TEST DRIVE MEME 003

[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. 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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© tessisamess

Comments

[scaredofdogs]

He turns his head to rest his cheek against his chest, "Are we going to remember it or will we practice it some more before then?"

[billowing]

"I will remember," he says. "Will Wei Ying need to practice?"

[scaredofdogs]

"I'll probably remember but that doesn't mean I won't try to use the excuse that I will forget just so I can get to dance with you again." He smiles playfully as he draws circles on Lan Wangji's chest with his index finger.

[billowing]

Wangji takes his hand and stays it at his chest, mostly so he doesn't move it any more than he does.

"This is not part of the dance," he answers.

[scaredofdogs]

"See I already forgot the dance! I'll have to relearn it all." He could easily claim that his memory isn't very good and so that he could forget the dance as soon as they leave the room. But it would all be a lie. He very clearly remembers every second of that dance and how it felt. Precious memories with Lan Wangji are ones he is determined to remember every little detail about.

[billowing]

Clever.

"I'll teach it to you again, then. Wouldn't want you to teach your Lan Wangji the wrong thing."

[scaredofdogs]

"I hope I'm as good a teacher as you are Lan Zhan so that the dance turns out well." He is pretty sure that the dances will be slightly different regardless because of the individual personalities involved. Even if both Lan Wangji's dance the same thing, he feels like the slight differences will also be evident. But he is happy to be able to do this particular dance with both of them.

[billowing]

"Mn," he answers, as he holds up his hands to take Wei Ying back into the stance. "Do you remember this part?" he asks, knowing full well that Wei Ying does.

[scaredofdogs]

"I think I might remember." Of course he does. He smiles coyly up at the other man as he gets back into the starting position. "I'll make sure to remember everything this time."

[billowing]

"Of course." He hums a light tune, and starts to move them. It's much nicer, being able to improvise the moves.

"You remember just fine."

[scaredofdogs]

He laughs and gives him a cute expression, "I do..but I still got Lan Zhan to dance with me again anyway." He could have simply asked to dance again but the roundabout way of getting there was more fun.

[billowing]

"I would not deny Wei Ying a dance," he responds, even though he knows Wei Ying is only joking. After all, there are things he wants Wei Ying to know, and if he has to repeat them, so be it.

[scaredofdogs]

"I think there is very little you would deny me." Even if he isn't his soul twin, Lan Wangji still seems willing to do just about anything for him. He isn't sure he can think of a time when he was flat out told no..well perhaps the kiss on the lips but that wasn't really a no and more of a 'we shouldn't.'

[billowing]

"Don't forget that," he responds, because he wants Wei Ying to always come to him with his troubles. Especially since the four of them are to be married, Wei Ying should know.

[scaredofdogs]

They still haven't really figured out how much will have to change when they are all married but Wei Wuxian is hopeful that it isn't going to be much. He likes being able to count on this Lan Wangji and spend time with him just as much as his own.

"I promise I won't forget. And I promise I won't forget the dance either so that we can enjoy it at the wedding."

[billowing]

He leads them into a dance, and says: "You shouldn't forget." Because listen, he's giving Wei Ying some good moves here. He spins Wei Ying around again, pushing him away only to pull him back.

[scaredofdogs]

He laughs as those spins cause his hair and his robes to flair out around him. He enjoys the spins but he also likes the times when Lan Wangji brings him in close too. "We better not wear anything that will make it hard to dance when we get to the wedding."

[billowing]

"Hmm, not too many layers," he resolves.

That way, they can dance all night. Maybe they could just switch off between both pairs of husbands, for added complexity. And it might make both Wei Ying dizzy, in a fun way.

[scaredofdogs]

Wei Wuxian would probably get rather frustrated by anything that doesn't let him run around and do anything he wants to. Having to deal with a lot of long layers would only get in his way. He looks forward to being able to do everything with both Lan Wangji's on that day. Eating and dancing and everything that the day will bring.

"You aren't allowed to drink at the wedding, Lan Zhan. You need to be able to remember the day."

[billowing]

"I would not," he answers. "Alcohol is not served at Lan weddings."

A beat.

"An exception will be made for you."

[scaredofdogs]

For a moment his face held an expression of shock and despair but luckily Lan Wangji fixed it quickly. No alcohol would have certainly put a slight damper on his night. He would have dealt with it but he is definitely happier knowing he won't have to worry.

"You scared me for a moment, Lan Zhan. I don't need to have alcohol to be happy on our wedding day but it will be nice to have it."

[billowing]

"You would have snuck some in," he accuses, but gently. "Though it is true that Lan weddings are severe affairs. We will need to borrow customs from Yunmeng Jiang."

That might be slightly more palatable to their wedding goers.

[scaredofdogs]

He probably would have..Lan Wangji knows him well. But to borrow from the other sect is problematic too. He didn't actually get to see his senior sisters wedding to know exactly what they did..

"I think we need to just borrow from every world so that everyone really will feel included."

[billowing]

"Mm," he responds. "Though I would like to cook for the wedding, if it is possible." He doesn't want to have to eat the food prepared by the hotel at his own wedding, and he'd even learned how to make soup from Shijie.

[scaredofdogs]

"I'm sure that everyone would really love to have your cooking." Even he wants to eat nothing but Lan Wangji's cooking. But he wants that all the time and not just at the wedding.