Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The “Awards Show” had finally come to an end. When the circus members returned to the tent, the tension could be felt in the air. Zooble and Gangle headed toward the seating area to pass the time. Kinger had retreated to his pillow fort as usual. Jax carefully avoided eye contact with anyone as he slipped away. Ragatha and Pomni exchanged glances. The time had come to have the talk they had agreed upon. Both of them knew they needed it.

Ragatha: "Do you want to talk now?"

Pomni took Ragatha’s outstretched hand and nodded.

Pomni: "Sure!"

Ragatha: "Come on, I’ll take you to my room. It’s not very fancy, but I have some chairs where we can sit across from each other. And a little privacy wouldn’t hurt, right? Let’s not talk out here."

Pomni: "You’re right, Ragatha."

When they arrived in the room, Ragatha was rummaging through her drawers, giving Pomni a chance to look around. The place was filled with threads and fabrics everywhere. Colorful decorations hung on the walls, and a fluffy rug covered the floor. Pomni noticed the two sofas Ragatha had mentioned earlier—two pink sofas that looked very comfortable. She sank into one of them. After the conflict from hours earlier, a little relaxation wouldn’t hurt. Ragatha had found what she was looking for and settled into the other sofa. She handed one of the blankets she was holding to Pomni and prepared to start talking. Pomni wrapped herself in the blanket and fidgeted slightly, showing she was eager to hear what Ragatha had to say.

Ragatha: "Actually, I wanted to apologize to you. Lately, I’ve been feeling very lonely, and I really wanted a friend by my side. Because of that, I realized -without even noticing- how much I was overwhelming you and not giving you any space. I wanted you to know that from now on, I’ll be a more considerate friend and give you the space you need."

After that sudden confession, Pomni looked at Ragatha with a surprised expression. Knowing that Ragatha had felt so lonely and saw her as a friend made her heart ache. Hours earlier, she had been the one to shoot her in the center of her forehead, yet now Ragatha was the one apologizing. She felt lucky to be beside someone so kind-hearted. Pomni began to speak in a guilty tone.

Pomni: "You’re not the one who should be apologizing, Ragatha. You help all of us in the circus so much. It's sad to think that you felt overwhelmed by me, because I really want to be your friend too. Don’t feel lonely, because we -your friends- are always here for you." She cleared her throat and continued, "Also, I’m sorry… I’ve made some ‘wrong’ choices lately…"

Ragatha wasn’t sure she understood what Pomni was talking about.

Ragatha: "What wrong choices?"

When Pomni realized she couldn’t hold back any longer, she let her tears stream down her cheeks. She could trust Ragatha. She decided to pour her heart out.

Pomni: "Like… being friends with Jax…" She cried even more as she tried to speak. Ragatha got up and sat beside her. Pomni rested her head on Ragatha’s shoulder and, once she had calmed down enough, continued. "We got along so well, Ragatha… I felt safe for the first time. Since I came to the circus, it was the first [@?&/-!] time. Then do you know what happened? He told me we were never friends. That he didn’t care about anyone and enjoyed other people’s suffering… And worse, he said that if I got abstracted, he would move on and forget about me! HE DIDN’T CARE…"

Ragatha was in shock at what she heard. She knew that Jax had recently turned into a monster, but she hadn’t expected it to be this bad. It was true that she felt a mix of anger and disappointment, but guilt was the emotion that consumed her entire being.

Ragatha: "You know Jax never meant them any harm, right? He cares." Pomni lifted her head and looked at Ragatha with wide, surprised eyes. Ragatha realized she was on the right track and continued. "Yes, he’s never been that kind of person. I mean… he wasn’t, back then. All of this is my fault. It’s all my fault! I…"

This time, tears streamed down Ragatha’s cheeks. Yet, she continued.

Ragatha: "I’m a terrible friend. It’s my fault that he turned out like... this!"

Although Pomni had been curious about what had happened in the past, she didn’t want to press the issue. She needed to make Ragatha feel better.

Pomni: "Blaming yourself for what someone else did is not fair, Ragatha. He chose to be that way. I don’t know his purpose, and I’m sure no one does. But he chose to make all of us hate him. He’s heartless; he chose to hurt all of us…"

Ragatha and Pomni looked at each other. Both of them now appeared more relaxed. They gathered themselves and left the room, joining the others for dinner. They were no longer alone and felt good. But it was hard to say the same for Jax…

Jax ran to his room as if he had lost control. He slammed the door shut with a loud bang. Now he was safe. No one could see him. He leaned against the wall and let his tears flow. Was he doing something wrong? After all, he had finally gotten what he wanted, hadn’t he? Everyone hated him. No one was his friend. That was what he wanted anyway. So why wasn’t he... happy?

He got up and went to his desk. Opening his journal, he tried to focus on writing. The journal had been Ribbit’s advice. They used to do the same back in the day. It was one of the best ways to keep his mind intact. It was also a tool where Jax could be completely honest and express himself freely. And one of its good sides was that it helped him maintain his sense of time. He didn’t write every day, but the notebook was still quite thick. “Title: Day 941-” After a few sentences, the questions swirling in his mind began to interfere with his writing.

“Did I go too far?” he asked himself. He already knew the answer: he had no choice. Was he going to tell them that all he wanted was never to go through the same troubles again? Or that he actually cared about everyone and would be devastated if they became abstract-?

No… of course not. He knew full well what that would mean—loving again and being left behind again…

He got up from the desk and sat back down on the floor. He buried his head in his hands and closed his eyes.

Maybe an hour, maybe two, or even more had passed. He just sat there, quietly. He felt utterly helpless.

He got up and reached for a small box on the top shelf of his cabinet. From the box, he pulled out a pink bowtie and a picture. He sat back down, staring first at the ribbon, then at the photo. Ribbit… Slowly, he placed the items on the floor and pulled out a small piece of paper from the box. “Tell Jax…” It had been crossed out. "WHAT DID YOU NEED TO SAY? WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME?" He punched the wall.

Jax stared at the ceiling. It was as if he knew Ribbit was watching him. What he was about to say might help him. Or maybe it was just an insignificant message. Or maybe, when he tried to say it, Ribbit wouldn’t listen and would brush him off. That was what was expected of him. “[@?&/-!] me… It’s all my fault… If you can hear me, I’m sorry, Ribbit… This is all my fault…”

Would Pomni have abandoned Jax if she had truly been his friend? Or was it Jax who had really left Pomni behind? Maybe the abstractings were his fault. Was abstracting a kind of escape? Or did it mean ceasing to exist? Would it be better if he was abstracted? Would there be another abstracting? Was Ragatha right? And what about Zooble and Gangle? Was Pomni right in what she said today?

Each question made it harder for him to breathe. As they piled up, he felt like he was drowning. The walls seemed to be closing in on him. Was someone choking him?

He tried to focus on something else. He noticed the bruises on his arms and neck. Pomni had given him the kind of pain he deserved, hadn’t she? He should ask Caine to heal him. The best thing would be to go to the hall, join the others, and act as if nothing had happened. He wasn’t ready to be alone with his thoughts.

When he stepped out of the room, there was a worried look on his face. He couldn’t force that stupid smile onto it like he always did. His hands were trembling, and his head was spinning. He barely managed to lock his door and began walking slowly.

From the end of the hallway, he could hear the voices of the circus members having dinner. He looked at his hands—they were still shaking. "Pathetic." He couldn’t go to them like this. He needed to pull himself together and keep playing his role. Should he? Did he even have the strength for that?

Or maybe he should just stay in his room. He turned back the way he came, took out his key again, unlocked his door, and dropped himself onto the bed. Maybe the best way to get through that night was to sleep. There was nothing better to do.

Chapter Text

The food might have been artificial, but the atmosphere was real. Gangle was excitedly talking about something -probably anime. Jax wasn’t at the table. Pomni scolded herself for still worrying about him.

“He doesn’t deserve to be cared about…” she thought. And yet, part of her still wanted that annoying rabbit to be okay.

She tried to shake off her thoughts and focus on what Gangle was saying. Wherever Jax was, he had to be fine. After all, it wasn’t like he had a heart to break... Did he?

After the pleasant time in the circus tent’s common lounge, everyone eventually went off to bed one by one. Only Zooble and Pomni remained.

Unaware of the storm brewing inside Pomni, Zooble tried to break the silence—just to start a casual chat. After all, neither of them could sleep.

Zooble: “Today’s adventure was crazy, wasn’t it, Pomni?”

Pomni didn’t answer right away. Crazy… yeah, the kind of crazy that shatters hearts.

Pomni: “... Yeah. Right. I’m never going through something like that again.”

Zooble: “Why not? You seemed like you were having fun. I mean, you and Jax made a pretty good team, huh?”

A good team? Pomni’s chest tightened. Maybe if her feelings hadn’t been trampled, maybe if he hadn’t thrown her aside like she was nothing… then, maybe, it could’ve been true.

Her voice dropped, sharp and trembling with anger:

Pomni: “I hate Jax.”

Zooble was taken aback by the sudden confession. What had happened? This wasn’t something one would normally hear from Pomni. That stupid rabbit must have pushed her too far. Maybe even hurt her.

They didn’t want to press the issue. After all, in this digital realm, even the slightest frustration or burst of anger could lead to abstracting. And Zooble didn’t want Pomni to end up abstracting.

Zooble: “Well, I’m not exactly a fan of that purple freak myself.”

Pomni didn’t want to talk any longer. She got up to go to bed and wished Zooble goodnight. She walked slowly toward her room, her steps heavy. The thought of seeing Jax in the hallway unsettled her. It would be better if they didn’t see each other for a while. The awkwardness between them was getting on her nerves.

With all these thoughts swirling in her mind, she finally reached her door. It was lucky there was no unpleasant encounter. She looked at the picture on the door. It made her think of a sad little puppy. Huh, funny… She went inside and closed the door behind her. She stood there for a moment, surveying the room.

“My room… this is my room…” It was a strange thought. This room, filled with colorful and meaningless decorations, belonged to her. Yet she had never really felt ownership of it. It didn’t make her feel completely comfortable. It didn’t feel like home.

Shaking off her meaningless thoughts, she threw herself onto the bed. She stared at the ceiling. Then her hands, and after that, her arms. A scratch… there was a scratch on her arm. It must have happened while hitting Jax. The fight… WAIT A SECOND! Why hadn’t he reacted? Why hadn’t he fought back? HE DIDN’T FOUGHT BACK!

The weight of worry that had filled Pomni’s chest seemed to give way to a small glimmer of hope. He hadn’t struck back. He had allowed Pomni to hit him. Would someone treat a person they didn’t care about like that? Even when she grabbed at his throat, he hadn’t fought with her. He had only tried to escape. There was still hope!

“Nonsense! Pull yourself together, Pomni! He’s not worth it.” Not worth it… The hope vanished. Jax wasn’t a good person. Jax wasn’t anyone’s friend…

Pomni closed her eyes, hoping she could get some sleep. She didn’t want to think about any of this. She just wanted to get through today.

Chapter Text

Jax woke up drenched in sweat. He had been in the middle of a terrible nightmare. “I’m having nightmares like a little kid… pathetic…” He got out of bed and walked to the mirror at the other end of the room. “Look at that stupid face! Pull yourself together, boy. Show time.” He plastered a smile on his face, left the room, and locked the door behind him. He never forgot to lock his door.

He headed to the lounge. Not everyone was awake yet -just him and Gangle.

Jax: “Morning, Crybaby!”

Gangle: “Good morning…”

Jax took a seat on one of the couches. A fun adventure to clear his mind today wouldn’t be bad at all. After a while, Kinger and Zooble joined them. When Pomni and Ragatha arrived, the group was complete. Breakfast passed in silence. Apparently, no one had anything to share.

After breakfast, it was time for the day’s adventure. Caine teleported to the center of the lounge and began explaining what today’s adventure would be.

Caine: “Good morning, my frosted cupcakes! How’s everyone doing today?” Without waiting for anyone to answer, he immediately launched into the adventure. “Today’s adventure is a competition! I want everyone to compete fiercely against each other! So what I want you to do- ”

Zooble cut him off:

Zooble: “CAINE! After yesterday’s adventure, I don’t think anyone wants a fierce competition. Please, let today be a calm adventure too! We’re exhausted!” There was a shift in his voice from anger to helplessness.

Caine looked at the faces of the others. If that’s what they wanted, he could plan an adventure like that. After all, his mission was to make the circus members happy.

Caine: " FINE! Then take some time to relax in nature. I don’t know, maybe go camping or something. YES, Camping! I’m a genius. " That was actually a really good suggestion.

Jax: " First, heal me, Caine. I’m covered in wounds! " As he said those words, he glanced at Pomni. It was clear that he was talking about yesterday’s fight. Their eyes met. Pomni turned her head away in anger. Jax had deserved it!

Jax: "Also, I want the hunter’s gun!" Caine snapped his fingers with an exasperated look. The scars and wounds on Jax’s body had vanished. A portal opened.

Caine: " You’ll be spending the next two nights at the camp. Have fun! "

Zooble: " Mhm, sure!"

On the other side of the portal, a breathtaking view awaited them. The bright sun was shining overhead, a crystal-clear stream flowed nearby, and the surroundings opened up into a lush forest full of colorful flowers and trees. In front of them stood backpacks, each labeled with their names.

Jax immediately grabbed his and started rummaging through it: a tent, a water bottle, a lighter, a bag of marshmallows, a first-aid kit, sunscreen... All boring. Until his hand landed on a... hunters gun. “Howay!” he shouted excitedly.

The others slung their backpacks over their shoulders and set off to find a flat clearing to set up camp. Along the way, they encountered all sorts of animals and plants. Kinger was perfectly content -he kept stopping to watch butterflies, bees, and ants. For the others, however, it wasn’t the same. They had been walking nonstop for the past half hour.

By the time they found a suitable spot to set up camp, the sun was already beginning to set. Everyone started pitching their tents and arranging their belongings. It looked like everything was ready for the night. Hunger began to set in. Pomni volunteered to gather some sticks for the fire. Every time she caught sight of Jax’s face, a wave of unease washed over her. Spending some time alone in the forest didn’t sound like such a bad idea.

Pomni: “I’m going to gather some sticks. It won’t take long. In the meantime, you guys can get the rest of the food ready.”

Ragatha: “Do you want some help, Pomni?”

Pomni: “Thanks, Ragatha, but I can handle it.”

Pomni started down a narrow path leading deeper into the forest. Jax watched her leave, a knot of guilt twisting in his chest. Maybe he should try apologizing. NO! He couldn’t, if he did, she might start caring about him… The thought was unbearable. Still, as Pomni shrank into the distance, disappearing from view, he decided to follow. Even if he didn’t apologize, at least he could break the suffocating silence between them.

Jax: “Hey, PomPom!”

Pomni’s face darkened and she turned away. Talking to Jax was the last thing she wanted right now. She didn’t reply and kept walking. Jax still tried to push on.

Jax: “So this is the dynamic between us now, huh?”

Pomni: “…”

Jax: “We can at least have a conversation, can’t we?”

Pomni’s patience snapped. After all the awful things he’d said, did he really think they could just talk? Bullshit.

Pomni: “I don’t want to talk, Jax. I don’t even want to see your face. [@?&/-!] off and leave me alone!”

Oof, that stung. Jax believed the girl felt something even worse than hatred for him. In fact, he was convinced Pomni would be glad if he was dead. And she had every right to. God, damn it… whatever she said, she was right.

Pomni, on the other hand, was only waiting for an apology. She didn’t even hate Jax -she just wanted him to be honest with her. Why was he making it so hard?

Jax: “Ok then. At least let me help you gather the branches.”

They finished the task in silence and returned to camp with armfuls of sticks. When Ragatha noticed Pomni coming back with Jax, she shot her a look that clearly asked, What’s going on here? Pomni rolled her eyes, dropped the wood on the ground, and walked over to join Ragatha.

Ragatha: “Did you make up with Jax?”

Pomni: “He came up to me and tried to talk. I told him I didn’t want to. Then he offered to help with the sticks. I didn’t say anything.”

Ragatha: “Do you... hate Jax?”

Pomni: “Yeah. I mean, something like that.” She kicked a rock. “Can you believe him? He’s still smiling!”

Ragatha looked at Jax sitting alone in the distance, watching the setting sun. There was a fake grin on his face.

Pomni: “I can’t understand how he’s still happy! Ughh!”

Ragatha: “Do you really think he’s happy?”

Pomni looked at Ragatha in surprise. What did she mean?

Ragatha: “Do you remember when I told you Jax used to be a close friend of mine?”

Pomni nodded.

Ragatha: “I know him. Now, pay close attention to his ears.”

Pomni looked at Jax’s ears. They were slightly tilted forward.

Ragatha: “Now look at his pupils, Pomni.”

His pupils had contracted.

Ragatha: “He’s tapping his foot. Do you see it?”

He kept tapping his foot, yes. But what did all this mean?

Pomni: “What are you trying to tell me?”

Ragatha: “Jax is really stressed right now. That fake grin? He’s trying to hide his emotions. He cares, Pomni. I’m not trying to comfort you -I’m telling you the truth. I bet he’s trying to convince himself to apologize.”

Pomni: “Really?”

Ragatha: “I don’t know why he hides his feelings, why he tries to appear happy, or why he wants people to hate him. But one thing I do know—Jax isn’t happy right now. I haven’t seen him genuinely happy in a long time. Well, except maybe when he’s around you…”

If all of this was true, Jax might not be a monster after all. Maybe… they could even be friends. FRIENDS! Again…?

Zooble: “Dinner’s ready!”

Jax: “Wow, Zooble. I didn’t know you could cook!”

Zooble: “If you’re teasing me, [@?&/-!] you!”

Jax: “You’re breaking my heart, Zooby!”

Gangle: “This actually turned out really well, Zooble. Nice job!”

Kinger: “I liked it a lot too!”

Ragatha: “Absolutely amazing!”

Zooble: “Thanks.”

After dinner, they sat around the fire, roasting marshmallows and chatting. Usually, Gangle and Zooble did most of the talking, while the others just listened. Pomni, however, couldn’t think about anything beyond what Ragatha had said earlier.

They stayed by the fire until late at night.

Ragatha: “It was a nice day, but we’re all tired. I think we should get some sleep and save our energy for tomorrow.”

Gangle: “You’re right, Ragatha. I’m exhausted too.”

Kinger: "Sleep tight, guys!"

Pomni: "Good night."

Zooble: "Night."

Jax: "Catch some Z’s!"

Everyone went to their tents and fell asleep. If you could even call it sleep.

Chapter Text

Ragatha: “Good morning, team!”

Gangle: “Good morning, Ragatha!”

It seemed that everyone else had woken up as well.

Jax: “You look so funny trying to start the fire, Raggy! Hahaha!”

Ragatha: “Oh yeah? If it’s so easy, you do it, jerk!”

Jax: “Leave this to the professionals, loser!”

Pomni rubbed her eyes. Maybe she should try talking to Jax today—one last attempt at friendship.

Pomni: “Good morning!”

Everyone except Jax replied.

Jax: “…”

Zooble: “I noticed we’re running low on food while preparing breakfast. We’ll need to find something for tonight.”

Jax: “Something? LIKE MEAT?!” He ran excitedly to his tent and came back with his backpack on his shoulders and a hunting rifle in hand.

Jax: “I’M GOING HUNTING!” He ran off, heading deep into the forest.

Ragatha: “Well, at least he found something to do.”

Gangle: “Do you want to go for a walk, Zooble?”

Zooble: “Sounds good.”

Kinger: “I’m going to catch butterflies.”

Ragatha: “Can I help?”

Kinger: "Sure!"

Ragatha: “Come on, Pomni! It’ll be fun.”

Pomni: “No thanks. Have fun, though.”

Ragatha: “Suit yourself, Pomni. See you later!”

Pomni waited until everyone had disappeared from sight. Then she started following the path Jax had taken. Meanwhile, Jax was hiding behind a fruit bush, ready to hunt the first animal that crossed his path. A sheep or a pig would do nicely.

It didn’t take long for Pomni to find Jax. She tapped the shoulder of the rabbit, who had his back turned.

Jax: "AAAAAAAAA!"

Pomni: " OMG! I'm sorry."

Jax: “What are you doing here? You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that!”

Pomni: "I'm sorry! God!"

Jax: "Shh..."

Pomni: "Fine."

They stayed silent for a while. Pomni tried to start a conversation.

Pomni: "Soooo... How you doin'?"

Jax: “What happened to not talking? I thought you didn’t want to see my face!”

Pomni: “We can talk.”

Jax was annoyed. The girl was literally playing games with him! One day she talks, the next day she doesn’t. Did she think she was in charge? Was everything up to her decision? Jax had to make a choice. Either he would choose to talk, and some connection would be formed between them… or…

Jax: “You can’t play with people’s feelings! Just yesterday you told me to [@?&/-!] off, and now you’re saying you want to talk. So if you want, we talk, and if you don’t, we don’t, right? I should have a say too!”

Pomni: “Oh, really! You’ve never cared about anyone’s feelings! You’ve never thought about what anyone else feels! AND NOW YOU’RE TELLING ME I SHOULD LET YOU HAVE A SAY? You’re the only selfish jerk! You’ll never change! You’re HEARTLESS, THOUGHTLESS, AND ARROGANT! THAT’S WHY EVERYONE HATES YOU-”

Pomni’s merciless words were cut off by a sudden, loud gunshot. Jax stood up with a calm expression and walked over to the animal he had shot. A wild boar. He grabbed it by the leg and began dragging it back to the campsite. He couldn’t stop a single tear from sliding down his cheek. Hatred… This is what you wanted, Jax! YOU CHOSE THIS! Aren’t you man enough to face the consequences of your choices?

When he reached the campsite, no one had arrived yet. He set the boar aside and went to his tent. He didn’t want anyone to see him as “pathetic.” He opened his backpack, looking for something to occupy himself. Controlling his emotions was incredibly difficult. He pulled out a small pocket knife and began to play with it.  “-EVERYONE HATES YOU, hates you, hates you…”

He cut his arm. Blood spurted out. Blood… so much blood. He started to feel dizzy. Wait, this is too much blood. “WHAT AM I DOING? GEEZ!” He realized the horror of what he had done—and what he wanted to do. He quickly grabbed the first aid kit from his backpack and clumsily bandaged his arm. Repeating the lie to himself, “I’m calm, I’m calm, I’m fine, no one can hurt me…” over and over.

Pomni could only watch the man leave.

"CONGRATULATIONS, ME! The first steps of a wonderful friendship!" She slowly stood up and stepped out from behind the bush. It didn’t take long for her to realize the horror of what she had just said. "DAMN IT! What did I say? No way…" She had said far worse things than anything Jax had ever said to her. And yet, the man hadn’t even responded, let alone grabbed her throat… "What have I done?!" She sank to the ground and began to cry. Now, who was the “heartless” one?

When Jax heard Zooble and Gangle’s voices, he stepped out of the tent. He wore his usual sarcastic expression flawlessly, ready to have some fun.

Jax: "Well, look at the lovebirds. HAH! How was the 'walk' ?"

Zooble: "Shut the [@?&/-!] up!"

Gangle: “You actually managed to hunt something!”

Jax: “Why are you surprised? I’m a professional, Crybaby!”

Zooble: “Stop talking and help with the dinner.”

Jax: “You don’t want my help with the food, Zooby. Otherwise, you’ll be eating something worse than one of Caine’s adventures tonight!”

Zooble: “Fine. Just don’t get in our way -and for god’s sake, shut up for once.”

Jax: “Whatever.”

As the sun began to set, Ragatha and Kinger joined the group. But Pomni was still nowhere to be seen.

Ragatha: “Have you guys seen Pomni? Where is she?”

Jax: “...”

Gangle: “We have to find her before it gets dark.”

Jax had started to worry about Pomni. He pushed aside the harsh words she had thrown at him and decided to help look for her. It wasn’t the kind of behavior anyone would expect from him. Help, from the “heartless, arrogant jerk”? Surprising indeed.

Zooble: “Jax! Did you upset her?”

Jax: “Huh?”

The purple rabbit was lost in thought when Zooble’s question hit him like a slap in the face, snapping him back to reality.

Jax: “Me? Why is it always me?”

Zooble: “I don’t know, MAYBE BECAUSE YOU’RE THE ONLY JERK HERE! You’ve hurt her before, and now—”

Ragatha: “Zooble, quit it! Throwing accusations like that isn’t fair. Besides, what matters right now isn’t why she got lost, but where she went.”

Jax: “She went down that path. Probably picking fruit or looking for firewood, OK?”

Zooble: “I’ll go check on her. You guys stay here.”

Ragatha: “Want me to come with you?”

Zooble: “I can handle it, thanks, Ragatha.”

As Zooble headed into the woods, Ragatha’s eyes shifted to Jax. That face again… the same mask he always wore when trying to hide his anger. But this time, something was different. Wait, what had happened to his arm?

Ragatha: "What happened to your arm, Jax?"

Gangle: "Oh my God..."

Jax: "Ugh, don’t pretend like you care, Raggie. I’m fine."

Ragatha: "Come here. At least let me wrap it properly please."

Jax: "What are you, my mom?"

Ragatha: "JAX!"

Jax: "OK! Fine! Geez..."

He sat down next to her and held out his arm for her to wrap. While she worked, he glanced at the sincere look on Ragatha’s face. Once upon a time, when she had been his closest friend, she used to care about him... He turned his head away and waited. He couldn’t admit to himself how much he missed that friendship. 

Zooble followed the path Jax had pointed out. After a while, they came across Pomni. She was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, leaning against a tree, her eyes red as she looked at Zooble. Relief washed over Zooble—at least Pomni was safe. But why was she crying? What had that STUPID rabbit done this time?

Zooble: “Pomni! Thank goodness you’re here! We were so worried about you. Why are you crying? If this is because of Jax, I swear—”

Pomni: “It’s because of me! I’m a monster!”

Zooble: “Oh, no dear. You’re not a monster at all. You’re a good friend, and you don’t deserve to feel like this.”

Pomni: “I’ve done terrible, terrible things.”

Zooble: “Do you want to talk about it?”

Pomni: “Is Jax okay?”

Oh God. Does this mean... Had Pomni really hurt Jax? No… that couldn’t be true. But still, deep down, they knew they might have been unfair to him. They hadn’t wanted to admit it, yet the thought gnawed at her.

Zooble: “Oh, um, Jax is doin’ fine! Same as always—still sarcastic and careless. Come on now, don’t beat yourself up. Whatever happened, I doubt he even cares. I don’t think Jax cares about much of anything, really. Besides, I thought you hated him?”

The words hit Pomni like a knife -because that was exactly what she had told Jax. She hadn’t meant to break him; she just let all her bottled-up anger spill out at once, and those cruel words had escaped her lips. But she hadn’t meant them. Not really. The truth was, she cared about Jax… maybe more than she wanted to admit. But Jax didn’t know that.

Pomni: “I…”

Zooble: “Come on! Dinner’s ready. And don’t you want to see for yourself how everyone’s doing?”

Pomni couldn’t ignore the effort Zooble had made to comfort her. She took the hand Zooble offered and stood up. Together, they walked back to the campsite. “I’m sure Jax doesn’t even care,” she hoped it was true.

By the time darkness fell, the group had gathered around the fire and prepared dinner.

Gangle: “Hi guys! You okay, Pomni? Did you get lost?”

Jax: “She didn’t really get lost… She just discovered a brand-new spot that wasn’t on the map yet. HAHAHA!”

Seeing Jax laugh eased Pomni’s mind. The way he acted as if nothing had happened was impressive. She couldn’t help but smile.

Ragatha: “Jax, cut the teasing! Come on, Pomni, dinner’s ready!”

Chapter Text

Caine: "Hello my Sweet PuddingPop's! How was your camping adventure?"

Pomni: "Terrible."

Jax: "It was boring, I want something exciting!"

Kinger: "I tried to whisper to a cloud… it ignored me."

Ragatha: "Sure... I liked this adventure."

Gangle: "Yeah, it was relaxing."

Jax: "Yeah, I’m heading to my room. See you tonight."

Caine: "No, you’re not going anywhere! I’m announcing today’s adventure!"

Zooble: "Oh God, please let it be something normal."

Caine: "Today, you’ll feel fear to your core, team! Survive in a terrifying labyrinth! Take a wrong turn, and you’ll lose! Stray down the wrong path, and you’ll vanish in fear!!! The last brave knight standing wins!"

Pomni: "Vanish... In fear?!"

Caine: "YES! After that, you’ll be sent to the observation room or somewhere like that."

Jax: "Hah! This is a piece of cake. I’m not afraid of anything! Watching you losers cry in fear is going to be a real treat!"

Zooble: "Oh yeah? What about corn-"

Jax: "Ahem!!!"

Caine: "Good luck! Remember, YOUR MIND WILL PLAY TRICKS ON YOU! It will try to use your greatest fears against you. Don’t be fooled!"

Gangle: "Wha- "

Caine snapped his fingers, and a massive portal sent a giant hall into view. The place they arrived at was a vast courtyard surrounded by corridors and doors leading in all directions. The light was dim, and the atmosphere was tense. Everyone was on edge, unwilling to move. From one of the corridors, a piercing scream echoed: "RUN! HIDE! IT'S COMING!!!"

Everyone: " AAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!! "

Everyone screamed and scattered, rushing into the first door they found.

Pomni sprinted down the long corridor beyond the door she had entered. WHAT KIND OF ADVENTURE WAS THIS?! Was Caine seriously trying to scare her to the point of wetting herself? Her frantic pace slowed until she finally stopped in the middle of the seemingly endless hall, gasping for breath. Her wide eyes darted around at every faint sound, every shadow that twitched.

Then she heard some glitching voices. Pomni froze. Slowly, she turned her head. AN ABSTRACTEDTED CREATURE!?

Her shriek tore through the corridor as she bolted, heart pounding in her chest. She didn’t dare glance back; all she could hope for was an escape waiting somewhere at the end. Then she saw it -a door on the right. Without a second thought, she hurled herself toward it, flung it open, and stumbled inside. She slammed the door shut just as the creature rammed into it from the other side. At the far end of the room were two doors. She ran to the right one, flung it open- "GUYS!" Relief washed over her at the sight of her friends. She dashed toward them and threw her arms around Ragatha. But her relief was short-lived. She had chosen the wrong door.

NPC Ragatha: "Look at her! She actually thinks she made friends. Once you’re abstracted, no one cares anymore."

NPC Gangle: "Today’s the day you DIE! OR WORSE!"

NPC Kinger: "The GAME is OVER!"

NPCs grabbed the girl. Before Pomni could even realize what was happening, she started glitching, and amidst her screams, she completely disappeared—only to find herself in the Observation Room. It wasn’t too bad there. Cozy red armchairs and a giant screen showing the others.

Gangle: "Pomni! You're here!"

Pomni: "GANGLE? THANK GOD!"

Gangle: "That was crazyyy! You good? You know all of us are your friends, right?"

Pomni: "Thank you, Gangle! I really needed to hear that. How did you end up here?"

Gangle: "When I went through one of the exit doors, the words ‘NO ESCAPE’ popped up. Suddenly, they were everywhere around me and... then I found myself here. It was a terrifying experience." Gangle swallowed and looked at Pomni with a hopeless expression. "Do you think there really is no escape?"

Pomni: "I believe one day we’ll get out of here! I believe we can find the exit. And I think you should believe it too!"

Gangle smiled.

Meanwhile, Ragatha’s luck was holding out. She hadn’t stepped into any terrifying rooms yet. (Well, if you didn’t count the few centipedes chasing her.) That meant she still had a chance at winning the game. Nevermind—she had just turned the wrong way.

Ragatha: "More centipedes? [@?&/-!]!" The girl immediately bolted back the way she had come. She darted through every door in her path until, at last, she lost. NPC Jax grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into a room. The NPCs were already waiting inside.

NPCs: "Everyone hates you! HAHAHAHAHAH! You’re unwanted. You’re nothing but filth! You failed Pomni! And Jax too..."

Ragatha: "NO- "

Pop! Ragatha was suddenly there with them.

Ragatha: "WHAT THE [@?&/-!] WAS THAT!?"

Pomni: "Ragatha! It’s over! Calm down. Nobody hates you. You didn’t abandon anyone! We’re friends, remember?"

Gangle: "I’m your friend too, Ragatha. You’re always kind to all of us!"

Pomni and Gangle pulled Ragatha into a hug. The bond between the girls was beginning to grow stronger. For Ragatha, being loved was the only thing that still made her feel good in this meaningless digital life. It had been such a long time -far too long- since she had felt genuine love.

Ragatha: "You mean so much to me,  guys..."

Pomni: "We love you, silly!"

They giggled and turned their attention back to watching the others. It didn’t take long for Zooble to join them.

Zooble: "Finally, I can take a break! Did you guys see that too?"

Gangle: "So you’re also afraid of never getting out of here… Looks like we’ve got a lot in common!"

They locked eyes, and both of their faces turned red.

Ragatha: "Who do you think will win -Jax or Kinger?"

Pomni: "Can anyone even guess what could scare Kinger?"

Ragatha: "Jax seems to be doing pretty well, look at him."

Zooble: "Give it a minute -he’ll wander into a cornfield or something and lose. HAHA! That’s gonna be hilarious!"

Pomni giggled. She imagined the purple bunny jumping in fright. Cute. …WHAT? WHO SAID THAT?

Jax moved through the corridors and doors with remarkable calm. Nothing could scare him. To be honest, he had expected whatever he might encounter nearby to trigger his trypophobia. He had no idea how deep Caine could reach into his mind. Wrong door...

Jax: "You're all here! Have you come to greet me? Or was I the last one?"

He sighed, thinking he had lost the game. But what he was about to lose wasn’t the game…

Chapter Text

NPC Pomni: "Hi Jax! How’s it going, treating everyone like [@?&/-!]?" she glitched. "Look, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"

Jax: "POMNI, NOOO! STAY WITH ME! WHAT THE [@?&/-!]! "

NPC Ragatha: "Oh my gosh! FIRST RIBBIT, THEN KAUFMO, AND NOW POMNI! NICE JOB, JAX!" The NPC’s eyes began to glow with shimmering lights, a symbol of abstraction. "OH MY GOD! NOW ME TOO! BINGO!"

Jax: "RAGATHA! I DIDN'T-"

NPC Gangle: "You killed us! Ugh—" Glitching, they screamed.

Feeling a pain in their body as they watched their vanished friends, they began to tremble, a few tears rolling down their cheeks.

Jax: "Don’t say that… I-"

The observers in the control room were left speechless. Jax? His greatest fear… was this? Losing them and being the cause… This was utterly unexpected and deeply heartbreaking.

Zooble: "This isn’t funny. I feel... I feel bad."

Ragatha: "THIS IS TERRIBLE!"

By now, it was too late for everything… The real blow hadn’t even come yet…

NPC Ribbit: "YOU KILLED ME, JAX! YOU DID THIS! WHAT IF THEY FIND OUT? WHAT WILL YOU DO IF THEY DISCOVER WHAT YOU’VE HIDDEN? WHAT WILL YOU DO IF YOUR LITTLE SECRET COMES OUT? YOU’RE DESTROYING EVERYONE ONE BY ONE. YOU- "

Jax sank to the ground, staring in horror at his glitching hands. Pain engulfed his entire body as he looked at the copy of his abstractedd friend, remaining motionless until it completely disappeared.

Ragatha: "WHAT THE [@?&/-!] IS THIS? IS CAINE TRYING TO GIVE JAX A HEART ATTACK?!"

Pomni was just as shocked as the others by what she saw. Jax… was this his greatest fear?.. A pain settled in his heart for everything he had said and done up to this point. She began to tremble.

Zooble stared in horror at the words "YOU WON!" appearing above Kinger. Watching the NPC’s detachment, the fear reflected in Jax’s eyes ignited a burning sensation through every limb and in his heart. Had Jax cared this much? Had he… really cared about them? Even after taking blows repeatedly, was his greatest fear still causing their death?

When Jax was teleported into the room, he was crouched on the floor with his hands covering his eyes. He was trembling.

Pomni: "Jax! Are you okay?" She held the rabbit’s hand, tears in her eyes. "Say something!"

It was already too late for Jax. A wave of intense pain, starting from his mind, surged down his neck and began to take over his entire body. In agony, he pulled her hand away.

Jax: "D-DON'T… T-TOUCH ME! DON'T LOOK—"

Caine transformed the ground beneath them into a portal, teleporting the team into the tent. Kinger was there too.

Kinger: "Hey guys! Look, I won- Wait... is Jax... GLITCHING!!!"

Jax was covered in a black glitch, spreading from his eyes—shining with bright lights—throughout his entire body. He didn’t want anyone to see him this way. He didn’t want his friends to remember him like this. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet and ran toward his room, thinking once again he could calm down alone. The others followed, but they couldn’t reach him before the door locked.

Pomni: "OPEN THE DOOR, JAX! Please…"

Ragatha: "The abstractions weren’t your fault, I’m so sorry, Jax. Please… can we talk?"

Zooble: "I’m sorry for what I said, Jax. If you come out now, I’ll never be mad at you again."

Kinger: "COME OUT AND LET US TALK TO YOU!"

Gangle: "Jax? Come on!"

Deep down, they all seemed to know this was the end for Jax. Now they were screaming, hoping he would understand the reality of his friends struggling just behind the door.

Jax: "I can’t take this anymore. This is... too much. I- I..."

Pomni: "JAX, DON’T SCARE US! COME OUT IDIOT! I BEG YOU!"

Jax: "WHY ARE YOU SCARED? YOU ALL HATE ME!

Pomni: "WE DON'T!!!!"

Jax: "..."

Gangle: "JAX?"

Jax: "I'm s-S-o-R-r-Y..."

Jax felt a ringing in his ears. He no longer felt pain. Looking at his body, he appeared normal. HE HAD OVERCOME THE ABSTRACTION! At least, that’s what he thought.

But when he stood up, he froze in horror. In the middle of the room stood a glitch monster covered in the disgusting eyes that appear when someone is abstracted. WHAT THE-

He felt a hand on his shoulder. When he turned…

Jax: "R-RIBBIT?" He froze, unsure of what to do in front of his friend, who was looking at him with wet eyes. "Are my hallucinations starting again?"

Ribbit: "Jax…" They opened their arms. "You abstracted…"

Jax: "I... what?"

Chapter Text

Jax: "I don't believe in you! My mind is playing games with me, right?"

Ribbit: "Look in the mirror..."

Jax, shocked, immediately turned to the mirror in front of him. What he saw -or rather, what he didn’t see- was enough to make his heart stop.

Jax: "My reflection… I… I have no reflection…"

Ribbit: "Jax…"

Jax: "You are… Ribbit?"

Ribbit: "Yeah, I am."

Jax: "I… I’ve been abstracted."

Crying, Jax threw himself into his friend’s arms, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions.

Jax: "Ribbit! You’re here! I missed you… I did horrible things! I'm a monster Ribbit!" He began to cry even harder. "I… They…"

Ribbit: "It’s all over now, Jaxy. It’s done… You’re here… Calm down. I’m right here with you…"

Jax cried in his friend’s arms for a long time. He hadn’t realized how much he needed this. He poured all his anger, sorrow, and stress into those trusting arms. Finally, completely relieved, he wiped his eyes and sat down on the bed. Ribbit sat beside him… and together, they silently watched the motionless creature.

Jax: "Where have you been?"

Rİbbit: "..."

Jax: "Why isn’t it attacking us?"

Ribbit: "It can’t see us. When you’re abstracted, your body turns into code that forms this creature. The code now only attacks conscious identities it can detect. Your personality and soul are also hidden as code. Right now, we’re invisible… well, not completely. Abstracted beings can see each other and those who aren’t abstracted. The monster won’t attack until it can see the others. Caine will probably find it soon and send it to the basement anyway."

Jax fell silent. He had been abstracted… Unbelievable.

Pomni: "Jax, just say you’re okay… Please, I’m begging you!"

Jax: "I’m ok, Pomni! Let me open the door."

Ribbit: "You think it’s that easy for them to hear you? If it were, I’d be talking to you, right? Hah…"

Jax: "Oh… my god…" He reached for the doorknob. His hand passed through the door.

Jax: "What?" Jax took two steps toward the wall and found himself outside.

Pomni was kneeling in front of the door, begging Jax to be okay. Ragatha knelt beside her, placing a hand on Pomni’s shoulder, tears streaming down her face. Gangle had thrown his comedy mask to the ground, and Zooble was struggling to hold back his emotions. Kinger sat on the floor, staring at the door in horror. The view hit Jax hard. Did they really care about him, despite everything? He thought they would be glad about his abstraction. No jerk around, wasn't that good?

Ragatha: "Pomni, I think… I think he- " Ragatha couldn’t finish the sentence, but Pomni already understood what she meant.

Pomni: "No..."

Zooble: "CAINE!"

Caine suddenly appeared beside them.

Zooble: "Open... Jax’s door."

Caine snapped his fingers, and a key appeared. Pomni held the key with trembling hands, struggling to open the door, then slipped the key into her pocket. She turned the doorknob. There it was, the monster…

Pomni: "No... This isn't real."

Kinger: "I'm so sorry Pomni, but-"

Caine: "He goes to the basement."

Pomni stood up and started shouting.

Pomni: "NO! CAINE, YOU ABSTRACTED HIM! WHAT THE [@?&/-!] WAS THAT HORROR THING? YOU DID THIS! FIX HIM, CAINE! I NEED HIM! FIX HIM!"

The moment the monster attacked, Caine froze it and sent it to the basement.

Pomni couldn’t calm down.

Pomni: "THEN THROW ME IN THE BASEMENT TOO! DO IT, CAINE! I DON'T WANNA LOSE MY FRIEND!"

Ragatha began losing her balance, leaning against the wall as she continued crying.

Zooble: "Pomni, STOP! This won’t help… I’m really sorry."

Jax watched everything in horror. Had everyone lost their minds?

Ribbit: "They really like you, don’t they?"

Jax: "LIKE ME? No! They didn’t… And they were right not to. I just don’t understand why they’re acting like this now… I mean look at Pomni! She looks crazy. But the way he treated me in the forest-"

Ribbit: "Dude, that girl cried all the way until evening because she felt terrible for how he behaved toward you in the forest… Do you really think she doesn’t care about you?"

Jax: "Really? Wait. You… were watching us?"

Ribbit: "What else could I have done? I was really worried about you. And about Ragatha. But I’m mad at both of you. After I left, you two treated each other like

[@?&/-!]!"

Jax: "She told me all of this was my fault when I was just trying to comfort her! I ALREADY KNOW THAT!!!"

Ribbit: "I saw. You think I abstracted because of you?"

Jax: "Yes… I didn’t give you the attention and care you deserved. I’m really sorry..."

Ribbit: "Are you kidding? You were always there for me! There wasn’t a single moment you didn’t listen! You’re one of the best friends anyone could ever have. Atleast, for me..."

Jax: "Yeah, right. I'm the BEST! THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY HATES ME!"

Ribbit: "I DON'T! Geez, Jax. Believe me it wasn't you!"

Jax: "So what caused your abstraction?"

Ribbit: "I had a dream where I lost you and Ragatha… I wasn’t in a good place even before that. You know, in the last weeks before I left, I wasn’t really okay, right? Constantly glitching, having panic attacks, always feeling scared. I wanted to tell you, but we had that fight that day. IT WASN’T YOUR FAULT! DEFINITELY NOT!!! I was the one who started the fight… I was wrong… I hope you can forgive me."

Jax: "You’re a really good friend. I never held a grudge against you…"

Ribbit: "Also, I talked to Ragatha. I told her I would be leaving soon. She didn’t believe me -or didn’t want to. I can’t blame her; if my closest friend told me they’d be leaving soon, I wouldn’t want to believe it either. I asked her not to tell you. You should have learned it from me. I wanted to say sorry and goodbye myself. Then that night, I had the dream and I... lost it. I guess..."

Jax: "Oh God..."

Ribbit: "So it wasn’t your fault! Don’t be upset anymore." They patted Jax on the back. "I was always watching over you. I never left you alone. I wish you could have felt my presence."

Jax: "I also left things unresolved with them. Just like you left me… I couldn’t apologize to Ragatha, Pomni, Gangle, or Zooble." He struggled to speak. "Actually, things were good with Kinger, and that’s nice." He smiled. Ribbit scanned the room.

Ribbit: "You forgot to hide your journal, idiot!"

Jax: "WHAT???"

The rabbit burst into the room in a panic, THE JOURNAL!!! ON THE TABLE!!! WIDE OPEN!!!

Jax: "I'm dead! I'M DEAD!!!"

Ribbit: "Actually, you are! HAHAHA!"

Jax: "SHUT UP! WHAT DO I DO???"

Ribbit: "Nobody's gonna read it, relax! Caine locked your door." They pointed to the red "X" mark on Jax’s door. "No more Jax, no more Jax's room..."

No more Jax... Hard to imagine.

Chapter Text

Ribbit: “So, what do you want to do now?”

Jax: “I don’t know. I’m a little down, you know.”

Ribbit: “I get it, buddy. Is there anything you want from me? Something that might cheer you up?”

Jax: “Nothing specific.”

Ribbit: “It’s sad to watch them cry. When I got abstracted, I didn’t even have the courage to watch you. It was really hard. I think we should leave this place, want to?”

Jax: “Where would we go?”

Ribbit: “To Kaufmo and Queenie, at the carnival outside the tent. They’ve been keeping a close eye on you lately. Let’s surprise them!”

Jax: “Alright. By the way, who’s Queenie?”

Ribbit: “Kinger’s wife!”

Jax: "WHAT?"

Ribbit: "Come on! I'll tell you the story."

Jax: "Ok."

Meanwhile, the others were still in the corridor. They had sat down on the floor.

Pomni: “Caine… why Caine?”

Caine: “I didn’t do anything.”

Ragatha: “AND WHAT ABOUT THE THINGS YOU SHOWED JAX? WHAT WAS WITH THOSE [@?&/-!] NPCs SAYING ALL THAT STUFF? HE WAS ALREADY- ”

Caine: “Since you wanted a more thrilling adventure, I used a system that could access what was on your minds. All of you faced your greatest fear, but if only he was affected… was the problem with my adventure, or with his psychology? I didn’t design a special scene. You did. Without even realizing it. Deep in your minds—”

Pomni: “I thought you didn’t have access to our minds!?”

The moment Caine realized his mistake, he vanished in a burst of confetti. The others were beginning to sense that Caine was hiding something. But for now, no one wanted to deal with it.

Ragatha: “What was that little secret the NPCs were talking about? Was it this? Did Jax know and keep it from us?”

Zooble: “Maybe it’s something else.”

Ragatha glared angrily at the red X that had split the smiling picture of the purple rabbit into four. Was it time to leave now?

Pomni: "I abstracted him. I did it."

Gangle: "Pomni. That’s not right."

Pomni: "I SAID HE'S HEARTLESS, THOUGHTLESS, AND ARROGANT, AND THAT’S WHY EVERYONE HATES HIM!" The girl started crying.

Ragatha: "Okay, okay… calm down. What you said was really harsh. But after all, he hurt you a lot too. We know you didn’t mean what you said, I’m sure he knew that too. And, well… I’m the one who caused this."

Ragatha turned her head and continued speaking in a guilty tone.

Ragatha: "Remember when I told you that Jax wasn't always like this? I said I did it... do you remember?" Pomni nodded. Ragatha was finding it hard to speak now. Her eyes welled up and her hair had started to glitch slightly. Her voice trembled. "We used to be friends — Ribbit, Jax and I. We always had each other's backs. In fact, Ribbit was the sarcastic one. You won't believe it, but Jax's archetype was the outgoing, understanding, supportive one."

Zooble and Gangle listened to the story with curiosity. Jax? THE POLITE ONE? Ragatha felt the pain from the past burn in her throat.

Ragatha: "But Ribbit began to become someone different. They started acting very aggressive and withdrawn. Jax and I tried to help them, but they were... different. Ribbit and Jax fought just before Ribbit abstracted. I don't know what the fight was about, but I knew Ribbit had changed. The night right before the abstraction, they came to me. They talked about abstracting soon and asked me not to tell Jax. I didn't believe them. I DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM! I COULD'VE DONE SOMETHING! I COULD'VE SAVED RIBBIT!"

She began to struggle to breathe. They all gathered around her with curiosity and concern. What had happened to Jax? What had happened to Ribbit? Was Ragatha okay? The girl tried to pull herself together and go on.

Ragatha: "Then Ribbit was abstracted. Jax came to me and asked if I was okay. He said, ‘We can get through this.’ But inside, a voice whispered in my ear that the abstraction was Jax’s fault. I was so full of anger and frustration… I yelled at him and blamed him for everything. ‘You’re asking if I’m okay? After abstracting my best friend? THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, JAX! YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THEM! YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THEM! BUT WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU ABSTRACTED THEM, JAX! YOU’LL ABSTRACT ME TOO!’ I lashed out like that. Who accuses someone that way? That’s why I’m the one who deserves to be dead. I don’t deserve to live.”

Ragatha began to sob uncontrollably. Her friends hugged her. The girl was crushed under the weight of immense regret. No one should have to endure such pain. Ragatha wasn’t a bad person; she had just made a mistake. In contrast, the persona Jax had taken on was far worse.

Pomni: "Ragatha! Don’t say those things! You don’t deserve any of that. You didn’t do it on purpose. They were just mistakes."

Ragatha: "I apologized so many times… but he never forgave me. I know that. Then he became someone full of hate. I—" The girl continued glitching. They couldn’t handle another abstraction today.

Just a mistake. We’ve all made mistakes. No one wanted to abstract Jax. No one did. He built thick walls around himself and didn’t let anyone in. This was none of our fault. If we stick together, we can get through this. I’m sure Jax would want it this way too."

Zooble: "If it helps, I should remind everyone that these were just one-time mistakes. But I’ve been hard on Jax for far too long." Zooble was making an extraordinary effort to hide their emotions.

Everyone looked at each other. No one wanted to spend the night alone. They now knew what loneliness could lead to. Their friendship had grown stronger around a shared sorrow, their hearts connected with a bittersweet love.

Kinger: "It’s better if you’re not alone tonight. Let’s all be together."

Pomni: "Let’s go to my room. I can make a bed for each of you."

Zooble: "Thanks Pomni..."

They all moved together into Pomni’s room. Pomni laid out beds for each of them and shared her comfy pillows. Once all her friends had fallen asleep, she peeked around the room.

“My room… this is my room…” It wasn’t a strange thought now. This room, filled with love and friends, belonged to her. She felt a sense of ownership. It made her feel completely at ease. It made her feel like home. Her new home. Yet, she felt something missing. Deep in her heart, she wished she could see a sweet, purple rabbit on one of the beds spread out on the floor…

Jax: "Wow! Queenie was such a nice person. I’m glad we met, right? And Kinger and Queenie’s story was so moving. THEM COMING TO THE CIRCUS AS A COUPLE IS UNBELIEVABLE!"

Ribbit: "I know! I told you they’d cheer you up."

Jax: "Honestly, I even missed Kaufmo’s jokes. Haha!"

Ribbit: "Look, they aren’t in the hallway. Should we check?"

Jax: "Let’s go room by room."

Jax reached for Ragatha’s doorknob. His hand passed through it. He remembered the painful truth.

Ribbit: "I thought you were a rabbit, not a fish. HAHAHA!!!"

Jax: "Cut it out, Ribby. I forgot, okay? You’re so bad." He gave Ribbit’s arm a friendly punch.

The duo arrived at Pomni’s room. They passed through the wall and looked inside. Pomni was lying on her bed, the blanket pulled over her head. Ragatha was stretched out on a bed in the corner. Kinger was in the middle. Gangle and Zooble were asleep in the beds next to Pomni’s.

Jax: "Aww, that's actually cute."

Ribbit: "Cute? So you admit that you like them!"

Jax: "Maybe..."

Ribbit: "HAHAHA! Look at this Jax!"

Jax: "Look at what?"

Ribbit: "She has a JAX PLUSHIE!"

Jax: "WHAT THE [@?&/-!]!!!"

Chapter Text

When Zooble opened their eyes, the first thing they felt was Gangle’s warm hand — well, actually, her ribbon. It was tangled between their fingers, something she hadn’t let go of even in her sleep. Zooble quickly pulled away, feeling heat rush to their cheeks.

Lately, they had grown much closer to Gangle — closer than ever before. Maybe Jax’s abstraction had somehow tied them together.

For a moment, Zooble thought of Jax.

They had always believed they didn’t like him — maybe even hated him — but after hearing Ragatha’s story last night, something strange stirred inside them. It felt… like longing. Why would anyone miss the person who hurt them? Why had Jax hurt everyone so deeply? And why was losing the ones he “hated” his greatest fear?

Gangle: “Good morning, Zooble. The others are still asleep. If you want, we can slip out quietly before they wake up.”

Zooble: “Yeah… that sounds good.”

The two quietly left the room and walked into the common area. They sat side by side on one of the couches in the middle of the room.

Zooble: “Can you believe it? Jax gave up. Honestly... I thought I’d be next…”

Gangle: “Zooble! Don’t say that. You have no reason to get abstracted. You’re… really amazing.”

As Gangle said this, she wasn’t wearing her comedy mask — yet she was smiling. That alone was surprising enough.

Zooble: “You’ve really grown, Gangle. You can be happy even without your comedy mask. That’s… really impressive. You’ve changed so much.”

Gangle: “Yeah, I’ve grown. But you’ve changed too. You’re more patient now, softer, have you noticed? Without you, this circus would be unbearable.”

They smiled at each other and fell silent. The connection between them felt almost tangible — like a faint, invisible thread pulling them closer.

Just then, the door opened; Pomni and the others stepped into the room.

There was no trace of Jax’s teasing voice. No jokes. No sweet chaos. Only a quiet emptiness.

Zooble noticed something subtle in everyone’s movements — a heaviness. They were ashamed of their thoughts but Jax was gone, after all. So why did the room feel like mourning? And worse — why did Zooble miss their tormentor? Stupid.

Pomni: “Good morning.”

Gangle: “Morning, guys.”

Ragatha: “Thanks for that night, Pomni. We all needed it.”

Pomni: “Of course, guys.”

Suddenly, Jax’s voice echoed through the room — but it wasn’t the voice they remembered. It was new.

Jax: “First morning of my new life. Ugh!”

Ribbit: “Wonder what kind of adventure today’s gonna bring?”

Jax: “Maybe a little excitement?”

Ribbit: “The last time you asked for excitement—”

Jax: “Shh! I know I 'abstracted'. No need to remind it every second, Ribby!”

Breakfast passed in silence. No one had anything they wanted to say. A heavy atmosphere hung over the room — that is, until Caine suddenly appeared.

Caine: “Good morning, my HoneyBees! Are you ready for today’s adventure?”

Zooble: “Let’s see who your adventure will abstract today, Caine?”

The sentence cut through the room like a knife. Caine’s face instantly tensed and began to glitch. The surroundings, walls, decorations, everything — trembled at once. Zooble was startled by their own surge of anger, yet they didn’t back down. Everyone exchanged fearful glances.

Jax froze at the sudden outburst, noticing the fire in Zooble’s eyes. Clearly, Zooble had been affected by Jax’s abstraction. Ribbit recognized the familiar behavior, remembering how Ragatha had acted on the day they were abstracted. Jax and Ribbit exchanged a look.

Then, in a sudden flash, Caine seemed to reboot himself, snapping back as if nothing had happened, and continued speaking without missing a beat. It was a huge coincidence that the circus didn’t collapse on their heads. There was something unsettling about Caine.

Caine: “I have an amazing adventure for you all today! One where each of you competes in a cooking contest to win the grand prize! How does that sound? Fantastic! Then, I wish you all the best of luck!”

Pomni: “Ugh…”

The reluctant chefs moved to their stations on the other side of the portal.

Zooble: “That apron suits you.”

Gangle: “Thanks. You also look pretty!”

NPC: “Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to our cooking contest.” (Applause.) “Today, we have a special panel of guest judges here to evaluate the dishes prepared by our determined contestants. Please welcome: Max, Chad, and Gummigoo!”

The judges took their seats at their tables, while Jax and Ribbit moved over to the spectator chairs to watch.

Jax: “Ragatha will win. She used to cook for us. She is good at cooking.”

Ribbit: “I don’t know. Kinger might win this one. Queenie told us Kinger is the best at cooking.”

Jax: “Wanna bet?”

Ribbit: “Oh, you know it!”

Gummigoo stood up to announce the challenge.

Gummigoo: “G’day, amateur chefs! Today, the dish y’all gotta whip up to snag the win is… (drum roll) a Creamy Cake! Decorations an’ design are all up to ya. Ya got 40 minutes, so good luck, mates!”

Pomni: “I’m the worst at cookin’. Ugh!”

Everyone got to work. Ragatha was whipping cream for her strawberry cake. Zooble was chopping forest berries. Gangle was preparing a banana cake. Kinger was attempting a cherry-chocolate cake. And Pomni…

Pomni: “AAAAA! IT’S BURNINGGG!!!”

Jax: “HAHAHA! How did you manage to make FIRE come out of the cream?!”

Ribbit: “HAHAHA! This is ridiculous. Look at her face! Sad little puppy face!”

Jax: “Yeah that face! She’s sweet! I MEAN—”

Ribbit: “WHAAAT? HAHAHHAHAAA! YOU LIKE HER?”

Jax: “NO! I MEANT THE CAKE! THE CAKE!”

Ribbit: “Well, she isn’t a PIECE OF CAKE! HAHAHAHAAA!”

Jax: “[@?&/-!] you! Quit it!” His face flushed with embarrassment.

Ribbit: “Alright, alright, don’t be mad. I was just joking!”

Forty minutes later, the kitchen was a whirlwind of flour, frosting, and fruity aromas. Every contestant except Pomni had proudly presented their creations. The judges leaned forward eagerly, their eyes lighting up at the vibrant colors and intricate decorations.

They sampled each cake with careful, appreciative bites, nodding and exchanging murmurs of approval. When it came to Pomni’s concoction — a chaotic mound of dough, sugar, and half-melted chocolate — the judges struggled to keep straight faces, trying politely not to grimace.

Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. Gummigoo cleared his throat, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Gummigoo: “And the winner is… Miss Ragatha!”

Ragatha: “Wow! I’m glad you liked it.”

Pomni: “Congratulations, Ragatha! You did a great job!”

Kinger: “Well done, Ragatha!”

Zooble: “Yeah. Great job!”

Gangle: “Congratulations!”

Ragatha: “Thanks guys! You also did great!”

Pomni giggled softly, a tiny laugh escaping despite the chaos of her creation. “Well, I guess it’s… a masterpiece of dough,” she said, shrugging with a mix of pride and amusement at her wonderfully messy concoction.

Jax: “Well, I won! Pay me.”

Ribbit: “I don’t want to!”

Jax: “Say it.” Jax giggled, his eyes sparkling mischievously as he placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Ribbit: rolled their eyes. “Ugh… Ribbit, ribbit, you [@?&/-!]! Happy now?”

Jax: “Pffft—oh my god, Ribby, that was beautiful. Pure art.” He couldn’t hold back his laughter. He wasn’t surprised Ribbit remembered their punishments.

Ribbit: “ART?! That was humiliation! I HATE THIS! I HATE YOU TOO!” Ribbit flung their hands into the air.

Jax: “Oh, come on. You sounded adorable. HAHA!”

Ribbit: “Stop! Don’t make it worse!” Ribbit shot Jax an angry glare, but the corner of their lips betrayed a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

Jax: “Heeey, there it is! That smile. Admit it, you secretly love my punishments.”

Ribbit whined, “You’re impossible…” and gave a playful punch to Jax’s arm.

Another adventure had come to an end. This was the first one Jax had joined as an observer after being abstracted, and it was also the team’s first adventure without him. His abstraction was deeply felt.

Today, another first was about to happen. Everyone was scattered around, carrying items onto the stage. When Pomni saw the photo Ragatha had placed atop the toy box, she finally understood what was happening. Jax did too.

This was… Jax’s funeral?

The photo showed a purple rabbit with a cheeky grin, staring back at them from its frame. White roses surrounded it… Jax’s throat tightened. How does one even attend their own funeral? Kaufmo and Queenie were there as well. Ribbit placed a hand on Jax’s shoulder, as if to say, “We are here.”

It was time for the speeches. Ragatha stood up, her eyes brimming with tears.

Ragatha: “Uhh… I…” She took a deep breath. “You were a sarcastic but a kind-hearted friend, even if you didn’t show it to us.. And now that you’re gone… I’m completely alone. I wish this was just another one of the pranks you and Ribbit used to pull. Without you two, this place feels unbearable…” Her voice broke as she began to cry. “I wish I could see you one more time. To apologize. Even if you wouldn’t forgive me… right now, I’d give anything for you to sneak a centipede into my room, just one more time. I’d give everything to hear you laugh again…”

Jax was crying too. How had he hurt Ragatha so deeply? He wished he could tell her that he forgave her. Guilt weighed heavily on him. Ribbit’s eyes were brimming with tears as well.

Gangle: “I really feel Jax’s absence. He was harsh, yes, but I would have loved to see him here. I don’t know… I wish he were here so I could actually tell him I care. That he could never really abstract me. I’d just get mad, and then forget. My heart broke when I heard what my NPC self said to Jax. And… I think I kinda... miss him.”

Jax was stunned. Gangle? She truly felt his absence. After everything? Zooble stood up, looking different than usual. Softened, changed.

Zooble: “Jax… you were annoying, sarcastic, and mocking. You drove me crazy. I thought you didn’t care, but after what I saw during that horror adventure, I could never believe you were truly bad. I just wish we had realized sooner how heavy all of this was for you. I don’t know why you acted the way you did. But I do know this: We miss you.”

Was that… a tear in Zooble’s eye? NO WAY! Zooble is crying? That had to be the most shocking part of the funeral.

Ribbit: "Jax. What happened? "

Jax: "What are they talking about. I tought this was my funeral."

Ribbit: "Of course it's yours. And they miss you! You are a good person. And funny!"

Jax: " But they are sad. Zooble literally cried, man! I mean… it’s Zooble. ZOOBLE! I was expecting fake words and pretend sorrow from everyone… but it feels like they’re genuinely upset…”

Ribbit: “Don’t be ridiculous. They love you. Whatever you were trying to do didn’t work. Right?”

Jax: "Oh, believe me it will work."

Kinger: “Jax, I hope you’re happy wherever you are. If you can hear us, you should know that we care about you. I hope we meet again someday. I promise I’ll never forget you.”

Pomni couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She didn’t want to accept that Jax had been abstracted. Before she even realized it, she had stepped onto the stage, tears streaming down her face.

Pomni: “You were the first one to make me laugh. The first to make me feel safe. My friend… I can’t do this…” She took a deep breath. “Why did you push everyone away? WHY DIDN’T YOU TALK TO ME? WHY DIDN’T YOU ASK FOR HELP? WHY?! IF YOU HAD JUST STAYED A LITTLE LONGER…”

Pomni was no longer crying—she was shouting, as if she were emptying every emotion she had inside. Kinger stepped onto the stage, calmed Pomni, and guided her to a seat. Jax was deeply affected by what he saw, feeling awful.

Queenie: “Jax, I know this isn’t easy for you, sweetie. Do you want to talk? We are here.”

Jax: “Thanks, but no, I don’t want to talk. I think I need to step outside for a bit.”

Ribbit: “Alright, buddy. You can join us anytime you want.”

Jax nodded and stepped out of the tent. The garden, the flowers… a fully artificial world. He climbed onto a small hill and sat down.

He stayed there for a while, just sitting. Maybe he had done everything wrong. He touched the grass, found a daisy, and began plucking its petals one by one. “Push them… love them… push them… love them…”

From the tent came a voice. Pomni was calling out.

Pomni: “I’m going to be outside for a bit. I need some time alone.”

She looked around, searching for a quiet spot. Her eyes landed on the hill where Jax sat. She walked over with heavy steps. Jax watched her; he wanted to get up, but something seemed to hold him in place.

Pomni laid down right next to him. Her eyes were brimming with tears. Jax’s heart ached. Even after being abstracted, he was still causing pain. He laid down too. Side by side, they watched the sky.

Pomni: “Jax, if you can hear me… I’m sorry. For everything. For all the things I said. For not being there when you needed me.”

Jax: “I’m the one who should be apologizing. If I had one more chance… I wouldn’t push you away. Funny, you can’t even hear me. We’re both just talking to ourselves.”

Pomni: “I wonder… that ‘little secret’ your old friend mentioned in the fear maze — was it something that could’ve saved you?”

Jax: “I hope you never find out.” He smiled to himself. “Would ruin my charisma.”

Pomni: “I’ll find your secret. And I’ll bring you back. I promise. I’ll never let you go.”

Jax: “You’d better. I miss talking to you face to face.”

Pomni: “…So I can see you again.”

As Pomni stared up at the stars with her wide, wet eyes, it almost felt as though she knew he could hear her. Did she? Jax, with his whole heart, wished she could hug him again — and this time, he wouldn’t be afraid. This time… he’d hug her back.

Chapter Text

Jax’s abstraction had happened two weeks ago. It hadn’t taken very long for the circus to move on. They buried their unanswered questions, regrets, and grief, and tried to keep going—learning to live with this “new normal.”

Day after day passed in quiet, uncanny peace. The team threw themselves into adventures to stay distracted, and together they fought against the fears silently eating them from the inside. Everyone paid attention to one another. Everyone tried to protect each other’s sanity.

Walking down the hallway had become torture for Pomni. Whenever she wanted to go to her room or was simply there, every time she saw the red X in the middle of the purple rabbit’s cheerful face, she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. Sometimes she squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn’t see it and didn’t open them until she reached her room. Sometimes she tried to ignore it. Sometimes she would lean against the door for hours, just sitting there and thinking.

Jax already knew his abstraction wouldn’t affect his friends. Who’d cry over a jerk for more than two weeks? He knew what losing a friend felt like, and he sensed that his leaving didn’t mean the same thing to them. While everyone else was moving on, the fact that the little jester was still grieving was getting on his nerves.“Move on, Pomni, or you’ll end up living a life like mine. And in the end, you’ll be abstracted too…”

On the other hand, it was also incredibly hard for Jax to stay on the sidelines and be just a “spectator.” He thought a passive role didn’t suit him at all. At least Ribbit was by his side to help him get through this difficult time.

Ribbit: "Hahaha! Alright, it's my turn."

Jax: “Go on, ask!” he grinned like a mischievous kid.

Ribbit: “If you could go back right now, what’s the first thing you’d do?”

Jax turned his eyes to the table in the distance. He watched the silhouettes of his friends having breakfast; the warmth, the chatter, the clinking of forks… everything he missed was right there.

Jax: “I’d apologize to everyone. One by one. Then I’d not treat them like I used to. And I wouldn’t be afraid... of making friends again.”

Ribbit paused for a moment, narrowed their eyes, and smiled softly.

Ribbit: “Wow. Maybe one day you could try coming back.”

Jax: “What? We can go back?!”

Ribbit: “I don’t really know either. But I know people who do. Still, they wouldn’t tell us… Anywayyy your turrrrn!”

Jax: “But... nevermind. Here we go. Was there ever a time you thought I’d gone crazy?” Jax snickered.

Ribbit: “If we don’t count the part where you got abstracted—YES! That moment during the camping adventure when you CUT YOURSELF! What even WAS that?! ARE YOU INSANE?!”

Jax raised his hands as if embarrassed.

Jax: “I’M NOT PROUD OF THAT, DUDE! It just… happened. And I handled it afterward anyway.”

Ribbit: "You handled it? Ragatha did."

Jax: “Right. I miss the old times. And her too maybe...”

Ribbit: “We’re together now, right? And you can see Ragatha whenever you want. Everything’s gonna be okay, dude. We’ll escape the circus too. Then everything will be so much better.”

Jax smiled and felt himself fill with hope. He wanted to believe it.

After breakfast, everyone knew it was time for their daily adventure as part of the routine. While waiting for Caine to appear, they continued their conversation.

Caine: "Good morning, my Starlights! How are you today? WHAT A PERFECT MORNING FOR AN ADVENTURE!"

Everyone gathered around Caine. Kaufmo and Queenie were still at a distance. Ribbit and Jax were the ones who joined nearly every adventure.

Caine: "For today’s adventure, I was thinking of splitting you into teams, but we still haven’t found that lucky sixth member."

Gangle: "Actually, it’s been a long time since we picked an adventure from the suggestion box. Shall we choose something from it today?"

Ragatha: "Yes. That could be really good."

Reluctantly, Caine took the suggestion box down from the wall and began rifling through it.

Caine: "It’s been a long time since we did this, hasn’t it? It’s quite full in here." He shuffled through the envelopes, reading aloud.

Caine: "Let’s see… How about an adventure about you guys playing bowling?"

Pomni: "Actually, sports aren’t really my thing. Can we do something else?"

Zooble: "I’m terrible at bowling anyway."

Caine: "Alright. Oh! Uhh… How about an adventure where Jax has to deal with period cramps?"

Jax: "WHAT?!"

Ribbit: "HAHA! DUDE! That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard! I CAN’T—" Ribbit started rolling on the floor laughing.

Jax: "HEY! STOP IT! [@?&/-!] THIS!!!"

Ragatha: "What the [@?&/-!] is that?!"

Zooble: "Oops! Sorry. That… thing… must be one of the things I wrote a long time ago…"

Caine: "How about an adventure where you’re all pirates? Sailing the open seas on your ship, battling enemy crews, taking all their treasures, and becoming ruthless pirates who leave no one alive! Side note: plenty of violence included."

Jax: "Nooo! My best idea will go to waste. I couldn't wait any longer, could I? Ughhh!"

Pomni: "Whose idea was this?"

Ragatha: "Plenty of violence… isn’t it obvious?"

Zooble: "Classic Jax." An awkward silence followed.

Pomni: "Feels like he’s still here, doesn’t it?"

Gangle: "I mean… is this like his final wish or something?"

Ragatha: "What?"

Gangle: "I don’t know… this is the last thing left from him, right? Like a 'last wish' maybe..."

Pomni: "I think… we could give this adventure a chance."

Zooble: "One last time, let’s go on one of Jax’s dumb adventures."

Ragatha: "I’m in too!" The tense expressions on their faces melted into smiles.

Ribbit: "Hey! They accepted the adventure, buddy! This is crazyyy!"

Jax: "Yes. Without me..."

Ribbit: "Oh, c’mon, buddy! They even agreed to be pirates just to make your moment happen! I think that’s sweet."

Jax: "They’re not doing it because they like me, Ribbit. They’re doing it because they don't wanna feel ‘guilty.’ You know that."

Ribbit: "Oh, come on, I’m talking PIRATES here! This is going to be legendary! Just put those dark clouds aside and enjoy it a little." He chuckled. "Or do you want to pick the other adventure and deal with period cramps? HAHAHAHA!"

Jax: "CUT IT OUT!" He smiled faintly. "Alright, fine. This is going to be... fun!"

Ribbit: "Howay?"

Jax: "Yeah... HOWAY!"

Caine: "Alright then, good luck, team!"

As the portal opened, Pomni, Ragatha, Zooble, and the others suddenly found themselves on the deck of a massive ship. The sky was tinged with orange, the sea was churning—and atop the mast, a black flag fluttered, emblazoned with a giant purple rabbit head.

Pomni: "Jax… are you advertising yourself?"

Ribbit laughed while Jax watched from afar; his face carried a proud yet bittersweet smile.

Jax: "I thought our flag should represent the captain of the ship!"

The jester hat was replaced with a red bandage decorated with skull motifs, and Pomni was at the helm in her worn striped outfit.

Zooble guarded the treasures on deck, their outfit and zooble parts perfectly matching the theme.

Wearing gold hoop earrings and a black bow, Ragatha looked stunning with her silver-studded binoculars; her outfit was in perfect harmony with the theme.

Gangle, with pirate motifs on her mask and a parrot on her shoulder, watched the open sea beside Zooble.

Kinger looked every bit the rogue pirate with his black cloak and tattoos.

Jax: "Hey, they all look good!"

Ribbit: "But they’re missing a captain."

Jax: "I was supposed to be the captain, actually, but—"

The door to the captain’s quarters suddenly kicked open. Out came “Captain Jax,” wearing a black eye patch, a massive sword, and the finest pirate attire imaginable. According to an NPC, it looked remarkably realistic.

Ribbit: "Caine made your NPC?"

Jax: "I look amazing! Haha!"

Ribbit: "Look at their faces! What a big surprise!"

Everyone was stunned, a mix of shock and complex emotions. Seeing our cheerful rabbit after two weeks must have felt strange. Nobody knew what to do.

NPC Jax: "Another day to sail and kill some ratsss!!!" The rabbit swung his sword theatrically as he spoke.

Pomni: "JAX?!" Her voice was genuine, as if she didn’t realize it wasn’t really him.

NPC Jax: "Ahoy, short lady!"

Jax: "Wait, the NPC doesn’t recognize anyone?"

Ribbit: "They don’t."

NPC Jax: "All hands on deck! Ye have so much to do. Also, who burned me breakfast again?!"

Zooble: "Hasn’t changed a bit! Same as always! Just… more pirate-y?"

Gangle: "Yeah, exactly. Still a very realistic NPC. Very real…"

Everyone gathered on the deck. Looking at NPC Jax was hard for Pomni. She wanted to hug him too. If she were sure she wouldn’t be pushed away, she would have held him tight and told him how much she missed him.

NPC Jax: "You! Colorful personality!" He was pointing Zooble. "I want you to scrub every inch ‘til she shines! You, ragdoll, hoist the sails! And you! Load the guns and keep yer powder dry! Also keep the rum under lock!"

The sun had fully risen, and the ship continued toward its destination. The captain was in high spirits. The crew handled their tasks while stealing glances at NPC Jax. Later, Ragatha’s voice echoed across the deck.

Ragatha: "Incoming ship!"

NPC Jax: "HAHAHA! Sharpen yer blades, battle’s on the horizon!"

Kinger: "Aye aye, Captain!"

It was unexpected that everyone got into the mood and joined the adventure. Jax was proud, even if he didn't show it.

Ribbit: "Haha! They’re getting into it, buddy! VIOLENCE!"

Jax: "VIOLENCE!"

Everyone drew their swords and waited on deck. Ragatha’s hands trembled, and Gangle hid in a far corner of the ship, away from the chaos. As the ships drew closer, tension skyrocketed. An other surprise:

Evil Jax: "Hey, guys… those outfits suit you well. Looks like… we have to fight you now. But is still think-"

Evil Pomni: "Shut up, even the sea rejects ye, scallywag! Why are you with us?"

NPC Jax: "Ye sorry excuse for pirates thought ye could beat us? Hahahaha!"

Jax: "THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EPIC MOMENT, BUDDY!" He realized he should be the one kicking Evil Jax’s butt and felt a bit disappointed. Still, the thrill of a flashy battle overpowered his gloom.

Ribbit: "Think Kinger can take someone down?"

Jax: "HAHA! Kinger? He wouldn’t hurt a fly. Impossible."

Ribbit: "I don't know. He has potential. Wanna bet?"

Jax: "My day couldn’t get any better! This time, no ribbit sounds will save you!"

Ribbit: "We’ll see!"

The evil versions matched the pirate theme. Their behavior and outfits reflected their warrior and rogue spirits. The ships were identical (Caine must have been too lazy to design a new one). The only difference was the flag: Evil Pomni’s face was embroidered on it.

Planks were set between the ships, and the tension in the air was palpable. Jax and Ribbit climbed the watch tower, feeling the excitement of the impending chaos in their veins.

NPC Jax: "Attack!"

With the captain’s order, the crew charged. Swords were drawn, and they ran toward the other ship. The evil copies did the same. The battle had begun.

Evil Jax cowardly pointed his sword at Ragatha. She drew her sword to defend herself, their blades clashing harshly.

Evil Pomni was dueling Captain Jax. In the center of the two ships, they fought fearlessly. One wrong move could send them overboard. NPC Jax’s sword sliced through the water in a graceful parry. Evil Pomni was relentless. NPC Jax had to use all his agility to dodge the series of strikes.

Evil Pomni: "Ye lily-livered landlubber! Fight back!"

BOOM! A shot from an old but fancy rifle pierced through Evil Pomni. Zooble was surprisingly good with firearms.

Meanwhile, Pomni struggled against Evil Kinger.

Evil Kinger: "I've seen better scurvy dogs, [@?&/-!]"

Pomni: "I CAN’T DO THIS!" Blood ran from her arm with a sharp sword strike. Seeing Pomni in pain, NPC Jax smashed Evil Orbsman to pieces, putting on a visual feast for Jax and Ribbit.

Pomni: "GOD! WHY DOES THIS HURT SO MUCH?" The girl’s scream echoed in the captain’s ears, who at that moment was busy shredding Evil Jax and giving Jax and Ribbit a visual feast. He ran to the girl.

NPC Jax: "Stop cryin', lady. I got ya!" The captain carried her to their ship’s captain’s quarters. Jax was far from pleased. Pomni was hurt, and NPC JAX WAS CARRYING HER ON HIS BACK! Jax could only watch, saying nothing to avoid Ribbit's taunts.

NPC Jax: "I’ll patch the wound, alright?"

Pomni: "How are you a pirate? I thought pirates weren’t polite."

NPC Jax: "I am an honorable pirate. I’m not a monster. At least not to my own crew. Otherwise, I’d eat the other wimps for breakfast! HAHAHAHA!"

The deck was a sea of blood, but the crew had managed to defeat their evil twins.

Kinger: "Any last words, coward?"

Evil Kinger: "[@?&/-!] you, [@?&/-!] them and-" The clashing of swords echoed.

Ribbit: "YES YES YES YESSSSSSS!!!"

Jax: "KINGER? WHAT THE— "

Ribbit: "HAHAHAHA! LOOK AT YOUR FACE!  [@?&/-!] YEAHHH!"

Jax: "That doesn’t make any sense!"

Ribbit: "Logic doesn’t interest me. I just want to hear it."

Jax: "Hear what? Is it—"

Ribbit: "Admit it!" He gave Jax a childish grin. The rabbit’s ears drooped, annoyed.

Jax: "But that’s a lie!"

Ribbit: "Say it, Jaxy Boy! Sayyy it!" Ribbit was smiling as if they were enjoying the moment very much. Jax took a deep breath and resigned to his fate.

Jax: "I swear, Ribbit is cooler than me."

Ribbit: "OF COURSE I AM! HAHAHA!"

Jax: "Are you? No, you’re not! I’m the fans’ favorite! Right, dear viewers?" He pointed to the void and smiled.

Ribbit: "Dude, are you seriously still breaking the fourth wall?"

They joined the others. Now, only our crew gathered on the deck.

NPC Jax: "Another day, another victory! Raise yer mugs high — tonight we feast!"

As evening approached, a feast fit for the end of a great adventure was laid out. Moments filled with laughter and warmth would end with the huge "VICTORY" sign appearing in the air.

As the sea and ship slowly faded away, NPC Jax remained in the center. When the portal opened, Jax and Ribbit hurried through immediately. But no one else seemed willing to step through.

They didn’t know why. It felt as if an invisible force held them back. It said, "Don’t go." In reality, that voice expressed what they truly felt deep inside: they didn’t want to leave Jax behind again—even if he was just an NPC.

Before leaving, Pomni wanted to hold his hand one last time, even artificially. NPC Jax’s warm hand glitched and slipped through her fingers, and she just watched…

Chapter Text

They fell through the portal onto the cold circus floor. I’d be surprised if they ever had a soft landing! But this time it hurt more than ever. Not emotionally, physically.

Pomni: "OW! Something stabbed me!"

Ragatha: "Are you okay, Pomni? What stabbed you?"

Pomni reached for the side of her outfit and started fumbling through her pocket. Sometimes she even forgot she had one. She still hadn’t fully gotten used to this outfit. She found what she was looking for. Something metal, something yellow, something…

Pomni: "A... K-Key?"

Ragatha: "A key? Is it your room's key?"

Pomni was speechless. The key in her pocket. A KEY SHE HADN’T NOTICED FOR TWO WEEKS!

The little jester started running like she had lost her mind. All she could think about was the key and the door it belonged to.

Ragatha: "POMNI! WAIT!"

Ragatha ran after her too. She found Pomni standing in front of the door. His door…

Ragatha: "Pomni?"

Pomni: "This is the key Caine made for me to open his door on the day he got abstracted…" She placed the key in the keyhole. Of course, she didn't know that behind her, a crazy rabbit was begging her not to do it.

Jax: "POMNI! DON'T DO THIS PLEASEEE! I'M SO [@?&/-!] UP! I'M DEAD! EVERYTHING IS OVER! I’M GOING TO BE HUMILIATED!"

Ribbit: "JAX! Can you calm down, please?! Breathe, geez!!!"

Jax: "I CAN'T-"

Ribbit: "Is this about your journal?"

Jax: "JOURNAL!"

Ribbit: "Why are you so stressed, Jax? For god's sake, what did you write in it?"

Jax was now certain someone had strangled him.

Jax: "EVERYTHING! EVERY [@?&/-!] THING! ALL OF IT!"

Ribbit: "All of it?"

Jax: "Every single thing… DIDN’T YOU TELL ME TO DO IT?"

Ribbit: "I told you to write down the bad feelings inside to keep your mind safe. DAMN IT, I DIDN’T SAY WRITE EVERYTHING SO PEOPLE CAN READ YOUR STUPID PLANS!"

Pomni hesitated, her hand trembling on the key.

Ragatha: "Pomni... I don't think we should go in."

Pomni: "Why?"

Ragatha: "I don’t think we're ready. I mean, it’s Jax we’re talking about. Anything could happen. What we see inside could hurt us. Hearts could break. Again…"

Pomni: "I… I don’t know if I’m ready for this." Jax gave a small, exhausted smile. Just breathing felt good again.

Jax: "Stupid? Do you think it’s stupid? Look, girls won’t even go inside because they’re scared of what they’ll see!"

Ribbit: "If you hadn’t done something ridiculous, there wouldn’t be anything to hide. Sometimes… I don’t understand you at all."

Jax: "Look! What happened to me after you left?"

Ribbit: "..."

Jax: "Didn’t I spend a year crying? Sleeping at the door. Going inside and crying. Everything reminded me of you, and… I missed you so much. Why?"

Ribbit: "Jax..."

Jax: "Because you were my friend. You were always good to me! I didn’t want to lose you! You were someone I called my friend! You said you were watching me. So tell me, how many times did I nearly get abstracted?"

Ribbit: "Many..."

Jax: "And in the end, what happened?" He waved his hand in front of Ragatha’s and Pomni’s eyes. "I got abstracted..."

Ribbit: "But-"

Jax: "TWO WEEKS!" A tear slipped down his cheek. "Just two weeks, friend! In two weeks they forgot me. No one got abstracted. No one mourned at my door. No one really cared."

Ribbit: "We saw it at the funeral. They care about you."

Jax: "NO ONE LOVES ME! I wanted this! We saw it was useful."

Ribbit: "What if they go into your room? Will it still be useful then, smart rabbit?"

Jax: "I don’t know…" He hid his head in his hands. His rabbit ears drooped, and each breath felt heavier.

Ribbit: "Hey, relax… One day you’ll come back, and then you’ll fix everything. But completely honestly. Without hiding, without fear. Then you can apologize to everyone. Panic attacks will be replaced by a warm hug, and you’ll feel at peace with your friends’ love." Jax didn’t listen past the part about that day eventually coming. 

Jax: "I want to talk to them."

Ribbit: "Who?"

Jax: "You knew someone who knew the way back. You didn’t tell me… I want to talk to them too."

Ribbit: "Are you sure? I mean… there’s a reason they didn’t tell us. That’s what they said. I tried very hard to find out but—"

Jax: "I just want to be sure there’s a way back."

Ribbit: "Okay, that’s Queenie. She should be with Kinger. Go to the pillow fort. If she’s not there, try the garden." She hesitated for a moment. "Um… are you sure? There must be a reason Queenie didn’t tell us, right?"

Jax: "I’m sure! I don’t want to keep it inside anymore. Aren’t you coming?"

Ribbit: "Maybe it’s better if you talk alone."

Jax: "Okay, thanks, buddy."

Ribbit: "Good luck."

It was mealtime. The table was set, and everyone took their seats. Meeting Jax again in the pirate adventure was as unusual as it was shocking.

Zooble: "You were really good in today’s adventure, Kinger."

Kinger: "Was I? Uh, thanks Zooble! You were really good too!"

Gangle: "I was so scared."

Pomni: "Me too! Kinger’s evil version hurt me. Luckily, the Jax Caine made turned out kind-hearted." The unexpected tension her words caused annoyed the jester. Fiddling with the key in her pocket also reflected her own nervousness.

Gangle: "Yeah, seeing Jax again was weird…" 

Zooble: "I HAVE TO ASK! What do you think the 'little secret' the NPCs in the maze mentioned was? I just don’t understand, and I can’t keep it in anymore! I’m so curious!!!"

Gangle: "Honestly, me neither. Maybe it’s something... not that good?"

Pomni glanced at Ragatha. As if asking whether she should tell them about the key incident without words. Ragatha remained indifferent. The possibility that what they would encounter inside might not please them bothered her.

Jax wasn’t very good at hiding the fear behind his determined steps. When he reached Queenie, he couldn’t stop his voice from trembling.

Jax: "Hey... Queenie. Sorry for bothering you. Can we talk for a bit?" Queenie’s compassionate gaze seemed to ease Jax slightly. She got up from the pillow fort and placed her hand on Jax’s shoulder.

Queenie: "Jax? Of course, dear. You can tell me everything."

Jax: "Um, this is actually a bit deep."

Queenie: "Okay, then we can talk outside. Shall we go to the place with flowers? You look tense, and it always calms me when I’m tense." Jax nodded and thanked her for agreeing. They walked together toward the flower garden.

They sat comfortably on the grass. It was time to talk to someone he trusted like Queenie, who had shown motherly care since they met, about all the questions that kept him from feeling the night’s lightness and peace. Jax feared disappointment at what he might hear but didn’t want to step back

He took a deep breath and began speaking, avoiding Queenie’s gaze.

Jax: "I actually wanted to talk to you about… returning."

Queenie: "Returning?"

Jax: "I made so many mistakes, hurt everyone, and maybe because of me, they’ll be abstractedd. I have to prevent that. I want to apologize to everyone. Also, I…" He struggled to swallow and trembled. He couldn’t understand what was happening to him. "I missed them." Salty drops ran down his chin, and the woman, heartbroken at his helplessness, decided to speak openly with Jax.

Queenie: "You want to return. We all want to. But unfortunately, returning isn’t as simple as you think. Almost impossible."

Jax: "But ‘almost’ impossible! Trying doesn’t hurt!"

Queenie felt the words hurt. She looked at the stars, at the clouds, eyes full…

Queenie: " Trying hurts, those before you… I mean… it won’t work. I don’t want to lose one more person, okay dear? Yes, we may be abstracted, and that’s very bad, but if you try to return and fail, it gets much worse. I… I’ve seen. "

Jax: "What... happened to them?"

Queenie: "They were... shattered. Split into their codes. Not just their bodies, but their souls were lost too. They… I suppose they are dead… They died…"

Memories flickered in the woman’s eyes—her old friends, their faces twisted in pain, their cries echoing through time. Slowly, they began to fade… dissolving into nothingness… until, finally, they left behind an unfillable void… a hollow space deep within her heart.

Seeing how upset the woman looked made Jax’s heart ache. Yet, the answer still wasn’t a sufficient deterrent.

Jax: "Queenie…" There was no fear in his eyes anymore. Only longing and determination. "I’d rather die than live like this."

Queenie: "Why? It’s over now. Accept it and move on! It's not 'that' bad." She was searching for a way to stop him. "And… have you thought about what will happen to Ribbit if you fail?"

That feeling again. It gripped Jax’s throat. His heart started pounding, and he began sweating coldly. Disappoint Ribbit, for a second time… Force him to experience what he went through… Ragatha too… Leave Queenie alone in guilt…Forever... Never see Pomni again?

Pomni? What would Pomni think? What would she want? To give up and stay ‘safe’? Or to take the risk for a second chance to reunite? Just thinking of Pomni made Jax’s heart tremble, and could he choose an option that might mean never seeing her again?

Jax: "No… I hadn’t thought about that." Determination was giving way to fear.

Queenie: "Think of those who love you."

Jax: "I already want to return for them. I need to fix some things. You know… But it’s such a hard decision." His head ached from stress. "Okay, can you give me a little time?"

Queenie: "Of course, dear." Her merciful eyes met those filled with fear. "I’m always here."

After dinner, everyone dispersed to a corner. Pomni and Ragatha (unaware, along with Ribbit) went to Pomni’s room to talk.

Ragatha: "Pomni, I know this situation is confusing. But wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t do this?"

Pomni didn’t know what to do. Maybe the motivation of a message from Jax, or something that would remind her of him, prevented her from thinking logically. And then there was the secret.

Ragatha: "For both ourselves and Jax… He wouldn’t want it. No one would."

her respect for moral rules overshadowed by Her insatiable desire for answers. All she needed was to say goodbye to him, to hug him, to see him one more time. She longed for a smile. She needed Jax.

Pomni: "WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR JAX ALREADY! What if we find an answer? Something that will allow us to bring Jax back?"

Ragatha: "Bring Jax back? There’s no such thing, Pomni." Ribbit sighed. Seeing their friend so desperate was unpleasant. The Ragatha they knew wasn’t this Ragatha.

Ribbit: "Maybe there is, Raggie. What happened to ‘believing is half the success’ ? You always used to say that."

Pomni: "Maybe there is?" Ribbit was warming up to the jester. Even though they hadn’t known Pomni for long, they appreciated her courage and determination.

Ragatha was about to be convinced. She seemed to try to talk herself out of it. She gritted her teeth. "Ragatha! Pull yourself together!"

Pomni: "And we can’t decide this just between us. If we know there’s such a key, the others have the right to know too."

Ribbit: "Ughhh! What have you done, girly?! Now you’re going to tell everyone? YOU’RE OVERDOING IT!"

Ragatha: "You’re right, I guess. Okay, you win."

Great! Now Ragatha was convinced too. Jax would never like this.

Ragatha: "Let’s ask. But we both know—"

Pomni: "We both know they’ll all want to go into the room."

Ribbit: "We’ll need to organize a second funeral for Jax…"

The girls planned to jump straight into speaking as they approached their friend. But… how could such news be delivered easily?

Pomni: "Hey, guys… We… We…"

Zooble: "Hey! Did something bad happen?"

Ragatha: "We… we found something." Why was it so hard?

Gangle: "What?"

Pomni took the key out of her pocket and handed it to them.

Kinger: "A key?"

Gangle: "What key?"

Pomni: "J-Jax’s room…"

Gangle’s comedy mask cracked and broke. There, they had said it.

Zooble grabbed the key tightly. He felt as if his heart, which he wasn’t even sure existed in his artificial body, had flown out.

Zooble: "SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?"

Gangle: "Will we be able to enter Jax’s room?"

Ribbit: "God! Could you leave this guy alone already?" He felt bad for his friend. The last moments of a year’s worth of plans that had yet to be disproved. Stupid plans...

Ragatha: "What do you plan to see by going into the room?!"

Ribbit: "GO GIRL!!!"

Pomni: "It’s simple, Ragatha. Answers!"

Ribbit: "Okay, no escape. Should I tell Jax?" Or should they join them and… witness them finding Jax’s journal? Anyone who knew Ribbit would know the answer to that question.

Caine: "My apple pies! Where are you all going, gathered like this?"

Pomni: "To Ja—" Kinger covered Pomni’s mouth with his hand.

Kinger: " Caine! Caine! You… You look great today!"

Caine covered his eyes with his hands, embarrassed.

Caine: "Awww! You’re embarrassing me!" He opened a portal and left the circus.

Pomni: "What was that?"

Kinger: "It’s forbidden to enter the rooms of abstracted people. Even having this key is forbidden."

Pomni: "But why?"

Kinger: "Why what?"

While Jax had retreated to a quiet corner of the circus tent to think about his conversation with Queenie, oblivious to everything that was going on, the group had already arrived at his room door. Pomni inserted the key into the keyhole. She turned it, and the door slowly opened.

Chapter Text

A messy bed… Torn pillows scattered across the floor, their feathers drifting through the air like snow. The ground was littered with crumpled papers, shards of glass, and bits of trash. In the corner stood a chair with one broken leg; beside the door, a cracked mirror. And on the wall… a few drops of dark red stain.

Zooble: "Oh my god! What the hell happened here?"

No one dared to speak out loud.

The silence in the room felt almost like a moment of mourning.

There was a desk leaning against the wall, and next to it stood a cabinet. Its drawers were crammed with random, unrelated things. A few photos and drawings were taped to the cabinet door.

While everyone spread out across the room, Gangle carefully peeled one of the pictures off and held it in her hand.

Gangle: "This... I made this one. He kept it?!"

The picture showed Kaufmo, Ribbit, Ragatha, and Jax together — drawn in Gangle’s signature style, a cute, anime-like illustration full of color and charm.

On the other side of the room, Zooble was rummaging through the trash on the floor.

Zooble: "Hey! I found on the floor. When did you even take this?"

In the photo, Pomni and Jax were posing for the camera, weapons in hand, looking like they were ready for action.

Pomni: "Remember that adventure when we all got weapons… Can I have it?" She took the photo and studied it. They looked so happy. She really wished she could go back to that day.

Ribbit: "I wonder when you’ll notice the real treasure in here. "

Ragatha: "Hey! There’s a notebook here."

It wasn’t just any notebook.It was the journal. Right there on the table — wide open. Ragatha picked up the notebook and began to read in a soft, gentle voice.

"Day 941: Today was quite a painful day. Am I going too far? I'm no longer sure if I'm doing the right thing. Something bad is going to happen soon, and I feel like I'll be the one responsible. Something bad is coming soon." Reading this hastily and carelessly written handwriting was rather difficult.

Ribbit: "Here we go."

Gangle: "Is this... a journal or something?"

Zooble: "We won’t know until we read it."

Ragatha: "I don’t know… we shouldn’t be reading this, and— oh, of course you’re already reading it. Great."

They all sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall opposite the door. Ragatha reluctantly joined them, settling onto the floor as well.

Pomni flipped back to the very first page. The ink there was neater, steadier — a different Jax entirely.

“Day 1: I don’t think I’ll be staying in this circus place for long. I’ll probably wake up any minute now. That frog person told me to keep a journal to ‘maintain my sanity.’ I think their name was Ribbit. This is stupid, but I’ll do it anyway. If this isn’t a dream, it’s gotta be some kind of video game or something, and writing this journal must be one of the quests. They’re calling me ‘Jax’ since I can’t remember my real name. I don’t remember anything! I need to get out of here.”

Ribbit: "'Frog guy’? Oh, come on!"

Kinger: "This really is a journal!"

Zooble: "Jax kept a journal? That’s… unexpected."

Ragatha: "Maybe we shouldn’t—"

Pomni kept reading. Her voice cracked slightly.

“Day 7: Ragatha and Ribbit showed me everything about the circus. THIS PLACE IS COMPLETE NONSENSE! That AI thing called Caine keeps creating ‘adventures,’ and we just play along to survive them. WHERE’S THE EXIT?”

Zooble: “We all felt like that when we first got here.”

"Day 11: Ragatha and Ribbit are treating me good. It seems like we could become friends. But I still can't get used to my weird rabbit body, my name, and... this whole thing. Ribbit said that once I get used to it, this place might not be so bad. Apparently, we have to adapt because there's no such thing as an exit! I don't want to believe that. There are also two others: Kaufmo and Zooble. One’s a clown, and the other is... something like a jigsaw puzzle, I guess. Zooble seems like a pretty rational person. Kaufmo has terrible jokes, but he seems like a good guy. Caine mentioned he's looking for a sixth person. I honestly feel really sorry for them. I'm sure they didn’t deserve to end up in this hell."

The group fell silent. Only the faint hum of the circus outside could be heard. Seeing Jax’s human side… it felt good.

"Day 16: I just learned what abstraction really means. The doors in the hallway marked with red Xs represent the people who’ve been abstracted. Then they locked them up in the basement. Now I understand why I have to 'protect' my mind."

Pomni stayed silent for a while. She looked at the trembling lines on the page, then tried to swallow the knot in her throat.

"I don't want to be abstracted," she continued reading in a low voice. "Ragatha said we'd be safe if we stayed together. I hope... she's right."

Each line made the air feel heavier. Remembering that he had been abstracted turned every word into a slap across their faces.

Zooble: "This is sad. I'm starting to feel sorry for Jax."

Ragatha: "We didn’t stay together. Ughhh! Let’s stop reading, I don’t want you to see any more— " Ragatha stood up in anger.

Kinger: "Ragatha, calm down!"

Zooble: "Please, Ragatha! What's going on with you?"

Zooble’s words were like a mirror held up to Ragatha, showing her how she looked from the outside. She wasn’t acting well at all—she was acting like a total jerk.

She tried to pull herself together and sat down on Jax’s bed.

Ragatha: "Sorry guys. Please excuse me."

While the others kept reading about Jax’s first days and experiences, some bitter memories began to overwhelm Ragatha—like a painful whisper rising from the past.

Chapter Text

Jax: "They said they went to sleep. We’re bothering them in the middle of the night."

Ragatha: "They didn’t come to dinner either. You need to apologize, Jax."

Jax: "Why am I the one apologizing? They started the fight."

The two were walking down the hallway.

Ragatha: "Because we’re friends. And you know Ribbit’s been going through a hard time lately!"

They arrived at Ribbit’s door.

Jax: "I’m not the one who should apologize, Raggie."

Ragatha: "But you’re going to. Come on, Jax!" She placed her hand on the rabbit’s shoulder, encouraging him. Jax sighed and knocked on the door.

No answer. Jax shook his head as if to say “Nothing I can do.” Ragatha looked at him with pleading eyes, trying to convince him.

He knocked again.

Jax: "Hey, Ribbit. Are you there?" he hesitated. "Are you sleeping?"

Still no answer.

Jax: "Look... I just wanted to say I’m sorry things got ugly. I didn’t mean to hurt you. And I didn’t want to be selfish either. I was just... scared." His ears drooped. "I admit I was wrong, and I want to apologize."

Ragatha: "Ribbit! Come on, come outside!"

They waited for a while.

Jax: "Ribbit? Are we still friends? At least say if you’re there. Or are we talking to a door?"

Only silence.

Ragatha: "Jax! Open the door. We need to make sure Ribbit’s okay."

Jax: "Okay! Okay! LET GO OF MY ARM!" He quickly pulled the key from his pocket and opened the door.

There it was. A black monster with glitching, disgusting-colored eyes staring at them.

Jax: "OH MY GOD! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

The monster started running toward them. Ragatha just stood there. Staring.

Jax: "RAGATHA! RAGATHA!!!" Jax grabbed the frozen girl by the arm and started running. He was crying and running. They ran toward the common room of the tent. The monster followed them.

Kaufmo: "What’s going on?!"

Jax: "R-R-Ribbit. A-a-a..."

Caine appeared and froze the monster.

Caine: "Oh! What a mess this is?! Is that Ribbit?" He snapped his fingers and opened a portal. "Sorry, folks, but Ribbit is eliminated. They’re going to the basement." He sent the monster into the black portal that appeared on the floor. Ragatha threw herself to the ground like she’d gone mad and started punching the floor.

Ragatha: "WHAT?! NO! NO, NO, NO, NOOO! RIBBIT!!! COME BACK!" Zooble and Kinger struggled to hold her back.

Jax was completely devastated.

It was the first abstraction he had witnessed. He had lost his best friend. And they had been fighting. Before they could make things right... they were gone.

Zooble: "[@?&/-!]! Okay, okay... Come on. Calm down, alright?"

Ragatha: "NO! I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

Kinger: "Ragatha! Please don’t. Can you breathe? Look at me! Calm down before you get abstracted! Okay?"

Kaufmo: "Come on, Ragatha. Let’s go wash your face. Everything will be okay. I promise." As the two slowly walked away, all eyes turned to Jax.

Zooble: "Jax? Are you okay?"

Jax: "..."

Zooble: "Do you want to talk?"

Jax: "..."

What came after wasn’t clear in the girl’s mind. She only remembered that moment. After the funeral.

Jax: "Hey, Raggie. Do you want to talk?"

Ragatha: "No."

Jax: "Are you okay?"

Jax sighed and sat down next to the girl leaning against the wall.

Jax: "We can get through this. If we stay together. Right?"

For Ragatha, it was the last straw. She stood up in anger and started shouting.

Ragatha: "You’re asking if I’m okay? After abstracting my best friend? THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, JAX! YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THEM! YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THEM! BUT WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU ABSTRACTED THEM, JAX! YOU’LL ABSTRACT ME TOO!"

For Jax, everything was over. Kindness was over. Friendship was over.

Jax: "IS THAT SO?!" He stood up too and shoved Ragatha in a burst of anger. "THEY WERE MY BEST FRIEND TOO! SO I’M THE ONE TO BLAME FOR ALL THIS? [@?&/-!] YOU!"

Ragatha: "Jax, I didn't mean it... I'm sorry."

Jax: "Don’t talk to me..."

Ragatha remembered how Jax trembled as he said all that. With fear and rage... In that moment, she saw the darkness in Jax’s eyes. An emptiness that would never be filled.