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

[tsugomori]

[ Mikazuki supposed that it was inevitable, that things would come to this point, and so, he still stands as he is, ready as he usually is, despite whatever he may be wearing. He's good at playing roles, parts, or whatever may be necessary. So, he'll take on that role now.

Better him than...no, he won't think about that now.

Mikazuki will straighten himself and face all the rest remaining here. ]

Ah... finally. I would have already confessed, if it weren't for what you had all said at the very beginning. Not that I blame either of you for it. It's always good to be wary, as you never know what may happen -- but I do know what my fate is, and I won't bother fighting to change it.

I, Mikazuki Munechika, admit to it. That I killed Miss Orihime Inoue in cold blood.

[ He seems like he may be content to leave it there...but some people asked for an explanation. ]

I won't ask for anyone's forgiveness, of course. Yes, I did take advantage of her trust. Orihime believed in me because I was her friend, and even though I brought the sword with me, she didn't protest. I killed her because the Wordsmith has been only good at doing one thing:

Taking things away, and it should be simple for him to do, with that shadow creature of his.

In the night, we "planned" the party to happen. It was simple to ask her to make curry for me first, and talk her into it. Then, after grabbing some flowers from the green house, we went down to the ballroom to set them down.

I told her that I was going to kill her. We fought. She was no match for me.

[ And then he'll leave it there, for now. ]

[elepe]

[...

Lusamine crosses her arms. For as much as she finds this unforgiveable...she's not angry at him. She doesn't blame him, because if she hadn't made that promise to Elda...]

...Mikazuki. What would you have done after, if you had fooled us?

[tsugomori]

You assume that I would have allowed that to happen.

The Wordsmith is a fool, if he thought I would try to seriously avoid taking responsibility.

[oyashiromama]

You intended...all along.

[...She fights to keep the regret from rising up once more. Silver doesn't want to lose her. Elda doesn't want to lose her. Mikazuki himself, he said, if she had- they all--

...but one life, instead of two. She can't help but feel like none of this is fair. Nothing is fair.]

[tsugomori]

[ He laughs weakly. He feels like he should say something for a moment, but he holds himself back somehow, like he always has. ]

Yes, I did.

[elepe]

[...]

Just what did you intend by this?

[tsugomori]

What do you mean "what did I intend by this"?

[ His eyes dart to the side. He can't look at her. ]

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . What the fuck. ]

You challenged her to a duel, at the end of it all?

[tsugomori]

... She needed to have a chance to fight back.

[ I mean sure you could call it a duel but he has problems with just stabbing people he likes out of the blue without saying why or giving them a chance to strike in turn, even if trying to kill her was just as bad. ]

[matchbreaker]

Yes, I suppose it wouldn't be sporting, otherwise.

[ A beat ]

Were the flowers your or her call?

[tsugomori]

Why not have the flowers be both of our decision? It was a team effort, after all.

[firstaid]

...you lied to me.

[Her voice is meek. She feels.... betrayed. It's not a new feeling either...]

[tsugomori]

I did.

[ Mikazuki turns away from her, finally, after all of that. ]

[firstaid]

I...I trusted you. You lied to me...

[Comprehension is something she no longer has as she grasps the front of her podium.]

...you lied to me. You promised me...

[tsugomori]

I'm sorry, Estelle.

[ Mikazuki doesn't look at her and knows his apology is worthless, but it's better than her being left in the dark in terms of her receiving a response from him. ]

[foundfate]

[It's a good thing Silver is between the two of them, because he would have tried punching Mikazuki again otherwise.]

Why her? Your plan there could have worked with anyone, so why pick her out of all the people here?!

[tsugomori]

It wouldn't have worked with just anyone. Do you think Miss Marker would have gone along with it, for example?

It should be clear as to why I chose her now, out of anyone else here.

[foundfate]

I think you're a coward who knew Elda would have killed you if you had fought her.

If 'someone dying' was the only part that mattered, you would have been upfront about it and picked someone who stood a chance in a fight with you. But this isn't just some grand gesture for the sake of the dead, you actually wanted a shot at getting out of here. So that's why you chose Orihime: because for all your talk about 'telling us at the beginning' and 'knowing your fate', you still held onto that slim hope that you might fool us and get out of here.

[feistytrader]

If someone else killed them, we'd just have to vote for them. Or there's the possibility that someone else would've knocked him out and lived, and then all of our ghost friends would be dead.

[matchbreaker]

... Actually, I wouldn't.

[ Just so you aren't... speaking for her. ]

[tsugomori]

I think you're putting words into my mouth, but you may say whatever you like and I will gladly take it.

I will say that even if I managed to have gotten out of here, my Master would've made sure that I wouldn't be living for very long.

[ He understands why Watanuki is angry, so he won't fault him for it. ]

Is there anything else you would like to say?

[iaspis]

Why her? There are others who would have been willing to go along with it.

[tsugomori]

She was an easier pick than some of the others.

[iaspis]

That's cowardly.

[tsugomori]

Isn't it? I couldn't handle it all, so you're right.

[ ... He doesn't fight the accusation, at any rate. ]