you want to hear it? well —

[happyheartsstaff]

ONLY, MY SECRET'S MINE, AND I WON'T TELL

The garden may no longer be available upon return to the hotel, but there is still a bustle of energy. How fortunate all the Oysters are, to reside in such a renowned place! It's a great honor for those in Wonderland to be granted opportunity to teach their skills or ply their trade here, and the Queen permits only the best. Hotel staff themselves seem to delight in the presence of the traveling merchants. Many trade teas or favors for enchanted items, and will eagerly discuss their purchases. "Oh, it happens regularly enough," they will say if asked, "but you never know if the merchant you liked or the item you eyed will be back next time!"

The talk lingers after the guest instructors and merchants have departed, but it isn't the only thing left behind. Glimmers of green may catch your eye, tucked away in hidden places that seem almost impossible to reach without drawing attention to yourself. Those who manage it will find a scrap of heavy paper with a drawing of a stylized caterpillar, a series of numbers, and the words call a friend.

Are you curious enough to input the numbers into your Empathy? It will ring, if you do, until an answering machine picks up and asks a single question — How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail? Do you dare leave a message? What will it be? Whatever you decide, the call will disconnect after a few minutes. It seems the only thing you can do now is wait for a call back.

But of course, the hotel is not in the habit of allowing such a thing as idle waiting. Her Royal Highness has noticed that some of her beloved Oysters seem quite reluctant to partake of the many splendors that the hotel provides, and she will be offering a special treat — indulgence.

QUEEN'S GAMES

8/12 - 8/22

What's more fun to indulge in than a little healthy competition? It's time for the Queen's Games, a truly dazzling spectacle. Competitors come from all over Wonderland, and this year for the first time ever, Oysters are invited to join! Announcements for the games schedule will be posted all throughout the hotel, along with directions on how to register to join.

The games will be held in either the pool area or the gym, which seems to have expanded to accommodate the number of spectators. Available games include:

• archery
• chess
• croquet
• artistic swimming
• diving
• gymnastics
• flamingo flying
• ice skating
• ice sculptures

Of course, even the games that Oysters are familiar with may not be quite the same. Chess in Wonderland is a team sport, for example, with each member of the team filling a role as a chess piece and a coach as a strategist directing the plays. Attempting to capture one of the other team's pieces includes having to successfully win a fight against them. Gymnastics and diving competitors include growing and shrinking in size to their routines, ice sculptures come to life when they've been completed, artistic swimmers and ice skaters change costumes and swap partners in the blink of an eye.

If they're lucky, Oysters may find one of the competitors willing to show them the ropes. If they're even luckier, or more persistent, there may be a spot or two open on one of the teams that Oysters can slot themselves into. For the most part, team members will be delighted to have Oysters there.

"You all just feel so much," one may say, sounding a little awed.

"Show off those emotions, it'll get us points," another will add.

Although competitors are friendly, with Osyters and with each other, it's clear that most of them are here to win. Rivalries may flare up throughout the month, ex-lovers may be reunited and broken up again, infighting may spark among the teams — all things that can be soothed or exacerbated, for Oysters who may have inclinations towards utilizing such things to increase their chances of winning.

Or to fan the flames of drama for its own sake.

THE CALL

8/16

Starting in the early morning hours and continuing late into the night, any who left a message will get a call back.

Those who completed the poem will be greeted immediately by a friendly male voice, with an apology for the delay. "Ugh, our lines are backed up like crazy," the caller will say. "Where are you reporting in from?"

Those who somehow identified themselves as an Oyster, as residing in the hotel, from off world, being held by the Queen, or otherwise potentially against the Queen, will have their call returned by a cold female voice, guarded and wary.

"Show me your Oyster mark," the caller will request. "We can't risk giving you anything without proof."

Regardless of which caller contacts them, anyone who cooperates will receive similar information.

The friendly caller will readily provide assurances that the resistance base was not found, despite Mad March and the Order's attempt at reconnaissance in the old kingdom.

"Can't say much more than that over these channels, you know, but worry not! Everyone is safe. We have a follow up from the last mission — sorry about the air conditioning, you know, couldn't be helped — you ready for this? Keycodes. Access keycodes. Didn't get more than a handful, of course, and the intel is vague about what they access. Are we glad to get your call! How about it, you ready to try one out and see what information you can get?"

The guarded caller will allude to the Order not being able to find what they wanted out in the ruins.

"Did you think they took you out there to show you the sights? They're looking for us, obviously. No I'm not going to tell you more than that — just because you're an Oyster doesn't mean we can completely trust you. All right, look. Last time we broke into the hotel, we recovered a few access codes. We had to get out of there before we could find out what they accessed. How about a trade? We give you the code, you call us back and tell us what you find."

INDULGENCE

8/13 - 8/23

Throughout the event, there will be a number of activities available alongside the games designed to encourage unwinding. A concert set up in the hotel lobby will kick off the start of the games, at which indulgence teas will be made available for the first time. They will continue to be served readily at all hours of the day. Enhanced spa facilities will be made available as well — dazzling pedicures and manicures with nail polish that can do anything from change colors based on your mood to emit light so bright it can function as a flashlight; makeup that gives you a kiss that will literally stun the recipient; aromatherapy that will cure any kind of hangover; oils that double as aphrodisiacs, for those interested; healing massages that will take away your aches and pains, wiping away any bruises or injuries with no questions asked. A clean slate, ready to indulge again.

Then, of course, there are the less official activities. Whispers will begin to spread about another kind of competition being run after hours, when all good competitors should be sleeping. No one quite knows who's running it — one person heard it was the coach of one of the chess teams, eager to get her players extra practice; another heard it was one of the chess players themselves; still another will say it is an ice skater, a flamingo pilot, a gymnast. After all, it hardly matters, does it, as long as it runs, and there is a fight every night? Oysters are welcomed into this competition as well, where the only rule is not to kill your opponent. Teas of all kinds exchange hands as bets are placed on the fights, and the champion is rumored to receive a truly spectacular prize.

If fighting is not to your speed, fear not. All of the competitors seem to have different ways to unwind after the games are completed for the day, and all are happy to allow Oysters to indulge in attending the various get-togethers and parties they host. The knight on one of the chess teams has the most renowned wine collection, and he's brought some of his finest with him to be enjoyed alongside cheeses and poetry. One of the swimmers is a passionate musician, and has recruited anyone who can play an instrument to discuss musical theory and play together. A croquet player is known for hosting the wildest parties, with free-flowing moonshine and sips of ecstacy tea readily available. There is a flamingo pilot with a book club, an archer who is a fabulous chef, a diver who is a skilled debater with a wicked tongue — whatever you like to indulge in, chances are, someone's throwing a party for it.

The games will end on the 23rd, with a roaring celebration of all who participated in the competition. The pool area will be taken over for the farewell party, with music, food, alcohol, and dancing available. It is here that the winners of the competitions will be announced, and prizes will be awarded.

If you have any questions, please leave them over here! Results for the access code sign ups and the distractions will go out on the 14th, so players have until then to sign up. Characters can use the keycodes to access areas and cause distractions from the 16th through the 23rd — and beyond, but after the final party they may no longer have an easy excuse. If you wish to have your character compete in one of the competitions for the prizes, you can sign up here! Winners will be RNGed.

PREMISE RULES FAQ TAKEN RESERVES APPLICATION MOD CONTACT HIATUS & DROPS WORLD INFO NPCS CALENDAR AC REWARDS PLAYER CONTACT

© tessisamess

Comments

[sadflutenoises]

"Beanpole?"

Wei Wuxian bounces lightly, on the balls of his bare feet, doing a couple of pre-match stretches. He's dressed lightly, compared to his usual robes, just a red tank top and a pair of baggy athletic pants tied at the waist. His long hair is adorned with the usual flashy red ribbon.

"Is this a fight? Or a name-calling contest? I just want to make sure, so I know how to win it properly," he grins in response. His fighting style is better suited to the sword, but after losing his cultivation, he had to adapt, making his style more about dodging and close hand combat. He flips his hair once, for good measure, careful to stay just out of reach.

[earthborn]

"Does it matter? You're goin' down either way. But hey, tell me something I don't know."

It's not hard to stay outside her reach, really, or it shouldn't be. She's short, and her arms aren't long, but Shepard isn't truly trying. What she's doing instead, is waiting, feet balanced, joints loose. Come on, buddy. Make my day.

[sadflutenoises]

He hasn't had much chance to try out this angelic strength the tea was supposed to grant, but Shepard seems pretty experienced, if the earlier brawl they'd ended up in was any indication. Wei Wuxian can't claim to have fought many, if any women, but Shepard seemed more than capable of holding her own and then some.

"I'll have you know I was one of the top five ranked cultivators, and it was only partly for my good looks."

Besides, he wasn't about to scar up a girl's face, so he aims his first couple kicks at the body instead, using his beanpole frame for all the extra reach he can manage. Just testing the waters, watching how she reacts, and pushing back, where he can.

[earthborn]

Shepard takes the hit, deliberate, meaning to test , but the first kick hits like a krogan, and it's all she can do to keep it to a grunt of pain. That's going to be a bruise, at the very least, and what the hell?! He must've been cheating, she thinks, some kind of ability or tea, which means only one thing: death before defeat.

At his second attempt, a moment later, she's ready for him and takes the hit with a cushioning half-step. Shepard has all her life been smaller, weaker, more compact than her opponents and in that time has only learned to pick bigger and stronger targets. She's always known how to take a hit; it was teaching her not to do so that had been the challenge. So she'll wear those bruised ribs and that wrenched shoulder with pleasure if it wins her the advantage— and the firm, implacable grip of one arm wrapped, winding around Wei Wuxian's leg. Then she shoves, stepping into him, pushing back, defense and offense unified into the same movement, throwing all her weight into a deliberate fall, dragging him along for the ride on the crux of his balance and the momentum of the follow-through.

Fuck you, she's gonna get you on the ground, where your fancy-ass kung fu footwork won't do you a lick of good. On the ground, get down, where leverage is king, and the length of your limbs is only an advantage if you know how to brace them right. She may or may not win, but Shepard is absolutely dedicated to making him regret the fight.

[sadflutenoises]

He probably should have pulled that first kick, but Shepard has proven herself a fierce competitor in every fight he's seen her in. Wei Wuxian makes the mistake of holding back on the second kick, even if only a hair, and Shepard tries to shove him off-balance. He can feel the shift in balance, the moment he starts to lose advantage, and rolls with her instead of fighting it, attempting to use the momentum of his fall back to fling her from his leg.

Barring that, if he can't shake her loose, he'll at least try to force a shift in balance, so he can come out on top, and use his beanstalk legs to pin her to the floor.

[earthborn]

Underneath doesn't mean powerless, and Shepard rolls and rolls again, clinging like a limpet as he shifts with her and she kicks out to follow his shift until he's on top again. She spares one vicious, snarling moment to show him her teeth and then braces her back against the floor and kicks up into the soft pit of his solar plexus. She's no lady, hasn't been a girl for a long time, and her face is lined and crossed with scars already, but Shepard is willing to demonstrate the most fundamental lesson that being a woman and a soldier had taught her:

The only real rule of a fight, club or otherwise, is to win.

[sadflutenoises]

Given how he'd seen her fight, he should've expected Shepard to cling onto him like a particularly nasty rash, the more he tries to shake her. The show of teeth is honestly a little surprising, but more so is the sudden kick that follows it, earning her a startled wheeze as he fumbles back to catch his breath. He's pretty sure his mule kicks softer than that, having now sampled both.

It's not as if he has a reputation to uphold here, and there's probably a rule somewhere about gracefully letting a lady win a fight, but he's just as sure that Shepard would beat him twice as bad if he so much as tried that. His fighting style is admittedly, more for swords, staves, and things with reach, that keep an opponent from getting close enough to cling on or throw out savage kicks.

"Not bad," he coughs, trying to shake it off. Okay, so faster strikes, keep her at a distance, he notes, and whatever you do, don't let her cling on like that again.

[earthborn]

"Next time I'm aiming lower," Shepard tells him, viciously, "You're too strong. You fixed the fight."

She might be mad, but how could you tell? She might just be like this in every fight. Maybe she's just a naturally angry person. Or, it just might be that all those things were true.

"See, this is supposed to be about fun," She's waiting as he circles, legs braced, watching, tense with bloodthirsty energy. C'mon. Come on, "I'm not here for a real fight. But if we're gonna cheat, let's play the right game."

[sadflutenoises]

"Not on purpose!" he's quick to point out, a measure of panic in his eyes at the threat before a smile finds its way back in, "okay, maybe a little on purpose, but to be fair, I didn't think I'd be facing off against Commander Shepard now, did I?"

Besides, he'd had plenty of fun throwing others around. He was even pulling his punches! Where was the fun in trying out those powerful teas if he didn't even get in any fights? And if she thought someone being angry at him was enough to ruin his mood or make this any less fun, she was in for a surprise.

"I'm having tons of fun," he insists, though his laugh is a little rough from the kick, "cheat all you want, I wanna see what that looks like. I'd hate to be the only one having a good time."

With that he rushes forward, offering a series of kicks meant to break her stance. It won't be easy, with the difference in height, and the lower center of balance she has, but he's careful to keep them from being high enough for her to easily grab at.

[earthborn]

Hip, thigh, pivot, other hip, he's moving faster now, holding back less, wary of the grabs. Shepard holds back, retreats, strategic. In a real fight she'd explode, she'd blast, now she just builds pressure, backing away, losing ground in a quest for breath. She'll be purple from knee to shoulder, but she's had worse.

Eventually he gives her that breath, moves for his own pause, and she reaches for the pocket at the small of her back, the hard little case there, and the only currency that matters in this place; three little glass vials, stoppered tight and brim-full of fragrant, powerful tea. Not taking her eye off him, not bothering to look at what she's drinking, Shepard downs one in a gulp and throws the little bottle at him, label and all. Silencing Spell, Lan Wangji.

"You want to see me fighting dirty? You got it," She snarls. He's still laughing as she starts to feel it, the tea warm in her belly and cool in her veins. It's like being someone else, and for a moment Shepard feels oddly tall, and the world seems strangely overlayed, as if there were some secondary sight, a hologram that enrobed all the world...

...and then it's gone.

"Shut up."

[sadflutenoises]

To her credit, she might as well have been made from stone, for how much he could budge her. He was pretty certain the goddess statue of Dafan mountain was easier to move and far less stubborn. He's been holding back less and less, but he would rather neither of them break anything, regardless of whether or not the spa can fix them right up.

A flicker of curiosity moves across his features as she turns to drink one of those teas, wondering just how she'll retaliate, what power she might have inherited. There're so many residents and different worlds to choose from, and he's about to open his mouth to tease her a bit, just for sinking to his level, when she tells him to shut up.

It's not exactly a profound remark, though usually he's rather pleased to push someone far enough that they're stuck for insults and retorts and have nothing but 'shut up' or 'get lost' to lob at him. He's about to say as much when-

"Mmm?!" his lips clamp shut in a very familiar and not altogether pleasant way, unable to slip a word between them. His hand comes up to his mouth in shock, trying to verify that it really is the spell he thinks it is.

Why would anyone put Lan Zhan's silencing spell in a tea? he tries to yell, but it only comes out as, "Mmm mm mmm hrmmmm!?!"

As if his mouth isn't loud enough, his body language is practically screaming in offended frustration as he stamps his foot and balls his fists at his sides.

[earthborn]

Oh now this is very satisfying. Shepard allows her guard to relax a little as he shifts immediately out of this fancy kung-fu stance and into something much more like a petulant child. Oh no. Oh yes.

"Aww, nothing to say?" If she were a bigger person, or at least a more honorable one, Shepard would leave it at that. But she's not, so she steps up and punches Wei Wuxian in the face with all the weight of her shoulder behind it, "Stay down."

And then up at the spectators, who are quite suddenly finding their own bloodlust has curdled, somewhat. Shepard bends down, lifts Wei Wuxian by the elbow in an undignified drag-hold, and pulls him towards the first aid corner, sliding all the way.

"Fight's over."