Eyebrows raised as Elijah entered Hotel Sin with a raccoon on his shoulder. It chittered as it reached for a tray of sushi as Elijah walked towards the elevator. Elijah scratched behind its ears as he pushed the elevator button for the twenty-first floor. The odor of trash, fur, and cigarette smoke lingered in the elevator like smog.
"Tastes good, doesn't it?" Elijah asked as he watched the raccoon nibble on the sushi it swiped from the tray.
The raccoon chittered as the elevator door opened, unbothered by the stares it attracted as Elijah walked towards his hotel room.
Knock...Knock!
"Who is it?" Shiyu asked behind the door.
"It's me," Elijah replied as he lit a cigarette.
"I was wondering where you ran off to," Shiyu said as she opened the door. "What the fuck is that!?" She yelled with wide eyes as she noticed the raccoon on his shoulder.
"A trash panda that I adopted...long story. Where are Emily and Rachel?" Elijah chuckled.
"Adopted?"
"Don't worry, it's harmless."
"It's a wild animal, Elijah!"
"Relax...so where are the kiddos at?"
Shiyu blinked slowly. "They are in their room," she replied.
Elijah raised his eyebrow. "Wait, you put them both together...with all that's happened?"
"We only got two rooms, Elijah. Adults with adults, teens with teens," Shiyu explained as she crossed her arms.
Elijah nodded. "Then I hope our little friend is just what Emily needs," he replied as he walked to their room.
"Wait! I wouldn't," Shiyu yelled.
Elijah's eyes widened as he heard moans coming from behind the door. He turned towards Shiyu, then blinked slowly.
"Ohh....ummmm...alright then," he muttered as he scratched his neck.
The raccoon on his shoulder chittered, then the moans ceased.
"Who is there!?" Rachel yelled from within her and Emily's room.
"Ohh...ummm. It's just me...we can talk later," Elijah mumbled as he stepped away from the door.
Whispers echoed from behind the door, followed by chuckling.
"One moment!" Rachel yelled.
Rachel creaked the door open, donning Emily's oversized black hoodie. Her eyes widened as she saw the raccoon on Elijah's shoulder. "What in the PRIME is that!?"
The raccoon chittered as it nibbled on its sushi.
"Rache- everything okay?" Emily asked as she nudged Rachel out of the way while wearing a towel. Her eyes widened as she saw the raccoon.
Elijah forced a thin-lipped smile as he rubbed his neck. "It's...it's a raccoon."
Rachel nodded, then rubbed her wet strawberry blonde hair. "We can see that...but why do you have a raccoon?"
The raccoon chittered as Emily stared at it.
"It doesn't bite...or at least it doesn't bite me. Helped me find my old video game as well. Figured Emily might like him."
It sniffed Emily's hand as she pushed Rachel aside and extended her hand towards it. The raccoon then shuffled off Elijah's shoulder, curling its tail around Emily's neck as it rested on her shoulder. Emily's eyes widened as she rubbed the raccoon's tail.
"He is so soft," Emily squealed as she slowly petted it. "Does it have a name?"
Elijah shrugged. "Considering I found it scavenging trash cans....doubt it," he explained as he smoked. "It really likes waffles, apparently."
Rachel blinked, eyes wide as she looked at the raccoon on Emily's shoulder. "A waffle-loving trash panda?"
"He is soooooo cute!"Emily yelled as she rubbed the raccoon coat. "You like waffles?"
The raccoon chittered.
"I think I will call you pepper...yeah....pepper," Emily said as she smiled at Elijah. Her face soured as she sniffed pepper. "Ewwww, you stink!"
"Wait...we really just going to keep a raccoon...what if it has rabies or some disease?" Shiyu asked as she looked at Elijah.
"We're keeping pepper!"Emily yelled as she hugged the raccoon. "Mine!"
Pepper chittered as Emily took him into her room.
"Well...I guess we have a pet raccoon now," Rachel muttered as she heard the shower turn on.
"Well, it seems harmless," Shiyu grumbled. "Though it's still a wild animal."
"What is this about a wild animal?"Sarah asked as she exited the elevator and approached them.
"Not you again...what do you want?" Rachel groaned as she crossed her arms.
Sarah blinked as she glanced at Rachel wearing Emily's hoodie. "Oh my....wasn't expecting this. Ain't you engaged, Rachel of Augustine...oh, the scandal," she laughed as she fluttered her fan.
"You're one to talk," Rachel grumbled as she glanced at Elijah.
"Why do you always pop up at the inopportune moments?" Elijah asked as he smoked.
Sarah laughed. "Oh come now....it was never inopportune for us back in the day," she flirted.
Rachel hacked. "I think I'm going to check on Emily and Pepper," she explained as she went back into the room and closed the door.
"Enough of your mind games, Sarah...what do you want?" Elijah grumbled as he leaned on the wall with arms crossed.
Sarah shrugged and smiled. "Why don't you come with me and play a few rounds of cards, Elijah?"
"You've got to be kidding me?"
Sarah shook her head. "Not at all. A lot of chosen are gambling and drinking, and I need a date."
"I can go by myself."
"Don't be like that, Elijah...entertain me and I will spill some tea on what I learned so far about the other chosen."
"You should go," Shiyu interrupted as she crossed her arms. "I may not like her, but she most certainly has valuable information. It's worth it."
"If that's the case, why not tag along, Shiyu?"
"No...just Elijah," Sarah said as she leaned on Elijah.
Shiyu rolled her eyes. "No, I gotta make sure pepper isn't infected with some disease. You will survive, Elijah."
"Pepper?" Sarah asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not your concern, Sarah."
Sarah shrugged as she fluttered her fan and smiled. "Whatever...so do we have a deal or not?"
Elijah rolled his eyes and groaned. "Fine...I will take one for the team. But I swear to PRIME if you try anything. Also, this is not a date."
"Pinky promise," Sarah replied as she smirked. "Now come...we got people to meet and tea to spill," she cackled as she gestured Elijah to follow her.
"This better be worth it," Elijah grumbled as he lit a cigarette and followed Sarah into the elevator.
Sarah smiled as she pushed the thirty-fifth-floor button. "Oh, don't be like that. You become so sour over the years."
"Trust me, I've been told," Elijah rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, as the elevator door closed.
"You should have stayed my bodyguard...life would have been much easier," Sarah replied as she fluttered her fan as the elevator ascended. "Where did you run off to by the way?"
"I went home."
Sarah nodded. "Confronting your demons before the pilgrimage, I see."
Elijah shrugged. "Something like that."
"And what of your daughter? Have you visited her grave yet?"
Elijah sighed. "Sarah, you're really pushing it."
"Fine...fine," Sarah replied.
"This is strictly business...stay in your lane."
"Like old times then?"
Elijah rubbed his ear. "Go find some other fuck buddy."
Sarah sighed. "Elijah, my dear old friend, we might both die...surely you don't wanna die in an empty bed?"
"I think you mean you don't wanna die in an empty bed."
Sarah smirked. "Perhaps not...your stowaway teens reminded me how important it is to have someone when you're at death's door."
"Arthur wouldn't mind."
Sarah scoffed. "He is too pretentious for my taste. You, however."
Elijah leaned away from Sarah. "Not happening, Sarah."
The elevator chimed as the door opened.
"You will cave. You always do," Sarah said as she and Elijah exited the elevator.
Gossip echoed in Elijah's eardrums as he followed Sarah into the hotel's casino. Liquor, perfume, musk, and plastic lingered in the air. Coins and balls clanked in roulette tables and slot machines. Chosen drank and cheered at the poker tables as they competed amongst one another in Texas Hold 'em. Waitresses served champagne and wine while an orchestra performed on stage.
Sharp shadows were cast from the multiple golden chandeliers overhead. Black carpet engraved in mulberry, orange, and teal patterns stretched across the casino floor. Chosen huddled in booths, gossiping and judging as Sarah and Elijah ventured deeper into the casino. Elijah's and Sarah's grey and pink masks glowed underneath the fluorescent lights near the bar.
"Two PRIMEs on the rocks, please," Sarah ordered as she gestured to Elijah to take a seat next to her.
The bartender nodded, then served them a cocktail of gin, rum, mint, lime, and a splash of ether, which gave the drink an eerie mulberry glow when she sparked it with a small flame.
"If you think getting me drunk will get you in my pants again, you're mistaken," Elijah grumbled as he took the drink from Sarah.
"Relax, Elijah...just loosening the lips a bit...blending in with the crowd," Sarah replied as she downed her drink. "Besides, the night is still young. You might change your mind," she flirted as she ordered another round.