Scene #5679:

Owner	Pose
Mortimer Balman	FRANCE, 1956. Or at least, that's the aesthetic of this particular iteration of France. Only it's a bit.. /Off/ somehow, to a casual observer from a 'normal' Earth. There are non-human races interspersed with the normal humans wandering about. The city- Paris. People go about their business in period-appropriate clothes, discussing various events. The discussions overheard can be odd at times- some people speak of magic and high technology, others talk about how Hitler's giant mechanical spiders should have never overrun the Maginot Line, or about how the last set of horse races was called on account of acid rain. All sorts of things ranging from the fantastical to the bizarre. And somewhere in this iteration of Paris, there is a wonderful little cafe. In this timeline it's not very large, but it is 5-star quality. Mortimer is waiting there, wearing his 'dress greens' uniform- and all the regalia that is meant to accompany it. All of his medals, Gym badges- 'dressed to the nines' as the saying goes. He is patiently waiting for his dinner guests to show up, while the garcon checks up on him, making sure he has sufficient wine and that the bread rolls are still fresh. Mort's a reasonably well known face at this particular establishment- it reminds him of some parts of his homeworld..
Josuke Higashikata	A COUPLE DAYS AGO: Josuke had been mostly silent through dinner. He'd been thinking about what Mr. Mortimer had said about telling his mother the truth about... well, everything. The Multiverse. Stands. And especially his own abilities. Where he went when he came back with mysterious bruises and injuries. Would she be able to handle the knowledge, knowing she couldn't do anything to help? That was why he'd hesitated so long in telling her everything -- he hadn't wanted her to realize that he was in kind of danger she couldn't protect him from. She was not a person who liked being told she couldn't help. Particularly not if it was someone she was close to. He hadn't even told her what happened with his grandfather Ryohei. The story was that he had a stroke. But what had actually happened is a water Stand, Aqua Necklace, had entered his body and torn itself out of blood vessels in his brain. Could his mother really handle the knowledge that there were things out there she couldn't protect herself, let alone him, from...? And his mother Tomoko noticed that he was staring at his plate, but was doing little more then pushing his food around on his plate. "Josuke, what's the matter? Did something happen in school today?" she asked. "Wha?" He looked up, broken out of his reverie. "No, it's not that. I was just... thinking, that's all." Tomoko paused. "...Josuke." He winced; he knew that tone. That was Serious Mom(tm) tone. "Ever since you started school, you've been coming home hurt, almost twice a week. Are you getting into fights at school? Are you being bullied?" Josuke blinked. "What?" He held up his hands, shook them and his head. "No no, nothing like that." "Then what's going on?" Tomoko asked. "You know I'm not going to judge you. Unless you're doing something you shouldn't be, then you are SO grounded, mister." Josuke sweatdropped. "W-well, do you remember how things started to get weird after Grandpa died?" Tomoko nodded, but said nothing, indicating that he should continue. "There's... a lot going on that I haven't been able to tell you about. I'm OK though, I promise," he's quick to assure her. But... well, can I take you somewhere Saturday night so you can meet a friend of mine? He'll help explain it." Tomoko blinked. "...Josuke... is this... a boyfriend?" "WHAT?!" Josuke all but squeaked. "No way! He's just a friend! And he's old enough to be my..." He trailed off. No WAY Mortimer and Joseph Joestar were ANYTHING alike. He sighed. "He's just a friend. Someone who's helped me a lot. And I figure you'll understand when you see him. OK?" Still seeming bewildered, Tomoko nodded. "If it'll help explain, I'll meet your friend," she agreed. "You can't just tell me?" "You won't believe me if I do," Josuke replied. "But when you see him... you'll believe it."
Josuke Higashikata	YESTERDAY: "...You're going to what?" Jotaro asked flatly. Josuke sighed into the phone. Then he squared his shoulders. "You heard me, Jotaro. I'm going to tell Mom. Everything. Stands, the Multiverse, what really happened to Grandpa." "Are you sure that's a good idea?" "No," Josuke admitted. "But Mr. Mortimer had a point. What happens if I make a serious enemy out there, and they kidnap Mom? She won't know what's going on. She won't know she can't fight them, and she might get hurt." He forced himself to say the next. "...Or worse. Jotaro, she's all I have left. I'm not going to lose her." "...''Yare yare daze''..." Jotaro sighed. "I suppose you're telling me this because you want me there?" Josuke confirmed, "Yeah. But it's not just us. I have this friend outside in the Multiverse. Mortimer Balman is his name. He's... well, he's instantly recognizable, and that's why I'm not doing this in Morioh. He's got a place he wants to talk to her about it. She'll know instantly that it's real if she sees him." "What makes you say that?" Flatly, Josuke stated, "He's a human-sized blue badger with fire instead of hair." There was silence on the phone for a long moment. "...Jotaro?" "...I'm still here. If I didn't know you weren't the type to make up stories, I'd think you were making it up." "That's my point," Josuke replies. "She'll HAVE to believe it if she sees him. Will you come too, just in case she doesn't take it well." Pause. "She... well, you remind her of Mr. Joestar, so... maybe it'll keep her calm." He still wouldn't call Joseph 'dad'. Again there was silence for a long moment. But before Josuke could prompt Jotaro to speak again, he did. "All right. Where is this place?"
Josuke Higashikata	PRESENT TIME: Tomoko had dressed in a flattering azure blue blouse and a smart black pencil skirt. Tights and sensible flats completed the look, and a white headband kept her nape-length hair out of her face. As they enter the place, she looks around. "This place... are you sure we're properly dressed? Nobody told me this was a costume party..." Josuke, who had gone for a white button-up shirt, a dark blue pinstriped vest, a pair of loose purple pants, and a pair of black loafers, gives a sheepish look. "Um... that's part of what we need to explain..." Looking to Jotaro, who walks behind them both. Jotaro had opted for white of course. In fact, it was the white shirt, white long jacket, white loose pants, and black loafers he always wore, with his white cap perched upon his head. He hadn't even bothered to dress up. Then again, he didn't look too shabby as it was; his hair wasn't as wild as it had been in his youth. He meets Josuke's gaze and asks, "Where is your friend?" "Hold on, lemme find out." Josuke looks to the maitre d'. "Excuse me sir," he asks politely. "Is there a Mortimer Balman here?" "One moment please," the maitre d' says, scanning the book. "Ah, yes. He's expecting you. Please follow me." So this is the group that will approach Mortimer's table, following the maitre d' -- Tomoko in her conservative but attractive blouse and skirt, Josuke in at least PART of a nice suit, and Jotaro looking like he usually does.
Mortimer Balman	A small sip of wine. Bit on the sweet side for Mortimers taste but it was better to err on the side of sweet rather than the side of bitter, when meeting new people. A bread roll disappeared down his mouth, the whole thing, rapidly incinerated to little more than a lump of coal and swallowed without fanfare. Mmm.. The garcon would appear, leaning so hard he almost looked bent in half, his charming grin making him look almost like a living caricature of a person. "Monsieur Balman, your guests have arrived." "Ah, delightful, thank you Bisset." Once Josuke and company came into view, Mortimer would stand up and snap to attention, which no doubt made him tower over the whole lot. "Josuke, lad! Good to see you. And this must be your lovely mother- and Jotaro, I believe, he mentioned? Mortimer Whitney Balman, at your service." None of the other customers seemed bothered by the 7 foot tall literally-on-fire badger-man wearing a military uniform bearing a myriad of strange medals. A large, four-fingered hand was extended in greeting, while two assistant waiters quickly appeared to pull chairs out for the new arrivals, along with menus.
Josuke Higashikata	"Hi there, Mr. Balman," Josuke replies. "That's right, this is my mother, Tomoko, and Jotaro, my..." Pause. "Nephew." Which is rich, because Josuke's sixteen and this guy's clearly almost thirty. Perhaps none of the other customers seem bothered. But Tomoko does. When she notices that Mortimer is quite literally on fire -- and GOOD GOD why is he so huge?! She takes a step back, eyes going wide. She does look scared, but at least not panicked. It's a dawning, horrible realization. And she says it quietly. "Then... those 'costumes'...?" Surprisingly it's Jotaro that answers. "...Aren't costumes," he supplies. Josuke places a hand on his mouther's shoulder, and squeezes gently for support. "It's OK, Mom. I wouldn't have brought you somewhere I didn't think was safe. I trust Mr. Balman." It does take a moment more, but she does stop glancing around as if she expects something to come out and attack her. She closes her eyes and takes a calming breath, and the tension seems to leave her frame. And she finally returns the handshake. It's hesitant, but more out of lack of familiarity with the gesture. Jotaro's handshake is not -- he's been all over the world, and is quite familiar with handshakes. The three are seated, and once the waiters leave, Tomoko is the first to speak. Evenly she begins, "I should apologize, Mr. Balman. I don't usually greet people with existential terror." There's even a bit of a smile there.
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer smiles- careful not to show off his teeth. Being a species that is far more carnivorous than humans by nature, a toothy grin may be taken as a threat gesture. His handshake is firm but not squeezing, carefully measured. "Nephew? Hm." He could believe that, given his own background. Though it was definitely a substantial stretch of the imagination.. "Welcome to the Multiverse, Ms. Tomoko. Please, call me Mortimer, or Morty for short if you'd like. I insist." He was well aware of how the Japanese used each others' names, but that was a tradition he didn't really care about. "No need to apologize, ma'am. I fully understand. It can be.. Quite alien and odd out here. You're handlin' the culture shock quite well- hardly a surprise, given that you're Josuke's mother." They may or may not have noticed he's switched from speaking French to Japanese, depending on how well they notice the translation effect- though they'd definitely notice that his Japanese accent comes off as.. A bit on the redneck or Osaka-y side. "I am, admittedly, one of the somewhat more.. Unusual species you're liable to come across, ain't gonna lie. Fer the most part."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke breathes a sigh of relief when Tomoko doesn't outright panic. Honestly he didn't think she would, but to know for sure is comforting. Though for her part, Tomoko hasn't noticed that he's switched from French to Japanese. Josuke does, however. If Jotaro notices, he doesn't mention it. Tomoko nods. "Mortimer, then," she decides. It's a bit less informal, and she isn't quite ready to be on informal terms yet. She's still not sure what all this is about. Though she does pick up something in mention. "Multi...verse, you said?" Josuke starts this one. "Remember that big circular thing we went through? That's a warpgate. They're all over the world now, and that's the one in Morioh." Jotaro adds, from where he's leaning back in his chair perusing his menu, "The Speedwagon Foundation has control of it, for the most part, and we're trying to prevent mass panic. We aren't trying to keep the Multiverse out, per se. But if Mortimer had come to Morioh, it wouldn't have gone well." Josuke nods. "They're trying to make sure whoever comes through isn't meaning harm, or won't be causing a panic by marching dinosaurs through main street." Tomoko looks between the men at the table. "So... this isn't just 'not Morioh'... but 'not Earth'?"
Mortimer Balman	"Yes ma'am. You see.. Well, I don't know /all/ 'bout it. Know a lot, though. It's the damndest thing.. Are y'familiar with the concept of alternate realities at all? Different dimensions? That's the start of this 'Multiverse' thing. Lots of worlds- lots of Earths, even- from different dimensions what run on different rules, all.. Kinda thrown together. Often without any apparent rhyme or reason. Take a moment and well, let your mind chew on that." He'd start pouring wine for everyone. "Each Earth is at least a little diff'rent from the others.. Some are /wildly/ different.. Minor variances in the laws of physics, or choices made at key points in history, or any number of other things, gives you a whole load of possibilities. Things can get.. Well, more'n a little hectic at times. If you can imagine it.. It probably exists somewhere. ...Please, order whatever yah'd like off the menu. S'all on my wallet tonight." He'd gesture to the menus.
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko blinks at Mortimer's assertation that there are alternate worlds. "Alternate worlds... that sounds like science fiction," she notes. "It's true, though," Josuke assures her. That's where I go when I disappear. I have friends out there, outside '''our''' Earth, and I go help them when they need it. The last time I came back I was helping a friend named Kushiko deal with these guys called the 'Grineer' who have polluted and corrupted her Earth. We were... well, prying a Grineer cell out of somewhere they were holed up." He leaves some of those mission details unsaid though." Tomoko seems... confused by this all. Or perhaps she doesn't quite know how to handle it. But then she looks at Jotaro. "You know about it?" Jotaro gives an affirmative grunt, not looking up from his menu. "The Speedwagon Foundation has interests in the Multiverse," he asserts. "Josuke has been acting as one of our representatives." A pause and he adds, "He's been behaving himself, and in return for his services we've been assuring that he's taken care of." For a moment, Tomoko is quiet, considering the implications. "...I'll decide what I want to eat before I think too much about that, if you don't mind..." Menu time! Josuke nods, and looks at his own menu as well. It's Jotaro who orders first, since he's been looking at the menu the longest. "I'll have the steak au poivre," he says, closing the menu. Then to Tomoko, "You should try the Gougères. I don't know what they're like here, but I've had them elsewhere." "Oh, that's right -- you travel a lot, don't you?" Josuke observes. "I have an associate who lives in France," Jotaro answers. Tomoko notes, "I'll keep that in mind. I'll have the veal stew this time, though." Looking to Josuke, "What about you?" Josuke looks back to the menu, with a thoughtful pout. He does that a lot; half his body language is interpreting his pouts. "Hmmm... the beef bourguignon looks good." Wow, that is a mangled pronounciation. Closing the menu and looking to Mortimer, "Thank you." "Yes, it's very kind of you, Mortimer." Jotaro offers a nod in agreement but doesn't speak up.
Mortimer Balman	The garcon is of course right there, like living furniture, taking down orders. "And you, Monsieur Balman?" "I'll have a coq au vin. No need to overwork the taillevent tonight." "Of course.. Entree? Hors d'oeuvre?" "Mmm.. For an hors d'oeuvre, bring us some gougere, please. We'll consider entrees later." "Very good." After that, Mort would look back. "Josuke's a good lad; with a strong heart. I've yet to see him be anything but an upright young man- whether being faced with a dangerous situation or meeting with royalty. Helped me out here and there without a second thought." He'd fold his hands on the table and adjust his position a bit. "I do apologize if'n this is a touch much to take in at once, ma'am. If y'feel the need for somethin' like a smoke break or somethin' by all means, don't hesitate to say so."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke is a little startled at the sudden appearance of the waiter, but he's learned to handle the Multiverse a little better. For her part, though, Tomoko emits a squeak of surprise before she realizes it. And immediately looks embarrassed. Josuke grins a bit, and she sends him a look -- 'don't say a word', it seems to say. And Josuke's grin just widens. The unspoken communication between the two proves that they're close. Tomoko returns her attention to Mortimer when he speaks up again. Josuke looks sheepish at the words, but Tomoko smiles, the expression soft -- moms like hearing good things about their kids, and kids tend to get embarrassed over those good things. Tomoko notes, "His grandfather's... -- '''was''' -- a police officer." By way of explanation, she offers, "He died earlier this year -- it was a stroke. I guess the job got to him. Being a police officer is stressful business. But I guess a little of his grandfather rubbed off on Josuke." Josuke looks sad when his grandfather's mentioned, and seems to find the tablecloth fascinating. Jotaro looks at Tomoko out of the corner of his eye, and then at Mortimer. There's a tiny trace of something shrewd in the white-clad man's expression.
Mortimer Balman	"I am terrible sorry to hear that. One of my grandfathers was also in law enforcement- he was Military Police for the Groudan Marine Corps. Never met him of course, my parents had me fairly late in life.." Don't start rambling, Mort. There you go, caught yourself. "'Hem. I can see where Josuke gets it, then. Boy's got a good, solid sense of right and wrong, of what is and ain't just." An approving nod. The garcon disappears again. "Try not to mind Mr. Bisset too much. Man is a master of his craft- don't even realize he's there till he speaks. My butler's been trying to pick that skill up fer years, despite me tellin' him not to."
Josuke Higashikata	"Gru... dan?" Tomoko inquires. "I don't think I've heard of that. Is it a European chapter?" Josuke shakes his head. "He lives in a different world," he supplies. "One that's... well, LOTS different from ours." To Mortimer, "No offense, but..." Looking to Tomoko again, "He doesn't exactly look completely human, so that alone should tell his world's pretty different." One might think Jotaro's going to remain silent again. He's leaned back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest. He doesn't look particularly upset though. But he does note, "If you're military, that's good advice for your butler. Sneaking up on military personnel is a bad idea."
Mortimer Balman	"Grouda, my homeland. A vast desert continent in the geographical 'center' of the world. I am from a planet called Poqmori- I could point it out in the night sky sometime, if you'd like. Poqmori is an Earth-like world, but it is not Earth. Humanity as you would recognize it evolved on that world, but it co-evolved alongside /many/ species- like my own. It's.. Well, to explain more might be a overwhelming. Suffice to say, vastly different from your world." He would nod at Jotaro. "This is indeed true, though less of a problem for me now. I've been able to afford quality psychiatric care for the horrors I've witnessed, and don't suffer the traumatic episodes that is commonly seen in retired soldiery."
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko does seem fairly surprised by it all. She blinks a few times, in that 'whoa' sort of way. "And here I thought all those UFO conspiracy nuts were kidding," she remarks. She, uh. Might be kidding. "So this... is another world too, then? Not yours, though, right?" Josuke's staying quiet for the time being, though he's watching carefully. He's sure his mom can take it, but just in case she can't he's here. For his part, something shifts in Jotaro's stance. His shoulders relax just ever so slightly. "Good." This to Mortimer's mention of having had psychiatric care. "That's a horrible way to live." And lest Mortimer think his concern is completely altruistic, "Besides, I don't want to chance you snapping around Josuke. He can defend himself, but he probably wouldn't if you're his friend." Jotaro is INCREDIBLY blunt. Josuke pouts. "Hey, I'd know he was just having an episode. I could go for a disabling strike and then fix him later, once he woke up." Then he pauses, realizing what he said. "Er, I mean... take him to the hospital later..." He trails off though. Because MOMSTARE. Yes, she caught the slip-up.
Mortimer Balman	"They might have been, before your Earth 'unified'. That's the term we use for this.. Phenomenon. And.. No, Ms. Tomoko. You are several dozen /worlds/ away from home, right now. This is not my world, no. We don't have a 'France' on Poqmori." The hors d'ouevres show up. Gougere. Cheese puff pastries, essentially. The waiters fade away after that. Soft and precise violin music starts playing in the background. "It's been.. A /very/ long time since I snapped off on someone. My episodes were rarely, if ever, violent.." He trails off for a moment. A brief sigh. "I regret the way I lived, how I coped with my demons, at this stage in life. Lot of wasted time.. Heh, time.. Ahem! Sorry, when you get old sometimes you start rambling off. I've been working on not doing that so much. Where were we..?"
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko nods, seeming to lose a bit of the 'what do?!' expression. "I see... 'unified'. So that's what happened to our world too? That's why we could come here? Those... warpgates connect everything?" "Probably not everything," Josuke notes. "But lots of places." Yeah he's not going to pick up the subject. And his mother gives him a shrewd look... but doesn't pursue it. She's still trying to wrap her brain around the situation. There's an odd hardness in Jotaro's eyes when Mortimer speaks of regrets. He takes a breath, as if he were about to speak... but nothing comes out. Not for a few moments. "...My condolences." He doesn't want to bring up bad memories, either for Mort or himself. So instead he notes, "The unification phenomenon. Miss Higashikata asked if the warpgates were connected to it." Which Jotaro actually knows the answer to (well, as much as anyone else). But it'll distract Mortimer.
Mortimer Balman	"Ah yes, thank you Jotaro." He'd clear his throat a bit. "Yea. The warpgates are like.. Well, wormholes of a sort- little wrinkles in the fabric of space and time, letting you travel vast distances quickly. People from a thousand thousand worlds, all mingling and interactng and living. New gates frequently spring up when new worlds unify, but nobody's a hundred percent sure /why/.. I've heard a thousand theories if I've heard one. What matters is that if you know where you want to go, you can go just about anywhere with the Gates. If you wanted to, right this instant, I could take you to a hundred wild worlds." He'd pause to eat a cheese puff and have some wine. "I could take you to an Earth which unified at a post-apocalyptic period some 200 years ahead of yours, and we could hunt dinosaurs in the vast swamps of the American wilderness. Or I could take you to an Earth where Japan is a highly stratified nation reminiscent of the Edo period, except it's all built up like something out of a cyberpunk movie from the 1980s. Or we could go to an Earth where elves and dragons and faeries are all as real as the clothes on your back, and the world never made it past the medieval period, and go on a high adventure to save grand kingdoms like those from childhood storybooks, from evil wizards who seek to rule the world by way of summoning demons to bind to their will. The possibilities are near limitless."
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko, Josuke, and Jotaro all listen in silence as Mortimer explains. Though silence from Jotaro is probably just expected by now. Josuke doesn't want to overwhelm his mom with too much information. And Tomoko's just trying to take it all in. Cheese puffs are indeed enjoyed as he explains some of what's out there. Tomoko gets a little more of that 'what do?' expression back when Mortimer starts naming some of the worlds. "It's like someone opened a library and shook all the stories out of every piece of literature in there." And of course, she has one more question. "So... this is where Josuke's been going, to come back all beaten up?" Once a mom, always a mom. Josuke pouts. "Aww, Mom... don't say it like that. You make it sound like I make a habit of getting my butt kicked for no reason." "You do," Jotaro stated flatly. "You hear one call for help and you're off like the heroes from Gramps's comics." Josuke blushes a bit. Though there is something amused in Jotaro's demeanor. He might actually be teasing Josuke.
Mortimer Balman	A brief pause as he thinks, and Mort nods. "Aye, that's a good way t'look at it! Like someone brought every story you can imagine to life and let them run amok." The old badger then reaches out to pat Josuke's shoulder. "Sorry lad, not gonna lie to yer /ma/ of all people 'bout this. Goddesses know, if I lied to /mine/ about stuff like that, she'd whoop my arse until my fur patterns changed." He'd turn his attention back to Tomoko as the food began being delivered. "Aye, Ms. Tomoko, that's about the size of it. Yer son has a heroic soul.. And with it I've personally watched him save more'n a few lives from horrid things. The Multiverse is as full of danger as it is wonder, splendor, and magnificence. Without young men an' women like Josuke.. A whole lot of worlds would not be here."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke suddenly looks more than a little nervous when Mortimer mentions he's going to tell his mother the truth. Josuke doesn't protest, because... well, she does need to know. Just, he expects she's not going to take it well. She does frown, and gives Josuke that 'we will talk about this later' look, which Josuke winces at. Yyyyyeah, he knows that look. Though she looks at Mortimer a moment later. Then at Jotaro, then back to Mortimer. "You both know he's only sixteen, right? He does take after his father with his build, but... he's still just a teenager. What about... I don't know. Training?" Choosing his words carefully, Jotaro notes, "Josuke's a resourceful kid. He'll be fine." Tomoko is not convinced. "Isn't he supposed to be signing waivers or something?" she asks. "I have trouble with the realization that my son is... apparently fighting space aliens and evil monsters, and that somehow he'll 'be fine'."
Mortimer Balman	"Yes.. But Josuke is special. He's not like other sixteen year olds- and I swear to you before my Gods, Ms. Tomoko, I am /far/ more familiar with children taking it upon themselves to go off and do damned fool heroics than I have any desire to describe.. /But/.. Josuke is not like most other teenagers. ...You can see how I'm on fire, right? It might not surprise you that I can breathe flames." He'd take a deep breath and slowly let fire trickle out from around his maw. As if he had a fireplace in his mouth. "Josuke is more than merely a resourceful boy. He has more than just hot blood and a full metal mind to keep him- and others- alive. ...If he didn't, you and I would have met by way of me dragging his arse home before he got himself killed."
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko does draw back a little at the fire, but more out of surprise than actual fear. It doesn't seem to bother Josuke -- he's expecting it. Jotaro raises a brow, but doesn't comment, since he'd kind of been expecting that. He does assert, however, "And he would have too. He has a very 'dad' vibe when he's fighting. Like he's responsible for everybody on the field. If I'd been out there with him on the field and gotten messed up, he'd have dragged me home." "How?" That's all Tomoko wants to know. "I mean... of course he's special to me. But this is... this sounds like there's something else..." "...He has a Stand." Jotaro, surprisingly, takes some of the burden off. "It's a psychic manifestation that's under his control. Something like a poltergeist. You wouldn't be able to see it."
Mortimer Balman	"I can see it.. For some reason. But.. Just because you can't, doesn't mean Josuke can't /prove/ he has such a thing. Go ahead, Josuke. Call up that.. Stand of yours. Don't worry- a few of the patrons will see it, but they won't care unless you y'know, do something crazy. Try.. Oh.. Something simple.." A hand rubs his chin as he stirs his food a bit. "Use it to pick up Bisset." A somewhat mischievous- and toothy- grin comes over his face. "Wait, what?" The garcon looks nervous.
Josuke Higashikata	"I'm not sure I could get hold of him," Josuke remarks. The waiter does seem to be as slippery as an eel, with the unnatural way he seems to bend. But, with the task set, he looks at the waiter. "It's OK, I'm not gonna hurt you." His purple aura sparks to life around him, and the being rises from inside him, to stand next to where he's sitting. And if he can, he will carefully pick up the thin waiter. Might be funny, actually, since Crazy Diamond is try to sort of princess-lift the guy.
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer patiently watches as the garcon is lifted off the floor. "I am not comfortable with this display of supernatural phenomenon! This will be an additional gratuity!" "Well of /course/ it is, Bisset, you know me better than to do anything else." The man's face becomes substantially grumpy. "Are we satisfied yet or must I endure further humiliation? Will I be /pantsed/ next?" Mort waves a hand dismissively, "Of course not, man. Let him down, lad."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke gives the waiter a sheepish look. "I'm sorry," he says genuinely, Crazy Diamond moving to carefully set the man back on his feet, then dismissing the Stand. "Thank you sir! Your help was appreciated!" he offers brightly. Tomoko blinks at the display. Though she also ends up letting out a quiet laugh that she only JUST manages to keep in 'till the waiter leaves. "As funny as that was... that was you that picked the waiter up, Josuke?" Josuke nods, with an affirmative sound. "He isn't the only one," Jotaro pipes up. For Tomoko's sight, the fork and the knife will just float above the table as he releases them. It's as though something has hold of them, but she can't quite see what. Mortimer, however, will see what is basically a pastel-colored Roman soldier with black gloves and flowing back hair instead of a helm. As stoic as Jotaro's expression is, his spirit's expression is INCREDIBLY INTENSE! This spirit is holding the fork and knife as it floats above where Jotaro's sitting. He only leaves it there for a second or two before reclaiming the silverware and dismissing his Stand.
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer watches as.. Jotaro's Stand appears as well. "Huhn. Neat." He nods approvingly. "To me it's a bit of a peculiar thing, seeing these.. 'Stands'. I have minor pyrokinetic and cryokinetic abilities but those are nothing compared to this stuff.. And yes, ma'am, I assure you- it is most definitely /both/ of them doing that." He takes a few bites of his food. "This is the tip of the iceberg for the sorts of things that /can/ exist. Zombies, werewolves, vampires. Angels, demons, shinigami. Wizards, witches, and ghosts. Superheroes and supervillains. All these things and more can crop up.. Essentially at any time. I could show you a few of these things, but well.. I'm not entirely sure how you'd react to a ghost, or an oversized psychic butterfly, or a wolf that's roughly the size of an African elephant. Or any number of other things.."
Josuke Higashikata	"It tends to run in families," Jotaro notes, of his and Josuke's Stands. Tomoko has that look. That 'what have I gotten myself into' look. That look that people have when dropped into something super beyond anything they've ever dealt with before. All of these powerful and scary things... and Josuke was facing them. Even though he had some sort of strange power -- some kind of telekinesis, is what it looked like to her -- well... "It still worries me that he's out there by himself," she replies. "Oh, I'm not," Josuke assures his mother. "I have friends out there, and I don't think I've ever been in trouble alone. There's always SOMEONE else whenever I'm helping someone."
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer nods. "Only old fools like me go out there alone. But aye, as I said afore- there's lots of young heroes out there. Always banding together to save the day in ways.. Nobody else really can. There are terrible few people like Josuke out there, despite how many worlds there are. Now.. I don't want you to think this is going t'be used to justify stuff like, y'know.. Skipping school, or dodging things what need to be done at home. That's the sorta thing that's only allowable fer critically important scenarios or emergencies, and then made up later." He'd slowly reach out and put a hand over Tomoko's. "I know it sounds like one of them parental nightmares. And.. Sometimes it is. ..But it's folks with powers, with skills, with equipment, with the /mindset/ needed, that're the only ones what can stand up 'gainst the dark forces of the Multiverse. And.. Well. Don't take this as me tryin' to be rude, because it is /experience/ that makes me say this, not a desire to say "just let yer boy throw himself into harm's way"- when the evils of the Multiverse come calling, they seldom care about a mother's desire for her child's safety.. ...They never care about the lives they destroy.." He looks /older/ saying that. Impossibly older. The weight of literal /ages/ hangs on his cheeks and brow. The haunted look of a man who's seen nations cleansed in the blink of an eye. Maybe even by his own hand.
Josuke Higashikata	There is something Jotaro knows well. He knows that he is... really, REALLY bad at situations like this. So he wisely stays silent. Though he keeps his eye on the preceedings. For his part, Josuke looks uncomfortable. This is sort of one reason he didn't want to tell her. Because... well, now she's going to be worried. But, on the bright side, maybe something horrible coming to Morioh won't catch everyone so unprepared. Tomoko doesn't pull away from the fire badger when he puts a hand over hers, so there's that. Also it's a good sign that she doesn't look like she's about to break down into tears. She listens to Mortimer... and she realizes he's right. "...Somehow I knew that there was more to where he was going than just 'out with friends'. None of his school friends seem the type to go to places with Josuke that he'd come back injured from. And I had a feeling I would have heard if kids from his school were just getting randomly beaten up..."
Mortimer Balman	A small smile appears on the old man's face. "Heh, aye. Though at least he wasn't /technically/ lying to you.. And yeah, yeah, most school systems I know of tend to call parents immediately when fights break out. ..." There's a pause as he takes his hand back and stirs his food idly. "Fer what it's worth, I'm sorry that this first meetin' is such a heavy drop of hard shit t'deal with. But.. Well. So many people I seen over the years here, they don't like tellin' nobody- not friends, family, /governments/, what's goin' on after they Unify. And then.. And then sometimes somethin' awful happens. ...And ain't nobody ready fer it. ..And then /everything/ goes straight to Hell.."
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko nods. "It's... I think I'm getting used to it," she says. "Or it hasn't sunk in yet, one of the two." She thinks about that, what Mortimer is saying. "I guess that makes some sense... though people tend to be pretty locked into a way of thinking. If someone was to tell OUR world about the Multiverse, if everyone just one day knew... I can't even imagine." "Mass hysteria," Jotaro replies. "Most people couldn't handle it. When Josuke called me and told me he wanted to tell you, I didn't think that was a good idea. I didn't know if you could handle it. But I guess it wasn't that bad." Josuke pipes up then, "Well, I mean. I do a fair amount of thwarting bad people out there. And I know the Speedwagon Foundation has that one warpgate covered, more or less. But they can't be everywhere. And there ARE other warpgates in our world. What if someone followed me back?"
Mortimer Balman	Nods at Tomoko. "Mr. Jotaro there's right. More than a few times worlds have gone into absolute panic. Not always human worlds, either." Eyes turn towards Josuke. "Well.. There's worse scenarios than that but I don't wanna overwhelm yer Ma. I'm sure the Speedwagon Foundation is well prepped fer handlin' standard threats, and I'm sure by now Mr. Jotaro and you have made sure they have a nice, fat filing cabinet on potential issues." he finally ate some more of his food. "It's not all bad, though.. Fer every awful thing there's three wondrous things. You.. Probably would not believe where I live, it sounds absurd to even say it."
Josuke Higashikata	Jotaro nods. "We've been trying to stay on top of the bigger things going on in the Multiverse," he replies. "We're having to switch to computers to keep up with it all." Josuke snickers, but Jotaro continues, "It's a lot. There's more worlds out there than we can catalogue, so we're just doing our best." "People thrive on routine," Tomoko agrees. "And I wouldn't want things to get out of hand there. But..." Here she looks at Josuke. "Why did you wait so long to tell me?" And here Josuke blushes. "Well... it was the dilemma," he notes. "Between not knowing if you'd freak out or try to ground me or something, or maybe it was better to tell you and make sure you knew where I was. I just sorta... didn't get around to it, because I never could decide." And Jotaro's interested in that comment from Mortimer. "Oh?" he asks. "Why do you think we wouldn't believe it?"
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer's ears flick a bit and he stares blankly at Jotaro. "Okay. I live in a magical land of pastel-coloured talking ponies, unicorns, and pegasi." The onus is now upon the other Jo. "The rising of sun and moon are handled by the demigodal Queens who rule this land, alicorns of immense power and- compared to the others- size. I have a small farm at the edge of the town of Ponyville."
Josuke Higashikata	Jotaro's expression remains largely unchanged. However, there is a definite blankness that is more than just his usual blank expression. There is a degree of '...wat' in that expression. Similarly, Tomoko's eyes go wide and she blinks several times. "...What?" Josuke is trying really hard not to laugh. And doing pretty well, though not managing to keep the amused look off his face. Once he can without fear of laughing, he notes, "He's telling the truth. I've been there before. It's... well, 'surreal' would be putting it mildly. But it's still a nice place. Their magic's pretty strong, too."
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer takes a long drink of wine. "Yes. ...I retired there, because it is the only place I have found to live where I am not looked at as a monster. I am treated like any other citizen. I am respected member of the community. People trust me to watch their children, they listen to my opinion at town meetings. People don't look at me and.. Flinch. Or spit on my uniforms. Or.. Well. ..You get the idea." He doesn't meet anyone's gaze, just stares down into his glass of wine while cocking up one ear to better listen to the violin music. "...It was a long time since I could say I'd had a home, for me and my crew. They gave me one, no questions asked."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke pouts a bit, partly confused and partly just not liking the sound. "Why would people think you were a monster? Not just from you being not human, was it?" Jotaro notes, "Something your world's military did?" He noticed the mention of spitting on the uniform. As for Tomoko? "Well... I admit I did flinch, but that's because I've never seen any non-human person ever. You don't seem so bad, if it helps."
Mortimer Balman	"Mm.. Not my world's military, per se, Jotaro. No.. The court of public opinion." He adjusts his uniform a bit. "I served in my nation's military for 14 years. 12 of them were spent at war. During that war.. ..Mistakes happened. Bad intel, political maneuvering, people sent to places they shouldn't have been.. A lot of civilians died.. Some of them I'd put to the torch myself." He looks down at his vest and adjusts one medal in specific- it looks like a cluster of leaves, wrapped in chains. "I spent six months in a prison camp for an atrocity that my battalion was tricked into committing for some damned foreign officer's political aims." Another medal, this one looking like a skeletal fist raised in defiance. "We fought many pitched battles while civilians tried depserately to escape the Enemy around us, and.. We couldn't save them all.." A small sigh, a distant stare. "...By the time our own propaganda machines and public relations officers could figure out what had even happened, a good chunk of the world didn't care anymore. It was our fault those people died. It was our fault those villages were burned to the ground. Even after the Pethian government sent out missives and public apologies for what happened.. Yeah.. It was not fun to be a Groudan Republic Marine after the War.." Deep breath. Exhale. "People in my profession.. We tend to get a look to us. People can tell we've done things we ain't proud of. You're seeing the Morty who's had lifetimes to get therapy, to get help, to not need someone to wake him up in the dead of night because he's screaming and fighting in his sleep again. The saying goes that people could smell the blood we couldn't wash off our hands. Even in my own homeland, people avoided those of us who'd been to Peth. Not the ones that went to Terne, or to Kyogura. But us Peth vets were pariahs after that meat grinder finally stopped cranking. ...Before I moved into Ponyville, the only place I'd felt even remotely at 'home' was a dingy old barracks that hadn't seen proper maintenance in fifty years."
Josuke Higashikata	There's silence from the tree from Josuke's world as Mortimer tells his tale. Jotaro adjusts his hat, looking down. Josuke's got a pout on his face again, and he's got his gaze cast down as though the table was the most fascinating thing in the world. And Tomoko? Looking at Josuke's mother, it's easy to see where Josuke got his desire to help others from. She will put a hand over her mouth in shock, a look of dismay on her face. It's not too much for her, no. She just doesn't like that Mortimer's so upset about it. Because it's kind of ironic; of the three, she's the only one who's meeting Mortimer's gaze. It's Tomoko that speaks first. "I'm sorry to hear that," she replies quietly. She gives a gentle smile. "But I'm glad you've managed to get through it with just scars rather than open wounds."
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer's ears flick again. "Heh, there I go, ramblin' again.. It's okay now. I'm in a better place. I've got a good job. Good friends. Comfortable life, and, y'know, at least another 25 or 30 years left in me." He smiles down at Tomoko. This one didn't look so heavy or aged. "And there's plenty of young folk who I can help to forge their own stories. So it's not so bad." Scars.. He looks up at his forehead briefly. The symbol of a broken, golden sun prominently displayed. "Yeah.. Scars." Pause. Throat-clearing. "Anyway you've scarcely touched yer food! Please, the taillevent will be so disappointed if we don't enjoy all her hard work."
Josuke Higashikata	"Still, it's good that you've got things going well now," Tomoko replies. Josuke smiles, but he doesn't comment on it. He's just glad that this seemed to have gone well. Had his mother freaked out, that would have been unfortunate. That would have caused a scene. Still, Mortimer has a point. "Yeah. You just have really interesting stories," Josuke notes, with a grin. He's been picking at his food since they started. Thankfully (and perhaps surprisingly) he also has decent manners. Jotaro's manners are... adequate. Tomoko's are pretty good. But it's pretty clear that none of them are really 'rich people' sorts. Around bites of food, Jotaro asks Mortimer, "Were you the one that helped Josuke with the chaos god?"
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer doesn't tend to act like a rich man either- good but not perfect manners. If anything he's obviously resisting the urge to just shovel all the food down his gullet like he's at a mess hall. "A little, yea. Josuke did most of the work himself, though. I just have enough experience fighting those things to have been able to give him a nudge in the right direction. Nettle was also helpful, though I don't know if Josuke remembers even seeing her.."
Josuke Higashikata	Of course Tomoko looks up at this, looking between the three of them. "Chaos god?" Josuke gives that sheepish look. "Well, er... I stopped to help some people who were being attacked from ambush. It turns out he was a cultist for some chaos god. I got hurt, and he healed me. Or, well... I thought he did. Turns out what he did was infect me with his chaos. That was... yeah, I don't wanna do that again." Tomoko looks worried. "Are you sure it's gone?" "Yeah," Josuke replies with a nod. "There were a couple things it was affecting, and none of them are still... well, being affected that way." A look at Mortimer. "He brought me to the world he's living in now and dealt with it." And this draws Tomoko to look back to Mortimer. "Thank you. I'm sorry about that. Josuke is... well, he tends to leap before he looks sometimes." Josuke pouts. "How was I supposed to know he wasn't just being attacked?"
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer nods reassuringly at Tomoko. "I have a friend who developed highly specialized techniques for ensuring that the taint of the Ruinous Powers is removed in its entirety- as dear as family. And one of my crew- that's Nettle- is a specialist in watching people's thoughts and dreams, and I trust her with my life." He'd wave a hand dismissively. "Goodness, no need fer apologies on that. No good deed goes unpunished, and Josuke was trying to do the right thing; he just had no way to know he was going to be waylaid. He knows what to look fer now, though, so he can be more careful in the future."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke nods. "Yeah. He did look a little... I dunno, scary... his outfit had spikes on it. I didn't think that sort of visual shorthand was anything to go by. Now I know better." Tomoko sighs. "I guess I can't really blame you," she notes. "You were trying to help someone. Just be more careful." "Oh, I will," Josuke promises. "Like he said, now that I know what it looks like, what it feels like and all, I know how to avoid it." And then to Mortimer, "I remember Nettle, I think. The uh... was she a ghost?"
Mortimer Balman	"Yea. Nettle's a Ghost. A 'Shuppet', specifically-" Before Mortimer can further say anything, a sinister giggling from no apparent source is heard, and a tiny little sock-puppet looking creature appears. Its eyes glow blue and it has a horn for some reason. "<You called me, Master?>" "...No, Nettle, I did not. I take it you're bored?" "<A little~ Hello, little mortals~>"
Josuke Higashikata	"Eeek!" Sorry Mortimer, Tomoko isn't used to floating purple handkerchiefs/sock puppets appearing out of nowhere. Though she immediately covers her mouth, with a bit of a blush. Jotaro has the fighter's instincts and tenses as if he's expecting an attack. And Josuke jumps in his seat, a rather ridiculous expression on his face for a split second. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to appear so suddenly," Tomoko offers. She's actually talking TO Nettle instead of asking 'what is that', at least. Josuke breathes a sigh of relief. "Gah... Nettle, you scared me," he admits. Yet still, he greets, "Hi there." Jotaro just offers a nod of greeting to the Shuppet, and relaxes.
Mortimer Balman	"I would like to apologize for that. Nettle is sometimes a mischievous creature, and occasionally bends the rules to get around doing as she's told.." The little ghost floats around, laughing. The other patrons still don't seem upset by all this. "<Ah but you love me anyway, Master~ so /you're/ the Higashikata boy's mother! It's good that->" "Nettle?" "<Yesss~?>" "Disappear, please." "<Aww~ very well. Toodles~>" The ghost's sing-song voice fades as she floats into Mortimer's face and makes it look as though she's disappearing into his head. "Sorry about that, again. She does so enjoy causing trouble when she's bored.."
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko chuckles quietly. "It's okay. It could have been worse," she realizes. Once Nettle disappears, Tomoko inquires, "I don't mean this to be rude but, is she a pet? Or a... I guess a friend?" "Mortimer's world has animals that can think and talk like people," Josuke replies. "So I think she's a friend." And then he asks Mortimer, "What does she eat? I can try to bring her something later, to apologize."
Mortimer Balman	"Nettle was a person, like you or I. She died a few centuries before my birth, but her soul refused to pass on to the next life. She returned to the world of the living and took on the form of a Shuppet- a type of ghost that feeds upon negative emotions and wields powerful magic. Her bread and wine is fear, sadness, anger, hate, misery, bad dreams, and nightmares." He sips at his own wine for a moment. "She is.. A friend, yes. But she is my servant by way of Contractual Agreement. And a valuable servant she is.. When she's not being a troublemaker. And.. Yes, some 'animals' can develop the capacity for intelligent conversation in my reality. Such animals, though, are extremely rare."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke frowns a bit. "Hmm... I don't know that I could bring her anything to eat, then. I guess I can just think bad things in her presence, but... does it work like that? And would anything bad happen to me if I did?" Tomoko takes a breath. Pauses. "It is. I think it's getting easier," she observes. "I feel like I want to laugh now." Worriedly Josuke asks, "You're not gonna freak out, are you?" He reaches over to place his hand on his mother's shoulder. "Oh no, not at all," Tomoko assures him. "It's... I don't know, a relief. Even if it's all so strange, now I know what's going on. Now I know where you've been going. I was afraid it was something horrible. ...Well, I guess it could be, depending on where you end up."
Mortimer Balman	"Heh. Well you /could/ but she prefers /genuine/ emotions. She equates just thinking about bad things to something like junk food- tasty but it's all empty calories. She's already been 'fed' though so no need to worry." He'd watch the interaction between mother and son for a few moments while they chattered. "Heh.. Well. Won't blame yah for worryin'- my Ma worried all the time, too- but.. At least, you know he'll be out with friends. And I'm sure a smart boy like him will know to introduce them to ya. Ain't that right, lad? Though uh.. Some of'em will definitely be just as weird if not more weird than I."
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke gives a thoughtful pout. "I guess that makes sense," he replies. "What about bringing up bad memories? Bad things that really did happen, but happened some time ago?" It hasn't been too terribly long since his grandfather died, after all. Which reminds him of something. He winces a bit. Crud, he hasn't told his mother about that... Tomoko nods to Mortimer's statement. "He'd better, once in a while at least." A pointed look at Josuke, who comes out of whatever reverie he was in, and gives an innocent look. "It'll be OK, I promise. And hey -- maybe we can vacation in the Multiverse somewhere! There's some pretty nice spots out there."
Mortimer Balman	"Oh just wait'll you see some of the /girls/ he'll end up bringin' home." A big, toothy grin appears on Mort's face. And he says nothing more than that. "Oh, aye! There's /worlds/ of wondrous places t'go on vacation out here! Well, it also depends on what you call 'vacation.' This Sunday I'm going on safari in one of the worlds I mentioned earlier- a post-apocalyptic Earth some centuries in the future from your perspective. We're gonna be huntin' /dinosaurs/. There's entire planets which look like endless rows of the most gorgeous beaches you've ever seen. Or you could go fer a space-walk in a nebula full of comets an' asteroids made'a crystals and watch stellar lights bounce around like the most gorgeous rainbow shows, or any number of other things!"
Josuke Higashikata	And of course, there goes the blush, when Mortimer starts talking about Josuke bringing girls home! Josuke's face turns red, and he reaches up to rub at the back of his head. And Tomoko can't help but laugh. Josuke however, notes, "I don't know... I think I'm still too young to be thinking about that kind of stuff." Though all three of them are paying attention as Mortimer starts to describe his expected holiday, and some of the other places. "Wow." This from Tomoko. "And I guess there's a lot of other stuff too? How much of it's safe for me to travel in?" "Be careful, though," Josuke notes to Mortimer. "Dinosaurs are really big and vicious, right?"
Mortimer Balman	"Yea they are.. And I'm more dangerous." Grin. "Too young? Yer sixteen! I started dating when I was fourteen fer Mew's sake." An eyeroll at Josuke's absurdist notions. "Oh most of it is absolutely safe, Ms. Tomoko. The majority of vacation spots that're open fer Multiversal tourism go to great lengths to ensure that their stays are safe as houses- have to! Liability an' insurance an' all, y'know."
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko is not helping all of a sudden. "You do have those three girls that walk with you to school," she points out. "They seem nice, And they seem interested too." There's a hint of a smirk from Jotaro at that. And Josuke blushes again. "They just like me because they think I'm tough -- I'm a delinquent. I don't think they're looking at ME, just the reputation." Pause, and he tilts his head, first one way and then the other. "I mean, I'm not against it. If it happens, it happens. I'm willing to wait, though. Anyway!" Yeah, that is a call for another subject! He looks at Mortimer. "I guess I should say 'have fun' instead of 'be careful' then, right?" He grins. "Eat plenty of dinosaur meat for me, OK? And tell me what it tastes like."
Mortimer Balman	"Oh yah, of course. Hell if I have enough leftover, I'll bring you guys some! I'm mostly doing this so's I can feed my Thunderwolf though, not myself. He eats almost 300 kilograms of food- mainly meat- a day. If I can get my hands on even one of these "Allosaurous" critters, I can keep everyone fed fer a month!" He lifts a brow at Tomoko's statements, chuckling a bit. "So what if they're lookin' at the rep? Yer a teenager. Dating isn't about like, finding yer one true love at this age, son! It's about navigating the complex roads of puberty, maturity, and social expectations until you understand how they /work properly/. How to act, how to read people's behavior an' social cues, stuff like that; that way once yer at an appropriate stage of physical an' mental maturity, yer prepared to actually go out and /find/ a lifelong mate. Or a string of one-night stands, some people aren't really cut out fer committment."
Josuke Higashikata	"Thunderwolf?" Josuke blinks. And his eyes go wide when Mortimer tells how much it eats. "Whoa! How do you afford to feed it when you AREN'T hunting dinosaurs?" Jotaro asks, "Are they native to your world? What do they normally eat?" He just seems curious about it. Tomoko nods to the latter statement of Mortimer's. "It really is," she agrees. "You're still finding yourself. And if you need someone else to help you do that, there's nothing wrong with that." And that is a major pout from Josuke. "Yeah, I know. It just seems mean if I'm not planning on being in a serious relationship to string a girl along," he notes.
Mortimer Balman	"Oh good heavens no, Thunderwolves aren't native to my world t'all. They come from a frozen Hell of a planet called 'Fenris'. They're an apex predator there, feasting on other megafauna- giant elk, boar, krakens.. And I usually feed Ulbrecht by fishing, lad. Atlantic bluefin tuna are not too hard fer me to catch- a number of Earths have them in vast quantities!- so that plus some other stuff, I get by." Then it's back to the dating stuff for a moment. "Lad yer not 'stringing her along.' 'Mean' would be dating fer years on end and letting her believe she's the only one, only to cheat on her, or something to that tune. 'Mean' is knocking her up and then running out of her life. 'Mean' is dishonesty an' disingenuity."
Josuke Higashikata	Jotaro nods. "I've heard of the place before." This about Fenris. "There's been some action on the Multiversal bands centered around there, hasn't it?" He's only heard a bit of the banter, it seems, not really any information about it. Though he might actually be fishing himself. As for the fishing? "Oh, you have a point," Tomoko replies. "And I imagine cleaning up after such a big animal is trouble." Josuke actually seems pretty calm about the whole 'dating' thing. Right up until the words 'knocking her up and running out of her life'. Then he clenches his hand into a fist around the napkin on the table. Tomoko frowns when she sees this, a worried expression, but doesn't immediately say anything. "...Yeah." There's a bit of a sour note to the word.
Mortimer Balman	Mortimer is not so dense as to not realize he has made a mistake. "Mm.. ...I'm sorry, sport. Didn't mean to stir up bad thoughts.." Josuke might feel an odd sort of.. Tingling around his neck and head while he feels that way. The bad emotion slowly.. Leaving him. Not like a bad memory fading though, more like it's being sucked away, somehow. It's not a very draining feeling but it does leave an odd emptiness behind.. Perhaps it's that ghost Nettle, at work.
Josuke Higashikata	Josuke makes to speak up, but Tomoko beats him to the punch. "Josuke has never met his father," she admits. "I met him when I was in college..." There's a look on her face here; clearly she still thinks fondly of this man. "I lost contact with him when I left college, and haven't been able to find him again..." And here's something strange. Jotaro reacts here, adjusting his hat to shade his eyes a bit more. It's under his breath, the "''Yare yare daze''..."
Mortimer Balman	"Ah.. I see." Mortimer nods a bit. "When I was in college during the war, my best friend Charles- he met a guy he was /really/ into. And then.. Our leave got cancelled, and we got sent back to the front lines. He never did find that guy again. One of them unfortunate realities of life an' all.."
Josuke Higashikata	"Sadly, yes," Tomoko replies. "He's American, so he probably went back. The United States is a big place, so I don't even know where I'd start finding him." She gives a wistful sigh. "I hope he's safe..." Both Jotaro and Josuke are looking very awkward right now!
Mortimer Balman	"Ahh, yeah. That'd make things.. Difficult t'say th' least." An understanding series of nods. Mort's no stranger to this sort of thing. "Feh. We're supposed to be here t'be enjoyin' ourselves dammit, no more of this sad nonsense. I drink to yer health and look fer a better topic of discussion!" He'd down a whole glass of wine and pour a fresh one.
Josuke Higashikata	"That's true," Tomoko agrees. "I'm sure we'll meet again someday." One can almost hear the 'not if I can help it' in Josuke's head. Not seeming to have noticed it, Tomoko raises her glass as well. "Thank you. Here's to your health, too." She won't down her whole glass, but she will drink some of it. Josuke and Jotaro follow suit with the toast. And Josuke gives a grateful look to Mortimer. "So." Jotaro, surprisingly enough. "Now that Miss Higashikata's been told about the Multiverse, where do you think she should start if she wants to explore it." A look at Tomoko. "Since you mentioned it."
Mortimer Balman	Most of Mort's food is gone by now. In fact all of it is in a few more bites- having a big mouth hath its advantages. "Well Mr. Jotaro that depends entirely on the lady's hobbies. If it were my Ma I'd be helping her find a new pogo pit that has darts tournaments, but Ms. Tomoko doesn't quite look like someone who's into heavy metal, slam dancing, and drunken darts."
Josuke Higashikata	Tomoko actually laughs. "Oh wow, no," she replies. "How about something simple at first, something that won't blow my mind too badly? A nature walk, something calm and peaceful?" Josuke nods. "Not that I don't think you could handle it, Mom. Better safe than splattered, right?"
Mortimer Balman	"Of course! There's all sorts of nature walk sorts of things you could do. All you need to figure out is what sort of nature will appeal to you. You can visit nature walks from across time periods if you're so inclined. Do you want to see alien worlds or prehistoric jungles? Arboreal forests from when your earliest ancestors were coming down from the trees or the bizarre plants that grow in the future? I've got a tourbook or two that showcases stuff like this, I'll hafta find it and run a copy fer you folks.." Mortimer looks at his pockets. "Shoulda brought that with me.."