TEST DRIVE MEME 004

[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. TIME TO PARTY

What timing you have, to be arriving at Happy Hearts now! The hotel is bustling, filled to the brim with guests that don't bear the green mark denoting them as Oysters. Hotel staff are equally as busy, catering to the needs of their extra company on top of the Oysters. Musicians arrive in a flurry of fanfare, demanding the attention of everyone in their wake. If the hotel staff are a little more hurried, a little less friendly and accommodating to new Oysters, surely they can be excused, right?

No matter. There's a party to go tonight, the very one that the musicians are here to play at. They set up in the massive pool area, roping off some areas for dancing, others for tables lined with all manner of food and drink. Indulgence teas make an appearance throughout the night. Anyone who drinks one will find themselves with lowered impulse control, lack of restraint, a desire to partake of things they would normally be wary of, giving into their particular vices much more frequently, etc.

If you intended to miss the party, you may find it difficult to ignore. The celebrations spill out of the pool area and into the hotel lobby, the restaurants, the bars, even up onto the floors of the Oysters' rooms. The music is loud enough to be heard anywhere in the hotel, making sleep a difficulty. You might as well enjoy yourself, right? Or perhaps find someone else attempting to avoid the celebration to commiserate with. It will stop some time in the late hours, at least, and all signs of it will be gone the next day.

II. ATTRIBUTABLE TO HUMAN ERROR

Even after the hotel is no longer quite so full, hotel staff always seem in the middle of doing something or other when they're asked for something. There's just not enough time in the day, is there, for everything that must be done? Any Oysters who point out that there seems to be several other staff members mingling about with nothing to do will be met with silence.

But not to worry! All your needs will still be met. The hotel does have its automated customer service system, for times such as these! Computer screens are available at the counter of every store, at every table in the restaurants, at the bar and spa and gym. Calling for room service? Needing more towels at the pool? Want to book a service at the spa or get a drink at the bar? Simply place your request directly with the system, and whatever you desire will be delivered right to you!

There are still some bugs to be worked out, of course. Were those not the clothes you wanted? Oh, dear, perhaps someone else got yours by mistake. You can't even eat whatever type of food was served to you? Better double check the system — and look, what you have in front of you is exactly the order that was placed? Are you sure you're not the one who was mistaken?

A hotel staff member will eventually correct whatever went wrong, should Oysters not being able to sort out the mix up themselves.

III. WERE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

Just when it felt like you were getting the layout of the hotel down — you were getting the layout of the hotel down, weren't you? If you thought so before, you may doubt it now. There was a night club here just last night, wasn't there? And a spa over there, a gym just beyond them? If there ever was, there's certainly no sign of them now. There's only a blank wall, a dead end.

Turning to go back the way you came will be of little help. There is no way you came, just another hallway. And another, and another, until you may find yourself quite hopelessly turned around. If you're lucky, it may not be too long before you run into a helpful member of the hotel staff.

They'll be happy to direct you anywhere you need, of course. "The spa?" they'll say. "Do we have a spa? That's news to me. Oh but we're always adding new amenities, of course, that's one of the joys of the Happy Hearts Hotel and Casino!"

Perhaps you'd like directions back to the lobby? Well, they can certainly provide that. You're not alone, are you? A shame. They're much too busy to escort you back themselves. It's a bit of a maze, during renovations, one always easier to navigate with a friend to keep an eye on things.

It won't take long to realize they mean that literally. The hallways don't move as long as someone's watching them, and it will be much easier to follow the staff's directions back to the hotel lobby with one person to look in front and one behind. Hopefully you'll find someone else just as lost as you are.

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?

All hotel amenities on the world info page are available except for the nightclub, the gym, and the hotel spa. 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

[shootthesun]

[ Meng Yao. Of course. Of course. At least Xichen was here too. ]

Not Jin Guangyao.

[ Lan Wangji has always been the specific sort, one to use only as many words as were necessary, but it pays to understand. ]

The juniors - are they well?

[billowing]

Mn. For now, they are safe.

[ He doesn't think he needs to tell Nie Mingjue this place is dangerous - he can see for himself. That the Twin Jades have been stuck here for months should at least, tip him off a little bit. ]

You must know: they have read our memories. And they speak our languages. They are using spirits to hear whatever it is we say to each other.

[shootthesun]

So we have no secrets, and there is little point to trying to hide.

[ Very well. Secrets were never his style to begin with. ]

Those who watch us - have they chosen to act on the knowledge they've stolen?

[billowing]

So far, only benevolently.

[ Except for the part where the Queen shaded his relationship with Wei Ying, but that's not something that Nie Mingjue needs to know, nor cares about. ]

But I do not anticipate they will be so kind indefinitely.

[shootthesun]

No, not if they've held you all captive and continued to collect more. Whatever they're waiting on, it can't stretch on forever.

[ The Wen had not been able to resist pressing their bounds. He can't see someone capable of outright taking those they want doing anything less. ]

But for now, you are all intact?

[billowing]

More or less. One of the Wei Yings died and returned. Xiongzhang lost an arm. It has been reattached.

[ This is honestly the most words Lan Wangji has spoken in a few years give him a little big of a break, Chifeng-zun. ]

[shootthesun]

[ He's never heard the Lan Wangji of his world say so many words in one given sentence. Truly, evidence that other worlds are real, rather than strange fiction. ]

And yet all is well.

[ He shakes his head. ]

I would work with you to return to our homes.

[billowing]

I would expect nothing less.

[ He does trust Chifeng-zun, after all. And perhaps he could take over for the song of calming. ]

[shootthesun]

Shall we seek an exit to these endless halls?

[ Glancing at their surroundings, as irritatingly indecipherable as before. A wall he wasn't keeping an eye on has extended into a long hall. ]

[billowing]

We may meet only disappointment, but if you are prepared, I am ready.

[ He reaches over and punches the wall, attempting to break through it to get a shortcut. He's unsuccessful. ]

[shootthesun]

I am ready.

[ More than ready, if it will mean getting out of this tangle of endless halls. He tries for one of the many doors, ramming his shoulder against it to see if it will open. It doesn't. ]

[billowing]

[ Just then, a door appears where there was none before, and Lan Wangji rushes to go get it.

As soon as he touches the handle, it disappears.

He punches the wall. ]

[shootthesun]

[ The walls refuse to crumble, the doors refuse to open - the doors refuse to stay in place, even, gone between one blink and the next, gone with every twist of the head - ]

This isn't working. There has to some logic to this - we need to understand it.

[billowing]

There is none.

This part is temporary. We just need to suffer through it.

[ Which means he's opening the next available door and holding it for Nie Mingjue. Whereever it goes. ]

[shootthesun]

Then let's get on with the suffering.

[ And he walks through the door, ready to suffer what may come. Including walking into a wall, if the doors decide to get funny. ]

[billowing]

[ They find themselves in the gym, which is appropriate enough for Nie Mingjue but honestly Lan Wangji isn't trying to be here. ]

...Have you been given the tour?

[shootthesun]

Only if the tour consists of only the walls, pool, and restaurants.

[ A pause, as he both inspects the area and considers his own words. ]

Which, I suppose it may. This is an area for training?

[billowing]

Yes.

[ And occasionally, learning dances. Nie Mingjue does not have to be around for the dancing part. ]

They have weighted machines. You may find it useful.

[shootthesun]

I may. And the mirrors to watch and correct form?

[ A useful area indeed. He anticipated spending much time not attempting escape in this room. ]

[billowing]

Yes. The staff will even offer to be there to help you lift a weight, if it is too heavy. They call it a spotter.

[ Very useful invention, even if Lan Wangji and Nie Mingjue both know their limits, but they can push further without fear. ]

[shootthesun]

A curious thought, but useful, for some of these contraptions.

[ Because some of these objects are bizarre and strange - and others hold weights that would put even his strength to a test. ]

[billowing]

Usually, it is on the tenth floor.

If you need to find it later.

[ But for now? Yeah, um. Sorry Nie Mingjue, he has no good advice. ]

Should we continue?

[shootthesun]

Let's continue. Eventually, we'll have to find a way to familiar grounds.

[ He never thought he'd get to the point of wanting to be back in that packed lobby but... ]

[billowing]

Mm.

It will be important you know where the dining hall is.

[ Those are really... the places that they need. Besides their rooms. ]

[shootthesun]

Yes, it will.

[ A dining hall, with open access to food? Rare for prisoners, but what about this was typical? ]

They've provided food suitable to a Lan diet?

[ Vegetarian, he means, and bland, he wouldn't say, though having had a Lan as his best friend for the majority of his life means he's certainly thinking about it... ]