The Queen of Cups

Mother Knows Best

Present Day, January 1989, Cairo, Egypt

You slept like a rock.

You woke up like one too.

Body aching and heavy, your elbows and knees cracked upon standing out of bed.

Today is the day.

Today HAS to be the day.

It's day 43, and Holly's health was rapidly declining, knocking on death's door. Even though your dad's prognosis gives her two days left to live, there's no guarantee that the curse would follow it through. It has already done so by accelerating much faster than it should have.

Even though Avdol said that 50 days was the limit, Holly could die before then.
It would be too much of a risk to wait for tomorrow.

Because there might not be a tomorrow for her.

With a deep sigh, you stretch, grabbing your bag to get ready in the bathroom.

After getting dressed, you started packing everything you needed:

Extra bandages and gauges in your pockets, your flare gun, and a copy of Dio's mansion layout.

When you have the time, it was decided that you would prepare the others the same way.

Slinging your bag over your shoulder, you picked up your nearly forgotten roommate Iggy as you headed out the door (much to his chagrin).

Everyone was already downstairs in the lobby, save for Polnareff, ready to check out and have breakfast.

"Good morning, Jackie," Avdol greeted you, "Have you slept well?"

"Morning," you yawned. "It's not my worst night, but it could've been better."

Avdol nodded, understanding your situation. "When all of this is over, we can sleep well knowing that we've succeeded. It also seems that Iggy is eager to finish too."

Adjusting the dog in your arms, Iggy looked up at you with an indignant expression, his pet peeve of being manhandled apparent.

You ignored it by patting him on the head.
"I know, Iggy, but we're almost there. We may find Dio today, and when we defeat him, we'll finally go back home."

Come to think of it, you haven't been home to New York in a while, even for a visit.

"Say, Iggy," you said. "Would you like to come with me to Japan? Just for a year."

Oh, what were you saying? It's not like he was going to answer you.

"I'll take care of you there, you'll get to try all kinds of food, and it'll be a nice change of scenery from the concrete jungle of New York."

"What are you talking about, Jackie? What makes you think that mutt would be willing to go to another country just like that?"

It was Polnareff, the last one to join the group for the morning.

"Ha! Unlike a certain someone I know; I think Iggy warmed up to me a little. Plus, with his personality, I don't think he'd be able to resist being pampered in Japan for a whole year. If he agrees, I'll take him with me to Japan, and we'll go back to New York together after I graduate. Sounds like a plan, eh?"

"Eh, whatever. If he becomes a neighborhood menace in Japan, at least we'll know who to blame for bringing him there in the first place."

Rolling your eyes, you laughed sarcastically. "Haha, very funny, Jean, but I think you're just jealous. But in the end, it's all up to Iggy himself."