One More for The Road

[Josuke Higashikata]

Five hours later, after resurrection and arrival at the Speedwagon Foundation HQ located in Arcadia.

Before Chara leaves planetside for Cevanti

The drive that Josuke rode in Roxanne's Bentley sedan with Mr. Duvall behind the wheel lasted for about two hours. Roxanne sat beside Josuke while they rode in the back passenger seats that were ultra-luxurious. Pleasant classical/jazz music played on the radio; Roxanne usually relaxes while listening, but Josuke doesn't mind the music. This style of music is neither terrible nor excellent for Josuke's vibe. He'd prefer something pop or rock for the radio to play, but this was Roxanne's car, so the stand user respected her decision on what the radio plays.

While sitting comfortably, he slides his hand into one of his pants' pockets to grab a note he received by mail; surprisingly when the boy finally comes back to life. His eyes examine the small piece of paper and read the handwritten inked words.

Meet me at Rockin' Billy's Diner
PS: You still owe me a burger
-Chara Dreemur

A soft smile curls on Josuke's face remembering a bet he lost back in the barracks when the pre-show ended in Dante's Abyss. Sadly, Josuke and Chara didn't get to form their partnership in the game, but it was probably for the best since he couldn't bear seeing her die in his arms, corresponding to how his other friends suffered. Still, his mind thinks about if Nearl or McNinja returned to living as he did. They might cross paths again outside the chaotic, competitive Syntech game. For the remainder of the ride, he looks outside the window at the passing farmlands with massive crops spanning far as the eye can see.

Twenty-five minutes later, they arrive at the diner that Josuke requested Mr. Duvall have them stop by before entering Morioh. The Bentley rolls into an empty parking space in the diner's gravel lot.

"Are you coming, Roxanne-san?" Josuke was curious if she wanted to grab a bite while they were here for him to meet Chara for a short time.

"I will pass on your offer. This place doesn't have the class for me to sit down to enjoy a fine meal." Roxanne presents her elegant, snootiness nature toward this average diner that doesn't fit a well-woman like her.

The pompadour delinquent shrugs at her response, and before he can open his door, Mr. Duvall shows his chauffeur expertise for Josuke. With the swift opening, the stand user is exposed to the bright outdoor and stands up, planting his violet shoes on the loose gravel ground. After exiting the ultra-luxurious vehicle, the chauffeur shuts the door and walks back to the driver's side front door, reentering the car to keep it running for his boss. Josuke walks forward to the diner's entrance with double regular clear glass swing doors with handles. The restaurant had a rockabilly 50s theme with the exterior and interior.

Some classic steel cars that fit the specific iconic decade for the restaurant's theme remain parked outside in the gravel lot mixed with other modern vehicles. He enters the establishment and looks around his surroundings to spot Chara if she's present. It was the afternoon, well past lunchtime, but Josuke didn't care to grab something to eat with a friend. Besides, being dead from before did work up an appetite for him to fill. For the past days, he only had terrible Syntech-made MREs that made him want to eat dirt instead.

After searching for Chara, he suddenly spots her in a red booth where she sits alone. Josuke smoothly approaches the booth, giving off a kind and friendly nature vibe.

"Oi, Chara, great to see you well and alive. I wasn't sure if I was the only one returning from death." Josuke waves and smiles wildly in relief to see the normal state she's currently living.

"Finally, we meet again, Josuke. I'm glad too that you made it out alive." Chara feels reassurance about Josuke's heath, smiling slightly at his appearance.

The pompadour teenage boy enters the booth on the opposite side across from where Chara sits to face her. A young waitress dressed in a cute 50s diner uniform walks over to see the two customers seated in the non-vacant booth.

"What can I get y'all for drinks today?" The pretty waitress asks for Josuke's and Chara's orders, patiently waiting for them to decide.

"I'll have coffee and cream, please," Josuke announces immediately on what kind of beverage he requests while waiting for Chara's order. Still, she lays a menu out in front of her, looking at all the options ranging from juices, milk, sodas, tea, and milkshakes.

 

[Chara Dreemurr]

Chara studied the menu with a smile, already having memorized this particular one long ago. Still, there was something simple and peaceful about studying the diner menu. Pictures of old cars, milkshakes and condiments with anthropomorphic eyes and smiles attached. It didn’t have the glitz or glam of the facilities at Dante’s abyss and certainly not a tenth of the selection, and that’s exactly what made it fantastic to her.

“I suppose I will have the Hot chocolate.” Chara would add, putting the menu down. “We should be ready to order once you’re back with the drinks…” Char added, reading the name-tag with a purposeful glance to avoid showing the fact she’d known Natalie’s name since she’d scanned the place. New, and very pretty, she couldn’t help but check her coding after seeing her.

After all, the pretty ones always seemed to be the most dangerous, lately.

“...Natalie.”

“ sure thing! I’ll be back with your drinks right away!”

Chara gave a grin. The Hot chocolate here came with whipped cream and nutmeg sprinkled in. It warmed the body and the soul.

For now, though, she’d warm herself with Josuke’s honest company.

“For what it’s worth, you went down heroically.” Chara said with a smile.

“Eugh, no need to bring that up.” Josuke added, waving it off.

“It is more than many can say, in that situation. You stayed Josuke Higashikata until the very end.” Chara replied softly. “You should be proud of yourself.”

Jousuke’s response was just to lean back in the booth and look up to the top of the diner’s roof. “Well, I’m just lucky that the speedwagon foundation had paid to get me fixed up. Crazy diamond can’t fix me even in situations where I don’t have a dampening collar forced on me. Karl’s contests are freakin’ insane.”

“Yes. They are. I hope this has cured you of more mad flights of fancy into his grasp.” Chara replied with a smile. “We do not need to lose men like you in games like those. Not when this universe is already so close to…”

Jousuke took his chance to lean in. “Close to?”

Chara shook her head. “...You know what? I do not think it matters right now.” She replied with a sad smile. “Just keep on being the hero you are. Get some rest. Find something stupid to get into. And when someone really needs your help… do what comes naturally to you, and help them out. I think that is more than enough for now.”

Jousuke leaned in. “You’re really going to leave me out of the loop, right now?”

Chara just gave a villainous laugh. “Do you want to live in peace? Or would you like me to start teaching you inter-dimensional physics?” Chara replied with a wicked smile.

“Yeesh! In that case, hard pass!” Jousuke swore, throwing his hands up in defeat, just as the server returned with their drinks.

 

[Josuke Higashikata]

From what Chara had to say to Josuke after Dante's Abyss ending, it did make sense not to get caught up in the desperation to win fame. The Crossroads did need him, after all, with all the unmaking news developing each day. Josuke will take her words to heart and show her how capable he can be of living up to her standards now creating for him. While conversing, Josuke read his menu on what specials or meals they offered at Billy's Rockin' Diner. Natalie, the waitress, finally came back to the table with their drinks on a black hard plastic platter.

A fond smile formed on Chara's just the sight and smell of hot chocolate gave her a cozy feeling of being in this diner. The steaming hot drinks rest between the two teens, ready for consumption. After they take their first sips, Natalie clicks her pen and whips her not pad out to receive their orders.

"Y'all ready to order, or do you darlings need a little more time figuring out?" Natalie's sugar-coated voice calls out for their orders.

"I'll do Billy's nostalgia cheeseburger with fries, please," Chara orders her burger that Josuke will cover after he lost their bet previously. It takes him a minute to read over the menu to know what he wants.

"And I will have the hinterlands-style fried Cucco sandwich with onion rings, please," Josuke announces the delicious meal's name, currently in a mood for a good poultry sandwich.

The waitress writes down their orders quickly and then puts her pen and notepad away.

"Good choices, folks. I will get your orders ready right away." Natalie kindly says with a smile and walks away to where she puts the meal orders in a kitchen window behind the diner bar.

They enjoyed their beverages for a couple of minutes while talking freely in the fine establishment.

"What plans you got so far now since we're out of the game?" Josuke curiously asks Chara while taking a sip from his hot creamed coffee.

"Well, I got to make an important trip back to Cevanti. Now isn't a good time to lay low and relax back in Snowdin." She plainly says while licking her lips clean after enjoying a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Wait, you're telling me you're returning to that planet's death trap?! I know you got serious bravery, but after what we've been through when we were stranded there." The pompadour stand user was shocked to hear that Chara was planning a trip to Cevanti immediately.

"My little brother is back on Cevanti with all that unmaking mess that's still happening, having no end yet." Chara straightly explains her brave choice to return to the danger where they remained trapped during Dante's Abyss. "Also, I do prefer it as home nowadays."

"Well, that's a bummer. I was wondering if you want to hang out sometime this weekend in Morioh, but that's out the window now." Josuke becomes a little disappointed at the fact but respects Chara's choice. If he had family on Cevanti, the protective teenage boy would've made the same choice. "Do you need back up on the trip there?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll be fine." Chara shakes her head and slightly looks at their cute waitress hanging behind the counter, minding her own business.

He acknowledges Chara's answer and kindly understands her ways, shrugging and taking another sip from his coffee. They waited on their food for thirty-four minutes and continued to have a friendly chat until their meals came hot on a platter. Natalie hands their food kindly while Josuke's and Chara's faces light up with glee at how delicious the cuisine appears. They thank their waitress for their food, and Natalie offers them refills on their beverages. After she walks away to fetch them refills, the two waste no time digging in on their lunch.

Finally, there's fantastic cooking to have a taste of that will wash away the unsatisfied MREs they had to deal with back in Dante's Abyss.