VICTORY ROAD INBOX

[seacub]

[NOW YOU TOO, CAN MESSAGE EMPORIO'S DIRECT POKEGEAR LINE...]

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[seacub]

"I'm trying not to," he protests a little, but as weak as the protest is, at least Jotaro knows it to be true. He's doing very well to live a life, after all. It's simply that nothing but time can ease this kind of wound, and even that isn't a guarantee.

"...do you think...hermana is ok?"

They haven't talked to her either, after all.

[phdepression]

"I know." He really is. He's doing far better than anyone else he knows. "Just reminding you."

Jotaro pauses. How is Jolyne?

"I think she's okay. But maybe you should talk to her at some point. She's close to you..."

[seacub]

He can't help it-

"...but not to you?"

It's said questioningly. Does he really think he can't be someone Jolyne can talk to, then?

[phdepression]

Jotaro gives a small sigh.

"No. Not to me. Not yet. I have to earn her trust back before I think she'll be willing to talk to me."

[seacub]

"....It might be easier to do that by talking to her, you know."

Maybe not about the serious things but... "...At least a little I think."

These two aren't going to resolve anything until something weird happens in this place, he can Feel it.

[phdepression]

Emporio isn't wrong. They are Kujos after all.

"I know... I will. Not about this but... I'll talk to her."

Jotaro gives a small sigh and shakes his head, a half smile on his face.

"I wouldn't be surprised we are worrying about nothing. Jolyne may have figured all this out well before us."

me batting the eels away with a bat,

[seacub]

Emporio snorts- but not from sarcasm. Indeed, the boy actually nods in agreement.

"...Maybe? She does have Carly to talk to...And there's probably others, from there."

[phdepression]

"Well, hopefully she'll keep going to them... and maybe us too, if she feels comfortable." He looks at Emporio.

"You have others too, you know. But you can always talk to me about everything if you just need someone who gets it. At least with Stands and Vampires."

[seacub]

"Yeah."

..................................................................wait

"Vampires!?"

The pause before he turns is comical, really.

[phdepression]

Jotaro looks back at him, comically confused himself. He tilts his head, unsure what to make of the exclamation.

"Pucci's mentor was a vampire, DIO. I'm surprised you didn't know that. Jolyne said she learned everything. I assumed she told you."

[seacub]

The boy blinks.

"I...I knew there was someone named Dio involved, but I didn't know he was a vampire..."

Vampires are real...what the he...

[phdepression]

"Yeah. He had a lot of common vampire traits too - weak to daylight, super strength and super speed. He could turn people into vampires too. All of that separate to his Stand: The same kind as mine."

... And that's not even mentioning flesh buds. He's not sure what category that thing goes into.

"He also stole the body of my great-great-grandfather, Jonathan. That's why I was surprised Jolyne met the actual Jonathan here." May as well just share all the important details. Now he's not sure what Emporio does and doesn't know.

[seacub]

"The amount of things that made their way into fiction that were actually real are kind of amazing when I think about it..."

...

Wait wh- "...Oh. ...I mean...people who die can end up here," he says, looking away. After all, it's not like...well. Jotaro knows what happened to Jotaro. But.

"...I actually ended up getting a house from him?"

[phdepression]

All Jotaro can do is nod in agreement.

"I'm aware... Jolyne made sure I knew we were both dead." It was one of the first things they established when he was here for a week.

"You did?" Jotaro asked. "Why?"

[seacub]

A wince, but he'll just carry on then.

"Well, technically Mr. Joestar left it to Hermana," Emporio explains. "...but she already had her own house...so she said it was mine now, since I didn't have one."

And well, here they are now.

[phdepression]

"I see... That's a surprise. I really did think you lived in Pelagic Gym."

Jotaro please.

[seacub]

"Pfhfhfhfhfhf..." Well!

"I mean, to be fair I do right now! Louie helped me work out something with 'Air/BNB' to let vacationers use the house for now. I probably won't be in the Mahogany area for...a pretty long time so."

[phdepression]

"I suppose," Jotaro says with the same flat voice he usually has. It masks the fact that he has no idea what an Air/BNB is. It's not like he's ever used one...

"Mahogany is in... Johto, right? The cold place where you were doing the Christmas investigation, right?"

[seacub]

"Closeeeeeee?" Close enough that is.

"It's in Johto, but it isn't quite where investigations ran; that was mostly in Blackthorn, the next town over."

[phdepression]

"Ah... I see. Well, something slash somewhere to look forward to when I start traveling around Johto."

Something for him to do instead of troubling Jolyne and Emporio.

[seacub]

....For whatever reason, that has Emporio giggling.

And giggling louder.

And muffling what is soon a full laugh behind his hand.

...Hey.

[phdepression]

Jotaro blinks and looks up at Emporio.

"What? What's so funny?" He asks, a thin frown coming to his face.

[seacub]

"S-Sorry..!! Sorry, I just..."

No he's still laughing.

"....You're from Florida, right? "

[phdepression]

"Yes, but I've travelled a lot. I was born and grew up in Japan." He still doesn't get it but he's glad Emporio looks happy for once.

"Is this about Jolyne's intolerance to the cold?" It's the only thing he can think of that sort of relates?.

[seacub]

"It's more than an intolerance- have you heard her talk about the cold?"