Chapter Text
The king is beaten. Again.
Onto act…6 You think?
You were done with this loop a long time ago. You wanted to refresh on everything you know about the loops. Timecraft. Wishcraft.
It has to be the Head Housemaiden. There's no other option. She must know. She MUST-
You could ask her here. Right now.
…but you're an idiot, so you have your family here in this loop. You just…wanted the comfort. Everything feels easier when their woes are stripped away.
The problem is though, your family always notices when you talk to the head housemaiden and you don't want them to intervene, or worse, get hurt.
You should've looped back to that field a long time ago. You shouldn't even have your family right now. But you're selfish, aren't you, Siffrin?
You want to see them panic for your sake again. Don't you? You want them to finally reach out. You want to be loved by them by seeing them in pain, don't you?
DONT YOU?!
You want to be seen because your greed is endless, insatiable. You're disgusting. Disgusting. Disgusting. Making them worry for your sake because there is no other point where they care about you enough to notice something is wrong.
You know your stage directions. You know your lines. You just have to act them out.
You remember to celebrate the king's defeat with your actors. Then you zone out. You don't have many lines for a while, so you just-
Mirabelle exits
Switch scene.
You stand in front of Odile. Everyone says their lines perfectly. You walk ahead.
Enter Head Housemaiden-
Oh.
No she didn't. In fact, she's already said all her lines. You spaced out too much.
(You don't notice Odile staring at you)
You approach Bonnie first. You already know what they are going to say.
BONNIE: I never said “thank you”
Even here. Even now. You remember finding Bonnie out there. You can't remember many things from before the loops started, but you remember this.
…
You become aware of the sugar in your lungs. Your throat. In between your teeth. Rotting. Decaying. Just like the rest of you.
…you're not as spaced out as you’d like to be right now. You are thinking too much.
This scene is over, they are leaning into your left side. You lean back.
The contact you'd normally feel here has long disappeared into fuzzy nothingness.
You've sapped the warmth out of this ages ago. It's melted into the coldness of the script.
(still better than the gardening room)
You tell them about the pineapples in their pocket, because Bonnie deserves snacks. Then, you move on to Mirabelle. You know her lines better than she does.
MIRABELLE: Hi, Siffrin!
MIRABELLE: Hehe….I know you may be tired of hearing this by now….
Can you ever be tired of her? Be tired of them? This never ending play?
You should've looped back a while ago. That means you're not done. You still love them. These actors are all you have after all! You gave up the real thing when you trapped them in a timeloop~
Now all you have is this.
…
Oh. It's finished.
You move on to Isabeau.
ISABEAU: Sif!!! We did it!!! We beat the king!!!
Over and over and over and over-
You have the sudden urge to grab onto him and cry the way the Head Housemaiden does at the end. Say it's not over. Tell him. Tell him the truth because he's ISA-
What is that thought?
What is wrong with you?!
You can't grab him. You cant you cant you wont touch him again. You are an impulsive, disgusting monster and you deserve to ROT after what you did. You deserve this. You won't burden Isa with this. You have lines. You have stage directions.
Use them. And nothing else.
You say your lines. You smile. You move on.
Odile.
You dread this version of her dialogue. You don't know why you admitted it. Why is it part of your lines now? You can't say it again.
ODILE: Well, we did it! We won.
You're so tired. Stars, you're so tired.
Woop woop.
Urgh. Spacing out isn't helping.
But you really, really don't want to listen.
you feel yourself going into your cloak. Tilting your hat forward. You say the line. Say the truth out loud.
You'll never go home.
Youll….never go home.
(Dontthinkaboutitdonthinkaboutitdontthinkdont-)
Odile finishes talking, and you nod. You approach the head hous-
“But really, is everything okay?” Odile asks. In the voice you know is just testing the waters.
You whip around and look at her again so fast. Her face hardens. You don’t know what face you're making.
“What do you mean?” You smile. This isn't in the script. It's not in the script. She doesn't say anything here. Right?!
Loop…what. 180? And she suddenly changes up her lines???
“I don't know, Siffrin. You’ve felt off since yesterday. More withdrawn, mostly. Tell me what's wrong.” She tries to remain calm, but you can see her crossed hands gently squeezing her arms for a moment.
“Nothing's wrong!” You say. Desperately looking through pages and pages trying to figure out what your lines are supposed to be here instead of the improv you are doing.
“It's okay if you don't want to tell me, you know.” Odile glares you down. “I'll find out eventually.”
These lines feel familiar but you dont know you dont know you dont remember
“I'm not hiding anything though.” you try. Odile’s face shifts.
and then.
You remember.
This scene.
OH STARS YOU SAID THE WRONG LINE!!! YOU FORGOT THAT ODILE GETS SUSPICIOUS!!!
“Is that so.” Odile’s glare burns down into you. “Is that so? So time craft has nothing to do with you?”
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no oh no.
You can't. You- You cant-
Not these lines. Please not these lines-
“No, that’s-“ you say. Because the script demands it of you and you don't know what to do and Odile cuts you off because that's what the script demands of HER and you cant you cant you cant-
“And the fact that you knew how to read that book about Wish Craft... Knew how to wish correctly, when no one else did...It doesn't mean anything, either?” You can't look at her. You can't.
What do you do? What can you do?! There's a script. You need follow- but- you need to-
Your nose and throat are full of sugar. “Its not like that, I-“
“And the way you're acting, doing that stupid smile like nothing's wrong... It doesn't mean anything, either?!?” She's upset. She's upset and she's suspicious and what can you even do?!
You only have two more lines left.
“I'm not stupid, siffrin.” She snaps. Then starts her monologue.
You can't. You can't do this.
You…you have to break the script. The script is all you have. But you can't do this. You cant you cant you wont SURVIVE AFTERWARDS IF YOU SNAP LIKE THAT AGAIN-
“There were so many signs... I did not understand them, but now I do!” She's so angry. She's your family. She's your family and she's so angry and you can't do this.
What do you say? What do you do to make her STOP-
…
I did not understand them, but now I do.
….
Why? Are you trying to pretend?
She knows. She always knew.
“We all jumped, but you just looked at them fall, calmly.” Odile is analyzing you.
You don't need to break the script
Just….follow it.
“And there's so many other things, the way you reacted to so many things throughout our entire journey through the House!”
Odile's voice gets more forceful as you speak, but the moment she realizes what you're saying, she's the one who backs down.
“And, and…” you continue. “And how every time you found the keys we needed to proceed, you didn't seem surprised, like you knew exactly where they were.”
“S-Siffrin?” Her voice stutters. Staring at you in horror and realization.
You hate it. You hate it. This was a mistake.
“Even that key hidden in the classroom.” You don't know what face you're making. Your eyes are wider than usual. You can't breathe. Can't move. You feel like you're talking to the head housemaiden.
Or maybe you are the head housemaiden. Unable to stop talking and talking despite feeling your own mind scream at you that this is a bad idea.
“Almost like..” Your voice is empty. Nothing but sugar. You're smiling, you know you are. “. . . Like you had found them before, maybe?”
Your line will normally start here. You don't want to say it. You don't want to.
You’ve never seen this look on Odile before….
you….cant…
…
You think she is scared of you.
(You remember when you turned around to look at their faces. Odile right now looks more afraid than even Mirabelle when you killed that sadness.)
You are vaguely aware of your mind being pushed into the backseat of your mind. You can't speak outside of the script. You can't think. There's so much sugar. It blocks everything out like burnt cotton. But you don't feel a tug on your stomach.
What are your stage directions? What face should you have right now?
Theres…there's no script.
You broke it. Odile is afraid. This…is why you don't change the script. You dont feel better.
You feel worse. Everything is a blur around you and you think you would rather just zone out and pretend to be angry at Odile for your incompetence.
She hates you. Your family hates you for sure.
This is why you deal with the consequences of your actions. Don't tell me you are forgetting the script too? The only thing holding you together? In the emptiness left by your home?
The one you can't return to?
You are a filthy, rotting thing. Why do you deserve to even go home? You deserve this. The universe knows you deserve this. It knows you're being selfish right now. It knows. It knows.
You should've looped back so long ago.
Loop back. Loop back loop back loop back loop ba-
There's warmth on your shoulder. Tingling.
Burning.
Your mind isn't brought back to the living world as much as it's shoved into the present. All your senses return in an overwhelming crash.
You stop. Breathing.
Odile has her hand on your shoulder.
“Siffrin? Are you with me?”
You just stare at her hand. Your shoulder has gone numb under it. Tiggling and fuzzy. Your head is buffering full of static.
“Gems alive-“ Odile mutters under her breath. “Hey. Look at me.”
Odile doesn’t like touch. You dont like touch. Why is she touching you?
This is so off script.
What is happening? What did you do?
You look up at her again.
You think you hate the pity on her face more than the fear.
“Hey. Okay. Lets…do that breathing thing you like.” She sounds unsure of herself. “Breathe with me?”
‘Corpses don't breathe, Odile.’ you want to say.
But you don't.
You instead just listen to her. Much to your annoyance, you find yourself unable to take a full breath. Your heart is white noise to your ears.
Odile. Odile, your family. Oh she's so patient. She waits, her chest rising and falling slowly. Waiting for your stuttering, broken, false imitation of it to even out.
It doesn't help.
Your breathing, in and out. But you don't feel any better. You don't feel any more present because of it. The only thing holding onto you to stop you from plunging into nothing is your family’s hand on your shoulder.
Your thoughts and regrets are swimming in your mind as an incoherent mess.
She adjusts her glasses once she thinks your breaths have calmed down enough. Stares at you, then sighs. “Do you know why?”
Your breath hitches, and you shake your head.
“Not even…your wish?”
You shake your head again. No. It can't be that. You don't know how that works with a timeloop.
…..
Yeah, you don’t.
“Im sorry.” she mutters.
What.
Why is she-
“It was..inappropriate for me to snap at you like that. I can barely imagine what you're thinking.” Odile elaborates. You curse yourself for being so easy to read. “If…weve had this conversation before….that must mean..all of that….no wonder you were so out of it.”
You flinch. You feel so exposed. Vulnerable. You want to run- What's your blinding lines?!?
“Madame? Siffrin?”
You stiffen under Odile's hand. It's like an anchor, keeping you in place and grounded, while also leaving you completely stuck.
Something enters your mind. Something about seasalt and fishing rods and a stringed instrument your mama plays and taking naps on a boat.
You desperately try to reach for the memory, but it disappears into smoke. Leaving you with nothing but a pain in the back of your head.
Your chest feels empty besides the white noise. Your head feels full of fog and frozen at the same time.
You want to cry.
You cant.
Your nose stings.
Mirabelle enters your vision, looking between Odile and you, whatever look is on your face immediately sends her into a panic. “Siffrin?! Whats…Odile?! What's wrong with Siffrin?”
MIRABELLE IS UPSET!!!!!!!
Nothing. You want to say. Nothing's wrong. We are just having a rough conversation. Go away. Please
There's no script here. You can't speak. You can't. You can't act without any lines. The only things that sit on your tongue are bile and sugar.
“It appears we have an issue greater than the king. Mirabelle.” Odile sighs.
HAHA! YOUR WORSE THAN THE KING!
“Greater than the king?!” Mirabelle gasps, putting her hands to her mouth
“HUWAH!?” Isabeau startles and oh no. No please-
“WHAT?! What do you mean by that?! Dile?! Frin?” Bonnie shouts. The clopping of their shoes are deafening as they come closer and look at Odile and then you and-
Freeze.
“…Frin….that…that face is kinda-“
They look scared
Your stomach—
“NO! I'M BRAVE!!” Bonbon shakes their head in order to shake off their fear, staring at you in determination. “Frin!! What's wrong?! You crab! You've been kinda strange all day!!”
—folds in on itself.
“Gems alive- everyone calm down. We aren't being attacked. Just- lets help Siffrin first.” Odile removes her hand from your shoulder. The remaining buzzing goes straight to your head and threatens to make you fall over.
Thankfully, you're used to moving and fighting while nauseous. So you manage not to.
Your legs feel like jelly. How present are you right now? You don't feel very real.
“Sif? Buddy?” You hear words. You look up at Isabeau, who was in your blindspot.
Isabeau’s brows furrow when he sees your face.
“Siffrin…?” You look at Mirabelle. She doesn’t look any better.
You try to say something.
You.
Don’t know what to say. What to do. Your mouth hangs open uselessly before you shut it again. Hiding your face with your cloak.
There's no script. You don't know what to do
(When have you become so reliant on it?)
(Dontthinkaboutit)
“Okay we help Frin first. Frin, would you like another hug?” Bonnie asks, you look at them in surprise for a moment. They are staring at you like they already know the answer.
You. You don't. You don't want a hug. You don't want to be cold. Your shoulder is still numb, but it's cold again. Bonnie’s hugs were once warm, but not anymore.
You just stand there. Terrified. Scared. Your walls have been ripped apart into dust because you can't think. You can't speak. You can't do anything but watch like a corpse.
Your heartbeat is loud in your ears.
“SIFFRIN, YOU LIKE HUGS?!” Mirabelle's voice is louder. You try not to flinch.
“Only if you ask first! Frin, I’m gonna hug you now.”
You suck in a breath. Waiting for the coldness to overwhelm you.
Instead, a blazing meteor of warmth crashes into you. Wrapping its flames around your body and squeezing just a bit too tight.
You gasp. Looking down at the kid holding you and burning you alive. Their face is buried into your side again.
You feel lightheaded, sluggishly putting your arms around them. Bonnie hugs you tighter and oh stars you cant breathe-
Deep breath in.
(Ignore your struggle to do so)
Deep breath out. You're here. You're here.
Do not collapse.
“Sif? Are you with us?” Isabeau is looming over you. You flinch and look up at him.
His hand
Hovers.
Over you.
He stares, hesitant. Watching your face, one that you apparently don't have as much control over as you think you did.
You wait for the hand to drop.
You wait for him to hold back.
“Can…I join you?” He asks.
He doesn't move.
He holds his place.
He waits for you.
That's not in his script. He isn't supposed to do that. He's supposed to just assume you hate touch and pull away, because it's an infinite cycle of—
….but there is no script here. It's not an actor.
Of course he asks, it's Isabeau.
“Um! Me too!” Mira chimes in, you force yourself to look away from Isa. She isn't looking you in the eye.
“You…helped out a lot yesterday” Mira takes a deep breath, then looks at you with a sort of determination “and…I think right now, you need us to help you too.”
Your vision is starting to swim and you are NOT about to start crying. Crying is NOT in the script.
You are disgusting. Disgusting. Disgusting. Broke the script and had an embarrassing meltdown and forgot how to speak like a normal person.
It's fine.
You're fine.
YOU ARE FINE.
….
…You shakily nod anyway. Because you're a scared coward and you know you can't convince them because you don't believe yourself.
How pathetic.
“Alright, one Isa and Mira hug coming up!” Isabeau warns lightheartedly.
You feel them both come closer
“here it comes….” Mirabelle sounds softer. Trying to be careful with you. Treating you like a fragile piece of glass that pricks your hands.
Maybe you are, because even with the warning, you still flinch when three- four- six arms are all touching you. You think Mira apologizes but the contact kills any thought.
Your rotten heart stutters. Your vision is blurry.
Isabeau has his head on top of your hat, knelt down a bit awkwardly in order to wrap one of his arms around you. Firmly pressing against your own and trapping where they are against Bonnie.
You feel like you're floating, but not. Isa’s holding your head so it doesn't float up into the clouds.
You can't see Mirabelle’s face either, but she's more hesitant than Isabeau. Slowly finding her head on your shoulder. Her hands wrap underneath your arms.
They brush up against your ribs, sending a shudder down your spine as she gently cradles you. Then hold on a little firmer.
It's too much. It's too much.
(You asked for this)
Your entire body feels stuffed with cotton. Taking every ounce of brainpower to stop yourself from collapsing in the warmth. Your cloak keeps you comfortable, but never like this.
You are so incredibly aware of your surroundings. More than you have in a long time. The pressure on your head and arms, shoulder and ribs, your waist and your stomach. Your swollen face, sore cheeks, blurry eyes staring into nothing.
For once, it doesn't hurt so much.
You.
Realize you don't know how to process this. It feels so real but doesn't at the same time.
You think you understand what Mira feels after beating the king when you don't talk to her about her papers. The script starts forcing those lines to the surface at the thought, but….
….
Your smile quivers, and you gently squeeze Bonnie.
(Were you smiling this whole time?)
(…that explains why your cheeks feel sore.)
They squeeze back. “You feelin better, Frin? Can you tell us what's wrong now?”
You suddenly remember why you are in this situation. Joustling Isabeau a bit, you look at Odile.
She's staring at you.
She doesn't like what she sees, the moment you look at her.
Stars, you feel awful. Awful and warm and….something else.
“Siffrin?”
You take a deep breath “Yea-“ stars NO your voice sounds too small, too weak.
You cough. Take a breath. another. Lean into the arms that hold you in place because you're needy and you want contact.
“Yeah?” There we go. Much better.
“Gems, please drop the smile.” Odile makes a disgusted face “It looks psychotic, which isn't a good look for a panic attack.”
You didn't even realize you were still smiling.
You slowly drop the smile. Stars, they all deserve to be disgusted with you.
“Thank you.” Odile relaxes, then looks "Do you…want to tell them?”
“How is this threat greater than the king connected to siffrin?” Mirabelles head tilts slightly on your shoulder, still refusing to let you go “and why aren't you saying anything madame?”
“…WAIT!” Bonbon—
pulls away from you.
Your heart sinks, and you revolt at how clingy you are. The way you just don't want to let go like a parasite. Sapping all the warmth out of their body and squeezing them tight like-
Mirabelle adjusts her hold on you now that Bonnie isn't in the way. You don't know what to do with your hands. So you slowly drop them.
Bonnie actually hasn't really moved that far, they are still in front of you, not even a step back. Just no longer hugging you.
“Frin?” Bonnie looks you in the eye, a very baffled yet serious look “Why do you smell like sugar?”
Ah. you read that craftonomy book earlier, didn't you?
Tried to ask Odile if there was anything else of note, but she either refused to humor you or there was genuinely nothing.
You don't really remember.
What matters is the shock from Isabeau and Mirabelle.
“YOU KNOW TIMECRAFT?!” Mirabelle lifts her head up off your shoulder, “Wait- No its Wishcraft! Which you DO know! Is that why the sadnesses were all running? How you knew what where to use the crest? Why the king felt so EASY?”
She grabs you firmer. Against yourself, you sink into it and sigh in contentment.
It hurts a bit, but you wouldn’t mind if your family ripped you apart as long as you were held like this.
“Madame, Siffrin, what is going on?” Isabeau asks from above you.
“….I suspected Siffrin was repeating the same events and not telling us about it.” Odile sighs.
“HuH??” Bonnie shouts. Mirabelle stiffens. Isabeau sucks in a breath.
“Maybe something went wrong, perhaps, and Siffrin rewinded time in order to try again.” Odile explains.
“Oh! like redoing a test after you failed it!” Bonnie gives a big smile in understanding, then it immediately drops. “Wait what.”
“Yeah.” Odile nods, thinks, then looks at Bonnie again “Actually, that's a great analogy, Boniface.”
“I don't know what ana-goly is, but im very smart!” Bonbon says way to seriously. “but go back to the other thing.”
Odile looks away “The other thing…..”
“Thats what you believed?” Mirabelle—
Ahhh she's pulling off you!
Good. You are a rotting thing, so she shouldn't have to touch this filthy parasite.
….you feel like screaming.
“…Now I believe it's worse than that.” Odile sighs. “When I confronted Siffrin, I started establishing all my evidence to lead up to my theory. However, midway through, he….started saying my words as I was saying them.”
They are going to hate you.
Isabeau stiffens. You want to loop back. You are already cringing out at your stupid impulsive brain but Odile doesn't stop, “He knew what I was going to say better than I did, which I say is a really high bar.”
They are going to hate you.
“Wait. then that's not the first time we saw those books?! Or won against the king?! Is that way it felt so…simple? Siffrin?” You opt to look at the floor instead of at Mira, you don't even try to lie. To convince them of something else. You dug your own grave.
You deserve to be hated.
“Siffrin…?” Mirabelle tries again. “Please…?”
“Sif. Please. Talk to us.” Isabeau—
Lets. Lets you go.
You take a deep breath in. Everyone is staring at you. You can't freak out.
Your head hurts. Your knees feel like they are about to buckle. Your stomach is killing you. The warmth left by the touch and pressure is quickly snuffed out by your cold, erratic heart.
“M’fine.” You mumble.
You can feel the tension worsen, and you look up and see nothing short of disappointment.
“Expressions, grant me paitence.” Odile rubs her temples.
“Siffrin.” You flinch, because Mirabelles never talked to you like that. With such sharpness that it can be compared to Odile. “It's NOT fine. You…you look so tired, and you're clearly hiding something!! You helped us so much yesterday and we want to help you.”
“YEAH! STOP BEING A CRAB! Even if I don't understand what Belle or Dile is saying!” Bonnie joins in.
“Your family too, Sif.” Isabeau sighs, you hate that disappointed look on his face, “Normally…id save this for later after we've eaten something, but I don't think it can wait.”
Your family wants to help you. Worthless old you?
They…dont hate you?
That doesn't make sense. They should. They should hate you. They are stuck here because of you.
“Maybe a less complex question? Hm….Oh! How are you controlling it? Going back in time?”
There's no way to possibly skirt around this.You rub your arms, once. Twice. Thrice. Trying to mimic what was once there because you are barely holding yourself together.
Why are you so scared? The head housemaiden is right there. None of this matters. It doesn't. All you have to do is tell her to break down and it all starts.
You scrunch your eyes shut. “….I don’t. It's. Not voluntary.”
Silence.
“Ahaha!” Isabeau laughs a bit awkwardly. “Yknow…When i asked that, i was already assuming that you could, because the king does!”
“It's not.” You can't believe your saying these words out loud. How have you managed to manipulate them into helping you?
Stupid idiot brain that needs to be reminded of books you've already heard the dialogue for 10 or so times by now because you can't hold memories even if cosmos depended on it.
“That's…not good!” Mirabelle’s trying really hard to keep it calm with her breathing.
You don't want to have this conversation.
“It's…not.” Odile replies.
“Okay, let's keep it calm now. What stops time?” Mirabelle tilts her head at you once she's relaxed.
“Gotta be more specific than that.” You take a deep breath. You wish you had a way to loop right now that didn't involve that head housemaiden. “If any of us die, I loop back.”
…your fingers twitch for your dagger.
You are not looping like that either.
Not in front of your family. You can't take that again. Maybe when they hate you, but not with this version of them.
(Don't think about the last time. Don't think about Bonnie failing to protect you. Don't think about Isabeau missing all the signs. Don't think about Odile tearing up. DO NOT THINK ABOUT MIRABELLE KISSING YOUR FOREHEA-)
…
Speaking of, Mirabelle looks on the verge of tears. Bonnie looks confused and a bit scared. Isabeau isn't looking at you and is rubbing his arms instead. Odile….
Well…
“If I had confronted you previously, then that means we have beaten the king at least once before.” Odile opens her notebook and stares at her notes. “I assumed death would cause it. To be honest, I believe this time loop deals more than I believe us surviving the house with little more than a few crafted waters and some tonics. But what causes the loop? How much time do we have?”
Ah.
You don't answer that.
Instead you stretch, and your bones crack in a few places. You fix your hat…and look at the head housemaiden.
This whole time, she's been standing about 5 steps away from you.
Yet, she hasn't moved.
She still stands there, eyes closed, hands folded proper in front of her. Smiling happily like nothing is wrong in the world right now.
“…Euphrasie?” Mirabelle squeaks.
“She knows about wishcraft too.” You look away from the head housemaiden. “Thats what that paper at her desks is referring to. Whenever I talk to her, she—“
I'm sorry! You'll be going back! Back when everything started!
Something’s broken, something’s failing, something’s rotten!!!
you swallow down bile, and continue “—gets all weird. Once she starts…she..doesnt stop. Even if I scream at her. I loop back before she finishes.”
Everyone looks at you. Processing what you said.
Is this the moment they realize how much of a hassle you are? Trapping them like this? Having the Head Housemaiden, Mirabelle’s idol, stuck in a role like this?
“What do any of those words mean!?” Bonnie half shouts.
Nope. It's comical relief time.
…
Yeah, no. You hate thinking of the kid like that. Even if thats kinda what they do. Bonnie is so much more than that.
Disgusting, disgusting Siffrin.
“Y’know that test you gotta redo over and over?” Isabeau asks.
“Oh. Yeah! Let's go back to the test!” Bonnie immediately latches on to what they understand.
It's…cute. How confusing this might be to them, and yet they are so determined to understand for you.
For you. They love you!
(You don't deserve it.)
“Let's say that the test is SUPER important. Like. Super duper important to do better than everyone else.” Isabeau puts his hands on his hips, then looks knowingly at everyone besides Bonnie. “Imagine, you redo it over and over every day, you study the parts you don't get before school. Until eventually, you get all the answers right. You tell all your friends the answers too, cuz you like your friends.”
Bonnie stares at him expectantly, he just looks at Mirabelle.
Mirabelle is confused for around five seconds before she clocks onto what he's doing.
“Oh!! A-And then! You hear your name and your friends' names being called!!” Mirabelle has sparkles in her eyes, Bonnie looks at her. “Because!! you are the only ones in the entire school to get all the answers right!”
Mirabelle looks at Odile next. All eyes go to her.
Oh. Oh you get it.
…
Some part of you taps that you should be hated, not…whatever this is. You ignore it, because you aren't the focus right now.
“You celebrate with your friends and with your sister, then you walk up to the principal, and she congratulates you. Then she stops.” Odile looks at you.
Following her gaze, everyone looks at you. Expectantly. Knowingly.
…..oh.
You should’ve guessed this would've happened. Honestly. You feel like an idiot for not picking up on where this was going.
A spotlight has been placed on you.
enter-
….Do you recite her lines? Is that your role here? Your role given because your friends don't trust you enough to actually explain what you mean if they asked?
enter HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN-
“Frin?” They sound excited.
You look up at everyone. They are staring at you.
The play in their faces is mostly gone.
You used to perform a bit for Bonnie, didn't you? Indulged in whatever they said. At least you think you used to perform. That sounds like something you’d do. You don't remember anything before the loops.
What's so different about this?
enter BONNIE and SIFFRIN
No. No. That's not right. get into character. Change up the script a bit. Back to the stage.
Who are you again?
(Do not spiral.)
It doesn't matter, you don't think.
enter BONNIE and ???
???: [Shocked, hand clasped over their mouth] Oh…Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no…
BONNIE: [Startled] Frin?! What's wrong??
???: Oh...Bonnie...!
BONNIE: FRIN?!
AUDIENCE: [confused] Sif…?
???: [folds hands together, kneels over and starts sobbing] I'm so sorry! There's no way we can stop it now...!
BONNIE: Huh?! Fix what?! [Looks around the stage]
AUDIENCE: [Aside] Maybe this wasn't as good of an idea as I thought it would be…
???: I'm sorry! You'll be going back! Back when everything started!
BONNIE: [Looks at ??? with excitement] Ohh!! I get it!!
???: I know you thought your quest was over, but it can't be!
BONNIE: Sooo nothing I say is gonna make you stop, right??
???: Something's broken, something's failing, rotting!!!
BONNIE: No? Okay. I’ll— [cut off]
???: I can't fix it on my own, not before it all ends... If only I had noticed sooner!!!
???: I should've seen it, prevented it!!!
???: It's my fault that you have to suffer like this
???: I just hope that one day….You might learn to for—
…
You are out of lines. Your throat closes up. Your palms are shaking.
“Woah.” Isabeau says from somewhere above you. “For a moment I thought something was genuinely wrong.”
Your hands are still clasped tightly together. You want to rip your gloves apart. Dig your nails into your flesh
“You think The Head Housemaiden said those things?” Odile wonders.
“Id rather not think about that, thank you.” Mirabelle replies. “Shes not…easily scared”
“Woahhh! Do you not get to finish your sentence?” Bonnie asks, innocently staring up at you.
You stare at them.
and stare.
then slowly pick yourself back up. You dont lean over as much as the head housemaiden does. Bonnie just isnt small enough compared to you.
You didnt actually start crying, you touch your cheeks to make sure, but whatever face you made must’ve looked convincing.
(Your eyes are pricking. You ignore it.)
“-omthing like that” you wince at the voice crack, but Bonnie seems to be happy.
“That was REALLY cool Frin!” Bonnie sounds impressed. “and also really scary. Its like. Going to school forever. Do you get breaks?”
You shake your head.
“Yeah. That sucks.” Bonbon grumbles, their face all pouty. “If I had to do that I’d destroy the world.”
your mouth curls into a smile.
you snort.
…and you laugh.
It….it feels genuine.
Stars. When was the last time you genuinely laughed? Where it didn't feel weird or was just part of the script?
You love your family. You love them so much.
Oh. Oh no nevermind you cant stop laughing. The universe has decided you can't have anything nice.
“HEY! You think I can't do it?!” Bonnie shouts.
Stars- Stars stop laughing! No!! You're gonna repeat the Isa pun incident!!
“Siffrin?” Ahh!! Nevermind you've been noticed already, sorry Odil-
WHY ARE YOU CRYING?! STOP CRYING! STOP LAUGHING!!
“Hey Sif? Lets…maybe slow down?” ISABEAU! SO SORRY!!! THIS HAPPENS AGAIN!!!
“Uhhh…Frin? uh. Woah. Was it that funny?” Bonbon sounds concerned. Stars!!
“Siffrin? You okay?” Mirabelle!! Help me!!!
You laugh. and laugh and laugh and LAUGH AND cry and cry and-
Oh. Oh this is a waterworks show!! youve been deceived!!
You try to cover your face, wipe your tears. But they keep coming. Your hands are all shaky and you're cold. You still taste sugar in your mouth.
“I MADE FRIN CRY!!” Bonnie freezes up- NO NO NO NO!!
“Sif? What's wrong?” You hear Isa getting closer YOUR MAKING THEM ALL WORRY!
GET IT TOGETHER
You sniffle.
This is your own stupid fault!! No!! No dont worry!!
“N-No- Im fine- i-its-“ Ohh! a hiccup!! Stars you are so PATHETIC! “I just love you. I love you all so much-“
and you feel so incredibly guilty but you don't say that because you're a coward and a manipulator. Admitting the first part out loud was hard enough!!
“Sif…” How many times has he said THAT since Odile confronted you?
“Oh! Aw…” Mirabelle coos at you.
“Oh! Okay.” Bonnie relaxes thank the UNIVERSE they relax or else you were going to blinding- “WAIT DOES THAT MEAN I WAS BEING CUTE!? NO!!!”
You're laughing again. Oh!! You hate this! Get back to the stage! Take the bow! Please! Your so tired-
Oh your swaying side to side! Cool! Dying multiple times and feeling horrible all the time can only make you immune to falling over for so long!
Strong, big hands gently grab your sides just before your body gives out. You don't even try to fight whatever he is doing. You think Isabeau is apologizing but you don't care because he's warm and you're hungry and dizzy and cold.
(Selfish selfish selfish SELFISH-)
You force deep breaths as your back is put to lean on a pillar and given space. Breathing comes in shaky for longer than you’d like to admit.
It feels like needles are closing in on your throat.You can't help but think about how fragile you are.
You must really come with care instructions, don't you?
…..
It takes a moment for you to regain your composure. You tuck your hat over you to hide your ugly, swollen face.
You can't cry. Even though you already did, you just can't do it more than that. You are already embarrassed.
“Sorry. I'm alright now.” You say with a steady voice. Noting the very loud, prolonged silence.
“Not buying that, buddy.” Isabeau's voice comes from somewhere on your blind side.
“Its time for another Frin hug,” Bonnie declares, “because he's a crab and needs a hug. Okay? Ima hug you again.”
You barely react when a Bonnie shaped weight crashes onto your legs, wrapping their arms around your waist to hold you in place.
You pull your hat up just enough to see them, and they try their best to smile at the gnarly sight of you. It seems they've taken off their hat in order to fit comfortably.
You gently put a hand on top of their head and ruffle their hair the way Odile does to you. You enjoy the pressure on your legs for a while.
“So…what now?” Mirabelle asks.
You gently comb your hands through Bonnie's hair.
“Mmm, depends. What were you planning siffrin?” Odile directs it to you.
“Dont…worry about it” you wince, your voice is so hoarse. “You wont remember anyway-“
Bonnie suddenly squeezes you, hard little hands digging into your skin in frustration. Maybe it'll hurt if it wasn't for the loops numbing your pain. It's still good though, the numb ache helps ground you. Distracts you from how awful everything else is.
…Nevermind, it makes you feel guilty.
But ah, who cares how you feel?
“Frin, we are gonna help you. I don't really get the whole we forget later part and the time stuff, but you promised to let me help you and not let yourself hurt!”
….you did promise that didn't you. You can care less all you want, but if your family does..stars you can’t tell them no. Even when it makes you feel gross.
“Sorry, Bonnie.” you sulk in defeat. It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. Just try and go through all the dialogue and get to the head housemaiden.
“Whatever. Crab.” Bonnie sticks their tongue at you. “Now talk!”
“Hey, at least he's trying!” You take a deep breath and try not to be angry. This is patronizing. You were fine on your own. You don't even care to think about who said that.
You look up again, this time trying to avoid looking at your family. So you look beyond where the head housemaiden is and towards the balcony behind her.
….
Now that you think about it, you don't think the clouds are moving. This is the longest you've spent at this scene.
The script was over for a long time now.
….you don't want to think about this anymore.
“I wanted to ask the head housemaiden about wishcraft.” You look back down, refusing to let anyone see your face. “If she knew enough to do what she did, then maybe she’ll know how to fix it.”
“I thought you said you can't get her to say anything else.” You can hear the cocked eyebrow in Odile’s voice.
“After she starts panicking. Before then, she's fine.” You correct her.
“Wait, slow down, is it all Euphrasie’s fault?” Mira steps closer to you.
“She had as many people as she could wish for Vaugarde's survival, but not with proper rituals.” To think a stupid leaf caused all of this. “I knew a proper ritual, so when I wished, it…caught onto me?”
“What did you wish for then? I hate to break it to you but that ‘I wish for croissants to disappear’ or whatever is not a good lie.” Odile presses.
“…It's embarrassing.” you grumble. “I don't wanna say it.”
Especially since the subject of that wish is on your LAP!!
“Siffrin. You are currently in one of my books, and that's not!!! a good thing!!” Mirabelle clasps her hands close to her heart. Sitting next to you and Bonnie on the floor. “Just…tell us, okay? If things go as you say, then we won't even remember the next loop!!”
“It doesn't matter.” You counter, and don't think about how technically nothing matters. “If Euphrasie knows something and can fix it, she'll tell us. If she can't, you won't remember my wish and ill have to say it again”
You know that Euphrasie has the answers. It's just a way out of this topic.
“….You’ll tell us next loop that you're looping, right?” Isabeau says something for the first time in a while.
Nevermind you’ve fallen into another hole. The stars hate you. You look at him. His “trying to be laid back” demeanor falters once he catches your face.
No. The simple answer was No.
The script is all you have. It's all that makes things easier and the reason you can cope with things being the same for so long….
…but you did promise Bonnie, didn't you?
At this point you promised them dozens of times. You aren't good at falling through with it. You're manipulative and selfish.
You don't know how many more times you can just say nothing.
….do they hate you now after you helped them? Doesn’t seem like it. Maybe if you tell them at the field after doing-
No. No you can't.
…
Everyone is staring at you in silence.
“Siffrin. How many loops has it been?” Isabeau's voice has gone from casual questions to more serious. Oh great your in a bigger hol-
OH HA! Now you CANT tell them THAT!
How many even are you on? 181? 183? It's in the 180 ballpark, right?
Of searching and dying and fighting and fighting and running around and reading and tear tear tear banana banana banana another tear and ohhh your dagger will be so much faster and hey it wont give you nightmares!
YOU WANT THIS TO BE OVER.
You stare at him and say nothing.
“How many?” Odile presses, and your gaze follows her as she opens her notebook, staring at it, then at you intently.
She'll hate you.
It doesn't matter if she hates you.
You feel someone take your hand.
You look over at Mirabelle. She's been silent for a moment. Right now she only gives you a gentle smile, then gently squeezes your gloved hand.
“….You won't like it.” You warn, looking down again. Maybe if you just tell them. They'll stop, or at least not be as mad at you.
“Thats okay, we prepared not to.” Mirabelle hums. Sounding way too confident. ”we want to be here for you”
“Youll h -ate me.” you hate how your voice cracks. Blind the universe.
“Im not sure why you'd think that but we won't!" Isabeau laughs. He laughs. He laughs.
He's laughing.
“I trapped you all in a TIMELOOP!! AND-“ You bite your tongue when the words come out angry.
You just screamed at your family. Isa is staring at you in disgust. In disgust and hatred and-
You are disgusting disgusting disgusting-
“Frin! That's DUMB! Also calm down.” Bonnie gives you a gentle squeeze.”Your breathing is all weird.”
You jerk, then look at Bonnie. Just to be met with a glare…and…something else you can't describe on their face.
“…..S-Sorry.” blind it all, your voice shakes and it sounds so vulnerable and icky. Your face heats up with embarrassment.
They pout, but give a small smile at you, and nuzzle into your stomach and stars. You are so glad you don't have to directly ask for this. You are pretty sure you would've cracked under pressure if you had nothing holding you in place.
(In the back of your mind, you wonder if Bonnie is aware of what they're doing.)
“Sorry.” You mumble. Decidedly pulling your hat in a way that not even Bonnie or Mirabelle can see you.
Cheers, to whoever made your hat and cloak.
“I don't know if it needs to be more obvious, but you are the only one who remembers that.” Odile sighs.
Who remembers Bonnie being squeezed
Who remembers death, after death.
Death after death after death after—
“What Odile means—“ Isabeau interrupts your spiral. “—is that it was an accident, and despite what any previous loop might have you think, we don't hate you. We won't hate you.” Isa rubs his arms, looking away in a way you know means he's angry at you. “Im…more upset that you wont let us help.”
Upset that you-
Ohhhh! No! You’ve made it WORSE! Trying to protect them makes them hate you anyway!!
Does it matter? Does it matter?!
You…..briefly consider telling them a different number, but you are so tired.
You pull your hat up, and look at Bonbon. Who immediately squints and studies your face.
You look at Mirabelle. She takes a deep breath, and nods at you.
You look at Isabeau, his face softens into a smile.
You look at Odile. She's staring at you in a way that almost reminds you of regret. If you didn't know any better.
Deep breath in.
Deep breath out. Just say it. One number.
“180.” you blurt out before you give yourself time to regret it.
You continue staring at Odile, watching her eyes blow uncharacteristically wide in her shock. Her shoulders tense as her book snaps closed.
There's no other sound. Nobody says a thing. You hold eye contact with Odile because you know she probably has the tamest reaction.
…….
…
..
.
.
.
“What” Bonnie is first. Genuine confusion.
“Huh?” Mirabelle’s voice is so flat. You look- no you can't look down you'd be looking at Bonnie. You look at Odile again— ohhhh no no NO she's AFRAID AGAIN!!!!
You close your eyes. Wait, is it even 180?
“maybe 184.” you correct. Then immediately cringe. That just makes it worse, blind it. Blind it. Blind it.
“Sif. Sif. 184 loops?” Isabeau chuckles, clearly hoping for something, anything to make it better. “Where do they start?”
“The field. Where I take a nap.” Breathe in. Breathe out. Just dont think about how long its been.
“Change.” Isabeau hisses like some kind of snake??? Which you don't think he's done before?!
“Expressions save me-“ ahhhh!! You’ve made her scared again~~~~ You almost let yourself forget about that~~
“Yeah. Not all of them last very long though-.” You try and keep your voice steady and implement some kind of damage control but-
“SIFFRIN!!” Mirabelle yells. “Do NOT try to downplay this. Please. Please don't."
Your mouth closes.
You don't want to think about this anymore.
You already broke. At some point. You think maybe when you first got sent back to that field when you thought it was all over.
You are trying to cope. With the script. With your dagger. With Loop. Mirabelle brushing your hair is also nice.
(Don’t think about touch therapy. Don't think about how the few times the script allows you contact, it mostly feels dead and cold. Not to mention selfish. Do not think about how hungry you are, even now.)
There's warmth right now. Hold onto that.
“When I said I’d blow up the world. I thought you meant like 10 times. If I had to do it ONE HUNDRED? I'm blowing up the SUN!!” Bonnie shouts.
You want to laugh. You want to feel something but despite that, you don't. Nobody does, actually. Nobody is better off. You feel overwhelmed and vulnerable. You hate it.
“Please don't linger too long on it.” you plea, gently patting Bonnie's head.
“Dont LINGER?!” Mirabelle’s voice is building up with horror. “Siffrin—“
“Its….its not…it’s not over.” you fight against yourself. You don't actually think this will continue for very long, because the head housemaiden has the answers, but you really want out here. “You are making it sound so bad right now and I-“
You don't know how much longer you have. Every loop you rot and rot and rot some more and hurt your family and-
It's fine.
“I see. I get it.” Odile puts their notebook away. “For the sake of Siffrin's sanity, let's not ponder over that large number. However, Siffrin.”
You hum in response.
“The moment you are out of this time loop, for sure, we are having some kind of talk.”
“Sure. Fine.” you give in. No point in fighting it here.
“Sif?” You startle, unsure when Isabeau came and sat on your blindspot, but his voice scares you. “Oh- Sorry!”
“Fine. What's up?” You take a deep breath, in and ou-
“Tell us something funny.” Isa tells you.
“Wah?” you squeak instead of properly breathing out. You hear Bonnie’s voice crack at it.
“It couldn't have all been bad, I mean we had a great time for the most part.” Isabeau wrings his fingers a bit. “Something funny happens that didn't happen here?”
Stars, what didn't happen here?
You went for books. You’ve been so tired these past few loops you haven't been paying that much attention to much else.
“….Yknow the first floor snack break?” You think this wasn't this loop
“Yeah?”
“You’d crush half of a cookie.”
“WHAT??” Bonnie lifts themself off of you and you don't make a face at the loss of pressure. “ZA! HOW COULD YOU!”
“IT WASN'T ME!” Isabeau cries out, hands up in surrender.
“Isabeau?! Crushing a cookie?!” Mirabelle's hands are on her mouth but it's clear she's trying not to laugh.
“How scandalous” Odile chuckles “Why though?”
“Id say ‘Yes please, Mr Amazing-Wonderful-Funny-Buff-Isabeau!’” Before you asked me to and it’ll scare you so bad you'd crush the cookie.
“Oh. Gross.” Bonnie sticks their tongue out.
“….Yeah. Yeah that'll do it.” Isabeau looks away and your face is a bit warm and— stars, you feel disgusting actually.
You didn't even MEAN to do that this time!!! How awful can you be???
“You are terrible.” Odile chuckles again, on the verge of cackling.
“AND DESTROYER OF FOOD!” Bonnie punches your stomach a few times. You don't react to it at all.
“….WAIT.” Mirabelle shouts, and you look over at her.
She's looking between you and Isabeau with a frantic, Her eyes are so wide they remind you of a seal.
“What?” Bonnie asks.
“….Nevermind.” The housemaiden looks down to the side. Hands clasped so tightly together. “Oh change, how didn’t I notice?”
You have a feeling you weren't supposed to hear that last part…
Oh stars, did she figure it out?
“Enough tormenting poor Isabeau.” Odile chuckles. You look up at her, pulling and tugging at the script in your mind. Skimming through it before deciding:
“Odile you are not safe either, I got you to say Nya.” You grin, it feels genuine. Even though you feel like a mess.
“You what?” Odile’s face blanks. You flinch at the screaming from Bonnie, Isabeau, and Mirabelle combined.
“Nya?!” Bonnie sounds more confused than anything.
“M’DAME?!” You think he's more shocked, but there’s a hint of that tea kettle in there.
“She WHAT!?” Mirabelle squees. Definitely really happy.
“May I ask. What in the expression's name did you do that made me say that?” Odile pulls up her notebook, opening it. Staring at you very, very intently.
“….Nah.” You don't want to embarrass yourself in this.
“Evil. Evil child.” She snickers. “I see you have blackmail on everyone.”
“Do NOT ASK what Siffrin has seen. Okay.” Isabeau sweats. “Please don't say anything else about me.”
“Im scared as to what you know, now.” Bonnie looks VERY serious. You roll your eyes and ruffle their hair like Odile does sometimes.
“….You won't use blackmail on me, right?” Mira looks genuinely concerned.
Do not make her upset!!!
“No, I'm not that cruel.” You sigh. ‘I love you guys too much’ gets stuck in your throat. You’ll never be able to hurt them. Even if it's somehow the key to breaking out the loops, you’ll never hurt them.
…
You don't want to think about that.
“Besides that, we feeling better?” Isabeau’s voice draws you out of your thoughts, and you stare at him.
…Huh.
“Yeah. Thanks Isa.” You look at him with what you hope is a grateful look, and his eyes soften and partially melt.
“Alright, comic relief detour over.” Isa snaps out of his trance. “Head Housemaiden?”
…Right.
“Yeah. C'mon Bonbon get off me.” You gently bounce one of your legs, and Bonnie immediately takes the hint and scrambles off you like the gremlin they are. Scooping up their hat that they tossed.
You slowly stand up again, dusting yourself off as Isa and Mira get up beside you. You take a small stretch, then start walking towards the head housemaiden. This conversation will never happen again, but that doesn't stop your mind from mentally writing down the new dialogue tree and adding everything to the script.
Well, as much as you can remember anyway, it tends to take a few repeats before its fully fleshed out. Unless it's something like what happened with Odile, or that tutorial sadness. You wouldn’t mind forgetting those—
“Siffrin! Wait!” she says, you look up from her hand and up at her. Mira has that questioning tilt. “Do you usually go on your own?”
“Yeah?” You reply.
“Siffrin, may we join you?” Odile asks.
Ehh????? “Eh?”
“Maybe she'll react differently if all of us are there talking to her. Especially Mirabelle.” Odile looks at you, then the head housemaiden, then Mirabelle, then you again. “That is, assuming we have never interacted with her at this point.”
“Oh. I didn't even think about that.” Isabeau buds in.
“No…Its…always just me.” You’ve never even considered this.
“Good idea, Madame!” Mira’s eyes glimmer “I was just wondering because I frankly don't know what we usually do.”
Your gut sinks. This is a bad idea. Normally when friendquests happen they realize whats going on. Their heads hurt and you dont…
(but that's the reason you came this far, wasn't it? To see them panic. For them to see you.
You got what you wanted, you are seen. Was it worth it?)
“Frin?” Bonnie’s voice interrupts your thoughts before you can slip any further. “We are coming too, okay?”
“….You know it's probably gonna get a bit scary, right?” you try and warn.
You remember the panic on their faces…Isabeau reaching out to you…
“We just beat the king, Siffrin. We can handle a bit of fear.” Odile shoots a glare at you.
“Yeah!” Bonnie throws their fists in the air.
“But—“ you try to argue, to say anything about this. Your gut is telling you this is a bad idea.
“Nope.” Odile cuts you off. “Again. Siffrin, we can't emphasize this enough. We want to help, if there’s tangible evidence that Euphrasie knows something, we will do anything to help you.”
You look at Odile. Then Mira, then Isa, then Bonnie. All of them stare at you in determination, ready to fight whatever argument you have next about them not helping.
…..your family…
Your shoulders drop in defeat, but you can't help the small, shaky smile that forms on your face.
“I love you guys.” You blurt out. Then immediately duck your head into your collar.
“Aw, I love you too.” Mira’s shoulders relax and the look she gives you makes you regret being vulnerable less.
“Me three!!” Isa shouts cheerfully, and you try not to pay attention to his face.
“Fourth!” Bonnie throws their fists into the air. You cant stop a small huff of fondness.
“The dreaded L word.” Odile rolls her eyes, but a smirk picks at the edges of her frown.
“M’dame~” Isa clasps his hands together and leans over like a damsel.
“Fine.” Odile looks down for a moment, adjusting her glasses before hitting you with a critical gaze.
“I leaf you.”
You can't help it, you snicker, then laugh. Isabeau full on cackles.
“Dile what the crab!” Bonbon yells, much more disappointed than any of you.
“Good enough!” You manage when you calm down.
“Alright. Come on now. The Head Housemaiden is waiting for us.” Odile scoffs. You nod…and with a bit of pressure in your chest. You take the lead.
You walk in front of the head housemaiden, still as a statue.
She doesn't move.
You don't have any lines, so you stand and wait patiently like you always do.
Of course, your family immediately tears any hopes of following a script
“Um-“ Bonnie looks up at you brie—
“Traveling one!” The head Housemaiden sings in surprise. bringing a hand to her chest, as per usual. “Are you done talking with your companions? Yes, wonderful, wonderful!”
She doesn't even acknowledge them.
You. You don't like th-
“Euphrasie!” Mira shouts, from your right side. Then gently-
take your hand.
and squeezes it.
…(You are not alone.)
You give her a squeeze back.
Euphrasie blinks a few times. Then properly looks at Mira. Then you. Then your family.
“Ohoho! Said companions are all here! So sorry! My, I’m usually better at determining who's around me with my eyes closed.” Euphrasie chuckles a few times awkwardly. You don't think you’ve seen this look on her yet.
“You cut me off!” Bonbon pouts from your left, gently grabbing onto your cloak.
“Oh!! I'm so sorry!” Euphrasie holds her hands to her chest like Mira does, and crouches down to Bonnie’s level. “My greatest mistake. It will not happen again, young one.”
“Mkay. Thank you.” Bonbon nods at Euphrasie, and she smiles and stands back up. They don't let go of you.
“Wonderful! Again, very sorry!” Euphrasie folds her hands and stares at the rest of you with a sheepish smile.
You. You are silent. The lines you have planned for this moment have been thrown out and have been taken over by your family members.
“Hey! It's alright!” Isa says from behind Mira.
You should be angry. Because you should be the one asking this, and dealing with the Head Housemaiden.
“Anyway, If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to let me know!” The Head Housemaiden smiles gratefully at everyone but Mirabelle. “I know you are all soon to return to your lives, but I hope you’ll stay in touch. Especially for young Mirabelle.” She looks fondly at the younger Housemaiden, who smiles but then immediately focuses.
“I'd like to ring that offer for help.” Odile says. “This is very important, and we have reasons to believe you will be able to assist.”
But…you…
…you don't mind. Really.
It feels like a load has been taken off you.
“Oho! Sure! What is it?” It's strange. You haven't seen Euphrasie act like this before.
Isn't it wonderful, how your family does the difficult part for you? And it feels so much more natural?
“Wish craft. It appears something has gone wrong.” You don't look at Odile, but there's a chance she's looking at you. “We believe you have the ability to fix it?”
“Wish craft?” Euphrasie frowns, bringing a hand to her chest and tilting her head. Your heart sinks.
“We found the papers in your office!” Mirabelle shouts, then clearly realizes something “O-Oh... Sorry. We snooped through some of your stuff looking for a key.”
She knows something. Surely. She has to.
“Oh! Wish Craft!” Euphrasie brightens up, and with it you breathe. “Yes, it just so happened that a lot of people in Vaugarde wished for our country to be saved! I did not think it would work, but if you're here, perhaps it... Did…”
The Head Housemaiden blankly stares at Odile…. Then slowly looks up and stares into nowhere.
Nono. No. No. She's so close to actually TALKING!
“Please don't" you whisper. beg. Under your breath. You aren't sure if anyone heard you.
“Um…Earth to Euphrasie??” Isabeau leans over and snaps his fingers in front of her.
Euphraise flinches back a bit. Looking in between your family. She still looks dazed and out of it, a little.
(You wonder if this is what you looked like, earlier)
“Whats wrong, tall lady?” Bonnie asks, and gets no reply. The Head Housemaiden looks around with a..look on her face.
“Is..something the matter?” Odile asks.
That snaps her out of it, and she frantically looks between your family “Oh, sorry. Its just-“
Her gaze lands on you.
The head Housemaidens eyes blow wide, and her hand goes to her mouth in shock.
You know.
Act 6. Scene 8.
HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN: Oh... Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no…Oh... Siffrin…!
The light of the sun is ripped away.
The spotlights all land on one spot.
It's happening again.
As usual. You freeze. And you find yourself unable to move.
“Gems.” Odile mutters, then her voice goes from casual to demanding, “Head Housemaiden. Euphrasie Listen to me! What is going on?!”
[Tears well up in the HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN’s eyes]
“EUPHRASIE?!” Mirabelle shouts, taken off guard at how quick she went from being fine to crying.
You want to scream. You don't.
HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN: I'm so sorry! There's no way we can stop it now…!
Not even your family can stop her.
“CRAB!! SHE'S SAYING THE THING.” Bonnie shouts
“No. Now we can figure it out! Just tell us what you know!” Isabeau puts a hand on your shoulder and, and it's not enough to get you to even flinch.
HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN: I'm sorry! You'll be going back! Back when everything started!
Everything is being enveloped in burnt sugar. It shoves its way into your nose. Your throat. Your eyes—
“It stinks…” Bonbon comments.
You have to say something you have to say something you have to get out of the blinding script—
“But you can fix it, can't you?!” You shout. Desperate and frustrated. “You can help, right?!”
“YEAH!” Mirabelle shouts, matching your vigor “Head Housemaiden! You can help! Surely! Right?
HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN: know you thought your quest was over, but it can't be! Something's broken, something's failing, rotting!!!
[The scene gets darker]
“No! Stop tha- ah!!” Bonnie very much doesn't let go of your cloak. But your party lurches all around you
“The air here is-“ Isabeau coughs, “I-Its- the loops right?”
“Head Housemaiden Euphrasie! Please!” Mirabbelle grabs her hands with her free hand. Refusing. Refusing to let go of you.
“HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN!!!” Isabeau shouts.
No, no, no, she's repeating the same things still!!! Why is she always repeating the same thing, over and over and over?!
Even with your family here she always gets stuck HERE!
THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO.
YOU JUST-
(Bonbon has transitioned from holding your cloak to clambering under it. Hugging you. You use your free hand to hold them closer.)
(Mira hold on you has become a death grip. You doubt she notices. You squeeze her with a safer amount of pressure.)
(Isa’s hand is on your shoulder. You are sure if this was the favor tree, you’d freeze up and collapse into him.)
(Odile is somewhere behind you. Through the dense caramel, you can feel her channeling craft.)
You just wish she would ANSWER YOU!!
“Now that you know, we all know, you can fix it. Right?!” You shout and—
Everything.
Pauses.
Like. It was frozen in time.
The air stops pressing further into itself. It doesn't let up. Just. Stops in its tracks. The darkness stops creeping towards you.
The head housemaiden's eyes
slowly
Lock onto you.
She actually looks at you.
Your family feels the wrongness too.
Mira slowly lets go of her.
Bonbon grips you harder.
Isa pulls you backwards by your shoulder, taking Mira and Bonbon with you.
Odile is suddenly in front of all of you, her hand in between you and the head housemaiden. You can't see her expression.
(“But I would do anything to protect all of you. Horrible things, to be honest, as long as I could be sure you were all safe.”)
You force yourself to look away from her and back at the head housemaiden.
She stares directly at you. Like a predator waiting for its prey to stop moving. Tears streamed down her eyes. Bent over, hands clasped together.
You think you taste rotten apples in your mouth.
In silence. You and your family stare at the head housemaiden for what feels like eternity.
“Fix it?” she says.
Two words. That's All she says.
and
The
Darkness
takes
Shape.
…You…..
You can't tell what it is.
You blink at it.
Odile vanishes.
What.
You blink again. Once. Twice. No. Still gone.
Isabeau's hand stutters.
“GEMS!” She screams. That.
You look at the darkness again. It's a bunch of silhouettes you can't make out, but you can see her craft being used. “ODILE?”
“MADAME!” Mira shouts, you look at her horrified expression hoping for some kind of expl-
Mirabelle takes in a breath to say something, her free hand going to her weapon but she's grabbed by lightless hands and-
Yanked.
away from you.
You whip around, muscles ready to lunge, but you freeze in place again.
The darkness.
Is you.
“MIRA!!” Isabeau yells, and moves before you can.
The darkness notices.
Lightless arms and darkless hands reach. Isabeau's eyes widen as four- eight- twelve arms from six Siffrin’s grab him and yank him into the darkness like they are pulling dead actors off the stage. His silhouette lost quickly in countless hats.
He shouts.
You see craft being thrown. By Mirabelle. By Isabeau.
Your hand around Bonnie tightens.
“FRIN? WHATS GOING ON?” Nono Bonnie fights against your hand to get out from under your cloak-
“Bon dont-“ You start.
Too late.
Hands grab at you and push you away. Grabbing hungrily at the kid you had under your cloak and-
“FRIN!!!”
NO NO NO NO N O!
NOT AGAIN!!
“BONNIE!!!” You scream. Grabbing your dagger and snapping {make up the time} to reach out and
There's hands on your cheeks.
Your face is grabbed and forced to look away from Bonbon.
There's pressure on your face.
The Head Housemaiden has her forehead pressed against yours.
In less than ten seconds. You went from being protected to being alone with her again.
“No. It's too late, Siffrin. It's always been too late.” she whispers to you. Barely loud enough for you to hear.
….What?
Your mind briefly goes to your family, but you will never hurt your family. The head Housemaiden is replying to you.
You have to say something "But if you know about Wish Craft... You must know how to--"
“Oh, Siffrin...! It's true. All of Vaugarde wished to the Favor Tree, wished for us to be saved. We wished for a savior. A way for us to win against the King.” She cuts you off. Crying like a river.
“BONIFACE! Here!” Odile shouts. Your throat titans.
“And Wish Craft gave us the means to do it, didn't it? Made sure it'd work?” The Head Housemaiden stares into you. “Somehow, Wish Craft gave us a savior, able to use Time Craft... Able to retry, as many times as it took! So you could beat the King!!!”
“TAKE THAT! NOT-FRINS!” Bonbon shouts. you can't. Attack.
“R-Right! So–“ You stutte—
“But... But something went wrong, didn't it?” she cuts you off again.
“ARTSY SILENT BURST!” Mirabelle shouts somewhere offstage.
You’ve dropped your dagger on the floor.
“Something goes wrong, every time!!!” The headhousemaiden closes her eyes. Her llip is quivering. “If you're here now, asking about Wish Craft, then something must be wrong, isn't it? This isn't the first time you've gotten this far, isn't it?!?”
“I GOTCHA!” Isabeau shouts from somewhere. “I got you. Cmon-“
You can't move at all.
“It shouldn't be like this... Why does time loop back, even though the King has been defeated?!?” She shakes her head in despair. “The only answer I can find... Is it's because we did it wrong.”
…..what?
“I don't know what happened! But we must've done it wrong!!!” She shouts in your ears and it echoes once. Twice. Three times. “None of us in Vaugarde knew the exact ritual, but-- But we must have done it so wrong, it broke, and it doesn't answer to us at all anymore!!!”
“There you are Isabeau- wheres- How is there so many of them?!”
You can't look away from the head housemaiden.
“Or maybe-- Maybe someone wished for it, wished for our wish to fail!!! Wished for this!!!” She cries out louder “Something made our wish break, made it fail, made it rot!!!”
“Siffrin?!”
“O-Or maybe—” She's not done. How is she not done?! “ —the wish can't come true anymore, somehow!!! Maybe the King wasn't defeated the right way-- It'll forever remain incomplete, and Wish Craft, the world, will not abide it!!!”
“Sif! Where are you!!!”
The Head housemaiden shakes her head, forehead still pressed on yours. “I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!!!”
You can't do anything.
The wish. Itself….
…..broken?
She can't help you?
“If only... If only we had fought back against the King, instead! If only we didn't wish for such a thing!” The head housemaiden doesn't stop
You are trapped forever??
“If only I knew this would happen, if I had noticed it sooner, I would never have let people wish at all! To know you'll be trapped for all eternity….”
“THE LADY HAS THEM!!”
“Siffrin... I am so sorry!!!” She squeezes you. close. Tighter. You hate it.
“Siffrin!!!” Odile yells. You know that very specific tone of voice.
You realize. a very simple thing.
“SIFFRIN!!!” Mirabelle next. she sounds closer.
ah…ah…ahaa….
You cant look away. But you can hear the sound of battle still happening as your family tries to reach you.
But you know.
“It's our fault, all of Vaugarde, that you have to suffer like this!!!”
It doesn't matter how close to your family you are. How much you let them see your rot.
“I just hope that one day…”
“SIF! SIF!!! SIFFRIN!!!”
Because here, your family will never truly reach you.
But the loops will
You are grabbed by lightless arms full of burnt sugar.
Even now, you cant look away.
“You might learn to forgive us!!!!!!”
The curtain falls
and
There’s a tug on your—
Loop 186
—stomach
You.
Stare at the clouds.
Your back is prickled gently by grass.
You are back.
YOU ARE BACK.
Nope. No. Haha! Calm down! Calm down! Deeep breaths in! Deeep breaths out!
You had a theory, and it was wrong.
You thought the Head Housemaiden would know how to save you, but she doesn't. She blinding doesn’t. That's all good. It's fine! It's all fine!!!
At least you know why you're here. You're here because everyone wished for it!!!
Everyone in Vaugarde wished for your suffering! Everyone wished for you to be stuck repeating everything, to bE ROTTING HERE FOREVER--
No, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine. Calm down.
People in Vaugarde wished for the King to be defeated, for Vaugarde to be saved, but no one knew how to do Wish Craft. No one knew the correct rituals. Not even the Head Housemaiden.
Is that why? Is that why you've been stuck in this loop?
They wished for it, but wished wrong, and so the wish is breaking, folding in on itself? Because it was done wrong?
Or maybe-- Maybe! Maybe YOU did it wrong! They wished for it, for the King to die, but-- But he disappears, every time you win, and the wish revolves around you, so maybe--
wait.
He disappears.
He disappears. By your craft he disappears -
NO!
HE DOESN'T DISAPPEARS BY YOUR CRAFT! HE ISN'T “DEFEATED”! NOR IS IT BY YOU! WHO THE WISH IS CENTERED AROUND!
It's Mirabelle. Mirabelle makes him ‘disappear’. but does that even count as defeat? Even though it still technically saves vaugarde? Could the Head Housemaiden be right about that?
THERE! THATS SOMETHING! TWO SOMETHINGS EVEN! NOT A WASTE OF TIME!!!!
IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THOSE!
All you have to do is loop to the third floor and [Tear Him Apart] with your own two hands. Fight him and slash him into pieces and rip his hair out and reach into his chest and kill kill KILL!
IT ALWAYS COMES BACK TO THE KING DOESNT IT?! EVERYTHING IS STUCK IN ETERNAL SUFFERING BECAUSE OF HIM!!
You just need to make sure Mirabelle doesn't land the final hit and the wish can stop being broken in theory and stars how did you not think about this earlier you just need to loop on that banana peel one more time and get to the king and kill the king and make sure none of the wishes break so you can finally get past that head housemaiden and kill the king kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kil—
Wait.
How.
How do you make sure that Mirabelle doesn't land the final hit?
oh.
You have to tell them the truth. Don't you?
You do.
You promised.
You have to. Get your family. And tell them the truth.
You have to let them out.
Let them know. They didn’t hate you. They wanted to help. They are more upset that you won’t let them help. Isa said so.
You have to let them be free from their acts.
You have to let go of the script.
You have to scratch out these lines.
You aren't ready. Not even close.
You're scared of that. Terrified of that. All you have is the script.
You don't want to loop anymore. Doing this just one more time is going to rip you apart. You can feel it.
(But you won't mind if your family rips you apart. It's your family.)
Okay.
Plan acquired.
….Okay maybe not. Maybe run it by Loop. They need to be filled in. They dont know what happened until you tell them.
Follow the script. The script you are gonna burn. Talk to loop. Tell them what happened. Discuss your theories that have to be it. Step One.
Get up Siffrin.
You have a country to save.
A script to toss in the fire..
…and a family to rescue.
….
You get up. And let it play out.