Living on a Promise

January 2002

"Good night, Kakyoin."

After more than 10 years of waiting, Polnareff declares to himself that he will quit looking for any signs of Kakyoin or his promised "message". Didn't he learn from Judgment at all? Those who have been deceased won't just appear one day and greet the survivor, "Good morning" as the sun shines.

Maybe the bastard lost his way in the afterlife or there was no such thing at all.

However, his third wish might be granted again... or not. Polnareff has been collecting all possible signs that the person he'll be meeting this afternoon is the person he's been waiting for all this time. He has been looking at the emerald green business card since the first time he saw it, as if repeated perusal of the card will actually summon the person behind it. At the back of the business card is a Japanese version of all the information provided but he didn't know how Kakyoin wrote his name in his first language. He has memorized the fax messages sent to him by this account manager bearing Kakyoin's name.

The fax messages are written in a business, no-nonsense, formal way. "Thank you for confirming the receipt..." "Herewith are the necessary documents for your perusal." "Thank you for acknowledging..." Were these the things that Kakyoin promised to tell him? What kind of place is this "afterlife", anyway?

Polnareff retracted his budding anticipation, restating to himself that nothing can be done to get his loved ones back. Until now, it pains him that some enemy Stand created a replica of his beloved sister and his dear friend, playing on his guilt and longing. Is this some kind of a Stand trick meant to hunt him down?

Life or fate or whatever sure loves playing tricks on lonely people.

For the first time after the journey, Polnareff felt threatened again. He'd rather not get involved with everything that would make him feel how helpless he truly is, despite the strength that his friends back then and now, Rigatoni admires about him.

In a few hours, he'll be meeting with "Noriaki Kakyoin". Polnareff has to decide how to see this person he's going to meet. As a long-lost friend? Then he should ask some casual questions about how Kakyoin is doing now. As a fellow corporate slave? Then he should ask for help on how to establish Polnareffland in some economically powerful Asian country. As a ghost? Then he should ask Kakyoin to deliver his promise.

What does Kakyoin want to tell him? What kind of message should Polnareff hear?

What if this "Noriaki Kakyoin" is not the one he's been waiting for?

As a CEO, he has learned to manage expectations from clients, partners, and employees but this meeting seems to be an exception.

Polnareff has been walking around his office, unable to calm down and sit on his trusty executive chair. He has seen it clearly with his two eyes, sturdy emeralds turning into ashes as Kakyoin was thrown off on that water tank back in Cairo. He screamed at Kakyoin to stop, reminding him that even fools know their limitations too... to no avail. The Speedwagon Foundation even confirmed it: "Noriaki Kakyoin has died."

Polnareff has no choice but to confirm it once and for all.

But first, he really has to sit and calm himself down. He rationalizes his feelings as he tries to flip over documents, business cards, magazines or whatever he could get his hands on. God knows how many times he has been shuffling his collection of business cards as he's debating with himself about today's visitor. Maybe this person only has the same name, who happens to be working for a company with an emerald green motif? Japan may be a small country but there might be a lot of people bearing the same name, right? But this is too much of a coincidence so maybe this person really is the smug Kakyoin he's been waiting for? But that's not possible. He has already bid Kakyoin "Good night" because even if there's life after death, he will never come back in any form. So many "buts" or "what ifs" whirling Polnareff's head and any more of these could make him pass out but he can't. Not today.