Take Responsibility.

[wordsmithery]

The time allotted for investigation this week is a bit longer than normal - not due to anything done wrong on the part of the Apprentices, but perhaps due to a basic understanding that two corpses are going to be decidedly more difficult to handle than one. However, at the end of the time period you've been given, the elevator is waiting for you, as cold and sterile as always in its journey up to the courtroom; you're down to almost half of your original number, and if anything is going to indicate that this shows no signs of stopping, it's probably this week. The deceased have had three more join their numbers since you were here last - Gold, Varric, and Viktor's portraits have been greyed-out and set atop their spots in the podium circle, the podiums themselves draped in black fabric. As always, the lectern above stands empty. Whether he's with you or not, however, once everyone has found their place in the circle, the Wordsmith's voice can be heard throughout the room. "Welcome back. Two more Apprentices are missing from your number today, and I have little doubt that weighs heavily on your minds. Balanced and Capricious have been lost to you, so that the guilty may have a chance to leave the academy and possibly even gain something otherwise impossible to attain. If you wish for your fallen Apprentices to receive justice in death, then you know what to do: yet again, hold the guilty accountable." Sixteen Apprentices remain. However many leave here at the end of the day has yet to be seen.

Comments

questions / bat herding maybe (get it?)

[matchbreaker]

[ She's tapping her fingernail on her podium now. ... Well, Gold's, but details. ]

Okay so we've looked that the phone and the creampuffs, but does anyone know what's up with the watercolor paints? They were still a little wet, so they were used last night.

[ Hell, probably into the early morning. ]

... Or that glitter Hanyuu mentioned, I don't think that's come up? Or was there anything else up with the music room? Do we think for certain it was really the crime scene for Viktor's death?

[ After all, they've had some rom confusion before ]

[foundfate]

...actually, with the paints and the creampuffs there, it's entirely possible that Viktor and Varric were hanging out there. But wherever Viktor was killed should have been very messy, right? Was there a mess in the art room?

[matchbreaker]

No, no mess. Certainly nothing that looked like a fight. Just some stuff on the tables.

[tsugomori]

I'm certain the music room was the place Viktor died in. Given the state of the trombone and the piano...

[matchbreaker]

Go over what was wrong with them again?

[tsugomori]

[ He'll nod. ]

The trombone was rather dented. I think it's possible it may have come into contact with the Hammer at some point. The Piano looked pretty bashed up as well, including the keys. So I think a fight of some sort went down, and it's likely the trombone was used in that, along with the Hammer.

[matchbreaker]

So... so what, do we think someone tried to use the trombone defensively? In a duel with a hammer?

[foundfate]

Maybe they were playing it? That might be how Viktor's arms broke, if someone took a swing at him and hit the trombone first on accident.

[matchbreaker]

... So what? Tethras and Viktor went for a drink, then went to the art room and didn't do anything, and then went to the music room and some weirdo came in with a hammer and smashed them up while they were doing a duet?

[ That sounds. So silly. ]

[tsugomori]

Yes, I believe that could have happened. Either way, I'm sure the Trombone somehow met with the Hammer, and it wasn't over pleasantries.

cw: brain matter

[firstaid]

Was there... traces of splatter? I imagine an injury... like that would not have been a clean one. Especially given some of the blood and... matter was on Varric.

[tsugomori]

Miss Hanyuu said that there was a splatter, ah... um all over the piano.

[ ... It even kind of really unsettles him. So, yeah. ]

[firstaid]

[Estelle would have caught that earlier and remembered, but mun can't read so many comments or remember shit to save her life, so she'll nod here.]

Correct, she did say that. So it's rather safe to say the music room was where he was killed. Then the trombone being used as a weapon of defense would have made sense. Viktor likely tried to defend himself, and... ah... lost.

[matchbreaker]

So why're the keys smashed up? Just from him landing on it?

[introspects]

They must have hit his head while he was over the keys, somehow.

[elepe]

[...she. Can't believe she's actually suggesting this--]

Would there be any way to...I don't know, sniff out who may have done this? Those who would have no reason to have that scent on them, or something similar.

[because that sounds like it would smell terrible and if it was still on them who the hell knows, she doesn't even know]

[foundfate]

Mugetsu might be able to, but. Er. He's up in my room.

[He didn't bring Mugetsu to the trial.]

[elepe]

...I left my Pokemon behind as well.

[None of the animals need to see this.

...apparently Judy and Nick might(???) be able to see this regardless but details.]

[matchbreaker]

... Maybe? I could try anyway.

[ Vampires aren't zombies though she doesn't go for brains ]

But didn't someone use Varric's shower?

[elepe]

Would that have gotten everything out?

[...or...]

...Or perhaps someone could have used something equally as strong to offset the scent.

[matchbreaker]

Is there any evidence of that?

[ But that said, she is up for doing a smell check. Or trying to. anyway. ]

[firstaid]

That's what Orihime said. The culprit likely cleaned themselves up in Varric's room. However, as Lusamine mentioned, the smell likely is still on them.

[introspects]

And the glitter would still be on their shoes, too.

[introspects]

Glitter...

[ ... ]

Glitter doesn't come off easily. The culprit...the culprit might still have it on them, won't they?

[matchbreaker]

... Oh yeah, I guess not? So it might be around...

[ Did the glitter come from Viktor? Is that what's happening now??? ]