[log] check-in time [closed]

[devoutish]

Characters: Alfie Solomons, Royce Melborn, Zidane Tribal
Location: building 162
Date: evening of 237
Summary: an accidental meet-up
Warnings: n/a; will edit if anything comes up

A hotel--the Norfinbury Inn. By hotel standards, it's not especially large, but it's the largest building in the downtown area. The lobby is mostly empty and seems a bit old-fashioned in design, with what appear to be wooden floors and fairly plain walls. There are a few cozy areas where people can sit, and a fireplace in the center that, while it has no wood, is in perfect working order. The front desk has nothing of note except for all the keycards to the various rooms of the hotel. It looks like there are a total of twenty rooms. There is no elevator--looks like you'll have to use the stairs the old-fashioned way. "ALFIE SOLOMONS, 1922. Camden Town, London, England, UK, Europe, Earth. Day 179, March 9 or March 10." has been written on the wall of the lobby.

There is a small dining room area, although there are no tables or chairs to be found. The room echoes uncomfortably due to its emptiness. It connects to a small industrial kitchen, although there is no longer any food or appliances to be found. It seems like the ovens and stoves were cut out of their places. The sinks still work, at least. There is also a door that unlocks with a management keycard that can be found in the lobby that leads downstairs.

The basement is very simple. It's colder down here than in the rest of the building, and utilitarian in style. There's a small break room, a laundry room that no longer has any of its machinery but does have large rolling baskets for moving clothes in bulk (that refuse to leave the hotel, unfortunately) and some cleaning carts devoid of cleaning supplies (that are just as stubborn as the clothes baskets). There's a small room with space for what must have once been a furnace--and an actual very old-fashioned incinerator. It's not on, of course, but if a fire were started manually, it would still function. There's nothing inside it.

The first floor of the hotel contains rooms 101 to 110. There are five single rooms and five double rooms. All of the plumbing works, though the water runs cold. The second floor, containing rooms 201 to 210, is identical to the first floor, except for one door that has no key. It's unlocked--going inside reveals an empty room covered in pictures of an eye, drawn in black paint. All of the eyes have been scribbled out with black pen.

Comments

[tidalflame]

Have you guys been here very long?

[Zidane thinks mournfully about Freya, his own good friend who'd apparently died months before he'd ever arrived.

Anger causes the fur on his tail to rise up at the thought but he tries not to let it show on his face.]

[devoutish]

[He pauses a moment before answering, doing some quick mental calculation. He'd stopped meticulously keeping track a while ago.]

Four months. Something like that.

[God. Had it really only been four months?]

It sounds like nothing, but the longer you're here, the longer it feels.

[tidalflame]

Sounds like a long time to me, especially for a place like this.

We'll get outta here, though.

[He sounds confident about that.]

[devoutish]

[Alfie snorts.]

Spoken like a man who's been here less than half a month.

[tidalflame]

Brighten up a little, pops!

We'll figure something out.

[He beats a hand against his chest.]

[devoutish]

[Alfie turns around and gives him a flat look.]

[tidalflame]

[Zidane places his hands on his hips.]

We have to.

I have someone waiting for me back home and nothin's gonna stop me from getting back to her.

Not even this place.

[devoutish]

Tell me.

[Alfie's voice is completely calm, which in this case, is not a good thing. He's doing his danger-calm thing.]

Has anybody here died in your arms yet? Eh?

[tidalflame]

What do you mean? Why the Hell are you asking me that?

[He shakes his head.]

People will keep dying and maybe I will too but I'm not afraid. I have to fight on. I have to believe I can go home.

I won't give up.

[devoutish]

Have you hallucinated anything terrible yet?

[He takes a step closer to Tidus.]

Been forced to brutally murder anyone you care about? Had anyone you care about brutally murder you? Just answer, yes or no.

[tidalflame]

[Zidane's voice turns cold.]

Here or back home?

[devoutish]

Here. In Norfinbury.

[He takes another step forward, like a stalking predator.]

Keep working to escape. Keep some hope alive, if you can. But get rid of your doe-eyed naivete, and get rid of the idea that you will be able to get out of here by virtue of your love and determination alone, as if you have something that the hundreds who have come before you have not. Do you understand? It is fucking insulting.

[tidalflame]

Hey, I never said you don't have what it takes, I just said to cheer up a bit! I explained my motives 'cause they're the ones I know!

[He doesn't flinch as the other man steps towards him.]

It's not naive to think we gotta keep hope alive, sheesh. When people overcome their fear they can accomplish anything, I know it works 'cause I've seen it! So don't talk down at me like I'm some lost little kid.

[He balls his hands into fists.]

All I'm sayin' is we have to believe we can get out because... because if we believe we just might pull it off but if we don't we definitely won't! We'll be trapped here for sure.

[devoutish]

[Suddenly and quickly, Alfie swipes out with an arm - not to hit, but to try to grab Zidane by the shirt collar.]

[tidalflame]

[Zidane ducks low and tumbles backwards into the hall with the speed of an accomplished acrobat. When he hops back to his feet his tail is lashing and he has both hands raised, ready to deflect any attack or grab that might come his way.]

What the Hell is your problem, pops!?

[devoutish]

[He doesn't make another grab, but he does keep stalking forward, his body completely tensed.]

Listen to what I'm saying. Yeah? To my words.

[bywolves]

[ And that's about the point where Royce comes through. He hears the sound of what sounds like an argument down the hall, and while it doesn't sound violent, it very much has the potential to become violent, when it comes to Alfie. Not in the mood to scrape some kid off the floor, Royce makes his way down the hall with his spiked broomstick, just in time to see Zidane roll backwards out into the hall.

Royce's voice comes loud and annoyed, his staff at the ready. ]

What, exactly, am I walking into here?

[tidalflame]

I said I intended to get outta this place no matter what and that I really thought everyone could get out but your friend didn't like that.

[He sways his tail.]

Should I just say we're all gonna die horribly or somethin'? Would that be better? Geeze...

[devoutish]

No.

[He's still advancing, eyes locked on Zidane.]

I will repeat myself, if you like - if you need to hear it twice in order to get what I really said through your very thick skull.

[bywolves]

[ Okay, okay. Royce is absolutely not looking for a fight, but clearly something happened. Something got under Alfie's skin, which is amazing, honestly, considering how unresponsive both of them have been for the past few weeks. He moves in closer, getting between Zidane and Alfie. He doesn't exactly stop Alfie from advancing, though he does stay close as he fixes Zidane with a look. ]

Clearly that isn't all you said, or there wouldn't be an issue. [ A beat. A bit like a warning, a bit like a question: ] Solomons.

[ Stop, for just a second. Explain. ]

[tidalflame]

[Zidane doesn't move, his gaze fixes on to Alfie.]

I thought I was just saying that as long as we keep trying we'll make it outta here.

I dunno what he heard...

[devoutish]

Right. Repeating myself.

[He's stopped walking, at least, but he's still a tightly-wound coil, and he's practically spitting his words.]

Do keep working to escape. Do try to keep yourself from falling into despair. But do not - do not - act as if the reason we haven't broken out yet is because we haven't tried enough, haven't been brave enough, haven't believed enough. You and your effort, your bravery, your hope are not the one special element we have been waiting for, do you understand?

[His feet stay where they are, but his body shifts forward just slightly, like he's going to bodily spring at Zidane.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce listens - he's quiet, his hood up, his expression sharp. Alright. He's got it. He rests a hand on Alfie's arm, carefully, but doesn't take his gaze off of Zidane. ]

Been a lot of people that have died being brave, here. [ Royce says, softer. It's the same sort of danger-soft that matches Alfie's. ] Insisting that they weren't brave enough is a disservice to their memory. [ And normally, he wouldn't care, it's just. He has two girls very specifically in mind. ]

[tidalflame]

I never said you guys weren't brave enough, I just said I had to be brave.

[Zidane straightens up.]

I said if we lost sight of hope we'd all be stuck here, I didn't say that already happened.

Sorry if you took it that way but it's not what I meant.

[He folds his arms behind his head but his eyes stay on Alfie. The apology is sincere but he still sounds annoyed about this whole situation.]

[devoutish]

[Alfie just continues - same expression, same tone of voice, same stance.]

Do not tell me to brighten up. Do not tell me that nothing, not even Norfinbury, can stop you from getting back to your people waiting at home, as if Norfinbury hasn't done that very thing for so many fucking others before you. Do not talk.