Busy panicking. He just spent two hours outside Leo's door, knocking and messaging to no avail. It hasn't been long since Hiyori last heard from him. It seems impossible that he could be gone. That he could be a statue somewhere, when he's been at the resort even longer than Hiyori has. Smiling, laughing, playing impromptu concerts, holing up in his room and composing the night away...
He slumps over on a bench, staring at the registry. Hoping against hope that somehow, he missed Leo's name the last time he looked. But it isn't there. He doesn't see it anywhere, which means...
He gets a new message.
It takes him a moment to check it, and then several moments to reply.]
Reira-chan. How lovely to hear from you.
[He replies like normal (albeit with fewer emojis). There's no reason to dump his problems on her. Though, can he really hope to carry on like nothing's changed...?
Even thinking about making music makes him think of Leo, and his stomach sinks. Maybe he should be upfront with her.]
I'd be happy to come up with lyrics. Write them, rehearse them, meet your other collaborators, and whatever else you like.
But I'm not sure now's the best time. Someone I know went missing, so. That's been a bit stressful.
( in all of her effortless charm and care-free attitude, it really didn't dawn on her that some of the people here had lives— connections and things that tethered them to one another. since her arrival, she had taken a bit of a stance not to get too emotionally attached to the people she slept with but even she was failing at that miserably. she just hadn't thought how she would feel if they left.
so in her careless disregard, she hadn't quite asked or ventured into knowing more about hiyori— so his second response came as a shock, then came the guilt.
she was an idiot wasn't she? messaging him so carelessly when clearly he was struggling. she could just say they can meet a different time, perhaps set this plan aside for another time in the future and yet the people she's become close to here have brought out a more compassionate side of her. she couldn't just ignore this. )
I'm so sorry, I didn't realize. are you going to be okay? are you all alone right now?
( it took some time for her response to come in given she wasn't sure how to approach this but she was at least trying. )
[She had no way of knowing when he just discovered it himself. He hasn't broken the news to anyone yet, or put up a Network post like he did when Rinne vanished. He's still in shock.
Yet this sort of thing isn't shocking, and that's what's so horrible. So many guests have disappeared. Before Leo it was Rinne, and before Rinne it was others he knew. It's all so horribly common, and it terrifies him.]
I'll be alright.
[For now, anyway. Two people from his world have vanished; it's just him and Jun left. How long until it's their turn? It's a question he's had to grapple with many, many times.]
I'm alone right now since I went looking for him, but I do still have my partner here. We live together, so I won't be all by my lonesome.
[...]
I should let you know the person who went missing is Leo-kun, though. He's the composer from home I mentioned.
( in a way maybe she was lucky she was all alone here in this resort, with no one from home and no one to miss if they suddenly vanished. it was very saddening to read his words and she truly felt for him, how could she not? they seemed so similar in their disposition so she's sure he's hurting—
yet that last bit of information about having a partner left her stunned. was the resort truly that cruel to bring in established couples?? or did he meet someone here? a million questions but she had to focus. )
oh I'm so sorry, that's really tough.
I'm glad you're not alone but you know maybe I don't seem reliable or something like that but if you feel like venting or just need a distraction...
I'd be happy to help.
( the non-sexual kind of distraction of course, she was reaching her own emotional limit when it came to that after all. )
Thanks. I'm sorry I got your hopes up about a collaboration with him.
You seem plenty reliable to me. I do appreciate the offer. I just don't think I'd be very good company at the moment.
So for now, all I'll ask is that you take care of yourself and have fun planning the concert.
[Ah, but there is one more thing he could ask. Tears well up as he even thinks about it, yet his fingers move to type the words anyway—without his brain considering that she might not know the truth yet.]
If you see a statue of a short boy with a small and scruffy ponytail, though, do let me know.
you don't need to apologize, but alright I understand.
( it was still difficult for her to fully grasp and understand how things could be so heavy and emotional for people here, but she was trying. she could sense the pain through his words and figured it was best to just give him some space.
it's the best she could do in the end— but for his next request, she made sure to actually go out looking for the statue even if she didn't find it. that bit of information was given to her by shanks after all and it was still confusing to her. )
oh right, I'll make sure I do. do you...
I don't want to keep bothering you during this difficult time but do you know more about those statues? I was told it happened randomly but I don't know much more about it.
He blinks back tears, his vision clears, and then he's faced-to-face with a reminder that other people don't already know all about the statues. Of course. Though given that she doesn't question the request, she must already know that it can happen. Right?
Will it help to tell her more? Or will that just cause unnecessary panic? There's nothing any of them can do. The cheerful woman who'd been so enthusiastic about planning a concert... he'd hate to take her smile away. But it's a little late to worry about that, isn't it?]
I don't know the full truth either, but I can tell you what I've heard over the past year.
Do you want to meet in-person after all? I can go to where you are.
[He declined her offer to spend time together a moment ago, but this seems like a conversation that might be better off being had in-person. Not to mention...
He is the type who gets lonely easily. For all that he may not be good company, he does prefer not to be alone.]
( as a woman who often ran from her troubles and walled herself up away from the world, she understood what it was like to want to close everyone off and just sequester yourself in a cocoon of pain and emotions. she wasn't going to push for him to do anything he didn't want to—
yet much like himself, she often felt lonely and strove to be in the company of others as often as she could. she was getting better at not burdening others here too much with her issues but even she was starting to fall prey to using sex to fill up the hole within her heart.
so even if she said he didn't have to force himself, she immediately sent him her location— the smoked egg. )
i'll be here, waiting for you if you do decide to come.
[Does he want to talk about the statues right now? Not really. But the desire not to be alone is strong. He could find Jun and ask to be comforted, and he will later, but Jun is also going to be distraught about Leo's disappearance. In a way, it seems easiest to talk to someone who isn't so intimately involved.]
Great, then I'll see you soon!
[And then he wipes at his eyes a bit, before getting up and checking his face in the reflective surface of the hallway, just to make sure he doesn't look too terrible. He then pulls up the digital map on his watch. Let's see, where did she say she was again...?
... ah. That's where she is.
He stands outside the doorway after he arrives, peering inside the lounge. He's passed the place plenty of times in his year-plus of living here, but he's always walked on by it. The air, thick with smoke, reminds him of the Roost, and the prospect of breathing it into his lungs seems unpleasant. He'd never pick up a cigar himself, and the dim lighting makes him wonder what sort of things might be going on in the dark. Idols, and noble scions, are supposed to keep their noses clean. This isn't his scene.
But he's been held hostage for over a year now, with no reason to think he'll be back home anytime soon and every reason to think things will get worse. He just lost a second person from his world. Compared to all that, a little darkness and some smoke seem like nothing to be afraid of.
He pushes through the doors and looks around the lounge, taking in the different silhouettes seated on cushions, slumping over tables, sharing whispered conversations and taking drags from elegantly-curved pipes. A few guests look his way, raking over his form with their eyes, but most are wrapped up in their own world. Here, unlike at home, he's no one noteworthy. He's not a royalty card.
Unlike some people. He doesn't know where precisely Reira is, but it doesn't take long even in the dark. All he has to do is keep an ear out, and eventually he hears the expected whisperings about the Queen."Such a beautiful Queen. Do you think she's waiting for someone?"
Hiyori walks up to where she is. Despite everything, he smiles.]
( deep within the spaces of the smoked egg, reira sat at her own booth, sprawled across a layer of pillows with a pipe in her hand. it was very rare that she ever smoked, but long before her arrival here, her nights were often filled with the scent of nicotine from her former young lover, a westwood lighter orb dangling between the two as they promised to keep in touch despite the obstacles that came with both of them being in rival bands. her desire to linger in a place like this came from a need to reminisce over the past and mull over some of the mistakes she's made, but really she's just lonely and bored. there's only so much that could be done in her suite, only so many people she knew who she could call upon to spend time with her, and only oh so much sex to be had.
for her things were starting to slowly becoming repetitive— and so an opportunity to comfort someone, even in a place like this was something she looked forward to. even if she had insisted he needn't push himself so hard for her sake.
still when that familiar voice came rolling in through the cloud of smoke and soft jazzy tunes, she peaked her head up and offered a relaxed smile to hiyori. the smell of vanilla tobacco filled the air as she sat up and offered the seat next to her for him. )
No, all yours. Sorry I was probably hanging around the worst place imaginable when I texted you, so we don't have to stay long. Come sit—
( with a playful tone, she patted the pillow and encouraged him to come forth. )
[He can feel people watching from the neighboring tables: the lovely Queen, and the person lucky enough to be her date at the smoke lounge. Such attention may make others uncomfortable, but not him. They can look all they want, and they can think whatever they please.]
I wouldn't go that far. I don't like to smoke, but I can think of worse places than this around.
[Like the bondage club or the Roost. Or the maintenance area, with its eerie dark tunnels and whispering voices.
... or the Punishment Room. That's a place within the resort, too, he learned the hard way.
He drops to his knees gracefully and takes a seat upon a cushion. He doesn't want to breathe in any smoke, but once they're at eye-level (and nose-level) he gets a whiff of that vanilla scent anyway, causing him to a blink a few times in surprise.]
That's not what I expected that to smell like. I thought it'd smell all stale and gross.
[He's willing to sit with her in the lounge... but hopefully she doesn't mind some gentle ribbing about her smoking habit.]
( the restless chatter surrounding them doesn't quite escape her, but given that she had been used to such buzzing from her time being a celebrity back home, it was easy to drown out the sounds without much effort. in fact her own attitude made it seem she couldn't even hear it— opting to relax and focus on her guest. his comfort and happiness mattered to quite a bit in this moment, especially because she understood what it was like to be in pain over losing someone. )
I'm glad, and don't worry it's not a habit I partake in often.
( especially because she had to keep her voice in prime condition— or rather she did back home. wasn't she free from that here? those pressures? she wasn't sure anymore but for now she smiled once they got to eye level, putting the hookah pipe she had in her hands onto the table before them. )
Apparently this is more unique way of enjoying tobacco. I've actually never used one of these before but apparently they're all the rage. Smells nice doesn't it? Anyways do you want to order something for yourself? I'll cover it.
[He understands instantly. It's why he wouldn't consider smoking himself. That, and he doesn't like the smell. But cigarettes and cigars don't usually smell of vanilla. The scent is sweet without being overpowering, and pleasantly smoky, almost like a cologne. He finds he doesn't mind breathing it in.
Though he's also not quite sure he wants to order anything like that for himself.]
So they sell snacks too, hm?
[He thinks he did see a couple of people feeding each other. Probably dangling cherries over each other's mouths.]
I'm not sure what's on their menu. And it's impossible to tell what other people are eating or drinking, since it's so very dark in here. So!
Yeah back home I had to follow a lot of little 'rules', not just for my voice but also for my appearance. You know what that's like right?
( he certainly didn't have to answer that question because she assumed he did— she didn't comment on it, but his appearance clearly suggested he took good care of himself or rather had to. if she had to guess, they both probably avoided the sun for the most part, even if those trivial worries didn't matter much in the end here.
still with the looming threat of learning more about this place and the need to bring him something for his company, she focused on the task at hand, eyes wandering around for a staff member before she stood up. cherries being erotically fed to each wouldn't do, but she could get him something for himself in the meantime. )
Alright, I promise not to get you anything too weird and hopefully...um well you'll forgive me if it's laced with anything weird.
( she might have been a bit silly and careless for the most part, but she at the very least knew about how things here could be laced with aphrodisiacs to send them all towards that little goal the resort had.
with a smile, reira nearly bounced off her seat and walked off to speak to a staff member, placing an order for their most basic snacks [chips, pretzels] and a few sodas to keep things light for now. once it was settled, she came back and returned to her previous seat and smiled at her companion. )
So it sounds like you know quite a bit about this place. I feel like the more I learn....the less I understand anything at all. I thought if I just went with the flow of things, I'd be alright but it does seem weird things happen regardless, fully outside of our control. I mean that cupid from before was something.
I do indeed. There are lots of rules idols are supposed to follow, spoken and unspoken. But I already knew how that works, since I was raised in high society. And I always made sure not to let any higher-ups or producers boss me around too much.
[It's more complicated than that, truthfully. When he was in his old unit, he had little respect for the other members sans his childhood friend, and he also knew their unit wasn't built to last. As a result, he did as he pleased, skipping out on practice and using unit funds to take his fans out on expensive dates—something he never would have tried to get away with after joining his next unit. It wasn't a happy time for him, though. Once he had a career he could be proud of and a unit that was like "home" to him, he was much better-behaved. Following the rules didn't feel stifling when he was actually happy where he was.
This place, on the other hand, is like one big cage. One that keeps stealing his friends away from him. But he can recognize that there are freedoms afforded to him here that he wouldn't have at home. Like being alone with a girl inside a smoking lounge, for one thing. Although he could really live without the smell. But when the smoke smells like vanilla, he doesn't mind so much!
For now she volunteers to get him some snacks. He didn't mean to make her go fetch—she's the higher-rank here, and a woman—but he allows it this one time. He does, however, crease his forehead when she suggests the food might be laced with "something weird." Always a danger in the resort to be sure, but he sure hopes it's not a likely possibility.]
You're a Queen, so you could always try asking for something non-spiked.
[Though whether they'll actually respect her wishes is unknown. Either way, off she goes, leaving him briefly alone.
He rests his elbows on the table and slumps a bit. The smoky air and the atmosphere haven't gotten to him yet, but it was only a short while ago that he was crying over Leo's disappearance. What exactly is he doing...? Where does he go from here? Is there anything to do, other than wait for his turn to disappear at this point?
There are even more awful possibilities than just that. He knows it's possible that Jun, his partner from home, could turn to stone next, leaving him alone here. And that thought makes his stomach seize.
He straightens up when he sees her approach in his periphery, swallowing down his misery so he can talk to her normally. He did warn her he wouldn't be good company, but he still doesn't want to suck all the life out of the room.
First of all:]
You should try throwing around your status more. You could always call out and make them come to you, for example. I do that myself sometimes, and I'm a mere "numbered card."
[It's a leftover habit from back home, where he was a wealthy noble. But anyway, onto what she's saying.]
Those cupids were so ugly. But they're hardly the worst thing we've had to deal with.
[His shoulders slump again and his face hardens a bit. He really can't help but feel hopeless as he admits:]
I wish I could say it gets easier. But they're always twisting the rules and serving up new humiliations. And the longer you stay here, the more people you realize you haven't seen in a long time.
[...]
You said you wanted to hear about the statues, right?
( despite all of her beauty, charisma, and general assertiveness when it came to demanding her emotional needs be met by others, truthfully reira was a bit clueless when it came to things. hiyori's comment about just asking the staff to serve her non-tainted food left a puzzled expression on her face and the comments her bandmates back home have made about her began to ring in her mind. 'her only talent is singing, she's useless, she doesn't know the true harshness of reality'— all little words and actions that left her truly coddled her entire life. now that she was here on her own, she was still trying to get used to doing things for herself. there was no assistant to fetch her food, no ren to cry to when she felt particularly emotional, and no takumi to solve all of her little problems.
yet despite her own flaws, she took his advice and even began to make a note of it in her watch, typing away quickly before nodding. )
I guess you're right, I should have....thought of that. I'll do that next time.
( there's a slight blush that creeped onto her face, mostly drawn from embarrassment. wasn't she the older one here? yet she felt so useless. she was rich and famous back home and yet when she thought about it—
she was mostly treated like a singing machine. whatever she wanted she couldn't ever really have without pouting and throwing tantrums like a child. here it was different wasn't it? she could actually ask for what she wanted from the staff.
for now though she simply opted to lower her face a bit like a scolded child before he moved onto the next thing. )
Humiliations huh...I thought if we just did what they wanted they would leave us alone.
( yet another example of how naive and sheltered she was. )
Oh that, yeah I did want to know more about it. My friend Shanks told me a bit but I'm still pretty confused on how any of that works.
sorry, must have marked this as read when it wasn't
[She looks abashed once he gives her the advice about the spiked drink. Like she'd never considered the idea before. It pulls his lips into a small, sympathetic smile, and in the interest of being fully honest he tells her:]
There's no guarantee they'll listen, I suppose. But the higher-ranks are afforded some special treatment, so I wouldn't be afraid to milk that for all its worth.
[Still. This place is rough for everyone, including the higher-ranked guests. There are some fates even those guests can't escape, like turning to stone once they haven't had sex in a while. Like disappearing and turning into statues anyway, even if they were playing the game. Compliance may offer some protection, but it won't guarantee their safety. Nothing will, it seems, which is a really frightening piece of the puzzle.
He doesn't like talking about it. Or thinking about it. But it does no good to hide from the truth, so.
He looks at her seriously.]
Sorry to put the image in your head, but I've seen people strung up naked as "punishment" here. It happened to a friend of mine. He said it was because he refused to participate in some worthless competition or another. And they like messing with our bodies, so in addition to all the drugging, there was one "game" where everyone woke up with animal parts. But they also made everyone's suits "active," so our behavior was changed, too. Then some of the guests also have nasty personalities. I was at a party where us numbered ranks were all "servants," and I watched the higher ranks laugh at a Rank 2 who was collapsed on the floor.
[He says all this somewhat dispassionately, in the voice of someone who's Seen Some Shit. He used to be more shocked and outraged, but now...]
As a Queen, you should be protected from some of that stuff. And it's possible to fly under the radar much of time. I haven't been directly punished by the staff very much at all. But it does happen, and there's even something called "the Punishment Room" down in the maintenance level. I'd avoid that whole area, if you want to be safe.
[And now for the statue talk, which isn't any more pleasant. He takes a breath, breathing in more of that vanilla scent, and begins.]
As far as I know, there are two ways people become statues.
[He holds up a finger.]
First, they say you start turning to stone if you haven't had sex in a while. That can kick in once it's been over a month, or so I've heard. I'm not sure it happens at the same time for everyone, though. It sounded like something gradual, since I recall one person reporting that he'd started to turn to stone, but hadn't fully petrified yet.
Then there's the second way, where people simply disappear suddenly. Their room is cleared out, their name is taken off the list of registered guests, the staff claims to have no idea where they are, and they turn up later as a statue. Those people can wake up later, so they're not "dead." But they're not responsive either, and it doesn't sound like there's any way to forcibly wake them. It's almost like they're comatose.
( of course she hadn't— in fact she's probably eaten and drank things that were spiked, explaining why she might have been so willing to sleep with certain people like shanks. now that she thought back on it, were any of her encounters fully of her own will? it seemed in that moment her world was starting to crumble, the foundation shaking and what she knew and was so sure of wasn't the reality anymore. still did it really matter? they were gentle with her, kind and became friends with her after. was it really that bad?
as she mulled that over, she remained silent, hands tightening against her legs as she sat before him and listened. there was a nervous expression on her face now, a mix between a child being called out for being foolish and someone who suddenly had the weight of the world on their shoulders. the only thing she could focus on was taking advantage of her rank— )
R-Right....yes I'm going to do that moving forward.
( she did have goals after all, but still she swallowed down a nervous bundle of saliva that had gathered in her mouth and remained still as he went on. she thought about his words of punishment— would she face such a thing? she had been behaving, complying like sanji told her to. what really seemed to get at her was the higher ranks being cruel to the lower ones. sure she was childish, manipulative in the sense that she wanted company and would do anything to get it, but to outright be mean to someone because of their rank? no she wouldn't ever do that because she knew what that was like. being half-japanse and half-white, being bullied as a child for having blonde hair and not speaking the language, she knew what that was like. she never bullied anyone, was never mean but....she had been reckless with her actions back home. if someone got hurt because she slept with a married man [which she did], it wasn't her problem.
yet sitting here and hearing this, she began to become painfully aware of herself and her actions. by the time hiyori finally finished and went on, there was a bead of sweat dripping down the side of her face and all the color within it had left her.
she was clearly very disturbed. )
It's funny...I had joked about there being a punishment room to someone else. I laughed and they looked so serious...I guess I know why now.
( though given his own idle thoughts, who knew if he even knew if there was such a thing. )
A month....a month? That seems so harsh...
( and now she's just nervously filling the spaces between his conversation with her own little thoughts. )
I uh....that's quite a bit of information to take in.
[Hiyori can be rather classist, but he wouldn't treat someone poorly for their rank either, especially knowing how arbitrary the system is.
But that doesn't mean he's never been cruel at all. The higher-ranked guests at that party wanted to see him punish another "servant" for spilling drinks on their table, and so he scolded the person loudly and hauled them off into a supply closet where he pretended to beat him up. He didn't really lay a hand on that guy, but the memory gnaws at him anyway. That was the same person who collapsed on the floor crying. And those guests just jeered and jeered...
In that grand scheme of things, it wasn't a major incident. Nor was Senku's punishment: he may have been strung up naked, but he didn't seem to care. Maybe most people here wouldn't care. Things like that happen all the time here. People get stripped down, and they get humiliated. They get drugged or forced into uncomfortable situations. They have their secrets revealed, and the staff mocks them over those "Mating Season" profiles. People die here, too, he's learned. There were three different deaths that he knows about and probably more that he doesn't.
It does no good to rage against a system that isn't going to change. On the contrary, such a thing can do more harm than good. He's seen that firsthand at home.
Yet he can't accept it as "normal." Maybe someone with less pride could, but he can't. What right do they have to treat him badly? And what sort of example would it set for Jun-kun if he just accepted things? He wants better for himself, his friends, and his partner. He refuses to let his heart grow so dark and cold that he accepts their abusive treatment as simply "the way things are." Until death—or until he turns to stone—he'll refuse to accept things. That's his conviction.
Which is easy to uphold in theory. In practice, being so obstinant has consequences, and this is one of them. Instead of spending his days at the resort sitting in salon chairs, being pampered, and flirting with cute people from other worlds the way he's expected to, he gets to spend them like this: being the bearer of bad news, and seeing new arrivals' wide, horrified eyes as they realize how bad things truly are. This isn't the first conversation like that he's had, and it probably won't be the last.
Still, his heart goes out to her. She's not still "new" at this point, but apparently she had no idea how dark things could get around here. It makes sense. She is a Queen.
But even Queens aren't completely protected. Rank had nothing to do with the "Punishment Room." Still, he doesn't want her worrying about that. A grim look comes over his face—he hates remembering what went on there, let alone talking about it. But for her own sake, he'll tell her this much:]
It was my own fault. No one threw me in there. I wandered in myself. I had someone strong with me, so I thought I'd be protected. We were investigating the area together.
[His lips tug upward into a smile, then—a small, ironic little thing.]
So don't do anything reckless like I did, and you should be fine. [...] I wasn't hurt physically or anything, either, by the way.
[Though he declines to explain what did happen.]
I don't know if it always takes as little as a month, to be honest. It might be worth polling people. But I do know people who were playing the game and still became statues. Some have come back, so I want to think there's still hope, but...
[He slumps a bit, thinking again of Leo. But it isn't long before he shakes off the gloom or attempts to, anyway. He did warn her he'd be bad company, but given the way she looks right now, he's worried about her.]
Anyway, I really am sorry to unload all that. I think I covered all the worst parts, so I'll stop there if that's alright.
[And before he can say more, he senses a staff member approaching. Carrying a tray which contains their snacks, presumably.]
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Busy panicking. He just spent two hours outside Leo's door, knocking and messaging to no avail. It hasn't been long since Hiyori last heard from him. It seems impossible that he could be gone. That he could be a statue somewhere, when he's been at the resort even longer than Hiyori has. Smiling, laughing, playing impromptu concerts, holing up in his room and composing the night away...
He slumps over on a bench, staring at the registry. Hoping against hope that somehow, he missed Leo's name the last time he looked. But it isn't there. He doesn't see it anywhere, which means...
He gets a new message.
It takes him a moment to check it, and then several moments to reply.]
Reira-chan. How lovely to hear from you.
[He replies like normal (albeit with fewer emojis). There's no reason to dump his problems on her. Though, can he really hope to carry on like nothing's changed...?
Even thinking about making music makes him think of Leo, and his stomach sinks. Maybe he should be upfront with her.]
I'd be happy to come up with lyrics. Write them, rehearse them, meet your other collaborators, and whatever else you like.
But I'm not sure now's the best time. Someone I know went missing, so. That's been a bit stressful.
no subject
so in her careless disregard, she hadn't quite asked or ventured into knowing more about hiyori— so his second response came as a shock, then came the guilt.
she was an idiot wasn't she? messaging him so carelessly when clearly he was struggling. she could just say they can meet a different time, perhaps set this plan aside for another time in the future and yet the people she's become close to here have brought out a more compassionate side of her. she couldn't just ignore this. )
I'm so sorry, I didn't realize. are you going to be okay? are you all alone right now?
( it took some time for her response to come in given she wasn't sure how to approach this but she was at least trying. )
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Yet this sort of thing isn't shocking, and that's what's so horrible. So many guests have disappeared. Before Leo it was Rinne, and before Rinne it was others he knew. It's all so horribly common, and it terrifies him.]
I'll be alright.
[For now, anyway. Two people from his world have vanished; it's just him and Jun left. How long until it's their turn? It's a question he's had to grapple with many, many times.]
I'm alone right now since I went looking for him, but I do still have my partner here. We live together, so I won't be all by my lonesome.
[...]
I should let you know the person who went missing is Leo-kun, though. He's the composer from home I mentioned.
no subject
yet that last bit of information about having a partner left her stunned. was the resort truly that cruel to bring in established couples?? or did he meet someone here? a million questions but she had to focus. )
oh I'm so sorry, that's really tough.
I'm glad you're not alone but you know maybe I don't seem reliable or something like that but if you feel like venting or just need a distraction...
I'd be happy to help.
( the non-sexual kind of distraction of course, she was reaching her own emotional limit when it came to that after all. )
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You seem plenty reliable to me. I do appreciate the offer. I just don't think I'd be very good company at the moment.
So for now, all I'll ask is that you take care of yourself and have fun planning the concert.
[Ah, but there is one more thing he could ask. Tears well up as he even thinks about it, yet his fingers move to type the words anyway—without his brain considering that she might not know the truth yet.]
If you see a statue of a short boy with a small and scruffy ponytail, though, do let me know.
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( it was still difficult for her to fully grasp and understand how things could be so heavy and emotional for people here, but she was trying. she could sense the pain through his words and figured it was best to just give him some space.
it's the best she could do in the end— but for his next request, she made sure to actually go out looking for the statue even if she didn't find it. that bit of information was given to her by shanks after all and it was still confusing to her. )
oh right, I'll make sure I do. do you...
I don't want to keep bothering you during this difficult time but do you know more about those statues? I was told it happened randomly but I don't know much more about it.
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He blinks back tears, his vision clears, and then he's faced-to-face with a reminder that other people don't already know all about the statues. Of course. Though given that she doesn't question the request, she must already know that it can happen. Right?
Will it help to tell her more? Or will that just cause unnecessary panic? There's nothing any of them can do. The cheerful woman who'd been so enthusiastic about planning a concert... he'd hate to take her smile away. But it's a little late to worry about that, isn't it?]
I don't know the full truth either, but I can tell you what I've heard over the past year.
Do you want to meet in-person after all? I can go to where you are.
[He declined her offer to spend time together a moment ago, but this seems like a conversation that might be better off being had in-person. Not to mention...
He is the type who gets lonely easily. For all that he may not be good company, he does prefer not to be alone.]
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( as a woman who often ran from her troubles and walled herself up away from the world, she understood what it was like to want to close everyone off and just sequester yourself in a cocoon of pain and emotions. she wasn't going to push for him to do anything he didn't want to—
yet much like himself, she often felt lonely and strove to be in the company of others as often as she could. she was getting better at not burdening others here too much with her issues but even she was starting to fall prey to using sex to fill up the hole within her heart.
so even if she said he didn't have to force himself, she immediately sent him her location— the smoked egg. )
i'll be here, waiting for you if you do decide to come.
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Great, then I'll see you soon!
[And then he wipes at his eyes a bit, before getting up and checking his face in the reflective surface of the hallway, just to make sure he doesn't look too terrible. He then pulls up the digital map on his watch. Let's see, where did she say she was again...?
... ah. That's where she is.
He stands outside the doorway after he arrives, peering inside the lounge. He's passed the place plenty of times in his year-plus of living here, but he's always walked on by it. The air, thick with smoke, reminds him of the Roost, and the prospect of breathing it into his lungs seems unpleasant. He'd never pick up a cigar himself, and the dim lighting makes him wonder what sort of things might be going on in the dark. Idols, and noble scions, are supposed to keep their noses clean. This isn't his scene.
But he's been held hostage for over a year now, with no reason to think he'll be back home anytime soon and every reason to think things will get worse. He just lost a second person from his world. Compared to all that, a little darkness and some smoke seem like nothing to be afraid of.
He pushes through the doors and looks around the lounge, taking in the different silhouettes seated on cushions, slumping over tables, sharing whispered conversations and taking drags from elegantly-curved pipes. A few guests look his way, raking over his form with their eyes, but most are wrapped up in their own world. Here, unlike at home, he's no one noteworthy. He's not a royalty card.
Unlike some people. He doesn't know where precisely Reira is, but it doesn't take long even in the dark. All he has to do is keep an ear out, and eventually he hears the expected whisperings about the Queen. "Such a beautiful Queen. Do you think she's waiting for someone?"
Hiyori walks up to where she is. Despite everything, he smiles.]
This seat's not taken, is it?
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for her things were starting to slowly becoming repetitive— and so an opportunity to comfort someone, even in a place like this was something she looked forward to. even if she had insisted he needn't push himself so hard for her sake.
still when that familiar voice came rolling in through the cloud of smoke and soft jazzy tunes, she peaked her head up and offered a relaxed smile to hiyori. the smell of vanilla tobacco filled the air as she sat up and offered the seat next to her for him. )
No, all yours. Sorry I was probably hanging around the worst place imaginable when I texted you, so we don't have to stay long. Come sit—
( with a playful tone, she patted the pillow and encouraged him to come forth. )
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I wouldn't go that far. I don't like to smoke, but I can think of worse places than this around.
[Like the bondage club or the Roost. Or the maintenance area, with its eerie dark tunnels and whispering voices.
... or the Punishment Room. That's a place within the resort, too, he learned the hard way.
He drops to his knees gracefully and takes a seat upon a cushion. He doesn't want to breathe in any smoke, but once they're at eye-level (and nose-level) he gets a whiff of that vanilla scent anyway, causing him to a blink a few times in surprise.]
That's not what I expected that to smell like. I thought it'd smell all stale and gross.
[He's willing to sit with her in the lounge... but hopefully she doesn't mind some gentle ribbing about her smoking habit.]
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I'm glad, and don't worry it's not a habit I partake in often.
( especially because she had to keep her voice in prime condition— or rather she did back home. wasn't she free from that here? those pressures? she wasn't sure anymore but for now she smiled once they got to eye level, putting the hookah pipe she had in her hands onto the table before them. )
Apparently this is more unique way of enjoying tobacco. I've actually never used one of these before but apparently they're all the rage. Smells nice doesn't it? Anyways do you want to order something for yourself? I'll cover it.
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[He understands instantly. It's why he wouldn't consider smoking himself. That, and he doesn't like the smell. But cigarettes and cigars don't usually smell of vanilla. The scent is sweet without being overpowering, and pleasantly smoky, almost like a cologne. He finds he doesn't mind breathing it in.
Though he's also not quite sure he wants to order anything like that for himself.]
So they sell snacks too, hm?
[He thinks he did see a couple of people feeding each other. Probably dangling cherries over each other's mouths.]
I'm not sure what's on their menu. And it's impossible to tell what other people are eating or drinking, since it's so very dark in here. So!
[He flashes her a friendly smile.]
I'll let you choose!
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( he certainly didn't have to answer that question because she assumed he did— she didn't comment on it, but his appearance clearly suggested he took good care of himself or rather had to. if she had to guess, they both probably avoided the sun for the most part, even if those trivial worries didn't matter much in the end here.
still with the looming threat of learning more about this place and the need to bring him something for his company, she focused on the task at hand, eyes wandering around for a staff member before she stood up. cherries being erotically fed to each wouldn't do, but she could get him something for himself in the meantime. )
Alright, I promise not to get you anything too weird and hopefully...um well you'll forgive me if it's laced with anything weird.
( she might have been a bit silly and careless for the most part, but she at the very least knew about how things here could be laced with aphrodisiacs to send them all towards that little goal the resort had.
with a smile, reira nearly bounced off her seat and walked off to speak to a staff member, placing an order for their most basic snacks [chips, pretzels] and a few sodas to keep things light for now. once it was settled, she came back and returned to her previous seat and smiled at her companion. )
So it sounds like you know quite a bit about this place. I feel like the more I learn....the less I understand anything at all. I thought if I just went with the flow of things, I'd be alright but it does seem weird things happen regardless, fully outside of our control. I mean that cupid from before was something.
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I do indeed. There are lots of rules idols are supposed to follow, spoken and unspoken. But I already knew how that works, since I was raised in high society. And I always made sure not to let any higher-ups or producers boss me around too much.
[It's more complicated than that, truthfully. When he was in his old unit, he had little respect for the other members sans his childhood friend, and he also knew their unit wasn't built to last. As a result, he did as he pleased, skipping out on practice and using unit funds to take his fans out on expensive dates—something he never would have tried to get away with after joining his next unit. It wasn't a happy time for him, though. Once he had a career he could be proud of and a unit that was like "home" to him, he was much better-behaved. Following the rules didn't feel stifling when he was actually happy where he was.
This place, on the other hand, is like one big cage. One that keeps stealing his friends away from him. But he can recognize that there are freedoms afforded to him here that he wouldn't have at home. Like being alone with a girl inside a smoking lounge, for one thing. Although he could really live without the smell. But when the smoke smells like vanilla, he doesn't mind so much!
For now she volunteers to get him some snacks. He didn't mean to make her go fetch—she's the higher-rank here, and a woman—but he allows it this one time. He does, however, crease his forehead when she suggests the food might be laced with "something weird." Always a danger in the resort to be sure, but he sure hopes it's not a likely possibility.]
You're a Queen, so you could always try asking for something non-spiked.
[Though whether they'll actually respect her wishes is unknown. Either way, off she goes, leaving him briefly alone.
He rests his elbows on the table and slumps a bit. The smoky air and the atmosphere haven't gotten to him yet, but it was only a short while ago that he was crying over Leo's disappearance. What exactly is he doing...? Where does he go from here? Is there anything to do, other than wait for his turn to disappear at this point?
There are even more awful possibilities than just that. He knows it's possible that Jun, his partner from home, could turn to stone next, leaving him alone here. And that thought makes his stomach seize.
He straightens up when he sees her approach in his periphery, swallowing down his misery so he can talk to her normally. He did warn her he wouldn't be good company, but he still doesn't want to suck all the life out of the room.
First of all:]
You should try throwing around your status more. You could always call out and make them come to you, for example. I do that myself sometimes, and I'm a mere "numbered card."
[It's a leftover habit from back home, where he was a wealthy noble. But anyway, onto what she's saying.]
Those cupids were so ugly. But they're hardly the worst thing we've had to deal with.
[His shoulders slump again and his face hardens a bit. He really can't help but feel hopeless as he admits:]
I wish I could say it gets easier. But they're always twisting the rules and serving up new humiliations. And the longer you stay here, the more people you realize you haven't seen in a long time.
[...]
You said you wanted to hear about the statues, right?
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yet despite her own flaws, she took his advice and even began to make a note of it in her watch, typing away quickly before nodding. )
I guess you're right, I should have....thought of that. I'll do that next time.
( there's a slight blush that creeped onto her face, mostly drawn from embarrassment. wasn't she the older one here? yet she felt so useless. she was rich and famous back home and yet when she thought about it—
she was mostly treated like a singing machine. whatever she wanted she couldn't ever really have without pouting and throwing tantrums like a child. here it was different wasn't it? she could actually ask for what she wanted from the staff.
for now though she simply opted to lower her face a bit like a scolded child before he moved onto the next thing. )
Humiliations huh...I thought if we just did what they wanted they would leave us alone.
( yet another example of how naive and sheltered she was. )
Oh that, yeah I did want to know more about it. My friend Shanks told me a bit but I'm still pretty confused on how any of that works.
sorry, must have marked this as read when it wasn't
There's no guarantee they'll listen, I suppose. But the higher-ranks are afforded some special treatment, so I wouldn't be afraid to milk that for all its worth.
[Still. This place is rough for everyone, including the higher-ranked guests. There are some fates even those guests can't escape, like turning to stone once they haven't had sex in a while. Like disappearing and turning into statues anyway, even if they were playing the game. Compliance may offer some protection, but it won't guarantee their safety. Nothing will, it seems, which is a really frightening piece of the puzzle.
He doesn't like talking about it. Or thinking about it. But it does no good to hide from the truth, so.
He looks at her seriously.]
Sorry to put the image in your head, but I've seen people strung up naked as "punishment" here. It happened to a friend of mine. He said it was because he refused to participate in some worthless competition or another. And they like messing with our bodies, so in addition to all the drugging, there was one "game" where everyone woke up with animal parts. But they also made everyone's suits "active," so our behavior was changed, too. Then some of the guests also have nasty personalities. I was at a party where us numbered ranks were all "servants," and I watched the higher ranks laugh at a Rank 2 who was collapsed on the floor.
[He says all this somewhat dispassionately, in the voice of someone who's Seen Some Shit. He used to be more shocked and outraged, but now...]
As a Queen, you should be protected from some of that stuff. And it's possible to fly under the radar much of time. I haven't been directly punished by the staff very much at all. But it does happen, and there's even something called "the Punishment Room" down in the maintenance level. I'd avoid that whole area, if you want to be safe.
[And now for the statue talk, which isn't any more pleasant. He takes a breath, breathing in more of that vanilla scent, and begins.]
As far as I know, there are two ways people become statues.
[He holds up a finger.]
First, they say you start turning to stone if you haven't had sex in a while. That can kick in once it's been over a month, or so I've heard. I'm not sure it happens at the same time for everyone, though. It sounded like something gradual, since I recall one person reporting that he'd started to turn to stone, but hadn't fully petrified yet.
Then there's the second way, where people simply disappear suddenly. Their room is cleared out, their name is taken off the list of registered guests, the staff claims to have no idea where they are, and they turn up later as a statue. Those people can wake up later, so they're not "dead." But they're not responsive either, and it doesn't sound like there's any way to forcibly wake them. It's almost like they're comatose.
never any worries ♡
as she mulled that over, she remained silent, hands tightening against her legs as she sat before him and listened. there was a nervous expression on her face now, a mix between a child being called out for being foolish and someone who suddenly had the weight of the world on their shoulders. the only thing she could focus on was taking advantage of her rank— )
R-Right....yes I'm going to do that moving forward.
( she did have goals after all, but still she swallowed down a nervous bundle of saliva that had gathered in her mouth and remained still as he went on. she thought about his words of punishment— would she face such a thing? she had been behaving, complying like sanji told her to. what really seemed to get at her was the higher ranks being cruel to the lower ones. sure she was childish, manipulative in the sense that she wanted company and would do anything to get it, but to outright be mean to someone because of their rank? no she wouldn't ever do that because she knew what that was like. being half-japanse and half-white, being bullied as a child for having blonde hair and not speaking the language, she knew what that was like. she never bullied anyone, was never mean but....she had been reckless with her actions back home. if someone got hurt because she slept with a married man [which she did], it wasn't her problem.
yet sitting here and hearing this, she began to become painfully aware of herself and her actions. by the time hiyori finally finished and went on, there was a bead of sweat dripping down the side of her face and all the color within it had left her.
she was clearly very disturbed. )
It's funny...I had joked about there being a punishment room to someone else. I laughed and they looked so serious...I guess I know why now.
( though given his own idle thoughts, who knew if he even knew if there was such a thing. )
A month....a month? That seems so harsh...
( and now she's just nervously filling the spaces between his conversation with her own little thoughts. )
I uh....that's quite a bit of information to take in.
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But that doesn't mean he's never been cruel at all. The higher-ranked guests at that party wanted to see him punish another "servant" for spilling drinks on their table, and so he scolded the person loudly and hauled them off into a supply closet where he pretended to beat him up. He didn't really lay a hand on that guy, but the memory gnaws at him anyway. That was the same person who collapsed on the floor crying. And those guests just jeered and jeered...
In that grand scheme of things, it wasn't a major incident. Nor was Senku's punishment: he may have been strung up naked, but he didn't seem to care. Maybe most people here wouldn't care. Things like that happen all the time here. People get stripped down, and they get humiliated. They get drugged or forced into uncomfortable situations. They have their secrets revealed, and the staff mocks them over those "Mating Season" profiles. People die here, too, he's learned. There were three different deaths that he knows about and probably more that he doesn't.
It does no good to rage against a system that isn't going to change. On the contrary, such a thing can do more harm than good. He's seen that firsthand at home.
Yet he can't accept it as "normal." Maybe someone with less pride could, but he can't. What right do they have to treat him badly? And what sort of example would it set for Jun-kun if he just accepted things? He wants better for himself, his friends, and his partner. He refuses to let his heart grow so dark and cold that he accepts their abusive treatment as simply "the way things are." Until death—or until he turns to stone—he'll refuse to accept things. That's his conviction.
Which is easy to uphold in theory. In practice, being so obstinant has consequences, and this is one of them. Instead of spending his days at the resort sitting in salon chairs, being pampered, and flirting with cute people from other worlds the way he's expected to, he gets to spend them like this: being the bearer of bad news, and seeing new arrivals' wide, horrified eyes as they realize how bad things truly are. This isn't the first conversation like that he's had, and it probably won't be the last.
Still, his heart goes out to her. She's not still "new" at this point, but apparently she had no idea how dark things could get around here. It makes sense. She is a Queen.
But even Queens aren't completely protected. Rank had nothing to do with the "Punishment Room." Still, he doesn't want her worrying about that. A grim look comes over his face—he hates remembering what went on there, let alone talking about it. But for her own sake, he'll tell her this much:]
It was my own fault. No one threw me in there. I wandered in myself. I had someone strong with me, so I thought I'd be protected. We were investigating the area together.
[His lips tug upward into a smile, then—a small, ironic little thing.]
So don't do anything reckless like I did, and you should be fine. [...] I wasn't hurt physically or anything, either, by the way.
[Though he declines to explain what did happen.]
I don't know if it always takes as little as a month, to be honest. It might be worth polling people. But I do know people who were playing the game and still became statues. Some have come back, so I want to think there's still hope, but...
[He slumps a bit, thinking again of Leo. But it isn't long before he shakes off the gloom or attempts to, anyway. He did warn her he'd be bad company, but given the way she looks right now, he's worried about her.]
Anyway, I really am sorry to unload all that. I think I covered all the worst parts, so I'll stop there if that's alright.
[And before he can say more, he senses a staff member approaching. Carrying a tray which contains their snacks, presumably.]