This is a request fic for Rainbowgirl147! Sorry it took so long, but I hope you enjoy it.
This story is set pre-series 3 and doesn't follow the timeline exactly, but I had this idea on how I wanted Joseph to have met Avdol, so I just decided to write it anyway. It was quite interesting writing a younger Avdol and getting to explore a different side of his character than his usual cool and confident demeanor.
The Magician
A JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Fanfic
Joseph meets Avdol for the first time while searching for other Stand users and helps the young man unlock his hidden potential. Pre-Part 3
Joseph stepped down out of the truck and made his way into the building. It was dark and dirty—Egyptian prisons typically were. Well…prisons in general were, he supposed, and he'd definitely seen his fair share of the inside of them.
There was a Speedwagon agent waiting for him though, and he stepped forward as Joseph took his hat off, reaching out to shake the man's hand.
"Mr. Joestar, thank you for meeting us. I thought you might be interested in helping since you were in the area."
"Of course," Joseph replied. "Especially if your suspicions turn out to be correct."
The agent nodded slowly. "We definitely have reason to believe…well…I'm sure you'll probably see soon enough."
Joseph started to follow the man deeper into the prison, being led by one of the guards. There were cells on either side of the path where the prisoners called out and heckled, begging to be let out.
"You'll have to be careful," the Speedwagon agent told Joseph quietly. "His power isn't like yours, it seems to be more on the offensive side. Whenever he gets angry, the room instantly heats up, so we think his Stand has something to do with fire. He's in here for arson, you know."
"Hmm," Joseph murmured thoughtfully.
He'd spent the last year looking into the strange power phenomena that were called Stands after something…unexpected awoke in him. Something even more unexpected than Hamon. The power of precognition via something only he could see.
The more he learned about Stand power the more he wondered whether it was a blessing or a curse. Hence why he was searching for as many other Stand users as he could find to gather data.
It wasn't actually as hard as he had expected to find them. There was something about Stand users, a certain magnetism, that drew them together. Like this young man Joseph was currently on his way to see. He had only set foot in Egypt three days ago, and already was getting calls from the Speedwagon Foundation that they may have found another one.
The guard stopped in front of the cell furthest at the end of the hallway. Joseph glanced in, seeing a young Egyptian man hunched in a corner. He straightened upon realizing he had company, turning to them, piercing Joseph with hard, dark eyes, the kind that had seen too much for one so young.
"What is his name?" Joseph asked.
"Mohamed Avdol," the Speedwagon agent replied.
"Avdol, hm?" Joseph mused, still holding the man's gaze.
"What do you want?" the young man, Avdol, hissed.
"I'd like to talk," Joseph told him. "About your powers."
Something sparked in the man's eyes, something like fear, but he hid it quickly, glowering. "What powers? If you're referring to my fortune telling, then, well, I refuse to do anything behind bars."
Joseph rubbed his chin. "I think you and I both know that's not what I'm talking about," he said. "Tell me, Avdol, have you ever heard of something, a power, called a Stand?"
For a brief moment, Joseph allowed his own power to manifest, purple vines wrapping around his arm and creeping off his hand. The guard and the Speedwagon agent failed to notice, but Avdol had an immediate reaction. He was on his feet in an instant, position defensive. The area was heating up, and all of a sudden a shadow appeared behind him, as flames burst forth, the shape of a phoenix.
The guard shouted, pulling out a baton, but Joseph grabbed his arm. "Wait. I'm sure he means no harm. Avdol…you can control it, it's not possessing you, the power is your essence." He held up his own hand. "See? I'm not going to attack you, but we're alike, you and I. That's why I'm here. I wanted to see your Stand."
Avdol eyed him suspiciously, but the flames dissipated, and soon, there was not even a lingering heat in the room as the Stand disappeared entirely.
Joseph nodded and turned to the Speedwagon agent. "I'll cover his bail. This young man has too much potential to be rotting away in a jail cell for the rest of his life."
Avdol looked shocked and confused, stepping closer to the bars as Joseph turned away to go speak to the head of the prison. "Hey! Who the hell are you?" the young man demanded.
Joseph turned back around with a grin and reached through the bars, holding out his hand. "I'm Joseph Joestar. Pleased to meet you."
Avdol hesitated only slightly, before he reached out and clasped Joseph's hand.
Joseph brought him back to his hotel. Once they'd gotten out into the light, he'd seen that Avdol was covered in bruises and even some minor burns. Once Joseph had tended to his injuries, he found him some clean clothes and then the two headed down to the café attached to the hotel where Joseph ordered more food than two people should be able to eat.
Avdol seemed suspicious, never taking his eyes off of Joseph. "I don't understand," he finally said. "Why did you bother getting me out of prison."
"Because I saw the reports," Joseph told him. "I don't believe you set that fire purposefully."
Avdol looked down finally, something like fear and shame crossing his face. Joseph leaned across the table. "These powers can be a lot to handle. Even mine, and I don't have to deal with anything as volatile as fire. It still took me a little bit to get a hang of my Stand."
Avdol pursed his lips and finally looked back up to meet Joseph's eyes. "I was just trying to stop a robber. But he attacked me and…the next thing I knew, the flames were everywhere. My power…I've had it all my life, I've always known it was there, in my ability to easily start and control fire, but recently, it's started to manifest itself into this form and it's… so much more powerful. I have to be very careful with my emotions or it will do things I don't mean for it to do."
Joseph nodded solemnly. "Powers you don't understand can be scary. It wasn't Stand power that I had as a boy, but Hamon. Have you heard of it? I didn't know about it at first either and it had the habit of surprising me. But once I learned to control it, I found it to be much more useful than harmful."
Avdol listened quietly, seeming to relax just a bit. Joseph leaned in. "I came here to find people like you, Avdol. I only recently came into my Stand power, and, well, I suppose I'm trying to understand it too."
"I have heard stories," Avdol said. "My Grandmother told them to me, about people with powers like these. She always knew I possessed such a power, but she…passed before she could do much to help me. And not everyone is as understanding or knowledgeable. Most people would see this power as an evil spirit."
"Hm," Joseph grunted. "You and I know better, though, right?"
Avdol looked away again. "I'm not so sure. If it is truly the essence of the user, then, perhaps mine is more an evil spirit than you think."
Joseph studied the young man again, seeing so much weight on his shoulders. The Speedwagon Foundation had been able to find little on Mohamad Avdol but it didn't take a background check for Joseph to see that he had not had the easiest life. In fact, it was truly a testament that he was still in possession of what Joseph considered to be a very good soul.
"I would be willing to argue that isn't the case," Joseph told him.
The younger man narrowed his eyes. "You say that and yet you don't know me."
"Mm, but I am very perceptive," Joseph said with a wink, tapping the side of his head with a grin.
Their food came, distracting them momentarily from the conversation, and Joseph couldn't help but notice the longing in Avdol's eyes as the plates were set on the table.
"I'm sure you haven't eaten much if anything for a couple days," Joseph said kindly. "Please, don't hold back on my account."
Avdol seemed to throw all suspicion and façade aside as he attacked the food, obviously starving. Joseph was silent, making sure Avdol got enough to start to slow him down before he took his own serving. If the boy needed more, Joseph would order it.
"Feel a little better?" Joseph asked.
Avdol paused, nodding. "Yes," he said, then added, "Thank you."
Joseph almost smirked. Avdol was more polite than he had been at his age, that was for sure.
They continued to eat in silence until Avdol finally slowed down, and sipped some tea. "What is your Stand called?" he asked, surprising Joseph who blinked.
"What is it called?" he inquired.
Avdol nodded. "Mine is Magician's Red. The name…came to me after it manifested fully."
Joseph leaned back in his chair. "Magician's Red, huh? Well, you know that in tarot, the magician card represents talent and potential. It's usually representative of a person with a strong will who has the determination to succeed in anything he chooses."
"I do know," Avdol said. "You may not be aware, but I am a fortune teller by trade."
Joseph's eyebrows shot up. "A fortune teller, eh? So why is it that, even with such a moniker, you still fear the power of your Stand?"
Avdol looked away again, shrugging. "Because it is so powerful. I'm not stupid, Mr. Joestar. I know how dangerous that much power can be to wield. And…as I said before. I have a temper. Sometimes I don't mean for it to be as…explosive as it is."
"I think we have more in common than you know," Joseph said kindly. "I think you have great potential, Avdol. And I think that the more you embrace your Magician, the more comfortable you'll be with using it." He folded his arms across his chest. "I'd like to offer you a place by my side. I'm looking for a partner of sorts during my investigations. The Speedwagon Foundation are very knowledgeable, but only Stand users can see other Stands. It would be good to have another person to confer with."
Avdol was silent for a long moment before he gave a small nod. "I will go with you," he said decidedly. "I would like to know more about these powers as well. But on one condition."
Joseph raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Avdol reached into the bag of his belongings that had been given to him once he got out of prison. Joseph watched as he pulled out a stack of well-used tarot cards. "Allow me to name your Stand."
Joseph blinked, sitting up straight. "Well, all right, I suppose."
Avdol nodded and held out the deck toward him. "Draw a card."
Joseph reached out and pulled the card from the top, handing it to Avdol.
The young man took the card, and smiled slightly. "Ah yes, the hermit. Representative of a man searching for answers and introspection, sometimes withdrawn from even the ones he cares about most. A man with a habit of changing priorities. I can see that this is a good representation. So from now on, Mr. Joestar, your Stand shall be called Hermit Purple."
Joseph could feel his Stand stir beneath his skin as Avdol spoke the name like an endowment. It did seem to suit his Stand well.
"So, when do we start?" Avdol asked, picking up his bag as Joseph left money for the food.
"Right now," Joseph told him, and the two Stand users went off in search of answers to their powers.