Et in Arcadia ego

by BlueWay

Summary:

A Western-themed adventure brings the bunny and the doll together in Caine's most expansive experiment yet; limits will be tested, emotionally, systemically, and sanity wise, as two prisoners of a game beyond their understanding face frontiers beyond their right knowing.

Cover art by: @LuzaitisActual

Notes:

Hi! And thanks for checking out this story!

What you’re about to read is a one shot written in the classical American tradition with styling inspired by the Bible, Cormac McCarthy, John Steinbeck, and Herman Melville. Because of this, this is a dense read, but that is by design.

This story makes one assumption, and one assumption only at its formation:

Jax will cause Ragatha to abstract in The Amazing Digital Circus.

This story was written before the release of episode 4, and reflects my understanding at the time.

My understanding is my own, and is drawn from only public knowledge. I make this note because I am professionally acquainted and personally friends with Ragatha’s voice actor, Amanda Hufford, and no insight beyond what is freely availably public was ever communicated to me by Amanda.

This is a story about yesterday, about memory, about what can be discovered on the frontier is not so much what is in the world but rather the interior lives of those that walk there. It’s about the danger of paradise, of Hell itself, and at last, what it means to define yourself by other people.

Once again, thank you for reading my story

Chapter 1: Cover and Epigraph

 

(Et in Arcadia ego)

 

Ragatha -

What was Yesterday? -

Landing after mishaps -

Jax -

Probably a doctor -

Punishment -

Clown’s Wisdom -

Midnight mess -

I’m supposed to -

Morning after -

Caine’s Usual -

A trial of memory -

A task -

Arrangement -

Bunny and the doll -

Off to the frontier -

Outpost on the plains -

Butternut and Horse -

Accounting of their wares -

Realization -

The Dog -

Fed -

Nearly blows her head off -

Jax, speculation on the nature of “horse girls” and Ragatha -

Dragged along -

Memories of other Adventures -

Hackamore -

Unkind morning -

Memories of my father -

He rides in search and in penance -

Burning homestead -

Silence -

Peace and quiet -

Moon kissed whispers -

Kaufmo and Kinger arrive -

They ride -

No country they had ever seen -

The bowl -

The spoon -

Into the pines -

Little Red Riding Hood -

Ragatha, on origins -

Sex and pleasure -

The bear -

Through the woods -

Fording the river -

The Journeymen -

Into the West -

Each other’s company (plus the horses) -

He blushes, she laughs, they’re happy for once -

They forget and take their time -

Centipede -

Friction and heat -

What could be -

Other stories -

Black land -

Attacked by the Natives -

She leaves him behind -

Alone -

A Sunrise Kingdom -

Chickenpox savior -

Task completed, but the Adventure continues -

She dreams of him -

Abraxas -

Game, player, all -

Chicken scratch prophecy of another ghost in the machine -

The story of Caine -

She gathers a posse, and the flock abides -

East of Eden -

She returns for him -

Calamity -

I could kiss you -

I am what I am -

What I told you -

You’re beautiful -

We shouldn’t -

Just once -

Return to the Digital Circus -

The status quo -

Muero de amor -