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

[mayavericks]

Otousan!

[Maya's been sitting still this entire trial. She's been trying not to strain the wounds. But now, she leaps to her feet, pain be damned, and gives chase. She isn't strong enough to stop him, but she'll still fling herself at the backs of his knees all the same.]

[comeandfindme]

Maya, are you kidding me?!

[ As the person who had to wrap Maya up!! And take that sword piece out of her!!! Peregrine tears off to try and keep her from reopening her wounds. This is a just a train of upset loved ones. ]

[barberic]

[Someone else hears Farrah cry out to him. Someone else hears Maya. Someone else feels Cassandra try to tackle him, and shrugs her off.

Benjamin Barker hears nothing but the agony of his own rage, the pain in his heart, hears a piece of his soul that had just started to heal (or, perhaps, that had healed itself and begun to crack anew), shatter and die.

But he is not immune to physics.

And when Maya collides with his knees - like he had done to the specter of Bigfoot, weeks ago - he goes down, hard. The razor skitters out of his hand, and spins across the floor.]

No, no, no, NO! I can't-- I can't lose her. I can't lose anyone else.

[On his hands and knees, begging, tears rolling freely down his face, he looks up onto the stage, at the Wizard.]

You're a father-

[His breath hitches, and his voice leaves him in a wail.]

If I die, let me die!
Let her live!

Take me, instead.

[employeeoftheyear]

No!

[Spongebob calls out, looking at the Wizard through angry tears.]

No take me! I was practically the culprit this week anyway! A-and it's my duty as an older brother to protect his little sisters!

[His voice is shaky, and very clear that he doesn't want to die, but.

He has to do this. He has to protect his sisters.]

cw: suicide threats

[mayavericks]

[Everything hurts. Her muscles ache from her fights last night, the wound in her side stings and burns. Never mind the bone-deep ache she feels at the grief she feels in this moment.

But she can't stop. She forces herself to her feet, trying to get out of the way before Benjamin or Peregrine can stop her. She clambers to the straight razor and picks it up

She holds it to her neck.]

Everyone stop!

[brokeforgood]

[GIRL SHE IS FROZEN ON ONE FOOT]

cw: suicide threats

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine can't move.

She stands just feet away from Maya. Her goal was to make sure her wounds didn't open back up. Now she can't do anything but stand there frozen. ]

cw: suicide threats

[mayavericks]

[The knife remains at her neck. It does not move in any direction.]

Now, if you're all done yelling at the Wizard, can we please put an end to this. [Her eyes skim the gathered crowd.]

One way or another, I will die here. I am not letting anyone else die because of me. So spare your votes of mercy for someone who deserves it.

[She looks up, first to Hester, then to the Wizard.]

Please. Let us put an end to this.

[employeeoftheyear]

Maya!

[He looks at Maya, pulling the razor to her neck.

He remembers how Maya looked last night, so happy and full of life.

He remembers Wednesday, how Maya was scared out of his mind that he could be dying.

He thinks about himself, how he was sure that his only two options were dying in a murder, or dying alone and afraid in the school.

He sees too much of himself in her.

Spongebob gently approaches her, as if will combust if he moves too suddenly.]

Maya please, I can't lose you too. I can't let you die, not after everything.

cw: suicidal thoughts, suicide threats

[mayavericks]

[Maya watches Spongebob approach. She hates doing this, to him especially. It would have been easier for her to have ended it the evening prior, to have left a confession and let it all come to an end.

She presses the blade against her neck, enough to sting and draw a faint trickle of blood.]

The only reason I went through with this, pretended to be a victim, was to ensure I could be on stage with the Wizard. I wanted a chance to strike him down after what he put me through.

I will die anyway, Spongebob. At least let me go down fighting.

[comeandfindme]

[ Pre—

Pretended? ]

I thought I saved you.

[ She's not shouting. She's not fighting. She's just...raw. ]

But- but it was... It was...all to...

[mayavericks]

[She... should have expected as much.]

I did not expect the Wizard would let me up there without a believable trial. But -- [She makes a face. Maybe a rueful smile.] I would have bled out all the same, if not for you.

You did save me. Just... not for very long.

1/2

[comeandfindme]

Did...you know?

[ It's still small. Still rough. ]

Did you...know I would...

[ "It's like I'm a curse—" ]

Did you—

2/2

[comeandfindme]

[ Push into the pain until it shatters.

And then it's like a switch flicks in her head. And she's yelling. ]

Did you prepare for it?! Did you lay outside our door so we could find you, so we could think— so we could find you, and save you, and lose you all over again?!

Did you for a single second think about what this would do to us?!

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Even wounded, lying about what happened, she wants to fight. She wants to be on that stage now, gunning for the Wizard with everything she has.

She's willing to wound herself to get the chance.]

You really do take your performances seriously.

[Cass feels sick.]

A good warrior... wants to go down fighting. But we could have tried to save you. We... we just want to do something.

[mayavericks]

Deathly serious, even.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cassandra doesn't laugh.]

...So, is that it? We just... go from here? Trying to do this, all on our own?

[employeeoftheyear]

[He stops short when he sees the blood.

It was a pretty often occurrence for Spongebob to desperately hope that this was a terrible dream. That this was an intense nightmare and that any moment he'll wake up and everything will be fine.

At this point, Spongebob's pretty sure he's been sent to hell. He's not sure what he's done in live to deserve it, but he's sure at this point.]

But... but I'm your older brother, Maya. I'm supposed to protect you, that's my job.

If I can't protect you, then what...?

[The tears flow too heavily for him to finish. His throat feels like it's closing in on itself.

He feels like his whole world is closing in on itself.]

[mayavericks]

Protect the rest of us. Protect Farrah. Protect Janis, Peregrine, and Hester in my stead.

Please.

[fourbutts]

[ Janis, for her part, is still over by the podiums. She wasn't fast enough, or smart enough, or mean enough, or nice enough. Again. ]

Maybe if I'd been a little bit braver
Maybe if I knew how to fight
But maybe isn't gonna let me save her
Maybe doesn't make this alright

[barberic]

I can't-

I can't lose another daughter. I can't do this! Maya, please...

cw: suicide threats

[mcfife]

[She is right, in a way. Maya was always so practical, she was unflappable. And she killed three people in her haze.

Angus wants to trust his friend. But that phrase - pushed a dying woman to her death - will not leave him be. There is too much he wants to say, but no time.]

What will I ever tell your friends when we escape?

[mayavericks]

[In the end, she knew better than to hope for forgiveness, especially from Angus. She isn't angry. In fact, she smiles at his question.]

I have left letters in my locker. Let it be in my words.

[barberic]

[Benjamin freezes. Goes deathly pale.

But he's stunned into silence, good job, Maya.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[Oh god everything is escalating SO fast right now.]

Maya, no....