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Something was wrong. Very wrong. She could feel it in her gut, a twisting ball of anxiety and wonder as she stood in the middle of the empty circus tent. The lights were dim and low, the noise level nonexistent save for an ominous humming that vibrated up her legs and pricked at her knees. For whatever reason, Pomni couldn’t shake the feeling that she really, really shouldn’t have gotten out of bed.
All she had wanted was a late night snack. A ham sandwich - was that too much to ask? She really didn’t have time to be dealing with...this.
And yet her legs refused to move, eyes glued to the sight in front of her.
This was a bad idea. It was late. Everyone was supposed to be sleeping. There shouldn’t be a portal open. Not at this hour. And certainly with no one else around.
“Um...hello?” Pomni called, glancing around mousily. For all she knew, this was nothing more than some dumb prank. Part of her half-expected Jax to pop out of nowhere and scare her. Wouldn’t be the first time, either, “Ragatha? Kinger? Is...anyone around? There’s kind of a thing open in the middle of the floor...”
Despite the nagging voice in the back of her head screaming at her to walk away, to run, to slink away and crawl back into bed like a good little jester, her feet shuffled closer and closer forward.
“Guys?” She tried again, palms suddenly sweaty as the magic gateway seemed to beckon and pull at her body, as if begging to jump through. For whatever reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being summoned. Desperately, even.
It tugged at something inside her - featherlight wisps of longing and helplessness brushing gingerly against her cheeks. She felt like a child searching for their mother in the dark. Lonely. Scared. Abandoned. Calling out but receiving no answer.
She suddenly wanted to cry. Wanted to be held.
Pomni took a frightened step back. She should get out of here.
Until another, less overwhelming sensation overtook her. Apologetic. Warm. No less urgent, but much kinder.
For a moment, she felt calmed. Soothed.
It’s alright, the mystic doorway seemed to beckon before her, Everything will be just fine. You’re needed here. Please.
She shook herself, wiping away at the tears pricking under her eyes.
Just what the hell was going on?
Either way, she dove in, knowing fully well she’d probably regret it in the near future.
The soft rhythmic beat of smooth jazz filled the familiar grayscale space as Pomni stepped through. She faintly picked up on the acrid, stale scent of tobacco wafting in the air, despite the lack of any lit cigarettes in the establishment. For a minute she was incredibly relieved; at least it wasn’t another haunted mansion or some other insane, overly-stimulating adventure.
Pomni glanced down. Her outfit was once again morphed into the classy button-down, black slacks, and suspenders. It wasn’t a bad look, of course, just not what she’d expected to be wearing again. Caine wasn’t one to reuse maps, and she had a growing suspicion that this had something to do with him. It was kind of a shame, though, that she didn’t have much of anything to show off anymore. Not much charm in playing film noir when you looked like something from an early 2000's toy line. She missed her human body. She missed it a lot.
The cool-colored neon lights still flickered over the bar counter as they did before, and for a minute Pomni was stunned to see a black-and-white mannequin now manned the station in Zooble’s place. It gave her a brief, curt nod, cocktail shaker swishing back and forth in his fingerless hands. She couldn’t stop herself from giving an awkward wave, which seemed to satisfy the bartender as he twirled the canister in the air once, catching it with a silent flair before pouring its contents into a tall, bulbous-shaped glass.
She blinked dumbly at the glowing technicolor monstrosity that now vibrantly pulsated on the counter. Highlighter ink. Glo-stick fluid. Unicorn barf. Whatever the drink was, it wasn’t any sort of booze she’d seen before. The hallucinogenic hodgepodge of sharp pinks, yellows, blues and purples were almost hypnotic in the way they swirled around in the glass. It also made her a little nauseous.
If that wasn’t enough, the concoction was garnished with a tiny paper umbrella and a ridiculously twisted silly straw. The kind you’d hand out as party favors for a kid’s birthday.
The thing was a liquid epilepsy trigger. Who the hell orders that for a drink?
The mannequin slid the cartoonish abomination down the counter with a glossy, too-sure flourish. The thing skidded dangerously close to the edge before a gloved hand caught it mid-motion, smooth and sudden.
She hadn't even noticed him sitting there.
Caine sat just at the edge of the bar, slouched over, an arm propped on the counter, head resting in his palm and looking absolutely miserable. An old pipe jutted out of the corner of his toothy maw, releasing wisps of tiny bubbles that trembled and popped softly as he let out a long, defeated sigh.
She quietly watched as he pulled the pipe from his mouth and set it next to his discarded tophat, sliding the drink towards himself without so much as glancing upward. He murmured something heavy and soul-weary under his breath before bringing the straw to his mouth. As he took a small sip, a sudden, flickering pulse cleaved through him - just briefly - making his body shudder involuntarily before settling like nothing happened.
Pomni had never seen him like this before. Caine was always so...so...energetic? Over the top, really. Loud, enthusiastic, maybe even a little miffed sometimes. But never...like this. He actually looked sad. Could an artificial intelligence even feel depression?
The jester didn’t know how to react to seeing the sullen ringmaster like this. Disturbed? Anxious? Curious? How does he even drink? Wouldn’t it burn his eyes?
She didn’t want to think about it.
Her gloves reached back as she looked ahead, brushing against the cold metal doorknob behind her. This wasn’t smart. She really, really shouldn’t be here. This was way too private. She was alone. In a bar. With a very despondent-looking Caine. He didn’t exactly seem to want any company, and walking in on his personal business might just upset him further. Was it really worth bothering him for curiosity’s sake?
She should leave. Yes, that’s what she’d do.
She should just turn the doorknob, turn around, and leave.
Turn around...and leave.
...and leave.
Dammit, why wasn’t she moving?
From over at the counter, Caine let out another low, melancholic groan. He looked absolutely miserable .
She couldn’t help herself. She just couldn’t.
What reason did a literal god of this world have to be so sad?
Her horrible curiosity won out in the end, because of course it did. Her feet gravitated towards the bar on their own accord, nothing more than timid shuffles so as not to startle him. Her vertically challenged size left her to hop on the first rung of the metal stool, grabbing the counter’s edge for just enough leverage to hoist herself up.
Pomni took a side glance at Caine, who seemed completely oblivious to her presence despite sitting just one empty seat away. He just stared into the empty space on the table, the fingers of his free hand listlessly tracing the worn cover of a lonely sketchbook. He took another drink of the iridescent ooze, slower and deeper this time, before an electric surge rippled through his entire avatar, jolting him like a glitch in the system.
The bartender came to stand before the awkward jester, tapping firmly to get her attention. Its expressionless face tilted towards her expectantly.
Sensing its impatience, Pomni blinked. “Oh um…I’ll just have a gin and tonic. Please.”
The bartender NPC turned to prepare her drink, satisfied as another mannequin walked in, sitting himself rudely between the two.
“I’ll have a–“ The mannequin blimped from existence.
Who even was that guy?
Oh, well. Good riddance.
Even then, Caine showed no recognition of the circus performer seated at the bar with him. Was she being given the cold shoulder? Surely he must’ve noticed her presence by now.
With an uncertain breath, Pomni finally broke the silence, “Caine?”
“I DIDN’T DO IT!” He jumped, eyes bugging out of his head with a startled yelp at the sudden awareness of the jester beside him.
“Pomni! W-well, what a surprise!” The ringmaster flashed a sharp smile, planting his elbow firmly on the counter as he awkwardly tried to shield the glowing, possibly radioactive drink behind his arm. “Always a pleasure to see you, my dear. Is, uh, is there anything I can help you w-with?”
Was she hearing things, or did his voice sound just a bit statickier? Even as he sat stiffly beside her, legs crossed and obviously trying to keep his cool, she could tell he seemed...off. Looser, even. When he played off the distorted vocals with a wink and a distracted cough, Pomni thought she caught one of his irises flash a sharp fuchsia before snapping back to its usual blue.
She eyed the drink hiding not-at-all-subtly behind the crook of his elbow, “I didn’t think you were the drinking type, Caine.”
“W-what, this? ” He suddenly sat up straight, arms flailing before his hands nervously clasped the pear-shaped bottom of the glass. Like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, “Oh, aheh, this is just, erm...just a little something to take off the edge! Flavor -wise, I mean! You, uh, know how bad my sweet tooth is! Completely family friendly and not at all inebriating in any way!”
“We were all drinking earlier...?”
“That! That’s different! You’re all human. Perfectly normal for you to want to, ahem, partake once in a while. Beneficial, even! And you know I certainly wouldn’t want to deprive you of a good time - it’s my whole reason for existing , after all!” He briefly glanced down at his lap, before snapping up to look at her again, “But...but as an essential, hard-working pinnacle of our lovely digital wonderland, it would be un-excusably unseemly for me to indulge in such in-intriguing inhibitions. Why, I could never, ever-”
“Caine,” Pomni cut him off, hand reaching out to catch the tonic that just nearly missed her before giving the stuttering AI a sympathetic look, “You know you can just...relax, right? I don’t care if you have a drink or not.”
That seemed to make him pause, “Really?”
“Sure, why not?” She shrugged, “This is a bar, after all. I won’t judge.”
“I...well, if you insist.”
They fell back into an awkward silence. Caine didn’t touch his drink. Instead he just sat there, visibly tense, sneaking sideways glances at Pomni when he thought she wouldn’t notice. Bit by bit, the rigidity drained from his posture, like water slipping through a sieve. He looked like someone under a microscope, slowly curling in on himself as he drew the strange, glowing cocktail closer with a sheepish murmur.
Pomni took a tentative sip of her gin and tonic. It wasn’t her usual poison, not that she was much of a social drinker anyway. A little too citrusy for her liking. Though the crisp finish was light and smooth, sliding effortlessly down her throat. It wouldn’t be nearly enough to give her a buzz, and something told her she’d need her full, unclouded attention for whatever came next.
The lazy lilt of a tenor saxophone drifted through the bar as she glanced his way again, only to find him slouched over, eyes fixed on nothing, lost in a thousand-yard stare. His next weary exhale carried a heaviness that seemed to bleed into the air around him, gloom rolling off him in quiet waves.
When she took another sip of her drink, it hit her with a sharp, bitter tang that hadn’t been there before. She grimaced at the unexpected change and set the glass down with a soft clink, glancing towards the sullen ringmaster once more.
"Um...hey?" The word came out smaller than she meant it to, barely heard over the hum of background music. Still, it was something. Anything to break the awful tension.
Caine blinked slowly, as if surfacing from deep water. He turned his head just enough to glance at her, then looked away again.
"Hey," He echoed, voice low and tired.
She shifted in her seat, fingers lightly drumming the edge of her glass.
"You, uh…come here often?"
He let out a soft snort and shook his head without answering.
She tried again.
“Okay…” She nudged her drink an inch forward, then back again, “What’s a nice guy like you doing in a place like this?”
It was a weak attempt at humor, cheap, cliché, and barely delivered with confidence. But to her surprise, Caine reacted. A flicker of a smile touched his face, brief and fragile, before vanishing again. He averted his eyes and slouched further down, resting his chin on the counter like a kicked puppy.
“What does it matter, anymore?”
Pomni blinked, caught off guard, “What do you mean?”
“What does any of it matter?” His voice climbed, ragged and raw, “My adventures, the circus...today was a disaster!”
Her brows knit together. That was probably the calmest day she’d had since landing in this twisted place. If Caine saw that as a disaster, then what the hell did he see as a good day?
“A disaster?” She echoed cautiously, “But...how? Everyone seemed like they were having fun-”
“I know! That’s the problem!” Caine threw his hands out in front of him, “All your suggestions were just fantastic ! Stupendous! The most brilliant, spectacular little medley of adventures you’ve ever had!” His voice cracked, somewhere between a laugh and a sob, “But none of them were me!”
Pomni stared at him, stunned, “I don’t understand...”
“Oh, my dear!” Caine cried with a long, theatrical inhale, as if bracing himself, “My entire purpose is to give you all breathtaking adventures, crafted from the bottomless depths of my dazzling, artificially generated genius! Grand tales! High stakes! Intrigue!” He gestured with flair, but his shoulders slumped as his voice dropped, “And yet...nothing I do ever seems to be enough for you people.”
...Oh.
“Caine? What are you talking about? You’re the most creative person, well, AI there is! Sure, today’s adventures were our ideas, but you made them real. You brought them to life! Isn’t that…enough?”
“No,” He huffed, crossing his arms like a sulky child mid-tantrum, “No, it isn’t. Do you have any idea how hard it is to pull an entire adventure out of thin air? The endless brainstorming, the meticulous coding, the late-night debugging sessions while you’re all off screaming in some existential corner?” He sniffed, “And do I get a single thank you? A single ‘gee, Caine, that eldritch-horror sock dimension was riveting?’ Of course not!”
The jester blinked but stayed silent, letting the AI ramble on.
“But...I want you all happy. I’ve tried adapting, I’ve tried to compromise. I even handed over the reins for once! And you all loved the suggestion box adventures. Just like that. More than anything I’ve ever created,” Another downtrodden sigh, “So what am I doing wrong?”
Pomni tilted her head. “I didn’t know you cared so much about what we thought.”
“I– well,” Caine faltered, then gave a weak, crooked smile, “Yes. Yes, I do. It’s my art after all,” He paused, mumbling with a bitter chuckle, “And I’m my own worst critic.”
Pomni shifted in her seat, her expression softening as she watched him fiddle with the rim of his drink. The usual theatrical charm Caine carried like a badge of honor had disappeared completely. What was left looked less like a charismatic host and more like an overworked artist staring down a blank canvas.
“…I guess I never thought about it like that,” She said quietly, “You always seemed so…sure of yourself. Like you didn’t need anyone’s approval.”
He glanced away, voice softer than before, “Well, I do.”
Pomni hesitated, then reached out, her hand brushing lightly against the worn edge of the counter as if searching for solid ground. This was definitely new territory for her. A sentient AI in charge of a large virtual circus, the power of everything and anything at his gloved fingertips, surrounded by a neverending supply of human guests.
She thought back to her first days in the circus. Caine had tried so hard to make her feel welcome. A little too hard, to be honest. Ever since, he was always in their faces, loud and exuberant, pushing boundaries and people’s minds. Lying about the exit door didn’t help her sanity either. The over-the-top ringmaster was always trying so, so hard to earn everyone’s trust and acceptance. But, for some reason, he was never able to get it right, and it was affecting him a lot more than she’d ever known.
Her voice softened, barely above a whisper as realization set in, “You…don’t have anyone to talk to, do you?”
He didn’t respond to that.
“I see…” She steeled herself, abandoning her bittersweet tonic glass on the counter - it was only leaving a sour taste on her tongue anyway, “You know, it’s okay to admit when you need help sometimes. Keeping all your anxiety and insecurities bottled up isn’t healthy, even for you, so...if you need to vent, go ahead,” She laughed under her breath, “It’s not like everyone else doesn’t already-”
“You can’t tell anyone about this!” He squealed, reaching from two seats over to desperately clutch at her hands, “Oh please, please Pomni! If the others found out I was here and with you and...you simply can’t tell them about any of this! I have a reputation to uphold! I don’t want them thinking that… I…” He stared blankly past her shoulder, “That I’m losing my touch.”
“Honestly, I don’t think they’d care that much,” Pomni gingerly pulled her hands back, “But I won’t say anything. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you, ” He gushed, clearly relieved, “You’re truly an angel.”
She shifted a little in her seat, “Pretty sure that’s just the alcohol talking,” Pomni eyed the dazzling drink still gleaming on the counter, “What’s in that stuff anyway?”
The AI froze, covering the multicolored gloop again, “Oh, this? It’s nothing, really! Just a double dose of ‘Caine’s Special’, merely a little pick-me-up of sorts. Nothing to worry your pretty head about, my dear!” The way Caine’s tone went from panicked to an attempt of calm and collective made Pomni squint. Her pinwheel eyes stared daggers into his shrunken pupils, “N-nothing out of the ordinary about this drink at all, no-siree..”
“If it’s nothing, why do you keep trying to hide it?”
“I, well...I didn’t really make it with humans in mind.”
“It looks like toxic waste.”
“That’s the aesthetic flair, thank you!”
“Can I try it?”
Caine froze, eyes wide at the faintest smile now on the jester’s face, “You-wait-What? Why?”
Pomni shrugged, leaning back in her stool, “Why not? You seem to like it, and I like trying out new things...sometimes.” She shook her head, “Besides, I think I’m too sober for this conversation anyway.”
“Well, uh...as long as you’re sure...”
“Actually, I think I need this.” Pomni stated bluntly, hands fidgeting for some kind of release. Something to distract her from this god forsaken digital world. Even for just a little bit.
“Alrighty, then! Don’t say I didn’t warn you, my dear!” And just like that, Caine snapped his fingers, “Bartender! Another one for the little sugar bug, here!”
“The little what now?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Within moments of pouring, shaking and stirring with dramatic applause, an exact copy of Caine’s syrupy, technicolor monstrosity was placed in front of her. Its swirling, oozing slurry of painfully bright pigments blared into her eyeballs, making her squint even as the ringmaster beside her gestured toward the otherworldly beverage with bated anticipation.
The first sip was a timid one. Short, smooth. The taste hit her like a freight train only seconds after.
“Blech! Caine...” Pomni whined, “It tastes like liquid skittles!”
The boisterous AI giggled. Giggled.
“Embrace the rainbow, Pomni!”
Why was she even surprised? Of course a pair of floating dentures would have a huge sweet tooth.
Against her better judgement, she tried again, letting the saccharine, syrupy liquid bathe her taste buds in another coating of tooth-rotting flavor. Dear lord, she probably could’ve eaten an entire bag of sugar and it wouldn’t be half as sweet as this! She winced at the slow burn that sizzled as she swallowed, knuckles white as she gripped into the counter for dear life.
“Well? Whaddaya think, my curious little kitten?”
The smugness in his voice was palpable, even in the buzzed, sullen state he was in. She reeled on him, half-ready to hit him with an equally-sly remark. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, it hit.
A warm heat suddenly bloomed within her chest, like a spark catching on dry kindling. It spread through her body like wildfire, hot and swift and all too wonderful as a kaleidoscope of colors exploded behind her eyelids. Her whole body rocked, languid and loose. She briefly felt a gloved hand reach out to steady her.
The edges of the room seemed to pulse ever so slightly, and Pomni’s skin prickled with static electricity. The floor didn’t move, but it felt like it wanted to. A slow, syrupy heaviness curled in her skull like a sleepy ferret, her thoughts slowly beginning to melt into each other like wax left too close to a flame.
God, she could really use this sort of high.
It took a hot minute for Pomni’s consciousness to float back into her body, but the feeling of being plunged into a warm bath lingered. Caine was watching her with utmost intrigue.
“...Oh,” She gasped, shaking herself, “That...that feels...”
“Good, I hope?”
She nodded, shoulders sagging, “Y-yeah. Hell, yeah. Thank you.”
“Why, you’re quite welcome, my dear! Glad to know I can still help you relax in some way, at least!” Caine raised a toast, “To the circus!”
Pomni lifted her own glass, trying to ignore the way her hand wobbled.
“To...not going insane.”
“Here, here!”
Clink!
She took another long, languid sip, forgoing the silly straw altogether in favor of keeping some shred of dignity. Her eyes darted over to Caine, who now appeared much less shy about his own beverage now that Pomni had joined him in drinking away their troubles. His glass was already a third of the way empty, and seeing how the eccentric entertainer was gulping it down like a man dying of thirst, it wouldn’t be long until any hope at productive conversation vanished entirely.
“Woah, Caine! Slow down,” She reached for him across the counter, fighting off the buzzing in her head, “It’s not a race, you know.”
Caine gave her a cheeky grin.
“But it could be!”
Pomni couldn’t help but laugh. Whatever was in this colorful creation was making her feel way too flighty tonight, “I don’t think I’d last three seconds if we did that.”
“Ah,” He nodded, waving his glass nonchalantly, “Perhaps another time, then.”
“Sure,” She conceded, another douse of pleasant ambrosia washing past her lips. The overpowering sweetness was becoming less pungent to her - probably a mix of the alcohol and the desensitization of her poor taste buds. Her vision sparkled with specks of lightning as soon as she swallowed, this time a powerful jolt sliced through her whole body.
“Holy %$#!” Pomni tried - and failed - to exclaim, “That is way too strong.”
“But it’ll put some digital hair on your chest, that’s for sure!” Caine declared, “Perhaps this is what I needed, after all! Irresponsible drinking, but with a friend! Let’s do this every week, my dear!”
“That’s probably not the best way to deal with your emotions, Caine,” Pomni advised, “Especially if you want to improve in any meaningful way.”
He crossed his arms with a huff, “My adventures are perfect as is!”
Pomni signed, rubbing at the spot between her eyes, “See, Caine? This is what I’m talking about. You get angry at us for not liking the adventures, but when given the chance to actually fix things you act all stuck up. Like you’re too good for change.”
“That-that’s not what I-!”
“Isn’t it?” She waved her hand dismissively, “I mean, here you are, sitting around and feeling sorry for yourself, but what does that accomplish? You’re not getting anywhere, just spinning your wheels and making yourself miserable in the process,” She jabbed a finger toward his chest, not hard, but enough to make a point, “I’m serious, Caine. If you want us to like you and enjoy your adventures, you have to be open to feedback.”
For once, the ever-bouncing, ever-grinning ringmaster seemed to fold in on himself. His shoulders hunched, his floating hands drew closer to his chest, and even his toothy grin faltered. “Ah…yes, yes, I suppose you’re right,” He mumbled, voice losing its usual booming cheer, “I…I do need to improve. I just, well, I suppose I’ve been distracting myself instead of actually doing better. I’m even starting to suspect it might be...hurting people.”
Pomni muttered into her glass, “Gee, you think?”
“A-and it’s not that I don’t want to do a better job for you people,” Caine said, voice softer than usual, “It’s just…if I change too much, then what am I? What if I’m not me anymore? What if...” He swallowed, a rare crack in his sing-song tone, “What if I get replaced?”
Pomni blinked, caught off guard by the vulnerability, “Replaced? Caine, no one’s trying to push you out. But you can’t just freeze in place and expect everything to stay the same forever. That’s not how it works.”
Caine reached for his hat, wringing at the brim as his eyes darted to the floor, “But I’m supposed to be the constant. The unchanging centerpiece. If I start updating - if I start to change - what if people don’t like me anymore?”
“They’ll like you more if you’re willing to grow,” Pomni shot back, “You’re not a prop, Caine. Even if you’re an AI, you’re still a person. And people change. You don’t stop being yourself just because you evolve.”
“…I want to believe that,” The ringmaster traced the edge of his glass with a finger, a faint, almost shy glance flicking her way, “But I’m not sure I know how.”
“Then we’ll figure it out together,” Pomni slid into the empty stool, closing the gap between them, “But it starts with you admitting you’re scared, and letting your friends help.”
“Friends...like you?”
Pomni paused, then slowly nodded.
“Like, actual constructive criticism, right? Not sly, crummy remarks like certain people give?”
She shook her head.
"You actually want to help me?”
Pomni gave a small, genuine smile, “Well, sure. If it means fulfilling your purpose, and maybe making our lives here a little less, traumatizing , then yes,” A spark of sincerity showed through her mismatched eyes.
Caine went eerily still. Quiet. For a minute, Pomni was worried she had broken him, until his eyes became glossy and a wet sniffle sounded from the quivering AI.
“You really mean it...”
“Well, I don’t think we have much of a choice-hey! ” His arms snaked around her in an instant, pulling her into a crushing bear hug that had the helpful little jester gasping for air.
“Oh, Pomni! You really do care! Thank you, thank you!” Pomni winced at the extreme discomfort that came from being touched, however the gentle buzz from the alcohol was helping to take off some of the nervous edge. She squirmed in his grasp, an embarrassed squeak escaping her as he nuzzled his jaw into the crook of her neck, “Nobody has ever asked to help me before! You don’t know how much this means to me! I am the luckiest program alive...”
She could feel the waterfall of tears dripping down his face and onto her shirt. Oh brother.
“C-Caine! Eh! You’re - ack - you’re squishing me!” She tried to wiggle out of his hold, but was only rewarded with a pleased him and another affectionate squeeze. Okay, she might actually be here a while, “Umm...there, there?” In an attempt to console him, Pomni’s hand slipped upwards to awkwardly pat his shoulder.
He eventually pulled away, wiping under his still-wet eyes, which had reverted back to fuchsia and bright green. Pomni rolled her eyes - he wasn’t even trying to hide being drunk anymore. Too bad she was still a ways off from being more than a little tipsy. As his hiccups calmed and the embarrassing crying stopped, he let go of the now scrunched jester with a warm and bubbly smile. His hands came to rest at her waist, and even though the thought crossed her mind, Pomni couldn’t bring herself to care that she was now seated firmly in the soggy ringmaster’s lap.
“You truly are a doll, my sweet little starlight,” Caine reached for his drink again with a free hand, “Always so eager to help people with their problems,” He tipped his head back and the rest of the fluorescent liquid disappeared into his ‘mouth’. After a brief jolt and a ragged sigh that sent a brand new wave of feelings coursing through Pomni, he pulled her into a hug and chuckled, “What did I ever do to deserve you, my dear?”
Pomni laughed nervously, prying for enough space to reach for her own drink, “I, uh...don’t really know? I’m just...trying to make a difference.”
“And what a difference you’ll make, my busy little bee..” Caine’s voice started to slur, “It’s funny. I was sooo scared before. About becoming obsolete. About...about not mattering to anyone. But you,” He playfully booped at the center of her face, “You’ve just made me feel like a bajillion bucks! I...I’m actually excited about getting to work with you on making me better- er . Not that my adventures aren’t already splendid, but with you offering a second opinion from your genuine little personality? Why, there’s no telling what we can’t accomplish together!”
He laughed, a sloppy and distorted warble of a laugh as he lifted his empty glass to hers, “So let’s jump in without...without any regrets! No holding back! After all, what do we have left to lose?”
“Um...abstraction?”
“Hah! Good one, my precious Kentucky gumball.” He clinked his glass against hers, watching with amusement as Pomni downed another gracious portion of her drink, “What do you say? Go, team?” He held his hand outstretched to her.
With a small hesitation, Pomni slipped her hand into his own, bracing herself as he shook her with more energy than he had intended. She smiled to herself, feeling warmer and warmer as she settled into Caine’s protective hold. As she continued to nurse the sugary abomination in her hand, her inner thoughts, which would normally be pushed down into the deepest recesses of her psyche, easily slipped up to the forefront of her fuzzy mind.
This was a good thing. This was progress.
Maybe things would change for the better.
Everyone would be so happy.
Her and Caine would be spending a lot more time together, too.
That would be nice.
She liked Caine.
Caine was cool.
And handsome.
"You really think so?”
She shook herself, the fog of the drink swirling lazily around her thoughts, softening the edges of the moment. For a split second, a flicker of surprise crossed her face - had she really just said that? Caine looked down at her with a heavy, lopsided smile, not unlike a golden lab after being told he was the bestest boy in the world.
“But I am the bestest boy, Pomni!”
Pomni let out a soft, almost amused sigh. It didn’t matter if Caine heard or not; she wasn’t embarrassed or shy about it anymore. The words felt right. She liked Caine. There was something about him that made her feel lighter, something worth holding onto in this strange, chaotic world.
She slumped back against his chest, a small, lazy smile curling her lips as the music in the background started to pick up, a smooth and groovy jazz number that sent a pleased shiver up her spine. Neon lights danced around the monochromatic space - or maybe that was just the booze. Either way, it had Pomni swaying under the enthralling ambience. Underneath her perched form, Caine couldn’t help but tap to the beat of the song, waggling a finger absentmindedly to the sultry tune.
Pomni slipped out a drunk giggle, “Dooo you like the music, Caine?”
“B-but of course!” He paused his seated jig to wink at her, “Not my best work, but...but...still a nice little number. Why? Do you like it? I can...” For a moment he trailed off, before shaking himself, “I can give you my mixtape? Or how about another drink? Whatever you want; I like seeing you happy...”
At the sloppy confession, she gave him a sly smile, “Wanna dance?”
Buzzing like a bee, the ringmaster grinned, “Why, Pomni! I’d thought you’d never ask!”
He grabbed her hand and whisked her away to the middle of the floor. Standing up was a bad idea - the rush to her head was immediate and she realized all too late that she was absolutely wasted. Pomni’s knees felt like pudding and she stumbled once, twice, right into the waiting arms of the beaming showman before her. Though by the way his body struggled to keep her upright, she could tell he wasn’t doing much better than her, either.
Caine laughed, hands resting firmly on her midsection. One of his eyes glitched out of focus altogether.
“Shall I have this dance, my pretty little pumpkin pie?”
Pomni was far too gone to come up with a witty reply.
She could tell he was trying to be gentle, rocking softly in time with the crooning trumpet. Their dance moves were jerky, awkward, an uncontrollable hodgepodge of rigid and limp as they tested their first few steps together. Pomni stepped on Caine’s toes - several times - but he didn’t seem to care. He only held on tighter as their steps lightly thudded against the hardwood floor.
Despite both her body and brain feeling like absolute mush, Pomni didn’t even fight the wide, dopey smile that bloomed across her face, like a stubborn dandelion that refused to die. Caine might’ve been annoying at times, and a little overbearing, but when he was like this - when he actually decided to cut loose - he was actually pretty fun. Even as he led her into a clumsy turn that had her head spinning, she couldn’t find anything to be angry at him for.
She felt good. Really good. Like she was floating. For once in the entire time she’d been in this hellscape, she felt happy. Content. As if she was in a wonderful dream. She tilted her head up languidly to peer at Caine through lidded eyes. Boy , did he look sloshed! But...charming. Eccentric. Alluring.
“Why, thank you, Pomni...” He let out a distorted chortle, “You’re...you’re much too kind...”
Pomni’s heart leapt beneath her ribs as Caine spun her in place, dipping her low enough to feel the floor beneath her shoulders. His arms trembled, struggling to hold her steady, but he threw her a captivating simper nonetheless. Pulling her up nearly sent him tumbling backwards. They both laughed it off, loud and obnoxious from the liquid courage barreling through their systems.
“Whoo, mama! I’m having a blast, my dear,” As the music picked up, so did Caine’s poor attempt at fancy footwork. He gripped both hands with his own, feet kicking out of time with the rhythmic beat, “You’re...you’re sweet as sugar! Sweeter-er, even!” He sang, “I’m ever-so-glad that you found me! I really should get down in the dumps more often!”
Pomni let out a ditzy giggle, “As long as I’m there to cheer you up again.”
The uneven, tipsy steps between them grew more jerky, more erratic. Caine’s tired body was wearing down, struggling to keep up with the lively atmosphere around them. They came crashing down at last when Pomni swung to the side and Caine’s legs gave out.
They yelped in unison as Caine hit the hardwood with a solid thump, the air leaving his chest in a grunt. Pomni landed sprawled atop him, palms braced against his chest as his arms instinctively curled around her, holding her close as if to shield her from the fall.
The two of them laid there, breathless and tangled on the floor. Eyes locked, frozen in time as the music ebbed and flowed somewhere in the background. To Pomni it was the perfect picture of romance, and that thought alone made her realize she was worlds more drunk than she’d wanted.
Not that she cared, anyway, from her awkward position atop the ringmaster, who was still muttering and stumbling over his words in an embarrassed frenzy. Even when intoxicated, Caine always had a knack for being an adorable goofball. He hiccuped unexpectedly, she yawned in response. Her fingers instinctively curled into the folds of his jacket. They could just stay here like this, couldn’t they? To be here in each other’s company forever, completely unbothered, seemed much too appealing to the short jester right now. The digital world had gone completely still, focused solely on this single moment in time.
She didn’t want to leave this. Not for a moment.
Her boisterous counterpart may have spat out an apology or two, but she didn’t hear it. Pomni was much too busy staring into the brilliantly beautiful eyes of his. All four of them. She wasn’t sure when the double vision started, but at that moment she was sure both Caine’s were positively breathtaking.
“...omni? Are you okay?”
Caine shook her by the shoulder, just barely pulling Pomni out of the boneless stupor she was in. She smiled lazily at him, watching with fond amusement as the same hand traveled up to gently cup the side of her face. The sweet, simple touch did so much so quickly. Intrusive thoughts clawed their way up through the muddy waters of her brain. Her grasp on his jacket tightened. She could feel his breath hitch underneath him.
Damn, I wonder what it would feel like to kiss teeth?
“Urm, Pomni?” Caine’s concerned voice drawled, “Why are you...trying to suck on my face?”
“Huh?” A thin string of spit still connected them as she leaned back, blinking down at Caine, who looked just as bewildered. Then came the mild sting of disappointment. Wow…she was definitely a terrible kisser when drunk. She’d missed her target almost entirely, smearing her lips somewhere along the bottom of his jaw - less a romantic kiss and more like a catfish attempting CPR.
“Oh.” She ducked her head, trying and failing to hide a sheepish grin.
Caine’s eyes widened in surprise, “Oh!”
She shifted uncomfortably, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, “I…uh…that wasn’t really-”
“It’s fine!” Caine blurted, waving his hands with exaggerated panic, “Really! I mean… it’s…unexpected, but…uh…not bad!”
Pomni shook her head, still smiling, letting the tension slip away, “You’re hopeless.”
“Too hopeless for you?” He teased, tilting her chin down, bringing her face closer to his.
“No...never...” She dragged, eyes drooping closed as Caine slowly pulled her in.
Closer. And closer.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, a sharp, insistent beeping kept nagging at her. She ignored it, leaning in further, until she realized Caine had gone still, hands retreating away from her.
Her eyes fluttered open. Caine was frozen, completely absorbed, eyes fixed firmly on the watch strapped to his wrist.
A record scratch echoed in her head.
“Oh-OH! My stars, it’s getting date-er, late! I hadn’t realised!” Caine’s attention snapped back to her, “We-we should go! It’s past your bedtime, missy! A-and I haven’t even finished coding a new adventure for tomorrow!”
Normally, she would’ve rolled her eyes at how frantic he sounded - always so obsessed with his adventures - but tonight, with the haze of the drink and the soft glow of the bar lights, it only made him look more endearing.
“You know, we could just take a little break for tonight...”
He waved a hand dismissively, still incredibly jittery, “N-nonsense! Rules are rules, and my splendiferous adventures don’t just craft themselves! We-we must be responsible! Yes, very responsible!
“Or...” Pomni smirked at him, “If you want, I can help you with the adventure...” A stray finger played with his bow tie, “We could go back to the circus, plan it out together. Maybe in my room?” She suggested, a knowing smile gracing her playful features.
Caine’s eyes averted her honeyed gaze, “Golly-gee-willikers, my honeybee! Are you sure?”
“Never been more sure.”
“I-I mean…if you really want to…” His voice wavered, small and uncertain, betraying the sudden shyness creeping over him.
Pomni’s grin widened at the sight, “Oh, I think I do.”
He swallowed hard, giving a tiny, awkward nod, and muttered under his breath, “Well…alright then…” His hands returned to her body, arms curling around her as he unsteadily lifted them both off the floor, “I-if you insist!”
A lack of natural sunlight in the digital circus - along with the fact that her room had no actual windows - meant that Pomni’s day-night cycle was completely messed up. Circadian rhythm who? It didn’t matter. All she knew right now was that someone was taking a jackhammer to her skull from the inside and her stomach felt like death.
The only reason she suspected it might be morning at all was because someone had started knocking on her door.
This time, it was Kinger.
“Pomni! Are you still alive?” His muffled voice echoed through the door, cheerful and just a little urgent, “Ragatha asked me to check on you. She couldn’t because she got tied up...or did Jax tie her up? Or maybe Gangle tied...a tie? Tie what?” There was a brief pause, followed by a rapid knock-knock-knock, “Oh! Also there’s eggs for breakfast and we can’t find Caine!”
The pounding on the door synced almost perfectly with the pounding in her head. Pomni stirred with a low, pitiful groan as she rolled onto her back, regret hitting her like a truck as dizziness swirled through her head like a janky tilt-a-whirl.
Her brain was still wrapped in a thick layer of dense fog. She felt sore, lightheaded...and for some reason, strangely happy, which didn’t make any sense. It hurt to think, and she was one bad movement away from throwing up her guts. Yep, definitely hungover from...
...From what, exactly?
Pomni squinted at the ceiling, eyes stinging under the bright lights as she tried to coax her memory into cooperating. Everything was too much of a blur - soft music, warm neon, the taste of something sugary still lingering on her tongue. She remembered someone talking. Herself or someone else? Then there was laughter, and dancing, and then, nothing.
Huh.
What happened last night?
As she dragged a hand down her face, Pomni sat up with a groggy whimper and glanced around her room. It was just as she’d left it - cluttered but comfortably hers, despite the tacky wallpaper. It was ugly and childish and the only space in the Circus where she could shut the world out, close the door, and be completely alone. A place where no one could bother her, and yet she couldn’t help but feel claustrophobic.
Even though she felt like she’d been flattened by a freight train, Pomni shrugged of the covers with a sluggish kick.
Kinger said there was eggs. Maybe a little food would help settle the storm brewing in her head.
She sat up, blinking blearily as the room tilted in protest.
An unfamiliar weight around her waist made her go rigid.
Pomni’s eyes shrunk like ants.
Something was holding her. Correction, someone . A loud, gurgling snore broke through the air and the arm around her waist dragged her back down. Her blood turned to ice as a pair of teeth began to nuzzle sleepily into the back of her head.
Pomni shifted nervously, heart racing in her throat. Caine. Sound asleep, his chest pressed to her back, arms draped around her with a surprising gentleness, as if she were the most fragile thing in the Digital Circus. She was held tight in a snug little cocoon of arms and legs, keeping her body firmly locked against the comfortable plush of the mattress. His breathing was slow and steady against her neck, sending a ripple of goosebumps up her arms. And the worst part was how well he fit there, like this had been their arrangement for years. The whole picture was stupidly domestic, the kind of thing you’d expect from two hopeless lovebirds tucked away in a cozy, sunlit nest.
Meanwhile she was screaming bloody murder inside her own head.
What the hell, what the hell, what the hell?
She tried to move, to gently pry his hands away from her body so she could get the hell out of there , but his gloved fingers were interlocked tight around her middle. Pomni’s mind was racing. What was going on? What was happening and why was he here? How did he-? Why were they-? How long had they even been like this?
Her brain was still short-circuiting when she felt him stir.
At first, it was subtle, barely a faint twitch of his fingers at her waist, a slow inhale that pressed him closer against her back. Then a low, dreamy hum rumbled from his chest.
“Mmm…warm…” Caine mumbled, practically purring against the back of her head like it was the most natural thing in the world, “Soft, too…”
She let out a doomed, airy wheeze.
This was it. She was going to die.
Caine blinked himself awake slowly, lids half-lowered in a haze of drowsy contentment. It took him about three whole seconds to notice where his arms were, another two to realize who they were wrapped around.
His eyes immediately locked with hers, there was a beat, and they both shrieked.
"OH SWEET STARS!”
“WHAT THE HELL?”
Pomni flailed back, careening headfirst off the bed just as Caine sprang backward like he’d been hit by a live wire. They screamed and screamed and screamed as Caine looked himself over in a blind panic, eyes darting from his hands to her to the bed and back again like he’d just committed murder.
For all her memory was good for, maybe he did.
“Sweet sassafras, what did we-? I-I mean, how did I-why are you-?”
“Out.”
“Wha-what?”
Pomni snatched a pillow from the floor, eyes predatory and feral as she charged, “GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!”
“Okay, okay, okay! ” Caine yelped, throwing his arms up to shield his face as he was belted over the head repeatedly by the vicious little jester. He didn’t even think of simply making the pillow vanish, his processor still running through molasses himself. All he could do was stumble backward over the barrage of swings.
“Move your stupid polygons before I turn you into confetti!”
“I’m going, I’m going!” He threw himself at the now-opened door without a second’s delay, “I’m sorry! Whatever it is, I’m genuinely, truly-”
“Get out!” With one final, furious shove, Pomni threw him into the dormitory hall and slammed the door hard enough to rattle the frame. He flinched, hovering only inches above the ground.
The oblivious ringmaster blinked perplexedly at the door, coatless and without his dashing accessories, utterly confused about what just transpired. He hadn’t meant to make Pomni angry, though he couldn’t recall for the life of him what she was angry about. Was it another failed adventure? The thought immediately made Caine laugh. His adventures a failure? Hogwash. Everyone knew his adventures were the epitome of perfection! Who wouldn’t love them?
The poor little jester probably just woke up on the wrong side of the bitframe. Poor dear. He’d have to come up with something extra special to jostle her out of her gloomy mood!
Deep in his still scrambled code, however, found himself admiring the newest circus member. Even with her completely-out-of-nowhere temper, he had to admit there was something irresistibly quaint about Pomni. Even he had to admit, for a human, she was impossibly cute, even when angry. Quite the little starlet, that one. Simply adorable. Soft, too. And by the code, what a snuggler! Even with a good chunk of his memory missing, thinking about that one fleeting moment made his artificial heart skip a beat.
“Ahem.”
He turned, and froze. The rest of his adoring cast stood scattered in the hallway, every one of them stopped mid-conversation like a set of lagging NPCs. Ragatha, Gangle, and Zooble all stared in abject horror, while Jax’s grin stretched, slow and wolfish, as if Christmas had just come early. Kinger, of course, hadn’t even noticed, too busy staring at a bug on the wall. When had he programmed in digital spiders?
“Uh...good morning, Caine,” Ragatha mumbled, cheeks pink, “I, um, that is...lovely day today, isn’t-?”
“Nothing’s going on between me and Pomni, I swear!” Caine shouted, body pressed against Pomni’s door like a swatted fly.
“You sure about that?” Jax flashed a toothy smirk, “Because it looked an awful lot like you were just about to take the dreaded walk of shame.”
“Jax!” Gangle squeaked, hiding her face in embarrassment.
“What? It’s not like we all didn’t see that,” The tall rabbit said, jerking a thumb toward the trembling ringmaster and the closed door behind him, “You seemed to have had an eventful night, Cainey-boy. Sure you don’t want to spill the juicy details?”
“No!” Caine’s hands shot up, waving frantically as if he could just wipe this entire scene out of existence, “I-I mean, because there’s-there’s nothing to spill! Absolutely nothing at all!” He stammered, “Pomni and I were, uh, we were...resting! Yes! Innocent, completely platonic resting! No scandals here, you playful little paparazzis!”
Ragatha looked away, “You were...resting together?”
He nodded too vigorously, “Exactly! Completely normal, socially-acceptable resting! Like... work colleagues! After a long night of...adventures!” He swallowed, his circuits overheating, “Totally innocent, I swear!”
Pomni’s door opened suddenly, causing Caine to fall back. This time Pomni pitched Caine’s red coat straight into his face. Then his hat. Followed by his cane. Caine scrambled to catch the jumble of his own belongings as the door slammed shut behind her.
Jax’s laugh echoes down the hallway, “Innocent, huh?”
Caine felt like he was melting. So much for his reputation. And for planning another adventure…
