THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS - Ep 3: The Mystery Of Mildenhall Manor

[upbeat techno music plays] ♪♪ [upbeat, goofy music plays] -[gasping] I can't hold it any longer. -Sure you can. We can't die from oxygen deprivation, remember?

-But it still feels like I'm gonna die. -[Kinger]: Try not thinking about it. -Or you could toughen up!

I wanna see what your funny cartoon body does. -Hey, take it easy. -[falsetto] "Ooh, take it easy!

" [normal voice] That's you. -All right. Here I go.

[inhales deeply] ♪♪ -[Zooble]: All right, we've entered the blue zone. -Hey, there's something new. -[Zooble]: Okay, we're getting red.

-Ooh, orange. -[Zooble]: Yellow. -Green.

-[Kinger]: Whoa, look! Now she's turning blue! -[Zooble]: She was already blue.

-[gasps] [panting] -Huh. Guess the hue shift just gets faster. -Why am I the one doing this?

Why not one of you guys? -Because something different happens with each person! For instance, Kinger starts glowing… Ragatha's hair noodles stick up… Gangle's mask starts spinning… and Zooble turns straight.

-[Zooble]: My limbs straighten up -- [boink! ] off. -What about you?

-[Zooble]: He refuses to show us because he's a coward. -I wanna keep the mystery alive. What do YOU, the VIEWERS, think it is?

-[Zooble]: Will you stop doing that? -Why is everybody just standing around when there's ADVENTURE to be had? Today's adventure is… That's right!

This big, spooky mansion has been rumored to be filled to the brim with paranormal activity! It's up to you to solve the house's deep mysteries and capture all the ghoulish ghost activity you can. And for the first time ever, you can… [gritty scraping] Where's Zooble?

I-I made this adventure really cool and "m-m-matoor" just for them. [low growling] -[speaking backwards] -What? -The NPCs aren't gonna become self-aware in this one, right?

-How should I know? I'm not the boss. Oh, wait -- yes, I am!

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Anyway, everybody into the fractal noise. It's adventuring time!

[spooky organ music plays] ♪♪ -Oh, this place is spooky. I wonder how hard Caine's gonna go with the scare-factor? -I hope this adventure doesn't end up being another horrible nightmare.

I'm not really a fan of horror, and I don't really handle jumpscares that well. -Boo! -[stammers] -HA!

[chuckles] Come on! That wasn't even scary. What, you scared of the vacuum cleaner, too?

-Hey, be nice to her. She's had a rough couple of days. -Her and everyone else.

Right, Gangle? -[spooky giggle] -Does anybody hear that? -[giggling continues] ♪♪ [loud giggling] -[shrieks] -Hey, I'm Ghostly!

-Wha? [splat! ] -And I'll be your guide today!

-Why won't they go back in? -[Kinger]: [chuckles] I remember my first wild take. I don't know why they're not retracting, though.

That didn't happen for me. -Before you continue on your adventure, you have to choose which door you're gonna go through! The door on the left is the NORMAL door!

-[Caine]: [offscreen] Rated WOW for all ages! -The door on the right is the really scary door. -[Caine]: [offscreen] Rated AAAAA for mature Zoobles only!

-It's up to you to deci-- [shrieking] [vacuum whirs] -[stammers] Jax! -What? I thought we were supposed to capture all the ghosts.

-Uhh… which door should we choose? -Hmm, not sure. Let's try this out.

[door snarls] -Aww… -[Kinger]: Don't worry, Gangle! I'll get it for you! -Eh?

[grunts] [stammers] WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUGHH-- -Oh, THAT'S the scary door. -[sing-song] Zooble, come on out! [normal voice] I just want to talk to you!

Hmm. Oh, I know! [snap!

] [mystical shimmering] -[Zooble]: What th-- [scoffs] Could you have done that the whole time? -Zooble, I-I just want to get to the bottom of why you keep skipping all my amazing adventures. You could end up really hurting Bubble's feelings.

-[Zooble]: Uh, Bubble's feelings? -E-Enough about Bubble's feelings! How about YOUR feelings?

[snap! ] -[Zooble]: I-- -So, what's on your mind, Zooble? -[Zooble]: I… would rather not.

-Hahahahaha! That's hilarious! Go on.

-[Zooble]: No, I mean, I've already told you what my problem is. You just never remember because… Oh, never mind. -My mind is a beeswax-polished coconut.

Nothing ever escapes these cakes. So, what can I do to make my adventures more… appealing to you? -[Zooble]: See?

This is exactly what I'm talking about. All you're thinking about is your adventures. It has nothing to do with the adventures.

It's more just… Ugh, forget it. You're probably not even listening. -Zooble, look at this cool bee I drew.

-[groans] Wha? Where are we? [thunder crashes] [eerie music plays] ♪♪ Oh, that's… Noooo… ♪♪ -[Kinger]: I wonder what this thing is?

[ka-chonk! ] -[Mildenhall]: [over speakers throughout] My name is Baron Theodore Mildenhall. Hunting has been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember -- although one could say it eventually became more of an obsession.

The creature you see before you is one I've been pursuing for years. Not quite a man… but not quite an animal. Something… unholy.

Something evil. I took it upon myself to spend every waking moment doing all I could to protect my family from the creature, hoping that when I'd eventually killed it, I would be freed from this awful feeling. This inescapable dread.

I was wrong. [tape clicks] -[Kinger]: You know, I'm starting to think… -How about we try to find a way back up to the others? ♪♪ Okay, cool.

That's great. I LOVE these adventures. -[Kinger]: We could always ride this thingy up.

-[grunting manically] It's locked. It's locked -- of course! It's locked!

I LOVE that it's locked! ♪♪ [objects rattling] -[Mildenhall]: [over speakers] Tuesday, December 4th. Although I had shot the creature multiple times in its vitals and severed its head to keep as a prize on my wall… my troubles were just beginning.

I took my eyes off the body for what felt like only a minute, and when I looked back, the body was gone. The creature was not dead, and it would be back to reclaim what I'd taken from it. If anyone is listening to this, all I ask of you is one thing -- do not let the head out of your sight.

You have been warned. -[Kinger]: Well, this is some rather inconvenient lore placement. -I got it!

[bzzt! ] -[Kinger]: And this is some rather inconvenient darkness. -[Pomni]: [groans] [wails] AHH!

! ! What was that?

Was that you? -[Kinger]: No… Oh, wait -- you mean me grabbing you right now? Yeah, that was me.

I-Is this your hand? -[Pomni]: Ugh! That's my eye.

-[Kinger]: Yes, but WHICH eye? -[Pomni]: I really don't think that ma-- Will you stop touching my eye? -[Kinger]: Oh, yeah.

Sorry. [shrieks] -[Pomni]: Wh-- W-What happened? -[Kinger]: I just remembered a really funny joke.

-[Pomni]: A j-- Y-You -- [sighs] Why did you scream, then? -[Kinger]: Maybe it wasn't actually that funny. -[Pomni]: Oh, my God.

-[Kinger]: I thiiiiiink… we should hold on to each other and slowly make our way back into the trophy room. -[Pomni]: U-Uh, sounds fine to me. [suspenseful music plays] ♪♪ [creaking] [whispering] What was that?

-[Kinger]: [whispering] What's what? [creaking] -[Pomni]: That! -[Kinger]: It's probably just magnets.

Or a boat. -[Pomni]: [stammers] A boat? -[Kinger]: W-Whatever the case, I think we should be completely quiet.

-[Pomni]: I -- Okay, yeah. I agree. You know, you're really hit-and-miss with these things, sometimes.

[fly buzzing] [slap! ] [stammers] -[Kinger]: There's a fly in here. [slapping] -[Pomni]: [stammers] Don't you think that's making a lot of noi-- Oh, God, there is a fly.

[slap! ] -[Kinger]: Aaaaaand… Gotcha! [buzzing stops] I think I got him.

I can't see my hands. -[shrieks] -[Kinger]: I'm sorry, could you speak up? I couldn't quite make that out.

-[boink! ] the fly! Run!

-[shrieking] -Come on come on come on come on come on come on come on! ! -[Kinger]: Pomni, I think this might be the creature from the tapes!

-[stammers] [groans] Come on come on come on come on come on come on come oooon! ! -[Kinger]: Ah!

-[wailing] -[Kinger]: [dazed] You look beautiful, honey… -Got it! Come on! -[Kinger]: [stammers] Huh?

Oh, yeah. Prepare for take-off, 'cause this boat is going UP! Huh?

? That's not up! That's not up at all!

Why aren't we going up? ! UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!

-I DO NOT use my adventures to torture my guests! Any torment I inflict is 100% accidental, like any good war criminal! -[Zooble]: [scoffs] We weren't even talking about that!

I really couldn't give less of a crap about the adventures. -Then what is your problem, Zooble? !

I'm trying my best to remember, but both you and my brain won't tell me! -[Zooble]: [sighs] It's me, remember? I don't like… myself.

I hate this body. I hate all these stupid removable pieces. I just want to find something that feels… …good.

-Oh, yeah -- now I remember why I couldn't remember. It's because that problem is already solved! Simply swap out your undesirable Zooble parts for better ones!

-[Zooble]: I've been trying to find parts I like since the day I got here. -So, back to the adventures! -[Zooble]: Forget it.

-"Forget it"? -[Zooble]: Just forget it. -Forget what?

-[Zooble]: Caine, nobody likes your stupid adventures. -Ha-ha! Good one, Zooble.

-[Zooble]: Ragatha's just too nice to say anything. Jax just likes to [bonk! ] with everybody.

Gangle's too shy to speak up. Kinger's insane. And -- And Pomni… She looks traumatized every time she comes back from one.

-Oh, Zooble, Zooble, Zooble. Making adventures is my art! It's all I exist to do!

All I'm… good at. A-And, uh… [chuckles] …w-what you're saying could imply that I'm bad at the only thing I'm good at, and that… [chuckles weakly] [stammers] That'd be… [static crackling] [ominous rumbling] -[Zooble]: U-Uh, whose therapy session is this, again? -Oh, yeah!

We need to get to the bottom of your behavioral issues! I'm gonna show you some ink blots, and you're gonna say the first word that comes to your mind. -[groans] What?

Oh, God, where are we now? -[Kinger]: I'm not sure. A cellar of some kind.

♪♪ -[Mildenhall]: Things have gotten far worse than I could ever have imagined. My paranoia had driven me to the point where I was no longer the protector my wife and theoretical children needed. Jumping at every shadow, every noise.

I ended up shooting the love of my life, mistaking her for the creature. It's ironic, isn't it? In my attempts to protect her, I ended up becoming the monster myself.

Now I wait down in my cellar, no longer having anything to protect but my own soul. If nothing else… I will slay the beast that took everything from me. [tape clicks] -[Kinger]: How's about we take his gun?

-Yeah, sounds good to me. ♪♪ Please don't come alive… -Okay, I won't. ♪♪ -[Kinger]: Looks like we've got two shots.

Let's make them count. -Uh, yeah. [distant clang] -[Kinger]: Stay behind me.

[wet squelching] ♪♪ -[shrieking] -[laughs nervously] Uh, Kinger? I-I think we may have a problem this way, too. -[Kinger]: Just leave it to me.

I can handle this. ♪♪ -[shrieks] -[Kinger]: Well. That wasn't so bad.

-[Mildenhall]: Which is what I would be saying if I didn't know that the creature was actually one of God's angels. -[Kinger]: What. -[Mildenhall]: And anyone who brings harm to it will be dragged down into the cold, spiraling pits of Hell, where my soul resides.

I apologize, dear listener, but I need a living host in order to escape the hall of the damned, and your bodies will be my only means of doing so. -[Kinger]: Now, wait. How did he record this if he was in Hell?

-[shrieks] Oh, no! Let go of me! -[Kinger]: [wailing] -[Mildenhall]: I hope you're ready, because the next breath you take down there will be your last, and your bodies will belong to me.

-Let go of me! [both wailing] I hate this stupid adventure! !

! [peaceful piano music] ♪♪ -Mmm, good tea. Sorry again about your husband killing you, and everything.

-[voice echoing softly] Oh, you know how men are. Always having the silliest priorities. -[chuckles wryly] Don't I know it.

-[muffled shouting] -If your friends see him, I only hope he doesn't bore them to death with his endless monologues. That man could turn a 57-second story into a Greek tragedy. -I'll be sure to ask them next time I see 'em.

Thanks again for the tea. I had a really nice time here. -[chuckles] Oh, don't mention it.

Feel free to visit any time. -Definitely! ♪♪ -[Caine]: [offscreen] Congratulations, my little ironclad waffle cones!

You've taken the PACIFIST ROUTE, and you should be proud of what good people you are. Unfortunately, we still need to wait until your other teammates finish their adventure before I can grant you permission to leave. -I wonder how long that'll be?

[water dripping] -[Kinger]: Not really typical of what you'd think Hell would be. -We… are LITERALLY in Hell right now. HELL!

Of course I'd be in Hell. How could I not be in literal Hell right now? -[Kinger]: Just try to stay calm.

I'm sure Caine included a way to escape. Hold on. [soft rushing] Let me try something.

Hey, there's actually a staircase down there. It could be a way out. Maybe it'll work for us since we still have our bodies?

Though, I'm worried about what that tape said earlier. -I'm just gonna try going fast. -[Kinger]: Wait, Pomni!

-[grunts] [dark music plays] ♪♪ -[Kinger]: Pomni! ♪♪ -[distorted voice] [cackling] Freeeeedooooom. -[Kinger]: Pomni!

♪♪ -[cackling] -[Kinger]: Hey! You get out of her, you damn evil souls! -How's your wife, Kinger?

[coughs] [normal voice] [coughs] -[Kinger]: Hey. You all right there? -[panting] No.

-[Kinger]: I'm guessing the souls are attracted to living things. Just want a vessel to be able to leave with. Man… Seven years of computer science for this, huh?

[chuckles] -Why? Every day I spend here is one nightmare after the next! I knew it would end up like this!

He -- He just wants me to suffer. I really am in Hell. -[Kinger]: Don't say that.

You're not in -- Well, I-I guess we are technically in -- Eh, forget about that. How about we just relax for a bit while nothing's chasing us? -[sobbing quietly] -[Kinger]: It was my fault we went down this path, wasn't it?

I'm really sorry for that. -Why have you been acting so different lately? -[Kinger]: [chuckles] I have, haven't I?

I'm normally not too good with memories. But being surrounded by darkness always… brings me back to a certain time. Right after my wife had -- had abstracted… I don't recall the exact string of events, but we both ended up in the fort together.

And it was dark. The darkness seemed to calm her down a bit. The harsh, jagged edges smoothed out, and she didn't seem aggravated anymore.

She wasn't the same as before, but she was calm enough to touch one last time… before she got sent to the cellar. I'm always taken back to that moment when engulfed in darkness. -You had a wife?

Like, here in the circus? -[Kinger]: Yeah. She was funny, creative -- really into entomology.

I used to hate bugs, but… …she somehow got me to like them. [chuckles] It's not the most cheerful memory, but… it's one I at least have control over. I know how it can feel in this… circus.

Sometimes it all just feels… pointless. -Yeah. -[Kinger]: But it's not.

Not if you have people who care about you. Good memories can do a lot. Hold onto them.

And cherish the people around you. You never know when they'll be gone. In this world, the worst thing you can do is… make someone think they're not wanted or loved.

-I'm glad you're here with me. -[Kinger]: You know, I've been thinking about that last tape. He said, “The next breath you take down there… will be your last.

” Maybe we can get through if we don't breathe. -I'm not very good at holding my breath. -[Kinger]: Well… How about we try… not thinking about it?

[hopeful music plays] -[stammers] ♪♪ If we leave and we go back to the circus… you're just gonna go back to being crazy. You're not gonna remember any of this. Are you?

-[Kinger]: Don't worry about me. As long as you remember it, things will be okay. You're very strong, Pomni.

And I know you'll be able to get through this. Just hold onto me. We'll get through it together.

You ready? ♪♪ -Oh, Pomni! Kinger!

Are you guys okay? Was it scary? -I'm fine, actually.

What happened up here? -Uh, don't worry about that. -[Kinger]: Pomni was very brave.

At least, I think she was. Were you? -Something like that.

Hey, Ragatha. -Yeah? -I just want to say… [sighs] Thanks for always being concerned about me.

I feel like, through everything, I haven't really been appreciative enough about that. -O-Oh! Thank you, Pomni.

I just want to make sure you're doin' all right. You know, we care about you. -Did you remember to get my comedy mask?

-[bonk! ] -And -- And now, I-I'm just starting to wonder if the "Wild West" was… e-even a real direction at all. Whoopsie-daisy!

Looks like everybody completed the adventure and they're coming home! Quick, pretend we weren't having a therapy session! -[Zooble]: Okay?

-Welcome back, my meowing milkmaids! -Don't ever call us that again. Heh, so, what was it like being stuck with the nutcase?

-It wasn't that bad, actually.