It wasn't easy, looking for something you didn't even think was real. The Exit Pomni had seen didn't existāat least not in the sense that it could help them all escape.
It was easier with Caine, though. He knew the Circus like the back of his gloved hand, and while he didn't know the way out, it was nice not getting lost.
Kinger seemed moreā¦sane. Everyone noticed the difference between Kinger in darkness and out of it. And Caine, a day after the confrontation, Caine went up to him.
He looked like a guilty child facing their guardian, head hung low and eyes cast down in shame.
But Kinger didn't yell, didn't scold. āHey Caine.ā He said it so easily, like this wasn't the failed god that had tried to make this world Hell for them. Just adjusted the bucket atop his head, awaiting Caine's reply.
Caine, voice taut, rasped out, āI'm sorry. For everything. I know this won't make up for it, butā¦ I thought it might help better than the bucket.ā
With a sharp snap of his fingers, a baseball cap appeared in between them. It looked almost identical to the one Kinger had worn when playing against the Evil Big Tops, except on the front, in bright letters, the word āKingerā was spelled out, the size of the hat bigger than the original.
His eyes widened, and Caine waited to be told it was stupid. Useless.
Yet, without hesitation, Kinger just chuckled, grabbing the hat. With glee, he switched the bucket for the baseball cap, his eyes making it seem like he was smiling.
āThis is great, Caine! I don't remember a whole lot from that adventure, but it was pretty fun. And this is definitely more comfortable than the bucket.ā Said bucket was dropped to the floor, Kinger more concerned with adjusting the new gift. It was big enough to cover his eyes mostly, shielding him in darkness while still looking like a hat.
All Caine could do was justā¦ Float there, nodding. It would take time for everyone to forgive him, or trust him again, but maybe this was a start.
After that, Caine disappeared into his office, pondering what to give everyone else; yet, drawing blanks continuously, he decided to go back and join the humans once more.
They were all settled in that little cafƩ, drinking whatever they pleased and eating sandwiches. Caine appeared in the middle of it, about to say something wonderfully chaotic.
But the first person to see him wasā¦Jax. Half-turned in his seat, immediately scowling at him the moment he appeared.
It was deserved, but it still made Caine feel something inside him aching.
So, without a word, without a sound, Caine left. Back to his office, like a coward.
Of course no one wanted to see him while they weren't hunting for the Exit. He wasn't useful if he wasn't aiding them, and what purpose did he have justā¦talking to them? Acting like one of them when he wasn't.
Not a god. Not a mortal. Something other, something that didn't fit. Much like the patchwork creations now scattered around the Circus, another one of Kinger's creations to fix up the holes while Caine looked for a way out.
It was at one of those little āconstruction sitesā that Caine saw Kinger teaching Pomni how to use their ability to conjure to patch up the holes. How many days had it been since his objective had changed? Two, three? He couldn't remember. He didn't want to.
As he floated above them, out of sight behind a wall, he could hear Pomni's sardonic laugh as Kinger led her through his process of conjuring while adjusting his cap. Like always, Pomni was trying to help, trying to mend what was broken, even if that laugh was very telling of her mental state.
Again, Caine ran, back to his office. He couldn't remember why he'd come out in the first place. To help? When they were already fixing what he couldn't, since the virus limited his abilities?
They just needed him to look for a way out. Nothing more.
So, in that office filled with memories of the Circus, Caine sat back in his chair, frowning. Trying to look for files about C and A once more.
Even with the virus, Caine could still look through data and the software, butā¦ There was nothing. Nothing about an exit, only about him andā¦ Well, that wasn't important. Obviously there was no Exit to be found in the code or the files of this wretched place.
He had told them as much, but he still wanted to try again. He didn't want to keep failing them.
Hours passed as Caine looked and looked, scrolling and searching through endless files he already knew the contents of. Again. Again. Again, until his eyes were swimming and the files started blending together.
I should just stay here, he thought, snapping the files away.
Moments later, he heard a scream, pulling him to the main area of the Circus.
Gangle was falling into one of the holes, barely snatching the edge before she fell fully. But the ribbon couldn't holdā
Thank C and A for his ability to teleport through his realm. Caine was instantly in front of Gangle, grabbing that thin ribbon she had for an arm and pulling her out.
Gangle gasped as she spiraled through the air, landing in a pile of ribbon with her mask on top, eyes wide with shock.
āGuess you're not useless after all.ā
Approaching them, Jax held a hand to his hip, scowl scathing. Had Caine not been there, it would have seemed like the bunny was talking to Gangle, putting her down like usual.
Caine could only stand there, code buffering to come up with a response.
Somehow, without him noticing, Gangle got up, rearranging herself.
āDon't be so negative, I could have fallen.ā Her voice quivered, but she stood there, between the Ringmaster and Jax.
āWhat a shame that would've been,ā he responded, rolling his eyes. Even to Caine, the sarcasm was evident.
Without a fight, Caine hung his head, going back to his office. Running, like he always did.
After that, he didn't know how much time went by. All he knew was that he had been staring through Bubble, at the wall, for an eternity.
Until a knock came to his office.
He blinked. āCome in?ā
The door opened to reveal Kinger, still wearing that hat. As he walked in, he raised his hand, waving a bit.
āHey, Caine. I haven't seen you around in a bit, so I thought I'd check up on you. And we're about to have dinner, so I wanted to see if you'd like to join.ā
āJoin?ā He couldn't eat. Technically none of them could, but Caine especially. Why would heā¦
āI wanted you to join us,ā Kinger said, eyes upturned in a mouthless smile. āIt's not as interesting without you with us.ā
Truly? Was this another trick?
He seemed sincere. Happy.
Even though he couldn't eat, Kinger had still created a ham to be put in front of Caine so he didn't feel left out. Meanwhile everyone else ate away, making their own conversation between each other.
Kinger with Ragatha and Pomni on Caine's right, and Zooble and Gangle to his left. Jax, at the far end of the curved table, just sat there, frowning at his pie with his head resting on his palm.
Even despite that, though, it felt nice to be included. Willingly let into their lives instead of forcing his way in.
Kinger turned to him mid-conversation. āWhat do you think Caine? That there might be a way out?ā
Caine lifted his head up. āI haven't been able to find any clues or pathways, but if there was a way for all of you to get in, I'm sure there's a way out.ā
It was rational, though Caine didn't fully believe it. He was lying a but, yes, but at least he wasn't making false promises.
Pomni smiled, nodding. āI hope so. We just need to keep looking.ā
Jax scoffed at that, but they ignored him, Gangle and Zooble throwing him a glare before starting up a conversation with Caine about anime.
Thank you for reading, amd @cgsdraws I'm so sorry it took so long for this chapter š N9w that school's out hopefully I'll be able to get chapters out quicker
Hope y'all enjoyed, and have a great day/night :)
