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

[oyashiromama]

I...

[She's still not- she can't quite look at him? Because well, she didn't, and Orihime's...]

All I'm saying is... I know I'm not the only one to have asked that, this week. I... I'd understand that line of thinking. If anyone had it here. To save the rest...and count on the rest of you saving us.

[foundfate]

But someone didn't take that line of thinking. They killed Orihime instead. That's what we have to find: the person who would kill someone else for this motive.

[oyashiromama]

...

[She looks at him now, at all of them. Someone here- someone- She tries again-]

If it was to save our friends, please! Tell us...please. [It dies off weakly.]

[feistytrader]

[...Alright, that prompts Silver to climb up on his podium and shout at absolutely everyone here.]

In case this didn't get through any of your thick skulls yet, I'm here to make this abundantly clear to everyone: we care about you. We're going to miss you if you die. A lot. And if you're dead, you can't do something anymore, so stop treating your lives like they don't matter.

I miss some of the people that died as much as everyone else, but I'd greatly appreciate not having to add more dead people to that number, so knock it off.

[oyashiromama]

[Hanyuu jumps at that, and she almost bustles over to try and get him down, lest he fall and hurt himself. Ever the mom. His words, though...

She can't do anything but stare at him.]

Silver...

[...There are some apologies to make, she thinks. When this is over.]

[feistytrader]

What do you think would've happened when you died, Hanyuu? Elda loves you! You think she wouldn't have done something crazy out of grief next week?

[matchbreaker]

[ WAIT WHOA- DON'T BRING HER INTO THIS??? ]

[oyashiromama]

[...]

That's what stopped me. I couldn't bare to leave her alone...even if I thought it would be temporary.

[feistytrader]

Stop assuming it's temporary. Even if it might be, we don't know that for certain. Your life isn't worth gambling on.

[oyashiromama]

I... I'm sorry. I won't make that mistake again, Silver. I promise.

[feistytrader]

Good. I don't want to lose you.

[matchbreaker]

[ Elda...

Elda actually laughs at that. She laughs in a way which isn't quite her evil old lady laugh but it's not far off. She doesn't mean it sarcastically, but it's possible it could come off as such, given the circumstances.

No, she's just so surprised what else could she do?

She even agrees. ]