u/Prayerwarrior6640

Also why do you think they’re strongest?

Edit: for everyone asking why shade lord/knight isn’t on here, I knew it would win so I didn’t include it.

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Hey everyone! As a requirement for me to student teach next semester, I am required to conduct an interview with a teacher who has an English Language Learner student in their class, and no school in any of my surrounding counties have one. I asked my advisor, and she said I could conduct an interview with a teacher online(preferably in the state of Kentucky, but if not that’s fine) who has an ELL student. So if any of you have an ELL student in their classroom and would be available for a short interview via DMs, that would be a huge help towards my progress!

I imagine the texture of the meat is super tough and rubbery, but that can be fixed with steaming in a bamboo rack to loosen up the muscle fibers. The flavor is probably a mix of shrimp and eel but more bitter than you can imagine, not to mention the lingering aftertaste of sin, but that could be fixed with a honey based marinade with some lemon juice and zest,paprika and some chili flakes for flavor. Then just sear over some binchotan coals and coat with eel sauce with garlic and onion to get a umami kind of dish going. Serve it over rice and you’ve got yourself a meal.

Joey sat in his room, staring at the tank. Inside was the Higurashi Cicada that he had found earlier that day, which was beginning to form a large split in its back. Beside the tank was a notebook, full of sketches of the cicada. Around joeys room are several other tanks filled with caterpillars, beetles, even an ant farm.

Joey recalled the words of Tonio from earlier that day

*in memory*Tonio: If you dismiss your stand, you’re dismissing yourself. And you are strong. You just need to focus on the strengths of your stand. Please, just try to train with it.

Joey had been thinking about those words all day. After him, Z, and Sakura finished eating, they walked around town for a while until dark when they all went their separate ways. Joey retrieved the cicada tank from where he hid it in the grass and snuck it inside so his mom wouldn’t notice. For the past hour or so, he’d been meticulously sketching the cicada and making a timeline of its molting. All the while, still thinking about his stand.

Beatles first manifested from Joey when he was around 4 years old. His family had just moved to Japan and Joey was scared. He was only a young boy, and having such a dramatic change in his environment was a lot on him. Having to learn a new language, new writing styles, and a whole new culture was hard for him. All the while, he was treated like an outsider by the kids his own age.

A few months after the move, Joey was walking with his mother to the store when he noticed two older boys playing in the dirt. Between them were 2 large rhinoceros beetles, shoving each other back and forth in a circle drawn in the dirt. Joey watched as the kids cheered on their beetles and how much fun it seemed they were having. Joey suddenly felt something cling to his hand. He looked down and saw that a rhinoceros beetle had landed on his hand and was walking around it. Seeing his mother wasn’t paying attention, the young Joey walked towards the kids.

Young Joey:*holding out the beetle* Hey. I have a bug too. Can I play?

One of the boys looked at the beetle. It was much larger than the two they were playing with.

Boy 1:Hey! That beetles way bigger than ours! There’s no way you caught that, you don’t even have a net. You must be cheating! *He stands up and starts walking to Joey,reaching for the beetle*

Joey:*Pulling his arms back and covering the beetle* No I promise I found it! It just climbed up onto my hand.

Boy 2:*Also walking to Joey* Yeah right kid, there’s no way someone like you caught a beetle like that. Now give it here so we can play with it! *he lunges for the beetle*

Joey:*Recoiling and falling to the ground* NO, It’s my bug!

Suddenly, Joey saw a strange figure beside him. It looked like him, only it was green and yellow. It had 6 arms, blue eyes, and horns on its head. This was Joeys first manifestation of Beatles. The stand made a hissing sound, and the two beetles the boys were playing with began to fly at the boys and clung to their faces

Boy 1:Ahh, get it off!

Boy 2: It’s got a leg in my nose!

The two boys ran off. Joey looked at the stand and noticed its horns. They were the same kind as the bug he was holding. He remembered what the boys had called it. A beetle

Joey:*now talking to his stand*. Are… are you a beetle too?

The stand slowly nodded, before dissipating back into Joey. Joey then noticed his mom had begun to walk away. He runs towards her.

Joey:*holding up the beetle to his mom*Hey mom, can I keep this beetle I found?

Jolyne:*looking at joey* Good grief kid, you can’t just pick up random bugs you see on the road, now put it back.

Joey:*beginning to tear up* But.. but i just wanted to play with those kids. I just wanted to be friends. They didn’t like me, so now this beetle is my friend.

Jolyne:*seeing how sad Joey is, sighs* Alright kid jeez, we’ll buy you a tank for it at the store ok? Just don’t pick up any more random bugs.

From that day on, Joey was fascinated with bugs. He read as many books about bugs as he could get his hands on. He spent all of his allowance on tanks and supplies to care for bug. He even bought a bug catching kit once, but found it was often better to use his Stand instead.

He never really questioned his stand. He somehow knew it was him. Every time he found himself becoming fixated on a big, Beatles would manifest beside him. One day a long time after Beatles first manifestation, while in his room staring at a caterpillar he found, his mother walked in carrying a sandwich.

Jolyne:*Closing the door* Joey, I brought you some lunch, it’s a ——*

His mother suddenly stopped talking and dropped the plate.

Jolyne:*Shocked* You… Have a stand?*She walks over and investigated Beatles* Joey, how long have you had this?

Joey:*nervously* I don’t really remember, I’ve had it for a longtime.

Jolyne:*Angry* You mean you never thought to mention the fact that you can create a huge bug no one else can see except you? You never thought to mention this to your parents? Why did you never tell us this?

Joey:*starting to tear up* I’m sorry mom. I just… I’ve had Beatles for so long it’s just become part of me. I thought everyone had something like it.

Jolyne:*calmer* look Joey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled. But there’s something I have to explain to you——

Jolyne would go on to explain Stands to Joey. How they were the physical manifestation of a person’s fighting spirit and will power. Joey would then begin to train his stand. He would train with his parents and his uncle. He eventually came to know every stand user in Morioh, and it truly seemed like no two stands were alike. But he also quickly came to realize his own struggles with his stand. As he grew older, he noticed less and less people his own age had an interest in bugs. By the time he entered middle school, not a single person he knew played Bug Fighting aside from Z, and even Z didn’t really have an interest in it. He only played because Joey liked it. This made Joey begin to doubt his stand, along with doubting himself. He tried to hide his love of bugs, but it always resurfaced. He eventually settled on using Beatles as nothing more than a tool to catch bugs, and stopped training with it altogether

Which brings us to today. After thinking about the words of Tonio. Joey decides to try, for the first time in a long time. To fully train with Beatles.

I’m designing a bunch of modular 1x1 terrain boards and was just wondering which size would be best so I know how many boards to make

We open in on Trattoria Trussardi. Joey, Z, and Sakura are all eating their food. Tonio Trussardi is delivering a refill of drinks.

Sakura:*Slurping down a forkful of spaghetti* This is some of the best spaghetti I’ve ever had! Are you sure we don’t have to pay?

Tonio:*In his usual polite manner* Ah, don’t fret Ms Izumi. A friend of the Cujos is a friend of mine. In the past I was good friends young Joseph’s uncle, he was a bit of a ruffian, but he was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. I will never forget the kindness of his family.

Joey:*Through a mouthful of bread* Come on uncle Toni, you’re embarrassing me.

Tonio:*setting down Joeys drink* The only thing embarrassing is your lack of table manners Joseph. It’s rude to talk with a mouthful.

Z and Sakura quietly laugh at Joey, whose face slowly turns red from embarrassment. He swallows the food.

Joey:*quietly* Sorry uncle Toni.

Tonio returns to the kitchen. The trio is finishing their foods d talking

Sakura:*wiping her face with a napkin*So Mr Trussardi was friends with your uncle?

Joey:*placing his dirty silberware on the plate*Yeah, my uncle Josuke. He’s a pretty cool guy. He works with my mom. It’s honestly weird though. The guys supposed to be my great grand uncle, but he’s only like 10 years older than my parents. I tried asking my grandad about it once, but he didn’t really seem like he wanted to talk about it. Which he’s never really been much of a —*he’s cut off by Tonio*

Tonio:*yelling from the kitchen* Joseph, could you come help me plate the desserts please?

Joey:*getting up from the table* Yeah, I’m coming!

Joey walks towards the kitchen. He barely opens the door when a fork comes flying at him. He’s barely able manifest his stand to catch it before it hits his face.

Joey:*angry* What the heck Toni! What was that for?

Tonio:*Wiping his hands on his apron* Come now young Joseph, if I were an enemy and threw that fork any harder it would’ve hit you. You were supposed to be working on your reflexes this summer.

Joey:*Throwing the fork to the ground* You guys always say that “What if there was an enemy?”, “What if you were attacked”, “You need to train with your stand”. Why do I have to train so hard? I thought You guys took care of all the bad stand users a long time ago. So why do I need to worry about it.

Tonio:*Approaching Joey and placing a hand on his shoulder* Joey, there an old saying. “Stand users attract stand users”. There’s never a shortage of stand users in this world. And not all of them are good. We all only want you to stay safe. Just because there’s no enemies now, doesn’t mean you’ll never come across one.

Joey:*looking at the ground* Even then, my stands not very strong. All I can do is control bugs. It’s not strong like Grandad’s. It doesn’t have a good power like my parents’ or Josh’s. It’s not even supportive like yours or Uncle Josuke’s. All I can do is this.

Joey manifests Beatles. The stand creates a chirping sound similar to a cricket. After a few seconds a few crickets jump through the window and land in Joeys hand.

Joey:It’s just like me. All it’s good with is bugs. It’s a terrible stand. *he begin to tear up*

Tonio, seeing Joeys sadness, embraces him in a hug, trying to comfort him.

Tonio:There is no such thing as a terrible stand joey. Your stand is the manifestation of your soul, your fighting spirit, your will. If you dismiss your stand, you’re dismissing yourself. And you are strong. You just need to focus on the strengths of your stand. Please, just try to train with it.

Joey:*wiping his eyes* Good God fine, I’ll try it. I’ll train with it when I get home.

Tonio:*pats Joey on the shoulder*Now there’s the spirit of a Cujoh. Now come on, let’s bring these desserts to your friends.

The last scene is Joey and Tonio carrying treys of cakes and puddings to the table. We zoom in on Joey. He’s thinking “Could my stand really be strong?”

With the announcement that the procession of the sacred affliction and the naval raiders are now getting their own variants, how does that exactly work? Are they being made into their own full factions and the new variants their sub factions? Or will it just be a thing where certain sub factions now have their own subfactions?

I was moved into homeschool in 8th grade and most of my friends at the time ghosted me and stopped responding to my texts and calls. I went 4 years without having any real friends aside from my brother. But when I started college I met people who genuinely make me feel like I’m supposed to be with them. I’m able to let my walls down around them and just be myself. I don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing or hiding my real feelings or interests around them. These guys are essentially my second family at this point and I’ve even told them things I’ve never told my real family( nothing bad just personal stuff). I love my friends so much and I’m so happy I got to meet them! I hope after we graduate next year nothing changes between us.

We open on a shot of Joey, Z, and Sakura. They’re all laughing as Joey is telling a story and waving his hands around

Joey:*Laughing as he’s telling the story*And then we started booking it away from the classroom, Mr Ochiro is yelling at us to “come inside now !“ and then this guy*He laughs even harder and wraps his arm around Z and points at him* this guy says

Z and Joey, at the same time:That’s what she said! *The three laugh even harder*

Sakura:*Wiping tears from her eyes* Wow, if my parents ever found out I’d do something like that in middle school, they would’ve grounded me for weeks! How did you guys end up getting the recording of the principal?

Joey:Oh, it wasn’t the actual principal, it was Z.*He playfully jabs this thumb back at Z*. This guys able to do the best impressions of people, you talk to him over the phone and he can sound like anyone!

Z:*Laughing and brushing off joeys compliment* Yeah, it’s something I’ve always been good at. It started because when I was a kid, I read somewhere that people listen to you better if you talked like them, so I started copying how they would talk, how they sounded out their letters, and how they moved their face when they talk. It’s only really convincing as long as you can’t see my face but as long as I hear someone say most letters of the alphabet but even without that *he begins to impersonate Joey with great accuracy* I’m able to sound like pretty much anyone.

Sakura:*her eyes widen and her mouth is open* That’s amazing! You sound just like him!

Joey:Yeah, that little talent of his has gotten us both into and out of trouble so many times. There was this other time——*Joey suddenly stops talking and eyes a tree, which he begins walking towards*

Joey walks towards the tree, Z is shaking his head like he knows what’s happening while Sakura is confused

Joey:*now at the tree, looking at a large bug in its bark* The Japanese Higurashi cicada, scientific name Tanna Japonensis. They have an adult life span of 2-3 weeks after emerging from the ground. At some point within the first few days they will cling themselves to a surface, normally a tree, and begin their process of molting.

While this is happening, Z is talking to Sakura

Z:Ignore him, he does this all the time. If he finds a bug he stops whatever he’s doing or saying and goes to watch it. He’ll normally start spouting facts about if even if no one’s listening.

Joey picks up a small stick and slowly walks towards the cicada. As he’s doing so, he gets a serious look on his face.

Joey:*quietly*Help me out with this, Beatles.

a figure begins to emerge from Joey. At first it looks like a spectral copy of him, but it quickly begins to morph. It grows 2 additional pairs of arms, making for 6 arms total. Its skin begins to harden and turn into a green color with yellow spots and an insect like segmented stomach and abdomen while his eyes turn blue. Finally, two antenna and a rhinoceros beetle horn sprout from his head.

Joey Cujoh Stand:Beatles, Allows Joey to manipulate any insect, arachnid, or general bug within his range.

Finally at the tree, Joey places the stick onto the bark, and the cicada slowly begins to walk up towards Joeys hand.

Joey:You can tell when this species is going to molt when they start walking up a tree or wall and clinging themselves in place. They’ll then develop a split along their backs where the freshly molted adult cicada will grow.

He breaks off a part of the stick to make it smaller and places it within the container, along with a handful of stones to hold the stick upright, along a patch of dirt with grass growing from it. He places the container into some tall grass and covers it

Joey:That’ll keep it safe and fed while we eat at least. *he walks back towards the group* Sorry about that, anyway, This one time Z tried impersonating his mom saying he was allowed to come over for a sleepover, you’ll never believe what happened after that!

As the trio continues walking, Beatles goes back into Joey. The three continue laughing as they make their way to the restaurant. The final scene is the trio walking inside with a sign reading “Trattoria Trussardi”