BTB06
[Date | Nov-12-24]
[Barista | Vanilla]
[Subject | Business as Usual]
[File Reference | BTB06 | Paid]
Kintsugi… not a bad idea. Of course, we’re talking about a cocktail stiffer than any of us could mix on our own. Even Hazelnut—who’s surprisingly skilled at whipping up a Jersey Turnpike—probably shouldn’t just throw whatever he can at this problem.
Good news, though: our fairy ring outside the Cafe is coming along nicely. I’ve never grown mushrooms myself, but Peppermint says the mycelium has taken root, and we should start seeing fruit soon. Once the ring is fully grown, we should definitely pay Abbey a visit. If anyone could craft a Kintsugi-style cocktail, it’s her.
And before I close out this tab, I’ve got a few other thoughts… Caramel’s Kintsugi idea got me thinking, but it was what she said about the Department and the Coven that really stood out. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me sooner. While the Coven doing nothing about the boundary lines is… well, typical, I can’t say the same for the Department. So, I used my backdoor to snoop around their files. Here’s what I found:
DECODEX DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF PA
DIRECTOR N. STONE
13th of OCTOBER 2024
---
Memorandum for Internal Review Only UN-CEPH
Subject: Broken Boundary Lines
Synopsis: Anomalies have been observed and confirmed along critical boundary coordinates separating the [States] and [Canada]. These breaches appear to coincide temporally with a classified event herein referred to as the "BRONZE AGE." Due to the sensitive nature of this matter, all field agents and analysts are instructed to proceed with discretion and minimal documentation—CEPH excluded, naturally. Details of the event remain under cryptographic restriction; clearance levels OR-2 and above required.
Findings: Recent observations reveal fractures in containment matrices designed to uphold interstitial coherence between the [States] and [Canada]. Initial assessment suggests the breaches were not accidental but systemic, possibly tethered to phenomena of **significant** scale.
Remarks: Patterns are emerging but defy conclusive interpretation. The BRONZE AGE may represent a catalyst beyond our current scope of understanding. It is imperative we proceed cautiously, as premature intervention could exacerbate conditions. Additional analysis required to determine whether the BRONZE AGE was endogenous or an external incursion event.
End of Document
...Wow. That’s certainly one way to say a whole lot of nothing. But take a look at the date. That’s not when Hibiscus came back from the Archives—it’s a full week before. So, I don’t think what’s happening to the boundary lines has anything to do with her, or her sister. I think… it’s something else. Something “significant.”