[ it's ... definitely a little strange, talking to a stand user who seems entirely unrelated to the entire affair with dio. presumably, if this was some sort of convoluted stand attack, and this man was one of the many stand users sent to kill the joestars, it would have already become evident. but it doesn't seem to be the case. there are too many questions he could dwell on if he thinks about it too hard, so he tries not to focus on them for now. ]
'A lot?' That's hard to say. Any number is a 'lot' compared to someone who's never seen Stands, but it may be fewer than another person who's dealt with Stands all their life.
[ a low grunt as one of the final injuries sting, and kakyoin exhales slowly as giorno finishes up. he can still feel the stretch of fresh skin, but it already feels much easier to move. ]
I suppose I know enough. A few I actually know in person, and ... a number of others I only know about.
[ he looks down at his injuries, marveling at the lack of scars for a moment before moving to button up his shirt. ]
Thank you, by the way. I'm certainly impressed. I'll have to make it up to you sometime.
[ Now there was a true statement if there was to be made. It was true that compared to what he already knew—any amount that exceeded that would be "a lot" to him. However, Giorno can also remember every single Stand user he has encountered thus far. ]
I have met about 15 Stand users in my life—many of them after my life or the lives of my friends. [ The reason why he adds in the extra tidbit is a little unclear even for him, but Giorno feels like it's necessary. Perhaps it was the same for Kakyoin? Meeting many Stand users but only a small core of them were ones who weren't after his life. ]
If you wish to repay me, then I'd like to know more about what you know about other Stands even if it isn't much.
[ He's basically manning up to his ignorance once again but the more Giorno knew about Stands the more help it could be to others. It was always a reactionary battle against Stand users to wait out and see what they were before being able to formulate an attack. What if he could take the initiative? ]
[ his fingers pause briefly from where he's been buttoning up his shirt. another person, with companions, who was being targeted by multiple other stand users. how familiar. it's enough to make him feel something heavy at the back of his throat, and kakyoin swallows back worried thoughts of his own friends; they're strong, and fretting about them won't accomplish anything, so he'll just have to take care of himself until he can find them. ]
... very well. I feel I might be getting the better end of the deal, but if it's what you want, I'll oblige.
[ he finishes redressing himself before silently counting off on his fingers, eyes closed in thought. and once he's organized his thoughts, he opens them. ]
I had four companions, all of them Stand users. Other than them, I know of sixteen Stand users, all of them antagonistic. I know of all their Stand abilities, except for one. Some of them, I fought in person; others, I've heard about from my friends.
[ He'd argue that information was invaluable compared to the healing he gave. However...Was he supposed to not notice these parallels?
Judging from the way that Kakyoin facial expression changed, it was very likely that he noticed these when he was the first one to speak up. Though the question was how much overlap was there between them? Giorno has quite the number of questions he wants to ask but he decides to be careful and only chooses the ones he knows would be best give a clearer image. ]
The Stand users that you know—where did you meet them, and I'd like to know more about your companions' origins too, if I may. In exchange, my friends and I were in Italy, however I did meet a Stand user who was from Japan.
[ "Meet" might be a very generous way of explaining it given the only reason why they met was because Giorno figured he could make easy money off of him. (Which he did) But... Giorno also wanted to know just how vast the spread of Stand users extended. The Japanese boy was the first taste of foreigners who had these abilities. ]
... this might get a little long. Perhaps we can discuss this while moving? Even if true shelter's harder to find, it'll be good to at least get further away from that 'party.'
[ kakyoin smiles thinly, but his tone of voice is focused and sincere. because the parallels are definitely impossible to ignore at this point. all the more reason why he doesn't want anyone interrupt them. glancing off into the woods, he tilts his head to indicate they can head in that direction before he starts walking. the pace he sets is brisk, but one that giorno should be able to keep up with easily, and kakyoin organizes his thoughts for a few moments before speaking steadily. ]
Five of us were traveling in search of someone. Two of us, myself and one other, were from Japan. Of the others, one was from America, one from France, and one from Egypt. The person we were seeking out was also located in Egypt, in Cairo.
As for the other Stand users, they were all encountered on the way to Egypt. In Singapore, India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, for example. But since these were people expressly sent to ... dispose of my companions and me, I couldn't tell you where they were originally from.
[ a pause as he swallows thickly, hesitating to say the next bit: ]
If ... I may ask a question in exchange. Does the name 'Joestar' have any meaning to you, by any chance?
[ because he needs to know: is there any chance these parallels are more than just coincidence? ]
[ Giorno doesn't say much of anything in response to the opposition of getting a move on and instead simply just moves along with Kakyoin, keeping up with the pace he sets easy enough. Hands at his side, they trek forwards into the jungle.
In regards to the Stand users—America, France, and Egypt at the very least. So Stand users were truly a global phenomena, yet they were not common enough to say that enough people knew about them or even have them. Giorno is also surprised to learn someone of Kakyoin's age to be so well traveled. ]
Joestar? No, I'm afraid I've never heard of that name before. [ Kakyoin was asking him as if this name was supposed to ring any bells and yet, nothing. He was treating the name as if it was something special—something prominent and yet... ]
However, I'm curious, what was the reason for you to travel all the way to Cairo? What did this person do and why did they send others to murder you and your companions?
[ Because this honestly seems super shady and dubious. Coming from a mobster. ]
[ ah. that's that, then. given joseph's explanation of the connection between dio and the joestar family, kakyoin had assumed any further connections to other stand users would be through the joestar name. but if that's not the case ... perhaps it really is just a strange coincidence, maybe just due to the nature of stands and their users.
kakyoin sighs quietly, seeming to set that matter aside completely. if it's a dead end, there's no need to consider it any further. ]
... I suppose it does sound a bit strange, doesn't it.
[ a vague answer to fill the silence while he considers how much to say, and how much to keep quiet. kakyoin makes no attempt to hide that he's considering his answer carefully, either; giorno looks fairly sharp, and he seems the type to understand that some matters don't deserve full disclosure to just anyone. ]
He was a man who hurt a great number of people, often indiscriminately. We had to seek him out because he was threatening the life of a companion's family member. Of course, he had no interest in letting us stop him. Hence the need for attempts on our lives.
It is the name of one of your companions? [ Sorry but Giorno has a bit of a different idea. Because why else would he bring up that name? Especially such a random yet specific name in Giorno's perspective. And from Giorno could gather about Kakyoin, he doesn't seem like the type to bring up anything frivolous. That said though, he does appreciate the way that Kakyoin doesn't hide the way he's choosing his words carefully. It's honest.
It comes doubly as an assurance to him when he is given a general overview of Kakyoin's situation. He has been very careful to never mention any name other than Joestar and given what he's learning, Giorno can understand why. So the situation becomes less overtly dubious to him. ]
But if what you say is true, then he sounds like a scary man. Were you using a Stand's ability to track him? Since I assume that none of your companions have met the man that you're hunting.
[ But he's also fully aware of assumptions and the repercussions of making them. ]
[ though his footsteps don't falter, kakyoin's expression does harden. it's not just him who's met dio before. thinking of polnareff and abdul's experiences with dio too, it brings up the swell of something bitter at the back of his throat. there's a hard swallow as he stifles that response, and though kakyoin manages to keep his voice level, there's a significant edge to his words: ]
We had the help of a Stand, but we also knew firsthand that he was in Cairo. Some of us have met him before. It was never pleasant.
[ there's a note of finality to the way he says it, the very strong suggestion that giorno drop this particular thread of conversation. ]
As for the name Joestar, it's one that means much to some of my companions. It's also one that many people related to our situation might recognize -- both friend and foe. It's not part of our deal, but I couldn't help being curious about your circumstances, and whether there were any connections between our situations. It sounds like you were also involved in something quite extraordinary.
My apologies. [ Giorno knows when to stop pestering someone and the subtlety of Kakyoin wanting to drop the subject isn't lost on him. For now, until he learns otherwise, everything that Kakyoin has told him about this Stand user and how they're tracking him will be truth. He didn't give off any vibe of being a dishonest person. At least, not intentionally. ]
And it appears to be that way. Until you mentioned the name, I have never heard of it before nor did I think that there were many Stand users outside of what I knew. [ Giorno will call out Gold Experience to be at his side as he punctuates the final part of his statement. Hand on his chest and looking right at Kakyoin. There's still a lot that he wants to know more about Kakyoin's situation to compare to his own, however he knows that such a one-sided conversation is unfair. Even if Giorno did sort of ask for it as "payment" for healing him, he did make him uncomfortable with how persistent he was about the Stand user he had been hunting. ]
However it feels as if there is some sort of bond between those who have Stands, whether they are good or bad. I'm grateful to meet someone who is not a threat.
[ it's an incredibly frank and straightforward gesture, more so than he expects from most people, and it's enough to make kakyoin come to a halt. though his expression remains in that controlled neutral, the way he looks from giorno, to his stand, and back again is more focused and intense; there's a thoughtful pause before kakyoin speaks up slowly. ]
... I felt that way for a long time, as well. It wasn't until quite recently that I came to know of other Stand users. The fact that it had to be in such an unpleasant context might have made me a little wary of other Stand users.
[ a slight dip of the head, almost in apology for his previous snippiness. ]
But on the whole, the sentiment is shared. Especially in a strange place like this, it's reassuring to meet someone like you.
[ of course, he's still a little bothered by the odd similarities between their circumstances, too much to be a coincidence. but that alone hardly detracts from how reliable and level-headed giorno's been so far. he could be a valuable ally in the future. kakyoin smiles faintly. ]
-- come to think of it, I've been forgetting my manners until now. I'm Kakyoin. Noriaki Kakyoin.
I have a friend here who is also a Stand user. He should be here somewhere as well.
[ Giorno honestly wanted to debate whether or not it was okay with Fugo to call him a friend, but he felt as if he could trust Fugo with anything and it was obvious, especially how it seemed now, that Fugo trusted him. It shouldn't be so shocking given the supposed time difference between them.
However, that aside, he honestly wondered how that shift must have been for Kakyoin. To go from not knowing what these strange abilities and manifestations where to meeting a multitude of people who had them. And those people being malicious instead of friendly... Giorno was effectively fledgling when he was both introduced to friend and foe alike and he became somewhat cautious of new Stand users. For Kakyoin however—ah, that'll be a question for another time.
Apparently they both had forgotten about exchanging their names. ]
But I should apologize as well seeing that I was also just as bad. [ He'll return the smile lightly himself and keep his hand at his chest as he continues. Though, Gold Experience is gone and all is left is Giorno for the introduction. ] My name is Giorno Giovanna; it has been my pleasure.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
giorndogs
Date: 2016-03-23 03:39 am (UTC)[ it's ... definitely a little strange, talking to a stand user who seems entirely unrelated to the entire affair with dio. presumably, if this was some sort of convoluted stand attack, and this man was one of the many stand users sent to kill the joestars, it would have already become evident. but it doesn't seem to be the case. there are too many questions he could dwell on if he thinks about it too hard, so he tries not to focus on them for now. ]
'A lot?' That's hard to say. Any number is a 'lot' compared to someone who's never seen Stands, but it may be fewer than another person who's dealt with Stands all their life.
[ a low grunt as one of the final injuries sting, and kakyoin exhales slowly as giorno finishes up. he can still feel the stretch of fresh skin, but it already feels much easier to move. ]
I suppose I know enough. A few I actually know in person, and ... a number of others I only know about.
[ he looks down at his injuries, marveling at the lack of scars for a moment before moving to button up his shirt. ]
Thank you, by the way. I'm certainly impressed. I'll have to make it up to you sometime.
why am i giorndogs..............
Date: 2016-03-23 10:41 pm (UTC)I have met about 15 Stand users in my life—many of them after my life or the lives of my friends. [ The reason why he adds in the extra tidbit is a little unclear even for him, but Giorno feels like it's necessary. Perhaps it was the same for Kakyoin? Meeting many Stand users but only a small core of them were ones who weren't after his life. ]
If you wish to repay me, then I'd like to know more about what you know about other Stands even if it isn't much.
[ He's basically manning up to his ignorance once again but the more Giorno knew about Stands the more help it could be to others. It was always a reactionary battle against Stand users to wait out and see what they were before being able to formulate an attack. What if he could take the initiative? ]
it's an accurate name
Date: 2016-03-24 05:03 am (UTC)... very well. I feel I might be getting the better end of the deal, but if it's what you want, I'll oblige.
[ he finishes redressing himself before silently counting off on his fingers, eyes closed in thought. and once he's organized his thoughts, he opens them. ]
I had four companions, all of them Stand users. Other than them, I know of sixteen Stand users, all of them antagonistic. I know of all their Stand abilities, except for one. Some of them, I fought in person; others, I've heard about from my friends.
i wish my computer could recongize the hotdog emoji
Date: 2016-03-24 06:04 am (UTC)Judging from the way that Kakyoin facial expression changed, it was very likely that he noticed these when he was the first one to speak up. Though the question was how much overlap was there between them? Giorno has quite the number of questions he wants to ask but he decides to be careful and only chooses the ones he knows would be best give a clearer image. ]
The Stand users that you know—where did you meet them, and I'd like to know more about your companions' origins too, if I may. In exchange, my friends and I were in Italy, however I did meet a Stand user who was from Japan.
[ "Meet" might be a very generous way of explaining it given the only reason why they met was because Giorno figured he could make easy money off of him. (Which he did) But... Giorno also wanted to know just how vast the spread of Stand users extended. The Japanese boy was the first taste of foreigners who had these abilities. ]
no subject
Date: 2016-03-26 05:09 am (UTC)[ kakyoin smiles thinly, but his tone of voice is focused and sincere. because the parallels are definitely impossible to ignore at this point. all the more reason why he doesn't want anyone interrupt them. glancing off into the woods, he tilts his head to indicate they can head in that direction before he starts walking. the pace he sets is brisk, but one that giorno should be able to keep up with easily, and kakyoin organizes his thoughts for a few moments before speaking steadily. ]
Five of us were traveling in search of someone. Two of us, myself and one other, were from Japan. Of the others, one was from America, one from France, and one from Egypt. The person we were seeking out was also located in Egypt, in Cairo.
As for the other Stand users, they were all encountered on the way to Egypt. In Singapore, India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, for example. But since these were people expressly sent to ... dispose of my companions and me, I couldn't tell you where they were originally from.
[ a pause as he swallows thickly, hesitating to say the next bit: ]
If ... I may ask a question in exchange. Does the name 'Joestar' have any meaning to you, by any chance?
[ because he needs to know: is there any chance these parallels are more than just coincidence? ]
no subject
Date: 2016-03-26 08:43 am (UTC)In regards to the Stand users—America, France, and Egypt at the very least. So Stand users were truly a global phenomena, yet they were not common enough to say that enough people knew about them or even have them. Giorno is also surprised to learn someone of Kakyoin's age to be so well traveled. ]
Joestar? No, I'm afraid I've never heard of that name before. [ Kakyoin was asking him as if this name was supposed to ring any bells and yet, nothing. He was treating the name as if it was something special—something prominent and yet... ]
However, I'm curious, what was the reason for you to travel all the way to Cairo? What did this person do and why did they send others to murder you and your companions?
[ Because this honestly seems super shady and dubious. Coming from a mobster. ]
no subject
Date: 2016-03-26 06:47 pm (UTC)kakyoin sighs quietly, seeming to set that matter aside completely. if it's a dead end, there's no need to consider it any further. ]
... I suppose it does sound a bit strange, doesn't it.
[ a vague answer to fill the silence while he considers how much to say, and how much to keep quiet. kakyoin makes no attempt to hide that he's considering his answer carefully, either; giorno looks fairly sharp, and he seems the type to understand that some matters don't deserve full disclosure to just anyone. ]
He was a man who hurt a great number of people, often indiscriminately. We had to seek him out because he was threatening the life of a companion's family member. Of course, he had no interest in letting us stop him. Hence the need for attempts on our lives.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-26 10:14 pm (UTC)It comes doubly as an assurance to him when he is given a general overview of Kakyoin's situation. He has been very careful to never mention any name other than Joestar and given what he's learning, Giorno can understand why. So the situation becomes less overtly dubious to him. ]
But if what you say is true, then he sounds like a scary man. Were you using a Stand's ability to track him? Since I assume that none of your companions have met the man that you're hunting.
[ But he's also fully aware of assumptions and the repercussions of making them. ]
no subject
Date: 2016-03-27 03:35 am (UTC)We had the help of a Stand, but we also knew firsthand that he was in Cairo. Some of us have met him before. It was never pleasant.
[ there's a note of finality to the way he says it, the very strong suggestion that giorno drop this particular thread of conversation. ]
As for the name Joestar, it's one that means much to some of my companions. It's also one that many people related to our situation might recognize -- both friend and foe. It's not part of our deal, but I couldn't help being curious about your circumstances, and whether there were any connections between our situations. It sounds like you were also involved in something quite extraordinary.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-28 01:08 am (UTC)My apologies. [ Giorno knows when to stop pestering someone and the subtlety of Kakyoin wanting to drop the subject isn't lost on him. For now, until he learns otherwise, everything that Kakyoin has told him about this Stand user and how they're tracking him will be truth. He didn't give off any vibe of being a dishonest person. At least, not intentionally. ]
And it appears to be that way. Until you mentioned the name, I have never heard of it before nor did I think that there were many Stand users outside of what I knew. [ Giorno will call out Gold Experience to be at his side as he punctuates the final part of his statement. Hand on his chest and looking right at Kakyoin. There's still a lot that he wants to know more about Kakyoin's situation to compare to his own, however he knows that such a one-sided conversation is unfair. Even if Giorno did sort of ask for it as "payment" for healing him, he did make him uncomfortable with how persistent he was about the Stand user he had been hunting. ]
However it feels as if there is some sort of bond between those who have Stands, whether they are good or bad. I'm grateful to meet someone who is not a threat.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-30 01:27 am (UTC)... I felt that way for a long time, as well. It wasn't until quite recently that I came to know of other Stand users. The fact that it had to be in such an unpleasant context might have made me a little wary of other Stand users.
[ a slight dip of the head, almost in apology for his previous snippiness. ]
But on the whole, the sentiment is shared. Especially in a strange place like this, it's reassuring to meet someone like you.
[ of course, he's still a little bothered by the odd similarities between their circumstances, too much to be a coincidence. but that alone hardly detracts from how reliable and level-headed giorno's been so far. he could be a valuable ally in the future. kakyoin smiles faintly. ]
-- come to think of it, I've been forgetting my manners until now. I'm Kakyoin. Noriaki Kakyoin.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-31 06:47 am (UTC)[ Giorno honestly wanted to debate whether or not it was okay with Fugo to call him a friend, but he felt as if he could trust Fugo with anything and it was obvious, especially how it seemed now, that Fugo trusted him. It shouldn't be so shocking given the supposed time difference between them.
However, that aside, he honestly wondered how that shift must have been for Kakyoin. To go from not knowing what these strange abilities and manifestations where to meeting a multitude of people who had them. And those people being malicious instead of friendly... Giorno was effectively fledgling when he was both introduced to friend and foe alike and he became somewhat cautious of new Stand users. For Kakyoin however—ah, that'll be a question for another time.
Apparently they both had forgotten about exchanging their names. ]
But I should apologize as well seeing that I was also just as bad. [ He'll return the smile lightly himself and keep his hand at his chest as he continues. Though, Gold Experience is gone and all is left is Giorno for the introduction. ] My name is Giorno Giovanna; it has been my pleasure.