bladesworn's Storytime the first

[bladesworn]

Nan says that she's glad all the same, and Santiago begin to play the piano.

The tune is strangely beautiful yet discordant. It's clear Santiago really knows how to play, but the melody is as uncontrollable and unpredictable as its creator.

Something about the music makes Nan feel very uncomfortable. Her stomach knots up.
She uneasily begins to explain about what happened -- about Anna, and the creature that pursued her.

Santaigo responds, but doesn't stop playing.
He says Nan shouldn't worry her pretty little head about it.

He says Anna wanted it.
You could tell.

 

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Nan asks for the whereabouts of her other friends. Santiago says he doesn't know. He only just got here himself. No one around but her. And Anna.

Nan asks what he means, about Anna wanting to die. How he could tell.
He says he can always tell.
Santiago says he could always see it in her eyes. Through the terror, through the fear, he knew.
Don't cry for her.
She had to be put down, you see.
At least she had a purpose.

 

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Nan asks what Santiago thinks her purpose is. He keeps playing and says he wants to talk about something else now.

Nan asks about the music. Santiago asks her if she likes it. He only just wrote it.
It's called "Anna", in memoriam of the most recently deceased guest. He says he was inspired by her lovely screams for mercy.

Nan stares out the window into the courtyard.
At the ground floor, something stares back.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan asks Santiago if he really just got here. He seems knowledgeable enough.

He laughs, still playing. No, he says, he only just got HERE, in the Sunset Room. He's been in this hotel much, much longer. It was 1986 when he got here, and yet only a month or so has past.

Nan asks about the Beast and Santiago grins, suggesting she leave it alone and stay away from the window. She wouldn't want to get it riled up.

To avoid upsetting him, Nan says she likes the music. Santiago grins and nods. He says good.
Maybe he'll write one for Nan next.

 

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Nan asks if there have been others.
Oh yes, Santiago says. And they all screamed quite beautifully.

Nan asks if Santiago's plans for her song involve her dying.
Santiago grins.
He says everyone has to die, sooner or later.

Nan is unnerved and just comes right out with it: She ask how she knows she can trust Santiago.
He laughs and says she can't.
She says she doesn't know if he will hurt her.
He laughs even louder and says he doesn't know either.
But that's what makes it so exciting.

He goes back to playing after a pause.
Besides, he says, if she really wants something to be afraid of, Nan should go look in a mirror.

 

[bladesworn]

Board theory is that Santiago is playing this song: http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/src/08_Cohens_Masterpiece.mp3

The song is rather fitting.

 

[bladesworn]

At Nan's asking, Santiago explains he came here in December of 1986.
When she asks about the skeletal figure, he grins. That bag of bones, he says, is what Anderson and the others call the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim's smart. Looks out for himself, he says. He only does what he wants. Just like Santiago. Smart.
This place is freedom. No authority. No God. No one to answer to. No right and wrong. Do what you want to do.
Santiago grins, still playing. Nan agrees, doesn't she? She said she did.

Santiago shifts into a simple but quick-tempo portion of his musical piece, and without breaking the beat, holds out one hand.

"Give me your hand."

 

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Nan gives Santiago her hand and he finally stops playing. The room is uncomfortably silent.
After a moment, he glances up at her, gripping her hand.

He asks why she gave her hand to him.
She is free. She could have done anything. And he is free too. He could do anything with her hand, and Nan has no way of knowing what that is. And yet she gave him her hand.

He smiles, seeming quite amused, and asks why.

 

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Nan says she gave him her hand as a sign of trust, and now it's his choice to do with that trust as he will. He has no obligation -- and neither does she.
In the end, it was because she wanted to.

Santiago nearly screams.
YES!
Yes, that's it, he says, teeth bared in a hysterical grin. He brings his other hand up, which grips his opened switchblade.
That's freedom! That's true freedom!
To resist or submit! To kill or to die! To cut off someone's fingers one by one!
And you know what? He doesn't even want to do that anymore. Not right now!

He's so happy he wants to do something NICE for Nan. Because it would make him happier.

 

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Santiago asks what Nan would like.
He chooses to do something nice for her. Because it would make him happy to do so.
So what would she like?

 

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Nan asks Santiago for advice on how to move safely in the darkness. He laughs hysterically and says there is no way to move safely here, especially not in the darkness.

As if on cue, the lights go out.
Only the dimmest light from the courtyard filters into the room, and Santiago's eerie song begins again.

He says the lights go out all the time. When they get angry, especially. When they become disturbed. In fact, in the time he's been here, it seems like any time you go against the Hotel, it will do what it can to stop you. And the first step is always to cut the lights -- because that's when the really bad things get free roam. Like the Beast. And Father.
The best way to keep the lights on is not to make waves, but what's the fun in that?

There is no moving safely in the dark, he says. You just have to learn not to be afraid. Not because the things there can't hurt you... because they can. Oh, they certainly can. Especially Father.

But you're free to move, just as you're free to die.
That's how he can live in the dark. He doesn't fear death. He is free in the darkness. He is not afraid.
Little by little, just letting it become a part of himself.

 

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The music suddenly stops.

Shhh, he says.
Do you feel that?

They're here.

We'd better move, if we want to stay alive, he says.

 

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Santiago rushes to the door and slams it open. The faintest light from the hall helps Nan follow after, hurrying through the darkness. Vague shapes move around her, and she can hear that same ragged, heavy breathing.

Nan emerges in the hall, and notices the light is coming from an old-fashioned oil lantern with the flame dialed way down. Another set of eyes gleam in the darkness to her right.
Santiago appears to be a rather fast runner.

 

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Nan snatches the lantern off the wall, dialing it up quickly.

As the light flares up, Santiago suddenly screeches to a halt and turns around, shouting.
Nan, no!

 

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Everything goes white.

 

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When the glare fades, Nan finds herself someplace new. A few men in strange uniform move purposefully about the TERRA COTTA COURTYARD.

The warm scent of flowers rises in the summer heat.

The sun is out. Nan had forgotten how comforting its light was.

 

[bladesworn]

There are some Hotel California references here. There were some earlier too from Nan's first conversation with Santiago, but I forgot to point those out.

 

[bladesworn]

No, it doesn't seem like heaven -- but it is quite peaceful.
Beneath the warm summer sun, the TERRA COTTA COURTYARD is full of figures moving about, all connecting into other parts of what appears to be a SPANISH MISSION. It seems quite well maintained, with no signs of age.

Nan approaches the man in the black hood and poncho who seats himself by the bells, says hello, and asks for information.

 

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The man rests on the stone bench and pulls back his black cloth hood before smiling at Nan and nodding quietly.

Of course, he says, what can this humble traveler do to help?

 

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Though she tries not to react strongly, the man in the black hood notices her reaction and points to his scar, explaining that it's not important. It's from a long time ago.

Nan asks for the date -- including the year. The man smiles, looking up at the warm sky and the sun-baked adobe and tile roof of the building by the courtyard, and says that he understands. In a place like this, it must be so easy to lose track of time.
He's just passing through, himself. Here to see someone, and then move on. And yet he wishes he could stay in this lovely place, so long that he too could lose track of the years.

It is the third -- or wait, perhaps the fourth? -- of June, in the year 1828.