Wanderlust [Stardust Crusader]

Chapter 7

You sat cross-legged on the bus seat, your eyes downcast, your face scrunching up momentarily as they continued scolding you. All the while, Jotaro held you firmly in his gaze, wary of any funny business. He had pulled you off unwillingly on the streets when you attempted to kick the barely conscious man again.

Now, he brought you somewhere secluded, along with his grandfather and your butler, clearly intending to have a serious discussion away from prying eyes.

As they disclosed the information about Avdol being alive and treated by the trusted staff of the Speedwagon Foundation, you felt a wave of relief wash over you. It was another weight off your mind. However, they reminded you not to say anything to Polnareff about this for precautionary reasons, knowing he couldn't keep his mouth shut. You nodded in agreement and fell silent.

You were well aware that they were feeling disappointed with what you had done earlier, and you couldn't help but feel upset. Once again, you had let yourself be swayed by your emotions.

"If you allow your temper to control your actions...." the old Joestar paused, scooping some of your curls as they were being blown by the wind, moving gently in a wavelike motion. His leg brushed yours as he turned in his seat to face you.

"It will only lead to poor choices that you will later regret," he continued, his steady gaze and the serious press of his lips conveying his concern for you.

"I know, sorry," you mumbled softly, feeling a pang of guilt. He patted your head with his good arm, his eyes crinkling as he smiled warmly.

Your uncle sighed heavily, fully understanding your anger. He too had felt that same anger when he cruelly lost your grandfather.

You rested on the side of the resident egotistical Baguette, Jean Pierre Polnareff. Feeling annoyed by his earlier comments about your favorite Egyptian companion, you couldn't resist slapping him on the forehead with a slipperette. But before you could do it again, Kakyoin flicked you on the forehead, leaving both of you rubbing it in pain.

"Now, now. I still haven't forgotten what you did earlier. It was seriously reckless. You even hurt an innocent woman when she got in your way," Kakyoin reprimanded, giving you a suggesting glance that you should apologize to the lady you treated badly. Feeling ashamed, you immediately looked away.

After gathering courage, you coughed awkwardly to get her attention, your eyes now filled with gentleness as you prepared to apologize.

"My family didn't raise a crude child, so forgive me for my poor manners, signora," you began, reaching out to gently take her right hand and kissing her knuckles softly. She returned your gaze shyly, seeming flustered by your actions.

"I was too caught up with my emotions, but I know it's not an excuse for mistreating a beautiful lady," you continued sincerely, placing your hand atop your chest as a gesture of sincerity.

"You can slap me for what I did, I won't mind," you offered, closing your eyes and bracing yourself for the impact. Instead, you felt soft lips on your cheeks, causing your eyes to widen in shock, resembling goldfish gogglers. She laughed at your stunned expression.

"It's okay, I understand. I accept your apology, you charming young fellow," the lady replied, smiling warmly at you.

Polnareff instantly reacted to the scene, shaking your shoulders for an explanation.

"Hey! What the hell was that?" he exclaimed.

"You Casanova pipsqueak, why do you always get the girls on your tail? I'm supposed to be the one bewitching women, since we French are known for being romantic, goddamnit!" he cried out, feeling frustrated. The others laughed at his reaction, while you focused on fixing your wrinkled shirt.

"Good grief"

You watched in discomfort at the swelling mound on Joseph's upper wrist. Polnareff even commented that it's shaping into a face, prompting the old man to swat him off. Feeling concerned, you asked a favor of your butler to escort Joseph to the nearby clinic. At first, he hesitated, wanting to stay by your side to serve you, but you reassured him that you would be fine and Kakyoin would look after you.

As they departed, you walked beside the red teen, noticing that your two other friends were preoccupied. Jotaro lit his seventh cigarette, and the amount of smoke he blew would surely put a chimney to shame. Meanwhile, Polnareff was busy making advances on Nena. You still felt uncomfortable about what she had done during the ride, unconsciously caressing your cheek as you thought about it.

"Hey everyone! We're going to tour around the market; we'll be back later," Polnareff shouted gleefully, with the exhausted woman on his side. They eventually left, leaving just you, Jotaro, and Kakyoin.

"Now what?" Jotaro asked, glancing between the two of you.

Kakyoin clasped his hands together, apparently having an idea for how to spend the day. "I've heard there's a shop here that sells novels, games, and souvenirs. Let's try visiting it."

The few customers looked on in amusement as you struggled to pull the two giants into the kid's section. Determined, you grabbed everything you deemed useful and shoved it into the basket. The dark-haired male, understanding your situation, paid for your items since you only had an Italian sack of cash. Kakyoin was nowhere to be found, likely immersed in the newly released games.

Excitedly, you pointed at the aisle where the books were placed, pulling on the teenager's sleeve in the process.

"Hey, can I have one of those? I promise that Mattias will pay you back!" you said eagerly. He only grunted in response, gesturing for you to do whatever you wanted. You perked up, with sprouts of sunflowers seemingly flowing around you, as you selected your chosen book.

As instructed, you went outside to wait for the older ones to carry the purchased items. Humming to yourself, you quietly observed the town, noticing the numerous civilians and foreigners walking about at this time. However, your attention was drawn away when you saw two familiar people running in between the crowd.

Following their movements with your gaze, you noticed that one of them seemed out of it, his arm having a humanoid figure attached to its skin. Suddenly, a purple light surrounded the vines, and they shot out into the air.

"Tio?"