some sunny day

[sticksandbomesmods]

Its the early morning, the sun has been up for about an hour or two with the quiet stirring of the Grove. The town slowly wakes up, and goes about their morning...

There is a smell in the halls of the Inn. Subtle in the early hours, but as the sun rises higher in the sky, it becomes difficult to ignore. Pungent and sharp. It's the smell of warm milk on the cusp of growing sour.

Under one of the doors a bright, almost pearlescent substance, that has started to leak out.


Uncovered Clues:

1. Unlocked door.
2. Signs of light scuffling
3. Upended box of pastries
4. Stabbed in the heart, likely died instantly
5. Wound is small with no exit wound.
6. Window is Adjacent to Body
7. Dipper's blood is two different colors, red and pearlescent white. The pearl blood seems older. The red blood comes straight from the wound.
8. body is cold and has been dead some time.
9. Noise at 10-11 pm
10. Dipper left a note for his uncles he was meeting a friend.
11. KNIFE

Comments

[charlastan]

[Things were going so good. He got a GOOD explanation out of Loop, and he was ready to start questioning Siffrin, but now he's just staring.]

The what?!

[He's got to be kidding. Stan looks directly at Loop like, he's got to be kidding, right?????? But unfortunately Loop seems just as lost, so Stan groans.]

This is stupid. You want us to interrogate a goddamn fish?

[alphacraft]

[ Odile rubs the bridge of her nose harder. ]

Your fishtank? Siffrin, Loop has given their version of how things played out, you only need to share yours.

[start_again]

[Who could have guessed this would only add further confusion? Sigh.]

AGH. No, listen! The squid in my fishtank is Callan! The lake guardian monster thing! He can probably vouch for me being in my room during the murder!

[jouvente]

--There is a lake guardian monster thing that stays in your room??

[theuniverseleads]

—that's the lake guardian??

[wait no focus]

Why do you want his version of events? Have you been bribing him?

Why should any of us trust him?

[charlastan]

Huh. ...I kinda feel like I should be offended, since I'm part squid now or whatever?

[He doesn't know if he's actually bothered, but keeping a squid guardian as a pet is pretty weird either way.]

But yeah, what Loop said - that sounds like a lousy witness!

[alphacraft]

[ This morning has raised so many questions that she's having to just let slide. Honestly. ]

Would this entity have the information we need? Are they aware of how humans track time? Would they know if the person they saw was you or a duplicate?

[start_again]

Oh, so as soon as a witness might be able to back me up, suddenly no witnesses can be trusted? Why are you so eager to just label me as guilty and be done with it? Shouldn't you want me to be innocent?

[Siffrin sighs heavily, dragging his hand down his face. At least Odile remains smarts and objective about all this.]

I don't know what he knows! But it's better than nothing, isn't it?

[jouvente]

[ Watches Siffrin for a moment, before looking to the others. ]

...It's at least worth something, isn't it? We should at least be willing to hear him out.

[theuniverseleads]

[THE most exasperated sigh... they don't like where this is going, but.]

Fine, whatever. Interrogate the squid deity! Sure!

Let's get this over with, then. Fighter, do not let your guard down. [walking over the demolished door pieces to Siffrin's room...]

[charlastan]

[Stan sighs too, but ultimately follows Loop. It's not like he knows where to go or what the hell is happening here anymore.]

Guess we're really doing this...

[alphacraft]

I still want to hear Siffrin's explanation of their conversation with Loop.

[ Just so nobody forgets. She follows last, taking a moment to stretch her legs and arms. Holding Loop down was not fun. ]

[sticksandbonesmods]

[Wouldn't it be so funny if Callan wasn't here.

Anyway no I'll give you this. He's here. He sees people come in and he immediately goes to greet Siffrin in his tiny, high-pitched voice (because he is currently itty-bitty), but there are... so many motherfuckers hi hello. Ugh, smells like human and Loop and old fart in here...

Callan figures this is Serious Business and scoots his way out of his mobile home, blorping outside of the glass in a way very reminiscent of how Mizuki climbs under doors, and then shapeshifts into big humanoid-shaped Callan. And then he sits his bare, wet ass on Siffrin's bed.

In a deeply waterlogged voice, he sing-songs:]

Hiiiiiii~.

[start_again]

[See? Do y'all believe him now??

There sure are a lot of motherfuckers in here. Siffrin is at the back of the group with Isa and Odile and thus has to arch up on his tiptoes, peeking over everyone's shoulders to wave at Callan.]

Hey, do you remember me coming back here early last night and just going straight to bed?

i forgot callan's font colour wheezes.

[sticksandbonesmods]

Huh! Do I? I wonder! What do I get if I answer?

[He kicks his feet, ankles locked. Swing, swing...]

I've been needing new decorations in my mobile home! I want a bird skull like the Little Goat has. [Little Goat being Zahliya, and if you don't know that uh sorry for this jester.] Betcha could ask Big Bird for one too!

[Do not ask Aurora for a bird skull she just came back to life and she will not think Callan is funny—]

[start_again]

[THE GRANDEST EYE ROLL EVER...]

Ok, fine, I will find you a bird skull. Can you answer the question now?

[sticksandbonesmods]

Sweet! Then yeah, you came in and went to bed instead of doing anything fun or productive with me, which was fucking lame by the way! We're supposed to have sleepovers or whatever you human-things call those these days!

SLEEPOVERS!

[charlastan]

[Hm...

Stan cups a hand around the side of his mouth and calls out--]

Hey! I'll get you an even better skull if you can tell me if Siffrin was acting weird and suspicious last night! Y'know, like if maybe he murdered somebody?

[Worth a shot, right?]

[sticksandbonesmods]

[Callan is a fickle Guardian. Of course he wants a better skull. Zahliya has a cool bird skull on his belt, and Callan himself has Too Many human bones at the bottom of his lake, but like? What if he wants the coolest skull ever? You know???]

I like you, old guy! Yeah, Little Hat Man's a fucking freak! He kills people for fun! [Callan, YOU kill people for fun.] He definitely did murder somebody. I mean, I heard SOMEONE scream, so I'm sure it was because Little Hat Man craves slaughter!

[...Callan.]

[theuniverseleads]

[.... you know what, fuck it]

I'll give you all my shiny rocks right now if you say he's a fake, too.

[sticksandbonesmods]

[Oh shit SHINY ROCKS? FOR HIM MOBILE HOME?????]

Oh, yeah, Little Hat Man is the fakest bitch I know!!!!

[Holds his webbed grabbers out. Rocks pls. :) ]

[jouvente]

If your point was to prove this isn't a reliable witness to count on, then sure I can probably accept that, but we aren't taking his word for whatever words he gave on your guys' behalf.

[ And by your guys' HE'S LOOKING AT STAN AND LOOP BOTH, BECAUSE REALLY???? Change, help him. ]

[theuniverseleads]

[Pausing to retrieve the cursed rocks they still had from August, here you go little fella!! Orange zircon, amazonite and serpentine!]

Oh, certainly not! But it was Siffrin who felt he'd be such a useful witness, wasn't it?

Well! Any other witnesses you'd like to volunteer, false one?

[start_again]

[...ok so this was a bad idea.

Except not, because Loop and Stan went into the room first, which means Siffrin is closer to the door along with Isabeau and Odile. So he just...makes a quick handsign to hasten his friends' speed (Loop no longer counts as a friend, tragically), grabs both of them, and fucking books it.]

[jouvente]

[ Huh? What???? That sudden boost gets his attention first, blinking down at Siffrin with a head tilt like um? Buddy??

Until OKAY SURE THEY'RE suddenly just all three booking it?? Which yeah, sure, Isabeau lets happen for a bit but

sorry, he's just gonna suddenly bend and scoop Siffrin up right into his arms. Sorry, sorry, he knows he isn't technically warning them, but he's gotta do something here he has to. ]

Wo-woah woah woah, Sif we're trying to clear your name here- running is only going to make it look bad!! [ That worry bleeds through after that sudden surprise, gaze full of concern. ] Look, I promise I won't let them do anything rash! There's gotta be something they're missing, right? There's gotta be something they just.. overlooked, some kind of evidence that would obviously prove your innocence and show it's something else. We just gotta keep looking!

[ Right? Because Siffrin wouldn't do that. Siffrin wouldn't hurt a kid, and this had to be Siffrin. It had to be. Because.. if it wasn't, then what does that mean about the real one and-- no, a deep breath, controlling his expression and offering a small smile. ] We'll figure it out together! Especially with M'dame's help.