Chapter 10: Acheron, Part 2
It was a particularly dreary afternoon later that day. Despite the fact it was around 4 p.m., the sky was overcast and grey, and from the sounds and how harsh the winds were recently, Eddy would bet a jawbreaker it would rain either sometime next morning or even tonight.
Eddy walked towards the creek by himself, backpack in hand and a thoughtful look on his face. While the clouds slowly rolled over Peach Creek, Jimmy had already found a hot spot of quarters somewhere near the mouth of the creek and had signified the discover through Carousel to the two kids. Since most if not all of the coins were fairly deep underwater, they both had figured out a fair plan that would be fair to everyone.
Given how so many of the coins were resting at the creek bed and in sizable piles, it would be more practical to get Smooth Criminal to scoop up the pile resting at the riverbed with its hands. While Jimmy would use Carousel to scout out any similar piles nearby, Acheron would pick up the coins Smooth Criminal had deposited near Eddy and deliver it towards Jimmy's house, reason being that Eddy and Febrie both mutually agreed that Jimmy would be the most trustworthy person among them to keep watch over the coins they had collected.
It was a simple but straightforward and efficient plan, plotted in such a way to ensure no one would do more work than the other, just in case if any one of them wanted to get a bigger share of the loot and play the, "I did more work," card. They all would tally up their profit once they were ready to give it a rest, split it equally then divide it into equal thirds, giving each third to each of them as their pay for the day.
They had no idea what they were going to do with the other half of the money, the half that was left unused. The most commonly accepted way to use it is to simply use it as a backup source of money, just in case any of them needed to buy anything but didn't have enough money. There were still ideas thrown in discussions, yes, but they were just that, ideas. Until any of them could come up with a particularly brilliant concept, that money reserve will have to be a reserve.
Arriving at the creek, Eddy stared at his watch. 4:27 p.m. shined back at him in calculator green. Just a few meters ahead of them, he could see Jimmy near the creek, peering into the water as Carousel surveyed around the perimeter of the stream. The fourth-grader turned around, "Oh, hi Eddy."
Eddy gave him an acknowledging nod, "Hey there. Where's Febrie?"
"Went home early to finish up extra math homework," Jimmy answered, placing a hand near the gentle current, "She won't be here. But she sent Acheron towards us to help us get the coins to my house."
"Hmm," Eddy hummed while he summoned Smooth Criminal, dipping its hand into the stream, "Wonder why the creek has so many coins in it."
"Well, I learned from my history class that Peach Creek—the main one—is kind of like a local attraction. Back in the days of when Peach Creek was first being colonized, there was a rumor that if you throw any coin into the main river, you should get a good bounty and business if you did so. From the looks of it, the legend still lives on."
"So it's like the Trevi Fountain," Eddy nodded, "Good to know."
With a rousing Ka-ching, Smooth Criminal swiftly plunged an open fist into the creek and just as quickly withdrew a large handful of sopping wet quarters and dimes. Eddy grinned widely as he laid his eyes on the coins and even Smooth Criminal had a similar smile on its face. Immediately, five Acheron units dove into the water and retrieved a few stray coins Smooth Criminal missed while the remaining few hundred units set out to escort the coins towards Jimmy's home.
It was a quiet sort of afternoon; the two people that were there in the creek were so invested in their task, they didn't feel like making any side-conversation to even pass the time. The only ambient sounds there were was the sound of water splashing, the sky rumbling above them, the occasional Ka-ching! from Smooth Criminal and the clinking of coins as they fell onto the grass.
It was honestly kinda boring if Eddy admits.
"Hey, Fluffy?"
"Yes?"
"What do you wanna do with the money anyway?"
Jimmy mused, "Well, it'll be nice to save up some money in general anyway, just in case you need to buy something, you could always have a reliable source of money just in case you don't have enough on hand. But if you're talking about anything I want in specifically, then it'll be tarot cards."
"Tah-roh cards? What's that?"
"Well, in short, they're a deck of 78 cards used for divination. There are four suits—think of diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades—and 22 trumps."
"Divination? Like in fortune telling? Never really pegged you as a superstitious type."
"Well, it's not like I'm superstitious, more like I'm intrigued by their concept and design." Jimmy admitted, "But then again, with all the insane events going on in Peach Creek, perhaps it wouldn't be that bad of an idea to pick up a deck myself. Maybe if Rolf knows about the tarot, he could teach me."
"Are you kidding me?" Eddy couldn't help but release a snort, "That guy has so many weird customs and traditions I wouldn't be too surprised if he knows how to read your fortune telling cards."
Jimmy shrugged, "You have a point there. I wonder if there are any Stands that are named after the tarot?"
"Pretty likely if you ask me, though the names would probably be kinda silly, like...uh...what kind of trumps does tarot have again?"
"The Star, The Chariot, Justice..." Jimmy counted.
"Yeah! If there's a Stand out there with a name like, uh, I dunno, Star Platinum, I will have Ed eat my cut of the money." Eddy chuckled as Smooth Criminal relocated itself and plunged an open fist into the water.
"Sounds like a rather cool name I think," Jimmy hummed and directed his Stand further down the creek.
The next few minutes were spent in silence as the two boys collected quarters in the creek. A steady line of Acheron units marched back and forth the creek with coins in their arms, while a smaller squad of units remained behind to collect any stray quarters Eddy missed.
The stout boy stared above him as the activity continued around him. The sky started to darken into an ominous hue of gray and white, mixing together like beaten eggs in a mixing bowl. The clouds practically blotted the sun above out, turning it into an indistinct mass of harsh white. The mass of rolling clouds above was heavy with rain and at any moment looked like it would dump gallons of rainwater onto the two boys.
Two minutes passed and the first raindrop splashed onto Eddy's forehead. At first, he didn't really give it much thought—it was just one dumb water drop after all—but then another hit the water's surface. Then another hit the creek and then another one crashed against Jimmy's hair. And in just half a minute, a full-blown storm had developed, creating a series of plips that was audible even from the cul-de-sac.
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"Holy jeez, it's been a minute and it's already pouring hard," Eddy said, backpack overhead.
"I don't really want to get sopping wet right now, should we call it a day?" Jimmy asked, with a single nod as his answer.
Jimmy quickly grabbed his backpack and held it over his head, rushing towards his home in Rethink Avenue before recalling his Carousel. Eddy stared around; there was still a pile of coins left unattended near the water's side, but he was sure Acheron would eventually pick them all up and put them in Jimmy's house. He couldn't be there any longer anyways: the grass was already growing slick from the rain, mud was stirring up from the water and he was sure the storm would make the creek's water level rise up a few inches.
Quickly turning tail and running away, Eddy hurried underneath the branches of the trees and through the moist leaves of the low hanging branches. The leaves slapped him in the face and it only served to annoy him; god, why do the leaves have to hang so low? Especially during a rainstorm like this one.
Emerging from the soaked woods and down the lane, Eddy was sure he would slip like a clumsy guy in an ice skating rink, but through some miraculous divine intervention, Eddy was still on his feet, practically gliding over the dirt like a seasoned rollerblader.
Leaving the lane and turning a corner, already Eddy could see the result of the storm despite the short amount of time it started. Puddles of rain of varying sizes were scattered all over the cul-de-sac's pavement, partially reflecting the turbulent sky above while rippling like the ocean. Some of the pools were even streaming down the road and into the storm drain like a miniature river. As Eddy hurried to his house's front door and fumbled with the house keys, a loud clap of thunder rumbled above, making Eddy groan inside; not only it was a rainstorm, it was also a thunderstorm. Yay...
Slamming the door behind him, Eddy combed through his wind-tousled hair and found it was, much to his displeasure, rain-soaked. As Eddy went off towards his closet and picked out his clothes, water dripped down his head like a waterfall and splashed onto his pristine floor, making him grimace.
Holding a clean stack of clothes in his hands, the boy entered his bathroom and commanded Smooth Criminal to turn on the shower. The welcoming hissing sound of the showerhead beckoned Eddy as he gently placed his set of clothes onto the closed toilet seat.
When Eddy turned the shower off, steam practically poured out from the shower like a heavy curtain of fog. He grabbed a bathing towel and dabbed at the remaining moisture left on his skin then wrapped the towel around his waist, ensuring it was secure and won't slip off. When Eddy looked up from the towel, much to his surprise and confusion, Smooth Criminal floated in front of him with his clean set of clothes, holding it out to him with a giddy smile, almost looking like he was eager to please.
Eddy uncomfortably rubbed the back of his neck, having no idea how to react. On one hand, it was nice to have a Stand, because it meant he basically has a personal bodyguard/butler that he can summon at any time, but since a Stand is also a reflection of his soul, Eddy had no idea if it meant subconsciously he was a doormat, he was really nice at heart or more preferably, Smooth Criminal has some sort of mind of his own and Eddy was inclined to believe the latter.
"Uh, thanks Smooth Criminal," Eddy thanked awkwardly, "at ease, I guess?"
In a mist of golden dust, Smooth Criminal disappeared back into his psyche as his clothes flopped onto the floor with a quiet thump. Eddy sighed and picked up the clothes then re-entered his bedroom, laying the shirt and pants onto his round king bed.
As the rain pounded furiously out onto Eddy's bedroom window, the boy quickly changed into his clothes as the sounds of the rain echoed throughout his house. Even after a solid thirty minute afternoon soak, the rain showed no sign of letting up and actually looked like it was getting worse. The ferocity of the rain actually concerned Eddy to some level, making him worry that the window might crack from all the constant downpour.
Shaking his head to clear himself of his anxiety, Eddy pondered if he should check on Jimmy and the money pile. Shrugging his shoulders, seeing no faults in checking on Jimmy, the boy quickly grabbed an umbrella and a waterproof coat, double checking his pockets to ensure he has his house keys. After he was satisfied with his own pocket check, he opened the door just as a clap of thunder appeared.
"Jeez, what's this, a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure crossover or a horror fanfiction?" Eddy grumbled, "Make up your damn mind author."
Shaking his head to clear any annoying thoughts of fourth wall breaking, Eddy opened up his umbrella to shield his head from rainwater. Even before taking five whole strides from his house, the rain already pounded viciously down upon his umbrella, making the waterproof fabric of his umbrella dipping beneath the rain. The wind blew violently in the storm and if it wasn't for Smooth Criminal manifesting its hand over Eddy's own to help him grip the object, he was sure that the umbrella would have been torn from his hand by the wind and blown to the kingdom to come.
Eddy walked across the cul-de-sac as the storm continued on, raindrops rippling puddles of water. As he made his way to Jimmy's however, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the front door of Jonny's house creaked open and the bald boy stepped out into the rain, Plank in hand and both in a rain poncho. Jonny evidently noticed his gaze on him and shouted, "Hi there, Eddy!"
"Hey there, Melonhead! Where are ya going in this ungodly storm?" Eddy asked, practically shouting over the rumbling tempest.
"Going to check on the woods' critter!" Jonny replied, voice equally loud, "You know, to make sure their homes aren't being flooded and to provide them with some extra food to help them with the rain!"
Even when he wasn't a great fan of animals, Eddy could understand the sentiment, "Well go on, Baldy! Make sure they aren't drowning from this storm! Like seriously good God, when's the last time it rained this hard?!"
Jonny nodded and hurried off towards the general direction of the woods, braving the elements as turned around the corner. Eddy quickly hurried out of the storm and in front of Jimmy's front door, because standing in the rain all day asking to be soaked is the last thing he wanted to do.
Pressing the doorbell with his pointer finger, Eddy patiently waited as a quiet echo of Jimmy's voice said, "I'm coming! Give me a minute!"
As the rain furiously continued just behind him, if Eddy could screw his ears up to hear something other than the pounding of the storm, the faint pitter-patter of tiny feet could be heard coming from inside the house before the door creaked to an open, revealing a mildly confused Jimmy with his head in a shower cap and his entire body shrouded in a light periwinkle bathrobe.
"Eddy! What on earth are you doing in the rain? Come in, come in!" Standing back a few feet to allow Eddy entrance, the short boy marched into the house with abandon, rain slicking off of his raincoat with every step he took, wetting the floor beneath him much to Jimmy's displeasure.
"Shoes off," Jimmy commanded, pointing at the cream-colored shoe shelf conveniently to the front door's right.
Eddy sighed. Always with the shoes.
Jimmy headed back upstairs to change into a more appropriate change of clothes, and while he went off to do so, Eddy mindlessly kicked off his rainboots and aimed it at the general direction of the shoe shelf while sliding out of his raincoat and dropping it to his side.
From outside, Eddy could hear another clap of lightning as the storm raged on while Jimmy finishes cleaning himself up. With how intense the downpour is, Eddy would bet a dime at least one tree somewhere would see their doom. Finally, Jimmy descended downstairs with a refreshed smile curling his lips, well-groomed curls bouncing with every step he took down the stairs.
"Eddy, you never did tell me why you were here. Why did you brave this unseasonable storm to talk to me?" Jimmy asked, fiddling with the curls of his hair.
"Well, do you wanna divide the coins all up early? Because I'm kind of impatient—"
"Who doesn't know that?" Jimmy murmured under his breath.
"What? Anyways, because this rain is taking forever to end, why not split the money early?" Eddy suggested. Jimmy grew a reproachful frown.
"Eddy, if you're thinking of slighting Febrie of her fair cut of the money—"
"It's not like that," Eddy denied, waving his hand rapidly, "let's be real here, Febrie is like, a solid seven years old, or eight even. And what kind of self-respecting, common-sense parents would let their eight-year-old kid walk out in the middle of the storm of the friggin' century, umbrella or no umbrella?"
Jimmy bit his lips, still tentative about Eddy's suggestion. Shoulders slumping down and heaving out a long sigh, "Well, given your tendency to rush things, I guess it would be a good idea to sort out the money today. This torrential downpour doesn't show any signs of stopping anyways, so I doubt Febrie can come and help us come and count the coins."
"Great!" Eddy said, satisfied smile on his face, "So where did those little things put the money?"
Jumping to his feet, Eddy turned and swiveled his head around like he was trying to sniff the money out. Given his near-revering attitude towards monetary objects of any kind, Jimmy wouldn't be too surprised if he somehow smelled the coins' location.
"Upstairs, in a crate in the corner of my room," Jimmy stated, leading the eager Eddy up the stairs. He reached out and opened the door and much to Eddy's glee, a mound of quarters and pennies and dimes rested inside a medium-sized plastic crate, glistening with remaining water from the creek.
Eddy salivated at the sight of the coins, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Jimmy cringed at the sight and quickly head downstairs to retrieve a paper towel, placing it at the corner of Eddy's mouth. Good God, he knew Eddy loves money but this is just straight up ridiculous.
"Instead of ogling our money, why not actually count out the money instead of drooling on my floor?" Jimmy recommended snidely, striding towards the crate.
Snapping out of his money-obsessed stupor, Eddy blushed for a second at his drool before walking towards the coins in the crate, grabbing a handful of coins and started to count out each of them.
All in all, Eddy wagered he wasted a solid two hours of his day counting out quarters and whatever else was in the crate. Two hours of his life, wasted counting abandoned pocket money dumb tourists literally dumped into Peach Creek's stream. Two hours well-spent counting out seventy dollars and eighty cents worth of pocket money.
Oh boy, were they rolling in money. Eddy didn't want to believe it himself; at best, he expected they would get twenty dollars top, but their activities provided a more bountiful harvest than expected. That was an hour well spent if you asked him, if he could make the same amount of money in just that short of a time, then Eddy would be more than happy to repeat the experience.
Dividing the money fairly was a trickier process though. Not only dividing seventy dollars and eighty cents worth of coins into halves was difficult enough, now Eddy has to resist the temptation to hoard a bigger share of the money to himself while only giving Jimmy and Febrie unfair scraps of leftover change. It was like a game of tug-o-war played by two sides of his heart; one morally upstanding half struggling against the more greedy and avaricious side of Eddy's heart, with each side constantly wavering as he went about dividing thirty-five dollars and forty cents into equal thirds.
Eleven dollars and eighty cents was a smaller divided share than Eddy anticipated, but frankly, that number alone overshadowed the profits generated by any of his scams by a huge margin. As Eddy went to hastily shove the coins into his pockets, Jimmy gently set aside a smaller sum of money for the smaller girl while scooping up his cut into his hands and gently deposited in a wooden box.
Eddy glanced outside as he finished up stuffing his pockets with coins. The storm showed no signs of stopping its deluge and only continued to grow worse. At that point, all light has completely been blotted out by the rainclouds, giving the sky an ominous and foreboding shade of grey and white that flashed an unpleasant harsh white every hour or so. With such violent winds and the merciless downpour, Eddy wouldn't be too surprised if at least three trees in the woods would snap like a toothpick.
"If you want, you can stay the night," Jimmy stated, shooting an offhanded stare outside his bedroom window.
"I can?" Eddy asked incredulously. Giving the world outside Jimmy's house a once-over, Eddy found out he wouldn't mind staying the night. At that point in time, the entire cul-de-sac was basically drowning in rainwater; the road was covered with a sheet of water that reflected houses around it like a giant mirror, yards all around was waterlogged and the entire woods was basically a bayou at that point.
How did Jonny manage to run back from the woods to his house without slipping was beyond him.
"You know what, sure. I think I'd drown out there anyway," Eddy said goodhumouredly.
"I'll get a sleeping bag," Jimmy hurried out of the room to grab a camping sleeping bag. When the sweater boy left the room, Eddy found himself in Jimmy's room without any company.
He found himself shooting glances at the wooden box more often than comfortable. An uncomfortable feeling swelled up in his stomach as his hands started to tremble roughly, making sudden jabs at the box like he was in a boxing ring.
Gulping to stamp out the sudden urge to pickpocket Jimmy's share of the money (which was harder than he thought), Eddy sat next to the window to stare out at the dour scenery. Raindrops drummed against the glass pane noisily and without pause, making Eddy wonder how are they going to sleep through the racket.
He sighed and drew the curtain closed. He gave another sigh and recline against the corner. Sometimes, he wondered if the universe hated him sometimes. It was nothing but hassles and misery in his years. First his older brother, then it was most of the cul-de-sac kids who supplied the pain, and now this. This was just straight up ridiculous. Who knew that all you need to do to screw up somebody's life beyond measure is to throw a magic arrow at it and watch from a distance?
The three hags of fate are probably laughing their heads off from their cozy little corner of heaven right now because his misery is a god's soap opera, Eddy thought sourly. Fidgeting with one of his locks and twirling it around his fingers, Eddy sent a sidelong glance at the door as Jimmy creaked it opened, sleeping bag in hand.
"It took me a while because the sleeping bags were in the back of the house with my camping equipment," Jimmy apologized, dumping the sleeping bag onto the floor, "but this should be good enough. Do you want some pajamas? My father should have some that can fit your size."
"It's good, Jimmy," Eddy declined, "it's only for one day, so no need to pull out all the stops. Besides, I've slept in my normal clothes before, so it won't be so bad."
Jimmy shrugged, "If you insist."
Eddy raised his wrist up to his face and whistled, "Now would ya look at that, it's already nine-thirty."
The curly-haired boy gasped, "I really should go to sleep by now, I have a pop-quiz coming up in second period."
"I should get my own beauty sleep too honestly," Eddy professed, "Got a long day of looking for the arrow ahead of us, and all that sweet jazz."
Jimmy grimaced, "I'm not really excited for that." he admitted as he left the room to change.
"I'm not really excited too, but gotta find it before the town turns into an absolute hellhole," Eddy stated, even though Jimmy already left.
Eddy sighed and smooth out the sleeping bag. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day.
It was maybe five or six something in the morning, maybe four? But Eddy found himself waking up in Jimmy's navy blue sleeping bag just as the first ray of the morning peaked over the eastern horizon. Groggily pushing himself up, he rubbed his eyes drowsily and rubbed the back of his neck.
Yawning and smacking his mouth, he turned and saw that Jimmy was still conked out peacefully on his queen-sized bed, hair slightly messy. Eddy turned towards the window and saw much to his pleasure the rain had let up, and the water on the street was no more than puddles. A few ducks march their way across the watery surface and subsequently flew off as he watched.
Well, now's as good as a time to leave. Eddy pulled himself out of the sleeping bag and checked on his pockets to make sure his eleven dollars was still in there, sighing in relief when all the coins were still his pockets and nowhere else. Stepping through the opened door, he quickly descended downstairs and grabbed everything he brought; his umbrella and raincoat.
Creaking the door to an open position, Eddy founded the air was still heavy with humidity and moisture. There were still clouds in the sky, but they were more spread out and thinner. Eddy hurried towards his house and opened the door, swiftly retreating into his home and closing the front door behind him.
He collapsed into his own bed with a moan of delight. Eddy sighed when his euphoria was cut short when he realized that school was still a thing and it was going to start in an hour or so. Wish it was summer already, that way he would have an excuse to stay at home and do whatever he wanted.
Tch, if Rolf or Edd was there, they would probably give him hell for saying that, though indirectly. Direct threats never really suit any of them, Rolf simply because he was just so polite and down-to-earth, or Edd because he wouldn't have the manpower to make good of his threat nor the personality to actually make a threat.
He snorted at the ridiculous image of Edd actually threatening someone. Like the Sockhead could have the guts to actually threaten someone. He may have enough fighting spirit to awaken and control a Stand—which he was still wrapping his head around—but said Stand is essentially useless, not to mention every other day Edd would barely show any signs of being willing to fight. Hell, even an eight-year-old has more fighting spirit than him, talk about embarrassing.
Eddy shook his head and entered his bathroom, brushing his teeth as he does so. Rinsing out his mouth, Eddy left the bathroom and searched for a cleaner set of clothes.
Changing into his day clothes, Eddy admitted he shouldn't be so hard on Edd. The guy did put up with him for over nine years, that had to count for something. The cul-de-sac kids only lasted a week before giving up on him.
Eddy slung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way across the cul-de-sac towards the neighborhood kids' bus stop. His steps caused ripples throughout every puddle he walked over, warbling like a small-scale ocean. The sky above grew clearer and brighter with the sunrise's light and the trees swayed in the gentle spring breezes that blew by every few seconds.
Stopping at the bus stop located next to the playground, Eddy extolled a warm breath and sighed. Another day of searching for the arrow, what a hassle. Why did Edd have to pull an Ed and gave the arrow to Ed? That is singlehandedly still the dumbest decision Edd had ever have the brains—or rather lack thereof—to make. Thanks to his oh-so-smart decision, the arrow has left their care and now off inside the school, surrounded by dozens—no hundreds—of potential Stand Users, practically begging to make trouble.
Yes, he is still bitter over it. Yes, maybe he's still slightly sour over Edd about it. But really, Eddy felt like so much could have been done, could have been prevented if he took the initiative instead.
He could simply, went ahead with the arrow and waited for the other two boys. Or if Edd really needed to hand the arrow to Ed, Eddy could keep a close eye on Ed, just as a precaution. Or physical intimidation, that could work.
But no. Now the freaking Stand arrow is inside the school, probably creating a Stand from some poor and stupid sap who picked it up on a whim and being passed to other kids like a school-wide—or maybe even town-wide—game of hot potato.
In his dark and admittedly semi-depressing thoughts, the bus stop grew to be occupied by more people, mostly kids from Rethink Avenue and Prodigialis Street. While kids from Prodigialis Street and any passerby might have been alarmed at the rather grumpy and hostile expression on Eddy's face, cul-de-sac kids knew it was a somewhat neutral expression. Though they had absolutely no idea what could have provoked that expression, thankfully they mostly disregarded him.
Eddy released another languid sigh and stared down at his watch. In just five minutes, the bus will come and whisk them all away to school, the last place any kid would want to be (unless they're Edd).
"Hi, Eddy!" Ed said cheerfully.
"Hey there Monobrow," Eddy greeted blandly.
To his right, Jimmy cried, "Sarah! You're feeling better!"
Sarah smiled tiredly at Jimmy, expression actually serene instead of bratty or irritable. Happily embracing Jimmy in a hug, she said, "Yup, that stupid fever I have? Is as good as gone now."
Jimmy quickly disengaged himself from the hug, "Are you sure you're still alright?!" he asked, feeling her forehead.
She pushed his hand away, "Geez, I get a small fever and everyone flips out," Sarah said humorously, "It's not that bad Jimmy. I feel a little tired and woozy but it's nothing too bad. Nothing a small in-class nap won't fix."
Jimmy smiled, "If you say so," He said playfully, bumping her shoulder gently.
From the sidelines, Eddy couldn't help but crack a tiny grin. That was the nicest and most quiet he ever heard Sarah.
As the chatter went on around them, the yellow school bus pulled next to the bus stop and opened its doors, allowing students entry. After Ed finally boarded the bus, the door closed behind him and drove off towards Peach Creek Junior High.
"Okay, run that by me again just so I can actually wrap that around my head."
"Well, remember the pointy thingy that gave me my Stand?" Febrie started awkwardly, fidgeting with her hair, "I think I found it in the archery club room."
"What?!" Eddy exclaimed loudly, causing both Febrie and Jimmy to recoil from the volume. Around them, students stared at them in confusion and annoyance, no doubt disturbed by Eddy's voice.
"Come on, let's go somewhere more private," Jimmy suggested, taking Eddy and Febrie's hand and leading them out of the cafeteria.
The location Jimmy lead them to was an empty art classroom decorated with easels, paint, posters, and cardboard. The blinds were semi-closed with one of the lights turned on, illuminating the classroom somewhat.
"Anyways Febrie," Jimmy continued, "You said you found the arrow? Truly?"
"Well, at least I think I found it. It's in one of the club member's arrow holding thingy," Febrie described, "you said it was green-and-silver right?"
"That's the one," Jimmy confirmed.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST TAKE THE ARROW?!" Eddy roared at the marigold-haired girl angrily.
Febrie blanched, "I—I wasn't sure if it was the thing you guys actually were looking for!"
"We gotta get it now! Jimmy, use your Stand to get it back now!" Eddy commanded sharply. The shorter boy shook his head.
"That's not a wise idea. Not all of our schoolmates are Stand users, and since they can't see my Stand, I'm sure everyone would freak out seeing an arrow that apparently moves on its own."
Eddy slammed his hand on the table, "Fine, I'll get the arrow myself."
He stood up from his seat and quickly left the classroom behind him, rushing down the hallway as he does so. Eddy felt a mix of elation and anxiety welling up inside him as he grew ever closer to the archery clubroom, closer to putting the incident that never should happen to a rest.
Ten minutes before classes started and the school halls grew crowded as students went about their pre-class routine, opening their lockers, sharing juicy gossip and exchanging homework answers. Eddy weave in between them with some ease and before he knew it, the semi-closed door of the archery clubroom sat right in front of him.
Eddy eagerly opened the door and entered the spacious room gleefully, eyes flicking about the space looking for the arrow. A line of quivers sat next to the targets and Eddy marched towards them eagerly. He looked at the first one and scanned for the familiar appearance of the arrow.
The arrow wasn't there. Eddy looked at the next quiver. The arrow wasn't there.
The arrow wasn't there.
The arrow wasn't there.
The arrow wasn't there.
Why?! They were so close! Why wasn't the arrow in one of them?!
Eddy despaired silently for approximately two seconds in place before a, "Hey!" snapped him out from his sulking. The boy turned around distractedly and saw much to his horror two club members in the doorway, glaring at him furiously.
"What do you think you're doing, bub?" the first one asked angrily.
Eddy froze in place, completely unsure of what to do except for yelling out, "Smooth Criminal!" two seconds later.
Imagine the surprise the second archery club member harbored when his companion was suddenly flung back towards a locker for no apparent reason. Flabbergasted, he quickly went to check on his friends while Eddy immediately seized his chance at getting the hell out of dodge, dashing out of the clubroom while the two boys were occupied.
Angrily re-entering the art classroom, Eddy spoke, "Febrie, you liar, the arrow wasn't there!"
"But it was there!" Febrie cried, "I know it was! It was green and silver, right?"
"You're right, but if the arrow wasn't there, then where did it go?" Jimmy asked.
Before Febrie or Eddy could provide a theory, the advisory bell echoed throughout the entire school, signaling the start of the school day.
Eddy quickly turned towards the two children, "We'll look for the stupid arrow all day. Skip class if you need to, I just want to get it over with because the longer the arrow's in the school, the more trouble we'll need to clean up."
Jimmy made the motion of protesting, but Eddy had already left the classroom. Febrie left the classroom three seconds after he did and with a resigned sigh, Jimmy stood up and left the classroom himself.
Jack's Notes
Alright alright alright, thanks for your reviews last chapter! I admit, picking out the JoJo characters wasn't easy but your reviews definitely made it easier. We'll see who'll visit Peach Creek but for now, that's all I have to say.
Yes this arc is a three-parter but you can expect a fight scene next chapter, but for now, that's a wrap! Until next time!