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

[scaredofdogs]

He casually draws out the map with the rough number of steps as they reach each noticeable change in architecture.

"Are there any that we need to be careful of if we do go outside?" Because if this place has dangerous creatures..it might also have dangerous plants. It's good to be prepared.

[billowing]

"Yes, several of these are poisonous." He tries to recall which ones are, and double-checks to make sure he's got them memorized.

"Touching this one will give you a rash," he adds, holding up the book to show Wei Ying poison ivy.

[scaredofdogs]

He stares at the picture of the plant, trying to commit it to memory. Which is hard considering it just looks like a plant..

"Definitely don't want to find that one...I really hope they get to let us go outside..and there isn't just some sort of indoor forest in this hotel somehwere."

[billowing]

That would be awful if they put them into an indoor forest and it still had poison ivy.

"In any case, I will be there to let you know what not to touch or eat."

[scaredofdogs]

He smiles up at him, "The great Hanguang-Jun will protect me." An indoor forest full of poison ivy and a Jabberwocky..sounds about right for this place. And he still doesn't even know what a Jabberwocky is.

"You are going to have a lot of reading to do then. There was a lot of books in that place."

[billowing]

"Between the other Wangji and I, we will have it covered." He assumes that some of the other guests can come help too, especially Xichen, and probably the two that speak all those languages.

"As long as we are here, Wei Ying needs not worry." Oh he has no idea how much he'll regret saying this in a few days.

[scaredofdogs]

He goes back to his map now that they have reached the noisy area of the hotel. He really never steps foot in the casino part any more. He has no desire to play games he knows he will win. But for the sake of the map, he will endure the noise. It's even worse then the headaches he gets from too much spiritual energy at once.

"Maybe I'll still be able to transform and I can become a bird and fly over all the dangerous stuff."

[billowing]

That would be quite convenient, and he'd always hoped that Wei Ying would reincarnate as a bird, in the time he'd thought him to be dead and gone forever.

"If you become a bird, you will have to learn how to fly first." But he's sure that the two winged individuals could help teach him. He does hope Wei Ying can keep this power.

[scaredofdogs]

"Ah..That is true. It's a little different from learning how to hop as a bunny or climb like a lizard. I'll have to practice."

He still hasn't quite figured out how long he gets to enjoy the effects of the teas. But at least now he has something new he can try to figure out with it.

"If you could have a power that is new to you, what would you want?"

[billowing]

He thinks about it, and then finally he says: "I would like to be able to bring us home. And then perhaps I could visit you, and you could visit me."

Always so practical. No fun.

[scaredofdogs]

That actually feels like a rather nice power to have. As Wei Wuxian thinks about it, he realizes that the minute any of them go home the chances of seeing their other selves again becomes unlikely. And that is a terribly sad thought. To have the ability to jump between the two places, seems rather nice.

"I like it. I want to visit your home and see you whenever I want." And see his own again. Definitely a useful power.

[billowing]

He looks at Wei Ying and offers a sweet, small smile. He doesn't want not to see him anymore, either. Once they return home, he'd like to be able to visit. See that other world so close to his own.

"We won't see each other every day," he does warn.

[scaredofdogs]

"I know..we'll be much busier on our own worlds too." Not like the freedom of the hotel where they don't really have any obligations. That will all change when they go back.

"But you said you and your Wei Ying part ways for awhile, right? I could visit you so you don't miss him too much." Even if it isn't every day like they can here, at least being able to see each other occasionally rather then never again would be better.

[billowing]

He stops reading for a moment, to turn back to face Wei Ying, and gently caresses his cheek with the back of his hand.

"I'd like that."

Wei Ying can keep him company, as he goes out to convince the others of his innocence.

He could do that.

[scaredofdogs]

He reaches up and catches that hand so that he can keep it against his cheek longer. "Then it is agreed. We will have to hope someone comes with that power. And since I look different, no one will know who is actually by your side and visiting!"

It actually works out in their favor a little bit. And he even has a name he can give if someone asks! How convenient.

[billowing]

He is about to say that Mo Xuanyu's family should know what he looks like, but he isn't planning to visit the Mo family anytime soon, after having technically walked off with Mo Xuanyu already.

"What will happen when I visit you?"

[scaredofdogs]

"My Lan Zhan already knows you exist so you don't really have to worry about him. We just coordinate so you both aren't in the same place at once. It's a little harder since I don't know what happens for us..You know so much more then we do."

He wonders how much their future differs from the events that this Lan Wangji has already lived through. Or if they are different at all.

[billowing]

"He won't mind having to share?" he asks, just a little bit skeptical. That would be rather generous, since he knows he gets jealous from time to time.

But he knows now that their hearts are built for one person, but if that one person happens to be two distinct people, things get complicated.

[scaredofdogs]

"He already said it's okay that I like you on this world, why would that change back on our own?" He doesn't seem worried about it at all but he also doesn't truly understand the depths of Lan Wangji's jealousy. But the other has never given him a hard time about how he spends his time with this version. And he's well aware of the fact that they see each other basically every day.

[billowing]

He remembers that Wei Ying had said this, but he still doesn't know if he can believe it. They can continue walking, researching, mapping. "We can talk about it later," he says, with finality.

[scaredofdogs]

He nods and looks back down at this map, "Once this area is mapped..the next is the food and bar areas." He looks at the map. It's a little messy right now but he'll make sure to do a nice clean version to post somewhere public.

[billowing]

He follows along in tow, head still in the books, occasionally steadying himself on Wei Ying's shoulder.

"This will not work. There are repeats."

[scaredofdogs]

"Repeats?" He stops walking and looks up at him again. "What do you mean?"

[billowing]

"This plant. I've already read about it in the last book." Which means there are probably not as many as he had thought, but he would still have to go through all of them in case some had one or two the others missed.

[scaredofdogs]

He frowns and thinks about all the books in that room. "So that means there might not be that many plants out there?" That seems hard to believe..unless he really does have to fear that the plants are just what are inside the hotel. In which case..time to avoid touching all plants to make sure he doesn't encounter the rash one.