Chapter Text
The echo of Kaufmo’s abstracted screech was the last Jax heard of the now lost clown he had known for years.
The cartoon rabbit’s smile faltered just slightly as the thought went through his head.
He knew he should be feeling something, sadness, concern, anything really, hell he shouldn’t even be smiling.
Jax could feel his smile widening on instinct by just thinking about not smiling.
He should be mourning, he wanted to be sad, but he couldn’t, not now, not here.
“Man I can’t believe Kaufmo just gave up like that” Zooble began as they took their head from Kinger’s hands and placed it back on their neck “i mean no offense, Kinger but I always thought you would be next” they continued as the looked at the king chess piece beside them.
Said insane chess piece folded their hands as their eyes moved as if they were smiling “thank you!”
Jax walked up behind the group rolling his eyes as he listened to their stupid conversation, before giving a smirk as he came up with the best line to stop it.
“Guess it just goes to show, you can’t rely on Kinger for anything.
The rabbit closed his eyes and folded his arms behind his head as he finished his sentence feeling proud about it.
“Are you f$#king kidding me right now?”
Jax lazily opens one eye to look at Zooble.
“What?”
Zooble glares back at him like they were seconds away from stabbing him or something.
“We just lost Kaufmo, and you don’t even comment on it? No you just go straight back to insulting people you emotionless d#ckhead!”
A shocked expression appears and disappears just as fast across Jax’s face as he gives the random pile of shapes on legs his full attention.
“Whaa-“ “Dont f#%king ‘whaaat’ me you c&nt!”
Jax eyes widens and he takes a step back as Zooble takes three towards him pushing Kinger gently out of their way as they make their way closer to the rabbit.
“Z-zooble please calm do-“ Gangle tries in her small squeaky voice.
“I won’t f#%king calm down” Zooble says before catching Jax by surprise by grabbing one of his straps and pulling him down to the same height as them.
“What the he*#” Jax starts before getting cut off by the other again.
“No, I'm done hearing anything come out of your stupid f*%king mouth!”
Jax’s smile widens on instinct from the mention of it, the action clearly pissing off the other.
“Kaufmo was apart of this group for years and you still can’t stop having that stupid sh#t eating smile on your ugly mug”
Jax’s eyes widen at Zoobles words and a second goes by before the rabbit found his bearings and glanced around, everyone's eyes was on him, even the weird bubble looking thing, looking back at Zooble that was still having a strict grip on his strap Jax starred at them for a second before tilting their head.
“But i'm gooooood~ at smiling tho, what else would i do hmmm?” Jax says extending the o in good just to sound more annoying as his smile grows bigger making him squint his eyes at Zooble.
Gangle lets out a whimper as she tries to hide her eyes behind her thine small ribbon hands, and Kinger raises a hand to his non existing mouth as if to say ‘oh oooh’
The others were frozen to their spots as they were too nervous to know what to say.
Zooble’s big eye twitched at his words but other than that she just kept her hold on him as she continued to glare at him as she clearly was trying not to rip his throat out.
It only took six seconds for Jax to get bored (U̶n̶c̶o̶m̶f̶o̶r̶t̶a̶b̶l̶e̶).
“So are you gonna let me go ooor are yo- ack!” He had started talking in his always smug voice but didn’t get far before he found himself on the ground with a growing pain on the back of his head.
“Zooble!, what are you doing?!” Ragatha yelled, finally someone else was speaking Jax thought as he massaged the back of his head that was beginning to hurt more and more while he began sitting up leaning on the other arm he wasn’t using.
“It should have been you…” Jax’s eyes widened at the sentence as a set of gasps were heard all around.
And for the first time in forever Jax’s smile disappeared as he looked up at Zooble they were still glaring at him but there was a small hint of surprise in their own eyes before their eyes went back to ones full of anger “at least then everyone here would have cared the same way you are right now!”
Something tightened in Jax’s chest.
Zooble begins to turn away from him before saying one last sentence “I would trade you for Kaufmo or anyone else that's gone anytime, just so I don’t have to look at your stupid face for a second longer” it was said in a whisper but everyone still heard it.
Ragatha finally moved to try to stand between them but it was already too late as Zooble was stomping away from the group.
The female doll reached out a hand to the now small figure before looking back at the rabbit, their eyes meet for a second and Ragatha clearly doesn’t know what to say to him, instead she closes her eyes as she turns to jog after Zooble yelling at them to slow down, Gangle and Kinger follows her but not before looking at Jax too.
The rabbit reacted by rolling his eyes at them before standing up as they walked away.
Pomni was staring and he could feel those big eyes on him “what?!” The word came out as a hiss at the Jester.
The sound of his voice making her jerk before she turns and walks the same way as the others.
Well that was something Jax thought as he stretched his back making a pop sound.
“Wait, what about the reward, what about the delicious digital feast?!”
The ring master finally spoke floating towards the direction the others went “Cooked by our head chef…bubbles!?”
“Hello?”
Caine stared at the retrieving figures, slightly sinking down toward the ground before peaking up again as he floated towards Jax, circling once as he pointed towards the long table just behind Jax.
Jax didn’t even react to the other as he mumbled about not being hungry before walking towards the living quarters arena.
The ringmaster dipped down towards the ground again clearly lost on what to do after all that just happened.
Jax couldn’t think straight.
His brain repeatedly plays back what Zooble had said to him, ye Jax could be a meani most days and he says a lot of shit just to piss off people he gets that too.
But saying he was emotionless…and could disappear and no one would care.
Jax glanced back at the figures of everyone else as they left through the tent entrance, everyone left, not a single one stayed, realizing that, the smile slowly spread across his face again, he let out a small giggle, why is he surprised at all it's just like the last group, nothing changed, everyone is keeping a good distance away from him.
Just as he likes it.
He is used to it, his stupid brain will get over those words in no time, he is sure of it!