Archive of Our Own

The circus didn't feel like a circus anymore ever since Caine's deletion, something had changed. The bright colors that once stretched endlessly across the grounds had faded into dull pastels and washed-out grays. Sections of the sky flickered with static. Entire attractions stood abandoned, some partially dissolved, others hanging in midair as if the world had forgotten what they were supposed to be.

A heavy, uncomfortable silence like the circus itself was grieving despite that, everyone was trying.

Trying to repair walls before they crumbled into the Void, trying to keep the remaining structures standing, and trying to hold each other together. Ragatha sat on the edge of a platform overlooking the circus, her gaze drifted across the damaged landscape, and below her, pieces of reality occasionally glitched and flickered. Far away, Kinger and a few others worked to reinforce one of the larger cracks threatening to split the grounds apart.

Everything felt fragile and yet none of it was what occupied Ragatha's thoughts. Her eyes remained fixed on the horizon, or somewhere she couldn't see, and someone she couldn't find.

"You okay, Ragatha?"

Ragatha blinked and Pomni stood beside her.

"Yeah," Ragatha replied after a moment then she sighed.

"...Just worried about Jax."

Pomni hummed thoughtfully before sitting beside her.

"Yeah."

Ragatha glanced at her.

"Yeah?"

Pomni shrugged.

"I'm worried too."

For a moment neither of them spoke.

"He's probably somewhere," Pomni eventually said. "Doing something."

Ragatha laughed weakly.

"That doesn't really make me feel better."

"Yeah, I know."

Silence returned and Ragatha looked down at her hands.

"He wasn't doing great before all of this."

Pomni listened.

"He was already pulling away."

Her fingers tightened together.

"And then Caine died."

The words felt strange, it’s wrong. Nobody had expected to ever say them.
Nobody had expected Caine to be gone. Not a single soul in the circus thought Caine can get deleted. The circus had always revolved around him, even when they were annoyed by him or when they wanted him to leave them alone.

Now he was gone and the consequences surrounded them. Pomni followed Ragatha's gaze toward a distant section of the circus where chunks of reality had simply ceased to exist.

"I still can't believe he's gone."

"Neither can I."

Another pause and Ragatha swallowed.

"I keep thinking about Jax."

Pomni remained quiet.

"He looked terrified."

The memory returned immediately, the look on his face when they found out that Kinger accidentally killed Caine, the way he froze, and the way he stared.

"What if he's alone right now?" Ragatha whispered.

“What if he's blaming himself for things he can't control?"

Pomni's expression softened because she understood exactly what Ragatha was doing even now, even after everything. She was worried about somebody else.Ragatha laughed shakily.

"He drives me insane."

Pomni snorted.

"That's true."

"But..."

Ragatha's voice cracked.

"I don't want him to go through all of this alone."

The tears finally came, she looked away immediately, embarrassed, ashamed, as if she wasn't allowed to break down and then suddenly arms wrapped around her. Ragatha froze andPomni held her gently, tightly too, like she wasn't going anywhere. For a moment Ragatha couldn't speak and couldn't move then she slowly leaned into the embrace. Pomni smiled sadly
The roles had reversed for once. The person who always comforted everyone else was being comforted.

"It's okay," Pomni said softly.

Ragatha laughed through her tears.

"No, it's really not."

Pomni squeezed her shoulder and then spoke words she'd heard countless times before, the words Ragatha had once given her.

"I'm here."

That broke whatever composure Ragatha had left, she buried her face into Pomni's shoulder, and cried.

Pomni stayed just like Ragatha always had. Eventually the tears stopped, The hug ended and after thanking Pomni, Ragatha stood. There were still people she wanted to check on. People she cared and worried about. The first people she found were Zooble and Gangle.

The two sat near one of the repaired pathways overlooking a section of the circus that had partially collapsed into the void. Neither looked particularly happy.

"Hey."

Both glanced up.

"Hey, Ragatha," Gangle replied quietly.

For a while they simply sat together, nobody pretended everything was okay, nobody forced a smile because the situation was too serious for that.

Zooble was the first to speak.

"I hate this."

"Yeah," Ragatha admitted.

Zooble gestured toward the damaged circus.

"Caine's gone."

Their voices lowered.

"The place is literally falling apart."

Another piece of a nearby structure glitched and then fell to the void. Nobody commented on it because it happened all the time now. Gangle stared at the ground.

"What if we can't fix it?"

Nobody answered immediately.

"What if this is it?"

Gangle continued quietly.

"What if the circus just keeps getting worse?"

The question hung in the air, painfully unanswered, and Ragatha finally sighed.

"I'm scared too."

Both Zooble and Gangle looked at her not because of what she said because she admitted it. The three sat together for a while longer and talked honestly. Pomni eventually joined them. The four shared worries.

Fears, ideas, hope, and very little certainty but somehow it helped.

Later, Ragatha found Kinger near one of the largest fractures in the circus. Massive blocks floated around him. One after another. Stacking themselves into place and creating barriers, reinforcing weakened structures, and preventing the others from accidentally falling into the Void.

"Hey, Kinger."

Kinger turned.

"Oh! Hey, Ragatha."

She sat beside him and for a while they simply stared at the glitching structures.The silence felt comfortable, safe eventually Kinger spoke.

"Still worried about Jax?"

Ragatha sighed.

"That obvious?"

"A little."

She looked down.

"What if he's not okay?"

Kinger listened.

"What if he keeps blaming himself?"

She paused.

"What if one day it becomes too much?"

Kinger thought for a moment then nodded.

"I've had those thoughts before."

Ragatha looked at him.

"I know."

Kinger smiled faintly.

"He'll be okay."

"You don't know that."

"No."

Kinger chuckled.

"I don't."

A block clicked into place.

"But I know people can surprise you."

Ragatha smiled weakly and Kinger leaned back.

"You know..."

His eyes softened.

"Queenie would've loved you."

Ragatha blinked.

"Really?"

"Oh, absolutely."

A grin appeared on his face.

"She would've spent hours convincing you centipedes are adorable."

Ragatha laughed.

"I don't think that's possible."

"It is if Queenie is involved."

Kinger pointed dramatically.

"She once gave me a forty-minute speech about why a bug deserved its own holiday."

"A holiday?"

"A holiday."

Ragatha shook her head and she's smiling.

"She sounds wonderful."

Kinger's expression softened, a moment he seemed somewhere else entirely, remembering, Missing, and loving.

"I wish you could've met her."

Ragatha's smile became gentler.

"I wish I could've met her too."

Kinger nodded.

"So do I."

Neither of them spoke and they simply sat together. Watching the fading circus, watching the broken world they were trying so desperately to save, and hoping that somewhere out there, Jax was still fighting to save himself too.

While everyone else rested, Ragatha couldn't, she tried. She really did. She sat with Pomni, listened to Zooble complain about repairs, laughed at one of Gangle's jokes, and even spent a little while helping Kinger with the walls but her thoughts kept drifting back to the same person.

Jax.

Nobody had seen him in hours.

Of course, that wasn't unusual. Jax disappearing whenever he felt like it was practically a hobby at this point.

Still.

Something felt off.

Ever since everything happened, he'd been acting stranger than usual. Quieter, more distant, like he was trying to outrun something and Ragatha couldn't stop worrying about him. So eventually she slipped away from the group. She searched for what felt like hours.

checking abandoned pathways, peeking around attractions, and calling his name occasionally. Nothing. Until finally…There he was, sitting behind a large wall, hidden away from everyone, his back rested against the concrete. One knee was drawn up slightly. His head was lowered as he stared at the ground. For a moment Ragatha simply stood there.

Watching and trying to gather the courage to approach him. Then finally…

"Jax?"

His ears twitched and slowly, he looked up. His expression immediately twisted into annoyance.

"What?"

Ragatha nearly forgot what she wanted to say.

"You okay?"

Jax stared at her then rolled his eyes.

"Oh good."

"What?"

"The circus therapist found me."

Ragatha sighed.

"Can you not do this right now?"

"Do what?"

"This."

Jax gestured toward her.

"You know."

"The thing."

"The thing?"

"The worrying."

He stood up.

"Dude, do you spend every waking moment checking if people are okay?"

Ragatha frowned.

"I care about people."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"You make that sound like a bad thing."

"Sometimes it is."

Ragatha stared.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Jax shrugged.

"No idea."

"You're impossible."

"And your hair still looks like licorice."

Ragatha groaned.

"Can you stop calling it that?"

"It does."

"It doesn't."

"It absolutely does."

"It doesn't!"

"It looks like someone melted a candy store."

Ragatha smacked his arm and Jax laughed. A real laugh for a brief moment then it disappeared. The silence that followed felt strangely heavy, Jax looked away first.

"Shouldn't you be with the others?"

Ragatha blinked.

"What?"

"The others."

He pointed vaguely behind her.

"Doing whatever weird nonsense you're all doing."

Ragatha frowned.

"Nonsense?"

"Yeah."

"The repairs?"

"The rebuilding?"

"The group therapy sessions?"

Ragatha crossed her arms.

"That's not nonsense."

"Sure."

"It's important."

Jax laughed.

"Important."

"It is."

"Ragatha, you're all running around pretending everything's fine."

"We're not pretending anything."

"Really?"

His voice sharpened.

"Because from where I'm standing it looks like everybody's trying really hard to ignore reality."

"We're trying to help."

"Help what?"

"The circus."

"The others."

"Each other."

Jax scoffed.

"Right."

Ragatha's frustration began growing.

"Why are you acting like that's a bad thing?"

"Because it's pointless."

"No, it isn't."

"Yeah it is."

"No."

"Yes."

Ragatha stepped forward.

"People need support, Jax.

“People need reality."

"They need both."

"They need neither."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means you waste all your time trying to fix everybody."

Ragatha froze, the words hit harder than she expected, and Jax continued.

"Every conversation, every problem, and every breakdown. You always have to jump in."

"Because I care."

"No."

His voice lowered.

"Because you need people to need you."

Ragatha's eyes widened.

"That's not true."

"Sure."

"Jax."

"What?"

"That's not fair."

"Neither is life."

The conversation died, the two stood there, and neither was willing to back down. A cold silence settled between them then unexpectedly

Ragatha smiled, a small one, and also filled with nostalgia.

"Do you remember that carnival adventure?"

Jax immediately stiffened.

"What?"

"The one before..."

She trailed off before Ribbit and Kaufmo abstracted.Before everything got worse. Ragatha laughed softly.

"I wanted that horse plushie so badly."

Jax looked away.

"Uh-huh."

"And I was awful at that ring game."

"You were terrible."

"I wasn't that bad."

"You spent twenty minutes missing the target."

"It was hard!"

"It was a giant target."

Ragatha laughed despite himself, Jax felt the corner of his mouth twitch just slightly. The memory returned whether he wanted it to or not and the bright carnival lights. Ragatha getting increasingly frustrated. The ridiculous horse plushie, the look on her face when he finally won it, back then things had felt easier, back then Ribbit and Kaufmo were still around. Back then—

Jax immediately shoved the thought away and Ragatha smiled sadly.

"I still have it, you know."

Jax froze.

"What?"

"The plushie."

His stomach twisted.

"I kept it."

Silence.

"I miss those days."

The words were soft and honest. Jax felt something ugly rise inside him, a familiar feeling. Guilt, regret, fear, and the feeling he'd spent years burying and suddenly he couldn't breathe because Ragatha was looking at him like she remembered, she remembered the version of him that wasn't awful, and she remembered someone worth caring about.His defenses immediately shot up.

"Why are you bringing this up?"

Ragatha blinked.

"What?"

"The carnival. The plushie. Why?"

Ragatha frowned.

"I was just remembering."

"No."

Jax shook his head.

"No you weren't."

"What are you talking about?"

"You always do this."

"Do what?"

"This nice act."

Ragatha stared.

"What?"

"The caring. The sympathy. The whole 'let's talk about our feelings' thing."

Confusion spread across her face.

"Jax, I was literally just talking about a memory."

"Sure."

"I was!"

Jax laughed bitterly.

"You know what your problem is?"

Ragatha's expression fell.

"What?"

"You think you're everyone's hero."

"What?"

"You always have to save somebody."

"That's not true."

"Really?"

His voice rose.

"Then where were you?"

Ragatha froze.

"What?"

"Where were you when Ribbit needed you?"

The world seemed to stop.

"What?"

"Where were you when Kaufmo needed you?"

Ragatha stared at him, speechless, Jax kept going, unable to stop himself.

"Weren't you the one who cared the most? Weren't you the one always checking on everybody? Wasn't that your thing?"

Ragatha's face slowly drained of color.

"Jax..."

"Where were you?"

"I was there."

"Were you?"

"Yes!"

Her voice cracked.

"I was there!"

"I talked to them! I checked on them! I tried!"

"Well it wasn't enough, was it?"

The words hit like a slap. Silence. Complete silence. The second they left his mouth, part of Jax wished he could take them back but it was too late. Ragatha just stood there, staring as if she'd been punched in the chest because she genuinely believed him. Deep down, she'd always wondered if she could've done more. If she'd missed something. If she'd failed them somehow and now Jax was saying exactly what she feared.

Neither spoke. The silence stretched painfully between them. For the first time, Jax couldn't look her in the eye and for the first time, Ragatha didn't know what to say.

Jax left. Just like that. No apology, no explanation, and no taking back the words he'd thrown at her. He simply turned around and walked away, leaving Ragatha standing there. Alone. For a while she just stared at the spot where he'd disappeared, waiting, maybe he'd come back, maybe he'd realize what he said was unfair. Maybe…He didn't. What was she thinking? Minutes passed then an hour then another and still Ragatha remained there.

The conversation replayed over and over inside her head.

"Where were you when Ribbit needed you?"

"Where were you when Kaufmo needed you?"

"It wasn't enough, was it?"

Every repetition hurt worse because the awful part was that she couldn't completely dismiss it. She remembered Ribbit. She remembered Kaufmo. The conversations. The check-ins. The attempts but what if Jax was right? What if she should've done more? What if she missed something? What if there had been one conversation she didn't have? One sign she overlooked? One moment she wasn't there?

Her chest tightened, she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to breathe, to think, and to make the horrible feeling go away. Instead, it grew.
Louder, heavier, and meaner.

"You weren't enough."

Ragatha squeezed her eyes shut.

"No."

"You weren't enough."

She shook her head.

"I tried."

"Not hard enough."

Her breathing became uneven and suddenly other memories surfaced. Memories she'd buried. Pomni. When Pomni first arrived.

Ragatha had tried so hard.

She smiled, comforted her, stayed beside her, and tried to make things easier but Pomni had ended up growing closer to Jax. Not her.

Jax.

The one who barely tried. The one who pushed people away. The one who insulted everybody and somehow Pomni still managed to reach him, somehow she got him to laugh, to relax, to open up even if only a little.

Ragatha had spent years trying. Years and it still wasn't enough. Her breathing hitched, her hands began shaking then came Zooble. Zooble rarely talked to her, rarely sought her out, and rarely came to her when something was wrong.

And Gangle? Gangle was sweet but even Gangle seemed closer to Zooble lately.

The thoughts became louder, faster, and crueler. What if nobody actually liked her? What if she was just tolerated? What if every smile she'd ever given was annoying? Every attempt to help, every encouraging speech, every check–in and very effort. What if everyone secretly wished she'd stop? The air suddenly felt too thin.

Ragatha sucked in a breath then another. Then another. None of them felt like enough. Her chest hurt. Her heart raced, and her vision began blurring.

"Kaufmo..."

The name slipped out quietly, a whisper and then another.

"Ribbit..."

Her voice cracked and tears burned in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

She couldn't stop shaking.

"I'm sorry."

The panic became overwhelming, everything collided together.

Years of guilt, years of pressure, and years of trying.

Trying.

Trying.

Trying.

SHE WAS TRYING!

And never feeling like it mattered. Never feeling like she was enough.

"Why wasn't I enough?"

The question escaped before she could stop it and the answer never came.

"Why can I never be enough?"

Her vision distorted, the world flickered, and she barely noticed.

"Jax..."

A sob escaped her.

"Where did I go wrong?"

Silence.

Then—

Everything shattered.

---

Hours later.

Pomni frowned, something felt wrong. Very wrong. She glanced around. Ragatha wasn't with the group although that wasn't unusual except she'd been gone for a long time. Way too long.

Pomni stood.

"Has anyone seen Ragatha?"

Zooble looked up.

"No."

Gangle immediately looked concerned and Kinger paused what he was doing.

"No."

Pomni's stomach dropped, she'd already checked the places Ragatha usually went, the quieter paths and the old meeting spots. Nothing.

Gangle's voice trembled.

"What if..."

Nobody wanted her to finish but they all knew, the possibility hung heavily in the air, and the four of them exchanged horrified looks.

"No."

Pomni immediately shook her head.

"No, no, no."

But even she sounded uncertain. They split up immediately.

---

Pomni eventually found Jax sitting behind a damaged structure, his ears twitched as she approached.

"Jax."

"What?"

"Have you seen Ragatha?"

"No."

The answer came too quickly.

Pomni narrowed her eyes.

"You sure?"

"Pretty sure."

Pomni crossed her arms.

"Jax."

"What?"

"You were the last person with her, didn't she talk to you?”

Jax's expression darkened.

"So?"

"So maybe you know something."

Jax scoffed.

"Please."

Pomni frowned.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know."

"Jax."

He stood and annoyance flashing across his face.

"Why do you care so much anyway?"

Pomni blinked.

"What?"

"Seriously."

His voice sharpened.

"Why?"

Pomni stared.

"Because she's our friend."

Jax laughed bitterly.

"Right."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

"No."

Pomni stepped forward.

"What does that mean?"

Jax rolled his eyes.

"She's got you fooled too."

Pomni's patience snapped.

"What are you talking about?!"

"The whole caring act!"

Pomni stared at him. Genuinely stunned.

"Are you serious right now?"

Jax looked away and Pomni pointed angrily.

"Ragatha is missing!"

"Yeah, I noticed."

"Then help us find her!"

Silence. For a moment neither spoke then Jax shoved past her.

Pomni groaned loudly and immediately regretting the conversation.

---

Meanwhile.

Jax found himself walking back toward where they argued.

The place was empty. No Ragatha. He clicked his tongue, annoyed then checked somewhere else. Nothing and hen somewhere else. Still nothing. The longer he searched, the more uncomfortable he became. He refused to call it worry but the feeling remained.

Growing, and eating away at him eventually he stopped. He was frustrated.

"Hey, Rags!"

His voice echoed. Nothing. Then—

"Seriously, this is getting kinda insensitive!"

Still nothing.

"Everyone's worried about you!"

Silence again but then

A sound, a cry, a horrible cry. His blood ran cold because it sounded familiar. It sounded like Ragatha. Mixed with violent glitching, mixed with distortion, and mixed with something wrong. Jax ran, faster than he'd moved in a long time and the sound grew louder, close then he saw it and stopped. Everything stopped. His thoughts. His breathing. His heart. His world.

A towering distorted figure. Glitching, broken, and violent. And somehow, he knew before anyone told him and before anyone confirmed it. He knew.

"No..."

The word barely escaped him, the abstraction turned, and looked directly at him. Jax couldn't move. Couldn't breathe and think.Regret crashed into him all at once. The argument, the accusations, the things he said, and the things he never took back.

"No..."

The abstraction lunged and Jax remained frozen. Then suddenly… Someone slammed into him.

Pomni.

The two hit the ground hard as the abstraction tore through the space where Jax had been standing. Pomni looked up, saw it, and froze. Her face lost all color. Neither spoke. Neither needed to because they both knew.

Behind them came running footsteps.

Zooble and Gangle. Both skidded to a stop.

"Are you guys okay?!"

Then they followed Jax's gaze, and saw it. Saw her. For a moment nobody moved. Nobody spoke. Nobody breathed. Only the sound of glitching filled the air and the horrible realization that they were too late.

"Move!"

Zooble's voice echoed across the ruined circus. Nobody moved. Pomni remained frozen on the ground, Jax couldn't tear his eyes away from the abstraction, and Gangle stumbled backward, shaking violently, but even she couldn't seem to force herself to run.

The abstraction let out another distorted shriek and the sound made everyone's stomach drop.

"ARE YOU ALL STUPID?!"

Zooble grabbed a fistful of Pomni's shoulder. The abstraction suddenly lunged, the ground cracked beneath its weight. Chunks of concrete exploded outward. Pomni's eyes widened and Jax remained frozen. Everything happened at once.

"RUN!"

Zooble threw themself forward, grabbing both Pomni and Jax. All three hit the ground hard. The abstraction crashed through the space they had occupied less than a second ago. The force of the impact shook the entire structure.

Pomni finally snapped out of it and Jax did too. The realization hit them simultaneously. Ragatha was gone. The thing chasing them wasn't Ragatha anymore.

"GO!"

Zooble practically shoved them forward, nobody argued. They ran. Fast. Faster than they ever had before behind them came the sound of walls collapsing. The abstraction tore through everything in its path. Pomni nearly tripped and Jax grabbed her arm without thinking.

They kept running. Gangle's breathing was becoming increasingly panicked and Zooble glanced back once immediately regretted it. The abstraction had already closed half the distance.

"Oh come ON!"

Zooble shouted.

"Why is it so FAST?!"

Nobody answered, nobody had enough breath, and they sprinted through broken pathways.
Turned corners blindly. The abstraction continued crashing after them. Like an unstoppable force. Like a natural disaster.

Then…

"Kinger!"

The king turned around and confused.

"What—"

"RUN!"

Kinger didn't ask questions.

The sheer terror on their faces told him everything, his eyes widened and then he ran. The group sprinted together. Up damaged stairways, across unstable platforms, and over fractured walkways until finally they reached one of the higher sections of the circus. Kinger quickly conjured several floating blocks, one shot away from the group. The abstraction immediately followed the movement.

Charging after the distraction, the group collapsed behind cover, panting, shaking, and nobody could. The only sound was distant destruction, Kinger looked between them, confused, and scared.

"...Where's Ragatha?"

Silence.

Nobody answered. Nobody even dared to look at him. Pomni stared at the floor, Zooble clenched their jaw, Gangle's eyes filled with tears, and Jax remained completely still. Kinger's expression slowly changed and the realization settling in piece by piece. His shoulders dropped.

"...Oh."

A single word. Quiet. Broken. The chess piece looked away.

Nobody said anything afterward.

What was there to say?

Hours seemed to pass.

Maybe they actually did. Nobody bothered keeping track. Zooble sat several feet away from everyone else, silent and Gangle sat beside them. Occasionally wiping tears from her face. Neither spoke much.

Kinger eventually wandered toward another section of the platform, wanting space and wanting to process that left Pomni and Jax.

Or at least… It would've. Jax sat near the edge, looking down. Ragatha's abstraction continued wandering through the circus, destroying everything it touched. A wall collapsed then another, a line of floating blocks shattered into pieces. The abstraction continued moving. Mindless.

Jax couldn't stop staring and Pomni approached carefully.

"You knew it was her."

No response and Pomni sat down anyway.

"How?"

A long silence followed.

Then:

"I heard her."

Pomni looked over and Jax's eyes remained fixed downward.

"Heard what?"

His jaw tightened.

"A scream."

Silence.

"Before it happened."

Pomni's stomach sank and Jax laughed bitterly except it wasn't really laughter.

"Didn't even realize it at first."

His voice cracked slightly.

"So that's cool."

Pomni remained quiet and she noticed something. His hands were shaking. Barel but they were. Something happened, something he wasn't saying and something he wasn't ready to say.

Pomni looked away.

Then quietly asked:

"Why won't you talk to anybody?"

Jax immediately became defensive.

"Why do you care?"

Pomni hesitated. The answer felt obvious yet difficult because saying Ragatha's name hurt.

"...Because she would've."

Jax froze and Pomni continued.

"She would've checked on you."

Silence.

"She would've worried."

Still silence.

"She would've—"

"Stop."

Pomni looked up and Jax stood. His expression closed off immediately, walls rebuilding themselves and defenses returning.

"Jax—"

"Drop it."

He turned away and Pomni sighed. One final attempt.

"Whatever happened..."

Jax stopped, for a second then continued walking without answering and wiithout looking back. Pomni watched him leave, a terrible feeling settling in her chest. Something wasn't right.

Jax headed down the dormitory hallways. Strangely, they seemed almost untouched. The only difference was that every trace of color had vanished, leaving the corridors drenched in black and white. The lights flickered occasionally but otherwise everything looked normal almost Jax stepped inside. The silence felt unnatural then he saw movement at the end of the hallway. The abstraction. It immediately noticed him. Its head snapped upward. The glitching form let out a distorted cry then launched forward.

Fast. Far too fast. Jax reacted instantly and a revolver appeared in his hand. He conjured. The same way Kinger had taught everyone. The abstraction rushed toward him and the hallway shook, pictures fell from walls and cracks spread across the floor.

Jax raised the gun. Fired. One shot.

A light exploded.

Second shot.

Another light shattered.

Third.

Fourth.

Fifth.

Glass rained downward and darkness swallowed the hallway. The abstraction stopped immediately, its movements slowed, the rage vanished, and the creature simply stood there.
Silent and motionless. Jax lowered the revolver, breathing hard and the darkness seemed to calm it Slowly, carefully, and he stepped forward. One step then another. The abstraction didn't react.Jax swallowed then reached out, his hand touched the creature.

Instantly…

Everything vanished. The hallway, the circus, and the darkness. Reality itself shattered into streaks of color. Jax felt himself getting sucked in, spinning, pulled through endless streams of colors like when you are abstracting. He knows this, he experienced this before. Almost abstracting.

Then… Silence.

His feet hit solid ground. A black room, empty, quiet and directly ahead, there were siix doors. Each one different, each one marked, and each one carrying part of Ragatha. Jax slowly approached then stopped. One door immediately stood out. It was larger than the others.

Covered in chain, covered in lock, and far too many locks. The metal looked damaged. Deep scratches covered the surface like something had desperately tried to get out or desperately tried to get in.

Unlike the others, It had no symbol, no picture, no face, nothing.

Jax stared at it. A terrible feeling crawled up his spine. Slowly, he reached for the handle.

The second his fingers brushed it…

BANG.

Every door behind him rattled violently.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

The sound echoed throughout the room liike a warning and something screaming at him not to continue. Jax immediately pulled his hand back. The rattling continued for several more seconds then stopped. Silence returned, the black room became still once more. Jax stared at the chained door.

He wasn't sure he wanted to know what was behind it.

Jax stared at the door for a moment before opening it. The room beyond wasn't a room at all, it was the circus, empty, and completely empty.

No Pomni. No Gangle. No Zooble. No Kinger.

Jax stepped inside cautiously then he noticed someone.

Ragatha.

She was walking alone, not smiling, not talking either. Jax followed her. She moved through the circus without acknowledging him until eventually she arrived at the dormitory hallway. Ragatha stopped directly in front of Jax's bedroom door. A large red X was painted over his face on the door.

Jax frowned.

"...What the hell?"

Ragatha reached out, her fingers gently brushed against the painted X, lovingly. No expression, smile, and sadness. She was completely blank, she simply stood there, touching the door, and the scene remained still. Uncomfortably still

Then Ragatha slowly turned directly toward him, Jax immediately froze because she was looking at him. Actually looking at him as if she knew he was there. A smile appeared on Ragatha's face soft, gentle, and lovingly, the typical Ragatha smile yet something about it felt horribly wrong.

As if she was trying to tell him:

"It's okay."

Jax stumbled backward, the smile never disappeared, the longer he looked at it the more uncomfortable he became without another second of hesitation he slammed the door shut.

---

The second door opened to a quiet lake. Moonlight reflected off the water, the air was calm.
Pomni and Ragatha sat beside each other on the grass talking to each other.

Jax couldn't hear everything, only a bit.

"...and then I fell through the roof."

Pomni groaned.

"Please don't remind me."

Ragatha laughed.

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"Okay, maybe not."

Pomni rolled her eyes despite herself, she smiled. Jax watched the scene, it felt normal. Just two friends talking then suddenly the scenery changed and the lake vanished. A giant chalkboard appeared, covering an entire wall.

Jax blinked.

"What..?"

Notes. Hundreds of them. Pictures, drawings, strings, sticky notes, and observations.The entire thing looked like some detective conspiracy board except every single thing was about Pomni. Jax slowly stepped closer.

"She's new here. Remember to make her feel welcome."

"She doesn't really like scary adventures."

"Still looking for exits."

"Remember to give her time."

"Don't overwhelm her."

"She didn't like my adventure suggestion. That's okay!"

"She laughed today."

"She seems happier lately."

Jax continued reading. The notes became more uncertain, more personal.

"She looks more comfortable around Jax."

A pause. Another note.

"What am I doing wrong?"

Another.

"Am I being pushy?"

Another, written shakily.

"...Maybe she was right."

Jax frowned, his eyes moved toward the center. A drawing was pinned there, everyone sitting together.

Pomni, Zooble, Gangle, Kinger, Jax and Ragatha.

Pomni sat unusually close to Ragatha, both of them smiling, and underneath the drawing was a single note. It was pinned carefully.

"She's going to be okay."

Jax stared at it before slowly closed the door.

---

Jax opened the third dorm and instantly soon as he opened it.

A scream echoed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Jax nearly jumped, Ragatha sprinted across a giant grassy field, absolutely terrified, behind her was a massive centipede, and the thing was bigger than her. Its body stretched endlessly behind it, hundreds of legs moved across the ground. Ragatha looked seconds away from death.

"NOPE!"

"NOPE!"

"NOPE!"

"NOPE!"

The centipede hissed and Ragatha screamed louder.

"WHY DOES IT HAVE SO MANY LEGS?! THAT'S TOO MANY LEGS!"

A giant hole appeared ahead of her and she immediately fell into it.

"OH COME ON—"

The centipede followed, Ragatha curled into a ball basically accepting her fate then a big bug net slammed into the centipede. The creature flipped over instantly, its legs kicked helplessly, and Kinger stood beside the net.

"Oh."

The chest piece looked at the big bug then at Ragatha.

"I think I found your problem."

Ragatha pointed dramatically.

"KINGER!"

"Yes?"

"THANK YOU.”

"You're welcome”

The memory shifted, then shifted again. Different adventures but just Kinger and Ragatha, talking, laughing, helping each other. At one point Kinger accidentally wandered into quicksand.
Ragatha pulled him out. Another memory showed Kinger helping her solve a puzzle. Another showed them sitting beside a campfire.

The scene slowed, nighttime, the stars above them shining brightly. They were at the digital lake. The two sat quietly. Kinger sat beside Ragatha on the grass, watching the lake.
Then he suddenly spoke.
"You know, I think centipedes are misunderstood."

Ragatha immediately turned toward him.

"No."

Kinger blinked.

"No?"

"No."

"They're just little guys."

"They are absolutely not little guys."

Kinger tilted his head.

"Some of them are."

"Some of them are horrifying."

"They don't mean any harm."

Ragatha stared at him.

"Kinger."

"Yes?"

"I need you to understand that if I ever see a centipede bigger than my hand, I am leaving."

Kinger considered this.

"Leaving the adventure?"

"Leaving existence."

"Oh."

A pause.

"That seems extreme."

Ragatha pointed at him.

"You're part of the problem."

Kinger gasped dramatically.

"I am defending an innocent species."

"Innocent?"

"Yes."

"They have a hundred legs."

"So?"

"Nothing that needs that many legs can be trusted."

Kinger thought about it.

"That's a surprisingly good argument."

"Thank you."

Another pause. Then:

"Still wrong."

"Kinger!"

He chuckled to himself as Ragatha groaned and dropped her face into her hands. Kinger pointed toward the lake.

"Look."

Ragatha peeked through her fingers. A long, wiggly fish swam beneath the surface.Kinger nodded confidently.

"See? Lake centipede."

Ragatha stood up immediately.

"I am leaving."

Kinger laughed as she walked away.

"It doesn't even have legs!"

"THAT'S SOMEHOW WORSE!"

The memory faded. A note appeared and written carefully.

"Kinger is not as lost as everyone assumes."

Suddenly…

BANG.

A loud metallic crash echoed through the darkness, Jax jumped, the entire room shook. The door slammed shut in front of him. Jax took a breath.

"...Okay."

Then moved toward the next door.

---

The fourth room felt strangely cozy. Half art studio and half bar exactly divided down the middle. The left side clearly belonged to Gangle, sketchbooks, paintings, drawings pinned to walls, and canvases stacked neatly.

The right side belonged to Zooble. Bar stools, shelves, some of their parts, and random objects collected over the years. Jax slowly walked around. A shelf immediately caught his attention, a baseball cap, the same one Zooble wore during that baseball adventure, and a sketchbook Gangle once showed everyone.

Tiny souvenirs, little things most people would've forgotten. Ragatha remembered all of them. A memory suddenly played like an old cartoon. Gangle sat at a table drawing and Zooble leaned over her shoulder.

"What are you drawing?"

"Just us and the others"

"Can I see?"

"It isn't done yet though"

"Show me."

“Okay okay..”

Gangle smiled then turned the page around. It was a drawing of the entire group and Zooble blinked.

"It's good.”

Gangle’s smile immediately widen.

"Really?"

“Yeah"

Zooble looked away.

"It's actually good."

Gangle's face lit up.

"I'm glad you like it!”

The image froze, another photograph appeared, and they were in the museum adventure. Gangle looked like she had ascended to heaven, Zooble looked exhausted, and Ragatha's voice came from behind the camera.

"Having fun?"

"No."

Gangle gasped.

"Look!”

"Looks cool”

"Right!”

“There's more there if you wanna check it out”

"Let's go!”

Camera flash, the memory changed then another. Cartoonish picture frames appeared, the photographs began moving like an old 90s cartoon montage. Gangle accidentally splashing paint everywhere, Zooble getting slimed by gloinks, and the two laughing together. Every picture had one thing in common.

Ragatha wasn't in any of them, she was always behind the camera, capturing moments, never participating, and always watching, always making sure everyone else was happy. The montage slowly ended. Jax sighed as he closed the door and walked towards the next door.

Jax reached for the handle. The handle felt cold, Jax pushed the door open and immediately wished he hadn't.

The room was small, smaller than every other room, a round table sat in the center, and three chairs around it, one chair opposite them and four Ragathas and Jax stopped in the doorway.

"...Nope."

The Ragatha on the left immediately jumped to her feet, she wore an orange outfit instead of her usual dress, bright, colorful, almost cartoonishly energetic, and her grin looked physically impossible.

"OH MY GOSH!"

She pointed dramatically at him.

"IT'S JAX!"

Jax visibly flinched, the volume alone was enough, and the Cartoon Ragatha gasped.

"Wow! You're even uglier in person!"

Jax narrowed his eyes.

"Great."

The Ragatha sitting in the middle slowly turned toward Cartoon Ragatha, she had no expression whatsoever, no smile, no frown, just enormous pupils and blank expression. She was watching, observing, and judging. She looked Cartoon Ragatha up and down then deadpanned:

"I would've been caught dead wearing that."

Cartoon Ragatha gasped, a dramatic hand over her chest.

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"My mother would've killed me."

"My outfit is AWESOME."

"It is orange."

"Orange is awesome."

"It is annoying to look at.”

"YOU'RE ANNOYING!”

The blank one stared.

"I haven't said anything to make you annoyed."

"EXACTLY."

The Ragatha on the right snorted, leaning back in her chair, her feet resting comfortably on the table unlike the others, she looked completely relaxed. Confident and smug.

The version of Ragatha that never apologized.

The version that said everything she wasn't supposed to.

The version that got annoyed.

The version that talked back.

The version that probably existed in every sarcastic thought Ragatha never voiced.

Cocky Ragatha looked at Jax then immediately laughed.

"Oh wow."

"What?"

"You somehow look more miserable than usual."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Jax groaned.

"You're all annoying."

"Wrong."

Cocky Ragatha pointed at Cartoon Ragatha.

"She's annoying."

Cartoon Ragatha pointed back.

"YOU'RE ANNOYING."

"I know."

The blank one slowly looked toward Jax then back at them.

"They're both annoying."

"See?" Cocky Ragatha said.

"She's the smart one."

The blank one blinked.

"No."

Cocky Ragatha immediately pointed at Jax.

"That one is."

"Hey."

"No offense."

"That was literally offensive."

"Good."

Jax rubbed his face.

"This room sucks."

The three immediately responded:

"It does."

"It really does."

"SUPER DUPER DOES."

The answer came simultaneously even Jax looked surprised and Cocky Ragatha laughed.

"Wow."

"Look at us."

"A functioning family."

"We're not a family."

"We literally share a brain."

The blank one paused.

"...Unfortunately."

Cartoon Ragatha dramatically burst into fake tears.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT."

"No."

The blank one stared.

"You absolutely can."

Cocky Ragatha nearly fell out of her chair laughing, Jax almost smiled. Almost then he noticed something. The fourth Ragatha, the one nobody acknowledged and playing the cello. She sat away from the table, quiet and peaceful.

The melody wasn't sad, not really. It sounded thoughtful. The kind of music someone plays when they're exhausted also the kind of music someone plays when they're trying not to fall apart. Every now and then she glanced toward the other door in the room, the others never did, not even once.

The cello player looked at it repeatedly, almost nervously, and almost guiltily. Jax frowned, something about her bothered him, not because she was scary or strange because she felt real.
The others felt exaggerated but her? She felt like Ragatha. The actual Ragatha and somehow
That was the most unsettling thing in the room.

Jax looked back toward the table.

"Which one of you is real?"

Cartoon Ragatha immediately raised both hands.

"ME!"

"No."

Cocky Ragatha raised one.

"Me."

"No."

Blank Ragatha slowly looked at him.

"No."

The three immediately began arguing.

"I'M THE REAL ONE."

"You're literally a mascot."

"I HAVE FEELINGS."

"Unfortunately."

"I'M TELLING MOM."

"We don't have a mom."

"We DID."

Blank Ragatha slowly looked away.

"My mom would've hated all of you."

"Your mom would've loved me."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

Jax immediately regretted asking, eventually he walked towards the door, Jax grabbed the handle, twisted it, and of course it was locked. He groaned and turned around.

"Where's the key?"

Silence. The three Ragathas immediately stopped talking, the room felt different.

Cartoon Ragatha's smile faltered slightly.

"Oh."

She looked toward the door then toward Jax and smiled again.

"If you open that door..."

She never finished, instead she disappeared like she had never existed. Jax froze.

"What?"

Cocky Ragatha looked genuinely uncomfortable and the smugness was gone.

"Oh."

She laughed nervously.

"Oh no."

"I hope that doesn't happen to me."

Then she disappeared too, the chair became empty, and Jax's stomach dropped. Only Blank Ragatha remained, she stared at him, expressionless, and for several seconds then slowly looked toward the locked door and back toward him as if she wanted to say something and as if she should say something but couldn't then she vanished too.

Leaving only one. The cello player and the music stopped, Jax looked at her and she looked back. Neither of them spoke, She smiled there was a hint of sadness and worry. She looked like she was trying to be brave. Jax took a step closer and that's when he noticed it.

The chair or rather what was attached to it. Heavy chains wrapped around the legs of the chair and more chains wrapped around her ankles. It was tight and painful, as if they had always been there for years and the chains stretched into the darkness beyond the room. The cello rested quietly in her lap, Jax frowned and she never tried to stand.

Never tried to pull away or even looked at the chains like she'd gotten used to them a long time ago and had accepted they were part of her. The realization sat heavily in his chest, this wasn't the Ragatha that he knew. Not the cheerful one or the caretaker or the optimistic one.

Just…Ragatha who's tired, scared, and stuck not because she wanted to be. Because she had been taught she couldn't leave. Because someone had put her there years ago and she'd never been allowed to get up.

The cello player glanced down briefly, not at the instrument but at the chains and then back at him. A tiny smile, almost apologetic and embarrassed that he'd noticed. As if she were silently saying:

"I know."

"I know they're there."

"I just don't know how to leave."

Something twisted painfully in Jax's chest because for the first time since entering this place, he understood why this version of Ragatha felt the most real. She wasn't hiding or pretending. She was simply carrying everything she'd been forced to carry and somehow still trying to smile through it. Slowly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a key.

Jax hesitated, she held it out, and their eyes met. For a moment he thought she might finally say something instead she only glanced at the door and back at him. A silent warning, apology, and goodbye mixed all in one. Jax slowly took the key, the moment it left her hand, she disappeared including the cello leaving him alone.

The room suddenly felt much colder, Jax looked at the key and then at the door. Jax sighed.

"...Of course."

He stepped forward, inserted the key, and the lock clicked. Jax grabbed the handle and opened the door instantly the world exploded into flashes of color and before he could even process what he was seeing…

The first flash appeared.

Jax was thrown into another memory.

A dining room, it was large, expensive, and perfect. Young Ragatha sat stiffly in her chair, back straight, hands folded, and eyes lowered. The table was full of people. Family members, Relatives, and parents who you couldn't see because their face was blurred. The room still felt empty.

"Smile."

Young Ragatha looked up and her mother's voice cut through the room.

"...What?"

The slap came immediately and the sound echoed against the walls. Ragatha nearly fell out of her chair.
"How dare you talk back?!"

Tears instantly formed in her eyes.

"I wasn't—"

"Enough."

Her mother stood and disgust written across her face.

"Always looking miserable."

Ragatha looked around desperately, at her father, at her relatives, at anyone.
Nobody moved. Nobody defended her. Forks continued scraping against plates and conversations continued. As if nothing happened and as if she wasn't there.
Her mother walked out of the room, Ragatha shakily wiped her eyes then the woman returned.
Holding a container and Young Ragatha immediately froze.

"No."

The container moved and something inside crawled.

"No..."
The lid opened. It was full of centipedes, dozens of them, and Ragatha immediately pushed herself away from the table.Panic overtaking her.

"No no no no no!"

The memory shattered.

Darkness, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

School. Teenage Ragatha stumbled forward as somebody shoved her and her books scattered across the floor. Laughter erupted around her.

"Oops."

A boy smirked.

"Didn't see you there."

"You literally pushed her."

Another kid laughed.

"Same thing."

Ragatha quickly knelt down, trying to gather her papers, a shoe suddenly landed on one and pinning it down.

"Look."

A girl rolled her eyes.

"The rich girl is crying again."

"I'm not crying."

"Sure."
More laughter. Ragatha grabbed her things and stood, head lowered, and trying to leave.
Someone shoved her shoulder again. Hard.

"Maybe buy some friends."

The hallway erupted into laughter and the memory shattered.

Darkness, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

It was raining. Ragatha ran, her suitcase bounced against the pavement, and she couldn't breathe. Everything hurt, her ears, her head, and her chest. The front door of her house slammed open behind her and someone yelled her name but it couldn't be heard. She didn't stop, wouldn't stop, tears blurred her vision, and her legs burned.

The memory broke apart.

The Circus, bright colors, and like cartoonish buildings Ragatha stood in the middle of the stage, frozen, confused, and terrified. A few blurry figures stood behind her. Friends.
The ones who had dared her to put on the headset. Gone now.

"Hello?!"

Her voice echoed.

"Can anybody hear me?!"

"I can hear you."

Ragatha turned around and saw a chess king stood nearby.

"W-Who are you?!"

The chess piece blinked.

"I…I'm..”

A pause, then a head is a pair of dentures with pearly-white teeth and red gums appeared.

Darkness, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

Another figure appeared. A frog-like girl, terrified, and looking around wildly. Ragatha awkwardly approached.

"Um..."

The frog girl immediately jumped.

"What?!"

"Nothing!"

Both stared at each other. Silence, painfully silent. Neither knew what to say then Caine suddenly appeared upside down between them.

"WOW!"

Both screamed and the memory skipped. Weeks later, The same two talked together in front of the stage, far more comfortable and relaxed. Ribbit threw popcorn at her and Ragatha immediately threw it back.

"HEY!"

"You started it."

"No I didn't."

"You absolutely did."

Ribbit snorted then both burst out laughing.

The memory shifted again.

Showing dozens of little moments, conversations, jokes, and adventures. The awkwardness disappearing and friendship replacing it.

A sudden darkness flashed through, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

A clown appeared. The newest arrival, he stared around the circus, then stared at himself, and then at Ragatha and Ribbit.

"...What the f—”

The memory skipped.

Months later, Kaufmo sat by himself, arms crossed, looking miserable, Ribbit sat beside him and Ragatha sat on his other side, trying her best.

"So..."

Kaufmo groaned.

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Try to make me feel better."

Ragatha paused.

"...Okay."

"Really?"

"Really."

A pause.

Then:

"This place sucks."

"Yeah."

Ribbit nodded.

"It does."

Kaufmo blinked.

"You agree?"

"Of course."

"What did you expect?"

The clown stared at them then laughed just a little. The first genuine laugh since arriving.
The memory skipped.

Weeks. Months. Passing rapidly, Kaufmo became more comfortable. Talking more, joking more. and being himself. All three sat together. Kaufmo grinning, a dangerous sign.

"Oh no."
Ribbit immediately groaned.

"What?"

"That face."

"What face?"

"The face you make before saying something stupid."

Kaufmo gasped.

"I'll have you know this joke is quality."

Ragatha immediately started laughing.

"I haven't even said it yet!"

"Sorry."

Kaufmo pointed dramatically.

"What do you call a fish wearing a bowtie?"

Ribbit buried her face in her hands.

"Kaufmo."

"A so-fish-ticated gentleman."

Silence. Then they heard Ragatha laughing and Kaufmo immediately shot out of his seat.

"SEE?! I KNEW IT!"

"RAGATHA!"

Ribbit pointed accusingly.

"Don't encourage him!"

"It's too late now!"

Kaufmo laughed, Ragatha laughed, and eventually Ribbit laughed too and for a brief moment
The memory lingered.
Longer than the others as if this was one Ragatha never wanted to forget.

The memory shattered.

A sudden darkness flashed through, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

A jungle adventure, bright green vines hung from enormous trees. The sky was purple. Nothing made sense and typical Caine adventure. Kaufmo was currently hanging upside down from a vine.

"RAGATHA!"

"I'm trying!"

Ragatha was laughing too hard to help below them, Ribbit was doubled over laughing.

"You look ridiculous!"

"I'M GOING TO DIE!"

"No you won't!"

"I'M LITERALLY UPSIDE DOWN!"

A giant monkey suddenly appeared behind him, Kaufmo screamed, the monkey screamed, Ribbit screamed because the monkey screamed, and Ragatha screamed because Ribbit screamed. The entire scene dissolved into chaos.

The memory jumped.

Kaufmo accidentally rolling down a hill, Ribbit trying to catch him, and both immediately crashing into a river. Ragatha laughing so hard she could barely stand.

The memory froze.

All three smiling. Happy. Again It shattered.

A sudden darkness flashed through, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

Nighttime.

A quiet adventure.

The stars above were fake but beautiful. Ribbit and Ragatha sat beside a small lake, the rest of the circus had already gone to sleep, and the two sat silently. Listening to the water.
Eventually, Ribbit spoke first.

"You don't talk about your life much."

Ragatha's smile faltered.

"...Yeah."

Ribbit glanced at her.

"You don't have to tell me."

"No."

Ragatha stared at the water.

"I think I want to."

The memory shifted. Jax wasn't just watching anymore. He was seeing everything. Feeling everything.

A young Ragatha, sitting in front of a cello. Practicing. Again, and again, and again. Her fingers hurt but she kept playing. A woman stood behind her, watching and judging.

"Again."

Young Ragatha nodded and played.

The memory skipped.

A report card. 98%. A near perfect score and her mother looked disgusted.

"What happened to the other two percent?"

Flash.

Young Ragatha crying quietly, trying not to make noise, and her mother towering over her.

"You want something to cry about?"

The woman grabbed her arm.

"I'll give you something to cry about."

Flash.

Centipedes, crawling, and moving. Young Ragatha desperately trying to back away and her mother holding them out. Smiling.

Flash.

Her parents screaming at each other late at night. Young Ragatha sitting in her room, hands over her ears, trying not to listen and trying not to cry.

Flash.

A younger Ragatha approaching family members, trying to join conversations, trying to spend time with them, trying, trying, and always trying. Each time she was ignored, dismissed, and pushed away.

Flash.

Classmates surrounding her desk.

"Can you do mine too?"

"Just this one assignment."

"You're smarter anyway."

Another paper. Another request. Another favor. None of them cared about her. Only what she could do for them.

Flash.

A test paper, second place, and not first. Young Ragatha stared at it, terrified and absolutely terrified.

The memory returned to the lake. Ribbit sat frozen, listening, and unable to interrupt. Ragatha laughed, a broken laugh.

"Looking back..."

She hugged her knees.

"I think my whole life was just trying not to upset people."

Ribbit frowned.

"That's awful."

"Yeah."

Ragatha looked away.

"I got really good at it."

Silence.The water rippled then Ragatha spoke again.

Quieter.

"Eventually I couldn't take it anymore."

The memory changed.

Her mother's voice. It was loud, cruel, endless, screaming, accusing, and belittling.

Again. Again. Again.

Until something snapped. Years of anger, years of fear, and years of pain exploded. Young Ragatha shoved her and her mother stumbled. Shock crossed everybody's faces.
Ragatha hit her, once, twice, and three times. Pulling her hair, screaming back, finally screaming back. Everything she had wanted to say for years. All of it. Pouring out.

Then silence, the room froze, nobody moved, and nobody spoke. Suddenly, the family rushed forward. Not toward Ragatha, toward her mother, protecting her, comforting her, and defending her.

As if Ragatha was the monster. As if nothing else had happened before.

The memory shattered.

Back at the lake. Ragatha stared at the water.

"I left that night."

Ribbit remained silent.

"I never went back."

The frog girl slowly moved closer, not speaking and just listening, Ragatha laughed weakly.

"Pretty messed up, huh?"

"No."

Her voice cracked.

"That's not messed up."

Ragatha's eyes widened.

"Ribbit—"

"You deserved better."

The words hit harder than any slap.

Harder than any memory.

The memory lingered. Longer than the others.

Then it shattered.

A sudden darkness flashed through, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

A quieter memory. The circus kitchen, Kaufmo sat on a counter, swinging his legs, and Ragatha sat nearby. Sewing something. There wasn't an adventure today, Caine was cooking something up that needed a day to finish and Kaufmo looked over.

"You know."

Ragatha glanced up.

"Hm?"

"You smile a lot."

"Oh."

"Like."

Kaufmo pointed dramatically.

"A concerning amount."

Ragatha laughed.

"Thanks?"

"No problem."

Kaufmo leaned back.

Then spoke more softly.

"You're allowed to stop pretending sometimes."

Ragatha froze, the needle stopped moving and Kaufmo looked away. Trying to act casual.

"You know."

He shrugged.

"You don't always gotta be okay."

Ragatha smiled gently.
"Thanks, Kaufmo."

The clown grinned.

"You're welcome."

The memory faded.

A sudden darkness flashed through, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

A new arrival. A purple rabbit, terrified and confused. The moment he appeared he immediately backed away from everyone.

The memory shattered.

A sudden darkness flashed through, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

A lake. It was quiet, peaceful, the fake stars reflected across the water. Jax sat near the edge, throwing rocks. One. Two. Three. Ragatha sat beside him. Neither spoke for a while but it was surprisingly comfortable silence.

Eventually

""You think fish get thirsty?"

Jax suddenly asked.

Ragatha blinked.

"What?"

"The fish."

"What fish?"

"The fish in the lake."

Ragatha stared at him.

"...What?"

Jax pointed at the water.

"The fish."

"They live in water."

"Okay?"

"So why would they be thirsty?"

"That's what I'm asking."

Ragatha looked genuinely confused.

"Jax, I don't think that's how fish work."

"How do you know?"

"Because they're fish."

"That's not an answer."

"It is absolutely an answer."

Jax frowned at the lake and Ragatha slowly leaned away from him.

"Have you been thinking about this for a while?"

"Maybe."

"How long is 'maybe'?"

"A few days."

"A FEW DAYS?!"

Jax shrugged and Ragatha covered her face.

"Oh my god."

"It's a valid question."

"No it isn't."

"How do you know?"

"They literally swim in water."

"So?"

"So?"

Ragatha stared at him then pointed aggressively at the lake.

"THAT'S THEIR WHOLE THING."

Jax looked unconvinced.

"What if they don't like the flavor?"

"The flavor?"

"Yeah."

"What flavor?"

"The lake flavor."

Ragatha was silent.

"...Lake flavor."

"Lake flavor."

"Jax."

"What?"

"Please stop talking."

"No."

Ragatha groaned and Jax looked far too pleased with himself. He pointed toward the sky.

"That cloud looks like Kaufmo."

Ragatha looked up.

"No it doesn't."

"It totally does."

"It looks like a sock."

"Kaufmo kinda looks like a sock."

Ragatha immediately laughed.

Jax grinned.

"See?"

"No."

"See?"

"No."

"See?"

"Stop saying see."

"See?"

"Keep talking."

"You wouldn't."

Then the lake suddenly splashed water at Ragatha. Jax stared, Ragatha stared, and Jax immediately doubled over laughing.

"Oh my god."

"Don't.”

"Jax."

"Come on Raggy!”

"Jax."

"The lake attacked you!”

Ragatha groaned and Jax laughed even harder. Before she can even say anything…
A voice echoed from behind them.

"THERE YOU GUYS ARE!"

Kaufmo came sprinting down the hill, immediately tripped, got back up, and continued running like nothing happened. Ribbit followed behind him, looking exhausted already.

"What happened?"

Kaufmo asked.

Jax immediately pointed at Ragatha.

"The lake attacked her."

"What?"

"The lake attacked her."

Kaufmo gasped.

"No way."

"There is absolutely way."

Ribbit looked at all three of them.

"...All of you are crazy."

And somehow that only made everyone laugh harder.

Another memory.

The circus kitchen. Jax sat on a counter, Ragatha nearby, Kaufmo trying and failing to juggle oranges, and Ribbit watching.

"You're gonna drop those."

"No I won't."

"You absolutely will."

"No I won't."

Kaufmo immediately dropped one, It bounced off his face, and everyone laughed including Jax. The memory froze, just for a second. Jax realized something. Ragatha remembered him laughing.

Flash.

A rooftop.

Jax and Ragatha again, watching an adventure explode in the distance.

"Should we help?"

Ragatha asked.

"Nah."

"Kinger's over there."

"He'll survive."

"Probably."

Another explosion.

"Actually maybe not."

The two immediately burst out laughing.

Flash.

A carnival adventure.

The horse plush. Ragatha holding it, smiling. Jax pretending not to care but smiling, and Ribbit immediately noticing.

"OHHHH."

Jax froze.

"No."

Kaufmo pointed.

"OH MY GOD."

"No."

"You won that for her."

"No."

"You totally did."

Ragatha was laughing so hard she nearly dropped the plush and Jax looked ready to commit murder.

Flash.

The four sitting together.

Nothing happening.

No adventure or danger. They were just talking. The kind of memory nobody usually remembers except Ragatha did. Every single one.

Then something changed, the colors became darker, and the laughter disappeared. The atmosphere shifted. Jax immediately recognized this part.

Ribbit and Jax distancing themselves or rather… Just Jax. The exact reason was unclear. The memory didn't care about that, only the outcome. The distance. The growing gap between them.
Every attempt Ragatha made to help failed.

One memory.

Ragatha approaching Ribbit.

"Hey."

Ribbit barely looked at her.

"Not now."

Another.

Ragatha sitting beside Jax.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I said I'm fine."

Another.

Ragatha trying again and getting nowhere.

Another.

And another.

And another.

Then the snowy adventure. It was cold and quiet. The last memory of Ribbit before everything went wrong, Ragatha walking beside her, trying and still trying.

"Ribbit?"

No response.

"Do you wanna talk?"

Nothing. Ribbit just walked away, the memory cracked.

Bedroom hallway and days later. Ragatha standing outside Ribbit's door, knocking softly.

"Ribbit?"

Nothing.

Another day.

Knock.

"Ribbit?"

Nothing.

Another.

And another.

And another.

Ragatha always waiting, always hoping, always checking, and never getting an answer. Eventually, she sighed and resting her forehead against the door.

"I'll check tomorrow, okay?"

Silence then she left. The memory followed her, not Ribbit. Ragatha, walking away because that's all she could do.

The next memory hit like a truck, it was chaos and glitching. Ragatha hiding behind a wall, frozen, her hands over her mouth, and tears streaming down her face. She couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Couldn't help. The abstraction roared, everything shook and Ragatha just watched because she was too late.

The memory shattered before Jax could see more.

A sudden darkness flashed through, hundreds of colorful eyes opened. Watching. Watching. Watching.

The next memory appeared immediately.

Ragatha, trying to talk to Jax afterward. Trying. Still trying. Still refusing to give up. Jax shoved past her. Hard. Not enough to hurt but enough… Enough to tell her to leave him alone. Enough to make her stumble.

The memory froze. On Jax and it shattered.

Darkness.

Again.

The eyes multiplying.

The memories becoming unstable.

Faster.

Faster.

Faster.

Pomni.

A new arrival, terrified, and lost. Ragatha immediately rushing toward her, trying to tell her that its okay and helping her. Trying to make sure she wasn't alone.

Flash.

Kaufmo's bedroom door and Jax opening it.

Flash.

Jax and Pomni walking together.

Flash.

Pomni's face.

Flash.

Pomni.

Flash.

Pomni.

Flash.

Jax and Ragatha arguing, the memory didn't stop long enough for details. Only flashes, only emotions, and only fragments.

Anger. Fear. Regret. Hurt.Words being thrown like knives.

The memories sped up faster and faster until they became impossible to follow.

And then everything went black. The darkness stretched endlessly around them. No colorful eyes or memories or doors. Just silence. A single lamp post stood in the void, casting a warm circle of light and Ragatha stood beneath it, her back turned toward him. Neither of them spoke.
For a long time.

Then.

"Jax?"

Her voice was soft, careful. The same voice she always used when checking on everyone else.

"You okay?"

Jax froze.

Out of everything she could've asked… That wasn't what he expected. Not after everything, not after what he'd seen or what he'd said to her yet somehow, she was still worried about him.

Jax opened his mouth, nothing came out, and Ragatha let out a quiet laugh. Not a happy one. The kind people make when they're tired.

"You're taking it worse than I did."

Jax blinked.

"What?"

Ragatha shrugged, still refusing to turn around.

"I mean, you saw everything."

She glanced up at the empty darkness.

"You know everything now."

Silence.

Jax stared at her. She sounded so casual like she was talking about the weather.
Not years of pain. Not years of loneliness. Not years of pretending everything was fine.

"So go."

Jax frowned.

"Go where, exactly?"

"I don't know."

She shrugged again.

"Somewhere."

Another pause then she added with a dry chuckle,

"Go make a joke about it."

Jax's stomach twisted and Ragatha continued before he could respond.

"Or use it as blackmail."

His eyes widened slightly.

"That seems more like you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Come on."

She laughed softly.

"You've got years' worth of material now."

She began counting.

"Let's see."

"One: mommy issues."

"Two: dead friends."

Another.

"Three: guilt."

Another.

"Four: emotional repression."

And another.

"Five: my life was basically one long disaster."

Her hand dropped.

"There."

She smiled though it looked exhausted.

"You practically hit the jackpot."

Silence.

Jax stared at her.

The smile, the jokes, and the way she brushed it all aside. As if none of it mattered. As if it wasn't her life. As if she was trying to make him comfortable.

Even now. Especially now.

Finally he spoke.

"...That's what you think I'd do?"

The smile immediately faltered and Ragatha froze. The question clearly caught her off guard.

"...Well."

She hesitated.

"You are kind of known for being insensitive."

Normally, Jax would've rolled his eyes. Normally, he'd have some sarcastic comment prepared.

A joke. An insult. Something. Anything but nothing came.

No laughter, smirk, and defense. Just silence and somehow that silence was worse. Ragatha slowly began to frown because by now he should've said something. He should've called her dramatic, should've made fun of her, should've brushed it off instead he was just standing there. Looking at her. Quiet.

The silence stretched, it was uncomfortable and heavy.

Ragatha felt her chest tighten.

"Jax...?"

Still nothing. Then a footstep, Ragatha's shoulders stiffened. Another steep
and another. Jax was walking toward her, slowly and not aggressively. Ragatha felt nervous because she didn't understand what was happening.

She understood sarcastic Jax.

She understood the Jax that made stupid jokes during adventures.

She understood the Jax who rolled his eyes whenever someone got emotional.

She understood angry Jax.

She understood annoyed Jax.

She even understood cruel Jax but this? This wasn't the Jax she knew. Not because he was being nice. She'd seen him be nice before but that was years ago.

Back when he laughed more. Back when winning a stupid horse plushie for her hadn't felt impossible.

No.

This was something else because the Jax standing behind her now wasn't hiding. Just a terrified man who looked like everything inside him was falling apart and that scared her more than if he'd yelled at her again because for the first time in years, she couldn't predict what he was going to do.

For the first time in years, Jax looked just as lost as she felt.

"I'm a terrible person."
Ragatha’s voice came out quieter than she intended like she was testing the words before fully committing to them.

"Is that what you want me to say?"

Jax stopped, the question hung in the air between them, and Ragatha laughed softly. The sound lacked any real amusement.

"That I'm no better than you?"

Her fingers curled tightly around the fabric of her sleeves.

"That I keep sticking my nose into everyone's problems?"

She looked down.

"That I keep trying to comfort people because if I stop..."

Her voice caught.

"...nobody would have a reason to keep me around."

"Ragatha—"

Jax started but she cut him off immediately.

"Or maybe I'm selfish."

The words came out faster now like once she started, she couldn't stop.

"Maybe I only help people because I'm scared of being alone."

Jax took a step forward.

"Ragatha—"

"Maybe that's all it ever was."

She swallowed hard.

"Maybe none of it was kindness."

Her laugh broke halfway through.

"Maybe I just got really good at making myself useful."

Jax's chest tightened and Ragatha shook her head as if she was arguing with herself more than him.

"If people need me..."

Her voice trembled.

"...then they won't leave."

A pause.

"But they do anyway."

Her shoulders curled inward, smaller like she was trying to disappear then finally she looked at him and for the first time, Jax saw how exhausted she was.

Not physically. Emotionally.

Years of carrying everyone else, years of smiling when she didn't want to, and years of convincing herself she just needed to try harder and somehow still believing every failure belonged to her.

"You saw it."

Ragatha's voice cracked slightly.

"You saw all of it."

Her breath hitched at the end, like she was forcing the words out before they could fall apart inside her. She let out a short, broken chuckle.

"Every time something went wrong, I thought if I just tried harder..."

A pause. Her fingers curled tighter into her sleeves.

"If I paid more attention. If I said the right thing. If I stayed a little longer..."

Her smile trembled, It didn't hold and collapsed at the edges.

"And then they left me anyway because I... failed them."

She laughed again and a miserable little thing.

"Isn't that right, Jax?"

The silence that followed was heavy enough to feel physical. Jax didn’t turn around, didn’t slow down, didn’t even look back and that was what made it worse.

Because he was still there. Still refusing to leave, still refusing to laugh, and still refusing to be what she expected. Ragatha’s breath shook. This wasn’t the Ragatha everyone saw. Not the cheerful one or caretaker or the one who smiled through everything like it didn’t hurt.
This was something stripped bare, something exposed and shaking under its own weight.

“You saw the parts I spend everyday trying to hide.”

Her voice tightened.

“You saw how scared I am.”

Her fingers dug deeper into her sleeves.

“How angry I get.”

Her shoulders trembled.

“How much I blame myself.”

The words came faster now, like they were spilling out before she could stop them.

“You saw Ribbit and Kaufmo.. I couldn't save them.”

Jax kept walking that was the moment her composure cracked again.

“No.”

Another step.

“Jax.”

Her voice rose—still shaking, but sharper now.

“Stop.”

Jax didn’t stop suddenly he ran without warning. His footsteps breaking into a sprint, kicking through the empty void like it was solid ground, Ragatha’s eyes widened, Not in fear of him but in fear of what he was about to become in her mind. What he was about to say. What she was already convinced she deserved.

“You weren't supposed to stay after that.”

Her voice dropped again.
“You were supposed to think I was ridiculous.”

Jax didn’t stop running. The distance between them stretched unnaturally, like the space itself didn’t want them to reach each other.

“You were supposed to laugh.”

Her voice cracked harder now.

“I showed you every reason not to stay so why are you making this harder for the both of us?!”

Her hands shook violently at her sides, fingers clenched so tight they hurt. Tears finally spilled down her face.

“I don't know how to do this if you don't leave.”

That was the truth underneath everything. She wasn't angry at all, she's more scared than angry. Jax noticed it and that was the moment something in him broke cleanly instead of shattering because he realized she wasn’t waiting for him to stay. She was bracing for him to leave. Always had been.

Even when she smiled, helped or laughed. She had been preparing for abandonment like it was inevitable.

Like kindness was temporary. Like people only stayed if she was useful.

Jax ran harder, the ground blurred beneath him, and the lamp-lit void stretched and warped as he closed the distance. Ragatha’s vision was blurry now, tears distorting his silhouette as it got closer, she didn’t move, didn’t step forward, and didn't even reach out.

Because she didn’t think she was allowed to, every instinct she had told her he’s leaving and then Jax reached her. Not with words. Not with a joke. Not even with an insult. He grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug, too tight and desperate.

Like if he let go, everything he had just seen would collapse all over again. Ragatha froze completely and her entire body locking up on instinct.

She didn’t know what to do with being held without conditions.

Jax didn’t speak.

Didn’t joke. Didn’t breathe properly for a second. Just held on. As if the only thing he could do was physically prove he wasn’t going anywhere. Ragatha’s hands hovered in the air for a moment, not returning the hug or pushing away just suspended in the air confused.
“I didn't mean it.”

Jax’s voice was shaking.

“I didn't mean...”

His throat locked, the words didn’t come out right. Like his mouth had forgotten how and every joke, every insult, every mask he used for years had finally burned away and left nothing behind to stand on.

“I’m sorry.”

Ragatha’s eyes widened even more. Jax lowered his head, fingers trembling as they curled into her sleeves like he was afraid she’d disappear if he let go.

“I’m so sorry, Ragatha.”

His voice cracked completely, not pretending anymore, and not even trying to be.

“You were only supposed to stay away from me.”

A broken breath escaped him.

“You were supposed to hate me or something. Not this. Not—”

He choked on the words.

“Not abstracting… Fuck… I’m so sorry, Rags.”

That nickname hit differently now. Not teasing but a plea. Jax was sobbing. Something inside him had been holding back years of pressure and finally gave up all at once. Ragatha didn’t respond at first, her tears kept falling, steady and silent at first—then heavier because something in her finally cracked open too.

Years of holding it together.

Years of trying.

Years of blame she had carried alone.

Ribbit.

Kaufmo.

Every smile she forced when she thought she wasn’t enough and every moment she convinced herself she failed them. It all spilled out at once. Jax clung to her like she was the only solid thing left in the world and Ragatha, she couldn’t stand anymore, her legs gave out. She dropped to her knees while still holding him and Jax immediately followed, collapsing beside her without letting go. Neither of them separated and neither of them moved away. Their breathing was uneven.

Ragatha’s hands trembled against his back like she didn’t know if she was allowed to hold on this tightly, she looked terrified, not of him but of everything ending, of being left again.

Her voice came out shaky.

“Tell Zooble, Gangle, Kinger, and Pomni... that this wasn't their fault.”

Jax froze slightly and his grip tightened.

“Zooble didn't do anything wrong and... Gangle... she... didnt know that.. I was struggling and Kinger... He.. was always there for me..”

Her voice stuttered between breaths, her chest rose unevenly, and Ragatha swallowed hard.

Then…

“Pomni.”

Jax stiffened just slightly and Ragatha noticed but didn’t stop.

“No not her either. Don't let her think it was her fault.. Tell her she tries.. she always did and I saw that.”

Jax opened his mouth, nothing came out. He couldn’t interrupt. He couldn’t fix it. He couldn’t do anything except listen
.
“None of you... did anything wrong. I just didnt hold on properly..”

That sentence broke something in him again and Jax shook his head hard.

“No! Ragatha—”

“Hey, Jax. Thanks for staying.”

But she wasn’t finished, her breathing suddenly turned uneven. Sharper and faster. Panic rising through her voice.

“I don't wanna die yet..”

Outside, Ragatha's abstraction stepped directly onto the discarded flashbang in the hallway.
A blinding burst of yellow-white light exploded through the corridor. That was the moment everything changed, Jax felt it before he saw it, a shift, and wrongness in the air like reality itself had noticed her breaking. A faint glow started forming around Ragatha’s outline, soft at first and then brighter.

“No…”

Jax’s grip tightened instantly.

“No! NO! STAY WITH ME!”

Ragatha’s body trembled violently, her form flickered, edges glitching, warping like static tearing through fabric. Wind started pulling upward, circling them in impossible spirals, and Jax held on harder like force alone could anchor her to reality and like strength could fix what was already decided.

“No no fuck! Ragatha please im sorry! Dont... DONT LEAVE ME PLEASE!”

His voice cracked into raw desperation.

No sarcasm left. Just panic, regret, and love he didn’t know how to say before it was too late. Ragatha clung back weakly now, her fingers shaking against his back. Barely there. The glow intensified, her body starting to fragment into light, and the abstraction taking shape like a storm finally claiming what it had been waiting for.

Jax didn’t let go. Not even when it hurt. Not even when it became impossible. He just held her tighter as if refusing to let go could overwrite reality itself and then

Her mind slipped. The world around them distorted, sound warped, and light bent. Everything slowed, and in that fading space between existence and nothing. Ragatha’s mind played something else.

Not fear.

Not pain.

Not guilt.

A memory.

Warm.

A moment she had almost forgotten was real.

And for seven minutes—

It was the only thing left in the world.

Water.

Ragatha laughing as Ribbit splashes her while Kaufmo yells that this is “cheating in a friendship context.” Jax grabs her wrist and drags her deeper into the lake while she protests, already laughing too hard to resist.

Night sky.

Fake stars above them. Ribbit arguing loudly with Jax about something completely pointless. Kaufmo and Ragatha sitting on a blanket nearby, Ragatha leaning slightly into Kaufmo’s shoulder while he whispers “we should probably stop them,” and she just says “no,” without looking away from the sky.

Carnival lights.

Ragatha missing the ring toss again. Jax rolling his eyes, stepping in, winning immediately. The horse plush landing in her arms. Her staring at it, then at him. His awkward shrug like it meant nothing.

Flowers.

Kinger carefully placing a flower crown on her head like it’s serious work. Ragatha laughing under her breath, asking if she’s supposed to survive this. Kinger nodding like it’s a scientific guarantee.

Kinger sitting beside her quietly. No chaos. Just him saying she doesn’t have to hold everything together all the time. Ragatha not answering, just listening like she’s afraid if she speaks it will break.

Pomni standing stiff, anxious, overwhelmed. Ragatha smiling softly and saying she’s here if she needs anything. Pomni asking why she’s being nice, Ragatha answering because she remembers what it feels like not to be.

Pomni and Ragatha sitting in silence. Pomni slowly relaxing. Ragatha watching her without staring, making sure she’s okay without saying it out loud.

Pomni talking too fast. Spiraling. Ragatha just listening. Nodding. Patient. Calm. Pomni asking if she’s too much, Ragatha immediately saying no without hesitation.

Snow everywhere. Everyone slipping, crashing, yelling. Kaufmo face-first into a snowbank. Jax laughing so hard he falls over. Ribbit screaming while sliding uncontrollably. Ragatha helping Pomni up, both freezing and laughing anyway.

Zooble and Gangle at a table. Ragatha quietly fixing things beside them without being asked. Zooble telling her she doesn’t have to do everything. Ragatha saying she knows, and still doing it anyway.

Gangle showing a drawing. Zooble calling it a cursed potato. Gangle insisting it’s art. Ragatha laughing softly, calling it “emotionally expressive produce.”

Kinger, Zooble, Gangle arguing at once. Noise everywhere. Ragatha in the middle, gently stopping things from tipping too far without anyone noticing she’s doing it.

Ribbit and Kaufmo talking late at night. Soft laughter. Easy comfort. Ragatha watching from a distance, not intruding, just relieved they’re okay in that moment.

Jax throwing rocks into a lake. Saying something sharp and joking. Ragatha answering back without thinking. Both of them smiling in that brief, careless way that didn’t mean anything back then.

All of them together at once. No disaster. No urgency. Just existing in the same space without fear.

Her smiling, not forcing it, and just existing inside it.

Then…Nothing holding it together anymore. Something yanked Jax backward. Hard.
Not enough warning for him to react, arms around his torso, pulling him away from the collapsing light.

“NO—!”

His voice cracked mid-syllable as he was dragged back. The warmth was gone instantly and the weight in his hands vanished, Ragatha was still there, breaking.

Jax struggled violently for a second.

“LET ME GO!”

But the grip didn’t loosen.

All of them were there. Dragging him back into reality as the abstraction surged forward where Ragatha used to be, his vision glitching hard now. Colors flickering at the edges. He blinked and suddenly he was on the ground.

Breathing hard, eyes wide, still reaching forward but she was gone from his hands. Zooble stood over him, breathing hard, arm still tense from pulling him back, and their voice came out sharp.

“Don’t you DARE do that again.”

But it wasn’t anger. Not really. It was fear dressed up as rage.

Gangle was shaking, hands over her mouth, and her whole body trembling as she stared at the abstraction in the distance.

Kinger stood slightly in front of them, one hand on Pomni’s shoulder, and holding her back. Firm. Pomni wasn’t looking at them, she wasn’t looking at Jax, and she was staring straight at the abstraction. Frozen. Her breathing uneven.

“I… I need to—”

Her body jerked forward, instinct but Kinger’s grip tightened immediately.

“Pomni.”

His voice was low.

“Don’t.”

Pomni’s eyes filled with panic.

“But she’s—”

Kinger’s hand trembled on her shoulder.

“I know.”

That was all he said.

Zooble turned their head slightly and jaw clenched.

“I can’t do anything.”

The words came out bitter.

Not helpless, angry at helplessness.

Kinger didn’t move but his eyes didn’t leave the abstraction because he had seen this before.
Too many times and it never got easier.

Later.

The “fort.”

It wasn’t really a fort, it was more like a shelter. A massive structure made of pillows, cushions, and soft materials like softness could hold back something that already wasn’t solid.

Gangle entered first, she stopped immediately, her breath hitched and then she broke.

A loud, sharp cry ripped out of her, raw enough to echo through the cushions. She dropped to her knees instantly, and hands shaking violently as she covered her face. Gangle’s crying turned into full sobbing.

Zooble entered next, they didn’t speak and just stopped. Looked at her.
At Ragatha, their jaw tightened. For a second, anger flashed, att the situation, at Caine, and at everything. At themselves.

“…I should’ve done something.”

The words were barely audible, they took a step closer and then stopped again.

Their shoulders dropped slightly and they just stood there. Quiet, looking at her and not angry anymore. After a long pause, they sat down near Ragatha but touching her… leaving would hurt more than staying.

---

Finally.

Kinger entered.

Slowly and carefully, The moment he saw her, he froze, his eyes widened slightly and then softened and something in him shifted immediately.

“...Oh.”

His voice was quiet.

He stepped forward slowly, stopped near her, and for a long moment, he didn’t speak.

Just looked at her, like she wasn’t an abstraction then he lowered himself to sit beside her.
and when he spoke It wasn’t a survivor, It was a father who had already lost too much.

“Ragatha…”

His voice cracked slightly.

“You were strong.”

A pause.

“Super strong.”

His hands trembled in his lap.

“I…”

He swallowed. For once, Kinger didn’t have the right words so he chose honesty instead.

“I don’t know how to say this properly.”

Another breath.

“But I’m proud of you.”

Silence.

Then he spoke again softer.

“You kept everyone together longer than anyone should’ve had to.”

His eyes lowered and for a moment, he wasn’t in the fort anymore. He was somewhere else. Someone else.

“Like I've said before…Queenie would've liked you.”

A pause. Then, he spoke quieter

“She would’ve told you to rest.”

His voice broke slightly at the end but he didn’t stop because stopping would mean she was already gone in a way that mattered and he wasn’t ready for that yet so he stayed there. beside her and talking anyway because that was all he could do now.

Pomni didn’t move. Not really. She was sitting, but it looked more like she had forgotten how to exist properly inside her own body, her hands were clenched so tightly her fingers shook, and her eyes didn’t focus on anything. Not even at the empty space where Ragatha had been.
Just… nothing. Her breathing kept catching. Unsteady like she was trying not to break apart in real time.

“I should’ve been there…”

Her voice came out thin.

Almost inaudible.

“I should’ve— I should’ve been there…”

Pomni’s shoulders trembled.
“If I had just— if I had gone with her— if I didn’t—”

Her breath hitched sharply and her chest tightened so hard it hurt. She curled inward slightly.

“I think I—”

She stopped, she was thinking too hard, and everything felt so numb. She couldn't think of anything until she heard a voice.

“Hey.”

Pomni flinched.

Jax.

Standing a few steps away, he didn't say anything insulting or random bullshit like he always does. Pomni stared at him like she didn’t understand why he was speaking.

“…What?”

Jax hesitated. For once, he actually looked unsure.

“I—” he started, then stopped. He exhaled through his nose.

“You okay?”
The question landed wrong it felt didn’t belong in his mouth. Pomni almost laughed but it came out broken instead.

“No.”

A pause.

“It’s my fault.”

Jax blinked slightly.

Pomni looked down at her hands.

“If I had been there… she wouldn’t have—”

Her voice cracked.

“She trusted me.”

Silence.

Jax didn’t interrupt immediately. When he spoke again, it was slower.

“…She told me something.”

Pomni looked up, confused and Jax shifted his weight slightly. He didn’t like remembering it.

“In that… mind thing.”

Pomni froze slightly and Jax continued.

“She said you were trying.”

A pause.

“She said you always try.”

Pomni’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Jax looked away for a second.

“She told me not to let you think it was your fault.”

Pomni’s expression tightened immediately.

“That’s not—”
Her voice shook.

“That’s not fair.”
Jax frowned slightly.

“What isn’t?”

“She shouldn’t have had to say that.” Pomni’s voice rose, breaking. “She shouldn’t have had to tell you that while— while—”

She stopped, her breathing got uneven again, and Jax didn’t argue. Just watched her.
Pomni swallowed hard.

“I should’ve been there.”

Jax didn’t respond immediately.

“Yeah.”

Pomni blinked but he wasn’t finished.

“But so should’ve I.”

That made her stop and Jax exhaled slowly.

“She didn’t blame you.”

A pause.

“She blamed herself. A lot.”

Pomni’s eyes widened slightly.

Jax continued, quieter now.

“She thought everyone would leave if she stopped being… useful.”

Pomni’s hands tightened again.

“That’s not— that’s not true…”

Jax gave a small, humorless shrug.

“Yeah. Well. Tell her that.”
Silence again.

But it wasn’t empty this time. It was shared, Pomni’s breathing slowed slightly.

“…You can do that?”

She asked quietly and Jax tilted his head.

“What?”
“This.” Pomni gestured vaguely. “The mind thing. The… seeing people. Hearing them.”

Jax hesitated.

“Not exactly like that.”

A pause.

“But yeah. Kind of.”

Pomni looked down.

Like she was trying to understand how anything still worked.

“…I wish I knew that earlier.”

Jax didn’t respond to that. He just stood there, present, and for once, not leaving immediately. Pomni suddenly moved. She stepped forward and hugged him. Jax stiffened immediately.

“What— hey—”

But he didn’t push her away..Not even close. Pomni was shaking.Badly and Jax noticed it immediately.

“…You’re glitching.”

“I don’t care.”

Her voice was muffled. Jax hesitated. Then slowly he put one arm around her. Awkward.
But there. Pomni’s grip tightened like she was afraid of disappearing next then Pomni pulled back first and Jax blinked. Then, It stopped. The glitching. Not slowly. It was just suddenly gone like something had been reset. The air shifted, the pressure changed. A voice echoed through the space, it was Caine and he slowly approached them.

Caine approached them quietly. Not with a loud announcement or with a new adventure.

"I…”

Nobody said anything, just kept looking up at him, Caine adjusted his hat nervously, a strange sight. The old Caine would've immediately launched into some over-the-top speech.

This one didn't.

"I…I understand that you are afraid..and you have no reason to trust me after all I've done but I've been doing a lot of thinking and..”

The group kept looking up at him and not saying anything.

"i want to give you control of this place.”

Everyone was shocked after hearing that.

“I've learned a lot about you and your world.” Caine sighed as he continued “I understand now that keeping you under my thumb just isn't right. I don't expect forgiveness but I hope you at least accept my offer.”

Zooble spoke up first.

“Caine.. You really caused a lot of hell for us. It's gonna take some time to build up any kind of trust between us again”

Caine looked away.

“But despite all that.. It's good to have you back.”

Caine is shocked to hear that and he glanced over to the big tent that they've build.

“Um… did you need any help with-”

Everyone followed Caine's gaze

“No. Not yet, anyway. We've worked something out.”

“Understandable.”

Caine paused.

“Oh uhm… I've made something for you. Uh feel free to join me by the stage whenever you're ready."

Caine flew away, everyone watched him leave and they all look at each other first before going to where Caine went.

"I think it's something all of you deserve to see."

Later, everyone slowly gathered near the stage. Caine stood at the front of the room, hands clasped together. For once, he looked unsure of himself.

"No more secrets.."

The room fell silent.

"No more mind games."

Nobody interrupted.

The projector turned on with a soft mechanical hum. A beam of light shone onto the screen at the front of the room. Not dramatically. Not suddenly, just quietly lighting up one by one. The room grew still.

Caine looked at all of them before speaking again.

"You wanted answers."

A pause.

"So I thought you deserved at least one."

The screens flickered.

Names began appearing, real names, and real lives. The people they were before the circus.
Somewhere beyond it.

Pomni — Abigail Brooks

Jax — Leeroy Mateo

Zooble — Riley Verselis

Gangle — Zoey Raghavan

Kinger — Grant Best

Beside Kinger's name was another.

Destiny Best.

Queenie.

Kinger immediately froze upon seeing her name and then came the final screen.

Ragatha — Suzie J. Ackerman.

The room became even quieter.

The screen showed that Ragatha had a real life outside the circus. Despite cutting contact with her family, she wasn't alone. She had friends. People who cared about her. People who loved her.

Slowly, Caine removed his hat out of respect.

"She was loved."

A pause.

“Deeply."

Another pause.

"And she was not alone."

The words hit everyone hard and Pomni's hands shook.

"She... she has… friends.”

Zooble looked away,Gangle covered her mouth, and Kinger simply closed his eyes and quietly said,

"...Good."

Jax didn't say anything for a long time, he just stared at her name. At the proof that she existed beyond the circus that she had been a real person long before any of them met her.

Finally, he spoke.

"...Suzie."

The name felt strange leaving his mouth then he slowly exhaled.

"She'd hate that I know that."

Nobody laughed because somehow, Jax was right and wrong at the same time.

After that day, Caine changed. Not in appearance but in function. The circus stopped being a demand. No more forced adventures or expectations disguised as entertainment. Only choices.
Space. Silence when needed and something new,,,

The abstraction zone was rebuilt as an aquarium-like expanse of drifting light and softened gravity. A place where they could exist without breaking further. Where what was left of Ribbit, Kaufmo, and Ragatha could float together without being hunted by the structure of the circus.

Kinger sat on a bench in the center, very still, and watching like he had nowhere else to be anymore. Pomni sat beside him. In the distance, three abstracted forms drifted slowly through the softened light.

Not violent or lost, just there together.

Ribbi, Kaufmo, and Ragatha.

Pomni swallowed.

“…They’re together.”

Kinger nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

A pause.

Then softer:

“I think that’s the closest thing to peace we get here.”

Jax approached from behind, didn’t say anything at first, just sat down beside Pomni. Completely, silent. All three of them watching, and Pomni spoke quietly.

“She had a life outside.”

Jax nodded once.

“I know.”

A pause.

“She was… actually doing okay.”

Pomni glanced at him and Jax didn’t look back.

“She just didn’t think she was.”

That landed heavier than anything else because it explained everything. The way she helped, and the way she always acted like she had to earn her place in every room she walked into.

Pomni whispered:

“…She didn’t have to earn it.”

Jax exhaled.

“Yeah.”

Long silence.

Then, barely audible:

“I think she always thought she did.”

None of them corrected him because none of them could. They just sat there. Watching the light drift, watching what remained, and it wasn’t chaos. It was a memory. Still painful but no longer alone. Gangle and Zooble joined them too later on.

All of them hoped wherever Suzie J. Ackerman was…

She finally knew.

She was enough.

She always was.