Expression

Chapter Twenty-seven

Jotaro had looked up at the sound of his grandfather knocking at his door. "Call for you. Elise Jansen."

"Elise?"

"You know, that woman from the recent stand incident."

"Oh, right. I guess." Jotaro wasn't particularly good with names, and he wasn't particularly happy about someone he didn't know at all bothering him on a Friday night. Shrugging apathetically, he walked over and took the phone. "Yes?"

"Jotaro?"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"Do you have some way of getting in touch with Kakyoin?"

"Yes... why?"

"I just feel bad. I helped DIO train him. I'm sure it hurt him a lot, and I'd like to apologize."

"Hm. I can't guarantee it, but I can try."

A pause. "Is it alright if I talk with you about him first? You two seemed close. I don't mean to ask too much of you, but you might be able to help."

I'm not sure if I can. I don't know how to help someone with something like that. I wasn't enough for him. But I can try, I guess. "That's fine. When?"

"Would tomorrow be alright?"

"Sure."

Elise arrived at the Joestar estate Saturday afternoon. Jotaro waited outside, his cigarette a welcome warmth against the crisp fall air.

"How much do you know about Kakyoin?" he asked bluntly. He was sure she'd discovered a lot about him during their time server DIO, but he didn't want to give away any secrets.

"Ah, almost everything." she sighed. "I... saw quite a lot. Shadowplay explores so much of the mind, especially whatever is stressing a person the most. However, I never did this while he was free. I suppose neither of us knows what he was like before this whole DIO affair. Is he all right now? Is he healing, at least?"

"What do you think?" Jotaro was gruff. He knew she hadn't done anything wrong and had just been acting under the control of the fleshbud, that she probably did mean well, but he was cautious. If she hurt Kakyoin again...

"Well, he seemed resilient. Actually, despite how easy it was for DIO to draw him in at first with promises of friendship, it was much more difficult to disrupt his underlying morals. Of course, he did give in eventually. A person can only last so long. But he was very stubborn. So I would hope that at least he's moving forward."

"And you care why...?"

"It's clear that I hurt him a lot. I helped break him down, helped DIO destroy his normal fear responses. Not to make him actually less anxious, mind you. It was essentially psychological torture. He wasn't the only one I worked on, of course; it's just that he presented a particular challenge. If I could've, If I'd been able to stop—" she was unable to continue. She had a rather emotionless exterior, but Jotaro could see that every word brought her closer to uncontrolled emotional expression. That was why she stopped.

He said nothing. She could continue if she wanted to.

"Do you think I'd hurt him?"

Jotaro frowned. This question was too vague. "What are you asking? Hurt him as in you'd try to? Or hurt him as in seeing you again would be harmful for him no matter what?"

"Both. Do you trust me? I won't trouble you much further if you don't, you just seem like you might... know enough to help."

"Help you?"