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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"I wouldn't know, I'm allergic to honey," He replied, leaving little elaboration that would soothe her concerns.

Sandra's eyes narrowed. There was something about this guy that was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. He apparently had allergies, so her probably wasn't a robot. Unless robotics had advanced to the point of mimicking even the most human of flaws. Regardless, there was no point in continuing to grill him like a suspect.

"So, how does a guy from a town whose central hub is three kilometers from the coast and rests fifteen meters above sea level end up with an organization like Speedwagon? And what do you people even do?"

[Yun Lao]

Sandra's eyes narrowed. There was something about this guy that was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. He apparently had allergies, so her probably wasn't a robot. Unless robotics had advanced to the point of mimicking even the most human of flaws. Regardless, there was no point in continuing to grill him like a suspect.

"So, how does a guy from a town whose central hub is three kilometers from the coast and rests fifteen meters above sea level end up with an organization like Speedwagon? And what do you people even do?"

"As mentioned previously, the Higashikata and Joestar's families are related going back..." A quick peek at his phone was given, "Roughly eight generations ago. This bit of trivia was not lost to Mr. Joestar when the Higashikata family was... erased... back in 0001 P.I. He took me in and I have been working for the Speedwagon Foundation ever since."

[Yun Lao]

Exhaling softly, she swallowed the rest of her lukewarm liquid courage, and gently came rapping on door 214 once again.

"Mr Weathermaker? It's Suzie...," she started, then felt her chest seize with palpitation-jangled nerves. Ugh...come, now, coffee... "Just me...and one of my friends now."

A wave of exhaustion and not-quite-but-almost nausea suddenly struck her, and she leaned against the doorframe.

"I think we got off on the wrong track, yeah? I know it ain't much, but with everything that's happened, I'd rather not be any part in this. The truth is, we all came here looking for some answers before getting all mixed up in this..."

Sergeant Starr had her eye on them, traced them down to this ward... She shot a short glance at Lucy before she continued.

"Suppose the questions may've been a lot to take in. The lot of them as well as I are just as lost as you are. But I'm thinking Clutch wouldn't have gone looking for us if he didn't think we could help each other."

A long bit of silence followed Suzie's word, but eventually, Weathermaker's voice could be heard from behind the door.

"Two questions, that's all I'm gonna answer."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"As mentioned previously, the Higashikata and Joestar's families are related going back..." A quick peek at his phone was given, "Roughly eight generations ago. This bit of trivia was not lost to Mr. Joestar when the Higashikata family was... erased... back in 0001 P.I. He took me in and I have been working for the Speedwagon Foundation ever since."

That was funny. That actually made that old bastard sound like a decent person. Sandra was sure that was just a one-off. "Eight generations, huh? That's pretty cool." The little peak down didn't escape her notice. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"And my other question? I'm still not sure what it is you people do."

[Tami]

Jinny looks over at him with a mixture of bemusement and disbelief, "Luck is what you make of it, but sure I can understand being superstitious. Apparently my great-grandparents kept eight stalks of bamboo by their front door to ward off evil and bring good fortune."

As she spoke, Jinny's phone rang. Carefully pulling it out from her bag with her right hand without moving her left too much, she noted who was calling and answered the phone.

The phone call was from her friend in New York, Brian.

Before she could say more than two words, he began talking softly yet clearly, obviously not wanting to risk being overheard.

Jinny listened to what he had to say, only acknowledging it with an occasional single word response, and an occasional raising of an eyebrow or slight nod of her head.

After several minutes, they ended the call, Jinny making a promise she couldn't be sure that she could keep to stay safe, a promise that was more for him than for her.

She then hung up the call, and placed the phone back in her bag, thinking over what he said as she did.

[Yun Lao]

That was funny. That actually made that old bastard sound like a decent person. Sandra was sure that was just a one-off. "Eight generations, huh? That's pretty cool." The little peak down didn't escape her notice. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"And my other question? I'm still not sure what it is you people do."

"What is to say? We fix problems," Again, not much elaboration, but at least he wasn't looking at his phone.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"I have a question. Why do you keep staring at your phone to answer questions you should know." Vivian asked, not content anymore to smoke in silence.

[Yun Lao]

"I have a question. Why do you keep staring at your phone to answer questions you should know." Vivian asked, not content anymore to smoke in silence.

"Same reason you use magic as a crutch, Miss Vivian."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"What is to say? We fix problems," Again, not much elaboration, but at least he wasn't looking at his phone.

"I have a question. Why do you keep staring at your phone to answer questions you should know." Vivian asked, not content anymore to smoke in silence.

"Same reason you use magic as a crutch, Miss Vivian."

"Looking at your phone?"

...that made so much fucking sense. No wonder this clown sounded like he was reading a dictionary before. Because he fucking was! "You a fucking fraud like that Toby Keith guy?!" she demanded. "Start any **** and you'll fucking regret it."

[Yun Lao]

"Looking at your phone?"

...that made so much fucking sense. No wonder this clown sounded like he was reading a dictionary before. Because he fucking was! "You a fucking fraud like that Toby Keith guy?!" she demanded. "Start any **** and you'll fucking regret it."

"The only one starting "****" right now is yourself, Miss Sandra. I am merely fulfilling Mr. Joestar's will. I would propose showing my birthmark, but I doubt it would appease you. After all, you trusted Toby Keith and the Lines without even asking for theirs."

[grampagen]

A long bit of silence followed Suzie's word, but eventually, Weathermaker's voice could be heard from behind the door.

"Two questions, that's all I'm gonna answer."

Hot breath from a long sigh left her as she faced the door. Peering over to Lucy, she widened her eyes with a strange, spacy smile as she shrugged. At least he's come around a little.

Nevertheless, she had to choose her next words carefully.

"You've heard of Stands, but you can't see them," she said, "besides your admission, I gathered as much since I'd had mine beside me the entire time we'd conversed."

...that's not a question.

"Which means, there's another person in there besides Clutch who can. And Starr, by the way she treated the poor thing, she wasn't after him. Which must mean she was after either you, your wife, or your boy. Had any of you come down with the Fever?"

Suzie let the first question hang for a second as she felt the knots slowly unravel in her stomach, granting her the nerve to proceed to the next.

"And second...well, how did you plan to get out of here?"

She wouldn't want to presume, but ever since they'd arrived in this town, she knew something of how it felt, having to watch over your back for the entire world. That in itself was exhausting enough without being thrust into a world of paranormal activity and spirits that turned one's fancy into reality. It was isolating, but not having anybody who understood, she could hardly think of anything more alienating than that.

"Again, it isn't much, but I...well, I wouldn't feel right about it leaving you behind like this." Goosebumps bristled up the back of her neck, and suddenly she remembered the shiver upon her wrist. "While I don't know much about Johannes Joestar, I do know his widow is well-connected and quite accommodating. If you come with us, maybe Debra can help get you and your family some place safer than here."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Same reason you use magic as a crutch, Miss Vivian."

"Now I know you're reaching," Vivian cackled. "Just saying, if you're gonna pull the same kinda **** the bus guys pulled, just get on with it. I wanna get on with my life, or afterlife."

Lighting another cigarette with the butt of the spent one, Vivian sighed.

"But... Let's see that birthmark."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"The only one starting "****" right now is yourself, Miss Sandra. I am merely fulfilling Mr. Joestar's will. I would propose showing my birthmark, but I doubt it would appease you. After all, you trusted Toby Keith and the Lines without even asking for theirs."

"Now I know you're reaching," Vivian cackled. "Just saying, if you're gonna pull the same kinda **** the bus guys pulled, just get on with it. I wanna get on with my life, or afterlife."

Lighting another cigarette with the butt of the spent one, Vivian sighed.

"But... Let's see that birthmark."

Sandra's caustic gaze cut from whoever this **** really was to Vivian, then back to the man in front of her. This ************ really thought it was a good idea to straight up lie to them and do a piss-poor job of hiding it. Fucker really had his fucking phone out to answer questions he should have had the common sense to prepare for in advance.

At least fucking try.

"And," she added after Vivian finished speaking, "let's start over. Cut the bullshit and tell us who you really are."

[Yun Lao]

Sandra's caustic gaze cut from whoever this **** really was to Vivian, then back to the man in front of her. This ************ really thought it was a good idea to straight up lie to them and do a piss-poor job of hiding it. Fucker really had his fucking phone out to answer questions he should have had the common sense to prepare for in advance.

At least fucking try.

"And," she added after Vivian finished speaking, "let's start over. Cut the bullshit and tell us who you really are."

"As I said, I am Hironobu Higashikata," He began, all the while starting to take off his black gakuen jacket, "17 years old, 175.26 centimeters tall, 65.32 kilograms, my three measurements are 96.52, 78.74, and 96.46 centimeters."

Placing the jacket onto the barstool, he continued with his white button-up shirt," I was born the 14th of May, 0005 P.I. which in the zodiac would make me a Taurus and Horse according to western and Chinese listings respectively," It was around that time he had managed to lower his shirt to the point that the familiar star-shaped mark was visible, although they would find it marred with scars almost as if someone had stabbed him exactly in that spot.

"Ultimately, it is not important that you believe me. As long as you believe Mr. Joestar, you may dislike me all you want."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Jinny looks over at him with a mixture of bemusement and disbelief, "Luck is what you make of it, but sure I can understand being superstitious. Apparently my great-grandparents kept eight stalks of bamboo by their front door to ward off evil and bring good fortune."

" I'm Ukrainian, and Ukrainians are highly superstitious. My mother used to fasten a safety pin to me to protect me from Evil spirits. Whistling in doors is frown upon in Ukraine. In Ukraine there's a belief that a broken plate is good luck, and that stepping in animal poop will bring a hefty sum of money," Boris said.