FIFTH TRIAL

[stagemanagers]

[The sound of the courtroom doors opening is louder and deeper than the stairwell doors were, as if they understand their dramatic importance.

It's time for yet another trial.

Natalie's podium has joined the other somberly-decorated ones in pretty short order. Unfortunately, the other ones are left entirely as they were - no pillows, food, or coffee provided by the Opera staff. You'll just have to try and make this quick. The Balladeer sounds like he'd like to get this over with as well when he speaks up.]

I'm sorry, Heather. I really didn't think... [He sighs.] Okay, go ahead.

Comments

[inforapenny]

I won't call the vote. But you're the one telling us it was your fault, that they need to vote for you.

If that's a misvote then everyone else dies. Will you come out here and face them or will you pull your goggles down and pretend you don't feel anything?

[dechagny]

[He has to try really hard not to just slam the podium.]

Past...the point of no return
That's what you're saying
And either way we choose we cannot win

Though I cannot ignore
What dark horrors lie in store
I won't condemn a friend
Even if it brings my end...

No - Billy, I won't do it, I refuse! And if my death comes of that, then so be it!

[dieformymusic]

And they almost got away with it!

Because of you and them, we almost killed someone I--

[Birb clamp shut.]

[tellthestory]

Why plan the plan if you can't follow through?
All that matters, taking matters into your own hands
Soon, you will be back in charge...
This gives you the best chance

[dieformymusic]

[He barely understood everything, but that's some goddamn saavy.]

It looks like we don't have a choice.

[tellthestory]

Exactly! You should just vote for me!

[trettende]

But what if you're wrong? What if... you could easily claim it was Natalie's own fault for attacking him, under the guise of the Balladeer.

[sunshineprincess]

[AHAHAHA THIS ISN'T HAPPENING NOPE NOPE NOPE]

I knew there was something off... [Look down at the podium. Conceal. Don't feel. Deep breath. Okay. Not feeling is hard.

Anna looks up at Billy in silence.

She mad]

[tellthestory]

...you could. Maybe. Like with that rule about the suicides?

[trettende]

It's too subjective. Billy Flynn is right, we were told the motive determined the killer, but there's no motive. Not from any of the cast members, anwyay.

[tellthestory]

But if she had broken a rule, that would be the logical vote, right? And as far as Management is concerned, she did. Otherwise they wouldn't have let her die like that.

[He sounds like someone who's just figured out a way this can go that doesn't end with him or everyone else dying, Hans, don't take that from him.]

[dieformymusic]

[You know how he likes revenge but..]

It sounds like you're a stepping stone for the management.

Like all of us.

[trettende]

[ I mean, he's not wrong. ]

It's hard to say. On one hand, the crew members acted on the assumption that you were the Balladeer. Yet, on the other hand, you claim we're expected to vote on the assumption that you're Billy.

Voting for you would almost go against what the crew did. So voting for Natalie could make sense. She broke the rules. Her death... was her own fault?

[ He doesn't sound sure himself, tbh. ]

[tellthestory]

[There's a short period of silence before Billy responds.]

I don't, uh...make the rules? But nothing's happening back here yet, so...

[tellthestory]

I just...

[He sounds, momentarily, on the edge of tears.]

I don't know how you're supposed to vote! I just didn't want anyone else getting hurt because of something I did! But if you think they'd execute everyone over voting for me, then... [Sigh] I don't know. I'm just...I'm tired.

[tellthestory]

...yeah, what else is new?

[dieformymusic]

THE TRUTH FOR ONCE.

[allicareabout]

...I didn't think there would be.

We have no way to proceed. The rules are ambiguous on what should be done here - but abiding by contra proferentem, that works against the Management and not us.

[That also assumes that Management is sane, which is a hell of an assumption given this entire game, but listen.]

The only option we have right now is to refuse the vote on grounds of being unable to vote for the true guilty party. The only option they have right now - assuming they play by their own rules - is to declare the trial invalid, unless there's another argument someone would like to make.

It's a mistrial, plain and simple.

[allicareabout]

Hans is right.

If you didn't kill her, voting for you is incorrect and going to get us all killed. So if you'd please stop resisting our attempts to save your life, that'd be appreciated.

[trettende]

That's right. It's not a matter of who feels guilty, it's a matter of who murdered Natalie.

[ Mental high five from across the courtroom, Billy. ]

[trettende]

[ Hell yeah, you tell 'em, lawyer dad. Hans likes this plan. ]

With the rules we have now, we can't vote for a killer. Either the Management changes the rules, or we fail no matter who we vote for. None of them would be right.

[sunshineprincess]

[Okay see here "boyfriend". Anna grips her podium tightly.]

You're tired? I don't think anyone but me got any sleep! I had a feeling that it wasn't you. B's not very affectionate. You would have been. [She feels so broken now.] I don't understand any of this. Natalie is dead. B's here instead of you. We're all going to die at this rate, and you're tired?

[Anna wishes she could hit you right now.]

[trettende]

[ Never thought he'd be on your side, did you Billy? But you guys shared drinks... so yaknow. Or wait. Was that the Balladeer?? ]

We all are, Billy... But we'll figure this out, somehow.

[ He's not gonna die here after lasting this long, dammit! ]

After all, we can hardly consider this trial a win or a loss if it's decided on a technicality. That's not a good show for the audience, is it?

[ Don't think he's forgotten about them. ]

[allicareabout]

Oh, it's better than that.

No rules were broken at the time of the incident. They can change the rules now, but things like this can't exactly be retroactively enforced.

[trettende]

Can't they? The Management decides the rules, ultimately... they could probably do whatever they want.

[ He looks back at the stage. Is the Management watching right now? ]