
In the morning, the town comes back to life. Birds crow overhead, a snake nearby hisses, a lingering coyote dips behind a shop before disappearing into the wild. It's a frightening contrast to the stillness of yesterday but it doesn't mean it's over yet. After all, today is the trial.
The Sheriff stands on the porch of the Town Hall and brings his hand up to his mouth to let out a whistle. He'll thumb back to the Hall behind him and very clearly state --
"Trial time, folks. Get in here and figure out who did it."
And then he'll turn to leave before pausing and adding on,
"Bring a snack or somethin' too.
The Town Hall is set up more like a court house, a Judge's bench at the front but instead of at center, it's off to the side as if more for observation than participation. There's a table at the front of the room already holding a small box and a pad of papers and pen, for voting apparently. A side room containing only a metal gurney is next and today it's obvious why there's a gurney there at all with the corpse, resting right on top of it. Aside from that, there are rows for everyone to take a seat and it's only after everyone is inside and settled, that the doors close and the Sheriff speaks.
"Well, have at it. You've got till nine."
And then, he points to a clock on the wall that reads 12:00. Good luck.
Welcome to the trial post! Characters are free to discuss everything related to the trial here. They won't be let out of the room until 9PM when voting ends. Every character must vote and the voting post can be found here.
If there are any questions, please shoot a message to this journal or to robowest. |
THE SHERIFF
Well, "quietly" in that he's got a piece of wood out and is working on carving it with a knife, along with having a cigar hanging between his lips and puffing away. Kind of obnoxious, actually. ]
no subject
Good morning.
[Not that she really wants to be polite - that much is written all over her face - but if she's going to ply him for information, she should probably at least try.]
Those girls, Ao and Tiara... you told them they had a purpose for being here, right? Did you ever explain things to them like you did for us?
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
[ Time to ask questions, so up to the judge bench he goes. ]
My first question is, what are you carving? The second is, do you know if the two girls would know about the murder rules? You were the one who told us and we have rulebooks... But what about them?
(no subject)
...
no subject
[ Very subdued. ]
Um, I wanted to clarify something with you. The rulebook says that eligible murders happen Thursday nights. Is that all night? Or ... I guess I'm asking what the time frame is.
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
When did Ao and Tiara get here?
[ it's said kind of rudely but also at least she didn't attempt to hit him. ]
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
[Shinnosuke asks helpful questions.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
And what if we are not able to come to a consensus on who we believe has committed this crime? Are abstentions permitted?
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
Excuse me. Mr. Sheriff. Do you bleed?
[Yeah, he's completely serious about the question. What kind of clank are you, Sheriff? Looks like Tarvek has other things in mind other than the trial. Hah!]
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
no subject
Sheriff Hal? I have another question about curfew. What time does it end? Is it different for our rooms and for the hotel's front door?
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
So what happens if we vote for you?
[ Because if they have to vote, he'd much rather vote for the one person who's a clear enemy. ]
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
THE BODY
no subject
He wants to make sure if the wounds on the body match up to what he's been told. He also wants to check to see if there's any signs of self-defense, and, after listening to everyone talk, if there's any signs that Tiara might be the culprit.]
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
no subject
Sei really doesn't like the idea of playing along with this, but Ao's body on the gurney is an ever-present reminder that they need to avenge her death by catching the killer, so here goes.]
I know we're all going to say we were in our rooms, but I think we should go over our alibis anyway. Especially since we all have roommates - anyone who's innocent should be able to have someone confirm it.
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
[but that aside, once they doors are closed, she gets down to business]
Let's make a list of everything we've found relevant to the murder. Something in these clues must point to the killer.
no subject
Do you like me y/n?]There was some sort of incident on the train tracks near the rail station. I'm not sure what to make of it, but there were blood handprints going in one direction and footprints going in the other.
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
no subject
Any guesses on how our jailbirds were set free? I don't think any of us knew where the keys would be to unlock their cells. Who spoke to them in the last week?
no subject
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Questioning Tiara
Now's the time to finally question her, if you want to.]
no subject
How did you two get out?!
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
no subject
[ Xion clears her throat, not really liking being the center of attention, but #dealingwithit ]
The time frame ... for murders, that is. Eligible murders can start Thursday night, but ... the window lasts until a body is discovered. Which leaves Friday morning open along with Thursday night.
[ She clears her throat again. There's a lot of conclusions one can draw from that information and she won't be drawing any of them. ]
Um, that's it.
no subject
Which means that somebody could have started all of this Friday morning after the front doors were unlocked. [Okay. That's all he has to say, someone else can take this a step further.
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
alibis part two: electric boogaloo
[Sei and Xion are fired up and both of them are ready to be obnoxious. So sorry for everyone's lives.]
Now that we know the murder could have happened any time between Thursday night and when we found Miss Ao, it's even more important that we establish our alibis! So I'll ask you again - and again and again if you don't answer - what were all of you doing between sundown on Thursday and when we found Miss Ao on Friday?
no subject
[ Nervous and VERY DETERMINED let these two genkis irritate you into spilling your guts ]
I spent the night in my room, with Tarvek. He can vouch for me. In the morning, I got up and headed to the kitchen, but it didn't take me long to notice all of the sounds were missing and everything. So I decided to search the hotel. That's when I ran into Noctis, and ... um, him. [ points. at. wherever ash is. ]
By the time we left the hotel, I'm ... pretty sure people discovered what was going on at the saloon.
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
now in the proper place
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
no subject
Ao and Tiara were together at first but decided to separate on the basis of it being "unsafe" to stick together. Sure, whatever. I won't judge. Anyway, this was probably during curfew, but it didn't seem all that late either, according to Tiara.
Tiara wandered around for a bit—seriously? With coyotes and everything around?—before Mr. Sheriff told her to stay in the saloon or cells.
Mr. Sheriff directed her there, and according to her, it was already a mess then. She apparently didn't see the trail of blood leaving the saloon, whether because it hadn't happened yet or because she missed it. Or because she's lying, one of the three. She supposedly didn't hear anything suspicious either.
[He shrugs.]
She didn't question it, because she was afraid of Mr. Sheriff. How horrible, bullying small girls, huh?
... Anyway, I might've left out a detail or two, but that should be the gist of it. I'm not saying one thing or the other, so no need to lynch me, please.
no subject
The rundown is appreciated, though.
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
Who are we voting for, again?
[ As Simon attempts to get someone to tell him what to do, Money rides by on DD's back in a glorious display of simian dominance that looks a little something like this. ]
no subject
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
Scene of Crime Discussion
I was the first one to arrive at the saloon. The front doors were bloody, very obviously so. I called out, and was joined by three other individuals - [She points to Ezio, Eliot, and Tarvek] -
Inside was, as you're aware, a mess. Signs of a struggle, blood trail leading out the other door... There was broken glass and toppled furniture in the area of the bar itself. The glass came from a bottle, Ezio inspected it. Blood was in copious amounts.
That's all I remember clearly.
[If she missed anything, she hadn't been the only one there.]
no subject
If the fight occurred in the saloon and then blood went out the back door, how'd it get on the front door? Unless it started somewhere else?
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
no subject
Y'all can dig into the details as much as you like, but it seems most reasonable the Sheriff pit the girls against each other in their own game or whatever to show us all how it's done. Anyone have some other idea? Any other idea.
no subject
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
confession
there were too many subthreads so I got lost.But after so much persistence--after so many people trying to convince her to tell, she can't really not--can she? She has to say something.]
... I apologize. I have...been lying to all of you.
[That much is obvious, but she has to say.]
Miss Ao and I... we did not separate. It was too lonely... to even consider. Miss Ao and I... we went to the saloon.
[She clenches her right hand into a fist.]
Miss Ao... she... she broke her bottle, and attacked me with a shard of glass.
no subject
To be honest, the idea that you two separated sounded like bullshit from the beginning because it made no sense.
And?
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Re: confession
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
Re: confession
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
points at eyes points at tiara
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
voting reminder
I hope everyone remembers what this trial is for, and what we're expected to do by the end of it. [...] And said end is in half an hour, in case anyone's forgotten.
no subject
[He feels so, so tired.]
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
EXECUTION
Anyway, hope y'all liked this tutorial. Figured a real clean cut sort of thing would work best for this. Miss Tiara, got one more little job for you and then you're finished here. You'll have to spend one more night in the jail cell though, unfortunately.
[ He points at the box and then continues to address everyone. ]
Vote for an executioner. You don't vote, I pick one of you at random. Someone's gotta kill the bad guy here, y'know? That's it though, hope y'all have a good evening.
[ And then he's going to head for the doors -- which are now open, somehow -- whistling as he goes. When he gets to Tiara, he'll start leading her out the door with a hand to her shoulder. ]
no subject
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
howdy partner
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
EXECUTED
BUT IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME BY AND SAY FAREWELL there she is, sitting in a corner of the cell with her head down.]
no subject
she grabs onto the bars and rests her head against it, looking sadly at the other girl. ]
This isn't fair...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...