First Trial

[stagemanagers]

[As the investigation ends, you'll hear Hester's voice inviting you to the auditorium. As this happens, the twin doors on either side of the concession stand, across from the gym, will click open. You can enter on either side; both go to the same place.

When you enter the auditorium, it's dark. There's only the small lights along the walkway behind all the seats, just enough to illuminate where you're going. There's a central path between the seats, down towards where you know the stage must be. That's where you must be going, right? As you pass each row of seats, the lights at their ends flick on, marking your procession and slowly making more and more of the room visible. Shortly, you can see your destination: a circle of podiums stationed in the orchestra pit, below the lip of the darkened, curtained stage. They're all identical, labeled with a cast member's name, save for Mumble's, which is draped in black crepe and has a framed monochrome photo of him - Elijah Wood him - on top.

When you reach the podiums, the lights above the stage finally come on. It's time to meet the Wizard.

The mechanical head, with glowing green eyes, is installed above the stage and the still-closed curtain. Even if you were standing on the stage, it'd be well out of reach. It peers down at all of you, its motions fluid, and speaks with a booming, artificial-sounding voice:]

Welcome to your first trial, everyone. I am the Wizard. It's time to determine who was responsible for the murder of Mumble. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves and work together - you'll have to show teamwork if you want to leave this room alive.

Comments

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ And Orpheus, as usual, is going to just try to put himself between the Wizard and Eurydice as best he can. ]

Wait. What do you mean 'if we want to leave this room alive'?

[stagemanagers]

That's the way these shows work. If you find the killer, he or she will be executed for the crime. If not, they'll go free, and the rest of you will be executed in their place.

[disharmonizes]

...I'm sorry, what now?

[alchemistake]

[Haha so the automaton is cool and all but sorry what-]

What?! None of you ever mentioned anything like that before? Why are you just telling us NOW!?

[stagemanagers]

That's not how it works. This part of the first trial is practically tradition!

[mcfife]

We are what?! Why?!

[whatyouwant]

How is that even fair!? We didn't kill anyone!

[violentenvies]

That--that's madness!

[howtheworldwas]

[ this might as well happen ]

[sugarlumps]

What?

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus staggers back as if struck, reaching out instinctively for Eurydice's hand. ]

No, that's not - you didn't say that would happen! Isn't it bad enough that one person is already dead?

[ His voice breaks and he trembles on the spot, eyes growing wet. This doesn't make any sense. ]

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice takes the hand, trying to remain as firm and steadfast as possible. ]

You can't make them do this. This isn't their crime.

[ By "them," she means Orpheus, specifically. He shouldn't have to go through this. He's been through enough, this week. Eurydice steps forward, taking her turn to be a buffer between the Wizard and Orpheus, even though she's only like five feet tall. ]

[comeandfindme]

What?!

[ For the first time since they discovered Mumble's body, Peregrine snaps out of her funk. She looks...mad. ]

What...is this even supposed to accomplish?! Why are you doing this?!

[stagemanagers]

I'm afraid it's necessary. But we can't get into that now. Aren't you forgetting whose trial this is?

[mayavericks]

[You know, she's pretty sure Keanu Reeves can defend himself -- she's heard of John Wick, I'm sure. Probably the Balladeer too. So she's going to vaguely position herself in front of Farrah, Varian, and Salieri. Still brandishing her sword.]

[brokeforgood]

[Yeah, we stan, but she's gonna back real close into Varian and stay away from that blade.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri notices her positioning and blinks--and then sucks in a breath, shifting a bit in front of both Farrah and Varian, then. He's useless in a fight, but the second line of defense is something.]

[alchemistake]

[The way people are suddenly shifting to guard him makes Varian feel some kind of way. It's unexpected mainly, because...

Well. Never mind.

He stiffens, watching Maya carefully while also staying close to Farrah and Salieri.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cass watches Maya position herself, and nods gently. Cassandra herself had grabbed a prop sword from her room. And now, she's in a perfect position to shift in the way of Elsa, Peregrine, and Rina.

...Sorry, Discord.]

[barberic]

The rest of us will be--

You have to be mad! No one here would have killed knowing those were the terms. I believe all of us here are better than that.

[wanderlusttitania]

What...

[This. He.

...]

You...you cruel man...! This is wrong!

[fourbutts]

[ not in her usual carefree sarcastic tone, but. this is how she copes, it's canon. ]

Junko Enoshima wants her shit back, you fucking hack!

[employeeoftheyear]

But that isn’t justice! Th-that’s just being cruel to innocent people for no reason!

[defyingfrigidity]

[W- Wha-]

How is that in any way fair??? Is it not enough that we let a murderer get away free???

cw: suicidal ideation

[yourattention]

Festive. Sign me the fuck up.