The Hotel

𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊𝖉.

¢håþ†êr lðåÐïñg...

lðåÐïñg ¢ðmþlê†ê.

~✩~✩~

YUI WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY, OFFICIALLY RETRACT HER FORMER STATEMENT– THE ONE WHERE SHE SAID THAT THE HOTEL WAS AN ENDLESS PLACE OF MISERY?

It turns out there is always some light in the darkest of shadows.

Yui is still holding Timothy with a single arm. Timothy's job is being adorable and pointing out the many paintings that litter the walls.

"That one called 'Emotional Man'! Others laugh when see!" Timothy says, pointing to one which had the face of a person in white and black paints. Then he points to one depicting a familiar, white-and-blue-walled room with four picture frames. "This is 'Theory' and it liked by others!"

By 'others' he probably meant Players. Yui had a lot of questions about them– do all of them come from the same timeline, or different ones? She hasn't met any, but she must have gone on a joint run before, right? Joint runs must exist, because sometimes, the door in front of her is closed and doesn't open. Maybe it is similar to the times she tries backtracking and the door is shut tight. Another player must be there nearby. If she stays too long, a darkness begins to creep up on her– a cold, familiar, soothing feeling.

She doesn't trust it.

Why couldn't she remember anything? Why did she get these visions? Were they her memories, returning– like a clogged sand clock, slowly trickling sand in no particular order?

"Mmhm," murmurs Yui, shaking herself from her thoughts. She readjusts Timothy, as she scoops some Gold from an open drawer into her pouch– which she's hooked on her waist for easy access. She must have a lot by now. Maybe they'll come in useful later. "You know a lot of paintings," she adds, indulging the cherry-red-eyed child.

"I bored, so I look! Funn!"

Yui smiles, pushing the drawer shut and walking to the next door. "When Seek's chase was building up, the paintings all reflected their eyes. It's unique to them, right?" she asks while she twists the knob.

Timothy nods enthusiastically. "Yes! Auncle Seek.. yoo-neek!"

Auncle? Was that supposed to be a gender-neutral term for your parent's siblings (uncles and aunts)?

Yui suddenly stills– she's halfway into the room. A horrifying thought strikes her. "Is your mom– wait, no!" She carefully looks at Timothy. The spider-child was blissfully unaware of her internal crisis. "Your mom, she's an entity– right?"

*cute nod*

"..does she have many eyes, like you do?"

*questioning nod*

"FU– dge..." Yui dodges a bullet there, and continues with her impromptu investigation. "Um, do– does she wear white?"

Her questions are beginning to get just a tiny bit desperate.

*concerned nod*

"Oh, my archons... is your mom Eyes???" Yui bites her lip, praying that she was wrong. Timothy could read into her mood now, and he felt really bad about this, but Timothy didn't tell lies! He was a good child.

There was a poignant pause. Then...

*slow, defeated nod*

Yui really wanted to resort to violence and smash something right now. How is she supposed to react to that information? She's a girlboss! She can't start destroying things out of nowhere! That'd make her seem cra–