I USED TO DREAM THAT I WOULD MEET A PRINCE

[checkingin]

Who: Everyone!
Where: The initial arrival rooms, the main lobby, all over the place.
When: May 7th
What: Feed me, Seymour

ARRIVAL.

you wake up when you hit the floor in a dark room, and the air is knocked out of your lungs. the carpet is threadbare, worn with use, kind of dusty. and you're not the first person to endure this crash landing. nor will you be the last.

once your vision rights itself, you can see the well-lit hallway through the doorjam straight ahead of you. not to say there’s monsters in the shadows, but something propels you towards that door and out into the bright hallway beyond.

and once outside your room, you can hear it: the steady thrum of rain outside.

MAIN LOBBY.

there's a staircase at the end of the lengthy hallway you tumble out of. grab your suitcase and follow the dull green exit signs on the ceiling until you reach the disappointingly bland stairs that lead you down to the ornate old fashion hotel lobby.

to your left is an richly crackling, rather excessively smoking fireplace, to your right is a lobby desk. straight ahead are three large sets of doors, all three of them thrown wide open and welcoming. and outside the few (curtained, permanently dark) windows is the continually steady hiss of rain. once you leave the hallway you wake up in, you won't be able to return.

welcome to the hotel.

FRONT DESK.

though there is a bell and a plaque designating the desk to be the main desk, the customer service desk, there are currently no staff members behind it. none shall answer your calls, either. there is, however, a pad of paper and a pen neatly aligned with the desk edge. you know. for notes.

terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

SCREENING ROOM.

on a long pull-down screen, a silent version of alice in wonderland will be playing on loop. at the back of the room, between the neat rows of fold out chairs, mounted on a wobbly table is the old-timey projector, and mounted on the walls are some rather old speakers that warble out "terrifying" old music.

along the curtained windows is another long table, with a large bowl of chipotle cheese popcorn corn and a large hot drink dispenser full of hot water, with a few cups and some old looking packages of apple cider mix.

DINING HALL.

is tragically, painfully empty.

OTHER.

the ballroom is currently open, and the grand doors unlocked.

there is no main door leading to the outside, good luck trying to find one.

the doors to the courtyard are unlocked.

ROOMS.

you've a room key with your assigned room number on it. all the new guest residences will be located on floors one and two. while there is an open elevator in the main lobby, and the buttons light up inside, the doors will not close. all in all, you'll be better off taking the stairs.

while they're the same stairs you undoubtedly came down to get to the lobby, the door to the endless hall everyone woke up in will not reappear between the main floor and the subsequent residential halls.

there are twenty rooms per floor. feel free to get to know your surroundings; or your neighbors as they trickle in around you.

EXISTING GUESTS.

are you dreaming of omlettes and regretting complaining about the constant pancakes and weak ass coffee yet?

Comments

[avengeme]

"Yeah. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's going to help us get out of here any faster. The windows are unbreakable. The wall outside can't be scaled. We're trapped in every definition of the word." And Coulson didn't like the idea of what it might do to a guy like Rumlow.

[ukase]

That was useful information that he was going to, of course, verify himself, but it also painted a picture that he wasn't going to enjoy. He accepted boredom as part of everyone's life, but he generally only stayed in one place long enough to complete a mission and moved on. The idea he was trapped with Rogers, Barton and Coulson didn't entirely make his day.

Maybe he could make the pay-back last?

He stopped outside of the room 119 and set his suitcase to the side of it, turning to face Coulson. "That's going to be a bit of a pain. All us SHIELD agents in one place, but I'm sure we can think of something. A new plan. A new way of thinking."

[cgrades]

Oh, I believe you, I've just met far worse than you.

[ He grew up in the silver spoon society -- there are plenty of nut jobs in the close inner circles of London society. He's surprised there aren't more, honestly. ]

Rock, paper, scissors. I'd like to keep my thumb in tact, thanks. [ Charlie's sure this is all some terrible prank -- a terrible joke, really, for an attempt at humiliation. But if playing a child's game would get him out of here, then he would. If it didn't? Well. ] This is all so diplomatic for a primary school game. Really, is all of this necessary?

[avengeme]

Hey, it didn't make Coulson's day to have Rumlow here while there are civilians hanging around. Even if there were quite a high number of people capable of taking care of themselves if their last few network polls were any indication.

He took note of the room number once they came to a stop and he stood aside, waiting for Rumlow to open the door. He couldn't help but feel a chill go down his spine at the words. Why were all HYDRA agents so good at making regular words sound creepy?

"I don't know about a new way of thinking but we definitely need a new plan. This your room?"

[ukase]

Have you?

[It was good to know that he had an opportunity to slip under the radar then because this kid was giving him so much wiggle room. There might even be an opportunity to show the guy on the right path in order to help him improve their situation.

He shrugged his shoulders because he didn't care about either game. It was all pretty much a waste of time anyway.]

Never forget child games. They come in handy in all situations. [He held out his left hand in a fist.] Winner gets to hide.

[ukase]

He made no motion to dig the key back out of his pocket because he was delaying on giving away that this was actually his room. He hadn't decided how easily it would be to gouge Coulson's eyes out and then strangle the man once inside. He certainly didn't want to make a lot of noise on his first day.

"You need a new way of thinking in order to shed your mind out of the old habits, Coulson," he said airily. "A new point of view can go a long way to making a new solution possible. Otherwise, society just degrades and accepts the same old, same old. Don't you agree?"

[cgrades]

Yes, actually. But you're pretty high on the list. Well done.

[ Charlie looks at the man with some level of skepticism, because all of this is giving him red flags to the moon and back, but being in a creepy, old hotel will do that. ]

Right, then. Lets get on with it. [ He holds out his own fist, doing the appropriate hand motions as they begin the quick game. ] Rock, paper...

[avengeme]

Coulson shifted in place to get rid of antsy feeling this situation was giving him. Something was telling him to disengage and he was almost inclined to listen.

"True, but sometimes it's the old ways that give you something new to work with. We can't learn from our mistakes if we just forget them. But that's neither here nor there." He spread his hands out. "We need fresh eyes on this and I'm hoping whatever's in your suitcase will help too."

[ukase]

Your list must be pretty shitty if I've made it that far in such a short time. You don't even know what I can do after all.

[He actually let this kid set the pace of their little game, but his eyes certainly weren't on their rising and falling fists. No, he was studying the other man's expression as if that might determine what of the three his new little friend was going to choose.

At the word on 'scissors', he jabbed out his pinky finger at the same time that his left foot lifted out in an attempt to catch the back of this kid's knee in a kick.]

[ukase]

"Oh, you never forget the past," he agreed with a nod of his head. "But in order to improve the future, looking at your mistakes and building on them is necessary. Sometimes all it takes is knowing the other side of any story to know the answer to questions you never knew to ask," he said, which was all very deep and philosophical. He wasn't just the muscle for SHIELD or HYDRA after all. One had to be deeper than that.

Slowly, he turned and fished his key out of his pocket, making his decision as he slipped it into the lock and turned it. There was a click and he pushed the door open to his new little home. "I'm sure I packed something worthwhile. Come on, let's take a look together."

Then he stepped into the room pulling this suitcase after him, immediately doing a sweep of the room with his eyes.

[cgrades]

I don't, but I can take a guess.

[ Charlie really should have seen it coming long before it does -- the way the man watches his face, the too-easy tone of all of this. He dodges the hand, leaning out of the way fast enough, but it leaves him in a precarious position with the kick -- the blow finding its mark, sending him down to his knees, a sharp pain in his leg.

That does stop him from pushing with his good leg to throw an elbow into the man's stomach, though. Or to at least give him a good shove back. What? Thought he was only a silver-spoon fed Brit? Very funny. ]

[ukase]

[Driving a man to their knees was always good, as he rarely had a height advantage in his fights, which was the way that he liked it. He made his advantages, but the kid was good enough to recover quickly but a bit predictably. His right hand dropped to slam his palm in order to deflect the elbow, testing strength.

He stepped back and swung a foot up in an attempt to take the kid in the side of the head.]

You ever killed someone, kid?

[avengeme]

What he said made sense and it only sent home how HYDRA could have gotten at so many SHIELD agents over the years. They made their philosophies make sense or they brainwash others into it. It was horrifying.

"Nicely said. I haven't pegged you for the philosophical type." And Coulson still had to pretend to be friendly. Even though he was immediately on his guard the moment the door opened. It was a risk walking in there but he was willing to take it in case there was something important in there. Something he was sure Rumlow would use to his advantage and refuse to share.

[ukase]

"Well, we didn't work together much, so you can't say that you know me very well," he replied easily. SHIELD was a big organization and Coulson had been part of the suits side of things, casting out lines and picking up leads to draw them in. He had been the stick to end conflict or controlled facilities or items that required more than a few people. "But SHIELD has to stick together. We are strength in numbers."

He picked up his suitcase easily and put in on the bed, turning his head to regard Coulson. "Shut the door, would you?"

[bettercallit]

Stark alone might make them re-think whatever they've got planned for us. No one can put up with him in a tight space for that long.

[cgrades]

[ One thing that Charlie does have is strength -- and when his elbow is caught he pushes right back against the palm with decent force. He's done enough physical training outside of the Kingsman and within that he can hold his own for a while.

He allows the man's movements to take the force of his push with him, narrowly avoiding the foot to the head with a roll to the ground. It may have looked like an accident, but he used the sudden shift in weight and force to his advantage. Not the best in physical combat, he couldn't keep this up for long like some of the others, but he's formidable enough when he wants to be. He manages a crouch before pushing himself back to his feet, putting some distance between them, especially with the back of his knee aching like no tomorrow. ]

Yeah, I have.

[ Only two people, but his division of the RAF wasn't exactly in action very long. And it wasn't as though he was in the RAF for any significant amount of time, anyway. ]

[avengeme]

"We are and we will. Fury would be disappointed if we were all brought down by a single hotel." He turned slightly to reach behind him and shut the door. He remained an equal distance between the bed and the door.

"So what's in the bag?"

[ukase]

[The kid was no slouch and had actual training rather than roughing it out. It was clear early on that his hand-to-hand combat skills were better, but he had been putting his fists, feet and head into other people since he could walk around on his own, so he wasn't surprised. However, he had to contain that strength to prevent it from bulldozing through him all the same; it was like fighting a lesser Rogers minus having the body thrown at him.

He set himself, raising his fists in front of his face as if he were a boxer. His feet were set unlike any boxer though, and he regarded the other from between his fists.]

Who were they?

[ukase]

"Yeah, I doubt it will be a hotel that does it," he agreed with a charming smirk. It was going to be the boredom or something else entirely because he was not going to be walling the halls like this was a prison after all. He noted that Coulson didn't come closer, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you shy about seeing my panties, Coulson? I promise I don't normally wear lacy stuff," he said as he unzipped the bag and flipped the lid on it to look inside. Clothing on top, of course, just the way he liked it. "Come on, you can help my sort this stuff."

[avengeme]

"There could be porn in there." he joked but he did step close enough to get a good look at the contents of his suitcase. He wasn't moving to help though, opting to just look. "Not quite what I needed to learn about you just yet."

[cgrades]

[ he only spent a little over 10 months in the RAF, but the training there, as well as the training his father made him go through long before? Well, it's paying off here. He wouldn't have been considered for a position in Kingsman otherwise, if he did not have the skills to equally back his purse. ]

Soldiers, didn't know them.

[ Charlie can remember their faces though, despite what he wants to believe and he raises his own fists in response to the other man's stance. ] Some game of hide and seek. Americans play it quite differently than us Brits. Shows we're more sophisticated.

[ He dashes in to take a swing, feinting to one side before he actually properly strikes for the other side of the man's face. ]

[ukase]

[The training was obvious in the way that this guy stood. There was something distinctly military about it, and it was mirrored in how he often held himself as well, a smooth control at all times of one's body. He could appreciate that a soldier had more of a chance of being reasonable but could follow order.]

Of what country, or were the Brits just back to consolidating their power?

[He smirked at the apparent game, but they were playing it funny enough. The kid might just not realize how they were. He was hiding his secrets and the kid was going to find them little by little and realize that they were ideals worth playing for rather than against.]

Are you really more sophisticated? Or has your society rotten just like ours where simple games reveal a single truth?

[He dropped to a crouch to to barely avoid the swing to his face, setting his hands on the floor as he shot out a leg to see if he could either drive the kid back or trip.]

[ukase]

Rumlow blinked and suddenly looked delighted. "I hope it's good stuff," he said as he pulled out some of the clothes and set it aside before picking up a pair of old white sneakers in one hand and a fist-sized blue ball in the other. "Not seeing much to help people out unless we want to play dodge ball."

Oh, there was that carton of eggs sitting on the left side of the suitcase.

[deadlystar]

"If you want to know of it, I can, but you may not like what you hear." Still, better to be informed of a potential enemy than be struck without warning when the time comes.

"We'll talk about it soon. I don't think I'm going anywhere just yet." Her eyes glance up the length of the insurmountable wall and then at herself. She's still dripping wet, so going to her room to clean herself up would be her next objective.

[deadlystar]

"I agree. I will share information with you, if you will do the same." It's good to see people are making an effort here to escape by trying everything they can. She hopes everyone wants to get out as much as she does.