EVENT LOG
number 002
The hotel humbly hopes that you're settling in well and are taking advantage of the various pleasures on offer for your stay. In Mr Bennet's opinion, things have been going quite well and he doesn't think that the guests are unhappy at all. New guests have arrived, some have left, it's all going along perfectly. So, of course, this is when the next troublesome thing pops up.
SHADOWS
One morning, characters will find the hotel to be a little dimmer than usual, a little more shadowy. Yet if anyone asks Mr Bennet about it, he will claim to not have noticed anything different than usual. Either way, as the characters move on with their day, they'll start to notice a few odd things start to happen. PHASE ONE: Initially, characters will notice their shadow beginning to move a little out of sync with them. Discreetly at first until eventually, their shadow takes on a life of its own, mischievously playing with characters and enjoying their newfound freedom. Very Peter Pan, and completely harmless.
PHASE TWO: Now, shadows might disappear entirely, roaming the hotel to their own discretion and ignoring the characters they belong to. As the shadow takes on this free will, characters will begin to feel slightly off balance and have a hard time feeling whole without their shadow around. The shadow may become slightly aggressive as well if told they should return to their characters, fighting back in their own way from knocking things over to outright attacking other characters. It's a little hard to fight back though when your opponent is a shadow, isn't it?
PHASE THREE: The shadows have become fully aggressive now, fighting anyone who tries to get them to return to their original person. Characters will find themselves feeling weak and low energy as a result of losing their shadow. Eventually, the shadows will come back to their owners but the characters will find themselves sinking into their shadow, eventually changing places entirely with their shadow. The only way to rescue a character from this fate is for another character to pull them out of their shadow forcibly. The bright side is once a character is pulled out of their shadow, it all returns to normal and their shadow is no longer sentient. These phases will last over the course of the week and it is quite alright to stay in phase one/two/three. Not all shadows will become aggressive, not all shadows will be playful. Feel free to manipulate your character's shadow in the way that's most fun for you.
NAV | PREMISE | RULES | FAQ | TAKEN
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caelumstaff) wrote in 
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That Sumina wields magic is more of a surprise than the actual action and sound — enough to make her eyes widen just a bit more. But she's proven to be no witch, so what's there to worry about?
The shadows, startled by the action, immediately hone in on the direction of all the misplaced dishware and food. Some part of Giselle must still linger even in her shadow, because the shadow wastes time sifting through some of the shards and morsels, as if trying to make sense of it. And in that moment, the real Giselle takes the opportunity to shuffle to the opposite end of the counter with Sumina in tow, preferring to go quietly and slowly rather than to rush out. As long as they crawl quietly and carefully back to the door, it should be fine, right? That's what she leads Sumina to do, only —
The real reason Giselle's shadow had knelt to sift through the rubbish becomes clear soon enough. Bits of food and shards of dishware get hurled about the room in a reckless, aimless rage, the logic behind it seeming to be that a sound of pain or surprise might reveal the pair's location more quickly. In fact, a few eggs are hurling their way from above right this second!! ]
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Sumina is only too happy to follow suit like a good NPC, staying close and as quiet as she can while she and Giselle move from cover to cover. Slow and steady they go, while Sumina tries very hard to still and slow her breathing and also to not stare at the knife still embedded in Giselle's back...
Her shadow, meanwhile, seems much the same way, too, happily following the other shadow's lead in rummaging through and then dispersing the mess aimlessly, kicking up veggies and ramekins and measuring spoons and whatnot.
It's honestly so jarring to watch them both - even shadowy as they are, they do still resemble their owners, neither of whom would ever be caught inciting such chaos and disorder.
But soon eggs are flying towards them, and before Sumina can really think, she is biting down on her lip to keep herself from yelping and moving out of its trajectory, even if it might place her in very close quarters with Giselle! ]
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As the first few eggs start splatting on the tiles near them, a slight frown creases into her features — it's not very appropriate behavior, for something that's supposed to be a part of her to act in this way. The stabbing and violence was appalling too, but making such a mess? Wasting food? It makes her wonder if the shadows are different entities entirely...
Anyway, when Sumina narrowly avoids getting hit with an egg, Giselle lets her in closer, pulling firmly on the hand she has in her clutches. Being close like this where there's a guise for it, a reason for it doesn't bother her... rather, she almost never has a reason to get close like this. In a strange way, it makes for a good excuse, to feel the proximity of another body close to hers. Even if the thought lingers in the back of her mind that Sumina doing so will only make her notice how far the cold reaches within her... and that she is bound to recoil eventually.
Thankfully, the door out of here is a simple push door — no knob or anything that could risk being jammed. Once they reach it, the maid puts a flat palm on the edge of it, looking over at her companion to 1) check on how she's faring, and 2) signal to her that they're about to book it. As soon as she opens this door, she knows the shadows will locate them... so they'll need to be quick to lose them! Saying anything would only hasten the shadows finding them, so without another word, she shoves the door open quick as she can, springing to her feet and making an effort to bring Sumina up in tow, all so they can hightail it out of there. ]
no subject
For now, though, their escape is the top priority, and as such, Sumina remains close, thinking only of how close they are to making it out of this room. When Giselle glances over, she would find Sumina's expression crumpled in determination and restlessness in equal measure, so when the door opens, the innkeeper is all too ready to get up to her own feet, following Giselle's motions to book it the hell out of here!!
Perhaps it's a bit futile, but since the door opening will alert them of the two's impending escape in any case, Sumina takes a moment to will her Mage Hands to cause some more confusion in their wake by pestering the two shadows, at least until whatever distance she and Giselle can put between themselves and the kitchen causes the magic to be dispelled. ]
no subject
I do not think... they will reach us.
[ The door's already closing... and the apparitions have yet to show they can teleport. It's only at this point that she tugs her long braid over the front of her shoulder, finally acknowledging the weapon embedded in her back — she could feel her hair tangling with it, plaits coming looser, while they ran. ]
And I doubt they will guess what floor we abscond to.
no subject
If only she could have been strong enough to take the shadows on without fear...
When at last they make it into the relative safety of the elevator, Sumina whirls on her heel, discontent to let her guard down until she sees those doors close decisively and with no trace of their shadows in sight. And that moment that holds true, she glances over at Giselle while she adjusts her braid, and then Sumina sinks to the floor, first onto her knees and then sitting fully, her grip on Giselle's hand gone knuckle-white. ]
We... We made it. That would have spelled the end of me if you weren't there, Miss Giselle.
[ Her free hand comes up to rest, though tremblingly so, over her chest where her heart beats thunderously fast. ]
Let's get you somewhere... [ She is still catching her breath. ] Where we can take care of that knife...
no subject
On the contrary. Your magical talents were quite something...
[ There's a distant sort of appreciation in those words, almost like she can hardly believe Sumina was even capable of doing it. She comes from a world where magic like this does not exist — not in the wider world, anyway. In her eyes, Sumina seems so much more powerful, now. ]
But you needn't look so worried, my dear. Not a drop of blood has spilled from me, now has it?
[ And frankly, she might notice by now that compared to Sumina's own breathless talking, Giselle has hardly broken a sweat — her breathing is still steady and even. ]
no subject
No, Miss Giselle, I— That was magic you saw, yes, but I was merely using an item for it. My gloves.
[ The grip of one such gloved hand tightens against their still-joined hands. Perhaps her decisiveness in clearing this up even in the midst of her distress speaks to how core this is to her very being, that she has nothing but magical items to go on when it comes to harnessing the arcane.
Yet still, more important is Giselle's state. Though the maid has far from given any indication of pain or even being remotely bothered by this, it seems Sumina is doing enough fretting for the both of them. ]
In any case, I... Maybe I don't understand the reasons, Miss Giselle, but even if you're not bleeding, or if it's not painful, we need to make sure that you're taken care of, too. Please.
no subject
It's not the time to ask for a clarification, but it does certainly color her perception of Sumina differently, a new shade adding to the palette of her image in Giselle's mind. As does her continued insistence that despite the maid's own unaffected state, she's still deserving of care and worry.
She's such a caring girl, isn't she? Even to someone (something?) like her. She dearly hopes that part of her never changes, that it never rots or decays away. The maid smiles, quietly, placing her free hand over the one she's already holding, sandwiching her companion's palm in her cold grip. ]
Thank you, for expressing such concern for me.
[ The words feel more sincere than the usual cool distance she keeps, a sliver of something close to affection bleeding in. ]
I would hate to ask such a grotesque task of you... but removing the knife will swiftly "take care of" this unsavory ordeal.
[ Inside, she's ashamed for Sumina to see the state of her so openly, and moreover, for her to have to physically interact with it. But if she keeps the polite act up... then however she reacts, it's not towards me, is it?, she reminds herself. She can't be hurt by words or anything else, so long as she keeps everything — even that glimmer of affection she'd felt — buried in the dark. ]
no subject
Giselle's request further steels Sumina's nerves by pulling her into a more familiar mindset: that of an innkeeper, and in particular one who more often than not finds herself greeting guests who walk in fresh out of harrowing battles or trials, who sometimes must assist in the stabilizing or healing of people, even if she cannot herself cast healing spells. She recalls what she and the maid had spoken of, too, when they were passing through the Haunted House attraction: keep your composure. ]
It's alright. It's necessary. I can do it.
[ And so Sumina nods, her gaze sliding to fix upon the handle of the knife protruding from Giselle's back, drawing her hands away from the maid's grasp so that she can press one hand flat against the other woman's back, as the other's grasp curls tentatively around the knife. ]
I'll be pulling the knife out now, Miss Giselle.
[ And presuming Giselle permits her to do so and expresses her readiness, Sumina does exactly as she says. With a decisive tug, the knife is pulled out. ]
no subject
The knife comes out with little resistance, and with accompanying little reaction from the maid herself — she merely looks over her shoulder to see the size of the knife, heart sinking a bit when she sees that a weapon of that size could not cause even a shiver of sensation to her. She quickly averts her gaze (maybe a little too quickly?) back forward, not wishing to look at the weapon for even another second. ]
There we are... good as new.
[ It's almost darkly comedic, the serene way with which she wraps this whole ordeal up with a bow. If Sumina looks at where the wound should be — she'll find that there's strangely no evidence that the knife was ever there at all, aside from the remaining tear in her maid uniform. No, the skin underneath remains unmarred, even if dull and pale as a corpse's. The blade shines, clean as a whistle. ]
Thank you, my dear. I am in your debt... truly.
[ For much, much more than just helping her escape that room. ]
no subject
But... Yet again, hasn't her life prepared her for such peculiar sights? Hasn't she triaged someone whose blood looked like molten rock, and the like? Her grip tightens around the knife's handle as that hand lowers and falls at rest beside her hip. She realizes then that this is different - because Miss Giselle is someone whom she has now known for longer than she normally has a guest for, and someone she likes to consider a friend. ]
Miss Giselle, there's - there's no need for such talk. We're friends, aren't we? So... We don't need to think of it like balancing a ledger. I know you would have done the same, if not more for me if our roles had been reversed.
no subject
She says that with such ease, and with such little time for her to prepare or expect to hear it. She can't remember the last time anyone referred to her as a friend... or if anyone ever did. The maid was prepared to be thankful enough if the other woman simply helped her and then politely excused herself, should she feel unnerved by her curse. This, though, is like an unexpected salve for a wound she forgot she even had. Unwittingly, her expression softens — an opening into the depths of her soul. There's quiet astonishment there, more reflected in the glimmer of her eyes than in any notable movement of her features. ]
Yes... of course, I would.
[ Do you really feel that way about me?, she wants to ask instead. The part of her desperate for even a threadbare connection wants nothing more than to seek a little more reassurance. But that yearning feels so at odds with "the maid," with everything she's built herself up to be, that she keeps the feeling from escaping with a relentless grip on a short, tight leash. ]
I could hardly allow harm to come to you. [ Which is strange on her tongue enough. How often has she sat idly, while harm came to others? But being here in the hotel, she feels more different each day. Sumina, and the others... perhaps they could be people she could care for outside of her station. ] That is why I attempted to protect you, you know.
[ There's a soft ding, as their elevator finally reaches their destined floor. ]