unknownseas | Totally Normal Garden Party and not an escape meeting

[It's Friday afternoon, and the party is almost ready. Jonathan, with the help of others, have arranged a quaint table setting in the garden, adorned with various flower arrangements. The spread of food seems quite impressive if not... somewhat strange with some of the offerings. Floyd brought takoyaki (careful, some of them have hot sauce in them!), Jason brought donuts, Hadoka brought some scrambled eggs, although not enough to feed all 25 citizens, Brett brought finger sandwiches, Joy brought some fancy flatbread, Mille brought fancy little cakes and pastries, The Undertaker brought some bone shaped biscuits, and Adamon brought some mushroom risotto. For drinks, Jonathan brought over several pitchers of lemonade, enough for everyone at the party and then some.

Nandor also brought ice cubes and Misfire brought one (1) lemon.

If anyone is hesitant about coming, Jonathan will gently find them and tell them that the party "really means a lot to him", with added details about the true nature of the party if they are still resistant. There were really only two people he was keeping this a secret from.

Just before five o'clock hits, Jonathan finds himself looking increasingly nervous. Anxiously tapping the table, looking around for anything suspicious, and taking a quick swig from his flask that he got from the pool to calm his nerves. For those who think that this is just a garden party, this might not exactly look like the most normal behavior ever.

It's a few minutes past five and, once Jonathan does one last look around to make sure everyone is here, he gently taps his glass of lemonade with a spoon and stands up, clearing his throat.]

Thank you all for coming to the party! I have told this to a few of us, but I was not entirely honest when I wrote the invitation. While, yes, part of my motivation is to grow more familiar with the rest of the citizens here, my true purpose is much more vital. I organized this meeting so we can discuss how to escape from this prison the Mayor has placed us in, and I intend to do so before any casualties occur.

I do not want to burden everyone with the details of my life, but I had been held captive before, and I know the horrors of letting my captor know of my escape plans, and that is why I had to be secretive about this. I do not want our opportunities for escape to close because we let it slip that we're trying to leave, and I ask everyone to be similarly secretive about this.

But, on the bright side, we have the numbers I didn't have back at the Castle, and I am confident with our combined efforts we can overthrow the Mayor and get back to our homes before too long!

[And with that, Jonathan sits back down in order to begin the meeting in earnest!]

[ PLANS INFORMATION BACKSTORIES GENERAL CHATTER ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This is less of an idea, but - you probably don't know this, Jonathan, but there's a good chance we're always being observed in the hotel. The Mayor probably has hidden cameras.

[Brett looks up at the dome enclosing them.]

It's possible they could be out here somewhere, but probably less likely. You'd be able to see them if they were mounted up on the glass.

That and he probably wire tapped every room. [ Actually, he pauses and takes a look around. ]

Well, he should have but given the state of this place, maybe not every one.

He couldn't even put Eleanor in a room that wasn't leaking.

I told her she should get that fixed.

She should at least move, right?

[From his tone, it sounds like Brett may have said something similar and been rebuffed.]

[ Nod. ]

Looks matter, whether she thinks they do or not. And I don't think she could breathe underwater either.

...

I find myself wondering how much free will she actually has to object to her surroundings.

[...he hasn't really wanted to consider this, but like. hm.]

I think that's a fair thing to question.

I am not quite sure if what I am suspecting is correct, given that it seems fairly limited to my world from what I have discussed with others. But it is not a good prospect for anyone, least of all her.

What is it that you suspect? Just for the record.

[He's sure his world doesn't have it, but come on, you can't just say that.]

(no subject)

howveryglib - 2022-06-17 02:13 (UTC) - Expand

inaclearing - 2022-06-17 02:21 (UTC) - Expand

howveryglib - 2022-06-17 03:31 (UTC) - Expand

buriedstar - 2022-06-17 02:32 (UTC) - Expand

howveryglib - 2022-06-17 03:42 (UTC) - Expand

buriedstar - 2022-06-17 16:58 (UTC) - Expand

howveryglib - 2022-06-18 04:18 (UTC) - Expand

Let's not break down crying about how tragic she is just yet. She's still our jailer, and she'll probably kill us all if her boss orders it.

But yeah, it isn't great.

...Any pity I feel would not prevent me from doing what needs to be done, particularly if that fate would possibly be kinder.

I'm just saying, it's a good thing she's awkward and blunt instead of actively manipulative. She'd have you all wrapped around her finger in seconds if she was.

I don't know if she is his slave, she might be, she might not. Her loyalty probably isn't earned or healthy, considering he's putting her in front of us while he hides away, and in a leaky office too.

But I think whether it's an emotional leash or a psychic leash, it'll probably be hard to break her free.

Edited 2022-06-17 03:19 (UTC)

howveryglib - 2022-06-17 03:49 (UTC) - Expand

… I’ll offer. She’d be close to the gals the same age that way. And I can stay on the couch.

I doubt she'd be willing to move in here with us, but I guess it's worth a shot.

With all due respect, should we be allowing someone who believes that innocent people deserve to die into our sleeping quarters?

That’s why we put her in my room, an’ me on the couch.

If she tried anything, I’d be between her and anyone else.

I–I'm not quite sure I agree to the idea of having one of our captors sleeping in the same quarters as us...!

Oh dear... I suppose it's a good thing I picked the party to be out here then.

[He looks around as if expecting to see the cameras.]

So he could be watching everything we do in the hotel, then?

Yeah. They can make pretty small hidden cameras. Maybe not everywhere, but...we should be careful.

[In a carrying stage whisper:] What's a camera?

Oh...you know how the Mayor appeared to us on the TVs in the lobby the first day? A camera is what captured his image and transmitted it to us like that. So if he's got any hidden in there, he could see us too.

Oh. ...Disturbing, but good to know.

I dread to even consider the possibility but... do you think the Mayor has cameras like that in our bedrooms?

I think it's more likely that he's monitoring the public areas, but I...can't rule it out.