Changing Fate || JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Phantom Blood: IX- Confusion

~~+~~

[Name] woke up with a start, and immediately regretted trying to sit up. She was still dizzy and her thoughts were in shambles. She coughed up some grass, and worked to get her breathing under control. As the girl looked around at her surroundings, the familiar bordering woods were visible, although seeming to have changed slightly. She was in the same place she had passed out in. That was good. Her hat, however, was nowhere to be found.

So in the end... she went through all that, for nothing. She ran her hands through her [colour] hair. "What a pain." The girl decided to lift herself up using the support of the trees around her. She had to get out and back to the docks; she didn't want to worry Jonathan and Dio. [Name] was still recoiling from her odd dream, but she couldn't let it bother her while looking for the two younger boys.

As [Name] slowly dragged herself out into the open, she could see the sky again, no longer obstructed by dense foliage. It was evening. That was odd... wasn't it just past midday when she had went to say goodbye to Erina? If she was unconscious for several hours, Jonathan and Dio would be bound to come looking for her, and she would probably find herself back at the manor. However, she was still in the damned woods.

[Name] groaned. There were no people around, she wouldn't get berated for talking to herself. "Did those idiots play a prank on me? Did they stay at the dock the whole time, thinking I would come back? Or maybe they thought I left without them..."

As the girl neared the port, her eyes widened, the boats she saw were unfamiliar, as were the people. That was to be expected, of course, but what had really startled her was the fact that she couldn't see the two boys anywhere. 

"Maybe they're back at the carriage?" [Name] started stumbling in the direction of the road. She remembered clearly where their carriage was parked, and would be able to find it in no less than a minute-

"What the hell?!" The carriage wasn't there either. Did Jonathan and Dio really go back without her? She sighed and threw her head back. She would have to walk back to the manor by herself. At least, it wouldn't take long, around half an hour if she was quick.

Well, she couldn't do anything but return by herself. She would give the two boys an earful when she saw them next.

~+~

[Name] was right. No more than 40 minutes later, she had reached the manor's walls. That was a relief- she was tired, and would be able to support herself until she got inside. As the [colour]-eyed girl inched towards the manor, she had an increasing feeling that something was off. She felt like it had been forever since she was at the manor, even though it had only been a few hours.

Or so she thought.

~+~

"We'll get off here, thank you." Jonathan hopped off the carriage, with Dio in tow.

"I'm sure father will be happy that we won our game today, right, Dio?"

"Hmm."

"I really do hope he gets better soon. How unfortunate it was that he became so sick."

Dio was silent, and Jonathan looked away, knowing it was pointless to try and initiate conversation with the blonde. The man was much more introverted and quiet when out of view of the public eye.

"It's getting dark, we should head inside... Eh? Who's that at the door?" 

~+~

[Name] paused, fist at the manor's front door, as she heard a gruff voice behind her.