fourth trial

[stagemanagers]

[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. Angus, Riley and Shilo'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. He still sounds distracted, just as he was for his other public appearance this week, like there are other things weighing on his mind.]

You must now determine who was responsible for the death of Shilo Wallace. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.

[Gather your evidence and let's begin.]

Comments

[holyspit]

Yeah, but that makes them sound kind of cool and none of them have seemed even capable of being nice?

[justmeheere]

I mean. It. It is nice, when you don't have to. You don't have to think.

[madgiganticfeelings]

... did you like it better when things were easy, Jeremy?

[justmeheere]

Shiny happy nothing singing sweetly
Gone was human error and fear
Every issue tucked away so neatly -

[madgiganticfeelings]

No! Jeremy, you know that's not how it worked! It didn't make our issues disappear.

If, if anything, it made you hate me more.

[justmeheere]

Not. Not really, no. It just thought you were, uh. Unattainable?

[madgiganticfeelings]

...Jeremy, that's the most ridiculous thing you've said since we got here. I literally told you I loved you!

[justmeheere]

Oh, you. You're talking about. About that. [He starts fiddling with the pamphlet on his podium.] That wasn't about hating you.

[madgiganticfeelings]

Was it... protecting me? Because you really seem to think you don't deserve to be around me.

[justmeheere]

If - if I was focused on you then. Then the SQUIP felt like I would forget about, uh. All the stuff. All the things it was doing.

[madgiganticfeelings]

And... what kinds of things was it doing?

[Mm don't like that.]

[holyspit]

Yeah but it seems like all the stuff they think FOR you is- you know. Bad. A lot.