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I've been trying to find ways to relax. I'm not really any good at it. Just came back from being at sea for two weeks, isolated from society. It was extremely pleasant.

[ and around this point there some links to show photographs he had taken. all very pleasant... if you ignore the starfish eating a fish at the end. ]

Now I'm back and I find myself lost in society and its stresses. I work 12 hour days and sleep about 6 to 7. Research is my only outlet, my field being in Marine Biology. That and watching too much true crime dramas, but watching serials about betrayal and murder might not be a healthy way of de-stressing. Allegedly.

So I'm fielding suggestions. I'm sure you're all a very calm and collected bunch who can be of help.

[ ... ]

On an unrelated note: fish don't smoke. And never will. Evolution doesn't work that way.

[ callout because that's just one of his recent stresses. ]

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[ Good grief. Why does he always have to be the bearer of bad news when it comes to Josuke? Well, he doesn't have any room to complain. He isn't the one who lost his memories (at least, not this time.) ]

Josuke, the last time I saw you wasn't in Morioh. It was in this world, at the end of June a few months ago. At the time, our positions were reverse what they are now. ...I know it's not pleasant to hear, but I need to be upfront with you - the last time I saw you, you were already 18 years old.

[It wasn't unpleasant, either. It was just weird. And difficult to process. How was it he'd been here before and was unable to remember? Especially if he'd been here long enough to turn eighteen...

For a moment, Josuke wished he'd taken Jotaro up on that water. Anything to keep his hands busy right now would have been nice.]

So you're telling me you were here before, too? And you didn't remember? What the hell kinda place is this?

I was 17 at the time, but I couldn't tell you a single thing about that experience. You must feel the same right now.

[ and, it's weird, very much so. but he's learned to live with the knowledge and try not to let it weigh on his mind too heavily. he's... well not very different, if he's being honest, but he's not quite the same delinquent with a chip on his shoulder. nowadays he actually pays for his food regardless of if he liked it or not (though he will stiff on the tip if the service is crap.) ]

I've come to the conclusion that thinking too hard about it will only lead to headaches. Well, you've always been good at rolling with the punches. [ just another one of those joestar things - shit happens and you deal with it. ] There will undoubtedly be people here who remember you though, and that will be the hard part. imPorts are aware this could happen, but... well, think how you would feel if a friend of yours suddenly didn't remember you? You might get reactions like that.

[ the hard part is there is no way for jotaro to really know how many people josuke was connected to. how many of them are here or not, and it's a little too invasive even for his standards to go through that. ]

I'll keep that in mind.

[Really, it's about all that he can do. That and try and find those people, reach out to them, maybe. It might come as a bit of a shock to know he's returned and he's not as they remember him, but maybe he can soften that blow by letting them know he doesn't want to cut anyone out of his life? If they want to try and be his friend still...he's willing to try.]

...Will you be okay?

[ because, he's not good at being... well sensitive, or comforting, but he hopes this doesn't rattle josuke too hard. and he's trying this new thing? called not being a total hardass. he's not doing great with it so far, but hey. ]

[The question doesn't come as a complete surprise even if Josuke didn't expect Jotaro to be consoling. The older man's looked out for him in the past and he doesn't doubt Jotaro would continue to do so given the chance. He was a good man. That was why Josuke looked up to him.

And that's why he's able to smile and nod after a moment, overwriting the serious expression of a moment earlier.]

Yeah, don't worry. I'll figure it out.

[He appreciated Jotaro's concern and even his advice, but it was his problem. Something like this, that wasn't a matter of life or death, he didn't want to trouble the older man with. He could sort through it on his own and figure out what to do next.]

Thanks for letting me know what to expect, but...that's not the only thing you wanted to talk about, is it?

...Unfortunately not. [ because the other stuff is even more unpleasant. ] There's a Stand user here, bearing a grudge against anyone in the Joestar bloodline. And, he knows you're part of it.

[ josuke may have forgotten, but he won't. and if they lived in an ideal world, he wouldn't involve him at all because it's his problem more than anyone else's. but the world isn't ideal. ]

His name is Dio Brando. Stay away from him.

Dio...

[Josuke sat upright. He remembered that name at least.

But wasn't he...?

No matter. Jotaro may have never spoken much about the other Stand user, but from what little he had said after they'd immobilized Angelo, he knew the guy was trouble. If the older man was issuing a warning, it was best to heed it.]

I take it he found out when I was here before?

[It was weird feeling wanting to punch his past-future self.]

He did.

[ stand users being drawn to one another, a meeting between them could only be avoided for so long. dio is a driven man and his grudge is almost as old as he is. and once the vampire realizes josuke is back, he'll become a target again. ]

Don't confront him. He has certain ambitions here that stop him from going to his worst inclinations on his own, but if you give him a reason... [ he grumbles, and points to the scar going down his eye. ] No enemy you've faced can compare to his power. You must be careful.

[Good grief, Jotaro.

Didn't you learn your lesson with Ryohei?]

He did that, huh?

[Josuke had noticed the mark when Jotaro had opened the door to his home earlier, but battle scars weren't foreign concepts to Stand users. Knowing that mark came from someone who bore his family an eternal ill will, however...

The mere thought of it made his blood boil.

With a frightening steadiness, Josuke reclined in his seat and reached inside his jacket pocket to procure his comb. He still didn't have that water, and at least this way he had an object with which to preoccupy his hands. There were a few stray strands of hair in his pompadour that could use combing back...and it kept him from slamming his fists down upon the table top. Everyone won.]

Yeah, I'll be careful.

Good.

[ even if he couldn't see the way josuke moved, the tension in the air is present. that's not surprising. he can handle himself, and he knows josuke can too, but he would feel the same if he found out his uncle was injured by someone. and a cold anger would come to him if he found out dio was the one to cause that pain. dio had that effect on him - he took so much from him, and he still fears for what else can be taken.

josuke is another person he can lose. even if imPorts don't die permanent deaths, it doesn't change that it can happen. ]

There's more to say, but... I think for now I'll leave things to you. You don't need someone to hold you by the hand. You can always ask me questions if you want.

[He nodded, still handling the comb and idly running it back through his hair as he thought. Yeah...asking questions was probably a good distraction right about now. But based on what Jotaro had said so far and what he'd seen himself, what did he want to know? Or even need to know most of all?

He'd mentioned Dio was here. And the two of them were as well. That seemed a good place to start.]

There anyone else?

[That he needs to know about. Good or bad or whichever, just anyone from home. It'd be good not to be caught off his guard. Better if there were more people he could put his trust in.]

Or is it just the three of us?

[Those weren't bad odds. But they could be better.]

...There is one more. His name is Giorno Giovanna. I don't really know much about him yet, but he is a Stand user around your age. He's quite... lively.

[ and there's a lot more to it than that, but omitting parts of the truth isn't the same as outright lying. he doesn't want to color any potential relationship that could come by disclosing giorno's... not legacy, but his bloodline. it isn't that he thinks josuke would judge giorno, but... well, this is the son of the man he killed. he wants to show some respect to that, and let giorno be the one to make any disclosures.

part of him hopes they get along, should they meet. josuke is good at making friends, and it would give jotaro an excuse to create some distance. ]

If there are any others, I'm not aware of them.

[The name didn't sound familiar, but the thought of another Stand user his age hanging around, especially one with a lively personality, already sounded promising. Josuke couldn't help grinning faintly at the prospect. The fact that there didn't appear to be any unchecked Stand users running around might also have helped his disposition a little, too.]

Sounds like he's been giving you a hard time.

[Josuke would have to thank Giorno for that when their paths crossed.

For now, though...there was something else he wanted to discuss with Jotaro. Something that caused his grin to sober.]

Hey, uh...you get one of those files when you arrived, too?

[ "hard time" is such an understatement... but moving on. ]

I did. All imPorts do. [ and now it's hidden somewhere in his bedroom, among some other things he rather not keep out in the open. even in a quiet area like heropa, he's ever paranoid of someone possibly stealing his information. ] Why, is something wrong?

[ nobody has to be an expert at reading people when it comes to josuke, who's fairly close to have his heart on the sleeve. ]

No, I mean...I wouldn't say 'wrong,' not exactly.

[As if that statement was any more comforting.]

I figured I should read my file, see what it said and what these people know about me, right? But it's weird. Not only do they know about Crazy Diamond, but there's this whole other power...

[He made a face, leaning back in his chair, front legs lifting off the ground a little.]

You don't think they coulda gotten anything mixed up, do you?

...No. I also have access to a power I never had when I arrived here. An extra ability isn't something to frown upon.

[ well, he is biased on that front. his porter granted ability is useful to his needs, and he wishes it was the kind of power he could have even back in his world. ]

It's not like that, I just...

[Just what?

He thought about that for a moment. Would it be better if there had been some kind of mistake and the new power reported in his file wasn't really his? Or was it better that he has this sort of thing at his disposal?

There was a part of him that was inclined to believe the latter, but there was also a hitch.]

...I don't think this is something I can control. Or if I can, it'll be a rough ride figuring that out. I mean, luck's not an easy thing to manipulate!

[ Luck? ]

Good grief. [ a power that can be equally useful and backfire if the dice roll is bad. ] Luck isn't a factor anyone can control in life. In that sense, being able to manipulate that... if you pull it off, you would be able to slide most anything in your favor. You just need to remember that.

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