Welcome to town, Avrah, I'm gonna bother you for the greater good of
Crypto Kai. I guess you didn't tell them everything. Then it's not a
bad idea. Okay, I think we're gonna need a change of plants.
Season five, Episode four, Stress and Strategy. All right, team,
we've got a whole lot to do and not a lot of time to do
it to try to save our town. So we're gonna have to work our
butts off to pull this together. Now, let's go over it from the
top. Where'd you get a rolling whiteboard and a pointer stick? Don't worry
about it. So the first step of getting rid of the shroud is voting
for it, which means we need enough signatures to call for an emergency vote.
Water's Edge law calls for fifteen percent of the registered voting populace, which
with the new residents who have registered, is about sixty signatures. That's not
bad. Yeah, we could get that in a day. Easy. Then
let's do it, because that's only step one. Once we have the signatures,
we can submit the movement to the mayor's office. We've got to do
this vote before the High Council leaves in two and a half weeks, so
we have to hope the mayor is willing to push this through quickly. We
got a feeling like, hey, will the mayor's been taking the brunts of
dealing with the quick cutoff from the human world. I'm sure he'd love to
get this shroud out of here as soon as possible. Let's hope you're right.
If he is on board, a voting day can be determined. Will
it be soon enough? Hopefully? We've got exactly seventeen days until the High
Council is scheduled to leave town. The rules of emergency votes state that an
approved emergency vote must happen no earlier than seven days and no later than forty
days after the vote is approved. Forty days is way too long. The
High Council will be off putting a shroud around bluff by then, which is
why we have to work fast to convince as many people in town that we
need this vote to happen immediately. The more people calling for it, the
less likely there will be any attempts to delay it. What happens after the
vous is scheduled, we spread the word. The majority of Water's Edge citizens
seem to want the shroud gone. From what I've been hearing. As long
as we get the word out and remind them how much better things were before,
I don't think we'll have a problem getting it through. And if we
don't think it'll pass, we rake the boxes. Marie, it was a
joke. This isn't the time. We won't have to rig boxes. It'll
pass. So is everyone on board? Sounds good to me? Absolutely?
Hell, yeah, of course great. Then let's get out there and get
those signatures. Roger, I believe you have the forms printed out. Sure,
do one for each of us. Oooh, clipboards. Okay, we
should split up to cover more ground. Quicker, one of you kids should
head down to Sorry. I wasn't expecting anyone else today. Come in.
Hey you're Roger right, the town pr guy. Roxy. Oh hey,
Lizzy, what you doing here? Did I interrupt planning for a sting operation
or something something like that. We're calling for an emergency vote to get the
High Council to take the shroud away. Well, shit, I hope you're
successful. I want that thing gone. I want to sign Sorry, can't
not actually a permanent resident yet, which is part of the reason I'd love
for it to be gone. You really got this whole planned out? Uh
huh this He's excellent at this kind of stuff. Oh stop. I'm just
trying to help the town, that's all. But did you need something Roxy?
Oh? Yeah, I came to ask Roger about some PR stuff for
the restaurant. I was thinking about some new menu designs, but Francy refuses
unless we can agree on a designer. So I was hoping you could point
me in the right direction. We can talk about that later, though.
Seems like you guys are headed out. Yeah, gotta get signatures. You
got any more clipboards you want to help? Sure? I can't vote,
but I'm guessing you three can't either or else. You look real young for
your ages. Yeah, not yet. I'd like to help. If I
can't, Awesome, let me find another clipboard. Hello Evi, Hi,
it's Avrah oh Avrah, Hello, how are you? I'm fine? Good
to hear. I was just calling because I'm working on an article right now
for the Weekly and some of the changes that have happened since the shroud went
up, Since so much has changed with schooling around here, I would love
to ask you a few questions, get some quick quotes, and you know,
the deal. I see, I don't think I'll be able to do
that. Oh well, if now isn't a good time, I could call
back another day. No, I would rather you didn't. Oh, it's
nothing to do with you. I just it's been less than two weeks since
I was catapulted into a much larger role in this town as a principle of
our only school, and I'd rather not be associated with the weekly right now,
if you understand, of course. Yeah, it's no problem, thank
you. Oh and Alfreh, I was meaning to ask you, would there
be any way you could move your mentoring meetings with Juliette to another location.
We can't meet in the classrooms anymore. Well, we just have so little
space, and we're trying to get some other extracurriculars going and some AfterClass study
sessions, you know, all those things they had at the mainland schools,
and we'll need some of our rooms back. Yeah, yeah, we can
meet it hot bean water or something excellent. Excellent, that will really help
open up some space, I think, thank you. Sure. Well,
I have to be going goodbye bye, and the list of people who don't
want to be seen with me grows. I don't even know why I'm trying
to write this stupid paper anymore. No one's reading it. The circulation numbers
have dipped even more since the shroud went up. Once that everyone realized,
Hey, then our girl the High Council mentioned is the same one writing the
paper no one wanted to read when I was writing the humanists might rub off
on them. It really doesn't matter, honestly. It sucks that people aren't
reading, and interviews have clearly been hard to get. But Roger's not going
to fire me yet. Maybe once circulation hit zero, But then I'll just
find some other job doing something like huh. I don't know if there's any
other job here for me if I'm not the editor. I mean, I've
never really thought about it before. I've never needed to. When I first
moved here, my backup plan was to just move again if things didn't work
out, get another job and new somewhere, even if it was lower down
the ladder. And then once I realized I didn't want to leave, I
always thought I'd write something else or do remote work if I didn't want to
stay at the Weekly, or maybe i'd leave because I finally published a book
and wanted to work on more. Took that job that Olivia was offering,
but those aren't options anymore. Maybe I should be more concerned about this,
but I don't have a solution. I mean, how do I recover from
the circulation issue when I'm the problem. Part of me is holding out hope
that people have to resubscribe eventually, or at least start buying them at shops
again so they up their orders. It's not like there's any other local news.
I don't know how long that'll take, though, if it happens at
all, I've contaminated the Weekly after all. Maybe that's enough for some people
to never buy it again. Avrah, I'm here to bother you for the
greater good of cryptid kind. Excellent timing. You can come in be the
change you want to see in the world. Fight the powers that be.
Sign this petition petition for what for? Calling a vote to take the Shroud
down. Lizzie had the amazing idea to force the High Council's hand with a
public vote. Everyone in town hates this thing, so if we can get
them to vote on it, the High Council will have to get rid of
it. This form is just so we can get enough signatures to actually have
the mayor call the vote. That's a great idea, right, so sign
i avre? Do not tell me you're not registered to vote? I am,
But are you sure you want me associated with the vote. I might
dissuade other people from putting their names down, you think so? Maybe?
Well that'd be dumb if people thought that. But we do need the signatures,
maybe you're right. Sorry. You know what I could do, though,
is cover it for the paper. That would be great. You still
have roomined this week's issue? Oh, I've got plenty, especially for someone
who's actually willing to talk to me. Awesome. That'll definitely help spread the
word. So tell me all about this vote. Your champagne, folks,
Oh so fancy, Thank you, sir, my pleasure. Only the nicest
boxed vintage for friends. You know they authentic. Thank you. One day
we'll get good wine from one of the other Cape towns, or else I'll
have to start banking it myself. But what can I get you for tonight?
I'll have the ravili I think we're actually out of that. Oh,
no problem. What about the chicken parm also out? Sorry? Oh okay,
what would you recommend the pasta aglio a olio is divine and in stock,
as is the prima Vera and the spaghetti and meatballs minus the meat balls.
Rationing is hitting you guys pretty hard, it seems. Oh, tell
me about it. I keep telling roxy. We need to change our hours,
maybe even clothes completely for a bit. If we only open for a
couple of days a week, we'd be doing fine. But no, if
we close now, we'll lose all the clientele based through the change. It's
like, is if we're going to lose any customers in the long run when
we're one of the like six restaurants that anyone can get to. Now,
you know what, you guys are on a date. So I'm going to
leave you alone now to enjoy your wine. Thank you. If you need
to vent, I'll be around tomorrow. Oh you know I will. He
is so stressed. Everyone is, including yourself, you can tell, even
fidgeting with your necklace. Since we got here. What's got you so anxious?
I don't know, being out in public since everyone's found out, it's
been hard. I mean, I really am so glad we're finally having a
night out. But you know, well, lucky for us, there's basically
no one here. I know anxiety doesn't work in very rational ways, though
never because now that I'm realizing there's not a lot of people here, I'm
worried that it's my fault. Francy isn't getting any business. How could that
be your fault? Well, because everybody knows Francy and I are friends,
and maybe they don't want to come here because of that. Or maybe it's
a Monday night and half the town just lost their jobs and Francy doesn't seem
to have much in the kitchen right now. I guess those are all fair
points. I'm sorry I'm always bringing the mood down. You are not.
If you need to talk about what's worrying you, we can, no,
No, we planned the state to get back to some sense of normal.
So let's talk about normal things like what I don't know, like work,
any crazy hospital stories lately, nothing out of the ordinary, just checkups,
lots of paperwork. Oh Mark has been restless lately and started to reorganizing the
patient file cabinets, lots of vacation or files to get rid of. Now
the shredder has been going non stop. Sounds satisfying. Oh yeah, Mark
is having a great time, almost too great. I hit all my important
stuff just in case. How about you? Not great at first? If
you decline my request for an interview this morning. Really, that doesn't sound
like her. It does sound like the new principle of the town's only school,
trying to distance herself from the human problem. Ah, so she's the
reason you're worried about your friend's reputations and yours. You're concerned about how I'm
feeling being out in public again, But what about you. Patients want to
trust their nurse. But what if they think they can't trust you because you
were keeping my secret all this time. No one's going to think that,
But what if they do, then I'll figure it out. I'm not going
to stop going out in public with you because of that. I'd understand if
you wanted to keep playing low, though, hang on at our places,
go out at less popular times. That's what Kendy's been doing. How do
you know what Kendy's been doing? Because she's been over my house a bunch.
She and Sybil have been spending a lot of time together. Why they're
friends? Really, Kendy couldn't find someone else to be friends with. You
seem upset. I'm not upset. I just think it's a little odd that
your mortal enemy has decided to become best friends with your sister. That's a
bit dramatic. She almost killed you. So many people have almost killed me
at this point, it's not really a barrier to friendship. Oh so you're
friends now. I don't know acquaintances. Sybil's still learning from her, and
I'm not going to stop her from pursuing her magic. Besides, it's just
for a couple of weeks, and then Kendy will be leaving with the High
Council. Sybil's not going to take that. Well, She'll be all right,
Are you sure? I know they have a close student mentor sort of
relationship, but it seems to me there might be something else going on there.
I don't think so. Kendy doesn't seem like the type to catch feelings.
What about Sibyl. I haven't talked to her about it? Why not?
Well, it didn't really occur to me that there was anything to talk
about until now. So it really doesn't bother you that your sister is close
with the woman who almost killed you. Maybe I don't know. Ever since
that fight we had when I found out she was taking lessons from Kendy,
things have felt off. I thought we had moved past it. I mean,
she managed to save my life because she got to know Kendy. But
maybe I'm not as over everything as I thought. That's okay, your emotions
aren't on a timeline, but I want to be done with all this baggage
and the weirdness. Sybils the only real family I've got left, and once
Bluff gets shrouded, she can go back whenever she wants. I don't want
to push her away because I'm still processing things. I think you should talk
to her. It doesn't have to be right away, but let her know
that, even though things aren't totally the same, you're working towards getting back
to what you guys had before. Easier so than done. I know.
I wish I could give better advice, but I'm no expert on communicating emotions
perfectly either. We've managed to figure it out after a lot of trial and
error, and I've turned it another perfectly good date night into her therapy session.
I'm sorry, I don't know what you're apologizing for. I'm having a
beautiful evening with my gorgeous girlfriend. And some lovely wine. Oh my god,
that's like juice. Why is it so sweet? If Francie doesn't start
making wine, I'll leave the paper and do it myself. I told you
that's not going to work. How do you know, because we'll lose money.
We're already losing money. There's no one here. It's a Monday night.
It's always slow, which is exactly why we should close on Monday nights.
We'll save money on operating costs and be able to actually serve our customers
more than like two things. We won't have any customers if we close the
restaurant, they're not going to go anywhere. You know, I know Water's
Edge and I know how to run a restaurant. What you would want to
do would run it into the ground. You have no idea what you're doing.
Oh god, come on, of course I don't. I'm a fucking
barista and you're the one who went to culinary school, which is why I
should be the one running the restaurant. Tell that to Dad I have.
But you're his golden, little cryptid kid. Of course he'd give you the
restaurant so you could destroy his entire legacy. Guys, guys, relax.
At least I was here. You never came around. All the time He's
talking about you and wishing you came to visit, and you're all too busy
doing whatever the fuck to care. I was busy getting the experience I needed
to make sure he could retire and not leave the family business in the hands
of an idiot. Well that didn't pan out, did it, Because you
still got it. Francy, Roxy, Please, there's no reason for you
to fight. You two, stay out of this. You know our whole
lives. Francy got to sit back and be the special one, the one
with the powers, the one who got all the attention. But I had
to work for it. You act like I had it easy because I was
mutated into a cryptid and forced to hide and fight for years. There you
go, whining about how hard your life is. Again, I'm not whining,
gord. I wish you would never come here. Guys, please,
you think that would solve all your problems if your dear old sister wasn't here
to fix everything for you like I always have. You haven't fixed shit.
You know what, You're right because here you are still a freak of nature
that wasted all his potential. Wait, I didn't mean. I know exactly
what you meant. Francy. Wait, I think you should stay here,
but I really didn't mean it. I just I'll go talk to him.
Francy. Francy, where did you there? You are? I don't want
to talk right now. We don't have to. Can I sit? Sorry?
I ruined your date. The wine was good. I'll have to try
it if Roxy ever lets me back into the kitchen. France. You don't
want the restaurant, do you? God? No, of course not.
For the last three months, I've been practically begging my dad to pick anyone
else to inherit it. It's so much work, and I have absolutely no
idea what I'm doing, and I'm terrified that I'm going to ruin it all
and destroy my dad's legacy. Just like Roxy said, then why don't you
give it to her? Because then I failed, Oprah, and Roxy will
be right. She will have just fixed another one of my problems, just
like she did all the time when we were younger. Well, I would
run away and hide. I ran from Caleb and from Roxy and from the
rest of my family. The only person and I haven't failed yet is my
dad. He's all I have left now that we're cut off from everyone,
and I'm ruining everything again. Your dad seems like a good guy, though
maybe he's got an idea of what your future should look like. But he
must also understand that children never end up the way their parents see them ending
up. I mean, look at me growing up. My parents put me
in all these advanced math and science programs and I did okay, but I
hated it. But I thought that's what they wanted for me. So I
kept doing it and started college working on a biology degree. Did Yeah,
it was the worst. I had no motivation, no drive. Every time
I went to class, I'd give myself a pep talk just to leave my
dorm. I had also been working for the school paper at the time,
though, and one day, when I was venting to Olivia, she asked
me do you ever have to force yourself to work on stuff for the paper?
And I realized I didn't, and that must count for something. So
I switched majors. What did your parents say? I didn't tell them.
Not For the first year, at least, I was terrified of letting them
down. But then I was a junior and I realized I'd have to start
looking for internships soon, and that would be harder to hide, so I
told him, and they were surprised I had kept it secret, and surprised
that I had changed my major at all. Since I was always talking about
how great biology classes were. I thought they would be so disappointed. The
Stem daughter they always bragged about was actually a writer, but they said they
always wanted me to do what I loved no matter what. Yeah, that's
what they'll say, and then they'll force you to take over their business or
sign you up for advanced classes. That's kind of what I said to them.
Actually they were so confused. Turns out, when I was five or
six, they brought me to some children's museum where they had all these rooms
themed after different careers. I guess I went through most of them not caring
much, but when I got to the science room, I couldn't get enough.
They said I spent the whole trip pouring things into beakerries and using testing
strips and examining things with the play microscope. So the whole time they thought
they were encouraging my passion, when in reality, I don't even remember going
to that museum. Huh. Well, that's a nice story off, and
I'm glad it worked out for you. But you don't know my dad.
That's fair, But there is someone you can talk to who knows them pretty
well. Absolutely not. I am not about to go cry to Roxy and
show her all my weaknesses. You make it sound like she's your enemy.
She is, and if I let her, she'll take the first chance she
gets to stab me in the back. I don't know about that. Oh,
you don't know her, not the real herror. You've only seen the
careful facade who puts up for everyone else. Well, I just saw you
two screaming at each other in a restaurant, so I don't know how careful
that is. Okay, fine, you've seen a little of it, but
it's different when you're on the receiving end. All right, France, I
know you, and I know you're not going to do anything you don't want
to. So what do you want to do right now? I'll tell you.
What I don't want is to go back into that restaurant. I figured
as much. You can't sit out here forever. I know I'll go home
soon, but right now I just think I need to hug. I'm that
I can do. Thanks for listening to Season five of Cryptic Kate, Stress
and Strategy. This show is created and produced by me Victoria Pereira. I
also voice Avra. The voice of Lizzie is Christina rose Harkis. The voice
actor of Roger is Christopher Medina. The voice of Juliette and Amy A.
Sabato. The voice of Ben is Kim Morphine. The voice of Mari is
oud and Fisture. The voice of Roxy is Amanda Marnheim. The voice of
Evie is Rebecca Writer. The voice of Francie is Aubrey King. The voice
of Shaia is Angelique Vasiktien. Our story editor is Jennifer Wong. Our cover
artist is kit to Pray. Our folly artist is Isaac Rodriguez. Our transcriptionist
is Rebecca Writer. Our website designer is Kyle Boyer. Our theme song is
Pink Night in Ohio by Ryan Anderson. The other songs featured in this episode
We're Inkling by Slin Beats, Nidra in the Sky with Eiler by Jesse Gallagher,
Arms of Heaven by A. Kash Gandhi, Simple Sonata by Sir Cubward,
Clouds by Hummahumma and Eddie by lish groups. Be sure to subscribe to
Cryptic Cape so you don't miss our next episode, we publish every two weeks.
Also, be sure to follow us on social media at Crypto Cape on
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leave a review If you enjoyed it, it means the world See you next time.