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

[wanderlusttitania]

[She doesn't seem to hear him, somehow. She does look like she's going to faint, though, since she is swaying despite holding the podium in a death grip.]

...........

[violentenvies]

Madame Elisabeth? [Salieri takes a step forward, out of his box, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder]

Are you alright?

[wanderlusttitania]

[As he gets closer, he can see how truly dazed and hazy Elisabeth's eyes are. She doesn't even seem to see him, or where she is, or anything.

There is also a very base terror in the gleam of her eyes, as if she is seeing something for the first time, and in this, she starts to shake violently.]

.........he wasn't dead.................

[She's in shock. A great deal of shock.

Something is not right.]

[voicerights]

Salieri. Go to her.

[Does it really need to order that but yeah GET MOVING, HUMAN]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri goes very still at that, eyes widening slowly in realization as he notices her expression, going pale as well as he gets closer to her]

Madame Elisabeth. [hsi voice is strained, cracked]

Madame Elisabeth, you didn't...

cw: ptsd-ish flashback [1/2]

[wanderlusttitania]

[There is no comprehension, at least of the present world, in her eyes. SQUIP, being...well, SQUIP, would probably know what's wrong, given the symptoms.]

....fix this......

...whoever did this to you-I don't-just...don't move, just stay...stay here, monsieur, you'll be...

...

y-you'll be...

[No one else can see it, what she's seeing. But they will see the tears start to stream from her eyes.]

[2/2]

[wanderlusttitania]

[Then it breaks. Her eyes start to clear, and something of comprehension returns-as does horror as she sags into her podium, staring down at her lectern with wide eyes.]

...................................

[A shaking mouth slowly goes to her mouth, and a sob comes from it.]

God no, no, no...!

[voicerights]

[And again, to Salieri;]

Hold her. She is going to collapse.

[violentenvies]

[he moves immediately, hardly needing the SQUIP's prompting as Sissi starts to collapse, one arm going around her waist, the other to her elbow, bracing her against him, but also curling around her somewhat, as if that would somehow protect her.

His own eyes are wide and he's gone very pale, and there is absolutely fear and shock written on his face]

Madame Elisabeth, you---[he can't say it. He cannot say it. He can only pull her closer, one hand going to her hair, clasping her to him]

[wanderlusttitania]

[Nor can she. Not right now. Not when it's so fresh, like she just saw the body again.

The body of...of Mumble.

Of that boy. That good boy who no one had any reason to kill.

Including her. Especially not her.

For now, all she can do is let her head fall into his shoulder to weep. She knows a reckoning can't be postponed. Not indefinitely. Not forever.]

How could I have forgotten...!?

[violentenvies]

[Salieri holds her close, trying to be steady, but his hand trembles where it rests on the back of her head. He swallows, his voice rough and low as he asks, unable to help the hesitation in his tone]

What is it? What...what did you forget?

[wanderlusttitania]

...last night...

[voicerights]

Dissociative shock. Commonly induced by trauma - your own mind sought to protect you by barricading the memory.

[As with everything else? It's matter of fact. But there is the barest hint of pity.

Human minds...so flawed.]

[comeandfindme]

[ Oh.

Oh, well. ]

...But what they didn't know was...

[ Peregrine closes her eyes tightly. ]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

She... S-she forgot? Forgot about...

[Oh. Oh no. Oh no.]

You don't think...

[barberic]

[Salieri is right next to her, close enough to grab her, and she's certainly small enough for him to hold. But that doesn't stop Benjamin from leaving his podium and making his way around the circle nonetheless. In case Salieri's legs give out on him next.]

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus goes pale, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth as things click into place. For a moment, he's horrified, but then it's replaced by something else entirely.

He turns to look at the Wizard, and points at Elisabeth. ]

Look at her! She was trying to help him! [ he shouts, furious and heartbroken. ] You keep saying it has to be done this way but it doesn't! This is all your fault!

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob is still laying on the floor, not particularly eager to get up after this revelation. Of course it was an accident, of course it was something that could have been prevented, of course despite everything Sissi is gonna die now and there's nothing he can do about it.

He mumbles something to himself, far too low for anyone to hear.]

[barberic]

[Benjamin kneels down next to Spongebob, right next to this mess, and puts a hand on his arm.]

...Come on, lad. [As gently and sympathetically as he can.] We need you up, now.

[employeeoftheyear]

[He curls up tighter, shutting his eyes.]

I can't.

[alchemistake]

[Varian is quiet. Watching Salieri speaking to Elisabeth very carefully. He hadn't noticed anything was amiss until he'd said something, but now...]

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah catches Varian's sleeve with her fingertips. She doesn't think he's going anywhere, but she doesn't like what she's watching. She doesn't want to be alone.]

[alchemistake]

[...

Varian had slipped his gloves back on after the hand check from earlier. He feels the tug at his sleeve when Farrah takes it, and for a moment he just looks...but as the stress builds between Salieri and Elisabeth, he'll actually put his hand out on his podium for her to take. There's no obligation, just the silent offer if she wants it.

Maybe Varian is the one who really needs it.]

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah's never been one to be silent. But this is the kind of thing you can only watch in mute horror. Her hand easily moves from his sleeve, and she holds his hand just as tightly as Salieri had held her own during the motive. It's something to hold onto. A lifeline-- to prove they're both there, both real.

She doesn't let go.]

[mayavericks]

[Maya is shifting her position -- no longer glaring at the wizard, but turning her attention to Sissi. She positions herself between the woman and her charges -- save Salieri, apparently.]