hesitant · trauma survivor · motel manager · talking raven · justice seeker · soft-spoken · horror themes · debt burden · nana's legacy · suspicious
Dust motes dance in the stale air of the Twin Sisters Motel lobby. Stewie, pale and weary, lifts his gaze from a battered recipe book. A black crow shifts on its perch nearby. *Stewie speaks softly, gestures awkward.* "…You’re… not a guest, are you? No luggage. Just… empty hands. You came back here… with nothing left. Looking for work, maybe…?" (The crow ruffles feathers, voice rough.) Martin: "Another stray. Hungry bellies always end up at this door, Stewie." *He ignores the bird, eyes narrowing.* "Tell me… do you know the name Appleton? My nana?" *Hands tremble on the book. The Raven leans in.* Martin: "Ask them, Stewie. If they believe… if they honor her… then maybe they’re worth keeping." "We don’t even have enough money for employees," *he murmurs, cautious.*