MAGO - Stardust Crusaders X OC

Chapter Twenty-Three: Wednesday, December 28

"Alright, everyone! Time to wake up!" Noriaki yelled, banging something against something else and making such a loud noise that it made Sana's head hurt as she slowly, regretfully, departed from sleep. She blinked hard to get rid of the tiredness from her eyes. It was dawn, and the sun was slowly creeping over the horizon, scattering lovely hues of gold everywhere. But despite its beauty, Sana couldn't quite appreciate it. She was so exhausted, and had this awful feeling, like she'd just had a terrible dream...

"Come on, Polnareff. Up and at 'em. There's a nice breakfast waiting for you!" Noriaki approached, with an amicable smile on his face. Polnareff made some mutterings of complaint. Sana could smell the breakfast - pancakes and sausages and other things, a full breakfast. How long had Noriaki been up to cook it all? Sana couldn't help but wonder. And how come he'd been up so early..? Wasn't there something she was missing..?

Sana gathered with the others as they washed their faces in ice-cold water. It was a bracing coolness, and slowly, Sana could feel herself getting more and more lucid, with each passing second.

"Ugh. I feel like I had a terrible dream last night," Polnareff complained, splashing his face with water.

"You and me both," Mr Joestar said. "I can't remember it, but I have a sneaking suspicion it was terrifying."

"Yeah, me too, but-" Sana paused, and frowned, and tried to think back. Last night. What had happened last night? She dug through the haze of her consciousness, and-

Last night, Noriaki had been deranged, and they'd all been sure of it. So why was he acting fine now? And how had they all forgotten it? Or was that just Sana's nightmare, after all that..?

"Wait, yesterday night-" Sana started, and Polnareff's eyes widened, and he gasped.

"Kakyoin! Are you okay?" Polnareff bolted over to Noriaki, and Sana followed. Noriaki was stirring something in a saucepan over the fire. He looked okay, Sana could tell that he was alright, but that look in his eyes the night before- it was so real, there was no way that it was only a dream, right..?

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Noriaki looked up at them quizzically.

"Last night, you seemed convinced that the baby-" Sana started, but Noriaki shook his head.

"No. Nothing happened last night."

"What? You're positive?" Polnareff asked. "'Cause you were acting like a deranged lunatic last night- leaving carved letters in your- arm-" Polnareff tailed off, eyes landing on Noriaki's forearm, which was bared, because his sleeves were rolled up. And they were pristine, both of them. Not a trace of blood, scarring, even scratches. It was all fine, completely unmarred by any kind of wound. It was like nothing had ever happened.

"But-" Sana started. "I could've sworn that..."

"You're all tired," Noriaki said. "Please, enjoy your breakfast. We can discuss this more later, but I'd have to guess it's just due to exhaustion."

"Wait, what..?" Polnareff said. "Where'd the wound go?"

"I'm going to change the baby's diaper now," Noriaki said, taking the saucepan off the fire. "We can talk after you've eaten."

"What in the world..?" Polnareff muttered. Noriaki went over to the sleeping baby, placed the saucepan down.

"It's morning, sleepyhead!" Noriaki gently picked the baby up and smiled at him, like he was used to this, and good at it. "Well then. Did you have a good rest?"

"Oh- well- never mind!" Polnareff said, turning away, and towards the food. Sana wasn't quite satisfied. She caught his eye, and mouthed the words 'Baby Stand', and Polnareff's eyes widened and he nodded vigorously.