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

[trettende]

That's... weird. But distinctive, at least.

Is it possible the merchandise booth could hand out bullets too?

[aflatouttahell]

Maybe, but I haven't gone there as much as some other people here. I know they have some weird stuff in there... and my diary, which is still creepy.

[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. ]

[dontfeedplants]

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

[trettende]

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

[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]

[ 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?? ]

[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]

Well, you'd better have a look, just in case.

[ SWEATS. HE DOESN'T WANT IT TO BE YOU, MAN. ]

Are you sure 100% of that, Seymour?

[dontfeedplants]

I'm positive it wa-

[And then he finally gets a good look at the gun.]

I... um... wh...where did Winslow get that?

[trettende]

According to him, it was in the garden.

[ Hans is looking right at you, man. The evidence is pointing almost too clearly at Seymour. ]

Was that where you put it when you got it?

[ Please say yes, Seymour....... ]

[dontfeedplants]

No, I was hardly in the garden the week I got it.

[Seymour is very visibly starting to freak out at this point.]

[trettende]

Seymour...

[ Hans is trying to help. HE IS TRYING TO HELP, someone call an ambulance. ]

You know this looks bad, right? Did you bury the gun in the garden?

[dontfeedplants]

[If Seymour wasn't freaking out, he would appreciate this development.]

I know it does, but I swear I don't know how that gun got out of my room! I didn't even know the gun still had bullets in it, honest!

[trettende]

But, did you bury the gun, Seymour? It's perfectly possible for the murderer to have framed you.

[ it's okay, Hans is here somehow and he really knows Seymour can kill but not Natalie surely not her. ]

Was the gun loaded when you got it? If it wasn't, then the murderer could have stolen it and loaded it.

[dontfeedplants]

I didn't, I swear I didn't!

I tried firing it in my room when I got it, but nothing happened!

[trettende]

[ OH GOOD... IT'S A FRAME-UP. ]

Did anyone see you do this? Or... was there anyone you told about it before today?

[ He pauses, switching for reassuring. ]

I believe you, Seymour. But we might need more than just your word to prove it.

[onthebusagain]

[Getting the real side eye here, Seymour. ]

[allicareabout]

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

Immediately after the incident with Hook.

[trettende]

That's... wow.

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

[inforapenny]

I-I got. Something of mine, yeah.

[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]

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]