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

[inside_yourmind]

He is not. That has always been the case - none of you seemed at all concerned when he killed Beetlejuice.

[hey remember how mephisto's single punch absolutely was not powerful enough to bring an entire statue down on a guy?]

[37773972]

Wasn't he already dead?

[heathencall]

[Excuse you!]

I killed Beetlejuice.

[inside_yourmind]

You punched Beetlejuice. There is a significant difference.

[heathencall]

Hard enough to send him flying back and disrupt the angel.

[The fuck.]

Is he... invisible? [Magic? Wtf.]

[inside_yourmind]

I'm sorry to inform you that you did not break an entire granite statue with the force of your mighty blow.

[seriously]

Invisible? [...hm. Well.] Perhaps it is more like being present, without being physically present. Here, without being here in person.

[madgiganticfeelings]

...He's a ghost, then. Is he o-one of the people who died before?

[musacal]

...Like a god or something?

[ IS HE A KAMI ]

[musacal]

[ ..................... ]

Wait, what!?

That was him?!

[ BRUH ]

[inside_yourmind]

He does not appreciate demon summoning.

[There's a whole rule about it!]

[madgiganticfeelings]

We didn't intend to summon a demon! I just wanted to talk to Sigyn and Jonny!

[inside_yourmind]

And that is why he allowed the incident to pass, and made the rule afterwards.

[musacal]

[ .............................

Sloooooooooooooooooowly points over to Mephisto

bruh ]

[inside_yourmind]

Physically bringing a demon here is not quite the same thing.

[musacal]

...Fair.

[likemypicture]

Who?

[musacal]

The ghost friend!

[likemypicture]

You can't kill a ghost. They're already dead.

[madgiganticfeelings]

B-But Beetlejuice is still alive! Ish! We can talk to him, at least.

...Besides, isn't it unfair to make us do this trial if all the suspects aren't here? Bring out the patron too then!

[heathencall]

She's right. Either bring out the patron to partake in this trial, or tell us we're barking up the wrong tree..

[inside_yourmind]

You are barking up the wrong tree.

[37773972]

What, you don't have to check with your patron if you're allowed to say that?

[heathencall]

[Well.]

Alright. Thank you.

[musacal]

[ phew. ok.

...not that it being one of them is much better but at least they've ruled it out now ]

[musacal]

Yes, that's all we need to know.

I don't... I don't need him to come out, not like this, but if he wasn't involved then please just tell us.