The Stars That Guide Us: A New Adventure - A TSTGU Novella

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ５】

It was evening of the next day, and we made our way back to the carnival to meet up with Jairo.

   The carnival was just starting to empty when we arrived, and finding Jairo was no hard task. We made our way to the other side of the carnival where we had first met Jairo and there he was, packing up the last of his things into a carriage that was being pulled by two white shire horses. As we approached him, he turned to face us and smiled warmly.

   “Good evening, you two. I’m just finishing up here and we’ll be on our way,” he said to us as he turned back to his packing.

   “Would you like any help at all?” I offered.

   “No need, I’m almost finished here. If you’d like, you can give a carrot to Star and Hierophant over there.” He nodded towards the two horses and I froze on the spot at the mention of those names.

   “Did you just say… Star and Hierophant?”

   “Yes, that’s their names. I named them after the major arcana from the cards of tarot,” he explained, and added, “are you familiar with tarot?”

   I nodded slowly. “Yes. I’m very familiar with them.” I walked towards Jairo and retrieved two carrots from him for the horses. “A friend of ours is a fortune-teller who uses tarot cards for some of his readings. Plus, Polnareff’s Stand represents the Chariot card.”

   “Ah, I see,” Jairo hummed in response.

   Without another word, I turned to face the horses and fed them a carrot each whilst Jairo finished packing the last of his things. When the horses had finished their carrots, I gave them both a scratch behind the ear and returned to Jairo and Polnareff.

   “Okay, one of you can sit inside the carriage and the other can sit up top with me,” Jairo said.

   “I don’t mind sitting with you,” I offered and glanced over at Polnareff, adding, “unless you wanted to?”

   “No, you go on ahead.” The Frenchman smiled softly at me.

   “Well, now that’s decided, let’s hit the road. It’ll take us at least a day or two to get to Belgium depending on what the journe is like, so we’ll travel for a couple of hours before nightfall, and rest for the night before setting off again at sunrise. Does that sound okay for you two?”

   “Whatever’s good with you, we’re fine with, right, Y/N?”

   I nodded in response. “Yeah.”

   “Okay, then. Let’s go,” Jairo said as he climbed up to the top of the carriage and I followed him whilst Polnareff climbed inside the carriage. Jairo took the reins and got the horses to start moving with a gentle pull on the reins and led them away from the carnival grounds.

   “If you don’t mind me asking, Miss. Y/N, but what is it you need to seek Rita out for?” Jairo asked whilst keeping his gaze facing forward.

   “We believe she may be able to help us locate something, or have some information on how to find it.”

   “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for, or will you find out once you know more about what it is you’re meant to be looking for?” He glanced over at me with a raised brow.

   I turned my head to look at him before letting out a soft sigh and turning my head back round to look at the horizon ahead. “It’s kinda complicated, but we’re looking for a particular arrow that give Stands to non-Stand users.”

   “An arrow that gives Stands? I can’t say I’ve ever heard of such a thing. As far as I’m aware, some people are born with Stand abilities.”