[Locked Against Malnosso]

[malnosso]

Well, first of all, I expect you're all a bit cross with me given the past two weeks. No doubt there's more than just a few of you who wished you had got a piece of me while you had the chance, aha! I shan't apologize for it. I suspect it won't make much of a difference and I'm afraid it was quite necessary.

But I shall give you an explanation of sorts! To put it quite simply, I've moved in! There's been a bit of trouble with the organization, I'm afraid. I'm afraid with the war effort going so poorly, the renegades have been becoming more daring and the security forces continue to do whatever they please. I'm afraid you have all felt the brunt of that in the recent battles you've been called into. I'm reluctant to say that it will happen again and I won't be involved at all. I won't be able to speak on your behalf.

As for myself, I've become a bit unpopular. So before someone attempts to take my place, I've decided I might lie low a bit. And as everyone knows, there's nowhere in this world quite as peaceful and secure as Luceti! I did use some deception getting in using the latest experiment, but I'm afraid it was the only way I could ever safely arrive in the village without risk to my life. An old man like myself wouldn't have lasted long against you all. Oh! I do hope none of you mess about with those nasty beasts about. They weren't after any of you, they were just looking for me.

You may also have noticed I brought an assistant with me. I have some contacts in the organization who will gladly supply those various conveniences you enjoy so much. She'll be assisting in these transfers, so please, don't be shocked if you hear her lovely young voice answering you. Molly's a bit shy, but she means well. Aha, I'm afraid she's even a little taken to all of you. She's not very happy with how I do things at all.

Nevertheless, take heart! I don't plan to be here forever. I will return to head the company again in due time. It may start to look a bit grim, like your early days, but it's always darkest before the dawn. Or is it the other way around?

[Filtered to John]

Oh, Great One, I do hope you'll forgive me for that bit of fun with the festival. But you do deserve it! I only wish you would have come out to enjoy it!

But I'm afraid I must ask something of you. I've scrambled the journal system's signal to prevent real time monitoring by the Organization, but I suspect it won't be long before they catch on. I thought, perhaps, you might be able to come up with something a bit more permanent?

Comments

[Filtered]

[malnosso]

I suppose you'd consider it a great loss if you were captured.

[Filtered]

[malnosso]

Oh, you answered! Goodness, I was afraid you might be upset.

But indeed, it would be a bit of a setback for me should that happen.

[cruxofapotter.livejournal.com]

I reckon this place is about to get a lot less peaceful and secure.

[malnosso]

Quite right, my boy.

voice.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

You, unpopular?


[we're not even bothering with anger. Fuck. it. all.]

voice.

[malnosso]

I never had this problem before I became CEO.

[chikaidestroyer]

... [Ignoring the rest of that for now.] What are those beasts? Will they continue sending them into the enclosure searching for you?

[malnosso]

Shift Hunters. They are native beasts of this world, with the unique ability to detect and discern individual Shifts. But they won't be a problem for much longer! I sent them all away.

[all7seas]

"Grim like our early days"? What's that all about, you great blue monstrosity.

[malnosso]

It means, my dear captain, that things were not quite so pleasant before.

[derek-bliss.livejournal.com]

...So now we're an even bigger target.

[malnosso]

Perhaps, if you think of it that way.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert has no anger for this. He has no tears left either, because he's been doing too much crying lately. He's just cold and emotionless.

This... explains things, in a perverse, horrible sort of way. It gives some insight. And... that was her name, that one person? Molly? "She's not very happy with how I do things at all"... A possible ally, then, in an ocean of madness?

Still, Robert resents this entire thing, and hates how callously everybody was manipulated. So he won't be silent.]

Sir Catherine... you say that... modifying us was "necessary" for your protection. If you had that ability to just... alter our minds at random [- and something like a quiet mixture of despair, anguish and rage flickers in those words -] without our consent, then surely you could simply have made it so that we perceived you as non-threatening, without any other modifications necessary...

Granted, modifying us without consent is still the most reprehensible act, but surely you did not need to do what you did. There could have been another way.

[He fights the urge to spit.] At any rate. If you will be taking residence in Luceti, can we trust that you, at the least, will leave us reasonably alone? Or do we have to fear for our sanity and lives constantly now with you in our presence?

[Voice]

[malnosso]

Ah, you mistake me! This experiment was not for my arrival, heavens no. Were it so simple, I would have done just as you suggested! I merely used its existence as an opportunity, with a few additions of my own.

But worry not, I've not come to cause trouble. Though I'm afraid with me here, you'll probably have quite a bit more of it regardless.

[byakkoyagirl.livejournal.com]

Goodness you unpopular? Heaven forbid, I cannot imagine why!

[Detecting the obvious sarcasm there? She's so close to just lashing out, but she knows that won't do good for a guy like him. He's starting to remind her a lot of another old guy she once knew however. And not the nice one.

Even so, she notices he missed something in his explanation. Something that's been in the back of her mind since they snapped out.]

Okay so you explained the festival, your arrival, the beasts and all that. So, what about the dreams our 'alternate' selves had? If you were aiming for deception, putting them in as part of everything seems against the point, doesn't it?

[malnosso]

Oh, aha. That was me shutting down the experiment. It was scheduled to go on for... quite a bit longer.

[wise_maiden]

[So it adds up to what she expected. Given the Organization's history it's not too surprising.]

You don't think that they would try to replace you, in your absence?

[malnosso]

Oh, no doubt they will. But it takes a very special person to run the Organization and there are so many eager to take my spot. Actually, I may be a bit lucky and they might start going at each other for a bit!

[godbent]

[...You know what, she's going to draw a chart]

Grade me on accuracy here.

[malnosso]

Hmm. I can't get into too much detail, but I'd give you a C. With a plus. Or perhaps a low B?

[Voice]

[blessedbyfarore]

[Oh dear. Link does not sound pleased.]

Will we be in danger because you're here? What if they send tougher things than those dog things in?

[Voice]

[malnosso]

Worry not, my boy, I'm taking steps to prevent such an event from occurring again.

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

So, they've finally come to their senses and you decide to hide out here with us. Are you out of your mind?

[malnosso]

Quite possibly! But it's served me quite well so far.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

[Excuses, excuses, excuses. She doesn't care. It's all the same to her; she had a fair bit of goodwill towards Catherine because of his help with Noel, but now? You don't fuck with them like this. There were any number of ways he could have accomplished it without doing this.]

I hate you.

[S'all she had to say. She doesn't expect a response, so she's gone.]

[malnosso]

Mm. I thought you might.

[notaboy-gtfo.livejournal.com]

You can take your shift and your apology and SHOVE 'EM UP A SABER-TOOTH-MOOSE-LION'S-

[ And this is about the time that her journal makes contact with that mirror that she technically owned last week. How convenient. Nothing else incoming, she's all done here. ]

[malnosso]

Hm. I never actually did apologize.

[Voice]

[13th_captain]

So you toyed with our memories to shield yourself?

[Voice]

[malnosso]

Yes! Oh no, wait. No, not like that. Not quite like that. I don't paint myself as a very good man, but goodness, I have standards!

[Voice, Filtered 100%]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

Seems I was right about the beasts.

[Voice, Filtered 100%]

[malnosso]

I would expect nothing less from such a clever fellow!

[Voice]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

Necessary? In what way was that even remotely necessary? You altered reality as we know it, and you expect us to just accept your presence here, like that?

And your explanations aren't cutting it. Why are they looking for you? Why are things about to get a lot grimmer? I WANT ANSWERS, NOT HALF-BAKED EXCUSES.

Re: [Voice]

[malnosso]

Ah, I suppose I shall have to sum it up.

They're looking for me to detain me. Or kill me, but then they would risk losing track of me. Even in hiding, I'm still quite dangerous to them.

Things may become quite a bit grim because I'm in hiding! Those in power, for the moment, are not nearly so interested in your welfare.

[endgames]

[There are way too many things Shikamaru can deduct here - and at the same time, too little. The same can be said for every unfiltered conversation he's following.

At least one thing remains certain - you can always trust Bil's ability to gloss over things. 'It may start to look a bit grim' his ass - when that shoe finally drops, it's going to be bad. Especially if it involves the war.]

Guess it's moot pointing it out now that you've lost your job, but maybe you'd have better luck with that war effort if your organization wasn't wasting their time with stupid experiments.

[malnosso]

I must confess, I'm unaware of any time having been wasted with any 'stupid' experiments. They were all quite thorough! Well, perhaps except that one time, but those people were disciplined quite thoroughly. Memes. Of all things.

[entaiho]

So if the farms are still there, does that mean you're planning to stop making food so easy to obtain?

[malnosso]

I should hope not! However, it never hurts to be a tad bit self sufficient, don't you think? You never know what might happen. And it's good to work for your meal! It builds character.

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

[So Bil wasn't responsible for that shift, he was responsible for it ending. There's a part of him relieved that it didn't last longer.]

Altering our memories and realities is no way to make us trust you.

[Leo's not as angry as he was. At least not on the outside. They had just been used as a way for him to escape the people that are after him. He wasn't here in the early days, but he can well guess at what that means.]

What else should we expect these people to send after you?

[malnosso]

If all goes well? Nothing at all!

At worst, there are hunters efficient enough that they'd gain nothing by making themselves known to you. But I doubt it shall ever come to that, aha!

[Voice | Filtered]

[notabluesbro]

[He's paying close attention to everyone, and honestly? He has nothing of much use to add to any of it. But he personally has a question—just to break the ice. Just to see what you're like. It's always nice to talk casually with your possible enemies, right?

And casually it was, puffing on a cigarette:]

... Color me curious, thanks to all this shift business. Do you have any family, Sir Catherine?

Unless that's top secret. [like a few things you've been avoiding, as of late]

[Voice | Filtered]

[malnosso]

I did, perhaps, once. Not in this world. I had a photo once! It was my wife, I believe. Or perhaps a sister? It's been so long, who can say? I'm afraid I left it in my office, back at the company headquarters. I knew when I was leaving I was forgetting something. Quite typical of me to remember only once I arrived at my destination!

[inabook]

[Estelle's hung back, looking through the other replies before she makes her own.]

Mr. Catherine. [...] You said this experiment was going to last a month... Is it likely they'll try to implement it again?

[malnosso]

Most certainly, my dear.

[Voice]

[asobouyo]

[yeah she's just gotta check okay]

Hey! I gave you a flower!

[Stating obvious facts is how she rolls.]

[Voice]

[malnosso]

Indeed, it was quite lovely! Thank you.

[de_bel_survivor]

[He checks on all the unfiltered responses, carefully and quietly, while considering what to say or ask.

When he finally speak, his voice is neutral yet polite. Like when he speaks with Amane back home (he force himself to ignore the feelings to focus).]

When you say you'll be back in 'due time', how long will that be, by your estimate?

...After that experiment, it'd be kind of hard to gain some trust.

[IN CASE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE.]

[malnosso]

Oh, anywhere between six months and ten years, I suspect.

[vivi-aislinn.livejournal.com]

Mister Catherine... why? Why did you have to do that? I was happy... I don't care if it was fake or not, because I had a big family. Now it's so much smaller...

[malnosso]

Ahh, yes. That is unfortunate, isn't it?