#askodile plot

[askodile]

Any working theories so far, madame? It might be helpful to lay out what you know or suspect.

(You walk back to where Mirabelle and Isabeau are waiting for you.)

(Siffrin hides behind you, which is... unusual of them.)

(Usually he just uses his cloak and hat.)

(You put down the journal.)

(Siffrin is obviously acting off, but you suspect Isabeau has a better idea of how, exactly, they're feeling.)

(He's always been better at reading them.)

(You nod, and you all start walking to the eastern end of Dormont.)

(Isabeau walks up next to you.)

(You're a bit hesitant to hand it over, but you oblige.)

(Isabeau suddenly offers the journal back to Mirabelle, and you instinctively flinch.)

(You're fine with her trying to read it as well, but...)

(Mirabelle's eyebrows raise as she opens the journal.)

(Siffrin barely glances at the book before replying)

(...)

[askodile]

(Isabeau seems happy to chat as you and Mirabelle approach him.)

(No need to delay.)

(part 1/2, continued in reblog)

[askodile]

(You've been staring at these shelves for a while, but only now do you notice a spiral bound notebook nestled between flour sacks. Strange.)

(As you flip through the pages, it seems to be empty. Strange, considering there have been bookmarks placed inside...)

(You doubt it will help you defeat the King, but it's curious. You'll ask the shopkeeper about it once you pay for all of your other items.)

(...)

[Asks are now open!]

[askodile]

Be gentle, but forward. Not too blunt though! Make sure that he knows he ain't in trouble. I think... is he in trouble...? Just treat him nicely, Madame!

(You chuckle as you close the journal.)

(...You attempt to keep these words in mind, though.)

(As you approach the Favor Tree, you see Siffrin turned away from it, as if expecting you.)

[And no, dear reader, she does not see anyone else.]

(You catch your breath and approach them.)

(As soon as the words leave your mouth, you realize how paranoid you sound.)

(Despite how silly you sound, Siffrin looks bothered. Does he know..?)

(Interesting response... You might as well test something.)

(You write down a note for yourself, knowing that the look on Siffrin's face will not be transcribed otherwise:)

Siffrin looked pained... guilty? There's no doubt in my mind; they know something.

[askodile]

I can't imagine asking Siffrin directly would get a straight answer, but maybe you can get some insight from the others...? Mirabelle is close by, no?

(You walk south, towards the library.)

(Mirabelle is sitting on the bench outside, looking through paperwork you know you have no business with.)

(You approach her.)

(You nod absently, looking at the path that leads to the Favor Tree.)

(This doesn't seem to comfort Mirabelle, but she says nothing.) (As the two of your converse, you see Isabeau reentering town. Siffrin is not with him.)

(And you're off...)

[askodile]

(For our friend in the [brackets] - do you happen to have any insight as to why we're suddenly here now, or was it as abrupt for you as it was for us? I can't help but feel like we're reprising your role, in a way, as guides to the Researcher.)

[...]

[Of course you'd know this much about me, I'm not sure what I expected.]

[I have no insight into why you're here. I have no idea.]

[For all I know, that journal was in the shop the entire time and she's only now just started to notice.]

[...That wouldn't make much sense, would it?]

[Regardless, nothing happened in the loop before, if that's what you're asking.]

[Nothing obviously significant, anyway, I'm not keeping track of every time Stardust picks his nose...]

[They were being a little more suspicious than usual? But it's not like they haven't done that before.]

[I really did think this was a fluke that'd disappear in the next loop.]

[Like that one time the Change God statue in town...]

[...]

[Go on and guide your little Researcher, it's not like you're doing any better at it than I am with my Stardust.]

[I'm not even sure how you managed this!]

[askodile]

(You’ve been staring at these shelves for a while, but only now do you notice a spiral bound notebook nestled between flour sacks. Strange.)

(Before you go to pick it up, Siffrin rushes into the store. You turn to him, confused... there's an urgent look on their face.)

(..?)

(Before you can ask if they need anything else from you, they're gone. Strange.)

(You turn back to the book, frowning. If Siffrin is this upset about the potential of something being weird, you should at least check the one lead you have.)

(As you flip through the pages, you see... lots of things.)

(Most of the book seems to be filled with questions, some of which are answered in your own handwriting, but occasionally the format is broken up with transcripts of conversations.)

(Conversations and...)

(Gems. Gems alive. Here at the end-- you don't get any visuals, you don't know what exactly happened here, but you see what you said.)

(This is too elaborate. To specific. Too... strange. There is your handwriting in this book, despite you never having seen it before.)

(And it looks like in whatever world you wrote all of that, you also witnessed Siffrin suffering a fatal injury soon after you left this shop.)

(There are a lot of thoughts floating around in your mind right now, but only one seems to be very actionable at the moment.)

(You fish a pen out of your bags and for the first time, write an unprompted question into the book:)

What happened? What do you know?

[Asks are... once again open!]

[askodile]

Assuming some kind of time travel did happen, any theories as to why siffrin said something different when they came in compared to last time?

(You strike out those last three words.)