[ 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

[hydrokinetics]

[And after a while...]

One of the other questions I had is about the victims themselves. Do we really think they were randomized, or do you think maybe they had something more in common than we think that one or two people would be interested in killing them over?

[alcobrawlic]

Well, I figure Annabeth was probably an easy target at the time... she didn't mention anything to you about something odd, did she?

[hydrokinetics]

[He racks his brain for answers.]

No...we tell each other everything, but nothing stuck out to me. She agreed that Nui was nuts but. [A shake of his head.] I don't even know if she knew Riku.

[thatsthespirit]

Have we figured out why some people wind up in the stocks on Thursday mornings?

[she remembers the Sheriff saying Jason "was chosen" last week, but. . .]

[insincerely]

[He glances over at wherever Jason is.]

Jason and I've discussed the possibility that someone has a role along the lines of putting people there. To make them an easy target, you know?

[thatsthespirit]

[god. in that case, she sure is glad she and Yuna spent the night with Jason last week]

If that's so, then why would the Sheriff allow Yuna and I to so easily remove a target from the game?

[insincerely]

It's possible that the murderer had already chosen their target for the night, so Jason was officially in the clear and it didn't matter anymore.

Anyway, it's all just conjecture at this point.

[hydrokinetics]

So...what, there's two different parties involved and whoever our murderer was also just chose to kill Annabeth? [What the fuck.]

[impulsiveness]

... It's possible. One role could have picked her for the stocks, and another for the kill.

[ceded]

... independently of each other?

[ Asked somewhat dubiously. ]

Or ... would they have been working together? I mean, that didn't seem to happen last week, but this week...

[hydrokinetics]

...that would imply they specifically wanted her dead more than anyone else. [And that's not a possibility he can deal with so.] So it's possible the roles can interchange whenever it's convenient.

[sating]

That was my impression from the Sheriff's wording, personally. Saying that Jason was chosen at least implies another party was responsible for that.

[ So yeah, he'll just add a +1 and say Milla's thoughts there ]

[uraniumnumnum]

That would be sensible, seeing as it forces them to stay out of their room.

[ surprising for ash to be offering his opinion, but he is. ]

Then perhaps it would be wise to find similarities between Jason and Annabeth.

[impulsiveness]

Besides our impeccable sense of humor? None as far as I know.

[But maybe Percy would know better.]

[hydrokinetics]

[He pauses to think about this.]

...you both ask a lot of questions and tend to work with your brains more than anything else. You're both clever. And...you know how to fight pretty well, don't you?

[impulsiveness]

So we're both Nancy Drew types. That could imply a whole other reason for keeping us outside after curfew.

[hydrokinetics]

Could be they wanted you out of the way. [And he sits up, suddenly a little more riled up.] Annabeth is the smartest person I know and also one of the best fighters I know. Locking her in a position that she couldn't get out of would be the only way she'd never be able to defend herself and take somebody else out.

[insincerely]

You know, if something like that really is the case, should I be worried about myself next week?

[uraniumnumnum]

Your sense of humor is a single bullet point on a long list of reasons you should be worried.

[impulsiveness]

Nah. You're in the clear.

[uraniumnumnum]

A reason that someone would want to remove both of you from the equation. Though, depending on your sense of humor, perhaps it could be reason enough.

[ even the computer can make jokes, apparently... but he continues. ]

I'll give you a start. Someone is either placing people in those stocks because they believe you're part of the "murdering" group and want to keep you from acting... or because they themselves are part of that group, and want to keep you immobilized to make you an easy target. I posit that the manipulator here has spoken to both of you, and, moreover, considered both of you capable enough to be a threat that needed to be removed.

[impulsiveness]

If it's someone who spoken to both of us, then we'll have to cross reference. And since Annabeth conveniently isn't here to tell us — we're going to have one hell of a time trying to narrow it down.

[ASH.... ASH...............]

It's not a bad theory, though. Take out people you consider a threat and it'll be easier to get away with murder.

[sating]

[ Well, that seems pretty sensible, so Hannibal thinks on the suggestion, but his brow furrows together lightly. ]

They are both young. Teenagers.

[ Which is a pretty shitty reason... He looks to Jason, then hums thoughtfully. Because I'm not completely sure here, Hannibal won't be either hA ]

—Perhaps knowing someone from "home"? Clearly, Annabeth did. Does Jason?

[impulsiveness]

[Jason is not laughing but I, Kyuu, sure am laughing from beyond the void.]

... Technically, no. I don't.

[He won't elaborate on that unless pressed, though. It's, uh, complicated.]

[sating]

[ See, when you put it that way, he has to press. ]

"Technically"? Why qualify it that way?