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Feb. 9th, 2017 01:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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logIn theory, it was a simple mission with a somewhat complicated operation. They were to enter the heart of a nearby ARCANA hive and extract an image from the core in order for humanity to ascertain its true enemy. Because the extraction of an image required considerable “spiritual energy,” as coined by the Speedwagon Foundation in charge of the project, Kakyoin was chosen for the task; however, shortly after making contact with the ominous core, he went silent.
The armored unit that Kakyoin was piloting suddenly jerked, its joints twisting with every irrational input. Not a second later, his frantic screams boomed through the intercom.
Afterward, echoing his words during the hive operation, Jotaro asked, “What’s wrong with him?”
“It seems he lapsed,” said Avdol, his brow creasing into a grim expression. “I had suspected that it was more than mere fatigue, but to think he’d been concealing this much . . . You weren’t notified, Jotaro, but the previous members of our squad were killed in action. Kakyoin was their final witness. Their deaths must have had a profound impact on him.”
“A ‘profound impact’ doesn’t cause someone to have a meltdown in the middle of a mission.”
“No. You are right, Jotaro. The event left him traumatized. Whatever he read from the core must have triggered the memories he was struggling to repress.” Shaking his head, Avdol sighed. “Protocol aside, you did what was right. I am sorry that I have to leave you here.”
Jotaro shrugged. “It’s just solitary confinement. I’d disobeyed your order to stay in formation.”
“Yes, but you had done so to rescue a comrade. Though it pains me to say it, if you hadn’t broken rank, I fear Kakyoin would have been torn to shreds by the surrounding ARCANA.”
“Then you didn’t have to say it. I’m still in here for insubordination.”
Closing his eyes, Avdol gave a thoughtful hum from his throat. “Regardless, you have my thanks.”
“Can I ask a question?” asked Jotaro, canting his head toward Avdol as he continued to lean against the wall.
“What is it?”
“You’re not letting Kakyoin read the next core we find.” At Avdol's affirmation that they were not, he continued, “Did he mention what he read?”
Crossing his arms, Avdol pursed his lips in thought. “Unfortunately, he has not been too coherent around the medical staff. There appears to be a recurring subject in his word salad, though, and that is: God.”
“God?”
“Yes. I do not know Kakyoin to be a very religious person. Thus, it must be related to the core.”
“I see. Anything else?”
“For the time being, that was all we could piece together. Whatever the core did to him, it was significant. Once we learn more, I’ll be sure to update you," Avdol unfolded his arms, "assuming that we are able before it's time for you to leave confinement.”
With his gaze trained on the wall across him, Jotaro gave a curt nod. “All right. Thanks, Sergeant.”
At the medical bay, Jotaro glowered as Joseph’s fussing steadily escalated over the course of the conversation to a shout. Beside them in the adult bed, Kakyoin kept his head low, avoiding eye contact. On the other side, Polnareff sat hunched on a stool with his hands intertwined and elbows resting on his knees.
“You’re noisy, old man. If you’re going to blather, do it outside,” said Jotaro.
Avdol placed a hand on Joseph’s shoulder. “It has been a long week, Sgt. Joestar. Let us retire for a drink at the mess hall.” He turned to Polnareff. “You may join us, Polnareff.”
Polnareff rubbed the back of his neck. “You sure, Sergeant?”
“Jotaro can stay with Kakyoin, if he does not mind,” said Avdol.
“I don’t,” replied Jotaro.
Once the rest of the squad quit the room - Polnareff looking over his shoulder with a solemn glance before the door closed behind him - Jotaro shifted to rest his weight on the nearby counter. Silence fell in the ward for a tense moment when Jotaro caught Kakyoin’s shifty gaze, prompting the latter to look away and hide his face under a hand, his other hand clenching the sheet gathered at his waist in a loose grip.
“I . . . I saw humanity’s loss,” he said after some time, withdrawing his hand from his face by a mere inch. When Jotaro said nothing, he added, “It was terrifying at first, but after a while it felt . . . right. The winner writes the history; as the loser, the one in the wrong was humanity - no, they weren't even humans. Not all of them. That’s how it felt.”
After another beat, Jotaro said, “You’re not making much sense.”
“Do you think so? Yes . . . yes, that’s right. It doesn’t make much sense, does it?” Kakyoin’s shoulders sagged, the tension that had been holding them taut dissipating. He offered a tight-lipped but earnest smile. “Thank you for saving me, Jotaro.”
“We’re a squad,” said Jotaro in a matter-of-fact tone. “Anyway, Avdol said you were talking about a god.”
Kakyoin scowled. “A god? . . . Oh, I see.”
“Is it related to what you read from the core?”
“DIO.” Blinking, Jotaro echoed the word. “It means 'god' in Italian, though Italy as a nation was erased more than ten years ago. That’s the identity of the fragment. The core I read was just one of many.”
“Do we have a chance? Be honest, Kakyoin. Do you think there’s a chance that humanity will win this war?”
Sweat gathered around Kakyoin’s brow. He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t know, but . . . I want to believe that there is.”
“'Never back down from a challenge' . . . Good grief,” mumbled Jotaro. He raised his hand to his forehead, thumb and index finger reaching for the civilian hat that no longer sat on his head. His hand dropped back down to slide into his jacket pocket. “The ARCANA are getting stronger while humanity is getting weaker. Our last operation alone suffered over 10,000 casualties. What's been keeping us alive up to this point hasn't been just luck or careful planning - it's hope, and don't you forget it.”
The armored unit that Kakyoin was piloting suddenly jerked, its joints twisting with every irrational input. Not a second later, his frantic screams boomed through the intercom.
Afterward, echoing his words during the hive operation, Jotaro asked, “What’s wrong with him?”
“It seems he lapsed,” said Avdol, his brow creasing into a grim expression. “I had suspected that it was more than mere fatigue, but to think he’d been concealing this much . . . You weren’t notified, Jotaro, but the previous members of our squad were killed in action. Kakyoin was their final witness. Their deaths must have had a profound impact on him.”
“A ‘profound impact’ doesn’t cause someone to have a meltdown in the middle of a mission.”
“No. You are right, Jotaro. The event left him traumatized. Whatever he read from the core must have triggered the memories he was struggling to repress.” Shaking his head, Avdol sighed. “Protocol aside, you did what was right. I am sorry that I have to leave you here.”
Jotaro shrugged. “It’s just solitary confinement. I’d disobeyed your order to stay in formation.”
“Yes, but you had done so to rescue a comrade. Though it pains me to say it, if you hadn’t broken rank, I fear Kakyoin would have been torn to shreds by the surrounding ARCANA.”
“Then you didn’t have to say it. I’m still in here for insubordination.”
Closing his eyes, Avdol gave a thoughtful hum from his throat. “Regardless, you have my thanks.”
“Can I ask a question?” asked Jotaro, canting his head toward Avdol as he continued to lean against the wall.
“What is it?”
“You’re not letting Kakyoin read the next core we find.” At Avdol's affirmation that they were not, he continued, “Did he mention what he read?”
Crossing his arms, Avdol pursed his lips in thought. “Unfortunately, he has not been too coherent around the medical staff. There appears to be a recurring subject in his word salad, though, and that is: God.”
“God?”
“Yes. I do not know Kakyoin to be a very religious person. Thus, it must be related to the core.”
“I see. Anything else?”
“For the time being, that was all we could piece together. Whatever the core did to him, it was significant. Once we learn more, I’ll be sure to update you," Avdol unfolded his arms, "assuming that we are able before it's time for you to leave confinement.”
With his gaze trained on the wall across him, Jotaro gave a curt nod. “All right. Thanks, Sergeant.”
At the medical bay, Jotaro glowered as Joseph’s fussing steadily escalated over the course of the conversation to a shout. Beside them in the adult bed, Kakyoin kept his head low, avoiding eye contact. On the other side, Polnareff sat hunched on a stool with his hands intertwined and elbows resting on his knees.
“You’re noisy, old man. If you’re going to blather, do it outside,” said Jotaro.
Avdol placed a hand on Joseph’s shoulder. “It has been a long week, Sgt. Joestar. Let us retire for a drink at the mess hall.” He turned to Polnareff. “You may join us, Polnareff.”
Polnareff rubbed the back of his neck. “You sure, Sergeant?”
“Jotaro can stay with Kakyoin, if he does not mind,” said Avdol.
“I don’t,” replied Jotaro.
Once the rest of the squad quit the room - Polnareff looking over his shoulder with a solemn glance before the door closed behind him - Jotaro shifted to rest his weight on the nearby counter. Silence fell in the ward for a tense moment when Jotaro caught Kakyoin’s shifty gaze, prompting the latter to look away and hide his face under a hand, his other hand clenching the sheet gathered at his waist in a loose grip.
“I . . . I saw humanity’s loss,” he said after some time, withdrawing his hand from his face by a mere inch. When Jotaro said nothing, he added, “It was terrifying at first, but after a while it felt . . . right. The winner writes the history; as the loser, the one in the wrong was humanity - no, they weren't even humans. Not all of them. That’s how it felt.”
After another beat, Jotaro said, “You’re not making much sense.”
“Do you think so? Yes . . . yes, that’s right. It doesn’t make much sense, does it?” Kakyoin’s shoulders sagged, the tension that had been holding them taut dissipating. He offered a tight-lipped but earnest smile. “Thank you for saving me, Jotaro.”
“We’re a squad,” said Jotaro in a matter-of-fact tone. “Anyway, Avdol said you were talking about a god.”
Kakyoin scowled. “A god? . . . Oh, I see.”
“Is it related to what you read from the core?”
“DIO.” Blinking, Jotaro echoed the word. “It means 'god' in Italian, though Italy as a nation was erased more than ten years ago. That’s the identity of the fragment. The core I read was just one of many.”
“Do we have a chance? Be honest, Kakyoin. Do you think there’s a chance that humanity will win this war?”
Sweat gathered around Kakyoin’s brow. He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t know, but . . . I want to believe that there is.”
“'Never back down from a challenge' . . . Good grief,” mumbled Jotaro. He raised his hand to his forehead, thumb and index finger reaching for the civilian hat that no longer sat on his head. His hand dropped back down to slide into his jacket pocket. “The ARCANA are getting stronger while humanity is getting weaker. Our last operation alone suffered over 10,000 casualties. What's been keeping us alive up to this point hasn't been just luck or careful planning - it's hope, and don't you forget it.”