Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Yasuho Hirose stared at the scene in front of her, as the ambulances drove off. Jobin.. Kaato .. maybe Norisuke Higashikata as well. Three Higashikatas, snuffed out just like that. Her gaze moved to where Tooru had fallen as she sat on the wall by the driveway, and she could see a faint coating of rocky dust on the ground, before it was blown away by the wind. She pursed her lips, thinking of the events that had occured. Her mind trailed back to her youth, and, disturbingly, Yasuho could remember meeting the treacherous rock human many times in the past.

She had forgotten it, but Tooru had been there constantly. He.. he'd used her. Her entire life, he'd used her. She clenched her fists, looking away from the scene. "This.. was my fault." She whispered, slightly shaking. At the end of Tooru's life, he was calling out to her, begging for her to save him. Did he really care about her? Or was it another trick? Should-

It was her fault. Without her, Tooru wouldn't have found the Head Doctor and stolen his identity, and Jobin, Kaato, and whoever else he'd hurt would still be alive.

"Hey! Yasuho!"She heard a familiar voice, interrupting her internal torment, and turned, eyes widening, as Josuke Higashikata (4 Balls, as weird as that is) walked up to her with an unusually calm expression on his face, considering the situation. He was still bloodied from the battle that had occured, and was drenched in sweat. She put on a smile, waving at him. "Hey.. Josuke." Josuke looked up at her, trying to act normal. But with Josuke, things were never normal- especially not now.

"What are you looking a.." His smile faded, as he followed her line of sight, to the scene of the equivalent exchange between the Rock Human and the Child. "..How are you holding up?" "I'm fine." She quickly responded. "Well, good! We're working on trying to clean things up, do you want to come help?" She paused, glancing over at him. "Oh, um.. ok. Are you sure the Higashikatas would want me here after.. everything?" Josuke wearily smiled. "Of course."

INSIDE THE HIGASHIKATA HOUSEHOLD

Tsurugi Higashikata was sitting on the couch with his aunt, Hato, as she read a magazine. As he sat there watching her read it, she suddenly yelped, dropping the magazine and standing up. "Gross!" Hato yelled, eyes wide. Her head swung around, trying to find whatever just happened to her. Tsurugi glanced around for a moment, but couldn't find anything either. Joshu, in the middle of his coffee, stared at her with a bored look. Hato, noticing this, turned to Joshu with a furious look. "THAT WAS YOU, JOSHU!!" She shouted.

"Hm?" Joshu casually said. "You just did something to me, didn't you?" The girl growled, holding onto her neck. Joshu swished his coffee around in his mouth, not opening it, for some reason. "The heck you talking about?" Tsurugi and Daiya Higashikata, the third sibling of the Higashikata family, awkwardly glanced at each other. Hato ran up to him, pointing angrily. "I know it was you! I'm gonna get the DNA analyzed!" "Hwaah?" "I swear, one of these days, you're gonna screw up, get sued, get arrested, get in debt, and your whole world's gonna come tumbling down!" Hato snarled, recognizing she wouldn't be getting the confession she'd hoped for.

After a moment of silence, Daiya cleared her throat. "Tsurugi, would you mind calling dad from his room?" For a moment, Tsurugi's neutral expression faltered, but none of the Higashikatas saw. They couldn't. "I just poured this nice Taiwanese Mount Alishan tea." Daiya continued, holding out the tea for tsurugi to take. Tsurugi stood up from the couch, and started walking toward Daiya, slowly. Suddenly, Joshu choked, spitting out his coffee with a gasp. All eyes turned to him, as he coughed, a bolt where his tongue should've been, as Hato laughed hysterically. Tsurugi lifted his foot, seeing that he had, in fact, stepped on Joshu's tongue.

He shrugged, and went upstairs, carrying the tea. "You had that coming!" Hato yelled, grabbing the tongue off the ground. "Giph thab back!" Joshu whimpered, trying to grab it out of her hand, as she held it out of reach. The screen door slid open, and two familiar figures entered. Josuke and Yasuho. "Yauho! Make hwer gib it back!" Joshu slammed his hand on the table, in pain.

"Wh..what?" Yasuho asked, looking around in shock. The higashikata house had just been destroyed.. a plane door had fallen on it, as a result of one of Tooru's calamities. How was it here, in perfect condition? "..Where did the plane door go?" There was silence, as the Higashikata family members glanced at each other in confusion. Josuke was the first to speak up. "..What plane door, Yasuho?" She turned to stare at him, startled.

"Huh? Josuke- Tooru used a calamity to try to hit me, remember?'' Josuke raised an eyebrow. "Who's Tooru?" Yasuho backed up, getting more and more confused, before staring at Joshu, running over to him. "Joshu! You remember, right? The equivalent exchange? You gave me your.." Her sentence trailed off, as she looked at Joshu's arms- both completely intact. Hato handed Joshu back his tongue quietly, unnerved. Yasuho swallowed hard, sweat trickling down her face. “I.. um..”

“Maybe you need to lie down, Yasuho.” Josuke put a hand on her shoulder, a worried look on his face. “..Yeah.. maybe you’re right..” Yasuho replied, breathing heavily, though she didn’t believe that. At that moment, Tsurugi Higashikata descended the staircase, a blank expression on his face. “Hello Yasuho.” He said, slowly stepping down it. “Tsurugi! You remember, right? Tooru? The Equivalent Exchange? You have to!” Tsurugi froze, staring at her.

Everyone else in the room did too. Joshu, Hato, Daiya- even Josuke. “...No, I don’t remember.” Tsurugi coldly replied, gripping the railing. Yasuho’s breath caught in her throat. “You.. you do remember.” “I.. I.. I don’t." A chill filled the room. "And you don’t either.” Behind her, she heard heavy breathing, and a metallic whirring as something papery grabbed her shoulder.

He ran down the road, gasping. He had to get there in time. Nobody else would die today. He made his way to the Household, turning the corner, his signature sailor uniform stained with blood, as he came face to face with a grisly sight.

Tooru, standing in front of the destroyed Higashikata Household, holding the New Rokakaka.

With Yasuho Hirose dead at his feet.

Chapter Text

No. It couldn't be real. Yasuho was just sleeping, they had beaten Tooru.

"Don't make another move, Josuke." Tooru said, in response to the fused stand user. Josuke looked forward in shock, at the body of his dearest friend at this monster's feet. He stood completely still, shaking with rage and shock. "Turn around, Josuke. Walk away. I have what I want, if you leave now, we can go our separate ways." Josuke took a step toward Tooru, and suddenly, a tree collapsed without any prompting, nearly crushing Josuke. "Come on, Josuke Higashikata. Leave. You’ve surely figured out my stand by now- If you pursue me, you'll simply die." He stared down at Yasuho, a small, sadistic smile on his face. "Like she did."

Josuke's vision was clouded with red, pure anger. He let out a guttural scream, falling to his knees with tears streaming down his face- tears he had been holding in for days, now. First Holly, then Kei, Rai, and now.. and now Yasuho. His oldest and dearest friend. How many more people was he going to lose? How many people had he lost that he didn't even know about? "...Why.." Josuke muttered, staring down at the ground, as a tear pooled up behind the rock scar on his face.

"You wouldn't understand." Tooru said, calmly walking toward him, still carrying the plant. "Humans, they're too tied to their relationships, seemingly living in the present. Never thinking about the future. I suppose it's natural, you shouldn't think ahead when your life is so short. But, Higashikata, I am not like you."

He walked past Josuke, eyes never leaving him. "With this plant, I will have my legacy, and guide the Rock Humans into a new age." Tooru squatted down next to him, pausing. "Apologies, it had to go this way, Josuke. You shouldn't have interfered- Maybe your friends would still be alive."

"...Tooru." Josuke growled, slowly rising to his feet. "I have no one left to fight for." Tooru raised an eyebrow, backing up slightly. ".." "Now, I only have one goal." He raised his head, staring eye to eye at the Rock Human. "To eradicate your homocidal ass." A glowing ball emerged from his shaking shoulder, sprouting bubbles along with it, as Tooru watched, eyes widening. "Higashikata- Is that what you hit me with before? Is that how you bypassed the Calamity?" He yelled, putting two and two together as he stumbled back.

"Soft. And. Wet." Josuke growled, his stand emerged from behind him, unfolding like it had been sealed into his back. It's eyes glowed bright blue, as it too pointed at Tooru. "GO BEYOND!" The glowing ball shot at Tooru faster than he could react, hitting him square in the chest, making him drop the plant, which shattered into nothingness. He stumbled back, and then.. began to disintegrate, mouth opening in shock.

"...I see." Tooru said, after a moment of silence, backing up and sitting onto the ground in shock. He stared down at the shattered plant, then looked up at Josuke, realizing the situation. "This... isn't real, Higashikata." Josuke paused. "What?" "This.. isn't how it happened. I'm dead. I'm not even me." His arm collapsed into dust, as he sat down, leaning against a crumbling brick wall. "This is just an illusion. This scene, Yasuho.. Me. We're not truly ourselves, but rather the memory of who whoever made this perceived us as.”

"This is like.. a bad dream. A warped memory. But.. who's memory am I?" The tone of his voice changed to curiosity at that last sentence, but Josuke's attention was already elsewhere- the body of Yasuho Hirose. "You mean-" He trembled, cautiously hopeful. This could just be another trick. He had to be careful. Dust fell over Tooru's eye, his hair disintegrating. "Yasuho Hirose must be alive, Josuke."

Tooru's body collapsed into dust, as Josuke watched him, in shock. He turned his head, to stare at the collapsed Higashikata House- which seemed to be rippling.

INSIDE THE HIGASHIKATA HOUSEHOLD

"Tsurugi, would you bring Yasuho some tea?" Daiya asked the boy, who was watching tv. Tsurugi turned to look at her, smiling peacefully. "Alright." He sat up and walked over to her, grabbing the tea. He held the tea carefully, making sure not to spill a single drop. He walked to Yasuho's room, and opened the door, with a blank expression. "For you, big sis." Yasuho was sitting on the guest room bed, staring at her phone. "Thank you Tsurugi." She smiled at him, taking the tea. Tsurugi sat on the bed next to her, cuddling up to her. "You should stay with us, Yasuho." She looked down at him, smiling- though her eyes conveyed a different expression. "Okay, Tsurugi. I will."

She set her tea down on the lumpy bed, the tea lying there perfectly without spilling a drop. "We can all live together, and be happy. I heard Jobin and Josuke worked together to find a cure for you, so now we have no problems. Nothing has to change." Tsurugi smiled wide, gasping. "Amazing.. thank you, Yasuho." Yasuho smiled back at him, a bead of sweat trickling down her face.

"I'm so glad my dad and Josuke were able to become friends. Actually... I wonder where dad is, Yasuho." Tsurugi continued, frowning slightly. "Maybe you should check the front door, Tsurugi." Yasuho replied, winking. Eyes widening, he hopped off the bed, running out of the room. Yasuho reached for her tea, but froze. Not making a single move- unable to without the control of her puppeteer.

Tsurugi ran up to the front door and swung it open, hope in his eyes. “Dad-” Jobin stood there, looking down at him. Just as Tsurugi remembered.

Exactly as Tsurugi remembered.

Chapter Text

Josuke walked up to what was left of the front door of the collapsed Higashikata household, and stared down at it. “...” He went down onto one knee, touching it. It rippled again, and for a moment Josuke could see the house in it’s normal state again. After a second of thought, he shoved his hand forward, and was met with the air around him warping, as his hand went into.. Nothing. It just vanished. He felt a goo of sorts around his hand, and wrinkled his nose up. “Here we go.” Josuke continued pushing through.

He stumbled through, and looked around. He was.. Not in the Higashikata Household. No, he was at the TG University Hospital. ..Again. Subconsciously he summoned his stand, eyes darting around. “Yasuho? You here?” Shoes clicked on the ground behind him, as he heard footsteps. Josuke turned, a bubble already forming at his fingertips. “.....Joshu?” He heard another footstep, again from behind him. Before he could turn, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

“Kira.” Kei said, holding onto him from behind. She stared blankly at him from her one good eye, a gaping hole where her right one formerly was. Blood dripped down onto the ground, seemingly an endless source of it slowly leaking from her eyehole. Josuke swallowed. “I’m not Yoshikage Kira.” Her grip on his shoulder tightened, fingernails digging into his skin. “Josefumi, then.” Kei replied, in a cold tone. “I’m not-” He shoved her off of him, stumbling back. “I’m not Josefumi either. And you- you’re dead.” She frowned, “And who’s fault is that?” Josuke’s eyes narrowed.

“Without you, I wouldn’t be dead, and my mother wouldn’t be comatose with no hope of a cure. I had it handled before you swooped in!” She angrily stomped on the ground, cool expression changing to one of frustration. Josuke pointed at her, bubble swirling in his shaking hand as he tried to stabilize it. “That’s not-” “But you still don’t even know who you are, after all you’ve gone through. You have faint memories of both lives, but at the end of the day, you’re not either of them. You’re nothing. Just two dead men repackaged together.” Josuke stood there, hand faltering.. before letting it drop limply to his side.

“...I’m sorry.” He muttered, breathing heavily. “I don’t care.” Kei angrily replied, still bleeding out of the hole in her eye. “But- but you’re- you aren’t Kei. You aren’t real.” Kei’s fingers twitched. “I know that. I’m just a memory.” She raised her arm up, pointing at him. “But memories can still burn.”

A jet black motercyclist emerged from Kei’s chest, racing toward Josuke on their motorcycle. Born this Way. Instantly, he was hit with chilling winds, as he dodged the motorcycle before it hit him, pressing up against the wall. “Kei, please don’t make me..” Josuke pleaded, staring at her. “Born this way! Again!” The vehicular stand continued driving back and forth down the hall, coming at any angle it could to hit Josuke.

He clenched his fist. “Soft and wet!” His stand instantly appeared in front of him, and began deflecting against Born this Way, hitting it whenever it got the chance. The stand increased in speed, and Josuke felt it slam into him, almost knocking him to the ground. “Soft and-” The cyclist hit him again. Again. Again. Soft and Wet kept trying to get a hit in, but it rarely got one in. “Give me back my brother.” Kei emotionlessly said.

Another hit- “Stop it!” Josuke screamed, as his stand threw a powerful punch directly into the helmet of Born this way, shattering it as the motorcyclist fell off her motorcycle. Kei stumbled backward, holding onto the part of her face where the punch had landed In agony. “You- Yoshikage- why-” Josuke stood up shakily, retracting his stand away as quickly as he’d summoned it. “I’m sorry, Kei.. after all this time, I still don’t know who I am. But you aren’t Kei Nijimura. You aren’t real.”

Kei somberly nodded. “I’m.. not.” She began to disintegrate into sand, as she looked down at herself. “I just want this to be over.”’ “Me too.” Josuke replied, looking down at who could’ve been his sister in a past life as she crumpled into a heap of sand. He fell to his knees, hands reaching at the sand as if to try to hold onto any remnant of her. He closed his eyes, repressing those feelings back into him.

Before he could, the scenery changed again, as he opened his eyes. This time, he found himself at a cliff, where two men laid. He recognized these men all too well.