funnyhearts | TEST DRIVE MEME 003

TEST DRIVE MEME 003

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. SHALL WE DANCE, SHALL WE FLY

Those of you hoping to make use of The Pool of Tears today are in for a disappointment — it appears to have been shut down for the day to make room for a special event! Dozens of small vehicles that resemble pink flamingos are parked along the grounds by the pool, and others are being flown above it with varying levels of skill.

People wearing name tags identifying them as guest instructors mingle around the parked vehicles to offer lessons on how to fly the flamingos. They'll also allow the flamingos to be checked out to be used for recreation, regardless of whether the person checking them out has had flying lessons or not.

Why is this taking place in the pool area and not outdoors, you may ask? Why, because a crash landing in water is so much softer on the bones than on solid land, of course.

Or perhaps you were hoping to spend some time at the Caucus-Race, making use of the hotel's private gym. It seems that, too, had been taken over for an event — dance lessons! There are more guest instructors there to lead dances of all kinds, from groups to couples to private instruction. Even if you didn't intend to partake of them when you came here, you may find yourself bustled away and facing your partner for the lesson before you know it.

Still another handful of guest instructors have set up in the Mad Tea-Party, offering a variety of art lessons — from paintings to drawing to pottery to glassblowing! Have a glass of wine, or something stronger, and try your hand at one! Anyone who chooses to do so will get to keep whatever masterpiece they produce.

II. WE TRADE IN FAVORS

The guest instructors aren't the only ones visiting the hotel today. It seems some traveling merchants have come to pitch their wares, and they've set up shop in the hotel lobby. There's display cases of delicately crafted jewelry, all manner of glassware, bolts of fabric, boxes of precious stones and crystal.

Why come to them when you can get what you need for free from the hotel's boutique? There's just no comparison when it comes to exquisite craftsmanship, of course, or the quality of their raw materials. But should you need a reason beyond that — there's something a little magical about their wares. This necklace is spelled to ward off evil, that circuit will grant clear thought, anything made from this bolt of cloth will always keep the wearer perfectly warm or cool, carrying that crystal will give a boost of healing or luck.

They deal only in trade. Teas, if you have them, will fetch the highest price and get you the most unique items. If you don't happen to have a tea, you're not out of luck — they will also accept favors. Perhaps they will ask you to convince someone else to make a purchase as well, perhaps they will send you on a hunt for a specific item. Perhaps they will ask you for something more intangible, like the shape of a smile or the salt of tears. Not your own, of course, you must inspire them in someone else. Hopefully there's someone nearby who can help you with that.

III. SECRET MESSAGES

By your second or third pass around the hotel, after all the visitors have left, you may notice something that looks a little out of place. A loose rock in the otherwise solid structures of the pool area, a shimmer of green tucked in among all the white abstract sculptures in a hallway, an odd knot in the wood of a bench or chair somewhere in the hotel.

No members of the staff seem to have noticed it so far, but for that to remain the case you'll have to work quickly — and work together. Maybe the rock is up too high for one person to reach, maybe the sculptures are too heavy for one person to move, maybe someone needs to stand guard or distract the hotel staff while the other pries out the wood knot.

All those who succeed in retrieving the piece of heavy green paper hidden away will find the same message: a drawing of a caterpillar, accompanied by a series of numbers and the words call a friend.

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?

Anyone who participates in the second prompt will receive an item with a minor enchantment of their choosing! For players apping in this round, you can include it in your list of items. Current players can reply to the second comment on this page to receive approval of their enchanted item. Please direct any questions to the first comment on this page, and happy playing, Oysters!

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She blinks a little in confusion to his reaction, unsure why he reacted in such a way.

"Wedding?" Give her a moment to put two and two together. "I think I know what that is. But what do you have to figure out?"

"The most important thing to decide on is the date. It has to be a date that will be full of good fortune. And then there is what we are going to wear, who will come and what we will be doing besides our vows."

There is actually a lot more that goes into it then Wei Wuxian had expected and it all makes his head whirl a little. He's lucky that Lan Wangji is mostly taking the lead with it.

"Dates bring fortune? I didn't know that." Huh, the more you know. "Well, you definitely have to dress up. Maybe a flower in your hair, one that accents your eyes to make them stand out more." She suggests, studying his face.

"One that isn't too big and have a vine attached to it. Around this size perhaps." She holds up her palm and idly traces a size, but then blinks before blushing and look away. "Sorry... that was bold of me."

So much blushing due to embarrassment. "What do Beorcs do at weddings?"

"A flower..?" He actually is curious about that. A flower in the hair would actually be very similar to how he had drawn Lan Wangji the first time. He holds out of a piece of a paper to her, "Would you draw what you are thinking of?"

He only knows a little about weddings, having not really been to one himself. "Typically the bride would be wearing a red veil. The wedding clothes will most likely all be red and gold. As for the wedding..we are hoping to have food and dancing for everyone to enjoy."

She blinks when he goes to hold out a piece of paper to her and she goes to blush quite a bit and shakes her head. "I... I am not really good at art, my apologies, Wei Wuxian." So much embarrassment. "If I had my abilities... I could grow it for you."

Her blush doesn't fade as she just goes to think for a moment. "You would defintely need to find one with soft looking petals, maybe a couple of teardrop flowers to tuck to the side of it. The flower itself maybe either a purple or blue to go with your eyes." She then realizes something. "Ah, I didn't think of it. Males probably don't want flowers in their hair."

Though the subject of what happens at weddings causes her to ponder a little. "Well, with the hotel you won't really have to worry about feeding people. I am sure that there will be plenty who will want to dance at it. Red and gold?"

Edited 2020-08-13 03:08 (UTC)

He lowers the piece of paper back down and starts to sketch as she describes the flower. He then starts to draw his face around it as if needing the visual of what it might look like. Since it is just a rough sketch he is working surprisingly quickly and it begins to take shape.

"The hotel should be able to give us all the food we can possibly want so that will definitely help. Otherwise I could see Lan Zhan trying to cook it al himself."

He was really good at drawing. Not only did he draw her so beautifully but watching him draw a sketch of the flower and then of his face so quickly.

"You are really good at drawing..."

She goes to listen to him and nods her head. "I can guess that my lord Lan Zhan is a good chef?"

"I enjoy drawing. I'm glad you think I have skill at it!" He is rather proud of his abilities. There are a lot of things he is good at by drawing is kind of a fun hobby and he likes that people seem to appreciate his pictures.

"You probably shouldn't call him Lan Zhan...Lan Wangji is his courtesy name. Lan Zhan is more...personal." He doesn't want her to meet him and then suddenly get glared at for using the wrong name. "But he is a very good cook. He just doesn't do it often."

"It is the truth, judging by how you not only drawn me but also yourself based on what I said about the flower." She coos and smiles. "You don't have to entertain this one's idea, especially for your wedding outfit."

She blinks and birdie head tilts. "Lan... Wangji?...." She ponders what he said. "So Lan Zhan is reserved for only those he deems close to him." Good thing to remember. "Perhaps one day, the goddess will bless me to be able to taste his cooking."

"Since I don't know much about weddings I want to make sure I get as many ideas as I can. I think Lan Zhan would like it if I had a flower."

He adds a veil, draping it elegantly around his head and making it look like the flower is part of it. Since the one thing he does know is that he is likely going to be wearing a veil.

"I hope you get to try it too!"

Okay, she couldn't help but to giggle a little and shake her head. "But you know so much more about them than one as myself."

She watches him add more details to the picture. "That looks beautiful.... But wouldn't you want to look more manly?"

A small but firm nod of her head. "Perhaps one day soon I will!"

"Ah well..for the weddings where we are from the woman wears a veil over his head and covering her face when they perform their wedding bows. And..for this wedding I am in the role of the 'wife'." He had been a little embarrassed about it at first but now he doesn't mind it.

"So I will have a red veil that matches the rest of my wedding clothing."

"Ah, so for your wedding it would be okay for you not to be manly. Wedding bows?" So much.... There is so much to the mating ritual of humans compared to Laguz.

"Because red is a good color for brides?" She hopes she recalls correctly as she does want to show she is learning about his ways.

"Lan Zhan will be in all red as well. It symbolizes good luck, happiness and prosperity."

He doesn't mind teaching her as much as he knows about the weddings. Even if his knowledge is limited. "And we bow three times. The first bow is to pray to heaven and earth, the second to honor our parents, and the third to show respect to each other."

Technically they have already done two the three but were interrupted..

"I bet the both of you would look rather handsome wearing red."

She was like a sponge, absorbing any bit of knowledge he was willing to give her. Her wings perked up as he explains the bows. "Are they like the bows you did earlier towards me or are they a special type of bow?"

"A little different. We will be kneeling on the ground and will bow to the earth. It's the greatest form of respect we can give." There is a lot more to it but even he is a little fuzzy on exactly what traditions they are going to be following for their wedding.

She blinks before giggling a little. "So when you bowed to me, you were giving me respect, even a small amount?" She moves to nudge him a little with a wing. "What does it look like?"

He doesn't see any harm in showing her so he goes down on his knees. "The one from before it also a sign of respect. But this is how we will do it at the wedding." Before he starts though he holds up his hands, "But this isn't an engagement or anything!" Just so that he is clear before lower his hands to the ground and then bowing low until his forehead touches it.

Her wings perked up but then she couldn't help but to giggle as he quickly clears the air. "Awwww but I was looking forward to another proposal from you." She couldn't help but to tease a little. This... This was nice to be able to relax like this, though she knew that everyone would be disappointed in her for being this relax.

With her giggles gone, she goes to watch him bow the formal bow. It felt completely different than the one he did earlier. She goes to smile as she watches him before mimicking it in the air to try and get it right without any misunderstandings.

He sits back up with a smile and then pushes up to his feet. "So we do three of those at the wedding." And hopefully no one will interrupt them this time.

She goes to take a step back as he gets back to his feet in order to give him some space. "I can see how each bow is special. But if one of the is for your parents, are they here? If not, how are you to do that bow?"

"The bow will be..for their spirits or their memory. My parents are dead so I'm bowing to them wherever they might be. They don't have to be physically here to receive the bow."

Lan Wangji has family here at least but his parents are also dead. Somewhere they will be looking down on them on that day.

"I... I am sorry to hear that, Wei Wuxian. I am sure that they are happy and smiling for you, finding love like this. You are doing them proud by making them a part of your wedding and honoring them with that bow." She goes to coo softly and gently, moving a wing to try and brush his cheek to give him some comfort.

He smiles softly a she comforts him, "Thank you. It's okay..they have been gone for a long time. I lost them when I was just a small child. I'm sure they will smile down at us on that day and that is enough for me."

She still coos and tries to give him comfort. "Even if it has been a long time... The pain can still be there." She gives him a gentle but sad look. "As long as you keep them alive in your heart, they will always be with you, giving you their blessings."

She goes to briefly close her eyes. "My... My parents also died, when I was weaned off of my mother was when it happened."

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