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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hotelcaelum2024-01-12 09:44 am
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And on that note, she turns her head, casting her gaze about to account who all is here. ]
...I'd like to make sure everyone is alright and situated. Especially the newer arrivals...
[ You can take "inn" out of "innkeeper," and you'd still be left with "keeper." And though it's certainly not her duty to be anyone's keeper here, that's just the sort of person that she is. ]
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You'd do a better job of that than Mr. Bennet for sure. Want a hand?
[ If she'd rather do her thing on her own, that's fine, too. He has a blanket fort to build, after all...maybe he can find some snacks and games for them when she's done, too.
...Since in the back of his mind he's apparently decided they're going to be hanging out tonight, too. Maybe their sleeping bags can even be next to each other...? Hehe. ]
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Ah... I don't think I'll need any assistance, but...
[ She looks thoughtful for a moment, and in the spirit of striving to do better for herself, she adds: ]
...I'll let you know if I do.
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Great! If you need me...hm. I think you'll know where to find me.
[ Wherever the greatest commotion is happening, likely involving a blanket fort, or games he has sprung on unsuspecting people. Maybe once Sumina is done, he'll have to rope her into playing with him.
It's gotta be a proper slumber party for her too, after all. ]
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Instead, she ends up spending quite some time with a few fellow guests, even getting her nails freshly painted at one point, only to momentarily nod off in an armchair while taking a short break. It's after all of that, perhaps well into the late hours of the night (or the next morning, however one wishes to think of it) that Sumina finally wanders over to the blanket fort.
Of course she knows who's responsible for it, having stolen a few glances now and again throughout the evening, and she presumes he's inside of it, since she hasn't seen him anywhere else. She leans over, peeking through whatever opening there is, with her body cozily wrapped in the blanket Giselle has put over her when she fell asleep in a chair.
There's got to be at least one or two guests who are already asleep by this point, so she calls out into the fort, hushed and quiet: ]
Satoru...? Are you still awake?
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With all his limbs setting into motion, he wiggles over and pokes his head through the "door" of the blanket fort, on his knees to avoid knocking the whole thing over by standing at his full height. As such, he has to look up to see her, his eye mask now pushed up over his hair, sweeping it back on his head. ]
What do you think I am, a grandpa? [ Of course he's still awake! Flashing her a sharp but playful smile: ] What's the password?
[ ...She didn't even ask to come inside, but whatever, he's still requesting the password now anyway. ]
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It's not "password," is it?
[ Just. Making sure. ]
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Whoooooa, Mina-chan! How did you know?!
[ Definitely a little too loud for there maybe being people sleeping nearby, but this is just his normal speaking voice, really. He doesn't have much in the way of an "inside voice".
And yes, he likely would have accepted anything she gave as the password, but he just finds this one funny. ]
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Satoru.
[ As she levels an unimpressed look at him. ]
It's late, you know?
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She's made her point. Wordlessly, he shuffles back inside the blanket fort, before waving her in after him. ]
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...
Maybe he's actually tired?
In any case, she follows when she's beckoned, ducking into Fort Blanket, cocoon and all. Once inside, she kneels, too, for fear of disrupting the architecture of the place. ]
Oh, it's more spacious inside than it looks from the outside.
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It's fairly cozy in here, for being a space constructed in the space of one evening. There are blankets scattered all about along the floor within, as well as ample pillows and cushions. There's an assortment of snacks, including — you guessed it! — pocky, as well as some games and flashlights.
It looks like the perfect slumber party space, if he does say so himself. ]
Impressive, isn't it? I know, I know! Everyone wants to sleep in here, but this space is reserved for two: Satoru Gojo and Sumina Heartleaf!
[ ...So yeah, she's invited to sleep in here. ]
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She can't help but be endeared by it all, and the way her expression softens from her initial surprise spells as much... ]
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...She turns red immediately, in full testament to her shoujo heroine power. ]
I— [ she barely manages to choke out her words. ] What?!
[ Now this time, she is the one forgetting to speak with her inside voice. ]
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Good thing he didn't make it sound any more salacious. ]
If you wanna, anyway. I figure there's plenty of space in here. What, don't like it?
[ He can't help but tease her just a little bit more, but he won't take it too personally if she decides to sleep somewhere else. It is fairly roomy, so they wouldn't even have to sleep right next to each other if she chose not to. ]
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It's not as if they've never been asleep in each other's company before, thanks to certain food comas and the like, but... here? With everyone else literally in the same room, but hidden away from them feels...
Well. It's rather roomy in here at least, and she doesn't have to decide on anything right at this moment. ]
I-It's— This is really nice, Satoru, I just... wasn't expecting such an offer, haha. [ A beat. ] Is that Pocky?
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You're blushing, Momo.
[ A coy little tease, as he settles down among the blankets, reaching for the box of pocky. Classic strawberry flavor! ]
Yup. What, did you wanna a take two of our pocky game from the beach?
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[ Absolutely not, and she offers the response while still covering her mouth.
But with that, at least, she does gently plop down onto the blankets as well, and it's only then that... boom! It turns out she's still been holding her journal this whole time, as it is now emerging from beneath her blanket cocoon held by other hand to be stashed in the corner of the fort where she can easily reach it.
Then, she gestures at the other assortment of things he's keeping in here. ]
You've been quite busy.
[ says miss got her nails painted ]
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Mm, didn't want you to be the only one with something to show off when we met back up. [ Yes, he noticed. ] I like your nails, by the way. They suit you.
[ Even if she didn't do them herself, it's still nice to see her doing little things for herself that could be called impractical for an innkeeper. Little things that allow her to express herself more. ]
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At his compliment, though, she can't help but glance down at her fingers. ]
Ah... Mr Brickston did quite well painting them. Apparently, he made the lacquer himself. Isn't that interesting? I spoke with Mr Nanami for a while, too, and Giselle. Hopefully everyone's settled in well enough now, though...
[ It is late, after all. ]
You're not tired?
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After a moment, he shakes his head. ]
Eh, not really. Too wound up from all the excitement.
[ His brows draw together, before he reaches over to grab one of the flashlights. Eagerly, he pushes it into Sumina's hands. ]
Tell me a story, Momo! With puppets.
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[ Well. Gods know she's got plenty of those, but she's never told them via puppets before...? There's something so innocent and childish about it, that's only accentuated by Satoru's eagerness, yet... she can't bring herself to mind. ]
Well... What kind of story would you like to hear? An adventurer's tale from my guests? Or something I've read in my ancestors' journals?
[ Not mentioned: a story about Sumina, because she doesn't think those are quite as interesting. ]
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I want a Sumina Heartleaf story. [ He knows why she asks, so he nudges her elbow with her own, offering some gentle encouragement. ] Whatever one you wanna tell me!
[ Whatever it is, it will be captivating. ]
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Mm... Well... Alright. I've got one. [ A beat, as she takes just another moment to collect her thoughts before meeting Satoru's gaze intently. ] So, my cousins Elenaril and Ehrendil - the twins, if you remember from that photograph... Since long before I was even born, they would adventure by themselves as a pair. Elven twins are not to be separated, you see - legends say that grave misfortune occurs if twins are separated for too long.
[ She shoots him a look that just says, I promise this ain't about them. Kind of. ]
Anyroad, one day, the twins returned to the inn after yet another adventure. They seemed to be completely fine, though I began to notice before long... that Ehren was acting a bit out of sorts. Of the two, he's by far quieter than his twin sister, and scarcely even likes to make himself known, but I would catch him... humming, and singing, and then stopping when he saw I'd noticed.
[ By the by, she hasn't been using any puppets at all, but she is rather enthusiastically gesticulating with her hand, flashlight held within her grasp and all. ]
Then one night, after Elenaril had gotten many drinks in while helping me behind the bar, she stood atop the bar and began a rousing rendition of the ballad "Nine Stars Around a Silver Moon," which then triggered a chorus from the rest of the patrons who know of the song. And then much to my utter shock, just when I thought to sit at the piano to provide the accompaniment... Instead, Ehrendil sat at the bench and played the piece so perfectly, and so movingly that some of our guests were brought to tears...
You see, Satoru, despite practicing a form of magic called bladesong, dear Ehren is painfully lacking in any musical inclinations! Not even half a century's worth of lessons from Grandfather could instill any sense of tone and pitch with him, or so I'm told. I knew at that moment that something was amiss.
...And that's how I discovered that Elenaril had bribed a changeling bard to shift and assume the identity of her twin brother so as not to cause any panic, while Ehren himself stayed in the Feywild where they had been adventuring after finding himself completely ensnared in an affair with some fey courtesan. Again.
And that's how I met Vaer. You should ask Winter about them sometime.
[ And if he remembers, too... Mina had mistakenly called Satoru by that name when she woke up after her shadow was returned to her. ]
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They must be hot. And talented! Regardless, it's a captivating and engaging story, one that has him chuckling by the end; he can just picture Sumina's consternation at finding a doppelganger in place of her cousin. ]
Oohhh, so they’re a friend of yours and Winter’s? [ A beat. You know he has to ask. ] Do they remind you of me?
[ Oh, he’s so eager to unlock this lore. ]
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jumpscares u with this icon
back, demon
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1/3
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