third trial

[stagemanagers]

[Third time's the charm. When the investigation finishes, the lights begin to flicker on and off as that low, gentle rumble echoes through the opera house. Again for those investigating the grounds the outdoor lights illuminating the still night flicker to get their attention.

Your intermission is ending. Please return to your trial room.

The court room looks just as it did before: the grand chandelier glittering above your heads, the dusty red velvet seats. In the orchestra pit your circle of wooden podiums are waiting. Red, Claudine and Spinel's podiums are draped in black crepe with their greyscale funerary portraits, just like your friends before them. The ghost light glows softly behind the podiums.

The curtain is closed, waiting to open when a decision has been reached and the execution can commence.

When everyone is in their places, the Phantom's voice echoes loud and clear through the theatre from his place in box 5. His tone is terse.]

You must now determine who was responsible for the deaths of Claudine Saijo and Spinel. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.

[Gather your evidence and let's begin.]

Comments

[holyspit]

[Hey, Steven's here. He's fine.]

[He's got a bunch of shiny gemstone shards on his podium that he's still trying to rearrange into their proper heart shape.]

Spinel's- she was shattered in the gardens. A few of her pieces had been. Moved around. A few were in one of the crypts, and there was one in the barn.

Did anyone else find any? There's- she's not all here, still.

[madgiganticfeelings]

I-I found one in Claudine's hand. I thought it was just a stone...

[isawallflower]

[ Riley's. Tired. She's very tired. But she speaks up when Steven does: ]

It looked like there was an impact around the...her...pieces. Like- like someone hit the ground. And footprints. Um. There were...a mess of them. Too many to tell how big any of them were. But I know there was more than one size.

[37773972]

Whatever happened, it damaged Sigyn's gravestone.

[He's quiet, but- clearly disturbed by this.]

There was a crack, and the stone was- flaking? I don't know what could cause that.

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Oh god, Christine doesn't like this. She feels ill just looking around at all the empty spaces... but one thing does stand out to her.]

Was there only one person responsible?

[recessives]

There might have been.

I found some torn up letter scraps in the library... the first one I opened said "You killed two people, of course."

[ She'll go ahead and just put the paper scraps on her podium. ]

The only other one I could read any of said "I can grant you that opportunity. All you need do is ask." and the last one was torn up too badly to recognize any of the writing.

[mcfife]

[Angus arrives solemnly holding onto Tad Cooper. He sets the dragon onto his podium, plants both hands on opposite ends, and takes a keep breath.]

There were two deep cuts on Claudine, one on her back, one in her front. Whoever did this meant to kill her.

[37773972]

...no accident this time, huh. [He's not sure if that's better or worse...]

[musacal]

[ Just here with her elbows propped on the podium and her face in her hands. She’s all cried out but she’s not doing well, especially hearing THAT. ]

[heathencall]

[Mephisto looks a little worse for wear. He has one wing out, bandaged heavily and held in place behind him. Octokitty is here too, but despite that cuteness, he definitely looks more than a little surly. He can't be allowed the chance to sleep in, can he? You just had to do a murder. Two murders!

And he had to go in the chapel! The fuck, you guys!]

There were two candles lit in the chapel. They'd been going for awhile, judging by the wax. Whoever did it tracked some mud upstairs as well, but I couldn't get enough to grab a footprint.

[37773972]

[Someone is pointedly avoiding looking at Mephisto('s wing), gee, wonder why. For the record, his arms and hands are heavily bandaged and splinted.]

[garbageface]

Okay, so whoever went in the chapel was possibly in the garden first?

[ santana is looking worse for the wear this morning! her usual haughty attitude isn’t quite as pronounced. she must be feeling a little too tired to keep up the act. ]

[likemypicture]

Two candles—- one for each victim?

[madgiganticfeelings]

Whoever killed Claudine must have done it while she was practicing, since she had a gym bag in the music room. There were a few puddles of blood and a handprint... I think they were made when Claudine was trying to run away...

[holyspit]

You said Claudine had the shard you found, right?

[musacal]

Why would someone do that to her?! Why to Clau-chan...?!

[musacal]

[ Okay this is on her mind and she hates it but ]

I... I hate to be the one that asks this but...

I know we’re still trying to figure out how Spinel-san got shattered... did anyone find... what they used to kill... C-Clau-chan...?

[mcfife]

I found nothing in the dance room, nor on her body.

[37773972]

...I don't think we did.

CATHERD...?

[inside_yourmind]

[When this happens, Nana's voice seems to have an effect: the lights in the room flicker, and several bulbs in the chandelier above the audience pop out with a small crack and fizzle.

The Phantom was already sitting up to watch all of this. After a quick glance at the chandelier, he stands abruptly and claps his hands twice for attention.]

We've all heard Riley's story
Heard all of that loud and clear
She killed Claudine - yet still it seems
Someone else died here

That's right, we've heard her story
Heard each and ev-ery note
There's much more to do before I will
Call the vote

Re: CATHERD...?

[holyspit]

[What the fuck is this deja vu and why does he hate it so much.]

You put your murder hands in, you put your murder hands out

[heathencall]

If... We've all managed to regain our heads.

[Well. He certainly hasn't. But now he has two girls to worry about so he'll focus on the priorities.]

I would like to see your hands and feet, please. Shoes and bare, if you wouldn't mind. With no weapon immediately available, it seems logical to check for physical markers first.

cw; injuries

[37773972]

[He's having Riley help him with...all of it, honestly. His hands are pretty much what you'd expect after what happened Thursday night, laceration wounds and chemical burns and all. His feet are good, though!]

[mcfife]

[And lo, Angus McFife XIII steps away from his podium, no longer able to hide his culpability, and removes his sunglasses. Gone is the light form his eyes, replaced with something that can be best described as evil.]

I cannot believe I kept this charade up for the entire day. Truly, the anti-Telharic power within me is too great to be controlled for longer than that.

[He picks up Tad Cooper in an arm, gently, stroking it lovingly down his back. It would be a tender scene if it weren't for the unfeeling smile accompanying it.]

It was fun watching you squirm for so long, but it can be difficult not to revel in your suffering for such a long period of time.

Now. [He stands up tall.] Which one is ready to die next?

[MUSICAL TALK BATTLE IS FIGHT]

[37773972]

[







]

You were the reason Earth fell, weren't you.

VOTING

[inside_yourmind]

[The Phantom, as if he was waiting for it, speaks up immediately after this.]

It is done.

[Your podiums are now active!]

[37773972]

>>THE WALLFLOWER
>>THE ASTRAL FIREMAN

EXECUTION: BREAKDOWN OF ANCIENT COSMIC DESTINY

[stagemanagers]

[As the last of the votes come in, the lights immediately die. Once again, Mephisto and Nana will feel Riley slip inexorably from their grasp. There is, however, something a little bit different about this time: if Steven is touching Spinel’s shards, he will find that these vanish in the blackout as well.

The stage for this execution is far simpler than the last. Maybe that’s just because there’s so many parties involved: Riley and Angus are both there, standing on opposite ends of the stage, and the Phantom has once more relocated himself to a catwalk hanging above the scene. He’s standing with his hands braced on the rail, staring down at the two culprits - well, no. He’s staring at Angus.]

In the house of death and opera mystery
Killers arise
And of all self-defeating murderers
None will survive

In the house of death and murder mystery
Find your demise
All I ask to maintain justice and order:
Your sacrifice

[As he finishes, Claudine and Spinel enter, each approaching their respective killers. Claudine is wearing neither the dancing clothes she died in or her regular street clothes, but instead an entirely new outfit. Spinel still looks the same as she did the last time any of her friends saw her. As always, neither of them bear any visible signs of the injuries that killed them.

Both are carrying weapons - a sword in Claudine’s hand, and a very real scythe in Spinel’s. Both are at the ready.]

Corruption and darkness spreads through your heart
An urge to kill everyone lying beneath
Give into the evil, it was always your nature
Cruelty and callousness come with great ease

Taunting the others, you do as you please
Now die with your hubris, die on your shield
Now die by their steel

[The Phantom finishes his part and goes quiet, watching as Spinel and Claudine advance. Angus holds out his arms, prepared to fight Spinel while Riley faces Claudine. With each swipe that either dodges, they find themselves closer and closer to center stage, and with each line, Angus winces. Once he and Riley stand back-to-back, though, his face flashes with something - some sort of memory, one of mighty warriors battling side-by-side.

He reaches out for Riley’s arm in a desperate attempt. Riley pulls away, jerking her head around. When she sees that familiarity, like someone waking up from a dream, she catches his eye. She looks out to the orchestra pit. And then her mouth sets into a thin, firm line.]

No more lives get wasted.
If this is the end of me, I’ve got to face it,
So no one else will dream of trying to take it,
Just me, the worst teen ever.

[With a scream, she calls out:] Angus! Get ready! Throw me!

I don’t wanna settle,
I don’t wanna sit back and let more friends die,
I don’t wanna settle, no I just wanna fly...!

[Angus turns around suddenly. He follows Riley’s line of sight and grimaces. He gets on one knee, hands held out in a practiced manner for a cheerleader to step onto, and steels himself. Riley nods, and together, she steps up as Angus uses his strength to throw her as high as possible.

Claudine looks up for a second to track Riley’s ascent, but only a second - she’s quick to turn her focus back on Angus. As the two victims draw closer to the only killer in reach, they both reach out past him with their free hands - towards each other.

It’s quick, only a few steps before there’s a flash of light, and Claudine and Spinel disappear again. Their fusion is nearly a head taller than Claudine was, with pale peach-colored hair done up in long twin ponytails. Both weapons are physical, so they don’t fuse - Spindine simply dual-wields them, scythe in one hand and rapier in the other.

Angus’s stance is weak, but he has a look of determination in his moment of clarity. His feet fight to stand still as he forces himself to face Spindine.]

Goodbye
My time has come to die
This is the end
I must say farewell
Descend into hell!!

[Spindine charges at him, rapier and scythe swinging rapidly to the figure in the center. The brave Angus McFife XIII stands his ground and closes his eyes. With a quick swipe, he is impaled in his stomach. A split second later, he looks up in shock and is immediately cut in half across his midsection. His lower half drops to the floor while his torso, impaled on the rapier of justice, falls forward.

Meanwhile, up above, Riley’s hand might be a little more injured than she let on. It clearly hurts, from how she cries out as she grabs the guard rail. But Riley’s up there, climbing up the catwalk, to the Phantom. Pulling herself up, she glances down at the stage, and at the orchestra, with a wild, manic grin.]

Watch me! I’ll go out fighting—
Winning! Or dying trying!
Watch me, I won’t waste it, I won’t waste it—

[And she reaches into her jacket, whipping out a knife, a makeshift cloth-and-tape sheathe flying out as well. That lands on the catwalk, having served its purpose.

The Phantom is not paying attention to her - he’s watching Angus die. It’s far, far too easy for Riley to storm up to him. With one hand, she yanks at his shoulder; with the other, she plunges the knife into his stomach and rips it out in a clearly practiced motion.

The Phantom staggers back from the force of the blow, catching himself with one arm on the guardrail. But he does not fall. There's no spray of blood that should come with such an injury. He simply straightens, and lunges forward to catch at Riley's hands. She struggles against him, and manages to sink the knife into his shoulder, but that doesn't seem to do much more good. He just seizes at her arms and shoves her sideways, over the guardrail. She hits the ground with a sickening thud.

For a moment, everyone remaining looks at her - Spindine on the ground, and the Phantom from the catwalk. Then, Spindine turns to exit. The Phantom wrenches the knife from his shoulder - the blade is visibly dark with blood - and tosses it aside, right before the lights drop again.]

[heathencall]

[How many times has he been allowed to hope today? It should have been beaten from him ages ago, yet it's reared its head countless times today. This is no exception. Riley sails through the air, Riley takes out the knife, Riley stabs the Phantom and he thinks --

But no. She falls, and Mephisto feels the sensation of his own fall deep within himself.

Maybe it's the memory of his own plummet to earth. Maybe it's his promise. Maybe he's just a dreamer, a fool. He wrenches away from Nana, racing toward the stage. His good wing flutters out, while the bound one rips free of its bandaging. He extends them both and flaps them once, reaching desperately as if he might be able to reach her.

He knows it won't work. He hasn't been able to fly, and that's been with his wing intact. With the damage done now, though, there's no hope. He barely catches himself against the side of the stage, thudding against it just as Riley's body hits the floor.

Riley falls. He doesn't catch her.

A promise broken.

He slumps down against the stage for now]