New Year's Eve

[nomorekaraoke]

Being the most important night of the year, and the very last one, this is a night where no expenses have been spared. Lorne wouldn't have it any other way.

The preparations have been going strong for well over a day, and that's not counting the planning and booking stages. No, tonight is the night of nights. Nothing is allowed to go wrong.

No one gets in if they don't have a ticket and their personal card - no one gets in even with these very vital requirements if they don't pass the obligatory screening. Everything will be fine. He's gone to quite some lengths to make sure everything is creme de la creme, cream of the crop and top notch all around.

It's what he's known for.

~

But, right this moment, there are more important things on his plate. He's meeting and greeting the newbs. His brand new, wet behind the ears employees.

Comments

[sunnydalealum]

The servers' uniform at Aequitas is a charcoal vest and slacks and a black tie, over a crisp shirt of a green so deep as to be almost black. It fits better than anything she's ever worn; it was hand-altered to her precise measurements, at a cost she can't begin to estimate.

She's not wearing the black wig; instead she's tied back her mouse-brown hair into a neat ponytail, and put on the lightest touch of makeup.

Chin lifted, she stands in the line of other new employees for Lorne's welcome-and-orientation speech. She knows she looks nervous, and is heartened slightly by the fact that so do several of the other newbies.

[nomorekaraoke]

Of course, first comes the how do you dos and the handshakes and, occasionally, the kissing cheeks and slapping arms; it's all in good fun and does seem to follow some sort of pattern, but what that pattern is, now, that might take some time figuring out.

Once that's done, Lorne starts talking the talk and walking the walk of the boss. It's ever so slightly different from the amiable greeting just moments ago, but it does serve its purpose. It makes clear that there's a time for everything, including being friendly.

"You've all met your mentors for the evening? Good. If anything is unclear, they'll set you down the right path again. If they're busy go to Ramon, you'll find him behind the bar-- Ramon, sweetie, give us a wave?"

Ramon waves like the Queen of England - cheeky demon. "He'll be happy to help you. Any questions so far?"

[sunnydalealum]

Beth looks up and down the line. Nobody seems to have any questions --

Wait, no. A tall beanpole of a boy with fair hair and the most marvelously clear skin Beth's ever seen is raising one hand.

"You said hours are till six am?"

[nomorekaraoke]

"That's right, and rush hour's between eleven and three, so brace yourselves. From midnight on, you won't have a moment's rest."

Voice stern, kind eyes, that about sums him up. "But color me crazy if you won't be on top of the world at the end of it.

"You're all here because I know you're just right for the job. You'll do fine, no, you'll do even better. And please remember, if anything gets out of control in any way, anyone gives you trouble I got your back. You'd better not forget that."

[sunnydalealum]

It's not really all that different from a lot of things Emma said, a billion years ago when Beth first agreed to work for her.

Except here's all the difference in the world in how she feels about it.

I think at some level you know it'd be a bad idea to work for Wolfram & Hart, says a quiet voice in her memory. Part of you knows you should stay away from them. That's why you're afraid.

And she's not afraid now. It's so strange to not be afraid.

[nomorekaraoke]

At the far end of the vast location-location-location, there's a familiar shape watching from the shadows - familiar angle of the massive head with its equally massive, rattly horns, glints of entirely too many eyes circling the head - it's Angus, keeping tabs on everything.

Just letting the new eye candy know it's being watched. Looked after and monitored all in one, courtesy of the Chief of Security.

"And if we need to bring out the big guns," Lorne grins, casually jabbing one big green thumb at the air behind him. "Angus is the one you want to hide behind. Just yanking your chains, children. Now shoo, you don't need to listen to me yap all night. We've got a show to get going."

[sunnydalealum]

They disperse to their assigned stations. She finds her mentor-partner of the senior waitstaff, a very pretty young man with a crest of brilliant blue feathers instead of hair; his name tag reads SETH.

"Okay ... Emma?" he says, reading her own name tag and smiling. "For the next half-hour we're on setup. I'm gonna show you where we keep everything, and then how the table's supposed to look when it's ready, and then we'll split up and you can holler if you need me. 'Kay?"

She nods, and smiles back, and follows him to the supply rooms back behind the bar along with a handful of other staff.

[nomorekaraoke]

It's a busy half hour, but perhaps more due to nerves than stress. At one point, one of the neatly set tables go up in flames - the tables and tablecloths are flameproof; turns out one of the shape shifters let the jitters get to them while 'assimilating'. It's one way to learn, but perhaps not the most reassuring one.

All in all, time flies when you're busy, and by the time everyone's done getting things ready, Ramon's set out rows upon rows of glasses filled to the brim with water.

"Everyone take five! Get some water or you'll regret it later! Dehydration's a kick in the butt!"

[sunnydalealum]

She grabs for a glass of water along with everybody else; she's been working harder than she realized.

Seth collapses theatrically onto a barstool as he snags his own glass, his six-foot-some frame sprawling bonelessly, making several of the newer employees giggle and several of the old hands roll their eyes at him. She's not one of the gigglers, but it does make her smile behind her glass.

[nomorekaraoke]

The poor unfortunate shape shifter is right there, taking it easy just a bit to the side. Might want to make sure you don't accidentally step in any of her - she's dripping all over the place, and we're not talking water.

"Good job everyone. Ya got about half an hour more 'til the boss starts letting people in, so make sure you know your tables and your dos and donotevers. Get acquainted with the floor, we'll be dimming the lights down low in a few. You don't want to haveta watch your step when the party starts."

[sunnydalealum]

She has the slight advantage over the other newbies of having been here before. It means she learns the layout a little faster, and can spend the extra time going over the rules.

All too soon the lights are dimming, and the candles she helped set out are igniting, and with a strange shock of recognition she sees the two doorkeepers heading through the room for the front door.

She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. At her side, Seth gives her a glance and an encouraging smile. "You're gonna do fine," he murmurs.

[nomorekaraoke]

One thing that becomes immediately clear is, that the cliché of being fashionably late just doesn't hold true for Aequitas. Certainly, every last one of the patrons that start filling the vast establishment wants to make an entrance - and that, most of them pull off with ease and flair - but not being on time means standing in line. At Aequitas, no one gets the privilege of being let in before it's their turn.

One after another, they are shown to their tables or find their own way to the bar; there are a few familiar faces among the many strange ones, most notably that same dark, more than vaguely leonine demon and his entourage of variably evolved feline qualities...

Just so happens he's made reservations, and his table is one of Seth's and Emma's. And Lord Vayan of House Varadeem is known, among other things, for his rather mercurial nature.

[sunnydalealum]

She recognizes him, of course, from the last time she was here. Wonders if he'll recognize her, in the guise of staff instead of patron.

Seth nudges her toward the House Varadeem table. "Go ahead," he says in an undertone, "you take the pride of lions. Nadbornik's at the next table and I'd better take him."

"What?" She blinks up at him. "Why?"

"I'll explain later." And he heads toward the other table, and the perfectly human-looking couple sitting there. For a moment she wonders if he's deliberately dumping the harder job on her, but then she puts it out of her mind. Just go.

A practiced smile as she nears Lord Vayan's table, and the first words of the practiced spiel: "Good evening, my name's Emma, I'll be your server tonight...."

[nomorekaraoke]

"Ah, yes," Lord Vayan notes airily, locking onto the face of the new servant with gleaming dark eyes.

"How amusing. I never would have thought the Host would invite a Slayer, much less make of her a servant."

One of those other things he is known for is his tongue; sharp and raspy, as it is; he never fails to speak his mind.

[sunnydalealum]

Her first thought shocks her a little with its caustic sharpness: Why not? Everybody else does.

She wouldn't say that aloud under the best of circumstances. Smile, smile and ignore it.

"Are you gentlebeings ready to order?"

[nomorekaraoke]

Lowering his gaze to the menu laid out on his table - and everyone else's, he takes his time to consider his options. "We shall have the carnivore special," he decides, speaking for all of his entourage.

"As far as I see it, a Slayer belongs to none but herself." He is intrigued, and unashamed enough to make it perfectly clear.

[sunnydalealum]

"Very kind of you to say so, milord," she says -- milord, not sir, they had the short course on modes of address earlier. "And to drink?"

It's another kind of hiding, the smooth bland wall of courtesy protecting anything she's really thinking.

[nomorekaraoke]

"Kindness rarely enters into things. Observational skills do. Cloudberry wine for myself, water for my friends."

Turning his big, paw like hand over, he surveys the state of his claws - long and sharpened, buffed to perfection - they'll do.

"Ahm willing, your current employment has little to do with kindness. A Slayer chooses for whom she Slays. Or not, as the case may be. Ahm willing."

"Ahm willing," his 'friends' echo in unison.

[sunnydalealum]

Nobody briefed her for this, she thinks in fleeting panic -- should she repeat it after them? Will it be considered rude if she doesn't? Or if she does?

What decides her not to repeat it is that she doesn't know what it means. Instead she smiles again, and makes a half-bow while gathering up the menus, and slips off to deliver the orders.

(And if her heart's thumping like a triphammer, no one else can see that.)

[nomorekaraoke]

(No one but the vampires, perhaps.)

Once she's returned from the kitchen, Ramon waves her on over. More and more people keep on coming through the double doored entrance, but so far, there are very few patrons at the bar. "You all right there, Em?"

[sunnydalealum]

"I'm good," she says quickly. "I -- can you tell me something?" She casts a quick glance around, and lowers her voice. "What's it mean when Lord Vayan says Ahm willing?"

[nomorekaraoke]

"...uhuh." He nods knowingly, going along with the hush hush. "It means everything from God willing to Godspeed to Praise the Lawd."

And then, he rather unceremoniously gives her a wink. "Usually, it's a blessing and an admonishment wrapped up in one neat, confusing package. The boss would call it 'contextually conspicuous' or something fancy schmancy like that, but he ain't here now, is he." It's not often an understated insult is said with such impish fondness, but that's Ramon for you.

[sunnydalealum]

"Is there a, like, proper response?" She's already half-turned away as she asks -- there's four more tables in her section, and Seth's still at his first table.

[nomorekaraoke]

"When you get a hang of what it means in context and stuff, go ahead and join the chorus. Don't overdo it, though. Nothing worse than a bobble head."

He takes the opportunity to pour her a glass of water. "But if you agree with the sentiment, go nuts. If you don't, just smile and go about your business."

[sunnydalealum]

"Oh," she says, a little blankly.

Because --

Because that's exactly what she did. Smiled and went about her business. Which means they'll think she didn't agree with the sentiment, which, what was it again? -- A Slayer chooses for whom she Slays. Or not, as the case may be.

No time to worry about it right now. There are vamps at the third table (and she no longer questions how she knows it), so leave that one for Seth and head for the fourth one -- practiced smile at the two orange-tufted patrons and the two glistening grey-skinned ones, and good evening, my name's Emma, I'll be your server tonight.

Keeping busy means you don't have to think.