Young Writers Society

Raven, go look around and see what you can find. I'll be with these...others.

Yes, Master. The woman gives a nod to the others and slips away down the hall.

"It wouldn't say no to a cup of coffee," Cornyx smiles. "Raven has some business to attend to for now, however."

Hades glanced at the mirror, falling into step beside the others as they made their way to the lobby. He wished he understood the story behind the ghost. If only he knew a little bit about her! Then he would be able to start a conversation, and maybe he could help her pass on.

Or, at the very least, he could convince her to stop screaming and terrorizing the occupants of the hotel.

Either one would be a significant improvement.

Li He thought it would be best to stay away from Cornyx. He seemed to see right through her. So instead she turned to another man, who kept looking rather concerned. Or maybe it was that he smelled worried.

"Everything okay?" she asked with a gentle smile.

Or maybe she herself smelled worried, was worried. She couldn't tell at the moment.

"Hm?" He turned to the girl while walking. "Well, it's just a storm, you know. Such things will pass." James replied, not even realizing he was brushing off the personal question as a general one.

As the group gathered behind him, and he led them to the lobby. As they entered, the lobby was mostly empty apart from a few other guests getting coffee. The room was dim, since the electricity went out, but the staff had quickly compensated with a candle on every table, filling the room with a soft yellow glow. A battery powered lamplight also shone from the front desk, filling up the rest of the lobby with light.

As they trailed in, James gave a sweeping motion of his arm. "Make yourselves comfortable."

He then turned to the man who'd asked him about the hotel again, putting his hands in the pockets of his raincoat and giving a small shrug. If he was lucky, the man would forget the questions. But either way he hoped they'd be quick, because considering the circumstances, there would probably be more things he'd need to tend to.

She shrugged to herself again. People seem to act strange under pressuring situations.

Li He took a few steps towards the coffee machine, but stopped. Coffee wasn't a good idea. Her metabolism would probably spike up, and she'd end up embarrassing herself. Instead, she sat on a comfortable, cushioned couch, staring into the dark, which had never really been dark to her at all, watching the others move about.

He grabs himself a cup of coffee and sits down near her, ebon eyes piercing through the black like an owl's. "Where are you from?" he asks, making small talk with the seemingly innocent inquiry.

Hades eyed the coffee before deciding to avoid it. There was much more important tasks on hand, and the coffee wasn't needed for blending in. That realization was a major relief. His niece and Perse could drink it by the gallon, but no amount of sugar could make it sweet enough for him. Instead, he turned his attention to the employee who had led them down to the lobby. If he was going to get anything accomplished, he would need some answers.

"My grandfather used to say that some strange things had happened at this place after it was built," he lied with a warm tone and friendly smile. "He never went into much detail about it. Have you heard anything about that? My grandpa always told tall tales, but he seemed very adamant about that one in particular."

"Originally, Hong Kong," she replied. Best to keep things simple; after all, there was no need to explain that she was really over a hundred years old and lived in communist China. "And recently, just here and there, all over the U.S."

US. Hong Kong. Words he didn't recognize, has never heard. All with the world, he supposes. If he started speaking of the Realms and the Shadow Realm or Corax or the Lightwings, she'd probably look at him with the same confusion he felt now. He hides it well, however, under an unreadable mask of perfect cordiality.

"Quite the traveller, then."

"O-okay," JEANINE answers. She follows everyone down to the lobby. "She has seen us, though! She will kill us all!"

Li He laughed a little. "Sure, I guess you could say that."

"SHE WILL!" JEANINE claims as she walks down the hall. She enters the lobby and screams.

James's eye twitched as the young girl began to 'prophecy' that some 'she' was coming to kill them. His shoulders scrunched up in a full cringe as she let out a shrill scream. Someone should probably help the poor girl. He'd have to ask one of the maids or something.

"Well, people have often claimed to see things." James replied to the man. He wasn't going to pretend like what the guy was saying wasn't legitimate. The hotel had stopped trying to keep those stories to themselves long ago. Openness, amazingly, did more to alleviate suspicion than secrecy. "Sometimes people respond like that." He said, in reference to the screaming girl. "It's rather unfortunate. But there have been many stories of strange things happening, and rumors that this place is 'haunted,' but, people keep coming. Sometimes for the stories." God knows why though.

"So yeah, your grandfather was probably telling the truth."

JEANINE points towards a large mirror. "You lied to me! There IS a mirror! And she's in it!"

THE WOMAN laughs again and scratches her nails on the glass. They leave visible scratch marks, but nobody would be able to feel them from the outside.

He chuckles. "Were you always a nomad, then, or was there a reason you decided to start exploring the world?"