Miyagi Prefecture, Sendai City, 5:04 PM
Jotaro stepped out of the taxi, greeted by the embrace of sour weather. The sky hung low, and drops of rain descended, but he didn't seem to care and closed the car door behind him.
Then, Jotaro began walking through the rain without so much as glancing back. He didn't summon Star Platinum to shield him from the rain—it seemed too much.
His footsteps led him into a nearby clothing store, where he quickly picked out a pair of casual clothes: a gray shirt, a plain black coat, simple dark brown pants, and a basic cap to replace his old eye catching hat.
Once outside he noticed the rain stop. Next moment Star Platinum materialized briefly, clenching his jujutsu uniform with enough force to compress the clothes into an unrecognizable small ball before tossing it into a nearby dumpster. With that task done, Jotaro made his way to a place he had been meaning to visit for a while: a bathhouse.
Though he could have easily rented a hotel room for the same purpose, the idea of soaking in a traditional bathhouse felt more rewarding. The warmth in combination with the outside was just what he needed.
After a few minutes of walking Jotaro entered a building, meet by a young women. Paying the small toll, Jotaro received some towels and went to the man's outdoor bath.
Since it was still early in the morning the bathhouse had only just opened, and it was empty, save for the faint scent of fresh steam that lingered in the air. He made his way to a secluded corner of the outdoor baths, where the gentle contrast between the hot water and the crisp cold air greeted his skin.
Lowering himself into the water, Jotaro sighed deeply, letting the stress of recent events melt away. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and allowed himself a rare moment of peace. Even Star Platinum seemed to enjoy the moment as he stood in the water few meters distance away, respecting Jotaro's need for quiet.
But it didn't last long.
A faint sound caught Jotaro's attention. A rustling in the nearby bushes. Jotaro opened one eye, his gaze shifting toward the disturbance. To his surprise, a small frog emerged, hopping onto the edge of the bath.
"What's a frog doing in a bathhouse?" Jotaro muttered under his breath. While it was an outdoor bath, this wasn't exactly its natural habitat.
To his further bewilderment, the frog suddenly flipped onto its back and lay motionless, as though playing dead. Jotaro frowned, his confusion growing.
And then came a sound
Ring, ring, ring.
"A phone?" Jotaro muttered, his eyes darting around the empty bathhouse. It couldn't be his—he'd already discarded the emergency phone he'd been given by Jujutsu High.
Ring, ring, ring.
The sound was heard again, unmistakably coming from the direction of the frog. Jotaro's frown deepened. 'It can't be…'
Rising from the water, he stepped toward the frog cautiously. A glowing, purple hand emerged as Star Platinum materialized, carefully lifting the tiny creature. Jotaro inspected it more closely.
And there it was. Ring, ring, ring. The ringing sound was coming from the frog.
Jotaro felt like he'd been hit in the back of the head with a baseball bat. 'A frog... that's ringing like a phone.' He muttered a string of curses under his breath before reluctantly bringing the frog closer to his ear. He kept it at a slight distance, wary of touching it directly.
"...hello?" Jotaro finally answered, his voice full with skepticism.
"HEY!" A loud, familiar voice boomed from the frog. Jotaro recognized it immediately.
"You there, Jojo?" the voice called again.
"Yes, I am," Jotaro replied flatly, with a hint of irritation. The absurdity of the situation had left him momentarily stunned before he managed to calm down.
"Phew! How've you been? Great? That's nice to hear!" the voice rattled on, answering its own question before Jotaro could respond. "Anyway, I told you I'd call, so don't act surprised!"
"Listen up," the voice continued, suddenly adopting a more serious tone. "I might've skipped a few details before, so I'm filling you in now. This universe isn't the same one you know of, while most events might match there are some anomalies here and there, and I need you to keep things in cheek."
Jotaro raised an eyebrow. "Wait," he interrupted, closing his eyes as a headache began to brew. "What are you even talking about?"
"I can't talk for long," the voice said hurriedly. "But I've got a job for you. There's an object you might've heard of, the Stone Mask."
Jotaro's body tensing. "The Stone Mask?" he echoed in disbelief.
"Yeah, that's the one," the voice confirmed. "It's located somewhere near you, probably in the same city. I don't have the exact location, but I trust you'll figure it out. Good luck!"
"Wait!" Jotaro shouted "Don't hang up! I've got more questions!" But the line went dead, and the frog started moving around, back to life. Jotaro stared at the creature in silence.
A moment later he turned to leave, but then he noticed the female workers watching from a distance with a weird look on her face. She had came to peek at Jotaro but was left shocked when she saw him having an intense conversation with a frog.
"Tsk" Jotaro clicked his tongue in annoyance, releasing the frog and heading straight for the exit. After grabbing his clothes, he left the bathhouse, the earlier peace now completely shattered.
'The Stone Mask…' Jotaro thought grimly. He knew exactly what it was capable of. That mask could turn ordinary humans into vampiric monsters, granting them superhuman abilities while stripping away their humanity.
While he didn't consider a vampire a significant threat to himself, he couldn't forget how powerful Dio had become using the mask. If someone as fuc*ed up as him were to get their hands on it, it might become troublesome with time.
From zombie creation, regenerating, superhuman strength and speed, freezing, hypnosis or laser-like eye beams, you name it and a vampire could probably do it.
As he walked through the rain-soaked streets of Sendai, Jotaro felt a headache. The city was massive—tracking down the Stone Mask would be impossible. Without a lead, it could take him months, maybe even years, to search every corner.
He clenched his fists in frustration, his eyes narrowing. 'That stupid star!' he thought bitterly. 'Giving me vague instructions and expecting miracles.'
(A/N: Give 5 star review nieaw! :3 )