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]

[God, and for a good long moment after he stalks back to his podium he just stands there vibrating for a while; he seems highly agitated but at least he doesn't seem quite as inclined to lash out, he's just...shaking a lot, and clutching the sides of his podium so hard his knuckles are blanching, and he's...

dear god he's laughing to himself again, he's just kind of standing there laughing and shaking his head a bit and he doesn't seem too inclined to. do. otherwise.

...he should probably vote, he's not moving to vote.]

[officerhops]

[Leans....away....Kimbley please stop doing this next to her she can't get away from you???]

[tsugomori]

[ You know, a lot's happened today, and Mikazuki is not sure if he's going to remember every single bit of it. But, then again, regardless of what anyone has said, he is looking around and keeping an eye as best as he can for the last part of this madness. Probably to make sure no one has any issues with doing a vote, at the least.

No matter who it is. ]

Kimbley?

[alchemicals]

[He freezes up as soon as he's addressed; he's still gripping the podium rather tightly, but at least he falls silent for a moment before replying.]

What.

[tsugomori]

It has been quite a rough experience, as we all know.

[ His voice is calm as it ever has been, even when hearing the kind of tone from the other man. It looks like he's stopped laughing at least, but, he knows it's not exactly the best sign, and maybe this is for naught, but- ]

... But, you will be able to eventually make your vote, right?

[neverheardofhim]

[Varric shoots a look over at Kimbley (because fuck that guy at this point), frowning as he notes his unmoving hand. After assuring his own vote, and that no one else needs his assistance, the dwarf approaches the alchemist. There's a dark look in his eyes as he draws close.]

Come on, Zolf. I want you for myself. Vote. Before someone has your head for it.

[alchemicals]

You're not going to kill me and you know it.

[It's quiet, but it's harsh; he's sort of freezing up a little, his breathing jagged.]

There's too many people here that you care about. Not going to put them through a trial and make them kill you just for my sake, are you?

"You want me for yourself." Please.

[neverheardofhim]

You're right, I'm not. [His grin almost looks pleasant. Almost.] But there's a hell of a lot more I can do to you, just shy of that.

[He steps up, so that, if he were a taller man, he might be in his face. Instead he's just... awkwardly glowering up from chest level.]

You know there's a spot on the shoulder, good for agonizing pain and pinning people, but not nearly enough to kill them, right? [A laugh.] Did that in Kirkwall a few times.

[Aaand if Kimbley is sufficiently distracted by those threats, he'll slam his fist down on the podium.]

>Balanced.

[alchemicals]

[...His gaze darts down when Varric hits the podium, and he isn't altogether sure what he expected (no, he knows what he expected, a vote for Kira because that's the obvious choice but that's not what's registered there), but - ]

Why...?

[He's kind of vibrating again; he isn't sure why.]

[neverheardofhim]

[Now he does laugh with some meaning. Even as he steps away from Kimbley.]

You would have done it, wouldn't you? If you were in your right mind. [His brows lift.] It's how I would have written it, at least.

[plegia]

Oh shut up, he'll vote when he's ready to.

[handwave!]

[officerwilde]

[On one hand it's kind of hilarious to see Judy looking so disturbed next to Kimbley like that, on the other hand it's also a little concerning. So don't mind a fox calling out from across the room:]

Uh, buddy? Now's probably not the time to go all hysteric on everyone --- you can save that for after we're all done here.