Chapter Text
For as much as you loathe to admit it, you were lost as to what was happening. One second, the sky was a sickening shade you’d never seen before, and the Head Housemaiden was saying something about the world… rotting? And the next, Frin was really big. And screaming, but not in a scary way, in a really sad way. And.. hurting themselves, which made you feel worse. Belle could heal them, Dile was doing everything she could to protect the rest of you, and Za had so much heart he was putting into his yelling. You couldn’t do much, other than hold your Wok up, ready to protect yourself. And… try to help Frin.
“So, Loop was correct, then?"
Dile spoke up after another outburst from Frin. You’re sure this realization would be quite illuminating, if you had understood anything that Loop was saying. Crab, everything happening was just a lot! You were kinda having trouble breathing right now, much less understanding what a time loop is! But you did understand Frin, and the look on his face was bad. They had looked angry and sad the entire time, but when Dile mentioned Loop they looked really scared. Their breath started to hitch, and you could smell sugar, burnt sugar, like someone messed up a caramel real bad.
There was a flash of movement, as Frin did… something, or maybe something happened to Frin? Dile tried to use a craft, but she was just a moment too late, she managed to weaken it but not stop it. Belle was next to react, reaching out just in time to cast a craft on you, a shield to protect you from whatever happened next. Things began to go black, as you heard Za crying out to them. You could feel something tugging on you, like it was trying to pull you along by the stomach.
And then, light returned. You were in front of the veggie field in Dormont again.
“... What.”
You felt like you just saw something you weren’t supposed to. The tension hadn’t left your body yet, you still felt like you were in danger despite being ultimately safe - you took a few steps back, looking around, trying to find something of coherence with the last thing you saw. No big Frin. No weird shade in the sky. Just Dormont.
“WHAT.”
You repeat to yourself, louder. That normally worked, but this time it really didn’t. You still weren’t processing everything. Okay, if screaming louder didn’t work, then screaming probably wouldn’t work at all. Maybe try to think it through? Quietly? Dile guided you through your worries and thoughts sometimes, and she was always really quiet, so maybe you needed to be quiet and… guide yourself through your thoughts? Yeah.
Okay. First question… it’s usually ‘what’s wrong.’ That was already hard to figure out though. It was hard to know if what you saw was real. But it had to be, right? It couldn’t be a dream, because if it was a dream then you’d have been lying down! Probably in a bed. Not standing up, next to a veggie field. Okay, so it was definitely real. What did that mean?
… Guh, you were no good at this. That’s as far as your line of logic could go, before the concepts got too big for you. If only Loop or anyone could have explained it more!
Wait, Loop! Loop talked about it with experience, surely they would know what was going on and could maybe explain it better. Okay, Loop later though, first you needed to talk to Frin! And figure out what was going on! They must know, right, since they were the one that went all big and stuff! It seemed like it all revolved around them! You took off in a sprint, quickly making your way to the center of Dormont. You could see Belle, near where the town exited into a meadow, talking to-
“FRIIIIIN!”
Belle looked back, with a look of momentary confusion. But Frin’s face - that smile, that really weird and kinda creepy smile that was obviously not real - it fell for a moment. Before coming back up, and shifting expressions a few times. Like he was uncertain what to feel, or what face to be wearing right now. You didn’t really care. You hugged him. Nearly tackled him.
“Oh, Bonnie! Please, be careful!” Belle’s voice was equal parts confusion and trepidation. They knew Frin didn’t like being touched a lot, but they needed it right now! Frin’s hands came down, patting you slightly on the head, before you looked up at them and tried to hold your voice below a scream.
“Frin, what happened?! Why were you big, and scary, and what was that weird shade, and-!”
“Wha, huh, Bonbon, what are you-”
Frin tried to interrupt you, but you raised your voice slightly and interjected. You could tell their voice wasn’t right! You weren’t gonna let them get away with lying to you, not this time at least!!
“What was that star talking about, what did they mean when they said you were looping time time, or whatever! Tell me something, plea-”
In a split second, it all happened at once. Frin’s face fell, from a faux look of confusion and bemused concern into a look of fear and dread. Anxiety, again, like you just said something that was about to destroy the whole world. And then, the smell of burnt sugar, the tug on your stomach.
And you were back at the veggie field.
“WHAT?!”
Your reaction was quicker this time, since you didn’t have to adjust to so much. But it was still a lot. But that means what you saw before wasn’t an imagination! Or a dream of anything, it was real! That meant you had to go ask Loop for more! Or, wait, shouldn’t you talk to Frin first though, if it technically hasn’t happened? Or, does Frin still remember you talking to them? Even if they didn’t, would you talking to them again just make them… do whatever they did, again? Could they even control it? Or maybe this is something like when you and Nille had a discussion about an issue, and neither of you could find a solution that you’d both like, so you came back to it later after you had time to think. What was that called? An… Imp Asay? You and Frin were just at an Imp Asay, you couldn’t get any farther without working something else out. And to do that…
… You’d talk to Loop! You sprinted off towards the Favor Tree, set in getting some answers!