[ WEEK THREE – 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

[thatsthespirit]

[a small nod]

Let's. But I don't want to forget about those who couldn't have their alibis confirmed.

[a list that now includes Eliot and Elizabeth, and SHOULD have included Noctis since Ash hasn't confirmed it yet but eh]

[hydrokinetics]

It could. But if I remember right the guy was also going around town the first couple of days looking for bugs that could be spying on us.

[ceded]

How do we know it's the Sheriff?

[ Like. Just. Stares at him.

She is not convinced it wasn't one of them. ]

[dubiousalignment]

Sure, let's give that a try.

[Tarvek is prepared to cooperate the most he can. The problem is that he isn't sure how to dispel any suspicion on him]

Is there any way to determine if Eliot or I had anything to do with those murders?

[elemancy]

...

[sei, why are you like this!!!]

Still pretty sure more people don't want to risk their own hide for it. Not gonna help anyone to go after evidence and die in the process, right? Not saying nobody will—

[since obviously, she would.] But not a lot of people are gonna be that reckless.

[(though tbh he probably would too if he really saw it as necessary.)]

[sheriffexe]

[ That makes him frown a little. His sweet cat. :( ]

... Thanks.

[insincerely]

If that's the case, and we assume that the shot skull was hers, and we also assume she was shot either by the rifle or the gun left with Annabeth, then that leaves us with a few cases:

The rifle was given by Mr. Sheriff, since I confirmed that the murderer wouldn't have to give it back. Someone might as well check to see if anyone can get a free weapon or just a Bandit.

Or that they stole Annabeth's gun, but that raises some potential complications here.

Or they just happened to conveniently find a rifle somewhere.

... Or they could've used their own gun, I guess, if we want to do a check to see who has their gun on them and has fired a bullet already.

[hydrokinetics]

...the problem with that, Seizaburo, is that without you in the room at all that gives him the perfect opportunity to slip out without anybody noticing. That's the one hole here that isn't quite covered. Would you say you trust him not to do that at least?

[ceded]

[ .... she

knew none of that. ]

Oh. [ what's with all the royalty!! ] ... he's really smart. And ... at least from when we've talked, he seems to want to stop all of this, or at least figure out why it's happening.

[sheriffexe]

They're all sort of... high strung, ain't they? Made me laugh.

[hitsitoff]

[Aw, Sei.]

...'ppreciate that.

[dubiousalignment]

I'm willing to answer any questions you may have.

[Although he reserves his right to keep some secrets by omitting them, of course. Would this...be useful for the trial? Tarvek doesn't think it is, but if it helps dispel any suspicions on him then it's good]

[robitussin]

Is there always going to be a bandit in the list, like there was last week, or was that a one time coincidence?

[hitsitoff]

I'm happy tellin' you anything you wanna know, but I dunno how much you're gonna value my word right now. Not like I got any way to guarantee I'm not lying.

[feminitis]

...we should have put more pressure on Higekiri-san to talk. Memory problems aside, he was talkative enough near the end.

[Ugh. Missed opportunities. If nothing else, it might have helped them understand the bandits.]

[cherrypuncher]

I'm not asking for an apology, Kamiya-san, because I don't think you have to apologize.

[Yuna shakes her head, and she softens.]

I want to find who did this. I think it's horrible. It isn't that I'm bothered by people being upset and angry, or that I think the person who did this should get away with it. Killing people for what they've done here is wrong, though. Torturing them for it is worse, and it's the same as participating, and you can't act like it's not. But I have a lot of faith in you, Kamiya-san, and Jason, too, so even if you're upset and angry now, and I think it's okay to be, I don't think you'd want to just play along with the game like that in the end.

[glaring]

I was also in my room.

[ a sigh. ]

Staying inside and awake seems to be the key to surviving, here.

[sheriffexe]

Well, I'm not gonna answer that.

[dubiousalignment]

There's nothing good or useful about taking difficult routes, no matter what the situation.

Either you use effective and substantial actions, or you refrain from starting in the first place.

[That's how Tarvek works]

[thatsthespirit]

Who was your roommate, and were they with you?

[flippity]

[ she nods. ]

I asked him what his poster meant and that's what he told me. And no, all he said is that he knew he couldn't die here because then he'd never be able to save his kingdom.

[robitussin]

What would I have to do to get that answer, or is that a flat no?

[dubiousalignment]

What I'm not sure about is why Nui -- or anyone -- would have the need to kill two people. Riku or Annabeth knowing something is the obvious motive, of course.

[Supposing Nui did do it, something Tarvek isn't 100% sure of]

[thatsthespirit]

. . . are you embarrassed by the fact that you haven't slept much?

[why else would he be evasive!!]

[hydrokinetics]

That. Is really weird. [And unhelpful.] Though Tarvek mentioned death rays to me so maybe not that weird. I still don't get how somebody can steal whole mountains either.