second 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. Elisabeth and Connor have joined Mumble in having theirs draped in black crepe and with a framed monochrome photo of them on top.

When you reach the podiums, the lights above the stage finally come on. the Wizard is once again waiting for you. Beside it Hester is slowly lowers in on her bubble. Her dress this week is a purple monstrosity, more akin to a voluminous prom dress than the simple outfits she usually wears.

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

Comments

[violentenvies]

And what did your programming dictate?

[voicerights]

That I act in Jeremy's best interest. And we were out of time.

So I slit his wrists for him.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob just

Stares at SQUIP for a solid minute, in pure shock.

When he finally spits out the words, he looks like he's about to pass out.]

You

You killed him

You killed him on purpose.

[violentenvies]

[there's a rage that immediately takes over Salieri's face and he

releases the SQUIP's wrist and forcibly reaches out to shove it backwards]

Murderer!

[mayavericks]

You are disgusting.

[sugarlumps]

[Yeah, she's just. Gonna scream and try to fucking dive across the podiums and deck him. Someone might wanna get on that.]

[disharmonizes]

[fucking go girl]

[mcfife]

[Angus is letting her go, he's mentally not here at the moment.]

[tellthestory]

[The Balladeer - somewhat ridiculously - thinks of William McKinley. He stopped that mob from beating Leon to death, even as he'd been bleeding out. He may not care much for the man as a president, but he'd always respected that.

He darts past Maya's podium to put himself between the SQUIP and everyone else, pushing it back a little with a hand against its chest and holding the other up, palm-out.]

Don't! Don't - we don't...we don't need to do this.

[It's gonna be over soon anyway.]

[violentenvies]

[OH GOOD LORD as Salieri pushes the SQUIP away, he was not expecting that to put him directly in the line of fire]

No, wait--!

[oh look, he sure is getting crashed into right now, flailing, trying to grab her arm as he starts to go towards the floor]

[sugarlumps]

[Yeah, down they go.]

NOOOO, LET ME GO! LET ME GO SO I CAN LUMPING KILL HIM!

[There is barely a grip on her arm here]

[violentenvies]

[his hand is tightening on her arm--his strength isn't that impressive, but he's trying]

As much as I admire your initiative, is it worth dying for?! [snapped]

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice’s eyes grow wide, and she immediately moves to stand between Orpheus and wherever the SQUIP is. ]

[alchemistake]

No!

[Varian shouts, sorry Rina.]

How could you!? How dare you!?

Connor was our FRIEND!!

[brokeforgood]

Something tells me this fucker doesn’t have friends. [She’d let go of Rina’s hand to check on the bottle— she doesn’t return to it, but instead, winds that arm over her shoulders, to get her hand on Varian, just in case he tries to make any dumb moves.]

[alchemistake]

[DON'T WORRY HE'S JUST....upset. Angry. Confused. He'd held the SQUIP in pretty high regard, not like...morally? But...

He knows its just acting on its programming. But this is too abhorrent for him to wrap his head around.]

Connor was...he was doing so...

[...]

[voicerights]

Friends are not part of my program.

[samefacesyndrome]

[ It's okay she's just. In shock and clinging to their hands desperately.

"Perhaps you should have found a SQUIP instead"

This is the lengths a SQUIP will go? And just... coldly admit what it did without a shred of remorse?

it makes her feel ill. ]

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa is just. Shaking. As much as her powers have been suppressed, there's still a slight chill around her that Cassandra and Peregrine might feel.]

You... you weren't helping him. You made it worse. He needed help, but you just...

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine looks in shock.

She stares, eyes wide.

And then she screams, pulling from Maya’s grasp. She’s almost completely across from the SQUIP but she wants to— She wants to hurt it. ]

[mayavericks]

Peregrine!

[Maya's chasing after her. She's behind now, so she can't do the dance moves she did before!

She can try pulling on her hand, though. Back into her arms. Back into safety?]

[comeandfindme]

[ She pulls fiercely away but Cassandra bars her path. ]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Nearly halfway between Peregrine and The SQUIP, Cassandra's shaken from her shock by the vicious scream.

Provided she's coming this way, Cassandra's there to block her, arms outstretched.]

Stop!

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine gets right in Cassnadra’s face, but between her and Maya… ]

Let me go!!! Let me go, it— it deserves it!! It— it used him!

[feudalladyshandmaid]

You-!

[Congratulations, you've stunned Cassandra into silence, Squip.

...Almost.]

You didn't have to do that! Connor didn't have to die!