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

[billowing]

[ He nods. ]

What is your name, Qianbei?

[ He still won't look him in the eye, because that's just how he rolls. ]

[radishgrown]

[What an interesting child. If he doesn't know better, he'd say that this child is very similar to Hanguang Jun. Sizhui finds a table for them to sit at and places his tray down before checking to see if this little one needs help up onto the seat]

Sizhui. What is your name?

[billowing]

[ He does need help to get into his seat, and to be pushed forward, but otherwise he seems to be managing fine on his own, though he doesn't take up his chopsticks yet because they're not done speaking. ]

My name is Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji.

[ He even does the bow. While seated. He does a bow. He's so smol. ]

[radishgrown]

[He helps the little one into his seat and push it forward to be able to sit at the table properly. He takes his seat and does not pick up his chopsticks yet either. He watches with wide eyes when the little one does the bow and introduces himself as Lan--HANGUANG JUN?!]

It is very nice to meet you, xiao gongzi.

[It would be too odd...maybe...to call him a-Ji. He bows back as best he can, seated and at a table.]

What were you doing here by yourself?

[billowing]

[ The older boy seemed to be surprised, but surely he's heard of Lan Wangji if he lives at Cloud Recesses? ]

Mn.

I woke up in the place that looks like Cloud Recesses, but is not.

[ However, because it does look exactly like his room, except for the weird wedding clothes and portraits of a handsome cultivator he doesn't recognize hanging on his wall, he assumes he is meant to be here. Maybe as punishment, maybe as a test. ]

Are you here to help me get home?

[radishgrown]

[A place like Cloud Recesses but is not. He must have woken up in Hanguang Jun's room. That was a bit of relief.]

Our powers do not work here, xiao gongzi. I am unable to send myself home, let alone help others return home.

[His expression is a bit saddened for a moment but he puts on a smile anyway.]

Please, eat.

[The silence will be welcome for a little while.]

[billowing]

[ He lifts his chopsticks to his hands and goes to eat, but then he places them back down, disquieted. ]

Qianbei... why do our powers not work?

That is most important.

[radishgrown]

[He picks up his own chopsticks and begins to eat, stopping when he sees the little one set down his own food to talk once more. How does he explain this?]

The Queen, who rules this place, seemed to be concerned of anyone's powers causing harm and...somehow made it so that we are not able to use our powers here.

[He is concerned about that but gives the little one a kind smile anyway]

I have not been here long but I have heard that we could potentially have our powers returned to us. I am not sure how. In the meantime, I would be happy to look after xiao gongzi if he would like.

[billowing]

[ He looks up, considers it a moment, and nods once. ]

Mm. Alright.

You can show me this place.

[ And with that said, he picks up his chopsticks again and begins to eat his meal in silence, looking every bit as serious as he always does.

It's sort of odd to see on such a youthful face, isn't it? ]

[radishgrown]

[What a serious child. He wonders if something has happened to Hangaung Jun when he was so young to make him this way. Sizhui smiles softly.]

I will return.

[He gets up and walks over to the dessert table to bring back to the table two tangerines and two small bowls of sticky, sweet rice for them. He places one of each before Hanguang Jun]

For when we finish our meals, xiao gongzi.

[billowing]

[ He takes the rice, and the tangerine, and then bows to Sizhui. ]

Thank you, Qianbei.

[ He's a little wary of the sweet rice, but he seems to like it. He is still a child, after all. ]

[radishgrown]

[He watches Hanguang Jun, not starting his own dessert yet.]

...how do you find it, Wangji?

[It's so weird to call him by his courtesy name.]

[billowing]

Mm.

It's good.

Thank you, Qianbei.

[ He would be thankful for anything, Sizhui. But he does very much actually enjoy this dish. ]

[radishgrown]

[Children should be...happy. But this child is so serious. He knows that being a Lan didn't require a child to be so somber. If that were so, he and Jingyi would've been kicked out when they were very small boys.]

You are very welcome.

[When they finish their desserts, Sizhui sets down his chopsticks.]

Would you like to explore this place? Perhaps if we could find someone from home.

[billowing]

[ He nods. ]

If we cannot, we will have to find our way home by ourselves.

[ He seems up for the challenge. ]

[radishgrown]

[He clears the dishes until someone comes by to help him take them away. Sizhui stands up and offers his hand to the small Hanguang Jun with a smile.]

Then let's find our way home together.

[billowing]

[ Lan Wangji gladly takes it to help him climb down from his chair and so they can walk together. Why on earth is this chair so tall, anyway? ]

Qianbei... the room I woke up in, it looks like the Jingshi. But someone else lives there.

[radishgrown]

Oh? Who else would be living in the Jingshi?

[He knows exactly who but he wants the little Hanguang Jun to figure it out.]

[billowing]

[ He shakes his head. ]

There are portraits of a man, but he is not a Lan. And there are wedding clothes.

The room belonged to my mother. I wish to request that the other man and his bride leave.

[radishgrown]

[His mother. Hanguang Jun has never mentioned his mother.]

What was your mother like?

[The question is gentle, as he is curious as to what Madam Lan had been like. He had only heard Xichen mention her once. And Qiren mention her just once as well.]

[billowing]

Nice.

Smart.

[ He thinks about all the things his mother was, and the words fall short. He doesn't know how to describe that she gave him everything he needed, and he loved her deeply, and now she's gone.

He blinks away tears. ]

I don't want to talk about her anymore.

[radishgrown]

[He sees the tears and his heart breaks. Sizhui slows to a stop and moves to crouch before the child, offering a kind smile to him.]

It's all right to miss her. Would you like a hug, xiao gongzi?

[billowing]

[ He shakes his head no and then shrinks in on himself. Sorry Sizhui, he thinks you're nice but not family. Not yet.

But this might explain why everyone else thinks he's so prickly. And maybe why he took so easily to A-Yuan. ]

[radishgrown]

[He smiles softly and offers a gentle nod in acknowledgement.]

My father was sad once. And he also turned into himself for a while.

[Sizhui takes a seat, not caring if they are in the middle of a hallway.]

Sometimes, I think...that father had resolute to believe that he would be alone. But he never was alone. He had his brother. And he had me. Do you wish to know his name?

[billowing]

[ Gee, that sounds familiar. Maybe they are related, and he's a cousin or something. Distant relative, off to night hunt, and had just come back from a long adventure abroad.

He's half-hoping that maybe this father of Qianbei's has some sort of advice for him.

So he nods, but doesn't look up from his spot. ]