"So what now?" Petra wondered, putting her hands on her hips. "Feels like we've made some good progress so far, though, right?"
Jesse twirled one lock of hair around her finger absentmindedly. "We need to pull together all our evidence, and see how it connects. The tipped arrow means that the White Pumpkin has to be a pretty good brewer, and the traps show that they're a real redstone expert."
"Okay, that's all of them," Lukas said, walking back over to the group.
"If you could all please take the same seat you were at before," Jesse called out, everyone filing to their respective place at the table. "Four of your seats are marked- these are the seats that had a button to activate the trap. That means that the White Pumpkin could only be.. Dan, Stampy, Lizzie or... Lukas," Jesse said, blinking a bit at the last name.
"Wait, you're accusing us?!" Lizzie exclaimed.
"I echo her sentiment exactly! I didn't even see a button!" Stampy responded.
Jesse put all of her hands up in surrender. "Hey, hey, I'm just saying, those are the places that have the button there, so logic says that the White Pumpkin could only be one of you guys," she said, calmly. "I'm not really accusing anyone... yet."
"Sure sounds like you're accusing us, stranger," Stampy said sharply, "and I don't care for it!"
Jesse put one of her lower arms on her hip, arching her eyebrow. "Look, I'm going to try to take charge now, and we're going to get to the bottom of this whole thing. I am going to talk to each, ah, suspect, one by one, so I can find out who's telling the truth, and who's lying. I've got questions, and it would be nice if I could get a straight answer. Got it?"
"Loud and clear," Stacy said, saluting.
"Yes," Stampy nodded, "crystal clear."
"Who're you gonna interrogate first?" Petra asked, looking over at Jesse.
Jesse's brow furrowed, and she finally said, slowly, "I think I'm gonna go with Lizzie."
Lizzie started a bit, and Petra took Lizzie by the shoulders and steered her towards the library, which Jesse hurried over to as well. The library was very nice, although there was a rather suspicious lack of books in said library, but whatever, it was a nice library. Jesse looked around at the paintings and at the decor, all of her arms crossing as she scanned the whole place carefully.
The door opened, and Jesse looked over to see Petra leading Lizzie into the room. Petra gave Jesse a nod, which she returned, before turning around and walking towards the center of the room. Lizzie followed. "Jesse, listen, there's been a whole lot of talk being thrown around today. I don't know what people have told you," and she sat down, "I don't know what you believe, but I'll just admit it- I want that enchanted flint and steel as much as anyone."
Jesse turned to glance at Lizzie, and you would not believe how creepy it looked, in this dimly lit library with her red eye glowing at Lizzie. Lizzie repressed a shudder and added, "Probably MORE than any of them. I've been searching for it for YEARS. Do you know how much it stung to have Dan, DAN swoop in and take it from under my nose?"
"Nope. But would you want it enough to kill someone for it?"
Lizzie's eyes widened, and she hesitated. "... nah. Nah, I wouldn't do that. Starting to get real irritated with this White Pumpkin fella though. Listen, I just wanna get out of here and get on with my day. Or... er... night. What do you have to hear to be convinced that the White Pumpkin isn't me?"
"Know what this is?" And Jesse carefully pulled out the tipped arrow from earlier.
"Tipped arrow. Kinda shoddy work though. Definitely not one of mine if that's what you're wondering. Some noob made that thing. Stampy asked me once about how to make those- could be one of his. Plus I taught Cassie and Stacy how to make those a while back," Lizzie added thoughtfully.
Jesse put the arrow away, and asked, quietly, "Okay, I'm just gonna be straight, who do you think stole the flint and steel?"
"Well it wasn't me, if you're curious- if I had an enchanted flint and steel I'd be off exploring some other world with it. But me and Dan have been competing to find that thing for years. You're looking for a likely culprit... I'd look at that guy."
Jesse raised an eyebrow at that. "I'll keep that in mind. You like using redstone? Ever make traps with the stuff?"
"I'm fine, I guess," Lizzie said, somewhat dismissively, "I can do doors and lights and stuff. You wanna do advanced stuff, you gotta talk to Stampy. He was the Tri-Block Champion."
Jesse's eyebrow went even higher at that. "'Tri-Block Champion?'"
"Yeah, like two or three years in a row, if I recall correctly."
"Thanks for your time, Lizzie, that's all for now," Jesse said, standing back up. Lizzie hopped to her feet and left the library, as Petra looked at Jesse again. "Who's up next?"
"Bring me Dan, please," Jesse said lightly.
"Right." And Petra was off.
A minute later, Dan was in the room with Petra, and he started talking the second the doors shut. "I saw Lizzie on the way out, I don't know what she told you, but- I'm telling you, you've got the wrong guy, honest, I would never hurt anyone, you've got to believe me!"
Jesse crossed her arms and stared at him with her best poker face.
"If anyone's been wronged here, it's me. That enchanted flint and steel everyone's talking about? I found it! It's mine! Least it was before someone stole it." And he scowled a bit at the thought.
Jesse arched her eyebrow. "So, someone stole your stuff?"
"Yeah, I just want what's rightfully mine!" Dan said, nodding. Jesse gave him a look, and he added, "I mean, we ALL want it. Doesn't mean I'd kill people for it."
"Mm-hm," Jesse said mildly.
"I'm NOT the White Pumpkin, you've gotta believe me!" Dan protested, "what can I tell you to convince you?"
Jesse put one hand on her hip, the other five crossing. "Okay, out with it, then, who stole the flint and steel?"
Dan frowned, and looked off to the side uncomfortably. "I don't like, like, accusing people, but... my guess would be Stampy. He likes to play it off like he's not interested in it, but I know he wants it just as much as any of us do."
Jesse just nodded at that. "Okay. So, how'd you rate your redstone knowledge?"
"Me. Phoof," and Dan flicked at his white hair. "Not much. Not really my scene. You wanna know more about that stuff you should ask Stampy. He was the Tri-Block Champion."
"Yep. Three years in a row, according to Lizzie," Jesse nodded, and Dan pointed at her, eyes wide. "There! You see? He's the only one here who could've built such amazing traps."
Jesse blinked, before clearing her throat and using one of her lower arms to pull out the tipped arrow. "Know anything about this?"
"Oh wow," Dan said, blinking at it, "uh, no, I've never seen anything like that before."
Jesse arched her eyebrow at that, crossing all of her upper arms and putting the lower one not holding the tipped arrow on her hip, blinking at him. "No? Tipped arrow not ringing a bell? Made with potions?"
"Have you talked to Stampy yet? He loves bows and arrows and stuff," Dan responded. Jesse put the arrow away and gave the white-haired boy a nod. "You can go, Dan," and she smiled a little to show she meant no harm.
"Thanks, Jesse. Thank you. And, when Stampy comes in, don't forget to ask him about redstone. He's amazing with that stuff," Dan added, before leaving.
Petra looked over at her dark-haired spider hybrid friend. "Want me to send in Stampy?"
"Yes, please."
Petra left and came back a minute later, the orange-hoodie-wearing boy coming in, looking at Jesse with a nervous look on his face. Jesse stared at him evenly, before turning around and pacing away.
Stampy darted in front of her, waving his hands. "Jesse, I'm telling you, this is just crazy! Absolutely crazy! Total misunderstanding!"
Jesse used one of her middle arms to gesture at a chair nearby, which Stampy perched on, saying, still rather nervously, "I don't even WANT that flint and steel thingy! Not, um, not as much as the others, at any rate. Did I hear someone say it has something to do with portals? I don't have any interest in portals, no sir not for ol' Mister Stampy Cat, thank you."
"Gotta say, Stampy, you seem nervous. Everything okay? You comfortable?" Jesse asked, walking forward so that she was looking down to look at Stampy, her best poker face on.
"Umm, what? No, I'm not nervous. Nope. Totally comfortable. I could fall asleep right here, right now. I'm that comfortable, honestly," Stampy babbled out, Jesse still staring at him with her poker face. "Pleaase, just tell me what you want to know!"
Jesse put her lower arms on her hips, stepping back a bit. "What do you know about redstone? What's your skill level with the stuff?" she asked, pleasantly enough.
"Well, well, you know. About average... average level? Moderate? I dunno how these things are graded these days," Stampy rambled a bit, hands shaking slightly.
"That's funny... I heard you know all about redstone," Jesse said, casually brushing her hair so one side hung over her green eye. And with her body silhouetted against the fire, Jesse was a very intimidating figure indeed.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Everyone says you're the best at redstone," Jesse responded calmly, "something about being the 'Tri-Block Champion'?"
"Okay!" Stampy said suddenly. "Okay okay okay, fine, you caught me. I do know redstone. I'm technically even an 'expert'... but I would never KILL anyone, I swear! You have to believe me! Honest!"
Jesse reached into her pocket and balanced the arrow on her fingertips, extending it to Stampy. "Know anything about this?"
"Oh, wow, what is that?" Stampy asked, looking at it, interested, "what IS that? Some sort of... magic arrow? No, never seen anything like it before, honest. You know who WOULD love to see something like that, though? Lizzie. She's wild about potions and brewing and all that. She's WAY better with that stuff than I am."
Jesse hummed, putting the arrow back into her pocket. "Good with potions, you say?"
"Very good! Could probably even teach a class, ha!"
Jesse put her hands down, making the boy jump a bit, "'Kay, enough dancing around, who do you think took the flint and steel?" Her voice went deadly serious, her face went completely blank.
Stampy hesitated for a minute, glancing down at his lap, back up at Jesse, then down at his lap again, before looking back up at Jesse. "I don't think it was actually ever stolen."
Jesse arched her eyebrow. "Continue."
"Yeah, so, Dan got to it ahead of Lizzie, right? And she was pretty angry about it. Ithink he made up that story about it being stolen, so she'd think he didn't have it anymore," Stampy continued.
Jesse gave the boy a nod. "You're excused, Stampy. Thank you for your time," she said, politely enough.
"Oh!" And Stampy bounced to his feet. "Thank goodness. This room's making me very nervous." And he trotted out at high speed.
Jesse was facing the fire, when suddenly the doors banged open again, and Lukas was pushed in by Cassie, ears twitching in annoyance. "Oh, come on! This is nuts!" he complained.
"You had a button too!" Cassie pointed out, before turning to look at Jesse and Petra. "Fair's fair. It's your buddy's turn next." And she walked back out of the room.
Jesse sighed and plopped down on the floor as the doors shut behind them.
"Hey Jesse."
"Ahh, my final suspect. Here to point more fingers and blame more people, I'm sure," Jesse joked faintly.
Lukas looked at Jesse, uneasily. "I didn't push the button, you know."
Jesse rolled her eyes a bit, a faint smile coming over her face. "I figured."
A/N: It's the middle of this scene... BUT this chapter's getting too long. I'd better cut it short for now. xD
And what in...
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