week 7 - trial; day 1

[vicedirector]

seven vices case 7 trial, day 1 ♫ saturday At 9AM, every television will go off, loud enough to wake anyone sleeping. The calm, apathetic voice will advise everyone to gather in the chapel for the trial. Static will continue to blare in the head of anyone dillydallying. Once all of the guests have gathered in the chapel, the doors will lock. Most of the pews have been moved aside to allow for more space, and a few tables have been set up on the altar. On the first, there is an additional copy of the rulebook, and the information cards of the victim and suspects laid out, with space for the suspects to provide their whereabouts, as well as an autopsy report. There is also a large wheeled chalkboard upon which you may write theories. On the second table is a pitcher of water and some glasses, as well as very simple sandwiches and pastries. The door behind the altar has finally been unlocked. It's a rather plain room with an area set off by a folding screen. Inside, you will find a table on which the victim's body has been laid out. Next to the table, two black and white photographs have been hung on the screen. they are close ups of the victim's body, as it was found when the body discovery announcement chimed. A few sticks of incense burn in the corner to avoid any smells. At 6PM, the trial will adjourn. Everyone will be escorted back to the hotel by Miata, after which everyone is allowed to head to either the kitchen to get dinner, or to their rooms. Attempting to wander off into the other areas of the hotel will trigger the static alarms in everyone's heads/televisions. >Discuss? victims suspects cast setting rulebook

Comments

[thebonezone]

[you were around because alisha, but sans generally just follows papyrus around, so. hi, faize.]

he's not blaming you, kid.

[symbologic]

[Of course he was around because Alisha. There's a chance this is the last he's ever going to get to see her. And apparently he's not one of those types that wants to preserve happy last images of a person. Or maybe this is some bizarre sort of punishment he's inflicting on himself, who really fucking knows what he's doing or why he's here. Not even Faize knows. That said, hi Sans.]

...he should be.

[FAIZE SURE DOES. Even if he's the only one here who does, apparently.]

[thebonezone]

[sans can figure out exactly where faize's feelings are going because he is intimately familiar with guilt. that's why he just kind of... sighs.]

look. i'm not gonna tell you not to blame yourself, since i get the feeling you've heard that a lot since it happened. it's pretty hard not to, right? you keep thinking there's something more you could've done, or that you should've been there... it's basic survivor's guilt. my bro's feeling the same thing right now.

there's a few things i can tell you, though. first being, obviously alisha's not the kind of lady who would've ever been ok with you blaming yourself like that. but you probably know that. the other stuff...

[he's not looking at faize anymore]

you can keep blaming yourself if you want, but you gotta know that's not the actual truth. the only people who're to blame for this mess are the killer and whoever came up with this whole game in the first place. try to remember that.

[symbologic]

[Faize chuckles in a hollow, humorless sort of way.]

You are the first to tell me so, actually.

[At least in such a direct way. He's been keeping his guilt to himself, for the most part. He's been keeping...all...of his feelings to himself, actually. Because that's a healthy coping mechanism right there.]

But it's not a matter of thinking, it's a matter of knowing. I know...there was more I could have done. [...] Should have done.

[He woke up with her and just...let her leave. Alone. And fell back to sleep. So at least there is actually something there for him to legitimately blame himself for. He did kind of fuck up.]

There are others that hold most of the blame, just as you say, but...even so, a portion of it falls to me.

[thebonezone]

[... sans: projects harder onto kids he doesn't know]

alright. let's say you're right, and you're lack of actions caused this. what are you gonna do about it?

[THIS IS NOT GOING TO HELP, SANS]

[symbologic]

[NO, SANS, YOU ACTUALLY ARE KINDA HELPING? SORTA? Faize is weird, okay, the "right" methods aren't going to work here.]

[He's quiet for a moment, clearly thinking the question over. He knows what the answer is, but...he hasn't exactly been doing the best job of it? Granted, they still have plenty of time but...]

...find her killer. If I were to let them get away with it...I would only be failing Alisha a second time.

[Now that he's said it, he's gonna have to try harder, clearly. As for what to do after that though...]

[thebonezone]

[after is after, clearly, and depends entirely on whether they get the killer or not!!! so!! irrelevant. and also, generally do not ask sans for help on Learning To Live With Guilt And Grief, that's what papyrus is for.]

that's a start. just do what you think you need to, kid.

[...probably not something to say to someone in the middle of grief.]