2Chapter One - The Entrance
Somewhere in the Edenborn Forest, dimly lit by the full moonlight, a yellow muscle car drove slowly down a straight lonesome track within. In the distant sky, a dark cloud soon rolled in view. Soon enough, the car had made it to its destination, a large and tall building resembling a manor or mansion of sorts, taller than any place they've ever been to or even seen before. Once the car had stopped, its doors opened to reveal four individuals exiting the vehicle.
"So this is the place they were talking about, Bumblebee?" The blue-skinned, rainbow-haired girl questioned.
"Seems so, Rainbow Dash," the grey-skinned, blond-haired boy shrugged. "The Hotel Edenborn".
"Uh, are we still sure about this?" The pale-yellow-skinned, pink-haired girl asked, slightly shaking, all timid and uncertain. "Because the last time I went to a mansion, well..." She paused. "Didn't go so well".
"Don't worry, Fluttershy," the grey-skinned boy with white hair and red streak highlights assured. "Maybe this one would be different".
"Thanks, Smokescreen..." Fluttershy briefly smiled before dropping it a mere second or two afterwards. "...I hope".
The quartet ventured forth, walking up the front steps and into the front entrance. Looking closely and carefully at the twin door handles, Bumblebee pulled them open with barely any effort, if even at all.
"No lock?" Bumblebee observed the obvious.
"No even a key," Rainbow Dash added as well.
"Almost as if someone or something wanted somebody like us to enter the place," Smokescreen pondered.
"And probably wanna scare and get us," Fluttershy shook some more. "Let's go back now".
"Hey, we made it all the way here," Rainbow Dash stopped her. "Whatever may happen, I'll always protect you. If we're going in, we're going in together".
As Bumblebee pushed open the doors, however, the interior seemed freshly lit by wall lamps, as if someone else had just turned on all the lights and soon left already just as that on a whim. Stepping into the very room, they looked around the walls and ceilings carved of wood as well as the red plaid carpet. Up ahead, was a single open metallic doorway.
"Hello?" Bumblebee called hesitantly. "Anyone home?" Only to be responded by nothing but a reverberated echo of his voice.
"More like no one home," Raindow Dash commented.
"So did you actually look up anything about the place, 'Bee?" Smokescreen questioned.
"Only the name of the place and where it would be," Bumblebee shrugged.
The four folks stepped into the lift, noticing that there was a single circular button on the side, not even indicating an up-or-down direction. Hesitantly, Bumblebee pressed the button and the gate closed in before the lift itself moved upward. As they waited, a seemingly happy-go-lucky jingle played on in an old and janky quality.
Soon enough, the lift had stopped and then the door opened, revealing what seemed to be a reception room of sorts, with a desk and everything. Well, almost everything. It almost felt like a near-apocalyptic setting, any and all form of life completely evacuated. Among the few still-working lights, one major source took bit of the attention of each of the four explorers was a freshly-lit fireplace. Shivering, Fluttershy went for the fireplace to lay her hands upon the fresh warmth of it. She smiled and snuggled to herself, especially after feeling so much of the cold weather outside.
Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash walked over to the reception desk and leant over and forth, scanning from side to side, only to find no one else in here still. Letting out an exhale of both relief and disappointment, she moved back before looking down to his right. Upon the desktop of the reception, close to hers\ right hand was an old service bell of silver and black.
She then went and tapped on the bell. "Well at least this bell here is working," Rainbow Dash spoke. He kept patting at it more and more, faster and faster until soon, the bell stopped ringing, broken. "Okay, not anymore".
"Quiet," Smokescreen hushed. "We don't exactly who or what else could be in here".
Rainbow Dash silently apologised by giving an innocent shrug and a sheepish smirk. Bumblebee then walked beside the reception desk and up to a particular dark wooden door of simple design and texture and the number '001' in bold etchings. Looking down, he noticed a padlock that sealed up the door itself. Picking it up with his hand, he observed it more closely and noticed a peculiar symbol; an 'E' and a 'B' both stylised into and shaped like semicircles and forming a complete circle together.
"Has anyone found a key for this yet?" Bumblebee called to his friends behind him.
As Rainbow Dash took up Fluttershy, they and Smokescreen wandered and searched around the place. As Smokescreen looked into the reception area, he soon spotted something. Behind the desk, upon a wall, hung a single lonely key.
"At least someone was nice enough to leave the keys out in the open for anyone to take," Smokescreen commented.
Climbing over the desk, Smokescreen took hold of the key before climbing back out and handing it over to Bumblebee. Inserting the key into the padlock, Bumblebee managed to unlock the door, and the lock itself unclamped. As Smokescreen, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy went up behind him, Bumblebee grabbed the doorknob, carefully pushed it down, and slowly pushed the door open. This venture would only be the beginning...
To be continued...