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

[likemypicture]

[Thanks Ghost Hand-- it's enough time for Anne to catch up, and trip one hand on the neckline of her uniform, and throw the other around her waist, trying to hold her back. She may be tiny, but she is fierce, and she is putting all of her strength into this.]

[garbageface]

[ Anne and Mephisto aren’t quite quick enough at first, but the ghost hand makes Santana stumble, slowing her down enough for Anne to grab on. Santana struggles at first. But she doesn’t want to hurt Anne, and after a few moments, her screams turn to something more like sobs, her thrashing closer to trembling. She can only keep up the fight for so long.

Still, she doesn’t drop the knife, or take her eyes off of Stephen. Over and over, she repeats: ]

I trusted you. I trusted you. I trusted you.

[ Santana’s trust is not something that’s given easily. Breaking it hurts. ]

[likemypicture]

[Thank God Santana's fighting slows-- literally, thank God. Anne couldn't hold her that long at her full strength. As her screaming turns to sobs, the hand on the back of her uniform releases, and wraps that arm around the girl too, not just holding her back, but holding her out of necessity for both of their despair. Behind Santana's own screams, then sobs, Anne's voice sings out-- but not to Santana. Not to Stephen. Not to any of them.]

God save him if he can be saved
Free him if his soul's enslaved
Clear the clouded refuge of his mind
Quell his anger, calm his scorn
Let his spirit be reborn
Help him gather sight where he is blind--

[37773972]

[Stephen isn't blind to Santana's breakdown. Even as he sings to Mephisto and Christine, his gaze darts towards the cheerleader, and - something? - seems to flicker in his eyes, something that pierces the wild energy that he seems to be lost within.

Something pained, something tired, but something...something more him than he's been since he started singing.]