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

[earthborn]

"Ugh, you are so bad at black-ops," Shepard mutters, against his mouth, as the moment bleeds and gasps along with her, then kisses him again, surging up as if she had no choice, as if it were simple gravity, and accepting the urge to kiss him was as easy as tilting into free-fall. She's not even sure who's she's talking to, Sam or herself, but then there's no real need to worry about it.

"I should go."

She's not much of a climber, by nature, but she is short which makes monkeys of even the most downwardly-inclined. It's the work of a moment, a boost, a scramble, snatching at the little note, and then hopping down again; heavier than she might, unless he catches her.

Catch her, Sam.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

He grins into the kiss, letting the curve of his mouth brush against hers for just a moment so she can feel it too, before he meets her as she surges into him again. And the thing is - the thing is when Sam was younger, when the gleam in his eyes and the attitude in his smirk was all cocky bravado of someone who's tested and tested and tested and always come out ahead, this was easy. Making a connection for a night, a week, a few months, falling into piercing eyes or a warm smile, soft curves or firm muscle, giving it his all until it faded into the next mission, the next flight.

It's never been with someone who - with someone like Shepard. And he can't tell - is it easy to free-fall with her because it'd always been before, or is it easy because it's Shepard?

He doesn't have the answer even when she pulls away, but his smile is softer than the grin he'd pressed against her skin.

"I'll be here."

Sam keeps half an eye on her and half on their surroundings, just in case - but no one comes close to them, giving them their space, and he turns back to her as she jumps down.

Of course he catches her.

When he sets her down, he stays pressed in close, just in case anyone decides to look their way again - and so he can see what she'd pulled down, of course.

[earthborn]

It's a good thing for his strength, because she is denser than you'd think, and heavy with the weight of hidden cybernetics, both legal and otherwise. Shepard laughs, sharp and brief, more as if she can't help it than because there's something actually funny about the situation, and then opens the note between them. A code.

"Bet you ten credits, this is about an underground resistance," Shepard murmurs, with the salted air of a lifelong cynic, "Sam?"

Oh, he is tall. Everyone is tall, compared to her, but— at the moment he seems to have all the height in the world. It's either annoying or... a different kind of annoying. Shepard isn't really sure which.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Lucky for him, every day is arm and leg day. It kind of has to be, when his job normally involves catching Steve Rogers out of the air on a regular basis. It doesn't escape him that she sits similarly in his arms, as he adjusts his balance and sets her down, and he gently files that away in the super solider column in his mind.

Her laugh is met with a chuckle, a short shake of his head.

"Isn't it always? Aziraphale told me some of the staff were talking about one. They aren't here anymore."

He figures he doesn't have to say more than that, for her to know what conclusion he'd come to. Besides, even if he'd had more to say, he loses it when she says his name. She's looking up at him, and he leans closer - he's already leaning in, he finds, drawn to her as though she is the center of his gravity.

"Yeah?"

[earthborn]

"Look, um..." Didn't she used to be smooth? It'd been a while since she propositioned someone, even if it'd been planned. The whole week had been about impulse, gratification, and was this any different? Well, the kiss hadn't been, even if the results had been both compelling and pragmatic, "Listen, you wanna get out of here?"

It's as open an invitation as she can give, really. She might have a few ideas in line with the thinking of one Natasha Romanov, but Shepard would never be so unforthright. Really, it was the opposite but, as she cocked her head and gave him the suggestive smile, Jane consoled herself in this much: it was honest.

"No pressure."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

If this was Natasha, Sam would think nothing of the offer. He'd immediately assume it was - mostly - continuing the part, following the logical conclusion of using kissing as a diversion to get them an excuse to get out of here and discuss what they'd found. He'd have said hell yeah without a hesitation.

This isn't Natasha. This is Shepard, and so - so he thinks something of the offer.

And then he says, "Hell yeah," without hesitation, anyway, because it doesn't actually matter which way she's asking him.

His response'd be the same.

[earthborn]

She shakes her head at him, unable to quell the smirk, and steps back to give him the room to follow her, when she turns, leading the way. It's a big place, this hotel, and if she were nervous, the banal length of the halls, and the intrusive buzz of the parties would have made an isolating liminal space of the walk between their little make-out corner and the elevator. But his hand in hers was warm, and the air was laughing between them, and the moment seemed to fly past like a dream; she would have said she'd need a buzz to get this kind of feeling, anymore.

But then, maybe somewhere along the line, amidst all the tragedy and death and shortlived hope, she'd gotten brave. Well, brave or something else very similar. Just the same, it's natural as anything to turn around and put her back to the elevator wall as he follows her in, wicked with smiles.

Buzz or no, it would be nice to have something else to blame this on, if it all goes to shit in the next few minutes.

"We've got time," Shepard reminds him, reminds herself, trailing along the studiously tidy dresser-top. She never quite lost the jangle of anxiety that made her avoid clutter, "Party's live for the next week. But... Tell me I'm not misinterpreting this, here, Sam. It's been awhile, for me."