Almost the instant the thing we found in the closet lost consciousness, the door to the bedroom flew open and the Proprietor sort of floated in like a particularly dramatic vampire. “Oh dear...” He said with his crooked smile, looking down at the whatever. “It seems our guest has finally...arrived.”

Tobias and the spookier elevator attendant stepped in after him with a stretcher. “Gentlemen, if you could assist our guest to the lobby. It seems he still needs to...check...in.”

“What about Ghoultrude?” I asked, turning to the ghost who seemed to be slowly gaining lucidity, as Hildr shook her hand a bit, watching the guest leave. “She was in a frantic state when we arrived.”

The Proprietor slowly turned to her, studying her apparently coldly. “Sadly I do not have the proclivity to handle matters...such as this.” He turned back to me, his grin having returned. “Regretfully, Mr. DeWinter, I must ask that you provide your skills for the hotel once more and...deal with her.”

“I think I can do that, yeah.” I said, already turning to Ghoultrude. “Maybe...”

“Exceeeleeeeent.” He chuckled sinisterly. “Now if you would excuse me, I must see to our guest.”

“He’s chill.” Hildr grinned, after he left, arms crossed.

“Oh yeah, super nice.” I answered sincerely with a nod, kneeling down next to the floating Ghoultrude. “Super trustworthy vibes too.”

“For sure.” Hildr agreed, returning to my side. “So how can we help her?”

“Hmm...” I muttered, reaching into my components bag and pulling out a container of salt. I waffed it under her nose and in moments, her clarity seemed to clear. There was the usual moment of confusion, of not remembering where you were and stuff, before she jolted back, looking back and forth for the whatever.

“Hey hold up, you’re alright.” Hildr assured her, reaching out to steady the ghost, forgetting that she was, you know, ghostly. “Whoops sorry about that.”

“What are...where is...” Ghoultrude muttered, before her eyes steadied on mine. “Oh...Mr. DeWinter...”

“Just Isaac is fine, Ghoultrude.” I assured her, carefully. “If you are able, we have some questions about what happened.”

“Also was your name Ghoultrude before you died or....” Hildr asked, and while it wasn’t entirely the time for that, I had also been wondering about it, so I didn’t rebuke the question or anything.

“Ah...well uhm...” Ghoultrude started, and we waited patiently for her to form her thoughts together. “I came in to prepare the penthouse, since we were expecting a guest soon, assuming everything got figured out, and well...at first I had the hardest time telling where it was, as if it moved!” she shook her head, shivering a little, which is always a strange site to see a ghost shiver. “When I eventually did find it, everything was...weird and than I saw that...that thing and after that I got so frightened I blacked out. Next thing I know, I was waking up here right now.”

“Hmm.” Hildr rubbed her chin. “Any ideas what could cause all that, babe?”

I sighed, lifting myself back up with my staff. “No clue. This is entirely out of my purview. But at least we got the whatever out of the hotel. Things should return to normal now, right?”

“One would hope.” Hildr shrugged, looking down to Ghoultrude. “Are you okay, miss?”

“Yes...yes I will be fine.” She slowly rose, literally, she started going into the ceiling. “I have always been able to recover quickly.”

We stared up at her as she disappeared, Hildr shouted up after her just as she disappeared, “But was your name always Ghoultrude?”

With little left for us to do, we decided to return to the lobby and check in with the Proprietor. As I entered the foyer, Cornelius flew over to my staff from the fireplace and cawed down at me. I smiled up at him, wondering if he had a good time, and approached the Proprietor. The whatever we found was in one of the chairs near the fire, icing a wound, and talking to Tobias, who now had strange bags at his feet. 

“So uh...what’s up with that guy?” I asked the Proprietor, who was writing in some sort of ledger.

He looked up at my question, and smiled. “That, Mr. DeWinter is a very special guest that we have been...anticipating for some time now.”

“A guest?” Hildr asked with a raised eyebrow. “Then why were they messing up the hotel and junk?”

“A bit of...confusion, it seems.” The Proprietor responded, slowly closing their ledge. “Our guest had gotten the time and place wrong. It seems they are from a realm where things are done...differently. But all has been....handled.” He chuckled.

“Cool.” I gave a sort of thumbs up, as Hildr signed the same word. “Uhm...I think we’re gonna ride the intense elevator now than?”

“By all means.” The Proprietor tapped his fingers together. “Be sure to...watch your step.”