#too bad Jax didn't learn his lesson lol

[the-spam-specialist]

Lost and Found (Through Intimidation)

Caine lost his bee plush and was looking everywhere for it, not knowing that the culprit was watching from afar. Luckily, Kinger was there to reclaim what was stolen. No matter what he had to do.

Characters: Caine, Kinger, Jax, Pomni, Gangle

Word Count: 1500-ish

The velvet curtains of the Digital Circus tent shimmered with a muted, sapphire light, a stark contrast to the usual dazzling spectacle that filled the day. The daily adventure had concluded, leaving a gentle hush in its wake. Most of the inhabitants were retreating to their designated rooms generally hanging around, seeking a semblance of rest in this bizarre, boundless world. Most, but not all.

The tranquility was being actively undermined by Caine. He zipped around the tent with an almost frantic energy, his denture head bobbing and weaving through the air. His usual buoyant laughter was absent, replaced by small, distressed noises. “Oh dear, oh dear, where could it be? It was just here! Or…was it?”

Pomni, startled by Caine’s sudden movements, looked up at the ringmaster with concern, “Caine? Is everything alright?” she asked, her voice a tentative whisper.

Gangle came over, curious about what was going on, “Is…is something the matter?” she echoed gently.

Caine abruptly stopped his frantic flight and hovered in front of them, his big, expressive eyeballs wide with worry. “Oh, hello, my dears! Yes, well, no, not alright at all! I seem to have misplaced…oh, it’s just awful! I can’t find my bee plush!”

Pomni blinked. “Your…bee plush? The one Ragatha made for you?” She remembered Ragatha patiently stitching together the somewhat silly, but undeniably charming, plush bee for Caine a few weeks ago. He’d been absolutely delighted with it, snuggling it whenever he was shut down or just relaxing.

Caine’s denture head bobbed vigorously. “Yes, yes, that’s the one! My fuzzy buzzy bee! Oh, it’s just the cutest thing, and so comforting to hold! But I can’t find it anywhere! I’ve checked under the… well, everywhere I can think of!” He zipped again, his energy a visible sign of his growing panic, even if his voice remained cheerfully upbeat, a habit deeply ingrained.

Gangle tried to calm the AI down, “Don’t worry, Caine. It must be here somewhere in the tent. You probably just misplaced it.” Gangle, despite her shyness, was always eager to help her friends. She knew how much Caine cherished the plush.

Pomni, feeling a surge of empathy, stood up, putting aside her notebook. “Gangle’s right. Where did you last see it?”

Caine paused, his expression shifting, a slight furrow in his ‘brow.’ “Hmm, last seen…well, that’s the tricky part. My memory gets a bit fuzzy around…well, you know,” he trailed off, his voice losing a bit of its usual cheer. 

“Don’t worry, Caine,” Pomni reassured him gently. “We'll help you look. It’s bound to turn up.”

Caine’s eyes brightened, his usual cheerfulness flickering back. “Oh, would you? Would you truly? That would be splendid! Thank you, thank you both!” He clapped his hands together, momentarily forgetting his panic in his burst of gratitude.

The three of them began their search, Pomni and Gangle diligently checking under cushions, behind curtains, and within any nook or cranny the tent offered. Caine, still slightly frantic, zoomed around, occasionally bumping into things in his haste, but his energy was now channeled into a more productive direction.

Unseen by them, Jax leaned against a tent pole, his tall purple rabbit form casting a long shadow in the dim light. He watched their frantic search with a smirk playing on his lips. “Look at him, flapping around like a chicken with its head cut off,” Jax snickered to himself, watching Caine zip past him in a blur. Jax then pulled something out from behind his back: Caine’s bee plush. He tossed it up and down, “All worked up over a stupid little plushie. Seriously?” He chuckled again, “This is going to be too good. I think I’ll keep this little fella for a while. Let him sweat for a bit.”

Jax turned, intending to retreat to his own space and savor the anticipation of Caine's continued distress. He imagined Caine’s face when he realized his precious plush was truly gone. It was going to be hilarious. He took a step and promptly bumped into something solid.

“Oof!” Jax exclaimed, stumbling back slightly. Who the heck was that? He looked up and standing directly behind him, bathed in shadows but undeniably present, was Kinger.

Kinger’s chess piece body was still draped in his royal purple robe, his eyes, usually wide and slightly unfocused, were now narrowed, fixed directly on Jax. “What do you have there, Jax?” Kinger’s voice was low, devoid of its usual whimsical, rambling tone.

Jax’s ears twitched nervously despite himself. He instinctively shifted the bee plush further behind his back. “Huh? Oh, nothing that concerns you, old timer.” He tried to sound nonchalant, but a tremor of unease was creeping into his voice.

Kinger took a step closer, and Jax felt a prickle of genuine discomfort. Kinger, despite his eccentricities, was usually harmless, more prone to rambling theories about boxes and escape routes than confrontation. This quiet, direct Kinger was…different. “You know, it’s not very nice to take things that don’t belong to you. Especially things that are important to others,” Kinger stated, his voice flat, almost accusatory.

Jax snorted, trying to regain his usual bravado. “Relax, Kinger; it’s just a joke. Lighten up, will ya?” He gestured towards the frantic Caine in the distance. “Look at him! He’s going nuts over a stuffed animal! It’s funny! And besides,” Jax continued, his confidence returning slightly, “he’ll probably forget about it in, like, five minutes anyway. You know how he is.”

A low chuckle rumbled from Kinger, but it wasn’t his usual gentle chuckle. This one was…unsettling. It sounded almost…intimidating? Jax felt a shiver run down his spine, a sensation he rarely experienced in the Digital Circus. With a sudden jolt of fear, he realized that Kinger still hadn’t broken eye contact.

Before Jax could process this unsettling shift, Kinger’s hand shot out, grabbing the front of Jax’s pink overalls with surprising strength. Jax yelped, lifted off the ground with unexpected force, his feet dangling uselessly.

“Funny, you say?” Kinger’s voice was still low, but now it held a hard edge, a chilling undercurrent that Jax had never heard before. “I have something funny in mind too, Jax.” Kinger’s eyes gleamed in the dim light, and Jax suddenly noticed a disturbing glint in it.

“Kinger, hey, come on man, put me down, this isn’t –” Jax stammered, his usual sarcastic wit completely evaporated, replaced by a growing dread.

“You remember how good I am with a shotgun, Jax?” Kinger continued, ignoring Jax’s protests. His voice was conversational, almost casual, but the words sent a wave of icy terror through Jax. “I’ve been thinking about trying out some new activities with that skill of mine. Maybe…rabbit hunting?” Kinger’s gaze drifted away for a fleeting second, then snapped back to Jax, sharp and intense.

Jax’s eyes widened. Shotgun? Rabbit hunting? What was happening? When had Kinger become… this terrifying? He looked at Kinger’s hand gripping his overalls, feeling the surprisingly strong pressure. He looked at that unnervingly focused look in his eyes. He swallowed hard, the bravado completely gone, replaced by a raw, primal fear.

Kinger raised his other hand, a silent, chilling offer. “Now, Jax,” he said, his voice still deceptively calm, “hand over my son’s bee plush. Before I start thinking you’d make a good candidate for target practice.”

Jax didn't hesitate. He fumbled behind his back with shaking hands and thrust the bee plush at Kinger with almost desperate eagerness. “Fine! Here! Take the stupid toy!”

Kinger gently took the plush from Jax’s trembling hand. He lowered Jax to the ground, releasing his overalls. Jax would almost feel his knees buckle before standing up straight.

“Thank you, Jax!” Kinger said, his voice instantly reverting back to its usual gentle tone, as if nothing unusual had just transpired. “That’s very considerate of you.” He patted Jax on the shoulder, a surprisingly heavy pat, and then shuffled away, humming a tuneless melody.

Jax stood there, legs slightly wobbly, staring at Kinger’s retreating back with constricted pupils.

“...What just happened?” he whispered, his voice barely audible. He was genuinely shaken, utterly bewildered by the sudden, terrifying transformation he had witnessed. Kinger? Threatening him? It was absurd. And yet…he had felt real, bone-chilling fear.

Kinger, oblivious to the emotional turmoil he had just unleashed, shuffled back towards Caine, Pomni, and Gangle, who were still diligently searching. He held the bee plush out with a cheerful smile. “Caine! Look what I found!”

Caine spun around, his face lighting up with pure joy. “My bee plush! Oh my goodness, where was it?”

“It was under a blanket in the pillow fort!” Kinger declared, holding up the plush as if it were a prized treasure. “Silly bee, hiding in there.”

Caine’s eyes sparkled. “Oh! Silly bee indeed!” He scooped up the plush, hugging it tightly to his chest. “Oh, thank you, Kinger! You’re the best!” He nuzzled the plush, his earlier panic completely forgotten.

Kinger beamed, his chest puffing out slightly. “Just doing my best, Caine. Anything for my boy.” He patted Caine affectionately on the head again.

As Caine happily chattered to his recovered bee plush, and Pomni and Gangle resumed their quiet evening activities, Jax remained standing in the shadows, a silent, bewildered observer. He watched Kinger, now back to his usual gentle self, interacting with Caine with fatherly affection.

He made a mental note: don’t mess with Caine while Kinger was around.

[17-noodlebird]

No lie, this was the song that played in my head when Kinger began intimidating Jax.

Don't fuck with Kinger, and don't fuck with his son.

Also: DAD KINGEEEEEEEEERRRRRRR!!!!!!

Lost and Found (Through Intimidation)

Caine lost his bee plush and was looking everywhere for it, not knowing that the culprit was watching from afar. Luckily, Kinger was there to reclaim what was stolen. No matter what he had to do.

Characters: Caine, Kinger, Jax, Pomni, Gangle

Word Count: 1500-ish

The velvet curtains of the Digital Circus tent shimmered with a muted, sapphire light, a stark contrast to the usual dazzling spectacle that filled the day. The daily adventure had concluded, leaving a gentle hush in its wake. Most of the inhabitants were retreating to their designated rooms generally hanging around, seeking a semblance of rest in this bizarre, boundless world. Most, but not all.

The tranquility was being actively undermined by Caine. He zipped around the tent with an almost frantic energy, his denture head bobbing and weaving through the air. His usual buoyant laughter was absent, replaced by small, distressed noises. “Oh dear, oh dear, where could it be? It was just here! Or…was it?”

Pomni, startled by Caine’s sudden movements, looked up at the ringmaster with concern, “Caine? Is everything alright?” she asked, her voice a tentative whisper.

Gangle came over, curious about what was going on, “Is…is something the matter?” she echoed gently.

Caine abruptly stopped his frantic flight and hovered in front of them, his big, expressive eyeballs wide with worry. “Oh, hello, my dears! Yes, well, no, not alright at all! I seem to have misplaced…oh, it’s just awful! I can’t find my bee plush!”

Pomni blinked. “Your…bee plush? The one Ragatha made for you?” She remembered Ragatha patiently stitching together the somewhat silly, but undeniably charming, plush bee for Caine a few weeks ago. He’d been absolutely delighted with it, snuggling it whenever he was shut down or just relaxing.

Caine’s denture head bobbed vigorously. “Yes, yes, that’s the one! My fuzzy buzzy bee! Oh, it’s just the cutest thing, and so comforting to hold! But I can’t find it anywhere! I’ve checked under the… well, everywhere I can think of!” He zipped again, his energy a visible sign of his growing panic, even if his voice remained cheerfully upbeat, a habit deeply ingrained.

Gangle tried to calm the AI down, “Don’t worry, Caine. It must be here somewhere in the tent. You probably just misplaced it.” Gangle, despite her shyness, was always eager to help her friends. She knew how much Caine cherished the plush.

Pomni, feeling a surge of empathy, stood up, putting aside her notebook. “Gangle’s right. Where did you last see it?”

Caine paused, his expression shifting, a slight furrow in his ‘brow.’ “Hmm, last seen…well, that’s the tricky part. My memory gets a bit fuzzy around…well, you know,” he trailed off, his voice losing a bit of its usual cheer. 

“Don’t worry, Caine,” Pomni reassured him gently. “We'll help you look. It’s bound to turn up.”

Caine’s eyes brightened, his usual cheerfulness flickering back. “Oh, would you? Would you truly? That would be splendid! Thank you, thank you both!” He clapped his hands together, momentarily forgetting his panic in his burst of gratitude.

The three of them began their search, Pomni and Gangle diligently checking under cushions, behind curtains, and within any nook or cranny the tent offered. Caine, still slightly frantic, zoomed around, occasionally bumping into things in his haste, but his energy was now channeled into a more productive direction.

Unseen by them, Jax leaned against a tent pole, his tall purple rabbit form casting a long shadow in the dim light. He watched their frantic search with a smirk playing on his lips. “Look at him, flapping around like a chicken with its head cut off,” Jax snickered to himself, watching Caine zip past him in a blur. Jax then pulled something out from behind his back: Caine’s bee plush. He tossed it up and down, “All worked up over a stupid little plushie. Seriously?” He chuckled again, “This is going to be too good. I think I’ll keep this little fella for a while. Let him sweat for a bit.”

Jax turned, intending to retreat to his own space and savor the anticipation of Caine's continued distress. He imagined Caine’s face when he realized his precious plush was truly gone. It was going to be hilarious. He took a step and promptly bumped into something solid.

“Oof!” Jax exclaimed, stumbling back slightly. Who the heck was that? He looked up and standing directly behind him, bathed in shadows but undeniably present, was Kinger.

Kinger’s chess piece body was still draped in his royal purple robe, his eyes, usually wide and slightly unfocused, were now narrowed, fixed directly on Jax. “What do you have there, Jax?” Kinger’s voice was low, devoid of its usual whimsical, rambling tone.

Jax’s ears twitched nervously despite himself. He instinctively shifted the bee plush further behind his back. “Huh? Oh, nothing that concerns you, old timer.” He tried to sound nonchalant, but a tremor of unease was creeping into his voice.

Kinger took a step closer, and Jax felt a prickle of genuine discomfort. Kinger, despite his eccentricities, was usually harmless, more prone to rambling theories about boxes and escape routes than confrontation. This quiet, direct Kinger was…different. “You know, it’s not very nice to take things that don’t belong to you. Especially things that are important to others,” Kinger stated, his voice flat, almost accusatory.

Jax snorted, trying to regain his usual bravado. “Relax, Kinger; it’s just a joke. Lighten up, will ya?” He gestured towards the frantic Caine in the distance. “Look at him! He’s going nuts over a stuffed animal! It’s funny! And besides,” Jax continued, his confidence returning slightly, “he’ll probably forget about it in, like, five minutes anyway. You know how he is.”

A low chuckle rumbled from Kinger, but it wasn’t his usual gentle chuckle. This one was…unsettling. It sounded almost…intimidating? Jax felt a shiver run down his spine, a sensation he rarely experienced in the Digital Circus. With a sudden jolt of fear, he realized that Kinger still hadn’t broken eye contact.

Before Jax could process this unsettling shift, Kinger’s hand shot out, grabbing the front of Jax’s pink overalls with surprising strength. Jax yelped, lifted off the ground with unexpected force, his feet dangling uselessly.

“Funny, you say?” Kinger’s voice was still low, but now it held a hard edge, a chilling undercurrent that Jax had never heard before. “I have something funny in mind too, Jax.” Kinger’s eyes gleamed in the dim light, and Jax suddenly noticed a disturbing glint in it.

“Kinger, hey, come on man, put me down, this isn’t –” Jax stammered, his usual sarcastic wit completely evaporated, replaced by a growing dread.

“You remember how good I am with a shotgun, Jax?” Kinger continued, ignoring Jax’s protests. His voice was conversational, almost casual, but the words sent a wave of icy terror through Jax. “I’ve been thinking about trying out some new activities with that skill of mine. Maybe…rabbit hunting?” Kinger’s gaze drifted away for a fleeting second, then snapped back to Jax, sharp and intense.

Jax’s eyes widened. Shotgun? Rabbit hunting? What was happening? When had Kinger become… this terrifying? He looked at Kinger’s hand gripping his overalls, feeling the surprisingly strong pressure. He looked at that unnervingly focused look in his eyes. He swallowed hard, the bravado completely gone, replaced by a raw, primal fear.

Kinger raised his other hand, a silent, chilling offer. “Now, Jax,” he said, his voice still deceptively calm, “hand over my son’s bee plush. Before I start thinking you’d make a good candidate for target practice.”

Jax didn't hesitate. He fumbled behind his back with shaking hands and thrust the bee plush at Kinger with almost desperate eagerness. “Fine! Here! Take the stupid toy!”

Kinger gently took the plush from Jax’s trembling hand. He lowered Jax to the ground, releasing his overalls. Jax would almost feel his knees buckle before standing up straight.

“Thank you, Jax!” Kinger said, his voice instantly reverting back to its usual gentle tone, as if nothing unusual had just transpired. “That’s very considerate of you.” He patted Jax on the shoulder, a surprisingly heavy pat, and then shuffled away, humming a tuneless melody.

Jax stood there, legs slightly wobbly, staring at Kinger’s retreating back with constricted pupils.

“...What just happened?” he whispered, his voice barely audible. He was genuinely shaken, utterly bewildered by the sudden, terrifying transformation he had witnessed. Kinger? Threatening him? It was absurd. And yet…he had felt real, bone-chilling fear.

Kinger, oblivious to the emotional turmoil he had just unleashed, shuffled back towards Caine, Pomni, and Gangle, who were still diligently searching. He held the bee plush out with a cheerful smile. “Caine! Look what I found!”

Caine spun around, his face lighting up with pure joy. “My bee plush! Oh my goodness, where was it?”

“It was under a blanket in the pillow fort!” Kinger declared, holding up the plush as if it were a prized treasure. “Silly bee, hiding in there.”

Caine’s eyes sparkled. “Oh! Silly bee indeed!” He scooped up the plush, hugging it tightly to his chest. “Oh, thank you, Kinger! You’re the best!” He nuzzled the plush, his earlier panic completely forgotten.

Kinger beamed, his chest puffing out slightly. “Just doing my best, Caine. Anything for my boy.” He patted Caine affectionately on the head again.

As Caine happily chattered to his recovered bee plush, and Pomni and Gangle resumed their quiet evening activities, Jax remained standing in the shadows, a silent, bewildered observer. He watched Kinger, now back to his usual gentle self, interacting with Caine with fatherly affection.

He made a mental note: don’t mess with Caine while Kinger was around.