Chapter Text
Chapter six
At least we are together
Zooble hung out with Gangle for a bit in the lounging area of the tent. Gangle was scribbling away in their sketch book, laid out on the floor as Zooble sat in the corner of the couch messing with one of their parts that wouldn’t seem to click right. It started to aggravate them. They let out a frustrated groan. It caused Gangle to look up from her sketch book giving Zooble a worried look.
Gangle noticed their struggle giving an understanding look. “Need some help?” She spoke up then looked at her ribbon hands. Not like she be much of help anyways, she still wanted to reassure.
Zooble glanced at Gangle blanky for a moment before smoothing their expression back out. “Thanks Gangle but-” The piece clicked in. Finally. “I got it.” They replied with a sigh of relief.
Gangle smiled at Zooble even if their comedy mask wasn’t on at the current moment. It was laid by her sketch book. The two of them sat in silence for a while. It was peaceful. Too peaceful. Caine hasn’t even popped up once today to throw everybody into an adventure. Thinking of the others they never came back from whatever ramble Ragatha was on about earlier.
Time kinda seemed to not be a thing here but it has felt like awhile now. At least one of them would have been heard coming back by now complaining about Jax or even to see if there would be an adventure today. Before Zooble could ask about the others missing appearance Gangle beat them to it.
“Have you seen Ragatha and Kinger? Or Pomni?” Gangle hesitated before speaking up again. “Or even Jax?” She whipped her head around to make sure he wasn’t about to come up from behind and scare her.
“No, not since this morning.” They grew suspicious. Did everyone go on an adventure without them? Not that it hurt Zooble anyways. They hated going on adventures. Their body wasn’t exactly made for the kind of adventures Caine came up with. Usually they would hide or bounty say they aren’t going.
It didn’t make sense if they did go on one. Caine always makes a grand entrance that is highly annoying as Bubble quickly explains the vague rules. Zooble glanced at Gangle that was found putting on her comedy mask.
“Hm. Do you think they went to their rooms?” Gangle asked out of curiosity.
“Could be a possibility. We can go check if you like.” Zooble slid off the couch and waltzed over to Gangle. They lended out their most normal looking hand down to Gangle.
Gangle slipped her ribbon onto their hand taking it as she was lifted up from the ground. She gave a shy smile to Zooble quietly chirping “Thanks.” First they both stopped by Kinger's pillow fort. Normally he was found there most times doing who knows what. Zooble called out awaiting no response. With a shrug of their shoulders they carried off down the hall to the rooms. Gangled trailed beside them.
Zooble gave a firm knock on the first door they spotted. It was Ragath’s door. No one responded. They knocked again waiting patiently as no one still came to the door. “Huh. That’s odd. Normally Ragatha is not even cooped up in her room.” The thought was spoken aloud from Zooble.
Gangle gives a sheepish look at the door and then down the hall. It's completely empty. Returning the sheepish look back to Zooble. “Maybe we should ask Caine? He might know.” She suggests nervously.
Zooble scoffed and turned to Gangle. Their eyes narrowed towards her. “You really think Caine would even know or be helpful? I feel like he would just snap everyone into an adventure.” The thought of asking Caine brought dread to Zooble. That's the last person they'd want to talk to. Ever honestly.
Gangle let out a nervous giggle. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“Well let’s go knock on everyone’s door in case. We can go from there.” Zooble spilt away from Gangle to go knock on another door.
They came upon Pomni’s and Jax’s door across from it. Zooble was about to knock on the jesters door as she thought of Jax yelling at Gangle if he answered. With a long pause and sigh, they waltzed over to Jax’s door. Zooble gave a good pounding at the door it shook in the frame.
Just like Ragath’s door there was no response. Not even a ‘f$@! off will you’ came through. Growing suspicious as no one seemed to be answering their doors, Zooble thought about what the fuss was earlier with Ragatha and Jax. They tuned everyone out so they couldn’t recall much. Other than them for some reason trusting to follow Jax down the hall. Now to have seemed to disappear without a trace.
As Zooble was about to call out to Gangle to tell her why not go get Caine, Gangle’s high pitched voice cried out. Zooble’s eyes got wide, turning to the direction of the sound. They sped walked to Gangle coming up on them to see their face in horror even if their comedy mask was still intact on them.
“Gangle are you okay?” Zooble’s voice began to grow worried. If they find it’s Jax picking on her they were gonna kill him right then and there.
Padding up the hall Zooble found Gangle staring at a random placed door in the hallway.
A blue door that read the word exit on it. Zooble stared at it hard. This had to be the argument from earlier that Ragatha was on about. They remembered vaguely about a door looking upon it now. “Woah.” Was all they could get out.
“I-is that…really the exit door?” Gangle stuttered anxiously and almost amazed.
“I have no clue.” Zooble stated, still staring at the door not believing the sight themselves.
They blinked their eyes a couple times at the door. The digital rectangle never faltered. This could be the exit door. That has to be where everyone else is at. Zooble only imagined how it went down upon their discovery. Jax must have tricked or forced everyone through. What an unbelievable @$#!&*!# he truly was.
Gangle spoke up with a shaky tone breaking Zooble out of their thoughts. “Um…you think everyone went through here?” Her voice grew quieter. “Left us here…forgot about us…” Gangle had a frown appearing on her comedy mask, about to go on a mental break.
“What? No. I think Jax kidnapped everyone against their will. I’m positive the others would have come and got us if they were able.” Zooble added on seeing Gangle's expression. “Ragatha for sure. She is the biggest worrywart ever.”
Gangle sniffled, wiping away the tears that had formed on her mask. She gave a weak laugh that turned into a sigh. “Jax is always so mean so you’re probably right. Thanks Zooble. That made me feel better.”
Zooble gave a nod in response with a small smile. They looked at the door again debating if they should open it and walk through. Leave the awful circus. What would happen if they did. What about Caine? Would he go hunt them down? No. He couldn’t. Unless he knew about the exit door which in these odds would be an absolute no. Or not yet anyways.
Zooble thought about a chance of having their normal body back. Getting out of this awkward terrible body that always shattered into pieces motivated the thought of opening the door. They took a deep breath in, shaking their head. What was about to come out of Zooble’s mouth they couldn’t believe themselves.
“Well let’s get out of this $#!@ hole shall we?” Zooble turned to Gangle to see them smiling with tears leaking from their eyes.
“Yeah. Let’s get out of this $#!% hole!” Gangle curled the end of her ribbon hands shaking them up in the air aggressively excited.
Zooble wide eyed her before chuckling at Gangle’s sudden attitude change. They flipped up a censored middle finger as they opened up the door. The two of them got sucked up in the door as they normally got sucked up in one of Caine's adventure portals. The door slammed shut behind then disappeared into thin air without the two noticing.
Gangle awoke in a chair at a desk in front of a computer. Paper was scattered about filled with sketches laid out on the flat surface. A cup filled to the very brim with all sorts of drawing materials. Gangle felt as if her head was on a swivel looking all around her. She caught herself looking for Zooble. Her heart sank when they weren’t in sight.
A loud deep groan was heard on the other side of the cubical barrier she was in. A sharp pinch of fear nipped at her. “H-Hello? I-Is someone t-there?” She stuttered out as her breathing started to hitch in her throat.
“Gangle? Is that you? I swear I recognize that soft voice from somewhere.” A deep familiar voice responded back. It was Zooble.
Gangle let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding in. Thank god it was Zooble. Her nerves calmed down a bit then perked right up when she looked down at her lap. Her ribbons that acted as hands and a whole body support were replaced with soft porcelain skin. She seemed to be in a white pleated skirt paired with a cozy red sweater. The skirts she would normally draw her anime characters in but her skirt had a little more length, a little halfwayish past her knees.
Scooting back the chair she noticed she had legs and actual feet. They were dressed in black scrunched up leg warmers paired with black marry janes with white socks. Sorta a plain jane but cute fit. Gangle reached up to where her mask would normally be feeling something warm. She slightly touched her face gasping, pulling her hand away as instinct.
“My comedy mask…It’s-” Gangle got cut off as Zooble stepped up tapping them on the shoulder. Instantly Gangle turned her head. Her stare was caught, trapped gazing at Zooble’s different appearance.
They had smooth skin that was a copper tone. Their eyes were a light green. Zooble seemed a lot taller than Gangled ever imagined, and slender. They were wearing a pink long sleeve with a white collar shirt underneath, poking from out of the shirt hole paired with loose baggy black jeans with a belt that held them up. Their shoes were regular ole white tennis shoes. Their hair fell down to almost shoulder length. It was a dark hazel that seemed to have streaks of faded pink in it. It was pulled back into a half up little bun. Didn’t look bad at all. It quite suited them.
“Gone. Wow. Gangle you look great.” Zooble blurted out with a blank stare. The comedy mask was replaced with a small porcelain face, hazel eyes and shoulder length jet black silky smooth hair that fell straight down. Their eyes met Gangle and they felt their face start to heat up as the other’s eyes bore into them. Looking away quickly, Zooble cleared their throat.
“I mean…yeah. Sorry you look so different. A good difference.” Zooble, still turned away, was processing the new look Gangle had.
Gangle didn’t respond. They sat in the chair in silence staring at Zooble. After a moment they finally spoke up. “You look great too Zooble.” For a second Gangle felt happy. True happiness. No comedy mask needed for it to happen.
She was out of that forsaken body. That forsaken place. “Fuck yeah we look great.” Gangle immediately pressed her hand against her mouth. Zooble flipped around gawking at Gangle. Did she just swear? It wasn’t even censored. Oh my god. She swore and the word wasn’t censored.
After sharing a brief moment of horror on their faces, Gangle began to giggle. Zooble chuckled as it spread like a sickness. They both filled the room with loud energetic laughter. Bouncing off of one another. That was the first ever time Gangle thought that she heard Zooble or even herself laugh like that.
“Did I just swear?” Gangled exclaimed through a couple of giggles.
“Fuck yeah ya did. Ha! God it feels so great to not be censored.” Zooble commented with such a laid back tone. They sounded relieved and not stressed for once.
“Yeah…heh. It feels great to be in a normal body too.” Gangle bursted out peering back down at their hands. She curled them into tight fists and slowly unclenched them. Watching the motion over and over again like she was allured into a trance.
Zooble peered down at themselves. Lifting their arms up looking at the strange sight in front of them. They placed their right hand in front of their view. Turning it side to side glancing at the copper skin. Woah. They were in a real body. Their body. Not some build a creep and take apart to remake all over again.
Gangle and Zooble looked up at one another. Smiles so wide on their faces it seemed like they would get stuck like that if they stayed smiling any longer. They couldn't help it though.
Free. Free from the horrors of that god awful digital place. Free from the bodies that did them no good in the adventures like it did the others. The unfairness they felt for so long melted away into nothing.
Zooble dropped their arm down to stop gawking at themselves for the time being. They gazed around their surroundings. They seemed to be in some sort of office. A studio honestly. It had two desks. The desk that Zooble accompanied when first arriving and the one Gangle was presently at. Behind them a few feet away was a long brown wooden table, mini fridge on top of it with a vending machine next to it all.
The setting told Zooble they were no longer at the digital circus and in fact in the real world. Back on earth. Not exactly knowing what place on earth but at least they weren't alone. Thankfully Gangle was with them. Which is odd as they never knew Gangle outside of the circus. Not really thinking much further into it they moved on to their next thought.
Who are they really? Picking at their brain, no memories came to mind. Not even a name. Growing a little frustrated, Gangle’s presence seemed to cam their temper a little. Zooble peered over at Gangle.
“Hey, do you know where we are?” Zooble questioned hoping she would know.
Confusion faltered over Gangle's face, brows furrowing. “I think we are in an art studio of some sorts.”
“Ah. That explains all the sketch books laid out on the tables.” But didn’t explain why Zooble was here. Drawing was more up Gangle’s alley.
“Mhm. Do you think the others are here? Well maybe not exactly here…but..” Gangle started to trail off getting flustered.
“I know what you mean. We can find the others after figuring out where and exactly who we are.” Zooble addressed the elephant in the room.
Gangle nodded in response, starting to fiddle with the ends of her hair. It felt comforting to her to have hair to touch. She couldn’t remember anything or even find anything familiar around her. The art she noticed when she awoke didn’t even look like her artstyle. It was well drawn but not by her.
“So…we are out of the circus.” Gangle said it like she was still trying to wrap her brain around it.
“Yup. I’m gonna take it as we are if we can curse with no censors and we are in different bodies.” Zooble glanced down at themselves for the millionth time also trying to wrap their brain around this.
Gangle gave a weary smile towards Zooble. They felt the corners of their lips tilt up matching Gangle’s expression. It felt weird smiling. Actually smiling and not just with their eyes. They had a mouth. Which was so odd.
“I am so glad to be out of that hell. Heh…it feels so nice.” Gangle held their hands in their lap glancing down at them. Twiddling with their fingers.
“Anything you wanna go do? Maybe go actually eat some real food? Touch grass, heh.” Zooble thought at what they said. They could do so many things they couldn’t do in the circus.
Eating and actually tasting the food was one of those things. Zooble wanted to test out their new body. Push it to limits it can handle. Gangle seemed to be thinking the same thing as a smirk was plastered on their face.
“Let’s go eat till our stomachs can’t take it anymore. Can we maybe even go watch a movie?” Gangle grew excited at all the things they were about to experience.
Zooble chuckled at Gangle's comment and request. “Yeah. We can do anything you please. Let’s find our way outta here.” Zooble lended out a hand for Gangle to take.
Gangle took their hand in a heartbeat. Her face lit up like a million fake twinkly stars. Even brighter than that. The two decided to ditch what looked to be maybe a job of Gangle’s to explore the world they were in. To experience the freedom that they now held in the palms of their realistic hands.