Take Responsibility.

[wordsmithery]

The time allotted for this week's investigation passes fairly briefly, but not easily - what with the state of the body and the things that have been found, the mood is perhaps oddly sobering. Either way, eventually the elevator will be waiting for you at the exit of your floor of choice, bringing you up to the courtroom swiftly and easily. There are so few of you now. Two more portraits have joined the ranks of the dead, watching over the proceedings. Gangrel and Orihime's images watch over you with with eyes that see nothing, all colored in greyscale and set up on their places in the podium circle, black fabric draped over each setting. As always, the lectern remains empty and unaffected by what's happened here. After a while, however, once everyone has found their place in the circle, the Wordsmith can be heard addressing the group, voice audible throughout the room. "Sacrificing one to save many—that is ostensibly why Harmonious is no longer among you. Truly, that is the most pragmatic of options in a situation with no chance of victory. I may even come close to commending such a decision. But I must also wonder if the dead can be said to have been 'saved', when they have passed beyond your reach in all but mere messages. Unless you should wish to follow Harmonious and join them, hold the guilty accountable for their practicality." Eleven Apprentices remain. However many leave this place is up to you.

Comments

[elepe]

...Let's get started. I found this notebook in the kitchen.

[Lusamine flashes the notebook, before opening to a specific page.]

I believe our sweet Orihime was planning a party for us--she had plans all lined up in here for decoration, food, and merriment in this notebook. I believe she was out setting these up when she was attacked.

But... [Lusamine opens to the back of the party planning page, pointing at it with a shaky finger.] She knew the risk. "If I die tonight, please forgive"...and then it ends.

[foundfate]

[He had been doing alright, thanks to the extra time spent preparing himself mentally for this trial, but even so his breath catches when he hears that last part.]

Why didn't she ask me to go with her? I would have, she must have known that.

[But then there would probably be two bodies, not one.]

[feistytrader]

If she couldn't keep herself alive, you definitely couldn't.

[foundfate]

You don't know that!

[Sorry Silver, he didn't mean to snap. He takes a moment to breathe before speaking again.]

One person alone might look like a target, but I don't think anyone here would try to attack two people at once.

[feistytrader]

No one thought Gold and I would set someone on fire, either.

[He's not pulling any punches today, apparently.]

[foundfate]

That's different, and you know it.

[matchbreaker]

Don't be stupid.

[ Elda's tone is... not quite harsh, but it is biting ]

You two would be no match for some of us here, even two on one.

[ ... Okay, maybe not, but she figures that would be backhanded helpful to Watanuki ]

[foundfate]

That's not what I'm talking about, Elda! Sure, there's plenty of people here who COULD kill us both. But I'm not sure they WOULD, especially if there's the risk of one of us getting away and warning the others.

And...And if it was a friend, then...

[He clearly has another thought on his mind, but he's having trouble saying it.]

[acherontiastyx]

...

I mean. I've been running it over in my head since Tuesday how this might play out.

Are we sure she basically wasn't trying to take one for the team?

[foundfate]

[Oh look Guzma got it.]

That's what I mean! If I had been there, I could have prevented someone from talking her into that.

[elepe]

...Do you put it past her, that she would not have wanted you to be put at risk?

[foundfate]

Well, no, but...

[He has thoughts, but he can't bring himself to say them right away. Because Lusamine is probably right.]

...she should have trusted me. I thought she did trust me.

[matchbreaker]

Don't you dare, brat!

[ Elda's eyes go wide, bloodshot, and they suddenly have all the malice of a lion cornering a gazelle from across the room ]

Orihime, if your ghost can already hear this puke, you best scold him in your first letter!

[acherontiastyx]

...

She didn't approach me about this beforehand. I would've told her the spray paint was confiscated because we're not allowed to have nice things.

[elepe]

...What? She didn't come to you about that? That is certainly odd.

[Lusamine wasn't around for that, so that's...curious. Very curious.]

Estellise, Mr. Munechika, Elda--did she happen to come to any of you?

[tsugomori]

Come to me about what? This?

[ He'll shake his head. ]

No.

[matchbreaker]

No, I wasn't.

[ A beat, and she feels bad to suggest this to Lusamine, but- ]

Can we be sure this isn't another forgery?

[elepe]

This doesn't seem like something that would need to be forged...but here. You have handwriting samples, don't you?

[Lusamine passes the notebook over.]

[matchbreaker]

Of course.

[ Even if I didn't note it in my top level

... That said I don't even need to mods because they pre-confirmed it's legit so: ]

... It's all her. No issues I can see.

[firstaid]

[She shakes her head.]

She did on Monday. She gave me a friendship bracelet.

[Estelle will hold up her gloved hand showing the pink, green, and white bracelet she's wearing.]

[acherontiastyx]

...

[he... kind of looks over like he wants to say something, but doesn't.]

[oyashiromama]

Forgive...?

[Her heart in her throat.]

Forgive...who? Herself, or whoever... Can you tell, Lusamine?

[elepe]

...I think it was herself. Unless...

[...Lusamine grips the podium tighter at the thought.]

It was herself. It has to be.

[oyashiromama]

[...]

What are you thinking?

cw: suicide discussion

[elepe]

[...]

You don't think she may have...known what was going to happen to her if she did this, do you?