[Midnight Hotel] March catch-all

[gistful]

Characters: Anyone, everyone.
Date: Month of March, 2016 (2017 in-game).
Location: The Midnight Hotel.
Situation: Catch-all post! Feel free to use this post for anything that happens within the Midnight Hotel during the month, using the subject header to label specific rooms or for specific people. See also the OOC note at the bottom.
Warnings/Rating: Mark your threads if content warnings become applicable, please!

The influx of patrons from Hatal has slowed somewhat as the novelty wears off and residents are assured they won’t miss anything by not visiting the quaint hotel right away. Most Tavimbians have got it through their heads that the proprietor takes his rules seriously, and have come to the usual conclusion that it’s not worth the effort of breaking them in minor ways.

Some of those assumptions might be questioned, given that those who live at the Hotel will have gotten the opportunity to witness said proprietor going out on the town with some friends.

Other changes this month involve the addition of a ramp function to the stairs leading from the lobby and common-area to the second floor. Like the escalator function, the ramp is controlled by buttons at the height and base of the stairs; when pressed, the steps fall flat against the floor into a ramp, and revert to their previous state only once there is no more weight on them.

These changes are to account for Bisi’s chair, but some kedanese children get in on the fun by using the ramp-stairs as a slide – though not too much, as their parents or guardians will shoo them off whenever they start getting in the way.

[ooc: The Midnight Hotel’s status page is available here, with the rules at the top and ongoing status at the bottom. PLEASE POST TO THE STATUS PAGE IF YOUR CHARACTER WOULD LIKE A ROOM, JOB OR AREA IN THE GARAGE, OR ARE MOVING OUT. Anton will manufacture means of payment until Foreigners are able to properly offer recompense or choose to move out.]

Comments

[retiredfromhell]

"Roof?" It was sort of a question but more of a pleased statement. "That'll be excellent."

About as close as he could come to the top floor of Lux back home. That covered drinking and smoking and alright, mental note about rowdy ... keep the orgies to a dull roar.

"All and all it sounds reasonable, where do I sign?" He asked, smile still in full effect. There was a pause and a glance around before one more question popped out. "Don't suppose you have a bar, lounge ... piano tucked somewhere?"

Given the power he could feel, moving through the walls of this establishment, Lucifer figured it might not hurt to inquire about what may not be readily visible.

[gistful]

What an interesting question, and caused about the first change in Anton's expression since the conversation began. "I do not, on any count," he admitted thoughtfully, "though the lack of a piano may be an oversight. Certainly, we get enough patrons now to qualify for a full house in the evenings."

A few of the kedan had taken to cooking meals for the groups which gathered for dinner. Having a piano around would offer a bit of ambiance, and with the number of Foreigners currently staying at the Hotel Anton's finances weren't as good as they seemed given the number of full rooms--since he let them barter for beds. Using the dining-area as a restaurant had practically already happened.

"Are you offering musical talents in exchange for the room?" Anton asked.

[retiredfromhell]

At the initial negative, Lucifer looked mildly put out but mostly unconcerned. It was only when Anton continued to talk and brought up the idea of an exchange that his attention re-engaged.

While the thought of, quite literally, playing for his supper (and room and board) was mildly galling, Lucifer did have to admit that it spoke to his sense of fairness. An equal bargain, which would leave him un-indebted to this man for his hospitality. If it was one thing Lucifer did, without fail, it was repay his debts, when he was unfortunate enough to collect them.

Being able to start out in this world without owing, would be ... appreciated.

Smiling, widely he finally straightened up -taking the conversation a bit more seriously- as he considered the offer.

"I wouldn't say no to that arrangement. Would you require any specific stipulations? Beyond the rules, which we've already discussed."

[gistful]

Which was precisely the reason for the exchange, of course. Few people arrived with anything of worth in Keeliai, but most of them disliked accepting charity. (Then, of course, there was Anton's work ethic, which was a different but potentially related matter.)

"You would have to play every evening at dinner-times," Anton said after a moment of thought. "Rest breaks included." Anton didn't believe in working people to the bone. "Likely from five to ten in the evenings, at most--negotiable, especially on slow evenings." The times were to account for the early eaters, as well as the late ones.

"But your meals would be included," Anton continued, "and you would have your choice of music to play. Most sheet-music here would be kedanese, though the black market may have some from Foreign worlds, if you'd care to look. Kedan are very curious in creative things from Foreign worlds, and appreciate Foreigners taking an interest in their culture, so I imagine you would be popular in either case."

[retiredfromhell]

It wasn't as if Lucifer had any other pressing engagements that suggested he couldn't sit at a piano for five hours and play for his supper. It was more that Lucifer, just had to be ... Lucifer.

He pretended to consider the deal for a moment, his elbow once against settling on the top of the counter as he smiled, winsomely, towards Anton.

"How about this," he countered. "I'll make my charming self available from seven until eleven, gives me time to get rid of that pesky afternoon sobriety issue." Given the way he could hit the sauce he could take care of his sobriety issue by nine am on most days. However, this wasn't about logic, it was just about stubbornness.

"I play strictly from memory," he said as a matter of course, appearing to smirk at an inside joke. "However, nice tip about Kedan. Might be amusing to check that bit out."

The last sentence was actually genuine, one he may follow up on. Poor Kedan.

[gistful]

Without batting an eyelash at the winsome smile or the way the newcomer sprawled over the counter, Anton considered. "That seems a fair variation," he agreed. An hour less, but there was a chance others would want to use the piano. He lifted an eyebrow. "Assuming, of course, you're good enough to make up for the loss of an hour."

He said it mildly, a gentle challenge. If Anton wasn't happy with the exchange, he was quite capable of renegotiating.

He picked up his pen. "Under which name shall I play the room?"

[retiredfromhell]

Tsk. Tough sell.

Lucifer's smile just widened at the challenge and he slowly straightened.

"I promise you, I've never received a complaint about what I am capable of with my fingers," he offered with a cheeky wink.

As for the name.

"Lucifer Morningstar."

[gistful]

God help them if this man ever met Rover Larrikin.

Then 'this man' said his name and Anton revised his estimate of the universe's collective sense of irony. It made him pause, even without a flicker of his expression. It was entirely possible this was the Lucifer. Interesting. From Anton's understanding, 'Lucifer' had been something of a later adaptation. Like a taken name, perhaps.

He picked up his pencil and asked impassively, "Would you prefer that in Hebrew, or will English suffice?"

[retiredfromhell]

In many ways Anton was not wrong. Strictly speaking, 'Lucifer' was his title, his purpose in creation rather than his God given name. But that name had been renounced eons ago and Lucifer had no interest in looking back upon it.

Instead he smiled and arched his neck a little, openly trying to take a curious look at where Anton intended to write the name.

"English is fine," he said mildly. "I'm not particularly inclined in either direction, to be quite honest."

Mortal languages were mortal languages, each the same as the other. If there were 'chosen' people, that was between those mortals and his father; not Lucifer. Truth was, he approached each of the mortal based religions, from Christianity to Shamanism with the same academic curiosity but not much beyond that.

[gistful]

Though Anton didn't stop Lucifer from looking, he did flatten his hand against the page to hide the details of any other patrons above Lucifer's name. Luckily, it was a new page. Anton had an oddly meticulous way of writing--not as if he was unsure, but as if he did still have to be a bit careful about it, the pencil not quite smooth in his hand.

Though he was looking down, Anton did note that there wasn't much hesitation before answering the question. Either this was a long con or Lucifer was, indeed, Lucifer. It was one of the interesting facets of this place, that Anton couldn't even be sure.

And, because he was curious and occasionally his curiosity got the better even of him, Anton asked--"How did you come by the name?"

Did he choose it first, or did he take it from literature for ... whatever reason he might have had to do so?

[retiredfromhell]

Lucifer's smile slid into something slightly icy as he answered very simply.

"God given, I'm afraid."

Technically his God given name was Samael but the title Lightbringer was also God given, so he'd just fudge the line and run the two together. Because so long as he had his way, the word 'Samael' no longer passed his own lips.

[gistful]

Curious. All indications had been--well, that was conventional interpretation, anyway. Possibly the actual source of the Devil's names changed depending on universe.

"I wouldn't know much about God giving," Anton said simply. He didn't disbelieve in a god, or gods. He just tended to find belief distracting from more worldly needs. And, since Lucifer seemed--justifiably--disenchanted with the topic, Anton went on. "Would you like some guidance to your room?"