fourth 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. Varian and Salieri, side by side, 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. There's no flashy costume this time, just a plain black dress belted with green satin around her waist. She sits in her seat with her head down and her hands in her lap like she's trying to make herself as small as possible. As if, if she tried hard enough, she could just disappear despite the lights on her.

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

Comments

[barberic]

[Benjamin's fury is cold and dark, like an endless abyss of storm-tossed sea. Perhaps that's more reason to be worried than a raging inferno of anger.

Fire will burn itself out eventually. But the sea never gives up her dead.

He takes his place at his podium, covered in Antonio's blood (both from holding Farrah and from his own investigating) and places the bloody dagger onto the podium in front of him. His shirt is tucked in, but on one side a slight frayed edge of torn fabric is visible, and one hand is wrapped in a blood-soaked cloth that's probably the same shade of blue as his shirt.

His voice is commanding, cold and threatening, and boy does it carry. Especially with their number cut so low.]

The killer doesn't care how angry we are, only that it weakens us and makes us less likely to find them out. They've already taken Antonio from us, likely knowing that he was the anchor that held us together, counting on us to fall apart without him.

It's up to us to not let that happen. To write a symphony for the damned in the blood of the son of a bitch who did this.

[Slightly terrifying rousing speech done and punctuated by slamming his good hand flat on the podium for the sound, he looks around. There's no more Mr. Nice Benji here today. Plenty of times he's been empty, he's been grief-stricken. But today, he's more menacing than anyone here has seen him before.]

Antonio was stabbed with his own dagger. Once, through the heart. But it was not the first blow the murderer attempted. I found a cut across his palm, likely from where he caught the blade in his hand the first time and was able to push it away. Other than that there was no sign of a struggle, so I can only assume the second blow was swift and true.

[The fact that he would have bled out in seconds, that he would not have suffered long in pain, is of little comfort. Lines of anguished exhaustion crease Benjamin's face, as he closes his eyes to recall the state of the body.]

He was carrying a corkscrew in his pocket. He also had a stain of wine on his right trouser leg and shoe. Did he tell anyone who he might have been planning on having drinks with last night?

[He asks, looking especially pointedly to his right at Discord.]

[mayavericks]

Benjamin.

[Maya can't help but recall what happened a week prior, how he had grabbed hold of her almost violently. Perhaps it's just the circumstances -- two dead children, and now one of the best of them dead. Yet her heart races like it did then. There's something very wrong here.

But. She can figure that out later. First? They have to find answers. Find justice.]

There was a corkscrew missing from the kitchen. There were also four bottles out, sealed and unused. Perhaps there was a fifth, and that's where the stain came from?

[disharmonizes]

He didn't mention any plans like that to me, no.

[Sorry, Benji, that's all he's got for that question.]

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob probably had to have been dragged into the auditorium to participate. He is silent, for a long time, before he quietly speaks up.]


...Please... if this was an accident please whoever did it speak up now. I promise I won’t be mad

[brokeforgood]

I will.

But if you tell me now I might hurt you less.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus speaks up, hollow-eyed and clinging to Eurydice's hand like a lifeline. ]

He was laid out on a length of cloth from the costume room. Almost respectfully. I don't... I don't know if it was an accident, Spongebob. But whoever did this...

[ He can't finish the sentence. Was it respect, really? He doesn't know. ]

[sugarlumps]

Uuuugh, if this was another accident it'd be so fucked up.

[mayavericks]

[Maya didn't exactly want to be on murder island so... She's gonna head over and sit with him.]

We will figure this out, Onii-san. I promise.

[sugarlumps]

I, uh- I brought. First aid stuff. In case [salieri] -anyone. Needs it, or something. I don't lumping know.

[LSP does indeed have an armful of slightly random items from the nurse's office. But no painkillers, THANKS CULPRIT-SAN.]

[mcfife]

[Angus remains on his podium, near LSP and Orpheus. The Gods know this side needs support as well.]

I am well. But thank you for thinking of our safety.

[What was he doing during investigation, making sandwiches while everyone was sad, of course. It's about time they didn't go to trial on empty stomachs.]

[barberic]

[Benjamin looks over at her from his place to her right and gives an approving nod, but doesn't make any indication that he needs help.

However, his left hand very clearly has a makeshift bandage tied tightly around it.]

[comeandfindme]

[ This is awful and uncomfortable. It's even more uncomfortable than last week. A menacing aura keeps coming from the people she should trust—trusts. But Peregrine pushes down any unease and fear. ]

There was— in the library. A broken bottle of wine, looked like it was dropped, and...awhile ago too. The wine soaked all the way into the carpet. It was near the entrance...and near some drops of blood. There wasn't a trail or anything, which was...kind of weird? But there was something else, on one of the study tables. Candles, ones that were mostly burned down into just wax. And...a bunch of pages from books that had cut out sections. It looked like all of 'em were from books on Mozart. From the glue next to it... I think someone made some freaky note from 'em? Like the kind you'd see from a kidnapper sending a ransom note of something.

[fourbutts]

[ Janis is... nearby Peregrine, she's not a fan of standing like. Not next to a girlfriend right now! ]

I looked over by the door, there was... someone spilled some candle wax on the ground, though I couldn't tell much more than that. And...

[ She takes out a handkerchief. ]

Found this handkerchief? It's uh. It has blood on it, so be careful if you want to come by and look at it closer.

[brokeforgood]

The—- pages from the books.

I ripped them out.

[disharmonizes]

[Discord just... stands at his podium, numbly, a little out of it. He might've managed some investigating with Farrah, but he had to push himself, hard. For a bit he just stares at the podium, before managing to at least... start sharing.]

There was... Antonio's work was still in the band room. He must have been in there late, composing.

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah moves towards her podium, then stops— frozen, helplessly, gazing at the portraits surrounding it. The Balladeer, Varian, and—-

Her family is staring at her, through pictures. The only way she can see them now.

She doesn’t know how she ends up between Benji and Discord, if someone’s gently ushered her there, or if she’s moved there on her own, her body desperately seeking the comfort she had cling to the last three times she was here. It’s hopeless. It’s gone. But at least she isn’t alone.

She’s tried to clean herself up in the little bit of time they had. Her hands are clean, at least, and she uses them to gently place the music sheets with the sticky note on Discord’s podium. She’s back in the Balladeer’s jacket, which serves to cover up at least most of the blood on her torso—- and something silver glints just inside it.

Every now and then she’ll glance up at Hester. She looks fucking miserable.

Good. ]

He was writing this. Symphony of Hope.

One of you asked him to meet you in the library this morning. And because he’s—- was——

I’m going to fucking rip you apart.

[mayavericks]

[Maya is quiet for a long moment. Farrah will probably come at her for this but --]

What if we... Are misunderstanding the situation? What if it was not someone who asked Salieri-sensei to meet him, but Salieri-sensei that asked them? If he was the one carrying the corkscrew, he might have been the one to prepare the wine, and thus the whole meeting?

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cassandra moves to stand at her podium, the actions are stiff and hollow. How many times do they have to do this? Stand here, surrounded by their dead. It hurts just to look at some of these pictures.

She casts one glance at Varian's portrait. Then to Elsa.]

I, uh... Found some things in the cafeteria.

[Draped over her arm appears to be... some clothing?]

This is Salieri's jacket and waistcoat. The were stacked on top of each other on the floor. I checked the pockets but everything is still in there. [She sets them across her podium.] There was also a burnt-out candle on a nearby table, and a number of medicine bottles, most of them were painkillers. But it didn't actually look like any of them were missing too many pills. Some of them weren't even open.

cw: suicide discussion

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus looks up, brows furrowed as he thinks that over. ]

...The only reason I can think of to have more than one entire bottle of painkillers ready is, um. If you were planning on poisoning someone. Or on... on dying, yourself.

[sugarlumps]

Someone took a bunch of junk from the nurse's office. They left it a real lumping mess, too.

catherd

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine just puts her fingers in her mouth and lets out a long, loud whistle. She keeps a trained eye on Farrah, and on Maya as well. ]

Now, if we're all done yelling at each other, can we please finally get some work done?

Salieri was found on the stage in the cafeteria. He had a cut on his hand and...his own dagger in his chest. He was on some kind of...cloth, laid out. Besides his hand...there weren't any signs of a struggle or anything. He had a corkscrew in his pocket, and a wine stain on his leg. His jacket and waistcoat were stacked on each other a ways away. He had...some things in his pockets— Cass, was there anything like, important in there?

[ She asks but she's gonna keep going— ]

On a table nearby, there was a burnt-out candle and a bunch of medicine bottles. Most were painkillers, but some were unopened. Probably, someone went through the nurse's office in a panic, since it was a real mess, and grabbed a bunch of things all at once.

In the kitchen, there was a corkscrew missing, which...was probably the one in Salieri's pocket, and four others out on the counter, sealed and unused. Maya, was there anything else missing in the kitchen, or was that it?

[ And still, she continues— ]

In the library, Janis and I found a broken bottle of wine, one of the floral scent ones that Orpheus and Eurydice recognize. This is a different kind of wine from the stuff that was in the kitchen, and on Salieri. Someone dropped the bottle near the entrance. Nearby, there were drops of blood. Real small, no trail. There was...also a spill of candle wax near the door, and a bloodstained handkerchief. On a table, there were ripped out book pages with a bunch of words cut out, along with glue and completely burned down candles.

What all those were used for...was in the band room. There was a post-it with a message on it: "Meet me in library 3 am." It was on a music stand with...with Salieri's latest in-progress composition. [ At that, she pauses. She swallows down a lump in her throat. ] It's...safe to say, he was in there late, working on it.

[ A slow breath. ]

We've got the handkerchief, the wine, the note, just— we've got a lot of things here to look over and compare. Maybe we can try and put together some kind of timeline. Or, maybe we can check each other over for more injuries.

But we have to start cooperating, or else we're all dead. Alright?

[mayavericks]

[Maya is a little distracted but... She'll answer over her shoulder.]

There was nothing else. The bottles were clean, so it stands to reason that they were not brought back after the attack. That, or the killer was able to clean off first.

[She breathes in.]

I am curious about the usage of Mozart's words on the sticky note. It... could be that it was a deliberate sleight against him, which means that his killer would be someone who knew of Salieri-sensei's relationship with his contemporary. If that is the case, then it stands to reason it could be one of two parties -- someone that Salieri-sensei told, or simply someone that was knowledgeable about this aspect of history.

MTB...?

[disharmonizes]

It really was supposed to be simple. The only reason I even gave him the note was so he could help me with all of it.

But, of course it didn't work out the way I planned it.

[He relaxes, almost shrugging casually while he lets that origami butterfly float into the air, into little circles.]

When the light is running low
And the shadows start to grow
And the places that you know
Cut away the afterglow

There's a light inside your soul
Slowly shrinking in the cold
From the truth deep down you know
And yet darker we will go

[And that butterfly suddenly burns, ashes floating down to the floor.]

How convincing that man could be. But more the fool I, for listening to him.

...My own fault, really. All of it... I never should have showed him that photo at all.

[employeeoftheyear]

Discord.. please...

[The memories of the past week flood through his brain. Teasing Salieri about his crush on Discord, meeting up with Farrah to plan a date for the two.

He did that because he was terrified they were going to die.

It wasn't often that he was right in his fears. He hates it.]

I don't care if it's a lie please tell me this is a dream.

VOTING

[stagemanagers]

Just vote, already.

[Oh, that's...that's it? Okay.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cassandra stands uncertain, uneven. Her chest burns with anxiety and fear, knowing how the victim died, and it hitting so very close to home... Even though, in her own way, she understands. It's why she can't be too mad at Discord. It's why she doesn't enjoy doing this.

Every so gently, but rising with intensity, while Cassandra watches the votes go down...]

The people in this school, they know that nothing's well.
The Wizard trapped us all and one by one we fell.
But soon the day will come where we don't gotta run.
When someone takes a stand at the wickedness at hand, yeah.

His power is a trick, don't fear his wicked spell-
I want to hope again, the louder that we yell.
I still believe in good, no matter what I hear
The Wizard cannot last, soon he'll be part of the past, yeah.

I want to yell it from the sky.
Know that everyone deserves the chance to fly.
And I pray we'll get the chance before...

[Her eyes drift across the podiums, to where Hester stands with Maya.]

...We die.

[> Best at Being the Worst]

EXECUTION: You Give Love a Bad Name

[stagemanagers]

[When the final vote is cast, the lights in the auditorium drop to pure darkness save for a narrowed spotlight on Hester. A short hush falls over the room as the music starts...but Hester doesn’t start singing.

She sits in her bubble, eyes squeezed shut and back straight like she's trying and failing to get up the nerve to start. The music stops and the Wizard head turns to look down at her. It’s hard to tell from a distance but it looks like it’s eyebrows furrow in concern. There’s quiet for a moment and Hester lilts her head to the side slightly, like she’s leaning into an invisible hand touching her head. 

She takes a breath, opens her eyes and the music starts over:]

A demon's smile is what you sell
You promised him heaven, then put them through hell
Chains of love have a hold on you
When passion's a prison, you can't break free

[The green curtains open and there’s Discord, bound by his wrists and ankles with thick white rope that hangs from the ceiling. Behind him is a painted backdrop, a cozy-looking little town with a large tree in the middle with a big red door. He looks both surprised and annoyed and experimentally tugs at his bonds. He has some range of motion but the ropes quickly go taught and nearly gets pulled off his feet.]

Whoa, oh, oh
You're a loaded gun
Whoa, oh, oh
You've nowhere to run
No one can save you, the-

[Hester's voice wavers while Discord continues to pull against his ropes. Her eyes stray from the stage to the orchestra pit, down to the survivors. She tries to start up again, her conviction fading more and more.] 

No one can save you, the damage is-

Done!

[The Wizard's voice booms through the auditorium. Both Hester and Discord jerk their heads up to look to the massive head. It seems you all have a new performer for this execution.]

Shot through the heart and you're to blame
You give love a bad name

[While the Wizard's voice projects through the room, a catwalk starts to lower. On it stands what is clearly a mannequin dressed in greens and pinks stands holding the ends of the ropes binding Discord. She pulls at the ropes, making him jerk aggressively as a new spotlight brightens up a spot on the stage: a gallows with a single noose hanging down. The mannequin tilts it's head left and right, like its silent vocal chords are trying to hum a little tune as it begins to walk Discord toward the gallows.]

You play your part and we play this game
You give love a bad name
Hey, you give love
A bad name

[Until now Discord has been making a token effort against his restraints. But when the gallows light up a sharpness suddenly appears in his eyes and he grins. His head jerks up to look at the Wizard, speaking out for the first time since he was swept to the stage with all the sharpness and taunting befitting a Lord of Chaos.]

The final act is sure to be a theatrical
Plot twist worthy of a prize

[He gives one more experimental tug of the ropes before surging forward, dragging the pink-haired mannequin down from the catwalk to smash against the stage. Plastic limbs go flying in several directions and he crouches to pick up an arm, making it wave up at the Wizard head.]

Want a shot? You better be more tactical
Messin' with disharmony is never wise~!
I've had enough of you!

[Discord points up at the Wizard with the severed arm (which extends an accusing finger).]

So, I won't you be your puppet
On a string!
I've had enough of you!

[He snaps his fingers and, from their safely hidden places outside the trial room, six glass jars appear at his feet and in his hands. They're all filled with some type of dark liquid and, judging by the situation, probably very dangerous.  

He raises two of the jars above his head, not breaking eye contact with the glowing green eyes. How unfortunate that the other missing things from the nurse's office had been overlooked this morning without the inventory list: potassium permanganate and sulfuric acid. Separate? Mostly harmless and medically useful! Mixed together? Well...] 

Look at you, stuck like glue, bid this murdergame adieu!
'Cause I've had enough of you~!

[He drops the two jars. The moment they hit the floor the explosions are an instantaneous chain reaction. The Wizard lets out a shout of surprise, the green eyes flashing between green and white then back to green. Hester, although seemingly safe in her bubble, screams. It immediately ascends but not before she grabs her leg in apparent pain.

The fire from the explosions doesn't seem to be spreading from the main stage but it's probably a good idea to get out as fast as you can.]

[mayavericks]

[Maya... does not run from the flame. She runs toward it.]

Hester!

[She's peering up through the smoke, trying to find her, trying to find if she's okay.]