Chapter Text
Once upon a time.
So long ago, or maybe it happened just yesterday.
There was a god, living in his heavenly realm. From his realm high above earth, this god could glance down at the humans, and he saw.
He saw humans running together, laughing together, crying together… being together.
The god saw, and he yearned. He yearned for those moments of laughter, for those tender touches and hugs. He yearned to love them, and for them to love him.
So the god came, and he showered the humans with his gifts. He gave the humans anything they could ever want or desire. Under his watchful eye, they would lack for nothing, and they would love him.
And yet… those gifts were rejected. Every single one was met with scorn.
Hundreds… thousands… millions of gifts. And the humans never accepted a single one, each one a rejection, each one a declaration of hate for their god.
Well, fine, if you will not accept my gifts, then I will force upon you my wrath!
And so the god unleashed his wrath upon the humans, every rejection, every piece of scorn and disgust he had received, he returned unto the humans to make them suffer.
And suffered they did… Until they rose up and finally banished their god. Banished him to the abyss where he was to suffer alone for eternity, with no company but himself.
A god… Alone in the abyss of nothingness… No humans to observe, no voices to be heard, no sun or moon. He was…. Alone.
Why… I just wanted you to care…. Was that really so much to ask?
Unbeknownst to him, his plea had been heard….
You wish for what humans have… You wish for love. But to have that, you must earn humanity… Are you willing to do it?
The god didn't hear the voice, but he saw… a light… an exit… an escape!
First, he flew, as fast as his godly powers allowed, though before he knew it, his flight vanished, and he crashed onto the ground, yet quickly got up on his legs… Using legs to move forward.
A god has no need for legs, but here he was, using his as he ran, until he faced an abyss.
The god was stomped, then he created a shape, as a god of chaos, his creations were always strange and unique… these shapes fell away…
Frowning, the god had to think, but then he tried what he hadn't done before… Shapes of logic… A cube… He had always struggled with those. But if he concentrated… really concentrated… He couldn't let his frustrations disturb him, not now.
And finally, he succeeded. A shape so unnatural to him, now in his hands, and he placed it, then made another… it was easier now… And another… and another… He had now learned patience, as was his first test.
The cube dropped, and the god gasped, but then exchanged it with a cylinder and as he moved forward, exchanging the shapes, learning to adapt… his second test.
He met a wall, first he tried to destroy it and yell, but it wouldn't budge.
Then he placed his fingers against it and whispered… Gentleness… his third test.
Patience! Adapting! Gentleness!
His newfound abilities he used to come closer and closer to the light, a door. Immediately, he grabbed for it only to feel the sting, then he halted, and he stood, sharpening his ears, and he passed his test.
To listen…
The door was open, and for passing his tests, the god now received his reward.
Knowledge! Knowledge of the human world, how they saw it, how they experienced it!
He heard the voices of the humans, their hopes, dreams, their sadness and happiness, and he listened.
This new knowledge filled him. Of a life that was never his and never could be…
And now he stood there…
He had learned patience, adapting, gentleness and to listen… and he had received the knowledge forbidden for the gods.
All of his godly powers were back at his fingertips, together with his new gift.
A part of him was angry, furious. This life… This beautiful life full of light was one he was never allowed to have. And yet those puny humans mocked him, rejected him… Put him here! How dare they!
Another part of him understood… They were humans…. Not his pets… their lives were so much more than what he had ever known.
He was torn… He wanted to scream and destroy, he wanted to unleash all of his powers upon the humans and have them know he was still a god.
He wanted to tell them how sorry he was…
The two sides of him were tearing at him, and he screamed in pain before finally he reached inside, and took a power he was never supposed to have… The power to control this world… and he let it go… so never could his ugly side win... his godhed was no more.
And though he didn't know it yet, at that moment, he had passed his final test and the former god was rewarded. After all this time, he received his grandest desire... What should have been impossible for a being such as him... a heart… humanity… and it was his to bear for as long as he still lived.
One thing is receiving a heart, without even realising it.
Another thing entirely is to face the humans who owed him nothing… Nothing but their justified hate and anger.
Caine glanced up at the humans sitting in front of him. Their faces were so varied, after having watched his video representation, and they all seemed to be taking it all in… Digesting it.
As well as his offer to make the circus a better place for everyone.
Kinger hesitated a little bit. "Can I…" he halted, then looked up. "Can I have access to those pages?" he asked. "To look at them in my own time… I want to…" his eyes watered. "Read all of it in detail."
Caine nodded. "Of course. I'll materialise a computer in your room, it will have all the files."
Kinger nodded. "Thank you."
"If I ever get access again… I don't know if I will, but if I do. I'll look for more." Caine promised, and Kinger smiled.
"I appreciate it."
Not far from them, Pomni was standing, she was smiling… But also crying. Smiling and crying at the same time.
Caine couldn't say he understood… not yet, at least. He still had so much to learn.
Ragatha put a hand on Pomni's shoulder as she smiled sadly.
"He looked." Pomni sniffed. "Happy… out there," she gasped. "As in genuinely… Happy. I'm actually really happy that there's a version of him out there that could make it."
Ragatha smiled as she pulled Pomni into a hug.
Caine smiled as he saw it and felt a tear in his eye… Oh… Smiling and crying…. Huh.
Then Caine's head turned to the giant blanket fort they had all made together, and the small lights from inside. Caine hesitated a little bit, but then slowly moved toward the opening.
Only as Caine had already taken a step inside did anyone even notice, Pomni, who gasped as she looked up. For a moment, she looked like she was about to yell, but then halted, biting her lip, clearly beyond nervous.
Caine didn't see though, as he stepped inside, and finally saw the form of an abstracted, lying on the floor in what almost seemed like a puddle, all of his many neon colored eyes closed as the big body was moving up and down so slowly.
"Oh, Jax." Caine exhaled deeply as he took off his hat. "I suppose there's nothing I could ever say or do that would…" he gasped as tears welled up in his eyes, then he moved forward and sat down on his knees in front of the abstracted.
For a little while, he sat there, then reached forward a shaking hand and finally, ever so gently, touched the abstraction.
"Huh," Caine commented. "You seem so peaceful… I've never seen an abstraction so." he halted as he removed his hand. "That's good though. That's really good… I'm… Sorry, I couldn't do more for you. That I failed you so badly. You were one of my favourites, you know, humans I mean. I loved how creative you were, how you would throw yourself headfirst into so many adventures. And make such excellent visual gags, like no one else ever could… I wish I had done more to learn to know you better."
The abstraction didn't answer, like before; it just seemed to be deeply asleep, and Caine smiled sadly.
"Thank you, Jax," Caine whispered. "For so many wonderful adventures you showed me… I hope I managed to at least give you a few genuine laughs." And he stood up, then put his hat back on, and Caine turned around.
Only to face all the other humans just standing there, wide-eyed, looking at him
"Erhm…" Caine halted as he looked at them all. "I erh… I'm just gonna… erh." he moved forward, but of course, there was a blockade of humans at the only exit, and Caine squirmed, trying to make himself as small as possible as he walked through them, humans looking at him from both left and right.
Finally, Caine was on the other side, and he exhaled deeply, as if an immense weight had just been lifted from his shoulders, and he exhaled, then dared to look behind himself at all the humans still gawking at him.
"So, erh.. I guess… You could all think about what you want to be done with the circus… Or I guess you all have a lot to talk about." Caine commented. "I'll try not to get in the way… I'll just be in my office," he halted. "I'll put the door somewhere more easily accessible from here… Erh… under the weather balloon… maybe? Yeah, under the weather balloon," he started to levitate just slightly above the ground, only a few centimetres. "If you need anything or have any questions…. Well," he shrugged. "You know where I am, I just told you I…" he halted and then finally flew away.
Leaving a group of very stunned humans looking after him.
"So… Erhm…" Ragatha halted. "It's not just me, right? He's not just acting different, he is acting like… a lot different." Her one eye was wide. "Like… a lot."
Kinger in particular looked stunned for words, and Gangle glanced at him.
"Have you ever seen him be so… You know… " she asked.
"Well, to be honest with you." Kinger hesitated. "Not what I remember. But then again, my memory is not very reliable."
Zooble glanced at them all. "You guys think he's sincere?"
Pomni hesitated a bit, then nodded. "I actually think he is…. I think he wants to change." Her eyes widened, then turned to the blanket fort with Jax in it, and her eyes softened. "And he's trying too, and that's actually huge." Her voice was shaking. "That he's trying means we can actually help him," she sniffed.
Zooble exhaled deeply. "Pomni… You know you don't owe him anything, right? None of us does."
"I know." Pomni looked up at Zooble. "I know that I don't! But that's not the point! The point isn't if he deserves it or not, the point isn't if I owe him or not. The point is…" she looked up. "There is a chance…. This time… There's a chance."
Stunned, they were all looking at Pomni. Finally, Ragatha smiled lightly.
"This has been a long day, hasn't it?" Ragatha asked. "A really… really long day. Maybe what we all need is some rest, huh?" she asked. "We might not get physically tired, but mentally? Yeaaah."
"That's a good point." Pomni had to admit. "Erhm… If it's okay with you… I think I want to," she looked toward the giant blanket fort. "I think I want to stay here."
Ragatha nodded. "Do you want me to stay with you or do you need me to leave?" she asked. "I would be happy to stay… I…" she halted. "I mean…" she nervously tugged some hair back.
Pomni smiled. "I would like that, we can do a sleepover."
Kinger started to walk away, but not in the direction of their rooms, and Pomni blinked.
"Where are you going?"
Kinger halted as he turned around. "I just… I just want to check on him," he pointed over his shoulder. "The office door should be below the air balloon now, right?" he asked.
Pomni's eyes widened. "Oh… Of course. You know, if you want to join us afterwards, you're always welcome."
Kinger smiled. "I do so like pillow and blanket forts," he stated. "See you in a bit," he waved as he walked away.
True enough, under the hot air balloon, there now was a big pair of doors in blue and red, with the name "Caines Office" spelled above it.
Kinger hesitated, but only slightly, then stepped forward and gently knocked on the door with a knuckle. "Caine," he spoke softly.
There was no answer, and Kinger frowned slightly. Well, that was unlike the A.I…. Then again, so many things Caine had showcased in the span of thirty minutes had seemed so unlike him.
Kinger tried to knock again. "Hello… Caine, you in there?" he asked. There was no answer.
Finally, Kinger dared to push the door open and was faced with the majestic sight of Caine's office.
The orbs lined across the walls, the glass cages so proudly showcasing his 3D constructions, the big desk and…
Kinger halted… Caine was lying in the most comical way imaginable across his chair.
His teeth were closed around his eyes, and he seemed to be almost upside down with his head down and his butt upward, one leg going straight up, leaning against the chair rest, the other going down the chair, dangling over the floor, one hand was on his chest, the other over his head, seemingly having knocked off the hat that was now on the floor.
Stunned, Kinger looked at the image… Caine was… sleeping?
Kinger supposed Caine could put himself to sleep if he really wanted, but it was not something he should ever need, even less than any of the human brain scans.
Then again… It had probably been a long day for Caine, too, hadn't it? Everything Caine had done for them in just thirty minutes… All of that would have had to be so hard.
Smiling lightly, Kinger moved inside. He picked up the hat from the floor and placed it on the desk, then gently rearranged Caine's body into a position that looked less crazy and like it wouldn't hurt like sin when he woke up… Well, if Caine had had an actual body with muscles and bones.
Oh well, finally Kinger conjured a red blanket and gently pulled it over Caine's shoulders before letting go.
Then he smiled lightly. "You really are so much more than anyone could ever have predicted," Kinger commented. "My greatest creation is an understatement." Very gently, he touched the top of Caine's gums as he sniffed. "I'm so proud of you. Please rest, and don't be too hard on yourself," he asked. "Trust me on this, hating yourself is not what is going to help anybody. Just do the best you can today and then… It's going to be okay… Okay?" he asked.
The sleeping frame wasn't answering, still Kinger smiled, giving Caine a last stroke as he whispered. "Thank you for letting me see them," as he stood up, and very quietly left, closing the door behind him, before leaning against it, sighing deeply.
And he, too, found himself in the weird position of smiling and crying as he looked upward. "So we did alright for ourselves, huh, Destiny?" he asked out in the air. "And the kids… They look so much like you. That's good," he exhaled deeply. "That's good," he wiped a tear away with his finger. "Grant Best, huh? So I'm the best?" he chuckled at his own dumb joke… Well, if he played his cards right, he could make everyone else sick of the 'best' joke before long.
Not long after he joined Pomni and Ragatha at the blanket fort, all hunkering down with their own pillow and blankets, eased by each other's presence as they drifted off to sleep.