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Pomni's Diary
Day 1
Dear diary...?
Is that right? Do people actually start like that?
I had to ask Caine for this. Which... was a whole thing. He seemed way too excited about it.
I don't know why I thought he wouldn't be.
I don't even know why I wanted one. I've never kept a diary before. This feels... stupid.
No, not stupid. Just... weird.
But I think I need something.
Something to keep me from—
I don't know.
Losing it?
Yeah. That.
I think I've been here for three days now. Maybe.
It's hard to tell when nothing makes sense and everything feels like it's on a loop.
But if I'm actually doing this, then this can be day one.
Not... real day one. Just— diary day one.
I don't really have anything important to write yet.
I'm still just... trying to understand everything.
Nothing really makes sense, but I guess that's normal here.
Or... as normal as anything can be.
I'll try to keep writing in this.
Maybe it'll help me keep track of things. Or... keep things from feeling too mixed up.
I don't know.
I'll figure it out.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 1
Dear diary...?
Is that right? Do people actually start like that?
I had to ask Caine for this. Which... was a whole thing. He seemed way too excited about it.
I don't know why I thought he wouldn't be.
I don't even know why I wanted one. I've never kept a diary before. This feels... stupid.
No, not stupid. Just... weird.
But I think I need something.
Something to keep me from—
I don't know.
Losing it?
Yeah. That.
I think I've been here for three days now. Maybe.
It's hard to tell when nothing makes sense and everything feels like it's on a loop.
But if I'm actually doing this, then this can be day one.
Not... real day one. Just— diary day one.
I don't really have anything important to write yet.
I'm still just... trying to understand everything.
Nothing really makes sense, but I guess that's normal here.
Or... as normal as anything can be.
I'll try to keep writing in this.
Maybe it'll help me keep track of things. Or... keep things from feeling too mixed up.
I don't know.
I'll figure it out.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 2
I tried exploring today.
Just... looking around, I guess. Getting used to everything.
I don't really like it here.
Not that that matters.
Everything looks bright and... put together, but it still feels off.
Like it's all trying a little too hard to be normal.
I thought maybe if I kept exploring, I'd find something.
An exit? maybe.
But there's nothing.
Or at least... nothing that looks like one.
I didn't want to think about that too much, so I just kept going.
Ragatha found me at some point. She tried talking to me.
Just small things. Nothing bad.
I know she's trying to help.
I just... didn't really have anything to say.
And I didn't feel like forcing it.
So I told her I was going back to my room.
I think she understood.
I still feel a little bad about it.
Especially after earlier… when she asked me to get Caine.
I don't think I handled that very well.
I don't know.
I just didn't want to deal with any of it.
Maybe I'll talk to her tomorrow.
Or at least try.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 2
I tried exploring today.
Just... looking around, I guess. Getting used to everything.
I don't really like it here.
Not that that matters.
Everything looks bright and... put together, but it still feels off.
Like it's all trying a little too hard to be normal.
I thought maybe if I kept exploring, I'd find something.
An exit? maybe.
But there's nothing.
Or at least... nothing that looks like one.
I didn't want to think about that too much, so I just kept going.
Ragatha found me at some point. She tried talking to me.
Just small things. Nothing bad.
I know she's trying to help.
I just... didn't really have anything to say.
And I didn't feel like forcing it.
So I told her I was going back to my room.
I think she understood.
I still feel a little bad about it.
Especially after earlier… when she asked me to get Caine.
I don't think I handled that very well.
I don't know.
I just didn't want to deal with any of it.
Maybe I'll talk to her tomorrow.
Or at least try.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 3
I had a nightmare.
I don't really want to write about it.
It was just... this place, but worse.
I keep thinking about what happened today.
Gummigoo.
I know what Caine said.
That he wasn't real. Just an NPC.
But he didn't feel like one.
He talked to me.
We had an actual conversation. Not like the others, not like... scripted or whatever.
He didn't even know what he was at first.
And then—
Caine just... removed him.
Like it was nothing.
Like he didn't matter.
I don't get it.
If he can think, and talk, and feel confused, then how is that not real?
I didn't say anything after.
I don't think I could.
They held a funeral for Kaufmo today.
They talked about him.
About how he'll be remembered.
I didn't expect that.
After everything that happened, I thought it would just be ignored.
But it wasn't.
And that felt...
I don't know.
A little comforting.
Like things don't just disappear here.
Also, Jax is an asshole.
wait.
I can just write that?
It doesn't... censor or anything.
Huh.
I don't know why, but that actually made today a little better.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 3
I had a nightmare.
I don't really want to write about it.
It was just... this place, but worse.
I keep thinking about what happened today.
Gummigoo.
I know what Caine said.
That he wasn't real. Just an NPC.
But he didn't feel like one.
He talked to me.
We had an actual conversation. Not like the others, not like... scripted or whatever.
He didn't even know what he was at first.
And then—
Caine just... removed him.
Like it was nothing.
Like he didn't matter.
I don't get it.
If he can think, and talk, and feel confused, then how is that not real?
I didn't say anything after.
I don't think I could.
They held a funeral for Kaufmo today.
They talked about him.
About how he'll be remembered.
I didn't expect that.
After everything that happened, I thought it would just be ignored.
But it wasn't.
And that felt...
I don't know.
A little comforting.
Like things don't just disappear here.
Also, Jax is an asshole.
wait.
I can just write that?
It doesn't... censor or anything.
Huh.
I don't know why, but that actually made today a little better.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 4
I don't really know what to write today.
Nothing big happened.
At least, I don't think it did.
We had another "adventure."
I think I get what that means now.
Caine just... comes up with something and expects us to go along with it.
I tried to follow along this time.
Actually pay attention.
It's easier said than done.
Jax kept showing up.
Not in a weird way.
Just... around.
He kept making comments. About me, about the others... about everything.
I don't think he takes any of this seriously.
Or maybe he does, just in his own way.
I don't know.
He's just... confusing.
And kind of annoying.
But he doesn't act like anything's wrong.
If anything, he looks like he enjoys all of this.
Like the adventures are actually fun for him.
I don't get that.
I don't think I ever will.
Nothing else really happened.
I think that's a good thing.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 4
I don't really know what to write today.
Nothing big happened.
At least, I don't think it did.
We had another "adventure."
I think I get what that means now.
Caine just... comes up with something and expects us to go along with it.
I tried to follow along this time.
Actually pay attention.
It's easier said than done.
Jax kept showing up.
Not in a weird way.
Just... around.
He kept making comments. About me, about the others... about everything.
I don't think he takes any of this seriously.
Or maybe he does, just in his own way.
I don't know.
He's just... confusing.
And kind of annoying.
But he doesn't act like anything's wrong.
If anything, he looks like he enjoys all of this.
Like the adventures are actually fun for him.
I don't get that.
I don't think I ever will.
Nothing else really happened.
I think that's a good thing.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 5
Okay, that was my fault.
I said nothing would happen. I literally wrote it down like that meant anything. Of course something happened. Why wouldn't it.
Caine gave us another adventure.
Something about a "maze of fun and discovery," which just meant a giant, confusing maze with moving walls and fake doors that led nowhere.
And everything was... smiling.
Way too much.
Every hallway looked the same, and the signs kept changing, so you couldn't even tell where you were supposed to go.
I don't think there was a right way.
At some point, I just... wasn't with the others anymore.
And then Gangle was there.
I think that’s her name.
We were just put in the same place.
She looked nervous.
More than usual.
She kept apologizing.
For things that weren't even her fault.
I didn't really know what to say to that.
So I just told her it was fine.
I think that helped.
A little.
We found the others eventually.
Everything kind of went back to normal after that.
Or whatever "normal" is supposed to be here.
Jax started messing with Gangle almost immediately.
Like he didn't even think about it.
I don't know why.
But it felt... targeted.
Like he wanted a reaction.
Or—
I don't know.
For a second, I thought he was looking at me.
Like he wanted me to notice.
It was probably nothing.
I'm not writing "nothing happened" again.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 5
Okay, that was my fault.
I said nothing would happen. I literally wrote it down like that meant anything. Of course something happened. Why wouldn't it.
Caine gave us another adventure.
Something about a "maze of fun and discovery," which just meant a giant, confusing maze with moving walls and fake doors that led nowhere.
And everything was... smiling.
Way too much.
Every hallway looked the same, and the signs kept changing, so you couldn't even tell where you were supposed to go.
I don't think there was a right way.
At some point, I just... wasn't with the others anymore.
And then Gangle was there.
I think that’s her name.
We were just put in the same place.
She looked nervous.
More than usual.
She kept apologizing.
For things that weren't even her fault.
I didn't really know what to say to that.
So I just told her it was fine.
I think that helped.
A little.
We found the others eventually.
Everything kind of went back to normal after that.
Or whatever "normal" is supposed to be here.
Jax started messing with Gangle almost immediately.
Like he didn't even think about it.
I don't know why.
But it felt... targeted.
Like he wanted a reaction.
Or—
I don't know.
For a second, I thought he was looking at me.
Like he wanted me to notice.
It was probably nothing.
I'm not writing "nothing happened" again.
— Pomni
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Pomni's Diary
Day 6
I’ve been thinking about how long I can actually stay here.
Not just… being here.
But dealing with it.
I don’t know how long I can take this.
I don’t really have an answer.
I don’t even know if there is one.
Days don’t feel normal here.
I started noticing everyone more today.
What they are.
I’m a jester.
I’m pretty sure.
Not a clown.
I’m not a big fan of clowns.
Ragatha looks like a doll.
Like one of those old ragdolls.
Soft.
That’s… probably the best way to describe it.
Gangle is… ribbons.
And the masks.
She has a happy one, but when it breaks, it turns into a sad one.
It doesn’t look like she can stop that from happening.
Zooble is—
I don’t really know how to describe them.
Just… different pieces put together.
Like they weren’t meant to match, but they do anyway.
Jax is a purple rabbit.
With those yellow eyes and teeth.
His smile is always there.
Like he knows something I don’t.
And then there’s Kinger.
He’s a chess piece.
He forgets things.
Or gets lost in what he’s saying.
Jax said he’s been here the longest.
I don’t know if that’s why he’s like that.
But I don’t think it’s a good sign.
I don’t want to stay here long enough for that to happen to me.
— Pomni