[ 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

[impulsiveness]

Maybe? I don't know. Would the roles plot together, or are their identities as much as a mystery to each other as they are to us? We can only work off assumptions unless we get that cleared up.

[ceded]

[ Shifts.

She's hesitant for a long moment before slowly speaking up. ]

... I learned something about the roles last night, and I can tell you what it was, but ... I can't tell you how I found out.

[thatsthespirit]

[perking up, whoa hey hello, this is the most information she's heard someone had a bout a "role" since the Sheriff revealed that Bandits existed last week]

Please, tell us, Xion. I won't ask you how you found it out.

[impulsiveness]

If it's helpful, shoot. We won't ask.

[Well, he won't ask. Can't talk for anybody else, though.]

[ceded]

[ She starts a little. Hi Milla. There's a pause as she stares at them both, and then ... she nods. ]

There's two bandits every week, right? Well, it's not just them. The bandits have a leader, and that person's job is to kill the bandits if they fail to murder someone. So ... there have to be at least three people working together. Or at least, the leader has to know what the bandits are doing, right?

[dubiousalignment]

...do you know if the bandit leader changes every week too?

[Tarvek is under the impression Bandits changes every week, from what he heard in the last trial]

[ceded]

... I don't. [ She looks vaguely apologetic. ] All I know is that there is a leader.

[expelliarmed]

How do you - [ Right. She can't say how. Swallowing - ] Three people being involved makes things even more complicated, especially if the leader isn't very good at their role. What's the penalty for not fulfilling that role?

[ceded]

[ Sorry, Harry. She looks uncertain for a moment, but once it's clear he's not going to press her on how she came by her knowledge, she relaxes slightly. ]

I'm not sure. I guess there must, be, but I didn't learn anything about that. But ... maybe it's possible that whoever is leading the bandits is like, a mastermind of this whole thing.

[expelliarmed]

Quite possibly. [ IF they were the assigned leader and didn't want the role, maybe they would give themselves up. But if that were the case and it was the same person every week, wouldn't they have done so by now? ]

Do you think they're the ones who pick the bandits each week? Or do those come directly from the sheriff?

[ ...They just can't trust anyone. ]

[ceded]

[ Xion lifts a hand, pressing two fingers to her cheek and letting her other curled fingers press against her mouth. ]

If I had to guess, I'd say it comes from the Sheriff. He's in charge of running the game, right? But I don't know for sure. I'm sorry, Harry. I wish I knew more.

[impulsiveness]

Seriously? So it's not just two people we have to worry about each week [presumably], but a whole whopping three.

[ceded]

[ With a deeply apologetic look, she shrugs. ]

I know. I'm sorry. But at least we know now.

[insincerely]

[... Huh.

Yeah, this interests Shinnosuke too.]

It's possible, but not necessarily a guarantee. Depending on how much Mr. Sheriff acts as a go-between, all the bandit leader might be told is, "Hey, these guys failed, kill them."

[ceded]

... that's true. [ Xion folds an arm over her chest, hugging herself as ... best she can using only one arm. ]

Couldn't we ask, though? If the Sheriff helps them communicate. That way, we'd know for sure.

[insincerely]

We could. It wouldn't hurt, at least.

[ceded]

[ The words come with me die in her mouth, and briefly, she looks away. ]

I'll go.

[ haha brb ]

[thatsthespirit]

[. . . suddenly, everything Higekiri said last week-- about his choices being to kill, be killed, or help cover up a murder-- make sense. her brows furrow]

That adds an entirely new level to this trial. We were assuming the killers were Bandits. But. . .

[brings a hand up to her chin]

What if Riku and Annabeth were the Bandits chosen for this week, and both of them rejected their roles?

[dubiousalignment]

Then what happened to Nui could be the Bandit leader murdering someone besides those two?

[It's a possibility, that's for sure, but unfortunately there's nothing that could prove it]

[thatsthespirit]

It's possible. Or. . .

[Tarvek can practically see the gears in her mind working, clicking, putting puzzle pieces into place]

Nui was the Bandit leader.

[dubiousalignment]

Then who murdered Nui? Someone with a role?

[How many roles are in this freaking town]

[hydrokinetics]

[...he's not going to say anything but he's definitely sinking further into his chair because goddamn does that make so much sense. PLEASE BE WRONG BUT. Yeah. That's totally possible.]

...the Sheriff told me there's a failsafe in place if the Bandits don't kill. You can imagine what that means.

[thatsthespirit]

[her eyes slip shut, and she nods]

I can.

It makes sense, with what Higekiri said last week.

[she frowns]

The only thing that doesn't quite fit is the fact that the Sheriff didn't announce whether any of our victims this week had roles. Remember what I said earlier?

[ceded]

[ Ah.

Xion pales, her reaction not far off from Percy's own.

Riku ... would never accept a role like that. She knows it. ]

And the leader took them out... Tarvek is right, though. What about Nui? Was she involved ... at all, or ...

[thatsthespirit]

I suspect. . . perhaps she was the Bandit leader, the one sent to kill them when they refused to comply.

[closes her eyes, forehead still creased, 'cause she's still thinking hard]

The only problem with this hypothesis is what I brought up with Percy, though.

[didn't the Sheriff say he'd announce victim's roles, if they were relevant? there weren't any announcements this week]