maskormenace | 009 ★ Video

[School has let out for the day by the time this broadcast goes up. You can tell because Josuke hasn't changed out of his uniform. (Never mind Heropa High doesn't require uniforms. Or the fact that Josuke wears his uniform a lot.) He's seated cross-legged on the carpeted floor of his bedroom which, for those of you who know that it's usually overrun with animals, happens to be curiously quiet today.]

So, uh...

[He raises his right hand and scratches lightly at his chin.]

I guess it's been sort of a while since I had anything to say on the Network? Sorry about that.

[It's really weird thinking he hasn't made a post for a couple of months. Not that he hasn't been around on other peoples', driving them nuts by pushing their buttons. In fact, one of those people is even responsible for Josuke feeling the need to make this post!]

Anyway, I actually got a couple of things I wanna talk about today! First up, Veterans Day just passed...we don't celebrate that back home, but we got Self-Defense Force Day and it's pretty much the same thing. You know, for remembering the people we've lost to wars. I figured since we're fightin' a war and we've had casualties, too—lost people either due to the fighting or the Porter—we deserve a way to remember 'em by. So, uh...I set up a message board for doing just that.

[Briefly, Josuke leans forward to take up his comm and tap out a LINK that soon appears onscreen for everybody to access. The comm's set back down again in front of him, then. Probably on a stack of school textbooks and homework he'll forget to do until five minutes before class Monday.]

If you got people you miss who aren't here no more, check it out. You can say something about 'em, or say what you'd have said if you'd been given a chance to say goodbye.

The other thing is, and it's pretty important, too... [Josuke's eyes narrow, his expression becoming serious.] ...even if Halloween did just pass, there's been more talk of fear lately than I think's healthy for anyone. Especially 'cause there hasn't been as much talk in circulation about how to overcome our fears.

I'm not an expert, but I do know the first step to owning your own fears is not running from 'em. It's not supposed to be easy, so don't get discouraged if at first you feel like it's gonna be impossible. I promise, it's not. Take a look around you and see how many people you got supporting you? A whole imPort community, some of 'em probably from your home. You can do this. And this is how.

[This is it, this is what this post has been building up to.

Josuke's gaze flicks to the side, towards something off screen, and while he tries to keep his expression militant, it's obvious in the arch of his brows and the faint grimace curling his lips that he doesn't want to do this. And why? Well, because he's afraid.

Afraid of the turtle he suddenly scoops up and holds out in view of the camera. Its little feet waggle nonthreatening in thin air and, as its tiny head slowly pokes around from left to right, it's clear that it's trying to make sense of what's going on.]

You just gotta...reach out and grab your fears with both hands. L-like so. And tell 'em, "You don't got me! I got you."

[Because he really looks like he's got this, right? But at least he's trying!]

A-and that's how you do it!

[Now, uh...how does he turn off the broadcast without looking like he's in too much of a hurry to set the turtle back down again? Looks like using his toes will have to suffice!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Okay, so not the point.]

A-anyway, if I didn't think that he was a great guy, I wouldn't be friends with him. He's just loud. [And super obnoxious.]

He didn't say that much, honestly, just mentioned you were around. It was weird for him too, but he wanted to, you know... do right by you, and all.

[Jaime's reaction gets Josuke laughing a little.]

See? He's a total scamp.

[But, as most anyone would testify to, that's part of Joseph's charm. Even Josuke can't deny it, and shouldn't try, either. He's a lot like his father in some ways. The better ways, that is.]

And yeah, he's totally loud.

[So's his sense of fashion, Josuke thinks...but not with the same sort of embarrassment he used to.]

I guess...if you see him again before I do, tell him for me that he doesn't gotta worry? 'Cause he did do right by me. Back home and here. And uh...thanks, Jaime. For bein' his friend.

I will, but here's to hoping that if he winds up back here, we'll both be here to greet him!

[He gives Josuke a smile that's half pleased, half rueful.]

You're not the only guy from your family who's thanked me for being his friend, but like I said, I wouldn't be friends with him if I didn't like spending time with him. I miss having the big lug around.

I don't plan on goin' anywhere too soon. I just meant if you run into him before I do.

[Grinning right back.]

Lemme guess, the other person was Jonathan?

[Because thanking somebody for being a friend to Joseph sounds exactly like the sort of thing Josuke's great gramps would do.]

Bingo. It's only the three of you from your family that have been here, though, right? No other secret cousins or sons and daughters around?

[Josuke stares for a moment before shaking his head.]

Actually...a lot of my family's been here. Besides me, my old man, and my great gramps, there's been...

[He begins counting off the names on his fingers.]

Jotaro, my nephew. Jolyne, my great niece. Jonathan's adoptive brother, Dio...and Dio's kid, Giorno. I'll be honest, though...never really saw Dio as family, even if Giorno was a lot like a brother to me.

[And there was Caesar, too...but he wasn't exactly family, either. Just his dad's...er, fiance.]

Oh, right! I think I heard Jojo talk about Jotaro.

[He'd forgotten. Their whole family situation is really strange, isn't it?]

And, uh, I've heard a few things about Dio too. [His tone suggests the content of those little facts he's been fed. It's an awful situation.]

But they've all gone home now? Now it's just you and Jonathan?

[Just him and Jonathan...]

Yeah...yeah, I guess it is.

[The Porter had abducted so many from his world, some of them family, some of them not. Diego had been the first to vanish, followed by Dio, Jotaro, Jolyne, and then Giorno. A little while later, Joseph and Caesar had followed, and in the case of Caesar, he was returning home to...die.

Sure, Kira was here now, but he's the one person Josuke can't honestly say he'd be upset to see go back where he came from. Because he knows that there at least, Kira wouldn't be able to hurt anybody anymore.

And that's when it occurs to him. He hasn't exactly told anybody about Kira. Hasn't wanted to give the serial killer a reason to target anybody. But is that really protecting them?]

...sorry, Jaime. I actually don't wanna talk about this anymore.

[Aw, man. He didn't mean to make Josuke feel bad, or anything. He holds one hand up to the camera, looking a little sheepish.]

Aw -- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up stuff like that in the first place. I know it's hard being separated from people.

[Isn't that what this whole post was about? He shakes his head.]

I won't ask any more questions.

It's fine, it's just...there's a few things I gotta sort out, that's all.

[Once he's got his head on straight again, come to terms with the new losses, decided whether or not to ask his great grandfather about a certain problem that's been bothering him, maybe then it'll be easier to talk about his family in more detail.

...because, truth be told, he really loves talking about them most of the time. Getting to meet them? One of the best things about winding up in this world. One of the reasons he's not sorry he's here, too.]

Maybe next week or something you wanna hang out? We can talk more about 'em then if you want, or do whatever.

[Because it'd be kind of nice to get to know Jaime better, especially with Jaime having been his old man's friend, too.]

[He relaxes a little now that that subject's been swept past.]

Sure. I'd like that. You play any video games?

[He and Joseph used to go to the arcade together. It seems like as good a place as any to get to know his son too.]

[Well, that certainly puts a grin back on Josuke's face, and he's quick to nod.]

Yeah, I play all the time!

[It's a wonder he and Jaime haven't happened upon each other at the arcade sooner, to be honest. Josuke's a regular there.]

Oh, sweet! Which city are you usually in? Heropa, or...?

Heropa, usually. But gettin' around to the other cities isn't hard if you'd rather go someplace else.

Thinkin' of hitting up an arcade?

Yeah. I'm in Heropa too -- there's one arcade I used to hit up sometimes after school, back when I was in school. [He's a graduate of Heropa's High School! It's really weird for someone who always thought he'd be graduating from El Paso High.]

We're probably thinkin' of the same place, then. Got a preference as to what day you wanna hang out?

[Once Josuke graduates, he'll probably feel the same. Maybe. School's school to this kid, whether it's Japan or here. He'll just be happy to graduate in the end, to have more freedom.]

Any day's fine, so long as it's after five! Tell you what -- you choose the day, and I'll be there.

Sounds like a plan! I'll check my schedule and get back to ya!

009 ★ Video

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