Chapter Two

I don't believe I introduced The Zodiac Bistro to  you properly.  Allow me to correct that error.

The Zodiac Bistro is a bar and grill.  It is specifically for people who are of the magical persuasion, those who are witches and magicians, shapeshifters and magical folks.  It is a casual place to eat, drink, and be friendly. 

You will find the Zodiac Bistro in New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Madrid, San Francisco, Sidney… I think you get the idea.  The Zodiac Bistro is not a chain, it is a singular bar in many places.  You could find one in any major city, if you are the right kind of person looking in the right kind of place.

It also knows no time slip, so when someone comes in today, they can be back in a few years, but it might just be tomorrow.

And while the owner is Missy in New York, she is Fifi in Paris, Beatrice in London, Esmeralda in Spain, etc.  Locals always have a nickname for the owner and hostess.  And she will appear as the locals expect her to look.  It's just the way of things.  However, Pete is always Pete, or Pedro, or Petr, or Pietari. And he is always slightly balding, with a beard, mustache and a towel over his shoulder, just as you expect an aging bartender to look.  Yea, you understand. 

And there is Cook.   He is very talented, international cuisine,  but no one sees much of him.  He is usually too busy in the kitchen. It makes you wonder how many cooks there are, as there is never a wait for food. The kitchen is rather small, so they can't fit that many cooks in there.  I suspect there is only one.  Maybe he knew you were coming.

The Zodiac Bistro will look pretty much as you would expect anywhere you go.  Same wooden walls, same tile floor, same worn bar.   Some will have Wi-Fi for the tech-witches.  And a TV or two, for those who keep up with those things. Or just music for others.  The lighting and tables and chairs will reflect the ambiance of the bar. Gaslight for those who prefer a more aged or vintage look. Candles in others.  Maybe electric lights over the tables, as there are in the New York version.  Wood tables and seats are always wood, simply because metal does not exactly attract many magical individuals.  The version in Germany is very industrial looking, but still the same worn bar, wood tables and chairs, and tiled floor.

What you expect is what you get at the Zodiac Bistro.  Which seems to suggest that the Zodiac Bistro is on several different planes of existence. And to be completely honest, I don’t believe anyone really knows how it works.  It just does.  That's the fun of it. 

There are no real rules in the Bistro.  However, no one starts any trouble.  It is assumed that if you tried anything in the Bistro,  Pete and Missy would make sure it never got going, and you will never do it again.  You probably would not be able to.  When a place is this magical, you know the people in charge have some awesome mojo you just don't want to mess with.

Occasionally a non-magical person will wander into the Bistro. Sometimes it happens for a reason.  Sometimes the individual is magical and just doesn't know it.  Or they have a Clair that allows them to see and enter, but they lack in magical skills.  Or they were drawn to the Bistro because something awaits them there that they either need, or deserve.  It is not always a bad thing for a non-magical human to wander into a magical space.  But then again, it is all a matter of attitude. Seriously.

BarCat is a fixture in all of the Bistros.  He wasn't, at first.   But it seems that Bastet had other ideas for BarCat.  BarCat is immortal in many respects, but with nine lives to start, that can seem like an eternity to most folks.  How long is a cat's life?  One wanders off, and another comes back.  Is it the same cat? Or does it just look like the same cat? That is the mystery!

The Zodiac Bistro is a very magical space.  It sits on an edge of some mysterious or theoretical event that we have yet to understand or be able to accurately describe.  But that's the fun of the place.  Where is it now?  What does it hold?  Who will be visiting this evening?  And what are we going to encounter?

In this reality, Missy is the owner and your hostess.  Pete is your bartender.  And if there is a cat sitting on the edge of the bar, best you buy him a drink.  You never know what a drunk cat may do.