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

[aflatouttahell]

Okay! Sorry, I just... sorry. I didn't mean to, you know...

[trettende]

Yeah, I haven't been there much, myself.

[ Maybe if he'd known they were handing out guns he would have, dang! ]

Were a lot of the items that were handed out personal things? All I seemed to get were posters and hair gel.

[ And a Tony, and flowers... junk. ]

[tellthestory]

No, no, don't apologize. It's fine.

[trettende]

They must have known what they were doing, if they had planned it enough to use a pillow like that.

Otherwise, why bother keeping it quiet at all? The doors would all open as soon as Natalie was dead.

[inforapenny]

Yeah, uh. Unless Flynn wants the honor, I can. I can swab it.

[trettende]

[ Okay, Hans can't not be nosy here. He needs to know. ]

Is it something from your old show?

[dechagny]

[He wishes he knew, but at the same time, if he said "I don't know" he'd probably get everyone to yell at him. Yeah, we don't know that.]

Perhaps...perhaps they wanted to keep the other person on the floor from hurrying towards the sound? If they could lessen the noise they make, they could escape, clean up, hide their evidence...cover their tracks, for better or for worse.

[trettende]

True. Though the murder happened in the hallway, it would have made more sense to have it in one of the rooms, where it wouldn't be as obvious.

Then there's the different set of handprints... Maybe they came to regret it afterwards?

[tellthestory]

.....yeah. I mean, I think. I don't know how it could've gotten here, but...like you said, distinctive.

[allicareabout]

No, no, by all means.

[trettende]

[ Aw, buddy. That can't be a fun reminder. ]

It sounds like the Merchandise Booth is handing out all sorts of dangerous things. Maybe they have items from all of our homes.

[ And Tony awards. And Hamilton tickets?? ]

[dontfeedplants]

I wouldn't say that it was all personal, but I remember getting a couple of things that I recognized from home.

[allicareabout]

Apparently it saw fit to hand our resident pirate royalty my legal fees.

Immediately after the incident with Hook.

[inforapenny]

I-I got. Something of mine, yeah.

[allicareabout]

She looked like she'd been crying shortly before she died.

[That is...not a detail he was exactly wanting to share with the room, but - ]

So maybe she was still alive for a short time after being shot, or she had enough time to confront our culprit before they fired - either way, regret is entirely possible.

[trettende]

Oh? I didn't get anything familiar. What kind of things did you get, Seymour?

[trettende]

That's... wow.

Is the Merchandise Booth random or does the Management get to decide what we get? Because that sounds pretty deliberate.

[dontfeedplants]

There was a botany book that I got a few weeks ago, and...

[...Huh.]

Come to think of it, I think I got Mr. Mushnik's gun from the Merchandise booth last week.

[trettende]

What was it?

[ I mean, he's apparently asking everyone now. ]

[inforapenny]

Just- just an outfit. It, uh. I recognized it because it had my name on the tag.

[That's a fucking lie, but Anna's the only one who knows different.]

[trettende]

[ THAT'S. KIND OF A BIGGY, SEYMOUR. ]

You didn't think to mention that sooner? Does that gun match the one Winslow found?

[ And, because they're friends..... ]

Where did you last leave the gun, as far as you knew? Was it in your room?

[ You weren't carrying a gun, were you, Seymour?? ]

[inforapenny]

Okay, yeah.

[Annnnd since Raoul is standing right next to him.]

Hey, can- can I see it?

[dontfeedplants]

I didn't think of it! And I don't think I saw the gun Winslow found yet.

[Sweats.]

It... it didn't leave my room anyway, so I couldn't have done it.

[trettende]

So just clothes from home? None of your inventions?

[ He knows you better now, Billy, this may have been a mistake on your part. ]

[inforapenny]

Yeah, just clothes. I wish I'd gotten one of my inventions.

[...Knowing his luck he'd get an item labeled "death ray" and it'd just be a piece of bloody shrapnel though]