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Akemi's Bizarre Adventure
Chapter 1: Jotaro Kujo
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One day, four years prior, an unnamed cabin cruiser was spotted. The boat was in perfect working order, and there were no signs of an attack. Aboard, there were only three half-full cups of coffee and on deck, a steel box which had been opened with an acetylene torch. The box was empty, and strangely, it had two compartments, as if designed to shelter something. It was thought to have contained treasure, but after a few months, it was forgotten.
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Akemi thought about the article in Joseph's newspaper as she, Joseph Joestar and Mohammed Avdol sat, all three pairs of eyes scanning the crowded airport. While Joseph was on the lookout for his daughter, Akemi had her hands on her lap, her long, elegant fingers contrasting with the dark gray of her sweatpants- casual wear for the airport- her head angled down slightly at her feet, her thick, fluffy bangs in the current style hanging loftily just above her eyebrows. She had been thinking about the newspaper article as she often did before, but now she was anxiously helping Joseph on his search.
"Nervous?" The voice of Mo snapped Akemi out of her thoughts.
Akemi tucked some of her snow white hair behind her ear as she turned to look at his calm expression, revealing a dangling leaf earring. The braid on the back of her head was tied together with a small pink flower with long yellow filaments. Her eyes darted elsewhere as she fiddled with a strand of hair, and that gave Mo all the information he needed to know.
"It's almost like I'm the one with the aura-reading ability." Mo joked. He pulled a small chuckle from Akemi. She could see people's energies, or rather, their auras- a fog-like manifestation of a person's emotions and inner self. It had nothing to do with the ability she already had, and no one else in her family had such an ability.
"Yeah, maybe a little." Akemi replied. "It's... not been too long since I've seen Mrs. Holly, but under these circumstances… and I haven't seen Jojo in five years."
"I'm sure everything will go smoothly, Aki." Mo assured her, using a nickname he'd come up with on his own.
"Yeah... Jotaro's a good kid." Akemi agreed with a puff of air exiting her lungs, before she changed it into a scoff, crossing her arms. "I just wonder why he stopped visiting my family and I in Italy…" Mo chuckled.
"Have you ever visited him and Holly in Japan before today?" Mo asked her. Akemi crossed her arms- he was trying to make her sound like a hypocrite, wasn't he? She gave him a glare in response. Mo raised his hand. "I know why you haven't been back, but he may not. I am just saying, that could be what he is thinking." Akemi pouted.
"I suppose with no communication… he can't reach the right conclusion." She mused. That brought her back to why they were here in the first place. "You know… do you think this 'evil spirit' will really be a St-"
"Papa! Over here, Papa! Over here!" Shouted a high female voice. Akemi perked up, her past words completely forgotten. Her lime green eyes searched for the source of the familiar voice. Nearby, a blonde, blue-eyed, middle-aged woman was waving her arms and jumping up and down, sticking out like a sore thumb in the sea of black hair and dark eyes around her.
Mrs. Holly!
Joseph lifted his head quickly. The hat he was wearing tilted up to reveal his aged face and green eyes- eyes identical to his daughter's. A smirk sprouted on his lips.
"Holly!" He exclaimed. "Hey, outta my way!" He sprang up and pushed a man beside him down as he rushed to meet his daughter. Akemi and Mo watched as they ran toward each other and embraced, spinning around when they met. A gentle smile quirked Akemi's lips upward. She wished her and her father could have had that sort of relationship.
"Papa! I'm so glad you came!" She exclaimed blissfully.
"If my daughter needs my help, I can be anywhere in the world within twenty-four hours!" Joseph assured her.
"Where's Mama?" The woman asked, leaning back into her father's hold.
"She nagged, but I told her it was a business trip for Joestar Real Estate Agency. Kehehe." He giggled wickedly, his lips curling into another smirk. Akemi scoffed lightly, and Mo rolled his eyes. She was there when it happened. His daughter didn't seem to mind. In fact, she held on tighter.
"Holly... Holly. Hey, Holly! Get off of me already!" Her father barked, his smirk turning to an expression of annoyance.
"No! It's been forever since you've held me, Papa!" Protested Holly.
"Look, you. You're a forty-five year old woman. How can you talk like that?" He scolded incredulously. Holly pulled away slightly, looking up at him. Akemi sucked her teeth. Holly's a wonderful woman, but even she can't resist when a deeply important law of women was broken: mentioning her age.
"Hey, don't remind me! I'm gonna have to tickle you for that!" Teased Holly, her reaction surprisingly tame. Akemi's eyes widened, and she shielded her face away, feeling intense second-hand embarrassment as he roared in response to her tickling. Mo chuckled at her response, but she could tell he felt the same way. His own second-hand embarrassment burned against hers, feeling as if she were under two heated blankets. It was an uncomfortable feeling.
Unfortunately, they drew the attention of everyone around them. Joseph seemed to notice the gazes of the crowd on him before Holly did. He put his arms down and stood straighter.
"What the hell are you guys staring at?" He shouted, scanning the crowd. Holly giggled and let go of him.
"I'll take your bag." She offered.
"By the way, Holly, about Jotaro..." His expression grew serious. Akemi's mind echoed with the memories of her old friend. Jojo... Akemi saw that he was getting to why she'd asked for him to come. "You're certain he said 'evil spirit'?" He questioned. Holly dropped her joyful atmosphere and fell to her knees, burying her face in her hands.
Akemi's expression fell with her. She felt easily affected by her atmosphere. Her worry and fear and disappointment blossomed outward.
"Oh... my dear Jotaro!" Holly cried, her voice muffled by her palms. Akemi looked at Joseph as he joined the two on the ground, crouching at Holly's other side. He laid his hand gently across her back.
"Yes, the policemen said they couldn't see it, but I clearly saw it. I saw a separate arm... and it grabbed the gun!" She cried shakily. Akemi widened her eyes, solemn thoughts gone as she switched to detective mode, her purpose for arriving suddenly prioritized.
Could he really..?
"Others couldn't see it, but you could?" Asked Joseph, sticking a finger in the air. Holly took her face out of her hands.
"Yes..." Joseph gently helped Holly up in a way he'd done with her in the past. Uh oh. She could see something?
"So Jotaro says that he's been possessed recently, but nothing strange has happened to you?" Questioned Joseph.
"No..." said Holly. "But Jotaro says he won't leave the cell until he knows what's going on. What should I do, Papa?" Said Holly.
Poor thing, Akemi thought, he's probably confused and scared, thinking he'll hurt people around him. If we're right, and he really has a Stand, then we'll be able to help him. She thought, a determined expression crossing her face.
"There, there, my beloved daughter." Joseph comforted her. He kept an arm around her. "I, Joseph Joestar, am here now, so there's nothing to worry about."
"Right." Murmured Holly, probably having heard that hundreds of times growing up. Joseph turned his head toward Akemi and Mo, and jerked his head toward the exit. Both Akemi and Mo got the signal and picked up their belongings, following the two as they exited the airport.
"First, I'd like to hurry and see my grandson, Jotaro." Said Joseph, his tone and expression hard.
"Oh! You brought friends? Is that Kemi?" Holly asked, dispersing the intense atmosphere with her friendly green gaze, using her nickname to address her. Akemi brightened and grinned, seeing her chance to greet her.
"In the flesh!" Akemi smiled widely. Holly departed from Joseph's side to meet Akemi as she got up as well. The blanchette ran and wrapped her arms tightly around Holly, the same way she did every year she came to Italy.
"It's so good to see you!" Holly said in a high-strung voice, hugging tightly as Akemi was. She let go of her and held her by the hands. All of this was so achingly familiar, she was just like…
"My, you've grown into such a beautiful young lady!" Holly gushed. Akemi blushed, a lump in her throat.
"Thank you, Mrs. Holly!" Akemi sniffed, a small smile on her face.
"Are you okay? You look like you're about to cry..." Holly reached up to Akemi's face, and she could almost swear her mother's image replaced Holly's for a moment. Out of instinct, she met her hand before it touched her face with her own.
"I'm fine. Let's catch up after we get Jojo out of his cell, okay?" She suggested. Holly sighed.
"Okay.."
"And who are you?" Holly turned to Mo. The man in question dipped his head slightly.
"I am Mohammed Avdol. A friend from Joseph's- he met me in Egypt, my home. He talks about you often, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." He kissed her hand, and she giggled and blushed, while Joseph grunted and glared.
"Alright, alright, let's wrap this up and get this over with." Joseph groaned, spinning a pointed finger in a circle. "...I need to see my grandson." He said, with narrowed eyes.
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"H-how terrifying..." Akemi heard a police officer muttering to himself, bent over to look into what Akemi assumed was Jotaro's cell. "He's got more stuff again... and whatever it is… it's violent. There's something terrifying possessing him. If anyone outside found out about this, I'd lose my job in a heartbeat."
"Don't worry." Joseph assured the police officer, who jumped with a yelp, having to look up to see him. He was certainly worried. Akemi didn't blame him- she herself felt pinpricks in her chest. "I'll take my grandson home."
"'Grandson'?" Echoed a deep voice.
Jesus.. Akemi thought, surprised by the sound of his voice. It sounded like it had lowered at least a whole octave.
"Hey, what are you planning to do?" Accused the other officer.
"I told you, you can't go any further! Convince him from over here!" The first officer commanded.
"It's fine. Step aside!" Joseph snapped. Akemi simply walked past them- they didn't seem to notice her, too preoccupied with being lifted into the air by their collars by Joseph. She was dressed in casual clothes, not having had the time to change from her airport apparel. It seemed to contrast with her expression, however- hard, piercing lime eyes made eye contact with slightly widened aquamarine ones. His gaze was calculating, yet he seemed... surprised, for lack of a better word, by her presence. He didn't show it physically, aside from slightly raised eyebrows, but his aura provided her a secret crack in his walls, and within was a bright flash of shock.
She didn't blame him. It's been years since she's last seen him. But that was his fault.
They made eye contact. Her narrow eyes, which she'd inherited from her father, seemed to pierce him. She could see, though, that he was more focused on her left eye. More specifically, the long, pink scar that crossed over it and the eyebrow it split with its presence. Her scar had refused to go away- he was surprised to see it was still there, as her wounds usually went away within a few days, even broken bones.
His eyes traveled down to look at the old leather jacket that her mother used to wear- with a JAXA patch and a NASA patch, draped across her shoulders like a cloak, her arms crossed right below her breasts. The gray crop top she wore under it, her toned abs, her dark sweatpants and finally to her black combat boots. She looked regal, confident, even in pajamas. She pushed a shiver away with the feeling of his eyes slowly and obviously trailing down her body, though she couldn't stop her lip curling with discomfort.
"What're you looking at, jailbird?" Akemi looked down at him, leaning against the wall. He didn't respond, but his eyes darted away from her quickly, deciding to focus his attention on his grandfather.
Thoughts of him addled her mind as she took him in, taking her time to stare him down and make him just as uncomfortable as he had just made her. She was successful- he could clearly feel her stare, and his eyes kept flicking to her and back.
Was he really wearing a school uniform in a jail cell? Was he arrested in his school uniform and unable to change? Well, that would make more sense. He was huge. He'd grown so much so suddenly. It must've come with being a Joestar- Joseph was also unnaturally big, though it didn't seem as if Holly had inherited those genes. And his eyes didn't have the warmth they'd had in them previously. He looked like a beached shark, laying on the bed so nonchalantly. She had a feeling he could send her into a coma with one swing. What Akemi could barely admit to herself was the fact that he was so incredibly attractive, with a few strands of dark, curly hair hanging in front of his light eyes, and his bone structure was sharp and chiseled. She, however, knew already that peoples' looks and attitude rarely ever match up.
Peering through the crack in his mental wall once more, she saw that Jotaro clearly had noble intentions, and that he was trustworthy. But there was a constant hostility emanating from him that was impossible to ignore. She wondered what had happened for him to gain that thick, stone cold wall- and for him to stop visiting her in Italy every year.
Akemi watched Jotaro tear his gaze away from her. He rose from his bed and stood at his full height. Akemi's eyebrows rose slightly. He had to be at least a foot taller than her. Not that he hadn't been taller than her as he grew, but he'd definitely grown taller since last she'd seen him. He approached the bars, looking his grandfather in the eyes. She was snapped out of her trance when the two officers were flung against the wall. They immediately got back up and stood behind Holly and Joseph.
"Jotaro! It's your grandfather!" Exclaimed Holly desperately. "I'm sure he'll be able to help you! Please, come out with your grandfather!" She practically begged.
Akemi hated how they stared each other down, as if it were a standoff. Like they were two wild animals about to fight for territory. Joseph opened the cell door beside him with a loud clunk. Akemi stood behind Joseph, so she couldn't see his expression, but she could see Jotaro's intense mug.
"Get out. We're going home." Commanded Joseph, deadly calm.
"Get lost." Jotaro told him, indignant. Joseph gawked, clearly not expecting the blatant disrespect.
This is going to take a while, she decided with an annoyed expression.
"I didn't ask you to come here. Help me? What the hell can you do?"
God damn. Where did this come from? Jotaro used to be a sweet kid, really. He was a little rough around the edges, but now... she could kind of see why he stopped visiting. She felt a pang of dejection in her chest, but let it quickly slide off and make way for irritation. I was right. He really did become an asshole.
Akemi watched a purple hand yank off Joseph's pinkie, snapping her out of her thoughts. She gasped lightly, her eyebrows raised. Confusion tilted her head aside when Joseph didn't even notice, especially when he was always telling her to be more observant. But that wasn't her main concern.
So he does have a Stand…
"Sorry you both came so far to see me," Jotaro continued, "but there's no way you can help me." He held up the finger. Joseph stood abruptly straighter, turning to look at his suspended hand with a shocked expression. He turned his gaze back to Jotaro with a touch of fear and caution.
"You see? Do you get it now?" Jotaro continued, turning his back to Joseph. "That's my evil spirit." He flicked the pinkie through the cell's bars, and Joseph plucked it out of the air. "Don't get close to me. You'll just shorten what little life you have left."
His stubbornness seemed to be similar to her own. She knew that was probably what Joseph was thinking. However, Jotaro has apparently come to the conclusion that they cannot help him, and that his power is too otherworldly for them to understand.
A silence hung in the air as Jotaro turned and sat back down on his bed, closing the cell door behind him.
It came to her. After thinking and watching hard enough, she found it. Fear. He's afraid of hurting them.
His only other option was to isolate himself until he could figure out his Stand enough to not be a danger to the people around him.
Joseph put his finger in his pocket and turned to Akemi, nodding at her when they made eye contact.
Me? ...He wants me to handle this? Not Mo? Akemi thought, surprised.
"Akemi, you're up." Joseph stated. Akemi sighed.
"Ara ara..." Akemi muttered, raising her eyebrows and kicking herself off the wall. She knew what she had to do- hopefully it wouldn't get catty. Maybe if she can beat his ass properly, it'll eliminate his fear of hurting someone. She knows well how nice it feels to have someone around her that can defend themselves in case her Stand goes wonky. Joseph turned back to Jotaro.
"I'm sure you remember Akemi Zeppeli. My mother and I have been training her in Italy and in New York for most of her life." Joseph turned to Akemi, pointing in the cell. "Chase him out of this cell." Akemi nodded at him, a ghost of a smile quirking her lips upward. Jotaro looked almost offended.
"Zeppeli? ...Seriously? You're making a woman do your dirty work? Tch. Even if she's been trained her whole life, there's no way she's a match for my evil spirit. I'm not gonna let her kick me outta here either. Hell no. Now I wanna leave even less." Akemi gave him a look of contempt and crossed her arms.
ZEPPELI!? Not Akemi? Not even Ake? Hmph... Alright, I'm not gonna go easy on this asshole.
After a moment, Jotaro swept his glance over Akemi, and something about her seemed to irk him enough to cause a color change in his aura.
"What's with that look?" He grunted. Akemi was almost naturally prompted to respond, 'RBF', but she decided to have fun with it. Retaining her look, she kicked off the wall and approached the bars.
"This is the look someone gives their childhood friend when they come across the world to see him behind bars, Jojo." Akemi replied drily, looking him up and down. His aura changed to a deeper, angrier color, and he stood and approached the bars himself, towering over her, his aquamarine eyes nearly as scathing as her own.
"Seems like Akemi finally met her glaring match..." Mo whispered. Joseph gulped and wiped his brow.
"I could cut the air with a knife..!" He said, his voice gravelly.
"There's just not much in the world that can amount to teenage angst…" Holly sighed with a hand on her cheek.
"You don't understand what's going on here, Akemi. You don't need to get involved. Go back to Italy, or wherever. Stay out of this." Jotaro told her. Akemi scoffed, feeling her lips almost naturally curve upward. Oh, how she couldn't wait to see his stony expression break into shock.
"Yeah, except I understand exactly what's going on." Her gaze and tone darkened with the irritation that burned in her chest for her idiot friend. "You're being a problem for your family and friends, is what's going on. I-"
Before Akemi could continue, there was a screw flying toward her, due for her forehead in less than a second- pointy end first. With a gasp, her instincts kicked in and a translucent armguard was shielding her face in almost an instant.
The screw bounced off with a loud 'tink!' and ricocheted back toward Jotaro, only for a purple arm to catch it before it could land on his cheek, which was where it was about to pierce.
Jotaro's eyes were wide. The rest of Akemi's "evil spirit" came into view, her angelic visage and six wide sapphire eyes glinting with annoyance, a thin eyebrow curved downward, the very same spark that glinted in Akemi's eyes. She was hunched over her, a forearm and forehead protected by a woven-gold arm plate.
Jotaro stared, speechless. It seemed impossibly beautiful... and... in a way Jotaro couldn't explain, the apparition had the same energy as his so-called evil spirit. Akemi stared back, a smidge too irritated to be smug in the moment.
"Well, that was fucking rude. Don't you know not to interrupt people, Jojo, or have you not matured past eight?" Akemi cursed at him, causing the police officers to flinch. Jotaro was too shocked to reply.
"That's right. Akemi also has a so-called 'evil spirit'." Joseph spoke up, "An evil spirit that she can control freely! The evil spirit's name is Empress Gaea!" Empress Gaea floated forward, phasing through the bars. Thin strangler figs crawled quickly down her arms and onto the ground, branching around Jotaro's arms and legs, trapping him and suspending him in the air.
"Quite the introduction, Joseph-san." Akemi rested an elbow in her hand, the other hanging limply by her face. "Y'know, I wasn't gonna force you out, but I can make that happen, if it's what you want so badly." Akemi said in a mused tone, tilting her head at the restrained teen.
"You... have an evil spirit, too?" Jotaro breathed, shocked.
She blinked. "Ever since I was born."
"You didn't... say anything." Was that betrayal he was feeling? She whipped her head away.
"You wouldn't have believed me. You wouldn't have been able to see it back then, anyways." Akemi shot back, pinning him with an icy expression. "Maybe one day I would have shown you... if I had been given the chance to, in these past five years." Hah! He feels bad. Mission successful. Akemi thought as she noticed his aura dull slightly.
"Kujo's wrapped in roots! Where did they even come from!?" Shouted an officer. "Wait, she did it! She made them and restrained him! With her mind!"
"I don't get this at all." Said the second officer, sounding dazed. "How will we clean the roots up?"
"Just don't worry about it. It's not your business. They'll be gone with us." Mo told them stiffly, sparing them a glance that seemed to pierce them in the hearts.
"Yes sir!" They chorused, petrified.
Jotaro seemed to snap out of his trance, suddenly. A purple figure exited his own and raised his fist to attack Empress Gaea, but he seemed to hesitate, his angry expression replaced with one of wonder.
"Wh- what the hell are you doing?!" Jotaro shouted angrily, a light blush on his face. Jotaro's Stand, which towered over Empress, was simply staring down at her, frozen. He seemed encapsulated by her sapphire six-eyed gaze. And from her expression back up at him, she seemed just as intrigued.
"Jotaro, I'll let you go right now if you promise to come out. My..." She cleared her throat. "-'evil spirit' should be proof enough that we can help you."
"There it is! It's finally shown itself!" Shouted Joseph. Akemi couldn't look away. He had deep purple skin, and wavy darker purple hair held back by a thick circlet with a light gem that looked like opal. He mirrored Jotaro's stance. "And the fact that it's so clearly visible means it's very powerful." The old man added. Akemi could only look up at the purple spirit.
So... tall... she thought, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
She snapped out of it when he broke out of the strangler fig with a shout, and finally got his Stand to attack her.
"So that's a no?" She asked him, answered with yet another scowl.
"You don't know what the hell you're doing, Akemi! You've pissed him off!" Jotaro shouted at her.
"Oh, stop your shit, diaper baby." She was starting to get extremely irritated with him.
The trance between the two snapped and the Stand seemed to regain his bearings. His arm darting forward, he reached for a chokehold, but Empress redirected his hand away, coming back with a left hook, causing both Jotaro and his Stand's faces to swing to the right.
His gaze whipped back with a new intensity and started throwing punches quicker than Akemi could defend herself. A fist connected with her chin, her temple, and her nose before she could raise her Stand's arm guards and protect herself.
"I can't believe he's able to manifest it this clearly!" Mo exclaimed, shocked. "And… It's so fast! Akemi can't do much but block!"
"I'll be honest," A right hook swung right past her defenses and caused her to stumble, feeling her cheekbone crack with a sharp cry. "I'm surprised you have an evil spirit, too." Jotaro told Akemi, eyes narrowed sharply at each other. "Oi, Grandpa, do you know what these 'evil spirits' actually are...?"
"I know, yes, and so do Akemi and Avdol." Joseph answered stonily.
"Joseph, I can't go easy any longer. Do I have your permission to whoop his ass?" Akemi managed though her pain and anger, her gaze not leaving the two Stands locked in a staredown.
Joseph hummed. Holly certainly wouldn't like it, but Akemi would be able to fix everything if it went too south.
"That's fine. Give it a shot." Joseph replied. "You can just heal him afterwards anyways, right?" Akemi's eyebrows furrowed, her gaze determined.
"I guess I can... but not if I do too much damage..." Akemi trailed off, slightly unsure. She ignored the fearful looks from those who didn't understand her abilities. An idea popped into her head. "Sundew!" She shouted raucously.
"Ara!" Empress Gaea cried as she followed Akemi's movements as she straightened her spine and her arms extended out, moving slowly above her. One, then two, then three, and then more than Jotaro could count- long, thin leaves sprouted from the ground below him, cracking the cement. Akemi and her Stands' wrists bent at the top to make an oval with the space between them. Jotaro looked down, alarmed, as a few leaves began to coil around him. He struggled, but he was trapped by the sundew's glue-like enzymes. Jotaro's gaze- which reminded Akemi of a cornered animal- followed the quickly growing stalk as it stopped right by Jotaro's head and unfolded into a fully-grown Cape sundew plant that was easily taller than he was. The thin, red stalks as long as his arms wrapped around him, its grip unrelenting. He seemed bewildered at the odd sight of the plant he may have never even seen before- she assumed that was what the confusion was from, so she stepped forward and explained.
"Drosera, also known as sundew, is one of the few carnivorous plants that exist. It uses digestive enzymes it secretes from the tips of its leaf surfaces to consume its prey, though naturally, the pH of this plant's digestive enzymes don't come out to be zero point five. They don't usually come in this size, nor are they normally strong enough to hold humans, either." Akemi explained, leaning against the bars. Jotaro started struggling, panicked, but the red filaments only wrapped tighter around him. "But don't worry," she continued, a sadistic smile spreading across her face. "The only thing you're feeling now is the restraining fluid keeping you in place. The digestive fluid would be," she giggled, "much more painful."
"Akemi!" Cried Holly, distressed, facing her father, then Akemi. "What are you doing to Jotaro?!" Akemi's expression fell and she looked at Jotaro's concerned mother, who was looking at Akemi with a fearful expression, her aura hovering behind her with emotions that must've been racing through her. Why was she watching this?
Joseph turned to his daughter, a comforting atmosphere about him.
"Holly, dear, it's going to be fine- Akemi wouldn't really hurt Jotaro. Just be a good girl and be quiet, 'kay?" He grinned with a finger brushing his lips, assuring her with a gentle voice. Holly seemed a little calmer, but unconvinced. She clenched her jaw and gripped her jacket just above her chest, nodding slowly before turning her gaze back to the two teens.
Just then, the sundew plant started tightening around Jotaro. His movements became less noticeable due to the excessive release of the restraining substance in response to his struggling.
"I know what you're thinking, Jojo. You can't get out of this- others stronger and more experienced than you have failed. You could try asking the ones that made it out without much of a struggle all you want, but I don't think human goo is all that responsive." She said threateningly, before turning and winking at the spectators beside her.
"The evil spirit's withdrawing!" Exclaimed Holly. She was right, Jotaro's Stand was slowly fading away along with his resolve as he realized that this wasn't a battle he could win. Akemi guessed that using his Stand to escape hadn't quite occurred to him. The swirling colors in his aura betrayed his state.
"Now I'll tell you just what these newfangled "evil spirits" are really called, Jotaro." Joseph said, stepping forward. "It may seem like an evil spirit, but it's not. Jotaro, what you believed to be an evil spirit is a powerful vision, created from your own soul and fighting spirit! Because it appears standing next to you, that vision is called a Stand!"
"A Stand..?" Jotaro echoed quietly from inside the sundew plant, his kicking ceasing for a moment. It seemed that their words were finally getting through to him. Satisfaction flooded Akemi.
"Ara ara. A fly caught in a trap." Akemi said, her lip curled slightly upwards.
"Enough of this." Jotaro growled, struggling to get his head out of the clutches of the sundew plant, his hat falling to the ground. He struggled a little more, his tousled hair getting in his eyes, deepening the red-orange annoyance burning in his aura at this point. "The reason I won't leave is because I keep harming others without realizing it." Akemi exhaled quickly with contempt. She approached the cell bar, only inches from his face.
"Jojo, I know why you won't leave." His eyes were wide, his jaw slack. "Damn it. If you don't want to keep hurting other people, then you have to train your Stand. It's like a muscle, just like your brain and heart. I had the same problem once- I used to lash out at my friends and family and hurt them without realizing it was me who did it. I don't know what happened to you, but I know it was probably fucking scary." Akemi reasoned, her tone hard, yet gentle. "Joseph and Avdol helped me, and we can help you. Just come on out. Please?" Jotaro stayed silent. He clenched his jaw. His aura was conflicted... but he seemed to see her side. It seemed he was finally agreeing.
"...Fine. But I'm going back if this turns out to be bullshit." His eyes were hidden by his messy hair. "You'd better be true to your words." A satisfied smirk crossed Akemi's lips.
"Please. You think it could possibly be bullshit? I beat your ass. Of course I can train you." Akemi poked his nose through the bars, igniting his rage.
"You want a rematch, bitch?" Jotaro snarled, struggling in his restraints once more. Akemi giggled at his attempt to be scary- which in return pissed him off even more.
"Maybe if you could come out here and stand a chance. Can I trust you enough to let you go now?" Akemi asked, her arms crossed, one raised limply just under her chin. Jotaro's rage left his eyes for the second and hopefully last time, and he went limp against his restraints. He grunted, and Akemi's expression turned to one of contempt, and he sighed.
"...Yeah." He muttered. With a hum, Akemi withdrew her energy from the plants, causing them to wilt and soften against Jotaro. Not all of her expended energy returned, but it was enough to feel as if she'd taken a short nap. He immediately detached himself from the plants and brushed himself off, picking up his hat from the ground and fixing his hair before setting it back on.
For a moment, Akemi stared expectantly at Jotaro with crossed arms as he put his hands in his pockets. With a defeated sigh, he turned and willingly walked out of the cell.
Holly rushed forward and gave Jotaro a hug, one that annoyed Jotaro.
"Get off me, woman!" He murmured, though he didn't actually really care. Akemi gave Joseph and Mo an enthusiastic look. Mo grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up. Joseph's lips quirked upward, and his aged face crinkled as he did so.
"Nice job, Akemi! Your grandfather, Caesar, would be proud of you." He said jovially. Akemi's chartreuse eyes brightened, her demeanor changing completely.
"Really? You think so?" She gushed, a smile consuming her features as she looked up at the old man.
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Empress Gaea
||Power: C || Speed: B || Range: C || Durability: C ||
||Precision: B || Potential: A ||
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"Oh, thank goodness! Jotaro finally came out of his cell." Rejoiced Holly, her arms wrapped around Jotaro's right arm. She'd been stuck to his hip since they left the county jail and walked to the café to talk things over, to Jotaro's disdain.
"You're pissing me off, lady." Jotaro snapped, leaning away. Akemi's gaze snapped to Jotaro, shocked he'd talk like that to his own mother, especially when she treated him like that.
"Hey! How dare you address your mother that way, huh?!" Accused Joseph, steaming mad. "And Holly, stop smiling after he just called you that!"
"Okay!" Holly said cheerily with a smile. Everyone else sighed wearily.
A short waiter with blonde hair and a thin mustache approached the table. "C- can I take your order? Any drinks this afternoon?" He asked, balking at the scene he'd just interrupted, taking out his checkbook.
"Nothing for me." Said Joseph, a lot calmer now, leaning back in his seat and raising his hands. The waiter's eyes shifted expectantly to Mo.
"Chai." Mo added. The waiter nodded and scribbled it down in his book before turning to Akemi.
"Hazelnut iced coffee, please." Akemi smiled lightly.
"French vanilla iced coffee." Jotaro grunted. Akemi didn't expect him to have a sweet tooth like she did. She guessed some things don't change.
"Just iced water for me." Holly said cheerfully. The waiter nodded and left. Jotaro turned back to his grandfather.
"Grandpa, there's one thing... one thing I don't understand. How did you- all of you-" his gaze swept over Mo, then Akemi beside him, then back to Joseph, "know about our evil spirits- no, our Stands, or whatever?" Akemi's attention turned to Joseph after Jotaro asked that.
She noticed Jotaro's Stand materialize behind him, a curious look on his face. Akemi smiled and summoned her own Stand. The wide-eyed look Jotaro's Stand gave Empress made Akemi blush. She was well aware of how Stands reflected how the user felt inside. She let them play around as they listened. Jotaro's Stand had never interacted with another Stand outside of battle, so why not show him that's not the only thing they're useful for?
"Ora?"
"Ara."
"Ora."
"Very well." Said Joseph, "I came all the way from New York to explain that. But in order to explain it, I must start at the beginning. This has to do with the Joestar family." Joseph took some polaroid pictures out of his jacket, holding them up. "First, take a look at these photos." Joseph laid them down before Jotaro.
Jotaro's Stand phased out of the café window and plucked a daisy from the garden outside, before phasing back in. The flower didn't phase with him, so it hit the window and fell through him. The purple spirit didn't realize this, however, and when he went to give Empress the flower, he was shocked to see that he was empty-handed. Empress giggled as the Stand's shocked face flicked from his hand to the window and back to his hand.
Empress held out her hand and grew a daisy from herself, the thin vines and leaves poking out from under the strange, woven gold that shielded her forearms.
"Ara." Empress offered the yellow flower to the purple Stand with an amused expression, her six sapphire eyes nearly closed, a smile overtaking her features.
"Ora!" The purple Stand replied, shocked, taking the plant from the ethereal Stand. He cradled it, as if he were afraid it would break.
"What are they?" Asked Jotaro. Akemi snapped away from the Stand's interaction, looking down at the photos that Joseph had offered Jotaro. She had already seen the pictures, so she didn't need to look at them- nor did she want to.
"That's a hundred-year-old coffin pulled up from the Atlantic Ocean, off the African Coast four years ago." Joseph explained.
"Coffin?" Jotaro echoed, looking back up at Joseph. Empress was floating upside-down in front of Jotaro's Stand. She poked his nose, giggling, while Jotaro's Stand looked a bit surprised. The flower that Empress had given him was now in his hair, joined by several more daisies and buttercups. Akemi let a small smile slip onto her lips at the scene.
"After I obtained and researched it, I found out that it was on the boat where my grandfather, the man four generations before you, died. It was apparently empty when they discovered it, but I know exactly what was inside!" Joseph put a hand on Mo's shoulder. "Avdol, Akemi and I are trying to locate him as we speak." Jotaro's eyes darted to Akemi when he mentioned her. She turned back around at that, hoping Jotaro wouldn't see their Stands and withdraw his own.
"Him? Hold on a second." said Jotaro, holding up a finger. "You're making it sound like there was a person in there. Why would you call something lost at sea for a hundred years 'him'?" Akemi blinked when Joseph slapped the table, causing the dishes to clatter as he stood up.
"He is evil incarnate!" Joseph exclaimed, his eyes wide, dead serious. "His name is Dio. He has awakened from his hundred-year sleep. We are fated to fight him." To Akemi's slight surprise, Jotaro scoffed and looked out the window behind him. His eyes widened when he saw the Stands.
"What was that, Jotaro?" Joseph exclaimed angrily. "Don't make a face like this has nothing to do with you!" Jotaro looked boredly back at Joseph. At his grandfather's chastisement, his expression glowered again, not seemingly bothered by the Stands interacting. Akemi was glad he didn't know what it meant, but she'd be sure to tell him soon.
"This face means 'that was literally so stupid, I don't know what to say', Gramps." Jotaro deadpanned. Akemi huffed out of her nose, but she supposed she wasn't too surprised by his reaction. Jotaro turned around and raised an eyebrow.
"G-Gramps?" exclaimed Joseph, at a loss for words.
"What, did you expect me to hear such a crazy story and just say 'oh, I see' and believe it?" Jotaro asked, skeptical. As they argued, the waiter came and gave everyone their drinks. Akemi sipped her coffee, sending Jotaro a glance.
"I mean... I get it. I do." Akemi said, setting down her coffee. "The way Joseph explained it, it doesn't sound real." Jotaro huffed, giving her an incredulous look.
"You're telling me you believe this shit?" Jotaro questioned, a hand raised, the other crossed. "It sounds fictional. Something out of a storybook for kids." He scoffed.
"Do you not feel as if our Stands seem fictional, or out of a storybook as well?" Mo commented. Jotaro narrowed his eyes and Akemi spoke up before the teen boy could send a retort back.
"It does sound like that." Akemi agreed, "But since he woke up four years ago, he's been killing, raping and enslaving people. It doesn't matter if his origin sounds fake, the shit he's doing is real." Jotaro looked shocked and crestfallen at her explanation.
"Well, you'll have no choice but to believe soon enough. There are many evil people in the world that do the same evil shit Akemi was talking about. If you ask me why I know of Dio's existence, specifically," Joseph held out his hand, and Mo took a camera out of his robe and handed it to him, "and why I'm after him..." Jotaro stared doubtfully at the camera. Akemi pursed her lips, slightly amused, knowing what would happen next. "I'll show you the reason. Actually, about a year ago, I also suddenly obtained an evil spirit, or rather, the power of a Stand."
"What?" Holly exclaimed.
"Gramps, what are you..?" Jotaro trailed off. Joseph set the camera down, and suddenly, his right arm ignited with yellow sparks.
"I'll show you!" He said enthusiastically. Purple thorny vines grew from his hand. "This is my Stand!" Akemi couldn't help but gasp and cover her face when he struck the camera, breaking it to pieces, some of them getting launched away. A picture slowly slid out of the slot. Joseph snagged the photo, and showed it to the table. There was nothing there- of course, the photo wouldn't appear immediately.
"Did you see it?" Joseph asked quietly. "The thorns that came from my hand? It's called Hermit Purple. It's the power to take spirit photos of visions I captured from far-off places! ...Though I have to smash and destroy a 30,000 yen camera every time I do it."
Obviously, the whole café heard the destruction of the expensive camera, and a waiter came by.
"Sir, is something wrong?" He asked, nervous. Mo turned and waved his hand, and Akemi turned with him.
"No, everything is fine, thank you!" Akemi said politely, before Mo could open his mouth, knowing he'd be rude about it. She wore a smile on her face, successfully easing the waiter.
"Can we get the check, please? Don't split it, I can cover it." Joseph asked. The waiter nodded and departed.
"Thanks, Joseph." Akemi smiled.
"Why did you do that? I wanted a pastry..." Mo pouted, his arms crossed. Akemi snorted, and Joseph waved him off with an eyeroll.
"The food here is ridiculously expensive, plus, we need to get back home soon." Akemi replied. Mo rolled his eyes and she grinned. "I can make you a croissant-"
"Anyways..." Joseph continued, waving his sore hand in the air. "The vision that's going to appear in this picture, Jotaro, will be what determines your fate." Joseph said, his brows furrowed. The intensity in the atmosphere renewed, the sudden pressure drop making Akemi's shoulders feel a little bit heavier.
"Isn't that a bit overboard?" Akemi said quietly, raising an eyebrow. The Stands behind her stopped their antics and withdrew themselves, the intense atmosphere affecting them too much.
"What?" Jotaro breathed, taking this a lot more seriously than she'd expected him to.
"Jotaro, Holly, have either of you ever looked carefully at the back of your necks?" He asked his descendants. Jotaro leaned forward and glared.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, feeling rather impatient.
"You've probably never taken a close look, but right around the base of my neck, there is a star-shaped birthmark." Joseph explained. Both Holly and Jotaro moved their shirt collars to reveal a blue, star-shaped birthmark. Akemi knew it well, she'd brought it up with Jotaro a few times when they were little.
"I'll ask again. What the hell does this all mean?" Jotaro growled, impatient.
"I asked my mother about it, and she said my father, who died when I was young, also had it. Apparently, those of the Joestar bloodline all have this birthmark. Just like how everyone in the Zeppeli bloodline has those two pink marks on their cheeks." Joseph explained, looking at Akemi. All eyes were on her and her pink birthmarks for a moment, causing her to blush slightly, before Jotaro grew impatient and slammed his hands on the table.
"Hey, Gramps. I'm asking you what's going to show up in that photo." Jotaro said accusingly.
"It is our destiny, as yet undiscovered." Joseph replied cryptically. Akemi pursed her lips to the side. He's kind of screwing up the explanation, isn't he?
"Papa..." Holly said, uneasy. Akemi felt Jotaro's annoyance burn.
"Damn it!" Jotaro exploded. He reached forward and snagged the photo from his grandfather's hand. "Just show me what's on it already!" Akemi stared incredulously at Jotaro as he stood. On it, the backside of an incredibly muscular man with blonde hair was looking malevolently toward them. It was an image she'd seen many times before throughout Joseph's desperate research. When she made eye contact with him, she felt her heart drop and the blood leave her face. What really caught her eye, however, was the birthmark. A star-shaped one.
"Dio!" Exclaimed Joseph. "He is always the one who shows up in my spirit photos. And on the back of his neck..." Joseph took the photo back from Jotaro.
"From this bastard's neck down, is the body of my grandfather, Johnathan Joestar. Which he's taken over!" Joseph exclaimed, furious. "A hundred years ago, an incident occurred in the Atlantic Ocean. I only know what I heard from my grandmother, Erina, but Dio took over the body of my grandfather and survived!" Joseph explained. "And this much is certain:" he continued, "he is currently hiding somewhere in the world, plotting something! It's been four years since he came back. The reason my spirit photos and your Stand began manifesting this past year is most likely Dio." Mo stood.
"In the wider world, our gifts are considered psychic powers. I've had my Stand since birth, as has Akemi, but your powers are tied to Jonathan's body, Jotaro, by invisible threads. All we can say now is that Dio's existence is what brought forth the powers that were dormant within you." Mo explained.
"It's like... Johnathan's body... it sent out a distress call, as soon as it was awakened..." Akemi voiced her thoughts, catching the attention of the table as she fiddled with her lip, the thought of Johnathan Joestar's true fate disturbing her. "As if... whatever of his fighting spirit that's left, he asked his descendants for help, because Dio is... planning something horrible, I imagine..."
Joseph looked at Mo.
"Avdol, from this photo, can you tell where he is now?" Joseph asked, his tone hard. He handed Mo the photo, and he looked closely.
"I cannot," He confessed, "there is hardly any background visible." Just like every other time.
"As I thought." Said Joseph, picking his hat up and placing it on his head.
"I'll take a closer look." Said Mo. Joseph noticed his daughter's distressed expression.
"Oh, Holly. I apologize for bringing all this up so suddenly." Joseph and Holly stood. "I will be staying in Japan for a while, and I'll be staying at your place. Is it okay if Akemi and Avdol stay there as well?"
"Yes, Papa." Holly said cheerfully. The group got up to leave. From beside her, Jotaro felt where his birthmark was. She got up, and she could feel his aquamarine eyes burning into her back.
Could he be curious about me?
She turned, briefly making eye contact with him. She sent him a small smile, not betraying any emotion she felt. After a moment, she continued walking, feeling satisfied at his fascinated confusion.
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hello hello
jus a quick note- akemi spent more time with joseph the older they grew, so they pretty much have a granddaughter-grandfather relationship. she and suzi q are close as well, though they don't see each other much. they and avdol (nicknamed "mo" by akemi from mohammed) did research together for the four years that dio had come back, and have a close relationship as well.
also! akemi manifested her healing ability- or rather, discovered that she can transfer energy to another person- shortly after she'd arrived in italy, around age 13. she used to literally pass out after healing like a bruise so lisa lisa honed that and made her heal something extremely often to get where she is now, which also exploited the potential in her bigger pool of energy within. The reason she's able to do this is because the basis of her Stand ability is that she can control her own energy and her Stand helps her channel and direct it, sort of like an energy diverter. It's just a lot easier to create and control plants- and channel energy through them, which is why she uses jasmine vines to heal.
also, i realized a year later that akemi's aura-sense is extremely similar to alex chen's ability from life is strange: true colors (finished it, 1000000% worth the play) so... think of the auras from that game as what akemi sees all the time :)
facts
-empress gaea's stand cry is 'ara'.
-stands are not only the physical manifestation of a person's fighting spirit, but it is also a manifestation of the soul, so users are often defined by how their stands act when not under command... just saying. but more importantly, when a user's stand is away from them, their aura isn't visible.
-joseph constantly tells akemi that caesar would be proud of her.
-akemi's theme is tires on fire by coda. look it up! ;)
PS: I've been writing this for 4 years, my longest commitment lol
see y'all later lol
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