Chapter Text
After the tiring tension from that so-called adventure, everyone quietly walked back to the circus, not really wanting to speak to each other, even though none of them would even know what to say, at least not right at that moment. The only ones to even remotely acknowledge another were Gangle and Zooble, and even then it was just standing closely together instead of a safe distance everyone else had silently agreed upon to keep.
Back in the main room of the circus, Kinger quietly slithers into one of the many pillow forts that are scattered around the map. "So, uh.." Zooble speaks up as they're all slowly walking in. "Me and Gangle are gonna... go chat. But we should all uh, ya know..". "Yeah, no, definitely! I mean, it's not long we're-" Ragatha stopped herself before she could finish the sentence, 'go anywhere'. It was far too soon to be speaking in that sort of metaphor "W-What I mean is, I-I didn't-" She was cut off by Gangle softly placing her ribbon hands up towards her chest - if you can even call a wrangle of ribbons a 'chest' - "It's okay, we know you didn't mean anything by it... But me and Zooble are gonna go uh, hang out a bit by ourselves for now.". Gangle and Zooble gave sheepish waves to Ragatha and Pomni as they walked towrds the corridor that held their rooms, Pomni caught a glimps of their 'hands' leaning towards a hold on one another. She had a slight smile at the moment, but quickly lost it when Jax finally walked in.
Still wide eye-d and ears flopping slightly forward, sluggishly walking in he either didn't notice Ragatha and Pomni staring at him, or he just didn't have the energy or mental capacity to care enough right now. Pomni thought about reaching out to him as he passed by at a distance, but thought it'd be best to leave everything be until a later time. Giving everyone the space they may need to recollect after Caine appearing behind the console.
The room fell so intensely silent, it wasn't until they heard the click of Jax's door shut until Ragatha finally spoke. "Can you believe he did that? I mean, I know it wasn't real, but holy sh#t! Sorry, sorry! I'm just- I know he can be self centred, but that..." Tears started to fill in the corners of her eye, Pomni slowly turned her gaze from the corridor up towards Ragatha. "What do you think he meant by that? When he said 'you made me' to Caine, after pressing the button?" They both stared at each other for a moment, before Ragatha gave a slight shrug towards one of the couches, they both went over to sit to hopefully make this uncomfortable conversation slightly more comfortable. "I-I don't know, he's been acting so off lately, I mean more than usual. Especially after that fight you told me you two had.." Ragatha held her hands intertwined while speaking in a softer, less heated tone. "Well I shoulnd't say after your fight. It's been a slow change for some time now..."
"You mean since Kaufmo? They didn't seem all that close. But you guys must've all been here together longer than I've been here so it makes sense it'd be so upsetting." They both sat on the couch as Pomni talked. Finally seated, Ragatha sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, looking away as if what she was about to say was some sort of sacred text, never to be spoken of. "Well, before Kaufmo, there was Ribbit." She refused to face Pomni as she continued, but instead of just staring off to the side she averted her gaze towards her hands. "She- I mean Ribbit, Jax and Kaufmo we're like- the three stooges sometimes..." She let go a small chuckle reminiscing of the time before they both eventually abstracted.
"Since she abstracted, that's when I really noticed him changing, he's always been sort of a jerk, but more-so after... especially when Gangle joined us, after Ribbit, uh- anyway... he seemed to really take his frustrations out on her." She sighed, softly tucking parts of her yarn hair away from her face. "He was never really the same since, and I guess Kaufmo and I were the only ones to kind of notice, but eventually... he got distant too... and well, you know the rest..." She shifted herself on the couch into a slanted position to finally face Pomni, the jester looked up towards Ragatha. "Do you think, maybe Caine made him remember them? Their abstractions, I mean... He did seem panicky and unsure when he pressed that button. I mean, it didn't really seemed like he pressed it only because he thought he was right about the adventure." She shifted herself, now matching Ragatha's slightly slanted position to be at least somewhat facing each other. "And now we KNOW that Caine can mess with us-?" She was cut off by Ragatha leaping towards her to over Pomni's mouth. "Wait wait wait!" Realizing the position they're in, she blushes and moves back to her previous position. "Maybe we uh, shouldn't talk about this here? Since Caine can 'see all'? I feel weird even mentioning him now.." she whispered, glancing around the silent room.
"Maybe we can talk in our rooms later." Pomni spoke as she started to stand, pushing herself off the couch with her hands. "But for now, I think we should take some time to cool off. Are you gonna be okay?" She turned towards Ragatha and held out a hand to help her stand. Taking the offer, she got up with a nearly silent huff, "Yeah, you're right... And I'll be fine, I'm just worried about Jax. Part of me feels like I shouldn't be, but I am." She chuckled, her eye turning watery and she turned her head away. "Nobody deserves to abstract, and even though I hate him- his actions... not even he deserves it." She sniffled, rubbing her face with her forearm. "I promise I'll go check on him later." Pomni looked away as she spoke, to give the impression she didn't notice Ragatha tearing up again. They both started heading down the corridor to their respective rooms, first stopping at Ragatha's as she opened her door. "Please Pomni, don't hesitate to ring my doorbell if you wan't to talk later."
Pomni smiled and nodded as she watched Ragatha do the same and slink away into her room. It wasn't until she heard the click of the door until she started shuffling her way towards her own room. She reached for her own doorknob, before turning to look at Jax's door. 'Should I even try right now?' She thought, before she could even fully comprehend herself, she was standing infront of his door instead of her own. "No no no.." She shuddered. "It's too soon... maybe." She held her hand within her other, and grimaced at the idea, unsure of what she'd even say right now. He still looked shocked even by the time it took them to get back to the circus. Surely it was too soon. Or was it?
She knocks.
She can hear her own heart beating through her chest, it's almost radiating through her entire body. Waiting for what feels like forever, she knocks again. Still, no answer. She spams the doorbell a few times as well, to no avail. "Jax? It's me... Can we talk?" Said with a shakey voice, it's almost as if she's pleading to a door - which I guess she technically is. Pomni pressed her ear against the door after a few more knocks, she can't tell if theres a shuffling coming from inside, or if it's her own heartbeat readying itself to leap out of her body.
She moves her face away from the door, and stares up at his stupid-grin portrait. With a huff, she shakes off her own anxiety and grabs the doorknob. Twisting it as a final attempt, she gasps when realizing it's unlocked.