itscurtains | third trial

[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.

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But I could do it!

[Her sword is right there. Worn at her waist. She hasn't touched it, just yet.]

I couldn't help him before. And I might never get another chance.

Then you're being selfish!!

[ She's yelling. Fully, completely yelling. Maya and Janis are over there crying, and Peregrine's just. Yelling. Not just at Cass. ]

All of you, everyone who wants to die for him— you're doing it for yourself! So stop for a second, and think about how it must feel for Varian! How it'd feel for Rina, if she knew!!

[ eurydice is too busy tackling salieri to respond, but oh, that hurts.

she’ll remember that. ]

[...yeah Varian is just.

Crying even harder, now. Because he doesn't feel he's worth dying for. Not even remotely.

He's pretty sure he'd do everything in his power to haunt anyone who died on his behalf, but even so...]

I d-don't want anyone else to get hurt...please...

[He could have asked for help. I could have been awake, waiting for Varian to come and find me. I could have figured out a plan to help his village. None of this should have happened.]

Varian. [Speaking his name does get Angus out of his own head.] We don't want the Wizard to take you away. We don't want to lose another friend.

[He's a bit far from Varian's podium, but he tries to keep his voice up.]

You've done so much for us, dear alchemist.

Can you please all just - listen to him? [ Orpheus shouts it over from where he's currently pinning Salieri to the ground. ] This isn't brave, or mercy, it's just - grief and hurt and selfishness. We can't do this to him.

Varian, I'm so sorry. You don't deserve this. Not any of it.

[ Varian. God, Varian.

Peregrine leaves Janis' podium. She kneels by him, to pull him into a fierce hug. ]

I'm sorry. [ ... ] I'm so sorry.

[I THOUGHT I REPLIED TO THIS IM SORRY

He's going to hug her back, of course...]

...t-thank you. For...believing I didn't do it.

I'm...r-really sorry I didn't say something sooner.

[ She shakes her head and just holds him tighter.

And then, Peregrine leans in, real close, and whispers in his ear: ]

If you were going to haunt me...how would you do it?

[If he was going to...

...

Varian stiffens, leaning in so he can whisper back.]

If you call for me...I would tell you "I'm listening".

(no subject)

comeandfindme - 2021-06-26 22:36 (UTC) - Expand

[Cassandra's body shudders from the breath she exhales.]

All of the fires I've swallowed,
All of the sparks that went dark in my gut
I am always burning up

[Her steeled expression breaks.]

Varian... About your dad, about what happened in the snow storm... I'm sorry.

[There was nothing to be done.]

It...it wasn't your fault. It wasn't Rapunzel's.

[He sniffs, looking...pretty Bad.]

I just wanted....to undo everything.

[Everyone's looking bad. Cassandra isn't far off from how he is.]

If we'd had time... Maybe...

[Maybe things could've been different. Maybe.

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Always maybes. Never what truly happens.]

You're not the only one who wants to undo things. [...] I forgive you, Varian. For everything.

Edited 2021-06-26 23:03 (UTC)

[ At some point, once she knows Maya isn't going to do something without her there, once things have maybe calmed down, Janis is gonna just walk over to poor Varian. ]

Hey there.

...hey.

[Janis...one of the many people he hates to disappoint. Especially when she's the one who found the bleach on him...]

So, uh. I'm not exactly known for going with the crowd, but.

[ She opens her arms. ]

Want one more hug?

[Varian nods...trying- and sort of failing, he's sorry- to not tear up again as he moves in to hug her. Tight, but not too tight.]

T-thank you for being my friend.

...please...take care of Maya.

fourbutts - 2021-06-26 22:41 (UTC) - Expand

[Once Janis is done, Maya is going to quietly approach... No sword, and her hands are held up in a gesture of peace!]

Varian?

[DON'T WORRY MAYA HE...assumes that plan is out the window, by now.]

...M-Maya...you were right. You were right, I'm s-so sorry everyone was...

Shhh.

[She just pulls him forward, into her arms.]

I'm so sorry I was not here for you.

[Yeah Maya's getting a hug too, a tight one, like he just...

Doesn't really want to let go.]

N-no...I should have said something. I d-didn't even tell Rina...

mayavericks - 2021-06-26 22:47 (UTC) - Expand

alchemistake - 2021-06-26 22:53 (UTC) - Expand

mayavericks - 2021-06-26 22:54 (UTC) - Expand

Maybe I want to be selfish! For once in my fucking life!!

[Cassandra's voice is hoarse, unready. It cracks as she yells back. She's on the verge of tears herself. Just desperately keeping it together.]

...What else can we do? Rina is dead. You know just as well as I do that there's only one way this is going to go.

Nothing.

[ ... ]

Nothing except be there for him. Because he's the one who's suffering most right now.

...Nothing.

[...]

Do you want to hug him?

[ oh don't worry she gonna hug him ]