The Midnight Sun

After Cresno is finished relating his tale, Madame Naoki stands, digesting the information.

Her lips begin to move as if to speak, but no words come out. Her hand gesticulates, providing silent accentuation to her attempts to form a coherent thought.

After a moment, she stops, and sits down on the edge of the seat. She leans over the table, and rests her chin on the top of her hands, one grasping the other’s fist.

“No. No. That raises more questions than I had before. Go back. Go back to the bit where Hasdrubal was killed, and you were sitting here like a potato.”

Kate did just as Cresno proposed and took a seat next to Naoki. As she listened to his report, she gasped. "A young girl got beaten down by soldiers? That's horrible!" The news about Hasdrubal didn't seem to get a similar reaction.

The transformation that Naoki went trough did not go unnoticed by Kate. She had followed her to the office but had not disturbed her. It was apparent that Naoki was in her professional mood right now. Some people could just flip a switch and go between business and pleasure without any trouble. Kate thought that was pretty amazing.

She put her arms in her lap and listened attentively. She kept her eyes on Naoki, for that made it easier to read where the overall theme of the conversation was heading.

Empty eye sockets were tilted to glance at the ceiling for just a moment, quickly returning to meet Naoki's gaze.

"The moment I met the angel, I didn't have the capacity to deal with him. He demanded both your location and the location of Hasdrubal, with the intent to kill you both. You were away from the protections of home and, let's face it, even Artemis doesn't make up for those. Not against magic-users."

Reese paused a moment more, gathering his thoughts. It wouldn't do to rush the explanation. He already blamed himself for the choice he had made; there was no sense in bringing more ire upon him head.

"I led the angel to the room that had been prepared to hold or permanently stop escaped experiments, then routed every combat asset we had to assist Hasdrubal. They were not enough, and he was killed in the ensuing fight."

Click. Click. Click. Reese's finger started up again.

"I had nothing which which to influence the fight. I am a distributer of resources, a manager of assets. The fight took place in a room with an magical oblivion field. There was nothing else I could do to assist. I determined that this was a flaw, that the fact our establishment could be invaded so easily was a testament to the failure of my defenses. My part of the fight was finished. I decided to rework parts of my self, to better prepare for the next issue that would arise."

The fingers on his right hand stopped their insistent tapping, curling to form a fist.

"His death occurred during that process. I was unaware of it until a mere few hours ago. When my golem friend removed the pin and tossed it in the wastebin, you sent Artemis down. She ran into the angel downstairs and, with the help of Screwtape and what I surmise to be a fallen angel of some sort, the enemy I mentioned earlier, Hasdrubal's killer was defeated."

"I was, likewise, out of action during the following attack on the city. The imps were under the control of a local shopkeeper, one that seemed to have some family issues. The girl who owned the antique shop in town, the one with the mystical focus? I am not sure where she acquired the imps or her power. It was very possibly one of the things she had stored away. She intended to destroy the city, I believe, or at the very least cause severe damage to it. She was defeated by a group of mages from the Conjunction, the local military, and a group of traveling bladesman."

The fist slid off the desktop, returning to the arm of his chair.

"I was only able to piece together portions from the conversation after the fight, and that's the cause of the seeming lack of information. If you would like, I can dig further into these matters. That being said, it has been handled, and it should not affect us further."

There was yet another pause as Reese considered what he had said.

"I do know the rant is there. Please, my dear, bottling such things is unhealthy. Get it out of your system."

Rushing past the busy bees that swarmed the proverbial hive in their furious work at fixing up the joint. Barely not getting squished by a heavily laden wheelbarrow and surrounded by the cacophony of construction noises Maelik was taken aback by the sheer pace of it all.

"Well yes actually madam if at all possible would I be allowed to assist in the recreation of this-" he began but even he couldn't much tell what he was saying as his fake voice was too quite to be heard over the din.
He seemed to be getting a little flustered with it all but after a deep breathe and moment of silence he squared off his shoulders and straightened his back, making a little coughing noise. Of course he knew it was a bad idea to do what he was about to do, but he was thirsty, impatient and irritable and long past the point of caring. He resorted to using his natural unearthly speaking voice, its deep thunderous tones rising above the chaotic noise all around him.

"Ahem," he began once more, "My apologies for the intrusion but seeing my favorite bar in such a haggard condition has left me feeling at a bit of a loss. Would it be alright with you if I may assist in the rebuilding of this most fine of establishments? I'm knowledgeable enough when it comes to carpentry and mason work but I'm more than willing to take orders if it helps get this place running sooner. I assure you I'm stronger than I look and am well versed some magics that may be of some use for this project. I don't even want to be paid for the work, I would just like to be able to enjoy myself and sit back to enjoy a drink once again."

Reese took the verbal pounding stoically, aware that it was partially deserved. Naoki was already in a fragile state, although she was in the process of dragging the pieces of herself back together. An argument was the last thing she needed.

As the Madame stormed out, he tipped his hat to Kate. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Green. I hope you'll come visit me during a better time."

Artemis's attention rapidly falls on Madame Naoki as she descends the stairs. Her mind immediately begins to analyze the other woman's behavior.

No obvious confusion, that would indicate she's talked to Reese. She's wearing that sun dress again. That would suggest she's feeling happier, but her demeanor says otherwise. There are so many anger tells coming off of her right now that she might as well be holding a sign. Even a layman could tell something's off, let alone someone who's known her for years. She's less tense than I would have expected, though...

Her gaze roves to Kate, just as she knocks over the table.

Slightly submissive posture, more awkwardness when conversing with Naoki than last night. She didn't...

Her nostrils widen slightly as a familiar scent reaches her. A slight smirk creeps onto her face.

She did. That lucky, lucky, cat.

Wiping her expression clean, she makes her way over to Naoki and Kate.

"Good morning, Madame, Miss Kate." She punctuates each address with a deferential bow. "Repairs are proceeding apace, no additional security issues since last night. We do have one problem, though."

She gestures to the pair of wings lying on the bar with a devilish grin. "I have these mementos of that sick bastard who killed Hasdrubal, and I can't decide whether the most appropriate form of disrespect would to mount them over the bar, make you some skimpy clothing out of them, or stuff a mattress with the feathers and have an orgy on it. What do you think?"

As she turns back to them, she makes eye contact with Naoki, then blinks twice, rapidly, and makes a tiny waving gesture with her left hand.

"Good job! Let's talk later."

Madame Naoki takes a moment to look around. Here was her bar, which she had worked so hard to bring to where it was, burned, smashed, tables everywhere, chairs broken. This destruction was evidently perpetrated by some sort of angel. She had heard of that Brotherhood thing, but she never thought one would show up, much less show up and kill her staff.

Security was going to have to be stepped up.

As Artemis speaks, Madame Naoki nods in acknowledgement. Artemis seems to have had handled the situation as well as she could have, by killing the invader and beginning repairs immediately. They would have to speak later, of course, but no further instructions were needed.

“Well done, Artemis. We’ll have a debriefing later, and I’ll figure out what to do with the wings then. For now, please continue with repairs and keep watch for any additional trouble.”

She looks around, and considers her next move. In doing so, she notices Maelik (though she doesn’t know him by name) standing there, eyes downward. He must be the one who was inquiring about helping with repairs who she heard on her way down the stairs. Something seemed a bit off with him, though. Perhaps it was the way he spoke, or the way he held himself.
Whatever it was, Naoki was past caring at this point. If he wanted to help, swell.

She addresses him, “You there. You said you wanted to help with the repairs? Feel free. Sign your name on the register over there on the bar and go ahead. Once repairs are complete, everyone who worked will be compensated according to the amount of effort they put in with drink credit.”

She nods towards the bar, and takes another long look around, and heaves another sigh.

“There are a lot of things we’re going to need to do. First thing would be these repairs, of course, but that seems well in hand. Next would be a funeral for Hasdrubal. Going to need a casket and to make the proper arrangements with the graveyard. Additionally, security is going to have to be a larger priority. This isn’t going to happen again. Artemis, start thinking about where we could find a lot of dangerous people who are easily motivated.”

She raises her arms and turns her torso around to get a look at Kate.

“Oh, yes. Artemis, look at this dress I found for Kate. There’s a bright spot in this mess, and it’s how amazing she looks in it, don’t you think? Kate, what would you like to do now? Of course, I encourage you to stay here as long as you’d like, but I could see why you would want to go check on your shop. I do hope it’s in better shape than this place…”

If Kate were to indicate that she would like to return home, Madame Naoki would instruct Artemis to escort her home, and ensure that she didn't turn into a giantess and summon a horde of demons to attack the city. Mostly because, Naoki might continue jokingly, the dress wouldn't fit anymore if Kate did that.

Madame Naoki then, assuming all matters have been mostly attended to for at least a few minutes, decides to take a seat. She rights a chair from the floor, and after checking to make sure it’s undamaged, seats herself upon it, and lets fly yet another long sigh.

“Does anyone have anything else that I should know about, or any questions related to how things are going to proceed?”

Madame Naoki nods and returns his gaze.

“Very well. We will speak later then, once the state of affairs is more stable. I should probably arrange an official sort of job interview event, shouldn’t I...”

She trails off, leaving Maelik to his repairs, and remains seated, awaiting any further questions.

"There is one other thing, Madame. A bit of good news. A... gentleman by the name of Calico Swartz came in last night, some time after the attack. He expressed interest in investing in our establishment. It may be worth checking out, his stated vision was somewhat counter to our own, but money is money, and he might be brought around. He said he would be staying in a room at the Violet Witch."