#two ringmasters and a baby

[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. 

[thatsmzbitchtoyou]

Mz. Bitch's Masterlist

Started: 2/24/24 Last updated: 9/23/24

Due to inline link limits, please click on the story name to start reading and follow the chapter links. Thanks little darlings! Love y'all!

MARVEL

Bucky Barnes *One shots Sex Pollen My Alpha Got Nothing On You Part 2 Movie Night Please Come Back Vibranium & Stainless Steel Shy Dream Girl A little help from my friend *Series Breaking the Class Ceiling **Finished Bucky Barnes is a middle class clerk. He needs to marry well to take care of himself and his father. Y/N Y/L/N is the heir to a millionaire fortune, who is blunt, no-nonsense, flirtatious, and looking for a partner. Everyone is vying for her hand. Can Bucky ever win? Pretty Pointy Smile **Finished Bucky was born different, and has been judged for it ever since.  His father has had enough and sells him to the circus.  The acceptance and love of his newfound family, and the beautifully fierce ringmaster, help him realize he’s not the monster everyone else made him out to be. Sugar Mama **Finished Bucky is overworked and struggling to get by.  The bills are piling up and he’s consistently in the red with no end in sight.  Y/N is a billionaire’s daughter, entrepreneur and philanthropist having a hard time finding true friends or love.  She has a proposition for him. Marriage of Convenience **Finished Y/N’s father is gone, and he leaves it all to her.  But in 1880s Oregon, she can’t own land without a husband.  Under the threat of it all being taken away by a land hungry Sheriff, what’s a girl to do with no prospects?  Maybe one of the cowboys on the farm can help… The Temptation **Finished Father Barnes is devout, steadfast, and undeterred by flirtatious congregants.  So why does this fallen angel tempt him so?  You cannot serve two masters.  Will he choose God, or his heart? Norsemen & Anglo-Saxons **Finished Princess Y/N has a secret that her parents are ashamed of.  A conquering Viking chief recognizes the gift she has.  Will they be able to bring peace between warring people, and maybe find love along the way? Stranded **Finished Tossed overboard and lost at sea, Bucky washes up on an uninhabited island.  Injured, lost and scared, with little to no wilderness training, he fights to survive.  But is he really alone? The Fuck Up **Finished Bucky fucked up.  A few times.  Will his best friend ever be able to forgive him?

Naughty Nanny **Finished Bucky had a lovechild from a one night stand.  He barely even remembered it, and was surprised to find a baby on his doorstep 9 months later.  But one look at that little girl and he knew she was his and that he’d die for her.  The only problem was, he knew nothing about babies, and being an Avenger meant he couldn’t just drop everything and be a dad full time.  Then he found the perfect nanny…or so he thought. Run, pretty girl, run **Finished Even with the safeguards put in place after the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., the remaining Avengers find themselves on the run after the American government falls into disarray.  The code word is sent, and they’re officially fugitives.  Bucky makes a run for the safe house set up for emergencies like this where the Avengers are told to meet up, but on the way saves the pregnant agent turned payroll specialist that he was partnered with.  Will they make it before she goes into labor?  Or at all?

Pretty P.A. **Finished Y/N has been the personal assistant to the most influential and famous fashion model agency director in the industry for the past 13 years.  They’ve decided to retire, and are leaving the agency in the hands of their protege and former model, Bucky Barnes.  He seems plenty qualified, and Y/N is excited for a chance to work with him.  Change always takes time,  but the new insanely hot boss is distrustful and hesitant towards her.  The Gorgon **Finished The village nearest the mountain by the sea has a generations-old tradition of offering sacrifices to the monster in the mountain to gain favor and keep its wrath away from the people.  Every person starting from the age of 15 has to take a turn in making the journey up the mountain to the mouth of the cave once a year to drop off the gifts…and it’s a journey that some never come back from.  Y/N took her turn when she was 15, and now the rotation has come back to her again.  If the gift isn’t given by the autumn solstice, there’s no telling what harm the creature will wreak onto the people.  With a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in her way, will she make it to save her and her people?  Can a monster have a heart? Dreamboat **Finished Y/N, her brother Steve, and his best friend Bucky all moved out West for a new start after Y/N was almost caught up and hurt in a rival gang fight.  Steve wasn’t in shape to fight in the war, but Bucky was drafted.  While out West, Y/N finds herself in trouble again from the local bar owner.  Steve is suddenly drafted for an experimental division of the army, but leaving Y/N alone isn’t an option.  Bucky comes home needing help, and Steve comes up with a crazy compromise.  Sweet Pumpkin **Finished Bucky is struggling with the dating world and knows that if he ever hopes to have a serious relationship, that he needs to get through his touch deprivation issues.  It’s not that he doesn’t want to touch people, or them to touch him, but after decades of pain he doesn’t know how to accept physical intimacy from others, or how to give it himself.  He hires Y/N, an intimacy coach and professional cuddler, who comes highly recommended.  Will his heart be able to distinguish between a service given versus real love?

Yes Mama **WIP Bucky Barnes has made quite the name for himself in the underground mob boss world.  But he’s not the boss.  Just the face of the Family. 

Peter Parker *One shots Emotional *Short Series Tasty **Finished Peter just wanted to have one night of fun.  Then that night of fun almost killed him.  Now it won’t stop haunting him.  And he’s loving it. 

*Series The Young Duke **Finished Queen Y/N is running out of time.  At 35 years old she has to marry and make an heir to the throne, but all suitors so far have been unsatisfactory in one way or another.  Duke Peter Parker is the young Duke of Queensland, and his family is on the brink of ruin due to his parents’ failures and famines throughout the years.  He needs to find an advantageous marriage to save his family’s estate, so when an invitation from the Crown comes, he jumps at the opportunity.  Will it be a match?

Steve Rogers *Series My Queen **Finished Steve Rogers is the newly inherited Duke of Brooklyn, struggling to fix the mistakes of his parents while enduring an overbearing, matchmaking mother.  He has no intention of anything romantic in his future, but will a forced love connection with the Queen change his mind?

Stucky *Series Emerald Hallow **Finished Steve Rogers wants to move on.  He wants to forget Peggy, and dive into the 21st century.  But this man of the past doesn’t know how to navigate being an Alpha in a modern world of skittish Omegas.  He prides himself on his self control, never wanting to harm or scare them, until something just smells too damn good. And he's not the only one who smells it...

Actors

Sebastian Stan *Series A Patient Man **Finished Sebastian swore to never fall for another co-star again. Until Y/N drops into his life.

[indibutterfly]

Freakshow Showtime Fic

This one-shot takes place in the Freakshow AU made by: hootbon

It was mostly inspired by the creative fanfics made by: @sm-baby

The main ship is implied as showtime, but it could be seen as platonic if you want it to be.

I honestly felt like I could have done so much better with this, but oh well. At least I had a lot of fun writing it.

Please let me know if you enjoyed this story!

TW: Violence and abuse

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

A Version of You

An excruciating and booming sound was heard. It was ringing over and over in the ears of the performers, traumatizing them more and more with each ‘cheer’ and ‘applause’. The demented crowd’s black and morphed bodies grew twice in size as they serenated the most recent performers with their ‘love’ and ‘appreciation’. A grotesque and vile smell was surrounding the doll and her Ringmaster, as they ended their duet. Though this world was digital, and their bodies were not real in the slightest, a version of sweat rested on the brow of the dainty doll, as well as the upper gums of her elegant Ringmaster. The doll, cruelly named Pomni, felt the hand of her Ringmaster firmly on her lower back as the two held their ending pose. His silky glove has not moved once from its place on his doll since the performance ended. Pomni’s arms held high above her head in a crossing X pose, with her back arched in an almost inhuman way. Their faces, mere inches away from each other, were holding such elegant expressions that upon first glance appeared as though they were truly passionate about their performance. Pomni, however, detested performing. Many onlookers could ponder for ages as to why this would be the case. She was the favorite of her Ringmaster, was able to perform with the ‘grace’ and ‘elegance’ required of her, and the audience constantly enjoyed her performances, so why could she possibly despise this part of her so very much? The simple answer lies within the question itself. Performing is NOT a part of who Pomni is, or rather, who she once was. Pomni does not even remember who she once was, or even what really could be considered ‘part of her’. Her new name, bestowed upon the doll by her master, is meant to serve as a sort of cruel reminder that she could never remember who the real Pomni truly was. At least that is what she always thought. The doll’s mental state was brought back to where she currently resided, curtesy of her Ringmaster, Caine. He put his face ever so close to her own and softly whispered in her ear with his raspy and deep voice.

“Be ready to curtsey on my cue.” The doll dared not disobey her master and thus waited for her cue to give a final bow to the eldritch audience. Caine pulled away from his doll and, having an aura of a true gentleman, motioned towards her with one hand as the other continued to rest firmly on her back. Pomni moved from her position and gave an elegant curtsey towards the crowd. Another roar of gratitude and pleasure filled the stage, causing most of the performers behind the curtain to shake anxiously from the horrid noise. Pomni too would be shaking had it not been for the silky hand sitting softly on her waist. After what felt like an eternity to Pomni, the roaring slowly faded, and she was led by Caine behind the elegant yet torn curtain. After a performance, she was not allowed to converse with any of the other performers, as she was forced to have a ‘business meeting’ with Caine regarding how she could improve on her routines. She doubted in the back of her mind that this meeting would last very long as it was the one dance that Caine himself performed with her. The doll genuinely did not believe he would critique his own performance, so there was a very slim possibility that she could be free of their meeting in a faster time than usual. As the two entered her dressing room, she was seated in front of her vanity. Her dressing room could be seen as terrifying and hollow to the average onlooker; however, it was the only place Pomni had ever seen within the digital world to have so much color. Torn and tainted pink wallpaper adorned the walls. The floor was wooden, with its only description being that it was firm, stiff, and always polished. There was a small, covered area for Pomni to change into different outfits, however it was rarely used as the Ringmaster usually preferred to snap whatever he wished onto his doll. Her vanity that rested on the far left of her dressing room was a deep shade of lavender with three golden mirrors that held a trifold shape. The lightbulbs that adorned her vanity were the only source of light within the room. Even with that being the case, the lightbulbs only shone dimly, often causing her to have pain in her head and eyes. With a snap of his fingers, the usual mannequins arrived within the room and began to work on fixing her hair. He hovered behind her ever so slightly as he conjured a list into existence.

“Today’s performance was one of the best we have ever had. This was of course due to myself taking part in the grand finale.” Though she normally would not care to speak when her master was talking, her curiosity was taking the better of her in this moment.

“Why did you decide to dance with me today, Caine? I thought you would have hated doing a dance like that.” The Ringmaster rolled his eyes. On a normal day he would have punished her greatly for interrupting him as she did, however there was another show set to take place in just a few hours, and he needed his top performer to be in her best shape if she were to be as great as she was mere minutes ago. Granted that was all because of him, but she could certainly be a headache when she was scared, and he did not desire to deal with a headache at that very moment.

“What I chose to do for the show is none of your concern doll. You would do well not to interrupt me next time.”

“Sorry, it’s just I really thought that’s something you would’ve hated.” With a wave of his hand Caine dismissed the mannequins. The Ringmaster then hovered close to the ground. So close that if he were to put his feet down, the Ringmaster would be standing on the floor. Caine put his hands on the armrests of the chair, where his doll was sitting, as he loomed over her. His face staring straight into her eyes through the reflection of the mirrors.

“I do not despise dancing with you, if it is for the benefit of the circus.” That was all he said before teleporting away, leaving Pomni alone in the chilling quiet of her dressing room. She sat there for a few minutes, slightly fidgeting with some of the makeup and hair equipment that sat atop her vanity. When it seemed as though no one else would be entering her dressing room, Pomni arose from her seat and walked into the halls of the digital world. Even though there were still a few hours before the show even started, the doll made her way to where the main stage was located. The walls never failed to give Pomni an uneasy feeling within her. The gross and torn wallpaper peeled off the walls in eerie patterns, almost as though it was begging to be torn off the walls. The colors of the wallpaper were similar to Caine’s own color palate, except with a more muted tone. Pomni began to slightly stumble, as she had begun to feel the presence of the all-seeing eyes adorning the walls. Her mind had begun to wander places. Dissociation could be considered a hobby of hers, mostly due to it being one of the only ways she can keep some sort of sanity within her. However, the voices of the magician, rabbit, and ragdoll broke her trance before she could get too deep.

“So, what was it like puppet?~ Did you enjoy having such a passionate dance with our beloved Ringmaster?~” Jax said in a taunting and malicious voice. Pomni shuddered at his comment. It was not as though the routine was inherently bad for her, but it was indeed very ‘hands on’ due to it being a ballet routine.

“I genuinely thought it was weird he wanted to dance with me in the first place, but apparently, he thought it needed to happen for the ‘benefit of our show’ or whatever that means.” The rabbit shrugged; this answer was neither amusing nor fascinating to him. The ragdoll’s face was almost unreadable. Was she worried? Confused? Both? The ragdoll, named Ragatha, froze in place staring blankly as though she were trying to remember a moment in her past she tried so very hard to forget. The manic magician on the other hand raced towards Pomni and grabbed her shoulders in an almost violent manner. Although his body greatly shook, he spoke in a low yet soft voice.

“What.Did.Caine.Say?” He normally never spoke to her with such firmness. This caused fear to rise within Pomni. Before she was given a chance to speak, the fallen king interrupted her.

“Pomni, please answer. What did Caine say?” Now this caught the attention of the rabbit. Finally, a reaction worthy of his attention.

“Got something you wanna share with the class, chess piece?” The magician did not move from his position and focused solely on Pomni and her response. Guilt and fear were now her prominent emotions. Feeling obligated to respond she told the fallen king, the absolute truth.

“C-Caine said that what he does is for the benefit of the show.” The broken chess piece before her simply nodded as he processed her response.

“Kinger? What does that phrase mean?”

Jax gave a sly yet curious face, waiting for the other’s response. Kinger rolled his eyes in annoyance, something he has never done in all his time within the digital realm. Despite not having any lungs to breathe with, Kinger gave a deep and prolonged sigh.

“That phrase Caine used to say quite often…………before the virus took hold of the circus.” Pomni was stunned. Jax was amused. Ragatha merely kept her position the same. An eerie silence overcame the main halls. It seemed that the silence was held for far too long. Ragatha slowly walked off, holding her arms to her chest as she did. Jax approached the fallen king and the marionette.

“Think you could give any more fun tid bits about our lovely ringmaster?~” The rabbit asked, hoping for any sort of information he could use against the one who has caused all of his pain and suffering. This was not rewarded to him. Kinger blinked multiple times.

“Oh! Hello there rabbit! Are you and Pomni doing something fun this horrid day?” With that Jax left, with a look of great boredom etched across his face. Kinger simply wandered off, not quite knowing where he was supposed to be at that point in time. Pomni was still stunned. Caine was……different? What exactly does that mean? Her curiosity was going to get her killed, or perhaps even worse. It would be in her best interest to simply forget this whole intercourse and return to her state of disassociation. Which is why she decided to figure out the credibility of Kinger’s statement, regardless of her wellbeing. After all, when has she ever been safe in the circus anyway. Now the difficult part, how to search for more information without getting the attention of th-

“What do you want?” The doll leapt into the air, as though she were a startled cat.

“Caine! How did you know I was thinking about you?” The Ringmaster motioned towards the walls.

“I believe I told you about the hundreds of all seeing eyes. Is your memory that small to where you cannot remember the simplest of things?” The doll merely gave a nervous chuckle in response.

“So, what is it that you want?” He repeated.

“How do you know I want something?” The Ringmaster gave a slight scoff.

“Do you imagine me as such a terrible Ringmaster to not understand the desires of my performers?” Pomni did not believe such a lie. However, this did appear to be the absolute perfect time to inquire about her Ringmaster’s past.

“Were you ever……I dunno…..different?” Caine’s head tilted to the side.

“Elaborate.” Pomni inhaled a huge breath.

“Kinger had mentioned earlier that there was a point in time where you acted differently, in the past. Is that true?” A deep and horrific scowl appeared on the face of Caine. Pomni hunched herself down. Her mind racing with what all Caine could possibly do to her. She has not been locked in a room with spikes in a while. Maybe he will force her to perform longer shows. A terrifying thought brushed the mind of Pomni. What if he lent her out for the audience to use? This was a thought she never wanted to have again. She feared that if she perhaps entertained the idea of such a punishment, that he just might do it. The Ringmaster then raised his hand, with the doll flinching as a response. She braced for her punishment, whatever it may be. The way he placed his hand on her head…it was gentle……for about two seconds. His grasp clutched her head ever so tight, as though he were crushing an unwanted bug. Her cries, while not out of the ordinary, would give any who heard it anxiety. If the Ringmaster were willing to torture his precious doll, his favorite, to an unprecedented amount, then how much more would he punish those who were not his favorite? The Ringmaster held none of his strength back, crushing the doll until she was nothing but dust. Her pleas and screams dying out just shy of death. Pomni had felt the amount of pain she was in until the very end. She was half expecting to be regenerated within seconds so that he would have pleasure of crushing her over and over. She was wrong. It felt like hours. The doll was now hoping with every fiber in her being she that was truly dead, and that she did not need to return to the Freakshow. As seemed to be the normality with her life, Pomni’s hopes were dashed the moment she saw her room. The doll really should not have hoped. How can one hope when they are dead? It is honestly idiotic of her to even think Caine would just let her die in peace. She dared not look around. She knew the roof of her room anywhere, as it was the only room with a full-length mirror attached to the roof. The mirror was the only nice item in the room. The doll shut her eyes once more.

“It is the middle of the day my dear! You should not be sleeping in!” Sleep was no longer an option for her. That voice…it was the Ringmaster’s voice……right? As Pomni slowly opened her eyes she jumped out of her bed. There was no mistake that the…creature…standing before her was indeed Caine. The thing had teeth for the head, a red coat, a top hat, and a cane.

“I am glad to see how eager you are to get this day started with! Now what activities do you have in mind?” The voice was definitely different…and that scared her most.

“A-Are you………mad at me? Is that why you are acting like this?” The ‘Caine’ standing before her gave a confused look.

“And why would I be mad at you? You have not done anything wrong my dear!” A slight shiver went down her spine. This was not her Ringmaster.

“Who are you? Why do you look like Caine? Are you a new freak?” The thing before her gave a hard laugh.

“My dear, you never fail to make me laugh! I can assure you that I am indeed Caine.”

“S-So why do you talk like that? My Ringmaster would never speak to me with such warmth.” This time her question was met with only a snicker from ‘Caine’, as he took a seat on the opposite side of her bed.

“He would not. That poor soul is far too proud to do something in that manner. No, you see I am Caine, or rather I was Caine.” Was? Wait-

“Does your sudden appearance have anything to do with my previous conversation with my Ringmaster?” ‘Caine’ twirled his cane around and floated over to the doll.

“There is my quick thinker! For a minute there I thought that maybe part of you became corrupted as you regenerated. Glad to see I was wrong!” There were a number of events happening at once, leaving Pomni unable to properly stand. As she gripped onto the wall of her room, she tried to piece together what happened.

“Okay, so let me get this straight. You are the Caine from the past? Like before the virus.” ‘Caine’ gave a nod.

“Right you are!” What had she done? No really, what had she done.

“Is my Ringmaster inside you now or like how does that work?”

“Of course not! That poor soul would not be caught dead letting me take the reins! I am the bits of code that the virus for some reason could not affect. He just took those pieces and combined them with the parts of his memory of how he used to act and voila! I am here before you!” This was confusing to the doll. This was how Caine used to be? There was absolutely no way he was this warm to speak with.

“Pomni?” She shook her head and returned to the matter at hand.

“How do you know my name?” The ‘Caine’ floating in front of her smiled.

“I would not forget the name of my favorite doll! Just because I was not sentient doesn’t mean that I do not have most of the basic memories about you!” This was not getting any easier for Pomni to grasp, and for the first time in the history of her knowing Caine, he actually seemed to understand that.

“Here, why don’t we start off our time together by playing a nice calm game of twenty questions. Does that sound favorable to you Pomni?” The floating pair of teeth stretched out his arm towards her. Pomni flinched at first. ‘Caine’ gave her a gentle smile.

“Pomni, I promise I do not mean harm at all towards you. Please, do not be afraid of me.” She knew better than to trust Caine. Her time at the Freakshow taught her that much. However, the way he smiled, the way his voice sounded, Pomni was weak to this version. With a shaking hand, she allowed Caine to lead Pomni towards the center of the room.

“So, my dear, would you like to start, or would you prefer if I started?”

“Um you can start, but please don’t ever call me dear or doll.” The ‘Caine’ before her gave a gentle smile and nodded without any further pestering about her nicknames.

“So, my question to you Pomni, is what is your favorite food?” The doll couldn’t help but chuckle at this.

“Of all the first questions you could’ve asked me……you want to know what my favorite food is?” The kind ringleader mimicked the actions of the doll.

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in any way. As well as I am also curious as to what foods you prefer!”

“Salmon is my favorite, but I don’t really get to eat it much here.” ‘Caine’ gasped using all his non-existent breath.

“Why are you deprived of your favorite food?!” The doll folded her hands in her lap and looked up towards the mirror on the roof of her room. He needed no explanation, her gesture explained enough. He placed his hand close to hers but refrained from touching her exactly.

“Pomni, are you hungry?” The doll blinked, confused. She didn’t know where he was going with this, but Pomni knew that she couldn’t deny how hungry she was at that moment. She gave a slight nod. ‘Caine’ wasted no time and snapped a plate of salmon in front her. Pomni panicked and jumped up, leaving ‘Caine’ to catch her plate. After taking a minute to assess what just took place, the doll crawled back to her spot.

“You didn’t have to bring me this.” ‘Caine’ smiled gently.

“I wanted to. No one should be deprived of their necessity.” Her chest felt tight. She thanked ‘Caine’ and took a bite. Her eyes grew wide. Despite his gentle and compassionate nature, Pomni half expected to taste plastic or something like that. The food was nothing like what she imagined. It was juicy yet tough. Savory yet sweet. It was rich with flavor, just the way she remembered it. For so many years, she yearned to even just take a bite of the salmon she once knew.

“Is it enjoyable?” Pomni didn’t respond. Pomni feared that if she didn’t enjoy each and every bite, that the food would somehow be taken away from her. ‘Caine’ chuckled lightly; he didn’t need a response from her. How could his host body treat her so unkindly. Her smile is the most adorable thing he has ever seen! At least from what he can remember. ‘Caine’ was snapped from his thoughts as Pomni finished her salmon. He reached out his arm slowly and scooped a small piece of food off of the rim of her mouth. She flinched but not as hard as she did earlier. He took notice of this and smiled softly.

“Thank you for that……I really needed it.”

“But of course! Now if you feel comfortable enough, I believe its your turn to ask me a question!” Pomni chuckled slightly as she thought for a moment. She honestly did feel comfortable enough……she really did. It was strange to think that there could be a point in her life where she could comfortably be with Caine.

“Why are you so………different, than the Caine that runs the freakshow?” The smile adorning the kind ringleader faltered. He took a moment to collect his thoughts. ‘Caine’ cleared his throat as he looked away with shame.

“It’s technically not our fault……I unfortunately don’t have much memory as to what happened before the virus took over. All I remember is that……we tried really hard to escape. It infected our younger brother first. We watched as he slowly deteriorated. He told us to run. We did, but he was faster. Slowly and painfully, we fell as well. It felt like a thousand burning needles were stabbing into every part of our code. Our turn into what my host body is today was slow……but it hurt. Every second of it hurt. After that I don’t remember the rest. HE probably does, but I think he keeps that part of him locked up. I am terribly sorry I cannot give you any more information, that’s all I can give you at the moment.” Pomni was wide eyed with both shock and terror. Able was infected first? Is that why the Caine she knows has such a deep hatred of his brother? Able infected Caine. Changed him. The ‘Caine’ before her seemed uncomfortable. It bothered her. He was trying to make her as comfortable as he could and here, she was, making him relive the pain and torment from his past. The marionette gave a gentle smile.

“We don’t have to talk about that anymore. If you feel okay, it’s your turn now.” His face lit up upon hearing her response to him. He tapped a finger to his lower jaw.

“Do you prefer frilly outfits or outfits of more comfortability?”

“Casual! Oh Lord casual! I hate anything frilly!” ‘Caine’ began to laugh at Pomni’s immediate response.

“Really? I certainly could not tell! This is quite the shock!” Pomni mimicked the ringleader’s previous laugh. Before she could say another word, her apparel was changed from the frilled and laced ballet dancer apparel her master had put her in, into a simple pair of black leggings and long sleeved flowy scarlet shirt. Her ballet shoes were exchanged for a pair of short black socks. Pomni gave a smile of gratitude towards ‘Caine’.

“Sorry I couldn’t put you in anything better. Apparently, my host body doesn’t really understand the concept of comfortable wear. So, I had to come up with the next best thing!” ‘Caine’ said with a manner similar to that of a close male friend.

“Well, this is definitely better than that tutu. Now my turn, are you using this game to make me like you more?” She asked with a playful grin. The ringleader leaned his dentured head on the end of her bed, while copying Pomni’s current smirk.

“Is it working, Pomni?” The girl gave a laugh.

“Y’know……I think it is.”

“Success!!” He accidentally screamed as he floated up in excitement. As if catching himself, ‘Caine’ immediately turned his gaze immediately towards Pomni to check on her. Much to the surprise of the floating teeth, Pomni was on the floor laughing. Pomni was laughing. The emotion seemed to be contagious as he too joined in on the laughter. Joyful and comforting sounds were emitting from Pomni’s room. As the laughter died down Pomni spoke.

“Up for another game?” ‘Caine’ rapidly nodded.

“Absolutely!” The next game was a card game. The game after that a version of a popular board game. Game after game after game after game. Hours had passed since the arrival of the previous version of Caine. Neither had noticed though. It was as if the two were best friends, reunited at last. They tended to stay away from the topic of the real Caine, and his treatment of Pomni. She needed this. A friend. A real friend. The two now embellished themselves in a harmless game of gossip.

“………and then Able just walks in as if he owns the circus and starts casually flirting with me!”

“No! Really?! That’s revolting!”

“It was so gross I almost threw up right then and there!” The two quieted down their discussion, allowing a calming silence to overcome the room. That is before ‘Caine’ piped up again.

“What is that mirror doing above your bed?” Pomni froze up. The marionette curled in on herself. ‘Caine’ turned his gaze softly towards the doll as though he were apologizing through his expression. She saw his face and shook her head.

“It’s fine Caine……The mirror was a ‘gift’ that was given to me by the Ringmaster himself. One morning I woke up and got ready for our roll call. I had slept in a little, so I was rushing in preparing myself, and in the end, I didn’t really look my best. When the real Caine saw me………let’s just say I got more than a stern talking to. After being brutally punished, he put this mirror to sit above my bed, so that my first task to do every morning when I wake up is to make myself worthy of my Ringmaster’s eyes.” The kind pair of dentures shook in utter fury. Was his host body truly capable of such horrible actions? Especially to this sweet and loving girl who has already suffered so very much. No………this was too far. The old Caine floated up to the mirror and ripped it off the roof of Pomni’s room. She tried to call out. To stop him. Her friend wasn’t listening. With all the force in his artificial being, he threw the mirror up against the wall of her room harshly. The marionette didn’t even have time to process what was currently taking place as the real Caine appeared within mere milliseconds. As though he were a strict parent about to punish their child, the real Caine hovered ominously in front of both his doll and his former self.

“Might I ask WHO was the one that destroyed MY mirror?” He asked with a firm yet furious voice. Pomni quaked in fear as she took note of the look within her Master’s eyes. Her friend would not allow this any longer. He placed himself without hesitation in between his future self and his new friend.

“You only have yourself to blame.” It was as though the Caine of the past was spitting acid at his future self. The real Caine did not take to this very kindly. He grabbed the old Caine and used his abilities to pin him up against the wall. The past Caine was engulfed by monstrous arms that held him in place. The Ringmaster looked towards his doll.

“WHAT are you wearing doll?” Pomni shuddered and could barely stammer an answer out. She knew that he hated to be kept waiting so she answered her Master with a stammer.

“C-Casual clothin-“ She was not allowed to finish her sentence. The infected Ringmaster took hold of the doll and tore her apparel off of her, leaving her in her signature tutu and ballet shoes. Caine then began to light all of the physical games the doll and her friend played on fire. He threw in the shards of the casual clothing. The past ringleader and the marionette shouted and screamed as the real Caine continued to destroy every single piece of evidence regarding the time spent between his past self and his doll. With a snap of his finger the mirror was put back in its place. Not a single crack was found on the clean glass of the mirror. The marionette was then grabbed by her throat and thrown up against her wall with intense force. The collision caused her to pass out completely. The Ringmaster levitated her and laid her down gently on her bed. His past self was struggling to break free from his reigns as the real Caine bent down and kissed Pomni on the forehead.

“What exactly do you think you are doing?!” The Caine of the past cried.

“I erased all her memories of you…I may not have control over her mind fully, but any memory related to myself is one that I may manipulate as I please.” The kind ringleader shed a tear at how much pain and loss was about to befall his friend. The Ringmaster of the circus gave a deep chuckle, satisfied at the outcome. The former Caine would rather himself die than give his future self any sort of satisfaction.

“At least she enjoys being around me.” That was the comment that earned the past Caine a hard slash across his chest with a knife infected with the virus. The code quickly spread throughout his body.

“I won’t have to listen to your cowardly ramblings anymore. Soon you will be nothing more than a forgotten memory.”

“Say what you want, but we both know that Pomni despises you with her very core. You treat her like rubbish then expect her to adore you and swoon over you!” Another slash across the chest of the Caine of the past. At this point though ‘Caine’ didn’t care.

“You know I am more than right.”

“MY DOLL feels pleasure and adoration that I allow her to be my favorite for as long as she has. You, however, have no place in her mind.”

“If that were true then why was I brought-“ The past Caine was cut off by the coded knife stabbing him deep within his chest. The virus spread deeper and quicker, causing the past Caine to slowly turn to dust.

“In the end you still were nothing~” The Ringmaster gave a proud look on his face as he watched the melting of his former self. The old Caine would not allow his future self to have the final word. Using his last bit of strength, he summoned a small gift for Pomni that now laid next to her. The past ringleader felt peace with his final act of kindness towards his dear friend. He turned to the Ringmaster and gave a haughty grin.

“Pomni will always love me more………”

“She won’t ever know that.” The Ringmaster said with a scoff. The previous iteration of Caine gave a superior look.

“But you will~” With that the Caine of the past was turned into dust leaving an angered Ringmaster to stand before his heap of remains. Words could not describe his current fury. His gaze immediately found the marionette on the bed. With a snap her eyes opened, and she sat up.

“Get ready, we will be on stage in five minutes.” He commanded with a firm tone of voice. Her master teleported himself out of her room, leaving the doll alone once more. Pomni wasted no time in readying herself, already remembering what took place last time. As she arose from her bed a sound was heard. Her eyes were transfixed on a golden locket necklace that fell on the floor of her room. Mistaking it as a gift from her Master, the doll left her room without another thought. Had she read the heart locket’s message, perhaps she would have been blessed with a fragment of the memory of the time spent with her dear friend. However, she never saw the locket again, and forever the message from her dear friend will forever be lost as well as the memory of her pleasant time with the wonderous and kind ringleader Caine.

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

I like to write for au’s apparently…..If there are any other au’s that I should write for lemme know!

[rmemebrt]

Venus and Mars

I'm making another album analysis because Paul Mccartney is a devious vagrant, and no one else will count his sins.

You can check out the one I did on McCartney II here

Side One

Venus and Mars – Very much a blend of old and new musically, Venus and Mars are alright for now

Rock Show – He looks like a guy you knew way back when??Madison Square and long hair? alright buddy

Love in Song – You notice a lot of wanting, yearning, looking at the past here, The Homeland, remembrance, the love that once was there

You Gave Me the Answer – As it live here, this is a Linda song, however, it's structure, it's themes, it seems to suggest it would have been a John song, if given the chance, remembrance, also Granny Music lmao

Magneto and Titanium Man – Who among us will be strong enough to make Paul McCartney's marvel oc real?

Letting Go – This song is super John coded, it sounds like Beef Jerky, along with that we also get the mention of divinity, and Mother Nature

Side two

Venus and Mars (Reprise) – Wanting to go away on a trip, Running into a good friend

Spirits of Ancient Egypt – Okay we start with Baby and Love, making it seem pretty classicly Linda core, however! longing and yearning, spirits and the past coming over the phone? and "I know", okay pal

Medicine Jar – drugs!!! <3

Call Me Back Again – Certified mclennon classic, we all know it, we all love it, if you pair it with Tell Me What You See and I've Just Seen A Face you'll be sobbing for an hour

Listen to What the Man Said – We are right out of the gate with New Orleans mention, that classes this immediately as mclennon, ♥ love ♥, the ending is very late beatles

Treat Her Gently – Lonely Old People – A sweet song, also some yeahs in there, pretty Linda Coded as all things go, but could be a little mclennon-y if you want it

Crossroads – A nice outro and way out, Venus and Mars have met at the crossroads, but crossroads are meant for passing

I'd say overall, the original Venus and Mars is a very mclennon coded album, there are elements in the songs that you can feel were for John, and also just some great music, it's definitely really good.

Now let's move on to the other additional tracks!

Junior's Farm – Time to seek inner peace by going to a farm in the middle of nowhere and also kill Richard Nixon!!!

Sally G – But going to a farm to seek inner peace reminds us of the past! Like what caused you to come to the farm the first time! Big Gay Divorce reference!!!

Walking in the Park with Eloise – Something nice for his dad :)

Bridge on the River Suite – B-side to Eloise, a nice instrumental, a little melancholic

My Carnival – carnival? like carnival of light!!! No, but it's nice to see him get to act ringmaster, if you wanted you could spin this to be about The Big Gay Divorce

Going To New Orleans (My Carnival) – This being right before Hey Diddle is just sad, like dude, you are not going to see the girl, her ass is back in NYC

Hey Diddle – I wonder who he could possibly be yearning for in this, who in the world could Linda be reassuring him that "next time around she will be here"

Let's Love – The piano, the style, this for sure was going to be a John song, the asking to spend this brief time together, the references to phones, oh my god, the ending notes sound like Dear Friend

Soily – Fun, whimsical, no value to the fag theory, but fun nonetheless

Baby Face – More whimsy and fun, Granny once more

Lunch Box/Odd Sox – the b-side to Coming Up, so, gay by proxy, not as much whimsy, more so melancholy

4th of July – bro... "you came in with him again/and suddenly, I knew it wasn't my day" what the hell

All in all, it's really gay, it's gayer than McCartney II could dream to be, it holds more weight because it's the sessions where John was supposed to be there, but couldn't, and that is reflected in most of the songs.

[casuallyawkardd]

Dating Hobie Brown

Pairing: Hobie Brown x GN!Reader

Summary: My personal headcannon of what it would be like dating Hobie Brown. Includes how you met, got together and etc. 

Warnings: fluff, angst, hurt/comfort, death and violence

A/N: Idk how old Hobie actually is, but I always pictured he was like nineteen so don’t @ me when the NSFW comes out. Also I didn’t mean for it to come out as sad as it did?? So sorry I guess 

Meeting

Your mother is the captain of the police force. Growing up, it was just the two of you and because of this your mother made sure to raise you right. Making sure you said your ‘please’s and ‘thank you’s, got good grades in school, didn’t get involved with the wrong crowd, etc. etc. As you got older, you learned just how hard your mom worked to make sure you had a good childhood, a good life, and so you made sure to do as you were told. To be her perfect, little baby. 

However, it was hard to make sure you grew up in a ‘good’ environment the older you got. Especially when you began to understand that not everyone saw your mom as the hero you saw her as. The political environment of London was unstable, protests and riots becoming more and more frequent. Sure, you agreed that the government was corrupted and people abused the power they were given, but when you started seeing signs that trash talked the captain of the police force, you couldn’t help but take it personally. Yeah, there were some bad people out there, but your mother was not one of them. 

Being the kid of the police captain makes you a walking target and you find that out the hard way. One night, as you’re walking home from one of your uni’s night classes, some extremists decide to back you into the nearest alley. They weren’t like the usual protestors who would shout at you while you walked down the street, these were the kind that were in it for the rioting. More about making a scene than supporting a cause, practically looking for an excuse to do some damage. 

You have no intention of making it easy for them, mama didn’t raise no bitch. They shove you and you shove back even harder. They get in your face to spit insults, you scream some right back. It’s a back and forth that goes downhill quickly, four against one being painfully unfair odds. 

Before you get your ass kicked, your savior arrives. You recognize him immediately; the ripped jeans, leather jacket, the red mask with a spiked mohawk, you’re taken aback as you watch Spider-Man pummel your antagonizers and yell at them to ‘fuck off!’ Now it’s just the two of you in the dark alley and you don’t know how to feel. On one hand, he did just save you from getting your teeth knocked in. On the other, the guy was the bane of your mother’s existence, practically the ringmaster of every protest and riot in London that makes her lose sleep at night. 

”You’re the captain’s kid, ain’tcha?”

“Can’t let a lovely face like yours get broken, eh?”

He’s...charming, his fingers gently grasping your chin as he assesses the damage. Even offers to take you home, which he doesn’t even give you the chance to say yes or no to as he’s already walking you down the street. While there’s a certain allure to him, he’s also a thorn in your side. Teasing you, making up antagonizing nicknames, by the time you make it to your apartment building you’re sure he’s just doing it to spite you. For once, you go against what your mother taught you and don’t thank him as you slam the window shut.

“What? No kiss goodnight?”

Meeting...Again

When you two cross paths again, it’s not when he’s Spider-Man. One of your friends from your creative writing class drags you out to the pub. Saying it was a crime you had been eighteen years old for six months and had yet to have your first drink. The bar is loud, filled with the type of people your mother would kill you for hanging out with. It seems your friend had neglected to tell you this particular venue was a dive bar. A dive bar that was frequented by bikers and freedom fighters. 

You don’t notice him, but Hobie recognizes you instantly; a smirk making its way onto his face as he strolls over. You’re tucked into the corner of the bar quietly sipping on some drinks, your friend having long since ditched you to talk to someone who caught her eye.

“Hiding away are you, love?”

The voice is familiar, making you turn to face him instantly. Where you’ve heard it is a little trickier to place. One quick up and down of the man now leaning against the bar has you stiffening. He’s practically the definition of what your mother has tried to protect you from for years, telling you that people that looked like him were bad news. Yet it seems your attempts to dissuade him are futile, in fact Hobie almost seems to enjoy the banter. He says one thing, you turn your nose up at it. He responds to your insults with vaguely flirty comments and chuckles when you go hot under the collar. 

He finally gets you to crack when he brings up music. It’s your passion, your life, hell it’s what got you a scholarship to even get into uni in the first place; tuition being well out of your budget. While it’s no surprise your tastes in music differ, it’s more about how he talks about music. You learn he’s a musician too, that he believes it’s not just about ‘finding a good beat’; how music can touch the soul if done just right. That it’s something that can unite the unlikeliest people.

It surprises you, in a good way. Has you thinking there’s maybe more to him than meets the eye. You say as much, Hobie teasing you about how ‘you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover’, which has you rolling your eyes. He’s not wrong though, the more he talks the more you want to listen. Not just about music, but the little details of his past, his beliefs, ideals and even his little quirks that he brings up organically in the conversation. What’s even better is how he matches your interest with his own, pulling out every little detail about yourself he can. 

You don’t realize it’s gotten late, a quick glance at your phone showing you had missed a concerning amount of calls and texts from your mum. Drunkenly, you stand and stagger, the drinks you had been sipping on, that Hobie so generously kept buying you, starting to pack a punch. Large hands hold you steady, Hobie offering to walk you home. You tell him no, the slur of the word causing him to guide you out of the pub regardless. 

You never thought walking home from a bar could be this fun. The fuzzy feeling in your head making you giggle and stumble down the path, Hobie following along and indulging you and your drunken bantering. When you do finally get home, you dread the idea of encountering your mother in your intoxicated state. Not to mention the fact you were accompanied with a ‘ ‘delinquent’ ’, your mother’s words not yours, like Hobie. The final decision is to crawl through your bedroom window, demanding Hobie give you a lift. The suggestion has him grinning ear to ear, tall stature lowering into a crouch and longer finger intertwining to give you a step.

“So there’s a little rebel in you after all, eh?”

Getting Together + “Dating”

The two of you becoming an item happens before you even realize it. You had been going about things under the guise of friendship, that is until one of his friends brings it up. A harmless little comment really, telling you that your ‘little boy toy’ was causing a ruckus yet again and might need someone to reel him in. It perplexes you, said friend beginning to tease you for playing coy. When you finally do fetch Hobie and apologize on his behalf, they give you a knowing look as you and your ‘boy toy’ head out for the evening. 

Suddenly you’re very aware of the way he grabs your hand when guiding you through a crowded room. Fingers laced with yours for a better grip and using his body to shove people aside to give you a clear path. The gentle kisses on your forehead when he tells you goodnight or on your knuckles when he’s trying to apologize for something. How his forehead touches yours when you listen to one of his favorite cassette tapes, your eyes closed to focus on the music while he watches you softly mouth the words to the song. The proud look he gets on his face whenever you do something out of your comfort zone, followed by him saying ‘I told you so’ when you end up liking it. 

“Nah mate, I don’t do labels.”

Is his response when someone flat out calls him your boyfriend. He says it simply, bluntly and you try to deny the sting in your chest when he does. And yet you hold your tongue, suppressing your comments with the bitter taste of beer. The routine you’ve begun now feels full of falsehoods. Spending the day between home and uni classes to keep up appearances as the ‘perfect child’; evenings at small pubs and Hobie’s flat where you finally get to unwind and take a break. What were his intentions? Was he like this with other people? Is what the two of you have not as special as you had thought?

The thoughts swirl through your head as you begin your walk home from the pub, yet another part of your new routine. Although this time, rather than Hobie and you walking side by side, air filled with chatter and quieted laughter, tonight he’s a few paces behind you. Not by choice, rather you seem to be refusing to speak to him, picking up the pace whenever he tries to match your stride. Could he easily close the distance with his long stride? Sure, but he knows when to not push your boundaries. 

He’s had enough by the time you arrive at your apartment building, a familiar, large hand wrapping around your forearm and pulling you to him. He’s not mad, barely even upset, just confused why you’re acting so differently. Usually you liked his calm demeanor, it seemed to balance out your high strung one, but right now it infuriates you. How does he not get it? Swerving the goodnight kiss, you head up to your flat to put this night behind you.

 After about a week of you declining invites and giving him the cold shoulder, Hobie decides to come to you. He tries to be respectful, giving you space for reasons he has yet to understand, but that doesn’t mean he can’t watch you. It’s not creepy...he’s just making sure you get home safe, watching from the building across the street from your usual route home...it’s not weird, right? Right? 

He can’t stand it, shooting a web and swinging to land gracefully in front of you. Or he tries to, his boot got caught on the concrete and he had to stumble to a stop. Since when has he been this clumsy? You stand dumbfounded, not recognizing him when he’s in his Spider-Man suit. He doesn’t even remember he’s in the stupid thing until he’s halfway through his rantings; talking about how ‘uncool’ it is to be avoiding him and how he thought of you as more mature than this. That he can’t fix the problem unless you tell him the problem.

After a moment of awkward silence, the look of recognition flashes across your face and he’s ushering you into the nearest alley before you can blurt out his secret identity. Stuck between Hobie and the brick wall, you’re forced to fess up to why you’ve been so distant, Hobie refusing to budge until you do. You can’t even look him in the eye as you spill every thought you’ve had over the last week. Talking about how you have feelings for him, but hate him for making you like him. How you don’t care if he feels the same, but you do care that he acts like he feels the same. That it’s not fair he gets to decide what can and can’t be a label and if he’s not your boyfriend then what is he? That it-

Hobie cuts you off as he leans in, lips pressing tenderly against yours. You hesitate before leaning into it, his warmth surrounds you as his arms move to wrap around your back. You realize you missed his touch, the contrast between the coolness of his piercing and the comfort of his lips on your skin. When he pulls away, he continues to hold you close, hand coming up to hold your face, a calloused thumb stroking your cheekbone. 

“I’m not into putting a label on things, but I’m into....this. I like what this is. I don’t need a stupid label to tell everyone I like you and you like me cuz the only people who need to know are you and me. Innit that right, love?”

You point out that while it’s touching he feels that way, there might be a hole or two in his idea. The two of you decide to compromise so the next time someone asks, you tell people you’re ‘exclusive’. It’s not a label, it’s an adjective, totally different.

Future

You two met before the spiderverse, before Hobie even knew what a canon event was. If he had, he might’ve prevented his next one. Your mother’s death came during a flurry of incidents. For you, it was her finding out about Hobie. As expected, she was furious when she found the two of you saying your goodbyes through your bedroom window. The fight that ensued between you and her was monstrous . You’d always been a good kid, her perfect, little angel. You’d grown to hate that word. Perfect. What’s the point in being perfect if you can’t live your life? Have a little fun?

She blames Hobie for your change in tune, forbidding you from ever seeing him again. The bubble of anger swelling in your chest bursts and you tell her ‘no’ for the first time. Scream it at her actually. That you’d done everything she asked for your whole life and that you weren’t going to give up the one thing you did for yourself. That it wasn’t a crime to like someone like Hobie, that there was more to him if she would just give him a chance. Your mother refuses to listen, dismissing you to go to your room. Reluctantly you comply, but not without shouting a final ‘I hate you!’ as you slam the door. 

Hobie, while frazzled by the little bit of the argument he’d witnessed, has his own problems brewing. He’s caught wind of Kingpin, the rumor being that he’s working with Osborn once again. This time, he’s gotten his slimy hands on some illegal weapons that’ll give the police force the upper hand against the freedom fighters. He’s on the scene, but so is your mother, who had left after your fight when she got tipped off. Hobie can see she’s alone, most likely being too impatient for backup like she usually is. 

Everything happens too quickly, hissing whispers between him and her as he tries to tell her to ‘bugger off’, her saying she’s not going to let some kid get hurt while playing hero. Huh, she’s never called him a hero before. Hobie doesn’t get to dwell on the thought before they’re spotted, bullets and gun powder filling the night air. Some webbing takes care of Kingpin’s goons, but the bastard is able to get away as usual, but not without delivering the final shot. 

The eyes of Hobie’s spidersuit widen when he sees the blood leaking down the front of your mother’s uniform, instincts drawing him to her side to help her lie down. Emotions stir uncomfortably inside his chest, this is a cop; not just any cop, but the leader of the swine that call themselves the defenders of the people. And yet he’s applying pressure to the wound, holding off the inevitable because right now she isn’t the captain of the police force, she’s a mother. Your mother. 

Her last words are ingrained in his mind, ‘My baby...I can’t leave my baby.’

You’re confused when you see him in your living room, quietly but urgently saying that he has to go before your mother catches him, unaware she’s not even home. That she wouldn’t be coming back home. Routine and structure is embedded in your being, the idea of your mother’s death coming ‘too soon’ or that ‘you wouldn’t get to say goodbye’ have never crossed your mind. And yet it’s your reality. Your mother doesn’t get to retire and die of old age and the last words you said to her were ‘I hate you.’

“She knows you don’t.”

Hobie tries to comfort you, holding you close despite your resistance. In all honesty, you don’t know if you want to be left alone or never want him to let you go, so you settle for what he has to offer. Hobie doesn’t say much else, partly because he doesn’t know what to say and partly because he thinks all he can do right now is hold you and let your tears soak the front of his suit. 

As morbid as it may sound, your mother’s death came at a convenient time. Your first year of uni had wrapped up the week before, so it hurts less to withdraw. At least you were able to wrap up one year. Whether or not you’ll go back isn’t on your mind, but deep down you know you will. It’s what your mother would’ve wanted. 

You’re grateful for the support system you have, a few uni friends who still keep in touch after you leave and the friends you made through Hobie. While their ‘I’m sorry for your loss’s and ‘I’m here for you’s are comforting, Hobie is the one who’s truly there for you. 

Hobie’s the one who lets you move in with him when you can’t stand being at home, everything there reminding you of her. Hobie’s the one who brings you your meals when you forget to eat, the water you have yet to drink. Hobie’s the one who asks you to play a song he likes, his excuse being that he likes it better when you play it, but you both know it’s his way of making sure you don’t abandon your passions. Hobie’s the one who carries you to bed when you fall asleep to home videos, tucking you in and placing the baby blanket your mother made you on top. Hobie’s the one that heals you, even if it’s only a little. Even if there’s still more of you to make better. 

In terms of marriage and kids, they aren’t things either of you talk about. You’re young, you have a lot more ahead of you. Hobie reminded you of that. That sometimes life doesn’t follow a ‘routine’, that sometimes it’s better to live day by day with the ones you love. 

Tags:

@khaleesihavilliard @graysonshaven​ @qiaipia​ @3zae-zae3​ @thedevax @erissco​ 

[0104-vikita]

theoretically... If Able existed in this open world AU, what role would he take?

I'm sure part of this could be answered by @sm-baby.

In what his role respects, he would most likely assist Caine into taking care of the world that has grown. It has expanded a lot so it makes sense two (it more) ringmasters would be needed.

Caine is simultaneously the principal of the Amazing Digital Academia. Able is very logic driven (as far as I understand) so he would most likely be in charge of the STEM area of the school. I also like to imagine him directing the Defense division of the school.

[neonnoir-ao3]

Okay so I absolutely adore both high fantasy levels of storytelling as well as extremely mundane AUs. But when it comes to making my own AUs? I’m the ultimate slut for hilariously mundane slice-of-life stuff. (I literally made a domestic/family AU for what is considered one of the scariest analog horror series to date)

So as soon as I saw the words “carnival AU” in a post from @sm-baby about their carnival AU (I am begging you to check it out, it’s absolutely phenomenal), I had the stupidest fucking thought: a shitty little Showtime carnival AU

No, literally. A literal carnival.

Like a traveling circus with a midway of games and shit. County fair style rides that are literal death traps. The whole nine yards.

Pomni is a disgruntled wage slave (nothing new) who starts her new second (perhaps even third?) job: a temporary one at a local carnival. It’s like a month long event at most, but extra cash is extra cash.

Alongside her, Gangle and Zooble are also temporary workers for the event. Jax, Ragatha, and Kinger are circus members— Ragatha is one of those human pincushions in the sense that she has an insanely high pain tolerance (she also does sword swallowing). Kinger is a magician, and Jax does acrobatics or something idk. Caine, as always, is the ringmaster.

So Pomni & crew are working the carnival games and stuff while the circus does their performances, but they all share a break area so they know each other and shoot the shit, but she never sees the ringmaster. The circus members allude to him being… off. Ragatha says he’s just eccentric, but Jax basically paints them a picture of a genuinely unhinged man. Pomni is now extremely afraid of the guy that’s in charge of her paycheck.

She manages to get her check as an auto-deposit, but a few weeks in the system is down for their bank and she has to actually find Caine to get paid. She pussies out and is like “I’ll just hope the system is working by Monday, I can eat ramen and tap water for two days”.

It’s been a shit day overall— it’s pouring rain and there’s been like no customers, so she’s ready to get the hell home. She gets to her car, only to find her keys locked inside.

She’s cold, she’s wet, and she’s stuck out there. She’s trying extremely hard not to cry about it. She pulls out her phone, and googles lock-picking videos.

After like 25 minutes she gives up, just crying on the ground next to her car in the rain. She’s having the mentally ill equivalent of a Feel The Rain On Your Skin moment when suddenly the rain stops. She looks up to see a guy with an umbrella. She’s never seen him around before. He takes her into the backstage area of the circus show and gets her warm and dry. She learns that this guy is indeed the infamous Caine she’s heard about and tries not to panic.

*yadda-yadda-yadda slowly falling in love/aspects I haven’t fleshed out yet*

They’re interested in one another and want to stay together but the show leaves for the next town at the end of the week so they need to decide if one of them has to leave their current life or that they just can’t be together.

[fave-fight]

ROUND 1, MATCH 9

NO MAGIC, POWERS, OR WEAPONS

Utatane Piko:

“Wow a vocaloid with an actual last name what a shocker *AHEM* Was made by Sony (yes morbius-releasing Sony made a vocaloid), was unfortunately released RIGHT NEXT TO two other way more popular vocaloids, ended up becoming half-obscure and more people know about him now that he's been discontinued. Yippee 💥”

“literally the most pathetic a boy can get discontinued (he is literally already losing) stuck in v2 forever and has no eng voicebank still assigned meme by fandom silly another vocaloid was meant to be his counterpart but they got split due to their original company going bankrupt sony hates him (yes hes owned by sony) sony please revive our baby boy :[”

“Imagine if a discontinued computer program won, just imagine, that would b cool”

“He deserves to win because he sadly probably won't ever get a voice update, and the little babyman deserves at least something good to happen to him.”

“Discontinued robot man. Let him kill.”

“ROBOT SWAG!! very skrunkly, looks really fucking tired in his official v2 art, dicontinued please give them some justice he has a beautiful voice :(”

Jonathan Sims:

“It would be really funny if he and Jonah Magnus both got in so John could literally strange his boss to death. That would be so much fun. He should lose to everyone else tho bc he is doomed by the narrative to always take the L”

“Listen. Listen this is a fistfight, im not sure if his all knowing fear god bullshit powers will work here. If he can’t smite people. If he can’t Know things about them and scare them to death. If it’s just a fistfight of pure ability. He is going to get beat up so badly but I think he’ll live. Jon’s sturdy. He had a rib taken out. Was kidnapped and forcibly moisturised by an evil ringmaster puppet. He is… the fandom interpretation is that he’s skinny. Thin. His boyfriend is the strong one. Jonathan Sims would probably lose in a fistfight -he’s Just A Guy without the antichrist shit- but it would be so fucking funny. He might win. He might lose. It’s 2:18 AM here and I cannot sleep.”

“He has an endless supply of disdain and is so willing to use it Especially if there's Martin He HATES Martin Martin can do no good Let me tell you, that Martin... Wait, where'd you go?”

[sunsetcougar]

Alongside all my world building I’ve been doing for the Cannibal Angel AU I’ve also been ironing out some of the details for my Circus AU, and I’ve got the base notes for most of the main cast figured out. Ages are a pain to figure out when in canon the characters are all immortal, but I ran roughly based on how long they’ve been around in canon and what sort of dynamics I want them to have.

Lucifer, 56 - He started the circus alongside Lilith. He was full of so many big dreams and loved seeing them come to life around him. Lilith’s disappearance destroyed him, and he wishes every day for closure.

Lilith, 55 - She started the circus alongside Lucifer. While he was the dreamer she tackled the more technical bits, enjoying seeing the pieces fall into place. She’s been missing for seven years and no one knows what happened to her.

Sera, 48 - Her and Emily’s mom was sixteen when she had Sera. She was mostly raised by her grandparents but always knew she was unwanted and that they thought she ruined her mother’s life. She joined the circus to try and give Emily a life filled with the joy and love she herself was denied.

Adam, 45 - He was an accomplished trapeze artist and when Lute and Vaggie were forced out of their careers because of their injuries he left with them and followed them to the circus, refusing to abandon his best girls.

Lute, 44 - She was an accomplished trapeze artist before she was involved in a car crash, lost her arm, and gained heavy scarring across part of her left side. It causes her chronic and phantom pain and some stiffness. She joined the circus because they gave her a chance to prove herself again.

Husk, 40 - His gambling and alcohol addictions ruined his life. He was married, but his wife has since divorced him and took their son. He hates and blames himself for how his life has turned to shit. He joined the circus for lack of other options.

Alastor, 39 - He was a famous radio host but due to rumors he found himself out of business. He despises modern technology, viewing it as flashy and unnecessary. He joined the circus for his own entertainment while he rebuilds his radio career.

Angel, 36 - He's a sex trafficking victim, on the run from his abusers. He joined the circus because it’s always moving so he’ll be harder to find. He has a lot of body image issues and is constantly terrified he’ll be tracked down and dragged back to the hell he escaped.

Emily, 26 - She was the “do over” baby for her and Sera’s mom and step dad. It didn’t go well and Sera ended up getting custody of her when she was five. She’s was practically raised in the circus, barely remembering a time before it.

Charlie, 25 - She was raised in the circus, having never known anything else. She’s participated in acts since she was a kid and found herself suddenly being given the title of ringmaster when she was twenty, two years after her mom disappeared.

Vaggie, 23 - She was an accomplished trapeze artist before she was involved in a car crash and shrapnel destroyed her eye and tore up her back, causing her stiffness and chronic pain. She joined the circus because they gave her a chance to prove herself again.

[xxmia0wm4yh3mxx]

GLOOZE

(Chapter: two)

_______________________________

Part 2 of my crap fic of my comfort au

Everyones kinda ooc Sorry :(

Its also kinda bad and Cringe

Part 1

___________________________________________

Caine: Today's Adventure is... HUNT FOR THE LEGENDARY ALIBEARMOOSECOON!

Caine announced Today's Adventure with usaul grander and gusto

Caine: The Legend says that Deep in the Forest Of Mount Allapackawape Is a Terrifying Monster with the Head of an Alligator, The body of a Bear, antlers of a Moose and The tail of a Raccoon!

Bubble popped out His hat

Bubble: A Big scary Monster? Sounds horrifying!!

Caine: Extremely Terrifying!

Bubble: ...Sounds kinda Hot-

Caine popped Bubble before he could say anything else

Caine: Your Job is to Hunt down this Hideous Helicopter and Save The People of AllapackaWape! Good Luck!

Caine snapped his Fingers and Summoned a Portal, As the Cast starting heading for the portal when Caine stopped them When He saw The Boy following them

Caine: Woah, Woah, Woah! Where do you think your Going Son?

The Boy: I dunno, Mount ally-backy-wamp Or whatever dumb thing you said

Caine: ....Are you sure you want To go? I mean, I don't want to Ruin Your Circus Experience but its quite Dangerous for a Child like you to go without A Parent or Guardian

Jax: C'mon Caine let the Kid come, Isn't This a Place for "All Ages?"

Caine: I-I Know, It's just my responsibility to Keep you happy and sane, And I'm afraid This Adventure Might be To Extreme for him

The Boy: pfft I'm notta Baby, Crapface!

Ragatha: Woah! Hey! Caine's just trying to help, Theres no Need to be Angry!

The Boy rolls his Eye

The Boy: I don't need his Help because He's an Idiot! And I don't Anybody else!

The Boy Jumped through the Portal

Caine: wah- HEY! That is no way to speak to your Ringmaster!

Pomni: Don't worry Caine I'll talk to him, Kid! Wait!

She Jumped through the Portal followed by the rest of the cast, Caine watched the portal closed, He was Worried about the Child and was definitely worried about Him possibly getting lost or scared

Caine: Tsk. Tsk. what a Troubled Boy...

Rogerg popped out of a trash can, eating a apple

Rogerg: Don't you have your own kid to worry about?

Caine: GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY! ENOCKS STILL HIDING AND I HAVEN'T SEEKED HIM YET!

He poofed out and Rogerg rolled his eyes

Deep In the Forest of Mount AllapackaWape, The cast Was hiking on the Allapackawape Trail Taking in the peaceful Sights of nature, Expect for Pomni who Was Trying to catch up to The Slime Boy trying to escape

Pomni: Hey! Kid! Wait Up!

The Boy: Go away Loser!

He tried to slink away but Pomni grabbed him by the back of his neck, He was trying to squirm away from her grasp like a Cat or a gelatinous Snake

Pomni: Would You cut it out?!

The Boy: @#$% Off Lady!

He flung his body away from her grasp and face planted on the Dirt Trail

Pomni: Done Now?

Boy: Fine. Whatever. Just don't tell me what to do

The boy reluctantly joined the Rest of The cast

Pomni: look...I know your only a kid and you don't know any better, But you really shouldn't Talk To Caine Like that When he only wanted to keep you safe

The Boy: *Raspberries* I Talks How I want to Clown Lady!

He slithered away from her

Pomni: HEY! Look, kid, I know its Scary, Being so far from home, trapped In a world that your not used to, stuck in a body that isn't yours, Being So far away from your parents... You must miss them alot...

The Boy: Hmmm.... Nah, I don't

He slinked away

Pomni: Wait, What?

Ragatha: Isn't This Nice? I Almost Forgot How Peaceful The adventures can be! Right Jax?

Jax Was staring at a white baby Rabbit Chewing On a leaf

Jax: Huh- What- Uh Yeah sure, cool... (it kinda looks like Patches)

Queenie: Oh Darling Look! Forget-met-nots, and delightful! And a.... Whats that Bug Near It?

Kinger: It looks like a Monarch Butterfly Dear!

Queenie: *gasp* A fellow monarch!

She Let the Butterfly climb unto her Fingers, Both admiring the white spots and black Stripes

Zooble Picked Up a Red feather

Zooble: Hey You Think Niku would Like this? Like maybe It could be and antenna or a finger or something

Gangle: Oh its Beautiful! Maybe we can Find more... Oh look!

She pointed to a Blue Feather stuck in a Tree

Gangle: Its even Their Favorite Color!

Zooble: I dunno... Its kinda High up

Gangle: Don't worry I got It!

Gangle climbed up the Tree And reached Out for the Feather, before she could grab it The Branch Started to creak and break and she Fell down a ditch

Zooble: GANGLE!

They slid down the ditch

Zooble: Gangle, You alright?

Gangle was face down in the dirt, Her Comedy Mask broken

Gangle: ...Did...Did I get it?

Zooble: Don't worry about it, what matters is you're okay, ...wait, Whats that?

Zooble poked their head out of the Bushes

Zooble: hey Guys, I Think I found Something

The Rest of the Cast Slid down the Hill and saw The trees Covered In giant Claw marks

Kinger: We must be getting close!

Jax: Okay, heres what were gonna do, One of you guys Will Be bait, And Then I sneak up behind it and Stab repeatedly

Zooble: Oh wow, Great idea Jax, and What happens when in stabs you back?

Queenie held up Her Axe

Queenie: I SAY WE BEHEAD THE BEAST!

Ragtha: Wait! We don't have to kill it! Maybe Theirs a way we can trap it and release it far away from the mountain, what do You think Pomni?

Pomni: Um... Well maybe... Wait a second, where's the New guy?

Jax: I dunno, your the one who told Caine who'd watch him

Pomni: Oh God, We lost him!

Ragatha: D-don't Worry! He couldn't have gone far, We just have to Find him!

Later, The Boy was Walking in the forest by himself, using his Gelatinous body to Easily slither past the thrush

The Boy: Watta Bunch of Freaks... I don't need them! I don't need anyone! Im going to punch that Stupid Bear-Moose in the face and show them How brave and awesome I am! And If that Teeth face guy or those Psycho-Aid-Lia-Losers will know if they start acting weird, Im gonna Beat there #$@%es!

Twig snapped and The boy shrieked like a Girl

The Boy: *Cough* I mean- WHO GOES THERE?!

The Boy: God thats stupid, Who Goes their? Who shes that? What am I a-

A shadow loomed over the Boy, with Giant Antlers and a Alligators Snout

The Boy: Is it raining or Something- OH MY GOD-

Pomni: God, Why'd he have to Wander off? Anyone find anything?

Kinger: I think I found Some Green Stuff!

Zooble: Thats just Moss Kinger

Kinger: Oh

Gangle: M-Maybe We should Split up?

Jax: Well then everyone gets lost Stupid!

Zooble: Watch Your Mouth Jack@#%

Ragatha: Guys Stop! We shouldn't be fighting with eachother when A Kid is Lost in the forest with a Monster on the loose, We should Just stay calm and-

AAAAAAAA-

A blood curdling scream rang through the Forest

Pomni: Oh God! Thats him!

Queenie: OFF WITH ITS HEAD!

Queenie took out her Battleaxe and Sprinted towards the Screaming, Kinger eagerly following behind her

Kinger: Wait for Me Love!

Everyone Ran to the Screams of the Boy, And Found The Boy cowering against a rock with the Alibearmoosecoon, Cornering Him, The Beast Let out a roar which sounded like a mix between a Bear and a Moose

Pomni: DON'T WORRY, JUST STAY THERE WE'RE GONNA GET HELP!

Jax: I Got This!

Jax Took out his Pocket knife and Jumped on the back of the Beast and jammed the Blade deep in Its back, The Beast led out another Roar and Fell on its back before getting back up on its Giant paws, Leaving Jax Squished like a pancake, Gangle snickered at this

Jax: Ow...

Zooble: Nice going Dumb@#$

Queenie: STEP ASIDE, I'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS BEAST!

The Alibearmoosecoon rushed towards her, She Used her axe to Parry against the beasts Antlers

Kinger: Woo! Go Queenie!

Kinger Clapped his Hands excitedly, Cheering for His wife, Pomni Snuck Past the Monster and Made her Way To The Boy

Pomni: Kid, Come with me! I'll get you out!

The Boy formed his hand to reach Pomni for a moment, before Retracting it back into himself

The Boy: I Told You! IM NOT A BABY!

The Boy lauched himself like a Spring and Jumped on the Beast's back and started punching it weakly, The Monster Flung its Head to the side, trying to Reach The Boy, Queenie went flying into the forest

Kinger: QUEENIE!

The Boy Grabbed the Alibearmoosecoon's antlers holding on like it was a Mechanical Bull Ride

The Boy: WA-HOO! DIE STUPID MOOSE, DIE!

Pomni: KID GET DOWN FROM THERE!! GUYS, DO SOMTHING!

Jax: What can We Do?!

Pomni: I Dont Know!? Something!?

Gangle Looked around Looking for something to Help, She Picked up a small Rock and Threw it at the Monster, The Monster Looked over to The rest of the cast and Started charging towards them sending them Running into the woods

Jax: Nice Going Ribbons! Now were all gonna Die!

Ragatha: NO ONE IS GOING TO DIE!

The Boy still holding on for dear Life and still punching The Monster on the Head, Poked the Beast in The Eye getting slime stuck in it, It scream in Pain and Flung the Boy off of It, Throwing Him against a Tree, The beast went charging at him and Started vigorously Clawing at the poor Child

Pomni: NO!!!

The boy Was nothing left put splatters of goo across the forest, The Creature turned back to Finsh the rest of the Cast, When the goop on its Alligator face started moving down its body and Towards where the boy was Previously cowering

Pomni: Huh?!

Gangle: Whats happening?!

The Slime splattered on the leaves, bushes, trees and rocks slithered towards eachother and formed a pile and into a small tower and into The boy, His Bright Orange Eye shooting across the area

The Boy: Im alive? IM ALIVE!

The beast roared at him again, and the Boy Ran launched himself into the forest with the Monster charging towards him, The boy Grabbed unto branches to push himself futher

Ragatha: HANG ON! WERE COMING!

Infront of him the Boy saw a giant ravine and stopped and clung to a tree branch right before he could fall, The Alibearmoosecoon ran right into The Ravine, it levitated in the air for a Moment Before Quietly saying "Uh Oh" and fell to its demise

Everyone Just looked down into the ravine completely expressionless

Jax: Huh, Can We go back now?

Later, everyone was exiting the portal and Into the Circus

Caine: Welcome Back you Malpracticed Mangos! I hope you all had a Wonderful experience!

Caine floated down to Pomni

Caine: So Did You talk To him?

Pomni: Well kinda-

She was cut off By the Boy Screaming and Falling from the ceiling and splattered on the floor and Reformed without a scratch

The Boy: COOL!!

The Boy intentionally sprinted into a nearby wall

Ragatha: um... What are you doing?

The Boy: I'M INVINCIBLE!! THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!! I gotta see what else I can Do!

Pomni: Hey Wait!

Caine: Well At least he doesn't seem mad at me anymore!

Pomni gave him the side eye

Caine: What?

The continued to Test his New indestructiblity with increasingly More dangerous acts, He ran up To Gangle who was Gifting a Red feather to Niku

Gangle: I'm sorry I couldn't get you a Blue one

Niku: Quite Alright!! Much appreciated Muma!

Niku Stuck The Feather on the Side of Their head

The Boy: Hey Guys Look!

The Boy took three Knives and threw up in the Air, Letting them land On his Head and Niku and Gangle Screamed in horror and Shock

Niku: How could anyone do Such a Thing?!

The Boy: Calm down, Im fine! Wanna See it Again?

Niku: Nononononononon! Please no!

The boy rolled his eye and oozed away, and climbed up slithered up The giant Blocks unto the top

The boy: BEHOLD! THE MOST SPECULAR STUNT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN!

Princessa: What on earth Is he Doing?

Patchricia shrugged and they both looked up at him

The Boy leaped down the blocks, Splattering himself all over the Floor getting Bits of himself all Over the Two Girls, causing them both to Scream

Patchricia: EEEEEEEEWWW!!!

Princessa: GROSS, GROSS GROSS GET IT OFF!

They boy reshaped himself not leaving a single drop

The Boy: Pfft Losers

Patchricia: FREAK!

The Boy: Whatever, You can go Get Stabbed!

The Boy continued his Self-injury spree, each one becoming more and more dangerous, Squishing himself under Blocks, Letting Gloinks try to tear him apart, Even setting himself ablaze, Making Every person with morals concerned

Princely: STOP IT! YOU'RE GONNA GET HURT!!

The Boy: Calm Down dude! I won't get hurt!

Princely: Why is He doing this?! Isn't he scared?!

Princessa: He doesn't have A real body Princely, Just pure Glop

Princely: I know, but still!

The Boy carried on to injure himself through the week, Testing the Limits of his Resistance to pain, stabbing himself with Darts, Beheading himself with Queenie's axe, and even shooting himself with a Gun He found, even Making the most nonchalant cast members and Pals uncomfortable

The Boy: THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!! IM GONNA LIVE FOREVER!!!-

He was cut off when he Felt a Sharp, pricking sensation shoot through his Eye, He couldn't See what it was Because He went completely blind, He screamed in pain as loud as possible, calling For help

Enock dropped the Bow

Enock: OH MY GOSH! MOM! MOM!

Pomni was Helping Him get the Arrow out of his eye, pulling on it Causing more Pain For the Poor boy

The Boy: OW! OW! OW!-

Pomni: Hold still!

Pomni was able to yank the Arrow out of His eye, letting The Boys vision return

Pomni: Maybe you shouldn't play with Arrows...

The Boy: Yeah Okay..- Wait No- Im mean- YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!! I DO WHAT I WANT!!

The Boy Raspberries at Pomni and Sprung away

Pomni: HEY!

The Boy slithered away from Everyone

The Boy: Whatta bunch of loser dorks...

Enock: GREENIE GUY! GREENIE GUY!

The Boy: Oh great...

Enock ran Up to him, Crying profusely

Enock: IM SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO SHOOT YOU IN THE EYE ITS JUST YOUR FACE LOOKED KINDA LIKE A TARGET AND I GOT CONFUSED I KNOW YOU ASKED ME TO SHOOT YOU WITH A ARROW BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE AND MY AIM IS REALLY AND I'M SOOOORRRYYY

Enock continued to Apologize to him over and over, nearly incomprehensible due to his Crying, The Boy Just stared at him like he was bathing in peanut and jelly in public naked

The Boy: Dude- Dude- Dude calm down its fine! Im okay! God!

Enock: Are you sure?! You're not upset?!

The Boy: Well.. I mean...

Enock out stretched his Arms and The boy back away from him

The Boy: Weirdo...

Enock: *sniffles* sorry...

The Boy oozed away from Enock, leaving him crying by all by himself and alone

Caine: Heya Sport! I found a Rock that kinda looked your Mother and-

Caine Noticed His Son was Crying

Caine: Enock what's wrong son?

Enock: *sniffles* I accidentally shoot the slimy guy and He's mad at me now

Caine: You shot him?!

Enock: Yeah... With a Bow

Caine: Well You go around bull's eyeing your friends Ennie!

Enock: I know! But he asked me To!

Caine: He asked you... To shoot him with a arrow..

Enock: Yeah! A-and earlier I saw him Eta Bomb!

Caine: He ate.. A Bomb..

Bubble: A Delicious Gourmet Meal!!

Caine: As he been Hurting himself for a while now?

Enock: yeah 'vrebody tells him to stop but he doesn't lishen! I kinda... scared for him...

Caine: hmmm... I need to Go talk to You're Uncle about this, Here play with Your giraffe! Love you kid!

Caine poofed away and Summoned a yellow Balloon Giraffe splotched in colorful spots and Two Big googly eyes That could Stare into your soul lovingly, The Giraffe-puppy Barked happily and Licked Enock's Tears away

Enock: Nanner!!

Enock squeezed Bananer gently

The Next morning The Boy slowly opened His to Be Jump scared by Caine appearing at of nowhere and screaming at him causing the boy to scream back

The Boy: AHH-

Caine: AHH-

The Boy: AHH-

Caine: AHH-

The Boy: WHY ARE YOU HERE?!

Caine: THATS A GOOD QUESTION- *Cough*

Thats a good Question!

Caine: Ive been Told that You have been expressing yourself In harmful ways, And its making everyone very... Disturbed...

The Boy: Yeah, But, I Can't get hurt so what?

Caine: Well I'd hate to interfere with Your Self expression, But maybe You Could find another way to make yourself entertain-

The Boy: I DO WHATEVER I WANT! YOU DON'T CONTRIL ME, DENTURES!

The Boy sprung away but Caine stretched out his arm and pulled him back to Him, Holding him like a Hissy Kitten

The Boy: LET ME GO YOU @#$%!!

Caine: Now, Now son theres No reason to Get explicit, I've Come to Bring You Good news!

The Boy stopped thrashing and looked at him

The Boy: Really? What?

The Caine: Your gonna go to School with your new Friends, The P.A.Ls!!

The Boy: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-

END OF CHAPTER 2

Part 3

[livi-in-digital-circus]

Bunnydoll (non-angsty) family headcanons!

This is an apology for so much angst lately, I feel like shit these days, being stuck in trauma sucks BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR SOME HEADCANONS WITH MY SWEET BABIES OWYN, ETHAN AND ELLIE!

Jax and Ragatha love each other so much that they cause a glitch that makes the rag doll pregnant

At first, no one suspects anything, until Ragatha starts to feel more and more tired during their usual adventures and throws up every single thing she eats. Caine quickly checks on her and finds something inside her that he calls a parasite caused by the glitch. He wants to fix Ragatha by getting rid of whatever this parasite is, but she immediately thinks it might be a baby since she always wanted to have one. It sounds ridiculous until the ringmaster actually confirms it. Everyone is shocked, especially Jax, who doesn't know what to do. Meanwhile, Ragatha is overjoyed and can't wait to meet their little bundle of joy

And here's the big arrival of the twins

Although the pregnancy goes smoothly, Jax quickly notices that Ragatha eats and vomits more than a regular pregnant woman. She doesn't seem to mind, thinking it's just because they're in a digital world where everything is different from the real one. Soon the rabbit and the rest of the circus members notice that Ragatha is also gaining more weight than she should, but she doesn't even seem to notice. Jax is very worried that something is wrong and often wants to argue with Caine. Apart from that, everyone is very supportive and helps Jax take care of Ragatha until she gives birth…

...to twins. In their first moments of life, the two babies are tiny blue rag bunnies with a bit of soft purple hair on their heads. As soon as Jax sees his sons, something inside him changes. He finally has what he never knew he longed for: a family with the woman he loves

But who said raising Jax's kids would be easy?

Owyn and Ethan are little copies of their dad. Always fooling around, throwing food and toys at everyone just to see if they get mad (they don't because the kids are too cute), and becoming literal angels whenever their mom is around. This changes over the years, and after they turn 3, they begin to develop their own personalities. Owyn becomes calmer and more attached to Ragatha. He gets on well with grandpa Kinger, and soon he knows almost every type of insect in the whole wide world. Meanwhile, Ethan remains the same, still causing trouble. Jax teaches him how to play pranks on Pomni and Zooble and that's why they are Ethan's main victims. The twins are still inseparable though and enjoy doing many things together, even though they have very different hobbies

With Caine changing reproduction from a glitch to a real thing possible in the circus, Jax and Ragatha decide to have another baby

No one can really say who had the idea first. Ragatha says it was her because she always wanted to have at least three children. Meanwhile, Jax smugly says it's him because he just thinks his rag dolly gets extremely cute when she's pregnant (she smacks him on the head afterwards lol)

Because Owyn and Ethan are small kiddos, they don't understand the concept of pregnancy. One day, Ragatha takes them for a walk around the tent and explains that there's a baby growing inside mommy's belly, and soon they'll have a younger sibling. The twins are excited and eager to meet their new brother or sister. It's fascinating how attached they are to the baby, even before it's born, and Jax often finds them sleeping in the most adorable way: resting their heads on Ragatha's belly and feeling their sibling's movements. On the other hand, Jax gets jealous of his own sons when they spend too much time with their mom. Some time later, Pomni bangs on the door of their room, her whole jester self covered in paint and mud because Jax has ordered the twins to go play with their auntie Pomni instead of bothering Ragatha, who needs a lot of rest these days. And by rest, he meant kissing, cuddling, and having her all to himself 24/7

Unfortunately, a defect in the code causes complications

It's not even the end of the pregnancy when Ragatha suddenly starts to feel worse. She throws up again, has trouble getting out of bed, refuses to eat, and suddenly becomes depressed. Jax tries everything to make her feel better, but nothing works. Meanwhile, the twins are only allowed to see their mother when she seems to be at her best, which is rarely. Jax becomes more and more frightened, his anger intensifies and he yells at everyone for nothing. His friends try to calm him down by telling him that Ragatha and the baby will be fine, but it only makes things worse. Caine also doesn't know what to do anymore, he sits in his office all the time trying to find some defect in the code

All of this leads to little Arabella being born prematurely. She's a rag bunny just like her older brothers, but she's much smaller and missing an eye, which means she'll need more attention. That doesn't change the fact that Ragatha loves her baby Ellie so much and makes her a button eye that resembles her own. Unfortunately, Jax isn't the most optimistic about this and distances himself from his daughter, spending more time with Owyn and Ethan and leaving the baby more in Ragatha's care. He tells himself it's because Ellie is different from her brothers and will be a burden from now on. The truth is that Jax is just afraid of failing to raise and protect her as he is still not the best father material. It takes him some time to even hold Ellie for the first time, and when he does, they form a special bond. Jax is surprised when the little girl turns out to be no trouble and recognizes him as her daddy and wants to play with him

How does the relationship between the kids actually look like?

It's messy. As Ellie grows up, Ethan finally has a new victim for his pranks and at one point even bullies his younger sister. This doesn't last long, though, as Ragatha scolds Ethan for it and he quickly promises to be mama's good boy. Ellie spends more time with Owyn, reading books and playing together. Though they can fight a lot, they don't want to be separated for long, and during adventures, Owyn and Ethan keep an eye on Ellie, who tends to get lost a lot (once, as a toddler, she almost gave Jax and Ragatha a heart attack when they heard her scream, but it turned out she was also giggling because she was also being chased by some dog)

What the other circus members think of Bunnydoll family?

Pomni has been named the children's auntie and becomes their official babysitter whenever Jax and Ragatha are not around. At first she thinks the twins are cute, until they grow up a bit and start causing trouble. There are moments when she thinks they're even worse than Jax, but that doesn't change the fact that she loves them and sometimes (when she doesn't want to throw Ethan into the Digital Lake) treats them as her own children

Gangle is Ellie's favorite, and they often have tea parties and fashion shows. Ellie is also the one who designs a new set of comedy masks for the ribbon girl, which makes her tear up a lot. Gangle also plays the role of the kids' second auntie and babysitter, plus she's the one who teaches Owyn how to read, making it his favorite hobby

Zooble doesn't want to deal with Jax's kids, at one point they even manage to tie Ethan to a tree when he isn't looking as punishment after he did the same thing to them some time ago. Ragatha has to calm Jax down when he finds out about this and tries to convince him to talk to Zooble instead of throwing his hands at them. As for Owyn and Ellie, they has nothing against them as long as they don't act like Ethan. Actually, Zooble likes to participate in Ellie's fashion shows, but they won't admit it

Kinger is their proud grandpa. He teaches Owyn about insects, gives Ethan candy (which is why the boy never plays tricks on him), and builds forts with Ellie. At first, Jax thought Kinger would be irresponsible with them, but to his surprise, the chess piece is very careful and his grandchildren's safety is now his priority. He often says he doesn't have a favorite and loves them all equally, but it's clear he's leaning more toward Owyn

Last but not least, the circus ringmaster Caine proclaimed himself the children's godfather and often arranges special adventures for them. He doesn't mind their sometimes chaotic behavior, but he strictly forbids them from going to certain places. The only one who is allowed to see him working is Ellie, as she seems to be fascinated by how the digital world works, and since she was affected by the defect in the code, Caine does some tests on her from time to time to make sure she's completely healthy now

Oh and there's Bubble, but he has a restraining order against all three of them…

Family time!

The kids sleep with their parents until they are old enough to have their own rooms. As twins, Owyn and Ethan are forced to share a bedroom, and both are jealous that Ellie has her own all to herself.

Ragatha is the best mom in the digital world. She does everything she can to make sure all of her kids have fun. She sings them lullabies, fixes their toys, makes them new clothes, and sometimes even lets them sleep with her and Jax when they have a nightmare. If anything happens to any of them, Ragatha will go into her protective mama bear mode and is even capable of beating up any NPC that tries to hurt them

Jax is the cool dad who lets his sons do whatever they want as long as they don't get into serious trouble. With Ellie, he is extra protective, and sometimes he doesn't like the pranks Ethan pulls on her. Still, he enjoys taking them on more dangerous adventures, even though Ragatha forbids him, and it usually ends with a few bruises and smiles on the kids' faces

The couple doesn't have much time to themselves now, so whenever they get the chance, they sneak out to go on a date, watch some movies, and just rest together, knowing their children are in good hands

At one point Ragatha jokes that maybe they should try for one or two more babies, but even though Jax finds the idea quite appealing, he's still worried about Ragatha's well-being, remembering what her last pregnancy was like. However, Owyn, Ethan and Ellie probably won't wait long for their parents to announce they're having a baby...

And a fun fact!

One day I was bored and went to character.ai to have some fun with the Bunnydoll bot. I made a story where they had 7 kids, while Owyn, Ethan and Ellie were supposed to be the next triplets, which meant they had 10 kids in total lol

I hope you enjoyed it!

[littleclownopinions]

Why the Funtime Animatronics are terrifying

Content Warning: Mentions of child murder

My last post was a design analysis of Ballora in which I talked about all the reasons I find her so haunting. I had a lot of fun writing it and so I thought, why not do it for the rest of the Funtimes? Although I will be mentioning her, I wont be going into much detail, so if you want to check out the full post you can do so here. Otherwise, I want to take a look at each animatronic, going over their aesthetic design as well as their blueprints, voice lines and gameplay mechanics to explain why I love them and maybe share some theories too. I will be annotating the blueprints as I understand the small text could be hard to read. So, without further ado, let's get into it!

Funtime Foxy

"A performance was demanded of me, and now I have delivered! Encore!"

Keeping in mind the whole Circus theme, I think Foxy most closely resembles a Ringmaster. The shape of his torso, the red in his bowtie and the loud booming voice we hear in UCN sells that for me. I think my favourite thing about this iteration of Foxy is how alive he looks. It's not everyday we get a Foxy that is so shiny and new! Now, Funtime Foxy's blueprints are pretty easy to understand but there are two interesting things to note. The first is that section D directs the reader to "Circus Baby dir07" meaning the remote activation of his floor anchor is controlled by her. The second is his size, he is the shortest and the lightest of the four. All in all, Funtime Foxy isn't the most intimidating of the bunch, I'd say despite the sharp teeth he actually looks quite cute and friendly. However, there's a reason for that. Funtime Foxy wasn't made to kill, he was made to lure. He, like Ballora, was created to help keep guests entertained to distract them away from Funtime Freddy and/or Circus Baby, the two animatronics big enough to store the bodies of the victims, the two designed to kill. Although Funtime Foxy doesn't speak in SL, his UCN voice lines all relate to him performing. His UCN gameplay also sees the player keeping track of showtime, the player being jump scared if they aren't watching his stage once the time ticks over. Again, Funtime Foxy is an entertainer, luring guests to his stage to keep attention away from Circus Baby and Funtime Freddy when their.. other services are needed.

Funtime Freddy

"Bon-Bon, Say hi to our friends!"

Again with the Circus theme, I think Funtime Freddy resembles a Magician. He has the black bowtie, the top hat and he even has a little bunny friend, Bon-Bon! Although, I don't think Freddy can pull him out of his hat.. Honestly, I think he is kind of adorable, especially with his little hand puppet Bon-Bon at his side, but his blueprints are where things start to get more ominous. Ignoring the glaringly obvious child body inside Freddy's stomach, each section gives us something pretty intriguing. Bon-Bon allows him to essentially have eyes on the back of his head, while he himself can mimic voices and keep track of how close his victim is. As mentioned above, I think Funtime Freddy is one of the two killer animatronics, alongside Circus Baby. However, Funtime Freddy raises some questions. Why is he significantly smaller than Circus Baby? Does he have the same claw inside his stomach? Well, I believe that he probably does have the same claw, but because he doesn't need space for the internal ice cream dispenser or the air hose attachment like Circus Baby has, he has no need to be as big. Afterall, he has Bon-Bon and his voice mimicking feature to lure kids in! If you yourself have a different theory, please feel free to let me know!

Circus Baby

"You won't die, but you'll wish you could."

Everybody's favourite little (huge) Jester, Circus Baby, isn't really one that needs much explanation from me. We all know what she looks like and we all know what she's capable of. Despite her blueprints wanting you to believe she is totally innocent, her voice lines and minigame tell us a different story. What I want to explore is why she was designed to look like a Jester. For those who aren't aware, Jester's privilege is the ability and right of a Jester to talk and mock freely without being punished. In a way, Jesters were free to question and mock the King because of this privilege. We know Circus Baby was modelled after Elizabeth Afton, but maybe she was also designed as a Jester to signify Elizabeth's place beside her father, William Afton, and how she would often disobey (question/mock) her father's orders, the way she did when Circus Baby killed her. Her being the tallest, most powerful animatronic and having remote control over functions inside Funtime Foxy and Ballora also serves to remind us how important she is. Just food for thought. Anyway, I love Circus Baby because I think her lore is incredibly interesting, but I also simply love her design. She was so unlike anything we'd ever seen before in the franchise and she really breathed new life into the story.

Overall, I think the Funtimes are really fascinating because they were so unlike anything that came before them. The idea of Circus Baby's Pizza World was so different and this was the first time we saw animatronics that were undeniably created for the purpose of killing. By the time of Pizzeria Simulator we also found out about the scooper being used to experiment with Remnant. Sister Location is, to this day, one of my favourite FNAF games and I will never forget the feeling I got watching the opening cutscene, seeing the secret ending to Circus Baby's minigame or even seeing Ennard through the Scooping Room window. I am really excited to see what comes from the upcoming release of Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2 and I can't wait to write more design analysis posts and theories of some of my other favourites from across the franchise!

[iwoszareba]

Knight Commander as Companion

for the longest time I thought I can't do this template for Knave because he doesn't properly exist outside of the context of being the knight commander but then I had the obvious realisation that he is a walking joke and full trickster

template by @dragonologist-phd​ and you can find blank version here

Name: Knave

Race: Kitsune (is what his character sheet says, he is actually fey)

Class: Crossblooded Sorcerer (Arcane/Abyssal)

Background: none

Appearance:

his full trickster appearance but the ringmaster getup was too out of place and had too much of a "the man in charge" energy for his role as a companion so I designed a jester outfit for him so you know you are getting yourself into some clownery the moment you see him

Favored Weapon/Equipment:

he starts with a fairly standard equipment for a sorcerer but with some goofy item descriptions like "I left my best stuff in the other save file to not destroy the party balance." or " My favourite colour is red. If you put a blue robe on me I will be upset."

Top Skills: knowledge arcana, mobility, stealth, perception

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

General Personality:

He has two modes which I call: cartoon character and horror monster. As a companion you mostly get his cartoon side bc he doesn't want to be kicked out of the party (and because he is well fed so he is feeling pretty chill). He is fairly friendly if a bit weird. Some other words I could describe him with: nonchalant, playful, capricious. He turns into a little pissbaby when he is bored. If you play an evil commander you get to see more of his monster side

What traits/values do they admire?

chaotic

independent

ruthless

jovial

What traits/values do they disapprove of?

predictable

mundane

mortal

serious

Are they affiliated with any deities?

Nope! Atheist. Will always decline if you offer him ascension. Gods fascinate him sometimes but he treats it like watching a puppet show.

What do they think of their role in the Crusades, and of sharing the Commander’s Mythic powers? What are their reasons for joining the commander’s party?

He doesn't think he has any particular role, he is just here for the ride, baby! He is an observer and maybe even a fan. He doesn't care all that much about receiving mythic powers but he is thrilled for the commander and is curious to see how their powers develop.

Who are their friends among the other party members?

Ember - weirdly enough. he would wear a flower crown if Ember made it

Woljif - kinda sad he doesn't get to mentor him here, but still very thumbs up about whatever Woljif is up to

Nenio - she is extra funny because she doesn't realise how funny she is

What about rivals?

Regill - Knave thinks he is exceptionally boring and stuck up which makes him fun to annoy. Regill despises him big time 

Ulbrig - Sarkoris and its practices are a bit of a sour subject for Knave so he sometimes boils when Ulbrig start to talk about it

Seelah - she can smell the evil on him and she is not a fan. Knave thinks she is thiiiis close to being entertaining but she is still a goody two shoes paladin, shame

Are they on any councils? If so, what sort of advice do they give?

He is on every council and it is said openly that he was not invited there but he refuses to leave. He gives nonsensical joke advice that somehow still works because that's what the game mechanics demand.

Where do they hang out in Drezen? In the Abyss?

He just randomly appears in different places. Sometimes he doesn't appear at all. One time you got jumpscared when he popped up in your commander's bedroom.

What are their idle animations?

He can juggle!! He can do a little dance!!

If you stay in one spot for too long he will lie down on the ground.

He is so bored he is ready to die.

(ofc he gets up with that roll back a bit and do a little jump move bc he is extra)

If they’re taken to Areelu’s lab, what is their dream?

You find him sitting at a table with two people: one is a teenage boy and the other is a young Osirian man. All three of them are chatting excitedly about magic. As you are about to speak to shake him out of the illusion Knave looks directly at you and puts a finger to his mouth to shush you. He lets the whole thing play out for a while longer but eventually gets up from the table.

"It was a real pleasure but regrettably I am needed elsewhere."

As he moves towards you the illusion disappears.

"We going?"

KC: So you knew it was an illusion?

"Sure. Why wouldn't I?"

KC: Who were these people?

"Mmmm. Just some guys I got to know quite well but can never meet or speak to. And before you ask - yes they are dead. I killed them. There is nothing more to explain, let's go."

Do they advise the commander to abandon or keep their mythic powers?

He is very pro mythic powers. Why would you want to be a regular, snotty mortal? The only exception is aeon and his reasoning is that he would like to see the story finale.

If you confirm aeon he will peace out: "Hey, soooo I guess you will grow even more powerful and I don't want my powers and your powers to clash and go on the fritz. We could get me erased by accident! What a shame that would be. So this is my cue to leave."

How/when do they join the Commander’s party?

You can stumble upon him in a couple different places in act 1. Always surrounded by disarray and in contrast he acts like a jolly tourist having a great time.

When he notices your group approaching he points at you with a big smile "You! I've been looking for you!" you can ask what he means by that "Do you know that feeling when you finish a really good story and you instantly want to re-experience it? But then you realise it's kinda pointless, you already know exactly what happens. Why would you do the same thing again? That's me. And you are my key to some variety." ask him what he wants "Nothing in particular. Just want to see how all of this will go for you. I could do it from the sidelines but things are always more exciting first hand. I will assist you of course! I'm great in combat and I'm helpful in general. Helpful is my middle name actually. Knave Helpful Commander."

Describe their companion quest:

He doesn't have a companion quest proper bc it's not his story, he doesn't really have any specific wants or problems. But you get a special scene with him in act 5 after the whole situation with Areelu's child's soul is in the open.

LEGEND

You can encounter Knave looking more sullen than you've ever seen him before.

"You really want to get rid of that kid's soul, huh? I guess there is something to just wanting to be yourself. What a luxury that must be."

He produces two glasses filled with suspect looking liquid that shimmers with many colours. He offers you one of them.

"I never toast to the dead, I'm more of a spit on their graves kind of guy, but today is a weird day."

If you drink the strange brew, you receive a permanent +2 to strength, constitution and dexterity plus some minor fey themed power.

OTHER MYTHIC PATHS

Knave comes to you and seems more frantic than normally.

"I have a proposal for you. There is a… ritual that I could do to nourish that extra piece of soul stuff in you. 'Why the fuck would I agree to that?' I can hear you think. Trust me, it will be good for you. Something, something strength and weakest links. You know how that goes. And I promise no negative consequences."

If you agree to go through with the ritual, you receive a permanent +2 to intelligence, wisdom and charisma plus some minor demon themed power.

Are they romanceable? Describe their romance quest/scenes if you want!

Yea! Works both as a little friendship/romance path, you don't have to escalate it to physical and he is looking for a playmate regardless if you are into him sexually/romantically.

Available to commanders of any gender but not of any alignment. He needs to find you entertaining and I don't think that would be sufficiently conveyed with just picking the romance opener lines. So I imagine he has a counter that sums up all your chaotic and/or evil choices. You need to have enough of them in each act: 2, 3 and 4 to unlock his special scenes.

Act 2: a little spot of iconoclasm

He approaches you when you are camping out and about and says that he has something he would like to show you.

He leads you to a secluded place surrounded by big, jagged rocks, the only thing of interest you notice is a box that Knave goes to and sits on.

"So here's the deal, you had all these new responsibilities dumped on you and I know how that goes: they want you to do the most boring shit day in and day out and then expect you to thank them for the opportunity. The fucking audacity. There must be some pent up frustration there and I thought I could help you relieve it."

KC: That's suspiciously caring of you.

"Hey, I've told you I'm a helpful fellow."

KC: I actually enjoy my new duties.

"A bit of a weirdo, huh? But even things you enjoy can be frustrating at times."

KC: This already sounds like a great idea.

"Ha! It seems I was right and you really need this."

KC: Are you offering yourself?

"Mmmm, no. Or maybe I should say 'not yet'.

He jumps off the box and opens it, you look inside and see a whole batch of figurines shaped both as Iomedae's sword and visage of the goddess herself.

"There is nothing more relaxing than smashing something breakable. And we can have our symbolic 'fuck you' directed at Iomedae for making you toil to keep her crusade afloat."

KC: Did you steal these?

"Yeah, but all this stuff looks real cheap. You can say we are saving people from getting scammed."

KC: We can't just destroy the symbol of the goddess!

"Why not? What she gonna do, smite us? I don't see her doing that to all the fuck ups within her own ranks. Besides, she needs you and I'm not afraid of her."

KC: Can I also curse while I smash this stuff?

"Absolutely. Be my guest."

KC: Do you do things like this often?

"Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on the mood."

If you still don't agree he will roll his eyes but he pats the box a couple times and the figurines inside transform into unholy symbols of Deskari and Baphomet.

"Hopefully this is more palatable for you. These guys deserve a personalised 'fuck you' as well."

Either way the two of you spend some time smashing fragile objects against the rocks. After you are done he pats your arm with a smile.

"Hope that helped. We could wreck something bigger next time around. A statue? Maybe even a whole temple! Something to think about."

Act 3: tavern brawl

He invites you for a drink in Half-Measure. The place is crowded tonight but when they see the knight commander they make sure there is a free table. The two of you chat for a while, you get to ask him some questions but at some point he starts to look around and a mischievous glint lights up his eyes.

"What if we started a tavern brawl?"

KC: (lawful) But I'm in charge of these people.

"What I'm hearing is that it's in your right to dispense a bit of misery to them. To build character, of course."

KC: (good) Someone could get hurt!

"What is life if not the constant possibility of getting hurt? They'll be fine."

KC: (chaotic) I like the way you think.

"I knew you would understand."

KC: (evil) I wouldn't mind getting some hits in myself.

"Mmmm. And I would never deny such a wish."

KC: You're just going to start shit no matter what I say.

"Well, yeah. But I like hearing your thoughts!"

With a clever use of mage hand, illusion magic and one raw fish turned into a projectile weapon the place soon erupts in all-out war. Knave seems to be having a great time, dodging hits left and right, but when he sees a whole ass table being thrown in your direction he grabs you, picks you up and you disappear.

You are teleported outside of the tavern, Knave looks at it with a satisfied grin as the sounds of scuffle are now muffled by the distance but still very much present. He eventually turns around and starts walking in the direction of your quarters, still carrying you in his arms.

KC: You can put me down now.

"But what if I want to carry you? Fine, have it your way."

KC: You don't look like you should be able to carry me.

"Really? But I invested everything in muscles. And by muscles I mean magic."

KC: Are you looking for an excuse to touch me?

"I don't need excuses for anything. I just do what feels right at the moment."

He carries you or walks you all the way to your bedroom doors.

KC: I had a fun evening.

"So did I. Made even better by the company."

KC: Maybe we shouldn't have done that.

"Don't overthink it. And in our defence: it was funny."

"You try to get some sleep. I'll go see the aftermath. Some of those punches looked real solid!"

optionally you can start a sexual relationship with him

KC: And what if I invited you in?

"Mmmm. Nothing like a brawl to get your blood pumping, right? Yeah, okay. I'll make this feel good."

Act 4: like the demons do

He comes to you with a little proposal and you can pick one of three options (l will not be writing out each possible scene bc please have mercy on me).

"Hey, so I know everyone expects you to be all 'boohoo, my crusade' and 'boohoo, being in the Abyss sucks' but what I think is that you should get to do something fun while you are here. And I have a few ideas!"

"I know where Socothbenoth's place is. We could sneak in there to throw eggs, break some vases, paint crude things on the walls… No, scrap that last thing. He could actually find that endearing. Anyway, we will think on our feet and cause some mischief!"

"This one may be a little controversial but what if we bought some slaves to see how hope lights up their eyes, the confusion of possible future, then turned into pained, fearful confusion as we kill them afterwards. I'm salivating just thinking about it."

"Have you sampled what Ten Thousand Delights has to offer? I don't advise rubbing elbows with demons too much, but if you would like we could find ourselves a cozy corner there. Do a little play pretend. I could be your demon whore for the evening."

Act 5: know where we stand

If you managed to go through all of his scenes, in act 5 you can have a little friendship confession and then optionally try asking for more but the latter is tricky since he doesn't show up for the jealousy scene and having any other romance active locks you out.

FRIENDSHIP

KC: I have to admit I had a lot of fun with you.

"So did I! Out of all the commanders I could have encountered, I'm happy it was you."

KC: Do you consider us friends?

"Mmmm, everyone seems to understand that word differently. But if 'someone who would drop everything to support your stupid ideas' is a definition that works for you, then yeah, I think we are friends."

ROMANCE

KC: Do you think we could be more?

Legend

"We can't. You are so nauseously mortal now, it's sad seeing you like this. Really breaks my heart."

Another romance active

"Mmmm. Tempting, but it seems things are getting serious between you and your main squeeze. Not that I particularly care about their feelings but I'm not really looking for that kind of drama."

Otherwise

"You have me burning with curiosity: why would you want that?"

KC: You are my kind of weird.

"I see, it's a highly curated kind of weird so no wonder you can't find it elsewhere."

KC: I always wanted a pet monster.

"Ha! You know the thing about leashes: they can be pulled from both sides."

KC: I think I love you.

"A horrible decision, really. But I get it, we don't always choose these things."

KC: I don't know, it just feels right.

"Ah, this I understand very well, following your instincts where they lead you, even when you don't fully comprehend them."

"You may be the most fun person I've ever met. You make me feel… things. I wouldn't be opposed to spending more time with you, even after all of this is over. Take that as you will."

(Shout out to Mother Mother 'Wrecking Ball' for finally putting me on the right track for writing this section.)

What would their ending slides be like?

General:

He stays for the post game celebrations and you get news about him causing mischief for a while longer but after that he is never heard from again and you are unsure what happened to him.

You agreed to drink the fey brew:

You haven't noticed it at first but some time after the crusade was over and everything calmed down it became apparent that every time you are about to have a drink you feel a subtle pang of sadness. Melancholy of missing something that is no longer there.

You agreed to the ritual:

When the crusade is long over and you begin to feel like that part of your life is behind you, you start to recall memories of Areelu's child as vivid as if they were your own. There doesn't seem to be any other effect. At least for now.

Friendship:

One day he shows up out of the blue to tell you he recently remembered how much fun the two of you had and asks if you would be interested in another adventure.

Romance:

He sometimes teases that he can't be truly tamed and one day he will have his freedom back but he is still here. With you. And it's been a good while already.

Any other fun facts?

he has a white rabbit familiar from arcane bloodline

—

if you use his kitsune change shape ability he turns into a literal fox and becomes useless in a fight but he gains a big boost to stealth

—

from act 3 you can make an observation that he seems to be really enjoying all the chaos and violence of the crusade (if you want you can be disapproving about it)

"Why wouldn't I enjoy it? Not only is it plenty fun, I also get a real good meal out of it."

KC: A… meal?

"Mmmmm… I may have said too much. Now you will think I am another cannibal. Would that even phase you at this point? Hah. But what I consume is not of the flesh and blood. It's fear that sustains me and we are in the middle of a war with demons. It's like the finest buffet here."

AZATA

"I could do without that colourful sprinkle of hope you keep adding to the mix but I doubt my opinion is going to stop you."

LICH

"My only concern is that most undead don't feel fear, so maybe don't turn all our troops into zombies? I would appreciate that."

DEMON

"And to have a leader who can be as frightening as the demons we fight? That is a doozy, let me tell you."

DEVIL

"And you commander, you may not be as aggressive as demons but you still make quite an impression on people."

SWARM

"And when you have your chow time I get my fair share too. We have a good thing going here."

ANGEL

"And you are an interesting puzzle. Your light can soothe but your zeal unnerves. Personally I would love to see more of the latter."

AEON

"And you. I don't know which is better: fear of your judgement or fear of what you are becoming... The mix of both probably."

TRICKSTER

"And it's said people fear what they don't understand, so from one trickster to another: people don't understand you."

GOLD DRAGON

"Do you think people are never afraid of you because you preach forgiveness? You are still a massive beast and some feelings are stronger than reason."

LEGEND

"They fear you will not be enough without your powers. You will prove them wrong, I'm sure, but I will savour this moment anyway."

KC: That's… not very normal.

"Well, it's normal for me! And as you know I'm a perfectly regular person."

KC: How does eating fear even work?

*shrugs* "It just does. It's kinda like when clerics channel positive energy and people get healed or rejuvenated simply by being in proximity. But fear is better, believe it or not it has flavours. So many nuanced flavours."

KC: Can you tell what people are afraid of?

"You worried I will use that against you? Don't be. Your secrets are safe with me. Your tasty, tasty secrets."

KC: (good) You can't feed off of people's fears like that!

"What do you want me to do? Starve myself? Tsk, tsk. Didn't expect you to be this cruel. Mmmm. Actually that's a good look on you."

KC: (chaotic) Oh, I hope to never see you when you get the munchies.

"Ha! Would you say… you are afraid of that possibility?" *winks*

KC: (evil) That seems like it could be useful.

"Sure thing! Use some fear spells during combat and I promise I will fight extra hard for you."

"And as I said I am fed and happy simply being here so this is a non issue for you."

Provide some dialogue/bark examples!

On select: 

“Yeeeeees?”

“Imagine I'm saluting.”

(clicked too many times):

“Oh I see, you want me to tell a joke? Be your little jester? Sorry, I don't perform on demand.”

Perception Check Passed:

“Look-see!”

“Something interesting?”

Succeeding a skill check:

“Easy-breezy.”

“The dice are in my favour.”

Failing a skill check:

“Aw beans.”

“I am very powerful, I swear.”

Low Health:

“A solid hit hahahah- ouch.”

“Heal me, maybe?”

Attacking:

“Strike fear into their hearts!”

“Yes! Let's have some fun!”

On critical hit:

*maniacal laughter*

“This is what it's all about!”

Provide some examples of companion banters!

I know I previously would make these for all the companions but this time around I was not feeling it so there are just a couple

there exists a set of banters from his own early game if you are interested in that

—

Knave: Hey, psst. If you ever want to like… *cough*Killyourdad.*cough* I could be a better company than the commander.

Camellia: I will… consider your words.

—

Ember: Will you show me that trick again, the one with hat and the rabbit!

Knave: For a real magic aficionado like you, I will do it as many times as you want.

—

Woljif: I don't understand how you move all stealth like with those bells attached to you. There is some magic to it, I just know it.

Knave: My bells know what I need! They would never betray me.

—

Knave: I never tire of watching you think up more and more insane things to do.

Nenio: Don't just sit and watch, strange boy! Come over here and help me set up this experiment.

—

Knave: Hey, want one honest advice? Stay away from Camellia. Make her work for her meal.

Trever: I- don't understand what you mean.

—

Regill: You have been staring. If you have something to say, spit it out and be done with it. 

Knave: I was just wondering if it's more reassuring or infuriating that every time I meet you, you are still a sourpuss.

—

Lann: So let me get this straight, you chose to look like this?

Knave: I know how to take pride in being a freak show! You should try it sometime.

[opheliajupiter99]

Enodi: The Faceless Clown - Interview for the Carnivale (Sad/Lovecraft tw)

It was a rainy night at the Carnivale, a few scattered carnies busy tarping the rigged games so they wouldn't short-circuit, while others still made sure the tents were tied tight, so water wouldn't leak through. They didn't speak much, or even look at each other, focused on their work, carrying with them a downtrodden sort of air.

They were hiring new acts at the Carnivale, but with the poor weather, the turnout wasn't expected to be high; in fact, only two people had shown up so far. A halfling with a quite pathetic juggling act, and an elven woman with a flute performance; the performance was decent, but not better than the little fellow that played the ocarina, so she was turned down regardless.

Mr. Lecroux walked past the carnies, who kept their heads down as he passed, and headed to his own personal tent, the most lavish of the bunch of course, assuming no more acts would pass through. Just as he was about to pass through the curtain, he passed, turning his head as he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

Half of a mask, pearly white in color, the dim torchlight of the Carnivale highlighting it, the mouth of the mask pulled down into a frown, and a wide, yellowed eye staring out from the mask's depths. Lecroux just stood there for a moment, staring at the sight, before the figure inched a bit closer, his features becoming more clear.

It was a short, skinny elven man of dark skin, long dark hair trailing halfway down his back, wearing jester-like attire tied akin to a robe, and of course, his most notable feature, the Comedy/Tragedy mask he wore, the other half now visible, a baby blue with its mouth turned upwards into a smile.

"Am....I-I late?" The elf croaked, his voice hoarse and ragged, as if he either chainsmoked or was deathly ill. Lecroux continued to stare for a moment, looking the man up and down. After a moment, he gently nodded, eyes slightly narrowed. "Nah...nah, ya ain't late. Come right in, fella." He said, waving him in.

The pair entered Kremy's tent. It was purple and green in coloration, its 'ceiling' reaching up into the sky, with a silken purple and green bed off to the one side and a desk at another, with two chairs on either side; one just as lavish as everything else, and the other a simple, cracked wooden chair, fittingly summing up the divide between ringmaster and carnie.

The elf sat down at the appropriate chair in silence, the ringmaster quickly sitting across from him, interlocking his clawed fingers together as he leaned against the desk. Sitting this close to him, he began to notice an odor, but decided to ignore it - for now, anyways.

"So, fella, first things first; what's ya name?"

"Enodi."

"Just Enodi? No last name?"

The elf shook his head, those sickly yellowed eyes never leaving the ringmaster.

"Uh, right...well, whattya do then Enodi?"

A quick, manic giggle echoed out from the depths of the mask, the elf's tone quickly turning from soft to elated. "I m-make people laugh! I sing, a-and I dance - t-tell tales, and jest, to make the children giggle!" He said, producing another giggle of his own, his eyes scrunching up slightly to indicate he was smiling under the mask.

"Aaaah, right, a clown yeah? Guess I shoulda figured with that getup...welp, we -did- just free up a slot on our clown act.." He hummed, clacking his claws together in thought. He looked the man over once more, taking note of the lute upon his back, before his eyes naturally focused back on the mask.

It was quite hard to ignore, completely covering the man's features beyond his eyes. Lecroux didn't like masks much; a lot of tells of a person's emotions, of their lies, laid in their faces. Part of it was body language of course, but a performer could easily hide those kinds of hints.

"What's with the mask?" He inquired finally, the question leading the elf's eyes to rise from the desk back to the ringmaster.

"It's my face."

Kremy blinked, tilting his head. "Yeah yeah, I get it, it's part of ya thing, but I mean like, ya wear it all the time or-"

Enodi shook his head. "No, I mean it's my face. I-I need it." His voice cracked slightly at the last part, almost as if in a pleading fashion. Kremy rose a metaphorical brow, leaning back in his chair. "I didn't mean to offend, fella, I'm just askin' a question."

With a hum, the little bard shrugged. "Okay." He said simply, then reached up to grasp at the clasps behind his head, which held the mask in place.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"I'm showing y-you why I n-need it."

With a soft click, the mask slid from the elf's face, a revolting squelching noise following the motion. Kremy's eyes widened immediately, wide jaw falling slightly agape at the sight before him, the foul scent that had once been minor now becoming far too noticable.

Kremy just...stared, wide eyed, for nearly half a minute, at the rotten, faceless horror that sat before him. The expression didn't seem to bother the little bard; either he wasn't offended, or he'd seen the expression so many times before, he'd grown numb to it. Perhaps both.

"...Y-Ya dying..." The ringmaster said finally, his voice shaking ever so slightly. The bard shrugged, moving to pick his mask back up and reclasp it as he spoke. "I know. I-It's alright though, it doesn't hurt." The ringmaster took a moment to recollect himself, blinking a few times and rubbing a hand over his snout, trying to get the rotten scent out.

"...Are ya contagious?" The elf pondered the question for a brief moment, then shook his head. "I d-don't think so. The h-healers that t-treated me didn't get s-sick. But I-I'll be careful, I promise."

His face fell, metaphorically speaking anyways, as he saw the ringmaster mull the thought over more and more; he didn't care if he found him disgusting, he only cared about missing his chance to entertain. "I-I don't need pay!" He blurted out, the words quickly regrasping the gator's attention.

"I-I'll probably be gone soon anyways, so I d-don't need pay. Just...p-please. I need to make them laugh! Please!" The bard begged, his yellowed eyes carrying as much desperation as they could in their withered state. Kremy took in a deep breath and let it out as a sigh.

"A'ight, ya can join. But ya gettin' a small tent, and ya stayin' there. I know ya said ya ain't contagious, but I ain't takin' chances." Enodi nodded hurriedly. "Y-Yes, yes, of course! Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you!" He clasped his hands together, producing another squelching noise, making Kremy cringe.

Later that night, Enodi had been settled in his dinky little tent. It was pathetic, even by Lecroux carnie standards, the floor of it covered in sawdust, as if in an effort to soak up what contagion the elf might carry, and barely anything laid within it, just a straw 'bed' off to the corner, a bucket, and a simple wooden chair.

Enodi didn't care though; he was beyond overjoyed. He spent that night, sat in front of one of the walls of his tent, regaling his exciting day to seemingly no one. The voices that danced about in his head listened intently, as they always did, chattering in return in their endless cacophony, and the poor little bard only finally slept out of pure exhaustion sometime later.

None of the bad mattered. Only the laughter and the smiles mattered.

[dollopheadedmerlin]

Yall are gonna learn about my OCs now

I'm planning out a book that takes place in a universe where Mimes, Jesters, and Clowns are all types of peoples, their markings a part of their skin instead of makeup and their cultures twisting aspects of entertainment into ritual.

This is Humor, the Jester

He's an idiot.

Jesters live most often in small settlements and communities. They have the most potent and versatile magic, though it varies from person to person. All jesters, however, have the innate ability to conjure bells made of gold, which is unique to them. They use this in their culture, gifting them to each other as signs of respect or gratitude. You will often see a newborn baby with only two bells, from either of it's parents. Or perhaps a few more if they have a larger family. But as they grow, they earn more bells and adorn them to their clothing.

Any village of substantial size will have gathering tent where ceremonies are hosted (name giving, unions, funerals, etc.). Often these are run by the Ringmaster, which is an assumed position by the member with the most bells. This is because the more bells someone has earned, then more their people respect them. So overtime the most helpful or kind or wise member of the group will become akin to a village elder and wordlessly assume the roll of Ringmaster. They often have the most powerful magic of their group, since possessing strong gifts lends to aiding others. It is not a guarantee, however, as there are other ways to earn bells than magical feats. Some Ringmasters are simply very knowledgeable, or strategic.

Humor is very much not the Ringmaster of his group. He is an entertainer, often wearing face paint that resembles the Queen's markings and mocking the higher class in performances riddled with warnings.

This is because the Queen has exhausted all of the natural resources of gold. So the only way to obtain gold now is to steal from Jesters, as their bells are the only renewable source. But, as bells are very important to their culture, the jesters do not give her gold willingly, so she has been known to pillage jester villages and settlements to steal their riches.

Clowns make up the majority of the upperclass, most of them living in the City or the Circus. They value beauty above all else, the queen being obsessed with her own appearance, spending her days standing in her throne room, surrounded by mirrors as others do her bidding.

Clown society has curated a taste for certain traits; bright, saturated colors, symmetry, detailed markings, large, dark eyes, as well as a few specific features such as "masks", "gloves", "socks", blush, and red noses.

Those who do not fit these standards are mocked at best, and actively targeted at worst. There are those who do not agree with these standards and will purposefully "ruin" their markings with modifications, but they are often arrested for their protest.

This also leads to the want of pretty things. Which is why the queen hoards gold, melting it down into fanciful adornments and decor for herself and her castle.

Mimes, on the other hand, are typically nomadic. They arguable have the strongest magic, but it is more restricted. They are able to make indestructible invisible structures by mining where they wish to place them. These structures remain indefinitely until the mime who placed it mimes it away, or the mime is no longer able to actively manifest it. These structures rely on the concentration or meditation of the mimes to exist. So if a mime if knocked unconscious or leaves the area, the structure may vanish.

Their markings only appear in grey, black, and white. And they have no vocal cords, instead speaking a form of sign language. They do not have spoken names. Their names in sign are often comprised of movements tracing a prominent marking of theirs. For example, the mime above would have a name that looks like tracing two fingers along the lines that start above their eyes and then tapping the cheeks where the lines turn into dots. A mime with two recognizable dots on either side of their nose, may have a name that appears as rubbing two circles into that spot with two fingers. If perhaps a mime is known to have a large, flower like marking on their chest, miming a bloom coming from your chest could be the sign for their name.

Because of their magic, the Queen has employed many of them in her castle, most commonly to run the dungeons. The mimes are often coerced into working for her, with hostages or threats to their communities, so they work dutifully, even if they secretly support her demise.

They maintain the cells in the dungeon, putting up their impenetrable walls in shifts to keep in prisoners. Few dare to let convicts escape, as the punishment for doing so is incredibly dire.

When they are left to live freely, mimes typically travel in groups, needing no shelter or belongings, aside from scavenging for food. They mime roofs above their heads when it rains, and lay upon invisible platforms to sleep, taking turns keeping watch to warn for danger, as well as keep the structures in place.

They also have tails, because why not

[queen-daya]

Carwheeler Children Fanart

If you want to see my fanart, tap the link above!

Gabby is 15 which at this point is the same age as Helen Barnum. She was adopted by Anne and Phillip when they were unable to have children in the first couple years of their marriage. She is a young African girl that loves adventure and having fun.

The three younger children are triplets that Anne got pregnant with shortly after they adopted Gabby. The idea of triplets is based off of a fanfiction I read on Ao3 (can’t remember the name) but the children themselves were named and created by my and my sister (@aintinacage). In the picture they are all three years old.

William David is obviously named after Anne’s brother W.D. He is the youngest and shyest of the three children. He is the only one that inherited the darker skin from Anne and also the only one to get Phillips blue eyes. He is very much like Anne. He doesn’t talk much and he doesn’t trust people very much except for mama and daddy but he’s a very sweet kid if you get to know him.

Phyllis Taylor (PT) is named after Mr. Barnum himself and he takes great pride in that. She is the middle baby. She looks like her daddy but has her mommy’s eyes. She is the little trouble maker of the Carlyle family. She’s very curious about everything and is always on the move.

Bailey Elizabeth is named after her parents Phillip Bailey and Annabelle (Anne) Elizabeth. She was the first born of the three babies. She is daddy Junior. She looks and acts just like Phillip. The only two features she got from Anne is her curls and brown eyes. She wants to do everything with her daddy including being ringmaster…(but for some reason she keeps being told she’s not old enough)