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A black four‑legged creature, dotted with many multicolored eyes that shimmered and moved rapidly, occupied the center of a large tent. The space around it was arranged in a bizarre manner: pillows were piled in haphazard heaps, columns lined the perimeter, and a giant canopy loomed above — a patchwork quilt that seemed to be made of fragments of other people’s dreams. Pomni sat next to this mysterious creature almost every day. She brought it food, read aloud, shared her news, and sometimes brought friends, but most of the time she was alone with it.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and before she knew it, two years had slipped by.
Jax…
How desperately she longed to hear his voice again, to touch him, to say all the things she had realized too late. Sometimes, when she was alone in the tent, she found herself whispering nonsense into the air, just to make it seem like he could hear her. And every time she uttered a few words, she would stop in embarrassment, as if someone might overhear her, and hide her flaming cheeks.
One day, the creature, which had previously appeared formless and vague, suddenly began to tremble and change. Its shape began to rise, taking on human features, and soon Pomni was faced with a tall, anthropomorphic rabbit with long ears. She watched the transformation, unable to believe her eyes, and tears rolled down her cheeks. At that moment, her heart was beating so loudly that it seemed to echo throughout the circus.
At that exact moment, Ragatha, Zooble, and Gangle walked into the tent. Their eyes widened in astonishment as they saw a young rabbit girl with long, dark hair and thick eyelashes sitting nearby. She was trembling with fear, trying to cover her naked body with her hands.
Pomni and the others hurried over to her. They helped her to her feet, wrapped her in a long blanket, and led her out of the tent.
They settled her on the purple sofa. Ragatha soon returned with a cup of hot tea and handed it to the trembling girl. She took it hesitantly, her fingers curling around the warmth, and sipped slowly, as if even that small motion took all her focus.
Just then, Caine and Kinger approached, their steps quiet, almost cautious.
“Jax,” Caine began, his voice carefully gentle. “Do you remember anything? Even just a thread of it?”
The girl’s gaze drifted around the room, tracing the familiar shapes as though trying to catch hold of elusive memories.
“I…” she whispered, her voice thin and raw. “I feel like I’ve been here before. I know you…” Tears slipped down her cheeks again. “But I can’t remember… I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay,” the Kinger reassured her gently. “It looks like your digital avatar has been updated somehow.”
“Is that even possible?” Gangle asked in surprise.
“It looks like it is,” the Kinger nodded.
Ragatha crouched down so they were at the same level.
“How are you? Does anything hurt?”
The rabbit girl shook her head slightly.
“It’s better now,” she breathed, the words barely audible.
“That’s good,” Caine concluded, letting out a breath he’d been holding. “Since that’s how it is… what should we call you now? Jax? Or would you rather have a different name?”
She fell silent for a moment, her gaze drifting inward as if listening to the quiet space inside herself.
“I think…” she began slowly, “I should use a different name. I don’t know… maybe… Jaz? Short for Jasmine.”
Pomni immediately took the girl’s hand and looked at her with a warm smile.
“It suits you. Welcome back, Jaz!”
And then she cried again, but this time, it was a cry of happiness.
Zooble immediately volunteered to help with the outfit. In the end, they chose a long striped off‑the‑shoulder top, short shorts, and leg warmers. The result was a vibrant and slightly daring look that perfectly suited the new version of Jaz. When Jaz stepped out of the dressing room, Pomni held her breath for a moment before quickly turning away, as if afraid that her admiration would be too obvious.
From that day on, life at the circus slowly became familiar to the new girl. Pomni took piano lessons from her. Jaz wasn’t a virtuoso pianist, but she poured all her care into teaching her friend. Sometimes, when Pomni made a mistake and looked down guiltily, Jaz would deliberately lose her rhythm to make things feel less awkward.
Jaz also worked on improving her drawing skills with Gangle. While she struggled with anatomy, her landscapes were surprisingly lifelike, capturing not just the shapes of trees and mountains, but the very essence of the world around her.
One day, Jaz decided to cook her favorite spaghetti for everyone. Ragatha and Caine were happy to help. When they all sat down to eat, Jaz suddenly froze with her fork in her hand, as if she was afraid that no one would eat her cooking. Pomni didn’t hesitate. She took a bite, let the flavour settle, and then smiled softly. “It’s wonderful,” she said, not too loud, not too dramatic, but with a warmth that reached all the way to Jaz’s heart. The blush crept up Jaz’s cheeks, but it was chased away by a sudden, bright happiness — the kind that comes when you’re seen and accepted.
From time to time, Jaz would stop by Zooble’s bar for a drink. One evening, she let herself have a little too much: after a couple of glasses, she still reached for more, but Zooble put the bottle firmly out of reach. Pomni noticed that Jaz could barely stand on her own. She slipped an arm around her and gently guided her to her room, then tucked her into bed. As she pulled the blanket up to Jaz’s chin, Jaz mumbled sleepily, “I’m sorry… I’m so clumsy…” Pomni let out a quiet, affectionate laugh, careful not to show just how deeply that small apology moved her. She leaned down and whispered, “It’s okay. Just rest now.”
There was also a day when the whole group went to a butterfly garden. Jaz walked among the flower beds with a camera, capturing the delicate wings, while Kinger told her about different species, how they lived, and why they were so differently colored. Pomni stood a little way off, as if she didn’t want to intrude, but every time Jaz turned to her with an enthusiastic “Look!” her heart was filled with tenderness.
Gradually, Jaz began to piece together the fragments of her past: watching the saved videos, asking her friends about Jax. Each memory felt like a shard she was carefully fitting into place, and the more she learned, the less Jax seemed like someone separate from her. They shared memories of their childhood, the same feelings for Pomni — the same fear of losing her, the same overwhelming desire to be close.
And yet, with that belonging came a new kind of guilt. One evening, when the circus was quiet and the others were busy elsewhere, she finally turned to Pomni.
“I’m sorry…” she whispered, and it sounded like the hardest thing she’d ever said.
“For what?” Pomni asked, her surprise softened by concern.
“I’m sorry. I feel like I’m just his replacement. I took his place, took his time with you. It was probably wrong of me to try so hard to learn about him… I…” Her fingers twisted together, as if trying to hold on to something steady.
Pomni shook her head gently, then reached out and took one of those restless hands in hers.
“Don’t say that,” she said, her voice steady and warm. “You’re not replacing anyone. Jax was who you were, and Jaz is who you are now. The name is different, but it’s still you. And I care about you just as much as I ever did.”
After these words, Pomni took out a small gift. She asked Jaz to bend down and carefully attached a pink bow with two yellow buttons to her hair. Pomni’s hands were slightly trembling, and she quickly pulled them away, as if she was afraid of her own boldness. And suddenly, fragments of memories flashed through Jaz’s mind: a bow, a Ribbit, thick darkness, a lonely lamp… and…
“Pomni,” Jaz whispered, and before she could think, she had pulled the girl into a fierce, grateful hug. “How could you still be here for me after everything?”
“Have you remembered it all now?” Pomni suggested quietly.
Jaz rested her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes.
“Yes,” she breathed. “And I don’t understand… why are you still so lovely?”
“Because you are, too,” Pomni whispered. And finally, finally, she held her back with both arms, letting every hidden feeling spill out at once.