The Midnight Sun

“Hm.” Madame Naoki’s response to Cynder is short and non-committal.

Putting a hand to her chin, Naoki leans back and considers Cynder. These ones are always the hardest- the ones that don’t know what they want to do. Cynder here could really fit into a number of positions, Naoki thinks; and it's her task to figure which one will be best suited.

The easiest solution would be to send her over to The Moonlight Eclipse- she said she can dance, and definitely checks all of the ‘alluring’, ‘exotic’, and ‘flexible’ boxes. Some of the patrons over there have 'interesting' tastes, and if Naoki were a betting woman, she would bet highly on many of their high paying customers paying a bit more for ‘supplementary services’ from Cynder.

The sapphire is seen from the left hand to the right, where Naoki proceeds to pop it into the air with a flick of her thumb, before catching it in the open palm of the same hand.

But neither Cynder nor Alden would be in favor of that, she figures. It would keep them apart, and Alden may be as prone to jealousy as he is drawn to fur.

 Most of the same things could be said about working in either establishment as a member of the wait staff. Seeing as how Cynder didn’t mention any propensity toward the culinary arts, and probably wouldn't be suited to menial work, that essentially only leaves the more interesting things.

After mulling the matter over for a short while longer, Naoki leans back up in her chair and begins to articulate her proposed solution.

“How about this, then, Cynder. If you’ll accept, I’d like to offer you a position as an Operative. My Operatives tend to work in teams of at least two, and Alden here has been without a partner up until this point- at least in the professional regard. So if the two of you are willing to work together, I see no reason not to allow you to. I’ll reiterate- sometimes the work I’ll ask you to undertake will be dangerous, but you’ll always have the option to decline a job. All the time that you find yourself with when not working on something for me will remain yours to do what with you will.”

Figuring that both Cynder and Takhana are only just visiting Isra for the first time, Naoki figures it best to give them the full primer.

“Pay, for the both of you, will come bi-weekly; every other Friday, in Midnight Sun tokens.”

Naoki drops a small assortment of the mentioned coins on the desktop for display, they clink together metallically as they settle atop the paperwork. The coins are within Takhana’s reach, should she decide to examine them.

“They are an internal currency we use to easily handle business here in The Sun, as well as over at The Moonlight Eclipse, our classier sister establishment. You may have noticed on your way in, the exchange counter. There, one can exchange the currencies of the world and any manner of valuable for tokens, and vice versa. Conversion is accepted in both directions. The tokens themselves are also accepted by most merchants here in Isra; it’s a stable currency that will hold value as so long as we continue to provide the best service. If either of you have any objections to being paid in tokens, I’m willing to negotiate.”

“Additionally, there’s another major idea I should introduce you to, our communication network.”

Leaving the coins on the desk, Naoki turns about in her chair to take a bowl from the cabinet to her side, and places it on the desk between Takhana and Cynder. It is the same wooden bowl she has offered many new employees the opportunity to choose from, still piled high with all manner of jewelry, piercings, and trinkets, each with a slightly shimmering purple gemstone featured in some way. To Takhana, each gem might be seen to have a very complicated enchantment placed upon it- at least one, relating to the magic of the mind, and in a few cases, in combination with other assorted enchantments.

“As opposed to using messengers, trained birds, or the postal service, we here at The Midnight Sun use a unique system of gemstone enabled telepathy to keep in touch. These magical artifacts enable the wearer to communicate telepathically with anyone else wearing one, over any distance, instantaneously and silently. The network is, as far as I’m aware, unique across all the world; Mr. Cresno developed it himself. There’s obviously more to it than what I’ve summarized just now, but you’ll need to speak to him about it. He tends to spend a short while training new users on how to properly utilise their new ability. But let it suffice for me to say, you’ll both need to choose one of these items and keep it on your person at all times, or ask Mr. Cresno to create you something personal. Takhana- seeing as how you’ll probably end up working pretty closely with the system, Cresno might have something else in mind, or want you to use something other than one of these standard ones.”

Leaving the two to select their gems, Naoki turns her attention to the stack of paperwork.

“Also, there is to be some paperwork to finalize and legalize your employments, as well as some Isranian citizenship documentation that will need to be completed.”

Doling the stack of paperwork out into two neat piles, Naoki clears a space on the desk before each of them, and sets one of the stacks before Cynder with a quill and bottle of ink. She retains the second pile, and levies at question at Takhana.

“Ms. Takhana, with your unique form of sight, I imagine it may be difficult for you to write, or fill out documents in the regular way. Would you prefer that I assist you by asking you for information verbally, and filling out the form myself, or would it perhaps be possible for me to draft you a new set of paperwork- utilizing a magical manner of ink? If you are able to see the energies of magics, it would seem to stand to reasoning that you would be able to read and fill out documentation written in magical ink yourself.”