Voices From Below (An Influence AU story)

by Birdwriter

Summary:

What if the virus we al know and love didn't infect Ragatha but actually Kinger? I bet nothing bad happens haha.

 

Influence AU belongs to mod bee (@spread-the-influence on Tumblr).
Idea belongs to an anon in aforementioned Tumblr (thank u anon).

Chapter 1: Prologue

Lately, he's been feeling better.

 

Not that he felt bad before, but he's noticed he's been just a little better than his usual self.

 

He's felt more lucidity in the past few adventures than in the past few years, and his mood has improved too. Now his happiness isn't limited to the dark– ah but he still finds it comfortable! He isn't letting go of the dark anytime soon.

 

The best thing he's noticed is that now he feels Queenie close to him more often.

 

Before, he could only feel close to her in the last place he saw her—the dark—but lately, he feels her in every little insect, every npc they interacted with together, in every corner where they hid from Caine's adventures when he'd pretend he couldn't teleport them as he pleased because they just looked so happy giggling about their mischief behind some circus prop.

 

...Again, this doesn't mean he doesn't like the dark anymore. He feels closest to her in it still.

 

Kinger has been feeling more alive lately, he's himself more often.

 

He's happier than he's been since she was taken.

 

Queenie is happy he's happy again.

 

She told him so.

Notes:

YOOOOOO can't believe I'm doing this. Can't believe it, really wow.

Anyways this is my first fic ever here please PLEASE don't be scared to tell me if I wrote something wrong, I want to know.

Also, I'm figuring out the deal with the tags, more will be added in the future. Also more relationships tags as they show up (I just know u all crave your doll and jester content).

Also also this chapter is kind of a guide for now 'cause I went "fuck it, we ball" and decided to commit without actually outlining the story. Like, I have an idea of how it'll go, but I still need to get a semblance of order in my notes before going past this prologue. So um, yeah the next chapter will take a while but I think from ch 1 moving forwards updates will actually exist.

Special thanks go to Mod bee (@spread-the-influence on Tumblr) for the original AU, that cool anon who gave the idea, and YOU for reading, thank you. \ :D /

Chapter 2: Early Burial

 

"We're all thinking about it."

 

"Jax!"

 

The whole circus gand had been sitting in awkward silence in the living room space of the tent for the past few minutes, and of course the first one to speak his mind had been Jax.

 

"What? It's true. In fact, It's been true for a while. Not my fault you all are in denial."

 

Ragatha, who refused to ever give up on anyone, despised the implication.

 

"No It's not! Just because Kinger is been here the longest and he's going through a rough patch, doesn't mean he'll abstract tomorrow or the day after!"

 

Gangle and Pomni were sitting on the couch like they were deaf– one was afraid to put her thoughts into words, and the other was much too new to really have an opinion on the topic.

 

"Ragatha, I really really hate to side with him but-", Zooble sighed before deciding there was no world in which they could sugarcoat this, "-maybe we should get into the mindset that Kinger won't stick around for a whole lot longer. You've seen him, you've spent time with him this past week, he isn't well."

 

Ragatha put down her foot, meaning to stomp but her plush limb doing a squeaky sound instead. "Of course I've seen he's unwell! But he can get better, he always does! We can't just bury him like he's already lost."

 

"You're right, let's skip the burial and go straight to planning the funeral. I say we tell Caine that when someone as old as Kinger dies, we celebrate with champagne."

 

Another frustrated squeaky stomp came from Ragatha. "Jax!"

 

Zooble glared at Jax before crossing their arms and facing Ragatha again. "Look, I'm not saying we pretend he's already abstracted, I'm saying we should get ready for when it happens. Accept that it will happen somewhat soon. I get that you don't like to think negatively about anything, but it'll hurt more later if you keep thinking like that."

 

The doll in question stood there for a minute in silence, clearly conflicted and fairly frustrated– Surprisingly, the jester was the one to speak up next.

 

"Um, Ragatha? I- I don't think I have much of a say in this but, I really like Kinger, I've seen him lucid before and I've learned a thing or two from him. He reminds me of my dad. Well, ahem, I don't remember much about my actual dad, but I do remember it was really rough to lose him. I... don't wish that upon anyone. Maybe Zooble is right and it'll hurt less if-"

 

Ragatha shook her head with an expression of deep hurt. "I refuse to lose hope. I can save him."

 

Before Pomni could do so much as answer, Ragatha was already walking away with determination in her step. Or stubbornness, who could say.

 

...

 

"...So? No one on board with the champagne?"

 

 

Notes:

ASHAJSHAG hi

So, I think I may have an idea of where to go with this, and I have motivation and plans for it so maybe expect longer chapters in the future.

Also, this will probably escalate slower than the og Influence AU so don't worry about deaths yet yay.

Chapter 3: In His Head (?)

Ragatha stomped forwards, walking away from the group and towards the much emptier part of the tent's huge common area. It was just as colorful, but oh so quiet. 

 

There was but a lonely pillow fort in view.

 

The fort in question lacked a roof, like it occasionally did lately, and was more of a pile of pillows and blankets. It made the barely visible chess piece in the middle look all the more cozy.

 

As much this might have looked like an improvement, it was all overshadowed by said chess piece pointing at the high ceiling of the tent like there were stars and not random floating models and talking to himself like he wasn't alone.

 

As the doll approached, she grew increasingly slower, determination dying down and melting into sorrow. Of course, she walked on because if there was something she felt she was great at, it was pretending everything was fine for the sake of someone else.

 

"Heyy, Kinger...! How are you doing there?"

 

As If he was as he used to be a few years back, he didn't flinch. It felt out of character. It felt vaguely disturbing.

 

"Hey Ragatha! Im doing well! Did you know that those models Caine places up there are from retired adventures? He recolors them to fit as decor. I was just talking to Queenie about them, that one right there is a slide from this theme park adventure we had, before there was the Digital Carnival– Oh! How rude of me, do you want to say hi to Queenie, Ragatha?"

 

Okay no, this felt very disturbing. He looked so happy, but all of this newfound happiness came from delusions, maybe hallucinations. It made Ragatha almost want to give up. Almost. She had to snap him out of his madness as soon as possible.

 

"Kinger... You do know Queenie...isn't here, right?"

 

She was met with a look of momentary confusion before Kinger turned cheerful again.

 

"Of course I know! I was there when she was taken. We still talk though. Like... like in a long-distance relationship! That's what it's called, right?"

 

Ragatha took a deep breath. She hated to talk about death–or, well, abstraction–it made her deeply sad to think about the people that used to be around and suddenly aren't anymore.

 

It made her sadder to think that it will happen to the people who are around right now.

 

"Kinger...She can't be talking to you. She's gone. It's... it's just in your head."

 

The chess piece sat up from the pillows and blankets pile, looking slightly defensive.

 

"What are you saying? She does speak to me. And being abstracted isn't 'gone'. She just looks and feels a little different. She told me what it's like-"

 

"Kinger please listen to me."

 

She stepped forward with a pleading look as she interrupted him. All the circus members before had signs. Kaufmo not only rambled about exits but got increasingly irritable at people for finding him unfunny, Grimblo had emotional outbursts at every little inconvenience, Agnes would reminisce about things that never happened...

 

"I'm serious. She can't be talking to you. Even- even if she was thinking straight, how could she be talking to you? She's in the cellar, and- and there aren't cellphones to communicate- or or- anything in there! She is just in your head. Please snap out of it."

 

The chess piece just stared at her for a long, frustratingly tense minute.

 

"I understand."

 

He stood and made his way around the pillows and blankets until there was a good distance between him and the doll.

 

"I'll be in my room. Don't call me for dinner, I... need some time alone."

 

Ragatha nodded, awkwardly looking between him and the floor, not really knowing what to say before he suddenly spoke again.

 

"And, If you can, could you ask Caine to bring me a piece of the carrot cake? I asked him to make one for dessert and gave him a set of instructions. I'm looking forward to it, please?"

 

The doll straightened up a little, with a kind smile on her face.

 

"Of course, whatever you need."

 

•••

 

That evening, they had dinner as usual, with Jax being an overall jerk, Ragatha trying to tune him out, Pomni being awkward, and the other two chatting quietly. 

 

They all silently decided not to pay much mind to the empty chair and act like they were fine with it.

 

They all fell truly silent when Caine announced the dessert was a special request from a cast member and it tasted...familiar. Even Jax looked disturbed.

 

Almost all of them fell silent, actually.

 

"Oh wow, this is great. Uh. For digital food, I guess."

 

Pomni, the one who couldn't really be nostalgic about anything, tried and failed at lifting the mood.

 

"Well, apparently she lied when she said she hadn't given the recipe to anyone. There goes my good day."

 

Jax stood from the table and walked away without another word. Pomni felt she was missing some critical information as Gangle sobbed in the chair next to her and Ragatha stood to walk away behind Jax with wide eyes and a distressed expression. At least Zooble seemed undisturbed enough to read her into her confusion.

 

"This was... Queenie's recipe. She was Kinger's wife. We thought she took it to her grave when she abstracted. Guess not."

 

•••

 

Ragatha ran into her room, locked the door behind her, and sat against it on the floor as her legs gave out.

 

She laughed and mumbled to herself quietly, a mix of sorrow and irony in the broken sounds.

 

"...We could never get it right...Did he lie and say he didn't know it?...Did he forget back then and just now remember?...What is going on?"

 

•••

 

The next day they were back at pretending everything was fine.

 

 

Ragatha didn't try to 'save' Kinger again.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Oh hey there it's been a while huh

I'M NOT ABANDONING THIS I PROMISE I JUST TAKE A WHILE I'M SORRY AA

Okay now that I got that out of my system, I gotta thank everyone for the kudos and support, they really warm my heart <3

For this chapter, I tried switching up things a bit, you may notice longer paragraphs, and I'm now experimenting with pauses and changes of setting in a single chapter, I'm trying to improve as I go, would love to hear your feedback :D

As always, don't be shy to point out grammatical errors, missing tags, and all that (specifically for this chapter, I haven't reread it throughout or added many tags, I may do it tmr or I may forget lol)

Edit: I rembered 😎

 

PS: Don't ask who Gromblo and Agnes are, I made them on the spot lmao. I may bring them back later but I doubt they'll have an actual description.

PPS: Just remembered I haven't actually showed this to mod bee (@spread-the-influence on tumblr) I should probably do that before the police knock on my door with a warrant and a copyright infringement letter ahahha..