leave her behind with the kids —

[happyheartsstaff]

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

Does anything in this hotel ever stay put? Those who go looking for the gym, the hotel spa, or the nightclub are out of luck one day, as they're simply no longer there. The hallways themselves go topsy-turvy, only staying put when one looks directly at them. For those who've been here long enough to have seen the last time the hotel shifted like this and remember how unhelpful the hotel staff were — it seems little there has changed. The only difference is the manner in which they are useless. They will acknowledge the shifting hallways, of course, and even provide direction back to the lobby, but profess they are much too busy to provide an escort.

Eventually, the hallways settle. Gone are The Caucus-Race, the Pearls Within, and the Rabbit Hole in favor of new amenities. Where once there was a gym, there's now an indoor playground. The nightclub has been replaced with an arcade, and the spa is now a massive movie theater. Were there always quite so many kids items on the restaurant menus? When did This Elegant Thimble get such a large children's section?

If asked, the hotel staff will shrug. Some will insist things have been this way for as long as they've been working there. Others will state that, like their wonderful Queen, the hotel will always know what's needed for any occasion and make suitable preparations.

ARCADE

9/11 - 9/23

The arcade, if possible, seems even larger than the nightclub that once stood in its place. There are rows of pinball, action games, shooting games, driving games. An entire room of air hockey, and another of dancing games. Clusters of skee-ball, whack-a-mole, and claw machines. The floors seem to be eternally sticky with spilled soda, and the smell of pizza and sugar permeates the air. No matter how many patrons are within sight, the sound of laughter and excited shrieking somehow seems to echo throughout the arcade.

Token dispensers are scattered amongst the games. Hotel staff will be stationed at the snack bar and the prize counter, ready to hand out tokens or trade tickets won from the games for small prizes.

Occasionally, one of the games will spark and short out. If asked, hotel staff will say it's out of order and put up a sign proclaiming it so. They don't seem all that concerned about fixing it. Soon enough, it will seem to fix itself and switch back on. It will still spark every so often, and something about the music will seem off. Anyone who decides to play one of these games anyway will find themselves feeling slightly dizzy. Is the arcade spinning around them, or is that just them?

When the spinning stops, they will no longer be where they were before. They will find themselves in the middle of the game they had previously been playing, regardless of what it was. Welcome to the other side of the arcade — where the game play is more realistic than ever! Hopefully they had a partner brought in with them, or someone else comes along to try to play who can help them win the game to get back out.

MOVIE NIGHT

9/11 - 9/23

The entrance to the movie theater is lined with concession stands. Snacks and drinks of every kind can be picked up here before going into one of the theater's two auditoriums. Films will be playing round the clock in both, a different one on each screen. Oysters may find the same movies they would have seen on their own world, movies one might find on modern day Earth, or even movies about old folktales or traditional stories that might have been told where they were from. The only thing that will not be showing is any version of Alice in Wonderland, or any story set in Wonderland itself.

At times, particular showings may be billed as interactive. These will be of all genres: musicals, adventures, mysteries, romance, comedies, even horror. Oysters who attend these will be encouraged to dress up, and will even be shown to a dressing room with a selection of suitable clothes. It will only be after they've been seated and the film starts that what is meant by interactive will become clear.

The musicals will have sing alongs, with people from the audience being pulled up to participate in the dance numbers. The adventures and mysteries will have characters on the screen turn to the audience as though they are part of the story, inviting them along in the investigation or interrogating them as a suspect. Protagonists and antagonists alike will walk off the screen of horror movies, seeking help from or looking to torment the audience until their story is completed and they are sent back to their film world. Comedies and romances will find those in the audience being pulled up to act out parts of the story — and may find themselves transported into the setting until they do.

DAYCARE AND PLAYGROUND

9/11 - 9/23

The front of the daycare is small, with a place to check in and drop off or pick up kids. This is the only area that Oysters who are not either helping out at the daycare or being dropped off themselves will be able to easily access. Behind this are sectioned off areas for quieter activities, with materials such as books, art supplies, toys, etc. There's a small kitchen that will be off limits to the kids, and an area for snack time and nap time. Hotel staff are very present and interactive in these areas — reading to children, making crafts with them, telling stories, fixing snacks. Some will be taking a quiet break for themselves in the kitchen, and may be willing to talk to Oysters helping out at the daycare.

The back of the daycare is an expansive indoor playground. Here, the children are mostly left to their own devices. There are some hotel staff out there to keep an eye on the children as they play, but they tend to cluster together for conversation. Oysters helping out at the daycare will be somewhat warily included in this if they approach. These hotel staff will mostly be dismissive of any children coming to them unless they are injured or crying. There are multiple parts of the playground that can be used to sneak in and out to the hotel area at large, if one is looking carefully! Any children who are not supposed to be there have a low risk of being caught unless they draw attention to themselves or try to enter the other area of the daycare.

The other children in the daycare fall mostly between the ages of 6-11, with three or four outliers who appear to be toddlers or in the 12-13 age range. Astute Oysters likely to observe the behavior of the children will notice that there are clear social groups among them, as though they have known each other long enough to have friends they're accustomed to playing with. There are some who seem friendly and popular, some who seem to keep to themselves, some who seem to have good relationships with the hotel staff and others who seem determined to cause trouble, those who are bullies and those who are picked on. Their willingness to play with or answer questions from Oyster children or adults is equally as varied.

There will be a posted list of Oysters banned from helping out at the daycare. It will not be easily seen from the front of the daycare, but hotel staff will identify who is on it if asked. It will include the below names:

• Lan Wangji (novel)
• Wu Xie
• Wei Wuxian (novel)
• Crowley
• Commander Shepard
• Matthew Murdock
• Lan Wangji (TV)
• Sam Wilson

Characters on this list who have been de-aged will also find that hotel staff are reluctant to accept them into the daycare. They will be allowed only if someone not on the list vouches for them, and otherwise will have to sneak in through the playground.

If you have any questions, please leave them over here! For those interested in asking questions or interacting with the daycare staff, please reply to the first comment on this page, and the second comment for the other children!

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

© tessisamess

Comments

I. Itty bitty Xian

[inquiryguqin]

He woke up in his room to find his own robes too loose and too big to wear. He finds clothes and a headband in his closet to fit, so he puts them on. He walks out to search for his uncle and brother with a rattle drum in one hand.

"...?" Once he's out and exploring searching for him, it's only then he noticed the child on the floor, crying and silently watches him from a distance. Upon coming closer, hearing him cry, he bends over curious and shakes his drum to distract him.

[scaredofdogs]

When he hears the drum he looks up, but instead of a familiar face it is another stranger. His tears start to flow again as he sits up and wonders why he has been left all alone. So many things are different and overwhelming and he doesn't know what to do.

He reaches up and rubs at his eyes as if that will get the tears to stop. His knees are scuffed and he hurts from falling down and just nothing is okay at the moment.

[inquiryguqin]

"...?" He looks at him blankly not knowing what to do. Not a very talkative child to begin with. If his brother and uncle around, they'll know what to do.

He thinks his drum scare him, so he's holding it, not shaking it. However, he just stands there, not leaving him, because he doesn't know why he's crying. "Need help?"

[scaredofdogs]

Wei Wuxian takes one hand away from his eyes and points at his scuffed knees. No one can really help the fact that he is alone and scared and lost, but maybe someone can fix the owie that he gave himself when he fell. He's embarrassed that anyone might have seen the very ungraceful display when he came tumbling out of the room he had woken up in. He can just add that to the list of very bad things that have happened in the very short time he has been awake.

[inquiryguqin]

He looks at him cluelessly at first, then at his knee. "Hurt...?" He tries to summon his spiritual energy to heal him, but he has no powers as he looks at his hands and no energy came out. "Eh? I can't heal. What's going on...?"

Then a huff of frustration, "Sorry. I can't heal you." Then a pause and beat. "Are you lost? I can help you look for mama and papa?"

[scaredofdogs]

When he hears that he can't make the pain go away, the tears start to well up in his eyes once again. Now he is lost, hurt and alone and there is nothing anyone can do. He tries to be brace and fight back his tears.

He shakes his head, the only thing he can do to show that he has no idea where his parents are or where he is. Everything is new and scary and he doesn't know how to even talk about any of it.

[inquiryguqin]

Oh noo, he's crying again. He doesn't know what to do. He can't leave him alone, because he looks so young. "No mama or papa...?"

"..." Without saying a word, he decides to stay with him and stay by his side, because he looks so small. Once he becomes tired from all the crying and he stops, he can get a grown-up in this place to help if he goes to pester the staff.

He reaches out to take his small hands. "Don't cry. Let's go look for mama and papa...? Maybe they're here."

[scaredofdogs]

He sniffles back the tears and gives a small nod of is head to indicate he is willing to look for his parents. He holds out his hands, opening his arms as if wanting to be carried to wherever his parents are.

There is a donkey in his room so clearly his parents much be somewhere. They always lead him around on a donkey. They certainly would never leave him behind somewhere scary.

[inquiryguqin]

By virtue, the elders taught him to always be kind and help others. Even though he isolates himself and don't usually socialize with the other children much, much less speak to them back in his sect. "Eh...?" Oh? Does he want to be carried? He could. He is used to carrying heavy buckets of water over the hills and doing handstands in his training.

So by instinct, he bends over, picks him up to lift, and carries him in his arms, and pats his back to soothe him. "Let's go find mama and papa."

[scaredofdogs]

He clings to the other boy, looks around and hoping he will see his parents coming down the hall for him. He doesn't want to have to trouble this one for too long if he doesn't have to. At least he has stopped crying, even though he is still awkwardly wearing the clothing that caused him to fall in the first place. Maybe his parents are in a different room. One that actually belongs to him and has his clothing.

[inquiryguqin]

He carries him easily, he's a lightweight in his arms. He sees a staff cleaning lady as he walks down the hall and asks her where to find the lobby. He was given directions and was told to use the elevator to go downstairs.

He pushes the button and waits. "What's your parent's name? Maybe they are staying in this inn somewhere?"

[scaredofdogs]

His voice is very low as he finally speaks for the first time, "Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze..."

He points back towards the room he came out of. "There is a donkey inside the inn.."

This is the biggest inn he has ever seen and never before has he seen a donkey inside.

[inquiryguqin]

He doesn't know about the donkey, but he does have his rabbits. He never carries rabbits on his travels to any inn. When the elevator arrives with a light up ding, he steps inside the metal box. "Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze...okay. I go ask if anyone sees them."

Seeing the numbers next to the button, he presses for the main lobby. Metal box descends and goes down. When the door opens, he steps out and looks around the lobby area since it's a busy place full of people.

"Do you see your mama and papa around here?"

[scaredofdogs]

He looks around and then shakes his head. He doesn't see them anywhere and now he is starting to get worried about them. He hopes nothing happened and they aren't hurt anywhere. He knows that they have a very hard job that they do and it can be very dangerous.

"not here..."

[inquiryguqin]

At this point, he has to gently lower him down to his feet because he couldn't carry him for long. He holds his small hand. He intends to help him to find his parents.

"Not here? Are you sure? Okay, let's look around." Taking the lead, he goes to the front desk and asks the staff workers behind the register. The answer is the same, they haven't seen anyone with those names.

Turning to him, worried. "They said they haven't seen them."

[scaredofdogs]

He tries to go on his tiptoes when he is set down to see over the desk but it doesn't gain him enough height. He waits patiently for the answer from the grown ups but when he gets it he pouts and turns to bury his face against the older boy's clothing. So his parents did leave him in this strange place...was he bad?

[inquiryguqin]

At this point, this is becoming scary. Where are his parents? Maybe they're mean people who abandoned him? He heard of stories of parents who would do that back home.

Being brave, trying to comfort him, as he buries his face on his clothes. He doesn't let go of his hand. "Let's go look in the shops and other places. Maybe they're around."

A pause a beat, introduction. "I am Lan Wangji from Gusu Lan Sect. Don't worry, I'll be your big brother, gege. My sect always helps others."

[scaredofdogs]

"Xian.." That's all he offers. as he slowly tilts his face to look up at the older boy. He is afraid to walk anywhere..not wanting to trip over the too long clothing again. He has already fallen twice today, he doesn't want to make it a third time.

But he looks hopeful that they are going to continue to search for them.

[inquiryguqin]

He took notice that his clothes are too loose. Just give him a few tries in searching around by walking around the hotel to find his parents. After much searching and feet become tired, they couldn't be found anywhere after asking around. He asked the staff, and their response is the same. He was brushed off. Some say they aren't here and some say they are back home safe and sound. Some ignored him when he asked them a question.

Becoming tired of searching, turning to the little one, "I can't find them. They say they're not here and they're back home."

[scaredofdogs]

He looks up at the older brother and his eyes start to wet again with tears that are threatening to fall. Now it seems it isn't so much he had been abandoned but rather perhaps he had been stolen and that is even scarier.

He reaches out his arms again, wanting to be picked up. Needing the comfort of someone's arms around him so that he can feel safer.

[inquiryguqin]

Unable to find his parents, he sees he's going to cry again. He's not alone. He bends over and reaches for him, picking him up in his arms to hold him. He carries him over to one of the soft cushion seats in the lobby, and then gently pats his back. He has no experience comforting anyone, but he tries. He rocks him back and forth, trying to comfort him.

[scaredofdogs]

All this crying is exhausting and so after sitting on the seats for awhile and letting the tears come, he finally cries himself out. He rests his head against the older brother as he dozes lightly. His breathing is slow and regular as he finally feels safe enough to relax a little.

[inquiryguqin]

With him dozing off, it makes things much easier. He decides to let him rests on his chest while he is sitting on his lap. Eventually, he can't sit all day, so with much determination and strength, he scoops him up in his arms. He decides to walk around for a final look to try again.

Once again, nobody has seen his parents, but he has been informed they had seen his older brother, Lan Xichen around at least. When approached the daycare for information, the staff shooed them off unless they have someone to vouch for them.

At the end of the day, he goes up the elevator to his room of Cloud Recesses and took him inside and on his bed, that's where he's going to lay the child to rest and keep him safe.