Diamond Is Not Cheap

"Twenty eight.....twenty nine.....thirty!"

These were the sounds emanating from the open window of a small nondescript house in the suburbs of Canterlot, a irritating noise causing many of the neighbours to rue the day the corpulent owner had allowed his home to be rented out. Needless to say the originator of said noise was oblivious to this resentment. After all five thirty AM was a fine time for some exercise in his opinion jet lag and time difference with standing. He'd always found some recourse in his morning workout, it helped clear his mind and appreciate the little things in life.

"Like yourself for example" his mind lashed out.

Pushing past the negative thought he began on his sit-ups, dumbbells cast to the corner of his neat and functional bedroom. He'd noticed that he was becoming more positive and outgoing over the last few months then he'd ever been before in his life, an after-effect no doubt of his newest friends and their frequent --if bizarre-- escapades. Years ago such a thought would of been a daily barrage, now it was perhaps a once a day affair. He'd grown beyond it all. Hell he'd even managed to start a relationship with a gorgeous girl !

"Not bad for the 5'2 'shrimp' of Class C eh ?" he muttered as sweat began dripping onto his gym wear.

Stopping momentarily he looked out the window at the misty unfamiliar land before him. He missed Yukako desperately despite only having seen her three days ago. Their relationship was a tad odd he'd admit. Not many couples began by kidnap, imprisonment and then a technical battle to the death but she'd...well for a lack of a better word 'calmed down' since she'd become part of his and his friends little group. To be fair that happened rather frequently with a lot of their so called 'enemies'. A small part of him wished she could be with him on this trip (the first time out of his home country of Japan) but the Speedwagon Foundation must of had their reasons for picking him, Josuke an-

CRASH

"Hey Koichi you gotta come see this !"

Sighing the sixteen year old stood up and shut his window --better safe then sorry-- and wandered out of his room and downstairs to the commotion caused by the third member of their little group. The lovable (if admittedly dim) Okayasu. Entering the living room he found the taller teen marvelling at a large flatscreen currently showing a rather lewd act between some willing (hopefully paid well) participants.

"O-okayasu !" Koichi yelled his face lighting up red

"I know right " Okayasu smiled "The Tv's got a BILLION channels, its awesome"

Marching over to the flat screen he promptly turned it off causing his friends face to drop like a stone.

"Okayasu ! The Speedwagon Foundation is renting this house, paying our bills and even giving us a allowance of $500 dollars a month for us to find out where all this 'strange behaviour' is coming from around here, not to watch...that"

The taller boys face crinkled "Watch what ?"

Feeling his cheeks go full nuclear the spiky haired blonde glared slightly at his house-mate "You know what I mean"

"OOOOOH you mean THAT, nah never cared much for it myself" he said shrugging his shoulders as he flopped into the houses leather sofa.

"Then why was it on !"

"Well" Okayasu began "You know what they say, Americans always have that kind of stuff behind some kind of ultra-expensive pay-service, so if we got that we've got EVERYTHING"

His eye twitching slightly Koichi sighed and sat down next to his friend. "You know for a guy who thinks he's stupid you can be surprisingly smart"

"Thanks man"

The two teens burst into laughter at the sheer silliness of the whole situation. First time away from home and here they were arguing about foreign tv !

"Anyway" Okyasu said wiping the tears that had sprouted in his eyes "The way I see it is we've only been in America two days and here one day, how are we going to find anything without settling in first ? ". Koichi nodded, perhaps he was getting a little uptight about all this ? It just felt like the first big responsibility in his life though and he wanted it to go well he'd hate to let Mister Kujo, Rohan and all the Speedwagon people down.

"Anyway is it just me or does it still feel weird to speak English ?" grumbled Okayasu pulling at his lips and tongue slightly whilst mouthing out various words.

Koichi thought for a second, he'd have to be tactful here. Okayasu had had dismal scores when it came to English back at home whereas he had been fairly proficient prior to their trip, not exactly a native but certainly enough to get directions and order food. It had saved so much time and energy on this trip for their friend Rohan --although that term was a tad stretched for Josuke-- to utilize his Stand 'Heavens Door' to implant the ability to speak perfect --if accent-less-- English in their minds.

"A little, but Rohan did say we'd feel a bit weird at first"

"I just hope he didn't go through with that little threat he made" Okayasu chuckled reclining.

Koichi winced at the memory, as per usual Rohan and Josuke had gotten into an argument over something trivial and the Mangaka had revealed that he'd placed an extra 'command' in Josuke along with his English skills, according to the older man whenever a certain word was spoken Josuke would  immediately be compelled to ruin his famous pompadour. Whether or not it was true only Rohan knew, what Koichi did know was that it had taken a full hour to stop a fight erupting  between them all whilst Mister Kujo glared at them in the airport lobby. For a world famous marine biologist he was a very scary man.

A sudden crack of metal on wood drew Koichi out of his memory as their front door was closed. Entering their living room cradling his helmet in his arms was the 'leader' of their little group Josuke 'Jojo' Higashikata clad in biker leathers and a broad smile.

" I may have a lead guys "