#loop 60

(Did you accidentally equip all the quest memories at once and skip the entire day?)

(Huh. You didn't know you could do that.) (That's concerning!)

(Ah, there's dusk.) (You need to be careful in interacting, since they haven't been introduced yet.)

Hey dawn!

...

...?

Heheh. She doesn't know I'm there.

(...Yeah?)

What if... I got a little sneaky...?

(OH NO!)

(DUSK IS ABOUT TO PUSH MIRA OFF THE BRIDGE!) (YOU HAVE TO STOP THEM.)

GUH!!! DAWN!?!!

SPLASH!

(You did it.) (You saved Mirabelle from the sog.)

Jerk.

Hat??? There's a hat? Where'd that come from?

A mean duck dropped it into the water.

How do you know it was mean?

It had some "quack-titude."

(You find Isabeau.) (You equip whatever.)

-Cake?

Uh? What? Yeah-

Craaab, best 10/15?

Bonnie??!?

…Frin! FRIN! Wake up!

(BONNIE!!!) (You protect them and strike!)

Oh, sorry... Siffrin... I'd... rather not...

We better get to the Clocktower. It's getting late, don't you think?

Late? Huh?!???

(What-? What was all that -WHY?!) (WHY DID YOU SKIP THROUGH ALL THAT?!)

Are you alright, Siffrin?

Y-Yeah! I just...

Got a little disorientated. I'm fine.

Not fine! Come here, I'll heal you!!!

(She grabs your face before you can think to object.) (Oh!!! That does help! You feel much better!)

Hmpth. You better tell me when you're not feeling well.

...You shouldn't hide how bad you're doing. At this stage, your Curse could start attacking your brain, you know.

...That was a waste of time.

At least we didn't get killed.

(Dusk fist bumps you for that one.) (Okay? Sure???)

What's next? Anywhere you want to go?

No, I'd better get my talk with Isabeau over with first.

Oh... that's rough.

It shouldn't be a big deal but…

(While you don't recall the conversation itself, you always have to seek him out to start it.)

(You've done it so many times.) (Sometimes, you'll do it and then die before getting to the Labyrinth.)

(It's.)

(Annoying.)

Even if you're not really "conscious" for it, your body still feels all of that. I'd imagine that must get exhausting.

(You... kind of seriously hate doing it, yeah.) (But it makes Isabeau happier.) (What else could you do?)

I'll meet you at the broken bridge later. I need some time to think over how I want to be introduced tonight.

(Oh? He's going to pick a different intro tonight?)

Alright. See you later.

(The two of you wave casually.) (He smiles as he walks away.) (You smile back.)

(You like dusk.)

(That's not a grand statement.) (It's not unique or special.) (It just is.)

(You like them regardless of what you would call them.) (Doppelgänger. Friend. Weirdo.)

(You don't need a label for it.) (Whatever it is, it works.)

Don't you ever like... do anything for yourself?

You're pretty pathetic, wasting all this time doing this.

<It's not wasting time.> <This is all there is, Tragedy.>

Uh, not really? Why not get a hobby?

Yeah, maybe learn to cook. Nobody wants to eat raw meat.

<...They don't?>

Learn how to ACTUALLY play checkers.

<I mean, you have to know the rules to break them...>

Pick ANY hobby that's not murder and torture?!

<Punishing myself isn't a hobby, it's a career. Or maybe it's just a punishment. Who knows anymore?>

(Ugh.) (What are you even doing.)

Can't you just... stop?

<I told you.> <This is all there is.>

So, what do you usually do the day before my party enters the Labyrinth? Set up your stupid blinding loser death games?

<Excuse you, my life doesn't revolve around you! I do loads of things while you're gone.>

(Doubtful.) Such as...?

<Like... I look at the walls. And, um... I take a nap sometimes. Dream about things.>

You can dream???

<Well, heehee, more like have nightmares!>

(Why are you just chitchatting???)

I didn't call to share jokes, what was up with those loops just now?

<...I don't know.>

(Like you'd believe THAT?) Liar.

<Oh, I did it because I wanted to see if there'd be a different outcome, of course!>

<Did you ever notice? Try something enough, and sometimes you'll get something new.>

(You did notice, but it doesn't work like that.) (Random events seem to rely on chance.) (They're literally just lying.)

Doesn't it cost you energy to loop?

<Fine… since you so kindly asked me, Tragedy…>

<I think it's cruel that the Universe forces her to forget.>

<Is it so bad to give her a few more seconds before she's punished?>

(That's...) (That's not an answer you were expecting at all.)

(You didn't think would work) (YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS WOULD WORK!!!) (IT'S NEVER WORKED BEFORE FOR LOOP!!!!)

<Hello...? Are you there?>

Wait, I recognize this. This is that thing Loop and Lupus do.

(...One of the voices in your head did have a good joke.)

How's the weath-ear down there?

<HAHAAHAHAHAH!>

(OW!) (Ow, ow, ow, that jerk laughed too loud into your ear?!)

<That's great, got any more funny jokes?>

(Not on the spot?!???) (What are you even supposed to do right now??!)

Why are you joking around with the Director?! What's happening right now?!?!

(Huh.) (You hadn't considered that.)

Come on, dawn. Let's... leave her be...

(The two of you walk away. You direct dusk to the bridge south of town.)

…Huh? What's over here?

(You hold up your hand into the Call Craft shape and think: "I REALLY want to talk to the Director right now!" really hard.)

What? What are you doing??????

(Ring, ring ring... they're not picking up-)

<Y'ellow?>

...

...Did I just hear the Director?