Case No. 36
CAFE & DINER SILENUS · POINT PLEASANT, WV · LEAVE THIS EARTHLY PLANE BEHIND
BARISTA: AUDITOR
CAFE: ALL
DATE: EARLY MARCH
RECEIPT ID: SIL-03
That didn't take long. Or maybe it took longer than usual? That is, for Dr. Crow to "ascend" to Al Crow. What Warden said at the end of their rather unsettling receipt is likely very true. Dr. Crow has probably died. Al Crow has most certainly risen.
He always does; it's part of his role to play in the grand cosmic scheme of things. I'd know; I've had the displeasure of working with him before. In any case, Dr. Crow was dangerous, and I'd argue Al Crow is doubly dangerous.
…And not to waste a well placed alliteration… Let's just keep it simple, shall we?
If Agatha is to attract customers back to Silenus, the menu needs some reworks. I'm thinking eggs, scrambled or not at all. Something classic too. Something priced out by... Well, Kalmia doesn't work here, so Tyler will have to do, and do it on the double too! Fruit, room temperature only. Toast, sunny side up. Perhaps a sausage patty? Waffles, Luxembourg style. More fruit, I think. And... two lattes. All priced around $43, if you're really lost. Though I don't have a use for this updated menu yet, I'm sure there will be some need for this later on in the month, so… there you go. Clued in.
Sidetracked aside, I'll see what I can do to help protect against Al Crow, the new but not all too dissimilar head of the Twice Third Temple. There are certain new protections that have opened up that I can help Madeleine set up. And, technically, if we're playing by the rules, Mr. Crow has just been updated to a Mrs. Crow. Realistically? Maybe a full-on Ms. Crow… though I haven't decided yet if Al Crow is truly as dangerous as all that to warrant such a high honorific. We also haven't ordered drinks in a while, and Mrs./Ms. Crow is quite fond of… I believe a Corpse Reviver? Once upon a time, it was Green Tea on a technicality, but this time around I'd have to imagine it's a more straightforward cocktail. Or… Hm. I suppose it could be a Double Shot.
Caffeinated Report: C-113-05
"November 30th, 2010—approx. 1:40ish AM"
Pasta Trivia | 2 Words
Caffeinated Report: C-113-06
"A cruel woman drained the prismatic blood of poets to bring her tyranny from here to there in days not months… only 80 years too late."
Music Trivia | 3 Words
BARISTA: AUDITOR
CAFE: ALL
DATE: EARLY MARCH
RECEIPT ID: SIL-04
Sorry, what? The Bell of Fate is still not working as it should? That's… alarming. Obviously it hinders Silenus' operations significantly, but more than just that, the Pieces of Fate aren't just tied to the Cafes and Diners in the Network for the fun of it. Each Piece of Fate protects their Cafe from exactly what Dan is theorizing—Fate Itself. Look, it's a Diner receipt, and I don't want to overexplain things here… but, uh… How to put it… Many of the employees of the various Cafes and Diners are not exactly beloved by Fate. By having a Piece of Fate present, it keeps them "set aside" from the persistent weavings of what was and what should be. Without a working Piece of Fate…
Well, it doesn't matter; we'll figure it out. We'll fix it. Actually Beez'll fix it; it's his job after all as Silenus' Sponsor. Again, Jack may be eccentric and overly obsessed with symmetry, but he didn't arbitrarily assign each Cafe a Piece of Fate and Sponsor to match. The Sponsors, for whatever reason, are resonant with their Pieces of Fate, practically drawn to them. I can't guarantee that Beez can magically make the Bell ring again, but perhaps his gluttonous apathy toward this whole endeavor is what's been weakening the Bell's power. Actually, that's not such a harebrained hypothesis…
Santos and Mam are by far the most engaged Sponsors at their Cafes and I'd argue the Lens and Ledger are both the most potent and powerful of the Pieces. Hell, the Lens became too powerful. Meanwhile, Asmi and Sara engage their Cafes but not as aggressively, and I'd say the Spoon and Pocket Watch are working exactly as intended. Hm… So perhaps if Lucy… Eh, I'll worry about that in another time and place. But Beez really should take a look at the Bell as soon as possible. Perhaps we'll run into Midnight on our trip to get some long-overdue Green Tea.
BARISTA: DAN HAMILTON
CAFE: SILENUS
DATE: EARLY MARCH
RECEIPT ID: TBOF-01
Ye—ah… no. Beez is pissed at us, and worse, we just shoved off his latest "assignment" to Midnight. There's no way he'll grant us an audience in his Hollow. And even if he did, Beez could not care less about Cafe and Diner business unless it somehow impacts or otherwise improves the yield of his Feast. Trust me, I'd know. The whole reason he ever agreed to Sponsorship was because we could use the Bell to call up the Lanes to bring him an excess of food without him having to exert any effort in charting the flights himself. I'm guessing if it was as simple as him touching the Bell, Sunshine's Locket problem would've been worked out long ago. Come on, Auditor—be realistic here.
We're gonna need to figure out another method of fixing the Bell or accessing the Phantom Lanes. Probably pretty soon too… It's been quiet lately, but that never means anything good, does it? Al Crow and the Orders are probably scheming up our demise as I type this. I know they are. So… Well, I have a way… but it'll suck. And it's risky too. But what good are owners if they never take risks for their Cafes?
My dad, also Dan, told me a story when I was a kid, and he later told me just how true it was when I turned 18. There's a way to speak to it. To her. To the—well, to the Phantom of the Phantom Lanes. Invite her in. Let her take control for a bit. It's… probably not a great idea, of course, and it'd officially bring back another of these ancient Archons or whatever, but if anyone can tell me why our Piece of Fate isn't working, it'd be her.
I'll make the preparations and then head to my family's home—to the Beautiful House.
Caffeinated Report: CD-ODD-02
"Raven Raven and Crow Crow Crow."
Research | 3 Words
Caffeinated Report: C-TBOF-02
"Not dead—worse, working for someone else."
Fashion Trivia | 1 Word
BARISTA: WARDEN
CAFE: SILENUS
DATE: LATE MARCH
RECEIPT ID: SIL-05
Dan has checked in to the Beautiful House. The Phantom entity and he will have a meeting. A concession. From the Phantom? Or from Dan? Or perhaps from what remains of Fate Itself? A concession as punishing as a penitence and dreary as something truly dreadful. The Phantom is no longer concerned with petty disputes of land in between and beyond. The Phantom is now, again, working toward her ultimate goal.
The concession Dan will make to the Phantom is clear. The old doors are closing. The new doors are opening. All the doors will be open soon. Ancient gods of ice and fire are stirring from their deathless fate, scheming to weave the woes once again. All Houses are dead. All Houses remain still and beautiful. The first Order, in the New Order, warns of the Eldest Order:
"THE ORDERS OF HELL HAVE WELCOMED THE ORDER OF THE CROW. SALVATION IS COMING."
The Houses of Axiom, Baetyl, Cresset, Dirigent, Emarcid, Facula, Gelid, Halyard, Ingate, Juramentum, Kyriolexy, Lampas, Malpert, Nova, Oersted, Panchreston, Quillet, Rectrix, Salpinx, Tappit, Urceus, Vecordy, Wormery, Xoanon, Yatagan, and Zenzizenzizenzic bow now to the dawning of the Ninth Son. The age of Tyranny is coming to an end. The age of Destruction is on the horizon. Scream in rapturous joy, cry for all that was and will be lost. The Ninth Son is coming. Destruction comes with him.
They have died.
They have risen.
Do you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Will you embrace Hell?