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(You strike with a ferocity you didn't know you had. It wasn’t like you didn’t know what you were doing. You just gave into a rage-filled impulse to kill it as soon as possible.)
Cutting through that sadness is easier than usual, it's like cutting through paper.
That's funny, isn't its craft type scissors?
(When it's over you glance back, blankly staring at your friends for a moment before realizing.)
(You need to get back to the stage. You put on your best smile.)
"I got it!" You cheerily say, with your eye closed.
There's a silence that's longer than what you'd like.
(You stare back at your friends uneasily. Oh, stars, they're scared, you scared them.)
Odile stands in front of everyone, trying to remain stoic.
"Siffrin…" She speaks slowly and carefully, as if talking to a cornered animal.
You take a step back, her voice feels grating, you've made her mad at you.
"Why… Did you do that?"
("What's wrong with you?" She doesn't ask, but you know that's what she's asking.)
You open your mouth, you can't make words come out. You're still fixed on their horrified stares.
Odile's brow furrows, she can't work with silence.
(That won't be the end of it, you're sure. She'll figure out an attack angle.)
"You did not need to be so brutal, especially not in front of Boniface."
(You need to say something to them, and quickly, some excuse, some reason you just lost it.)
"... I just figured I'd stop holding back. Since… it's the end of our journey, isn't it?"
The lie slips off your tongue as easily a snake could move through the grass.
You avoid eye contact to make it more convincing. "I just got carried away, that's all."
"Siffrin…" Mirabelle says into her hands. "That's still really scary…! I didn't know you could do that!"
Bonnie peeks out further from Odile's arm, but does not stop clinging onto her. "Yeah, Frin! That was spooky! You went all quiet and!"
Bonnie starts mimicking your movements.
"Sif… you've never reacted to a sadness like that. Are you okay?" Isabeau gently asks.
(Isa and Odile aren't going to let this go so easily. You know that, they can see right through you if they try, even if they look at the wrong part of the portrait that is you as a person. After all, there's a reason you aim for the shadow when spearing a fish.)
(Odile still has her gaze fixed on you… Trying to put together an impossible puzzle.)
"Yeah." You breathlessly say. Were you holding your breath? You didn't notice, there were more pressing matters. "That's what taking this super seriously will do!"
(Odile takes a step closer, it makes you nervous.)
"Then, I suppose I should do the same, and keep a closer eye on you. Siffrin, I'll be the one behind you from now on." Odile says.
"WHAT."
"HUH!?"
Confused cries ring out from Isabeau and Mirabelle.
(The shock on your face is probably just as evident as theirs.)
"OH CRAB!" Yells Bonnie. "You know Dile's serious when she's messing with the order…"
Odile looks almost amused despite the situation. "Do you seriously want to be behind him after seeing that? Gems alive, even the sadnesses will be happy to see me put them on a leash."
“Seriously, I’m fine.” You insist.
“Siffrin.”
(What now?)
“What?”
“You haven’t even put away your dagger yet. You’re obviously still tense from the battle. And considering what you just did, I’m not sure if I can trust you to not do that again.”
(You look down. You’re practically holding the dagger with a death grip.)
You put your dagger away.
(You blinding idiot, why are you even fighting her on this. All you have to do is forget the switch or touch a tear and it's all over, and you can do it right next time…!)
With a sigh you give in, "Fine. Let's get moving."
(You have a country to save, after all.)
The order shifts, and you get moving. First, into the tonics room. No one says a word as you swipe them up, but you don't get to pass them off to Bonnie, Odile does.
"I'll take those off your hands, thanks." She says.
It feels like Odile scrutinizes every move you make. Every step, every breath.
You try to move on to the door with the key, to ignore her gaze both casting judgment and burrowing into the back of your head.
Picking up a key, a simple action you'd think. Yet she's still glaring at you, yet everyone eyes you warily as you pass them on the way out.
You have something to do in this loop. You could just do it anyway and just ignore it. It's not like they'll remember when you need to go back anyway.
(You breathe in, and out. You consider this, it wouldn't waste time. Does it matter though, if you have infinite time?)
(You suppose it doesn't.)
You unlock the door. Walking through the room confidently, hoping no one stops you.
(It would take too long to get to a tear, you'd rather be done with this. It might even be cathartic for them to see you crushed by the falling rock for the brief moment they have before you loop back.)
You step forward and…
(Well… you already know what comes next.)