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

[heathencall]

You would tell me if you had, right. Would not make me dance around to pin you as the murderer?

[37773972]

Like I said before, no mistake I could make is worth your lives.

[heathencall]

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

[37773972]

That he shouldn't have died?

[heathencall]

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

[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.

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-!