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Chapter 2

Weeks passed and Tenmei was finally strong enough to get out of bed. Over the time he recovered, Jabari explained about stands and that his own stand 'All Shook Up' (Jabari was a huge Elvis fan) could regenerate living tissue. Though it could only do so much at a time before taking a toll on its user. It had nearly pushed Jabari to his limit just to keep Tenmei alive. As it was, even with the help of his new guardians stand, Tenmei still required the assistance of a cane or crutches some days to walk and the memories of his past remind lost to him.

The young man also learned more about the man caring for him. Jabari was in his late 40's and a widower with no children, having lost his only son many years before. He made quite a good living running an herb shop and using his stand to heal various injuries of local people. He covered the use of his stand by burning incense and chanting strange things. He played the role of witch doctor quite well and was greatly respected in his community. Once Tenmei was well enough, he insisted on helping and Jabari started teaching him his trade.

Six months after Tenmei woke, they discovered his knack for art. It started as small doodles and quickly grew to detailed, almost lifelike sketches. Jabari made sure to keep him stocked with supplies and encourage him to draw and paint, hoping that it may trigger some memories. Jabari fell in love with several pieces and hung them in his shop. This resulted in many of his customers requesting drawings and paintings of their own and Tenmei found himself bringing in his own modest income from those sales.

Eighteen months after waking, Tenmei now spoke the local dialect with ease and had taught his guardian quite a bit of Japanese. They often spoke a strange mixture of their three languages, confusing anyone who attempted to listen.

One morning during breakfast, the older man noticed his young ward simply pushing his food around instead of eating.

"Aljuru, are you well?"

Tenmei looked up, slightly startled from his thoughts, "Oh, my apologies, Jabari. My mind seems to have wandered."

"Where did it go?"

Tenmei frowned, "I've been here over a year. Will I ever remember who I was before?"

Jabari gave him a symptomatic smile, "Only time will tell. I will cry both tears of joy and sorrow if that day comes. I have come to see you as a son and I will be greatly saddened should you one day leave."

Tenmei felt his emotions swell and tears pricked his eyes, "If I ever leave, I hope you would go with me...baba?" he said with a touch of hesitation.

Jabari's smile widened, "Baba...it has been a long time since I was called that. It would be an honor to be that for you."

Tenmei reached across the table and took Jabari's hand, giving it a tight squeeze as he smiled. It saddened him that he couldn't remember his past. But maybe things hadn't turned out so bad.

Three years after Tenmei's waking, they had worked their way through the legal system and he was now 20-year-old Tenmei Zaki, Egyptian citizen. Jabari shed some tears upon seeing Tenmei's choice of family name.

A few months later, Jabari returned home from the shop to find his adopted son seated at their dining table, hunched over his sketch pad. There were dozens of sheets scattered over the table and in the floor. His pack of color pencils were scattered among the papers.

"Tenmei?"

Tenmei's focus remained on his work, his hand moving feverishly over the page.

"Tenmei..." he repeated, still receiving no response, "Aljuru!"

Tenmei started and spun his head, meeting Jabari's eyes, "Oh! Baba! I didn't hear you. My apologies."

Jabari chuckled and shook his head, "What has you so focused? It looks like you have been here since I left this morning."

A faint blush covered Tenmei's cheeks, "I have been. I don't know what came over me. I keep seeing this...thing in my mind. I can't seem to get it out."

Jabari's brow furrowed. He stepped closer and started leafing through the sheets of paper, eyes growing wider as he reviewed each one.

Seeing the change in expression, Tenmei showed him the most detailed, color drawing he'd done, "Do you know what this is?" he asked.

"My boy, I believe you are drawing your stand. I only caught a small glimpse of it that night, but the resemblance is striking."

Tenmei jumped up and hugged the older man, laughing and crying as he did. "I remembered something!"

Jabari gave him a moment to calm down before pulling away, "I do not wish to discourage you, but it may not be that."

Tenmei frowned, "What do you mean?"

"It could be your stand trying to re-emerge. You were obviously an artist before your...incident. Perhaps it is trying to reach you through a medium you are most familiar with?" Jabari explained.

"My stand is trying to communicate with me?"

A smile graced the older man's lips, "I believe so."

"Well...what do I do?" the redhead asked, almost bouncing with excitement.

Jabari laughed, "First, you calm down." He said, giving Tenmei time to calm before continuing. "Close your eyes and look within. Find inside yourself what is the core of your soul. Give it form and call it forth."

Tenmei took a few deep breaths and focused on his heart beat. Once it was steady, he thought about who and what he was. He was Tenmei Zaki, artist, son, amateur herbalist. He had a quick wit with an endless supply of snappy remarks and random useless facts that he didn't know the origin of. He was a man that, to someone, somewhere, was missing or dead. A man that had found a home and family in a place he'd almost been killed.

He felt what he would describe as a presence within him, a quiet voice without words, a long-lost friend, a piece he'd been missing.

"Come out..." he whispered. He heard Jabari gasp and opened his eyes to meet the glowing yellow eyes of his alien like stand.

"Hello, Hierophant Green." He said with a smile. A faint but excited buzzing sound was heard as the stand wrapped itself around its user, fussing with his clothes and ruffling his hair. Tenmei laughed and looked to Jabari with a bright smile.

Jabari smiled back as he asked, "Hierophant Green?"

Tenmei shrugged, "It was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw it."