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"WWWWELCOME BACK, MY POMPADOROUS PACKAGED PINWHEELS!!!"
Gangle clutched her singed ribbon-arm as she walked through the portal back into the Circus, teardrops hanging from the edges of her Tragedy Mask. Taking a glance at Caine as he proudly watched his Performers re-enter the Tent, her eyes drifted over the others as they carried themselves back from an explosive battle aboard a pirate ship at sea. Pomni still green with seasickness, managing to make it an impressive 14 steps past the portal entrance before puking her guts out.
"Allow me!" Bubble sang as they floated over upon seeing all the dark vomit cover the ground, immediately getting to work licking it all back up.
Kinger was a few steps behind, holding Zooble's head in his arms that he managed to retrieve after SOMEONE had shot it out of a canon at the pirate's ship. A few moments later, the rest of Zooble's body came through the portal, a few pieces hopping along as they put themselves back together one by one, eventually catching up to the chess piece, taking back her head and reattaching it.
"Uggghhh...thank you, Kinger. I'm glad there's at least ONE guy here I can count on!" the toybox character barked.
"Oh, Zooble! When did you get here?" Kinger said, glancing down at the head he was (unknowingly) carrying. Their eyes narrowed in confusion before the purple jackassrabbit came strutting through the portal, sporting a pirate's hat and overcoat. He carried a chest full of gold coins and jewels under one arm while the other held three bottles of Stupid Rum.
"Arrrrrghh! Ye were the perfect size and shape for our canons! A simple 'Thank ye' will suffice for saving all of the crew with my quick thinking and swashbuckling!" Jax uncorked one of the bottles with his teeth, spitting it out in the direction of Gangle as it struck her mask, making her stumble slightly and let out a small yelp. Jax took a long swig as he waltzed past the others and over to Pomni, Zooble following behind while they gave him another earful. After finishing his swig, he hooked an arm around the jester's neck and dragged her along. "Come along, matey! We got some booty that needs spreading!" Pomni stumbling along as she barely got over her seasickness, "J-Jaaaxx!! W-Waaitt, I'm not-" her feet barely keeping up with the rabbit's longer strides. Jax shakes the treasure chest in his other arm, the coins jingling noisily as they walked away "Plus, check out all this treasure I got!"
Kinger retreated off towards the sanctity of his pillow fort before the worst of the bunch, Ragatha, finally made their way through the portal, sporting a massive canonball-shaped hole in her solar plexus. A few pieces of cotton idly falling out every few steps, leaving a trail wherever she walked. "I-I think...I'm gonna...go lay down...n-nowww..." her voice shaken and ragged as she carefully walked over to the couches, abruptly falling face first onto a cushion.
"Well, another happy day! I'd better get back to plan tomorrow's adventure!" And with that, Caine disappeared in a puff of smoke. Gangle rubbed her arm idly, taking a look at the burn mark on her ribbon, before deciding to head in the opposite direction of the commotion and retreat back to her room for a bit. That whole adventure took quite a toll on her emotional state and a bit of quiet is all she really wanted now.
===
The sounds of pencil scratching and tea sipping were all the noises Gangle needed to hear for the rest of the evening. Putting the finishing touches on her sketches as she hums lightly to herself. Once she got back to her room, she was able to put on a fresh Comedy Mask and make herself a nice cup of chamomile.
Her cup wasn't the only steamy thing in her room, however. Gangle leaned back in her chair to admire her art while she took a sip, a goofy grin spreading across her mask as she stared at the sketchbook. Gangle had taken notice of Jax and Pomni being awfully chummy the last few weeks, sharing longful glances while the other wasn't looking and letting their hands drift awful close a number of times. Even during today's adventure, Jax got up in arms in a furious manner when one of the pirates swooped past on a rope and snatched up Pomni trying not to throw up her guts near the ship's starboard side. Watching the rabbit dash into action to save his lover was all the proof she needed that they were head-over-heels for one another!
"Oh, Pomni...I would never let those stupid pirate NPCs get you! They're totally lame and Caine's gonna have to do better than that to keep you away from me!" Gangle said, mimicking a really cringey Jax impression. "Oh, Jax!! You're my hero!! Once this is all over, we should go back to my room where no one can see us and make sweet love all night long!!" She rang out, using her ribbons to fold the notebook paper so sketch-Jax's face could smush up against sketch-Pomni's face while making kissing noises. Her Pomni impression could use a bit of work, but she was sure it would go something along those lines!
Or at least...that's what Gangle thought must be the case...?
Surely they've been pining for one another for weeks now! Like just a few days ago, Jax held the door for Pomni!...Well, actually he did that so he could trip her walking in. Oh! But there was that time he brought her a snack while she was hanging out in the lounge area chatting with Ragatha!...Or, wait, but he swapped the Zesty Ranch chips for Volcano Fire so he could get a good laugh while her mouth was burning.
Hmmm, perhaps he just played pranks on her as a means of showing his affection? But the more Gangle thought about it, the more unlikely it seemed. They were only romantic with each other in Gangle's artwork.
"Awwww...Jax would never admit to Pomni that he loves her..." Gangle said dejected, sighing and leaning back in her chair. Suddenly, a loud THUMP followed by some shouts came from the hallway outside her room. Gangle looked over at her door as she heard more commotion outside. It was pretty late, most of the other Circus members turned in by now, what was going on in the hallway this late? She carefully made her way over to the door, listening intently as the voices quieted a bit, but she was sure she could hear...sobbing? Oh no, did something happen to Ragatha?
Curiosity overtaking her better judgement, Gangle carefully opened her door to peak out into the hallway, slipping her mask out and letting out a gasp before slapping a ribbon across her mouth and retreating so her door was only open a teeny bit. Down the hallway next door, Jax stood at Pomni's door, a bottle of Stupid Rum hanging in one hand with trail of spilled splotches from down the hall where he supposedly came from. From her perspective, Gangle could see Jax's face, teary eyed and trembling as he struggled to stay upright while he knocked on the jester's door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK..."Pomniiiii...!!" Jax sobbed, stumbling a little as he stood around. "I-I fixed itttt...y-you d-don't...have to w-worry anymoreeee..."
Eventually, Pomni finally answered her door, rubbing the sleep from one eye as she looks up at the stricken rabbit in front of her. "M-Mmmm...Jax...? What are you doing this late, I-...a-are you crying!?"
"P-Pomni...!! I-I can't t-take it anymoreeee...!! I m-miss youuuu...I m-miss us...I-I miss-..." the rabbit breaks down again, crying as he sways a bit back and forth. Pomni stares on as her mind tries to catch up with everything, hanging onto her door as Jax sobs disgracefully out in the hall.
And they don't stop there, his sobs grow more and more violent until he even starts to hiccup! Gangle has to start biting her ribbon arm sharply to keep herself from making any noise, the scene before her too much to handle.
"P-Pomn-hic-niiii...hic...I-I fixed it...hic" Jax sobbed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his arm. The jester's eyes look around, her previous sleepiness well gone as her pupils dart back and forth looking for an answer.
"...fixed what!?" she asks, incredulously. Jax takes a minute to respond, still sobbing into his forearm, his hiccups making him struggle to hold steady.
"I-I fixed it...hic...I-I fixed me...y-hic-you don't have to worry...!!" he pulls his arm back, his face a tear-streaked mess as he looks at Pomni with wide eyes, trembling as he continues to hiccup. "I-I'm better-hic-at managing myself...hic...I take c-hic-care of myself...like-hic-like, I'm so much better...!!"
The two stand still for a moment, Jax hanging his head a bit as he cries and hiccups, trembling and shaking, sniffling and wiping his face. Pomni looks on for a few moments, letting out a short groan, "Jax, I-"
"P-Please, I miss you...hic" he sobs, standing out in the hallway, shaking in between hiccups. "I-I fixed me...hic...I fixed it...you d-hic-don't have to worry...!!" Jax takes a half step closer, stumbling slightly as he reaches out towards her without making contact. "P-Please...hic...l-let me back into your hic life...!!"
Gangle's arm is about two seconds from being ripped off by her teeth, can't believe her eyes! Watching the scene play out before her as she barely manages to keep from making any sounds, every second being etched permanently inside her brain as she listens on...
"Jax...s-something's not right..." Pomni insists, looking around a bit. She spots the bottle of Stupid Rum in his hand, eyes going slightly wider at understanding. "L-Look, you're not in your right mind...you shouldn't be-" Jax presses a finger against her lips, shushing her as he interupts, "No!" he says, between more sobs. "It...hic...It doesn't matter...I-I could-hic-could never forget...h-how I feel about-hic-y-you...!!" Jax covers his face with his arm as his sobs get more out of control once again, crying and shaking while Pomni watches on.
I...can't...take this...another...minute...!! Gangle runs back inside her room, jumps onto her bed and grabs one of her pillows. She slams her face on the soft surface and lets out a gleeful squeal, kicking her ribbon legs as she rolls back and forth across her bedspread. Not even in her wildest dreams did she imagine Jax making such a sappy and heartfelt confession!! All while crying his eyes out!!
Wait, THEN THAT MEANS THEY WERE TOGETHER ALREADY?!
...Wait! Will Pomni take him back!?
...Wait! What's happening next!?
Gasping for air, Gangle waits a few seconds for her mask to stop spinning before she jumps up and bounds for the door again, peaking around the corner to see Jax still sobbing into his arm, hiccuping as he takes another half-stumble-step towards Pomni.
"P-Please-hic-P-Pomni...I-I need you...c-can you-hic-please...hold me..." he says, stumbling as he falls to his knees. The purple rabbit lets his head bump and lay against Pomni's stomach, his arms reaching up as he clings onto her. The jester watches in apprehension as Jax crys into her front, her grimace turning softer until she looks almost pensive.
"Jax...you shouldn't be...mmmmm..." she looks down gently, her expression unreadable. Jax looks up from her chest, tears dripping and staining into her red and blue outfit.
"P-hic-Pomniii...c-can you please...hic...can y-you help me...c-hic-calm down...?" he stares up at her, on his knees, begging her to help him as Pomni slowly softens completely, her hand resting on the top of his head as she rubs and pets him gently.
It feels like an hour goes by for Gangle before she hears Pomni quietly replying "Yes...come on" The two of them fumble back and forth with each other for a few minutes before Pomni eventually helps Jax to his feet and they both go inside Pomni's room, the door closing behind.
===
"-the whole scene was so good!! I saw it three days ago..." Gangle recounts, pointing to her other ribbon hand, "one, two, three...and-and I couldn't stop thinking about it!! I dreamt about it every night since, it was SO GOOD!! AAAAAAAAAA-!!" she falls back onto her bedding, rocking back and forth as she squeals in delight.
The other girls are situated around her during their impromptu sleepover, all wearing their pajamas and sitting on their own blankets in the middle of Gangle's room. "Wh-why would Jax...o-oh gosh...i-in the middle of the hallway?? A-Are you sure!?" Ragatha asked, looking almost mortified. She was still clutching one of her pillows, anxiously trying to figure out where it all went wrong for her.
"I cannot believe-..." Zooble started, having been completely silent the entire retelling, "...-THAT I MISSED EVERYTHING GOD F[BEEP]ING [BEEP]IT!! I would've PAID to see that sh[BEEP] in action!! AHAHAHAHAHA!! Ahhh, f[BEEP] you're so lucky, Gangle!!" they wipe away a tear, still giggling idly.
"EHEHEHE!! I KNOOOOOOOOWW!! It was sooooo-...OUGH!! Like, is that not-?? I feel like if something like that happened to me I could just abstract happily" Gangle replies, sitting up and pressing their ribbons against the sides of their mask where their cheeks would be.
"...you've gotta be f[BEEP]ing kidding me...y-you actually SAW all of that, Gangle...!?" Pomni shouted, hands grasping the bells on their hat and tugging it down around their head sharply. She looked absolutely mortified as the other two shared excited looks, Ragatha's expression sinking even more.
"Ohhhh...god...so it's all true then..." the ragdoll states, staring ahead at nothing.
"AAAAAAA- itt was soooo good!! We're so back you guys, we're so back!!" Gangle cries with joy, tears flowing even without their Tragedy Mask, as she gives a double ribbon fistpump.
The whole of the night was sure to be one to remember for the girls...