☆ I Want To Break Free ☆ Stone Ocean

☆ Chapter 22 ☆

☆ Chapter 22: Roadtrip!! ☆

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The car ride was silent.

Ermes was driving the car, yet she wanted so desperately to check on you. Yet Jolyne was exhausted, and there was no point in asking Anasui, and, well, she could ask Emporio but it was risky due to the cops looking for them.

You stared out of the window, a venomous look in your eyes as you glared ahead. Anasui stared at the back of your head, before feeling something hit his chest. Turning his head, he saw Jolyne had fallen asleep. 

'How cute..she has fallen asleep on me..'

For a moment, Anasui wondered why he had waited before sneakily slipping the ring onto Jolyne's ring finger, and then it hit him. You hadn't tried to stop him. You were just..staring out of the window.

He recalled when Ermes had returned, having her arms around your shoulders. She had let Emporio run over, letting the kid question you, before she had turned to Anasui and Jolyne. Anasui remembered her words almost clearly.

"Someone needs to keep an eye on her. I'm..I'm worried, god damn it! She's already lost F.F in front of her, and she lost Weather. When I went to retrieve her..she killed someone. I don't know what that woman was up to, but Y/N..she just killed that woman in cold blood. I saw the look of someone who has thrown away her remorse, her humanity..just to pursue that priest."

Anasui had seen it too--there was a dark fire in your eyes. 

And..he wanted to protect you as well. He placed a hand on your shoulder. "Hey..Y/N." No answer.

Yet, Anasui continued. "I..put a ring on Jolyne's finger. Since we're going to get married. I don't want to leave you out..so if we stop anywhere, I'll get a ring for you too. I don't want you to feel like you're alone with this." He paused. "Just..remember you always got friends..and me by your si-"

"Just cut it out!" You exclaimed, surprising Anasui. "Stop trying to make me feel better!" You kept your back turned to him. "Weather is dead. Pucci is probably going to reach his next step of his shitty plan. Do you really think words are going to help?!" Anasui was in shock. "My--my..friend..is dead, and you're already thinking about how to kiss up to Jolyne!"

You then turned to face him, revealing your flaming eyes. "I'm going to kill Pucci, in the name of my dead friends. You can either continue to fucking be an idiot, or you can help. I don't care what you do."

With that, you turned away. 

Ermes looked at you in the rear view mirror. She believed you just needed some space. But her heart told her to stop the car and comfort you. Yet she didn't listen to her heart, as her thoughts were soon interrupted when she saw an alligator. 

"HOLY SHIT! JOLYNE WAKE UP THERE'S AN ALLIGATOR IN THE ROAD!"

Jolyne jolted awake. 

"Huh? Where?" She asked. "THERE!" Ermes pointed, so Jolyne took off the ring on her finger, and chucked it at the alligator. "NO! Jolyne..what did you just throw?!" Anasui exclaimed wildly, tears forming in his eyes. Jolyne looked confused. "..Huh?" She looked at Anasui. "Show me your hands!" Anasui exclaimed.

"..Do you have a hand fetish or something?" Ermes called. Apparently, that remark earned your approval as there was a light scoff. Ermes was proud that she had been able to earn a reaction from you.

Jolyne was weirded out, before noticing you. "Hey, Y/N..you good?" She asked. You were silent, before shaking your head. "..Sorry for lashing out at you, Anasui. I'm just..really tired as shit." Your voice cracked slightly.

"It's fine, Y/N." Anasui paused. "..I'm sorry. I probably should have chosen better words to comfort you with." His voice was lower, as he wore a guilty expression.

"..Sometimes I wish I could go back to being clueless, not knowing the truth." You said with a long sigh. "I wish a lot of things. But we can't wish upon a star and expect the wish to come true..can we?" 

"Y/N." Jolyne spoke. "We're going to beat the shit out of that priest..no matter what. Then..I can make whatever you desire happen. I promise." She said. "For Weather. And Foo."

"Yea. Like Anasui said, you're not alone, babe!" Ermes said, letting a nickname slip. Emporio  would slowly blink. Well, he figured out that either you were a dumbass and didn't notice the trio of escaped prisoners were obviously crushing on you, or you simply did not care to comment on it.

"Y/N, we're a team! Weather and F.F would want us to...to keep going, no-no matter what!" Emporio exclaimed. 

"We'll go to Disney World afterwards. Bring Weather's disc with us." Anasui added.

You looked down. "You guys are a pain..but I couldn't ask for better friends. From now on..we'll do things together, and kick the priest's ass and laugh at him because Pucci rhymes with Coochie."

With a fire lit in all of the group's hearts, you all would feel confident. Pucci was alone now..so against a team, what could he possibly do to defend himself.

As if to answer, gravity began to shift. The new moon had arrived.

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We get closer and closer to the ending :)

Three more chapters till we dive into the separate endings..

Short chapter, but see you in Chapter 23: C-Moon!