checkingout | sit yourself down, and meet the best inn keeper in town ( O P E N )

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sit yourself down, and meet the best inn keeper in town ( O P E N )

Who: Everyone!
Where: The initial arrival rooms, the main lobby, all over the place.
When: February 3rd
What: Welcome, newbies.

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 a warmly crackling fireplace, to your right is a lobby desk. straight ahead are three large sets of doors, though only one of them is open to the public. and outside the few (curtained, permanently dark) windows is the continually steady hiss of rain.

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.

terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

SCREENING ROOM.

on a tall pull-down screen, a silent version of nosferatu 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 timey music.

along the curtained windows is another long table, with a large bowl that looked like it once would have held popcorn. but is now unfortunately empty. same for the large hot drink dispensers labeled "hot chocolate" and "coffee".

OTHER.

the ballroom and breakfast hall are currently closed, grand doors locked.

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

the door to the courtyard is locked.

ROOMS.

you've a room key with your assigned room number on it. all the new guest residences will be located on floors one & 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'd 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Peeta is launched into wakefulness, a harsh sound coming from his throat that's more scream than anything, but one might be able to make out the name 'Katniss" in his scream. It doesn't take much provocation to shove him to his feet (stumbling ever so slightly on the artificial limb) and out the door. This has got to be another arena, another one of Snow's games. With that in mind he stoops, grabbing up the suitcase. As weapons go, it's not great but it's something. He doesn't bother to figure out if there are clothes in his suitcase (and he really should). The quarter quell uniform he's wearing is more acid burned than anything, torn, shredded and scarcely covering things that ought to be covered. He has welts on him from mutant mosquitos and acid burns dot his skin. He's also got the remanants of some sort of green-gray ointment smeared into his skin. The bridge of his nose and cheeks are sunburnt and his hair...well, let's not talk about his hair. It's gone from beyond bedhead to something...not good.

He lurches down the stairs toward the main lobby, occasionally screaming Katniss' name like it's something ripped from his bones. He will frantically pull at doors, opening them, screaming Katniss' name then moving onto the next thing. Rinse and repeat. ]

later;

[ Once he's found Katniss he'll calm down a little. He's still going to be suspicious as all fuck, but at least he's changed clothes and is doing some exploring, talking a little to people and figuring out what's going on. ]

[ yeah, she saw him earlier, on one of her rounds around the hotel while look for Gloss. yanking on the doors, screaming like he'd last strand of sanity - she'd wondered if she looked that crazy and decided she wanted nothing to do with him.

but she's brought down her crazy a few dozen notches, and from the looks of it so has he. Annie Cresta, Johanna Mason, and Peeta Mellark. it's a weird mix of company and she's going to try to make allies where she can since Johanna will probably figuratively and literally stab her in the back the minute she finds a knife. Cashmere finds him while she's wandering the halls, still trying to find any sign of her brother. ]

You clean up nice, Twelve. [ she's ditched the quell uniform too, but she'd only been in the arena 10, maybe 15 minutes. so she's still looking less roughed up than him. ] What's your name again? [ she knows his name but is going to act like he's not the center of Panem's attention. she might not be very good at making friends. ]

[ He'd felt like he'd lost his last strand of sanity.

Yeah, he's brought it down a bit. He's still highly suspicious of this whole thing, but acting like a crazy person won't do anyone any good. He tends to be more trusting than Johanna (or Cashmere probably) but he's certainly leery of a career. He quirks an eyebrow up at her comment, looking her up and down. He's going to play the role of Capitol Charmer until he's feeling a bit safer here. ]

I could say the same about you, One. [ Oh he's aware that he doesn't look his best, but that's not the point here, is it? He tilts his head a bit well aware she knows his name. ] Peeta Mellark. [ He flashes her that dazzling smile. ] Cashmere, isn't it?

[ well! look who brought his a-game. it's actually kind of a relief. not to be outdone, Cashmere beams back at him. ] Exactly. It's a pleasure to meet you properly, Peeta. Has anyone ever told you you're just as handsome as all your posters? [ she almost mentions the baby - fake baby, she's pretty sure - but she's still pissed about that so bites her tongue. ]

Did you ever find Mrs. Mellark? [ there is a laundry list of things for her to be mad about, most of which she holds against Katniss and not Peeta. after all, Peeta plays by the rules and Katniss doesn't. so deciding who to be mad at is easy. ]

[ He'll relax and let things slip a bit after he's settled in and figured this place out. right now, he's still in arena mode, that means playing the game. this is the only way Peeta knows how to play the game. ] You as well, Cashmere. [ He smirks at the compliment and flushes a bit ~~is it real? maybe it's real?spoiler alert: it's not real~~. ] I'm not entirely sure. I try not to listen to what everyone else is saying about me. [ Oh he'll play the baby thing up to anyone from Panem that asks. Otherwise, he probably won't mention it. He's not going to let the marriage thing go. In fact, he'll be over here playing the game until he finds out it's not necessary.] I did and she's doing as well as can be expected. What about you? Find your brother? Or anyone from One?

There's no need to be so modest. You're one of us. Capitol favorites. [ if he's lucky, he'll never have to worry about what that fully entails. being in the arena two years in a row isn't exactly lucky, though.

then he mentions Gloss. she keeps her plastered on smile but he's hit on a weak spot and that shows in her eyes. ] No. I didn't find him. I'm still looking. It's you, me, Annie, and Johanna. [ and Katniss apparently but who cares about Katniss.] Why? Did you see him?

Am I now? [ He appears amused by this. In reality, he's disgusted by the idea of it. He's only had a glimpse of what that means and he wants no part of it. ] I'll have to take the word of someone so unruffled by it. Perhaps you can guide me along, show me the ropes? [ It might sound like he's flirting. He's really not flirting. And no, he would say that luck had not been with him the last couple of years, even though he talked about how fortunate he and Katniss were at the interviews.

He notices that chink in her armor, even if he hadn't meant to hit it. He had been curious, but it's good to know who is and isn't here. ] I don't know Annie well. [Johanna he's met and much to Katniss' dismay he likes her. ] Katniss is here as well. [ did you really think he'd let her go unmentioned? Silly Cash. ] No, I haven't, but if I do I'll let him know you're here. [ Provided Gloss doesn't try to kill him first.]

[ Cashmere's pretty disgusted with being a favorite, too, but what's a girl to do? she made her choices a long time ago. she tries to hold on to what's fake and what's not. sometimes it's hard to tell. Peeta, right now: fake. herself: usually fake. the hotel: who knows? but there are probably cameras. ] I'd love that. Any time.

[ yeah, yeah. Katniss Everdeen. big deal. the only thing Katniss has going for her is that fact that she doesn't like Johanna but right now Cashmere even likes Johanna better which is just one more big hint that Cashmere is totally losing her mind. this place is terrible.] Thanks. [ she actually means that. Cashmere stiffens again. ] Some of these people haven't heard of Panem.

[ Peeta hasn't reached that point of resignation yet. eventually, he'll have to. yes, he's fake but she probably understands why right now. eventually maybe they'll both figure out who the real person behind that fake is. cameras are a good bet and the reason for the necessary facades. ] Thank you. That's kind of you. I hadn't any idea of what to expect from any of the victors, but I've been pleasantly surprised. [ You know, up until that moment when the Games started and everyone started killing each other.

sorry, she's still a big deal to Peeta and the one that he's playing this game for anyway. Peeta nods. The offer was real; if he sees Gloss he will let him know Cashmere is looking for him and vice versa, at least until the point that one of them tries to kill him or Katniss. Peeta's brow furrows at Cashmere's words. His expression is skeptical and that charming mask drops a bit. ] I thought maybe it was part of...do you think they really haven't heard of Panem? [ Or is it part of the Game?]

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64th - 2015-02-10 04:38 (UTC) - Expand

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withbread - 2015-02-12 02:49 (UTC) - Expand

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64th - 2015-02-13 02:38 (UTC) - Expand

( hey there crazy, nice to meet you. also known as... lydia hears some sort of screaming and goes to investigate in true girl-in-a-horror-movie fashion, and just so happens to be at the bottom of the stairs as he flies out of them. she recognizes that sort of panic, though, and instead of getting upset that he's just plowed into her, she reaches up and grabs his upper arms tightly to stop him in his tracks. )

Hey - ( it's not until then that she realizes just how terrible a state he's in. he looks awful, injured... ) Hey. Slow down - slow down a second! You're hurt. Calm down.

[ yeah, he thinks he has a right to be crazy after everything he's gone through. he actually mumbles a sort of apology but he's so firmly stuck in his panic and one-tracked-minded that he doesn't actually focus on Lydia until she says hey the second time. ] I can't I'm fine. I have to find my--[ he stops because Lydia doesn't look like she's from Panem, but he has no idea what's going on here. For all he knows, this is another one of Snow's tricks. ] my wife. I'm looking for my wife.

( lydia, for all she doesn't know him and is pretty sure he's a.) stronger than her and b.) dangerously unstable, takes the liberty of shaking his shoulders once, firmly and with a decent amount of force. he needs to snap out of it for a second. ) Stop -- stop! ( she kind of snaps at him at that last, then she closes her eyes for a second and composes herself. )

What's her name? What does she look like? Just slow down for a second. Maybe I can help you.

[ she's right on both assumptions. however, shaking him a little and snapping isn't a bad way to approach it. she doesn't seem to be a threat to him so he doesn't feel the need to defend himself in the face of being shaken and snapped at. he doesn't know what the hell is going on here, but it's playing by rules he's uncertain of. he doesn't think he can trust the redhead in front of him by any means, but she hasn't tried to kill him yet. ] Katniss She's about my height, pretty, brown hair in a braid. She's probably got a bow and arrow with her.

[ the idea of making allies isn't something peeta is opposed to and if this girl can help him and Katniss, he'll take that help. ]

( he seems so unstable that lydia's almost afraid to leave him on his own. she takes a calmer tone once he seems to settle down himself. she nods, trying to be reassuring. ) Okay. We'll look for her, alright? If she's here, we'll find her. But you can't spend the entire time panicking. That's not going to help anybody. First things first. ( she tries to smile at him in a way that might make him settle further, but she mostly feels bad for him, so it's kind of a pathetic attempt. ) I'm Lydia.

( then she drops one hand, and the other becomes more gentle, just resting on his arm. she's trying to be reassuring. ) Katniss is a very distinctive name, not one I've ever heard used for a person. So we'll start by asking around, seeing if anyone's run into her. We can go from there. Okay?

[ she's not wrong about him being unstable. however, he's not likely to kill anyone as long as they don't get in the way of him getting to katniss. ] Nice to meet you, Lydia. [ he says it in an off hand sort of way, a little absent. He doesn't give his name because this is an arena and panem. she knows who he is, doesn't she. thought when she says she doesn't know katniss, she gets an odd sort of look. ]

You don't know who she is? Katniss Everdeen. The girl on fire....

Mm, you too --? ( she's polite and cordial, but really, lydia has no idea who he is and the expectant question in her eyes and the way her voice turns upward gives that a way. truly though, she just feels badly for him. he seems to believe she should recognize this girl's name. like she's famous or a celebrity or something. ) I'm sorry. I've never even heard of her, not once. I -- um. Am I supposed to?

[ So. Clearly. Confused. Of course, she ought to know who Katniss is. ]

She's a victor in the Hunger Games. [ he's at a loss for how to explain how Lydia wouldn't know Katniss. ]

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amplified - 2015-03-09 04:20 (UTC) - Expand

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withbread - 2015-03-09 21:55 (UTC) - Expand

( she, like he, wakes when she makes contact with the ground. it's a deadweight thud as she hits, reflexes too slow and limbs too limp and sore to catch herself. it hurts; reawakens old pains all over her body and leaves her groaning on the floor for several long minutes as her head erupts in pain, and bright lights flash on the inside of her eyelids. katniss doesn't know exactly how long she stays on the floor, curled into a loose fetal position and wallowing in pain and misery. for the duration of her hovercraft ride, and then the beginning of her stay in district 13, she'd been rather heavily sedated on morphling, and while she could feel the general tingling numb in her fingertips, she could tell she was probably due for another dose.

which... wasn't going to make any of this easier. wasn't going to ease the raw pain in her chest at the discovery that 12 had been bombed, nor make the room she'd awoken in any less terrifying or more bearable. it would only cloud her mind, and the concussion from johanna mason was already doing no favors for her ability to think and process. her head spins when she tries to sit up, but katniss makes it to her knees and then to door and sits with her back to the door, drifting in and out of consciousness until —

katniss! )

it's faint, as if from rooms away. only really grabs her attention because after years of sleeping next to prim, prim who had nightmares sometimes and cried in her sleep, she's tuned for her name like a particularly sharp antenna. katniss someone screams five more times while she's scrambling to pull herself to her feet in the darkness, and once she's no need to concentrate on that effort, she can actually listen and — ) Peeta? ( apparently the odds are in their favor this time around. ) Peeta!

( it's no huge production to open the door and dash out into the hall. she kicks the suitcase, and her foot smarts something terrible, but who needed toes? really, what purpose did they actually have, they were nowhere near as important as the figure she sees down the hallway, desperately rattling the knob on a door that won't let him in. relief floods her system, and for the few long moments it takes for her to work herself into a careful jog, katniss feels like she's floating in the clouds. but then she's running for him, desperate to touch, hug, reassure herself that he was actually there. )

[ honestly, Peeta has it easier than Katniss simply because he's in reasonably good shape physically. no one in the arena is in good shape, but he hasn't been through an explosion. By the time she calls his name, realizing what's going on, he's in a full on panic. He hears her scream his name and relief washes through him, hope leaps in his chest. It's impossible to tell where her voice is coming from. He rattles at the doorknob and goes to throw his shoulder into the door when he hears her light footsteps jogging toward him. He turns and launches himself as quickly as possible toward her, more than half afraid that something will happen before they reach each other. ] Katniss

[ he stumbles because he's not terribly graceful but then she's in his arms and she's real. She's here and he wasn't sure he'd ever see her again after the whole world exploded (or at least that's how it had felt)] You're here. You're okay. You're here.

( her body screams at her to slow down, to stop, to rest — but screw you, nerve endings. she's practically on a mission, and has the end and his blond hair in clear sight. it's not terribly romantic or picturesque; time doesn't slow down dramatically, though she curses her sore muscles and limited mobility range to herself and grits her teeth to make her run faster. they don't slow down and embrace like they would in front of cameras, rather collide, crash like desperate waves.

and katniss clings to him, fists her fingers in his tattered arena suit and squeezes him as tightly as her shaking arms will allow. ) You're alive, ( she gasps to echo him, voice cracking magnificently and eyes threatening tears that, for once, don't have to do with her splitting headache or their destroyed home. )

[ nerve endings are very minor things in situations such as this. neither of them need romantic or picturesque. After everything they've been through, they'd both prefer real in all of it's gritty, dirty, sloppiness. it hurts when they collide because neither of them slow down, but that pain is good as well because it reminds them that this is real rather than something dreamed or something choreographed by the capitol.

peeta wraps the length of her braid around his hand, holding her close, nose burying in her shoulder, in the crook of her neck. he doesn't care that she smells like a hospital, like things locked up too long. underneath that is still the scent of green, growing things, but it does prod at his mind, prickle at his senses. ] where were you? what happened?

[ never mind that he's just going to keep clinging to her while he asks these questions. he wasn't sure he'd ever see her again when they split up. it may be a long time before he lets go of her again. ] you're okay. I was so afraid you'd been--[ can't say killed, won't say killed ] hurt.

( her face is wet, with tears, she thinks, and ducks her face to wipe on his shoulder briefly while he speaks. maybe part of the friction is supposed to be comforting too, look i'm not dead i'm not hurt i'm right here, but mostly it's just so he doesn't see her cry. though the way her voice cracks when she tries to speak again is sort of a dead give away too.

where were you, what happened... well, peeta, let her tell you — )

Haymitch lied.

[ he doesn't mind the tears or her wiping his face on his shoulder. his hands rub up and down her back in a soothing way, reminding the both of them that they're here and they're all right.

his brow furrows at her comment. No Haymitch hadn't lied. ]

He got you out safely, Katniss. That's what he'd promised me.

[ Busted. Yup, Haymitch had made him promises as well. ]

( doesn't mind the tears or face wiping? enjoy her snot, peeta.

the same way she's enjoying the soothing backup, almost enjoying the comfort except what she's saying and what he's saying clash spectacularly. and katniss has to pull back from their embrace to look him in the face, her own eyes puffy and cheeks blotchy. )

He lied to me, ( she insists, anger and inner torment mixing to create the perfect voice crack. ) You were supposed to... ( she trails off, because she can pretty perfectly guess what their promise had been, and hers was pretty similar. he knows what he was supposed to do. live. escape. get out. )

[ seriously, at this point in his life he has been covered in so much worse. snot is nothing.

yeah, well...did she really expect anything else. he'd as much as told her this in the arena. besides that, effie had aided him (whether she'd known it or not) in keeping katniss alive by giving her that locket. he gave her a sad look at her words. ]

Katniss, I told you. If you died, I didn't have anything else to live for. No one back home needs me.

[ he can't even imagine a world in which katniss didn't live. it would be a world he doesn't want to live in.]