This is gonna be a long fic!
No Angst! Just pure Fluff!
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Just people having a good time.
They made a tent for everyone to have a sleepover whenever they wanted to.
Adventures are still available, but Caine isn't making everyone go on one specific journey anymore.
Everything is open now. Whatever they want, whenever they want... it's almost perfect... almost.
Everyone was smiling, sure, but it still felt like there was ONE thing that needed to be done that they haven't even thought about yet...
And Kinger might have figured it out.
I overheard everyone talking outside the tent, so I decided to join them. "Hello, everyone... How's your day today?"
"Oh, it's greeeaaaat... if we weren't so bored." Jax was using sarcasm again. "We've pretty much done EVERYTHING there is to do in the circus... hell, even Caine ran out of ideas."
He made a valid point... even I was getting bored. "Well, if there's not much to do then maybe we can all be bugs for a da-"
"No!" Everyone, especially Ragatha, didn't seem to like that idea... except Caine... he probably wanted to be a bee for a day.
"Hm... then this is a real pickle we've found ourselves in... isn't it?" Caine spoke up.
All of a sudden, an idea came to mind... I hope they agree. "Hey, um... I think I MIGHT have an idea... It's something I haven't done since before entering the circus."
"It's not weird, is it?" Zooble looked at me funny.
"That... Depends on you and your... Comfort level on the topic..."
". . . Go on." They all looked at me and listened.
"Well... what if we had a tickle fight?"
Yep, those are the faces I expected... Jax. "Why that?"
"I thought it would be fun... and it's a great way to bond with each other if we ever felt down."
Pomni, Gangle, and Ragatha were blushing really hard... They must be really ticklish.
Zooble seemed to be blush a little too... I didn't think they'd be ticklish.
Jax was yelling a lot while blushing... it has to be really bad ticklishness for him, then.
Caine tilted his head in confusion. "Huh... what is... ticklish...?"
Did I not program that knowledge into him...? Must've slipped my mind... though considering previous events... I'm actually glad I forgot.
I decided to explain to him what tickling was and even asked if I could add a tickling function into his code, and he accepted.
Jax stared at me, dumbfounded. "You did not just do that."
"Welp, guess you all know what today's adventure is!"
A lot of people started panicking.
"But get this...! There's a twist...! You have two chances not to get tickled...! Each of you will draw straws from a hat...! Whoever gets the longest straw is the tickler! Or how you humans say it, THE TICKLE MONSTER!" He smirked. "That's your first chance... your second chance is... you have to stay hidden from the tickle monster... for an hour... when time is up... the adventure is over... so, humans... are you ready?"
Now, for some strange reason, a chill went down my non-existent spine... tickling is normal for me, so why am I scared!?
Caine snapped a hat full of straws in existence. "Close your eyes... no peaking."
I KNEW IT!!! I FUCKING KNEW THAT CAINE WAS GONNA RIG THE STRAWS...! THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN HIDE FROM HIM...!
Okay Jax, just calm down... he's not a cheater, he'll follow his rules and play as if he's a human... maybe he'll walk instead of flying...! Probably not.
Where the hell am I supposed to hide!? I had to bolt after hearing Caine say, 'Sorry, humans, but I really wanna try this new coding out on you,' like, WHO SAYS THAT!?
I've grown more comfortable around people now, that's true, but just warn us next time Caine!
Hey, that... actually doesn't look like a bad spot to hide... hope I don't get found too fast. . . Almost. . . C'mon you stupid- Aha! I'm in...! I honestly forgot we even had these hidden rooms in the walls!
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!!!!
I can't find a spot to hide!
... The tunnels! That's it!
I'm gonna hide in the tunnels me, Jax, Gangle, and Zooble were in once!
Now I just have to make sure there aren't any blind spots... oh, there's a little room up here? How come I haven't found it yet...?
Doesn't matter... just have to hide.
CAINE, WHYYYYYYYYYY!?!?!?!?
At least he kept his eyes closed and isn't cheating.
I knew exactly where to hide since it was the only place that Jax never found me when he used to be a big meanie.
I hid backstage, too, but as long as I keep Caine from seeing my face mask, my ribbons will blend right in.
I hope he doesn't have super hearing, otherwise he'll hear my, uh... Non-existent heart beating.
I just hope everyone else gets found first.
I SHOULD'VE SEEN THAT COMING!!!!
I know where Pomni and Jax are... Maybe I should hide with one of them...?
No, that'll make it easier for Caine to find us...
Maybe there's a cupboard somewhere that'll work...?
Wait... I think I know just the thing!
The area me and Jax were in during the Guns Adventure! That'll work since it was a maze!
I just hope Caine doesn't find out that I'm hiding in there... And I don't get lost.
GOD FUCKING DAMNIT, CAINE!!!
Ok, calm down... it's not a big deal... he's just curious... besides, it's just tickles... so what's the issue...
... Oh, who am I kidding, I DON'T WANT TICKLES...!
... The hell did I just trip over...?
... Huh... a basement door...?
That's pretty convenient...
It's the same design as the floor.
No, Caine wouldn't do that...
It's like that Abel NPC said... Caine will commit to a bit no matter what... And that means he doesn't know where any of us are... Hopefully...
I'm just gonna hide in here... I've been wasting too much time not to.
In hindsight, this outcome should've been obvious... but I don't mind... Yes, I screamed while flailing around frantically as I ran, but I'm fine...
It's just tickles... I've been tickled by my wife countless times... so why am I acting so nervous...?
Is it because I know how unpredictable Caine is...? Or how curious he is when he learns something new...? Or because he probably might end up going overboard with the tickling...?
All of the above, huh...?
"*Sigh, oh dear... he's gonna knock the wind out of us, isn't he...? Heheheh... *groan*... Where should I hide this time?"
I think I'm gonna hide in my room... I'm usually always in my pillow fort and the giant tent we made... so he'll probably think twice before checking... wait... wouldn't the rooms be the first place he checks...?
Okay, then... maybe not my room...
What about the kitchen...?
Nope... too clumsy... I'll end up knocking something over...
No, I saw Gangle go over there-
Crap, he's almost done counting!
There a small room completely filled with random objects down in the abstraction aquarium...!
... It's a little uncomfortable, and extremely hot, but it's ok... it being cramped is what makes it a good hiding spot!
"98... 99... 100! READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!!!"
He had a general direction on where everyone ran.
So he decided to check the stage first!
And, within a couple minutes, found Gangle... she forgot he could teleport and he ended up teleporting right in front of her mask... Face to face.
"Ah! There you are Gangle! "
"Ah, ah, ah, my dear. You know the rules... Now hold still!"
"EEK!" Caine poked her belly ribbons. "Caaaiiiiiiheheheeeeennneee!!!"
"My, my, you humans are quite interesting...! Just one poke here and you're in hysterics...! Is it the same for everyone...?"
"I dohohohohon't knohohohohohow! Prohohobahahablyyyhehehehehehheeee!?"
"Hm... I see... I'm going to tickle the ends of your ribbons now."
He did so, and got a crying, wailing Gangle in response?
"Um... is the crying normal...?"
"YEEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAAAAASSS!! IHEHEHEHMMM JUHUHUST CLOHOHOSE TO MYHHYHIIIIIEEEE LIIIMIIIHIHIHIHIIIITTSSS!"
"Oh, okay... I'll just finish it off with your neck ribbon!"
Gangle continued to cry with laughter until he finally decided to stop.
"Did you have fun, Gangle?"
She was out of breath, but she nodded. She likes being tickled but is too shy to ask.
"Wonderful, I'm so glad...! Welp, time to go and find the others!"
He had a sneaking suspicion that someone might have hid inside the tunnels hovering above the main lobby.
And, unfortunately for Pomni, because he could fly (and teleport), Caine snuck up on her.
"It's tickle time!" He wasted no time grabbing her and holding her down. He had to make himself a little bigger in order to properly to do it, though... Cuz she's already flailing.
"AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! CAINE, STOHOHOHOHOHOHOP!"
"But Pomni, I'm barely even touching you! Goodness, you're more sensitive than Gangle!"
"AHAHAHAHHAMM NOHOHOHOHOHOT!"
"Whatever you say, Pomni..." All he was doing was poking was here sides... Literally, he's just poking them.
Once he actually grabbed her waist and gave it a big squeeze, following a squeal as if she were a rubber chicken, she lasted about two seconds until she stopped laughing.
Caine looked at her confused until her face began to change color... that's when he realized she couldn't breathe.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry Pomni, I've gone too far!"
After she caught her breath, she reassured him. "No, no, you're fine... I just... need a breather."
"Thank goodness...! Welp, I might as well find the next circus member...! I should go fast, time's almost up!"
... He knows... He knows...
Caine is slowly floating towards my spot... is he waiting for me to run...?
I already know I can't outrun him... I don't feel like being in the open when tickled- wait... I'm in the lobby now...?
Next thing he knew, he was turning into a giggling mess and at Caine's mercy.
"You should smile like this more often, Jax! It suits you!"
"SHHHHUHUHUHUHUHUT UHUHUHUP! AHAHAHAHA! CAHAHAHAHAHIHIHINE! PLEHEHEHASE! STHOHOP! AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Then, as if he were an actual rabbit, he stamped his feet in frustration after a few snorts, squeals, and squeaks escaped from his mouth.
"Such cute little noises! I think you have the most tickle spots out of everyone here! I found one here..." His belly. "These areas..." His entire torso. "And especially here!" His feet. "What about behind your ears?"
Jax was going nuts everytime Caine touched each of those spots, but he fell limp once his ears received attention.
After a few more seconds, Caine has to stop himself from getting too carried away before time is up. "Ba-bye, Jax!"
Caine was looking around in the main lobby for a while... but there wasn't a whole lot of places left to hide... actually, there were more places to hide besides the main lobby, but they may have panicked because he rigged the game in his favor.
Luckily, there was one more place he hasn't checked... The Fun House.
And sure enough, Ragatha was hiding in here... and as soon as she heard mischievous giggles behind her, she knew it was over.
Well, she didn't really have time to react at all cuz he charged right at her as he giggled.
Now she was flailing around like a ragdoll (literally) while Caine tickled her armpits.
"I'm so glad you all are enjoying this as much as I am!"
"BuhuHUHUhuhut IhEEEEEM NOHOHOHOT!"
"Don't lie, Ragatha, please...? You're not very good at it."
She tried to keep talking, but it cracked and turned into a breathless wheeze with every attempt.
After tickling her lower back, neck, and feet, he pulled away and let her breathe.
"Sorry if I'm rather ruthless at the moment, but I have two more people to find!"
Ragatha still couldn't speak.
"Speechless, I know!" He chuckled before taking off.
After finding no one else in the main lobby, he looked for the next best place to find somebody... More like some... ONE.
He knew Kinger would either hide in his pillow fort, the giant pillow fort, his room, or the newly added abstraction aquarium... And Kinger's been visiting the aquarium really often.
So when he saw Caine appear in the aquarium through a peep hole, he held in a startled yelp and slowed his breathing down.
Calm down, Kinger... Just calm down... Even if he finds you, it's just a few harmless tick-
An abstraction swam around aggressively for a few seconds before calming down again... but the rumbling it made caused the loose door to slowly creak open... and Caine was looking right at him.
Queenie, if that was you that swam around, I swear!
"Oh, why hello there, Kinger... I just want to thank you for the new code... everyone enjoyed themselves quite a lot."
He gulped. Somehow, he doubts this will feel the same as his wife doing the tickling.
"Alright, time to get you out of there!" Caine snapped as Kinger teleported out of the room then appeared right in front of him.
"C-Caine, remember what I said about b-being gentle!"
"Why Kinger, are you nervous? What for? Remember that it's just tickles...~"
Caine inched closer while wiggling his fingers.
Kinger braced himself before feeling the fingers scribbling all over him. He didn't last long.
"Hehehehehe! Caihine, waihihihit!"
"Hm, for some reason, I feel as if you're holding back... why is that...?"
Kinger didn't say anything. Instead he shrugged, not only because he didn't know why he was being so nervous, but also because Caine made his way to his neck.
"Kinger... May you kindly let me hear your true laughter?"
Kinger would have... but then he remembered that Caine was almost out of time. If there were any other members left that hadn't gotten tickled, then he should at least hold Caine off until time was up.
"Hm... the youngsters are a bad influence towards you... You've become quite stubborn... But don't worry, I'll figure out how to get you to crack..."
Suddenly, Caine tickled the spot right in the middle of his back where, theoretically speaking, his lower rib bones would meet with the spine.
Kinger held his breath until he started gasping for air. His eyes were twice the size they normally were. He was shaking and squirming.
Come on Kinger...! Just a few... more... MINUTES!
But little did Kinger know, that Caine already knew where Zooble was... So at the very last minute, he could teleport right next to her in that basement.
And after he grew multiple arms, and tickled every spot in existence, Kinger couldn't take it anymore.
"CAHAHAHAHAHAHIHIHINE! STOHOHOHOP! IHIHI CAHAHAHAN'T!!!! PLEHEHEHEHAHAHASE!!! HAHAHVE MERHERHERCYHYHYYYYY!"
That laughter was all Caine needed to hear... now he can attack Zooble.
He stopped tickling Kinger then, after summoning a glass of water for him, he teleported away.
Sorry, everyone... looks like he found us all.
"Okay Zooble... breathe... there's only a minute left... I'm pretty sure he found everyone else-"
Welp, Caine just won... oh well.
"Cahahahaine! Youhouhou lihihittle shihit!"
"Hey now, just because I gave you all the ability to swear and stuff doesn't mean you should be calling me bad names."
"Ohohoh fuhuhuck oh off yohouhou pri-IIIIICKKK!!!" Caine tickled their neck. "STOHOHOHOP THAT YOHOHOU AHAHAHHASSSHAHAHHAT!!!! AHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Caine kept tickling their neck while also giving their belly a few gentle squeezes.
"My, my, you only have two tickle spots...! That's interesting!"
Zooble couldn't speak anymore.
"Well, since my timer is about to go off, I will do one more thing to you that I didn't get to do with the others."
Caine teased them by taking a big deep breath before finally delivering the final blow... literally, he blew a raspberry into their stomach.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
After the timer went off, they all gathered around in front of the stage.
Caine was giving a speech about how much fun he had... but there was tension in the air...?
What was it even about? There's not supposed to be angst in this fic...
Oh, I see... it's comic retribution...
Careful Caine, they're gonna getcha.
As he spoke they slowly inched closer. He was closing his eyes the whole time, so that was helping too.
Once he opened his eyes, they surrounded him.
He was nervous and began to digitally sweat. "Uh, h-hey guys... what- heh... wh-whatcha doing?"
Kinger spoke. "Oh nothing, nothing... I just wanted to tell you something about your new code... while, yes, I added tickle data into your database for tickling other people... I also added something else... that way it's fair."
Caine gulped... he had an idea of what 'something else' was. "Kinger... You didn't...!"
"Mhm... I sure did, Caine."
They all pounced and tickled every spot in existence... While Kinger doubled his sensitivity to touch every few minutes.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! STHOHOHOP! POMNI! NOHOHOT THE BEHEHEHELLY! *GASP* JAHAHAAAXX!!! RAGATHAHAHAHAHAAAA! *GASP* NOHOHOT THE AHAHAHARMPIHIHITS!!!! *GASP* GAHAHAHAHAGLE!!! GEHEHEHEHT AWAHAHAHY FROHOM MYHYHY FEHEHEHEEHEEHEEEEET!!! *GASP* ZOOBLE, NOOOHOHOHOHOHOHOOO!!!! *GASP* I CAHAHAHAN'T STHAHAHAHAHAND THEHE SHOHOHOHOUHOUHOULDEHEHEHEHEHERHERHERS!!! *GASP* AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"
Kinger joined in after being satisfied with the sensitivity settings, tickling the top of his... Teeth... Head...? Whatever he calls it.
"KIHINGER! NOHOT YOUHOU TOOHOOHOOOOO!" Caine began to cry just before his laughter went silent and he started glitching.
They all laughed mischievously.
They let him go not too long after he went silent because he made noises similar to hiccups.
After he caught his breathe, he pouted. "Meanies!"
"Oh, revenge... you're so sweet." Jax grinned.
"At least you're happy!" Gangle was practically beaming.
"She's right." Zooble was glad this all worked out.
Ragatha put a hand on Caine's shoulder. "Please be more gentle with us next time, okay?"
"I'm glad we got him back... it probably would've kept me up all night." Pomni sighed, kinda embarrassed since tickling isn't always her thing.
Kinger sat down, kinda tired from the experience.
Caine saw kinger give him a look, but it wasn't mischievous... it was more... proud.
The look he gave him was like a father to a son.
And the words that Kinger must've been saying were...
You did an excellent job, Caine... Keep up the good work.
I told y'all it was gonna be long, HOO BOY!!!
I'm not bothering with any mistakes, so it's whatevz forevz.
Anyways, I'm gonna continue the other fic I was writing now... Ba-bye!