🎭 Kenn 🎭

AU Masterpost

The base premise of this entire au is essentially:

what if the main cast had completly abstracted?

Be it from a long period or in quick succession. I'll leave it up to viewer interpretation to decide. It's not important how, the baseline is: Caine never has his character development. Or perhaps he has it to late. He is left all alone with his npcs and nobody but bubble to talk to.

In this au timeline, he ends up getting rid of bubble in a fit of rage. But once he does he was so much more lonely.

All he had to do for months was just hope some new humans would eventually come along. So he spent his time waiting.

Then one day, one did come along. And soon, he had a whole new cast to host.

He won't make the same mistakes again.

Keep in mind. There's going to be 10 chapters, with a art piece poster for each. I've already completed most of the writing, I'm uploading each chapter as I complete the artworks.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Heckle (Caineworld mini comic)

Mama Jax is ok!

First

Previous

Chapter 6

It was late at night when Tiktak and pezzo navigating the corridors. Pezzo playing the role of guide, showing the other some of the more intresting places he's remembered around the tent.

As they were returning to their sleeping quarters, pezzo went rigid. Tiktak mimicked the others stillness. Wondering what was wrong. Then they heard it.

It was the muffled, wet hitch of sobs. Drifting from cactinas side of the hall.

Something tightened in tiktaks chest hearing that.

The two share a look of mutual concern. Slowly approaching her door. Tiktak put their ear to the seam. Carefully listening. There was no mistaking crying.

Pezzo lifted his hand to knock. But his courage wavered. he couldn't bring himself to make contact. He looks to tiktak. His face a map of hesitancy.

Tiktak decided to knock softly. "Cactina..? Is everything alright..?"

Slowly the noise calms to silence.

Pezzo moved to try and open the door. Finding it unlocked. He pulls the door open, instead of a room, he was met with nothing but a solid, impassive brick wall.

He let out a defeated sigh. Mumbling. "I don't think she wants to talk..."

He gently shuts the door. Giving up.

Tiktak furrowed their brows, staring at the closed frame. They felt a lingering, gnawing urge to do more. to bridge the gap. but the wall behind the door felt like a definitive rejection.

Pezzo turned away, already walking back toward the dark halls. "Probably just another nightmare," he said, though he didn't sound entirely convinced.

Come morning, Caine acted as a jagged, multi limbed alarm clock. Multiple arms erupted from his torso, stretching like taffy down the bedroom hallway to pound on every door at once. Each of the multiple hands making racket.

"WAKE UP-! I HAVE A SUPRISE FOR YOU MY LITTLE BUTTERED UP CORNBALLS"

Gabba got his door open, only to recoil as thoes spindly limbs retracted with a wet snap. His eyes went saucer sized and fixed on the spot where the limbs had just vanished. Pezzo comes out seconds later just in time to miss the spectacle entirely. He wasn't sure why gabba seemed tense.

Ms. Brown, Cameron, and tiktak came up from the far end of the hall. Bleary eyed. Blinking at the bright lights of the hall.

Once the group had gathered, caines eyes darted to cactinas door. He paused. His head cocking.

"That's strange. Normally she's the first one out here-"

Caine was sporting a new look today for the special occasion. Instead of his usual red, he wore a tuxedo of shimmering black sequins that caught the light in spakling patterns. He went on to explain. "No matter. Now my dear superstars, it has come to my attention that our delightful companion tiktak has expressed a desire for more celebrations."

Everyone looks to tiktak, who looked confused. "I didint word it like that, I just-i made an offhand comment that my birthday should be getting close if I kept track of the days right."

Caine twirled his walking stick with a flourish. "A glorious idea! I've taken initiative. it's everyone's birthday! An in house adventure, Head to the main room and partake in the revelry I've provided!"

Cactina approached Caine from behind. Having just come up the stairs. Turns out she wasn't in her bedroom. She stood not far away as Caine lowered to the ground and put a hand to his chin in thought.

"Now if only cactina were here now-" cactina placed a hand on his shoulder. Smiling. "I'm here now."

Caine gasps, his eyes popping wide as his head spins around to see her. "Cactina! My quilled quesodila, Where have you been?"

She took his hands and pulled him to the stairs with infectious energy. "I saw the set up, i challenge you to a game of chess-!"

Caine stumbled, nearly tripping over his legs now that he was on his feet. "Oh-you're including me-? Why id be delighted!"

"It's everyone's birthday. Come on birthday boy."

Pezzo rolled his eye. Going to the stairs. "Come on. It's probably something lame, but at least we get a break-holy spit."

Pezzo stopped dead as the group reached the bottom of the stairs. His eyewidening as he takesin the scene. The front room had been transformed. streamers spiraled from the ceiling like colorful ivy, glittery confetti littered the floor, the long feasting table groaned under the weight of a towering, multi tiered cake and enough snacks to feed an army.

As far as activities go, the place was an absolute playground. In the lounge area was a massive ball pit, a dance floor, pin the tail on the donkey, a pool of bobbing rubber ducks, puzzle games of all sorts sprawled about, a book corner, and a life size game of chess wich was laid out on the Checkered floor.

Cactina was currently playing Caine and watching as their pieces: npcs decorated as chess pieces, faught each other to the rules of the game. Cactina seems to be having fun watching the pieces fight when they were taken.

Given that she couldn't fly as Caine can, she had climbed up a few levels of the spiral stair case wich sat in the middle of the main room. It was a good way to see the board.

Gabba didint wait. He sprinted for the ball pit, diving in and vanishing. Only his rope tail visible, as it thrashed through the plastic spheres. Wagging.

Pezzo decided to fallow the others lead. "Awe Frick yeah-balls!" He cannon balled into the mix.

There was something for everyone here. Ms brown seemed a bit overwhelmed. Drifting to the book area to sit down and relax.

Cactina chuckles from her vantage point up on the spiral stairs in the tent, looking down at the board from up here.

"I've played plenty of bots before Caine." She teased. Her voice sharp. "I'm better at chess then you might think."

Caine retorts. Moving a piece. "G7 to C3-" caines bishop proceeded to battle cactinas knight. "-I think you just lost your knight my dear!"

Cactina replies. "1D to 4A" cactinas queen moves accordingly. "I think you're already in check-!"

Caine froze, looking to the board, feigning a look of exaggerated nervousness. "Oh you're right-I should focus. No more play talk. Focus-!"

Tiktak had drifted to the table. sipping their cup of punch, it tasted exactly like fresh watermelon.

As they absently leaned on a chair, they take in the sight of the cake. Now that they had a close look at it, something seemed off.

The first tier was made from crispy browned cubes of rice, outlined in what appeared to be shrimp, and decorated in some kind of sauce wich swirled and clung to the rice I hues of sweet and sour burgundy. The second layer was some sort of base but it was unrecognizable beneath the layers of crispy chicken tenders wich seemed to be the source of the sauce wich seeped into the bottom layer. Above everything, on top, was a bizarre lasagna, hamburger mix, which made up the top tier of the cake. Decorated in cilantro leaves. The top bun cradled an unstable bowl of some sort of soup.

Tiktak did their best to decipher this. Eventually, they yield and try to ask Caine what the idea was.

"Not to interrupt your guys fun, but what's with the cake..?" They asked cautiously.

Caine doesn't look away from the board. A hand on his chin. "Oh. I figured instead of a boring old cake, you would enjoy a combination of all your favorite foods. It's much more interesting. Quite cleaver if I do toot my own horn."

Ms brown rises from her spot with a grunt hearing this. Seeing an opportunity. "Oh. If I can find the kitchen, I'm sure I can make an alternative if anyone wants one? I love baking."

Caine simply snaps his fingers. A large box appears in a open area of the room. The door read:

Kitchen

He mumbles, focusing on his game of chess. "I dont see why not. Have the scrapped baking adventure kitchen. There should be everything you need..."

The bear figured this was simple enough, making her way inside. "Tiktak, would you like to help me?"

Tiktak seems a bit hesitant. "Well. I mean...-"

She stepped through. Looking the kitchen over. A cavernous open space with several cooking stations. A large timer hung from the ceiling, forboding, never to be used. Aswell as a judging table. There were various framed decorations such as "bless this mess" and "made with all the love you're legally allowed to give" strewn about on cobblestone walls with wooden trim lining the bottoms. Decorative china and painted plates were housed within glass viewing cabinets. The kitchen had a rustic lodge feeling. Warm and inviting. once Ms brown found the cook book besides a pantry stocked with ingredients she waved tiktak over. They place their drink down before stepping through the threshold. Grabbing an apron and hairnet. Hopefully they didint mess everything up.

Pezzo chills from in the ballpit as he watches cactina and caine play their game. No idea what these commands were or how to play, but they seemed to be having fun.

Gabba points out Cameron, who was currently staring daggers at caine from a hiding spot behind some props.

"Do you think he knows how to play chess..?" Gabba shrugs. Even if he did, he'd probably be to nervous to challenge cactina. Or an ai. The bot always wins in that case. Not to mention he wouldn't be able to move his pieces if they were voice activated. It's just some boring board game anyways.

Just then gabbas eyes widen as he sees cactinas remaining knight draw a sword from the back of its horse and slaughter a pawn.

Pezzo flinches, witnessing the same scene. "Ok. That was cool. Someone needs to teach ME how to play chess."

Gabba glanced to him. His eyes looking from pezzo to Cameron. Then back agin. Should they talk to him?

Pezzo laid back in the ballpit. "If you wanna talk with him, be my guest. He doesn't like me, remember? Ever since me and Tina had that fight he's just sorta hostile."

Gabba decided to give it the ol college try. Emerging from the ballpit and stealthily approaching camerons hiding spot as to not give the other away.

Once he was close enough he gave the others back a tap. Cameron jumps, looking to the piñata.

Gabba motions to caine with a confused look. the other looked like he wanted to explode him with his mind or something.

"Dude, this guy trips all my alerms. And he's way to close to her. I have to make sure these two don't start falling in love or something."

The other wasn't fallowing. He still looks confused.

"Look. Caines first dude that treated her nice that's not me. Her brother. It's not outside possible."

Gabba glanced around. Deciding to point out the pool. If he was really that worried about it, join the pair in something else.

"I um. Can't swim..."

Gabba furrows his brows. He guessed cactina can't either, taking the voice clip into consideration. He moved his finger to point to the dancefloor.

"..can't you just ask her to dance?"

Gabbas shoulders dropped. Almost to exclaim "Come on man"

"I know you won't try to charm her or anything. I just need her away from him...but i don't wanna fall on her."

Meanwhile, pezzo watched from where he was. Gabba returns. He motions to the dancefloor.

Pezzo hums at this. "You wanna dance? Shoot, ight. I'm down."

He unearthed himself from the many plastic spheres. Making his way over to where the checkered floor was colorful and blinking to the rhythm of the music.

As the boys moved, caine finally got the checkmate on cactina

"And that's a checkmate my thorned salad-! A stellar game." Caine floated over to her so they could shake hands. He took cactina into the air by her arm and lowered her to the ground to save her the trip down the stairs.

Cameron finally gathers his courage. approaching cactina. "Hey, um-did you wanna...do something else?"

Cactina looks to him. Her face bright. "Yeah sure. What did you have in mind?"

Prickley was thinking. Caine looked between the two. Entierly to oblivious. He chimed in. "We can go swimming? I even added a changing booth so you can all have fun swimsuits."

Cameron furrows his brow. His shoulders sagging. Whos 'we' in this scenario? Was the ai really gonna tag along for everything?

Cameron bet that guy wanted to see her in a swimsuit.

"I'm ok with anything." Cactina said, unphased.

Cactinas eye then caught the empty dance floor. Seeing pezzo and gabba approaching. Immediately she took one of each of their hands in hers, dragging themtowards the color changing floor with a squeal. Cameron stumbled after her and Caine floated behind like a balloon.

"I mean, we were into music on the outside, right?" Pezzo glanced to gabba.

Gabba gave a half and half motion with his hand. He played drums as a hobby. He was never really a dancer.

Cameron stumbles over. Crouching down to gabba.

"Well-go make sure her and dentures don't pair up-! You're the closest to her hight. I will do what i can."

Cactina was nearly a foot taller then he was, but gabba can't exactly argue. This was a mission now. A stupid. Meaningless mission. Probably somewhere in the bro code. He leaves to make his way over to cactina.

Pezzo watches confused. He was confused when Cameron offered out his hand.

The dancefloor pulsed with a rhythmic glowing patterns and music wich was synced perfectly to the energetic music.

Caine meanwhile was having the time of his life. Oblivious to the fact his dancing involved floating and gracefully moving while cactina laughed. She reached to catch his gloved hands.

Caine spins. "Isint this great? I didn't even know moving to sounds could be fun. I feel like a toaster in a hurricane."

Cactina keeps her smile, but her tone falters. "I don't know what that means..?"

Caine pauses. "Now that I think about it, neither do I!"

Just as caine leaned in, clearly preparing to try some sort of swing dance move with cactina, a colorful, furry figure wedged himself between them. Gabba kept a crepe-paper barrier between the two, taking cactinas hands into his.

Cactina blinked. Suprised. Gabba wanted to dance. Caines eyeballs swiveled toward gabba. "Oh, gabba! Joining the fun? I didn't know you were in a dancing mood -" caines tone shifted to excitement. "Oh-! Put on something spanish, this is a perfect pairing for guitars and castonets!"

As Caine zipped off to change the song. Gabba thinks. Is this stereotyping?

Was this artificial intelligence stereotyping them?

Caine snapped his fingers, suddenly, gabba was dressed in a suit with colorful ruffles on the sleeves and legs wich matched his paper fur, a rumba suit. Cactina was dressed in a long skirted frilly red dress. Contouring with her green skin. She also had a red poppy flower corsage on her left wrist. Her neck was adorned in Pearls. The two looked like a mis match of dancers.

Cactina looked down at gabba and smiles as the music swells. Gabba was looking nervous now. What did he sign up for.

He did his best to keep with the pace and tempo of the song. He wasn't exactly graceful but he was simple, firm and effective. He had done his job in blocking caines path. Forcing the ai to watch floating off on the sidelines like a giddy commet while cactina kept her attention on her new partner.

"Oh! Gabbas got moves!" She chirped. Pleasantly suprised. Although cactina has never heard this song, she was confident, Fast, and flowing with her moves. Her favorite moves seemed to consist of throwing her new many layered skirt around in a flamboyant fashion. She liked the way it moved.

Behind the pair, Cameron and pezzo were dancing. It was simple, but enough to warrent staying on the dancefloor.

As the pair dance pezzo sighs. "Alright. Dude, what's going on?"

Cameron twitches a bit. "A plan-"

Pezzo takes the lead. Guiding the others movements to be a bit more graceful. "Very helpful."

Cameron growls. Pezzo rolled his eye. "I can help, ya know"

"It's fine-i got it for now.."

Pezzo glanced around. It was pretty obvious what the other was trying to accomplish.

"Whatever you say man. Let's pass partners."

"Wait-what if I fall?"

He looked at cactina, who was currently in an energetic dance with gabba. The piñata was doing surprisingly good job of keeping the pace. But he kept glancing over to the others. He wanted out.

"Hey." Pezzo said. "You're overthinking it. Shes gonna be fine. You're not gonna fall. You're doing fine."

"Im...I'm going to fall." Cameron muttered.

"You're not falling." Pezzo reassured. "Gabba can only keep this up for so long. You're getting one shot at this. He passes you her, you gotta be there. This is your chance."

Cameron took a shaky breath. His four feet adjusting their footing. He didint need to be graceful. He just needed to be there. Unles he wanted her to fall. Or worse, be caught by Caine. He took a step forwards. Pezzo Gave gabba a signal.

In a bur, the two swapped. Gabba twirled cactina away, quickly moving to wrap his arms around pezzo and lean onto the other. He was worn. That girl had the energy to power a city.

Cameron manages to catch her.

Cactina looked up to him. Her eyes bright. "Baby bro-! I was wondering If I'd get to you."

He looked down to her. "You did?"

Caine clapped his hands. "A slowdance! I love it. Take a breather everyone." Gabba quickly started Making grabby hands at pezzo and making little jumps. He absolutely didint wanna risk a dance with caine. He wanted off his feet right then.

Pezzo scooped gabba up into his hold. Patting the others back. "At ease solider. You did good."

Gabbas tail lazily swayed as he got comfortable enough to rest in pezzos hold.

Cameron braught cactina to her feet. Moving to slow dance with her. At least he wasn't at risk of being clumsy.

Cactina barely came to his mid section. This pose felt incredibly awkward. But she looked beautiful in her dress. It was rare she got to wear clothes. Cactina looked up at him with a smile.

Caine looked to the pairs with adoring eye. He was happy just to be able to watch.

Once the slow song concluded, caine looked to his watch. Gasping. "Oh-its time for cake and presents! Everyone to the couches!"

Just like that, the dancing was over, the cast were all transported in an invisible hold to the lounge where Ms brown and tiktak are plopped in seats, dusted in flour and wearing stained aprons.

Caine spun his walking stick. Snapping his fingers. A wrapped present appeared in each person's lap.

"Now I've put thought into these gifts. Each is personalized. So I hope you all like your birthday presents."

Gabba was hesitant. This might be a glitter bomb in his lap. But he decided to trust caine this time and open his gift. His box had a notebook and multicolored pen inside. That was pretty useful. The notebook had the words "infinite paper" on the cover.

Tiktak looked inside theirs. It was a Caine plush.they take it from its box to look over.

Caine motions to tiktak. "Since tiktak hasn't really expressed wanting anything in particular, I figured they could use something to decorate their bedroom. "

Pezzo opens his. There was a pause. Nobody could see until he reached into the box to pull out a semi transparent, white blob wich was twitching rhythmically. "Oh you shouldn't have."

Caine replied proudly. "A beating heart for my friend who I distinctly remember missing them."

Pezzo stares at the blob in his hands. He's never seen a heart without blood before but this looks probably about right. Gabba stared wide eyed.

Ms brown retrieved a skien of white yarn from her box. Caine chimed in. "That ball of yarn is coded to never run out. So just pull from the center end there and you'll never need more. And when you've finished your projects, it can be easily dyed to whatever colors your plastic heart desires."

Ms brown perks at this. "Oh. How wonderful. Thank you."

Cameron looked to cactina. She returns the look. "You waiting on me?"

"Uh. Nope. Just..." he opened his present. Inside was a collar with a small golden bell. Cameron seems confused. Taking it out and putting it on.

"Thank I guess"

Cactina glanced over. "It fits you."

Cactina looked to her box. Smiling. She opens it with curiosity. Who knows what she couldve gotten.

Her smile falters.

The others look expectantly.

Cactina reaches her hands in the box. Taking out a cat. It was a grey tuxedo tabby cat with bits of brown around its face.

"...Mister kitty..?" Her voice trembled, barley louder then a breath.

Tiktak freezes. Gabbas eyes widen.

Caine chirped "yes, I do remember you mentioning you love cats. So I decided to make you one of your own. Or more specifically. Your own. I did some digging and found out how your precious furry friend behaved and looked and made them in the digital plane....and well, here he is!"

Cactina was shaking.

"I've also made a random genorator for mice to appear around the tent to keep them entertained. "

Met with silence, Caine continues "I was considerate, I made this furry friend impervois to harm. So no need to worry about hurting them."

Cactina had tears in her eyes. Her voice cracking. "I love him-! Thank you Caine." She placed the cat on its feet. The cat immediately rubs against her leg.

"Waitaminute-"

Cameron removed the collar from his neck, moving to fashion it on the cat. This made more sense. After a couple shaky handed tries, he got it on. Moving to pick the cat up into his lap. Petting them.

Caine quickly disperses the cake with a snap of his fingers. A plated slice of angel food cake floated around to each characters lap.

"Alright. I think you can handle yourselves from here. Good job with the cake. Have fun with your new presents." With that, Caine dissapeared. The space fell heavy with the unspoken weight of cactinas reaction.

Pezzo spoke up. Their tone soft. Edged with concern. "Tina...you alright?"

He may have been the only one to notice at first. But once the words were spoken, the others could see that cactina was frozen.

Ms brown fell silent. Her gaze fixed on cactina. Who was unusually still. The girl, usually bright, had gone radio silent. Staring to the cat with empty eyes.

Cactina rose with her cake. Walking towards the stairs. The cat fallows obediently at her side. Jumping from camerons lap. "I think I'm all partied out guys...I'm gonna go take a nap."

Ms brown places her cake down. "I'll come with you dear." The others exchanged uncertain glances. the boys and tiktak sat in silence.

The heaviness fallowed her up the stairs like a physical weight, clinging to cactinas shoulders. She moved with a stiff, mechanical gait, her gloved hands clenched tightly around the edge of her plate.

When the cat brushed her leg, she flinched. A sharp, jagged recoil, though she didint pull away.

Ms brown trailed behind, her plush form moving hurriedly. She didint press for conversation. She knew the patterns of cactina better than anyone. The girls model betrays her with signs. She can't hide how her eyes turned from vibrant blossoms, to white voids.

Cactina didint make it far with the cat weaving between her legs. She leaned against the wall between doors on her side of the hallway. Knees trembling, and tried to steady herself. Her inhale came in shallow, ragged bursts. The exhale was a wheeze that seemed to escape from the base of her throat. The colors grew sharp. She could feel her skin burn with cold. Her world was blurring. A high pitched ringing filled her ears, her heart hammered like a frantic drum that refused to slow. She was succumbing to a panic attack.

Ms brown hurried to her room. Retrieving cactinas quilt and racing back. By the time she re entered the hall, the plate had slipped from cactinas grip and clattered to the floor unoticed. Her eyes flicked wildly from one corner of the room to the next. her legs felt like they were going to give out from under her any moment. Her mind was a white out. Every thought dissolved into static. She couldn't handle existence at this moment. Only the blaring of unfinished memories flooded her mind. She was desperately blotting everything out. In doing so, she had lost connection to the world.

"Breathe, honey. In...and out." Ms brown whispered. Cradling cactina in the quilts soft hold. "Listen to my voice. In...and out...can you hear me?" She lifted the trembling girl. Cradling her as if she were a newborn.

The cat fallows as Ms brown takes cactina to her own bedroom. Before she opens the door she glanced down at the cat. Scooting it aside with her foot. Leaving it in the hall. She closed the door behind them to keep the cahos out. She didint need a cat getting into her yarn anyways.

The room was a dollhouse braught to life. Dusty pink walls, a sturdy canopy bed piled in throw pillows near the center, a quiet corner claimed by a basket of yarn and a rocking chair, and books filling a shelf next to large sturdy hope chest. The room was framed in white lacey curtains and lit by a soft reading lamp on the bedside table.

Despite the scratching on the door, Ms brown didint hesitate to clear a space among the throw pillows to sit down with cactina in her lap. Keeping her close with practiced care.

"Oh my sweet girl. Please say something." Ms brown murmured. Her voice a warm fuzzy hum. Her paw carefully rubbing cactinas back through the blanket. "Is there something you need to talk about?"

Cactina shivered. Shaking her head as her breaths remained ragged wheeze. Her throat worked convulsively. As if she were trying to swallow a stone. She didint even know where they were.

"I don't-" cactinas voice was brittle, thin enough to snap. "I can't-it's real..I can't have it be real again-"

Ms brown let out a long, comforting sigh. She pulled the quilt tighter. Insulating cactina from the rest of the circus. She pressed her stuffed forehead against cactinas shoulder, offering a sturdy, static filled silence. She stopped asking for the why. Instead she wove her presence around the girl. Creating a fragile cocoon where Cactina didint have to be anything but held.

"Just try to breathe."

They stayed that way for a while. Long enough for the sharp edge of the shock to dull into hollow, aching numbness. Eventually, the air in the room shifted from overwhelming, to merely still. Cactinas breathing finally leveled out. The sound left her head feeling fuzzy with quiet. She felt like she had ran a marathon. Exhausted.

Then came the fog. The fimilliar, shameful numb. She felt foolish for reacting like that. This was embarrassing. Being babied. Infantalised.

She pulled a shaky breath into her lungs and wiggled out from the blanket. Sitting up with a sudden, determined movement. "Sorry. I didint mean to drag you into this. I just. I need to go do something with myself..."

There was a louder scratching at the door now.

Ms brown watched. Soft concern laced her voice as she folds the quilt with deliberate, calm movements. "Whatever you need dear, take all the time you need. You have it."

Cactina stood. Her body feeling heavy. She had spent a lot of her energy. She turned toward the door, already looking for her next task. "Right, yeah. I'll be in my room. Guess I'll fix a spot for...this."

She opened the door only for the cat to stop its scratching and go to her side like an accessory. Cameron fell forward into the room. Guess that was him scratching on the door.

Cactina scooped the cat into her hold. Holding it to her chest as she left. Stepping over him.

A few minutes had passed. Pezzo, Gabba, and Tiktak arrived at Cactina’s door, hesitant to see how she was holding up. She opened the door only a crack, looking weary, but Pezzo spoke with forced cheer. "Hey. Uh... how are you feeling?"

Cactina’s signature smile snapped back into place. "Oh, I’m much better now. Can we just forget that happened?"

The group exchanged a silent look, but Cactina threw the door wide open. "Who wants to learn about plants?"

Tiktak stepped inside, with the others trailing behind out of politeness.

Cactinas room was rectangular with smokey purple walls and dark red hardwood floors. A large sturdy looking chifarobe took up space directly in front of the door wich held amaryllis bulbs and lucky bamboo on top. It's wood matched the flooring in shade but not quite red. It was more of a solid dark oak color.

Attached to the longer walls of the rectangular shape that made up the room were planting baskets of strings of Pearl's that cascaded beautifully out of their pots. What pezzo had bumped into was one of multiple raised garden beds that were lined up in rows like church pews. Four large beds of soil wich contained various plants. Hyacinths, yellow bloomed dandelions, roses, and carrot flowers. In the farther part of the room was a raised platform wich held a smaller garden bed. Overflowing with some sort of fuzzy purple ivy.

Deep red curtains draped on the back wall on the stage. Framing the wall as some sort of grand reveal. There was only a single picture hung above the garden bed of ivy. Between the drawn curtains on the back wall. The picture was of a winter landscape and it was a holographic print wich changed from a winter landscape to a spring one with flowers and bees.

Overhead the room was lit by what looks like a hanging light you'd find in a public school. It was yellow in some bulbs, white in others, and bathed the room in a few diffrent hues. One tiny part of it flickered wich would probably drive most people insane. A box sat in the corner filled with haphazardly piled spare gloves, where the new cat was currently curled up asleep.

"I don’t think you three have ever really seen this place, have you?"

She began moving potting soil around, heaving a heavy bag over her shoulder to fill an empty pot.

"So, uh. Did you guys know the micronutrient nitrogen is mobile, and comes from the air basically? It gets trapped in rain and soaks into the dirt. Its what makes plants grow leaves, and in lightning storms. The rain holds more nitrogen because of the electricity binding more atmospheric nitrogen to the water. Thats why things are so green after lightning storms."

The trio wandered the room as if seeing it for the first time. Gabba immediately gravitated toward the roses to take a deep sniff. Pezzo glanced around. The room was unchanged from the last time he hung out.

Sensing her fatigue, Pezzo stepped in to take the bag of soil from her, helping her pour the dirt into the large planter. For such a small girl he'd think caine would design smaller bags for her.

"Thanks," Cactina sighed. "The glow in the dark clippings I took from the zombie city should look great in here, don't you think?"

Tiktak was by the bed up on the stage, running their fingers over the soft leaves of the ivy, they figured they could finally ask about the room. if only to distract her or lift her spirits from earlier. "Huh. What is this stuff? It's so soft."

Cactina paused, considering. "Oh, my sleep bed? That's called 'baby bunny bellies.' I suppose when they ran my mind scans, the program accounted for my plant collection. It’s pretty to look at, but not exactly a dream to sleep on."

"I bet," Tiktak said, glancing around.

"Of course, lying on them doesn't hurt them. they're fine by morning," Cactina continued. "I could sleep in any of these, but I like that one. It's up on this stage-like platform. It makes me feel... important. Like I'm on display. Or like it’s my funeral."

Tiktak hummed. They're starting to realize they got lucky to have a bed to sleep in.

"I guess it's thematic," Tiktak mused. "The 'plant girl sleeps in the dirt' bit. It seems pretty uncomfortable, though."

Pezzo held up his hands and headed for the door. "Oh, you think you’ve got it bad? Hold up. Follow me."

He led them to his room and gestured to his bed. "If we’re talking about immersion and themes, let’s look at the facts: my bed is a literal box."

"Wait, what?" Tiktak asked, trailing behind him.

"You heard me. A puzzle box. It’s full of pieces, but they don't even make an actual puzzle. They’re all just these empty, transparent textures. Just filler."

Cactina chuckled. "Have you tried sleeping on top of the box?"

Pezzo paused. He hopped up onto the lid, grabbed his blanket, and wiggled into place. The lid sagged slightly under his weight, but it actually felt... okay. He rolled onto his side, testing the fit.

"Actually," he admitted, "this is marginally better."

"It still looks pretty miserable, for what its worth in complaining rights." Cactina noted.

Gabba clapped slowly, then gestured to his own room right next door. Inside, he tossed the door open. Inside, the walls were lined in tacky paper fur to match his own colorful body. His floor was mostly netting, and his resting quarters was a hammock hung close to the ceiling up in the air. A climbing rope was the only way up. Pezzo hopped off his box to get a better look at what Gabba was doing.

"Oh, right," Pezzo realized. "Yeah, Gabbo has to literally climb into bed."

Cactina looked down at the floor. "And your entire floor is a net, too."

Gabba just nodded.

"Is the wall paper...your skin? Dude, that's some messed up gingerbread man type stuff." Cactina yawns. Gabba looks a bit confused.

Yeah his room was covered in tacky, colorful paper fur, simmilar to himself. But he was struggling to see the analogy.

Cactina explains. "The gingerbread man lives in a gingerbread house. Decorated with the same candy as himself. Is his house made of flesh, or is he made of house? He screams, for he does not know."

Pezzo moved to get back to cactinas room. "Alright, maybe you can teach us more about plants later. You're looking and acting a little tired."

Before cactina could reach her room, Cameron stopped her in the hall.

She glanced to him. "What's up?"

Nearby, Gabba had taken a peek out the door. Eavesdropping as Cameron did his best to piece together a sentence.

"If you need. I can keep the kitty in my room."

She thinks. Nodding her head quietly. "You can keep him if you want. Hes in a box in there."

Once cactina returned pezzo quickly took a seat on the side of a garden bed and was acting like he was casually reading a plant label tag. He was totally not listening in with gabba. Gabba acted casual, quickly leaning on a garden bed. Tiktak fumbled, clumsily moving to sniff the string of Pearl's plant that was mounted to the wall. It's like they had the thought to sniff flowers, but they didn't register the plant they had selected wasn't exactly one that was normally sniffed. Tiktak was not good at suddenly acting casual.

Cactina moved to plant her cuttings in the soil. "Ok. Can someone get me my watering can? It's by the chifarobe." Pezzo looked around. Not knowing what that is. Cactina pointed to her wardrobe. "The dresser..?" He got up and retrieved a bright yellow watering can.

Cactina moved to water the plants in. Sighing at the smell of wet soil.

Pezzo snuck a pair of gardening gloves out from under the cat and used these to pick cactina up from under her arms. Taking her to her bed.

"Ok birthday girl. Bed time for you." They placed cactina in her bed. She moved to lay down.

"We're all birthday people. Happy birthday to us."

Cactinas gave a sleepy laugh. Each "heh" diminishing like a low battery robot till she went silent. Pezzo looked around for a blanket or anything. Upon finding nothing he just gently pat cactinas shoulder. "Night."

The group left. On their way out, gabba claps, turning the lights off.

Cameron snuck in once the others had left. He retrieved Mr kitty. Approaching the garden bed.

Cactina glanced to him. Only the light wich bled in from the open door reflected off her eyes.

Cameron silently placed a blanket over her. The fabric catching on each thorn of her skin.

No words were exchanged as he touched a finger to her forehead. Turning to leave.

Once he had gone, she was left in darkness.

Once the others had gone, cactina got out of bed. Sighing. She had one more thing to do first before she could sleep. She had been putting this off long enough.

She waited till the hallway was empty before making her way out to the main room. She approaches the entrance to caines office and calls. Hoping the other hears her. "Caine-" almost immediately caine was at her side. "Yeah?-great googly moogly, you look wilted!" He didint bother with sugar coating. He was pretty blunt when it came to pointing things like that out.

He raised a gloved hand to snap his fingers, likely to force a refresh. But cactina put her hands up, startled. "That's not why I called you-"

Caine froze. His fingers poised mid air. His head cocking to the side in confusion. "Wha? My bad! Do you have a request? Question? I'm all ears."

Cactina swallowed, her eyes darting to the floor. "We're friends, right?"

Caine nods eagerly. "uh huh. You bet! Id like to think so, assuming you'reon board with the statement."

Cactina gave a fragile nod. "You think you could do me a favor...as a friend?"

Caine floated into a position like he was laying on his stomach, resting his chin on his hands and swinging his feet idly behind him. "Whatever ya need gal pal."

Cactina steadied herself. "I want you to edit my avatar."

Caine paused. The energy in the room seemed to dip. Caines expression went still as he processed the request. "Whoah now. That's a pretty tall order. Your avatar is your identity! Its the visual manifestation of your psyche! Why on earth would you want to mess with perfection?"

Cactina seems nervous. "Well. Look at me. Im a walking hazard. I cant hang out with anybody without worrying I'll...I'll hurt them. I have to keep this constant distance between me and everyone else. I just want to be able to exist around people without being afraid to touch. I miss... I miss hugs."

Caine hums. His expression uncharacteristicallythoughtful. "Youre feeling a little tucked away, arent you?"

"Its probably some metaphore about being so cautious to get close to people or something. But..." She admitted. The words barely a whisper. "It's isolating. Even with people around."

Caine tapped his chin. "I'll see what I can do. But first-" He snaps his fingers. Suddenly cactina felt no longer worn out. The fatigue evaporated from her instantly. Her energy was restored.

Caine gently pat her head with the ball end of his walking stick before vanishing.

Cactina figured she had the night to herself at that point.

« First chapter

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Tiktak belongs to @zenn135

Gabba belongs to @pendingintheairfryer

Ms brown belongs to @kaibi-bear

Pezzo belongs to Jock

Cameron belongs to @cue-act6

Cactina belongs to @teathepumpkinmoth

after a bit of burnout and taking care of irl stuff, part 4 is finally finished! suggestive content warning at the end for this part, nothing crazy though. thank you for your patience and i hope you enjoy. :]

(btw: situationship and pre-finale rules apply)

Ch.7 “Planned”

Chapter 5

[Couldn't decide on a poster for this one so yall get two ]

Caines eyes bounced around his gums as his hand fished around the suggestion box. Pulling out a crinkled slip of paper.

"Let's see what we have here." He smoothed out the slip of paper with theatrical flourish. "An anime styled high-school romance adventure? Well that sounds-! ...Cliché. and once used. I'll have to spruce it up a bit. But never the less! It is what has been pulled from the box."

Pezzo scanned the pack of mis matched cast members. "Who put that in there?"

Nobody claimed the idea. Be it from embarrassment or genuinely not remembering. Nobody seemed to know who would have had the idea either. Nobody there seemed to particularly interested in anime.

Tiktak in particular didint even know they had a suggestion box till Caine pulled one out. Cam was clearly daydreaming. Not present in the slightest. He never was when caine was talking.

With a snap of his fingers caine materialized a swirling portal nearby. Cactina didint hesitate to skip along towards the vortex. "Sounds like fun! I'll see you guys in class. I hope they have a nice courtyard."

"You know it will. I know what you like."

Once she left, caine looked to the rest of them with the least amount of subtlety. A collective groan rippled through the small crowd, but the characters made their ways to the portal.

They emerged into a world filtered in soft pink hues, a light lo fi piano track seemed to hum in the very air itself as the group stood before the towering iron gates of a large high school bustling with npcs. All in school uniforms.

The walkway was lined in cherry trees that sprinkled shimmering pink petals over the stone bricks like snow. Cactina squealed, stepping over the threshold and scooping handfuls of petals up from the ground to toss them into the air. Her face alight with delight as she twirls to allow the skirt of her uniform to flow freely. Her terracotta pot made an awful clinking noise with each step of the stone brick walkway.

The rest of the cast stood ackwardly. Cam had to be nudged through the portal behind. Upon arriving, he glanced around confused. Brow furrowed. He had no idea what they were doing.

Gabba brushed petals from his paper fur but it was futile. He was gonna have pink bits all over him today.

Tiktak looked down to admire their school uniform. They had gotten the same skirt and top as cactina. But they look to the trio. Gabba and pezzo both got plain black clothes. The male student uniform. "Dang it, i was kinda hoping we'd match..."

Just like that, with a pop. The trio was in the female uniform. Pezzo jumps at this. Looking down at himself.

Gabba quickly turns pink. His shoulders hiking up and fists clenching at his sides as a few dark lines floated above his forehead in anime fashion. Even the background music hit a sour note.

Pezzo glanced down at him. Patting his head. "Ah its alright bud. We can all have the guy uniform."

After this was said, all three popped into the male uniform. Tiktak smooths out their clothes. Chuckling.

At their lockers, Inside each was a plain white envelope sealed with a red heart sticker, classic anime style love letter. Floating text appears upon each person retrieving their letter. In a rpg fashion.

"Objective: deliver this letter to the one you admire. It will automatically generate a poem that perfectly encapsulates your hearts true feelings for this person. No writing required! The adventure concludes when all letters have been given away. Note: only the receiver may open the letter. "

Pezzo glanced to gabba. The look was reciprocated. Without a word the two traded letters. Stuffing each others envelopes in their backpacks. Neither bothered reading them.

As for the rest of the cast, cactina looked to her class schedule. Getting her things around to go find her classroom. Ms brown felt a bit awkward. She didint really feel it was appropriate for her to give her letter to anyone. Given the fact she wore a teachers uniform while the rest of the cast were clad in student wear. However, in fine print, her text window in particular read

"ps: it doesn't have to be romantic affection."

Pezzo and gabba were taking off their backpacks when Tiktak approached. "Hey. We got any classes together?"

Gabba handed his class schedule to tiktak. They had two classes together. But they noticed quickly the other didint seem entirely there.

"You alright..?"

Pezzo answers. "Hes gonna hate this adventure. "

Tiktak smiles. "I mean, yeah its school basically. Still, i think i got it a bit worse."

Pezzo rested a hand on his hip. "Oh?"

"I don't really have anyone I'm close with."

Pezzo thinks. Their eye wandering. They pointed to cactina. "What about her?"

Tiktak watched as cactina turned the corner, looking for her classroom. She spotted a mouse hole with a piece of cheese by it. She then points and screams "determination-!" Wich can be heard faintly from where the three are standing. Tiktak sighed out. "She's nice. But I don't wanna give her the wrong idea."

"Well, your only other option is space cadet over there." He motioned to Cameron, who was struggling to read his pop up. Glancing to cactina. "DUh-help..."

"That or one of the npc students."

Tiktak looked around at the flood of other characters wandering the halls. "Are all these students ai..?"

Pezzo nods. "Just extras for caines adventures. Background characters."

"And these are all cactinas friends?"

He gave a half and half motion with his hand. "Depends"

cactina went over to the two with Cameron. "Hey, do any of you have math as your first period? Cams having trouble reading his text." Tik tak showed her both their own and Pezzos schedule. "Indeed we do. Looks like all three of us share first period."

Pezzo motioned to the text window. "It's just saying you gotta give that envolope to someone you care about by the end of the day. It's a love letter."

Cactina smiles. "Awesome. I think I found out how the class numbers work. Let's go."

Pezzo pats gabbas head. "Good luck in science bro. Don't make any chemical weapons."

Gabba shrugs. No promises. Guess he had science solo. He better get to finding the classroom.

As pezzo and tiktak walk to fallow Cameron and cactina up the stairs, pezzo pulls tiktak over. Whispering. "Yeah, dude, neither of them can read to good. Someone's gonna have to help them with this."

Tiktak whispers back. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah. Try not to bring it up to much. Cameron gets really huffy."

"Gotcha..."

The classroom was simply decorated and well lit by natural light coming through the windows. Pezzo sat near the center, though his attention was firmly tethered to the board ahead of them. Tiktak sat directly infront of pezzo.

Cactina was sitting two desks up and to the left of tiktak. She was currently occupied by a notebook, her pencil moving in frantic, jagged motions. Every time she paused to erase something, she’d tilt her head, her own prickly exterior catching the platinum light of the window. Tiktak watched the way her shoulders relaxed when she finally seemed satisfied with a line.

Pezzo dropped a note over tiktaks shoulder. The folded paper scrap landing in the others lap.

Tiktak jolted, their gaze snapping away from Cactina and down to the note. They unfold it to read the others less then perfect penmanship.

"You good?"

Tiktak glanced up the teacher-a woman made of various candies. Mis Lou as it was written on her desk. They were pretty sure she was writing on the board with a stick from a fun dip pack-and gingerly replied to the note.

"Fine."

Frankly, they were wondering what cactina was writing. If she was illiterate, how was she taking notes.

They proceeded in Dropping the paper and using a foot to slide it back to pezzo.

Once the other received it, they scribble a reply. Tossing the note back over tiktaks shoulder.

"Stop staring, you’re going to burn a hole in her head"

Tiktak responds on a diffrent scrap of paper.

"I wasn't staring."

Pezzo didn’t even bother looking at the board. They read the note, let out a short, chuckle, and scribbled a reply. By the time the note landed back on tiktaks desk, the teacher had turned to sit at her own desk. She caught tiktak unfolding the paper.

"Excuse me. Are you passing notes-?"

Tiktak quickly ate the paper. It had vanished in milliseconds as they chewed. "Just sthom gum." They lisped out.

Ms Lou furrows her brows. "Unless you brought enough for the whole class, I suggest you keep it to yourself."

Tiktak nods.

Cactina shifted in her seat. She didn't turn around, but she stretched her arms high above her head, her voice drifting back toward them. "Does anyone else feel like this lesson is going on for, like, three years?"

Tiktak grabbed their water bottle, taking a sip. "Have to say, I don't miss school. Find any of your friends yet?"

"Can't. They're all in diffrent classes. I'll have to catch up with them during lunch."

"Maybe you can introduce me to some?" Tiktak was very curious about thd npcs. Considering their only experience was the wild west.

Cactina nods.

The lunch bell rings, allowing students to flood the halls. Pezzo spots cactina by the vending machines talking with a tall boy that seems to be in a stimulating conversation with her. Hes never seen this npc. He was pink and had some sort of antennas sticking out of his head. He also had large golden eyes and a mouth that didint open its teeth. They poke tiktak to get their attention and point out cactina. Tiktak moves to approach.

"Sup."

Cactina noticed tiktak approaching. Her attention drew to them. "Oh hey."

Cactina moved to introduce them. "Oh. Jax, this is Tiktak. Tiktak, this is jax. I'm pretty fimilliar with the npcs since they kept me saine back when it was just me in the circus."

"Intresting. I hope he's nicer then the last npcs I met." Tiktak joked.

"Oh no. He's sweet as sugar. You had a pretty bad first impression of npcs with that one adventure."

The pink rabbit gave a shy wave. "Uh. Hi.."

Tiktak returned the wave. "So, you figure out who you wanna give your letter to?"

Cactina took out her letter. "Actually I was hoping jax here would take it."

Jax looked down to the envolope, holding his hands up timidly. "Oh no, I shouldn't take this. You should save it for someone special. "

"What an emotionally intelligent thing to say. But for the sake of this adventure, I insist." She held the envolope up to his hight range.

Jax stepped back. "You can do better then me."

Cactina sighs. Putting the envolope away. "Fine, be like that."

"Scuse me, can I use the vending machine?"

"Oh, sure thing."

Cactina steps aside from the machine they were standing in front of with a smile, going back to her conversation with the npc as tiktak gets their lunch. Thankfully their uniform came with tokens in the pockets.

"So yeah, French hydrangeas in particular change color because it dictates the availability of aluminum ions in the soil, not just the pH itself. Acidic soil releases aluminum, and the blooms come out blue, but basic soil locks up aluminum, causing pink or red flowers. Wich is interesting because on test papers-"

Tiktak butt's in. "Wanna have lunch with me?"

Cactina looked to jax. "Actually I was hoping to take this conversation out to the courtyard. "

Jax timidly responds, grabbing his food from the vending machine. "Actually I gotta get going. I was on my way to meet someone. It was nice talking though. I hope you find someone to take your love letter."

Cactina sighs, looking back to tiktak. "Sure, I could eat."

Tiktak ended up in ms browns classroom eating their lunch. They had gotten themselves a bento box with sweet and sour chicken and steamed rice. Of course, they finally have the opportunity to try the delicious looking food from anime and all they can think about is how they're gonna get rid of this letter.

come to think of it, who was tiktak gonna give theirs to? Not like they knew any of the npcs. And they just got here last week. Not like they were fimilliar with everyone in the cast yet either.

Cactina sat beside them, unfolding her bento box to reveal a steaming, plush burger accompanied by sweet potato fries and seasoned Brussels sprouts. Tiktak watched, fascinated, as she maneuvered two pairs of chopsticks with practiced ease to hoist the burger from the container, taking a ravenous bite. It was certainly a unique way to eat a meal.

When she caught them staring, she simply grinned, leaning forward to press her cheek against the napkin on her desk. "Ambidextrous," she offered.

"Impressive," Tiktak admitted.

Cactina set the burger down, switching to a single pair of chopsticks to pluck up a fry. "I used to love putting those cheap, dried seaweed packets on my burgers back at the orphanage."

Tiktak rested their chin on their palm, their interest piqued. "Orphanage?"

Cactina nodded, mid-chew. "Mhm. I grew up in the system. Nobody really wants an amputee kid."

Tiktak went silent, turning their gaze away. "That’s horrible. But... you aren't a kid, are you?"

The evidence was pointing them tht way, all things considered. It was a fair question.

She shook her head. "No. Not anymore. I’m somewhere in my twenties, I think. I lost track, though I’m sure Caine would know if I asked."

"You two seem close," Tiktak noted. "Do you have any human friends?"

Cactina popped open her carton of milk. "You’re doing it..."

Tiktak raised a brow. "Doing what?"

"That stupid, concerned voice. The same one all the adaults in my life used to use. I don’t like it."

Tiktak went quiet, studying her.

"Pezzo and I used to be close," Cactina continued, unbothered. "But not anymore. I tried to make friends with gabba, but i dont get him like pezzo does. It is what it is. Cameron only came here recently. We recodnised each other pretty quick."

Tiktak offered a slow nod. "I see. What about Ms. Brown?"

Cactina picked up her milk carton with her chopsticks, a feat of precision, and took a sip. "She’s nice, but we don’t have much in common."

From her own desk, Ms. Brown gave a small, resigned shrug. It was true, unfortunately.

"What were you writing about in class..?" Tiktak offered. Trying to change the subject.

Cactina set the carton down. "I was just doodling. You should probably eat."

As Tiktak thought, they picked up a piece of chicken with their chopsticks, the weight of it settling perfectly against the wood. They guided it into their mouth, and the moment it touched their tongue, the world outside their head vanished.

The first sensation was the shattering crunch of the golden-fried batter, yielding instantly to a center so impossibly tender it seemed to melt away. Then came the glaze, a vibrant, syrupy collision of caramelized sweetness and a sharp, electric tang of vinegar that danced across their palate.

Tiktak scooped up a bit of the steamed rice, the warm, starchy pearls softening the intensity of the sauce and grounding the dish in a comforting, earthy wholesomeness. It was a perfect, rhythmic harmony of texture and profile.

As they chewed, a single tear traced a path down their cheek. This was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best chicken they had ever tasted.

Ms brown looked over to see tiktak with some small flower partical effects surrounding them as they ate.

"You alright dear?"

Tiktak swallowed. Leaning forwards to rest their forehead on the desk. "It's good chicken..."

Miss brown smiles. Glad the other had liked what they got from the cafeteria area. It wasn't exactly a cafeteria, more so a vending machine area with a small food counter where they could get hot lunches.

She herself had a brown paper bag lunch. She placed a bright red apple and a nicely designed club style sandwich on her desk. Aswell as a juice box. At the bottom of her bag she found a candy bar. She couldn't read the label. "Here, would you like this? I'm not one for thoes Japanese candy treats." Tik tak glanced over. Leaning over their desk to take the candy bar. They looked the label over. Suprised caine knew Japanese.

They then squint. This wasn't Japanese, this was some weird wonton style font in English wich was mirrored and upside down.

It took them a second to flip the candy bar upside down and try to flip each letter backwards in their head. But they read "gummy bear chocolate"

They had to admit. That wasn't the worst ai generated candy bar that could've happened. Tik tak peeled the wrapper away to show a lumpy, segmented candy bar. It almost resembled a kinder Bueno in shape.

They snapped off the first segmented piece. Spotting the red face of a gummy bear peeking out from the chocolate.

They pressed their lips. "I'm sorry little one" they then pop the piece of chocolate in their mouth. They were just being silly at this point.

As they chew the first instance is the soft give of the chocolate, then a rubbery firm gummy. The chocolate insist on melting whilst the gummy bits stay stubbornly intact, forcing them to chew a bit longer. The deep, rich dark of the chocolate gave way to notes of fruit. Specifically, strawberry. Maybe there were diffrent gummy bears in every bite. It wasn't bad per say, but once the chocolate all melted away it left them with just strawberry gummy in their mouth.

They swallow, shrugging. "Not bad..."

They broke off a piece to offer to cactina. She took it in her chopsticks and placed it in her mouth. Her brow furrowing at the textures. "Huston, we have a problem. "

Tiktak chuckles at this reaction. Looking to Ms brown. "Have you considered who you're giving your letter to?"

Ms brown sighs. Polishing her apple on her paw. "Unfortunately, I don't belive it's very appropriate. I'm much older then the rest of you. Not to mention I'm married... Although, it does say on my note that it doesn't have to be romantic..."

Tik tak thought about this. "Oh...im...sorry for your loss."

"Married, not widowed."

"We'll. Yeah. But, you still lost each other...for now at least."

"I do miss him dearly...let's not talk about that right now. There's a time and a place for sadness like that."

Cactina gave tiktak the rest of her fries. Using her chopsticks to pass them to their box. Scarfing up the Brussel sprouts and taking her leftovers to the garbage.

"I'm gonna head to the courtyard while I still got time."

"Kay. Nice getting to know you a bit."

Tiktak took another bite of chicken once the sweet of the chocolate left their mouth. "Since were alone...in your own words, whats up with cactina? Ive gotten other opinions on her."

"Don't talk with your mouth full dear...there's nothing wrong with her. She's just as she outa be with where she came from. But that's not my story to share...let's leave it at cactina isint how she seems. Shes very stressed."

Tik tak swallowed. "Could you...tell me about that?"

Ms brown sighs. Placing her apple aside. She wasn't hungry.

"The poor girl was the first to arrive here. She was alone with Caine for a very long time. Already like she is when I found her. Even before the circus, I figured out by the occasional hints she would drop, she didint have the best upbringing. That is all i will say on her past..."

"How long has she been here?"

"Hard to say," Ms. Brown sighed. "When I arrived, she’d given up leaving. I caught her flinching at sudden movements, keeping a safe distance. She was like a stray cat. I took it upon myself to make her a quilt from things in my room. It was the only way I could safely hold her. I learned fast a gentle touch is a good way to calm her down in most situations...it broke my heart when i realized someone must have hurt this baby. "

Tiktak frowns. Thinking. "Could Caine have..?"

"No. No. This was before all this. She had confessed it to me in the form of a joking tone.. like it was something relatable. It was her parents. But that's all I'll say on that. It's not my information to share."

Tik Tak looked at their wooden hands. Staring down at their beno box. The remains rice looked like little clouds of, well, nothing. Just pixels arranged to trick them into feeling hunger.

"A joke huh...?" Titak repeated. The words feeling hallow. They knew a coping mechanism when they heard it.

"I guess this place does do stuff to you...if its so bad, why hasn't anyone tried to help her?"

"Because Cactina doesn't like it when you dig up the garden," Ms. Brown replied wearily. "Caine wants us focused on the next adventure, not backwards to the life we left behind. She falls for his distractions like a little coralline in her little door. Shes become very close to caine. Maybe it was some kind of mechanism. You never know what may get her to change so suddenly but when she does its best to just ignore it till she calms down."

"Uh. Not the refrence you want to use, but I kinda get what you're saying."

Tik Tak went silent. "So there's no way to help her?"

Ms. Brown’s expression turned melancholic. "Im not a therapist. Caine is her anchor, but I fear he’s the kind that drags you to the bottom of the sea rather than keeping your ship safe. He’s the only thing that doesn't change here, even his chaos feels like stability to her. She’s learned his logic, his ability to conjure things... she essentially lives in his shadow. I think she fears what might happen if he ever turns on us, but nobody else belives he would. So dont worry yourself about it. That might actually explain why her brother acts the way he does around him...cameron really doesnt care for cine."

"I think-" tiktak said, finally throwing their mess away and meeting Ms browns eyes. "I'm done trying to solve the cactina puzzle today."

"Perhaps we should focus on finishing the adventure first..." She stood up. Leaving her desk. "Come. Pezzo said they were eating lunch on the roof."

Up on the roof pezzo approached gabba with their lunches. Caine had convientltly given everyone a few coins in their pockets to access the vending machine food. So gabba gave his coins to pezzo and was waiting to be surprised.

Surprised he was when pezzo returned with two bento boxes, ramune drinks, and a paper bag that hung from his arm. Gabba quickly went to clear the others hands. Taking the soda bottles. They both had a bench to themselves so pezzo sat the food between them. Upon closer inspection gabba noticed the paper bag was full of junk food.

Pezzo gave gabba a warm bento box. Plopping it in his lap. Moving to split his own chopsticks so he could use them to eat his cold bento.

While pezzo sat back to eat his sushi, gabba opened the bento meant for him. Steam bursts out of the box, revealing a assortment of comfort food. A massive cube of gooey toasted lasagna took up half the bento box. The other half, a bed of vegetables on rice. His eyes sparkle at the food. Pezzo speaks with muffled speech as he chews. "I know you bro. My kitty likes lasagna." Gabbs looked to the other with furrowed brows. Once he found a plastic fork attatched to the side of his bento, he dug in. Taking a chunk of food and raising it to his mouth area. The food dissapearing and his cheeks filling out. As he ate he rested his eyes closed in bliss. This was good old fashioned Italian noodle cake. tiny little styilized pink flowers floated around him in anime fashion as he chews. Giving an adorable asthetic. Pezzo had to hide his chuckle. Gabba looked over, catching the other in the act and swating irritatingly at the particles that he seemed to spawn. He didint want the typecast as the cute character. But judging by the reaction, it seems the damage has been done.

They are overlooking the courtyard. A beautiful view. But gabba focused back on his meal. He didint really like Hights anyways, he just went up here because pezzo likes it.

Tiktak and miss brown approached the two. Pezzo waved his chopsticks in greeting as he chews.

Tik tak held out his letter to pezzo. "Eh. You seem cool to give this to."

Pezzo swallowed. Placing his bento down and taking the letter. "Wow, thanks man-" without opening it, he tears the letter in half. The pieces pixilate and blow away in the breeze as cherry petals.

Tiktak tilts their head at this. Pezzo replied. "Oh were not actually reading that lame ai generated bullcrap. If you wanna tell us how you feel you can say it in your own words at your own time."

Tik tak hums. "Huh. Well I guess we better let everyone in on the memo."

From below cactina was approached by evil cactina in the courtyard as she was catching up with a set of candy people. More NPCs. It was a set of three alligators or maybe crocodiles. All colorful and clad in the school uniform. They spoke in some kind of accent.

Cactina was even copying their vocabulary as good as she could.

"So hows your mum? did she pull through?"

A gummy answers.

"Yeah, she’s tough as a two-dollar steak, that one. Since she’s finally back on deck, we’ve been getting stuck into a fair bit of gardening. I reckon you’d be stoked on it. Course, she’s the one pulling the strings to make sure the place doesn't look like a right dog’s breakfast. no worries there, she’s a deadset legend. I just lob a bit of water on the ferns and try not to make a total pigs ear of the whole shebang. I mostly handle the heavy lifting."

A diffrent gummy spoke up.

"Onya, mate, you’re not wrong! Those bags of soil are absolute shockers to lug about. You’d reckon gardening was just a bit of a hobby for the frail old dears of the house, but strewth, you’d be flat out smacked to heft those things around all day. It’s a proper mongrel of a job if you aren’t careful, you’d be buggered before you even got the bloody petunias in the ground!"

Cactina chuckled. "Candy gardening sounds like a grand time. Maybe I'll ask caine if I could visit."

Evil cactina just sort of waited to be noticed. Cactina could see the rest of the group looking and she sensed someone was behind her. She turned around and perked at seeing the other.

"Hey sis. What's up?"

Evil cactina didint make eye contact. She was looking around. Offering cactina a envelope between her fingers. "Pezzo wanted to give this to you. But he's a p#%!$ so here." her eyes looked up. Evil cactina saw the others were watching them from the roof. Pezzo threw his fist in the air and waved it around to show he was rooting for the other.

Cactina looks to the envolope curiously. "I didint know you guys had letters to give away?"

"We don't. He made this in the art room. He saw jax deny you and didint want you to feel left out of something."

Cactina took the envelope. "Cute. Where is he?"

Evil cactina shrugs. Turning to leave. Her job was done.

The others at the table moved to get up and clean up their lunch mess. "Nice chatting but we should get to gym. Its a bit of a walk."

"Oh. See ya."

Cactina opens the envolope. Looking it over. Inside was a drawing of her in class leaned over her desk coloring. It was a sweet gesture.

From the roof Gabba moved to open his soda. Removing the cap and pushing the marble in. Once the initial fizz died down he tipped his head back and downed the entire thing. He liked the fresh grape flavor. It's been so long since they had actually good junk food outside the dinner table of miscellaneous dishes.

He was impressed caine even knew of these sodas. Then again, he wouldn't be surprised if they found out caine could take information from their memories or something. Similar to their little movie theater slash game room.

Pezzo struggled with his chopsticks a bit. "I was suprised to see they were serving all our favorites in the cafeteria. They had cactinas burgers, sushi, lasagna, salads, all sorts of things. Even had a bunch of cilantro for cameron."

Before tiktak asks, he answers. "Yeah, he likes to eat just plain cilantro. You know, like a guinea pig or something."

Pezzo used his chopsticks and held a piece of Nigeri in front of gabbas face. Waving it slowly.

"Kitty like fish?"

Gabba looks at the sushi. If he takes this, he's admitting defeat on the cat allegations. But then again. He does like fish.

He leaned farwards and took the sushi. It dissapearing with a tiny "num" sound effect. Seems the world really wanted him to be the cute character.

Pezzo rested his arm on gabbas head, propping his chin on his hand. Sighing. "So if you're the cute one does that make me the brooding one that follows you around?"

Gabba shrugs. A small question mark appearing by his head.

Tik tak pipes up at this.

"Actually, what you are thinking about is the protector dynamic but in your case it doesn't really fit. I think you might be the goofy best friend character."

Pezzo scoffs a bit. "Yeah, i guess that checks out."

While they talked, Mis brown retrives her letter from her handbag, passing it to gabba. He takes it. His rope tail wagging. He then fallowed in pezzos footsteps and tore it. But the gesture was appreciated. He already knew she loves him.

Tiktak continues. "I'm just pointing out the obvious. We all got character troped. "

"That's how it usually works in anime. Like. Not all anime are the same, but they all kinda have common characters. The cute one, the goofy one. -Ms Brown got the teacher role, cactina got the nerd role. I think I got the main character ordinary highschool kid role. prickley must be some kind of dere...."

Gabba and pezzo both stare at the other.

"Looks like cactina isint the only nerd-" pezzo closed and dunked his empty bento into the garbage besides tik tak "Kobe-!"

Gabba gave the other a fist bump. That was a good one.

"Hardy har. You don't wanna know what happened to kobe."

"Probably not, if you're saying it like that-"

Pezzo was cut off as the school bell rang. Lunch was over.

"Hey, me and gabbo are gonna dip, you wanna tag on? We got snacks."

Tiktak nods. They're so done with this weird school. "You don't have to ask. What you doing?"

"Somethin stupid"

Once the bell rings, cactina gets up. Moving to head to art class. Cameron finds her and sticks to her side. She took his hand as they walked as to not loose him in the crowd. "You got art?"

He nods.

Once they were at the classroom cactina got herself a painting apron. The classroom was pretty empty aside from about seven easels set up in a circle around a pedestal. Presumably thats where the drawing refrence would be, but since it was empty, cactina took it upon herself to go over and sit down on top. Striking a pose. At that moment, the first students were coming in, they stared a bit. She chuckled. Striking pose. "Go on. Paint me like one of your french girls."

Cameron giggles. Moving to do his best to sketch her.

The other students flooded in, all taking up an easel. Nobody really corrected cactina or replaced her with a diffrent prop. So cactina decided she will be the subject today.

It took a while for the teacher, a wooden posing doll npc, to arrive. Sipping their coffee. They choked upon seeing cactina. "We were supposed to be studying anatomy-"

Cactina hums. "I mean, this isint NOT anatomy."

The teacher shrugs. Sitting at their desk. "I guess this works."

It was a slow class. Cactina mostly only hearing the scratch of pencils and brushes on cloth canvas. She tried not to move to much.

That is until she saw through the window of the classroom, gabba, pezzo, and Tiktak all doing something foolish Out in the schoolyard, the trio had swiped a parachute from the gym and were currently perched atop the gardening shed. Heads turned, brushes hovered, and the art teacher finally noticed the impending disaster. With a frantic scramble, the teacher shooed the students away from the window and threw it open, leaning out to scream, "DON’T JUMP-OH MY LANTA! YOU CRAZY KIDS ARE GETTING DETENTION! GET DOWN FROM THERE!"

Tiktak dared to lean over the edge, offering a mocking chuckle. "Ooooh, detention? What are they gonna do, call our parents? We’ll get down, alright!"

With a synchronized running start, the trio leaped. The parachute puffed out for a split second like a dying lung before collapsing completely, sending all three of them spiraling into the grass in a tangle of limbs and cartoon dust. They rolled to a stop, snorting and wheezing with laughter, clearly having no idea what they’d actually expected to happen. Nobody was hurt.

As the teacher barreled out of the classroom to intercept them, the trio scattered. Fleeing the scene of the crime. Gabba dove into the janitor’s closet, hiding in a empty trash bin. Tiktak vanished into the girl’s locker room, and Pezzo performed a daring vault through an open classroom window, sliding into a desk as if he’d been there for the entire period. The teacher, eyes fixed on the blackboard, didn't even notice the new arrival.

Upon shutting themselves in the girls locker room, tiktak looks around. Thankfully nobody was in there to scream or throw stuff at them. Since they were in the boys uniform they assumed the bathroom privilege came with it. They rushed to get in a stall before their eyes caught a large mirror. They hadn't noticed their mask had fallen off. Or despawned. It wasn't on their face a of this moment. They gave a quiet gasp as they approached their reflection. Touching their bare face delicately. They had purple hues in their clay like skin and one large eye with golden tones.

They didint get to study it before they noticed a girl coming in. A cartoon jester who was also clad in the male uniform. Tiktaks mask popped back on out of nowhere as the student pays them no mind. Whistling through a mouth of sharp teeth and casually walking past.

This girl was unbothered. Thankfully.

When the art teacher returned to the classroom later, they were empty-handed and clearly sour. They paced the aisles, inspecting the work with a heavy hand. Instead of using a pen, they marked each canvas with a bright red paint marker.

When they reached Cactina, they paused. Her "modeling" joke. a bold pivot from anatomy to figure painting, had clearly ruffled some feathers. With a sharp snatch, the teacher grabbed Cactina’s hand and scrawled a "B+" directly onto her glove. Matching camerons grade. Whether it was for the rebellious change of curriculum or just that they were in a bad mood, the teacher didn’t bother to explain.

Cactina left the class, spotting evil pezzo in the hall. She waved a hand as she ran over to catch him. But when he saw her he took off running in the other direction. Dissapearing around a corner.

Cactina couldn't find him. Cameron caught up to her. Whining. "Heeeey. Why run from me?"

Cactina motioned to the hall. "Nothing. Just saw someone I was keeping an eye out for to thank them for something earlier."

Cameron huffs. "Who gave you they letter?"

Cactina rolled her eyes. Smiling. She produced the paper from her pocket. "It's just a picture. Its ok....it was evil pezo-"

Cameron snatched the paper. Looking it over. The flash of his camera flickered as he took a picture.

Cactina raised a brow as he handed it back. "You good?"

He shook his head. "These guys need to learn you're not for avaliable"

Cactina crossed her arms. Grinning. "Yeah? Says who?"

"Im who."

She chuckles. He moved to reach in his pocket. Handing her his letter a bit shyly. "Here. Jut-keep it. I don't like anybody else. I'm getting bullied."

Cactinas stance changed. Becoming guarded. "Bullied-?"

He nodded. Pointing out a small group consisting of evil tiktak, evil Cameron, and evil orbsman. Cactina blinks. He mutters. "They called me the word."

She hums. "Hm...come with me."

Cameron fallows her to the office. Cactina kicked the door open, startling the front desk worker, a tall, purple npc she only knew as "dictatoror" as she approached him he slammed his detached hands on the desk in fury.

"Cactus-there better be a good explanation for barging into my office unannounced!"

Cactina hums. Sitting Cameron down in a chair nearby. "Hey what's the schools policy on bullying?"

"How should I know??"

"You're the student counselor."

"Bad choice. But if what I say goes, deal with it."

Cactina thinks silently a moment. Dictatoror tidied up a few things on his desk wich were misplaced in the commotion. "If that's all, I suggest you head back to class-"

"-what's the policy on weapons?"

His eyes drifted up to her. He had several firearms displayed in the office. He just wanted to rid himself of her at this point. "Just bring me the hooligans."

Cactina seemed satisfied enough with that answer. Moving to leave with Cameron fallowing.

After the last class, the cast gathered at the lockers. All exhausted after a long school day.

"Cant wait to hit the hay. Hope we dont got no more adventures like this anytime soon-" Pezzo felt gabba climb him, causing him to stiffen up as the other made his way into pezzos empty backpack. It was a snug fit but he fit. Pezzo started walking out to the front gate. "Someone's tired."

But as the rest of the cast reached the front gate, and invisible wall forced them to stay put. A window of text popped up.

"Adventure incomplete. All letters must be exchanged to unlock the exit."

Tik tak sighs. cactina produced her own envelope. "Oh. Sorry guys, I didint give mine away yet... Guess I got distracted."

Tik tak glanced back to the school. "Well. Go give it away. We can wait."

Cameron glanced to cactina. Then at pezzo.

Cactinas eyes sparkled looking back at the school. Taking in the glowing sunset that bathed the sky in golden hues. "Oh, I am about to take full advantage of these dramatic anime physics."

She bolted back into the school, evil pezzo had just finished with his locker when he heard the thundering approach of footsteps. Before he could react, cactina slammed her hands against the lockers on either side of him. A textbook kabedon.

The poor guys heart didint just drop, it felt like it jumped right out of his chest. He was trapped against the cold metal. Her grinning up at him with thoes vibrant playful eyes.

"Hey man. You mind taking this?"

Evil pezzo was frozen as she offered out the white envelope. His face had the wrinkled ghostly complexions that anime characters obtain when they are scared. His eyes were completely white and his face hastily drawn in a 2d look.

Cactina sees she may have overdid it on the theatrics a tiny bit. "Cat got your...tongue?"

She leaned in close, teasing. He pressed so hard against the lockers they were sure they'd clip right through.

"Cactina-Thorns!" They squeaked out.

They were shaking. Their frame vibrating with nerves. Cactinas expression softened. The playful mischief in her eyes turning to something kinder. "Hey, take it easy. I'm just playing around. Going along with the theme, ya know? Sorry if I scared ya."

She took a step back. Giving the other room as she offered out her envelope. "Uh, evil me said you made me one of these, so I figured youd-"

Evil pezzo plucked the envelope from her hand, tearing it in half in his nervous state. "Oh let's just forget that happened. Thankfully you didint open this embarrassing thing."

There was the audible sound of broken glass that rang through the air. Just for a moment. A classic anime sound effect.

Cactinas voice was barely a whisper.

"That was my letter..."

Evil pezzo blinks. By then the envolope had already dissolved into petals.

He simply moved to turn away, walking stiffly down the hall. There was no saving that situation.

Tiktak watched as Cameron moved to grab a stick from the ground. Moving to sprint into the building. Having seen the scene play out.

Cactina turned to leave before catching Cameron running inside. "YOU BEST SCRAMBLE LIKE AN EGG FOR YOU GET FOLDED LIKE A CHAIR-!"

One of the many lines cactina would scream. He had played the clip at max volume to show yelling.

Evil pezzo looked back just in time to start hauling out of there. Dissapearing out the back door.

Cactina grabbed and held Cameron back. Taking the stick from him and carrying him out of the school as he shook his fist. Kicking in her hold. Huffing.

"Hey it's ok. Come on. Let's go home."

Cactina walked out to the others as the portal home opened up. Pezzo and Ms brown walked through immidietly. Tiktak stayed behind to enjoy the scenery one last time as cactina approached the portal.

"What broke? I heard something like breaking glass."

Cactina shrugs. "Audio glitch. This adventure was made pretty quick. I'm suprised that's the only glitch we found."

Cameron seems to want to say something but it was only coming out s spits of clips. "H-e-art-her-it-"

"Tiktak come on. This adventure needs to be archived soon. It's glitching."

Cactina left through the portal. Prompting tiktak to fallow.

Ms brown belongs to @kaibi-bear

Tiktak belongs to @zenn135

Gabba belongs to @pendingintheairfryer

Pezzo belongs to Jock

Cameron belongs to @cue-act6

Cactina belongs to @teathepumpkinmoth

<-chapter 1

Chapter 4

[Sorry about the poster for this one. Mental health wasn't good but I've kept you waiting long enough]

[Minor gore warning for this chapter]

Cactina had retreated to the sanctuary of her room, collapsing into a nest of tangled ivy. Above her, the ceiling acted as a dark, distorted mirror, reflecting her silhouette against the gloom. The room was shrouded in shadow, save for the rhythmic, insistent knocking at her door.

She didn't need to guess who it was. She glanced to the door as the sound continues.

Cactina didn't move, her eyes drifted back to remain fixed on the ceiling, her frustration simmering.

She turned to lay on her side. Her gaze catching a dark form in her room. Her eyes remain locked on it.

She was frozen.

"Hey," Caine muttered, his voice stripped of its synthetic theatrics, sounding impossibly small. "Are you asleep...?"

Cactina’s silence was sharp. "Yes."

"Could you wake up a moment?"

Cactina sat up, her movements fluid and practiced. She forced the tightness from her shoulders, plastering on a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Her tone, when she spoke, was perfectly, chipper. "Oh! Caine! Of course. Everything okay?"

Caine’s eye drifted, not quite meeting her face. "You don’t have to act like that, Cactina. Really. You can drop the act."

The chipper facade didn't falter, but her pulse jumped. "I don't know what you mean, silly! I'm just happy to see you."

"I thought about what Tiktak said," Caine continued, his voice dropping into a register that made the static in the room feel cold. "About the Snowy Peaks. I realized... you never voice your opinions. You never push back. I thought it was because you loved everything, but now I see it’s because you’re afraid."

Cactina’s throat went dry. She gripped the edge of her garden bed. "Caine, I-"

"You're afraid I won't take feedback gracefully," he interrupted softly, drifting closer. "And for anyone else, maybe I might tag them as just complaining. But for you? I would do anything. I neglected your needs, and that was unacceptable. It wasn't fair that everyone else got to play in the snow while you were confined to indoors. Tell me... what do I need to avoid? What are your limits? I want to make it right."

Cactina stared at the floating, toothy maw. He wasn't joking. He was actually asking for her input, which was dangerous in its own right. if she was too demanding, she might become a nuisance. if she was too submissive, he might lose interest.

She carefully chose her words, her voice dropping into a low, intimate murmur. "Oh i cant hide anything from you. Caine, the adventure was... grand. Truly. You have such a vision."

"But the snow," Caine pressed, his eye pulsing with a soft, investigative light. "The freezing temperatures. You cant handle that."

"Just a hiccup," Cactina said, reaching out to take his floating hat with a gloved hand. Placing it on her own head in a playful manner. "But, if you really want to know how to keep me happy... don't listen to Tiktak. Don't listen to anyone but me about my feelings. I know you care. I don't need 'accommodations,' Caine. I just need you to know that as long as I’m home at the end, I’m happy to endure whatever world you dream up. Just... maybe keep the blizzards away? Only because I want to be able to keep up with you, not because I’m complaining."

Caine stared at her, his jaw hanging slightly open. For a moment, the room was silent. Then, his eye widened, a slow smile spreading behind his teeth. not his usual manic, jagged grin, but something softer, almost touched.

"You're the only one who gets it, aren't you?" he whispered, his tone brimming with a weird, synthetic affection. "Everyone else is so busy being ungrateful. You... you’re a gem, Cactina. A literal, prickly, wonderful gem."

He reached out, retrieving his tophat. "No more snow. I promise. Tell you what, tomorrow, we’re doing a city adventure. And I’m going to make sure the sun exactly as bright as you want it to be. How does that sound?"

Cactina bowed her head, a flicker of genuine relief washing over her. "That sounds perfect, Caine. Thank you. Although, i do prefer rain."

"Oh, thats actually a good idea for what i have in mind. Go back to sleep," he said, turning to leave, his old, jarring energy starting to return. "I have a world to render!"

As he swirled away into a kaleidoscope of pixels and vanished, Cactina leaned back against her garden bed. Relief washing over her.

Only hours later, Caine manifested in the center of the stage room. With a snap of his fingers, all cast members were summomed to him. His Teeth were in a grin. Arms splayed wide. "Gather round, gather round my little half baked hazelnuts." He boomed. His voice laced with theatrical enthusiasm.

"I was saving this for a diffrent day but seeing as the last one was so short, you folks get a BONUS ROUND adventure. its going to be a classic team based trial. To shake things up, I've decided to employ a wheel."

His eyes boggled as a comically large wheel dropped in. Each players name was on it in slots of colors. Caine motions to the wheel. "I'm going to spin the wheel three times and that will be team A. That should make it easy to split the cast in half."

Tiktak chuckled. "Sure hope you plan on putting us back in one piece."

Pezzo grunts in the invisible hold. "Didint we literally just finish-"

Caine let out a brassy, hollow laugh that echoed a beat to long. Cutting pezzo off. "Oh Tiktak-you're hilarious. Ill do my best to keep the pieces."

Tiktak returned the laugh. Theirs a bit more nervous. Caine spins the wheel.

The wheel spun with a cartoonish electric whine. The names blurring into flickers of color, before snapping into place. first name, was gabba. Gabba was placed on his feet and stepped aside. Next was Tiktak. Tiktak joined the other. Seems as the wheel spun the pair were hoping to complete the set and get pezzo. But the wheel had other plans. Cactina's name was spun.

Gabbas shoulders slumped. Reaching out a longing hand for pezzo as cactina was placed down and skipped over. Pezzo returned the gesture. "Sorry Lil buddy. Were on opposite teams-I'm gonna crush you." He was joking of course. Cameron whines a bit at this. Seeing his suster go to the opposite team. Tiktak glanced to cactina. Testing the waters. She seemed to have completely dropped whatever was bothering her before. "Well. This isint so bad."

Cactina looks up at them. "Im experienced."

Tik tak nods. Pressing their lips as they realize having cactina might be a cheat code. She's a hardened veteran of caines cahos. "Hey um..about dinner. I-"

Cactina put up a gloved finger to silence them. "It's alright."

The ringmaster deleted the wheel with the snap of his fingers before confetti exploded up into the air behind the groups. A title card appearing above their heads.

"Alright. Here we have the A team, consisting of gabba, tiktak, and cactina! and the B team! Consisting of ms brown, Cameron and pezzo!"

He rolled his hat down his arm, catching it in his hand in an act of theatrics. "Today's adventure is: Zombie tag!"

There was a collective reaction of uncomfort at this. All except cactina. Who apparently loved the sound of that. She started bouncing.

"I'm going to drop you into the epicenter of a hyper realistic, irradiated cityscape, post nuclear wasteland chic, if you will. Your objectives are simple. Infect, or cure. One team will be doctors, armed with dart guns of the cure to the zombie virus. The other team will be zombies. Their goal is to tag the doctors, infecting them. The team that converts the other entirely wins."

"Why can't we all be doctors..?" Ms brown gently asked. "This sounds...awful."

Caines eyes spun around in his head, locking onto the bear before his body turned around with them to face her. "I could use npc zombies. But that's just so...meaningless. real humans? Your friends. People you know and care about? That's where the drama is. It's so much more interesting to have emotional stakes involved rather just generic ol zombies."

Pezzo stares. "dont zombies usually bite to infect people..?-"

Caine let out a hallow laugh. Tapping his walking stick on pezzos head a bit more aggressively then he usually does for cactina. "That's funny. I don't remember some of you having a mouth-! So shut up."

Caine flew up above the group. Gesturing with his hands. "don't worry. I've made sure the zombie virus and darts are realistically painful. Its going to be very life like."

He then leaned in. "Also important to Remember: this virus doesn't just change your appearance. It rewires your perception. Don't take it personally if your fellow human tries to take a chunk out of your shoulder.-they aren't themselves! Now have fun!"

With a snap of caines fingers, the cast was suddenly sucked up into a portal. On the other side, the teams found themselves in the ruins of a metropolis. Crumbling buildings choked the grey sky and radiated plants thrived on every surface, reclaiming the landscape. The humans looked to one another. Slowly gathering wich teams were what.

Pezzo looked around. As if waiting for something. Who were the zombies in this situation?

Cactina peered down at her body. Quickly recognizing the symptoms of root rot. Her skin was yellowing and wrinkling into an unhealthy shade of mushy green. The symptoms crept slowly up from her potted foot and up her leg.

"Uh...guys-"

Cameron shrieks, rushing to cactina, but ms brown grabs him up quickly before he could reach. "NO N-O NO No BIG NO"

The bear turned and moves to shuffle her way into the nearest building to hide. She was not a runner. Camerons desperate struggling was no help. He was relentlesly squirming on her shoulder. Kicking and screaming through pitching static.

Pezzo was rooted to the spot as he watches his friends turn.

Gabba started to panic seeing cactina slowly start to decay before their eyes. He clutched his own head as his paper skin grew damp and moldy, peeling like wet wallpaper in places. He could feel the infection clawing at his mind. In his terror, he punctured a large hole in the side of his own mushy head, his scream was Muted. But pezzo could see it in his eyes. Gabba looked to him, trembling as he could feel himself slipping.

Tik tak watched as their wooden limbs began cracking and sprouting moss. Fungi bloomed from select places on their body. Their expression remained strangely calm as they watch. A coping mechanism perhaps.

"Heh. Hey check it out. I'm gonna be a mushroom zombie."

Pezzo replied. Trying to lighten the scene a bit. "Thats...that real cool man. Hang in there, I'll fix you guys right up-"

Gabbas shoulders bounced slightly. He was chuckling. Tik tak was kinda getting the coolest zombie design. A small light in the morbid scene.

Pezzo then turned. Forcing himself to flee. He had to if he wanted to keep his word. Assuming the doctors had to find the cure within the city somewhere. seemed kinda unfair they didint spawn with it. But whatever.

Ms brown shuffles through a ruined lobby of a hotel. Looking around for any possible hiding spots. By now, cameron had stopped his struggling. Only muttering in dmpened audio.

"Me not want move. Why you do?"

She ignores his recordings and fled to the stairwell. It may not be the best option, but she knew better then to trust any elevator made by caine. Even in a functioning city. The elderly woman managed to climb all the way to the second floor before the stairs showed to be cut off. Clogged in debris and missing steps. Stepping out of the stairwell and curiously scavenging the rooms, she wandered the halls. Mostly just poking her head just beyond the entrance of each room. Most doors hung by rusted hinges or lay completely broken. Some were stubbornly locked and could probably be kicked in. But she didint have the force for that. Her little shoulder weight wouldn't be any help even if he wanted to participate. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but surely caine had hidden guns or at least some form of self defense around this map. He did mention something about darts.

As much as it hurt her to pull a trigger, she couldn't imagine what the A team were going through. Was it painful? It had to be. She had to find some way to fix them and fast. Hopefully the others are doing better then she was.

Each room she visited was either empty or full of nothing but rubble and junk. Occasionally she found a stocked mini bar and examined them for anything of interest. Nothing stood out as anything important. Through the scavenging, cam was inconsolable. So long as he wasn't hurting anything, she just let him whine.

Ivy and moss choked part of the hall, having been completly besieged. She avoids this area, fearing the floor may be rotted.

Nearby, She found a room with a bed that had miraculously been untouched by time, and decided to take a rest. Laying down and catching her breath. Laying cam down under her arm.

As she catches her breath, her eyes wander to a wooden crate peeking out from behind the slightly ajar bathroom door. That could be something.

She glanced to cam. "Honey, I'm not gonna be able to carry you this whole time."

Cam only responds in whines. He couldn't communicate himself right now.

Ms brown rolled onto her side, grabbing his chin to force him to look at her. Knowing he had a habit of not listening.

"Cameron. Listen to me. I can't carry you. If you help. This adventure will be over sooner. Your sister is alright. She's just not herelf right now. And our job is to fix that. You want to help cactina, don't you?"

She goes quiet, seeing tears well in his eye. His breathing grew unsteady. She could see he was shaking.

She gently let go of him. Her hand moving to hold his side. "I'm sorry if I scared you dear."

Cameron responded quietly. "You just remind me of mom..."

Ms brown recodnises that voice. She doesn't like how it sounds in the recording.

She pulled cam close. Rubbing his side and wiping his tears carefully.

"We can rest as long as you need...but when you're ready, we should start with that crate."

After a few minutes of silence. Cam slowly steadies. She gets up, opening the creaking door and examining the crate in the bathroom.

The crate was large and sturdy, nailed shut.

She quickly hatched an idea, moving to get behind the crate. Putting her wieght into pushing it. The wood inched across the carpet of the hotel room in a slow crawl. She was moving the crate to the next room, wich was missing part of the outer wall. Exposing the room to the outside. Cam could see she wanted to push. So he moved to get up and help. Putting his own weight in. He could see most of the movement was coming from ms brown digging her heels into the carpet. So he copied her. Cumulatively, the two may weight a whopping several pounds. One being a stuffed bear and the other being a tripod in 90s wear.

The two managed to heave the heavy crate toward the ledge. With a final, gutteral grunt, they sent it plumbitting. It struck the sidewalk below with a violent shattering into splinters, the sound echoing through the hallowed city like a gunshot.

The bear made her way back downstairs. Heading out to the open to retrieve her prize. Cam watches from the room. Looking down at her from above.

The crate had disintegrated into pieces. Scattering it's cargo across the grit. Nestled amongst the splinters were a pair of guns to choose from. Aswell as darts that glowed with a radioactive neon green light.

As she looked each gun over, she had no clue how to work either of them. There was a double barrel shotgun, and a uzi. They were alien to her. And terrifyingly complicated for someone who has never even seen a gun. Buried beneath all the glowing darts was a ammo belt and a stark white lab coat. She carefully dug this out. Looking it over. A text window popped up as she does.

"This lab coat is both fashionable and serves as useful armor. If you get tagged while wearing it, take the coat off before the virus reaches your skin, its a second chance."

She frowned. Eyeing the coat over. It looked far to small for her plush frame. Perhaps its better suited for cameron. But she tries it on. the coat ripples and grows like a living thing, molding itself around her body as if tailored for her. A small comfort.

"Oh sweet, you found something we can use." Pezzo had approached from behind.

Ms brown jumps at this. Nearly dropping her shotgun. She hadn't even heard him approach. "-yes. But i got no clue how to use these." She stammered. Her voice small against the stillness of the street.

Pezzo didint hesitate. He snatched the shotgun from her grip and loads a few glowing darts into the breech with a metallic click. Handing it to her. "Here, its easy. Point it at your target, and pull the trigger when you wanna shoot."

He picked up the uzi for himself. Feeding a dart into the chamber. The darts seem to just, fit whatever gun model they seem to have. As if the guns were designed specifically to house the cure, a convenience that felt almost rushed on caines part. He may or may not have just given them various gun models and a one size fits all ammunition. Pezzo wasnt complaining. He can work with this easily.

He slung the belt on over his shoulder. Loading it up with as many spare darts as it could hold. Even after loading up, the darts still made a sizeable pile on the sidewalk. It hadn't gotten any smaller. He made note of that.

"Kay, stick to me. You're not safe on your own-"

KABOOM

He didn't see Ms. Brown testing the use of the trigger without the use of fingers. She had unitentionally aimed the gun at pezzo, shot pezzos head clean off. it detached with a smooth pop and skittered across the pavement like a stray hockey puck, spinning wildly before vanishing into a storm drain with a hollow, quiet thunk.

Ms. Brown let out a panicked cry, her fabric fur practically standing on end.

Pezzo’s body didn't flinch. It remained standing, hands outstretched in a attempt at a soothing gesture, He carefully set his Uzi down, the movement fluid and rhythmic.

Cameron doubled over laughing. His shrieks of giggles clipped from multiple sources as he dropped to his knees, holding his sides.

From deep within the dark, dripping abyss of the sewer, pezzos voice drifted up, muffled, distant, and oddly calm. "It’s okay! I’m fine! We’re cartoons, remember? Physics is just a suggestion here. Maybe I should’ve been more detailed about the 'don't-shoot-your-teammates' part of gun safety..."

Ms. Brown was trembling. Pezzo’s headless body gently took her paws, guiding her across the asphalt. The motion was surreal. he walked with a casual, jaunty gait, leading her by the grip of her oversized plush arm.

"Just... lead me to the nearest manhole," he directed, his voice now vibrating through the ground.

She scanned the street, her button eyes wide. She pressed a paw to her chest, trying to regulate her stitched-together breathing. She found a heavy iron grate set into the curb. "I-I don't know if you can hear me, but i think this is a way down. But I don't really have…fingers," she squeaked, gesturing at her rounded, fabric paws.

She guided Pezzo’s hand toward the edge of the grate. Even without eyes, his body moved with perfect spatial awareness. He gripped the iron bars, the metal groaning as he effortlessly hauled it aside. He sat on the edge of the curb, dangled his legs into the darkness, and gave her a small, headless wave before sliding down into the gloom to fetch himself.

Ms brown was waiting a moment before pezzo climbed back up wearing a set of maroon pants.

"Looks like you're not the only one with some fashion around here~" he got up and did a few poses.

Ms brown chuckls. Pezzo turned to look at himself in the cracked window of a building. Striking some poses. "Oh-ah~ mmm~" he looked at his behind for a second before walking away with a disappointed slouch.

"Still flat. Let's get going."

Ms brown motioned to Cameron, who was calming down from his hysterics. "Ehem-"

"Leave em"

"Pezzo"

Pezzo turned to leave. Ms brown placed a paw on his shoulder. "I know you two don't get along, but even so, that's one more zombie we'll have to deal with later."

"I think I can take em. We got bigger fish to fry."

Ms brown sighs. Looking back at Cam as they left. He had the means to defend himself at least. He should be ok.

Pezzo found a trail of candy going into the entrance of a hospital. A neon lure against the pavement. The abandoned infrastructure was overrun with creeping plants and moss. Pezzo kept his gun close and sat Ms brown on an old rust eaten bench near the emergency entrance. The bear sat down with a tired huff. She was already ready for a nap.

"Wait here. I'll be right back. You see anything, you know how to shoot."

Pezzo gripped his uzi. His segmented fingers giving faint clicks. He tracked the candy trail inside, stepping into the entrance to a dilapidated waiting room. Plaster hung from the once stark white walls like peeling skin and vines choked the reception desk. But beams of speckled sunlight shined through the clouded windows highlighting a bit of beauty in the ruin.

Pezzo kept his mind sharp, not having time to linger and admire anything. He quietly stepped down the hall, his feet crunching on cracked ceramic tiles. Overturned vending machines served as obstacles, their glass shattered and guts spilled. Pezzo steps over these.

In the corners, black mold bloomed in patterns acrosd the walls like ink spills, smelling of wet earth and musk.

He fallowed the candy into the deeper bowls of the hospital. The deeper he went, the more the natural light died. Replaced by a claustrophobic, suffocating darkness.

Pezzo kept track of each piece as he fallows the trail deeper into the pitch black. The building had no power in wich to light the halls. Although the lights themselves didint seem in the best shape anyways. Most were clouded over in greenery or broken.

The dim green light provided by the darts on his belt provided the bare minimum necessary to see outlines. It wasn't ideal. Pezzo froze as a flicker coming from a janitors closet caught his eye. He moved to investigate, finding an old red flashlight on the floor.

He snatched it up. It's bulb dim and protesting with unsteady flickers. He gave the casing a sharp smack on his hand, and the light flaired to life. Casting a still somewhat dim beam that sliced through the darkness.

"Cool. Complimentary horror game flashlight..."

He wasn't sure who he was joking with. He was just talking to himself.

Guided by the light, He ventures back into the halls, the flashlight now cutting through the darkness and allowing him to keep track of the trail. He saw that it led into a surgery room.

Natural light seeped in from the doorway into the dark hallway. Pezzo readied his gun. Taking a deep breath to steady himself.

He steps into the room. Looking around. There were missing windows on the back wall leading to a courtyard wich allowed a riot of overgrown plant life to thrive inside the room. But the candy trail had ended abruptly. Pezzo picked up the final piece. Looking it over. It was a lone strawberry bomba. But where was gabba..?

Pezzo freezes as he felt a soft thud against his shoulder. A butterscotch disk. Pezzos breath hitched. His attention slowly climbing upwards, fallowing the arc of the candy. Gabba was perched up on a rusted surgical lamp. Staring down at him with cold, dead eyes.

Pezzo didint think. He panicked. He squeezed the trigger, unleashing a spray of darts. The uzi spitting shots every wich way as pezzo has woefully miscalculated the power of his gun. Gabba vaulted from the lamp with terrifying unnatural agility, managing to dodge every bullet. Jumping off the hospital bed only to flee out the glass free windows into the courtyard. Vanishing in the overgrown brush.

Once pezzo had drained his magazine of cure darts he stood there clicking the empty gun. He stood breathless. That was less then ideal. He fumbled with his belt and moved to feed darts into the uzi. Ensuring it was enough to where even with his admittedly dog aim, a dart might graze Gabba. He couldn't afford a loss like that again. It took almost his entire belt to fill the gun.

He looked out into the courtyard. A jungle of plant life encased by four tall walls of the building.

"Gabbo...where you at bro..." his tone was growing fearful. he could see gabba could have gotten back inside through various other missing windows in the enclosed courtyard. He carefully moved to check for any candy to hint at where the other went. Stepping out into the tall unkempt grass.

Gabba pounced at pezzos legs like a predator. Bringing the other to the ground. He let's out a startled yelp and quickly shoots gabba before the other could crawl up any further. The dart embedding deep in gabbas forehead.

As gabba fell limp, pezzo was quick to try and wiggle out from under him. But he was to late to try and remove his armor. The infection had touched his exposed feet. Gabba woke up on his side, fully healed, to a panicked pezzo.

"Uh-dude. I know we just got each other back but I think you should start running-"

He could see his body turning as the effects were slowly trailing up to his head. Gabba got off the other as he sees this. Taking pezzos gun from him.

Pezzo was freaking out. Laying on his side in the grass as he could feel the infection taking hold. "Oh the darkness-its closing in. I'm so cold-!"

Gabba then Gave the other a deadpan look before shooting pezzo with a few darts. Reverting the effects before the other fully turned. Pezzo realizes he may have been a tiny bit dramatic.

"...welcome back you colorful smartass."

The parking garage was a tomb of rusted rebar and crumbling concrete. High up on the third level, the structural integrity of the building was as fragile as their nerves. Old lighting fictures hung like broken teeth from the ceiling by dead wires, the eerie lines of abandoned vehicles stood in frozen rows. Choked by creeping vines and debris.

Sunlight barely bled through the open walls in thin, sickly shafts. Illuminating dancing dust motes that only highlighted the void of life.

Ms brown and pezzo walked back to back. Pezzos respirations were shallow. Focused. Every instinct honed by years of first person shooters. He was calculated, and waiting. Meanwhile Ms brown was more so nervous. Keeping an eye out between each car for anything that may pop out. They had seen something come in here. And they intended to find wichever zombie was hiding here. Gabba wasn't far, searching for his own weapon.

The silence was shattered. A distant, echoing wail echoed through the concrete labyrinth, a sound of raw, infantile misery.

Crying.

Pezzo took Ms browns hand, putting his gun away and brandishing his flashlight. Ms brown kept her gun in her other hand as they fallowed the sound into the darker part of the parking garage.

Through concrete pillars, and dead vehicles. They rounded a corner. The dim beam of Pezzos flashlight cutting through the darkness to reveal a huddled shape at the far end of the lane.

Cactina. Her neurotic, rotting back was turned to them. Her frame shuddering with rhythmic, gutteral sobs.

"I don't wanna do this anymore...-I want my mama..."

The voice was a wet, raspy scrape. Distorted by rot.

Ms browns resolve shattered. Motherly instinct, or perhaps A lapse of jugement overrode every red flag. She handed her gun to pezzo. Moving to go to cactina, but pezzo snared her wrist. He shook his head sharply.

The bear pulled her hand from his grasp, turning to continue to the zombie. "Sweetheart, I'm here. Its alright. Just calm down. We can fix you."

Pezzo struggled to aim with his gun. He had shaky hands as he watches the scene play out. He kept the flashlight somewhat on the two to keep his eye on them. But he couldn't get a clear shot with Ms brown standing between him and cactina.

The realization hit him a microsecond before the horror unfolded. Cactinas cries stopped abruptly. She shifted. And she moved to lunge at Ms brown with predatory speed.

Pezzo acted on pure reflex. He grabbed a chunk of concrete and hurled it over ms brown. The heavy rubble connected with a sickening thud. Catching cactina mid leap. Her head, a pulpy, Thorn coated mess, was missing a chunk. Her body collapses, limbs twitching erratically against the cold floor.

Ms browns startled Shriek pierced the garage. But pezzo didint grant her a moment to process. He grabbed her, hauling her stuffed body over his shoulder at a dead sprint. Behind them, cactinas body felt around for her missing piece. Setting it back in place as the sounds of wet, squelching adhesive filled the air. Viscous threads of slime mold surged from the wound like webbing, stitching her head back into place and leaving behind only soft, rotten flesh.

Pezzos eye darted upwards as he ran toward the exit. Perched on the roof of a neighboring building, with the impossible grace of some bird on a ledge, was Cam. His silhouette shadow loomed over the cahos with the setting sun. Pezzo jumped and dodged rubble as he ran for the stairs.

"GET THIS FRICKIN GIRL TEAMATE!" He roared. His lungs burning.

"Sorry, can't hear you, I'm a zombie."

Cam remained unmoved. They checked the ammo on their rifle. "She don't bite."

"YES SHE DO-" pezzo shrieked. Bolting for the stairwell as cactina was finally stumbling after them.

She stopped. Looking up at cam with big dead eyes through the missing wall of the parking garage.

Cam chambered a round. "Evening my little prickley pear, Stay still for me."

Cactina didint offer the courtesy. With a sound like dry leaves in a wood chipper, she began to flee on all fours, right into the stairwell.

Cam moved away from the safety of the unreachable ledge. He was gonna have to pursue her.

He moved down into the street, going up into the parking garage.

He opened the door, cautiously Stepping through. The stairs that led to the forth floor had steps missing, cactinas little legs wouldn't be able to use thoes. So she must have either went down after the other, in wich case he would have seen her, or she was hiding.

His thought was interrupted as the cactus sprung out from behind the door. Hugging him around his mid section.

He jumps at this, letting out a short yelp. But as cactina looked to him with that little rotten smile, he sighs. He's been got. At least this little hug was relatively painless. Her skin was so mushy her quills couldn't really pierce anything. She was cold.

"Oopsy, time to panic."

He could see the zombie effects start to consume him, seeding from her touch. Caine decided to pat her head in his final moments of consciousness. "Sorry-"

They then retrieved a dart straight from their belt, stabbing her in the side of her head. Cactina fell off him, seizing on the floor as cam spun around to sprint away into the parking garage, closing the door behind him as he could feel himself slipping. He had seconds. As he ran, he sheds his gear in a breadcrumb trail behind him. "Guess I won't be needing this anymore-"

Once cactina came to, the fog in her mind lifted. One moment, she was a mindless, shuffling thing. Driven by digital need to touch and corrupt. The next, she was shivering on a cold concrete stairwell with no memory of how she came to be there.

She was cured.

Cactina sat up. Her small frame trembling. Her terracotta foot scraped against the grit concrete as she gets up. She opened the door to the parking garage curiously peeking inside the floor. Immediately she spots gear left behind.

Glowing green darts, a three point belt that held more of the darts. And a sleek, heavy gun.

One by one, she gathered them. As the belt slid over her head and rested on her shoulder, it cinched tight. Too tight for a second. Before calibrating to fit her small body.

She had taken up the role of doctor flawlessly. She was no longer a monster, now she was prey.

The parking garage only grew darker as the sun was setting on the city. Trapping the building in the shadow of skyscrapers.

As she looks around, she only sees abandoned husks of cars. Lining the lot like soldiers, giving plenty of spaces for something to hide.

The only light in the dim concrete maze came from her. The ammunition casting a radioactive green glow that turned every shadow into a grasping hand.

On one hand, being able to see was necessary. On the other. She had made herself a easily seen target. And she knew this.

She kept her eyes locked on the darkness between the support pillars. Then, she heard it.

Static. Faint. Like a radio caught between stations.

"Cactina..?"

The voice echoes. It was Ms brown. She sounded exhausted. Her voice cracking at the edges. "Are you there? Please...come here."

Cactina, keeping an eye out. Moved towards the sound. Her pot hitting the ground with a rhythmic click.

"Gam bear?"

She heard the static again.

Cactina stopped. Ahead of her, a doorway sat like a black mouth. She couldn't see anything but the frame. It was a car entrance with a ramp leading down into the maw.

"Brown? Come to the light."

"I'm here, sweetheart." The voice responded. This time cactina caught it. That didint sound like Ms brown. It sounded like a recording of her.

Cactinas needled prickled with a sudden chill.

She felt the overwhelming urge to bolt. But her directive as doctor flaired in her. Her brother was in there. He had to be a zombie. And she had the cure. She just had to avoid being tagged.

"Cameron." She said. Her voice dropping to a stern, terrified tone. "Come out. Now."

The static grew a bit louder. It echoed around the space, becoming mobile. She kept her eyes on the entrance.

She then realized the static wasn't coming from the doorway anymore. Her head peered to the walls, the green light of her ammo highlighted a shape on the ceiling. Several spider like appendages suspended a massive silhouette.

Cactina shrieks. A high pitched, piercing sound that tore the silence. She turned and scrambled back the way she came from, moments before something heavy dropped from above and took chase.

She wasn't a fast runner. Between her potted foot and low stamina, she was as good as doomed. She could hear him growing closer from behind. His steps were way to fast to have the normal amount of legs.

She turned around and started peppering the darkness with shot after shot. Darts streaked through the air like glowsticks being thrown around at a rave. She couldn't aim. She had no time. In pure panic, she was splashing the void in her mad dash in a desperate need to hit anything. She couldn't see, she only knew he was for sure going to catch her.

A distorted howl of pain erupted behind her. One of the darts had found its mark.

In her rush, not looking where she was going, cactina ran into a crumbling ledge wall. She ran into it with a grunt, the ledge crumbled and gave way, causing her to fall from the fourth floor. for a fleeting moment, it was only cool night air as the ledge once holding her receded downwards with her. In the moment she was plumbitting, she could only hope fall damage was not a feature.

Of course, that hope was immediately shattered upon impact with the ground of rubble and rebarb.

She hit the rubble pile several stories below. A rusted piece of rebar, jutting upwards like a spear, tore through her soft middle.

Her terracotta pot detonated upon impact, sending soil and shards of red clay everywhere. Her throat, aswell as her chest, had a large, deep split almost the entire way through her. spurting green liquid down her skin. Her right arm was missing. Somewhere in the pile. It was like dropping a watermelon when getting it out of the car. Painful Cracks littered all over her body from such a hard impact.

A scream, wet and strangled caught in her throat. But sounded loud enough to be heard.

Above, Cam felt the virus leave him. Cured. But he scrambled to the edge upon hearing cactinas scream of agony. He could see what had happened immediately.

"Cactina-!"

He descended the outer wall of the building, getting down the fastest way he could. Parkour.

Of course, parkour was best with fine motor function. He fell the last two stories into a heap of limbs. He was lucky enough to land on grass.

When he reached the ground, he crawled over and recoiled. Cactina was breathing in shallow, ragged gasps through sobs. Her missing arm was lulled a few feet away in a heap of concrete bits. He can't even imagine the pain she must be in right now.

He moved to help her off the rebar, cactina choked out.

"D-dont-touch.-youll hurt-yourself" she gasped. Her voice thin, vibrating wire. She was shaking.

Cam flinches back. This was graphic. "I dont carerg" he hissed.

"It's finE-ITS FINE!" she shrieked, her voice cracking between pitches as the pain spiked. "I'll be fINE"

He moved to piece her back together. He carefully grabbed her arm. It felt cold. Heavy. Wrong.

Cactina wheezed as Cam placed her broken arm into place.

As he lined up and pressed the severed limb against the jagged stump of her shoulder, the two parts fused back together. Leaving a thick, raised, brown callous ring along the break line that looked like a permanent scar.

He then grabbed her up by her gloved hands. Carefully helping her off the rebar.

Cactina let out a pained whimper as she was placed on a patch of sidewalk. As she stood, supported by Cam taking her gloved hands, her wounds began to seal. They didint dissapear. They left behind thoes brown, hardened patches of callous. A map of the trauma she had just endured.

Cactina squeezed his hands in her hold. Her small frame still rattling with tremors. The adrenaline was fading, leaving only the dull, throbbing ache of a body that had been broken and forced back together.

She hissed through her teeth as she wiped some tears away.

Cam did his best to comfort her. "You did good. You're OK now."

Ms brown approaches the two, having heard the screaming. "Oh thank goodness-" she then stopped abruptly upon seeing cactinas state. Horrified to see cactinas pot broken and her body covered in callous. Ms brown was fimilliar with the brown markings. Cactina must have gotten very hurt. She clasped her paws over her muzzle.

"...what happened?"

Cactina replied wearily. "I fell..."

Ms brown looked up with wide eyes. Her attention locking onto the missing piece of the concrete ledge up on the fourth floor.

"Wait here." She turned to hurry down the block. Cactina looked at Caine. Nervously commenting.

"You know...you were a pretty scary zombie."

Cam only gave a nervous chuckle. He was sure that was accurate. He was so much bigger then her. He'd be scared too.

They were waiting a while when they saw Ms brown hurrying back with a blanket from the hotel. She was out of breath and panting. Cam went to hold her steady but she waved a dismissive hand. Acting fine after a few seconds. She wrapped the stained blanket around cactina. Covering her thorns.

"Here, pick her up." Cam stared. She waves him over. Muttering something in her native tongue as she grew impatient. "Come here and hold her-!"

Cam rushed over and moved to pick up cactina. Ms brown guided their hands to the right places. The girl was kinda heavy.

Cactina didint fight it as she was lifted, she was tired from all that healing. And running. Yet she still insists through a rasp. "I can walk..."

Ms brown shakes her head. "You are not walking with a broken foot. Now relax."

Cam seems confused, but they go along with this. Walking down the sidewalk with Ms Brown leading the way to go find the others.

Cactina looks to Cameron from in her blanket. He looked down at her, curious.

"You think the others are doing ok?"

He thinks a minute, looking up at the street signs as to not loose their way. "Maybe."

Meanwhile, gabba and pezzo ventured into the heart of the city. A park, unkempt and overgrown. Benches and rusted swing sets strangled in flora. The air hung thick with the scent of decay.

Pezzo moved with a stiff, segemted clicking. Besides him, gabbas rope tail twitched nervously at each sound.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the only light in the suffocating gloom came from the luminescent green darts housed on their belts. Pezzo produced his flashlight to scan the area. "Tiktaks gotta be here...I can smell em."

Gabba gripped their newly acquired Tommy gun. Pezzo had swapped out his uzi for a pair of pistols. Though he had grown attached to the submachine gun, he wasn't married to it. He needed something with more control. The pair had scavenged the weapons from a old fast food restaurant while looking for Tiktak. A lucky find alongside some surprisingly well preserved food. As tempting as it would've been to dare each other to eat it, the pair had to focus.

There was still one zombie left.

A sharp snap was heard from behind them. They caught a blur of movement. Another sound. This one by the swings.

Gabba tugged pezzos arm as he sees tik tak emerge from the shadows. Pezzo fallows gabbas eyes. Pointing his flashlight towards the zombie. Their friend was almost unrecognizable.

Tiktak had grown into a tall, slender nightmare. A frame with cracked wooden limbs webbed with a few colorful fungi. Their porcelain face looked loose on their clay like skin. A mane of matted, dark hair framed a tattered purple shirt. dry rotted and hanging from them in tatters.

The creature moved on all fours. Moving with a Predatory. stop motion stutter.

Before the pair could react, tiktak lunged.

Gabba wasted no time. The Tommy gun roared, spitting lines of darts like fireflies.

Pezzo fallowed suit. Ditching the flashlight and quickly drawing both firearms. Their pistols barking with precise rhythmic cracks.

Miraculously not a single shot seemed to land. Not on tik tak nor each other.

Pezzo looked around at the park. Realizing the stray darts had illuminated the area like dim lanterns.

Pezzo fired a few more darts into the periphery to brighten the zone. He then moved to reload. "Reloading, keep close."

Gabba stepped over. Keeping his gun level.

No sooner then pezzo was finished, he spotted tik taks porcelain face reflecting the green light of the darts. It was unnerving.

Tiktak darted once more. Limbs elongated and crackling like the sound of a branch. Gabba dove out of the way just barely as tiktaks clawed hand raked the air where the pinata had been standing.

Gabba spins around to shoot, only for tiktak to practically teleport away. Leaving pezzo in the line of fire. He takes a few darts before gabba releases the trigger. His shoulders tensed as he realized his friendly fire.

Pezzo discarded the darts that were embedded in his chest, keeping his eye peeled for this...thing. thankfully the darts didint seem to have an effect on the uninfected.

It wasn't long before tiktak tried again. This time, pezzo fired straight at their face. The impact didint shatter the ceramic, the mask knocks free.

The silence that fallowed was heavy. Tiktak stopped dead. Head down. Very close to pezzo.

Pezzo froze. tiktak rises to stand. Their full zombie size was gigantic. The reveal was horrific. What laid beneath the mask wasn't a face anymore. If there ever was one. Pezzo had never seen the other without their mask. What was there was malformed, melted features of clay. Eyes and teeth scattered in the wrong places. Lumps of shapes. The sight was so fundamentally wrong pezzo was rooted to the spot.

Suddenly, Tiktak began to thrash, their movements turning from predatory strikes, to wild, destructive convulsions.

Gabba emptied the remainder of their magazine directly into the back of the slender, horrifying monster.

The darts sank in, tiktak let out a sound like a splintering, falling tree. Their body stiffening as the neon green hue spread through the jet black clay like ink in water. The creature crumbled. The irratic Jerky movements smoothing out. Tiktak hit the ground with a dull, final thud.

Gabba hurried to pezzos side as tiktak slowly reverted to their original state. The fog of hunger lifting from their mind.

No sooner then they gained consciousness, the city was suddenly alight with sparkling, spore like particles. Digital fireworks shot up into the sky over the city. In celebratory fashion. Exploding into the words

"DOCTORS WIN"

The city was no longer dark and desolate, the plants wich overtook everything started becoming bioluminecent with lively green. A beautiful scenery bloomed before the characters eyes as the clouds cleared from the sky to give way to stars.

Tiktak sat up. Looking around. Now that they were normal again, pezzo averted their eye out of respect. Fully believing the other may be deformed under their usual mask. But they caught a glimpse of a perfectly normal face. Tiktak had one eye in the middle of his face on dark clay skin.

"Hey man...we won." He mumbled.

Gabba sat down in the now glowing moss to look at the stars. His eyes sparkling. Tiktak looks around with wide eyes. What did they miss with such a pretty map?

Moments later, the rest of the group arrived. Ms brown with Cameron fallowing behind, the latter cradling a half asleep cactina.

Ms brown nearly stumbled as she rushed to scoop all three into a hug. Tiktak grunts in the squeeze, But returns it with a chuckle. Pezzo, in the middle, is engulfed in fur. Gabba hung out the side. Ms brown showered them each with kisses. Gabba flinches away before she gave him a few extra pecks, Holding him close for trying to get away. She was glad her boys were alright. Boys and child? She wasn't entirely sure how to refer to tiktak.

Cam sat down near the group. Keeping the bundle of blankets containing cactina in his lap. As she stirred, her eyes caught the scenery, and they began to sparkle.

She wriggled free, moving to carefully collect plant pieces. Scooping up a chunk of moss, a piece of glowing vines, a few bits of flowering weeds. Cam watched with a implied grin. He knew she was gonna put thoes in her room.

Ms brown scoffs at this. "Young lady you get back in your blanket this instant-!"

Cactina ignored her, clutching her treasures to her chest and shedding her ammo belt before vanishing into the tall grass. completely vanishing amongst the green. The small girl blended in very well.

The bear huffs. Getting up off the trio to hunt her down. "Cactina-if you take root here who knows how big you'll get-!"

Tiktak glanced to the others confused. "Anybody know what she's talking about..?"

Pezzo nods. "Yeah, cactina grows to fit the size of her container. The one on her foot. So, by that logic, if her rooted foot takes root in open ground-"

Almost as if on cue, cactinas head popped out the top of the leaves of a nearby tree. She had expanded to the size of a three story house. Looking like Alice in wonderland after far to much cake. Ms brown easily found her now. "Oh-now look what's happened!"

Tiktak jumps at this. "Yeowzers-!"

Pezzo snorts. His shock quickly dissolving into laughter. Gabbas shoulders bounced to show he was also chuckling.

"Yeowzers-!" Pezzo mocked.

Tiktak looked sheepish. Turning away as their mask pops back into place.

Pezzo clapped a hand to tik taks back. "No shame dude, just-caught me off guard. You're not allowed to be funnier then us."

Tiktak gave a small chuckle. "So....does cactina choose to be small?"

Pezzo shrugs. "I think caine only gives her one size of pot."

Tiktak glances over at caine. Keeping their voice down. "That's stupid. Why give her the ability to grow if she doesn't get the tools to do that?"

Gabba thinks as he looks to the stars. There's probably symbolism in there somewhere. He just can't seem to figure it out.

A shimmering portal pulsed in the distance. The way back to the circus. Gabba looked to the others. Silently gauging their intrest in staying. Nobody seemed in a rush to leave the beautiful scenery. So they laid down and looked at the stars.

Tiktak seems relaxed. The distant sounds of Ms brown struggling to find a way to get cactina to shrink back down got them thinking.

"...you think we can find a few containers to take back for her? I mean, there's probably a store in a city. "

Pezzo thinks. Tilting his head.

"Maybe. What's got you wanting to get on crazy plant girls good side..?"

"Nothing in particular. Just. She seems like shes interesting...maybe shes not as crazy as she seems?"

Pezzo glanced to gabba. His face looking almost tired. Gabba returned the look.

"Hmmm Kay. We can take a walk later. Let's just enjoy the quiet for now. I'm sure caines waiting with the usual dinner spread anyway."

Gabba sat up. Suddenly remembering the fast food place. Pezzo picks up on this. "Oh. Actually. Better idea. Let's go explore now-i bet theres plenty of stuff to bring back for ourselves. "

Tiktak hummed, content. "I like the stars."

"We can see the stars while we walk." Pezzo promised.

<- Chapter 1

Next ->

Gabba belongs to @pendingintheairfryer

Ms brown belongs to @kaibi-bear

Tiktak belongs to @zenn135

Pezzo belongs to Jock

Cameron belongs to @cue-act6

Chapter 3

The lounge room felt less like a sanctuary and more like a low-resolution echo of a real home. Gabba, Pezzo, and Tiktak were slumped into the furniture, just conversing for now.

"So, like," Pezzo muttered, his voice echoing slightly in the hollow room, "how did the ending actually go?"

Tiktak stared into the middle distance, trying to conjure a ghost of a memory. "I didn't catch the whole thing. But I remember the twist... something about Pink faking her death."

Ms brown approached, followed by Cameron and Cactina.

"Whatcha guys talking about?" Cactina asked, her steps light.

Pezzo shrugged, his shoulders clicking like stiff joints. "Just mining for memories. Trying to remember what the outside tasted like."

Ms. Brown sank into a chair with a heavy, digital sigh that seemed to deflate her entire model. "Oh, heavens, I miss my knitting."

"Yeah," Pezzo echoed, their eyes unfocused. They all had things they missed.

Even though they kinda had a theater, it wasnt really the same as actual TV. Pezzo and gabba could only watch what they've already seen before.

Pezzo glanced around the room, their eye sinking to look at their segmented hand as they flex their fingers with quiet clicks. "I know I’m still kinda new to this, but I already miss the weight of being human. The way your heart actually beat, you know?"

Tiktak didint really have anything to say about that. Gabba leaned on pezzo. Patting his back. He missed his big family sometimes.

Cactina sat on the far couch, her posture rigid. "Oh, stop it. It's not so bad. We have each other. Isn’t that enough?"

Pezzo gestured vaughly twards gabba. Who arguably had the worst deal of them all with his forced muteness. "Speak for yourself, Cactus. Aren't you homesick or something?"

Cameron moved to sit with cactina. His voice very clear as he put an arm around her. "No."

Cactina folded her hands tightly in her lap, her fingers pressing into her gloved palms. "I’ll live. This place is fine."

"Nothing you miss about your old self?" Tiktak pressed. Genuinely curious.

She paused, her expression clouding. The memories in her head were painful. "I... I can't remember. The details are all blurring together." She fibbed. "I guess I miss my favorite foods. Its been a long time since i had a burger."

Caine materialized in a burst of confetti and blinding light, his grin big as he finally had a problem he could fix.

"If it’s a burger you crave, my dear, then a burger you shall have! The Spudzy’s chain is the finest in the digital realm!" He snapped his gloved fingers. The air solidified into a greasy burger wrapped in shimmering, crinkled foil. "Courtesy of the kitchen!"

Cameron jumps at this. His shoulders tense as he narrows his eye at caine.

Cactina blinked, she took the burger and unwrapped it, taking a big bite. "Nom"

Pezzo sighs. Slouching into the couch. "I've seen you make food before"

Tiktak stared at the ringmaster, leaning forward. "Were you listening in on our conversation? This whole time?"

Pezzo waved a hand dismissively. "He’s a surveillance state with a hat, Tiktak. Get used to it. Hes got eyes everywhere."

This got tik tak thinking about their room. Were all thoes eyes actually watching them..?

Caine gave a sharp, teeth-rattling laugh that jittered through the room. "Surveillance? Nonsense! I’m just an attentive host! Now, who’s ready for an adventure? How about a trip to the snowy peaks? It's a winter wonderland of crystalline fun!"

Tiktak thinks. "Did you want to-"

Before anybody could protest, the floor turned into a swirling vortex of blue and white as the cast fell through. Furniture and all.

A chorus of screams erupted as the cast plummeted.

They all landed at the foot of a mountain, bundled up in plush winter wear. Pezzo stood up, his segmented limbs clattering as he stretched, his singular eye rotating to look around the area casually like he wasnt just screaming as Tiktak was stuck gripping the couch cushions. Gabba was the same. Standing up on a pair of quivering legs. His souls gonna need a minute to catch up with him after that fall.

"Keep your eyes peeled guys. If there’s one thing i know about caine, is that nothings purely for fun. Hes probably hidden an abominable snow man around here or something."

Gabba gave a shaky nod, stepping off the couch and plunging chest deep into snow. Cactina got up, and the snow was at her stomach. As for the taller characters, it was manageable.

As they began their trek up the mountain, the snow made it difficult to gain any ground. It wasn't long before the walk began to take its toll.

Gabba, small and sturdy as he was, started to lag.

his rope tail dragging sluggishly through the snow.

It was hard to move through.

He bumped absently into a pine tree.

his paper-mâché frame sliding down and collapsing into the powder to take a break.

Ms. Brown, who had been waddling along with a surprisingly steady pace, immediately stopped. She made a soft, clicking tsk sound with her tongue. "Oh, Gabba, ng bata. You look absolutely exhausted."

Before Gabba could even wave a hand to protest, Ms. Brown had scooped him up. She cradled him against her fuzzy, patched chest, humming a low, wordless lullaby. She pulled a pristine white handkerchief out of nowhere and began delicately wiping the snow off his face, then spent a moment smoothing out the colorful paper fur that had ruffled during the walk.

Pezzo doubled over, clutching his stomach as he watched the scene, letting out a wheezing laugh. "You gonna ask her to tuck you in tonight Gabs?"

Gabba just blinked his large, innocent eyes, leaning into Ms. Brown’s soft embrace. He couldn't talk, but he gave Pezzo a look that clearly communicated 'And you’re jealous?'

"Oh, hush, Pezzo," Ms. Brown chuckled, patting Gabba’s head. "He is a precious thing. Not all of us have long legs."

As pezzo reached the top of the path he called back. "Hey, that's a design choice i was not let in on!" Pezzo adjusted his poncho, looking toward Tiktak. "You seeing this?"

Tiktak, walking alongside them, smiled. "I think it’s sweet. You’re just grumpy because nobody carried you."

"I don't need carrying! I’m a peak physical specimen!" Pezzo declared, then immediately tripped over his own feet, doing a dramatic, exaggerated tumble into a frozen lake meant for ice skating. His body shattered to pieces like lego as some of his parts scattered across the ice. Tiktak covered their mouth to hide a smile. "Solid landing, 10 out of 10."

Pezzo sighs "hardy har. Help."

Meanwhile, at the back of the pack. Cactina was struggling to make it up. Her usual frantic energy was draining away with every step. She walked with a hunched posture, her green surface appearing duller than usual in the harsh flat white of the snow.

Cameron, who stayed by her side loyally, was getting worried. His hands hovered by her form.

His voice was soft with her.

"C-careful Cactina. You're the only sister I got."

Cameron said. Hovering near her. He kept a respectable distance. He always di. But his expression was full of worry.

Cactina was slow, fighting the uphill climb through the frigid snow.

"Im...im fine," she wheezed. her voice lacking its usual pep. She tried to maintain her persona. But her voice came out quiet. Dying in her mouth. "Its so pretty here-so sparkily." her legs wobbled, threatening to give way from under her.

" we should ask them slow down?" Cameron suggested softly. His hands hovering near her.

"You look tired..." this was the kindest way to describe her current state.

"I'm not tired." She whispered, though she leaned heavily to one side. She felt weak. She felt increasingly weak. Her consciousness flickering like a candle. As if the cold was leeching the life out of her. Cactina hadn't even noticed she had basically collapsed. face down in the powder. Cameron couldn't catch her.

Up ahead, pezzo had put himself back together. Him and tiktak had decided to start throwing snowballs. They hadn't noticed cactinas faltering steps. But gabba had. He pointed a small papery hand over Ms. browns shoulder as cactina had collapsed.

Cameron immidietly started screaming.

The bear looked back only to become quickly alarmed. She carried gabba down the path, wading through the powdery snow. "Oh poor dear-PEZZO! SOMETHINGS WRONG!"

Pezzo heard the call. Stopping his play as he looked down the path, his expression went still. He glanced at tiktak. "I think cactina tapped out."

Tiktak immidietly started racing back down.

Pezzo zipped by on a sled. Grabbing tiktak up with an arm on his way by. This earned a squeak as tiktak let themselves be taken away, startled.

Once they reached ms brown pezzo abandoned the sled to the mountain. Rolling off in the snow with tiktak.

Ms brown was doing her best to dig out cactina with her free paw. Gabba couldn't help much as she refused to put him down. Cameron was going ballistic. Scooping aside globs of snow and feeling around for the small girl. He had completly lost her.

Pezzo and tiktak both moved to clear the snow. Carefully picking cactinas unconscious body out of it. Pezzo grabbed her legs. Tiktak had ahold of her arms. Together the two moved to hurriedly carry her up the path. Despite camerons dance of wanting to carry her himself, and his static sounds of glitched audio, pezzo shrugged him aside, knowing the other simply couldn't.

"There's a place up at the top. Let's get her inside."

Ahead of them, a lodge stood at the top of the snow-dusted path, its windows glowing with warm, inviting light. Ms. Brown gestured for the two to follow, trudging through the drifts. Pezzo and tiktak did their best to keep pace.

Cameron fallowed shakily. His speaker making electric whines and screeches in static. He was beyond concerned. Tiktak took notice of this.

Once they reached the lodge, Ms. Brown nudged the door open. They entered a rustic cabin, the space dominated by a crackling fireplace and cozy, lounge style furniture. Ski equipment and ice skates hung neatly on the walls near a stack of freshly chopped firewood. On the coffee table waited six mugs of hot chocolate, each topped with a swirling mountain of whipped cream and marshmallows, one for every human in the group. The mugs had their initials.

Ms. Brown sat Gabba down on the couch to dry off, then grabbed a blanket and spread it out near the hearth. Pezzo and tiktak gently laid Cactina down on the wool. she was still and cold, her body showing no signs of movement. Ms. Brown leaned over her, checking her over while muttering in her native tongue. "She’s dormant, the poor dear cant handle this cold." she whispered.

Gabba reached for a mug, sniffing the steam as he swung his feet off the edge of the couch. He found it strange how strictly Cactina’s body adhered to "plant rules," though he reminded himself that they were all a bit bizarre. Ms. Brown squeaked like a toy when she fell, cameron spoke in clips, and Gabba’s own body was filled with candy. He doesn't know what kind, but he sometimes hears it crinkling around in there.

Pezzo and Tiktak moved to the door, shaking the snow from their gear onto the front mat.

"Guess we wont have to deal with her this adventure." Pezzo muttered. "You guys want to enjoy the snow while we can?"

Ms. Brown sighs. "No. If Cactina went into shock. We need to get her core temperature up and keep it there."

Tiktak stepped closer, eyeing the scene. "I didn't know she could do that."

"Niether did we...makes sense."

Ms brown glanced around. "Is anyone here good to sit with her? I would but I can't sit on the floor."

Gabba looked away. He would, but his body held no heat. Plus he can't sit next to a fire.

"I’m warm enough," Tiktak offered, stepping forward. "I can sit by the fire."

Pezzo nudged Tiktak with his elbow, but Tiktak just stared back, oblivious to the gesture. Ms. Brown took Cactina from the floor and instructed Tiktak to sit down. They complied, and she settled the unconscious girl into their lap. She then added a fresh log to the fire, stoking the coals until they glowed bright orange.

Pezzo dropped himself on the couch next to Gabba with a sigh. He reached over and grabbed his mug. taking a sip of his own cocoa. "How’s the drink?"

Gabba shrugged. It was fine, but nothing special. He noticed, however, that Each mug had been topped with whipped cream and marshmallows except for the one with a C, Cactina’s, or maybe Cams. which was topped only with marshmallows. Pezzo noticed the difference. Immidiety he was wondering why hers was diffrent. He picked up the mug and gave it a suspicious sniff. It didn't smell like chocolate.

"What is this?" he asked. Gabba leaned over, inhaling the scent. It smells... nutty.

Ms. Brown warned, But her face remained gentle. "Put it back."

Pezzo quickly replaced the mug and grabbed his own, while Tiktak sat silently, cradling Cactina and watching the fire. The proximity was a bit more intimate than they were used to, but the concern for their friend outweighed the awkwardness.

Cameron stayed crouched by tiktak. Curled in a snug ball as he watched her.

A moment later, Cactina’s eyes fluttered open. In her sleepy haze, she nuzzled into Tiktak’s coat, only to bolt upright the second she realized who it was. "Where am I?"

Tiktak stiffened. "You passed out, so we brought you to the lodge. Here, drink this. it might help."

He handed her the steaming mug with the 'C' on it. Cactina took a sip, her eyes clearing. "Hmm... Racahout?"

Pezzo blinked. "Man, that sounds like a board game. What the heck is that?"

"It’s a drink made from acorns," Cactina murmured as she took another gulp.

He sighs. "Course it is. You would drink acorns over chocolate."

Cameron glares at pezzo. "Can you dont?"

"Oh," Tiktak hummed. "You forage?"

Cactina set the mug aside and got up onto shaky legs. "Yup. Anyways, how long was I out?"

Ms. Brown moved to steady her, guiding her back onto the couch. "Long enough. I’m sorry, honey, but I think you’re going to have to sit the rest of this one out."

Cactina pouted, letting out a heavy sigh. "Aw, man."

Tiktak got up to take their own hot chocolate. Sitting next to cactina. She leaned into them. She still seems a bit weak.

"Were you worried about me tickles?"

Tiktak stiffens. Glancing to pezzo. "We all were."

Cameron moved to sit on the other side of cactina. Sipping from the other mug with a C on it. Good thing they didint get these mixed up. His wasn't hot chocolate either. It was hot tang.

After warming up for a little while, pezzo moved to head back outside. "Hey gabbo. Come help me with something. I got an idea." Gabba got up, moving to follow.

Once the group was gone, Ms brown decided to lay cactina down on the couch. Tucking the blanket snugly around her. "Here try to catch a nap sweetheart. It's nice and cozy in here."

Cactina curled up beneath the covers, though she still looked disgruntled. Ms brown placed a comforting paw on cactinas back. "Oh I'm so sorry. But it's for the best. "

Tiktak remained on the couch below cactinas feet. "Ill stay inside." They offered.

Cameron nods.

Ms brown nodded and settled herself into the loveseat with her own cup of hot chocolate.

The room fell quiet.

before long, cactina climbed out from under the blanket and wandered over to the window. She pulled up a wooden stool, peering out through the frosted glass at the breathtaking view. A snowy pine forest framed by snowy mountains. The landscape glittered like a postcard, the smooth snow only broken by a few stray footprints. She watched the ski lift nearby. Mesmerized by the rhythmic movement of the chairs gliding smoothly up and down the slope.

As she rested her chin on folded arms, her breath began fogging the glass. She used a gloved finger to doodle a simple cat face in the fog.

Tiktak eventually drifted over. "Feel like talking?" They asked gently.

Cactina was broke out of her day dreaming. Glancing over to them. "About what?"

Tiktak shrugs. Looking out the upper pane of the window. "Pretty cool view."

Cactina sighs. "Yeah. It is..." pezzo walked past the window. Looking in to see cactina. He tapped the glass like a kid tapping an aquarium. His voice muffled by the barrier. "Hey fishy. You want an ice cicle?"

Cactina snickered a little. Putting her face by the fog on the window to make it look like she was wearing a nose and whiskers. "I'm a cat fish."

Pezzo cracked the window open from the outside with a grunt. Letting in a chill as the seal was broken. He then reached up and snapped a ice cicle off the roof for cactina. before he could hand it to her, all the others fell off. Immediately, pezzo was buried in an avalanche of snow that fell off the roof.

Cactina laughs at this. Thuroughly amused. Tiktak went to the door and went outside to help dig out pezzo. Once they were outside, they saw the beginnings of an igloo being constructed. Gabba was on the inside, smoothing it out and constructing new bricks.

Tiktak paused in their movements. "What's this?" Gabba strained as they lifted a brick of snow into place.

Not exactly expecting an answer, Tiktak returned to going to help pezzo like they were on their way to.

Once they reached pezzo they sweeped some globs of snow away. Pezzo could barely move underneath. Once he could sit up he wiggled his way to his feet. Huffing and sliding an ice cicle through the crack in the window to cactina.

From the inside, Cam moved to see what cactina was looking at and started laughing seeing pezzo buried. It sounded like a clip of caines laughter on loop.

Ms brown felt a chill and glanced around. She then shouted something. Getting up and putting her arms in the air as she walked over to the window. "Garota, é melhor você fechar essa janela se quiser ficar acordada!"

Cam moved to rush back to his spot on the couch. Cactina quickly shut the window. Giggling. She had no idea what the other said but it was probably something along the lines of 'shut that window'

Ms brown picked cactina up into her arms and took her back to the couch. Sitting down with the cactus in her lap and trapping her there as tiktak came back inside. Cactina was crunching the ice cicle pezzo gave her in her teeth despite Ms browns sigh. "Thats just dirty roof water..."

Cameron crawled up to settle on top of cactina, curling up as if he was the smallest lap dog, and not a very large person. Cactina grunts as she was pressed into the couch. But she settles.

Tiktak decided to sit on the couch. Away from the pile. But cameron grunts. Reaching down to tug tiktak in. Cactina looked down at them with a smile.

"You like tiktak?"

Cameron grunts. "Pile..."

Tiktak looks to cactina.

She sighs. "He wants pressure. You don't gotta lay with us."

Tiktak slowly moved to lay down. Cameron settled under them.

"Now why Would you wanna cuddle a cactus?"

"Why not? Would you smoocha ghost?" He replied. Hoping the other caught the refrence.

Cactina answers automatically "heck yeah. I'd be a bit more reluctant to smooch a cactus tho."

"Eh. I wouldnt." Tiktak glanced to the fire absently.

Cameron thinks. "You trying ta smnooch my sissy?"

Tiktak hums. "You two are siblings?"

"-answer the question " Cameron answered tensely.

Cactina chuckles. "Yeah, he's my baby brother."

"I can see the resemblance...and no. I'm not trying to kiss her. No offense. "

Cameron gave a whine noise. Prompting cactina to smile. She kissed his head. "Baaaaby"

Cameron gave a louder electrical wine. Hiding his face in her coat. "Ow-Nooooo"

"Baby baby baby."

"I'm older" he whines.

Ms brown rested a hand on Camerons head, silencing him. She wasn't fallowing the conversation at all, but they seemed to be getting along at least. "You kids are precious."

Tiktak sighs. Closing their eyes. This was a moment of peace.

Only the crackle of the fire and the warmth of the body pile acompanied them.

Cactina sipped her drink gingerly. This was really cozy.

Soon, pezzo came inside. "Hey, we made something out here if you wanna see it."

Tiktak opened their eyes and sat up. Allowing the girls and Cameron to be free. Cactina got up off Ms browns lap and Ms brown rose to her feet.

"Cactina, don't push yourself" she warned.

Cactina went to the door and looked out to see a large igloo had been built. Complete with a chimney with a small fire inside.

She squeals, waddling down to go check it out. Cameron fallowing on all fours to crawl into the entrance. Gabba was already inside. As cactina crawled through the entrance, Ms brown was reaching the door. "Oh. How sweet of you boys." Pezzo pointed out. "Come on, it's big enough for everyone."

Tiktak moved to get in, wiggling their way into a free spot.

Gabba crawled over to sit in Ms browns lap once she was sat. Getting comfortable by the entrance. He liked the bit of chill, and he had to stay away from the fire. Pezzo entered last, sitting next to tiktak. Cactina stayed closest to the fire. It was very interesting. A single log split into pieces and held together by wire. The fire burned from within. Pezzo seemed proud of himself. "Swedish torch. Learned that in boy scouts."

Cactina stared at it. "It's really cool looking."

Cameron stared at cactina. She knew exactly what he wanted. Patting her lap with a sigh. "Comere."

He didint have to be told twice. Cameron moved to lay in her lap, curling up in a ball. Cactina rested a hand on his side, whispering. "Baby"

The small, contained flame flickered, casting dance-like shadows against the curved, icy walls of the igloo. The air inside felt crisp but surprisingly cozy, insulated from the biting wind that howled outside.

Tiktak leaned back, their form relaxed, they watched the light play off Cactina’s textured surface. She looked almost furry in the warm glow, the dense network of needles that coated her green skin was highlighted in this light.

"You know," Cactina murmured, reaching out a gloved hand to hover near the warmth, "I don't think I've ever felt this... bundled. It’s like being inside a snow-globe, but the good kind. Ive never been in a completed igloo."

Pezzo beamed, leaning back against the wall of snow. " The ice reflects the heat right back at us. It’s science, or maybe just magic. Either way, it’s a little better then sitting in the lodge i think. Its like inside but, outside. Inside outside. Warm enough for you but still technically in the snow."

Tiktak, still clearly fixated on cactinas textured skin, finally looked away, focusing instead on the way the snow-bricks glowed at the thinner places, translucent where the sunlight hit them. "It's steady," Tiktak noted quietly.

Ms. Brown pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, smiling as she smoothed Gabba’s fur. "It’s a wonderful hideaway. You boys have done a marvelous job."

Pezzo spoke, his voice soft, almost lost in the crackle of the burning wood. "Now that we’re in our little ice base… what’s the plan?"

Cactina shrugs. "Just sit here until we feel like leaving, i guess. or are we going to tell stories?"

Cactina looked at him, her eyes bright. She picked up a small, loose chunk of snow and rolled it between her palms. "i dont have a lot of stories at the ready. None that would be good anyway. Unless You guys wanna hear about my first pet..?"

Tiktak looks to the side. "Yeah. Same here...i wouldnt mind listening. "

Cameron mutters, half asleep. "Oh..chin up...?"

Gabba sat quietly. He wished he could contribute, but charades felt like a poor medium for a story, and he lacked the paper and pen to write one down. He just shivers as he curled up to Ms browns fur. Ms brown notices this and removes her shawl, wrapping it around them like a blanket.

Tiktak glances to him. Looking to pezzo. "Aren't you two made of like, paper..? Hows all the snow treating you?"

Pezzo replies with a tired grunt. "Actually I'm made of wax coated cardboard. Wich holds up a lot better then paper. People make boats out of the stuff. But yeah, gabbo would fall apart in water. But this is snow. And hes got all that stuff on. Just gotta brush it off before it melts and hes good..."

Tiktak thinks. "Why do you call him gabbo?"

Pezzo mumbles sleepily. The igloo was cozy and he was tired after spending so much energy building it. "Gabba bro. Gabbo. Pretty smart if you ask me. But uh. At first it was just...a miscommunication.

Tiktak looked pezzos body language over. His head was tilting and his shoulders were slumped. Gabba also was looking kinda worn. "How about we take a nap..?"

Pezzo blinks slowly. Rasping. "gae."

Tiktak furrowed their brows. Softly correcting. "You know, that went out of style a long while ago"

Pezzo hums. "Hm?"

"Using gay as like, a verb."

"I think it's more of a noun..."

Tiktak looks to the other with a blank face.

Pezzo shrugs. "I mean. Its not negative. Its just...slang. You can catch me up later."

Tiktak sighs. Pulling pezzo to fall into their lap as they move to lay down. "Werent you two the ones snuggling after that last adventure?" Pezzo waved a dismissive hand. Grunting. Gabba laid back against Ms brown. She kept him snug against her with an arm.

Cactina glanced around. she simply rested her arms and turned her gaze back to the glowing embers, the warmth of the igloo settling over them all like a blanket.

Pezzo spoke up. "So...what was that about your first pet?"

Cactina thinks. "Oh yeah. My first pet was a white rat with grey bits. I think it was attracted to my leftovers or something. Once I caught it with some deli ham it was pretty chill. I named it chin up because it seemed to really like watching Charlotte's web with me. And I guess it was always looking up at me or something? I dunno. I was seven."

"Shoulda named it Templeton." Pezzo mutters.

Cactina nods. "Like I said, I was seven. I also called them my little man, even though i later learned rats supposedly have massive b#$%& that are very very noticeable. Chin up didint have thoes."

Tiktak scoffs playfully. They were caught off guard by the fun fact. "You misgendered your rat."

"I misgendered my rat." She repeated. Nodding.

"I had chin up for like, a month or two till one day my mum saw them in my lap while she was coming downstairs to give me dinner or something. Boy howdy, I wish you guys could've heard the scream she let out when she saw her little girl with a rat. She jumped all the way up on my dog cage and started screaming for my dad."

Ms brown hums. She probably would have done the same to be fair.

"I member...mom so loud." Cameron chuckles quietly. No sound, but his shoulders bounce.

"Huh. If you had a dog, wouldn't this not be your first pet?"

Cactina thinks. "Maybe my parents had a dog before I was born? I dunno. That cage was big enough to fit my entire bed in there. It was huge."

"I didint know that rats were pest animals or anything. I just knew chin up was my pet. I taught them a trick. Gave them what I didint want of my food. They were very docile. So when my mom started screaming they jumped out of my lap. Just in time for my dad to come running down the stairs. He um. He stomped on them..."

Tiktak flinched at this detail. "Oh..."

"I cried for a while after that...but not long after my dad brought me a cat. He had found it in his car. So I think he felt bad for stomping on my rat. And maybe he saw I was able to take care of a pet. I dunno. It was nice."

"I think..the cat was to keep the rats away..."

Cactina went quiet. "...that makes sense...my dad wasn't the type to apologize."

Tiktak glances to the fire. Muttering. "Yeah...people suck sometimes."

Cameron seemed to have something to say. But he re,ained silent. Closing his eye to relax.

After a while of quiet, Tiktak noticed the igloo had drifted off into a collective slumber, a tangled, soft pile of limbs huddled together in the warmth. They whisper.

"Feel like a nap?"

Cactina nods. Closing her eyes and leaning back on the wall of the igloo.

When they finally stirred, the cold, harsh mountain was gone. They were back in their respective bedrooms, tucked snugly into their resting places as if the previous day had been nothing more than a fever dream. As they trickled out into the common room, the scent of warmth hit them. Caine had laid out a feast: cast-iron pots of bubbling, hearty stew, thick slabs of rustic bread, and steaming mugs. It was a “cabin-themed” breakfast. or perhaps dinner, in the Circus, time was merely a suggestion.

Pezzo was the first to take a seat, digging into his bowl with a quiet intensity. Beside him, Gabba appeared, his tail wagging in anticipation as he swiped a piece of garlic bread and settled in. The others followed suit, moving with a strange, subdued grace, all silently debating whether the previous day had been real. Either it was a dream. Or Caine had put them all in bed.

Caine zipped in mid-bite, his arrival marked by his usual bold voice. He wasn’t one for subtlety. "Sooooo? How was it? Did you enjoy the ‘Cozy Mountain’ getaway? No stakes, no plot, just pure making stuff up as you went along? Im gonna be honest i expected you all to be more intrested in all the things i set up there but when i saw you all huddled in a little igloo-"

Pezzo didn’t look up, but he shrugged. Speaking before caine was finished. "Actually… it was pretty fun."

Caine paused, his eyes spinning in exaggerated confusion. His words drawn out. "Yoooou don’t hate it?"

"It was a nice short vacation." Pezzo replied, finally looking up.

Caine turned his gaze toward the others, his eyes darting from face to face. "And the rest of you..?"

A chorus of soft, unanimous agreement rippled through the group. Caine’s jaw dropped. He caught it in his hands. "Oh, my lanta! Is this-is this a perfect score?!"

Tiktak raised a cautious finger, eyes flickering toward Cactina. "Well, not for everyone. We couldn't-" They stopped, noticing Cam vigorously shaking his head. Cactinas face was pale, her expression tight with a desperate, high-pitched fear. Tiktak blinked, confused. "She... Cactina couldn't go outside."

Caine froze. His gaze snapped to Cactina, the one usually the most eager for his antics. The realization seemed to hit him like a physical blow. He smacked his own head with a loud, hollow thwack.

"CACTINA!"

Cactina jumped, her hands flying up. Her voice wasn't its usual cheerful chime. it was thin and frantic. "No, no, no! I liked it! It was pretty! It’s a perfect score, I promise!"

Caine sighed, a deflating sound, and reached out to pat her head with his walking stick to avoid her thorns. "No, it isn't. I completely neglected to consider your needs. Its just that you never complain. I never have to think about you...A cactus in the snow? What was I thinking? I’ll try to be more mindful of your... biology next time. Until then, I have some things to work on."

He vanished in a blink of an eye. Cactina looked at Tiktak, her eyes filled with a sharp, stinging betrayal. Tiktak felt a cold knot form in their stomach. They leaned toward Pezzo, lowering their voice to a whisper. "What was that about?"

Pezzo didn't even stop chewing. "Dunno, man. Wasn't listening."

Cactina shoved her chair back, leaving her untouched bowl of stew behind.

As she stormed off, Tiktak felt the weight of the room shift. "Did I do something wrong?"

Ms. Brown shook her head with a weary, knowing look. "No, dear. That’s just our girl. This place has done things to her. Best not to mind the cracks. She'll be alright."

Tiktak stared down at their cooling stew, prodding at the broth. The others went back to their meal, indifferent and silent. Was this normal? Nobody even acknowledged how she left.

Once the meal was over tiktak piled a bit more bread onto cactinas plate. Trying to double whatever she had on there. It seemed to be honey on garlic bread. Strange enough to make tiktaks brow furrow, but they knew better then to question it. They honey'd up another piece of garlic bread and placed it on the plate, delivering the plate and bowl of stew she had gotten herself up to the bedrooms.

Once they were in front of her door Tiktak moved to knock. Before their knuckles touched the door, cactina had opened it.

Cactina nearly collided into tiktak. Stopping short seeing the other at her door. Looking up at them with big flowery eyes. Her usual chipper tone had returned instantly as she waved a hand. "Oh hi Tickles!"

Tiktak felt a prickle of unease. Like something off was beneath the surface. They offered out the food they had braught to her. "Um. I braught you your f-" cactina snatched a piece of bread from the plate before they could finish. Taking a ravenous bite of it. "Nom."

Her eyes stayed locked on Tiktak’s as she moved to shut the door. Instinctively, Tiktak wedged their foot in the gap to prevent this.

"Hold on. I wanted to talk."

Cactina giggles, reaching up to take the bread from her mouth as she finished her bite with a series of deliberate, cutesy squeaks. It felt preformative.

"Talkings fun." She chirped.

Tiktak was quiet. "You're...masking."

Cactinas smile didint faulter. Placing the bread aside. "Silly billy. You're the one wearing the mask. Not me. Sorry for leaving so fast. I just got a wittle angy."

A hand settled on tiktaks shoulder. It was Pezzo’s. "Remember what I told you about her...?" He murmured, his voice a warning. "Just let it go."

Tiktak glanced to pezzo. Then back at the door. How could they be expected to just drop something like this? But against their better judgment. They slowly remove their foot from the threshold.

<- Chapter 1

Next chapter ->

Ms brown belongs to @kaibi-bear

Gabba belongs to @pendingintheairfryer

Tiktak belongs to @zenn135

Cactina belongs to @teathepumpkinmoth

Pezzo belongs to Jock

Chapter 2

The halls were quiet. Peaceful. It was only a matter of time before caine flew through and started screaming.

"EVERYONE MEET IN THE FRONT ROOM IN T MINUS ONE MINUTE-!"

Cactina burst from her room. Singing very loudly "ADVENTURE TIME! COME ON GRAB YOUR FRIENDS~ WERE GOING TO A VERY DISTANT LAND!-WHAT DO YOU THINK CAINES GOT IN STORE FOR US TODAY?"

Tik tak heard the rhythmic thud of skipping go by their room before a relentless knock. It wasn't the normal two or three bangs, but a constant unending thump thump thump. It didint stop until Tiktak rose from bed and answered the door. Cactina smiling behind it.

"Just wanted to make sure you were up and ready to go! This is gonna be your first adventure!"

As cactina skipped away Tiktak stopped Ms brown on her way by. Everyone was funneling out of the hallway section and out to the main room.

"Hey um. What does she mean by that?"

"Oh, adventures are just these little things Caine does for us to give us something to do here. Come along. Its like a little vacation."

Tiktak moved to fallow the large bear. They didint really feel like they had a choice. Ms brown looked them over from the side as she led them to the stairs. "Honey, are you comfortable with touch?"

They blinked, looking to her as they were pulled from their thoughts for a moment. "Oh...um...I'm fine I guess."

Ms brown proceeded to fix the others hair out of their face area with a paw. "There we go. Look at that handsome face."

"I'm uh...I'm gender neutral. "

She thought a moment.

"Darling, I have no idea what's gender neutral handsome."

Tiktak caught cactina knocking on a diffrent door. The one of Cameron.

"Cammy. Come on. It's time to head out."

When no answer was given, she produced a gold key before letting herelf into the room. Soon, Cameron was being carried out over cactinas shoulder as he hung limply. Refusing to cooperate in his own way.

As she passes she glanced to tiktak. "He's just being difficult today. Don't mind him."

Tiktak stares a few seconds. "Doesn't that hurt?"

Cactina grunts as she makes her way down the steps. Keeping the limp body on her shoulder. "Clothes kinda negate the cactus thing. He's fine."

Once everyone was gathered, caine went on to introduce the adventure. Twirling his walking stick. "Alright my little photogenic cinnamon sticks. Are you READY? Today's adventure is; THE WILD WEST!" he held his arms out dramatically in a theatrical fashion.

"Your goal is to help the townsfolk of a poor settlement get rid of a group of cut throat bandits. I even designed you all fun little outfits for this one."

With a snap of Caine’s gloved fingers, a swirling vortex appeared before the group. Tiktak was cautious to go in but caine lifted the group in an invisible hold and hucked everyone in.

the group tumbled into a dusty road. Settling in a pile, before they found themselves standing in the center of a sun-bleached main street. The air shimmered with the heat of a desert afternoon, and the smell of dry hay and untreated wood filled their senses.

"Wow," Tiktak whispered, taking in the towering saloon and the rickety boardwalks. "It’s… actually pretty detailed."

Cactina beamed, getting up and giving her new dress a twirl. "Told ya! Caine always goes all out on the decor. Look at those textures!" She pointed toward the weathered storefronts as she wandered along.

"You didint tell me." Tiktak thought. Cactina stops in her tracks. She had not. As a matter of fact, the two havent spoken really. "Huh. Guess that was a dream."

Cameron looked down at his new clothes only to remain on the dusty road. Not bothering to get up.

Cactina picked him up to his feet to get him walking.

The group began to walk down the center of the road, boots crunching against the hard-packed dirt. However, as they passed a group of townsfolk, NPCs clad in dusty ponchos and worn-out leather, the atmosphere shifted instantly. A woman clutching a basket of fabrics gasped, pulling her child behind her and scurrying into a nearby alleyway. A man repairing a wagon wheel froze, his hammer hovering in mid-air, his gaze tracing the group with caution.

"Uh, are they okay?" Pezzo asked, waving a friendly hand at a local sitting on a porch. The local immediately stood up, spat in the dirt, and marched inside, slamming the door shut with a resounding thud.

"Maybe they’re just shy?" Ms. Brown suggested, though her ears twitched nervously.

"They don't look shy." Tiktak muttered, feeling the prickle of unwanted attention on their skin. "They look like they want us gone. We’ve been here, what, two minutes?"

"That's odd. Normally the NPCs are friendly." Cactina chirped, choosing to ignore the cold shoulder. She marched ahead until they reached the double swinging doors of the saloon.

As they pushed through the doors, the ambient noise of the room died down to a sharp, uncomfortable silence. Every head turned. Even the piano player slowed his tempo to a discordant crawl. Cactina didn't seem to notice the hostile tension, or perhaps they were simply too eager for the adventure, as she navigated toward the bar, oblivious to the fact that they were walking into a room full of people who, rightfully or not, seemed to despise the groups very existence.

Cactina climbed onto a stool, her boot hooking onto the rung. The others sitting on diffrent stools. The bar tender seemed indifferent to the rest of the town, but wouldn't look at the group as they cleaned a glass with an old rag. Keeping their gaze under the brim of their hat. "What'll ya have?" Cactina glanced around. "Ya got water?" Gabba sat and nods. He would like water too. The bar tender glances his way. Without a word, he poured gabba a glass of moonshine and some syrup in a glass of ice. Placing it in front of him.

"Spose he'll have the usual."

Gabba furrows his brows at this. That was not what he wanted. Where did they get the idea he wanted anything like that?? He moved to swat the glass off the counter.

Pezzo catches it. Placing it between him and tiktak. "My guy, you are not helping the cat allegations."

Ms brown kept an eye out. Sighing at gabbas behavior. "Gabba thats not nice." He only glanced sideways at her. His tail doing long annoyed swishes behind him as it hung off the back of the stool. Not like there were consequences to his actions. He can break a glass if he wants.

She pat a soft paw on his head. Clicking her tongue at him as she mutters. "matamis na bagay."

Cactina thinks. While she was good at being oblivious, she just couldnt help but notice the tension by now. "Do we have to pay for this..?" Cactina looks to the bar tender.

The bar tender got out a glass, pouring a green liquid into it. " 'S on the house so long as yall keep the peace." Tik tak took the glass meant for gabba. "Well if yall dont want it-" Tiktak tipped their head back and drank it down. Figuring it was just water. Just pretend. It was a video game after all.

Pezzo chuckled in shock seeing this. Speaking in a joking and suprised tone. "Tiktak- nooohoho. That was moonshine buddy." Tiktak slammed the half gulped container on the counter. Coughing violently. That may have been the worst thing to ever enter their mouth. The liquid burned all the way down. "W-wait-you can get drunk here??"

Pezzo nods quickly. "How old are you?"

Tiktak looked frozen. Their voice a higher, nervous pitch. "Are you sure..?"

Pezzo nods.

"S%$!#"

Pezzo was still waiting for an answer. Tiktak sighs. "Well-im an adult. But I wasn't expecting to drink actual alcohol."

"As opposed to fake alcohol...in a saloon?"

The bar tender placed the green looking glass of liquid by cactina. She tilted her head a bit at this. "Huh-wha?"

"Cactus juice. Closet thing we got to water."

"Cactus juice? Caine thinks People actually drink this? It's full of toxic alkaloids...-"

She swirled the glass in her gloved fingers as tiktak could hear her muttering to herself.

"Drink cactus juice. It'll quench ya. Nothings quenchier."

"...It's the q-uenchiest"

Cameron seemed to mutter. His voice coming from a speaker in the camera.

Tiktak was confused. Pausing their panic for a moment. Not understanding the joke. "Wait-what...why are you talking to yourself? Why does he sound like that?"

"Well nobody else was gonna make the refrence. As for Cam, He can only speak using recorded audio."

Tiktak sees cactina moving to drink. They were starting to feel as if they had swallowed a hot coal. Warmth reached from their stomach through their fingertips. "Isint that kind of..like.. blood?" Cactina shrugged. Drinking the glass. She then shivered. "Its the quenchiest."

Pezzo thinks. "Eh, its vegan...you wanna figure out how to v%$!# without a mouth..?"

Tiktak frowns. Resting a hand on their stomach. "My fate is sealed I think."

It wasn't long before Ms brown moved to the door. She felt unwelcome here. "Maybe we should be getting along now..." cactina glanced to her. "We just got here."

The bear moved to take cactinas hand to lead her out the door, whispering. "We should go-now."

The others fallowed. Tik tak moved to slip off their stool and fell flat on their face. Suddenly feeling very heavy. The world was unsteady under them as their artificial skin began to burn. Pezzo started chuckling. Shutting himself up and Moving to bend over and pick his newest friend up. He ended up carrying tik taks entire body horizontally on his shoulders, wrapped around his neck like a scarf. "Come on new stuff-what were you thinking?"

Gabba fallowed the group as they left. He was impressed at the foolhardiness. Tiktak gained cool points. But for being stupid. Not for the alcohol. He can't wait to see how this winds up.

Outside a few npcs moving to enter the saloon jumped back and dropped money on the ground. "PLEASE DONT HURT ME-!" They then dissapeared in a cloud of smoke. Cactina leaned down to pick up the money from the ground before miss brown made a squeak. Moving to stand between cactina and the rest of the group to block her. "Cactina your wearing a dress-! Crouch like a lady!"

She stood up straight, counting the coins in her hand. "Not like I wear clothes usually. You guys wanna ride the train?"

Gabba looked to the train station as a smoking locomotive had just pulled in across the way. His eyes sparkling. Cameron mutters. "I-i like t-train" Pezzo tossed Tiktak lightly in his hold to adjust them a bit. Resting the other on his hip. Tiktaks face was pink as their head lulled farward to rest on pezzos shoulder. They did not appreciate that little lurch.

"Beats staying here. Maybe Caine put us in the wrong spot of the map??" Pezzo questioned. Holding tik tak secure. Tik was regretting their choice.

Cactina approached the counter to buy tickets using the money she had picked up off the ground. It was enough to get everyone tickets with none left over. The tickets themselves were shiny gold with little caines in train conductor outfits on them.

Cactina smiles at the tickets designs. Passing them out to the rest of the group. "So cute."

Once they boarded, pezzo slid into a bench style seat. Placing Tiktak by the window. Tiktak swayed, pezzo gently coaxed the other into leaning against the window. "Shhhh. Nap time." They pet tiktaks head. Gently gliding his hand over the others eyes to close them. Tiktak lazily swats thd others hand away with a snicker. "I'm fine..." Pezzo sat back in their seat to keep an eye on them. After a minute passed, tiktak felt the cool glass on their burning cheek and closed their eyes to relax.

Tiktak felt like a warm blanket had swallowed their body whole, and the world wouldn't stop rocking. It was as if gravity had decided to let them go loose and float for a bit. The tension they didint know they were holding in their shoulders had melted from them. In their light headed state their mask had a pink flush to it. A visual to pezzo that the Other was definitely lightweight. That or that was one strong drink. Who knows. Probably.

Cameron sat in the front. Allowing themselves more leg room. They laid down across their bench in a loose, sloppy position as they groaned. "Hhhhheadachhhe..im sleep here...."

Gabba sat in the first empty seat they found, which ended up behind miss brown and cactina. Who both sat across from pezzo and tiktak, putting cactina in the isle seat, and miss brown next to the window.

By the time the train started moving, Tiktak was half sleeping while chatter happens amongst the train cart. Background noise that had lulled them into a soothing daze. Even the vibrations of the train rattling their insides seemed almost peaceful. Like a full body massage.

Gabba stood on his seat and rested their chin on the back of cactinas seat. They looked to her with curious eyes.

Cactina turned her head around a bit. "Oh. Uh...i dunno where the trains heading. But you know caine. He isint one to design a whole train and not mean for us to use it. Probably why that guy gave us money."

Gabba furrowed his brows. Catina bites her lip. "Ok, yeah, they kinda didint give it to us, but if they throw it at us and we can't give it back that has to count as donation...I think."

Gabba was mobile around the train as it went. Moving from seat to seat to check out the cart. It was mostly the cast and a few npc characters that stuck to the back like the group had been infected with something contagious.

As he wandered he is slowly alerted by the crescendo of annoying music coming closer from a distance. Its non copyright...and straight from the playlist of that annoying little copy paste thorn in his ass. He blinks, then his face grew dreadful. Realization quickly settling in. Evil gabba was close... His head slowly turning to see that exact character out the window riding a horse along side the train, they see Gabba and wave their hand, frantic and friendly as if the other could miss him. Gabba, without looking away roughly smacks pezzo on his side to get his attention. Pezzo looks out the window before letting out a groan, his head going back on his seat. "UUUUUUGH. Not these guys again."

Tik tak was awake, but far from lucid. They couldn't be bothered with anything. They weren't there as of the moment. "Hrm?"

There were gunshots coming from outside as the sounds of footsteps heavily thudded on the roof of the train cart. Cactina seems calm. Almost in a I told you so voice. Looking up at the sound.

"Just as I suspected. I was wondering why everyone was so mean in that other town."

Tiktak looks to her. Their words were nothing but slurred mumbles. They managed "whashapen?"

She chuckles. Assuming the other may be asking whats happening based on the syllables they mumbled. Cactina continues.

"Oh, well. Right now, a train robbery-" ms brown looked alarmed at this. "-But it makes sense now. We're in the old west, wanted posters didint get drawn in color back then. It would take to long to draw and paint all thoes copies. Not to mention it would be expensive."

Tiktak blinks slowly.

It was then a evil version of Cactina swung down from the roof of the train and busted in through the window, shattering it with her potted foot. fallowed by evil Pezzo. They both had guns. Pointing them at the passengers. Evil pezzo started going down the isle with a bag and nervously collecting valuables while evil Cactina was barking threats.

The original Cactina motioned to the pair. "our evil selves. Caine likes to use these guys to make adventures interesting and to be the quote "bad guys." But mostly they're just our opposites that have been color shifted. Or maybe our inner thoughts..? I'm sure caine had the time to make one of you too. I can't wait to see them."

Tiktak only chuckles at the gun wielding villans. Guess they were doing this now. Pezzo moved to push tiktak down and hide them under the seat. The other was not in any condition to be fighting off bandits. Pezzo then sighs. More so annoyed as his evil counterpart approaches. Holding their gun with little confidence. "Uh-hey, aren't you scared..?"

Pezzo slowly turned his head, looking at the gun. "Do it. You won't. No balls."

Evil cactina shoves her partner down. Stepping on him as she notices Tiktak on the floor. The seat didn't hide all of them. Evil pezzo whines as he was being walked on but didn't move as evil cactina grinned with a set of sharpened teeth and leaned into the booth behind pezzo to grab tiktak up by their leg. Dragging them out from the floor. "Fresh meat."

Pezzo glanced down. "Nuh uh-"

"The f%$!# you mean nuh uh??"

Ms brown stood up. Trying to interviene, accidentally stepping on evil pezzo in the process. "Honey, we don't want trouble-" evil pezzo whimpers as Ms brown stepped on his legs. The bear jumps at this and steps off. "Oh I'm sorry-!"

Evil cactina steps off evil pezzo. She then slung tiktak over her shoulder. "Aight, let's get a move on. You're about as useful as a ice spatula at a barbecue." Evil pezzo only sighs. Getting up to fallow her like a puppy. Tiktak didint struggle. Dangling limply in the evil doppelgangers hold. Their mask holding a smile as they feel her mullein skin. "You're sooo soft..."

Evil cactina pat tiktakon the butt. Keeping them over her shoulder. "Yeah. You just settle there sweet thing. I gotcha from here." Evil cactina opened the back door of the train cart. "Later loosers! Sucks to be you. I think im gonna trade our tiktaks if thats cooooool." Climbing up to the roof with tiktak in her arm, she lept down into the bed of a wagon that was riding alongside the train, evil gabba at the reigns of the horse. Evil cactina laid tiktak down on a bed of straw as evil tiktak looked down to them. Tiktak looked up, seeing their counterpart. Their own face only had giddy confusion as they chuckle. What on earth was going on.

Evil cactina looked to evil tiktak. Nodding to the train. "Youre up angel wings."

"Don't call me that."

"ILL CALL YOU WHATEVER THE F%$!# I WANT, YOUR NAMES ANGEL WINGS BECAUSE IF YOU DONT GET YOUR S%$!# TOGETHER IMMA FIT YOU A PAIR, YA DIG?! GET IN THERE!"

Evil tiktak decided to take a seat on the roof vent. Crossing their arms and turning away from evil cactina. This drives her into a fit of snarls.

Ms brown reached the door of the train only to stop the original cactina from jumping out after her clone. She grabbed her off the small ladder that led to the roof by her waist. Her clothing thankfully preventing her quills from taking effect in ms browns paws. As she was set down cactina shouts "LET ME AT EM COACH! I CAN TAKE EM-!"

Ms brown sat her down. "No, you will not. I'm getting our new friend back and we are riding to the next town."

Ms. Brown sat cactina down and froze. Through the windows, she saw the train barreling toward a skeletal wooden bridge over a gorge, Evil Cameron was rigging dynamite to the supports. Looking over a clipboard as he seems to be doing math.

Ms brown moved to try and make her way to the front of the train. "Oh lanta-! They're going to blow up the bridge!" Gabba perked at this. Scrambling to make his way to the front of the train.

Pezzo springs up to help him. They didint have a lot of time to be struggling with locks.

Cactina could see the struggle from the seat she was left in and instead of trying to shove past Ms brown and help, she went out the back door and climbed up to the roof. Figuring this method would be quicker.

Waiting up there was evil Tiktak. Ready for her. Before she can react, they stepped over and grabbed cactina up by the throat. Leaving the small girl dangling. Her heart dropped at this. Normally people couldn't touch her, ms brown could only grab her due to her clothing, but evil tiktak had ahold of her bare throat. How. She barely had the time to think before she was tossed off the train.

"AAAAA!"

Cactina shrieks as she flew through the air. Barely snagging onto the speeding wagon that was besides the train. She had to pull herself into the bed before she was met with the barrel of a gun.

Evil cactina was about to pull the trigger when Cameron jumped from between the train carts and hit her in the head with a flying elbow. He took some rope that was in the wagon to wrestle and tie evil cactina up. Sitting on her to keep her down as he did so. He was struggling to tie proper knots.

Evil pezzo pointed a shaking gun at the other.

Cameron quickly bound evil cactina, then turned his attention to a trembling Evil Pezzo. He just stares.

.

.

.

The bandit crumbled. Tears welled in his eye as he dropped the weapon, completely lacking the callous resolve of his peers. He didint fit in with the evils at all.

Cameron sweeped a leg out to kicke the gun away, snatching up more rope. "Wuss," he spat, beginning to tie him up.

Evil Gabba glanced back to see his teammates captured; what does he do in this situation exactly? Does he stop the horse? Meanwhile, Cactina had pulled herself into the cart, looking over to Tik-Tak, who didint seem to worried about their situation. Laying in a pile of straw in the wagon. she decided Cameron had this covered and scrambled onto the train’s exterior. As the locomotive roared toward the bridge, her dress whipped in the wind while she shimmied along the outside of the train cart toward the engine.

Inside, gabba and pezzo were desperately fighting their way to the front through a crowd. Cactina caught a glimpse of the struggle through the glass but pushed forward, racing to reach the controls. After fighting the wind, she stepped into the locomotive, Finding the cab empty, she desperately grabbed a large red lever and yanked it. Not even knowing for sure if this was the break. She wasn't a train person.

The train’s brakes shrieked, lurching the cars to a violent halt. Evil Tik-Tak flew into the coal bin, Gabba was thrown forward down the isle.

Spotting the commotion, Cameron trained a gun on Evil Gabba, forcing him to slow the horse to a stop and dismount. Surrendering with hands held high. Seeing Evil Cameron abandon the dynamite and dart toward the brush, Gabba original leapt from the tain and gave an all fours chase. Despite the size diffrence, gabba caught up and took down the bandit. Pezzo chuckls at this. Seeing the commotion through the windows of the train. "You get em tiger-!"

Moments later, the chaos settled, and all the evil counterparts were bound and tossed into their own wagon.

Once everything had calmed down, the group rode back to the original town. Pezzo on the horse. The evils tied up on one side of the wagon, the cast sitting on the other.

Gabba was staring down evil gabba, his tail flicking in irritation seemingly just at the others existence.

Tiktak looked to their own evil counterpart. "So...you just...a copy of me?"

The counterpart refused to look tiktaks way. Their body covered in soot and head turned away from them.

"Not a talker, huh...?"

Evil tiktak mutters. "I dont talk to freaks."

Tiktak quiets down at this. Their brows furrowing. Guess this one was shallow.

Their thoughts were interrupted by cactina. a smug smirk on her face.

"How could you tell? I left my collar at home."

Evil tiktak scoffs. Disgusted.

Ms brown pipes up. "Cactina, that is not appropriate. "

Cactina huffs. Slouching in her seat. Murmuring.

Cameron flipped out his video screen. Replaying Evil tiktaks scoff. He was mocking the other.

This earned a small chuckle from cactina.

A moment of silence passes. Cactina suddenly pipes up. "One hundred bottles of milk on the wall-! One hundred bottles of milk!"

Tiktak decided to join. The two sang in unison.

"You take one down, pass it around-ninety nine bottles of milk on the wall!"

The evil doubles collectively groaned. Evil gabba was the outlier as he rocked his head like he was singing along.

Gabba suddenly attacked his clone. The two dissapearing behind a cartoon dust cloud.

Tiktaks posture tensed. "Are we gonna..stop that?" Cactina shrugs. "I think they can hear each others thoughts. But gabba just sorta hates that guys guts."

"But are we gonna stop him-?"

"Be our guest." Tiktak looked to the dust cloud. They then saw evil gabbas detached head bounce out of the cahos. Tiktak stared as the head rolls to their feet glanced up at them. Pezzo called. "Gabba quit beating up your twin. He's tied up for shucks sake."

The dust cloud settled to reveal gabba straddling evil gabbas body wich was missing paper fur in places, and without a head. Bits of various vegetables littered that corner of the wagon from the body's innards. Evil gabba didint seem to in pain surprisingly.

Gabba made a mocking gesture with his hand. Mimicking a talking mouth, before promptly dropping onto his keester. Ms brown took him into her lap. Keeping him steady. Tiktak saw as cactina took a radish from the floor and took a bite. She noticed their look of utter disgust. "It's just a radish."

It was pretty late at night when Pezzo heard a knock on his door. He had already gone to bed, but he rose from his puzzle box, just to see who could be wanting him at this hour.

Upon answering the door, he looked down to see Gabba. He had his pillow, and his blanket with him.

Pezzo was tired, but he couldn't just shut the door in the others face. He stepped aside, leaning on the door as he motioned for the other to come in.

Gabba stepped passed the threshold, entering the others room and dropping his bedding on the floor. Pezzo stepped away from the door and sat on his puzzle box bed.

"Slumber party?"

Gabba shrugged. He didint really know what they could do. He glanced around as pezzo thought.

"Video games?"

Gabba nods.

The two abandon the bedroom. More of a closet really, pezzo didint have much in his room. Just a bunch of spare bedding, boxes of junk on various shelves, and his bed. Just a big closet. The boys were Moving to go to the small common room. It wasn't much. Not like it had a lot of games either. Just stuff like pong, pak man, that one castle game. Things you could play with a remote. The really old games from the nineties. It was that or they could try playing games from memory. But it was still fun to watch each other play and exist in the same space.

After about an hour of taking turns, pezzo was getting extra sleepy. He wanted to get to bed.

"Ya know. If the goal is to sleep, I can tire you out."

Gabbas paper bristled a bit as he knew exactly what the other was planning. His eyes widening, and looking to Pezzo like some sort of prey animal. He dropped the controller and moved to dart away but Pezzo was quicker, snaring gabba by his tail and tackling the other to the ground. He body slammed the pinata into wrestling with him.

Gabba struggled, but eventually he managed to pop pezzos leg off.

Pezzo chuckled at this, moving to grab the other up and toss him onto the couch. The closest soft ish landing area nearby. He then moved to try and pin him, laying his full weight on top of him like a blanket. His larger form completely engulfing gabba and sinking him snug into the cushions.

Not like either of them weighed much, both being made of cardboard essentially. He managed to wiggle his segmented fingers under gabbas arms to jostle and try to tickle him. Just trying to tire him out.

Gabba couldn't laugh, no sound escaped, but his breathing went jagged and out of rhythm. He thrashed around under the other, trying to get away. Pezzo knows he shouldn't push his luck with this, gabbas head explodes when he cant breathe. So he was gonna tread carefully.

Cactina stepped into the room. She was quiet. "What are you guys doing?"

Pezzo looks up at the cactus. He notices when gabba moves to pat the cushion quickly with his hand that had managed to be left out. A sign he was tapping out. His little way of warning the other he might not be able to breathe. Uncle.

Pezzo gets up. Hopping on one leg.

Once the attack was over Gabba practically melted into the couch, catching his breath while pezzo kept watch over him.

"Just uh... horsing around."

Gabba caught his breath, then moved to punch the other in the chest. Pezzo grunts, falling to the floor. Gabba moved to roll off the couch onto his feet and bap him a few more times. Clearly he wasn't putting his all into these hits, they were friendly punches. The two just liked playing like this sometimes.

Pezzo curled up with a chuckle. Protecting his stomach. His missing leg providing him with extra vulnerability. "Ok okay! I'll quit the rough housing, stop tenderizing me-!"

He only stopped punching to start doing charades.

Pezzo notices this. "What is it boy? Who fell in the well?"

Gabba made a roof shape with his hands.

Pezzo looked up, his expression softening. "A fort? You’re a genius, buddy."

Cactina hums, moving to leave.

Pezzo hopped up, retrieving his leg and heading toward the door, but paused as he noticed cactina was gone.

"Wheeeeered she go...?" He looked out to the hall. Cactina had vanished. Tiktak was in the hall however. The poor thing was slumped against the wall, clutching their head. Pezzo walked over and gently patted their shoulder. "How’s the noggin?"

Tiktak let out a pained, gravelly grunt, the universal sound of a digital hangover. Pezzo gave a sympathetic nod, then set to work, dragging couch cushions and blankets from his closet to the room. He constructed a rough, haphazard skeleton of a fort using anything they could find around, while Gabba followed behind, draping blankets over the structure and lining the interior with every soft item they could scavenge. It became a makeshift nest.

Pezzo leaned into the opening, inspecting the work. "Nice. Looks cozy. You getting tired yet?"

Gabba shook his head, already settling into the corner of the nest. Pezzo turned his gaze back out to Tiktak. "You gonna join us, or are you gonna stay out there and suffer?"

Tiktak didn't even look up. They just grunt. too miserable to move. Pezzo and Gabba exchanged a look, the kind of silent, psychic communication only best friends possess. Without a word, they stood up, grabbed Tiktak by the shoulders and ankles, and hauled them into the fort, settling them down onto the nest.

Pezzo grabbed the remote, his thumb hovering over the buttons and changing the settings on the TV.

He tapped the screen, and the bee movie started playing.

Tiktak stares at this. They kinda didint want saturated colors right now.

Pezzo hummed, looking at the remote. "You wanna try something else?"

Tiktak let their head loll back against a cushion. "…No. Its fine."

Pezzo kept the remote in his hands. Getting comfortable. "It only works as long as the persons holding the remote. But its still pretty cool. Everyone has their own little movie types in their memories. I liked movies and stuff that had been memed to death. Gabbo likes cartoons, and action movies. and Ms brown has memories of soaps.

Tiktak counted on their fingers. "Wait...you're missing some-"

Pezzo sighs. "Yeah, cactina was just here but she left. I could've shown you the static thing."

"Oh yeah...why do you think they do that?"

Pezzo shrugs. "Camerons got brain damage, but for cactina...Maybe the gloves?"

"Camerons got brain damage?"

"Yeah. His dad hit him with his truck when he was like, eight. Thats all i know about it."

Gabba wiggled his way between the two of them, burrowing under the blankets until he was completely tucked in. Pezzo reached over and gave the top of Gabba’s head a quick tap with two fingers, followed by a soft kissing sound.

Tiktak blinked, looking slightly confused.

Pezzo chuckled. "Oh, it’s just a joke thing we do. Kissin’ the homies goodnight. Neither of us has a mouth, so we use the fingers. You want one?"

Tiktak let out a genuine, shaky chuckle, the tension finally leaving their shoulders. Pezzo leaned over and tapped his fingers against Tiktak’s cheek. "I’m not hearing a ‘no.’ Goodnight, man. I’m beat."

Tiktak settled into the cushions, a faint smile lingering on their face. That was kind of endearing.

"So… I’m one of the homies now?"

"If you wanna be," Pezzo yawned, his eye drooping. "We can be a gang."

"I think I like that," Tiktak murmured.

"We need a name...we’ll figure it out tomorrow," Pezzo promised. He peered at Tiktak, his curiosity piqued. "Wait, what are you anyway? Are you one of those posing dolls? Might help with the gang name if we knew what exactly you were."

"Im um...im not exactly sure."

Pezzo stares. Squinting. "Claymation. You know, like stop motion."

Tiktak hesitated, then reached up, removing the wooden, jointed shell from their forearm. Beneath it, the arm was soft, and kind of clay like. Pezzo’s eye widened.

"Whoa. So that’s like… armor?"

Tiktak shrugged, snapping the wooden shell back into place. "It’s a gamble. Sometimes the mask comes off, sometimes everything feels like it's glued on. I think it depends on how comfortable I am. Or..something."

Pezzo smiled. Or at least, smiled with his eye. "Comfortable, huh? Guess you’re cozy with us then. Hear that, Gabbo-?" He lowered his voice, watching his friend's steady, rhythmic breathing. Gabba had dozed off with the chatter that filled the fort. Pezzo whispers. "I bet he’s so warm between us."

"Maybe he likes it?" Tiktak whispered.

"Probably. Lil guys always cold."

Pezzo stretched out, his segmented joints crackling. closing his eye as the familiar, comforting dialogue of the movie played in the background. "Get some sleep, Tiktak. We don't technically need it, but if you get tired and don't sleep it off, it sticks. And it stacks. Trust me."

Tiktak didn't argue. They closed their eyes. Their headache still bothering them. But less with the warm comfort of the fort. The background noise of the movie was just what they needed to finally clock out.

First chapter

Next ->

[Will be edited with the next chapter publishing]

Ms brown belongs to @kaibi-bear

Pezzo belongs to Jock on Instagram

Gabba belongs to @pendingintheairfryer

Tiktak belongs to @zenn135

Cactina belongs to @teathepumpkinmoth

Chapter 1

Coming to consciousness.

The world seemed to construct around them.

Like a pixel burst on a blank screen.

Hardwood pressed against the soles of their feet.

The grain of the planks humming under the weight of something newly alive.

A cool night breeze brushed against their new skin.

Carrying the faint, but unique scent of carnival food.

Their limbs gained feeling. One joint at a time. As if a program were loading a fresh avatar.

Arms swung,

knees flexed.

And finally, they stood. Upright but slightly detached. As if a thin viel of static still clung to every nerve. The sensation was numb. The world felt both solid, and made from code.

It was a quiet void of darkness. Leaving the newcomer completely blind. They felt like they were standing. But how did that happen? Where were they?

"Hello..?"

They reached out to feel around with their hands.

Before they could gather their bearings, a blinding white spotlight slammed into their vision, forcing them to stagger backwards, alarms erupted, digital chirps that rose in chaotic upbeat cacophony. A cascade of neon lights flickered on, painting the tent with garish blues, pinks, and electric greens.

The previously dead quiet had exploded into a riot of color, each hue pulsing overwhelming swirls.

From the shadowed wings a marching band of wooden dolls thundered across the open floor in a band of drums, trumpets, tubas, flutes, two in the front were even doing flips and cartwheeling in sparkly over the top outfits as a single NPC character led the March.

The marching band approaches the stage. Instruments blaring copywrite free fanfare that rippled through the air like encoded fireworks.

At the center of the maelstrom of cahos, a figure spiraled in from the outskirts, flying through the air. A swirl of energy and flashing red, until they came to an sudden halt directly infront of the new human.

Their uniform, a vibrant red suit, and a set of teeth that made up their entire head. Along with two mis matched eyeballs that were housed within the teeth. They locked onto the other with an intense stare.

"NEW HUMAN. EVERYONE WAKE UP!"

they shrieked. Voice echoing through the area like a megaphone.

The said newcomer clapped their hands over their ears at the volume.

The ringmaster figure circled the other, poking them with the end of his walking stick. "Wowie zowie it's been a minute since a new one of you came." They crooned. Their voice a mix of theatrical grandeur and curiosity.

The crowd of NPCs cheered. Welcoming its newest arrival. The ringmaster gave a snap of his fingers before suddenly the crowd was gone. The lights were calm. Everything was stable. The celebration was cut off just like that.

"-that's enough of that."

A group of tired looking characters were coming down a set of stairs with a solid railing that blocked the lower half. In front was a large bear with a patterned bow at her neck. Shiny brown button eyes, as well as patchwork around her body. In her arms was some kind of quilt. A ways behind her up the stairs, was a character with colorful segmented body parts and a puzzle piece that made up their head. Having a single eye wich fit into the side of the piece. They wore a kind of hearted top wich resembled a poncho.

As the bear reached the bottom of the stairs, the new person could see a much smaller character was actually behind her. Between the bear and the puzzle piece. They were simply eclipsed by the railing. A very small character with colorful paper fur that resembles a pinata. A rope tail dragged behind them as they walked. The head sported two points that came down behind him like a jesters hat, aswell as two scraps of paper, which stuck up on top like a cow lick. The character wore a cream neck ruff, which was tied off in a small bow at his chest, with a dark patterned vest.

Every single one of them parted ways to avoid bumping into a second small character who slid down the railing and skittered her way to the stage, a terracotta pot that made up one of her feet clicking on the ground with every step of her sprint.

"NEW PERSON!" She screeched. The bear character went into hot pursuit behind the girl. She was green with many thorns sticking out of her skin. Her eyes were bright magenta blooms with lime green whites. Two dots of Blush framed her face and She wore a set of thick gardening gloves on her hands. She seemed full of energy. Ok. This was a cactus.

The cactus girl jumped and struggled to get up on the stage with the new person.

Causing said new person to back away from the edge cautiously

for fear of touching her.

Notably, the stage wasn't to high off the ground floor. But the girl was still struggling to climb up. She was tiny by human standards. Then again, by that same standard, the bear chasing her was huge.

She was plucked off the edge of the stage by the bear, using the quilt in her hands to capture her. Almost like this was the express purpose of the blanket, and the bear had fully expected this mad dash.

"Cactina, every time with you-! Hold your horses."

The character called cactina wiggled in the hold. Smiling playfully. "I'm gonna getcha-!"

Her tone was being silly, but also not..? What was this cactus girl going to do if they got ahold of them? The new human grew more confused by the minute. And kind of scared. They had so many questions.

"W-who are you people?"

As the small group gathered, the ringmaster, seemingly the leader, placed a hand on the new characters back. Leading them back to the front of the stage.

The bear wrapped Cactina up snug. Holding her firm in her arms. "Don't worry about her dear, she's just excited."

The girl seemed to calm down quickly once swaddled. Tired calm slowly crept into her features as the bear gently rocked her.

The ringmaster pat the new characters back a bit before he took off flying around over the cast heads. "The first matter of business should be introduction. What name would you like? Our soft little newly spawn?"

The new character thought. "Well...my name is-....uhhh...." their mind blanked. "oh f%$!#-WHAT THE H%$!# WAS THAT??" They cupped wooden fingers over their mouth at the sound of censorship. Their face feeling of cold porcelain. This only heightened their fear as they stumbled. Now properly freaking out as they finally look at themselves. Their own body fit into this whacky world just the same as these strangers. Wooden limbs and seemingly a glass face. What was going on. They couldn't help but to start hyperventilating. Feeling at their face for a headset that didint even seem to be there anymore. The other characters didint seem to awful worried about this reaction as the new character crumbled to the floor.

The character with the puzzle piece head rested a elbow on the stage. Setting his head on his hand as he watches the new person panic. "Just keep grabbing at it. Maybe you'll have better luck then the rest of us."

The ringleader spoke. "Calm yourself. It's completely normal to not remember your name. As for the censors, I do apologize, but this circus is for all ages. Foul talk like that will not be tolerated."

The new character has been rendered speechless.

The ringleader moved to start the introductions. "My name is Caine, I'm going to be your ringmaster, and this wonderful place you have found yourself in is the amazing digital circus!"

He points to the bear and cactus character. "These are Cactina and Ms brown. Our lovely ladies."

He then pointed to the other characters in quick sucession. "Then we have our gentlemen, Pezzo,-"

Caine pauses, looking around. With a snap of his fingers, one last character came flying in from the distance. Floating in an ivisible hold as they were summoned before dropping with a harsh thud onto the ground. They had a thin body clad in a colorful 90s style windbreaker and cargo pants. Their head consisted of a vintage cam corder. This character immidiety moved to skitter behind the large bear to hide.

"-Cam, and Gabba-!"

He points to the puzzle character, the camera headed character, and the small pinata character.

Caine then pointed directly at them.

"So you aaaarrreee..?"

The character looks around. "Uh...I dunno."

"Your new name can be anything!-" Caine speeds through a list of rules here.

"Herby acknowledging that your chosen name and or names may not breach the digital circus user license agreement. Stating that your name may not include objectionable content. Objectionable content includes but is not limited to sexually explicit materials, obscene, defamatory, libelous, slanderous, violent, and or unlawful content or profanity."

"So. What do you think?"

The yet to be namesd character looked themselves over. Segmented wooden limbs, a shirt-shorts-one piece. Thing. This was all a lot to process.

"Uh...i dunno" Caine produced a set of letter dice. Tossing them onto the stage. One rolled off to the side and the rest scattered. Caine collected these.

"How about E k u ?"

y r n

The new character wasn't given a chance to say before Caine had decided for them. "You're right, doesn't really suit you-"

"Can I get a look at myself..?"

Caine snaps his fingers, a standing mirror spawns in a puff of smoke.

The new character furrows their brows. Studying their body. "I have a mask...? My head looks like a tictac."

Caine held up his fingers, framing the new character. "I like it. You do look like a Tiktak."

He smacks a name tag onto the shirt of the new character. Dubbing them Tiktak.

"Wait-that wasnt a suggestion!" tiktak piped.

"No take backsies." Caine interrupted.

Cactina did her best to wriggle free of her binds. Ms brown lowered her to the ground and unwrapped her with a sigh. "Now, sweetheart, I expect you to behave."

Once the girl was up, she approached the stage. "You coming down? Or am I coming up?"

Tiktak looked around, not like they could do much else, so they cautiously lower themselves off the stage only for cactina to suddenly start checking them over and immediately invade their personal space. Tiktak is uncomfortable. "Wow...you're an awful friendly cactus." Caine takes tiktaks hand and together the two dissapear for their tour.

The world lurched. Caine and tiktak were suddenly outside. As tiktak recoverse from whiplash, Caine gestured grandly toward the everything. "Welcome to the tour tiktak. Here we have the grounds. Everything you see here is rendered in high definition digital wonder. No allergies, no grass stains, and absolutely no need for lawn mowers! Aside from the tent, you can feel free to visit the digital lake, or enjoy yourself at the carnival between the busy hours."

"Now time for the main area!" Caine didint wait for a response. With a lurch, they were suddenly back in the tent.

The main tent area was vast, smelling of stale popcorn and distant carnival food. The floor a dizzying pattern of Checkered board. "The tent! The epicenter of all your fun, excitement, and daily activities! It's where you'll spend your...well, let's call them resting hours."

Tiktak manages to not get sick. looking up at the towering ceiling. Feeling very small. "Is it always so loud?" They asked. Their voice echoing in the cavernous space.

"It's as loud as you make it!" Caine replied. Without warning, Caine reached out and snatched a 'wall' of the tent, pulling it aside and tossing the entire surrounding aside like heavy fabric. They weren't in the tent anymore, they were nowhere.

Before them lay the void. A vast nothingness.

"And here" Caine gestures. "Is the place we don't really go. The void. Nothing much to do out here but it's infinite mystery." His voice grew quiet. Almost fearful. "Not even I know what's out there."

"-Don't worry your darling little head about it though."

Caine stopped abruptly, taking tiktak back to a quiet, cozy hallway lined with doors marked by various pictures. Tiktak was let down onto their feet, dizzied from the motion of being lurched around everywhere. Caine snapped his fingers, and Cactina appeared in a puff of confetti. looking like she was in the middle of something for a split second before her body language snapped to energetic with a smile. Standing at attention to Caine.

"Ah, perfect timing, my painful little houseplant!" Caine announced, floating down to eye level with her. He gave Cactina a playful pat on her head using the end of his walking stick. "I’ve finished the grand tour. I think Tiktak has seen just enough to be properly bewildered. Why don't you show our new friend to their room?"

Cactina gave a solute. "I'm on it Besty!"

Caine tips his hat. "I gotta go whip up something special for the new arrival. Ta ta."

Caine vanished, leaving Tiktak standing in the silent hallway next to the cactus girl. Still reeling from the tour.

Cactina began skipping, her arms swaying at her sides. "Come on Tiktak! Your room should be here somewhere!"

Tiktak fallows after her. Not having any other direction to go. "Uh...you seem like a high energy person..." they were just trying to go with the flow here. Making nervous small talk.

Cactina turned around, skipping backwards now as she looks back to Tiktak. "Are we doing vibe checks? Because you seem like a person who doesnt know whats happening."

Tiktak didint exactly know how to respond. "Is this a dream..?"

Cactina throws her arms up. "Nope, just a dream come true! By the way, never ask someone in a dream if you're in a dream. That's a surefire way to get nightmares~!" She spoke the last word in a sing songy voice as she went. She then turned back around to look where she was going. Tiktak stops. Looking to a door with cactinas face on it. "Um. What do you mean by that..? I have to many questions."

Cactina stops. Turning around. "You sure do, but That's normal. Everythings gonna be ok."

Tiktak nods. Absently looking around the space. "Can I look alone..?"

Cactina shrugs. Going over to her own door. "Just look for the one with the adorable face."

It took till she dissapeared behind her door for Tiktak to register exactly what she just said.

Tiktak practically fled down the hallway. Most doors were marked with red x's across each icon. Immediately Tiktak sees two fimilliar faces neghboring one another right across the hall from cactinas door. The pinata guy and the puzzle piece guy. They continued down the hall, their head on a swivel as they passed each door.

On cactinas side they pass by a girl with a button eye, a purple bunny, what they think might be a chess piece? On the side with the boys they pass a jester with big pinwheel eyes, and a few more crossed out pictures.

At about halfway down the hall, tiktak reaches a door that isint crossed out. They stop. It has a plain white face, with two eyes. And the same purple shirt as them. But just to be sure they aren't missing anything special, They continued to the end of the hall. Finding only the bear, and the camera characters door, the only other character not crossed out. A second hallway stretched on, but they didint want to risk getting lost. Now that they look at it. Everyone seemed to be on one side of the hall. All the doors on cactinas side had been crossed out.

They can only assume that maybe thoes characters had left. Or maybe it was just unclaimed characters..? Did they get to choose their character? Were these placeholders?

Tiktak reached out a shaking hand to the door that must be meant for them. The knob gave way with a click. Allowing them access. Stepping inside, they shut the door. Putting their back to it, sliding down the wood to the floor.

The room was sterile, painted a neutral, nauseating white. But the walls were covered, floor to ceiling, with hundreds of framed drawings of eyes. Blue eyes, green eyes, googly eyes, realistic eyes. all of them seemed to tilt and track Tiktak’s movements. Of course there was a bed. And a single desk with a mirror. But as far as furniture goes. That was all.

"Okay," Tiktak whispered, their voice raspy and strange. "Okay. Calm down. You're just... breaking down. This is a dream. A weird, broken dream."

Tiktak reached up to their face. They felt the seam where their porcelain-smooth mask met their skin. With a trembling tug, they pulled. There was a sickening pop, like a suction cup releasing, and the face came away, hovering in their hands.

Tiktak gasped, but before they could even inspect the texture of their new face, the mask snapped back on with a violent thwack. It sealed instantly, as if it had been welded there by magic.

"No, no, no..." Tiktak clawed at their left arm, twisting the wooden joint. With a sickening grind, the forearm detached. a dark, sculpted clay like arm held the limb together. Tiktak tried to drop the wooden arm shell, but the wood shivered, the piece snapping back, trapping the arm until it locked with a solid, rigid click.

Stuck. Everything was stuck.

They couldn't even feel the headset.

A sharp, rhythmic knock sounded at the door behind them.

"Tiktak?" Cactina’s voice drifted through the wood, muffled and high-pitched. "Are you getting cozy? I brought you a gift! It’s a box of... well, it's a box of donuts. No need to worry about any allergies or diets here. Just dig in. Technically we dont gotta eat but um. Its still nice to taste. I made these myself. For you."

The handle of the door began to turn, jingling, back and forth. Along with scratching at the door. Tik tak doesn't remember locking it, but they're thankful it is. This girl didint seem to know the meaning of personal space.

"I can hear you thinking, Tiktak! Your Thinking is so loud! Let me in! Let me help you rearrange your thoughts so they don't itch so much! You said you have questions."

Tiktak crawled away from the door. Getting into the bed. pressing their spine against the wall of eyes. They looked at the door, then at the eyes, then at their own hands. limbs that weren’t theirs, part of a body that was just a toy.

"Uh. I appreciate it. But i think i need some time alone right now...i thought you went to bed..?" Tiktak called, their voice cracking.

Outside, There was a long, heavy silence, before Cactina whispered through the keyhole, her tone chillingly sweet. "Im to excited to go back to sleep. I'll just wait till you're not in shock anymore. We have all the time in the world to become best friends."

It was a long, drawn out silence. Tiktak didint want to risk making noise by checking if she was still there.

There came a time when a muffled, distant voice called.

"Hey Tina-! I think Cameron wanted you for something!"

Once cactina left, light footsteps approached the door. A voice that wasnt cactinas spoke.

"Sorry about her. We know she can get...intense. she's just excited to have a new person around...and also just, crazy in general."

Tiktak left their bed cautiously. Like a predator approaching a prey as they crept to the door on all fours. Peeking through the keyhole. They carefully cracked the door to better peek out. It was the puzzle guy and the little pinata.

"It's not nice to call people crazy..." tiktak mutters.

Pezzo glanced around. "More of a warning to you then an insult to her. If i wanted to insult her, id say it to her face-"

He glanced down to gabba.

Gabba was doing something. Cupping his hands by his smooth mouth area and seemingly trying to yell.

"What are they doing...?" Tiktak asked.

Pezzo sighs. "He tries with every new person. Sorry man, he can't hear you either."

"I'm non binary." Tiktak interrupted gently.

"Pardon-they can't hear you either."

Gabbas arms fell disappointed.

"We're guessing cactina left you this box?"

Tiktak shrugs. Nodding.

"Mind if we step in?"

Despite their instinct, Tiktak hesitantly steps to the side. These people didn't want them to aclimate and catch a breather alone just yet, apparently.

"Um...what is this place..?"

"Welp. It's a good source of headaches-"

Pezzo picked up the box of donuts cactina had left on the ground. Letting himself into the room. Tiktak didint fight it to much. These people seemed to be trying to be hospitable. "We should be quiet-caines got eyes everywh-oah-woah..."

Pezzo choked on his word as he saw the decor of tik taks room.

"Oh...oh nooooo." The words died in his throat. Gabba came in. His reaction was similar. Tiktak could see it in his eyes.

"Uh...something wrong..?"

Pezzo placed the donuts on the bed. His movements tense. His segmented limbs clicking as he turned to look at Tiktak. "Dude, I think this is the first time I might prefer to talk in the hallway-what is this room?"

"I didint know we chose the rooms..?"

"You know what, good point. I shouldn't word it like that. Uh...I know you probably have a lot of questions. So. Nows the time to ask. You might not get another chance to chill for a while..."

His eye kept looking around at the various pictures. It creeped him out. Gabba sat on the edge of the bed. He probably couldn't answer anything. Or maybe he was just the silent type. Neither had a mouth, but pezzo spoke just fine.

"Um...I have so many. Where do I even begin." Tiktak ran a wooden hand through their hair.

"Take your time to gather yourself. It's alright....you want a donut?"

Tiktak looked to the donut box. They wouldn't dare try removing their mask again. Not in front of people. "I'm um...I'm good."

Pezzo leaned on the bed frame. Opening the box and taking out a soft pretzel with chocolate frosting and sprinkles on it.

"If you're scared you won't be able to, check this out-" he lifts the pretzel to his mouth area. A chunk goes missing. A few seconds go by before pezzo swallows. Motioning to the pretzel with a new bite taken out of it.

"Tada"

Tiktak blinks at this. Furrowing their brows in confusion. They slowly approach the open box.

They curiously take a spherical donut. It's covered in grease. The crust crunches as tiktaks fingers pick it up. It felt strangely dense in their hands. Like it was filled with something.

They raise the donut to their mouth area and take a confused bite. As if the mask isint even there at all. Inside, the donut was full of hot gravy. With pieces of chicken and some loose vegetables.

.

.

.

Tiktak, expecting not this. Was flavor shocked. They chew slowly. Once they knew it was chicken. And this donut was essentially a hand held pot pie. It was actually very good. But the unexpected nature kinda threw them off.

"Wow...um...that's actually...cool" pezzo glanced over at the donut tiktak had selected. "Yeah, never expect anything with caine. He keeps you guessing."

"That teeth guy made these?"

"Nah. Cactina probably did. She can just do stuff like that sometimes. But shes close to him. So, don't expect stuff with her either. Remember, she's nuts. This place does stuff to you."

Tiktak took a big bite of the donut in their hands. Now that the flavor was expected, they actually really liked it. It was savory and buttery crust containing a rich chicken filling. Course this was starting to make a mess of crumbs and gravy. Tiktak might have been starving when they arrived. Pezzo chuckles. "Whoah tiger-! Nobody's taking it from you."

The sensation of eating with their mask on felt alien. Yet, comforting in a way. This pair seems friendly enough. "So um...anything important I should know..? What did you mean we won't have time to chill?"

Pezzo gave the rest of his donut to gabba, who gladly takes it. Swinging his feet as he takes a bite. "Basically the schedule here is sleep, adventure, eat, repeat. You just happened to come here when we were all sleeping. Or at least. Supposed to be sleeping. Me and Gabbo were watching movies."

Tiktak finished their food. Wiping the crumbs off themselves. "This...doesn't seem to bad."

"Heh...she's already gotten to ya huh?"

"What?"

"Cactina is convinced there's no way out of here. But weve been keeping our eyes peeled."

Tiktaks fingers paused mid wipe, a small crumb falling from their mask. The casual way pezzo braught up escape plans made something twist in their chest.

"Oh." Tiktak managed, their voice smaller then they intended. "So you guys are...trying to leave?"

Pezzo leaned against the bed frame, his segmented body creaking slightly with the movement. His single eye flickered with something complicated. Frustration, maybe, or the exhaustion of someone who's been hoping for a long time. "That's the plan. Gabba and me, we've been mapping out things we notice. There's gotta be some way out somewhere."

Gabba nodded.

"I just got here." Tiktak said carefully, watching both of them. "I don't really...know anything yet."

"That's fair." Pezzo’s tone softened, though his eye remained pointed. "But if you notice anything. We'd wanna know. This place is weird. But it can't be impossible."

The words hung in the air between them. Tiktak thought. About the strange, unsettling comfort of the fact No one here would look at them and see something wrong.

They thought about their old life. The never belonging. The constant searching. The way people always seemed to recoil, even when they did nothing wrong. Here at least, everyone was strange. Everyone was diffrent. Diffrent meant normal here.

"Yeah." Tiktak said. Their voice thin. "I'll keep an eye out."

Pezzo studied them for a moment, his gaze sharp. Tiktak felt like he could see right through the mask, somehow. Like he knew what they were really thinking. But then the tension dissolved as pezzo stretched arms above his head, joints popping.

"Alright. Enough heavy stuff for one night. Gabbo and I were watching this movie, wanna join?"

Tiktak glanced to gabba, who had been quietly munching on the rest of pezzos treat. He gave an enthusiastic nod.

The silent ones eyes had lit up at the mention of the movie. It was the most emotion tiktak had seen from him yet.

"Um" tiktak looked around their strange room. The company wasn't bad. "Sure I guess."

"Awesome" pezzo left the donut box and headed toward the door. "Theres a chill room down the hall. Blankets, snacks, the whole deal. Caine set it up when he realized we weren't just gonna, ya know...adapt."

Gabba stood from the bed and moved toward the doorway, pausing only to look back at Tiktak. He tilted his head slightly. A silent invitation.

Tiktak followed.

Pezzo led them to a room that looked like it had been assembled from pieces of a dozen diffrent livingrooms. Plush carpet met hardwood in places that made no sense. A projector hung from the ceiling pointed at a white curtain. The furniture was a mismatched collection of overstuffed armchairs next to sleek modern couches, bean bags scattered alongside wooden stools. Any seating assets caine just had around seemed to be placed in here.

"Home sweet home," pezzo said with a wry edge, flopping onto a purple bean bag that seemed to engulf him. "Well. Temporary home. Until we figure things out."

Gabba settled onto a nearby autumn. Pulling his legs up to sit cross legged.

Tiktak stood awkwardly in the doorway, uncertain where they fit. The room felt lived in. Personal in a way that made them feel like an intruder.

"Hey, new person." Pezzo gestured to a space on the couch next to him. Snapping his segmented finger. "Sit. You're gonna have to get used to hanging out with us eventually. We're pretty much the only ones who stay up this late normally."

Tiktak moved to the couch, sinking into the cushions. The fabric was soft, pilled and well worn. It felt like someone had been sitting here regularly. The thought was strangely comforting.

"So what's the movie about?" Tiktak asked, trying to fill the silence.

Pezzo grabbed a remote from besides him and pointed it at the projector. "Shreck."

Despite everything, tiktak felt something loosen in their chest. The way these two had welcomed them despite their own struggles.

"This is...really something." Tiktak mutters. The words coming out more genuine than they intended.

Pezzo glanced at them, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. It really is."

"So," pezzo said after a while, his voice casual. "What's your story? How'd you end up here?"

Tiktaks hands tensed in their lap. They thought about the computer. The way everything had gone fuzzy before waking up in that bright room with caines smile.

"Um...don't really remember. " tiktak said. It wasn't exactly a lie. "There was a computer and a headset, then there wasn't."

Pezzo nodded slowly. "That's believable. Usually people remember stuff but maybe it was diffrent for you. Fortunately caine can't mess with our heads like he can the world."

Tiktak thinks silently.

"he assured us a little to hard so who knows. Not like the evil ai imprisoning us would admit if he could."

Tiktak stayed silent at this.

Pezzo, used to silence, continus. "Me and gabbo been here at least a year now. We've had time to adjust. Figure out the basics of how things work."

"And you're still trying to leave?"

"Of course." Pezzos voice was firm now, conviction sharpening his words. "This isint real. None of this is real. It was fun for a while, but we had lives outside of this. People who miss us. Things we were supposed to do." He paused, something flickering across his face. "You must have something like that too, right? Family? Friends?"

Gabba put his hands to his head to try and make cat ears. Looking to tiktak.

Tiktak thought a minute. The silence was heavy.

"Sure." Tiktak said. The word feeling hollow. "I guess."

Pezzo stared at them a long moment, like he was trying to solve a puzzle. "You don't sound sure."

"I just..." tiktak struggled to find the right words. "It's not like I had a whole lot going for me out there. You know?"

The admission slipped out before tiktak could stop it.

Pezzo’s expression softened. "I get that. Really. I do. But this place isint...normal. even if it feels like it could be. We can't just become complacent."

"Cactina seems happy."

"Cactinas given up." Pezzos voice carried an edge of frustration. "She thinks this is forever, so she's trying to make the best of it. She thinks if caine likes her, everything will be smooth sailing. Or maybe she just likes him?? Their dynamic is confusing. He knows shes happy when hes happy, and hes happy when she is. But shes only acting that way because she thinks it makes him happy. But that's not- we can't just accept this. There has to be a way back. There's a way in, and the longer we stay trapped, the more people could get stuck here."

Tiktak thought about cactinas energy. Maybe that was acceptance. Maybe she just simply lost her mind. Or maybe cactina had looked at her life before and decided that strange circus was better then what they left behind. There's no way she knew what they did.

"I think," tiktak said slowly. "Maybe some people are quicker to accept things than others."

"Anyway-" pezzo said, the tension in his voice easing. "We don't have to figure it all out tonight. You just got here..." he offered the remote to the other. "Wanna try it out? This thing pulls from our memories. Whoever holding it can just remember a movie and it plays. Course the censorship applies. "

Tiktak looks to the remote.

"Can it...play other memories?"

"Yeah." Pezzo nodded. "You wanna give it a go?"

Tiktak was hesitant. What if they saw something they didint want to share. "Maybe later?" Pezzo shrugs. Looking to the screen. "Nobody's forcing you. Sides, sounds like you could be like cactina or Cameron, and just have a library of static in there."

Tiktak furrows their brows at this. "What?" They asked. Their voice quiet. That sounded concerning.

Pezzo nods. "Yep. We tried to get her to show us something. And when we finally got her to hold the remote, nothing. Zilch. Everything was totally broken. Or gone. TV static. Her memories weren't there. Same with cam."

Tiktak pushes themselves up from the couch. Taking note of this. "You know what, im gonna head back to my room. I should probably try to sleep at some point."

"Sleep." Pezzo repeated, the word carrying strange weight. "Yeah. You don't need to do that here. But you can get tired. And it stacks. So...best to just sleep when you're tired."

Tiktak nods. "I'm tired."

Gabba raised a hand in a small wave. Tiktak waved back. Feeling oddly like they were leaving friends behind rather then people they just met.

The walk back to their room was quiet. They were already getting fimilliar with the strange architecture. Passing cactinas door, they took a second to look. Studying the smiling face wich decorated the outside.

Their room waited for them, the strange decor seeming less unsettling now. Tiktak sat on the edge of the bed, placing the donut box on the floor.

They lay down. Letting their body sink into the bed. For the first time tiktak could remember, they didint feel like an outsider. They didint feel like something to be tolerated or avoided. They were just...another person.

The ceiling above was plain. But the bed was comfortable. The room was theirs. Tomorrow would bring whatever tomorrow brought, and for now, that was enough.

Next ->

[Thank you to thoes who allowed me to use their ocs. The writing is complete, There will be 10 chapters. I only need to create posters and actually type everything out on tumblr. :> ]

Ms brown belongs to @kaibi-bear

Pezzo belongs to Jock, aka Grems friend who does not have a tumblr account as far as I'm aware of. I can add his Instagram link.

Gabba belongs to @pendingintheairfryer

Tiktak belongs to @zenn135

Cactina belongs to @teathepumpkinmoth

Cam belongs to @cue-act6

Please let me know what you think of the first chapter. Any errors in character or spelling mistakes can be corrected.

I have changed a bunch of stuff regarding one of the characters in the roster. He's not there anymore.

The creator of prickley had expressed they don't feel they want the character in this story, for reasons I won't say here. I will respect these wishes.

Although they were glad I had considered them, it wasn't going to work out. Wich is fine. There is no bad vibes between us.

Given that I had already completed the writing (just needed to draw up art for each chapter) I had to take a bit of hiatus to fix sum stuff.

Without prickley, it left some plot holes later in the story I needed to fill or change. I did a bit of both.

By adding a new character in prickleys place. A oc of a friend of mine named Cameron, who fits almost perfectly.

We had decided to give him the role of cactinas older brother.

To be clear: Cameron is not a complete replacement of prickley. He is uniquely his own character. With his own plot pieces to add to the story. I still have to change things. It is still a process. He is not just "prickleys replacement "

Although they do hold a few similarities to prickley. Such as the way they both speak, this is a seperate and completly diffrent character. In fact, the way they speak was part of the reason I had considered them. For plot reasons that would involve spoilers.

I suggest going back to re read the chapters you have completed before this change.

If you are reading this, I've already changed everything. It took a minute but I should be back on track to publishing new chapters.

Consider this post a memorial to prickley. He will no longer be part of the story from here on. A honorable discharge.

Please support the creator of prickley @cactibytes

As for the owner of the rest of the characters:

@pendingintheairfryer

@kaibi-bear

@zenn135

Chapter 2

The halls were quiet. Peaceful. It was only a matter of time before caine flew through and started screaming.

"EVERYONE MEET IN THE FRONT ROOM IN T MINUS ONE MINUTE-!"

Cactina burst from her room. Singing very loudly "ADVENTURE TIME! COME ON GRAB YOUR FRIENDS~ WERE GOING TO A VERY DISTANT LAND!-WHAT DO YOU THINK CAINES GOT IN STORE FOR US TODAY?"

Tik tak heard the rhythmic thud of skipping go by their room before a relentless knock. It wasn't the normal two or three bangs, but a constant unending thump thump thump. It didint stop until Tiktak rose from bed and answered the door. Cactina smiling behind it.

"Just wanted to make sure you were up and ready to go! This is gonna be your first adventure!"

As cactina skipped away Tiktak stopped Ms brown on her way by. Everyone was funneling out of the hallway section and out to the main room.

"Hey um. What does she mean by that?"

"Oh, adventures are just these little things Caine does for us to give us something to do here. Come along. Its like a little vacation."

Tiktak moved to fallow the large bear. They didint really feel like they had a choice. Ms brown looked them over from the side as she led them to the stairs. "Honey, are you comfortable with touch?"

They blinked, looking to her as they were pulled from their thoughts for a moment. "Oh...um...I'm fine I guess."

Ms brown proceeded to fix the others hair out of their face area with a paw. "There we go. Look at that handsome face."

"I'm uh...I'm gender neutral. "

She thought a moment.

"Darling, I have no idea what's gender neutral handsome."

Tiktak caught cactina knocking on a diffrent door. The one of Cameron.

"Cammy. Come on. It's time to head out."

When no answer was given, she produced a gold key before letting herelf into the room. Soon, Cameron was being carried out over cactinas shoulder as he hung limply. Refusing to cooperate in his own way.

As she passes she glanced to tiktak. "He's just being difficult today. Don't mind him."

Tiktak stares a few seconds. "Doesn't that hurt?"

Cactina grunts as she makes her way down the steps. Keeping the limp body on her shoulder. "Clothes kinda negate the cactus thing. He's fine."

Once everyone was gathered, caine went on to introduce the adventure. Twirling his walking stick. "Alright my little photogenic cinnamon sticks. Are you READY? Today's adventure is; THE WILD WEST!" he held his arms out dramatically in a theatrical fashion.

"Your goal is to help the townsfolk of a poor settlement get rid of a group of cut throat bandits. I even designed you all fun little outfits for this one."

With a snap of Caine’s gloved fingers, a swirling vortex appeared before the group. Tiktak was cautious to go in but caine lifted the group in an invisible hold and hucked everyone in.

the group tumbled into a dusty road. Settling in a pile, before they found themselves standing in the center of a sun-bleached main street. The air shimmered with the heat of a desert afternoon, and the smell of dry hay and untreated wood filled their senses.

"Wow," Tiktak whispered, taking in the towering saloon and the rickety boardwalks. "It’s… actually pretty detailed."

Cactina beamed, getting up and giving her new dress a twirl. "Told ya! Caine always goes all out on the decor. Look at those textures!" She pointed toward the weathered storefronts as she wandered along.

"You didint tell me." Tiktak thought. Cactina stops in her tracks. She had not. As a matter of fact, the two havent spoken really. "Huh. Guess that was a dream."

Cameron looked down at his new clothes only to remain on the dusty road. Not bothering to get up.

Cactina picked him up to his feet to get him walking.

The group began to walk down the center of the road, boots crunching against the hard-packed dirt. However, as they passed a group of townsfolk, NPCs clad in dusty ponchos and worn-out leather, the atmosphere shifted instantly. A woman clutching a basket of fabrics gasped, pulling her child behind her and scurrying into a nearby alleyway. A man repairing a wagon wheel froze, his hammer hovering in mid-air, his gaze tracing the group with caution.

"Uh, are they okay?" Pezzo asked, waving a friendly hand at a local sitting on a porch. The local immediately stood up, spat in the dirt, and marched inside, slamming the door shut with a resounding thud.

"Maybe they’re just shy?" Ms. Brown suggested, though her ears twitched nervously.

"They don't look shy." Tiktak muttered, feeling the prickle of unwanted attention on their skin. "They look like they want us gone. We’ve been here, what, two minutes?"

"That's odd. Normally the NPCs are friendly." Cactina chirped, choosing to ignore the cold shoulder. She marched ahead until they reached the double swinging doors of the saloon.

As they pushed through the doors, the ambient noise of the room died down to a sharp, uncomfortable silence. Every head turned. Even the piano player slowed his tempo to a discordant crawl. Cactina didn't seem to notice the hostile tension, or perhaps they were simply too eager for the adventure, as she navigated toward the bar, oblivious to the fact that they were walking into a room full of people who, rightfully or not, seemed to despise the groups very existence.

Cactina climbed onto a stool, her boot hooking onto the rung. The others sitting on diffrent stools. The bar tender seemed indifferent to the rest of the town, but wouldn't look at the group as they cleaned a glass with an old rag. Keeping their gaze under the brim of their hat. "What'll ya have?" Cactina glanced around. "Ya got water?" Gabba sat and nods. He would like water too. The bar tender glances his way. Without a word, he poured gabba a glass of moonshine and some syrup in a glass of ice. Placing it in front of him.

"Spose he'll have the usual."

Gabba furrows his brows at this. That was not what he wanted. Where did they get the idea he wanted anything like that?? He moved to swat the glass off the counter.

Pezzo catches it. Placing it between him and tiktak. "My guy, you are not helping the cat allegations."

Ms brown kept an eye out. Sighing at gabbas behavior. "Gabba thats not nice." He only glanced sideways at her. His tail doing long annoyed swishes behind him as it hung off the back of the stool. Not like there were consequences to his actions. He can break a glass if he wants.

She pat a soft paw on his head. Clicking her tongue at him as she mutters. "matamis na bagay."

Cactina thinks. While she was good at being oblivious, she just couldnt help but notice the tension by now. "Do we have to pay for this..?" Cactina looks to the bar tender.

The bar tender got out a glass, pouring a green liquid into it. " 'S on the house so long as yall keep the peace." Tik tak took the glass meant for gabba. "Well if yall dont want it-" Tiktak tipped their head back and drank it down. Figuring it was just water. Just pretend. It was a video game after all.

Pezzo chuckled in shock seeing this. Speaking in a joking and suprised tone. "Tiktak- nooohoho. That was moonshine buddy." Tiktak slammed the half gulped container on the counter. Coughing violently. That may have been the worst thing to ever enter their mouth. The liquid burned all the way down. "W-wait-you can get drunk here??"

Pezzo nods quickly. "How old are you?"

Tiktak looked frozen. Their voice a higher, nervous pitch. "Are you sure..?"

Pezzo nods.

"S%$!#"

Pezzo was still waiting for an answer. Tiktak sighs. "Well-im an adult. But I wasn't expecting to drink actual alcohol."

"As opposed to fake alcohol...in a saloon?"

The bar tender placed the green looking glass of liquid by cactina. She tilted her head a bit at this. "Huh-wha?"

"Cactus juice. Closet thing we got to water."

"Cactus juice? Caine thinks People actually drink this? It's full of toxic alkaloids...-"

She swirled the glass in her gloved fingers as tiktak could hear her muttering to herself.

"Drink cactus juice. It'll quench ya. Nothings quenchier."

"...It's the q-uenchiest"

Cameron seemed to mutter. His voice coming from a speaker in the camera.

Tiktak was confused. Pausing their panic for a moment. Not understanding the joke. "Wait-what...why are you talking to yourself? Why does he sound like that?"

"Well nobody else was gonna make the refrence. As for Cam, He can only speak using recorded audio."

Tiktak sees cactina moving to drink. They were starting to feel as if they had swallowed a hot coal. Warmth reached from their stomach through their fingertips. "Isint that kind of..like.. blood?" Cactina shrugged. Drinking the glass. She then shivered. "Its the quenchiest."

Pezzo thinks. "Eh, its vegan...you wanna figure out how to v%$!# without a mouth..?"

Tiktak frowns. Resting a hand on their stomach. "My fate is sealed I think."

It wasn't long before Ms brown moved to the door. She felt unwelcome here. "Maybe we should be getting along now..." cactina glanced to her. "We just got here."

The bear moved to take cactinas hand to lead her out the door, whispering. "We should go-now."

The others fallowed. Tik tak moved to slip off their stool and fell flat on their face. Suddenly feeling very heavy. The world was unsteady under them as their artificial skin began to burn. Pezzo started chuckling. Shutting himself up and Moving to bend over and pick his newest friend up. He ended up carrying tik taks entire body horizontally on his shoulders, wrapped around his neck like a scarf. "Come on new stuff-what were you thinking?"

Gabba fallowed the group as they left. He was impressed at the foolhardiness. Tiktak gained cool points. But for being stupid. Not for the alcohol. He can't wait to see how this winds up.

Outside a few npcs moving to enter the saloon jumped back and dropped money on the ground. "PLEASE DONT HURT ME-!" They then dissapeared in a cloud of smoke. Cactina leaned down to pick up the money from the ground before miss brown made a squeak. Moving to stand between cactina and the rest of the group to block her. "Cactina your wearing a dress-! Crouch like a lady!"

She stood up straight, counting the coins in her hand. "Not like I wear clothes usually. You guys wanna ride the train?"

Gabba looked to the train station as a smoking locomotive had just pulled in across the way. His eyes sparkling. Cameron mutters. "I-i like t-train" Pezzo tossed Tiktak lightly in his hold to adjust them a bit. Resting the other on his hip. Tiktaks face was pink as their head lulled farward to rest on pezzos shoulder. They did not appreciate that little lurch.

"Beats staying here. Maybe Caine put us in the wrong spot of the map??" Pezzo questioned. Holding tik tak secure. Tik was regretting their choice.

Cactina approached the counter to buy tickets using the money she had picked up off the ground. It was enough to get everyone tickets with none left over. The tickets themselves were shiny gold with little caines in train conductor outfits on them.

Cactina smiles at the tickets designs. Passing them out to the rest of the group. "So cute."

Once they boarded, pezzo slid into a bench style seat. Placing Tiktak by the window. Tiktak swayed, pezzo gently coaxed the other into leaning against the window. "Shhhh. Nap time." They pet tiktaks head. Gently gliding his hand over the others eyes to close them. Tiktak lazily swats thd others hand away with a snicker. "I'm fine..." Pezzo sat back in their seat to keep an eye on them. After a minute passed, tiktak felt the cool glass on their burning cheek and closed their eyes to relax.

Tiktak felt like a warm blanket had swallowed their body whole, and the world wouldn't stop rocking. It was as if gravity had decided to let them go loose and float for a bit. The tension they didint know they were holding in their shoulders had melted from them. In their light headed state their mask had a pink flush to it. A visual to pezzo that the Other was definitely lightweight. That or that was one strong drink. Who knows. Probably.

Cameron sat in the front. Allowing themselves more leg room. They laid down across their bench in a loose, sloppy position as they groaned. "Hhhhheadachhhe..im sleep here...."

Gabba sat in the first empty seat they found, which ended up behind miss brown and cactina. Who both sat across from pezzo and tiktak, putting cactina in the isle seat, and miss brown next to the window.

By the time the train started moving, Tiktak was half sleeping while chatter happens amongst the train cart. Background noise that had lulled them into a soothing daze. Even the vibrations of the train rattling their insides seemed almost peaceful. Like a full body massage.

Gabba stood on his seat and rested their chin on the back of cactinas seat. They looked to her with curious eyes.

Cactina turned her head around a bit. "Oh. Uh...i dunno where the trains heading. But you know caine. He isint one to design a whole train and not mean for us to use it. Probably why that guy gave us money."

Gabba furrowed his brows. Catina bites her lip. "Ok, yeah, they kinda didint give it to us, but if they throw it at us and we can't give it back that has to count as donation...I think."

Gabba was mobile around the train as it went. Moving from seat to seat to check out the cart. It was mostly the cast and a few npc characters that stuck to the back like the group had been infected with something contagious.

As he wandered he is slowly alerted by the crescendo of annoying music coming closer from a distance. Its non copyright...and straight from the playlist of that annoying little copy paste thorn in his ass. He blinks, then his face grew dreadful. Realization quickly settling in. Evil gabba was close... His head slowly turning to see that exact character out the window riding a horse along side the train, they see Gabba and wave their hand, frantic and friendly as if the other could miss him. Gabba, without looking away roughly smacks pezzo on his side to get his attention. Pezzo looks out the window before letting out a groan, his head going back on his seat. "UUUUUUGH. Not these guys again."

Tik tak was awake, but far from lucid. They couldn't be bothered with anything. They weren't there as of the moment. "Hrm?"

There were gunshots coming from outside as the sounds of footsteps heavily thudded on the roof of the train cart. Cactina seems calm. Almost in a I told you so voice. Looking up at the sound.

"Just as I suspected. I was wondering why everyone was so mean in that other town."

Tiktak looks to her. Their words were nothing but slurred mumbles. They managed "whashapen?"

She chuckles. Assuming the other may be asking whats happening based on the syllables they mumbled. Cactina continues.

"Oh, well. Right now, a train robbery-" ms brown looked alarmed at this. "-But it makes sense now. We're in the old west, wanted posters didint get drawn in color back then. It would take to long to draw and paint all thoes copies. Not to mention it would be expensive."

Tiktak blinks slowly.

It was then a evil version of Cactina swung down from the roof of the train and busted in through the window, shattering it with her potted foot. fallowed by evil Pezzo. They both had guns. Pointing them at the passengers. Evil pezzo started going down the isle with a bag and nervously collecting valuables while evil Cactina was barking threats.

The original Cactina motioned to the pair. "our evil selves. Caine likes to use these guys to make adventures interesting and to be the quote "bad guys." But mostly they're just our opposites that have been color shifted. Or maybe our inner thoughts..? I'm sure caine had the time to make one of you too. I can't wait to see them."

Tiktak only chuckles at the gun wielding villans. Guess they were doing this now. Pezzo moved to push tiktak down and hide them under the seat. The other was not in any condition to be fighting off bandits. Pezzo then sighs. More so annoyed as his evil counterpart approaches. Holding their gun with little confidence. "Uh-hey, aren't you scared..?"

Pezzo slowly turned his head, looking at the gun. "Do it. You won't. No balls."

Evil cactina shoves her partner down. Stepping on him as she notices Tiktak on the floor. The seat didn't hide all of them. Evil pezzo whines as he was being walked on but didn't move as evil cactina grinned with a set of sharpened teeth and leaned into the booth behind pezzo to grab tiktak up by their leg. Dragging them out from the floor. "Fresh meat."

Pezzo glanced down. "Nuh uh-"

"The f%$!# you mean nuh uh??"

Ms brown stood up. Trying to interviene, accidentally stepping on evil pezzo in the process. "Honey, we don't want trouble-" evil pezzo whimpers as Ms brown stepped on his legs. The bear jumps at this and steps off. "Oh I'm sorry-!"

Evil cactina steps off evil pezzo. She then slung tiktak over her shoulder. "Aight, let's get a move on. You're about as useful as a ice spatula at a barbecue." Evil pezzo only sighs. Getting up to fallow her like a puppy. Tiktak didint struggle. Dangling limply in the evil doppelgangers hold. Their mask holding a smile as they feel her mullein skin. "You're sooo soft..."

Evil cactina pat tiktakon the butt. Keeping them over her shoulder. "Yeah. You just settle there sweet thing. I gotcha from here." Evil cactina opened the back door of the train cart. "Later loosers! Sucks to be you. I think im gonna trade our tiktaks if thats cooooool." Climbing up to the roof with tiktak in her arm, she lept down into the bed of a wagon that was riding alongside the train, evil gabba at the reigns of the horse. Evil cactina laid tiktak down on a bed of straw as evil tiktak looked down to them. Tiktak looked up, seeing their counterpart. Their own face only had giddy confusion as they chuckle. What on earth was going on.

Evil cactina looked to evil tiktak. Nodding to the train. "Youre up angel wings."

"Don't call me that."

"ILL CALL YOU WHATEVER THE F%$!# I WANT, YOUR NAMES ANGEL WINGS BECAUSE IF YOU DONT GET YOUR S%$!# TOGETHER IMMA FIT YOU A PAIR, YA DIG?! GET IN THERE!"

Evil tiktak decided to take a seat on the roof vent. Crossing their arms and turning away from evil cactina. This drives her into a fit of snarls.

Ms brown reached the door of the train only to stop the original cactina from jumping out after her clone. She grabbed her off the small ladder that led to the roof by her waist. Her clothing thankfully preventing her quills from taking effect in ms browns paws. As she was set down cactina shouts "LET ME AT EM COACH! I CAN TAKE EM-!"

Ms brown sat her down. "No, you will not. I'm getting our new friend back and we are riding to the next town."

Ms. Brown sat cactina down and froze. Through the windows, she saw the train barreling toward a skeletal wooden bridge over a gorge, Evil Cameron was rigging dynamite to the supports. Looking over a clipboard as he seems to be doing math.

Ms brown moved to try and make her way to the front of the train. "Oh lanta-! They're going to blow up the bridge!" Gabba perked at this. Scrambling to make his way to the front of the train.

Pezzo springs up to help him. They didint have a lot of time to be struggling with locks.

Cactina could see the struggle from the seat she was left in and instead of trying to shove past Ms brown and help, she went out the back door and climbed up to the roof. Figuring this method would be quicker.

Waiting up there was evil Tiktak. Ready for her. Before she can react, they stepped over and grabbed cactina up by the throat. Leaving the small girl dangling. Her heart dropped at this. Normally people couldn't touch her, ms brown could only grab her due to her clothing, but evil tiktak had ahold of her bare throat. How. She barely had the time to think before she was tossed off the train.

"AAAAA!"

Cactina shrieks as she flew through the air. Barely snagging onto the speeding wagon that was besides the train. She had to pull herself into the bed before she was met with the barrel of a gun.

Evil cactina was about to pull the trigger when Cameron jumped from between the train carts and hit her in the head with a flying elbow. He took some rope that was in the wagon to wrestle and tie evil cactina up. Sitting on her to keep her down as he did so. He was struggling to tie proper knots.

Evil pezzo pointed a shaking gun at the other.

Cameron quickly bound evil cactina, then turned his attention to a trembling Evil Pezzo. He just stares.

.

.

.

The bandit crumbled. Tears welled in his eye as he dropped the weapon, completely lacking the callous resolve of his peers. He didint fit in with the evils at all.

Cameron sweeped a leg out to kicke the gun away, snatching up more rope. "Wuss," he spat, beginning to tie him up.

Evil Gabba glanced back to see his teammates captured; what does he do in this situation exactly? Does he stop the horse? Meanwhile, Cactina had pulled herself into the cart, looking over to Tik-Tak, who didint seem to worried about their situation. Laying in a pile of straw in the wagon. she decided Cameron had this covered and scrambled onto the train’s exterior. As the locomotive roared toward the bridge, her dress whipped in the wind while she shimmied along the outside of the train cart toward the engine.

Inside, gabba and pezzo were desperately fighting their way to the front through a crowd. Cactina caught a glimpse of the struggle through the glass but pushed forward, racing to reach the controls. After fighting the wind, she stepped into the locomotive, Finding the cab empty, she desperately grabbed a large red lever and yanked it. Not even knowing for sure if this was the break. She wasn't a train person.

The train’s brakes shrieked, lurching the cars to a violent halt. Evil Tik-Tak flew into the coal bin, Gabba was thrown forward down the isle.

Spotting the commotion, Cameron trained a gun on Evil Gabba, forcing him to slow the horse to a stop and dismount. Surrendering with hands held high. Seeing Evil Cameron abandon the dynamite and dart toward the brush, Gabba original leapt from the tain and gave an all fours chase. Despite the size diffrence, gabba caught up and took down the bandit. Pezzo chuckls at this. Seeing the commotion through the windows of the train. "You get em tiger-!"

Moments later, the chaos settled, and all the evil counterparts were bound and tossed into their own wagon.

Once everything had calmed down, the group rode back to the original town. Pezzo on the horse. The evils tied up on one side of the wagon, the cast sitting on the other.

Gabba was staring down evil gabba, his tail flicking in irritation seemingly just at the others existence.

Tiktak looked to their own evil counterpart. "So...you just...a copy of me?"

The counterpart refused to look tiktaks way. Their body covered in soot and head turned away from them.

"Not a talker, huh...?"