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

[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.

[barberic]

You can. I know you can. I believe in you.

[He rubs Spongebob's arm, from elbow to shoulder, in soothing motions. Orpheus' voice, clear as a bell and mournful as a churchyard, is nonetheless strengthening.]

It's our duty to carry on, now. No matter what happens.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus, tears in his eyes, looks over the room, at Spongebob and Elisabeth and Peregrine and at all the misery and fear, and begins to sing. ]

You toy with us like we're your dolls
Like ants below you one and all
But we'll get out of here alive
These walls, these walls won't close us in

Oh, where do we begin our dismantling?
We call on all to sing

[sugarlumps]

[Just. Discordant screeching in the Wizard's direction. She's attempting to join in, she's helping.]

[alchemistake]

[Varian's still standing with Farrah, holding her hand and sort of struggling and failing not to have some sort of break down. It's hard to say whether it's anger enduced or grief, but because he's fighting so hard to hold it in, he's been saying nothing this whole time. All while things fall into place in the worst possible way.

He murmurs under his breath, not loud enough to be heard by the entire place, but anyone near might. He doesn't really intend to join in the louder voice, as much as he wishes his cowardly heart would allow it.]

...Still, though, whatever it takes
I'm gonna fix it, just watch me...

[barberic]

[Benjamin remains next to Spongebob, but he looks up and meets eyes with Orpheus.

His voice, rich and dark, joins in below Orpheus' melody with a low, rumbling La, la la la la la...]

[comeandfindme]

[ ...Peregrine wants to join her voice. She does.

But she doesn't know if she can.

Alone, alone, alone... ]

[yourattention]

[Did I even make a sound?
Did I even make a sound?
It's like I never made a sound
Will I ever make a sound?]

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa is just. Numb right now. She has a hard time comprehending all of this, and something harsh and painful twists in her chest as she looks at Sissi collapsed in Salieri's arms. This.... this can't be happening.

But then Orpheus sings. It doesn't... it doesn't make the hurt stop, or even lessen. But it's like a light in the dark, something to cling to as everything around them is being weighed down. She hears some of the others singing, and she hears Benjamin; right, that... that was the tune Orpheus sang when they first met. The song he used to help the plant grow.

She'll join in, then. Her voice lighter than the man's, closer more towards Orpheus, but the la, la la la la la still distinctly comes from her.]

[mayavericks]

[Everyone else is singing, and though she doesn't know the lyrics, she can't help but join in. Her voice is strong and firm, a nice complement to the rest of the la, la la la la las.]

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob sings quietly, and is almost completely drowned out by the others.]

There's gotta be a better way
A way to save the life I love...

[mcfife]

[Angus joins Orpheus in the chorus, adding a higher, gravely tone to their song of resistance.]

[brokeforgood]

[He's not alone. She, too, can give them something to hold onto--- both before, and during the breakdown. Orpheus has given it to them-- it's just the song they want to hear, here, when they're out of luck.

She lets it go, her voice belting out to mix with the others, the chorus of La la las.]

[violentenvies]

[he's holding on to Sissi still, his voice barely a mumur as he waits for her reply, but unable to resist the call to sing--]

On tient, on étreint
La vie comme une maîtresse
On se fout de tout brûler pour une caresse
Elle s'offrira
Elle n'aura pas d'autre choix

On se reverra, On se reverra
Là où rien n'est plus rien
On comprendra d'où l'on vient


[a breath, and then, low, joining in the 'La, la, la's]

[tellthestory]

[The Balladeer looks up, and pretty quickly joins in the chorus of las. He wishes he had something more uplifting of his own to contribute, but the only time he ever tried that was...well. Orpheus's song is probably better.]

[voicerights]

[So through all of this?

The SQUIP does not sing.

...it doesn't stop the singing, and it doesn't hum, but it just looks from individual to individual - including the Wizard and Hester, herself.]

[disharmonizes]

[Nope, sorry, you all can have fun with your singing, he is NOT joining. He doesn't like all this, but not that much.

Gross.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cassandra's stayed frozen to her podium, listening, watching, struggling to come up with anything to say between watching friends cower and cry. It's hard to say whether she's still angry or engulfed by grief. There's others that can't stand on their own... but not Cassandra. Anything tries to happen, she'll leap in the way. There is no justice in this!

Above it all, is Oprheus's voice, ringing strong, if hollow. So, through gritted teeth, she sings.]

Podiums of feigned dissent
They push our bodies into them
The prize - surprise, it's death before our eyes.

[samefacesyndrome]

[ "We call on all to sing"

She sees everyone else starting to sing but...

She just shirks back. She can't yet. ]