A Glitch In The Circus

Kinger's Tide

It was like any other day, with Jax being a huge pain in the bee-hind. Today, he was getting his usual chewing out from Ragatha, who grew ever more frustrated with the rabbitoid for not only letting another centipede into her room, but giving Kinger the key to Queenoe's room again to see her ghost data. However, this seemed different as Ragatha looked just about ready to lose her mind.

Ragatha: Fine... just, FINE! You know what?! *turns away* I'm done talking about this!

Jax: Oh, isn't that just like you? Walking away as soon as I'm winning the argument? Because you know I'm right!

Ragatha: No. You're not. You're just incapable of even conceiving of the notion that you could be wrong!

Jax: But I'm NOT wrong! Not about this!

Ragatha: *growls* What you are is impossible!

The doll stormed into her room and slammed her door, opening and closing her fists as she paced around the middle of her room in frustration. She and Jax never used to argue like this. Despite the fact that it seemed like they had polar opposite personalities, they'd always seemed to get along decently enough. Until recently, that was. The first day Pomni showed up, a schism formed between them. Not about Pomni, but about something Jax had rather casually revealed during their time in the hallway. It especially got worse after Jax's prank with the fake exit and even more so when he sold Kinger's liver to the little Eggdog that now resides as a sort of sidekick for him.

Ragatha's thoughts were interrupted by an envelope being pushed under her door. She didn't see who had done that, but it had to have been Jax. Ragatha winced; surely there was something unpleasant in that envelope. Something like a centipede. Cautiously, Ragatha touched the envelope with her foot. It didn't start moving, so she nervously picked it up and opened it. Inside was a note hastily scrawled on yellow paper.

Note: "I'm tired of arguing about this. It's your turn to be the bad guy."

Ragatha: Bad guy? What's.... *horrified* Oh no..

Ragatha looked into the envelope at what was causing it to be so bulky. It was a single golden key. THE key. To Queenie's old room. Jax was known for his pranks, but when he did it, he was usually in a good mood. Getting a centipede into her room, as traumatic as that was for her, was just a prank to Jax.

THIS.... was a sophisticated ploy of vengeance. Jax only ever attempted those when he was really angry. Ragatha felt upset that things had gotten to that point. Just giving Ragatha that key was -as she bitterly understood- a sort of "checkmate" situation. Ragatha couldn't give the key away now or pretend she didn't have it. All she could do was choose to let it be used or not.

Ragatha took the key out of its envelope and shut her one good eye, sighing as she felt the weight of the key in her hand, dropping the empty envelope to the floor.

Ragatha: Jax... What are you getting me into?

The weight of the responsibility she now had was much greater, contained all in that little object. It wasn't like Jax hadn't warned her he might do this; she'd gotten plenty of warnings. But... she just felt like she had to argue with him. It was wrong, what he was doing was wrong....

Right?

Suddenly, Ragatha jerked and almost dropped the key as she heard a knock at her door. She tried to sound sweet and inviting in case it was Pomni or Gangle, but it came out an awkward squawk.

Ragatha: Uh, who- who is it!?

Kinger: *from door* It's me, Kinger.

Of course it was him.