robowest | [ WEEK ONE

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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

I don't know.

If you do nothing, then something could happen to you. I wouldn't like that.

[ Yuna is more innocent than anyone he's met so far... ]

Are you giving up?

[Yuna shakes her head hard.]

Hero Club tenet number two. [But she still sounds like she's about to break down in tears any second now, and can't finish reciting it.]

But I don't know what to do.

[ Good! She remembers her own rules. ]

Don't all heroes go through hardship? The good ones will find a way a through, so... endure it. If you win this game, you might even save everyone.

[ He opens the rulebook and points her to the participation rewards, specifically to the part that says there are no limits to what one can ask for. ]

But you can't win it if you don't play it. So, endure, Yuna Yuki.

[Yuna looks at the rules, a little startled, a little doubtful. Playing the game means people like Tiara have to die. Playing the game means killing and trials, again and again, if the rules really are played by.

She sniffles, swallows down a sob.]

I'll endure. [A sniff, and she tries to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand.] I will.

"No limits" means you could technically ask to have her brought back to life, right? I'd like to think this is one of those stories. Well, it'll work out!

[ One of the perks of solipsism is that he can't imagine the worst case scenario. ]

I'll protect you, but you can't give up.

[Even the Shinju-sama can't bring back a lost life; Yuna has been told this, and for all her idealism, she can't quite see this being done. But, still—there are worlds that stretch past Shikoku island, and the people who live there here with her. They told her the Shinju-sama could never restore a lost offering, either; they told her she woke up of her own will when the Shinju-sama could do nothing for her.]

I won't give up. [Her eyes aren't drying but her voice steadies.] ...Thank you, Mister Walken.

[ WEEK ONE – TRIAL ]

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