The Midnight Sun

Artemis bows lightly as Grandma exits, and moves to close the door behind her. No sooner has the latch clicked and the bolt gone home, than Reese relays Kate’s message and location. A few seconds pass, and she opens the door to reveal Kate standing in the door frame, presumably just about to knock.

Artemis inclines her head slightly to the other woman as she opens the door fully and steps back, removing any visual obstacles between Naoki and Kate.

Kate gives a Naoki a sedate smile, as she takes her arm, making sure to give Naoki all the time in the world to enjoy the sights. Kate no longer felt the need to blush or act timid. She felt confident and good about herself, and was just looking to spend some precious time with the woman she felt comfortable with.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything." Kate felt even her voice had changed. It was still her voice, but the tone was much less immature. "I like your sweater... It goes well with your skirt."

Naoki's taste in clothes was impeccable, naturally. In Kate's experience, when she wasn't wearing anything trendy that didn't suit her body like a dream, she wasn't usually wearing anything at all. Hehe...

Kate would let Naoki lead the way, making sure to gain attention of the patrons as they strolled by. The thought of being seen as a couple was actually pretty exiting for Kate. She could not wait for the meal, and what came after...

But mostly the meal. She didn't get to eat much today since Artemis ate their basket by herself and Kate was frankly quite famished.

At this turn of our story, it would be a good idea to keep in mind the unique architecture and layout of The Midnight Sun. It is a large, rectangular building, with three stories. The first floor is split between the bar, casino and lowest floor of the inn. The ground floor of the inn is dominated mostly by a dining room, but it also contains the reception desk for the inn and the living quarters of Cecil, who manages the business of the inn. Off to one side, sits the kitchen, and it is on the first floor that all downward leading passages begin their descent, to Hasdrubal’s Lair, Kate’s Undergarden, and the larder/storeroom. It is here on the first floor that all business is done, and it is where the majority of patrons will be.

A staircase in the rear of the first floor leads up to the second. A wall separates the second floor of the inn from the rest of the second floor, which contains housing for some employees (such as Skarlet and Kevin) who live on the premises, as well as a large staff meeting room, the aforementioned balconies, and the private dining room that our group is currently walking towards.

The same stairwell continues upwards, to the third floor. This area is used mostly by senior employees. It is here that Madame Naoki, Reese, Grandma, Maelik, and the other executives have their offices; and attached to the offices, their quarters. There are also a number of empty, storage, and utility rooms on the third floor, which have not yet seen use.

As such, the trio would not pass by many, from the third floor where Naoki’s office is located down to the second floor dining room. Some off duty employees, perhaps Reese out for a walk, but with the introduction of the inn, few patrons have reason to be in this area.

The dining room is paneled in the same dark wood as the rest of the Midnight Sun. In the center of the room, tablecloths of expensive-looking fabric cover a modestly-sized square table, set for two with spotless silverware, crystal, and fine china. Two ornately carved chairs with red velvet upholstery flank the table. A silver chandelier casts a muted light around the room, aided by the centerpiece directly below it - a brown wood bowl containing shiny black rocks, topped by an arrangement of three short red candles and a red rose. Against one wall on a small table, several decanters of liquor, glasses and other bar implements, and a wine cooler that holds an unopened bottle of finest Medanese Gold.

Naoki would, as a polite host, hold the door, and pull out Kate’s chair for her, in an extravagant, and almost joking show of chivalry; before taking her own chair across the table.

Kate curtsied with a playful smile, and took the seat she was offered. Her eyes would skim the room with a sense of wonder. Of course, excuberance was nothing less to be expected from the Midnight Sun, but that didn't mean one could get used to being surrounded by such grandeur. Especially, if one is used to tending a farm and sleeping in a croft.

"This is nice." Kate spoke in a whispering tone. She didn't want to break the tantalising silence the room seemed to be inviting towards, but thought she would have to speak sooner or later.

Also, she wanted to try a deeper, sexier tone, to see how Naoki would respond. To drive the point home, she would eye her bewitchingly, and smile biting her lip slightly.

"What's on the menu?" The question escaped her lips before he could embed it with a context-appropriate innuendo. Kate prayed to all gods, current, dead and yet to be born, that her stomach would not ruin the mood by grumbling before she had eaten her fill.

Maelik's smile cracked a bit at the word 'upset' and the sudden flash of rage that flickered in his glowing peepers was plain for all to see, although his tone of voice implied the exact opposite.

"Me? Upset? Perish the thought my dear Skarlet, I was just wondering if it was prudent of me to attempt to take away some plates, although I take it that the poor dear may need more time to get it all down. Either way I'll just clear what I can and take my leave, I shall return once again to check back on things..."

The demon went about stacking empty plates and cups, a few of them showing cracks at his touch before he bounded back to the entrance way.

"Have a good night then muffin, pleasant dreams and all that, I'd assume that the Madame may want for me to make sure everything is in place for later so I too must take my leave."

With a heel pivot and a swish Maelik was off and as soon as he turned the corner he couldn't stop himself from snarling, his disguise flickering on and off as he spat and hissed in a disgust.

"Damn it all! She doesn't like the food! I'm a failure as a chef! Such incompetence demands punishment, I deserve to die!" he cursed, the glammer on his voice disappearing entirely.

"How can I call myself an expert if I can't even satisfy a single slip of a woman? Disgraceful!"

At this point his hate was actually palpable, his demonic aura oozing out in a thick red mist that radiated his malice. It's pervasive touch seeping through the hall like a fog, billowing up to create various hostile shapes and images before settling back down to continue it inexorable spread.

At last Maelik's transformation melted away all together, his hulking, scowling visage dominating the narrow hallways as each stomping step brought him closer and closer to the dining room.

"Or maybe that person was just a prude..." he said in sudden revelation just before entering the fancy entrance to the illustrious room. "I mean, nobody else has ever complained about my food before... Eh, I'll just use this occasion to verify the situation one way or the other."

With his mind put to ease his aura receded back and at the very least his hat reappeared upon his huge helmeted head, but Maelik paid none of it any mind as he trotted over to the table that housed his next two fixations.

"Salutations," he greeted merrily, his cultured inflections clashing with his unnaturally deep voice. "I'm the Madame's head chef Ulscissor and I'll be serving you today..." the demon began to do his sweeping bow only to notice huge clawed feet and a tail, which surprised him to say the least.

"Ohhhhhh..."

He straightened back up immediately and raised a finger as if to point out a silly fact, only to slowly lower it again when nothing credible came to mind.

"Ummmmmm..."

"..."

"Is there anything you'd prefer to have this evening or shall it be kitchen's choice?" he continued after a long pause, apparently deciding to continue on like nothing happened. His fang filled maw turning up in a pleasant smile (or at least something reminiscent of a smile) and his monstrous physique finally bending over to perform the entire gentlemanly bow.

Mastermind? Well, if she thinks so then it should be fine. Naoki didn’t strike Kate as someone who would go around giving complements willy nilly.

“Well, you know… Business as usual. I have to keep the temperature up, so the orchids won’t freeze. It’s not particularly cold outside, but the epiphytes just aren’t cut out for this sort of climate. The moisture too, is a problem. I thought about installing a water source, but then I would need to remodel… UGH, what a pain! Right?” Kate tossed her head back in irritation. She continued with a giggle when she realised Naoki wasn’t likely to understand half of what she was saying.

Then Naoki asked Kate about Hasdrubal and she froze.

Kate avoided eye contact, focusing on the dinner set instead. She was unsure of how to present her case. Of course Naoki wanted to knew what happened, that was sweet of her.

But…

“I don’t like him.” Kate lifted her gaze, eyes balancing between having a serious conversation with the woman across from her, and retaining the mood Madame obviously had seen a lot of effort establishing. “But I believe you already knew that. He didn’t do anything. Yet.” Kate swallowed before continuing. “He’s your employee, and answers to you, so I hope you know what’s best for everyone.” She drew a stuttering breath. “I just wanted you to know that…

I’m scared…”

Like on a cue, Ulscissor barged in before the awkward silence had any chance of making it’s home on the situation. The sudden booming voice nearly caused a heart attack on Kate, and his demonic visage didn’t do much to ease her anxiety. Kate's jaw flew open so fast it would cause her problems brushing teeth in the morning.

“A-a-a-a-a…” Kate was too taken aback by the unforeseen intrusion of a hellish overlord, that she didn’t have a scream readied. His overtly polite demeanour, likewise, was confusing Kate’s involuntary reactions, so she placed her order instead “I-I’ll take a glass of water, for now…”

Oh, it’s just a demon...

…

What has my life become?

She stood up, head lowered, and followed him without a word. Part of her...wanted to leave.

At Kate’s response, Madame Naoki’s brow creases. She begins to open her mouth in response, but Maelik enters the room before she can begin her thought.

She jumps a bit in her chair, seeing Maelik in his undisguised form. She had seen him like this before, of course, but she hardly expected him to be parading about undisguised, seeing as how much he seemed to value the secrecy of his identity as he was being hired.

“I’ll happily have whatever is you see fit to serve.”

Madame Naoki pauses for a moment, still preoccupied with what Kate said, before remembering what else she needed to tell Ulscissor. She points a finger upwards, and turns in her chair to address him more directly.

“I would also like to apologize for my impolite behavior. I had a lot of things on my mind… and left without giving you my compliments on that small meal.”

“However, allow me to partially atone for that misconduct by telling you now: that was the singular most enjoyable eating experience I have had the pleasure of participating in to date. I cannot adequately articulate how much I enjoyed that little parfait. You have my highest compliments and thanks; I am unsure how you’re going to be able to top that last performance for this meal.”

She nods her head in respect; her compliments were genuine. She would wait until they were alone again to address Kate’s concerns with Hasdrubal.

“...”

Madame Naoki blinks.

“...”

She blinks again. Her eyes slide from the lab-coated corpse on the floor, to the exuberant man standing in front of them, coated only in green fluid.

“... Could you not? I’m a little bit busy right now. You’re not wearing any pants. And you’re oozing on the carpet. I’ll look at whatever you’ve made later. For now, get out of here, you’re ruining my appetite.”