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The Amazing Digital Circus was a place of fun, joy, happiness. It was meant as a place for people to play for a few hours and get off the game. They used to say the game was easy to play, since it wasn’t a skill based game, it was just to explore. It was made to be happy, and a place of wonder. Not a place of torture by an AI denture like thing. It wasn’t made to be run by the ringmaster they had created to tour the circus with you, and to never be seen again. Yet, here they were. Lying on the bed, broken, lost. He messed up. He was the reason. She’s gone.
His fault.
His fault.
His fault.
YOUR FAULT!
“Jax?” The doll’s voice wasn’t easy to hear anymore. It used to be something he wanted to hear when he was panicking. Now, it felt like a cricket keeping him awake. Nails on a chalk board. He sat up from his bed.
“Whatd’ya want, dollface?” His words were sharp, and came off with a bite. Overly done anger. He sighed, and went to his door, peeking outside of it. “New adventures?”
She looked at him with a small smile, and tilted her head. Her fabric hands were folded behind her back, and her button eye seemed to shine a little more in the light of the hallway. “Caine wants to test the new theme song . . .” Jax’s pupils dilated a bit, but he nodded anyway.
He slipped out the door, careful to not let the doll see what was beyond the door. He stared at the door across from his. Some sort of mouse-like character, holding a flute. A large ‘X’ slashed across the character. What a beautiful thing to see everyday. “Have you seen Kaufmo today?” Ragatha asked hesitantly.
“I haven’t seen him since the… incident.” Jax spoke softly, his mind flashing through the many memories he had of the incident. He noticed the doll look at him with concern. He quickly brushed it off, painting the smile back onto his face. “Whatever, let’s go! He’ll be at the rehearsal.” He chuckled, and though she heard a bright sound, it was forced.
“Alright…”
— — —
“Gangle,” the woman’s voice echoed in the tent as they ran through the circus music, and the curtains opened to Gangle. The little ribbon Jax had named oh so long ago. The girl he constantly pushed around, and picked on.
“And Zooble,” The abstract was tired as the curtains pulled back to them. They sighed and Jax almost laughed at the character.
“And Kinger too.” The chess piece peeked out of his ‘impenetrable’ fortress. Also known as the pillowfort. The one in which Jax had jumped into so many times. With her.
Her.
Her.
Your fault.
ALL YOUR FAULT.
“Ragatha, Jax,” The curtains pulled back to him, in his small rest on the floor of the stage, and quickly displayed his masking smile, sending a small wave to the audience that Jax didn’t even see. He found no purpose in this, for what? New people? Yeah right.
“And there’s Kaufmo, woo hoo!”
He wasn’t there.
YOUR FAULT.
Maybe if you hadn’t said all that shit…
“Day after day, after day we fly…”
HIS.
FAULT.
“Jax..? Are you okay?” Ragatha asked, tilting her head. “I didn’t see Kaufmo, do you think we should check on him…?”
“I’m fine dollface. Trust me. You worry too much. Kaufmo is fine. You that worried babydoll?” He teased the old name he had for her. Back when… they were a thing. She looked up at him, and rolled her eyes.
“A NEW CHARACTER!” The ringmaster shouted. Jax flinched slightly, and Ragatha jumped. Gangle looked up, and Zooble just groaned. “WELL WELL, A NEW HUMAN HAS ENTERED THIS REALM!”
What?
There was no way for someone to enter the circus, they hadn’t got anyone new since Zooble, which had been a good five years.
“What?” Jax muttered, his thoughts slipping out. “New people? Who the f&!k is putting on the headset still?”
“Jax!” Ragatha warned, nudging him slightly. He rolled his eyes, looking at the little jester before him. “Do you know your name sweetie?” She said with overdone sweetness, tilting her head.
“Nobody remembers their name, idiot.” He groaned, kneeling down to the jester’s height, and flicking one of the bells on her hat. She flinched slightly, making him laugh. “Pomni.” The girl looked up at him with a curious look.
“W-what?” She spoke softly.
“Pomni. It’s what we’ll call you.” He said as if it was obvious. “Makes sense. You look like a Pomni.” He chuckled, looking at Ragatha for agreement.
“I-I guess…” She muttered, and Jax clapped. A victorious smile on his face.
— — —
YOUR FAULT.
“Jax-” She was cut off.
“No! Don’t f&*king tell me this isn’t my fault! It sure as hell is!” He sobbed, tears in his eyes as he crumbled. Ragatha reached out to him, but stopped herself. “Don’t do that…”
YOUR FAULT.
“I’ll be here… if you need.” She sighed, and walked out. He moved closer to the wall, head in his hands. The door clicked shut, and he only crumbled more. He felt it crawling closer. The glitching feeling, the itch it gave his skin.
- - - - -
“Was that a laugh? Did I make you laugh!? Kaufmo we did it!!!” She giggled. Her eyes lit up brightly and she felt triumphant. “It only took me, what, three months?” She looked at Jax as if she needed approval for the time. He nodded at her with a little smile.
“You guys are so gross.” Kaufmo laughed. Ribbit smacked his arm.
- - - - -
“Hey… Jax…? Right?” He heard a little voice outside his door. He looked up from his spot on the floor. “It’s uhm… Pomni…” Her voice was timid. But he could recognize it. She had a little lightness to her voice he could easily pin as hers.
“What do you want, jester?” He meant to be harsh, but it came out softer.
“Uhm… you seemed a little affected by uh… Kaufmo.” She muttered, and her voice got a little louder, like she moved closer to the door. “I uhm… wanted to see if you were alright…” She sighed, almost as if she knew everyone had checked on him already.
“I’ll be fine.” He groaned, getting up and opening the door. “Everyone checked on me.” He ran a hand over his face, tired.
“Okay… uhm… Caine also wants me to tell you that we have a new adventure…?” Right. Pomni hadn’t gone on an adventure yet. She didn’t even know what to expect. Hopefully nothing insane like a week ago.
- - - - -
“Today’s adventure is… THE BACKROOMS!”
- - - - -
Jax shivered at the thought. “Yeah alright I’m coming…”
— — —
“Candy? Seriously?” Jax groaned, mumbling something about hating candy. Especially ones that talk. Pomni giggled slightly at his anger over some sugar. Jax looked over at the jester, and she looked away, trying to hide her smile.
He couldn’t help but smile to himself at this new fact.
He made the jester laugh on her second day here.