The Amazing Digital Circus: Come Little Rabbit

The Last Joke

It had been a few days after her first day in the circus. Pomni had gotten along well with the other members, especially Kaufmo. The two got along well, considering how they're so obsessed with finding an exit...if there was one.

But lately, Kaufmo hadn't been out of his room that much. Usually he would come out after the song was over and attempt to spout some jokes. But he didn't seem to put much effort into them.

Pomni thought it was the time to start checking on him again. Despite having only known him for a few days, Pomni looked up to Kaufmo as a good friend.

Even if his jokes were terrible.

Pomni slowly walked toward Kaufmo's room and was surprised to find Jax already in front of it. Caine had to get used to having more people added to the theme song, some of them offering to merge their parts with the others. Jax didn't mind to have Hiyori with him.

"Um...hi?"

"Oh it's you...Pomni."

"Yeah...are you going to check on Kaufmo?"

"Well, no. I'm going to prank him while he's sleeping."

"Oh."

Jax had a set of keys. Hiyori gave it back to him after he returned, not minding at all.

Jax began to open the door while Pomni talked with him.

"So...how was it like to be abstracted? If you were conscious and all?"

"I...I'm not sure. I barely remember what happened when I was abstracted."

"Why did you abstract?"

"I...I don't want to talk about it."

"...Right. I think abstraction is probably worse than death."

"Probably. And I just came back from being one."

"Did...did you ever encounter the exit door?"

"Well, most of us did and some went into it in hopes of getting out of here. I was one of those people. Let's just say it was not pleasant."

"I see. I went there on my first day."

"Seriously? Oldest trick in the book! Caine is probably so dumb he doesn't even know what a TRUE exit is!"

CLICK!

"Alrighty. Let's get this thing open."

Jax swung open the door. "WAKEY WAKEY, SLEEPYHEAD!!"

But what they saw was scribbles.  All around the walls, floors, and even ceiling. All saying the simple word, "Exit".

And there was also a huge black mass in the room, with colorful eyes staring in all directions.

Pomni knew who it was.

And then...it all went white.

...

Pomni immediately woke up, startled. Was it all a dream? She looked around, finding herself in her own bed...in her quarters.

Of course it wasn't all a dream. She was still in the Amazing Digital Circus with no way of escaping.

Great.

And she basically had a nightmare of Kaufmo abstracting.

Double Great.

Suddenly her door opened and Ragatha rushed in. She then hugged Pomni, who was startled by the sudden touch.

"AHH!!"

"Oh, Pomni! I forgot you don't like being touched."

"I forgive you. But why did you barge into my room?!"

"Well, Jax saved you from Kaufmo after you passed out."

"That...wasn't a dream?"

"I'm so sorry Pomni," Ragatha said, holding her arms for a hug. She was acting like a mother trying to comfort a young child after their pet/loved one died. And Pomni accepted the hug, flinging herself onto Ragatha's plush body.

Why did it have to happen?

To one of the only people she could've been friends with??

Why was she in this digital hell?!

...

Hiyori just stared at the floor, the spot where the entrance to the Cellar used to be. While Zooble and Kinger moved on pretty well(Kinger had seemingly forgotten about the incident) Hiyori was saddened by Kaufmo's abstraction. Even though she knew it was bound to happen due to him still attempting to find an exit even after he was told many times that there was no escape, Hiyori still mourned.

"Why does this always happen?!"

Hiyori collapsed and cried again, just as she did for Jax when he abstracted. Jax went to his best friend and hugged her.

"It was bound to happen, neckless."

"B-but it was too soon!"

"Hiyori, you've only been with him for 2 years."

"B-but he was-"

"It's okay. I don't want you to abstract right here and now, so please stop whining about it."

Jax then noticed Ragatha heading out of Pomni's room with Pomni, who looked devastated. He felt pity for the newbie, as he had seen Kaufmo and her getting along well.

"Hey newbie."

"What is it, Jax?" Pomni spoke, looking down.

"I-Kaufmo wanted me to give you this."

He handed her a letter with the words Pomni written on it.

"I found it in Kaufmo's room, on his nightstand. You should read it."

"I-is it okay if I read it too?" Ragatha asked.

"O-okay..."

And so they read the note:

Pomni,

I'm writing all of this with the last of my sanity. I don't want to abstract, but I just...can't stop. I've been here for so long, wanting to find a way out. An exit. EXIT.

It's already too late for me.

But I don't want you to suffer the same fate as me. We know it's probably not possible to find another exit and that trying to escape might whittle away the last shed of sanity we still have. So all I want you to do is to find a reason. Find a reason to live. To stay here.

I know it's probably not the best idea, but it's better than having to deal with being an animalistic black mass with colorful eyes that attacks anything it sees.

So please, Pomni. If not for me, do it for yourself or the other people here.

Do it before it's too late.

Kaufmo.

A tear fell on the paper. Then another. And another.

Pomni cried for the second time since she last appeared here. Kaufmo said that she had to find a reason to stay. And while her logic told her not to listen to that idea, Pomni was ushered by her growing friendship with the other performers.

"Hey look down!"

Jax said. "You missed a part."

Ps: it's not the best time for a joke, but this is the last joke you'll ever get. And I worked extra hard on it...

What do you call a jester that doesn't tell jokes?!

No laughing matter!!

And then only a few scribbles of nonsense. Pomni laughed a little, tears still in her eyes. The others laughed too.

Even though Kaufmo was gone, he gave
Pomni hope that maybe...just maybe...this life isn't so bad after all.