You walk through the neighborhood alleys, making your way north to Jotaro's house.Every time you turn your head, move your neck, every time you brush against your collar, you feel the bandages from my makeshift first aid. It's holding up better than I thought.
That said, I've been taking a lot of beatings lately. Just yesterday, I should've been in a hospital. But this morning, I felt fine. Not like I just got my nose broken by a giant of a boy and shot by green crystals.
Steel explained that Stand Users are more durable than normal people, and can heal faster, so at least I know why. Still, that means that any enemy would have the same abilities.
Speaking of Steel, maybe I should think about telling everyone else about him. I don't know how much he knows about this, but
Finally, I get to Jotaro's house. I ring the doorbell and wait. After a few seconds, Jotaro answers the door. He's wearing his uniform, even though it's summer vacation.
Then again, so am I, so I can't exactly say anything.
"Sone." He says.
"Jotaro" I say back.
For a few seconds, we stare at each other, neither sure just what exactly to say. After a few seconds, Jotaro moves to the side. "Come on in. Gramps is near the back"
I nod and enter. Jotaro and I walk through the house in silence. "You look rough" He finally says.
"One of Dio's assassins attacked me" I say. "I'm still alive"
Jotaro looks at me. "So, you managed to fight off an assassin on your own?" He sounds only mildly interested. That said, I don't think I've ever seen him emote. Ever.
"More like I was the only one who managed to run away before the police arrived" I said.
Jotaro nods. "Well, I'm glad that you're alright."
"Thanks" I say. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you abou-"
*CRASH*
"Oh no..." I say, summoning Napalm Death. Without saying a word, Jotaro and I start running to the source of the noise. A million thoughts go through my head but I do my best to focus on what we need to do now.
When we get to the kitchen. Joseph and Abdul are standing over a collapsed Holly. Vine-like growths are coming out of her back with leaves and raspberries growing on them. When Abdul tries to grab the growth, his hands pass right through them.
"What the..." I say. What is this? Is it a Stand? Is it Holly's Stand? Someone else's?
"I can't believe it My hand passed right through it! This is definitely a stand! The stand is harming her. I just thought of that Mr. Joestar and JoJo were the only ones affected." "It seems that all those with the Joestar blood flowing through their veins are susceptible. Stands are manipulated by the users fighting Spirit but Holly doesn't have an ounce of aggression in her entire body this is terrible. If this continues she will... It'll kill her."
Jotaro isn't saying anything, but his lips are definitely quivering. Joseph is on the verge of tears. "My worst fears have been confirmed my daughter has as a stand I knew she wouldn't have the power to fight to use curse. But maybe... maybe..."
Jotaro then turns to shout at Joseph. "Say it already! So you have a plan!"
"There is one way the only way! We have to find Dio and kill him!" Joseph says with conviction "If we do that the curse will fade. But I can't determine his location just from my spirit photography... Shit! He must have left some kind of trail."
Abdul shakes his head. "But even our Stands combined mine, Sone's and Jotaro's don't have the kind of range required to conduct the search. And if that didn't make things hard enough he lives in complete darkness. Because of that it's impossible to make out his location using Joseph's ability alone. We've tried analyzing the photo with all kinds of high-tech gadgets but to no effect."
"Wait..." I say. "The assassin I just fought! She was hired by Dio to kill people who could use Stands! Maybe she knows where he is!"
"Really?"
"But, she's in police custody right now..." I remember.
Joseph nods. "Well, it's better than nothing. If I contact the Speedwagon Foundation-"
"Hey" Jotaro inturrupts "I might just go a way... Just maybe I might know a way to figure out where he's hiding. My Stand saw something in the photograph if it's precise enough to extract that flesh bud, it should be precise enough to sketch it."
Once again, Jotaro summons his Stand, and it's just as large and imposing as before. It grabs a pen and paper and starts drawing. It as fast and precise as it was yesterday, with the picture being recreated over the course of just a few seconds.
I look at the sketch. I see that Dio has a star shaped mark on his back, and what looks like stitches on his neck.
Suddenly, Abdul's eyes widen. "It's a fly. There was buzzing in the air behind them... Wait I recognize this fly! The Nile Wewe Fly! Mostly found by the banks of the Egyptian Nile. Highest population density is in the shade of the Aswan Dam where it preys on livestock. Egypt! He's in Egypt! And it's somewhere close to Aswan!"
"So he's in Egypt after all..." I look at the front of the room and see Kakyoin. He's wearing his uniform as well, the same one from yesterday if the holes are any indication.
Did he even go home yesterday?
"When do you depart I'm going with you. I was invaded by that parasite months ago when I was on a trip to the Nile with my family. That's where I met Dio."Kakyoin says "For whatever reason he must be reluctant to leave Egypt."
Jotaro's raises an eyebrow. "Why do you want to come with us?"
"I'm not too sure myself either. Kakyoin says simply. "I wouldn't be here now if not for you that's really all there is to it."
Abdul then turns to me. "Sone, I know this isn't your fight and I don't intend to coerce you into coming with us. But we could use your power, the power of a stand user with the courage to help those in need. I think it may be your destiny that you met with us. Sone, will you lend us your strength?"
For a few seconds, I don't say anything. I just wanted to discuss how I could get through this alive, to make a plan to survive Dio's assassins. I never wanted to be a part of this. I just wanted a peaceful life.
But, if I don't go, then that peaceful life will be impossible. If what Steel said was true, then Dio will try to kill me no matter what. Still, if they leave, Dio might focus on them, and leave me alone.
[] "I'll do it. Whenever you're ready"
[] "I don't want to, but I'll do it. For Holly's sake"
[] "This is my fight as much as it's yours. Of course I'll help"
[] "I'm sorry, but I'd just get in the way"
[] "I... I just need to think about this for a while, alright?"
[] "I'm sorry, but this is too much. I can't go"
[] Write in.
"This is my fight as much as it's yours. Of course I'll help" As much as I don't want to be a part of this, I can't just run away. "I'll help however I can"
Abdul gives you a wide smile. "I had a feeling you'd say that! I look forward to getting to know you from here on out."
Joseph roughly shakes your hand, practically beaming. "I can't thank you enough, Sone"
Kakyoin "I'm sorry for everything that happened earlier. Maybe I can make it up to you somewhere down the line."
Jotaro simply nods to me. "Sorry, I didn't think you'd ended up getting wrapped up in all this. If things get nasty out there then you're free to go back."
"Hmm hmm" I hum. You just hope that if you ever decide to take him up on that offer, that you still can.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Hour Later
I wait outside of the hospital room where Holly is staying. Jotaro, Joseph, Abdul, even Kakyoin are inside the room, visiting Holly before we leave for Egypt. But I'm waiting outside to watch for Stand Users. And considering that someone has already tried to kill Jotaro and at least three people have already tried to kill me, someone should probably stand guard.
Still, I don't think I would know what to say. I've never been a people's person. Or a social person. I'll do anything I can to help her, but... I just don't know if me being in the room would help her.
So, I look around at the people passing by the room. I recognize a few faces from around the town, but no one stood out as threatening.
Eventually, Kakyoin leaves the room. Then Abdul. Then Joseph and Jotaro.
"Is she going to...?" I start. "How is she?"
Joseph shakes his head. "She has... we need to take Dio out in 51 days. Holly is holding on, but..." Tears start flowing down his face. "I'll make the arrangements for a plane to leave first thing tomorrow"
Joseph looks down at me. "Sone... I imagine you have many things to do before you depart. You should head home for now. I imagine it won't be easy explaining things to your family but if you just tell them you're vacationing with friends, they should understand."
I nod. I was going to let my parents know about my "vacation" when I got home. But it was still early in the day. If I wanted to, I could go somewhere else first.
[] "There's some things that I have to take care of first"
- [] Go to the C-Salon. If I'm going to die, I might as well treat myself first.
- [] Go to a restaurant and get something to eat.
- [] Stay at the hospital and get patched up.
- [] Try practicing with Napalm Death before you leave.
- [] Take a walk around the town to clear your head.
After returning from the Hospital, I go straight home to tell my parents about the trip. The four of us are in the kitchen, Mom, Dad, Amai and I. I've been spending the last thirty minutes trying to convince them to let me go to another country with a boy I just met.
Still, after a story about how Jotaro and I bonded, and about the boy we helped save yesterday was coming too, I eventually, manage to convince them to let me go.
Barely.
"...alright, please be careful. Cairo is far away, so be sure to take care of yourself" Mom says. "Just in case you run into trouble, we do have a first aid kit in one of these cabinets..." She starts looking at the cabinets, trying to remember which cabinets she was in before Dad puts a hand on her shoulder.
"Oh honey, you're worrying too much" Dad says. "This vacation sounds like fun! This is the second time you've ever been outside of Japan, isn't it?"
"Yeah..." I say, smiling. I still remember our trip to South Korea. I was sick for half of it, and I almost lost my big toe, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
"Make sure to thank Mr. Jostar." Dad says. "-oh, do you have enough the travel expenses?"
"Well, I have some yen saved up, though it isn't much..." I say. Most of my savings were wasted away because of my NES, games, the arcade, gum, gambling debts, baseball bats, and green lipstick
Dad nods. "Well, we don't want you running out of money... here." Dad reaches in his pocket and takes a neatly folded stack of yen. "Take this with you, sweetie."
"Wow, thanks dad." I say.
"So, you're going on a trip with some friends?" Amai asks, giving me a wide smile.
"Well, sorta. We shouldn't be gone long, but..." I say. Well, if it was a matter of just flying to Cairo and killing DIO, then we could be there and back in a week. That said, sneaking out of class to watch a baseball game should have been simple and easy, but that was disrupted by something I didn't see coming.
"That sounds like fun! I'm jealous..." Amai says, pouting and folding her arms.
"Hey, you still have the rest of the summer ahead of you. It's not like you're just going to be sitting around all summer." I try to console.
"I know... I just wish I could go too..." Amai says.
"It's okay, honey, we'll get something special planned for you too" Dad says to Amai.
"No, you really don't..." I say to Amai. "I mean..." I try to find the words to talk Amai out of wanting to come with me to Cairo. She wouldn't go anyway, but that face she makes when she's sad...
Suddenly, her face lights up again. "Oh, I know! Wait here, I'll be right back!" Amai says before spinning around on her heels and sprinting to her room.
"Here it is" Mom says holding up a First Aid Kit along with several jars of Medical Ointment.
"I'll bring this up to your room. Just grab them on your way out" Mom says.
"Here!" Amai says before shoving several bags of brightly colored candy into my hands. "I know how much you like these, so if I give these to you, you'll bring me some souvenirs, right?"
"...no problem Amai" I say. Honestly, if Amai wanted some souvenirs, all she had to do was ask.
But I'll keep the candy.
You Got...
1 First Aid Kit
5 Ointment
1500 G
5 Bags of Sweets.
We're leaving first thing in the morning. Mr. Jostar arranged for a ride to the airport early in the morning. It wouldn't exactly be a private flight, but the plane was is supposed to have as few people aboard as possible. That leaves me until tomorrow to prepare.
[] Stay at home and relax with your family.
[] Take a walk around town.
[] Go to the C Salon. I could end up dead in a few days. May as well treat myself.
[] Go to the Jotaro's house and talk to some of the people there.
[] Practice using Napalm Death.
