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

[The Dog]

Having only been a few steps away, Jinny saw and overheard some of this.

Finding her own voice, "Excuse me," she tried to stand straighter, "My name is Jinny Wen, and I had seen you downstairs. I followed you up here out of concern, though I hadn't known that any of this might happen. I was hoping that you could shed some light on why you and your family were being targeted."

"Aw piss..." The man muttered.

"That's a bad word, Daddy!" Came the cheerful voice of the man's son, who had seemingly materialized next to the rottweiler to furiously pet the hound, "Yeah yeah, I know, Buddy. Bring Clutch in and show your mom he's okay."

Dog and boy heading back into the room, the man deeply sighed, "So you're the one who brought that demon up here," He began, rubbing his forehead, "Thought I had managed to hide well enough, but if a random stranger managed to pick me out of a crowd, then I guess I hadn't planned well enough."

"Yeah, because I used to work for them," He said, his tone resigned and defeated, "Left when my son contracted Night Fever and the O.S.S. set their sights on him. That thing is the closest thing they have for a "recruiter", I guess. Been stalking us since we left the desert and my wife getting caught up in that tour bus chase kept us here long enough for her to find us."

Jamie frowned as he mentioned O.S.S., remembering how her parents had been major supporters of them when she had last seen them. She hadn't seen or heard from them since they disowned her, but Jamie doubted that they had stopped their support of that strange militant group. She wondered if they knew that the O.S.S. had fanged girls with invisible electricity-wielding beings on their side.

"I'm sorry to hear that. And I feel a bit guilty, because I was a participant in that tour bus chase, though an unwilling one." Jamie said to him.

[Yun Lao]

From where she stood just inside the doorframe, Suzie's attention dart from the family gathering to the heaving Rottweiler that had miraculously picked himself up.

"...Clutch! But you-" she started, then stopped speaking immediately as the dog returned to the side of his young master.

A lengthy exhale deflated her as she leaned back against the hospital room wall, quite deflated, but with some measurable relief.

"...well, he's a right good boy, isn't he," she stammered.

It was nothing short of a grisly miracle. Thankfully, the worst of it must have happened outside...

Quietly she listened in on the story the father of the boy relaid to them. Again, a case of the Night Fever; and again, the attractant of malevolent ghosts, spirits, and the like. A 'recruiter'...just how long have things like this been going on...?

Periodically, she lift her fatigue-shadowed eyes to the door, intent on keeping watch. Even though the sun was bright from the window, the dark hall echoing with its clattering alarm was still foremost in her mind.

It was in this moment that a peculiar term struck out at her. It was bad enough being in the dark about one thing, so she supposed it couldn't hurt to ask.

"...beg pardon, the OSS?"

"Clutch is... special." The man replied, seeing the confusion on Suzie's face, "Third time he's come back like that; thought I had imagined the first one."

As for the topic of the O.S.S., he gave another sigh, "The Old Stars and Stripes. To put in plainly, a group filled with psychos and nutcases trying to bring back the United States."

[grampagen]

"Clutch is... special." The man replied, seeing the confusion on Suzie's face, "Third time he's come back like that; thought I had imagined the first one."

As for the topic of the O.S.S., he gave another sigh, "The Old Stars and Stripes. To put in plainly, a group filled with psychos and nutcases trying to bring back the United States."

"Special? Ah, well, he really is, wouldn't you say? And remarkably bright to boot," Suzie responded with a nervous nod, "He came running out to find my friends and myself, led us straight up the lift to you lot. Even pawed in the correct floor and all."

It was astonishing. Whatever blood 「Coal Chamber」had shed the dog sloughed off. Suzie blinked hard, narrowing her eyes for a moment as she thought she saw a trace of something green and glowing near Clutch's belly, but said nothing to that.

"...the third time? I know Rotties got real fight in them, but Clutch is a cut above," she mused aloud, "If you don't mind my asking like, where'd you find him?"

Jamie frowned as he mentioned O.S.S., remembering how her parents had been major supporters of them when she had last seen them. She hadn't seen or heard from them since they disowned her, but Jamie doubted that they had stopped their support of that strange militant group. She wondered if they knew that the O.S.S. had fanged girls with invisible electricity-wielding beings on their side.

"I'm sorry to hear that. And I feel a bit guilty, because I was a participant in that tour bus chase, though an unwilling one." Jamie said to him.

"Suppose it is a right coincidence, innit? All these strange phenoms converging in at once." She idly tousling black-nailed fingers over an end of her hair as she spoke. "Whole lot of sights...strange and unusual..."

...I'd forgotten the rift between the Yanks entirely, oh bother...it's a great deal more than stones and static in the aftermath.

Turning her attention to the man in the room, Suzie tilt her head and continued.

"...you didn't chance to...to see," she cringed, "the bus as it moved into town, did you?"

[Tami]

"Aw piss..." The man muttered.

"That's a bad word, Daddy!" Came the cheerful voice of the man's son, who had seemingly materialized next to the rottweiler to furiously pet the hound, "Yeah yeah, I know, Buddy. Bring Clutch in and show your mom he's okay."

Dog and boy heading back into the room, the man deeply sighed, "So you're the one who brought that demon up here," He began, rubbing his forehead, "Thought I had managed to hide well enough, but if a random stranger managed to pick me out of a crowd, then I guess I hadn't planned well enough."



"Yeah, because I used to work for them," He said, his tone resigned and defeated, "Left when my son contracted Night Fever and the O.S.S. set their sights on him. That thing is the closest thing they have for a "recruiter", I guess. Been stalking us since we left the desert and my wife getting caught up in that tour bus chase kept us here long enough for her to find us."

"Demon?", Jinny sighed, "I am truly sorry if I was the cause of your problem, no matter how unintentional."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"Demon?", Jinny sighed, "I am truly sorry if I was the cause of your problem, no matter how unintentional."

"What's this about a demon now?" Boris said

[Yun Lao]

"Threats aside, what's the plan now?" Miguel. "Just chill and wait for everybody to get here?"

Aside from those heading to the hospital maybe, the others probably wouldn't take that long. Whatever this guy's deal is, hopefully their next mode of transportation would be less...hazardous.

"Threats? I don't recall threatening anyone. Miss Vivian proposed turning me into a spider, I just simply stated that she would die before she could finish doing so. Nothing threatening about that."

Taking another sip of his drink, the teenager paused for a moment before answering Miguel's question, "Yes, chilling and waiting is the best course of action for now. Mr. Joestar proposed that the rest will only be late by half an hour, so I see no reason to rush."

[Yun Lao]

"Special? Ah, well, he really is, wouldn't you say? And remarkably bright to boot," Suzie responded with a nervous nod, "He came running out to find my friends and myself, led us straight up the lift to you lot. Even pawed in the correct floor and all."

It was astonishing. Whatever blood 「Coal Chamber」had shed the dog sloughed off. Suzie blinked hard, narrowing her eyes for a moment as she thought she saw a trace of something green and glowing near Clutch's belly, but said nothing to that.

"...the third time? I know Rotties got real fight in them, but Clutch is a cut above," she mused aloud, "If you don't mind my asking like, where'd you find him?"

"Raised him since he was a pup. He was the same as me; an experiment."

Jamie frowned as he mentioned O.S.S., remembering how her parents had been major supporters of them when she had last seen them. She hadn't seen or heard from them since they disowned her, but Jamie doubted that they had stopped their support of that strange militant group. She wondered if they knew that the O.S.S. had fanged girls with invisible electricity-wielding beings on their side.

"I'm sorry to hear that. And I feel a bit guilty, because I was a participant in that tour bus chase, though an unwilling one." Jamie said to him.

"Suppose it is a right coincidence, innit? All these strange phenoms converging in at once." She idly tousling black-nailed fingers over an end of her hair as she spoke. "Whole lot of sights...strange and unusual..."

...I'd forgotten the rift between the Yanks entirely, oh bother...it's a great deal more than stones and static in the aftermath.

Turning her attention to the man in the room, Suzie tilt her head and continued.

"...you didn't chance to...to see," she cringed, "the bus as it moved into town, did you?"

"Your bus smashed my pickup, killed my dog, and nearly killed my wife... so yeah, I saw it in town," The man once again rubbed his brow beneath the bill of his baseball cap, "Guess you all must be the Joestars."

"Demon?", Jinny sighed, "I am truly sorry if I was the cause of your problem, no matter how unintentional."

"You're going to learn that curiosity ain't a good thing anymore now that you've made "friends" with her."

[Tami]

"Raised him since he was a pup. He was the same as me; an experiment."





"Your bus smashed my pickup, killed my dog, and nearly killed my wife... so yeah, I saw it in town," The man once again rubbed his brow beneath the bill of his baseball cap, "Guess you all must be the Joestars."



"You're going to learn that curiosity ain't a good thing anymore now that you've made "friends" with her."

"I'm no cat, curiosity wasn't killed me yet." Jinny voice was a little shaky, yet clear, "Since you brought it up, can you explain what you mean by making friends with her? And what do you mean by being an experiment? I know we are imposing, and that you probably want to be with your family instead of dealing with us, it's just that most of us are in the dark about what is going on. If you can shed any light, any light at all, we would be very grateful. I suspect that this won't be the last time we will be encountering things that are seeking to kill us, it would be helpful to know whatever we can from you, from anyone, so that we aren't walking blind into trouble."

[Yun Lao]

"I'm no cat, curiosity wasn't killed me yet." Jinny voice was a little shaky, yet clear, "Since you brought it up, can you explain what you mean by making friends with her? And what you mean by being an experiment? I know we are imposing, and that you probably want to be with your family instead of dealing with us, it's just that most of us are in the dark about what is going on. If you can shed any light, any light at all, we woudl be very grateful. I suspect that this won't be the last time we will be encountering things that are seeking to kill us, it would be helpful to know whatever we can from you, from anyone, so that we aren't walking blind into trouble."

He pointed to Lucy, "Considering how intimately that demon latched onto her, you should be asking her those questions, not me. I will say this; that thing that calls itself 「Gunnery Sergeant Ringo Starr」 does not usually retreat unless she's planning something worse, so get used to looking over your shoulders at night."

Turning the knob of his door, he took one last look at them, "I've said plenty more than I wanted to, but I think it's time we start planning to leave," That said, he stepped back inside room 214.

[grampagen]

"Raised him since he was a pup. He was the same as me; an experiment."

Leaning forward at the waist, Suzie glanced over at Clutch as the dog mingled with the man's boy. Moments ago he was fighting the death, but now he was like putty in his son's hands.

"You certainly wouldn't know it by looking at him," she said, "though I suppose that'd be the point, wouldn't it? Considering that little monster out there...and the appearance of rather strange spirits...there's something to be said of things hiding in plain sight."

"Your bus smashed my pickup, killed my dog, and nearly killed my wife... so yeah, I saw it in town," The man once again rubbed his brow beneath the bill of his baseball cap, "Guess you all must be the Joestars."



"You're going to learn that curiosity ain't a good thing anymore now that you've made "friends" with her."

"...oh..." What a stupid question that was. She could hardly even blame the fog of insomnia for it, neither. Right...that checks out.

"...wait, you know the Joestars? Had you known Johannes, then?" Her eyes widened, stiffened to that stilled, worrisome expression that had been all too common of late.

"...it's a bit late for a proper introduction I suppose, but just who are you?"

[Tami]

He pointed to Lucy, "Considering how intimately that demon latched onto her, you should be asking her those questions, not me. I will say this; that thing that calls itself 「Gunnery Sergeant Ringo Starr」 does not usually retreat unless she's planning something worse, so get used to looking over your shoulders at night."

Turning the knob of his door, he took one last look at them, "I've said plenty more than I wanted to, but I think it's time we start planning to leave," That said, he stepped back inside room 214.

With that, Jinny turned to look at Lucy, "Care to share?"

[Yun Lao]

Leaning forward at the waist, Suzie glanced over at Clutch as the dog mingled with the man's boy. Moments ago he was fighting the death, but now he was like putty in his son's hands.

"You certainly wouldn't know it by looking at him," she said, "though I suppose that'd be the point, wouldn't it? Considering that little monster out there...and the appearance of rather strange spirits...there's something to be said of things hiding in plain sight."



"...oh..." What a stupid question that was. She could hardly even blame the fog of insomnia for it, neither. Right...that checks out.

"...wait, you know the Joestars? Had you known Johannes, then?" Her eyes widened, stiffened to that stilled, worrisome expression that had been all too common of late.

"...it's a bit late for a proper introduction I suppose, but just who are you?"

He paused before completely shutting the door, "I'm Sult Weathermaker. The O.S.S. is very interested in what Joestar was up to before he died, that's all I know about him."

[grampagen]

He paused before completely shutting the door, "I'm Sult Weathermaker. The O.S.S. is very interested in what Joestar was up to before he died, that's all I know about him."

"Uhm...it's nice to meet you, considering, Mr. Weathermaker," came the reply. A visibly uncomfortable pass filled the air before she stirred, as if she'd suddenly remembered something.

"I'm Suzie, Suzie Zee..." Names, right. Rather important, that. "While we're sharing, to be quite honest I know about as much about Johannes Joestar as you do, yet I'd been called across the pond by his estate."

Inadvertently they'd all but confirmed what Weathermaker already seemed to know. They were the passengers on the bus, and he'd put a name to them; but she hadn't the wit to be clever at the moment and just wanted something to make sense.

"The driver of the bus, Toby Keith, was to take us there, instead he'd tried to kill us. The way he steered the thing was...unnatural, yeah? I hadn't made sense of it until I saw the vehicle from the outside," she said, "there was some entity that stood below the vehicle's undercarriage, carried the bloody thing over the side of a building."

She shivered as she spoke of the matter, seemingly absent to the fact that「Jigsaw Feeling」continued to hover at her side.

[Yun Lao]

"Uhm...it's nice to meet you, considering, Mr. Weathermaker," came the reply. A visibly uncomfortable pass filled the air before she stirred, as if she'd suddenly remembered something.

"I'm Suzie, Suzie Zee..." Names, right. Rather important, that. "While we're sharing, to be quite honest I know about as much about Johannes Joestar as you do, yet I'd been called across the pond by his estate."

Inadvertently they'd all but confirmed what Weathermaker already seemed to know. They were the passengers on the bus, and he'd put a name to them; but she hadn't the wit to be clever at the moment and just wanted something to make sense.

"The driver of the bus, Toby Keith, was to take us there, instead he'd tried to kill us. The way he steered the thing was...unnatural, yeah? I hadn't made sense of it until I saw the vehicle from the outside," she said, "there was some entity that stood below the vehicle's undercarriage, carried the bloody thing over the side of a building."

She shivered as she spoke of the matter, seemingly absent to the fact that「Jigsaw Feeling」continued to hover at her side.

"You mean to tell me you faced off against her without knowing what a Stand is?"

[Tami]

"You mean to tell me you faced off against her without knowing what a Stand is?"

Jinny's attention returned to the man in the doorway. She knew he was holding out, though she didn't begrudge him for it. Her gaze drifted off to the side where a splash of color on the wall moved slightly in response to her attention. Turning back to him, "You're referring to that strange little creature that she used to attack us? You did see it, right?"