third 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. Some of you have a detour to make beforehand- Hester lets you in to her office to drop off the precious cargo without incident. She then slips off to in the direction of the scene shop.

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. The SQUIP, the Balladeer and Rina now have 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. Either she was magicked up there or the catwalk repair had a very impressive turnaround time. The Dad Squad and Peregrine have already seen this week's look but those who haven't might notice the braid bun her hair is in has half-fallen out and her little white heels are covered in dirt.

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

Comments

[mayavericks]

I would rather ask every question, than miss one and doom us all.

[Speaking of questions, though.]

Varian, have you made any headway with the device?

[sugarlumps]

Maya, you're amazing and great, but there is such a thing as a stupid question. People who say there isn't are just trying to make stupid people feel better.

[mayavericks]

Lumpy-san. Consider if Mumble had died this week. Would you not think it a stupid idea to ask Elisabeth-san half of what we did? She clearly was upset and did not remember.

At this point, most of us trust one another. We... have to be amenable to asking the difficult questions.

[sugarlumps]

What's being upset about it have to do with it? Bobsponge couldn't hurt anything ever and Varian's a noodle.

[comeandfindme]

She's saying sometimes when people are upset they forget things they do. [ Frustrated, that she has to explain this— ] It's why people were pressing me last week, 'cause that's what happened with Sissi, it's— it's a trauma thing, okay?

[sugarlumps]

...Yeah but this is Varian and Bob, they wouldn't do anything to forget.

[mayavericks]

My point is that we do not understand any of the circumstances. We do not know what happened last night, or what could have come over any one of us. Furthermore, we know only what others share. Barring a few exceptions -- [Eurydice and Orpheus, Cassandra and Varian.] -- None of us know one another here.

It is... very easy to lie.

[employeeoftheyear]

But we do know each other here.

We're all friends, right?

Mods we're tryin this again

[alchemistake]

The- o-oh, yeah...

[SORRY HE'S BEEN LIKE. Distracted, but he has been tinkering with the headset ever since he received it from Orpheus. It's probably been a while, by now.

He's going to try to push the button after a few more adjustments, holding it carefully in his hands so he's not covering up any speakers.]

[stagemanagers]

[After all his tinkering the play button has been unjammed. The sound isn't great but Rina's voice is clear between the patches of static and distortion:]

“B-But… it’s dangerous…” [ --- ] “W-Wait! Please! Um... I had something I really wanted to give you! Could... could I at least--” [ bzzt ]

“Wherever you are / No matter where / I'll fly high…”

[ bzzt ] “I made it a flower so um--” [ --- ] “--it's something called a wish bracelet”-- [ bzzt ] “--if you make a wish on it right now and take care of it--” [ -- ] “--your wish will come true. Without a Wizard.”

“W-Wait! I'm sorry--!! P-Please wait!” [ bzzt ] “--y-you don't have to keep the bracelet but--”

[And the rest is static.]

[mcfife]

[Angus freezes at her voice, grips the edges of his podium, and shakes his head back to reality. This is her voice. Her last moments. Someone she trusted took her gift for granted. And then...]

Poor Rina. She was fighting for all of us.

[mayavericks]

[Maya has regrets, asking about this --]

[mayavericks]

[But then --]

When you feel troubled
I’ll come running right away, wanting to hug you tightly,
Wherever you are, no matter where, I'll Fly high!

[Maya swallows.]

I know this song.

[whatyouwant]

So that confirms the bracelet was for the culprit. It sounds like they ran off, maybe Rina chased them into the cornfield?

[mcfife]

But who would best match a flower?

[Everyone would have their own design, based on what Rina believed would best suit them...]

...Elle, how many bracelets did you find in her bag? Did you see what decorations they had?

Hey mods!

[whatyouwant]

[How many bracelets did Elle find?]

[alchemistake]

[Varian's hands shake as the recording suddenly starts playing, his brows making a bid for his hairline.

It's one thing to have not seen her. It's entirely another to hear this. To hear...]

Rina.....Rina...

[He drops the headset, which fortunately is already broken so it's not going to hurt it MORE, onto the podium. He looks at his hands, free of his gloves still, and grips at his face with them as he just.

Crumples forward against the podium, sobbing.]

[fourbutts]

[ HUGS THAT BOY HOLY SHIT- ]

Hey...

[ And with one hand is going to hold that headset out and fucking wiggle to try to get someone else to take it. ]

[alchemistake]

[Bless you Janis, he is like. This close to falling apart, at this point. Hearing that, it's.

...it's.

...

If she listens closely- if anyone listens- they might hear him whispering past sobs he can barely take enough of a breath to get out.]

Happy to listen

Happy to stay

Happily watching...me...

[employeeoftheyear]

She...

She just wanted us all to be happy.

[The words crush him.]

[sugarlumps]

[Well that's fucked up.]

[comeandfindme]

[ Ha. Haha, ha, yeah, it was- a wish bracelet—

Peregrine leans against the podium. She's been trying, she's been trying but she keeps closing her eyes and seeing Rina's still, dead body.

She shuts her eyes tight. ]

Does anyone...have anything to share?! [ How can they just listen to this? How? ]

[barberic]

[Benjamin's grip tightens on his podium, his breath held tight in his chest, like a cable drawn tight and about to snap.

A little girl's last moments. She was scared. She was just trying to help.]

[disharmonizes]

[oh.

well.

that's absolutely horrible okay]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's grip on Discord's hand behind Spongebob's back might be close to bruising]