Chapter Text
QUARTER ONE: TARNISHED
-Pomni kicked her legs around on the couch. Ragatha was staring down at her hands on her right, Kinger was staring into space on her left, Zooble and Gangle were on the couch to her left, and Jax….
-Jax.
-You dirty liar! You scumbag!
-You can mess with our minds too, CAN’T YOU?!
-He’d left. Right after they’d returned to the main hall, he’d bolted. Pomni had seen the cyclone of emotions in his eyes moments before he’d run off.
-She looked at the group, at their disheartened expressions and sagging postures. She drummed her fingers against the couch, trying not to fixate on the disastrous end to Caine’s adventure. She cleared her throat.
“So…what now?”
-Zooble cast a cool glance in her direction. They clenched their fists tight.
“We grill Caine and Jax the second they dare to show their {$#^*}ing faces. That’s what.”
-Pomni frowned, swinging her legs. She didn’t like arguing with the others; they were all in this together.
-But Zooble hadn’t been there. None of them had been there.
-You are my PLAYTHINGs, and I get JOY out of making you SUFFER. I’m the one who causes pain for FUN. If I led you on, it was just to make this part hurt you more.
-There’s nothing more to me. So please, just stop looking.
-Something rubbed her the wrong way. For someone who claimed the circus was practically his playhouse, in those moments he’d seemed…desperate.
-Desperate to be viewed as the villain, and desperate to stay. Despite joining them on their attempt to escape, there’d been a panic in his eyes when he’d smashed the red button. A flash of regret as he’d turned around. A hysteria when he’d discovered he’d been right all along.
-And a rage when he’d yelled up at Caine.
-Zooble seemed to catch on to her hesitance and swore.
“Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of forgiving one of them.”
-Pomni blinked. Corrode
“No…I’m thinking of understanding one of them. There’s a difference.”
-Zooble’s eyes narrowed.
“What’re you saying?”
-Pomni adjusted on the couch.
“What are the sort of things you expect from Jax?”
-Zooble’s eyes widened, as if now catching on to how she meant. They shook their head.
“You’re not seriously–”
“Just…answer the question.”
-Zooble didn’t seem happy, but nodded.
“Bull{@%&!}. Hunting adventures and stupid, awful ‘jokes’. Cruel adventure suggestions and whatnot.”
-Pomni nodded.
“What would you not expect?”
-Zooble snorted.
“Kindess. Empathy. Humanity.”
-The words were harsh, but Pomni didn’t fight.
“What do you think desperation is…for arguments sake?”
-Zooble shook their head.
“What sort of questions are these?”
-Pomni gave a slight shrug.
“I remember a definition in the dictionary, but…for arguments sake, what do you think it is?”
-Zooble rolled their eyes.
“I don’t know…a human emotion, I guess; being so scared of something that you do something…reckless, or stupid…”
-Their voice trailed off as they managed to connect the dots Pomni had given them. She nodded.
“And what do you think hitting the red button was? Irony? A joke?”
-Zooble shook their head over and over, not seeming to want to accept it. But Pomni pressed forward.
“Or do you think it was desperation?”
-Gangle looked from Zooble to Pomni.
“What…what are you saying, exactly?”
-Pomni knitted her fingers together.
“I think…I don’t think Jax hit that button out of malice…but…but fear. And I want to know exactly what fear.”
-Zooble shook their head once more.
“Of course you make me actually feel a smidge of concern for that {$#^*}er.”
-A small smile tugged at Pomni’s mouth. She planted her feet on the ground and gestured to the hall.
“I’m gonna go check on him.”
-Ragatha seemed a bit concerned, but didn’t fight her. Zooble nodded.
“Lemme know if you need someone to kick his door down.”
-The smile grew at that image, and she nodded.
“Will do.”
-Pomni jogged off in the direction of the room hall, stopping in front of his door. Taking in a deep breath and then letting it out, Pomni lifted her hand, knocked, and waited.
-And waited.
-And waited.
-Pomni blinked, confused. She knocked again, a little bit harder.
“Jax? A-are you okay? I wanted to check on you…even Zooble’s worried about you, if you can believe it.”
-No answer. He was a light sleeper; he’d said that she, Ragatha, and Abel had interrupted his nap when they’d simply rang his doorbell. Surely he could hear her knocking.
-Unless he was ignoring her.
-Pomni frowned. Did he not want to talk? That was…fine, in and of itself. The problem lay in the fact
that this was right after all of their worlds had come crashing down with the revelation Caine could indeed mess with their minds. Pomni had only been here a little while, and this still horrified her; she couldn’t imagine just how much this realization had rattled–and still was rattling–the others.
-She took a small step back from the door.
“Well…if you want to talk, just…just let me know, okay?”
-Just as Pomni was about to turn back to the main ground–and maybe take Zooble up on that offer–a tug on her body lifted her into the air. She yelped, clawing at the air before she was abruptly tugged back to the others. She landed with little grace on the ground, and she saw Caine hovering in the air, looking as goofy as ever.
-She turned and saw Zooble on their feet, fury radiating in their posture and in their eyes. Caine, however, seemed oblivious.
“HeLLO, my fortuitous fruitcakes!!” he waved his arms in the air dramatically, words forming in the space over his head...
“ToDAY’S adventure is–” Zooble abruptly swore, and Caine, now distracted, didn’t finish forming the words.
“NO, Caine. We’re not in the mood. Why don’t you answer our questions? We have a lot of them.”
-Pomni glanced around again, and something struck her. Her eyes widened. Wait…no. Where…
-She shook her head and pushed to her feet just as Caine started giggling hysterically. It set her nerves on edge.
“WHO has time for QUESTIONS when there’s a WHOLE WACKY WORLD of HIJINKS out there?!”
-Zooble froze, startled.
“Uh–”
-Pomni waved her arm in the air.
“Yeah, you have a lot to explain, and where’s–”
“ZIPIDABAP!!”
-A zipper suddenly stretched across her mouth. She gave a muffled grunt and tried to grab at the zipper. Ragatha got to her feet.
“Hey!”
“Alternatively, I don’t gotta explain DIDDLY SQUAT!”
-Zooble took a small step back.
“C–can you just give us some time to process everything–”
-Caine rolled his eyes.
“Or, how about we skip the melodrama and get RIGHT to the fun!”
-Pomni’s fingers grabbed at the zipper, and she yanked it off. She glared up at their ringmaster.
“No! Caine!” She waited for him to look at her. A pool of dread had settled in since her revelation.
“We have a lot on our minds right now, and we’re not going on an adventure.” She lifted a hand and gestured to the group.
-The group of five.
“And you made me come; you dragged me over here, but someone’s missing, isn’t that right? You neglected to bring someone over. Tell me, all of us. Where’s Jax?”
-Zooble’s eyes widened, and they spun to face the group as if they had just noticed. Pomni narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. Caine adjusted his bowtie. His expression and body language held none of the eccentric energy from moments before.
“I need him for something.”
-The words were spoken so coldly, so blankly, that a shiver went down Pomni’s spine. But then Caine lifted a hand.
“And–may I ask–since when were you in charge?”
-Pomni stiffened. She glanced at Zooble.
“We–we have a right to say no. “
-Caine gave a thoughtful hum.
“Do you?”
-He snapped his fingers, and Pomni found herself in the air again. She gave a yelp of surprise as Caine moved her around in the air.
“As it is, I’m the one in control of this circus, my dear. I don’t think any of you have shown me the appreciation I deserve for all I do for you guys. I work to make YOU happy. All I’ve ever wanted from you guys is to feel appreciated.” Caine brought her close, so close she could see herself in the reflection of Caine’s eyes.
“And I don’t feel very appreciated.”
-Caine dropped her, and she landed with a thud and a groan on the ground. She looked up to see him adjust his bowtie again.
“Now, I have a new adventure for you, and YOU…” Caine tilted his head slightly to the side. “Should consider participating.”
-Zooble looked from Pomni to Caine.
“And…if we refuse?”
-Caine gave another thoughtful hum, then lifted a hand and snapped his fingers again. He jerked his finger, and Zooble was lifted into the air, causing them to swear profusely.
“H-Hey!”
-Caine leaned towards them.
“I’m running the show. Learn to PERFORM.”
-With that, Caine dropped Zooble and gave a contented sigh.
“I think we all understand each-other now.”
-Caine swirled away and disappeared. Pomni turned to see a portal appear to her left. She looked up at the others, and the despair and fear reflected in all of their eyes. But one thing Caine had said stuck with her.
“...What does he need Jax for?”