𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬

>46<

... i don't think this is a one shot...

and yes, i'm back from the dead.

———

Threat

———

Observing through the swarm of guests of humans and monsters, watching as they keep on coming in and out. Which was good, but she couldn't deny that it was exhausting. She wondered how her Dad kept up with all this for more than a century. Mavis had sighed heavily, shoulders slumping and regretting that she refused Johnny's offer earlier to give her a glass of blood beaters.

Why did she even refused? That was one big opportunity that she missed. But now her husband is probably busy again. Working on other human-y things for the hotel probably.

Mavis suddenly straightened her shoulders as she saw a fish man coming her way at the reception desk. Carrying a bag and wearing a hawaiian shirt. Was his name? Stan? She wasn't quite sure.

She greeted, almost achieving on mimicking her Dad's energy, "Hi welcome to Hotel Transylvania! How can i help you?"

"I'd like to check in please," Stan the fish man said in his monotone yet soothing voice.

"Of course," she reached for the keyboard. Glancing for a mili second at the fish man.

"Stan... right?" she watched as he nodded, "Surname?"

Asking a guest for their surname was required, of course. But she couldn't help but think that she's also doing this for the sake of her curiosity. The fish itself seemed surprised at the question. Eyes widening slightly and mouth gaping a little, only to close it again. But then got his composure back almost too quickly.

"Just... Stan."

She wrote his name down, she asked without looking away from the monitor, "How many nights?"

"One."

"Alright then," she turned behind her to get a key and then handing it to Stan with a smile, "Enjoy your stay, Stan."

She followed him with her gaze as he got infront of the elevator, pressing on a button that would take him up to floor 11 where his room was.

But what happened next left Mavis dumbfounded.

***

Three knocks, and Mavis heard her Dad announced to come in to whoever was on the other side of the door— which was her. She pursed her lips before twisting the knob, readying herself.

"Dad..." she started, the man looking up from his paperworks.

"Ah Mavis," Dracula beamed too, his hand directing her to the chair in front of his desk, "What brings you here?"

"Well..." she sat down, gripping whatever was in her hand tightly, "... do you remember Stan?"

"The fish man?" Mavis nodded, "Why? What's the matter?"

"Something happened earlier..."

"WHAT?!" she didn't even had the time to react as her Dad was already in front of her, gripping her shoulders that made her flinch, but not too harshly. And Drac was too frantic to even notice, "WHAT HAPPENED?! ARE YOU HURT MAVY—"

"Dad!" she cut him off, placing her hand atop his, "I'm okay, i wasn't hurt. I haven't even started yet."

"R-Right... right, i'm sorry," he finally sat down on the chair facing her.

She had placed the thing she was gripping— a bag, the fish man's bag —on her father's desk, Dracula looking at it with confusion and then at her.

Before the fish man stepped in the elevator, he dropped his bag and proceeded on. Mavis saw this, her eyes squinting. She herself not even noticing that she was already following the fish man. Already turned into a bat, flapping her wings and up the stairs. It'd be a waste of time waiting for another elevator.

Mavis was already on the 10th floor when she remembered she didn't even brought the bag with her. Grunting, she flew back down as fast as her wings could. She was sure none of the guests would steal it, but she still needed to hurry.

Upon arriving at the fish man's room, her heart dropped to her stomach. The door and windows were left open. But he was not there.

Could he have jumped off?

No... it can't be.

She gasped when she saw that the Shrunken Head was nowhere to be found too.

"Could it be that... he..." Dracula couldn't finish his sentence.

"I don't know Dad," she said, watching her Father tap his fingertips repeatedly on the wooden desk.

***

"He what?" the woman in white asked in disbelief a little too loud, causing some guests to glance at their direction with suspicious gazes.

"No! We aren't sure yet that he... jumped off!" Mavis whispered harshly, "But i feel like i just had to tell you this because he's one of the... uh, employee..? On your cruise... right?"

"Yeah, he is," Ericka paused for a second, eyebrows meeting as she sipped from the Iced Tea she got, before looking up at Mavis, "But let's say he did jump, why would he do that? They weren't made to feel anything. They're just supposed to follow orders."

Mavis considered this for a moment as she recalled what happened earlier. The fish man didn't seem upset nor bothered by anything. He just had the usual emotionless face and his signature monotone voice. And if he did jumped, what made him do it?

Before her head was about to explode, Ericka— thankfully —disturbed her thoughts.

"Aren't you gonna call the police?"

"No... we can't do that, yet. It may raise a panic on the guests," she stated, "Besides, the Knights are now on their way to look for... his body."

Mavis saw how Ericka grimaced for a second before looking away. And then spoke again, "You mentioned that he left his bag in an... odd manner, have you already checked on it?"

"Well, i was going to. But wouldn't it be quite... disrespectful?"

"Mavis..." Ericka's voice was suddenly soft but scornful, "This is a serious situation—"

"I know! I know that—!"

"—and no one else can do it now but you."

Mavis froze when her eyes met with hers. Her head tilted in confusion, trying to read the woman.

"What do you—"

"Oh! Wow look at the time!" Ericka had stood up, wearing that charismatic smile again, "It's getting late, i gotta go. I have to meet with Grandpapa tonight."

Mavis was too dumbfounded, that as she watch Ericka's figure get smaller and smaller as they got farther, all she could say was, "Bye..."

———

see y'all in part 2.

(☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞