Part 22: Birth of the Maid Cafe

Update 22: Birth of the Maid Cafe





: It's about that cafe not far from here...

*Conversation: Vin*
: How to make the cafe popular, eh?
: Offer free refills! That'd do it for me.
: Sounds good--thanks. (I'll write that down.)

*Conversation: Ben*
: Something to make people go to that cafe...hmm...
: A pretty waitress would probably attract a good-sized crowd.
: Sounds good--thanks. (I'll write that down.)




The general idea for this part is to gather ideas for the Idea Memo, and the description updates every time you do. If you don't get enough, you simply waste your time (and Time) and Derek still dies. Now that you've gotten their opinions, you can walk off. However, if you talk to Ben here, you can get...

*Conversation: Ben, reprise*
: In fact, it'd be especially nice if the waitress wore a maid's uniform.
: Er, um...okay. Thanks. (I...guess I'll write that down.)

It's really easy to miss this, as if you go anywhere else - even inside the classroom - Ben's gone by the time you get back. You can bug both of them again to get more tidbits, which I only noticed when I was going back over this section for Idea Memo images. All of these do nothing (probably).

*Conversation: Ben, reprise*
: I'd love to have a plate of crepes at a cafe that knows how to make 'em right.
: Sounds good--thanks. (I'll write that down.)

*Conversation: Vin, reprise*
: Imagine if we could drink as much as we wanted! I'd be down there in a heartbeat!
: Sounds good--thanks. (I'll write that down.)

*Conversation: Vin, reprise*
: A cafe's gotta have good ambience, too. But that's about the last idea I can come up with.
: Thanks. That's really helpful. (I'll write that down.)



: Uh, no...not really...
: (Actually, let me ask him about the cafe.)
: Mr. Twombly, what's the best way for a cafe to succeed?
: What's that? A cafe?
: That's right. A friend of mine owns a cafe that's not doing too well, you see...
: ...What is it with you Kairos boys and cafes? Your late uncle had a cafe for a while, didn't he?
: Y-yes, he did.
: (And that's the one I want to ask about...although I think it would take too long to explain.)
: Let's see...the ingredients for a successful cafe...
: I'd love to hear any ideas you might have.
: ...Hmmmm...
: ......
: Nnnnnrgh!
: Er, Mr. Twombly...?
: I'm afraid I can't help you with that!
: Oh, er...that's all right. Sorry to spring such a weird question on you like that. (I...don't think I'll bother writing that one down.)
: But feel free to come to me for advice on any other subject, eh?
: Yes, sir. Thank you very much.
: Later!

A stop by the library finds us Ben again.



: What's up with you? What are you doing here at the library?
: ......
: All right, fine. I'll tell you. This is just between us, okay?
: Sure.
: You see that girl working at the desk there?
: Sara? What about her?
: Hey! How do you know her name? Listen, pal, I saw her first!
: But, Ben...her name is right there on her desk.
: What!? Oh...well, that's all right, then.
: So she's the reason you borrow all those books, eh? (All really difficult ones, too.)
: Hey, they just happen to have a lot of good books here!
: (...Bingo.)
: Don't even think about homing in on this, Kairos! I've got a good thing going here!
: Ha ha ha--I wouldn't dream of it!
: You'd better not! All right, I'm heading home. Later.
: (...Wow...good for him. He did say he liked pretty girls, and Sara sure is qualified.)
: (Maybe I'd better emphasize that point in those cafe ideas of mine.)




This pops up every time it's a required one.

{Soundtrack: Silence}



: Oh, Ashley...
: Vin's not back yet. Probably hanging out somewhere or other.
: Gotcha.



: (I see Ashley hasn't changed.)
: Vin's become a world-class slacker. Tell him to cut it out! Tell him he'll get fat if he just sits around all day, every day!
: Um, sure...



You may recall this came up a few times already, mainly in his profile description.

: Yeah...he quit the team, didn't he?
: It's because of that injury from when he was a kid.
: Huh...?
: Don't you remember? He fell off a ladder when a rung collapsed.
: He was trying so hard not to cry. It must have hurt like crazy!
: What ladder was this?
: Heck if I know. Didn't you guys build a secret hideout once upon a time? Must have been that ladder, then.
: ......
: (The ladder to our hideout...)



You'd think they'd have fixed it if they knew about it. It's not like it's hard to fix that.

: He fell and hurt his hip. And that was the end of basketball for him.
: Really...
: But listen, this is just between us, okay? Who knows what he'd do to me if he found out I told you his weakness?
: Sure thing. I won't tell a soul.
: I'll hold you to that. See ya!

She heads back inside.

{Soundtrack: Silence}

: (...The ladder to our secret hideout. Maybe I can shore it up with some string.)

We can't actually do anything about this yet thanks to the location being unavailable (Aeon being closed and all), but I think this is the only chance to find this out. I'm just going to assume you aren't assholes and are fine with me fixing this later. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.





: ...Hmm...aren't there any nice cafes around here? A neighborhood place--preferably one that's hiring...
: (Looking for work, I see...)



: Hi! You working?
: More or less.
: (I should ask Morris if he has any ideas for helping Chronos.)
: Say, Morris, can I ask you something...?

Quick fade out and back in.

: How to improve business at a cafe, eh...?
: This friend of mine owns a cafe that's not doing too well, so...
: I don't know what kind of place it is, but what really matters is the atmosphere.
: Atmosphere, huh?
: Around here, the only place you can really sit and read a while is the library.
: I'd like someplace where we can have more casual study sessions.
: I see... Someplace good for casual studying...
: (I'll write that down. Morris sure likes to study...)
: All set?
: Yep--thanks a lot. Sorry to bug you while you're working.
: No problem. See you later.



The last one is really easy to mess up on if you're used to checking flashbacks immediately. Mainly because it's inside Chronos, and that's also the location where the Hole is to be opened. So if you don't expect it, you open the Hole, toss your memo in, and fail because you didn't check there.



I probably should have actually cleaned his portrait shots before, but Chronos is a pain to clean.

: Um...I couldn't help but notice that you come here a lot.
: What about it? Shouldn't I?
: No, no--I just have a little survey here, polling customer opinion.
: (Pretty nice excuse, if I do say so myself...)
: For example, what could a different owner do to help this cafe thrive?
: What?! There's going to be a different owner?
: Is something wrong?
: Er, no...nothing at all.
: All right, then. Enjoy yourself.
: Phew...
: I'm sorry--that was just an example, a what-if.
: Sheesh--don't scare me like that. She's the only reason I come here!
: ............
: ......Huh?
: I happen to love cafes with female staff members!
: You mean...?
: Well, you can't very well relax in a place that's nothing but middle-aged men, can you?
: Aha, I see...interesting... (I...guess I'll write that down.)




: ...Sounds great. Thanks, Aaron.
: Say, how'd you know my name?
: Oh, er...the owner told me.

And our Idea Memo is complete. Allow me to sum it up.

• Pretty waitresses
  
• Female staff members
  
• Maid uniforms
  
• Crepes
  
• Free refills
  
• Casual study area
  
• Ambience
  

I...feel one idea's a little prevalent in our list here, especially if you limit it to the mandatory ones. But let's get our flashback and deliver this memo to past-Derek.


: (The Pen's glowing...!)



===









: (Uncle Derek's looking at a hand-written flyer. What's this...? "Chronos is a hotbed of corruption! Keep it out of our town!" ...There are a bunch of flyers, all saying the same thing.)
: (I'm willing to bet Irving is behind this, too. C'mon, Uncle Derek--don't let this stand in your way!)
: Please...let this memo do the trick...!



You can see where the memo will appear once we close the Hole. So we do.

===



===

{Soundtrack: Silence}



Ethan: Is this...?



There's the sound of steps, and...



Congratulations, you get your maid cafe. I choose to believe the people of Kako decided "maid uniforms can't possibly be bad".

: (Olivia...?)

Forgive my inadequate stitching skill - and apparently the artist's as well, as you can see the colour shift where the two images were stitched together.



Derek: Wakey wakey! Shop's been closed for hours.
Sox: Mrowwr.
Ethan: Hey, Sox. Long time no see. (So Sox is working at Uncle Derek's cafe, too...)
Sox: Mrowr.
Derek: Here, drink this. You'll feel better.
Ethan: Thanks a lot. Sorry to do this to you when you're so busy.
Derek: Don't mention it. I'm done working for the day, anyway. You must have been exhausted. You slept for ages! Go on home, Livi.
Olivia: Okay!
Ethan: ...The place is doing great.
Derek: Good enough to keep you fed, I'd say.
Ethan: Ha ha ha...yeah, I guess so.
Derek: I remember he always used to tell me, "Any cafe you run is doomed to fail. You're going to wind up eking out a pitiful existence, up to your eyeballs in debt." You know who said that?
Ethan: No...who?
Derek: Your father--every time I saw him.
Ethan: Wow. He really said that? (He must have seen what was coming... Now that I think about it...)



: (...That might have had something to do with Chronos, too.)
: Then one day he left this idea memo in the cafe for me.
: Huh?



Ethan: What did it say?
Derek: Ah, nothing important.
Ethan: ......
Derek: But the emotions behind it came through loud and clear. ...This memo is a real treasure. I wouldn't be here without it.
Ethan: ... (Thank goodness...)
Derek: When your parents come back, I'll give 'em a taste of the house special.
Ethan: Uncle Derek...
Derek: ...So anyway... How do you like the coffee?



Ethan: Hope I can drink it with Mom and Dad soon...

{Soundtrack: Silence}



: ...! (Has...has my room changed again?)

*Examine: Bed*
: What's this on my bed...?







Ethan: "It totally slipped my mind, but Vin and Ashley reminded me. It's not much, but I hope you like it. Happy 17th! -- Uncle Derek"
Ethan: So this is Uncle Derek's doing. Sheesh... (You know, he's not half bad.)




: (I'm positive I know who changed his past, too... ...Irving...)

Ethan's phone goes off, and this time it's faintly recognizable as the chorus from the game opening.

Ethan: Hello?
???: Ethan Kairos?





Ethan: ...Who is this? (It couldn't be...Irving?)



Ethan: Irving... Why would you do such a thing to Uncle Derek...!?
Irving: Never mind that. Come to the scene of the bus accident tomorrow morning at 6.
Ethan: Wait a second! Why should I listen to you?

Indeed, a pretty good question, though I'm sure we know the answer already.

Irving: Because you never know what...unpleasant changes could happen in your life if you don't.
Ethan: !!!

And with that, Irving hangs up.

: Hey!
: (What does he want with me...?)
: (Fine. I have plenty to ask him myself. 6 o'clock tomorrow morning at the scene of the bus accident. Be there or be square...!)


Ethan: (I left the house early, without telling Uncle Derek where I was going.)