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

[inquiryguqin]

"Mn. Most of the members of the Gusu Lan Clan wears them."

With a nod, he kept playing, and following his strategy, did the same to score points. Eventually, the game is finished, and with the tickets printed out, he takes it to add to his bank of tickets. Everyone is a winner.

Eyeing the prizes of rewards being hung on display, where they are hung to exchange for tickets. "What kind of prize you are going to get?"

[sadflutenoises]

He supposed Yunmeng Jiang was a little less obvious, in their purples and deep blues, but at least they didn't look like they were going to a funeral.

"What kinda... hm... I dunno, maybe a mood ring? They say it can tell your emotions by changing different colors when you wear it. I wanna see how it works," he nods.

"What about you?"

[inquiryguqin]

"..." Lan Wangji is pink at the tip of his ears. He can't reveal that even at his age, he wanted a rabbit doll.

So, listening to his request, he goes to the front desk and exchanges his tickets to get a mood ring that he wanted. With the mood ring in hand, he hands it to Wei Ying.

"Here. For you. As for myself, I don't need anything."

[sadflutenoises]

Nothing, huh? He supposes this Lan-gege is probably too old to think about toys and fun, meanwhile Wei Wuxian is always happy to indulge in every new experience offered to him.

"Ah! You're the best, thanks Lan Wangji!" he grins, turning the little charm over in his hands before putting it on his finger. The stone is black now, and formed into the shape of a circle. He can already see it starting to change color, subtly.

"You sure?" he pulls a blue slap-bracelet from his wrist and holds it out, "you can have one of mine. It's only fair!"

[inquiryguqin]

Seeing his smiles and his the offer of his blue bracelet, he gingerly takes it. With emotion, "Are you sure in giving this to me? I could have it?"

Adjusting the bracelet, he puts it on and wrapped it around on one of his wrists. "Wear it like this?"

[sadflutenoises]

"Do you want another one?" he misunderstands, thinking maybe Lan Wangji finds the trade unfair, "the slap-bracelets aren't worth quite as much as the rings, so you can have more than one if you want."

He pulls another one from his wrist, snapping it out straight and then slapping it over his wrist to show how it works, "Yeah, you can wear it however you want!"

[inquiryguqin]

He closed his eyes as he sees this as a gift given. "I want...I want it." He said slowly. This is more than he could ask for.

"One is enough, but whatever you wish to give, I will treasure it." He'll treasure it forever. Even if it's a cheap trinket, he likes it and it looks nice on his wrists.

"Thank you, Wei Ying."

[sadflutenoises]

Treasure it? This Lan Wangji is nothing like the rumors have said. Everyone describes the jades of Lan as beautiful but aloof and cold. Lan Wangji just seems pretty soft and sentimental, in spite of their silent competition.

"Two seems more fair," he concedes, and grabs a red and black one he's rather fond of and hands it over as well.

"But only if I get to call you more familiarly too! How did you know it's Wei Ying anyway?"

[inquiryguqin]

"We know each other as classmates. You came to Cloud Recesses with your brother and shijie to study lessons of the Lan Sect." He said, almost in a hollow voice. "So that's how I knew your name."

Though he wasn't sure what they are now, considering back home, Wei Ying was angry and is set on the warpath to kill using his new power. Hence the confusion of his friendliness.

Wordlessly, he took that as a gift too and kept it. "Of course, you may. It's Lan Zhan."

[sadflutenoises]

It's hard to make Wei Wuxian speechless, but the explanation leaves his mouth hanging open. They... what? If things weren't already so unbelievable just being here, he might have questioned the legitimacy of such a claim, but...

"So, we're friends already!" he grins. Because it does make an odd sort of sense. Why he's call him so casually, why he'd been surprised when Wei Wuxian didn't notice him, why he was willing to play along so easily.

"Lan Zhan!"

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Wangji managed to smile, even if it's a just a little. His heart flutters when he glances at him, looking at him, smiling at him. He's a little warm and pink at the tip of his ears with the way he says his name.

"Y-yes. We're friends. I'm glad we are." He doesn't want Wei Ying to think of him as his enemy. "If you don't mind I came from a clan with so many rules. We're very strict."

[sadflutenoises]

He's almost sure he's seen a smile from the other boy, and he can't help being thoroughly pleased with himself for it. Whatever had sparked a friendship between them, it hardly mattered, he was just excited to find out he had a friend outside of Yunmeng Jiang. And one who was just as competitive as he was!

"Mm, as long as I don't have to follow them," he laughs. Well, he probably would have to, when he and Shijie and Jiang Cheng visit, but outside of Cloud Recesses is fair game.

[inquiryguqin]

With the game over and gifts exchanged, "Not for now." Since he doesn't see a reason for reminding him of the rules. "Right now, I'm trying to figure out a way to return home. This wonderland place is a strange place."

With a softened expression since he has a whole day ahead of him. "What would you like to do next, Wei Ying?" Since he is here with him now, so there's time they have for the evening to spend in each other's company.

[sadflutenoises]

Right. Getting back home. He might've been a little more preoccupied making mischief around the hotel, rather than looking for a way out, but both were important.

"Mm, I haven't found any leads on a way out," he shrugs, "but um- are you hungry? Oh! Or I found a really great way to bug the staff here, it makes a huge mess."

[inquiryguqin]

They have a few days, so there's plenty of time to make mischief around the hotel, as long as it lasts.

"Neither do I. And I am hungry. What do they serve here? Anything with noodles or anything with rice? I'm not familiar with what they have here. The pizza and soda are foreign to me."

[sadflutenoises]

"Don't tell me you've been starving here til now!" he gives a faint laugh, not entirely sure if the other boy would do that or not. If he had access to his golden core's power, he could try inedia, but why do that when there was so much new to try here?

"Oh, they have all kinds of stuff. The pizza is okay, but, let me show you the buffet," without asking, he grabs Lan Zhan by the wrist and starts leading him out of the arcade and toward their next meal.

[inquiryguqin]

"I'm starting to become hungry after all of that playing." He said as he follows after him with interest and walks toward to the buffet, where they serve many kinds of food and help yourself.

"I might as well have the salad." Since the Lan clan mostly survives on vegetarian meals. So he's going to pick up a tray and a bowl to help himself assemble his ideal salad for lunch to pick lettuce, vegetables, toppings, dressing since the pizza and other meals with meat doesn't look too appetizing to him.

[sadflutenoises]

"Salad?" he makes a face. With all the new options here, he wanted something so mundane and boring?

"Why don't you try something new? There's like, so much stuff here! Won't you regret it if you don't give it a chance?" he picks up two trays and hands one to Lan Wangji, then starts picking through new things he hasn't tried before. Chicken nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs, waffles, and enchilada soup seemed like a good start.

[inquiryguqin]

"As a Lan, every one of our meals is vegetarian. It's healthy." Truly the diet of their famous rabbits that are found everyone in the Cloud Recesses also. "So salad is preferred."

At his suggestion, he starts at the offered food and with a nod. "All right. But only because Wei Ying wants me to try it..." So he's going to eat a little bit of this and that, but his face was neutral. "They're all right."

[sadflutenoises]

"Meat is healthy too!" he insists, but if Lan Wangji prefers salad, he won't argue. At least Wei Wuxian can eat whatever he likes. He doesn't think much of the nuggets, but waffles are sweet and bready, and the soup is probably his favorite, with a spicy kick to it he's come to enjoy.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

[inquiryguqin]

The dinosaur chicken nuggets, the spicy soup, and the waffles are all right, so he becomes a little more animated and eats a little bit of each with his salad.

Still keeping that stoic face. "No." he said mildly. "No it's not." Afterward, he washes it down with soda. "I'm full, that's enough."

[sadflutenoises]

At least Lan Zhan has tried them, which is more than he'd thought, given that stoic nature of his. He even conceded they weren't bad!

"Mm, it's been fun, trying so many new things, even if we are sort of prisoners here," he nods, pushing himself up from the table.

"It's been fun, Lan Zhan! If you get bored, come find me again, okay?"

[inquiryguqin]

"Mn, prisoners." For once, Lan Wangji managed to smile. With the meal finished and they have their fun playing games. He felt sad that they must part. He will miss him. Terribly. But he cannot say such words as his own feelings sit in his heart and become frozen over once again as he is uncertain how he feels about him, but his gaze never seem to leave him.

"Mn. I will Wei Ying. I will find you again." And again and again...because what he is feeling for him in his heart is beyond words, but he thinks it's love.