Chapter Text
The sun shone brightly over a green field dotted by trees, with a circus tent in the distance. Within the tent's open entrance, stage lights began to dance around each other upon a red curtain as a drumroll started up, finishing with the appearance of a bizarre-looking man with a red suit, top hat and teeth for a head. Upbeat music also began to play from seemingly nowhere.
"Welcome to THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS!!" the man shouted with utmost enthusiasm, twisting his body in exaggerated ways, "My name is Caine, I'm one of your ringmasters, and I'm here to show you the most jaw-dropping, heart-stopping, mind-bending paraphernalia you've ever laid your eyes upon!" he took off his top hat as the curtains behind him opened up, revealing the colorful interior of the tent, "Isn't that right, Pomni?"
From the hat, Pomni, the circus's very own jester, suddenly popped out with a confused look upon her face, which quickly shifted to realization as she looked around at where she was, "Huh? Oh, we're doing this now?" she cleared her throat, "Um... Th-That's right, Caine! I can't wait to see what the circus has cooking up for today!"
"Well, let's not waste any time, my dear!" Caine shook his finger at Pomni, "Let's get right into the show!!"
~ Gangle and Zooble and Kinger, too~! ~
Gangle was absentmindedly drawing in one of her sketchbooks while sitting at Zooble's bar, the abstract avatar dual-shaking drinks with their four hands while gazing with wholehearted interest at what their partner was penciling this time. Kinger was also there, the chess piece enjoying a drink Zooble had made for him.
~ Ragatha, Caine and there's Pomni, woo-hoo~! ~
Caine and Pomni flew close to Ragatha, who was enjoying a book on one of the colorful couches in the circus. The doll smiled when the pair appeared, but the smile quickly turned to panic when Caine snapped his fingers and Ragatha suddenly began floating alongside the ringmaster and jester.
~ Day after day after day we fly~! ~
The trio were soon joined by the other three members of the circus who had also been forced into flight, Gangle dropping her sketchbook, Zooble holding onto Gangle and Kinger somehow keeping a firm grasp on his drink, unfazed by the sudden ability to fly. Together, the group flew high towards the roof of the circus tent, flying outside and meeting with the sun and moon, which each had a face on them.
~ Past the moon and the sun and we don't know why~! ~
"O-Okay, okay, Caine, you can put us down now!" Ragatha called out to the ringmaster as the circus theme song continued to play, "Please?! Caine?!"
"Oh, whoops!" Caine snapped his fingers and transported everyone he had flown up into the sky with him back in the circus tent and safely back onto the ground. The theme song then began to slowly fade out until it couldn't be heard by even the sharpest eared circus members. Ragatha was quick to hug the ground the moment she found herself back upon it.
"Sorry about that, you guys. I guess I just sorta... got really into it," Caine apologized, "I don't get to do that as often as I used to, y'know?"
"N-No, it's fine! Really!" Ragatha assured him, getting up off the floor, "It's just... heights."
"Ah, understandable," Caine nodded, taking out a notepad and pencil and jotting something down, "I'll have to keep that in mind for next time..."
Pomni looked over Caine's shoulder. He had drawn a bee.
"Pretty alright though," Zooble commented, approaching the ringmaster, "The theme song, I mean. It's catchy."
"Wait, you really think so?" Caine turned around to face Zooble, his eyes wide.
"Y-Yeah, I agree," Gangle spoke up, "And I like how we're all just, sorta... doing our own thing and not, um... zipping past curtains, or something. Makes it feel, I dunno... more authentic?"
"What she said," Zooble crossed their arms and nodded.
"Wow, seriously?" Caine's jaw was wide open, utter glee in his voice, "I think that's the first time you've ever said something positive about the theme song!"
"Sure," Zooble shrugged, "Certainly helps we don't have to listen to it every single goddamn day. Makes me appreciate it a bit more."
"Glad we talked you down to doing it once a week," Pomni smirked, stretching her arms until she heard a satisfying crack, "Though, maybe we could knock it down to once every two weeks? Fitting through that hat is seriously a killer on my shoulders."
"Hey, that's not fair!" Caine retorted, "We agreed every week, final answer!"
"Caine..."
"Oh, let him have his fun, Pomni," Kinger said, a silver bucket on his head to indicate his lucidity, "I think we all need to accommodate for the quirks of everyone else, human and AI alike. Besides, he's been doing really well lately as far as keeping his promise goes, or at least I think he has; only fair he can be a little silly sometimes."
"Kinger, I like the way you think, old buddy!" Caine exclaimed, "And as a matter of fact, I think I'm gonna go and do something silly today! Something silly that does not affect you, my guffawing garbanzo beans, in the slightest!"
"Works for me," Zooble nodded, turning away and heading back to their bar, "You'll know where to find me if you need me."
"Mind if I tag along, Zooble?" Gangle asked.
Zooble playfully scoffed, "Like you need to ask, babe. C'mon, I wanna see more of the stuff you've drawn."
Pomni watched as Gangle and Zooble walked off together, ribbon in plastic claw. After Caine had set things straight, it didn't take long for the two of them to confess their feelings for one-another, and after everything they'd endured, Pomni felt it was a perfect fairytale ending for them. Well, as 'ending' as you could get in the digital circus, anyhow. Still, it was like those two were made for each other. Pomni wondered if Zoey and Riley had found each other in the real world as well, though she supposed there was no real way of knowing...
"Oh, speaking of arts and crafts, that reminds me!" Caine suddenly blurted out, turning his attention to Ragatha and ruining whatever moment Pomni was having, "I can't do something silly today! After all, Ragatha, my dear, I believe you said you'd teach me how to sew today!"
"O-Oh, right! Yes, of course, Caine, I'd be happy to show you what I know!" the doll replied in a chipper tone.
"Wait, Ragatha, you can sew?" Pomni asked.
"Well, kinda?" Ragatha responded, "I had to teach myself a bit ever since Caine lost a lot of his power, since, well..." she shook one of her soft, doll-like arms, "...y'know?"
"Ah, right."
"But I'm getting good at it, I think!" Ragatha quickly nodded, "Who knew I had such a talent, huh? I guess me being so, well, raggedy turned out to be a blessing in disguise."
Caine floated between Ragatha and Pomni, stealing attention away from them and onto himself, "Now come along, Ragsy! We have much to discuss, you and I!"
"Caine, please don't call me Ra-"
The ringmaster snapped his fingers and suddenly both he and Ragatha were teleported away with a swirling effect. Pomni couldn't help but chuckle; some things with Caine would never change, no matter what. She could live with that though; as Kinger said, sometimes you just have to live with the quirks of others. And speaking of, Pomni found herself alone with the chess piece, who seemed to be staring off into space.
"Kinger?"
"Wuh, huh?" Kinger snapped out of what he was thinking about, the bucket clanging on his head as he turned his attention to the jester, "Oh, Pomni, sorry about that. What's up?"
"Sorry, I was just gonna ask what you were going to do today, that's all," Pomni explained, "Lots to do, plenty to see, sky's the limit, and all."
"Oh!" Kinger's back straightened, "Ah, I think... I think I'll just visit Queenie today. It's been a bit since the last time we met, she must feel a little lonely..." he darted his eyes, putting his hands up, "Oh, not to say she's alone there, mind you, she has some swell company, I'm sure! I just like to think maybe there's still a part of her that misses me."
Pomni smiled, "I'm certain there is, Kinger."
Kinger returned the smile, as best as he could, "Well, I'm off. You're more than welcome to join me, of course."
"Thanks for the offer, but I..." Pomni looked over at the makeshift shelter in the middle of the circus tent, "...I also have some catching up to do with someone. Hope that's okay."
"Of course, Pomni," Kinger nodded, "Tell Jax I said hello."
"Heh, will do."
Pomni watched Kinger shuffle off to the cellar aquarium for as long as she could. She wasn't sure why she was hesitating, it wasn't as though this was the first or even the last time she'd ever go and visit Jax, though maybe it was because she knew it was the most important time she'd visit him. Pomni watched as Kinger descended down into the aquarium below the circus, and she continued to watch until the very tip of his bucket was completely out of sight. And then she was completely alone. And the silence was almost deafening.
"...Okay, Pomni, deep breaths, you can do this," she said to herself, doing as instructed.
Deep breath in.
Deep breath out.
She was ready.
Well, she wasn't ready ready, but she was ready as she could be, and that was ready enough for her.
Pomni made her way to the shelter.
~
"Hey, Jax."
Pomni entered the shelter made of various fabrics, filled with pillows and shrouded by darkness. It wasn't so dark that you couldn't see anything, there was still light peeking through the cracks in the fabric and especially the entrance to the makeshift tent, but it was dark enough to not disturb or rile up the entity that lived within.
Sitting in the center of the shelter was a slumbering, pitch-black amorphous blob dotted by multicolored, ever-shifting eyes. The blob slowly grew and shrank, indicating its steady, soft breathing as it slept. It was so unlike anything else that was in the circus - the bubbles, the tubes, the vibrant colors - that it almost seemed completely out of place, but Pomni knew better. As a matter of fact, this amorphous blob was just as much a part of the circus as she was.
This was Jax.
Long gone were the days of him being a purple rabbit. Long gone were the days of witty comebacks and cruel pranks that made Jax... Jax. Now all that remained was his abstracted body, devoid of personality. It was cruel to say, to even think about, and Pomni knew there was still a little bit of a person inside even after they abstracted; she had seen it firsthand, after all. But it didn't change the fact that once someone abstracted, there was no going back.
Still... She made an effort to visit him every once in a while, even if he didn't appreciate it. Even if he didn't realize it.
It was the least she could do for him.
Pomni took another deep breath. She approached Jax, slowly tip-toeing her way down the pillow stairs as to not wake him up, not that she had before, and not that Jax had ever woken up at all ever since he was put in his shelter, but even still, she thought to be courteous of his slumber.
She stepped up close to his amorphous body, "Sorry it's been a while, I, um... We got pretty busy. Oh, um, Kinger says hi, by the way."
No response.
Pomni scratched the back of her head, the bells on the ends of her hat jingling, "Speaking of, believe it or not, Kinger set up a pretty good adventure for us just the other day, and it was right up Ragatha's alley, lemme tell ya. Lots of horses, she loved it," she chuckled, "Man, he knows her so well. Oh, Ragatha and I still get cocoa on the weekends. Thanks again for the suggestion, even if it was a bit second-handed."
There was still no response from Jax. He simply continued to sleep, to breathe in and out, unfazed by anything Pomni had said.
Pomni expected this. She continued.
"Oh, oh, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this," she smiled, sitting down next to Jax, "Guess what happened last week? Zooble...!" Pomni tried to contain her excitement, "...Zooble actually proposed to Gangle! Isn't that exciting?! I honestly couldn't believe it! Well, okay, yes I could, those two have been head-over-heels for ages. And Ragatha also knew. And Kinger. We pretty much all knew in some way or another, so it wasn't ever a matter of if, only when. Actually, now that I think about it, I think the only person actually surprised by this was Caine, but he's not human so I guess that's understandable."
No response. Pomni continued.
"Zooble was actually really nervous about it too, if you can believe it," she said, "They were pacing back and forth trying to figure out how exactly to do it. It was around that time that Ragatha and I helped them out. And Kinger got involved somewhere down the line as well, though... I don't know how that all happened, I just know it involved a lot of centipedes," she snickered, "Really freaked out Ragatha, I'm sure you would've loved it."
Jax didn't make a sound. Pomni continued.
"A-Anyway, um, the wedding's in a few weeks! It'd be sooner but Gangle insisted she and Zooble have some time to plan for it. I'm really excited for it either way. I wish I could invite you, I just know you would've made a lot of jokes at their expense, but... y'know," Pomni trailed off, "Um... sorry, I didn't mean to... Ah, never mind. Sorry I brought that up, Jax."
Pomni knew better to expect so much as a stir from the abstraction, but still, her heart panged when he didn't make a sound.
She wrapped her hands around her legs, scooting closer to Jax.
"I'd... ask how you've been, but..." she sighed, "Even if you could answer, I'm sure you'd just say the same thing. It must not be very interesting being in this tent all the time... Heh..."
No response. Pomni hesitated.
"Actually, Jax, that's... more or less what I came here to talk to you about," she explained, placing a hand on Jax's abstracted body; it was soft, like a water balloon, and it didn't hurt at all, "I realized something a while ago, and it's kind of another big reason why I haven't been around as often; I've kinda been dreading talking to you about it, y'know?"
Pomni didn't expect a response. It never came.
"I think... No, I do owe you a huge apology," Pomni said, rubbing her hand over Jax's pitch-black body, careful not to hit any of his eyes, "When we made this shelter for you, we did it because Caine wasn't here to help us with your abstraction. When he came back, we all agreed we'd give the abstractions their own place to live, and we'd put you in with them as well."
She sighed, "But we never did, I insisted that you stayed here, and eventually everyone sort of accepted that this was where you were gonna live," Pomni shook her head, "At first, I told myself it was because you were every bit a member of the circus as we are, and don't get me wrong, Jax, you still are, but... Then I realized, no, that's not it at all. Really... I'm keeping you here myself."
Jax said nothing.
"I was being selfish," Pomni continued, "I thought by keeping you around, I could find a sort of... peace with you, or rather, a peace with myself. And I knew if I moved you with the other abstractions, I may never..." her entire body clenched, holding back tears, "...I may never get to see you like this again."
She took a deep breath in and out to calm herself down, "But... I realize now that's not really fair to you, or to me, or to anyone in the circus. And quite frankly, Jax, even though some days you made our lives a living hell, you... You deserve better than this."
Pomni wiped away a tear in her eye.
"So, um," she tried her best to hold back the sob in her voice, "I've decided to have you moved to the aquarium. Possibly today, maybe tomorrow, we'll see, but it's gonna happen," she nodded, "You'll... You'll get to see Ribbit again, and Kaufmo. I know you'll enjoy that, I'm sure you three will have lots to talk about."
A sad chuckle escaped her.
"Heh... I don't know what I was so worked up about," Pomni shrugged, "I guess I was worried this would all come across as abandoning you, but I'll still come and visit you. All the time, even! It'll just be a little different," she sighed, "I don't know why I'm still talking, I'm not even sure if you can understand me. I think... I think I just needed to say all this for myself. It feels good to get it off my chest."
Pomni took her hand off of Jax. He didn't react.
She stood back up, "Well, um, I'm sure you have a lot of thinking and sleeping you gotta catch up on, so I won't bug you any longer. Take it easy, okay?"
To Pomni's surprise, Jax actually moved slightly. She was almost certain he was just shifting in his sleep, but she decided to take that as affirmation of her words. It made her feel a little better, anyway.
She hopped up the pillow staircase, careful to step as gently as possible until she reached the exit of the tent at the top. She placed a hand on the edge of the shelter's cloth before turning back to face her abstracted friend, who was still in a deep sleep. She hoped he would wake up when he was moved into the aquarium, but only time would tell.
"Goodbye, Jax... I lo-" Pomni stopped herself, giving him a small smile, "...I'll see you tomorrow."
She left Jax to his slumber.
As soon as Pomni was out of the tent, she let out a deep breath. It was as though a massive weight had just been lifted from her, and for the first time in a while she felt like she could properly breathe.
But now she suddenly found her day wide open; she was preparing for this day for so long she didn't think what she would do after her one-sided conversation with Jax.
Pomni thought back to Kinger and his invitation; she supposed it'd be a nice idea to find a good spot in the aquarium anyhow. Perhaps she'd take him up on his offer to join him, as it had been a while since the two spent time together; most of the time she was spending it with her best friend, Ragatha.
"Well, that sounds like a-"
She didn't even go two steps when suddenly...
"Pomni!"
She heard the voice of Gangle, of all people; she sounded distressed for some reason. Pomni turned around to see both her and Zooble were racing towards her.
"Gangle, Zooble, what's up?" she asked.
"Pomni..." Zooble stopped in front of the jester, out of breath, "Pomni, someone new just appeared in the circus... We got here as fast as we could..."
"W-Wait, what?" Pomni gasped, "Are you serious? Someone just popped into the circus? Like just now?"
Gangled nodded.
It was an incredibly exciting time for her. Pomni was, up until that point, the most recent addition to the digital circus and she hadn't yet had the experience of seeing someone new enter yet. That was all about to change if what Zooble was saying was true. Pomni found it difficult to contain herself.
"Yes, but Pomni, I-" Gangle tried to continue, but was unintentionally interrupted by a very thrilled jester.
"O-Oh my gosh! That's... That's so exciting!" she paused, "Oh, shit, but wait, this must also be pretty distressing for them, huh? What do you guys normally do when someone shows up? I don't wanna come across as overbearing... And we'll probably have to explain the whole brainscans thing at some point, huh?"
"Pomni..." Gangle muttered.
"Oh, right, sorry Gangle, you're probably more versed in that than Zooble," Pomni nodded, "They were the one who came before me, weren't they?"
"Pomni, listen," Zooble finally spoke up, having caught their breath, "This is... I mean, I don't even know how to explain it..."
Pomni gave a concerned chuckle, "Guys, what's the problem? You two act like you've seen a ghost."
"C-Certainly feels like it," Gangle shivered, clutching her sketchbook.
Pomni felt her entire body tense. Her smile faded.
"What do you mean?"
"I think it's better if you come and see for yourself," Zooble replied, waving a hand and urging Pomni to follow them.
~
The first thing Pomni noticed was that everyone else was already there. Well, everyone except for Kinger, he was likely still enjoying his time in the cellar aquarium with Queenie, unaware anything was happening near the circus's main stage. But even Ragatha and Caine had found a way to the stage, despite the pair apparently teleporting somewhere nowhere near it or the tent or even Zooble's bar. Caine must have known about the new arrival immediately, given his nature as the circus's former administrative AI.
The second thing Pomni noticed was that everyone was completely dead silent. All of them looked towards the stage in utter shock and awe, the same way Gangle and Zooble had when bringing Pomni with them. She felt a lump in her throat as though what she'd see when she rounded the corner would shake her to her very core.
The third and final thing Pomni noticed was the person on the stage, at last. Her heart sank to her feet; her core shook.
This new member of the circus stared back at everyone with wide black eyes and yellow sclera lined by eyeliner and long lashes. A black crop top covered their chest, which was covered by a pink - or was it salmon? - pocketed overall dress that put some decency over their light purple body. Two long ears stuck out from atop their head, which was covered by long, curly hair that was an ever-so-slightly darker purple than their fur, and a red bow adorned their hair right at the base of their left ear.
They were frozen in place as though they were silently processing what exactly was happening around them, which made sense, everyone in the circus had to go through this same process. And certainly a group of equally stunned individuals did this new circus member no favors. And then the stranger began to speak.
"What... the hell is happening?" the stranger asked, their yellow teeth staying closed as their mouth moved, their voice so foreign and yet so familiar, and everyone metaphorically took a step backwards, "Am I... dreaming right now? Tell me this is a dream."
And then, Pomni and the stranger locked eyes. Firmly locked eyes, as in the two couldn't stop looking at each other, enthralled by the other. Or was it fear? Or was it something else entirely? Pomni blinked; this stranger's eyes were exactly like his in every conceivable way. The stranger blinked seconds later.
Pomni felt every muscle in her body tense, every bone tremble, every nerve flare up and overstimulate her. She looked like she had seen a ghost. Because she had. Everyone in the circus had. And in that moment of silence and shock and complete and utter disbelief, Pomni was only able to utter a single word.
"...Jax?"
The stranger gave Pomni a look as though the months the two had spent together never happened.
"...Who?"
Because they hadn't.