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Akemi's Bizarre Adventure
Chapter 10: Emperor, Part I
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December 13th, 1988.
Jojo and company are heading to the sacred city, Varanasi, by bus.
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"Listen. I don't usually lecture. Stupid people are stupid because they don't understand something even when you keep repeating it." Started Polnareff, turned around and looking at the girl that sat behind him.
He sat behind Kakyoin and Joseph, while Akemi and Jotaro sat in front of them. The white-haired teen had dozed off about an hour ago, leaning against the window.
"She can't be comfortable." Mumbled Kakyoin, leaning in Joseph's direction. Joseph leaned back, a smirk on his face.
"You think Jotaro would let her sleep on his shoulder?" Kakyoin glanced ahead.
"Hmm... not while we're here. He's too prideful. They are supposed to be married, though. It would certainly help that façade if he were to do so." Joseph snorted. Jotaro growled.
"I can hear you both." He snapped. Kakyoin snorted, and Joseph giggled. The old man's expression melted when he lifted his arm, itching at it. Kakyoin looked back out the window, a faint smile on his face.
Jotaro looked down at Akemi, and how the skin between her eyebrows pinched together every time the bus hit a bump, causing her head to knock against the window. Somehow, it didn't wake her up.
The teenager rolled his eyes and scooted closer to her. At the next bump, he very lightly tugged her arm toward her, causing her head to land on his shoulder.
His muscles were tense, and after a moment of silence, he saw that she... still didn't wake up. She was now resting peacefully against his shoulder, the rest of her body leaning against him as well. The bus hit another bump, and her body remained undisturbed, the patch of skin no longer crinkling at every movement.
Jotaro let out a long sigh, ignoring the girlish giggles behind him, and turned his gaze out to the window.
"Hey. It's coming into view." Remarked Kakyoin, interrupting Polnareff's lecture. Jotaro noticed the same, and put a hand on Akemi, shaking her gently.
She blinked her eyes open and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"A- are we there?" She yawned, looking around.
"Just about." Jotaro responded.
"Oh, okay. Thanks." Akemi grumbled, leaving her eyes closed though she remained conscious. Jotaro only grunted in response, glad she hadn't mentioned anything about the position she'd woken up in.
"Man... this is freaky." Kakyoin's unnerved voice stole the Crusaders' attention.
He was looking outside the window, so she traced his gaze and immediately agreed with his statement. There were men putting their heads in the ground, folding their legs behind their backs, and there was even a guy sitting on a metal pan above a fire.
"It looks like they're training for something." Akemi commented.
"Maybe sumo." Jotaro added, earning a snort from Akemi.
"I've heard about such things. Now I know it's true." Kakyoin said thoughtfully.
"Maybe they're just trying to attract tourists." Polnareff commented with a chuckle.
"Is something burning?" Jotaro asked. Akemi looked at him, seeing his raised eyebrow. She followed his gaze and saw what he was talking about- a wooden box, flames consuming it.
"It's a person! They're cremating them." Blurted Kakyoin. Akemi blinked.
"Right there, in a public place? Jeez..." Akemi's hand hovered over her open lips.
"Maybe it's a custom?" Kakyoin offered, unsure.
"Hm... you're probably right. Mo would know..." Akemi conceded quietly, and a blanket of solemn air covered the remaining Crusaders.
The bus stopped at a street corner and they were dropped off.
Their attention was on Joseph as soon as they noticed his motions, which were constantly itching his arm. Akemi felt a bit anxious. Specifically, when she looked at... the growth on his arm.
"What's wrong, old man? You don't look well." Questioned Jotaro.
Akemi's heart skipped a beat. It did that whenever he showed kindness, no matter how he concealed it. She didn't know why, and she hated it when it happened. She bit her lip and looked away, trying to keep her mind off her feelings.
"Looks like the spot that I thought was a bug bite got infected." Joseph illustrated. He turned and revealed his arm, and Akemi raised an eyebrow. It looked like it had a face. She probably would've laughed had the situation not been serious.
"Um... Joseph, I don't think that's a bug bite." Akemi said anxiously. "It has a really faint aura... maybe it's a parasite."
"It's definitely swollen." Kakyoin added. "It would be best to have a doctor try and identify it before it gets worse." Polnareff leaned in.
"Hey, doesn't that sort of look like a person's face?" Polnareff said, a hand on his chin. Akemi turned to him, surprised.
"I was just thinking that!" She remarked. Polnareff laughed in response.
"Stop kidding around, you two." Joseph scolded.
"Sorry 'bout that." He apologized. "Want me to go to the hospital with you?" Joseph scoffed.
"No! Stop treating me like a bloody old man." Joseph snapped, turning to go to the doctor's on his own.
When he passed a corner, Akemi caught sight of something on it.
It was a rather large lizard. It looked hauntingly familiar. Its scales were almost pitch black.
It set deep-rooted anxiety within her, an uncomfortably familiar feeling she wished she wouldn't have to feel again.
It looked... wait... was that..? Akemi's heart started pounding hard, fear creeping up her chest.
"H- hey, guys... up there..." She faltered, pointing at the lizard.
"Huh?" Polnareff's voice came from behind her, confused. Akemi didn't avert her gaze. She couldn't break eye contact with it.
"On that wall." She stated, pointing at the very corner she saw it at.
"That lizard?" Asked Jotaro quizzically. Akemi nodded, biting her lip.
"That..." Akemi trailed off again.
"Kemi..?" Polnareff said, concerned.
"Hm... that's certainly odd. Komodo dragons aren't native to India. Plus, that scale color... it isn't natural. I've never seen anything like it before..." Kakyoin said, wary. He looked down at Akemi. "They're very dangerous. Their bite has venom that kills a human in a few hours. We should probably report it."
"Maybe it's a Stand. It's definitely freaking out Kemi." Polnareff noted. Kakyoin put a hand on his chin.
"Hmm. Maybe you're right." Kakyoin murmured worriedly.
"Guys." Their chatter stopped. Akemi lowered her arm. "That's my dad's. That's... his Komodo dragon." Her voice was deadly calm.
"Your dad has a Komodo dragon?" Polnareff questioned, amazed.
"This... this means my dad's here. In Varanasi." Akemi said fearfully, ignoring Polnareff's question.
"Your dad... Tatsugami?" Kakyoin questioned. Akemi nodded.
"Right... Your father has the Emperor card, doesn't he?" Said Polnareff, recalling the fight with Hol Horse. Akemi nodded again.
"Polnareff, take Nena into the city, just in case this is something serious. Jojo, Akemi and I will be able to handle this." Kakyoin told Polnareff. He smiled, giving the concerned teen a thumbs-up.
"You got it! C'mon, Nena!" Polnareff said cheerfully. Akemi sweatdropped.
Joseph wasn't kidding when he said he and his lower body had two different minds. She shook the thought away.
"Akemi, what should we do?" Kakyoin asked calmly. Akemi still hadn't taken her eyes off her father's Komodo dragon.
Akemi looked away for a second.
"If we follow the Komodo dragon, we should be able to find him. He does wander a bit far sometimes, though, so there's no telling how far my dad is." Akemi looked back up. She froze when she realized it was gone. "Merda." She cursed.
Their Stands were out immediately.
"We should see if we can follow it." Jotaro said. Akemi hummed in agreement.
"Okay... The aura! It's over there!" she called, pointing to the reminiscent bits of aura she could see around the corner. She ran forward, and the two boys followed suit, hot on her heels.
Akemi scaled the wall with ease and checked where it had just been standing. A black, shiny tail slipped out of sight just ahead, between someone's feet.
"There!" She barked, jumping off the wall and sprinting toward the lizard.
"Akemi, wait!" Called Kakyoin.
"Akemi, stop!" Jotaro's voice. She didn't listen.
Her eyes were trained on that dragon. She pushed past people, weaved through them, ignoring any shouts for her name or cries of anger from pedestrians.
Her father's Stand crossed a street ahead of her. A pickup truck was about to pass, but Akemi dashed forward anyway, leaping with all the strength in her legs, bounding right over the hood of the powder blue vehicle.
"Holy shit..." Jotaro panted, watching the scene with wide eyes. Kakyoin was at his side, his hands on his knees, panting hard.
The truck passed quickly, and only the ends of Akemi's hair was just barely visible to the two teens before it slipped completely out of sight.
"Shit!" Kakyoin cursed, dashing across the road.
"Good grief!" Jotaro groaned angrily, chasing after his two shorter comrades.
The Komodo dragon seemed to be getting further and further away from her. She was losing sight of it more and more often. It rounded a corner quickly, and Akemi stumbled but caught herself in time to turn. She started to run again, but…
The alley was empty. It was only her and some trash.
No sign of the Stand. No auras in the alley. It was completely silent, save for her breathing. No one but her and the two teens that had finally caught up with her.
"A- Akemi, what's wrong..?" Kakyoin panted, trailing off when he noticed her slacked shoulders.
"It's... it's gone." Akemi breathed, the running finally catching up with her. Her knees shook, and she collapsed, unable to hold herself up anymore.
"Akemi!" Jotaro and Kakyoin chorused, at her side in seconds. The girl's hands were covering her face, and she was sitting on her knees, leaning forward. Kakyoin had a gentle hand on her back, and Jotaro's hand hovered awkwardly off the ground.
"I was so close..." Akemi croaked, gnashing her teeth together, frustration filling her. "It was right there!" Her Stand's arms hovered above her own as she slammed the ground frustratedly, cracking the cement around her. The boys backed off, surprised. "He was right there..." The arms disappeared as she slumped once more.
"If it poses an immediate threat, we'll see it again." Jotaro consoled. Akemi sighed.
"I know... there's nothing I can do about it but keep an eye out..." The girl lamented. The two boys exchanged looks over the helpless girl's figure. The redhead patted Akemi's back, causing her to look up at him with watery eyes.
"You're right... why don't we get some food?" Kakyoin asked, brightening slightly, wanting to get the Komodo dragon out of her head. "We haven't really eaten in a while, have we?" Jotaro hoisted himself up with a huff, glad to be rid of the tense atmosphere.
"Yeah, I'm hungry as fuck. Let's go, yeah?" Jotaro looked over his shoulder and down at Akemi, his hands in his pockets. Akemi blinked away her tears, letting the frustration melt away.
"Yeah, sure." Akemi smiled.
The three of them rose and left the alley, walking down the street, looking for whatever appetized them.
"Ooh, what's this?" Akemi stopped at a shop window, gazing at the pastries displayed. The boys stopped in their tracks and turned to the girl.
"Why don't we give it a look?" Kakyoin suggested.
"Eh, I want some real food. Let's go there later." Jotaro turned his head to the side.
However, the two of them got no response.
Akemi wasn't staring at the pastries anymore. She was looking at the reflection... and behind her, the Komodo dragon sat on top of a small building behind her, staring back at her, as if taunting her.
The only movement she could see from it, the only reason she knew it was real, and not a figment of her imagination…
Its tail was wagging slowly, the appendage swinging behind it... left, right, left, right...
It lowered its chin slightly, as if looking deeper into her frozen gaze.
"Akemi?" Kakyoin's voice snapped Akemi out of her trance. She blinked, and the Komodo dragon's tail was all that was visible over the roof.
"It's there! My dad's pet!" Akemi burst out loudly, swiveling around and pointing upward, where it just was. "Shit!" She cursed, her eyes wild. "You're not getting away this time!"
Without warning, she dashed forward.
"Akemi!" Called Jotaro and Kakyoin for what felt like the eightieth time that day.
She didn't listen, she grew a vine from her Stand's arm and scaled the building's fire escape quickly and made it to the roof.
However, what met her wasn't a Komodo dragon. Not at all.
Not inches from her face was a pitch black dragon at least six times her size. It had a gray underbelly and bright red eyes with slitted pupils. It spread its massive wings, making it seem like night had come early. Akemi took a step back, petrified. Her Stand appeared at her side, and she prepared herself to fight.
"Akemi!" Kakyoin shouted.
She kept her eyes on the dragon, but heard a small gasp come from them both.
Primal fear pierced through her chest like an icicle. Frost spread to her body, freezing her in place. The dragon's eyes, it locked her in place. It was as if the dragon had her in a chokehold, she couldn't breathe.
Seeing the boys show up behind her, the dragon lumbered back a few steps, each movement causing panic to rise in Akemi's throat. It closed its wings, seemingly assessing the situation.
After what felt like a million years, it tore its gaze away from her, its eyes flitting to the two boys behind her. It backed up more and spread its wings, pushing off and flying away.
It took some time before the icy fear melted off the teens.
"The Komodo dragon... it was a Stand this whole time..." Akemi breathed.
"Your dad's Stand is a dragon!?" Kakyoin hollered incredulously.
She stood up, clenching her fists, anger attacking her suddenly.
"God dammit! I should've known!" She cursed loudly, her Stand phasing away as her eyes followed it. "Why can't I just attack it?!"
"Wait. Look in the direction it's flying. We can follow it, and maybe find its user." Jotaro piped up, pointing at the dragon.
"My father..." Akemi murmured as she watched it descend about a kilometer away.
"He's got to be over there. Maybe we can catch him if we hurry..." Envisaged Kakyoin.
"No." Stated Akemi. Kakyoin and Jotaro looked at her, surprised. "He's clever. He's probably just leading us there so he can pick us off. It's too risky. I'm sure his Stand wouldn't have shown itself to me if he wanted to keep himself hidden."
Kakyoin looked at her thoughtfully, and Jotaro put his hands in his pockets.
"Maybe we should still follow, but stealthily." Jotaro suggested. Akemi and Kakyoin raised a brow. "He's probably expecting us to run in there, guns blazing, right?"
"He's probably expecting us to follow, either way." Kakyoin raised his hand. "We have no idea what his abilities are, or if he has any backup." He raised a finger. "I have an idea: we should follow, but stop a fair distance away. I can use my Stand to listen to anything that's said, as well as keep it out of sight."
"Not a bad idea, Kak." Akemi crossed her arms. Jotaro nodded, agreeing as well. "Let's just use the rooftops to travel, since we have better visibility and it'll be quicker." She carried on, raising an arm. The boys gave her a quizzical look.
"How would it be quicker?" Inquired Jotaro. "Look at the distance between those roofs." Akemi tilted her head to the side and summoned her Stand.
"Like this." She grinned.
The girl turned to the gap between the building ahead, in the direction her father's Stand flew, and stood on the edge.
Turning toward them, both she and her Stand tipped over the edge with a smile.
Jotaro and Kakyoin gave her horrified looks as she fell backwards.
"Akemi!" Jotaro called, rushing to the edge.
However, when he got there, Akemi appeared suddenly on top of a large sunflower, a smug smile on her face.
Jotaro looked up at her, shocked and... was that a small blush? His aura was... impressed.
"Come on! My Stand can create huge plants that can pass for a bridge. Hurry!" She called, holding out a hand. Jotaro gritted his teeth and tugged his hat down.
"Good grief." He muttered, trying desperately to hide a grin just as big as hers.
Ignoring her hand, he stepped uncertainly on the flower, testing whether or not it could hold him. To his surprise, it did. The large petal didn't even bend to his weight. Kakyoin stepped behind him, his confidence in her flower a bit higher now that he'd seen it could hold Jotaro.
Akemi had already hopped off the flower, and the boys followed her quickly.
In this rooftop chase, they saw that Akemi's agility was much better than their own. She was faster, and more nimble. She could probably have made it just fine without her Stand. They had to call her several times so they could catch up.
They'd made it in under seven minutes because of Akemi's Stand. On top of the last building, Akemi stood, a little breathy but overall fine. The boys behind her, however, were sweaty and breathing hard.
"Ake... mi... I... didn't know... you were so... fast..." Kakyoin said in between breaths.
"When... did you get... that fast?" Jotaro asked, looking up at her intensely from where he was sitting. Akemi gave them a surprised look.
"I... I didn't know I was above average. I actually tire pretty quickly." Akemi said casually. They gave her incredulous looks.
"You think that's normal?!" Jotaro nearly cried. "You have more stamina than me." Akemi widened her eyes, then let out a small laugh.
"Well... okay, maybe not. I don't know. Maybe swimming has made me a bit stronger than I thought. I mean, I did take gymnastics and ballet when I was younger..." She trailed off.
Kakyoin and Jotaro exchanged bewildered looks. Kakyoin stood and dusted himself off.
"Well... we're here now." Remarked Kakyoin, summoning Hierophant Green to his side.
Akemi stepped back, standing by Jotaro. Kakyoin sat at the edge of the building, peeking over, and Hierophant Green slunk down to the ground, phasing into the building. Akemi and Jotaro couldn't hear anything, so they had to depend on Kakyoin.
"There's two people down there. I don't see his Stand." Kakyoin murmured. Akemi's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Was this the wrong place? "They're talking about a party. It's happening tomorrow night... at seven PM. They claim it's for military personnel." He reported. Akemi gave him a determined look.
"Right... I guess he's holding a military ball... We have to go." She claimed.
"None of us are veterans." Kakyoin stated, standing up.
"I have a military ID. They have to let me in- and since he's posing as my husband, I can take Jotaro as my plus one. I can probably find a back way for the rest of you to enter." Akemi explained, her arms crossed. Kakyoin gave her a hopeful look.
"What about attire, then?"
"We'll just have to go shopping. I'm sure Joseph already has something, so maybe we can find them later and go." Akemi responded.
"Alright. Sounds like a plan." Kakyoin agreed with a slight smile. An almost inaudible rumble interrupted any speech. Akemi and Kakyoin turned to a blushing Jotaro, his aura aflame with embarrassment.
"C- can we go eat now?" Asked Jotaro, gritting his teeth.
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The group, finally reunited, sat in front of the Ganges, illuminated by the moonlight.
"And here I thought we'd finally be able to sleep in a bed." Kakyoin complained lightly.
"Maybe if the old man hadn't screwed up and gotten cops chasing him down." Jotaro harrumphed.
"I'm sure he did his best to prevent worse." Akemi defended, her tone light and tired.
"I took care of things." Insisted Joseph from behind them.
The three turned around to see him at the van's back. The weird growth on his hand was gone, thankfully. He knocked on the door.
"We can take this car. Polnareff, you can do the driving... Hey, are you still in shock? I was the one attacked by the Stand." He tossed the key, probably expecting him to catch it. However, it landed in his hair, and he didn't move. How was it able to stick out like that..?
"I'd rather have gone through that..." He muttered, sounding as if he'd witnessed a ghost.
"Uh... what happened?" Queried Akemi, slightly concerned. Then, she realized something. "Hey, where's Nena? Did she get back home?" She asked innocently.
"Nope. She was a Stand user. She attacked me, and got the bloody cops on my ass." Joseph scoffed.
"Ugh. I knew there was something up with her." Akemi pouted.
"You should probably tell us next time you feel 'off' about someone..." Kakyoin suggested. Akemi scratched the back of her head shyly.
"Heh, you're right. I'll let you know."
"You guys ran into a Stand user, too?" Jotaro asked Polnareff and Joseph. Joseph gave them a surprised look.
"'Too'?" Joseph echoed. Akemi's expression grew dark when she looked at Joseph.
"We ran into my dad's Stand. He's here, in Varanasi. He's throwing a ball tomorrow night... Do you suppose we can stay for one more day?" She asked grimly. Joseph and Polnareff looked at her, shocked.
"Your father's here?" Joseph asked darkly.
"Yes. He's throwing a ball for veterans, since he used to be in the military. I should be able to get in with my military ID, and since Jojo and I are technically married, I can get him in with me. There might be a back entrance I can get you all in from." She explained.
"We should be able to spare one more night... but I'm an outlaw here. It isn't smart, but if we're getting rid of another Stand user- especially your father- I guess it's worth it. Alright, we can stay in the van for tonight, then." Joseph agreed. For some reason, anxiousness bloomed in Akemi's chest after he said that.
It's been almost ten years, and yet... she wasn't ready to see her father again.
But that didn't matter. Holly's life was more important than her anxiousness to see some dick that contributed to the sperm that made her.
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"Where is this party happening, anyways?" Polnareff asked bluntly as the four wandered the city. Joseph wasn't with them, well, for obvious reasons.
"Ball," Kakyoin corrected, earning an indignant huff from the silver-haired Frenchman. "I remember one of the men saying it was at a pretty big building by the river. Three down from the bridge, if the address is correct."
"Great, you claim there's another Stand user, and we don't even know where he is." Polnareff complained. Akemi scoffed.
"Please. It's a military ball, we'll know where it is either way." She portrayed, her tone matter-of-fact. Polnareff gave her a side gaze.
"How do you know?" Polnareff asked her, an eyebrow raised.
"You would think a bunch of American military veterans would know how to party, wouldn't you, Polnareff?" Akemi asked. Polnareff's eyebrows raised and he scratched the back of his head.
"W- well, not in France." Polnareff explained bashfully. Jotaro gave Akemi a confused look.
"Your dad's American?" Jotaro asked. Akemi shook her head.
"No. He's Japanese. He served in America for... about twenty years? Then he met my mom and had me. My mom was Italian, but she moved to America to work at NASA. Dad had a temporary military-related security job there, and they met, and y'know... got married." Akemi explained, almost curtly. Jotaro didn't say anything in response, only took the information in.
There was a lot he didn't know about her.
"I'm surprised you two are getting outfits. I expected you both to keep your student uniform on, since you were being a bit of a stickler about it on the boat to Singapore." Noted Polnareff, talking about Jotaro and Kakyoin. Kakyoin let out a small chuckle.
"Well, I don't think a school uniform is the right attire for a military ball." Kakyoin responded, raising a hand.
"Akemi made me." Jotaro said simply, his gaze staying directly ahead of him. Polnareff barked a laugh.
"Seems you'd do anything for her, eh, Jotaro? You're playing the husband's task pretty well!" Polnareff teased, nudging his side. Jotaro growled and Akemi blushed, getting what he meant.
"Polnareff!" She fumed, annoyed and embarrassed. He giggled in response.
"That reminds me, we have to get rings for you two!" Polnareff continued.
"We don't have to." Jotaro snapped, clearly done with the teasing. His aura was pink again.
"People will ask questions." Kakyoin added amusingly, leaning into the two blushing teens. Polnareff followed suit, giggling.
"Hey, this store here!" Akemi exclaimed suddenly, pointing at a dress attire store. It looked pretty nice, too.
"Sweet! Let's go." Polnareff said cheerfully, immediately forgetting the teasing they'd been doing earlier. Kakyoin gave them a look that said 'you're not off the hook yet'.
The four entered the store.
It was pretty big compared to the other stores on the road. There were exotic-looking tuxedos and dresses at every corner. Each looked prettier than the last. Akemi already had her eye on a few dresses, and had decided what suit would look best on Polnareff, Kakyoin and Jotaro.
"Hello, hello!" A woman's voice greeted them immediately and enthusiastically. She appeared from behind a stand and approached them quickly.
She was shorter than all of them by a lot. She had a large red dot in the middle of her forehead, and her inky black hair was tied into a braided crown. She wore a red and light blue casual dress and a big smile. Her atmosphere was comforting, and it made Akemi feel as if she'd walked into her grandmother's house.
"Welcome to my store! How may I help you four?" She inquired kindly. Kakyoin spoke up from behind Akemi.
"We're going to a party tonight, so we need formal attire." He explained, a small smile on his face. The woman clasped her hands.
"Ah, then you've come to the right place! I'm Aahna, I'll help you find your outfits. Now you," Aahna looked at Akemi, "I have just the dress for you. Please come with me. I'll be back for you three in a moment, feel free to look around!" She took Akemi's hand and led her to a nearby stand, and disappeared behind a few dresses.
"My daughter made this dress before she left for college. I was waiting for someone just like you to give this dress to." Aahna said. Akemi looked with wide eyes.
"How old is your daughter?" Akemi asked. Aahna resurfaced.
"She is twenty three, and she's studying... what was it... right! Biochemistry." Aahna said with pride in her voice. Akemi raised her eyebrows.
"Wow, that's really admirable! I hope she does her best." Akemi said cheerfully. "That's actually what I plan on studying. It's such an interesting subject."
"Wow, really? Ah- now, here's the dress!" Aahna said, her voice quiet with excitement.
She pulled out one of the most beautiful dresses Akemi had ever seen. Her breath was taken from her as she inspected it. It was clear that Aahna's daughter was influenced by western culture, as it had a bit of a Victorian vibe to it.
The top was a velvet red, and had only one long, flowy sleeve. The other side went off the shoulder and wrapped around just under where her shoulder would be. The midsection looked as if it were a corset, with intricate designs decorating the front. It was tied at the back with small ties. The bottom flared out. Not too much, but not too little, either. It was a lighter red, and on the outside was a thin lattice of red fabric dusted with gold. There were jewels and chains decorating the exterior. Akemi gently took the dress from Aahna's hands, her mouth hanging open slightly. Aahna let out a small chuckle at her reaction.
"Go try it on, priya. The fitting rooms are over there." Aahna told her, pointing to her right. Akemi looked back at Aahna, unable to form words.
"I-... thank you. I- I will." Akemi stuttered.
She sent her a small smile before she turned and walked briskly to the fitting rooms. Before she closed the door on the first one, she heard Aahna talking to the men.
The door clicked, and she turned around and inspected the small room. There was a bench in front of a body-length mirror hung on the wall. Beside it were three hangars. Akemi thought that Jotaro could probably hold out his hands and touch both walls.
She inspected the mirror, and her figure in it. Beforehand, however, she couldn't help but look around her in every angle of the mirror.
The sun seemed to have her glowing more than usual. Besides her eye bags, her face was pretty clear, and she had a small dusting of freckles across her cheeks. Her skin was sun-tanned pretty well, and her hair looked snow white. During the winter, it normally took on a more silvery color, but she was getting a lot of sun. It looked a little disheveled. She brushed her hands through her bangs, smoothing them down.
After the accident in Japan, Akemi had expected her natural hair color to grow. However, it had caught many people, including herself, by surprise when her hair continued to grow white. It seemed that the explosion had permanently altered her hair color.
She wondered what kind of chemicals would have had to be exposed to her to have changed her hair's entire genetic makeup, and why it had only affected her body hair.
She shook away her thoughts for what felt like the hundredth time.
She put the dress on the bench behind her and stripped down to her undergarments. Picking up the dress, she carefully slid it over her body. Thankfully, while it was loose, she was able to fit it over her. Empress Gaea tied the corset in place as she looked at the mirror.
Her eyebrows rose.
Wow.
It seemed to accentuate her curves perfectly, thanks to the corset, and the color made her eyes and hair pop. She spun, seeing the dress pick up in the wind. She smiled when she stopped. She'd have to buy this dress, no matter how much it cost, and pass it down the generations.
She changed back into her regular clothes, holding the dress over her arm. She exited the fitting room, seeing Aahna with Polnareff and Kakyoin and Jotaro holding their suits. Poor Aahna looked a little overwhelmed, her face and aura flushed.
Jotaro eyed her dress. Akemi did the same to his suit. It looked as if it were white, with black accents.
Akemi raised her eyebrows. She never expected Jotaro to choose a white suit. Kakyoin, on the other hand, had chosen a green one. They were wrapped and probably already purchased.
"Aahna! I love this dress, I'm going to buy it." Akemi called happily. Aahna peeked over the rack she was by.
"Splendid! My son is the cashier, hand it over to him, priya." Aahna said cheerfully. Akemi smiled and nodded. She turned to the checkout counter, making eye contact with a boy in his late teens.
It was a quick transaction, thankfully. The fifteen-year-old flirted with her every chance he got. She had to break the 'I'm married' card to get him to stop. It felt odd to say, but it was fulfilling and it gave her butterflies. Maybe when she really gets married to someone, it'll have the same effect.
She regrouped with the boys, watching Polnareff finally choose a nice black suit. They made a quick transaction and they were all ready to go.
"Thank you for coming, you four. If you can, pay another visit!" Aahna bid them farewell at the entrance. Akemi gave her a bright smile, inwardly solemn knowing she would probably never see her again.
"We'll try! Have a good day, Aahna." Akemi said.
"Thank you." Kakyoin added. Aahna smiled and waved, and the group exited the building.
"She was nice." Smiled Polnareff.
"I'm sure she wanted to be the opposite to you, Polnareff. It looked like she was struggling to stay polite through all your yapping." Jotaro deadpanned. Polnareff gave him a look of offense.
"What do you mean?!" He cried, distressed. Kakyoin let out a chuckle.
"We only have about four hours until the party starts." Akemi said grimly, her nervousness surfacing.
"Why don't we drop our outfits off at the van and get some food while we wait? You two can grab some rings, too." Kakyoin suggested.
"I don't see why not. I'm starving!" Polnareff said cheerfully.
I'm not sure I'll be able to eat much. Akemi thought. She didn't want to let the others know, but they could probably guess. She was incredibly nervous. She hadn't seen her father in forever, and now they were getting ready to... to kill him, possibly.
Akemi knew there was no reason to leave him alive, since he was a terrible person. Possibly a threat to others, since he was working for Dio.
She couldn't help but feel reluctant, however.
What if it served as a disadvantage in battle?
Would that get her killed?
Would it get someone else killed?
No doubt her father wouldn't hesitate to kill her or her friends.
He didn't care about her anyway, right?
"Akemi? Hey, Kemi?" Akemi snapped back into reality. Polnareff, Kakyoin and even Jotaro were all giving her concerned looks.
"Huh? ...Why are you all looking at me like that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I called your name like, five times." Polnareff told her.
"Oh... I'm sorry. I must've zoned out. What did you need?" Akemi said airily.
"Akemi, are you okay?" Kakyoin asked, his gaze concerned.
Akemi was caught off guard by the question. From the way the three were looking at her, they were all thinking the same thing. It put Akemi on the defensive.
"Nothing, okay? I'm fine, I'm just a little nervous." She said bitingly. That must've taken them by surprise, because their auras shifted. Akemi put a hand on her forehead, feeling overwhelmed. "I have some more shopping to do for myself, so I'll meet up with you guys at the van in a bit." She told them, walking in a different direction.
"Akemi, wait!" Called Kakyoin, but Akemi was already gone.
"Good grief." Jotaro murmured, sticking his hands in his pockets.
"She must be pretty upset about this." Polnareff observed, a concerned expression on his face.
"I don't blame her. What Joseph said... that's messed up. I hope she's okay." Kakyoin said.
"You should go after your wife, Mr. Kujo." Polnareff said, half-teasing. Jotaro sighed angrily.
"Fine, whatever. I guess we still have to get rings, anyway." Jotaro said, turning around to follow Akemi.
"I'm probably gonna think they're really married throughout this. They play the part well." Polnareff said, a hand on his chin. Kakyoin snorted.
"Or they really have feelings for each other." Kakyoin commented with a smug look. Polnareff gave him a shocked look.
"What? Really?" Kakyoin raised a finger.
"Don't you see it?" Polnareff looked back at him, an eyebrow raised. "I always catch Jotaro looking in Akemi's direction. Not only that, but he's more... polite around her, if you will. And before you say it's just because she's a woman, have you seen the way he treats other women? It's almost like he sees her differently than other women."
As Kakyoin spoke, it seemed to come to Polnareff, and his jaw slackened more and more as he went on.
"And for Akemi, she acts more nervous around him, and can't hold eye contact for too long. But us, we can have conversations where she comfortably holds eye contact for more than a few seconds at a time. It's obvious, if you pay attention."
"Oh..." Polnareff breathed, mentally analyzing every interaction the two had with each other that he could remember off the top of his head. His head perked when he realized something. "Hold it, why do you know all this? Are you a professional stalker or something?!" He exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at him. Kakyoin shrugged, his expression staying playfully nonchalant.
"I guess you could just call me observant." He uttered. Just then, they arrived at the van with Joseph waiting for them. "I've… never had friends like this before."
"What are you two talking about?" Joseph waved them down before Polnareff could turn his attention to Kakyoin's last sentence. Polnareff and Kakyoin grinned at each other.
"Monsieur Joestar! Get this..." He began.
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Akemi sighed, looking around for a store that looked like it sold jewelry. She didn't think Jotaro would want to go ring shopping, so she figured she would do it on her own.
"Oi, Akemi!" Shouted a familiar voice. Akemi turned, her eyes wide.
"Jotaro?" Akemi looked up at the tall teen as he caught up with her.
"We need to shop for rings, don't we?" Jotaro deadpanned, his aura pink again.
"Y- yeah. Um... you don't have to pick out a ring if you don't want to. I can do the shopping myself." She assured him shyly. Jotaro huffed.
"Shut it, short stack. ...I can get a ring. Just... um, don't get me a ring pop." Jotaro said, his low voice barely audible. Akemi let out a huff of amusement.
"No promises." She smiled. Jotaro let the smallest of smiles come out before they parted ways. That quirk of his lips sent the same anxious feeling shooting through her chest, though it didn't feel as heavy as it did before.
Why is he being so weird? Why am I feeling so weird?
Before she went to look for a ring, she bought a pretty pallet of eyeshadow that a bazaar was selling that happened to come with mascara. No way was she going to dress up without some makeup.
Akemi resumed her search for a jewelry store. It wasn't that hard to find- Akemi could imagine there were a lot here. But across from the shop was a candy store- which held a ring pop, or at least, India's version of it. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. She chose a blue one without a second thought and placed it in her pocket after paying, hiding a smirk.
She turned around and walked into the jewelry store, liking the atmosphere as she walked in. It smelled like there was incense burning somewhere, the strong but pleasant smell filling her nose. A middle-aged man popped out from behind his counter. He sent a wide, toothy smile to her.
"Hello! Welcome. Let me know if you need any help." He said, his tone friendly. Akemi smiled, grateful she hadn't run into any creepy people.
"Hi! Are you selling wedding rings?" The man nodded.
"Yes! I have many. Please choose." He waved toward a display case to his left. Akemi looked down at them, seeing many. She wasn't sure which to choose.
"Do you have any with aquamarine..?" She asked. Just asking that gave her butterflies. She wondered what he would think. It wasn't like they were actually getting married, so she had no reason to think too much about it. But... she still wanted to put a little thought into it, even if she expected him not to. The man nodded.
"I only have one. It's more for men, though..." He said, rather apprehensive. Akemi brightened.
"Perfect! I'm buying for a man." She smiled. The man's expression changed to a softer one.
"Ah, are you getting married?" Asked the man. Akemi came up with something on a whim, and she nodded, a blissful expression on her face.
"No, I already am. This is just a gift for him." Akemi said, a huge smile on her face. The man smiled.
"I can remember when my wife got me a ring. Your husband will love this one, I promise." The man vowed. Akemi nodded as he turned and went into the room behind him. After a few moments, he returned with a small box. He placed it on the table, opening it in her direction. Akemi's eyes widened. He was sure to love it. She looked down at it, breathless, for a moment. It matched his eyes perfectly…
"I'll take it." Akemi said, pushing down some butterflies. "How much?"
"Four hundred and thirty thousand rupees, miss." The man stated.
Akemi winced. That would leave her with only seventy-five thousand left. Her expression melted into one of indifference as she dug into her coin purse to get the money.
"Here, sir." she handed him the cash with a smile. He took it with wide eyes.
"It's yours. Good luck with your husband, miss!" He said gratefully, pushing the box to her. Akemi smiled.
"Thank you!" She said, departing from the store. Now, to find my 'husband'...
"Oi, Akemi." Shouted a familiar voice again. She jumped, looking behind her. Jotaro caught up with her, walking by his side. "Did you get it?" He asked her vaguely.
"Yeah." She giggled lightly.
Taking the box out of her bag, she handed it to Jotaro. Just then, she realized Jotaro had done the same. He held out another box. She looked up at him, seeing a bit of a blush on his face. Akemi let out a quiet laugh and took the box from him at the same time he took hers.
"Let's wait until we're in a quieter area before we open them." Akemi advised, just as Jotaro started to open his. He closed it back and nodded.
"Right." He said. "It's not a ring pop, is it?" Akemi snorted.
"I'm sorry, I had to get it. It looked too appetizing." Akemi told him, faking distress. Jotaro let out a rare huff of amusement.
"Does India even sell ring pops?" Jotaro pondered.
"Yeah, I actually did buy one."
Jotaro raised an eyebrow, and with a crinkling noise, she pulled the ring pop out of her bag and handed it to him. Jotaro's eyes widened, but he let out a breath of amusement before taking it in his hand.
"Good grief." He huffed, studying the ring pop's packaging as if he could read Arabic. He pocketed it, and before Akemi could wonder why he wanted to keep it, they arrived at the van.
"Oi! Did you get everything you needed?" Polnareff asked.
"Yep. I used up most of my rupees, though." Akemi admitted, holding up a little shopping bag.
"What?! You had seven hundred thousand rupees!" Joseph cried from the other side of the van. Akemi looked away bashfully.
"The dress and ring were expensive. Plus, I wanted to buy some makeup." She admitted, shifting.
"But you don't need makeup." Jotaro said bluntly. He realized what he said right after he did, stopping in his tracks and widening his eyes.
"Jotaro! You flirt." Polnareff teased with a massive grin. Akemi laughed, a blush on her face. Jotaro tugged his hat down, muttering something about 'good grief'. Joseph put a hand on his grandson's shoulder, a smile on his face.
"You need to understand women and makeup. Even if they don't need it, they just wear it to feel pretty!" He advised. Jotaro shouldered his hand off, clenching his jaw. Was that a blush?
Akemi decided to open the ring in the box then. She'd have to wear it in public, anyway.
She inhaled quickly through her nose, her mouth opening slightly. It was intricately-designed, silver and lined with what was probably diamonds. Two peridots- diagonal and touching- shone in the middle. They... matched the color of her eyes. It seemed he had the same idea, and the fact that he put thought into this made her face turn bright red.
"Oh ho, Akemi, your husband spoils you!" Polnareff said, leaning into her, looking at the ring. Him and Kakyoin exchanged looks.
"It's... really pretty, Jojo." Akemi looked at Jotaro, who's eyes were wide and whose cheeks had an undeniable flush- especially since she'd used his nickname. And... It felt different from when other women called him that. "Thank you."
"Good grief..." Jotaro replied, tugging his hat down. The others giggled as he took out the ring Akemi got him. She saw his aura grow surprised and a blush grew on his cheeks.
The ring she'd gotten him was wide and chrome, the surface shiny and smooth. The ring rose in at the top, revealing a window of aquamarine. Not intricate, but beautifully simple. Something that wouldn't get in his way, in fact, it would help him. No doubt it would pack an extra punch.
It was as if Akemi had known him for years... which, technically, she did.
"Wow, it seems you really knew what to get for each other..." Kakyoin teased. Akemi quickly put on the ring and bagged the box.
"L- let's go already. I don't wanna be late." Akemi said bashfully, throwing her things in the van. The teasers all shared a laugh.
"Anyways," Joseph said, amusement lacing his tone, "She's right. Let's go eat, then we'll come back and get changed and head to the ball."
Akemi's expression melted, and a line of fear went up her spine.
"...Right." Akemi said solemnly. She walked past Kakyoin and put her dress and bag in the van and they headed off.
"...Thank you, Akemi." Jotaro mumbled, looking at the ring that clad his finger.
"You're welcome, Jojo." She smiled.
God, what is this? They both thought.
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they're gay 4 each other
facts
-no, this is not a shojo manga
-joseph feels as if jotaro had grown up without a proper father figure- he was never really a big fan of jotaro's dad in the first place, so this was the perfect chance for him to really teach him how to be a gentleman (in the special joestar way).
anyways i'll see y'all in the next chapter!
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word count: 8,012