[ 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

JAIL CELL

[dubiousalignment]

[Tarvek is resigned. What's to be done? Not much, that's for sure.

He's not going to reject any visits]

[thatsthespirit]

[well. Milla is in a TERRIBLE place at the moment, but one thing she is not is someone who runs from the consequences of her actions. so when she manages to regain (some of) her composure, she makes her way to the jail. and because she is she is pretty sure Tavrek is only here because of her. . .]

[. . .]

[well. hi]

The cell isn't a very comfortable place to spend the night.

[. . .]

Would you like some blankets or pillows?

[dubiousalignment]

I'd like that. This cell isn't as bad as the dungeons back at home, but it could be more comfortable.

[This jail is better than his home's dungeons because of the visits, mostly. If it weren't for that, it'd be kinda similar]

[thatsthespirit]

[stands up a little straighter, and nods]

If you give me a few minutes, I'll fetch some for you. What about food? I'll bring back anything you'd like.

[dubiousalignment]

Soup is good enough. If you can bring a can opener then even better.

[Tarvek smiles faintly]

Did you get used already to the finicky gizmos of the town or do you still have trouble with that kind of thing?

[There he goes, talking as if he wasn't in jail and with his maybe-death coming tomorrow]

[dmails]

[Okabe's abandoned any pretense; he's at Tarvek's cell almost instantly, standing straight, not even bothering to give a hello.]

You know a bit of tech, right? If there's anything you know that could get us home... [Fuck it, he'll just ask:] I need you to tell me what you know about dimensional travel.

[dubiousalignment]

[Oh boy what to say]

Dimensional travel is something we haven't quite achieved yet. However, the principles of the matter should be the same than opening portals to other places in the same world.

[He hasn't made any of that himself, and it'd be easier to think about this if he still had his spark, but he's going to try]

It'd need a machine capable of canvassing a different world, but for that one'd need to know a place in another dimension to aim for. That's the basic principle of portals in my world, having a clear target. Do you know anything about portals or teleportation?

[dmails]

Not in the context of spatial travel, exactly, but there are people in my world using Kerr black holes to transport things back or forward in time, across what we call 'world-lines' - things like matter or data. Me, I've only used it for data, but... [A future 'him' and a future 'lab' have done it with matter, so that has to be something?!]

[Okabe is pretty desperate.]

If you use a Kerr black hole to try to transport matter, it jellifies because of the compression involved. That's the problem. What I want to know is if anyone knows what kind of teleportation got us here.

[dubiousalignment]

Jellification is no problem as long as there's a way to undo it. A portal compresses the passenger and uncompresses them on the other side. It's all in the energy that composes the portal. Making this kind of stuff is...not easy to do for someone who isn't a spark, but you seem to know what you're doing.

[So yeah, good luck with that]

[court_chesster]

[ Meekly arriving with his monkey. ]

...Hey. Is there anything I can do for you?

[dubiousalignment]

Voting for me and Nisha to have a duel is enough for me.

I don't expect to win or survive even if I win, but I'm not going to let myself die without doing anything.

<[You voted for a duel, right?]

[court_chesster]

Yes, of course, I already voted for the duel!

[ Looking a little hurt that you wouldn't just assume he did, gosh! ]

[dubiousalignment]

Good. Maybe you can make a betting pool, just for fun. Not that I expect to defeat Nisha with ease. I'm not bad at fighting, but a fair duel is a completely different matter.

[cherrypuncher]

Mister Tarvek?

[Yuna's there pretty quickly, crouching in front of the cell when she arrives, arms folded over her knees.]

Is it okay if I stay here? [Apparently Saturday night sleepovers on the floor by the jail are just gonna be her routine now!!!] You'll both have some company that way [company you aren't going to have to try to shoot tomorrow] and from here, I'll be able to bring you food and stuff if you want anything.

[dubiousalignment]

I'd appreciate that. It'd be nice to have some friendly company for the night.

[Well hello there, Yuna]

Yuna, since you're here, I have a request for you. Take care of Xion, okay? She's going to need a lot of support no matter what happens.

[Either he ends killing Nisha and lives, or he dies. No matter what, he imagines it'll be tough for Xion]

[cherrypuncher]

You don't even have to ask. [She smiles, but it's faint and thin. Even so, Yuna speaks with conviction; Xion is her friend, and Yuna will not make the mistake of not offering someone she cares about enough support again.] I'm gonna do everything I can for her. Until then, is there anything I can get you for right now?

[dubiousalignment]

The Hero Club request box, some paper and pen. There are a few requests I'd like to make for the club.

[Since he won't be around to do any of it anymore. Well at least it was nice to be a member during these three weeks?]

[court_chesster]

Say, Yuna? Is it okay with you if I hang out, too?

[ Don't mind me, just doing shots with Nisha. ]

[cherrypuncher]

[LIKE YOU DO

she's having a tough time being cheery, but she does smile at him.]

Yeah, that would be nice. Thank you, Mister Keyes.

[robitussin]

...Hey.

[It's later when she drops by. She doesn't know what to say here, but she figures she should at least come by at some point.]

You need anything?

[dubiousalignment]

I'd ask you to bring Dr. Lecter's harpsichord, but I don't think that's an option.

[Well he seems to be okay enough to joke around a bit? Nice of you to come by, Natalie]

I don't need anything, but Xion isn't going to take the duel very well. If I don't survive please continue supporting her. That's all I ask.

[robitussin]

You play the harp?

[A small tilt of her head. If he wants to keep it conversational, she can do that.]

Yeah. I will, I promise.

[ceded]

[ Whenever she finally manages to calm down, or just reach a point of "not screaming," Xion makes her way over to the prison. She hasn't changed clothes, and she looks .... reduced, might be the word. Somewhat less substantial than she was before.

But at least she's no longer screaming and crying. Small victories.

She'll settle down on the floor right beside Tarvek's cell, using her walking stick to lever herself down. Pluto is with her, too, and he's as subdued as Xion is. ]

Hi, [ she whispers. She'll wrap a hand around one of the bars. ]

... I'd like to spend the night, if that's okay.

[ Her throat constricts around the words she can't say.

One last time. ]

[dubiousalignment]

I'd appreciate that, Xion.

[...]

Thank you for everything during these three weeks. You were a good roommate. I'm sorry things turned out wrong in such unexpected ways.

[ceded]

[ She leans her forehead on the bars. Just seeing him, talking to him, unable to stop herself thinking that this might be the last time is threatening to destroy her composure all over again. But however badly she feels, it's much harder for Tarvek. She shouldn't cry. ]

... I put you in danger by asking you to watch the camera with me. You're paying ... for my mistakes. I don't think I can ever make it up to you. But...

[ She curls her other hand around one of the bars, too, staring up at him. There is so much pain in her, but there's steel, too. ]

I'll do my best ... to keep fighting. I won't let you down, Tarvek. Not again.