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]

We said it wasn't worth it.

[37773972]

[And Stephen- grimaces, a bit, working his mouth-]

You don't- none of you-

The vision washes over me, I can't describe it-
I have stood here once before, but you don't remember

[heathencall]

[Mephisto is stepping forward. Level with Christine, but not holding her back. There's a lot going on on Mephisto's face right now. Too much for him to process.]


Who wants to separate
The world we know from marred beliefs
And who sees only black and white
Distinguish loss from sacrifice

[His tone shifts now. The anger shows on his face.]

You could take me higher
So you said, I trusted you

I may be a liar
But betrayal lies on you

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine, for once, tries to be the support. After how Mephisto protected her, these last two trials, she has to do the same, even if she can feel herself starting to drift away, with her anchor so broken beside her.

So she holds Mephisto's arm, grounding him, even as she continues to plead with the man before them.]

I told you you were more than that. I told you you weren't just a pawn! Why did you have to play his game?

[37773972]

[And that- that has him stall again. Like a mental record scratch, he stares at Mephisto, eyes wide]

I'm not- I-

[He collects himself, or- tries to. His voice is raw when he sings back, almost desperate-]

I've never lied to you
Even through these days' redo
And I am dying to prove
I have found a through!

[madgiganticfeelings]

[...There's only so many times that Christine can hear that before she realizes what it could mean. Her grip on Mephisto's arm tightens.]

...How many times have you done this week, Stephen?

[37773972]

[For another moment, there's another falter. There's a haunted look in Stephen's eyes as he looks down at Christine. The music in his head slows, and he looks...exhausted.]

Once is enough, it's one time too many
The burden is rough, oh, once is enough

[heathencall]

You could have asked for help! [Mephisto is slamming his hands onto Stephen's podium.]

You should have known better. Should have talked to any of us and we would have told you the same. [He leans up as high as he can. He's trying so hard to sneer, to look furious. To hurt.]

You've always been a fool, haven't you? I just didn't take you for this big of one.

[And with that, he's retreating away from Stephen. Can't look at this any longer.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[She looks exhausted for him, slowly stepping forward. She hopes for a moment, Mephisto will be okay. She feels bad about leaving him, but...

But she has to. She has to try to do what Stephen, Steven, what everyone else had told her she could do. Offer a bit of hope in a hopeless situation.]

And how many times have you comforted me? How many times did you help me suffer through losing Jeremy, when you knew you'd lose someone you'd love too? How many times have you seen us die?

Love went through such sudden change
Taken a turn for the worst
The joy turned to fear
The pain got so severe
Lord, I thought I was cursed...

[She's close enough to the podium now to hold out her hand again, despite how badly she's shaking.]

No one should have to go through a pain like that. None of us. But there's still a time to make a different choice... you told Jeremy the same thing.

[37773972]

[Oh, Christine.

Christine.

Stephen stares at her, eyes wet. He's still breathing as though he's run a mile, but there's a sort of dawning understanding, too.

And he kneels down, lowering himself down to her level, and takes her hand with both of his. There is a tightly-folded paper that he moves in to her palm, and then closes her hand as if to shield it from sight]

Sorry, there's no place for you inside this solitude
Please stay up here and bring them back again
I swear I've been there for you
I know you'll follow through
Stay the course and keep the ship manned

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine breathes out a sigh of relief as Stephen kneels down to her, and smiles when her hand is taken, even with tears streaming down her face. Her hand is clenched tight, but for once, she doesn't let that emotion, that bit of understanding, show.

She has to stop herself from sinking. Every trial has made it harder, but... in the end, it all has to lead her to a destination that will make this worth it. It's... a lot of pressure. But she doesn't want to waver in the face of Stephen's faltering determination either.]

I will, Stephen. Just... watch me, okay? We don't have to keep wishing things were better anymore.

...And I know it doesn't mean much from me, but I love you. I won't let your work be for nothing.

[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.]