Welcome to the Top of the Rock

Her guide had told her to look out for weird stuff today, but she never expected this. Blocking her path wasn't a rock, ice block, or anything natural. It was a restaurant sitting on the side of the mountain. How, and when it got here was a mystery to Asuka. Without much of a choice Asuka enters the building hoping to be able to just walk through. She's greeted by a small lobby with a few dusty chairs, and a podium where a well dressed stallion is standing. Before Asuka can utter a word to question the stallion she's greeted by him. "Ah! Welcome esteemed customer!" The stallion turns his head to the side trying not to be heard. "Two customers in a month! Business is really picking up!" The stallion turns back to Asuka, grabbing a menu as he does so. "Please! Right this way! I'll show you to your seat!" As the stallion leaves his position at the podium Asuka can tell something is VERY off. The stallion is missing the entire back half of his torso, as well as his back legs. His torso simply trails off into a sort of tail. Regardless she follows the stallion. It's best she not get into any trouble with what seems to be a spirit, or ghost. The dining room is large, open, and has a great view of the Frozen North to the south of the mountain. For a second Asuka stops to admire the scenery. "Madame! Your seat is over here!" She looks to the source of the call to find the stallion standing over a table near the windows. After sitting she takes a look at the menu. Most of it appears to have faded, and many of the menu items and graphics are unreadable. "Please! Take your time and decide what you would like! Can I get you anything to drink?" Asuka looks to her server, and musters as much of a smile as she can. "I'll just have some water please." Her server nods, but seems slightly upset. "Are you sure madame? How would you like some Merlot? Or perhaps some Chardonnay? Perhaps a Pinot blanc?" Asuka shakes her head, and speaks with a polite tone. "No thank you." The server gives a slight bow. "As you wish madam. Please! Take your time! I will return shortly with your water." He leaves, and makes his way towards a set of doors on the west end of the room. Out of what Asuka could read not much on the menu interested her. It was all high class food with fancy prench names. Of all the items on the menu only the lasagna interested her. That, and the deserts. Now was no time for deserts however. She needed to get going as soon as possible. Asuka decided her best course of action would be to eat, pay, and see if she couldn't find a back exit while the server was busy. She didn't have long to think as the server quickly returned with a glass of ice, and a pitcher of water. "Here you are madame! Are you ready to order?" Asuka responds with a nod, and a forced smile. "Yes sir. I would like the lasagna please." She gently pushes her menu back over towards the server. "Oh! And I just wanted to ask, if it's not rude for me to do so... What is your name?" This caused the server to tilt his head in confusion for a moment. Why would a customer be asking for his-? "Oh! Right! Right Right! Silly me! I forgot to introduce myself!" The server bows. "I am Monsieur Armand! The owner of this fine establishment!" Asuka bends her torso and head forwards slightly to emulate the bow. "It's nice to meet you Monsieur Armand." Armand 'stands' from his bow and smiles. "The pleasure is all mind Madame. I will return with your food." Monsieur Armand takes the menu from the table and quickly heads back through the double doors. Asuka pours water from the pitcher into her glass, and sips it. It's very fresh. Almost as if it had been scooped from the snow somehow. Asuka waits in silence for about 10 minutes before she notices Monsieur Armand exit the double doors carrying an immaculately polished plate with napkin wrapped silverware. Upon arriving at the table he sets the plate down in front of Asuka. She suppresses the urge to wretch at the sight in front of her. On the immaculately polished plate is what could only be described as decades old food mashed to look like lasagna. The pasta was nothing but mold. The filling was like sawdust, and the sauce had crusted on top. Asuka was certain if she ate ANY of this she would likely not survive the rest of her vacation. "Um... Monsieur Armand... I don't mean to be rude but... The food is." She has to pause to stop herself from puking. "It's old." Monsieur Armand looks to Asuka in confusion, then down the the food. His face turns red, and Asuka is sure he's about to force her out. "This... This!... IS AN OUTRAGE! HOW COULD MY OWN CHEFS CREATE SOMETHING SO HORRIBLE AND EXPECT A GUEST TO EAT IT?! MUCH LESS LOOK AT IT!" Monsieur Armand looks back to Asuka. She could see the steam coming out of his ears. "Madame! Please wait here! I'm going to have a very lengthy conversation with the kitchen staff about this!" He picks up the plate and takes it with him to the double doors. Asuka sees her chance, and quietly removes herself from her table. She uses the water in the pitcher to refill her canteen and begins to search the restaurant for some sort of back exit.The whole time she avoids the double doors. She doesn't want to find out what will happen once Monsieur Armand finds out she's left. She searches high and low for some sort of back exit, but other than the bathrooms, and a closet she can't find anything. The lobby only leads back the way she came, and there's no way around the restaurant from the outside. After a quick, but exhaustive search Asuka goes to the windows to look for another way out. Her search is interrupted by Monsieur Armand's voice. "Madame! I've talked with the kitchen-. Madame. Why have you left your seat?" Asuka opens her mouth to speak, but she's not able to get any words out before Monsieur Armand is next to her. "Are you dissatisfied with our service, or our food? Are you going to..." Monsieur Armand stops. "No.. No! NO! I can't afford a bad review! Not in the papers! My dream will be ruined! RUINED!" He charges in front of Asuka, causing her to gasp, and fall onto the floor. "I've worked too hard for my dream to crumble because of a bad review!" Asuka could hear every door in the restaurant slam, and lock shut simultaneously. "You mustn't leave! Not until you've tasted our wonderful food! Experienced our service, and decor!" The chairs and tables were starting to rise into the air. "We'll show you the TRUE Top of the Rock experience! One that you shan't forget in your lifetime!" Asuka stares up at Monsieur Armand, terrified. "Monsieur Armand please! I'm not going to leave a bad review! I swear!" She screams. "I can't let that possibility escape me! I CAN'T LET MY DREAM DIE!" By now the decor, tables, and chairs were staring to move. They started to cluster around the two in a sort of whirlwind. Asuka musters her courage as the furniture, and decor swirls around her. She closes her eyes tight, shouting "MONSIEUR ARMAND! THINK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW! YOU CAN'T REALIZE YOUR DREAM! YOU'RE DEAD!" It was as if the whole world stopped for a moment. "Dead? I'm... I'm dead." Monsieur Armand's hooves sunk to the floor causing the decor and furniture to crash to the floor. "My dream never came true. I died." Monsieur Armand stares at the floor in disbelief. He doesn't want to believe he's dead, but thinking back to everything that's happened in the past few years it's all clear. "Madame. Please leave. I-I'm not well." Everything is silent as Asuka lifts herself to her hooves. "Monsieur Armand I didn't-." She's interrupted. "Just go. Act as if you never met me." For some reason Asuka felt like she couldn't leave. Not because there was anything keeping her from leaving, but because she felt she needed to console Armand. "Monsieur Armand. It's okay. I'm sure your restaurant did well. I'm sure you're well remembered." Her words seem to spark something within the stallion, who lifts his head. "Well..." He quickly shifts from sad, and despondent to, proud, and boastful. "Of course I'm well remembered! The Top of the Rock is!- was the best restaurant in all of Equestria! Creatures came from all over the WORLD to dine here!" Boy he recovered fast. Asuka smiles, nodding. "What's keeping you here? I'm sure there are plenty of others eager to see you again." Monsieur Armand looks to Asuka, invigorated. "You're right! There are creatures in the afterlife DYING for my cuisine! I can't sit around here hoping for a customer once every year! I must provide my excellent service to the ones in the most need! I'll open a new restaurant in the afterlife, and it will be the best!" Monsieur Armand places his hooves on Asuka's shoulders, though neither of the two can feel it. "Madame! I won't soon forget this! I hope to one day have you dine at my restaurant! I'll show you how exquisite my cuisine can be!" Asuka couldn't help but feel like that might have been the wrong thing for him to say at the moment, but she figured he didn't know any better. She keeps quiet and nods watching as the restaurant owner starts to float towards the ceiling. "Farewell madame! I have creatures to amaze!" With that it was quiet again. Asuka was more confused than anything, but at least she could leave now. She goes through the double doors into the old, dilapidated kitchen where she finds a door leading outside. She takes a look back at the restaurant before heading back out into the bitter cold to continue her climb.