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"Dadddddddd" Pomni whines, pushing open Kinger's pillow fort with her little hands.
"Hm?"
Kinger's head snaps over to see a tiny version of Pomni on her hands and knees at the entrance of his fort. Her swirling red and blue eyes taking up more of her face than usual, her jester comically large over her head.
"Pomni?" he asks, picking her up and bringing her inside. "What in the world happened to you? Did you just call me 'dad'?"
Dangling by her armpits, Pomni blinks. "Jax keeps biting Gangles ankles, can you tell him to stop?"
"I'll never stop! Hehehehheheheheeee!" A suspiciously little Jax sounding cry comes from afar.
"HELP ME!!" Gangle yells.
"Jax you Poophead, let her go!" Zooble yells firmly.
Kinger sits there at a loss for words, little Pomni still dangling in his hold, kicks her tiny little feet back and forth. If he leaves the fort, he'll go insane again, but if he stays here, Gangle might suffer and Zooble might finally kill Jax. Before he can decide what to do, Caine pops up at the open entrance of his pillow fort with that same dorky smile on his 'face'.
"Why hello Kinger! Pomni. How are we today?"
"Caine, what is happening?" Kinger gently sets Pomni back down, the little jester clinging to him like a vice.
"It's todays challenge!" Caine says overly cheerful as usual. "Your goal is to take care of these little guys until they turn back to normal, if you can do that, you win!"
Kinger sighs, shaking his head. "Did you have to turn all of them into kids at once?"
"Yes, yes I did. Good luck!"
Before Kinger can get another word in Caine already pops out of existence, leaving him to take care of the mess of toddlers running around the circus like it's a free for all. Which in this case, it sort of is just like a free for all huh? Thinking about it for a moment Kinger comes up with a plan and conjures up a black out umbrella to set on top of his head that way no light can touch him and he stays sane.
"There we go," he says, adjusting the hat.
"Oo pretty!" Ponmi goes to grab it, only for Kinger to gently take her hands into his.
"No, no touching the hat, I need this okay?"
"Awe, okay." Pomni pouts, but listens.
Stepping out into the open they see little Jax running around on all fours with Gangle's ribbons in his mouth, her poor face dragging across the floor as Zooble tries to chase after them. Pomni climbs onto Kinger's back and watches the chaos over his shoulder.
"Jax." Kinger says hands on his hips.
Jax skids to a stop, Gangle's ribbon still in his mouth as he turns his head over to him, ears pinned back. "Yeah?"
"Let go." he says firmly.
"What? Why?" Jax pouts, not even realizing he did in fact let go.
Kinger walks over, picking tiny Jax up under his armpits "We don't bite our friends."
Jax's pupils shrink, eyes narrow. "Gangle is not my friend."
"She doesn't want to be your friend anyway!" Zooble snaps, helping Gangle collect herself.
"He broke my comedy mask..." Gangle sniffles.
"And I'll do it again. Heheheheee." Jax evilly rubs his hands together.
"Jax you're being a bully." Pomni says, hiding behind Kinger's neck.
"'Tis the point." Jax twirls his hand.
Kinger holds Jax higher in the air, watching the tiny purple rabbit squirm and wreath in his arms like a tiny ball of anger. If they're all going to survive this challenge, Jax needs to be kept somewhere where he can't cause chaos.
"Gangle, are you okay?" Pomni asks, sticking her head out.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Gangle stands back up, holding Zooble's hand.
"Can we lock Jax in his room?" Zooble asks, squeezing Gangle's hand.
"No!" Jax protests, struggling harder.
"That might be our best bet," Kinger mumbles, walking towards the bedroom hallway.
"No!" Jax squeaks, pushing Kinger's hands away. "I'll be good! I'll be good! No bedroom time!"
"Are you actually gonna be good?" Tiny Zooble walks up behind Kinger, arms crossed.
Jax sticks his tongue out at her. "Yes. Now put me down!"
Kinger doesn't look convinced and brings him down to eye level. "Do you promise to be good?"
Jax nods, holding eerily still. "Promise."
Kinger sets the tiny rabbit down and for a second no one moves. Jax stares up at Kinger with wide innocent eyes and kicks the chest piece on the base of his character design. Kinger doesn't flinch despite the pain, with no reaction Jax starts to pout, eyes narrowing into tiny slits.
"I don't like this game anymore." He says, stomping his foot. "Caine!!!!!!!!!"
"Oh gosh, why are you like this?" Zooble groans, watching as Pomni laughs behind Kinger's chest.
Caine pops into the world once more, floating above all the players with his hands behind his back.
"Yes Jax?"
"Can we play a different game?"
Caine 'blinks' looking around at the other players who all look a mix of tired and annoyed. "You don't want to play this anymore?"
"No!" They all say in near unison.
"I don't mind the game." Pomni says, hugging Kinger tighter.
"You're all no fun," Caine pouts, floating away from them. "But fine, we can do something else."
With a simple snap of his fingers, they all turn back to their normal ages and size. Pomni falls off of Kinger's back and straight onto the floor.
"Oh thank F**k," Zooble sighs, punching the back of Jax's head.
"Ow, rude." Jax rubs the back of his head.
"That's what you get for trying to eat Gangle." she sneers.
As they argue, Kinger turns around to face Pomni, offering out his hand. "Are you okay?"
Pomni nods, taking his hand. "Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry about the dad thing."
"It's okay," Kinger closes his eyes, tilting his head. "Feel free to call me dad anytime you want."
Pomni smiles, squeezing his hand. "Thanks, dad."
"Kinger!" Caine suddenly yells as they all start returning to the rooms.
"Yes?" Kinger turns around.
"Bubble has figured out your reward!"
Bubble flies over, handing him an already on flashlight. "It's a nightlight!"
Looking into it all sanity that was once there completely fades, forgetting where he is he starts to yell and scream. Some things in the circus truly never change for very long, do they?