Violent Spirit"Jotaro!""Jotaro, come out!""Jotaro, you're going to be late for school.""Jotaro, you forgot your lunch-"
"GIVE IT A REST, ALREADY!"
Despite the sudden and brusque response, the woman who constantly doted on him, following his every move, did not seem to mind at all, only smiling brightly at him. A feeling of guilt shot through him. She was his mother, and was only trying to help. She had been that way all these years, despite everything. It couldn't have been easy for her, raising a son like him.
Overcome by guilt, he couldn't find a way to apologize, instead hardening the armour he always wore: his unreadable poker face. The constant scowl that intimidated others, and made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. He had hidden behind that face for years now. As he left the house, he could feel The street was empty, and in any case, normal people would not be able to see, so he allowed him to surface.
With a burst of light visible only to him, a figure materialized seemingly out of thin air. He seemed the same age as Jotaro, who was fourteen at the time. Indeed, from the first time he had manifested clearly, which was when he was three, the being had always been the same age as him. As Jotaro grew, so too did the mysterious spirit. His features greatly resembled his own, but were enhanced, as if somehow, he was the manifestation of the strongest parts of him. This was, as a matter of fact, true. The spirit shared Jotaro's emotions, but magnified manifold. Fear. Sadness. Joy. Anger. Everything far more powerful than Jotaro was used to. While he could control his body, prevent himself from being pulled along by those feelings, it was extremely difficult to keep that spirit in check. Whenever Jotaro experienced powerful emotions, he appeared, expressing them in ways Jotaro had learnt not to. And the thing was… the being possessed strength beyond anything an ordinary human could dream of. Even before he had hit his teens, he had wrecked several walls, which kept the Kujo household in a constant state of repair. It wasn't just brick and concrete that suffered. Cars were thrown around, hydrants ripped out of the ground, tools and toys broken and bent out of shape. And… people were hurt. The being did not show any reaction to that statement. To Jotaro, it felt like swearing at his own reflection in the mirror. At that point, it became clear. The spirit wasn't a companion. He was Jotaro himself. That realization had changed everything. Fourteen year old Kujo Jotaro had to bear that burden. The responsibility that came with his power. To keep himself in check, lest he hurt someone. He did not consider himself a hero, nor did he ever jump for joy and shout in delight when he saw the pros on television. No, for him, it would be enough to live as a simple human being, without hurting anyone.
"I've never seen anything like it."
"It's some kind of telekinesis Quirk, isn't it?"
"The movement patterns don't match that sort of Quirk. Typically, telekinesis users tend to take advantage of their increased reach to grab multiple objects and attack from more than one direction. Besides, a telekinesis user wouldn't need to use a car to block the sludge. They could just have created a barrier around themselves."
"I doubt a kid that age would have developed that sort of control over his Quirk."
"Even so, I don't think it was a telekinesis Quirk. There were differences in his body language too… and my instincts tell me what he has is something else."
"It's powerful, that's for sure."
The footage of the incident played on the screen in front of them. It had been recorded by a bystander on their phone. While the camera was shaky, the video quality was actually quite good, and the resolution was high enough to make out a lot of what was happening. This, in conjunction to the statements taken from witnesses, had allowed the police to come to an understanding of what had happened. At least, a surface understanding.
The door to the room banged open, and a third figure entered, excitement clear on his face.
"Hey! You two will not believe what I found."
The man wore a lab coat, and his glasses glinted in the light.
The detective in charge of the investigation and the Chief of Police both raised their eyebrows.
"Well? Out with it."
"I pulled the boy's medical records, and found something that just couldn't be right. So I checked for myself. You see, the fact is… he's Quirkless."
Both the members of the police force gaped at the revelation.
"Quirkless? But then… how?"
The doctor adjusted his glasses.
"I do not know. I carried out the standard tests on his body, but was unable to find any sort of characteristics in his cells or tissues that are normal for Emitter, Mutation or Transformation type Quirks. In addition, his pinky toes have two joints each, which also points towards his not possessing a Quirk. Yet, his abilities are undeniable. With that in mind, everything I am about to say from this point on is just a theory. A hypothesis, if you will."
The two officers tensed.
The doctor continued.
"As you are aware, footage of his powers in action reveals that they appear to be telekinetic in nature. I do not believe this is the case. The simple reason behind this is that there are no recorded instances of true psychic telekinesis amongst Quirk wielders."
"I don't understand", said the Chief.
"Let me explain," said the doctor. "You see, telekinesis Quirks generally operate as follows: the body of the Quirk possessor has a store of special cells that are able to separate themselves from their body. These cells can be controlled remotely by the brain. Think of the telekinesis as an additional limb. The brain is equipped to control this extra arm, but the actual neural activity patterns do not differ in any other way from other individuals."
"So what you're saying is… telekinesis Quirks aren't psychic at all?"
"Exactly!" the doctor crowed, smiling that he had been understood. "In the case of this boy, of course, there are no such special cells. His body does not display any unusual characteristics aside from a rather high amount of lean muscle mass for someone his age. He is, as far as I can tell right now, a perfectly healthy boy with no anomalies. However, I don't have the crucial equipment I require to perform the test that will reveal the truth."
"That test being?"
"I need to scan his brain, and examine his neural activity patterns. Again, this is just a hunch, but I believe that the electromagnetic scans of that region will reveal several never-before-seen readings. Confirming that his powers are indeed psychic."
"Well said," interrupted a fourth voice.
Everyone turned to observe the new arrival.
Dressed as ever in black robes, with white bandages wrapped around his neck like a scarf, was the pro hero who always looked short on sleep.
Eraserhead.
Behind him stood another figure.
This man was tall and well-built. He was slightly bent with age, but this did nothing to hide that he must have been imposing indeed in his prime. His light blond hair was covered by a hat, and he carried a cane.
"Eraserhead," acknowledged the Chief. "I didn't know you'd be coming."
The notoriously private pro hero continued, as if he hadn't been interrupted at all.
"This," he said, gesturing towards the towering man behind him, "is Mr Speedwagon, current owner and head of the Speedwagon Foundation. As you've realized, gentlemen, Kujo Jotaro is not a Quirk wielder. What he possesses is something else, something different. The Speedwagon Foundation is the organization that specializes in dealing with such phenomena."
"Is Mr Kujo inside?" the man identified as Speedwagon asked.
The officers and doctor nodded.
"Well, then, I would like to see him."
======================================================================
Kujo Jotaro sat in the waiting room of the precinct station. It had been a while since he'd had a medical exam. The tests weren't demanding, but they were annoying to go through, since he knew there was nothing wrong with him… and also because he knew they would soon be bombarding him with questions since they would have learnt he did not possess a Quirk.
"Tch." He grunted and pulled up his hat slightly to take a look at the boy sitting across the room from him.
Midoriya Izuku, or Deku, as he was called by that Bakugo brat.
The blond boy was still in the medical room, recovering. He had been removed in time, but if he had been inside the Sludge Monster's body any longer, he would have been digested and assimilated. As things stood, however, he would be conscious after a few hours of rest, and would recover completely after eating and getting more sleep. He had already been administered intravenous antibiotics to counter the remnants of the villain's body mass inside him.
Midoriya, on the other hand, was wide awake, and staring right at Jotaro, who was starting to feel annoyed by the incessant attention. Still, he did his best to ignore him.
"Umm… Kujo san…" began the teen awkwardly.
Jotaro looked at him, and he immediately flinched.
What the hell is wrong with this guy? I literally just looked at him.
Of course, the expression that Jotaro simply considered a default face, was in truth a scowl that intimidated most people, Midoriya being no exception.
The smaller boy gulped and tried again.
"I just wanted to say… you were incredible out there, Kujo san. And you saved Kacchan's life. So… thank you."
"... It's all right. You would have done the same. You rushed in even before me, didn't you?"
Midoriya's eyes widened.
"I… I did. But, I don't think I could have been able to do anything. I don't have a Quirk."
This time, Jotaro's eyes widened.
Then, to Midoriya, it seemed for a moment that the tiniest smiles appeared for a moment on the stoic boy's face.
"Heh. Midoriya, isn't it? You want to be a hero, right?"
Midoriya, not quite understanding where Jotaro was going with this, nodded.
"It seems to me you're on the right track."
"But without a Quirk-"
"Humans have lived and thrived for thousands of years without Quirks, which only started appearing recently. If you want to get strong, you can find a way to do it. All you need to do is search."
Midoriya stared at Jotaro in awe, before a fire started to burn in his eyes, something that hadn't been there before.
"Kujo san, really. Thank you. I won't give up. I know now… I know I can do it. I can be a hero."
Jotaro lowered his hat over his face again.
He would not laugh at Midoriya's dream. There was nothing wrong with wanting something, and striving to achieve it. In fact, Jotaro honestly did believe that Midoriya could do it if he really tried.
There was honestly a part of him that felt jealous of the green-haired boy.
Hero, huh? To be able to rush forward to help others like that. Without fear. I wish I could do that.
All I can do is control myself.
The sound of a door opening drew him out of his thoughts, and he looked up.
"Mr Kujo?"
A man was standing in front of him. He was clothed in a fine suit, and carrying a cane. The man looked to be well into his fifties.
"I am Robert Speedwagon. If you don't mind, I would like to talk to you for a moment."
Jotaro glared at him. The man didn't seem like trouble, but the fact still remained that they were in a police station.
"Am I being sent to juvie or something?" Jotaro asked cautiously.
Speedwagon shook his head.
"Nothing of the sort. Why don't you come with me? There is a lot to discuss, and I am sure there are things you'd rather keep private."
The way he said it made it seem as if he somehow knew his secret. Jotaro scowled. That was problematic. If he refused, the man might reveal that secret. Or make trouble in some other way. In any case, it was best to go along with him for the moment.
He shrugged and got to his feet, following the man into an adjacent room, which was empty of any other people.
Once inside, Speedwagon closed the door.
"Mr Kujo, it must be rather difficult."
Jotaro raised an eyebrow questioningly, not wanting to give anything away.
"The doctors classify you Quirkless, so you cannot ask them for help. If you speak the truth, people think you insane. And thus, you have to keep it hidden, all the while struggling to contain your impulses. Isn't that true? Isn't that what it's like… to live with a Stand."
Jotaro's mind was racing. How the hell did this old man know all that? How did he know about him? Was he aware of Star Platinum? Was the term Stand meant to refer to him?
"Stand?" he asked aloud.
"A guardian spirit. A physical manifestation of your mental energies. A psychic body, that stands beside you. Hence, a Stand. It must be difficult, having that much power, and not knowing what to do with it."
"You… how do you know all this?" Jotaro said, turning sideways slightly, and preparing to summon Star Platinum if the situation worsened.
Speedwagon raised his hands in a gesture of peace.
"I don't mean any harm, young Mr Kujo. To answer your question, I know about Stands because my company has been observing and studying them for many years now. In recent times, along with the massive increase in people possessing Quirks, there have also been an increasing number of Stand Users. Thus, there is a need for an organization that keeps such individuals in check, and ensures their powers aren't used for criminal activities. That is where we come in."
"You're some kind of special police?" Jotaro asked sceptically. "What are you, some kind of gestapo?"
"Nothing of the sort. We do not possess any authority apart from that which the laws and police in any region give us. Our aim is not to detain or eliminate Stand Users, though, to be honest with you, we've been called upon to do both in the past. I wish to be honest with you, Mr. Kujo. That is why I am revealing this to you."
"What is your goal then?"
"To allow Stand Users to live in peace. It is difficult, because they are far rarer than Quirk wielders, and also because society at large has no idea of their existence or the challenges they face. No human being can exist in isolation, Mr Kujo, and eventually, unable to find anyone who can relate to them, many Stand Users are driven insane, and lose control over their Stand. You know what the consequences of that are."
Jotaro knew all too well.
Even though Star Platinum was him, there was no denying he had a will of his own. In a way, he represented Jotaro's darkest thoughts and desires, manifested in the form of a living being. Constantly, the two battled for control. If Jotaro lost, Star Platinum would take over. That immense violence that he had suppressed for so long would be unleashed on the world.
"There is nothing you can do to help me," said Jotaro. "If you've worked with other Stand Users, then you know how powerful Stands can be. Do you really believe you can control something like that?"
Speedwagon shook his head.
"I cannot… but you can. Mr Kujo… what if I told you that there are others like you? And not halfway around the world… but right here in Musutafu? What if I said you could meet them."
Jotaro's eyes widened.
Others like him… who had experienced the same difficulties. The same struggle. Others who could understand…
No.
Even if they did exist… especially if they did exist, he could not let Star Platinum anywhere near them.
Speedwagon nodded slightly, as if aware of his inner dilemma.
"You remind me a lot of your grandfather, and even more so of your ancestor."
Jotaro looked up.
"My grandfather? My ancestor?"
Speedwagon laughed slightly.
"Just the ramblings of an old man, Mr Kujo. Please excuse me. In any case, there is someone I would like you to meet. Should you accept his offer, we will meet again. In any case, take this. If there is anything at all you need help with, feel free to call."
He handed Jotaro a business card containing a name and a cell number. The teen pocketed it.
"What now, then? Do I have to apply for bail? Attend some sort of counselling bullshit?"
"Neither," said Speedwagon. "I have talked things over with the police. Officially, you will be recorded as possessing a Quirk. No charges will be pressed against you since you were acting in the defence of an individual in distress. You are free to leave, and may do so right away. Still, I highly recommend you stay and meet the one who is waiting for you right now."
The man turned to leave, but paused.
"Mr. Kujo… what is his name?"
Jotaro immediately knew who he was talking about.
"Star Platinum. That's his name."
Speedwagon nodded and walked away.
Jotaro watched him go, but didn't entirely relax. He was already tired of all of this, but for whatever reason, he felt he should meet this person who was so eager to see him.
No sooner had Speedwagon left than the door opened again, and a man who was barely able to fit through it entered.
"Behold, I am here… through the door."
Jotaro stared.
"All Might?"The number one pro hero in the world nodded.
"Indeed, and it is good to meet you, Kujo Shounen."
Internally, Jotaro swore. It wasn't as though he disliked All Might. Quite the opposite. While he did not possess the rabid devotion so many people had for him, he would be hard pressed to deny that he found him cool. He admired him for his strength and unwavering resolve, and had to admit he had a real sense of style too.
Thus, it was regrettable that they had to meet under these circumstances.
All Might would probably lecture him about using his powers in public and-
"Kujo Shounen… I heard about your actions, and saw the footage. The way you threw yourself into danger by fighting a villain alone instead of waiting for heroes to arrive… and all I have to say is…"
Jotaro braced himself.
"Thank you."
He looked up with a start.
All Might continued.
"My apologies, Kujo Shounen. The Sludge Monster you defeated was one I had captured earlier in the day, but he had managed to escape. I was on his trail, but he had caused several fires, and I was occupied with rescue. Had it not been for your timely intervention, young Bakugo would not have survived. You had to place yourself in danger to cover for my mistakes. For that, you have my thanks, and my apologies."
Jotaro shook his head furiously.
"Nothing of the sort. You already place yourself in danger and fight crime 24x7. No matter how powerful you are, you're only human. It makes sense that there are times when you wouldn't be able to be there."
All Might looked at him curiously.
"Though young, you are quite mature, Kujo Shounen. Intervening in time to save a life… is nothing to be ashamed of. Although you placed yourself in danger, I cannot reprimand you… because you were able to handle the threat. Even so, I must caution you. There are foes out there whom you are unprepared to face. I advise you to call a pro the next time such a situation arises."
Jotaro could not disagree. He could not use Star Platinum's full power without hurting others, and given that limitation, there were several villains who would be able to hurt or even kill him.
All Might continued.
"You possess a great power, Kujo Shounen."
Jotaro stiffened.
"No need to be so uptight, my lad. You are not the first Stand User I've encountered. Rest assured, your secret is safe with me."
The teen breathed a sigh of relief. At the very least, he was not worried that the Symbol of Peace would spread the word about Star Platinum.
"Speedwagon san has probably told you, your Stand will officially be recorded as a Quirk. This is the case for all known Stand Users. Given how few of you there are, it is better to maintain secrecy for now."
Jotaro could not prevent a bite of anger from entering his voice.
"So even the Symbol of Peace thinks I'm something to be hidden from view."
All Might shook his head.
"Truly, I am sorry. It is a heavy burden for one so young. But no: I do not believe you should hide. Exactly the opposite.
I believe it is time the world saw Kujo Jotaro."
Jotaro's jaw dropped open, his normally stoic image broken at last.
"The world has not acknowledged Stand Users yet. Humans fear what they don't know. But you can't hide forever, nor can society live in ignorance forever. When the world finally sees Stand Users, I want them to see the good they can do. Kujo Jotaro, I truly believe you can be the one to bring that message to the world. To show everyone, that you exist… and you're a hero."
"I'm no hero. I'm struggling just to remain human."
"That," said All Might, "Is the very definition of being a hero. One who possesses power must always see to it that he does not become a monster. You view your powers as a burden… that is why you struggle to contain them. In truth, whether power is a blessing or a curse depends on how you use it. If you only change how you view your power, you will realize how much good can be done with it. Today, you rescued one life, and saved who knows how many others. Tomorrow, with training, you will save even more. I cannot force you, Kujo Shounen, but think about it. Should you choose to accept it, here is my offer: apply for UA. There are still three months. Physically, you are already strong, and your academic scores aren't bad either. If you put in the work, I feel you can make it."
And thus ended Kujo Jotaro's first meeting with the world's number one pro hero.
Jotaro returned home late that evening. No sooner had he stepped past the front gate than he heard the voice of his mother.
"Jotaro! Are you okay? I saw you on the news! Are you hurt? You know you can't go doing risky things like that!"
"I'm fine," said Jotaro absent-mindedly. "Sorry if I worried you."
It was a far cry from his normal rude behaviour. Eaten away by guilt, he could not justifiably push her away this time. That, and the overly high expectations placed on him by All Might and Speedwagon intimidated him.
I'm not a hero. But I can be a decent human being.
Holly was slightly taken aback. It was extremely unusual for her son to not get annoyed and snap when she doted on him. It was a surprise to see him respond this way.
Deep inside, she knew Jotaro had a good heart, and cared about her. She was well aware of the immense stress he was constantly under from having to suppress the "evil spirit" within him. She also happened to know that the spirit wasn't evil at all.
Holly believed in Jotaro, but she knew she couldn't hand him the answers to his problems. In the first case, because she didn't have the answers at all. In the second, because part of growing up was learning how to make the big choices oneself. Sure, someone knowledgeable about whatever the spirit was could help, but in the end, it was Jotaro himself who would have to live with that spirit.
So she did what she could: give him her unwavering support.
Kujo Jotaro was struggling with things he didn't yet understand, in a world where few could relate to him. No matter how much he thought he was annoyed by her affections, she was, in truth, exactly what he needed: someone who believed in him.
As they entered the house, Jotaro took off his jacket and hat.
"I met All Might today," he said, taking the initiative in a conversation, something that was rare for him.
"What? Really?" Holly asked excitedly. "What was he like?"
"He's okay. Nice guy, I suppose. Recommended I go to UA."
"Oh, that's nice… wait, hold on a second. UA? As in, the academy for heroes in training?"
Jotaro nodded.
"Is… is that what you want?" she asked.
A pro-hero training course was extremely difficult. Although rare, there had been deaths early in the history of such schools. More commonly, those who were unable to keep up with the demands dropped out. Thus, it was natural for her to worry about what it might be like for him in a course like that.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. He decided to reveal the other piece of information.
"There was someone else too. Robert Speedwagon, he's named."
Holly's eyes lit up with recognition, but she chose not to tell him at the moment that she already knew him.
"I see. What did he want?"
"He said he could help me. Spirits like Star Platinum are called Stands… and he said I'm not the only one who has one. If I go to UA… I could meet them. Others like me."
So that's why.
"And what do you think?"
"I want to go," said Jotaro softly. "I want to see these others. Find out what it truly means to have Star Platinum."
It was extremely rare to see her son reveal this much of himself. Holly understood she might never see him this vulnerable ever again.
And she was okay with that.
"Then you've got to work. You've got to fight. It's going to be competitive, and a hundred others will want to take those spots. If you fall behind, you won't make it in."
"That's not going to happen," said Jotaro, his eyes glinting. The vulnerability was gone, and he stood tall. When he spoke, it was with all the confidence and strength Holly had gotten used to seeing from him.
"I'm going to UA."
The next three months passed by quickly.
Two weeks after the Sludge Monster incident, Jotaro gave his middle school graduation exams. As soon as they were done, he began to train in earnest. He had started physical exercise regimens when he was around ten years old, which had mostly consisted of bodyweight moves, mobility work and running. Around the age of twelve, he had introduced weights into his regimen, starting light and working his way up. Encouraged by the results he was getting, it became a passion for him, and he continued to push himself. Combined with his genetics, that was the reason behind his impressive build.
Now, with the UA entrance exam approaching, Jotaro pushed himself even further beyond. He began an intense regimen normally intended for older trainees. However, most boys at age fourteen did not have five hundred pound squats and deadlifts, or four hundred pound bench presses.
Jotaro's new routine consisted of three full-body workouts, with a day of rest between each. These workouts focused primarily on strength. After mobility exercises, he would shift into heavy compound lifts. Squats were the common lift on all three days, forming the base which trained his legs and core. Besides this, he alternated between horizontal and vertical pushes and pulls. Thus, there would be bench presses, rows, pull ups and deadlifts. In addition, he would add in exercises focusing on certain body parts, like curls and extensions for arms, and crunches for abdominals.
Fuelled by his determination, his sincere, regular work paid off. His strength skyrocketed, along with gains in muscle mass. Having imprinted the right forms into his muscle memory long ago, he was able to focus on progressing. A comfortable routine would not yield the results he wanted.
Each session was brutal. There were times when he failed reps; times when he simply did not have the capacity left to move the bar. Times when he had to drop it backwards during a squat. Times when he felt his biceps being torn apart as he curled the weight. Times when he was barely able to keep his back tight, barely able to push with his legs as he ripped the bar off the ground for another rep.
His diet was equally gruelling. At 180 pounds, he needed a solid ten egg whites and several servings of meat to hit his protein requirements. In addition, to maintain a caloric surplus, he had to eat five meals a day. It reached the point where food lost taste: it started to feel like he was chewing carpet.
But it all paid off.
At the end of three months, Jotaro was unrecognizable. Somehow, he had actually gained an inch in height, meaning he was finally six feet. The gain in muscle mass was staggering: his arms were thicker, corded with lean fibre that rippled with every movement. His legs were like tree trunks, and he'd had to remove jeans from his wardrobe entirely. His back and chest were broader, each muscle clearly defined. Somehow, he had even managed to actually lose fat, something that baffled even him, and something his mother chalked up to "Joestar genetics". His abs were clearly visible, solid as marble.
Even more impressive than the aesthetic appearance was the actual increase in strength, which Jotaro couldn't scientifically account for, unless he had a hidden physical boost Quirk. The fact was, all his key lifts had increased by 1.5 times. Squats and deadlifts had both cleared the 1000 pound mark, while his bench was exactly at 1000. Apart from barbell lifts, he could now do 50 bodyweight pull ups with near flawless form, and flip a car over with physical strength alone.
And that wasn't all.
Jotaro had not just trained with weights.
On the other days of the week, while his muscles recovered from lifting, he performed different activities. Sprinting. Jumping. Occasionally, he'd forgo a lifting day for climbing. And also, fighting. He'd joined a local mixed martial arts gym.
Jotaro already had a firm foundation as a fighter because of his natural instincts and his experience from street fights. Moulded by a boxing and grappling coach, his technique was sharpened, and his bad habits hammered out.
There came a time when no one at the gym was willing to spar with him anymore.
Every moment not trained lifting, sparring, eating or sleeping, was spent studying. Jotaro crushed the entrance theory syllabus by the second month.
The third month, he forewent any more theoretical studies directly related to the syllabus.
Instead, he used this time to train with Star Platinum.
Incredibly, his Stand had not disturbed him at all during his workouts or studies. Whether it was due to his focus, or just the fact that Star Platinum too wanted to go to UA, Jotaro couldn't tell. Either way, the result was that the spirit had been unusually quiet all this time. He had still called on him every day.
Thus, when he finally summoned him forth for training, he was curious how his Stand would react.
Star Platinum phased into the outside world. He did have his violent grin on his face. All that was there… was a laser focus.
"So… we're on the same page then."
He knew it was an erroneous statement. After all, he and Star Platinum were one and the same. But the Stand was a manifestation of his deepest subconscious, and as such, there were times when Jotaro thought of him as an alien entity. Or better put, a different side of himself.
Eerily, Star Platinum nodded.
"Well then… let's get to work."
Training with Star Platinum was vastly different than training his body.
The purple giant's physical abilities far exceeded any human being's except those with the greatest of physical Quirks. In addition, he was capable of several other feats. Jotaro could not train him using the same methods or mindset as he had trained himself. So he tried a different approach.
To say the least, it was effective.
It was a different Kujo Jotaro that emerged from that ordeal, and it was a different Star Platinum. Truth be told, Jotaro was one of those rare individuals who would have been a powerhouse even without any focused exercise regimen or combat training. Had he simply cruised through life, he would still have been formidable.
But a determined Kujo Jotaro who was motivated to improve himself and achieve a goal?
The world was about to see what such an entity was capable of.
The day of the entrance exam, he put on his favourite clothes, which were, strangely, his old school uniform. They no longer fit him, so Holly had had them altered to accommodate his larger frame. Jotaro had removed his middle school's logo from them. Instead, on the jacket was his own personal emblem, a gold rectangle with a hand on it. As always, he wore his trademark hat, with its symbols, and his heavy gold chain.
He didn't have a hero uniform, and he didn't want one.
These clothes were what he'd had on during countless street fights. He trusted nothing better during a life-or-death battle.
"Jotaro… all the best," said Holly, smiling.
The teen waved as he walked forward proudly. As he did so, Star Platinum materialized, performing the same gesture.
Holly, who could see the Stand, waved back.
It was time: a new journey had begun.