Living on a Promise

1989

"The journey was fun because all of you were there."

But not all survived.

With this statement, Polnareff parted ways with Jotaro and Mr. Joestar, signaling the end of their journey. As he turns his back on them, he has decided to cut all ties with everything related to Stands or whatever power there may be. After all, gaining this power didn't spare him the incapacity to protect his loved ones, so much so that he'd rather be just a normal, powerless human being.

On his flight back home, all the tears he held back were shed silently as emotions piled up and overwhelmed him. His own parting statement plays over and over, as well as different fun, wholesome, or depressing moments from that 50-day journey. Initially, he didn't mind dying so long as he avenged Sherry until the Joestar party made him regain his trust in people, himself, and in life.

Polnareff thought the tears would stop as soon as he arrived in his childhood home. Longing and loneliness crept up to him, overwhelming emotions turning him into a screaming mess. Sherry was avenged but she'll never come home anymore. Only deafening silence and thick darkness has been waiting for him in this house.

He managed to do what he was supposed to do but it seems it was not enough. The very same friends who helped him in his initial mission were now gone. Avdol, who sacrificed himself numerous times for his sake. Iggy, who used his last breath to spare him from that merciless, empty void. Kakyoin, who made him realize how everyone cares for him, the one who helped him change his mindset in their journey.

Polnareff reminisces how he and Kakyoin work well together and how much they bicker like a trashy rom-com pair. He smiles, thinking about Kakyoin's ridiculous hairstyle, bizarre habits, and how much the young high-schooler lights up with anything green and foods with cherries in it. If only he were able to tell him how much he misses him now. How much he wanted to bicker with him, how much he wanted to fight alongside him, how much he.... wanted to join him on the other side...

If only he didn't have a Stand, none of these would have happened and he won't be feeling this way.

He feels empty, trying to picture a life without using Chariot yet he had to. So that no one close to him will get hurt or die ever again.