maskormenacelogs | just jojoing around

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just jojoing around

WHO: Jonathan Joestar and Jotaro Kujo
WHERE: Heropa, some secluded flatlands outside the city.
WHEN: Friday, April 14th
WHAT: Great-great grandfather and Great-great grandson trainin'.
WARNINGS: anime bullshit.

[Now that he was feeling a little more settled into this world and the circumstances after a little more than a week, it was time to get to business. When he arrived and first met Jonathan, his ancestor broke the news about possessing a Stand in this world. The same kind a certain vampire had as well. It's been over a decade since he last had to fight against The World, and against its owner, and he thought the book was closed on that story. Unfortunately not the case anymore.

Which is the purpose of the training today. Both of them need to better utilize this power if they're going to be able to stand a chance against Dio. It's not a matter of "will they need to fight" but "when will they fight" when it comes down to it. Dio's time stop can go up to nine seconds, and possibly even further beyond that. A human can't get so far, but every bit counts. Building up a tolerance to the freezing of time, in order for the mind to perceive the world of the time freeze, matters too.

Jotaro arrives at the flatlands twenty minutes ahead of when he told Jonathan they will meet. His clothes are his usual affair (with only his shirt and pants lighter in material for the sake of the weather) and not really proper for "training", but he won't be doing much movement anyway. He just hopes his body can take how much he'll be using his power today.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[these flatlands were completely new territory for Jonathan, but he manages to navigate well enough to arrive a few minutes ahead of their self-arranged deadline. despite his experience in fighting while wearing six different shirts simultaneously, he's dressed a bit more practically for a day of training.

one can only hope those were strictly workout clothes and that he didn't actually go out in them.

his face brightens into a smile when he spies Jotaro, hand raised in greeting. this was a moment born of a terrible need, but he refused to allow Dio to rob his life of all happiness. even with such a shadow looming over their heads they could still take some small pleasure in working together.]

I hope I haven't kept you waiting long.

[despite being technically early, the near-apology flows from his lips naturally. it was an instinct whenever he found himself the second arrival for a meeting.]

[He nods when Jonathan greets him, a simple acknowledgment.]

You didn't. [technically they're both early.] If you're ready, we can start.

[Right down to business. Though he can't deny he isn't interested to see how this goes. He's never really "trained" with Stands in the typical sense. Even when traveling across Egypt, it was too dangerous to train with one another. If they injured each other too much, they would lose time trying to heal. In a way, all the assassins Dio sent was the training. This shouldn't be an issue for the type of training Jotaro has in mind. He doesn't intend to injure Jonathan and this power doesn't need to be used for that.

With that said, he allows Star Platinum to materialize beside him. If Jonathan saw it before, it'll look a lot different than when Jotaro was younger. The shades of purple are complimented by cyan highlights and the darker cloth colors are now a pure white. Jotaro can only speculate the change came about from his own growth.]

I want you to bring it out. You'll need it.

[he stoops, for a moment, to sling the small backpack off his bulky shoulders and onto the ground. its contents are for after they've finished exerting themselves and he'd rather not put them directly in the line of fire.

Star Platinum's appearance causes him to pause, just for a moment. it's so very different from the last time he saw it, even when accounting for the fuzziness which time grants to all memories. just for a smile moment, it makes him smile again. there was something heartening about knowing that Jotaro's journey still wasn't finished.

but that isn't what they came out here for, was it?]

...very well.

[and with no further fanfare, a very familiar figure appears at Jonathan's side. its hand rests gently on his shoulder - to protect or comfort, he isn't sure. certainly it must be able to feel the instinctive tension in his body drawn from another memory: the evening that Josuke first pulled the existence of The World from him.

it won't end that way this time. he's leaps and bounds ahead of the control he possessed then, and there's no surprise in its appearance. even so, he can't entirely chase away that worry.]

[He braces himself to see it again, and... it helps to a degree. To be prepared for it. If it had come out with no warning, instinct would kick in and he knows Star Platinum would lunge at the enemy Stand without question. Star Platinum is a reflection of himself, specifically the parts he keeps under wrap. Its self-preservation as well makes it act even when Jotaro doesn't want it to.

Knowing it was coming helps. There is no move to attack, no panic. There's a cold chill at seeing The World again, knowing the power it has, but he trusts Jonathan to not lose control over the Stand. To even willingly expose it must mean he's confident that won't happen. Still... it's not a good feeling to see that dreadful Stand again. The only Stand since that has been considered on the same level is Killer Queen, if only for its destructive power. Even then, he would still rank The World above it.

He can feel Star Platinum on the defense, but that's fine by him. He's more worried about something accidentally happening to Jonathan than himself. It'd be bad to suddenly call Josuke and explain why a healer is needed. It takes a few seconds for Jotaro to finally speak again, after he's confident nothing is going to happen just by the two Stands being in proximity to one another.]

You told me you've already learned how to stop time. However, it's a different experience when you get caught in that freeze. It's possible with exposure for your mind to adjust, and your perception of time to retain even when the world around you is standing still. That sort of ability is even more useful than stopping time when going up against someone like Dio.

[Jotaro learned how to stop time on a fluke that saved his life. Even before that happened, if he didn't gain the ability to perceive the frozen world... he would have been killed before Star Platinum could learn the ability.]

[although he's learned to trust both himself and his stand, during that silence Jonathan keeps a mental stranglehold on The World. after nearly totaling his great-grandson he doesn't feel particularly inclined to take chances.

the weight on his shoulders lightens when Jotaro speaks, the two stands proving that they could indeed be within ten feet of the other without trying to punch a hole in anyone's midsection. his mind eases, allowing him to give his full attention to his descendant's words.]

Dio's only stopped time on me twice, and both were for...quite petty reasons.

[and, therefore, very brief. definitely not enough time for learning to peer into a frozen world.]

But I'm ready to learn.

[as if he had a choice. anything that could help him tear down the advantages Dio perceived himself to have, anything that could give his own family a better chance of survival, he was ready to throw himself into with his heart and soul.]

["Petty reasons" does not surprise him. Dio is prideful and arrogant, and in turn acts out in a rage when things don't go his way. In a battle of raw strength, Dio wins without a doubt. Jotaro won because he remembered what his grandfather told him - to stay collected and not to take any bait.

Jotaro nods and turns around, stepping another couple feet away from where Jonathan is. He should still be in range like this. Without turning back around he straightens his posture.]

Attack me.

[even though it was all for the purpose of bettering themselves, even though he knew the blow would never land, Jonathan still hesitates for the span of a breath. it was always the same - no matter the reason, it was difficult to coax himself into attacking family.

but there was no choice, same as ever. he swallows his distaste with the fortitude which Dio himself had inadvertently taught him and moves on, casting those worries to the far corners of his mind.]

Here it comes.

[he claps his hand over The World's, like a friend making a small request, and with the gesture it departs from his side to fulfill its master's wishes. it rushes in with practiced menace, pulling a fist back to aim squarely at Jotaro's head.]

[Jotaro may be turned around, but Star Platinum is still facing forward and watching. He can't see what's coming at him, but instinct already alerts him when The World closes in and is about to hit. He stays perfectly still though, and waits for the right moment. The very last second.

Then it happens. The World swings a fist, and hits the air. Jotaro is no longer in the spot he was in, not even in the same area. However it won't take long to find him in Jonathan takes a look around. Jotaro is now inexplicably standing behind him, completely unharmed. To untrained eyes, it would appear Jotaro instantaneously teleported. To someone who can perceive the stopped world, Jotaro had simply walked away from his spot and moved behind Jonathan in the span of a couple seconds.]

Did you see it?

[he's straining for it this time, but even when prepared the cessation of time is no child's play. Jotaro still 'teleports' several, although his trip is greatly shortened from what an unaware person might experience. he manages to catch the latter half of the journey and is immediately turning to face his descendant as soon as time resumes.]

Not enough.

[it was a good start, but Zeppeli had taught him to accept nothing but perfection. half awareness would do nothing but inform him of his incoming demise against a monster like Dio.]

[He figured that much. It took a couple times of being stuck in Dio's freeze to actually start perceiving the world as stopped. That abuse of power, he thinks, is why Star Platinum even gained the same power at all. A progression from tolerance to action.]

This time I'll verbalize it. Dio usually does it that way, though it's not required for the power to activate.

[Maybe to be dramatic, or because it helps him. They can be both true at the same time. Jotaro knows it can be helpful to him at the least. It's like a mental trigger that makes it to gather the stamina to stop time. Unnecessary, but useful for his mind. He takes a few steps back from Jonathan, still in range, and takes in a breath. Star Platinum crosses its arms, a physical cue his Stand developed on its own. Now then--]

Star Platinum: The World!

[Once more, time is frozen. Jotaro definitely feels more in control of it with the verbalization, so used to doing it that way himself. Yet again he walks around Jonathan, going past him and stopping when he's behind the man.]

Time will now resume.

[And, as spoken, time moves again.]

[he calls out his stand's special ability..? Jonathan wishes that he could be surprised, but all he feels is a wave of secondhand embarrassment. he knew better than anyone of Dio's penchant for theatrics, but a part of him had hoped that one hundred years beneath the sea would have cured him of some of the cringier aspects of it. it was too much for the universe to deliver, apparently.

thankfully the task at hand is more than enough of an excuse to stop thinking about that. the cry ironically does him as much good as it does Jotaro - it gives him a starting point, a warning of the very last moment he has before having to throw his entire being into breaking through yet another of humanity's limitations.

this time, he's ready. some combination of self-aimed frustration and dogged stubbornness gives him the last extra bit of energy needed to watch his descendant slowly circle around him. there's the expected strain from a new, taxing experience, but his mind can't help rushing ahead regardless of his own body's protests.

there was no way that he could move himself this time around, but what about his stand? rather than track Jotaro's movement he puts his focus into getting The World to do...pretty much anything, really.

did it twitch a little just then? he has absolutely no idea, and no way to verify as the time stop comes to a close almost immediately after. Jonathan exhales lowly before rotating almost automatically to face his great-great-grandson again.]

Better that time, I think.

[still not perfect, but...progress. he could be a little more content with that.]

[To be fair to Dio, it's not just him... look sometimes people just want to be dramatic and shout of their Stand's special move. Don't player hate.]

It's a gradual improvement. Once your mind starts adjusting, your body will too. It would only be for a moment or two, but you could command your body to make a single movement.

[One of the first hits he made on Dio back then was tricking the vampire to come close enough for Star Platinum to attack. It was only a single moment, and a single punch, but it was enough to do damage. Dio may anticipate it from Jotaro because of their previous battle, but maybe not from Jonathan at all.]

Do you need a break? It's more exhausting than it appears, so let me know.

[Jotaro can feel his body already reacting to the strain of stopping time, but he can keep going if Jonathan doesn't want to pause either. So long as he gives himself a few moments to breathe in between use, he can bear the strain.]

[listen, he's just saying. it's no Sunlight Yellow Overdrive.]

One is all you need.

[one moment had the power to upend everything destiny had in store for a person. it was far more powerful than many realized.]

There's no need to worry about me! If you're well then we can continue on.

[if there was one thing that Jonathan's life has taught him, it was how to push on through pain. he's far from unaffected by the labors they've been struggling to master, but it's nothing he can't ignore. any real hurts could easily be healed with the ripple, a courtesy he's more than willing to extend to his companion should he need it. as always, his mind has no time for his own well being - only others'.]

[He's not surprised to hear that response. Good grief, what a prideful man. Those stories the old man told him felt exaggerated, but meeting the man himself has begun proving that wrong. Well he can't be outmatched by a 100+ year old man now.]

I want you to start trying to make movements in it now. However, don't concentrate on your whole body. Only on your right arm.

[As humans, they may never have the proper stamina to conduct full body movements in stopped time. Moving just one part of their body for a moment is feasible, so it should always be used to plan counterattacks. Jotaro takes a small breath, giving Jonathan a small window of time to prepare himself, and readies.]

Time now stops.

[Not so dramatic of a verbalization this time, but it works nevertheless. Star Platinum initiates the time stop upon command, the world going gray around him and all freezing. This time Jotaro won't move from his spot - instead he'll focus on Jonathan and his Stand to see if either one makes even the slightest movement.]

[it's comforting, in some ways, how similar this is to the training which Baron Zeppeli put him through. repeated exposure to harsh environments slowly building up the stamina to perform something truly extraordinary...when he has the luxury of idle thought, this whole affair will no doubt make Jonathan quite nostalgic.

for now, the most thought he turns towards himself is giving himself a small exhale of ripple to soothe the lingering soreness from straining against the unnaturally halted time. he's adapting to the pattern admirably - when the world grinds to a stop this round, his mind moves immediately to the new task at hand.

it's as immensely difficult as he imagined, but the thought is encouraging rather than an impediment; seeing as it isn't any worse than he'd expected, that meant eventually moving was completely doable. he simply had to press the full force of his formidable physique into a single limb.

it's easier said than done. Jonathan feels as if he's caught in Bruford's crushing grip all over again, only without the use of his own strengths. still he shoulders on unrelentingly.

just for a moment, it seems as if his thumb shudders.]

[Jotaro takes a measured step closer to Jonathan and begins to concentrate on perceiving even the slightest hint of movement. Luckily a certain trick he learned back in Egypt comes in handy. Star Platinum is one of the most precise Stands, and that doesn't just apply to physical combat and speed. It also applies to its eyes. Eyes that Jotaro can borrow, allowing him to perceive all things in finer detail. Yet he only pays mind to Jonathan's right side, patiently waiting to see if anything happens.

The slight move of the thumb is a welcomed sight. He knows from experience how paralyzing this frozen world could be. It's easier for the mind to adjust after a couple times, but the body takes so much more work and energy. To even be able to move at all takes an enormous amount of strength, activating every muscle in your body to move a single appendage. Jonathan is adjusting faster than Jotaro initially predicted. At this rate, with more training, he may be ready to face Dio's freeze without the growing pains Jotaro had to experience in the midst of a life or death battle. A time freeze even longer than Jotaro's, with the potential to get longer if the vampire pushes himself to it.

However Jonathan won't get more time to try anything else. Time resumes, even without Jotaro's declaration of it. ...Although something feels off that Jotaro can't put his finger on. The time stop felt shorter than usual. He was ignoring it before, but stopping time back to back like this isn't something he's ever done. Even when he fought Bug-Eaten, his stops were less than a second in order to dodge incoming bullets.]

Your thumb moved while time was frozen. That's a good first step. It takes a lot of energy to do even that much.

So it seems!

[he feels it far more than their other exercises combined, that deep ache in his bones rolling in as soon as the world begins to turn once more. it reminds him of the day he’d inadvertently discovered The World’s secret - and the hours it had taken to recover from an accidental use of the most formidable stand ability to exist.

it was a strange thing to be nostalgic over. but Jonathan has long since passed the time when he’d marvel at such a thing and simply embraces it with the soft fondness of memory. he’d come so far, with so much farther still to climb. it’s enough to make him laugh in some kind of tired exhilaration.

the wonderment is tempered soon enough as he casts a caring eye onto his great-great-grandson. there’s nothing worrying in his countenance, but enough to elicit another inquiry. if this is how he felt after so many time stops, he can only imagine how it’s wearing on Jotaro.]

Are you certain you're still alright?

I'm fine. Let's continue.

[After all, this is training for him as much as it is for Jonathan. He needs to push himself as well. He had no reason to initiate The World after Dio's death, even knowing he had the power to always do so. Things are different now. This power he has is the only Stand ability that can reliably counter the vampire. Right now his limit is two seconds, but he remembers reaching five back when he used it the very first time against Dio. He has to get back to that number again. Training himself to keep longer holds is the only way to do it.

He takes a breath, again a visual cue for Jonathan to prepare.]

Star Platinum: The World!

[Again time freezes, the world still. However in the instant the stop is complete, Jotaro's body starts shuddering. His legs become stiff, a crippling stone feeling crawling up his body from bottom to top. No, not stiff - frozen. He can't move his legs and he struggles as his arms creak into time's submission. He's losing control over his own freeze and is being swallowed.]

Star Platinum, resume time - do it now!

[Just as he says that, the Stand heeds command. Perhaps more accurately though, it didn't need the command. Self-preservation kicks in, realizing what's going on to its master, and time is immediately resumed. However Jotaro isn't prepared for the sudden feeling his legs regain, not even a full second in real time since he initiated the stop. So when time resumes, he immediately collapses to the ground. It's only from quick instinct that he thrusts down his arms, so that he doesn't fall face first to the grassy ground.]

Ugh...

[Ok so maybe he's not fine at all. Just maybe.]

[although he's not certain he completely believes Jotaro's avowals, it's something that he doesn't push. the other man was hardly falling apart - and if the cracks became more pronounced after this round of frozen time, it was a simple thing to request a break for himself. no need to bruise his descendant's pride over something so small.

that acquiescence is something he regrets almost immediately.

Jonathan hasn't felt this helpless since Dio first began tearing apart his life. Jotaro is struggling a scant few feet away, a laughable distance to someone his size, and there isn't a thing he can do to help him. he wants to scream almost as much as he wants to move, his entire body on fire despite the paralysis.

that rage has its use, albeit not one that matters at present: empowered by a desperate need to protect, his entire right leg swings forward in the frozen time as if the single motion this cruel world allowed could somehow propel him forward to lend aid.

at the very least it gives him welcome forward momentum when Star Platinum manages to undo what had, in the end, been a huge mistake. he's at Jotaro's side in an instant, enormous hand softly gripping his shoulder.]

Perhaps just a moment.

[his voice is gentle and low, no trace of judgement to be found. the hand on his descendant's shoulder is more than a quiet promise of support should he need it - it's also a conduit for the ripple, which flows into Jotaro's body with all the comforting warmth of the sun. it ought to mitigate the enormous strain he's just suffered, at the very least.

Jonathan makes certain to circulate some of that same rejuvenating energy through his own body at the same time. the aggressive motion in stopped time had almost certainly been a fluke, born from desperation and his own enhance durability - the toll on his body was great, and there was no way he could replicate it again immediately. a break was definitely in order.]

[Pride tells him to ignore Jonathan and keep pushing forward. He can't show weakness or hesitation, because if this was battle then he would be dead. Dio won't be merciful, and he has to be ready for that. In Egypt he barely survived, a combination of wits and luck being Dio's downfall, and he doesn't know if he can pull it off a second time. That means he needs to improve his stamina in order to face off against an enemy stronger than any human. A monster.

...But this isn't a battle. He isn't fighting against Jonathan, he's training with him. The soft reassurance and the flow of ripple, recognized from how his grandfather treated his wounds in Egypt, remind him of that. What the hell is he thinking? He hasn't been acting rationally about this. The anger and fear that comes whenever Dio is involved has been clouding his judgment. And he's been taking it out on himself.]

Good grief. [He mutters to himself, feeling like a complete fool now. Jonathan's right. "Pride before fall" isn't how one should conduct themselves while training.] I got ahead of myself just now. Fine, let's break for a few minutes.

[Then, perhaps sensing his desire, Star Platinum moves past both men and to where Jotaro originally was. He brought a backpack with some small portions of food and a bottle of water, not knowing how long they would be out here for. His Stand picks up the bag and flings it toward Jotaro's area, landing it right beside him. Without need for command, Star Platinum vanishes back inside of him.]

There's some fruits in there. You can share my water too.

[it's good for both of them that Jotaro realizes how unnecessarily hard he's been pushing himself. this was something that his great-great-grandfather would have insisted on quite vigorously; neither of them were really in a state to be quarreling right now.]

Thank you.

[as if Jotaro was doing him some sort of great favor by looking after himself - but in his mind, he absolutely was. he knew better than anyone how Dio's mere existence could tear a person apart, beyond all rationality; the vampire had always possessed the ability to effortlessly poison others. even a victory as small as this one against that darkness was to be cherished, in his mind.

The World had retreated into Jonathan's mind around the moment the final time stop had ceased, granting him all the energy at his disposal to focus on his descendant. he only has himself to concern himself with now as his hand finally drifts from his companion’s shoulder. it's a welcome relief to be off his feet, even on the unforgiving ground of the flatlands. settling down cross-legged elicits a quiet sigh of contentment from him, although he refrains from reaching for the supplies just yet. it's impolite to grab without allowing the host to take his pick first.]

I brought a thermos of tea to share as well, if you'd care for any of it.

[there is no mention of any food items, because they are none. he'd consumed every single one on the trip out here.]

I'm good.

[Tea is best had in a cup at a cafe, not in the middle of nowhere. He restrains himself from making a comment about how British his ancestor sounds right now, if only out of respect. Jonathan is too nice to make jabs at, unlike his grandfather who once threw jabs back and forth with him when he was less senile. He can't make comments about people who are too honest, sometimes a little too good past reasonable standards. It doesn't feel fair to act that way to better people.

Jotaro pulls out a couple red apples and a banana, along with his water bottle, and adjusts his bag so he can place the fruit on the back while the front is rested on the ground. He readjusts his position so he can sit on the ground with his legs up, belatedly realizing that white was not the best color to wear today. He's gonna need to bother that girl he talked to before to find his old stuff - his jackets are too expensive to be store bought.]

Take what you like. [He says, picking up one of the apples for himself.] This kind of training is more exhausting than I expected.

[He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he really did think he could keep going for longer before needing a break. Never before did he lose a grip on his control of time like that. It never even registered in his mind that something like that could happen.]

[with the permission granted he reaches almost immediately for the banana with just enough restraint to prevent appearing desperate. the potassium would be good for boosting his energy and allowing him to continue banging his head against this work for a little bit longer.]

It's difficult, working with such intense emotions running in the background. They can hinder as much as they help.

[he peels the banana deftly for someone with such massive hands, taking a thoughtful chew before speaking again. it had been the same when he'd first learned ripple - the thought of Dio running rampant and unopposed through England had set his heart aflame, and it was many times that Zeppeli had disciplined him for it. patience was nearly impossible to hold on to in the face of such evil, but those feelings would never be forged into an unbreakable will without it.]

We'll improve quickly enough. I'm sure of it.

[Jotaro hasn't bitten into his apple just yet, preferring to just hold it in his hand for a while while he contemplates Jonathan's words. "Intense emotions" is one way to put it. No one has ever elicited the kind of feelings that Dio can. It's not just his monstrous actions, or his complete lack of morals and respect for life. It's the arrogance that comes alongside it. A monster who loves to play God, and even wants to be one. Jotaro thinks of Dio's diary, and what he read in it, and is thankful he stopped him from ever accomplishing his plans.

He takes a small bite of the apple as Jonathan talks again, remembering that he needs to regain his strength, and speaks afterward.]

I haven't used the power of The World very much. [He confesses, hoping to give context to the reason for his exhaustion.] After Dio's death, I saw no reason to. For over a decade I didn't use it... then Josuke thought I insulted his hair and tried to fight me over it.

[He wasn't prepared for how fast Crazy Diamond was - stopping time was the only way to avoid a direct hit. Though he admittedly overreacted with sucker punching him.]

Did he really? [Jonathan can't help but laugh at that, running a hand through his unkempt hair.] To be quite honest, I can't say that I wouldn't prefer facing Dio again over that.

[although he's been fortunate enough to have never witnessed it firsthand yet, even Josuke's great-grandfather knows how easily a perceived slight to his hair can unseat the generally level-headed young man. it was an endearing sort of eccentricity on most days - but, really. Dio seemed much more manageable comparatively.

he takes another bite, chewing thoughtfully before shifting his response a little further away from the previous good humor.]

...it's no easy feat, however long you've been practicing. I nearly cracked my skull open in an alleyway the first time it happened to me.

[and taken out the garbage cans nearby along with him, although Jonathan refrains from including that detail for now. Jotaro's call with the frozen time hadn't been that close.]

[Well, at least you can punch Dio without feeling bad about it. That's the upside to him being such a piece of shit. He'd sooner fight Dio than Josuke for obvious reasons.]

You've never had a Stand before though, or had been exposed to that power. It's only natural. [At least, that's how he figures why that happened. Jonathan was a practitioner of ripple, but Stands are a far different experience from what he understands. Joseph had it easy with Hermit Purple.] Star Platinum wasn't the easiest to manage when it first manifested. I sent a few people to the hospital and locked myself away at a local police station. No matter what, I refused to come out.

[Truthfully, he was afraid. He had no idea what was going on with him, or why it was happening. All he wanted was to make sure nobody else was hurt because of the "evil spirit" that was haunting him.]

[it's certainly a sentiment that Jonathan could relate to. the stand he wielded now bore little resemblance to the one which the Porter had seen fit to grant him upon his initial entry into this world; it had overwhelmed him in its own way, but there had been no real force about it. all the pain it had unintentionally caused were nothing more than his own mistakes.

The World...was something else entirely. he'd felt it bearing down on his consciousness from the moment he stumbled out of the Porter building, this massive pressure of a being. it had taken every inch of willpower he possessed to keep it passive that first day - and even then he'd been unable to recall it for hours. it simply hung protectively over his shoulder like the sword of Damocles made flesh. he hadn't wanted to see anyone until he was certain that he was the one truly in control.

considering the way events unfolded later, it may well have been wiser to take a leaf from his great-great-grandson's book and sequester himself away behind bars.]

It must have been terrifying.

[the empathy rings strong in his voice, despite the simplicity of Jonathan's words. to overshare would be selfish, pulling the spotlight onto himself and taking away from what Jotaro was giving here. his own details didn't matter - only his feelings.]

I'm glad that you managed to reach an understanding with him, even if it wasn't the smoothest journey.

[...no matter how well Josuke had explained stands, there would always be some things that Jonathan would never truly grasp. talking about the stands as if they were dear companions is one of them.]

There was no understanding reached. I only left the cell because I was tricked into breaking it.

[Which... is a whole different story, and he rather not recount it. That isn't really the reason he's telling of his experience. Jonathan is clearly troubled by The World, and Jotaro only wants to give context. No different than how his grandfather and Avdol explained to him back then. Star Platinum was never an enemy, or an evil spirit. That was only his impression of the being, and one he's learned is incorrect.]

Jonathan, your case is unique. The World is Dio's Stand, but it seems that you inherited it as well. That doesn't matter though. If your World was anything like Dio's, we would have had a fight break out the instant you brought it out.

[After all, the last time he saw that Stand was when Star Platinum destroyed it into pieces. He doesn't know how much sentience Stands contain, but he can't imagine a fight not breaking loose. Star Platinum and The World are the same type of Stand. Maybe even existing opposite to each other, no different than how Dio and the Joestar family has for generations.]

A Stand is the manifestation of the soul. A spirit given life by your energy. Treat it like your extension, and it will act accordingly.

It wouldn't have been the first time.

[and that is the source of the worries which constantly flutter in the back of his mind, even more than the stand itself. he and Dio have always been intertwined - two that make one, just as his brother had once said. that their bond moved in both directions, and that The World should appear only after he'd learned his true fate, none of that was truly surprising. it was an energy whose magnitude he'd never felt before, true, but there was a familiarity in it.

Jonathan had been told before that a stand was nothing more than the power of one's soul given form, and he could readily believe it. what that had said about his own soul had troubled him with his first stand, but here there were no such uncertainties: Dio's life was as present in this iteration of The World as his own.

that life, and that love, was still as poisonous as ever. it was what caused Josuke to revile the stand's presence, he suspected, the knife in his heart which spurred him to antagonize the thing at every opportunity. he couldn't accept what Jonathan had - and he was so afraid that one day he really might kill his great-grandson.

what Jotaro said was true: The World was certainly an extension of himself. but the hands with which he moved were no longer only his own.]

...well, there's no point in dwelling on things that never happened. So long as it's my energy he's heeding, he won't harm anyone.

[of that Jonathan could be (had to be) completely certain. whatever impulses his brother had buried deep in the stand no longer mattered. his spirit ran as purely through that being as Dio's, and light never failed to chase away the darkness. nothing else mattered.]

[The first time? That's a little vague, almost purposefully so. Jotaro gets the itch to press it, but restrains himself and instead takes a bite of his apple. If Jonathan wanted to talk about it, then he would volunteer the information more readily. Jotaro doesn't know enough about the man, both now and from the few stories he's been told, to make proper judgment calls regarding personality.

Yet something about Jonathan so far... it's strange. He can see a little bit of Josuke in the man, but also parts of himself too that he didn't expect. There's a theory that certain personality traits can be passed on through genetics. Those traits are often called "instinct" - an inherited behavior quirk. His instinct would be to circumvent any telling of personal stories down to exact details. He doesn't like oversharing, and feels it's unnecessary to get into details that aren't relevant. It isn't that he's hiding anything, but it's instinct to be curt and cut unimportant factors. Jonathan seems to be similar, at least from basic observation so far, but he wonders if their reasons for doing so are the same.

By the time he's done mulling over this the apple is half-way finished. That should be enough; he'll hit the core soon anyways. He shoves his hand into his backpack and pulls out a plastic bag, which carried the fruit originally, and chucks the remnants of the apple inside.]

If you ever have questions about Stands, you can ask me. I've been doing my best to research them, though I won't claim expertise. I'm sure you'll be fine though.

[There was also the matter of Dio's diary, which had some of the vampire's delving into Stands, but he won't bring that up. Some things are better left unsaid, and the proper contents of that diary is among them. It's an open offer though. For someone whose had little experience with a Stand, it can be daunting. Josuke had his Stand since he was a child, so there was no concern when it came to Crazy Diamond. Jonathan has a much heavier burden on his shoulders.]

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just jojoing around

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