Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Alpha Directive

Chapter 1: Reunion Crash

By Kajane Schorl.

Characters copyright to Hirohiko Araki and Mariano Kleisner, with appearances by some original characters from the author.
Any resemblance to people living or dead, or characters from Final Fantasy Unlimited is purely coincidental.

Summer of 1992, Three years after Dio's destruction...

“To Jean Pierre Polnareff...

	Joseph Joestar here! It's been a while, you remember me?
	Jotaro and the family have been doing well, but we've been thinking...
	
	We haven't seen you in a long, long time.
	And Holly had an idea about having you and I over at her place for a sort 	of reunion vacation, to catch up, maybe even remember some of the 	adventures we had for old time's sake. (She really didn't want to say no to 	the idea...It was weird to see her so gung-ho about something, ha ha!)

	I surprisingly managed to free my schedule up for about a month, so I'll be 	open too. Give us a call in a few days if you're interested in joining us! I'll 	take care of everything. I'll even be waiting at the airport with a few people 	from the Speedwagon Foundation to give you a lift, so no need to worry 	about paying for a cab.

	We're all hoping to see you!”

	~Joseph Joestar

Polnareff held that letter in his hand, along with a duffel bag filled for the trip as he walked through the airport terminal gate. His silver hair was freshly styled and arranged into one short column, dressed in an unusual attire (for him) of white slacks and dress shirt, a red tie, with a black blazer and dress shoes. He had foregone his half heart earrings for formality's sake, instead choosing to wear them on a chain around his neck, tucked under his shirt.

“Oi, Polnareff!”

Polnareff smiled as Joseph walked up, dressed in a tan suit jacket, black slacks and his usual white gloves and hat. His white beard seemed a little thicker than usual for some reason. It had been three years after all.

“Good to see you again old man! It's been too long.” He shook Joestar's hand enthusiastically.

“Indeed, it has. Jotaro should be on his way back from school when we get to Holly's. We'll be right on time to greet him if all goes as planned.”

“Let's get going then. I can't wait to see the look on his face after all this time!”

Planet Edelgraen, Northern Mountains

Lady Enya leaned against a tall sandstone pillar, idly scanning the area.

Shortly after finishing her account of her kingdom's battle with Omega and sharing some stew with her new friends, Enya had informed them of a strange portal gate she saw, shortly before her body gave out completely. Vulpa was curious, and so the four set out to investigate with Enya taking point, to arrive first and set a sort of magic beacon for the others to convene at.

Vulpa Rufus trudged on through the snow, with her younger sister Ruki and her feral friend Wolufu close behind, crouching behind a large boulder. The wind chill had been hell coming up here. Wolufu was feeling it the worst, since he only wore a red bandanna around his neck. Ruki huddled by her crush, rubbing her mitted hands along his fur, doing her best to keep him warm.

“Any signs we're getting closer? Stupid wind...” Wolufu barked as he shielded his head with a forepaw.

Vulpa gave a slight smile. “Looks like it. I can see pieces of stone scattered around. Hopefully they belong to the stonework from that portal. The wind's dying down in this area, so maybe that's a sign?” She noticed a weird aura about thirty feet away over the top of that hill.

That's gotta be it. I've never felt that kind of magic before, even when Ruki healed me. Vulpa thought to herself. 

She motioned for the two kids to follow, briskly padding around the many bright sandy fragments of stone, coming up the hill.

The first thing she noticed was the powerful energy this gate was giving off. A bright, warm yellow glow lit five torches as well as intricate pathways leading up to the portal itself. The portal gate was a similar hue, Ruki and Vulpa both noticed it was subtly sparking with yellow ripples of lightning, coursing all along the edges of the gate.

Lady Enya waved the three down. “Oh, good! You made it.”

Vulpa relaxed slightly, walking up to their new friend. Enya's expression grew more serious, she looked closely at the stone rim of the gate, squinting.

“I've seen these kind of runes before. If memory serves correctly, this portal leads to a planet called Earth. There had been reports of a priestess traveling back and forth between our worlds, using portal gates exactly like these as transportation.” She gestured to the portal.

“You didn't get her name, did you Lady Enya?” Ruki piped.

“Rupo, I believe.”

The three kemono flinched slightly at the mention. Before they made the journey here, they had forcibly exorcised Rupo from possession of a chimera under Omega's influence, who escorted them to a nearby portal leading to a sanctuary. She'd helped them a great deal. What could have happened!?

Enya continued on. “I know she's not dead. Her connection to Alpha and Emoh is still present. She crossed through a week ago, but hasn't returned. King Arthur was interested in learning about someone, and he wanted to talk to her.....He wouldn't say anything about who, other than that she was related to a recent prophecy.”

Ruki's ears perked up, but she kept silent.
Enya noticed this, but continued her topic.

“I was preparing to head out with a detail of five soldiers in three days, but Omega attacked after one. That bloody bast--” She cleared her throat rather loudly before fixing a large stray lock of red hair. “That overgrown tomato of a demon never cared about life or order, let alone our schedule...Regardless, since you all seem to know her, perchance you might be willing to help me find out where she went and what she's up to exactly?”

Vulpa's expression hardened into a determined smile.
“We saved her, she helped us. We can help her out again if we need to, and vicious cycles can take a hike.”

Wolufu and Ruki shared a nod.

Lady Enya smiled, walking towards the yellow torches just in front of the portal gate.
“I will not be able to come with you, sadly. I've heard stories about survivors from Guinevere's kingdom. I must know if they bear truth...”

Vulpa felt a pang of sorrow in her chest at her words. Maybe she was hoping beyond hope, at this rate, especially after all she told them...

Enya's voice picked up the trail as she walked to one of the torches. “I will be checking in where I can, but we will need to use these torches in a spell first, so we can keep in contact. Now, I want all of you to place one hand over one of those torches...Like so.” She kneeled and raised her right hand, curling her fingers and thumb over the warm yellow glow.

Ruki did as she was shown. Wolufu jumped onto his hind legs and braced himself against the square post with one paw before awkwardly slanting the other against the rim, his motions betraying his nerves about having his leg so close to the light from a torch, flame or not. Vulpa had to squat to level her hand with one, but she managed.

After a precursory glance around and a mind-clearing deep breath, Lady Enya began an incantation.

“To Alpha, Creator of Emoh and all who call it home. Hear our call, for we gather at the gate to another world, rife with unknown people and dangers. Some of us will go, some will stay.

We gather the magic inherited as a gift from you, the force that permeates your world and children to tether to those who leave, so they can stay in touch with those who stay behind and ensure knowledge of their safe return.

In Your graces, Alpha, We walk through this passage to the unknown, and pray for Your protection and light to guide us home.”

Enya opened her eyes and smiled, nodding to the three.

“You should just walk right through that yellow aura, and end up on Earth. According to what I got from scanning their magic, you'll come into a country called Japan. Good Hunting.”

Earth, Japan, Kujo Residence

“Holly can't wait to meet you. I could hear her excitement over the phone!” Joseph said as he walked through the gateway. Polnareff's reputation as a friend and comrade had preceded him. He glanced at the house and the area around it.

“Your daughter has a dog, Mr. Joestar?”

Joseph gave Polnareff a quizzical look.
“I don't believe so. She's much too gentle to house train one...”

“So that reddish-brown tail by that shed is just a stray?”
Joseph snapped to attention, following Polnareff's gaze to the shed. The tail in question was fluffy, but limp. Much too big for even a large wolf. He motioned for Polnareff to follow him, making fast quiet strides.

The first thing the two noticed about the tail's owner was that she was definitely not a stray, or even the kind of dog they were used to. She was more or less an anthropomorphic wolf. Definitely female, very muscular. Her fur and hair was all the same reddish-brown, the latter cascading down her back and shoulders like a collie's. She wore a black oriental dress, with white sleeves on her forearms and over her ankles, stopping short of the toes on her digitigrade feet.

“Holy shit...!” Joseph muttered quietly before reaching over to her form, placing two fingers on her neck under her jaw.

“Is she alive?”

“Yes. Perfectly healthy pulse too. She might be close to waking up...”

Oh no. Is he about to do what I think he is!? Polnareff thought.
“You're not seriously thinking of—”

Joseph's expression said it all.
“She's obviously not from this world. Better for a stand master to be an ambassador than someone who does not truly know, or even fears the idea of otherworldly powers.” He moved to drape one of her arms over his shoulders. “C'mon Frenchie, gimme a hand here. This big fuzzball's heavy...”

30 minutes before...

Vulpa glanced behind her with a worried look. She had come out of the portal without Ruki or Wolufu in sight. Her nose told her they were farther away, but their Blitz auras weren't showing at all. Noticing a tall wooden fence stretching along this patch of forest, Vulpa tried following alongside it, hoping to find a lead back to her sister.

Did the trip through the portal take that much out of them? She mused, while removing her winter coat and storing it in the gigantic rucksack she carried on her back. The thing was big enough to double as a foot locker, but usually she could carry it easily because of her enhanced muscles. Vulpa shouldered the rucksack and started walking.

After fifteen minutes of fence trailing, she noticed that it ended at a street up ahead, with a sort of gap big enough for someone to walk through somewhat close by. The trees were getting more sparse, and there were more squirrels and smaller creatures compared to the odd red fox or deer she had seen during the start of her walk.

She also had a dull but powerful headache setting in.
Vulpa paid it little mind, making her way to the path in the fencing. Stepping through, she was greeted with a large house, and a peculiar garden between them. A section of crops on the right side of the fence, a shed to her left, and in the middle there was a boulder in a sandbox of sorts. The sand looked like someone had taken a rake or shovel and drawn swirl or wave patterns in it. After seeing no other life around, Vulpa made her way to the shed, setting her rucksack down halfway. She was starting to freak out now...

What the hell!? I know this is another world, but jeez. I shouldn't be this out of breath! Vulpa thought frantically. Is it something in the air here? The trip through the portal sapping my magic?

Her headache was getting worse. Vulpa screwed her eyes shut, leaning against the fence for support...

Before she finally passed out, collapsing with a bang against the shed.

Present, Kujo Residence

Vulpa slowly rose into consciousness. Her headache was gone and she could smell the scent of flowers in whatever-it-was draped around her. Her blue eyes blinked open and she found herself in a somewhat space-cramped bedroom.

Was she brought here...? Vulpa glanced around, seeing a lamp on a nightstand next to her resting spot. Following the walls of the room, she saw a few framed pictures on the wall, a dresser with some weird screen box on top. A closet to the left of that by the far side wall, and a window with a metal radiator next to it nearby.

She looked down.....Oh, thank Alpha! She still had all of her clothing on. Dress, check. Sleeves, check. Panties, check. Murmaider......wait, what?

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts before the door slid open, revealing an old man wearing long gloves, black slacks, and a collared tan t-shirt. A full beard and short hair, both white, adorned his face, but his blue-green eyes still had a raging fire in them despite his apparent age.

The fact he was more or less a hairless ape wasn't even sinking in for Vulpa at the moment.

“Oh good, you're awake.” He smiled and ran a hand back through his hair.
“...Before I introduce myself, can you understand what I'm saying?”

A hesitant blink and downward, then upward tilt of her muzzle. “Yes sir.”

Wow, I can understand him... But how? The wolf girl mused in the space between her ears.

Joseph's mind was on a similar wavelength. He was prepared for big communication barriers, for a fleeting second after he knocked on the door he thought he would have to resort to some kind of charades or caveman bullshit. He quickly made a note to talk with this wolf girl in a more in-depth conversation later. For now, the oldest of the Joestar family bloodline had to get his new charge acquainted.

“Alright, I'll keep it simple as I can for now. My name's Joseph Joestar. I'm what you'd call a human. A friend and I found you walking up to the door to this place. My daughter Holly lives here with my grandson. Are you feeling alright?”

Vulpa rubbed the back of her hand idly. “Yes Mr. Joestar, much better. I'm Vulpa, by the way. Vulpa Rufus.” She extended her right hand out for a handshake, which Joseph took.

Joseph smiled. “Vulpa...Not a name I'm used to. But then, I don't really see anthropomorphic wolf ladies running around often. Oh, that reminds me. Let's get you out of this bed, see if you can move around. Gotta make sure everything checks out eh?” He gave a hearty chuckle before gently tugging on her arm.

Vulpa obliged, quickly setting her footpaws on the tatami mat floor. Their ears picked up heavy scraping and the odd masculine labored grunt, down the hallway outside the bedroom door.

“Ah, that must be my friend with that big trunk we found along with you. I guess that's yours?” Joseph queried.

Down the hall, Polnareff had been pulling that huge trunk along from where they found it for the last hour and a half. “Mon dieu, this thing is heavy!” He groaned as he gave yet another heaving pull, while Joseph and Vulpa peeked around the doorway.

Vulpa took initiative, walking up to the other end of the case and stooping to lift.
“Let me give you a hand here sir.”

Polnareff practically tore his gaze away from those pools of blue before nodding.
“Ah, merci, thank you! My name's Polnareff. Jean Pierre Polnareff. Whew! This thing's really heavy, what do you keep in here? Summer reading?”

Vulpa gave an amused giggle at Polnareff's little joke before a heave-ho. Some awkward turns later, they managed to move her trunk into the guest room, setting it down near the wall with the picture frames.

Vulpa noticed she still wasn't up to full capacity yet. That trunk felt as heavy as a couch, yet she was still a little winded. Strange.
Maybe I should rest or eat something... She thought, glancing up at the pictures on the wall. A young woman with her son, she had such a kind gentle face...

Then something clicked. Something big.
Oh NO! Ruki! Wolufu! Where are they!? Vulpa nearly screamed in her head.

Joseph sensed her change in mood quickly.

“Vulpa? Is something wrong?”

“I...I have a younger sister and a friend of ours I came here with. I can explain where from later, I have to find her!”

Joseph and Polnareff exchanged serious looks.

“Then we're coming with you. It could be dangerous to go alone.”

“Papa? Papa!”

Seconds later, Joseph's daughter Holly Kujo came down the hall.
“Papa, Jotaro's on the phone, he wants to talk to you. All he said was he saw some strange wolves and needed advice from you...”

Polnareff threw a glance at Vulpa, then to Joseph, before the old man nodded, motioning for both of them to come along.

Meanwhile, at Jotaro Kujo's High School.

A young teenager walked through the halls, fresh out of a student teacher meeting. Black slacks, a similarly-colored school jacket with a yellow chain hanging off the left side of the collar over a purple t-shirt. Jotaro slipped his hat on, he never liked to be seen by schoolmates without it. Besides, the rumors going around that it was part of his hair were funny, as ridiculous as they were.

“Hey, Jojo!”

“Jojo!”

“Hi Jotaro!”

“Yare yare daze. Even up to my graduation, these girls just can't stop hitting on me...”
Jotaro muttered under his breath. He figured he'd humor them for once and chat.

He noticed he'd been striking up conversation every once in a while. Really weird. That wasn't like him at all. Jotaro was always the silent bad boy type, and it was a little unnerving to see all this coming about, especially after defeating such a powerful demon of a man.

“Hey girls. How you all doing?” Jotaro asked with a small tip of his hat.

They all seemed nervous to pipe up. Eventually Ikomi, a senior behind him by a few years stepped forward. Her frameless glasses were low-profile, framed by cheekbone-length black hair bangs and giving an almost ethereal reflection to her smoky grey eyes.

“Jojo, we found some weird animals. Two wolves, but only one walks on four legs. The other looks like us, but she looks young, and she's wearing a green dress and a long red scarf. I know it sounds weird but we all saw this.”

Jotaro was slightly skeptical. But if he learned anything during that trip to Egypt with his grandfather and friends three years ago, it was that absolutely nothing was impossible. Whether it was a wolf that walked on two less legs, or a vampire who possessed a spirit that stood and fought alongside him, capable of temporarily freezing time itself.

Hell, he'd brought his grandfather back from death.

Jotaro began walking to the door at the end of the hall for a few strides before looking back.
“You girls coming or not? Ikomi, all of you come on, you can lead me to where you saw them.”

Anni, a redhead girl in the group may as well have had to pick her jaw up off the floor before she and the other girls jogged to catch up.

According to Ikomi's "testimony", these wolves or whatever-they-were had been spotted at the opposite end of the school building, all the way across from and behind where Jotaro was about to head out. Thankfully their normally nonstop, girly chatting was minimal, mostly due to the situation. And they weren't hitting on him at all, which was a BIG surprise. 
Jotaro kept silent for the most part, while keeping an ear out for important details about those animals' appearances, if they were wearing anything, whatever would help to identify them at a clear visual. It was a bit of a walk, so he took it slow, managing to pick up most of the bigger details.

But his biggest concern was, are these things hostile...?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ruki was worried. She had gotten separated from her sister coming out of that portal. How she had no idea, they had all walked through as a group.

After he woke up from mysteriously conking out, Wolufu had set off to walk along a nearby metal chain link fence, hoping to find some sort of way around it against both of their better judgement.

Haven't we been split up enough right now? The young wolf girl's conscience was still locked in fierce combat with her current situation.
She whimpered softly and stuck her nose through one of the many small spaces in the fence, curling the fingers from one hand around the meshwork of thin metal bars.

Her concern for her sister and friend recently turned romantic interest was evident in her face, clutching her scarf and bright green dress in her free hand.

The loud clack of a door opening caught her attention. Ruki shrunk back from the fence instinctively, trying to stay silent as she snuck behind the bushes and tree to hide. She was feeling a big lump in her throat, and it was hard to stifle a fear-driven sob as she crouched with her back against the tree.

A strong-sounding male voice came to her ears, followed by three females, a slight age and significant pitch difference between genders.

She couldn't understand what they were saying, but she had a feeling they were looking for her. It did nothing to ease her fears.
Ruki chanced a fleeting glance from her hiding spot, peeking around slowly.

The male voice apparently belonged to a tall hairless ape of a creature. He had no tail, and instead of a muzzle she saw a medium-sized nose and an angular, stubborn-looking chin. He wore some sort of school uniform, black with a bright yellow chain hanging off of one side of the collar, and similarly colored trim. His hat was the same in color but she couldn't tell where hat ended and hair began. Was it all one big piece...?

She saw the bill of his hat turn towards her and ducked back behind the tree, covering her muzzle with her hands. Two of the girls were talking hushedly, as if they saw her. Oh no! No no NO! Damn it all!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jotaro thought he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He turned his vision towards the tree to his left behind that chain link fence. He almost wrote it off as a brightly colored leaf, but that shade of bright yellow-green was too unnatural for summer...

"Girls, stay back, stay quiet, and no sudden movements. I think I see one of them." Jotaro told them in an urgent hushed tone. He slowly began walking towards the fence, staying as silent as the ground beneath his shoes would allow. He managed to get a few feet away from the fence undetected before he was able to get a good glimpse of the wolf girl that "walked on two less legs".

She looked about 12 or 13 years of age, and she was definitely scared. Grey fur with a slight greenish tint made up her entire pelt, and under the hands she had clamped over her muzzle, Jotaro saw a bright red, inverted triangle sort of marking under the outer corner of her eye, coming to a thin point just over the contour of her jawbone. Her hair was more like headfur, somewhat long, brushed back, but still longer than what he'd seen on wolves in books. She wore a bright red scarf that looked way too big for her, tattered from travel and seeming like it could double as a blanket in a pinch, along with a bright yellow-green dress and earthly brown arm and leg sleeves that came up to her wrists and stopped short of the paws on her digitigrade feet.

Jotaro slowly removed his hat before leaning forward, placing his palm against the chain link fence and giving a small whistle to get her attention.

She snapped her head around so quickly he thought she may have gotten whiplash.

Poor kid...She's really on edge. Not that I would blame her.

She relaxed slightly, turning her body and muzzle slowly to face him, while leaning against the tree. Was she picking up on Jotaro's silent sympathy?

Jotaro decided to try something, placing his hat on his knee. He beckoned with his hand, trying to tell her to come closer with a reassuring half-smile.

She seemed to get the message and began to slowly walk closer, her feet leaving little paw prints in the loose dirt. The little wolf girl got to the fence and raised her hand to Jotaro's, touching it to his, then slowly interlocking her fingers through the fence. Jotaro noticed she had little pink pads on her fingertips and palm, as soft as his mother's hands.

A few seconds passed before a blue glow began to emanate from their hands, lazily exploding outwards like an azure-tinted smoke bomb you'd see in one of those ninja films. Jotaro looked up, almost in awe, while Ikomi and the other girls could be heard saying "oooh" in the background.

Jotaro thought for a moment. Never seen anything like that before. Is that magic?

The wolf girl looked around them at the disspating blue smoke, and a high-pitched, thin female voice came through to the human's ears.

".....Wow, it's never done that before..."

Jotaro smiled, regaining his bad-boy demeanor of old for a bit.
"Well, we can understand each other now. Good!"

The wolf girl's face lit up like a lantern as she let out a small giggle. "Hey, you're right! Guess my magic does more than I think..." Her ears tilted downward slightly. 

"...Wait a second. I never saw someone like you before. Who or what are you...?"

Jotaro never liked having to explain stuff. But she asked...
The high schooler adjusted his hat drawing in a breath.

"Well kid, we're what you call humans. We're the sentient race around here, I guess you could say. My name's Jotaro Kujo, I've been a student at this school here, for a long time. How about you, what's your name?"

"Ruki, Mr. Kujo. Ruki Rufus."
Ruki made an awkward attempt to stick her hand and wrist through the chainlink fence before Jotaro stepped forward, grabbing a part of the fence near one of it's support posts.

"Don't worry kid, I got this for you..."
Ruki thought she saw a green-skinned third arm latch onto the fence before Jotaro pulled backwards, ripping the chain links away to make a small hole just big enough for her to crawl through. She quickly stepped through the gap, noticing a burst of Blitz Aura from a far-off area as she did so. Oh crap, is that him!?

Jotaro felt it too. He looked toward the direction of the source. Five seconds later the other "strange wolf" came barreling towards them at superhuman speed. Possibly at Mach 1, what the hell!? He got the feeling the little guy could go way faster before the wolf jumped right at Jotaro, who raised an arm in defense to meet his open muzzle and extremely angry expression.

Oh shit, this kid is pissed.

Jotaro thought milliseconds before the four legged wolf latched onto his left arm.

Blue eyes, same markings as Ruki, seemed to be the same age as her too. A red bandanna adorned his neck, dark gray fur throughout his coat with a few tufts of headfur.

Star Platinum phased away from Jotaro's back, green hands locked around the cub's jaws. Jotaro would have thrown some badass quote out for the kid if not for what happened next.

Star Platinum spoke.

"ENOUGH OF THIS, BOY!" The green-skinned Stand roared before taking on a calmer tone of voice.

"My master and I mean you and your friend no harm. But we will defend ourselves if we must! Consider yourself lucky that whatever your friend did enabled communication between our species...I'm sure Master Jotaro would hate to harm a child like you...Now, compose yourself and be civil, do I make myself clear?"

The wolf's hackles slowly fell, before he nodded as much as his captor would allow. Jotaro was aghast at his Stand's new abilities. Star Platinum simply nodded in return, setting Wolufu down gently on all fours. Ruki immediately jogged to his side to hug him. Wolufu paid little mind, as he was visibly shaken to his core by the past half-minute brush with death.

Jotaro let out an uncharacteristically not deadpanned "How the hell can you talk!?"

Rightfully so. Until recently, Star Platinum could only say "ORA!"
Star Platinum looked towards his master with a small smile instead of the usual stone-faced stare into your soul.

"If I recall, you refused to believe anything was impossible three years ago. Vampires, stopping time itself, guardian spirits who stand and fight alongside you. Is this no different, Master Jotaro? But, to answer your question...It may have something to do with young Ruki's magic. It has seemingly affected my own sentience as well as your ability to communicate with each other..."

Ruki gently tried to shake her feral crush out of it.
"Hey, Wolufu, wake up!"
He soon responded with a jolt and a brief doglike shake. "Wha--? Is h--? Friendly hello hi?"

Jotaro looked to the two kids, then back to his Stand. "I'll take that for now. I have a phone call to make. Hey Ruki, Wolf Kid! Wanna walk with me for a bit? I have to call my grandpa about this, could be an important thing. I don't want to impose, but I don't want to leave you two here alone either."

Ruki looked around with a concerned look on her face before glancing to Jotaro.

"Might as well. Come on Wolufu, let's go..."

Kujo Residence

Vulpa sat in the guest room while Joseph chatted on the phone with his grandson. She picked up the clack of the phone hanging up, followed by his and Polnareff's voice walking around the house and down the hall. Damn, the walls are thin as paper here, she thought. How the hell am I supposed to get any privacy if I get "urges"? 

The knocking on the guest room door yanked her attention away.
Joseph came through first, followed by Polnareff and Holly.

"Good news Vulpa. My grandson Jotaro might've found your friends. They're on their way here now."

A sigh of relief, then: "Thank Alpha. Thank you so much, Mr. Joestar."

"There's more than that, though. We, uh.....We can tell you're not from around here. So we want to offer you and your friends a place to stay for at least a week. If you can earn your keep and our good graces, we'll be happy to let you stay here while you find a way back to your home...And maybe there's some things you can help me with too."

Vulpa's ears perked up. Holy shit, this was one hell of an offer! Out of nowhere, a place to stay?

"I'll accept, but.....can I ask what kind of things you need help with, Mr. Joestar?"

"That can wait until after we all get some food in, heh heh. Holly's cooking something now, you might like it. It's an old favorite of mine we were planning for this get-together you crashed, but no worries! You and your sister are welcome to join us, she made a lot."

Vulpa smiled. "Sounds good, what's on the menu?"

"Spaghetti with a squid ink sauce."

Vulpa blanched internally. Squid Ink!? Are you fucking serious?

Joseph blinked before quipping, "Wait wait. I know what you're gonna say next...I'm sorry, but that sounds disgusting. Right? I thought that too when I first tried it."

He looked up to find Vulpa looking at him like he just sharted all over the chair and dresser behind him. Muzzle agape, eyes wide.

"How.......did you do that?"

"Just a trick I picked up in my youth. Got a rise out of a lot of people with how much I nailed it." Old Joseph replied.

Vulpa's ears picked up the sliding clack of the door opening followed by her sister's voice engaged in a rather mellow casual conversation with someone. She sighed with relief knowing Ruki was ok.

"Hey Ruki! In here! We got food going if you're hungry!" Vulpa called out.

Ruki burst through the door seconds later followed by Jotaro and Wolufu, the former bringing up the rear as Ruki rushed to hug her buff sister. Vulpa caught Wolufu looking away with a sad look on his face.

Uh-uh. Not today! She thought.

"Oi, Wolufu, c'mere and get in on this." Vulpa beckoned to her feral friend, with Ruki still fiercely hugging her. Wolufu hesitantly took a few steps forward before rushing into her open arm with teary eyes and a choked-back sob.

"That's right kid, you're part of the family now. You've earned it. Thank the gods, I'm so glad you two are alright." She glanced to Joseph, Holly and Polnareff. "These two are Ruki, my little sister, and Wolufu, a close friend of ours. Both almost 13."

Polnareff gave a smile before crouching close to Wolufu and ruffling his headfur.
"He seems like a smart pup."

"Oh he is, Mr. Polnareff." Vulpa said. "Hey kids, let's cut the sentimental baloney and get some food. We got spaghetti."

Ruki and Wolufu reluctantly released themselves from the embrace in favor of getting grub.

"...I'll need your help after we finish eating, Vulpa. It might be a bizarre request, but it seems like you could handle it. I'll explain after we all get some food in our stomachs." Joseph said.

"Sure, Mr. Joestar." Vulpa had to admit she was curious about it. But she was also hungry.....

<   To Be Continued   | \ |