Eloquence

Kakyoin is an Artist, Refusing to See

After a comfortable day of drawing and relishing the return of electricity (running water is an easily overlooked luxury), Avdol and Magician's Red have a properly sketched opponent at last. Polnareff takes one look at it and the color drains from his face, leaving his freckles speckled like sharp little paint splatters against his stark-pale skin. "Good," he squeaks, "but it brings back bad memories." Kakyoin is about to apologize when Polnareff touches Avdol's paper cheek and smiles gently. "You've got some real talent, you know that? It's starting to shine with all the work you're putting in." Kakyoin blushes to the roots of his hair, ducking his head to hide how pleased he feels. For a moment, he envies Jotaro's stoicism.

Kakyoin flops back onto his futon, sighing contentedly at the memory. There's really no feeling to beat the satisfaction of a well-developed sketch. Unless it's the sweeping elegance of the first few lines of ink, or the heady rush that comes with opening a new box of pencils, all smelling of cedar and possibility. Or maybe it's looking down at his stained hands and then back up at a finished work. Or maybe, maybe, Kakyoin just loves making art.

Yeah. That's probably it.

Kakyoin very briefly considers turning out the light before he falls asleep. He decides against it. He's faced his fears enough over the last few days, and, well, if the electrical bill suffers, then Kakyoin can excuse himself on the grounds of having helped save the world. Kakyoin drifts off to sleep basked in light and comfort.

Kakyoin wakes up to the unmistakable sound of Miss Holly screaming.

He's dashing to her room without consideration for silly details like privacy or turning on the lights. Hierophant skims ahead of him, reporting every threat it detects. Kakyoin feels his Stand's bloodlust churning through his own veins, ready to kill whatever it is that threatens Miss Holly.

Kakyoin bursts through the door and is about to strike the flurry of glowing vines surrounding Miss Holly's body when Hierophant, vicious, insatiable, uncontrollable Hierophant Green, balks. And if Hierophant won't attack it, then Kakyoin is going to keep at a very cautious distance. He can't help anyone if he dies, after all.

Jotaro barrels into Kakyoin from behind, followed by Polnareff and Mr. Joestar. Kakyoin is knocked into range of the vines, which tangle around him with little whispery sounds. Kakyoin freezes. The vines - not vines, exactly, but perhaps very flexible bush branches - aren't doing any harm, just holding him and still making the whispering sounds. 

Avdol crashes into the room. The handles of his wheelchair are melting under Magician's Red's grip. "Miss Holly?" The gravel in his voice emphasizes the fear it carries. "Miss Holly, can you hear me?"

Miss Holly opens her eyes slowly. She doesn't seem to notice the branches. "Yes, Avdol. Is something the matter?"

"It's your Stand, ma'am. It seems to be taking its form."

Kakyoin breathes, in and out and in and out at a careful pace. This is only Miss Holly's spirit. It won't hurt him. He tries to pull an arm free of the snarl of branches. The Stand tightens its grip for a moment, painless but unrelenting. Hierophant Green still refuses to help, cowering in the back of Kakyoin's mind. That's... unnerving, but at least Kakyoin doesn't have to choke down any violent impulse towards Miss Holly's Stand.

"Let Kakyoin go, silly woman." Jotaro throws unease from the stiff angle of his hips to his feet. "Don't scare us like that. Waking up the whole house thinking you were under attack."

"Kakyoin?" Miss Holly turns to follow Jojo's gaze, and startles when she sees Kakyoin.

"Yes, Miss Holly. You seem to have me rather tied up at the moment."

"Oh! I'm sorry, dear. I don't quite know how to control this thing yet. I didn't think it did anything but sit there being pretty."

Star Platinum reaches for the bush, but recoils. "Stop being silly," Jojo snaps, and grabs the branches with his own hands.

The effect is immediate and bizarre. Roses bloom on the branches, bloom on Jojo's hands, sprout from Kakyoin's chest through his shirt. Kakyoin is overwhelmed by the undeniable, beautiful sensation of-

no

Kakyoin is overwhelmed by a powerful but unidentifiable emotion. That is all.

That is all, of course. A rush of emotion induced by the awakening of Miss Holly's Stand. The timing, the connection with Jojo, those are coincidence, of course.

Hierophant winds around the branches to set Kakyoin free. As soon as he escapes their embrace, he flees, ignoring the fading cries of "Kakyoin!" from various voices - Avdol's rough, broken, Polnareff's high and concerned, Miss Holly's a feminine mimicry of Polnareff's, and Mr. Joestar sounding like a reprimand.

And Jotaro, with a voice that sounds like s-

like Jotaro, and that is all.