Why Don't You Go Where Fashion Sits?

[these_guys]

Who: Participants of the Kalosmas New Year's Event!
Where: The Hotel Richissime, in scenic Lumiose City, Kalos!
When: Wednesday, December 31 - Thursday, January 1!
Summary: After all the shenanigans of Hoennween, it's about time everybody had a chance to relax and unwind, courtesy of some actually benign NPCs. With all the luxuries of the Hotel Richissime waiting at their disposal, that shouldn't be too difficult a prospect!
Rating: PG in general; please mark threads that go higher accordingly!
Log:

☆ GROUND FLOOR ☆

FOR ROOM DESCRIPTIONS OF THIS FLOOR, PLEASE GO HERE!


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☆ UPSTAIRS FLOOR ☆

FOR ROOM DESCRIPTIONS OF THIS FLOOR, PLEASE GO HERE!

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A FEW OTHER SETTING NOTES:

• At the moment, this log spans the entirety of the New Year's Eve plot, so starters may be posted for any time on either day of the event. If things start getting massive and it looks like an overflow log will be necessary, we'll definitely see about putting one up, and will link it to this one if need be.

• The Event Itinerary can be found here! Remember that participating in this course of events is not mandatory, but it's what will be going on in the grand scheme of things over the course of the event.

• All event participants are being housed on the fourth and fifth floors of the hotel. Your bedrooms are laid out like this; if you participated in our IC Rooming Roulette, you can find your buddy on this table here!

• Most activities here will be free! ICly, your characters will use their room cards to "pay" for most things, and the charges will be applied to their room (which of course, they are not paying for personally). Gift shops, parts of the casino, and food not provided as part of the event are not chargeable to your rooms and characters will have to use their own money in those locations.

• Underage characters may use the casino; however, they may be subject to some social scrutiny and side-eyeing in the event that they attempt to get in on one of the high-roller tables.

A NOTE ABOUT USING THREADS ON THIS LOG FOR AC:

Because of how our AC period works (the grace week into January still counting toward December), all threads on this log are valid toward December's AC, regardless of timestamp! However, because the log technically spans two different months and we want to encourage tagging out on it, we have also made this decision:

On this log and this log alone, comment threads timestamped in January (OOCly) that reach AC-length may be used towards January's AC, as well. Therefore, if a thread on this log reaches AC length with 10+ comments timestamped in January, you can use it toward January's AC (assuming the same thread has not already been used to satisfy December's AC).

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☆ QUICK LINKS ☆
MAIN EVENT INFOPOST | QUESTIONS FOR MODS

Comments

[envy_the_sinners]

"The younger two seem to be enjoying it most." Though Miriam was all tuckered out from bouncing around all day and he was only allowed to have one out at a time, right now.

"It's someplace to stay, more than anything."

[a_sin_for_him]

"I can't talk you into letting me put you up in a hotel in Goldenrod for the cold months, can I?" She knew he didn't like staying over at the home she shared with friends and family, but she hated the thought of him without a proper place to stay. Especially with winter coming in so strongly.

She knew he'd decline, but she had to mention it.

[envy_the_sinners]

"I can pay my own way if I need to." He chose to live the way he did, more or less. As long as Daniel could make fire, none of them would go cold. If the nights truly were miserable, they could find someplace to stay.

Regardless, he wouldn't rely on Lust, especially when he knew it wasn't her money, but her "brother's."

[a_sin_for_him]

"I know you can, but... I suppose the winter season just makes me nervous. It's so cold all the time. I don't even like going outside just to practice for work right now." Even if the activity was sure to warm her up, for those first ten or so minutes, it was miserable.

"Guttle loves it, but he's an ice type."

[envy_the_sinners]

"I'll be fine." He didn't know if it was irritating or touching that she worried. He didn't need to be worried over, but there was never any convincing her.

"It's not that bad, you likely just have a low tolerance for it."

[a_sin_for_him]

But you won't be comfortable.

Lust kept the comment to herself, though. It was his choice, he was a grown man. She didn't like it, but what could she do?

"I'm sure I do. I wasn't made for the cold. Give me heat I can stretch out in like a lizard all day and I'll be content."

It was growing closer to midnight. She was glad they were somewhere a bit out of the way, seeing the party but not easily seen.

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar let the subject drop. It wasn't something he liked to be bothered about. He finally glanced up, not at Lust but at the people slowly filtering in from the ballroom. It seemed the relative quiet wouldn't last much longer. At least they still had their semi-isolated corner.

He would wait out until midnight, because he had said that he would, but then he was going to sleep.

...That was going to be even more awkward now, wasn't it?

[a_sin_for_him]

Lust didn't fail to notice how many people were moving in couples. She glanced nervously at Scar, her hands in her lap. What now? It felt as though there ought to be more after the breaking of the dam than awkward conversation.

But they weren't conventional. It was like Envy had said, what did they care for tradition? Still, it didn't feel right just sitting here in silence. Cautiously, she offered her hand.

Hand holding was alright, wasn't it? They'd done that before.

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar's frown tightened and his eyes slid sideways to Lust's hand when she offered it. He didn't like that they were in public like this. There were too many people around. But he couldn't just ignore her...

Still determined to look anywhere but at Lust, Scar slipped his hand into hers and held on, glowering around the perimeter of the garden as if daring anyone to so much as acknowledge what was going on.

[a_sin_for_him]

No one seemed to be paying them any attention. Certainly not when the fireworks began and everyone's attention turned to one another. Well. Apparently the holiday came with some traditions. At least she knew full well that Scar wasn't about to try that. But she was glad she'd taken his hand now. It would be even more awkward to sit there, hands in laps.

She looked up at the fireworks instead, ignoring the couples that seemed everywhere now. A new year was turning. It wasn't something she'd ever given much thought to, the passing of years. But here it mattered. Her hand tightened on Scar's and she looked over at him briefly, smiling.

Who knew, maybe they'd be one of those affectionate couples, next year.

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar very nearly panicked when he saw her turn to look at him through the corner of his eye, but settled again when he realized that was all she was doing. Looking at him. He sat in uncomfortable silence for another short moment before looking at her, still not entirely turning toward her. His frown eased, slightly.

The closest thing to a smile he could really give.

HERE I COME TO RUIN EVERYTHING

[garbagechild]

Even if it was no romance movie finale, anyone who knew either party involved could probably agree that this tender moment backlit by fireworks and the soft glow of Scar Not Frowning As Hard As He Could Be was still sweet as hell.

Look at them.

Look at what it took to get them here, holding hands on New Year's Eve.

Look at those security guards marching in a businesslike manner in their direction.

Oh no.

"Ma'am?"

[a_sin_for_him]

It was only a small softening of Scar's face, but Lust knew what it meant. She didn't expect him to be any different, or for things to suddenly change between them. Everything was just clear and laid out between them now. There was no more wondering or worrying or carefully stepping around each other. She didn't need a midnight kiss or loving words or anything else but the reassurance that he did care. He did want them to share their lives.

And then suddenly she was being approached by a security officer. She glanced up, puzzled.

"....Yes?"

Oh god, what had Guttle done now?

[envy_the_sinners]

Any ounce of softness in Scar's demeanor immediately vanished when the officers appeared. He stood up and dropped Lust's hand, shoulders squared and eyes narrowed on the man who had addressed Lust. He was poised to step between them, if they had a problem.

Natural distrust of authority mode is go.

[garbagechild]

For once, IT'S NOT GUTTLE.

Guttle is a good boy.

But the thing being dragged by the further-back of the guards most certainly isn't.

The first guard stops, shooting Scar a sort of resigned look. God, hopefully he wouldn't be the type to cause trouble. They hadn't had to throw anybody out yet tonight, and hopefully it would stay that way.

Maintaining a respectful distance, he turned back to Lust.

"Ma'am, we caught your son rifling through pockets in the coatroom. You need to keep a better eye on him."

Aaaand that's when the guard holding onto Wrath comes into view, quite literally dragging the kid by the collar of his suit. Wrath appeared to have suddenly forgotten how to walk, like a dog does when the car pulls into the vet's office parking lot. To his credit, he's not making any noise, so in the middle of all the fireworks, this incident almost certainly won't turn into a big spectacle like their last encounter-- but he's got the look of a fugitive faced with the hangman's noose on his face.

It's over.

He's going to die.

Will Mama ever find out just what happened to him?

[a_sin_for_him]

They caught her what? They thought Wrath was what? That she was his what? Somehow, the authorities of this establishment were under the impression that she was responsible for Wrath.

...in front of Scar.

She simply gapes in shock at the young homunculus for a moment, stunned beyond words. How could anyone possibly think that she was his mother?!?! Had he told them that? Was this some sick psychological attack to get her back for upsetting his Zubat?

Of course there was the fact of their names, their similar coloring, and the fact she'd quite publicly spanked him earlier in the evening. Oh god damn it.

"Is there a fine?" she finally manages. Because she's not going to leave Wrath to the mercy of security. Tempting as it is. So very, very tempting. But he was just a child. And Scar was here. That would be wonderful, finally confirm their relationship and then turn around and abandon what looked like a scared little boy.

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar's expression was similar to Lust's, for a moment. Stricken, agape. He recognized Wrath from the video talks and that day in the cold he seemed to have forgotten, but nothing that came out of the guard's mouth made sense. He had never spoken to Lust about the boy, but he knew enough that the child certainly wasn't her son.

So, the giant, scary wall of a man just continued to stand there and look intimidating. He had nothing to add to this madness.

Yet.

[garbagechild]

"What? A fi-- no, no!" The guard pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "He's-- what, six? Just-- keep an eye on him. Before he gets himself into some real trouble."

The guard hanging onto the young Homunculus-turned-human plopped him down in front of the stricken couple, dusting his gloved hands off.

"You stay with your mother, young man."

Wrath had landed in a crouch and there he remained, hunkered down with his hair falling around his face like some kind of crossdressing Japanese horror movie ghost girl, but he looked up with a scowl when the guard spoke to him.

"She's not my mom!"

[a_sin_for_him]

"He won't be any more trouble. Thank you, sir."

Lust simply didn't comment on the repeated insistence that she was Wrath's mother. There was no fine, he apparently hadn't done any damage, and she wasn't in any trouble due to his actions.

"And you...."

Finally she addressed Wrath, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed. "What part of 'behave' are you incapable of understanding?!?"

All of it, she supposed. He was half-feral. She cast her eyes apologetically to Scar. So much for their low key 'date'.

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar finally turned to face Lust and Wrath when the guards took their leave. He eyed the two warily, acknowledging Lust's apologetic glance with little more than a quiet look. Did the other homunculi take care of him? He would have imagined Lust would have said something, if they did, and Envy certainly hadn't wanted anything to do with him.

[garbagechild]

AND SO THE GUARDS ABANDONED WRATH TO HIS FATE.

The brief flare of anger died very quickly when he was left alone with the two adults towering over him.

He didn't have a table to hide under this time, and he apparently didn't have his Zubat either, so really, he was feeling VERY SCARED RIGHT NOW.

Expression turning fearful, Wrath cringed away at the scolding, instinctively sitting back on his heels so that his rump was COMPLETELY INACCESSIBLE. He had no desire to repeat that little part of their earlier run-in.

"--please don't kill me again," was the first thing he managed to warble out.

[a_sin_for_him]

Why did Wrath's pathetic, frightened reaction make her feel so uncomfortable and inclined to try and help him? It wasn't fair. But he was like some scared abused animal and it was a special sort of awful, seeing him look so miserable.

"For god's sake...Wrath, I'm not going to hurt you. And stop saying I killed you, you know I just incapacitated you. Here, get up, I'm not going to yell at you anymore." She turned to Scar, not sure how to explain.

"Scar, this is Wrath. He's a long story. And apparently the hotel decided I'm responsible for him, I'm not sure why."

[envy_the_sinners]

'Incapacitated?' What did that mean? And what had Lust done to Wrath to make him so horrified of her? Scar's tense demeanor eased in some subconscious attempt to make the boy calm down. He knew full well the abuse that the homunculi had been put through, and it was quickly becoming evident to Scar that the same had been inflicted on Wrath.

His questions for Lust could wait until later. Scar sat back down, intentionally lessening his height and letting Lust handle it, now that she seemed to have calmed down.

[garbagechild]

Probably because you're not actually a TOTAL MONSTER LIKE YOUR MASTER, Lust! Just probably!

In any case, Wrath didn't do anything to dispel the 'abused animal' impression (let's be real, it's pretty damn accurate) as he slowly rose to his feet, not taking his eyes off of the pair, just in case one of them tried to grab or strike him suddenly.

... And once he was standing, both hands went to cover his rear.

Even if she'd said she wouldn't yell at him anymore, he wasn't going to take any chances.

"It's because they saw us earlier. You gave away my hiding place," he mumbled rebelliously, although he still wasn't brave enough to spit the 't' word at her or raise his voice.

[a_sin_for_him]

"You shouldn't have been hiding under the table. And you certainly shouldn't be stealing things out of coats."

Lust sighed. Scar had sat back down and she was grateful. He was a frightening looking man and Wrath was twitchy enough as it was. She took a deep breath and smoothed her dress over her thighs, more out of habit than anything.

Wrath was just a terrified little boy with apparently no home and no one to look after him. Whatever had happened before...it didn't matter now. She and Envy had talked about that, and it wasn't fair to make some exception for Wrath. If they could start over with clean slates, so could he. He was as much a victim as any of them, moreso really. He was and had been just a child.

And for god's sake, if she and Scar could be standing here attempting to start some sort of life together, she could extend forgiveness to Wrath.

"You don't have to live like that. Wrath...listen to me. I'm sorry for everything that happened back home. And earlier tonight. It's late, why don't we get you safely back to your room, alright?"

She glanced over at Scar, eyebrows raised to question if he'd be willing to help escort.