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Jax stood before the door leading to Pomni’s room. The portrait of the jester in front of his face, her radiant face taunted him, and he responded in kind. “Hey, Kid! Are you coming out soon? Ragatha is really missing you!”
He said as he knocked on her door, but the only answer he got was a feeble rejection. “Leave me alone… Jax.”
He obliged, not before leaving with a quip. “Tell me when you come out so I can tell this annoying rags!”
He slammed the door to his own room, why could he never say anything nice for once?
It’s not like it’d cost much to be nice after being a jerk.
It’s not like he was a jerk in the first place! He just refused to team up with Pomni on an adventure, and they both ended up doing it alone! That’s not a jerk move is it!?
No, she’s the jerk, closing herself off in her room like that, is she trying to abstract? As if.
“Caine!”
The red hallmaster promptly appeared inside the room and asked. “Yes, Jax, you rarely call me in your room! What is the matter?”
It was dark and Caine lightened up the place with a snap of his finger. Jax hid his eyes behind his arm, laying down in his bed. “Can you make sure Pomni is fine in her room? I’m asking for a friend.”
Caine was intrigued. “Whose friend would that be?”
Jax relunctantly let out. “Ragatha.”
Caine obeyed promptly. “Of course, will do! I’ll inform Ragatha of Pomni’s wereabouts right about now!”
And he disapeared. Jax slammed his hands on his bed, Caine was conspiring to make him look bad!
One of the photo dropped, it was a photo of Ribbit and himself, alone. He took the picture and put it somewhere safe, he didn’t want to let it go, not now, not ever again!
Caine assuredly didn’t come back, and neither did Ragatha, how could she when she wasn’t aware she was supposed to come inform Jax of Pomni’s wereabouts!
Another adventure and Pomni still didn’t come out of her room, what could be pressing her so much!?
Knock knock! “Hey, Pompom! Caine is getting worried you’re slowly changing into furnitures! You should come out now before you take roots in there!”
Jax stood behind the door, the jester’s face on the door inviting him with a radiant smile.
The voice he heard directly from behind the door wasn’t reassuring. “Jax… I need time to think, please give me more time.”
Jax took a snarky tone. “Yeah right! Did you lose your legs!? Should I go and fetch you some from Zuble’s room? She has plenty spare, don’t gotta leave us all hanging!”
A soft knock on the door, and a softer voice pleaded with him. “Please, I don’t need anything more than some time to process.”
Jax sat on his knee in front of the door, where the voice was seemingly coming out. “Are you sure? You’re not going insane in there? Not going abstract on us now! Think of Ragatha and Gangle! What would Zuble and Kinger think!? Don’t do anything silly now!”
Silence, a silence that stretched out far too long for Jax’s comfort.
“I’ll be fine, trust me… I just need to rest, to take it all in.”
Jax took out the key to Pomni’s room from his backpocket, he looked at it intently and finally slammed his head gently on the door. “Listen, Pomni. Whatever you do, do not do what I don’t want you to do! Never! Promise me that!”
The voice on the other side of the door softly responded. “I promise, I won’t do anything to displease you, Oh mighty Jax.”
Her tone was that of a joke, but Jax was anything but joking. “Its a promise, rest well or I’ll have Caine pull you out of your bed!”
The voice softly asks. “Its a promise?”
Jax didn’t respond, he didn’t move from that very spot, he never answered her question. He only heared her getting back up and going back to her bed.
He looked at the key still in his hand, he could very well open the door right then and there, it’d be so easy, so swift… so why then does he not do that? Why can’t he insert the key into the keyhole and drag Pomni out himself? What’s stopping him?
Besides the fact it would be wrong, he never cared about that before, so why now?
Ragatha had to tell him off, to send him back in his own room unless he spends the entire night in the hallway, waiting for Pomni to come out.
Once back in his own room, the walls started closing in on him, restraining his breathing to a crawl as he had to push against the very structure of the environment for a measly breath.
There was no mirror in his room, he shattered them all, he didn’t need no mirror! He laser focused his eyes on the drawer next to his bed, where the photo had been stashed. He crashed right next to it pulled the photo out and stared all the while searching for his breath, his eyes getting glassy as he promised to himself he won’t let it happen once more, this time for sure, he’ll intervene!
This simple determination calmed him enough to sit comfortably on the bed, the picture still in hand. Ribbit, Kaufmo, and now Pomni… He couldn’t allow for another one to leave the circus because of his behavior.
He took the key in his hand, and went to sleep, because tomorrow for sure, he’ll use it.
The next day came, the next adventure didn’t wait for Pomni, she still didn’t come out of her room. Jax became increasingly worried, increasingly agitated, Caine asked him. “Aren’t you going to check on Pomni? Or maybe you want me to check…”
Jax interrupted him. “Don’t!”
His determination, and his voice cracking surprised everyone. He just stood up and left while everyone looked at him, the shame he felt right now, but he must endure it, for Pomni!
Arrived in front of her door, the jester face was pleading with him now, a sad little face with a sorrowful smile welcomed him inside, but he had more class than that.
Knock knock. “Hey, Pomni, are you awake?”
No answers.
Jax tried louder.
KNOCK KNOCK. “Pomni, I know you’re in there, come on out now, it’s been three days and your worrying everyone!”
Still no answers.
Jax sat on his knee in front of the door, tears to his eye. “Come on, that’s not funny!”
He slammed his fist in the door, unable to stop himself. With his sobbing voice barely capable of transmitting his message. “You promised me!”
But indeed, she did promise, maybe he should have a little more faith in her. “I’m sorry, Pomni if I was a jerk. I’m sorry if my jokes offended you, if my attitude hurt you, or if you feel wronged by me. I…I… I had a friend before you, her name was Ribbit, and she would have gotten along so well with you.
“She was the type of friend you could always trust with a secret, the one who would be supporting you in your times of need. I was lucky to have her then, but really, you should have met her, she would have been a great friend for you, Pomni!
“I lost her, she abstracted not long before you came, it’s really bad timing, a really bad joke. Anyway! I don’t want you to become like her, you hear me! You’re kind and resourceful, gentle yet manic! You’re a great friend, Pomni, and I… I don’t want to lose you too!”
He finally said what was on his mind this whole time, no more secrets. With his heart light as a feather, he invited himself in with his key to her room.
He saw an abstract shape on the other side, eyes starring him down, a black shape rushing him, but he wasn’t there anymore, wherever his mind went, there was no return.
Two black shapes rushed down the alley to the cellar where Caine sent them soon after.