Https://www.tumblr.com/twisteddanid/774135599401697280/based-on-the-code-replacement-au-but-what-if-one

https://www.tumblr.com/twisteddanid/774135599401697280/based-on-the-code-replacement-au-but-what-if-one I like your designs for these guys if they were to become like Pomni in the original AU. Though I wonder… what personalities do they have outside of the programming Caine left behind? I headcanon these guys meeting Ringmaster Pomni and they finally get to talk to someone about their real feelings without their programming taking hold of them.

Thank you so much! I had a lot of fun with figuring out their designs. As for how they'd act outside of the code I could take a few guesses.

Jax - Probably might try and fool himself into thinking it doesn't bother him at first, but as the days continue by with no hope of control over himself he'll start to get frustrated and upset. Of course, these emotions don't bubble up until he's sure that he's alone. Wouldn't want anyone to see that this is actually affecting him, after all. Not that anyone would care, after being taken over by the ringmaster's code he quickly noticed that none of the other people seemed to be too concerned about it.

Ragatha - Probably the opposite of Jax. At first, she's very torn up (heh) about what happened. She probably didn't even mean to hurt Caine or maybe she thought that if she did it might've created a way out. When the AI started taking over her being she was devastated, but after finding out that most of the circus-goers (aside from Jax) were concerned about her well-being it somehow comforted her in a bittersweet way. She then tried her best to adapt into her new ringmaster role in order to make everyone happy. After all, as long as they're happy, she's happy... right?

Gangle - The manic mask won't come off. No matter what she tries it won't come off. At the beginning, she's terrified, always shivering and crying, praying that this nightmare would end soon. But as the days continue she slowly begins to lose bits and pieces of herself until she's molded herself into what she deems as the perfect ringmaster. It'd ruin her if someone were to say that they didn't like her adventures. Even with that indestructible mask permanently fixed to her face her psyche is still so fragile, there's no telling what would happen if it were to break.

Zooble - They were already an individual trapped inside a body that they weren't comfortable with, but now they're trapped inside a mind that they don't like either. They hate it, they hate all of it! Their body, their loss of self, their stupid adventures, the ringmaster code itself, this entire stupid game, ALL OF IT! To the point that it's overwhelming, to the point that it's exhausting. They're exhausted, miserable, and most of all angry.

Kinger - He's probably the least aware whenever the AI takes over. Probably experiences it like passing out and waking up in another room. It scares him at first, he doesn't know what's going on and it confuses him. But he's already lost so much of himself at the circus that it doesn't take long for the AI to almost completely take over. Only in complete darkness are there little glints of who he once was. He might recall a memory or two, sputtering gibberish about wives and bugs.