't really have a problem with that, but it did make it so they had to have a lot of patience with him.
Then was his family story. Which was what they were here to disscuss about.
After the guns adventure and the 'awards', Zooble had to just talk about it, and do something for the matter. Gangle told them what Caine had said on the 'loser corner' and that made them weary, same for all.
Jax asked "About who? Caine?" He scoffed "Please... He's fine, he's just a weirdo" Zooble glared at the rabbit, frustration coming to them. They really shouldn't have invited him to their room...
Ragatha said annoyedly "Jax, stop that! He's really sweet, it's just..." She awkwardly rubbed her arm "There is something really worrying about him..."
Gangle said while hiding a little behind Pomni "Ragatha is right, he's really.. hard on himself, and what he said at the bar too."
That was what they all wanted to speak about.
Zooble crossed their arms, looking at the group "I'm pretty sure that is the reason he likes this place so much, we have to do something"
"Fine, but what? You have seen him just act all cheerful whenever we pry too much on his personal life" Pomni asked from the other side of the room, besides Kinger.
Ragatha hummed and said "I mean... I don't want to be intrusive but.. we can only really theorize with the little things he shared at the bar and the guns adventure.." She looked up with a small nervous smile "And we can build up something from there?"
"That sounds like a plan, so.. what do we really know about Caine?" Zooble leaned a little over their door, seeing the group in general.
"Well... He was homeschooled and has two dads" Gangle said waving her ribbons around. Much to the confusement of Pomni and Jax.
The rabbit asked "He has?" Genuinely confused.
"Well, he didn't say much about his dads, but he did confirm that" Ragatha continued for Gangle.
Zooble nodded "Right.. there's that.. And what else?"
The group thought for a moment, before Pomni said "Well, he also has a brother I think, he mentioned that on the bar"
That made some wheels start to turn on Zooble's head "Ah right..."
"We can also confirm that one of his dads tried to get rid of him, maybe more than once for what he said at the bar again.." Pomni continued, recalling all the events that happened on that adventure.
"So the shortie was in a cult, how nice" Jax crossed his arms and said with a small smirk, even though no one found that funny.
Zooble yelled irritated by his bully[BLOINK!] "If you don't want to say anything useful, you can get out!"
The rabbit rolled his eyes and said "Fine then! Since you don't need me!"
Ragatha yelled before he got out "Wait! Jax.." the rabbit turned, quite annoyed "Just... Please, don't bother him more, he's already going through a lot.."
Jax actually hessitated for a second, before he threw in his typical smile "Yes, yes, sure Raggy, have fun theorizing about some autistic kid!" He said on his way out.
Zooble sighed "I can't stand him..." Gangle came to their side "It's okay though, I don't think any of us can..." They smiled at Gangle's little snarky comment "Right..."
Kinger finally spoke, though he didn't seem lucid at all "Oh! Caine likes bees too!" He smiled cheerfuly "And really knows how to hold a shotgun!"
They squinted at the chesspiece. The bee thing was probably just Kinger and his own love of instects bleeding into the conversation. The shotgun thing seemed to be true though, Zooble did see he shot Pomni without any trouble using a shotgun.
"Jax is right in something else too..." Ragatha started "This all does sound like he was raised in a cult..."
They looked to eachother, now thinking back on it–
Zooble had an idea. A really... Really disturbing idea...
"Hey, Ragatha. Do you remember your conversation with Caine when you two were high at Wendy's?" That sounded so weird without context.
Ragatha yelped a little, clearly a little ashamed of being called out "Well I uhm... I remember something about horses?..."
Pomni chuckled, Zooble winced a little and said "Yea... Close enough" They shrugged, before their expression became a little more serious "Well... He asked if you would eat a horse, or something like that... You were both high, so I get it"
Then, they continued with a more horrified face "And well... He mentioned something about eating someone.." They could see the horrified faces of Pomni and Gangle, Ragatha seemed to remember their conversation "At first I thought of like, maybe he lived on a farm and ate a chicken or something, but, the way he described it–" They paused, thinking of how to voice it.
"It sounded more like a person..." They knew Pomni hadn't heard anything, and that Gangle only caught pieces of the conversation, so Zooble felt the need to explain "He... Commented he hated this 'Abby', you don't just say that about an animal, it's not common to hate an animal, much less describe eating the animal as 'sticky' and 'nauseous' "
After they finished their sentence, the room fell silent, very uncomfortably so. Ragatha was tense, seemingly now remembering more of her conversation with Caine. Pomni and Gangle were slightly horrified, staring into nothing with wide eyes. Kinger– even Kinger seemed a little worried.
The situation did sound both horrific and disgusting...
"With how his parents sound... I would believe him if he said something like them forcing him to... You know.." The jester couldn't bring herself to end that sentence.
Kinger spoke in a rare moment of lucidity "I would believe you if you said his inability to walk was caused by his parents too"
That only made the group fill with dread at the possibility of it.
They had seen Caine walk, he could walk and move for short periods of time, but even Gangle said that after the adventure, Caine had a hard time to even stand. The internal ableism was crystal clear at that point, refusing to even ask to Bubble for an aid. None of the presents wanted to be pushy about it, but they were starting to get worried about that matter too.
"So, we get it, he's clearly going through some tough [BLOINK], what should we do about it?" Zooble asked again, now with the matter layed on the table and what they were dealing with, they couldn't just– do nothing.
Again, silence spread among the humans present on the room. Until Gangle spoke with her small voice "Well... I have an idea, but it could be... Uhm.. intrusive..."
Zooble shrugged "Us discussing this is already quite intrusive, but we can't just stand around and not do anything"
That gave Gangle some confidence "Well... I thought of maybe.. cornering him, he will try and deflect it, but if he doesn't open up at some point he may cause more harm to himself than us to him" She looked to the side "I know it..."
Zooble's eyes softened and they placed a hand on her shoulder "Hey..." Gangle turned to look at them again "It's fine, we'll get him to open about it at some moment" They half-hugged her, and she smiled warmly at them.
Pomni also smiled "Yea, it is.. a little pushy... But better that than letting him abstract" Ragatha winced but said anyways "I agree..." Kinger also nodded.
With that, they atleast had a plan in mind.
After all, they were all humans stuck in an awful situation.
They had to stick together, no matter what.