Happy New Year, folks! The Hotel is settling into the New Year with little fanfare. Mr Bennet remains at his post behind the hotel desk and helps check guests in and out daily. The Hotel continues to hustle and bustle and nothing seems to be going too awry beyond the usual shenanigans. In fact, one might even call this the slow season for the Hotel.
THE FLOOR IS LAVA
That is until the second week of the month where the intercoms start with Mr Bennet's pleasant voice coming through.
"Hello, hello! This is just a small warning that one of our floors, the current 79th floor to be exact, has had a small... malfunction, I suppose, and will be affecting the other floors of the Hotel. No word yet from maintenance when this will be over, so stay on your toes, my dear guests!"
And that's it. No indication of what the problem is, or anything like that. It's up to you to figure out what's going on! And what is going on? Well, it'll become obvious very quickly when wherever characters happen to be in the Hotel, they'll soon start feeling a very obvious warmth on the floor below them. It'll increase the longer they stay standing in one spot until it's almost burning their feet.
The only salve for this will be hopping onto a nearby piece of furniture and getting their feet off the floor. It'll soon become obvious that the entire Hotel has been wrapped in a game of The Floor is Lava, including the floor turning into actual lava on some of the floors.
SAFETY SLEEPOVER
Of course, the Hotel is not cruel enough to make the entire Hotel unsafe and soon enough Mr Bennet's voice will come through on the intercom again.
"For those looking for respite from our current Hotel wide game," because clearly it's a game now. "We'll be serving tea and cake in the lounge on the ground floor. Maintenance has been able to fix the lounge for now so feel free to come by when you can if you'd like to rest. We have sleeping bags!"
As folks enter the lounge, they'll find that Mr Bennet is true to his word. The lounge has been converted into a giant sleepover, with sleeping bags lining the floor and a long table off to the side where people can eat their tea and cakes. Mr Bennet is near the food table, handing out pajamas, toothbrushes, and sleep masks to those who request them. There's some new doors off to the side leading to some restrooms, at least, so guests can change in private.
Though, one thing to point out is when Mr Bennet says there's tea and cakes, the cakes happen to be lava cakes. He thinks he's funny.
THE FLOOR IS ICE
It'll take about two days for hotel maintenance to fix the Hotel and return it to normal. So that's two days of living out of the lounge or hopping around the Hotel to get places. What a headache. Mr Bennet will make another lively announcement on the intercom.
"We are back in business, folks! I've just been given word that everything should have return to normal now. Though, there is a warning to make sure not to walk around barefoot for at least another day or so while the Hotel settles. Thank you for your patience!"
What that means becomes obvious soon as anyone walking around now will feel that the floor is especially cold. That's a bit better than the heat, at least, but still kind of a pain in the ass. Anyone who tries to walk around barefoot will find that their feet quickly start to freeze but any permanent damage is easily avoidable by putting on some socks or getting off the floor entirely.
Though that said, the ice does lead to some furniture sliding around and even with shoes on, characters might find themselves sliding too.
What a lovely end to the holidays.
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caelumstaff) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
hotelcaelum2024-01-12 09:44 am
i
He's had a lot of experience with fire. A lot of experience with fire. Enough to know that he won't suffer much when it comes to burns.
But that's regular fire. Lava, though – that's a new realm entirely. And on the off-chance his magical invulnerability would allow him to avoid melting to death in the lava, he's pretty sure that protection doesn't extend to his off-brand sneakers and khakis.
He perks up a little when he hears Juniper's voice, smiling reflexively. ]
Oh! Hey, Juniper—
[ A pause, as he takes in the wings and the butterflies. Then, ]
Wow, you look incredible.
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Ehe, I know, right!? Thanks, Evie! I thought it was you from far away - I'm glad I was right!
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[ He means it sincerely, of course. ]
I was just trying to figure out the safest route to get back to my room. My broom is in there...
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[ She tilts her head briefly, before she gasps loudly. ]
Like a Broom of Flying!?
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No, no, no, it's just a broom that I can make fly. I don't think it inherently has the ability to fly on its own.
I think I could, in theory, fly on any broom, but I've only ever practiced on the one I have, so it's the one I'm used to.
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You can make a broom fly!?
[ She claps her hands together excitedly! ]
I can take you to your room to go get it, no problem! Just tell me where to go!
1/2
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[ With that, she steps off of the furniture once more, her wings fluttering anew. ]</small. You don't mind if I carry you, yeah?
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If, um. If you're really sure it wouldn't be a problem...? 'Cause, you know, like, if you need to find someone in more need, I'd totally understand.
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[ citation extremely needed probably ]
'Kay, I'm gonna pick you up now!
[ She'll spare a moment to make sure he seems truly ready, though, before she scoops him up into her buff arms, princess style! ]
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No haha okay instead of sighing and melting it like a princess should, he instead holds himself very stiffly, with his arms crossed over his chest – mostly because he has no idea what to do with his hands!!
Just a hair too loudly— ]
I'm the very last room at the end of the hall.
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Ehehe! Roger that, Evie!
[ The flight is about as smooth as she can manage while Juniper keeps them as high and away from the molten floor as the ceiling will allow, and in just a few more minutes, they reach the end of the hall. ]
Ahh, can you get the door?
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When they're a few doors away from his room, he starts to fumble for the keycard in his pocket. Luckily he manages to keep it from falling into the lava. At her prompting, he swipes the lock and turns the knob to swing open the door.
Inside is a very Standard Room. If a default layout exists in Hotel Caelum, this is it! Yet somehow it seems to be a little drabber, a little plainer, than even the default settings. Evan's made no effort to customize his room, and his belongings are sitting in a plastic grocery bag on a nightstand, like he's ready to pack up and go in a moment's notice.
He gestures toward the entertainment stand, atop which his broom lies. ]
Just over there, please and thank you.
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Huh. ]
Oh! Right, right.
[ She drifts over to the entertainment stand so that he can grab his broom! ]
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The broom itself is... kind of sad looking. It looks old and well-used, and instead of the thick set of bristles one might expect of any self-respecting broom-wielding witch or wizard, his broom is a push broom. The kind shaped like an upside-down T.
But thankfully, the magic behind broom-powered flight comes naturally to him, and when he steps off the TV stand, sitting atop the broom, he floats rather than plummets.
He lets out a sigh of relief. ]
Thanks, Juniper. You're a life-saver.
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But it doesn't, and instead Evan looks the very picture of a mage on a broom! The push broom certainly is unlike any Broom of Flying she's ever seen, but perhaps that's just as well, as Evan is quite unlike any witch or wizard she's ever met, too. It may be a bit of an incongruent sight, and maybe he looks a little bit like a misfit - but, well, Juniper's always kind of liked misfits better, anyway. Just look at who all raised her. ]
Heh... Don't mention it, Evie! It's so cool seeing you do magic! Where are you gonna go now? To the lounge like Mister Bennet was talking about?
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[ He considers his next move as he peers critically at the lava. Apparently he's not entirely comfortable with how things are developing, which is why he floats through the space to scoop up his grocery bag on the nightstand before joining her again. ]
The lounge will probably be safest. Are you heading out to keep exploring?
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I wanna, but... These wings go away after a while, so maybe I should go to the lounge, too...
tfw hours and hours later you realize ur reply didn't post
I could, um. If you wanted to hitch a ride, I'd be happy to offer one. But if you're good, I'm also happy to provide an escort, just in case you need someone to spot you.
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[ She glances at the default hotel clock in his room... ]
... I lost track of time! Can your flying-broom-but-not-Broom-of-Flying fit two!?
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[ By which he means, he hasn't really tried??? Since everyone he has known since he discovered he could fly on brooms could also fly on brooms. But surely it must be doable!
He offers her a hand. ]
C'mon. You can get on behind me.
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[ As far as Juniper is concerned, there's only one way to find out!!
But... oh. She blinks down at the sight of Evan's hand extended towards her for a moment, but only just, before she is soon beaming at him and gladly taking that hand so she can use the last of her flight to get on and position herself behind him on his broom. As soon as she's seated, her crown and wings alike disperse into glimmering dust.
With a quiet giggle to herself: ]
That was the first time you reached out to me instead of the other way around, hehe.
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But thankfully, that isn't necessary, and when she maneuvers herself safely onto the back of his broom, he lets out a quiet, relieved sigh. And also thankfully, it doesn't take much to accommodate the additional person on his broom, and they're not both plummeting into the lava.
He shoots a puzzled look at Juniper over his shoulder when she giggles, but at her observation he blushes a little, turning to face forward. ]
It's, you know. I just— I didn't want you to fall.
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[ Genuinely. She probably would have been fine if she fell into the lava for like, two whole seconds, as someone who has been in the literal jaws of a giant snake before and more recently the stomach of a hag.
Settling in fully, Juniper curls her hands around the broomstick to hold on. ]
Okay, I'm holding on and ready for takeoff, Captain Evie!
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