JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Thin Air

Chapter Thirteen: Wrap Your Troubles

"These weird looking shiny black rocks," Josuke said, inspecting hundreds of tiny items that littered the roadway for dozens of feet in either direction. "They seem to have blown out the car's tires. These sure aren't pop rocks. Well, no biggie. I can get them fixed by just..."

He sent Crazy Diamond zipping around the perimeter of the car, repairing the tires in a matter of seconds.

"Alrighty then," he said. "We're good to go. Everyone back in the car."

The three youths piled back inside with Josuke. He then restarted the vehicle and drove it down a few meters, only to be impeded by the rocks once again. All four tires found themselves popped again like before. Josuke hopped out of the car a second time, but now, he picked one of the rocks up.

"Damn... I don't think I've ever seen rocks like these before. They feel... smooth. Very smooth. And they're a really black color... very unusual,"

He turned back around to show the teens his discovery.

"What do you think, guys?" he asked.

"What do I think?" Monica said. "It's just a harmless little rock." she said, indifferent to it.

"Just drive around them," Clapton added. "That shouldn't be difficult."

"No," Shizuka said. "They're on the shoulder of the road too. I don't think it can be done."

"I've got an idea," Josuke said. He brought out Crazy Diamond again and brought it close to the back of the car.

"Maybe, I can just..."

Crazy Diamond lifted the vehicle up above its head with ease.

"Hah! Easy as pie. My Stand isn't as strong as it used to be, but it sure hasn't retired. Although..." he said, as it was becoming noticeable that it caused Crazy Diamond's steps to become somewhat labored and heavier. "It does take a bit more effort."

Just then, the engine of a vehicle in the vicinity could be heard heading in their direction from behind them. Crazy Diamond quickly lowered the car back down, so as to prevent the awkward situation of a non-Stand user seeing a 'floating' car, and also cover up his own identity as a Stand user from other, hostile ones. He waved his arms to flag it down. As it got closer, it was able to be made out as a 1986 Jeep Comanche, a beige pickup truck. It gradually slowed down, and stopped about 10 feet away from Team Joestar.

Out stepped an average built young man whose height was in between that of Monica's and Josuke's. His platinum blonde hair was kinky, made into dreads that reached his shoulders. He wore a khaki jacket, opened at the top to expose some of his bare chest; and black leather pants. He wore a pair of Blundstone boots to finish his outfit. He approached the group with an air of confidence, as if he was trying to tell them he knew a lot about a lot.

"Ah, jeez, another casualty up on this road, eh? Unfortunately, it's a lot more common than you think."

"It is?" Josuke asked.

"Oh, yeah. It is. This is West Virginia. Mining country. You got trucks coming from everywhere going down this road. This stuff on the ground you see... it's coal. Lots of careless drivers don't secure their loads properly, which results in a lot of it littering the ground."

"I guess something does go on around in this shithole." Monica said to herself.

"I've never seen coal that's this shiny and dark before." Clapton remarked.

"Well, you see... it's been processed. Most of their toxic properties were removed, and they come out looking like that. Oh, and... you don't seem like you're from here. Where are y'all from?" the guy from the pickup asked.