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Akemi's Bizarre Adventure

Chapter 2: Noriaki Kakyoin

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Akemi sighed, a gruff noise lined with annoyance as she fixed up and sprayed hairspray on her bangs in the mirror.

She understood why Joseph was sending her to school with Jotaro, but she really didn't want to go. Not that she didn't want to go to school for any petulant reason- the prospect of going to high school in Japan excited her. No, the reason she didn't want to go was shouting at her right now.

"Oi! Let's go!" Called Jotaro for the second time. Akemi growled. He loved getting on her nerves, didn't he? Well, it's not like he knew that she hated being rushed... but would he appreciate being called eighty times when we already have zero chance of being late for school? Akemi scoffed. No, no, he wouldn't.

"I'm on the way, Jojo! Jeez..." She shouted back. She heard him mutter something about a yareyareda ze under his breath as she exited the room she was using temporarily. His eyes flitted up and down her form when she met him at the front door. He seemed pretty ticked about having to walk her to school.

"Let's go." he said, turning to leave when suddenly fast footsteps on wood came from behind them. Both Akemi and Jotaro turned to look at Holly, a smile on her face.

"Jotaro! Wait! You forgot something!" Holly called. She put her hands on his chest, looking up at him fondly. "Goodness... here, a goodbye kiss!" He shied away when she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm not a kid anymore." Jotaro growled, pushing her away. Akemi looked at him, her jaw slack. Her look melted off her face when Holly embraced her, too, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Okay! Gosh, Ake-chan, you look so pretty! Have a good day, you two!" Holly called happily, as if it didn't matter what her son said to her. Akemi gave her a gentle smile.

"Thank you, Holly-san!" Akemi said gratefully before trotting after Jotaro. Her happy expression melted.

"Jojo, what the hell? It was just a goodbye kiss." Akemi questioned. Jotaro scoffed.

"I'm almost an adult. She doesn't need to be giving me goodbye kisses before school." He grunted. Akemi clenched her jaw.

"Why the hell don't you act like an adult, then? You need to treat your mother better. At least you still have one." Akemi snapped bitingly. Jotaro blinked, surprised, and Akemi could feel the whiplash he felt from her icy words from his aura.

Of course she's sensitive about this. Her mother died about ten years ago- I remember visiting her in the hospital after... that accident. I still have no idea what happened, but clearly... Jotaro glanced down at the white-haired girl, her expression withering. The scar slightly protruded from her skin, and he could see the intricate details- if he looked close enough. It was small, but still the first place anyone would look when they see her face.

...it scarred her, mentally and physically. She lost her mom- and, I guess, a part of herself as well. Her hair used to be blonde, didn't it..? Flashes from his childhood filled his senses, and he started to get a headache.

Akemi couldn't sense any bad intentions from his aura, he didn't really hate her. He was lucky Holly could see through him like Akemi could, otherwise he would really hurt his mother. An angry silence hung over the two as they walked toward the school. Akemi made sure to memorize the way so she wouldn't have to walk with him every day.

"You know... I would've believed you." Jotaro muttered. Akemi looked up, surprised. She bit her lip, unsure of the truth behind his statement. She could sense a little bit of vulnerability behind his aura. Maybe he would've.

"And how was I supposed to know that? At this point, I'm sure you would've ridiculed me for opening up to you." Akemi asked quietly. Jotaro blinked, but before he could say anything else, some other students joined them.

"Hey, it's Jojo!" said one of their female classmates.

"Eh? Jojo?" exclaimed another one.

"You're right! It's Jojo!"

"Who's that girl?" They noticed her. For some reason, she didn't like the attention.

"Jeez, is this what you were trying to beat this morning?" Akemi asked, slightly put off. His aura told her everything- his face would've been enough. "I'll... keep that in mind."

"Is that his girlfriend?" Akemi flinched, giving her shoes a bewildered look.

"What's with her hair?"

What does she mean? Isn't white a natural hair color, too? ...I guess not in Japan.

"I was born with it." Akemi lied.

"Hey, you're new. What's your name?" Asked a redhead with curly hair, her tone a little snotty and her aura hostile.

"Uh, Zeppeli Akemi…"

"You're so pretty! Your hair is so exotic!" A black-haired girl with short hair said. Huh, so white hair is indeed not native to Japan… Akemi thought.

"Oh, uh, th- thanks. I'm half-Italian."

"So you're a hafu?"

"I- isn't that a slur?" Akemi asked her incredulously.

"Where'd you get that scar from?" Another asked.

"Oh, a lion got free at the zoo when I was five, and it attacked me." Akemi lied again.

"Eh!?" A bunch of the girls cried.

"Jojo!" Much to his irritation, the girls that weren't distracted with Akemi started to swarm Jotaro. His aura flared a dark orange-red.

"Good morning, Jojo!"

"Jojo!"

"Jojo, who's that?"

"Jojo, is that your girlfriend?"

"Definitely not." Akemi answered for him, a disgusted expression on her face.

"Jojo, what were you doing while you were absent from school for four days?" asked a brown-haired girl, wrapping her arms around Jotaro's. His irritation was starting to get to her. Why would they touch him without his permission? ...Why do they all call him Jojo?

Akemi heard a cry of surprise when one girl elbowed the other, knocking her away from Jotaro's arm. While the group stopped, Akemi and Jotaro kept moving.

"Why are you clinging to Jojo like that?" One accused the other. "You're being too chummy! Stay away from him!"

"What the hell, ugly?"

"Shut it, boy chest." Two of the girls ignored her, arguing with each other.

"Pig."

"Boy chest."

"Pig."

"Boy chest."

"Pig."

"Boy chest."

"Oi, don't think you're getting away with him, scarface!" Akemi suddenly felt her braid being pulled as the argument went on behind them. With a dark look, she dropped her pocketbook and elbowed the girl who had a hold on her hair. It was hard enough to knock her down. When she had fallen, she looked down at a black-haired girl, glowering down at her intensely.

"I hate to do this, as girls shouldn't be treating each other this way, but you're all acting like middle schoolers over what, a boy? Seriously? He's an asshole, too, not even worth your attention!" Akemi snapped, her anger getting the best of her. The girls recoiled under her intense glare, and a lot of them blushed. Jotaro was... impressed, despite the shit talking. Was that a blush of his own?

"Wow…" Some girls sighed. Their affections made Akemi blush, and she whipped back around. The other girls argued for far longer than Akemi felt was necessary, and the repetitive shouting was starting to give her a headache. She picked up her pocketbook, sighing, feeling embarrassed for them.

What a fantastic first day of school…

"Shut up! You're pissing me off!" Jotaro lashed out suddenly at the girls locked in an argument, irritated and overwhelmed. Akemi turned and caught up with him quickly as they began to move again. It was silent for a moment before they all squealed.

"He totally said that to me!" the brown-haired girl shrieked.

"No, that was for me!" the redhead argued.

"Ugh." Akemi said, her face twisted in revulsion before she turned and continued on her way. Jotaro huffed as he turned around, and the pair kept walking while the group was distracted temporarily from fawning over Jotaro.

Unfortunately, they caught up again.

"Jojo, Akemi! Wait! Wait for us!" They shouted. Akemi almost groaned out loud.

"This is seriously what you have to deal with every day?" Akemi asked Jotaro, a lip curled slightly upward.

"Yup." Jotaro replied curtly, not pleased with his situation. "They don't leave me alone, no matter how many times I tell them to. And it looks like they won't leave you alone after today, either."

"Why don't you tell the headmaster, then?" Asked Akemi. Jotaro scoffed.

"He wouldn't do shit." He murmured. Maybe he'd already tried? "Says I should be happy there's basically a fan club for me. That any other kid would dream of it, and that there's something wrong with me." He scoffed angrily.

"...I'm sorry. What a scumbag." She murmured. "We should've left earlier. It won't happen again. I'll be quicker tomorrow." Her eyes were hidden behind her bangs as she looked down, and Jotaro felt a rush of gratitude.

"Don't worry about it." He said gruffly.

Jotaro and Akemi turned toward a torii gate with a staircase below. As they started down the stairs, Akemi felt a sudden burning pain in her right leg that was so great that she cried out. However, Jotaro seemed to have gotten it worse, because he flew down the stairs.

Akemi caught the blood spewing from his left leg, and a warmth down her own said she was bleeding as well. When she looked up, she saw Jotaro's Stand- his arm- grabbed the tree branch, flinging him into the bushes.

Immediately disregarding her own injury, Akemi ran down the stairs, skipping steps to get to the bottom faster. She gritted her teeth, as stepping down the stairs caused another stab of pain in her leg. She wished she would heal faster.

Looking above her, she saw Jotaro's hat. It was just out of her reach and falling quickly further, but she reached anyways, and had her Stand snatch his hat, using her arm as an extension of her own. She brought his hat to her hand just as she reached the bottom.

Akemi turned to the side just as she heard the squealing girls freaking out about Jotaro's fall. It looked like he was sprawled uncomfortably across a few branches, and his expression showed that he was in shock from the fall.

"Are you alright?" She asked quickly, her concern showing on her face. He said nothing and looked down at the cut on his leg. She placed his hat on his head and reached toward his leg, her Stand's arm illuminating her own. Using her Stand to swat his hand away when it approached, a small vine wrapped gently around his leg, and to Jotaro's shock, the cut began to slowly seal itself. He stared in shock as it disappeared, not even leaving a scar.

Unbeknownst to her user, Empress Gaea hovered over the teen, wearing the same focused expression Akemi did.

"Akemi..." Jotaro trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

"You're welcome." Akemi said, as if she could sense his gratefulness. She reached a hand out to help him up. "What knocked you down? Do you know what hit you?" Asked the teen as Jotaro took her hand and stood up. He opened his mouth to respond, but he was interrupted by the schoolgirls' whining for him.

"Jojo!"

"Jojo, are you okay?"

"Are you hurt, Jojo?"

They surrounded him in no time, pushing Akemi out of the circle. She fell on her butt with an 'oof!'

"You really scared me."

"Are you okay, Jojo?"

"You're really lucky. If you were even fifteen centimeters off, you would've hit the flagstone."

"Accidents happen all the time on these steps."

"Starting tomorrow, you should hold my hand when you go down, Jojo." That last remark hit a nerve in Akemi. She was about to say something, but the arrival of a salmon-haired student caught their attention. Akemi's stomach fell. There was something incredibly off about him, it was like she was looking at a mannequin. Jotaro must've felt it, too.

What creeped her out the most was that he had the same aura as her father the last time she'd seen him. That wasn't something she could forget.

"You seem to have cut your right leg." This student's concern felt fake. She couldn't see a touch of it in his aura, not even on his face or in his words. He wasn't to be trusted. "And your left-" His sentence was cut off, and his expression changed to one of surprise when he saw Jotaro's ripped pants... as if he were expecting a scratch. Akemi kept her emotions off her face, but it was obvious in her eyes how she felt. "...pant leg seems to be ripped. Are you alright?" he asked, holding a hand out to help Akemi to her feet. She ignored his slender hand and stood up on her own, dusting off her skirt. His eyes lingered on her scar.

"Yeah, it's not too deep." Akemi said, her tone carefully modulated. It had already healed considerably, looking like a simple thorn scratch. She stared him down, eyes trained on his hand as it moved to his pocket, emerging with a handkerchief. He presented it to her, the simple white cloth hanging off his long, slender fingers.

"Here, use this for your wound." He offered. Akemi cautiously took it from his hand, looking up at him with wide eyes, burying her touched feelings from the gesture. She put the handkerchief in her pocket.

"Thank you." She muttered. With that, he walked away without another word. Akemi turned to face the student's back, her skirt and hair swishing from the sudden motion.

"Hang on." Jotaro commanded. The pink-haired student paused and turned, giving Jotaro a hard stare. They stared at each other for a second too long, and the atmosphere was intense.

"I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new?" He asked, sounding innocent. The student turned, his expression neutral.

"I'm Noriaki Kakyoin. I just transferred here yesterday. Nice to meet you." He turned away before Akemi could introduce herself. But she had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time they saw him.

"Huh... he said his name was Kakyoin-kun. He's not bad." Said one of the girls behind Jotaro and Akemi.

"Really?"

"I still like Jojo better."

"Me, too."

"Yeah? Well, I like Akemi the most."

"Same."

"Shut up, faggots."

"What did you just call us!?"

A brawl broke out behind them between the girls.

Something was off about that new kid. She saw movement beside her, and she saw Jotaro with a hand on his birthmark. Shaking his head, he bent down to whisper in Akemi's ear.

"Wanna run to the nurse while they're distracted?" Jotaro suggested.

"Say no more." With that, they shot off and the girls got in trouble with a superior.

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"Akemi, how did you get this cut? You're brand new!" Asked the pretty nurse. "Jotaro didn't get you into a fight, did he? Oh, you, take off your hat! It's poor manners." The nurse tried to swipe Jotaro's hat off of his head, but he dodged it just in time. "For pity's sake..." the nurse trailed off. Jotaro stared her down from where he stood behind Akemi's sitting form.

"Sensei, has Jojo ever gotten hurt in a fight? There's no way that would happen." Pointed out one of the students on the bed behind her.

"Yeah," Laughed the other one in agreement. Akemi huffed in amusement. It seems he had quite the dangerous reputation around here. Maybe it would be smarter to keep close to him.

"Well, you've got a point." Said the nurse, turning to tend to Akemi's injury, as Jotaro had insisted she should.

"Ara ara, it was only me that fell at first. Jotaro was trying to be a gentleman and help me, but he ended up falling, too." Akemi lied smoothly, a bashful smile on her face. The nurse laughed.

"You scatterbrains! Be careful next time, Akemi. Those stairs are dangerous!" The nurse said as she finished wrapping up Akemi's leg.

"Jotaro? Being a gentleman?" Guffawed the student on the left bed. "Jojo's about as gentlemanly as a gorilla!"

"Looks like one too!" Snorted the other one. "Maybe he would, for her… I know I would." The student's eyes trailed down Akemi's legs before coming back up to meet hers, wiggling his eyebrows and grinning widely.

"Ew!" Akemi shuddered. She desperately wished she didn't have to wear a skirt, her legs felt so... naked. Especially with her bandaged wound just out there.

"Hey. Watch it." Jotaro snapped, clearly pissed off. The students on the bed yelped and nodded.

"Now then," Said the nurse, turning away from Akemi. "I'll take your temperatures and prove that you're faking ill." She turned around holding a pen. Akemi gave her an odd look, but didn't give it much thought.

"Y- y- yeah! Let us go home early." One of the bedridden students said.

"Why don't you let Akemi-chan take our temperatures?" The other student said.

"Oi!" Snapped Jotaro, causing them to nearly piss their pants a second time.

"Please... don't call me that." Akemi said, gritting her teeth, disgust gripping her chest. The nurse laughed.

"Nope! No can do!" She replied cheerfully. Akemi sighed and stood up, looking at Jotaro.

"Jojo, I'll sew your pants when we get home, if you want." Akemi offered tiredly, picking up her pocketbook. Jotaro tugged his hat down.

"Sure." He agreed.

"Hey... S- Sensei?" One of the students asked, sounding scared. That caught Akemi's attention. "What are you doing?!" She turned from Jotaro, and widened her eyes and furrowed her brows when she saw the nurse waving a pen in front of the students, ink splashing all over them. Akemi stood up, alarmed. She retreated several steps, standing a few feet away from Jotaro. The tall, muscular teen- as annoying as he was- was definitely safer to be near than the nurse.

"What does it look like?" She moaned. Her movements became more and more unsteady. "I'm waving around the thermometer to test it." The two students converged in fear.

"Th- thermometer? Sensei... Sensei, that's a pen!" Cried a student. Her movements became more aggressive.

"A pen? Did you say a pen?!" She exclaimed angrily. She started foaming at the mouth. "Does this look like a pen to you?! How... How stupid can you be!?" she screamed. As she watched, Akemi saw a snake-like tendril climb up her leg.

"This thermometer actually looks like a pen to you!? Then have a... better... look!" Akemi slapped her hands over her mouth to stop from screaming in horror when she plunged the pen into the student's eyeball, twisting it as she went in. The student howled, his voice and aura filled with pain. The nurse laughed wildly as the spiky red pain sent tingles down her back.

Akemi put her hand in her pocket, feeling the handkerchief from before. She fidgeted with it to keep her mind stable, but felt an odd texture on it. Now that she thought about it, she didn't open it. Frantically taking it out, she opened it up. Lo and behold, smudged black marks greeted her fearful eyes. Her eyes skimmed the kanji quickly.

Jotaro Kujo and Akemi Zeppeli, I will kill you today with my Stand! -Noriaki Kakyoin

Akemi looked down at the handkerchief in shock, but her attention was drawn away from the cloth at the screams of her classmate.

"My eye! My eye!" Shrieked the student. He writhed in the bed, his hands clawing at the pen in his eye, falling out of the bed and crashing on the floor like a beached fish. The other student abandoned him to run away. The victimized student deliriously crawled away, trying to follow him.

"Jojo... Akemi..." The nurse snarled. She turned to him, looking as if she were struggling to balance. "You're not going to say that this looks like a pen, are you?" She lunged toward Jotaro, but before she could make an impact, Akemi quickly sent Empress Gaea to defend Jotaro.

"Ara!" Empress shouted, whipping her arm forward. A wisteria vine ejected from her arm, full throttle, restraining the nurse with ease. The point of the pen was centimeters away from the center of Jotaro's cheekbone.

Jotaro looked at Akemi, his eyes wide with shock, and saw her visibly struggling. Jotaro immediately stepped back and joined Akemi. Her Stand let go of the struggling woman, and she fell forward, landing face-first on the ground. Akemi winced. She handed Jotaro the handkerchief.

"She's strong... Noriaki Kakyoin. It's his Stand that's doing this." Akemi explained, her tone hard.

"Stand?" Jotaro echoed, taking the handkerchief from her hand. His eyebrows furrowed. He'd known something was up with that new student, and so did Akemi.

"Why would he tell us he'll fight us before he will..?" Jotaro mumbled, an incredulous look on his face.

"I dunno. He doesn't seem all that bright." Akemi replied.

"Was he the one that cut our legs on the stairs?" Jotaro asked. Akemi jumped when she heard a voice beside them.

"Precisely." It was Kakyoin, and when Akemi turned to look at him, he was lounged on the side of a window, a satisfied smirk across his face.

"Y-you're..." Akemi trailed off, looking at him with contempt.

"Hey. Short time no see." He greeted casually. He held up a marionette. "My Stand's possessed that nurse and is controlling her." He explained. The marionette danced in his hand and the nurse followed his movements. She stood, ready to attack. "Attacking my Stand will mean hurting that nurse, you two. Do I sound bright now?" He mused teasingly.

"You prick..." Akemi cursed, her face contorted in anger. That nurse was an innocent- and a good person.

"Just who the hell are you?!" Barked Jotaro.

"I told you. I'm Noriaki Kakyoin. The name of my Stand is Hierophant Green. I have a Stand just like your friend, Avdol- but my loyalty is to him..."

Dio... Akemi finished in her mind, contempt building in her chest.

"Therefore... I shall kill you both!" The marionette in his hand moved forward, and the nurse charged. Akemi stepped back when the nurse that had patched her up just earlier tried to elbow her in the face. Jotaro intercepted her and held a death grip on her arm. Akemi caught something green down her throat- it had to be Kakyoin's Stand!

Jotaro seemed to notice it, too. Before Akemi could say something, Jotaro pulled the nurse toward him and their lips crashed together. Akemi was barely able to keep down a shriek of alarm.

"Jotaro, what the hell are you doing!?" Akemi shrieked.

When he pulled away, his Stand phased into existence, holding a green, robotic-looking, what she guessed was Kakyoin's Stand in his mouth. Akemi, deep inside, was thankful that the kiss had a purpose. As badly as he treated women, at least he didn't take advantage of them.

"I won't let you hurt her." Jotaro claimed triumphantly, his Stand pulling Kakyoin's out further. "Now that I've dragged it out, I see it's just a sleazy Stand that can't do anything but possess people." Jotaro's Stand wrapped his hands around Kakyoin's Stand's neck and head. Akemi caught him visibly struggling.

"Kakyoin, this is your Stand?" Jotaro mocked. "All green and striped... it looks like a shiny melon." Kakyoin moved in his position, and Akemi's eyes were on him immediately, her Stand at the ready at her side.

"You're going to regret... dragging that out of her... Jojo." Kakyoin managed, obviously feeling the effects of his Stand being held. Jotaro was doing... pretty good, considering he'd just found out about his Stand yesterday.

"Jojo!" Akemi shouted, catching a side glance from him. "You may be strong, but Stand fights are never this easy! This bastard has something up his sleeve! Stay alert!" She finished off with an intense look.

Jotaro narrowed his eyes, putting her down quickly but not roughly. Akemi flinched when she saw a concerning amount of blood around her. She dropped to her knees and shifted her head on her lap, ignoring the blood on her school uniform. Her Stand kneeled down gently next to her with ethereal grace. She put an armor-clad hand on her forehead, and vines bushy with leaves and white jasmine flowers protruded from beneath her arm-plate, curling gently on the woman's temple. She felt the familiar pull of energy, something she felt when healing big injuries.

That Stand must've ripped her throat to shreds... that bastard.

"Don't try to act tough." Jotaro scolded, catching Akemi's attention. "By the looks of your forehead, I can crush two melons for the price of one, if I want to." He started to walk toward Kakyoin. With a jolt, Akemi had a good idea of what would happen now. It wasn't a good one.

"Jojo! Wait!" Akemi called. Jotaro stopped in his tracks and looked back at her, annoyance glittering in his eyes with a raised eyebrow.

Kakyoin's eyes were also on her- a glimmer of hope in his aura, as if she might save him for some reason.

"If you're going to kill him, don't do it here. There's already too much of a mess." She said sternly. The hope left Kakyoin's aura. "This already might be too much for the Speedwagon Foundation to handle, especially since it's taking place in a school. They won't be able to do anything if we kill a student here." Jotaro looked down at her, his eyes shifting from the bleeding nurse to her again. He lowered his eyebrow, and without another word, he turned to Kakyoin. It seemed his Stand increased his grip on Kakyoin's, because his eyes shone with pain, his expression contorted in discomfort.

"Since I can't kill you, I'm gonna keep a grip on you for a while. I'll take you to the old man. I'm sure he'd love to meet you... and I'd like to know more about Dio, myself." Jotaro told him. Empress Gaea's vine was still on the unresponsive nurse's forehead. She could see it growing slightly, some of the vines showing up on her shoulders. The channeling energy caused some flowers to bloom quicker. She could feel her heartbeat quickening from its deadly slowness before, and that was what mattered. She just hoped the Speedwagon Foundation would be able to clear her.

Akemi jumped when the window behind Kakyoin slammed shut. She then noticed some green liquid was dripping from Hierophant Green's hands.

"What?" breathed Jotaro, caught off guard. "...the hell is coming out of its hands..?"

"I already told you, Jojo." Kakyoin said darkly. "That you would regret this." He held his marionette in his hand, and he was standing at full height. He shifted the marionette's body.

"Feel the attack of my Stand, Hierophant Green!" She widened her eyes when she realized Kakyoin was aiming at her with a malevolent smile.

"Don't make any weird moves!" Jotaro shouted. Ignoring his statement, the green fluid exploded- forming itself into a cylinder between his hands. He twisted it and shining emeralds sprayed everywhere in her direction.

She was healing, so her reaction time wouldn't be fast enough and she wasn't strong enough to grow plants through several meters of foundation due to her energy loss. All she could do was watch as Kakyoin called out his attack: "Emerald Splash!"

Paralyzing fear gripped her, and she shielded her face. Instead of being severely injured or worse- as she had expected- she felt nothing. Opening her eyes, she lowered her hands to see both Jotaro and his Stand were thrown back into a wall.

"No! Jojo!" Cried Akemi. He'd taken the hit for her…

"What do you think? Emerald Splash. What looked like the bodily fluids of my Stand, Hierophant Green, was a vision of destructive energy! It pierced through your Stand's chest. Therefore, your insides have been torn to shreds." As Kakyoin monologued, Akemi could see Jotaro shakily trying to sit up, his expression one of fury. "And that nurse wouldn't have needed the healing and energy of your... partner, here, had you not ripped my Stand out of her."

"What..?" Breathed Jotaro.

Shit... this isn't good... Akemi thought, her expression twisted in distress. She could see the pain glimmering in his aura. He might die here... I can't let that happen, no matter how much of an asshole he can be.

"I told you, attacking my Hierophant Green would mean hurting that nurse. My Stand can reach further than yours, but he doesn't like open spaces. He prefers to hide within something. If you drag him out, he gets angry. That's why, when he came out of her throat, he hurt her. It's your fault, Jojo! Now your partner and her Stand are wasting away their life energy for a dying civilian. They're all going to die, Jojo, and it's because of you! If you had let me kill you in the first place, nobody would be hurt right now." Kakyoin accused him.

It sounded like he was trying to lower his mental fortitude- but it wasn't working, from the look of him. Jotaro looked at her, as if to fact check Kakyoin… and she sent him a thumbs-up. I'm fine!

She knew Kakyoin couldn't sway Jotaro with that speech of his. She noticed him trying to stand. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to trust him. If he fell again, she could have her Stand fight Hierophant Green, but she would have to defend both Jotaro and the nurse, and, well... she wasn't sure how well she would fare this way. She wished she could call up Mo.

The nurse that laid on her lap had a stable heartbeat, and her breathing was normal. She was just unconscious now, and there was nothing more she could do. Now, Akemi could focus on Jotaro. She turned back to him, and he was back on his feet, a steely glare aimed at his enemy, as if he hadn't just been thrown into a wall.

"You're trying to stand? But how sad... if I were to compare you to something, it'd be a sandbag in front of a boxer. You stood back up only to be hit again." Kakyoin mocked. Jotaro stood over Akemi as if protecting her.

She looked up at the towering Joestar descendant. With a grateful exhale through her nose, Empress placed a hand on his boot, seeing the bushy, skinny healing vine coil gently around his leg. She silently hoped he wouldn't notice.

"No one ever said... Kujo Jotaro was a nice guy. I beat the shit out of people more than I have to. Some are still in the hospital. There's plenty of teachers that got on my bad side and never came back to class. And hey- I make it a policy not to pay the check if I didn't like the meal. But even a guy like me can spot evil when he sees it... evil means to use the weak for your own gain... and then stomp on them when it's all over! And that's what you've done! To women, and a doctor, even!" Jotaro monologued. Akemi looked up at him, her eyes wide. Maybe... she misjudged him. She gently moved the nurse's head off her lap and stood to join him. "That is exactly what you've done! Your Stand isn't visible to the victim, the law, the consequences. Therefore..." Jotaro traced his hat's rim, glancing down at Akemi. "We shall judge you." Kakyoin barked a laugh.

"'Evil'?" He echoed mockingly. "Such a... quaint notion. Noble, even. But dead wrong. Evil refers to the loser. Justice refers to the victor. The last man standing! The method doesn't matter!" His voice took on an unhinged note at the end that sent shivers up Akemi's spine.

"What the hell!?" Akemi shouted indignantly. "What kind of backwards logic is that? Are you stupid?"

"That's just how it is, Akemi. Always has... always will… history always commemorates the colonizers as heroes and the natives as evil, simply because they were conquered. It may not be the way you wish it to be, or the way it should be… this is simply the nature of our world, and of humans." Kakyoin responded smoothly. Akemi was, on one hand, a bit caught off guard at the use of her first name. On the other hand, what the hell?

She stood now, feeling drained, having used a lot of her energy to heal two big injuries. He shot dozens of tentacles straight for both Jotaro and Akemi, tying them and making them effectively motionless. Akemi sent a withering glare to the villainous teen, but groaned when the tentacles held her tighter than she was comfortable with.

His Stand is similar to mine... Akemi observed. She couldn't use her vines, because tentacles versus tentacles wasn't the smartest thing, even if her Stand was much more than just vines, it was the easiest thing to use in battle when she had to think on her feet. Her eyes darted outside, and an idea shot into her head.

"The loser is the evil one. You two are pathetic looking… drained of energy, and yet, you stand like cornered, hungry animals!" Kakyoin let out a maniacal laugh. "And now, the final blow!" He exclaimed. Akemi was still trying to wrap her head around how he came to that conclusion.

"What? The loser is evil?" Jotaro muttered, possibly feeling the same way as Akemi.

As inconspicuously as she could, Akemi began the growth of a huge plant just outside the window Kakyoin had emerged from.

Damn my low energy, it's gonna take a minute to grow this thing. God, I need a nap... I hope I don't lose consciousness… This is more than I'm used to.

"Emerald Splash!" Kakyoin cried in response, sending another barrage of emeralds toward the two. Akemi widened her eyes, then shut them tight, cringing.

"Well, in that case..." Jotaro exclaimed. Akemi opened an eye. He summoned his Stand before the two. His Stand shrugged off the emerald splash like it was nothing.

Akemi widened her eyes, confused.

How? Hadn't he just been thrown a few meters back last time?

Kakyoin looked just as shocked.

"What?! But that's impossible! He just deflected the Emerald Splash!" Kakyoin cried, bewildered. They were starting to gain the upper hand, and just in time. Akemi felt relief fill her.

"...You're the evil one, after all, it seems!" Akemi finished for Jotaro before he could, gaining her bearings as the finished Venus fly trap unfolded itself inside the nurse's office.

Kakyoin gave her a confused look before he noticed the light above him dim, and Jotaro's wide eyes above him. He looked up, and cried out in panic when the open-jawed fly trap lunged forward and snapped its jaws over him, trapping him in one movement. Muffled shouts and lumps of struggle were evident. The fly trap stayed obediently shut.

"Dionaea muscipula. The Venus flytrap. One of the few carnivorous plants- though they're usually insectivores, I can make this one into a real carnivore with just a thought, so you better stay put, Kakyoin." Akemi threatened confidently. The struggling died down a little.

She nodded to the other teen, and stepped backward. Jotaro then sent his Stand forward to attack Kakyoin's. He shook his neck like an angry dog before a barrage of punches landed on its face joined by Stand cries.

For how cute he was acting the other day, he was pretty violent.

"The ones who'll be the judges are..." His Stand tossed Kakyoin's Stand in the air, meeting a vicious uppercut as it fell, "...our Stands!" After that, Hierophant Green vanished, and the fly trap's mouth went still. Jotaro and Akemi allowed themselves to relax. She let out an exhausted sigh, dropping to her knees as both of their Stands vanished just like Kakyoin's.

"So much healing in one day..." Akemi muttered, putting a hand on her face, shivering as she did so. Her body language told him that not only was she tired, but she was also... cold. Jotaro looked down at her, confused.

"So what is your Stand's power, anyway? Do you have two powers? Plants and healing?" Jotaro asked skeptically, crossing his arms. Akemi looked up at him.

"My Stand is Empress Gaea, based on the Tarot card Empress. It suggests fertility, nurturing, and the creation of life. It's pretty relevant, I think. What my Stand has the power to do is transfer my chemical and thermal energy to other things. I mainly use this on plant life, since it's the easiest to channel energy through, and Empress comes with arm guards that can grow plants. I can also transfer my energy to someone else to boost their healing process. Since I'm able to do this, my body has to accommodate for it, which is why I was born with more of a healing factor than others- my body simply has more energy stored in more mitochondria to do it." Akemi explained somewhat tiredly. Jotaro took a moment to take in all the information that poured out of her.

"Hm. I see." was all he said. Akemi looked up at him, sort of glad he didn't have any questions. Though, if he did, he'd probably already answered them in his head. Jotaro opened his mouth, but before anything could come out, a student's panicked shout echoed outside the door.

"What was that? A gas explosion?"

"It came from the nurse's office!"

"None of you leave the classroom!" Jotaro heard some of his school's occupants talking. It seems they heard the battle that just took place. The nurse was left in the pool of her own blood. Jotaro and Akemi silently agreed it was for the better, so they could see that she was a victim as well.

"Ara ara... We may have been a bit louder than we should've." Akemi noticed, her eyelids heavy.

"No shit." Jotaro scoffed. "I'll leave the rest to them." He said, just as he heard the bell ring. He approached the window. "We're ditching school today. I've got to have him explain some things about Dio." Jotaro told her.

"What a first day." Akemi sighed as Jotaro approached the Venus flytrap with caution. Akemi let her Stand's hand illuminate her own as she separated her first finger and her thumb to open the Venus fly trap. Kakyoin's unconscious body fell on top of Jotaro, nearly knocking him over. He whipped his head around, sending her a withering glare. She sent him a smug look in return, a giggle escaping her lips. For some reason, that made him whip his head back around, his aura growing pink-ish.

What an odd color to define Jotaro, even if it was for a few seconds.

He tossed Kakyoin over his shoulder and approached the window Kakyoin entered from. The white-haired teen silently rose, feeling her energy melt away as she walked to join him. She dismantled the Venus Flytrap, gaining a small amount of energy back.

"Let's go." He said, and Akemi nodded, following him as he leapt out of the window. Akemi lifted her legs over the windowsill and let herself fall forward, stumbling as she landed. They exited the school together, making their way to the Kujo household.

As he was walking, he turned and looked behind him at the girl that was practically dragging herself after him.

A thought manifested in his mind.

No. It's her fault she used up so much energy. I shouldn't reward that with a piggy-back ride. As his thoughts protested against him, he pushed them away.

"Huh? Oh, thank you." Akemi said from behind him. Jotaro's eyes widened and he whipped around. He scowled at the scene in front of him, bewildered and embarrassed. It seemed that his evil spirit- or, his Stand, rather- had offered to give her a piggy-back ride, just as he'd been thinking of doing earlier.

He opened his mouth to protest as Akemi climbed onto his back, but saw her sluggish movements and tired eyes and quickly whipped back around, trying his best to force down a blush.

Whatever…

It was hard to ignore the weight on his back and around his shoulders and her hot breath down his neck.

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》》»»»◈«««《《

Hierophant Green

|| Power: C || Speed: B || Range: A || Durability: B ||

Precision: B || Potential: D ||

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Jotaro and Akemi were greeted with a surprised shriek from Jotaro's mother.

"Jotaro! W- what about school? And who is that? H- he's covered in blood! D- don't tell me... you did that? A- and, Akemi? You look so tired, a- are you okay? I- is that blood on your skirt!?" She fretted. Akemi sent her a tired smile as Jotaro's Stand let her off his back, vanishing from her side right after.

"It's got nothing to do with you. Akemi is fine. I'm looking for the old man. Sucks having to find him in such a huge house." Jotaro told her.

Akemi sent him a glare.

"I think your grandfather's in the tea room, with Avdol-san." Holly replied. Jotaro responded with silence, and left in that direction. Holly bent over and picked up the photo of Jotaro that fell on the floor.

"I know that, deep down, he's a sweet boy." Holly said to Akemi. Akemi didn't exactly doubt that.

"...Yeah." She agreed, slightly fond.

Jotaro turned suddenly.

"Oi." He said, catching her attention.

"Yes?" Holly cried, surprised.

"You look a little pale this morning. Are you all right?" He asked, his hard tone dropped. Akemi's jaw dropped, too. Holly's heart swelled.

"Yay! Fine, thank you!" Holly exclaimed, a big smile on her face and holding out a peace sign. Jotaro huffed and turned around, continuing on his way. Holly stared after him for a moment.

"I know how you must feel, Akemi. Jotaro doesn't come off as the best person, but I promise he has a heart of gold." Holly reassured her. Akemi sighed tiredly.

"...I think I'll find out as time goes on." Akemi said cryptically as she watched Jotaro walk. "It's been a while. It's crazy how he's changed..."

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jotaro when he does the skrunkly :)

facts

-akemi is a capricorn. akemi hates being rushed. (she's also an ENFJ)

-akemi is very sensitive with how people treat their mothers- a point where jotaro and akemi have conflict.

-while sundews don't actually have a pH of .5- rather, a pH of 4.3-3.4, larger versions of the plant adapt naturally to larger prey, therefore needing a lower pH to fully consume its prey- yes, this has been tested before. not with anything living, of course, but Akemi has done her research in her free time.

ok bye lol

- caelesti

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word count: 7,420