Second Trial

[yourghosthost]

[Just like last week, as soon as everyone’s done investigating and back in the stretching room, the doors close and everyone slowly descends. As it does so, the Ghost Host's voice once again echoes across the room.]

Tell me. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it just your imagination?

[This is apparently a thing he does.

When it stops, everyone is once again welcomed to the graveyard 25 tombstones arranged in a circle. Now there are three new epitaphs to the newly dearly departed Mulan, Princess Anna, and Sophie. They are dressed with their own rose and class of cognac to each of their tombstone.

Here lies Ping Mulan
Wanted to do anything for honor
It’s a shame she is now a goner

Here lies Princess Anna
She stumbled upon a bride’s wedding
And earned herself a nice beheading

Here lies Sophie Hatter
She was a wonderful little maid
But sadly went and got betrayed

When everyone goes to their places, the Ghost Host speaks again.]

I suppose you all remember from last week how this works. Remember you only have one vote.

[Well there’s only one way to go now.]

Comments

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford's face is grim as he stands behind his own tombstone, painfully aware of Mulan's epitaph out of the corner of his eye. He's got his evidence gathered. He's ready to get this over with. Get down to business.]

We should discuss the evidence we've found.

[folkscallmewander]

[Wander enters the stretching room carrying a pool stick and finds his tombstone noe lonelier as both neighbors - Karolina and Princess Anna - are empty. Three more rhymes done in poor taste, and there is going to be one more in the best case scenario. There shouldn't have been another on directly across from him.

Now's the time to stop worrying and get to work. He holds up his evidence.]

I found this pool stick in the music room. It's kinda chipped at the end, but it matches this scratch on the wall. [...] I dunno what someone was doin' with it.

[arpeggiositar]

Okay, let's get this started.

[Demyx takes out pieces of paper and some ashes]

I think someone tried to burn something in the studio. There's this...stuff I dunno what it is. An envelope or something, I'd guess.

So maybe Sophie was called somewhere else through an invitation. In that case, this wasn't an accident, right? Since the killer tried to burn the evidence and all.

[nobodyperfect]

I found... A scrap of cloth in the piano, and it was missing a string. It's weird, it was alive and angry, I can't imagine anyone got away from that thing unhurt if they messed with it too much.

[defyingfrigidity]

[It had been bad enough last week, when Elsa hadn't been as attached to the deceased as she was with two of these new additions. But this week.... god, she can't do it. She just can't read what's on those headstones. So she keeps her head bowed, refusing to look up even at the one directly across from her. Her sister's grave...]

I... I think I found what could have been the murder weapon.

[She sounds so tired, so empty... it's almost like she has to force her words out now...]

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford's voice is gentle, but he's clearly curious as he leans toward her.]

What is it, Elsa?

CONFESSION

[tadaishi]

[Instead of answering everyone's questions individually, Tadashi's just going to try to address everythibg at once. He slips his jacket back onx even if it isn't necessary, and...

Deep breath. ]

O-okay um. Just to clear anything up, I am responsible f-for Sophie's death. I thought...maybe if it kept my little brother--H-Hiro's his name--out of the mansion, I could justify it. I wrote the note and--I hoped no one would show up...

[Pause.]

She fought b-back, if it makes anyone feel better.

[Another pause. What else should he say.]

I-I'm not going to ask for forgiveness...I don't deserve it, but I have a request.

My cat showed up here...in the slot machine...his name is Mochi...could someone take care of him for me?

[capulion]

[Yeah, just what she thought. She won't say she forgives him, because he doesn't want that and he wouldn't believe it either. But she doesn't hold any resentment. Just sadness.]

I'll look out for him.

[A fellow feline, how hard can that be?]

And Hiro too, if we ever cross paths.

[outsidethecircle]

[She knows what he did was for his brother but...]

You're going to leave him behind. [Her voice is low.] Your brother, I mean.

[defyingfrigidity]

[... Honestly, knowing Sophie fought back makes everything worse.]

She was scared, she didn't want to die, but you still...

[She has to pause, because the mental image of kind, caring Sophie scared and dying is enough to turn her stomach. But... but she still has one more thing to say.]

I know what it's like, wanting to do anything to keep your sibling safe. I do. [How messed up she's been since wednesday proves that.] But you- we don't have the right to end others' lives for them! And not just for how unfair it is to your victim!

[She feels... a little guilty, playing this card, but she has to get it out.]

Do you think Hiro would be okay, knowing you killed an innocent woman because of him?

[sixfingeredstan]

[If it makes anyone feel better.

It makes Ford feel sick. She shouldn't have had to fight back. She shouldn't have been put in that position at all. They were all given photos of loved ones, but everyone else held strong in the face of that vague threat! Ford understands why, but it still makes him feel sick and angry to think that Tadashi not only fell for their trap, but tried to hide it, too.

He leans heavily on his tombstone, hanging his head between his shoulders.]

I hope it was worth it, Tadashi.

[folkscallmewander]

[Wander doesn't know what to feel worst for. Sophie, Tadashi, the remaining 21 for nearly dying for Hiro. The Ghost Host for having to watch this. Those whose lives were threatened for the sake of a murder. It shouldn't have come down to this.

He doesn't know who to apologize to first.]

[whistlenotchirp]

[Logistically speaking, he gets it. The need to protect. The need to keep them safe, no matter what. Its a powerful motivator. He doesn't know if he'd be much better, given more time to stew.

Except he does. Because he's a conscience. And that means he has to be better.]

A crime is a crime. No matter your reasons, you have to pay for them.

[...He'll relent a bit though.] Your cat didn't do anything wrong though. I'm sure we can keep him safe.

[terribibble]

[He wants to say a lot of things. He wants to say 'you sure assumed an awful lot from just a photo'. He wants to say 'of course hearing that she fought back doesn't make me feel any better, it just makes the whole thing worse'. He especially wants to ask how Tadashi could feel justified getting all the rest of them killed over an assumption, but considering the amount of assumptions he makes himself he'd feel like a hypocrite. If he hadn't worked so hard to convince himself the photos were only a reminder of what they were trying to get back to and not anything more sinister then perhaps he'd be in Tadashi's position right now.

Still. He didn't kill an innocent person in an incredibly violent way just on a hunch. He opens his mouth to say something and what comes out is a frustrated sort of groan. He can't bring himself to be as harsh as he wants to be, not when the words it could have been me keep flashing through his mind.]

... I hope it's quick. For your sake.

[Last time it was. Just a clean cut. That's about as nice as he can be right now.]

[arpeggiositar]

...Iiiii'm not sure if that really would make anyone feel better.

But we'll take care of your cat, don't worry about that. Just... [Demyx sighs] It sucks it got to this. Sorry, Tadashi.

[chainbroke]

[ There it is. Naminé doesn't sob, but tears do slide down her cheeks. She wipes at them without really realizing what she's doing. Part of her wants to go over, give him a hug--they hadn't been close, but he had been kind to her.

In the end, she guesses that's her weakness. Whenever people are kind to her, she takes to them.

But she stays where she's at, because that's easier. Naminé doesn't say anything for a while. What can she say? If... maybe, if she had talked to Tadashi like Lefou had talked to her after that motive... Naminé knew about Hiro. She knew. And yet, she'd... failed to be there for Tadashi.

It hurts.

Finally, she opens her mouth to speak. ]

Does... What food does Mochi like?

[wannagetsmote]

Back home, heroes and warriors, good people fighting for their own families, even they don't kill women indiscriminately. You could have fought someone like a man, picked a fight you could have lost. You could have waited for anyone else. Found an excuse not to go through with it. Instead, you killed Sophie.

Monsters in Lalotai deserve better ends than you.

[kindaruledatit]

[Nothing about this is making Wendy feel any better. It was all planned out from the sound of it, and it could have been anyone. But it was Sophie, and she was determined enough to even fight back.]

It really doesn't help. [Not now. Although he could have likely killed Sophie in a way that wasn't so violent, or even tried something else, but this was how it worked out. He was caught, and would probably pay for it. Sophie's death wasn't worth it at all.]

I'm... sorry about whatever happens to you. It's probably going to suck.

[That's all she can thing to say.]

[nobodyperfect]

Yeah... good luck, ok?

[Probably most of them will be facing either Tadashi or Sophie's position, at this rate, as far as Lea knows. He's not looking forward to it.]

[pardonmylanguage]

[Tip's actually going to walk over and hug him. And she'll say softly, so only he can hear:]

I thought about doing something too.

[And she'll side-eye everyone else for a bit before saying out loud:]

Don't worry, I won't let Mochi get led astray by some fishermen ghost.

VOTING

[yourghosthost]

You've had enough time to derogate and deride. We shall once again enter the voting phase of the trial, Mortals.

You should all be familiar with the rules. You each get one vote. Use it wisely.

[sixfingeredstan]

[This week feels a little less terrible than last week, for the sole reason that Tadashi did what he did on purpose. Mulan's murder was an accident. That felt worse. But this? Ford still dislikes condemning another person to death, but he also knows it must be done.

His mouth is a grim line as he punches the name into his keyboard:

TADASHI HAMADA

[whistlenotchirp]

[Jiminy doesn't even hesitate.]

Tadashi

[folkscallmewander]

[He should do this for Sophie, for everyone, but there's something nagging him.]

So what happens to the folks in the photos? They're safe, right?

EXECUTION: The Roof is on Fire

[yourghosthost]

It appears you are all in agreement here. Tadashi was the guilty party; we shall commence our execution.

[A large stage appears at the edge of the graveyard, and Tadashi disappears. When the lights The stage is dark and featureless at first, but as more lights fill up the room it appears that Tadashi is in some kind of exhibition hall. Tadashi wanders around the hall with interest before it becomes clear what the light source is.

It’s fire. And it’s quickly growing in strength.

Tadashi tries running in the opposite the direction, but the fire spreads fast until the entire stage is nearly engulfed in flames, with only a safe areas left. He desperately starts looking around for an exit until a young male voice calls behind him.]

”Tadashi! Help me!”

[He stops dead in his tracks and looks in horror towards the voice behind him. But as Tadashi starts heading towards the source of the voice, another voice pipes up from the other side of the stage, this one much older.]

”Someone, please help!”

[Tadashi jerks his head towards the direction of the second voice. He tries calling out to them but smoke fills his lungs before any words can come out. He covers his face with his cardigan as he runs around the stage, trying to find the sources of the voice, the exit, anything to help him out.

All the while the voices continuing to echo through the stage.]

”Tadashi!”

“Tadashi where are you?”

“Tadashi please save me!”

[Their voices echo through the stage as Tadashi runs in desperation to find either of the voice sources. His cardigan begins to catch fire and he throws it to the floor as he continues running. However, all the sudden, the stage begins to creak ominously. Tadashi doesn’t seem to notice as he continues running. But the creaking goes louder and more ominous until...

The stage explodes with an earth shattering boom.

The dust settles in an eerie calm as it seems the only thing left of Tadashi are some ashes and some burnt lumps on the ground. Two ghostly figures step out of the shadows, one tall and one rather short, but neither of them look like they would have any real relationship to Tadashi.

The shorter one looks at the ash in disdain.]

”Some brother you turned out to be”

[The scene goes silent. The onstage actors freeze.]

[yourghosthost]

[...and they begin to sing a cheerful song.]

There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
And tomorrow's just a dream away

Man has a dream and that's the start
He follows his dream with mind and heart
When it becomes a reality
It's a dream come true for you and me

So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
Just a dream away

[...and the stage rotates away, as though it were in a rotating theatre. The ash that was once Tadashi blows away as the stage rotates.]