ready as we'll ever be

[tellthestory]

[The Balladeer is true to his word. So, before the dead's scheduled performance, still dressed in the outfit Salieri forced him to helped him choose, he takes his guitar and sneaks out to the garden one last time. He hasn't visited it yet today, and he always feels guilty when he doesn't manage. He told everyone he'd be here. Even if neither of them can hear each other, he intends to keep his promise.

So he's there to notice when the trees begin closing in. The Balladeer shoots to his feet. Oh, no. He knows this feeling.]

Everyone! Come out to the garden! Bring your stuff!

[He calls out aloud, but he can use that projection trick just as well as the Player - his voice is audible anywhere in the school.

When people arrive to join him, there will still be a path through the woods to lead them to the garden. He doesn't want to strain himself before the performance, but something as small as that shouldn't cause problems later. It's too important that everyone get out here - because when people arrive, they'll find that all of the living are visible. The Balladeer is watching them, but making no attempt to interact; he already knows how this is going to go. It isn't time for that yet. Still...]

It's the end.

[Have fun spectating the trial!]

Comments

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ But even Orpheus, wrapped up in the tremendous high of their success and dancing with his wife, can't ignore what's happening entirely. He catches a glimpse of the Wizard out of the corner of his eye as he spins Eurydice around again, and slows to a stop, blinking owlishly at him. He's - he's crying. He's loosening his tie, he's saying something.

"Let's end this."

And there's an almost imperceptible change in the air. Frowning, Orpheus looks around at everyone else, then at the living.

Something's about to happen. Something big. ]

[voicerights]

[...regardless of whether they can use the energy or not, it appears to have made an impact. The SQUIP did not anticipate the Wizard stepping down, willingly, but then - a lot of things about humans still don't make sense to it. Less so than before, but...

It watches Benjamin. It watches the Wizard. But it doesn't even realize it's singing, however softly.]

No man or machine
Is more than their mistakes
Does that mean no man or machine
Can learn from their mistakes?

[tellthestory]

[The Balladeer was still sitting at the edge of the pond, his feet still in the same water the Wizard is now kneeling in. He freezes, eyes wide.]

[violentenvies]

[....]

Balladeer.

[Salieri, sitting on his bench, holds out a hand]

Balladeer, come sit.

[tellthestory]

[Numbly, he rises and goes over to do so.]

I know I...said I was okay with killing him. That's what justice was in my world, too. I guess I...

[It had been a little different then. Theoretical.]

I feel responsible. After what I just - [He sang to him, a bit. He'd said he'd try to fix it. The living have to make their choice, but it bothers the Balladeer to feel like he might have simply lied.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri shifts on the bench, making room for the Balladeer there and maybe pressing their shoulders together once he does so]

...I can understand why. [gently, quiet] ...you put a good intention behind it, whether it comes to fruition or not.

[tellthestory]

I guess so.

[He leans back. Though his eyes are still red-rimmed and tension lingers in the line of his jaw, that panicked guilt from before seems to have burned itself out. He's just...contemplative.]

I was supposed to be the moral backbone of my show, you know. That was my whole identity, to start with. There's the assassins, and there's me. Not too hard to be the good guy, with folks like that...but still.

[So. Maybe he's having more difficulty with this than someone else would.]

I don't...mean to imply people are wrong to be angry. I know we've all got a real right.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri goes still, then, watching this...Watching Benjamin approach, and then watching Farrah watch him.

There's something tight in his stomach as he watches, quiet.]

...the decision is theirs, now.

[but, under his breath]

Make the right one, Benjamin.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Under his breath, Orpheus sings quietly, subtly more frantic with each repetition, hand in Eurydice's and the other balled into a tight fist. ]

If they have to choose, if they have to choose
If they have to choose, if they have to choose
If they have to choose, if they have to choose
If they have to choose, choose choose choose

[howtheworldwas]

[ eurydice rubs her thumb over the top of orpheus's hand, even, hopefully soothing.

she doesn't trust death to be the end -- not after all the deaths she's been through. whatever they choose, she just hopes the wizard never does anything like this, ever again. ]

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ He doesn't trust that, either. What if it just sends him back to the start of his two years again? Even if it doesn't, even if it sends him to whatever afterlife is waiting for him, whatever god sits in judgment - is that really blood the others want on their hands? He threatened them all, has been doing nothing but threaten them from day one, and for all his supposedly good intentions he still means to write Farrah back to her death and send Connor and Benjamin and Eurydice back to their fates, but.

But.

There has to be some other way. ]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri catches that hint of frantic repetition]

...Orpheus. [Gently, calling his name, to get his attention]

Orpheus, take a breath. Slowly, my friend.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus takes a deep and shuddering breath and looks over at Antonio, eyes wide. In a hoarse whisper, he says, ]

I don't want them to kill him.

[violentenvies]

...I know. [gently, and he holds out a hand for Orpheus to take--Orpheus has already got Eurydice holding one of his hands, maybe he needs another?]

I know. It's not up to us, but we can still hope, at least.

[disharmonizes]

[Discord is just going to... stand here. Arms crossed, eyes narrowed, as he watches this. Waits to see what comes from this.]

[violentenvies]

[....hi, babe. Salieri will just...move over next to him, reaching out to slide an arm around his waist and press up against his side. What's there to be said, really?]

[disharmonizes]

...I'll just put turning him to stone on the table again, if people are so fussed about not killing him.

[violentenvies]

[he chuckles a little, under his breath, rueful and just kinda

tucks himself a little closer]

That would be something of a compromise, yes.

[voicerights]

...if he had not willingly surrendered like this...I would agree with you. But this shows a possibility of change.

[yourattention]

[Currently just ghost stabbing the Wizard.

This is great, actually.]

[yourattention]

[pauses in what he's doing when this happens and makes a complicated expression]

Is it character growth to say I also don't want lightning to strike my dad dead anymore? Gross. [A beat.] He still owes me money for emotional damages, though.

[voicerights]

Isn't there a judicial process for that?

cw: suicide mention

[yourattention]

I don't think there's an actual legal process for driving your child to suicide because you don't believe they're mentally ill? But if there is I'd love to sue my actual lawyer father for the fucking college fund he wouldn't fucking give me.

[wanderlusttitania]

[And so she watches with bated breath. Whatever happens next...it's up to them.

She watches as she sits, wiping her nose, her eyes keeping close watch on Benjamin.]

[whatyouwant]

[Elle is standing next to Angus, as if her presence will do anything if he decides to start swinging his hammer.]

Come on, you guys are better than this. Better than him.