Meeting Time!

[hotpaprika]

[On Wednesday morning, all the suites will find another note slid under their door. It seems much less formal this time, but the handwriting is still very distinct.]

I am holding another meeting today, at 5 o'clock. I am terribly sorry for the the location this time, but it will be in the dressing rooms at the department store, as that is one of the few places I could find that we would not be watched.

I ask, however, that you don't all come in at once, because I fear that otherwise, it could catch Fontaine's attention and may add further security measures.

I will be providing refreshments, although I welcome any additional help.

J. Harker

[The dressing rooms are, obviously, a very not ideal place to hold a meeting, but Jonathan had somewhat set things up so that they could at least talk to each other, with all the curtains pulled back and one stall reserved for some cakes and sandwiches. He politely greets everyone who enters but it's clear that he's somewhat wary from the motive.

When everyone arrives, he once again addresses the group.]

Good evening. I am sure last week was an icy shock to everyone that Fontaine is not content to let us live about in harmony. However, it is vital that we do not give up hope that we can find a way out of here, because when we do, Fontaine will have already won.

[He's trying to convince himself this as much as he's trying to convince everyone else.]

[ INFORMATION IDEAS GENERAL CHATTER ]

Comments

[hotpaprika]

[He has no idea what digitally mixed means, but he thinks he has an idea of what she's inferring.]

So you're saying they have been faked?

[kninja]

[Oh thank goodness, he didn't want to ask for a translation.]

[visiblepattern]

...No.

[The word is quiet, and Forrest is looking...really upset at this, honestly? You'd think this would be some sort of relief, but it seems to be anything but.]

No, I want to believe that there's some...I don't know, version of the world where he actually...

[Give him a moment.]

I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just... Sorry.

[hotpaprika]

[He gives Forrest a sympathetic glance.]

Perhaps this just means that Fontaine isn't as all powerful as he wants us to think he is, and that we cannot rely on him to grant our wishes. I'm certain there's a world where everything turns out alright, especially if Joy is to be believed.

[visiblepattern]

Perhaps so.

[He's quiet after that, though.]

[sastruga]

[Ah. She hadn't considered this could be troubling to hear before she shared it.]

...I'm sorry, Forrest-san.

[visiblepattern]

It's not... It isn't your fault, it's all right.

[He takes a moment. Just...breathes, calms himself down.]

I'll be fine, it's just... It's over something that hardly matters anymore anyway.

[howveryglib]

...

I believe it would simply be easier to fake a message than to go sifting through other universes to make an actual recording. He said that we were selected at random, but perhaps that makes it easier to access our particular iterations of reality than others.

[inaclearing]

...don't be sorry, it's fine. And hey - everything must've happened somewhere, right? The multiverse is supposed to go on forever.

[sastruga]

I think they might have been. It's subtle, but there's a certain... something about the voices, that makes them sound a little unreal.

[a certain je ne sais miku]

They sound like programs used in my world to make songs. Using them to imitate voices wouldn't be so difficult.