After opening and doing nothing with a blank text document for over a week, I banged out this in four hours starting at like, midnight (under a readmore bc LONG):
It was the dead of night in the circus; the Moon was hanging in the sky, and the lights were out, and an annoying cricket_loop.mp3 was playing in certain areas that everyone avoided lest they be driven to insanity (the kind that involved throwing furniture, not. well). The current cast were sleeping in their rooms – well, some of them were asleep at least, others were just pretending. Kinger was actually in his pillow fort. The point was, it was night. Even Caine was in his office, putting the finishing touches on a new adventure after the debacle that was the Favorite Character Awards (how had he not gotten any votes? He was choosing not to think about it. Must have been a bug or something with THE COMMITTEE. Simple. No point in thinking about it at all. Nope.)
The calm of the circus at night was interrupted by a small pop as four figures abruptly found themselves on the stage.
The stage lights turned on, prompting more protests from the figures, who blinked and covered their eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden burst of light. On the stage stood not four humans, but a small humanoid tiger, a trophy with a head, a vaguely-human-shaped clay doll with a screen face, and a black-and-white demon.
"My my!" A voice said, although none of the four could see yet. "Not one, not two, not even three, but four new humans! Wowee, it's been a long time since so many of you have arrived at once!"
Eyes adjusted and the four recoiled at the sight of Caine. The demon's wings flared, and he snapped his head around to look at the new features.
An oof caused three of the new cast members to look over at the trophy, who'd discovered his feet were glued to some sort of stand the hard way and was now lying on his face.
"Well tha's just embarassin'..."
"Where are we?!" the clay doll demanded. "Who are you?!"
"No need to fret, my dears! You four have stumbled into a wonderful, magical world beyond all imagination!" Caine announced. He waved his cane and the trophy snapped back onto his feet, like he'd been reset. "This is The Amazing Digital Circus, my name is Caine, and I'm your ringmaster!"
The tiger took a fighting position.
"Ringmaster Caine, I must insist you release me right now! I am a Wudai Warrior, I will not be kidnapped so easily!"
"Oh, well, I'm not the one who-"
"Wait, Wudai Warrior?" the doll asked. "Is that you..." she trailed off. Her screen-face, which had been displaying a simple eyes and mouth not unlike a human, shifted into an exclamation point. "I can't... I don't remember your name. Oh god. I don't remember my name!"
"Hold on, partners, is that... uh... y'all?" The trophy asked.
"Guys?" the demon asked. "Are we... all here?"
"My friends?" the tiger cub asked, eyes wide. "My friends! I did not recognize you! You do not look like yourselves!"
"Neither do you, dude," the demon replied, pointing at him. The tiger cub looked down at his gloved hands and examined his new body, complete with tail.
"What happened to my wonderful body?!"
"Can we circle back to the name thing please!?" the doll insisted, face flickering to an angry-looking emoji followed by a horrified-looking one, then a red, smaller exclamation point and question mark.
"Like I said, there's no need to worry your pretty little heads!" Caine told them, suddenly in the middle of them. They jumped back, and the trophy landed on his back this time.
"This is gonna get annoyin' real fast."
"No one can remember their name once they've entered the Digital Circus!" Caine tapped the part of his gums where his head might've been. It made a plastic clacking sound. "One of the things I don't have control over are your minds. But what I can do is help you all pick new ones!"
"Digital... are we in a computer?" the demon guessed.
"Oh, you mean like... uh..." the tiger pointed at the doll. "Her laptop?"
"Maybe! But we should proooobably focus on getting you all named and shown around your new home!"
"New home?" the tiger asked in horror. "This cannot be our new home! You must release us at once!"
"Can't or won't?" the doll snarled.
"Can't! Not something I can do, sorry!" He didn't sound sorry at all to the new arrivals.
"Can you at least turn us back?" the demon asked, a slight pleading tone.
"What we looked like before!"
"What did you look like before?" The demon groaned and put his head in his hands.
"We cannot stay here!" the tiger cub repeated. "We are needed to protect the world from evil!"
"How about we get this tour out of the way, then we figure out some names for you all?"
"Did you not hear what I just said?!"
"Alrighty, lets go!" With nothing more than a blur of colors and a nauseating yanking-feeling, they were suddenly outside of the circus tent, floating a decent distance above the ground. There was some flailing of limbs in surprise, including the demon's newly-acquired pair of wings. "This is The Tent!" As Caine named the area, words popped out of nowhere with a faint 'whoosh' noise, before they faded away. "This is where everyone's bedroom is, and where you'll be spending the majority of your time! There are all sorts of other fun activities to do! Including but not limited to: mazes, slides, tubes-" Caine suddenly cut out, bluescreening as a loud, screeching dial-tone played. The four newcomers looked at each other.
"That's... probably not g-"
"-inigolf, and more!" Caine continued, suddenly working again. He suddenly grabbed them and they were suddenly even further away than before. "And here we have, The Grounds!" More whooshing words. "Drown yourself in The Digital Lake, or engage in ridery to your little hearts content at the Digital Carnival!"
"Uh, what was that first part?" the demon asked.
"Well, lots of you humans have had a blast going over and trying to drown themselves before! I don't get it, but it must be fun if it happens so much. But don't you worry!" He pat the demon on the head, not noticing as the demon growled at him for it, mismatched pupils narrowing into slits. "Your new bodies have no need to breathe, so there's no risk to you at all!"
"Us humans?" the doll questioned, before an irritated sigh emoji replaced her face. "Oh, you're a computer program, aren't you?"
"Thaaat's right!" Caine answered. "Wow, you sure figured that out quick! Not that I was hiding it, of course. I'm your Ringmaster, the head AI of the circus! And this is Bubble." He pointed next to him, where a large bubble with button eyes and a huge grin of disconcertingly sharp teeth was floating next to him. Bubble had definitely not been there a second ago.
"Okay, can you tell us about, uh, how to log out?"
It was the doll's turn to put her head in her hands.
"It means they want to see what else is here!" Bubble told the ringmaster.
"Oh, I see! Well, all that's left is-" Another yank, and they were floating in a space of almost pure white, a few specs of color were floating around, but mostly it was made of squares of varying shades of white, all drifting around each other unteathered. "The Void!" More words. "Weee don't come out here. Not even I know what's out here." Back to The Grounds. "We all stay right here, where I can keep my-" dozens of what appeared to be giant glass eyes suddenly spawned in, each turned to stare directly at the ground, who instinctively huddled into each other "-hundreds of all-seeing eyes on youooou." He wiggled his fingers at them while making 'whooooOOOoooo' noises like a cartoon ghost, which might have been funny if it wasn't overshadowed by the horror surrounding them. The eyes then blipped out of existence, bit over.
"Good evening, Caine," the Moon said in a disturbingly flirty tone. "It's wonderful to see you tonight~"
Everyone was suddenly back in the tent, right below the stage the four humans had spawned in at.
"Now that the tour is all taken care of, let's get to work on getting you all your names!"
"Ringmaster Caine, I must insist that you allow us to leave, or help us to do so! The entire world is counting on us to protect it! You must let us go!"
"Now, regarding your names-"
"He might not be able to register what you're saying," the doll mused as Caine started rambling off some sort of disclaimer at high speed.
"Oh, he can hear you, he's just stubborn like that."
There was a collection of shrieks and jumps, including from the new voice. In front of them stood what looked like a king chess piece in a purple robe.
"-objectionalcontentmayincludebutisnotlimitedto- Kinger! When did you show up? I was just helping our newest humans figure out what to call themselves!"
"Oh, I see. Well, it's nice to meet you all," Kinger said, as Caine restarted his disclaimer.
"We're not going to-" the demon started, looking at Caine, before giving up and turning to Kinger. "Wait, are you another AI?"
"Oh, no, I'm as human as the rest of you. Or, I guess I don't know if you're humans, but I'm reasonably certain you are?"
"Oh yes, we are most certainly humans, or at least... we were." The tiger cub insisted, although his face fell near the end.
"Then I'm as human as you are."
"Please tell me you know how to get out," the doll begged. Despite his face being made up of just a single pair of eyes, his expression said everything. The doll inhaled, steeled herself, then continued. "Okay. Okay! Great. Uh, you haven't been here long then, I guess? So we'll have to figure it out together."
"Ah, define 'long'," Kinger replied tenatively.
"Oh man. How long have you been here?"
"Well, it's a little hard to tell, I don't think the day-night cycle matches up with the outside, but Caine started throwing a 'birthday' party for everyone every year on the anniversary of when they first got here..." Kinger trailed off, trying to remember how many Caine had thrown him... and when he'd started the tradition. The four newcomers looked at each other in barely-restrained horror.
"You've, uh," the trophy began after a second. "Been here for years?"
"Names!" Caine interrupted, finished his disclaimer and tapping his foot on the air impatiently. "Come on, we can't have proper introductions without names! You already have yours, Kinger, don't be selfish towards our new friends!" The four were physically yanked around to follow where Caine flew past them, away from Kinger. "Any ideas? I can always get the random letter box if you're having trouble!"
"How permanent are these names?"
"I want my name!" the tiger cub said argued. "It was a good name, even if I cannot remember it!"
"Well, maybe you'll guess it! OR the random letter box will get it!"
"Uh, I could go by Goldy, I guess?" the trophy suggested. The demon snorted.
"I suppose Stripes is... fitting," the tiger cub mumbled.
"Great, that's two of you already!" Caine cheered, pointing his cane at them, before point at the doll and demon. "Howsabout you two?"
The demon elbowed the doll. "Think Pochika would work for you?"
"If I had teeth I'd bite you. That answer your question?"
"I'm sorry, but Trademarks are strictly off limits for new names!"
Unseen behind them, Kinger raised an eyebrow. When was the word Pochika trademarked? He'd never even heard that word before, at least he was pretty sure he hadn't...
"Can I veto whatever the... random letter box... gives me?" the doll asked.
"Alright. Let's try that."
There was a slam as a green slot-machine-looking thing hit the ground with enough force to make the humans bounce slightly. It even made little 'ching' noises as a word was spelt out.
"How do you feel about Pallette?"
"That's not... how that's spelled," the doll sighed. "Fine. Sure."
The demon froze as Caine turned fully towards him. "Alright, and how about you? You want a spin on the random letter box too?"
"Uh, I'll... go with that I guess."
"Great!" The box abruptly shrunk in size, down to three letters. "How's Ymi for ya?"
"I dunno, I could see you being a 'Ymi'," Pallette smirked at him, face displaying a >:3 . The demon gave her an irritated look.
"Sure-" he froze as he registered what Caine said. "Wait, no, no way-"
"And nooooow!" Caine snapped his fingers. There were yells of protest from deeper into the tent, then five more people were yanked in through the air and dumped in a pile on the ground. "Time for you to meet all the other humans here!"
"Caine," a grumpy voice said, tone flat, "it's the middle of the night."
Caine hummed and snapped his fingers. There was a slidewhistle noise as the skyline flipped and it was abruptly daytime. The lights flashed on in the tent, leaving everyone blinking stars out of their eyes.
The protester groaned, flopping on the floor.
"Just wait until today's adventure, Zooble," Jax grinned. "I'll be happy to!"
"What was that?" Stripes asked, bringing everyone's attention to him and his friends.
"That's the censor my stripey friend!" Caine told him. "We can't have people using adult language in here, the Digital Circus is for all ages!" He tapped his 'chin'. "Actually, I'm pleasently surprised none of you have tried it, yet. Usually newcomers always give the censor a good workout when they first get here. Thank you for being so polite!"
"Oh, something you wanna tells us Raggy?" Jax asked, looking at the ragdoll who ignored him in favor of helping Pomni off the floor. A few feet away, Gangle was staring sadly at the remains of her comedy mask, which had shattered when Caine dropped her on the floor. This was a depressing new record...
"Well, everyone, I've brought you all out here to meet our newest members! Say hello to Stripes, Pallette, Goldy, and Imp!"
"Do NOT call me that!" Imp protested in vain.
"Wow, uh, there's a lot of you, huh?" Ragatha started, a nervous undertone in her otherwise cheerful voice. "I don't think I've seen more than three people at a time end up here, and that was only once."
"Yeah yeah, we all know you're old Raggy," Jax waved sighed. Ragatha glared at him.
"I am not old!" Saying that, she looked pointedly away from him and approached the four newcomers. "Are you all alright? I know the transition to the circus can be kind of... confusing, but we've all been where you are now. If you need any help..."
Jax made a gagging noise. Ragatha's expression tightened.
"If you need any help you can ask, okay? We're all... we're mostly all here for you," she offered, putting a hand on Imp's shoulder. He scrunched where his nose should have been at her tone, which was probably meant to sound supportive but missed it's mark slightly.
"I don't need you to mother me, lady, I'm sixteen."
"You're a kid?!" Ragatha gasped in horror.
"I just said I was sixt-" Ragatha grabbed at his face. "-hey, geroff!"
"Oh, god, you're way too young to have to deal with this-"
"Jeez Rags, relax," Jax rolled his eyes. "I was sixteen when I got here, remember? And I turned out fiiiine."
"Oh, god, that explains so much," Pomni groaned. Jax gave her a quick look, too quick for her to identify before he'd fully turned away.
"CAINE!" Zooble yelled, whirling on the ringmaster. "You're seriously grabbing kids now?!"
"I don't control who comes to the Digital Circus, Zooble! You know that. And the circus is for all ages, as I'm sure I've told you all before."
"I really f(splat)ing disagree! I've seen some of the sh(horn) you put in your adventures!"
"That boring bar adventure was your suggestion," Caine argued, crossing his arms and turning away.
"THAT ISN'T WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"
"Uh, ah'm seventeen, if it helps?" Goldy brought up, hoping to help relieve some of Ragatha's horror on a long shot.
"I am twelve!" Stripes volunteered. "Or at least, I believe I am."
"WHAT?!" Ragatha cried, letting go of Imp in favor of yanking on her hair so hard it looked like she might rip it out.
"I don't think... that helps at all, actually," Gangle winced.
"Hey," Pomni greeted, walking up to the group. "You guys are way calmer about this than I was when I got here."
"Not our first rodeo, ma'am," Goldy told her, trying to tip his hat only to find it was a solid, immovable part of his body now. Pomni managed to restrain a wince at the movement, and the accent was different enough that it was easy to do. "Got kidnapped by giant spiders almost a year ago. 'least nothins' plannin' on desicatin' us this time. Probably."
Pomni raised an eyebrow at that.
"Ew, is that a LARP thing?" Jax asked. "Are you nerds LARPers?"
"We are not larpers!" Stripes protested. "I think."
"We're not," Pallette told him.
"We are Xiaolin Dragons! It is our solemn duty to protect the world from evil whenever it should arise – which is why we need to leave!"
"It's not a LARP thing!" Pallette snapped.
"Suuuuure it's not," Jax shrugged, turning on his heel to where Zooble was still yelling at Caine. It had morphed into something about the suggestion box, he didn't care. "Hey Caine! We having an intro adventure for the newbies or what? Sounds like they're old-hat at make-believe, too."
"What?! I am not making up-" Stripes began before Caine cut him off.
"Egads, a wonderful idea, Jax! Well, I had a great adventure in the works for you all, but for settling our new friends in, we'll do a simple in-house adventure for today!"
"Do you just... do an in-house adventure every time someone new arrives?" Pomni asked.
"Well, can you blame me? It's a wonderful way to introduce newcomers to a wonderful new world!"
"Hey, we don't want to settle in!" Imp snapped. "We have people who need us in the real world!"
"Maybe you just haven't pulled at the headset enough yet?" Jax suggested, sending a grin towards Pomni, who rolled her eyes. The four newcomers looked at each other.
"Headset?" Pallette asked, and it was the old cast's turn to trade looks, albeit not as universally among their group.
"...uh, yeah?" Pomni said at last. "The headset you put on that brought you here? The same as all of us?"
"I... do not remember putting anything on my head," Stripes said, looking at his friends.
"Uh, I think I remember... shoot," Goldy facepalmed. "Can't remember his name. Our Temple Guardian. He woke us up fer an early mornin' Wu run, but after that..."
"I don't remember waking up," Imp added, baffled.
"Yeah, ah'm not sure you did."
"Oh, uh, that's... unusual." Ragatha glanced at the others briefly. "I've been here the second longest after Kinger-"
"...and no one has ever just. Not remembered the old building and the headset they put on."
"Caine..." Zooble growled. "What's going on? Why wouldn't they remember that?"
"What makes you think I'd know that? I can't see outside anymore!"
"...what do you mean 'anymore'?"
"Well, uh, hmm. How about we ignore that, since I can't change anything about it – and believe me, I've tried! - and we get to today's adventure! Today's adventure will be A Nice and Simple Game of Hide and Don't Get Caught!"
The general consensus seemed to be 'what', given the baffled looks.
"Thaaat's right! Here in the circus lurks a big, spooky eyeball guy, and if he catches you in his sight beam, you'll be out! Last one unfound is the winner and gets a faaaabulous prize!, but be wary, every time one of you is caught, he doubles in number!"
"Uh," Goldy held up a hand and glanced at the stand he was glued to. "I can't walk? How am I supposed to..."
"Have fun my wonderful wrinkled walnuts!"
And with that, Caine was gone.
"Wait, you can't... walk?" Pomni asked, concerned.
"Every time ah've tried to move I end up on mah backside... or mah face..." Pomni looked at his stand.
"Huh... Kinger can move pretty easily, and he doesn't have legs at all."
"Huh, yer right. Kinger, sir, ya got any tips for me?"
"Huh?" Kinger asked, eyes unfocused. "Oh, hello! Where did you come from?"
"Pfft, don't try and get anything out of the old man," Jax advised. "He's nuts."
"He is a chess piece, not a nut," Stripes told him. "And he seemed perfectly helpful before."
"I hate to agree with Jax on anything, but, uh, Kinger's... not all there in the head," Zooble told him. When Stripes just raised an eyebrow, they sighed and clarified. "There's something wrong with his mind. Maybe because he's been here so long, maybe because he was apparently alone for... a really long time. Maybe he's just old. We don't know for sure."
"Whatever the wackjob's problem is, he's pretty much useless."
"Don't say that about him!" Ragatha snapped.
"What? It's true. It's not like he sucks or anything, but he's not exactly gonna be of any help." Jax pointed a thumb at Kinger, who was leaning to the side so far he was sloooowly starting to tip over. Gangle, who was closest, righted him slightly and he stopped moving. A second later he started flailing like he was trying to get his balance, stopped then looked at Gangle.
"But..." Stripes protested. "But earlier he was...!"
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