Chapter 29 - Enter Higashikata Family
Tokyo, Japan, 26 April 1986
"So, how..." Megumin whispered as we started to formulate our plan.
"We get there, turn off those UV lamps, or at the very worst, cut off the cables," I said as I reached for big, sharp scissors with a nice thick plastic handle that usually used by my mother to trim the garden inside the nearby drawer. "Would create a painful mess, but this is the easiest way to draw some blood."
I point that scissors' sharp tip across my palm before tossing that scissors to Megumin, who quickly hide it inside her skirt pocket. We both understand that Aqua will require blood to be restored, and it would mean cutting our palms or get something as a source of blood so it would be painful. Good thing that she could heal people afterward, but cutting yourself up is never a pleasant option at the first place.
"Got it," said Megumin while looking toward the garden, where great-grandmother was last seen as she carried the telephone there. "That old witch seems to be talking to someone over the phone."
"What are we waiting for then, we shouldn't just look at the gift horse in the mouth, we have no time to waste!"
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
...
"Onii-san, onee-san, where are you going?" said the little boy as he noticed us standing up as we have settled that this is one hell of a chance to free Aqua, even with the risks involved, might still be worth it to try.
"Sssh, be a good boy and just watch the TV, okay?" I put my (hopefully) most convincing smile as I pat his head, trying to make sure this little toddler did not do something that will cause great-grandmother to return far too early than she should be.
"But that nice granny said that I should not go far away from you two until she returns," said the toddler, Josuke-chan, as he stands up and grabs the bottom of my gakuran overcoat.
"But Josuke-chan, you still have a slight fever, and we..." I tried to muster a reason to made this little boy not interfering with our plan, but I just can't say a good enough reason, so I look at Megumin to take over with her chuuni skills, that should be enough to halt a toddler for a while, at least. "Oi Megumin, say something..."
"We're off to do some grown-up stuff, Josuke-chan, and good little children should not watch at the first place!" said Megumin in her sweetest tone as she tried to help me pull this toddler out of my Gakuran, that only result in him tugging on Megumin's skirt instead.
"But I want to be with you two! What if that ghost comes again!"
I rolled my eyes as I thought to just take out whatever stand disc is inside this little boy and get done with it, but since said stand hasn't properly manifested, I do have some concerns if that will cause some sort of damage or anything, so...
"Just don't worry about that ghost, Josuke-chan..." I said while noticing that a pink-and-silver ghostly arm seem to appear at his side, and before I could say anything, the little guy actually seen his own stand first and scream in panic.
"GHOOOOOOSSSTTT!" said Josuke-chan as he hugs Megumin's leg even tighter. Of course, to those who knew what stands actually are, this is akin to being frightened with one's own shadow, but to try telling that to a not-yet-three years old child.
"Sssshhh! Don't be that loud dammit!" I said as I close his mouth before Josuke-chan's scream could cause either my mom or worse, great-grandmother to come running here. "There, don't be afraid, that is actually yours, to begin with! Look, this arm obviously coming from the inside of you, see?"
"Emmmf?" mumbled the toddler as he takes a peek toward that pink-and-silver arm while it seems to move on its own in return, but even as he managed to look at it without screaming, I do feel his fever just going somewhat warmer, so...
"Just don't think too much about it, you should rest, and let us doing our own grown-up stuff, okay?" I said while lifting the little boy and carry him to sit in front of the television.
"You are too young to understand this, Josuke-chan!" said Megumin while patting the little boy on top of his head. "You will understand when you were older."
"But I will be three this year! I am a big... boy..." said the toddler while he tugs on Megumin's hand, but we then noticed that his face become even more flushed red as I could see another pink-and-silver arm appears on the other side of his body.
"Uh... Why did this happen?" I put Josuke-chan on top of the tatami and put a cushion behind his head. "You could *control* those arms, right?"
"G... Ghost... Ghost..." said the toddler, obviously frightened with his own stand even as said arms following by flailing around and one accidentally knocked the plastic cup filled with water from the table.
"Well, maybe I should do this from the get-go, it seems that your stand has already manifested so..." I said as I summoned Whitesnake to my side. I immediately regret my choice though as this toddler turned even more frightened about the sudden appearance of my stand.
"WAAAAAA! WAAAAAA! WAAAAAA! WAAAAAA! WAAAAAA!" if his earlier uncooperativeness already inconvenience us, this time the screaming cry of the toddler should equal to a loud alarm, and obviously, a crying toddler like this only attract...
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
"Jojo? What happened?" said my mom as she entered the room with a ladle at her hand. "Is something wrong?"
Mother immediately go to Josuke-chan's side and took him on her arms, trying to comfort the crying toddler even as I realized that our only chance to free Aqua from her stone form is practically vaporized now.
"Uh... Mom... Josuke-chan's fever suddenly going worse, and I tried to take out his stand, but..."
"GHOOOSSSTTT! WAAAAAA! WAAAAAA!" the toddler just keep crying on my mother's arms, all while unhelpfully pointing toward the general direction of Whitesnake.
"Are you sure you are not being the one who frightens him at the first place?" said my mother; sure, she can't see Whitesnake right now, but it seems she did have the general idea of what happened.
"You remember that I pulled out your stand when it manifested right? I just want to do the same to this boy since..."
"You haven't pry out his stand disc right?" said great-grandmother with concern as she comes running with telephone still on her hand. Dammit, baby cries that become a practically homing beacon for all mothers to come to coddle him.
Not wanting to cause a further ruckus, I unsummoned Whitesnake from my side and give great-grandmother my best 'innocent' look. It seems unneeded though as great-grandmother seems to be more interested in said toddler herself than her usual hands-on-violent approach when it comes to her great-grandson.
"Don't worry too much about him, Holly..." said great-grandmother as she took the toddler from my mothers' arms while noticing the pink-and-silver arms coming out from Josuke-chan's body, before speaking back on the phone with her free hand. "Yes Avdol, it seems that my grandson is... Uh... My great-grandson hasn't taken away the toddler's stand disc..."
Dammit, it seems that having a toddler in the house made great-grandmother think him as her grandson while conveniently forgetting that I am her great-grandson. I feel so jealous right now...
"Uh... Don't say that... They haven't known about that yet... Yes... Don't... But... You want to speak with Jozuma?" said great-grandmother before she hands me the telephone, and predictably, I could hear Avdol's voice talking on the other side.
"Jozuma, how the stand of your... The... The toddler you brought to your house?" said Avdol, apparently also panicked from being consulted in such sudden matter.
"I've seen a pair of pink-and-silver arms coming from him, and I thought there is some apparition of a tall silvery cylinder near his head."
"Humanoid stand... His fever is going worse, isn't it?"
"Yes, should I took his stand out like..."
"Being a little child did not favor his mental strength, but... I need you to stay with you... Uh... I need you to stay with the toddler... To take his stand disc out just in case he won't survive the incoming bouts of fever. But don't take his stand out before it either fully manifested OR he would be dead otherwise. We are not sure about taking a non-fully formed stand from the user yet, so we need you to observe first and..."
"But why did all of you insist me to just take out my mom's stand disc if all she needs to endure is just some days of fever?"
"Your mother... Is a special case... It was indeed mostly about your mother's lack of mental strength, but then her kindness combined with her lack of fighting spirit is very likely to cause her to stand to be something that saps away her own strength and cause her to wither away. I'll explain more about that in the future, but right now our focus should be on saving the toddler."
"Sure... But..."
"Listen Jozuma, being a little child fortunately also meant he could more easily adapt to his stand, and considering his... Uh... How to say it... Hmmm... Just ask Lady Elizabeth about it... Just... Make sure the boy is fine, right? Your great-grandmother knew what to do already, just follow her words."
"Eh... Sure..." I said while mentally noted that Avdol seems to be very uncomfortable about something, but maybe this is just about him have seen people die from their stands, and I know that he must try his best to give the advice to save the poor little toddler. "But why can't I just take his stand away like my mother?"
"Stands are the projection of the user's spirit, and taking out immature projection might end up with unforeseen complications. The best we could do right now, is, unfortunately, observe his development, and only take away his stand if that was going into a really life-threatening situation because there is a chance that his stand might develop normally and not really threatening his life at the first time."
"But I don't understand why did..."
"Listen, your mother is a different case, even if the source of their stands is you... Wait... It is complicated, but trust us, just listen to your great-grandmother, she'll know when the toddler's stand is really life-threatening or not."
"Alright... But..." I said while I swear I heard Avdol sighed and speak outside the phone about something that sounds like 'dammit Mr. Joestar', so when he seems to be on the line again. "Oi Avdol, did my grandfather is there, I hear you said..."
"No... Mr. Joestar is not here... Mr. Joestar is not here..." said Avdol, but great-grandmother just quickly took the phone from my hand for some reasons.
"Avdol, there is no need to call upon Joseph right now, I'm sure he has his hands full with the ASPCA vet staffs murder case, as we are obliged to actually keep the existence of that dog stand user being secret from the greater public... Well... Don't worry about that... Don't say anything to anyone... I'll arrange for you to come to Japan in two or three days... I'll call you later..."
Great-grandmother turned off the call with a sigh. At her face, an awkward, pained expression as she slowly shook her head, before putting her hand on Josuke-chan's forehead to take the rough account of his temperature.
"What's wrong great-granny?"
"My... This little boy must stay here for days or even weeks to come. We'll try to look for his mother's family and inform them about his condition..." said great-grandmother before she ends up looking at my mom. "Holly, you have a thermometer here, right?"
"That was in my room, but..."
"Then we have no time to spare..." said great-grandmother as she softly put Josuke-chan on top of the arranged cushions, before quickly walk to my parents' room, with my mother following her behind. "And don't frighten him with your stand, I'm sure the toddler will be alright!"
And out of all this, great-grandmother did seem to honestly forget about her duty of guarding stone-Aqua, as she didn't even remember to lock that room. But as we think to dash and free Aqua from there, there is a sick little boy left here, and in worst case scenario when something bad happened to him...
"Well, we can't just leave Josuke-chan right now..." I said with a sigh to Megumin.
"Maybe we'll get another chance tomorrow," said Megumin as she shook her head and return the scissors back to its former place.
...
Looking at the feverish toddler sleeping is definitely not our first choice to spend the Saturday night, but it's not like we have other choices here.
"EEEEEEH?" said my mother rather loudly from the room before everything went silent again.
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
"What happened?" said Megumin, looking at the source of my mother's sudden exclamation, after some minutes being practically spent in silence.
"I'll check that..." I said while standing up and walking toward my mother's room.
...
"Great-granny? Mom? Is there something wrong?" I said as I knocked on the door, and after some time, great-grandmother opened the door while my mom seems to sorting out my old clothes from the cardboard box.
"Well Jojo..." said my mother as great-grandmother just looking at her. "Josuke-chan will stay here for an indeterminate period of time, and he needs someone to watch over him while your great-grandmother needs to watch over your pillar woman friend, so..."
Dammit, it seems that the old witch did not forget about Aqua at all, so...
"I asked your mother, if we haven't found Josuke's mother, she would take care of the poor toddler instead. I know that this might be too much but..." great-grandmother is looking at my mom, and she just awkwardly raise her shoulder in return.
"Well, I... I have no objection about that, Josuke-chan could sleep in my room at night."
"You know, we could simply wake Aqua up and ask her to take care of the toddler, right?" I said before great-grandmother's first land on my head with a loud *THWACK*. "OUCH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!
"I won't let the Pillar Woman touch my... That... That... That innocent boy! She might end up thinking he is her food or worse!"
"I'm just joking dammit!" I said as I nurse the bump on my head, but great-grandmother just glared at me further.
"Uh, Jojo... I don't mind if I should take care of another toddler," said my mother in her sweetest, most innocent tone. "The Speedwagon Foundation is still looking for his mother, but you know, being a sickly three years old, we can't exactly entrust him with your or Megumin-chan, so..."
"Unless your girlfriend or maybe you yourself volunteer to help us taking care of that little boy in the first place. Being responsible if he ends up wetting his bed, bathing him, ensuring he won't cry all night..." added great-grandmother as I immediately raised my eyebrows at the bedwetting comment.
"Uh... No thanks... Geez... What's with you old ladies and your fascination with little children..."
...
Tokyo, Japan, 27 April 1986
"We are very sorry for your inconvenience Mrs. Kujo, we promise that this kind of gravest mistake shall never happen again!" said a man in formal business suit prostrating himself from the seiza position, and at his back, the two security staffs, those who previously insisted that Josuke-chan was my little brother, end up following suit with the apology.
"Well, it was nothing manager-san, Josuke-chan is a good boy and he did not inconvenience us in any way," said my mother while looking toward the other surprise guests who currently being seated at the other side of the table with us. "It was a welcome surprise, actually, I like little children, but you see, Jozuma has already entered high school so..."
My mother pats my head as I could only sit at her side, while great-grandmother is currently at her room working with some documents over something that I didn't really know.
"Well, that's a relief to see that my grandson stays with good people," said a middle-aged man, that from my assessment, couldn't be much older than my own mother, and might actually be her junior. "You have my greatest gratitude for what you've done to help Josuke, ma'am."
That middle-aged man already introduces himself as Higashikata Ryohei, Josuke-chan's grandfather, and as soon as I remember it, realizes that he is indeed the middle-aged police officer we have seen on TV several days ago. Of course, he was obviously very pissed off over how those so-called securities end up refusing to take a real lost boy over 'superficial facial similarities' and thus end up causing him to go around Tokyo all night long, looking at the social services and other similar places for his missing grandson.
"It is nothing Higashikata-san, I for one, actually very amused over how Jozuma suddenly come home and bringing my little brother... Err... What was thought by others as my son's little brother..."
"Your mother's little brother?" Megumin whispered at my ear, apparently noticing my mother's sudden slip in her usually spotless Japanese, but considering the tense situation.
"Can't blame her, do you think it would be better if she thought Josuke-chan was her grandson instead?" I replied while mentally noting that particular slip is indeed unusual, but if anyone else noticing that, it seem that they only thought a gaijin housewife having some word slips in her non-native language.
"Still, thank you very much for your hospitality to my grandson, Mrs. Kujo," said the middle-aged man with a chuckle, as he too apparently noticing the slip in my mother's words. "We hope that we could repay your kindness one day."
"It is our pleasure Higashikata-san," said my mother as she smiles toward the toddler, Josuke-chan, who currently sit happily on the lap of someone surprisingly familiar with us. "Jozuma is our only son, and I do find this mistake is rather amusing, but... I'm glad that we could be in touch with each other, as a mother, I know how it feels to lose my own son."
And sure, the one who held Josuke tight on her lap is none other than the onee-san from before, the one who falls from her bike, meet us at the ice-cream parlor, and have been here once with Yoshikage-san because Dino-Darkness wrecked her bike.
"T... Thank you Mrs. Kujo..." said the onee-san while wiping some of her tears. "I... I think I lost Josuke yesterday... It was a pleasant surprise to found him here for me, too..."
"So, Josuke-chan is your son? Gee... I never thought you've already being married, Tomoko-san. There's no wonder why my onii-sama said that you are just his acquaintance!" said Megumin to the onee-san, and I could see that her face turned into a deep frown for a moment, but then she just shook her head and get her smile back.
"You know each other?" said the middle-aged man to his daughter.
"She's the little sister of Yoshikage-san, the charming, polite man I told you earlier," said Tomoko-san with a blush on her face.
"Oh... Yoshikage... Kira Yoshikage? Kira? Kira... Hmmm..." said the middle-aged man with an awkward grin before he seems to remember something. "Wait a minute, little miss, you used to be the explosion maniac of Morioh, aren't you? Throwing firecrackers at things while loudly screaming 'Explosion!' at the passerby?"
"Eeeh, how..." now it's Megumin's turn to have her face turned red, but why did I am not surprised by the revelation of her past time at Morioh?
"You not remember me aren't you? I am a police officer who caught you in the act and brought you to the police station until your father come and plead for your release!" said the middle-aged man with a laugh. "You're not playing with firecrackers anymore, right?"
"Uh..."
"Why did I am not surprised with that, false explosion my ass..." I whispered to Megumin as she could only hide her face under the table when everyone else laughs at the revelation.
"Shut up!" said Megumin weakly as even the store manager and security staffs joined in the laugh.
"Anyway Mrs. Kujo, it was a surprise pleasure to see that we end up meet here, but now, with my wife still waiting for good news at home, maybe..."
"Do you still have some time to spare, Higashikata-san? I already ordered for a lunch to all of us," said my mother politely, and the Higashikata family end up looking at each other in surprise.
"But you shouldn't have."
"I... Uh... Josuke-chan's presence does remind me of... My own son when he's a little, so, in a way, why not for us to have lunch together today?" said my mother while occasionally looking toward the direction of the room where great-grandmother is currently residing. "Manager-san and the securities could return to their job, but some little talk between us won't hurt..."
Looking that this must be where great-grandmother took over and inform the Higashikata family that their grandson/son is a stand user...
"The telephone is over here, Higashikata-san," I said politely as I stand and show the middle-aged man the location of the telephone. "You could inform your wife about the whereabouts of your grandson, and we could have a friendly lunch afterward.
"Oh, sure... Thank you..."
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
...
After the manager of the Arcade and the security, staffs has been sent away, I end up knocking the furniture storage room where great-grandmother (and stone-Aqua) currently resides, thinking that if this was the time when Speedwagon Foundation business should start, maybe...
"Dammit Joseph, that girl could be his granddaughter! Her father is even younger than Holly! How I should inform this to Suzie and Lala at the first place..." muttered great-grandmother as I found that the door is surprisingly not locked. "WHAT! Jozuma, why are you here!?"
Looking that great-grandmother is currently looking toward some papers in the folder, and stone-Aqua still stand in the center of the room being held by series of high-intensity UV lamps.
"The manager of the store and the securities have gone back to their work or whatever, and the Higashikata family agreed to stay for lunch. Isn't this the time when you should show your face and..." I said while noticing the overall security measures erected around stone-Aqua's inert form. "You should come out and..."
*THWACK!*
"Tell your mother I'll be there in five minutes, and do not look at your Pillar Woman friend that way! If you tried to wake her, you will regret it, I promise..." said great-grandmother as she slammed the shoji door in front of my face.
So she didn't just forget about Aqua at all, eh... Well...
...
