thefoundation | WEEK 4 MINGLE

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round 2

WEEK 4 MINGLE

WEEK 4

The weekend that just passed was....frankly, a lot. Yet despite all odds, you somehow pulled out a win from the jaws of utter defeat. As you wake up feeling tired but happy, the speakers crackle to life with the voice of The Lady.

"Attention, Guests. This week, The game is temporarily suspended. This week, there will be no mafia kill. Take a break for your hard work."

And...indeed, it seems like this is a peace week. The Staff, after the disappearance of The Captain, are acting worse than they did last week - not only is there the blankness and the stuttering, but sometimes they even get orders wrong, with potentially hazardous results. Asking the Staff for things has become more dangerous and unreliable, but at least you meals are still good. Speaking of, The Chef has put a sign up on the door, reading "DO NOT TAKE KNIVES WITHOUT ASKING FIRST!! THAT MEANS YOU!!" written in big, angry letters. The resort also seems to be gearing up for Christmas - there are lights and trees scattered around the place, as well as mistletoe for couples to get their public displays of affection on. There's also some other holiday decorations around, for Kwanzaa and....something else you definitely have never seen before. The thing....wriggles, and you don't want to be around it for long.

The weather is still nothing, except for the courtyard, which is still pleasantly snowy. There is still music playing in the halls, and the cover songs continue with some low-key music for the week.

On Monday morning, another memory is returned to everyone. Are you getting closer to the truth of this place, maybe? It's hard to say.

PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS | MURDER PROPOSALS/VOLUNTEERING | LOCATIONS | APPRENTICE PC POST | OUTSIDER PC POST

MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

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I thought so... Then, um, the next question would be... The "mafia game" we're playing, is that something the resort normally does?

Not that I'm aware of, no. Though it does seem delightfully fun to me - I'm a little sad I have to miss the festivities!

[She's just quietly sipping the tea -- acceptable -- and occasionally petting the songbird and listening in. She's content to let Ellie barrage the gojira for a bit while she samples. After some thought:]

Do you have any idea why we're the only ones playing, and not any of you on the second floor?

...Come to think of it, what rooms were the Barghest, Jorogumo, and Doppelganger staying in before we showed up? I mean, they were guests here too, weren't they?

They were! But, mmm - This hotel tends to restructure itself to suit the needs of it's inhabitants, you see. It's been in a state of flux for quite a while!

... Yeah. That actually kind of makes sense, Nanashi -- he's one of us -- said that the whole Resort looked like infinity. Like it couldn't be put into numbers.

[It would be hard to quantify something with, what, infinite possibility? She's forgotten her tea for the moment, sitting up a little as her eyes narrow in curiosity.]

But what about the other side of it? The inside. The living part.

[Hm... There are actually some things to think about with that, really. Does that apply to the staff as well? Was the reason the mafia game happened because the resort deemed that "the inhabitants needed it"? It seemed unlikely that the cookie gojira would actually have answers for those, though.]

...Also on the topic of "the living part", would you happen to know what part of the resort's body we're in right now?

Infinity is a good word for it, yes, if a bit limiting.

[What.]

Ah, yes - I suppose you don't know, do you? Let's see....for primate-based species, we'd be in what would be considered the stomach.

[She straightens even more -- this is actually the information they need, especially for later in the week when they brave the vents. She really wasn't sure if they'd be able to get it, so she's breathing a sigh of relief at the same time as she's trying to figure out how bad that is for exploration.]

So is the entire Resort as we see it right now connected to the stomach, or do you just mean... this part of it?

[Are we talking the second floor or the building here.]

[Well, that's mildly alarming, but it makes sense. After all, the resort is "free", but it must be getting something in exchange for it, since it should take a lot of resources to take care of us, and...]

...Um... Can I ask you something? Since this is our first time here, it didn't occur to me to ask until now, but... What are we giving the resort in exchange for our time here?

This is all the stomach, yes! The other parts are out of sight, so to speak. It's quite a lot like [INCOMPREHENSIBLE GURGLE] and [LOUD SHRIEKING ROAR]'s way of taking in guests.

[He sips his tea.]

My dear, didn't you know? You're giving the resort food by just being in here and being Guests. The exact mechanism isn't known to me, but I assume it takes small bits of energy or emotion off the top! If you haven't noticed any changes, then it must know how much to take from all kind of species to cover for your 'expenses' here, as it were.

[Blue Angel just takes a moment to shake her head to herself. Go figure that Kohaku would be right about this. Maybe? Let's find out.]

I don't know how I feel about that. Not being able to choose what to give.

Do you know what kinds of energy or emotion it takes from us?

[For her part, Ellie is immediately pulling out her tablet and typing up a message. This information is too important to be left with just us.]

Normally, it's positive emotions. It's why they try to make the stay as pleasant as possible for each guest, you see. I haven't had much time to talk to the Staff - they seem dreadfully busy, which isn't a surprise - but I assumed that's why they put on that game for you all.

[He eats a cookie, which is devoured in seconds with loud OM NOM NOM's.]

I heard that from the pleasant chap that inhabits multi-layers of this resort. Not officially a staff member, mind, but they find it pleasant enough to be here that they've made it their home, but I suspect they may have [CLICKING NOISE FILTERED THROUGH WATER] the knot with the hotel itself, so to speak. If so, they make an absolutely darling couple!

[Okay, positive emotions make as much sense as negative ones, though she's taking pretty big exceptions to this game being meant to induce any amount of positive emotion and has already opened her mouth to say so when the rest comes out with all the clicky-clicks.]

[...]

... The Resort is married??

[Ellie, you may want to pick up the slack here because she's distracted now.]

Umm... Can I ask about this pleasant chap, please? Do they have any titles they identify by? We're still only capable of seeing one layer of the resort, so any information you can supply would help.

Oh, that's right - I forgot about your issues in perception. Tragic thing, that!

[The eyes wobble in sadness.]

I believe on your perception...yes, yes, I think I have it. They would look like a massive swarm of rats on the level of cognitive existence you would be able to see. Genuinely pleasant fellow - actually seemed very concerned about the red-haired boy you two ladies talked about earlier! They hoped they were helping with his issues shortly before all of you arrived.

[Blink. Blink. Wait.]

... Is that why they've been feeding people to the rats?

[She's mostly been keeping away from the rats due to the news, trying not to think about it, but now it's just... come up. In this way. Welp.]

So the Resort feeds on us while we're alive, and then the... rats feed on us if we die. Do I have that right?

Well, more that they're getting rid of the body, but it does have the side effect of keeping them fed, so yes!

Though for the services rendered, it's less 'feeding on' and 'getting their payment,' I personally feel.

Right. After all, people come here willingly for the most part, don't they?

[Well I mean... except for whatever poor saps the Foundation sends out... Wait, come to think of it, people were disappearing beforehand, according to what Szayel said...]

...Right, come to think of it... What happens to people from this dimension that head in here?

Oh, also, umm... I think we forgot something really important, so I'm sorry for doing this late...

[Ellie stands up and bows a bit before speaking.]

I forgot to introduce myself earlier. I'm Ellie, Ellie Troit. It's nice to meet you.

[Oh. God. Right, what are manners, her head's been in so many different places this week it's a wonder she isn't a rat swarm herself at this point. Blue Angel's eyes widen a little and she jumps up after Ellie to execute a swift bow of her own.

Luckily, the songbird has twittered off to parts unknown at this point because she's a bit flustered now.]

Right, where -- where are our manners. I'm Blue Angel. It's a pleasure.

Normally, yes!

And ah, yes, my manners are indeed lacking as well. I'm -

[LITERALLY THE COOKIE MONSTER IMITATING A GODZILLA SCREECH]

-and it's quite the pleasure to meet such bright young ladies like yourselves.

Yes, it's nice to meet you as well, Mr. --

[She attempts to imitate that screech, at a lower volume. Hopefully her skill with languages makes it... Close enough to the right pitch and tone? Let's hope that it's not using pitches inaudible to the human ear.]

...Um, if I mispronounced that, I apologize. I think our ears might not be able to catch all the pitches involved there.

But yes, as I was saying, do you know what happens to the people from this dimension that arrive here? Since we're not normally targeted since we're from another dimension, does that mean that people from this dimension are?

[That was actually pretty impressive even though her ears are crying. Blue Angel is just. Not going to attempt this, Ellie's got it.]

You've been great so far, I'm glad we came to meet you.

[Another small bob of a bow, before she settles back at the table.]

And speaking of targeting... you said the Resort feeds on positive emotions, but all the game is creating is negative emotions. It makes no sense.

My! You came quite close to how it's said - your accent is almost nonexistant! You might want to consider a career in extradimensional translation, my dear, you seem to have a knack for languages.

And - well, as I said, this hotel has quite a high rating for their service. This, of course, extends to the cleanliness of the place - what kind of place would this be if single universe beings were running around?

[The cookie gojira shudders.]

It's an awful thought - I certainly wouldn't be in here if that were the case. Of course, that only extends to sentient species - all of the creatures in here are absolutely delightful, if a bit strange.

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duskhound - 2018-12-21 06:35 (UTC) - Expand

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