#loop 47

(You find Loop hovering over a pained dusk.) (He's screaming and wailing…)

Nothing I do is healing him! I don't understand what's wrong?!

(How are you supposed to know???) (The loops never bleed over, it doesn't make any sense!)

(Aah!) (Dusk clutches their stomach harder, keening between sharp gasping breaths.)

Dusk… dusk what's wrong? I'm here, I can help!

Noooo… no you can't…. my baby, they're gone- they're gone! -THEY'RE GONE!!! I need my baby back, please-!

(Oh…) (Oh that's…)

It's okay, dusk. Bobo wasn't real. You don't need to worry anymore.

Bo-bah-what now?

Bobo… bo… I know they weren't real, I'm not stupid! I mean, I am stupid! What a fool I was, thinking I'd ever…

Agahh… it hurts, I miss them, I wasn't good enough for them, I left them behind! I lost-!

(They break down into hysterical screams.) (You can't make out another word.)

(…)

Nonono... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean it...!

(Hmm?) (Is Lupus sleep-talking...?)

(Oh stars! They're crying!) (They're having a nightmare! You better wake them up.)

Lupus. Lulu, wake up. It's okay…

Ugh dawn…? What are you saying?

It's Lupus, they're-

GASP!

Hey Lulu, everything is okay! It's us, your Siffrents.

I-I had a bad dream…

Seemed pretty bad. What was it about?

I was being mean to Siffrin... really mean. I shouldn't have done that! I'm sorry...

Hm? But you were never mean to me, Lupus...

Ok, you DID call me stinky a couple of times, but I forgive you.

Besides, even if you were really mean to me, I would... I would still love you.

You mean it?

Of course, I do.

Sigh... You two are the best Siffrents I could ever have...

(Aww, Lupus...)

We should go back to sleep now. Good night, you two.

Good night, Siffys.

(You take the paper and head back to the librarian.)

(Haa, your legs feel heavy.) (You've been moving around too much.)

Um… excuse me?

Yeah? How can I help you?

What'd this child do to get on this list?

"Child," huh? That was your kid?

(Uh! You got found out?!)

(UM!!! They're silently judging you?!)

…Look, uh, could you please feed your kid before library time?

(…Dusk has gotten quiet.) (It'd be best to check up on him.) (You head back to the tent, with Loop following behind.)

(…Admittedly, you've never seen them away from the well before.) (It's a little strange!)

(It's like… seeing the moon in the middle of the day.) (It's odd.)

Dusk…?

Ahh… ha… ha…

(He's rocking back and forth.) (Oh, dusk…)

Hey, are you feeling any bet-

Do you hate me?

Wh-What?! Dusk, why would I ever hate you?

Because… because I ruin everything, I lose everyone and…

Please don't get Theater Cursed anymore, Dusk. We'll find a way through the garden, just as we had with the forge.

No, no, no, that's not, no, I can handle that. Stage one is safe. That's not what I meant.

I… I remembered what I did… to my Mira.

(They… did?) (How is that possible?)

Dusk, do you remember an island?

An… island? You mean in the game? I don't want to… I don't want to think about it…

Never mind! So, you don't remember anything now?

Mhm… but I did for a moment. I betrayed her. I said some awful, terrible things to her. And maybe to all of them…?

Oh… dawn, I'm the worst, I'm sorry, I…

It's okay, dusk. It was all erased. It didn't happen anymore, you can start fresh with her.

But…

…

…No, Dawn is right. The only thing matters is this outer loop. The past ones don't matter anymore.

All that matters is that the two of you can cure your Curses and escape the loops.

Sniff… I… I guess…

Yeah, and Lupus needs to be able to grow up, dusk. We need to work together for their sake too.

…Lupus.

I miss them… my baby… I…

(Oh no, you made them cry again!)

Ghhghh, I need to see them, dawn. I have to make things right with them.

Hng, okay, let's go!

Huh? Right now?

I said LET'S GOOO!

Ah! O-okay! Bye, Loop?!

Toodles~!

(He's ripping through town!) (Stars, he's zip zooming, you can barely keep up.)

LUPUS! THERE YOU ARE!

Siffrin! You're- OOF!

Bwah! Too many! You're giving cooties and it's going to be fatal! Stop!

I don't care! I've missed you, I need you! You're my baby, I'm going to squeeze to death.

NOOOOO! DON'T KILL ME!

Wah! Lupus is under attack by a ghost?! What do we do?

They're a wizard, they can retaliate!

Ew, no! I'm not doing that!

(The kids begin to throw rocks at the general direction of dusk and lupus.)

Hey, stop, you're going to hurt someone.

But Frin, there's an evil ghost!

They're not evil, they're just-

(What's a good word for this?)

Different?

Different or not, they're kidnapping Lupus!

Thunk!

Wuh-oh, child army. Lupus, we need to get out of here.

(Dusk begins to run off, carrying Lupus in their arms.)

I must go now, my planet needs me! Weeee!

FRIN! What the crab is happening?

Oh, you know how Lupus is.

Yay! Dinner time!

Mhm, it's the party dinner, Lupus.

Do you like my cooking, Lupus?

We all do! It's super good. I could never get tired of it…

(Uh huh.) (Right.)

…Sorry to change the subject- (text skip)

(Another group hug.) (And then bed.)

Sigh…

Psst… Siffrent… you're being weird.

Am I?

(Isn't this how you normally are?)

Yeah… stop doing that.

Hm, I'll try…

Dawn, thank you for earlier. I wasn't… and I'm still not exactly…

It's fine, dusk… go to sleep…

(Hum hum…) (You start with the middle bookshelf.)

(You reach for the-)

(…Right, your hands.) (You can't grab the book with them.)

(Are you really going to have to call the librarian for this…?)

(…)

(WAIT. YOUR HANDS ARE FINE!) (You can just grab the book like normal, you silly comet!)

(You grab the "100 ways to deal with Curses!" book.)

(…100???) (That's an awful lot of ways.) (Very strange.)

(You pick a random page, you start reading.)

"Solution number 15: For rock types, pour river rocks into your socks! It's quick, easy and free!"

"The energy of the river rocks will channel the healing elements to treat your Curse!"

(You…) (Feel good?)

(You touch your face-) (Hey, you can move your arms!) (It's so easy!)

(Feeling around, you find your teeth.) (Your mouth, it's full of them!) (They're all back!!!)

(You breathe in… and out.) (Easy, wonderful air.) (You looped back, the nightmare is over.)

[DAWN!]

(STARS!!!)

[Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.] [But also, please come here.]

[There is something very wrong with dusk. I need you to talk to them.]

(Dusk!? But this is another loop…?) (What could be wrong?)

(Did the Director's attack do something?) (You need to go, now!)

Siffrin! You're-

OhsorryMiraneedtogobye!!!

(Oh, sorry, Mira need to go bye!!!)

O-Oh umm… okay then? See you later???

(You're zooming!) (So fast, your feet are flying!)

W-woah Sif! Are you in a hurry?

Uh yeah, I need to uh… do something.

Oh okay, I'll see you later then???

(…But nobody is there.) (Where are they?)

[Dawn, go north from the well across the forest.] [Hurry now, he's getting worse!]

That's dusk's tent? He's there?

[Yeah. Dusk is scaring me, get over here!!!]