Chapter Text
A ringing phone.
Not unusual for Jotaro, but an unknown number was.
Picking it up, he got straight to the point. “Who is this?”
“Jotaro, we have a huge problem,” Josuke said over the phone. He could hear yelling. “Like, I might have to leave Okuyasu behind here, because I can’t handle this at all.”
“Don’t leave me!” Jotaro heard Okuyasu cry out in the background.
“Of course I won’t!” Josuke said, fainter now, as if he took his face away from the phone. “But for real, I might have to leave.” He whispered conspiratorially.
Jotaro sighed heavily, not caring if whatever house or store phone Josuke had used could pick up on the sound. Ever exhausted, he responds. “What’s going on?”
“So, like, there’s this Stand, right?”
“I assumed.”
“Yeah, totally. It’s called Weird Science. The user got away, but he has a long-range Stand that can affect one person at a time. Once he activated it on Okuyasu, it stopped working on me.”
“And what does it do?” Jotaro prompted, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“It makes our Stands have the opposite ability! So, mine, it made things progress, instead of regress. I tried to restore a book to its base material. My plan was to throw the ink used in his face. But instead, the book yellowed, and started to fall apart in my hands!”
The Stand was powerful, but it depended on who the user activated it on, then. Didn’t sound like much to panic about.
“I also tried it on a bench just to test it out, and the bench got mossy and aged!”
“So, you figured it out, and then started messing around?” Jotaro asked incredulously.
“Okay, maybe, yeah.” Josuke admitted sheepishly. “I was trying to brainstorm if it could tell the future if I used it on the right thing, okay?”
“Good grief. But Weird Science has been activated on Okuyasu instead? What is his Stand doing?”
“He tried to use The Hand before we realized it was on him, so now stuff is flying out of The Hand’s… hand. And he said it’s things from the void?”
“The void.” He deadpanned.
“Like, at first it was stuff his Stand dematerialized recently. But now it’s getting older. Aww, Okuyasu, look! That’s the missing part of your sign from when we first met!”
“So everything in this… void, is flying out of him?” Jotaro asked, trying to clarify. Man, he was tired today. Just from this. He had slept in until noon and had only spent thirty minutes or so on his thesis so far. The day was probably shot.
Completely focused on the wrong thing, he began to laugh. “Oku, is that a bowl of pasta? What the hell did you use your Stand on that for?”
“Josuke.” Jotaro demanded.
“Oh, sorry. What’s up?” He asked conversationally.
“YOU called me.”
“Sorry.” He said again, sounding sufficiently guilty, so Jotaro didn’t scold further.
”What happens when Okuyasu runs out of stuff his Stand has absorbed?”
“How should I know?” Josuke complained.
Jotaro let that sit for a minute, trying not to be furious at a teenager just being annoying.
“Well, it’s starting to be weird stuff, like really random. I think it’s stuff he sucked up when he first got his Stand and couldn’t control it.”
“Why not ask him yourself?”
“I just sent him outside, because this guy's house we broke into was getting pretty full of shit.”
“Naturally.” Jotaro replied.
“I can see him through the wind- Woah.” Josuke said, sounding far away from the phone.
“What? What now?”
“It’s like, a bunch of wall, I think? Like concrete, or rock, but it’s painted. How did he even do that? DAMN. Okay, that’s a lot of it. This is going to fill up the yard. Jotaro, I might have to go.”
“Wait-“
“Now he’s yelling ‘It’s a big one.’ How? The last one wasn’t a big one? I think there’s a jam. He’s freaking out.” Josuke said matter-of-factly.
“Tell me where you are and then go help him!”
“Oh my god!” Josuke screamed, shrill and in genuine panic. Jotaro winced and held the phone away from his ear.
It sounded like something slamming, and then he didn’t hear anything. The call didn’t drop, so Josuke probably left the phone behind.
“God damn it,” Jotaro ran to the door.
“Josuke, I really can’t do it! It hurts!” Okuyasu screamed, clutching his wrist. The Hand mirrored him, mouth open in a voiceless cry.
“You have to push!” Josuke grabbed and clutched his left hand, letting him squeeze.
“Alright! 3, 2… 1!” Okuyasu flung his hand around, yowling in pain, until there was an audible pop.
A man well dressed in robes lay on the ground, bleeding profusely. He was missing arms. The right arm was missing from well above the elbow. The left was more fortunate, but not by much, the forearm and below completely gone.
It was a clean cut on both sides, and was so exact it looked akin to a log sawed in half, if not for the gushing wounds.
“Josuke… did we make a baby?” Okuyasu asked.
“Wh- shut up,” Josuke shoved him lightly, really hoping he was joking. “He’s massive, has clothes, and is severely injured.”
Okuyasu blinked at him. “Obviously, dumbass. My Stand just shit out a dead guy. I was trying to lighten the mood.”
Josuke paled, looking back down. “He’s not dead!”
“He looks super dead to me, Josuke.”
“If he was dead he wouldn’t be bleeding! Check his pulse!”
“Hell no! What if he’s gone already? I don't want to touch the random dead guy!”
“Well me neither!”
“I’m the one with my Stand losing it’s mind, so you’re the one touching the dead guy!” Okuyasu gestured behind him, Stand beginning to spout out more building.
“That doesn’t count! Why do you have a dead guy in your void anyway?!”
“I don’t fucking know! You have to try and heal him anyway, c'mon! Don’t be such a baby.”
They glared at each other for a moment.
“You win this round,” Josuke acquiesced.
Not touching him directly, he used Crazy Diamond to check for a pulse.
“Oh my god, he’s alive!”
“Use your Stand!” Okuyasu pushed him back, still not harsh.
Dead Guy glowed brilliantly, and the rubble shifted. Out of the rocks, two bloodied arms floating over and reattaching themselves.
They waited, starting to become somewhat eager to solve the mystery now that Dead Guy would be fine.
After about a minute without the man rousing, Okuyasu started to tap his hands on own his knees, antsy.
“Why isn’t The Hand spouting random crap anymore, Okuyasu?”
“Well, after the full person that fell out, I thought maybe I could dismiss The Hand and it would stop.”
“It worked? Why didn’t you do that before?!”
“It’s definitely a temporary solution. I can still feel it ready to burst, but if I don’t take out my Stand… I think we’re good for now.”
“So, you’re saying, you’re super vulnerable right now? Like, completely defenseless?”
“Yup.”
“That’s just great,” Josuke sighed, shoulders slumping. “Just don’t go anywhere without me until we stop this user, okay?”
“Thanks, Josuke!” Okuyasu grinned, bumping shoulders with him.
“So, why won’t he wake up? He should be healed. He’s breathing and everything.”
“Well, I don’t know how he got in there, but he was, for who knows how long. Maybe his brain isn’t working.”
“Wait,” Josuke said, “I have an idea.” He opened his school bag, retrieving a water bottle he had gotten at lunch that day. He uncapped it, before hovering over the mystery man’s head and trickling it all over him. He stepped back to Okuyasu.
The man let out a strangled scream, sounding somewhat like a name, before sitting up.
“Woah, shocking the system! Good idea, Josuke!” Okuyasu said, before pulling at his collar. Man, the sun was out, but he didn’t remember it being so hot today. Stand battle must have distracted him from being sticky from sweat.
“What is this? What did you do with them?!” He yelled, a humanoid bird Stand letting out an unsettling screech and advancing on them. The man was steaming as the water poured on him evaporated.
Okuyasu screamed and tumbled backwards, Josuke stepping in front of him protectively.
“Hey man, what the fuck? We help you, and you instantly turn on us?”
“Help me? I don’t care what trickery you try to lay down, I am not taking it like a fool! I know this mansion has things to trick the mind!” The air around them was sweltering.
“We’re outside!” Okuyasu called from behind Josuke, peering over his shoulder.
With that childish gesture, he looked sad for a moment. “I can’t believe he has so many children under his employ. When did he even have the time to go to Japan, much less pick you two up?”
“Dude, we don’t know what you’re talking about! We are random students, and you just showed up here! You’re in Japan, right now, actually!”
The man looked around at the architecture, then scrutinized them for a moment, before regaining composure. He still looked like he didn’t quite trust them, however. “I apologize, then. I was in the middle of battle, in a place with many illusions.”
“Where exactly did you think you were?”
“I was in Egypt just moments ago. An enemy must have sent me here. I have to get back to them as soon as possible.”
“Egypt? Man, you’re a long way,” Okuyasu commented, peeking out more now that it looked safe.
With those words, his breathing became ragged. He collapsed to his knees, tears gathering in his eyes.
“I can’t get back to them in time. Right where they needed me the most, and I vanish right back to Japan where we started.”
“Maybe we can call you a plane. Who knows, you still might get there in time!”
“A commercial plane would take over a day! I would be no help at that point!”
“I’m sure they’re fine, buddy…” Josuke tried awkwardly.
“They’re in the most dangerous place on earth right now! A labyrinth of venomous snakes that call themselves people! They had already separated us in half before I even stepped inside. When we did… Polnareff and Iggy were with me. Did they come?!” He frantically looked around. Seeing he was alone, he gripped his robe tightly and gritted his teeth.
Josuke tried to be confident, going close enough to pat his shoulder in a show of support.
He looked back up at them, trying to regain composure. “Thank you for your kindness. I can’t believe I thought you were Stand users.“
“Well, uh, no. We are, actually,” Josuke said, stepping back in fear of a bad reaction. “We just aren’t trying to fight anybody. Many people in this town are Stand users, but eventually we learned to get along. For the most part.”
“Yeah, we aren’t tryna fight you, is the important thing!” Okuyasu said, still standing pretty far away. He didn’t have anything to protect himself from the massive fire bird, so it was pretty logical.
“Ah.” He said, closing his eyes for a moment. “If you’re Stand users, are there any that could have sent me here? I need to get back.” He failed to reign in his desperation.
Thinking about it for a long moment, Josuke shook his head. “I’m really sorry. None of them that I know of could do anything like this. It could have something to do with the Stand user that attacked us today, but I really have no idea how they’re related to this.”
“We should find that Stand user as soon as possible.” He said, standing up with newfound motivation. With a goal in mind, he seemed calmer.
“I can’t use my Stand until they’re defeated or they use the ability on someone else,” Okuyasu offers.
“But if they use their Weird Science again-”
“What an odd Stand name.” He commented.
“Uh. Yyyeah…” Josuke said, not finding it out of the ordinary at all.
“If they use it again, our Stands will do the opposite. So, what does yours do?”
“Magician’s Red controls fire,” he said, summoning his Stand and letting them look. The bird preened, but lost a lot of it’s luster with it’s user so out of sorts.
“Okay, so your Stand will probably end up sending ice, or water. That one’s pretty easy to figure out.”
“My Stand restores things, like it did your arms,” Josuke brought out Crazy Diamond.
“My arms were broken?” He asked, blinking and looking down. “They feel completely fine.”
“They were lopped clean off!” Okuyasu supplies unhelpfully.
“I don’t know how that happened to me at all,” he sounded bewildered, but it was muted as he marveled at the pink and blue stand. “But, young man, you have a truly incredible Stand,”
Okuyasu nudged Josuke, the support of them both making him blush. “T-thank you, Sir.”
“Oh yeah!” Okuyasu piped up. “I’m Nijimura Okuyasu. He’s Higashikata Josuke. Who’re you?”
“My apologies. This day has been so hectic, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Mohammed Abdul. Though I know how Japanese Customs work, so I will let you know that my given name is Mohammed.”
“Thanks, I would have felt totally awkward, Mr. Abdul.” Okuyasu says, still technically behind Josuke, but draping over his shoulder to be in the conversation.
“These other Stand users might know what sent me here. We are unsure of this rogue user, but if one of them formerly worked under Dio, they might have vital information of others still under his employ.”
“I really need you to pause. Dio?” Josuke said.
“Yes, he’s in the mansion we were raiding. We have to kill him within the week or Mrs. Holly will not make it.”
“Mrs. Holly?” Okuyasu asks. Josuke isn’t listening, stunned by the information earlier.
“Yes, she’s very ill. She is the daughter of one of my compatriots, and the mother of another.” Abdul says solemnly.
“What’s a compatriot?” Okuyasu leans into Josuke with a whisper.
“A friend, Oku.” Josuke says distractedly. He’s tinged green.
“Gotcha.” He nods.
“Listen,” Josuke begins. He gently takes Abdul’s hand and pulls him to sit again. “I have some really bad news, but I can think of a way to make it brief. Dio’s not around anymore. It’s 1999.”
“What?” Abdul asks. “That’s impossible! Stands can’t travel through time! That would mean I’m ten years too late!”
“This sounds really bad.” Okuyasu winces.
“Well, I know you want to know what happened, but… there’s no rush now is the good news?” Josuke said, face scrunched up and head lowering between his shoulders.
“Maybe there’s still a way back, if I was sent here,”
“I doubt it, but we’ll help you try. I know someone who knows about Dio. He’s in this town, and I know for a fact he doesn’t work for that guy. He looked like a nuke was dropped in his bowl of cereal at the mention of the name.”
“An ally, maybe. I could also contact the Speedwagon Foundation.” He thinks aloud.
“Oh! Well, he works with them anyway! So I think we should go see him first instead of this Stand user.”
“That seems to be the most sound decision, yes.” Abdul agrees, rising to his feet once again. “Please show me the way.”
As they walked out of the yard, they pointedly ignored the mess they caused.
“So, Abdul, you seem really smart,” Okuyasu tries to start a conversation, seemingly squirming at the concussive tension in the air coming from Mohammed.
“I think what he means is, you talk really sophisticated.”
“Do I speak overly formal? I did learn my Japanese through books, so maybe my local linguistics aren’t quite up to par yet.”
“I just think you speak better than me, and I only speak Japanese! I’m jealous!”
“It is impressive, Abdul. You’re super well spoken.” Josuke agreed.
Abdul waved them off, cheeks darkening. “Nonsense.”
“Uh oh, I think he’s embarrassed.”
“Okuyasu, don’t just say that out loud!” Josuke said, whapping him lightly on the arm with the back of his hand.
“Why not?” He demanded.
“Because it’s rude!”
“Well he seems nice, I didn’t think he would care!”
“Sometimes I swear-” Josuke stopped.
Abdul fists were tight, as he stared far away from them, seemingly lost in thought.
“Are you okay?” Okuyasu voiced for him, jogging ahead to get a better look at him.
“Ah! Yes, sorry,” he began. “You just reminded me of someone I’m worried about.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Josuke asked. Secretly, he was kind of hoping he wouldn’t.
“Polnareff. I left him behind in that battle, and now I don’t know if he’s even alive. He’s the type of man to get into shenanigans, much like you two.”
“I’m sure he’s-“ Josuke starts, before Okuyasu shakes his head and he thinks better of it.
“We had no idea what we were walking into. We promised we would fend for ourselves, but I saw that writing on the wall, then I pushed him away,” Abdul paused, looking somber.
“And then what happened?”
“Then I woke up here. I’m not quite… I remember this feeling like the ground had given out under me, and it was so cold, which is unusual for me…”
“So you didn’t feel your arms gettin’ chopped off?” Okuyasu asked, falling in pace with them again. They passed Koichi’s house, Police sleeping lazily away in the front yard. Okuyasu waved.
“I don’t believe so, from what I can remember.” Abdul clicked his tongue, frustrated.
“What’s Egypt like?”
“Oh, you have to visit one day! There is no place on earth like the cities there,” Abdul brightened and started boisterously, slapping Okuyasu on the back in excitement and support. “Given Dio is really gone, of course,” he said, growing quiet again.
“We’re getting close, Mr. Abdul. Just a few blocks. Why don’t you tell us about it while we wait?”
“It would be my pleasure,” he says, smiling at the well meaning boys. “The culture is nothing like what you’re used to. The sights, the soft sand, the dishes, I am biased from childhood nostalgia keep in mind-“
In an instant, Josuke and Okuyasu seemingly teleported away. An imposing man stood in front of them protectively.
“Jotaro?” Abdul asked, barely contained joy spilling out of him visibly. “You’re okay! And Star Platinum has gotten even faster!”
“I don’t know what you want from me, but keep them out of it!”
“What are you talking about? Jotaro, do you not believe-“
“Mohammed Abdul died in battle ten years ago. You’re not really him. It’s impossible,” Jotaro said with a finality that made Abdul sick.
“Wait, Jotaro, I don’t know what happened, but he hasn’t attacked us! He’s actually really nice, and I think he’s just as confused as you are!” Josuke grabbed his shoulder.
“And he talks so fancy!” Okuyasu added, for good measure.
“I just think you should give it a chance. He seems so… real.” Josuke says.
“Good grief,” Jotaro’s fingers found his way to his hat, tipping it downward. It somehow made Abdul nostalgic for something he had seen yesterday. “Tell me something only he would know.”
“Alright- uhh,” Abdul sputtered. “The first time you did your five cigarette trick, you swallowed one, and I walked in on you retching. I promised never to speak of it, so I apologize ahead of time.”
“You swallowed a cigarette?!” Josuke yelled, incredulous. “You have to show me this trick when we get back!”
“I didn’t even know he smoked!” Okuyasu said incredulously.
He didn’t speak, pushing his hat down further. His face was red.
“When I tried to teach you how to drive in the desert, you crashed it on a sand dune, and we had to go into town to get another identical car because you were embarrassed and didn’t want them to tease you. It took four hours and they totally suspected something. The additional 45 minutes to find a snack did not help your case.”
Josuke and Okuyasu burst out laughing.
“Alright, enough! I get it!” Jotaro yelled. “I’ll allow the possibility. That you could be real. We have to do tests, first.”
“Thank you so much, Jotaro,” Abdul said, smiling warmly.
“Let’s just go back to the hotel.” He turns on his heel and begins walking in the other direction.
“Of course,” Abdul replies, far acclimated to Jotaro’s personality by now.
Josuke and Okuyasu follow, pestering him for embarrassing stories of Jotaro’s youth.
“Okay. You’ve passed every test I can think of, but one.” Jotaro starts, sitting in a desk chair and looking through papers.
“I am sure I will pass with flying colors, Jotaro. Because I am Abdul.” He said, exasperated. “You’re so paranoid nowadays. It means we taught you well, so I suppose I’m glad.”
“This final one,” he summoned Star Platinum, “is the one I was saving because I don’t want the old man in danger. If you attack him, you will be disposed of in short order.”
Star Platinum stared through him, oozing a confidence that dwarfed his younger self. The Stand seemed somehow even more intimidating.
“Old man? Mr. Joestar is here?” Abdul asked, wiping the sweat from his brow and beginning to feel excited again. It meant the man survived, as well. “If I pass Hermit Purple’s inspection, will you finally tell me what happened?”
“Yes. I couldn’t trust you with that information.”
“I don’t understand why. What could telling me that information possibly-“
“I don’t want you going after us who remain.” Jotaro said quietly, barely managing to finish his sentence.
Abdul choked, reaching for his hand. “Jotaro, please, I can’t take it anymore. I know we were ready to fight to the death, but you can’t just-“
“Jotaro?” A frail old man walked in with a cane.
“Mr. Joestar!” Abdul yelled, surveying the man with disbelief. Jotaro grown up was a shock, but seeing the lively man from just a few hours ago in his memory as a quiet old man was much more discomforting.
“Ah, Abdul. How are you?” He asked, making his way over. Star got closer, watching Abdul intensely. He froze under his fierce gaze.
“I am well, Mr. Joestar. I see he told you about our situation.”
“God damn it,” Jotaro mutters. “I didn’t. He’s just confused.”
“You mean…”
“He’s disoriented. Jiji, I need you to check if Abdul is real.”
“Why?” He asked, turning his head so he could hear better.
“Because he could be a copy. Can you just do it and not ask me questions for once?” Jotaro pointed to a tv.
Joseph shrugged. “Alright,”
”I can’t believe he’s…”
“So fucking old? Me neither. Just wait til you hear about Josuke. Jiji is a goddamn nuisance.”
“Josuke? He’s the nice young man I met earlier that fixed my arms,”
Joseph activated his Stand, filtering out words as they spoke.
“He’s Joseph’s son. I’m so relieved to finally tell one of you about it. I can’t even kick him, because he would break a hip.”
“Josuke is WHAT?” Abdul fell from his chair, scrambling to stand.
“You heard me.”
“HOW?”
“He cheated on my grandma with some Japanese college student. Didn’t even know about Josuke until a few months ago.”
“Oh my,” Abdul said, sitting back down and putting his face in his hands. He took a minute before responding. “Now that you told me, I see it in his face. I can’t begin to…”
Joseph approached, looking at them both. “Jotaro, here’s what it’s saying,” he says, handing him a note.
“‘Believe what you see. Unlikely blessing.’ I suppose that settles it.”
“We could have had Mr. Joestar check and you would have believed me instantly?” Abdul protested.
“He’s fragile now. I can’t put him in danger unless I’m almost sure.” Jotaro said. Star Platinum vanished.
“That’s very… mature of you, Jotaro.” Mohammed says, surprised but proud.
“Thanks.” He seemed to know what was next, and avoided eye contact with an uncanny resemblance to a dog that had gotten into the garbage.
“Please tell me. Did Polnareff make it? I left him behind.”
“I wrote what happened all down. I don’t think I can say it. You’re going to want some time alone to grapple with it.”
“I take it you have no good news,” Abdul said, taking the letter as if it were a death sentence.
“I need to make a call. There's someone who needs to see you.” Jotaro didn’t respond to what he said, more speaking to the room, before taking Joseph’s sleeve and tugging him out of the room.
“If you want to play cards, I’m two doors down,” Joseph offered as they left, a non-sequitur. The door closed behind them.
Abdul took a deep breath, braced himself, and opened the letter.