Chapter Text
Both Gangle and Zooble popped into their respective rooms. Gangle instantly ran to Zooble’s room, although her ribbon legs were trembling. When she entered Zooble’s room, Zooble was in pieces, scattered all over the ground.
“We… Died?” Zooble groaned as Gangle pieced Zooble up.
“Shhh…” Gangle shushed Zooble as she assembled them together. She then gently picked them up and laid them gently on their bed. Gangle crawled into her bed and placed the blanket over them. Zooble tended to be weaker after dying, due to their strength being spread across all their limbs and removable parts.
Zooble grunted in satisfaction as Gangle wrapped her ribbons around their body. Gangle seemed to be a timid and shy girl around others, but when she was alone together with Zooble, she was more intimate and dominant.
“Gangle I-“ Zooble started a sentence, but before they could finish it, Caine teleported the both of them away from the bed and into a meeting room. The meeting room held a gray table that was shaped like an oval. Black chairs surrounded the table.
Apparently, everyone was teleported into that room and each of them got their own chairs. They were all seen frozen on the spot, still doing the things that they were doing before they got teleported here.
Jax and Pomni were talking midway. Next to them, Ragatha was sewing her dress midway, and Kinger was just sitting down. It took them a second to realise what was going on before they looked around their surroundings. Then, they saw Zooble and Gangle, who were tangled up.
“WAGAGHAHAHHA-” Jax wheezed, opening his jaw to exaggerate his laughter and hitting Pomni at the same time, making her fall off the chair. Ragatha looked away respectfully, blushing, and Kinger just sat there.
“Uhhhh-” Zooble stammered as Gangle shyly crawled off them. “F!&$%.”
No one noticed that Caine was seated at the end of the meeting table.
“Ahem.” Everyone turned to look at Caine. His gaze was solemn. “I’ve called you all here today to ask you what I’ve done wrong.” He stated, his tone depressed and staring at the table. His eyes held such sadness that even Zooble almost felt sorry for him.
Jax had already fallen asleep.
Caine waited for the cast’s responses.
“Caine. We have already told you our preferences for ideal adventures multiple times.” Zooble sighed, hunching their shoulders. “For example, Pomni and I prefer calm adventures where you can’t die.”
Zooble looked over and Pomni, who managed to crawl back up to sit on the chair after Jax had pushed her off. She nodded her head to Zooble.
“You never ever listen to us!” Zooble glared at Caine with pure frustration and accusation in their eyes. “You never ever consider our opinions or preferences! You only do what you like!”
“That’s what you’ve done wrong.” Zooble concluded.
”That’s right!” Pomni spoke after Zooble, her gaze serious. “We keep saying that we would prefer a certain type of adventure constantly. You could try the suggestion box!” She suggested.
“But…” Caine sounded like he was on the verge of breaking down. “Those adventures aren’t the me adventures.”
He slowly looked up and stared at Pomni and Zooble with such sorrow in his eyes that made Pomni feel kind of bad. “Are you implying that… My adventures are not good?”
Before Pomni could say anything reassuring, Zooble responded to Caine.
“Yes.”
Caine said nothing. He started glitching on the spot. It looked and sounded horrible enough that Jax woke up from his sleep. “What…”
“Uhm, Caine?” Ragatha stammered, nervously reaching her hand to try to hold Caine’s shoulder. “Maybe we could talk it out?”
Caine just popped out of existence, leaving some glitch particles behind. The meeting room disappeared and the cast was back to their original places where they had been before getting teleported to the meeting room.
Pomni and Jax were back in Jax’s room.
“Wh… What was that..?” Pomni’s voice quivered as Jax slumped down onto the pillows on his bed.
“Dunno, and I'm gonna sleep. I'm tired.” Jax muttered, throwing his moss blanket over his body. “Don’t tell anyone what my room looks like. I want to keep the mystery alive~”
Please stay. Jax’s inner thoughts tried to make him beg, but the words couldn’t come out of his mouth. Please Pomni, I want you to watch over me sleep because you said you care. Show me how much you care.
“Okay.” Pomni acknowledged, slowly exiting his room. He probably wants me out of the room as he sleeps anyways. Pomni thought.
Jax’s heart dropped in disappointment.
Pomni decided to head over to the couch, where everyone was gathered there, whispering urgently.
“Pomni!” Ragatha waved at her. “I was about to check on you to make sure you were okay after… Whatever that was.”
“Really, I'm fine.” Pomni sighed tiredly. “I can manage, don't need to check up on me.” Pomni grumbled a little.
“Zooble, maybe you shouldn't have been so mean.” Gangle nudged Zooble softly. “We don't want to get Caine on our bad side.”
“I thought you said Caine isn't doing anything to us because he likes us.” Pomni pointed out to Zooble. “I think now he's starting to realize that no one really likes him.”
“Seems like that’s the case now.” Zooble shook their head.
Kinger suddenly seemed sane.“Remember how Caine didn't get any votes?” He told the group.
“W…What do you mean by that?” Ragatha stammered. “How do you know about the votes?” Now, everyone's attention was on him.
“I always saw Caine looking at his wacky watch.” Kinger replied. “I spied on him and managed to see what he was doing.”
“What.” Everyone said. They didn't know what else to say.
The cast were silent until Pomni asked.
“So, what are we going to do with Caine like that? What's even going on with him?”
When no one answered her, Kinger spoke up.
“I was in computer science when I was out of the circus.” Kinger murmured. “I've dealt with rogue AIs before. It seems like Caine is starting to gain awareness of his surroundings that's not in the code.”
“Oh god.” Ragatha muttered nervously. Gangle shuffled her ribbon feet nervously. Zooble looked annoyed and Pomni?
She was scared.
“Kinger, what happens when an AI goes completely berserk?” Pomni asked worriedly.
“From my knowledge, when an AI goes completely berserk, it could do the opposite you tell it to or it could cause you serious harm physically, mentally or psychologically.” Kinger murmured in a concerned tone. “It could also act chaotic, violent and aggressive.”
“So that's why Caine sent us on that horror adventure yesterday.” Zooble realized, rubbing the base of her head. “Even after we asked for a relaxing and calm adventure.”
“What horror adventure?” Kinger responded, his eyes going in opposite directions. Seems like he was back to being confused again.
“I think that's enough talking and discussing for today.” Zooble sighed and walked away. Gangle looked at the group and then at Zooble as she walked away.
“I'm… sorry about Zooble…” Gangle sighed, shaking her head slightly. “They haven't been in a great mood recently. I'll… try to talk them out of it.”
After she said that, Gangle turned and ran after Zooble. Kinger had already walked off to his pillow fort.
Now, Ragatha and Pomni were left.
Pomni didn't say anything. She didn't feel like talking either. The thought of Caine going berserk made her tremble.
“Pomni, are you okay?” Ragatha asked Pomni, concern present in her voice. “You know you can talk to me if whatever that happened is worrying you.”
“I know.” Pomni sighed. We made up a while ago during the gun adventure. Pomni thought. I remember telling her that she should stop babying me, considering that I am old enough to make my own decisions and handle myself. And if I need any help, I’ll tell her if I feel like it.
Ragatha had forgotten about what Pomni had told her. She let her old habits sink in as she tried to comfort Pomni.
“I… know all these are scary for you, considering that you’re the newest member here.” Ragatha tried to sympathise with her. “I promise that it’ll get better soon!”
“Yeah.” Pomni responded dryly. Ragatha was starting to tick her off.
She’s babying me again! Pomni groaned inwardly. Frustration and fear overwhelmed Pomni. Tears started to burn in her eyes but she held them back in.
“Want me to get something for us to eat? It might make you feel better-” Ragatha fretted over Pomni and placing her hand on Pomni’s shoulder, not getting the hint that Pomni might not be in the mood to talk and forgetting that she was touch adverse.
“Ragatha, stop.” Pomni snapped. Tension filled the air as Ragatha’s voice faltered. “We talked about this.”
Ragatha paused. It took awhile for her to register what Pomni had said before she started to panic.
“Oh my gosh. How could I forget-” Ragatha spoke quickly. “Pomni, I am so, so sorry…”
“Sorry Ragatha, but… I need some time alone.” With that, Pomni turned her back facing Ragatha and dragged her tired feet towards her room before she could say anything else.
.
.
.
Jax has sneaked out of his door and spied on the cast discussing the Caine situation.
It’s awfully boring without Pomni to play pranks on or joke around. His thoughts groaned out of boredom.
He turned his back once Zooble and Gangle walked back to their rooms. He sneaked off to somewhere else to make sure that they didn’t catch him eavesdropping on their conversations.
Before coming to listen to the cast’s convocations, Jax had not only entered Ragatha’s room to slip a few centipedes into her drawer, but he also slipped into Pomni’s room to hang out by himself there. You see, Pomni’s room had a very comfortable blue and red bean bag to lie on, and her room was the only one who had it. Jax found the bean bags in the library too… unpleasant and uncomfortable to lie on. He always made a mental note to remove the rabbit shaped depression in Pomni’s bean bag before leaving.
He looked over his shoulder to ensure that no one had noticed that he was hovering around the couch area.
He then bumped into a rather short jester when he took a glance back.
“Watch where you’re going.” Pomni hissed, shoving Jax to one side. She then stomped to her room, opened the door, and slammed it shut.
Well, that’s rare. Jax thought. Should I go bother Pomni or just leave her alone?
Jax stood still for a while, thinking intensely. He then went with the first option.
.
.
.
Pomni had slammed her room door shut. She then jumped into her bed, hid her face into her pillow and let out a muffled screech. It didn’t take long for fat, hot tears to soak into her pillow.
“Pomkin. Let me in.” Jax’s voice demanded from outside her room. Pomni didn’t have the heart or voice to respond to Jax. She just sat up, leaned onto the wall and hugged her pillow tightly.
“Oh wait I forgot I had a key to your room.” Jax chuckled as he unlocked her door and entered. He strolled into her room and flopped onto the bean bag. He let out a sigh of relief the moment he hit the bean bag, his eyes dialating so much that the yellow was gone.
“Jax, go away.” Pomni sniffled.
“Why should I?” Jax grunted, half asleep in the bean bag. “Firstly, I don’t really want to move from this comfy bean bag and secondly, I’m here to pay back your effort from yesterday. Don’t really want to owe anyone anything, and it’s my turn to pester you.”
Pomni didn’t respond. She just started crying more.
He cares about me.
“Huh? Why are you crying even harder?” Jax exclaimed, adding a little but of sacasm. “Did Ragatha really get you that badly, or am I just too funny that you’re crying tears of joy?”
Pomni didn’t know how Jax knew about their fight just now, but right now wasn’t the time to think about that. Pomni started to hiccup due to her crying.
“The first one.” She whispered through her hiccups.
Jax looked up at Pomni, who hid half her face into her pillow. He heaved himself up from the bean bag. He walked up to Pomni and placed a hand on her head.
He then proceeds to push her onto her side, making sure she lay down on her bed. Without a word, he took Pomni’s pillow and shoved it under her head. He then pulled the blanket from under Pomni and covered her up. He then kneeled down to look at Pomni.
“Look Pomcakes.” Jax murmured rather soothingly to her, a contrast from his rough actions a few seconds ago. “We all know Ragatha is a B@*#&.” He paused, looking into Pomni’s sad eyes. She said nothing, but stared back into his eyes with her round ones.
“Just don’t listen to her, she’s stupid, ugly and annoying. Safe your energy, dont get mad over something as simple as this. Spend your energy on the things you enjoy, not fussing over simple matters like this.” Jax advised Pomni, reaching out to her shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“Rest well, Pom.” And with that, he left her room.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Caine and Bubble were sitting in a restaurant.
“Wow Caine!” Bubble giggled.
“You’re such a great and inspiring ringmaster that no one likes your adventures.”
“…HAHahaha…”