#sifstem main plot

[vulpixisananimal]

(You wake up again.)

(Your head was killing you. Stars, what blinding happened near the end there? It was so blurry. Right, right, piece it together. Breathe in, and out. Stars, your head is killing you.)

(Alright. You were talking to Ramos, you ticked them off somehow, Mal Du Pays took over, you fought, where kicked out of front, and. . . When you got back, Ramos was KOed, you looked around, found a few things, jumped out of the window and- ouch.)

(Of course you wouldn't survive that height.)

(Oh great, you finally come back. Stars, what did you DO to Ramos!)

(Me?)

(YES! YOU! YOU KICKED ME OUT!)

(. . .)

(. . . You didn't kick me out?)

(. . . Great. You take another breath, your head was killing you, why? It's not like you did anything different. You look to your side.)

(!!! The quesadillas! Odiles theory worked! That, at least, puts a smile on your face. Well, Loop, it's time to try again.)

(You get out of bed.)

(And you collapse to the floor.)

(You. . . You feel numb. You can't feel your legs, your arms, your head. Your BLINDING head! Stars, what happened! A wave of nausea washed over you, you felt hot, like you were about to pass out.)

(Focus. Breathe in, and out. In, and out. In, and out. . .)

(You- Ack. Don't talk. You mean well but, can't, think, right. You breathe in, and out. Slowly, your chest pressing against the hard wood floors of your room. Your head pounded, like it was about to split in two. Your vision, where you seeing double?)

(It's. . . It was like The End, no, no this is worse.)

(This is. So. Much. Worse.)

(Shouldn't, it shouldn't be THIS bad, right? What, what happened? We looped on instinct once when fighting Ramos-)

(No. It was at least four times.)

(FOUR?!? You only remembered once! How! So, shouldn't that make this Loop. . . 12?)

(. . .)

(. . . Right, Mal?)

(I remember if we loop. Even if I do not remember what happens in those loops. I remember we looped on instinct four times. I remember feeling time pressing against our body. I remember not remembering, too. This is loop number 19.)

(. . .)

(. . . And, and you don't remember anything else?)

(I am just as confused as you.)

(You lie down on the floor, defeated. Right. Alright. You looped on instinct to beat Ramos, and, you looped a lot more than you thought, or, remember.)

(And it wasn't you?)

(It wasn't me, ater the second time we looped on instinct, I was forced out, I remember nothing more.)

(. . . . .)

(. . . Ha. HahahahAHAHAHA)

(Ha. . . . . .)

(You were slowly dying, weren't you. These loops were killing you. You had it easy so far, some time to rest up maybe, eat a snack, take a nap, whatever. But now, but now because of whatever just happened, you could barely move.)

(You stay like this for what feels like an eternity.)

(Could you get your friends? Or, call for them? Doubtful, the window is right over there, if you could open it? No, not possible. Smash it? Maybe. You try and pull yourself up off the floor, and nearly black out.)

(Why is it so much worse. It's so much worse than anything you've ever felt. You want to cry. You can't even cry, are you dehydrated?)

(You can't move, so, you just, wait. . .)

(. . .)

(Is this purgatory? Or perhaps something worse.)

(We're cursed, aren't we.)

(This craft was always a curse, tee hee~)

(Play with a curse, play with a wish. See what good comes from such a painful twist.)

(The Universe guides, we follow.)

(If the Universe guides, then I'd happily stay lost.)

(You keep breathing, you close your eyes-)

(No, keep them open. Don't pass out.)

(Right, fine. Fine. You hold your eyes open, stuck in your own head. Eventually, after what feels like days, you hear someone come up the stairs, you hear them get closer, and, please, please, please. . .)

(They knock on your door.) "Loop? Siffrin?" (It's Mirabelle.) "Are you awake?"

(You try and respond, you try and say something, but your throat, you can't, you can't speak!)

"W-well, I'm going to come in, a-alright?"

(Yes yes yes YES YES YES!)

(Mirabelle opens the door, the light from the hallway blinding you. She sees you, and gasps, running over.)

"S- L-loop!!! A-are, are you alright?!? What happened!!"

(You try and say something, no sound comes out.)

(Now you see what I must live with, Loop.)

"H-here, let me see." (She starts her healing crafts, it wont be anything like that, probably. She calls downstairs.) "C-could I get Some help!!"

(Ha, those footsteps sounds like thunder. That must be Isabeau, leaping up the stairs three at a time probably, and on cue here he is, practically skidding to a stop at your doorway.)

"L-loop!!!" (He rushes over too.) "What happened?!?!"

"I-I don't know! I-it doesnt look like they can talk, a-and they don't look hurt, I think, b-but. . ."

(You open your mouth again, looking at Isabeau. You try and mouth the word 'exhaustion', or anything like it. Please, please, please. . .)

". . . I-I think, it could be the craft exhaustion?"

"O-oh!! Alright! Go grab those tonics we got together! And some water!" (Isabeau was off like a rocket.)

(Mirabelle is done with her healing craft, and was checking your temeprature, your heartbeat. It was nice.)

"I-I'm sorry if, uhm, y-you're not good with touch. But I have to be sure."

(You very gently nod. Touch was, hard, still. But Mirabelle's was nice. . . You stop yourself from drifting off to sleep.)

(Isabeau came back very quickly, a whole armfull of tonics and a jug of water with a cup.) "I-I grabbed them all, s-sorry!"

"Nono! That's alright! Get them some water."

(Isabeau gently lifts your head off the ground; you nearly faint then and there. He got a cup, filled it, and put it to your lips. Gently, gently. . .)

(You cough and choke on first attempt, but second time you get some water. Stars, it's like liquid life being poured into your veins.)

"A-alright, alright, lets try some ginger first, here, Loop, j-just, try and drink it all." (Mirabelle holds the small bottle of ginger juice to your lips as Isa helps your head. Stars, embaressing. . .)

(. . . Ack-)

(You cough, a lot, a full coughing fit. Your head is pounding still, but, your can at least breathe easier. You flex your fingers, your toes, alright, still there. Good. You open your mouth.)

". . . .T-thank you. . ." (It's all you could get out.)

(You could see the fear fall from their faces. Haha, you weren't going to die again~)

"Don't try to talk, alright? Just, just keep breathing, for me, ok?" (Isabeau said, so softly. . .)

"C-could you try lifting them? Onto the bed?"

"Oh deffinatly! Just, you alright with that Loop?"

(You softly nod. You trusted him.)

(Isabeau picks you up, haha, you must weigh nothing at all. He places you down on the warm, comforting, bed.)

"Better?" (Isa asks, you nod.) "Good, rest up some more and then-"

(You shake your head and try talking again.) "O-odile. . . Thhheory. ."

"Theory- Oh!" (Mira perked up.) "Odiles theory must be right!"

"In that case. . ." (Isa looks between you and Mirabelle, thinking.) "You could, let everyone know? I'll stay here and make sure they're ok."

"R-right!" (Mirabelle nods and gets up, dashing downstairs.)

(Isabeau lets out a sigh of relief, he turned back to you.) "Water?"

(You nod, he helps you take another sip. You try not to choke. Stars, he felt so soft, softer than the bed beneath you. Your throat is sore, but better.)

". . .S-sorry. . ."

"Hey!!" (Isabeau put a hand to your forhead.) "Why are you appoligising? You didn't do anything wrong."

(Mhhgh, he has a point. It just, felt like you had done something wrong. You nod.) ". . . L-looped. . . A-a lot. . . At, once. . ."

"Oh Change. . ." (He was gently stroking your head, oh stars. . . He was, so soft. Your breathing steadied.) "Let's, let's try and avoid that then."

(You nod, taking a moment before your next sentence.) "D-didnt, mean to."

"Hey it's okay, mistakes happen- oh right." (He takes his hand away from your head.) "A-are you-"

"Nnnnooooooo~" (You say, looking all sad.)

"Snrk- A-alright, alright." (He goes back to patting your head.) "You're delirous right now, I think."

"Hehh. . . Llllloopy. . ."

"Haha! Yeah!! Loopy!!" (He smiles at you. Stars. . .)

(You wish you could get out of here. Get out of this damn day. Just, you just wish that Ramos wouldn't bother you. Just leave you alone. You want what you do each day to matter, to mean something. But, but now. . .)

(There's a knock on the door, It was Odile.)

"Oh! Come in M'dame!"

"Thank you- Oh Gems. . ." (Odile walked over and knelt down beside your bed.) ". . . You look terrible."

(You try smiling back.)

"I think it's craft exhaustion, it would make sense, right?" (Isa asks.)

"Right." (Odile looks you over, tapping a finger on your bedside table.) "You said my theory worked?"

(You nod.)

"They aparently looped a lot at once, too." (Isa chimed in.) "So, would it be like straining yourself exercising, but not feeling it untill the adrenaline wears off?"

"That makes sense." (She's tapping her finger faster.) "How many loops was it?"

(Loops loops, you said it was, what 19? and we were, we were on 8, or 9, so-)

(It's 10.)

"T-ten. . ."

"!!!!!"

"Gems alive. . ."

"D-dont, dont remember them. . ."

"You Don't?" (Odile looks surprised. She and Isa look at eachother, worried.) "Did Ramos touch you?"

"Nnoooo. . ." (What happened.) "Looped, every time, they was, about to."

"Interesting." (Odile stands up again.) "Does Ramos show up here, eventually?"

"Ttthree aafter, noon."

(She nods, and turns to Isabeau.) "I'll leave them in your hands, Isabeau, we'll make plans to deal with Ramos-"

"Nnnooooo-" (Your breathing quickens, you try getting up, but collaps almost immedatly.)

"Loop, you can't try fighting Ramos like this, or talking to them, or, well anything." (Isabeau got your bedsheet and covered you with it.) "You need to rest, I'll be here, and. . ."

". . ." (Odile looks between you two, still concerned.) "We'll have it handled, Loop."

(You don't even try to reply, you weren't going to win this argument. You just sigh and lay back.)

(Odile leaves, Isabeau stays. He talks to you, stars, things were getting blurry again. You reply almost on instinct to him, he asks about the loops, what happened, everything. You feel so, floaty. Your body still feels so numb. He helps you eat, drink. Bonnie and Nille visit soon after, Everyone does a few times.)

(You had been doing so well.)

(They made a plan for you. They got ready. They figured out how the loops work. You got plans to figure out what Ramos' deal was. You had so much.)

(But now you could barely move.)

(You don't drift off to sleep, to sleep is to lock yourself into the present. You can't do that, you'd lose, no matter what, you'd lose.)

(It calls to you, it's so hard, to stay, awake. . . Awake. . .)

[vulpixisananimal]

"Siffrin?"

(Your traveler had scared you all half to death that morning, screaming out about, something. It took a while to calm him down until they fell back asleep, it was about time to check up on them. Siffrin made some noise and shuffled in his bed.)

"Good morning Sif! Have a nice sleep?"

(You go over to the side of their bed as Siffrin finally turns around, looking like they didn't have a nice sleep at all. You waited for their usual response.)

"... Mmmira?"

(... Alriiiiight maybe a bit more tired this morning, but Sif always started off by suggesting a sleepover, or maybe even reminding her of the Carrot method, again. It was kinda cute, honestly.)

"Where... When am I?"

(Oh! Alright! A reality check!)

"O-oh! Well! We're in Jouvente, remember? We got here a few days ago! Odile went to the Library again today, and Isa went looking for some medicine for your fever! Are you ok? You were screaming about..."

(You couldn't remember. It was probably nothing.)

"I was...?" (He still looked sleepy) "I remember... Remember it was..."

"A nightmare?" (You interjected, he had been having a lot of nightmares since you all defeated the King. It was to be expected, you hadn't experienced what Siffrin went through, you can't even imagine...)

"A nightmare, or..."

(Siffrin bolted up as if struck by lightning. Panic clear in their eye.)

"Bonnie! Where's Bonnie! I, I need to make sure they're ok I-"

(You hold up a hand, but don't touch.) "Hey! It's ok! Bonnie's ok! We beat the King remember? They're not in danger anymore! They wen't to the farmers market with Nelle-"

(Siffrin grabbed your hand, his was cold, despite the fever. Actually, they were crushing your hand.)

"When!!! They can't go there! Mira I- Can you go get them please they can't..."

"It's ok Sif! They wont be gone long, Bonbon even said they wanted to get you-"

"I Looped back again Mira!"

(... Looped? Siffrin was crying, looping back like they had fighting the King? But that only happened because they weren't going to be traveling together anymore, right??)

"I-I was, at the market with Bonbon and- and I was distracted and, and someone grabbed Bonnie, I- I-"

(Oh)

(That, actually makes a lot of sense. The fever, the panic. And if that was the case..)

"Oh! W-well that's ok! They only just left, I'll run after them now, ok?"

(The look on your companions face was suspicion. Bonnie and Nelle had left about 15 minutes ago, Mira would need to sprint to make it there quickly. And Siffrin couldn't come with, not in this state.)

(By Change... He looked so tired. Siffrin let out a sigh and lay back down. You stood up and headed for the door.)

"Be back soon, ok? Don't go running after me, promise?"

(Sif only nodded in response.)

(... You decide to grab your rapier on your way out of the house.)

[vulpixisananimal]

SIFSTEM AU PLOT MASTERPOST

This doesn't contain every post, but the ones that I think are more important to see if you want a catch up on what's going on. This post will be updated over time!

Also, if you wanna see other ISAT Aus and writing, look HERE!

Some of this was also planned out/made in colab with @neoncityrain. Check him out. He's so cool.

THE MAIN EVENT:

[YOU CAN ALSO FIND ALL THESE UNDER THE "#sifstem main story" TAG]

ACT 0: [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

ACT 1: [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26]

ACT 2: [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36]

INTERLUDES:

Something about Wishes

Make A Wish, Bonnie [1] [2] [3]

The First real kiss. [1] [2]

Forgot the Taste of Fear

RANDOM LORE AND STUFF

Who's Who

Nille reference

Ramos reference

Misc Refs [And Jinn thing]

Sifstem Headmate References

Nickname Workshop

[CALL LOOP]

Snacks [1] [2]

A gentle touch [1] [2] [3]

Suspicion [1] [2]