Fasumbra continued to speak, but Kae had stopped listening. She stared at the empty glassware in a daze, still trying to come to grips with the fact that she had so abruptly had the tables turned on her. It was a strange feeling to a woman used to getting her way, to others being putty in her hands to manipulate towards some desired goal. The taste of blackmail sat bitterly in her mouth to replace the bite of vermouth, and the back of her throat teased rising bile at the idea that all of her resistance might be so easily erased by... whatever that had been.
Mind control? It couldn't simply be that - the Rose would have rapidly, and aggressively countered any sort of mental invasion. Likewise, any mere suggestion would have likely been rebuffed by her genuine anger at the man for snubbing her. This power was entirely unlike anything she had ever experienced, and the violation left her feeling sick and worried. Kae was... afraid.
The clink of plastic against empty glassware stirred her slightly from the introspective reverie, but she gave the card the same blank, thousand-yard-stare, taking several long moments to fully comprehend what it was she was looking at. Hesitantly, expecting it to suddenly burst out in mocking laughter or somesuch, the Helvetian flipped it between her fingers, frowning at it. The style of it was unusual, but its purpose was fairly evident.
Carte blanche. It should have excited her... the way it had when he had first let it purr from between sophisticated lips. She had considered it the proper reparation for being so brusquely corralled here. Instead, it was a hollow consolation to just another layer of indignity heaped upon her. Part of her wanted to throw it back at him out of spite... but perhaps...
She laid it back down on the table, and returned to staring out through the polarized glass, watching the bustle of guests arriving at the hotel. It was only when Fasumbra had departed... and hopefully Akshaya with him, that she stirred. Payment of the tab was almost mechanical, and she spared little attention to the pair of furred friends camping out near the concierge as she booked a suite on the upper floors... all for herself. If the man was going to pave her way to stardom on a highway of gold, then she was going to milk that ******** dry. Several thousand per night?
Perfect.
+---------------------+
Elevators were a luxury that had slowly grown on the dimensional outcast, as the parasite progressively seemed to leech away more and more of her ability to 'shortcut' normal hassles like stairs. Fortunately, they were also pretty darn fast in this luxurious hotel, which meant little time dawdling... and musing about the still very awful predicament that draped its shadowy influence over her shoulders. For now... it would be nice to relax for a bit, removed from the stress of the lobby and made all the sweeter on someone else's dime. Then maybe she would see about registering for this tournament.
The entrance to the suite was easy to find, being one of only four taking up the entirety of that floor. Kae had opted for something in the eastern theme, hoping that the famed tranquility of the Orient would be captured for her in microcosm, easing her rest. She wasn't disappointed.
The keycard granted access to the sliding door, and she coolly took the single step down onto the bamboo hardwood flooring, sighing softly as she let the parasite disentangle itself for a bit, unweaving her dress into a less complex, more natural growth across her body. Sharp blue eyes surveyed the suite, and marveled at both its opulence, and also its seamless integration of traditional comforts and technological marvels.
A well tended rock garden, lit from overhead, dominated a lowered area replete with lounging cushions and mats on recessed benches along the sides. Near at hand was a fully functioning and fully stocked autobar, with a small ordering kiosk - a la carte, and expensive, no doubt. A partial kitchen lay off to the left, and behind rice papered sliding walls lay the multiple bedrooms... and no doubt the onsen she was already daydreaming about.
She pushed aside the meagre barrier, unable to prevent a subtle smirk from tugging at the corners of her mouth. The hotel staff had truly thought of everything. A stack of soft towels lay ready by the edge of the imitation mineral pool, that had no doubt been filled with thousands of dollars worth of San Pellegrino. And next to it, two small squares of fabric.
The shapely girl plucked them from the stone, shaking them open from their neat folds. Two triangles of white stretchy nylon, one corner of which was tastefully engrammed with a stylized 'C.H.', greeted her. Simple... but very thoughtful of them. The second piece revealed the matching, saucy bottoms, which brought a wry smile. Hot water disagreed strongly with the Rose, and wearing actual clothing, however scarce, would be a refreshing change of pace.
She set them back down for the moment to appreciate the various other features of the partition. A massage table with shelves of products waiting at the ready, several comfortable varnished seats for relaxation, a calming fountain... it really had it all. Minus the massage attendant. Perhaps that would have to be specifically ordered.
For now, she would play with the digital temperature gauge... and get this onsen nice and steamy.
Trenchant Cogency Wrote:
Shuzoku Eiji Wrote:
