Chapter Text
After her disastrous first day of what was apparently the rest of her life, Pomni (that was her name now. She couldn't remember her real one) wanted little more than just to rest. Her new room was whatever, she didn't really care, she just laid down on the bed and closed her eyes, still partially hoping all of this was a dream she'd wake up from. There was no such luck. In fact, something stranger happened when she blinked her eyes open. She wasn't in her room. She was in a theater of sorts.
"What is it now?" Pomni asked, sitting up on the chair. Which she was on. Instead of the bed.
There were flashes to the side, and the jester turned to see the rest of the people she was stuck with.
"Huh? What's going on?" Ragatha asked, looking around.
"Is this another adventure?" Gangle asked.
It was Jax that noticed her first. "Well Pomni, Caine must really like you if we're getting another adventure so fast." He said.
That drew the other's attention to her.
"Oh God, Pomni. Are you ok?" The rag doll asked.
"I'm fine." No she wasn't. "Is this.....normal? Unannounced adventures?"
"Not usually." Zooble said. "Caine loves to hear himself talk. He would have announced it just because."
"Maybe it's a surprise party?" Kinger said, pretty unhelpfully.
"Whatever. Let's just wait and see what Caine cooked up. Hopefully it'll be violent." Jax said, lounging on a chair.
Someone chuckled. It wasn't one of them.
"I'm afraid," A new voice said, "Caine isn't here."
The troupe turned to see a new person. NPC? They looked like a sentient shadow, even if she couldn't fully make them out for some reason, with glowing red eyes and wide grin, black hair and a black hoodie and a tail connected to a canister of black liquid with a stinger on it.
"And he won't be joining us." They said.
"Who are you?" Gangle asked.
"I have many names, but you can call me Entropy." He said.
"Oh, he must be this adventure's NPC." Ragatha said. "That's an interesting design."
"Thanks. Ignoring that first part, you lot are here for one purpose. My entertainment." Entropy said.
"Ehh I like this guy." Jax grinned.
Entropy chuckled. "Trust me, you won't." He said ominously.
"Yeah, no. I'm not doing this." Zooble said. "I don't care what Caine is planning, I'm not going on his surprise adventure."
"What's wrong, Zoobie? Not in the mood for fun?" Jax mocked.
The abstract rolled their eyes. "Fuck off." They said. Then paused.
Jax's grin faded, Ragatha blinked in surprise, Gangle gasped, Kinger.....was Kinger, and Entropy.....Entropy grinned.
"I thought we couldn't swear here." Pomni said slowly.
"We're not supposed to be able to." Ragatha said.
"Fuck. Shit. Piss. Ass." Zooble continued. There was no censor. They didn't think it was possible.
"You'll find that the rules don't apply with me." Entropy said.
"Holy shit." The rabbit said. "You sure I won't like you? You might be my favorite NPC."
"About that, not an NPC." He said.
What?
"You're human?" Gangle asked.
He laughed, and the air felt wrong. "Darling, I am something else entirely." He said.
"What exactly?" Zooble asked.
"Irrelevant." He answered. "But what I can do isn't. You guys are here to react. Specifically to the day you just had, and the future to come."
Future? Was he serious?
Jax snorted. "Yeah, sure." He said sarcastically. "And what does Caine think our "future" will be like?"
For the first time, Entropy's grin dropped, annoyance in his eyes. Then he grinned wider. It was unsettling.
"You don't believe me. I can understand that. After what you've been through, doubt for something like me is expected. So I'll provide some....incentive." He said.
The shadow snapped his fingers, and a piece of paper landed innocently in their hands.
"A letter?" Zooble asked. "That's your incentive?"
He smiled. "What? I thought you'd be more interested in the first letter of your real name?"
The air left the room. Pomni looked at her paper, a simple A. And he held more.
"You know our names?" Ragatha asked in shock.
Entropy chuckled. "I know everything." He said. "And if you want to know more, then you better get comfortable. Because the only person this'll be fun for, is me."
The group looked at each other. Pomni could tell this was different from Caine's usual. Entropy was different from Caine's usual.
"Well, let's go for it." Kinger said, tone upbeat. She wasn't entirely sure he knew what was going on.
Reluctantly, they took the seats around the room. This was probably just some adventure, but something told her this was different.
"Time to set the mood." The being said to himself, dimming the lights. He could have fixed the chess piece immediately, but where's the fun in that. He would let it build up. "Prepare for trauma my digital darlings."
And the screen started counting down. Showtime.