#this is the first time i've like written for sif so apologies if its a little rough

[giftplane]

On conversations with The Universe

Or, receiving advice you'd rather not follow. Not if you don't have to.

[ A small thing, a conversation I envisioned this morning. Minor, minor spoilers, but nothing major. You know what Siffrin's getting up to. I don't know what I'm doing. ]

The Favor Tree.

Siffrin had been here a couple of times, since he’d gotten to Dormont. Not every time he looped, but whenever he needed to to back to the village, he would come over. It was, in part, because he had to - because they knew Isabeau was always there, and he had to find him to sent him off (and to wonder, why does he do that hand thing…) - but…

It was also a reprieve, to Siffrin.

Because here, things didn’t feel… Stagnant. Because there was at least one person who-

“Hello, Stardust~!” There was a call as he drew close enough to the tree to sit down. “Your Fighter, he went on his merry way, correct?”

“Mhm.” Siffrin nodded. “But you wouldn’t have called to me like that if you didn’t know. He would’ve heard you.”

Loop’s expression was unchanging as they seemed to pause. “...I suppose that’s true. Anyways, dear Stardust, how can I help you this loop~?”

Jumping into it, are they? Siffrin had to admit they were always a little unprepared, when the conversation began. Maybe, with time, he’d be used to it. He mulled over what to talk about, before he shifted on the root he’d taken a seat on. “...Let’s just talk about something, I guess.”

“Of course! Let me see, let me see…” Loop seemed to smile at this, pausing to think over what to discuss. In these pauses, Siffrin caught himself thinking about Loop. The inflection of their voice was familiar, but they couldn’t exactly place why… All they could grab at was that it was familiar to them.. Before they could try to figure out anything else, they were cut off.

“So! Stardust, let’s see…” Loop gave a hum. “So, I’ve noticed you’ve been asking your party for less and less help when you get into battles. Why is that?”

Oh great, it’s a conversation about you! Siffrin startled, just a little. “Y-You… You noticed?”

“Of course, Stardust!” Loop replied. “I like to keep my eye on you, you know. But you’ve been doing most of the heavy lifting in your battles.”

“Isn’t it obvious why, Loop?” Siffrin mumbled as he hid a bit of his face in his cloak. “You’ve probably noticed, haven’t you? I loop, but I remember everything, so all of the experience and battling I’ve done doesn’t disappear. But for everyone else…”

“So you feel like you’re overpowered, compared to the rest of your party?” Loop asked, and Siffrin nodded.

“If we want to get through the House again, to try to kill the King again, shouldn’t--”

“Stardust, why don’t you tell your party?” Loop asked, almost puzzled. “Or at least, ask them for more help in your fights.”

“Loop, I don’t..” He seemed to find it a bit difficult to place his words. “They can’t find out, Loop. I was given this power for something, so wouldn’t it be best if they just didn’t know? They can’t know, especially not..”

Especially not Odile. She seems to know everything, so she could probably figure me out, and then..

He felt a twinge in his stomach as he thought it over, but he was startled back to the present by Loop seeming to clear their throat.

“And you think doing all of the work is ‘less obvious’ than just asking them for help?” Loop asked. “Stardust..”

Oh, Stars. He took a sharp breath. He supposed they were right, but he knew, he knew they needed to get through the House as fast as they could manage. He needed to convince them, at the same time, though; anything more obvious than being more skilled in the situation they were all in would get him found out, and that was the thing he wanted the least.

“I.. suppose, I could slow it down a bit.” He mumbled into the hem of his cloak. It was almost a surprise that Loop even heard him.

“Delightful, Stardust! After all, you wouldn’t want to overwork yourself, either.” They cupped their hands together. “You need to be the best you can be to fight the King!”

“Of course.” Siffrin replied. The best that they could be, huh..? Perhaps they could play the part, at least for now. They didn’t want to worry their friends by being more weird, than they already seemed to be.

Of course, that was if they decided they wanted to follow Loop’s advice at all; while they were a genuine help in finding out what to do, the matter of the House felt much, much more pressing than slowing himself down. He supposed he would make the decision on following it when he got to the House, tomorrow, to go through it again to try and get at the King. He’d just have to wait and see.

Oh, Stars. You know how this one goes.