welcome, new visitors

[modconcierge]

There isn't much fanfare for the new crop of visitors who have come in this month, but what they encounter is quite wondrous. Is it a cruise ship? Is it a hotel? Is it a tiny planet? No one can give them a straight answer, but all are encouraged to take part in the buffet, where visitors may find an assortment of foods both familiar and unfamiliar to them. There is an open mic night happening in one of the lounges on site, featuring staff and visitor performances. Or there are a handful of shops to browse if you're amenable to trading.

Visitors will find that the Hotel Multiverse at the Edge of the Cosmos between Canons (its official name) is very much alive beyond the bustling crowd. In fact, it might just be listening to you and anticipating your needs.

As for the rest? Well, that's up to you. You may as well socialize, right?

Comments

[stashboxes]

It's a — [ let it be noted here that this does not catch ari off guard in the slightest, and she tries to gesture what a planet is, holding her arms like a giant O, first out in front of her and then above her head. she spins once before releasing the gesture. ] — you know? Like Earth? Or Mars, or Venus.

Basically, absolutely massive chunks of rock that have some kind of orbit around the sun, I think. I don't know. I'm not with NASA, or whatever. There's probably a ton of planets that the government hasn't told us about. [ she doesn't say this conspiratorially, but simply accepting that this is the way things go, right? and then she turns to him with a sympathetic look. ]

Nobody's told us that aliens exist, where I'm at. They haven't even told you all about other planets Wow.

[desfait]

[As she explained, a look of dawning realization began to spread across his face. He visibly perked as the names "Mars" and "Venus" came up, and as she finished he hurried to respond, beaming as much as he could.]

I know them now, they are the heavenly bodies. I had forgotten what else they were called. Mars influences the tide of war, Venus is the morning and evening star and holds dominion over love and beauty. I do not believe anything could live upon them, they are surely but perfect spheres that spin about the firmament.

[Very confident with that one, he looks so proud of himself.]

I know not why your rulers would not tell you of others, should they exist. Their positions are necessary to the daily functions of life, it should be public knowledge.

But aliens are quite common. This place after all, is full of them. So too are you one, after all.

[stashboxes]

Yes! [ okay, perfect, he gets it, and she is delighted by this. ] I mean. When you look at it like that, I guess the gods and goddesses would be aliens, too.

[ oh my god, stop the presses, they literally just discovered ancient alien theories. something overcomes ari's expression between realization and inspiration, but she's quick to file it away, and turns instead to the dessert bar. she gathers two plates if she hasn't already, passing him one, as she finally surveys the offerings, clearing a space on the line for him to join her. ]

So — planets, vocabulary established. We got it. Tell me about where you're from!

[desfait]

To leave home is to inevitably become an alien to someone. Should they travel, even deities would be as much.

[He has not picked up on any kind of incongruity here in this conversation, they are definitely both on the same wavelength for sure.

He takes the plate, longingly passing a look at far more solid treats before settling on a selection of cookies, and prodding at a chilled bin of ice cream. Maybe? Maybe he could make this work? He really wants to. Of course in order to speak, the plate must be set down again, along with the glass he was going to fill with wine, if he could find it. He could have waited until he'd finished but the concept of speaking with someone new took top priority, so novel an idea it was.]

Where I am from-

[The gestures simply stopped after that, leaving him looking at his hands for a moment as his brows knit in an expression of deep consideration. After a time, he started again,]

Is not terribly interesting. There is nothing that happens anymore. I believe it would be far better to hear more about you, as interesting as you are. There would be far more to talk about.

[stashboxes]

[ ari is briefly distracted by the overwhelming selection, and she's plucking an eclair with tongs when he talks about his world, however briefly. she turns to him, tilts her head, ginger hair spilling to the side, and frowns just a bit. ]

Nothing?

[ that doesn't make much sense. she places the eclair onto her plate and returns the utensil.

and then she shrugs. he did ask, after all. ]

Well! My name's Ari. And... I guess I'm on Fall Break! I mean, I don't really remember choosing this place or anything like that, but that's why everyone else is here, right? I thought a dance college was on a wonky schedule compared to everyone else!

Sorry for the wait!

[desfait]

[He nods, the smile on his face wane and thin.]

Nothing happens anymore.

[The words seemed emphatic, tainted just slightly with some gray sort of feeling. Sadness? Remorse? It didn't matter, he'd not let the mood hang there for long and mercifully, neither did she.

The words were a bit hard to parse of course. Wonky? College? He's a little sluggish, but some of these are put together.]

College is [he gestured without anything coming of it, searching for the correct word until he finally picked one that seemed to make the most sense.]

schooling, correct? You are learning to be a dancer?

[It's something that makes him visibly brighten, forgetting entirely about the dessert.]

If it would not be too much of an imposition, would you show me some of the dances you have learned some time?

no worries at all, friend!

[stashboxes]

Yeah, that's right! I guess they don't have schools and universities on your planet. [ ari takes a moment to let this settle, sighing almost wistfully. ] That's so lucky.

[ it's a strange disconnect, her flippancy over education versus her excitement over her art. ari is in the middle of plucking a chocolate cake slice off of the buffet trey when he makes his request, and she spins back to him, a dance move in itself. ]

What? Just — right here? Wait — no! [ she's so excited. she totally would, as evidenced by the way she seemingly vibrates with energy. in a swift movement, she deposits her plate unceremoniously on the buffet line, looks around, and then begins to shuffle off. she looks at him over her shoulder and gestures for him to follow. ] There's a stage this way.