A Bizarre New World, Chapter One: Cat’s In The Cradle

[Yun Lao]

As the others plan their huddle, a ripple in the air appears beside Hironobu, decloaking to reveal another, "No trace of Blondie's whereabouts on the property," Shizuka Joestar says, reporting her findings.

"Not surprising," Hironobu replies, "The element of surprise lost, only a mad man would risk a confrontation in these conditions. What of Domo?"

Shizuka shook her head, "Nothing. Surveillance cameras can't even determine how he escaped."

Rubbing his chin, he gave some thought before concluding with, "As troubling as it is to have such a wild card on the loose, we must focus on more pressing matters. I expect the road to Salem will be quite treacherous in light of Blondie's failure."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"A group debrief sounds like a good idea to me. I'm too wound up to sleep right now anyway."

Wait, we should inspect each and every one of these plants in this garden. I just have a hunch that Blondie person might have plated deadly poisonous plants in this garden," Boris said.

[KingofPie]

Wait, we should inspect each and every one of these plants in this garden. I just have a hunch that Blondie person might have plated deadly poisonous plants in this garden," Boris said.

"Checking any of these plants is the last that my we need to worry about" Miguel frowned. "We'd be up all night, too tired handle to another attack...again."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"Checking any of these plants is the last that my we need to worry about" Miguel frowned. "We'd be up all night, too tired handle to another attack...again."

Well, it's just a hunch base on my assassin knowledge. Something like a dart or arrow coated in deadly nightshade makes for an effective tool for assassinations," Boris said.

[Yun Lao]

"Checking any of these plants is the last that my we need to worry about" Miguel frowned. "We'd be up all night, too tired handle to another attack...again."

Well, it's just a hunch base on my assassin knowledge. Something like a dart or arrow coated in deadly nightshade makes for an effective tool for assassinations," Boris said.

"Miguel is right," Hironobu replied, "Blondie is not an assassin, merely a spy. We've been keeping an eye on her since Driftwood, so any attempts to sabotage the estate have been dealt with. Fortunately, you all... well... some of you have proven not to be so gullible."

[Tami]

"Miguel is right," Hironobu replied, "Blondie is not an assassin, merely a spy. We've been keeping an eye on her since Driftwood, so any attempts to sabotage the estate have been dealt with. Fortunately, you all... well... some of you have proven not to be so gullible."

"It's easy to be gullible when kept in the dark." Jinny was not going easy on Hironobu, "You want our help? I expect you to share with us more than you are. Starting with Debra, or Blondie. How long have you known and what was her relationship with Johannes? If you knew about her, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"Miguel is right," Hironobu replied, "Blondie is not an assassin, merely a spy. We've been keeping an eye on her since Driftwood, so any attempts to sabotage the estate have been dealt with. Fortunately, you all... well... some of you have proven not to be so gullible."

Right, well, I'm just going to hit the hay. Oh, does the Speed Wagon Foundation have any deadly nightshade? I'm thinking of a poison axe could of use to me," Boris said.

[Yun Lao]

"It's easy to be gullible when kept in the dark." Jinny was not going easy on Hironobu, "You want our help? I expect you to share with us more than you are. Starting with Debra, or Blondie. How long have you known and what was her relationship with Johannes? If you knew about her, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"As I've stated before: the Speedwagon Foundation does not need your help. Your involvement, which was voluntary, mind you, was because your father requested it. As for why I did not reveal this, there are two reasons. The first being I wanted to draw out what information I could from her, and secondly, I wanted to see with my own eyes whether or not you would be able to handle what is to come. If all of you acted as Boris had, I would have made some... alterations to the plan. As for her relationship with your father, Blondie is still your stepmother, but we were all aware that Debra was not who she claimed to be, even Mr. Joestar."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

" Hey, John, what do you think about using poisonous bombs?" Boris said. Boris looks at Shizuka." Okay, you said this place's surveillance cameras couldn't determine how Domo escape," Boris said.

" That tells me Domo took into account for the laying out of the surveillance cameras and had planned his escape accordingly," Boris said.

[Yun Lao]

" Hey, John, what do you think about using poisonous bombs?" Boris said. Boris looks at Shizuka." Okay, you said this place's surveillance cameras couldn't determine how Domo escape," Boris said.

" That tells me Domo took into account for the laying out of the surveillance cameras and had planned his escape accordingly," Boris said.

Shizuka looked to Hironobu for a moment, wanting to say something, but decided against it.

Instead, she simply vanished, and soon she...

wait, who?

The memory of someone being next to Hironobu remained, but just who was ended up being... hazy.

[Tami]

" Hey, John, what do you think about using poisonous bombs?" Boris said. Boris looks at Shizuka." Okay, you said this place's surveillance cameras couldn't determine how Domo escape," Boris said.

" That tells me Domo took into account for the laying out of the surveillance cameras and had planned his escape accordingly," Boris said.

A torn feeling, an inner debate, finally Jinny's opinionated tendency won out, "Boris?...." then she had a thought, a change of mind, "If you were able to sneak into a high security facility like this one, from the outside, how long could you stay hidden before being discovered?"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

A torn feeling, an inner debate, finally Jinny's opinionated tendency won out, "Boris?...." then she had a thought, a change of mind, "If you were able to sneak into a high security facility like this one, from the outside, how long could you stay hidden before being discovered?"

"Me? Well, I was an amateur assassin. So, if I snuck into a place like this. I could stay hidden just long enough to kill my intended target and probably plan my escape route," Boris said.

[Tami]

"Me? Well, I was an amateur assassin. So, if I snuck into a place like this. I could stay hidden just long enough to kill my intended target and probably plan my escape route," Boris said.

The use of the word 'amateur', she was not all that surprised by. Still, she chose to ask a followup question, "Do you suppose that a more experienced person could break in here, and stay undetected for a much longer period of time?"

[KingofPie]

Miguel left the garden to go back to his room, thinking rest would be best to nurse the several headaches he'd suddenly contracted all at once. Although he wasn't intending to go to sleep right away. Tonight a few of them had been sloppy and that was a few too many. Threats were around every corner, that was an undeniable fact. These strange events, piling up one after another...flying buses, stands, spies, penguins...it was clear the world from now on wasn't going to get any less strange.

It might behoove him to take about ten minutes or so to learn more about how his stand worked. After all, Sandra's proved pretty useful back in the garden. Ostensibly most of them had something to bring to the table when it came to their continued survival. All they had to do was step their game up.

[Yun Lao]

Despite the darkness of night, it was still Texas in August and the humidity hung loosely in the air. Beads of sweat were exerted just from the simple act of breathing, nonetheless uncovering deceptive plots.

"Me? Well, I was an amateur assassin. So, if I snuck into a place like this. I could stay hidden just long enough to kill my intended target and probably plan my escape route," Boris said.

The use of the word 'amateur', she was not all that surprised by. Still, she chose to ask a followup question, "Do you suppose that a more experienced person could break in here, and stay undetected for a much longer period of time?"

Miguel left the garden to go back to his room, thinking rest would be best to nurse the several headaches he'd suddenly contracted all at once. Although he wasn't intending to go to sleep right away. Tonight a few of them had been sloppy and that was a few too many. Threats were around every corner, that was an undeniable fact. These strange events, piling up one after another...flying buses, stands, spies, penguins...it was clear the world from now on wasn't going to get any less strange.

It might behoove him to take about ten minutes or so to learn more about how his stand worked. After all, Sandra's proved pretty useful back in the garden. Ostensibly most of them had something to bring to the table when it came to their continued survival. All they had to do was step their game up.

Noting Miguel's departure from the group, Hironobu replied, "You all should follow his example. Instead of discussing hypothetical situations doomed for failure, you should probably prepare for your trip tomorrow. You have..." Producing that pocket watch once more, "Roughly six hours and thirty-three... no, two, minutes, after all." With that said, the teenager made his own departure, heading back towards the estate.