hotelcaelum | Event Log #005

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Event Log #005

EVENT LOG
number 005

Happy February, folks! The hotel is chugging along as it always does and nothing really seems that out of the ordinary, actually. Mr Bennet is at the front desk as per usual, greeting new guests, checking out old ones, generally being mediocre at his job but there's something a little... off about him this morning. A little more Springtime focused. Is it the suit? No, no, that's the same as it always is. Is it the face? No, Mr Bennet's face is unable to be perceived by eyes as per usual. No, it's the —

The bunny ears?

HOP TO IT

It seems Mr Bennet has developed a pair of bunny ears and a tail overnight, but he's not the only one. Every staff member and guest of the hotel will find that they have grown a pair of animal ears and a matching tail when they wake up that morning. It's nekomimi time, y'all! But not just neko, characters will find themselves with all categories of ears and tails. Cats, dogs, rabbit, deer, fish. Whatever animal best suits the characters are what they'll find themselves sporting.

For all intents and purposes, these will be part of your characters bodies and real additional limbs. It will hurt if someone hurts them and they will bleed if someone cuts them. There will be some added bonuses as well as characters will also take on the traits of the animals they become. However players want to interpret this is up to them — it can be light like a cat person just being more aloof or heavy like a spider person having multiple eyes and limbs. Whatever is most fun for the player and most hectic for the character, of course.

This effect will last till the end of the month.

Of course, an additional note: For characters who already have animal ears and/or tails — they will either keep those ears and tails and develop more traits of that animal. Or they can become something entirely different for the month. Player preference!

ANIMAL CRACKERS

Mr Bennet has found this to be hysterical though so he has set up a stall in the main lounge that's advertising animal crackers. They're a little less cracker and more cookie though, and larger than the traditional animal cracker. They also come in all shapes and sizes. If you can think of the animal, you can have an animal cracker with it. There is a dog cracker. There is a whale cracker. There is a spider cracker. All kinds of things. Even fictional animals, like gryphons and dragons!

The only catch is — once your character eats the cracker they will become that animal entirely. This is probably tipped off by the bunny rabbit hopping around the lounge in a little hotel jacket, huh. Thanks Mr Bennet. The effect of these crackers will last as long as the player prefers and characters are free to eat another cracker and become another animal afterwards.

One thing though, as the animal, characters will still be able to speak in animal form. So there's that!

The animal crackers will also be available till the end of the month.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

... That's probably the only sensible mission he's ever given you.

[ While he cares about their teacher with all his heart and is happy he gets to see him again, he can't resist putting out that jab. That's his own brand of affection, in a way. Anyway, it's a bit relieving that whatever sort of place this is, it doesn't actually seem very dangerous. If it's true that they can check in and out as they please, wouldn't this be a place for them to regroup and rest? With everything happening back home, lord knows they need it.

There's a lot to talk about, but for now, Megumi lets himself in, looking around. ] I almost expect to see one of your posters.

[ The tiddy posters. He's so used to them being there. ]

I don't think he can grade me on this one, though.

[ Not technically, but he can picture Gojo-sensei sneaking up on him and trying to get him to relax, or urging him to go and eat somewhere... Haltingly, Yuji hovers by the door, lifting his hand to rub at his face. When he'd seen Gojo and Nanami the only thing he could do was sob, but seeing Fushiguro without scars, without that aura...

The relief outweighed the ache of his heart. If he started crying, then Fushiguro would definitely scold him, or get angry, or worried, or something. Yuji's not sure if he can handle that right now.

Instead, he waves a hand, sighing. ]

I haven't been here that long, so I haven't had a chance to decorate.

[ He would normally be more reserved, but he's comfortable enough with the other boy that he feels allowed to sit down wherever he likes. Megumi decides to sit on a chair nearby and watch the other boy's expression. He definitely looks relieved, and he looked shaken up before. It's hard to make out exactly what had happened with so little clues. ]

How long has it been for you?

Since I got here? A couple of weeks.

[ So barely any time at all. It's been utter whiplash - strangers, and then Nanami, and then Gojo, and now Fushiguro. His heart might not be able to take it all.

Going to sit down on his best, he grips at his trousers before he forces himself to relax. ]

Do you want to tell me what you can remember?

[ It's easy to tell that the other boy still isn't fully settled. Still clearly recovering from everything he's had to go through at home and in the hotel. He knows Nanami is here, so that reunion probably wasn't easy for his friend given how close they are.

As for the question, he gives the other boy a flat look. ]

You were in that bathrobe, drinking wine. [ And some other things that had transpired shortly after, but that was the most striking memory. ]

Oh.

[ That was so long ago. Yuji stares at his hands for a moment, not sure how he should approach this, forcing himself to breathe in and out before he nods. That's fine, he can handle that - he knows how to handle this.

He has to. He doesn't have the chance to let himself sink into these feelings, not in front of Fushiguro. ]

It's Christmastime for me.

[ Christmas would be about a month after the time that he's from. He knows from Nanami's explanation that time does not flow normally in this place, but it's still a bit surreal to be meeting an Itadori from the future, who very clearly knows what is in store for them. Whatever it is, it's definitely not good. ]

And you lost your scars before then? How did that happen?

[ Aw, shit.

Yuji shakes his head, waving his hand. He's not an amazing liar, he never has been, but maybe this one could be at least a little bit believable? Then again, Fushiguro has always known him far too well... ]

Sukuna isn't here with me, so maybe that's why.

[ It's not technically a lie! ]

[ While that explanation looks completely believable, Megumi still has a feeling that something is off. Parting from Sukuna to come here should be an event to celebrate. It feels like Itadori woudl have been much more forthcoming with that information, rather than omit it. There's no reason not to believe him, but Megumi's gut feeling is telling him that that's a lie.

There's a sterner look as he pushes on. ]

Are you telling me the truth?

Yeah? He’s definitely not here.

[ Yuji lifts his hand and taps his head absently. It’s true- there’s no way that Sukuna could be here, since Yuji lost his control over him thanks to the stupid vow he made. He really should’ve just accepted things and stayed dead, and it would’ve been better for everyone, Fushiguro included.

He taps once, grinning. ]

No stupid voice or anything!

[ Megumi definitely doesn't sense that familiar cursed energy of Sukuna from within the other boy, and the scars aren't there, so he is telling the truth. Still, he can't shake that bad feeling from within. He knows something is wrong, and Itadori already confirmed it by telling him he could not tell him. It doesn't feel like the other boy will ever tell him what happened. He never does. ]

Well, you're not lying about that. [ Just omitting ... something else. Seriously, if he's dead, he can probably take the news fairly well. ]

But there's something off about your cursed energy. [ He shouldn't have any now, or at least have the residuals of Sukuna's. Instead, it feels like a strange concoction of a lot of different things. ]

[ Yuji can't really get away from how sharp Fushiguro is, but at least he's being able to get away with being honest without admitting to too much. The last thing he wants is to really let his friend know how bad things are going, especially when his heart feels so heavy over it all still. Not even Gojo-sensei or Nanami know how bad everything is, because Yuji had bitten his tongue so sharply.

Lifting his shoulders, he tries to shrug absently, as if nonchalant. ]

I have no idea why. Maybe it's just because we're separate here.

[ He rubs his face, at his eyes, to wipe away his tears. ]

[ Something still doesn't feel right, even if what his friend is saying seems like the truth also. He can't shake the feeling that the disappearance of the scars is linked to something far more tragic, but he has no proof to back up his suspicions. He also knows that the other boy will never tell him because he wouldn't want him to get worried.

He almost feels like pushing further, but then ... he sees the beads of tears welling up around the other boy's eyes. ]

... Itadori?

Haah, it's fine.

[ Don't push him on this... He can't really handle it right now, and he takes a deep breath as he tilts his head back a little, to force himself to relax and calm down. He doesn't want to have to deal with any of this, not when he's barely been able to process it, and his heart hurts so desperately. Maybe he ought to speak to Gojo-sensei or Nanami after all, but the idea of upsetting them, too...

It makes him feel sick.

All of this makes him sick. ]

Okay? It's okay, Fushiguro.

[ Itadori doesn't need to say 'please don't ask any further' for Megumi to read his mind. The other boy is on the brink of tears, and he's usually fairly good at compartmentalizing so Megumi doesn't actually get to see him like this too often. Just how awful is their future? How many people have they lost? It leaves a sinking feeling in his stomach, and the anxiety makes him want to go back just to check for himself even if that would be a terrible idea also. Is he dead? The thought of that doesn't actually bother him too much, but he also doesn't want to leave his friend alone given that Kugisaki and Nanami are gone, and their teacher is trapped in the prison realm. ]

I know you're not okay. But you don't have to tell me.

[ Making him more distressed won't solve anything. Megumi beckons him to come sit with him on the bed. ]

Come here...

[ It's definitely enough to have warning signs flashing above his head, but he appreciates that Fushiguro doesn't push and demand more of him, doesn't make him say the things that are heavy in his heart. He wouldn't be able to stand it, and the crushing weight of reality has hit him full force. He didn't expect this, didn't really know what to do even before now, and trying to hide all the things he's feeling deep inside...

It hurts, he feels sore, but... Who can he talk to? Who is he meant to unburden himself with?

Glancing over at Fushiguro, he hesitates for a moment before he steps over, sinking down. ]

... Yeah. Okay.

[ With the other boy now seated beside him, Megumi takes a moment to decide if he wants to go ahead and follow his first instinct. While he would normally try to keep some distance between himself and others, someone he cares about strongly is under a lot of distress right now. The other boy is really good at hiding how he feels, even if he's a terrible liar. Whatever had happened back home has to be especially tragic for Itadori to actually cry about it.

Reaching out, he pats the other boy on the head, allowing him to rest on his shoulder if he wants to. ]

[ The urge to flinch away from Fushiguro is intense, because Yuji doesn't want to burden him with how he's feeling - not because he doesn't want to be around him or because he feels like he doesn't want his friend. The feeling of being unworthy prickles at him, and the tears are there in his eyes all over again, but...

The touch to his head has the emotions shiver through him, and he sighs softly, tilting his body to lean into Fushiguro, just a little bit. Just enough. ]

... Thanks.

[ He doesn't really know how to do this, how to make the other boy feel better. The last time, he gave him something to do. 'Save me', is what he had asked of him, and Itadori took that endeavor on just as earnestly as he had expected. A huge element of that stemmed from Megumi's desire to save Tsumiki and his trust in his friend's strength, but there was certainly a part of him that felt like that would make Itadori feel better, pull him out of the mindset that he was a murderer. It certainly ... distracted him, at least.

But Megumi is wondering now if that request of his might have cursed the other boy in the end, if he was the reason for all this trauma and distress he's in.

That would be nothing new. ] I know you won't tell me what's going on.

[ He heeds Megumi's orders in every other thing but this. ]

And I don't really know what I can do about it, but ... I'll be here if you need me.

[ Yuji is enjoying his time at the hotel, but there's no doubt that a part of him thinks that he ought to be doing something more. It feels too easy, just to relax here and do things when there are things he needs to do at home. Sukuna is waiting for him to come back, and he has to deal with it. He has to save Fushiguro. At the same time...

Fushiguro is here. Yuji wants to keep that part of him safe, to give him the strength to overcome Sukuna in the future, with the weight of all the sadness and the hurt they're going through. He wishes he could take that pain and that hurt for Fushiguro and carry it himself, but... That's not something he has the power to do, and it hurts.

He wants to be strong enough, but he isn't.

Nodding, he curls into Fushiguro, just a little, drawing on his strength for now. ]

I'll do my best.

[ It's a start, at least, that the other boy isn't trying to lie or put on a cheerful front. He doesn't know if Itadori will ever tell him the truth, but he wants to be here for him and looking out for him regardless. Megumi stays there, shifting slightly closer and leaning into the other boy as well. Seriously, what in the world is happening back home? ]

You always do. [ They can have this quiet moment for as long as the other boy needs. But Megumi also knows that his friend does better when being distracted with a task to do, so he'll change the topic shortly after. ]

Do you want to show me around?

[ Yuji is terribly tired; it makes sense, after everything he has been through, the weight baring down on him. Anyone else might have given up, but it's as Sukuna said: he has an unshakable resolve, a soul that cannot be broken, and it means he will keep fighting. He will do whatever it takes to make sure that he can save Fushiguro, no matter what the cost.

Sighing softly, he slaps his hands down on his legs and nods, slowly rising to his feet so he doesn't nudge Fushiguro too much. ]

Sure! There's not much to see, but I can show you where Nanamin and Gojo-sensei are if you want.

I've already found Nanami-san. [ He can also hit up Gojo easily, because he's seen a username on the contact list that looks suspiciously like his. ]

I meant -- the places you like to go to. [ For fun? They were having a heavy conversation before, so Megumi is trying to lighten things up. ]

Oh, you did? [ Yuji wilts, but only a little. He’d been excited to see two of his favourite people meet up again, but that’s fine too! He can make this work! Nodding his head, he stretches his arms above his head and hums.

Where does he like to go…? ] I guess there’s the place with the mushrooms that Rowan-san took me too, and Nanamin is on a beach floor… and the food?

We should probably let Nanami-san know beforehand if we're going to visit him. [ What if they're imposing by showing up unannounced? Or he has something important he needs to do? Megumi respects the older man, so he also respects his time.

The place with the mushrooms, though. There's a slight lift of the brow. ] There's a mushroom farm here?

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