JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Neon Soul

CHAPTER 22: It's Been a Long Time

"BEEP! BEEP!BEEP!BEEP!BEEP!BEEP!" sounded the alarm clock in Caitlin's room. She rolled over to the other side of the bed, tapped the top of the alarm, and it stopped. With a yawn, she sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. It had been 15 months since she had been living with Cyreen, but despite this, she still couldn't sleep comfortably. She got out of bed and walked to her window.

"It's sunny today, that's good. After the rain we got a couple of days ago, it'll finally be dry outside."

She then walked to the opposite side of the room to begin her morning routine. She shed her nightwear, grabbed a towel, and headed for the bathroom. On her way, she noticed that Cyreen's bedroom was empty, but the door to her office was shut.

"Did she stay up all night? Or maybe she fell asleep there? I won't try to go in. The last thing I need is for her to be cranky."

After a quick shower, she dried herself off and walked back to her bedroom. In her closet were numerous maid outfits that Cyreen had picked out for her. They all varied slightly, but to Caitlin, it was the same as a prison uniform. A constant reminder of the turn her life had taken. She carefully got dressed, donning an outfit before she meticulously combed her hair. She walked over to her vanity, put on a small amount of makeup, grabbed her heels, and left her room. As she headed downstairs, the only thing on her mind was the crown.

"Two days. There are two days left until it gets here. I've learned a lot about it, but I haven't been able to convince her it doesn't matter or get her to give up on it. The only other thing I can do is... entice her... to stay home. She's so enthralled by me. Maybe if I hurt myself or needed her attention, she'd momentarily forget about it."

About 30 minutes later, Caitlin heard the office door open. Cyreen walked downstairs, holding a folder filled with papers.

"Good morning, Miss," chimed Caitlin as she washed the windows of the kitchen.

"I was unsure if you were asleep in your office, so I decided not to wake you."

Cyreen walked up close behind Caitlin and wrapped her arms around her midsection. She pressed her body into hers and rested her head on Caitlin's shoulder.

"Good morning, Caitie. I had some things I had to work on last night and time got away from me. I'll be very busy today, so I'll see you later tonight. Bianco's waiting for me outside, so I must be off."

And with a light kiss on the cheek, she retracted from Caitlin and left the house.

"Two days... what will happen in two days? She hasn't mentioned that 'Jorgia' girl in a while. I hope she didn't kill her or her friends," Caitlin thought as she continued to clean the windows.

***

"Long night. Milady?" asked Bianco as he drove the convertible away from Northern Vetter.

"Yes, but I know it'll all be worth it in the end. I'll be with number seven today, and you are responsible for awaking number eight," answered Cyreen. She opened the folder in her hand and pulled out a sheet of paper, in addition to a smartphone.

"I'm not sure how long number seven will take, but eight should be quick and painless, as long as you follow the instructions. I haven't seen it in a long time, so I made a video with details on what it's supposed to do."

She paused and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Bianco, number eight is... different. Much different than the others. All you have to do is follow the paper's instructions, and everything should go smoothly. I didn't think we would need it or number seven, but... well, never mind. And this next part is crucial. As soon as you conduct the last step, immediately leave the area. Years ago when I first found it, back in Delphi, I thought it was harmless. But in all my years and out of all the stands I've encountered, there is nothing like number eight. So please, be careful with it. We've made it so far, and we are oh so close."