The Ludicrous Escapade Pt.3

At Your Leisure

"So... I guess we just have to wait, then?" There wasn't much you could do to fight Valentine while he was hopping around in other universes. The only one who could reverse the effects of the infinite rotation would probably be Johnny.

The Joestar shrugged. "Pretty much." He glanced back toward where Valkyrie was standing, where the Zeppeli was currently resting. "And Gyro really is alive, right? Cause for a second, I really thought he might've..." He wiped away at his eyes. They were getting a little damp just thinking about the man dying.

You gave him a small smile. "Yup. He's really alive. He's just out cold right now. I didn't want Valentine to keep trying kill him so I was trying to make it seem like he was dead. Sorry for worrying you."

"You don't need to apologize. You're the reason he's even still alive to begin with, right?" Johnny rested his head on your shoulder. "I'm just... really glad we'll all be able to make it through this. Before this whole race started, I never would've thought that this is the path my life would go." His smile faltered. "But after we kill Valentine, are you going to... go?"

"No. I'm not just going to bolt out of here the second he dies. If I really hated it here, then maybe I would've, but..." You wrapped your hand around Johnny's remaining one. "I'll definitely see the race through to the end. And I think I'll stay after that for at least a little bit. There are still some things that I'd like to see properly sorted out. Plus, it might take some time for Valentine to be properly... convinced... to use his ability in the way I want him to."

Johnny squeezed your hand back. "Okay. Good." He quickly began to clarify. "N-Not that I don't want you to return to your universe. I'm just... not ready to say goodbye just yet." He let out an awkward laugh. "And my offer still stands. You're welcome to stay with me for as long as you'd like."

You let out a light laugh of your own, remembering that he had actually asked you to move in together at some point. "But didn't you say you don't really have a place of your own right now? That we'd get one with the prize money?" You stared off into the distance. "Do you think we're still even in the running for any of the prizes?" This fight was taking some time, after all.

"You're right... My dad and I aren't exactly on good terms so I was basically kicked out." His shoulders began to slump. "He never even checked on me after I got shot in the back. Which I guess isn't all that surprising. He always wished I had died instead of my brother..."

"Oh... Your dad sounds like a real asshole."

"Yeah." Johnny started chewing on some of the chamomile you had passed to him earlier, trying to speed up the growth of his nails. Just in case. "But I do think we still have a shot in the race. The question then is where we should get a house. Where do you live in your universe? Is it actually Japan?"

You nodded. "Yup. A little town called Morioh. We could check it out in this universe, if you want. Just to see what it's like. Maybe I'll be able to take you over to my universe sometime, too. Your and Gyro's counterparts are both dead in my universe, so you won't have to worry about being annihilated."

"Sure. Let's do that." Johnny would take whatever time with you he could get. "And don't forget that you said you'd teach me Hamon."

"Oh, yeah..." You scratched the side of your face. "That might be a little difficult. I know how the technique works and all but I couldn't do it myself after I became immortal. Instead I got the ability to control my blood."

You tried to recall some memories from over a century ago. "I think I know the right way to get someone to help activate it." It involved jabbing them in the torso with a finger, but the exact location was less memorable. "Although, maybe Bruno could teach you." You weren't sure if Joseph would be well enough to help out anymore.