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

[Yun Lao]

"You really should have a Doctor look at the swollen head of yours. If it gets any bigger, you might topple over."

Jinny smirked, then shrugged with her good shoulder, "Let me guess, Daddy Joestar left you control of the entire Institute."

"Pfft, please. I've had my position in the Speedwagon Foundation for some time now," He replied in an almost uncharacteristically childish way in how he was pleased with himself, "While I've been dealing with Mr. Joestar's death, I've picked up a hobby and only recently were my efforts rewarded. Ever heard of MoonBlo-"

"Mr. Higashikata," A voice from the small intercom said, "We will be arriving in just a few minutes."

Pressing on a nearby button, Hironobu gave his thanks to the driver before returning to them, "Another time I suppose."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Nothing useful... bold of you to say that, Miss Wen Jinghu. You've seen just a portion of what is to come and here you're already guessing at conclusions. Do you think that just because you've awoken you stand, you can run the show?"

He let the words hang in the air, his amusement evident.

"Speaking of Stands," Vivian asked uncharacteristically present. "Where's yours?"

[The Dog]

"Speaking of Stands," Vivian asked uncharacteristically present. "Where's yours?"

Jamie looked to Higashikata with a small frown. She tried to like, or at the very least tolerate everybody, but he was making it exceedingly hard to do so.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

( A few minuets huh. So in just a few minuets I can look for answers,) Boris thought.

[MrSandman]

"I don't have any hope of things changing after tomorrow.....So I'll at least hope for some peace and quiet today." Lucy rubbed her temple and passed her nonexpressive gaze over to Jinny and their host.

"....until tomorrow you still have the choice to return to a normal life. I can assure you that chance will be gone the moment you hear the answer to most of those questions...." Lucy craned her neck to stare at Jinny. "You and everyone here, do you understand? If you value anything in your current life, or the lives of anyone in this car, ignorance is the best course of action."

Turning back to the case in front of her, Lucy rested her head on it and closed her eyes with a sigh. "At least let the ones who still have a happy future keep that much......maybe if your still set on it after the reading I'll talk..."

[Tami]

"I don't have any hope of things changing after tomorrow.....So I'll at least hope for some peace and quiet today." Lucy rubbed her temple and passed her nonexpressive gaze over to Jinny and their host.

"....until tomorrow you still have the choice to return to a normal life. I can assure you that chance will be gone the moment you hear the answer to most of those questions...." Lucy craned her neck to stare at Jinny. "You and everyone here, do you understand? If you value anything in your current life, or the lives of anyone in this car, ignorance is the best course of action."

Turning back to the case in front of her, Lucy rested her head on it and closed her eyes with a sigh. "At least let the ones who still have a happy future keep that much......maybe if your still set on it after the reading I'll talk..."

"I understand your feelings," she spoke softly, "but ignorance is never bliss. It's a blind ride down a dark road with an insane driver behind the wheel. As soon as we read the letters inviting us to the reading, as soon as we made plans to come here, it was already too late to turn back."

"I will keep an open mind and see what happens after the reading."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Sandra rolled her eyes and pulled her phone. "I can't get a drink fast enough."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"I don't have any hope of things changing after tomorrow.....So I'll at least hope for some peace and quiet today." Lucy rubbed her temple and passed her nonexpressive gaze over to Jinny and their host.

"....until tomorrow you still have the choice to return to a normal life. I can assure you that chance will be gone the moment you hear the answer to most of those questions...." Lucy craned her neck to stare at Jinny. "You and everyone here, do you understand? If you value anything in your current life, or the lives of anyone in this car, ignorance is the best course of action."

Turning back to the case in front of her, Lucy rested her head on it and closed her eyes with a sigh. "At least let the ones who still have a happy future keep that much......maybe if your still set on it after the reading I'll talk..."

"I understand, but I can't remain ignorant. There are answers I have to know, answers to personal questions. Answers I want to dig up," Boris said.

[The Dog]

"I understand your feelings," she spoke softly, "but ignorance is never bliss. It's a blind ride down a dark road with an insane driver behind the wheel. As soon as we read the letters inviting us to the reading, as soon as we made plans to come here, it was already too late to turn back."

"I will keep an open mind and see what happens after the reading."

"Besides, I don't think those after us will leave us alone, regardless of our ignorance. People like them rarely do." Jamie added with a defeated sigh, wringing her hands together anxiously.

[MrSandman]

"I understand your feelings," she spoke softly, "but ignorance is never bliss. It's a blind ride down a dark road with an insane driver behind the wheel. As soon as we read the letters inviting us to the reading, as soon as we made plans to come here, it was already too late to turn back."

"I will keep an open mind and see what happens after the reading."

"You understand my feelings, do you?" Lucys head did not move from her rest, but her eyes opened to reveal a piercing, weighted gaze. "We met less then a day ago...and you just claim to know that much...Your either a liar or a psychic, and you wouldn't be talking as much if you were the latter. You certainly wouldn't be talking to me for that matter." Lucy tapped the side of her head with her free hand. "Ignorance isn't bliss....but neither is knowing everything. How many people do you think the girl in the hospital has killed over the years because of innocent little questions like yours. Do you know...If I said her name out loud, right now, everyone in this limo would immediately become just another target on a list somewhere. That's the kind of power the wrong question or knowledge has."

After a moment of observation, Lucy simply closed her eyes again. ".....so before you continue to patronize me...take my advise and seriously consider taking the way out as soon as the reading is done. Someone of your demeaner will only end up poking a hornet nest and harming people you had no intention to, yourself included."

[KingofPie]

"Pfft, please. I've had my position in the Speedwagon Foundation for some time now," He replied in an almost uncharacteristically childish way in how he was pleased with himself, "While I've been dealing with Mr. Joestar's death, I've picked up a hobby and only recently were my efforts rewarded. Ever heard of MoonBlo-"

"Mr. Higashikata," A voice from the small intercom said, "We will be arriving in just a few minutes."

Pressing on a nearby button, Hironobu gave his thanks to the driver before returning to them, "Another time I suppose."

"Almost there...about time we got this show on the road," Miguel sighed in somewhat of a relief. But for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling they were all caught up in the opening act.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"I don't have any hope of things changing after tomorrow.....So I'll at least hope for some peace and quiet today." Lucy rubbed her temple and passed her nonexpressive gaze over to Jinny and their host.

"....until tomorrow you still have the choice to return to a normal life. I can assure you that chance will be gone the moment you hear the answer to most of those questions...." Lucy craned her neck to stare at Jinny. "You and everyone here, do you understand? If you value anything in your current life, or the lives of anyone in this car, ignorance is the best course of action."

Turning back to the case in front of her, Lucy rested her head on it and closed her eyes with a sigh. "At least let the ones who still have a happy future keep that much......maybe if your still set on it after the reading I'll talk..."

"Hey look, someone else gets it." Vivian noted.

[Tami]

"You understand my feelings, do you?" Lucys head did not move from her rest, but her eyes opened to reveal a piercing, weighted gaze. "We met less then a day ago...and you just claim to know that much...Your either a liar or a psychic, and you wouldn't be talking as much if you were the latter. You certainly wouldn't be talking to me for that matter." Lucy tapped the side of her head with her free hand. "Ignorance isn't bliss....but neither is knowing everything. How many people do you think the girl in the hospital has killed over the years because of innocent little questions like yours. Do you know...If I said her name out loud, right now, everyone in this limo would immediately become just another target on a list somewhere. That's the kind of power the wrong question or knowledge has."

After a moment of observation, Lucy simply closed her eyes again. ".....so before you continue to patronize me...take my advise and seriously consider taking the way out as soon as the reading is done. Someone of your demeaner will only end up poking a hornet nest and harming people you had no intention to, yourself included."

"Look, I'm sorry. I was trying to be polite. I did not intend to patronize you." Jinny glanced out the window to see the approaching destination in the distance, then turned her attention back to Lucy, "Still, just like with Hiro, while I am willing to listen, I will make my own choices. You chose not to talk to us before, fair enough. I chose to complete my personal mission. What others do is up to them, but if I'm going to be a target for crazy bus drivers and murderous children, then I'd like to know why."

She then leans back in her seat and looks out the window, even more anxious now to get out of the car and get some fresh air.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"I don't give a **** about knowing everything. The only questions I care about getting answers to are ones personal to me. There's a person, an old man close to me, who's past I want to dig up," Boris said.

" Maybe digging up the past might get me in hot water, but I'm willing to take that risk. I'm ex-hitman, so I'm used to having a target on my back," Boris said.

[Yun Lao]

The evening was waning, the sun drenching the land in orange yet the shadows cast by its light were growing by the time the limousine arrived at the Joestar Manor. The lands surrounding the property appeared to be vast ranches defined only by the weather wooden fences that seemed to stretch into the horizon where the landscape jutted upward into crown-like peaks, giving the mere suggestion of the Rockies further west.

Although clashing with the rugged southwestern appeal that surrounded it, the Joestar Manor's decorum reflected back to the family's once British nobility, something that Johannes had carried with him even this far into Texas. With the vehicle coming to a stop, the estate's staff were primed and waiting, getting to work opening the doors to greet the occupants not one second past the brakes being fully engaged. Among those who stepped out were Domo and Debra, the latter having once again fallen victim to her carsickness, although she seemed to have a lot more grace than the previous incident.

"Feels like it was only yesterday that I called this place my home," Debra said, her voice nostalgic with a hint of longing. Unfortunately, her reminiscence was quickly cut off by Hironobu who was currently exiting the vehicle, "Indeed this was your home. Now it sits as a testament to Mr. Joestar while you... what was it you do now? Better yet, don't bother answering that." Domo, no doubt just as irritated as the other passengers, tensed his muscles as he prepared to retaliate, only to be stopped by a gesture from his charge, "It doesn't matter anymore," She replied, tired.

"Perhaps for you..." Walking away from Debra and the group, the teenager ascended the steps leading to the interior, all the while conversing with several members of the staff, no doubt giving orders for accommodating the others... or not. It was hard to place how big an ******* he was.