FOURTH TRIAL

[splitaseam]

[To what I'm sure is everyone's joy after a sad investigation like that, after everyone reaches the Stretching Room, Oogie's voice can be heard.]

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

[Well at least he's honoring Ghostave's memory, except he starts laughing, almost tauntingly, after he says that.

In the very least the graveyard seems identical, with three new epitaphs for our dearly departed.

Here lies Lea
Slaying bugs he made a name
And got sent to the deadliest game

Here lies WALL-E
They were our dearest friend
But that didn’t help them in the end

Here lies Tarzan?
????
?????


... Ok then.

Oogie speaks before everyone can get to their tombstones.]

Don't keep me waiting!

Comments

[whistlenotchirp]

[Jiminy is extremely quiet for most of this morning, his face settling into a deep frown after discovering Wallace’s body. To be honest, he found it hard to think about most things right now. He didn’t even he was walking into the graveyard with everyone else until he bumped into his stone.

He blinks for a moment before slowly climbing up. As soon as he’s up there, faced with all these people, he starts to shake.]

….Who did it. [His voice is harsh, breathing slightly ragged.] I-I don’t want any back and forth, any rigmoral, any of this stupid repetitive bullhockey. Just confess, now, while you can.

[capulion]

Good try, though...

[It'll never be that easy. But whoever did it must be dying of guilt. They had better be.]

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford never thought he'd say this, but...he misses the Ghost Host. Last week had lost them more than one ally, it seems; the new host doesn't play by anyone's rules, and that's very worrying to Ford. Still, they've got a job to do, here, and there's only one way to do it.

He spreads his hands over his tombstone, surveying everyone across the gaps in the tombstones where their friends now lie.]

We know the drill by now. Let's talk about what we found.

[capulion]

There were some pieces from the game room, in the music room, right? That seems odd.

[toogoodforhim]

Someone used a washbasin in that, um. That little room with the two big machines in it. I didn't find any clothes or anything, but-

[He holds up his hand, which he didn't bother washing off, to show the black oil smeared on his fingers.]

It was gritty, kind of like there was saw dust in it as well, but all I could smell was the soap they used. One of the machines had been used, too, it was still wet on the inside and smelled like the same soap.

[ilovepuppies]

Chauncey and I saw WALL-E's tracks going to the billiard's room, and then we saw a completely different set of prints going out of there and up to the laundry room!

[capulion]

[It's actually some relief that this is still happening in the stretching room, and the graveyard, and not in that horrible casino.

That thought repulses her once she's had it.]

I still can't believe it...

[kindaruledatit]

[It's not a pretty thought, or one she's totally alone on.]

It's hard to imagine, isn't it? The little guy never hurt anyone.

[He was so nice....]

[pardonmylanguage]

[Tip shakes her fist at Oogie.] You can't even keep your stupid act together, so don't even try! [She then glances around at the rest of the group.]

...there's no way this was an accident, is there?

[terribibble]

No. I don't think it was.

[His voice is heavy.]

He -- they showed signs of bein' beaten far beyond what you could expect of an accident.

[ilovepuppies]

[Star has a familiar little cockroach perched on her head this time.]

Hey, Fidds! What's the prognosis?

[terribibble]

[OH BOY if she didn't hate him before she's going to now, isn't she.]

I... there was too much damage. I could've fixed it if I had replacement parts but there's nothin' in this house to... to get them out of.

I'm so sorry.

[aboyandhiscar]

[per usual, Mike's sitting atop his tombstone. Today he looks half bored, half resigned. It's been a rough week. But before discussion starts, he calls up at Oogie]

Hey, bag man.

Never thought to ask this before--what happens if we vote for the wrong person? Someone gets the axe on their behalf, and they secretly get out without us knowing? What's up with that?

[splitaseam]

If you misvote when there's a majority, you get chopped right along with em! Fair's fair, unless you're in one'a my casinos.

HAND CHECK

[sixfingeredstan]

[Eventually, Ford pulls out a sheet of notebook paper with a handprint traced on it. He holds it up for everyone to see.]

I found this handprint on the sawdust near the pool table. I have reason to believe it was left by the culprit. We should check everyone's hand against it.

[He waggles one hand.] I believe I can rule myself out, unless anyone objects.

[aboyandhiscar]

You got it.

[places his giant motorcity hand that is probably average-ish size in real life]

[outsidethecircle]

[She's tall for her age (in Japan) but she doesn't have big hands.]

[arpeggiositar]

Okay...

[Here we go. Demyx takes off one of his gloves and puts the hand over the handprint. It's of the approximate size, average]

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa's hands are pretty dainty and small and she's really sensitive about them, but hey. She'll hold them out anyway, for the sake of helping the trial out.]

i even have a hand check icon

[toogoodforhim]

[He presents the hand that didn't touch the oil. He's 5'6", the smallest non-Jiminy guy left, and his hands are about as soft as the rest of him, delicate and surprisingly well-maintained for his social status.

Also they're not Concerningly Large for his size so they're. Probably smaller than overall "average".]

[toogoodforhim]

[This is getting a little out of hand.]

So, I guess let's put the pieces together. The three biggest suspects right now are Demyx, Mike, and... And me. I found oil and sawdust in the, um. In a washbasin that someone had used, probably to get stains out of their clothes.

There were, uh. Game pieces in the...music room? And there was a stringed instrument smashed to pieces, which is probably what did it.

...I'm. Probably missing a lot.

[sixfingeredstan]

That's right. Not to mention the handprint, signs of a chase...the cockroach.

CROSS EXAMINE THE COCKROACH

[ilovepuppies]

[Star cups Chauncey in both hands and places it gently on her tombstone.]

I know this has to be really hard for you, little guy, but you think you can answer some questions?

[grimgrinningghosts]

[are we seriously doing this

there definitely has to be something missing here

okay. there's the cockroach! sup?]

[arpeggiositar]

...silence.

[For a moment Demyx says nothing else, before just...sitting on his tombstone, hanging his feet forward, as if this was no big deal. He instinctively raises his hands a bit, but nothing comes out of that. When he talks, he doesn't sound like his usual carefree self, he has pretty much forced himself to ignore any kind of weird feelings he has and doesn't recognize.

Instead he's looking as cold as possible]

You want me to say it? Okay. I didn't kill it. I don't have a reason to having killed him. I wouldn't use a random cello. There's a lot of stuff I wouldn't do!

And even if I did have a motive, which I don't, I still say I didn't kill it! Because there's no proof. Yeah, my hands do smell like soap, but that's because I was in the laundry room, investigating. Satisfied now? So let's stop this and just...go with something else! Okay? Please?

[At least there are no water clones here]

[aboyandhiscar]

Dude. . .

C'mon man, I don't want to think you did it! And I was with you--you were so freaked out even when I told you not to worry about the tv. Guess I should have tried to help you more.

But right now, you're gonna get a whole bunch of people killed if you don't spill. You really okay with that?

VOTING TIME

[splitaseam]

Alright, boys! Time to quench your thirst! Get votin', and remember, no funny business!

[outsidethecircle]

Demyx.

[Robot smashing bastard.]

Execution: Put Your Heart Into It

[splitaseam]

It’s about time! I was wonderin’ if I should have given this kid an “I am a robot murderer” sign to make it more obvious to you!

[A large stage appears at the edge of the graveyard and Demyx disappears. The lights on the stage in a blinding light, revealing a battle arena of some sorts. Before Demyx gets used to the light, a jerky, almost sad looking animatronic walks on stage, looking vaguely like a human boy and wielding a giant key. Even Demyx looks unimpressed by the crude animatronic.

But before he can move or even comment on the robot, the boy springs into action, running at Demyx at a frightening speed. Demyx’s reaction is quick enough to move out of the way, but not fast enough to avoid the robot swinging his keyblade at him. It knicks him in the arm but, in the very least, Demyx doesn’t seem to hurt or even worried about it.

Demyx however doesn’t have any time to recover as the robot starts swinging again, and again at him. The robot flies around the stage with such agility and strength that it’s hard to believe it’s the same animatronic from the beginning. While Demyx keeps dodging, he doesn’t manage to avoid every hit. Despite this he doesn’t seem to concerned by all of this.

This makes the robot seemingly pause and think, before letting out a low, robotic laugh. From his hand, he suddenly produces a fireball and hurls it at Demyx.

It’s a direct hit, and Demyx, almost frantically, moves to take his cloak off to prevent the fire from spreading to the rest of him, but isn’t quick enough as the fire burns his arms badly. Demyx is so distracted by the fire that he doesn’t see the robot suddenly dashing towards him, keyblade first.

The keyblade impales Demyx right through his chest. The robot gives Demyx what must be a meaningful stare. At that moment, one thing is clear to Demyx.

He is going to die.

Then, in an instant, the robot twists the keyblade. Demyx’s screams in despair as he dissolves into black smoke, leaving behind nothing of the man he once was.

The robot lowers his keyblade to the floor, and turns to the audience…]

[splitaseam]

[And starts to sing.]

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

[The stage rotates away, with the animatronic cheerfully waving at the audience, as if he didn’t just murder Demyx.

I hope you didn’t think we forgot about your favorite song, everyone.]