[ WEEK ONE – TRIAL ]

[sheriffexe]

TRIAL

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.

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Comments

[feminitis]

With the amount of blood that was in the saloon, it's a little unlikely that whoever killed her would miraculously escape with no traces of blood on them at all.

...that said, there's no traces of blood on Miss Tiara's shoes, either, now that I've checked. So she must have been very lucky to have avoided all of the blood when she was going up to her room.

[alcobrawlic]

...

Or she wasn't so lucky and she cleaned them.

[ Sorry, Sei. Sara's not that lenient. ]

[feminitis]

Miss Yuki and Miss Maxwell were with her that night, though, weren't they? Well... after the Sheriff let her stay with them, anyway.

...he did say we'd only see what we were meant to see, so maybe he would have allowed her to clean them first.

[alcobrawlic]

We don't know how long she was in that room before she was found. She could have had more than enough time to clean herself off.

And with that much blood in the saloon, it's more than a little suspicious that her shoes are clean.

[feminitis]

...I want to believe Miss Tiara is innocent, but... it is suspicious. If there had been even just a few flecks of blood, it would have been more understandable.

[impulsiveness]

[He thinks about this for a second.]

... Do we know if any of the shops close up after curfew? [Like the Tailor.]

[feminitis]

...that's... a good question.

I'll go ask!

[And will try not to punch the Sheriff this time.

- AND SHE'S BACK.]

No, they don't. They stay open!

[impulsiveness]

[THANKS FOR TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM, SEI.]

So anyone outside could have swung by after curfew to swap their clothes with something more disposable.

[... He doesn't really want to state what he's getting at. But a bloody shovel and the mess in the Saloon means the killer must have gotten blood on their clothes at some point.]

[feminitis]

They... could have. But Miss Yuki confirmed that Miss Tiara is still wearing the clothes she was wearing on Thursday before being let out of the cell... and the tailor's shop didn't have anything close to what she's wearing, really.

[But it's definitely something that future killers will probably make use of.]

...but the shoes... might have been easier to switch out.

[impulsiveness]

She could have switched out of her clothes before the murder and then back after, but I think we all have enough of a headache without adding missing clothes into the equation.

Do you think Yuna would know if her shoes are the same?

[feminitis]

...she might.

[But. Uh. Who wants to ask Yuna to confirm something that may prove Tiara guilty? Not her.]

But I'm not her, so I can't really say for certain if she would or wouldn't be able to.

[impulsiveness]

[Neither does Jason, but if no one else can...]

I'll ask her. We'll get to the bottom of this, alright?

[feminitis]

...yeah. Thanks, Mister Todd.

[She feels a little better having him taking the lead on this one.]

[impulsiveness]

It's Jason. Please. Mister Todd makes me feel like I'm ready for a retirement home.

[cherrypuncher]

[thank god nobody actually has to go ask Yuna that because she pipes up herself:]

Her shoes were the same, too, so she didn't switch them out for new ones.

[alcobrawlic]

I can understand wanting to believe that she isn't a killer... but the fact is that someone here killed a girl. And the important thing is finding out who did it, no matter our personal feelings on the matter. We owe that much to Ao.

[insincerely]

[clap clap]

Well said, Teacher.

[alcobrawlic]

I shouldn't have to say it, buuuut I figure it's worth reminding our softer hearts here.

[insincerely]

[...]

We're not going to have a very satisfying outcome to this trial, are we?

[feminitis]

...it's looking like we're not going to. But... she's right.

[Whether they like it or not, they have to bring justice to Ao's killer.]

[thatsthespirit]

[she had lapsed into pensive silence up until now (because she and Yuna did have a galpal slumber party last night with Tiara!!) but Sara's words get her to speak up again]

I agree. Ao deserves our best efforts.

[elemancy]

Probably also helps to remember that we don't know if our killer's hand was forced or not. We all got forced into this place, being forced to play the "game" isn't much of a stretch.

[he really has his doubts that this happened to easily out of free will.]

[alcobrawlic]

With our luck, it won't be cut and dry at all. But we won't know the full story without figuring out who's behind it first.

[elemancy]

You're right.

Just may help to remind people that we've got a good chance that this wasn't in cold blood. People... crack when it's "kill or be killed."

[it's not like anything here has been cut and dry anyway.]

[ceded]

... whatever happened ... we're all being forced into this. It's probably ... going to be awful. But finding out what really happened... that's most important right now.

[ "Soft heart" or not ... she doesn't seem to want to protect whoever did this. ]