suitedreams | WEEK ZERO: MINGLE

W̴͍̎E̴̝̊E̸͚͝K̸͕̿ ZERO: MINGLE

(35 ḡ̴̻u̷͌͜ê̴̯s̶̢͑t̵̻͝s̴̡̐ ̴c̴h̴e̶c̴k̷e̶d̸ ̶i̴n̴)

Needless to say, marble isn't exactly the most comfortable surface to sleep on. Do you even remember falling asleep? Maybe not, but the moment your eyes flutter open and the lingering stardust fades, you come into consciousness with the distinct feeling that your dreams were very important.

You vaguely remember a shadowed hand, the pen and the scroll in its grip as the terms and conditions glow softly before you. You can't quite remember the details, the words blurring and fading fasting the longer you try, but you come to a conclusion rather quickly:

-Someone you care about is in trouble and their life is now your responsibility.
-You have signed a contract to provide entertainment to the Host in exchange for their safe return.

Your other memories begin to settle now that you're more awake. You remember that this isn't the first time you've been swept away for a game by someone else's design. You remember what those games entailed, too, but as the pieces click together you get the sense that murdering everyone around you isn't a solution. It won't get your hostage back sooner. It will only end tragically for everyone involved.

So instead, perhaps it's time to take in your surroundings. Where the hell even are you now? The marble floor of the lobby is still cool to the touch, and the front desk is before you with several keys on hooks against the wall. Each of them includes a keychain with two small, clear star-shaped crystals embedded at the bottom. Too bad you can't seem to remove the keys just yet! Guest accommodations aren't quite ready.

Ah, right. About that. You aren't alone! After all, what's the fun in playing a game by yourself? Should one try to actually count the keys hanging on the wall, you'll find there are 35 in total. You can also learn more about them should you look at the leather-bound book bolted to the front desk. Though some of them may look a bit different, seeing how everyone gathered in the lobby is dressed to the nines. What happened to your other clothing? Worry not. You do want to be presentable at the front desk, don't you?

Speaking of the front desk, while you aren't able to retrieve your keys or even leave the ground floor right now, you will find small gift boxes scattered around the desk as a complementary gift for each guest. Inside these boxes, you will find:

-A flask. Those of legal drinking age will find it filled with a sweet wine, and those underage will find juice of some kind.
-A shaving kit
- A single aspirin
-A keychain
-A condolence card
-A sheet of temporary tattoos
-A small bag of jerky
-A compact mirror with a cute pattern on the outer casing

No other items are on your person even if you were holding onto them prior to your arrival. Perhaps the bellhop has already taken your luggage for you?

But despite the front desk hosting a small cluster of bells, ringing them doesn't seem to draw the attention of anyone. The bells cannot be removed from the desk, but the hotel staff appears to be occupied with other tasks.

It looks as though you're on your own for now until maintenance is finished. But it's just like the first time, isn't it? Get to know the other guests, start asking questions, and settle in for your stay.

You can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave...

N̸A̵V̴I̶G̶A̶T̴I̴O̸N̷.̷

█ LOCATIONS █ STATUSES █ PROFILES █ AUDIENCES
█ REPORTING █ PRIVATE CONVOS █ MURDER

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

While I'm all for not being poised... I'll complain until there's an open bar.

[ he will nurse his coffee however, because it's better than nothing. ]

At least the clothing is better than what we were stuck in last time.

Mmhm. Well, I can't argue with that. [ thinks about what he showed up in the last place in. frowns. ] Very stylish by the way, I like the theming.

They cut you off?

Something about it being to early. Since when has that ever mattered?

[ if he's going to be expected to just fuck around until they decide to give him back his daemon in a couple days, he's gonna get drunk about it. ]

[ the look he gives him would be more significant if he was wearing glasses. somehow he manages to look over the top of them anyway, despite them not being here. ]

…

Well, given the circumstances… I’d call any time drinking time.

[ incredible ]

Precisely. If they're going to take away writing implements and leave me with a straight razor and a flask of sweet wine, I believe I'm entitled to an open bar as their expense if they're going to be cagey about it all.

Apparently they think otherwise. But at least they left us with a straight razor, if someone decides to start pushing this in the direction we're all assuming it's going to go.

Shame they don't agree we should be a little merry while all that's going down.

Let's hope people are smarter than that, but prepare ourselves for disappointment when it inevitably happens.

[ the straight razor is better than nothing at all. ]

Let's hope this limit on the alcohol isn't here to stay... Kaeya, by the way. And you are?

... you'd hope, but it seems like they've already made a point to twist our arms behind our backs and start yanking. And it's barely been a few hours.

[ rip to someone. ]

Yuri. Pleased to meet you's the normal response, but y'know. Circumstances.

[ screams in my accidental repetitive words. ]

Then... terrible to make your acquaintance.

[ he pushes the menu forward. have a seat? ]

[ alhfalkg I DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE. ]

Careful, with a way with words like that you might end up being too charming.

[ he does indeed have a seat though. ]

People have been rating this place better or worse than where they were before. Mostly better, from what I’ve seen. What’s your take on it?

There's food, drink, and the walls aren't crumbling. No sexy nun outfits to fuss with... There aren't any gangs of children that I can see, or weird spectres threatening our lives... so I would say...

Probably better, though I hate all the fuzzy details.

[ if he's going to be forced to drink coffee it's going to be decadent so he's ordering like. a fancy coffee. the kind with cute stuff in the foam. ]

Edited 2022-06-05 12:51 (UTC)

...

Sounds as though you had a time of it. Spectres? Nun outfits? [ hello? ]

Mmhmm. We woke up in nun outfits with animals tethered to our very souls.

Oh, and the city was full of roving gangs of children and strange ghouls that wanted to eat your very soul, but only if you were considered an "adult." It was an entire production...

[ kaeya you almost died one time bc of them—

"a production" ]

[ me shaking in week 5 flashbacks. ]

… That’s… pretty different to how I woke up, I’m not going to pretend otherwise. Sorry, ghouls that eat souls, but only the souls of adults?

[ me shaking and crying at darkmode yuri saving his life!!!!!!!! every!!!!!!!!! day!!!!!!

he laughs ] I know right? Particular tastes. Got to witness that far too up close at one point. Very unpleasant feeling, 0/10, would certainly not recommend. They would show up if the executions went on too long as well.

[ darkmode yuri with grey hairs, carrying both his boyfriends to safety because god knows they didn’t now how to keep themselves out of trouble. ]

That sounds like a problem for whoever got called to execution. Surely the rest of you could’ve just made yourselves scarce and dealt with the problem from a distance?

[ i feel so bad for him ]

No. We couldn't. It was required that everyone be there from start to finish. Besides, I was the executioner. I couldn't leave to begin with.