shaft | hotel: harrow

[ this all seems about right

this is also probably the first time he's seen her bare face ]

You did insist that it wasn't that bad when you first returned.

I was telling the truth. I had a few broken bones and a little internal bleeding, that's all.

[it definitely is; she pretty much always wears the makeup. she looks much younger and also has very pointy features.]

[ she looks like a lil elf ]

I wouldn't qualify that as "not that bad". And I doubt anyone else found it very comforting.

People regularly come out missing whole limbs. If it's possible to survive longer than fifteen minutes before being healed, it isn't bad and you're being dramatic if you become upset.

I doubt the people who care about you will mind being scolded about being dramatic or overreacting when they see you hurt.

[ he looks fond ]

I'm glad it's not that bad, though.

I suppose.

[she frowns a little in his direction.]

It isn't worth worrying over.

I'll stop worrying then.

[ a little bit of a the humour fades ]

Did you receive anything useful?

One of those lockets. Not information, the way some have received. Still, it was thematic.

Your adventure? What did it entail?

We were in different worlds. But in each one, it turned out we were actually participating in a show. At first, people we knew tried to get us to leave. Later, when we realized it was all false, we could see the audience - an arena of skeletons following our story for entertainment.

We had to convince them to leave by boring them, or our contract would have been extended for ten seasons.