hotel: lup

[shaft]

Comments

[evocationary]

[uh huh]

Eh. No. But I got good booze? The kitchen did a dance for me, and now I'm allowed to cook. Which uh, which really just benefits all of you, because I cook when I'm stressed!

[shaft]

[ ... Interesting. ]

What's your specialty?

[evocationary]

Like, in food, or magic. [food, obviously, you dingus]

[shaft]

I'll accept both.

[evocationary]

Uh, all, and evocation magic!

[shaft]

Evocation magic, huh? I wouldn't mind hearing about it.

Over drinks, if you're still sharing.

[evocationary]

That is very polite of you, you charmer. [she's amused. anyway, she waggles the champagne bottle again.] I'm not drinking alone, so we can share.

First off, do you uh, have magic, where you're from?

[shaft]

[ He will lead them to the big table! Drinks! ]

We do. It's mostly elemental: fire, wind, thunder, dark and light. As well as healing magic.

[evocationary]

Oh, oh, okay! Yeah, okay, so evocation is the elemental stuff. Uh, not dark and light, that's something else, but... it's basically manipulated stuff, something out of nothing. So lightning, fire, water, ice, like... magical chemistry.

I can basically make fire from the magic around me.

[shaft]

Chemistry? A student of science, are you?

[evocationary]

Fantasy science, for sure.

[shaft]

I just didn't take you for a nerd.

[evocationary]

[SHE IS TAKEN ABACK BY THIS

and then she like, laughs? loudly, like it got startled out of her.]

I'm the coolest nerd you'll ever meet, boy.

[shaft]

[ He grins back at her. ]

I think nerds are cool as a general rule, so you might need to prove it to me.

[evocationary]

Yeah? And what exactly do I have to do to prove it? Or is that a surprise?

[shaft]

Be yourself.

[ hehe ]

[evocationary]

Oh, that was sickeningly sincere. [she says, with a little grin.] Can do.

[shaft]

You called me a charmer, I should live up to it.

[ this only happens in a blue moon. he will inevitably put his foot in his mouth again.

for now!! he raises a champagne flute. ]

Cheers?

[evocationary]

Cheers!

[she clinks her glass against his and just downs the whole thing in one go. that's not how you're supposed to drink that but ok]

To uh, to avoiding death until at least week five.

[shaft]

[ He doesn't comment, even as he sips his champagne a little more delicately. ]

Assuming we're here that long. Could be one of those shorter ones. [ ... ] Though they sound kind of hellish.

[evocationary]

It could be. I don't know if our terrible overlords are going to get enough entertainment out of a short run, though.

I'm also not uh, exactly an optimistic person. So you know.

[shaft]

I don't think there's any reason to be optimistic.

[ grimly drinks champagne ]

They know we've all been through this before, which is why... they arranged for additional bargaining chips. Speaks to intention and foresight.

[evocationary]

[a sigh, as she sinks back in her chair.]

... Yeah. It wasn't just a surprise, you're here, it was calculated. And they picked important people, too, I assume. Mine - I can't lose him.

[she rubs at her face.] So it's kind of just... what are they gonna make us do, what hoops are we going to have to jump through. The logical conclusion is kill someone or your hostage dies, right?

[shaft]

That is the logical conclusion, given that's what we all have in common...

[ He pinches the bridge of his nose. ]

And not to be a downer, but it means that we can't just look for an escape. We have to find a way to rescue our hostages and also escape.

[evocationary]

Not to be a downer, he says. [she says, amused.] It's uh, the unfortunate truth.

[...] We'll just... have to see what we can salvage together, I guess.