TEST DRIVE MEME 001 (#2)

[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 for our grand opening gala. 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. THE CASINO FLOOR

As you pass through the entrance to the casino floor, an attendant passes you a small bag of chips. The casino is loud and bright and filled with games of every kind — you want to play poker? They've got a table for that. Sabacc? There's a table for that, too. Slots, pachinko, and bingo are just a few of the other games on offer. The attendant in the lobby wasn't lying, either — everyone who plays wins. Everyone, every time.

Servers wander the floor with trays of shotglasses full of multi-coloured liquids, offering them to every Oyster "Compliments of Her Royal Highness." If you're expecting alcohol, though, you'll be surprised — these drinks are teas made of the distilled emotions of every Oyster in the hotel. Each colour of tea corresponds to a different emotion, and as soon as you take a sip, you feel overcome with that emotion.

JOY — the distilled essence of happiness, this tea makes even the most rough and tumble of Oysters giddy with happiness — for a moment. The effect fades into a general sense of contentment and affability after a few seconds, and that itself fades away slowly over the course of twenty minutes.

ANGER — this tea, anger in liquid form, can make the most even-tempered of Oysters ready to absolutely blow a gasket. For twenty minutes, anyone who drinks this tea will find themselves much more easily annoyed, frustrated, and all around irritable and snappy.

SADNESS — distilled sadness is a potent tea, capable of turning a stoic, stalwart Oyster into a blubbering mess in moments. Events that may have previously only been a minor disappointment become the end of the world, every repressed unhappiness comes to the fore, and for twenty minutes, any Oyster who drinks a sadness tea can hardly keep themselves together.

II. MAKING WAVES

If gambling isn't to your interest, there are many other areas of the hotel to explore! For the moment, only The Pool Of Tears and the Pig & Pepper Buffet are available for Oysters to peruse, but the staff assure anyone who asks that the other facilities will be open by the next day. Unfortunately, that means no one can buy any swimsuits from This Elegant Thimble, but the staff aren't going to kick anyone out of the pool for jumping in in their clothes!

There are four main attractions to The Pool of Tears: the pool, the jacuzzi, the wave pool, and the lazy river. The water is always just the right temperature, clean and clear and refreshing. It feels as if the sun shines down from above you, warm and comforting. Scattered through the pool area are clusters of modern lounge chairs, just waiting for someone to come relax in them. The Pool is, in a word, serene.

But not for long. The waves generated by the wave pool begin to get choppier, and larger, until it becomes clear that the generator itself is malfunctioning — too late, however, to avoid the tsunami that crashes through the whole Pool and leaves it flooded. Thankfully, no water escapes into the rest of the hotel, and the hotel staff work quickly to rescue those trapped in the Pool and drain the flooding — but you better hope you can tread water until they get to you!

III. EAT ME, DRINK ME

The Pig & Pepper buffet serves lunch foods from across all different cultures, offering something for everyone, and some things you've never even heard of.

On offer with these lunchtime dishes are cookies and biscuits and scones of all kinds, held on tiered trays with signs that proclaim Eat Me! in delightfully whimsical calligraphy. Nearby, hotel staff man a small booth for doling out cups of fruit waters from large pitchers, which have Drink Me! painted playfully on their sides.

It takes a while to feel the effects — perhaps you've even left the Pig & Pepper by the time it happens — but those who eat the cookies and scones inevitably end up growing in size, whether a few inches or feet, and those who drank the fruity water similarly shrink. Eat enough and you might strain the ceiling; drink enough and you'll be the size of a thimble! It's not permanent — if no one else can help you figure out how to get back to normal, the staff certainly will — but it's definitely inconvenient!

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?

Welcome to the (second!) first TDM of Happy Hearts, a new panfandom roleplaying game here on DW! If you have any questions, please direct them to the first comment on this page. Happy playing, Oysters!

PREMISE RULES FAQ TAKEN RESERVES APPLICATION MOD CONTACT HIATUS & DROPS WORLD INFO NPCS CALENDAR AC REWARDS

© tessisamess

Comments

V | Devil May Cry

[summonere]

All my prompts are wild-cardy and can be fleshed out per interaction. I am easy going and flexible! PM me or ping me at itsabee#1072 if you want to do something more specific!

---

I. THE CASINO FLOOR

[ At first, he's interested in the games. He has a good poker face, and is very good at manipulating a poker table. However, as he realizes that everyone wins, every time it really loses its luster. He instead takes one of the cups of tea to wander around with. People watching is always of interest to him-- as he's had little opportunity in his short life to do so.

He takes a sip of the drink. It takes a little while to truly hit him, but soon enough he's reading poetry out loud: ]

Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine,
Under every grief and pine,
Runs a joy with silken twine.
It is right it should be so,
We were made for joy and woe,
And when this we rightly know,
Through the world we safely go.

[ Of course he has his trusty book of William Blake poems on him, when is he ever without it. ]

II. MAKING WAVES

[ He really appreciated the beautiful pool when he came upon it. He had come into a world in the midst of its destruction, he has rarely had time of his own to just appreciate something beautiful. Although-- isn't that how he had come here? A moment gazing into a reflection and then-- Well, it doesn't matter now. He's here. The sun is warm and the pool is beautiful. He has to shed his outfit because it's made of leather, not the kind of thing you go swimming in. This takes him down to a pair of dark boxers, all of his tattoos out for the world to see. The demonic pacts swirl over his entire back and torso, down his arms, up his throat, over the backs of his hands. It can't help but bring attention on him, which he doesn't necessarily appreciate but refuses to shrink from. He just gets into the water, leaning his head back and trying to relax.

When has he ever had time or inclination to just relax? It's harder than it looks.

Much like relaxing, swimming isn't one of his better skills either. He's physically weak and sickly, and by the time he's pulled out of the water he's coughing and wretching pitifully after swallowing too much of it. Maybe you could help him back to his room. ]

III. EAT ME, DRINK ME

[ He's looking at all the food with a slightly disgusted look on his face. Maybe you could suggest something?

One way or another though, he ends up tiny. Surprisingly, he mostly takes this in stride, looking around for things he can climb to get up to safety where he won't be stepped on. He's quite industrious and determined, although by the time he's found a safe vantage point he's exhausted. Once again coughing and wheezing, he might possibly need some assitance.

If someone doesn't mistake him for a spider and trap him inside of an overturned glass first... ]

IV. WELCOME HOME

[ A desire for closeness isn't normal for him, at all. It's a bit disturbing, actually. But he's more alone than he's ever been here. He doesn't have his familiars, he's separated from Vergil, and there's no Nero and Nico to fill the silence...

He is particularly drawn to loud people with big personalities who can fill the air for him.

But he can also appreciate someone who wants to sit and read a book next to him. If he can find a selection of things to read, he might look at you to ask, ]

What do you like to read?

[ His tone softer and more tender than you maybe expected. Is that for you, or does he just love books that much? ]

WILDCARD

[ BRING IT! ]

I

[thotsandprayers]

[She'll stop when she hears the poem, not really something she expected to hear on the casino floor, so it'll get her attention.]

Oh my, isn't that a little...

[She stops, frowning slightly, thinking about how to phrase this properly. She doesn't want to get off on the wrong foot with anyone.]

Well this hardly seems like the appropriate place for a poetry recital, that's all. Still, it was a rather lovely poem.

[She'll turn that frown slightly upside down. It was odd yes, but not entirely unwelcome.]

[summonere]

Should I have read one about luck, instead?

[ Maybe the drink spurred him on, but he's also just that poetry nerd. Dressed in an absurd goth boy outfit with black leather and laces, all of his demon pact tattoos on his upper body fully visible. ]

I could try again with a more appropriate one, if you like.

[ His smile has a touch of mockery to it, but maybe he's also just that sarcastic goth boy. ]

[thotsandprayers]

I don't believe I've heard that one.

[She isn't particularly put off by the goth demon stuff. Even if she were the type to have an issue with it, spending a few minutes in Chaldea will expose one to so many odd fashion choices that it's really not worth pointing out.]

But it may be better suited for the audience here.

[She laughs a little there. Honestly, she's not really sure what would be best suited for this place, the whole thing's strange even by her standards.]

[summonere]

Well, unfortunately this poet had little to say about luck.

[ He holds up the leather bound book lazily, just indicating that it is the book he's talking about and also the only book he currently has. ]

Although he has an engraving depicting the fourth circle of hell that is titled 'Lady Luck'. That circle is reserved for those who hoard and those who waste. [ He shrugs. ] The point being that there is no 'winning' in matters of the soul.

[ Oh boy, what a nerd. ]

[thotsandprayers]

[A slight frown crosses her face, while she thinks about it. She's not really a fan of the whole condemned to circles of hell thing. It goes against her personal view that every being is deserving of salvation, even if some might consider that to be hell.]

How unfortunate, I guess it wasn't better suited at all. While the title is certainly fitting, I'd hardly think that would appeal to the patrons of a busy casino.

[And not to her own tastes either apparently, but that's fine. She isn't too down about it, just a little.]

Though I suppose it might serve some well to keep a message like that in mind.

[summonere]

[ Some, like V and the half-demon who cut him out. V was much better at reflecting on his much needed lessons, however. The mistakes of his original are stark reminders. ]

It is very busy, and it's a very interesting crowd.

[ There's definitely someone with an enormous pink bouffant that he watches go by. He's mostly wondering how their neck supports all the weight, not particularly judging its color or height. But maybe that's not obvious, he does still sound faintly sarcastic at all times. ]

[thotsandprayers]

[Kiara will take that one at face value, she won't dwell on any sarcasm there. And she also probably has some much needed lessons she should reflect on, but doesn't really do much of that either.]

It is, isn't it? I've certainly seen my share of interesting people before, but this does seem like quite the group.

[Why she thinks she might've even seen some sort of talking cat creature earlier. Even compared to where she's from that's a bit out of the ordinary.]

iv

[neyouze]

[ Morgana does, in fact, enjoy reading a little bit here and there -- but not now. Right now, he's stuck in what he would qualify as a Major Crisis; there's no time to waste! He's less interested in finding his own room than finding his friends', if they're here (no, they must be here, surely), and less interested in that than finding an exit. Maybe he's too short to reach the doorknobs, but a good jump lets him grab on and open up any door that might be unlocked in the living quarters, which leads him to stumble across V. ]

Jo -- [ seeing dark hair and a somewhat inappropriate nonchalance is enough to give him hope for a nanosecond, but this clearly is not Joker. ] -- No, you're not. Oi, this is no time to be reading, you know!

[ a two-foot-tall cat pixie wandered into the room and is now admonishing you ]

[summonere]

[ Oh? He had spent some time tiny himself today, so this isn't the strangest occurrence. Good job getting in wherever you can though, that's real tenacity. V had managed to get up off the floor before mostly being too tired to carry on. So he crouches down to converse with this tiny thing. ]

Why not?

[ Oh, he can hazard a guess, but he supposes he should let this very forward little pixie get it off their chest. ]

[neyouze]

Why not? Don't tell me you're that clueless.

[ rude. However, he interrupts his own rudeness with a sudden realization that makes his large eyes narrow, and he looks at this stranger suspiciously, a wary ear tilting back. ]

Unless... you're from this place?

[ he feels like he should be able to tell, but he can't! at the very least, this guy doesn't look like a member of the staff. ]

[summonere]

No, I'm a stranger here. [ Shoeless in a strange world. ] But I have to rest eventually, I'd like to read while I do.

[ His creation hadn't given him quite enough substance and it has left his body quick to tire, especially when there isn't any adrenaline to keep him going. Give him a demon to fight and watch him light up, but the rest of the time he would really like to just sit down. ]

Do you need help with something?

[ He's not exactly the most kind-hearted man, but he could be moved to do a favor for someone else just as out of his depths as V is. ]

iii

[lightningbull]

Yare, yare.

[ Seated across the small coffee table, Lambo is an apt position to spot the figure that makes the seemingly daunting climb. ]

What happened to you, Bambino?