fifth trial

[stagemanagers]

[As the investigation ends, you'll hear the Wizard'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. Discord, Elle, Orpheus and Eurydice now have theirs draped in black crepe and with a framed monochrome photo of them on top. At Maya's podium is a stool with a fresh amaryllis flower carefully set on it.

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. She's still in her pretty pink prom dress, her hair restyled and make-up freshened to not be so messy from sleep. It's also worth noting the blood on her skirt from when she assisted in helping Maya with her injury is gone.

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

Comments

[mcfife]

[Angus holds out his blood-covered arms. His fingers have a few new scratches.]

[barberic]

[Benjamin looks over Angus' hands carefully, keeping his expression neutral. Even sick, he thinks, Maya would have done more damage than a few baby scratches.

He thinks about how hard Johanna bit him, when her life was on the line, and imagines Maya could do far worse with a sword, even a broken one, even if she was already bleeding out.]

Been picking up new hobbies, Your Highness?

[Not accusatory, just. asking for an explanation.]

[mcfife]

[Angus looks over his arms, as that's the first thing he notices about himself.]

I didn't think to get a new shirt. I...was not careful in setting Elle to rest.

[barberic]

No, no, lad, not the blood. These.

[He nods his head at the scratches on Angus' fingers.]

Would you mind taking off your shirt for a second, just to be sure? Then you can check me, and we'll be done.

[mcfife]

Oh. [He holds his hands to his face, and...those are scratches. The tears return to his eyes.]

They were- I was-

[He swallows, shakes his head. He can't speak, but he'll unbutton his shirt until his voice returns, showing that the front of his torso, at the very least is clear of injuries.]

[barberic]

[Benjamin looks him over (...also, woof-) and then nods, patting Angus on the shoulder.]

That's alright. It's alright, Angus, you're clear.

[If Angus would like to check him, he'll find the wound from last week's trial, which hasn't had the bandage changed since last night, on his left hand, and a small amount of Maya's blood on his hands.

Other than that, he's clean, and the shirt that he's wearing is clearly an undershirt - pulled taut by his dad bod, if he were injured anywhere on his chest, it would be bleeding through.]