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

[billowing]

Lan Wangji thinks that would be nice, to sleep under stars, to catch fish in a river, to cook it over an open flame. The feel of a fresh breeze against his face, of trees swaying.

He breathes deeply thinking about it.

"For now, it's not promised." And they shouldn't let themselves be disappointed later.

[scaredofdogs]

"I know. But it doesn't mean we can't hope for it. There must be a reason they are doing all of this. I'm sure we will find out soon." For now he is content to enjoy his dreams of being outside.

He settles back down in lan Wangji's arms, "Are all these books about nothing but plants?"

[billowing]

He looks through them, and after awhile, he says, "yes, I believe so." Though there are a few poems, and one is complete gibberish, but he also hasn't taken out his empathy to do any translation.

He doesn't think there's any harm in turning it on to translate something they want them to read about plants though, so he does so to try and scan them through, as it might be important to identify them later on, if they will really go outside.

[scaredofdogs]

"Lan Zhan..get out my pants." He figures if they are going to be in this room it would be easier for him to at least be human. That way Lan Wangji can have his hands free and not have a gray fluff ball in his way. And he knows the man grabbed that article of clothing so at least he won't be naked.

[billowing]

Lan Wangji procures the trousers from his shirt folds, and lays them on the ground, in a pool with the waist and leg holes accessible.

Then he carefully lowers Gui Bei down.

[scaredofdogs]

He hops over to the pants and changes back to human, easily pulling the pants on. The ears still on top of his head as he stands up and stretches. At least now he can find out about the pamphlets too.

"This makes it easier. Now you don't have to worry about holding onto me." He sits down at the table and spreads out a piece of paper.

[billowing]

"Mm," he says, flipping through more of the books on plants and reading it over his empathy.

There are just so many, he doesn't know if he can get through them all today, as fast as he reads.

"Perhaps we should recruit the others."

[scaredofdogs]

"I think the hotel is recruiting everyone already. But maybe if we all come down here at the same time to do this it will go faster." He really doesn't want to help the hotel but if it gives him an excuse to spend time with both Lan Wangji's he is willing to do whatever he has to.

He picks up the brush and starts playing with the water colors again. "Finding anything interesting?"

[billowing]

"There is one passage that isn't translating," he responds, looking at it. "Do you know anyone who knows this language?" Perhaps it has a lot of wordplay or something that is equally untranslatable. Either way, he is only getting absolute gibberish.

He shows it to Wei Ying. It seems to not have anything to do with plants.

[scaredofdogs]

He stares at it, "I wonder if Aziraphale would understand it." That guy has seen and done everything. If he doesn't know it then Crowley might. Between the two of them he thinks they probably know just about the entire world's knowledge.

"Why would there be something that the empathy doesn't understand? If that book is in the hotel..then shouldn't the hotel technology be able to translate it?"

[billowing]

"Let me read it to you. This is what it told me the translation was: ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, and the mome raths outgrabe."

He keeps reading. "It does warn of the Jabberwock, and some bird called the Jubjub." He keeps trying to pass his empathy over it, as if the translation might just need a different angle to process.

[scaredofdogs]

"Jabberwock and Jubjub..." He considers the words. They aren't anything he has ever heard before but he doesn't like the word 'warn' in there in regards to them.

"Creatures to avoid? But I've never heard of species with those names. Do we think that they might live outside the hotel?" If the rest of the books are about the plant life around the hotel then it would also stand to reason that there would be animal life as well.

[billowing]

"Possibly, but I don't see how this helps, if there's no description of what they look like." Hence, why he needed a better translation.

"This Aziraphale," he says, stumbling over how to say his name, "how is his Hanyu? Do you think he'd be able to tell us better than the Empathy?"

[scaredofdogs]

"He didn't seem terribly confident in it but I think he'd be able to figure it out."

He taps the brush against his lips, "I almost with I still had Inquiry.." The spirits might have been able to help him with the answer to what those creatures are.

[billowing]

"Perhaps when you get more tea," he answers. "Do they give it to you at random?" he asks, wondering if they could somehow do something about getting the tea they wanted, when they wanted it.

[scaredofdogs]

"I believe so. I didn't ask for them so it's hard to say when they are going to show up..but maybe I will get lucky." He imagines he will find out soon.

"If either of us get that tea, we should be ready to ask about the creatures. It could be another key to unlocking some of the mysteries of this place." And if there is something dangerous lurking inside the walls instead of outside of them..he wanted to know more.

[billowing]

"Mm," he agrees, thinking what else he'd like to ask if they got Inquiry. "I will have to remember. Jabberwock. Jubjub."

What awkward words. "I will keep looking for them in the text." Maybe there were more illustrations of them.

[scaredofdogs]

"What if you type them in the Empathy. Anytime we have a word we have to remember that we are not familiar with or a question for the spirits..we can put it in this and send it to each other." Just like their conversation with the hearts, the little device will remember it.

[billowing]

He nods and then tries to write it out on the Empathy in the original English, but since he has no idea how to write the letters, it looks uh, interesting. "How is that?"

[scaredofdogs]

He stares at it and shakes his head. Too hard to really understand it that way. "The words are too strange..."

He looks around, wondering if they can just steal the piece of paper with the poem written on it.

[billowing]

"Bring this to your friend to scribe," he orders, handing him the book with the page in it. Hopefully he will know the language...

[scaredofdogs]

He takes the book and looks at it. He then tucks a piece of paper inside of it for the translation. "I'll see if he can help." Once he gets back to his room he will send him a message.

"Hopefully no one notices it missing."

[billowing]

"If they do, we will put it back. Hopefully it won't be gone long."

He is fairly certain it shouldn't take too long to translate, and he will remember what book it's supposed to go in.

Why they didn't just snap a photo with their empathies is. A good question.

[scaredofdogs]

(ooc: I actually looked up whether they could take photos and never found an answer so I assumed they couldn't XD)

"Do you want to read for awhile or should we work on the map?"

Wei Wuxian is content to either paint or work on the map or just relax for awhile. And he can always send the message to Aziraphale while they are there.

[billowing]

"I will read, you can work on the map," Lan Wangji says, as he picks up the books so they can walk if Wei Ying needs.

"You are better at illustrating than I am."