robowest | [ WEEK TWO

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

Dude, you still don't have a guarantee that whoever you're protecting won't do this again. And you don't have a guarantee that your wish will be granted. None of this is guaranteed.

Does that matter? Nothing is ever guaranteed, but we all live our lives anyway. If we only did things with a guaranteed outcome--well.

It matters to me because I don't think it's fair to risk having somebody get away with murder when they could turn around and do it again.

Of course--I meant, should that matter to him that his reward isn't guaranteed. There's a possibility, so why not pursue it?

It's careless and as much as I'd be fine voting for him and killing him, he's making it sound like he's rewarded for it. And for somebody who's willing to put all of us at risk? I don't want to do that.

[ He snorts ]

That kind of reasoning I can understand! Refuse to vote for him not out of morality or generosity, but out of pettiness?

No, if anything I'd like to vote for him and the real murderer. Then everybody wins, especially since he was just as much of a part of this as the one who committed the act. There's nothing stopping us from doing that, is there?

Of course not.

[ Oh, but, he's had an idea-- ]

If he's being rewarded for being a scapegoat, are we sure he wouldn't have approached someone to make them a deal? An offer to cover for them if they'll agree to kill someone, and a reward for them both. That places the blame solidly back on him, doesn't it? As a potential mastermind.

[...it's an idea that causes him to pause.]

In a way? Sure, it does, but he's still not the one who actually made the kill. That doesn't put the blame on him at all since the other person could have said no.

Mmm... there's nothing you would kill for, then? Even if you were desperate? Even if someone approached you, and gave you a convenient way to insist it wasn't your fault?

Give me one good reason anybody here would believe something like that. What reason would our real culprit have to believe that Higekiri would be good on his word, or that this wouldn't fall apart in the end?

[A beat.] Would you do it if a practical stranger approached you with that deal?

I just told you why someone might believe it. You must have had a very charmed life, if you don't have someone you'd risk everything for.

You didn't answer my question. I didn't ask about "someone", I asked about you. So? Just answer that and we'll be good.

Of course I would! But like I have told my roommate--thinking that only the people who are alright with murders will be the ones to kill, here, will only hurt your chances of finding culprits.

I never said anything about people being alright with it. You're the one who brought up if people were desperate. And I never said anything about doing this for someone they'd risk everything for. You brought that up yourself.

(no subject)

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Agreed. Each and every one of us is at risk if we let this killer walk - this wasn't self-defense like with Miss Tiara. This was premeditated.

Murder usually is. There's no guarantee that the murderer will do it again. But there's no way to tell that they won't either. If we could, we should consider getting rid of both of them.

Of course it matters whether or not we let someone who has no problem with murder go free, you idiot.

Do you think the only people who are going to murder someone during our time here will be the ones who have no problem with murder?

No, but I think if someone's already shown they're capable of it, they're likely enough to do it again if they think they have something to gain again.

Also, why are you trying to convince us it doesn't matter?

First, because I think it's a useless metric for guilt or suspicion!

More importantly, because I'm bored of this game. We have a culprit who'd like us to choose him as our victim, which is a very efficient way of getting us out of this building and on with our evenings.

More importantly? It's not about you being bored, it's about...

[a frustrated sigh]

You're the worst.

The worst? I haven't murdered anyone. You can't call me worse than that, when all I'm expressing is that I'm not enjoying this.

Okay, you're figuratively the worst, how about that.

Once again, I think you're expending useful energy on the least of our problems.The same as assessing if it makes sense for anyone to murder with no guarantee of reward.