Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

[sharp_as_knives]

After the party was over on Monday, Hannibal went home, did a bit of research, threw a lot of money around, and booked them a portal for the morning. Then he slept.

The next day, he smiled at Jono as they stepped through the portal. It was bright and cold and very, very far from Fandom. "I hope this will do."


[OOC: For the partner! NFB for distance unless the squirrels followed them.]

Comments

[furnaceface]

//Hey now,// Jono replied, a laugh somewhere in that voice of his in turn as he gave his boots a thump against the front step, one after the other. //I'm not going to get into specifics unless you want me to, but I can say with some authority that I do know what works.//

For the record, no, he didn't have experience with that particular sort of 'some movement' when it came to how good a job it did at keeping people warm. But Jono could shit-talk with the best of them if he felt so inclined. He was gonna roll with it.

[sharp_as_knives]

For that matter, Hannibal hadn't used that particular method for warmth, either, but he was perfectly capable of extrapolating from other experiences. "We can save those specifics for our room, I think," he answered with a smile. Enough snow removed, he headed for the inner door.

[furnaceface]

//The warm room, I hope,// Jono was only half joking. //There are some things I could probably do without the audience for. Even if they are only made of ice.//

Sorry, wolves. No peep show for you. Unless Hannibal managed to get Jono's mind off of you, in which case…

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. "You're intimidated by the sculptures?"

[furnaceface]

//I'm not sure 'intimidated' is quite the word I'd use,// Jono countered. And then squinted one eye, trying to come up with a better one. //I suppose it's no stranger than having the cats wandering around.//

Less strange, Jono. The lynx wasn't going to jump on the bed to investigate. Or to attack anybody's toes.

[sharp_as_knives]

"And much less disruptive," Hannibal agreed. "Although I suppose we could drape a blanket over them, if you'd prefer." This was an extremely silly worry to have, Jono.

[furnaceface]

//Honestly...? I'd be more concerned for the room itself,// Jono confessed, after another moment's thought. //It's so pristine in there. White. I wouldn't want to, er, ruin anything. Red's hard to get out of snow.//

Though it would make a very interesting addition to the wolf pack.

[sharp_as_knives]

"It would lend verisimilitude," Hannibal agreed. "But in these temperatures, open wounds probably aren't the best idea. I'm certain I can come up with other things to do." He smirked. "Also, there is always our sauna."

[furnaceface]

//There is that, too... This could end up being a very active vacation, you know.//

Though, granted, saunas were not exactly known for things like manoeuvrability. Or encouraging the people inside of them to do much more than sit around and sweat. Jono was confident that this was going to be a very enjoyable vacation one way or another.

//Though it seems as though we've got plenty of time to do a little bit of all of it while we're here, hm? I can't imagine we'll be wandering too far out into the wilderness, though when we've got a few more hours of daylight to work with, I wouldn't mind doing some of that, too.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"There are wilderness tours, if you like," Hannibal said. "Dogsled or snowmobile." He looked around the restaurant, breathed in its scents, and smiled. "Though I may be perfectly fine here."

[furnaceface]

//Here's not bad,// Jono agreed, looking around. The effort it would take to do anything resembling inhaling still wasn't on the docket today. Low-effort was right about his speed. //Gonna have to work extra hard to keep me entertained, though.//

This wasn't strictly true. Jono was just as happy to sit around and people watch here as anywhere else.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Should I convince them to let me join them in the kitchens?" Hannibal asked, grinning.

[furnaceface]

//You'd show up the lot of them, and then they'd spend the rest of our vacation trying to hire you on,// Jono teased. //Which I suppose would mean I'd have all the more time to myself, but I'm actually rather fond of your company.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Glad to hear it." Hannibal nodded at the maitre d', then asked to see the menu. He read it over and raised his eyebrows in appreciation. "I don't anticipate any problems in eating here."

[furnaceface]

//Artists at work in more than just the rooms, then?// Jono leaned over to get a better look at what Hannibal was reading over. //Still big fans of the ice, though. I suppose when you've got a theme to work with...//

[sharp_as_knives]

"A theme and some very good ice," Hannibal said. "Do you know, I've never eaten moose before. Or reindeer. I'm looking forward to it." He didn't often get new culinary experiences.

[furnaceface]

//I imagine both aren't all that different from venison,// Jono mused, pondering the menu. //Though they've both got a lot more bulk to them. It'll be interesting to see how it compares. Lean, probably.//

Jono was picking up on the food talk, anyway. Was that a good sign? Who knew?

//Been a while since I've had game meat, though I suppose these would've been farmed, so they're probably somewhat different still.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Likely," Hannibal agreed. "But I suppose we'll see, won't we?" He smiled and handed the menu back with a bow. "Later. Should we take a look at the warm hotel next, or tour the ice hotel itself?"

[furnaceface]

//Warm hotel,// Jono decided, more or less immediately. //I'm curious as to how the rooms that aren't made of ice compare, I'll admit. And if nothing else, I'd like a chance to look around a bit more before we head back to the icy one.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nodded and led the way around to the lobby, where the concierge was more than happy to find them someone to take them to one of the more standard hotel rooms to look around. Hannibal checked it out keenly; it seemed to him to be pleasant but uninspired.

[furnaceface]

//Not bad for coming inside to warm up, at least,// Jono observed, looking around, and then giving his shoulders a shrug. //All the better for showering, I suppose.//

And there was wifi! Not that Jono could tell that just by looking around, but all the same…

[sharp_as_knives]

"Possibly," Hannibal conceded. "And perhaps for keeping a few things out of the cold." He shrugged; he preferred the artistry of the cold room.

[furnaceface]

Well, there was really no arguing that wolves and an owl weren't more artistic than wood-panel walls.

//Good to have in case sleeping in a frozen room isn't comfortable, but not really the trip's highlight, then?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"No," Hannibal agreed. "But an acceptable alternative, I suppose, should we need one." He nodded at their guide and thanked the man, then headed back out.

[furnaceface]

Jono followed along, and then, on a whim, he reached for Hannibal's hand.

//Doesn't hurt to have a back-up plan,// he noted. //As it stands... for the time being I'd be happy to just find a place to take it easy for a while. I'm still digesting just how blissfully silent it is, here.//

He would have stayed on top of the hotel just drinking in the quiet for hours more, if Hannibal hadn't started moving along. It probably would have ended in a Jonosicle, but at least he would be a somewhat relaxed Jonosicle.