Songstress' Palette (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Vento Aureo)

Uno: Baroque III

At a cafe back in Morioh, Japan, a petite hand gently handles a photograph, closely observing the subject's features. Black hair...Ocean blue-green eyes...And a familiar facial build...

"A piece of this guy's skin...?" Koichi eyes the photo confused at why his mentor—who sits across from him, quietly—would want such a thing from whoever this person in the photo is.

"Yeah. I want you to get a sample of it and send it to me, Koichi, so the Speedwagon Foundation can check its composition." Said mentor, Jotaro Kujo, clarifies.

"Its composition?" Koichi echoes, clearly displaying great confusion with his mentor's reasoning. "Who is this guy?"

Realizing he's going to have to delve into some of his rationale and settles into his chair. "His father, who died, was a bit special. That's why we want to investigate. It can be thin. I just need you to get me a piece. That's it."

"I see..."

"I'll cover all your expenses for the trip." Jotaro continues.

Koichi audibly gasps and nearly leaps out of his seat. "What?! All of them?!"

The grey-haired boy regains composure and looks over the photo. The second time around, he comes onto an odd conclusion. "I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but this guy sort of looks like you, Jotaro."

The boy's mentor remains as stoic-faced as he usually is and gives no comment. He, instead, diverts the topic of the conversation. "I already have someone in mind to pick you up when you get there."

"Really? Who?"

"Do you recall Minako's pen-pal from Italy?"

★★★

Koichi holds up the picture as he searches the streets of Naples. "The address on this picture is somewhere around here..."

Despite being dropped off at the lavish hotel he'd be staying at, courtesy of Aurora, and the woman's promise to reclaim his luggage, Koichi was still having the epitome of a terrible day. His luggage is still missing, as is his passport and wallet. But he still has a job to do. His search for this 'Haruno Shiobana' individual led him to a rather nice neighborhood, with plenty of shops and gleeful-faced citizens.

Koichi pauses as he spots a lone briefcase lying unattended on the curb. It's owner with his back turned to it as he converses with another man.

"How careless." The young Japanese teen mumbles.

An on-duty waiter at the café Koichi was passing by notes the hard stare at unattended briefcase. "You don't need to worry about them." He informs. "No one around here is dumb enough to try and steal their briefcase."

"Oh...I guess this is a nice neighborhood." He trails off, spotting a female customer's pizza, signaling his stomach to make itself known by growling loudly like an animal.

"Would you like to come in for a meal, sir?" The waiter asks politely.

Koichi was ready to refuse to man's kind offer, despite having been given some lire from Aurora, but the squealing and coos from young waitresses who were surrounding one particular table.

"Hey, can I sit next to you?"

"No, I'm going to sit sit next to him!"

"Hey, Giorno! Have some tea with me!"