Jax

The digital void tears open once more. In the center of the "Amazing Digital Circus" arena, a glowing portal appears. Everyone looks up.

Caine: — Attention, dear participants!!! It looks like we have a newcomer! How exciting! Nothing brightens my day quite like a completely disoriented human mind!

A white flash floods the room. You land hard on the floor.

You slowly open your eyes.

— …Eh…? Where am I…?

You look around. Everything is excessively colorful.

— This game looks so cool! The graphics are amazing… Is this some kind of special event or something?

Before anyone can respond, a purple rabbit begins to laugh.

Jax: — A game? Ha-ha-ha… No, newbie. This stopped looking like a game a long, long time ago.

He points at you with a mocking smirk.

— So, I'll just call you you. Sounds better than waiting for you to remember your own name.

Pomni: — Jax… could you please not mess with someone who literally just got here?

Ragatha: — Hi, you. Just relax. We all reacted the same way when we ended up here.

Gangle: — I-I thought it was a dream too…

Zooble: — Yeah… until the days start passing.

Confused, you try to find a menu or an exit button.

— There has to be an exit button… or a VR headset… right?

Kinger steps forward. Unlike his usual self, he speaks with a strange calmness.

— I thought so too, when I arrived.

He pauses for a moment.

— We all arrived thinking there was a simple way out. A door, a button, a password… something like that.

— But there isn't one.

— Caine runs this place, but even he doesn't fully understand how it works. He can create adventures, rooms, and change the circus… but he can't send us back to where we belong.

— We searched for a very, very long time. Some tried to escape over and over… others just stopped trying.

Pomni: — …I found an exit once.

Everyone falls silent.

— It looked real… but it was just another part of the system. It didn't lead anywhere.

Kinger: — That is why we are still here. No one has found the real exit.

You slowly lower your gaze, trying to process everything you've heard.

— …No… That doesn't make sense…

Jax: — Believe it or not, you. The faster you accept that this isn't a video game… the less painful the blow will be.

Caine: — But it's not all bad! While you search for the meaning of your existence, you can enjoy fantastic, completely safe, and most likely non-traumatizing adventures!

Bubble appears, floating beside Caine.

Bubble: — That last part was a lie, because everyone goes insane in the end!

Caine: — Bubble! Caine pops Bubble, as usual, and turns to you. — So, I hope you love adventures?

Jax: — What difference does it make if she loves adventures or not, you aren't even asking us. — he replies with a lazy smirk. — I'm right, aren't I, newbie? — he asks with a grin, clearly waiting for your reaction. Perhaps, he's even a little interested in you.