Chapter 8: Doubt

Ragatha walked silently, disappointed. "Well, that conversation got me nowhere. At least I can say for sure there's something bothering him."

For some reason Jax had acted angrily to her when she tried to ask what was wrong, and then seemed to go back on his words, way too quickly. Ragatha couldn't make sense of it all.

"Maybe he's frustrated." She thought.

To think of it, his anger almost seemed a bit similar to his personality when he was pranking on people. But how could anger and laughter be connected? Ragatha would have to wait and see to find out, knowing the first chance she got was a complete mess. She'd definitely have to make up for it, but she also had to hurry. Jax had pushed her away quickly, telling her he wasn't comfortable around people as he really was at the time.

Or was he like that all the time and was just faking everything completely?

Ragatha sighed. She needed to stop thinking about such confusing things. She just needed to somehow find out what was going on with him without making feel threatened, then help him. Yes, that was way more simple. And better than the chaotic thoughts that were taking over her mind about Jax's personality.

Not much was exactly known about him, but he acted pretty simple. "The problem hopefully should be easy to fix." She decided, joining the others at the digital carnival.

…But she couldn't've been more wrong.***

"What does that jerk think he's doing?!"

Zooble was beyond frustrated. Who did Jax think he was to change his personality just like that?! He was confusing her, acting like he knew something she didn't. It made her upset.

She marched straight to him after going back into the tent. "You!" She said, grabbing his arm. Jax's head turned toward her in confusion. "Spill it! Now! Just go ahead and tell me what you're planning already!"

For a second, Zooble thought she saw pure confusion on his face. But then he smiled, irritating her even more. "Aw, come on Zooble, what's the fun in that? If I'd tell you, you'd know the surprise, and it wouldn't be a surprise anymore! We can't have that happening, can we?" He said teasingly.

"You *bong effect*! I can't believe you, you jerk! Just say it!"

But Jax just shook his head, mimicked zipping his lips, then finally took a key from behind him and swallowed it.

"Sorry. My lips are sealed."

"What the-did you actually just digest a key?!"

"Oh, I dunno, did I? You tell me." He said, grinning.

"AHUGH-y'know what? *dig sound*-you." Zooble said, tired of interacting with this jerk. She turned and walked away, almost expecting Jax to do something to make her mad and go right back to talking to him.

But…he didn't.

"What?" Zooble stopped, contemplating if she should turn back or not. "Whatever. It's not like he changed all of a sudden. Just plotting, like always." She started walking again and never turned back.

…boy, she would've wished she had.***

"Phew. That was close. I hope she didn't think much about my hesitation back there." He looked around, self-conscious. "I hope nobody else saw that either…" He muttered to himself, then face-palmed.

"I really almost messed up…same thing for Ragatha, too. If I'm not careful around these guys, I might put myself in jeopardy! And not only that…this jerk that looks like me keeps giving me sickening messed-up headaches which makes it hard to process things…and it also hurts like hell…should I ask for Caine's help? He's an AI, right? He won't think too much unlike the others…no, he'll probably blab about it to the others by accident.

So…guess I'm going solo, eh?"

Jax froze, then chuckled weirdly. "Heh. Oh yeah, I almost forgot…I'm always solo." That hurt him a little bit.

Solo. Alone. Forgotten. Invisible. Gone.

He kinda made up his reputation on unhappy people who dreaded his every move. "Riiight. Pulling pranks. Joking around. Laughing at "losers". That's my job. It's helped me from going insane, after all, I have to rise above all the others if something were to happen…but sometimes…sometimes I wish I could have friends.

It doesn't really matter anyway. I know they all hate my guts. It's just…why did I have to come here?"