JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Thin Air

Chapter Seven: Sibling Reunion

"Don't say that, Shizuka!" Josuke snapped. "I'd never leave anyone behind, not voluntarily. Ally herself convinced me to come here. Besides, there's no guarantee that I'll get hurt. All I'm going to do is go to the Speedwagon Foundation HQ in Dallas and find information on Nicholson."

"Did Ally really say that? How would she allow you to do this?"

"Shizuka, you have her phone number, don't you? It's late in Morioh and she's probably sleeping, but if you called her right now, I'm certain she'd pick up and tell you why she made me come here."

Shizuka knew her sister in-law well. The only thing as strong as her love for her family was her fiery personality. She knew her words could hit anyone down to the core. Remembering this, Shizuka conceded.

"If Ally said it, it's gotta be true. I believe you now, Josuke, but... is that all you came here for? Just to tell me you were going to find the guy who's involved?" Shizuka couldn't believe that Josuke traveled over two continents, across multiple time zones, just to announce that to her in person.

"You bet. I came here to invite you to come on this journey with me. You can help me get justice for Dad."

Shizuka took a few moments to digest his words. She didn't think she was strong enough to help him. She didn't think she was useful, and she believed herself to be a simple liability.

"How would I help you? I mean, I'm only a secondary student, not an investigator like you. What can I do?" she asked Josuke.

"In the last 10 or 15 years, I've barely needed to use Crazy Diamond, so it's not as powerful as it used to be. I'm gonna need another Stand user to back me up."

"But you said there was no guarantee that you were going to get hurt."

"Yes, I did. But in a group situation, the chances of me or you getting hurt will reduce greatly. I want to reduce any risks to the greatest extent possible."

"Is that why you want me to come with you? So I can protect you?"

"No, no, no. You, protecting me? That's just not possible, and I'm not asking you to do that. I want you to come... so you can get justice for yourself too. You had to witness what happened, and out of our entire family, you're the one who's hurting the most. Am I right?"

Shizuka had to admit that he wasn't wrong at all. He had said the truth, yet it was painful to hear. She couldn't argue with him any longer, but still a great uncertainty remained.

"Sir," Clapton said, approaching Josuke. "I'm a Stand User as well. I would love to tag along with you. My name is Keith Clapton." he said, reaching his hand out.

"Pleasure to meet you, Keith. I'm Josuke Higashikata, " he said, accepting the gesture. "Are you a friend of Shizuka's?" he asked.

"Uh, well... yeah, I am."

"That's amazing to hear. I was under the impression that Shizuka didn't have friends here, but I guess I'm wrong," Josuke said, but his attention turned somewhere else. "Keith, are you sure you want to come with us? Spring Break is coming up, you should spend it with your family, and there's no telling how long this journey will take."

"I'd go back home if there was a point of going back. But there isn't. My dad works long hours, so I barely have any time to spend with him. I call him as much as I can, and I think that makes up for the lack of face-to-face contact."

Josuke thought for a moment, then asked him a question.

"Could I see your Stand?"

"Of course. Brooklyn Zoo!" he said, summoning his Stand. The Stand appeared behind him. He brought it forward to show it to Josuke.

"Its main ability is to transform into animals," he said, as the Stand became distorted and morphed, until it took on the shape and size of a black cat. The cat jumped into Josuke's arms. He petted it and smiled.

"That's pretty impressive. It can turn into any animal, right?"

"Yeah, as long as it's summoned in a habitat it can live in. For example, you won't see it turn into a whale or fish up here."

"I see, I see," Josuke said, as the cat left him and returned to its original form. "What else can it do?"

"It can punch and grapple, but it's not too great at either of those. It can also teleport, but only to a maximum distance of five kilometres."

"That... is the Stand I need! Shizuka, did you catch all that? He could help us out there! Now, are you willing to come with me?" Josuke said, using Clapton as a way to entice her.

"Mhm," she said nonchalantly, hiding the fact that she was in awe of Brooklyn Zoo. "I don't really have a choice in the matter, anyway."

"Keith, I'll let you come. I'll protect you and Shizuka, and you do the best you can, alright?"

"Yes, Mr. Higashikata. I'll do my best!" he said, as he called Brooklyn Zoo back.

"What about you, Miss?" Josuke said, turning his focus to Monica. "Are you a Stand user, too?"

"Uh-ummm..." Monica stumbled on her words, as the handsome half-Japanese, half-English man's eyes met hers. "Yeah. I have a Stand too, just watch. Bad Touch!"

A humanoid figure manifested beside her. Its body had the same height and build as her. Its entire form was a light red, almost pink color, save for a grey and black striped, one-piece garment that looked like a tank top and long pants that touched the ground. There was an oval shaped hole in the garment that exposed its abs, which were slightly more defined than Monica's. Its skin looked mechanical in a way, and its bald head was nearly featureless except for a slit over where the mouth would have been, and a pair of yellow swimming goggles over the eyes.

"Clapton, give me a pen. Any colour will do." Monica demanded.

He threw one at her direction, and Bad Touch caught it. With lightning speed hands, it scrambled the pen into tiny molecules, then produced another object within a matter of seconds. Bad Touch gave the object to Josuke.

"A... rose? You made a rose out of a pen?"

"Yeah. It's not a real one though. That's Bad Touch's main ability. It can take objects and turn them into other objects that are made from the same components as them. Cool, huh?"

"Yeah, it's pretty neat. It's almost like my own Stand! What else can it do?" he said as he placed the rose in front of his father's gravestone.

Monica blushed at the remark, but quickly pushed it aside.

"If it takes a large enough object, it can turn it into a weapon and use it. Bad Touch is really good with swords and guns, but obviously I can't make or use them here."

"Bad Touch... that's a cool Stand. What's your name, Miss?"

"Monica. My name is Monica Caesarissa Avdol."

Shizuka whipped her head in Monica's direction.

"D-Did you just say... Avdol? Your last name's Avdol?" Shizuka asked with great astonishment.

"Yes, that's my last name," Monica said, her voice taking on a much more mature tone than usual. "Shizuka... I've had a few inklings about your family since the day we met, but now that I've come to this cemetery, I can finally confirm them. We share more connections than being just roommates. It's because of these connections that I must accompany you and Mr. Higashikata on your journey as well. It's the duty bestowed upon me by my blood."