Take Responsibility.

[wordsmithery]

The ride up to the courtroom occurs, as before, after an allotted period of time for investigation; the elevator waits patiently for you at each floor - third, second, first - before sending you upwards and on your way to the courtroom high above. As always, the trip is a smooth one; granted, after everything that the morning had been, any small comfort that fact may bring is likely not helping much. There are three less of you this time around, a fact reflected in the podium circle standing in the middle of the room; Alani, Milla and Chiyuki have all joined the ranks of the deceased, their podiums draped in black and their portraits in greyscale keeping a watchful eye over the rest of the trial circle. There's still no one present in the lectern above; however, once everyone has found their place in the circle, the Wordsmith's voice can be heard throughout the room. "I can see that matters are beginning to seem dire for you, Apprentices. I am sure that you all cared for Sympathetic in some measure—all except the guilty party. And now it falls to you once again to determine who that is. For your own sake as well as Sympathetic's, hold her killer accountable and have them take responsibility for their actions." Twenty-four Apprentices remain. We'll see how many remain at the end of the day.

Comments

[alchemicals]

...I think he likes fireworks.

[By now it's probably very, very clear that "fireworks", when Kimbley uses it, is a euphemism for something bad.]

I told him about what I've done. What my alchemy does. He knows almost everything.

He didn't react to any of it. Not like an "average" person would.

[avoidcomplications]

...You should have asked 'what kind of ability'. Not that I would have told you, but it would have been smart to question.

[alchemicals]

...Like I said, I figured that if you wanted me to know something, you would tell me.

[He doesn't sound angry about it, really; just sort of blank.]

From the sound of it, you still told me more than you were willing to tell most people here. I guess I'm flattered.

[avoidcomplications]

Don't be stupid. I only tell people what they need to know to believe what I need them to believe.

[alchemicals]

If that's the case, you're kind of terrible at it.

[iaspis]

Maybe that's because his ability is nearly identical to yours.

Am I wrong, Kira?

[avoidcomplications]

You're exactly right, Jasper.

My 'ability'--Killer Queen has the power to turn anything he touches into a bomb.

[iaspis]

A very interesting hobby for an ordinary human.

[she sounds more amused than anything else]

[oyashiromama]

[Oh. Oh, well-]

...And you are the obvious person to look at, when it comes to explosives.

[...the guy you've been hitting on tried to frame you kimbley i am so sorry]

[introspects]

[ i will go down with this ship ]

[alchemicals]

...And that's all right with me.

[From the sound of it, it...weirdly is? It's still kind of blank but at least he doesn't sound pissed off.]

I like Kira. And I don't really care if I die.

If he was going to throw anyone under the bus, it's okay if it's me.

[sportadork]

... Don't talk like that! [PLEASE LOVE YOURSELF MR GENOCIDE]

[alchemicals]

And why not?

[That...kind of gets half a laugh out of him, really, though it's kind of hollow.]

None of it matters, nothing we do matters. We're all going to die here and you know what, the world is going to keep on turning without us.

I like Kira, and I don't care if everyone else dies. Myself included. That's just how it is.

[sportadork]

That's... [literally the worst thing he's ever heard]

Well. Some of us do care. Even about you. So, stop talking like that. ["shut the fuck up" but in a nicer way] You'll worry the children.

[alchemicals]

I know better than to think that anyone cares about me here. The only reason you guys have to keep me alive is to avoid another trial.

So you know what, if you want to worry about someone, you'll worry about Varric. He's the one that's out to kill me.

[sportadork]

Did I not just tell you to stop talking? [smiles pleasantly] I will worry about whoever I like.

[oyashiromama]

...

[She looks at him for a long moment.]

And...is it alright that he killed Chiyuki to do so? [There's no judgment, it's more like a gentle question.]

[alchemicals]

[......]

We're all bomb materials. She was no different.

[Again, though, that's...kind of alarmingly blank.]

[iaspis]

[.........ah]

[oyashiromama]

[...]

I see. Thank you, I'll ask you no more questions.

[modernmedicine]

That alone is suspicious. I think an 'average' person would act impressed or worried when presented with that kind of knowledge.