Chapter Text
The sweet aroma of roses roams the distinct corridor of rooms and the entirety of the circus. Mystery letters in envelopes are slipped under the doors of the members of the circus.
An invitation.
“Come join us in this heartful tradition! (DONT OPEN UNTIL EVERYONE MEETS IN THE LOUNGE AREA)”. It read on the back. Each one seemed to be carefully crafted. It also had a particular object on it. A shiny blue button keeping the envelope shut. This could only be Ragatha’s doing.
“What the heck is this?” Jax grinned after coming out of his room along with the others. Keys jingled in his pocket. He attempted to pull the button up.
WACK!
“OW!”
Zooble looked at him frustratingly. She twitched. Their appearance was different today. Her body was in shades of pink and red. Instead of dots, there were hearts. Ragatha had told Zooble what parts to put together the day before, after their adventure—never told them why.
“Pardon me, ‘Queen of Hearts!’” Jax joked. “Oh, F@$K OFF jax!” They replied as they were ready to take another swing.
“um..guys?” Pomni asked rubbing her eye, “we should probably get going”.
Jax and zooble both glanced at pomni and gangle. They pushed each other’s arms off of one another.
“Wait, Gangle!” Zooble stopped abruptly. Gangle turned to face zooble, “yeah?”
“I almost forgot to give you something.” She rushed back to her room and came back with a brand new mask for her. It was exactly like her normal happy mask but with a couple adjustments. It had a little heart under each eye.
Jax squinted with his fingers pinching his face, “another mask?? It’s like you guys forgot what happened back at Spudsy’s!”
“Maybe it’s better that way!” Gangle said brashly. She tried it on. “It’s perfect, Zooble.”
This formed an aloof reaction from Jax who rolled his eyes.
[lounge area]
Ragatha was sitting cross-legged on the arm of one of the couches. Kinger poked out of his pillow fort.
She leaped off, “Swell! You guys are here! Now you guys can open up your envelopes in your hands.”
“This better not be a cheap way to make up for your doings these past days raggy.” Jax smugged.
Once the invitations were opened, paper flowers sprung out! “ACK!” Pomni squealed hitting the floor. Meanwhile, Jax was coughing them out of his mouth. Zooble wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Gangle stood perplexed.
“THAT WAS ALL?” Jax growled. He threw it on the floor, grabbed Gangle’s and stomped them on the ground. “Hey!” Gangle wailed.
“HEY,HEY, HEY! RELAX!” Ragatha raised her all too familiar ‘mom’ voice approaching Jax.
“ME? RELAX ? HOW ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU EVER RELAXED?” Jax yelled, realizing what he had said. Ragatha’s head tilted down clutching her other arm tightly with her hand.
“You’re doing it again.” Jax sighed.
“Doing what?….” Ragatha muttered on the verge of tears.
“Acting like i’m the bad guy.” Jax frowned, averting his gaze away from Ragatha.
The members have felt this feeling before. It’s an agonizing feeling. Hundreds of memories and thoughts flooding back to bring them their never ending nightmare of being stuck here forever with strangers that could suddenly lose it one day and never be the same again.
Kinger came out of his fort to comfort Ragatha.
He placed a hand on her shoulder. He motioned everyone to join him. The members embraced. Except…Jax.
Kinger looked at him. He eventually surrendered and put one arm around the group.
They let go of each other. “Feeling better?” Zooble asked Ragatha, an uncertain tone in her voice. Sniff… “I think so now, thanks”.
Ragatha’s face lightened up as she fixed herself to speak again.
The circus members listened to her intently.
“Let me start over”, the ragdoll began, “to tell the truth, I feel like we’ve distanced ourselves from each other. I thought that the one day dedicated to love would be a great way to get to know each other more and work out our differences.”
Caine dropped by the crew. “VALENTINE’S DAY!!!”
“Today’s adventure is… (FAMILY FRIENDLY) HAPPY HEART HIVE!!”
“Family friendly? Where's the fun in that?” Bubble exclaimed.
POP!
“Now before anyone enters, you have to do this adventure in pairs.” The Ai explained.
“This is stupid.” Jax pouted.
“WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WAITING FOR?” Caine stuck his tongue out.
Ragatha raised a hand to reach out to Jax. He didn’t notice.
“UGH. GANGLE!!” Jax alerted. He moved toward Gangle and pulled her towards him.
“WAI- Why me??”
“If you hate me too, you can just say that and go with any of the other losers. Then, I’ll have no choice but to tell Ragatha about the figurine thing!”
“Fine!…But on two conditions. The figurine thing. can you just not bring that up anymore? I’m over it. And second, DONT BREAK MY MASK.”
“Deals a deal.”
They shook hands.
Jax shook Gangle’s ribbon a little too hard which caused her to fall; her mask was still intact. Jax lends a hand to help her up but she rejects it. Jax closes his eyes and shrugs, smiling widely.
Pomni’s attention goes to Ragatha. Her pinwheels grow. She notices Ragatha’s outlined eye bags. She’s fidgeting with her hair. Pomni scooches closer to her and tugs on her arm. “I can be your partner for this adventure if you want”.
Ragatha is startled by her; clearly her head is in the clouds. Somehow unable to stop herself from blushing.
“That’s so nice of you, Pomni!”, Ragatha nervously says to the little jester. She pauses, “I would love that.”
That left Zooble and Kinger to be a pair.
The pink portal appeared and the gang entered.