Chapter 1: Digital reborn
As if you were to stare into a monitor, static flickers and you are met with a game screen. You decide to click the play button, and as you do that, you feel your surroundings shifting... At the last moment, all that you can hear is...
"WELCOME, TO THE AMAAAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS!! MY NAME IS-"
... What.
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It's another day in the digital circus!
... Ugh, who are we kidding? Only Bubble can have such excitement to say this. Pomni especially doesn't really feel like celebrating that.
Last adventure was... Something. See the first person, even tho not really a person, that you could relate with here, that felt as lost as you after seeing the whole lie his life was and shatter below him like you felt, and then, have them... She doesn't even really wants to remember this right now.
At least she is now sure that, despite the differences she has with the cast, despite them being so used to the circus and you not, you now know they will have your back, and they will be there for you. I mean, maybe not everyone, but you have hope for what's to come next, you really do.
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Pomni was sitting in front of the stage, for not much of a reason other then just "why not?". Legs crossed, her posture, uhm... Not the best. She was clearly lost in her thoughts, looking down at her own fidgeting hands. She eventually chuckles to herself and looks up towards the couch área, where most of the circus members are sitting talking.
She was getting off the floor, about to go towards them, when...
*Pop*
???: "H-hu- uh... W-wow, this is... Uhm, how is this so.. realistic? I- WOW..."
Wait what, is that an NPC or... A new human!?!?
Pomni almost stumbled, but managed to look up and behind herself to see the new human(?), and... Oh- geez luiz, poor guy, their avatar is uhm, certainly something...
They were looking around, holding a cane and using it as a support. They seemed to not really get what was happening, but looked... Happy? That's when they saw Pomni.
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Ok, It seems you've just entered a game of some sorts. Despite the technology being REALLY old, it looks like those very new and very needy (in the sense of hardware) games from them big companys™ You've never been able to play due to the capacities of the computers I've ever used, let alone been able to ever pay for them.
There's something really off tho... It seems the whole atmosphere has shifted, as if you are not in the dusty badly lit office building you were before. That's very off putting, but your brain is receiving too much dopamine rn bc of "OMG GAMES HIHI" to care too much, so you decide to postpone this worry.
You look around, fascinated by the graphics and how such an old PC can even render this, still feeling very uneasy at how the atmosphere changed so quickly but whatev, until you see... An NPC!
You: "Oh wow! Even the npc's are so realistic, this- this is so weird and so cool! How is an old machine even doing thi-"
NPC(?): "Wai- wait what? NPC?"
HOLY COW, The audio quality is so good too!! It really feels so immer- wait. How did you hear them talk.
You can feel all the excitement melt away from your face. You start feeling pressure on your chest.
How did you hear them talk?? You arent wearing any headphones... Are they there in the room with you? Surely they are just another person! You just need to take the headset off and greet them, right?...
You: "Oh- I- I-i'm sorry, I thought I was the only one here, lemme take this off real- OH MY HUH-"
YOU TOOK YOUR OWN AVATAR'S EYE OFF?? You can also still see from it, but most importantly, WHY CAN YOU FEEL IT!?!?!?
You try to take it off again but your face doesn't feel like your face. You start feeling your whole body getting heavy, you accidentally drop your cane but didn't even notice it. You keep trying to grab something but there's nothing to grab, the headset doesn't seem to be there anymore.
You begin hyperventilating, trying to take the headset OFF YOUR FUCKING FACE, BUT IT WONT COME OFF. Your vision is getting dark and blurry, and you stumble over your words. You are so scared right now you have no idea what's going on, this is too much to take in right now!! Make it stop, MAKE IT STOP, PLEASE JUST MAKE IT STOP, I'M BEGGING YOU!!!!!!!
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They look so scared and confused, they are trying to take the headset off, but as you know it wont work... OH SHIT THEY ARE HAVING A PANIC ATTACK.
Pomni jumps into the stage and runs towards the newbie, her face controced into worry and fear as panic rushes over.
She reaches them and holds their shaking hand tightly. She tries to mantain her calm and not look scared, but she is freaking out as well.
Pomni: "Hey, it's ok, c-calm down!..." She notices her efforts aren't doing much, they look like they are in the verge of tears and want to run away from her grip.
She takes a deep breath... and decides to try again.
Her hold upon their hand softens, she's able to also soften her face and voice, she then says "It's ok, here, breathe deep iiin, and out..." She acts upon her words, and when she says to breathe in, she breathes in, same with breathing out, trying to help them calm down.
The newbie keeps up with her instructions, their breathing starts normalizing, and their eyes, or at least the one that's in their "face" is now able to look properly at Pomni.
She lets out a final reasurance, saying that it's ok as she helps them place their eyes back into their "head".
Newbie: "Wh-..." They are still sniffing and trying to catch their breath, their eyes drift from her as they keep constantly blinking, clearly trying to stop crying. They gain back some of their composure and ask: "What is this place... W-where am I... What's going on!?"
Pomni chuckles. She's asked this question to others and herself so much that it's kind of weird seeing someone else having the same doubts as her.
Pomni: "I wished I had an answer to that too.." she says letting go of their hand.
To be continued...
Chapter 0 - Continuation
Authors notes: Ik I said I'd try to post even if I didn't quite like it, but yk... It's hard to break habits. My perfectionist ain't no good for me-
My psychologist suspects I have OCD...
Well, I hope y'all liked this part of the first chapter. Next chapter Caine will meet the rest of the gang. I just hope it goes well for the poor guy-
I had recently come up with a real cool name, it was a lil gruesome but real cool still, but I forgor to write it down so now it's lost forever to my subconscious. So I'll be going with "A Real Caine AU" for now ig, the name rocks a bit.
... Ig that's it? Meh, if I have anything else to say I'll prob just edit the post.
