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

[Tami]

"I can't say that I've ever met anyone from the Impact Zones before her either. I don't know what to make of her egg, but if I were to speculate...well, there's one thing all eggs do: Hatch. "

The clocks read eight thirty-four p.m., roughly an hour and a half since Hironobu had released them from the meeting room. By this point, all who were unaffiliated with Johannes' last wish had left to return home, save for Debra and Domo whose presence was either unknown to the estate's hosts or allowed for one reason or another. Just a little over three hours remained until the midnight meeting in the garden, yet only three of them knew of it at this time.



As Suzie lingered in the library, her gaze would eventually fall upon the door to Johannes' study. Unlike the night before, there were no signs on it, nor there appeared to be anything stuffed within the cracks.

While Hironobu said that much of what was in there was now in those folders, the room was accessible for potential study.

OOC: I assume that this means that dinner is over and that Jinny and John did not have a chance to tell the others about what Debra wanted. With everyone scattered, it might be harder for them to spread the word.

[grampagen]

The clocks read eight thirty-four p.m., roughly an hour and a half since Hironobu had released them from the meeting room. By this point, all who were unaffiliated with Johannes' last wish had left to return home, save for Debra and Domo whose presence was either unknown to the estate's hosts or allowed for one reason or another. Just a little over three hours remained until the midnight meeting in the garden, yet only three of them knew of it at this time.



As Suzie lingered in the library, her gaze would eventually fall upon the door to Johannes' study. Unlike the night before, there were no signs on it, nor there appeared to be anything stuffed within the cracks.

While Hironobu said that much of what was in there was now in those folders, the room was accessible for potential study.

Strange. None of that black grit that had stuffed itself within the doorframe was present, almost as if the wood finish and doorknob had been spontaneously polished. Stands to reason, the will reading had been concluded.

Absently Suzie reached for the door handle, then for a moment hesitated.

"...how about you do it,「Jigsaw Feeling」? Gently, if you'd please...?"

The air seemed to grow heavy around her as its long fingers reached out, and gingerly rotated the doorknob with delicateness, as if handling an eggshell, till it clicked open. Suzie sighed in relief as the phantom did not tear the door off...but it still did not fade away.

"...suppose I'm a little too much on edge..."

With that, she left the door ajar as she entered Johannes' study, searching out anything that might be useful pertaining to their immediate destination.

[Yun Lao]

OOC: I assume that this means that dinner is over and that Jinny and John did not have a chance to tell the others about what Debra wanted. With everyone scattered, it might be harder for them to spread the word.

OOC: No, dinner is still being served. I just assumed everyone just scattered from the get-go.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"That's... good for you," Debra replied, although it was quite clear her mind was in another place at the moment, "Boris," She said, snapping back to attention, her words soft and hush once more, "I need you to gather your siblings and meet me in the garden by midnight. We need to talk about something important."

" Yeah, it's good for me because the letter gives me undeniable evidence that my father and granduncle knew each other. That they met before my father even met my mother. Right, I'll get on that," Boris said.

Boris then goes off to look for Jinny and John.

[Tami]

"I can't say that I've ever met anyone from the Impact Zones before her either. I don't know what to make of her egg, but if I were to speculate...well, there's one thing all eggs do: Hatch. "

John and Jinny entered the dining room for the evening meal. As they did, Jinny looked around to see who else was there. "John, I'll try to speak with as many people as I can, one at a time. If you can do the same, tell them to meet in the garden around midnight, hopefully, we can get the word out as quickly as possible to as many as possible."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

John and Jinny entered the dining room for the evening meal. As they did, Jinny looked around to see who else was there. "John, I'll try to speak with as many people as I can, one at a time. If you can do the same, tell them to meet in the garden around midnight, hopefully, we can get the word out as quickly as possible to as many as possible."

Boris enters the dining room and spots John and Jinny." There you two are. I got urgent news from Derba," Boris said.

[Tami]

Boris enters the dining room and spots John and Jinny." There you two are. I got urgent news from Derba," Boris said.

"You spoke to Debra?" Jinny then took a step towards Boris so that she didn't have to speak too loudly, "I assume she mentioned the late-night gathering in the garden?"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"You spoke to Debra?" Jinny then took a step towards Boris so that she didn't have to speak too loudly, "I assume she mentioned the late-night gathering in the garden?"

" She did," Boris said in a soft voice. Jinny will hear Boris' voice as quite chilling. However, this would be just how Boris sounds when he's speaking softly.

[Tami]

" She did," Boris said in a soft voice. Jinny will hear Boris' voice as quite chilling. However, this would be just how Boris sounds when he's speaking softly.

"Tell you what," Jinny shook her head slightly over how odd he sounded when he spoke softly, "can you take a quick look around the mansion for anyone who isn't here yet? If you find one of our siblings, tell them to meet in the Garden before midnight. Just don't spend too much time looking. I don't want you to miss out on dinner."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"Tell you what," Jinny shook her head slightly over how odd he sounded when he spoke softly, "can you take a quick look around the mansion for anyone who isn't here yet? If you find one of our siblings, tell them to meet in the Garden before midnight. Just don't spend too much time looking. I don't want you to miss out on dinner."

"Sorry if my voice was unsettling just now. There's a reason why I don't normally speak softly. I will go look for one of our siblings," Boris said.

Boris then goes off to look for one of his siblings other than Jinny and John.

[Jcogginsa]

John and Jinny entered the dining room for the evening meal. As they did, Jinny looked around to see who else was there. "John, I'll try to speak with as many people as I can, one at a time. If you can do the same, tell them to meet in the garden around midnight, hopefully, we can get the word out as quickly as possible to as many as possible."

"Can do." John said. As Jinny spoke to Boris, John scanned the room to see who was free to talk with

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Leading at the outset that this answer would be somewhat conditional, Suzie nodded silently.

She's never been shy to offer an opinion before... Was this secrecy withholding something like Lucy and her desertion of the OSS? Regardless, whatever the case, I'm sure she must have had her reasons.

"Aye, the Weald provides," she repeated. What it provided, certainly, was more than something horticultural from the sounds of it. Yet with her half-sister's concluding words, Suzie's mental picture of wild trees resolved into something more, as if Vivian had placed an adjacent puzzle piece into a half-formed image. "But not everything is completely rootbound. Will do to keep an eye out for strangers and strange creatures. We're already in the thick of one lifetime contract after all.""

And certainly, if the Speedwagon Foundation was making moves, they wouldn't be the only interested parties. The mention of magic - and the side-eye to Miguel, again - with such serious cadence was enough to indicate that there were phenomena there just as strange as Stands.

What have they done to get this Ms. Moonchild as a contact?

"Most don't pick it up this quick, the connection... You're close. So very, terribly close." Vivian muttered. "I figure that's deserving yea? Worth a pittance, perhaps the truth. So I'll give it you, mm? Both in my own queer way." Though the manner in which such would be given seemed something of a 'to be determined', and instead the comments Suzie had finished on seemed to draw the woman's seemingly spotty attention...

"...thanks for hearing me out," Suzie added hastily, "I think I'll look into whether...Mr. Joestar had any information. Even if the lot of us may have to rely on you, I'll do what I can to keep from being a burden."

... and the comments seemed to amuse Vivian more than anything else. "I can barely take care of myself... but what's eight more?" With that, she disappeared. No doubt headed for the dining room. Though it wasn't a heartbeat or two before a piece of crisp lined paper floated down from spaces unseen, penned undoubtedly by Vivian.

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OOC: No, dinner is still being served. I just assumed everyone just scattered from the get-go.

Vivian descended upon the meats like a creature from the swamp, skittering off with two platefuls of the various cooked meats- bacon, steak, some manner of mystery meat- before balancing them precipitously on two cups of black coffee. Say what she might about her erstwhile- now departed- father; but the man knew who to hire to provide a good spread.

[Tami]

"Most don't pick it up this quick, the connection... You're close. So very, terribly close." Vivian muttered. "I figure that's deserving yea? Worth a pittance, perhaps the truth. So I'll give it you, mm? Both in my own queer way." Though the manner in which such would be given seemed something of a 'to be determined', and instead the comments Suzie had finished on seemed to draw the woman's seemingly spotty attention...



... and the comments seemed to amuse Vivian more than anything else. "I can barely take care of myself... but what's eight more?" With that, she disappeared. No doubt headed for the dining room. Though it wasn't a heartbeat or two before a piece of crisp lined paper floated down from spaces unseen, penned undoubtedly by Vivian.

download (2).jpg



Vivian descended upon the meats like a creature from the swamp, skittering off with two platefuls of the various cooked meats- bacon, steak, some manner of mystery meat- before balancing them precipitously on two cups of black coffee. Say what she might about her erstwhile- now departed- father; but the man knew who to hire to provide a good spread.

As soon as Boris left, Jinny considered who would be the first one she would need to talk to. Noticing Vivian had just arrived and was piling her plate with enough meat to feed all the lions in the Bronx zoo, she decided to wait. Instead, she took her own plate from the end of the buffet and chose a more balanced yet simple meal. Others would be arriving eventually, there should be enough time to talk to them once everyone was seated.

[Yun Lao]

Strange. None of that black grit that had stuffed itself within the doorframe was present, almost as if the wood finish and doorknob had been spontaneously polished. Stands to reason, the will reading had been concluded.

Absently Suzie reached for the door handle, then for a moment hesitated.

"...how about you do it,「Jigsaw Feeling」? Gently, if you'd please...?"

The air seemed to grow heavy around her as its long fingers reached out, and gingerly rotated the doorknob with delicateness, as if handling an eggshell, till it clicked open. Suzie sighed in relief as the phantom did not tear the door off...but it still did not fade away.

"...suppose I'm a little too much on edge..."

With that, she left the door ajar as she entered Johannes' study, searching out anything that might be useful pertaining to their immediate destination.

The only resistance felt was the natural response of the doorknob and once turned, the door easily opened, revealing a room Suzie might not have been expected... or maybe she had?

For one, it was rather small, for it would take Suzie less than five steps to reach the large rustic wooden desk that dominated the room, and judging by the space behind the chair to the large bay window, it was probably the same distance. In the dim twilight, she could see the orange sun of the sun sinking behind the horizon consisting of rippling plains where Johannes' eyes must have rested on countless times in thoughts. To Suzie's left was a wall filled with bookcases and shelves, filled with a various and random assortment of books, binders, and knick-knacks. To her right, half of the wall held similar bookcases, although there were barren; more noticeably, the other half consisted of a massive corkboard in which most of its contents had been plucked off. Judging by the remaining scraps of newspaper clippings, photos, and drawings, it was fairly obvious this wall had held the contents of the folders given to them, once pinned up for Johannes to look upon.

The desk was featureless, relying on the character of the wood to be it's sole appeal, although she would find a small frame picture resting atop of it. Studying would show an older photo depicting two children -one of which was unmistakenly a young Hironobu and a younger girl whose features brought up the name Shizuka to Suzie, although she couldn't remember while she recognized an otherwise stranger- two adults who one could assume to be their parents, and to the side was her father, Johannes.

[grampagen]

The only resistance felt was the natural response of the doorknob and once turned, the door easily opened, revealing a room Suzie might not have been expected... or maybe she had?

For one, it was rather small, for it would take Suzie less than five steps to reach the large rustic wooden desk that dominated the room, and judging by the space behind the chair to the large bay window, it was probably the same distance. In the dim twilight, she could see the orange sun of the sun sinking behind the horizon consisting of rippling plains where Johannes' eyes must have rested on countless times in thoughts. To Suzie's left was a wall filled with bookcases and shelves, filled with a various and random assortment of books, binders, and knick-knacks. To her right, half of the wall held similar bookcases, although there were barren; more noticeably, the other half consisted of a massive corkboard in which most of its contents had been plucked off. Judging by the remaining scraps of newspaper clippings, photos, and drawings, it was fairly obvious this wall had held the contents of the folders given to them, once pinned up for Johannes to look upon.

The desk was featureless, relying on the character of the wood to be it's sole appeal, although she would find a small frame picture resting atop of it. Studying would show an older photo depicting two children -one of which was unmistakenly a young Hironobu and a younger girl whose features brought up the name Shizuka to Suzie, although she couldn't remember while she recognized an otherwise stranger- two adults who one could assume to be their parents, and to the side was her father, Johannes.

The long shadow stretched before her, and moving past the entryway of the unlocked chamber she beheld-

...a rush of cool air, carrying upon it the earthy, sweet smell of well-worn paper in volumes of well-explored lore.

Well...it's a rather cozy nook now, innit?

Leaving the door open behind her, Suzie walked in, slowly surveying this private cloister. As she approached, seeing the hardwood desk designed for a man of Johannes' size, it made her feel very much a child wandering into her father's space. Though she'd never set foot here till now, despite the severity of what she'd heard only moments ago, there was something about this space in this insulated corner that made her think about her flat back home.

So quiet in here. Suzie briefly shading her eyes against the glare of the sunset as she looked out the window. Was this where you stood? Watching the days fade as you thought about us?

By the look of tangled string lingering over the perforated corkboard, such things were never far from his mind, till the end. Peering down at the ghastly picture her Stand had etched below her notes on the Fever, she pressed it to her side, and fished her camera out from her pocket, taking a few small snapshots as she went.

Oh, it's Hironobu-san and Shizuka-

Click

...wait who?

There was no way to truly knowing, but measuring the features of their cousin and their father, there seemed to be something of a family resemblance there. With a small frown, she took a look at the photograph for a long moment.

Meanwhile 「Jigsaw Feeling」 had seen fit to jot down the name on the edge of her folder next to Lita Ford, and she plucked it out of the spirit's hand.

"Seems someone's been through the archives," she muttered. Yet at the moment her thoughts were still on the matters she had discussed with Vivian.

"Most don't pick it up this quick, the connection... You're close. So very, terribly close." Vivian muttered. "I figure that's deserving yea? Worth a pittance, perhaps the truth. So I'll give it you, mm? Both in my own queer way." Though the manner in which such would be given seemed something of a 'to be determined', and instead the comments Suzie had finished on seemed to draw the woman's seemingly spotty attention...


... and the comments seemed to amuse Vivian more than anything else. "I can barely take care of myself... but what's eight more?" With that, she disappeared. No doubt headed for the dining room. Though it wasn't a heartbeat or two before a piece of crisp lined paper floated down from spaces unseen, penned undoubtedly by Vivian.

download (2).jpg

"Without needs, what's left to want," she said in a half whisper, "But to get what you want, how far would you go to take it...?"

Ware the Weald, it merely feeds. Supplication a tool to sate its greed. A strange riddle, and one she was short of answers for at the moment. She supposed her half-sister could be about as forthcoming as she could be under whatever duress - that or she was being made a fool.

"Meteor's in the roots..." She turned her head behind her, then lowered her gaze from「Jigsaw Feeling」's impassive, yet predatory stare. "...literally talking to myself, hum."

Part of the contents of the barren bookshelf she now held in her hands. That was the part of Johannes left to them before he died. With tomorrow's destination in mind, Suzie turned her attention to the assortment of documents and artifacts upon the other shelf in the study.

According to Debra, they once had specimens from the Salem Impact Zone, and their effects still lingered in the estate's garden. One by one, Suzie began to skim and scan the documentation. Perhaps in the studies Johannes left behind, he might have had some concrete insights to the nature of the Weald as he had known it.