Behind the Scenes | Various Locations | Rosiers, Toulon, Orillia
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script below↓↓
The leaves are falling as Francesca walks. The air is crisp in a way that Francesca had never been used to. Having grown up in the more so humid and warm weather of Castellon. Her little sister is chirping at her on the phone. She will miss these times, Just as she misses the times before the present.
Leandra] Yeah, and my friend’s having a birthday party this weekend. I wanted to go but I don’t no if Papa will let me.
F] chuckles Don’t worry Lea, I’lll convince him.
L] I don’t think you can, he’s already asleep. He’s been sleepy a lot!
F] I’ve got my ways…
As she walks, she can feel people staring at her. They are afar, but they are whispering. As she walks up toward the steps of the building, someone bumps into her. Her things clatter to the ground, but the assailant does not help her pick things up.
Person] watch were you’re going, you gold digging leech.
She feels her cheeks burning, but does nothing instead of walking forward toward her counselors office.
C] Ms. Ortega, there really isn’t anything to complain about. You are on track with a high gpa, and a possibility of early graduation if you keep up the good work.
F]Thank you mr.-
C] but your grades currently… I notice a slip since the semester began.
C] Whoever you might be associating yourself with, might not be in your best interests academically. People like you need to work harder. If things keep going in this direction, Post Graduate options might dwindle.
F] Y-Yes I understand.
C] I hope you do.
The sky is dark, it’s been raining all evening. Lucian and Francesca have been sitting in the library, studying for exams. it’s Finals week, of their sophomore year in school. They’re sectioned off a corner of the busy library. They’ve been there since the morning, and the cluttered desk makes that evident.
Francesca phone rings, it echos in the quiet space. She picks it up and whispers.
F] Lea, I can’t-
L] crying Cesca, it’s dad.
She barely registers the words, she’s up before she can even think. Lucian looks up at her puzzled. She’s hyperventilating, she’s crying.
L] Francesca, what?-
F] My dad- cries harder I-
L] Can you walk?
He carts her over to the door.
L] you need to be there.
F] mmhmm she barely makes out
he cups her face in his hand. he forces her to look at him, to focus on what he’s going to say.
L] Listen, Everything’s going to be ok- you’ll be ok. I’m going to make sure of that, ok Francesca?
F]cries harder
They are now at the airport. They rush in to the check-in area. Things are chaotic in the airport like they always are. Lucian pulls her hand, and spins her around to face him.
14-16
L] Are you sure I can’t come?
F] Yes, Stay. It’s finals, you must take them.
L] But yours-
F] I’ll figure it out, Luc.
L]… I love you, Cesca.
They kiss, and he watches her go. It’s 2093, and little does he know that this will be the last time he sees her in person since that fateful day in the news room, 6 years from then (2099).
Weeks pass as she is in Castellon.
She waits for hours in hospitals that feel like asylums. She is anxious always, she feels the clock ticking. This is a waiting game, her father, in a condition neither thought would be possible.
She is with her sister at times too. Eating dinners in hospital cafeterias after picking her up from school. This is just as hard for Leandra as it is for Cesca. Leandra being the one to find him collapsed.
She has also been feeling increasing sick. She looks and feels terrible in fact. She is fighting symptoms of pregnancy, but of course she does not know that yet. She is also throwing up, and showing signs of pregnancy(and in the details of the post. Show bottles of medicines and stiff)
The doctors come in to announce what had already been in the back of her mind for days now.
D] It’s lung Cancer.
F] shocked gasp C-Cancer?
D] He’s in the fourth stage, Ms. Ortega. It’d be best to get his affairs in order, as he might…
The sentence blurrs out because, No, she isn’t listening. An overwhelming piercing sound overwhelms her. She is in shock, the last parent she has in the world is dying. And it’s too late to save him. In the room full of doctors, Francesca Ortega Collapses.
She wakes up, she herself is in a hospital bed of her own. A nurse who happens to be in the room, rushes to her side. She tries to speak.
F]Wh- What am I?
N] There’s no need to worry. You collapsed due to dehydration and fatigue. Ms. Ortega, were you aware of the pregnancy?
F] Pregn-?
N] Pregnancy—Yes, you are going to have a child, Ms. Ortega.
This shocks Francesca of course, on top of everything, she is also pregnant. Of course things start clicking into place.
“I’m pregnant” she thinks.
Of course, she has been feeling nasceous, sick, fatigued,etc. all of the normal ailments that something like this could cause. She thought it was because of the stress of her father. Of course she understands now, And this understand makes her panic. How is her life going to be even more fucked up than it already has become? How will she go to graduate school with a mortage to pay for? How will she become what she wants with two children to raise(her little sister)? Her life is forever messed up, and how could she wreck his?
She decides she wont, she won’t say a thing. A few months later she begins to show, she’s on the phone with Lucian, who is none the wiser. (in the shot, show her with a close up on the phone, and then a wide show with her huge belly)
L] Nick is on my ass about trying out for the team next year. I don’t think I will.
F]…
L] My parents are forcing me to figure out my degree. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it, It’s just that…
(fade off, next slide is the next part)
F] Are you excited for the semester?
L] I can’t be, not if you’re not there.
F] she laughs I can’t promise you that.
L] Are you alright, Cesca?
F] couldn’t be better. fake gleefulness
Standing in the hall of the hospital (another day). A Leandra rushed up to her, saying her father is awake.
She runs to his room, Leandra snuggles up to him. he’s laying in the bed, he’s laying with his eyes open, but he can’t speak. He doesn’t move as she gets close to him, and Cesca knows. She walks up to the bed, and lays her head on his chest. She cries.
F] crying Papa
P] Oh, La luz de mis ojos [The light of my eyes]
F] crying somore
P] I’m sorry for all the trouble i’ve caused, You’ll see. This will be behind all of us.
The scene changes, it’s nighttime. Leandra is sleeping in the bed with her father still. Francesca is sitting in a chair close to the bed. She is also dozing but is quickly awaken by the sound of a loud, singular screech. It’s the heart monitor, he’s dying.
beepppppp
F]waking up Papa?
Nurses rush into the room, it’s chaos after that. Cesca scoops her sister into her arms, as the nurses rush around (***use the motion filter on ps). ****The girls stand apart from the chaos. Francesca is shaking, she is scared. Her world has forever changed.
Fully pregnant now, in her second trimester, the girls are in a small church, they are alone in the pews. The only sign of a funeral is the large wreaths and image of their father smiling happily. And the Casket at the front. She is staring blankly, nothing is quite feeling. She feels a buzzing in her bag, it’s a call from Lucian. She see’s this as she stares at her phone.
She goes outside of the place, she stands alone outside in a dark atmosphere of rain and cloudiness.
L] Francesca! You haven’t answered any of my calls!
F] I’m sorry… things have been busy.
L] You’re voice sounds rough… Is everything ok, Cesca?
F] hoarse laugh I love you, Lucian. You know I do?
L] chuckling Why does it sound like you’re saying goodbye?
F] I am.
L] laughing now Sure, I love you too.
She stands in the hallway, the atmosphere darker than ever. She knows that’s the last time they will speak.
Time goes on like it always does. We see shots of her kissing her sister on their way to school. She runs off excitedly.
We see Cesca working at multiple jobs, A barista, a cashier.
We see them surviving, we see them laughing. We see her even more pregnant than the last time. (*maybe in a shot with her being in her third trimester with that skin detail. And in a crop top)
In one of the last scenes, she is at work. Fully pregnant and doing her job. She hunches over in pain, clutching her stomach. Possibly show a bit of blood trickling down her legs. Francesca yells in pain.
She is rushed in an ambulance, the lights are flashing. At the hospital nurses are rushing in and out. All she can do is cry, all she can do is scream.
F] NO! No-nooo
The screams fade to black, They are now back in the present. This clip will be brief. They are now in Francesca’s apartment. sitting on the floor or something. They are both crying, Francesca and Lucian.
F] through the tears Are you happy now? 6 whole years later.
L]also crying…
F] I’ve tried, Luc. To protect— I- there is no amount of words to describe this pain… I feel. How did you not notice, Luc?
L] I didn’t—…I-
F] He is- Was yours, Lucian.
L] crying intensified Mine? My?… (clearly in shock)
L] sobbing…
F] leave. GET OUT LUCIAN, LEAVE! Please. crying
he gets up, and leaves. this is it, they’re done.
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Little cameos of @helpimhyperfixating (Gogo) and @cesca-untoldstories (Cesca) ;)
First meetings
"Oh my God I'm about to throw up-"
It was another working day at the Water Paradise Aquarium, the second to be exact and Alexandra was already on the job, this time cleaning the staff bathrooms. It wasn't such a nice thing to do in the morning, but that was her duty after all.
"Nu-uh, definitely not mine. Those are not my hair!" Anne exclaimed as she watched the dark ginger remove the hair from the shower drain. Alex threw them into a corner and shook her head with a grunt, resting her weight on the arms. Luckily for her, she had latex gloves that covered her hands; but that didn't make the scene any less disgusting.
"I would love to help you, really, but then... it would seem like I'm stealing your job! So I can only be here to give you moral support. I'm sorry." Anne said, trying to replicate a sorry tone, making it far too fake for anyone to fall for. She put her hand on Alex's shoulder and patted her for support, and Alex turned her head to Anne with an expression that said 'you'd better shut up.'
At this Anne took her hand from her shoulder and stepped back slightly. "Hey, at least I tried to show you empathy."
The older of the two sighed and put her hand back down the shower drain, trying to get as much stuff as possible. "Why did I choose to clean the bathrooms in the early morning..."
"Do you have a sensitive stomach?" Asked the youngest, bowing to the girl in front of her. "Only in the morning when I don't have breakfast and I see something disgusting." Alex replied, raising her hand from the drain, throwing the pile of hair and… other gunk into the same corner as before. Anne nodded and soon after she had an idea.
"Think you can get something to eat after this? They serve delicious crêpes in the morning!" At this, the dark ginger turned her head towards the ravenette with a raised eyebrow, very intrigued by the offer. The youngest one smiled, catching the indirect answer.
"Well then, clean this shower and let's go have breakfast together!"
'Together?' Alexandra thought. "So you haven't had breakfast too?"
"Yeah, I woke up late this morning so I didn't have time to eat."
"Oh, so you're hungry. Too bad there are two more showers to clean..." Alexandra said imitating Anne's earlier tone, with the difference that she had a smirk on her face while still cleaning the drain.
"Yeah. Well then I'll go have breakfast by myself-"
"YOU'RE SO EVIL!!"
----
"So... tell me a little about your real role here." Alex said, putting a piece of the crêpe she had been served for breakfast into her mouth. Eventually she had managed to get the girl to help her with the showers, as long as the older one bought her extra sauces for her sandwich at lunch.
"What do you mean by real?" Anne asked, doing the same with her crêpe. "Well you know, since yesterday you have always been by my side instead of working. You don't even have a badge, so I'm curious how you keep coming here for free. Besides you said earlier that you were 'late' this morning, as if you were a real worker." Alexandra replied, laughing slightly at the last part of the sentence. Anne playful stuck her tongue out at her and Alex returned it, then she went back to eating waiting for an answer.
"I really work. As I told you yesterday, my job here is to welcome the people who enter the aquarium. But... let's say it's not my real 'role'. In short, those who work here didn't ask me to do that and I started doing it of my own free will. But they still wanted me to do something useful, so I also help the workers." Anne said as she drank some water from the glass. Alexandra looked at her with a disbelieving expression.
"Why are you looking at me with-"
"While it is your duty to help the other workers, we had to come to an agreement to have you help me clean the showers! And now I have to pay you for those sauces too! Forget it."
"PLEASE I FORGOT MY MONEY AT HOME AND THOSE SAUCES ARE REALLY GOOD!!" Anne exclaimed, throwing herself on the table and clasping her hands for Alex, who flinched and backed away from the sudden action. "Pretty please?"
The dark ginger sighed, loosening her tense muscles. "All right, all right, but now get your composure up because I want to know more." Anne made a cheerful noise and composed herself, continuing to eat her breakfast. "Ask me everything!"
"Didn't you have to do an interview? I mean, how didn't they throw you out the first time when you were just welcoming?"
"Simple! Long story short: this place was built by a foundation that has a close connection with Jojo's grandfather. And since during that time I was staying with him and his friend, his grandpa would sometimes come to visit and we became friends! He even helped my family to move here in New York.
A little over two weeks ago, he came to visit us and took us on a free tour of the aquarium, saying that Jotaro worked here. And obviously - you know about my crush on him - I wanted to start working here too! So I told Mr. Joestar who told the owner of the place and voilà! New member of the Water Paradise Aquarium." Anne said triumphantly. Alexandra assumed that 'Mr. Joestar' was Jotaro's grandfather.
"And why don't you have a badge?"
"Ah, that one? Well... I lost it four days ago..." The ravenette replied, scratching the back of her neck. Alexandra laughed at her carelessness, then she started thinking that finding it in such a big place will be very difficult.
"Do you remember the last time you had it?" The oldest asked, putting the last piece of her crêpe in her mouth.
"Not at all. I realized I didn't have it when I was changing to go home." Anne replied with a snort. Alex sighed as she thought of some way to find it quickly. After all, it was dangerous to leave it lying around: some person might take the badge to change the data on it, and then sneak into the aquarium to carry out an evil plan of some criminal who-
"What are you thinking about?" Anne asked, placing the fork on the plate after she finished her crêpe too.
"Huh? Ah… nothing. I was thinking about how to find your badge quickly. It's not safe to leave it unattended… Maybe we can ask for help." Alexandra said as she got up from the table. "And I already know who to ask." Anne at this, thought to have her same idea.
"Jotaro!"
"Dio!"
The two girls said in unison, then looked into each other's eyes for a moment. The two began to laugh like crazy, taking a few glances from who was still there for breakfast and who had just come.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?? Him?? I think that he wouldn't help us even if we paid him!"
"HEY! Am I wrong or did he bring you a map of the place so you don't get lost again? He is kind actually! Do we want to talk about YOUR choice? Unlike Jojo, he pretends to be kind!"
The two girls continued to argue a little longer, eventually deciding to ask both of them. Attempting isn't a bad thing to do after all. They decided to go ask Jotaro first, since Anne knew where he was.
---
They both went outside, to the area where there were animals in rehabilitation; evidently he was there.
"Excuse me, do you know where Jotaro Kujo is?" Anne asked a man who was carrying around some papers and folders. He was wearing a white coat, so he was probably the one who checked the health of the poor animals. "Right now he's near the mantas pool, if he's not there then he's at Gogo's." The man said with a smile, and then continued on his way. The two girls thanked him and started walking.
"Gogo?" Alexandra asked curiously, looking up at Anne. "Mh-hm! Gogo is a female orca that arrived a month ago. Poor thing, from what I understood she has some problem with using the echo... the acho... the ichocaloca-something. That. They are trying to fix her problem, but nothing seems to work." Anne said sadly.
"The echolocation?"
"Yeah right! That stuff." Alex nodded sadly, but grateful for the hard work her doctors are trying to do.
The two continued walking, looking around in hopes of finding the tall blue-eyed ravenette.
"There he is! He's feeding the manta rays!" Anne exclaimed, pointing to the boy leaning over the edge of the large tub. The two girls walked over to him, who was closely watching the rehabilitating marine animals.
"Hey, Jojo! What are you doing?" Anne said, tapping him on the back with her finger. It was when Jotaro made an annoyed grunt that the little girl took her hand off him.
"Can't you see?" He replied coldly, taking a small fish from the bucket and waiting for a particular manta ray to arrive.
"Of course I see it! It's not like I don't have eyes!"
"Then why do you-"
"Eh-em, eh-em!" The two were interrupted by two coughs, coming from Alexandra to get their attention. The two turned to her and Jotaro sighed.
"You're not lost again, I hope."
"Haha! Very funny." Alexandra replied ironically, crossing her arms. "We came here to ask for your help, although I don't think you will give it to us..." The girl added, saying in a low voice the last part of her sentence. "Ah, right! Yes, that's what we're here for!"
"No." Jotaro answered coldly, after turning to look at the tub.
"I KNEW IT! I told you, Anne!" Alexandra exclaimed in exasperation, dramatically throwing her arms over her hips. "I'm working." Jotaro said, still turned towards the tub.
"Oh and that gives you the option of not even hearing what we wanted to ask you?? 'Kind' my ass!" Alexandra exclaimed irritably. Jotaro sighed something and put the fish in the bucket, then stood up and turned to the girls.
'Fuck I forgot how tall he was-' The dark ginger thought, surprised.
"If what I have to do allows you to get the fuck away from me, then I'll do it with pleasure." Jotaro said, staring at Alexandra irritably. She just scoffed and looked away.
"See? I told you he was nice!" Anne said to Alexandra, who rolled her eyes at her comment.
"Thank you for your attention, Mr. Squidward." Alexandra said teasingly, crossing her arms again. At Jotaro's new nickname, his brow twitched irritably for a moment. Alexandra noticed it and gave him a small triumphant smirk.
"Speak before I feed you to the killer whales." Jotaro said in a threatening tone. Alexandra scoffed again at him, while Anne had heart-eyes for his 'cool' tone of voice.
"Suuure. We wanted to ask you if, after you finished working here, you could help us find Anne's lost badge. Or at least take an extra look at the places you go, just to help." Alex said as she gestured lightly while speaking, to then put her hands in her pockets.
"I opt for the second option, now get out of the way." Jotaro answered, lowering himself to the edge of the tub again and then taking a small fish from the bucket, waiting for a manta ray to come and eat.
Alex gestured irritably behind him, complaining about his behavior with Anne as if she were a mime. Anne giggled slightly at her reaction.
"Thanks a lot, Jojo~ have a nice day!" The ravenette said, she then turned around and started walking. Alex was about to do the same when she saw a particular manta ray approach the boy to take the fish from his hand. Before she left, Jotaro lightly stroked her back and got up to see that the freckled was still behind him.
"What do you want?"
"SO COOL!" Alex exclaimed, walking to the edge of the tub, keeping an eye on the manta ray that Jotaro had just fed. The manta ray in question had a robotic left pectoral fin and seemed to still have to get used to it. Despite this, she continued to swim gracefully and elegantly. Alexandra continued to watch her in amazement, incredulous that they had created a prosthesis for a manta ray.
"You're gonna stay here and scare the manta rays or-"
"Do you work with manta rays? What's its name? How long has it been here? How did it get that prosthesis? I don't believe it, it's so amazing! A poor creature that has lost a fin and now has a prosthetic one! That's a great thing-"
"Oi, oi, oi. Calm down, woman. I'm not ready to hear someone cackle early in the morning yet." Jotaro said, stopping the words of Alexandra, who had turned towards him. The boy squeezed the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb, sighing. At this the girl closed her mouth and calmed down, saying a little 'sorry' to him.
"Not only with manta rays. 'Cesca. For almost a year. Some dick-heads hurted her for no reason." Jotaro answered separately to each question, taking the bucket that was still on the edge of the tub. At the last answer, the girl's eyes went wide with rage. Of course: just as there are good people in the world, there are also bad ones.
"Tch. Damn bastards." Alexandra said in a low tone, turning her gaze back to the poor manta ray. The girl had her fists clenched at the thought of such an act.
After a few more moments of silence to observe the manta ray, the girl sighed and turned her gaze towards Jotaro. "Are you going to Gogo now?"
The boy wondered how she knew, but then he remembered that she was with Anne and that she had probably already told her that. A few seconds later Jotaro nodded, making the girl smile slightly. "I hope these poor creatures are really happy here..." Alexandra said more to herself than to Jotaro.
"They certainly are, knowing their conditions." Jotaro said, then headed for the orca. Alexandra continued to gaze at the tub of manta rays, mesmerized by them. They sure were! These animals would not have survived long in nature in their conditions, at least here they had another chance to live. Plus they seem to be treated really well. I mean, that manta ray had even taken a caress from Jotaro Kujo himself! Incredible.
"HEY!" Anne exclaimed out of nowhere.
At this Alexandra jumped and, if it weren't for Anne's grip, she would have fallen into the manta's pool. "CHRIST- Anne! Stop giving me heart attacks!!"
"Ohh I'd say 'thank you Anne for not letting me fall in the tub'!"
Alexandra straightened up and walked away from the tub, but not before giving it one last look. "Thank you, but this doesn't justify the fact that you always give me heart attacks. And this is the first of the day, who knows how many there will be later..."
"Sorry, next time I'll make sure you don't get so scared." Anne said ironically, continuing to walk. She then suddenly stopped, turning around and looking at Alexandra. "Wait, I don't know where Dio is. Do you know?" She asked, making the older one shrug. She told Anne to wait a second, then turned and ran towards the ravenette that was heading for the killer whale he had to feed.
"Hey, Squidward, wait I have to ask you one more thing!" Alexandra exclaimed, using his new nickname. Jotaro, although irritated by the nickname, turned towards the direction of the voice anyway. As soon as their eyes met, the girl stopped in her footsteps and began to regret having called him that way.
'Damn, if look could kill...' The dark ginger thought, swallowing hard.
"What do you want now, idiot?" Said the ravenette in an irritated tone. Alex moved a little closer to read the boy's badge in front of her, which made him scoff. "Are you really so stupid that you can't remember my name?"
"Hey! It's not my fault that you have a particular name and remembering it isn't one of my priorities. Or would you rather have me call you Grumpy like the dwarf from Snow White?" Alexandra said in a provocative tone. Jotaro scoffed at her and Alex raised an eyebrow.
"I think that nickname suits you more." The ravenette said giving her an evil smirk, comparing the height of both of them with his hand. Alexandra made a little offended gasp, but she stayed in the game. "Mh, then I think I confused you with another princess with black hair and blue eyes, since I didn't remember her being such a bitch." Alexandra replied, crossing her arms.
"Snow White has brown eyes, not blue." Jotaro corrected her, confusing Alexandra.
"No, they were blue."
"You're wrong, they were brown."
"Oooh, I definitely remember they were blue!"
"I think you shouldn't trust your memory very much, you idiot."
"Oh look, the fan of the Disney princesses has arrived who remembers every single detail! And also badly by the way."
"Everyone knows, you're the one who's wrong." Jotaro finally said, making Alex scoff as she took her cell phone to check on the internet.
"Now I'll show you who's right, Mr. 'I know everything'-" The freckled said, shutting up immediately after she saw the pictures of the princesse on her cell phone.
"So? Who was right?" Jotaro said with an ironic tone, knowing full well that he was right. He put his finger down on Alexandra's phone screen to see that, in fact, the princess they were talking about had brown eyes. The boy looked up from the screen to the girl's embarrassed face and raised an eyebrow.
"HMPH! You're such a nerd!" The girl exclaimed as she put the phone back in her pocket.
"Talked the one who has a Five Nights At Freddy's pin on her backpack." Jotaro talked back, putting his free hand in his pocket.
"HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S FROM THAT GAME, HUH?!" The girl exclaimed again, remembering the badge pin she has attached to the backpack along with other pins, embarrassing herself more.
"I have my roommate who plays video games."
Alex scoffed irritably, which made Jotaro smile a little triumphantly. "Okay! Let's forget about this. Do you know where Dio is?" The dark ginger asked, after giving up on the ravenette. The latter's slight smile, after hearing the name of Dio, immediately disappeared and was replaced by an irritated expression. "Why am I supposed to know where that piece of shit is?"
"Woah, woah! You obviously don't get along with anyone here, except Anne. It was just a question, I don't think there was a reason to insult him like that." Alex said, trying to defend the blond boy. At this, Jotaro clicked his tongue and turned to go to the orca.
"Nobody taught you how to say bye?!"
"I don't greet people who talk to that son of a bitch." The ravenette replied avarly, making the dark ginger slightly shake her head as she began to walk towards her little friend.
"I bet he didn't know, eh?" Anne asked, rising from the edge of the manta ray tub. "Exactly. Let's go find him ourselves." Alexandra replied exasperated, making Anne chuckle slightly.
----
The two wandered around a bit, looking for the blond boy and, in the meantime, also for the badge. Anne kept complaining that even if he helped them, he definitely would've wanted something in return. Alexandra kept telling her that it wasn't a problem for her and that she would have dealt with him. But despite her words, the little girl continued to complain.
"I'm telling you that if he sees that you are always available, then he will use you for his own goods!"
"I believe that you are only influenced by what 'your crush' told you. It's understandable how Dio acts like an asshole with him, since Squidward is the first to be like that with anyone!" Alexandra replied, convinced that she was on the right side. Anne at her answer shook her head repeatedly, while waving her hands in front of herself. "No no no no. I've known him for a long time and-"
"Here he is!" Alexandra said interrupting Anne, who rolled her eyes at the sight of the blond boy who was talking to a group of girls.
"Aah~ but how can you not be afraid when you feed those sharks?" A girl asked, fascinated by Dio's work, who laughed softly at her comment.
"A matter of habit. Plus they are docile compared to those in the open sea, since I know how to treat those who deserve it well." Dio replied by adding a wink at the end of the sentence which was aimed at all the girls in the group, who started giggling at his manners.
"And tell me, do you also know how-"
"Heeeeyyy, sorry for the interruption girls! But this person has to work. So if you can do the courtesy to leave him alone it would be perfect. You can always come and visit him during lunchtime!" Alex broke into the discussion, feeling slightly uncomfortable after the girls in question started to glare at her.
"Unfortunately, she's right. Come and visit me at 12:30 PM at the entrance to the aquarium, so I can show you around." Dio finally said, greeting the girls and placing a hand on Alexandra's shoulder to take her away from them. From a distance they could still hear the girls' excited giggles, which made the freckled laugh. "You sure know how to deal with women, hm?"
"I don't know, what do you think?" Dio replied in a mischievous tone, earning a light friendly slap on the arm from Alex. "Well you will certainly prove it to me if you are willing to help two girls find a lost object." Alex replied, breaking away from her and walking over to Anne and making sure Dio was following her.
"Lost item? What is it about?" Dio asked, finally stopping next to Alex and in front of Anne, who just looked at him and flipped him off. "Well... Anne lost her badge a few days ago and so we were wondering if you could help us find it. We tried to ask... Joo... to..ri?"
"It's Jotaro, Alexandra. J-O-T-A-R-O." Anne corrected her in annoyance, not by her mistake but by the presence of Dio.
"Yes exactly, thank you Anne. We tried to ask him but it doesn't seem to have gone very well." Finally the girl said.
"No no no! He said he would help us! Just because he answered you that way he doesn't mean he doesn't want to. He always answers like that and to everyone." The younger one immediately corrected her again.
"I don't know... I have the feeling that I've bothered him too much, so I think-"
"You're totally right, Alexandra. But it's not your fault. You know, that guy's like that: you talk to him kindly and he'll screw you up. I really don't understand." Dio cut off, scoffing at the end of his phrase while shaking his head.
"Well, my approach to him wasn't that kind either..." Alex added, scratching her jaw awkwardly. Dio turned his whole body towards the older girl, he then placed his hands on both of her shoulders. The blond gave her a playful little smile.
"Whatever happened, that feelingless brick wall deserved every bad thing you said to him." Dio said, making Alexandra laugh, unlike Anne who grunted in annoyance.
"And unlike that guy, I'm happy to help you." Dio said, taking his hands off Alex's shoulders. The latter took on an expression of joy and turned to Anne, who was piercing the boy's soul with her gaze. At this the dark ginger sighed.
"Oh come on Anne, at least be grateful for his help and his politeness!"
"Yes. Sure. Now let's hurry up and find the-"
"Wait a second, kid." Dio interrupted Anne, causing her to raise an eyebrow in annoyance. "You said Jotaro would help you too, right? Why don't we split up at this point? To do things faster." He proposed.
"Great idea! Me, Alex and Jotaro go together while you stay alone because the majority hates you." Anne answered harshly, making the blond giggle.
"And since this 'majority' hates me, why not bringing along the only one who doesn't have this feeling towards me?" Dio added, turning his head to Alexandra who did the same.
"But Jotaro said he would look by himself, so if I'm going with you then Anne will stay alone-"
"THAT'S WHY YOU'LL COME WITH ME, BYE BITCH!" Anne exclaimed, taking Alex by her hand and dragging her away from the blond boy; that stood there confused.
While Anne was still dragging Alex away from Dio, the dark ginger managed to break away from the ravenette's strong grip.
"Anne! Do you think this is the way to behave?!" The older girl said irritably, scolding the younger girl that just crossed her arms and scoffed. "Why doesn't it get into your head? He's a bad person!"
"Maybe with you and your crush, but with me he is very kind and nice! For me there is no reason to hate him, and I certainly will not do it just because you do! Plus he seems to talk to you in a friendly way, so in theory there is no reason for you to hate him too!" Alexandra exclaimed irritated. Anne stood there, disappointed that her friend didn't believe her and didn't understand her. Alex, seeing the girl's expression, sighed.
"But you do as you please: if you want to hate him, hate him. I don't hate him because I have no reason to. Okay, Anne?" She added more calmly later.
Anne sighed dramatically, giving in to putting Alex on the 'right' side. The dark ginger brought the ravenette close to her and hugged her.
"I don't want to argue with you over some nonsense, especially right away on the second day we meet."
"Me neither, but what you do is wrong." Anne said, hugging her back. "Maybe you don't understand him well. But if you really want to, I'll pay attention to his behavior." Alexandra finally said, stroking her back. Anne did the same and they remained embraced for a few more moments.
Suddenly, another person joined their embrace, scaring the two girls.
"JESUS CHRIST AND WHO ARE YOU?!" Anne exclaimed, breaking away from her embrace.
"I saw you hugging each other, so I thought I'd join you." A stranger man answered, confused by the younger girl's reaction. The three exchanged confused glances, generating an awkward silence between them.
"Do youuu… need… affection?" Alexandra asked, making a high pitch tone on the last word, breaking the ice. "No thanks, I'm fine. Have a nice day, girls." The man said with all the tranquility in the world, as if he hadn't just stepped in two strangers in an intimate moment.
Finally, he turned and walked away from the two girls, leaving them very confused. The two then exchanged equally confused glances.
"What just happened?"
----
It was past lunchtime and, between searches and various cleaning in the large structure, the girls had not yet found what they were looking for; they hadn't even heard from the two boys they had asked for help.
"I think we have to look outside, by now we have looked everywhere!" Anne exclaimed in exasperation as she repeatedly tapped her foot on a step of the escalator she was standing on. Alex was a step behind her, biting the tip of her thumb as he thought about where that badge might be. "Who knows if we will find it again at this point, otherwise I'll have another one and end of the story..."
"We just have to be patient and open our eyes a little more. Remember that we also have the other two guys who help us!" Alex said determined.
"I doubt it a little for one of them..." Anne whispered to herself, clearly referring to Dio, earning a confused 'hm?' by her older friend.
At that, she gave a slight nervous chuckle and started going down the escalator backwards. "Oi. Walk normal Anne, it's dangerous like that!" The dark ginger warned and before the ravenette could have said anything, she missed a step and fell off the escalator.
"ANNE!-" Alex exclaimed, as she tried to reach her to catch her before she fell. But it was too late: Anne rolled down the escalator, to finally fall on the floor below on her stomach. Alexandra immediately ran to assist her, kneeling down as she reached her.
"Oh my God. Anne, does it hurt bad?" The older one helped the younger to sit down.
"Urgh… m-my arm hurts..!" Anne said, gladly accepting Alex's help. She tried to lightly massage the painful area, letting the younger girl hissing through her teeth.
"Try bending your arm a little." Anne tried to do as she was told, but with little effect. "D-don't tell me it's broken!" She frightened exclaimed, on the verge of tears.
Alexandra gently took her arm and examined it carefully. While she was looking for some deformation or redness, with her other hand she gently stroked the back of Anne's hand.
Fortunately, she found neither. "Don't worry, it's okay. To be more sure, let's go get you checked, okay?" She asked her in a kind tone, making Anne lose her nerves a little. Anne nodded and Alex stroked her cheek, then helped lift the younger one off the ground. "Can you walk?"
At that, the ravenette stepped forward and nodded. The dark ginger took her hand, obviously the one from the painless arm, and took with her free hand the map of the place that she kept in a pocket of her shorts. As they walked, two or three adults that were around asked if she was okay and what had happened. Alexandra gave everyone a polite smile, saying that everything was okay, that Anne had fallen and was now taking her to be checked at the ER of the aquarium. The adults gave a sigh of relief, then returned to visit the place.
---
After reaching it, the two girls noticed that there was also a small boy with an ice pack on his ankle. "Look, you have company." Alex said ironically, taking a bad look from her injured friend. At that, Alex chuckled slightly, seeing that there was regret in her eyes for what she had done on the stairs.
The two were immediately greeted by a member of the ER, asking what had happened. Alexandra spoke for Anne, as she did not want to open her mouth; she was almost embarrassed to say what she had done.
"I understand. You were right to come, it is still better to check her well." The man said, writing some information in a folder. "Come on Anne, your friend can also wait for you outside or continue working-"
"NO I WANT HER TO STAY WITH ME!" Anne exclaimed, hugging the girl's side with her good arm. Alexandra stroked her head and tried to calm her down, telling her that everything was okay and that they could meet after. Plus, she still had to look for the badge and also she still had to work. Anne sighed in surrender, leaving her side and starting to make her way to a room. She seemed aware of where she was going, and this worried Alexandra. The nurse gave her a gentle smile and walked over to Anne. Alexandra reciprocated and started walking towards the exit.
Meanwhile, she gave the little boy a sweet smile with a wave of her hand.
"The crabs won't go away, will they?" The child asked sadly. Alexandra had a puzzled expression on her face, turning her gaze to the boy's mother.
"Oh, he's afraid that while he's here to recover, all the animals will go away." At the mother's response, the freckled one said a little 'ooh' and walked over to the kid. Once she got in front of him, she knelt down to get a better look at him.
"What's your name?"
"Alex..."
"Wow! My name is Alex too! See?" Said the girl, showing him the label with her name. The child made a confused expression, wondering how that was possible. "I bet you are called Alex after the mythical 'Alex the lion', huh? You're just as brave as him! And you also look a lot like him." The dark ginger said, pointing to the ice on the ankle and then to the fact that the child has the same blue eyes and mane's hair color of the famous character. The boy gave her an amused smile and the girl smiled back.
"Hey Alex, do you know that all the animals here and especially the crabs are waiting for you?" The oldest said.
The boy looked at her with his big blue eyes, a little glimmer of hope appearing in them. "And how do you know?"
"Well because they told me! I work here after all. We always tell each other a lot of things!" Alexandra said, startling the little boy who looked at his mother. She gave him a sweet encouraging smile, patting his head. "Now that I took a better look at you, earlier the crabs told me about a little boy like you. They told me that at the very first glance you looked like a strong and courageous type, who never lets himself be discouraged! You don't want to lower their expectations, huh?"
"No!"
"Very good! Then don't be put off by the fact that you're here. Before you know it, you'll get out of here better than before so you can go visit your friends without any problem! Nice, right?"
"Yes!!" The child exclaimed enthusiastically, who began to clap his hands. He was really adorable, so Alexandra allowed herself to ruffle his hair as her mother had done before, who smiled to see her son happy again. Alexandra then got up and leaned over to her mother. "What happened?" She asked her in a whisper.
"Nothing serious, he slipped and hurt his ankle a little. They checked him and it's alright, they said ice will help him get better. And let's face it, children tend to be a little bit dramatic sometimes." The woman said, giggling at last, which Alexandra did too.
"But I'm glad to see him happy again, thank you very much." She finally added the woman, hugging her son from the side.
"No problem at all. I wish you both a great day! Alex, be more careful next time and tell the crabs I say hello!" Alexandra said before exiting the ER, and her mother and baby waved to her.
As soon as she stepped out of the seat, a pink-haired girl reached her. No, she did not reach her: she clung to her suddenly spitting from a corner.
"IIIH! WHO ARE YOU?!" Alexandra exclaimed, making her laugh loudly.
"Midler! Don't you remember me?" The girl said, breaking away from her. Alexandra turned and looked at her, breathing out a sigh of relief. "Ah... no no I do remember you! It's just that, you know, I didn't expect that..." The freckled one said, scratching the back of her neck.
"I saw you when you were talking to that baby. Gee, you really know what you're doing! You were so adorable~" Said the pink head, pinching her cheek. Once Midler released it, Alex stroked it as she gripped it too hard. "Whoops, too hard?"
"No! Everything's okay!" Alex said, waving her hands in front of her. She then took a closer look at what Midler was wearing, and she gasped in amazement. "A diving suit!! It's gorgeous!" The dark ginger exclaimed with stars in her eyes.
"You like it?" Midler asked as she posed for Alex. "I love it! Plus it looks great on you!" The freckled commented, clasping her hands and bringing them in front of her mouth, which had taken the form of a big smile.
The wetsuit that Midler had was dark purple on the torso and legs, while on the arms it was yellow with a blue print of small stars.
"Awww, too kind. I bet you would look good with a wetsuit too. You have some awesome curves!" Midler said, emphasizing the last two words by drawing wavy shapes in the air with her hands.
"Oh really?" Alex said as he posed playfully, and the two laughed together. "Yes! You would make all the guys working here drop at your feet~" Midler said, making Alexandra blush and laugh more at what she said.
"Oh and who knows, maybe some girls too~" Midler added in a mischievous tone at the end. Alex stopped laughing, not expecting this and blushed even more.
"U-uhh! Hey! Does that mean you're going to clean the tanks?" Alex said, trying to change the subject. Midler laughed at her attempt, but kept playing her game. But not before giving her a quick wink. Alexandra gave her an awkward smile in return.
"Yes, I have to remove any possible algae that can be created on the glass. Today it is my turn to clean the tanks of the Coral World."
Alexandra nodded, remembering that Coral World is where all the reef-themed attractions are located. "It must be great to swim in there." Alexandra said with a smile on her face as she daydreamed. An environment so colorful and full of life seems almost magical and unreal.
"Yeah, but you don't get to enjoy it so much since you have to stay there cleaning and not looking at the animals and corals. Even if some of those are fake." Midler said sighing, whispering the last sentence more to herself than to Alex.
"Honestly, for me it's okay to just be underwater, but I understand what you mean." Alex added, putting her hands in her pockets, lowering her head slightly.
Midler watched her for a moment before speaking. "It looks like you want to do it so badly." Midler commented, crossing her arms and giving her a smirk.
"You bet! I've always wanted to do it for a lifetime, and I'm so happy to do it in one of these tanks!" Alexandra exclaimed, snapping her head in Midler's direction. "At least here I have finally the occasion to try it for the first time."
"As soon as you are certified, I recommend that you do it in the sea as well. Maybe we could do it together!" Midler suggested, which made Alex jump for joy.
"WHAT A MAGNIFICENT IDEA! I can't wait for it!!" The dark ginger answered, clenching her fists close to her chest, enthusiastic about such an offer. Midler not only spoke as if it was obvious that she will take 100% the certification, but she also offered to accompany her on her first dive! For Alexandra, all of this was fantastic: the support of her peer- perhaps a little older than her- meant a lot to her.
"Wonderful! Then try to get it as soon as possible, so we will go there first." The pink head said, earning a determined nod by the dark ginger. "Maybe we can even go shopping for a wetsuit for you, what do you think?"
At that offer, Alexandra's endorphin level just seemed to get higher, as she lightly clapped her hands at the idea. Midles smiled at her, and also proposed to exchange numbers so that they were able to organize.
After that, Alex bowed slightly to Midler, who patted her arm.
"Now I better go, see you around Ally~" Having said that, Midler waved at her and headed for Coral World.
"Yessir! Bye Midler!" Alexandra greeted her with a playful soldier's salute, and soon after she too set out to continue her duty.
-------
05:48 PM
"Mommy! Mommy! Can I touch that dolphin?" The kid enthusiastically asked his mother, while frantically pointing to the dolphin through the thick glass, for the umpteenth time, tugging at her shirt.
The poor woman seemed exasperated by him. "No Chris, that dolphin can't be touched."
"Make that happen!" Her son named Chris loudly exclaimed. Her mother sighed, knowing she couldn't make that wish happen.
"Listen, the tub is too high to get there. After your brother comes back here with his friends, we will all go and visit the interior where there are animals you can pet!" The mother said, almost irritated, taking her son's hand off her shirt that he was still pulling.
"But I want to touch that dolphin! And then how does that guy stay up there?!" Chris added, pointing to a worker who was standing on the edge of the platform above the tub. That worker was Jotaro and he was feeding the dolphins, which one at a time approached him. Or at least tried.
"Well but he can! Because he feeds the animals."
"I ALSO WANT TO GIVE THE DOLPHINS TO EAT!" The little boy screamed, shaking his mother's arm, who rubbed her free hand across her face in exasperation.
"Ma'am, please silence your son. These dolphins have just been moved from the rehab pools to this tub, and they are not used to the chaos. It scares them." Jotaro said, leaning slightly from the platform to make eye contact with the woman; after the same dolphin he had been trying to feed for over 10 minutes kept swimming away because of the baby's screams.
"I'm really sorry! It's just that this rascal keeps demanding things that can't be done." The mother said, snatching her arm from her son's hands, that pouted and started crying out of spite. The mother sighed and tried to calm him down.
"If that can make him happy, I can get him up here for a few minutes so he can get a closer look at them." Jotaro said, placing an arm on the wall that served as a railing. "As long as he stops screaming."
"Oh no no, absolutely not! The other time we came here, he tried to sneak into those areas where only the workers can enter to get in touch with the penguins! I believe that if he had the opportunity to jump into the tub, he would surely do it!" Said the woman looking up again at Jotaro, which she sighed. "I don't want to cause you problems..."
"Oi, kiddo." Jotaro said, making Chris raise his head as he was wiping his tears with the backs of his hands. "I'll let you up here for a few minutes, but promise me you'll be silent and won't try to do anything your mother said. Is that okay with you?" Jotaro proposed.
The child immediately stopped crying and smiled, while the mother's face had a panicked expression.
After Jotaro got off the platform and reached them, he reassured Chris' mother that nothing bad would happen. Then they both used the road that Jotaro used before, to get to the platform, without being seen by anyone. But before walking on it, Jotaro gave Chris a pair of rubber boots that were too big for a child, but which he made fit.
"WOOOAH-"
"I told you not to say anything." Jotaro said alarmingly, and the boy put his hands on his mouth. Maybe he listens to Jotaro just because he's scary.
"You have to be quiet, because I couldn't even do this thing. But I'm doing it because you promised me you wouldn't scream anymore, am I right?"
The child nodded at this and Jotaro made a satisfied hum. He took his hand, to keep him from tripping with those huge boots, and led him to the edge of the platform, in a corner that was not visible to the spectators under some plants that served as decoration; and even a nice spot where the hot sun couldn't fully reach.
Chris carefully observed the tub and the dolphins inside it as they swam and played with each other.
It was rather calm up there in that corner. You could still hear the thousands of people talking and laughing in the background, but not as loud as you do when you are walking in between them. They made a nice background sound, along with the light wind that caressed the leaves and the water moved around by the dolphins.
"Isn't it better to observe them in silence?" Jotaro interrupted after a couple of minutes, making the boy's head turn towards him, who nodded slightly. "Exactly. Now stand still." Jotaro said, letting go of his hand, and then going to get the bucket with the food.
Once back, the boy's eyes lit up and Jotaro already knew why. "Remain silent and keep observing." Jotaro said as he leaned over the edge of the platform, waiting for that dolphin to approach. In the meantime he put his latex gloves back on and as he did so, the dolphin slowly approached him.
Once reached, Jotaro began to feed him some squid and, after finishing, the dolphin moved away from them to return to his companions.
"Did you see how calm that dolphin was?" Jotaro asked, turning his gaze to the boy who nodded. "Learn from him: instead of asking for things overwhelmingly like you did before with your mother, ask them in a calm and kind way." Jotaro said, making Chris tilt his head slightly.
"You won't always get what you want because not everything is possible, but if you do like that dolphin then the odds will be better. Be respectful with others and they will be with you too." Jotaro taught him, gesturing with his index finger raised to emphasize what he was saying. The child looked at him with a sympathetic expression as he toyed with his little fingers.
"Well-behaved children are those loved by everyone while bully ones are not. Do you want to be loved or not?"
"Be loved!"
"Good, then make sure that everything I told you stays in your mind. Teaching you that was the only reason that made you get up here, not for anything else." Jotaro finally said, rising from the platform.
He was satisfied with how calm Chris was all the time, which meant he knew how to keep the pacts. Plus the ravenette trusted him, since he seemed to have really understood the lesson. He took off his gloves and, before taking the child by the hand, he made a fist to him and Chris bumped it, making the ravenette smile slightly.
Once they got back to his mother, Jotaro reassured her again that everything went fine and that he had also learned some life lessons.
"Thank you so much. Is there anything I can do for you?" The mother asked genuinely, placing her hands on her son's shoulders.
"Don't worry, really." Jotaro replied putting his hand in front of him to refuse the lady's kind offer. Before she could've said something back, a group of 17-year-olds approached the three in a loud manner.
"Ma' I ran out of money so give me another 30 dollars, I have to buy something." One of the boys asked, after some giggles with his companions.
"Have you spent all the 100 dollars already? What do you have to buy-"
"Why do you care! Just give 'em to me!" The boy replied irritably as he put his hands in his pockets.
"Nicolas! You have to say 'please'!" Chris intervened, earning an astonished look from his mother and a slight nod from Jotaro in approval. "Shut up, Chris! Where did all this limp and flabby temper come from now?" The older one teasingly said to his little brother, approaching his mother's purse to get the money.
Jotaro had been faster though, so before he could touch the bag, he put his hand in front of the teenager's.
"Who are you??" Chris asked brazenly.
"Now I understand who was giving you a bad influence." Jotaro said to himself with a bored sigh, then moving the bully's hand away from the bag.
"N-No don't worry! I'll give the money to you immediately-"
"What do you want to do with that money?" Jotaro asked, crossing his arms with a poignant expression. Nicolas turned to his companions and gestured as if to say 'what's his deal?', making them giggle.
"Look man, I just want to get some food. No illegal stuff or anything." Nicolas said jokingly, making his group of friends laugh again.
"And what have you done with the previous ones? You said you have spent it all, but I can't tell." Jotaro said, referring to the fact that he didn't have any bags carrying objects of which he spent his mother's money on.
"Listen old man, it's none of your business what I do with my money. Now go back to playing with the dolphins and don't bother us! You hag, instead, move on and give me the money." Nicolas said in an hurried tone.
The mother started looking in her purse for extra money for her son, which made Jotaro nervous.
He himself admits that at their age he wasn't a very polite person. But he only acted like a bad guy when needed. In addition, he certainly did not bossed around his mother: he only answered badly to her when she was too clingy with him. Same thing goes with the other people. He just wanted to be left alone and it's still like this; sort of. He matured.
And seeing how Nicolas behaved, seeing how his mother made herself submit to him, made his blood boil.
So, before the mother could've took her hand out of the bag, Jotaro stepped between the two and the boy snorted. But Jotaro didn't care, so much so that he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him away.
"H-Hey! Wait a second! Please don't do that!" His mother objected, worrying about her son. But Jotaro didn't want to hurt him, obviously he couldn't, he just wanted to give him some lessons like he did with his little brother. But to do this, however, he would have to use his own language.
"HEY, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?! LEAVE ME IMMEDIATELY-" Before Nicolas could finish the sentence, Jotaro dropped him, pushing him into a corner, causing him to drop an object from his pocket which Jotaro just gave a quick glance. Nicolas turned to look at him and found his back to the wall, blocked by a very irritated 6'5" feet tall mass of muscle. At his gaze, Nicolas swallowed hard.
"Now you will listen to me for good, you shit head: learn to behave like a human being worthy to breathe on this planet, and stop bossing around and treat like shit those who treat you well. Try to realize that people like you are scum for society, or I will make sure to help you understand that. But I warn you, it will not be a pleasant thing. Have we understood each other, Nicolas?" Jotaro said in a threatening tone and slowly, so as to emphasize every word he said to get it right into his head.
Nicolas was leaning against the wall while staring into the turquoise eyes of the second wall in front of him. The teenager was silent, his mouth almost trembling. Before either of them could make another move, his family and friends joined them.
"Hey hey hey, what the hell are you trying to-" Said one of the group of friends, interrupting himself when he met Jotaro's eyes full of contempt. He shifted his gaze to Nicolas who made an '×' with his forearms, a sign that he didn't have to do anything.
"He's so hot." The two girls in the group commented, taking a bad look from all their friends.
"Ma'am, from now on don't let your son walk all over you anymore. I'm sure he has understood what's wrong with his behavior. Plus, I don't think he needs that extra money." Jotaro said, pointing to the object on the ground. It was Nicolas's wallet which, opened, revealed the 100 dollars he had 'spent'.
"Nicolas..." Said the incredulous mother, making her eldest son look down. Jotaro gave him another look, making him flinch. Then the ravenette reached down to pick up the wallet, noting that there was an object inside that did not belong to him.
"Good Grief, so do you also steal?" Jotaro said, getting up and taking the badge the two girls were looking for from his wallet. He then handed the wallet to the boy who took it with a shaky hand. "I-I... Uh- no! I wanted to bring it back to some of you, that's why I-"
"So why does the closure seem to have been tampered with?" Jotaro asked, indicating the closure of the plastic cover of the badge, which was damaged and almost torn. Nicolas swallowed hard, not knowing what to answer. His mother was embarrassed and disappointed by her son's delinquent behavior, slightly shaking her head left and right.
There was an awkward silence between them all, so Jotaro sighed and put his hands in his pockets along with Anne's badge, wishing everyone a good day and then he went back to work.
By now, since every day he saw many people all different from each other, he was used to putting bully teens and children, even adults sometimes, in line. That didn't mean it was his favorite pastime to do this. He definitely would have preferred to keep working, but he certainly couldn't stand there and watch the scene of them who-
"Whoops. Excuse me, Jotaro." One of his colleagues sarcastically said, after pushing him on purpose with his shoulder.
"Fuck you, Dio." Jotaro answered avarly, after being pushed and interrupted from his thoughts. Dio gave him a smirk, which caused Jotaro to scoff as he continued to walk forward.
"What do you have in your pocket?" Dio asked, following him and pointing to the string of the badge that came out of his pocket. "Mind your own business." Jotaro answered as he continued walking.
But Dio paid no attention to that, and in fact leaned over to snatch the object from his pocket. Jotaro wasn't fast enough to stop him, so he stopped walking and stared at Dio with an irritated look. "Give it back."
"Oooh, that's the badge the girls were looking for! You're a man of your word after all~" Dio said teasingly, swinging the tag from the string it was attached to. Jotaro jerked his arm forward to retrieve the badge, managing to catch it but Dio held it by the string to avoid getting it caught.
"I said. Give it back."
"Don't worry, I'll take it to the girls. You just keep doing what you were doing."
"And give you credit for something you surely haven't even tried to do since you were asked? Forget it."
"Are you in search of sincere compliments so badly that you won't let the badge go? Pathetic."
"I would say the same thing for you, adding that you are so desperate that you'd even take undeserved credit. Pathetic."
"Hey guys! What are you doing?" A familiar female voice interjected, turning the two contenders towards it. It was the voice of Alexandra, who was walking towards the two looking at them curiously.
"Alexandra! Glad to see you again. See, I found Anne's badge but Jota-"
"I found the badge, you ugly bastard." Jotaro said, pulling it towards him. Dio did the same and the two continued like this, earning a confused look from the girl.
"Hey hey hey, stop it or you'll break it!" Alex finally said, placing herself between the two and separating them with her hands. Jotaro pulled the badge for the last time, finally managing to snatch it from Dio's hand. The blond mocked him and raised his hands in defeat.
"Okay, since you want the credits so much, I'll give them to you." Dio said with false kindness. Jotaro took him from the collar of his shirt to bring him closer to him.
"You son of a-"
"S-Sorry but I'm still here!" Alex said awkwardly while blushing slightly, as she was squeezed between the bodies of the two muscular guys, trying to get Jotaro off with both hands. Jotaro let go of Dio by his collar and Alexandra stepped aside. "Geez, you two look like children! Come on, behave like adults and tell the truth."
"I found it." The two rivals said in unison, exchanging an exasperated look from the freckled one. "Come on guys, it's not like there's a 100 million dollar prize for whoever finds the badge!"
"Well, maybe your phone number can work as a reward~" The blond said mischievously, making the ravenette groan in disgust.
"THAT was not in the deal. Plus the favor wasn't for me either! So, hurry up to-"
"ALEXANDRAAAAAAAAA!" Another familiar, feminine voice entered the discussion. It was Anne's, who was running towards the three.
"Come on Jotaro, do your dirty work and give Anne the badge I found."
"I swear I'll break that pile of shit you refer to as your face."
"You two have got me fed up." Alexandra finally said, snatching the badge from Jotaro's hand and started walking up towards Anne, who stopped and put her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. She probably had run a lot to look for Alex. It would have been a lot easier if she could have called her on the phone.
"Oh! You found the badge!" Anne said after taking a deep breath, taking the badge Alex was handing her.
"Yes exactly, I found it." Alexandra said loud and clear for the two boys not so far from her, causing Jotaro to stand in disbelief as he was mocked by Dio.
"You are incredible! Either you got lucky or you really have hawk eyes!" Anne said, putting the badge around her neck, while still breathing heavily.
"I think more about the first one. But hey, you seem to have run so hard to find me! How about swapping phone numbers, so that when we are apart it will be easier to find each other?" Alexandra proposed, this time making Dio stand in disbelief as he was mocked by Jotaro.
Finally, the two girls waved goodbye to the boys behind them, gleefully walking away while crossing arms with each other. Jotaro and Dio, however, did not leave as peacefully as they did, and definitely not with their arms crossed. But at least they exchanged last words before parting.
"Fuck you."
"Kiss my ass."
Comic parts
★★★★
I SWEAR TO GOD NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE SHORTER- CUZ D A Y U M
For you all and also for me cuz editing this long ass papyrus is U R G H
Also that is a slow ass update HAHAHAHAH Sowwy :P
Aaand I have nothing more to say if not the same thing as the other chapter cuz Dio's makes me V O M I T-
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