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

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.]

[whistlenotchirp]

[Jiminy's one to pass judgement and move on without much more thought.

This uh.

This makes it somewhat difficult.

He tugs on his collar uncomfortably, now that they're alone with their thoughts.]

Well.

Gosh.

[sixfingeredstan]

[Even more so than the last one, this execution strikes Ford as a sick farce. Whether or not he deserved it, watching Tadashi struggle up on that stage, stumbling around among the flames...

It's unnecessary. It's undignified.

The explosion startles the ever-loving shit out of Ford, and he squeezes his eyes shut, his fingers white-knuckle on the edge of his gravestone, trying not to show how much it's affecting him. You don't survive thirty years as an interdimensional outlaw without some trauma, and loud noises aren't a friend to him lately.

When it's over, he turns heavily away from the smoldering wreckage, wishing he could block out that bedamned song. It's going to haunt him, he's sure, for the rest of his days. However many they may be.]

[terribibble]

[It is absolutely unnecessary. It's cruel is what it is. When he said he hoped that it was quick he'd meant it -- it would have been a genuine kindness. Tadashi knew what he was doing but that didn't mean he deserved to be tortured for it.

He tries not wonder if maybe it was drawn out in such a way specifically in response to what he said. That couldn't be the case. He couldn't bear it if it was; there's already blood on his hands enough as it is.]

Come on. We ought to go.

[His voice is as heavy as the way Ford's walking. He wants to be out of this awful place as soon as possible and especially he wants to be away from his own headstone.

It could have been you.]

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford looks up to see Fiddleford at his side, and nods, unable to muster anything but that long face he's got on.]

You're right. I can't...

[He falls silent. He meant to say "I can't stand out here and watch Tadashi's ashes scatter," but he can't finish that sentence. Things will be better once they get themselves inside. He hopes.]

[toogoodforhim]

[When the execution starts, he holds onto Namine. If she'll let him, he'll try to hide her face in his shirt, to cover her ears.

He watches. For the both of them, if he can. It's worse than Mulan's because it's slower, hers was instantaneous, but the voices don't crow about how useless he is, how disgraceful. Not the way they did with Mulan.

He winces when the ash blows away, as if he's afraid it'll blow toward him, toward all of them.]

It's over. Let's go back in, now... Let's get out of here.

[chainbroke]

[ Even though she lets him shield her, she still hears the explosion. She flinches, clings a little tighter to her friend, and he's close enough that he'll hear her let out a stifled sob.

To his words, Naminé nods. ]

Please...

[toogoodforhim]

[Yeah, pressed into his chest she would have felt his heart rate skip up at the explosion (it's too much like cannon fire but more), but he tries to calm down.

He shushes her, presses his cheek against her hair (he's surpassing stubbly at this point).]

I've got you... Just stay with me.

[He keeps his arm around her as he leads her up the path back to the mansion.]

[ilovepuppies]

[More than anything, Star is sick of the ghosts treating all of this like a big joke. People are dying and all they can do is sing a stupid song.

She's not even sure if she's angry at Tadashi anymore. He didn't deserve this. Sophie didn't deserve this. Nobody deserves this.]

[folkscallmewander]

[Like last week, Wander is going to rush to WALL-E's side to cover his eyes, even if he has no idea how to prevent him from hearing what's happening on stage or what song the ghosts are going to perform afterward.

He watches the fire, the explosion, unable to distance himself from the panic Tadashi is going through, the smoke filling his lungs, the creaking floorboards--

Wander flinches with the explosion and struggles to keep his grip on WALL-E rather than on his hat.

And then the song begins.]

We need to go. [He nudges WALL-E to turn away.]

[trashcubes]

[Yeah... WALL-E doesn't need to be told twice, he's ready to leave this terrible place.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[This one isn't as bloody or gory as Mulan's execution, but it doesn't make it any easier to watch. What's the point? He had to face his punishment, he was going to die... why be so sadistic about it?

Elsa can't muster up anymore tears, she only just flinches at the explosion, and when the song is over... she just turns, steps heavy, and heads back towards the mansion. She's just... so done.]

[kindaruledatit]

[Wendy watches with a sense that everything's more and more like a game to the ghosts. This death doesn't have the honorable style Mulan's had, this is panicked, a rush as flames tried to consume Tadashi. And they didn't even get a chance before the explosion.

In a way, she's glad there's not enough of him to look at. Meant it was mercifully quick.

But her grip on her tombstone is still a white-knuckled affair. She shoots a look at the ghosts.]

You're sick.

[And... that's it. She's leaving.]

[capulion]

Is this really necessary?

[She's getting real sick of this fucked up sense of humor real fast.]

[nobodyperfect]

[Lea watches, face stony.

This makes him wish he knew more magic than the little fire spell he can sometimes muster. Fire's destructive. It hurts people. That's what it does. Even a candle can burn down a house. This... it hurts to watch.]