[GP] Check-In Day: What a nice surprise; bring your alibis

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Every check-in day conjured memories of her first, and all of the others, which inevitably meant she spent the day with Lara on her mind, and Petey, Illyana, and Wyatt. She'd been blessed with dear friends and loves arriving, and yet she never stopped hoping she'd figure out the mess that was this pocket universe and get home.

It was starting to become complicated, though, almost a year later. It would hurt to lose the people she'd grown fond of here, almost as much as it would be good to get home. She didn't know what to do with that feeling, but it was what it was. All she could do was tend the bar with patience and understanding, and keep an eye on the readings her crude energy measuring devices out on the road sent to her.

For all the people that came in and out, it was a quiet day. So between drinks, she spent most of it bent over a notebook with a cup of coffee in her hand, trying to design better instruments to dismantle Yana's shackles. Maybe Percy could help her build them.

Comments

Emma: assigned threads

[st_ackeddeck]

Emma and Sabine emailed regularly, but they had rarely spent this much time apart at once, and that was incentive enough to go to London for a visit. Or that was what Emma told herself. It didn't have to have anything to do with Pyro, or how confusing things were with him. The train ride was passed ignoring those thoughts, in the company of a YA novel that had made Em think of Sabine, and having read it, she knew she'd recommend it to her cousin as bubble gum reading.

When the train pulled into Kings Cross, she waited for the first rush of people to leave the carriage and made sure she wasn't leaving anything behind. A few days in London and a chance to catch up with Sabine were just what she needed. But when she stepped off the train, she wasn't met by the bustle of one of the busiest rail stations in the UK. A lonely road in the middle of a desert was about as far from that as you could get.

She glanced around, looking for who teleported her here, grip tightening around her bag as she prepared for some sort of attack. No attack came. No explanation either. She tried her phone, but couldn't get a signal – was someone jamming it?
And why would anyone bother with her? She wasn't powerful or special. And where was she? Genosha? The States?

There was nothing around except some buildings in the distance. A hotel, she realized as she got closer. With no better ideas, she went in, flinching reflexively at the riot of pinks and reds as she looked around the lobby for any clue what was going on.

Re: Emma: assigned threads

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Kitty glanced up from the bar when the door opened. The pretty redhead who walked in, besides looking confused and a little afraid, also tugged at something in her memory. It was nothing concrete and probably a passing resemblance to Ray or something, but it was enough for Kitty to come out from behind the bar counter and into the lobby.

"It's okay. I know this is confusing, and I probably wouldn't believe me if I was you, but you're safe here. That's the first thing."

Re: Emma: assigned threads

[st_ackeddeck]

"Except... that's what you'd say if this was all in my head." The woman looked about Emma's age, and really familiar. A lot like Kitty, actually, only older. If this was Stryfe or Miranda playing with her, would they really do that? And could Emma admit to knowing Kitty, if she'd been captured?

"Where is here?" That, if this wasn't some telepath's game, was the most important question.

Re: Emma: assigned threads

[st_abby]

A lot can happen in the space of two heartbeats. For all that the young lady Kitty had intercepted was lovely, fair-skinned, with long red hair and grass-green eyes, Vax knew in the next heartbeat after he saw her that she wasn't Keyleth. What he spent more time working out after was how, even for hoping in that first heartbeat that it could be, would be their Kiki, he hadn't felt what he would have expected to feel. There was still a sense of longing and loss, the shape of the empty place where she ought to be. But there wasn't any pang of guilt, or regret, even before he knew for sure. He'd thought there might be, so that came as a surprise.

It was with some of the same grisly fascination that you'd prod a mending wound that he decided he should talk to her, introduce himself. "Hello," he tried an uncertain smile. "Has Kitty helped you get your bearings a little?"

Jag - assigned threads (after Emma's come and gone)

[st_artandstoke]

Jag wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. One minute he was walking home after a day's busking, and the next... Well, this wasn't London anymore. It looked like the kind of countryside he'd never seen, in his travels around Britain. And it was hot enough that in under a minute, he'd decided to take off his jacket, his beanie hat, and his fingerless gloves, and shove them inside his gear bag.

"What the bloody hell," he said out loud, turning around on himself. There, in the distance, that was a building, wasn't it? He started for it even as he pulled out his mobile - no reception. Fucking brilliant.

It wasn't just a building, it was several of them, and... a lot of pink. Could this be a mirage?

Usually this sort of bullshit happened around Halloween.

It wasn't a mirage, it turned out, or it was a very persistent one, anyway, lasting up until he reached the building's front doors, and then when he walked inside, too. Disheveled, bewildered, in a pair of corduroy pants having seen better days and a long-sleeve tee, with a bag slung over his shoulder, everything about him screamed 'new arrival'.

Re: Jag - assigned threads (after Emma's come and gone)

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie had been anticipating new arrivals today, so she was perched in the lobby with her sewing to keep her company. She was working on something for the tiny woman Pike, who was understandably entirely done with wearing children's clothing. Of course, she was more than petite like Corbie herself was, so it required not just hemming, but nearly taking apart garments and putting them back together writ small. Corbie didn't mind the work, though. It kept her well occupied.

"Hello," she called. "Welcome to the Madonna Inn. I can try to answer 'how the hell did I get here' and any other questions you probably have."

Re: Jag - assigned threads (after Emma's come and gone)

[st_artrekodo]

Odo was patrolling the hotel and the surroundings, with a quite random pattern that wasn't his usual style, but though he was warned that new people might be arriving today, he had no idea when and from which direction. He wondered if someone else from his world might join in, after all it did happen to some guests, but even if it did, what good would that do, besides stranding them with him? It was not like any of them was that good a friend. Unless it was major Kira of course, but he didn't wish that strange fate on her. It might also turn out to be Quark, a lot less enticing thought. More likely, a complete stranger from the untold billions of humanoids in the galaxy. Even more likely, someone from one of the billions possible other universes, the numbers were staggering.
Still, whoever came in, they'd better arrive in a calm and orderly manner, or they would soon learn that security was not taken lightly at the inn these days.

Lillith - Assigned Threads (before Pike or any Vox Machina members arrive)

[st_rangepalette]

"It's for the best, darling." Black-mantled Zahra leaned into kiss both her cheeks. At her side, in his gold and glory blue, Kash did not look as though he agreed at all, until he echoed, "She's right, Lillith," and then she realized it was Zahra headed into battle pregnant that disagreed with him and made his tanned face so pale. Neither he nor she would think to gainsay her headstrong cousin, because if they did not go and Vox Machina lost, then that would be no sort of world for their child or children to grow up in.

Lillith sighed and shifted her pack so that she could reach inside. She withdrew a Sending stone with bright blue crystal--more precisely, she withdrew half. "Take this, then. I have other. If you need help but can cast no spells, still you can call for me, no?"

"Yes," Zahra said brightly, her red cheeks glowing with health as she hugged her again.

They left immediately and Lillith turned back to Vassalheim where Beatrycze would, she did not doubt, be relieved she had returned. Still, from the stable of wyverns it was long way, and soon Lillith began to feel she was lost.

The air was warmer. The road much drier. It was not unheard of to step into another plane. She had fled into Feywild more than once but this did not seem like Feywild. Too much brown. And when she saw in the distance a building most strange but full of wonderful colors, she altered her shape to that of human woman with Alter Self spell and drew her cloak up around her face.

Her heart beat at uncomfortable speed as she approached the buildings. From snatches of music emerged from inside, it seemed to be an inn. She did not think her sisters would kidnap her for parley, but still she was frightened and allowed it to be seen in her face when she entered.

Scared as must be of such strange place, so much color dazzled her. She lowered her hood and smiled with wonder, turning to look at everything in spite of feeling like cornered rabbit.

Re: Lillith - Assigned Threads (before Pike or any Vox Machina members arrive)

[st_rummer]

Later this evening, Coby would set up in the bar to play a set. He was trying to do that a few nights a week, but on check-in day people needed entertainment even more, right? Between the new arrivals coping with being here at all, and the rest wondering who from home might show up – or hoping for someone special, check-in days were stressful. But that would be later. He was coming out of the cafe after grabbing a bite when he saw an unfamiliar girl trying to take in the view of the lobby.

"It's a lot. I think we all feel that way when we show up," he said, approaching but not close enough she'd feel crowded. She was new, it was scary enough without some strange guy being pushy.

Re: Lillith - Assigned Threads (before Pike or any Vox Machina members arrive)

[st_opsummoningme]

The (true) blonde watched the terrified little rabbit of a girl squeaking with the guitarist for a long while, biding her time to allow her to finish her talk with him. Illyana fixed herself a cup of tea and turned her head back to Kitty and they spoke, so that she was not staring at the hooded girl so openly that it would become a matter of questioning. No. She observed more discretely than that. Her magikal senses were suppressed by her bonds, but she still knew her business and very well. She waited, patient as a predator until the girl had parted ways with the musician.

She rose from her place at the bar once her moment had come, taking her half-full cup and striding to where the girl stood. "I don't know who you are. What you are." Her voice was quiet in the short space between them, but nothing else about the words rang soft. Now she did stare openly, searching to impale the blue (red) eyes of the other under her own gaze. "But I know what you are not." Illyana sipped her tea.

Sunny - Assigned Threads

[st_igmatized]

If Sunny hadn't been with her Oha coven mere moments before she wound up in this pink monstrosity, she might have been a good deal more frightened. As it was, she was just really, really pissed.

The four of them had been in Abuja for the festival at Zuma Rock, and with new memories, souvenirs, and photographs and deeper in-jokes, Sunny was ready to get back to Aba for a few days with her family before she had to fly back to London. They had been standing together waiting for Jesus's General to roll up in the funky train for the trip home. She had been just talking to them a bare second ago, Sasha had just made some crack about singlehandedly starting a soccer riot--which he really probably had--and then she was... here.

First she was alarmed.

And then she was on the war path. Screw the rules, she had her knife out and her bags were on the ground as she scratched a veve in the dirt.

She should have been afraid when the spell did nothing, but instead her anger only compounded. She had enough mind to put her knife away and scuff out the sign she'd drawn, but she stormed into the hotel, nearly roaring in Igbo. "Sasha! Chichi! I swear to God when I find you I am going to kill you slowly!"

Re: Sunny - Assigned Threads

[st_eadfast]

Ignis, passing through the lobby, didn't do anything as obvious as startle when a woman stormed into the lobby and yelled in a different language. In another time and place, he might have called out his knives or some manner of arcane bomb, but the Inn was far more peaceful than... most other places.

Instead, he turned in the voice's general direction; he hadn't recognized her, odds were decent that she was new. "Can I help?"

Re: Sunny - Assigned Threads

[st_donkeyballs]

Alex was heading out through the hotel preparing for one of his daily walks, though he was walking slightly oddly - Earth's gravity was still a daily challenge to him, but he was adapting to it. It wasn't going to change, so he simply had to do his best to get used to it. The woman by the desk looked odd though. New. Like she was confused about being there. God knows he'd been there before

"Are you okay there, darlin'?" It never occured to him that pet names were no everyone's cup of tea - too many Martian's out there from the Valley, so it was a common thing to hear.

Liz Parker - Assigned Threads

[st_hotflashes]

Her heart was broken into a million pieces, but she tried to focus on the way she and Max from the future were dancing - how he smelled, how he felt - because she knew this would be - had to be - the last time she ever experienced any of this. She and Max couldn't be together for the sake of the entire world and as much as it pained her, Liz knew they couldn't be selfish.

Suddenly, he was gone. It had worked. Max stopped loving her. The world was saved. Liz's world was...

She picked up her journal and closed her eyes, trying to steel her emotions, but when she opened them she wasn't on the roof of her home, but somewhere else? She tensed, looking about her for some reason as to why she suddenly changed location.

"H-Hello?" She called out rather meekly. When no one answered, her eyes focused on the big building in the distance and she hoped someone was there to help her.


As she got closer she realized it was a hotel - Madonna Inn. She entered and headed for the front desk.

Re: Liz Parker - Assigned Threads

[st_upidgravity]

"Miss Elizabeth Parker, welcome to the Madonna Inn. We have a reservation for Hideaway, Room 189." The bland man behind the desk handed Liz a keycard in a sleeve. "Enjoy your stay."

From her chair near the window, Steph looked up at the newest arrival and once Daryl had finished his usual greeting, whistled. "Hey, new girl, over here." She waved. Caroline had shoved a couple baskets at her when she'd decided to hang out here today, so Steph was even prepared with the traditional survival kit.

Re: Liz Parker - After Stephanie.

[st_artingpoint]

Jane tilted the chair she was resting in waiting for the dryer to complete its cycle against the wall. She'd come down to the second floor from the third because they had better laundry facilities on that floor than hers so she usually went down to this floor to use the machines. She still did her own laundry instead of giving it to the staff. It felt too weird for her to have someone else do her dirty clothes. Even though she didn't have many clothes to wash, it still felt weird.

She looked up and smiled a greeting when she saw someone else enter the hallway. "Hi." The hotel population was small enough, new faces were rare. Jane might not know everyone but she would have at least recognized a face. What she also recognized was the dazed look. It was one she'd worn for quite a while when she'd first arrived. "New to the Inn?"

Liz - OTA

[st_hotflashes]

After everything that happened, Liz found herself slowly walking the Inn's grounds, trying to get a feel for everything. The desert felt like home, but it wasn't Roswell. Even though she missed Max, somehow this meant it would be easier to keep the world from being destroyed. She tried to look on the positive.

As she walked she held her diary close to her.

Re: Liz - OTA

[st_rangepalette]

Meeting Sunny made Lillith feel better, yes, but also worse. Such a place as this should not exist. Not all three of her sisters together could do it. She did not think Allura Vysoren and Gilmore could do it with Zahra and her own help. Beyond the pale, it seemed.

Her sisters, they could not reach her here. But she did not belong in this place. A Tiefling would be more sore thumb than ever. She wrapped her arms around her torso and walked alone as the sun set.

Sunny - OTA

[st_igmatized]

Hours after her arrival, Sunny had burned off all of her anger in the form of throwing herself at the barrier. A four-hour boundary was interesting to someone who could manipulate time, but the Inn had made it clear to Sunny Nwazue that she was well and truly stuck here. She hadn't managed to travel much further than most, only managed to make the attempt more than once.

So. She was here. Her friends were not. And likely had no clue where she was. Her parents would never know, and it would crush her mother, crushing her father by proxy. Her teachers wouldn't be able to help her, aside from finding a way to explain to her family why she was gone. Her job offer was fucked, probably also her lease. Her room was a racist nightmare.

She went to the bar. But not being much of a drinker, it was really more because she didn't know where else to go. Her room? Which was a tasteless, racist nightmare? She sat in a booth and stared blankly across at the seat across from her, wishing for Sasha or Chichi... Orlu...

She tucked a blonde braid behind her ear, smoothed her hands over the loud print of her long wrap skirt, and tried to think. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

Re: Sunny - OTA

[st_rummer]

Coby stopped to grab a beer before setting up, and when he turned from the bar, he stopped with the bottle halfway to his mouth. Check-in day, man.

Just because he recognized her, or thought he did, didn't mean she would know him. That much he'd learned from Curnen. And he didn't want to be caught staring, so... best way to know was to ask.

"This is maybe going to sound like a line, but today I promise it isn't. Have I seen you before?"

Re: Sunny - OTA

[st_rangepalette]

Vox Machina had come to her rescue again, or something like it. Kash had arrived sometime after all but Pike, he said, but from before the fight with Vecna, which none of them seemed to know about. And her dear cousin's beloved didn't know, certainly, that she was pregnant.

In her relief to find herself in the company of friends, she had pushed the thoughts aside, but now. This, it troubled her. And Beatrycze, too, what would become of her if Lillith did not return? Or would she never be gone?

Such ponderings made no sense and much headache. She did not wish to be alone with her thoughts but neither did she wish to be known. This was how she returned to the common room--

And saw the thing most extraordinary. A woman of no color, like herself. But different. Another albino, she had never met one. She felt herself drawn, even if she would not lift her veil (she did draw some of her color away, so they would look more the same, if not entirely albino).

"Please, excuse me," she said with an earnest politeness. "I am new in this place. Would it be all right if I sat by you?"

For Coby

[st_artandstoke]

Jag kept wiping at his cheeks as he made his way back to the main building. He'd since realised that he'd left his bag behind, but he couldn't bear to go back just yet. He was only just getting himself under control, and going back to see her again... There would be no good in it. He twirled fire around his fingers as he walked outside, using that sensation to anchor himself, but killed the flames when he came into view of the place he had been looking for: the hotel bar.

At least he still had his wallet on him, and he could only hoped that they took pounds. Did money even matter here? Fuck. He'd sort it out soon enough, and he walked in, wincing at the amount of reds and pinks. He looked around instinctively as he headed for the counter, but his stride slowed to a halt when his gaze landed on who seemed like tonight's musical entertainment.

It was too much, and he started laughing, this close to tears again. A dream! It was a bloody dream! There was no other explanation.

Re: For Coby

[st_rummer]

Coby had spent some time with Sunny, both to catch up and just to fucking enjoy being with someone they both knew when they were stuck in this place. It helped, and when he took the stage, he'd started his set with "Fire and Rain" just for her. Okay, so maybe he started "Fire and Rain" by transitioning from a couple bars of "You are My Sunshine," but subtly, if you hadn't known to expect it, or had music in you like breathing, you probably wouldn't have noticed.

From there, he moved into a mix of covers and his own songs. He was in the middle of "If It Ain't Easy" when it was only years of practice performing, and not... yet, too much to drink that kept him from flubbing when he saw his second familiar face of the day walk in the bar looking like so much rough road. To be fair, not as rough as he had seen Jag looking, but still rough, even for a new arrival. Damn.

Then he headed straight for the bar. Jag looked like he needed more than a few drinks. Hm. Two glasses and a bottle of... Hm. Vodka or whisky? Maybe he should ask. Nah. The look on Jag's face? This called for vodka. For now anyway.

Getting to the end of the chorus, Coby set the guitar in its stand. "I'm gonna take a break, say hello to a new arrival or two. Drink up, everybody."

OTA

[st_ealthless]

It wasn't an explicit responsibility but Pike liked to stay close at hand on check-in days. She didn't feel comfortable approaching someone new yet, not trusting herself to know the right words to say to strangers, but healing could be needed. So she sipped her drink at the bar, one pointed ear on the sound of arrivals.

Re: OTA

[st_rangepalette]

Lillith eyed the shadow-man one last time, and then tucked the strange key into her pocket. She turned to face the bar so that she could get her bearings. Just then, her gaze snagged on hair so pale and white, her heart caught in her chest--could it be her dear--

No, the figure with her back to Lillith was far too small to be dear Zahra. But just right to be another person she'd be terribly happy to see. She strode toward the bar without delay and as the woman turned, Lillith's face broke into a clear and open smile. "Pike! Oh thank goodness." She couldn't think whether Pike had seen this human face before or not, so she lowered her voice and said in her usual accent, "It is I, Lillith."