Chapter 36

Caine began throwing darts about as well as you'd expect an ai to. The first dart not even making it past the counter top. As his little arm flailed gently forward going limp far too early. The dart bounced on the counter right where he'd picked it up. Pomni nervously chuckled at the sight looking over at Jax wondering if he'd just seen the same thing.

"Ah!! I see. Needs a little more juice aye." Caine perked up and winded back his arm.

It looped around in a spiral a few times before slinging forward impossibly fast. A loud gunshot sound ech through the carnival. Causing the others to look in the direction it'd come from.

"What the f%^# was that?!!" Jax ducked down.

A few seconds later the sound of wood falling back creaking gently rung out. The giant display of balloons now had a gaping hole in it. Smoke was still wafting around the edges from where the super sonic dart ripped through. Little flames sparking in certain places of the ring that outlined where the dart had demolished the back wall of the display.

Pomni just stood there horrified, her mouth agape. She slowly turned to look at Caine with a horrified expression. While he simply stood smiling back at her. Caine felt pride as the display tilted backwards behind him and the others, crashing into the ground with a loud thud. As it hit the hard pavement dozens of popping balloons went off. Chunks of wood piercing all the balloons around the ring of fire that didn't simply get incinerated by his first throw. Causing everyone to cover their ears once more. When the dust settled only one balloon remained intact.

"Oops!! Missed one. My bad." Caine then picked up a second dart to finish the job. Instilling fear in everyone's eyes.

The NPC still on the ground from the first shockwave quickly scrambled to stand up, "Wait!! No no no. That won't be necessary."

He quickly went to grab a (favorite squishmallow) from the wooden wreckage on the ground. The poor stuffed animal clearly covered in Ashe. The NPC gave it a good pat, a cloud of dust poofed around it before settling to the ground.

"Good as new!" The NPC quickly shoved the prize into Pomni's arms. "Please go. Now."

Caine chuckled triumphantly, "Well well well! Would you look at that. We got the prize and we didn't need to pop them all."

Jax's brow twitched in annoyance, "Were you trying to kill us? What the f%#* was that throw!!"

Caine laughed in response, "Why what a strange compliment. I'll take it!! Thanks Jax. I do have a bit of a strong throw eh? Maybe I should join you guys in the next baseball game!!"

Jax's and Pomni's eyes went wide before they both replied in unison, "No."

Caine slumped over disappointed, "Awwww why not! I'm a great throw."

✨

Meanwhile on the other side of the Carnival.

"Oh uh— hey." You shift uncomfortably.

Damien quickly racks his brain wondering what he can or can't say. A burning emotion pools in the pit of his stomach as he recalls all the times you'd gone to things like this in the real world.

"Do you remember (best friend's name)?"

You stare at him blankly and tilt your head to the side, "Is that an NPC?"

Damien's heart sinks realizing your memory must be fragmented by the digital realm. The realization Caine may have taken more of your memory than the others haunts him. In a way to rebel and help you remember he decides to remind you of your adventures together. All your favorite spots to eat with (bf). The way you and (bf) were like carbon copies yet so different at the same time.

"Wow. They sound— cool." You smile sadly knowing deep down you'll likely never see them again.

"But why talk about the past? We're here now." You frown.

Damien furrows his brows, "They're not the past y/n. They're still out there. On the other side. Waiting for us."

You turn to face him fully and begin feeling a bit saddened and annoyed, "Is this supposed to make me feel better? Because it isn't."

Damien slightly raised his voice in desperation, "Listen I know you like it here for whatever reason, but this isn't real life. These people also wanna get out of here. If they find a way out are you just gonna stay and abandon your family and friends out there? Really y/n, can you really say that? I don't think so. The y/n I know would never leave them behind!"

You sigh, "I'm obviously not the y/n you knew. So stop trying to act like I am. I don't have these memories. Yea it's cool learning about them, but these people mean no more to me than— I don't know. It's like trying to care about the characters in a story more than what they are, just characters in a story. I get that they're real people and not just fiction, but to me they're practically fiction. I can't care about people who in my mind don't exist Damien. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

Damien exhales tired and defeated, "Fine. Have fun living in your sick fairy tale. One day though. It'll be just you and — that— thing. And maybe then you'll come to your senses."

A loud gunshot sound echoed from where Jax and Pomni had headed to earlier. Causing the two of you to turn in that direction worried. Both of you breaking out into a sprint.

As you run towards the noise you hear what sounds like a giant wooden display breaking into pieces, "Did they f-/%ing blow something up?"

Zooble and Gangle arrive just a few seconds before you and Damien. Ragatha and Kinger coming in last behind you.

"Awww why not I'm a great throw!!" Caine huffed and puffed while Jax and Pomni argued why he couldn't play baseball.

You walk up to Caine, "Uhh—What was that sound earlier—?"

Caine's eyes turn into hearts as he sees you, "Right on time! Why I have to win you a prize too."

The NPC yelled, "No!! Absolutely not. Free on the house. Take it. Take all of it. Please. No more scary super sonic darts. There's only one balloon left anyway."

"Riiiight. So— you were— throwing darts?" You squint at Caine.

Caine happily perked up, "Sure was!"

Ragatha nervously chimed in, "So that noise we heard was a dart?"

Jax sighed, "Yup."

Zooble added, "Why would we wanna play baseball with you if you could do that with just a dart?"

Caine pouted, "I guess I could fine tune my throws so they don't—" he pauses gesturing over at the broken stand and the pile of popped balloons, "do that."

✨1143 wordssss MERRY CRIMMAS