[ 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

voting reminder

[insincerely]

All right, so I'm sure you all want to grieve for Tiara right now—or yell at Mr. Sheriff for this messed up game—and I get it, but...

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.

[impulsiveness]

... We're voting for her, then?

[He feels so, so tired.]

[insincerely]

I hope you're not asking me personally to decide that for everyone, because I really don't want to be responsible for that.

[impulsiveness]

No. I'd never put that weight on someone's shoulders. I just...

[Grimacing, he glances at the box where they're supposed to place their votes.]

This fucking sucks.

[saurloser]

The odds of something terrible happening in retaliation if we fail to abide by the rules is fairly high, so I thank you again for your practical attention to detail.

[insincerely]

Probably, yeah.

[He's... going to choose not to respond to the compliment (?).]

[saurloser]

I don't expect that much of this game will be "fair", but it seems sensible to not deliberately court punishment.

[feminitis]

[Right. He's right, again. Why does he have to keep being right?

His reminder sends Sei shuffling over to the voting box. She scribbles down a name and shoves the paper in, then shuffles back, looking miserable.]

[guiltlevel]

Well... I voted.

[ Simple and to the point... This time he won't say anything morally question or just out right weird? He needs a nap. ]

[sidearmofthelaw]

[ Nisha doesn't look particularly inclined to do either, and just rolls her eyes a little. ]

And she's made it pretty easy for us, after all.

[ceded]

Thanks ... for reminding us of the time.

[ there's no more inflection in her voice. it's like she's got nothing left. ]

[insincerely]

[He just holds up a hand in acknowledgment.]

[cherrypuncher]

She didn't do anything wrong.

[Yuna's shaking, but her voice is steady.]

I'm not voting for her.

[she doesn't know what she's going to do instead, but. points for effort]

[insincerely]

Provided she's telling the truth... [Shinnosuke's not taking a stance on that; he's just playing devil's advocate] ... that's fair.

[Look, he's not being a jerk for once.]

[cherrypuncher]

We can't kill her for this, Shinnosuke-kun. [aw fuck it's a "we" again, but she isn't just looking at him] She didn't do anything, it's not her fault.

[ceded]

Yuna...!

[ Xion has no idea what to say. That's such a huge risk to take, but it's so, so hard to tell her to vote for the death of someone she cares about so much. ]

[cherrypuncher]

It's not her fault! We can't kill her for it!

[SHE'S HAVING A BAD TIME]

[robitussin]

[A stern look towards her.]

What are you going to do, then?

[cherrypuncher]

[great question]

We—can't all just say we're sorry and just vote for her like that. If we could decide to do something else together...!

[but everyone else has already decided, haven't they?]

[generously]

[ Yuna... ]

Are you gonna vote at all?

[cherrypuncher]

[Yuna falters, teary-eyed, speaking softly.]

I don't know.

[healstaff]

Who are you going to vote for, then? There aren't any better choices, are there?

[ pause ]

That's a serious question, are there any better choices?

[hitsitoff]

No, she didn't do anything wrong.

But you don't have another plan, do you? [He doesn't wanna vote either, he doesn't wanna participate in any of this. But looks like it's happening anyway.] ...Other people are voting for her. That's happening.

...You know that, yeah?

[This sucks but he's trying to be as gentle with her as he can.]

[sunnashi]

[ The truth hurts, or at least the truth of their situation hurts. It really does. ]

...

[ He puts his hands on Yuna's shoulders. ]

Please vote. Put down my name, if you don't want to pick her.

[impulsiveness]

Yuna...

[He sounds so, so tired.]

You have to vote. Getting yourself killed now isn't going to help anyone.