[log] the monster bait squad [closed]

[devoutish]

Characters: Alfie Solomons, Claire Temple, Emily Kaldwin, Peter, Royce Melborn, Tifa Lockhart
Location building 162
Date: evening of 179 to morning of 181
Summary: LET'S SEE IF ANYONE DIES
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.

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

[devoutish]

Tifa, if I'm gonna be stuck here, I want you two by my side.

[powersouls]

[That's what finally sets her off. If she hated herself for Aerith and Sector Seven and everything AVALANCHE has done, she hates herself more now. She's killed people before, sure, some that she doesn't regret killing, but this... It was brutal and torturous and cruel, and she didn't think she had it in her, influenced by the town or not. To hear Alfie say that he wants her here regardless is simultaneously a relief she doesn't deserve and a way to make the guilt that much more crushing, and Tifa can't keep herself from crying this time. She just buries her face in her arms and tries, desperately, to stifle the harsh, wracking sobs, but she can't.]

[devoutish]

[He closes his eyes, and just lets her - without judgement, without reproach. They're safe ("safe") inside, and nothing critical is going on. She can afford to take the time to break down.]

[powersouls]

[She's glad in a way that he doesn't say anything, even though it takes a while to cry herself out. Even after she manages to stop sobbing, she sits there for a long moment, still curled up, struggling to get her breathing under control. It's only once she thinks she can keep herself from completely breaking down again that she looks up, wiping her cheeks, eyes still wet with tears.]

I'll stay. I-If you're sure.

[devoutish]

[Alfie doesn't look good himself, still. There's exhaustion, as well as something deeper - something that reaches to his bones.]

Royce does need time.

[powersouls]

I know. I'll leave him alone.

[Or, more accurately, avoid him at all costs. That's what you mean, right, Alfie?]

Are you okay? Do you need space, too?

[devoutish]

Not from you.

[She's his crew here. That hasn't changed.]

[powersouls]

Okay.

[This is far more than she deserves.]

Is there... anything I can do?

[devoutish]

[Another sigh.]

I do wish I could tell you yes, Tifa.

[powersouls]

[This is usually where Tifa would get up and hug him. She doesn't.]

Is Emily okay?

[devoutish]

No.

[No sense in lying there.]

Talking to you would help. Later.

[powersouls]

[She nods.]

I'm going to, I just... Being emotional wouldn't help her.

[devoutish]

No. She needs calm. I managed it for a bit, with her.

[powersouls]

Okay. Good. How is she doing? Is she...?

[devoutish]

She's trying, brave little thing. But she's not well, no.

[powersouls]

I'll take care of her, okay? You don't have to worry.

[devoutish]

She's ours, while we're here. I'm going to worry.

[powersouls]

I know, but... You have enough to worry about.

[devoutish]

As do we all.

[powersouls]

It's the least I can do, right?

[devoutish]

Tifa, I do not want you to crush yourself with this guilt.

[powersouls]

I know. I know, it's just...

[She feels like she's not handling this well, or not handling it the way Royce and Alfie want her to handle it, but she can't help it.]

[devoutish]

This town is the one who needs to make it up to us, and I am not going to fool myself into imagining that that might happen.

[powersouls]

I guess we just... keep moving forward. Right?

[She's trying!]

[devoutish]

Mm. Are you saying that because you've heard me say it?