Chương 41: Chapter 1 - Meet The Joestars: 3
Sea travel was by far one of the most forgotten ways of making it from one place to another, especially nowadays when jets were far more reliable. Even still, some people, especially from older generations, found sea travel to be far more enjoyable than being trapped in a metal box with wings.
While some people found it relaxing, others found it terrifying. And while that was a perfectly good opinion to have, to some it felt like an insult. Most people nowadays fly to get where they want to be, often ignoring sea travel altogether as an option, and because of that, travelling the world by boat had become something of a lost art in the year 2123.
That being said, however, it was still a large part of The Speedwagon Foundation's infrastructure when it came to taking important personnel from one place to another. Due to that type of travel being seen as inferior, not many people—villain or otherwise—attack boats. Not unless they were military ships, in which case diplomacy is attempted first and foremost.
After all, the UN wanted to try and keep world peace a thing. Well, as peaceful as things could get, what with the constant wars in the middle east, the tensions increasing with North and South Korea almost reaching their boiling point, and China seeking to now "take back" Taiwan more than ever, to call what was going on now "World Peace" was an insult to the very notion.
But then again, this was the best thing anyone was ever going to get, so it was best to enjoy it while it lasted.
"Is the V.I.P. happy?" One of the ship's guards asked another, who nodded.
"When is he not? For him being as old as he is, you'd think he'd be a bit more grouchy, right?"
"True… still, to think he's still kicking after all this time, and still living in Morioh... You'd think he would've been going senile by now, right?"
"Nah, not with his Hamon Training from his early years. He still practices it, you know? It's the only thing keeping him from having to use a cane or a walker! If Lisa Lisa were still alive, she'd be proud of her Grandson, you know?"
"Even if he was illegitimate?" Another guard perked up, only for the two guards conversating to shrug.
"Eh, maybe? Honestly, I think all she cared about was having grandkids. Especially after everything she had already been through. Yeesh…." The guard on the left stated with a downtrodden expression on his face. "In other news, we're three hours away from landing. Let Mr. Higashikata know we're almost there."
A chuckle echoed throughout the boat as a door flung open. All the guards turned to see a man wearing a yellow and green Hawaii-styled shirt, black jeans, and a pair of sunglasses standing in the doorway. His hair was greying and old, mixed with the minimal wrinkles on his skin, you would've thought that he was at least in his late 60s, maybe in his early 70s, but never in his mid to late 90s. The man wore his hair in a pompadour, as he always had since the 3rd grade, and his physical stature was still that of when he was a young teen, give or take a couple of inches.
"Three hours, huh?" The old man said, his voice aged with time as he smiled a toothy grin. "Well, it's about damn time that rotten bastard invited me over for something. I can't wait to see my… however many greats there can be in a sentence Nephew! Ugh, what a mouthful…" The old man said, cracking his neck side to side.
"M-Mr. Higashikata! You're awake! I-I see you slept well?" One of the guards said as Higashikata's smile faltered for a moment before he then crossed his arms accompanied by a small frown.
"Hmm… well enough. Those beds are utterly uncomfortable for all the wrong reasons. No fault of your own, I suppose. Whoever installed those beds must've been a real cheapskate…." Higashikata replied. The two guards looked at one another, then back at the older man.
"Uh… sir…. You installed those beds yourself," the younger of the two said as Higashikata raised an eyebrow. And then, that was when he remembered.
"Oh…? I suppose you're right. Hmph, I guess no matter how much Hamon training I undergo, my brain still ages and makes me forget things easier. Hrm… oh well," Higashikata said with a shrug, overlooking the sea.
It had been over 10 years since he last visited Jonathon. They didn't leave it off on good terms, which was no fault of his own. How was he supposed to accept the notion that a Kira was working for the Speedwagon foundation? It was a Kira who ruined the lives of so many people, and a Kira who had caused not only his family trouble but also nearly killed his best friend Okuyasu Nijimura! How the hell was he supposed to believe that anyone from that bloodline could EVER be a good person? Both Yoshikage Kira's father and Yoshikage himself were scums of the earth, rotten, nasty evil bastards—a trait that seemed to run in their family's blood, seeing as their oldest recorded ancestor worked in those awful, awful concentration camps that Japan had set up for World War 2, and apparently revelled in the idea of torturing the prisoners.
Even still… he wasn't wrong to think that woman Johnny hired was evil. He had been investigating her for quite some time. Hell, she had been suspected of Child Abuse, but seeing as her child died from an unknown illness, it was hard to say it was her fault, though Josuke had his suspicions.
They never got a name for that child, both because when the police wanted to know more about the issue, she lawyered up and refused to answer, and because the child was never registered under any name with the police database, they had no other choice but to leave her as "Jane Doe." Not even the school she went to kept the child's records under a supposed threat by an unknown person, who Josuke knew to be the woman whom Johnny had hired.
Try as he might, though, Johnny wouldn't listen to reason. Childhood friendships often meant that sometimes emotions clouded rationality. It led to a nasty argument and got to the point where Johnny hit him pretty hard in the head with Tusk, but only because he brought his dead wife into the argument. At that point, they were no longer on speaking terms. Josuke knew he had fucked up that time, and he had wanted to apologize to Johnny ever since. But, Johnny wasn't budging on his no-contact rule.
So, colour him surprised when he found out that he was invited to The Speedwagon Foundation's Florida HeadQuarters, I.E. where Johnny lived, for a family visit. The moment he got the invite, he dropped everything to go see his family. He even left work early! That was something he never did! And as The Police Chief of Morioh, that was something unbecoming of him. But, family calls, which had been his excuse.
He had Ichiban Nijimura, Okuyasu's 26-year-old adopted son, who was also Police Deputy Chief, put in charge of the facility while he was gone. Ichiban didn't seem to mind that all too much, though he could tell that the younger man wasn't too pleased about it. But hey? Josuke wanted to see his family, so was it really that bad of him to drop everything and run?
Well, maybe to some, but not to him! Obviously. Besides, he still needed to apologize. Josuke wasn't able to properly sleep for the last 10 years because he had the chance to, and if it was one thing you didn't do, it was that you were to never interrupt or disrupt Grandpa Higashikata's nap. His grandkids found that out the hard way.
"Three hours… Three hours and I can finally see my beloved great… how many ever greats after that nephew for the first time in a decade…." Josuke thought, walking over to the edge of the boat and smiling. He could see the massive building in the distance, and in that building, he knew his family awaited him.
This was going to be the best week of his life.
xxXXxxXXxx
This was going to be the worst week of his life.
At least, that was what Joseph Kujo, aka Josefumi Kujo thought as he lapped around the indoor racetrack for the 49th time this evening. His father was watching on the sidelines with Gyro, who was writing down something each time he passed the finish line. Probably times for each lap.
Right now he was wearing a blue tank top, a pair of black shorts, and running shoes. He had originally wanted to wear his hero costume to do this so he could get used to it, but Gyro had said that would've been tantamount to suicide. So, he settled for the running attire.
This was endurance and stamina training, and also Spin Training. The running was to distract his mind, the number of laps was meant to mentally and physically tire him out, and the Steel Balls in his hands that he was constantly spinning were meant to up his mental practice with the technique. The room they were in had been filled with rectangles that were all 16:9, and all had the proper requirements to not only be of The Golden Rectangle but also fit the diameter of The Golden Ratio.
He needed to focus on it at all times if he wanted to master The Spin, to memorize it, to be one with it, to use The Spin as a part of his Stand. The more he understood The Spin the stronger his Stand would get. Soft & Wet was a direct representation of his soul. The more his mind understood The Spin, the more his soul would too, therefore in turn making Soft & Wet stronger.
The reason why this was the case was because of Soft & Wet's bubbles. Well, to call them "bubbles" would be to deny what they were. The "bubbles" as he had known them to be, were nothing more than a fast-spinning string. This string spun fast enough to replicate the appearance, mass, and density of a bubble. When the "bubble" popped, the string simply stopped spinning and burrowed into the person, sapping away something from them, be it their senses, Quirks, their friction, or even their memories if the situation was drastic enough.
Soft & Wet could only take one thing away at a time, which therefore didn't make it too overpowered. However, he wanted to see just how much more powerful Soft & Wet became if he himself decided to partake in becoming stronger with The Spin.
Soft & Wet wasn't an act Stand, that much was obvious. Even so, there was always room for growth, and if Soft & Wet could grow stronger, then why not see if it could? Yoshihara's Killer Queen was able to awaken a new ability due to a near-death situation, meaning it got stronger. Soft & Wet hadn't gained any new abilities at all over the last decade of him having a Stand, so he believed it to be impossible for Soft & Wet to get stronger.
That was until he finally unlocked the hidden potential he had for using The Spin, and realized that Soft & Wet was a Spin-Related Stand. Meaning that, if given enough time, his Stand could potentially get stronger!
He was convinced that his Stand would get stronger, so training The Spin seemed like a damn good idea. Of course, that wasn't the only reason he was training The Spin. He also just wanted to get better at it. His concentration would slip from time to time, so by doing this as well as a basic workout regimen, he could get extremely experienced with The Spin in a matter of months.
Joseph's breathing became hoarse and far more rapid as he made his way across the track for the 50th time, coming to a halt at the blow of a whistle. "STOP!" Johnny's voice boomed as Joseph bent forward. He wanted to vomit so badly, it wasn't even funny. Even so, he powered through. After all, what kind of hero would he be if he couldn't stomach running a marathon?
Johnny walked up to Joseph and passed him a water bottle, which he greedily took and gulped down without a second thought. Johnny smiled, patting his son on the back. "You did a good job, son. Gyro, what were his best and worst times?"
"Lap 24 with a time of 2 minutes and 25 seconds, and his worst time being lap 42 with a time of 5 minutes flat. The average time for most laps was 3 minutes 15 seconds. Nice job, Jojo, you're getting better at this," Gyro complimented. "Now, take an hour's break. Can't let your muscles cramp on you. You still have to work out your upper body after this, remember that."
Joseph gave the bottle back to Johnny, groaning loudly as he dropped to the floor. Johnny pursed his lips before shaking his head. "Perhaps we should have dinner first. The kids exhausted. Remember, Gyro. He's not like me, so he needs to break longer," Johnny responded as Gyro sighed.
"Yeah, I remember. Forgive me, but you two are so much alike that it's hard to tell the difference sometimes. Especially with his lack of a pompadour now," Gyro commented as Johnny smirked.
"Fair enough. Alright, Joseph, let's go have some dinner. I'm making burgers tonight." When Johnny said that, Joseph smiled. Whenever his dad made burgers, they were also grilled, and they were always cooked to perfection each and every time, without fail. "Should I wake up Kira, or…?" Johnny asked as Joseph hummed.
They started training about 2 hours ago, so a two-hour nap wasn't so bad. Plus, getting Kira up and going would be a good idea. She needed the sleep, granted, but even still she also needed to train. This was an internship, not a familial visit.
"I mean, that's up to you. I'd assume it'd be a good idea, though," Joseph said as Johnny nodded.
"Got it. Have a shower, get changed, and meet in the foyer. Sound good?" Johnny asked as Joseph stuck a thumbs up. He desperately needed that shower, and he needed it now. Besides, he didn't particularly want to smell like a heap of sweat and nastiness, now did he? Especially since supper was coming up, and smelling like a rotten bag of garbage wouldn't be pleasant to the nostrils, not at all.
And so, Joseph walked over to the showers within the training center, while Johnny went to go wake up his niece.
xxXXxxXXxx
A knock reverberated throughout her room, making Yoshihara groan. Ignoring it, the blonde turned over to the left side of her bed, hunching her back over as she tried to get comfortable. Another knock came, which made the blonde frown. Slowly opening her eyes, she sat up, clasping her forehead as a pulsing headache distracted her thoughts.
"Kira, get up. I want Dr. Zeppelli to get a look at you after supper. Principal Nedzu said you were feeling ill, so I want to see what it is. This is not optional," the voice of one Jonathon Kujo called out past the door, making the blonde Stand User groan.
"Alright…" Kira mumbled, yawning. The door opened as Johnny walked in, closing the door behind him. Yoshihara raised an eyebrow at this as he took the chair from the desk, and sat down. "Uh… Kujo-Sensei, is there something you need?"
"I also wanted to warn you of something. You're not in trouble for any reason, but… I have a guest coming over. A guest that, well, to put it bluntly, hates your family. The Kira's, I mean," Johnny said, his tone of voice hushed as Yoshihara raised an eyebrow.
"Hates my family… why?"
Johnny sighed. "Well, it's because—'
"I can answer that," a hauntingly chill voice came into existence, as that ghost showed up again, this time leaning against the wall. Johnny jumped backward, narrowing his eyes as the ghost raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. "Calm yourself, Jonathon Kujo. I mean no harm. I am merely here to explain to Yoshihara over here why I am hated by who I can only assume is Josuke Higashikata, yes?"
"Yeah… but my question is…. How are you here, Yoshikage? Wasn't your soul torn apart?" Johnny asked, his expression serious as his eyes narrowed toward the ghostly apparition, as Yoshikage's ghost huffed.
"It wasn't "torn apart" it was put into purgatory. But that is neither here nor there," Yoshikage's ghost said, crossing his arms. "Now, as I was saying. The man by the name of Josuke Higashikata is a Stand User, whose name is Crazy Diamond, an annoying counterpart to Killer Queen in a metaphorical sense. Where Killer Queen destroys, Crazy Diamond repairs. While your version of my Stand is different in how it uses its abilities, it still looks the same, minus the crotch amulet and the piercing red eyes. It is also slimmer than my Stand, though it probably has something to do with you being a woman. Either way, that doesn't matter," Yoshikage paused as he collected his thoughts, something Yoshihara knew he was doing, as he was chewing on one of his ghostly fingernails. When he was able to collect himself, he continued.
"I was a serial killer," Yoshikage stated bluntly, making Yoshihara recoil with disgust. Yoshikage rolled his eyes. "Come now, did you really think I was an upstanding citizen? Well, as far as I was concerned, I was; but that is subjective. The point is that because of my hobby, Josuke Higashikata hunted me down. And, I guess from his point of view, rightfully so. However, because of what I had done to him, and by extension his town, he has grown a hatred for the name Kira, no matter who it is attached to. For instance, your father, Yoshimura."
"He too was a Joestar, but because he had the name of Kira, when he met Josuke in Morioh when you were born, he was met with derision. Your father was a good man, he was nothing like me or your birth mother. Josuke, as far as I am aware, is also the police chief of Morioh, and because of his borderline bigoted approach to dealing with our family, threatened Yoshimura that if he didn't leave Morioh that he would inflate his charge of loitering around a business from a misdemeanour to a felony, and have him sent away for a long time. That was why he left Morioh, and you behind. Well, he also had another reason, that being China's strict working laws, but that's not the point."
"Hold on," Johnny interrupted, crossing his arms as he looked at Yoshikage with a skeptical eye. "The hell do you mean he threatened him? Josuke would never do that! He's a kind, honest man. He wouldn't let something like his own biases get in the way of things, especially justice! That's beyond out of character!" Johnny snapped as Yoshikage scoffed.
"I'm unable to lie as a ghost. Ghosts are forced to say the truth, no matter what. If you have a problem with that, ask God or something. What I say is nothing but the truth. The same applied to Reimei Sugimoto, so it applies to me, as well. If I did try to lie, I would instinctively course-correct myself without me even noticing. That, and I watched over what remained of my Bloodline, as all ghosts are privy to do, no matter their status of being good or bad," Yoshikage responded, once again his tone blunt.
Clearing his throat, Yoshikage continued. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. For you, Yoshihara, it'll be worse. My best guess is that he'd attack you on sight. After all, the only thing separating you and I appearance-wise is our gender, and even then you still look like me due to you… well, I don't want to be a perv, so I'll just say that you look more like a boy than you do a girl. This is on top of the fact that you have the exact same Stand as me, which only further complicates things. Not only that, but technically speaking, he's also family. To me, that only adds to the irony."
Yoshihara rubbed the side of her temples, groaning as she closed her eyes. Just when things couldn't get any worse than they already were, now some guy who she didn't even know, who hated her mother's side of the family with a burning passion, was now going to show up in this place, and probably attack her the moment he had the chance to.
"Talk about my fucking luck…. And here I thought it was on my side! What a bunch of bullshit that turned out to be…." Yoshihara thought, looking back at the two as she frowned. "So, let me get this straight. Some guy who's supposedly a family member… hates my guts just because of my name and my appearance?"
At that question, Johnny sighed, reclining in the chair he sat in. "Unfortunatly, and as much as I want to say the ghost is lying, I can't. He's not wrong, and he's probably gonna be here—" Johnny's ringtone cut him off, to which he promptly answered the phone. "Hello… Yes… Uh, huh… got it… Send him in…" Johnny hung up, crossing his arms. "Right now, actually. So… you wanna try your luck and see if he doesn't immediately try to kill you?"
Yoshihara rolled her eyes, standing up from the bed, cracking her neck side to side. "Well, considering I want to eat something, I'm going to run into him eventually. The sooner the better, I suppose," Yoshihara replied as Yoshikage's ghost shook his head, not saying a word before disappearing. Johnny and Yoshihara exited the room. When they did, Joseph was walking down the hall.
"Ah, you're awake. How was the nap?" Joseph asked as Yoshihara blinked, slowly.
"Not long enough," Yoshihara complained as the now group of three walked down the hall, and toward the elevator. The elevator opened, and they all got inside, Johnny being the last one to do so.
When they got in, Johnny pressed the 1st-floor button, the doors closed immediately after as the dial above the door moved over to the left, landing on the number 1. The doors opened, greeting them with a hallway with a few doors on each end. Johnny stepped out first, followed by Joseph and Yoshihara, after which the doors closed.
Johnny turned around to face the two, though primarily Yoshihara. "Alright, when he comes in the door, I want you to be honest with who you are. Don't lie because of what Yoshikage told you. If Josuke does try something like that… well, I won't protect you. But, considering you were able to keep up with that Midoriya kid, and seeing how fast he was, I'd wager a guess that you're pretty fast yourself."
Yoshihara narrowed her eyes. "You want me to fight against this Higashikata Josuke person, a veteran Stand User with plenty of tricks up his sleeve, in your living room? Doesn't that sound counter-productive?"
Johnny sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "If it gets to be too much, I'll step in. I doubt Josuke would actually try to harm you. But if he does… Well, you're still my niece, and technically Yoshimura was my brother, which makes you an honourary Kujo if that means anything to you. Nobody, whether they be family or not, messes with my family. Believe me, plenty of people have learnt that lesson. If I have to make it a point to Josuke, I will. End of the discussion. I won't let his bullshit affect your future or life."
The look of determination in Johnny's eyes made Yoshihara think over his words. The man was passionate about his family, and caring for that matter. They had only just met, and he was showing genuine concern for her. It was a strange feeling, to have someone you barely know care about you. She assumed it was because he was family.
"Family… cares for family…." Yoshihara thought, her hand hovering over her stomach. She paused in thought, her teeth clenching together as another wave of drowsiness hit her like a train. The idea of family had always been something that unnerved Yoshihara. All of her life, the only person who she had ever considered family had tried to kill her. Nemuri was no replacement for family as much as she would've wanted that to be the case. Yes, she was Yoshihara's adoptive mother, but it wasn't the same. Her birth mother had tried to kill her, which had stained Yoshihara's opinion of family.
And now, her uncle was in her life. An uncle that cared for her more than her birth mother had. An uncle who was looking out for her, offering her a chance to train with him as a veteran Stand User, as well as a Hero-in-Training. That… was what true family was, not whatever Yoshikawa had been.
And at that thought of family… one thought had cropped up in her mind. A small, invasive little voice that hadn't gone away. Not ever since that happened.
"Stop denying the truth. You know what happened, so why are you lying to yourself?" It was her conscience. Biting the inside of her lip, she cleared her thoughts.
"No. No, it didn't. That's not what happened. I'm fine. Besides, if I was… my career would be over…. My one chance at a normal life would be gone…. I—"
"Oi, Yoshihara? You in there, kiddo?" Johnny's voice broke her out of her stupor, a worried expression on his face as Yoshihara blinked, adopting an apologetic expression, bringing her arms to her sides and bowing her head.
"Oh, my apologies, Kujo-sensei. Or, er… Oji… I was thinking about something…" Yoshihara said, rubbing the back of her neck, and looking down at the ground with a distant gleam in her eyes. Johnny raised an eyebrow, looking over to Joseph with a puzzled expression.
"Uh… Joseph, translate. What does "Oji" mean?" Johnny asked as Joseph smirked.
"It means uncle. It's fine," Joseph replied as Johnny smiled.
"Ah, I see," Joseph's father said, putting a hand on Yoshihara's shoulder, making her tense as she looked at him. "Ah, c'mon now, no need to look so glum. You know… I'm making burgers tonight, my country-wide famous Joe-Kid burgers, patent pending. They sell like hotcakes on store shelves, but they're even better handmade, and taste a million times more authentic than that store-bought mass-produced crap they weaselled me into making. I know you might not like American food, considering what Joseph told me, but… I can't hurt to at least try'em, right?"
Yoshihara hummed. She needed something to distract her mind with, so…. "It cannot hurt to try, so I'll do so."
Johnny smiled, putting a hand on his right hip and his other in his left pocket. "Good! Now—"
A doorbell rang throughout the room, stopping the conversation. Johnny adopted a serious expression as he put both of his hands in his pockets. "He's here. Remember, Yoshihara, tell him who you are. Just keep in mind what I said earlier, got it?"
The blonde nodded, keeping her hands to her side as they walked down the hall and into the main room. Gyro had been waiting for them and had already opened the door. Who Yoshihara saw was not what she had expected. Because she recognized him. Barely, but she knew that hairdo from anywhere.
He was tall, at a bare minimum of 5 foot 11, to maybe even 6 foot. He was wearing a yellow and green-styled Hawaiian shirt, a pair of black jeans, and a set of flip-flops. Adjusted on his forehead was a pair of sunglasses, bringing to light his light purple eyes. He was a bit muscular, but due to his rather old age, he looked a bit thinner around the arms and legs. And, of course, his hair was done in the style of a pompadour.
She recognized that pompadour because it was the only one that she had ever seen in this day and age, discounting Josefumi, of course. Back then, he looked slightly younger than he was here, which was a given, but she could never, ever forget that face.
He was the police officer that visited that place when the school had called for a wellness check. He was the officer that responded to that call. He saw her, saw the look in her eyes, saw the pain, saw the abuse, but did nothing of it. Instead, he sent a hero to look over her. That hero decreed that everything had been alright, no thanks to Yoshikawa putting on an act.
And now, 10 years later, here he was, standing in the doorway.
There was a reason why she recognized that name when Yoshikage had mentioned it. There was a reason why Josefumi's pompadour reminded her of something. And now, she finally put two and two together.
A sneer made its way on Yoshihara's face as she balled up her left hand. "You…" Yoshihara hissed, glaring at the man in the doorway. Everything that Yoshikage had told her about Josuke Higashikata left her mind, substituting with something that she deemed far more important. This had gone from someone who hated her family for, admittedly, a good reason, to something far more personal in a matter of moments.
Upon hearing her speak in that angered, snarling tone of voice, everyone stopped to look at her. Beforehand they had been exchanging greetings before she spoke up, but that had stopped in favour of looking at the angered Yoshihara, sending a wave of confusion across the room. "Uh… do I know you?" The man asked, a perplexed expression dressing his face as Yoshihara scoffed, her fist tightening as her knuckles turned white.
"Of course, you wouldn't remember me. Why would you? After all, you dismissed me completely back then, so I must've just been an afterthought, right? Another person who you could forget so you could return to your fancy little house on the outskirts of Morioh, right?" Yoshihara spat, causing Johnny to recoil.
"Hey, uh… K—"
"But out, this isn't your conversation, Oji. " Kira snapped, glaring at Johnny, who backed away with his hands up.
"Oi, don't talk to my grand nephew like that, brat. Youth these days, no manners at all, and by the way you talked to him, that means you're at least familiar with him, but I've never seen you before, so either you're a close family friend, which there aren't many of, but I digress. If that is the case, your parents didn't teach you proper manners," the man said, shaking his head as Yoshihara glared at him.
"Cut the shit, Police Chief Higashikata. If you don't remember who I am, how about I remind you, huh?" Yoshihara growled as Higashikata blinked, gaining his full attention.
"You're… from Morioh? Only people who are from there know me as the Police Chief. I'm not famous outside of there, so that means you have to have lived there at some point…" Josuke said, adorning a puzzled expression. "But… I've never seen you in my town before. So, I gotta ask, just who are you?"
The blonde wanted to laugh but kept it to herself. "Tell me, Chief, do you remember July 17th, 2113?" Yoshihara asked as Joseph's eyes widened. Yoshihara glared at him, practically making him shut up. Higashikata had a thinking expression on his face, so, Yoshihara continued. "How about I jog your memory a little: Morioh Elementary School called you about a complaint about a suspected abuse case. The address was 5214, Shujin Street, Northeast in Morioh, where the Villas had been. Does that ring any bells?"
Officer Higashikata's eyes widened slightly at the mention of that address, making him cross his arms. "The Kira residence… I remember that yes, how could I not? I was called to check on that suspected case of abuse. When I went there I saw nothing out of the usual…. At least, according to what the call had described. There were no signs of physical abuse going on in the household. To be sure, I sent a hero to do another wellness check the next day. They reported to me saying that everything was alright and that there was nothing wrong going on in the house, and that the family seemed to be living a rather happy life…."
Higashikata trailed off, frowning. "A couple of days later, we got a call saying that the child had died of an illness…. I found it suspect, but I couldn't do much about it. Let me guess…. You're that child? The Jane Doe that had been missing for over a decade, right?"
Higashikata's expression became serious as he put his hands into his pockets. This had caught Yoshihara completely off guard, not expecting a borderline sympathetic response from the man. Higashikata sighed, shaking his head. "I know what I'm about to request is selfish, but… if you would, please listen to what I have to say?"
Yoshihara glowered at the man, pursing her lips, before then finally sighing. "Fine. But don't expect me to just let you off the hook because of some stupid sob story. As far as I'm concerned, you failed me when you could've protected me, or at the very least didn't make a conceded effort to try more than what the law would let you do. But, whatever, speak," Yoshihara spat as Higashikata nodded.
"Alright then… let's start with a few days ago. When I watched The Sports Festival, I nearly jumped from my chair when I saw you. A million different things rang off in my head when I saw your face, a few of which I will admit was that of recognition of someone else that I once knew. Someone who was my sworn enemy. I'll admit, when I saw your Stand, my first reaction was to find and beat the snot out of you. But when it was drawn to my attention that you looked an awful lot like the Jane Doe that had gone missing all those years ago, my blood ran cold."
"The amount of guilt I felt for not being able to find you for so long weighed on me. I knew something awful had been happening in that household. However, I was responding to a different case entirely. You were malnourished when I saw you back then. I assumed it was because your family was poor. When I saw your mother, though… I realized that something fishy was going on. But, because of certain laws getting in the way, I couldn't do much about it. After all, it was a physical abuse case I was looking into, not a neglect charge, or whatever else might've been going on. It's why I sent that Hero in the first place, to see what was really going on. When the hero didn't find anything, I was in the process of getting a search warrant when you were reported dead and or missing, after which your mother lawyered up before we could ask her any questions. And seeing as your mother didn't register your name with the police, and because your school destroyed all your records under a villain attack threat, you were known as Jane Doe; a term we use for girls and women who don't have names attached to them. I waited for 3 years until we decided to confirm you as dead. And ever since then I had a guilty conscience."
"So, imagine my shock when I found out that the DNA sample U.A. had been willing to give us matched the DNA sample we had of this supposed Jane Doe. I wanted to get in contact with you, but U.A. wasn't legally allowed to give away a student's contact info, and seeing as my jurisdiction ends at the borders of Morioh, I couldn't do a damn thing. It was also with that DNA scan that I learned that this Jane Doe, aka you, was of Joestar Blood, which made me even more self-conscious about it."
It was then that Higashikata got on his hands and knees, bowing his head to the ground in what could only be described as a pathetic pleading bow. This took Yoshihara completely off guard, along with Johnny and Joseph.
"Josuke?! What the hell are you doing?!" Johnny blurted out as Josuke spoke louder than he had before. And not only did what he say make everyone in the room fill with confusion, but deep down in Yoshihara's heart, she felt moved by it, not because of what he said mind you, but because of the conviction and passion, his voice carried when he said it.
"I know that what I am going to ask of you is once again extremely selfish, but please, forgive me for not being able to help you when I should have. I failed you not only as an officer of the law but also as a family member who should've done everything in their power to help you when I couldn't. A part of me hates to utter that cursed last name with any form of sympathy, but… can you please forgive me, Kira Yoshihara?!"
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