Hotel Selten

A Chaotic Sight to See

They ran towards the alleyway where Thilda fell into. “Thilda!” They shouted as they started to search for her. Melvin found her lying in an open trash bin. “She’s here!” He shouted, bringing attention to the unconscious lady. “Thilda!” Peony with her face full of tears pulls her out there and because of Thilda’s weight, she fell on her butt. She didn’t mind the pain as she made the unconscious Thilda lay on her chest. “Thilda…”

Arabella grabbed her left arm and presses her index and middle finger together on her wrist, “She’s still fine, she is unconscious, her back might have some damage due to the fall. Gladly it’s not high enough to kill her.” She said as she checks Thilda, Blaise also helped her identifying what’s wrong with her and problems she will face in the future. “We need somewhere to let her heal. At least a hotel or something.” They all sigh and think of a plan, “We should’ve seen this.” Hugo said as he pressed his back on the wall, thinking. “Since Miss Eve is gone and Thilda is passed out, I will be in charge, I guess.”

“Don’t guess, you are in charge. And we have two problems at once, wait, three, to be precise.” Peony said as she caresses the hair of Thilda. “Now, what? Should we find a nearby hotel or something?” Ophelia said as she fixes her hair. “Well, Paris is a tourist destination, it’s not news that there are plenty of hotels here. The thing is, how can we admit ourselves without being suspicious? I mean, we are over the news a lot, I am not surprised if they caught our faces. Just with the recent fight, I don’t think they will forget us that fast. And also, they will be suspicious of Thilda unconscious.” Blaise said as he was swiping and pinching his tablet.

Hugo sighs, “Find a target hotel first, then we’ll strike at midnight wherein few people will be awake. Observe their actions first, especially the guards. Ophelia?” He looked at the brunette girl who was just playing with floating water. “Grab me a sample of them, guards, counter people, room boys, whoever that might come in our way. The easiest one is blood since you can’t pull their hair.” Blaise tossed the small device as Hugo catches it mid-air and gives it to Ophelia. “You can use this. Whatever you do as soon as you saw an opportunity to get anything related to them, do it.”

“Are you sure you trust me about this?” She asked as she looks at the device in her hand. “You can do it.” He grabbed the scarf Thilda has and shakes off the dirt out of it and gives it to her, “You can use that to hid half of your face.” Ophelia accepts it with a bit of hesitation, “I-I… Fine… Just hope I won’t fail.” Hugo smiles as he looks at the others, we will wait until night. Peony, if you could, you can make Thilda a temporary bed with your vines. Don’t worry, if anyone comes in this alleyway, we’ll make them unconscious. Just unconscious, alright? I don’t want any civilians hurt.” 

They all nod as Melvin helped Peony to move Thilda for a bit as she spread her seeds on the ground. She started to grow them as she starts to tangle them to each other to make strong support. After making the four legs of this temporary bed, the vines started to reach each other vertically and get tangled in the process to make the platform where she will rest. Peony suddenly opens her hand in the process and created blooming flowers on the other end of it, resembling a pillow. Melvin puts her down on the bed created with vines. 

Peony then lets out some seeds then and grows them quickly. But this time, she focused on a certain part to grow, leaves. She started to make them wide and plucked them out when they are already 2 feet in length. She then grew a smaller vine and started sewing the leaves in place to make her a blanket. After finishing it, she puts it on her body. “Please, get well soon, Thilda.” She said as she kisses her on the head. 

“Ophelia, you got the rations?” Hugo said as she snapped back to reality. “Huh? Uh, yeah!” She reached her backpack and started to distribute the ration she prepared to bring whenever they need to flee from the truck. “I might come back to the truck if needed, we still got loads of these,” Hugo said as he opens his and starts eating. Ophelia awkwardly nods as she looks again at the two ladies in the corner. Peony was really concerned about Thilda, it was a precious sight to see.

The night has come as Ophelia gulps while looking at their targeted hotel. “You can do it, Ophelia!” Blaise said as he pats her shoulder, she sighs as she started to approach the hotel. She looked at the people that were here, it was few but still, it was a threat for them. Plenty of people also walk on the streets, there are many possible witnesses. She approached just the street and started a plan. While she was thinking, a waiter was clumsy enough to trip and all of the drinks on his tray splashed off the ground. 

This gave Ophelia an idea and she hopes it works. She secretly opened her palm just in front of the spilled drinks. As the waiter left with the broken glasses and broken dreams, she started to manipulate the water into floating. She immediately hid it behind the bush. She looked at the guards on the front door as she silently made the liquids float behind the guards. She then grabbed some hair strands off the guards who are unaware of the magical shenanigans occurring in their surroundings. 

She brought back the water to her as she stored the hair strands on the case Hugo gave her just minutes ago. She pulled the scarf up to cover up her mouth as she approaches the door of the hotel. “Bonsoir Miss!” One greeted as she smiles even they don’t see that, the guard opened the door for her as she entered with ease. Before the door shut fully, the water went inside the hotel as Ophelia let it land on the ground first not to raise any suspicion. She looked at the receptionists, she went to the lobby chairs while she controlled the water to slowly follow her. 

She sat like she was a normal customer for the hotel. She looked at them as she slowly slides the water to the counter. She quickly flicks her hand to hide the water behind a female receptionist who is tending a man. She quickly plucked a hair which she noticed for a bit but she was distracted by the man in front of her. She then plucked the hair of the next two who are tending customers too. She quickly let the water pass by them and onto her which she grabbed the hair strands and placed them in a separate area in the case from the guards. With the goal achieved, she left the hotel as nothing has happened. 

“I told you that you can do it!” Blaise said as Ophelia hands him the case. “We just need to wait for the clock to strike at 12.” He said as they returned to the alleyway that they are staying on.

The city was filled with a lot of lights like how the group is filled with anxiety and hesitation. “It’s now or never,” Hugo said as he pulled the hair strands of the guards and whispered on it. The guards were now stiff, it was their signal to go on. Before they entered the building, it was the receptionists' turn. Like the guards, their position became stiff. Hugo approached them as the others scatter in the area. “Are there any vacant rooms?” The male in front of him nods, “Yes, 3 to be exact.” He answered in a dull voice. “Get me their keys.”

With that, they already have three vacant rooms. Melvin puts Thilda down, finally resting on a softer bed. They gathered for the night to discuss what they will do next, “We need to find Miss Eve.” Hugo said as they eat their rations. “But how? That bird thing literally took her to the skies!” Ernest said while looking at him. “There’s only one person with the right intention to get her from us and that’s Asante. We know where he is, he is hiding his scared a*s in that museum. He is really taunting us to go closer to him, he’s getting braver every single minute.” 

“If he wants to fight us now, then we’ll give it to him then.” Melvin cracked his knuckles. “This is not right. Asante is just luring us to his trap, and he is clever taking Miss Eve away from us. e don’t know that he got a battalion of weird things he experimented of against us. He won’t hesitate to make a battlefield out of this lovely city if it’s about destroying us.” Ophelia said as she chews her food, “If I were you guys, we should prepare.” “But how!? We are literally like ants for him. We have a limited backup with Blaise’s technology, we only got us, Ophelia. And, Miss Eve is waiting for our rescue, I don’t want to think what they are doing to her now, nope, Nah-uh, no thanks.” Alice sets aside her food as she fixed her whip. 

“Alice is right, we really don’t have any reason right now to prepare or even have the time to do so. Whatever happens to us, at least we tried. Let’s do everything we can do with all of our strength to fight off Asante. You guys can view the city first if you want before you rest, it might be the last time we will glance upon its beauty. Let’s have our rest.” Hugo said as he finishes his food. He stands as the others left the room to their respective rooms and took their rest. 

The rays of sunshine shine upon Ophelia’s face, she opened her eyes as she looks at her knocked-out friends. She decided to rise from her slumber as the door opens. “Ah, Ophelia. Just in time, wake these sleepyheads.” He shut the door after that as Ophelia wakes up Alice and Arabella. They met up on the ground floor. “Uhm, no one is with Thilda?” Peony said as she was stopped by Hugo before she returned. “We need all of the help we can get. You are important in battles Peony, the group can’t operate without you. Besides, I left a note on the bedside table, if she has woken up something can reason us to her. And, Blaise left her some painkillers. She can manage herself anyway.” 

Peony sighs as they exited the hotel. They decided to walk the whole way over to the museum. “He might unleash his fighters before we can even set our foot on the street where the museum is,” Blaise said as he was looking at his tablet. “Just prepare if something happens, be vigilant for something suspicious, people and even animals, in these times, we can’t trust anyone outside of our group. If you feel uncomfortable about something, don’t hesitate to tell us. Is that clear?” Hugo said while they were walking towards their destination, they all nod and agree. “Let’s crush that crazy doctor to the ground!” Melvin said as he punches his open palm, he was ready and enthusiastic about the fight.

They can now see the top of the Eiffel Tower, which means they are just inching closer to the museum. “I dreamt of seeing this since I was a child, I guess it’s now granted, just in the worst way possible,” Ophelia said as she was amazed by the landmark. “Well—” Blaise was interrupted as the ground started shaking and a loud growl was heard. 

“What is that!?”