THE THIRD EXECUTION


[The chime goes. The voting ends. The cuffs begin to blink, and soon enough, the picture on the screen is shown.]

[It is done. Charlotte Aulin, The Bright, has been condemned to die.]

E R R O R

[From the Conductor's seat, she turns pale as a sheet.]

No, that-!

[She slumps back into her seat, staring at her phone, silent. Stunned. Angry, certainly, but definitely stunned.

The Smiling Priest walks back over to the podium.]

It appears the Conductor has not explained all of the rules of the Little Courtesy to you. Shall I, Millicent?

[No response.]

A trial with a dead culprit, successfully convicted, automatically voids. No execution of the culprit, of course. No incentive. But. She did not realize the bomb was not connected to the deaths, as you all did. A rare occurrence of of inadvertent tampering, it does not happen very often in these trials.

She realized too late, of course that her uncertainty doomed the proceedings. In this event, the conviction of an innocent person is automatically overturned, and said innocent is given the incentive by means of compensation for their...inconvenience.

[He flashes a smile.]

As I said. The Drowned Man would not allow you to die tonight, my dear.

THE SECOND EXECUTION


[As the time nears its end, the audience begins to chant the numbers as the seconds tick by. Their shouting and screaming reaches a fever pitch, until the countdown gets to zero. They cheer wildly as the chime sounds, as if they were watching a soccer game.

Lilac, for her part, simply sighs as a face is flashed onto the big screens and the cuff. On the big screens, the numbers 10-2 also flash on the screen.]

[She waits until everyone has quieted down before she speaks again.]

Everyone, do be quiet. And prepare to the execution. Please put on protective sunglasses, and do not look directly at the light if you do not have any. Of course, if you do, we do not take responsibility for what will happen to you.

[She looks at Zack.]

Now. Unless you can calm down, I shall put your glasses on for you.

THE SECOND PROSCRIPTION
(CW: Coffins, claustrophobia in general, skeleton bones)

Most interesting.

[Suddenly, a bright light from above lights up, same as last week, from the bone chandelier. Once more, the light only seems to shine on one individual, as the Elder Steward appears, looking pleased as punch.]


Excellent, excellent. You have condemned The Noodles to die by quite the majority, so certain you were of her guilt!

[There is a long, long pause. Finally, though, the Elder Steward does something unexpected. First, he throws his hood off to reveal--huh. A rather young-looking and handsome figure. Odd.]

But...

[A slow, fanged smile appears on his face, before he turns to Eric, raising a toast with a glass of something that might be red wine-or something else.]

You were wrong. Congratulations, Fast. You have exceeded my and Our Lady's expectations. You have damned an innocent woman to the cruel death you deserve for your crime, and your fellow shall be forced to watch. For this you shall be rewarded protection for that special person, as promised.

Now.

How does it feel to know what you've done, hm?

THE FIRST PROSCRIPTION
(CW: Coffins, claustrophobia in general, skeleton bones)

My goodness! You are all so fascinating. Your convictions change like the tides, your certainty wavers so easily! So many whiffle-whaffles among you!

[Suddenly, a bright light from above lights up. It's a chandelier...made of human skeleton bones and skulls. Despite all of the candles lighting up, the light only seems to shine on one individual, as the Elder Steward strolls forward.]


I must say, for a moment, it seemed all but certain that you would condemn an innocent woman. If only The Embarrassing kept her mouth shut for a few moments more, hm? Then no one would have noticed the mistake that The Enemy had written upon the evidence list!

[A thoughtful tap to the lips, then-even visible beneath the cowl-a cruel smile as he turns to look at Felicity.]

Though I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that she was so cruel to a young one while attempting to condemn another using a so-called 'moral high ground'. After all-it's not the first person, much less child, whose life she's ruined with her hypocrisy.

Is it, my dear?