#irac

With all those warnings out of the way-

IN REPETITION AND CHANGE

Initial Concepts:

I feel it's important to show these sketches because they were the first ideas I ever had. I wasn't even entirely sure I wanted to make an AU at this point, I didn't even know how I'd approach it. But I started sketching and it's been on my mind since- SO! Isa is stuck in the timeloop. I know what his wish is and he DOES have a Loop equivalent! The grumpy dandelion guy is Roboro (it/they/he). Their name is a very small play on Ouroboros and they call Isa "Seedling". However, this post is not about them, as I'm gonna talk about it and Isa's dynamic in a separate post. In short, Isa is his normal loud self up until Act 3, right? They beat the King, they reach the end, and whoops, the loop isn't broken. So now, what happens is that Isa starts getting his brains out. He starts thinking more analytically and tries to problem solve.

The more stuck he gets in his head, the less he's able to perceive his friends as real people, and more like them holding him back. Because even if Isa explains that he's smart, that they shouldn't be surprised if he says something, shock of all shocks, reasonable- They'll forget it the next loop.

So Isa is stuck with trying to portray his confident, loud, supportive facade- Which is fine! It wouldn't be the first time! But it progressively gets more and more frustrating, as he tries to find answers and simply looses the energy to pretend to be stupid.

TL;DR: Isa in the timeloop, unlike Siffrin, becomes more distant and cold rather then something more akin to Sif's mania.

NOW, MORE ART!!!

KILL KILL KILL:

I imagine Isa didn't have this encounter the same way that Sif did. Yeah, frankly, Isa is pissed with the sadness- But that's not why he goes through with this.

In this moment, Isa is trying to kill two birds with one stone. He's trying to get through this quickly, as well as reassure Mira that they can do this! If he shows how strong he is, then she'll feel safe right???

Poor Isabeau forgot that whenever he shows that he thinks ahead, he scares people. How could he forget that? How could he forget that he's inherently---

Family Quest:

I still think Odile is the one to call out to him (same with sus quest).

The hangouts I'm still figuring out, cause I don't think they'd too similar to base game- But, fun fact, at the end of this run, everyone agrees to keep travel together!

Isabeau brings it up, can't hurt if you can fix your mistakes right? And everyone agrees. The relief on Siffrin is the most palpable thing Isabeau has ever seen.

In this moment they love you. In this moment they all love you. In this moment---

Death Screen:

He loops back anyways. (This is one of the initial concepts that I ended up animating. This line in particular is when he reaches the end)

Act 5 Tarot Card:

NOW TO SEE MORE OF HIS PASSIVE AGRESSIVE SIDE

Thanks to @the-bitter-ocean for prescribing tarot cards to Isa (THEY ALL FUCK SO HARD) and for the RAW ASS LINE

If interacted with in act 5, predictably, Isa tears it apart. He doesn't need the divine judgement upon him, he's faced everyone's perception his entire life.

However, he tears it methodically. Tears it once in even pieces, twice, three times, and one of the pieces once more. In a way he isn't even getting his emotions out, it's like he's actively trying to tear it apart so it stops nagging him, like he wants to shut it up. Though, the Judgement card symbolizes rebirth, absolution and inner calling. In Act 6 he'd be able to look at it and find comfort and confidence in the card.

Act 5 Mirror:

And lastly, I have the Act 5 mirror picture. I haven't quite figured out how to make the normal ones work yet, however, I couldn't let go of the idea that Isa would not want to be in the picture.

The idea of seeing himself at all makes his head hurt and his stomach squeeze. The memory haunts him as he stands to the side and says the word. He didn't think the mirror would catch him.

AAAAND THAT'S ALL THE ART STUFF FOR NOW!!

I still have quite a bit of it to post, especially about Roboro, but I'm gonna leave it here for now.

I still gotta figure out the hangouts and potentially the dagger equivalent- but I have ideas for Bad Touch, the glass equivalent, and some extra little things that didn't happen in Siffrin's loops.

The wind feels nice on your hair as it flows past you.

It is quiet, the rest of the party has already gone to bed, leaving you to your thoughts. It surprises you sometimes, how easily you can try to forget why they aren’t the same as the party you remember.

…

Of course, factually they are, same faces, same smiles, same tears and glares, Siffrin’s puns are the same, Mirabelle’s kindness is undoubtedly hers, Odile is observant as always, and Bonnie is the same kid you all love. Yet it isn’t the same, because it is you who Changed.

Again and again and again and again until there was only the parts of yourself that you had buried away. The parts that were rotting, breaking, failing-

. . …

Seedling has Changed too, but it is different with him. He is still Isabeau, yet you are….not.

Seedling’s earring dings on your cloak as you continue down the path, watching the darkless sands of the beach get closer.

It is strange to be outside of Vaugarde, after so long within Jouvente, so long travelling the country, so long in Dormont, the House, that Blinding Tree. But it is nice. To see more, to travel, seeing the party so happy, seeing Seedling so happy, after it all.

Maybe even seeing yourself happy, sometimes.

Yet it is not all carefree travels, sadly. The party and you have been informed that there has been peculiar spikes of unidentifiable craft in parts of the world, with the closest being near the city you are visiting. You don’t want to jump to conclusions, but you can see the worry in your Seedling’s eyes. The possibility of what craft this is.

…you ignore the stares of the stars above as you feel the sand at your feet.

It feels nice underneath you, shifting and Changing, something you have experienced too much of yet are desperate to have more. You just needed to get away from them all for a bit, to think through it all and see if you can help them.

It is growing darker, the stars beginning to get brighter as they shine within the night sky.

…

…?

Something is glowing by the docks. What…?

You step forward, watching as the glow flickers in the distance. It can’t be a lantern; nobody would craft something so bright at this time. Likely not a light for ships either, this is not a harbor that larger boats would sail towards unless it is an emergency.

You get closer. As you do you begin seeing more than just the glow. It looks like a bright light, spanning outside of its source in all directions, connecting to….

…

To a lightless body like yours. Is this the source of that craft?

You step onto the dock, your sandals making a small thunk on the wood. The source startles, turning quickly to look at you with a scissors sign ready.

They…they look like you used to, eyes wide and eyebrows furrowed on an otherwise featureless face. The star in their chest thrums with craft, the batches of constellations entwining the rest of their body as you continue to stare. A Vaugardian coin is held within their left hand.

You feel their eyes on you before glancing down at the coin, lifting it up to their chest as it flickers away. Something about the way they move feels so familiar to you, just like-

“Ah, pardon me, I didn’t hear your approach.”

Their eyes have squinted to look like they are smiling, their hands clasped together as they look you up and down. Your silence makes them falter for a moment before they continue on.

“My, struck speechless at the sight of me, how surprising~” You blink, trying to process the past few moments before opening your mouth.

“Apologies, I was just…not expecting anyone out here.” “You don’t have to lie you know, I can wager it is a surprise to find someone with as shining of a personality as myself, especially one that looks so….familiar.”

You look down at your hands, a similar shade as the strangers in front of you, a reminder of what you have gone through. What you have failed and survived.

“Yes. I can admit I did not think I would find anyone who looks like me, given the reason’s why.”

“I imagine, it’s not often you see someone touched by the Universe like us. What brings you here this wonderful evening sunsprout!”

Sunsprout? Hm, you suppose given your looks you can see the plant connection, but why the sun? You look at them, feeling that familiarity grow within your chest.

“I was just out for a walk, trying to think about the recent phenomenon that has been talked about.” “Oh~ Recent phenomenon you say? I am unfortunately a touch out of the loop on recent events these days, care to share.” They blink cutesy at you, leaning forward as if waiting for gossip. You tilt your head to the side.

“It is being shared that there are unknown spikes of craft emerging, with no one truly figuring out what is causing it. I am out here with my…allies to see if we can figure it out.”

You focus your attention back on them, your right hand fiddling with the earring on your cloak. They follow your movement and still, staring down at the item in your hands. You continue.

“Now I could be incorrect here, but someone such as yourself must have a decent grasp on craft types beyond common knowledge. Do you have any leads on this?”

They stay silent for a moment, before turning to look out at the water behind them. It ripples against the docks, the waves a quiet backdrop as the star seems to think. You see a flicker of something in their right eye before they snap back to you with their eyes closed. A strained smile if you were to guess.

“I can’t say I do sunsprout~ But I would be willing to help out. I don’t have much to do anyway and I have been finding myself growing bored.”

You…look at how they hold themselves. You can’t be sure, but if they are who you think they were then...

…

“More help would always be reliable, especially when investigating new areas of craft. My name is Roboro, they/he/it if you would.”

…you can’t let them go. Especially if you can help them like the others have done for you. What kind of person would you be…

“Of Course, sunspout. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance~”

…If you didn’t try to help a fellow Savior lost to time.