#sorry sif’s hat

[magicwhiskers29]

The whole gang! The lines randomly start getting thinner partway through, but whoops. I had each of these on different canvases and didn’t check the others in between :p

[medi-bee]

isat pokemon au, my liege?

my rambling in tags

[sparkdoesart]

I saw my favorite cat image again, and i couldn't stop myself, so here you go

Kibty Sif.

Og image

[sysig]

Time Loops are they/them culture (Patreon)

Bonus of my little guy in ISaT style:

[uwuinhell]

Saw this and was compelled to draw them as furries instead of it just being onesies...

Oops?

isat family in onesies / kigurumi :3

sif is a fox, mira is a deer, isa is a bear, odile is a crane, and bonnie is a frog!!

[remxedmoon]

“the eternal wanderer. even death cannot release it from its plight.”

tribeless

1 power - 1 health - 7 bones

unkillable - when a card bearing this sigil perishes, a copy of it is created in your hand.

corpse eater - if a creature that you own perishes by combat, a card bearing this sigil in your hand is automatically played in its place.

brittle - after attacking, a card bearing this sigil perishes.

hidden trait - cursebearer

this card cannot be sacrificed at the sigil stones event.

finally posting my isatscryption stuff here!!! yipee!!! here’s a writeup about the card design because frankly i put wayy too much thought into all of these cards. sorry if these are a bit hard to parse!

unkillable and corpse eater effectively make sif immortal, since every time he dies, he’ll be placed back on the board! and i thought that was fitting for. y’know. timeloop reasons. brittle is only there to emphasize the whole constantly dying thing. because is it really isat without siffrin torment

also didn’t notice this until after i designed this card, but the brittle sigil art has a star on it??? not intentional in the slightest but it is Fitting

sif is a fox here! i know that that would technically put them in the canine tribe, but i felt it’d be more fitting for them to be tribeless? and base game inscryption already kinda bends the rules when it comes to tribes (such as the bullfrog being a reptile and the rabbit being treated internally as a rodent) so i think it still works

i’m well aware that card traits don’t actually have cool names or anything but i still want to give them cool names because it’s fun. anyways! cursebearer! i gave them this trait both because these sigils are extremely overpowered, and for lore reasons. sif sees their sigils as a curse! they don’t want to force them on anyone else!! it’s their burden to bear!!!

tangentially related to that last point, but sif is a talking card in this au! because it’s fun :3. and because i think it’d be really interesting to see how he’d react to the cabin

sif’s scar is covered by the hat a bit but it’s Star Shaped. and so is the eye shine teehee

this was the first card i made and Boy Does It Show. i had the WORST time trying to get the card generators to work for this because oops! both of the card generators are inaccurate in different ways! plus theres a few mistakes in the card art that i didn’t notice until after i finished most of the others... i promise the others are a little more polished

also, since i didn’t mention it above the cut, the sigil patch is for the bone king sigil! which makes the card award 4 bones instead of 1 upon death. this is less for lore reasons and more for the synergy with his sigils. since he’s constantly dying and coming back, he can basically give you infinite bones for Zero Cost. fun!

aaand i think that’s all the notes for this card! thanks for reading this absurdly long post. here’s his alt card art without the patch for your troubles 🫡

[livesworthlivingau]

Lives Worth Living Chapter 1

Spoilers for TwoHats

"C'mon Bonnie, Sif still needs his rest, let's give him some time to process everything."

"Awwww, fiiiiine, but I'll be back with some snacks later to celebrate!"

(The door closes behind them and you're left alone. You stare at the ceiling as you lay in bed, static filling your mind. It's a low drum at first but the cacophony grows and grows and grows until it's overwhelming.)

(You're... back… how could you be back?... It was over… it's BEEN over… it's been so long… Why here? Why now? Why-No… this is a dream, it must be, right? Some weird manifestation of grief over Odile, that has to be it…)

(As the initial shock dies down, you take a few deep breaths to collect yourself. You examine your oh so distantly familiar surroundings, a faintly recognizable Inn.)

(That’s right, it was the first place you stayed after leaving Dormont once you beat the King. You didn’t stay long to celebrate after all as Bonnie was practically dragging you all back towards Bambouche to check on Nille…)

(Was this actually real?... you’ve had dreams, or more accurately, nightmares of returning to the loops before, but you were never this aware in them, and upon waking up you could notice all the cracks around the edges. You’re lucid, there’s no cracks, no signs this wasn’t the real deal… So if this IS real…)

["Stardust?... Is that you?..."]

(?!!!?! LOOP!)

(You dart out of bed, you rush out of the door so fast you don’t even remember to grab your cloak and hat, almost slamming into Isa who seems to be carrying your breakfast to you in bed.)

“Hey, Sif! You’re u-AGH!” (He jumps, nearly dropping the tray as you just narrowly avoid splattering into him like a brick wall.)

“Sorry! I’ll explain after, I promise!!” (You shout back without breaking your stride, hoping your word would be enough to sate his inevitable worry.)

“Siffrin?! Shouldn’t you be resting?!”

“Frin! Hey, you didn’t eat breakfast!”

“Gems alive, what is it now?!”

“Can’t talk! Be back soon!” (Nothing else mattered right now, you had to be sure, you had to see them, you had to know if this was real.)

(You bust through the door, suddenly darting through the town, frantically looking around, you aren’t even sure what for until you see it. A tree, a massive tree, the largest one in sight, that has to be it. You make a beeline straight for it, stumbling some over rocks and roots, you were very out of practice after all.)

(Finally you’ve made it, busting through the tree line into a clearing around this region’s Favor Tree, sliding to a stop. Your breaths deep and heavy, lungs and legs burning some, various little scrapes and bruises from the various flora smacking against you as you rushed through. None of this mattered, especially once your eye locked onto what you’ve been searching for… the dark figure with a bright face, those vibrant eyes staring back at you in shock, almost horror, confusion waving through their entire form.)

“Loop… LOOP! LOOP IT’S REALLY YOU!” (You practically scream, running again and almost collapsing into them. Your arms wrap so tightly around them as tears pour from your eye.)

“Stardust… What-When is this? How long has it been?” (They asked, their forearms slowly coiling around your back in return.)

“It’s been so long Loop… I thought you were gone… I missed you so much…”

“So long? But.. you look the same, it couldn’t have been more than a few weeks? Are you really that desperate to have me around Stardust~?” (They asked, feeling confident enough to bring back that facade they always put on. It was helpful for breaking the awkward tension, but they clearly knew something was wrong. Their existence simply returning again was alarming in and of itself.)

“... It’s the next day… after you vanished, but… it’s been a lot longer than that for me Loop.” (You begin to explain, pulling away finally as you wipe your tears. You take a deep breath, knowing you’re gonna have to tell someone what’s going on, so who better than your… self? Kinda?)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

“30 YEARS?!?!” (Loops voice cries out, the sudden shout sending every bird in a wide radius to suddenly scatter and flee every tree around.)

“WHY ARE YOU THE CALM ONE HERE?!” (They continue, seeming to be more upset about your own reaction than the actual news.)

“A lot’s happened in 30 years… I’ve gotten better about handling my emotions-”

“Ugh, don’t tell me you’re all ‘put together’ now, how long did you go to therapy in all that time?”

“...”

“... Great, just fantastic, now I’M the unreasonable one! This isn’t fair Stardust, you can’t just swap the whole dynamic all of the sudden!”

“Well it’s not like I chose for this to happen! We were all with Odile in her final moments and…

“So, what? The wish stuck around? We’re destined to reset anytime any of your family members dies?”

“... I guess so… but is that really that bad?... we’re not stuck in the same 2 days anymore, it’s a whole life practically…”

“What do you mean we, Stardust? What am I supposed to do while you’re off galivanting your whole life away over and over again?”

(You just beam a bright smile towards them in response)

“... Why are you looking at me like th-No! No no no no NO Stardust! I did NOT sign up for this!”

“Fine, suit yourself, just hide in the tree line for decades while I live my life~.”

“... This is actual hell, when I vanished I went to Hell, didn’t I?”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

“Just admit it Stardust, we’re lost, because you were simply too obsessed with me to bother with directions~.”

“The past 30 years must have been dreadful if you’re so eager for a do-over~.”

“Let me guess, your Fighter still hasn’t confessed, has he~?”

“You know teasing you isn’t any fun if you aren’t going to react anymore, Stardust!”

“That’s exactly why I’m doing it~.” (You respond with a smug little smile. You were glad to have your old looping confidant back, and even more glad you could mess with them just like they used to do to you.)

“... So what’s the plan here anyways? We just show up Hey everyone, Loop is back! and I’m just part of the family? You really think it’ll be that easy?”

“Yeah, pretty much!”

“... And… What about… everything else? Do you really intend to tell them everything?”

“I uhh… haven’t really gotten that far yet. Do you want to tell them everything? I assume that would take a lot more of an adjustment, but we could try it out.”

“Try it out? You just lost the last 30 years of your life and you’re just fine with ‘trying it out’?! Seriously, no one is this well adjusted Stardust, what are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding anything, I just… I really missed you Loop… I’m really glad to have you back, and honestly, seeing you again is kinda making all of this okay for now. Am I gonna have a mental breakdown tomorrow? Maybe! It wouldn’t be that surprising, but I just… I want to enjoy this moment, while I have it, okay?” (You ask as you’ve stopped in your tracks during your little speech. You turn to Loop, holding out your hand, inviting them to take it so you can walk in tow.)

(They just stare at you for a moment, holding their hands close to themselves almost defensively, instinctively. It takes them a moment to let their guard down, slowly relaxing and placing their hand in yours, letting you take it with a roll of their eyes, just trying to put on a face as always.)

“So, just Loop? No other details?” (Your question sends Loop into a thoughtful stare towards the ground, lost in it for a while as you both walk along. Several minutes pass before they finally look back up to you, ready to answer)

“... Just Loop.”

“You got it~.”

[azureblooet]

Ok loop nation, for another funny i think it would be really funny if Siffrin didn’t recognize Loop when they appear in a human form. Like their hair is longer and everyone else in the party is like “woah why is this sif twin here” their mouth is covered cause they keep smiling with only their eyes and they have the hat but with different clothes

Like they show up and

Loop: *in serious voice* “Hello Siffrin. It’s nice to see you again.”

Siffrin:*genuinely* “oh I’m sorry do know you?”

Loop: *now talking normally and pulls down scarf* “Are you shitting me Stardust?”

Siffrin: “WAIT LOOP?!”

Loop: “YES YOU IDIOT I HAVE YOUR HAT AND AM COVERED IN STARS WHO ELSE WOULD IT BE!?”

Also the more star imagery human loop has the funnier this is.

Put this in your fics it would be funny >:3c

[basilpaste]

post-game loop!!

for... me, mostly, i think. do they look enough like themself? or even sif really? im not sure. but i like them well enough that im not too worried about it.

(design notes and an alt under the cut!)

okay. so. first off? they were originally gonna have a mouth. but i just... couldnt. i couldnt reckon with it. so they get no mouth. sorry, loop.

while they dont have a scar on their eye anymore, they have... something? there are 'freckles' that radiate out from their eye. unlike the rest of their person, these dark spots dont seem to radiate light.

the hat theyre wearing is sifs! this worlds sifs. siffrin doesnt need it anymore, after all. and theirs is... long gone.

speaking of the hat: its adorned with orchids. orchids are funeral flowers. they represent everlasting love and sympathy for the deceased. their friends no longer exist. they cannot, not in the way they once did. its a way to hold on to those people, but to let them go, too. the only way through is forward now, after all.

the core of their design was asymmetry. siffrin is actually very symmetrical as far as his design goes, so i wanted loop to throw all caution to the wind. a long white glove paired with a short black one, a cloak that drapes over one side, hair not sticking to an even length.

theyre actually wearing white tights. not that you can really tell unless you colour pick and see the very mild difference between their skin tone and the white of their clothes.

wears platform boots almost exclusively to be taller than sif. lmao.

[anxiousapplepie]

Hey Applepie, this is an important question: where is each Siffrin positioned at the start of each time loop? From what you (or mossy) said, it was in the favor tree. Where are the other Siffrins positioned? If the idea has yet to be realized, I apologize.

This is because I had an an idea for the "In Stars and (Their) Roles [tennative name] AU" where, a wish gone wrong between og!Sif and the swapped Travelers causes their Siffrins to replace the og party. And the idea of Mirabelle being stuck in a tree because it's where HM!Sif was is funny as heck.

an important question, but unfortunately one I don't know the full answer too because I am still working out details. BUT! yes! I imagine Housemaiden!Siffrin being on top of the favor tree at the start of each loop for Traveler!Bonnie. I haven't committed yet, but I imagine Cook!Sif is hanging out with the 3 kids on east(?) side of Dormont, pulling snacks out of their hat and pockets and putting on a good show. Researcher!Siffrin is probably in the library. Making judgemental noises about that One Book you can find on the far left shelf. XD No idea where Fighter!Sif should be (YET!) but it'd be funny if he was also at the favor tree. Or maybe they wander about? they could roam! make things interesting for every loop! also you are correct, the idea of Mirabelle being transported to the top of the favor tree is incredibly funny and I am so sorry girl, you deserved better if that's what happens in that AU where all the Sifs get thrown together in a jar XD

[ppenguinpperson]

"Isabeau picked Sif, Bonnie picked Frin.." Mirabelle jumps, horror dawning upon her. "I... I have no letters left!!!" Siffrin tilts their head, watching her like an amused cat. They stick their tongue out at her. Teasing..!! Even in these difficult times, they tease her!! She puffs out her cheeks, now determined to find a new nickname. She’s never taken a class on nicknames, but she's sure that if she tries hard enough, she'll come up with something...!!!

Mirabelle feels like Siffrin is a different person than they were this morning. They’re opening up, reaching out to everyone in their party. They even talked things out with Bonnie. Seeing them laughing together, like they did before Siffrin lost his eye, fills her heart with delight.

She doesn’t know why they’re acting like this out of nowhere, but she’s not going to pry. Despite the circumstances, this past day has been wonderful, her bond with her friends stronger than ever before. Though their journey through the House fills her with fear, she knows they’ve got her back.

After defeating another strong Sadness, the traveler leads you into a big, empty room. They declare it safe after a brief inspection. Bonnie calls for another snack time. You lay down your rapier, and sit in a circle with your friends.

---

It turns out that Siffrin handled things with Bonnie better than Mirabelle could have imagined. He probably wanted to talk to them now, in case the King… no. They’ll slay the King, save Vaguarde, and they’ll be okay. Bonnie’s determination could single handedly defeat him.

With their confidence boosted, everyone’s ready to tackle the last floor. Like he did after their last snack break, Siffrin checks in on everyone. When they get to her, a smile that you can’t help breaks out across her face. “Siffrin!” She says, joy seeping from your voice.

He blinks at you. Despite his newfound openness, she still can’t read his expressions.

She giggles. “Sorry, I just wanted to say your name.”

“Mira!” He replies, a smile now on his face. It doesn’t meet his eyes, but his smiles almost never do. Her heart still fills with warmth at the sight.

She giggles again. Feeling bold, she says, “Sif!”

“NO.”

She startles, tensing up. Eyes wide, she looks to Isabeau, who’s glaring at her. “Sif is MY Siffrin nickname, Mira. You HAVE to pick another one,” he crosses his arms, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I won’t budge on that.”

Mirabelle can only continue to stare at him in shock. What?? What?? Only his nickname?? That’s not how it works!! That’s- what about Mira?? What about Bonbon?? She can’t get her thoughts in order, so she’s grateful when Madame Odile interrupts with a frustrated groan.

“GEMS ALIVE, Isabeau.”

The fighter startles like a cat with bristled fur. He stammers for a moment, giving you a chance to collect your thoughts.

“What? B-but you and Siffrin share ‘Mira’!!” She squeezes her hands together. Next to her, Siffrin hides under their hat. “It’s not fair!!!”

Instead of stammering, Isa falls quiet for a moment. Then, he sighs, and the tension in his body dissipates. “That’s true.” In a second, he’s back to his usual cheerful self. “Alright, in the spirit of fairness, we can get joint custody on “Sif”, then!”

Though he’s smiling again, Mirabelle can’t shake her anxiety just yet. Even she can tell that this is important to Isabeau. He usually never gets upset, so for him to do so right now, even if only over a silly nickname… She’d rather not upset him further. She’d choose him over a nickname in a heartbeat.

“... You know, I think I’ll pick another nickname for Siffrin after all.”

She plays with the jingly things on her cloak, trying to think of a nickname for her friend. They’re still standing before her, unspeaking, observing her. She mutters to herself, considering her options. Can’t be “Sif”, Isabeau picked that one. Bonnie picked “Frin”, so… so…!

You jump. “I… I have no letters left…!”

Siffrin tilts their head, watching her like an amused cat. They stick their tongue out at her. Teasing..!! Even in these difficult times, they tease her!! She puffs out her cheeks, now determined to find a new nickname. She’s never taken a class on nicknames, but all of her friends have them, so… if she just studies those…

Bonnie calls Odile ‘Dile’, Siffrin ‘Frin’, and herself ‘Belle’. Looks like they just remove the first part of the name to get their nicknames. They already got ‘Frin’, though… maybe ‘Iffrin?’ ‘Rin’? No. It sucks. She’ll die before she gives them a sucky nickname.

Only for Isabeau they use ‘Za’, so.. ‘Ziffrin’? … if all else fails, she can use that. Oh, no, wait- would Bonnie take that as making fun of them?? Making fun of their nicknames?? No. She has to use something else.

Madame Odile doesn’t use nicknames. She calls everyone their full names, including Boniface.

Mirabelle’s not risking taking inspiration from Isabeau.

Siffrin uses ‘Mira’, ‘Isa’, ‘Bonnie’... Oh!! OH!!! ‘Bonnie’!!!

If all the letters are taken, why not add on more?? ‘Siffrinnie’?? ‘Siffrie’??? Wait, no!! You’ve got it!!!

“Siffie!” She grins. Siffrin, who has by now walked away from her, looks to her in surprise. “Siffie!! I’ll call you Siffie!!”

Their eyes widen. They quickly hide under their hat, a telltale sign that they’re hiding something. Loudly, Isabeau ‘Awww’s, and so does Odile, but quieter. Bonnie laughs.

“I told you that you could use ‘Sif’, Mira!! Why’d you go and make a cuter nickname?” Isabeau laments, placing a hand over his heart. “You’re making me look bad!”

She puffs up, proud to have created a cuter nickname than ‘Sif’. “You should have let me use yours when you had the chance. We’re at war now.” His laugh that follows is boisterous, filling up the room.

“Maybe I’ll start calling you ‘Siffie’ too.” Odile teases. Siffrin grumbles something unintelligible.

Mirabelle glares at Isa, pouting. “But of course. Everyone is allowed to call Siffie that.”

“Yeahhh!!” Bonnie grins, their eyes creasing into thin lines. “We’ll call you Siffie forever!!! No Frin, no Sif,” Isabeau winces, “No Siffrin!!! Only Siffie!!!”

The housemaiden giggles. “Only if they like it!” Despite the warm reception, Siffrin hasn’t said a word about what they feel. She intertwines her fingers and looks at them. “Do you?”

“... It’s fine.” Siffie says, still hiding under their hat.

[itstheval]

Memory of Visitation

A @livesworthlivingau Side Story

"Oh Stars, I remember this town! This place sucked!"

Siffrin said it with a laugh as they entered Wolworth, but everyone else simply glanced strangely at him. The realization hit them at the same time it did Mira, from the look on their faces. "Time travel s-" "NO SPOILERS!"

Mira half-pulled her rapier, but the look on her face was one of jest that kept a smile on Siffrin's face, even as they raised their hands up defensively. "Okay, okay! I just…There were a lot of memories wrapped up in this town. So, uh…" His eyes flickered around to the others, looking for help, and getting only amusement at his plight.

"Hmf. I believe, I will go take a walk. To explore. Bonnie, would you come with me? You have the shopping list." "Aw, Crab, I wanted to hear!" Mirabelle harumphed her way away, frills spinning as she twirled on a heel and walked into town, leaving Siffrin staring helplessly as Bonnie rushed to catch up with her, hat bouncing with every rushed step. Vale's laugh broke the tension, and Siffrin turned back to look at them. "Oh well DONE, Stardust! We can really see the skills it took you thirty years to hone!"

The flush darkening their cheeks was matched only by their urge to snap back, and they managed to find their voice. "Don't laugh too hard, Vale, not until you find out WHAT happened here. Besides, I might make sure it happens to you…"

"We got here…I want to say a few months, after the King? We'd met you, Nille, but there was a lot you didn't know. I hadn't even opened up to everyone yet…I'd say I'm sorry, but you know. Wrong people to apologize to. But you, Odile! You're always too clever, and you'd noticed, by now."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Odile managed, smiling wryly. She recognized an Old Man Ramble by now, but Siffrin's stories were always worth the listen.

"Noticed what, precisely?" Vale's question was colder, but from the look on their face, the queasiness in their expression, they already knew.

"Well…Back then. Before I knew any better. And I want to make it real clear, I know better now! But back then, I would…Punish myself. With my dagger. For things that…hadn't happened, to any of you? And I'd hide it with my Craft, which…I learned way more about the limits of Healing Craft than I should have."

Siffrin didn't bother looking at everyone's faces. He knew what they looked like. He'd seen them before, and they broke his heart the first time, when it was Odile revealing this. Even so much later, thinking about those expressions hurt.

What he wasn't expecting was the sudden enfolding of arms around him. Isabeau's warm body against his, enfolding him, and a moment later Odile's hand on his head, patting it gently. Even Nille joined in on the hug, and a glance up showed Vale nearby, looking in. This was…different? This was nice. Until, on some unspoken signal, everyone stepped away.

"I'm sorry Sif, just…the look on your face. I don't think anybody could see that and NOT want to give you a hug! We know it's alright, but the way you looked…"

"Like a crab just pinched your puppy." Nille confirmed.

"Yeah, or like…I dunno, like someone ate your favorite treat you were saving for later!"

In that moment, he was loved. In all moments, he was loved, but it was nice to see it so clearly, and the smile Siffrin let onto his face was genuine. "Thanks…I don't like thinking about this stuff. But, no bottling myself up, not to my family! That's what I promised."

"Promised who, precisely?" Odile's voice was wry, in the way that came when she was trying to not show affection.

"Well I was getting to that! Before everyone decided it was group hug time! Anyway! Odile noticed, and she…told everyone, when we were here. I'm not ashamed to say, I ran off. I was stupid…I thought none of you would care about me if you knew how much I hated myself."

"You're absolutely right, Stardust." Vale finally decided to add their two cents, and everyone's heads snapped towards them, making them glad that looks couldn't kill - they'd be dead four times over, at least! It was Odile who found her voice first.

"Explain?"

"He WAS stupid!"

Vale's laugh cut the tension that their statement made, and Siffrin was the first to join into it, before everyone else allowed themselves to be part of it.

"Right! Right, where was I…Running away. Right. Well, Odile was too smart again." A glance to her showed a smirk that showed she agreed. "I ran and hid in the House…and her letter had gotten there first. And when people showed up expecting me, and bringing me to an appointment? I wasn't going to tell them they had the wrong person. Whoever's appointment it was, I could hide there until you all forgot! And that's how I met my therapist."

The sharp bark of laughter from Odile showed just what she thought of that, but Isabeau was quick to follow, as Nille shook her head in exasperation. "That actually worked?" She said, around a smile, and Vale nodded with mock seriousness. "It would have worked on me. Smart."

Siffrin decided then to start walking and talking, as he explained the rest of it. "Doctor Jinn was…strange. Even for Vaugarde. It/its pronouns, with lightless hair with darkless spots in it, like the stars. I'd have almost thought it was from home, except that everyone I've seen from there had darkless hair…and Doctor Jinn was a housemaiden. Or…I mean, it was working in the house, and it wore a change symbol on a necklace? And one of them for a bonding earring? Anyway, it had its own office set up, and was ready for me and everything. It wasn't until it addressed me by my name that I realized what happened. But Odile, why did you tell it my name was 'Siffrin Nomiddlename Nolastname'?"

"I couldn't begin to imagine." Odile allowed, walking the crowded streets, Isabeau pushing ahead and the others walking in the wake of the broad man like wakesurfers…Siffrin briefly wondered where he'd heard that term, then remembered they were telling a story.

"Well, that's what it called me. Like that, like 'Nomiddlename' and 'Nolastname' were names themselves. It was a great listener, I'll tell you that…It seemed to accept the Wish Craft stuff pretty easily, and didn't blame me for…" a light cough. "Any of it." Siffrin glanced to the side, and when the others followed their glance, they saw Bonnie at a stall, haggling with a zit-faced teen about the price of tomatoes.

"The interesting thing was…Well, when we got there, we were sort of wandering wherever we felt like, just seeing the world? And it turned out that Jinn was traveling anyway, so we wound up joining it…or it joined us, but we just wound up going where it led. It was convenient, and it meant I couldn't get away from it, either. So…we wound up talking a lot. Almost the whole time we were in Wolworth, and even on the roads." Sif took a turn, but kept up his memories. "About the Loops, about what I could and couldn't remember, about…well, everything, really. How I felt about Isa, how I felt about touch, home, why the Universe granted wishes like it did - it really didn't have much to say there, but it was great to just get it out of my system."

Vale was starting to look uneasy as they walked along, and Siffrin knew it was now or never, time to strike and hope everyone else was on board. "It was so useful, in fact, that I felt like visiting again. I sent a letter ahead myself this time, since…well, you didn't have a reason to, Madame. And don't worry, Vale, I told them all about you!"

Siffrin's grin was shameless, and watching the look on Vale's face was worth the entire time, as they realized how close they were to the opened doors of the House. And how Isabeau was blocking them off to the side…Vale couldn't escape that way, maybe…no, Nille was over there. Maybe through the Madame? With that look on her face, no way. That was the Path of Pain.

Vale's shoulders slumped, as Siffrin stepped aside and gave a sweeping bow. "After you, my friend!" Vale muttered oaths under their breath as they marched to the doors, only to find a Housemaiden waiting for them.

"Siffrin and Vale Nomiddlename Nolastname? I'm Housemaiden David…I got your letter, but I'm afraid no one here's ever heard of a 'Doctor Jinn'. Would you like to come in anyway?"

[claira-stars]

2 hat spoilers!!!

Loop is such a good charecter for so meny reasons. Espechally the two hat ending which is insanly cathartic.

I'm mostly looking at the symbolic interpolation of Loop and isat as a whole here. Isat has a LOT of really good symbolisum and stuff. The whole time loop consept is a really good allegory for mental spiral, repetitive thoughts, mental health issues, and grief. Siffrin's amnesia is another really good example, as it's a symbolic representation of loss, grief, and a longing for time you can never return to.

I also like the space motif for the island, idk how intentional this was but space and time are intrinsically linked so connecting the stars to time works perfectly, and the longing for a place you can never return to is also longing for a TIME you can never return to. I think nostalgia is a good word here. Because in real life nostalgia is often for a time or place that you look at through rose tinted glasses. Did it ever really exist the way you rember it?

But this post ain't about that, it's about loop~

So looking at loop literly their a previous version of Sif who went though The Horrors and was unable to escape on their own. They begged for aid only to be forced to help a diffrent version of themsef though tje same situation, and then when that version of themself gets free it hurts. Then they sorta beat the shit outta siffrin and vise versa and the whole thing ends in bitter sweet understanding. (I'm sorry siffrin, and thank you loop)

Textually this ending is unimaginably tragic (at least to me) because after giving everything Loop fades away. But looking at the symbolisum here it's... perfict.

Loop is literly a past version of siffrin who went though a similar tragedy. The ending is about accepting that the past has happened and that it's hurt. That it's ok to have been that person, and to have been hurt. That sometimes you look back and realize that it's not fair. It's not fair that you were able to get out--get help NOW when you drowned before.

It's about forgiving your past self for getting hurt. Becuas you do need to do that sometimes. It's about accepting the fact that you did learn from past it sucks but that vershion of you is still there and still helped you now.

Idk if that made any sense but ya know.

[auncyen]

and another little scene THIS IS THE LAST ONE I'M POSTING UNTIL I UPDATE ON AO3 JUST BECAUSE I REALLY SHOULDN'T SPOIL MY OWN FIC THIS MUCH but like. I'm also just excited that I'm writing. And the mental image of this scene has been in my head for way too long lol

-

"You're…real this time, right?"

Siffrin has always been on the quiet side, but this question could have been whispered by a mouse. You nearly miss it; Isabeau reacts first while you're still parsing it. "Sif? Of, of course we're real! Can't you tell??"

Siffrin flinches away, shrinking into their cloak with a faint "sorry", and you know.

They can't. They can't tell. Not well enough to be sure.

Have they been hallucinating? How long, that they're doubting their own sight right now? "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," they whisper. "I'm sorry, I lost you. I'm sorry, I have to make sure you're fine, I have to be sure, I have to loop back--"

"Siffrin," you say loudly, just as their hand lights on their dagger. Why is he reaching for his dagger if he's going to loop back? No, no, that's not the issue right now. The issue is that they cannot loop back. You'll forget everything. He won't tell you again, not if this is how things end. You cannot have him looping. "If--If you can't trust that you're seeing us," you say, thinking quickly. "What if I touched you?"

Your question works in that it distracts Siffrin. His eye widens as they stare at you, the surprise clear as crystal on his face. "Huh?"

His hand falls away from the dagger.

You don't like that it was there to begin with, but you need to convince them while you have their attention. "If you're doubting sight and sound, touch would be the next logical option. It may be distasteful to you, but…" You raise your left hand with a deliberate slowness so that it's clearly in their vision. "If I touched you, would that be enough reassurance?"

He stares at you for a moment. The 'no' is already ringing in your mind. If he goes for the dagger again you'll need to use your Craft to slow him down and grab him--or hope Isabeau grabs him--but why would he reach for the dagger? He said he was going to loop, he said he was going to loop last night, how does he choose when to loop when he's made it clear he can't control the looping itself? The only answer coming readily to mind is abhorrent--

His hand moves up, further away from the dagger. Both of his hands reach up to the top of his head, snatching his hat off to hold by the brim as he stares at you, light eye unblinking.

"You want me to put my hand on your head?" you guess, trying to make sense of the silent response. The question elicits a nod, and it seems…logical enough--their cloak and gloves would mute any touch on his body, and the face and neck would likely feel too vulnerable--so you move your hand toward the bird's nest of hair, still slowly, not wanting to alarm them. He's so tense. "Breathe, Siffrin." You don't want them panicking, and you certainly don't want them fainting, either.

He breathes deeply in a familiar way. In and out. He still stares at your hand as it approaches, but at least he knows it's coming. Both his hands are occupied with the hat and won't make a Craft sign by accident. He has time to object, either with words or a gesture, if he realizes it will be too much.

You lower your hand into his hair in a waltz count, one-two-three. Immediately you encounter tangles and take care of where your fingers go in his unkempt hair. He tenses up even more, his breath hitching, but otherwise doesn't move. You hope that means they trust you.

"I'm real, Siffrin," you tell him, putting all the self-assurance you can muster into your voice. "As are Isabeau, Mirabelle, and Boniface. We're fine. We were only separated for a few moments."

"…Anything could have happened," they whisper.

"Nothing did. And even if it had, we're a bit hardier than that."

He winces. "I'm sorry I lost you."

You can't help the dry exasperation that creeps back into your voice. "Then don't storm off again. Straightforward enough, don't you think?"

He quickly nods several times, the motion frantic under your hand.

"We're here, and we're okay. You're…" They're not fine. You can't bring yourself to say that they're fine when it's plainly untrue, especially after how often they've misused that word in the past day, but you need to reassure them somehow. "You aren't alone. We're here with you. Do you trust me?"

The nods are less frantic this time. He seems to be calming down. He's still rigid, though. Touch has done its job and now it's only making them uncomfortable, so you start to take your hand away--

And then they bunt your hand with their forehead. Their eye darts up to look you in the face before it widens in horror. Siffrin takes two quick steps back, his gaze dropping back to the floor as he jams his hat back on. "Sorry! Sorry!" With his shoulders hunching up, his cloak and hat eclipse his entire expression.

"Siffrin?" Mirabelle asks. Isabeau and Boniface are both looking at you, likely trying to gauge what Siffrin did that they're apologizing. You're trying to figure that out yourself. The way he moved…certainly, you're not harmed. They tapped against your hand with only a little bit of force; if anything, it reminded you of how one of Ka Bue or Poteria's many friendly stray cats, comfortable around people, would sometimes ease up to you as you were reading in the open and bunt your hand to signal they wanted to be pet.

You doubt that was anywhere near Siffrin's intention. They hate being touched. Still… you wonder what that expression meant. Before he'd gotten scared, the expression he'd given you had been almost…

The only way you'll figure it out is if you ask. And if, hopefully, you get a straight answer. "What are you apologizing for this time?"

[vulpixisananimal]

Isapays fluff, the Thrilling Sequel.

[BETWEEN ACT 1 AND ACT 2]

"We'll be back in a bit Isa!"

"Alright! Take care!"

(With that, Nille and Bonnie headed off to the farm down the road for some fresh food. That was the nice thing about this little temporary cabin, it was close to everywhere in the little town! You could rent it out for a night, stay in, have a nice dinner and explore around, and then move on! For parties like yours, it was perect!)

(Mirabelle was already out meeting the locals, Odile had dissapeared for alone time, naturally, Ramos was exploring around the town, and Siffrin had yet to come out of their room. That was alright, you were happy staying here. You had your own little hobby to work on. And you were working on it right now!)

(You were working on a hat. It was one for Sif, well, Mal du Pays technicaly. You had started making a few for the three of them, the idea was maybe giving them an easier way to see who's who. But that didn't mean they couldn't be practical! You knew the sun hurt Mals eyes, so, right now you were sewing dark cloth to the rim to make a veil.)

(It had been hard to find a good material, one that was light, but could also blot out the sun. Luckily, it wasn't anything a bit of craft stitching couldn't fix. You had tried mimicing the type that Siffrin had on their cloak, but that was way too advanced. But you made do.)

(You continued sewing. It wasn't that far from done, actually. You could probably finish it today or tomorrow. But, don't rush it. Take your time to make sure it was perfect. It was intricate work, but nice. You continued on for a few minutes before pausing and leaning back where you were sitting.)

(You nearly jumped out of your skin when you turned to see Siffrin was there staring at you.)

"O-oh! Good morning!" (You say.)

(They waved softly and walked over. Oh! Not Siffrin, Mal. It was getting easier to tell who's who every day. Mal du Pays didn't talk, rarely showed up, and was stuck with a resting neutral face, to be polite about it.)

(And, well. You two, had, that one time.)

"Everything alright?" (The other thing you'd noticed was that Mal came out usually when something had gone wrong. You'd been told it does come out casually sometimes, but you'd yet to see it, really.)

(It held up crossed fingers. "I'm ok.")

"W-well. . ." (Oh Change, you still didn't know how to talk to it.) "Well you're free to stick around, if you want!"

(It nodded, and sat down next to you.)

(. . . Change, you were fine! Oh you were really fine! Sure, it had sat with you before like this, but, but it had been a few days since, since that encounter you two had. And you, really had no idea what to think about it still!)

(You continue sewing. Was it. . . Hopeful thinking? That it liked you? Well, maybe it did! It did want to kiss you after all. But, but then it needed to pull away. You knew it was probably just too much touch but, but what if it wasn't? You might have done something wrong, or. . .)

(You feel a gentle poke, making you jolt and turn, Mal was looking at you.)

"O-oh! Sorry! What's up?" (you reply, a little nervous.)

(It looked at you for a second, then held two fingers to their chest, then drew a line above their eyes and clasped both hands together. "That's a veil, for me?")

"O-oh! Yeah, it is! I wanted to make you something nice, Loop mentioned the sun bothers you, so. . ."

(It blinks at you, its face impossible to read. It tapped its temple. "Why.")

"Huh? W-well, I don't want you to hurt your eyes so-"

(It shook its head, tapped its temple again, pointed at you, then made a circle motion with both hands. "No, why do you care?")

"H-huh? Why wouldn't I?"

(It just looked at you. Its gaze felt cold, looking into your soul. It was, really terrifying sometimes. But that was ok! You continue,) "I just, wanted to make you something nice, b-because."

(It's still just, looking at you.)

". . . I just, want you to feel comfortable."

(It pauses, then taps their temple again. "Why?")

"B-because, because you deserve to?"

(Another tap.)

"You deserve to because everyone does! Everyone should be able to feel comfortable."

(It pauses, and considers you for a moment. Then tapped its chest. "Me?")

(You nod.) "Yes! you! I know you guys have gone through a lot, so-"

(It waves a hand, cutting you off. Tapping its chest and wiggling an open palm, then splayed it open. "I can't relax.")

(Huh?) "Why not? You're not in danger right now or anything."

(It's staring at you, you think you see its eye twitch. It turns away from you.)

"Mal. . .?" (You wait for a moment, trying to give it space, but, you're worried. Did you say something wrong? After a minute you lean over to try and see if it's ok.)

(It's. . . Crying.)

"Are you, are you sure you're ok?"

(No response, it's not looking at you, its breathing is getting heavier. You try and very gently offer a hand out.)

(It slaps your hand away and-)

"&$*#%^###$"

(You wince. Ow! It, it talked? R-right, that's why it didn't talk. Island language. You look away and hold your head, Ow ow ow. . .)

(It slapped your hand away.)

(You're looking down at the veil your sewing as you hold your head. It slaped your hand away. Did, did it not want you around? O-or, or did you just take it by surprise? O-or maybe even. . .)

(You feel a touch on your shoulder. A hand. You turn around.)

(Mal has its hand on your shoulder. It's crying, and shaking a lot; its face that was always neutral is showing cracks. It holds up a fist over its heart. "Sorry.")

(. . .You place your hand over Mals.) "I-its, it's alright."

(It shook its head, and looked away. Finally, it tapped its chest, and made a grabbing fist. "Can I trust you?")

"I- O-of course you can!"

(It glared at you.)

"Promise! I promise!! I haven't given away our secret right? Even if some people are relentless about it."

(It stares at you for a long time, as if considering something. It drew a horizontal line, then made a motion like breaking a stick. "Do not break it.")

"I promise, I really do, alright?" (You smile at Mal.) "I, I don't want to hurt you, okay? I promise, from the bottom of my heart."

(Mal looks you up and down. Takes a moment, breathing in, and out. It patted its chest with an open palm. "I'm scared.")

"Whuh?" (Mal? Afraid?) "W-what of? Did someone-"

(It shook its head, it held up a hand, paused, then continued. It patted its chest again, and then made a hand motion from you to it.)

("I'm scared of falling in love with you.")

(Your eyes widen and your breathing quickens. What?!? could that mean??? What could that possibly mean?!?)

"Y-you're. . ."

(It nodded, it was shaking.)

(You were, so, so confused. A-and, worried, and. . .) ". . . Do you, want, to talk about it?"

(It took a minute to reply, taking it's other hand back, it shakily took a hand and tapped its chest, drawing a line, then made a slashing motion. "I don't want to be hurt.")

"You're. . . Worried about me hurting you?" (Why would you hurt it?)

(It placed a cupped hand over the other, open palms moving away. It pauses, then pats its chest, and makes a slashing motion. "I protect Sleepwalker, I'm scared I'll fail.")

(Sleepwalker? Oh Right! That was Siffrin! It was hard to do full names in sign language so, nicknames. It was scared it couldn't protect Siffrin if it. . . Oh.)

(It raises it's hand, stops, unsure what to say. It looks away, shaking even harder.)

". . . Mal?"

(It looks at you.)

"You're, you're scared that, i-if, you and me are, a-a, a thing, then. . ."

(It nods.)

(It wants to protect Siffrin, more than anything. That's, that's what it is after all, right? A protector? Someone who takes care of the body, the host, Siffrin. It's done that job so well, so. . . Personal. It's, it's surpressing everything including you, but.)

(But that's something you can both agree on!)

"Let me help you then!!" (You lean in close.) "I-I, I want to make sure Sif's safe too! I want him to be happy a-and, and not to have to worry about these loops or memories, or anything! So, so. . ."

(It's looking at you, bewilderment having broken through that mask of neutrality. It opens its mouth, and closes it.)

". . . Please."

(It's looking at you, its face, it's, hard to describe. It does so well at hiding it's emotions, even though it's mask is cracking more and more with each word you say. Eventually, it gently claps its hands and holds a palm to you. "Promise?")

(You take its hand and hold it close.) "I promise! I-I promise with all my life! A-and. . ." (Oh Change come on Isabeau, no, don't freeze up now, just say it!)

(Say it! Say it!!)

"A-and, and I'll protect you too!! B-because I love you!!"

(It's shocked, you're shocked too, honestly. You didn't think you'd have, have the courage to, t-to just say that! Here! Now! But now your words are falling effortlessly out of our mouth.)

"I-I've, I've been thinking about when we kissed every day and! A-and about all you went through in Jouvente, a-and! And I don't want you to think you're alone in this!! One of the first things I learned as a Defender was to find someone to have your back. To find someone you can trust a-and-" (Oh Change, you had butterflies in your stomach.)

(You continue.) "I-I want to be that person for you! I want you to, t-to be able to feel safe! Like you don't need to fight the world on your own!! Because, b-because I trust you! And I love you! And I'll always be there to fight the world right by your side!!"

(That. . . That was a lot wow, ok. How long have you been holding all THAT in, Isabeau? You take a second to catch your breath.) "I-I, I know, that, that was a lot, but-"

(It shuts you up with a kiss.)

(. . . . . You, you just forgot everything you were about to say. I-it, it's kisisng you, it, it's kissing you and isn't moving away quite y-yet a and that's MORE than fine by you t-that's, that's, oh you're gonna just die here and now!)

(You put an arm gently on it's side, it flinches, but doesn't move. It puts a hand to your chest, it's cold, but that's ok. Oh, oh you feel so hot, you're deffinatly blushing! Eventually, it moves away, it's mouth hanging open a little, showing more emotion than it ever has before. It pats its chest with a fist. "Sorry.")

(It takes you a moment to register it, you were extremely flustered and still catching up.) "I- n-no! N-nono no need for sorry I, was, surprised, b-but a good surprised like! Like a surprise gift, o-or a-"

(It kisses you again!)

(This time for much shorter but! B-but it still, kissed you! again!! When it moved back again you squeaked out a reply.) "O-okgotitmessagerecieved."

(It smiled at you. Actually smiled. This, this was a first! You were trying really hard not to, well, loose it just a little bit! With one hand, it made a rising gesture from its chest towards you. "I love you.")

"I love you, too." (You say effortlessly.)

(It looks at you, and tilts its head, considering somthing . . . It made a grabbing fist, then tapped itself. "Trust me?")

(You nod enthusiastically.) "Of course trust you!"

(Mal breathes in, and out. It pauses for a minute, then grabs your hand, and lays it out flat, palm up. It does the same with it's own palm.)

(With its other hand, it draws its dagger, and places the sharp edge against its own palm. It looks up to you, for. . . Confirmation? What was it doing?)

(You nod. Mal cuts open its palm, it doesnt flinch, there's blood. It moves the dagger to your hand where it hesitates for longer before cutting your hand open as well. You wince, ouch. Looking up at Mals face, it looked a bit sad that it hurt you. You smile at it, that makes it feel better.)

(You look down to you and Mals wounded hands, an elaborate ritual that Mal Du Pays would want to share with you? Was, was it a wish? If it was, should you just follow Mals example? Should you wish for something?)

(You do, don't you. And you knew what it would be. The same thing you wished for back in Dormont. You wished that Siffrin, Mal, and everyone else who was sharing that head would be okay. That's what you wanted.)

(Mal Du Pays held it's hand up, bloody palm facing you. You do the same back, it nods in approval. A moment, later, your hands are entwined, it stings, but that's ok. Mal closed it's eyes, you do the same. This was where you wished, righ?)

(It was. You could feel it.)

(You wish that they're ok, you wish that they're ok, you wish that they're ok. . .)

(It's. What. You. Want.)

(. . . It, it must really trust you. You knew it was protective of it's memories and wishes. After all, it keep nearly destroying countries.)

(Your hand still stings from the cut, that's ok. You feel a tap on your arm and open your eyes, Mal's smiling at you.)

"Y-you ok?" (It nods, almost enthusiastically.) "h-ha, that was, u-uh-, that was a wish, right?"

(It nods, clapping it's hands and putting a palm to you, then with it's thumbs and index fingers makes a star. "A promise Wish.")

"O-oh!" (You blush a bit more, looking to the side.) "I-I, I won't break it. Promise."

(It reaches you out to you, and gently turns your head back to it. It's smiling, and leans in close. Your heart, you can feel it beat out of your chest. It's. . . It looks so beautiful. You lean in close and-)

(You hear a click from the front door.)

(You blink and Mal was standing a few steps away, face back to its usual neutrality. After your brain catches up to you, you frantically start work on the veil again as the door opens.)

"I'm home!!" (It was Mirabelle.)

"M-Mira! Welcome back!" (You say in your most convincing voice.)

"Hi Isabeau!" (Mirabelle walked into the room.) "Did the siblings go out- oh! Mourning sif."

(Mal waved a hello, then turned and left. Change, it was such a better actor than you.)

"O-oh, sorry, I-I meant-"

"I-its alright, Mira." (You smile, trying to stay normal.) "We're just, all getting used to it!"

"I-I know, just- AAH!!" (Mirabelle rushes over to you.) "Y-your hand!! What happened!!!"

"Wh-" (You look down, CRAB!!! You forgot the cut!! Uh, u-uh-) "O-oh! Oh it's nothing! I-I just cut myself sewing, it's no big deal!"

"Don't be silly! Here, let me see." (She put a hand over yours, and with a bit of healing craft the cut closes. You open and close your hand a few times.) "How is the veil coming along?"

"Well. . ." (Your hand tingles a bit. What a morning is been. . . You and Mal are, well, a thing now! A-and, you made a wish together! Even if, you didn't know what it wished for.)

(You breathe in, and out.) "It's, it's going well! Very, very well."

[livesworthlivingau]

Lives Worth Living Chapter 31

Spoilers for ISAT/Two Hats below! CW: Mentions of Loss of Self.

(You shut your door behind you as you step into your room, sighing and leaning your back against it. Isa gets up from sitting on the bed, having been waiting for you. You give him a tired smile before he scoops you up, his arms tightly wrapped around your form. His voice is still shaky as he speaks.)

"Wow... Everything's making a whole lot more sense all of the sudden."

"Yeah... So you can see why I wasn't able to tell you before..." (You gently take one of his hands, placing it on your face and leaning into it before you continue.)

"I owe them everything Isa... I wouldn't be here if not for them, I wouldn't have you or the others, I'd just... I'd have given up too." (Isa stays quiet for a moment, holding you close to himself with his other arm still. His grasp is tight yet comforting... it feels like he's desperately holding onto you.)

"Isa?..." (His grip loosens a bit, letting out a sniffle.)

"Sorry, I... I didn't know how close we were to losing you... To you giving up..." (His voice is strained, you look up to see tears rolling down his face. He struggles to keep speaking.)

"I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to you Sif." (He falls silent as his tears continued to flow. You're still holding his hand to your face. So strong yet soft, warm and inviting...)

"I'm here. You won't have to worry about that anymore, I promise." (You assure him with a soft smile. You reach a hand up to wipe his tears like he'd done for you so many times.)

"I got my happy ending, a whole wonderful life with you, with everyone. I just want to give them that too, for everything they did for me... Losing all that time has to mean something, right? A chance to give them a life they deserve too." (He takes a breath to regain his voice again.)

"It might not be that simple... You can't exactly help someone who doesn't want to be helped... That's why they lost themself in the loops, right? I get you wanna help them, and I do too, but if you just try and force it it might only make things worse." (Your smile slowly fades, looking away and staying silent for a few beats as you process that.)

"... Yeah... Yeah you're right... That's probably why they... 'forced a loop' before."

"I'm still not exactly happy about that."

"I know, I know..." (You let out a sigh, leaning into their chest and closing your eye.)

"Okay. I'll try to give them space, let them take things at their own speed... we can make this work, right?"

"All we can do is try, Sif. They've gotta want it, be willing to change, to move on." (He lays down in bed with you against him, gently combing his fingers through your hair while his other hand holds you to him. You let out a tired little hum before he speaks again.)

"It's been a long night, we'll worry about this in the morning, okay Sif?" (You give an affirmative hum. His warm, large form and soothing motions help sleep wash over you in no time at all, passing out before you even realize it.)

|You sigh softly as they start to snore on top of you. You stare down at your beloved time traveler, unable to get the thought out of your head... Did Vale really go through all of that? For so long?... Would that have really happened to Sif?...|

------------------------------------------------------------

<You can't sleep. Even after giving Stupidvale the fritters you've been saving... You hop back up out of bed again, trying not to wake Nille, then sneakily stomp your way back down stairs. You walk past the couch Vale was laying on, they're probably asleep but you don't really wanna talk anymore anyways.>

<You get into the kitchen and start to gather all the supplies for a big breakfast, dragging a chair around again to get the height you need to reach everything.>

"Flare?... Did you need any help?" <You perk up, turning to see Vale standing at the kitchen entrance. You pout a little and look away again.>

"I can do it myself."

"Oh I'm sure you can, the King himself couldn't stop you once you set your mind to something." <They tease with a little chuckle before they talk again.>

"You can't sleep, right? Need something to do to pass the time?" <You wordlessly nod, still working on your crepe mixture while they spoke to you.>

"Well I'm in the same boat, so I could use some help by you giving me something to do, like your assistant~." <You pause... and tilt your head a little.>

"... We're not in a boat?" <They laugh again.>

"It's just an expression, Little Flare... So may I help you out? Please?" <You grumble a little before nodding.>

"Okay... Here, mix all this together, until it's super duper smooth, no bumps!"

"No bumps, On it~!"

<You both keep working on breakfast together, only talking when you needed to tell them the next step. It takes the night but soon you have a massive plate of crepes, a plate of sausage, a bowl of hand whipped cream, freshly cut fruit, and a little pouring jug of chocolate sauce.>

<You look over it all with a proud nod, starting to put together a plate for yourself. Vale does too right behind you. You drag your chair back over to sit down at the table, and they sit right across from you. You take a few bites in silence before finally asking them something.>

"... So you really used to be Frin?" <They almost freeze at the question.>

"... Essentially, yes..."

"Why aren't you anymore?" <They take a long time to answer that one, setting their fork down to think about it.>

"Have you ever had to repeat yourself? Several times?"

"Yeah? Who hasn't?"

"Well... Imagine if that's all you could do anymore. Nothing new, just repeating yourself, over, and over, and over again... for years..."

"That sounds really crabbing annoying."

"It is, but you can't stop, you can't even get annoyed, you have to do it the same way, every single time. Eventually, you'd stop being you, and you'd just be pretending to be you. Does that make sense?"

"... Kinda, yeah..."

"Well that's what happened to me... I was pretending to be myself for so long, I forgot who I even was anymore... I was just saying what I'd already said because I said it, at some point, long ago... Eventually, there wasn't anything left of him... I'm all that was left..."

"... So why won't you call us by our real names?" <They stop again, they look like they might start crying even.>

"I'm afraid that's not something I can explain just yet..."

"Eh, Frin does weird stuff all the time, it's not that sure-prizing."

"Heh... Surprising, Little Flare."

"Yeah, not that surprising."