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

[bruceleegreyhulk]

The day was uneventful, or at least it was up to the eventful part; most of the guests just lounged around and conversed. To be fair, after yesterday, one could not blame them for not wanting to get any further into shenanigans.

Soon enough, morning gave way to noon and with the conclusion of lunch, they were ushered towards one room in particular. Most of them hadn't seen this room, but its size indicated it was used for meetings. Nearest to those entering a room was a group of chairs in which they were to sit and before them was a large table with numerous pairings of a large file folder and a sealed envelope on top. Beyond that was another table, this one circular, that house the seats of the Speedwagon Foundation board members, all of which were currently seated save for Hironobu.

Most of those the group had met were in attendance, plus a few more unfamiliar faces, but it appeared they were all here for the same thing.

( I spent all that time looking for a connection between my father and granduncle and having found anything yet. Couldn't even find a damn Research Librarian! Well seems like it's about to start, might as well sit down,) Boris thought.

Boris takes a seat.

[Jcogginsa]

John had spent most of the day practicing with his stand, and now waited in the meeting rooom

[Tami]

The day was uneventful, or at least it was up to the eventful part; most of the guests just lounged around and conversed. To be fair, after yesterday, one could not blame them for not wanting to get any further into shenanigans.

Soon enough, morning gave way to noon and with the conclusion of lunch, they were ushered towards one room in particular. Most of them hadn't seen this room, but its size indicated it was used for meetings. Nearest to those entering a room was a group of chairs in which they were to sit and before them was a large table with numerous pairings of a large file folder and a sealed envelope on top. Beyond that was another table, this one circular, that house the seats of the Speedwagon Foundation board members, all of which were currently seated save for Hironobu.

Most of those the group had met were in attendance, plus a few more unfamiliar faces, but it appeared they were all here for the same thing.

After spending time in the Garden with Jamie and Lucy, Jinny returned inside and kept herself occupied until lunch. The afternoon was spent much like the morning until they were escorted into the Conference Room.

Taking a seat, Jinny looked at the envelope and folder, then looked around at everyone inside. Some faces were familiar, others not so much so. Her gaze rested on Hiro and made an assumption that he was the one planning on speaking first. Not that it would surprise her.

She was expecting there to be some type of media presentation, a video made in advance by Johannes or perhaps a tribute video of some kind. Her eyes drifted away from Hiro to the room in general, looking for any sign of technology.

[Yun Lao]

After spending time in the Garden with Jamie and Lucy, Jinny returned inside and kept herself occupied until lunch. The afternoon was spent much like the morning until they were escorted into the Conference Room.

Taking a seat, Jinny looked at the envelope and folder, then looked around at everyone inside. Some faces were familiar, others not so much so. Her gaze rested on Hiro and made an assumption that he was the one planning on speaking first. Not that it would surprise her.

She was expecting there to be some type of media presentation, a video made in advance by Johannes or perhaps a tribute video of some kind. Her eyes drifted away from Hiro to the room in general, looking for any sign of technology.

There was very little in the way of technology aside from the coffee maker.

The walls and carpet lacked features, heavily contrasting the personalized feeling the rest of the manor had held.

Hironobu took a look at his pocket watch as the remaining numbers entered.

[grampagen]

"An extra limb for some... I've sprouted the equivalent of a pet rock." A pet rock that remained despite all she'd done to remove it...

Vivian sighed, and shuffled off to get more coffee.



Vivian considered this for a moment before cackling. "Got a point there... appearances are important." Returning to the table she gently set her coffee down before producing a hard-boiled egg from spaces unknown that was rather meticulously dismantled.

... One could dream.

"More's the pity. At the very least, I suppose this egg won't feed off your thoughts and lash out, yeah?"

Of course, given the wanton way she seemed to pluck things out of the air - fire, chief among them - it was curious why Vivian's Stand would therefore be so inert. Sitting unusually straight, Suzie found herself upon her heels at the edge of her seat as she studied the hard-shelled apparition in the meantime.

"Thereabouts. Broken Creek or... summat. Hard to know for sure, once you're out of Salem proper." Harder to know when Salem ended, deeply as those roots had spread in so short a time.

"Nature reclaimed what mankind spoiled, so they say. Way I see it, that's only half true. Mankind spoiled, sure... but there's a difference between reclamation, and... expansion." Damn dirty trees. Meteor got into the roots and gave them strange notions.

"Weald provides, though. So long as you're careful. As many stories of the Weald granting boons, as there are of the vines' reclaiming' flesh and bone."

Trees had to eat too, mm? Carrion made for fine fertilizer.

Suzie listened to the description of the SIZ, and her expression shrank even as she nodded along.

"That's a matter of opinion, innit, who reclaims what from whom? Just...can you imagine, one day there's a city, then nothing but dust, till it's all done and gone to seed," she mused, "Though getting a comprehensive message from a tree would be right impossible, maybe that's why Johannes wanted to capture a piece of it to study."

Suzie then pursed her lips in the midst of Vivian's final thought, then stole a glance at the garden outside and the way the blooms spread out on the archways, framed over the various human furnishings.

"...wonder how many seasons had it been? Suppose those'd be crosspollinated hybrids?" A subdued, morose laugh escaped Suzie as she drew her fork through the jam-and-flatbread sludge on her plate, and bloody seeds leaked about before she ate the saturated paste it had become.

"On the subject of what the Weald provides, I imagine roots and shoots and the like, probably not a favourable place for a vegan, right?"

[grampagen]

The day was uneventful, or at least it was up to the eventful part; most of the guests just lounged around and conversed. To be fair, after yesterday, one could not blame them for not wanting to get any further into shenanigans.

Soon enough, morning gave way to noon and with the conclusion of lunch, they were ushered towards one room in particular. Most of them hadn't seen this room, but its size indicated it was used for meetings. Nearest to those entering a room was a group of chairs in which they were to sit and before them was a large table with numerous pairings of a large file folder and a sealed envelope on top. Beyond that was another table, this one circular, that house the seats of the Speedwagon Foundation board members, all of which were currently seated save for Hironobu.

Most of those the group had met were in attendance, plus a few more unfamiliar faces, but it appeared they were all here for the same thing.

Another day. Another line. Another procession of the House of Joestar.

Suzie surveyed the conference room as she entered. The rows of chairs enclosed in such a regimented manner brought her mind back to, of all things, the latter end of education. The long table with its folio held a piece of paper that determined the course of their lives, after all. Pomp and Circumstance. Shake the Dean's hand, walk off.

How unfortunate that this was hardly going to be as performative and simple as this. Seeing Hironobu-san there, looming large amid the circle of the Speedwagon board, keeping time as he always had, filled her with a modicum of dread.

Despite this, she offered a feeble wave to greet their cousin before taking a seat, crossing her legs before her and taking a respectful silence for the moment.

[Tami]

There was very little in the way of technology aside from the coffee maker.

The walls and carpet lacked features, heavily contrasting the personalized feeling the rest of the manor had held.

Hironobu took a look at his pocket watch as the remaining numbers entered.

For all their considerable, or at least apparent, wealth, Jinny thought to herself, they do seem rather backward in some respects. Continuing to casually glance around as others entered the room, she began to consider exactly what would be in this will. Turning to look back towards Hironobu, she came to a conclusion that, whatever the will says, the real inheritance was already given.

She then considered if any of her other siblings would be interested in exchanging contact information, glancing down at the table as she thought, or if they would prefer to return to their lives as they had arrived. "Still," looking up again as she mused this last thought, "it couldn't hurt too much to ask."

[Yun Lao]

Glancing up from his watch, Hironobu nodded to the staff who proceeded to close and lock the doors. If anyone had been late for the reading, it was rather unfortunate now.

"Until this reading has concluded, no one will be excused to leave. This meeting comes complete with a bathroom before anyone tries to use that complaint. Also, you will find any device that relies on an outside signal will no longer work. This is to ensure that nothing learned will leave this room until matters are concluded. With that said, for those of you just joining us, I am Hironobu Higashikata, executor of Mr. Johannes Joestar's estate, and will be guiding you all through Mr. Joestar's last will and testament."

Pausing to allow all of that information to sink in, he would proceed shortly after, "Before we begin, is there any questions?"

[Tami]

Glancing up from his watch, Hironobu nodded to the staff who proceeded to close and lock the doors. If anyone had been late for the reading, it was rather unfortunate now.

"Until this reading has concluded, no one will be excused to leave. This meeting comes complete with a bathroom before anyone tries to use that complaint. Also, you will find any device that relies on an outside signal will no longer work. This is to ensure that nothing learned will leave this room until matters are concluded. With that said, for those of you just joining us, I am Hironobu Higashikata, executor of Mr. Johannes Joestar's estate, and will be guiding you all through Mr. Joestar's last will and testament."

Pausing to allow all of that information to sink in, he would proceed shortly after, "Before we begin, is there any questions?"

Looking around the room, the silence was deafening. Looking back at Hiro, she just wanted him to get on with it but decided it was best to be polite and remained silent.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Glancing up from his watch, Hironobu nodded to the staff who proceeded to close and lock the doors. If anyone had been late for the reading, it was rather unfortunate now.

"Until this reading has concluded, no one will be excused to leave. This meeting comes complete with a bathroom before anyone tries to use that complaint. Also, you will find any device that relies on an outside signal will no longer work. This is to ensure that nothing learned will leave this room until matters are concluded. With that said, for those of you just joining us, I am Hironobu Higashikata, executor of Mr. Johannes Joestar's estate, and will be guiding you all through Mr. Joestar's last will and testament."

Pausing to allow all of that information to sink in, he would proceed shortly after, "Before we begin, is there any questions?"

"I have a question, but I doubt you be able to answer it," Boris said.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Glancing up from his watch, Hironobu nodded to the staff who proceeded to close and lock the doors. If anyone had been late for the reading, it was rather unfortunate now.

"Until this reading has concluded, no one will be excused to leave. This meeting comes complete with a bathroom before anyone tries to use that complaint. Also, you will find any device that relies on an outside signal will no longer work. This is to ensure that nothing learned will leave this room until matters are concluded. With that said, for those of you just joining us, I am Hironobu Higashikata, executor of Mr. Johannes Joestar's estate, and will be guiding you all through Mr. Joestar's last will and testament."

Pausing to allow all of that information to sink in, he would proceed shortly after, "Before we begin, is there any questions?"

"Are Stands refundable? All I got was a shitty egg." Vivian noted, before adding.

"Also, your security is ****."

[Tami]

"Are Stands refundable? All I got was a shitty egg." Vivian noted, before adding.

"Also, your security is ****."

"An egg?" This was the first time she had been aware of this, so it was definitely a surprise. "Maybe...you just need to hatch it...like a mother hen?"

[Yun Lao]

"I have a question, but I doubt you be able to answer it," Boris said.

"Then don't ask," Hironobu retorted, "Although you've been apparently shouting at the walls about folklore anyway."

"Are Stands refundable? All I got was a shitty egg." Vivian noted, before adding.

"Also, your security is ****."

"If your stand is lacking, then that is clearly a fault on your end. This makes you a shitty egg."

Sighing, the teenager decided to reword his question,

"Do we have any legitimate questions pertaining to why we are here?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Will transportation out of here be provided or do I need to pay my own way?" Sandra asked from the back.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"Then don't ask," Hironobu retorted, "Although you've been apparently shouting at the walls about folklore anyway."



"If your stand is lacking, then that is clearly a fault on your end. This makes you a shitty egg."

Sighing, the teenager decided to reword his question,

"Do we have any legitimate questions pertaining to why we are here?"

" I know why I'm here, I'm personally here looking for a connection between my father Johannes Joestar and my grand uncle Nikola Sagan Kuvalda. So, why would I have any questions about why I'm here, just go on and read the damn will already," Boris said.