It was raining when he came back to France. He was exhausted both mentally and psychically. He just wanted to go back home and rest. Going halfway across the world in 90 days and fighting off Dio's minions could take a whole lot out of you. The drive to the cemetery felt even longer than usual. There was a little part of the Frenchman that was dreading going there, but he still pressed on. He hadn't been back in that cemetery since Sherry's funeral, but today, he just felt like going. The cemetery itself was in a part of the countryside just an hour and a half away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It wasn't really much to talk about, just acres of land dotted with tombstones of every shape and size. Sometimes flowers or other offerings could be found lying next to the deceased. Other times, they just lay bare, with the occasional poppy or two growing beside them.
Sherry had a fairly simple tombstone marking where she now lay, so it wasn't too hard to find her. Polnareff had brought with him a white teddy bear and a bouquet of white lilies. And though the dead don't talk back, he had so much to tell her, but he didn't know where to start. So he might as well start from the very beginning.
"Sherry, I found your murderer." He said as he laid the offerings to her.
"He's gone now, so he won't be able to hurt anyone any more. I've finally avenged you, so you can rest easy."
If someone had told Jean Pierre Polnareff that he would be going on the biggest adventure of a lifetime, then he would have of them that they were out of their minds. If they told him that this would all be triggered by the death of his sister Sherry, he would have beaten them up. After his parents had passed away, she was the only family he had. Most siblings usually fought and bickered, but he and Sherry were closer than anything. Sure he still fought with her, but above all else, he still loved her no matter what. That was what made her sudden and humiliating death even more painful to him. He could still remember that rainy day all those days ago. He remembered how he thought it was a joke, an elaborate prank that her friend was playing on him. There was no way she was dead right?
But the grim expression on her friend's face and the police said otherwise. Even 3 years later, he still considered that day to be the worst day of his life. Not even compared to going to the morgue to pick up her lifeless body, or having to plan her funeral days after. He felt like a part of him had died. Why did this happen to his sister? She was a kind and wonderful person who would never hurt anyone. Who would do something like this? And where was the bastard? The police were useless, and there were no other leads aside from the description her friend had given him about the man with the two right hands. It was then and there that he decided that he was going to look for that bastard with the two right hands himself, even if it was going to take him an entire lifetime.
And that's how his quest for revenge began. Day and night, he was consumed with finding Sherry's killer. He dropped out of university and cut off all ties with his friends. He missed out on being a university student for 3 years trying to find the bastard who killed her. And that's where he met HIM. Dio Brando was well known for being charismatic and alluring to those who came in contact with him. But little did they know just how AWFUL he truly was. But whatever the case, Dio had something Polnareff needed; the identity of his sister's murderer. And that's how he found himself in the service of this 150 year old vampire. He was willing to sell his free will and soul to find the bastard who murdered her.
If Jotaro hadn't taken out that parasite that was embedded in his brain, he would have died right then and there after his fight with Avdol. And before he knew it, now here he was travelling to Egypt looking for Dio. Along the way, he eventually did find the man with the two right hands. And the vengeance he took on him never felt more satisfying than he ever felt. But what happens now? It may have stopped him from hurting any more innocent women, but it still wouldn't have brought her back. If it could, he would have done it again for every of his victims before her. But that wasn't why he was here today. He had something else to tell her.
"I made some friends while I was looking for your murderer, but they're gone too. They're some of the bravest and noblest people I've ever met, and I miss them dearly. I've done and said such awful things to them that I can't ever take back."
The lump in his throat had begun to tighten, his face now warm and moist with tears. It was getting difficult for him to talk. But he didn't care, he was going to get this off his chest now, and nothing was going to stop him. It took all the will power that he had not to break down right then and there in front of her grave. He's fought off serial killers and crazy old women with the power to control people with fog before. Why should he cry now?
"Could you look out for them in my place? I can't bear to face them now in my current state."
Though he never got a long with him that well, Polnareff owed a whole lot of gratitude to one Mohammed Avdol. He just wished it he didn't wait until it was too late to realize how grateful he was to him. The Egyptian man had saved him more times than he would have like, and how did he repay him? By being a stubborn and ungrateful bastard. The first time he died, he never forgave himself for it. Why did he have to be so reckless? Of course, that was a lie when he was reunited with him later on their journey. Okay, he wasn't all that ungrateful towards him, but when he died for real this time fighting Vanilla Ice, he felt a part of him die along with Avdol. He had sacrificed himself twice to save him, and not even once did he ever get to tell him how grateful he was.
And then there was Iggy. He and that little Boston Terrier never got along that well either, but he wound up bonding closer with that little dog than he would have liked, even if he did fart in his face once or twice. And as much as he hated to admit it, Iggy was the bravest little dog he's ever had the pleasure of working with. The fact that he saved him from a vampiric Vanilla Ice spoke volumes to him. He could only pay back both their brave sacrifices by defeating Vanilla Ice right now and there.
Finally, there was the issue of Kakyoin. Without his quick thinking, Polnareff might not have ever been able to avenge his sister's untimely death. So he also had a debt to him as well. And if it wasn't for his one last clue, he and the Joestars wouldn't have been able to defeat Dio and put an end to his reign of terror. Even if it was at the cost of his own life.
Did he regret spending those 90 days with them? No, he didn't. He travelled the world, he made new friends, he avenged his sister, and he helped in defeating a 150 year old vampire with the power to stop time. But even so, why did he feel so empty then? Why was he not off celebrating and going back to living a normal life? Because with victory comes sacrifice. They might have won against Dio, but at what cost? The blood soaked and battered corpses of his friends? Or was it the bodies of those other stand users in Dio's army? They may have been horrible people, with some WILLINGLY joining Dio in his conquest for world domination, but didn't they all have families too once upon a time? Who knows? All the French man knew at that moment was that this victory felt more bittersweet than joyous.
"I'll be back next year or whenever with your favourite flowers. Say hi to mom for me and look after my friends too. I miss you Sherry."
And with that, Jean-Pierre Polnareff started to make his journey back to the entrance of the cemetery. It had finally stopped raining, and the sun was now starting to peek out from behind the sky. He was probably going to make more trips to the countryside from now on.
Meanwhile, a young girl with thick curly black hair watched his retreating form from behind a tree.
"Sherry! What are you doing? It's time to go! We can't just stand here dawdling around!"
The girl known none other than Polnareff's dearly departed sister Sherry turned around to face the voice. An annoyed look replaced the sad look she had in her eyes before.
"I'm coming! I'll be there in a moment!"
"Leave her be Kakyoin. I think we should just give her a few moments."
Sherry gave a small smile. Her brother spent those 3 years chasing after her murderer with no other information to go on other than a tall tale. And he avenged her too. She felt as though a giant weight had been lifted off of her chest. Maybe someday she'll get to see him again once his time comes.
"I miss you too Jean-Pierre. Thank you for avenging me." She thought before turning around to join Avdol, Kakyoin and Iggy.
And with that, the four of them vanished into thin air.
After finishing Stardust Crusaders, I wanted to write a story about the aftermath of the chaos that ensued with Dio. Mostly about Polnareff coping after such a huge adventure. Since they were always travelling and fighting off Dio's minions, I imagined that they never really had that much time to mourn and cope with their losses. Now would have been the perfect time to do so.