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

[matchbreaker]

... Don't you go assuming things about the dead like that! Her fire was far stronger!

[feistytrader]

I agree.

[Orihime was fine. She wouldn't do something like that. She had things to get back to at home. At the same time...]

But it could be possible that she took a gamble, isn't it?

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . ]

How do you mean?

[feistytrader]

One way or another, we were all going to be upset tomorrow. So she decided to set up something nice for us to keep up everyone's spirits. And she put her trust in whoever was working with her, but... There's a possibility that she could die because of the motive, too.

That was a risk she was willing to take.

The real question is whether she was going to write "Forgive me" or "forgive them," isn't it?

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . Hah. ]

Or a name, I suppose.

[ Forgive me... ]

[tsugomori]

Why would she have written "forgive me"? It would be more likely the latter, wouldn't it?

[ ... He doesn't get where this is going. ]

[oyashiromama]

[...Well Hanyuu kind of glances at Elda.]

I'm sure Lusamine means no disrespect to her, if that's the case. I know I don't. We had two choices, remember? Someone enacts Rule Seven, or...we lose the chance to help the others.

[They're here...watching... How must they feel?]

[foundfate]

There had to have been another way. Hanyuu, we could have saved them some other way, not with someone's death.

[matchbreaker]

[ Tch. ]

We even had another two days.

[oyashiromama]

I know. I still- [She looks around, at nothing at- at everything.] I still believe we can. I believe this is not the end, for any of them. That we can find a way, but-- But we were running out of time. If Thursday night hit, and she feared for the others... She could have thought that. Or at least...she may not have took as many precautions as usual.

[foundfate]

...

We're...we're looking at this backwards, I think. I mean, we know that Orihime would have worried about something like that, yes. But who else here would have been worried enough about the dead to go along with whatever all of this is? Because either they planned a murder, or they were complacent in something Orihime planned.

[tsugomori]

It would have been nice, if everyone had thought the same.

[acherontiastyx]

Yeah, but she also seemed like the type who'd put others before herself.

I mean. I got some confirmation that the other side knows what's up, but it's not like we could find any other fixes for this mess.

[matchbreaker]

You don't know that. Nor do I and now nor will anyone. I will not allow you to shame that girl any more than Lusamine would have allowed anyone to accuse Gangrel two weeks past! Let us find proof before we imply she had given herself freely!

[acherontiastyx]

...it's not shaming. I...

...

I'm sure it required some stones.

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . A cultural difference, probably. She... ]

... It would have, to be sure.

[elepe]

We have to find out what happened, Elda. I don't know her as well as I would have liked, so perhaps I am wrong. And if I am, then...I apologize.

[Lusamine crosses her arms over her chest and looks away.]

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . ]

Let's solve this. Unless Kimihiro's the best actor of us all this is a murder, not some lover's suicide.

[oyashiromama]

[Hanyuu will give Elda a glance, and a small frown, but say nothing to this.]

[elepe]

[There's a flinch at that, but...]

Very well, let's. Perhaps we should look at whoever may have been working with her, then?

[foundfate]

You know how well I can cover stuff up.

[Translation: not well at all.]

[sportadork]

It would've been to save our friends, wouldn't it? I think that would be very strong.

[matchbreaker]

Don't you give me that, Sportacus.

[sportadork]

I don't agree with it! It was a stupid idea, and they should not have done it!

... I just understand why, I think. And I can't blame them for it.

[matchbreaker]

[ She knows, she knows, she knows.

And she agrees.

Really, that's the whole issue. ]