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madimpossibledreamerSomehow I lost both my Tatsuya and Jotaro icons in the transition back to 'normal'. Even deleting a few (the one with the line about support from Star Trek, iba, asura) didn't help. :( I could have sworn I used Asura and Iba less than that (and deleted those to check, and just got back Wright & Edgeworth for my trouble). Note for next time (if there is a next time): the one thing I did do is have one post already scheduled for after the switch, so maybe it kept that one because otherwise it wouldn't work? Maybe do that for one of these icons you want to keep.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Jotaro and the Captain investigate the commotion at the Balam Enforcement Center.
Word Count: 1093
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS
It’s not as dangerous as Jotaro had suspected. He won’t be arrogant enough to say that it’s completely free of danger. If anyone notices, for instance, the fact that this is outside and thus technically isn’t trespassing won’t be a defense, at least, not one that any police officers would be likely to listen to. His own experience says that much. Josuke’s an exception that doesn’t realize he’s an exception, a kind of obliviousness inherited from the old man. At the same time, it’s not a jail cell, where you’d need permission to visit, and Jotaro has to assume some amount of public interaction is expected if not welcomed, because there’s three men with their hands and heads stuck in pillories.
He’s never seen one in real life, but plenty in Westerns, and figures that the objective is humiliation and exposure to the elements. An invitation for the townsfolk to throw rotten fruit or hurl insults, thereby participating in the perpetration of justice and affirming their own place in the community while simultaneously throwing another out of it. From what he’d read trying to prepare for this trip, the only surprise there is that the elites aren’t the ones dispensing justice and that it’s not a blood sport, but then, given that they’d just come from the pyramid, it’s likely that some of the inner, non-tourist parts of the pyramid are used for official business, such as trials, and that perhaps this is merely part of the sentence to reassert the status quo. Besides, if they’re all complicit to some degree, they’re more likely to convince themselves that they’re doing the right thing. A lot of people get really uncomfortable thinking they’re not such a nice person.
Captain Beefheart seems fairly reliable so far, and having a sonar is actually fairly useful for detecting people approaching before they can be a problem. The only issue is anyone in the ‘Balam Enforcement’ building possibly coming back out, but she can supplement it with her own eyes and binoculars, and she’d equipped him with another radio. He’s the one with the ability to stop time, anyway.
So he does, when she gives the signal, and just walks over casually. “Hey, what happened to you?”
“It wasn’t my fault. I told them to call an ambulance, I did. Somebody threw him on the road. I was just used.” He keeps muttering more, but none of it sounds too important, just more protestations of innocence.
“I wasn’t involved, just a passenger. I did nothing,” another man sneers, as full of faux-innocence as a lot of the Stand Users Jotaro’s fought over the years. Self-righteous and very much deserving of a good punch to the face. Maybe he’ll give in to the impulse later if he doesn’t get answers. A pillory’s probably an invitation for that kind of thing, too, and if it means they’re less affected, then it’s the sort of sacrifice Jotaro’s willing to make, particularly when he doesn’t plan on breaking a nose.
Because that’s something else. Kakyoin’s little stunt wasn’t noticed by a local, as far as Jotaro can tell, and that’s the kind of thing Star Platinum would catch. Getting caught wouldn’t help, but the deterrence measure probably works off of the person’s own mind. Knowing you’re doing something shady even if you wouldn’t usually feel guilt. Or maybe if anyone else witnesses it with that same knowledge.
“I’m sorry, who are you?” The third man’s probably the most dangerous. Probably because he reminds Jotaro vaguely of Kira. His suit is the worse for wear, with dried blood on his face, leaning heavily on one side indicating he’s otherwise wounded somehow, and yet his voice has no sense of pain, dignified as ever.
“Dr. Jotaro Kujo.” There’s no real point in lying, and he’s gotten fairly used to introducing himself the Western way over his career.
That smile is fairly unpleasant. “We’d heard one of the branches was cooperating with you. Acheron, was it?”
Jotaro just shrugs.
“A man of as few words as the rumors say. How delightful that they’re accurate for once. Though I admit some curiosity as to why a world-renowned marine biologist would be getting involved in such affairs, but no matter; I’m not in a position to be getting answers. I am Mr. Burai. This is my colleague, Mr. Destar, and my driver, Mr. Bianchi.” He pauses to regain his strength. “You are trapped, as are we, in a pocket dimension. The route did not, at first, appear any different than usual. I suspect we were brought in, although devils know why; neither we nor the city itself came out the better for the encounter. They lost a citizen, although I dare say leaving them unconscious on a road would have achieved that result sooner or later, and we’re being transferred; supposedly it was on federal land, so they’re claiming a lack of jurisdiction.”
“If you’re actually transferred and they’re not just claiming you will be, you’re not actually trapped,” Jotaro points out.
Mr. Burai tries to nod, but apparently it makes him dizzy. “Fair enough point, though I suppose the encounter has shaken me up to be of any use. You’ve cleared it up, why we were brought here. It won’t be the last time one of my colleagues is sacrificed in the place of a goat for the sake of restoring some air of credibility; I suppose I simply wasn’t watching for it due to the fact that we weren’t at any of the offices. Whether it’s a blood contract signed thousands of years ago or a city of all things playing vigilante, we were brought to erase the sin.”
“I’m not going to stand for this,” Mr. Destar interrupts, kicking at the still mumbling driver, who stumbles and starts to choke before the gets back on his feet, as much as the wooden boards let him. “It’s his fault, and I’ll tell them it’s yours, too, if you won’t testify to the same. The man ran him down; I saw it myself—”
Jotaro’s had enough of his blustering. He doesn’t get knocked out by a punch, but he does stop speaking entirely, too confused and outraged to continue, for the moment.
“Thank you,” Mr. Burai states, even tone not quite covering up the malicious glee in his eyes. “For your sake, I do hope that whatever the town wants for you is not quite so pre-determined. Good day.”
The radio crackles. Jotaro stops time and retreats before the Captain can even speak a word.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Jotaro and the Captain investigate the commotion at the Balam Enforcement Center.
Word Count: 1093
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS
It’s not as dangerous as Jotaro had suspected. He won’t be arrogant enough to say that it’s completely free of danger. If anyone notices, for instance, the fact that this is outside and thus technically isn’t trespassing won’t be a defense, at least, not one that any police officers would be likely to listen to. His own experience says that much. Josuke’s an exception that doesn’t realize he’s an exception, a kind of obliviousness inherited from the old man. At the same time, it’s not a jail cell, where you’d need permission to visit, and Jotaro has to assume some amount of public interaction is expected if not welcomed, because there’s three men with their hands and heads stuck in pillories.
He’s never seen one in real life, but plenty in Westerns, and figures that the objective is humiliation and exposure to the elements. An invitation for the townsfolk to throw rotten fruit or hurl insults, thereby participating in the perpetration of justice and affirming their own place in the community while simultaneously throwing another out of it. From what he’d read trying to prepare for this trip, the only surprise there is that the elites aren’t the ones dispensing justice and that it’s not a blood sport, but then, given that they’d just come from the pyramid, it’s likely that some of the inner, non-tourist parts of the pyramid are used for official business, such as trials, and that perhaps this is merely part of the sentence to reassert the status quo. Besides, if they’re all complicit to some degree, they’re more likely to convince themselves that they’re doing the right thing. A lot of people get really uncomfortable thinking they’re not such a nice person.
Captain Beefheart seems fairly reliable so far, and having a sonar is actually fairly useful for detecting people approaching before they can be a problem. The only issue is anyone in the ‘Balam Enforcement’ building possibly coming back out, but she can supplement it with her own eyes and binoculars, and she’d equipped him with another radio. He’s the one with the ability to stop time, anyway.
So he does, when she gives the signal, and just walks over casually. “Hey, what happened to you?”
“It wasn’t my fault. I told them to call an ambulance, I did. Somebody threw him on the road. I was just used.” He keeps muttering more, but none of it sounds too important, just more protestations of innocence.
“I wasn’t involved, just a passenger. I did nothing,” another man sneers, as full of faux-innocence as a lot of the Stand Users Jotaro’s fought over the years. Self-righteous and very much deserving of a good punch to the face. Maybe he’ll give in to the impulse later if he doesn’t get answers. A pillory’s probably an invitation for that kind of thing, too, and if it means they’re less affected, then it’s the sort of sacrifice Jotaro’s willing to make, particularly when he doesn’t plan on breaking a nose.
Because that’s something else. Kakyoin’s little stunt wasn’t noticed by a local, as far as Jotaro can tell, and that’s the kind of thing Star Platinum would catch. Getting caught wouldn’t help, but the deterrence measure probably works off of the person’s own mind. Knowing you’re doing something shady even if you wouldn’t usually feel guilt. Or maybe if anyone else witnesses it with that same knowledge.
“I’m sorry, who are you?” The third man’s probably the most dangerous. Probably because he reminds Jotaro vaguely of Kira. His suit is the worse for wear, with dried blood on his face, leaning heavily on one side indicating he’s otherwise wounded somehow, and yet his voice has no sense of pain, dignified as ever.
“Dr. Jotaro Kujo.” There’s no real point in lying, and he’s gotten fairly used to introducing himself the Western way over his career.
That smile is fairly unpleasant. “We’d heard one of the branches was cooperating with you. Acheron, was it?”
Jotaro just shrugs.
“A man of as few words as the rumors say. How delightful that they’re accurate for once. Though I admit some curiosity as to why a world-renowned marine biologist would be getting involved in such affairs, but no matter; I’m not in a position to be getting answers. I am Mr. Burai. This is my colleague, Mr. Destar, and my driver, Mr. Bianchi.” He pauses to regain his strength. “You are trapped, as are we, in a pocket dimension. The route did not, at first, appear any different than usual. I suspect we were brought in, although devils know why; neither we nor the city itself came out the better for the encounter. They lost a citizen, although I dare say leaving them unconscious on a road would have achieved that result sooner or later, and we’re being transferred; supposedly it was on federal land, so they’re claiming a lack of jurisdiction.”
“If you’re actually transferred and they’re not just claiming you will be, you’re not actually trapped,” Jotaro points out.
Mr. Burai tries to nod, but apparently it makes him dizzy. “Fair enough point, though I suppose the encounter has shaken me up to be of any use. You’ve cleared it up, why we were brought here. It won’t be the last time one of my colleagues is sacrificed in the place of a goat for the sake of restoring some air of credibility; I suppose I simply wasn’t watching for it due to the fact that we weren’t at any of the offices. Whether it’s a blood contract signed thousands of years ago or a city of all things playing vigilante, we were brought to erase the sin.”
“I’m not going to stand for this,” Mr. Destar interrupts, kicking at the still mumbling driver, who stumbles and starts to choke before the gets back on his feet, as much as the wooden boards let him. “It’s his fault, and I’ll tell them it’s yours, too, if you won’t testify to the same. The man ran him down; I saw it myself—”
Jotaro’s had enough of his blustering. He doesn’t get knocked out by a punch, but he does stop speaking entirely, too confused and outraged to continue, for the moment.
“Thank you,” Mr. Burai states, even tone not quite covering up the malicious glee in his eyes. “For your sake, I do hope that whatever the town wants for you is not quite so pre-determined. Good day.”
The radio crackles. Jotaro stops time and retreats before the Captain can even speak a word.
