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

[bruceleegreyhulk]

" I see then you have my word that none of this gets out, but wait, what if there's a stand that could read minds? does the Speedwagon foundation offer any protection against mind-reading?" Boris said.

" Hey, Jinny, do you think it's a good idea for me to go to a bank now and set up a bank account for my mother in her name using my check?" Boris said.

[grampagen]

As Hironobu-san closed his parting thoughts at the end of the video will, Suzie sat without so much a blink, staring into space as she listened, nothing past the teased frizz of her head but his words...and the rhythmic tap-tap-tap of「Jigsaw Feeling」clutching the pen in its hand. In no time at all, it had with horrible precision put down at pointillistic portrait of Johannes Joestar's face in his last deathly moments. Seeing his ghastly eyes sunken into the deep sockets of his face peering back up at her next to the list of rather volatile inheritances he'd left them, Suzie's face flushed, and she held her folder close in a futile attempt to obscure her Stand's haunting scribble as she snatched the pen out of its hand.

Lita Ford... She scribbled the name of the murderer, silently attempting to perform her due diligence now that they were all wading hip-deep in the matter, but at the end of it all found herself at quite a loss.

For a moment, she cast a brief glance at Lucy, then turned her attention back to the head of the room.

"Don't bullshit with me. If I so much as hear you trying to make a phone call here, I will rip your vocal cords out and strangle you with them. That goes for all of you," He said, clearly not buying Boris' excuse, "Not a single word about this leaves this room, got it?"

Hironobu-san's switch from his usual, collected aloofness to this sharp tone caused her to flinch.

He's really serious about this...but he's done everything to the letter, no matter how out of our depth we are.

Though considering his formidable position and this sudden influx of need-to-know information that had fallen into their laps just because they so happened to be blood...well, that would go a long way to explaining his frustration, wouldn't it?

"Aye, mum's the word..."

"O.S.S.?" Jamie asked with a frown, adding "My parents were supporters of the organization, though it's been a few years since I've spoken to them."

"...perhaps its a longshot, given what happened at the hospital back there, but whereabouts did you last see them? Would they be willing to help us at all?"

"Nothing good, I assure you." Vivian noted dryly.

As much as she'd longed to see the lush overgrowth of that place, with Vivian's description of the Salem Impact Zone over breakfast, the prospect of actually going there in light of what they had been put upon to do suddenly lost much of its lustre, despite the acoustics.

"Suppose it wouldn't be sensible to return home straight away, now would it," she remarked, "Besides, we are closer to Gibsonton relative to Massachusetts, yeah?"

She turned her folder over, morbid portrait and all, and set it upon her lap.

"Though it's almost the opposite, innit? Nature provides up in Salem, but the suits at Lucky Land built atop of the crater site."

By the odd pamphlet and trace bit of media, it didn't sound like her kind of place at all, what with the bottlenecking of such a cataclysmic thing for a saleable commodity, all tacky t-shirts, plushies, sugar-and-fat-and-coloured-plastic as a byproduct of industrialized merriment.

"...well, with a billion dollars, I guess day passes are suddenly a lot less far away than they are for the average person, aren't they?"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Boris looks around. " You know we all could make a blood oath. An oath that nothing said here gets out. If any of us breaks this oath, then we will have to cut out our tongues, chop off our fingers and eat them," Boris said.

[MrSandman]

Around her, the meeting continued ever onwards.....but for Lucy, time had paused.

The weight of the folder laid upon her lap felt heavier then it looked, and somehow even the cover felt like a brick as she slid her finger underneath. The disciplined solider in her told her to stop....she was exposed here, too many eyes for something so important to her. It wasn't meant for other people to see...in a way it wasn't meant for her to see either. The contents wouldn't make a difference now...not after everything that happened. Just a pitiful old mans last attempt to placate the lost child he abandoned. As in death as he was in life, forever a source of false hope......

.....

Lucy fumbled with the edge for a moment.

It wouldn't make a difference what was inside.....but perhaps it would at least offer something akin to closure on all this. The last attachments to the father that never was, she'd burn them with the folder and that would be that....

Slowly she flipped the binding open.

At first she was presented with the basics. A birth certificate for one "Lucy Lennon". Born Oct 9th, 2022 to Juila Lennon. She had been born somewhere named Westminister, in the united kingdom....though she had no particular memory of that, only the feint memory of the home she once had in the US when she was a child. Her mother had moved there, perhaps seeking to be closer to the man who had abandoned her with child....it made no difference now. That home was empty now. A baby picture lay attached below the certificate, some babe no more then a few months old and looking like the runt of a little.

Lucy began flipping pages one after the other. More information about her early childhood, more information about her mother, the move to the US...the offers of financial aid he had made over the years. It seemed that the old man had money to burn even back then, all the money in the world to spend but no time for her mother....no time for her.....

Lucy flicked the page hard as a sudden dark mood overtook her.....several pages worth of worthless information flashed by in its wake, leaving the folder to settle near the middle, where several documents had been inserted. Hand written, unlike the page after page of historical documentation before it.

"Dear Lucy

I'm not very good at these sorts of letters, Not even sure if I should write this....rather tell you myself really. But there is always a chance I may not make it to see the day your finally free. But in the off chance your reading this...well...firstly I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you, and for your mom...and no excuse will make up to the things you had to go through. God knows I've had a long time to think of one. When they took you....your mother, she came to me and bless her soul she was spitting fire and spite the likes of which I haven't seen in a long time. When she told me what happened....I promised her then and there I'd see you safe...I promised her she'd see you again even if I had to tear hell itself apart to to it.

She passed not long after, another promise I couldn't keep.

But I wasn't lying when I said I'd tear hell apart, and I did. I put those bastards on the back foot every step I could. I heard they were using you and kids like you to do their dirty work. Treating em less then human. So I treated em in kind. The more I hurt em, the more I knew one day I'd find you.

I wanted to be your father just once. Riding in on a white horse. I guess some dreams aren't meant to be....But I'll be damned if I let them decide yours for you.

I've kept something of your mother and I've enclosed it with this letter. It was hers, and she I know she would have wanted you to have it. Please take it, and remember she loved you, as long as she was alive.....and so did I.

Johannes Joestar
December 1st, 2040"

A check slipped out from the folder....and along with it a Ivory pendant in the sharp of a heart. Both clattered to the floor but made no sound....at least none Lucy could hear.

Lucy turned the page, then again, then again. Pictures of battlefields, ruined OSS Laboratories, prisons demolished. Step after step of a long a grueling search that had been conducted not only against the OSS but in search of...her. She recognized many of the places even, having been there at one point or another in her life.

The place where she had grown up, the place where she had trained, the place where she had lived with her old family....her friends, the other kids.....

...snakepit........Yoko....

Lucy started coughing, the fire in her lungs returning so violently that she hadn't even noticed the tears that had wells up in her eyes. Her lungs were dusty.....dustydustydusty....

The folder slipped off her lap and she doubled over, covering her mouth as she rode out the attack as best she could.

[grampagen]

A check slipped out from the folder....and along with it a Ivory pendant in the sharp of a heart. Both clattered to the floor but made no sound....at least none Lucy could hear.

Lucy turned the page, then again, then again. Pictures of battlefields, ruined OSS Laboratories, prisons demolished. Step after step of a long a grueling search that had been conducted not only against the OSS but in search of...her. She recognized many of the places even, having been there at one point or another in her life.

The place where she had grown up, the place where she had trained, the place where she had lived with her old family....her friends, the other kids.....

...snakepit........Yoko....

Lucy started coughing, the fire in her lungs returning so violently that she hadn't even noticed the tears that had wells up in her eyes. Her lungs were dusty.....dustydustydusty....

The folder slipped off her lap and she doubled over, covering her mouth as she rode out the attack as best she could.

"Lucy...? What's the matter?"

As the path of the Joestar children loomed towards three fragmented destinations, Suzie's attention was turned to the sibling beside her.

"Lucy- Oh!"

Something's set her off...what's in that-

Reflexively, she cradled her hands about her shoulders in an effort to give her some support. Even as the folder tumbled downwards, she tried to do what she could - if anything - to anchor her.

"Shh-shh...settle down...just breathe...breathe deep-"

...though all that came to mind was the broadest and most cliche nothings to whisper into her ear.

[KingofPie]

"I have no issue with you taking care of other affairs, however," Hironobu gestured to Boris, "Some of you have already proven that you're willing to disregard secrecy. Surely you understand why my trust in all of you is shaky right about now."

"About secrecy and all that ****...aren't there already some 'leaks'? We've been attacked before, after all. And from what I heard, we were the lucky ones. It's one thing to be attacked on the bus, but...it feels like somebody might be onto us at every step. And if it isn't a leak, it's gotta be one of those Stand things, right?" Miguel inquired. And if that was the case...there'd possibly be no telling of what they could do to stop that.

[Tami]

" I see then you have my word that none of this gets out, but wait, what if there's a stand that could read minds? does the Speedwagon foundation offer any protection against mind-reading?" Boris said.

" Hey, Jinny, do you think it's a good idea for me to go to a bank now and set up a bank account for my mother in her name using my check?" Boris said.

Semi-distracted, Jinny barely looked at him as she gave Boris a quick reply, "Later, we'll deal with it later."

"Lucy...? What's the matter?"

As the path of the Joestar children loomed towards three fragmented destinations, Suzie's attention was turned to the sibling beside her.

"Lucy- Oh!"

Something's set her off...what's in that-

Reflexively, she cradled her hands about her shoulders in an effort to give her some support. Even as the folder tumbled downwards, she tried to do what she could - if anything - to anchor her.

"Shh-shh...settle down...just breathe...breathe deep-"

...though all that came to mind was the broadest and most cliche nothings to whisper into her ear.

It was then that she looked across the table and saw Suzie comforting Lucy. Lucy, who was now barely visible, bent over like she was sick. Glancing down briefly at her own folder, unopened except for when she quickly slipped the check inside, Jinny could barely imagine what Lucy found within hers. Whatever it was, however traumatic it was, she could only hope that it offered some closure.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Semi-distracted, Jinny barely looked at him as she gave Boris a quick reply, "Later, we'll deal with it later."



It was then that she looked across the table and saw Suzie comforting Lucy. Lucy, who was now barely visible, bent over like she was sick. Glancing down briefly at her own folder, unopened except for when she quickly slipped the check inside, Jinny could barely imagine what Lucy found within hers. Whatever it was, however traumatic it was, she could only hope that it offered some closure.

Boris nods at Jinny, then looks over his folder. At first, it's just basic information about him but then starts to look like a criminal rap sheet and with a list of people he's kill in the past. ( Damn, my folder reads like a criminal rap sheet, I was expecting just basic information, not this,) Boris thought.

Boris then takes out a letter from his folder, ( Hmm, I wonder what my old man has to say for himself for obviously spying on me,) Boris thought as he starts reading the letter.

[Yun Lao]

"About secrecy and all that ****...aren't there already some 'leaks'? We've been attacked before, after all. And from what I heard, we were the lucky ones. It's one thing to be attacked on the bus, but...it feels like somebody might be onto us at every step. And if it isn't a leak, it's gotta be one of those Stand things, right?" Miguel inquired. And if that was the case...there'd possibly be no telling of what they could do to stop that.

"Again, you were previously attacked because they knew you had the possibility of knowing what you now know. Had they been successful, you would have been replaced by one of their lackeys, such as those two losers that attacked you on the bus. Had they've known the truth, that your father had been successful, they would have simply gone to the impact zones already. Of course, as for the mole who leaked the reading's location and date... we're currently looking into it."

[Tami]

"Again, you were previously attacked because they knew you had the possibility of knowing what you now know. Had they been successful, you would have been replaced by one of their lackeys, such as those two losers that attacked you on the bus. Had they've known the truth, that your father had been successful, they would have simply gone to the impact zones already. Of course, as for the mole who leaked the reading's location and date... we're currently looking into it."

"And the reporter who tracked us down to the truck stop restaurant, seems if he was able to figure it out others might have as well." Jinny's look was one of resigned skepticism, "The only perfect secrets are the ones you take to your grave. Anyone who can add 2 plus 2 equals 4 can make a possible connection between the Meteorites and the Night Fever. Speaking of which, had Johannes ever said what his theory was regarding to exactly what Night Fever is? Anything more than what has been spoken of in, sepculated about by the media?"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"And the reporter who tracked us down to the truck stop restaurant, seems if he was able to figure it out others might have as well." Jinny's look was one of resigned skepticism, "The only perfect secrets are the ones you take to your grave. Anyone who can add 2 plus 2 equals 4 can make a possible connection between the Meteorites and the Night Fever. Speaking of which, had Johannes ever said what his theory was regarding to exactly what Night Fever is? Anything more than what has been spoken of in, sepculated about by the media?"

"Well, my guess is that it's radiation poison, I mean are we talking about radioactive meteorites here, like green glowing rocks from space?" Boris said.

[Tami]

As she looked at Hironbu, she placed her hand on the folder in front of her. The temptation to look through it now was fighting with the desire to do it in private. Her eyes glanced down at the folder, then back up again, indecision haunting her.

[Yun Lao]

OOC: Apologies to all. Just to note that I will not be doing any additional personalized letters after Jinny and Boris. Initially, only Lucy was supposed to be get one because she had suffered the most from Johannes' absence, but I chose to make a few exceptions because I didn't specify quickly enough. With that said:
--------

"And the reporter who tracked us down to the truck stop restaurant, seems if he was able to figure it out others might have as well." Jinny's look was one of resigned skepticism, "The only perfect secrets are the ones you take to your grave. Anyone who can add 2 plus 2 equals 4 can make a possible connection between the Meteorites and the Night Fever. Speaking of which, had Johannes ever said what his theory was regarding to exactly what Night Fever is? Anything more than what has been spoken of in, sepculated about by the media?"

"I've never really bothered with such spectulation," Hironobu admitted, "From what I recall Mr. Joestar telling me, the meteorites are tied into the Night Fever and the creation of a 「Stand」through an organic process. Well... some stands. As rare as they are now, manifesting one was a one-in-a-million chance occasion before the impact. He theorized that the Night Fever was the meteorite's method of accelerating stand creation, although I do not recall his theory on why."

It was then that she looked across the table and saw Suzie comforting Lucy. Lucy, who was now barely visible, bent over like she was sick. Glancing down briefly at her own folder, unopened except for when she quickly slipped the check inside, Jinny could barely imagine what Lucy found within hers. Whatever it was, however traumatic it was, she could only hope that it offered some closure.

As she looked at Hironbu, she placed her hand on the folder in front of her. The temptation to look through it now was fighting with the desire to do it in private. Her eyes glanced down at the folder, then back up again, indecision haunting her.

Jinny would find a similar array of items in her folders; pictures, letters, clippings of newspapers and magazines. She would find an extensive correspondence between him and her mother, Lillian, long after the two had separated, detailing the latter's arrival to north America and her rise to fame along with her budding friendship with Max Smart, the man who would eventually propose to her. The last of these letters was one in an unmarked envelope, never sent for there was no receiver, in which Johannes congratulated Lillian on her engagement and a soft plea to keep Jinny unaware of Johannes for just a bit longer, in accordance to their deal. The following newspaper clipping was one Jinny was familiar with; the accident that stole the lives of her parents.

She would find another letter, this one labeled for her.

Dear Jinghu,

I know you mostly go by "Jinny" nowadays, but I've found your name beautiful; after all, I was the one who proposed it to your mother. She always spoke of wanting to sing to you when you were finally born and if you'd followed in her footsteps, you'd be her little jinghu. I never realized just how far she would cast her shadow once she got started and for a time, I was worried that by giving you that name, you might not be able to step out from it. I am eternally grateful that George Smart took you and your mother in as a favor to me, and even more so to Max, the man who should have truly been your father. He saw that your potential had no limits and was set to ensure that.

In my growing age, I often wonder the "what-if"s of my choices. Decisions or choices I could have made to save your mother and Max; comes to mind every time it snows. In the end, however, I know that they were happy and that they'll still watching over you.

I regret not being able to watch you grow with my own eyes, and perhaps you'll one day understand why I had to leave, but just know that I love you, as do your parents.

[Tami]

"I've never really bothered with such spectulation," Hironobu admitted, "From what I recall Mr. Joestar telling me, the meteorites are tied into the Night Fever and the creation of a 「Stand」through an organic process. Well... some stands. As rare as they are now, manifesting one was a one-in-a-million chance occasion before the impact. He theorized that the Night Fever was the meteorite's method of accelerating stand creation, although I do not recall his theory on why."

Jinny barely heard his response as the desire to look with the folder, her curiosity at finding out what was within, caused her to open in it.

Jinny would find a similar array of items in her folders; pictures, letters, clippings of newspapers and magazines. She would find an extensive correspondence between him and her mother, Lillian, long after the two had separated, detailing the latter's arrival to north America and her rise to fame along with her budding friendship with Max Smart, the man who would eventually propose to her. The last of these letters was one in an unmarked envelope, never sent for there was no receiver, in which Johannes congratulated Lillian on her engagement and a soft plea to keep Jinny unaware of Johannes for just a bit longer, in accordance to their deal. The following newspaper clipping was one Jinny was familiar with; the accident that stole the lives of her parents.

She would find another letter, this one labeled for her.

Dear Jinghu,

I know you mostly go by "Jinny" nowadays, but I've found your name beautiful; after all, I was the one who proposed it to your mother. She always spoke of wanting to sing to you when you were finally born and if you'd followed in her footsteps, you'd be her little jinghu. I never realized just how far she would cast her shadow once she got started and for a time, I was worried that by giving you that name, you might not be able to step out from it. I am eternally grateful that George Smart took you and your mother in as a favor to me, and even more so to Max, the man who should have truly been your father. He saw that your potential had no limits and was set to ensure that.

In my growing age, I often wonder the "what-if"s of my choices. Decisions or choices I could have made to save your mother and Max; comes to mind every time it snows. In the end, however, I know that they were happy and that they'll still watching over you.

I regret not being able to watch you grow with my own eyes, and perhaps you'll one day understand why I had to leave, but just know that I love you, as do your parents.

Much of what was inside did not come as a complete surprise, though it did come as a harsh reminder of what she once had and what she had lost. The correspondence between her mother and Johannes did surprise her, but glancing through it she gained an understanding of why this secret was kept from her for so long.

The biggest surprise from within the folder was the letter addressed to her. She felt herself shaking slightly as she read it, finally tearing her eyes away, she placed it back in the folder and closed it, letting the folder once again rest on the table in front of her.

Closing her eyes and tilting her head backward, staring into a darkness of her own making, Jinny tried to calm down and to process what she had read. Opening her eyes, she looked back at Hironobu, and smiled. It was a smile that possessed elements of sadness and happiness, resignation and understanding.

[Yun Lao]

Boris nods at Jinny, then looks over his folder. At first, it's just basic information about him but then starts to look like a criminal rap sheet and with a list of people he's kill in the past. ( Damn, my folder reads like a criminal rap sheet, I was expecting just basic information, not this,) Boris thought.

Boris then takes out a letter from his folder, ( Hmm, I wonder what my old man has to say for himself for obviously spying on me,) Boris thought as he starts reading the letter.

Boris would find there were more than rap sheets the further he dug. He would find receipts for bails stapled to each crime, information regarding the whys and hows sighed by his mother. Photos came after that, revealing Boris' growth from toddler to adult, accompanied by his tight-knit family. Surprisingly, he would discover even a ticket for one of Boris' ventriloquist shows. Lastly, he would find a letter.

I've been contemplating whether to write you this or not, Boris.

Not that you didn't deserve the truth or that I was not sorry for not being there, but because you didn't need me. Your mother made sure to compensate for any love you might have missed in my absence, even if she might have been a bit overprotective at times. She's a strong woman, but she's not invincible, so keep her safe.

I'm sure you're expecting me to chastise you for your criminal history, but you can relax because I won't. I was well aware of the Kulvalda's specialty before I met your mother, although I did try my damnest to try and convince Nikola and Anastasiya that there was more to the world than the mob. Speaking of Nikola, I know how much you cherish him, but don't forget, Boris, the younger generation is supposed to past the previous. He may be strong, but there will come a day that you will be stronger and you will need to stand on your own two feet. Regardless, as the eldest, I need you to take care of your siblings. I fear they will need your hardiness and strength.