Tadc ep 6

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Caine’s booming voice rattles through the void, bright and unnerving. “Step right up, my delightful digital darlings! Today’s act: They All Get Guns! Non-lethal, of course—mostly! Have fun!”

Guns appear in your hands with a sharp pop. Pomni jumps, gripping hers tightly, eyes darting everywhere. Anxiety twists her expression. Jax casually spins his weapon like he’s been waiting for this all his life.

“Well, look at us,” he smirks at you and Pomni. “Team… whatever you want to call it. Try not to slow me down, alright?”

Pomni glares. “Why do we even have to do this?”

Jax fires into the floor. The bullet ricochets around the arena, obliterating a nearby NPC in a burst of static. He laughs. “See? Already perfect.”

You step forward, scanning the chaos, ready to cover Pomni. “Just… stay close. We can get through this.”

The horn blares. Bullets bounce. NPCs glitch. Ragatha explodes into splinters, only to respawn, forcing a shaky smile. Kinger collapses mid-ramble, reappearing upside down. Gangle fights back shakily, her comedy mask flickering, while Zooble barks commands, pushing her to keep going.

You move with Pomni, dodging ricochets and trying to keep her grounded. She lines up a shot—her paranoia spiking—and you warn her, “Watch the bounce!” The bullet ricochets perfectly, knocking Zooble’s weapon out of their hands. Pomni grits her teeth, adrenaline replacing fear for a moment.

Jax corners Ragatha and fires relentlessly, splintering her apart again and again. You step in, shooting to distract him. “Enough, Jax!”

He smirks, ignoring you. “Relax. They come back. We all do. Nothing matters here.”

The battle ends. You, Pomni, and Jax are the last ones standing. Fireworks crackle overhead as Caine roars, “Marvelous! Magnificent! Our dazzling victors—Pomni, Jax, and their delightful teammate!”

Streamers rain down. Pomni doesn’t celebrate. You glance at her, seeing the tension in her shoulders. You place a hand on hers. “We made it,” you murmur. “We’re fine.”

But the air between Pomni and Jax is thick with anger. She turns to him, voice sharp. “You don’t care about anyone, do you? Not about me. Not about Ragatha. Not about anyone.”

Jax’s grin fades. His voice drops, cold. “I told you already. If you abstracted, I wouldn’t care. Not about you, not about any of them. You’re not friends. You’re not real. You’re toys. Playthings. Something to break when I’m bored.”

Pomni lunges. “You’re disgusting!”

Her fist hits him, scratching glowing marks across his cheek. Jax shoves her back, chuckling bitterly. “Finally got some bite.”

You step forward, placing yourself between them. “Enough, both of you!” you yell, gripping her shoulder. She shakes free, fists still trembling. The others rush in to separate them.

Caine calls the award ceremony. Everyone is respawned. Pomni sits stiffly with Ragatha, Gangle, Kinger, and Zooble in the front. You sit beside her, offering quiet support.

Jax doesn’t join. He slides to the back row of NPCs, bouncing his leg violently. Finally, he stands and storms off.

You notice him get. As he enters the bathroom. The faucet gurgles to life, and he stares at the water, then at his reflection. The scratches from Pomni still glow faintly on his cheek. He doesn’t smile. He doesn’t laugh. He just grips the sink, staring hollowly at himself. The door opens and you step inside.