Caine has a surprise for Jax.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jax wished he didn't say anything. Maybe then they would all stop staring at him with their... their pity. The way they kept glancing his way, obviously wanting to say something, but thinking better of it. The way they seem to talk more about Earth, as if they were trying to teach him all they know, without him knowing. The way Ragathat kept whispering to Caine, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. The way that Caine seemed way more excited than usual, which is saying something as the ringmaster is always teeming with energy, and was obviously planning something. It all was getting on his nerves.

He didn't know why they were making such a big deal over it, it wasn't like they could do anything about it. So what if he was here for his entire life, it was way better than if he had stayed where he was. Sure, it sucks that he doesn't know the great things about Earth, but it's not like that can ever change. Not unless he wants to abstract. He had seen plenty of abstractions, he knew what obsessing over leaving, over Earth, could get you. It made you long for something that you could never get, made you obsess over an exit that wasn't there. It was something he had ingrained into his mind, something that was simply common sense at this point.

"WAKEY WAKEY EGGES AND BAKEY! ITS TIME TO GET UP!" Jax let out a groan as Caines loud voice echoed down the hall, huffing he sat up. They didn't need sleep, being digital and all that c$@*, but something about slipping into nothingness was comforting. Maybe the way that all his thoughts and problems just went away, or maybe because the routine helped keep him sane. Whatever the reason was it didn't change the fact that he really hated waking up to Caines loud obnoxious voice. Zooble once compared it to waking up to the most annoying alarm clock ever, Jax had to agree.

Begrudgingly he left the comfort of his bed, heading out of his room to see everyone doing the same. "You know Dentures, you're really annoying." He muttered, glaring at the said Ringmaster who was floating above their heads.

"NOW NOW JAX! THAT'S NOT VERY NICE!"

"Since when has he ever been nice?" Zooble questioned, deadpaning the Ringmaster.

Caine ignored their comment, instead telling them to 'Hurry up and get to the stage!' before disappearing into a puff of smoke. Jax huffed, he really didn't feel like doing any sort of adventure today (Not that he's ever really felt like doing an adventure.) All he really wanted to do was sit back and relax, maybe pull a couple of pranks on the others. But of course, that wasn't an option, so he simply headed to the stage ready to do that godforsaken theme song they did every day.

Hidden behind the curtain, Jax couldn't help but to wonder what the point of the whole theme song was. Just who did Caine think he was talking too? Why in the world did they have to do a theme song, when it's not like anyone was going to be watching them? (He pushed down the little whisper that spoke in the back of his mind. Saying that maybe someone was watching, that maybe, they all really were just here for someone else's enjoyment.)

Suddenly the music started, and Jax was pulled from his thoughts. He got into position, stretching out on the floor, and waited for the voice (Seriously, where in the world did that voice come from?) to say his name.

"There's Gangle and Kinger too."

"Ragatha and Jax! (Wow!)"

"And then there's Pomni (Whoo- hoo!)"

"Many wonders can be found!"

"Send ya spinning around and around, until you fly!"

"To the moon and the sun, and we don't know whhhyyyy!!!"

The music faded and everyone gathered in the middle of the stage. Jax stood off to the side, trying to decide if it's worth it to pull a Zobble and ditch the adventure before it even started or not. Don't get Jax wrong, he didn't mind the adventurous most of the time, they gave him something to do and he was used to doing them his entire life. But for some reason, he had a bad feeling about today and he just knew it had something to do with what Caine was about to say.

Jax wasn't given a chance to fully decide, as Caine started talking at that moment. "WELL MY LOVELY CREW! I HAVE A GRREAAT BIG SURPRIZE FOR YOU TODAY!!!"

Zooble, who stood beside Jax, groaned. "Caine, going to that [$*#^@] death trap of a 'carnival' is not a surprise."

"DON'T WORRY YOU LITTLE HEAD ZOBBLE, THAT IS NOT TODAY'S SURPRISE! IN FACT, THE SURPRISE IS FOR JAX!"

Jax looked up quickly, what did Caine just say? A surprise for him? "Uh....what?" He looked at everyone else, Zooble looked at him with a mixed expression of evil glee and suspicion, Crybaby simply looked at Caine confused. Kinger was...kinger. And Ragatha looked at him excitedly. Pomni looked like the only one actually worried.

"THAT'S RIGHT MY RABBIT FRIEND!! THERE IS NO ADVENTURE TODAY! FOR ANY OF YOU!" There were cheers at that, and Jax had to say, that was a huge relief. Well it would have been, had it not been for the fact that Caine supposedly had a 'surprise' for him...

"INSTEAD I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU ALL A ROOM I MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR YOUNGEST MEMBER!!!!"

"What kind of room boss?" Bubble, who had simply been hovering, questioned.

"YOU'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW ME TO FIND OUT!" And with that Caine flew off to the left, off the stage and into a hall. Ragatha was quick to follow, even as the others looked at each other confused and a little worried.

"Come on guys! Jax, you are going to LOVE this room!" And with that Ragathat disappeared around the corner. Leaving Jax thoroughly confused.

"I'm sorry...should that be comforting? Cause it really isn't." He muttered, more to himself than to the others that stood around him.

"W-well. Only one way to find out, right?" Pomni said, giving him a small smile. Before walking past him, following the doll and A.I.

"Lets go Jax! I'm dying to see this." If Zooble could smile, Jax knew she would be grinning at him with the most evil smile. Jax swallowed hard, why did he have such a bad feeling about this?
*~*
Jax stood in front of the door in confusion. It was just a normal door that led straight into a blank white room. Caine was looking down at him expectantly, and waiting for him to say something. What that something was, Jax had no idea. What was he supposed to say? Thank you for the blank room, I really appreciate being blinded?!? What made him feel a little better was that everyone else seemed just as confused as he was. Ragatha was excluded of course. He knew she had the idea for...whatever this was supposed to be.

He frowned, "Wow, a blank room. Lovey." He rolled his eyes, and placed his hand on hip. Trying, and succeeding in giving out as much sass as possible.

"THAT IS WHERE YOUR WRONG JAX! THIS ROOM IS THE MOST CREATIVE ROOM I HAVE MADE YET!" Jax raised a brow at that.

"THIS ROOM, ONCE YOU STEP INTO IT, WILL SHOW YOU ALL YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT EARTH! IT WILL LOOK EXACTLY THE WAY IT DOES ON EARTH! ANYTHING, YOUR LITTLE MIND COULD WANT TO KNOW IS NOW AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!!!"

Jax knew his jaw was officially on the floor, a room where he could actually see the stars? Stand on the edge of some great cannon? See what the ocean really looked like? His heart raced and he found himself walking to the edge of the door.

But something stopped him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(End Notes from AO3)

"Jax, do you know how to make cupcakes?" The question was so sudden and random that Jax stopped in his tracks, staring at Ragatha like she had grown a second head. He glanced at all the other characters, who had also stopped to stare at Ragatha, needing to make sure he wasn't the only one questioning Ragatha. Once satisfied that the others were just as confused as he was he turned his attention back to the Doll.

"No...why would I?" He responded, narrowing his eyes in suspicion at the ragdoll.

"No reason!" She said far to cheerfully,

(So, this was originally supposed to lead to something else, but at the last minute I decided to not continue in that particular direction.)