001✖Arrival

[blinded_spectre]

 [The Jedi suddenly jolted upright from his slumber, reaching up to rub his eyes before he hissed softly in pain and lowered his hand. The motion had stung, the burn still somewhat fresh and in the process of healing. A white bandage was across his eyes and what seemed to be medical devices of some sort were attached at the ends of the bandage. His hands ran along whatever it was he was now sitting upright on feeling an unfamiliar fabric beneath his fingers. This wasn't his bunk back on the Ghost and that worried him. He felt around, trying to get a feel for his surroundings and carefully pulled himself off of the couch. He tapped his foot against the floor - smooth, hard... not dirt or carpet. It didn't sound like metal either. Perhaps stone of some sort?]

[The soft sound of a piano playing met his ears and he turned towards where he thought it may have been coming from.]

"...Hello?" 

 

[His voice echoed back to him and there's quite some time before there is a response. When it did come, it wasn't in a voice familiar to him but he stiffened at the sound of his name. His real name, not the name he had chosen to go by. A name that he only let one person know and that voice was not hers. 'Welcome to Hotel Nexus, Mr. Dume. If you could please make your way to the reception desk, we would be honored to assist you with check-in.' ] 

[He didn't answer immediately, trying to gauge where the voice had come from. He gingerly started to make his way in that direction, hands occasionally stretching out to ensure he didn't run into anything. He eventually found his way to the desk, frowning at the unseen person there.] 

 

"...Jarrus. The name is Kanan Jarrus. Who are you and where am I?" 

 

[His tone was a bit on the demanding side - but who could really blame him? The voice didn't seem bothered by his tone though as it pressed two items into his hands. A card of some sort and a box. 'I am The Concierge and this is the Hotel Nexus. We look forward to serving you during your stay here, Mr. Dume. You'll find in your hands a keycard to your suite - suite number 1999 - and a box containing your complementary communication device. You will find that you already have a roommate, perhaps they can assist you with getting settled in.' ]

[He felt a rush of annoyance and confusion at those words - they really hadn't cleared much of anything up. What kind of vague bullshit was that, anyways? Not to mention the asshole used his real name.]

 

"I don't have time for this..." 

 

[The irritation was clear in his voice but this time, no answer came.] 

 

"...Hello? Are you still there?" 

[He reached out with the Force but there was nothing across from him and there was no further vocal response to his questions. Whoever had been there apparently wasn't there now... He sighed in frustration, slipping the keycard into a pocket and opening the box. Inside he felt a familiar device - it felt much like his comlink.]

 

Comments

[first_class_asshole]

[Cloud had been dozing slightly at the desk when his phone notification had gone off with an obnoxiously loud 'KWEH'. The blond jumped slightly, mako blue eyes blinking around in confusion before settling on his phone.]

"...Thought I turned you off."

[He mumbled softly to himself as he picked up the device, flipping it open to look at the notification instructing him to assist someone named 'Caleb Dume' to suite 1999. Wasn't that the suite down the hall from them that had that weird red guy? He was pretty sure it was. He closed his phone, placing it into his pocket and grabbed the sword by his desk. There was a 'clink' as the blade attached itself to the magnetic latch on the back of his outfit. It was quite a relief to be out of that dress, for certain. He started out of the office, closing the door behind him.]

[It didn't take him too long to find his way to the lobby to find a man standing in front of the desk. The need for an escort became almost immediately obvious given the other man had a bandage over his eyes.]

"...'Caleb Dume'? I received a request to escort you to your suite."

[blinded_spectre]

[Kanan immediately turned to face the newcomer at the sound of boots against the floor - or at least roughly where he believed the other man to be. He reached out carefully with the Force to attempt to gather some form of information about whoever it was that had come - or been sent by the sounds of it - to escort him. His brow furrowed slightly at the utter chaos he encountered there and he decided it was best... not to bother with whatever the hell that mess was. There was no small amount of annoyance at the name the other had called him by. Did everyone around here just know? Or maybe that mysterious 'Concierge' had told him.]

"...I prefer to go by Kanan Jarrus. Who are you? What is this place? Who told you to escort me anywhere?"

[That was only the tip of the iceberg of questions Kanan currently hard and he wasn't even sure he'd get much of an answer. The other person he'd encountered hadn't exactly been forthcoming after all.]

[first_class_asshole]

"...Cloud Strife. And I don't really care what you're called. I've got a job to do, so let's get going."

[He paused to consider the situation a moment. He was assuming the other man couldn't see - especially given that he was facing about 2 feet to the left of Cloud, then the bandage. ]

"Can you follow my voice or do you need me to hold your hand?"

[...It came off sounding a lot meaner than he intended but he really hadn't known what to do in this situation. He never was the best with words.]

[blinded_spectre]

[That, unsurprisingly did not seem to go over well with the Jedi who scowled slightly in the... not quite perfectly... the direction of the mercenary.]

"...What I NEED is for someone to answer my questions."

[...And maybe for people not to patronize him. It was frustrating more than even the situation itself. He took a couple steps towards the other's voice. He seemed like an asshole but he at least seemed a bit more... well, not like whoever it was he was speaking to before. He wasn't sure how to put it into words. More 'real' wasn't quite right... but he'd settle for that in the privacy of his mind.]

[first_class_asshole]

[He could practically hear Tifa telling him to 'be nice' in his mind and he sighed heavily.]

"...Well, I don't really know the answer to your questions. The place calls itself 'Hotel Nexus' and we're stuck here for some reason. I'm Cloud Strife, Ex-SOLDIER, mercenary. Just here trying to do my job until we can find a way home."

[He paused.]

"...And I wasn't trying to offend you. I'm not sure... how to..."

[He gestured almost helplessly at Kanan - who naturally wouldn't have seen the gesture and that realization made him sigh again.]

"...How to lead you to your suite. This is a little different from the work I'm used to..."

[blinded_spectre]

[...Well, at least it seemed like he wasn't the only one at a loss here and not the only one dragged here mysteriously either. Military type by the sound of it too, which might explain the blunt mannerisms. Or ex-military. Either way. Maybe for the moment it would just be easier to get settled in, meditate and calmly work his way through the situation. It still stung to have to require help though and he hated admitting that he needed it, especially to a stranger. With a sigh, he held out his arm.]

"...A physical lead might be the quickest and I'd really like to get this part over with."

[It was clear in his tone that he wasn't exactly thrilled but in the interest of not trying to play 'Marco Polo' half the night, he'd just have to suck up his pride and deal with it.]

[first_class_asshole]

[He was really pretty sure he was the worst person for this - Zack probably would have been a more suitable choice. He probably at least wouldn't have offended him right from the start. Feeling awkward, he took the other man's wrist leading him quietly towards the elevator.]

"...Shouldn't take long since we've got the elevator."

[...and it didn't take long at all. A short elevator ride, a walk down the hall and there they were - Suite 1999.]

"...Door is directly in front of you. There's a pad to the left to swipe the keycard they gave you."

[As far as Cloud was concerned his task was completed so he released the Jedi and decided to head off to Zack's suite for the night instead of his own.]

[blinded_spectre]

[It was a combination of one of the most humiliating and awkward situations Kanan had found himself in - and this included the morning-afters of his drunken nights before he'd teamed up with Hera and the others. He decided to follow the other's lead though and remained quiet. At least it hadn't taken long to get to their destination. Cloud hadn't seemed much for words and he wasn't entirely surprised when he was basically just left at the door. He heard the sound of the other retreating before turning back towards the door.]

"...Why am I suddenly getting a really bad feeling about this?"

[He mumbled to himself quietly as he stared at the door before fishing out the keycard he'd been given from his pocket and (after a couple attempts) managed to scan it. The door unlocked with a soft beep and a click and he stepped inside...]

"...Hello?"