A taste of īṉsāṉīṯy

A little smile

"OOHHHHHH TOPSEEE!I'M RESPECTING YOUR PRIVACY BY KNOCKING!BUT ASSERTING MY AUTHORITY AS YOUR RINGMASTER BY COMING IN ANYWAY!"
And in just one second later,the door was busted open and in flew Caine with Bubble.They both swooped over to Topsee,who was laying in her bed,the red and gold quilted blanket covering her huddled,shuddering figure.
"Oh Topsee!You look an absolute mess!But worry not!Jax has been heavily disciplined for his behaviour and is under the very watchful eye of Ragatha.But I just wish to ask-"
Caine hovered closer,tilting his-head?Teeth?Jaws?Whatever!
"Are you alright dear?"

Topsee slowly rolled over,her orange eyes replaced by moving scribbles.She sat up,staring at Caine.
"I only ever tried to search for an exit in my spare time but. . .I never found one.Jax was right.I'm naive and in so much denial but. . .this can't just be the end?Right?There's gotta be more than just me putting some #### headset on and 'Oh!Welcome to your new forever home end of story!'"
Caine just blinked,saying nothing.
"What's more is that what if we all go through abstraction to!?What if we all go through drawing on our walls and losing ourselves!?I for one do not want to go insane just because my goals were unrealistic and just not worth it!I'm scared Caine!Scared of this place,my mental health. . .and myself."
Topsee muttered,clasping her hands anxiously around the back of her neck.Caine sat next to her,honestly having no idea how to comfort a human.He's AI technology after all.He had seen Ragatha comforting Pomni a lot when she was in a crisis but he wasn't sure if Topsee would be comfortable with the human affection called. . .a hug?Was that it?Maybe he could try it.

Caine cleared his nonexistent throat and Topsee turned to him,sniffling.Caine hesitated for a moment and then went for it.
"Topsee.I certainly cannot relate or understand how you possibly could be feeling at this moment.Possibly hopelessness,anxiety,sadness or even manic.But I'd like to try something.It's supposedly something you humans like to engage in if your peers,friends,loved ones or spouses are feeling down in the dumps or just. . .sad.Would you like a hug Topsee?"
Topsee was slightly surprised by Caine's sudden gesture.But if anything,she could use a hug right now.So she nodded glumly and leaned on Caine's shoulder as he tentatively wrapped his small arms around her shoulders in a comfortable little side hug,closing his eyes in slight content.Topsee's panic seemed to slip away for a moment,she felt secure and alright.

After a few short seconds,Topsee's bedroom door suddenly burst open and there stood Zooble.She was frowning dryly but her eyes widened as she saw the picture,
"Am I uh. . .interrupting something?Should I leave?"
Caine quickly pet Topsee's head before flying over to Zooble,
"Do not worry!I was just comforting our friend Topsee here to avert her brain from immediately abstracting after witnessing Kaufmo's Kaufmosis!Come along Topsee!"
Caine hollered and Topsee begrudgingly rolled out of bed,dragging her feet.
.
.
.
"I know everyone here seems to be little on edge.With Kaufmo's abstraction,Pomni and Topsee's sudden arrivals and other things that scramble your brains!So I know just what we're doing today superstars!"
"Leaving?"
Pomni asked depressingly.Caine laughed,pointing his cane at her,
"Ha ha!Your quite the jokester my dear!No!Today we are engaging in-"
Rainbow bubbly words appeared above Caine's head,
"The Ritual of the Rainbow Blanket!"
The words disappeared and Caine clasped his hands together.
"Todays adventure is about stimulating your minds,talking from your gut or just calming yourself down simply."
Caine snapped his fingers and suddenly,all the crew members were standing in a circle.Zooble groaned,seeing that she wouldn't get to bail on this one today.Caine appeared in between Jax and Kinger,
"Now everyone!Who's ready for the ritual?Hold hands!"

The group went around,holding hands with each other.Topsee stood in between Kinger and Gangle,standing there tiredly as Caine leaned in,talking ominously,
"Now. . .RAISE THE RAINBOW BLANKET!"
Suddenly the group was holding a very large rainbow blanket with black handles to hold it with.The blanket went up high and suddenly stopped as it reached a peak,pointing like a circus tent.Opening one of the flaps for the blanket,Caine gestured inside.
"This is a safe space.Whenever you all feel like it,you may enter and say whatever you want.Except. . .swearing.I can't fix that filter even in the rainbow blanket. . ."
Caine trailed off awkwardly,but then shrugged.
"Open yourselves up and talk,no one will hear what you say in the blanket as well for privacy reasons.One human at a time can only enter the rainbow blanket and once everyone has confessed something,you may all enter the rainbow blanket as a group."
And Caine was gone.Everyone stared at the weird thing,hesitant to walk in.Unexpectedly,Gangle walked forward and slipped through the curtains of the fort.
.
.
.
"Jeez!Gangle's been in there for like half an hour!"
Jax shouted bitterly.Ragatha smirked,folding her arms.
"What's this?Jax wants to let some emotion out?Never thought I'd see the day.I knew you had a weakness."
At the mention of 'weakness',Jax froze,he looked scared for a second and then shook his head,
"Nah!I just wanna test to see if I can really say whatever I want."
"It's filtered Jax.Didn't you hear Caine?#######."
Pomni said,annoyed as she folded her arms.Everyone turned as the curtains fluttered open and Gangle walked out,genuinely smiling.