Chapter Text

(Those Sadnesses were easy!)

(No, seriously! For the Dormont House, the House where the King is supposed to be, you’d have assumed the Sadnesses here would be a lot tougher, even just at the entrance!)

(You take a deep breath in, and out.)

(Against your better judgement, you stop and look at the locked door ahead of you. You’re fairly sure this isn’t something you normally do, but you can’t remember the last time you actually had to deal with any traps! It’s probably fine to take a short break, Mira looks like she might pass out.)

"Door’s locked."
> "You guys want to sit down while I find the key?"
"Hey Mira, you okay?"

(The words feel odd on your tongue, you can’t get over how odd everything feels, like an awkward tilt has been put on everything– )

(Mirabelle interrupts your decline.)
"Oh!! Y-Yes I would like that. We... probably should have eaten more before coming in."
(She looks behind her to the rest of your party, expectantly.)

"Well, I suppose we could take a minute to breathe, especially after that little tutorial. Are you certain you’re feeling alright, Isabeau?" 

(Odile steps off to the side, Bonnie taking the hint as a look of focus and determination paints itself onto their face.)

"Oh, OOOH. YEAH!! I DO HAVE SOME!!-"
(They’re quick to pull their pack off, hands rummaging through the contents as they pull out some leftovers wrapped up in a ball of napkins, shoving the handful towards Mira as they do.)

(You can’t help but feel your mouth pull into a slight smile, you spin on your heels into a not-quite-speed-walk, burying your face into your collar as you duck into one of the siderooms.)

(Oh! There’s something there, glowing by the far wall, the dust in this room seems… disturbed? There it is again, another ~weird~ thing you noticed. You’re too good at this.)

[ YOU GOT THE CIRCLE KEY ]

(Circles inside of Circles inside of Circles... you should ask Mira about this after you all defeat the king! She looks so much calmer now that she’s taken a moment to sit and breathe.)

(You practically skip back to the group– this was a mistake, that is a ROCK! On the ground! Where your foot is meant to go! It slides under your shoe and practically throws you forward! Think quick-)

> (Save it with a roll!)
(Accept your fate)
(Scream heroically!)

(You! Tuck! Into! The! Dive!)

(You don’t exactly like doing rolls, no, scratch that, you really don’t like doing rolls, your hat flies off your head, your cloak gets tangled up as you throw your arms out to push yourself over, chin down–)

"CRAB!!"
"SIF!!??!?"
"Gems!-”
"SIFFRIN?!"

(Your body spins, you feel your centre of gravity spin and strangle around you, everything is falling, you feel the ground across your shoulders and down your back in the ““controlled”” tumble you performed.)

(You land with a quiet thump.)
(Ow)
(That went as well as you expected.)

(Oh, they’re all staring at you, you feel the absent weight of your hat on your head to hide under.)

> "Found the key"
"I think I’m on a roll with this stuff"
"Ow."

(They’re just staring at you, still. Stars, that didn’t feel great.)

"... Frin."
(Bonnie finally breaks the silence, you flinch ever so slightly, you hope they didn’t notice– of course they noticed it.)

> "Yeah, Bonnie?"

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" 

(They point! At you! Laughing!! Not the worst outcome for this but it hurts nonetheless.)

"Boniface, we shouldn’t laugh at Siffrin’s acrobatic display..." 

(Odile... hides her face behind her book, it isn’t enough, you can hear the smile in her voice)

(it only gets worse from here. You can’t even push yourself up properly, your heel scratches at the frozen ground rather loudly, splaying your leg way off to the side, drawing out more laughter from your friends.)

Mirabelle practically chokes on her food, covering her mouth with her hands, breathing through her nose, body shaking with barely-audible laughter.

(Isabeau... your big, funny friend, your comedy partner, partner in crime. He has, in this moment, betrayed you. His hands slapping against his legs as he curls in on himself.)
"HAHAHA!! Slipfrin!!!!"

"Slipfrin!!"
"Ha, Slipfrin.."
"Slipfrin..!"

(You retract your statement from earlier. This is absolutely the worst possible outcome for this, hands down, unmatched. They will never let you live this down.)

(You don’t even have your hat to hide under.)

(STARS YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR HAT TO HIDE UNDER–)

(You try-not-to -scramble back to where you fell, trying your best not to limp too much from your sore hip, it feels painfully obvious, your leg didn’t move enough- you close your eyes while hobbling towards your wide-brimmed hat.)

(If Isa was the first to notice, he certainly just made it known.)
"Oh- Crab, Sif– You alright there bud?"
(His voice quieter than before, you definitely didn’t do enough to play it off, oh well, can’t rewrite the past.)

(You kneel down to grab your hat, pinching the top of the brim before rising, back to your audience as you adjust your grasp. You shake it once, twice, and carefully place it back onto your head. Adjusting it just slightly as you turn back to face your friends.)

(You don’t remember what this expression is called, but they’re all still looking at you, you want to hide under your hat but that would just make it worse. Time for plan B.)


> "Yeah, I’m fine."


(They all look at you, not the right thing to say not the right thing to say –)

(Mirabelle stares at you with a determined expression.) 

"Siffrin. You’re hurt, let me heal you."
(She gestures in front of her, part of the circle they were all eating in, but still in front of her. You try not to hobble on your way over to her.)

(You, scoot down, half-using Isa as support to sit down easily and half comforting both him and yourself. His expression changes and he looks away, you can’t help but smile slightly. He’s just so nice.)

(Oh, right, Mira, she wants to heal you. You keep your hand on Isa’s shoulder for a bit longer than necessary, sighing quietly when you let him go. You shift on the floor to face Mira some more, feeling her craft prickle against your skin, scratching at you like a cat tongue. The tense rawness in your leg dissolves into the rest of your body painlessly, leaving a faint fruity smell around you...)

(You breathe in, and out.)
(You can hear her breathing, it’s not unlike your own post-fight ritual, just a bit shorter and shallower . You reach out and... poke her hand.)


> "... Poke."


(You smile at her, she stares at you, before smiling back with a slight giggle.)
"You should eat something too, Siffrin! We can’t just–"
(Bonnie cuts her off mid sentence, by shoving an egg sandwich in your face. They look at you expectantly.)

> "Thank you, snack leader!"

(They hmph triumphantly as you take the breakfast sandwich, toasted bread, a fried egg and sliced meat.)

(You take a bite of it.)
(The egg melts into your mouth, the toast has just enough give and the meat gives it some richness.)


(You smile.)
(You know, in this moment, you will win.)


(You take another, larger bite out of the sandwich, egg yolk staining at the corners of your mouth, chewing and swallowing quickly. You’ve always been hungry, Bonnie’s cooking always fills you. You’re happy to be with them.)

"Sif! Our little hamster! Your face is covered in egg."
(Isa’s smiling at you, like he’s about to laugh, you just blink. Hamster? You-)
(You feel the egg around your mouth, you’re about to bury your face into your collar– No! No, that would make a mess!)

(Embarrassed, you use the napkin Bonnie wrapped it with to wipe your lips off, and carefully finish your sandwich. Finally, your face is egg free.)

"Hamster?"
> (Say nothing.)

(You hide in your oversized collar and look up at your friends, before finally standing up. You stretch with a single audible pop from your leg, and sigh.)

(Isa picks up on your readiness.)
"Everyone ready?"

> "Yeah!"
"Not quite"

(Odile and Mirabelle murmur in agreement, Bonnie just nods enthusiastically, packing away their supplies as Isa helps Odile up. You look over at Mira and nod simply at her.)



(You watch as they all pack up and file in behind you, the key clicks into place easily as you twist–)

(There is a brilliant flash, dazing you for a second. You shake your head clear and look around, back where you came in from, is a glowing... star?)


> "What the-"


(Bonnie cuts you off, looking slightly agitated.)
"What? What! Why are we stopping? We gotta beat the King!!"


> "So none of you..."


(You backtrack from the door, letting it slowly swing open as you move to investigate the star, you hear a slight gasp behind you as you scoot past your friends.)

(There it is... a weird, floating star in front of you. You reach out and touch it–)

(You feel weird, but everything feels... better!)


> "A good omen."


(Mira practically jumps at that, you can hear the joy in her voice.)
"Oh! Oh! Was it–"
"We don’t have time for this, can we please keep going?"
(Odile silences her quickly, you feel a little bad for her, but Odile is right.)

(No matter, back to the front, Mira seemed fixated on the corridor ahead, it seems perfectly fine.)

(One foot in front of the other, you’ve gotten your footing again, no more tripping, focus, Siffrin, you have a King to defeat.)

> "Everything okay through here, Mira?"


(You turn your head back to look at her, looking at her from the corner of your eye.)

"W-Well, um. I recognize this corridor?"
(Behind her, You spot Odile looking up from her book with some curiosity as she continues.)
"The um, Head Housemaiden warned us about it, she said it was the “Death C-Corridor”!! S-So, um."
"Oh that sounds bad!"
"So, what you mean to say is that, with the King being here, some traps might be activated, correct?"
(Odile seems to be on point, but, Traps? Traps?!?)

> (Traps?!) "Sounds like a job for me!"
(Traps?!) "Seems like you should know where the activation switch is."
(What’s the worst that could happen?) "What’s the worst that could happen?"

(Isa practically jumps in place with enthusiasm, you can hear Odile chuckle slightly behind him.)
"Protect us, Trap master!"
"W-Well, yes that sounds correct."



(You smile, before turning back to face the “Death Corridor” with confidence. Six pillars, six obvious places to put a trigger. This should be blindingly easy.)

(You walk brazenly, looking from the floor to the wall to the pillar, right side first, you don’t see anything here... There is nothing here.)

(You stop at the first pillar, there is nothing of note, no worn or loose bricks, no hidden switches or pressure plates around it. Next to the broken pillar, you look at it, this would be the obvious place to put the trigger, you stare at it! It’s broken! Everything is loose, everything is worn and broken, stars, the ground is littered with debris too, it’s not here either.)

(Next pillar, nothing here, you can hear Mira behind you gasp, whining quietly as Bonnie laughs somewhat loudly, Odile shushing them as you move on.)

(Oh, something’s here, yeah. NOTHING . There isn’t a trigger for any trap in here, nothing! You wave dismissively while returning to the group.)




> "See? Nothing to be afraid of"


(Mira’s expression hardens.)

"B-But there has to be! Something! This is the death corridor, there has to be something! It could be weight sensitive! O-Or time- we should go- NO! We should wait first–"

(You poke her on the nose, finger to face, you boop her.)


> "I checked, there aren't any traps."
"Boop."
"You’re right..."

(Odile stands herself up without Isa’s offered help, he pouts quietly.)

"Mirabelle, Siffrin’s right, they’ve already been everywhere in this room and we’ve been waiting for quite a while. If we should trust them at any point, it should be now."

(Mira continues to stare at you, dumbstruck before carefully pushing your finger away with her own.)

"B-But..."

(You take a step back, raising your arms as you walk towards the exit, spinning around.)

> "See?"

(You stop- not in time, you lose your footing on a pebble again, sending it shooting across the room, but you’re ready this time, and you avoid falling over.)


> "AH–"


(Stars.. You almost didn’t have that.)


> "... I’m okay!"


(You hear Mirabelle’s breath hitch for a second, Odile suppresses a laugh with her book. Isa doesn’t bother.)


> "But seriously, Mira. Look."


(You look down at the ground, looking for any more loose stones or rocks, or anything really.)


> "Everything’s-"


(They see it before you, you can’t make each of them out, as time itself seems, to. Slo w.)

" SIF LOOK OUT! "

(The ground, is darker now. Shaded from above. You. Don’t have. Time   ti m e  t  i  m  e    y   o    u      h    a    v     e

Y  O  U       H  A  V  E      T  O     M  O  V  E

You feel weightless, reality isn’t moving, you can barely move your head as you throw your entire body to the side, your leg collapsing under you as you push off to the left and your moving your getting out of the way there is A BOULDER COMING DOWN WHERE YOUR HEAD WAS IT WAS GOING TO CRUSH YOU OH STARS ALMOST DIED – )

(There is a thunderous crash, the world shakes around you and your friends, you can hear them screaming, your name, fear, blasphemy all the same. You made it. Out. Of. The way. You’re on the ground, your body thrown in a spin by your instinct to look up, you can’t see the ceiling above it, but you see a giant rock. Where you were standing.)

(Stars, that was close.)

(You push yourself up–)

(You can’t. Move.)

(You can’t feel your legs.)

(You look. Down.)




(The pain hits you all at once.)

(Before, you felt nothing, distinctly nothing, you weren’t sure if it was shock, but now, you definitely feel it.)

(You can’t. Move anything. You- everything feels slow again.)

(You can’t think. Nothing is real, you’re still in the clocktower, or the meadows, dreaming.)

(You do the only thing you can.)

> (Scream.)

Chapter Text

(You can’t close your eyes, you can’t close your mouth, your own voice downs out everything else in this world. It feels like an eternity, a painful, crushing pressure on everything in your legs, pinpricks of pain spiking up your sides and back. And. It. HURTS.)

(IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS OH STARS IT HURTS SO BLINDINGLY BAD.)

> "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀ-"

(Y o u   ca  n  fe e l  y o u  r  v oi c  e c rac ki n g  y ou r  l u  n gs   ar e sc r  e a m  ing  y o u  c a n  ’t  se e)

(Y  o u    c  a  n  ‘t    f   ee  el    y  o ur     c h  e    s  t     y o  u   n e e d   t o   b R  E   A   T   H   E)


(Your lungs burn your eyes are blind and all you can feel is PAIN you need to breathe you need to calm down You feel a hand on your neck someones here you’ll be fine you can just.)



> (Breathe.)

> (In.)











> (And out.)

(The universe forces you back to real speed. That isn’t a hand on your neck that’s craft licking at your throat, you can feel the burning rawness just over the pressure from the ROCK WHY IS THERE A ROCK WHERE YOUR LEGS SHOULD BE?)

"SIF! Sif- Siffrin, breathe- please just breathe!"

(You can’t. See right but it sounds like, Isa..?)

(You, cough, it feels like skin and blood coming up, you- Everything hurts. You need to shut it out of your mind- that isn’t going to save you but it just hurts so blindingly bad.)

> (Breathe in.



> And out.)



(You don’t remember, can’t remember where you learned your ritual. But it helps, you can feel your heart beating through your chest. Your lungs are crying for mercy, for more air as you breathe, words bubble in the back of your mind, unable to form any coherent sentence.)

> "Hurts hurts hurt it hurts stop stop stop STOP STOP MAKE IT STOP"


(You feel hands, properly on your shoulder, a cloth wiping at your eye. You're being sat upright but you don’t know why, you, no you can’t think. Thoughts won’t come up, they just fizz away like sparks in a fire-- all of the rawness only barely masks the agony still clawing at you.)

(Just, breathe, stars just breathe, your Friends are here- they can help you.)

> (Breathe in.)


(You feel something suction down your windpipe, your eyes are forced open, cloudy, blurred figures stand around you. Craft digs into your body as you cough, violently, tinted water spitting back up onto your cloak as your curl forward, you try to collapse back onto the floor, only to feel something keeping you sat up, facing the rock.)

"Crab-- Sif, J-Just hold on y-yeah?"

(Isa.. holding onto your shoulder, your body tries to tense but it can’t coil its spring any tighter, your hands feel shaky and your heart won’t slow down any more. You just. Just breathe, please, please just let it be over.)

> (In.)

(This is all just a dream, a terrible, horrid nightmare before you fight the king, it has to be. Something he’s doing must be projecting an aura or a craft or or or or some-something)

> (Out.)

(Mira’s craft doesn’t slow or fail, the prickling in your skin sinking to your bones and muscles, trying its best to refuse and reform under your mangled flesh. A dark puddle, your essence leaks out where your body ever so slightly lifts the rock up. You’re stuck. Stuck under a rock, you can’t. You can’t continue  You’re going to die here you--)


"Change- Y-You’re not-- no! Siff-iffrin!! I’m not letting you die here!"
"We’re not going to abandon you here, not after all this time."

(You still can’t see, you think, you. You can hear Mirabelle. She’s, crying you can hear her. Odile, Odile is holding it, together. It hurts, stars, it all hurts.)

(Your brain, won’t. Shut. up.)



(The pain won’t go away, you just. Just-- make it stop, healing just makes it worse! Your pulverized and shattered bones try to reform into a papier-mâché mockery of a skeleton, muscle trying to pull itself together and snapping again, and again. Crushed like a fruit by a giant rock press.)


(Breathe, breathe breathe breathe.)

(Deep breath, in...)



(You can just barely hear... crying, just over your deafening heartbeat. They’re. No, no no no no no.)



(And out...)



> "I can’t see it"

(You try to speak, slowly picking each word out of the agonizing bonfire before you lose them. It doesn’t come out right regardless, adrenaline, shock, pain. You stammer each word a dozen times trying to get it out.)

"Don’t try- really!"

(You have to try, it hurts too much not to. You try to blink your eyes clear, opening them to, look, at. It.)

(You feel you should have listened to him.)

[This was never supposed to be how this went down.]

(You know this as fact. You were never meant to see your body like this. You can’t, really see much of it, under your cloak. Or the rock. Everything tastes of burning sugar and iron, why why why sugar why what what is there to taste other then blood?)

(Your cloak is bloodied, no doubt torn, you’ve got no hope of getting out of this-)

"M’dame, on m-mark, pull Sif out."
(You feel hands cupping under your shoulders, your squeaking goes ignored.)
"Ready."
(Your eyes are working- Isa is next over you, hands desperately grasping the rock over your legs, you see the fear in his eyes- craft buzzing around him like fireflies.)
" Pull!!"
(The rock barely lifts, Odile pulls you back with a w et crackle , you don’t want to look but you can, feel, it again.)

" CRAB- "

(You don’t even know who said it, your mind cuts off as you feel your blood pooling around you. Odile drops you- Isa says, something before the crushing weight is slammed back down onto your legs.)

(You don’t even have the energy left to scream. It comes out as a pained whimper.)

( It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts .)

"... Gems, we-- We’re never getting him out of this, are we?"

(Odile.. Her voice- she’s. No no no they can’t just- give up on this- no please wait--)

> " Please stay. "

(Tension is tying your stomach in on itself, nausea rising in your chest.)

"W-We have to- We could go back? Get people to- to come help!"
"Too long, we- we don’t have enough time."

(Your mouth won’t open, your tongue won’t move, you. Can’t. Breathe.)

"W-We can’t.. Just- Leave him- to suffer, can we?"

(Your head hurts your skin feels, cold. You’re bleeding still, it won’t stop it won’t stop it won’t stop.)

(Y    o u        c        a      n       ’t             s      e    e          a  g   a   i      n   .)




( T   h       e        p    a     i    n        i   s      m   i  s    s  i    n  g ? )






(W     h   e      n      d   i d             y      o  u      l  a s   t     b  re a t h e  ?)





(   W        h       e r e          a      r e           y o  u r          f     r i   e  n   d    s ?)

(In… Out… In… Out…)
(You, can hear footsteps, they-)

( T  h  e  y  ’r  e     l  e  a  v  i  n  g     y  o  u     t  o    d  i  e  ! )

(E ver y   th in  g     fe    e    l    w    ar  m  ?)

> "c  o m  e    b  a   c  k"

(    s    i    l    e    n    c    e    )

> "p l    e     a     s  e"

(Y     o    u r                 s    c  a      r  e  d)













(a   l l            y    o  u     c    a     n          t  a s    t    e            i    s          b     u rn    t       s   u  g a    r)














(    You    f  e e l     
                            a      t    u        g  

                                        o      n       
                                                                  y o u    r  


                                                                                    s t oma     ch    )

Chapter Text

[ Loop 1 ]

(You feel your body ache and crackle, everything feels too warm, the sensation is overwhelming, nauseating as you feel your extremities. You force yourself awake, your lungs failing you as you curl over onto your side, stomach cinching in against your body. You, wheeze, gagging, choking on nothing into the.. grass?)




(You just-- need to breathe.)




(That was a nightmare, you’re fine, you- You’re in Dormont, in a meadow, you just had a nap, in a field. Breathe.)




> (Breathe in…)




[You’re perfectly fine.]




> (And out…)




(Your face hurts, your eyes are watering. Everything feels wrong , you don’t know if this is normal for nightmares, you can’t remember the last time you had one. No, no you felt. That felt too real to just be a nightmare. Please, body, slow, calm– You’re safe now!)
























(You’re not, it doesn’t feel like it anyway. You still feel the nausea bubbling around in your throat, your head and throat feel like shards of glass are being dragged downward to your core. You want to throw up, to let the crystals tear your mouth to pieces to silence everything else you feel, it.)




(That was far too vivid to just be a nightmare. You can still taste the blood on your tongue, the static in your legs refusing to move just right. Like pins being pressed just into the skin. But, but!)




(Stars.)




(You, just died. You just died! You-)

(YOU ACTUALLY JUST DIED!!!)

(AND– AND WHAT IS THAT VOICE YOU KEEP HEARING IN YOUR HEAD?!)

(NO, No. Breathe breathe breathe– stars just BREATHE.)

(You-- choke on your own saliva, your chest forcing it out of you onto the grass, you feel broken, your mind still reeling from… THAT! )

(You can feel more tears running down your face, your skin itches, you just. It feels wrong . Stars why– why no no please just explain. You want an answer. )

[Come to the Favor tree for that~]

(Your head spins, you want, to throw up. It. Your stomach is a mess of tangled knots and--)

"--frin!"

(HUH?!)
(MIRA! She’s, here. Why is she here, she’s-)

"Siffr--"

(You’re trembling, arms, legs, chest, everything is shaking. You try coughing again, spitting whatever comes up into the grass. Wiping your mouth with the side of your glove, you don’t, want to look at her, not after that .)

"S-Siffrin? Are you okay?"

(You can barely hear her approach, your blood rushing around your ears making it hard to sense much of anything. No, no you’re fine you’re okay you’re just sick and nauseous over the grass.)

(You don’t want to talk to her about that. No, no you can’t make her anxious.)

> "Y-Yeah! I’m fine."

(You don’t want to imagine what you look like right now, on your hands and knees, purging this morning from your body– or is it tonight? You don’t- no, that hasn’t happened yet, you were dead and now you’re not. You. You can avoid that– the giant rock, from crushing you again. You–)

". . . I can tell you’re lying."

(Stars you were right.)

"I-I’m. . . going to go get the others, stay-- stay here, I’ll be right back."

(Her footsteps on the grass and dirt ring out to you, it-- she- no, no no no no nO N O NO NO NO N O !)

(STARS.)

(SHE’S LEAVING YOU BEHIND AGAIN.)

(You can’t breathe again you- choke. On. Your tongue.)

(You spit out your mouth again, it feels dry, it hurts.)


> (Breathe in.)


(You’re not going to stay here, you can’t face any of them right now. What did the voice in your head say- Favor tree?)


> (And out.)


(You bite down on your tongue, and- STARS that hurts. You’re not dreaming. No, stars- are you dreaming or did you die ? Your mouth doesn't feel as dry as it was before, the static and numbness is gone, replaced with tingling pain. You can’t, get yourself. Up.)


(You can’t. Stand. You have to drag yourself out of here. You. Dig your hand into the soft grassy dirt and. Pull. )

(One hand in front of the other, Your cloak is covered in dirt and mud now, you don’t care, it will wash out, it always does. Towards the woodline, towards the trees, you can, hide from them, you won’t let them leave you behind again. Not right now.)






(The bark is, rough, on your hands, you can feel the fine grooves through your gloves, fingers sinking into knots and pits to pull yourself upright, a trail behind you dragging into the woods, Stars what are you doing. STARS what are you doing you’re just doing what they did to you, horrible, you should just talk to them it won’t be that hard you just need to talk to them about what happened what's the worst that could happen would they leave   you be   hin  d     y   o   u      ca     n  ‘ t  B R E A T H  E .)

(And in. And out. And in. And out. And in. And out.)

(You close your eyes, your lips feel warm, and cold at the same time.)

(You need to stop, all of this, this panicking, and suffocating, you’re meant to be strong. You–)

"--and H-He was, just, crying? I don’t know why, b-but He said He was fine and- and--"
"Yes, you’ve said it several times now, We’ll see--"

(Oh, they’re here.. Now. Stars. You’re okay, just breathe.)

> "...hey ."

(They all, stare, at you. Mira looks, mortified. Isa too, Bonnie– Stars they brought Bonnie too, no- Bonnie probably heard and wanted to make sure, they- they care about you! But they still left you to die- you- do-- Are, you all friends? You’re all friends, right, you have to be)

(Your face, mouth, is cold again.)


(Odile is the first to open her mouth after you. Her stare, digging into your chest.)
"Siffrin."

(One word, comforting-)
"Come here... you’re covered in blood."

(Isa stands behind everyone, and speaks next, you can’t, make everything out.)
"--is that Sif’s blood?--"

(You touch, your mouth, your gloves feel slightly damp as you, wipe at your lips.)



(Huh, yes, you are bleeding, again.)

(You continue to stare at them, turning slightly cough and spit out the mouthful of blood, onto the grass, and tHEY START MOVING VERY QUICKLY STARS WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!)

            "Siffrin?-- stop! Stop, hold still you shouldn’t do that-"
"FRIN?"
                                                  "Well there’s your answer, Isabeau. "
                            "Crab! "

(They? Do care, about you- But- no, no stop thinking about it, stars, just stop THINKING you’re not GOOD AT THINKING YOU JUST NEED TO FIND THE BLINDING TRAPS STUPID.)

(You don’t, move. They’re with you now, Mira is healing you, Odile is wiping your face down with some crafted fabric, Isa and Bonnie are... exchanging looks of worry. Is this what you wanted? Assurance that they cared for you? Or are they just doing this because they need you for tomorrow, and not, because they want you?)

(Mira’s healing craft tingles and tickles in your mouth, your tongue feels cool now, floral, fruity hints linger on it as she pulls her hands away, craft lingering around you, tickling at the roof of your mouth.)

> "...I’m sorry..."

> "For making you worry."


(They just... stare. Stars you just want them to speak or leave please)

(You can’t, do this again , no. You need, want. You want to be sure . But you aren’t.)

> (Breathe in, and out.)

(Your head hurts, your legs hurt, like a pinched nerve in your back that you can’t quite relieve, painfully tense. You see the boulder again. You hear them walking away again. You can feel your body getting colder again. )

(You want to cry, to scream, to punch and kick and run away, you want to beg to know if they genuinely care about you. If they only put up with you because you helped them, with you following them like a stray.)

(Stars, you got yourself killed at the first trap of the house, you never even saw the first floor. You’re useless .)

(They were right to leave you there.)




(You’re not worth the effort to save, are you.)

(Siffrin! No middle name, no last name, a stray the Saviors of Vauguard picked up because they felt bad!)

(You’re useful , in the way a dagger useful for cutting things, that’s why they keep you around! If you can’t even find a BLINDING TRAP when you’re meant to, you’re less than useless to them!)


(No- no. Breathe, you’re spiralling, you’re not useless, you’re just...)

(Just what.)



> "...I’d like some time alone, please. "

(The silence was getting to you.)

> "See you at the clocktower. "

(You pull up, your collar, and slip between your ‘Friends’)




(None of them try to stop you.)



(Dormont seems different, everything seems murky, like everything is trying to reach a neutral middle shade. Take a left at the statue, go to the Favor tree.)



(Huh?)

(There is a glow around it that wasn’t there... last time?)

(...)


(What do you have to lose?)


(A voice in your head told you to come here, Dormont seems duller.)

(Under the favor tree, is dark as night, normally. The sun gets filtered out from the leaves.)

(But now, there is someone there. Sitting at the foot of the tree.)
(And you can feel them staring at you from under it.)

( .  .  . )

(Your hand, grips the handle of your dagger. . .)
(You take a few more steps, closer, and closer. . .)

(Well, uh, you found someone alright.)

> "Uh, Hello, stranger."

"Hello, stranger."

> "..."

"..."

(They’re... a star?)

> "..."

"..."

"My, struck speechless at the sight of me, aren't you?"
"You're so cute , stardust!"

(Stardust..?!?)

> "Uh- huh?"

"Siffrin, The Traveller. All lost and confused."

(HUH?)
> "No- hold on, how do you know my name?"

"Why wouldn't I know? You're Sif! Siffrin!"
"No middle names, no last name! Just Siffrin!"

"We have a lot to talk about, I can tell that all of this has you so overwhelmed!"

"Considering this is your first loop, and... stars. That death that introduced you ."

( THEY KNOW!? )
> "HUH? "

"Calm down- First, Stardust. I could see everything. Second, please never let that happen again."

( ?????????????????????????????????????????)

> "WHAT? "

(The figure, shifts uncomfortably on the root.)

"I know you have a lot of questions. Who am I? Did you actually just die? What does this astral-being before me mean “ first loop” ?"

"But before that, and to answer your first question, My name is Loop~ "

"Your ally Loop, here to help with figuring out these loops. Easy to remember, right?"


(Stars, Loop, loops, astral- you need something to drink after this.)


"For pronouns, you may use the royal We."

(... What?)
> "That doesn’t make ANY sense."

"Then use They/Them for me~ I’m sure you’ll be thinking about me all the time, you might as well know which pronouns to use!"

(Yeah, better know this one's pronouns so you can think very clearly that they're getting on your nerves. Then if we’re exchanging pronouns then...)
> "I use---"

"He/They, It’s in your profile."
"I can read , you know!"

> "My what-now?"

"Doesn’t matter, first, that death. "


(Stars, They’ve brought it up again. Are they going to confirm it?)

> "So... that actually happened? "


"Yes, it was terrible, don’t try to dodge the rock again, the switch is in the broken pillar, when entering the corridor it’s on on the centre-right."



(WHY DO THEY KNOW WHERE IT IS?)

> "UM?"

"Stars, I don’t want to see you get crushed like that again, And I know you don’t want to get crushed like that again."



> "Hold on- so my Friends left me to die there? "

(They stiffen up, their expression unreadable.)


"Ah... yes, yes they did."



(Your stomach         drops.)


(So it’s confirmed then. They left you to die alone.)


"Ah ah ah. No spiralling into a worse depressive state at the Favor tree!"


"I know that it hurts, It also hurt to watch, But please, Stardust. They do care about you."

( .  .  . )

> "Not enough to end the pain."







"They were never going to do that in front of Bonnie."







(That doesn’t make it hurt any less.)

(You feel sick just thinking about it.)

"If it makes you feel better, they won’t remember any of that next loop either."
"Now, as I was going to say."

(They look away from you, closing their eyes and seemingly drawing a breath in.)

"So! You’re stuck in a time loop!"