Reimy Rei

“I’m glad to see you. How are you…holding up?” She asked him.

He looked at her with worried eyes, “I’m…” He moved his down and away from her.

She reached over to grab his shoulder while using her other hand to gently grab his lower denture, turning him to face her. Her left eye showed concern and sorrow for him and her right, blue button eye shined in the same emotions.

Caine sighed, “He doesn’t quit…It’s the same thing every day. My dad is not always doing well either. I just…” His blue and green eyes felt the familiar burning sensation of tears wanting to release.

“Caine…” Ragatha removed her hands from him to wrap her arms around him, “I know this is hard, but we’ll make it. Your dad is still trying to find a way for us to leave. We have to hold onto that hope.” She tightened her hold on him. Some tears fell from her eye, gently soaking the ringmaster’s red coat.

He clung to her as he let his tears fall freely. The anguish was too much to bear. The fun adventures were nothing more than chaos for Bubble to enjoy. Bubble, who was thought to be a friend, was nothing more than a tormentor. He wondered if Jax would become an assistant for the master of terror given some of the recent encounters they’ve had. His body shook violently from his cries.

Ragatha ran her hands up and down on his back, trying to give soothing motions.

Caine’s body began to calm down. He focused on regulating his breathing as his grip on the doll loosened ever so slightly.

“We’ll be okay. Your dad is gonna get us out of here. In the meantime, we have other moments we can cherish,” Ragatha spoke softly. She sniffled.

Caine sniffled right after her, “I cherish you.” His dentures had light pinks lines across them.

She giggled, “I cherish you too.”

“Aw! Isn’t that so sweet? It makes me want to puke!” A certain, unpleasant voice spoke, laughing.

Ragatha and Caine let go of each other to look at Bubble.

“You know, for someone who is so desperate to be out of my presence, you have a funny way of always appearing right when I look for you. It’s as if deep down, you secretly enjoy me finding you.”He chuckled.

Caine and Ragatha both stood up.

Caine tried to display a brave front, glaring at him, “What do you want now?”

“Oh ho! Trying to act tough and mighty for your lady? Well, first things first…” He grabbed Caine by his dentures, opening his mouth wide.

The ringmaster’s eyes watered and filled with horror.

“Bubble! Stop!” Ragatha cried out.

He laughed once more, “Nah, I don’t think I will.” His grip tightened on Caine’s dentures. The ringmaster cried out in pain.

Ragatha glared at Bubble and marched up to him, “If you have to torment someone then take me.”

Caine’s body shook and his pupils shrank in fear. He couldn’t let his beloved take the pain for him.

Bubble burst out in laughter, “I have a better idea!” He moved one of his hands to wrap around Caine’s waist and used his other hand to grab Ragatha. She yelped at being handled so roughly. Bubble made them disappear in a swirl.

————————————————————————-

The three of them reappeared at the lake. The sun shone extra brightly.

“Hello my love! Need me to give a sunburn to those pests?!” the sun asked excitedly.

“Yes I do.” Bubble dropped Caine and Ragatha roughly onto the sand.

The lovers immediately stood up, dancing around. The sand was intensely hot.

“C-Caine! Ow!” Ragatha tried speaking. “We’ll be okay! Oh!”

Caine felt his whole body flare up from the sand and the sun’s rays. He looked at her with pleading eyes.

“Prepare for a sunburn!” Sun shouted. She readied her rays on them and they slightly sizzled with extra heat.

Caine and Ragatha yelped from the rays hitting their bodies harshly. They both tried to go toward the water.

Bubble summoned a see through wall, blocking the lake from them, “Nah uh. You have to finish entertaining us.” He then snapped his fingers to bring out a lounge chair, sitting contently next to Sun, reclining back.

“R-Ragatha!” Caine cried out. His eyes were letting out waterfalls with how much he was crying from the pain.

She looked at him with a tear stained face. Her left eye was rapidly releasing water, “Caine!”

Bubble laughed manically at their distress, “This is too good!”

Sun giggled along with him, “I love you so much Bubble!”

“I love you my flaming gal!”

Caine and Ragatha would’ve vomited from the moment if they weren’t occupied with the heat being seared into their bodies.

“Alright! That’s enough!” A new voice entered the scene.

“Well, well. If it isn’t, big bad Grant coming to the rescue once again,” Bubble spoke with a yawn.

“You bet I-Yeow!” Grant had been on the grass and then touched the sand with his king, chess piece body. “Take me in their place!” His blue eyes watered from the pain.

“Hmm…” Bubble put his hand to his chin, pondering about that. “Why not?” He snapped his fingers, putting Caine and Ragatha back on the grass.

Caine immediately made a run toward the chess piece only for the same wall in front of the lake to appear before him once again.

“Nope! Your dad has to suffer now!” Bubble laughed evilly.

Caine banged on the wall, “Dad!” He tried to fly up to go over the wall and it moved along with him. He cried out in anger.

“Take Caine and get out of here!” Kinger yelled at the doll.

Ragatha looked up at the red coated ringmaster, “Caine! C’mon! Please!”

The denture head looked at her and then flew down to be beside her.

“Kinger! Thank you!” Ragatha said. She grabbed Caine by his shoulders and walked, moving him along with her.

“Dad,” Caine sobbed and sniffled.

Ragatha hurried them along, sniffling along with him.

————————————————————————-

The doll and ringleader made it back inside the tent, specifically in the cafe. Ragatha figured this would be a good spot for now. Caine had been quiet for the entire walk. The purple dressed doll had him sitting in one of the big red armchairs. There was just enough room for her to sit with him. It wasn’t the most spacious of spots, but she didn’t wish to be too far away from him.

“He’ll be okay,” she tried reassuring him again.

He looked at her with tired and anxious eyes. He sighed heavily, “I hope so…”

She grabbed his hand and held it tightly. He squeezed her hand back. She leaned against him and he reciprocated. Her head rested on top of his denture head. She moved her thumb up and down on his hand.

“Ragatha? Do you think I’m weak?” Caine asked with sorrow.

She perked her head up with a saddened expression, “Of course not. Why are you asking that?”

“Because my dad is always having to jump in to help me out. It makes me feel like I’m not good enough. I’m so weak.” He closed his dentures, shielding his eyes.

“Oh Caine. You’re good enough. You’re not weak. Sometimes, extra help is needed in certain situations and that’s okay.” She moved her free hand to gently cup his lower denture.

He opened his mouth a little bit to peek at her. She smiled reassuringly at him.

“Your dad loves you and he is willing to do anything to protect his son. Don’t see his help as a burden. It’s not. Not a lot of people have a dad like yours,” she said happily.

“That’s true, but I still…” He moved his eyes away from her.

“It’s not always easy to be brave, but you try. Just because there are moments that need an extra hand or two to help you out at times, doesn’t mean that you’re any less brave. It doesn’t make you weak,” she reaffirmed.

He moved his gaze back to her.

She awkwardly chuckled, “Sorry. That sounded awfully cheesy. Didn’t it?”

He chuckled, “Maybe a little.”

She laughed, “Well, regardless, I hope it helps you feel better Caine.” She smiled at him, “Your dad will be fine. He may have those less lucid moments, but he’ll be okay. He always pulls through.”

He nodded, “Yeah, I…I think he will be too.” He suddenly felt shyness enter his system, “You’re so good to me.” His lower denture had some light pink across his teeth.

Her smile grew more, some redness appearing on her face, “Well, you deserve having someone who is good to you.”

“So do you my dear.” He bashfully wrapped his arm around her waist.

Her blush intensified along with his. They stared into each other’s eyes and he closed his dentures again to gently kiss her. She kissed him back. She then rested her forehead against his top denture.

“I love you,” she said quietly.

“I love you too,” he spoke and kissed her again on her cheek.

She giggled, “Would you like to have a milkshake?”

“Yes! That would be good!” He didn’t remember when he last had one of those.

“Okay, I can make one for us. What flavor?”

“Hmm…Chocolate?”

“Sounds good to me!” She pecked him on his lower denture where his cheek would be before getting up from the chair.

Caine watched her make the milkshake with lovestruck eyes.

“Oh good! There you two are!” Kinger exclaimed.

The two turned around with surprised expressions.

“D-Dad! You’re okay!” Caine went over to give him a big hug.

Kinger made a startled sound, but happily returned the hug.

Ragatha stopped making the milkshake to go over to the father and son, “I’m glad you’re alright.”

His eyes smiled at her, “I’m happy the two of you are okay. Oh! Are you having a date?”

“Uh, sort of,” she answered.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to it!” He let go of Caine.

“W-Wait! Dad!” Caine said with some desperation.

Kinger turned around, “Yes Son?”

“Thank you for your help.” He smiled at him.

“Anything for you, my son. I love you.”

“Love you Dad.”

“Now, have fun lovebirds!” He playfully waved his white gloved hand as he started moving away from them.

Ragatha and Caine’s faces were incredibly flushed. Dark red was on the doll’s face while dark pink was on the ringmaster’s face.

“W-Well, let me finish that shake!” The purple dressed doll went back over to the counter to continue making the chocolate goodness.

Caine sat back down in the red armchair, patiently waiting for his beloved to finish.

She added the last touch to the milkshake, whip cream. She then inserted two, red and white striped straws, “All done! C’mon over here.” She sat down in a white chair that faced the counter. She patted the free one next to her.

He got up and went to join her, bashfully sitting next to her.

She moved the milkshake to the middle of them both and grabbed the straw nearest to her, “We haven’t done this yet. I thought it would be nice to share a milkshake together.”

He smiled at her and grabbed the other straw, “It is a nice idea.”

She smiled and sipped some of the milkshake, “That is good! What do you think?”

He sipped some of it, “You made it perfectly, darling.”