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Loop’s return to the group was.. Interesting, to say the least. It wasn’t like Siffrin minded, though. He was rather enthusiastic to finally get to see them again.
Their integration into the group was a bit more difficult. When they’d first come back into Siffrin’s reach, they looked as they had before, with the attitude to match. Loop took any opportunity they could to snipe at the party with comments he’d gotten used to hearing similar of. Sometimes they’d say something that felt like a bit too much, and Siffrin would tell them to cut it out. Begrudgingly Loop would back off, at least a bit.
Siffrin wasn’t immune to these comments either, but he’d shoot back at Loop and the two of them would get into a scuffle. It never was serious, usually ending with one of the two relenting after a bit of shoving. The both of them knew they shouldn’t get more physical while around the party.
Wouldn’t want to be a bad influence on anyone, or the sort. That was the excuse they told themself. Haha, for no other reason in particular. None at all.
As time went on though, Loop had begun to change. Smaller things, at first - noticeably, they became shorter. Soon they were a mirror to Siffrin, heightwise (to which Siffrin teased them about, and they almost tackled him in response), and then it was other elements.
(“I’m more like… a mirror.” That was something they’d told him before, before he’d found out that they were him. It made a lot of sense in hindsight.)
There were notable differences between the two of them, as the changes were becoming more clear, more distinctive. The lightless patch of hair that Siffrin had was absent from Loop’s, and they made a conscious effort to keep it much neater than he did. Their hands & legs retained similar fading into dark like they’d had as a Star, with the freckling to match, although it didn’t seem to get as pitch dark as it was before. They kept the same large star in the middle of their chest, although Siffrin could only catch glimpses of it without Loop noticing.
The biggest change Siffrin noticed was the fact Loop still kept both eyes. A scar, similar to his own, surrounded their left eye, but they retained the same eye there that he’d seen in the loops. Both shades the same as he remembered them being.
When he’d seen it, he couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of them. He tried to push it down. (He’d still linger on it, though. It never lasted very long, as Loop would catch him starting to get deep in his own head before he’d get too far.)
They were just like him, otherwise. His mirror image.
(They were more like Polaris, to him, though. A guiding star. That would never change.)
Now, the two of them stand outside, just the both of them.
“Usual rules?” Siffrin says, looking over to his mirror image as the both of them took a couple paces apart. The two of them stand a few feet apart.
“Yeah, yeah. Normal rules.” Loop waves their hand in response. “I’m not going to kill you, Stardust.”
Of course, Loop wouldn’t actually kill him. They couldn’t do it the first time they tried. They definitely wouldn’t be able to do it if they tried this time, for a variety of reasons.
A couple further paces before the two face one another, and Siffrin braces to get into position. “Ready?”
“Of course.”
Their rules were simple, established the first time the both of them agreed to spars like this. Crafts & physical hits were fine. No dagger. The only major rule was no attempting to kill the other party. It was a rule that had been the first thing brought up at the idea of sparring - after Loop had tried to kill him in front of the Favor Tree, it was decided for the best of both of them that they do Not Repeat That. Siffrin did not want to deal with how Odile would respond to this kind of thing. He could tell that Loop definitely did not want that, either, despite their view of the party. The thought always lingered, though, about the idea of Loop trying to kill him despite their agreement. He knew that they wouldn’t go through with it.
Anything outside of that, though, was free game. Loser would be whoever was unable to continue, or whoever yielded first.
A moment’s pause longer before Siffrin shot forward, snapping his fingers as he got close to them. Loop jumped back on their feet, swinging their arm in the stock standard Piercing Craft position as they shot back. Usually a line goes with it, but the two of them both don’t have the time to dedicate to a bad joke. The Traveler turns on their heel to return the move in a mirrored gesture. The Star quickly moves to evade. They use this evasion to try to land a physical hit, attempting to swipe him off his feet; they don’t get that lucky, but they do cause Siffrin to fumble. He quickly rights himself before he moves to kick his leg out, to trip them up. Loop shoots backward to avoid getting knocked onto their ass, and they fire another Scissors attack at him. Siffrin skids backwards, pausing to correct his balance. This is short as he immediately fires back into taking aim and firing Piercing Craft in Loop’s direction. They miss, and it sparks on the ground where they’d been a moment before. Loop laughs in response and sticks their tongue out, before they snap their fingers. Siffrin keeps his eye on Loop as they seem to stare him down in the same moment, and it’s a standstill for a moment.
Stars, it’d been a while since they’d done this. With fewer Sadnesses roaming about, there weren’t many opportunities to fight with Craft. The spars with Loop were a blessing in that way. It was a way for both of them to keep their skills sharp. They’d spar with the rest of their party, but it wasn’t the same as it was with Loop.
He takes a breath in and out as he quickly uses a Healing Craft, shooting forward a moment later to try to strike Loop with a physical hit this time.
He lands one, but Loop retaliates rather quickly by swinging their arm around him, attempting to get him on the ground, and then--
He lands on his back, winded, and Loop holds him pinned. The both of them catch their breath as they remain there, with Loop looking down at him with a hand placed on his chest. Aside from the sound of their haggard breathing, the world around them is quiet. Siffrin can’t tell if it’s just the birds hiding away, or if it’s the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears muffling the sound of everything else as he begins winding down from this round of the spar. The weight of Loop, straddled over his torso, keeps him grounded, before--
As if at the exact same time, the both of them share a somewhat similar realization, and Siffrin can see Loop’s face suddenly get dark. He can only guess he looks somewhat similar, as Loop scrambles off of him. He sits himself upright and brings a hand to his face, and-- yep. He can see Loop covering their face with their hands as they mumble something that he can’t hear. Loop then notices him looking, pausing for a brief moment before they break into a trademark giggle.
“Ohhh, that’s real cute, Stardust.” They chirp. “Your face is so dark! It’s oh so cute~!”
Siffrin huffs in response. “Hey, you’re blushing too, stupid.”
“Calling me names, now? How cruel, Stardust~!” They tease him back in response, and Siffrin breaks into a laugh as he swipes a hand in their direction. Loop bats at him back. This goes on for a minute or so before things wind down.
“...Don’t think I’ll forget that, though, Stardust!” They chime as Siffrin gets back to his feet.
“Yeah, sure.” He replies, holding his hand out to help them back to their feet. It’s not like he’ll forget it, either.
Loop takes his hand and pulls themself upright, although their hand lingers with his for a moment or so longer than they need it. Siffrin doesn’t seem to mind it, though. They pull their hand away a moment later.
After they right themself on their feet, they take several paces away from Siffrin, clearing their throat. “ So, Stardust, do you want to go for another round? I think this one was rather short.”
Siffrin muses over the idea for a moment, before he gives a nod. “Same rules as the first round.”
“But of course~.” Loop replies.
There’s no way that it’d end the same as the first round, right?
Although Siffrin wouldn’t mind, he thinks. If it’s Loop, he doesn’t mind.
They take several paces apart, turn, and it begins once more.