funnyhearts | TEST DRIVE MEME 004

TEST DRIVE MEME 004

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's what men always say! 'Oh, my hand just slipped!' or 'Oh, but I have to put my hand on your lower back when I go past! It's for balance!' So gross!

[She bristles, even though this is nothing like the situations she described at all, swallowing hard.

She immediately takes a step or two back, shivering in fear.] First I get kidnapped, then there's this stupid loud party so I can't even sleep, and there's guys everywhere... This place is the worst!

[OKay..well those do all sound like things that guys probably do. And he might have been guilty of his own flirtatious mistakes back when he was younger but none of that had happened here.]

Really..I promise I don't intend to do anything. I am engaged.

[he holds up his hands so that she can see where they are at all times and keeps his distance. If she goes around saying that he touched her, his fiance might have one of his jealous moments and he can't have that.]

Ah..This really is a strange time if you just arrived at the hotel. It's not usually this lively.

[Dryly:] Since when has commitment stopped a man's wandering hands or eyes before? [She sniffs derisively. Sorry Wei Wuxian, it's not you...it's her own issues...

Thankfully, she is capable of mostly shelving those in the face of important things like this. Her eyes widen a little as she straightens, seeming to realize that he might know something actually useful] You've been here a while? Wait-- Did you arrive in a weird box thing too?!

Ah well..if it helps, my fiance is also a man and I know his hands definitely won't wander.

[But he is just going to keep staying that safe distance just so that she can at least feel a little more at ease.]

I've been here about four months now. So if you have any questions I would be happy to answer them! I did arrive in those things too.

[Ayana hesitates a little at that, but the information does relax her at least somewhat. Sure there's a chance he's lying or something, but she thinks the club president would be proud of her for choosing to take the chance and believe him.] ...Okay.

[Four months... She furrows her brow, but four months is nothing compared to the literal years some people spent in Mobius. Which, speaking of--]

And this place definitely isn't Mobius, right? You've never heard of an idol--a singer--named Mu?

Mobius? I'm not sure what that is.

[He shakes his head although he does know a singer that is here. Is this another person who fights in space using their voice?]

The only singer I know here is Mikumo. Do you know her?

[Her face falls and she looks dejected, slowly shaking her head.] No, I don’t know her. This is so weird... But—

Ah! [She lights up again, looking down at herself briefly and then back up at him] What do I look like to you? Likes young girl?

[As far as Ayana can tell, she still looks like she’s about 16-17 years old. She hasn’t really gotten the chance to check herself out in any mirrors here lately.]

[This gets a small tilt of his head and a confused look as he quirks an eyebrow. Although he has a shape shift ability and can change into anything he wants, he is pretty sure the hotel hasn't just changed anyone into something they aren't. At least not completely..there was that one time with the drink that made him shrink..]

Yes? Are you not supposed to be? If you aren't there might be a tea around that can fix it..

[If she ate something she wasn't supposed to then there might be something else to fix it.]

[She crosses her arms over her chest, twirling some of her hair around her finger as she thinks, brow furrowed.]

No, it’s just... If this isn’t Mobius, it’s weird I’m still in this body... Something must’ve taken my soul out of Mobius, but maybe not My real-world body...?

[She trails off, muttering. If Aria was around, maybe she could enlighten them. Or at least bullshit something enough to be plausible. She sighs though] I guess it’s not a bad thing to look like this a little while longer though...

[He is slowly growing more confused as she speaks. Whatever Mobius is he wonders if it is dangerous and has her trapped somehow.]

Real world body? What do you mean? So the hotel brought you in a fake body? Why is your soul in Mobius?

[He has met some people from some confusing worlds before but this one is already starting to make his head spin.]

[Ayana looks like she’s not sure what to say for a moment, or if she’s even supposed to. Normally, trying to talk about it could have a negative impact on the ones still under Mobius’s influence. Sort of. But this wasn’t Mobius, probably, apparently? If Aria or the President were here they could explain better, but since neither of them were, Ayana sighs a little.]

Mobius is... a paradise created from the wishes of others—people who want to escape their lives can get taken to Mobius to live in a fantasy. They can look exactly how they want and live their perfect dream lives and escape their traumas.

But it’s just a dream world, where your body is asleep and left behind to waste away while you go play. Some people have been in Mobius for years and years even... But a lot of people have died too if there’s no one to care for their physical bodies left behind.

And you can’t just wake up from it. My friends and I were trying to figure out how to break the dream and send everyone back home, but...

[She looks around, frowning. Of course, this also implies that they were all also trying to run away from their personal responsibilities and their traumas before that decision was made.] But then I ended up here. I don’t know where my friends are, or if I’m the only one who got separated somehow.

[That really is complicated. And for some reason seems to hold some parallels with this place.]

So now you are stuck here trying to do the same thing. Get back home.

[For most of the people he has talked to the hotel is quite different from what they are used to, especially for those from his own world. But for her it is almost like an extension of the one she already knows.]

We've all been trying to figure out how to get home for months and bad things can happen to us here. So you have to be really careful about what you do and where you go. I have one person from my world here and several that come from an alternate version of my world. It makes adjusting a lot easier. I hope there are people here from yours as well. I can try to help you look for them if you want.

[Few people know the hotel better then him. He's been all over everything and even drew a map of it to try and help anyone who might show up new and wonder what is around.]

[She nods, repressing another sigh. It's just the same old thing over and over, wasn't it? Only this time she didn't have the 'Go Home Club' or any of them by her side. She hadn't thought she'd miss even Shogo or Kotaro here, but she'd take even seeing their familiar faces right now.

But she listens, brow slightly furrowed, and tugs at her hair again with a frown.] ...Well, it's not like I didn't spend years in Mobius... What's a couple months here, right? [She tries to keep her voice light, but it's clear she's disappointed.]

Anyone from my-- world [Which is so weird to say] will probably have a uniform that looks similar to mine. Well--The jacket will be the same, at least. I modified mine a little...

[There's a pause and she adds, a tad reluctantly:] ...My name is Ayana.

[He smiles as she offers her name. At least that is an improvement over their encounter a few minutes before. He puts his hands together to make a circle of his arms and bows slightly.]

It's nice to meet you Ayana. I'm Wei Wuxian.

[Of course that introduction probably should also have a little more so she doesn't get terribly confused later about someone with the same name but a different face.]

I have a soul twin here as well. We don't look alike but we have similar memories and the same name. So don't be too confused if you meet him too.

[He studies her wardrobe and considers the others he has met in the hotel.]

I don't recall anyone wearing that uniform but if they just showed up like you then they might still be in the casino or lobby area.

[She can’t say she exactly understands, but she sorta gets it. He’s basically gotta clone running around, right?? Not the weirdest thing she’s had to deal with when she thinks about it, so she nods to show she gets it.]

I don’t know if I want to go into the casino. [It makes her uneasy on principle]

But I guess I could try the lobby again. How often are new people brought in?

It appears to be about once a month around the same time. I've gotten used to sticking around that area to try and help people get settled. I know how hard it is to get used to being kidnapped to this place.

[It isn't an exact science and sometimes it seems some show up a little earlier then others but for the most part he has figured out the flow of things in this place. He has been here long enough to see it happen with regularity.]

So it might be a whole month before I see them again... But what about where I was? They'll definitely notice I'm missing. They might even blame our enemies and trouble might start...

[Well, more trouble. It'd be a problem if they attacked the Musicians without cause and confused the whole issue. It might spark an entirely new set of problems that she's not going to want to deal with.]

I mean, I guess it was just me and not someone a little more important, but still, the President will-- She'll definitely get worried. [...Somehow that idea seems to please her though, Ayana looking a bit perkier at the daydream of Ritsu trying to do everything in her power to get Ayana back.

Probably best not to indulge in those daydreams a bit too much though.]

Apparently time doesn't move back home. I was sent back for a few days and when I got there I didn't remember anything of this place. And I picked up right where I had left off when I left. Then when I was brought back all my memories of here returned. So you don't have to worry about missing out on anything important.

[It was the strangest few days getting used to being here again but he had managed.]

But you do have to be careful that when others from your world show up they might come from a time before you or after you. So the memories might not always match up.

[That's a bit mindboggling too and the baffled look on her face reflects her feelings on the matter clearly.]

What... Ho is that even... What kind of thing is in charge of this place that it's powerful enough to do that? How are we supposed to fight something like that...?

[She trails off, chewing worriedly on her bottom lip]

None of us have figured any of that out yet but we are working on it.

[It had concerned him as well once he realized what happened but in a way it is also a relief. Knowing that he doesn't have to explain where he has been or worry about missing time.]

Time also passes differently. Back home when I was there it was several weeks..but here it was only three days before I was back again.

[Ayana takes a deep breath, shaking her head. Her head is starting to ache the more she tries to think circles around this]

...I guess there's nothing I can really do about any of it anyhow. Even if that just pisses me off more than anything else.

[She's yet to face a problem she couldn't just punch away eventually!!

Her jaw works a moment, as if what she's about to say is somehow incredibly difficult for her] ...Thank you. For... for helping me. Even if I was...kind of a jerk...

[Another pause.] How do I get to the lobby from here? I'll wait for a while and see if my friends show up.

[Wei Wuxian smiles and gives a little dismissive wave of the hand.]

You are welcome. We can forget all about earlier.

[She isn't the first person to be a jerk to him and she most likely won't be the last. He is just glad she seems to be okay with him now.]

All you have to do is head straight down this hall. The Lobby is pretty much the center of everything. Go towards the sounds of the casino because that is how you will know you are getting close.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE MEME 004

HAPPY HEARTS HOTEL

I. TIME TO PARTY

II. ATTRIBUTABLE TO HUMAN ERROR

III. WERE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

IV. WELCOME HOME

Re: B!

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Like a young* keyboard pls

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