robowest | [ WEEK FOUR

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A pause.]

Do you want us to suspect you for some reason?

No, but I think it says a lot of our investigative abilities that I haven't been suspected.

I think we already all knew that we suck at this, dude. Not exactly a newsflash.

Mi dispiace, but knowing we.. ah, "suck" doesn't help as much as acknowledging it and trying to move forward.

And you telling us all that we're idiots definitely helps us do that. Well done, good job, etc.

Va bene. We'll just execute someone at random again.

If you want that to not happen, there are better ways than basically painting a huge target on yourself that says 'look at me, I'm suspicious', you know.

Ours, including yours? You haven't said anything much lately, Ezio.

Including mine. Obviously my skills lie elsewhere.

Like... murder.

[ . . . ]

Do you want to die?

Maybe he's hoping we'll vote for him in the last 30 minutes. Again.

[Stop.]

It would be handy to have a volunteer scapegoat.

Wasn't that sort of what happened with Higekiri anyway?

I'd say it's best we avoid an incident like that, but I'd also like to avoid an incident like last time.

[you know, sending... two people to die... instead of just the one...

it'd be great if we don't do that again guys.......]

You and me both. This isn't helping us any but now that it's out there we can't really ignore it either.

...We're not down to the wire yet, but it's something to talk about when we can.

[Like. Just not in the final twenty minutes hopefully.]

Exactly. If Ezio is so insistent on his suspicion, he can join Higekiri in being our volunteers.

He's trying to be honest with us. Whether or not all of us think that's necessary or helpful right now, he just wants to make sure we're considering all the information we're supposed to have so we can do better. That's not the same as him telling us to vote for him, so please stop talking like it is.

[stop bullying her friend :(]

(no subject)

sweats - 2017-02-11 19:22 (UTC) - Expand

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And it looks like we have more lining up.

[A S H.]

Can someone please get this trial back on track?

I... That's not- What good does it do us to discuss that right now?

[He pauses before answering more firmly.]

No, there is still more I have to do.

Wouldn't it be just, if we're unable to find the real killer, to execute someone who willingly wants to go? If you want to die, you only have to ask.

[ ... ]

What else do you have to do?

[Ezio bites his lip because he can't really argue, but there's nothing else he can say either.]

It doesn't matter. Not here. It has nothing to do with this place, if that's what you're wondering.

[ At that answer, Will gives a shrug. ]

So, it wouldn't be the worst thing to die here. See how the pieces fall. The Sheriff's already stated that it's not a permanent death.

Do you want for me to offer myself up then? Or why don't you if that's what you believe?

sweats - 2017-02-11 19:42 (UTC) - Expand

combattente - 2017-02-11 19:48 (UTC) - Expand

[ that gets a short laugh out of jerkbot 3000... congrats ]