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

[checkingin]

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.

Comments

[1_truth]

[ Conan freezes and turns sharply to face the person approaching, dragging his eyes slowly over his appearance in order to get a good solid read on this guy. Not exactly how he'd expect the staff to look and he wasn't wearing a name tag of any kind. He supposed that didn't necessarily mean anything but surely the owner of the hotel would want their staff to be approachable and not just blend in with the other guests. ]

I forgot which was my room-I was trying to find it in the log book but it seems to be missing. Can you help me find my dad?

[mygame]

I am sorry, Sir, but our guest register is kept in the concierge's office, and he has left for the evening. It's the rain, you see. Causing all sorts of flooding on the side roads. Perhaps when he returns in the morning, he can check our records for you.

[Black eyes stared back at Conan with all the animation of a stuffed animal. Given its too pale skin and the dark shadows around its eyes, the Nogitsune has the look of the terminally ill. It try to scare a child? Absolutely. Still, it keeps the bland empty look on its face and voice professionally interested but nothing more.]

I am afraid I don't know some of our newest arrivals. Your name, Sir?

[1_truth]

But what do I do until then? Dad's gonna start getting worried.

[ It's not a completely ridiculous reason. Still, it's a little odd the log book would be taken out of the room incase of late night arrivals. Then again this place seemed to have no actual main entrance so what good would that log do? ]

My name is Conan-Edogawa Conan. [ Considering it's not actually his name he has nothing against giving it to a stranger. ] But hey, you don't look very good. Maybe you should sleep-you have really dark circles under your eyes.

[mygame]

[The Nogitsune gives a small nod of its head in acknowledgement.]

I am pleased to meet you, Conan Edogawa Conan. As I said, I am Stiles.

[Given that the Nogitsune is a Japanese spirit, it is well aware of the mistake it is making in the boy's name. It gestures towards the Screening Room, an empty smile coming to its lips as if it were nothing more than a windup toy left on duty. Most adults or even teenagers would be concerned about a child, wouldn't they?]

I can assure you that I am not tired or unwell. As for your father, perhaps he went to watch the film we have playing tonight? There are only a few places open to guests tonight. I am sure he must be around somewhere.

[1_truth]

It's just Conan. [ He corrects automatically, not even really thinking about it as he looks over at the screening room. Considering as far as Shinichi is aware his dad is L.A. he highly doubts if he's in the screening room but really all the wanted was a good excuse to wander about the hotel and explore. ]

He went to the room earlier, but I don't remember the room number. That's why I needed the log book.

[mygame]

Conan, then. As I said, our guest register will be unavailable until the morning when our concierge arrives. If you wish, I can have him contact you when he arrives.

[Its hands fold before it on the top of the desk as it shakes its head slowly in regret.]

Until then, I am sorry but there is very little that can be done. Perhaps one of our other guests will let you use their room or you could use one of the couches down here near the fire.

[A new twist in the game might be called for. A little something to poke around some. The Nogitsune frowns without reason, blinking a few times before refocusing on Conan. That blankness comes back, all human animation or signs of confusion gone.]

I'm sorry, Mr Conan. Glitches like this happen at times. What did you say your father's name was? Derek Hale?

[1_truth]

Why can't you just call him? It's not that late is it? And even then! Dad might be really angry at me forgetting lost. It's an emergency!

[ Glitches? He's not sure that's the right word but he still doesn't have much to go on. Other than this guy looks about ready to keel over. dead. he could use a good murder case. ]

Besides, you can't ask me to stay with a stranger, how is that safe?

[mygame]

I am sorry, Mr Conan, but the telephones are out as well. It's the rain, you see. All the lines are down. Thankfully, our electricity seems to be holding.

[Empty black eyes watch Conan as if trying to process something, receiving orders from elsewhere perhaps. It's the impression the creature has been trying to give as of late. It blinks three times in rapid succession as its polite smile returns.]

Management surely wouldn't allow people in the Hotel California that would be damaging to you, Mr Conan. As I also offered, there are the couches down here that you could bed down on if you feel yourself in danger.

As for your father, Derek Hale, should I locate him, I will reassure him of your safety and point him in your direction. That is about all we of the staff can do for you right now, Mr Conan. The storm has left us short-staffed.

[1_truth]

Eh?

[ Hotel California? That sounds familiar. Where has heard that before? wait a minute. California? were they in LA somewhere? Were his parents behind this? No. It's a little too grand scale-even for them. Which is saying a lot. ]

My dad's name isn't Derek. [ Where in the world had that name come from? ] His name is Jigen. He has a mustache and wears hat down over his eyes.

And no thanks, that still doesn't sound safe.

[mygame]

Jigen. My mistake, Mr Conan. Should anyone by that name check in, I will be sure to notify them of your presence.

[Even as Conan explains his situation, the Nogitsune continues to give him its empty smile. It nods along with his words but gives a small helpless shrug at the end.]

I am sorry, Mr Conan, but there is little I can offer other than what I have. You'll have to wait until the morning when Concierge Chris Argent or the Manager returns for anything else.

[1_truth]

Well, it wasn't like I was going to sleep anyway.

[ Which is probably the single honest thing that has come out of his mouth the whole night. ]

[mygame]

I will be here most of the night should you need me, Mr Conan, or if you change your mind about sleeping on one of the couches. Do be careful.

[With that, it turns away to go tend the fire. Such a concerned and caring adult.]