-

"We're almost to the Indo-Pakistani border," Kakyoin pointed out. "We'll leave India soon."

"Thank god," you respond. "I'll be able to move again."

You'd been stuck in between them for who knows how long. It would have been fine, other than the fact that the car had no air conditioning and you were in the middle east.

"I did have mixed feelings about the country when we first arrived," Mr. Joestar spoke. "But now, I miss the hustle and bustle of Calcutta, and the rushing waters of the Ganges."

Jotaro hummed.

"I'll be coming back again to give Avdol the burial he deserves." Polnareff said solemnly.

The car became silent. The only thing to be heard was the low fifties era swing song going in and out on the radio.

"Mr. Avdol..." Kakyoin looked down.

Though you knew he wasn't dead, it felt weird without him here. He was the reason you were here fighting with everyone in the first place. If Avdol didn't bring you along, you'd still be in Cairo, and who knows what or who you'd be doing. On top of that, you didn't get to say goodbye to him before he was taken away.

But that forced a terrifying thought into your brain, one you'd never liked to think about.

If it wasn't him that came to save you that day, what would have happened to you?

Would you have died?

It made you sick to think about it.

You leaned back into your seat and closed your eyes.

Polnareff was talking about something to do with the road but you tuned it out.

There was an aura around you, but it wasn't wavering for the entire time you were in the car, so this time you had more of a reason to believe that it was just one of you.

You brushed it off and continued to think. That was until you felt a tap on your shoulder.

It was Jotaro.

He looked up at you with a somewhat concerned look on his face.

You gave him an 'okay' hand symbol to reassure him.

For some reason, he had been concerned about you recently, more so than ever before. Strange.

"The road is narrowing..." Polnareff stated. You leaned forward to look out the front window.

You were encroaching on a red car that was going under the speed limit.

Polnareff was getting visibly irritated.

"That's it!" He exclaimed. "I'm passing him!"

Before you could even protest, Polnareff went off road in order to pass the car in front of you.

"That was reckless, Polnareff," Kakyoin scolded.

"Why did the old man give you the keys?" You asked rhetorically.

Polnareff laughed.

"This four-wheel drive is amazing!"

You sighed.

"Did you ever think that that move of yours could have damaged that car?" Mr. Joestar asked.

"Yeah," Polnareff responded. "What's your point?"

"My point is that we can't afford any trouble at the moment."

"We're still wanted in India..." You said. "And I think I speak for all of us that we don't want to be shipped to where we came from in body bags because you're a dumbass."

"Jeez, Akira," Polnareff whined. "You don't have to be so harsh."

You looked back down at him with a stoic look that sent shivers down his spine. You knew you were being tough on him.

Were you mad over the events in Calcutta?

You didn't know. If you were mad, you wouldn't have associated with him at all.

What happened to Avdol isn't his fault. Avdol chose to go find him alone. You can't pin this on him.

'Blame it on the exhaustion.'

While you were lost in thought, Polnareff slammed on the breaks.

You probably would have ended up in the front seat if Jotaro didn't grab you.

He had a firm grasp on your waist, and even though you were fine he didn't let go.

When everything was fine, his grip softened, but he still didn't let go. You tensed under his touch. Why hadn't he let go? More importantly, why were you becoming stiff as a board?

"What the hell, Dumbass?"

"Why'd you stop?" Kakyoin asked.

"I told you, we can't afford any more trouble!"

"I know, look!" He pointed out the window. "Look who it is!"

"Good greif," you murmured.

Anne was outside the car.

Jotaro looked down and sighed. His grip still lingered, but had softened, which gave you the opportunity to relax into it. It was something you felt you could get used to.

"Looks like we meet again! Got room for one more?"

-

She got in and sat on your knee since there was nowhere else for her to sit.

"I mean, come on!" She started. "I'm a girl. Soon, I'll have to start wearing a bra and painting my nails for the boys. I'd look pathetic wandering around at that age. This is the only chance I have to see the world!"

"You don't really have to do any of that if you don't want to, Anne." You say to her. "Live a life with no regrets, just do whatever you w-"

Your sentence got cut short by someone honking the horn behind you.

"It's the car we passed before," Jotaro observed. His arm slightly shifted behind you. "Looks like he's in a hurry..."

"Let him pass, Polnareff," Mr. Joestar said.

Polnareff gave a hand sign and allowed him to pass. As soon as he did, the man immediately slowed down to the same speed he was going when Polnareff passed him earlier.

"What the hell?" Polnareff sighed.

The dust the car kicked up started to come in an open window.

"What's he trying to do? I let you pass, so just go!"

"They're probably mad because of the stunt you pulled earlier," Kakyoin commented.

"Did you see his face?" Jotaro asked.

"No, the windows were too dust covered to see," Polnareff responded.

"So, you couldn't either, huh?"

That aura you felt earlier grew more menacing when the car showed up again. That's when it clicked.

"What if it's a stand user?" You asked.

"It couldn't be..." Jotaro said.

"Just be careful, Polnareff," Mr. Joestar warned.

After he said that, the driver in front of you had rolled down the window. You looked over Anne through the windshield to see that he stuck his arm out the window. He was signaling your car to pass.

"Looks like he remembered how shitty his car is," Polnareff scoffed. "Should have stayed behind me in the first place, dumbass!"

"You're not one who should be calling someone else a dumbass..." You leaned back, forgetting that Jotaro's arm was behind you. You froze when your lower back hit his arm.

The apology you were forming was cut short by a loud honking sound made by a truck that was heading straight for the car.

"Holy shit!" Polnareff yelled.

You grabbed Anne and braced for impact.

That impact never came, but you were still flying through the air.

You sensed the presence of a stand, and looked to see Star Platinum out. You also saw the truck on the other side of the road with its front smashed in.

You remained calm as the car hit the ground.

"That was close!" Polnareff exclaimed.

"No shit, sherlock," you leaned back. Jotaro's arm was still around your waist.

After all that, he still didn't let you go.

The rest of them were talking about Star Platinum and the truck, while you were too lost in your own head to pay attention.

"Where the hell did that car go?" Mr. Joestar asked.

"Looks like they took off," Jotaro stated.

"Coward," you whispered. "That driver is definitely a stand user," you said louder. "No normal person would do that, regardless of the road rage they're feeling. They tried to kill us."

"But why didn't they just attack when they had the chance?" Kakyoin asked.

"Their stand may not be that strong. That, or they're trying to fuck with us." You responded.

Anne looked extremely confused to say the least.

"Regardless, we have to keep heading for the border," Mr. Joestar said sternly. "If another enemy attacks, we fight."

-
To be continued...>