Chapter 6 - 『Memories for the Scrapbook 』

Joseph waked up for the day feeling somewhat restless. It was hard to accustomed oneself to sleep in a sofa-turned-bed when he had slept in nice comfy beds all of his life. Not that he wasn't grateful to Soos for letting crash in the house of his Abuelita, it was far better than sleeping outside like a hobo, the only thing he was saying was that it had been a difficult transition.

Speaking of Abuelita…, Soos' grandmother had received him with open arms (though he noticed it was only after saying that he did have a paying job) and welcoming him to stay as long as liked. She reminded Joseph of his own grandmother Erina, yet at the same time he noticed that the two of them were almost the polar opposites of each other.

Whatever the case might be, Joseph tried to be as respectful with Abuelita as he did his own grandmother.

After washing up and putting on some clothes, Joseph found the old woman working hard to prepare breakfast. "Good morning, abuelita." When he first met her, he tried to refer to her as Mrs. Ramirez but she insisted for him to call her the same as Soos did. Being a guest on her home he did nothing but comply.

"Oh, señor Joestar, good morning." But the same didn't hold truth both ways. Joseph insisted the old woman to not be so formal with him and call him Jojo, but Abuelita refused to yield. "Let me prepare you some coffee."She had been extra accommodating towards him after Soos babbled out that he was a rich kid from the England who had been living in New York for some time now.

Abuelita wanted to treat him like he was some sort of great lord or something, which Joseph was vehemently against. She finally backed down when he told her that he was trying to live a summer without the commodities of his regular lifestyle and learn from the experience, akin to the story of the Prince and the Pauper except without the whole switcheroo.

That managed to convince her to tone it down with the whole royal treatment, yet she remained very formal when addressing him, and by that point Joseph had given up. So he took it with stride and didn't let it bother him.

After breakfast was served, Soos finally arrived to the table. "Good Morning, dude! Abuelita!" the man greeted cheerfully as he took his seat.

"Good morning, mijo!"

"Good morning, Soos!"

Joseph also got to know more about Soos thanks to his stay. The English teen had to admit that the portly man was a lot different than he initially believed; Soos was… , a man with a child like personality, but he wasn't annoying nor incompetent. In fact, he was the total opposite. His easy-going personality and wholesome optimism as almost everything made it difficult for someone to really hate him, and he was a heck of a handy-man if what half the stuff Joseph had seen him repair was any indication.

That and he was very good a video-games, making him a formidable opponent that was fun to play with.

"Are you ready for today, Jojo?" Soos asked amicably in between bites of his breakfast. "Today's is going to be fun!"

"Not to discourage you or anything, but spending the whole day working at the shack with Stan as a taskmaster isn't my definition of fun." That man really squeezed down to the last cent out of Joseph's time and effort.

In reality, since Joseph was not really someone who was used to "working hard" at stuff, especially in regards to a job he felt that Stan was exploiting him. He disliked Stan because of it, but if the positions were reversed he would totally do the same as the old showman.

Joseph's job at the shack wasn't exactly complicated. Mostly he was used as a side business while also being an "attraction" to appeal and lure in the Teenage Female Demographic.

He remembered how that conversation went and how the rest of the day proceeded.

『Flashback』

"You want me to do what?!"

"I told you, I want you to wash visitors' cars." Stan repeated, much to Joseph's horror. "I'm branching out and with this extra service I can charge visitors even more!" It was genius really, most tourists forgo to washing their cars when traveling on the road, so when they arrive to the shack with their dirty cars, they would not be able to say no for a car washing service.

"Just so you know, I've never washed a car before." Joseph hoped that this would discourage Stan from this.

"People who never went to school can do this job, I'm sure you can figure it out." Stan said not backing out. Then a devious smirk appeared in his old wrinkly face. "But since I'm a generous man, I'll lend you my car for you to practice on for your new job!"

"Wow, you are very generous…" Jojo responded, sarcasm oozing from every word.

"I know, right!" But Stan either ignored it completely or he just plain didn't notice. "Oh, by the way, don't forget to put on your uniform."

"Uniform?"

『x-x-x』

"Ok, this is demeaning." Joseph made his opinion known as he looked down as his uniform.

He was wearing red short swim shorts and a white "A-shirt" or Tank-top, that was a size too small for him, making his muscles pop out, so to speak; and the word's Mystery Shack written on the front and the back.

And the worst part is that he had to pay Stan for the uniform. The cheap bastard!

"Well, the life of a prostitute usually is." Wendy mocked from her usual place behind the counter of the gift shop. "Especially with Stan as your pimp."

"I don't follow, care to explain." Joseph crossed his arms in front of him looking at the redhead with narrowed eyes.

"What is to explain?" Wendy couldn't help but laugh. "Not only did he pretty you up and put you in a revealing get-up you had to pay yourself, now he will parade you around like a piece of meat and sell your services for hours on end and to cash on your hard work by paying you a miserable amount for the services you provided. In other words: prostitute."

Joseph lifted one finger to try and object and maybe counter Wendy's statement, but he realize that she was pretty spot on. Despite that, he wasn't going to stay silent. "Ok, first of all I think the correct term is Escort…"

"Not if you end up dying during work hours."Wendy interrupted, "Then you are just a prostitute."

"Like I was saying…" Joseph continued on, "and second of all, I'm not a piece of meat, I am eye candy." He admitted. "But I can see why you'll be confused: I am a beefcake!" He then posed showing off his not so bad looking physique. "Can't blame ya for wanting me all for yourself, though."

"Yeah, you wish!" Wendy rolled her eyes and turned back to his magazine. "Not even in your dreams."

"Oh believe me, if you were on my dreams I would wake up in the middle of the night screaming in terror."

Ever since he had met Wendy and was kind of a jerk towards her, this back and forward of mocking and teasing became their thing. So far Joseph found it really fun been able to have someone who would talk back to him. It was both challenging and enjoyable.

『x-x-x』

"OH MY GOD!" Joseph shouted over dramatically.

"Yo dude, what's up?" Soos was the first to arrive at the scene and looked on as Jojo stepped away from a car he was suppose to be washing.

"There's blood under the car!" He was no stranger to blood, heck, when he beat up punks in New York, some of their blood would spill on him. Regardless, finding strange blood was still a shocking thing to happen to anyone.

"I think I know what it is, Jo!" Soos said strangely calm despite the situation they were currently in. After walking up the car and kneeling down to get a better look, the handyman confirmed his suspicions. "Yep, it is road-kill."

"Road-Kill?!"

"Yep, pretty common when driving through highways and whatnot." He explained all to blasé it was disturbing for Jojo.

"What do we do know?" The teen was really at loss as to what to do in these types of situations.

"I'll get a trash bag, a shovel and a scraper." Soos informed the teen before going to retrieve said objects.

Jojo's respect for Soos rose up after seeing him deal with the carcass. How long had he done these types of nasty, grizzly jobs to not be the little bit nauseous? Despite his child-like behavior the man was a professional at his job.

『x-x-x』

"Thank god, that's the last one." Joseph wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand after he was done washing the last visitor's car. Since he had never actually had a job before, especially one that was physically demanding, he felt himself more tired and sweaty than when he did exercise.

He was sweating so much that his soaked shirt was really becoming a bother.

"I better take it off." Without thinking it twice, Joseph pulled off his wet shirt exposing his bare chest to the whole world to witness; except there wasn't anyone around to see.

Or so he thought…

*Click*

"Uh? What was that?" Startled by the strange sound, the bare-chested teen looked around for the culprit, and the culprit was none other than a small girl with a Polaroid camera of all things.

"Mabel? What are you doing?"

"It's for the scrapbook!" The girl said as she waved the picture she had taken. "I do it so I can always look back remember the fun memories of the summer." She then pasted the picture inside a book and put decorations and sparkles around it. "I call this: Jojo's first day at the job!"

"That's kinda nice, actually." It was the sort of thing kids didn't do as often these days, since it was all about the internet and posting pictures online in social media. "Kinda reminds me of my Granny Erina." She too had scrapbooks filled with photos about her youth, when she had been dating his Grandfather Jonathan in her teens. But after that the death of her husband, there were no more photos or scrapbooks.

"Granny…?" Mabel repeated sounding less upbeat, and Joseph realized the reason why.

"No, I'm not telling you act like a granny or anything." He quickly corrected. "I mean that I find it really endearing, because I love my Granny very much." Admitting that out-loud was really uncool, but it was a small price in order to cheer the girl up and not discourage her by insulting her indirectly. Thankfully, his words were enough to turn her back to her cheerful self. "So keep on taking pictures!"

"Thanks, Jojo!" Mabel then walked up towards him and asked, "Can I take a picture with the two of us?" Joseph nodded, seeing no problem with that.

"Of course, just make sure to capture my good side." He winked before kneeled down to her level so she could take a picture.

"Oh, Jojo! All your sides are great." The two of them laughed as the picture was taken.

Mabel waved the pictured to reveal it and when the image appeared, she noticed something on Joseph's shoulder. "Jojo! Do you have a tattoo?" She showed and point at the picture. "It looks like a star."

"Oh, that's not a tattoo. It's a birthmark." He turned his back to her to show her. "Apparently all members of the Joestar lineage are born with the same birthmark on our shoulder."

"A star-shaped family birthmark? That is so cute!" Or better yey, why not call it a cutie mark.

"I was expecting cool, but I accept your compliment!"

『x-x-x』

"Can I ask you a question, Joseph?" Dipper asked looking at Joseph who was sitting inside the gift shop looking tired.

"Fire away, little buddy!" Joseph was trying to recover from his tiring day while waiting for Soos to finish so they could both head to his house.

"How come you are so tired?" He asked, and when he got a curious look from Joseph he quickly elaborated. "I mean, for a guy with the muscles you have, I thought that maybe you exercised and work your body harder than the job of washing cars, you know…"

"I'll let you in a little secret, Dipper." The teen answered sounding tired too. "I do exercise but never to the extent that would explain these muscles. In fact I believe I look like this because of genetics."

"Genetics?"

"Yes, I mean, my grandfather was built like a brick wall and so did my father. So by that logic…"He trailed off, thinking he made his point clear enough.

"But that's not how genetics works." The ever so smart boy pointed out.

"I also inherited the ability to create energy from the Ripples caused by my breathing. I think the conventions of what is considered normal do not apply to me." Which meant he was either very special or a freak of nature; or maybe a little bit of both.

"Speaking of the Ripple…" Dipper changed the subject accepting Joseph's answers for now, "Didn't you say that the Ripple Energy was used not only for fighting but also for medical treatments ?"

"Yeah, so?" The teen didn't know where the boy was going with this.

"So, couldn't you use that breathing technique of yours and used the Ripple Energy to sooth your soreness?" After he suggested this, Joseph remained deathly quiet for a few seconds with an expression that showed that his mind was totally blown!

"コオオオオ!" Jojo used his Hamon breathing technique and started glowing yellow. After a whole minute of this, Jojo finally let the Energy dissipate and the light he shone dimmed completely.

"Dipper…" He said with a stone cold expression.

"Yes…?"

"You are my goddamn Hero." He then grabbed the boy and placed him in a playful hold. "I owe you a big one!"

"N-No p-problem…" He struggled to even say. "C-Could you please let me breathe again."

『Back to the Present』

Sure it had being a mixed bag of emotions and experiences. But honestly he desperately needed a day off. "I just want a nice relaxing day."

"That's perfect! Because today is Opening Day of Fishing Season!" Soos announced excitedly. "Everyone in town will be there. So no work today."

"No work today?! Are you serious?" Jojo could not believe those beautiful words coming out of Soos' mouth, "Does that mean we'll have the entire day to rest while Stan spends the day fishing?"

"Even better! We are going fishing too!"

"What…?" He could almost hear the sound of his me-day breaking apart into pieces and blown away by the wind.

"It will be awesome! We can even catch out own dinner for tonight!" The handyman was really excited by the prospect of spending the day fishing, a sentiment that the Joestar didn't fully shared.

"I don't know Soos, I've never gone fishing before." The only time he had been on a "boat" was when Speedagown and Granny Erina were invited to a party on a yacht.

"You'll like it, it is great!" He reassured with his ever present optimism. "Besides, fishing is super easy and very relaxing."

"If you say so…" Jojo wasn't entirely convinced, but apparently this was something the handyman really wanted to do, and he owed him one for helping him deal with the road kill on his first day. "So what? We just drive to the lake and rent a boat or something?" He really wasn't sure what the exact procedure for going fishing really was.

"No dude! I got something better!"Soos said sounding giddy. "We will take the S.S. Cool Dude and put it in the lake."

"Wait! You have your own boat?!" Despite living with the guy for some days now, Soos always found a way to surprise Jojo.

く==ToBeContinued==

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Author Notes:

This was supposed to be the chapter about the Gobblewonker, but I decided to instead move that to the next chapter and focus on little moments between Joseph and the members of the Mystery Shack. I hope you like it.

And please leave a comment or a review. I'd love to hear what you guys think or want from this story.

Also If you love Jojo, please check out "Iggy's Bizarre Adventures" because Iggy really needs more love.