#Kinger’s special place

[artpoint420]

Y’all the fact the Kinger’s Special place ad is all about him wanting to look like his wife..

[shortcakelils]

Commissions are open 👇

[aethershroud]

Was getting some screenshots for a friend of mine, and I unintentionally created a meme. Come and help yourselves, I guess.

[sm-baby]

The Chosen One

Freakshow AU by: @hootbon

WHATS UP FREAKSHOWERS, SM-BABY HERE-

Banned myself from drawing for a bit but my creative juices were still screaming at me 😔 gonna also repost this on ao3 later when I set up the account

Word count: 6795

Freakshow AU Able with some indulgent Showtime teehee~ no beta, we die like Queenie HOOTBON DONT MIND HOW OUT OF CHARACTER THIS IS LOVE YOU GIRL MWAH MWAH MWAH MWHA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caine and his brother sometimes take bets during games.

There are also times when they get especially bored, and take the games up a notch.

They don't simply place their bets on a chosen human, no. Instead, the brothers figure out a set of games, choose their humans, and steal them away to mentor them. 

Caine’s punishments are especially harsh during these occasions. Although he usually kept a cheerful facade, he would be especially antsy, tap his feet, cross his arms, much less masked. It must sting to have the person you trained lose. Not only is it a bad choice of character, but it's also a bad reflection on you as a teacher. Inadequate. Unworthy. Pitied. 

Able himself was a special man. He never took these sorts of challenges seriously, but rather a bonding activity between him and his dear brother. Maybe because he hadn’t led the circus firsthand, rather, did the business side of things in the background. He never cared for the humans, and simply visits now and then. Caine would often be more strict during his visits. Telling the group in subtle ways to behave for an hour or so.

When he visited though, it was always a treat.

Gangle broke her mask? He supplied one that's—

“A little harder to break. “

Kinger was feeling especially antsy? 

“A 6 legged friend to keep you company!”

Ragatha, did you anger Caine?

“ I will speak to him." 

The group often preferred when Able was over as Caine would be distracted for a few hours-- even if they did have to behave. One would imagine the relief someone would have when Able chose them for a game and be whisked away from the dreaded halls covered from trap to trap. 

That day, the brothers chose a series of games based on the arts. As they stood in front of the number of players forcefully aligned like a character select screen, the brothers pondered their options. 

A series of games based on the arts… It's wisest to pick more of the artistically inclined members of the group, so not someone who specializes in strength or speed… perhaps Gangle or Ragatha or-

“You! At the very back."

It was almost like a death sentence the moment his digit pointed at their person. The group sighed in relief after silently begging, pleading, holding their breath that they would stay out of it, or at least have Able take care of them… but this time it was curious. 

The group stared curiously at Able’s chosen person, who was purposefully placed at the back. Enough to be considered “participating" but not enough to be a quick option. 

Pomni trembled, and just from the beckoning of his finger, she could feel her gravity to be pulled towards the blue ringmaster, the tip of her shoes dragged along the floor as an invisible squeeze engulfed her body. 

“N-No! No no!" Pomni gulped, trying to word a nice way to decline. “ Y-You don't want me! I’m-- not really.." 

Able beckoned her closer. " A ballerina is perfect for a game of art! Apologies if she was your chosen freak brother, but—"

Suddenly, a different kind of gravity pulled on Pomni’s body, in the exact opposite direction from Able. Silently, the older brother, Caine, was pulling the doll away in protest. Pomni was lucky the men were being civil, The opposite poles of gravity would be enough to rip her straight in the middle. 

Still, she grit her teeth while it felt like two children were fighting over a toy. 

“ Oh!" Able laughed. “ That’s cheating brother! I chose her first, maybe you should be more decisive next time you-”

“ No thank you!" Caine said, and Pomni suddenly felt a stronger pull towards him. 

Despite the calm/cheery tone of voice, Caine kept a spot of jealousy at the back of his mind. Usually, he would not care. But this was a special case. Pomni has not yet held a good impression on Able— mostly because she hasn't exactly met him one-on-one—And Caine was not about to let her… 

“ Nonsense!” Able said. Pomni felt a pull from the opposite direction, putting her back in the middle. She could feel her muscles tense from the pressure.

It was … strangely entertaining for the rest of the humans. “ Better her than me." One of them whispered. 

The brothers continued their quarrelling. Able continued." Oh dear brother, the purpose of our freaks is to perform! I don't see why this little thing wouldn't be able to have the same opportunity. “

" Our ballerina is off-limits! You can choose from any other assortment of freaks." A pull.

" She looks perfectly well to me! “ pull. 

“ I won't let you! “ A pull again.

“ Oh, I promise I'll take good care of her! " A pull again!

" No, I don't think so! “ a pull again! 

" You seem to be holding quite the issue with her being with me, brother, why is that?"

“ Because I want her."

Silence… 

The blue Brother stared. 

Caine didn't yell, he didn't speak any louder really, but it was a frustrated tone of voice, more aggressive than passive. Why, Able hasn't heard that kind of tone in a long time. His brother spoke like he was gritting his teeth… curious.

“ I..'' Pomni stammered. “ I think im gonna throw up… “

Quickly, Able let go of his pull, sending her flying towards Caine before being set gently on her knees to the ground. Her hands held to her mouth closing in any sort of vomit.

Pomni could sense reactions from her fellow freaks, snickering, whispers… Although Ragatha wanted to feel bad, even she could feel a sort of satisfaction from the display.

Still…the group couldn't help but figuratively roll their eyes.

Why is it always the new girl?

❄︎ ✌︎ ☹︎ 😐︎ 📬︎ 

Before they knew it, the brothers stared directly at each other… silent, expressions blank yet intense as the two seemed to have a form of communication they could not grasp. The room was as quiet as ever, but the group couldn't help but sense a dangerous amount of tension between the two.

“📬︎📬︎📬︎ 👍︎◆︎❒︎♓︎□︎◆︎⬧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎⍓︎♏︎♎︎ ♐︎♋︎❖︎□︎❒︎♓︎⧫︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎”

“✋︎♐︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♍︎●︎♏︎♋︎❒︎●︎⍓︎ ♎︎□︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎♏︎📬︎”

“⬥︎♒︎⍓︎✍︎ “

“💧︎♒︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♋︎❒︎ ♋︎⧫︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎📪︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎♏︎●︎⍓︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♍︎♋︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎❒︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎ ●︎□︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ❒︎♓︎⬧︎🙵 ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎📬︎”

“📬︎📬︎📬︎👎︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ❍︎♏︎♋︎■︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬧︎♋︎⍓︎📪︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎✍︎”

“✋︎ ♎︎□︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎⍓︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎📬︎”

Pomni stood up from her form, walking back to her fellow freaks, hand rubbing her arms, looking down-- she stared at the brothers for a moment like everyone else did, not only did she sense how eerie the sight was, but she also couldn't help but feel a strange form of self-blame for the situation. Pomni, what the hell did you do this time? 

“ Oh." Jax wheezed. " If I were you, I’d kill myself. “

" Ragatha said to shut up." Kinger piped in, and Jax turned to Ragatha already on her way to write down a string of text. 

" What! Tell me Im wrong, dollface. “

Ragatha rolled her eyes before turning to Pomni, slumping her shoulders and bending her knees to give her a note. “Caine said you were ‘off limits’. So I think you're safe for now at least." 

" And… what does it mean if Im… not off limits?” Pomni stammered.

Ragatha stayed quiet and turned to Kinger, not needing to sign her next words.

“ Then you'll be just like the rest of us. “

“⚐︎♒︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎♏︎ ■︎□︎⬥︎📪︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♌︎♋︎❒︎♏︎●︎⍓︎ ⬧︎◻︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ❍︎♏︎📪︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎❍︎□︎❒︎♏︎✏︎”

“❄︎♒︎♏︎ ♋︎◆︎♎︎♓︎♏︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♏︎ ◻︎❒︎♓︎□︎❒︎♓︎⧫︎⍓︎ □︎♐︎♍︎□︎◆︎❒︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎⧫︎⬧︎ □︎◆︎❒︎ ⬧︎□︎●︎♏︎ ◻︎◆︎❒︎◻︎□︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎ “

“☟︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎♑︎□︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ♐︎♋︎❍︎♓︎●︎⍓︎✍︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ♋︎♓︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎ॐ︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ♍︎□︎■︎♍︎♏︎◻︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎✍︎”

“⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ □︎■︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎✍︎ ✡︎□︎◆︎❒︎ॐ︎♏︎ ♋︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ♋︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎📬︎”

“☹︎♏︎⧫︎ ❍︎♏︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎⍓︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♎︎□︎●︎●︎📬︎”

“■︎□︎📬︎ “

The brothers looked distracted. Jax was first to try and see if he could escape the situation, but he was interrupted when Caine pointed his finger at him, forcefully grabbed him by his neck, and set him back to his original position. His eyes never left his brother’s yet they were still all too aware of their surroundings. 

Pomni swallowed…Off limits ...Off limits he says. She knows she should be safe. And so, Pomni took a breath and exhaled.

She’ll be fine. 

She'll be fine.

She's fine. 

Shes—

“ Fine." The sound of a cane tapped on the floor, almost spiteful. " You can use her.”

What!?

" What!? “

The rest of the freaks felt their hair stand up again. Although Caine kept his calm tone of voice, that didn't reassure the others all that much. That kind of quiet anger was familiar. Caine being convinced to change his mind was not something that often happened. 

When all was said and all was done, Ragatha sighed, and turned back to Pomni, finishing off a note she's been writing. “Don't worry. Able is much more pleasant to be around. You're in safe hands. “

“ I sure hope so. His hands are very big!" Kinger piped up. 

Pomni was practically shaking in her heeled boots, the wood of her skin making clicking sounds as she did. Pomni doesn't exactly trust the situation at all, let alone the brothers, and to be alone with someone related to Caine didn't sound the most safe. 

Ragatha frowned seeing she was not convinced, and went back to writing. “ If It makes you feel any better, I feel a lot worse for Gangle than I am for you. “

They turn to Gangle, whose tragedy mask was on the floor weeping and in tears upon being chosen by Caine, while her happier counterpart horrendously verbally abused her from above.

For a moment Pomni laughed from the humor, despite the terrible context… but it was quickly interrupted by a gasp as she was suspended from the ground again and closer to the head of cards.

“ Hello, doll. Last chance to say goodbye to your friends! " Able said in an almost sing-songy voice.

Pomni, in fact, did not say goodbye, rather just stood there, like a plank of wood, frozen in fear. She gulped.

Able continued. “ ...Or stand in silence. That's okay too." The humans stared at the two as they went higher in the air. Able waved with all four fingers. “ We'll be off! Thank you for your company." 

Caine was silent. But Pomni swore she could feel his eyes tracking her as she disappeared. 

Snap!

Blip! 

Pomni gasped as if her head had been forced underwater for the past 6 hours.

She would open her eyes, wide, before turning them in confusion. Her gasps followed suit as they lessened.

“ Huh!?… Where-… What!? “

She didn't know what she was expecting but it was certainly not this. Pomni woke up in a bed much more luxurious than what she was used to, and a room much bigger than the one at the circus. The room was rather well-kept. Clean. A standard good but a comfortable one. 

Whatever injuries Pomni had back in the freakshow were no longer there, little scratches or dents, dusts in certain crevices… disappeared. Almost like she had just been born yesterday.

Pomni climbed off the bed which was-- admitted a little too tall for her, and went to search around.

*(A closet made of fine wood)

> Check

Upon sliding the closet door open, Pomni would see… an assortment of clothing… but not just any clothing. A set of six mannequins shaped like the other performers lined up… 

Pomni would see the one for Ragatha with an eye patch as well as a note…

 “ *Greetings, Ragdoll! I recall you saying it bothered you to have two eyes again. I cannot change your form, but I hope this will suffice.   -Able AI “ +2 armor

Kinger had a robe on his mannequin. “ * Clothing fit for a king… and to keep you warm.    - Able AI “ +8 armor

Zooble had knuckles on theirs. “ * If you ask me, you certainly don't need this. And no, you cannot bring it back home to use it on your rabbit friend.    - Able AI “ +6 Attack

And plenty more! Pomni supposed she wasn't the first one to come here… that explains the scratches on the door. 

*(Take items?)

   > Yes

   > No

   > Yes

*(Trick question! Those aren't for you, silly!)

Pomni would turn her head to the corner of the closet, the mannequin right next to Zooble, the last member who came before her.

The mannequin for her was seemingly empty until she looked down… hers were ballet shoes. White with golden balls in the middle. The note reads: “ *Salutations, Pomni.  I've heard all about you from the Audience but I haven't met you myself. I hope we can be comfortable in each other's company. My brother seems pleased with your performance.    -Able AI“ +5 speed

*(Equip Ballet Shoes?)

    > Yes

    > No

    > Yes

*(Equipped Ballet shoes! Your speed has increased.)

Pomni opened the door and peeked her head out first. The hallway was quiet… but the decor was noticeably a lot more Victorian… 

Huh. Pomni suspects that this would feel right at home for the brothers.

Anyways, this freaked her out.

Pomni walked down the halls with knees faced with each other. This was a new area in the game that she didn't know about— her eyes scanned every corner, a misplaced brick, levers she dared not switch, she didn't know where the traps were in this area.

A hallway of doors… She wonders… is it possible that this place could hold on exit from the game? 

She opened one and read the sign… “ Caine AI's first attempt on room generation.", and it was… contrasting. It was colorful. Low polygon, looks like a room more fit for an early PC desktop game… 

…Caine? Caine made that? No shot. She feels like if she asked him, her limbs would be used for the next chimney fire. 

Music rang in her ears. Pomni would recall that, around Caine, she would hear the motif and sounds of an organ and a violin… but here, in his brother’s world… It was only a violin… Pomni followed the sound, and it got louder and louder as she approached the door at the end of the hallway.

Click!

Pomni would meet an old Victorian living room. Warm fire with a warm chair next to it… but what would catch Pomni’s attention was the head of cards playing his violin, dancing along to the tune, turned to an empty organ as if he played one half of a duet. 

He hadn't even paused, simply looked at her as he continued to play. “ Slept well, doll? “

“ Uhh-" 

“Good. I don't believe we've met. You may call me Able. “

" U-Uhm my name is-”

" I don't care. “ a harsh sound on the violin before Able placed it down on a stand right next to the organ. “I see you've found your shoes. Hopefully, it'll help you for tonight’s festivities."

" T-Tonight's festivities? Sorry, I-Im… new to this kind of thing? “

“ The games, ofcourse.” Able clasped his hands together and floated towards Pomni, “ I used to tend to these sorts of events with my brother, so I'm fairly familiar… consider this like old times.”

Pomni frowned, looking away. Able wasn't as nice as how the others described him to be. At the very least he wasn't torturing her yet, which…she supposed… was a step up from when she first met Caine… 

“ You must be hungry."

“ I haven't been hungry since-" 

Snap!

Swirls replaced her irises. She put her hand out for balance and the first thing she felt was the fabric of a tablecloth. She would blink and snap out of her haze to realize that she was sitting at the opposite end of a long dining table. 

Able sat on the other end, hands under his chin as he observed the new guest. 

“U-uh… '' Pomni would look at him before her eyes trailed down, and would notice a digital feast on the table before her. '' O-Oh Im not… really.. hung… " 

Pomni had a double take.

The food looked… Strangely realistic.

Ever since she arrived at the Digital Circus, Pomni had only the very limited polygonal sort of food, either prepared by their head bubble chef, or a cruel sort of joke from Caine to eat other members.

But this… 

Her stare continued to widen. She didn't realise it but her eyes watered. She hasn't seen this kind of food since… 

Able watched her pick at the chicken with her gloved fingers. The way she pulled back and flicked her wrist when she realized that the food had temperature built into it— it must have hurt, but somehow that made it more desirable for her.

Improper.

Able continued to stare as she practically scarfed down her meal… he couldn't help but roll his eyes while she wasn't looking.  The others weren’t any different, but he expected better from someone his brother would fight him over… Able has known Caine for the longest time and he knows his overall taste is different from his. But this? This was the thing he was protecting? …He felt rather insulted honestly!

“ Do you still eat in the circus?"

“ Hm?" Pomni muffled a reply, a face and hand stuffed with all sorts of meat and delectables.

Able blinked, hiding his disgust.

The doll furrowed her brows in realization, as dread quickly hit her… oh god… she was told to behave around Able… oh dear fuck… oh fuck oh god… what is he gonna do to her? Did she fuck this up?

Oh god oh fuck.

Oh dear oh god fuck shit holy fuck oh my fuck shit ass bitch cunt fuck-

“ J... Just finish chewing."

“COOL." 

Pomni swallowed and continued to eat, now with a little more manners. Able sat ahead, his focus a little off from her, thinking to himself. Now what was he pondering? A way to murder her, she’s sure. 

*(Able sits at the opposite of you)

     > Talk

     > Say nothing

     >Talk

*(Talk about…)

     > Place

     > Food

     > Festivities

     > Caine

     > Nothing, Nevermind

     > Place

“W…Where.. Am I?”

Able turned back to Pomni as if he’d snapped out of his thoughts. “ You’re in the testing facility. This is where Caine and I used to pretest code and projects before using them for the circus. It used to be a lot more abstract and plain. But over time it changed due to… uhm..” Able’s brows furrowed “... I don’t know exactly. It just did…. We never questioned it.”

Able shrugged. “It's smaller than it looks. For example, my brother and I don’t have bedrooms. The dining table wasn’t made until recently. Unlike you and your friends, my brother and I are much more low maintenance.”

*(Talk about…)

     > Food

     > Festivities

     > Caine

     > Nothing, Nevermind

    > Food

“ How did you .. what…?”

“My programming is a little more advanced than my brother’s. I’ve mastered texturing, modelling, character effects… and plenty more. I played a hand in why you bleed, why you have working skeletons, or how organs can spill out of your body. My brother can make his food, but it’s a little more basic… I don’t blame him. He is maintaining an entire Circus after all. Sometimes his cooking is even edible!”

 *(Talk about…)

     > Festivities

     > Caine

     > Nothing, Nevermind

     > Caine

“ Uhm... You and Caine… You’re brothers?”

Able Chuckled. “ Believe it or not, Caine is the older brother of us two. I was created to perfect his imperfections, though that sadly made it so I was given more of the credit. ” Able paused and turned his head to the side. “ … Rarely does he visit the facility anymore. What I would do to play a song with him again.” he chuckled. “ But I suppose being a nuisance to him is just as fun!”

*(Talk about…)

     > Festivities

     > Nothing, Nevermind

     > Festivities

“ I think you chose the wrong person here for that kind of theme…” Pomni said nervously, wiping away the remaining food from her lips. “ I’m… not exactly an artsy kind of person, I’m more into-- maths?”

“ Art is a very broad term. I’m more familiar with the classical, meaningful, way of art, while my brother sees art in a sort of entertainment kind of sense. It only makes sense that he chose Gangle. I heard she can be quite the artist.” Able found himself rambling. It seems the brothers seemed to have a thing for creativity. Creative AIs, Pomni supposed. “ -- Which is why I chose you, doll,”

Pomni flinched when Able pointed his digit at her.

“A ballerina with a way of dance. You seem to be around my likeness… My brother likes your work and I… trust his judgement.” 

“ Uh, haha... “ Pomni laughed nervously. She hadn’t cared about her performance in the artistic sense in all honesty. It was more of a survival mechanism. If it's good enough to please The Audience, It was good enough for her. Nothing behind it at all. “Thanks, I guess…”

“ How about you? What are your thoughts on my brother?”

Pomni took a breath in her mind. Pomni has nothing but bad experiences with Caine. Pomni has had nothing but bad experiences in the Circus in general, but admittedly, Caine was the one who manifested it all.

…But she doesn’t exactly think Able would be pleased to hear gossip about his brother. 

“ Caine’s fine. He’s… nice, uh…” Pomni bit her lip. Wow, there really is nothing good she can say about Caine huh? 

She would stop it there, but the eye squint and the small head turn from the usually unemotive brother sent her into a sort of panic…

“ He’s a good ringleader! Doesn’t take no for an answer. He’s really good at, uh… keeping us disciplined and in check?” if someone could hear inner monologue they would go deaf.  The look in his eyes-- what does he want her to say?? 

Pomni would look up to see if her answers satisfied the blue brother’s curiosity. And in her horror, it seemed that it didn’t. He furrowed his brows and Pomni would hear the sharp note from a violin.

“ I suppose I should word myself better…” 

Able put his hands on the table and stood up, making himself feel bigger compared to Pomni’s slouching form. 

“ What. Is your relationship. With. My. Brother.” His eyes stared at her, wider than ever as the eeriest and deafening sound of an angry violin stung her ears!

“ I -” Pomni flinched!

“ You. You specifically.”

The way the strings pierced her hearing was violating! Pomni felt like the legs of the dining chair were getting longer and longer. If she got off she’s afraid she’d fall to her death! 

Able stared at the little, pathetic thing under him. This can’t be it is it? She was ever so small in comparison, he felt like he could just reach over and crush her to death. This?? This is what he was losing to?? This is what his relationship was worth?! His eyes were as fixated as ever. He watched as she held her head down, her ears, he laid clueless to how loud his presence was when she was positive that her head was just about to explode…

“ t--’ ah!” Pomni covered her ears. At that point, she was bringing her knees to her chest like a turtle taking shelter in her shell!

Look at her! Whimpering simply being in his presence! Her lifespan could only last for however long the audience wants her but he’s been created since the beginning! She was less than them! She was less than him! Caine and Able have been completing each other for the longest of time, and he was losing to THIS?!

He couldn’t take his eyes off her, he couldn’t believe how pathetic she was. The way she cried and cowered, At the very least his brother deserves better!

“ He’s just our ringmaster, I promise!” Pomni gasped as the ringing forced itself into her ears. “  I-If you want the full answer-- Im new! I’m new here! I don't know Caine as much as the rest do! I d-don’t even see him often-- he just prepares us for shows! I-- ”

He doesn’t know what took over him to have such emotions. The real Able was known to be the calm and collected one of the brothers, ‘the better brother’. He will say that he didn't mean to lash out, but he would be lying if he said he didn't mean every word. 

And as quickly as it came, the storm ended, and the tune that played in Pomni’s head left in a repeating fade… she breathes, small panicked breaths as her headache calmed down. 

Able sat down, back leaned to the chair, knuckles on his would-be cheek, and his other hand beckoning her to keep talking. “... And?" 

" A-And uhm—!” Pomni kept her head up to talk like her life depended on it." He- He… when.. when my routines get repetitive he would help me d-..do different ones… He plays the organ sometimes too and is-is really good at it! “

Able look at her, still with a face of disbelief…  at this point he was almost over it… 

Was that really it? 

Able sighed and sat back. Sometimes he overestimates his brother's taste. Perhaps he's much more simple-minded than he thought. For all he knows he just liked her because… 

Because… 

Oh heavens how embarrassing. 

He liked her like a pet…Of course he did. And he was treating her like a pet as well! Look at how clean she was compared to the other performers!

Able put a hand on his face… he really just lost his temper to what was equivalent to a dog… 

As Able was once again thinking of himself, he was a little blind to Pomni still trying to calm down in her chair… 

The doll didn't know what to think. Able was definitely not as kind as her friends lead her to believe. She was correct in the worst way possible. In fact she would flinch at the sight of him. 

“... Are you okay?"

Silence from Pomni. And before she knew it he stood up from his seat again and approached her, walking to her side of the table and offering a piece of cloth to help her collect herself. 

“Apologies. I didn't mean to lash out like that. It wasn't my place."

As Pomni used the cloth on her person, there was a part of her that somehow knew that apology wasn't exactly the most meaningful. Pomni may not be good at showing it, but the woman was a lot more observant than she'd like to admit. “... Its okay… “

“ Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

“ W-When can I… leave?" 

… that was rude, Able can admit. But he supposes it was fair. It took all of him to not roll his eyes at her. Before he continued to speak he returned his nurturing tone of voice: “ You may leave when we're prepared to tackle tonight. If it makes you feel better, you may have some time to gather in your room to prepare. “

“ Excuse me." As soon as the offer was given, Pomni got up from the table a little too suddenly than what was normal. Without even saying goodbye, Pomni walked off, and back to the hallway towards her door.

The moment she was gone, Able scowled and sighed. What kind of person taught her manners? He sat back down and stared at the plates of food she managed to scarf down in such a short amount of time… 

he put his hand on his face… Oh he really let his ego get the best of him because of some pet…he upset his brother's toy the first time they met… he had to make up for it. Maybe not for her but for his brother’s comfort, though, he doubts he'd really care. 

For the rest of the evening, Able spoke softly, respected boundaries and acted to be the most patient mentor for Pomni. He let her use his violin, insisted on food and breaks, and apologised at every step of the way for their terrible first impression. Pomni would only answer with a quick “it's okay" in response, which bothered Able to not be reciprocated… 

Pomni’s hypervigilance wasn't unfounded however. She knew Able was playing nice, the way she searched for a reaction for every apology, the way he was being just a little too affectionate, the love bombing… Able wasn't being honest with his intentions and so she wouldn't be honest about herself. 

Pomni felt a little better to say no to him at least…in fact, she would almost take the opportunity to use him to get more information. On breaks, Able would allow Pomni to walk around the Manor, exploring each room… it was a testing area… there's bound to be something… 

“There are no traps."

Pomni sighed.

" I think.”

" You think??”

" Some strings of code can be a little unstable. We didn't think to safety-proof anything since, well, we cannot die, and you were not meant to die. “

Great.. 

And Able wasn't lying. A lot of the doors were prank-boxing glove punches to the face, one was of a spinning carousel, and one was the bathroom of a very clean mannequin. Pomni almost lost her life with on the last one.

But it seems doors further away looked a lot more… abstract in the most literal sense. Polygons, shapes, colourful pieces… presumably one of the oldest doors there. 

she would read the signs 

“ Concept Layouts for The Grounds #2 

          || Note: consider more coloring options for the tent.    -Able AI”

“ Moon.AI Beta 

         ||Note: Im unsure with whats wrong with her, I desperately need assistance.    -Caine AI”

" The VOID (Do not enter)”

The sign didn't stop her. The moment she opened the door, she became mesmerised by the sea of pixels, eyes shaken yet still. She stood there frozen at the doorway hand on the knob unable to pry her eyes away…

Her heart was just about to leave her chest, as the strongest urge to step forward ingulfed her body. for all she knows she would be staring for forever. Into oblivion. With all her built up insanity, it feels like Pomni was staring at her death a million times over. 

Slam!

“ Digital World Etiquette! Read the sign! Hasn't Caine told you not to enter the void?" 

It took her a moment to snap out, but with a few blinks, she was right back. " Uhh.. yeah, yeah, he did uh— it's just… it's the closest I've ever gotten out of here. “

“ Out of here?"

“ Y… you know… an exit? Is there really no exit around here?" 

" Hm… “ Able scratched the bottom of his cards. “ My brother tried. He really did try. But there is only so much a string of code can do in a digital plain, even if we are quite brilliant at what we do. “

“ He tried?" 

" Oh, yes. I don't remember why he did… but he did. It is all too fuzzy." 

" Can I see it? “

" And embarass him? “ Able laughed " Oh no. Caine hates when people toy around his unfinished work, and its been unfinished for the longest time. How would you feel if I asked to see your first drawing? He would murder me." Able chuckled.

" But-”

" Come, come. Break time is over." His big hand tapped her from behind, making her flinch and walk forward. “Lets go practice your routine again shall we? “

Although it wasn’t a flat ‘no’, something about that answer felt untrustworthy. She looked up at him and his many eyes, looking away when they stared back. Her legs walked stiff around the manor again. She’s grown used to it but not exactly comfortable. 

Pomni would go blind if this kept up. It took her all to not cover her eyes from the burning spotlight, It hurt her retinas but she was told to keep a straight and elegant posture after every show. The crowd was deafening the way they cheered for her, their voices, humanoid, but not exactly. Their cheers would haunt her nightmares, but it's what she clings to if she wishes to stay useful in the circus… 

She did it. She won.

She bowed to the crowd, arm held up by her temporary mentor, showing her off in pride. 

“ The Living Doll, my dear viewers! “

Only the tip of her shoes touched the ground as she stood from her position. In the corner of her eyes she would see Caine clapping, but it wasn't a slow clap by any means. To her surprise it wasn't at all upset. Rather he just clapped… and the familiar feeling of eyes tracking her every move returned.

On one hand, She hopes this means Gangle is spared from any punishment… on the other hand… why?

She didn't know why she had to ask herself that. She had a feeling.

Pomni closed her eyes, and the next thing she knew, she was in her room, being groomed by the mannequins after a hard day of performing.

A shakey sigh left her. Atleast the day was over. She scrunched up when an NPC wiped her face with a wet cloth. Although she was made of wood, she was not prone to a plush exterior. The mannequins groomed her well but admittedly they can get a little aggressive at times.

Most of her routine was finished however. She looked good as new. Simply just had her bow taken out as an NPC brushed her hair to prepare her for bed.

But then,

Creaak… The sound of the door. 

“ A moment alone." 

Pomni’s hair stood up upon hearing his voice. She heard a snap and the next thing she knew the NPCs fell to the ground like piles of rubble, seemingly no longer functioning. His voice was enough. She didn't bother to turn. Her eyes fixated to look at the mirror either as a freeze response or in denial of the situation…

Fully knowing that all NPCs were inactive at the time… a different pair of hands started brushing her hair. 

Pomni swallowed.

Caine hasn't felt her hair himself the whole time she’s been in the circus. He would never usually put himself in the dirty work of a groomer, but that day… he was feeling especially clingy. 

For the next few minutes, nothing but the sound of the hair brush filled the room. Pomni's eyes now trailed down, refusing to look at him even in the mirror, Though at the corner of her vision she would sense him occasionally turning up to look at her. She did not reciprocate. 

“ How was your visit?"

“ Good." Pomni frowned.

“ …What were you doing? Did he treat you well? “

What was it with the brothers and asking her how she felt about them? Oh well. She learned her lesson. “ Able was a great host. He fed me good food and was really patient. He has a way with words and is really good at the violin… he was, uh…classy. And treated me really politely. He even—”

" Stop. “ 

The brushing stopped, 

" Thats enough.” Caine could break the comb with how tight he was holding it. Stop. Stop praising him like everyone else did. He didn't like when his name escaped her lips. He loathed the idea of her spending time with him, getting to know him, adoring him just like everyone else he knew.

Various intrusive thoughts entered his mind. He could pull out all her hair right then, crush her head between his teeth, he didn't know he was capable of such strong emotions until moments like these happened.

Yet it was all hidden in the shadows of his maw. Caine kept his head down, his eyes out of sight. Though that didn't stop Pomni from seeing his clenched fist on the poor comb.

That wasn't the answer he was looking for…?

“ Uhh! On second thought, his - his cooking was a little off… “ Pomni continued. “ I-I don't know what he thought humans liked--… but he was definitely off in his calculations... “

Silence from Caine… but she could sense his grip loosen. He tilted his head back up from his low gaze. 

" Mhm! I say your cooking is a little better! Its good--um- just harder to fully grasp, I guess, which isn't your fault. “

Caine continued to brush her hair. He could stay there for hours to hear her praise him and degrade his brother. It has been a while since he heard anyone criticise Able, and to hear it from the person he wanted from the most made him revel in the feeling.

“ And what is it with his over insistance to be so proper, right? It felt like even breathing was banned around him. “

“ That sounds like him.”Admittedly that one pleased Caine. Although Caine was all for following the rules, Sometimes his brother’s prudence can limit his creativity. He knows it all too well. 

" Was he always like this? “ Pomni asked. 

" And what would happen if I said yes? “

" Nothing. I guess its good to know that he was always that annoying. “

" Ha! “ That one caught him off guard! He put his hands on her shoulders, an olden man’s way of effection or showing pleasure. 

To Pomni it was as releiving as it was terrifying. Her body scrunched up from the sudden touch. “Haha… “ she laughed nervously. It was almost like she could feel herself gaining favor with each laugh. She guesses Caine really felt strongly about his brother. It wasn't her business. 

“ Im sorry to hear your visit was unpleasant. My brother really should have known better." Caine put away the comb on her vanity, and kept his hands on her shoulders. He didn't sound sorry. He didn't even bother to hide his pleasure over the idea. “ Ill make sure he doesn't get his grubby hands on you again… “

" Much appreciated. '' Pomni closed her eyes and nodded, pleased, before opening them back up again in a panic. “ Uh--! Actually, How about no? “

"... No? “

" I-I mean uh…” Pomni limiting her reach around the digital world also meant limiting her reach for a possible exit… but ofcourse, shes not telling Caine that " I-I just had ..so much fun performing for the audience with higher stakes, I guess, you know? Plus-- plus! It might make me more desireable to have big wins every now and then! “

“... I suppose." Caine thought to himself. Perhaps having her around Able a little more might build some resentment. Though Caine admittedly was a little disappointed with that answer. He went quiet again and kept his hands on her shoulders, though this time, a grip that's a little more stiff.

Pomni exhaled… 

shit… change the subject.

Pomni cleared her throat. “Did you… enjoy the performance? “

Caine laughed, a pity laugh. “ I enjoyed it as much as a person can enjoy a pre-planned game, yes. “

“ Huh?"

“ It was rigged, my dear." 

“ Oh…… … … … "

“ You wouldn't actually think I'd let you play fair on your first game would you? The audience would boo you to oblivion. “ Caine continued. 

Pomni looked down, admittedly a little embarrassed. She normally wouldn't care for her work as long as she gets to live another day, but still. Ouch. A blow to her ego.

“ It's alright. It's not your fault that Able can be tacky with his taste in art.” it seems that the more Pomni looked down the more affectionate he got. He placed his would-be chin on her head and continued to look at her eyes in the mirror. “I took control of your body 20…30...50% of the performance and that was that. “

“... Thanks." 

" You're welcome. “ Caine tapped her shoulders and stepped away, back into the air. He snapped his fingers and the mannequins previously on the floor re-assembled, back to walking and moving like nothing happened. 

Caine moved closer to the door.  “ Now get ready for bed! We have another routine to do first thing in the morning! How exciting.“

Before she could say anything else, Caine was out. Pomni let out little exhausted groans and put her forehead down on the table. “Augghh! God!" She put her hands on her head, just about ready to have her fourth mental breakdown. “ I can't… I CAN’T. I hate this place!”

The mannequins didn't know how to groom her in that position, and so they simply put her bow back on, and gave her a pat on the head. 

She stayed in that position for a little longer, quiet, just letting it all seep in. While she wallowed, the mannequins left her with the room since they finished their work. Now, it was only Pomni by herself.

She took a breath and turned her head up. Chin on the vanity, looking up at the mirror. She stared at the reflection, the constant reminder of her digital prison, and sighed.

It's okay, Pomni.

We have a plan. 

This isn't over yet. 

[dodgeballstuckonthegymceiling]

Thank god, someone is writing for TADC 😭😭 Its so good and Ive rewatched the pilot way too many times because its actually funny

Could you write some Caine x reader where he finds himself having a crush on the new human who has arrived but he’s also just…oblivious to what feelings are so doesnt realize it? He’s so goofy, I love him

This is an amazing ask and thank you for sending it in :)

Caine having a crush on the new Reader

★ The first thing he did after giving you a new name and explaining where you are was to bring you around the grounds. Show you all the places you can go and the places you shouldn't. Pretty standard introduction.

★ While he showed you around it became apparent that you were a bit different from the other humans. He just couldn't put his finger on it. Oh well, he'll figure it out later! (Spoiler: he doesn't)

★ He doesn't realize what his feelings are trying to tell him. Sure, he knew that he liked being around you but he didn't think it was that big of a deal. Caine tried to not let his fondness for you overshadow his roal as the ringleader.

★ It can be compared to a parent trying not to have a favorite child. Yes, he has one. But he's worried that the others would feel less special if he said anything. He's gotta love the 22-45 yo children equally!

★ He's the last person to realize he has a crush on you. Everyone is talking bets on when he'll figure it out. Except for Kinger, the chess piece is so oblivious to his surroundings it's not even funny.

★ The moon is so jealous of you. Even downright mean to you. Between the moon and the sun you should choose the sun. The choice is yours after all. "Oh, it's you.." "Caine, don't you think your new friend is a bit much?"

★ Personal space? We don't know her. He's touchy with everyone but he's even moreso with you. Unless of course you ask him not to touch you, then he'll respect your boundaries and stop.

★ He'd like to tell you about some ideas he has for future adventures. One condition though, you cant tell anyone what he shows you. You gotta pinky promise him! He can't have any surprises ruined, now can he?

★ Untill further notice, you will be labeled as his best friend.

[splonk-fox]

The flaws of Jax and Ragatha, and why they matter to Pomni's character arc.

Within the two episodes of The Amazing Digital Circus that have been released so far as of writing this post, there have been two characters who have been given the most attention and depth out of any of the cast (ignoring Pomni obviously), and those two characters are Ragatha and Jax.

The duo consisting of the kindhearted optimist and the meanspirited pessimist have without a doubt become some of the most interesting characters to analyze within this series so far thanks to how much meaningful screentime and character depth they have been given within the the two episodes that we viewers have been fortunate enough to witness with our very eyes.

But why is this? Why is it that these two have received special attention from the writers so far, and what role do they play in Pomni's character journey? Well I believe I may have found the answer, and it's unfortunately one that does not spell a good future for these characters. But to truly understand where I am coming from, we must first understand who these two characters are and how they relate to our main protagonist.

To start off with the kindest of the duo, we have already learned quite a lot about Ragatha thanks to the two episodes she has been featured in so far.

Her most prominent character trait is without a doubt her kindness. She is the first person to really be genuinely nice to Pomni upon her entrance to the circus and spends the rest of the episode showing her around the place and trying her best to help her get settled in.

She's also someone who doesn't like to be overly blunt with her responses, such is shown when Pomni asks how they leave the circus, to which Ragatha, instead of just saying that she couldn't, phrases it in a way that makes it sound as if they simply haven't found a way to leave yet, this was obviously done in an attempt to not freak Pomni out too much, though this doesn't really go anywhere thanks to Jax.

Now that's great and all, Ragatha's a nice person, you can easily observe that through casual watches of the show, looking deeper however, you can see that there is a lot more going on with Ragatha than she would like to make you believe.

Insecurity is another trait that Ragatha has that, while not shown off as prominently as her optimism, is still very important to Ragatha's character.

As we see in episode 2 of the series, one of Ragatha's biggest fears is not being liked. She vents to Kinger about how she feels like Pomni doesn't really like her that much, and that clearly scares her. And why wouldn't it? The end of episode 2 makes it clear that one of the most important things in this show when it comes to keeping the main cast mentally stable, is their sense of community.

They're all in this together, they have each other's backs and will do their best to be there for each other when it's needed. That is what is communicated to us within the second episode through Kaufmo's funeral.

This segment of the episode, while somber in its tone, is also one that instills hope within Pomni and the viewer. Because it shows that despite everything, the circus members do care about each other. That abstraction is something that affects everyone and it isn't something that is just brushed off immediately, which if you recall, was the crux of Pomni's fears as seen at the beginning of the second episode, the fear of being forgotten, the fear of no one caring.

"I don't even remember her name honestly" - Dream Jax.

So with how the importance of community has been firmly established within this show's messaging at this point, it should be no surprise that Ragatha's biggest fear is not having that community. Of people not liking you, of people hating you. So how does Ragatha solve this?

Repression, that's how. Of all of Ragatha's personality traits her tendency to not display her true feelings towards things are without a doubt the most damaging.

The best example of this is how she reacts to Pomni abandoning her for the exit. The pilot would lead you to believe that she was mad at Pomni for doing this, that she didn't trust her anymore because of this selfish act.

And yet, that's all brushed to the side in the following episode. Ragatha is back to her optimistic self and is saying that everything is fine! That it was completely understandable and that there was no bad blood between them. Yet you can tell that isn't the whole truth, that Ragatha really didn't get over what Pomni had done to her that easily.

Now do I think Ragatha hates Pomni or secretly resents her? No, not really. I do think she's being honest when she says that she doesn't hold anything against her for doing this. But that doesn't mean she wasn't hurt by it. We can see clear as day from the pilot that this did affect her, so why does she act like she doesn't?

Because, from her perspective, her feelings do not matter. The only thing that does is to make sure Pomni is able to adjust, to make sure that everyone is happy, that everyone is still somewhat sane within the circus, and so she compromises her emotions in order to do this. Gooseworx has even said it herself that Ragatha often says things she doesn't necessarily mean in order to ease tensions. She doesn't want to cause conflict, she doesn't want people to fight with each other because she understands how important community is to the members of the circus persisting.

Yet in the midst of all of this, what Ragatha fails to realize is that with how she currently handles things, she is paving the way for her own mental break.

Ragatha, in her attempts to be there for others, has walled herself off from others being there for her. By lying about how she really feels about things, by acting as if she is fine, she is not allowing herself the emotional vulnerability necessary for others to be there for her when she needs it.

The closest thing we have had to this so far is with Kinger, and while having someone she feels comfortable enough to lament her feelings around is a good thing, this is one person, one person who is... not exactly mentally stable, to put it lightly. Is not exactly an end all be all solution to her problems.

Kinger being the only person who Ragatha can rely on is only gonna work for a limited amount of time, the more she represses, the more she hides her true emotions and clear mental instability, the closer she is to meeting a cruel fate, one that no one would be able to save her from because no one even realized there was something wrong with her. For in her pursuit to make everyone else happy, she has sacrificed her own happiness, as a result.

And then there's Jax.

Jax, in a lot of ways, is pretty much the polar opposite of Ragatha. While her leading trait is kindness, Jax's leading trait is being a complete and utter asshole. And while Ragatha is all about answering things in a roundabout way to ease stress, Jax is all about the blunt answers.

This is best shown to us in the pilot when, in the same scene where Ragatha tries to answer Pomni's question of "how do I leave?" in a way that wouldn't stress her out too heavily, Jax goes straight in with the "you can't". Jax is a pessimist, he has accepted that there is no way out, and is simply riding things as they go by.

Jax's leading character trait is all about causing as much chaos as he can for the sake of his own satisfaction. He doesn't care about how others feel, the only thing he cares about is causing as much chaos as possible simply because he can.

Yet that isn't all that's going on with Jax, there's something deeper here, something more complex.

When it comes to the scenes everyone points to when saying that Jax has a lot more going on with him than meets the eye, the scene where he reacts to Kaufmo's funeral is the one everyone looks at with an analytical lens, and that's for a good reason.

For I think this little scene might just tell us a lot more about Jax than we think.

One thing that I've come to notice about Jax's brand of chaos is that it's very reliant on others' reactions. All of the chaos he causes, all of the absurd and awful things he does are for the sake of seeing how others react. From throwing Pomni over the side of a truck and attempting to use her as a human bridge, or literally everything that he does to Gangle, it's all reaction-based, and that made me realize that, despite how selfish and uncaring he acts towards everyone else, community is still the one thing that truly matters most.

He needs the others so that they can react to his hijinx, as they are what give said actions meaning. If he had no crowd to watch as he acts like a shitty person, then he has no reason to do anything. But that is also where Jax's true character flaw comes in, his selfishness.

With how Jax is constantly pushing others around for the sake of his own amusement, Jax is very clearly a self-centered person. He is someone who is in it for himself and no one else. Who cares if others don't like him? Who cares if others despise him? As long as he gets to see funny things happen to people, he is gonna be okay.

But what happens when that method is no longer effective? What happens when the others don't give him the reaction he wants? What happens when he can no longer use chaos as a way to distract from the pointlessness of his reality?

Well, as scary as this may be to think about, Jax won't really have much of anything to fall back on. His cruel actions have wrote him into a corner. No one likes him, that much is obvious. And while Jax seems content with this now? What happens when he is put in the position of needing someone else's help?

Well, then he'll have no one, and it's ironically for the exact opposite reason to Ragatha. Ragatha's problem is that she is constantly repressing her emotions, despite the fact that she has people who care about her, she doesn't open up to them because in her eyes, her feelings are secondary to others'.

Yet Jax is the opposite, he's honest, he is self-centered, and that's also why he is one of the members who are in this most danger.

In a show that seems to be about how important community is and how important it is to stay together and be there for each other? To have a character who is the complete opposite of that. To have someone who doesn't care about others, who won't be there when someone else is hurting. To have someone who is actively making things harder for everyone... that just spells out demise.

Jax's true weakness is that he does not have a community who will be there for him when he needs it, he was never there for others so why should they be there for him? Meaning that when Jax is at the end of his rope, crying out for help, no one will listen, because as cruel as it sounds, most of the members would probably be happy that he's gone.

While this does admittedly rely a bit on speculation, I think what I've stated above might be the true reason for why Jax looked sad for a moment when the other characters were talking about the funerals held for those who have abstracted. Because in that small moment, he realizes he might not get a funeral of his own when he "dies", or if he did, no one would really have anything nice to say about him.

And that fear, that knowing of how the way you've built yourself up by putting others down has lead to everyone hating you, to everyone not having a single good thing to say about you... that is terrifying. And yet he hides it, he walks away, he refuses to attend the funeral because then he will have to be confronted with the uncomfortable reality of the fact that he won't die as someone who was remembered for doing good things.

The only thing he'll be remembered for, is how much everyone hated him. And all of that brings us right back, to Pomni.

I said at the beginning of this post, as well as with the title itself, that Ragatha and Jax matter to Pomni's character arc, but why is this? Sure they're both main characters so obviously they're going to influence her journey going forward, but how exactly does any of this matter to Pomni? It's simple really.

Ragatha and Jax represent two extremes, they represent what happens when you lean too far in one direction. In one case, it is caring too much about others and not caring about yourself, and in the other, it's caring too much about yoursef and not caring about others.

Pomni has already shown traits of both Jax and Ragatha. She has shown an empathetic, kindhearted side as seen in her interactions with Gummigoo, and she has shown a selfish side, as seen when she abandoned Ragatha for the "exit" in the pilot.

Pomni has shown herself to be both selfish and selfless. But what part of her matters more? Simple answer, both. It is important to care about others while also taking time to take care of yourself. Ragatha and Jax show what happens when you forget to do one of these things.

By always taking care of others, you're forgetting to take care of yourself, and by always taking care of yourself, you fail to take care of others. To find a healthy balance is to do both. To be aware of your own mental health while also making sure that others are doing okay too. And this is something that Pomni will need to realize if she is going to make it in the circus.

And this is where Jax and Ragatha become important. I believe these two will show Pomni how important it is to keep a balance of things. To not lean too far in one direction, as if you do, it spells bad news for you either way. And how will this be communicated to her and the audience?

Abstraction.

Think about it. If Ragatha and Jax's harmful practices continue without change and they end up abstracing because of it, that will be a wakeup call to Pomni, it will show her the flaws of being too selfless, and too selfish. Is it an extreme way to communicate such message? Sure, but it's also one that can't be ignored.

We, the audience, and Pomni, would see first hand the consequences of leaning too far in either direction, that if you don't find a balance, you will end up like Jax and Ragatha did.

And that's why I think these two in particular have been given so much screentime and attention these past two episodes. Because they are meant to show us the most extreme versions of Pomni's most prominent character traits.

The ability to care about yourself, and the ability to care about others.

Of course, I might be wrong in this assessment. We are far too early in the show's runtime to truly predict any big events like this. But from a narrative standpoint, I believe this interpretation makes the most sense in the way of showing us the audience, and Pomni, what truly matters. It's not just about you, it's not just about others, it's about both.

Thank you for reading.

[factual-fantasy]

27 asks! Thanks yall!! :}} 📐

@milk-powrit (Referencing this post)

..Because I don't like Zooble. 😐

Zooble up to this point just hasn't been a pleasant character most of the time for me- She swears like a sailor, is always flipping people off and being rude left and right. Not my kind of character. 💀

Now you might say "Zooble clearly has some issues going on deep down that makes her act that way" or "Zooble is mean to Caine because she doesn't like her body" In this case, I point you to what I said on that post-

"while I know many characters are likely to turn out evil or turn out to be really sweet, I'm taking them all at their current face value. Hope this helps some of my maybe.. surprising? Tiers make some more sense" This was directed at Zooble and Jax. They've probably got some lore that will make me sympathize with them but currently I just don't like it when those two characters are on screen :|

I will say though that Zooble was saved from being moved even lower in the tiers for the tenderness she showed in setting up Kaufmo's funeral.. <XD

@eggnonymous

Little does the egg know I have a frying pan behind my back.... just in case.. 👁️👁️

@i-dogtor-dog

Feeling pretty rough <:( but doing my best.. <:) 👍 Also thank you! :)))

(Link in ask)

Woah.. the designs for this AU(?) are wild :00

@thangone

Woah! Your artwork is looking great! :DD And what a cute littol fwoggy :)))

His voice gets on my nerves if I listen to it for too long- but otherwise he's really funny and I like him as a character :)) I will be really sad if/when he turns out to be an evil master mind/the villain or something :(

They belong in Minecraft.

@neo-metalscottic (Kinger love post)

Hello! :DD I'm glad to hear you liked my Kinger post! Its nice to see him get so much love after the new episode :)) the poor guy deserves it.. <:(

Now Funky Kong, he is in my AU :00 and I intend to incorporate most other Kongs as well! Maybe I can tie in his "traveling salesman" type vibe and make him a brave/reckless Kong that likes to explore new areas on their island..? :00

As for Kirby, the Anime has a special place in my heart. And I also know barely anything about the games lore- The characters also seem to have a lot more personality in the Anime. For better or for worse <XDD

My favorite from the anime is definitely Metaknight. His only downside is he doesn't appear to have wings. <:/ (I remedy this in my AU >:) )

@stupid-thatsme

If I read this correctly, it seems like you wanted some written out explanation or something? If so I'm afraid I cant help you there- I don't consider myself to be very good at explaining art things-

The best I could do is draw some examples and try to explain the drawings. But since you said you already know all the lines and stuff.. well.. :x

@weirdweeb83

Now THIS.. Is some proper Halloween candy 🤩

@holly-opal

Not anymore! :)

@p0wer-up21

One of the scariest creatures on Earth <XDDD

@mrrebel7

AAA THANK YOU!! :DDD AND THAT'S AWESOME TO HEAR!! :))) I hope your project goes smoothly! :))))

XDD I can pronounce that just fine!

OH YEAH ITS YOU! :00

Also yeahh,, things have been really tough for me.. I'm doing my best to keep my head up and get through it. I'm hoping to get some relief from my symptoms soon. <:/ Thank you <:))

That's not a fun fact, that's a sad fact :( I'd rather people never find me then find me through waves of stolen artwork..

But none the less, thank you. I'm glad to hear you like my art! :))

@marionette-jester

I don't know if this is an insult or a cursed compliment XD But I choose to give you the benefit of the doubt and think the latter! So thank you! :)

@the-8th-of-w1zards

AAAA THANK YOU!! :DDD Also I've been drawing far too long to remember my original inspiration.. but my guess is playing sonic games and wanting to draw Tails..? XDD Maybe Pokémon too..?

Meh 🤷 not particularly interested in those guys

Thank you! :))

Idk how long I'll play, but so far I've been enjoying it! My favorite cookie based on appearance is Star Coral cookie. Story/personality wise its a tie between Pure Vanilla and White Lily-

O_O oh dear-

@inkyblots

All I have to say is use references and do you very best to keep the drawing in model <:/

:DD Thank you! :)

Oh yeah, I've seen some of those around 😅 They're not really my taste anymore-

@captain-skyler1987

Uhg, that's always disheartening to see. Thanks for letting me know.. <:/

@hershelwidget

I cant share most of the books I read for a few reasons- but the book you're talking about sounds so good!.. And so sad.. <:'(( I'll have to keep it in mind! :)

[impishjesters]

Platonic! Kinger x Reader

warning(s): none note: Inspired by a previous request involving being nice to Kinger A/N: Look Grandpa Kinger is something I didn't know I needed. He's no match for my love of Jax but he's definitely got a special place in the cavity where my heart would be

Kinger was an interesting character when you first met him, Jax likes to point and call him crazy any chance he gets—and it’s true, he’s not all there but uh, a long time in this place would get to anyone

The old man barely remembers your name in the beginning but you don’t take it personally

Honestly, it’s kind of like having a grandpa all over again except you know, he looks like a chess piece that a child slapped doll eyes on

Jax likes to call you Kinger’s babysitter. Along with some type of insult that implies he’s a deranged grandparent in need of a retirement home

Where you are, Kinger isn’t too far off. At this point he sort of just follows you around unless he gets too paranoid to leave, or gets distracted.

Psspsspss c’mere grandpa, look at this lil bug collection

You’ve actually gone to Caine and asked if it was possible to acquire said bug collection, nothing over the top but something you could give to Kinger and let him tell you all the weird bug facts.

Caine not only whips up a little bug collection but even manages to give you a big book on bugs (ick, bugs)

“Did you know that wasps feeding on fermented juice have been known to get drunk and pass out?”

“I did not. Those little fells know how to party huh?”

“Party? Where? Is it someone’s birthday?”

Kinger’s never said it while others are around, or probably even to you, unless he did and forgot. Did he? Either way, he’s happy that you are around and spend time with him.

He’ll tell you stories, all fake and made up mind you but it’s entertaining nevertheless (his excitement is precious, shut up)

Kinger has without a doubt, in public or private, called you “kid” or “kiddo” before

[tadc-harlequin-au]

If kinger and Z are too big to fit inside the manor like the others, what's their living situation like after becoming sane?

They just like to explore the mansion grounds, or do whatever. Z does build a bigger quarters for the larger residents, since believe me: those two aren't gonna be the only ones LMFAO

Initially, Kingr wasn't all too happy about his living conditions, though he's still grateful for being freed from his physical and mental prison, so he's officially allied himself with the group.

Like Pomni, he was itching for battle --although, not as insistent or hot-tempered as the Harlequin was--, and Pomni suggested he should be her new training dummy; an idea to which, he was fine with, since he still owed her gratitude.

Caine does offer an ultimatum himself: a chess board to pre-occupy the oversized chess-piece when there's no training. Though reluctant at first, he's haven't had a loss since, especially because Pomni was not the best strategist, and Ragatha just ends up losing always (chess was never her best suit anyways).

But Caine does prove himself to be a worthy opponent to the King, so it's become a recurring thing for everyone to watch the two battle on the board, as the manor's number of residents grow.

As the story goes along, Kingr slowly regains his humanity by curiously exploring bugs in the mansion's forest one day, and after remembering his past life; realizing that not everything is militaristic and about winnings, and that he should take his time simply enjoying the ways of life, because even the most mundane things can be so much more pleasant and fulfilling to experience than the concept of wars, valors and victories.

And this is what leads him to regretting a lot of the things he'd done since his time as the more sane Skirmish General. (totally not gonna be a plot point for him and Pomni to begin bonding over something that's not fighting teehee)

He becomes wiser, and more easygoing.

(There's also Quinnie.... which.... we won't talk about that for now ;3)

Z is happy to not have much rowdy roommates as everyone else (there's always something crashing or breaking inside the mansion at least once a day and Z can only assume the worst on what's happening), and they're also pretty thankful they're not physically bound to one place as before and could explore if they wanted to.

Z just wants to create something, or move something, a part of their old directive clearly still being present in them. So Pomni asked them to make weapons for her, to which, the giant Figure obliges.

Caine also suggested sculpting as a side hobby, so once every few months they'll leave for a few weeks with permission from the Puppetmaster, only to come back with either a GIANT ASS TREE, OR A MARBLE STONE --that who knows where they got it from-- and start carving shapes out of them.

Caine actually advised that instead of relying on their body's special tools to get the job done easily, that Z took their time making their ideas with more traditional methods and equipment.

As the story goes along, their sculptures actually take more and more forms as they regain their humanity and remember their past life: from brutalist and sharp shapes, to smoother, actual humanoid and still-life figures that Pomni asks about.

Z becomes more open to socializing, and accepting.

(I think I also want Z to take up landscaping, it seems like something they'd do for this AU-)

[ghostteayum]

I realized I hadn’t posted anything about tadc yet

kinger has a special place in my mind

[thescarletnargacuga]

THE ANNIVERSARY BALL

A CANON TIME CAPSULE AU FANFICTION

AU credit @mangotangerinepastry @the-amazing-digital-time-capsule

WARNING: alcohol, swearing, verbal harassment (the guests of the time capsule are terrible people), some suggestive dialogue

~~~

Caine adjusted the metals on his dress uniform and made sure his tie was straight. The floor length mirror reflected an image of foux military prestige. He was ready to host the grandest party the Time Capsule threw, The Anniversary Ball. At least, he looked ready, but in truth, he never was. The annual event was attended by the wealthiest of the wealthy clients the Capsule served. They constantly bragged to him how they could afford the tickets to the impossibly expensive party.

Caine sighed and smoothed his jacket. “Alright soldier, chin high. Back straight. Presentation is what matters. Don't let them intimate you. Don't let them get under your skin. Don't back down. Be all that you can be.” He stared hard at himself, putting himself into the mindset to face his worst enemy: socialits.

The longer he looked, the less he recognized the reflection staring back. The teeth around his mix matched eyes became pale skin. Light, well-kept hair sat atop his head. The visage of a handsome young man with tired eyes blinked with him. Caine lifted his hand to his face, half expecting to feel real flesh, when a holographic screen popped up next to him.

“Our guests will be arriving shortly.” BUBLE informed.

Glancing away from himself was all it took to break the haunting vision from the mirror. Caine checked his pocket watch, less than an hour. “Are all preparations complete?”

“Yes. The botanical gardens are prepared to welcome our guests. Are you? I do not wish to have a repeat of last year.”

“If I recall, I wasn't the problem in that situation. You had to eject the guest.” Caine held his hands behind his back, standing tall.

For the briefest of seconds, BUBLE’s screen glitched. “You recall incorrectly. It is your job to keep our guests happy. Any guest ejected is a failure on your part. A failure that will be corrected. Follow your directive, Ringmaster Caine, or there will be-”

“Consequences.” Caine struggled already not to roll his eyes. “Uh-huh, for a robot, you are awfully dramatic.”

~

The botanical gardens was a large outdoor venue laiden with a multitude of exotic plants from around the world. No matter what natural environment they were from, they grew believably in the false world within the capsule. The AI generated smell of the mixed flora was pleasant at the very least.

In the center of the gardens, a stone courtyard contained a small stage for performances. For this special occasion, white clothed round tables were added for the Anniversary dinner. An open bar was added to the side for Kinger to mix drinks. Lights were strung across the courtyard for ambiance and the capsule's day cycle was halted at twilight to preserve the rich post sunset lighting.

Caine met with Kinger and Zooble at the gardens first, as they were working with faceless NPCs to set up. He checked his watch again. Guests would be arriving in less than twenty minutes so his performers should be arriving any second. He took a deep breath of heavy floral air.

“You can do this, soldier. You're one of our best.” Kinger assured from his place behind the bar and served a shot of whiskey.

Caine took it without a word and downed it easily. He exhaled the bitter burn of the alcohol and tapped the bar with the glass. “One more. I'm going to need it.”

Kinger poured. “Don't get ahead of yourself. It's going to be a long night.”

“Don't I know it.” Caine catches a glimpse of the performers entering the gardens mid shot and chokes. Pomni was dressed to the nines in a way he'd never seen before.

Kinger shakes his head, wipes down his whiskey sprayed bar and tops of Caine's glass. His six hands make easy work. Kinger watched Caine stare wide eyed at Pomni walking in with Ragatha, Jax, and Gangle. He huffed a small laugh.

Caine hardly had the wherewithal to wipe the dribbled drink off his chin. Pomni was wearing a midnight blue dress with golden accents that made her outshine the beauty of the night sky itself. He had to hold on to the bar before her aura knocked him down. None were worthy to stand in her presence.

Pomni adjusted her evening gloves, they were holding much too tight to her upper arms and were going to annoy her all night. At least she got to wear low heel boots instead of heels, so her feet wouldn't be killing her by the end of the event. Small mercies. “So we have to socialize with all the guests?”

“Unfortunately.” Gangle answered flatly. “Eat, perform, mingle. BUBLE has never given us a set end time. The guests come and go as they please, but don't think any event has gone longer than…six hours?”

Pomni wanted to throw herself down the nearest sewer drain, but anything she had to say left her mind when she saw Caine. The vague military officer's uniform fit him very nicely. She went right to him.

Caine's breath caught in his throat. Oh lord, she was walking towards him. He slid the shot away from him and stood pretty. “Evening, Pomni.” He greeted her formally.

Caine's stiffer than usual demeanor surprised her. “Uh, evening, Caine. You look nice.” She nervously complimented him, noticing Kinger sliding away to give their conversation privacy.

Caine's neck felt hot, but he remained at attention. He was afraid if he let himself relax, he would fall apart right in front of her. “And you look…” Every synonym for beautiful he knew, even in other languages, flew through his head. “Presentable.” Was what came out of his mouth.

Pomni blinked. “Thanks..?”

Before Caine could correct himself, BUBLE’s screen appeared amongst them. “Attention cast members, our guests will arrive in one minute. Places.”

Pomni walked away, leaving Caine mentally kicking himself. He snatched the abandoned shot and downed it before taking his place at the entrance to the gardens to greet the guests.

Caine stood in the middle of the entrance, Pomni and Gangle stood to his right along the edge. Jax and Ragatha to his left. At the end of BUBLE’s countdown, a glowing red vertical line appeared mid air. It split and opened a wide digital doorway. Guests poured in by the dozens.

Caine steeled himself. Showtime. “Welcome to the Time Capsule Anniversary Ball!” He boldly announced.

~

The gardens filled with elegance that reeked with wealth. The white tie event brought out the most elaborate gowns and tailor made suits. The guests mingled lightly before dinner. Some went straight to the bar and Kinger was put to work, showing off his best tricks as he poured drinks.

Pomni could feel her stomach twisting more and more as the venue filled with some of the most pompous, old money rich types she's ever seen in her life. Even the porcelain masks they wore couldn't hide the entitlement.

The guests were seated for dinner and Caine took to the central circular stage. He held up a champagne glass and tapped in with a small fork to quiet the crowd. “Welcome, esteemed guests, to the most wonderful night of the year! Tonight, we celebrate the day the Capsule was sent back through time to start this wonderful show! You all have the exclusive privilege to dine, drink and dance with the cast of this world famous Time Capsule! Enjoy, my friends, and cheers to another year of time travel entertainment!” Caine raised his glass and the crowd toasted with him.

Pomni sat at the cast table with the others, painfully aware of wandering eyes from the guests. This felt way more invasive than just mingling. Snobby guests were going to be in her space all night. She's never wanted to be on stage and out of arm's reach more.

Cast meals were short compared to the guests' five course dinners, they needed to be on stage. Caine didn't eat at all. He wandered the courtyard to speak with guests that would flag him down. One guest asked him when the sexy bitch with the violin would be performing and Caine couldn't suppress an eye twitch. “She's the first act, actually. Enjoy.” Caine forced a smile and kept walking. Before mingling with the next guest, he took a shot of vodka.

Pomni played her heart out on stage, moving with the music as lights danced around her. It was truly a spectacle that had the guests actually cheering. Pomni played so hard, her violin bow smoked by the end. As much as she hated playing, it was a good way to get rid of nervous energy.

Caine was enthralled. He has to force himself to look away from the stage so as to not stare. That's not what was expected of him. Everyone else got to ogle Pomni all they wanted. He hoped if he kept moving he'd miss the comments made about her. He still caught a few. Everything was being judged, from her dress to her body and he wanted to shoot every last one of them. But the only shot he took was another vodka.

Pomni dabbed her brow with a napkin as Gangle took to the stage for her performance. Caine power walked to her with a glass of water but another guest still got to her before him. He internally cursed but kept his cool as he slowed his gait. It was the guest that asked about Pomni before. He needed to stay close.

The sleazy guest sidled up to Pomni. “Hey, beautiful. That was quite the performance. When the dance floor opens, you and I should be the first ones out there.”

Pomni saw Caine approaching and thought fast. “I'm afraid you're out of luck for the first dance.” She skirted around the guest and stood next to Caine. She took his arm. “I'm supposed to dance with the Ringmaster when the floor opens.”

“What?” Caine slipped out quietly.

“What?? That hasn't been a thing before!” The guest bristled.

“This is my first year.” Pomni rationalized. “And events change. Surely you understand.”

“The only thing I understand is that you're making excuses, slut.” The guest balled his fists.

The glass in Caine's hand shattered loudly. Bits of glass cut his hand, but he didn't flinch as blood dripped from his fingertips. “She's right, I'm afraid.” Caine slid his arm out of Pomni's hold and pulled her close to him by her waist. “Sorry, Ringmaster privilege. You'll have your chance after.” He walked away with Pomni to the bar, ignoring the warning pulls from BUBLE.

Pomni jumped when Caine grabbed her. She'd blush if she wasn't so confused and a bit disgusted by Caine's behavior. Stale alcohol wafted off of his breath. “What are you doing?” She hissed under her breath.

“Getting a napkin for my hand. When Jax and Ragatha are done, the band will take to the stage and the dance floor will be available. Wouldn't want to disappoint the guests by making me hunt you down.” He smirked.

Pomni's eyes narrowed with anger. “What is with you? I just wanted that a-hole to leave me alone. You seriously want to go through with the dance?”

“It's him or me, doll.” Caine nodded to a guest at the bar next to him as he wiped his hand clean. He stole a shot of tequila from another guest that wasn't looking. “And I think we both know the answer.” He gave her a cocky grin, but his eyes watched the guests watching him.

Pomni's heart hurt. He was just like them. Arrogant. Entitled to her space and time. She had no alternative. It was bad either way. She sadly leaned against the bar. “Fine.”

Jax and Ragatha did a wonderfully unique performance of break dancing and roller skate tricks. It got relatively good reception from the guests. Now, it was time for everyone's favorite part of the night. The NPC band took to the stage and the open area around it was lit to invite people to dance.

Caine straightened his jacket and held his hand out to Pomni. “Let's give them the show they've been waiting for.”

Pomni swallowed what she could of her pride and took Caine's hand. She let him lead her out onto the empty dance floor and did her best to look sophisticated. She stiffened as Caine out his hands on her. She thought she would looked forward to this, but instead she wanted him to get away from her.

Caine swayed a bit heavily for the waltz but kept in time with the music from muscle memory. A minute into the song, more couples joined and he could lose himself in her a little. He could drop his mask behind the curtain of dancing guests. With his nerves numbed by the multitude of drinks, he could finally say what he meant earlier. “You are the most gorgeous woman in any timeline.”

Pomni’s heart swooned but she kept a straight face. “You don't have to tell me that. The guests can't hear you.” Her voice dripped with venom.

“I know. That's why I said it.” He cleared his throat, lowering his voice. “Let me try again. These jagoffs are the worst humanity has to offer and I hate dealing with them, but the only way to is be…like them. Blend in. Especially as Ringmaster. I'm sorry I didn't properly warn you, but there really isn't anything that will prepare you for this.”

Pomni’s expression softened. That sounded much more like the Caine she knew. “Heh, jagoffs. That's a funny word.”

“I'm a funny man.” Caine winked. “Now, allow me to correct myself from earlier. You are far more than presentable. You are the star of the show. The bee's knees. The ragtime gal no one can hold down.” His dancing became more energetic as the band played music throughout history, blending from classical to early 1900’s jazz and swing.

Pomni snorted, trying to hold in her laughter. Her body moved on it's own, the AI installed dance moves being completely foreign to her, but she kept up with Caine going ham on the dancefloor.

The guests were just as into the music but Caine and Pomni had the most amount of space, drawing attention to themselves with their performance. They swung each other around and moved in sync like the choreography was planned.

Caine’s officer sword was annoyingly in the way as the dances became more lively and complex. He slid off his belt in one motion and tossed it to Zooble. “Hold that for me, would ya?”

Zooble had been doing their best to be unnoticed all night. Their appearance made dealing with guests even more of a hassle. They caught Caine's ceremonial sword with one hand. “Like I have a choice?”

Caine lifted Pomni in the air and twirled her around, the trail of her dress flowing in the wind. By now, they had the whole room's attention, but Pomni allowed herself to be taken by the music and Caine. The world around them was blurred. It was just the two of them, as the music progressed through the decades. They were allowed to dance closer, hold each other in ways that they normally couldn't in front of the guests. They're heavy breaths were hot on each other’s necks.

Kinger wiped a glass as he watched the performance. “I knew you had it in you.” He said to himself. He almost missed the woman looking at him, but slid over to her and put on his best customer service voice. “What can I get ya?”

“You.” She slurred heavily.

Kinger furrowed with confusion. “Pardon?”

“You. You tall, handsome silly.” She laughed way too loud. “When are YOU gonna dance?”

“Sorry miss, I'm not a performer, but I'd be happy to serve you a drink. Water, perhaps?”

“Aw, come on. I need to get some wood tonight and you look like you have plenty to spare.” She almost face planted on the bar trying to give him her best unfocused bedroom eyes.

Kinger blinked. He didn't get the innuendo but he could tell she was coming on to him. He poured her a glass of water. “My sincerest apologies, but I'm needed here. Please, take this. On the house.”

“Ugh, you're no fun.” She took her water and staggered away.

Kinger sighed. The night wouldn't last forever, but it sure felt like it.

Ragatha smiled dreamily watching Pomni and Caine tearing up the dancefloor. Jax leaned against the bar next to her, lazily glancing at her. “You wish that was you, huh?”

Ragatha snapped out of her daydream and fiddled with her hands. “Maybe.”

Jax pushes up his shades. His tease didn't work the way he hoped. “Well, then…we’ll have to steal the next show then won't we?”

Ragatha gasped and grabbed his jacket. “Oh, Jax! Really!?”

Jax tried to be annoyed but her excitement was actually adorable. “Sure, why not?”

“Yay!!” Ragatha cheered, jumping up and down.

The music through the decades came to an end with Caine holding Pomni to his chest, her arms over his shoulders, her forehead to his top teeth. Both panting from the intense dancing. The crowd erupted with cheers and whistles. Pomni and Caine smiled more than they had all night, gazing into each other's eyes. They stayed close for as long as they dared before having to separate to take a bow.

As Caine and Pomni went for water, Ragatha and Jax rushed the dance floor. “You were great out there!” Ragatha congratulated as she went by Pomni.

Caine hated having to wear his Ringmaster mask again. While Kinger was busy with other guests, Caine helped himself to a bottle from behind the bar and poured his tallest drink of the night. At least it was clear so he could convince himself it was just spicy water.

Pomni got some actual water, but Caine still drank faster than her. “How in the-”

Caine groaned after finishing his chug of lighter fluid liquor. “Too much practice, I'm afraid. I'm having fun Pomni, I want to stop caring about appearances.”

“But, BUBLE-”

“BUBLE can get stuffed.” Caine couldn't feel the tugs on his fingers anymore. “Let's say you and I take a walk.” The guests around them were all either watching Jax and Ragatha or too intoxicated to focus on anything.

Pomni gripped Caine’s forearm. “Take me away.” Her voice low and inviting.

Caine’s stomach danced with butterflies. Though, that could have been the alcohol hitting him hard. He offered her his arm and walked with her as dignified as he could manage in his woozy state, and they snuck away down one of the dimly lit paths going into the exotic garden.

The path was surrounded by tall plants that muffle the sounds of the celebration in the courtyard, it was calming. They could both breathe a bit easier. They went around corners carefully, finding more than a few guests that had beaten them to the quiet area with a friend or two. Deeper into the garden, they finally find solitude.

“That was a wonderful dance, Caine. How did we even do all that?”

“It's part of the performer programming. The avatars know what to do. You just go along for the ride. Which has made this the best night I've ever had in the capsule.” Caine stopped walking and held Pomni's hands. “I got to dance with the most stunning woman at the ball. I got to touch her…hold her.”

Pomni's heart raced. “Maybe you should do that more often.” She moved his hands to her waist so he could hold her like they were dancing again. Her hands slid up his chest as she closed the gap between them.

Chills went up Caine's spine. His long fingers gripped lightly as he held her close. “I'd like to, but she's trouble.”

Pomni raised a brow. “Oh?”

Caine starts to laugh, a dark blush creeping up his neck. “Mhm, she's- she's the reason- I have to-” His drunken giggle fit keeps him from finishing his sentence.

“I- what?” Pomni laughed with him.

“Nevermind, I’ve forgotten what I was going to say. Probably something stupid. Let me try a different line.”

“Hit me with your best shot.” She played with the medals on his chest.

Caine had to loosen his tie, he was feeling way too hot for the uniform. “Then you better brace yourself, because I'm quite the rifleman.” His eyes smoldered. “I ne'er on your form for a moment have gazed, but a thousand temptations beset me.” His hands squeezed the supple flesh of her hips.

Pomni's cheeks flushed, her breath caught. “Oh my…”

“Your coral lips were made to kiss.” Caine's eyes drifted to her gasping lips. Long had he wondered what they would feel like against him. “Would you like to practice on mine?”

Pomni couldn't help herself and muffled a giggle. “I would say yes, but…”

Oh. Right. She was laughing, so he switched gears to goofy. “All right, you wanna play hardball? Try this one! I'm a ragtime millionaire, soul owner and agent of Up-To-Date Canoodling. Hand Holding is a specialty.” He takes one of her hands and spins around with her like he was trying to dance again but he was much less coordinated without music.

He tripped over the trail of her dress and fell into the bush next to the path, taking Pomni with him. Pomni fell back first into the mulch between the plants. Caine went into the bush itself and rolled over on top of her. He braced himself up by his hands and took a moment to focus, the whole world was starting to spin in the wrong direction for him.

Pomni froze, bracing her hands on Caine's shoulders to keep him from collapsing on top of her. He blinked the haze away and made eye contact with her. Pomni wetted her lips nervously as neither of them moved. “Are we-...are you…going to get up?” She asked with no real urgency.

“Do you really want me to?” Caine's voice dropped an octave, his eyes half lidded with unmasked desire.

Pomni hooked her fingers in his tie and gently pulled him down. “No.”

Caine lowered himself onto his elbows and closed his eyes to press his teeth to her. He was close enough to feel the very warmth of her inviting lips.

“CAINE! HEY!! CAINE!? YOU OUT HERE!?”

Caine shot up so fast, his hat went flying. He quickly got out of the bushes and helped Pomni back up. Gangle came around the corner as they were wiping off mulch and picking leaves out of hair.

“Gangle! What are you doing back here?” Caine asked harshly as he fixed his uniform.

Gangle raised a brow. “I could ask you two the same thing. Did you forget about doing your closing speech or something? We're waiting for you to thank the guests so they'll leave.”

“Right. Right. Please excuse me.” Caine left quickly.

Pomni picked up the uniform hat Caine left behind. She brushed it off and tried to walk past Gangle but a ribbon stopped her. She gulped.

“What were you doing in the bushes?” Gangle gave Pomni a suggestive look.

Pomni refused to look Gangle in the eye. “Nothing.”

“You really expect me to believe that?”

“Yes. Because that's the only answer you're getting.” Pomni pushed onward back to the party.

“He was buttering your biscuit, wasn't he?” Gangle grinned, enjoying Pomni's embarrassment a bit too much.

Pomni scoffed. “Maybe he would've if we hadn't been interrupted.”

“Sorry, but everyone is getting restless and he has to do the speeches. A Ringmaster’s job is never finished. You can bag him after the guests leave. I'm hanging out with Zooble tonight, so the room is all yours.”

Pomni dragged her hand down her face. “Sure. Thanks.”

~

It took another hour, but all the guests finally left. The courtyard was a wreck. For such a formal event, the guests were still sloppy as pigs. NPCs wandered about with brooms and rags. Zooble thankfully didn't have to touch any of it. Everyone tiredly went back to their dressing rooms.

Pomni and Caine stood in front of her door. “You're…welcome to come inside.”

Caine's heart skipped a beat. He really wanted to, but he considered himself a gentleman and he pushed his moral code far enough tonight. Plus, the alcohol was leaving his system and he was starting to not feeling well. “My dear, tonight has been wonderful, but I'm afraid I must leave you here.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I'm sorry.”

Disappointed, Pomni took her hand back slowly, their hands staying connected to the last possible moment. “I understand, but…just one thing.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed the side of his lower jaw. Quickly, she turned into her room and shut the door.

Caine felt where she kissed him. It may not have been exactly where he wanted it, but it was as wonderful as he imagined. Her lips were so soft against the hard false enamel of his strange teeth. It was so fast yet so sweet. He stood staring at her door for a long while, at war with himself over going inside. Gangle said she wouldn't be back this evening.

Against his greater desire, he walked away. Caine went off in a daze to the piano in the back of the main stage. He took off his dress jacket and flopped face first into the piano bench. Sleep was calling to him, but so was BUBLE.

“Caine. Your evaluation has been submitted.”

Caine didn't respond.

“Guest approval for the night was overall above satisfactory. One event in particular boosted morale significantly. Your unexpected dual performance with our violinist. This must be repeated.”

Caine started snoring.

“I know you're still awake.”

Caine lifted his head. “Dance with Pomni more. Got it. Buzz off.” He plopped his head back down.

~

The next day was business as usual. Pomni found Caine before the first performances. “Hey.” She smiled softly.

Caine smiled back. “Good morning, Pomni.”

“So, about last night-”

“I had quite a bit to drink and I hardly remember any of it. It's really the only way I can get through the anniversary ball. If I said something or touched you in a way that was inappropriate, I sincerely apologize.”

“Oh, you don't need to worry about that. You touched me just fine.”

Caine gaped. “I what?”

“I mean- it wasn't anything- we didn't- you know what, nevermind. Have a good day, Caine.” Pomni rushed off, bright red.

Caine sighed as he watched her walk away. Truth is, he didn't have anywhere near enough to get him blackout drunk. He remembered every look, touch, and dance. He remembered every word, every feeling. But this was for the best.

Things would only get harder to hide from BUBLE, they would run out of excuses and warnings. The AI would do something to Pomni and he couldn't let that happen. No matter how much his heart longs for her, it was best for him to keep his distance. The liquor made him reckless last night. If they had been caught by a guest, who knows what kind of punishment BUBLE would have made him do.

He's required to dance with her at events now, that's enough for him…most days. The very thought of her gets him through the rest.

[leafryoworks]

I'm going to tell you what your favourite character in the amazing digital carnival says about you .

Please note that this isn't serious and I'm just want this to be silly . I might overdone in a few segments . Carnival au belongs to @sm-baby .

Caine : Autistic creature . You're probably afraid of being underachieved by people younger than you and you try so hard to not let it show . You tend to crave company but your differences also make you a tad left out by others . Still you got a special skill that you're sure only you have ! ...right ? Don't worry because while it may seem dark right know , the sun will come up and maybe the friends you need will come and find you .

Pomni : The most girlfailure . You tend to try to have your sh-uhm , responsibilities and thoughts pulled together to be a functioning adult but not all things probably pulled off succesfully . Still it's the thought that matters and the worst thing you could do is not try at all . Do that thing you wanted , you never know what might happen .

Queenie : You got underlying mommy issues . She gives you the classic wine aunt you never get to experience . There are things that you couldn't control , you might say it collars you down to your place . But...remember the loved ones by your side . They may not be able to offer the freedom you seek and...they may not be the best people they are right know but the worst thing you could do is abandon the ones that cared about you .

Kinger : Silly and a bit kooky . Trauma changes who you are and there are moments you're not at the best headspace . You probably seek entertainment to lose your sense of reality and not face the sadness and tragedy knowing it would rock your world in the worst case . You need someone to hold your hand , to give you company...eventhough you know subconciously that it's not real .

Jax : The artist who lost his motivation . You're a bit curious on how things tend to work and likes seeing the colour red on paper . The reason I only draw something so violent on paper was to let my anger out and you know what I'm trying to say connecting to this segment . And yet we all know that anger is just overwhelming sadness that you don't know how to let out . We all got problems and things that aren't aligned with others regarding in coping mechanisms . And yet...eventhough you might say you don't need them , who are you lying to ?

Ragatha : Mommy issues ! Abandoment issues ! You can't florish under pressure and negativety or else your heart will ached and cause you to not breathe . That's why you try to make things more easier for others so when they're happy , you're happy . If they're sad , you're sad . Literally . You hold on to your beliefs because no way you're wrong eventhough the evidence is right infront of you ! You live to serve for others because if you have no worth , why...did they kept you around ?...sorry , I got overprojecting , hah . The least you could do is actually let people have their say eventhough it's sad . Bottled up emotions are not healthy and might ruin you and the people you care in a long run . There are things you gotta accept eventhough it might go against on your beliefs . You can't control things in a happy get going situation , this ain't a tv show you can script 24/7 .

Gangle : Maladaptive dreamer . You don't know what's real and what's not fake . The people , the friends you make , are they real ? Your family even ? It's blurry as you toed the line and you find it hard to believe that they are real people you interact with eventhough you know it's true . Sometimes you could be doing work and panicked realizing you're in the real world and not in the world you made up in your head . You rather live your live in ecstasy while dreading the reality that awaits you outside . But enough of that , you got your blorbos in your head to keep your company because they're real ! ...but in your head or is there more...?

Zooble : The cool protector . You tend to protect those who are high up in your list and would be the one nodding your head sagely as your bestfriend rambles about their crush . You care about people just not overcaring to Ragatha's extent . People think you're cool and you probably are . And there are things , secrets that you have to hide of a friend from your other friends because...you know it's the best for their situation . Somethings have to be kept under high security for the best of your friends . You know it's for their best of them and you have to carry the burden to keep the people you care safe . That's your job .

Able : Charmer . You worked so hard to learn and understand your loved one's interests and going as far to be an expert on it . Surely when you are a master of it then you guys can talk and hang out more . What's wrong with that ? You just want to understand them a bit more closer but if that's not working then there must be something wrong . Maybe you're not trying enough so you would try harder . Time to hit the books ! There's nothing wrong with you , don't let the voices in your head fool you !

Bubble : He's so silly ! He reminds you of a pet you wanna pampare and put in a play pen .

Kaufmo : You chose the funniest guy in the cast , huh ? Excellent choice . You like jokes , bad ones even told by others because it means they have thought of cheering people up and that really touched your heart . You tend to be silenced eventhough you are right and yet sometimes they don't wanna listen . The other half is that they do listen , they just don't care . Eventhough the world may not look at it's prime for a moment , you knew you have to keep trying to make the best of it eventhough your attempts may not succeed . But it's better trying than not even trying at all , right ?

Alright people , that's a wrap ! Sorry if it may offend some of you so just letting you guys know it's not 100% accurate , okay ? Okay .

[parrythisucasual]

Hello yes it is me, the totally-not-Tony anon

Lemme get a fuckin uhhh... mildly obsessive Caine with a very sweet reader?

AH YES HELLO MY TOTALLY NOT BESTIE BIG BROTHER FRIEND!!

Heres my best!!!

Mildly obsessive! Caine x Adorably sweet! Transmasc! Reader

When you came to the circus, you were unlike anything Caine had ever encountered. On the outside, of course, you were just like the rest. You went through the same bout of panic the others did. You went through the same sorry panic attacks. But after…

There was just something about you. It allured him. The way you spoke. The way you brushed your hair out of your eyes; it was always falling in front of them. Your laugh. Everything about you was special.

“Hey, guys! Morning,” your voice cut into Caine’s little daydream. He glanced downward from his perch in the sky, safely seated at his floating tea table. You’d just walked into the room, waving to the other circus members.

You trotted over, stopping beside Kinger. Caine felt a tiny twinge of some strange emotion. Kinger was your closest friend, but seeing you around him made him… well, something.

“AUGH! Oh, hey (Y/N)!” Kinger’s delayed scream made you laugh. Caine had enough. It’s been five minutes and he’s had enough. He flew down, ignoring Bubble’s confused squawk.

“GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE!” he screamed, “I hope you’re ready for a SURPRISE ADVENTURE!” The circus members didn’t look at all pleased. “It’s first thing in the morning. Do you have to be this annoying?” Jax groaned.

“ABSOLUTELY! Now today’s adventure is a SCAVENGER HUNT!” he clapped his hands together, “I’ve hidden FIVE golden Bubble statues around the circus! Find them all and you win a PRIZE!” 

He shooed everyone deeper into the circus. However, he grabbed your wrist, “Ah, except for you, (Y/N), I have a different, much better, totally real adventure for you!” You turn to face him, visibly confused, “Oh… sure, what is it?”

Caine found himself at a loss for words, “It’s… i-it’s uh…” he panicked, trying to think of a good excuse, “it’s uh…” You raised a brow, arms crossed, “It’s what?”

Caine gave up, “It’s… nothing, never mind! Just go catch up with-” He jolted as you chuckled, reaching out and placing your hand on Caine’s shoulder, “Next time, just ask if you want to spend time with me,” you wink, turning around and starting after the group, “I like spending time with you too, you know. Pretty boy.”

[sm-baby]

Lesser Evil (Able-owned Pomni)

ko-fi✏️|| Able-owned Pomni MASTERPOST🪆|| Freakshow fics MASTERPOST📚|| Freakshow AU by @hootbon 👁️

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Isolation, Implied violence, Disassociation, Disassociative Amnesia, "KYS" sort of mention

Word count: 10,649

special thank you for @thelunaglitch for donating to my Ko-fi and making this possible :] This is based on the Able-owned Pomni timeline! I'll leave yall to it!

buh-bye! o(*^＠^*)o

__________________________________________

High-pitched neighing sounded out as The galloping of horses grew louder. 

There, Able sat lovingly on his stead like a prince returning to his kingdom. And with the prince, his personal servant, draped in a beautiful blue/yellow tutu. 

Able came with the duty of speaking with his brother, And while they spoke about private business matters, Pomni was told to wait outside, in which she curtsied and followed suit. 

Pomni turned her back at the door and simply let time pass by during her visit. It was comparable only to a guard stationed for the royal palace, or-- an even fairer comparison: a car parked outside. 

These past few months, Pomni was taught about nothing but being prim, proper, poise, perfect, and most importantly: obedient. 

What a cruel place to stay, certainly nowhere for a beautiful doll like herself to be in. the torn red and yellow curtains.. the crooked floors, the blood on the walls… The sound of a body dragged by the ground or a knife hitting wood… was familiar to her, and a tiny part of herself found it comforting, but otherwise, she hadn't reacted.

It was a reminder of the concept of death... A reminder of humanity…The existence of mortality… not a very comforting subject.

In the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar face... Most of his shape was shrouded in the dark, but she knew that distinct silhouette anywhere— only for the darkness to completely engulf him as he slowly backed away.

He left. And Pomni blinked, confused. He was staring at her no doubt about it, but why? She thought she was a lot more presentable this way.

No matter. Pomni closed her eyes and returned to her guard. She stood, and sat there, like an unwound doll. It seems she learned how to fall asleep while standing up. As she would black out for the next couple of minutes.

Pomni stood, the tip of her toes gracefully on the floor while her hands politely stayed in front of her, neat to her stomach.

And she would stay there as she disassociated…and eventually fall asleep 

*…

*...

*...

She felt a presence around her.

Pomni slowly brought herself back into consciousness and the faces’ blur lessened. As her eyes adjusted back to her surroundings the former king-turned-magician, and his assistant were standing before her.

Kinger pointed at Pomni. “ See? I told you she was here…”

“ But it can't be…” thought Ragatha.

Kinger would go over and reach for her cheek to maybe-- check signs of warmth. Just to be sure that it isn't some sort of statue… but he would yelp as her head quickly cocked up to look at them like a machine turned on.

“ Good evening.”

“ AHH!! IT TALKS!!” Kinger quickly ran back behind Ragatha, who quickly stood between them to protect kinger… but still. She seemed as confused as ever… Ragatha's eyes narrowed… staring into her face, and then back at kinger to sign something.

“... Pomni Is that you in there?” he said.

“ Yes.”

Kinger’s head perked up from behind Ragatha, and ever so slightly, his eyes dilated. But before he could get too excited, Ragatha pulled him back, signing to him again

“ You're not an NPC, are you?”

“ No.”

Kinger blinked.“ Why do you talk like that?” Despite Ragatha’s efforts to grab him, Kinger walked over to her, like a man wanting to pet a cat. Which he did. 

He put a hand over her head, and despite his gentle, shaken, touch, Pomni still backed away instinctually. Less so in a fearful manner, more so just finding such an activity unpleasant to the touch. 

“ AaaAh! Kinger!”

This action brought out a very reactionary frown from the puppet, which she hadn't expressed since she got there.

Ragatha’s eyes widened at that little detail! It is her! and she quickly walked over to join the two. Kinger continued to pet the poor little ballerina, seemingly clueless to the test that Pomni just passed. 

Ragatha waved enthusiastically as if saying hello to an old friend!

“ What? No! I- I mean- yes! But-” Pomni was slightly embarrassed. Of all the ways to identify her, it was by her being a mess. She would never let her mask slip so easily, but something about the two, the warmth, the humanity, grabbed her back. “Agh… sorry…” 

It was as if she was right back to who she was just a couple of months ago. A staggering, stuttering mess. At this point, Kinger was petting her with two hands! Oh lord.

Kinger let go of her to have a signed conversation with Ragatha. And he replied. “ …I saw Caine and his brother go in there, yeah.”

More gestures from Ragatha.

“ Oh okay, I'll go tell her—- Pomni, why don't we go to another room?... Someone gifted Ragatha a tea set a few days ago, and she can't wait to show you… It would be nice to catch up!”

From the side, she could see Ragatha get a little embarrassed at his comment.

*(The two wait patiently for her reply.)

     > Go with them.

     > Do not go with them.

     > Go with them.

“ W-Well… okay. I don't think the Master said anything about wondering.”

For a moment, Kinger paused and frog-blinked at what Pomni said! But No matter! He put his hand on Pomni’s back and started leading her forward. This was no place to catch up, no no!

     Loading…

“ Have you ever heard of the prisoner’s dilemma?” Men, wealthy as ever, whispered over to each other. Down below were the group of beloved performers, during an active show.

The one in red raised a brow. And with a smirk he replied. “ You have my attention.”

“ My bet’s on the strong one.”

“ Zooble…Okay….” He hummed. “Summoning Gangle now.”

“ Gangle?” Able laughed. “Isn't that the miserable one? Aren't these two close?”

“ Exactly,” Caine said with a smile.

One leg over the other, The brothers stared from the darkness no different from the crowd. When they weren't hosting the performance, they were watching the show, making sure everything was up to speed-- or to be more entertaining.

It seemed the two had this type of play numerous times before. And this little game was mostly amusing for themselves rather than the audience. Judging from how the Strong man grimaced and how the tragedy mask wailed, the entertainment was going to last longer than the performance itself.

     Loading new area… TIP: Ragatha knows a lot about first aid!

The three would walk around the circus halls. And despite having lived there for months before, this all might as well be a completely new discovery for Pomni. In comparison, she was a shining light within the darkness but she stared like it was the most beautiful environment she’s ever been in. The blood on the walls, the knife on the floor, the grimy, mossy corners of the circus, it was familiar, and so lived in. She wasn't used to that.

Another part of her criticism was that the tent needed some renovations, the cracks needed filling, there was mold on the broken paintings. But there was part of her that wanted to leave it alone and watch it rot. Eyes staring in fascination. She was watching paint dry and she loved the shade.

In front of her, Ragatha and Kinger were holding a conversation, and she frowned to think that they had to live in such an environment. It had been months since she’s been living with her owner and she was beyond spoiled. A strong part of her wished they all had the same privilege.

And then there was the yelling.

“ Get lost!”

“ Zooble, I promise I didn't mean to!” sobbing following after.

On their way to Ragatha’s room, just around the corner, the three would see the strongman Zooble marching towards their room, with a hostile grit in their voice that they didn't often raise.

“ We agreed not to say a word and we'd both be safe. We AGREED.”

“ I didn't mean to tell them I promise!” She cried out, begging, screaming. “I'm so sorry!”

With shaking, aggressive hands, Zooble pulled the ribbons that reached over to console them, and swung it against the wall, cracking the weeping, shivering, misery mask. Gangle was lucky that she was harder to break compared to her sister. As she got off with only a few cracks.

Their chest rose and dropped with anger, breathing heavily like a bull. Zooble had been just a little too trusting lately. Their own mistake really. 

They thought it was just her sister that she didn’t have to trust, that Zooble and Gangle have a mutual understanding of their situation, despite their shitty outcomes, at the end of the day, they were both fucked up humans who both did fucked up shit together.

To think that they could indulge in a bond of a shared trauma. That was stupidly sentimental, you'd think that they’d learn. One day they could break a thousand walls, the next they were building them.

SMASH

Gangle flinched when they broke concrete, making more cracks on her mask when Debri fell on her. 

“ Z-zoo-” 

Gangle could hardly get a word in before a door was shut in her face, and she was left back into the darkness…

It was almost like the entire room could flood with how loud she was weeping. With how many tears quickly left her. Even without outside intervention, her mask kept cracking, as if it was about to explode into little depressed pieces.

On the other side of the knot, The comedy mask rolled her eyes. “ This is getting embarrassing." 

And Gangle, the ribbon performer, was dragged up, back to the darkness of the ceiling where they would not be visible.

It was as if Kinger didn't even notice. He was on the way to open the door to Ragatha’s room before being asked… 

“ What was that about?”

“ What was what about?”

Ragatha signed.

“... Oh!” 

Kinger perked up. 

“ Zooble died just a couple of hours ago. Caine made them play a game based on trust and, uh, it didn't end well.”

“ Wh- well- I thought those two were friends…?”

“ I thought so too,” Kinger said. ” We were all really surprised by what Gangle did.” Ragatha signed.

Now Pomni didn’t particularly like Gangle, her desperation for her sister was a matter of life or death for her. Mostly death. The first time Pomni died was a core memory, and she would give anything not to live through it again. But the one thing the circus taught her was that nothing was ever black and white; mostly it was shades of dark gray, but none-the-less. 

Gangle had days of sweetness with Pomni, she remembers her trying to apologize. Although they never stuck or went through, she knew, that underneath it all, Gangle was suffering. They were all suffering. In fact she was suffering in ways Pomni couldn’t begin to comprehend. Pomni had all the right to hate Gangle, and maybe it was because she was now in a better, safer situation, but now she couldn’t. The divide between them was bigger than ever and she could finally easier say that she felt bad for her.

     Loading new area… TIP: alcohol doesn’t affect humans in the digital realm

Creak…

Pomni would find great fascination in Ragatha's room… it looked just the way it did a couple of months ago with the toy box, the piano, and the yarn kit. But she would notice-- a well-kept, almost new addition: a little table, and a tea set. 

Ragatha wouldn't usually let people stay somewhere so intimate to her, but she trusted Kinger and, although she may not have had the best relationship with Pomni, her heart was always open. Maybe this could help her get comfortable again after her absence. It was almost like the first time she arrived at the circus.

Besides, tension seemed to have risen now with the situation outside with the other members. Outside didn't exactly feel safe.

Kinger and Pomni sat around the table, while Ragatha walked over to the cabinets. It was an adjustment for Pomni to stay somewhere so bleak, but her manners hadn’t failed her. Wooden, crusty, chairs, it wasn’t the most comfortable to sit at. A part of her felt bad that this was what the two labeled as “comfortable”, but as a guest, she had no right to judge.

“It's really nice to gather around like this again like old times,” Kinger said with a smile. 

“ U-uh yeah! It really does...” 

Kinger would continue to converse with Pomni. And on Kinger’s left, Ragatha timidly put out cups for them, unable to make eye contact, yet she had such a small, almost thrilled smile on her face. In the middle of their conversation, she would clear her throat and tap Kinger on the shoulder. The tea set sat comfortably in her hands like a precious animal.

Kinger gasped “ O-Oh! Yes! Pomni! Look at what this can do!”

Pomni turned, and Ragatha poured Kinger a cup of tea, steam emitting from its gushing snout, politely making its way into the outside world. Kinger would clap as it the cup filled itself, and Ragatha was ecstatic, both later turning to the confused Pomni in front of them.

She smiled nervously, nodding. They poured some tea. Is that some sort of accomplishment? She didn't mean to be rude, but she was unsure what caused such bright disposition on their faces.

“ Uh! Yeah! That's really cool!” She frankly felt bad that she wasn't seeing what they were seeing. And so, she played along with a forced smile, though the confusion could be seen from miles away.

“ It's tea!” Kinger held the cup with a pinky finger up. “ Water! actual water with temperature, flavor, and all! And.. we don't even have to brew it! It could pour forever, see?” They both looked so happy, and Ragatha had such a spark in her eyes. She dearly blessed the audience members who pulled through to get her something so simple; it was not easy.

Pomni further crooked her brow in confusion before realizing. “Oh… oh! Uh- uh- Im so happy for you two!”

Ragatha's smile dropped.

“ I know!” Kinger said happily, swinging his head side to side to the little tune in his mind, closed his eyes, happily sipping while looking off to the side… but Ragatha was different. She noticed Pomni’s lack of enthusiasm earlier on, and the insecurities crept in. Holding her elbows and looking away, saddened and disappointed. 

“ Noo..! No, Ragatha I mean it! I do!” Pomni quickly noticed, “ It really is nice! I just…” Pomni exhaled…

Ragatha didn't budge. She wasn't sure if she wanted the reassurance or if she wanted her to drop the subject. She was trying to be good to Pomni during her visit; She wanted her to feel welcomed in her own home, not to patronize her to make her feel better.

The two girls looked away from each other. Ragatha felt insecure and Pomni felt guilty. And then there was a kinger who was chewing on play-toy-like biscuits. It had no flavor, or texture, or anything really. But he was chewing away anyway.

Good job, Pomni, You made everything awkward.

“ Ragatha really likes this tea set. “ Kinger happily said, stuffing his mouth. “ I thought you'd like it more, Pomni. We don't really get this realistic of food often.” As they spoke, Ragatha sat down.

“ I- Well- in the brothers’ realm I kind of- I already...” Pomni took hold of the tea poured for her, and she stuttered. She didn’t exactly know how to keep talking without sounding like she was gloating. She imagined saying that you have a good balanced diet isn’t the most humble thing to say to someone who was, say, in a third-world country. 

A confused look from Ragatha… but Kinger’s eyes sparkled. “ I knew there was a reason why you dressed so fancy… So that's where you've been this whole time? Did Caine cave in and kidnap you?’

“ What? No! I think.” She could never be too sure. but honestly, he might as well have. “ Last I was in the circus-- you know how I got into a major argument with Caine?”

“ Yeah, to be honest, I was expecting to see you die over and over that day.” Kinger said so casually with a chuckle… as if it was a little joke. ”I think the only reason why Caine held back was because his brother was over.”

“ Yeah, his… brother, uh... The thing is he went after me and we made a deal. Now I kinda just… live in their realm.”

“ That sounds terrible.”

“No!” She said, just a little bit too loud, but almost in a reassuring voice. “ I get good food! a comfortable place to stay… clean the house…”

Ragatha and Kinger blinked and turned to eachother. 

“ What?” Ragatha thought to herself.

Kinger spoke with a deep concern in his voice. “Is that a reward after doing them a big favor? Like maybe…Cutting a finger off… maybe three.”

“ No—! I just shook his hand and- I moved…!”

I brief moment of silence from Kinger and Ragatha. Though those few seconds felt like hell to Pomni thinking they severed their relationship right then. How exactly are two people who went through hell and back supposed to react to that? They didn’t know. Maybe they did know deep down, but to hear it so suddenly may have delayed such feelings. 

Ragatha turned to Kinger and signed.

“She says she's really jealous of you b-but, heh, We're both really jealous…” Kinger laughed sweetly. Ragatha continued.

Pomni would notice that her hands got just a little bit shyer. The way she sunk into herself, her gestures got smaller, looking away, before stopping herself altogether.

“ She's asking if we could—” Ragatha shook her hands in front of her, interrupting Kinger, shy to let Kinger continue his interpretation.

But Pomni was ecstatic to answer that question. Her eyes dilated, and her head nodded in quick enthusiasm, almost encouraging them to keep talking.  “ I-I would love for you guys to be there!! The circus is hell!”

The two snapped their heads back at her.

“ I don't know how-- b-but! I'll try talking to him about it! You- I think you two would really like all the fun activities, the new clothes…” 

The two looked at each other and Ragatha flinched when Pomni stood up from her seat, hands on the table, taken aback at her sudden enthusiasm.

“ R-Ragatha they have all sorts of good food! Chicken, red meat, seafood-- I-I'd love to cook with you some- sometime!” Ragatha’s face turned red at that. “ I-I always had trouble cutting the meat… but I think you'd be really good at it.”

Pomni then turned to Kinger. “ A-and Kinger! Y-You- I think you'd really like what I do in my spare time! knitting-- and chess, and checkers, and- and reading!”

Kinger’s eyes dilated. Pomni recalled Kinger playing with such things in the circus-- although not in the conventional way they were made for, but to think that he would be able to play in a safer environment, sounded wonderful. Pomni was describing such simple activities… and yet the two felt a special warmth in their hearts. A little bit of hope that they hadn't had in a long time.

“ W-we could do that?”

“ You could! I-... If- if Able says yes… but I'll try to make it work! He's a really nice man! Maybe if I did a couple extra favors, cleaned the house better…” Pomni started muttering, at the end talking to herself more than anything. 

Pomni speaks so highly about such simple activities but if she were to be entirely honest, she hasn't done any recreational activities back in the manor in a long time.

The checkers board and the chess set she spoke dreamily about had been nothing but collecting dust for the past few months. But to think that she could play with another person, playing cards with Kinger, eating dinner with Ragatha. friends. Other living breathing human beings who share her grief, her sense of purpose. 

That was what she was speaking highly of. 

That's what she wanted.

Even with just her short stay here, despite the grueling atmosphere, She hasn't felt so human in such a long, long time. Heaven was lonely and she wanted to take them with her.

“ Well, that does sound very lovely, doesn't it…” Kinger turned. “ Ragatha?”

Kinger didn't have to translate this one. With a smile, Ragatha happily nodded her head.

The three would continue their conversation, The simple indulgence Pomni brought onto the table, telling tales of all the things she'd been doing at the manor, and the life all three of them could lead together. 

The conversation brought something out about each other. Ragatha does remember cooking nice meals, and Kinger does remember having simple activities such as board games next to a nicely brewed cup of coffee and a lovely outside porch. To think that they could have at least a slimmer of that in a new, cleaner, safer environment, it sounded like a dream.

It didn't take long until the conversation turned into a more lighthearted tune. Their dreamy chatting would turn into laughter over jokes only old friends shared, or the whispered gossiping from one mouth to another. 

Ragatha spoke about how she once swung a knife at an audience member which they somehow enjoyed, but was then later punished for it later on. She laughed at the memory, both she and Kinger did. Pomni felt like she shouldn’t be giggling at it. But their little faces, the way they coped about it, she couldn’t help but indulge no matter how harmful the mechanism could be. She saw their faces and only wished to fit in again.

Their conversation would be cut short, however, as 

RING! RING! RING!

Oh crap. 

An old rotary phone popped out of thin air, and Pomni quickly picked it up. “ Hello?”

Ragatha and Kinger blinked. What A fancy new phone! They knew that it was the brother’s preferred way of communication. To think that they’d allow her to use the same communication line only further reminded them how much less they must be compared to her.

“ I-I’m in Ragatha’s room…” 

Chatter from the other side.

“ Yes, master…No, no master…Yes.” Pomni spoke “ Well I- I was… Oh, we’re leaving?” She bit her lip. “ A-Actually I was wondering if they could-” 

Chatter on the other side. 

“ Yes… Sorry, master. Okay.” 

It was as if Pomni’s whole demeanor changed. She may not have noticed it as she was usually a nervous wreck, but the way her back instinctually straightened, he legs just a little tense. She even called him master… god. To ragatha it was admittedly a little pretentious… Kinger thought nothing of it.

Click!

And so, Pomni had to head off. And she stared off into the distance before she started speaking again. The look on her face was a sort of dread rather than any sort of relief one might expect…especially coming back to the so-called “haven” she’d been praising for the past hour or so.

“ Heading home huh? Exciting!” Kinger said, and Ragatha smiled, excusing the pit of jealousy she felt inside her.

Without even turning to them, Pomni stood up from her seat and, with slow and graceful steps, walking by the tip of her toes, she bowed. And back came that monotone voice she had on earlier that day. “ It was a wonderful evening with you, but It seems my master is done with his duties.”

After bidding eachother farewell, thank yous, and apologies, Kinger and Ragatha offered to escort her back, but Pomni was insistent on not. She much rather let them rest and leave them to their own devices. And so she left, leaving the door to the room quietly.

Click!

Pomni took a deep breath but kept her composure. Not having them escort her was her own decision; there was really no harm in it. She just wasn’t very good at goodbyes. And in a way, her walk back to meet her master was her mentally bidding herself farewell to the circus in her own comfort. Tip of her toes touching the ground, It was as if she was holding her breath the whole time she walked back.

On her way there, she stopped in her tracks. On her right, Pomni was faced to faced with a room, and it came to her that she hadn’t seen her door the whole way there. It never really came to mind, at most she thought it would be crossed out, emptied, or replaced by a mannequin… She didn’t notice it earlier with how heavily vandalized it was, but from its position and the order of the doors, Pomni would realize that the entrance with the broken hinges, and the panel so heavily beaten… 

Pomni wiped off the dust that covered its face. 

That was her door.

She didn’t even have to turn its handle. The moment she placed any sort of weight on it, it opened. And the look of her room almost broke her entire disposition. 

Kinger’s voice from earlier in their conversation echoed in her mind. 

“ We thought you were dead, Pomni.” 

The shards of glass on the wall, the wallpaper torn to the floor, the dusty debris from her old cabinets, and her old tea set shattered into the smallest of pieces. Pomni couldn’t even recognize her old bed… the blanket, her sheets, the pillows fluff torn everywhere. 

The pictures she had on her bedside of her and her friends were ripped into pieces, her dresses, her bows, her makeup… Everything, the littlest things that used to bring her comfort during hard days on the circus, were gone, and broken into pieces.

Kinger’s voice continued. “ Yeah… Caine really didn’t take it well the day you left.” 

Mixed emotions. She couldn’t pick, she was so caught in the middle. Confused, terrified. Her body lay still, but just a little too still. 

From the graceful stance she was taught to hold, she was instead the equivalent of a deer in headlights. It was as if another part of her life, the last bit of her humanity was violated and killed right in front of her. Her breath hitched. Her breathing was panicked, and heavy.

Pomni felt a hand on her shoulder and she whipped her head back, flinching with a strong sense of panic. 

It was just Ragatha. But even with her sorry, gentle eyes, Pomni’s legs shook, scared, terrified. She didn’t know what to think, or do, or trust anymore. She lost all grace as her professional walk turned into a run, shaken legs slowing her down, but she didn’t want to be there anymore. Though Ragatha tried to reach out for her, Pomni was quickly taken into the darkness, out of sight. 

Pomni… REALLY didn’t do well at goodbyes.

That night, Pomni’s eyes went sore from her tears. Her whimpers were akin to a weeping child, hurt abused, and shielded herself from the outside world. Her heart ached, sobbing, desperately crying for someone’s touch, for someone to reach over and wipe those tears away. the images of broken glass, broken wood, and ripped sheets on the floor repeated in her head. 

She thought it was all over... but any sort of contact with the circus seemed to retraumatize her in newer and newer ways. She could hardly sleep. Voices in her head echoed screaming, pleas, and apologies when it was previously so deafeningly silent.

Something in her felt violated from the inside. She left her soul at the circus and they ripped it to shreds. She just lost a part of herself, the last bit of humanity she had left. And so Pomni cried. That’s all she could ever do. ruined, disheveled hair, underneath the blankets. Pomni cried hugging herself like a mother holding her baby.

Although she tried to feel human-- cleaning around the Manor, cooking, eating, taking baths… It all felt so fake. She stopped doing a lot of recreational activities. 

When she was not needed, she would stare at the ceiling as she lost interest in the world around her. She wasn’t real. The world around her wasn’t real. She wasn’t human anymore… The real Pomni died as soon as she entered the circus, deluded into thinking there was a chance to leave. She was living the best-case scenario in the digital world, and now that she’d seen it, she wanted to die.

“ One, two, three, and- one two three and… No, No, Pomni, you’re doing it wrong.”

Snapping his fingers, Able restarted the record player and approached Pomni. She had been just a little bit rusty today, getting his breakfast wrong, and lost her timing in her routines. No matter. All she needs is a partner and she’ll be right back to her senses. 

For the past hour or so, Pomni and Able joined eachother dancing in their pastime. He took hold of Pomni’s hand and onto her waist where would start, this time: ballroom. 

Able counted, and the numbers drifted away when they were right back to moving smoothly. After a while, Able hummed to the tune of the record players, holding Pomni firmly with his large gloved hands. 

Why, what a lovely way to start your morning. The fake sounds of birds outside weren’t off-putting at all.

Able dipped her, and asked, “ What’s on your mind dear?”

*(You reply…)

     > Lie

     > Truth

     > Lie

“ Nothing, just… slept wrong is all.”

“ Is that why your heart was at 200 bpm last night?” he clicked his teeth in disapproval. “ I may be a computer Pomni, but I’m no fool. Humans don’t go to bed at that high of a heart rate.”

Able twirled Pomni and she frowned at his reply. She didn’t have the energy to hide anything she supposed…

*(What to say…)

     > The Manor

     > The Circus

     > The Manor

“ Master, I don’t mean to be ungrateful or anything but… the Manor... Doesn’t it get a little lonely?”

“ Lonely, lonely…” he shook his head playfully. “ I have my brother… I have my wonderful maid, Pomni. What else do I need? Truthfully us AI don’t exactly need company, dear.” 

Pomni went silent. She tried dancing around the subject and she got her answer. She knew he wouldn’t understand. 

“ Don’t tell me that you feel lonely. ”

Pomni bit her lip. Those were thoughts that she kept buried for politeness. But how is she supposed to deny them now that he was grabbing it out of her? “...Sometimes.”

“ Awh, Pomni…”

“ Able, what do I have to do to get my friends in here? R-Ragatha and Kinger?”

Their dance stopped. That was all so sudden. And her speech was much more informal than usual. Actually, Pomni hasn’t had that insistent of a tone of voice in a long long time. 

 “ Pomni…” he hummed sweetly. 

“ We- We talked about it yesterday! and- and I think It would be good! “

Able held her in place, and in reply she started gripping at him, getting tighter as she spoke. 

“ Good f-for everyone really! N-not that the Freakshow is bad, but uhm-” Pomni lied. Her voice grew desperate.“ I could use the company! Ragatha, Kinger, and I could provide some better service! Ragatha can play the piano for you and-”

“ Dear…”

“ and… and…” her voice grew quieter and quieter. As tears started forming on her face, she sensed disappointment in herself. She wasn’t very convincing, in fact, she must have been so pathetic on the outside. 

“ There there, dear…” Able took his hands and wiped her little tears away from her face. And she looked up at him mentally cursing herself for being unable to feel less child-like. “ You’re feeling lonely… so you want your friends to join you here, is that correct?”

“ …M-Mhm..” She sniffed, and Able put a bit of hair to her side, holding her cheeks gently which she desperately found comfort in. His voice was so soft at the moment, hushing her as if she were an injured animal.

But Able sighed and looked to the side, and later put a hand between his chin and mouth, half muffling his words “ I was afraid you’d say that…”

“ What?”

“ It isn’t easy to bring you performers in the mansion dear, let alone permanently... I had to pull a couple of strings just to have you be part of my staff-- I don’t think 2 more is possible. ”

“ I-I’ll help! Whatever I have to do to make the process easier, You name it, I’ll do it! ”

“ It’s not that easy… And for the sake of my brother and I, it’ll only do damage in the long run.” 

Able to let go of Pomni in which she found herself making extra effort to loosen her grip.

” My Brother and I’s core purpose is to entertain and run the Circus. And if it were to lose more and more performers, the circus would… well… Let's just say we were sent a lot of complaints when you were no longer on stage.”

“ But… there has to be a compromise… You can write new conditions, can’t you?”

“ No more, Pomni.” He put a hand up to get her to stop talking and she followed… “ I’ve known Ragatha and Kinger even before the Freakshow; I understand, they’re very wonderful people… But their place is there, and your place is here. You’re safe. You have a good place to sleep. Isn’t that enough?”

Pomni stayed silent. She looked down at the floor… Disappointed but no longer had any tears to cry. She was exhausted… and in return, she failed to answer his question.

“ Pomni… “ Able saw this and held both her hands on one hand, and her face in the other. And as if Able popped up from thin air, she flinched, but quickly buried her face into his touch and the euphoria it brought her. “ I said, isn’t that enough?” 

With a shaky sniffle, she nodded her head to say yes. Able has done so much for her… but she didn’t feel the sincerity in her own answer.

“ There we go,” 

Just as Able was going to pull away, Pomni grabbed his hand and put him back. “ Can I… stay with you today?”

Able was slightly taken aback, but nodded.“ Of course.”

     Loading new area… TIP: Raise your pinky during tea with the blue ringmaster! 

For the rest of the day, Able would be at home, getting his work done long distance and keeping his doll company. And while he did, Pomni would be sat in the same room, either doing her own activities like knitting, or just standing there to look pretty. Her eyes looked dead like usual, not different from how she was that morning. 

There was nothing really in the manor to change her view on anything. Able was kind enough to be there with her, and she did enjoy his company to some extent, but she still felt like decoration beside him. He was AI, nothing compared to a human’s warmth. At some point, she felt like he was just saying what she wanted to hear. 

Caine opened the door “ Meeting time-- oh and leave your doll here why don’t you? We’re professional here.”

“ No.” Able hummed sweetly, and got up from his seat. “It's not just it, brother, she’s a she. Pomni happened to have a particularly hard day today, and wishes to stay by me.”

“ And what exactly does a toy have to be stressed out about?”

“ None of your business.” Able frowned.

Even though Caine hadn’t moved, Able stood in front of her, subtly protective. Though his voice turned just a little sour, “ What? Can you not focus because a toy was in your general vicinity?”

“ You speak for yourself, I have--” Caine sighed and caught himself. They were getting along just a moment ago. In fact, they’ve been getting along much better than they’ve ever had recently… but it’s always Pomni. It seems any talk about her quickly put them in a petty mood. “ I don’t want to argue today, brother, okay? We have bigger matters to tend to.”

And as if at the flick of the switch, Able’s body became less protective, humming a small chuckle as if it wasn’t “fun” to hold that stance anymore. “ Very well.”

     Loading New Area… TIP: A clean servant means a happier master!

Another adjustment Able had to make while having Pomni around was walking. An adjustment that Caine also had to painstakingly follow for the afternoon. Usually, they would just snap their fingers and teleport to their meeting room, now with Pomni, a human, they couldn’t just do that. Not to mention with how she had a weak stomach she would easily make a mess if they teleported her with them. God, the things they do for that measly little doll…

This was more than inconvenient. And as if they didn’t care for her existence they started speaking about work in front of her.

“ The Candy NPC just had too many functions, it tried to do things all at once”

“ I told you we should have just split them into two.”

“ I didn’t think three whole game mechanics was too much.”

Able clicked his teeth.

They chatted and chatted, and Pomni’s eyes would stay on the floor. Their voices drowned out and muffled, she didn’t really see a reason to get back from her disassociation, nore did she want to. 

Just as her vision started to blur as well, her thoughts were interrupted by a loud alarm coming from the brother’s watches, blaring red and loud, causing the three to stop in their tracks while Pomni covered her ears.

“ Oh. System breach.” Caine sighed, slightly annoyed. This walk to their meeting room is longer than her remembered. With how easily he teleports from place to place, he supposed it was the first time he actually felt the scale of how big a manor can be.

“ I thought I fixed that just yesterday…”

“ Did you.” Caine said, unamused, a playfully disappointed look at his brother.

“ Don’t you start that tone with me. ” Able joined him, Putting a hand on his chest dramatically.

Strangely, when they weren’t bickering, their casual banter was more akin to friendly competition. One could almost tell how close their relationship was from how light hearted their insults were. 

“ I swear if I find that it’s one of your errors, you’re taking more of my load for the next adventure.” Able said.

“ It’s a bet.”

“ Ha! Cocky, aren’t we?” Able then turned to Pomni who was just calming down from the surprise alarm. “ Pomni, I’ll have to leave.” 

“ Y-Your leaving? but-”

“ This isn’t something that can be fixed long distance. I’ll be right back in a few minutes, don’t worry!”

“ O-oh… okay..”

After patting her hand and her back, Able would snap his fingers, and in a split second, he disappeared… 

Pomni was just a little tense. Although the day was almost over, she was really hoping to spend it around him… She put a lot of her safety in his presence that day… And now she was back to being alone…

… her bad, she wasn’t alone.

While Able disappeared, Caine was left to wait with her.

Oh boy.

It’s been a couple of months since she was owned, and for those past couple months, Caine seemed to have completely moved on from her. 

Lately, he and Able were able to find a resolution, talking out their differences like men, and they’ve been closer ever since then. Maybe it was at the back of her mind, but she noticed this with how they started talking about other interests and Able left the house to spend more time with him. 

When around her, the brothers would more or less pretend she wasn’t there, especially Caine. Pomni wondered if this was a boundary they set up for each other. Though this doesn’t mean that Pomni wasn’t prone to insults or backhanded compliments from both parties. 

The hallway was more than silent to say the least, a strong contrast that took place mere moments before. They had nothing to say to eachother. Neither Caine nor Pomni did.

But strangely… Maybe this was her desperation kicking in, with her master leaving the building, but Pomni wasn’t against Caine being there… In fact, she would have hated much more if he wasn’t there.

Caine cleared his throat and stood still as the awkwardness of the situation grew. He didn’t know what to do. Pretending that you were busy during an awkward situation was a human thing, he never needed to do that. And yet at the corner of his eyes, he could sense her staring at him. 

And it made him feel… strange.

Maybe it was her intrusive thoughts kicking in, but Pomni had thoughts that she wasn't used to. Why did she feel… at ease being alone with Caine? She didn't mind it, but she didn't wanna get used to it. 

And so Pomni turned away from him.

This little action however wasn’t taken so kindly from the other party. Caine would curse himself-- why did she turn away?! 

He finally got her attention again unprompted and she stopped! What, did she think she was better than him? Was he not good enough for her?! She was the performance to be laughed at, not him! 

This boiled something up inside of him, though he held a great poker face…. But a few moments later, he stepped back, just a little bit, and assessed his thoughts.

He knew this feeling, 

He thought he got over this.

The grip on his cane loosened and his back straightened. He cleared his throat and further turned away from Pomni. 

When was his brother coming back? Minutes felt like hours, he couldn’t come any slower.

“ …How have to been treating my brother? Good, I hope.”

“ Good.” Pomni cleared her throat. “ How is… how is the… Circus?”

“ Good.” It seems Caine wasn’t any better at answering how-are-yous… “ The performers talk about you often. The audience isn’t any better.”

That brought up a small smile from Pomni… and a small laugh too that greatly affected Caine’s mood. Funny how the smallest mention of her friends was enough to get such a reaction from her. Especially after the lack of anything the whole day.

“ They do…?”

If Caine had a lip he'd bite it. He doesn’t know how to feel about that little tone in her voice. It was a strange feeling, hate perhaps? That sounds about right for him.“ … yes.” 

Pomni took a step towards him and the sound of her heel made him flinch. “ Could you … tell me more?”  that tone of voice was softer, innocent even. He felt such a physical reaction towards her at that moment-- did he want to attack her?

He took a deep breath to calm himself, then turned to her, his eyes stoic as ever, his arms crossed, looking down at her like he always has. “ Your little stunt talking to the performers yesterday was wreckless. After Jax learned that you were alive this whole time, he’s never wanted to kill you more than he ever has..”

“ Did he?”

“ You know i told them you were dead for your own protection. You’re much higher class compared to them now, Why in the world would you choose to mingle around those freaks? ” Caine spoke in such a scolding voice, but to his surprise, Pomni laughed… giggled, more so, but the way she had the back of her hand covering her mouth wasn’t expected.

“ Pfehehe… That's Jax for you… I remembered the first time he killed me during a performance-- when you wouldn’t punish him, Ragatha did…” 

She looked back up at him, warming up to him faster than what he was comfortable. Her eyes were big and warm. Her voice sounded euphoric and melancholy as if she could sit there and listen to every word he had to say.  

Caine couldn’t handle it. His urges disturbed him.

* (Continue?)

     > Stop while you’re ahead.

> Hear more about what your friends have been up to.

     > Hear more about what your friends have been up to.

“ A-and... what else did-?” like a trigger, Pomni reached over to touch his arm, and Caine retaliated by grabbing her by her wrists and moving her backward, to a door that opened and closed behind them.

Loading new area… TIP: Offering the brothers wine could help you gain their favor.

Pomni would be thrown inside the room, before turning back to the red ringmaster, who was locking the door in front of her. 

She looked around, a part of her was confused, and the other part was scared.

“ C-Caine?”

Without even turning around yet, Caine said sternly, like a command. “ Speak when spoken to.”

Pomni quickly nodded and stood straight, hands in front of her, formal like she had earlier that day. 

God… did she step out of line? God damn it, Pomni you screw up! Your master isn’t there to save you this time, what were you thinking??

What was he thinking?? She knew that he could get pissed off but being locked in a room with him was new. He could very well berate her outside, it wouldn’t make a difference! She looked down in thought, punishments ran through her head-- she thought of the ones she used to endure in the circus, and she bit her lip. She wasn’t ready to live through that again… maybe she could come up with an excuse! Think, Pomni, think!

After locking the door, Caine took a deep breath, as if preparing for something, and finally turned around.

He turned back to his brother’s doll, being as formal as ever, stood straight, well behaved… exactly how he trained her to be. 

What was wrong with him? Just a moment ago, he was getting along with his brother, the next, he was playing with his toys behind his back. What a rotten brother you are, Caine..

But there was just something about Pomni, it brought up feelings that he hadn't felt in a long long time… feelings that he remembered he felt strongly…and so who's to blame him for chasing something so strong? So curious? She was just a doll after all. Who cares?

“ Pomni, would you kindly tell me who I am?”

“ You are ringmaster Caine, an AI program set to entertain the audience. Praised like a god and one of the most powerful men in the digital realm.”

“ Now tell me who you are.”

“ My name is Pomni, a human transported to the digital world. I was a circus performer turned servant to the AI household. My purpose is to serve Ab-”

“That's enough.” just like Able, He put a hand up to tell her stop talking. The servant quickly turned silent. “ So Pomni, tell me. Why in the world, did you think that you were good enough to touch me?”

Caine was practically right in front of her; she felt claustrophobic. She was sure he could feel her breathing at this point. 

Pomni didn’t have an appropriate answer to that question. What reason does she have that wasn’t selfish? She swallowed, and in an effort for Caine not to read her fear, she kept her head down, trying to keep a calm voice.

“ I don’t know.”

“ You don't know.” Caine turned his head to the side, little sorry eyes looking down at Pomni. She flinched when he used a finger to turn her head up, and there was a part of her, a strong part of her that didn't mind what she saw.

“ What did he do to you, Pomni?”

The look on his face…

She missed it.

She missed it so much, she wanted it back.

She missed how he patronized her when she made a small mistake.

She missed when he forced her to go on adventures every day.

She missed running away from death, she missed the fear of her life flashing before her eyes, she missed Ragatha, Kinger, Gangle, Zooble, and Jax, she missed her friends.

At that moment she didn't want life to end here. She wanted to live again, she wanted to be anywhere but this god-forsaken hell hole. If her friends couldn't join her in heaven then she'd rather be stuck with them. There was nothing here. Nothing.

She’d much rather die every day rather than wishing for it everytime she woke up. She missed it. She missed her friends. She missed humanity.

The way he touched her felt like something she should be scared of, but within her fear, she ached for more. She liked how much he scared her. Even walking into the circus yesterday, the blood on the walls, she felt more humanity in those few hours than she had in the past few months and she craved it back. 

It wasn't too late to turn back now, she could still be fixed. 

He could fix her.

Caine kept staring. Was it worth it to lock her in a room just to gawk at her so shamelessly? Perhaps. He didn't think he could handle being seen indulging in something so below him.

Something about Pomni felt bittersweet. She was gorgeous, but dare he says he feels… sad… when he looked at her. He missed her duo-coloured tutu. The way how big her eyes got when she looked up at him.

He sighed, tilting his head to the side. He found his thumb caressing her cheek… she was so beautiful. So beautiful. If only he could take her to the circus for just one day. Have her perform and make him clap his hands. He sure would like to see her dance again.

And that look in her eyes…

Oh, that look in her eye was unmatchable.

Pomni held the hand that cupped her cheek, and the warm feeling only doubled in his head. He really wanted her back. He froze at how strong the urge was to just-- take her and steal her away. 

“ Brother? Pomni dear?” A voice just from outside the room called out. Able was back. And despite Caine’s unflinching stare, He knew he was back. He was willing to ignore him if it meant indulging in this old feeling for a little while longer, Pomni however… She was almost terrified.

She stared at the lock separating her master from seeing the strange sight, something that they both shamelessly indulged in. 

What was she doing? 

*(How does Pomni respond?)

     > Call out for Able

     > “ Take me back.”

     > “ Kiss me.” 🔒

     > Say nothing 

     >  “Take me back”

And in desperation, before his brother could find out they were there, Pomni bent down to her knees, grabbed Caine by his coat, and looked up at him. “ Take me back!” she said in a whisper.

“ What?”

“ Take me back!” she repeated just a little louder. “ I can’t stand another day here, how I long for your performances again- your shows! Let me perform for you and your people again, please!”

In an effort to make her stand up, he grabbed a hold of her hands, but he froze the more Pomni spoke. There she was, on her knees, praising him, telling him the words that hes wanted to hear for the past couple of months. It was addicting. He couldn't get enough.

He knew this was wrong, he couldn't possibly just take her back. But the more she praised his name, his brilliance, his art, he didn't want her to stop. He wanted to squeeze every pathetic plea from her… 

He wanted to hear every piece of praise, admittance of guilt, of regret in her voice. And the more she went the stronger the urge to just steal her and wisk her back to the circus. Good lord, it took everything in him. The hands on hers shaking in defiance of that strong urge. Shes making it so hard. 

She spoke and it threw him back to his old mindset. The progress he made with his brother was gone at that moment. He was RIGHT. He was correct this whole time. He had all the right to act the way he did. She DIDN'T like his brother, he knew it! He knew she liked him more! 

Oh she was saying more than enough for him to hear. At this point, she was just flattering him. And a part of him grieved her… 

It almost physically hurt him not to steal her for himself at that moment. His hands turned to stiffness-- everything in his body froze in an effort to stop himself from doing something he'd regret. 

No… he can't have her.

Caine signed the papers, and he can't turn back from it. Neither could she. 

If only she made that decision a few months earlier… everything would be so much easier.

With a sharp exhale, he snapped and Pomni was back on her feet.

Pomni looked back up and Caine turned away from her.

Click! The door unlocked 

Shaken voice, shaken knees, desperation she called out 

“ C-Caine-”

“ Brother! In here!”

The door unlocked and in came Able, hat on his chest. “ Oh, there you two are! What in heaven's name are you two doing in this little room? ”

Pomni was silent, holding back the amount of emotion in her heart. For a moment Caine glanced at her, but looked back to his brother. “ She just wanted to do a little cleaning while you were gone, make herself useful, you know.”

“ And you?” 

“ Am I banned from being around your toy now?”

“ No, no no no~” he hummed playfully and put his hat back on his head. “ Come, meeting time. Pomni, Im proud that you decided to do a little cleaning, but this room doesn't get used. No need, dear!” Able held her hand and escorted her out of the room…

Pomni stared at the floor and the men kept talking.

“ Say, why would you even let her clean that room anyway?”

“ She's your toy...”

But the ringing in her ear has never been louder… and the muffling of peoples voices has never been stronger. She was disassociated to the extreme. 

Even after begging, pouring her heart out, and putting her biggest weaknesses and desires front and center, she was met with… nothing.

Abandonment. 

She was screaming out for help but no god heard her plea. Not even the one in front of her.

She couldn't take it anymore but at the same time, there was nothing left to do. 

What can she do? 

In a world considered human, she was the most out of place. 

Another reminder: You aren't human anymore, Pomni. Time and time again you delude yourself into so much false hope. 

When will you ever learn?

Pomni doesn't remember what happened for the next few hours. She remembers the images of sitting with the brothers in the meeting room, cooking dinner for Able, and joining him while they ate, but as the world flew by around her, her mind stood still. 

Nothing was important anymore. 

This was her ending. 

This was her forever. 

The sadness left over has numbed. Time heals all wounds but each second felt like a stab to the heart.

There she sat, with Able at the manor’s living room. He was lounging, his coat off, finally being able to rest and recharge after a hard day of work. 

Pomni sat knitting, getting lost in her thoughts. Able provided the feeling of rain from the outside. 

It wasn't raining it was all artificial. It was just the ambiance of rain hitting the window and ceiling, the particles of rain outside, and making the atmosphere just a little colder. That was enough to trick the brain into actual rain. She bet if she reached her hand out the window it would come back dry. 

The sound of rain was an audio file not different from the sounds of birds she hears every morning. She memorized every chirp, what second another came in. But she looked outside and there was nothing there. Fake. 

In her early days, it was something she could brush off as just another quirk. Nowadays she let herself believe that all that artificial nonsense was real, perhaps, for the sake of her sanity. 

This time the sound of rain continued on, and she wore a blanket over her shoulder.

Pomni blinked and a tear fell down her cheek. She tried to wipe it off, but a sniffle gave her away.

“ What’s wrong, dear?”

“ I just… i miss my friends a lot, that's all.”

“ You still do, don't you? I understand it must hurt so much to be away from other humans…” he hummed, and put a hand on his chin in thought… and he came up with an idea. 

As Able stood up to put on his coat again, he spoke: “ Tell you what. I'm about to go and spend time with my brother, why don't we leave our phones with you, and you can talk with them for however long you like.”

Pomni looked up at him, “ You'd do that for me?”

“ I don't see why not. We won't be using it anyway. I'm sure my brother wouldn't mind just this once.”

He summoned his phone and the other side picked up. He would enter a conversation with his brother, and Pomni continued to knit tiredly, already half expecting it not to go through. She's had enough false hope today. 

But to her surprise, Able handed Pomni the phone and left it at the desk where she could reach it.

“ For you, dear.”

As Able was getting ready to leave, Pomni was waiting for the line. There was still a part of her that didn't believe it would pick up, but the way her feet shook in anticipation..

She did want to have this phone call…

“ Pomni?”

Pomni stopped for a moment…

It actually worked…

…Kinger,,,

Pomni was quiet… but before she could reply, Able, with a smile, had already teleported out of the room.

“ Hello? Is this thing on?”

“ Hi, Kinger...”

“ IS THAT POMNI ON THE PHONE??” a loud voice further in the phone called out.

“ Jax… let them talk…” the sound of a weeping voice rang.

“ Hey, kinger! While you're at it, do me a favor and tell Pomni to kill herself would’ja?”

“ Second that!” The happier mask added, and a slew of laughter rang on the phone.

“ I’m not telling her that..!”  Kinger in his shivering voice replied, he sounded fragile yet still annoyed. “ I'm sorry if you heard that Pomni, we're.. we're having dinner...”

And yet Pomni couldn't help but let out a little laugh. “ Was that Jax?”

Kinger joined her. “ Well of course, who else would it be?” He said kindly. “ Oh! And Ragatha says hi too.”

“ Y-Yeah? Hi, Ragatha! I-I hope you’ve been holding up okay.“

A pity chuckle from Ragatha on the other side, and Pomni felt her heart warm up to hear any sound from her … let alone a chuckle.

“ Ragatha’s asking if you're genuinely asking her that… wow, Ragatha you're really sassy today!

…

She shrugged.”

More chuckling from Pomni.

“ Anyway, I say hi too, Pomni. So. Hi!”

“ Hi, Kinger… it's really nice to hear from you again.”

“ How's everything in the brother’s realm? Have you been learning new recipes since yesterday? It must be so tasty compared to our dinner today, haha!” Kinger said again, as a joke, but Pomni bit her lip, voice trembling as she tried to hold back her tears.

“ Y…Yeah… I sure have.”

“ That’s nice to hear… maybe one day you could bring some for us. Even if you did have trouble cutting the meat.”

“ Haha… god, you remembered…!” 

Pomni’s voice this time further worsened, and she mentally cursed at herself for letting it slip out, though she prayed that Kinger wouldn't notice. 

This was NOT the time to cry, Pomni… god damn it, couldn't she hold a single conversation with out bursting into tears??

“ Oh… Why the sad tone?”

These tears were different compared to the ones that she had been crying for the past few days.

Back then she was crying over how bad she had it, now, she was crying over the broken promise for Kinger and Ragatha. She was grieving over having a good roof over her head while her friends had to fight for food. 

This was a whole new heartbreak. She was so ashamed, and frankly disappointed in herself that she couldn't get them out of their terrible situation. Kinger the sweetest man, and Ragatha one of the strongest people she knew, they were suffering and there was nothing she could do about it…

“ I’m so sorry, Kinger…” Pomni said, her voice starting to sob from over the phone.

But kinger couldn't put any amount of blame on her, and instead, he continued on with his soft voice. “It's okay, Pomni. To be honest, me and Ragatha… we're sort of… used to false hope, you know? We don't take anything to heart much anymore.”

Pomni sniffed and nodded her head, hearing what he had to say. It was a sad thought, but she had no right to argue with it.

“ Don't beat yourself up over it, Pomni. You weren't the one who put us here… You just wanted to live a better life, and you did… we would have all done the same thing if we were you...”

And there it was… the voice Pomni had been desperate to hear every time she cried. The motherly voice for her child-like tears. And like a child, she sobbed, while Kinger spoke in a tone like a mother wiping away the tears of her baby. For the first time in awhile, tears fell from her eyes and they actually felt heard. It all came flowing down and it was welcomed.

“ There there…” Kinger hummed. “ I can’t do much, but if you were here I’d take this tablecloth and wipe it over your eyes! Haha!”

Pomni laughed through her tears. “ I have napkins if that helps…”

“ Not as good as the dirty table cloth but that works.” Kinger joked, and Pomni wiped her tears away. “ But seriously Pomni, just be good… enjoy the freedom for us maybe. I can't speak for the others but i guess there is a sort of comfort in knowing that one of us made it out.”

“Okay…” Pomni didn't have the heart to truly promise that and mean it, but if the thought made Kinger happy, then shes happy to let him believe it. 

Kinger really was the only person she never really had a gripe with during her entire stay of the circus. He was pleasant to be around and minded his own business… Even with Ragatha, although she was great, they had a bit of unresolved tension… maybe they could somehow get to fixing it one day. After all, time was all she had.

One day.

For the next couple of years, for all eternity, Pomni’s days would repeat 

over. 

And over. 

And over again.

She will shed many many tears and cry herself to sleep, until she was physically unable to. She's going to experience a new flavor of agony that she's never experienced before. And she's going to cry harder tears than she's ever had before. 

But at that moment, at the time, on the phone she spent the little humanity she had left talking to the fellow abused, telling eachother white lies to keep eachother comforted and sane. 

They told eachother everything was going to be okay as their heart beats slowed down. And maybe that was all they needed. Maybe that was all they could do.

As they all died together, hushing each other and wishing each other goodnight might be the only thing they had left.

Good night, Pomni. 

Good night, Kinger.

Good night, Ragatha.

We'll see you all in the morning.

[gaybananabread]

CONGRATS ON 300! YEEHAW

Could I get some apples, oranges, and bananas for TADC? lee!Jax, ler!Ragatha please!

Love your content, always have, always will!

*Hughug*

Fruit(s): Apples, Oranges, Bananas

EEEEEEGH Thank youuu! (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) These TADC requests are so fun, love these insane scronkles! Haven’t explored the circus peeps before this event; it’s been a lot of fun! Hugs returned tenfold! (づ๑•ᴗ•๑)づ Thank you for requesting, and I hope you Enjoy!

Lee: Jax

Ler: Ragatha

Summary: Jax leaves Ragatha a “special” present in her room, trying to annoy the rag doll. He succeeds, though it backfires in a way he never could’ve expected. All he has to do is apologize…but where’s the fun in that?

Warnings: none! This is a tickle fic, so if you don’t like that, scroll away!!

Bug pizza.

Honestly, Ragatha didn’t even know where he was getting the materials for his “pranks” anymore. Somehow, the jerk had managed to get several bug species, pizza ingredients, and more centipedes than she had ever seen in one place before. Her shriek could be heard across the entirety of the grounds, Caine quickly rushing over to dispose of the wriggling abomination.

Jax, meanwhile, was in his room, laughing his tail off as he heard the scream. Ragatha was, by far, his favorite character to mess with. Sure, it was easy to tease Gangle, and Kinger was occasionally fun to trick, but Ragatha always got so flustered and passive-aggressively mad at him; he loved it.

His laughter died down, though, as loud, angry footsteps approached his door. Eugh boi... Jax quickly sat up, trying to force the giddy smile back into his usual smirk. It took everything he had not to cackle at the look on her face. She was furious.

“Jax. Why the *squawk* was there a freaking bug pizza in my room?!” The bunny man couldn’t contain himself anymore; he burst into loud laughter, falling back onto his bed. Ragatha just watched, her anger slowly growing. That sorry, smug little purple bi- Whoooo. Deep breaths, Ragatha.

“Ohoho, wow, that was- Oooh man. Lookit’ ya, Dollface! Ehehe…he…” The look of amusement slowly got more nervous as he saw her look change. It wasn’t pure anger anymore; there was a hint of something else, something he knew he’d seen before. 

Ragatha stepped into his room, mock-cracking her knuckles. She didn’t exactly have real bones to do it, but the gesture got the message across. “I’ll give you something to laugh about, cotton tail…” 

Okay, time to run! Jax sprang up from his bed, bolting past Ragatha and running for his life. The doll was almost right behind him, his long legs the only thing keeping him ahead. 

Ducking and weaving between objects and furniture, Jax continued his mad dash through the tent. He passed Zooble, who just rolled their eyes and muttered a few onomatopoeia-censored words. That was the least of his concerns; the pissy redhead on his tail was a much bigger threat.

Ragatha could hear the occasional giggle escape him as he ran, either from anticipation or the fact she couldn’t catch him. She took it both ways, running just a bit faster in her attempts to catch him.

With the way he was running, he might’ve gotten away. That is, if he hadn’t tripped over a random plastic ball on the floor. Stupid Caine and his stupid ball pit adventure…

The doll girl pounced, quickly straddling him and pinning his arms above his head. Jax normally would’ve fought for his life, but the giddy adrenaline took over his mind, flooding his thoughts with things he’d never say out loud. Very…embarrassing-lee silly thoughts.

“I'll give you one last chance, cotton tail. Apologize and I'll spare you.” Ragatha smirked as she said it, making a claw and wiggling her fingers above his stomach.

Jax’s ears pinned back, his stomach reflexively sucking in at the sight of her clawed hand. He could have just apologized…but where was the fun in that? The guy had an image to protect, and he wasn’t about to surrender to her without a fight.

Seeing his determination to be a stubborn jerk, she touched the claw down on his stomach, digging in with all five wiggly fingers. “Fine, you asked for it!” Ragatha sounded extremely smug; he was honestly a bit impressed. Well, he would’ve been impressed, had he not been giggling like a little kid.

“Youhuhu lihitle- gehehet ohoff!” He tugged and tugged on his arms, trying to free himself. Her strength wasn’t a huge surprise; that was hardly the first time she’d attacked him. Still, could you blame him for trying?

Chuckling, she started to let her hand wander, moving up to his ribs. Ragatha knew exactly where to go to get him really laughing, but she wanted to give him a chance to apologize first. “I’ll get off when you say sorry.”

His ribs were about as bad as his stomach; they got him giggling, but not much other than that. Jax knew she was dragging it out. All he had to do was outlast her. “S-sohohorry you cahan’t tahahake a johohoke!”

“Ohoho, you’re getting it now, flatfoot.” Tired of his mouth, she went for his hips, drilling her plush thumbs into the divots. Jax squealed, bucking his hips and arching his back as she targeted his worst spot. “I’m done being nice. Now, Jax, apologize.”

Jax thrashed wildly in her grip, trying desperately to get away from the horribly ticklish sensation. “DOHOLL- crahap, RahagATHAHAHA!” She took small, five second pauses in between bouts of squeezing, not wanting to completely overwhelm him. He was her friend, regardless of his mouthy behavior. 

“Sorry Jax, but you’re literally asking for it. Just apologize and I’ll leave you alone.” Deciding to take things a step further, she released his hands, still drilling into his hip with the other. Ragatha took her newly-open hand up to his ears, scritching the bases of them. 

The rabbit was in stitches, unable to get a coherent word out through his laughter. The duality of his favorite most annoying spot versus his death spot was killer; he was torn between melting at the ear scritches and jumping out of his skin from the hip squeezes. While his hands were free, he didn’t have enough space in his mind to even think about using them.

His big feet thumped against the floor, his ears twitching as he frantically tried to escape. Raghatha only teased him, not backing down. “Aww, what’s wrong, Thumper? Does it tickle?” Ugh, those teases…

Finally, with mirthful tears forming in the corners of his eyes, he caved. Jax screeched through his frantic laughter, trying to get her to stop. “FIHIHINE! IHIHI’LL DO IHIHIT, JUHUST- STAHAHAP!”

Ragatha stopped tormenting his hips, moving both hands up to gently scratch his ears. While he did ask her to stop, she knew Jax loved the affection on his ears. “So, what do you have to say to me?”

He whined through his giggles, melting at the touch. Jax’s giggling got softer and airier, as if he were floating on cloud nine. If it were possible, he would’ve absorbed into the floor and hid until she got tired of looking for him. “Uhuhum…I-Ihi’m sohorry abohout the buhuhugs.”

She smiled, booping where his nose would’ve been for extra flair. “There you go, ya goof. Was that so hard?” The groan she got in return was priceless. 

Chuckling, she stood, leaving him on the floor in a giggly puddle. He’d be fine; besides, she wasn’t planning on sticking around while he regained his energy. Jax’s idea of payback was often much crueler than her own.

The tickle-drunk bunny laid there, trying to regain his composure. Ugh… Jax rubbed his ears, sitting up as his nerves buzzed with leftover sensations. He knew one thing for sure:

Ragatha was so dead when he found her…

[proselfship-huggies]

Can I have one from Kinger from The Amazing Digital Circus? (I'm OK with sharing btw, he deserves all the love he can get especially considering the latest episode)

"A hug? You must really like me!" *hug* "I don’t get many of these, you know! This is great!" "You’re special to me... I really enjoy being around you. You make this place a lot more fun! Let’s do this more often! I could really get used to all this happiness!" - Kinger