Chapter Text
When Gangle woke up, she was alone. On one hand, it made sense. She had entered alone into the circus. But she had also exited with the others. Why was she alone?
She had no idea. But she was free. Something she had never expected to happen. She had expected to abstract eventually. Be put in… whatever mental state the abstracted were for the rest of eternity. But now she was free. She looked down at her hands. They were hands. They weren’t ribbons. She was herself again. But who was she?
Gangle realized for a moment that she couldn’t recall her name. But then… surely she had something of hers on her? She quickly checked her pockets. She found a wallet and snatched the driver’s license out. There she was. Or, whom she assumed must be her. There was the name. Jazmin Chu. That must be her name. Then she found her phone. Dead. Must be out of battery. She had no idea how long she had been in the circus. She had to find out.
She couldn’t see very well in this place. It was dark. But faint lights glowed from the outside, and she felt certain it was nighttime. Slowly, Jazmin got to her feet.
She began to wander. She was trying to recall why she had come to this place. What had been her goal? What had driven her to this place? Slowly, it came back to her. She had come here for inspiration.
Ever since dropping out of college, her hopes for launching a comic had dropped day by day. Her sketches never got much attention online. It seemed no one was interested. She had been spending days going to various places in hopes of coming up with a new idea.
The abandoned building had seemed like a smart idea. After all, things were always left behind. Perhaps something could have… inspired her. She had found the headset, putting it on and wondering if maybe she could pretend she was having an isekai adventure. If any higher power existed, they must have thought themselves hilarious for sending her into the circus.
The circus. The others. Maybe she ought to look around. “Hello?” She called out. Her voice was weak. It trembled and sounded strained. It must have been her lack of use while she was in the circus. “Zooble? Pomni?” She called out. No answer. She continued moving.
“Kinger? Jax? Ragatha?” No answer. She found her way to a window. Indeed, it looked like it was night. Whenever she was now… she needed help.
Jazmin spent nearly half an hour wandering the building and calling out. No one answered. She finally located the exit. She was sure the others would’ve answered, at least one of them. They must be somewhere else… somehow. Jazmin was alone. But… she had to focus on herself for now.
When she exited the building, it was rather anti-climactic. No big fanfare or celebration. Just the quiet breeze blowing by her. Well, it wasn’t the circus anymore. She shouldn’t expect wacky shenanigans every few seconds. No, this was the real world. She started down the street, grateful she had a sweater against the night air.
As she went down the sidewalk, Jazmin looked for anywhere that could help her out. She located a diner, and quickly checked her wallet again. She had plenty of cash on her for a meal. She couldn’t recall the diner being there when she had entered the circus. She entered the place, and a smiling hostess greeted her. “Welcome! Just one today?”
Jazmin nodded. “I’m all by myself today. I ummm… my phone died, and I was hoping you might have a charger while I eat?” She showed her phone to the woman, who nodded. “I’ll go check with the staff after I seat you. This way.” The woman sat her at a two table seat by the window, and handed her a menu.
Jazmin had originally just intended to get a snack, but as she looked at the menu, a hunger began to awaken in her. She really did want to eat. However long it had been… her body wanted food now. The server came by a few minutes later. “Hello! I’ll be taking care of you today.” He slipped a hand in his apron and pulled out a phone charger. “Was told you needed this. Any idea what you’d like to order?”
Jazmin nodded. “I uh, forgot to eat today. Got really wrapped up in some stuff, so…” she ended up ordering a larger burger that sounded good, some fries, and a large milkshake. The server nodded and Jazmin plugged her phone in to charge. She’d have answers soon.
One good thing was that her appearance hadn’t caused a ruckus. She knew she would need to call her family. Probably go to the police. But right now she just wanted some peace and quiet. And a nice warm meal. She leaned against the window, thinking. It was still odd to think of herself as Jazmin and not Gangle. She had grown used to the name. She had liked it somewhat. But it wasn’t hers. She almost began to doze when the server came back.
“Here you go, nice food to fill you up!” He said brightly. Smiling, he added. “Been a while since I met someone as behind on smart phones as me.”
Jazmin smiled back at him. It almost felt natural. Talking with someone like it was a normal interaction. “Yeah, well… I guess I could’ve gotten a new one. But until this one fails, I figured I should keep using it.”
She decided not to mention she had gotten it quite new, or that she had been trapped in a computer game for seven years and had been unable to buy a new phone if she had wanted to. “Well, I was thinking the same. Some of my friends call me a bit old, but hey, there’ll be a new one whenever I’m ready. I’ll just use my phone as long as I can. Anyway, let me know if you need anything.”
Jazmin began devouring her food. It was hard to focus on anything but it as she ate. Once she was left just sipping her milkshake, her phone turned on. She checked the date and had to do a double take. It was April 9, 2018. She had been gone for over 7 years. It had been so long. No wonder she didn’t recognize this place. She quickly looked at the rest of her information. She found about a hundred missed calls and about that many texts. Most were from her family, but a few from her friends she had made in college. Even a few from her coworkers.
Who should she contact first? She thought about her parents. She loved them, but she was worried she wasn’t ready to handle the hysterics she knew would come. Perhaps her sister? Yes, that was probably for the best. Her sister was the right play.
Should Jazmin text or call? It wouldn’t be a real choice. If she texted her sister, she would most likely call her. Suddenly, Jazmin felt a surge of insecurity reach her. She opened the camera app and looked at herself.
She was looking at herself properly now. Her hair was longer than she had previously remembered. It must have grown. The pure white color she had dyed it had mostly faded, leaving it in her natural black state. It looked tacky. She would have to dye her hair again. Maybe a rich gold would do her good. Or maybe a light blue? She had always wanted to try proper Miku hair. That would be a good choice. She closed the camera.
The server circled back around to hand her the bill, and Jazmin thanked him. She left the money on the table with the bill, and exited the restaurant. Her phone was about 30 percent charged. It was enough.
Jazmin stood outside and held her finger over the call button for her sister. Emily was her name. What was she even like now? She had missed seven years of her life. But after a full minute, she clicked the call button. She held it up to her ear, heart beating rapidly before she heard someone pick up.
“Hello?” It was an unfamiliar male voice.
“Hello, umm… I was looking to speak to Emily.” Jazmin said timidly.
“She’s a little busy right now.” The man said. “Who is this?”
“I’m…” her voice caught. “I’m her sister.” The man paused.
“Honey? Apparently your sister is calling!” She heard the man’s muffled voice. So, her sister had met someone, had she? That was good. She heard a shout and then suddenly her sister’s voice was on the phone.
“Who is this?” Her sister sounded angry. “My sister has been missing for years. This isn’t funny!”
“Emily… it’s… it’s really me. I…”
“JAZMIN?” Jazmin had to hold her phone at arm’s length. “WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHAT’S GOING ON? WHAT-“
The questions went on for several minutes before Jazmin could get a word in.
“I’m… at a diner.” Jazmin said. She squinted at the sign. “Do you know where… Jan’s Diner is at?”
“Stay right there!” Emily said. “I’m coming to pick you up right away! I’ll be there in 20 minutes!”
The wait for her sister was both far shorter and longer than Jazmin had expected. The moment her sister screeched to a halt on the street, she jumped out of the car and grabbed Jazmin into a tight hug. “I… I thought I had lost you…” Emily whispered to her. “What happened?”
Jazmin felt tears coming to her own eyes. “I… I don’t exactly know. My last clear memories are from the day I went missing.” She said. It was a lie. But talking about the circus wasn’t something she wanted to do now. “I woke up a few hours ago and wandered to this place to get my phone charged.”
Emily pulled back from the hug, looking concerned. “We thought we lost you.”
“I’m here now. But… you should probably take me to the police before anything else. Since I've been missing for so long… they should probably know.”
Emily nodded and had her get in the car. As she began driving, Jazmin asked. “So, you have a boyfriend? Or is it husband now?”
Emily smiled a little. “Husband. We met four years ago. Married two years ago. It didn’t feel right having you not be there. But…” she stared out the windshield, and Jazmin knew. Her sister’s life had to keep going without her.
“When I woke up, I didn’t know it had been this long. It felt like I could’ve just woken up from a nap the day I disappeared.” Jazmin said. “This whole situation is… confusing. How are… mom and dad?”
Emily paused before answering. “They blamed themselves. They thought you ran away from home. They blamed themselves for driving you away. Not supporting you enough. Mom couldn’t go a day without crying for a while. And you know Dad. He… didn’t show it in the same way. But he was dedicated to finding you. It broke both of them when the police had to close the case.”
Jazmin sighed a little. “Did you tell them I called yet?”
“No. I wanted to confirm you were real before I did. I’ll… call them when we get to the station.”
The rest of the drive was in silence, but it didn’t take long for them to reach the station. They walked in, and approached the front desk. Emily spoke. “Hello, I’d like to speak with Detective Dulane. Tell him Jazmin Chu has been found.” The secretary nodded and picked up her phone. After a moment, she hung up. “He’d like to see you now.”
As they walked through the station, Jazmin asked. “Detective Dulane?”
“He was in charge of your case.” Emily answered. “It makes sense to talk with him.”
They were taken to an interview room where a burly man was waiting. He looked kind enough. “So, the elusive Miss Chu. I am Detective Dulane. I have worked closely with your sister and parents.” He extended his hand, and Jazmin nervously shook it.
“H-hi. I… I understand I was missing for years. But umm… I don’t have much I can tell.”
“No?”
“See… I don’t remember much from the day I went missing until now.” Jazmin said. “I…” she paused. “It’s hazy. I was being kept somewhere, I think. I remember other voices. They called us code names. I couldn’t see what they looked like. But I think that was by design. They didn’t want us to recognize each other if we got out.”
“They?” The detective asked. “You mean your captors?”
“I don’t know who they were. Like I said… it’s all hazy.” Jazmin answered. “But I could probably recognize who my fellow prisoners were by their voices. It’s… the only thing I know for sure.”
“I see.” The detective said. “So, other than voices of people being held with you, you can’t recall anything?”
“No.” Jazmin told him. “Everything else is just… a confused, nonsensical dream.” It wasn’t a total lie. That’s how the circus really was. “I remember flashes of… some sort of surreal dream space. But it wasn’t one that could really exist. So… I don’t know what it means. Might have been just a strange dream I had.”
The detective nodded. “Well, there’s some paperwork you’ll need to fill out.” He looked at Emily. “Mrs. Grann? Would you mind stepping outside?”
Jazmin watched as her sister left. She had a new last name. Emily was going to call their parents now. Dulane left the room and returned a few minutes later with some paperwork. It was dull but standard. By the time she had finished it, Emily was back. So were her parents.
Jazmin looked her parents in the eyes, and both her mother and father ran forward and embraced her. They were both crying. She began crying again.
“Jaz…” her mother sobbed. “I thought you were gone forever. My baby… I…”
“Where have you been?” Her dad’s tough voice was calmer and softer than usual.
“I don’t know. But I’m unharmed.” She said. “I… I’m going to be okay. Now that I’m back home.”
The next several hours passed in a blur. When Jazmin was finally left alone for the night, she was in her old bedroom. Her parents had changed it a little. Most of her old stuff was gone, but her drawings adorned the walls still. One thing that had been left untouched was her sketchpad. An idea struck her.
She quickly began sketching a character made of ribbons. Her avatar. It was a little sloppy, but she had to make sure. Then she added Zooble next to her. After Zooble came Kinger, then Pomni. Ragatha. Jax was added last. Then with a little hesitation, she added Caine. She then added a title to it. Above the drawings of the seven cartoony characters, the title was given. “The Amazing Digital Circus”. It was what Caine had called it. She had no idea if the others were out there. Or even where. But she would make her time in the circus into a webcomic. The others were sure to find it. They had to. It was the only way Jazmin… or perhaps Gangle knew to communicate with them. Hopefully, she would find them. No. She would.