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Akemi's Bizarre Adventure
Chapter 3: A New Friend
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[TW: MARIJUANA USE IN THIS CHAPTER]
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"He's not going to make it. He'll die in the next few days." Joseph said solemnly, looking down at the teen that laid motionless before them. The four of them were gathered around Kakyoin. Akemi, Joseph and Mo were kneeled by Kakyoin, while Jotaro stood across from Kakyoin. Akemi's expression was somber, looking down at the dying teen.
"This isn't the fault of either of you. Look, the reason this man swore loyalty to Dio and came to kill you is right here!" He exclaimed, moving Kakyoin's hair to reveal... a flesh bud.
Akemi widened her eyes, shocked. Well, at least he hadn't willingly sworn fealty to that disgusting man. However, her heart fell, imagining what the poor boy must've been through.
"What is that?! It looks like a spider... or a piece of flesh..?" Questioned Jotaro.
"A flesh bud..." Akemi breathed, crestfallen. Jotaro's aura turned quizzical.
"An organism made from Dio's own cells." Mo picked up for her. "It connects to his brain. This tiny little flesh bud was planted there to influence his mind. In other words, that flesh bud is a controller that draws forth certain feelings."
"Charisma, awe, appeal." Said Joseph, picking up after Mo. "The sheer emotive power that drives a man to follow Hitler, put his faith in a corrupt cult, or swear his loyalty to Dio. Once his control was in place, it was simple for Dio to order this boy to kill us."
"So heal him, Akemi." Jotaro told her. Akemi looked up at him, frustrated.
"I can't. The way flesh buds are implanted makes it so it weaves perfectly through the brain, so there's nothing to heal except for the skin where it penetrated him. He must've been under Dio's control for some time, because his skin had already started growing around the bud. There's nothing I can do."
"So operate on him and remove it." Jotaro said, as if it were obvious. Akemi sighed.
"It's not that easy, Kujo." Akemi responded again, sounding indignant. Jotaro seemed a bit taken aback from how he was addressed. "If it was, we would've done it already. Listen... the brain is very delicate. If he moved while we were extracting it, or we weren't stable enough to remove it, we could hurt him worse. Trust me, I've seen it before. We have tried saving people with a flesh bud implant before. They just… die." Akemi explained, her tone getting quieter and quieter until it was just a meek little squeak. Jotaro didn't want to imagine what she'd seen during her time with his grandfather.
"Let me tell you what happened to me... four months ago, in Cairo..." Akemi sent Mo a sympathetic expression, knowing what he was about to relive. "I am a fortune teller by trade. I have a shop in souk called Khan el-Khalili. It was the night of the full moon. He... stood quietly on the stairs that led up to my shop's second floor. His cold gaze felt as if it were stealthily trying to pierce my heart. His golden hair, his near-transparent alabaster skin, and his strange sensuality made it hard to believe he was a man. I had heard about him from Joseph, so I knew immediately that he was Dio, back from the Atlantic's depths! He said to me, 'I hear that you have powers that ordinary people don't. I'd be grateful if you could show them to me.' It was then that I found him truly terrifying. His words brought such peace to my soul. They had a dangerous sweetness. That's exactly why he was terrifying! I ran for my life. I didn't dare think of fighting him. I was very lucky. Because I had heard about Dio and realized it was him, I was able to immediately jump out the window. I knew the labyrinthine souk below like the back of my hand, so I was able to escape. Otherwise, I would've ended up like this young man, made into one of his followers through a flesh bud."
"You would've died a few years later, your brain completely devoured." Joseph told him, as he had before. Jotaro stood closer, looking down at Kakyoin.
"Died?" He echoed. "Hold on a minute. Let's not jump the gun here. He's not in great shape, but... Kakyoin here... he isn't dead yet." He said determinedly, summoning his Stand. Akemi looked up at him, surprised.
"He may as well be! His brain's fucked. There's nothing we can do..." Akemi pointed out. She grew doubtful as she spoke. "...Kujo, what are you about to do?" He knelt down in front of Akemi, and her gaze followed him.
"I'll pull it out using my Stand." He proclaimed. "Akemi, restrain him with your vines." He demanded. Akemi would usually be annoyed by how he was talking to her, but there was more to be worried about than that. Mo and Joseph both stood abruptly.
"Wait, Jotaro!" Cried Joseph, panicked.
"Jotaro, what are you thinking?!" Avdol half-shouted, slamming his hands on the ground.
"Don't touch me, Grandpa." Jotaro snapped. "I'll pull it out without harming his brain. My Stand can catch bullets. I can do this."
Akemi widened her eyes at that. Jotaro wasn't someone that would exaggerate himself. A Stand with that kind of precision? Maybe Kakyoin had a chance... It's better than doing nothing at all. Akemi summoned her Stand and grew some vines from Empress Gaea's arms, gently wrapping the wisteria vines around his head, arms, torso and legs, tightening them so that he wouldn't be able to move, but not so hard that he'd be uncomfortable. She hoped he wasn't claustrophobic.
"Stop! What are you two thinking?! That flesh bud is alive!" Joseph shouted. "Don't you realize why part of the flesh bud is outside his body? That's why not even the best surgeon could extract it! Akemi, you know what'll happen!" Jotaro ignored him and proceeded to take the bud between two of his Stand's fingers.
Immediately, one of the four tentacles whipped out of Kakyoin's forehead and stabbed Jotaro's left hand. "Shit!" Joseph cursed.
"The flesh bud stabbed him with a tentacle! This isn't good! Let go, Jojo!" Mo exclaimed.
Akemi, thinking quickly, grew a vine from her Stand and coiled it tightly around Jotaro's wrist. Tightly enough so that the tentacle wouldn't be able to pass through- it cut off his circulation, however, and his veins swelled. He spared her a quick glance, his aura flashing with gratefulness.
"Akemi's quick thinking may have just saved Jojo's life..." muttered Mo, watching with wide eyes.
Suddenly, Kakyoin jolted awake, his alarmed lavender eyes snapping open and darting between the two figures that hovered over him.
"You..." He managed, his throat sounding raw.
"Don't speak, Kakyoin." Akemi snipped quickly. "Don't move, either. If we fail, your brain is fried." That seemed to shut him up- he stilled himself and dread leaked into his aura. Akemi watched with amazement as Jotaro slowly pulled out the flesh bud, something none of them had been able to do before. The whole room had an air of anticipation and intensity that Akemi could probably cut with a knife.
After what felt like an hour, his Stand finally pulled the bud out, snapping it in half the instant he could with a loud 'ora!'. The moment it came out, the malicious atmosphere Kakyoin had previously seemed to vanish, revealing a much more pleasant, emerald green aura.
"He did it!" Exclaimed Mo, breathless. The minced bud flew over to Joseph, whose hand was already crackling with Ripple.
"Overdrive!" He called out, striking the flesh bud with a knife hand alight with Ripple, turning the bud to dust. Kakyoin watched with wide eyes as the ashes fell beside him.
Jotaro stood back up, his Stand vanishing in thin air. Akemi withdrew her vines, freeing the teen that sat below them. He sat up almost immediately, and Jotaro tugged his hat down, turning to look outside the door in front of him. Akemi put a gentle hand on Kakyoin's shoulder, effectively stopping him from moving any further.
"Hey, you're still injured. Let me heal you." Akemi told him gently, emanating a gentle atmosphere. Kakyoin jumped at the sudden touch, but followed her order and laid back down. Empress Gaea knelt down next to Akemi and held out her arms, spreading the healing jasmine vines across his body. Silence ensued.
"Why?" The sudden sound caused both Jotaro and Akemi to look at him, slightly surprised. "Why did you risk your lives to save me?" The question seemed to be aimed at both of them. He was frowning, surprisingly, but Akemi couldn't sense any hostility.
"Who knows? I'm not really sure myself." Jotaro said nonchalantly. Akemi scoffed. Of course he'd give some bullshit answer like that. Kakyoin turned his attention back to her at the annoyed sound she made.
"Well... what kind of person leaves someone to their doom when they can do something about it?" She asked rhetorically, a nervous laugh highlighting her awkwardness. She started her next sentence a bit softer. "...Not me... and not Jotaro either... I didn't know I could do anything until he showed his ability. He saved your life. I only helped." Akemi explained to him as the opening in his forehead started to seal itself. Kakyoin stared at her, wide-eyed. He then offered a small smile of thanks, sitting up to be level with her.
"No, you both did... Thank you... very much." He said genuinely. Akemi gave him a warm smile in return.
"Of course." As Akemi said so, Holly walked in with a first-aid kit in her hands.
"Hello!" She greeted cheerfully. "I'm Jotaro's mother. I'll patch you right up." She said, kneeling next to him, where Jotaro sat previously.
"Thank you, but my wounds have been healed already." Kakyoin said politely. Holly looked surprised, but brushed it off.
"Let me at least clean you up, then! Goodness, you're still covered in blood…" Holly offered graciously. Kakyoin obliged, and let her wipe the blood away. "Kakyoin, wasn't it? You should rest for a while. Stay the night tonight." She said kindly. "Papa, get his futon ready!" Holly requested of her father.
"Huh? Why do I have to do that? I've never even liked the idea of sleeping on the floor!" Joseph protested, slapping the ground below him before stubbornly crossing his arms. "Holly, replace the futon in my room with a real bed!"
"Papa, you're in Japan, so please just get used to the Japanese way of doing things." Holly said sternly, slapping the ground just as he did. Akemi sweatdropped.
What is it with the Joestar family and being inconsiderate? Holly's like... the only nice one.
"Oh, and call me Seiko." Said Holly. Akemi raised an eyebrow at that one.
"Eh!?" Joseph exclaimed.
"Holly comes from the word 'Holy' which is 'Seinaru' in Japanese. So all my friends call me Seiko!" Holly informed, clapping her hands together. Akemi raised her eyebrows in realization. Ohhh... that's right. Japanese wasn't her first language, and on top of knowing English and Italian, it was a bit hard to remember these things.
"What the hell is that?!" Exclaimed Joseph, clearly displeased. Akemi raised her eyebrows. "'Holly' is the wonderful name I gave you mys-" Holly turned her hand.
"If you don't call me 'Seiko' from now on, I won't answer." Holly told him.
"Holly!" Barked Joseph, slamming his hands on the ground childishly.
"Does it hurt, Kakyoin?" Asked Holly, ignoring her father. Kakyoin turned to Holly, not expecting to be spoken to, while also bewildered by the bizarre situation unfolding around him.
"N- no, not anymore." He assured her casually while Joseph repeatedly called his daughter's given name.
"Good grief..." Muttered Jotaro, ducking his head and departing the room. Part of Akemi wanted to follow suit and take a nap.
"Alright, Kakyoin, take off your uniform." Holly told Kakyoin. Akemi's sight whipped back toward Kakyoin.
"Huh?" Asked the salmon-haired teen, surprised.
"Come on, now." Holly convinced.
"H- hey! I'm still here!" Akemi protested with a blush. Holly turned to her, an eyebrow lowered.
"You shouldn't be! Go rest!" Holly ordered her with a pointed finger. Akemi sighed, though she did feel incredibly tired, now that she thought about it.
"Fine." She gave in, dragging out the word. She stood up, her figure wobbly.
"Do you nee-"
"No, Mo, I'll be fine. If I faint along the way, I'll still be resting." Akemi joked lightly, a tired smile etched into her face. If she overused her powers, usually she had fainting spells. However, her room was close enough to where she felt she could make it. Mo raised his eyebrows, but relented.
"Rest well, Akemi." Mo said.
"Thank you." Akemi said as she left. She sighed once she exited earshot. Now that she thought about it, she really felt as if she were about to cave in. She walked into her room, shutting the door halfway. She was out before her head even hit the pillow.
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When Akemi woke up, the daylight that had filtered through her widow was no longer there, replaced by the silver of the moon. Akemi narrowed her lime green eyes, sending a glare at the window. She hated it when she took naps during the day and woke up at night. It always messed with her sleep schedule.
She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. Quickly, she realized she wouldn't be able to for a while.
Well, I might as well go for a walk. A joint will make me realize how tired I am.
She stretched and got off her futon, then paused as she noticed that she was still in her... bloody school uniform. With a sigh, she decided she needed to throw that in the wash and hope that it would be ready by the next day. She got up and changed into a pair of pajamas- a matching set of red flannel- running to the washing machine and tossing her clothes in there before turning it on.
Taking her blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders, she dug through her luggage to find a jar of about a quarter ounce of cannabis, a tray and some rolling papers. She laid her tray on the ground and picked apart the little buds, rolling them in her fingers, until finally she had enough marijuana dust to pack a joint. Rolling a cone and a filter with practiced precision, she licked the end and it was perfect, as usual. Satisfied with herself, she packed it with the grinded weed and twisted the top. Pleased with the result, she took a moment to realize she had nothing to light it with. She exited her bedroom and quietly slid the door closed behind her.
Quiet as a mouse, she looked through the kitchen drawers and the baskets of trinkets sitting around until she finally located a pack of matches. Ready to smoke her joint, she walked outside, deciding to take a walk around the engawa.
Her bare feet touching the cold wood with each quiet step gave her shivers. It made her think of when she was younger, and did this with Jotaro. She sighed, a nostalgic smile crossing her face. As she stepped past a room, an aura of fear stopped her in her tracks, her smile vanishing. She looked around for the source- and saw that it was coming from the door beside her.
Dreaming individuals normally had a stronger aura. Since that person was in their most vulnerable state, their emotions were more intense, therefore, a stronger aura. It had more of an effect on her, and she could sense them through walls, something she couldn't normally do. She often couldn't sleep very well next to or too close to people most of the time because of it.
Curious as to who it was, she turned and quietly slid the door partially open. It was the teen they'd saved earlier- Noriaki Kakyoin. He was tossing and turning in his sleep, emanating an intense aura of fear and self-doubt.
Akemi gave him a saddened look. She couldn't imagine how he felt, having been forcefully sworn under Dio. She worried for encroaching on his privacy, but eventually walked in and closed the door behind her so the cold wouldn't follow her in. She knelt by his side and started rubbing his shoulder, that being the gentlest way she knew to wake someone up. Thankfully, after a few moments, it worked.
He stopped moving, and his eyes snapped open. His fear turned to panic, and he flinched away, causing Akemi to pull her hand back, but quickly grew embarrassed at the situation.
"I'm incredibly sorry, did I wake you up?" Kakyoin asked bashfully, his voice low and gravelly with lingering sleep clinging to his throat.
"No, not at all. You weren't loud- you were actually perfectly quiet. I'd woken up on my own, since I went to sleep shortly after I healed you. I went out to take a walk and I could feel your... were you having a nightmare?" Akemi answered, her voice also croaky with sleep. She could feel his aura dampen as he remembered what was happening just before she'd awaken him.
"Yeah..." He trailed off, his lavender eyes tracing the floor. Akemi caught some of his negative emotions, and it broke her heart.
"It's okay if you don't want to, but if you want to talk about it, you can." Akemi said with a smile. Kakyoin looked back up at her, surprised.
"R- really? You're alright with that?" Kakyoin asked timidly, tilting his head to the side slightly and sitting up a little more. Akemi nodded and got more comfortable on the floor next to his bed, sending him a genuine smile.
"Of course." She assured him. Her joint could wait. Kakyoin's aura felt a bit awkward, but he sat up further and crossed his legs, biting his lip.
"Well, as you know, I fell for Dio's charisma and was tricked into swearing fealty to him. I really don't remember much between then and now. I hope I wasn't mean to my parents... as you can imagine, that moment's been lingering in my head since." Kakyoin said, avoiding her gaze. Akemi's eyes softened.
"Have you been able to call them since you woke up?" Akemi asked, focusing on that so he'd be able to forget his nightmare... but it was also important for him to tell his parents where he was. No doubt they were worried. Kakyoin bit his lip again, looking guilty.
"No, I haven't." He admitted, running a hand through his hair. Akemi exhaled quickly.
"Well, you should call them in the morning. Joseph, Mo- er, Avdol and I are going to help Jojo train his Stand while we're here- at least, that's the plan right now. Maybe you can come over and we can sharpen yours up, too! Not that you didn't put me, a seasoned Stand user, on my toes during that fight, though!" Akemi smiled. Kakyoin looked up at her as if she'd just offered him a million dollars.
"Y- uh, sure. Yeah, that sounds good." Kakyoin stumbled over his words, averting his gaze again. Akemi smiled again, this time out of slight amusement as she felt his aura grow happy.
However, there was still lingering dread and anxiety in his aura. She might be overstepping to hold this amount of concern for someone she just met, but… there was something about this boy that made her feel comfortable enough to worry for him.
"So… I have this ability…" Akemi started, gaining Kakyoin's eye contact once more, curiosity falling into the gaseous mist that was his aura, "I see auras, basically someone's energy and emotions." Thoughtfulness encapsulated him until it was replaced with shock and slight dread.
"So… you can read my emotions?" Kakyoin grimaced. Akemi raised her hands.
"I don't mean to invade your privacy, and I'm not reading your thoughts, I can just see and feel what sort of energy you're feeling."
"Ah…"
"Therefore, I won't be satisfied until all those negative emotions are clear from your aura. I have something that can help you… something that was going to help me sleep, but I don't mind sharing…" Akemi pulled the joint out of her pocket. "You've heard of marijuana, right?"
Kakyoin blanched. This is the last thing I expected her to pull out… He was all but saying on his face, his jaw dropped.
"I- If it's not your thing, I don't mind." Akemi got flustered, really realizing she just showed a model Japanese student an illegal drug. "I'll put it away, and you'll never see or hear about it-"
"N- no!" Kakyoin raised his hands. "I- I've wanted to try for a while… I just never thought I'd get the opportunity, you know how it is here. And my parents are unbelievably strict."
"I always forget… I live primarily in Italy, where everything is, of course, illegal, but there's a lot of mafia stuff going on… my uncle is just glad I'm not into cocaine or heroin. Weed is basically like coffee compared to that stuff…" Akemi explained, standing up. "Anyways, this'll definitely smell, so we should probably go outside." Kakyoin nodded quickly and jumped off his futon, following her outside.
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Coughing and laughing filled the night sky as Akemi deposited the end of the joint in her Stand's forearm to use as fertilizer.
"What's-" A cough. "that?" Kakyoin asked through wheezes. Akemi couldn't stop another giggle from arising.
"My Stand grows plants from her forearms." Empress Gaea presented her vambraces to the two of them, and Kakyoin leaned forward, intrigued. With a thought, the vambraces clicked open, revealing what looked to be dirt replacing what should have been arm. "She needs fertilizer for them to grow stronger while using less of my energy to make them grow in the first place." Kakyoin was absorbing every bit of information, staring at where the joint started to speed-decompose and become a part of the compost.
"That's… so interesting. So, you just have control over plants? How does your healing work? Is there a plant that heals to that extent that I don't know about?" Kakyoin asked several questions at once.
"My healing isn't really related to my plant control, I just use one for the other. I'm able to channel my own energy through plants in order to boost the victim's healing factor. I just like using jasmine vines because they look pretty." Akemi explained, answering them all at once.
"How can you be born with such active mitochondria?" Kakyoin asked. "Is it because you were born with a Stand? How come I don't have so much energy, then?"
"I'm pretty certain it's because of the fact that I absorbed my twin in the womb before I was born." Akemi replied.
"You could've been a twin!?" Kakyoin exclaimed. Akemi burst out laughing.
"Yeah, if there were two of me, it would have been too much for this world."
"Oh, jeez. What time is it? We both need to go to school tomorrow." Kakyoin blanched.
"Ooh." Akemi sucked her teeth, looking for the moon that had already set. "Yeah, we should get to sleep, before we ask for death in the morning. Are you feeling any better now?" She asked him, though the answer was already in front of her. Kakyoin nodded, sending her a grateful smile.
"I am now, thanks to you." He answered with a small smile. "This is… something." He looked down at his hands, in awe. His aura was swirling a bunch of colors, mostly vibrant, moving slowly. "I think I'll be sleeping like a baby after this." He yawned.
"This is usually my first go-to when I can't sleep." Akemi informed him. "I can grow my own… It's pretty cool. I actually used to sell it back in the day, until my uncle busted me and ripped me a new one." She chuckled, but Kakyoin whipped around to look at her with shock.
"You..? You sold drugs!?" Kakyoin nearly shouted. Akemi shushed him violently and covered his mouth with his hands.
"Jesus, Kakyoin. Don't say it that loud!" Akemi laughed, releasing his face. "Yeah, back when I was young and didn't know what kind of attraction it would bring, or what consequences would come from selling to people my age at the time. Some gang members went after my uncle for it, since I was sellin' on their territory. I know better now, thanks to my uncle, and I'm alive to know better, also thanks to my uncle." Kakyoin could only stare for a moment. Never in a million years did he expect some soft-looking girl to have such an illegal history.
"Anyways, I think we're both getting sleepy." Akemi dispersed the awkward silence by standing, her blanket rising with her.
"Uh- oh, yeah." Kakyoin stuttered. "For sure. Thanks, uh… for the drugs." He giggled with a big, wide grin. Akemi giggled back.
"Anytime. I can always grow more." She grinned. "I'll walk you to your room."
With that, the two newfound friends walked quietly in comfortable silence to their rooms, and fell asleep promptly.
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"Holly! Hey, Holly!" Akemi heard Joseph's shouts as she groggily opened her eyes. Before she could ponder on what he was doing, she quickly realized she would be late for school. Jotaro had probably already left her.
"Shit!" She exclaimed, shooting up. She noticed all her strength was back- she didn't feel sore at all.
Akemi picked herself up and changed quickly- her clothes had been found folded neatly on the floor by the door, it was as if Holly was a gift from God himself. She realized she didn't have time for a shower, so all she could do was put on deodorant and perfume and hope for the best. Quickly putting her braids up and using Empress's ability to tie them together, she picked up her pocketbook and departed her room.
"Do you hear me? I can't wear the kid's pants! Jotaro is my size, but the style- are you blind?" Akemi heard Joseph from outside. She cringed, not wanting to hear him talk any longer.
I should get out of here. Where's Jojo? ...Oh, right. He probably already left. Well, good thing I already know the way. I wonder if Kakyoin's left yet..?
"Oi. Akemi." Called Jotaro. He was at the front door, already dressed and ready to go. Kakyoin was standing beside him, a hand on his hip and his pocketbook clutched in the other. Akemi's eyes flicked to his tall figure. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be skipping today?" He asked with an accusing tone. Akemi forced her annoyance down. He was just worried about her, though it didn't seem like it.
"What do you mean, Kujo? I'm fine. Sleep is how I regain my energy after healing." She informed him. "It's not a big deal. Why are you so worried about me, anyway?" She half-teased. He looked away, ignoring the question.
"Kujo?" He echoed, looking back, the name change obviously not sitting well with him.
There was no way Akemi was going to tell him it was because she didn't want to sound like those annoying schoolgirls that pestered him every day, even though it was her that came up with the nickname.
"...Jojo doesn't seem to suit you anymore." She answered cryptically. Obviously, not receiving a straight answer pissed him off, it showed in his aura.
"Anyways, Kakyoin and I are definitely going to school today, and so should you, if you're really fine..." He trailed off. Akemi frowned as he looked behind him. Akemi gave him a questioning look.
"Jojo? Akemi?" Kakyoin, who'd turned to start walking to school, stopped to wait for his companions to join him.
"Thaaat's weird..." He muttered. Akemi was at a loss, until she noticed it too- the absence of Holly.
"Holly-san!" Akemi, Jotaro and Kakyoin both stiffened at Mo's panicked cry.
The trio immediately dashed to the source of the cry, meeting up with Joseph along the way. When they arrived at the kitchen, Mo was seated next to the open fridge, holding Holly in his arms. He looked incredibly distressed when he looked up at the group.
At Holly's shoulders were tendrils of... holly. However, it seemed to be taking a toll on her. She was sweaty and sickly pale. Akemi looked down at her, horrified. It was a Stand- she could feel it.
"H-Holly-san?" Breathed Akemi. Her aura was wavering, the translucent and muted light blue barely visible compared to Avdol's bright panicky blood-orange.
"Wh- what's happening to her?" Kakyoin asked shakily, worry gripping his aura.
"A S-Stand..." Joseph muttered worriedly. "Holly..." Joseph suddenly let out a guttural cry and took Jotaro by the collar, ramming him against the wall. Akemi jumped and backed away, Kakyoin positioning himself slightly in front of her.
"This... This is the one thing I feared most!" Joseph cried. "M- my daughter finally has a Stand. She's so pure, I knew she didn't have the power to withstand it. I knew she didn't have the power to deny the curse from Dio's soul." Jotaro gripped Joseph's wrist with an angered expression.
"Calm down, old man." Jotaro growled. "Tell me what we can do!" He shouted. He pushed his hand away, and Joseph stumbled backward. Akemi and Kakyoin looked on with shocked silence, exchanging quick glances.
"There's only one way." He muttered, looking back up at Jotaro with an intense expression. "We need to find Dio. We need to kill Dio and lift the curse, that's all we can do." His voice was barely audible, but the gravelly notes were enough to send shock up the teenagers' chests. The trio stared at Joseph, their eyes wide.
"A- already?! I thought we'd have more time..." Akemi murmured to herself. She felt the young boys' eyes on her. Mo lifted Holly in his arms.
"We should lay her down somewhere," said Mo, his voice somber. Joseph nodded. He opened his mouth, but faltered.
"You two, clean this up and join us when you're done. Kakyoin... you may go to school if you wish, or you may stay... it's up to you." Joseph commanded loosely. Akemi looked up at him and nodded. No one said anything in response when the defeated man left. Kakyoin didn't move, though Akemi didn't really expect him to. She silently shut the fridge and bent over to help Jotaro pick up the fallen items. A few moments later, Kakyoin kneeled down by Jotaro and Akemi and began picking up the felled silverware.
"So... you knew this would happen?" Jotaro's words caught Akemi off guard. She let out a small gasp at the sight of betrayal in his aura, and she looked away.
"We knew it was a possibility..." Akemi sighed. "Joseph didn't even want to consider it. W- we thought we'd have more time… Personally, I believed Holly would be strong enough to handle her new Stand, but I guess I was wrong… being that it's a curse from Dio, it might be too malevolent for her." She took a moment to look back and scan his aura as Jotaro stared intensely back at her- to see what he was thinking during this time. Outwardly, he looked like he was pissed to the core, but his aura was tinged with a worried green, and when she saw that, she noticed his clenched jaw and furrowed brows loosen as he nodded slightly, a light color of understanding appearing.
"What exactly... is going on?" Asked Kakyoin, catching both Akemi and Jotaro off guard. He looked small and confused, sitting on his knees, holding a fork in one hand and a pair of chopsticks in the other. "Is she going to be okay?" Akemi stared for a moment. He was... kind of dragged into all this, but he chose to stay and help them.
He deserved an explanation.
"I'm sure we'll discuss it all when we join the others. You have a right of knowledge, and... you do too, Jotaro. More than anyone else." Akemi said grimly, her gaze passing from Kakyoin to Jotaro, before looking at whitened knuckles, gripping the silverware she held. "I'll do my best to make it all clear to you both, and then we can figure out what to do from there."
"Right..." Kakyoin murmured. Jotaro only grunted in response.
"Oi. Hand me that chopstick." Akemi perked, noticing that Jotaro had changed position, and was glaring down at her.
"O- oh. Right." Akemi muttered, handing him the fallen chopstick. Once they cleaned everything up, Akemi led the two teens to where she felt their presences at.
"...But... no matter how many times I try, he hides in the darkness. In every spirit photo I take, the background is darkness! I cannot find out where he is with my spirit photos."
Joseph was saying, kneeling by Holly's side with Mo, studying his spirit photos of Dio.
"We've used various means to analyze them, but with this darkness, it's always failed." said Mo. Jotaro walked forward and past Akemi and Kakyoin.
"You should've told me that in the first place." He said, leaning over and holding out a hand. Avdol looked up at him and gave him the photo, which he took. "I might be able to find out where that darkness, or whatever, is." Jotaro's Stand appeared over him, bending over his head. His Stand took the photo from Jotaro, and began scanning it.
"Did you see something in the space behind Dio?" Jotaro asked his Stand. He nodded. He took out a pen and a notebook and held the pen toward his Stand, but he just stared.
"It looks like there's no way for him to tell us what it is..." Said Akemi. As if prompted, her Stand appeared by her side. Their Stands looked at each other briefly, and Empress put a gentle hand on Jotaro's Stand's cheek. Their circlets touched, and suddenly she was enlightened. Akemi felt Jotaro's aura grow embarrassed, and Akemi was feeling the same, but she remembered her Stand was much more sensitive to thoughts than Akemi was. She sometimes pondered if Empress Gaea could read minds, but had no way to communicate it to her.
Empress Gaea took the pen from Jotaro suddenly and started sketching. The room stared with wide eyes.
"My Stand is able to move with such accuracy that it could extract a flesh bud from his brain, and with such precision that it can grasp a bullet. But it seems Akemi's Stand takes after her own ability to draw." Observed Jotaro. How did he know Akemi was good at drawing?
Oh, right. She drew a lot when she was at the Kujo household for that week seven years ago. He remembered..?
Akemi stared at the notebook, and the men stood and watched as her Stand moved the pen at impossible speed. When she'd finished, it came out as a... a fly?
"A fly! A fly was in that space!" Exclaimed Joseph. "But a fly won't help us at all-"
"Wait a moment!" said Mo suddenly, holding a hand out. "I've seen this fly before." he said, leaning down.
"You must have photographic memory... all flies look the same to me." Muttered Akemi.
"No kidding..." Jotaro added under his breath.
"Jojo, do you have an encyclopedia?" Asked Mo.
"We've got a library." Offered Jotaro.
"I'll take the memo. And I'll go investigate." Mo stated before dashing out the room.
Akemi heard a noise from below her and turned, seeing Holly's forest green eyes open and staring at the ceiling.
"Holly-san! She's awake!" Said Kakyoin, eyes wide.
"Holly!" Joseph breathed. He quickly kneeled down to get closer to her.
"Papa, I..." Holly murmured.
"Just rest. Jotaro, get some water." Commanded Joseph. Jotaro held a hand up and left the room. Akemi placed a hand on the edge of the futon, leaving Kakyoin to observe from the middle of the room.
She let her hand fall from the edge to her lap after a few moments. Holly, however, caught her hand with her own burning hot one, sending her a smile. Akemi smiled back, squeezing her hand. Joseph smiled down at the scene, feeling a warmth in his chest bloom. Seeing two women he loved like family sharing this intimacy meant a lot to him.
Kakyoin, however, felt isolated, and rubbed his arm anxiously, thinking he stuck out like a sore thumb. He wasn't the only non-family member, but everyone else at least had some sort of connection. He... didn't.
When Jotaro returned with a glass of water, Holly sat up in her futon. She smiled gratefully up at Jotaro when he handed it to her. She gently took her hand from Akemi's and grasped the cup, drinking it all.
"Thank you, Jotaro. Really, I wonder what's wrong with me... I can't believe I took fever and passed out. But I feel better now." Holly said. She was trying to mask her tiredness, Akemi could tell- her aura was still weakly colored and pale. She herself had to mask her concern when she saw the writhing holly on her back. "Kakyoin! I'm glad to see you're here, too. Did you sleep well last night?" She asked cheerfully. Kakyoin jumped, not expecting to be spoken to, and his arms snapped to his sides, and he bowed at a ninety-degree angle.
"Y- yes, Holly-san. Thank you so much for letting me stay at your house. It's beautiful, and your hospitality is much appreciated." Kakyoin said graciously, surprising the room. Holly only laughed and waved her hand.
"It's no problem, Kakyoin! You're welcome to stay as long as you like!" She replied brightly. A red flush attacked Kakyoin's face, and he rubbed the back of his neck, obviously not used to such kindness. It made Akemi sad, but it was cute to see, too. She kept in mind to be extra nice to him- it seems like he's been deprived of it for a while.
"You gave me quite the scare, Holly. Come now, you've got to brush your teeth now that you're up." Joseph said, taking out a toothbrush and toothpaste and climbing to the other side of her futon. It seemed he, too, was hiding his concern. In fact, everyone's auras were the opposite of what they were presenting- besides Kakyoin, who was still feeling pretty bashful.
"Say, 'aah'." Said Joseph, covering the brush in paste and raising it to her mouth.
"Aah.." Echoed Holly as she took the toothbrush. Akemi glanced behind her to the two teens- Jotaro was leaning against the open door, looking down intensely as Joseph took care of his daughter, and Kakyoin was still standing awkwardly by himself in the middle of the room, staring down at the scene.
I hope they're doing alright... as badly as Jotaro treats his mother, he's definitely concerned...
"Papa, help me change my underwear, too!" Holly teased, holding up a pair of panties.
Akemi's head whipped back around, staring incredulously at Holly. Joseph stared, shocked, a blush on his face. Holly giggled, spinning the panties around on her finger.
"I'm kidding! It was a joke!" Akemi let out a laugh. Joseph gave her a betrayed look as she turned to her son.
"What do you want to eat for dinner, you three rascals?" Asked Holly as she moved to get up. Jotaro turned, his eyes wide.
"H- hey! Don't move! Just stay in bed!" He shouted. Akemi looked up at him, her eyes widened. Her expression fell when she realized how deep green and bright red his aura was with worry and panic, respectively. Jotaro backed off, realizing what he'd done, his aura swimming. "I- I'm saying that you shouldn't do anything until your fever goes down. Just shut up and get better soon." He muttered, quieter, pulling down his hat's rim. He turned his back to her. Joseph moved forward.
"I'll take care of dinner tonight, Holly, don't worry. I'll make sure it's something everyone likes- and don't worry, my cooking's good." Assured Akemi, smiling at the blonde, despite how scared she was for her.
"Oh, I don't doubt your skills, Akemi." Holly pinched Akemi's cheek, causing her to giggle. "Both myself and your Grandmother Vallie taught you that! Can't get better than that, can ya?"
"Haha! I guess not." Akemi laughed, rubbing her cheek where it was pinched.
"Alright, Holly, come on..." Said Joseph, moving her gently down and the blanket over her.
"You're right." Sighed Holly as she laid back down. She smiled, looking around. "You're all so nice when I'm sick. Sometimes having a cold isn't so bad..." She trailed off, her eyes losing focus and eventually closing.
"H- Holly!" Exclaimed Joseph. Jotaro whisked around, and Akemi's smile faded, giving way to an expression of fear. Kakyoin's shoulder's sagged, and his face fell.
"Sh- she lost consciousness again." Joseph said grimly, gently placing his gloved, organic hand on her forehead. "She's acting cheerful, but she's burning up. The way she acted confirms it. Though she hasn't said anything, my daughter is aware of her Stand. She was actually trying to hide her Stand from us. She was trying not to worry us! That's what kind of person my daughter is." Akemi looked down at Holly with sympathetic eyes. Joseph looked across Holly at Akemi. "Akemi, listen... is there any way you can heal her?" Joseph practically pleaded. Akemi was caught off-guard. Jotaro's fist shook.
"I... I can try." She responded, putting on a brave face. She took Holly's warm hand in her own, squeezing it. Energy left her quickly like books falling off a shelf. She quickly let go of her hand, feeling dizzy. Her vision swam, and leaned back on her hand, another on her pounding head.
"Akemi-san!" Kakyoin shouted.
"Akemi!" Jotaro exclaimed.
"Akemi! Are you okay?" Joseph exclaimed, panicked. Akemi steadied herself, putting a hand on her head. A headache began to form under her temples.
"I... I don't know what just happened. I tried to give my energy to speed up the healing process..." Akemi said, her words wobbly.
"...But your energy was put into removing her Stand completely, since that's the identified problem. It would probably bring you... past death." Kakyoin guessed darkly. Akemi turned to look at him.
"Yeah..." She agreed, gathering her bearings. "You're right... I'm sorry, Joseph." She said somberly. Joseph leaned forward, his expression softened.
"You did what you could. I'm glad you let go when you did. Thank you." He said, his tone genuine. Akemi gave him a smile.
"Joseph, I've found it!" Exclaimed Mo urgently, clutching an encyclopedia in his arm. Joseph stood up, and the teens all stood and turned to face the Egyptian man.
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Mo opened the book and laid it down on the table, and pointed at a specific fly that had stripes on its abdomen and legs. "That fly is... this. The Nile Tsetse Fly. It dwells only within the Nile River Basin. The one with stripes on their legs are known as Aswan Tsetse Flies." He explained.
"Egypt!" Exclaimed Joseph.
"And we've narrowed it down to the Aswan area. Dio is there!" Mo confirmed.
"So it is Egypt..." Kakyoin murmured thoughtfully.
"What do you mean by that?" Asked Joseph suspiciously. Kakyoin looked up to Joseph.
"The bud was planted in my brain three months ago." Kakyoin stated, his tone taking on a grim note. "When my family was on vacation in Egypt visiting the Nile, I met Dio." Akemi gasped quietly at his words.
"You were in Egypt, too?" Asked Mo. "It appears that, for some reason, Dio doesn't want to leave Egypt." He noted.
"When are we leaving?" Asked Kakyoin, standing beside Akemi. Joseph gave him a confused look.
"Why would you want to come, Kakyoin..?" Joseph asked cautiously. "This is Joestar family business, after all. I wouldn't want to get you tangled up in our troubles." Kakyoin smirked, a certain charm about him that reminded Akemi of when she'd first met him- a little less threatening, a little more mischievous.
"Well, I'm not really sure why I suddenly want to join you." Kakyoin said, looking down at Jotaro, his answer mostly aimed at him. The boy himself narrowed his eyes, half in amusement, half in annoyance. Akemi sighed.
"Boys..." She murmured. She looked up at the Joestar patriarch. "Joseph, he was tangled in our troubles the moment he met Dio." Joseph hummed.
"I suppose you have a point..." Joseph looked up at Kakyoin, who gave a small nod. He looked down at his daughter. "Holly... we'll save you, no matter what. Don't worry." He vowed. A determined smile curled his lips upward. "There's nothing to worry about. We'll make you better. You just take it easy." He gently placed a hand on her cheek. Akemi looked down at them as she stood up, silently wishing her father loved her like that.
"Jojo's mother, Holly-san, is a woman who can calm the hearts of others." Said Kakyoin, joining the group further inside the room. "People feel at ease when she is nearby. This may sound awkward, but if I were to fall in love, I'd like it to be with someone like her. I'd feel like I have to protect her. I'd want to see her happy, kind smile."
"Holly is someone I've looked up to for a very long time- she's just like my mom... so I'll fight for her like she was my own." Akemi voiced her thoughts.
"Indeed." Mo agreed. Joseph leaned upward, his expression intense.
"There's no time. We're leaving immediately." He said.
Well, so much for school. Not that I'm complaining.
Out front, several vehicles with dozens of men appeared. Akemi stood by Jotaro and Kakyoin as she watched them walking in.
"Hey, did you call your parents?" Akemi asked Kakyoin, who rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Yeah... they took it as well as I hoped. They thought I'd run away. Which, I mean, technically I am still doing that, but..." He replied. Akemi sighed.
"Well at least they know you're safe." Akemi said, a smile crossing her face. "How did the conversation go? If you don't wanna tell me, that's fine." She crossed her arms and looked up at Kakyoin, who was fiddling with his hair.
"Well, they were worried first and foremost. I told them I was safe and okay, then... Well, they got quite agitated. I told them I didn't know when I'd be back, but that I'd try to call them until I returned home. They were... surprisingly okay with that. My dad called it my 'Journey of Becoming a Man'" Kakyoin explained, using his hands to talk frequently and ending his dialogue with a shudder. Akemi laughed.
"At least they know now." Akemi said. "I'm surprised they're so lax, especially considering what you told me last night."
"Well, I guess some things they aren't strict about. They just made sure I knew how to treat others- and myself- the right way. Oh, and they were very intense about school. That's what they're more worried about. But if I have to take year twelve again, I don't mind. Both of you will have to, as well, so at least we three will be in the same boat." Kakyoin explained. Akemi nodded.
"It sounds like you have pretty great parents. Must be nice." Akemi commented, looking away. Kakyoin tilted his head, wondering if the phrase had a deeper meaning, but a familiar voice interrupted his train of thought.
"These are doctors from the Speedwagon Foundation. We can trust them." Assured Joseph's voice as he walked out the gate holding a briefcase, Mo in tow. The attention was turned to them as they joined the three teens outside the Kujo household gate. "They will take care of Holly around the clock."
"Jojo, before we leave, since I am a fortune teller, I shall name your Stand." Mo said, approaching the three of them.
"Name?" Jotaro echoed, as if he hadn't thought of it. Of course he wouldn't have thought of that. Mo took out a stack of cards, his lips curved upward. He was in his element, and it showed.
"With the cards of fate, the Tarot." Mo said. "Choose a card blindly and it shall be decided. This will suggest your fate, as well as suggest your Stand's power." He chose a random card, and displayed it to the group.
"The Star! The Star card! Then I shall name your Stand... Star Platinum!" proclaimed Avdol. Jotaro's aura glowed with fascination and slight confusion, but accepted it nevertheless.
"Ooh, I love that. Star Platinum. It definitely suits your Stand!" Akemi smiled cheerfully up at Jotaro.
"Hm. A fitting name, I think." Kakyoin added, a finger brushing his chin in thought.
Jotaro tugged his hat down and hit them with the yareyareda ze, even though she could see his bright pink aura. Clearly, Akemi realized with a giggle, Jotaro wasn't used to getting compliments like this.
"Alright, we're off." Said Joseph, with a tone of finality- even though now, it was the beginning. The beginning of a journey- one that would span across the middle east.
They all stood at the Kujo household's gate. The difference in Akemi's height compared to the rest of the boys' heights really showed.
"Let's go!"
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》》»»»◈«««《《
Star Platinum
||Power: A || Speed: A || Range: C || Durability: A ||
||Precision: C || Potential: C ||
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Hermit Purple
||Power: D || Speed: C || Range: D || Durability: A ||
||Precision: D || Potential: E ||
》》»»»◈«««《《
Magician's Red
||Power: B || Speed: B || Range: C || Durability: B ||
||Precision: C || Potential: D ||
》》»»»◈«««《《
Empress Gaea
||Power: B || Speed: B || Range: B || Durability: D ||
||Precision: B || Potential: A ||
》》»»»◈«««《《
Hierophant Green
||Power: C || Speed: B || Range: A || Durability: B ||
||Precision: C || Potential: D ||
》》»»»◈«««《《
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oh kakyoin, you don't know what you're getting into
facts
-akemi and kakyoin have similar personalities, so they're likely to get along. after all, a leo and a capricorn are an odd pair, but a compatible one.
-empress gaea does, in fact, have the ability to read minds. but this ability is barely useful since there's no possible way for empress to communicate that to Akemi, it can only be stand-to-stand contact. so it's cool but only kind of. basically i crafted my very own jojo's bizarre adventure ass-pull
-when akemi was a child, her sensitivity to auras was incredibly high- and she couldn't sleep around others because she would feel all of their emotions as if they were her own. years later, she's not as sensitive, but it's not uncommon for her to be woken up by an intense emotion from another person having an intense dream.
-avdol named her stand not long after they met, which was in 1986, when akemi was 15- not too long ago. sorry, can't explain how kakyoin canonically got his stand's name. cuz i genuinely don't know lmao. probably enyaba tbh
lel bye
p.s.: i did a lot of research on the timeline of stardust crusaders and came to the conclusion that jotaro, kakyoin and akemi should all be 18 because they were all born in 1970 and the show takes place in november-january 1988/1989... so for the sake of my sanity that is how old they will all be for this, despite every wiki everywhere telling me otherwise. i'm more comfortable with writing them that way anyway cuz i started writing this when i was a minor and i am no longer a minor. oh how time flies.
- caelesti
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word count: 8,948