TEST DRIVE MEME 002

[happyheartsstaff]

HAPPY HEARTS HOTEL

You wake up in a padded box. It rocks, gently, as though suspended in mid-air. You begin to stir, confusion or distress pushing you to try to sit up — and then the air begins to smell sweet, and you fall back asleep.

You wake up in a padded box. For a moment, you are beatifically calm. You don't know how you got here, or why, but that isn't really all that important. You don't need to know where you are. You're just... here. And here is a wonderful place to be.

But there is a niggling suspicion growing in the back of your mind. A suspicion that here is not somewhere you wanted to be. That it is not where you're supposed to be. You remember... chasing a white rabbit (or was it a person)? A mirror? Bright light, and green ivy crawling over your skin... Before you can worry too much, the box jolts, and then settles, and after a long moment the walls fall from around you to reveal —

A hotel lobby?

"Welcome to the Happy Hearts Hotel and Casino," says an attendant behind a desk. "We're so pleased you could join us. We have your room keys and Empathies here, please make an orderly line and we'll hand them out once we've confirmed identities. After that, feel free to explore the hotel! We highly recommend starting with the casino. Everyone's a winner here in Happy Hearts!"

Is this normal? It doesn't feel normal. And hey — you could swear you had shoes before!

I. THIS IS OUR GET ALONG SHIRT

You haven't been at the hotel long when you run into another Oyster. Hardly unusual for the hotel, after all. But there's something about this person, something that draws you in. Do you know them? Perhaps they're from your world, perhaps you've seen them around the hotel before, or perhaps you've never met at all?

No matter. Hopefully you enjoy this person's company, because suddenly you're unable to go more than a few feet away from each other. Maybe it's like a cord that snaps you both back together when you try, invisible but somehow there all the same. Maybe it's a feeling, a desire to stay together, a fear of being apart. Maybe it's physical pain when you're separated, and the sensation of comfort or pleasure when you're together. Maybe it's any combination of the above.

Whatever it is, looks like you'll be getting to know each other very well. The connection doesn't appear to be going away any time soon.

II. HONORARY STAFF FOR A DAY

It seems the hotel is a little short-handed at the moment. Why? Oh, no particular reason. These things happen to every establishment, of course. But since you're here, would you mind lending a hand? It's a two person job, and the staff member giving out assignments is just far too busy to help. Find a partner and report to your assigned area! They're preparing for something very exciting the Queen is putting on for guests. And of course, you'll be rewarded for your assistance.

There are a number of possible tasks that you could be assigned to.

Perhaps you'll be asked to assist with food preparation. You and your partner will be granted temporary access to the back area of the buffet to work with the kitchen staff — you can cook, can't you? Well. Perhaps you can put together some sandwiches. It will soon be clear that the food you're helping to prepare is all things that would be perfect for a picnic. Staff members will cheerfully inform anyone asking questions that the food is for the Queen's special surprise.

Or perhaps you'll be put to work sorting and cataloging a large inventory of items. Sleeping bags, tarps, pillows, toiletries, first aid kits, fire starting materials; all must be counted and sorted. A staff member will hand out a number of backpacks, and request that each be packed with one of every item. Not to worry about the size — each pack will have exactly enough room to store all the items.

Still others may be placed in a room lined with bookcases overflowing with books and loose leaf pamphlets. Examination of these will find that all are related to identifying native Wonderland plant life. Some are about edible plants, some discuss those that are medicinal, or poisonous, or likely to try to eat you should you get too close. Buried in all of that, you may even stumble across a particular poem. You will be given heavy card paper, pens and water colors, and tasked with condensing the information into portable, easy to read info packets.

At the end of the work shift, anyone who assists will have the expressed gratitude of the staff members they supported. They will also find an additional item from home, aside from what they were carrying with them, waiting for them in their room.

III. TIME TO UNWIND

What better way to unwind after a long day of work than with a massage? A staff member will hand you a token for the hotel spa. Yes, yes, all services are free, but this is an enhanced service. Premium massage oils, access to a relaxing tea, the devoted attention of the most skilled massage therapist, all for you.

When you arrive to take advantage of the offer, you'll find another Oyster waiting there as well. Did the staff member not mention it was a couple's massage? Oh dear, it must have slipped their mind. Or perhaps they just assumed, given how so many of you Oysters seem to be in pairs. Well, you're both here, you might as well take advantage of it.

Or perhaps something that gets the heart pumping is more to your speed than relaxation. A staff member may excitedly tell you about a rave occurring at the The Rabbit Hole nightclub. Invitation only, of course, but the staff member is happy to tell you the code to get in.

There is indeed a party in full swing at the club that night. Live music, flashing lights, alcohol flowing freely, the works. You may find that the alcohol packs more of a punch than you're used to. You may even find that drinks that are supposed to be nonalcoholic, ones that you've had before in other parts of the hotel, suddenly pack quite a punch as well.

It's all in the name of enjoying yourself, right? Hopefully you won't be too hungover in the morning.

IV. WELCOME HOME

Maybe you just want to be alone — well, that's what you have your room key for! Oysters room on the second and third floors of the hotel, one to a room. You were assured your room would be exactly what you'd always wished for — and for some, that's right! It's exactly as you would have decorated it yourself. But for others, their rooms are totally wrong. A grizzled cowboy can't have a pink room! Hotel staff are firm, though: every room is exactly as its owner wants it to be. Search your feelings, Oyster. You know it to be true.

On each bed are the Oysters' personal effects, minus weapons, as well as a towel folded in the shape of a heart, and a single foil-wrapped chocolate. If eaten, the chocolate is delicious, and incites a feeling of tender warmth in Oysters — not lust, but a desire for closeness. Why spend time in your room, when you could go find a new friend in the casino?

For purposes of the TDM, you're welcome to play with having more than one linked partner! If you choose to app in the next round after playing on the TDM, there will be an extra add on to the application for you to claim your additional item from home. Please direct any questions to the first comment on this page, and happy playing, Oysters!

PREMISE RULES FAQ TAKEN RESERVES APPLICATION MOD CONTACT HIATUS & DROPS WORLD INFO NPCS CALENDAR AC REWARDS

© tessisamess

Comments

[metalicarus]

He barely even registered who else was around when he'd spoken, but the response draws his attention up and he offers a small smirk.

"Field rations taste better than anything I can throw together." His smirk widened. "Even the Vomelet." Which tasted about as good as it sounded, but Jet had been living with his own creative kitchen disasters long enough to be self-aware.

He waited for one of the normal staff to pass by -while not even pretending to be busy- and then glanced back to his companion-in-hell. "Do you think they'd change their minds if I set off the fire alarms?"

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Oh, now that response makes Sam's smile widen a little. He'd been joking around, yeah, but he hadn't really expected the guy to know what he was talking about beyond the general knowledge that military food has a reputation for not being all that great.

He waits for the staff to pass, too, equally unconcerned about pretending he's doing something - although he's at least got a little flour smudged one arm from the dough he'd been making earlier - and gives a little laugh at that question.

"If it's that bad, they might consider that a mercy. But with the luck I've had so far here, their fire alarms are the kind that just flood the room."

[metalicarus]

That sounded terrible and Jet made a face to reflect he thought as much. Not that he had any issues with water, but he wasn't really looking to get doused right now. "That sounds about like my luck right now too."

He looked at his table and found the best example he could: a spice bottle whose name he recognized but couldn't even begin to guess the use for. Jet grabbed it and turned to hold it up for his new friend to see. "This?" He glanced at it again and then looked back to Sam. "Cumin. I know I've heard the name, but if someone said my life depended on using this thing to cook, I'd be dead."

His smirk turned even more into a smile as he cocked a brow at the other man. "Help a guy out? For the rest of us, if not for them, we're supposedly going to be eating whatever shit I try to make."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

"Welcome to Wonderland, apparently, where they steal your shoes and put you right to work trying to give people food poisoning."

Among other things - but he sticks to joking right now, keeping it light. Both because he's not about to go into theories about their kidnapping with staff present, and because he's pretty sure the guy just got here.

There's another little laugh at that - Sam would've helped out anyway, but the guy's got a good point about everyone having to eat what they make.

He reaches out to take the bottle of cumin from him, offering him a tomato instead.

"How are you at chopping and mixing?"

[metalicarus]

Jet gave a small laugh at that. He appreciated the humor. As much as he wanted to maybe talk shop with someone who'd been here longer, get a feel for the place and how he might start working towards getting out of here, Jet was still reeling a little.

He'd realized he'd spent nearly three decades angry at his family for no good reason, tried to make amends, died in the process, been resurrected by actual, literal, God, and awkwardly started the first steps to fixing the bridge he'd burnt himself with the people who mattered most all in the last two days.

And now he was here and they'd likely thought he'd flown off again. The humor was needed.

His smile fell into an amused grimace and he shrugged, but took the tomato. Equal parts relief and skepticism played in his voice. "I think: as long as everything's in the bowl when I'm mixing, I'll manage. And as for cutting, I'll do my best not to lose a finger."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Sam's only been here around two months - only, damn, putting a number to it makes it feel like it's been both too damn long and no time at all - but he's already had enough to know that while it's probably not the worst situation he's been in, it's pretty bad.

Humor helps him, too, especially since he's still in the process of trying to find people he can trust enough to have his back while they try to get out of here.

The only good thing about not having Steve and Nat with him is that it means they're probably trying to find him on the other end.

He slides a knife over the counter, handle towards the other guy, and huffs out another laugh.

"I'm Sam Wilson. Formerly of the US air force," he adds, pretty much just because the guy had expanded on his talk of field rations. "I used to be a medic. I'd say you don't have to worry about cuts, but even at the top of my game I couldn't do anything about a lost finger."

[metalicarus]

Jet takes the knife and abandons his 'station' to just work on the other side of Sam's. He really didn't care if it wasn't what they were supposed to do, they could swallow it. Jet started cutting but he nodded in lieu of a handshake when Sam introduced himself.

"Jet Link. Formerly NSA but, prior to that...choice, former Air Force." It hadn't been much of a choice, really, but that wasn't a conversation he was looking to have right out the gate with someone, even someone who'd probably get it. At least, not while cutting vegetables. Or was this a fruit? He could never remember.

"Sadly, I'd be able to do more if it was a finger, so between the two of us, we should be fine. How long've you been stuck here, Sam?"

[sizeofyourbaggage]

The way he says choice says volumes, if only because Sam's own experience with the military in particular and the US government in general makes him read into it a little.

At the very least, it's more than enough for Sam to drop that line of questioning, at least for the moment - there's no way he's not going to circle back to seeing if he was a pilot - and focus back on their assigned task.

"About two months now. No way out yet, just this hotel throwing - wait, hang on, did you say you could do more about a finger?"

He can't just let that part go, all right, filling Jet in on what he's found is going to have to wait a second.

[metalicarus]

Jet nodded along as he cut and listen, his slices left something to be desired, but they were functional. Then he paused and looked up.

"Um...well, sort of. my finger, not yours, I'm afraid you'd be shit out of luck if it's yours." He says it with some humor in his voice, but not enough to not mean what he was saying.

He visibly hesitated, eyes scanning Sam like he was checking for something as he made up his mind. Sam didn't seem the type to abuse the information and how long was it really going to be a secret when there were holes in the bottoms of his feet and he wasn't even allowed to wear shoes?]

Hold on.

[He set the knife and tomato down and pulled up the sleeve of his shirt enough to show his forearm and the slightly beveled creases there. It wasn't much of a secret to be kept when he's already kidnapped and not dodging world governments.]

I'm not what'd you call all human. Losing a finger for me wouldn't be too bad. Not that it wouldn't hurt like a bitch.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

His half formed thoughts about what kind of abilities Jet's got shift from general healing capabilities to self healing capabilities when he makes the clarification. His hesitation is pretty damn clear, though, and Sam's about to tell him that he doesn't have to explain further when he seems to come to a decision.

Huh. Not quite just self healing then.

Sam shifts just a little bit closer to get a better look - he's not even going to ask if he can touch at the moment, that'd be just damn rude even if Jet hadn't seemed hesitant just to show him - but he's not going to pretend like he isn't curious.

"That's - pretty awesome, man. You're not alone here, either, I've met a couple of people who aren't exactly human."

bri!!! you didn't tell me i switched formats!!!

[metalicarus]

Jet only shrugs, not entirely sure what to do with that sort of reaction. Once upon a time, the reactions ranged from repulsion to confusion to outright denial, then he'd spent nearly thirty years with most of the people who would find out anyway already low-key knowing, from his squadron to his superiors. Beyond that, no one who needed to know did.

It was kind've...nice, on second thought. Jet smiled.

"Yeah? That's good to know. There aren't a whole lot like me back home, just my family."

But talking about them was still...weird.

"What about you, Sam? You one of those people or are you normal?"

Hopefully he wouldn't take that wrong, Jet didn't mean 'normal' as bad. Really, more the opposite. But the subject was on the table and he was curious.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Oh, Sam's got so many questions about that family - not in the least being what kind of family Jet means, because Sam's no stranger to surrounding yourself with people who're like you and becoming an unexpected family.

But he doesn't ask - at least, not yet - because it doesn't seem like Jet really wants to talk about them. Instead, he rolls with the question, turning it back on himself.

Here would normally be the part where Sam'd deflect, make a joke about hey, what's normal anyway, and follow it up with an assertion that nah, he's just human. Before joining the Avengers, everything'd been top secret, after all, and the couple of years that he spent in the public spotlight weren't enough to override that - especially not when they'd been followed by being a fugitive.

But Jet had shared with him, despite his hesitation, and that - means something.

"Guess that depends on your definition of normal. I'm all human, far as I know, but I got some unique skillsets. While back I was tapped for testing out some experimental tech, and now I'm pretty much the only one left who can still use it worth a damn. The family I found for myself, they, uh. They weren't the same as me, but we all had something. People called us superheroes, for a while."

They still do, maybe, but that's not something Sam wants to go into. So instead he huffs out a dry laugh.

"Not that it matters here. They took my wingpack when they brought me here same as they sealed other people's abilities."

[metalicarus]

Jet nodded in understanding. Sounded like a similar story. Similar enough, anyway. Right down to the idea of being superheroes for 'for a little while.' Up until they decide you're too powerful together and force you to split apart.

Maybe they had more in common than Jet initially realized.

Jet grinned, already a lot more at ease with Sam than he'd felt with anyone else here so far. "Air Force, 'special ops,' a super team of a family and we're both grounded...sounds like we got a thing or two similar, Sam."

Jet had noticed that within the first few minutes of arrival, the fact he couldn't access his more personal cybernetic skills. Sure, his HUD was still working and his skin was still synthetic and his organs all different machinery, but his accelerator and jets were disconnected. He'd tried clicking the molar switch when he'd been in the lobby that first day, and it had clunked ineffectually. The HUD had confirmed the disconnect, like someone had gone poking around in his head without his permission. He didn't want to think too much about it.

"For the record: it matters. Those wings are still yours, even if they took them. I've got jet engines in my legs, part of the whole 'Cyborg Soldier' deal, these guys turned them off somehow. Doesn't change the fact I remember what it's like to have the wind in my hair."