Sabitsuki (さびつき)

Sabitsuki (さびつき)
Official Artwork of Sabitsuki. Source
Sprite
Basic Info
Meaning	Sabi, さび = Rust (lit. Rust, "covered in rust" "with rust" etc.)
Age	Unknown, between 10-20
Gender	Female
Appearance Hair White Eyes Red Shirt Plain grey/Pale purple sleeveless shirt

Overview

Sabitsuki (さびつき) is the protagonist of the game .flow. Little to nothing is known for certain about her. When prompted to leave her room she shakes her head, in a similar fashion to Madotsuki, leading many to believe she is a hikikomori or quarantined. The dreams she experiences tend to be dark and violent, suggesting her personality or past experiences are of the same nature.

Appearance

Sabitsuki's default face icon

Like Madotsuki, her eyes appear to be always closed in-game (with the exception of her Eye and possibly Cat effects), though fanart and artwork from lolrust comonly depict her with black or red eyes. She has short white hair in a lopsided bed-head style. Some fans like to speculate that Sabitsuki could have albinism.

It's interesting to note that many of the hospital children and all of the Kaibutsu have white hair as well, which could point to her hair color being a physical manifestation of a disease.

Sabitsuki wears a dark blue-ish purple/indigo top with a turtleneck collar and no sleeves. Additionally, she has a white skirt and red shoes. Each effect slightly alters Sabitsuki's appearance, without changing her basic design or shape.

Her equipment screen (called "Myself" in-game) has her whole equipment listed as:

• Hair: Bed hair
• Clothes: The usual
• Skirt: My favorite one
• Footwear: Leather shoes

Personality

In the fashion of Yume Nikki-styled games, the protagonist does not speak and much of her personal history is left to speculation. Many in the Western fan community depict her as one of the more volatile or grim of the Dreamers, while in Japan, Sabitsuki tends to have a more approachable personality, despite the violent nature of her dreams.

Throughout the game, there are motifs involving illness, hospitalization and social exclusion, many suggesting that Sabitsuki is/was at some point in her life affected by a deadly disease of some sort, possibly one that may have separated her from her peers at school. It can therefore be theorized that she is an excluded, introspective individual. Whether this is just a consequence of the illness/disability she has learned to deal with, or Sabitsuki simply longing to reach out to other people, is unknown -- though it should be noted that the vast majority of the humanoid figures she sees in her dreams have parts of them decaying or (badly) injured.

Sabitsuki seems to dwell on the unfortunate events of her past or negative thoughts that enter her mind: most of the dreamscape is comprised of dark and depressing elements, with the few exceptions of the Famicom world and the Rave Area. From the latter of these dimensions, where the Headphones effect is found, it can be speculated that she was/is an avid fan of electronic music and technology itself, this interest being one of the few things she sees in a positive light.

Rust (錆)

By obtaining all of the effects in the game and depositing them in her PC, Sabitsuki transforms into a new version of herself, Rust. Rust cannot use any of the effects in the game, but can access three areas, that were previvously inaccessible, in order to obtain three empty boxes and obtain the last, and often considered true, ending. As of version 0.15, she can also reach an alternate version of the corrupted school.

Rust's physical appearance is the same as Sabitsuki's, except the color palette, which is more pale. In light of this and events of the third ending, many believe that Rust is Sabitsuki's more violent and diseased counterpart.

Having no access to the effects leaves Rust defenseless, though it should be noted that in lieu of the Kaibutsu there are now Red Demons in her dream world. These, upon contact, do not send the player to an inescapable area, rather, do physical damage to Rust. With each hit by the Red Demons, she becomes more decayed, until the point where she collapses and wakes up. It is theorized that the Red Demons represent a part of her disease.

Past

There are many theories about Sabitsuki's past, the most common being about the "Rust" illness and Sabitsuki possibly being in quarantine, or having locked her self inside to avoid catching the virus. Many NPCs in her dreams have been thought to be connected to Sabitsuki before her sickness worsened.

Other Game Appearances and References

Sabitsuki is frequently referenced in other fangame reference rooms, due to being the protagonist of one of the most well-known Yume Nikki fangames.

Name	Image	Description
Agony		A painting of Sabitsuki's shirt and skirt colors can be seen in the Fangame Painting Room.
Akashi		A painting of Sabitsuki's bloodied shirt can be found in the Gallery.
Akuma		A painting of Sabitsuki's shirt pattern can be seen in the Mansion.
Another Way		An easel with Sabitsuki's shirt pattern can be found on the China Map.
Breeze		A picture of Sabitsuki's outfit can be found in the Fangames Reference Debug Room.
Broken Bottles		An NPC similar to Sabitsuki appears as a cameo.
(COLD)-冷		A doll of Sabitsuki can be found in one of the fangame reference rooms, specifically in the 2009 room.
DayDream		A lamp of Sabitsuki can be found in the Fangames Reference Room.
Debris		There is a sign dedicated to her in the Fangames Reference Railroad.
Dream?		One of the book in Fangames Reference Hallway has Sabitsuki's shirt color.
DreaMarbleng		One of the easels in the Fangames Reference Gallery has a painting with Sabitsuki's shirt design.
Dream vs Dream		Sabitsuki is a playable character in Version 0.2. One of Madotsuki's color palettes is based on Sabitsuki.
Electron Handsome Boy		A bed with Sabitsuki's shirt pattern as the bedsheet can be found in the Fangames Reference Room.
Fleshchild		A picture that resembles her with her Mono-eye effect equipped can be spotted in one of the dream worlds.
Gnosis		A broken capsule with Sabitsuki's outfit colors can be found at the Fangame Reference Room.
Hallucigenia		One of the mats that appears in the Apartment has the color of Sabitsuki's shirt.
Hide&Seek		A head representing a faceless Sabitsuki can be found in the Fangame reference room.
Idtipsa		A wig display with Sabitsuki's hairstyle can be seen in the Fangame Reference Room.
If		A floating card of Sabitsuki can be found in the Fangames Reference Spelling Room. Interacting with it shows the word Rust on the screen.
Illove dream		Sabitsuki's outfit can be found in the Fangame Reference Clothing Store. Interacting with it will have Aiko wear the outfit.
Lonely		One of the plates in the Fangames Reference Room has her shirt pattern.
Manda no Yume		One of the Unlockable Hairstyles is based off Sabitsuki's hair.
Me		A painting with Sabitsuki's shirt color and the Mono Eye effect can be seen in the Fangames Reference Gallery.
Musuu		A box with Sabitsuki's outfit pattern can be found in the Fangame Reference Hallway.
Nightmarescape		A doll of Sabitsuki can be seen in the Fangame Hall.
Physicality		A picture of Sabisuki's outfit can be found in the Fangames Reference Stairway.
P.S.Rose		A locker with Sabitsuki's outfit pattern and a hint of her hair color can be found in the Fangames Reference Hallway.
Reach		A sculpture of Sabitsuki can be found in Reach's reference room.
Remedy		Sabitsuki's outfit can be worn in the Dressup Room.
Remegeton		A picture of Sabitsuki's outfit can be found in the Fangames Reference Room.
RepresaL		A window of Sabitsuki's outfit can be seen in the Fangames Reference Window Room.
Severed Ties		A picture of Sabitsuki can be seen in the Fangame Reference Gallery.
Sick Mind		A doll of Sabitsuki can be found in the Doll Room.
Somnium		Thomas has a sprite with Sabitsuki's hair and outfit colors that can be seen in the Fangame Reference Room. Interacting with the sprite shows the description Rusted White on the screen.
The Looking Glass		Two of the paintings in Irene's apartment reference Sabitsuki and Rust.
TRIAL		A painting of Sabitsuki can be found in the Fangames Reference Gallery.
UBOK.		A painting of Sabitsuki's outfit can be found in the Fangames Reference Gallery.
Unaccomplished		A window of Sabitsuki's display case with an egg in it can be found in the Fangames Reference Showroom. When you smash the glass and interact, Yin Ming wears Sabitsuki's clothes and imitates hairstyles.
withers		One of the TV channels in the Blood Flow Maze shows Sabitsuki's outfit along with Urotsuki (うろつき)'s shirt pattern and Madotsuki's window
Yume 2kki		Sabitsuki's outfit can be found in Urotsuki's Dressing Room. When worn, Urotsuki wears Sabitsuki's classic purple shirt, white skirt and red shoes.
Yume Fumi		Two shapes of Sabitsuki's clothes colors can be seen in the Fangame Reference Room.
YUME NIKKI: Dream Dairy		Sabitsuki appears as a customer in the game.
Yume Nisshi		A well-hidden room in-game has the colors of Sabitsuki's outfit.
Yume Wo.		A poster with Sabitsuki's outfit colors can be found on the Fangames Reference Wall.

Trivia

• Sabitsuki's character was inspired by Heather Mason, the protagonist of Silent Hill 3.

External Links

• Sabitsuki's Page on the .flow wiki (Wikidot)
• Pixiv Encyclopedia Page
• Sabitsuki's Page on the .flow Fandom wiki
• Sabitsuki's Page on the .flow wiki