trusthell | Take Responsibility.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Please allow me to examine your outfits, everyone, from top to bottom. I'm going to also ask that everyone take off their shoes as well.

[ orihime herself is free of bloodstains and glitter, ftr! ]

[Estelle will take off her boots and let Orihime examine her. She's is free of glitter, blood, and any potential smell aside from any lingering smell she would have gotten from examining Varric's body. She showered lots after that, let's be real.]

[ Mikazuki twirls around so y'all can see. Well...his wearing geta (aka JPN sandal) and lifts them up. They're free of bloodstains and glitter. ]

My "shoes" don't come off.

[Presumably her shape-shifting power has been turned off, so she's not able to alter her appearance and get rid of her boots.

But she'll let Orihime come over to inspect them since she's still standing near Gangrel. She's bloodstain and glitter free.]

[Since Jasper's the only one he's trusting right now...]

I'll let you look.

[He's not going to let her check the fluffy ruff, but she's welcome to check the bottoms of his shoes (and his cape, since it's nearly long enough to trail on the ground) - both are completely glitter and blood-free.]

[If only he'd let her look at the ruff...

But at least there's good news. Maybe.]

You're clean.

Of course I am.

[He'll just leave it at that, though. Thankfully...???]

[ Elda's not wearing shoes. ... because of course she isn't.

But her feet are fine and unblemished as the morning dew and her clothing is normal too. ]

[Lusamine's free of blood, glitter, and any unusual scents. She didn't get up close to the body or anything, but if there's any scent, being near it could explain it.]

[ Vanille is free of any unusual scents, blood, or glitter. ]

[ Well, Killia's clothes are clean, and he doesn't smell like anything except the food he's been eating for the past few hours. The food which he's basically depleted now.

As for the shoe check well. That sure is pink glitter on the bottom of his shoes, umm.]