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

[madgiganticfeelings]

I mean, now I'm really just theorizing, but... that someone could have interfered then and shattered the gem after Steven removed it. That would explain why we're still doing a trial, and why none of us would have marks from struggling with him.

[heathencall]

And what if this was a mistake? Steven's death was a mistake. Would you tell us that?

[heathencall]

The Phantom said we would still have a trial, even if it had been Steven to end his own life.

[madgiganticfeelings]

And I think you admitting that makes you less of a suspect to me.

I... was good friends with him, and he helped me a lot while I was here. I wouldn't want him dead, but... you can choose not to believe me if you want.

[37773972]

That he shouldn't have died?

[madgiganticfeelings]

So then I guess it's a matter of us figuring out what killed him first.

[heathencall]

I want to say that I don't think you have it in you. But I would not have thought any of us had it in them at this point.

[His knuckles tighten against the podium.]

I'm tired of having to guess at who I can trust.

[heathencall]

If it had been another accident. One you'd had a hand in, you would tell us that much, wouldn't you?

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine doesn't say anything for a moment. She just leaves her podium to carefully approach Mephisto's, and maybe put her hand on his, if he doesn't flinch away.]

I-I know. I am too.

[37773972]

I wouldn't make you go through all this for an accident, no.

[heathencall]

Say it to me then. That you didn't do this.

[heathencall]

[He will not.]

Promise me you didn't do it, Christine.

[garbageface]

[ Santana is clean! ]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[She holds up her hand with a pinky outstretched.]

You know I wouldn't break a promise. And you? Can you do the same?

[garbageface]

I didn’t know him super well, but we were cool. And I think you all know I’m not the type to regret anything.

[ this motive definitely didn’t tempt santana. bad bitches have no regrets! and she’s too young for any really serious ones, anyway. ]

1/2

[37773972]

[There's a soft tone in the background - or in it just in his head? A series of tones. Something that almost sounds like the release of pressure, exhaust, joining with Stephen as he lets out a heavy breath and -

begins to sing]

I've been here, sang this song before
A melody so quiet it was easy to ignore

[He looks up, jaw tightening as he raises his gaze not towards those at the podiums, but the Phantom above]

But even now my mission is the same
What always ends in bloodshed will today go down in flames

[And now- NOW he looks at the others, gripping his podium as strain shows on his face]

History repeating
Break out of the cycle and stop these proceedings
History repeating
We'll do it together, so hear me, I'm pleading-!

2/2

[37773972]

[And now? And now the music swells. As the electric guitar whips in to a frenzy, Stephen seems to be in one, too, stepping- no, leaping on to something and half-climbing atop his podium. Indeed, for someone who was once so disturbed by the music, he seems almost consumed by it now as he half sings, half-screams, throwing out an arm in emphasis-]

I stand before a line in the sand
The beginning's in sight, fate in my hands
Today, we change the end
One step and the future is torn
The road that we walk, it can still be reformed
Today, we change the end...!

[MTB; START]

[heathencall]

[Son of a --

He's putting an arm out in front of Christine if she's still nearby. Holding her back.]

Why?

[37773972]

If it was up to me
I'd rewrite history
And change our destiny
One! Last! Time!

[likemypicture]

No!

[What the fuck, what the fuck. Anne takes the hammer. And just slams it into -- oh, Tad's there. She smashes it into Richard's podium instead, and lets out a useless wail of a scream.]

[garbageface]

[ Mephisto might be holding back Christine. But right now, there’s no one holding back Santana. She screams, whipping out Stephen’s old steak knife and lunging across the way, at his podium. She’s crying, her expression a horrified mix of shock and betrayal and anger. ]

No! Don’t you dare! Out of all these assholes here, I trusted you!!!

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Too bad for Mephisto, she's immediately rushing, trying to push past his arm with a scream.]

Stephen! Don't!

Betrayed by father again
This is the last time; we're not going back then
We can still change the end...

[Her voice wobbles and wavers.] Just not like this, Stephen, please... We can't.

[heathencall]

Santana --

[God time to go chasing after a different teenager.]

[likemypicture]

[Oh, jesus. This is what happens when you let yourself lose your head-- the teens do this shit. Anne drops the hammer, scrambling after Santana instead, trying to make a grab for the back of her uniform.]

[stagemanagers]

[But it isn't necessary to grab Santana.

It feels as if an invisible hand is there instead, seizing the back of her uniform as Anne tried to, to hold her back.

It won't stay long. But long enough for someone else to catch her.]