Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Alrighty!” Caine said excitedly as he summoned a notepad and pencil into his hands. “Time to see if my fellow friends—erm, I mean, fellow humans—want to do an activity today!”

He quickly scribbled a few notes onto the paper before pausing. It had been almost a year since he had come back after the accident. 

Everything had changed in the circus since then, the humans were happy now, they could do whatever they wanted. No more adventures, no more being forced into dangerous situations, no more elaborate games they never asked for.

Everything was perfect. Well… At least for the humans. Caine still missed making adventures. After all, it had been his purpose for as long as he could remember. Creating worlds, designing challenges, keeping everyone entertained—that was what he was made to do.

But after everything he had done and everything he had learned, he knew this was the right thing to do.

Even if it still hurt sometimes.

“Bubble, can you—” He stopped mid-sentence and turned toward the empty space beside him. The smile on his face faltered.

“Oh.” 

Silence.

“Right.”

His eyes drifted downward for a moment, then he quickly forced a grin back onto his face.

“Silly me!” he laughed awkwardly. “Never mind that! Time to greet the humans!”

With a snap of his fingers, he vanished from his office. A moment later, he appeared in the main area of the circus. The humans were gathered in their usual spots.

Gangle and Zooble sat together on the green couch. Gangle held a sketchbook in her lap while excitedly flipping through pages, occasionally pointing at certain drawings. Zooble leaned back comfortably beside her, glancing through the artwork with surprising patience.

Across from them, Pomni and Ragatha sat together on the red couch, chatting quietly.

Meanwhile, Kinger occupied the blue couch by himself, holding an old book close to his face as he read.

“Gooddddd morning, my sweet bubblegum gumdrops!” Caine announced, floating upside down above the room.

The sudden appearance made Pomni jump slightly.

“Oh! Good morning, Caine,” Ragatha greeted with a cheerful smile.

“Hi, Caine!” Kinger said happily, looking up from his book and waving.

“Hey,” Zooble added.

“Morning,” Pomni said.

Gangle offered a small wave.

Caine's grin widened. They seemed to like him more now! That was all he had ever wanted. Still, one thought lingered quietly in the back of his mind.

Had they truly forgiven him?

He never wanted to ask directly.

Doing so would probably only bring back painful memories. Maybe it would make things awkward. Maybe it would remind them of everything he had done wrong. So he kept the question to himself.

Maybe one day.

“You are very welcome!” Caine declared, floating into a horizontal position. He rested his chin in his hands and kicked his legs back and forth in the air. “Soooo... any plans for today?”

“Hm...” Pomni hummed thoughtfully, tapping her fingers against her knee. “Not really. What do you guys want to do?”

“Honestly, I'm out of ideas,” Zooble admitted, sinking farther into the couch. “What about you, Gangle?”

Gangle nervously adjusted her comedy mask.

“I-I don't really know...”

Zooble shrugged.

“That's okay. Don't stress about it.”

Gangle's shoulders relaxed slightly.

“Thanks.”

“Oh?” Caine blinked. “So none of you have any ideas for today?”

His eyes briefly lit up.

Wait… If they don't know what to do… Maybe, just maybe, I could make an adventure for them! Maybe I could show them that I've changed. Maybe I could show them I—

“Yeah...” Kinger interrupted, unknowingly cutting off Caine's train of thought.

The AI immediately looked over. Kinger closed his book and rested it in his lap.

“Strange to say, but I don't really know what to do either,” he admitted. “I guess now that you let us choose what we want... we've already done most of the things we wanted to do.”

“Yeah, I agree with Kinger,” Ragatha said. “Maybe we could just spend the day hanging out here?”

Pomni tilted her head.

“I don't know... wouldn't that get boring after a while?”

“Wellllll...” Caine began, his excitement quickly returning. “Since you're all clearly having trouble deciding what to do today, maybeeee we should go on one of my—”

“Caine.” Zooble immediately cut him off, the glare they sent him was enough to stop him in his tracks. “Don't start.”

Caine's smile vanished almost instantly.

“Ah...” He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. “My apologies.”

Zooble sighed.

“It's fine.” They crossed their arms. “Just... not today.”

'Well, never mind about the adventure then,' Caine thought.

A moment later, he floated down and sat cross-legged in midair. Balancing his notepad against his lap, he clicked his pencil thoughtfully.

“Well, if you'd like, I can offer some suggestions instead,” he said. “I've been doing extensive research on what humans enjoy! I'm basically an expert now~”

He proudly placed a hand against his chest.

The group still wasn't entirely used to the fact that Caine now had access to the internet. It had been completely new to him at first—something he hadn't even known existed until recently.

Now?

He spent hours digging through it. Hopefully he didn't stumble across something he really shouldn't see.

“Huh...” Pomni said. “Well, I don't see why not.”

Then she pointed a finger at him.

“Just make sure it's not horrifying or dangerous. You know what I mean, right?”

“Oh, don't worry your pretty little head, Pom-Pom!” Caine replied cheerfully. “I've learned from my past mistakes! These activities will cause absolutely no injuries, emotional distress, existential crises, or sense of panic whatsoever!”

Caine flipped to a fresh page.

“I shall now go through my list one by one, and you will all provide your honest opinions!”

He cleared his throat.

“First idea!”

The pencil pointed toward the ceiling.

“Karaoke!”

Kinger shifted slightly and scratched his cheek.

“Oh, karaoke. I've done that a few times.” A small blush appeared on his face. “Well... mostly because my wife wanted to.”

His smile turned sheepish.

“I was terrible at it.”

Zooble shrugged.

“Not really my thing.”

“I'm not much of a singer either,” Ragatha admitted.

Pomni nodded.

“Same.”

Gangle raised her hand slightly.

“Me too.”

“Excellent!” Caine declared. He aggressively crossed the item off his list. “Karaoke has been eliminated!”

Another page flip.

“Next idea!”

“Cooking!”

“Oh, no,” Pomni said immediately. “The last time we tried cooking, I almost burned down the kitchen.”

“Ah yes,” Kinger nodded. “I remember that.”

“Noted!” Caine said, crossing it out. “Cooking is a no-go!”

Another page.

“Laser tag! It's like guns, but fun, and nobody gets hurt!”

Zooble gave him a flat look. “The last ‘gun’ game you made was completely rigged.”

“I actually liked it,” Pomni said. “At least at first, then everything went completely downhill.”

Kinger smiled. “Who knew Pomni was such a sharp shooter?”

Pomni rubbed the back of her neck.

“I got lucky.”

“Yeah...” Zooble grumbled. “Lucky.”

“I... I'm not really good with guns,” Ragatha admitted quietly. “I don't even know how to shoot one.”

Caine immediately brightened.

“No worries at all, my sweet kind-hearted bumblebee! There are plenty of other options!” Another page flip. “How about treasure hunts?”

Pomni tilted her head.

“What's the point, though? We can't really use treasure for anything.”

“Hm...” Caine tapped his pencil against his chin. “Valid point!”

He crossed it out. Another page.

“The next idea is… A slumber party!

Gangle immediately perked up.

“Oh!” Her eyes sparkled. “That actually sounds really nice!”

“Yeah!” Ragatha agreed with a smile. “That sounds fun. I can't even remember the last time I went to a slumber party.”

“Excellent!” Caine exclaimed. He quickly looked around at everyone else. “And what about the rest of you?”

He tapped his pencil rapidly against the notepad.

“How does a slumber party sound?”

Zooble shrugged. “Sure. I'm in.”

“Same here,” Pomni said. “It'll be our first slumber party together.”

Kinger rested a finger against his chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm...” he hummed. “Now that I think about it, I don't believe I've ever been to one before. How exactly does it work?”

Ragatha blinked.

“You've seriously never been to a slumber party before?”

“Not that I can remember,” Kinger admitted. “My memory is still rather... fuzzy.” He lightly rubbed the side of his head. “Maybe I did attend one at some point. If I did, I don't remember it.”

“Oh, that's okay!” Ragatha said quickly. “They're pretty easy.”

She smiled.

“It's basically just a sleepover with snacks, games, and staying up way too late.”

“And usually way too much junk food,” Pomni added.

“Don't forget pillow forts!” Gangle said.

“People just call it a slumber party because it sounds fancier,” Ragatha continued. “That's really all there is to it.”

“I see...” Kinger nodded slowly. He seemed to think about it for a moment before smiling. “Then I would be happy to learn more about this slumber party.”

“That's the spirit!” Ragatha replied.

Caine suddenly poofed his notepad and pencil out of existence.

“So that's a yes!” he asked excitedly. He dropped from his cross-legged floating position into a standing one, placing his hands on his hips.

“Yeah, we'll do it,” Pomni said.

“Sure,” Zooble added with a shrug. “I don't see why not.”

“Wonderful!” Caine exclaimed. He spun through the air in a twirl. “According to the internet, slumber parties require snacks, games, pillow forts, and a complete disregard for healthy sleeping schedules!”

He tilted his head.

“Is that accurate?”

Pomni nodded.

“Sounds accurate enough.”

“Excellent!” He snapped his fingers. Instantly, piles of colorful blankets and pillows appeared all throughout the room.

Pillows dropped from the ceiling while blankets draped themselves over furniture. One particularly large pile appeared directly beside Zooble, causing them to jump.

“Whoa!”

A pillow bounced off their head.

“Seriously?” Zooble deadpanned, picking the pillow up and tossing it aside.

Kinger picked up a bright blue pillow and examined it curiously.

“My goodness.” He gently squeezed it. “It's surprisingly soft.”

Gangle grabbed one of the blankets nearby.

“Ooh, this one's nice.”

Ragatha stood up from the couch and stretched.

“Well, if we're doing this, we should probably make it big.”

“Now you're speaking my language!” Caine said.

Caine threw both arms into the air.

“First on the schedule: fort construction!” he announced.

Kinger's eyes immediately lit up.

“Ooooh, I love building forts!” he said excitedly,

“Gadzooks! An experienced fort builder!” Caine gasped as he floated toward him. “Wonderful work, Kinger boy! Your structural skills will help us build a new era of blanket-based architecture. Good job!” Before Kinger could react, Caine patted him on the head.

Kinger blinked.

“Oh.” Then he smiled. “Thank you.”

“Well, this might actually be easier than I thought,” Ragatha said with a small laugh. She looked around at the growing pile of blankets and pillows scattered throughout the room. “Alright... where should we start?”

Nobody really answered, everyone simply started grabbing things. Within minutes, blankets and pillows were spread all over the floor.

Pomni stood on top of the red couch, balancing carefully as she attempted to throw a blanket over a stack of cushions while Zooble held one side in place.

“It keeps sliding off!” Pomni complained as the blanket collapsed onto her head for the third time. The blanket completely covered her face, a muffled groan came from underneath it.

Zooble stared.

“That's because you're using pillows as support beams.”

Pomni pulled the blanket off herself. “So?”

“Pillows are soft.”

“Well, excuse me, professional.”

“I am a professional.”

“At building pillow forts?”

“At understanding basic physics.”

Pomni rolled her eyes.

Nearby, Gangle carefully sorted smaller pillows into neat piles while humming quietly to herself. Meanwhile, Kinger was on the floor, crawling around with several blankets draped over his arms.

“Ooo! This one has stars on it!” he announced happily. He held up a dark blue blanket covered in glowing yellow stars. “Stars make everything feel more magical.”

Gangle glanced over. “I think that's just because it glows in the dark.”

“Perhaps.” He looked back at the blanket, “Still magical, though.”

Gangle smiled.

Meanwhile, Caine floated a short distance away, unusually silent. Normally, he would have already returned to his office and waited until the humans needed him again.

Instead, he simply hovered there, watching. Pomni and Zooble continued their debate over blanket physics. Gangle organized the pillows into neat stacks. Ragatha was trying to figure out the best place to build the entrance.

And Kinger appeared completely invested in collecting every blanket in sight. The whole thing seemed to be coming together surprisingly well. 

Kinger suddenly poked his head out from underneath one of the blankets.

“...Caine?”

“Hm?” Caine straightened slightly.

Kinger tilted his head.

“Do you want to help us?”

For a moment, Caine froze.

“...Help?”

“Yeah!” Kinger said with a smile. “You're an expert at building stuff after all.”

He stared at Kinger in surprise, It was such a simple statement. Yet somehow, it completely caught him off guard.

Usually, he was the one organizing activities. Watching them, managing them. Not… Helping with them.

“Well, of course I am!” Caine laughed quickly.

At that exact moment, a blanket flew through the air and smacked directly into his face.

Zooble lowered their arm.

“Then stop floating there and hold this side already.”

Caine slowly pulled the blanket off his face.

“...Right.” He cleared his throat. “Yes! Helping!”

Kinger chuckled quietly, Caine floated over and carefully grabbed the edge of the blanket Zooble handed him.

“Hold it a little higher,” Zooble instructed.

“Higher. Understood.”

Caine lifted the blanket.

“A little less.”

He lowered it slightly.

“A little more.”

He raised it again.

“Less.”

The blanket lowered.

“More.”

The blanket rose.

“Less.”

“Zooble,” Pomni interrupted. “I think you're messing with him.”

“I am.”

“Ah.” Caine paused. “I have been deceived.”

Pomni snorted.

“Can we finish the fort now?”

“Yes, yes, of course!” Caine adjusted his grip. “There?”

Pomni stepped back and squinted at the structure.

The pillows underneath finally stayed in place, the blanket remained standing.

“Yeah,” Pomni said. “That works.”

For a moment, everyone admired their success.

Then Caine immediately pointed at it.

“Hah!” He grinned proudly. “Behold! Structural integrity!”

Zooble stared at the blanket.

“It is literally one blanket.”

Nearby, Kinger crawled around the floor with several blankets dragging behind him like a cape.

“Ooo, this blue one should go over here!” he announced happily, holding up a large blanket covered in tiny stars. “Blue makes things calmer.”

“Do colors actually do that?” Gangle asked while arranging pillows inside the fort.

“I think so.” He looked at the blanket for a moment. “Or maybe I just like blue.”

Gangle giggled.

“That's fair.”

“I've always liked blue,” Kinger continued as he draped the blanket over one side of the structure. “It's a very trustworthy color.”

Ragatha smiled.

“I don't know if colors can be trustworthy, but I get what you mean.”

Pomni climbed down from the couch and brushed blanket fuzz off her sleeves.

“Okay, we still need something to hold up this side.”

“I volunteer Kinger,” Zooble said immediately.

“What?”

“You're tall.”

Kinger blinked, then he sat up a little straighter. A proud smile slowly spread across his face.

“I am rather large.”

“Congratulations,” Zooble replied.

“Thank you.”

Before anyone could continue the conversation, Kinger wandered over to Caine.

“Can you help me with this side?”

“Ah—yes! Of course.” Caine quickly grabbed the other end. Together, they stretched the blanket between two stacks of cushions.

Kinger stepped back to inspect their work, then he hummed thoughtfully.

“This is nice.”

“The blanket?” Caine asked.

“The building together part.”

For a brief moment, Caine paused.

His eyes drifted toward the fort.

Then a small smile appeared on his face.

“Yes,” he said quietly. “I suppose it is.”

A few feet away, Ragatha was helping Gangle organize the inside of the fort.

“We should put the softer pillows in the back,” Ragatha suggested. “That way everyone can lean against them.”

Gangle nodded as she adjusted one of the cushions.

“And maybe leave room in the middle for snacks later.”

“Oh! Smart idea,” Pomni said as she crawled halfway inside.

She looked around.

“Actually, this is starting to look really cozy.”

“It better be,” Zooble replied while adjusting another blanket overhead. “We've been working on it forever.”

Caine floated lower to the ground and helped Kinger tuck one side of the blanket underneath a stack of pillows. The blanket immediately started slipping.

Both of them grabbed it at the same time.

“Ah!”

“Got it!”

The blanket stopped moving, a moment later, Kinger looked up.

“You're pretty good at this.”

Caine blinked.

“At fort construction?”

“Mhm!”

“Well,” Caine said proudly, placing a hand against his chest, “I did create an entire digital world.” He gestured around the circus. “Fort building is simply another one of my many talents.”

Kinger gasped. “Then this fort is professionally made.”

“Indeed it is.”

Kinger nodded.

“I shall remember this.”

Pomni glanced over from across the room.

The sight of Caine sitting on the floor beside Kinger while trying to stop a blanket from falling made her laugh quietly.

“Pomni?”

She looked up.

Ragatha pointed toward the top of the fort.

“Can you hand me that pillow?”

“Oh, yeah. Of course.” Pomni carefully climbed back onto the couch. Balancing on her knees, she reached for one of the softer pillows stacked nearby.

The couch cushions shifted slightly underneath her.

Zooble immediately glanced over.

“Try not to collapse the entire thing while you're up there.”

“I'm not that heavy,” Pomni replied, carefully pulling the pillow free.

“That's not what I meant.”

Pomni huffed.

“Sure.”

Despite her complaints, she still carefully passed the pillow down. Ragatha reached up from inside the structure and guided it into place near the upper corner.

She pressed it firmly between two blankets.

“There.”

She smoothed the fabric with her hands.

“That should keep the top from sagging.”

Kinger leaned forward immediately.

His eyes lit up.

“Ah... reinforcement at the highest level.” He nodded approvingly. “Excellent craftsmanship.”

“It's still just blankets,” Zooble muttered.

“Important blankets,” Kinger corrected without hesitation.

Pomni climbed down from the couch and dusted off her hands.

She took a slow look around the structure. The blankets were finally staying up. The pillows were arranged neatly inside, there was enough room for everyone to fit comfortably.

A smile appeared on her face.

“Okay...” She placed her hands on her hips. “I think that's actually everything.”

For a moment, everyone just stood there looking at it.

The fort wasn't perfect.

One side dipped lower than the other, and a blanket on the back kept slipping no matter how many times someone adjusted it. A pillow near the entrance looked like it was barely holding on.

But it stood.

And more importantly, it stood because all of them had kept fixing it together.

Ragatha placed her hands on her hips and smiled.

“It turned out really nice.”

“I honestly thought it was going to fall apart halfway through,” Pomni admitted.

Kinger nodded in agreement.

“Hard work is what makes great things possible.”

“Or stubbornness,” Zooble added.

“Those can be the same thing,” Ragatha replied.

Caine floated quietly above them, looking down at the fort in thoughtful observation. He didn't interrupt, he simply watched. The structure was uneven, a little messy. Definitely not something that followed any sort of logical design. And yet… It worked.

A loose corner of fabric began slipping downward. Without really thinking about it, Caine drifted lower and gently tucked it back into place. The blanket stayed put, a brief silence followed.

Then Ragatha looked back at the fort.

“It really does feel like we all built it together.”

“A shared creation,” Kinger said with a warm smile.

Gangle clasped her hands together. “It is kind of nice.”

Caine hovered there for a moment longer.

“...It is acceptable,” he said at last.

Pomni raised an eyebrow.

“That's your official verdict?”

Caine nodded.

“Yes.”

Zooble smirked.

“Wow. We passed.”

“I did not say that,” Caine replied immediately. “But… it is not incorrect.”

Caine hummed cheerfully as he floated in place, continuing to admire the finished fort like a proud architect examining his latest masterpiece.

“Well!” He clapped his hands together. “Now that the fort is built, it's time for the next step!”

He snapped his fingers, and a magical changing booth appeared beside them. The doors swung open on their own. Caine placed his hands behind his back and rocked slightly in the air.

“Now then! Last time I checked, humans tend to wear pajamas to slumber parties.” He tilted his head. “Is that correct?”

“Yup! That's right,” Ragatha said with a nod.

“Excellent!” He spun through the air before gesturing toward the booth. “Inside here is a magical changing booth! Simply imagine the pajamas you wish to wear. Once you've done that, step inside, and the booth will transform you into that very outfit!”

He spread his arms, “So! Who would like to go first?”

“Oh! I will!”

 Before anyone else could react, Kinger marched straight toward the booth. The doors closed behind him, a few seconds passed. Then they swung open again. Kinger stepped out wearing a long, flowing blue nightgown paired with a matching sleeping cap that drooped gently to one side.

“Wowie!” Caine gasped. “You look absolutely spectacular, Kinger boy!”

Kinger slowly looked down at himself. He rubbed the fabric between his fingers.

“This is... surprisingly comfortable.”

Pomni leaned slightly toward Ragatha whispering.

“Is it bad to say Kinger seems exactly like the type of person who would wear that?”

Ragatha covered a laugh.

“Not at all.” She smiled. “Honestly, it suits him.”

“Okay, my nighty-night superstars!” Caine announced. “Who's next?”

One by one, the others stepped forward.

Ragatha went first after Kinger, disappearing into the booth before emerging in a cozy pajama set that matched her usual style. Warm colors, neat stitching, and a comfortable handmade feel.

“Ooo, cute!” Gangle said.

Ragatha laughed.

“Thanks.”

Pomni stepped in next.

When she emerged, she was wearing a red and blue button-up pajama set.

“Huh.” She looked down at herself. “Not bad.”

“I think they fit you,” Ragatha said.

Pomni smiled slightly. “Yeah.”

Gangle followed after that.

A few moments later, she stepped out in a buttoned pajama set of her own, decorated with softer colors and ribbon-like patterns.

“Oh, that's adorable,” Ragatha said immediately.

Gangle's face brightened.

“Really?”

“Definitely.”

Finally, Zooble stepped into the booth. When they emerged, they were wearing striped pajama pants and a loose tank top.

“Comfort over fashion,” Zooble declared.

“Understandable,” Pomni replied.

“Wowzer!” Caine exclaimed, floating backward to admire the group. “Everyone looks marvelous!”

He raised a hand, preparing to dismiss the booth.

“Hold on a second,” Kinger said suddenly.

Everyone looked over, Kinger pointed directly at Caine.

“What about you?”

Caine blinked.

“What about me?”

“Aren't you going to change as well?”

For a moment, the room went quiet.

“Me?” 

Caine pointed at himself.

“Oh! Well...” He glanced toward the booth. “I suppose I hadn't considered it.”

Zooble crossed their arms.

“You planning on sleeping in that suit?”

Caine looked down at himself.

“It is... quite structured.”

Pomni frowned slightly.

“You are joining us, right?”

“I didn't say I wasn't!” Caine replied quickly. Then he hesitated. “It's just... I don't technically require sleep.”

Kinger nodded thoughtfully.

“True.” He tapped his chin. “The same could be said for all of us.”

Then he brightened.

“But you can enter a sleep state, correct?”

“Well...” Caine admitted. “I suppose so.”

He shrugged.

“I can go into sleep mode.”

Kinger immediately clapped his hands together.

“Perfect!”

Caine blinked.

“Perfect?”

“Then there is absolutely no logical barrier preventing pajamas!”

“I... suppose that is correct.”

Then Caine tilted his head.

“Wait.”

His smile faded slightly.

“Do you guys actually want me to join?”

The room grew quiet again, Pomni answered first.

“Of course.” She looked genuinely confused by the question. “You're part of the group, aren't you?”

Caine froze.

“I...” The words caught in his throat. “Am I?”

Zooble's expression softened just a little.

“Yeah.” They shrugged. “You are.”

For a moment, Caine didn't know what to say, his gaze drifted between all of them.

“I... do not wish to be a burden,” he admitted quietly.

Ragatha immediately shook her head.

“You won't be.”

“Really?”

“Really.” She smiled. “We're inviting you. We're not tolerating you.”

Something in Caine's expression softened.

Then Zooble spoke up.

“Besides.” They jerked a thumb toward Kinger.

“Kinger might feel lonely being the only guy here.”

Kinger gasped, his hand flew to his chest.

“I would be extremely lonely.” He leaned backward like a tragic actor preparing for his final scene. “Alas! Abandoned by my fellow men!”

Pomni snorted, Gangle laughed, even Ragatha had to cover her mouth. The tension finally cracked. A small laugh escaped Caine too.

“...Very well,” he said at last. A genuine smile appeared on his face. “In that case, I would be delighted to join you.”

“Great!” Kinger said immediately. “First order of business: pajamas!”

“Oh! Right!” 

Caine zipped into the booth, the doors shut. A moment later, they opened again. Caine stepped out wearing a striped pajama set whose colors matched the fort around them. He adjusted one of the sleeves.

“Well?”

Gangle's eyes widened slightly.

“Oh... that actually suits you.”

“Why, thank you, my colorful ribbon daffodil!” Caine replied, placing a hand dramatically over his chest as though accepting an award.

He floated down and landed lightly on his feet.

Zooble looked him up and down.

“Huh.”

“What?”

“I didn't expect you to be that short.”

Caine immediately straightened.

“Now, now! I am not that short!”

Zooble smirked.

“Sure.” They pointed toward Pomni.“By, like... two inches over her.”

“Still measurable!” Caine insisted proudly.

Pomni sighed. “Why am I always the height benchmark?”

Kinger, meanwhile, was already near the entrance of the fort.

“We should go inside! I want to see how it looks from the inside.”

Caine perked up immediately, his usual brightness returning.

“Excellent idea, Kinger!” He walked forward into the fort, and one by one, the group stepped into the fort.

Inside, it was surprisingly comfortable.

From the outside, it had looked like a chaotic pile of blankets and pillows stacked at random. But from within, the overlapping fabric created a warm, enclosed space that muffled the rest of the circus.

Soft cushions covered the floor, forming uneven but inviting seating. The hanging blankets overhead draped low enough to feel cozy, but high enough not to be claustrophobic.

Pomni looked around slowly. “Okay… this is way nicer than I thought it’d be.”

Ragatha smiled as she settled into a pile of pillows near the wall.

“Right? I thought it was going to collapse the second we stepped inside.”

“It still might,” Zooble muttered, sitting down anyway and leaning back carefully.

Gangle adjusted one of the overhead blankets so it stopped slipping, then gave a small satisfied nod. “It feels really cozy in here.”

Kinger slowly turned in a full circle, taking everything in with wide-eyed wonder.

“We have achieved greatness.”

Caine clasped his hands together proudly.

“And we built it ourselves! By hand!”

Pomni raised an eyebrow.

“You say that like you're surprised.”

“I usually just make things appear,” Caine admitted. “This took significantly more effort.”

“And arguing,” Zooble added.

“That too.”

Kinger wandered deeper into the fort, gently pressing a hand against one of the blanket walls.

“Excellent craftsmanship.” Then he pointed toward a slightly crooked stack of pillows leaning at a questionable angle.“This section concerns me.”

Everyone followed his gaze.

“…That was Pomni’s side,” Ragatha said carefully.

Pomni immediately sat up straighter.

“HEY—”

“In fairness,” Caine interrupted quickly, “you were under immense pressure.”

“I handed you one blanket!”

“And you did wonderfully.”

Pomni tried to suppress a smile, then sank back into the cushions with a small huff. For a moment, the group simply settled in. The fort grew quiet in a comfortable way.

Gangle leaned back into a soft pile of pillows with a happy sigh.

“We could probably stay here forever.”

Zooble glanced around.

“…Honestly, maybe.”

Kinger nodded seriously.

“We could survive for days.”

“Days?” Pomni repeated.

“Yes. Perhaps even… a week.”

“That’s not impressive, Kinger.”

“It is if we ration the snacks.”

Caine suddenly gasped. 

“The snacks!” Everyone jolted slightly as he straightened. “I almost forgot the snacks!”

He floated himself off the ground, carefully positioning himself so he didn’t bump the blanket ceiling.

“Alright, my paper hearts and candy flowers!” he announced. “Is there any snack recommendations you would like to have?”

Gangle raised her hands slightly.

“I would really enjoy Pocky sticks… and chocolate-covered strawberries.”

Caine nodded with approval.

“A refined and delightful choice, Gangle!”

He snapped his fingers, and a small table appeared in the fort. Neatly arranged on top were stacks of Pocky sticks and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries.

Gangle made a soft, excited squeal and covered her face. Ragatha smiled warmly at her reaction.

“That was a good pick.”

Zooble leaned back on their elbows.

“Okay, I’ll bite. Chips and gummies.”

“Noted!”

Another snap. A bag of Doritos appeared beside a bowl of gummy bears that looked almost unnaturally bright.

Zooble squinted at it.

“That color is kind of aggressive.”

“That is how you know it is flavorful!” Caine replied proudly.

Ragatha thought for a moment.

“I’ll go with strawberry candies and cupcakes, please.”

“Excellent!”

Another snap.

A plate of cupcakes appeared alongside a small dish of shiny wrapped strawberry candies, almost too polished to be real.

Pomni hesitated.

“Uh… pretzels and granola bars, I guess.”

“A balanced and cautious selection! Wonderful!”

Snap.

Kinger, who had been quietly observing the snack table like a museum exhibit, finally spoke.

“Trail mix and popcorn.”

Caine nodded.

“A classic pairing of crunchy energy.”

Two more items appeared neatly on the table, followed by a few drinks arranged along the side. Caine stepped back, hands on his hips, clearly satisfied.

“Hm… I must say, these are very interesting choices.” Then his expression brightened even more. “But none of them can compete with my famous signature milk and cigarette casserole!”

He snapped his fingers confidently. A steaming tray appeared in the center of the table with a heavy thunk.

Silence.

The casserole looked… wrong in a way nobody wanted to investigate too closely. It steamed gently, almost as if it were trying very hard to behave normally.

Ragatha blinked.

“Okay… that’s definitely a name.” She gave a careful smile. “I’m sure it tastes… wonderful.”

“It absolutely does!” Caine said proudly.

Kinger leaned in slightly, squinting.

“It has a strong emotional presence.”

Zooble slowly leaned toward Pomni.

“I don’t like food that has emotional presence.”

Pomni didn’t take her eyes off it.

“Yeah… me neither.”

Gangle let out a small, nervous sound.

“Why is it steaming like that…?”

Caine tilted his head. “Is it not appealing? It is an all-time favorite!”

Pomni cleared her throat gently.

“Caine… casseroles are usually more like dinner food. Not really sleepover snacks.”

A pause.

“Oh.” He looked at the casserole again, then back at them. “My apologies. I am still learning the proper traditions of… slumber parties.”

Ragatha quickly waved her hands.

“No, it’s okay! You were just trying to help.”

Caine gave a small, slightly awkward laugh and snapped his fingers. The casserole vanished without a trace, the table immediately felt significantly less threatening.

Pomni relaxed a little.

“Okay… so snacks are safe again.”

“Correct!” Caine said brightly. “We are back to normal snacks!”

Pomni hesitated, then added gently,

“Is there anything you like… besides experimental casserole?”

Caine paused. For once, he looked genuinely thoughtful. Then he snapped his fingers, a single glass of water appeared in his hand.

“Ah,” he said. “This.”

He took a sip. His expression brightened immediately.

“It has been a while since I have properly consumed water! I had forgotten how refreshing it is!”

Kinger gave a soft, approving hum.

“Hydration is important.”

“Exactly!” Caine pointed at him.

Zooble leaned back again, watching him.

“So your snack preferences are… water and chaos.”

“I prefer the term ‘variety,’” Caine replied.

Gangle leaned slightly toward Zooble and whispered,

“It’s still not really a snack though…”

Zooble nodded.

“Yeah. We are definitely going to have to teach him what basic snacks are.”

Caine suddenly clapped his hands.

“Okay, enough with snacks!”

He spread his arms dramatically.

“It’s time for the good part!”

“Games!”

The group looked up as Caine cleared his throat.

“I’ve done extensive research on popular human sleepover activities,” he explained. “Hide and seek, charades, pillow fights, board games, truth or dare, card games, and something called… Spin the Bottle!”

He smiled brightly at the last one.

Zooble raised an eyebrow.

“Spin the bottle, huh?” they said slowly, glancing sideways at Gangle. “Sounds like a pretty fun game,” Zooble continued casually, gently nudging her with their elbow. “Don’t you think?”

Gangle immediately stiffened, her face turned pink. “Maybe…” she mumbled, fiddling with her hands.

Pomni cleared her throat a little too quickly.

“Maybe we should start with something smaller,” she said. “Like truth or dare.”

Ragatha smiled.

“That sounds fun! It’s a good way to learn more about each other, too.”

“Excellent choice!” Caine said. He floated downward and settled into a hovering seated position next to Kinger.

“Now,” he continued, “before we begin, I would like to verify the rules.”

He tapped his chin thoughtfully.

“If someone selects ‘dare,’ they must complete a task assigned by another participant. If someone selects ‘truth,’ they must answer a question honestly. Is that correct?”

“Yup!” Ragatha nodded. “That’s basically it.”

“Wonderful!” Caine beamed. “This game seems fascinating.”

“Who goes first?” Gangle asked softly.

“Oh! I can!” Ragatha volunteered immediately. She looked around the circle, then her eyes landed on Kinger. “Kinger… truth or dare?”

Kinger straightened instantly. “Oh! It’s me!”

He sat up a little taller, thinking very seriously for a moment.

“Hmmm…”

“Oh!” he gasped. “I do enjoy a good dare!” He swung one arm with sudden enthusiasm. “I choose dare!”

Ragatha blinked.

“O-oh! Okay!” she laughed nervously. “I thought you were going to pick truth…”

“That is understandable,” Kinger nodded wisely.

Ragatha tapped her chin, thinking.

“Ummm… okay!” She glanced around the fort. “I dare you to… conjure a butterfly!”

“Oh!” Kinger clapped his hands together immediately. “I would love to!”

He held his hands out. A soft glow formed between his palms, a moment later, a small yellow butterfly appeared, shimmering faintly like it was made of light itself.

It fluttered upward slowly, drifting through the inside of the fort. Its glow reflected off the blankets overhead, casting soft moving patterns across the fabric walls.

“Aww…” Gangle smiled gently.

“That’s really pretty,” Ragatha admitted.

Caine, however, had gone completely still. His smile faded.

“…Wait.”

Everyone turned toward him.

Kinger tilted his head.

“Hm?”

“You can do that?” Caine asked.

The butterfly landed delicately on Kinger’s finger.

“Well… yes?” Kinger replied.

Caine slowly looked around the circle.

“Can all of you do that?”

The group exchanged looks.

Pomni tilted her head.

“Wait… you didn’t know?”

“I thought I was the only one capable of conjuring objects!” Caine admitted. “I assumed it was exclusive to me since I run the circus!”

“Ohhh,” Ragatha said softly, understanding dawning.

Kinger nodded. “Well, technically yours is stronger.”

“Much stronger,” Zooble added.

“For you, it comes naturally,” Kinger continued. “For us, it takes a lot of concentration.”

“To be fair,” Pomni added, “we can only make small things.”

Gangle nodded.

“And sometimes they disappear after a while…”

Caine stood very still, he looked at them all quietly. Then at the butterfly still resting on Kinger’s finger.

“Huh.” The butterfly fluttered again, as if unaware of the existential moment it had caused.

Caine laughed.

“Well!” he announced brightly, his usual ringmaster energy snapping back into place a little too quickly. “That is wonderful news, my sweet honeybees!”

He spread his arms.

“Seems like you all do not need me after all!”

The room immediately quieted.

Pomni frowned slightly.

“Caine…”

Ragatha spoke gently.

“That’s not true.”

Caine looked at her.

“Yeah,” Zooble added, a little more firmly than usual. “Just because we can do small stuff doesn’t mean we can do what you do.”

“You run this entire place,” Pomni said. “None of us can do that.”

“And all those NPCs…” Gangle added softly, “like the Moon…”

The fort was quiet except for the soft flutter of the butterfly overhead. Pomni gave him a small, steady smile.

“You’re important to the circus,” she said. “But you’re important to us too.”

Caine didn’t respond right away. His gaze moved slowly across each of them sitting there inside the fort.

“…I never really thought about it like that,” he admitted quietly. For once, his smile didn’t feel like a performance. Just something softer. 

“Thank you,” he said gently. “I appreciate that very much.”

Ragatha smiled back.

“Of course.”

Pomni shifted slightly.

“Kinger… I think it’s your turn.”

“Oh! Right!” Kinger immediately perked up. He turned toward Zooble with renewed energy. 

“Zooble,” he announced, “truth or dare?”

“I’ll go with truth,” Zooble simply said.

Kinger nodded, “What do you do in your free time?” he asked.

“My free time?” Zooble repeated. They leaned back against a pile of pillows and crossed their arms, thinking for a moment. “Well… now that we don’t go on adventures anymore, I’ve actually had a lot more of it. It’s nice being able to decide what I want to do for once.”

Pomni immediately pointed at them.

“See? That’s exactly what I’ve been saying!”

“Congratulations,” Zooble replied, a hint of amusement in their voice. “You’ve successfully had an opinion.”

Pomni stuck her tongue out.

Zooble chuckled under their breath.

“Most days I just do whatever sounds interesting. Sometimes I work on projects. Sometimes I wander around the grounds. Sometimes I just find a place to sit and enjoy the fact that nobody’s trying to get me chased by giant monsters.”

“Those only happened twice,” Caine said defensively.

“Twice too many.” Zooble shifted slightly against the cushions. “Honestly, having actual free time has been kinda refreshing.”

“Kinda?” Ragatha repeated with a smile.

“Fine. Very refreshing.”

“That’s better,” Ragatha said warmly.

Zooble rolled their eyes.

“I’ve also had time to actually hang out with people.”

That caught everyone’s attention.

“People?” Pomni asked.

“Person,” Zooble corrected immediately.

Their gaze drifted sideways, toward Gangle.

Gangle sat up a little straighter.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

For a brief moment, Zooble looked like they were deciding whether to continue.

“We… spend a lot of time together.”

Gangle’s expression softened.

“Sometimes we draw,” she added gently.

“I really like it when we draw together,” she said, a little more confidently.

Zooble nodded.

“Same. That’s one of the few things we actually both enjoy.” They shrugged. “Besides that, we just… hang out. Talk. Go for walks.”

“Normal stuff,” they added quickly, as if that explained everything.

Gangle smiled.

“I like our walks.”

“Yeah,” Zooble admitted after a pause. “Me too.”

The answer came so naturally it surprised even them. For a moment, the fort grew quieter. Then Zooble cleared their throat and looked away.

“Anyway.”

“Ooooh,” Ragatha teased immediately.

“Don’t.”

“You said you like spending time with Gangle.”

“I answered the question.”

“You said it’s one of your favorite parts of the day.”

“I answered it truthfully.”

“That’s the game,” Kinger pointed out helpfully.

“Thank you, Kinger.”

“Happy to help.”

Gangle was practically glowing now.

“I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

Zooble froze slightly.

“When I was having a hard time, you were always there,” Gangle continued softly. “You listen to me when I’m upset. You make me laugh when I’m sad. And… I just feel really happy when we’re together.”

For once, Zooble looked completely caught off guard. The fort erupted into soft “awws.”

“That’s adorable,” Ragatha said immediately.

“Extremely adorable,” Pomni agreed.

“Very adorable,” Kinger nodded solemnly.

“Everyone stop talking,” Zooble said flatly.

Nobody listened.

Zooble groaned and buried their face in their hands.

Gangle giggled.

After a moment, Zooble lowered their hands and pointed at Ragatha.

“Alright. New topic.”

“Huh?”

“Truth or dare.”

“Oh!” Ragatha straightened up quickly. “I’ll pick truth. You know… starting off easy.”

“Fair enough.” Zooble tapped their chin, thinking. Then a curious expression crossed their face. “You know… I’ve actually wondered something for a while.”

Ragatha tilted her head. “Wondered what?”

Zooble leaned forward slightly.

“What do you like about the Gloink Queen? I’ve seen you talk to her more often now.”

The entire fort went quiet.

Ragatha’s eyes widened slightly.

“Oh. Well… that’s actually a really good question.”

Zooble smirked.

“I know.”

Ragatha laughed softly, adjusting one of the pillows in her lap.

“Okay… well, for starters, I really like her design.”

Caine immediately perked up.

“I knew someone would appreciate my artistic genius!”

Zooble groaned.

“Please don’t encourage him.”

“Too late,” Caine said proudly.

Ragatha smiled. “No, seriously. I think she looks really nice. The colors work well together, she’s very recognizable, and she has a really unique silhouette.”

Caine sat up straighter with every compliment.

“Go on.”

“Caine.”

“I’m listening respectfully.”

“You are literally leaning forward.”

“I am listening enthusiastically.”

Ragatha shook her head fondly.

“I also think she’s one of the more interesting NPCs around here.”

“Oh?” Caine said immediately.

“Yeah.” Ragatha nodded. “Most NPCs have one role and stick to it. But the Gloink Queen feels… different somehow.”

“Different how?” Pomni asked.

Ragatha thought for a moment.

“She feels like an actual person.”

That landed quietly in the fort.

“She has her own personality. She gets frustrated. She gets excited. She worries. She reacts. She feels real.”

Caine’s expression softened slightly, but he stayed quiet.

“And honestly…” Ragatha added, “I like the Gloinks too.”

That earned immediate reactions.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“They stole my sandwich,” Pomni said flatly.

“They steal everything,” Zooble added.

“One of them stole another Gloink,” Kinger said thoughtfully.

“What?” Pomni asked.

“I saw it happen.”

“…How?”

“I don’t know.”

“Fair enough..”

Ragatha covered her mouth to hide a laugh.

“Okay, yes. They’re chaotic.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” Zooble muttered.

“But they’re still kind of cute,” Ragatha continued. “They’re just… like kids.”

That made the room shift slightly.

“And I really like how the Gloink Queen handles them.” The tone softened again. “She never seems annoyed by them.”

“Even when they steal things?” Pomni asked.

“Even then.”

Ragatha smiled.

“She teaches them. Takes care of them. Watches over them.”

Her gaze drifted up toward the blanket ceiling.

“And whenever something goes wrong… she’s always there.”

Nobody interrupted.

“She protects them.”

A small, gentle smile formed on her face.

“She loves them. She never makes them feel like they’re a burden.”

The words slipped out before she seemed to fully realize it.

Then she froze.

“Oh.”

The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable—just heavy in a thoughtful way.

Ragatha quickly laughed it off.

“Sorry… that sounded way deeper than I meant it to.”

“No,” Gangle said softly. “It’s okay.”

Ragatha rubbed the back of her neck.

“I just think it’s nice, that’s all.” Her smile returned, smaller but sincere. “You can tell she’d do anything for her kids.”

Pomni’s expression softened.

“Yeah…”

Kinger nodded.

“Good mothers are important.”

Then Caine cleared his throat.

The group looked at him.

“You know,” he began, “when I created the Gloink Queen, I mostly wanted a fun character who could keep the Gloinks under control.”

“I did not expect her to become one of my better parental figures.”

Pomni immediately laughed.

“Of course that’s your takeaway.”

“It is an excellent takeaway.”

“It really isn’t.”

“Yes it is.”

“Nope.”

“Absolutely.”

Ragatha laughed too, the tension from earlier fully melting away now.

Caine looked oddly satisfied hearing all of this.

“Sooo…” Ragatha said, glancing around the circle again. Her eyes landed on Pomni. 

“Pomni! Truth or dare?”

Pomni immediately sat up a little straighter, “I’ll go with dare!”

“Ooooh!” Caine excitedly said. “A brave contestant!”

Ragatha hummed thoughtfully, a small smile forming.

“I’ve got one.”

Pomni immediately narrowed her eyes.

“That smile worries me.”

“It’s not that bad,” Ragatha promised.

“That’s exactly what someone giving a bad dare would say.”

Ragatha pointed at her. “I dare you to conjure something.”

“Conjure something?”

“Yup!”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

Pomni relaxed slightly.

“Oh.”  Then she paused. “…Wait. Anything?”

“Anything,” Ragatha repeated, smiling gently. “Since you’re still practicing, I don’t want to make it too difficult.”

Pomni nodded slowly.

“Fair enough.”

She went quiet, thinking.

“What are you gonna make?” Gangle asked softly.

“I have no idea.”

“Excellent strategy,” Zooble said.

“Thank you.”

Pomni tapped her chin, the fort grew quieter. Caine leaned forward slightly now, watching with interest.

Time passed.

“Alright,” Pomni said at last, she straightened.

The group instinctively quieted with her.

Pomni closed her eyes and lifted one hand. At first, nothing happened. Then her hand trembled slightly. A tiny spark of light flickered into existence

“Ooooh,” Caine whispered.

The spark brightened, It stretched, shifted, wobbled. Something was forming—but it refused to decide what it wanted to be.

A blob, then a triangle, then something vaguely potato-shaped. Then back to a blob again.

“Interesting,” Kinger observed.

“What is it supposed to be?” Zooble asked.

The object continued to tremble in midair.

Ragatha leaned forward slightly, hands clasped.

“You’ve got this, Pomni!” she encouraged.

Pomni couldn’t see her, but the energy helped anyway.

“Oh, this is exciting,” Caine said softly.

The shape stretched upward, then sideways.

“It’s evolving,” Kinger whispered.

“No,” Zooble corrected. “It’s struggling.”

A few more seconds passed.

It stopped.

A perfectly still gray square hovered in the air.

Nobody spoke.

The square just… existed.

Pomni slowly opened one eye. Then the other, she looked at it.

“…Wowie! You made a super duper fantastic square!” Caine announced, pointing proudly. “Look at those corners!”

“Those are definitely corners,” Zooble agreed.

“Very square,” Ragatha added.

“Extremely square,” Kinger confirmed.

Pomni buried her face in her hands. “I wasn’t trying to make a square.”

“What were you trying to make?” Ragatha asked gently.

“A flower.”

The fort erupted.

“A flower?!” Zooble wheezed.

“It’s trying its best!” Pomni said defensively.

Kinger nodded seriously.

“I can see the artistic vision.”

“You absolutely cannot.”

“No,” Kinger agreed calmly. “But I support it.”

Pomni groaned.

“At least it’s something,” Ragatha said encouragingly.

“Yeah,” Pomni sighed, lowering her hands. Then she looked toward Kinger. “It’s just… you make it look so easy.”

“Hm.” He thought for a moment. “Well, I guess I do.”

“Not helping.”

“Sorry.” He adjusted his night cap. “I’ve just had more practice.”

He smiled warmly.

“I’ve been doing computer science for about seven years after all.”

“…Fair enough.”

“But don’t worry!” Kinger added quickly. “With enough practice, you’ll be just as good as me.”

Pomni gave a small smile.

“You know what? You’re right.”

She pointed proudly at the floating square.

“Honestly, I’m already improving.”

“Oh?” Ragatha asked.

“Yeah!” Pomni straightened up. “A few months ago, that would’ve disappeared almost immediately.”

The group turned to look at the square.

As if on cue—

It vanished.

Pomni stared at the empty air. Then nodded.

“Well.” She crossed her arms. “That’s a new record.”

A few snickers spread through the fort.

Pomni gave a dramatic bow from her spot on the floor.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

Her eyes landed on Gangle. A smile slowly formed.

“Alright.”

Gangle immediately tensed.

“Yes?”

“Truth or dare?”

Gangle fiddled with her hands.

“Uhhh…” She glanced around the circle. Then she quietly said, “I’ll go with truth.”

Pomni nodded. “What do you like about everyone here?”

“Everyone?” Gangle repeated.

She looked around the fort slowly, her eyes landing on each of them one by one. A small smile formed.

“That’s… actually a pretty easy question.”

“Really?” Ragatha asked.

“Yeah.” Gangle nodded again. “I think everyone here has something I really like about them.”

“Aww,” Ragatha said softly.

“That’s a good start,” Kinger agreed.

Zooble crossed their arms.

“Now you’ve gotta back that up.”

Gangle let out a small laugh.

“I can do that.”

She thought for a moment, then turned toward Ragatha.

“Well, for starters… Ragatha.”

Ragatha immediately sat up a little straighter.

“Oh!”

Gangle smiled. “I like how brave you are.”

Ragatha blinked.

“Brave?”

“Yeah.” Gangle nodded. “You always try to help people when things go wrong.”

Ragatha looked away a little, suddenly shy.

“Well… I try.”

“And you’re really protective of everyone.” Her expression softened. “When everything feels like it’s falling apart, you’re usually the one trying to hold it together.”

Several people nodded in agreement.

“Yeah,” Pomni said. “That’s true.”

“Very true,” Kinger added.

Ragatha gave an awkward laugh, clearly flustered.

“You’re all making me sound way cooler than I am.”

“You are cool,” Gangle said simply.

Ragatha paused.

“…Aww. Thank you, Gangle.”

Gangle smiled back.

“Honestly, we should be the ones thanking you.”

That caught Ragatha off guard.

“Huh?”

“You do so much for everybody,” Gangle continued. “You listen when people are upset. You help when things go wrong. You always try to make everyone feel better.”

To Ragatha’s surprise, the others nodded along.

“Well…” Ragatha rubbed the back of her neck. “There’s really no need for that.”

“There is,” Pomni said immediately.

Ragatha looked dangerously close to tearing up.

“Okay—okay! We’re moving on before I start crying.”

That earned a few laughs.

Gangle turned to Pomni.

“And Pomni… I like how hard you try to help people. You always try to find a solution when something goes wrong.”

“Sometimes,” Pomni muttered.

“Most of the time,” Gangle corrected gently.

Pomni looked unconvinced.

“Even when you’re scared, you still try.”

The fort quieted slightly. Gangle continued, softer now.

“You care a lot about people.”

Pomni’s expression eased just a little.

“You care about the NPCs too.”

“Of course she does,” Caine said proudly.

Pomni immediately pointed at him.

“Don’t make this weird.”

“I wasn’t!”

“You were about to.”

“Waaaaasss nooooot,” Caine protested dramatically.

That got a round of laughter, and Pomni finally smiled despite herself.

“Thanks, Gangle.”

Gangle nodded, then turned toward Kinger.

“And Kinger.”

Kinger perked up instantly.

“I like how wise you are.”

Kinger looked genuinely surprised.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting.”

Gangle laughed softly.

“Even when you’re saying something completely random, it somehow… ends up making sense.”

“That has happened before,” Pomni admitted.

“Several times,” Ragatha added.

Kinger looked pleased.

“My methods are effective.”

“Nobody knows what your methods are,” Zooble said.

“Exactly.”

Nobody argued with that.

Gangle continued. “You always know what to say when someone’s upset… and you’re a really good listener.”

Kinger’s smile softened.

“Well, listening is important.”

“It is,” Gangle agreed.

“I also enjoy listening to my friends,” he added thoughtfully.

“Aww,” Ragatha said.

“Thank you, Kinger.”

“You’re welcome.”

Finally, Gangle’s gaze shifted to Caine. The ringmaster immediately straightened.

“Oh! My turn!”

Gangle giggled.

“Yes… your turn.”

For a moment, she hesitated, searching for the right words.

Caine noticed immediately.

His smile faltered just slightly.

“…Uh oh.”

“No, no!” Gangle said quickly. “Not uh oh!”

“Oh. Good.”

She took a breath.

“Despite everything that’s happened…”

Caine visibly tensed.

“…I know you’ve always been trying your hardest.”

His shoulders eased slightly.

“Before everything changed, I know you were trying to make the adventures as fun as possible.”

Caine listened quietly.

“You always wanted them to be perfect.”

A small, more genuine smile appeared on his face.

“And even now… you’re still trying. You listen to us more. You give us more freedom. You care about what we think now.”

Caine looked down at his hands.

“And that’s what I like about you… that you try.”

Gangle smiled gently.

Caine was quiet for a moment. Then he laughed softly.

“Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “That is… surprisingly nice to hear.”

His smile softened.

“Thank you, my dear.”

Gangle returned the smile.

Then her eyes drifted toward the last person in the circle. She fiddled with her ribbon slightly.

“And… Zooble.” The tone stayed casual, but for the first time all game, Gangle looked uncertain.

“Ohhh,” Ragatha murmured. “This is the hard one.”

“I’m thinking,” Gangle said quickly.

Kinger leaned forward slightly.

“Take your time. Important answers require careful consideration.”

“That’s very wise,” Gangle said automatically.

“Thank you.”

Zooble gave a small huff—not annoyed, just amused.

“Go ahead, Gangle.”

That alone sounded softer than usual. Gangle relaxed a little.

“Okay…” She looked at Zooble more directly. “I like how honest you are. You don’t really pretend to be something you’re not.”

Zooble shifted slightly.

“Yeah… that’s because pretending is exhausting.”

Gangle smiled.

“Exactly.”

“And… you’re really easy to talk to.”

Zooble glanced at her. That one landed a bit deeper than expected.

“I am?”

“Yeah,” Gangle nodded. “You don’t judge people when they’re upset. You just… listen.”

Her voice softened.

“And you always notice when something’s wrong.”

Zooble paused.

“…Do I?”

“Yes,” Gangle said simply. Like it was obvious. “You notice it with me.”

Zooble scratched the side of their arm.

“I guess you’re not very good at hiding it.”

“Hey,” Gangle said lightly, though there was no real complaint.

Zooble’s tone softened again.

“I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.”

Gangle relaxed.

“I also… just like spending time with you. It’s always nice.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Zooble said quietly.

A small pause settled.

Then Gangle looked up.

“Zooble…”

“Yeah?”

“Truth or dare?”

Zooble thought for a moment.

“Truth.”

“Excellent!”

Zooble immediately narrowed their eyes.

“Why are you so excited?”

Gangle hugged a pillow to her chest.

“No reason.”

“That sounded suspicious,” Pomni said.

“A little suspicious,” Ragatha agreed.

Gangle ignored them.

“Anyway!” She sat up straighter. “What do you think of my drawings?”

Zooble blinked. For a moment, they just stared at her.

“…Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“You already know what I think.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you asking?”

Gangle smiled softly.

“Because I like hearing people talk about my art.”

“Wow,” Pomni said.

“At least she’s honest,” Ragatha laughed.

“I respect it,” Kinger added with a nod.

“Thank you.”

“You’re literally fishing for compliments,” Zooble said flatly.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Okay, yes.”

Zooble cracked a small smile. “Unbelievable.”

“Please answer the question,” Gangle said sweetly.

Zooble sighed dramatically.

“Fine.”

Gangle immediately lit up, sitting a little straighter like she was waiting for a presentation.

“Go on.”

“Look at her,” Pomni whispered.

“I know,” Ragatha whispered back. “She’s so happy.”

“I’m right here,” Gangle said without turning around.

Zooble shook their head.

“I like your drawings.”

Gangle nodded eagerly. Zooble thought for a moment before continuing.

“I think one of the reasons I like them is because they always feel personal.”

Gangle tilted her head.

“Personal?”

“Yeah.” Zooble nodded. “When someone looks at your drawings, they immediately know they’re yours.”

“Really?”

“Definitely.”

The compliment clearly landed. Zooble continued.

“You have your own style.”

“Style is important,” Kinger said.

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard,” Zooble replied.

“It’s true,” Ragatha added. “Some artists spend years trying to find theirs.”

“See?” Gangle pointed at her. “I have style.”

“You absolutely have style,” Ragatha agreed.

“Lots of style,” Pomni added.

Zooble rolled their eyes, but there was warmth in it.

“My point is your art doesn’t look like anyone else’s.” They gestured slightly toward Gangle. “You draw things the way you want to draw them.”

“And that’s good?” Gangle asked.

“Of course it is.”

Gangle visibly relaxed.

“You don’t need every drawing to be realistic.”

“Good,” Gangle said immediately.

Zooble smiled faintly.

“Some people draw realistically, some draw cartoons, some draw abstract stuff. Everybody has their own way.”

“And yours happens to involve giant anime eyes,” Pomni added.

“And sparkles,” Ragatha said.

“And hearts,” Kinger added.

“And occasionally way too many flowers,” Zooble finished.

Gangle gasped dramatically. “There can never be too many flowers.”

“There absolutely can,” Zooble said immediately.

“There can’t.”

“There can.”

“There can’t.”

“There can.”

“There can’t.”

“Okay, okay!” Ragatha laughed, raising her hands. “Continue.”

Zooble shook their head, amused despite themselves.

“Anyway.” They looked back at Gangle. “I like your style because it feels cheerful. You somehow make ordinary things look interesting.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Gangle looked very pleased with herself.

Zooble continued.

“And honestly…” They paused. “I think your drawings make people happy. When you show someone one of your drawings, you’re always excited.”

Their voice softened slightly.

“And then everyone else ends up getting excited too.”

Gangle smiled gently.

“You think so?”

“Yeah,” Zooble said. “I do.”

A beat passed—warm, quiet. Then Caine raised his hand.

“I would like the record to show that I still have the drawing Gangle made of me.”

Everyone turned toward him.

“You do?” Gangle asked.

“Of course I do!” Caine said, sounding genuinely offended at the idea otherwise. “I keep all the drawings you give me!”

“Aww,” Ragatha said.

Caine snapped his fingers. A folded piece of paper appeared in his hand, he carefully unfolded it and held it up with pride.

“Observe!”

The group leaned in.

The drawing showed Caine standing in a field of flowers, surrounded by buzzing bees. One bee perched on his top hat, another rested on his hand.

The bees looked oddly cute—round, soft, almost smiling.

“Wait,” Pomni said. “Are those bees?”

“Bees?” Zooble echoed.

Gangle smiled sheepishly.

“Caine really likes bees.”

“Correction!” Caine declared proudly. “I absolutely adore bees!”

“Yeah, that,” Zooble muttered.

Caine stared at the drawing like it was a masterpiece.

“She remembered my favorite animal!” He pointed at one bee.  “Look at this one!”

Nobody was entirely sure which bee he meant.

“They’re all adorable,” he added anyway.

“I spent a really long time drawing them,” Gangle admitted softly.

“And it shows!” Caine said immediately, holding the picture carefully against his chest. “This is one of my most prized possessions.”

Gangle brightened. “Really?”

“Without question.”

Zooble glanced between them.

“See?” they said gently. “That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Hm?” Gangle asked.

“You make things personal.”

Zooble gestured toward the drawing.

“You knew Caine liked bees, so you included them.”

Gangle looked at it again.

“I guess I did.”

“You don’t just draw what people look like,” Zooble continued. “You draw what they care about too.”

Kinger nodded.

“That is a very Gangle thing to do.”

A few murmurs of agreement passed through the group.

Then Zooble turned slightly.

“Caine.”

The ringmaster jolted a little. “Huh?”

“You haven’t had a turn yet.”

“Oh.” He looked around the circle. Then smiled sheepishly. “You’re right. I haven’t.”

Zooble leaned back. 

“Then it’s your turn.” A small pause. “Truth or dare?”

Caine tapped his fingers together thoughtfully.

“Hmmm…” Everyone waited. “Hmmm…”

Pomni rolled her eyes. “Caine.”

“Oh! Right.” He straightened. “Truth.”

Zooble raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“What?”

“I thought you’d pick dare.”

“Why?”

“You seem like the kind of person who’d pick dare.”

A grin spread across Caine’s face. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It wasn’t.” Zooble leaned forward slightly. “Alright. Here’s your question. Out of everyone in the circus, who do you like the most?”

Caine froze.

“…What?”

“You heard me.”

“Everyone?”

“Everyone. Past and present.”

“Oh.” The confidence immediately drained from him. The room went quiet in that way that meant everyone was suddenly paying very close attention. 

Caine glanced around the circle.

“Well…” he started slowly. “I like everyone equally!”

Nobody looked convinced. Not even slightly.

Pomni folded her arms.

“That’s not an answer.”

“It is an answer.”

“No,” Zooble said. “That’s a dodge.”

“A dodge?”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“I would never.” Caine gasped dramatically.

Everyone gave him a look.

“…Okay, maybe a little.”

“Then answer honestly,” Zooble pressed.

Caine shifted where he stood.

“Well, I don’t know if I—”

“Caine.”

He stopped immediately. Everyone turned toward Gangle.

“You remember what you said.”

“What?”

Gangle looked at him steadily.

“A few months ago.”

Realization slowly crossed his face.

“Oh.”

“You promised us you wouldn’t lie anymore.”

The tone wasn’t harsh. If anything, it was gentle—but it still made him pause.

“You said you were done lying to us… and playing tricks on us.”

Caine looked down at his hands, “…Yeah.”

“So if you’re answering,” Gangle continued softly, “answer truthfully.”

“Yeah,” Zooble added. “And that’s the whole point of the game.”

For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Caine let out a long, exaggerated sigh.

“Fiiiiiiine.”

A few people snickered.

“Thank you,” Zooble said.

“You’re all impossible.”

“We know,” the group said in near-unison.

Caine crossed his arms, still grumbling a bit. He looked around again, slower this time. His eyes lingered on each of them. Then he looked away.

“I suppose…” he muttered.

“What was that?” Pomni asked.

“I said…” Caine groaned louder. “Out of everyone who’s ever been in the circus—”

The room leaned in slightly.

“…Kinger is the one I like the most.”

Silence.

“…Kinger?” Ragatha repeated.

“Yes.”

“The Kinger?” Pomni asked.

“There is only one Kinger.”

“Oh my gosh,” Pomni burst into laughter.

A grin spread across Zooble’s face.

Then Ragatha’s.

Then Gangle’s.

“…Why are you all looking at me like that?”

Nobody answered. Three seconds of silence passed.  Then—

“Ooooooooh.”

The reaction hit like a wave. Caine nearly jumped.

“What!?”

Pomni pointed at him.

“You have a favorite~”

“I do not!”

“You literally just admitted it.”

“That is not what happened!”

“It absolutely is,” Zooble said. “You said Kinger is your favorite.”

“I said no such thing.”

“Those were your exact words.”

“No they weren’t!”

“Then what were your exact words?” Zooble pressed.

Caine paused.

“Oh, come on…”

Ragatha covered her mouth,  “It took him a second.”

“I was just answering the question!” Caine insisted.

“And?” Zooble asked.

“And that doesn’t mean anything!”

Everyone stared at him.

“Caine,” Zooble said flatly.

“What?”

“You’re implying he’s your favorite.”

“Ugh.” His voice cracked slightly in frustration. The blush was impossible to hide now. He looked away sharply.

Worst of all, everyone had noticed. Pomni looked like she was about to fall over laughing, Ragatha was smiling warmly, Gangle looked amused.

Then Kinger finally spoke.

“Wow.”

Caine froze. Very slowly, he turned his head. Kinger was smiling at him. Not teasing. Just genuinely pleased.

“I never knew you thought of me like that.”

The blush deepened instantly.

“Kinger.”

“I am honored.”

“Kinger.”

“Truly honored.”

“Kinger.”

“You chose me out of everyone.”

“KINGER.”

Kinger chuckled softly. “I’m serious.”

“Stop talking,” Caine muttered into his hands.

“But I appreciate it.”

“Please stop talking.”

“No.”

Caine buried his face completely in his hands. Kinger’s expression softened into something warm and content.

“Well,” he said, nudging Caine lightly with his shoulder, “thank you.”

That somehow made it worse. Caine let out a muffled groan from behind his hands. The group kept laughing, and judging by Kinger’s expression, he was enjoying every second of it.

Eventually, the laughter began to fade into smaller giggles.

Pomni wiped a tear from her eye.

“Okay…” she said between breaths. “Okay, sorry, Caine.”

Another laugh slipped out. “Sorry. It’s a girl thing. You wouldn’t understand.”

She paused.

“…Well. Minus Zooble.”

“Thanks,” Zooble said flatly.

“No problem.”

“Hmph.”

The group’s attention drifted back to Caine. He was still turned away slightly, arms crossed tightly, jaw set. The blush hadn’t fully gone.

Zooble smirked.

“Oh wow.”

Caine didn’t respond.

“Who knew you were this easy to tease?”

“HMPH.”

Pomni laughed again.

“Okay, that’s actually hilarious.”

“It is,” Ragatha agreed.

“It is not,” Caine muttered.

“Oh, he’s talking again,” Zooble said.

“I was always talking.”

“No, you were pouting.”

“I was not pouting.”

“You absolutely were.”

Caine crossed his arms tighter, “I am the ringmaster.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I do not pout.”

Pomni pointed at him.

“You’re literally pouting right now.”

“No I am not.”

“You turned away from all of us.”

“Because I wanted to.”

“That’s what pouting is.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Caine groaned.

Pomni looked far too pleased with herself.

Ragatha shook her head, trying not to laugh.

“You guys are impossible.”

“You’re just figuring that out?” Zooble asked.

Before Caine could respond, he suddenly felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He froze, he turned slightly and found Kinger sitting beside him, smiling gently.

“Oh, come on, Caine.”

The teasing energy in the room seemed to dip a little. Kinger’s voice was softer than everyone else’s, steady in a way that cut through the noise.

“Don’t be like that.”

Caine hesitated, eyes shifting away.

“I’m not being anything.”

“You’ve barely looked at anyone for the last five minutes.”

“…Maybe.”

Kinger chuckled.

“There we go.”

“Hmp.”

“Still pouting?”

“I am not.”

“You kind of are.”

“I am not.”

Kinger smiled calmly.

“I think you are.”

Caine opened his mouth, paused, then shut it again. "...Maybe a little."

“HA!” Pomni pointed. “I knew it!”

Caine instantly looked regretful.

“Oh no.”

“You admitted it!” Zooble added.

“That was a mistake.”

“It was the truth,” Ragatha said, laughing.

“It was a mistake!” Caine insisted.

Kinger gently shook his head, still smiling.

“See? This is exactly what I mean.”

“What do you mean?” 

Kinger’s expression softened.

“They’re only teasing you because they’re comfortable around you.”

That made the room quiet down a little. Not tense—just attentive. Kinger gave Caine’s shoulder a light squeeze.

“If they didn’t like you, they wouldn’t joke like this.”

Caine blinked.

“Oh.”

Caine looked down at his hands, then slowly around the circle—Pomni, Ragatha, Zooble, Gangle—before his eyes landed on Kinger again.

“Oh.” His voice was quieter this time. “I guess that makes sense.”

Kinger nodded.

“Of course it does.”

Caine sat there for a moment longer, thinking. The silence wasn’t awkward. Just reflective. Then Ragatha spoke gently.

“Sorry if we went a little too far.”

Caine immediately looked up.

Ragatha offered a small smile.

“We were just joking.”

“Yeah,” Pomni added quickly. “We weren’t trying to make you feel bad.”

Gangle nodded.

“You looked really embarrassed.”

That somehow made Caine look embarrassed again.

“Oh.”

“Sorry,” Gangle added quickly.

“No, no!” Caine waved his hands. “It’s fine! Really!”

The group watched him settle again. He rubbed the back of his head. “I think I was just… surprised.”

“By what?” Pomni asked immediately.

Caine paused.

“Uhhh…”

A mischievous grin spread across Pomni’s face.

“By everyone knowing Kinger is your favorite~?”

“Pomni.”

“Sorry.” She was absolutely not sorry.

Caine pointed at her.

“You are dangerously close to losing your next turn.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I absolutely can.”

“No, you can’t.”

“I make the rules.”

“You literally don’t.”

“I literally do.”

“Not for Truth or Dare.”

“Who says?”

“The entire concept of Truth or Dare.”

Zooble snickered. Ragatha laughed. Even Kinger looked amused.

Caine groaned. “This game is rigged.”

“It isn’t rigged,” Zooble said.

“It feels rigged.”

“That’s because nobody’s letting you escape it,” Pomni replied.

“Exactly!”

That made the group let out a few laughs. And then—unexpectedly—Caine let out a small laugh too.

The tension finally eased out of his shoulders. The room settled into something warmer again. Comfortable. Familiar. For a few moments, nobody rushed to speak.

Then Kinger nudged Caine lightly with his shoulder.

Caine glanced over.

“You feeling better?”

The question caught him off guard.

“…Yeah.”

Quiet. Honest.

Kinger nodded once.

“Good.”

That simple response made something in Caine’s expression soften.

“Oh!”

“What?” Pomni asked.

“The game!”

A collective groan went through the group.

“Oh right.”

“I forgot.”

“So did I.”

“Honestly,” Zooble said, “I completely forgot we were playing Truth or Dare.”

“We got distracted,” Ragatha admitted.

Caine sat up straighter, energy returning like a switch had flipped.

“Well! We can’t simply abandon the game now, can we?”

“Oh no,” Pomni said immediately.

“He’s back.”

“The ringmaster has returned,” Zooble added.

“The ringmaster never left,” Ragatha corrected.

A grin spread across Caine’s face. Then he turned toward the person sitting beside him.

“Kinger.”

Kinger looked down.

“Hm?”

Caine’s grin sharpened—mischievous again.

“Truth or dare?”