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madimpossibledreamerIn other news, Fitz is not included on cast list because he's not from JJBA or Buffy. Comment on characterization, if you wish!
Also, Author-kun has developed the serious Jojo's disease of WANTING TO POSE ALL THE TIME. News at 11.
Main Points:
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Xander has the answers he seeks within his grasp, but feels uneasy.
Word Count: 1659
Rating: K
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
He can tell that the trip wasn't actually wasted, which is a bit of a surprise, the moment he answers the phone. There's a suppressed excitement in Wesley's voice that's new.
"That was exactly what we needed, surprisingly enough. I was able to find a few personal items of your mother's, and some notes. I read a little through them, and I believe they might be notes on the Stone Mask. Also, the one who wrote those notes is one Jonathan Joestar."
He couldn't help the snort. "Joestar? That's a goofy name."
Wesley doesn't even pause to scorn his lack of knowledge or launch into a lecture on the history of the name. He's completely unperturbed, which means that this really was something. "That may be true, but it also happens to be the name of a number of legendary vampire fighters unsanctioned by the Council. We've never been able to find anything to substantiate the rumors, though if I'm right, it'll soon be an undisputed fact." Just history lessons didn't interest him, but if the notes actually warned of the danger of the mask...
"That's great. Um...was there anything to suggest who my mother...who mom was?" Of course, that was probably less important at the moment, but he still couldn't get rid of the fear and excitement at the thought.
The pause indicated that he probably hadn't been so successful on that front. "Not particularly, though it's possible she worked for the family or for the organization that was rumored to be highly connected to it. Unfortunately, there was no original birth certificate or anything of that kind left there."
Xander sighed. "Thanks. ...Oh, yeah, how'd you find it? I mean, you mentioned three towns, right? And they're probably small, but still...that was a lot quicker than I'd have expected."
"I...improvised." That didn't sound promising. "I printed a picture of your mother and showed it to townsfolk until one of them said that she'd agreed to look after some of your mother's possessions until she or a representative came for them."
He blinks. He'd probably never have actually thought about that, considering they were following esoteric clues like some sort of planetary treasure hunt. "That was a lot simpler than I'd have expected."
"Considering the trouble we had getting to this point, I concur. I'm sending you the materials; they should arrive in at most a week," Wesley continued.
Xander found himself nodding before he realized what had just been said. "...W-wait, what? But I don't know other languages! Shouldn't you be keeping this stuff and reading it considering that you're the guy who knows the languages?"
On the other end of the line, he heard a snort. "It's in English, Xander. And since I know a name to go on, now, I'm sure I'll be able to find something. Genealogy is a hobby of mine."
Xander pauses. Nope, not going to ask about that one. It's better not to ask, since he doesn't actually want the really, really long lecture.
"You wanted proof, correct? I didn't have time to read every page thoroughly, but I do believe this is the proof you wanted." A shiver runs down Xander's back...but this is a good thing. Isn't it?
Ordinarily, Xander would never have entered a bookstore on his own volition, but here he was, walking into a tiny little store crammed in among all the other stores. He could imagine Giles, either behind the counter, or walking among the shelves looking for esoteric volumes on magic or demons. It almost reminded him of the Magic Box, if the Magic Box had had less customers and more stuff to sell just crammed everywhere.
The shop didn't particularly have a name, just read 'books' and had a large painted wooden star below the word. The name, Joestar, and the shooting star from his dream had been bothering him. Following random whims, at this point, was probably all he could do. Besides, if he was going to trust in his own intuition, he might as well go all the way.
"May I help you?" Xander startled. He had been under the impression that the people working in bookstores just let you browse. Apparently not.
He glanced up, and didn't see what he was expecting either. The guy at the counter wasn't an old British dude wearing glasses, for one thing. He was about Xander's age, and he wasn't wearing a suit. Oh, the vest and the tie were nice, but the tie...wasn't tied completely straight. It pretty much looked like all of Xander's (luckily few) attempts to wear a tie. And he was wearing a hat vaguely like a baseball cap, but with a tweed pattern. Apparently, Britain really was the Land of the Tweed. It didn't quite match the outfit, but whatever. Xander wasn't some fashion designer or anything.
Apparently, he's taken too long staring, because the guy snorts. "Were you looking for a book, by chance?"
"Yeah, I was, actually." He tries to make a joke out of it, with a friendly grin, but the narrowed, judgmental gaze doesn't change. Even he's a little intimidated. Still, he tries to goof around a little more, since it works on Willow and Giles, who sometimes bemoan his disinterest in reading. Maybe it'll work on this guy, too. "It's never too late, right? I mean, starting at some point is good, even if it takes a while."
The guy lets out a long-suffering sigh and places a bookmark in what he's currently reading. "What kind of movies do you tend to like? I can probably point you in the direction of a good example of a genre, or even a few books that were made into movies if that would help you ease into it. We don't want to scare you away from reading forever by making it too difficult."
Xander's about to be offended when he catches the smallest of smiles pulling at very corner of the bookstore worker's mouth. Instead, he decides to play along. "Oh, yeah, that would definitely be bad. I want my very first experience reading to be a good one."
The blond pauses in his journey around the edge of the counter and to the only customer to cover his face with his palm. "I knew American schools were inferior. That is an American accent, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Xander's tempted to share little tidbits about life at Sunnydale High, but only for a moment. It's never a good idea to start talking about Hellmouths or eggs that took over your mind to most members of a populace. He could actually talk about Principal Snyder, the troll, but he hadn't wanted the guy to get eaten no matter how terrible a person he was, which is a kind of depressing thought. "Actually, I'm here for stuff on old British families, if that's a thing you have?"
The surprised blink should probably also be insulting, but he was used to it by now. "It...is. Are you looking at genealogy, then?"
That word again. "Does that mean family history?" Given the context, he can make a guess, but...
Another long-suffering sigh, and the man goes back behind the counter, pulling out a heavy-looking binder with pages and pages of neat handwriting in various inks. "It does. Which family in particular? If they're a famous family, we should have something in stock, or we can order something if you prefer."
"Then, yeah. From what I hear, they are a kind of famous family, but my mom probably just comes from a related family or something. I don't know anything about her side of the family, and since everyone on my dad's side is drunk, I thought maybe I'd go looking for hope in my mom's side. Or something." Not really all of it, but it would be nice to know.
Well, okay, that's why he works here. He can flip through that book faster than Willow can babble. "All right, I'm to the right section. Which family?"
"The Joestars." He waits for the guy to laugh, and tell him that he's never heard of them, and that it's a ridiculous name, but this guy does really, really well at defying expectation.
The wide-eyed stare is kind of unnerving, though.
Eventually, he begins to wonder if the guy is still even alive, but figures that asking a question before poking the guy is probably a good idea. "Did I say something weird?"
The blond shakes his head quickly, trying to hide the shock on his face. "N-no. I just...didn't expect to have actually heard of them. I-well, we don't...that is, I don't think..." It took him a little longer to get himself together, but eventually he does it. "I don't think we have any books on them currently. They're not as famous as the royal family, for example. I'm pretty sure actual books on them are fairly rare, because very little is actually known about them, but...I can keep an eye out for you, if you want."
Well, that was...both more and less productive than he wanted. Knowing answers are there but being stuck on the other side of the door from them was getting a little frustrating. Still, Xander doesn't let it show on his face. Despite being a bit arrogant, the guy had actually been really nice and helpful. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks, um..."
"Fitz. No problem. What name should I put on the notice? I'm not the only one who works here, and if we get a shipment, I'd like to make sure it gets to you as soon as possible." The Englishman had drawn out a pen attached to a feather and was now staring expectantly at his customer.
This was probably not the best idea, but he'd already come this far. "Xander Harris."
"It's a pleasure to enable your reading, Xander Harris." Fitz waved as Xander exited the store and then went back to his book.
