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residents all unwind and bond with a relaxing pool party, allowing themselves to forget about the killing game and The Host. But can their budding friendships truly prove too strong to break?\n\nNOTE: The species list in the tags will not be modified as characters are written out of the story. After all, if there's only one walrus (there are no walruses) and that tag disappears after a certain point, it kind of gives away that the character in question is now dead, doesn't it?\n\nI will also be applying the \"Strong Violence\" rating and the \"death, killing, murder\" tags to every chapter, again to prevent spoiling when the murders occur. This story DOES keep all three concepts as a constant theme if not an immediate presence, so I hope this is okay.\n\nI apologize for any confusion this creates, but I would like to make sure that the story can remain as spoiler-free as possible.\n\n(I'm also kind of sad that the reader doesn't translate any of my alternate font choices, including color and size. I'd recommend downloading the actual file if you're able to, as it does improve the readability a bit.)","description_bbcode_parsed":"The residents all unwind and bond with a relaxing pool party, allowing themselves to forget about the killing game and The Host. But can their budding friendships truly prove too strong to break?

NOTE: The species list in the tags will not be modified as characters are written out of the story. After all, if there's only one walrus (there are no walruses) and that tag disappears after a certain point, it kind of gives away that the character in question is now dead, doesn't it?

I will also be applying the "Strong Violence" rating and the "death, killing, murder" tags to every chapter, again to prevent spoiling when the murders occur. This story DOES keep all three concepts as a constant theme if not an immediate presence, so I hope this is okay.

I apologize for any confusion this creates, but I would like to make sure that the story can remain as spoiler-free as possible.

(I'm also kind of sad that the reader doesn't translate any of my alternate font choices, including color and size. I'd recommend downloading the actual file if you're able to, as it does improve the readability a bit.)","writing":"``Woo! This is amazing! I knew this was a good idea!'' Lorena cheered as she looked around the pool. Barad's check of the lockers the night before revealed that, just as he suspected, they contained swimsuits for them to change into. After that revelation, it was decided during breakfast at the restaurant that they would all follow through with her plan for a pool party.\n\nGinger sat next to her on one of the deck chairs, not yet changed into her own swimsuit. ``Yeah... this is certainly fun. I hope the water feels nice!'' She was excited for the idea initially, but after seeing how revealing they were, quickly lost her enthusiasm. The suits for the girls were all two-piece bikinis, fitted perfectly for their bodies but still not leaving much to the imagination. The others didn't mind their attire as much, but for Ginger...\n\nZoe swam up to the edge of the pool, the shark looking perfectly at home in the water. Resting her arms on the concrete floor in front of her, she frowned up at the sheep. ``Just go get changed, okay? Come on and have fun with the rest of us! Anybody tries to say or do anything, I'll beat the hell out of `em, promise.''\n\n``I... I don't see what the issue is. I mean, Edison didn't even show up, and Jamie and Gregory aren't swimming either...'' she said, pointing to the corner of the pool room, where the moth had occupied his usual spot in the corner, away from everybody else. As soon as he saw Ginger raise her arm, he quickly snapped his eyes away from her and simply stared at the skimmer net hanging on the wall.\n\nLorena rolled her eyes. ``Well, nobody expected Edison to come in the first place. He was still insisting that this was a `pointless waste of time'.'' She said, scratching her chin in a clear imitation of the ferret - Ginger couldn't help but chuckle. ``And hey, Greg might not be swimming, but at least he's dressed for the party.''\n\nAs she said, Gregory was indeed wearing the swimsuit that had been provided to him. They were a simple pair of shorts, but just like how the girls' swimsuits fit perfectly on their bodies, they clung tightly to his legs, ending halfway to his knees. They weren't quite as revealing as the bikinis that were provided, but they did show off quite a bit.\n\nJamie was also wearing the same shorts as the rest of them, but like Gregory and Ginger was choosing to remain out of the water. Instead, he was busy at his laptop, a look of frustration on his face as he tapped at the keys. The moth in the corner, taking notice, inched a bit closer. ``What are - are you doing, anyway?''\n\n``I'm trying to connect to anything in range.'' Jamie answered, removing his glasses briefly to rub the bags under his eyes. ``I was up all night trying this, actually. It occurred to me that if The Host and all of its duplicate models are running on a connected system, I might be able to find a way into that system as well.''\n\nGregory's antennae perked up. ``That's a fantastic idea. Do you really - really think you can do it?''\n\nSadly, the mouse shook his head. ``I haven't had any luck so far, unfortunately. But I haven't met a system I couldn't figure out, and I'm not going to let this one be the one that beats me.''\n\nAcross the pool, Rex gave Kick a small nudge with his elbow, drawing his attention to the diving board. The rabbit groaned and turned his head to see Barad standing ready to dive, the dark color of his shorts blending in almost perfectly with his black scales. ``Eh? Still not interested?'' the hyena asked with a wink.\n\nKick rolled his eyes. ``I already told you he's hot, so drop it. Still not interested.'' He said, but still couldn't keep his eyes off of the dragon as he dove into the water, rising back above the surface dripping wet and shining. Rex gave his clearly distracted friend a punch in the arm and a snicker, and Kick punched back. ``Grow the fuck up. Interested or not, I can still appreciate a nice body.''\n\nEven the snack bar was occupied, as Summer, Bao, and Jo took a short break from their swim to explore the options available to them. Opening a small refrigerator, Bao removed three bottles of water and passed them out, the three of them laughing with each other as they devoured a shared bowl of trail mix.\n\n``I don't wanna see any of y'all in here for thirty minutes, now!'' Mae called from her spot in the pool, seated comfortably on a large inner tube. ``We ain't got a lifeguard on duty, an' I won't do CPR if any of ya cramp up!''\n\nJo waved a hand dismissively. ``Okay, mom, whatever you say.'' She said with a snort, digging through the bowl to find the chocolate bits hidden among the nuts and pretzels. With a grin, she leaned in towards the bar, lowering her voice as Summer and Bao leaned in as well. ``Hey, did either of you ever notice that sometimes her accent is strong, and sometimes it's weak?''\n\nBao chuckled. ``Yeah, I did, actually. Do you think she's faking it?''\n\n``No, I'm sure it's real, but I do think she plays it up when she wants attention.'' Jo said, her grin widening. ``And if'n y'all disagree, then y'all ain't payin' enough attention!''\n\nSummer gasped, her head crest rising as she let out a quiet laugh. ``Oh! You two are just terrible!'' she said, covering her beak with both hands.\n\nOver at the hot tub, Dustin was in a state of pure bliss, both arms outstretched as he leaned back and enjoyed the heat and the jets. A contented sigh escaped his lips as he raised a foot out of the water briefly, watching the steam rise from his fur before dipping it back under. He quickly reached up to his horns, awkwardly feeling the plastic bags covering his horns.\n\n``I bet you'd be more comfortable without those.'' He heard a voice say to his left, and turned to see Charlene standing there with a smirk on her face. ``You look weird, too. Seems to me like it would be easier just to take the stickers off your horns.''\n\nHe chuckled. ``Yeah, I feel weird. But it's important to keep them on there. My fans put them in place, you know? And I promised them that I'd keep them on through the next show. And I'm going to have another show some day.'' He said, still rubbing the plastic bag. ``Besides, I do this every time I take a shower or bath. It really helps with the steam and water, so they don't lose their... their... uh, stickiness.''\n\n``Do you mean `adhesion'?'' He looked past Charlene to see Elena standing there as well, and a slight blush crossed his face as he saw her in her bikini. ``Regardless, I love the sentiment. And when you have that show, I hope to be in the audience again. Maybe I'll even add a sticker or two of my own for next time.''\n\nThe blush on his face got a bit deeper. ``I think I'll take you up on that.'' He said, an awkward smile on his face. ``I mean, uh... I want everybody here to add a sticker, of course. After all, we're all equal friends here, right?''\n\nCharlene's smirk turned into a knowing grin. ``Uh-huh. I'm sure we are... anyway, come on, Elena.'' She said, and the two girls started walking towards the sauna.\n\n``Oh! Are you two gonna sit in the sauna for a while? I'll join you!'' Dustin said, moving to get out of the hot tub, but Elena stopped him by waving her finger in the air.\n\n``Uh-uh-uh.'' She said, that playful smile still on her face. ``Girls only. We don't want to send the wrong message, do we?'' she said, opening the sauna door and draping her towel over the inside of the window before stepping inside. ``Just to make sure you don't peek!''\n\nEverybody was so preoccupied with their own conversations and fun, nobody even noticed when the doors to the room opened, and Edison entered. There was a slight frown on his face as he scanned the room, taking in the laughter and companionship all around him, and he let out a sigh.\n\nBao caught a glimpse of him from the snack bar, and started waving his hand in the air. ``Hey! Edison! We thought you weren't coming!'' he shouted, drawing more attention to the door.\n\n``Well...'' Edison said, crossing his arms. ``Clearly nobody else was going to join me for another investigation today, and when I thought about it... I decided that the idea of relaxation... does have some merit.''\n\nRex practically jumped out of the pool. ``Now we're talking! Everyone's here, now the party can REALLY start! Come on, man, let's get you changed!'' he said, throwing his soaking wet arm around the ferret's shoulder and leading him to the men's changing room.\n\n``Hold on... I didn't say I would - I said hold on!'' Edison protested as Rex practically shoved him through the door.\n\nAfter witnessing this, Lorena stood up from her seat with a huff, extending a hand towards Ginger. ``All right, that tears it. You're now officially the only one out of uniform, missy!'' she said, flexing her fingers as a sign that the sheep needed to take her hand and stand up.\n\nGinger immediately tensed up, gripping the arms of her deck chair. ``But... but... I really don't want to, Lorena.'' She said, glancing down at the stripes poking out from the sleeve of her shirt. ``You... you know why I can't.''\n\n``Nonsense. If even Edison could show up and join the fun, you HAVE to at least put on the same suit as everybody else. He was the party pooper before for not coming to the party, do you really want to take that title by refusing to get changed?'' Lorena asked. Her voice was stern, but her face and body language were both friendly.\n\nWith a nervous gulp, Ginger gave a small nod and extended her hand to take Lorena's. She was almost pulled off her feet as the bat excitedly pulled her to the changing room, shutting the door behind them. Inside the room was a row of lockers against one wall, and curtains on the other for the hotel's guests to step behind while changing.\n\n``Okay, let's see... your locker should be towards the end here, since they're alphabetical.'' Lorena said, finding Ginger's and giving it a knock. ``Ah-ha! Yep, `Townsend', right between `Song' and `Walker'!'' she said, and motioned for Ginger to come over. ``They unlock using your room key. You have yours with you, right?'' she asked, holding up her own wrist to show her own key, which had been temporarily clipped to a floating wristband.\n\nWith another nod, Ginger stepped up and opened the lock. Swinging the door open, she frowned when all she saw was her own wristband, and the same style of bikini that all the other girls were wearing; even worse, The Host had apparently taken it upon himself to get her one in a tiger-stripe print.\n\nShe paused, looking over at Lorena. ``I... don't know if I can do this.'' She said quietly, and began to shut the door. Before she could, the bat reached over and put her hand in the way, preventing her from closing the locker.\n\nLorena's expression softened. ``Ginger, it's okay. Believe me, I understand everything you went through in high school, how so many people were terrible to you because you were different... but you're not there anymore, are you?'' she asked, putting her other hand on her hip as she waited for an answer. ``Well, are you?''\n\nGinger looked down at the floor. ``No...'' she answered meekly.\n\n``And nobody that used to make fun of you for your stripes are here in this hotel, are they?''\n\n``No... I guess they're not.'' The sheep replied, absent-mindedly tugging the arm of her shirt down over a bit of striped wool that was sticking out.\n\nLorena smiled. ``That's right. In fact, this hotel is filled with people who love and support you. Me, Zoe, Dustin, even his bandmates. And nobody batted an eye when you told them you were half-tiger and had stripes in your wool, did they?''\n\nAgain, Ginger tugged at her sleeve. ``No.''\n\nRemoving her hand from the locker's frame, Lorena placed both of them on Ginger's shoulders. ``Look. I don't want you to get the wrong idea, I'm not going to pressure you into putting that swimsuit on if you really, really don't want to. All I'm asking is that you give it a shot. Absolutely nobody here is going to insult you, or make jokes, or anything like that. Even Kick said he's not going to, and he's... well, Kick.'' She said with a chuckle - Ginger couldn't help but smile back a little.\n\n``Besides, I have it on good authority that a few people here actually think your stripes are pretty hot!'' Lorena said, reaching in to grab the contents of Ginger's locker as the sheep girl gasped, her face turning red with embarrassment. ``So, what do you say? Do you want to put on the swimsuit and join everybody else in the pool?''\n\nBarad had now left the pool, joining the others who were at the snack bar. He didn't even bother with a towel, just letting the water drip off his scales as he took a seat with a drink and a small bag of chips.\n\nSeeing the small puddle forming under the dragon's chair, Jo wrinkled her nose. ``Don't you want to dry off first?'' she asked, motioning to the small stack of towels near the bar. ``Or at least put something under you?''\n\nHis red eyes darted between the floor and the towels as Barad quickly stood up, nearly spilling his drink. ``Oh! You're right... I didn't even think about that. My family never usually bothers with towels around our own pool, since we don't have any fur or hair that stays wet for very long.'' He explained as he spread a towel out on his deck chair.\n\nBao shrugged. ``I don't think it's that big a deal, honestly. If it's just under your chair it's not really a slip hazard or anything.'' He said, then pointed at Barad with a pretzel rod. ``Actually, now that you mention your family, I wanted to ask you something.''\n\n``What is it?'' the dragon asked, settling back into his seat.\n\n``Why were you at Club Squalid in the first place?'' Bao asked, raising his hands defensively as the dragon's intimidating gaze turned to him. ``I'm not accusing you of anything! I'm just curious! The Tul clan is rich and powerful, right? So... how come you were at a dive bar like that instead of a nicer club? It doesn't seem like the kind of place you'd be at all.''\n\nBarad's eyes turned downward a bit. ``That's actually exactly why I was there. Sometimes... well, most of the time, really... I feel like I need to escape from being a Tul. Being the family heir is... very stressful. There's so much expected of me, now and in the future. It's nice to unwind in less structured environments.'' His hands tightened around the can of soda and bag of chips as he spoke, crushing both a little bit.\n\nBao frowned. ``Oh. Well... sorry for asking, then. If you were trying to get away from that, then... I guess I have a talent for asking inappropriate questions, don't I, Jo?'' he asked, looking over at the raccoon, who met his eyes with a cold glare of her own.\n\n``Anyway...'' Jo said, cutting the conversation off and turning her attention to the cockatiel girl nearby, who was silently and happily munching at a bowl of peanuts. ``What about you, Summer? A punk bar doesn't seem like the kind of place you'd want to be, either.''\n\nSummer chirped happily. ``Are you kidding? That's one of my favorite places! I'm there all the time selling plants!''\n\n``Selling... plants?'' Barad asked curiously.\n\n``Yeah! You know, the, uh... kind of plants that get more fun when you light them on fire?'' Summer said, chuckling a bit and covering her beak with one hand.\n\nBao grinned. ``Oh. You mean you were - '' he began, but a sudden commotion at the other side of the pool interrupted him. He looked over at the changing room, along with everybody else, as Lorena exited. The bat was clapping her hands, ensuring that all eyes were on her.\n\n``May I have your attention please!'' Lorena called out, a huge grin on her face. ``It's my pleasure to introduce to all of you... Ginger Townsend!'' she said, motioning to the open changing room door as the sheep stepped out.\n\nEmbarrassed as she was by the introduction, Ginger kept her hands folded in front of her. She had changed into the swimsuit, revealing nearly every inch of wool on her body, and the stripes that decorated it. She kept her own eyes shut as she felt every pair in the room staring at her, trembling a bit as her face turned red.\n\n``You... didn't have to do that, did you?'' she whispered quietly to Lorena. ``I thought we agreed that I was just going to step out and get right in the pool...''\n\nLorena put a calming hand on her shoulder. ``Sorry, I couldn't resist. But I think the reception speaks for itself, don't you?'' she asked. Ginger cracked an eye open. With her attention focused on how humiliated and exposed she felt, she hadn't realized that everybody in the room was smiling and actually cheering for her.\n\n``Atta girl!'' Dustin yelled from the hot tub, raising both fists in the air. ``I'm proud of you, sis!''\n\nMae waved her hat from the pool. ``Lookin' good there! Grab a float an' hop in with me!''\n\n``That's what the fuss was about?'' Charlene said, peeking out from inside the nearby sauna. ``Well, for what it's worth, I think you look beautiful!''\n\nGinger turned as she heard a stifled laugh, glancing over to see Edison emerging from his own changing room, wearing a pair of shorts. ``So she got you too, eh? I'm impressed, Lorena. Very impressed.'' Rex followed him out, giving a double thumbs-up and a yellow-toothed grin to the timid sheep.\n\nHer face burning, Ginger looked around the pool room, a smile on her face. Lorena was right; there was nobody here trying to make her feel uncomfortable, or weird at all. Even Gregory, standing in the corner motionless and unblinking, didn't make her feel weird or out of place.\n\n...Well, maybe he did.\n\n``I agree, Ginger. It's wonderful to see you finally showing your stripes.'' A new voice said, one that sent a shiver down her spine. With all the attention on her, nobody had noticed when The Host joined them in the pool room, standing against a wall with its metallic arms behind its back. ``I must admit to feeling hurt, however. To throw such a wonderful party and not invite me, despite how hard I work to keep you all comfortable.''\n\n``Blow it out your exhaust pipe, Rusty!'' Kick shouted from the pool. ``Get the fuck out of here, you're ruining the mood!''\n\nThe Host turned to the rabbit. ``I apologize, Clover. I only intended to inform you all that night will soon fall, and the pool is closing. Please change back out of your swimsuits and return to your rooms.''\n\nLorena put her hands on her hips. ``Are you kidding? We just got everybody here! How come we have to leave?''\n\n``Those are the rules of the Hotel Paradise. You have ten minutes to vacate the room.'' The Host said, still standing in place and slowly swiveling its head back and forth. The normally blank display on its chest changed to a timer, counting down from ten minutes.\n\nGinger grabbed Lorena's arm, pulling her back to the changing room. ``L-let's just go, okay? I'm suddenly... not feeling comfortable anymore.'' With a sigh, the bat followed her in, everybody else pulling themselves out of the water and returning to change as well.\n\nAnd so the pool party ended on a sour note. Despite how high their spirits had been a few moments ago, as everybody returned to their rooms, they felt a bit gloomy. The Host's intrusion had served as a reminder that it was ever present and always watching, even when they didn't realize it.\n\nAs the lights dimmed and the residents returned to their rooms, Ginger surprised Lorena with a brief hug. ``Thank you for today.'' She said, holding her tightly in her arms before releasing her. ``That was the push I needed.''\n\nLorena smiled back. ``Any time! Speaking of which, I have something to talk to you about tomorrow. A promise I made to somebody, actually.''\n\n``Oh? Why don't we talk about it now?'' Ginger asked, but her friend shook her head.\n\n``Nah, it doesn't feel right now, what with The Host breaking up the party and everything.'' The bat said, then snapped her fingers. ``How about you come to the restaurant tomorrow morning before everybody else wakes up? I'll make us some tea, and we can talk about it then. Sound good?''\n\nGinger nodded, smiling. ``That sounds wonderful. Good night, Lorena.'' She said, entering her room. Locking the door behind her, Ginger immediately collapsed on her bed. Part of her still couldn't believe what she had done today, and felt like she had just set herself up for disaster or ridicule - but another part knew that everything was going to be just fine from here on out.\n\nKick stretched his arms out as he made his way down the lobby stairs. He had woke up before the fake rooster crowed out the wake-up call, and took his time showering and cleaning himself up before heading down for breakfast. He was a bit surprised to see the lobby empty as he descended the stairs; he wasn't used to being the first person to wake up.\n\nLooking around, he scratched his head. If he was the first person to come down, he was tempted to just go get breakfast, but everybody had agreed that they would all head to the restaurant as a group in the morning for safety. ``Hey! Anybody here?'' he called out, his ears perking up to listen for a response. He cupped his hands around his mouth, drawing in a deep breath for a louder call.\n\n``Don't even think about it.'' A voice behind him said, and he turned to see Zoe approach. The shark had a groggy look on her face. ``I'm not in the mood for one of your trademark ear-splitters. As nice as it was, all that swimming yesterday was the most exercise I've had since we got here.''\n\nKick rolled his eyes. ``You don't even have ears, so don't give me that shit.'' He said with a grin, but dropped his hands to his sides anyway. ``Where's everybody else? Don't tell me we're really the first ones awake.''\n\nShe glanced around the lobby. ``Yeah, that is weird. Maybe everybody else went on ahead of us?''\n\n``If I knew we were gonna break our group rule, I'd have already eaten breakfast. Fuckin' selfish...'' he grumbled, and Zoe couldn't help but nod in agreement. ``Sounds like an Edison move to me. I can just see him now, acting all high-and-mighty.''\n\nZoe grinned. ``Well, maybe you should do one of your screams. If anybody's awake, let them know that we're on to them.''\n\nKick grinned back. ``Well well, if you aren't a girl after my own heart.'' He said, cupping his hands around his mouth again. Before he could call out, his eyes opened wide in shock as another scream echoed down the hallway, from the direction of the restaurant. ``The fuck was that?!''\n\nZoe's eyes went wide. ``That's Ginger!'' she yelled, running off towards the scream in a flash. Kick was close behind, but found it difficult to keep up with the athletic shark. By the time he caught up, he was surprised to see her pinning Gregory to the wall with one hand around his throat, her teeth bared. ``What the fuck did you do, stalker?!'' she growled out.\n\nGregory was trembling in her grip. ``I didn't do - do anything! I swear! I heard a scream and - ''\n\n``Tell me the fucking truth!'' Zoe roared. Kick felt like he should step in, but found his feet frozen in place. ``I know I heard Ginger scream, and now here you are! So what the fuck did you do to her?!''\n\n``Nothing! I promise!'' the moth bawled out.\n\nSomething he saw out of the corner of his eye gave Kick the strength he needed to step forward, and he put a hand on Zoe's shoulder. The shark turned to him, her eyes full of rage, but he simply raised a hand between the two of them to point further down the hallway. Both heads swiveled to see Ginger slowly backing out of the restaurant, her hands over her mouth. The door swung shut on its hinges behind her, making her jump, flinch, and let out a startled yell.\n\nZoe released her hold on Gregory, and the moth slid down to the floor, still shaking. Ginger turned to the group. ``I-in there... in... in there...'' Her voice was weak and dry, unable to even lift a finger before she too fell to the ground. Zoe reached down to catch her, and the sheep went limp in her arms, unconscious.\n\nGrabbing Gregory by the hands, Kick hauled him up and approached the restaurant door. His heart was pounding like a jackhammer. ``Come on, stalker, you're coming with me. Zoe, make sure Ginger's okay.'' He said, not even giving the moth a chance to object as he reached out for the restaurant door. To his surprise, Gregory actually stood next to him as he turned the knob and pushed it open.\n\nImmediately, Kick wished he hadn't. His face dropped as he saw the scene in front of him; Gregory turned to the side and immediately vomited. Turning back to the hallway, Kick looked directly at Zoe, his eyes wide and shaking in their sockets. ``Get... get her out of here. Take her back to the lobby.''\n\n``What's in there?'' Zoe asked. The look on the normally enraged rabbit's face shook her to the core.\n\n``I said get her the fuck out of here!'' Kick repeated, before turning and stepping back through the restaurant door, looking back at the terrible tragedy in front of him.\n\nSitting at one of the booths, Lorena was slumped over with her head on the table. A thin line of blood ran from her lips, dripping off the edge to pool on the floor. Her eyes were still wide open, staring lifelessly behind her glasses.\n\nKick clenched his hands into fists as he shut his eyes tight, shaking his head. He hoped that he was still asleep, that damn rooster hadn't crowed yet, that this was nothing but a nightmare. But when he opened his eyes and saw Lorena's dead body still in front of him, he knew that somebody had broken the promise they had all made.\n\nThere had been a murder in the Hotel Paradise.\n\n","writing_bbcode_parsed":"``Woo! This is amazing! I knew this was a good idea!'' Lorena cheered as she looked around the pool. Barad's check of the lockers the night before revealed that, just as he suspected, they contained swimsuits for them to change into. After that revelation, it was decided during breakfast at the restaurant that they would all follow through with her plan for a pool party.

Ginger sat next to her on one of the deck chairs, not yet changed into her own swimsuit. ``Yeah... this is certainly fun. I hope the water feels nice!'' She was excited for the idea initially, but after seeing how revealing they were, quickly lost her enthusiasm. The suits for the girls were all two-piece bikinis, fitted perfectly for their bodies but still not leaving much to the imagination. The others didn't mind their attire as much, but for Ginger...

Zoe swam up to the edge of the pool, the shark looking perfectly at home in the water. Resting her arms on the concrete floor in front of her, she frowned up at the sheep. ``Just go get changed, okay? Come on and have fun with the rest of us! Anybody tries to say or do anything, I'll beat the hell out of `em, promise.''

``I... I don't see what the issue is. I mean, Edison didn't even show up, and Jamie and Gregory aren't swimming either...'' she said, pointing to the corner of the pool room, where the moth had occupied his usual spot in the corner, away from everybody else. As soon as he saw Ginger raise her arm, he quickly snapped his eyes away from her and simply stared at the skimmer net hanging on the wall.

Lorena rolled her eyes. ``Well, nobody expected Edison to come in the first place. He was still insisting that this was a `pointless waste of time'.'' She said, scratching her chin in a clear imitation of the ferret  -  Ginger couldn't help but chuckle. ``And hey, Greg might not be swimming, but at least he's dressed for the party.''

As she said, Gregory was indeed wearing the swimsuit that had been provided to him. They were a simple pair of shorts, but just like how the girls' swimsuits fit perfectly on their bodies, they clung tightly to his legs, ending halfway to his knees. They weren't quite as revealing as the bikinis that were provided, but they did show off quite a bit.

Jamie was also wearing the same shorts as the rest of them, but like Gregory and Ginger was choosing to remain out of the water. Instead, he was busy at his laptop, a look of frustration on his face as he tapped at the keys. The moth in the corner, taking notice, inched a bit closer. ``What are  -  are you doing, anyway?''

``I'm trying to connect to anything in range.'' Jamie answered, removing his glasses briefly to rub the bags under his eyes. ``I was up all night trying this, actually. It occurred to me that if The Host and all of its duplicate models are running on a connected system, I might be able to find a way into that system as well.''

Gregory's antennae perked up. ``That's a fantastic idea. Do you really  -  really think you can do it?''

Sadly, the mouse shook his head. ``I haven't had any luck so far, unfortunately. But I haven't met a system I couldn't figure out, and I'm not going to let this one be the one that beats me.''

Across the pool, Rex gave Kick a small nudge with his elbow, drawing his attention to the diving board. The rabbit groaned and turned his head to see Barad standing ready to dive, the dark color of his shorts blending in almost perfectly with his black scales. ``Eh? Still not interested?'' the hyena asked with a wink.

Kick rolled his eyes. ``I already told you he's hot, so drop it. Still not interested.'' He said, but still couldn't keep his eyes off of the dragon as he dove into the water, rising back above the surface dripping wet and shining. Rex gave his clearly distracted friend a punch in the arm and a snicker, and Kick punched back. ``Grow the fuck up. Interested or not, I can still appreciate a nice body.''

Even the snack bar was occupied, as Summer, Bao, and Jo took a short break from their swim to explore the options available to them. Opening a small refrigerator, Bao removed three bottles of water and passed them out, the three of them laughing with each other as they devoured a shared bowl of trail mix.

``I don't wanna see any of y'all in here for thirty minutes, now!'' Mae called from her spot in the pool, seated comfortably on a large inner tube. ``We ain't got a lifeguard on duty, an' I won't do CPR if any of ya cramp up!''

Jo waved a hand dismissively. ``Okay, mom, whatever you say.'' She said with a snort, digging through the bowl to find the chocolate bits hidden among the nuts and pretzels. With a grin, she leaned in towards the bar, lowering her voice as Summer and Bao leaned in as well. ``Hey, did either of you ever notice that sometimes her accent is strong, and sometimes it's weak?''

Bao chuckled. ``Yeah, I did, actually. Do you think she's faking it?''

``No, I'm sure it's real, but I do think she plays it up when she wants attention.'' Jo said, her grin widening. ``And if'n y'all disagree, then y'all ain't payin' enough attention!''

Summer gasped, her head crest rising as she let out a quiet laugh. ``Oh! You two are just terrible!'' she said, covering her beak with both hands.

Over at the hot tub, Dustin was in a state of pure bliss, both arms outstretched as he leaned back and enjoyed the heat and the jets. A contented sigh escaped his lips as he raised a foot out of the water briefly, watching the steam rise from his fur before dipping it back under. He quickly reached up to his horns, awkwardly feeling the plastic bags covering his horns.

``I bet you'd be more comfortable without those.'' He heard a voice say to his left, and turned to see Charlene standing there with a smirk on her face. ``You look weird, too. Seems to me like it would be easier just to take the stickers off your horns.''

He chuckled. ``Yeah, I feel weird. But it's important to keep them on there. My fans put them in place, you know? And I promised them that I'd keep them on through the next show. And I'm going to have another show some day.'' He said, still rubbing the plastic bag. ``Besides, I do this every time I take a shower or bath. It really helps with the steam and water, so they don't lose their... their... uh, stickiness.''

``Do you mean `adhesion'?'' He looked past Charlene to see Elena standing there as well, and a slight blush crossed his face as he saw her in her bikini. ``Regardless, I love the sentiment. And when you have that show, I hope to be in the audience again. Maybe I'll even add a sticker or two of my own for next time.''

The blush on his face got a bit deeper. ``I think I'll take you up on that.'' He said, an awkward smile on his face. ``I mean, uh... I want everybody here to add a sticker, of course. After all, we're all equal friends here, right?''

Charlene's smirk turned into a knowing grin. ``Uh-huh. I'm sure we are... anyway, come on, Elena.'' She said, and the two girls started walking towards the sauna.

``Oh! Are you two gonna sit in the sauna for a while? I'll join you!'' Dustin said, moving to get out of the hot tub, but Elena stopped him by waving her finger in the air.

``Uh-uh-uh.'' She said, that playful smile still on her face. ``Girls only. We don't want to send the wrong message, do we?'' she said, opening the sauna door and draping her towel over the inside of the window before stepping inside. ``Just to make sure you don't peek!''

Everybody was so preoccupied with their own conversations and fun, nobody even noticed when the doors to the room opened, and Edison entered. There was a slight frown on his face as he scanned the room, taking in the laughter and companionship all around him, and he let out a sigh.

Bao caught a glimpse of him from the snack bar, and started waving his hand in the air. ``Hey! Edison! We thought you weren't coming!'' he shouted, drawing more attention to the door.

``Well...'' Edison said, crossing his arms. ``Clearly nobody else was going to join me for another investigation today, and when I thought about it... I decided that the idea of relaxation... does have some merit.''

Rex practically jumped out of the pool. ``Now we're talking! Everyone's here, now the party can REALLY start! Come on, man, let's get you changed!'' he said, throwing his soaking wet arm around the ferret's shoulder and leading him to the men's changing room.

``Hold on... I didn't say I would  -  I said hold on!'' Edison protested as Rex practically shoved him through the door.

After witnessing this, Lorena stood up from her seat with a huff, extending a hand towards Ginger. ``All right, that tears it. You're now officially the only one out of uniform, missy!'' she said, flexing her fingers as a sign that the sheep needed to take her hand and stand up.

Ginger immediately tensed up, gripping the arms of her deck chair. ``But... but... I really don't want to, Lorena.'' She said, glancing down at the stripes poking out from the sleeve of her shirt. ``You... you know why I can't.''

``Nonsense. If even Edison could show up and join the fun, you HAVE to at least put on the same suit as everybody else. He was the party pooper before for not coming to the party, do you really want to take that title by refusing to get changed?'' Lorena asked. Her voice was stern, but her face and body language were both friendly.

With a nervous gulp, Ginger gave a small nod and extended her hand to take Lorena's. She was almost pulled off her feet as the bat excitedly pulled her to the changing room, shutting the door behind them. Inside the room was a row of lockers against one wall, and curtains on the other for the hotel's guests to step behind while changing.

``Okay, let's see... your locker should be towards the end here, since they're alphabetical.'' Lorena said, finding Ginger's and giving it a knock. ``Ah-ha! Yep, `Townsend', right between `Song' and `Walker'!'' she said, and motioned for Ginger to come over. ``They unlock using your room key. You have yours with you, right?'' she asked, holding up her own wrist to show her own key, which had been temporarily clipped to a floating wristband.

With another nod, Ginger stepped up and opened the lock. Swinging the door open, she frowned when all she saw was her own wristband, and the same style of bikini that all the other girls were wearing; even worse, The Host had apparently taken it upon himself to get her one in a tiger-stripe print.

She paused, looking over at Lorena. ``I... don't know if I can do this.'' She said quietly, and began to shut the door. Before she could, the bat reached over and put her hand in the way, preventing her from closing the locker.

Lorena's expression softened. ``Ginger, it's okay. Believe me, I understand everything you went through in high school, how so many people were terrible to you because you were different... but you're not there anymore, are you?'' she asked, putting her other hand on her hip as she waited for an answer. ``Well, are you?''

Ginger looked down at the floor. ``No...'' she answered meekly.

``And nobody that used to make fun of you for your stripes are here in this hotel, are they?''

``No... I guess they're not.'' The sheep replied, absent-mindedly tugging the arm of her shirt down over a bit of striped wool that was sticking out.

Lorena smiled. ``That's right. In fact, this hotel is filled with people who love and support you. Me, Zoe, Dustin, even his bandmates. And nobody batted an eye when you told them you were half-tiger and had stripes in your wool, did they?''

Again, Ginger tugged at her sleeve. ``No.''

Removing her hand from the locker's frame, Lorena placed both of them on Ginger's shoulders. ``Look. I don't want you to get the wrong idea, I'm not going to pressure you into putting that swimsuit on if you really, really don't want to. All I'm asking is that you give it a shot. Absolutely nobody here is going to insult you, or make jokes, or anything like that. Even Kick said he's not going to, and he's... well, Kick.'' She said with a chuckle  -  Ginger couldn't help but smile back a little.

``Besides, I have it on good authority that a few people here actually think your stripes are pretty hot!'' Lorena said, reaching in to grab the contents of Ginger's locker as the sheep girl gasped, her face turning red with embarrassment. ``So, what do you say? Do you want to put on the swimsuit and join everybody else in the pool?''

Barad had now left the pool, joining the others who were at the snack bar. He didn't even bother with a towel, just letting the water drip off his scales as he took a seat with a drink and a small bag of chips.

Seeing the small puddle forming under the dragon's chair, Jo wrinkled her nose. ``Don't you want to dry off first?'' she asked, motioning to the small stack of towels near the bar. ``Or at least put something under you?''

His red eyes darted between the floor and the towels as Barad quickly stood up, nearly spilling his drink. ``Oh! You're right... I didn't even think about that. My family never usually bothers with towels around our own pool, since we don't have any fur or hair that stays wet for very long.'' He explained as he spread a towel out on his deck chair.

Bao shrugged. ``I don't think it's that big a deal, honestly. If it's just under your chair it's not really a slip hazard or anything.'' He said, then pointed at Barad with a pretzel rod. ``Actually, now that you mention your family, I wanted to ask you something.''

``What is it?'' the dragon asked, settling back into his seat.

``Why were you at Club Squalid in the first place?'' Bao asked, raising his hands defensively as the dragon's intimidating gaze turned to him. ``I'm not accusing you of anything! I'm just curious! The Tul clan is rich and powerful, right? So... how come you were at a dive bar like that instead of a nicer club? It doesn't seem like the kind of place you'd be at all.''

Barad's eyes turned downward a bit. ``That's actually exactly why I was there. Sometimes... well, most of the time, really... I feel like I need to escape from being a Tul. Being the family heir is... very stressful. There's so much expected of me, now and in the future. It's nice to unwind in less structured environments.'' His hands tightened around the can of soda and bag of chips as he spoke, crushing both a little bit.

Bao frowned. ``Oh. Well... sorry for asking, then. If you were trying to get away from that, then... I guess I have a talent for asking inappropriate questions, don't I, Jo?'' he asked, looking over at the raccoon, who met his eyes with a cold glare of her own.

``Anyway...'' Jo said, cutting the conversation off and turning her attention to the cockatiel girl nearby, who was silently and happily munching at a bowl of peanuts. ``What about you, Summer? A punk bar doesn't seem like the kind of place you'd want to be, either.''

Summer chirped happily. ``Are you kidding? That's one of my favorite places! I'm there all the time selling plants!''

``Selling... plants?'' Barad asked curiously.

``Yeah! You know, the, uh... kind of plants that get more fun when you light them on fire?'' Summer said, chuckling a bit and covering her beak with one hand.

Bao grinned. ``Oh. You mean you were  - '' he began, but a sudden commotion at the other side of the pool interrupted him. He looked over at the changing room, along with everybody else, as Lorena exited. The bat was clapping her hands, ensuring that all eyes were on her.

``May I have your attention please!'' Lorena called out, a huge grin on her face. ``It's my pleasure to introduce to all of you... Ginger Townsend!'' she said, motioning to the open changing room door as the sheep stepped out.

Embarrassed as she was by the introduction, Ginger kept her hands folded in front of her. She had changed into the swimsuit, revealing nearly every inch of wool on her body, and the stripes that decorated it. She kept her own eyes shut as she felt every pair in the room staring at her, trembling a bit as her face turned red.

``You... didn't have to do that, did you?'' she whispered quietly to Lorena. ``I thought we agreed that I was just going to step out and get right in the pool...''

Lorena put a calming hand on her shoulder. ``Sorry, I couldn't resist. But I think the reception speaks for itself, don't you?'' she asked. Ginger cracked an eye open. With her attention focused on how humiliated and exposed she felt, she hadn't realized that everybody in the room was smiling and actually cheering for her.

``Atta girl!'' Dustin yelled from the hot tub, raising both fists in the air. ``I'm proud of you, sis!''

Mae waved her hat from the pool. ``Lookin' good there! Grab a float an' hop in with me!''

``That's what the fuss was about?'' Charlene said, peeking out from inside the nearby sauna. ``Well, for what it's worth, I think you look beautiful!''

Ginger turned as she heard a stifled laugh, glancing over to see Edison emerging from his own changing room, wearing a pair of shorts. ``So she got you too, eh? I'm impressed, Lorena. Very impressed.'' Rex followed him out, giving a double thumbs-up and a yellow-toothed grin to the timid sheep.

Her face burning, Ginger looked around the pool room, a smile on her face. Lorena was right; there was nobody here trying to make her feel uncomfortable, or weird at all. Even Gregory, standing in the corner motionless and unblinking, didn't make her feel weird or out of place.

...Well, maybe he did.

``I agree, Ginger. It's wonderful to see you finally showing your stripes.'' A new voice said, one that sent a shiver down her spine. With all the attention on her, nobody had noticed when The Host joined them in the pool room, standing against a wall with its metallic arms behind its back. ``I must admit to feeling hurt, however. To throw such a wonderful party and not invite me, despite how hard I work to keep you all comfortable.''

``Blow it out your exhaust pipe, Rusty!'' Kick shouted from the pool. ``Get the fuck out of here, you're ruining the mood!''

The Host turned to the rabbit. ``I apologize, Clover. I only intended to inform you all that night will soon fall, and the pool is closing. Please change back out of your swimsuits and return to your rooms.''

Lorena put her hands on her hips. ``Are you kidding? We just got everybody here! How come we have to leave?''

``Those are the rules of the Hotel Paradise. You have ten minutes to vacate the room.'' The Host said, still standing in place and slowly swiveling its head back and forth. The normally blank display on its chest changed to a timer, counting down from ten minutes.

Ginger grabbed Lorena's arm, pulling her back to the changing room. ``L-let's just go, okay? I'm suddenly... not feeling comfortable anymore.'' With a sigh, the bat followed her in, everybody else pulling themselves out of the water and returning to change as well.

And so the pool party ended on a sour note. Despite how high their spirits had been a few moments ago, as everybody returned to their rooms, they felt a bit gloomy. The Host's intrusion had served as a reminder that it was ever present and always watching, even when they didn't realize it.

As the lights dimmed and the residents returned to their rooms, Ginger surprised Lorena with a brief hug. ``Thank you for today.'' She said, holding her tightly in her arms before releasing her. ``That was the push I needed.''

Lorena smiled back. ``Any time! Speaking of which, I have something to talk to you about tomorrow. A promise I made to somebody, actually.''

``Oh? Why don't we talk about it now?'' Ginger asked, but her friend shook her head.

``Nah, it doesn't feel right now, what with The Host breaking up the party and everything.'' The bat said, then snapped her fingers. ``How about you come to the restaurant tomorrow morning before everybody else wakes up? I'll make us some tea, and we can talk about it then. Sound good?''

Ginger nodded, smiling. ``That sounds wonderful. Good night, Lorena.'' She said, entering her room. Locking the door behind her, Ginger immediately collapsed on her bed. Part of her still couldn't believe what she had done today, and felt like she had just set herself up for disaster or ridicule  -  but another part knew that everything was going to be just fine from here on out.

Kick stretched his arms out as he made his way down the lobby stairs. He had woke up before the fake rooster crowed out the wake-up call, and took his time showering and cleaning himself up before heading down for breakfast. He was a bit surprised to see the lobby empty as he descended the stairs; he wasn't used to being the first person to wake up.

Looking around, he scratched his head. If he was the first person to come down, he was tempted to just go get breakfast, but everybody had agreed that they would all head to the restaurant as a group in the morning for safety. ``Hey! Anybody here?'' he called out, his ears perking up to listen for a response. He cupped his hands around his mouth, drawing in a deep breath for a louder call.

``Don't even think about it.'' A voice behind him said, and he turned to see Zoe approach. The shark had a groggy look on her face. ``I'm not in the mood for one of your trademark ear-splitters. As nice as it was, all that swimming yesterday was the most exercise I've had since we got here.''

Kick rolled his eyes. ``You don't even have ears, so don't give me that shit.'' He said with a grin, but dropped his hands to his sides anyway. ``Where's everybody else? Don't tell me we're really the first ones awake.''

She glanced around the lobby. ``Yeah, that is weird. Maybe everybody else went on ahead of us?''

``If I knew we were gonna break our group rule, I'd have already eaten breakfast. Fuckin' selfish...'' he grumbled, and Zoe couldn't help but nod in agreement. ``Sounds like an Edison move to me. I can just see him now, acting all high-and-mighty.''

Zoe grinned. ``Well, maybe you should do one of your screams. If anybody's awake, let them know that we're on to them.''

Kick grinned back. ``Well well, if you aren't a girl after my own heart.'' He said, cupping his hands around his mouth again. Before he could call out, his eyes opened wide in shock as another scream echoed down the hallway, from the direction of the restaurant. ``The fuck was that?!''

Zoe's eyes went wide. ``That's Ginger!'' she yelled, running off towards the scream in a flash. Kick was close behind, but found it difficult to keep up with the athletic shark. By the time he caught up, he was surprised to see her pinning Gregory to the wall with one hand around his throat, her teeth bared. ``What the fuck did you do, stalker?!'' she growled out.

Gregory was trembling in her grip. ``I didn't do  -  do anything! I swear! I heard a scream and  - ''

``Tell me the fucking truth!'' Zoe roared. Kick felt like he should step in, but found his feet frozen in place. ``I know I heard Ginger scream, and now here you are! So what the fuck did you do to her?!''

``Nothing! I promise!'' the moth bawled out.

Something he saw out of the corner of his eye gave Kick the strength he needed to step forward, and he put a hand on Zoe's shoulder. The shark turned to him, her eyes full of rage, but he simply raised a hand between the two of them to point further down the hallway. Both heads swiveled to see Ginger slowly backing out of the restaurant, her hands over her mouth. The door swung shut on its hinges behind her, making her jump, flinch, and let out a startled yell.

Zoe released her hold on Gregory, and the moth slid down to the floor, still shaking. Ginger turned to the group. ``I-in there... in... in there...'' Her voice was weak and dry, unable to even lift a finger before she too fell to the ground. Zoe reached down to catch her, and the sheep went limp in her arms, unconscious.

Grabbing Gregory by the hands, Kick hauled him up and approached the restaurant door. His heart was pounding like a jackhammer. ``Come on, stalker, you're coming with me. Zoe, make sure Ginger's okay.'' He said, not even giving the moth a chance to object as he reached out for the restaurant door. To his surprise, Gregory actually stood next to him as he turned the knob and pushed it open.

Immediately, Kick wished he hadn't. His face dropped as he saw the scene in front of him; Gregory turned to the side and immediately vomited. Turning back to the hallway, Kick looked directly at Zoe, his eyes wide and shaking in their sockets. ``Get... get her out of here. Take her back to the lobby.''

``What's in there?'' Zoe asked. The look on the normally enraged rabbit's face shook her to the core.

``I said get her the fuck out of here!'' Kick repeated, before turning and stepping back through the restaurant door, looking back at the terrible tragedy in front of him.

Sitting at one of the booths, Lorena was slumped over with her head on the table. A thin line of blood ran from her lips, dripping off the edge to pool on the floor. Her eyes were still wide open, staring lifelessly behind her glasses.

Kick clenched his hands into fists as he shut his eyes tight, shaking his head. He hoped that he was still asleep, that damn rooster hadn't crowed yet, that this was nothing but a nightmare. But when he opened his eyes and saw Lorena's dead body still in front of him, he knew that somebody had broken the promise they had all made.

There had been a murder in the Hotel Paradise.

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