antumbrac | FIRST TRIAL

Trial I

The opera house doesn't seem to have gotten any changes. There are no lights on the windows, the lobby is dark. Only when everyone is gathered there something does happen: Rembrandt appears, opening the main stage doors, the large and heavy doors creaking when they open.

Rembrandt herds everything together, guiding them down the halls of the seating area. You better not stray from the hallway -- there's a very palpable sensation that something's deeply wrong about this place. You may perhaps see the form of something moving, blending with the darkness. Wait...it's several forms. A few pairs of intensely blue eyes, eyes that so far only Ango may have seen before, gaze at everybody. You really shouldn't try to approach. At least they don't try to come closer, cowed by Rembrandt's presence.

The main stage is the objective here. It's lit rather brightly, with the spotlights the Lady had used for her introduction a few days ago, illuminating the stage. In what's a rather ominous touch, the backdrop depicts hellfire. There aren't any props around, other than a few seats that seem to be spares for seats in one of the minor auditoriums, not even enough seats for everyone. Rembrandt blends into the darkness.

"Welcome!"

That's the Lady's voice, coming from high up. Looking up, you'll find a balcony to a side, large and with two seats. There's the Lady, wearing her dress, visible even in the darkness. She's standing up right now and leaning on the railing, shouting at them.

"Let's try to make this short and sweet. We figured it'd be fun if you all got to discuss who killed dear annoying Elliot. Give us a name, and we'll execute that person. Nice and simple, don't you think?"

"So, culprit who saved so many people from us...now you have to struggle for your own life. Oh, we never told you about this before? Don't feel bad, there's a lot we don't tell you all about. She sits down, adjusting her dress.

"I'm not going to pretend I care about you all catching the right person. Just give us a name and let the culprit go free, for all I care. Get started, we don't have all day to do this! You only have seven hours! Get moving!"

Here you are, all the actors in this impromptu play about justice, and the audience is...well there certainly is an audience larger than you were expecting. Everyone will hear the noises of those things moving around in the seating area, from time to time directing their eyes at the group, but they still make no attempt to approach. Looks like the audience that really matters is up there, in the balcony.

Let the trial for the death of Elliot Schafer begin.

[OOC NOTE: From the halfway point of the trial and onwards, you'll have the option to ask the masterminds for the chance to get a hint! Be warned, though: the price will involve some body horror for your character. Keep that in mind when deciding to use this option!]

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It's not the first time they were in danger nor will it be the last. But I have to keep fighting for them, no matter what. They're the future. I'm just a ghost from the past.

... And I won't be the last to do something here either. I told you to be careful.

[ .... well, that sure resonates with him. Oof. ]

[ ...

If he'd did more, this wouldn't have happened. Hyobu wouldn't be walking on the way to his death. ]

I know you did!

[Dang. That smarts.]

But, it's not fair.

[ Rean refused to necessarily agree someone will take up a chance to do a murder. But, he will acknowledge that could happen again. He had to do better to find out more answers, though among those thoughts, Rean couldn't help but mentally beat himself up for not being there enough. ]

I'm not going to say what you did was right, either. But, I don't—I'm not okay with what I imagine they'll put you through. You don't deserves this.

Didn't I say, I've died once already? Compared to that. To being shot by the man I admired. A man I thought of as a second father. Not just once. [ He puts a hand to his chest, where two bullet scars also are. ] This is nothing.

I'm just a monster in the end. [ He can hear that voice in his head ringing there all this time. A voice that was his own but not his own telling him:

I told you not to kill.
See, what's it's done?
Now you're going to make her sad.

It goes on and on and on. Irritatingly. ]

[ Rean's reminded of when the other had pulled back his hair to show him that bullet scar in the head as he's saying that.

And his expression softened when he told him of such a betrayal. But before he could say anything to that, the other's calling himself a monster. So then—without thinking—Rean's face hardened.

He heard the words echo in his head. Until they turned into his own. ]

...Sorry, but I don't believe that—not for a second.

I can believe that you did something you shouldn't have, killing Elliot because of it.

I've said that—in the meeting—what they showed or told us could be a lie, or something that shouldn't be trusted. But the fact remained that they had knowledge on us, of who our important people were. So, I can understand why you thought there was still a threat.

With all of that in mind...isn't it natural for someone to want to protect their friends and family—the people they love the most? And even if I can't say it's right for you to have done what you did...

How could I call that person a monster, when those two are the ones who forced not only your hand, but ours too?!

Edited 2020-01-11 22:52 (UTC)

You're such a well-meaning idiot.

But I don't hate that.

I'll be rooting for you to live as well, friend.

I've lived knowing I could die whenever. This is the conclusion to that at last. So don't feel too badly.

FIRST TRIAL

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