[ WEEK TWO – 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

[saurloser]

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

[hydrokinetics]

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.

[saurloser]

[ He snorts ]

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

[hydrokinetics]

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?

[saurloser]

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.

[hydrokinetics]

[...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.

[saurloser]

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?

[hydrokinetics]

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?

[saurloser]

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.

[hydrokinetics]

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.

[saurloser]

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.

[hydrokinetics]

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.

[saurloser]

[ Shrugs ]

I'd just like us to be thorough in our reasoning.

[hydrokinetics]

I don't buy it. You were ready just to give up and let Higekiri take the fall, what about that is considered thorough?

[saurloser]

[ ...huffs, ducking his head, grinning wryyyly ]

You've caught me. The truth is--

[saurloser]

--I'd like to end this quickly. I failed to bring a snack.

[hydrokinetics]

Man, aren't you the one who said last week that you were worried about being punished for voting for someone we know didn't actually murder anybody? Snacks are more concerning than that now?

[saurloser]

Yes.

You see, it's been another week. How long am I expected to put up with this before I'm allowed to be on my way?

[hydrokinetics]

You know you're not making a ton of sense, right? You can't say that you're worried about punishment, or try to emphasize with somebody who might have someone to care about when you have zero empathy, apparently, and you're focused on that. Make up your mind.

[saurloser]

Why should I? I make sense to myself, and I don't see the purpose of changing simply to make things simpler for you.

[hydrokinetics]

Ever think it's because we're all supposed to be playing this game? And that working together would get us out of here sooner? Just a thought.

[saurloser]

Yes. So I propose we all work together to vote for this young man, as he wishes. We will then be released and the game will progress. There cannot be another murder until we conclude this trial, so, the faster we work through things, the faster the game will be over.

[hydrokinetics]

Dude, that's not...no! That's not the way we should be thinking about this. [That is definitely not the way he wants to think about this??? Diego????] That still ends up with a ton of people wrongfully dead if we're playing it that way.

[saurloser]

[ Gestures at their volunteer victim ]

It doesn't appear that being dead precludes being rewarded.

[hydrokinetics]

Maybe in certain cases. I don't know if that's true of everybody.

[He shakes his head.] We don't really have another choice since Higekiri's being unhelpful.