Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The Wake-up Call
The circus never sleeps.
It can’t.
Even when the lights dim into an imitation of night, the carnival hums beneath the silence. Distant calliope music drifts through the endless hallways. The walls pulse with colors that, depending on who you are, could be pure joy to see or a mere eyesore.
Jax HATES mornings.
A groan escapes the rabbit as tired eyes open to the familiar pink room. Jax sits up, staring blankly at the stripes on the wall before finally getting out of bed and heading towards the main room.
Another day.
Another adventure.
Another performance.
“Jax.” The voice is barely louder than a whisper.
Jax freezes.
“Jax.” The sound settles somewhere deep in the pit of Jax’s stomach.
Familiar.
Almost too familiar.
Slowly, Jax sits upright, whole body twitching.
“Ribbit?” Jax whispers with a shaky tone.
Silence.
Nothing.
The room is empty.
Jax looks around the room, “guess I’m finally losing it.”
The hallway outside Jax’s room stretches on longer than it has any right to. Brightly colored wallpaper curls along the walls, decorated with different paintings and each door equipped with a symbol of the face of the owner. Somewhere in the distance, you could hear the other circus members conversing, laughter spreading throughout. As Jax passes by Ribbit's old room, a sad expression appears on the rabbit's face.
Jax stuffs both hands into the pockets of the familiar overalls and lets out a long sigh, “definitely losing it.”
The words disappear into the empty hallway.
No answer.
Jax climbs the winding staircase toward the café on the top floor. It’s been a while since Jax has been up here. Ever since Ribbit abstracted, Jax has avoided this place because of the sad memories it brings up. Jax drinks the usual hot chocolate and enjoys some time alone.
Before Jax even reaches the counter, a steaming mug slides across it as though pushed by invisible hands.
“At least somebody around here knows my order,” Jax smirks.
The rabbit slides onto a barstool, picking up the mug and letting the warmth seep into cold hands before enjoying a sip.
For a while, everything is quiet.
The hot chocolate tastes exactly the same as it used to. Sweet. Warm. Comforting in a way that almost feels artificial.
Maybe it was.
Maybe everything here was.
Footsteps interrupt the silence.
“Morning, Jax,” Ragatha stands beside the booth with her usual gentle smile. Despite the early hour, she looks as put together as ever, carefully stitched hair falling neatly over one shoulder.
“You mind if I sit?” Ragatha asks politely.
Jax shrugs without looking up.
“It looks like you’ve already decided,” Jax scoffs with a bit of annoyance.
Ragatha chuckles before taking a seat at the bar next to Jax.
For a moment, neither of them speaks. The silence isn’t uncomfortable. Just… different.
“You seem quieter than usual,” Ragatha finally says.
Jax takes another sip of hot chocolate.
“You seem noisier than usual,” Jax says with a bit of sass.
“I was just checking on you,” Ragatha mutters with a bit of hesitation, almost knowing the quippy response she’s going to get back.
“And I’m just drinking my hot chocolate,” Jax replies mockingly.
“You sure you’re alright?” Ragatha asks with a bit of concern.
Jax stares into the hot chocolate with a blank expression.
“You ask too many questions,” Jax responds with a sharp tone.
Ragatha blinks, then smiles anyway.
“Alright,” with that, Ragatha stands up from the booth.
“If you ever want to talk…” Ragatha says before Jax interrupts, “I don’t.”
“Okay,” Ragatha murmurs with an upset tone.
For just a second, guilt tugs at something deep inside Jax’s chest. It disappears beneath the familiar grin before it can grow into anything more. Ragatha quietly walks downstairs, disappearing into the colorful bustle below.
“She still worries,” a mysterious but familiar voice whispers.
Jax nearly drops the mug.
“Who’s there?” Jax says with a sharp tone.
No answer. Only the gentle crack of the fireplace in the café.
“Just like she always did,” the voice is softer this time.
Warmer. Almost comforting.
“Ribbit?” Jax whispers.
A lump forms in the rabbit’s throat. Nothing. Then…
“You don’t have to be alone,” the warmth in the mug suddenly feels real.
Not because of the drink, but because for the first time in what feels like forever.
Someone familiar speaks.
Someone who shouldn’t have been here.
Footsteps are heard near the café entrance.
“Oh,” Pomni freezes halfway through the entrance.
“I uh… didn’t know anyone was up here,” Pomni says while slowly shuffling forward.
Jax quickly looks up and blankly stares at Pomni.
Pomni hesitates, “can I sit?”
Jax sighs, “ugh I guess. Can’t get an ounce of alone time in this place.”
Pomni carefully sits at the bar seat next to Jax, awkwardly folding gloved hands together on the table.
Neither speaks. The silence stretches on.
Pomni glances toward the untouched half of Jax’s hot chocolate.
“You know…”
Jax raises an eyebrow.
“You’re usually making fun of someone by now,” Pomni says.
“Give it time, I need to brew something up,” Jax responds.
Pomni gives a small smile, “I was worried.”
“You should really find a hobby,” Jax scoffs.
“I have hobbies,” Pomni murmurs while trying to avoid making direct eye contact with Jax.
“Obsessing over me doesn’t count,” Jax says with a smirk on his face.
Pomni looks down at the table and says, “ I wasn’t trying to bother you.”
Before Jax can respond, they are suddenly teleported to the main room of the circus, still in the same sitting position they were in the café. As they teleport, Jax drops the hot chocolate on the floor, causing it to smash on the ground with the hot chocolate spilling all over the Rabbit’s overalls.
“NO TIME FOR THAT!” Caine’s booming voice drowns out the complaint before it could leave Jax’s mouth.
“HELLO, MY BUTTER MELANCHOLY CAKES!” Caine screams with excitement to the entire circus crew, with Bubble floating excitedly around his head.
“DO I HAVE AN ADVENTURE FOR YOU! Come on, everyone,” Caine opens a portal and drags everyone into it.
“I’ve created the perfect suburban paradise! A completely normal neighborhood where absolutely nothing strange is happening!” Caine exclaims.
The portal spits the group onto a perfectly paved sidewalk.
Jax stumbles forward, wiping the last few drops of hot chocolate from the front of the overalls. “Seriously,” Jax groans.
Rows of identical pastel houses stretch as far as the eye could see. White picket fences line every yard, each painted so perfectly they almost look fake. Every lawn is cut to the exact same height, flowerbeds bloom with impossible precision, and not a single weed dares poke through the soil.
A warm summer breeze drifts through the neighborhood, carrying with it the faint scent of freshly baked apple pie and cut grass. Somewhere in the distance, a lawnmower hums steadily, though no one can be seen pushing it. The afternoon sun hangs high above the neighborhood, bathing every street in a warm golden glow that feels almost manufactured.
The group slowly takes in their surroundings.
Gangle looks around with wide eyes, carefully adjusting the comedy mask resting on the side of the ribbon wrapped around the neck.
“It’s… actually kind of pretty,” Gangle whispers.
“Pretty?” Jax scoffs, “of course you’d think it’s pretty.”
Gangle’s smile immediately falters. The ribbon instinctively shrinks back a little, clutching the edge of the comedy mask.
Zooble shoots Jax an annoyed glare.
“Can you go five minutes without being an a**?” Zooble says.
Jax shrugs, “I could.”
“Then do it,” Zooble states firmly.
“But where’s the fun in that?” Jax responds with a smirk.
Zooble rolls their eyes, “You’re exhausting.”
Before Jax could fire back another remark, Ragatha steps between them with an awkward smile, “Come on, guys. Let’s at least try to get through one adventure before we start arguing.”
The tension dissolves almost as quickly as it appears.
Kinger, seemingly oblivious to the exchange, wanders over to a perfectly trimmed hedge.
“I’ve never seen a bush this symmetrical before,” Kinger says, gently running a hand across the leaves.
Pomni slowly turns in a circle, taking in the seemingly endless rows of houses.
“Doesn’t everything look… the same?” Pomni asks nervously.
She isn’t wrong. Every mailbox is painted the same bright white. Every driveway holds the exact same cherry-red station wagon. Every porch features the exact same rocking chair, swaying despite the breeze barely being strong enough to move a blade of grass.
Jax shoves both hands into the pockets of the overalls.
“I already hate this place,” Jax groans loudly.
A cheerful chime echoes throughout the neighborhood.
With a loud pop, a brightly colored wooden sign erupts from the ground directly in front of the group, causing Gangle to jump back in surprise.
The sign wobbles for a moment before settling into the freshly cut grass. Bright yellow letters slowly appear across the wooden board.
SUBURBAN SANDBOX SIMULATION
Today's Objectives:
- Meet three friendly neighbors.
- Attend the neighborhood block party.
- Solve one community problem.
Have Fun! :)
The sign disappears in a shower of confetti almost as quickly as it appeared.
“Seems simple enough,” Ragatha says, trying to sound optimistic.
Pomni glances around nervously.
“I don’t know… something feels off,” She questions.
“Everything here feels off,” Zooble mutters.
Jax lets out an exaggerated sigh, “Can we just get this over with?”
Without waiting for anyone else, Jax begins walking down the sidewalk.
“Jax, wait up!” Pomni calls after the rabbit.
“Shouldn’t we… probably stick together?” Pomni says with a forced smile.
“Ugh, I work better alone. Bye now,” Jax mutters.
Jax waves a hand dismissively before continuing down the street.
Ragatha sighs, “I’ll go with Pomni.”
Pomni nods, “I… I’d like that.”
Zooble looks toward Gangle, whose ribbon still clutched the comedy mask tightly.
“C’mon,” Zooble motions to Gangle.
“H-huh?” Gangle looks with a shock in her eyes.
“We’re not going to let Jax ruin the whole vibe,” Zooble says.
Gangle gives a small smile, “...Okay,” she exclaims.
Meanwhile, Kinger has already wandered halfway across the street.
“Oh!” He yells.
Everyone turns.
“This mailbox has a little flag,” Kinger says.
Nobody responds. Kinger gently lifts the tiny red flag.
It slowly lowers itself back down.
“Fascinating… very fascinating,” Kinger says, looking intrigued.
Kinger continues walking as though he’s solved one of life’s greatest mysteries.
The rest of the group simply watched him go.
“Should someone stop him?” Pomni asks.
“Nah, he’ll find his way back somehow,” Zooble shrugs.
Ragatha and Pomni approach the nearest house. The front door slowly creaks open. A woman steps onto the porch carrying a freshly baked apple pie.
She smiles.
She doesn’t blink.
“Welcome to Maple Meadows,” she says with a warm voice.
Almost too warm.
“We’re so happy to have new neighbors!” she exclaims.
Ragatha smiles politely, “Thank you.”
The woman continues smiling.
“We’re so happy to have new neighbors!” she exclaims.
Pomni shifts uncomfortably, “Ummmmm… Thank you?”
“We’re so happy to have new neighbors!” she exclaims.
“She’s repeating herself,” Pomni whispers.
“Maybe she’s just really, really excited,” Ragatha forces a smile.
Across the street, Zooble and Gangle wander through a small neighborhood park. Everything looks untouched.
Not a single swing moves.
Not a single bird chirps.
Even the flowers look as though they’d been painted rather than grown.
“It’s… peaceful,” Gangle whispers.
Before Zooble can answer—
“There you are,” Jax leans casually against a white picket fence with that familiar smug grin.
“I was wondering how long it’d take you two to find the world’s most boring park,” Jax scoffs.
Gangle looks down, “I-I just thought it looked nice.”
“Of course you did,” Jax says while rolling both eyes dramatically.
“You’d probably think watching paint dry counts as entertainment,” Jax says with a sly smirk.
Gangle instinctively takes a step backward and trips on the edge of the sidewalk.
“OH!” she exclaims
The ribbon stumbles, and the comedy mask slips free.
Time seems to slow.
The porcelain mask strikes the hard pavement.
CRACK.
Silence.
Gangle stares at the fractured mask.
“N-No…” Gangle says, voice trembling.
The ribbon hurriedly picks it up with trembling hands.
A jagged crack stretches from one side of the smile to the other.
The comedy mask is broken.
“I’m sorry…” Gangle whispers despite nobody having blamed her.
“I-I wasn’t paying attention…” Gangle says while clutching both broken parts of the mask.
Zooble immediately kneels beside Gangle. “Hey,” she says while rubbing Gangle’s shoulder.
The ribbon doesn’t look up.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Zooble says while comforting Gangle.
“I… I broke it,” Gangle mutters with the tears of her new tragedy mask.
“You tripped,” Zooble responds.
Zooble carefully takes the mask, examining the crack before handing it back.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get Caine to get you another one when we get back,” Zooble says to Gangle.
Gangle nods weakly.
“Okay,” Gangle says, holding back the tears of the tragedy mask.
Zooble slowly stands up.
The glare directed at Jax could’ve frozen lava.
“You happy now?” Zooble says with a sharp tone.
Jax’s grin lingers, “Whaaaat… I didn’t touch it.”
“No,” Zooble folds both her arms, “but you never know when to stop.”
For just a moment, Jax’s smile falters.
Only for a mere second.
Then it returns.
“Whatever,” Jax scoffs.
The rabbit shoves both hands into the pockets of the overalls before turning away.
“That wasn’t very nice.”
Jax freezes mid-step.
“Ribbit?” Jax whispers.
The neighborhood around the rabbit seems quieter than before.
“I know you didn’t mean for that to happen,” the voice whispers.
Jax swallows, “Where are you?”
“I’m here,” the voice says with warmth.
The voice sounds close.
Close enough to reach out and touch.
Yet there was nobody there.
Only identical houses stretching endlessly beneath the unmoving afternoon sun.
“You should apologize,” the voice whispers.
Jax's ears lower, “I… can’t.”
“You can,” The voice whispers.
“I…” Jax pauses.
The rabbit looks back toward Gangle.
Zooble is still trying to cheer the ribbon up.
Jax tries to speak–
Nothing comes out.
Instead, the rabbit quietly turns away.
Pomni watches across the street.
“Ragatha?” Pomni says while tapping Ragatha on the shoulder.
“Yeah, Pomni,” Ragatha responds.
“I think Jax’s talking to someone,” Pomni says.
Ragatha looks over. Jax stands completely alone. Head slightly tilted. As though listening.
“Jax?” Pomni calls out.
The rabbit jumps, “What do you want?”
“Who… were you talking to?” Pomni asks.
Jax blinks, “Nobody.”
The answer comes far too quickly.
Pomni isn’t convinced. Neither is Ragatha. For a brief moment, the entire neighborhood seems to fall silent.
The wind stops.
The rocking chairs on every porch freeze. Even the distant lawnmower goes quiet.
“Jax,” the voice returns.
Softer than before.
Gentler.
“Come with me,” the voice calls to Jax.
“Where?” Jax asks.
“There’s something I want to show you,” the voice says.
The rabbit looks around.
Nothing.
Just rows upon rows of identical houses stretching toward the horizon.
Nobody else seems to hear it.
“Jax?” Pomni calls out again, “You okay?”
Jax hesitates, “... Yeah.”
It isn’t convincing. Without another word, the rabbit turned away from the rest of the group.
“Hey!” Ragatha calls, “We need to go this way!”
“I’ll catch up,” Jax says without even turning back to look at Ragatha.
Jax continues walking.
Not toward the neighborhood.
Not toward the group.
Toward the narrow alleyway between two identical houses.
Pomni yells, “Jax!”
No response.
The alley seems darker than the rest of the neighborhood.
The sunlight stops at its entrance, as though swallowed by an unnatural shadow.
“Keep going,” the voice says.
The voice sounds closer now.
Almost… Beside Jax.
The rabbit swallows hard before taking another step.
Then another.
Pomni watches from across the street.
“I’m going to check on Jax,” Pomni says.
Ragatha gently grabs Pomni’s arm, “wait.”
“What if something is wrong?” Pomni says.
“Don’t worry, Jax will be fine,” Ragatha responds.
Pomni looks back at the alley.
Jax has already disappeared into the darkness between the houses.
Only the empty sidewalk remains.
Far away…
Almost too quiet to hear…
A familiar voice whispers once more.
“Thank you for coming.”