[ 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

[elemancy]

[not like this, tiara!!!]

Still no explanation for why there are so many holes, though.

[he drags in a breath, and he's conflicted. he wants to believe her, but—where's anything to prove it?]

Why you walked through a bloody room without a trace of blood on your clothes. Why you'd really split up. One of you was going to die.

[so he asks.]

But you'd defend your life if she attacked you, right? If Ao targeted you instead.

[abasing]

I--

[Oh... She's quiet for a moment, brow furrowing a little despite herself. If Ao had--]

... Miss Ao...did nothing wrong.

Do you hear me? She did nothing wrong.

[alcobrawlic]

... Then can you say the same for yourself? That you did nothing wrong?

[abasing]

I-- I...

I did-- I did not act to murder anyone! Please, you must believe me...!

[glaring]

I've mentioned it already, but we don't have time to prove you guilty. As it is, we need you to prove that you're innocent instead.

[ ohhh she doesn't like this, there's still not enough, it's still so painfully obvious that it's got to be a trap, right— ]

[abasing]

... And if you do? If you should prove that I am innocent?

What shall you do then?

[...]

I am certain you are aware...someone must die here.

[glaring]

We'll deal with it once it comes. Don't you want to live?

[impulsiveness]

We'll figure something out. But if you're innocent, that someone doesn't have to be you.

[He hates??? This fucking game???]

Just listen to Noctis. If there's something you're not telling us, spill it. Please.

[hydrokinetics]

We're all aware. [He can't believe this.] But we can't prove your innocence either without the full story, Tiara. Just listen to Noctis and Sara. We can help once we know what happened.

[alcobrawlic]

Then give me something to believe! What happened between you??

[abasing]

[...]

... I... cannot say. I cannot answer that. It would be--

[dmails]

[Softly, with sympathy, but still seeking the truth:] Would it be admitting something you don't want to admit?

[cherrypuncher]

[Yuna's still here, squeezing Tiara's hand in hers.]

I believe you. I do.

[But she's so helpless; they're all convinced that Tiara's guilty and Yuna doesn't know what to say, and she's started to tear up.

She lifts her head, looks to the others. Her voice shakes.]

Please don't yell at her. There isn't any proof, so there's no reason to treat her like that.

[abasing]

M-Miss Yuna...

[That seems to surprise her even more than the accusations; her eyes widen, and then she swallows.]

You... you do not have to...

[cherrypuncher]

I want to.

[Tiara is Yuna's friend. Yuna trusts her, believes her to be innocent, wants so badly for her to be innocent. Wants her to be safe.

There's more to the situation. Yuna is not as stupid as she acts; she can read a mood well, has heard Tiara falter.

She doesn't let go of Tiara's hand when she stands up and steps in front of her so she can face her properly, but she takes Tiara's other hand to hold both of them in both her own, then crouches to meet her at eye level.]

I believe you, Miss Tiara. I really, really do. I don't think you did anything wrong, and I don't think Ao did anything wrong, either. Everyone's scared, confused, and far away from home. When we're like this, and we've been threatened like this and we don't know what to do, I don't think it's ever going to be that easy to just say, "it's all your fault," or, "it's all because of you and what you did."

[She squeezes Tiara's hands. Even though she's still tearing up fiercely, her gaze doesn't waver.]

That's why no matter what happened or what you tell us about it...I believe you. And it's okay.

[elemancy]

Then tell us what you really know, Tiara.

[because it's obvious she knows more than she's letting on. to noct, that's becoming clear enough—she's covering something up, just based on the holes in her story.]

Don't think anyone wants to turn this into a witch hunt. But nobody can help if we don't know.

[abasing]

... You must know how this will end, Sir Noctis. Regardless of what I say... I am not stupid. There is nothing I can say now that will save me.

[...]

You are already convinced of my guilt.

[feminitis]

We don't want to be! Please, Miss Tiara - if there's anything that will convince us that you're not guilty, that might convince us to spare you, tell us.

Please give us a reason!

[abasing]

I...

[...]

I did not murder anyone...!

[elemancy]

I'm convinced that there's more than what you're telling us.

[he still doesn't want to believe in her guilt.]

Can't prove innocence on half-truths and an alibi that doesn't hold.

[see. this is why he didn't want to say it! even though the suspicions have been floating in the air all day.] Not gonna speak for anyone else, but—I think you're a victim too. We all are here.

[abasing]

... Nothing... will stop this, though, will it? Whether I am a victim or not... it does not matter.

[She bites her lip.]

My "purpose"... was always to be this, was it not?

[flippity]

Um... when you say she did nothing wrong, do you mean she did nothing at all? Or that... she didn't do something wrong because she didn't want to do it, so it wasn't her fault?

[abasing]

[A LONG SILENCE................

And then she ducks her head.]

She...

[Her right hand clenches into a fist.]

Miss Ao was...kind. Even so--she was so kind.

[flippity]

Tiara...

[ papika places a hand over the fist. ]

She seemed really nice! But sometimes nice people do bad things, even when they don't want to. What happened?

[abasing]

... Miss Ao... does not deserve this. She is-- she is dead. I cannot... begin to...