Post by penelope on Jul 19, 2023 7:37:19 GMT -5
It had been an anxious week so far inside The Hotel California. Every staff member was on edge following Week 1 of the Bravery Trials' main event. Penelope had been incensed at the fact her soul had not only been removed from the grounds of The Hotel California, a fact that she didn't even think had been possible before her match. But also that someone inside The Hotel California could, and likely did, have a hand orchestrating it. As such, everyone had been walking on eggshells which had begun to take its toll on the morale of the place. Private conversations between staff, whispers along the corridors, even Eli Buchanan and his wife Charlotte were on the warpath.
Since her return, Penelope's soul had been in their care, guarded by the Herkmen whenever Eli and Charlotte had to take care of other business momentarily. Penelope, for her part, had been meticulously interrogating the staff for days. The tension inside the lobby could be cut with a knife as everyone nervously looked around at each other. We are talking assholes to elbows here, the congregation of Hotel patrons and staff leaving little room for comfort. The main staircase leading off the Lobby, however, was occupied only by the Herkmen on the left. Penelope's soul crouched between them. Eli and Charlotte stood on the right, arm in arm, with Penelope cutting a solitary figure directly in the middle.
"Distinguished guests…fellow, hard-working staff, thank you for coming together so quickly. As you know, in the Main Event of the first Bravery Trial…I failed to walk out with the victory and another 2 points for Team PIC."
Some low murmurs are heard in the crowd, with several others shaking their heads angrily.
"This was due in no small part to the fact MY SOUL HAD BEEN ABDUCTED AND PLACED INSIDE A SIGIL TRAP!"
Penelope's rage-fueled lashing caused the crowd to cower back in fear noticeably. Penelope glared out, her eyes scanning over all the faces. After a few more seconds to try and regather her emotions (somewhat), she continues.
"Need I remind you all that procurement of the Triad is of utmost importance?! The Old Ones have laid claim to its power. Hence I and I ALONE must be the one to reunite it and ensure The Hotel California is its new and rightful home! I cannot do that if I am weakened!"
Penelope exhales sharply.
"No one outside this room knew about my soul and its connections to me! No one outside this room had access to it! Therefore it is safe to presume that someone in this room aided and abetted whoever was responsible for orchestrating its removal! I have, however, with the help of Eli and Charlotte, poured through hours upon hours of security footage."
Penelope smirks as she looks again among those in the room. Those gathered were shocked, looking at each other in disbelief.
"Who was it that ensured I did not best Thaddeus Duke and LC Pinkston?! Who was it that took my soul?! Snuck it out of The Hotel California?! Left me weak and vulnerable?! Who among us does not belong?! Someone here is an outsider among the loyal, and I will weed you out!"
Penelope points out into the crowd.
"You!"
She takes a step or two down the stairs, the hate and venom in her voice audible as she reinforces her accusatory point.
"YOU!"
The crowd looked around, pointing at themselves and others. No one is entirely sure who Penelope was calling out. She begins walking down the steps freely now.
"You….you…that's right, you!"
She hits the floor, pushing her way past various people and motioning others to move aside.
"No, not you…not you…or you…"
She finally makes her way beyond nearly everyone as she stops in front of an older gentleman dressed in dirty grey coveralls. The name Bob was stitched on the right chest pocket. Penelope leans forward, eyes burning as she stares daggers into the confused man's face. He points to himself in shock.
"You! You took my soul, didn't you?"
The man shakes his head.
"No!"
Penelope puts on a smile so saccharine sweet it would have given him diabetes. She places an arm around his shoulder like he is an old friend.
"Tell me the truth, Bob…."
She gives him a reassuring squeeze. After a few heartbeats, Bob suddenly breaks, his face anguished as he begins sobbing. His shoulders moved up and down. Penelope looks at him, her lower lip jutting out in a pouty fashion.
"Aww, say it, Bob, say it."
"I-I did it…I t-took your s-soul…."
His reply is staggered somewhat due to his sobs.
"Yes, you made a boo-boo, mm?"
Bob nods, still sobbing.
"Y-yes, I d-did…."
Penelope pulls her arm away, her face contorting into a stony mask of disdain.
"The Boo-Box!"
"Wha?! No, not the Boo-Box!"
A look of abject terror snaps Bob out of his sobbing as he shakes his head frantically. Penelope snaps her fingers as a number of the gathered mass of people surround Bob.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
Bob screams in horror as they grab him by the arms and legs. Penelope sneers menacingly as he begins to be led away.
"Yes…"
Those gathered cleared a path, allowing the older man to be drug-screaming across the lobby. Out of the conference room, a few staff members wheel out an ancient coffin. They open it, showing the inside is lined with sharpened spikes, their tips tinged red with dried blood and bits of those unfortunate enough to have been placed inside.
"PLEASE! PLEASE! IT WASN'T MY IDEA, I SWEAR! THERE WERE OTHERS!"
Bob's protestations as he's about to be placed inside the Boo-Box cause Penelope's ears to perk up. She holds up a hand.
"Wait!"
She yells as those holding Bob momentarily stop trying to stuff him into the coffin. Penelope marches over to them as they hold Bob in place. She reaches out, grabbing him by the chin and turning her ear slightly towards him.
"Yes Bob? You were saying something about others?"
Bob nods his head, relieved and surprised to be seemingly given a reprieve.
"YES! Yes, I swear! I…there was an envelope, it was left on my cleaning cart. Inside was a note and money. It stated what was inside was only a down payment. It detailed a day and time, and stated your soul needed to be brought outside the grounds and to be handed over to another party. I would be given the rest then…"
"Who wrote the note, Bob?"
"I don't know…it was signed 'A Friend'."
Penelope lets him go, rolling her eyes and motioning to the men holding him. Bob starts struggling to break free yet again.
"No, wait! I'm telling the truth!"
"I need a name…."
"I don't know!"
Penelope turns on her heel.
"GIVE ME A NAME!"
Her voice comes out several octaves lower and almost monstrous. The darkened iris of her left eye glowing.
"LEO!"
The look on Penelope's face changes, her head tilting slightly.
"Leo? You're positive that was his name?"
"Yes! I don't know who wrote the note or left the money…but the man? The man I handed your soul over to, he said his name was Leo."
Penelope nods as she walks over Bob nodding to him.
"Thank you, Bob, this information will be most useful. In fact, it is so useful I've changed my mind. You won't be getting the Boo-Box.."
Bob looks overjoyed.
"Oh! Oh, thank you! Penelope, I can't thank you enough! I will never even think about doing anything like this again!"
"I know you won't, Bob."
She pats him on the shoulder and looks at those still holding onto the janitor.
"Get the fires downstairs nice and hot. Bob is going to spend some time in our friend, the Brazen Bull…."
Bob's screams and wails of despair as he's dragged away for good this time put a smile on her face. She looks over at Eli and Charlotte, who nod approvingly. Penelope walks back up the stairs, her cackling laughter in stark contrast to Bob's shrieks which are almost out of earshot. She gestures to the crowd, who begin to disperse quickly, eager to distance themselves themselves from Penelope and her wrath. Penelope quietly talks with Eli and Charlotte as they determine their next steps.
Since her return, Penelope's soul had been in their care, guarded by the Herkmen whenever Eli and Charlotte had to take care of other business momentarily. Penelope, for her part, had been meticulously interrogating the staff for days. The tension inside the lobby could be cut with a knife as everyone nervously looked around at each other. We are talking assholes to elbows here, the congregation of Hotel patrons and staff leaving little room for comfort. The main staircase leading off the Lobby, however, was occupied only by the Herkmen on the left. Penelope's soul crouched between them. Eli and Charlotte stood on the right, arm in arm, with Penelope cutting a solitary figure directly in the middle.
"Distinguished guests…fellow, hard-working staff, thank you for coming together so quickly. As you know, in the Main Event of the first Bravery Trial…I failed to walk out with the victory and another 2 points for Team PIC."
Some low murmurs are heard in the crowd, with several others shaking their heads angrily.
"This was due in no small part to the fact MY SOUL HAD BEEN ABDUCTED AND PLACED INSIDE A SIGIL TRAP!"
Penelope's rage-fueled lashing caused the crowd to cower back in fear noticeably. Penelope glared out, her eyes scanning over all the faces. After a few more seconds to try and regather her emotions (somewhat), she continues.
"Need I remind you all that procurement of the Triad is of utmost importance?! The Old Ones have laid claim to its power. Hence I and I ALONE must be the one to reunite it and ensure The Hotel California is its new and rightful home! I cannot do that if I am weakened!"
Penelope exhales sharply.
"No one outside this room knew about my soul and its connections to me! No one outside this room had access to it! Therefore it is safe to presume that someone in this room aided and abetted whoever was responsible for orchestrating its removal! I have, however, with the help of Eli and Charlotte, poured through hours upon hours of security footage."
Penelope smirks as she looks again among those in the room. Those gathered were shocked, looking at each other in disbelief.
"Who was it that ensured I did not best Thaddeus Duke and LC Pinkston?! Who was it that took my soul?! Snuck it out of The Hotel California?! Left me weak and vulnerable?! Who among us does not belong?! Someone here is an outsider among the loyal, and I will weed you out!"
Penelope points out into the crowd.
"You!"
She takes a step or two down the stairs, the hate and venom in her voice audible as she reinforces her accusatory point.
"YOU!"
The crowd looked around, pointing at themselves and others. No one is entirely sure who Penelope was calling out. She begins walking down the steps freely now.
"You….you…that's right, you!"
She hits the floor, pushing her way past various people and motioning others to move aside.
"No, not you…not you…or you…"
She finally makes her way beyond nearly everyone as she stops in front of an older gentleman dressed in dirty grey coveralls. The name Bob was stitched on the right chest pocket. Penelope leans forward, eyes burning as she stares daggers into the confused man's face. He points to himself in shock.
"You! You took my soul, didn't you?"
The man shakes his head.
"No!"
Penelope puts on a smile so saccharine sweet it would have given him diabetes. She places an arm around his shoulder like he is an old friend.
"Tell me the truth, Bob…."
She gives him a reassuring squeeze. After a few heartbeats, Bob suddenly breaks, his face anguished as he begins sobbing. His shoulders moved up and down. Penelope looks at him, her lower lip jutting out in a pouty fashion.
"Aww, say it, Bob, say it."
"I-I did it…I t-took your s-soul…."
His reply is staggered somewhat due to his sobs.
"Yes, you made a boo-boo, mm?"
Bob nods, still sobbing.
"Y-yes, I d-did…."
Penelope pulls her arm away, her face contorting into a stony mask of disdain.
"The Boo-Box!"
"Wha?! No, not the Boo-Box!"
A look of abject terror snaps Bob out of his sobbing as he shakes his head frantically. Penelope snaps her fingers as a number of the gathered mass of people surround Bob.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
Bob screams in horror as they grab him by the arms and legs. Penelope sneers menacingly as he begins to be led away.
"Yes…"
Those gathered cleared a path, allowing the older man to be drug-screaming across the lobby. Out of the conference room, a few staff members wheel out an ancient coffin. They open it, showing the inside is lined with sharpened spikes, their tips tinged red with dried blood and bits of those unfortunate enough to have been placed inside.
"PLEASE! PLEASE! IT WASN'T MY IDEA, I SWEAR! THERE WERE OTHERS!"
Bob's protestations as he's about to be placed inside the Boo-Box cause Penelope's ears to perk up. She holds up a hand.
"Wait!"
She yells as those holding Bob momentarily stop trying to stuff him into the coffin. Penelope marches over to them as they hold Bob in place. She reaches out, grabbing him by the chin and turning her ear slightly towards him.
"Yes Bob? You were saying something about others?"
Bob nods his head, relieved and surprised to be seemingly given a reprieve.
"YES! Yes, I swear! I…there was an envelope, it was left on my cleaning cart. Inside was a note and money. It stated what was inside was only a down payment. It detailed a day and time, and stated your soul needed to be brought outside the grounds and to be handed over to another party. I would be given the rest then…"
"Who wrote the note, Bob?"
"I don't know…it was signed 'A Friend'."
Penelope lets him go, rolling her eyes and motioning to the men holding him. Bob starts struggling to break free yet again.
"No, wait! I'm telling the truth!"
"I need a name…."
"I don't know!"
Penelope turns on her heel.
"GIVE ME A NAME!"
Her voice comes out several octaves lower and almost monstrous. The darkened iris of her left eye glowing.
"LEO!"
The look on Penelope's face changes, her head tilting slightly.
"Leo? You're positive that was his name?"
"Yes! I don't know who wrote the note or left the money…but the man? The man I handed your soul over to, he said his name was Leo."
Penelope nods as she walks over Bob nodding to him.
"Thank you, Bob, this information will be most useful. In fact, it is so useful I've changed my mind. You won't be getting the Boo-Box.."
Bob looks overjoyed.
"Oh! Oh, thank you! Penelope, I can't thank you enough! I will never even think about doing anything like this again!"
"I know you won't, Bob."
She pats him on the shoulder and looks at those still holding onto the janitor.
"Get the fires downstairs nice and hot. Bob is going to spend some time in our friend, the Brazen Bull…."
Bob's screams and wails of despair as he's dragged away for good this time put a smile on her face. She looks over at Eli and Charlotte, who nod approvingly. Penelope walks back up the stairs, her cackling laughter in stark contrast to Bob's shrieks which are almost out of earshot. She gestures to the crowd, who begin to disperse quickly, eager to distance themselves themselves from Penelope and her wrath. Penelope quietly talks with Eli and Charlotte as they determine their next steps.