Chapter Text
Chapter 1 – Dates, Plural?!
It has been a joyous week in the Amazing Digital Circus. With Jax and Pomni’s engagement, together with Jax becoming friends with the rest of the cast, not even Caine’s insane adventures can rattle this now tightly knit group.
As another day finishes, Gangle invited Pomni and Kinger to her room for some wedding planning. This left Jax, Zooble, and Ragatha alone at the circus kitchen.
“Another day, huh?” Zooble said, pouring themselves a shot of whiskey.
Ragatha sipped her cosmopolitan. “It wasn’t that bad…”
“Rags, a giant plant almost ate you.” Jax chuckled.
“That was your fault!” She responded.
“By the way, Ragatha, why aren’t you wedding planning with Gangle right now? Thought it would be something you would love.” Zooble asked.
“It is! But I asked to stay back because I need to talk to you, Jax.”
“Moi?” He asked with a curious grin.
“Yeah… it has something to do with your engagement to Pomni.” She clarified.
“Oh.” Jax put down his drink. She sounded serious.
“I’ll… go.” Zooble put away the whiskey bottle so she can leave, but the doll stopped them.
“Wait, Zooble! I might need another perspective. Please stay!” Ragatha begged.
Jax downed his drink and turned fully to her. “Alright, well just rip the band aid, Rags. What is it?”
The abstract refilled his glass.
His exaggerated actions made the doll a little nervous. “You’re treating it like it’s something bad!”
He threw his hands up in the air. “Well, is it?!”
She started shaking. “I-I-I don’t know!”
“What’s wrong with Pomni, Ragatha?!”
“N-nothing! NOTHING!”
“WHY DO YOU HATE US!?”
“I DON’T!”
“AAAAAAHHHH!”
“AAAAAAHHHH!”
Zooble slammed the kitchen counter. “SHUT UP!” They pointed at Jax. “Jax, quit messing with her!”
He jokingly shrugged. “Old habits.”
They rolled their eyes. “Ragatha, just say what you want to say.”
“Right! Sorry…” She composed herself and then made a serious expression. “Jax.”
“Ragatha.” He nodded, still not taking it that seriously.
She continued anyway. “No one is happier about your engagement than me, but… aren’t you… going too fast?” She asked sheepishly.
Jax scoffed. “What? Come on.”
“You’ve been official for about only two days before you suddenly proposed!” Ragatha pointed out.
“Uh, yeah, and we’ve loved each other for longer than that.” He argued. “You keeping up?”
She taps her hand like she is counting. “You haven’t gone on dates!”
“Did you miss that whole week of all of you trying to get us together?” He made a ‘crazy’ motion to Zooble.
They almost laughed.
“Those don’t count, Jax! We were all there!” She said like it was obvious.
“I mean, the adventures are kind of like dates!”
She gave him a look of disgust. “Jax.”
Zooble chuckled. “That’s an incredible stretch.”
“No, think about it!” He sat up straight, now fully invested in this argument. “We can’t really go on dates, because of the adventures themselves, so I just do date-y things with Pomni during those adventures.” He lit up, thinking of an example. “Like earlier today! I gave her flowers! Now, sure they turned out to be the evil plants that grew big and almost ate Ragatha, but she loved it when I gave her those mutant flowers!”
“They were nice mutant flowers.” Zooble jokingly nodded.
Ragatha tried real hard not to comment on the plants that almost ate her. “Jax, dating isn’t just about doing ‘date-y’ things. It’s also about getting to know your partner!”
“Pomni knows everything about me and I know everything about her!” Jax elbowed the doll with a sly grin. “Heck, I also know her plenty about her body, if you catch my drift.”
A very flustered Ragatha vigorously shook her head. “No, thank you!”
Zooble took his alcohol away. “Cutting you off.”
After the ragdoll shuddered away the thought, she got back to the topic at hand. She sighed at Jax’s arguments, not really having a counter. “I don’t know…” She turned to the abstract. “What do you think, Zooble?”
They shrugged. “I mean, what counts as a date? Gangle and I like to stay in and just spend time together.”
Jax gestured victory. “You see, Raggy?”
Ragatha sighed again. She was about to concede, when Zooble continued.
“Although, she does say that her favorite times with me are when Caine has a day off and we go out of this tent.” They feel content from the memories that enter their mind. “Night time by the lake, a day at the carnival, stargazing…” They chuckled. “Oh man, she has gotten proposal fever from that night and now loves watching the stars.”
Jax punched their shoulder playfully. “Sounds like she wants ya to propose too, Zoobie.”
They were about to reply, but Ragatha beat them to it. “Yes, it does sound like that, but you see, Jax!” She said with an ecstatic tone. “Non-adventure dates!”
“And I will take her to non-adventure dates! It’s just that Caine hasn’t had a day off yet.” He poked her, now a little annoyed. “But let me reiterate that I already know everything about my fiancée and love her to death already!” He glanced at Zooble, and a grin grew on him.
They sighed. The abstract was about to be collateral in one of Jax and Ragatha’s arguments.
“In fact,” he pointed at Zooble, “it sounds like you should be hounding Zooble for not proposing to Gangle yet!”
They did not react.
“Nothing?” Jax could not believe it. “Really?”
“Wow Zooble, even I thought that would get you a little bit.” Ragatha told them.
“Listen Jax, no offense to you or Pomni, but we are literally the only people, the only humans in here.” They said with emphasis. “Why bother with this superficial ceremony?”
What they said stunned their two friends in surprise.
Zooble took another sip and continued. “You love each other? Great! Stay together. Love each other. Do everything to make sure your soulmate and you are happy together.” They gesture to themselves. “I intend to do that with Gangle.”
“I’m gonna be doing that with Pomni too, Zoobs.” Jax responded. “But married!” He used jazz hands to emphasize.
“That’s very surprising to hear from you, Zooble.” Ragatha was unsure about their point of view. “Marriage is like, the ultimate declaration of love!”
“Classic scared of commitment. I see this on TV.” The rabbit jokingly commented.
What he said ticked them off a little. Zooble downed their glass before responding. “I’m not scared of commitment, @$$hole! We’re already together!”
The ragdoll tried to argue. “Zooble, you’re 22 years old. You’re still a little young to understand—”
“Raggy, I’m 22 years old too and I proposed immediately!” Jax whined to annoy her.
She pointed at Jax. “You’re both young and naïve but in different ways!”
Zooble growled. “There’s nothing naïve about the truth!”
Jax and Ragatha’s eyes suddenly widen. “Uh, Zoobie?”
They continued their angered response while pouring more alcohol in their glass. “Ragatha, your ‘ultimate declaration of love’ is just unneeded ceremonial bull$#@%!”
Ragatha started shaking. “Zooble, y-you should stop talking now!”
“And you know what?” They quickly take a swig. “Half of marriages out in the real-world end in divorce anyway!”
“Zoobs.” Jax said in an annoyed whisper. “Seriously. SHUT. UP.”
They slam the kitchen counter with their glass. “Oh, what? You can piss me off, but I can’t piss you off? Fine. Here’s the bottom line, you two.”
“Oh my God.” Ragatha hid her face.
“I don’t need to propose to Gangle because it’s pointless!” Zooble drunkenly declared.
“Pointless huh?”
The gasp that came out of Zooble was high-pitched and cutoff because they stopped breathing in pure shock. The realization of what they said in front of their proposal-fever girlfriend made it feel like the floor opened up and they fell into the dark cellar of regret.
They slowly turned around to see a very angry Gangle with tears in her eyes.
You know what? Escaping into a cellar would probably be very ideal for them right now, considering the dangerous look they were being given.
Jax took their alcohol away. “Cutting you off.”
Behind the rage-filled Gangle, were Kinger and Pomni cringing to themselves.
Kinger started to leave. “I’ll, uh, be in my fortress.”
Pomni carefully moved beside Jax. They shared a kiss before she spoke. “Zooble told me Caine giving us unlimited alcohol would be a disaster.” She looked at them, still frozen in fear at Gangle just staring them down. “I didn’t think they would be their own example.”
“Yeah, Pom.” He pointed to Ragatha. “But this is all Raggy’s fault!”
That got the doll to stop looking at the doomed abstract. “Me!? I just—”
“Yeah, yeah! Save it for the court, you evil meddler!” He flicked her forehead.
“Ow!” She tried to hit him back, but his long arms kept her back.
Giggling, Pomni stopped them. “Jax, please let me borrow Ragatha.”
He let go of the red-haired meddler. “Anything for you, my lovely fiancée whom I love very much!” Jax held Pomni close, but leaned into Ragatha when saying that to drill his point into her.
After a few more giggles from the jester, they all looked back at Gangle and Zooble. They have not moved. Their expressions stayed the same.
“Oh, I hope they’re alright.” Ragatha said in worry.
“They’ll be fine!” Jax made his ears look like Zooble’s antennae. “‘We are the only humans in here!’ or whatever they said.”
Him saying that made Gangle’s eye twitch. Zooble shook a little in fear.
Pomni looked at their glasses on the counter. It had traces of their drinking in it. “Just… lay off the drinking more, okay guys? I had an ex with a drinking problem. It got bad.”
Jax scoffed. “Of course, Pom—” His eyes widened. “Y-you have an ex?”
She looked at him in surprise. “Did I never tell you? I had three before I got trapped here.”
He stared at her in disbelief.
“Well.” Ragatha was the smuggest she has ever been. “You should learn about your fiancée more, Jax.” She patted his shoulder and gave him a fake disappointed pout.
A shattering sound can be heard in Jax’s mind. He… doesn’t know everything about his Pom Pom…
The ragdoll subtly stuck her tongue out at him before leading Pomni away. “So, what was it you wanted to talk about, Pomni?”
“Oh, right! I needed your opinion on…”
The two walked away from a still stunned rabbit.
“Gangle, listen—”
SMACK!
Zooble’s head flew towards Jax. He reactively caught it.
Gangle pointed at them in fury. “STAY IN YOUR OWN ROOM TONIGHT!” With that, she stomped away.
Jax stood there, holding Zooble’s head for a while. Both of them not saying anything as they were in deep thought.
Zooble suddenly sniffed.
Surprised, the rabbit turned their head around to check on them. He saw that his friend was a little teary-eyed.
“Zoobs—”
“Don’t.” They simply said. Sighing, they took a second to speak a full sentence. “I really messed up. I need to make it up to her.”
“Hey, just like you helped me with Pom Pom, I’ll help you.” He reassured them. “Besides, I… might need help again.”
“I got my own problems right now, Jax.” Zooble’s body walked toward them. “Head please.”
“Phrasing.” He joked before he reattached their head to their body. “But, seriously. I think we can help each other out.”
Zooble properly adjusted their head. Even though Gangle is priority, Jax is their friend now. Still an @$$, but a good friend. So, they hear him out. “Why? What’s up with you?”
They see him physically struggle to explain. “R—” He exhaled. “R-R-Rag—” He started to dry heave. “Oh man…”
The abstract was losing patience. “Spit it out already.”
He turned to them fully and said it quick. “Ragatha was right.” Jax immediately shuddered upon saying that.
Zooble blinked. “Huh. It is serious, if it made you say that.” They pause for a second in thought. “Wait that means that—”
“Yes, yes!” He disappointedly shook his head at himself. “I don’t know Pomni as much as I thought I did. I need to take her out to more dates.”
They sighed. “And I need to make it up with Gangle.”
The same thought went into their minds. “Double date/s.”
“Woah, woah, woah!” Zooble stepped back. “Dates, plural?! You’re still drunk!”
“So are you!” He pointed accusingly. “But hear me out!” His pointing hand turned into one of surrender. “I need to take Pom on so many dates, and you guys are basically the experts here!” He leaned closer with a teasing grin. “Plus! Gangle has always wanted us to double date. This is a two birds one stone moment here!”
Zooble thought about this. Jax would not be as chaotic anymore because of their new friendship, and if he is, Pomni is there to bring him down.
With Gangle, what he said is true. She really wants to double date with the only other human couple here. This will bring her mood up way higher. Well, besides them groveling for forgiveness maybe.
They then think about their marriage point. Was it a bad point? Was Ragatha right about them being young and naïve about this? Was Jax right about commitment scaring them?
“Zooble.” Jax interrupted their thoughts and extended their arm to shake. “I can’t do this without ya.”
Thoughts for later. Right now, they need to make their girlfriend happy again. They take Jax’s hand. “Let’s make our girls happy, Jax.”
In Ragatha’s room, Pomni was picking fabrics from the doll’s collection given to her by Caine.
“See, this is where some people think I’m weird.” The jester said, holding up a piece of white fabric. “Silk is overrated.”
Ragatha giggled. She was about to respond when someone kicked open her door.
Gangle was there, crying hysterically. “Z-Z-Z-ZOOBLE DOESN’T WANT TO MARRY ME!” She ran in, slamming the door, and jumping at her friends.
Pomni and Ragatha comforted her at once.
“Gangle, of course not!” The jester told her friend as the red-ribboned girl cried into their shoulder. “They love you so much!”
“You all heard what Zooble said! ‘Pointless!’” The memory made more tears fall from their eyes.
While Ragatha patted her friend’s back, she made the decision to explain Zooble’s view on marriage in the circus. Also, that they were drunk, hoping that would help even a little bit.
Gangle sniffed. “That feels so pessimistic!” She made a downcast face. “But… I understand. Zooble took getting stuck here worse than most. They often comment about how they lost their dreams…” She gave a small smile. “Up until they said they fell in love with me.”
Ragatha perked up. “Gangle, that means they can imagine a future with you now! You’re one step closer.”
That made her feel better. “Y-yeah! You’re right, Ragatha! I need to overshadow their pessimism with optimism!”
“That’s one way of looking at it, yeah!” Pomni said, happy her friend is better.
“Just don’t try to rush them. Let them ease into it.” The doll suggested while not so subtly eyeing the jester.
Gangle snickered. “Yeah, like Jax!”
Pomni playfully shoved her giggling friends. “Hey!”
“Still,” The artist sighed. “It stings, hearing that. I know they’ll try to make it up to me but…”
She was pulled into a hug by the girls again.
“Gangle, I’m sure Zooble is distraught right now and is planning one of your dates again.” Pomni reassured her. “Jax is with them right now I bet, helping plan your love outing.” She pulled away. “He tells me how much he likes you guys as his friends! There’s no way he’s leaving Zooble out to dry.”
Gangle laughed a bit. “Aw, Pomni! I really wish that Zooble would just say yes to a double date with you guys.”
Ragatha smirked. Knowing the rabbit and the abstract, and considering what happened earlier, Gangle’s wish will definitely come true.
Omake:
Kinger lit up a candle in his fortress. It lit up a beautiful portrait of Queenie, drawn by Gangle.
He sat down on a pillow and drank a cup of tea. “The kiddos are having proposal and wedding trouble.” He chuckled. “Can you imagine?”
He lovingly gazed at the portrait.
“Oh, the lectures you would give them for acting so silly.”
He exhaled and took another sip of his tea.
He chuckled again. “Oh, the lectures you would give me for wanting to meddle.”
He started nodding at the portrait.
“Yeah, I think this is something they should handle on their own too.” He takes another sip.