fifth trial

[stagemanagers]

[When the investigation finishes, the lights begin to flicker on and off as that low, gentle rumble echoes through the opera house.

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

The court room looks just as it always has for you: the grand chandelier glittering above your heads, the dusty red velvet seats. In the orchestra pit your circle of wooden podiums are waiting. Jeremy and Steven's podiums are draped in black crepe with their grey scale 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 even, with none of the distraction or terse notes in the weeks before. He almost sounds curious for how this all will play out.]

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

[Gather your evidence and let's begin.]

Comments

[musacal]

[ She shakes her head. ]

No. You won't. They're not going to let you. They wouldn't have let me either.

[ she takes a shaky breath ]

All of my life I've only had one single wish and nothing more
When will the future I've dreamed to meet appear in front of me?
It's them who brought this loneliness to light and gave it life

[ ... ]

You've shown me a reason to always remember that I am not alone

[37773972]

[It's become more or less clear that this isn't going to work. Wordlessly, he releases Christine's hand and moves to his podium.

>>THE WILLING PAWN

And now...now he lets out another breath, closes his eyes, and just...waits.]

[heathencall]

[Mephisto looks Stephen dead in the eyes as he approaches his podium. He has one last thing to say to all of this.]

You forfeit all rights to my heart
You forfeit the place in our stead
You'll sleep in the ground instead
With only the memories of before your crime.

I hope that you burn

[And with that he slams his hand down.]

The Willing Pawn.

[37773972]

[Stephen's own tears are brimming, now. And somehow, he manages to choke out-]

I love you too.

[And like that, the spell on him seems broken. The tears trickle past, and he has the saddest of smiles]

I love all of you. I'm sorry to have hurt you- I just hope it's enough.

[A final squeeze to her hand, and then he stands.]

[musacal]

[ She stares at her podium for a moment and then up at the ceiling. ]

...I'm not doing this anymore.

[madgiganticfeelings]

Mephisto...

[Christine's heart aches for him. For him to be going through something like this... She had thought her complicated feelings for Jeremy had been bad.

She hopes whatever's on this paper, it'll make some of this agony lesson for Mephisto. But it will have to wait.

She moves to her podium, selects >The Willing Pawn, and then returns to Mephito's side, the hand not holding the paper firmly taking his.]

[37773972]

[Thanks to Christine, whatever madness he clung to seems to have left him. But while his eyes are closed, the tears aren't stopping, and his voice...oh, his voice.]

I know I will.

[Exhaustion. Defeat. But through it all? A single iota of hope.]

[likemypicture]

[Anne's not letting go of Santana, lord forbid she do something they can't undo, but she's not about to ask Mephisto to do this for her. Or Nana. Or Christine.

He's not getting off that easy.]

Stephen. Make yourself useful one last time. [She tosses her head in the direction of her podium.]

[37773972]

[It takes him a second to catch what she means, but when he does, he opens his eyes and...manages a smile?]

One last time.

[And he'll go over to press >>THE WILLING PAWN on hers before returning to his own]

[heathencall]

[There's something there, something that breaks and aches. But he can't crumble now. Not here.]

Your fragile heart feeds my contempt.

[37773972]

[Thanks to Christine, the thrall is leaving him. He seems more...tired, now, tired and worn. He meets her gaze and holds it for a long time...then shakes his head with the ghost of a smile.]

I already won, Nana. I just hope it was enough.

[heathencall]

Vote, Nana. I want this over with. Now.

[likemypicture]

[It's so hard not to smile at him back. She has to swallow hard and keep her focus on Santana not to.]

I forgive you-- and I'm praying for your soul. You ought to do the same, while you can.

[37773972]

No. If He does forgive- I don't deserve it.

[musacal]

[ She's still looking at the ceiling. ]

You've already all done it, haven't you? It's majority rule and there aren't many of us anymore: there isn't a need for me to. You can even do it for me if you care that much.

You hear that? [ is she saying this to Mephisto? ] I'm not participating in this anymore.

[37773972]

This is what I brought you, this you can keep

[And he opens his eyes, now, looking towards Mephisto with the saddest of smiles]

This is what I brought, you may forget me.

[likemypicture]

Fine. I'll do it for you.

[stagemanagers]

[And, indeed, the button on Nana's podium pushes down as if on its own, her vote being submitted on her behalf.

Simultaneously, all the standing lights around the podium circle burst. Watch out for, uh, flying glass shards?]

[37773972]

Take care of them, will you?

[likemypicture]

[Sorry for screaming at your ear, Santana, as she tries to shove them both down]

[37773972]

[?!?

He instinctively raises his arms to protect his face]

[likemypicture]

You could have.

But you know I will.

[37773972]

No, Anne.

[He takes another deep breath]

I'm already dead.

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Oh hell she didn't even get to read the note-

But not... not all the lights are off. Christine's actually. Still wearing her glowstick skirt. It's not much, but there's a streak of dim light in her wake as she tries to run for Stephen. If this is a chance, she may as well take it.]

[likemypicture]

["Join the fucking club" is on her lips. But, there's now some exploding glass, so.]