#mirabelle loops au

[twilightprince101]

I see a lot of AU's for In Stars and Time revolving around the idea of "what if X character was looping instead of Siffrin" and they are all wonderful. I adore the sight of seeing how exactly they slowly but surely break down over the course of months, maybe even years of repeating the same day and seeing how they contextualize the game's events from their perspective.

But there's one piece of all of these AU's that I wish was included a bit more: their feelings at the very, very start in regards to communication with others.

When Siffrin is told that he can tell his party about the time loop at any time, he immediately dismisses the idea because that is who he is as a person. Extremely caring for others, barely caring for himself. This is arguably the catalyst for the entire story (yes, even compared to WHY the loops started at all).

But how exactly do the other characters deal with that information around the start? How do they initially start the timeloop when told "there's nothing stopping you from asking for help?"

For example: Mirabelle. She already has a LOT on her plate since she's struggling with being "The Chosen." But I feel that being put in the time loop like this would actually be a relief for her. She is quite literally chosen by some sort of deity to try as many times as she wants. She's thankful because she really was chosen by the Change God (hahaha). So maybe at the start she would be more confident, talk with everyone and explain the full situation at the clock tower. "Yes, we did die against the King, but everything is back to how it was. If we work harder, we can make it!" But she would do that, every single time. The same conversation. And she's too wrapped up in that routine that she just focuses on reassuring everyone that things will be okay and saying the exact same words. Mirabelle's catalyst is similar to Siffrin's in that they both care for their friends, but while Siffrin helps fix everyone's problems, Mirabelle helps comfort everyone emotionally and doesn't focus on herself.

Then there's Odile. I feel she would treat the matter objectively, almost like a standard time loop protagonist. The first thing she does is tell everyone about it, finding some way to prove it ("Bonnie got X ingredients, Isabeau never made a wish at the favor tree, etc."). But after a certain point, going through all of those extra steps becomes draining. So she instead focuses on saying the right words which will get everyone else to do certain actions. "If I ask what fruits Boniface is bringing tomorrow then they'll keep that in the front of their mind, which will cause them to eat the pineapple early, eliminating the risk that Siffrin will die of their allergy." But throughout it all, she never factors her own feelings as to why the time loops are happening. That is Odile's catalyst: she is too logical and doesn't acknowledge feelings as part of the equation.

Perhaps later on in the timeloop they would do different things entirely, stop talking to others all together. But this is specifically about everyone's catalyst at the very start, their own version of "Why would you need help? You're in the position to help everyone here." It would likely take longer to happen than Siffrin's, the emotionally repressed gremlin, but the end result would still be the same. It's about self-isolation after all.

I just think it's a fun thing to think about.

[daily-odile]

when the cycle was cessations (@the-bitter-ocean's mira timeloop au!)

[tealgoat]

Mira looping au/ design from @the-bitter-ocean !!

I was thinking about how a looping Mira's nails would absolutely not survive

[winterstorm032802]

[The King is defeated. You only need to talk to Isa before the Head Housemaiden.]

"Mira! We did it."

[You smile.]

"We did. I'm so glad."

"I can't wait to celebrate."

"Isabeau, I wanted to say thank you for helping me."

"Of course! But... Mira, are you alright?"

"I'm okay, Isabeau."

[He looks down at you. Looking as if he knows everything.]

"Don't lie to me."

[Isabeau crosses his arms and frowns.]

"I get it. It's difficult. But you can tell me anything. If this is about the Change God and how-"

"It's not about that."

"Then what is it?"

"...you wouldn't get it."

"Does it have something to do with Timecraft?"

[You freeze.]

[What is this?]

[Why is he saying this? He's never said this.]

"...w-"

"You were insistent on Sif reading all of those books that none of us could read. You've been... distant. As soon as we got to Death Corrider, you immediately side stepped Siffrin and pulled the lever behind that pillar as if you knew where it was."

[Why do you have to be like this?]

[Why does he have to be so good at reading your emotions?]

"Isa-"

"Not only that, but... everything you say and do looks almost... forced."

[These notes are jumbled. You can't read it or find the right melody.]

"Isabeau, I-"

"Mirabelle... you're involved with something about Timecraft. What is it? You can talk to me."

"Talk to you? Is that so?"

[A smile breaks out on your face.]

"You want me to talk?"

[The others turn, confused on the commotion.]

"Mira?"

"Let's talk. I've been stuck in these loops with no way out. There's no answer or escape, and you think you can help me? You can't even say what you want, what makes you think you can make me?"

"That's not what I-"

[You tremble, your stomach churns.]

"You have no right to tell me what I can do. You can't help me. None of you can help me! I'm supposed to be the one who does it all! I'm the chosen one, right? The load of crab that is! I'm not the chosen one to save Dormont... but I'm the chosen one to be stuck in these loops..."

"What's going on?"

"Isa? Mira?"

"Mirabelle?"

"What makes you think you of all people could help me, Isabeau? I don't want your help. I never needed it! I know you'll all look down on me! That's why I don't need your help!"

<<<

"Of course! But... Mira, are you alright?"

"I'm okay, Dormont is saved, and no one is frozen anymore!"

"...yeah, everyone is safe now."

[You turn on your heel before Isabeau can say another crabbing word.]

.

.

.

Woo-hoo! Unhinged Mirabelle! I want this girl to snap. Let her be unhinged. Anyways!

In Cycles and Cessation

I feel like Isa might figure it out first, because he's so good at knowing Mirabelle and her emotions at times. Odile might have a clue, but due to her not recognizing that Mirabelle was stressed from being in the House, she might doubt what she thinks and chalk it up to just being in the House.

This AU of Mirabelle looping is made by @the-bitter-ocean

Another edit. One effect version and the other clear. (I had so much trouble with the hair in front of her face, I don't know why. Please ignore any mistakes. I'm begging you.)

"You want me to talk?"

[sunsetconcert]

haha so hey heres an idea

so like. alt act 5 where siffrin hits the despair event horizon so bad that his mind just autodeletes the last 50 loops for his own mental stability he doesnt remember SHIT about act 5 he doesnt remember aaanything about screaming at his friends and family at all

but mirabelle does. mirabelle remembers his breakdown VERY well

so she loops but she thinks its because Change God and therefore wouldnt tell anybody about this *deeply awful experience* and she talks to siffrin aaaand hes normal again. hes back to goofy whimsy siffrin and when she figures out WHY

"Oh. You forgot. Aha. Of course you did. That is what you're good at, isn't it, Siffrin? Forgetting things that matter? I'm kinda jealous. Anytime something bad happens, you get to just. Walk away! And forget. You always forget."

[pillowspace]

SIF: Sometimes I wonder // MIRA: if there's a world // ISA: where this never // ODILE: had to happen // BON: to me. // LOOP to Sif: Really? ... ...I don't see why it'd be any different.

[mari-lair]

AU where everyone except Siffrin gets stuck in a time loop.

inspired by this lovely art

[goosologist]

(How weird! To be noticed, and known!)

[dead-end-drunk]

Prev

[insanekatlady]

I just had this little idea that @mari-lair ‘s Researcher!siffrin is a lil cheat that uses wish craft to make super OP skills with INSANE cooldowns as a balance

Or- I was bored on my lunch break

Meant to save this as a draft not post it but here we are whoops

[catdile]

IM SOOOOO SORRRY I JUST THOYGHT IT WAS SO FUNNY.

ITS NOT. BUT IT IS TO ME.

[tawnysoup]

two new critters just dropped

[daily-odile]

@tawnysoup's critters have captivated me... featuring odile the overworked petsmart employee

[zillychu]

sometimes you black out and just an entire Persona 5 AU in one night

did I ever settle on a design for phantom thief! Siffrin? no. anyway,

NOT fully mirroring the P5 plot!! it's a bit different! a few were hit with the obligatory anime teenager beam

Siffrin gets arrested for allegedly attacking someone with a knife! this did not happen. while trying to help someone, he in fact got knifed in the face and lost an eye.

the adoption system is about to drop their ass since they're nearly an adult and no one's too happy about the aggravated assault. fate drops him at Nille's doorstep, who takes pity on him but insists she's only housing his ass for some extra cash. Bonnie acquires another felon a sibling!

showing up to school looking like shit (anxiety, no sleep), with an eyepatch and a natural silent intensity, no one really questions if he's stabbed someone. everyone's pretty sure he's killed someone actually.

Mira and Isa are charged with helping the new local mass murderer get settled, and they slowly start to uncover the real Siffrin hiding under all that apprehension. Odile, the school nurse, is all kinds of queer so she's got these kids' backs. as the story progresses, they each have their own character arc around biting back on authority (Isa gets the courage to transition, and Mira stops straightening her hair)

what about everyone else's outfits? that's the fun part! SIFFRIN IS DOING ALL THIS PHANTOM THIEF SHIT ALONE

well not totally alone. they've got a weird cat now. they can talk (Siffrin wishes they didn't) and has a concerning amount of knowledge about the metaverse for being an amnesiac! (this worries them too, they just try not to show it)

the OTHER fun part is that Siffrin is doing half this phantom thief stuff in the metaverse, half in the real world. good news is, he has the magic metaverse stuff irl! bad news is he has the magic metaverse stuff irl. yeah it helps keep him from getting caught, but law enforcement starts rising quickly to military arms when you start breaking physics while also being a theater kid about it.

the meat of the plot is surrounding Siffrin's struggle to fit two lives into one, and how his friends are WAY too perceptive to keep this up forever. but they have to, because they've only barely convinced their friends to accept them. if they knew he was some evil freaky magic terrorist (he's not, but like, who would believe him when he's doing seemingly evil freaky magic terrorist things!), they'd turn him in, they'd be scared, they'd HATE him!!

btw there is no rival for Siffrin. he's his own rival. lets give the "I'm terrified I'm manipulating my friends" twink actual mind alteration powers and see what happens :))

[winterstorm032802]

I like to believe that Odile sees her loops as a book.

I'd imagine Bonnie would see it as a recipe to make it easier on them.

Isabeau might see it as a stitching, making a cloth.

Mirabelle might see it as a drawing.

[loop-lover-central]

NOW ALL OF THEM TOGETHER!!!