I do not own Jojo's Bizarre Adventure or the Persona series.
Yukiko Amagi sighed as she sat down, her legs relaxing as she sat under the gazebo in the floodplains while the rain poured outside. She had missed so much of school today, all because she had to help her family run their inn with the recent influx of tourists. While Yukiko was happy that the business was going well despite the recent murders, she could not help but be annoyed that she had to always leave school early or not go at all because her family and their workers needed an extra pair of hands.
The school understood though and she was given clemency for her occasional absence. Her grades weren't dropping because her family needed her help with the inn. Yasogami High was actually well-connected with the community, and thus gave Yukiko 'privileges' for being the 'next owner' of Inaba's main tourist attraction. Some of the teachers had reservations, the most outspoken of which was unsurprisingly King Moron, but in the end they didn't have any problems granting her a little leniency given that the inn did generate a lot of business.
Even the school was depending on her to help take care of the inn…
Yukiko shifted her body a bit to make the pink floral kimono she was wearing be slightly more comfortable. She didn't have time to change when she went out to do some errands for the inn. Sometimes, Yukiko felt like she spent more time in a kimono rather than in regular clothes. "Will I have to wear these all the time if… no, when I run the inn?" Yukiko knew her mother did, for the manager needed to keep appearances up.
But one good thing came from this trip. Today, Yukiko wasn't bombarded by questions by newspaper reporters or that awful TV reporter from earlier. They probably didn't want to get wet from the rain.
Yukiko then spotted a lone figure on a wheelchair pushing himself down the pathway. It only took a second for Yukiko to register that it was the new transfer student from America, Johnny Joestar.
"I wonder what he's doing here…" Yukiko thought to herself. She didn't see Johnny going out that much. After all, Chie had to practically force the American to go with them.
While admittedly she was a little uncomfortable around him and he could be a little curt, Yukiko wouldn't let that stop her from being polite to a classmate and acquaintance of Chie.
Yukiko was about to stay hello, but stopped just as she was raising her hand to wave as a new thought occurred to her. Would she be a bother if he came over to her? Perhaps she should be considerate and come over to him so that Johnny wouldn't need to push himself through the mud. With a nod to herself, she got up, opened her umbrella, and made her way over to Johnny.
"Hello!"
Johnny stopped his chair when he heard someone call out to him. He turned and was a little perplexed to see a girl in a kimono making her way towards him. Yukiko faltered somewhat at the odd look he gave her, but gave him what she hoped was a friendly smile.
"Oh, I mean, good afternoon, Joestar-san." Yukiko said, trying to sound more polite and formal.
Johnny stared at the girl for several seconds before realizing he recognized the girl.
"You're… Yukiko right?" Johnny asked. "Chie's friend?"
"Yes, that's right." Yukiko was actually glad that Johnny was able to remember her name. She had only met him once through Chie but never really spoke to him. "You've probably never seen me in a kimono. How are you doing?"
"Clothes shopping." Johnny replied bluntly. He didn't say anymore, and was actually looking a bit annoyed.
"I guess he really doesn't like talking to people…" It was actually a first. Usually boys wouldn't stop talking to her and Chie had to chase them off. Not allowing herself to be deterred, Yukiko tried to make small talk, "Um… I'm out right now doing an errand for my parents at the inn. I didn't have time to change though so it's why I'm wearing this kimono."
"You don't say." Johnny replied, tone flat.
Now Yukiko was getting nervous. She didn't want to be a bother to anybody, but being bluntly written off like this wasn't a fond experience. Yukiko wanted to be on good terms with Johnny, even if they would be just minor acquaintances. Plus, he seemed to be getting along a bit with Chie or at least that's what she told Yukiko.
"So… Um…" Yukiko searched for a new topic to talk about. One that could hopefully put herself on good terms with Johnny. "Are you getting used to your new town and school?"
Floundering about, that cliché topic was the best she could think to ask about.
"It's fine. Isn't that different from the states, y'know, other than required uniforms," Johnny replied, tapping his fingers on the wheelchair's armrests. "I also think some of the customs are a bit weird."
"Ah, I see…" Yukiko muttered to herself. It made sense that Johnny would be a bit annoyed with getting used to Japan's social customs. Even if he was half-Japanese, he probably lived solely like an American. "It must be difficult, moving to a new country. I've never been out of Inaba, and probably will never leave Japan, so I wouldn't know."
"Not as difficult as you would think." Johnny replied before he began to push himself forward.
"RUDE!" Yukiko fumed a bit inside her head. She was just trying to be nice! Nevertheless, she decided to follow Johnny as she had to go that way to get back to the inn anyways. "Where are you going?"
"My uncle's place. Don't have anywhere else to be." Johnny offered, not elaborating any further. "Don't you have to get back to your inn?"
"I do, but I have to take this route to get there." Yukiko replied, annoyed that Johnny wasn't elaborating any further. At least he was being civil with her. "How… I mean are you getting along with Chie?"
"Why are you asking?" Johnny asked, seeming almost annoyed by her presence.
"Well you see, she's my friend. A very dear friend of mine…" Yukiko's voice then became wistful, and all her annoyance for Johnny's curt answers disappeared. "She's so full of energy, and has always supported me. She always gave me that extra push I needed for whatever's troubling me." Yukiko then giggled a bit in embarrassment. "We had homeroom together last year too, and I remember when we would cut class together…"
Johnny now gave her a confused look. "Wouldn't take you for the type to cut class."
Yukiko's cheeks became red. "I-It's not like we did it often! I mean I'm not a delinquent or anything!"
"I never doubted it for a second." Johnny said sarcastically, making Yukiko's cheeks flush even more. At least Johnny wasn't being rude anymore, but it was embarrassing to be made fun of like this.
"A-Anyway, this is my turn." Yukiko stated, turning to the left and going up some steps. "I-I'll see you in school, Joestar-san."
She looked out from the corner of her eye and saw Johnny give a light nod and a sigh of relief before continuing onwards. "Maybe he gets nicer the more time you spend with him…" Though Johnny was rude, he was still hanging out with Chie so that meant he wasn't all bad. He even seemed to lighten up just a bit at the end of their conversation.
Her mind then went back to what they talked about, specifically how he felt about moving to Inaba. Then there was what he said about America not being that different. That didn't match her picture of the United States at all. She imagined big cites, wide open plains, and a few overweight people. Either way, it would have been totally different from Inaba.
Still, Yukiko wondered what it would be like to live there. To live in a place far, far away. To be whisked away from Inaba to a completely new country…
Maybe she should try talking to Johnny a bit more…
xxXXxx
"Um… you went to Junes?" Nanako asked Johnny, who blinked in surprise at the question.
That was literally the first thing Nanako has said to him besides 'welcome back' since his arrival.
Johnny could kind of understand why. He was an intrusion on her normally peaceful life with her father, so Nanako probably wasn't used to interacting with other people besides her dad in the house. "Which kind of works I guess. After all, I really don't talk much to her about stuff…"
It just felt a bit awkward. After all, Nanako despite her smaller frame tried to help him up the stairs despite his protests, all because 'he was family'. Johnny didn't get that. He had no familial bonds ever since that trip to the hospital, and Johnny barely knew anything about Dojima other than that he was his mother's brother and Nanako happened to be his cousin. Yet she cared enough about him to help…
Kids were hard to figure out sometimes.
"Yeah, I did. Had to go clothes shopping." Johnny replied with a shrug. "Can't let it look like I wear the same outfits every day for the rest of the year."
"But didn't you bring a big box full of clothes and stuff to here?" Nanako asked with curiosity. That made Johnny flinch. For a kid, she seemed to have a good memory. If she got suspicious…
"I… like to have cool clothes." Well that wasn't a lie. Johnny liked to stay fashionable, which his old 'fans' loved.
At least until his accident when they started to call his fashion sense 'gay'.
"Oh, okay." Nanako accepted with a nod. "I just love Junes! It's so big and it has everything in it!"
"Can't believe a kid is so excited because of some store." Well, Johnny wasn't one to talk. He got to practically go everywhere as a kid, while Nanako has been stuck in Inaba for all her life.
Nanako's happy look then fell slightly as she looked at the clock. "Dad's late…"
Johnny frowned slightly as well. Where the hell was Dojima? He knew that the man needed to work late for his job, but this was getting ridiculous. "Can't believe she had to cook for herself and me…"
Well, he supposed 'cook' was a strong term. More like reheat some leftovers.
"Our next story is an update on our ongoing report in the bizarre murders occurring in Inaba." The anchorman suddenly spoke, making Johnny turn his attention back to the TV. "At around 7:00 a.m., local high school student Saki Konishi was found dead in Inaba's Residential Area…"
Ah yes, the murders. It kind of irked Johnny, how only he, Yosuke, and Chie knew what is probably the only lead to the killer and could not tell the cops.
Then again, that just meant more opportunities to return to that place again.
"Police are proceeding under the assumption that this may be a serial murder case related to the death of Mayumi Yamano," announced the reporter. "The coroner's report has established Ms. Konishi's time of death at around 1:00 A.M. last night. The body went unnoticed until this morning as a result of the heavy fog blanketing the area."
"Figures why nobody found it earlier." Seriously, just how much fog can a town get? Then again, since it's connected to the TV World it was probably supernatural or something.
"Another incident…" Nanako muttered, her voice growing low and sad. "Dad'll be late again."
That sounded more like resigned acceptance rather than depression. "He does this often?"
"Yeah, but my dad's a detective so it's part of his job." Nanako replied with a nod, though she sounded even sadder than before. "I mean, I can handle the house by myself, so it doesn't really bother me…"
That… didn't sound exactly true. It sounded more like Nanako was truly depressed that her father wasn't around. Johnny couldn't say he had ever felt what Nanako felt, since he felt more at ease and relaxed when his father wasn't around, but he couldn't compare his dysfunctional home back in the States to the Dojima's.
"I'm sure he'll be back soon." Johnny said, feeling the need to say something that would maybe appease the girl.
"After the incident with Ms. Yamano, the manager has stepped aside, leaving her daughter Yukiko to fill her shoes." A new voice came from the television, making Johnny look back at the TV to see that some reporter was now on TV. The cameraman then turned to the side and revealed none other than Yukiko on the TV, wearing the same kimono from earlier. It looked like this was recorded earlier in the day, given that it wasn't raining in the scene.
"In other words, she's a manager who's still in high school," the on-scene reporter finished excitedly. "Now that has a nice ring to it. Let's see if we can interview her. Excuse me!"
Yukiko seemed to just notice the reporter, and seemed even more surprised as he went right in front of her with the microphone. "Hm? Um… are you speaking to me?"
The reporter didn't even bother answering the question as he proceeded with his 'report'. "We heard you're the new manager of the Amagi Inn. Is it true that you're still in high school?"
"Well… I'm only filling in temporarily," Yukiko definitely looked uncomfortable now.
"Someday though," the reporter reminded. "That aside, wow! You look gorgeous in that kimono! That must bring in a lot of male visitors."
"Wh-what?"
"And your inn's hot springs are all natural, yes? I recall you sometimes allow co-gender hours for the romantic couples. What times do you prefer, new manager?"
"…Did he seriously just ask that?" Johnny asked with a slight hint of amusement while shaking his head in disbelief. "Oh, Japan…
Still, he could sympathize with Yukiko's situation. Nosy, impolite reporters were in abundance back home and a complete pain to deal with. Always asking questions and getting in his face after races when he just wanted to get out of there. Sometimes Johnny loved the attention, other times…
"This is boring." Nanako declared as she reached for the remote.
"Yeah, it is." Johnny agreed as Nanako turned off the TV. "Hey, aren't you going to watch cartoons or something?" Isn't that what little kids do before going to sleep?
Nanako shook her head. "No, I got to wash the dishes." She then went off to the kitchen, and Johnny could not help but watch as Nanako got a small stand and placed it in front of the sink. She then got on it, sprayed a bit of soap onto a sponge, and took one of the dirty plates.
"…How old is she really?" Johnny thought, astounded at how responsible and dutiful his cousin was. He never washed dishes as a kid, so seeing his young cousin do the chore would be an experience.
Johnny was surprised when Nanako's cute and innocent face suddenly turned stoic, and she even glared cutely at the dishes. He watched as Nanako turned on the sink and took the sponge in her right hand. With her left hand Nanako took a dirty dish and held it slightly to the faucet. Nanako held the dish vertically and placed the sponge at the bottom before swiping it upwards, leaving a clean mark of the path that the sponge took. The dirty sponge was now in contact with the water, cleaning it before Nanako repeated the motion several more times. Johnny could not help but watch in amazement as Nanako then placed the now soapy dish under the running water to rinse it off before taking it out and spinning it over the sink.
"The water… it's not getting on her or over the counter at all!" Johnny noted as he saw that the water droplets from the dish did not make contact with Nanako at all. She was probably holding the dish at a specific angle to pull off the trick, most likely achieved after washing the dishes herself for so long.
"Kiaaaa~i!" Nanako sung out suddenly before she placed the dish on the drying rack before picking up the next plate.
Johnny blinked for a second before shaking his head. "Guess everyone has their habits..." He then yawned in exhaustion, and his body ached in slight pain. Man, he was getting tired. Figured he would after getting his ass kicked by Yosuke's Shadow.
"I'm going to bed. Goodnight." Johnny called out, pushing himself to the stairs while hearing Nanako's 'goodnight' back to him. He threw the clothes that he got from Junes at the top of the stairs before beginning his climb up.
His arms were a bit sore, but his desire to get to his bed/sofa overrode his body's desire to crash and burn out right on the stairs.
April 16th, 2011:
"Um… Hello?" Nanako let out softly as she stood in front of the door of her cousin's room, nervous as she heard no reply.
Nanako had woken up just an hour ago, fully expecting to see her American cousin sitting in his wheelchair watching TV as he had done the day before while she made breakfast. Her dad was never really around in the morning, always off to work, so it fell upon her to make herself breakfast and with her cousin around she had to make breakfast for two. But today, he wasn't in the living room killing time before he left for school.
"What should I do?" Nanako thought, her feet shifting uncomfortably as she stood in front of the closed door. "Will he get angry if I look into his room?"
Nanako wasn't scared of her cousin per-say. Sure he was a bit mean at times like when he first got into the house and went to his room by himself after arguing with her dad, but he was still a part of her family. That's why she helped Johnny when he fell down. They were family, so she had to make sure he was okay and help him. Nanako knew that she hurt Johnny's feelings when she asked what his chair was for when they first met, so maybe it was to also make up for that…
Anyway, it was an hour before they usually left for school and Johnny still wasn't around.
"I have to check on him. He might need help!" Nanako's innocent thoughts assured herself as she knocked on the door. "H-hello?"
A tired groan came from behind the door. Nanako then opened the door and took a quick peek inside to see Johnny laying on the couch, a sleeveless white shirt on him and wearing a simple pair of white sweat pants that was dotted with blue stars.
"Is he still sleeping?" That wasn't good. He needed to get ready for school. "Hello?"
"{Go away… It's too early…}" Johnny mumbled something in a language that Nanako could only assume was English.
"Um… s-school starts in an hour." Nanako muttered, making Johnny open his eyes slightly.
"{It's Saturday. Go back to bed.}" With that, Johnny closed his eyes. Nanako then blinked in surprise. She could understand the word Saturday in English because one of her shows taught that word in an episode. But why would…
"Maybe he didn't have school on Saturday…" Nanako had heard one of her classmates complained that Americans had Saturday off but not them, so the reason why Johnny is still asleep was because he was used to his old school schedule.
"School is open on Saturdays here." Nanako informed Johnny, whose eyes shot open and honed in on her.
"…You're serious?"
"Y-yes…"
The two cousins stared at each other in a moment of silence before Johnny rolled out of his bed and onto the floor.
"Um…"
"I'm fine!" Johnny declared as he began to crawl to his closet. "I'm going to get dressed! Is breakfast ready?"
"Yes!" Nanako squeaked out before she ran out the room, her cheeks blushing red from her cousin declaring that he would get dressed. "I-I'll get your plate ready!"
Johnny did not pay Nanako any mind as he dragged his body across the floor and to his closet, grumbling all the while.
"Damn it, why couldn't there not be any school on Saturdays like normal schools!?"
Johnny didn't particularly want to go. If anything he would have preferred ditching school for the day. But, Dojima would probably get pissed at him if he hears it from Nanako and give him a lecture that Johnny wasn't particularly looking forward to. With that in mind, Johnny skidded out of his pajama pants while opening his closet. He took out the pants of his uniform and lifted his legs with his hands to put them in. After that, Johnny buttoned on the white shirt over his sleeveless shirt and took out the school jacket.
He then looked at it for a moment before looking at the golden pins that he had bought. He might as well make his adjustments to the outfit now. He then took two of the big gold heart pins and stuck one into each side of the shoulder sections of the jacket. He then took four of the smaller horseshoe-shaped pins and placed them on opposite sides of the openings of his sleeves, creating something akin to cufflinks. Johnny then looked to his white button-up shirt and placed two of the horseshoe pins on the ends of the collar. Deciding that was enough for now, Johnny put on the jacket and buttoned it up, leaving only the top three buttons unbuttoned to give people a view of his collar.
Johnny then grabbed one of his hats, a blue knit cap with several black stars dotting it, and put it on. Looking at the mirror, Johnny fixed his hair a bit to look nice before dragging himself to the hallway.
Time to see if he could eat breakfast in less than fifteen minutes.
xxXXxx
Yosuke stretched in his seat as the bell for lunch rang. He was seriously bored from the day's lesson. King Moron's class was never interesting, and usually was just an hour-long rant about how shitty the modern day world is and how everyone needs to keep 'pure'.
"Probably never got laid in his life so he's taking it out on us." Not that he was one to talk, but King Moron's attitude never generated any positive feelings about him.
He then looked to Johnny and smiled. It was good to see Johnny was okay after all that had happened yesterday, though he was a bit worried when Johnny was a bit late for school this morning. He didn't want Johnny to miss out on anything because of his Shadow.
Yosuke went to sleep instantly after checking the Midnight Channel. He was dead tired, and for some reason his mind felt… clearer than ever before. Probably because for the first time in his life, he had admitted to his faults through accepting his Shadow. He hadn't felt this good in a while, and woke up well-rested in time for school. Though he was concerned about how Johnny and Chie were holding up. He didn't see either of them until halfway through or after homeroom.
Though what he saw last night… that picture of a woman in a kimono… just who was that?
Shaking his head, Yosuke got up and walked to Johnny. "Yo! How are you doing man?"
"Wish I slept more." Johnny responded with a sigh. "What kind of school has class on Saturdays?"
That caused a chuckle to escape from Yosuke's lips. That's right, Americans usually had Saturday off. "Japan's schools apparently. Didn't they tell you when you enrolled over here?"
"No," Johnny responded while glaring at Yosuke. "All I knew was that I had to wear this uniform and go to school. Didn't think that Japan's school system would be so ridiculous to have Saturdays be part of the school week."
"Aw, don't sweat over it man. You'll get used to it." Yosuke gave a shrug before he looked over Johnny's uniform. He had apparently made some alterations. "Aren't those the pins you got from Junes?"
"Yeah, that's right." Johnny gave a nod as he tapped the golden heart on his jacket's left shoulder. "Thought that it would look better with them."
Yosuke couldn't disagree. The uniforms were already bedazzled, but they were still school uniforms that were all the same. So the school's slightly lax rules about the dress code helped a lot in making the students take creative liberties to make themselves unique.
Johnny meanwhile bedazzled his a bit more in a sense. While pins aren't something Yosuke would put on his clothes, they kind of looked cool on Johnny.
"Well you definitely make them work, man." Yosuke said, giving his two cents. The noise of the room door opening then interrupted what would have been Johnny's response. The two teenagers then saw Chie enter the room and walk towards them worriedly. "Oh hey Chie, what's up?"
Chie's face was scrunched up in worry as she asked, "Have either of you two seen Yukiko around?"
"I saw her last night, but not today." Johnny informed her, making Yosuke look at him in shock. Why would Johnny see Yukiko at night? Yukiko was always at the Inn after school so why would he…?
"Well? Have you Yosuke?" Chie asked, snapping Yosuke out of his thoughts.
"W-well no, I haven't seen her today either."
"Oh man…" Chie muttered in worry. "What should I do? You know how those murders might be related to the Midnight Channel? I-I stayed up last night to watch it and what I saw… whoever was on last night looked kind of like Yukiko!"
Yosuke then realized something. Right! There was something he had been meaning to ask Johnny! "Yeah, I saw that too. Did you man?"
Johnny winced and scratched his cheek slightly. "I… kind of fell right to sleep last night."
Yosuke blinked and then glared at Johnny. "Dude, seriously!?"
"Sorry. I just shut down when I got on my couch." Johnny muttered apologetically while Yosuke clenched his fists. Didn't he promise to help them with this murder case? How could Johnny screw up this badly so early on?
"Maybe because he got beat up so bad since you couldn't accept your Shadow earlier."
Yosuke's shoulders slumped and his irritation evaporated at the thought. That was right. He was also to blame for Johnny to be exhausted enough to fall asleep before midnight. Because he just had to have all that baggage on him. That's what created his Shadow…
"Yosuke, Johnny was hurt really bad last night." Chie declared, looking a bit angry yet also understanding. "We can't blame him for not begin able to stay awake."
"I know, I know…" Yosuke muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look man, just try to stay up from now on okay? We won't be able to find the murderer without your help."
"Got it."
Nodding, Yosuke looked to Chie and asked, "Okay, so what makes you think it was Yukiko?"
"Well, she was wearing a kimono, and it looked like the same one from that interview last night!" Chie declared before pointing to her phone. "I emailed her last night but she hasn't responded, and she told me earlier that evening that she would be coming to school today! If she was thrown down there…"
Yosuke could see the logic. Figured that Chie would remember something as minor as what kimono Yukiko was wearing from that news report. "Okay, calm down Chie. We still don't know that yet."
"Have you tried calling her?" Johnny asked, only for Chie to shake her head.
"It goes straight to voicemail…" Chie replied, her body now shaking in freight. Yosuke was worried too, but he knew Chie must be dying inside. After all, Yukiko was her friend while he only spoke to Yukiko in passing.
"Anywhere else she could be?" Johnny's question caused Chie to blink before nodding.
"Yeah! There's the Inn!" She then immediately took out her cellphone and dialed the number. Holding it to her ear, she muttered "Come on Yukiko, pick up…" Then after a second, her face immediately brightened. "Is this Yukiko? Thank god! She's there!" Yosuke and Johnny gave each other a small sigh of relief as Chie continued talking over the phone. After a minute, Chie hung up and explained. "She's fine! She was just at the inn. Yukiko's family had a big group reservation, so she had to stay to help out."
"That's good." Yosuke replied, allowing a relieved smile onto his face.
"But then who was being shown on the TV?" Johnny asked, only for Chie to shake her head.
"I don't know, but it definitely wasn't Yukiko." Chie then looked glumly at the floor. "She said that she was at her home all night and hadn't left."
"I say we go to Junes and see if Teddie knows anything." Yosuke declared, looking at both Chie and Johnny. "If anyone asks, we were just hanging out together."
"Right" Both Johnny and Chie agreed, making Yosuke feel a bit good. They were acting like an actual team…
xxXXxx
Johnny sat in front of the big-screen TV in the electronics department with Chie and Yosuke at his sides, ignoring the sound of customers milling around the area.
After several more hours at school, the three headed straight for Junes. They didn't stop for anything, but acted as casual as possible. They needed to seem like they were just three 'friends' going over to Junes to hang out.
Though Johnny could see that the customers today would hamper their task of seeing Teddie.
"I thought you said this place was supposed to be empty." Chie stated, glaring at Yosuke who looked a bit embarrassed.
"I forgot that there was a sale today, sorry." Yosuke apologized, only for Johnny to shrug.
"We should have seen this coming. This place is the only mega store around." Johnny then sighed, "Too bad there isn't a mall around either, otherwise this place would be a lot more empty."
"Yeah, but then the shopping district would be really gone." Chie then looked around, tapping her foot anxiously. "How are we supposed to meet Teddie without anyone noticing?"
"Wait a sec, I got it!" Yosuke then pointed to the TV. "Johnny, stick your hand inside of the TV and try to get his attention. Me and Chie will make a wall and…"
"Why do I have to be the one to do it?" While Johnny wanted to help Yosuke find the murderer, he didn't exactly like to get lumped with jobs. "If it's your idea, then you do it."
"What? Come on dude, me and Chie will totally block you from them." Yosuke then thumbed his finger to the left at some customers looking at some TVs.
"We can also block you from view." Johnny pointed out, only for Chie to huff in anger.
"Will you two stop being such babies and just do it already?"
Johnny sighed before he stuck his right hand inside the TV. Then, a sharp biting sensation clamped over his hand, making the American pull back his hand with a hiss of pain.
"W-What's wrong?" Yosuke almost shouted in alarm, looking at Johnny's hand in worry. Johnny could see why. Huge bite marks were now dotting the middle of his hand.
"A-are those teeth marks? Are you okay?" Chie asked in worry, only for Johnny to give her a blank look.
"I might need to chop it off."
Chie's face turned red in embarrassment and anger before she angrily whispered, "This isn't a time to be smart, Johnny!" She then looked to the TV and declared, "Hey Teddie, we know you're in there!"
"Oh! Oh! Is this a game?" Teddie's distorted voice came from the TV, but it was low and it didn't seem like the customers had noticed anything.
"Yeah, it's a fun game." Johnny replied sarcastically, however it only seemed to excite the bear more.
"Really Sensei?"
"No, it's not a game." Yosuke responded, exasperated from the bear's giddiness already. "Look, is anyone with you over there right now?"
"Who's anyone? I'm just a lonely little bear like always."
Johnny frowned at that. Was Teddie telling the truth? Then again, the mascot wouldn't have a reason to lie since he wanted to get rid of the murderer too.
"This land is so…bear-en."
Chie and Yosuke let out a sigh of exasperation from the bad pun, while Johnny gave a small clap.
"Y-you thought it was good Sensei?"
"Oh yeah, Really good. Hilarious." Johnny gave no emotion into the praise, signaling that he was lying through his teeth. However, the bear only gave a small giggle of happiness.
"Then I'll be sure to keep it up, Sensei!"
Johnny then let out his own sigh. Figures the bear didn't understand sarcasm.
"Teddie, are you sure nobody is inside there with you?" Chie asked, dead serious in tone. "You're positive?"
"O-of course I'm positive!" Teddie's voice replied as if offended. "My nose is running as good as ever!"
Johnny rubbed his hand, hoping the bite mark wouldn't bruise or anything. Seemed like Teddie was sure that nobody was on his side of the TV, so it was probably safe to say nobody was thrown in.
"But then what was the Midnight Channel trying to show us?" Johnny wondered, now wishing he had stayed up to catch the show. Maybe then he could've had an easier time making a guess…
What made it even more frustrating was that Igor and Margaret hadn't contacted him in his dreams last night, so he couldn't press for more answers from them. If he could then maybe some of his questions could be solved easily…
"I'm going to go to the inn and warn Yukiko." Chie declared, looking at both of the boys. "She'll be busy working at the inn this weekend so I doubt she'll go anywhere alone but still…"
"Yeah, and you'll walk with her to school Monday right?" Seeing Chie's nod, he turned to Johnny. "Let's make sure to watch the Midnight Channel tonight, alright?"
"Relax, I can stay up tonight. Wounds are practically healed." Johnny assured Yosuke. He then looked at Chie. "I guess we'll see each other on Monday or something."
"Yeah…" With that, Chie left the two boys alone in front of the TV. Yosuke then gave his own goodbye to Johnny before he left as well.
Was Yukiko really a target? He didn't necessarily like the girl, but Johnny wanted to keep anyone from harming her if he could help it. Who would have a reason to target her anyway? He remembered from crime shows that serial killers all had some sort of motive, no matter how sick or simple it was. Targeting Yukiko though didn't make any sense though…
He would check the Midnight Channel though, just in case.
xxXXxx
"Hey Blondie! You know what you are!? The greatest son-of-a-AAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Johnny turned off the TV, positioning his legs onto the couch so that he could go to sleep after the Midnight Channel. He had returned home and ate dinner with Nanako, Dojima once again not showing up, before they went to their respective rooms. Nanako fell asleep while Johnny killed time by watching a movie that he had brought over.
Good Western, one of his favorites. But he preferred Alfred Hitchcock's movies.
Luckily the movie itself ended just a few minutes before midnight, and Johnny could hear the rain pattering onto his window. With the lights off, the conditions were perfect for the Midnight Channel.
"Can't believe I forgot to watch it last night…" Johnny still felt slightly guilty about that. He just wanted to go to sleep, and not pay attention to anything else. It was his own fault that he could not stay up to just check the Midnight Channel. If he forgot it again, would Yosuke and Chie not want to deal with him? "I can deal with that. I can be alone. But if I don't stay on this then…" Johnny didn't know if he could go to that world just by himself. It just didn't… feel right without Chie or Yosuke being there with him.
Johnny then shook his head. He shouldn't think like this. It was a mistake, and now he was making up for it. That's all there was to it.
The clock then finally ticked to midnight, and Johnny looked at the TV to see it light up in yellow static before the picture changed. He saw Yukiko Amagi's face begin kissing up the TV and then give a sultry look to the camera before shouting cheerfully "Hello there!"
Her outfit was… radically different from her school uniform or the kimono Johnny saw her wearing the day before. The now wore a pink and white dressed with roses at the hem along with cage frills. Her arms were now covered up to the mid-arm in pink gloves, and a gold tiara was on her head. In her right hand was a microphone that read "Mayonaka TV', which the girl spoke into.
"Good evening, everyone! Princess Yukiko is here with a special announcement!"
Johnny could not help but gape in silence as 'Yukiko' continued to speak to the 'camera' of the Midnight Channel
"Tonight I'm going to score myself a hot stud to be my new prince!" She then aimed her left hand like a gun and shouted "Saddle up, and reign in your stud!" She then imitated the kickback of a gun, complete with a sound effect from what was better in an old Western. "This is "Princess Yukiko's Hunt for her Prince On a White Horse!"
As "Yukiko" finished she waved her arm outwards dramatically and behind her a pink ribbon with glowing letters magically appeared with the words she had just spoke emblazoned on it in white kanji.
It was like something on a low-budget cheesy 80's dating show.
"To catch me a stud, I came prepared! My lacey unmentionables are ready to go!" With that, 'Yukiko' patted her crotch with her left hand. "And so is my…" Her hands then formed a heart, and she outlined the shape of one complete with highlights on the screen to make the picture. "…heart!" She then pressed the 'heart' onto her chest, seemingly enlarging her breasts just by pushing on them while giggling flirtatiously.
Johnny just gaped and blinked as the heart burst into smaller hearts complete with 'sparkling' sound effects. "Is this real?"
"My heart is a special part of me, and I only require one special stud to please me! But to make sure that happens, I'm off to hunt me a whole harem of the best dressed, stocked, and lovely princes out there! Well, wish me luck everyone! Here I go!"
'Yukiko' then ran into the regal looking castle with the swirling red gate behind her. It focused on the castle for only a second before the 'channel' turned to static and the TV shut off.
Johnny gaped at the TV for a second before he said a phrase in English that summarized his thoughts on what had just happened.
"What the fuck?"
[To Be Continued |\|]
Note: Hey everyone, TIM's here with a new update! Finals are finally over, so you can expect more chapters to come in the future!
Hope you all enjoyed the return of Johnny and his interaction with Yukiko and Nanako. With Yukiko, you got more of his asshole side because like in canon, Johnny's never been good with people post his accident. Even after he accepted his Shadow in this fic, Johnny has a LONG way to go before becoming 'friendly' After all, he's no Yu Narukami. As for being nicer to Nanako, even an asshole like Johnny can't be mean to a sweet kid like her.
I also added the part of Johnny's screw up because Johnny is fundamentally flawed. He'll make mistakes in the fic, and that'll allow the other members of the IT times to shine while Johnny develops as a person alongside his Social Links. Also to note, what inspired me on Johnny's new bedazzled uniform was a combination of his SBR clothing and Josuke Higashikata's school uniform (Which coincidentally inspired the Yasogami High Uniforms used in Persona 4). Also hoped you liked my attempt at using Araki's Bizarre style of humor with the dishwashing scene. Also added some culture shock for Johnny the American which I hope was amusing.
On an unrelated note, I hope you have all been following the new Stardust Crusaders anime because I have! Man! With David Productions capturing the spirit of JoJo so accurately it's no wonder I have the drive to continue this fic! Keep it up David Pro! Cannot wait for PET SHOP VS. IGGY, and that's a long ways away!
This story now has a rec & page on TV Tropes, so check that out from the link on my profile and add whatever you find appropriate.
Please leave any and all constructive criticism.
