Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

(Shizuka art by @Laveerie on Instagram. Cover design by SimplySnaps)

Dark chestnut loafers clicked against the polished marble floor of Dio’s bathroom. The vampire was busy lounging on his bed nose-deep in a magazine about the evolution of trains in the twentieth century. He paid little mind to the clicking of his friend’s shoes in the next room over, though he noticed when the sink stopped running. Dio lifted his eyes from an intriguing paragraph about locomotives just in time to spot Enrico Pucci, a young priest, walking out of his master bathroom with a towel dabbing against his glistening chin. 

“You shaved,” Dio muttered. 

“I suppose I was tired of hearing about that tickle my beard caused you.” Pucci finished dabbing his neck with the pristine white towel, tossing it onto a hanger before flipping the bathroom lights. 

That elicited a small laugh from Dio. He placed the magazine on his bedside table and propped his cheek against his fist. “When you said you needed to see me tonight, it couldn’t possibly have been just to tickle my thighs, could it?” 

Pucci shook his head. “No, Sir… It couldn’t.” 

Dio lifted his long, pale index finger up with its pointy black nail and nodded. “Speak freely, and don’t call me Sir.”

The priest nearly choked on his own tongue when Dio told him not to use the word “sir.” He kept his surprise relatively hidden, casting it aside and nodding politely. “I suppose I’m just wondering what you’re here for, Dio.” 

“In Egypt? I told you, it’s got boundless spiritual resources, and the richest history of any nation in our modern world.” Dio shrugged. 

“Not Egypt… Why are you here? What meaning do you attribute to your life? Do you have any long-term goals? Maybe you have a dream?” 

Dio’s green lips curled into something of a smile. He crossed his arms, leaning back in bed and propping a knee up as he contemplated Pucci’s question. “I could ask you the same question, couldn’t I? What gets you out of bed every morning?” 

Pucci’s eyes shied away from his friend’s. He stared down at the tiled floor of Dio’s bed chamber and frowned. “If you had asked me six months ago, I would have said God.” 

The vampire sat a little straighter, looking at Pucci with a bit more attentiveness than before. “What’s changed?”

“I did everything right, followed every rule, dedicated my life to Christ Jesus and his teachings… I was but a humble shepherd with a lively little flock, and life made sense. Then, through no fault of anybody, my entire life was flipped upside down. Every step I took to fix things only made them worse, and in the end my sister was…” 

Dio let the silence linger for quite a while before speaking. “...and God didn’t help you?” 

Pucci shook his head. 

“Your only fault was expecting God to do something about your misfortune. My dear Pucci, the force you call God was the architect of your fate. I asked you when we first met if you believed in gravity. Do you understand what I mean by this now?” 

“Gravity isn’t just a force that acts on physical objects,” Pucci clenched his fists. “There’s also a gravity of fate, pushing and pulling us together to complete its plan. Every impossible coincidence in my life, whether you want to call it fate, God’s will, or simple gravity, it’s all too deliberate to be mere chance.” 

“Precisely.” Dio snapped his fingers. “Now that you believe in gravity, I have a new question for you… Why isn’t a bouncing ball depressed?” 

“I beg your pardon?” Pucci raised a brow. 

“A ball, Pucci. A ball I drop toward the ground, why isn’t it depressed?” Dio repeated himself. 

“I… Don’t know, Sir.” Pucci frowned. 

“That’s quite alright,” Dio rolled out of bed, sauntering over to Pucci and resting a hand on his shoulder. “And don’t call me ‘Sir.’” 

“Don’t tell me,” Pucci met Dio’s piercing gaze. “I want to figure the answer out myself.” 

“Of course, my Pucci.” Dio lifted the man’s chin with two fingers. “A bright mind like yours will surely come up with the right answer in good time.” 

The priest sighed, pondering the question time after time. Why isn’t a bouncing ball depressed? There had to be a deeper meaning to it. Dio never asked pointless questions. Whatever the answer was, Pucci knew it would be painfully simple, yet exquisitely introspective. That was Lord Dio… That’s the man he left everything behind to follow. 

“You never said…” Pucci lifted his eyes to meet the vampire’s. “What gets you out of bed?” 

A smirk revealed Dio’s razor-sharp fangs. He let out a huff of amusement, spreading his arms out and gesturing to the world around him. 

“The same thing as you…” He flashed a single fang, giving the priest a side-eye. "Heaven, baby!” 

The iron gates of Green Dolphin Prison slowly veered to the side as a guard waved the incoming bus through. It was a relatively slow day as far as crime was concerned, and only a single inmate was being admitted to the facility. When the bus parked, a lone woman was led out into the unforgiving heat of Florida’s sun. Even at the beginning of December, the sunshine state was often blessed with brutal heat waves. The woman lifted her cuffed hands to shield the sun, though she was promptly chewed out by a guard. 

“Pendleton! Keep your hands down!” He lifted his nightstick and threatened to strike her.

(Art and design by @MiyaArte on Twitter)

The woman, a mere girl by the looks of it, lowered her hands and glared at the guards with her icy blue eyes. She was still getting used to the total lack of humanity she warranted as a convicted criminal. She couldn’t even block the sun from her eyes without the imminent threat of violence. This entire system was built upon cruelty and evil, and it planned on chewing her to bits. A girl her age and size wouldn’t last two weeks in the shark tank, that’s what her lawyer argued. Still, Florida law was clear. Certain crimes were so severe that even a child must be tried to the highest degree of the law as an adult. It didn’t matter that she was fourteen when the crime was committed, or fifteen during the trial. The State of Florida deemed her an adult deserving of adult punishment, and there she was. 

The guards finished talking among themselves and dragged the blonde inside. She was relieved to feel the air conditioning but knew that relief would quickly fade as she was processed. She was led through the winding halls of the prison with little time to get a bearing for her surroundings. Soon, she found herself in a barred waiting area. The guards left her alone for about ten minutes, but she knew better than to move an inch. After fifteen minutes of standing alone in the cold, empty room, she decided to sit down in a nearby chair. That’s when the door flung open. 

“Inmate #FE38432! What do you think you’re doing!?” A shrill cry boomed from the doorway. 

The girl snapped to attention, fearing the ruthless batons every guard seemed happy to use on her. A large woman stormed into the room with her arms crossed, inspecting Inmate #FE38432 carefully before writing something on a clipboard. 

“Your new name is Inmate #FE38432! When you hear your number, you are to spring up and do as you’re told! I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night, or the last bite of your favorite snack! You’ll drop what you’re doing and comply!” She shouted directly into Inmate #FE38432’s face, drops of spit sticking to the young blonde’s cheeks. 

The woman checked her clipboard one last time with a curious hum. She seemed repulsed by whatever she found. “God, you’re an animal. No wonder they tried you as an adult.” 

The girl hung her head, unable to defend herself. She’d willfully given up her freedom and pride, but sticking by that decision became harder by the day. The system wanted to break her, and she wouldn’t let it… She was going to survive out of spite. Her life wouldn’t be ruined, not by him. She simply wouldn’t allow it. As she was led out of the processing room, her eyes lifted up toward the higher levels of the prison. There, she caught the gaze of a tall and muscular biracial Japanese woman for just a moment. She was wearing a crop top and had a butterfly tattoo, and seemed quite interested with Inmate #38432 from afar. The girl didn’t care. Anyone could stare if they wanted, lord knows they already did. 

Jolyne watched as a mere child was taken into the main area of the female ward with morbid curiosity. She rested an elbow on the railing and tilted her head as their eyes met for a brief moment. Soon, the blonde was led out of view. Jolyne noticed her cellmate Gwess creeping up behind her. Gwess placed two hands on the railing and leaned down for a better view. 

“Look at that… A little girl.” Gwess mumbled. 

“I wonder what she did to wind up here.” Jolyne shook her head. 

“A kid her age could only be here for murder. It’s odd… She doesn’t look like she’s got it in her.” Gwess shrugged. 

“No,” Jolyne shook her head. “I saw it in her eyes, just for a second. She knows why she’s here… That wasn’t a look of frantic confusion. She was at peace with her decision.” 

“Is that so? What makes you an expert?” Gwess laughed. 

“It’s the look I had when I decided to stay in this prison.” Jolyne said grimly. 

Shizuka Joestar stood beside a hospital bed with grief on her face. She clenched her fists, looking away from the upsetting picture for a moment before facing reality. Jotaro Kujo lay dead before her, hooked up to a myriad of life support machines that barely kept his heart beating for another moment. With all her expertise, all her power, and everything she worked for, Shizuka had no idea how to fix this. She didn’t even know where to begin. 

“What do you mean it’s gone?” She asked again. 

A Speedwagon Foundation doctor stood beside her with a level of respect he’d never held for a child. Shizuka’s posture just demanded authority, and the way he was instructed to call her “Ma’am” before she arrived certainly wasn’t helping his nerves. He cleared his throat a few times before referring to his file. 

“Jolyne Cujoh reports that Jotaro’s Stand was somehow taken from him by an unknown enemy. Star Platinum was allegedly transformed into a compact disc, and Jolyne refuses to leave the prison until she recovers it.” 

Shizuka rested a hand on the side of the hospital bed. She felt a rush of grief and regret as Jotaro’s expressionless face stared off into space. While she was having fun and messing around at school, her friends and family were risking their lives against some unknown adversary. Someone could actually steal Stands? What were the implications? What did they use them for? She needed answers… She wanted on the ground. 

“I need to know everything. Who was Jotato relaying all of this information back to?” 

“Yes Ma’am! He was working with another Arbiter! I’ll get her here right away!”

The Speedwagon Foundation had quite a few of the fastest planes in the world at their disposal, and this was a time of crisis. Getting an Agent from one part of the country to another on short notice was an absolute cinch for an organization with such resources. That’s why Shizuka wasn’t surprised to hear the office door open two hours later to reveal a familiar face. 

“Agent Ripley,” She grinned, hopping out of her chair and approaching the woman. 

“Shizuka! God, you’ve grown! It’s only been a few months! What’re they feeding you, kiddo?” Ripley laughed. 

Shizuka was multiple inches taller than Ripley, and their disparity only seemed to grow with every meeting. The girl was a solid 5’5, but she knew she had more growing to do. Tsuru was a very tall woman, after all. Ripley, on the other hand, looked just as she did three years prior when they saved the world from Blondie. The agent wore a dark blue suit with gold buroke and lightning bolts branching all throughout. She kept her head shaved clean, and her eyes were a piercing orange. She gave Shizuka a big hug, slapping the girl on the back. 

“It’s good to see you too,” Shizuka pulled away with a chuckle. “Wish we could be here under better circumstances, though…” 

Ripley’s expression darkened. She had a lot of explaining to do… 

About twenty minutes later, they sat apart from each other at a solid oak desk. Shizuka’s hands were folded on the sleek surface, though her feet kicked to and fro beneath the surface. She dug her teeth into her lip and shook her head in disbelief. 

“We have no idea who we’re up against?” 

“Johngali was the only one dumb enough to show his face. We have no idea how many co-conspirators might be on the inside. Still… To frame Jolyne for murder and lure Jotaro right into a trap? These people are organized, dangerously organized.” Ripley concluded. 

“How long have you been on their tail?” Shizuka mumbled. 

“Not long enough. We were hearing whispers of something big, but it was slim pickings until Jolyne’s frame job. That’s when all the pieces fell into place. We should’ve known better. It all came too easily.” Ripley rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I never should have let him go alone.” 

“He’s her father,” Shizuka shook her head. “He had a plausible reason to be there. It wouldn’t have aroused suspicion.” 

“Now Jolyne’s in there alone with an unknown number of hostile Stand Users, and she’s not leaving until she gets that disc.” 

“Looks like we’re in a fine pickle, Agent.” Shizuka leaned back in her chair, propping a knee against the table with a sly grin on her face. 

“I don’t like that look, Jojo.” Ripley frowned. “What are you plotting?” 

“I’m going in.” 

Inmate #FE38432 walked into her cell with an icy demeanor. She tried to look cool on the outside, but her reality was setting in slowly but surely. Her new bed looked anything but inviting, and the toilet was in clear view of the cell across from her… Was she meant to use the bathroom in front of other women? She bit her lip in discomfort, looking around the cell with a shiver down her spine. 

“Due to your unique circumstances, you won’t be sharing a cell with another inmate. Don’t let that generous benefit delude you though. You’re still a murderer, Inmate #FE38432, and your age won’t matter much behind these bars.” The guard growled. 

The youthful blonde rested a hand on her bunk bed with a weak smile. “I was put behind much stronger bars a long time ago… They were just on the inside.” 

“Hah! If you say so, brat. See how far talk like that gets you in the lion’s den!” The guard sauntered off with a clear glee for his job.

Inmate #FE38432 sat on her bed and stared at the toilet with an empty feeling in her chest. None of it felt real… Even though she chose this, her will began to falter. Could she really handle thirty years of this…? A pit grew in her stomach as she thought about how long thirty years really was. That was basically her entire life! Just as she was about to break down feeling sorry for herself, she heard a gentle knock on her cell’s bars. 

“Hey… You’re the kid, right?” A woman with piercing red eyes purred from outside Inmate #FE38432’s cell. 

The blonde sat up and quickly wiped her eyes. She sniffled, nodding her head. The dank, cold cell was so dark that the mysterious figure appeared as a mere silhouette against the bright overhead lights of the main hall. The only detail Inmate #FE38432 could make out were those unsettling eyes. The young girl scooted closer toward the door and waited. 

“I’ve got contacts on the outside. They told me all about your case… It’s absolutely heartbreaking.” The shrouded figure smiled, her long fingers coiling around the bars of Inmate #FE38432’s cell. “Imagine a little girl like you ending up in a place like this.” 

The little girl in question swallowed nervously at the stranger’s tone. Those red eyes made her extremely uncomfortable, and having the details of her case discussed in any detail brought her a great deal of anxiety. “What do you want?” She asked with a shaky voice. 

“Oh, honey… I don’t want anything.” The woman leaned to the left, gripping the bars like a pole and gracefully dipping into the cell like a dancer. She wrapped a leg around the bars, hovering a few feet away from Inmate #FE38432. Up close, the blonde could see just how odd this stranger’s features really were. 

(Art and design by @MiyaArte on Twitter)

She had paper white skin. It wasn’t just pale, rather it appeared to be whiter than a fresh sheet of printer paper! There wasn’t a single blemish on her skin, even though she must sweat a great deal in a Florida prison. Her face looked pristine, like a mannequin. Her hair was peach, and it was shaved smooth except for a fluffy patch on the very top of her head. This patch was perfectly shaped into a “Z,” and it looked like she kept it religiously trimmed. 

Inmate #FE38432 noticed just how thin and wiry the stranger really was up close. Her ribcage could be seen through her shirt, and her arms looked like they could be snapped like tree branches. Was this woman malnourished? She couldn’t look away from those piercing red eyes, though. 

“All I want is to welcome you. Can you accept a warm welcome?” The stranger grinned, offering Inmate #FE38432 her free hand. 

The small blonde nodded her head, extending a hesitant hand to the stranger just to get her out of the cell. The wiry woman gripped Inmate #FE38432’s hand firmly, digging her nail into the girl’s skin and drawing a bit of blood. 

“A-Aaa!” She swatted the woman’s hand away, clutching her wound in disbelief. “What’s wrong with you!?” 

The stranger seemed satisfied. She swooped around the cell door once again and placed her face between the bars. “Get ready for a rough night. If you’re around tomorrow, come find me. The name’s Zed.” 

With that, Zed strolled down the hall and left Inmate #FE38432 alone. The blonde applied pressure to her bleeding hand with bated breath. What was that bitch’s problem? And what did she mean by “If you’re around tomorrow?” Where the heck would she go? She was in prison for the next thirty years! The young girl threw her head against her pillow and groaned. She checked her wound to see how bad the weirdo got her. That’s when she felt like she was really losing it. 

“W-What…?” 

The wound was gone! There was still a small mark where the bitch’s nails scratched her, but it had completely closed! Not only that, but the blood had seemingly dissolved into thin air! Had she misjudged the injury in her confusion? That didn’t seem right, but what else could explain the state of her hand? It was fairly dark in the cell… Her heart continued to pound for another minute or so, but eventually it settled. There was no imminent threat to keep her adrenaline pumping, and she was incredibly exhausted. 

Inmate #FE38432 rested her head on her new stiff pillow with a sigh. The bedding was uncomfortable, but that much was expected. That strange interaction would keep her up most nights, though she’d had quite a week. There would be time to deal with that crazy Zed lady in the morning. For the time being, she would sleep…

Ermes Costello had just finished working out for the evening. She walked through the main hall of the female ward and took the steps up to her cell block. A guard had made some comment about Ermes receiving a new cellmate that morning. She’d enjoyed her brief respite of solitude, but it was rather uncommon to have a cell all to yourself. Ermes would lay down the law straight away, of course. She wasn’t going to tolerate some annoying bitch ruining her place of zen every evening. 

As she approached her cell, something felt off. She always trusted her instincts, so Ermes put her guard up. She peeked into the cell through the bars closest to the wall, gasping at the sight of a grown man sitting on her bed! He had long pink hair, and his outfit was adorned with fishnet and footprints… 

“Hey!” Ermes stormed into the cell with a vengeance. “What the hell are you doing in here!?” 

The mysterious man appeared surprised by Ermes’s arrival. He turned to face the woman, revealing a pile of Ermes’s laundry sitting beside him on the bed. 

“Oh, hello.” He smiled patiently. “I’m Anasui. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

Ermes’s jaw dropped seeing her clothes being handled by this strange man. She walked right up to him and tore her bra from his hands. “What the fuck are you doing with my clothes!?” 

“Ah, this probably looks a little strange…” The man chuckled. “Well, I was just curious about your size. Sharing clothes can be a lot of fun, you know? But it seems like your shoulders are a little too broad.” 

She’d heard enough. Ermes grabbed the man by his shoulders and ripped him from her bed. She spun him around, slamming his back against the far wall with a snarl. “What’s a man doing on this side of the prison? Are you one of them?” 

“Them? I can be they/them sometimes, yes…” He shrugged. “Why are you being so violent? I’m your new cellmate.” 

“Like hell you are! I’m getting the guards. They can’t be fucking serious about rooming me with a guy.” Ermes shoved her “cellmate” aside and stormed down the hall. “Guards! There’s a man on this side of the prison! What’re you guys even paid for!?” 

“You can’t be serious!” A guard gasped. “Where is he?” 

“My cell. Come get him.” Ermes spat. 

When she arrived with the guard, Ermes was greeted with quite a different view from before. The man in question had shrunk a solid three inches while she was gone! Not only that, but he had solid C-cup breasts, and even feminine hips! He didn’t have time to put on more presentable clothes, though, so he stood with his back to the door. It was clear that he(?) was topless, and the guard seemed even more confused than Ermes. 

“Er- Ehm… What’s going on, Costello?” The guard muttered. 

“Wh-” Ermes pointed at the man in disbelief. “He was a man thirty seconds ago! I know what I saw!” 

“Christ almighty… She might be a little masculine, but you don’t have room to talk. You girls get along, or you’ll be sorry.” The guard shook his head and walked away. 

Ermes stepped into the cell with boiling blood. The “woman” turned to greet her with a big grin. Holy hell, those were some nice tits. They looked real, too, not like they were stuck on with plastic surgery. How did they grow so fast!? The man’s shirt from before exposed his entire chest, and it was completely flat! 

This only caused the mysterious cellmate to giggle once again. Even her voice was feminine! “Wow! You went and told on me? That’s, like, totally uncool!” 

Ermes needed to pick her jaw up off the floor. She’d seen some weird shit over the past few weeks, but this easily took the cake. “How did you… This has to be some kind of Stand, but what’s the point of an ability like that?” 

The cellmate burst out laughing, throwing her head back and slapping her knee with amusement. “I’m sorry, it’s just always so funny! It never gets old, and I’ve been doing it my whole life!” She crossed her arms behind her head, leaning her back against the wall as her pink eyes locked onto Ermes’s. “My name’s Anasui, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

“Er…” Ermes was still buffering after that display of modern gender gymnastics, but she didn’t get any harmful vibes from Anasui. “I’m Ermes Costello. If you don’t mind me asking… Which are you?” 

“Hmm?” Anasui lifted a brow. “Which what?” 

“Y’know, a boy or girl!? Man or woman? Do the tits hide somewhere when you’re in boymode!?” Ermes laughed nervously. 

“Does it really matter?” She shrugged. 

“It does to me! I don’t wanna share a cell with some guy!” Ermes crossed her arms. 

“Then I’ll be a girl in the cell. Doesn’t really make a difference to me.” Anasui shook her head. 

“So long as we’re in agreement.” Ermes sighed. “And the bottom bunk’s mine. Get your ass off it.” 

Anasui hopped off the bed with a smile. She gestured toward it respectfully, as if telling Ermes to have at it. “Just so you know… I’m not new around here. I spent a year in the male ward…” She explained. 

Ermes laughed. “What brought you to this side, then? Tired of all the testosterone?” 

“Actually… I’m here to meet a woman.” Anasui placed her index finger on her bottom lip. “How do I explain this without sounding like a crazy person? I believe my soulmate is here in Green Dolphin Prison… And I needed to come to the female ward to meet her.” 

“...yeah, totally… You didn’t sound crazy at all.” Ermes scoffed. 

“I’m glad you think so! Some people mistake my blunt nature with insanity, but I prefer to think of myself as conversationally efficient.” Anasui stepped a little closer to her cellmate. Their toes touched, and she looked up into Ermes’s eyes. “Now… I think you can actually help me out. You see, the woman I’m looking to meet is…” 

“KUJO!” A guard rattled Jolyne’s cell bars with his nightstick, startling her away from her magazine. “You have a phone call on line twelve! It’s prepaid, like always.” 

Jolyne sighed, placing her magazine down and rubbing her nose in frustration. It was no doubt her mother trying to get a hold of her for the umpteenth time that week. She’d been dodging Maura’s calls for a while at that point for a variety of reasons. Firstly, she just didn’t know what to say to the woman. Maura would obviously have questions, and Jolyne didn’t have any satisfying answers. Not only that, but the line couldn’t be trusted. Someone on the prison’s staff was scheming against the Joestar family, and she couldn’t let her guard down for a moment. Anything she said to her mother could be used against her if the adversary was listening somewhere in the depths of the prison. 

Still… How she longed to hear her mother’s voice. She hadn’t seen the woman since she was arrested all those weeks ago. Her heart ached at the thought of hearing Maura, of receiving reassurance from the woman. She wanted to talk to her mother, no matter the risks… Jolyne pried herself out of bed and trudged down the hall with a little yawn. It was almost lights out, and nearly everyone had retired to their cells for the night. The halls were empty, and when she arrived at the phones, she was completely alone. 

Line twelve was hanging off the hook. Jolyne approached it without much thought, but just as she was about to grab the phone, something stopped her. There was a little voice in the back of her mind alerting her of danger. Her hand hovered an inch from the phone, but she couldn’t close the distance. What was wrong…? She felt a shiver run up her spine, and suddenly knew she wasn’t alone in the room anymore. 

Whether it was a slight draft, a tiny noise that would normally go unnoticed, or really Jolyne’s sixth sense kicking in, she could tell someone was in the room. She tensed up, looking over her shoulder. When she couldn’t find anyone in view, it startled her even more than if there had been an enemy. She was so sure… But there wasn’t anyone after all? 

Click.

The sound of a gun’s hammer clicking into place filled the empty room with a distinct echo. Jolyne’s eyes widened as she witnessed a standard issue handgun materialize out of thin air. It hovered in front of her face, and she barely had any time to react! The gun was floating! Or was it…? Could her assailant be invisible? That would explain her nerves from earlier! 

Either way, it didn’t matter anymore. Someone had a gun to her head, and she wasn’t about to leave her fate up to their mercy. Stone Free’s thread spun from Jolyne’s index finger, snaking its way through the air and wrapping itself around the barrel of the gun. It laced itself into a bulletproof net just outside the barrel, then trailed down to pull the trigger itself. 

The gun fired, its bullet instantly clanking against the net and bouncing away harmlessly. The invisible assailant dropped their gun, letting it clank against the floor. Before Jolyne could celebrate, she felt an invisible fist plunge into her stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs and sending her flying into the phones. She struck her back against the metal box around a phone’s cage, causing her eyes to widen in agony as she fell to one knee. An invisible enemy sure was irritating, but Jolyne wasn’t about to be undone by a parlor trick. 

Stone Free slid across the concrete floor at top speed, slithering around in search of the enemy’s feet. When the thread found its target, it was a simple task to create a thin outline of their body with the glowing blue thread. Jolyne grabbed the gun with Stone Free’s hand, aiming it right at her opponent’s head. Without an ounce of mercy, she pulled the trigger. This person tried to lure her into the room and shoot her dead! They didn’t deserve her consideration! 

The bullet seemed to curve in the air, heading directly into the ceiling instead of her opponent. She gasped, noticing a shimmer of light leading the bullet away from its target. Just what was this person’s ability!? A hand grabbed her gun, lifting it up once again and pointing it directly toward the hand’s own head. Jolyne’s eyes widened, and at this point she acted purely on instinct. She pulled the trigger once again, and this time it landed right on target. 

CLANK! 

Her enemy became visible just as the bullet made contact with their head. She watched the bullet bounce uselessly off of the person’s forehead like it had just struck solid metal. The bullet clattered against the concrete floor, slowly rolling over toward Jolyne and eventually bumping into her shoe. After her eyes finished explaining the outrageous sight to her brain, she noticed something even weirder than the bullet. This person… She knew her. 

“S-Shizuka…?” Jolyne asked in disbelief. 

Sure enough, Shizuka Joestar stood tall above her disoriented cousin with her arms crossed in amusement. She was still wearing her modified Catholic schoolgirl uniform, looking quite out of place in prison. Shizuka reached down and offered Jolyne a hand with a playful smirk. 

“Boy, am I glad to see you safe and sound.” 

Jolyne accepted the hand, rising to her feet in a blur. She was still about five inches taller than her cousin, but Shizuka had certainly grown since they last saw each other. She looked at the girl like she was staring at a ghost, her eyes struggling to believe the view. 

“I don’t… I don’t understand.” 

Shizuka just leaned in and scooped her cousin into a great big bear hug. She squeezed Jolyne as tight as she could, patting the woman’s back and sighing loudly. Jolyne was left speechless for the second time in one minute. She leaned into the hug, arms limply draping themselves around her cousin’s sides. 

“Think it’s been too long since you’ve gotten one of these.” Shizuka grunted into Jolyne’s shoulder, giving her another loud pat on the back. 

It was true. After weeks and weeks of playing the tough girl act, Jolyne felt tempted to crumble into a million pieces at this small gesture of empathy. She’d been degraded, dehumanized, thrown into a cage and tortured by superpowered freaks for the better part of two months at that point. She even had to confront her bastard of a father on top of everything else! She was completely drained, yet nobody in the past two months ever asked how she was feeling… Sure, Ermes and Foo Fighters made sure she was well-rested and unharmed, but this was different… She leaned her weight into Shizuka, somehow confident that the girl could support it for a moment. 

Jolyne cleared her throat, pulling away with a few firm pats on Shizuka’s shoulder. She sniffled, shaking it off for now. “What are you doing here!?” 

“Gosh…” Shizuka looked over her shoulder. “Jotaro tried so hard to protect you from this world… yet here you are.”

“This world? You mean prison?” 

“All of it. Stands, monsters, mortal danger… It kept him up at night. This is basically his worst nightmare.” Shizuka frowned. 

“Psssh, sure. Like that man lost one minute of sleep over me. If he really gave a shit, he’d have been around for at least half of my childhood.” Jolyne crossed her arms with a huff. 

Shizuka sighed. There was a time where she’d nod her head and agree with things like that, but her time traveling with Jotaro back in 2009 permanently changed her opinion of him. He wasn’t a perfect father, and she definitely wouldn’t want to have been raised by him alone, but he tried pretty damn hard, and he only had Jolyne’s safety at heart. Still, she knew better than to argue that with the woman. Jolyne was the victim, she had every right to feel abandoned, because she was. 

Jolyne noticed the tension, but she wasn’t about to pry. She knew Shizuka stayed with the others during that weird emergency vacation a few years ago, and with the way the girl was acting, it seemed like she definitely knew more about the current situation than a teenager should. 

“Why’d you attack me, you little freak?” Jolyne tried to change the subject. 

“Oh, y’mean this?” Flower Child grabbed the gun and lifted to Shizuka’s hand. “Not to sound condescending or anything, but I was kind of testing you… When I heard you stayed behind to find Jotaro’s discs, I knew you probably had a strong enough Stand to protect yourself, but I guess I just wanted to be sure.” 

“You were… going easy on me?” Jolyne asked in surprise. She’d gone all out against the little scamp before she discovered her identity. 

“I guess so? I didn’t plan on hurting you too bad!” Shizuka shrugged. 

“I could’ve shot you!” Jolyne shouted. “That was so dangerous?” 

“Oh, like this?” Shizuka put the gun up to her head and pulled the trigger. 

BANG!

A flash of spiritual fire flared from the impact zone, and Jolyne noticed a second Stand hovering above Shizuka’s shoulder. This one looked a lot like Flower Child, but was the size of a grown woman and blazed with roaring flames. The bullet clanked off of the girl’s head just like before, rolling across the uneven floor. Shizuka grinned, tossing the gun aside after the little demonstration. 

“I wasn’t exactly worried about you hurting me, no offense. Your Stand’s got some mettle, though. What’s it called?” 

“Stone Free…” Jolyne stared at the impact site on Shizuka’s temple. There was a small black smudge on her skin, like it had been charred or something. It seemed to be fading before her eyes. “Stand? That’s what my-” She refused to call Jotaro her father, even if he was in danger. “That’s what he called them.” 

“Jotaro taught me almost everything I know about Stands and their properties. Well… retaught. It’s a long story.” Shizuka grinned. “I honestly can’t believe the big lug came here on his own to rescue you. I’m only a phone call away.” 

“A phone call away?” Jolyne felt like her mind was short-circuiting. “What. Are. You. Doing here?!” She grabbed the girl’s shoulders and shook her with every word. 

“Remember back in Gainesville when we fought those fictional characters? They were brought into reality by your friend Sid?” 

“I do… Are you telling me that Sid had one of these Stands?” Jolyne held her face in frustration. “Why didn’t I put two and two together!? Of course that was a Stand!” 

“To think you’ve been trapped here fighting Stands for weeks now… This place is a nightmare.” Shizuka looked around thoughtfully. 

Jolyne spat, crossing her arms and averting her eyes. “I’m not leaving without that disc. I don’t care if it takes my whole fifteen year sentence.” 

Shizuka sighed, rubbing her chin as she ran through her options. “I guess there’s no chance you’ll leave with me right now, then? I’ll find the disc, you can count on it.” 

The older woman shook her head. 

This elicited a louder sigh from the girl. “Okay then… Here’s the deal, I’m going to find the disc as quickly as possible. Just lay low and be safe until you hear from me again. We have the element of surprise, now. The enemy doesn’t know I’m here.” 

“Wait, Shizuka?” Jolyne scrunched her nose. “How did you even know this was happening?” 

Shizuka started to walk away, but she looked over her shoulder for a moment. “Your mom called. I told her everything I knew.” With that, she left the room. 

Jolyne stood there with her head hung. After weeks of dodging calls, her mom knew anyway? She could’ve at least heard Maura’s voice? She cleared her throat, walking back to her cell. If Shizuka had a way to find the disc, she wasn’t going to complain. She just hoped the enemy wouldn’t strike in the meantime…

Shizuka was quite good at keeping her footsteps silent, but she was only invisible, not inaudible. A careful ear could hear her shoes, and any other sound she made prowling around the prison. There was only one person in the world who could freely roam such a high-security building without a care in the world, and that’s exactly who she brought on this mission. The invisible girl walked up to an agreed upon broom closet and knocked on it three times. After a brief delay, the door gently swung open. She stepped inside, seeing a purple rift of energy seal itself over the door and engulfing the room in a shroud. Finally, she could speak freely. 

“Satisfied?” Pepsi smirked, leaning against the far wall with their arms crossed. Of course, Shizuka had to bring backup. When she considered infiltrating a prison, one person came to mind. Pepsi’s Mist would be able to walk right into the prison without issue. They could open doors, flip through secure files, and even have conversations in the middle of a crowded hallway without being detected. 

Shizuka shrugged. “She’s pretty strong, I can tell. Not only could she stand up to my sneak attack, but she’s been surviving this place for weeks. I’m sure she can make it another few days.” 

“Good,” Pepsi nodded. “What’s our next move?”

“Jotaro’s in critical condition until we find his disc. Jolyne reported that two CD’s were ejected from his face when that mysterious Stand attacked him. She didn’t get a very good look at them, but she’s positive that one of the discs is his Stand.” 

“What makes her so sure?” Pepsi raised their brow. 

“She found a big pile of discs on the premises. They were all Stand Abilities… Not only that, but he shoved one of them into a plankton and had it guarding them all…” 

“These discs don’t just take Stands, then? They somehow convert them into a Stand that can be used by anybody?” Pepsi asked incredulously. 

“It seems so…” Shizuka frowned. “Goes against everything I know about Stands, but I can’t deny the evidence. This white Stand can give your ability to somebody else, and that’s one of the most terrifying powers I’ve ever heard of.” 

“There’s gotta be some catch.” Pepsi shook their head. “He’s got Star Platinum, Jojo. If it were that simple, he could just toss it into an inmate and kill Jolyne instantly.”

Shizuka nodded. “I hadn’t thought about that… I guess my hypothesis is that certain Stands might be harder to wield than others? I can’t picture anybody but Jotaro using Star Platinum.”

“Well, we won’t have to worry about it for long. I’m gonna tear this place apart until I find Jotaro’s discs. Then we’ll take care of whoever’s stealing Stands around here.” They grinned. 

“Something’s just not right…” Shizuka sighed. “Jolyne swears that the white Stand ejects two discs from its victims… One of them is the Stand, but the other…? It could be anything.” 

“He sure went through a hell of a lot of trouble to get his hands on whatever it is.” Pepsi nodded. “All the more reason to act quickly.” 

“Two discs…” Shizuka stared into space as she contemplated the pieces of her newest puzzle. “A Stand, and what…?” 

Pucci walked across his office with a cup of tea and a scowl sour enough to turn milk. His presence tugged a gentle purr from his cat, and he took a moment to pet it before sitting down at his desk. Pucci’s fingers drummed against his cup as he repeated those special words under his breath. 

“Spiral staircase… Rhinoceros Beetle… Desolation Row… Fig Tart… Rhinoceros Beetle… Vía Dolorosa… Rhinoceros Beetle… Singularity Point… Giotto… Angel… Hydrangea… Rhinoceros Beetle… Singularity Point… Secret Emperor…” He hissed into the steam of his tea. Those words, those special words written by his most cherished friend… What did they mean? He hadn’t come up with Heaven, he was only a believer. Dio was the mastermind behind it all. 

The priest slid his desk open and retrieved a glossy platinum disc from an envelope inside. He slid the disc right into his forehead, reliving the experience of reading Dio’s diary once again… 

"What you can find beyond the powers of my Stand is where you need to go in order to find Heaven. What you need is a trustworthy friend . He must be someone capable of controlling his own desires. He must be someone who is not interested in political power, fame, wealth, or sexual desire, and who chooses the will of God before the law of humans. Will I, DIO , be able to meet someone like this one day?” 

Pucci pulled the disc partly out of his mind, clutching the desk with his free hand as those words haunted him. Dio’s entire plan hinged on meeting a true friend. That must have been such a difficult task for a man like him. To achieve Heaven meant subjecting oneself to absolute vulnerability. Dio needed someone to watch his back during those vulnerable moments. Not only that, but he needed someone to take care of him. 

“Courage will be the hardest trial of all. I’ll need the courage to destroy my own Stand, killing myself for a brief moment before returning to this world. Then, at my most vulnerable, my ‘friend’ will speak these fourteen phrases to me. Even in my compromised state, I will recognize those phrases, and I will trust him with my life.” 

A brief moment? The World had certainly been destroyed, but not for a brief moment. That man, that awful Jotaro Kujo, had destroyed Dio’s Stand and banished him from this world for twenty years! Pucci slammed his fist against the table, fuming with rage. 

He pushed the disc into his skull once again, repeating Dio’s words to soothe his nerves. This didn’t work. He threw his tea across the room, causing the glass to shatter against the wall and launching the cat off of a coffee table with a piercing screech. 

“IT’S NOT FINISHED!” Pucci wailed at the top of his lungs. He slammed his face into the desk three times, ejecting the disc and watching it clatter against the desk. He stood with such force that his chair fell backwards, and the priest furiously searched his pockets for his rosary. His thumb and index fingers pinched the first bead, and he recited the Lord’s prayer under his breath. 

After five Hail Mary’s and another Our Father, Pucci closed his eyes and let out a sharp breath. Everything he had worked for, everything Dio envisioned, how could they be so close to victory yet feel so hopelessly far away? After everything Pucci did to obtain Jotaro’s memory of Dio’s diary, how couldn’t it be finished? Dio was killed during his Heaven research… The diary was incomplete. If Pucci performed the ritual as it was theorized in the hazy diary, it might create something other than Heaven. That wasn’t acceptable… There had to be another way. 

There simply had to be. 

Inmate #FE38432 woke to the sudden shock of her cell door swinging open first thing in the morning. She rubbed her eyes in a dazed confusion, peeping past her bars and seeing that every cell appeared to open like this. That was definitely better than an alarm clock, but something told her she wouldn’t be able to adjust the timing. 

The girl felt like shit… Her throat was rough like sandpaper, and every time she swallowed it felt like little knives were dragging their way down the hatch. Her head throbbed, and her shirt clung to her back with yesterday’s sweat… As she recalled the previous night, Inmate #FE38432 felt a bit of abstract dread… She’d had some awful nightmares all night, but couldn’t remember the details. 

Inmate #FE38432 sighed, rolling out of bed and putting on a change of clothes. The inmate left her cell, wandering through the foreign concrete city of twists and turns in search of the cafeteria. 

Eventually, she made it. Inmate #FE38432 received a tray full of sludge and a carton of milk, her favorite… She trudged over to a random table and sat at the very edge. There wasn’t a vacant table in the entire cafeteria at this early hour, and she was too hungry to wait for privacy. Nobody was within three spots of her on the bench, so she ate in relative peace. 

Probably the most surprising thing about prison so far was how normal everybody seemed… Green Dolphin didn’t have a very strict uniform system, so the inmates looked like regular everyday folks hanging around a cafeteria. They just weren’t allowed to leave. It was much like high school, to which Inmate #FE38432 was still quite accustomed. Clothing aside, her fellow inmates just seemed like regular people. They weren’t hulking brutes or twisted drug addicts… Most of them were women around her shape and size, and very few of them appeared ready for a prison yard shanking. 

She wondered if she’d been all wrong about the type of person who ended up incarcerated, but something tugged at the back of her mind… She didn’t appear to be a violent criminal at first glance either, yet that was certainly the case. Maybe these people were just good at hiding their true colors…? They were serving their time and acting on their best behavior, right? Good behavior could lead to a reduced sentencing, so everybody had an incentive to play nice. She scowled a bit. 

It’s always the same… 

People only did good things when there was some kind of tangible reward, a carrot on a stick dangling in front of their stupid faces to keep them running on the treadmill of civility for another fleeting moment. Inmate #FE38432 knew this better than anybody. She knew what men were capable of in their primal state; what they would do in a world without consequences… That hunger, that insatiable hunger most “good men” kept at bay for the majority of their lives… It consumed everyone eventually. 

While Inmate #FE38432 was busy resenting mankind, another inmate began acting rather peculiarly. A girl with a lip ring and blonde bangs reached right across the table and swiped an apple from another woman’s tray without a care in the world. She dug her teeth into the delectable fruit, sending juice across the table and even landing a drop or two in the other woman’s eye. She didn’t seem to care at all, as she was far too busy enjoying the most delicious apple she’d ever had the pleasure of biting into! The girl with blonde bangs scarfed her stolen apple down in seconds, then lifted her head to see a much larger woman towering over her. 

“What the fuck’s your problem, Jess?” The woman growled.

Jess looked at the apple core with big, innocent eyes. She had specks of fruit scattered all over her face, and her pale cheeks slowly flushed crimson as she fumbled for an explanation. 

“I-I dunno…” She answered honestly. “Your apple just looked so good, and I…” Jess trailed off. She knew her excuse wouldn’t resonate with the hulking woman before her. 

“Just because something looks good doesn’t mean it’s yours, dipshit!” Clair reached across the table and grabbed Jess by the collar. “Don’t you ever think before you fuck up?”

Inmate #FE38432 was stunned by the events as they unfolded before her. This was precisely what she was thinking about moments before! Jess was so absorbed by her hunger that she disregarded the consequences of stealing Clair’s apple! It was a textbook example of her philosophy… So why did she feel so unsettled? 

“EWWWWWWWW, Hilary, are you rubbing one out at the table!?” Another inmate shrieked in disgust. 

Inmate #FE38432’s attention shot to the other side of the table just in time to see multiple women stumbling away from a small, wiry inmate in disgust. When Inmate #FE38432 looked closely, she could see the woman rubbing her crotch through her pants! Her eyes were rolling back into her skull, and she didn’t seem to have a care in the world! Inmate #FE38432’s heart pounded as she stood from the table and stepped back herself. Everyone was acting crazy… 

“Gimme those, you skank!” Inmate #FE38432 heard another woman growl, swiping a pack of cigarettes from her friend at the next table over. 

The room was only getting rowdier, and Inmate #FE38432 had no interest in being a part of some brawl on her first day. She fled the cafeteria, neglecting the rest of her food for the time being. She’d lost her appetite anyway… As the young blonde made her way down the hall, she couldn’t shake the feeling that those inmates’ behaviors had something to do with her… That was insane, right? She didn’t have any more influence over others behavior than anyone else! 

“Are you sure about that~?” A playful voice startled her back to reality. 

Inmate #FE38432 stared in dumbstruck awe at the being before her… It wasn’t a human, it couldn’t be! Sure, costumes could pull off some impressive feats, but the inmate could see through this thing! She rubbed her eyes a few times to see if they were playing tricks on her…. They were not. 

(Art and design by MiyaArte on Twitter)

The being looked to be humanoid in nature, but its features couldn’t be further from the norm. Its padded shoulders donned short red spikes poking every which way. Its arms seemed layered, almost like a machine with little bits underlying all throughout. It at least seemed to be wearing clothes, though they were definitely out there. Its jeans had big holes in each knee, revealing huge smiley-face patches peeking through and glaring at Inmate #FE38432. The being had an old Sony Discman strapped to its hip, and the cord coiled along its torso before feeding into a big pair of headphones atop its smooth dome of a head. Its chest seemed flat as a pancake, but its tank top had the word “RIOT!” written in a dozen different fonts and handwritings across its pale surface. 

Inmate #FE38432 probably stared for a little too long, because the being decided to speak without receiving an answer. 

“You really think those oafs were acting that way by sheer coincidence? Gimme a break, Lucy! You’re better than that!”  It teased, the being’s voice seemingly very reminiscent of Inmate #FE38432, but if the girl were older and confident. 

“It’s… It’s Inmate #FE38432.” The blonde bit her lip. 

“Oh, get real! None of the others go by their number around here! What’s wrong with Lucy Pendleton? It’s a nice name!” The being shrugged. 

“Lucy Pendleton died at that party.” Inmate #FE38432 clenched her jaw. “And why am I explaining myself to you!? Who the hell even are you!?” 

The being kicked off the stairs and strutted over to Inmate #FE38432 with a playful hum. It lifted the girl’s chin with its index finger and inspected her face. “Goodness, have we completely dropped our skincare routine, then?” 

Something about that caused recognition to spark in the inmate’s eye. Her lip trembled, but she found the courage to say it. 

“We…? Y-You’re… You’re me, aren’t you?” She asked, though she felt like she was moments away from being admitted to the psych ward. 

“In a sense, yes! I’m part of you, Lucy! We’ve met before… Don’t you remember?” 

The girl thought about it for a moment. That voice… It was familiar… “I don’t… Can you jog my memory?” 

“I was there that night, Lucy… That’s the night I was born. And I held your hand while you took your revenge…” The being explained. 

“But! I don’t understand… Why are you only showing up now?” Inmate #FE38432 frowned. 

“Back then, I was merely a part of you. Now, I’ve been given a voice! If I had to guess, it was that fuckin’ weirdo with the ‘Z’ on her chrome dome who did this to us.” 

“Zed…?” Inmate #FE38432 considered it. “When she pricked my hand… She made it sound like she was giving me something. That’s you?” 

“That’s me!” The Stand hummed. “She said if we were alive in the morning, we should track her down! I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to get some answers.” 

Inmate #FE38432 stared down the hall with a new sense of urgency. She felt like she should be freaking out, but her body felt almost irrationally calm. This creature, whatever it was, it was a part of her… It had her voice, her memories, her attitude… It even knew about that night. If it was born on that night of all nights, she’d believe it… Lucy Pendleton died that night… Only Inmate #FE38432 remained. 

“Then let’s go get some.” She scowled. 

Years prior in the summer of 2009, a little girl by the name of Ludovicia scampered down the streets of her hometown, Rome. She was a tiny dear with chubby red cheeks, curly black locks, and a doll clasped between her dirtied hands. Ludovicia was always running around and getting herself into trouble. She’d fall and scrape herself up so often that around eighty-percent of her surface area consisted of bandaids and kisses from her mother. Still, that never stopped her from zooming out the front door and seeing what adventurers the city had for her that day! 

Ludovicia felt the sun catch her eyes from the side, and she turned to witness a beautiful sunset spreading across the canal like a blanket of sparkling dreams. She couldn’t help but stare, leaning against the bars and resting her cheek on the railing of the walkway. Her rosy cheek was smushed inward as she basked in the beauty of nature… 

“Wow…” She gasped. 

After she spent a minute or two staring at the sunkissed canal, Ludovicia was about ready to continue her romp. Just as she was about to hop off the railing, she noticed something bubbling in the water. She tilted her head curiously. Could it be a fish? Maybe it would jump up and splash her! Ludovicia leaned as far down as she could with her hand held toward the water. 

“Fishy~!” She beckoned her slimy friend. “Hop up! C’mon, it’s okay!” 

The water continued to bubble, and soon it spread around a three-foot radius. The bubbles grew larger and faster as if something were brewing just beneath the surface. It almost looked like a pot of boiling water, but just in one little spot in the canal! Ludovicia’s instincts always finished second to her curiosity, and this time was no different. She kept still as she could and waited for something to happen. 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~!!!!” A hellish, ear-piercing shriek came from the water. It was the kind of scream you’d hear from an otherworldly creature in a horror movie, not a man. The bubbling reached a breaking point and was followed by a hand… A bloody, melting hand! As the soggy limb pierced the open air for the first time in almost a decade, the wear and tear became rather obvious! Flesh and tissue began to fall from the bone in thick, bloody clumps. It was like holding a tissue under running water, but about ten times redder. Soon, nothing remained on the hand but bone… 

Ludovicia was horrified, but she couldn’t look away! Was someone drowning!? They needed help! 

“H-Hello!? Somebody? Anybody! Someone’s in the water!” She shrieked. 

The bony hand smacked its palm against the water, somehow using the surface as leverage to hoist itself up higher. Ludovicia watched in disgust as the person’s skin and muscle continued to slump free from the skeleton-like a red sludge. The person seemed to have long, pink hair, but it melted away just as quickly as the rest. The skeleton reached up for Ludovicia desperately, its teeth gnashing into powder as it dislocated its shoulder to reach her… No dice, the girl was just too far away! 

By this point, the girl was screaming. She’d never seen something so scary, even in horror movies! The creature was trying to grab her! She shrieked, shaking her head and holding a hand over her mouth. Why wasn’t anybody coming to help her!? Joggers and cars passed right by like nothing was wrong! 

The skeleton’s mouth swung open and closed like a puppet, and Ludovicia could tell it was trying to say something. She couldn’t make it out without seeing its long-gone lips, but it almost looked like it was trying to reason with her? Did this creature need her help…? She sniffled, wiping her eyes and leaning a little closer. 

“A-Are you… a nice skeleton?” She asked softly. 

Somehow, even without lips, the creature smiled. Its teeth and bones contorted just right to imitate the sensation of human joy, and then it reached up and grabbed the girl by the shirt. She yelped to no avail, and was promptly dragged below the surface. That same bubbling from before continued for quite some time… Then, everything went black. 

An unknown time later, the little girl’s body was seen drifting face-down in the canal. Multiple passerbys noticed her this time, and a small party of terrified adults dragged her soaking form from the water. They flipped her over and checked for a pulse. Just as they began to perform CPR, her eye shot open. It was so sudden that a woman actually shrieked. She blushed shortly after, feeling a little silly for being startled by the eyes of a little girl. 

“Oh my goodness…” The man who dragged Ludovicia from the water wiped a few tears from his eyes. “Thank the Lord you’re okay, my dear! When we saw you floating in the canal like that, we…” He trailed off. “Were you just playing a game? You gave us all quite the scare!”

Ludovicia lifted her hand up and inspected it carefully. She seemed surprised by just how stubby and tiny it was. After analyzing both of her hands, her piercing green eyes met the man’s. They were… unhuman. The girl’s eyes were big and neon green with a small yellow triangle piercing the solid irises at a forty-five degree angle from the bottom left. Her eyes were enough to stop the man in his tracks, and suddenly, the entire rescue party drew to an uncomfortable silence. 

“You know… My mother never got to hold me… Not even the once.” The little girl mumbled as she stared at her own hands. “An entire life without the touch of a mother… It’s enough to drive anyone insane. But my mother’s dead, and I’ll never get to be held by her. Doesn’t that make you want to cry?” She tilted her head unnaturally and stared into the man’s very soul. 

“I… Uhm…” He rubbed the back of his head nervously. 

“Don’t answer that…” The entire world crumbled to pieces around Ludovicia. The grass and trees broke into geometric chunks that floated in a state of unreality as she rose to her feet. The concerned citizens continued along their predestined tracks as if Ludovicia never spoke a word. She stood up, passing right through the old man like a ghost and walking through the entire group without a single hiccup. When she made it through the small crowd, the chunks of landscape returned to their rightful positions, and time went on as it always had. 

But the little girl was gone… 

Chapter Text

Candlelight flickered in the dim bedchambers as Dio sat with a magazine in one hand and his crotch in the other. He was shirtless, like usual, and Jonathan Joestar’s impeccable pecs were made to appear even sharper and larger by the faint lighting in the distance. Dio dragged his razor-sharp nails up his abs with his free hand, wincing as he drew blood along the way. His index finger traced Jonathan’s six-pack, and he hummed quietly as the man’s tainted blood began to pool in the sex lines of his pelvis. The candlelight sparked and waved in the pool of blood, refracting the light every which way and catching Dio’s attention. He took a nail and scooped some of his blood closer to inspect it once again… 

A sinister hiss slipped past his fangs as he recognized the scent. “Joestar…” He snarled. Even after years of conditioning, drinking the blood of innocent people, and performing countless rituals to rid his body of Jonathan’s essence, this blood was still Joestar in nature… Dio’s nostrils flared as he fought back the monstrous impulse to drink it… The fact that he craved this blood proved that it was not his own. How many years would it take before he had full control of his body once again? As much as he loathed to admit it, Jonathan devastated Dio’s plans and left him on Death’s doorstep… He was lucky to be alive, let alone well. Still… He wanted more. That was Dio Brando, wasn’t it? He wouldn’t be satisfied until this body was his, and his alone. Then, he’d conquer the bodies of mankind!

The door creaked open, and soon Dio was joined by Pucci on the edge of the bed. The priest frowned as he saw Dio’s crimson fingertip. “You’re bleeding…” 

“I’m conducting science,” Dio corrected. 

“Ah, of course…” Pucci smirked. 

Dio was normally an intense presence in any room. His charisma filled the space like an invisible flow of water until there was nothing left to breathe but his intoxicating energy. That’s why Pucci could tell something was seriously wrong. Dio wasn’t making eye contact with the priest, much less filling the room with confidence and authority. The vampire merely stared across the dark room, focusing his eyes on some cracks in the wall. Pucci was too nervous to break the odd silence, so he let the man think for around two minutes of dead silence… Finally, Dio had something to say. 

“I feel guilt.” He admitted. 

All of the air left Pucci’s lungs. Was he hearing his properly!? Dio Brando was experiencing such a selfless emotion as guilt? Had Pucci stumbled through the wrong doorway and ended up in some alternate universe? 

“Guilt?” He nodded. “What for?” 

“You’ll have to forgive me, Pucci, I’m honestly rather new at this… I’ve only really loved one other person, you see… And this is how it ended.” Dio dragged his black nails across the nasty scar on his neck. 

Despite his best efforts, Pucci’s cheeks flushed crimson at that. Had Dio just admitted he was growing to love the priest…? Or, perhaps, he’d only felt love once before, and that's why he couldn’t quite get it right with Pucci? Either way, the vampire had his undivided attention. 

“I see. That must have been very difficult, Dio.” Pucci nodded with understanding. “To be killed by someone you had such a connection with.” 

“I deserved it.” Dio sighed with an uncharacteristic level of hindsight. “Don’t misunderstand me, Pucci… I wouldn’t change anything, but I still feel some amount of guilt over how things ended with Jonathan Joestar.”

“That’s perfectly understandable. Even with the way things went, you two spent your lives together. And from what you’ve told me, your relationship seemed… Complex.” The priest nodded. 

“Mmmm. Complex.” Dio echoed his friend. “That’s certainly a word for it…” 

“Well, Dio, you don’t have any reason to feel guilt over our relationship, do you?” Pucci scooted a bit closer on the bed. 

The blond man didn’t move, but Pucci could still feel him pulling away where it counted. He seemed reluctant to be near Pucci, and the priest couldn’t understand why. 

“Unless I’m mistaken?” He asked softly. 

“Pucci…” Dio stared ahead once again. “When I asked why you wouldn’t steal my ‘The World’ away in my sleep and kill me… That was reprehensible.” 

“Dio,” Pucci let out an exasperated sigh, as they’d been over this countless times. 

“I won’t hear it.” Dio lifted a finger. “To imply that you were only here to steal my power and knowledge was an unacceptable insult to your very character. Not only that, but I forced you to hold my disc in your fingertips and look me in the eye… I tested you.” Dio hissed. 

“We seem to have different recollections of that night.” Pucci crossed his arms. “It was actually quite pleasant for me.” 

Dio seemed interested. He cocked a brow, finally casting his eyes toward the priest. “Is that so?” 

“When I held The World in my hands, I could see your true self… I was holding your life between my fingers… With a slight flick of the wrist, you would have been dead. That kind of trust doesn’t come easily from anybody, much less a man of your power and status. I’ve honestly never been so flattered in my entire life.” Pucci explained. 

Dio mused on this for quite a while. “In your eyes, it wasn’t an insult, then?” He mumbled. 

“It was a declaration of your trust.” Pucci nodded. 

Dio turned over on his side and let out a small grunt. “Well, there are always multiple sides to any situation, I suppose. That’s what makes life so interesting.” 

Pucci couldn’t help but smile. He reached across the bed and rested his firm hand on Dio’s bicep. “And which of our experiences is the truth? If there’s even such a thing?” 

“Absolute truth is a myth,” Dio nodded. “The survivor gets to tell the tale… That’s always been my view.”

“The survivor?” Pucci pondered this. “You’re immortal, right? Does that mean, at the end of it all, the only real truth of our relationship will be your experience of our time together?” 

The vampire didn’t seem keen on following this line of thought. He just nodded. 

“Then it stands to reason you should pay closer attention to me. If all I am is a collection of your experiences, you should show me the respect of experiencing me.” Pucci slipped closer to Dio on the bed. 

With a clap, all of the candles went out. It was time to have some new experiences. 

Jolyne was on edge ever since Shizuka arrived the previous evening. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. She’d been on edge since her ex-boyfriend hit an innocent man with his car while driving down a rainy road, forcing her to help hide the body before pinning the entire crime on her… But her anxiety levels somehow spiked even higher when Shizuka arrived. It was a marvel of modern medicine. She’d love to write a paper on the extent of the human psyche someday. Maybe she’d get to attend college after her fifteen years were served? The woman sighed, walking through a set of open bars and entering the cell of a dear friend. 

Foo Fighters was sitting cross-legged on her bunk bed when Jolyne walked in. The plankton was busy reading one of the many books Jolyne assigned to her from the library. She perked up at the sight of her friend, dropping her copy of Huckleberry Finn and leaping off the top bunk to embrace Jolyne. She threw her arms around the woman, squeezing her intensely and even going so far as to lift her a few inches off the ground. 

“F-Foo!” Jolyne wheezed, eyes nearly popping right out. 

F.F. squeaked, dropping Jolyne down with a little blush. “Oops! Was that too tight? I’m still trying to figure out all this crap.” 

It might sound a little silly, but Jolyne was doing her best to educate Foo Fighters in the ways of human interaction. The plankton didn’t ask to be given a Stand, nor human-level sentience. Their enemy did that. Sure, F.F. might’ve killed an innocent woman during her first interaction with mankind, but Jolyne couldn’t exactly hold that against her! She was a simple plankton following orders! When Jolyne and Ermes explained the concept of death and mortality to Foo Fighters, she was horrified at what she’d done to poor Atroe, the woman whose body the plankton took housing in for the foreseeable future. 

In Jolyne’s eyes, it would be cruel to kill Foo Fighters, especially after she went to such lengths to defeat the Stand non-lethally in the first place. Foo Fighter’s inception might have been unorthodox, but she existed now. That’s all that mattered. 

“It’s alright,” Jolyne shrugged. “Ready for a pop quiz?” 

“Mhmm!” F.F. snapped to attention. 

“Hey Foo, what’s up?” Jolyne asked casually, leaning a hand against the wall and smirking at the Stand. 

“Eh, not much. You?” Foo Fighters asked nonchalantly, checking her nails instead of making intense eye contact. 

“There you go!” Jolyne clapped her hands three times. “You got it! You didn’t go on and on about some story nobody wants to hear, or talk about any of the weird places you’re feeling itchy!” 

“That’s because I’ve been practicing! But in case you’re wondering, this human body’s almost always itchy in the armpits and crotch!” Foo Fighters giggled jovially. 

“We can get you some lotion for that.” Jolyne shrugged awkwardly. 

“Lotion?” F.F. tilted her head. 

“Yeah, y’know? To moisturize you.” 

“There’s stuff to moisturize skin other than water!?” Foo Fighters shrieked. 

“Yeah, shaddup!” Jolyne swatted the woman’s shoulder. “Remember rule number one? Don’t shout about being human! Humans don’t do that.” 

“Right! Right… That was day one.” Foo Fighters giggled nervously. “Hey, Jolyne? Can I ask you a question?” She asked bashfully, folding her hands and looking up at the woman.

“You do nothing but ask questions, Foo.” Jolyne nodded patiently. 

“Well, this one isn’t about human stuff, or bathrooms, or prison, or anything like that! It’s… about you.” She admitted. 

“Oh…” Jolyne smiled, caught a little off guard. “What do you wanna know?” 

“Uhm… Well…” Foo Fighters adjusted her green bangs, clearing her throat and turning rosy in the cheeks. “I guess, just… Why’re you teaching me all this human stuff? I mean, the basics are pretty…. Basic. Don’t kill anyone, don’t piss off the guards or they'll kill you… That’s all you needed to do! Heck, that’s all Ermes stuck around for!” 

Maybe it was the innocence of the question or just the way Foo Fighter’s cheeks tinted a little darker than Jolyne had ever seen them, but she felt her throat get a little stuffy, and she had to clear it nervously before answering. 

“Erm-! Well… It’s not good enough to just live life without being killed, or killing other people… Life is… Life. And there’s a lot to learn before you can do it on your own!” 

“But with everything else going on right now, all the fighting and killing, why waste time on a silly little plankton Stand being happy?” Foo asked with crimson cheeks. 

“Well…” Jolyne was blushing too at this point. The truth was, she had no Earthly idea why she’d been doing this. Perhaps it was just a way to keep her mind off of the impending doom she experienced every single day. Maybe with the threat of Stand attacks every night, and guards beating her every day, she enjoyed a simple task with clear goals and regular mile markers to judge her progress… And maybe those were all excuses… There was certainly a part of her that found the plankton rather cute. How could she explain all of that to a mere novice at humanity, though? Instead, she dumbed it down a bit. 

“You’re my silly little plankton, Foo. That’s why.” She reached over and gave the girl’s green hair a playful little tousling. 

If F.F. were a pot of tea, she’d probably have made a quieter noise than she did at that moment. A high-pitched squeak slipped past the woman’s lips, causing her to clasp both hands over her mouth lest it betrays her yet again. She managed to simmer down her boiling cheeks, clearing her throat and crossing both eyes to look at her trembling hands. Jolyne laughed at the plankton’s expression, reaching over and pulling her hands away from her mouth. 

“Breathe, Foo. It looks really weird when you don’t breathe.” Jolyne smiled reassuringly, squeezing the woman’s hands. 

“Right…” F.F. nodded. “Just one more question. Uh- Well… Can two women…” 

“Kujo!” A gruff voice called from down the walkway. It was Ermes! For some reason, Jolyne felt the need to spring out of F.F.’s cell like she’d been caught sitting too close to a boy on the couch back at her Mom’s place. 

“H-Hey! What’s up?” Jolyne swung around the bars and crossed her arms over her stomach. 

Ermes immediately noticed the mood was off. She raised a brow, looking into the cell and inspecting Foo Fighters. “Did she drink out of the toilet again?” 

This elicited a shriek from the plankton. “That was one time, I’m better now! Nobody told me!” 

Jolyne wanted to pay attention to her friends, but something seemed off… A strange woman was standing just behind Ermes. She had pink hair, a muscular stomach, and seemed to be peeking at Jojo like a nervous child waiting to be properly introduced at the playground. Despite that, her eyes were sharp, cutting into Jolyne like knives and dissecting her mentally. She felt a shiver run down her spine. 

“Hey, Ermes… Who’s the chick?” Jolyne mumbled. 

“Ah-” Ermes sighed. “Jolyne, this is my new cellmate… Her name’s-” 

“Anasui! It’s Anasui! I’m Anasui! Anasui is my name.” The pinkette cleared her throat, offering Jolyne a polite hand. 

Well, that was something. Jolyne reached over and gripped the woman’s soft hand, shaking it firmly. “Nice to meet you, Anasui-Anasui-Anasui.” She teased. 

This brought a blush to the woman’s cheeks. She stared down at their joined hands and bit her lip. “Your hands are so firm…” She cupped her cheek with her free hand. 

“W-Wha?” Jolyne tried to pull away, but Anasui squeezed her hand even harder. “Ermes, what’s her deal?” 

Ermes sighed, rubbing the back of her neck with a bead of sweat on her cheek. “Well, I was going to mention… This lady’s, like, madly in love with you.” 

“ERMES! How could you!? I told you that in confidence!” Anasui shouted. 

“You told three people on the walk here!” Ermes spat back. 

Jolyne yanked her hand free, flicking it clean of Anasui’s sweat before resting it behind her back. “That’s- Well… Certainly something. How can you be in love with someone you’ve never even met before?” 

“I’m in love with your story, Jolyne Kujo. The strength of your character, the intense love you hold for your father in staying here for him! It’s almost too much to bear! I could simply die!” Anasui swooned. 

This got a snarl from Jolyne. “That’s what happens when you read the tabloids instead of talking to someone. I don’t love my father. I’m cleaning up his mess like always.” 

Anasui wasn’t one to be deterred. “Even nobler! Despite a shaky relationship with the man, your blood is too thick to ignore! You’d risk your own life to save him even if you can’t stand to look at him! Oh, Jolyne Kujo, I’m even more in love with you now than I was before!” Anasui panted. 

“Ermes, I don’t like this woman,” Jolyne mumbled to her friend as if Anasui wasn’t even there. 

Anasui’s face went pale as the love of her life ignored her very existence. Not only that, but her words cut Anasui’s heart into a million pieces! She felt like there wasn’t even anything left to live for… Her legs trembled, and the woman slowly stumbled back a few steps. The small of her back bumped against the railing of the walkway, and she continued to lean back. By the time Jolyne noticed Anasui’s trajectory, it was too late. The woman leaned back and allowed herself to fall head-first off the walkway! She was plummeting right toward the ground, and Jolyne didn’t have time to save her! 

“Sh- SHIT!” Jolyne shouted, sprinting toward the railing and jumping onto it with one foot. She dove off the edge, coiling Stone Free around the railing like a bungee cable and hurtling toward Anasui. The women met in the air just in time for Anasui’s head to strike the ground. Jolyne prepared herself for the inevitable snap, but it never came. Instead, the impact seemed to ripple through Anasui’s body like liquid. It trailed through her, seeping into Jolyne and then running up the thin thread of Stone Free. Eventually, it struck the railing up above, culminating in a loud BANG! 

“W-Wait… What?” Jolyne mumbled. In the heat of it all, she didn’t even realize they’d landed! She didn’t seem to receive any injuries from the fall either! She’d landed on top of Anasui, the women both lying on the tiled prison floor. 

Anasui stared up at her hero with crimson cheeks and an unhinged smile. “Jolyne Kujo… You leaped off of the railing to save me?” She asked incredulously. “Truly… Your noble spirit is unmatched in this world… You’re an angel, a spirit from another realm that graces us with your- Oh… You’re getting up?” Anasui trailed off as Jolyne sprang to her feet. 

Jolyne brushed herself off with a little sigh. “No wonder you’re ditzy enough to fall over like that. You’ve got a Stand that protects you.” 

The pinkette missed Jolyne’s warmth, though she could still feel it fleetingly against her skin. “That’s right! I’ve got a Stand just like you!”

“Yare Yare Dawa…” Jolyne scoffed, turning her nose to the desperate woman. “Was that all just a ploy to get me to touch you?” 

“N-No! I just lost my footing, I swear! The touching was just a bonus!” Anasui assured her. 

Jolyne’s hand lowered about an inch from Anasui’s face, offering to help her up. The pinkette gasped, eyes crossing to stare at the rough hand for a moment before accepting it. Jolyne gave Anasui a light pat on the arm, shaking her head. 

“Lady, you seem nice… Or, well, you don’t seem actively malicious, so lemme give you some honest advice. Okay?” 

“Of course! Anything!” Anasui smiled. 

“Don’t stand this close to me, don’t call me Jolyne Kujo all the time, and stop staring at my lips. If you do all that, you can hang out.” She smiled wearily. 

Anasui took it rather well. She nodded repeatedly, forcing her eyes up to meet Jolyne’s. “Y-Yeah, duh! Obviously… And if I do all of that, you’ll take my hand in-” 

“And stop coming onto me. Okay?” Jolyne placed her hand over Anasui’s mouth. 

The woman once again crossed her eyes to stare at that powerful hand, nodding obediently. Jolyne pulled away, satisfied. 

“I’ll just admire you from afar, then,” Anasui whispered. 

“I don’t care what you do from afar,” Jolyne shrugged, heading back to meet the others upstairs. 

“IlovehersomuchohmyfuckingGod….” Anasui hissed out in one breath, cupping both of her cheeks and shaking her head. “But if this is what I have to do to stay close to Jolyne, I’ll do it…” 

Jolyne made it back upstairs first, and she took a spot beside Ermes on the wall. She put her hands in her pockets and sighed, watching Anasui scale the staircase eagerly. 

“She’s a Stand User…” Jolyne mumbled. 

“I know,” Ermes shrugged. “Think she’s dangerous?”

“If she is, this is a really weird angle… I think she might just be a little coo-coo.”

“That’s certainly no disqualifier for this band of misfits.” Ermes grinned. 

“Keep an eye on her, alright? At least until we get her ability figured out.” Jolyne whispered, to which Ermes nodded. 

Shizuka strutted invisibly down the prison’s many lengthy halls before arriving at the agreed-upon safe zone. She leaned against the wall, waiting a minute to make sure the coast was clear. After this, she tapped her knuckles against the wall four times in a predetermined rhythm and braced herself. A hand gripped her shoulder out of nowhere, and then she was enveloped in Mist’s dark purple shroud. The world around Shizuka and Pepsi was visible but hazy. She looked at her friend expectantly. 

“Any luck?” 

“Nothing.” Pepsi frowned. “I checked most of the administrative areas last night… There are a few more places I need to cross off my list before we get desperate.” 

“Okay… I’ll keep checking cells in the meantime. I highly doubt the culprit is an inmate, but we shouldn’t leave any stone unturned.” Shizuka sighed. 

Pepsi’s earpiece beeped three times, causing them to tap it. “Yeah?” They muttered. 

Ripley was on the other end of the call. She’d been operating out of a van in the prison’s parking lot for the better part of two days at that point. The vehicle had all of its seats but one gutted and was outfitted instead with half a dozen monitors, three different computers, and a motion tracker for a thirty-foot radius around the van. Once she secured her connection with Pepsi, the agent tapped a few things into her keyboard. 

“None of my scans are showing anything out of the ordinary… No suspicious calls going into the prison, nothing happening in the courtyard, and no shady visitors.” Ripley reported. 

Pepsi just gave Shizuka a brief nod to say ‘all clear.’ 

“Alright then… Be careful poking around the private rooms, okay?” Shizuka smiled wearily. 

“Nothing can perceive me through my shroud unless I want them to. I’ll be completely undetected. I could be playing the trumpet right in front of the enemy’s nose and they’d never know.” Pepsi assured her. 

“We’ll get the whole band together to celebrate once you locate those discs. In the meantime, keep in touch. I’m going dark, Ripley.” Shizuka tapped her earpiece to turn it off. Once she left Pepsi’s shroud, it would be too dangerous to speak over the phone. She needed to search the inmate’s cells on her own. 

“Be safe, squirt.” Pepsi patted her on the shoulder before parting ways once again. They stalked their way down the hall, peering around a corner as Ripley hummed into their earpiece. 

“I’ve gotten updated schematics from the Foundation… You’re fairly close to the prison’s armory. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to grab a few things while you’re in the neighborhood. You might be undetectable, but fights always seem to happen where we least expect them.” The agent chuckled. 

“Sounds like a plan.” Pepsi nodded. “I’ll let you know what I find.”

Inmate #FE38432 searched high and low for the mysterious Zed all throughout the prison. Everyone seemed rather reluctant to speak about the woman, and it was beginning to piss the girl off. After being shut down for the third time, the inmate stormed out of the library with a huff. She crossed her arms, leaning the back of her head against the cold concrete wall. A chill crept through her entire body, and she closed her eyes to fully appreciate the sensation. 

“Nobody wants to talk about this Zed lady because it doesn’t serve their selfish interests.” Inmate #FE38432’s humanoid companion mumbled. 

“Tell me about it. They seem terrified of the bitch.” She sighed. 

“Let me compel them, Lucy.” The spirit hummed, its voice dripping with faint excitement. “Just sit back and allow me to lead for a moment.”

The thought had already crossed Inmate #FE38432’s mind, but she didn’t like the sound of it. Submitting her will to this unknown entity was a bridge too far for the girl, even if she was fairly certain that the spirit was a figment of her soul. She hugged herself even tighter and considered her options. This Zed lady wanted to be found, right? She told Inmate #FE38432 to look for her in the morning! Why was this becoming a whole thing, then? 

Another inmate walked past the brooding teenager, and she felt a part of herself slip into the background of her mind. It was as if she switched to autopilot without even realizing it. Inmate #FE38432 kicked off the wall and trailed behind the woman for a few seconds before placing a hand on the stranger’s shoulder. This got a grunt from the woman, and she turned to give Inmate #FE38432 a piece of her mind. Before she could, the young blonde lifted a small wad of dollar bills and presented it to the woman. 

“Do you know where Zed hangs out at this hour?” Inmate #FE38432 mumbled in a monotone voice. She wasn’t acting of her own volition anymore. The spirit was in control… 

If the older woman paid the wad of bills even the slightest bit of attention, she’d have noticed that they were her own. She always folded the two right corners of her bills as a precaution, and they were being waved in front of her nose clear as day. Despite this, she was too captivated by the prospect of having even more money to notice such a key detail. The spirit had swiped this woman’s cash from her pocket, and she was about to sell it right back to her for information! 

“Er- Yeah! I know Zed. She’s kind of a freak.” The woman admitted. 

“Freak how?” Inmate #FE38432 tilted her head. 

“I mean, she’s always just gliding around the prison like she doesn’t even mind being here! Some people are built for places like this, but Zed? She’s something else…” 

“How long has she been here?” The blonde asked, unsure of why this even mattered to her. Perhaps it was easier to fixate on Zed than to face the reality of her sentencing. All she hoped to gain from the woman were answers, right? Then why was she this invested?

“I dunno, a few months? Maybe half a year? Can I just…” She reached for the money, causing Inmate #FE38432 to slap her cheek with the wad of cash. “Ow! Hey!” 

“Where is she?” The blonde demanded. 

“She’s got this little corner in the courtyard! It’s all hers because nobody likes being around her!” 

“Alright…” Inmate #FE38432 cast the bills aside, watching as the woman dropped on all fours and scurried to retrieve them all. She rolled her eyes, strutting down the hall. 

Maura Kujo sat with a cup of coffee clasped between her restless hands on the Joestar family’s living room couch. She tapped her index fingers relentlessly against the mug, eyes darting over to the clock every few minutes as if she could will time to move at a faster pace. Control over time? How baroque would that be? She took a sip of her hazelnut coffee and sighed against its steady cloud of steam. Shizuka had embarked the evening before, but it felt like an eternity to Maura. She didn’t get a wink of sleep that night, and her days were beginning to drag together in a nightmarish blur. 

The woman’s ears perked up to the sound of Suzi Q’s stair lift whirring to life. She glanced over her shoulder and gave her an uneasy smile. After thirty seconds or so, Suzi Q grabbed her cane and stomped over to the couch. 

“Why do you look so troubled, dear?” The older woman smiled. 

Maura squeezed her mug and let out a nervous chuckle. “Oh, you know… Just life, I suppose. Can I ask you a question?” 

“Go right ahead, dear!” Suzi Q nodded. 

“You’ll have to forgive my ignorance, I just learned about my husband’s second line of work a few years ago, and he hasn’t exactly been forthcoming about it since. You’ve known this whole time, haven’t you? About all of it?” Maura sighed. 

“A second line of work? Goodness, Joseph’s first line of work was fighting monsters and saving people! His side hustle was what gave me the real headache!” Suzi roared with laughter. 

“How do you cope with it, Nana? Living every single day like this would kill me! My husband might be dead, and my daughter is in grave danger… But I’m just sitting on an expensive couch sipping imported coffee!”

Suzi Q thought about it for a moment. “Tired of sitting on the couch and worrying then, are we? Think that’s all a wife is good for?” 

“Well… no.” Maura frowned. 

“First thing’s first, young lady. Your daughter may very well be in grave danger, but I’m not worried one bit about it! You might call me heartless, but I’m simply informed. Your Jolyne has the fire of a Joestar burning behind her eyes. Joestars don’t lose, it just doesn’t happen! I’ve seen it firsthand! Do you think I sat on a couch and worried about my Joseph while he was adventuring? No! I was waiting for him to come home with a smile and a bouquet of roses because I knew my husband!” 

“Jotaro isn’t coming through the door with a bouquet of roses, Nana! He’s been killed by his enemy! An enemy I know absolutely nothing about, by the way! Some men want my husband and daughter dead, and I’m not even allowed to know about them!? But I should just put all of my faith into a high school girl to save them both?” Maura stood up, placing her coffee down and glaring at the old woman. 

Suzi Q met Maura’s gaze, rolling her fingers against her cane as she searched for the right words to continue. Just then, the door sprang open. Holy Kujo walked into the living room with a blonde little girl holding her hand. The child’s smile faded as she saw Maura’s expression, and her amber eyes shot to the side when they met the older woman. 

“Ah, Holy dear, just in time. You’ve delivered just the piece of evidence I need to thoroughly own your daughter-in-law.” Suzi Q crossed her arms with a huff. 

“W-What? Mom…” Holy sighed, walking the little girl deeper into the room. “I’m sorry, Maura… Is she complaining about children’s programming again? I keep trying to tell her there’s nothing wrong with Spongebob.” 

“No, child, I’m talking about dearest Debbie right beside you. Maura, we told you that little Debbie was staying with us for a while as a favor for an old friend. Well, if you want the truth so bad, I’ll give it to you.” Suzi Q smirked. 

“Mom!” Holy protested. “Jotaro doesn’t want-” 

“I don’t care what that boy wants. I’m his Nana, he can suck it up.” Suzi waved a dismissive hand. “Do you want to know where we got little Debbie, Maura? She used to be older… In fact, she was my age.” 

Maura’s face twisted into several different expressions of confusion and concern. “W-What? What are you talking about?” 

“My Shizuka fought that wicked woman all alone, and using a power I still don’t fully comprehend, she turned that horrible woman into a baby again.” Suzi Q huffed. 

Holy pulled Debbie into her lap, grabbing her attention while Suzi went on about her previous life. Soon, she’d be old enough to understand that kind of talk. They’d need to watch it around her. Maura was a little busy wrapping her mind around Suzi Q’s story. 

“She…. turned her… into a baby?” Maura stared at Debbie. 

“A tad bizarre, no? Debbie was the most ruthless enemy we’ve faced in quite some time! She might’ve been the single biggest threat to the Joestar family on Earth. My husband tried to stop her, and he failed. Your husband tried to stop her, and he failed. A baker’s dozen other adults with their own special superpowers and quirky catchphrases all gave it their best, and all of them came up a day late and a dollar short! Do you want to know who finally bested this beasty babe? My Shizuka did. So when you say Jotaro and Jolyne’s lives are in the hands of my Shizuka, I don’t feel the slightest bit of anxiety! Sure as the sun will rise, Shizuka is going to find your husband’s discs, break your daughter out of prison, and come home without so much of a scratch on her! That is a Joestar!”

Maura’s eyes drifted from Debbie to Suzi Q multiple times before eventually settling on the floor. She clenched her fists, shaking her head. 

“Twenty years of sitting on the couch and worrying… I’m just sick of it, Nana.” 

Suzi Q rested her back against the couch with a shrug. “Then go?” 

Maura was shocked. “W-What?” 

“Did I stutter? Go! Don’t take my word for it! It’s your right to be there! You’re Jolyne’s mother, after all! March right into that prison and see if she’s okay. You don’t have to sit on the couch.” 

“I…” She stammered. 

“I told you, you’ve got nothing to worry about! But if you’re still gonna worry, you should do whatever you can to help.” 

“I want to be there,” Maura admitted with conviction. 

“We’ll book you a flight straight away! Will you at least join us for dinner, Maura dear? It’s been too long.” Suzi waved her hand with a sigh. 

“Y-Yes, Ma’am.” Maura nodded. 

“Attagirl! Let’s order in.” 

(Pepsi, art by @MiyaArte on Twitter)

Pepsi walked out of the prison’s armory with a Colt M4A1 Socom Carbine and two extra magazines in the pockets of their baggy cargo pants. It was a standard-issue rifle for a prison tower and would make short work of any infantry target within 500 meters. They figured it would be more than overkill for anything they might encounter inside the prison walls. Enemy Stands might be mean and powerful, but with Pepsi’s ability to go undetected, a semi-automatic rifle was pretty much the “rock” to everyone else’s shrimpy little scissors. With the M4 slung over their shoulder, Pepsi tapped their earpiece and checked in with Ripley. 

“Found a few toys in the armory. Thanks for the recommendation.” They mumbled. 

Ripley chuckled in return. “You can’t even set off metal detectors with that, can you?” 

“Well, they’d have to detect me, which is impossible.” Pepsi shrugged, strutting down the hall. “Where to from here?” 

“Hmm… It might be a bit of a long shot, but we shouldn’t leave any stone unturned. Head to the chapel. It’s just down this hall, then make a left.” 

Pepsi stuck close to the right wall by sheer instinct. Sure, they weren’t going to be spotted by anyone, but they didn’t want to risk bumping into a guard while turning corners. After following Ripley’s directions for a short time, they arrived at the prison’s chapel. Pepsi stepped into the quiet room and took a deep breath. They’d spent more time than they’d care to admit stuck in Catholic schools and orphanages. Entering this chapel reminded them of some pretty grim times. Still, they were on a mission. Trauma could wait. 

“I’m in.” 

“The priest’s living quarters are in the back of the chapel. There’s a door beside the tabernacle. Pick the lock and follow the hall for a minute or two. That’s where he lives.” 

Pepsi couldn’t help but stare at the large statue of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross above the altar. They smirked, shaking their head at the poetic irony of it all. Wouldn’t it just be swell if a man of God had been behind this whole thing? They glided across the room like a silent predator before grabbing their lockpick and effortlessly popping the door open. It took about eleven seconds in total. Pepsi stepped in and closed the door behind them. 

“I’ve never been in a priest’s house before.” They muttered. 

“Just picture an old person’s apartment, but there’s Jesus merchandise all over the place.” Ripley chuckled. 

As Pepsi prowled down the hall, they noticed various pictures lining the wall. Each frame was labeled with a priest’s name, and the years they served in the prison. There were quite a few faces, but Pepsi stopped to get a good look at the last one. Enrico Pucci? His frame was the only one that didn’t list an end-of-service date. He still worked there. 

Pepsi stared at the photo for a minute or two and tried to imagine such a docile man defeating Jotaro in combat. They were probably barking up the wrong tree, but it wouldn’t hurt to give the place a quick search since they came all this way. Slinging their carbine over one shoulder, they continued into the main area of the priest’s quarters. 

Their eyes darted across the room at the first sign of movement. Pepsi let out a sigh of amusement once they identified the source. Pucci had a cat. They smiled fondly, walking across the room and inspecting it up close. It seemed like some kind of mixed stray. The cat’s left ear had been torn to shreds at some point, but it was healed over. Its right ear was bent at an odd angle, though it remained in one piece. 

“Aww… You must’ve had a hard life before the priest brought you here.” Pepsi smirked. “I’d love to pet you, but I think you’d die of a heart attack if I appeared out of nowhere.” 

“Does the priest have a cat?” Ripley rolled her eyes. “You’ve got bigger concerns right now, Pep. Eyes on the prize.” 

Pepsi nodded, standing up once more and glancing across the room. “Say, is there some sort of office in this place?”

After flipping through various stacks of paper, Ripley had their answer. “Yes! It’s just on the other side of this room.”

The redhead walked carefully across the unfamiliar living room and inspected the door for a moment. There weren’t any obvious signs of a trap, so they pushed it open and peered inside. The priest’s office seemed relatively normal. It looked more like a regular office than anything. He seemed to keep the God stuff in the living room. Pepsi stepped inside and left the door cracked. 

There was a large, fancy desk sitting in the middle of the office. Pepsi made their way toward it, eyeing the coffee table and chairs in the corner of the room. Pucci had guests in his office from time to time. That’s odd since it was inside his home. They shrugged it off, reaching the desk and inspecting the drawers. The very first drawer they tried refused to open. Shit, it was locked… They groaned, grabbing their tools and picking the lock quickly. It popped open without much resistance. Why would Pucci have a locked desk drawer inside his locked home? 

Pepsi got their answer a moment later when the drawer opened to reveal a pile of discarded compact discs. Their eyes widened in amazement. This couldn’t be… Pucci the priest was Whitesnake’s User? 

“Ripley,” Pepsi began to fumble through the discs in search of Jotaro’s. “I found them! It’s the priest! The priest has the discs!” 

“Holy shit, are you kidding me? Man of the lord, my ass!” Ripley laughed. “Grab them all! Jolyne claims those discs are all potentially Stand Abilities. That son of a bitch is inserting them into inmates and forming a small army.” 

“Understood…” Pepsi threw as many of them into their bag as they possibly could. They read the label of each one until about twenty of them were in their bag. “I’m not finding Star Platinum.” 

“Shit… Keep searching the place! He’s gotta be keeping it somewhere. If Star Platinum’s inside an inmate, we’re screwed.” 

Pepsi picked the upper drawer on the right and found typical office supplies. Another dead end… They scoured through the entire desk, eventually kicking it with their combat boot in frustration. When their heavy boot collided with the fine oak base of the desk, they noticed an uncharacteristic rumbling from inside… This desk was meant to be sturdy, so why did it sound like a loose piece of wood was bumping around? 

They ripped the top right drawer out of the desk and dumped its contents of office supplies onto the surface. Pepsi gave the bottom of the drawer a few quick pokes and noticed it was wobbling in place. That sly son of a bitch! Pucci was hiding Jotaro’s discs under a false bottom! They took a knife from their cargo pants and wedged it between the false bottom and the drawer’s side. 

With a satisfying “pop!” the false bottom fell onto the surface of the desk. Pepsi lifted it up and grinned from ear to ear upon finding a disc labeled “Star Platinum” taped to the underside. 

“I found it.” They sighed with relief. “I found Star Platinum.” 

“Thank Christ…” Ripley fanned herself. “What about the other one? Jolyne says Whitesnake ripped two discs from Jotaro’s forehead.” 

Pepsi checked the discs in their bag and furrowed a brow. “Some of these discs are labeled with Stand names… The others seem to be regular people.” 

“What on Earth could those normal discs be for?” Ripley frowned. 

“Only one way to find out…” Pepsi took a deep breath, lifting one of the discs just in front of their eyes. 

“Wait… Pepsi, this is a bad-” 

B E G I N   P L A Y B A C K

A first kiss… The death of a mother… College Graduation… Cancer diagnosis… Falling on hard times… Being arrested… Prison. The life of a woman flashed before Pepsi’s eyes so quickly that it was over in a mere blink! This disc… It belonged to one Victoria McDonald, and she was dead. Pepsi had already reached the end of the disc before they even realized what they were watching. Instinctively, they rewound to an earlier portion of the playback. If they wanted, they could skip throughout with a level of precision that would make any TV guide blush. All they had to do was think about a time in Victoria’s life, and they were presented with it. 

Hmm… 

Father Pucci. 

With some light interference, the disc skipped ahead to the first time Victoria met Pucci. It was uneventful… They met eyes once in a hallway while she was walking to lunch. Pepsi needed something more than that. Why was this dead woman lying on Pucci’s desk as a DVD? They skipped through all of the mundane meetings between Pucci and Victoria, opting to check the finale. 

They were sitting in Pucci’s office, the very office Pepsi found this disc in. Pucci was sitting with one leg crossed, hands folded in his lap. Victoria seemed troubled like she’d just finished crying. There was an awkward silence, and Pepsi considered rewinding. Before they could, something finally happened. 

“Devil Town, Nebraska… That’s where you’ll find him.” Victoria spoke with a numb, pale expression. 

“Mmm… And you’re sure that’s right?” Pucci tilted his head. 

“What do I have left to lie for?” Victoria asked with damp eyes. 

A smile crept across the priest’s face. He tapped his thumbs together in thought, nodding along as he considered his next move. Suddenly, his watch beeped. He checked the time, eyes darting between Victoria and his wrist. He tapped the glass of his watch four times, then paused for a moment. Five. That was a nice, prime number. After his fifth tap, he stood up and turned his back to the inmate. 

“I have something I need to attend to… Please, make yourself at home.” Pucci mumbled, walking for the door. 

“W-What?” Victoria asked. 

When the priest opened the door, Victoria noticed his cat stepping into the room. That was the last thing before…

P L A Y B A C K   E N D E D

Pepsi reeled forward and nearly slammed their head into the priest’s desk. Sweat gathered on their back as they huffed and puffed with adrenaline. Just what the hell was that!? Their hands trembled uncontrollably on the desk, and soon Victoria’s disc clanked and spun around the wooden surface. They’d just experienced another person’s memories… They checked the disc for specific information, and it was easy! Every experience, every secret, every shame and regret, Pepsi was allowed to view them… Victoria had been reduced to a collection of data in Pucci’s desk drawer! 

“Pepsi! Talk to me, now! I’m calling Shizuka.” Ripley said. 

“No! Don’t! I’m okay!” They wiped the sweat from their forehead and sighed. “The discs are memories, Ripley! One disc is for Stands, the other is the victim’s memories!” 

“My God…” Ripley leaned against the wall of the van as she considered the implications. “You’ve got Star Platinum, where are Jotaro’s memories!?” 

Pepsi fumbled through the pile of discs frantically in search of Jotaro’s memory disc. It wasn’t there… “I can’t find it.” 

Ripley shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense! Why would he keep it separate? What’s special about Jotaro’s memories?” 

“The priest used Jolyne as bait to lure Jotaro to this prison, right…? What if killing him wasn’t the goal? What if he needed something from Jotaro’s past?”

Pepsi’s eyes darted over to the door as it closed. They’d left it cracked… Something just shut it. Their eyes locked on the door, and they stopped breathing. Ripley kept speaking, but her words went in one ear and out the other. All Pepsi could hear was the sound of their own beating heart as they stared at the door. Whatever closed the door was hidden from view… If they squinted, Pepsi could see hints of a tail wagging left and right on the other side of the desk. Their throat clogged up, and they lost the ability to speak. The cat… It was the cat! The last thing Victoria saw was that cat! Why hadn’t Pepsi realized? The discs weren’t left unguarded! This was a prison, after all! The guard was simply hiding in plain sight…

“Mrow…?” An adorable little voice cooed from the other side of the desk. 

“Pepsi!? Are you even listening to me? I said get out of there! Get out of there now!” Ripley screamed into their earpiece as they stood there silently. 

This knocked them out of it just in time to see a thick black substance creep up the four walls and engulf the room in darkness. The windows were covered, and the only source of light came from the lamp in the far corner. Ripley’s shouting flickered away in a hum of static interference. Pepsi felt their stomach drop as the entire world was blotted out by some rippling darkness. They were panicking! Nothing good ever came from panicking! Pepsi took a deep breath and scanned the room for any sign of danger. Where was that fucking cat!? 

Just as they thought about it, the furry little friend in question hopped onto Pucci’s desk. It cocked its head and analyzed Pepsi closely. They froze in place, holding their breath as the cat stared into their soul with eyes beyond its intelligence… This cat wasn’t looking for head scratches or a can of tuna… It was sizing Pepsi up like a predator!

Mist shrouded Pepsi from the world around them in the nick of time. The cat’s eyes widened in surprise, but the curious orbs didn’t follow Pepsi as they circled the table. This didn’t stop the ginger from holding their breath, though. Pepsi knew this cat was a formidable opponent… If it were given the chance, this cat would kill them. They felt rotten for doing such a thing, but they had no choice… Pepsi readied their M4 and pointed it right at the cat’s abdomen. 

Like always, Pepsi took a deep breath before taking the shot. Their finger teased the trigger, and they prepared themself to fire. Just before the rifle went off, Pepsi noticed the cat turning to face them. Their eyes bulged out of their skull, and their heart practically stopped. What happened? What could have possibly tipped this cat off to Pepsi’s presence? Mist’s shroud cloaked all signs of Pepsi’s existence from the world! Their body heat, their scent, their everything! It even blocked the human mind’s instinct to detect when it’s being watched. Pepsi could stare at a target all night and they’d never even feel like something was off! So how the hell did this cat notice them? 

BANG!

The M4 fired, sending the cat off the desk and into the wall like its own furry projectile. Pepsi winced at the sound. Even if the cat was a Stand User, they felt back about hurting it. At least it was over… Mist’s shroud stayed up just to be safe as Pepsi walked around the desk and inspected the cat’s corpse. They were expecting a bloody mass of organs and shredded limbs… This M4 would’ve likely blown the cat to pieces at point blank with the rounds Pepsi loaded into it. Imagine their surprise when they saw the cat lying there completely clean and dry… 

Pepsi gasped, and the cat shot its head in their direction once again. How the hell was it doing that!? Mist was still shrouding Pepsi! They watched in horror as the bullet levitated about an inch in front of the cat’s side. It never hit the damn thing at all! The cat was just knocked back from the impact! It had something shielding itself! 

“Can you hear me?” Pepsi whispered, unsure of this cat’s powers. 

It didn’t seem to move… Pepsi stared at the feline foe for quite some time, eventually letting out a sigh. The moment they began inhaling once more, the bullet pointed in their direction. There wasn’t even time to process the attack before Pepsi reeled back in shock. The cat had somehow fired Pepsi’s bullet right back at them with a surprising force! Their kevlar protected them, but their ribs ached from the impact. 

What was causing this!? What was Pepsi doing? They’d only been spotted through their shroud once in their entire life! It was against Mortimer back in Germany. He wasn’t seeing them at the moment, though. He was allowing them to attack him before turning time back and remembering their position. This was different. The cat had a different ability than turning back time… The bullet was suspended in thin air a mere inch away from the cat… How could it do that? It was just hanging there in the air… 

Air. 

Pepsi stopped breathing. They stood perfectly still, ignoring the pain in their chest as the cat slowly hopped back onto the desk for the best vantage point in the room. Despite the aches and pains, Pepsi didn’t breathe. It was still a working theory, but what else could be happening? The cat first noticed Pepsi when they took a deep breath before firing their M4. It launched their bullet back at them with an invisible force. If it had used a Stand, Pepsi would’ve seen it! The cat must have used air to launch that bullet. Oxygen…

The cat’s tail waved smoothly through the air as it searched for its prey… Pepsi’s lungs burned as they held their breath for about thirty seconds straight. It was time to test the limits of this ability. They readied their rifle and pointed it at the cat once again. Pepsi allowed a slow, easy hiss of air to leave their nostrils at an even pace. The cat didn’t move… It seemed like exhaling wasn’t their tell. It must be inhaling. 

The only way to peek one’s head into Mist’s shroud is to touch Pepsi directly. It’s the Stand’s one real weakness. This was different, though… The cat wasn’t noticing Pepsi, it was noticing a decrease of oxygen in the room’s air! That’s why it encased the room in this black sludge! The air was completely contained, and limited. Pepsi’s small breaths were noticeable in such a confined space.

How long could they reasonably hold their breath? Pepsi’s heart pounded in their chest as they considered their options. Even if they couldn’t hide with Mist, they still had the upper hand, right? They had three magazines of a Colt M4A1 Socom Carbine for crying out loud! Sure, Mist had no offensive capabilities, but the rifle should be an equalizer in this scenario… They just needed a way to penetrate the cat’s shield of air. If it could stop even a speeding bullet, brute force wasn’t the solution. This was still a cat, though. Pepsi should be able to outsmart it. 

They would need to inhale in the next few seconds… Pepsi readied their rifle and stared into the cat’s dark eyes. They were a cat person at heart, so this was pretty upsetting… Pepsi respected the fighting spirit of this creature, but they weren’t about to let it kill them. They took a deep breath, and the cat instantly snapped its head in their direction. 

BANG!

The bullet tore through the air until it didn’t… The air stopped the shot in its tracks, suspending it right in front of the cat’s eyes. Pepsi’s heart stopped… The cat could catch bullets with that much precision? They slowly took a few steps to the left, making sure to hold their breath the entire time. They had some time to figure out their next move before they revealed their location again. There needed to be a way to surprise this damn thing! 

Pepsi noticed the cat’s eyes slowly scanning the area around them. This caused them to reflexively hitch their breath, making sure not to let any air out. Any disturbance in the room’s atmosphere might alert the enemy. The cat’s ears perked up, and Pepsi watched as the bullet slowly drifted to face them. No… It couldn’t be. They were holding their breath! How could the cat see them? That’s when it hit them. 

“It,” being the bullet, of course. Pepsi got struck in the chest once again by a high-speed bullet, sending them stumbling back into a bookshelf. Books fell all around them, vanishing the moment they touched them only to appear again a moment later. The cat squinted, noting the absence of books. Before Pepsi could recover from the bullet striking their kevlar, the cat ramped things up with an attack of its own. 

The air seemed to roar, and soon Pepsi felt a relentless pressure rising on their leg. The books to their left began to shred and fall from the shelf as the cat adjusted its aim, but soon it was spot on. Pepsi cried out in pain as high-pressurized air pellets tore up their left leg. Blood burst from their pants, and any fabric the air touched was shredded to pieces. Pepsi shouldn’t have brought a gun into this fight at all! They just gave the damn cat an idea! It decided to use the very atmosphere like a gun and pelt them with a rain of air bullets.

But how was it seeing them!? They still didn’t understand… If the cat wasn’t only alerted by Pepsi inhaling, what else tipped it off? They had to think like the cat! Pepsi closed their eyes and imagined a vision composed entirely of air. What was it seeing? In a world of only atmosphere, what disturbance was Pepsi causing? That’s when it hit them! A sharp inhale alerted the cat of their presence because the oxygen was disappearing! But that wasn’t the only way it could see them! If they held their breath, they created a blatant vacuum in the cat’s vision! There would be a pocket where air should be but wasn’t! 

Pepsi’s blood stained the bookshelf behind them and caused the spines to shimmer with Mist’s shroud. Any blood that came from Pepsi’s body would still be considered a part of their body for a short time, and would be hidden by their shroud… That gave Pepsi a small advantage. At least the cat couldn’t track them by their drops of blood… Still, they were running short on advantages at the moment! How was this cat isolating the room’s atmosphere with that dark goo? That didn’t seem consistent with the rest of its ability! Pepsi kept asking more and more questions without making any headway in the answers department! 

“Agh, shit!” They groaned, applying pressure to their leg. Blood was getting all over the place and once it dried it would become a beacon for their location! Pepsi needed to move, but moving required oxygen! If inhaling caused a blip in the cat’s air vision, and holding their breath also alerted the cat of their location, there was only one option left… 

Short, easy breaths. 

Pepsi tried to steady their breathing as best they could given the circumstances. Adrenaline and bleeding put a damper on things, but they did their best… They counted each breath carefully in their head… One, two, one, two… In for two, out for two. Hopefully, this would create a relatively even distribution in the atmosphere. 

The cat’s ears twitched a few times as it searched for the intruder. It stood at high alert, tilting its head and gazing at the bookshelf curiously. Drops of blood began to appear on the books and walls. This caused the cat to mewl as more and more red specks peppered the room. Its eyes followed the trail of blood across the room and noticed a slight discrepancy in the atmosphere a few feet to the right. That had to be where the intruder was! The cat let out a small growl, leaning forward and preparing another attack. 

Pepsi barely had time to process an attack was coming before another round of air pellets tore their right arm to pieces. They cried out in pain as the air minced their skin and spattered blood all over the wall. Pepsi slammed their head against the wall and bit down on their lip for some small sense of release as their left hand fumbled through their cargo pants in search of their first aid materials. While they were looking for bandages, their fingers grazed across something rubbery. Wait a minute… That’s it. 

The cat noticed a spike in the atmosphere after they fired. It whipped its tail around gleefully after another successful attack! Just a few more and this intruder would be finished. The intruder thought moderating its breathing would help!? The cat would laugh if its biology accommodated such a thing! Still, it took immense satisfaction in its job, and that job was protecting Father Pucci’s important things from anyone that wandered in. 

The intruder was certainly making things more difficult than anybody had before, but the cat wasn’t afraid of them… Sure, being impossible to see was annoying, but everything left some trace! Even moderating their breathing left the faintest of atmospheric disturbances in the isolated room. The cat couldn’t blame them for trying, though! It was better than holding their breath for sure! The guardian cat’s eyes scanned the room for anything suspicious… Soon, it noticed specks of blood appearing on the carpet. It searched for a blip in the atmosphere. The blood was getting closer to the desk! Hah! Was this foolhardy intruder trying to approach the cat head on!? That would only make the atmospheric disturbance even more obvious! 

Bingo. 

The cat’s eyes were fixed on a blip on the carpet. It was a small pocket to be sure, but the cat could tell with absolute certainty that something was holding its breath down there! Was the intruder trying to crawl toward the desk? How pitiful! No matter the elevation, the cat’s keen senses would notice any disturbance in the atmosphere and unleash hell onto it! At such a close range, this would be the final attack… The intruder sealed their fate by approaching the cat like this! It readied its air pellets and fired right on target! The air roared and shredded the carpet all around the atmospheric disturbance! 

YES! A dead-on hit! There’s no way the intruder could dodge that attack at such a close range! The cat just watched in satisfaction as the pocket of stored air vanished from view… Nothing was holding its breath anymore! Any minute now the intruder’s corpse would appear just like the blood! It watched with bated breath as the drops of blood slowly trailed closer and closer to the sight of the disturbance! After ten seconds, the blood began to appear all around the shredded carpet! The cat rejoiced, but it was short-lived. 

There… wasn’t much blood at all. 

Sure, there was blood, but it was mostly just carpet! The cat narrowed its eyes and stood on high alert once again. Something else stained the carpet along with the intruder’s blood… It looked like small shimmery ribbons of a transparent material. What was that? It cocked its head and looked all around the room! That’s when it noticed another atmospheric disturbance! The intruder was holding their breath on the far side of the room! The cat hissed, firing another barrage of air pellets at the corner of the room. 

Another long silence… 

Panic set in. The cat’s breathing became labored as it frantically searched the room for any kind of atmospheric disturbance! Soon enough, another small bloodstain appeared in the corner of the room alongside some of that shimmery material! What was the intruder doing!? How were they tricking the cat’s impeccable atmospheric vision!? 

That’s when one final disturbance bounced along the table right next to the cat. It hissed, leaping into the air and staring right at it! The void of atmosphere was clear as day to the cat, but it didn’t make sense! The intruder wasn’t on the desk, so why was there a pocket of atmosphere lying right in front of the cat? After a few seconds, the answer became clear. 

Blood slowly stained the desk, and soon the intruder’s little trick was revealed. The cat’s eyes widened as a small rubber glove appeared on the desk about a foot away from it! The glove was covered entirely in the intruder’s blood, temporarily masking it from the naked eye until the blood dried! Not only that but the rubber glove was filled with atmosphere! The intruder must have blown it up and covered it with blood to create artificial pockets of hidden atmosphere! The glove would be invisible to the cat’s eyes, and the atmosphere would resemble the same kind of pocket as the intruder holding their breath! But wait… That must have meant… 

The barrel of Pepsi’s M4 pressed right against the cat’s ass from behind. Pepsi grimaced, appearing visible to the cat due to their direct physical contact. They clutched the rifle in their left hand, gripping the cat’s tail with their right. 

“I’ve always been more of a dog person.” 

The cat shrieked, firing a flurry of air pellets directly behind and targeting Pepsi’s chest. The pellets mostly struck their kevlar, but various pockets of air ripped into their arms and face. Pepsi didn’t flinch, pulling the trigger and firing a high-caliber round directly into the cat’s asshole. The bullet tore through the cat’s body and caused a supersonic wave within its spine. In a fraction of a second, the cat’s internal organs burst out of its mouth and spattered against the wall. The only reason the cat didn’t get sent flying with them was that Pepsi gripped its tail tightly. The kinetic energy of the bullet devastated the cat, finally ripping its head off and causing it to dangle precariously from a few strands of muscle and fur. 

After it was all over, Pepsi lifted the tail and inspected the cat’s remains. The tail stayed in their hand, but the front half of the cat broke apart from its back, plopping uselessly onto the table. Pepsi just grinned, tossing the bottom half aside with a grunt. The black atmosphere encasing the room faded, and Pepsi finally took a nice, DEEP breath. 

Pepsi caught a look at themself in Pucci’s mirror and scowled. Those air bullets shredded their skin. They were a bloody mess. The adrenaline they’d been operating on for the past few minutes vanished, and Pepsi found it quite difficult to stand upright. They stumbled against the priest’s desk and groaned. Pepsi tapped their earpiece a few times but still couldn’t hear Ripley. 

“Ripley?” They groaned, blood getting in their mouth as it trailed down their face. 

Still nothing. Pepsi ripped the earpiece out and inspected it. God dammit! The fucking cat destroyed their nice earpiece with air bullets! Pepsi felt even better about what they did to the damn cat after that. Blood was pooling on the desk, and their vision began to blur. Pepsi needed to get out of there. If calling Ripley wasn’t an option, they would need to find Shizuka… Pepsi secured Star Platinum’s disc in their pocket before stumbling out of the room. 

When Father Pucci returned to his office, he’d find several bullet holes in his nice wallpaper, Pepsi’s blood spattered all over the place, and his bitch of a cat in two pieces with its organs stuck to the wall. The thought of that made Pepsi chuckle. 

“Pepsi!? Are you even listening to me? I said get out of there! Get out of there now!” Ripley ordered, pounding her fist against the desk of her unmarked van. She was stationed outside the prison as a makeshift mission control operator, and it was killing her. Ripley was the Arbiter here, not Pepsi or Shizuka! Her Stand Ability wasn’t suited to infiltrating a prison though, so she had to send those teenagers inside in her place. Normally, she’d never let such a thing slide, but Jolyne was trapped in there. Desperate times, yada yada. Still, this wouldn’t stand. Pepsi was ignoring her, and they were as deep in enemy territory as they possibly could be! 

“Pepsi,” Ripley spoke in a stern voice. “I am ordering you to get out of there. Do you hear me?” But she didn’t get a response… Only static. “Pepsi!?” She asked, a little more panicked this time. “If you don’t answer me in ten seconds, I am sending Shizuka after you! Pepsi! Are you alright!?” 

Silence… 

“Shizuka, come in, Shizuka.” Ripley switched channels. 

Shizuka was currently hiding in plain sight. Using Flower Child’s light manipulation, she assumed a fake identity and walked among the inmates. It was less taxing than remaining invisible at all times, and this way she didn’t have to worry about making any sounds. Her persona looked like a slightly older version of herself with dark blue hair and a prison jumper. Her earpiece beeped a few times, and soon she heard Ripley’s panicked voice. 

“I read you,” She mumbled casually, leaning against a railing. 

“Where are you?” 

“I’m in Jolyne’s cellblock. She’s befriending some weird folks… I’m trying to see if they can be trusted.” Shizuka explained. 

“You need to drop it for now. Pepsi just went dark. I think they’re under attack.” 

Shizuka kicked off the wall and searched for the nearest exit. “What do you mean ‘went dark?’”

“They stopped responding! They were searching through the priest’s private quarters! It’s attached to the chapel. You need to hurry!” 

“Of course, it’s the damn priest! I should’ve guessed. It’s always the creeps.” Shizuka shook her head. 

“Move, Shizuka!” Ripley shouted. 

“I’m moving! I’m moving right now!” She speed-walked through the block, noticing Jolyne as she went along. Shizuka made a beeline toward Jolyne, barely taking the time to explain herself. 

“It’s me, it’s Shizuka! My friend’s in trouble, and I might need your help!” She whispered. 

Jolyne was shocked, but she didn’t ask a single question. All she did was nod. Shizuka made them both invisible and dragged Jolyne out of the cell block. Once they made it into a quieter hallway, Shizuka tapped her earpiece three times.

“What were they looking for in the chapel? What was the last thing they said before they disappeared?” 

“I don’t know! They were looking through the priest’s desk, and they found a bunch of those discs Jolyne talked about! There are different types of discs, Shizuka! Some of them contain Stands, and some of them contain memories! Pepsi found Star Platinum, but his memory disc is missing! That must be what they were after! ” 

“Memories…?” Shizuka mumbled as she ran down the hall. “What could Jotaro have known? Whoever orchestrated this put an ungodly amount of thought and time into getting Jotaro here… What did they need from his memories?”

“My Dad mentioned something about a man named Dio. Apparently, some of his followers were behind this?” Jolyne suggested. 

“But what would followers of Dio possibly want with Jotaro’s memories? Sure, he’s the one who watched Dio die, but this goes beyond petty revenge… Did they need something from his past? What did he see? What did he know? What wasn’t he telling us?” 

“Heaven's got bad cell service. Otherwise we could just ask him.” Jolyne groaned. 

Shizuka stopped in her tracks, causing Jolyne to bump right into her. 

“Jesus, Shizuka! What’s the problem? We’re invisible! I can’t see you!”

“Heaven…?” Shizuka whispered. 

Flashes from Shizuka’s past life came roaring into the forefront of her mind. She felt a headache as memories from Tsuru washed over her like an unforgiving tidal wave. Shizuka remembered this… After the death of Dio, Tsuru was found by Jotaro and Joseph in Dio’s mansion… Joseph went to get help, leaving Jotaro alone with Tsuru. She begged him to burn the place down, otherwise, something terrible would happen. Luckily for the world, Jotaro heeded the warning of a half-conscious madwoman and burned the mansion to the ground. Still… What else could Dio’s minions possibly be after? Did Jotaro burn the place down right away, or did he go looking for the secrets first…? 

Did that crazy son of a bitch read Dio’s diary? 

“Shizuka!? What’s wrong?” Ripley shouted for the third time, snapping her out of it. 

“It’s the end of the world…” She whispered, booking it down the hall as fast as she could. 

They made it to the chapel a little too late. Shizuka’s nose wrinkled in disgust upon finding the aftermath of Pepsi’s battle. Blood, plastic, and a cat’s organs were scattered throughout the room. Jolyne caught up a moment later and gasped at the sight of the priest’s office. 

“Oh my God… Your friend…” Jolyne held a hand to her mouth. 

“Pepsi’s fine,” Shizuka muttered through clenched teeth. “None of these wounds are fatal. They’re bleeding, but they walked out of here.” 

“Who did they even fight? It couldn’t have been that cat?” Jolyne shook her head. “I guess if a plankton can use a Stand, why not a cat…?”

Shizuka raised her hand and harnessed all of the light in the room. She manipulated the light’s refraction and made the color red stand out among everything else. That made it much easier to find all of the blood… She knelt and looked at a footprint on the carpet. Shizuka narrowed her eyes, focusing the light right on the footprint. 

“Pepsi was wearing combat boots… This footprint looks like it was made by a pair of loafers…” She whispered. 

“So it wasn’t Pepsi?” Ripley asked. 

Shizuka sprang to her feet. “The priest has been here! He has a head start! Run Jolyne, now!” 

Pepsi had to keep a hand pressed into the hip to prevent the worst of the bleeding as they trudged down the hallway. The bright overhead lights of the prison blurred and smeared in their vision as they stumbled along. Their ears were ringing, and it was becoming difficult to walk. Pepsi looked at their M4 and frowned. It was a bad idea to leave this lying around, but they couldn’t carry it any further… They glanced over their shoulder and noticed the trail of blood they were leaving. It’s not like the rifle would be any more obvious than that. They dropped it and hopped a little faster down the hall. 

They grunted, their breathing becoming more and more labored with each passing step. Their lungs burned, and soon they were wheezing with each breath. Their blood slowly faded into view as it dried, leaving a delayed trail directly to them. If they didn’t keep moving, someone would be able to track them down and finish them off. That motivated them to limp a little faster, but the blood kept dripping… 

After another two minutes or so, Pepsi came to a fork in the hall… There were three ways to turn. Their vision was too cloudy to read the plaques on each wall, and soon they fell to one knee. 

“Agh! No… Not like this…” They groaned, wiping the new blood from their face and slinging it onto the wall. They noticed the red stain along the smooth gray wall and got an idea. Pepsi took a big glob of blood and smeared it against the corner of the right wall. This made it look like they leaned on it for support. Then, they took some more blood and flicked it down the right side of the hall. After creating this diversion, they went left and picked up the pace. 

Brown loafers clicked against the concrete floor of the prison. The loafers belonged to the prison’s priest, Enrico Pucci. He followed closely behind the trail of blood as it materialized before him. The unsightly state of his office was all he needed to see. He’d been found out. That horrible Jolyne Kujo and her silly little friends must have realized he was Whitesnake. He hated being this straightforward, but Pucci would have to kill them all himself. His identity had been compromised… Green Dolphin was no longer safe so long as Jolyne Kujo lived within its walls. He’d start with whoever wrecked his office and went through his things. Then, the rest. 

Each drop of blood seemed a bit thicker than the last. His target was bleeding faster than before. Good. Whoever he was tracking somehow managed to kill his guardian cat. If he didn’t have to fight them, that would be ideal. Pucci confidently walked two paces behind the growing trail of blood until he arrived at a fork. After a few seconds, he noticed a bit of blood smeared against the corner. He followed it and found blood all over the floor below. The blood continued to appear for a few feet down the right end of the hall, but it eventually stopped. 

Pucci grinned. This was a neat trick, just like whatever trick his target employed to defeat his guardian. Still, it wouldn’t work! Pucci turned around and found new blood appearing down the far side of the hall. He licked his lips, following it down the trail. Whitesnake had an enormous range for a brawler Stand, but that’s because the Stand didn’t hit very hard at all. All it needed to do was strike its opponent once to retrieve their discs… Pucci kept his distance, sending Whitesnake ahead to find the source of all this blood. 

The trail stopped about fifteen feet down the hall. Blood began to pool, forming the general shape of a dying human all around it. Whitesnake grinned, realizing it had found the culprit. Its hand reached down and grabbed Pepsi. The moment they made contact, Pucci and Whitesnake could see the culprit clear as day! He grinned, hoisting Pepsi into the air and examining them closely. 

“You’ve caused quite a bit of trouble…” Pucci’s voice echoed through Whitesnake ominously. 

Pepsi struggled against the Stand, but their energy was spent. Mist wasn’t a fighter, and they were all out of tricks. They just glared at Whitesnake with disdain. 

“What did Jolyne Kujo say to get you to risk your life for her? Did she say I’m a monster? Did she spin some sob story about her dead father?” Whitesnake growled. 

Pepsi didn’t answer, but the light was fading from their eyes. 

“It doesn’t matter. She’s a nuisance! A loose end… The only reason she’s here is that I needed something from her father… I figured I’d let her live, but she’s given me no choice. Neither have you.” Whitesnake snarled. 

“Eat my ass, pedo priest…” Pepsi spit a glob of dark blood onto Whitesnake, flipping him the bird with the last of their strength. 

Whitesnake grinned, wiping the blood from its face. “My father in heaven makes dealing with you heretics easy… Honestly, if he wanted me to agonize over morality, he could make you a little more sympathetic. All I see before me is a petulant little brat undeserving of heaven. Let me show you the beauty of God.”

“God’s an excuse to enslave the working class, bitch. You made him up for money.” Pepsi groaned, but it was clear that they were on Death’s door. Their skin was white as paper, and the light behind their eyes was fading quickly. 

“Such a mouth! What brought you here? You’re not an inmate, I can tell.” Whitesnake glared at Pepsi cautiously. 

“Guess you’ll have to agonize over that, father… I’m about to get away…” Pepsi grinned, closing their eyes. 

“We’ll see about that,” Whitesnake delivered a powerful strike to Pepsi’s stomach, causing their entire body to writhe uncontrollably for a moment. Their eyes glazed over, and two discs slid out of their forehead. Whitesnake grabbed Mist’s disc and inspected it. “A deceptive Stand to be sure… But it’s more trouble than it’s worth. If I gave this to someone, they could double-cross me.” 

Whitesnake cast Mist’s disc aside, allowing it to clank against the concrete floor. It plucked Pepsi’s memory disc from their forehead and grinned. “I can’t wait to hear your story, Pepsi Brooks…” It read the name from their disc’s label. 

The sound of impending danger stormed down the hall. Pucci noticed it just in time, glaring at it. 

“Guess that’s my cue… Before I go, there’s one more detail to attend to… Where is Star Platinum?” Whitesnake hissed, reaching into the pockets of Pepsi’s cargo pants. The Stand searched every single pocket on their person to no avail. “Where is it!? I know you took it!” 

The footsteps were drawing closer. Pucci was out of time. He cupped his face and let out a quiet groan. It couldn’t be helped… Even if Jolyne and her crew recovered Star Platinum, they wouldn’t be able to revive Jotaro. He ordered Whitesnake to drop Pepsi and recalled the Stand. Pucci slipped into a door on his side of the hall, leaving Pepsi to die. 

Pepsi was gasping for air, but something deep in their heart already knew they were dead. That thing… That horrific Stand had stolen something essential to their soul… Mist was gone. For the first time since they were a toddler, Pepsi couldn’t feel their Stand. Not only that, but their memories were fading. They couldn’t remember things… Important things! What were they even doing in this prison? Why did Whitesnake do this to them?

They let their head fall as breathing became impossibly difficult. Life was leaving them at such a speed, they knew they’d be dead within the minute. Pepsi rolled their head to the side, seeing the blood all around them. Their memories were cascading into oblivion. They couldn’t even remember anything before they were ten years old. Still, they were here for a reason… An important reason. What were they supposed to be doing? 

Answers. They were looking for answers… Did they even find any? Was this all for nothing? Their heartbeat slowed, and they knew it was the end… Without their discs, Pepsi couldn’t go on living. Not only that, but they’d lost a whole lot of blood. This was the end of the line. Their hand slid around the growing pool of blood around them. It was a good run, they had to admit. There was a whole lot to complain about, but Pepsi was never much for complaining. Didn’t they deserve to close their eyes and relax? It was over. What else could be reasonably expected of them? All they could hope for at this point was that the devil was preparing one hell of a welcome party. 

The devil… Yeah. The devil… Why was that word lingering in their mind? Even as cherished memories like their mother’s face and the name of their twin crumbled and fell into the dark chasm growing in the back of their mind, Pepsi couldn’t stop thinking about the word “Devil.” What was its significance? Why did they care!? It was over! They’d done enough… Right? Their body moved on its own, smearing up a large glob of blood and reaching for the wall. 

Shizuka and Jolyne arrived at the fork in the hall and looked both ways. It didn’t take long to notice the corpse lying about fifteen feet down the left hallway. Shizuka gasped. 

“No…” She whispered, bolting down the hall and collapsing to her hands and knees before Pepsi. Tears welled in her eyes, but she wasn’t fully processing the reality. “Pepsi!” She shrieked, straddling their body and beginning CPR. “Pepsi! Wake up! Look at me! Wake up!” She screamed through tears. Each pump only caused a bit of blood to get on Shizuka’s hands and wrists. The body wasn’t responsive. 

“Shizuka!” Jolyne caught up, staring at the gruesome sight. “Oh, God… Whitesnake… He didn’t.” 

“He couldn’t! Pepsi wouldn’t go down like this! How did he even find them!? PEPSI! Open your eyes!” Shizuka sobbed, pounding their chest. “They’re wearing kevlar! I can’t even get to their lungs…” She whimpered, staring at their lifeless eyes. They were still open. 

Jolyne rested a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Shizuka… Whitesnake could still be close by.” 

“Good!” She launched off of Pepsi and stared down the hall. “I’m ready to end this now! Where the hell is he!?”

Jolyne noticed something shimmering on the floor. She leaned down and picked it up, only to realize what she had. “W-Wait! This is their Stand! Pucci didn’t take the Stand!” 

Shizuka’s ears perked up, and she ripped the disc from Jolyne’s hands. “We’ve gotta put it back in! A Stand is the User’s lifeforce! They can’t survive without it!” She fell to her knees, shoving the disc right into Pepsi’s forehead. It slipped through like a hot knife cutting butter. The lifeless sheen behind Pepsi’s eyes was still there, but soon their eyes closed. 

“T-That did something! They’re still alive! Just barely… If we get their memory disc back, we can save them!” Shizuka grinned from ear to ear. “R-Ripley! I need a medical evacuation for Pepsi right now. Whitesnake got their memory disc, but they’re still kicking. Do you hear me!? I’m bringing them to you!” 

“Roger. I’ll have the best doctors the Foundation has to offer on-site in fifteen minutes.” Ripley said. 

Jolyne was staring at all of Pepsi’s blood. Some of it was still appearing before her eyes. “How is their blood doing that?” She mumbled. 

Shizuka glanced over at the blood and shrugged. “Once the blood dries, it’s not a part of them anymore… It can become visible just like anything else.” 

“That’s how we tracked them down…” Jolyne mumbled. That’s when something caught her eye. There was a big puddle of blood concentrated in one spot about three feet from Pepsi’s head. She reached over, grimacing as she got their blood all over her hand. Her nails dug under the puddle, and she gasped when she felt something. 

“Holy shit…” She brought it closer, using her shirt to wipe the blood off the surface. The disc read ‘Star Platinum’ clear as day. “Shizuka! It’s Star Platinum! They found Star Platinum!” 

Shizuka crawled over to see for herself. She let out a soft chuckle, wiping away a tear. “They hid Jotaro’s disc with their own invisible blood, knowing we’d find it once it hardened… That tricky bastard… Clever until the very end.” 

Just as she finished saying that, blood started to appear on the wall right beside Pepsi. Shizuka and Jolyne watched in disbelief as the blood smeared along the wall, spelling out two words… This was no accident, and by the freshness of the blood, it had to be the last thing Pepsi did before succumbing to their injuries. These might be their last words! Shizuka hitched her breath, letting the blood finish. 

D E V I L   T O W N

The blood spelled “Devil Town…” Shizuka was confused. How could this be Pepsi’s final message? It wasn’t about the enemy or even their family… Devil Town…? This was important enough for Pepsi’s final moments? She’d take it seriously then. If it was the last thing Shizuka ever did, she would decipher the meaning of this message. 

“Help me carry Pepsi… I’ll make us invisible,” Shizuka spoke with a newfound purpose. 

“Of course.” Jolyne lifted the teen, carrying them easily in her muscular arms. She glanced at the wall one last time and frowned. “I just can’t believe Father Pucci would do this.” 

Those two words triggered something in Shizuka, and before she knew it, she fell face-first onto the concrete. The last thing she heard was the sound of Jolyne shouting her name. Then it all went black… 

Chapter Text

Pucci sat on the edge of Dio’s bed with a ball in his right hand. He dropped it to the floor and watched as it bounced back up to his hand. He continued to do this absentmindedly for quite some time. Dio was downstairs with his pet scientist, so there wasn’t much for the priest to do. He sighed, flicking his wrist a little harder and bouncing the ball even higher. Dio had asked him a question two nights prior. 

“Why isn’t a bouncing ball depressed?” Dio had asked. 

Pucci didn’t understand the question. A ball wasn’t capable of emotions, much less depression. It had to be deeper than that. The ball must represent something. As he tossed the ball against the floor and watched it fall, he tried to understand why it wouldn’t be depressed about such a thing… The ball bounced back up, and then went back down… Up and down, did that have anything to do with it? Perhaps life was full of its ups and downs. That didn’t satisfy Pucci. Depression was a “down,” even if there was an “up” on the horizon. He glared at the ball, dropping it one last time and refusing to catch it. The ball bounced a few times before it rolled under the bed and left his sight. 

Out of everything Dio could have used to frame this question, why did he choose a bouncing ball? All it did was go up and down! Dio brought the ball up after they discussed his theory of gravity. It may have something to do with that. Dio believed in a gravitational force that brings people together and assures certain destinies. If gravity is acting on a ball, why isn’t that ball depressed? 

“Because it’s bounced before…?” Pucci whispered.

A minute or so later, Dio strutted into the room with a hand on his hip. He noticed Pucci was deep in thought, so he hummed for the priest’s attention. “Pucci~” He smirked, walking over to the bed and towering over his lover. 

“Dio, I think I understand what you want from life,” Pucci mumbled. 

“Ho? Enlighten me.” Dio lifted the priest’s chin with two fingers. 

“A bouncing ball isn’t depressed because it’s fallen before. It understands gravity better than anyone, and it knows its fate. If everyone on Earth could simply know their fate, they’d be able to make peace with it long before they ever met their ends… They’d cherish the time they had together and make the most of every single day. Earth could become Heaven.” Pucci smiled brightly. 

Dio placed a finger on his lip as he mulled over Pucci’s answer. “Hmmmmmm… It’s a good start, Pucci, but how do you assure everyone of their fate?” 

The priest looked at the floor for a moment. “You’d need power… More power than any single man possesses. You have the power to control The World, but accomplishing something like this would take the power of God.” 

“Precisely…” Dio hissed, baring one of his fangs. “Heaven is a two-pronged approach. Peace on Earth cannot be obtained easily. I need to bring the power of the heavens tumbling down and claim them for myself. Only then can I make Heaven a reality.” 

“How could anybody do that?” Pucci frowned. 

Dio took a deep breath like he had been thinking about this for quite some time. “To do this, I must die.” 

The priest’s skin went pale. He gasped, looking at Dio like the man had something on his face. Dio just chuckled, waving Pucci’s concerns away with his dark-clawed hand. “Oh relax, Pucci. I’m not a martyr. This death will be temporary! I must evolve my Stand beyond its current state, but in order to do that, I have to destroy it.” 

“You’re going to destroy The World?” Pucci asked in disbelief. 

“Momentarily, yes,” Dio smirked. “Does that frighten you?” 

“Of course it does! Without your Stand, you can’t survive. How will you even be able to come back?” Pucci asked. 

“It will take an immense amount of energy, I’ll admit. That’s why I need to have everything laid out perfectly before the process begins.” Dio explained. 

“This plan… Did you make it with her?” Pucci mumbled. 

“Tsuru? Yes, of course. She’s one of the brightest minds I’ve had the pleasure of conquering. I’ll use her for everything she’s worth.” Dio bared his fangs once again. 

“How can you trust her, Dio? She’s your prisoner!” 

“Trust her? Pucci, Pucci…. Dear Pucci…” Dio reached down and cupped the priest’s cheeks, looking longingly into his eyes. “Trust has nothing to do with this. She’ll kill me the moment she’s given the chance… That’s why I’m being so careful. You have to understand, my dear Pucci… You’re the only one on Earth I trust. It’s only you… That’s why I need you here. When I die, however temporary it might be, I will need you here on Earth to fulfill my mission. You’re the only one who wouldn’t betray me… Don’t you see? I need you.” 

Dio knelt before the bed, taking both of Pucci’s hands into his own. “When the time comes, will you do right by me, Pucci? Will you bring Heaven down to Earth?” 

Pucci took a deep breath and nodded. He rubbed the blond man’s hands soothingly. “Yes, Dio… I will take care of you.” Still, his eyes were distant as he stared at a flickering candle on Dio’s bedside table. “...on one condition.”

Golden eyes fixed on Pucci’s face after Dio heard of a condition. All of Pucci’s companionship had essentially been unconditional up to that point. Dio felt a little defensive, but Pucci continued to rub his hands. 

“If I’m going to be a part of this plan, I want to be a part of it.” Pucci explained. 

“And what does that mean to you?” Dio raised a brow. 

“I want to meet your pet.”

The city of Naples was as beautiful as ever when two tourists stepped out of the airport and took a deep breath of that fresh Italian air. Josuke lowered his sunglasses over his eyes and wore an enormous grin as he felt the breeze in his perfectly styled hair. It was high time for a vacation, baby! The large man rested his suitcase against the pavement and glanced over his shoulder. 

“Shirlie, you coming?” 

And boy, did she come. Shirlie Brooks came strutting out of the airport with a Hawaiian button-up three sizes too big, a white tank top, and a pair of booty shorts with the word “juicy” printed on the ass cheeks. Pa-Pa-Power, Shirlie’s best friend in the world and also her Stand, followed close behind. Power was wearing a Hawaiian button-up about three sizes too small for his gargantuan frame, and it strained on every button as a result. 

“Let’s do this! I’ve never been on a real vacation to Europe before! Unless we count the time we brought you here because you were dying.” Shirlie giggled, grabbing the polaroid that dangled from a strap around her neck and taking a picture of Josuke. “I’m gonna be the most insufferable American tourist possible! I’ve earned it!” 

Josuke laughed, holding his hand above his eyes like a visor and searching for their ride. There was a short woman in a suit standing beside a jet black SUV just outside the airport. She stared at the new arrivals through thick rimmed sunglasses, waiting for them to approach. Josuke shrugged, nudging Shirlie’s shoulder. 

“Guess that’s our ride!” 

As they approached, Josuke got a better look at the woman. She had spiky green hair that jutted out like a hedgehog’s quills, and a pointy nose between those dark sunglasses. Her suit was seafoam green and caused her to stick out like a sore thumb. The woman kept her hands folded behind her back until Josuke and Shirlie stopped right in front of her. 

“Uhm, hey?” Josuke cleared his throat. “I assume this is the right car?” 

“Stands,” The woman muttered in a heavy accent. 

“Pardon?” Josuke asked innocently. 

“Stands, I need to see each of your Stands.” She lowered her sunglasses, glaring up at Josuke with her sharp violet eyes. “No Stands, no ride.” 

Pa-Pa-Power strutted up between the Stand Users and tapped his chest proudly. “Well, that one’s mine,” Shirlie chuckled. “Josuke?”

“Is there a reason we need to show our Stands? I thought we were your guests.” Josuke narrowed his eyes. 

“Show me your Crazy Diamond, or I’ll make you.” The suited woman growled, taking a step toward Josuke. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Shirlie threw her hands up. “There’s no need for anybody to be like that!” 

The SUV’s passenger door swung open, and a monolith of a woman stepped onto the pavement. She was huge, easily surpassing six-foot-six! Josuke had never seen a woman so large in his life! She easily dwarfed him by over half a foot… He swallowed heavily, preparing himself for some trouble. The larger woman was also wearing a suit, though hers struggled to contain her tree trunk arms or her round stomach. She was built like a viking, donning a blonde bowl cut and a septum piercing. 

“Piccata,” The towering woman rested a hand on the tiny one beside her. She spoke softly, but her hand easily held the entirety of Piccata’s head. “These are our guests. Use your manners.” 

Piccata snarled, shooting an angry glare up at the larger woman before clearing her throat. “I’m sorry… Josuke, would you show me your Stand… pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?” She asked, exaggerating the last word like a bratty kid. 

Josuke was just happy to deescalate the situation. “Uh, sure-” He mumbled, summoning his Stand and presenting it to the Italians for a moment. “But what’s the matter? We didn’t have to do this last time.” 

“We just want to be sure you’re who you say you are.” The large woman explained, petting Piccata’s sharp hair as she spoke. 

“Farfalle… You’re petting me again.” Piccata growled. 

“Ah, sorry dear.” She laughed, retracting her hand. 

“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way… Please, get in. We’ll take you to your hotel.” Piccata muttered, walking over to the driver’s seat and slamming the door shut. 

“The door, Piccata!” Farfalle sighed, stepping into the passenger side door and closing it gently. 

Josuke and Shirlie stood there in disbelief for a moment. Finally, Shirlie broke the silence with a little chuckle. “Hundred bucks says those two are banging.” 

Josuke snickered in response. “Now why would I throw my money away like that?” 

Inmate #FE38432 was heading to the courtyard to pay Zed a little visit. Her mysterious acquaintance was pretty much calling all of the shots at this point. She was fixating on this because thinking about the reason she was in this hellhole seemed too terrible… At least this gave her a direction to walk, right? She was about to exit the building when a hand grabbed her wrist. Her eyes widened, and she shot her head to the side. Who dared-

W-Wait… Seriously. Who dared? 

Her eyes darted around the room, but she was completely alone. A pit formed in her stomach, and she slowly glanced down at the hand on her wrist. It was coming from the trash can…? 

“Don’t go…” A tiny voice whimpered from the trash. 

“Eeeeeeeee!” She shrieked, swiftly lifting the can into the air with her Stand and turning it upside down. As her Stand shook the can, a small boy fell out of it. He was wearing a baseball cap and striped clothing. Inmate #FE38432 was definitely young, but this kid was an infant in comparison! What the heck was he doing in prison? 

“A trash can baby. How appropriate. This place is a nightmare,” The Stand sighed, rubbing its forehead in frustration. 

“H-Hey! I’m not a baby! And I don’t live in the trash!” The boy shouted at Inmate #FE38432’s Stand. 

“Wait…” Inmate #FE38432 gasped. “You can see her?” 

The boy groaned, dusting himself off as he stood up. “Of course I can see her! Half the prison can probably see her! You shouldn’t walk around with your Stand out like that!” 

“S-Stand?” She mumbled. 

“Ghost, wraith, echo, imaginary friend, whatever you wanna call it! Me and my friends call them Stands. Or at least… We did before. Who knows what they call them these days? Chaos theory, and all that…” He laughed nervously. 

“Kid, you’d better start making sense.” The Stand ordered, pointing down at the young boy. 

He just slapped the Stand’s hand away, adjusting his baseball cap with a huff. Inmate #FE38432 was shocked that the boy could touch her Stand like that… Most people just went right through it! 

“I’m not gonna make sense, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to me.” He frowned. “My name’s Emporio Alniño, and you’re in grave danger.” 

Inmate #FE38432 cocked her head. “Obviously. I’m in prison. It’s only a matter of time before I’m shanked or shivved.” 

“No! I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about Zed. It’s happened before…” Emporio grabbed the inmate’s hand once again, squeezing it desperately. “You have to believe me… It’s happened before! And… And you…” Tears welled in his eyes, and some snot even lingered on his lip as he nearly burst into tears. “It’s happened before…” 

“What the hell are you talking about!?” She ripped her hand away. “What’s happened before!?” 

“You’ve gotta believe me!” Emporio repeated himself desperately. “If you go out there and confront Zed, something horrible will happen!”

“What do you know, you brat!?” Inmate #FE38432 hissed. 

“I know a lot, Lucy!” Emporio burst out, eyes widening as he realized what he’d just said. 

Inmate #FE38432 froze in her tracks. She just stared at the young boy in disbelief. “You know my name? How long have you been hiding around in trash cans?” She asked softly. 

“It’s not because I was hiding in a trash can…” Emporio groaned, rubbing his arm nervously. “I knew you before, okay? Before all of this… I knew you in another time, in another Green Dolphin Prison. And when I knew you… you died. Zed killed you.” 

Inmate #FE38432 clenched her jaw. “If you know all of this… Does that mean you know why I'm here?” 

Emporio’s expression sank and his eyes darted everywhere but the inmate’s direction. “Y-Yeah.” 

She stormed past the little boy, brushing him aside with her “Stand.” Inmate #FE38432 glared at him over her shoulder, staring into his very soul. 

“If you know why I’m here, you know why I’m doing this… Stay out of it, you little brat.” 

And with that, she was gone… Emporio hugged himself and shook his head. Tears streamed down his face as he remembered what happened before. Could he really cope with it again? Was there anything he could do?

He needed to find Jolyne.

Jolyne didn’t realize she’d lost Shizuka until the teenage girl’s body THUDDED against the concrete floor of the prison. She gasped, turning her attention away from the bloodied Pepsi and seeing Shizuka completely unconscious. Her eyes widened, and she immediately suspected another Stand attack. Stone Free sprang to life, winding from Jolyne’s hand in a furious blue haze until it stood tall and proud in front of the young woman. 

“Shizuka!” She shouted at the girl. No luck. 

Jolyne scanned the hall for any signs of their attacker, but found nothing. She fell to her knees and rolled Shizuka onto her back. Jolyne gasped at the sight of the girl’s face. Shizuka’s eyes were still wide open! She waved her hand in front of them to no avail. Shizuka was out cold… Out cold with her eyes open? What the hell was going on!? Jolyne’s ears picked up on the faint, distant sound of a speaker. It kind of sounded like when she left her earbuds playing after taking them out. 

She tilted the unconscious girl’s head and noticed a nifty earpiece dangling from it. Jolyne took it and shoved the device into her own ear. 

“Hello!? Shizuka’s friend?” 

“Jolyne? What happened to Shizuka?” Ripley shouted. 

“I dunno! She just keeled over! But her eyes are wide open. It’s like she’s not even here!” Jolyne shook the girl in a panic. “What do we do!? I can’t carry both of them!” 

Ripley pounded her desk with rage, toppling one of her monitors over and spilling her coffee onto the floor of the van. She gnashed her teeth together, glaring out the windshield and toward that concrete prison in the distance. What could she do? Two of her best friends were dying inside those walls. Not only that, but Jotaro’s disc was with Jolyne. She couldn’t delay for a single moment. 

“Pepsi’s heart's still beating?” She asked Jolyne calmly. 

“Yes! Just barely…” 

Ripley nodded, lifting her monitor upright and kicking the coffee mug to the far side of the van. “Shizuka’s a big girl. She can take care of herself. You’re going to have to leave her.” 

“Leave her!?” Jolyne shouted. 

“Leave her, Kujo! Pepsi’s dying! They can’t be dragged through the prison! You have to carry them. Do whatever you can to stop the bleeding and get moving. I’m going to guide you to the extraction point.” 

Jolyne gave Shizuka one last look before making up her mind. Those eyes were open… Shizuka was a big girl. She’d want Jolyne to save Pepsi’s life. Jolyne placed Shizuka down and crawled over to Pepsi. Stone Free’s thread weaved through various cuts and wounds on the unconscious ginger’s body, slowing the bleeding somewhat for the moment. 

“Hang in there, Shizuka…” She bit her lip, hoisting Pepsi off the ground and trudging her way down the hall with them. 

Though Shizuka’s eyes were open, she wasn’t looking at the ceiling. No, she was deep within her subconscious mind, drifting without purpose. This dissociative state hadn’t happened to her in years. There weren’t painted ponies or disembodied voices singing her to sleep, but she knew what was going on. Some of Tsuru’s memories were beginning to leak into her mind. The architect of this memory stream was long dead, but the system still functioned independently of her. 

For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, Shizuka was no longer in her own body. She was a passive witness to events, locked behind the pained eyes of her past self… Tsuru Nishioka. 

Tsuru was kneeling on a cold stone floor in her basement lab. A blindfold prevented her from watching her captor, but she could hear Dio’s shoes clicking against the stone just a meter or two away. She’d been working on her research when the man appeared out of nowhere and shoved her down onto her knees. He always loved playing with her mind using his time ability, and it never failed to terrify her. The woman’s heart pounded out of her chest as she listened to Dio’s footsteps for another thirty seconds. 

What was this? It might have seemed crazy, but Tsuru couldn’t help but wonder if it was an execution. Dio was awfully silent, and the air in the room just felt off… She bit her lip, clasped her hands together in her lap, and waited for something to happen. 

“Well? You’ve seen her.” Dio huffed. 

That caused Tsuru’s head to tilt. Who on Earth was Dio talking to…? 

“How long have you been keeping her down here?” 

The woman’s ears perked up. She’d never heard him speak before… Was this someone new? She held her breath in fear and anticipation. Could Dio really be showing her off? 

“Nine months,” Dio answered. 

“God in Heaven…” The man mumbled. “And she still works?” 

“It’s the only thing keeping her alive,” Dio chuckled. 

Was Tsuru seriously being flaunted as some kind of science pet? Sure, that’s precisely what she was, but who the hell was Dio presenting her to? He sounded like a big man, but with that blindfold on, she couldn’t be sure… The room smelled differently. This man wore a fine cologne… Tsuru knew it was him because Dio relied solely on his natural vampiric musk to entice potential victims. 

“And you really think she’s capable of this?” The stranger frowned. 

“Please don’t take offense to this, because it’s certainly not my intention, but Tsuru here has the most brilliant mind I’ve ever had the pleasure of picking. The things she can accomplish with so very little… She simply sees the world differently than we do. Things come together for her.” Dio explained. 

Tsuru would almost be flattered if those words weren’t coming from the man she despised most. She just clenched her jaw, flexed her arms and worked to keep her mouth shut. This didn’t go unnoticed though. The stranger made a sound of amusement. 

“She doesn’t seem to be a big fan of yours.” He sighed. 

“Why would she be? I’m going to kill her.” Dio grinned, revealing a single fang. 

If Tsuru had to pick the oddest thing about this interaction, it would definitely be the blindfold. Why was Dio protecting the identity of this man? She’d seen his other goons and cronies throughout the mansion, so this had to be an exception. He cared about keeping this man’s face a mystery to her? Why? What could she ever do to harm Dio or this stranger? It didn’t make any sense. If she didn’t know better, she’d almost think it was an irrational decision. Dio wasn’t one to make those very often… 

The stranger’s loafers clicked closer and closer, and his cologne wafted against Tsuru’s face as she tensed up with anxiety. She could feel the man crouching down in front of her but knew better than to protest. He leaned in, and she held her breath. The stranger leaned to the side, his breath hitting her ear as he stared at her. 

“I don’t trust you.” He whispered into her ear. 

She hitched her breathing, balling her fists in her lap as she nodded slowly. These fucking monsters… Every last one of them were scum. If they gave Tsuru the chance, she’d kill every last one of them, and then maybe she’d finish the job with herself. They made her like this… They forced her to do so many terrible things. 

A hand grabbed Tsuru’s dark hair, yanking back and forcing her to stare up at the ceiling. She let out a sharp yelp, wincing in pain as her heart rate skyrocketed. The man was hovering so close to her ear… What was he going to do to her…? His breath was hot and thick against her skin, and she shivered at the smell of his dinner. God, Tsuru hated men… Why did they have to love her so much? 

“My name is Enciro Pucci, and if anything ever happens to Dio, I’m going to find you…” He growled. 

If anything happened to Dio? Tsuru didn’t understand… Most of Dio’s minions were in it for the money, or because they were afraid of him! Pucci made it sound like he cared about Dio’s life for reasons beyond materialism… He cared about Dio as a person. Could that have something to do with the way Dio tried in vain to protect Pucci’s identity from his basement slave moments ago? 

“Pucci…” Dio sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I told you she doesn’t need to know your name.” 

“Yes she does.” Pucci spoke calmly, rising to his feet and stepping away from the kneeling woman. “She needs to know that even if she kills you…” 

He turned to face the woman once again, delivering a swift kick to her stomach. Tsuru let out a pained wheeze as the air was ejected from her lungs all at once! She heaved, falling forward and resting her forehead on the concrete floor as she desperately tried to catch her breath. Pucci didn’t stop there. He grabbed her by the hair once again and slammed her face into that concrete, lowering his loafer onto her head and smearing her face around the floor for a moment with hands in his pockets. 

“...someone will settle the score.” He growled. 

Tsuru just kept her face against the concrete. It was better than lifting it and challenging this lunatic! Mother fucker! She felt blood trickling from her nose after that last strike. It pooled against her face, filling her nose with the stench of copper and crimson. She coughed, gagged, and wheezed for a bit of air in her lungs, but it was so hard to breathe. He’d kicked her ruthlessly, after all… 

“Pucci…” She whispered, clenching her jaw. “Pucci…” 

She just growled, gasping for air as her hatred for the man grew. Pucci… Fucking Pucci. Father Pucci… How could she have been so blind? Of course Dio had someone he trusted… That was the entire plan! Some part of her wondered if he’d really resort to her for that step, but it was foolish to believe that for a second. He’d found a trusted friend, someone who could hold his beating heart in their hand and resist the urge to snuff it out like a sick candle. Heaven was no longer just a theory. Dio could achieve it. 

Shizuka sprang up in a cold sweat. She was gasping for breath just like Tsuru in her memory… Where the hell was she!? Had she really fallen into a flashback at such a terrible time? Shizuka didn’t recognize her surroundings… It was a rather spacious area with a nice red carpet and a piano resting by several large windows… The only unsettling part of the room was its lack of a door. Surely she couldn’t be expected to enter and exit through the windows, right…? Come to think of it, what was a prison doing with such a nice room anyway? 

The girl pulled herself up, hugging her stomach as she felt a phantom pain from Pucci’s blow decades prior. She trudged through the room, running a hand along the piano and marveling at how spotless it was… Not a speck of dust. In fact, she couldn’t see any signs of life in the entire room. The interior looked far newer than the rest of the prison with minimal dents or chips on the wall, and it all seemed to hold still in a way Shizuka couldn’t describe. 

Shizuka limped over to the closest window and pushed it open. Her jaw almost dropped as she watched the window disappear bit by bit as it passed the threshold to the outside world… She pulled the window back, and the matter seemingly rematerialized as it entered the boundaries of the room. It was completely unharmed. 

“Okay…” Shizuka muttered to herself. “A liminal space? Certainly wouldn’t be my first time…” 

She took a deep breath and decided to stick her head out the window. As she exited the strange film of the room’s border, her face poked out into the hot Florida sun. Humidity and light greeted the girl, and she let out a groan. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw the prison’s courtyard. Shizuka was still inside the prison?! What kind of room was this? Sure, there wasn’t a door, so it could be considered a jail cell, but she didn’t expect the red carpet treatment. She pulled her head back into the room and watched the courtyard shift into something unrecognizable… Gone were the chain link fences and concrete slabs, and in their place rested an unassuming patch of grass. 

“That courtyard wasn’t built until 1995… It used to be on the other side of the island.” A young voice mumbled from behind. 

Shizuka spun around with both her Stands at the ready. Flower Child and Mother Dawn hovered above the teenager with their radiant, glowing bodies flexed and prepared for anything. Instead of an enemy, she was met with a terrified boy in a baseball uniform. He shrieked at the sight of two Stands, cowering behind the piano and staring at Shizuka in disbelief. She lowered her guard, but didn’t put her Stands away. 

“W-Who the heck are you!?” The little boy shouted from behind the piano. 

Shizuka raised her brow. “Joestar. Shizuka Joestar. But you can call me Jojo.” She crossed her arms. “I know this might seem hypocritical, but what’s a twerp like you doing in this prison?” 

The boy stared at her incredulously. “Another Joestar?” He asked under his breath. “That’s not how it’s supposed to go…” 

“Pardon?” Shizuka tapped her foot. 

“Are you Jolyne’s cousin or something?” The boy asked. 

“Technically I’m her great aunt. How do you know Jolyne? She never mentioned a little kid.” Shizuka took a step closer. 

“She shouldn’t have! Jolyne doesn’t know me yet! Not this time…” He frowned, but raised his eyes a moment later. “M-My name’s Emporio! Sorry… I guess that was rude.” 

“This place isn’t much for manners, Emporio. Can you tell me a little about this room? Were you brought here too?” Shizuka looked around cautiously. 

“N-No! This room is my Stand!” He explained. “Kinda! I mean… It’s dead!” 

Shizuka tapped her chin curiously. “A dead room? That would explain why the outside looks different until I open the window. Are you saying this is some kind of echo?” 

“That’s exactly right! Gosh, most people don’t get it right away!” Emporio laughed. 

“I’m not most people,” Shizuka marched over to the window. She licked her finger and dragged it along the windowsill. Interesting. “You know, a lot of religions and philosophies think the theory of the soul goes well beyond sentient organisms. When you really think about it, the Earth is one large living, breathing thing… Just like the microscopic bacteria that live in your stomach and help break down food, we just happen to live on top of Earth. Are you implying that this room is a ghost? That its energy is living on in some form, even though the room is long gone?” 

Emporio seemed very impressed. “Y-Yeah… I guess I’ve never thought of it like that before. This room used to be in the prison, but it burned down in the eighties. After decades of renovations, the room doesn’t even exist anymore. It’s been sectioned off into four different rooms, its walls broken down, and new foundations installed. But the image of the room still exists… And my Stand can enter that image.” 

“Fascinating… It’s the perfect place to hide. Not even Pucci could find us in here.” She marveled, running her hand along the wall. 

“You know about Pucci!?” Emporio gasped. 

“It’s a long story,” Shizuka frowned. 

“Lady, I don’t think you understand how long this story really is.” Emporio placed a hand on his hip. “How do you know about Father Pucci? You guys are supposed to be calling him Whitesnake right now.” 

“Aaaaaand that’s the third weird comment about this all happening before. Would you mind explaining that, kid?” Shizuka sauntered over to Emporio and shoved her index finger right in his face. “The grownups are taking care of this, and believe me when I say I am much older than I look.” 

“So am I.” Emporio matched her gaze. “How long have you been in Green Dolphin? A couple days? Have you noticed anything strange?” 

“Besides the constant Stand attacks? Can’t say I’ve taken the time to smell the roses.” Shizuka mumbled. 

“Exactly. Ask around. Everybody knows it! Whether they want to admit it or not, they know something’s wrong! Everybody’s got a massive case of déjà vu in here! Just last week I heard an inmate screaming at a guard about how she’s already served her five year sentence! She’s only been here for six months, Shizuka. Don’t you think that’s a little weird?” Emporio challenged her. 

Shizuka looked at the floor for a moment. “That’s… odd.” She conceded. 

“Something big is happening right now! It’s always happening, and I can’t stop it! Jolyne, Jotaro, Hermes, Foo Fighters, Anasui, Weather Report… They’re all a part of it. I can’t stop it… No matter how hard I try! I can’t stop it…” Emporio sniffled. “I’m not the hero.” 

Shizuka took a deep breath. Whatever was happening here could wait. It seemed like it was politely happening all the time without her input. It could keep happening for another few hours while she took care of her friends. She stomped her foot to break Emporio’s distracted haze. 

“Why did you bring me here!? Why am I in your ghost room, Emporio?” Shizuka demanded. 

“Y-You were unconscious on the floor! This place isn’t safe! I couldn’t just leave you there!” He whimpered. 

“I need you to let me out. My friends are fighting right now. I can’t be in here.” 

“Why were you sleeping on the floor? When I dragged you in here, you kept muttering in your sleep. It sounded like a horrible nightmare.” Emporio frowned. 

“... it was.” She admitted. 

“Are you sure you’re in any position to help? What if you fall down again?” Emporio asked. 

“That’s not going to happen. You care about Jolyne, right?” Shizuka raised a brow. 

“Y-Yeah! But she doesn’t know me yet!” 

“She’s dragging my dying friend through this prison… Their name is Pepsi Brooks, and Pucci tried to kill them. I can’t focus on what you’re talking about right now, okay? Not until I make sure Pepsi gets out of here. So please… Please let me out of this room. I’ll come back, and then I’ll help with whatever you’re talking about.” Shizuka grabbed the boy’s shoulders. 

Emporio blushed at the intensity, looking away with a nervous little noise. “U-Uh… Okay. Just walk over to that crack in the wall. It’ll lead you to the stairwell.” 

Shizuka nodded, patting the boy’s shoulder three times. “Good man,” She smirked, strutting over to the crack. “And Emporio?” She asked without turning around. 

“Yes?” 

“I am coming back. That’s a Joestar promise.” She smirked, jumping through the crack and vanishing inside it. 

The black SUV came to a stop, and soon Josuke was free to stretch his legs on the foreign sidewalk once again. He looked around, really marveling at the sights. “You know, last time I was here, there really wasn’t much time to smell the roses…” He smirked. 

“You had severe internal burns and were unresponsive for like eighteen hours! It was bananas!” Shirlie laughed, slamming her door open and strutting into the road. 

“What is this place?” Josuke narrowed his eyes. On the beautiful Italian street, there was one restaurant that seemed entirely out of place. 

It was a relatively new building that had a bit of an architectural clash with its surroundings… Aside from a modern, distinctly “American” inspiration in its shape and design, it also brandished a bold sign in what Josuke struggled to read as English. 

“Ba-donk-a-donk…?” He muttered. 

Yes, the restaurant had a garish red sign with the word Badonkadonk plastered in bold, southern font. Piccata and Farfalle walked up behind Josuke with amused grins. 

“Never been to a honky tonk before?” Piccata teased. 

“I thought it said badonkadonk.” Josuke frowned. 

Shirlie just laughed. “A honky tonk is a kind of southern bar, Josuke! Country music, line dancing, and a classic southern charm that screams ‘You will not be surprised by the racist lyrics in verse three!’” 

“Why the hell do you know what a tonky honk is?” Josuke rolled his eyes. 

“Honky tonk.” Shirlie corrected. “Pepsi and I used to hang around trash heaps like this all the time. It was a great place to find marks. I didn’t need to spend ten minutes there before some married guy tried to buy us a hotel room.” 

“Right. And I’m sure all of them deserved it.” He chuckled. 

“Are you still upset about the time we robbed you? That was youthful tomfoolery! We’re completely different people now!” 

“More or less,” Josuke rubbed his forehead. “Who opened a honky tonk in Naples, Italy? You’ve gotta be one stupid son of a-” 

“SHIRLIE AND JOSUKE!? As I live and breathe!?” A southern drawl cut through Josuke’s criticism like a knife as the Badonkadonk’s door flung open to reveal a large country man stomping over to greet his friends. Hol Horse was dressed like even more of a caricature of a cowboy than usual. He’d really embraced the whole “American abroad” aesthetic and carved out a little slice of Naples for the land of the free.

“Hey, Hol Horse! It’s been a minute…” Josuke laughed awkwardly. 

“A minute!? It’s been years! What’s a feller gotta do to get his pals to come to his restaurant!?” Hol Horse slapped Josuke’s back firmly. 

“Did you seriously name your honky tonk ‘Badonkadonk?’” Shirlie crossed her arms with a grin. 

“Darn tootin’! Why?” The cowboy smirked. 

“You don’t think Trace Adkins will want a piece of those profits?” The redhead chuckled. 

“Bah! Copyright law works differently over here! If I opened this place in the states I’d have to come up with some copyright safe name like ‘Rockin Booty’ or something!” Hol Horse threw his head back with a big laugh. 

“Copyright laws are so stupid anyway… Everyone still knows exactly what you’re talking about! If I said Josuke’s Stand was named Shining Diamond, you’d know what I meant!” Shirlie rolled her eyes. 

“You’ve gotta believe that, Shirlie! Yer sibling’s a walking copyright infringement with a name like Pepsi.” Hol Horse roared with laughter. 

“Still, you’re comfortable calling your restaurant Badonkadonk? It kinda gives the impression that your food is ass.” Shirlie raised a brow. 

“Hell yeah, our food's ass! Kick ass!” He slapped Shirlie’s shoulder, gesturing for them both to walk inside. “C’mon you two! I’ve already got steaming plates waiting for you! The big guy doesn’t have all day.” 

“Big guy?” Josuke mumbled. “He’s here?” 

“Well duh! Yer family, Josuke! The boss makes time for family.” Hol Horse swung the door open and walked inside. 

The interior was a little less ridiculous than the outside, but it was still more of a parody of American culture than anything. Shirlie honestly found it a little amusing. Is this the kind of thing that sold overseas? If America were really like this, she’d probably think it was cooler. They walked through the entrance and were led to the back by Hol Horse. Piccata and Farfalle seemed to stick behind in the main room, but Shirlie didn’t mind. They were a little intimidating anyway. 

After swinging through another set of doors, Hol Horse brought them into the VIP area. There was a plaque that read “reservations only” on the door, and Shirlie could see why. This room actually had a glimmer of class. It was still heavily themed after the land of the free, but it seemed to have a bit more thought put into its decor than the main area. 

There was only one person sitting in the VIP area. Giorno Giovanna sat with one leg crossed sipping a glass of wine as his friends entered. He pushed his chair back and stood to greet them in the middle. It was a little funny… At 5”6, Giorno was shorter than both Shirlie and Josuke by a sizable margin. Still, he had this imposing presence that made up for it.   

“Shirlie, Josuke, it’s so nice to see you two.” Giorno smiled. 

The door closed behind them, and they enjoyed a bit of privacy. Hol Horse stayed in the doorway for the time being with a smirk as the family reunion unfolded before his eyes. 

“You too, man.” Josuke laughed nervously. “I don’t really know what to call you, though… Are you my cousin? My great uncle twice removed? What a family, right?” 

“If Shirlie’s your adopted daughter, does that make me her great-great uncle thrice removed?” Giorno raised a brow playfully. 

“Hey! He’s only my dad on paperwork! We’re like cool, distant half siblings who were reunited later in life or something.” Shirlie poked her lip in consideration. “I guess this is a pretty weird family…” 

“However weird it is, I better get to be the weird uncle, four times removed!” Hol Horse laughed from the doorway, stepping over to join them. 

Pa-Pa-Power couldn’t hold it any longer. He tore out of Shirlie while pounding his chest with those thunderous boxing gloves. He swung both his muscular arms around Giorno, yanking the petite man into a powerful hug. Giorno’s dress shoes lifted off the ground, and he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity as he gave the Stand a few pats with Gold Experience’s hand. 

“Yes, hello Pa-Pa-Power! It’s been too long, my friend!” He nodded. 

The empathy Stand filled the room with an overwhelming wave of euphoria and joy as he was acknowledged by Giorno. Power let out a silent cry, squeezing Giorno even harder! The boss was sturdy for a man his size! Soon, Power put Giorno down, slinking behind Shirlie with a happy smile on his face. 

“Will Pepsi be joining us?” Giorno asked, adjusting his jacket with a big smile. 

“Nah, they stayed in New York. Not in the mood to travel,” Shirlie shrugged. “Someone’s gotta hold down the fort, right?” 

“I’d trust Pepsi to hold down any fort. They don’t come much tougher than that.” Giorno nodded. 

Josuke couldn’t help but dwell on the odd interaction he had with Giorno’s employees at the airport. He sighed, rubbing his back nervously. “Say, Giorno… Is something going on? Your friends were acting a little weird. It seemed like the short one was ready to knock my teeth out if I didn’t show her my Stand.” 

Giorno sighed, nodding regretfully. “You’ll have to forgive Piccata… She’s from a rough walk of life, like all of us. Her ‘rehabilitation’ is going well… Farfalle is a very soothing presence for her, but she still has her moments… If she ever oversteps, you’re welcome to knock her down a peg. That’s how things work around here.” 

“I mean, I don’t wanna hit a damaged kid,” Josuke frowned. 

“Didn’t you punch me over the remote last week?” Shirlie teased. 

“That was not a punch, you drama queen.” 

“To answer your question, something is going on.” Giorno propped his cheek against his fist. “I trust that you two won’t discuss it outside this room? We’re trying to keep things ‘need to know,’ so to speak.” 

“Of course,” Shirlie nodded. “Is it serious…?” 

“Dead serious, but also mundane…” Giorno turned, walking back to his chair with his hands folded behind his back. He took a sip of his wine, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. “While I was in America during the Blondie situation, something was going on over here… A body was found in the River Tiber… An impossible body.” 

The room was silent, but Shirlie had several questions. She bit her lip, and Power filled the room with her trepidation. This caused Giorno to face her curiously. Whelp… Now she had to speak. 

“This was years ago… Why is it a situation now?” She mumbled.

“Good question,” Giorno finished his wine, placing the glass down and walking to the far side of the room. He ran his hands along the shutters before closing them firmly. “The former leader of Passione was a ruthless killer… He murdered his own mother, burned down his hometown, and tried to kill his daughter in cold blood several times. He ran this organization with an iron fist, dealing addictive drugs to children and bribing the corrupt police to keep quiet… I grew up in the Italy that this man created. It traumatized me.” He explained with dark eyes. 

“In the end, I killed this man and took his place as leader of Passione. Since he never revealed his identity to a single member of the gang, it was an easy transition… I simply staged my coup as a change of heart, revealed my identity, and made things better. Sure, there were critics, and some people even correctly guessed that I was a different boss, but they were all settled without much violence.” 

“Why are you telling us this?” Josuke bit his lip. 

“...that man I mentioned before? That awful, horrible man? His body was the one that washed up in the River Tiber… Eight years after his death, and he hadn’t even begun to rot.” 

“How is that possible?” Shirlie frowned. 

“I used my Gold Experience Requiem to kill Diavolo all those years ago. It was an absolute end, though one without a real conclusion. The power of Gold Experience Requiem is almost impossible to grasp. It’s like trying to understand infinity. We have an idea, but the human mind just isn’t built for it.” 

“What do you mean?” Shirlie asked. 

“My Gold Experience Requiem prevents any action from reaching its natural ending. If you try to strike me, your fist will never reach my cheek. If Josuke were to try and fix something with his Crazy Diamond, the pieces would never come together. And if I killed something with this power, it stands to reason that the victim’s life would never reach a true conclusion either.” 

“I don’t understand… Did you kill him or not?” Shirlie asked with pale cheeks. 

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Giorno smiled weakly. “Diavolo had an odd ability… He could skip through pieces of time, totally removing himself from the events in question and safely arriving on the other side. He tried to skip past the moment that my Gold Experience Requiem defeated him and arrive on the other end of my attack… The moment time skipped, everything was over. I don’t know what my Gold Experience Requiem did to him within that pocket of disjointed time, but whatever it was, it seemed final. Diavolo never reached the end of his skip, and he never came out on the other side. He was stuck indefinitely within his own pocket of fractured time. The very place he hid to escape my wrath, and I turned it into his eternal tomb.” Giorno said grimly. 

Josuke, Shirlie and Hol Horse were all silent after Giorno’s explanation. They had no idea the boss was capable of something so terrifying… It seemed like Giorno and Diavolo were simply on another level, and their battles couldn’t even be observed by other Stand Users comprehensively. 

“...how is he back?” Josuke finally managed to ask. 

“Blondie defeated my Gold Experience Requiem. When it was destroyed, Diavolo’s ability must have finally reached its conclusion. His body was knocked into the river as I intended all those years ago, and he was on death’s doorstep. But he wasn’t dead.” 

“Wait, does that mean he spent eight years in his pocket of time?” Shirlie gasped. 

“Quite possibly.” Giorno grimaced. 

“That’s enough to drive anyone insane…” Shirlie shook her head. 

“Don’t pity him,” Giorno said a little too aggressively. “This man would sell his daughter into slavery for a stick of gum. He’d burn down an orphanage to warm his hands on a cold night! He’s the last creature on Earth that deserves your pity, Shirlie! You didn’t know him. Believe me.” 

The ginger hung her head. “But Giorno… He’s human.” 

“Is he?” Giorno asked pitifully, unable to look at his family. “Is he really…? After what I’ve done to him.” The boss mumbled, running his nails up the window’s shutters. 

Shirlie approached the window and rested a hand on the boss’s shoulder. “You did your best, Giorno…” She frowned, looking away. “Why is this only becoming a problem now? Like you said, this was three years ago.” 

“We recovered his body,” Giorno explained. “It’s why I left Joseph’s funeral early. I needed to see it for myself.” 

“And…? If you killed him, isn’t that enough?” Shirlie asked. 

“When I arrived at the morgue, they lifted the blanket over his head to show me…” Giorno’s face went pale as he remembered the experience. “His face was dead… The light had left his eyes. For a moment I felt relief. But then…? His lips. They were curled into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. He died with a smile on his face, Shirlie.”

The girl didn’t know what to say. She just rubbed the boss’s shoulder and nodded. 

“I got my hands on every single piece of surveillance footage within twelve blocks of that river in the following days. Something just wasn’t adding up… I couldn’t get over that smile.” Giorno covered his mouth, staring at the slits of light that poked through the window’s shutters. “The events leading up to Diavolo’s death were quite odd. All of our souls were swapped around each other’s bodies by a powerful Stand ability. Diavolo seemed to have a little more control over where his soul went than the rest of us. It wasn’t until years later that I finally understood why.” 

“What do you mean?” Shirlie asked. 

“As I looked into the early years of Diavolo’s life, I discovered something incredibly strange… He was born in an all female prison… There were no men in the facility. Not only that, but his mother didn’t show a baby bump until she went into labor. At dinner she looked petite, and by midnight she was nine months pregnant. Only it wasn’t nine months… She claimed that she’d been pregnant for over two years.” Giorno explained with dark eyes. 

“Hang on… Are we talking about a human?” Josuke asked with pale skin. “It sounds like the origin of a demon.” 

“I don’t think Diavolo is fully man or demon… I don’t know what to think of him. All I do know is his soul has the tenacity to survive outside its body, and it’s quite used to sharing…” Giorno said. 

“Sharing? Are you implying he possessed someone?” Shirlie gasped. 

“A little girl named Ludovicia was walking alone by the River Tiber the day Diavolo returned. There’s security footage of her walking right past the bridge where I killed him, and for some reason she stopped to stare into the water.” Giorno took a deep breath. “A second later, she was gone: Removed from time. Not a sight of her dead or alive after that.” 

“That monster…” Josuke gnashed his teeth. “He jumped into the body of a little girl? How do we find him!?!”

“It’s quite possible that the little girl is in control right now… Diavolo can hide in the subconscious of a host… The victim isn’t even aware of his presence until he takes over. That’s what makes him entirely untraceable. He only exists when he chooses to. But he’s always watching. And his Stand King Crimson is the most dangerous foe I’ve ever faced. Without my Gold Experience Requiem… I don’t know if I’d be able to do it again.”

“Giorno. You still haven't explained why we're talking about this now." Shirlie mumbled. 

Giorno turned to look at his friends with a worried frown. “Ludovicia’s finally been spotted… She’s in Naples.” 

Inmate #FE38432 stepped into the courtyard with a wince. The sun hit her eyes so powerfully… She’d been inside the stone tomb for so long that she almost forgot what sunlight was like. The girl huffed, walking through a sea of tough looking inmates in search of her target… Her Stand just walked right through everyone, but she wasn’t so fortunate. That money-loving freak from earlier mentioned that Zed basically owned a corner of the courtyard… If Inmate #FE38432 was supposed to find the bitch, that must be the place. 

The young blonde eventually arrived at the courtyard’s corner… There was a chain link fence connecting to the prison’s concrete wall, and it seemed like Zed had set up some amenities for herself. There was a small table and a few outdoor chairs that looked totally out of place in a prison’s exterior. The girl narrowed her eyes. There was no sight of Zed… So why did she feel the hair standing on the back of her neck? She bit her lip, looking over her shoulder just in case. Once again, nothing. She was becoming paranoid. 

“What’s your business here, kid?” A bored voice asked from close by. 

Inmate #FE38432’s eyes widened, and she hitched her breath. She recognized that voice… The girl clenched her fists, swallowing heavily as she searched for the source. “You tell me, Zed… You’re the one who gave me this, right?” 

The girl’s Stand was towering over her at the moment. It seemed to loom defensively right behind her… That arrogant, cocky attitude it exuded earlier was gone. Now, the girl only felt a protective instinct coming from the Stand. That must have been her own will to live, right? If this Stand really was a part of her, that meant she still had some survival instincts left. That came as a bit of a surprise, considering how she ended up in this mess… 

“I’m not surprised you took so well to the chip, twerp… Normally it knocks a bitch out for a day or two… Sweats, high fever, the shits… It’s a bad time! Not you, though… You’ve got yourself a fully developed Stand first thing in the morning? I knew you had it in you.” 

The inmate clenched her jaw. “And what the fuck do you know about me, bitch?” 

“I’ve read the newspapers, Lucy. I know enough.” Zed countered. 

“That’s NOT my name!” She hissed, stomping her foot. 

“Oh~?” Zed grinned, and the sound of footsteps against concrete filled the quiet courtyard’s corner. “What’s your name then, darling?” 

“I believe they said it’s Inmate #FE38432.” She growled. 

That got a fairly unexpected laugh from Zed. “Oh my, you can’t be serious!? That’s your number, doofus! It’s what the pigs call you right before they break your teeth and receive a raise. What’s your name?” 

Inmate #FE38432 paused for a moment. She just stared at the concrete with a frown. “...I don’t have one. Not anymore. I reject the entire identity the world tried to thrust onto me… My name, my hometown, my favorite movie… None of it matters anymore. I’m not that girl anymore.” 

“Interesting… Your story really caught me by surprise, Inmate… Don’t get me wrong, it had everything a good tragedy needs! Love, sex, betrayal, murder… But there was one teensy detail that bothers me. You could’ve gotten away with it… Why’d you confess?” Zed questioned. 

Inmate #FE38432 bit her lip. She honestly didn’t have an answer. Everything happened so quickly, she kind of just acted on autopilot. “I guess I thought it was the right thing to do…” 

“Bullshit! Killing him was the right thing to do! Turning yourself in was giving up! I know you’re not the type to give up… That Stand you’ve got is the very manifestation of your fighting spirit! You developed it in a single night because you’ve got that might FIGHT in you, kid! Is that why you’re here? Do you plan on fighting me with that?” Zed asked. 

The girl’s Stand stepped forward, stomping its foot in front of Inmate #FE38432 and kicking up a bit of dust in the process. “It’s definitely a place to start! How about you come out here and talk to me in person, you nasty skank!?” The Stand shouted. 

“Wow… It talks? You’ve got some serious repression if your Stand has to talk for you.” Zed chuckled. 

“I do a whole lot more than just talk!” The Stand shouted, clenching its fist. “Get the fuck out here right now!” 

There was a long silence… For what felt like hours, all the inmate could hear was the sound of her own pounding heart. She looked at her Stand, which returned a defeated shrug. It seemed like Zed wasn’t planning on showing herself… What was any of this even for? Just when she was about to admit defeat and say something else, Inmate #FE38432 felt a finger poke the small of her back… It jabbed right against her spine. 

“Boo.” Zed whispered from behind. 

In a flash, all the tension in Inmate #FE38432’s body collapsed into a pit of shock and fear. It only lasted for a fraction of a second, but that was more than enough for Zed’s Stand to work its magic… The young blonde watched as the world around her shattered into a million pieces. First, it fragmented like shards of glass, then it burst into a sparkling rain of reality… Despite what her eyes expected, the world didn’t leave darkness in its wake. Instead, a second world seemed to lay behind the veil. Like a curtain parting, the sunny day was swept away to reveal the main event… 

Where the hell was she!? 

Inmate #FE38432 looked around frantically in an attempt to figure out her surroundings. She was in some dark room… It was lit by the occasional flashing strobes, and a few ambient colored lights in the distance. This wasn’t the prison courtyard anymore… She was in some kind of twisted haunted house! Mannequins and monster heads lined the floor and created a sort of path to follow through the room… After taking a few moments to take in her surroundings, Inmate #FE38432 finally noticed a pair of footsteps on the other side of the room. She gasped, taking cover behind a nearby mannequin. 

“Weren’t you wondering why I gave you a Stand, kid?” Zed asked as her shoes clicked against the concrete floor. “It’s simple, really… I stopped playing with regular inmates weeks ago. There’s no sport in it.” 

Inmate #FE38432 felt her stomach drop. A cold chill ran up her spine as she realized what Zed was implying… This place, wherever it was, it seemed to be some kind of fucked up hunting ground for Zed! The confidence of those footsteps caused the young girl’s skin to crawl. She was being stalked in the darkness… Zed was coming for her. The crazy bitch even armed her with a Stand so it’d be a fair fight. 

That Emporio kid was right. She shouldn’t have come here. 

“Welcome to my Panic Room, Inmate… You have thirty seconds to run.” Zed moaned. 

Four exit signs flicked on, emitting a red glow in the dark room. Inmate #FE38432 noticed one was fairly close… She bit her lip, listening for Zed’s footsteps. She could make a run for it… But then what? Zed might know exactly where she was! This could all be some sort of trap… No, that didn’t sound right. Zed wanted sport. She wanted her victims to put up a good fight. There had to be a way to win, right? Inmate #FE38432 needed to believe that. She wouldn’t run toward the closest exit. Instead, she took a deep breath and booked it toward the far side of the room. She used her Stand to knock everything in her path over and create a chaotic wall of noise to mask her location. By the time she even registered that she was moving, Inmate #FE38432 had crashed through the exit and stumbled into a connected hallway. 

The inmate hitched her breath… The hall was lined with dozens of doors. Where the hell was she supposed to go? There wasn’t going to be a conventional way out. This had to be a Stand… It was like her ability! The inmate gnashed her teeth together as she tried to come up with a plan. If only she knew what her own ability did! Her Stand was right beside her. Maybe she could just ask? 

“Do you know what you do?” She asked frantically. 

“Only as much as you do!” Her Stand shook its head. “I’m you, Lucy! We know the same things!” 

“Don’t call me that.” Inmate #FE38432 snarled. 

“Clearly some part of you wants to be called Lucy, otherwise I wouldn’t be calling you Lucy!” The Stand quipped right back. 

“Some part of me feels guilty about Brad! Do you think I’d change what happened though!?” She shouted. 

The doors behind them swung open, and Inmate #FE38432 let out a squeak. “We’ll argue about this later!” She groaned, sprinting down the hall as fast as she could. Her only advantage seemed to be Zed’s patience… The crazy bitch didn’t want things to end too soon. What would happen if she caught the young inmate? The blonde didn’t want to think about that… She bounded down the hall with frantic eyes as she searched for a way out… Every door looked the same, and the hallway had no end in sight! She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the worst. 

Inmate #FE38432 took a hard left and shoved through a random door with her shoulder. It caved to her strength and she soon crashed into a crowded room filled with laughing teens. The inmate took a deep breath, lifting herself up on all fours as she scanned her surroundings. She wasn’t in the Panic Room anymore… In fact, she recognized this place. It was Brad’s house. She stumbled to her feet with wide eyes and a pounding heart. What the fuck was going on? 

“Lucy!” A girl called from behind her. 

Before Inmate #FE38432 could snap about somebody using her name, she was stunned silent by the sight of a ghost. Tears welled in her eyes, and she lifted a hand over her mouth. Her throat closed up, and she could barely work out the beginnings of a word for about five seconds. Finally, she managed to speak. 

“L-Lindsey?” She whimpered. 

Lindsey was a fifteen-year-old cheerleader, and Inmate #FE38432’s best friend. The redhead wrinkled her nose, helping Inmate #FE38432 to her feet and patting her shoulder. 

“Did you try the punch? I hear it’s spiked. Are you alright?” Lindsey asked with a laugh. 

The inmate refused to believe this… Could it all have been some horrible drunken illusion? The party, the events that followed… Prison? Was she really back at the start? Lindsey was still alive. Just as she was about to say something emotional, the door swung open once again. Zed stepped into the bustling crowd with a maniacal grin. The inmate hitched her breath, grabbing Lindsey’s wrist. 

“Run! We’ve gotta go!” She started to run across the living room with Lindsey in tow. Just as she came around the bend and flew into the kitchen, Inmate #FE38432 came crashing into the chest of a much taller man. She bounced back, cursing herself for being so reckless. 

“S-Sorry dude!” She groaned, looking over her shoulder to see if Zed was sprinting after them. 

“It’s no problem, babe…” A chillingly familiar voice cooed from above. 

Before the inmate could react, her chin was lifted up by two fingers, and she was forced to stare into the eyes of Brad Kingsley. His icy blue eyes stared into her with such arrogance and curiosity. There was no recognition in those eyes… This Brad didn’t know who Inmate #FE38432 was, nor what she was going to do to him. 

“What’s a girl like you doing running around anyway? You should find a nice place to sit.” He grinned, placing a hand on the small of her back and pulling her closer. 

The fire of a thousands suns burned in Inmate #FE38432’s soul, and without a single thought she felt her Stand plunge its hand directly through Brad’s chest. The Stand’s hand flexed and writhed on the other side of Brad, and blood poured onto the floor behind him. Those icy blue eyes turned cold, and soon they were overcome by a cloud of darkness. Brad fell to the ground, and his body faded into the floor. 

Lindsey shrieked, covering her eyes as panic tore through the room. “Oh my God, holy FUCK! What did you do, Lucy!?” 

“If I’d have done that tonight, you’d still be alive.” The inmate shouted, grabbing Lindsey’s hand firmly. “Come on!” 

“But BRAD!” 

“Brad’s not real! None of this is real, okay? I need you to come with me!” The inmate begged, her voice wavered with desperation. 

“If Brad isn’t real… Am I real?” Lindsey asked with a trembling voice. 

“Yes!” Inmate #FE38432 fired back with a stern voice, but quickly backpedaled. “...no? It doesn’t matter if you’re real! I can’t lose you again. Please, come with me.” She begged, and her voice crumbled from grief. 

Three partygoers were launched against the wall on the far side of the kitchen. Their bodies crashed into the ground before fading away just like Brad’s did before. Zed’s shoes clicked against the kitchen floor as she sauntered into view with a hand on her hip. 

“I can feel your anxiety, Inmate… You’ve got such a storm brewing in your chest. It’s delicious.” Zed laughed. 

“Get behind me,” Inmate #FE38432 shoved Lindsey back, putting herself between Zed and her friend. 

“Oh, sweetie, you’re protecting a memory? Is it because you failed to protect her in the real world?” Zed peered behind Inmate #FE38432 and gasped. “Oh my, I recognize her from the paper too! I understand why you’re being so defensive! If only you’d cared about her in life!” 

Inmate #FE38432 was filled with rage and fury. She ran right for Zed, summoning her Stand and balling its fist. As her fist soared through the air, she noticed a few transparent arms appearing behind Zed’s back in a flash. They moved in what felt like slow motion, but Inmate #FE38432 realized it was just her adrenaline slowing everything down. Those fists pummeled her Stand right in its center mass. Each blow felt like she was getting hit by a freight train. Inmate #FE38432 was knocked back by the sheer force of it, her shoes skidding against the tiled floor as she clutched her stomach in pain. The girl’s Stand flickered weakly as it tried to keep its physical form, and the inmate felt like her insides had just been tossed into a blender. That thing hit way too hard… It was so fast, too! Zed’s Stand was difficult to spot, but it outclassed Inmate #FE38432 in combat by a country mile. She couldn’t fight it traditionally… She had to run. Inmate #FE38432 grabbed Lindsey’s wrist and sprinted into the living room once again. She bounded up the stairs with Lindsey close behind her. 

Inmate #FE38432 barged into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. She took a moment to think, running her hands up her face and groaning. 

“Lucy, what’s happening!?” Lindsey asked. 

“I’m being attacked by some crazy bitch’s Stand or whatever! She attacked me in the courtyard, and now I’m here!” Inmate #FE38432 whimpered, pulling at her hair. 

“Okay, even if that didn’t sound crazy, why tonight? What’s special about tonight?” Lindsey frowned. She bit her lip when her friend stayed silent. “...does it have something to do with the way you keep looking at me like I’ve got terminal cancer?” 

Inmate #FE38432’s heart ached, but she couldn’t answer. There were higher stakes at the moment! “I’m better when you’re around, Lindsey. I need your help.” She pleaded. 

“Okay…” Lindsey’s mind raced as she tried to come up with a way to be supportive. “Where are we right now? I mean, where are we actually?” 

“We’re in the courtyard of a prison! Then I appeared in this weird haunted house-like place… I think she called it her Panic Room. I ran through a door and ended up at this party!” Inmate #FE38432 explained. 

“Was it a special door?” Lindsey raised a brow. “No… It was just a normal door! Why is that important!?” 

“Because if any door works…” Lindsey stormed across the bathroom and swung open the door to the linen closet. Sure enough, there was a black void on the other side. “Go through this one!” 

Inmate #FE38432 hesitated, but she heard Zed’s footsteps approaching. That, and the sound of her terrifying Stand pummeling the partygoers to a bloody pulp outside. She nodded, rushing over to the door and hitching her breath. After grabbing Lindsey’s wrist, the inmate leaped through the door. There was a flash of light, and suddenly she was sitting in a sterile room with nothing but a table, three chairs, and a camera in the top right corner. 

There was a detective sitting across from Inmate #FE38432 and Lindsey with a white dress shirt on and a disheveled appearance. He adjusted his glasses, nibbling on the cap of his pen as he finished taking his notes. After a long silence, he rubbed his chin and cleared his throat. 

“So you girls are saying you went to this boy’s house, got drunk, and he took advantage of you?” The detective gave them a serious look. 

The inmate clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. It was too painful to remember. Lindsey did a double take, looking between her friend and the detective. 

“W-What is he talking about?” She asked softly. 

The blonde couldn’t even look her friend in the eye. “That party didn’t actually end with a Stand battle, Lindsey… It was much worse.” 

Lindsey realized what her friend meant in an instant. “O-Oh… Oh God…” 

The detective didn’t seem to be hearing their conversation. He was busy reliving an echo of Inmate #FE38432’s memories. The man leaned back in his chair with a sign, clicking his pen a few times and shaking his head. 

“Well girls, your story’s troubling to say the least… Still, this is quite a serious accusation. I want to believe you, but the Kingsleys have already provided an ironclad alibi for Brad. He was with them in Breckenridge all weekend. There’s no proof this ‘party’ of yours even happened…” 

Lindsey gasped. “Is he being serious!? There were dozens of people at that party! Somebody’s gotta be able to confirm it happened!” 

Inmate #FE38432 let out a tragic chuckle, shaking her head. “That’s exactly what you said, Lindsey.” 

The detective sighed, clicking his pen three more times. “We can ask around, but to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure how much manpower I’m gonna be able to throw at this. The Kingsleys are a cornerstone of our community. Alan practically owns every building in town, and Carol’s the chief of medicine at the hospital.” 

The redhead was in disbelief… “So what you’re saying is… They’re too important for this to be true?” 

“I’m saying that the Kingsleys aren’t the type to do this kind of thing. Brad’s a good boy with a promising future! Why would he throw it all away for a few minutes of fun?” The detective sighed. 

“Fun!?” Lindsey shouted. “That’s how you’re describing it?” 

“Honey, I’m gonna need you to calm down.” The detective warned Lindsey. “I’ve tried to put it between the lines, but I’m just gonna come right out and say it. If you want my honest opinion, I think you sophomores were invited to a cute senior’s party and you made some decisions you regret in the light of day. You tried to be cool, you tried some liquor, and now you wish you hadn’t slept with him. That’s not my business, and it’s not my problem. Stop trying to tear down this boy’s future just because you made bad choices.” He clicked his pen one last time before placing it on the table. 

“Oh my God…” Lindsey whispered, covering her mouth with a hand. 

“We didn’t know this at the time, but Brad’s dad grew up with the chief of police. They’re basically brothers.” Inmate #FE38432 muttered. “We never had a chance.” 

“So he gets away with it…?” Lindsey asked with a broken heart. 

Inmate #FE38432 didn’t have the heart to answer. “We should find another door… I think I understand what this place is now.” 

“What do you mean?” Lindsey frowned. 

“It’s hell.” Inmate #FE38432 grabbed her wrist and dragged her through the door. Once again, they arrived in an entirely new location. 

This time, they were in Lindsey’s bedroom. The redhead was sobbing on her bed, face buried in her pillow as she wailed and wailed… It took a moment for her to become lucid once again. She looked up at her friend in confusion. 

“I-I’m crying in my room?” She asked softly. “Why is this a part of it?” 

Inmate #FE38432 wasn’t even looking at Lindsey. Her eyes were fixed upon an innocuous pill bottle resting on Lindsey’s bedside table. She stared at the bottle like it was a corpse… When Lindsey spoke to her, she didn’t even hear it. This caused the redhead to turn her attention over to the pills as well. She reached across the bed and picked them up. The moment her fingers touched the bottle, every last pill disappeared. 

Lindsey gasped, dropping the bottle and looking to Inmate #FE38432 for answers. “Lucy… What happened?” 

Tears streamed down the inmate’s face as she watched her friend’s skin grow pale. “The police didn’t believe us… But you tried anyway. You emailed the principal… There was a meeting with all your teachers, and Brad was brought in for them… In the end, he got kicked off the football team…” 

Lindsey’s expression sank, and soon her body relaxed against the bedding as well. “He… He did that to us… And our only recourse was getting him kicked off the football team?” She whimpered. 

“Your only recourse…” Inmate #FE38432 whispered. “I… I didn’t accuse him, Lindsey. I couldn’t do it.” 

The redhead leaned her head back. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and nodding along. “...I think it all makes sense now…” She whispered. 

“Lindsey, I’m sorry…” She fought back her tears. “I’m so, so sorry… I was afraid… I didn’t think he’d face any consequences… But you went through with it anyway! I thought if I held back, you’d think twice about it… But you didn’t.” 

“Why did I take these pills, Lucy…?” The girl asked lazily. Her eyes wouldn’t open again… 

The inmate choked on her mucus and tears as she tried to carry on the conversation. “When Brad got kicked off the football team, word spread quickly… Everyone knew it was you. Within a day, everyone in the school hated you for stealing their quarterback…” She admitted. 

“Oh… Lucy…” Lindsey sighed. “...please… Please tell me you don’t blame yourself.” 

“How couldn’t I!?” Inmate #FE38432 cried, rushing over to the bed and taking Lindsey’s hand. “If I’d stood by you… If I’d corroborated your story…” 

“Then they’d have hated us both…” Lindsey whispered. “There’s no justice in this story, Lucy, not really… The bad guys win, and the good guys die.” 

“What about Zed…?” Inmate #FE38432 asked softly, clutching her best friend’s hand. “Is she going to win too…?” 

“I think that depends on whether or not you’re willing to be the bad guy.” Lindsey smiled weakly. 

“I am the bad guy… Just you wait. This isn’t how the story ends.” She growled. 

At that moment, Zed punched through the bedroom door with her Stand. The heavy oak door flew across the bedroom, nearly taking the inmate’s head off before she ducked underneath it. Inmate #FE38432 snarled at her foe, grabbing Lindsey with her Stand and lifting her up easily. There weren’t any doors in the room except for the one Zed was standing in… Inmate #FE38432 knew she couldn’t win in a fair fight, so she needed a different exit. The inmate took a deep breath, flipping Zed off before turning around and sprinting toward the window. She dove head-first out the window, her Stand close behind with Lindsey’s corpse in tow. 

Inmate #FE38432 ended up on the other side in a flash. She rolled on the floor, leaping to her feet and looking around. Her Stand landed right beside her with Lindsey safely in its arms. It put the girl down, and Lindsey dusted herself off. She didn’t look pale anymore… They’d broken the chronology a bit. Lindsey looked around, just taking in the sights. 

They were in a lovely cabin on the edge of the woods. Candles provided a dim mood lighting, and the air smelled of fragrant oak and pine… Lindsey walked over to a wall and touched a picture frame. She glanced over her shoulder to give Inmate #FE38432 a confused look. 

“This is the Kingsleys’ cabin…?” She mumbled. 

Inmate #FE38432 nodded. “You wanna know how this story really ends, Lindsey?” She sighed. 

A moment later, Brad walked into the room with a big grin. He was wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. The older guy wrapped an arm around Inmate #FE38432 and lifted her chin with two fingers. “Hey, you…” 

Lindsey was at a loss for words. She just stared at Inmate #FE38432 like the girl had three eyes. 

“About a week after your funeral, I hit up Brad on Facebook…” She said softly as the boy played with her hair. She seemed entirely immune to his presence, treating him as if he wasn’t even there. “We flirted for a few days… I told him that I didn’t think what he did to us was rape… And that I’d love to hang out with him again.” 

“Lucy… What the hell is going on?” Lindsey whispered. 

“You asked if I’m capable of being the bad guy?” Inmate #FE38432 smiled wearily. “There’s a reason I’m in a prison courtyard right now, Lindsey…” 

Brad walked away from the inmate and strutted over to the couch. He continued to keep his arm around the air and speak to it like there was a girl there, but the inmate was busy speaking with her friend. 

“The only consequences for him couldn’t be getting kicked off the football team… When I stood there and watched everyone cry at your funeral, something broke inside me… Everyone’s so fake. They’ll call you a lying slut one day, and cry at your funeral like you were best friends the next. You were right when you said there’s no justice in this story… That doesn’t mean Brad deserves to live.” 

“Lucy…” Lindsey nodded slowly. “You…” 

At that moment, Brad let out a shrill scream. He fell onto the floor with a knife embedded in his back. The boy landed on his chest, and he desperately crawled away from the assailant. The past version of Inmate #FE38432 wasn’t visible… But her footprints appeared in Brad’s blood on the carpet as she approached him. Brad screamed as the knife was ripped from his back and levitated in the air for a few seconds. Something rolled the boy onto his back, and he stared up at the assailant with desperate eyes. 

“W-Why!? What the fuck are you doing!?” He screamed. 

“Quiet down. We’re just having fun.” Inmate #FE38432 growled, reliving the experience. 

“S-Stop it! Fucking stop!” Brad begged. 

“Oh, so you know the word ‘stop?’ Could’ve fooled me!” Inmate #FE38432 growled, teleporting across the room and holding the knife now. She was fully embroiled in the past events now… The inmate fell to her knees, straddling Brad with cold eyes. “Didn’t you say you’d do anything to get me back on top of you? Well, here I am,” She smiled, plunging the knife into Brad’s stomach. 

“Oh God… You fucking bitch.. You… You…” His cries and threats slowly faded into gargles and coughs. 

Inmate #FE38432 didn’t bat an eye. “He’s such a nice kid! Doesn’t he just look so NICE!?” She asked, stabbing him again. “That horrible girl’s trying to ruin his career! Why does his life have to be over just because he had a bit of fun!?” She screamed, plunging the knife in one last time. The girl threw her head back, closing her eyes and taking a moment to savor the silence… 

“What about her life…? Was her life worth a few minutes of fun, you fucking piece of shit?” She growled, letting go of the knife. 

Brad vanished into thin air. When Inmate #FE38432 looked behind her, she found that Lindsey was gone as well. A wicked smile crept its way across her face. She lifted her hands up and stared at the blood. She’d almost forgotten what this night felt like, but this Panic Room allowed her to relive it… She saw her Stand’s legs right in front of her. The girl lifted her head and smiled at it. 

“You were here that night…” She whispered. “You didn’t exist yet in this form, but you were here… My anger, my wrath, my fighting spirit… You were born that night.” 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, kid.” The Stand nodded. “How did it feel the second time? Any regrets?” 

“Absolutely not…” She shook her head. “I’d kill him a third time if I could… His screams were just as disingenuous as his tears were at the pep rally. He didn’t care when he killed Lindsey, did he? When he took her into his room and ended her life?” 

“Lindsey killed herself,” The Stand countered. 

“Lindsey died of complications. Brad is what wounded her.” Inmate #FE38432 argued. 

“What about you? Were you killed that night?” The Stand asked curiously. 

“I was.” Inmate #FE38432 nodded. “Lucy Pendleton died, and I was born.” 

“Then who are you exactly? Don’t get me wrong, I love the vibe, but calling you Inmate #FE38432 is getting seriously old.” 

The blonde glanced down at herself curiously. She ran her hands up her legs, humming to herself. “How about… LuLaRoe?” 

The Stand actually laughed. “Like your leggings?” 

“What’s in a name? It’s something to call me.” LuLaRoe shrugged. “My grandmother was named Tallulah Roe. I always thought it was pretty.”

“Heh, alright then. It’s your life.” The Stand shrugged. “What about me? Do I get a name?” 

LuLaRoe thought about it for a moment, but she was soon interrupted by the door being flung open. Zed stepped into the cabin with a big grin. 

“End of the line, Inmate…” 

There was a smile on the young blonde’s face too. “Let me get this straight… Your Panic Room thrives off of the victim’s fear? It sends them through the worst experiences of their lives while you chase them down to maintain a constant state of panic and fear?” 

Zed raised her brow. She could feel that LuLaRoe was calmer than she expected. “That’s how it normally goes, yes.” 

“It hurts to lose Lindsey again… But your big mistake was letting me see Brad. It reminded me that I’m here for a reason…” She stood up, glaring at Zed from across the room. “There’s no justice in this world, Zed. But if I can kill enough Brads in my lifetime, I can make a few lives a little bit better.” 

This got a laugh out of the older woman. “That’s what you gleaned from this!? It’s not a life lesson, sweetheart, it’s a torture device!” 

“You asked me what my business was here?” LuLaRoe pointed at her opponent. “I’m in the business of misery.” She grinned, flashing her teeth. “Let’s take it from the top.” 

She used her Stand to kick the coffee table across the living room. It hurdled through the air on a collision course toward Zed. Panic Room made short work of the table, ripping it to shreds. The disembodied hands quickly carved the wood into stakes and launched them toward LuLaRoe. The young blonde jumped behind the couch for cover, and several wooden stakes lodged their way into the sofa. This Stand was insanely fast… LuLaRoe was still scared. She needed to calm down… The entire point of this Stand was to terrify her. That had to be where the ability got its strength! It’s why Zed relied on such a cheap jumpscare to initiate the fight! If LuLaRoe just got herself together, she’d stand a chance. 

LuLaRoe didn’t have a hope against Zed in close quarters combat. She needed to play smarter, not harder. There had to be a way she could get Zed off her footing. Everybody wanted something. If LuLaRoe had learned one thing in life, it’s that people were willing to do stupid things to satisfy their primal desires… But what did Zed want? Based on her terrifying Stand Ability, LuLaRoe had to assume it was to make people suffer… Simply killing people isn't enough. Zed needed her victims to experience true terror and loss before she snuffed out their flame. LuLaRoe flipped the sofa onto its arm, keeping it up vertically to shield her entire body. She then used Misery Business to shove the couch toward the doorway. LuLaRoe followed the sofa, kicking it several times with Misery Business to make sure she was safe from any immediate attack. 

Her instincts were taking over. When she asked Misery Business what its ability was, the Stand gave a rather cheap answer… Only LuLaRoe could know. She felt it in her bones. Approaching head-on was the right move. Her heart was practically pounding out of her chest, but she didn’t care. LuLaRoe was going to win. 

Panic Room ripped the couch to shreds, tearing its way through the sofa until it could see LuLaRoe on the other side. The blonde grinned, giving her opponent a small wave. 

“Do you wanna hurt me, Zed?” She asked, poking her lip innocently. “Well come and get me.” 

LuLaRoe booked it across the living room, bounding up the stairs three steps at a time. She gripped the railing, swinging around the corner and jumping over the last four steps to reach the top. Zed was in hot pursuit… She could hear the bitch storming up the steps with thunderous feet. What exactly was LuLaRoe doing? She wasn’t sure! Misery Business hovered beside her, and she felt an odd amount of confidence considering her situation. 

“Danger… Trauma… What’s the most danger I’ve ever been in?” She mumbled under her breath. LuLaRoe’s eyes bounced around the hall as she considered the doors before her. “Fear… Terror… Anxiety. What’s the most scared I’ve ever been? Nothing complicated… Just simple, real terror?” 

Zed made it to the top of the steps, and that’s when LuLaRoe remembered. She smirked, kicking a door open with Misery Business and waiting for Zed to catch up. Just as she felt the murderous intent of her pursuer behind her, LuLaRoe jumped through the door. There was a flash of light, but LuLaRoe was prepared… A moment later, the piercing wail of breaking tired caused the girl’s ears to whine. She was in the body of her eleven-year-old self, and this was the time she got hit by a car. 

LuLaRoe was ready, and she jumped out of the way before her previous self would have realized the danger. Zed stumbled into the memory right behind her prey, but she wasn’t as fortunate… The car laid on its horn, which is pretty much the only reason Zed survived. Her eyes widened, and she laid into the vehicle with Panic Room’s lightning-quick fists. She couldn’t fully counteract its momentum though, and Zed was still hit with about fifteen-miles-per-hour of force. Her body was cast across the street before bouncing against the asphalt brutally. 

The young blonde stomped over toward her opponent with clenched fists. She towered over Zed without a hint of mercy in her eyes. Panic Room’s transparent fists lunged right for her, but they were slower now… Misery Business easily deflected them before delivering a swift kick to Zed’s jaw. The woman groaned, bleeding from her nose as she struggled to lift herself from the pavement. 

“W-What the hell was that…?” She asked in total shock. “How did I get here?” 

LuLaRoe smirked, resting a hand on her hip. “I finally figured it out… That woman masturbating in the cafeteria? The inmate who could be bribed by her own money? Misery Business shows me the truth of human nature. It bares your most primal, simple instincts and forces you to act on them without pesky deterrents like logic or morality. Who has time for that? You’re hungry.” LuLaRoe snarled. 

“You…” Zed growled, propping herself on an elbow and pointing at LuLaRoe. “You made me run right into a moving car?” 

“Tsk, tsk tsk!” LuLaRoe clicked her tongue disapprovingly. She stomped her heel into Zed’s hand, grinding it against the asphalt. “I didn’t make you do anything, Zed! You’re the one who trapped me in this hell hole! All I did was bring those disgusting desires of yours to the surface…” 

That got a bitter laugh from the dying woman. “HAH! Is that what you’re telling yourself? It’s not free will if it’s coerced! Just because people have desires doesn’t mean they’re destined to act on them! Removing my ability to think straight and forcing me to act on those desires doesn’t say anything about me, kid. It says a whole lot about you. I’d have assumed a girl like you would be more sensitive to coercion.” 

Misery Business drove its fist into Zed’s hair, knocking the woman’s face into the pavement and leaving a couple teeth lodged into it. This only made Zed laugh even louder. She laughed through spurts of blood and the whistling gaps in her gums. 

“What about you, twerp!? What about your core desires? What would you do if all the consequences went bye-bye?” 

“I’d kill every piece of scum like you on Earth,” LuLaRoe snarled. “But I’m not chickenshit. I do what I want and face the consequences! That’s why I’m here.” 

Zed let her chin rest on the asphalt. She was done… If she’d know what Misery Business was capable of, she wouldn’t have been so reckless. Instead, she fell victim to her own prey. That’s what made this so exciting, though. She did this because she was bored… Zed was under no delusion of immortality. She always planned on dying in her Panic Room. If it hadn’t been LuLaRoe, it’d have been that priest. 

“That’s a pretty cute philosophy kid, but it’s incomplete…” Zed groaned, her eyes fluttered shut as the weight of her injuries truly set in. “But I guess the winner takes it all… Your philosophy wins this round. Be careful, though. There’s always a viper in the grass. Today’s your day, but tomorrow?” Zed let out a knowing chuckle. “There’s no promise about tomorrow.” 

“I’m going to reveal the world to itself, and it will stop turning.” LuLaRoe hissed with venom in her voice. “Every single Brad and Zed is living on borrowed time, you hear me!? Once I’ve exposed what you people are actually like, what you’re really capable of, they’re going to join me in killing you!” 

Zed only let out a quiet little laugh… She shook her head before dropping it onto the concrete one last time. She didn’t have anything to say to that… In her eyes, the kid was doomed. 

LuLaRoe watched as the Panic Room melted all around her, seeping into darkness and eventually revealing cracks of the courtyard on the other side. Then, in an instant, the world shattered inward and collapsed into Zed’s corpse. LuLaRoe felt like she’d just woken up from a dream that ended with a sudden fall. Her heart was pounding, and she couldn’t help but clutch her chest with heavy breaths. 

Zed’s body seemed to be spotless back in the real world… LuLaRoe knelt down and inspected it carefully… Her wounds were gone, and so was the blood. Perhaps it would look like she died of a heart attack? Good. LuLaRoe didn’t need any more complications today. She took a deep breath, taking in the fresh air of the outdoors for a moment. She was free… She was alive. She won. 

Now… What did that kid say about looking for Jolyne Kujo? 

Chapter Text

(Art by Casualswords)

Cairo’s hot sun cast beams of light through the window as Pucci lounged beside it with a book in his lap. He sighed, turning the page and enjoying the rays against his skin. Dust particles were floating throughout the air, but the sun illuminated them, almost making them seem like tiny disco balls reflecting the brilliant light throughout the room. How long had Pucci been staying in Egypt? He’d lost track of time… Dio didn’t exactly keep a calendar on the wall, and he had no responsibilities to speak of. It was like an endless vacation. Pucci wondered if that’s how Dio viewed his own eternal life. 

“Pucci…” A sultry voice purred from the staircase. “Close the curtains…” 

The priest was startled by Dio’s voice at this hour. “D-Dio!? What are you doing down here? The sun!” He stammered, fumbling out of his chair and rushing to the window. 

“The curtains, Pucci.” Dio repeated, covering his eyes with a hiss. 

“Yes! One moment!” He nodded, closing the curtains and engulfing the room in candlelight once more. 

Dio continued down the staircase after the room was made safe. He strutted up to Pucci and rested a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Honestly, I don’t know how you sit in that horrible light and read.” 

“The sun?” Pucci asked softly. “It’s actually quite pleasant, Dio. If your body can tolerate it.” 

“Hmmm?” Dio sighed. “I wouldn’t know.” 

That got a light chuckle from the priest. “Surely you remember the feeling? How old were you when you turned into a vampire?” 

“I was twenty-one. Still, that feels like a lifetime ago.” Dio hummed, tracing his dark nails along the curtain. “I can’t remember that warmth you speak of. Ever since I turned, my body has been cold… It’s not a bad feeling, mind you. I feel quite pleasant. But I don’t recall that warmth.” Dio explained with longing eyes. 

Pucci could tell that Dio wanted nothing more than to cast the curtains aside and experience the warmth in question. Would he ever be able to again? It almost broke the priest’s heart. How long could a man go without feeling the sun on his face? Could that be the cost of eternal life? 

“What was the last sunrise you saw with your own eyes?” Pucci asked, snaking an arm around Dio’s hips and pulling their sides together. 

Dio had to think for a moment. “I can barely remember,” He admitted. “It might not have been my last, but it was close. This was actually the night I discovered the secret of the stone mask.” He turned down to look at his priest curiously. “Did I ever tell you about the mask? It’s what turned me into the charming devil you see today. The Joestar family fancied themselves archeologists. At least, Mrs. Joestar did. I never met the woman, but I have every reason to believe she was lovely. She uncovered this artifact, an ancient stone mask that goes back centuries if not millennia. For the longest time, it was nothing more than a decoration on our wall. 

“I eventually discovered the mask reacted oddly to blood. It had these tendrils that would violently shoot out before curling inward. When I saw that, I thought the mask must have been an execution device. That’s how I planned on killing Jonathan Joestar; a terrible research accident. Before I went through with it, I ended up in a petty fight with a few low-life drunks. I decided to test the mask out on one of them. 

“At first, it appeared to be a success. The stone tendrils lodged themselves into the man’s skull and that seemed to be the end of it. As I was dusting myself off, I noticed his body was still moving. Before I knew it, he was attacking me with strength I’d never dreamed of. It seems unimaginable, but I was almost defeated in an instant. This bumbling drunk had me pinned against the road and was about to feed on my blood. I remember throwing my head back and screaming at the top of my lungs. I’d never known such pain.

“As my eyes opened again, I saw the sun beginning to peek over the horizon. It was an otherworldly experience. There I was, a monster straddling me and drinking my blood… But all I could focus on was the sunlight. I remember thinking to myself… ‘Is this the last thing I’ll ever see? Is this sunrise my last?’ Before I could answer that question, the monster on top of me let out a shrill cry. Within seconds, his body was nothing more than a pile of ash. The sun had killed him. I took a long look at that sun after it saved me, but I don’t remember the warmth… I just remember how terrified I was. And at that moment, I vowed I would never be afraid again. I used the mask on myself, and became eternal.” 

Pucci had wondered how Dio ended up a vampire, though he never thought it happened like that. He frowned, squeezing Dio a bit tighter and looking up into his eyes. 

“That sounds awful. I’m sorry.” He cupped Dio’s cheek. “A life without the sun seems needlessly cruel. Even if you prefer the cold, it’s nice to have a bit of warmth.” 

“Oh, I do.” Dio grinned. “You’re incredibly warm to the touch, Pucci. I might not be able to see the sun, but I’ve got the next best thing in my hands right now.” 

Pucci’s cheeks tinted pink as he looked away. “Still… Do you think you’ll see it again?” 

Dio thought about it for a moment. “When I bring Heaven crashing down to Earth, I’ll be powerful enough to stand in the sun again. When that happens, we’ll go for a nice long walk together.” 

“That sounds nice…” Pucci smiled. “In the meantime, we can have a picnic inside.” 

The blond let out a hearty chuckle. “You wouldn’t like my cooking. It’s human blood.” 

“We can pack separate baskets,” Pucci shrugged. 

“Mmmm… Sounds like a plan.” 

Jolyne panted and heaved as she ran through the prison’s halls with Pepsi in her arms. She was following Ripley’s directions over Shizuka’s earpiece, but it was still a prison. Getting anywhere required several twists, turns, and broken doors. She didn’t have a moment to waste if she planned on getting Pepsi out of there alive. Just as she came around a corner, Jolyne met eyes with a guard. 

“H-Hey! You’re not supposed to be here!” He pointed at her. 

Whelp… Jolyne had really hoped to get out of this without increasing her sentence, but it seemed like she was out of options. She balled up Stone Free’s fist and struck the guard in the face without a hint of remorse. He immediately fell to his ass and lost consciousness. The last time she hit a guard she got a week in solitary… Jolyne couldn’t afford to think of that! She needed to save Pepsi! 

Finally, she arrived at her destination… It was a side exit that the guards used for smoke breaks. Due to its frequent use, they typically left its alarm shut off during the day. Jolyne marveled at how easy it would be for her to escape this prison if that had been her goal. Unfortunately, her mission was inside. She brought Pepsi to the edge of the balcony overlooking the ocean. Jolyne searched for any sign of Ripley. 

“Uhmmm, I’m here! Where the hell are you guys!?” 

“We’re right below you.” Ripley assured her. 

Jolyne watched in disbelief as a submarine emerged from the ocean. The balcony was right on the edge of the island, so there was nowhere to go but the water! Not only that, but there was probably no easy way to see this sub except from her location! A ladder began to rise from the submarine, eventually clicking against the railing. Just what kind of organization did her father work for? 

After about twenty seconds, Jolyne met a woman she had to assume was the ‘Ripley’ she’d been speaking to over the phone. 

“Good job,” Ripley smirked, gesturing for Jolyne to bring Pepsi closer. 

Jolyne was surprised by Ripley’s stature… The woman was barely five feet tall! Would she honestly be able to carry Pepsi? As if to answer her question, Electric Lady appeared and accepted the wounded teen from Jolyne. Ripley gave the inmate a curt nod, looking down at her exit. 

“We’re not in the clear yet. You need to find Shizuka. Who knows what that priest might do if he finds her first.” Ripley sighed. “Oh, and one more thing. If you get caught with this, it’ll be trouble.” 

The agent took the earpiece from Jolyne and tossed it into her pocket. After tapping the ladder three times with her dress shoe, it began to descend. 

“We’ll be in touch, Jolyne! Now that we know Whitesnake’s identity, this will be over quickly… One way or the other.” She nodded. 

Jolyne took a deep breath. The agent was right… Pucci’s ability to hide in plain sight was his only real advantage. The situation wasn’t sustainable anymore. He was probably going to unleash hell in one last-ditch effort to kill Jolyne and her friends before ditching the prison altogether and continuing his plan. Jolyne thought about what Shizuka said earlier. She had been bait for Jotaro this entire time… What Pucci really needed was her father’s memories. Now that he had them, there was no reason to stay in such a dangerous place. This was her last chance to catch him. 

She stormed back inside and took a deep breath. Jolyne had punched a guard in the face just to get here. That would definitely come back to bite her in the ass. She didn’t have much time to get things sorted before she was thrown into solitary confinement again. She felt the sea breeze against her back and gave one last longing gaze to the outside world. Maybe she should just escape and try to catch Pucci on the outside…? No. This was her best chance. She wasn’t trapped in here, Pucci was. He was stuck in this stone ocean with an animal, and Jolyne planned on ripping him to shreds. She didn’t even care if it tripled her sentence. 

She sprinted back to where they’d left Shizuka mere minutes prior only to find the girl was gone. Jolyne stood there in disbelief for a moment, unsure of what to do. Could Shizuka have gotten up and went looking for them, or was she taken by Pucci? The inmate’s eyes darkened, and she stomped her way down the hall. Things were heating up pretty quickly…

Jolyne made it back to her ward without issue. Ermes noticed her straight away and walked up to her. 

“Hey, Jolyne! Foo said you stormed off with your cousin. Is everything okay?” She frowned. 

“Everything is not okay,” Jolyne whispered, motioning for Ermes to dip into her cell for some privacy. Once they were alone, she took a deep breath and considered how she should lay it all out. “One of the people Shizuka came here with is dead. Whitesnake got them.” 

“Jesus,” Ermes rubbed her face and shook her head. “That bastard.” 

“Jesus is exactly right. It’s the priest, Ermes. Father Pucci is Whitesnake’s User!” Jolyne revealed. 

“Wait, are you kidding me!? The priest? He was so nice to me in the medical ward.” Ermes frowned. 

“Well now we know why! He’s been slithering around the prison like a fucking snake, hiding in plain sight! I think he might have Shizuka. We need to grab Foo Fighters and rip this prison apart looking for them.” 

“Sounds like you need all the help you can get.” A man’s voice mumbled from deeper in the cell. Before the women could move, Anasui revealed himself on the top bunk. He’d been taking a nap before they stormed in and started spouting exposition. He slumped over the edge of the bunk, allowing his legs to dangle as he smiled at Jolyne. 

“God dammit. Anasui! We agreed you had to be a woman in the cell!” Ermes groaned. 

“Right now? You want the view?” He offered, gesturing to his bare chest. “I’m more interested in this whole Pucci thing… Something fishy’s been going on around here lately. The kid’s been talking about it.” 

“The kid? You’ve met Shizuka!?” Jolyne gasped. 

“Whozuka? The kid’s named Emporio. He’s about yay high, wears a baseball uniform, squeaks a lot?” Anasui chuckled. 

“There’s another kid in Green Dolphin? Are we handing out fucking candy!?” Ermes groaned. 

“Hey, don’t yell at me. The kid’s been here for years, much longer than Whatszuka.” Anasui shrugged. 

“Shizuka,” Jolyne sighed. 

“Shezuka, Herzuka, I don’t really care.” Anasui leapt out of bed. When he landed, she was a woman once again. Her breasts hung free in the open air as she gave the women a little grin. “Let me change into my girl clothes and we can investigate, okay?” 

Jolyne averted her eyes, but Ermes merely hung her head with a sigh. “It’s every ten seconds with this bitch, Jolyne.” She whined. 

Jolyne walked up to the changing Anasui and tapped her shoulder. Anasui turned and blushed when she saw Jolyne so close. “Y-Yes, Jolyne?” 

“My family’s in trouble. Can you take things seriously, for me?” She asked. 

Anasui’s cheeks tinted crimson as she stared at Jolyne. Such sincerity! Such nobility! The girl’s heart was practically pounding its way out of her chest! She bit her lip, nodding shyly. “Of course. Just let me throw this shirt on and then I’ll take you to the kid.” 

“Thank you, Anasui.” Jolyne patted the woman’s arm. She walked back to Ermes and exited the cell. 

Ermes joined Jolyne outside and leaned her back against the bars. After crossing her arms, she glanced over her shoulder at the changing woman. “You think this Emporio kid knows something useful?” 

“It’s a place to start.” Jolyne said. “I don’t like this either, but if Pucci has Shizuka, we’re not in any position to be picky with our allies.” 

Jolyne glanced at Anasui before leaning closer to Ermes. “But if she tries anything, we strike instantly. There’s no time to waste.” 

Ermes simply nodded. 

Shizuka was sprinting down the halls as quickly as she could. Her school shoes clicked against the tiled floor as she bounded her way invisibly through the prison. She needed to find Pucci… That was her top priority. Jolyne and Pepsi were nowhere to be found, which meant she needed to go with the optimistic approach and assume her cousin had safely extracted Pepsi. If not, they were probably with the bastard priest… That meant she had a single target… 

Where would he be…? How could he have acted so brazenly as to assault Pepsi in the middle of the prison? There were cameras everywhere. Shizuka was well aware of this fact. It’s why she always needed to be invisible or disguised with light tricks. Did Pucci intend to abandon the prison? Even so, it’d be a silly idea to attack someone on camera before leaving. He didn’t want to become a wanted man, did he…? That left one option. Pucci had to be heading to the security room to deal with those cameras. 

She swung the door open ready to knock out a security guard, but she found something much worse. The guard was slumped over the control console with a dead look in his eyes. Shizuka ran over and lifted the man upright in his chair. There was a slit in his forehead, and she knew Whitesnake had taken his memory disc. Shizuka fumbled around the desk until she found a tape deck with multiple open slots. 

The girl let out a growl, PUNCHING the desk in anger. She was too late… Pucci was long gone. His office was wrecked, so she doubted he’d try to go back there. Jolyne and Pepsi were nowhere to be found, and Shizuka had no idea what to do. That’s when her ears caught the faintest click of static coming from the security console. She glanced over and noticed the deceased officer’s walkie talkie resting perfectly upright on the table beside the controls. 

“Is that you, ‘Shizuka?’” A deep voice asked through the device. 

Shizuka swiped the walkie talkie off the table and clicked it immediately. “Hello?” 

She was met with a chuckle on the other end. “Now this is unexpected… I know the last month or so has been a blast from the past, but you? I thought you were dead.” 

Shizuka rested the device against her forehead for a moment as her blood boiled. That voice set her teeth on edge… She’d only ever heard it while blindfolded in another life. How dare he speak to her like this? How dare he use her name? 

“I’ll be honest, I haven’t thought about you in over twenty years. I figured you crawled under some rock and knew good enough to stay there. Now you’ve gone and made a mess, and it’s my job to clean it up.” 

“Such anger… It’s unbecoming of a girl, Shizuka… Or should I say Tsuru? Which do you prefer these days?” 

“You don’t get to say either of them.” Shizuka growled. “How do you know any of this?!” 

“I took a look at your friend Pepsi’s memories. You told them everything. That was quite a stunt you pulled. I’m impressed.” 

Shizuka ground her teeth together as she checked over her shoulder. Whitesnake wasn’t anywhere to be found. “You’d know about stunts. Killing a prison guard? The office’s Christmas party is gonna be a little awkward now, huh? It’s almost like you don’t plan on sticking around.” 

“Ken was a fine man, but he asked too many questions.”

“Cops tend to ask a lot of questions too. I think you’re in the wrong line of work.” Shizuka snarled. 

“The next guard’s shift starts in five hours. By then, I’ll be long gone.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” Shizuka frowned. 

“You have something I need, Shizuka… Jotaro read Dio’s diary, but it wasn’t complete… He hadn’t written down the final touches of his plan. If I were to follow the details as they’re written, who knows what might happen?” 

“Well, I told him to burn it all without reading any of it… Sorry to disappoint…” 

There was a pause before Pucci responded. “Did you have any role in Dio’s death?” 

Shizuka chuckled. “Me? No, I was in the basement. I wish I’d made a tray of brownies for those crusaders, though. My biggest regret in life is that his body burned to ash before I got a chance to piss on it.” 

“Such a mouth… I understand why he kept it gagged.” 

The girl’s fingers tightened around her radio as she locked her jaw and regulated her breathing. This man… This fucking man… 

“What’s your plan, Pucci?” She got the conversation back on track. “I’m the only one on Earth who knows how to obtain Heaven, and you’re never going to get me.” 

“Is that so?” Pucci asked. “Up to this point I’ve viewed Jolyne Kujo as an annoyance. So long as she stayed in her lane and never discovered my identity, I fully intended to leave her alive in this prison… Perhaps that should change? Maybe I should pay your dear mother a visit in New York as well? And your sister, little Debbie?” 

Shizuka wasn’t fazed. “Do your worst.” 

There was a brief silence on the radio. 

“What, did you think this would be as easy as threatening my loved ones? I know your type is used to ruling by fear, but you’ll have to try a bit harder with me. If I give you Heaven, there’s no way to protect my family from you. Who needs a martyr? I’m much more useful to them alive. If you want to kill my sister, my cousin, my friends, and my mom, you’re going to have to go through me. But I think it’s only right to give you this one warning… Stronger things than you have tried, and I’m the only one left standing. Consider this your last chance to crawl away and hide for another twenty years, because if I get my hands on you, I’m not just ripping out a disc.”  

Pucci was quiet for a moment, but eventually his tongue clicked three times over the radio. “Here I was thinking we could be civilized about this… Everything that happens from here is your doing, Shizuka.” 

An unfathomable wrath coursed through Shizuka’s veins, and she couldn’t help but send the walkie talkie flinging across the room. It crashed into the far wall and burst into various useless pieces. Her nostrils flared as she shifted her jaw left and right. That bastard priest was getting to her head… Well, he was actually trying to get into the contents of her head. The very prospect unsettled Shizuka. The only person who got to rewatch Tsuru’s memories was her! 

With a ticking clock before Pucci escaped for good, no knowledge of Jolyne or Pepsi’s whereabouts, a mysterious little boy talking nonsense about a time loop, and years of trauma being dug up on such short notice, Shizuka was reaching a breaking point. Despite that, she dragged her fist across her face, replacing her scowl with a forced grin. Her father taught her one thing… If you’re going to tempt fate, you do it with luck and a smile. 

“Ten years of Catholic school… I’ve always wanted to beat a priest.” She chuckled before swinging the door open and bounding down the hall. 

Jolyne and Ermes followed closely behind Anasui as the woman led them through the prison. She was supposedly bringing them to some kid, but there was no way a kid lived in such a tiny little corner of Green Dolphin. Jolyne had never even been to this hallway before. She was wracked with nerves thinking about Shizuka. What if Pucci had gotten to her first? She’d never forgive herself for leaving the girl there, not if anything happened to her. Anasui stopped walking, causing the women behind her to nearly crash into her. 

“Whoa! C’mon, Anasui! What the hell!?” Ermes groaned. 

“Is this the place?” Jolyne asked, swinging her head all around the hall. It looked like any other hall to her…

“Someone’s following us,” Anasui mumbled. 

The three turned around only to notice a young woman standing about ten feet down the hall. Any question about the girl’s innocence was swept away by the Stand hovering right beside her. Jolyne gasped. She recognized this girl from the news. Who on Earth gave her a Stand!? It had only been a single night since she arrived. 

“Oh God…” Ermes sighed as she recognized the girl too. “We don’t have time for this.” 

LuLaRoe didn’t care about time. She strutted up to them with hands on her hips. After a tense silence, she raised her nose to them. “You’re Jolyne Kujo, right?” 

Jolyne stepped to the front and nodded. “What’s it to ya?” 

LuLaRoe raised her hand and revealed a small pendant. It didn’t mean anything to Anasui, but Jolyne and Ermes immediately went on high alert. LuLaRoe noticed this and pulled her hand back cautiously. “Your eyes betrayed you just then… It’s funny how our bodies seem to act on their own. Now I know you recognize this pendant. My only question is… Why can’t I cut myself on it when I’m certain it cut me last night.” 

The young blonde dragged the arrow up her left arm vertically. It didn’t pierce her skin, instead it slid along like a drop of water. 

“Where did you get that?” Jolyne bit her lip. The last she’d heard of the arrow, Gwess had lost it in the shower. She always knew it’d turn up and be a pain in the ass sometime soon, but to fall into this girl’s hands? How was fate so consistently bizarre? 

“I found it in a dead woman’s cell.” LuLaRoe shrugged. 

“Someone’s dead?” Ermes groaned. “There’s gonna be a lockdown.” 

“When they find the body, yeah. Tick tock, I guess. It’s a matter of time before we all run out.” LuLaRoe leaned against Misery Business. “I was told to find you, Jolyne Kujo. The little boy sent me.” 

“The boy…” Jolyne shook her head. “You know Emporio too!?” 

“He said if I fought Zed, I’d die… I guess he was wrong, huh? Here I am, alive and well. Meanwhile she’s baking in the Florida sun.”

“Jolyne, we do not have time for this.” Anasui grabbed her arm, stepping up beside her. “We need to talk to Emporio about Pucci.” 

“No… That pendant is dangerous. It can give people Stands.” Jolyne shook her head. Sweat beaded down her face as she was pushed between a rock and a hard place yet again. “She can’t keep it.” 

“Something tells me she’s not offering it to us.” Anasui groaned. 

“She wants to talk to me for some reason. You two go and find Emporio.” Jolyne clenched her fists. 

“Absolutely not. I won’t leave you.” Anasui’s hand tightened on Jolyne’s bicep. “This girl might be young, but I don’t like the look in her eyes…” 

LuLaRoe tilted her head, barely able to hold back a laugh. “The chivalrous knight type, huh? Is that the mask you wear so people will like you?” 

Anasui looked genuinely offended. “I’ve never once pretended to be a good person, why do you think any of us are here?” 

“You might not claim to be a good person, but you still want people to think you are! You think if you set the bar so low, any act of altruism or sacrifice will come off as noble and shocking? I can feel what you really want from Jolyne. It’s disgusting.” LuLaRoe spat. 

Anasui’s hand released Jolyne in a moment of shame. She took another step closer, putting herself between LuLaRoe and the others. “I’ve been nothing but honest with Jolyne since the moment we met this morning. I think she’s perfect, and I’d love to marry her. You won’t be able to shame me for that.” 

“Wait, marriage?” Jolyne sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I just thought you wanted to fuck me.” 

“Before marriage?” Anasui shot the woman a playful grin, causing Jolyne to roll her eyes in mild amusement.

“Well, if she wants to chat with Jolyne, and Anasui here’s too noble to leave her, I guess that leaves me.” Ermes cracked her knuckles. “I’ll find the kid. Can you two take care of this punk before I get back?” 

“Just continue down this hall and make a right when you reach the D block… Go up the stairs, and on the second landing knock on the crack in the wall. He’ll answer you.” Anasui said. 

“Better get moving then,” Jolyne stepped up beside Anasui and crossed her arms. “We’ll be right there.” 

Ermes didn’t need to be told twice. She turned tail and ran down the hall. Jolyne and Anasui stood firm, preventing LuLaRoe from chasing after the woman. The blonde just sighed, tapping her foot impatiently. 

“The pink one said something about why we’re all here,” LuLaRoe tilted her head. “Do you mind telling me what you did to get here, Jolyne?” 

The woman stood a little taller and lifted her chin to the girl. “I was framed for murder.” 

This got a laugh from the teenager. “Framed!? Do we honestly still use words like that after our trials? C’mon! What’d you do? You’re not here because of somebody else. What mistake did you make to end up here?” 

Jolyne considered it for a moment, and her eyes faltered. She dropped her gaze from LuLaRoe’s and displayed a moment of weakness that proved the girl right. After taking a moment to collect herself, the woman tightened her jaw. “I trusted someone.” 

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” LuLaRoe nodded in approval. “Who’d you trust? Was it a boy?” 

“A man, yes.” Jolyne grit her teeth. “I was stupid… I thought we were in love. But the moment he got into trouble, he threw me under the bus to save his own ass. It took me a few days behind bars to realize he didn’t ever love me… He just loved what I gave to him.” 

“And how do you feel about that?” LuLaRoe cupped her own chin, tilting her head to the side. “Do you want to hurt him?” 

“Hell yes I do.” Jolyne didn’t bat an eye. “When I found out my lawyer was actually working for my ex, I was madder than I’ve ever been in my life… He coerced me into a bad plea deal before I even got a chance to see my mom. That bastard ruined my life for some easy money.” 

“Oooooh? The plot thickens! What about your lawyer, then? He seems like he might even be within reach.” LuLaRoe grinned. 

“I killed my lawyer when I found out what he did.” Jolyne kept her arms crossed. “He crashed into the ocean. It looked like an accident.” 

The blonde seemed genuinely surprised by that admission. It took the wind out of her sails for a moment. “I see… But you said you were framed for murder. From what I just heard, you’re exactly where you belong. You killed a man for revenge.” 

“This isn’t a high school psychology class, kid. We’re in the real world. I killed him because he deserved to die for what he did to me. You of all people should appreciate that.” Jolyne said with a knowing scowl. She’d read the papers, after all. 

“Oh please! I didn’t stand in front of a jury and cry about being framed. I know what I did! What bothers me is that you’re so defensive about it. Why even make the distinction about being framed for one murder while admitting to a different murder? Does that help you cope?” LuLaRoe shrugged. 

Jolyne was about to take a step toward the brat, but Anasui instinctively put her arm out to stop her. The pinkette stepped forward, glaring at LuLaRoe. This caused the blonde to snort. 

“Is it your turn, lady? What did you do to end up here? Were you framed? Did you donate too much to charity? Maybe you loved too much?” LuLaRoe groaned. 

“I killed my wife.” Anasui said without an ounce of hesitation. 

This stunned both women silent. Jolyne felt herself subconsciously pulling away, as if she were debating which side of the hall she wanted to be standing on. She knew Anasui was a little odd, but this? The look in the woman’s eyes told Jolyne it was the truth. How could someone who was so quick to fall hopelessly in love end up killing their spouse? 

LuLaRoe grinned, nodding slowly. “Well there we go… A little bit of honesty. What was her name?” 

“I’m not gonna tell you, because if I heard it from your bratty mouth I might just snap and kill you too.” Anasui growled. 

“Hmmm… I guess that’s fair. I already have everything I need anyway.” LuLaRoe flexed her arms casually. Misery Business leaned its elbow on the girl’s shoulder, lifting its discman up and hovering a finger above the play button. “Everyone’s in this place for a reason… Whether you realize it or not. I wonder how you lovebirds would fare if I went ahead and released your inhibitions?” 

Misery Business’s finger clicked “play” on its discman, and the digital clock on its face cycled through dozens of numbers before landing on 3:31. The digits ticked down, and LuLaRoe glared at her victims gleefully. 

Anasui didn’t exactly understand what the brat meant by releasing their inhibitions. She didn’t exactly feel different than before… That’s when she noticed an odd sensation coming from her left. The faintest intent was looming beside her… An intent to harm. Stand Users were very keen to notice such an intent, probably because another Stand User’s harmful intent could quite suddenly manifest into a physical threat. Anasui shot Jolyne a look just in time to see Stone Free winding up a punch. 

“J-Jolyne!?” She gasped, blocking it with Diver Down in the nick of time. 

Stone Free sent Anasui flying back with its superior strength. The kinetic energy rippled throughout Diver Down’s arms, and Anasui had no choice but to direct it into the wall behind her. This caused a slab of drywall to pop out and flop onto the floor, casting dust into the air. Anasui was busy coughing and reeling from the sudden attack to notice Stone Free’s strings wisping through the air. The strings bound her hands above her head, and Jolyne emerged from the cloud of dust to pin Anasui to the wall with her shoe. The woman’s foot struck Anasui in the stomach, keeping her firmly planted to the wall as she scowled at her. 

“Jolyne! What the hell are you doing!?” 

A laugh caught both women’s attention, alerting them to the fact that LuLaRoe was still there enjoying the show. “There’s a voice deep inside us all, Anasui. It tells us to do things… Kick him, grope her, steal that… Most of the time, we ignore it… There’s a louder voice telling us about the consequences of those actions. What if you couldn’t hear that voice? What if you were unable to picture the consequences of any action and worked on pure instinct instead?” 

Jolyne furrowed her brow like she was trying to work out LuLaRoe’s trick, but she quickly lost to her fury and dealt another punch right to the woman’s jaw. This time, it was with her fist, so Anasui decided to take it. Her head bounced back into the wall, causing her ears to ring. Why would Jolyne’s pure instincts be violent toward Anasui? 

Oh… She had mentioned that, hadn’t she? 

“Jolyne, we can talk about what I said later… Right now, we need to worry about the brat!” Anasui pleaded. 

“She can’t be reasoned with! Right now, she’s operating in a world without consequences! This is the real Jolyne! A violent, hateful person who’d kill you without hesitation if there weren’t consequences for it!” LuLaRoe laughed. 

Anasui’s eyes shot daggers at the blonde. She snarled, lifting her hands and summoning Diver Down. Her body slid right through Stone Free’s strings, rippling around them like water as she sidestepped Jolyne and struck the woman in her side. She needed to get some distance between them. Jolyne packed one hell of a punch, and Anasui wasn’t interested in fighting back. 

She noticed the digital clock ticking away on Misery Business’s face. It was down to 2:48 now… If she could evade Jolyne’s attacks for the next three minutes, would she be able to free her from LuLaRoe’s grasp? It was definitely worth a shot! 

“Sorry for the invasion of privacy, Jolyne…” She sighed, casting out a hand and sending Diver Down right for her. The Stand seemingly swam through the air, narrowly avoiding Stone Free’s swipes before plunging directly into Jolyne’s stomach. Jolyne stiffened up, and soon her body extended into T-Pose. She struggled against it, gnashing her teeth as she tried to fight against the Stand inside her. 

“What’s going on!?” Jolyne shouted. 

“I dove into you with my Stand. You can’t move… Just trust me, okay?” Anasui said. 

This caused Jolyne’s nostrils to flare with rage as she flexed her muscles against the invasive Stand. Anasui watched the clock, but she noticed Jolyne regaining a bit of arm movement. Even though a Stand was stronger than a human body, it took a lot more strength to keep Jolyne still and it would for Jolyne to move. The woman growled, and it looked like her veins were threatening to pop as she raised her arms up and bent them ever-so-slightly. 

“Jolyne…” Anasui took a step back. “Just calm down! You’re gonna pop something!” 

Stone Free rose from behind Jolyne, reaching into her core and ripping Diver Down from her body. With Anasui’s Stand in her grip, Jolyne easily slammed the woman against the wall. She held Anasui up by the throat, lifting the woman up so her feet were dangling inches off the concrete floor. Anasui thrashed to no avail. She struggled against Stone Free, gripping the stronger Stand with Diver Down. 

“The kid,” She panted, kicking the wall helplessly. “The kid, Jolyne… Your cousin. We’re supposed to find her.” 

Jolyne’s eyes were vacant of any concern for Shizuka. There was a fire burning in those eyes, a fury that was usually reserved for fierce justice. Instead, it was fueled by raw, primal rage. Her disdain for what Anasui did to her wife was too great for anything else to override it, not while she was living in a world without consequences. 

“Y’see, LuLaRoe? Little miss innocent over here was pretty quick to kill her friend the second you removed consequences from the equation.” Misery Business shrugged, still propping an elbow on its user’s shoulder. 

“I guess she went ahead and proved my point.” LuLaRoe sighed. “There’s no such thing as a good person. Just suckers, and the wolves among them.” 

As the air was squeezed from Anasui’s lungs, she pondered those words. The woman experienced an unnatural clarity as she replayed LuLaRoe’s sentiment repeatedly in her mind. No good people? Wolves and suckers? She was calling Jolyne a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Even as she was suffocating, enough air was going to Anasui’s brain for her to see the flaw in this brat’s logic. She felt her hands involuntarily flexing, and soon she drove a fist into the wall behind her. The woman’s face was pale, and eventually her legs stopped kicking. All she could do was stare into Jolyne’s fiery eyes… 

That flame, it was tainted. When Anasui looked into Jolyne before, she saw the fire of justice. She saw a woman who knew right from wrong and would do anything to maintain goodness. Now? It was like an animal. This was the woman who stayed behind in a Stand-infested prison just to save her worthless father! How could LuLaRoe argue that Jolyne didn’t have goodness in her heart? Someone who wasn’t worried about consequences would have left Jotaro to rot! Those consequences were what made Jolyne Kujo the woman she was… 

Consequences… They make us human.

Anasui gnashed her teeth together. If that fire wouldn’t burn within her hero’s eyes, it would have to make do with a lesser venue. Anasui would carry the torch until Jolyne was ready to take it back. Her eyes flicked over to Misery Business to check the time. 

1:53… 

She just needed to fend Jolyne off for less than two minutes? Even against a fierce Stand like Stone Free, Anasui could handle that. She flexed her arms, glaring into Jolyne’s empty eyes for a moment before crashing their skulls together and knocking the woman away. Jolyne stumbled back with a dazed expression after suffering such a strike. 

Anasui left her no time to recover. She lunged over and struck the woman in the throat, causing Jolyne to grip it in shock as she gasped for air. 

“Sorry!” Anasui whimpered. “Just hold out a little bit longer.” 

LuLaRoe raised her brow at that. “Hold out…?” She glanced up at Misery Business, and for the first time noticed the digital timer ticking down on her Stand’s face. She smirked, shaking her head slowly. “I guess it makes sense that I can’t control someone’s inhibitions forever. Misery Business, how long until I can do it again?” 

The Stand shrugged. “To Jolyne? A few minutes at least. She’ll be more familiar with the sensations and can fight them off.” 

“Hmph. That’s no good.” LuLaRoe sighed. “What about…” She pointed at Anasui.

“I’m almost afraid to see what she’d be without her shame.” The Stand’s voice dripped with sarcasm. Its timer was depleted to 1:28, less than a minute and a half remained. 

After striking Jolyne in the throat, Anasui took a moment to see how she was doing. The woman was holding her throat in both hands, growing at Anasui with fierce eyes. This only needed to go on for another minute or so… Anasui could do this. She reached over with Diver Down and put Jolyne into a headlock. Stone Free struggled, but the lack of air in Jolyne’s lungs caused the Stand to flicker and wain. Its individual strings began to waver in the air, and its feet slowly unraveled. 

Anasui didn’t let up. She was about to get Jolyne back! They bucked and thrashed, but she was firmly in control of the situation. Even as Jolyne gasped for air, Anasui couldn’t help but feel somewhat prideful that she’d managed to protect the woman she admired so much… So what if she was protecting her from herself? That was the hardest thing of all! 

“I’ve seen enough,” LuLaRoe scowled, noting that the timer was below one minute. “With Jolyne pinned in her arms like that, what do you think lover-girl would do if we unleashed that hunger?” 

Misery Business grabbed its discman and pressed “pause.” It lifted the device up, then the “back” button. Finally, looking to its user for confirmation, it switched tracks and pressed “play.” The struggle between Jolyne and Anasui continued for a few seconds after that. Adrenaline was pumping, and sometimes staying the course was the easiest reaction even if your motivation had vanished. 

After a few seconds, Jolyne’s mind came crashing back. Her eyes widened, and she suddenly became aware of what was happening. Her struggling ceased, and she looked up at Anasui. 

“Agh- Hey! I’m good now! I’m good…” She groaned. “Thanks for holding me back.” 

Anasui didn’t react. She just held Jolyne against her even tighter than before. She couldn’t quite see the woman’s face, but something seemed off. A shiver ran down Jolyne’s spine as she stood pinned against the inmate. What was Anasui doing? 

“Anasui…” Jolyne said a little sterner. “Let go of me.” 

That caused Anasui’s head to twist down and face Jolyne in shock. Her eyes looked different, and the sight of them immediately caught Jolyne off guard. This only made her struggle more. 

“...I don’t want to.” Anasui mumbled. 

This made LuLaRoe smirk. “Ah, and here we are… The simplest hunger of all… Look how easily you succumb to it without the threat of consequences.” 

Jolyne glanced at LuLaRoe curiously for a moment. She couldn’t quite remember what came over her, but it was certainly irrational. What did the teenager mean by consequences? As Anasui’s arms tightened around Jolyne, the answer became clear. 

“Oh…” She whispered in surprise. 

“I don’t want to.” Anasui asserted once again. She spoke so clearly, it was almost easy to mistake her for reasonable. Her tone was steady and calm. She just didn’t want to let go of Jolyne. 

“I understand that.” Jolyne spoke slowly. “But I don’t want to be held right now… I want you to let go of me.” 

Silence filled every corner of the hall as both women stood in a stalemate. Anasui didn’t want to stop holding Jolyne, yet Jolyne didn’t want to be held? A dilemma, indeed! When would Anasui’s primal desires win out? When would she cast Jolyne’s pesky desires aside and take what she so clearly wanted from her? LuLaRoe bit down on her lip in excitement as her hypothesis on the human condition was so close to being proven true… 

Except… Anasui let go of Jolyne. 

The woman’s toned arms fell heavy to her sides, and she stood upright beside Jolyne. She was still visibly confused, but she wasn’t touching her anymore. Jolyne took a few steps back, rubbing the sore spots Anasui had left from her iron grip. She took a deep breath, fixing her hair and inspecting Anasui’s eyes carefully. 

“Okay,” Jolyne nodded. “Thank you for that.” 

LuLaRoe dug her teeth deep enough into her lip to draw blood. She stomped her foot, pointing at the display before her. “What the hell is this!?” 

Both women turned to face her. Anasui’s pupils were still dilated, but she wasn’t making a move toward Jolyne. The shorter of the two crossed her arms and stepped a little closer. “I think I’ve figured you out, kid.” 

LuLaRoe shook her head. “She’s supposed to be attacking you. Why isn’t she attacking you?”

Jolyne took another step toward the girl. “And now that I have… it breaks my heart.” 

“Stop it.” LuLaRoe growled. “Stop it right now.” 

Jolyne stepped even closer as she shook her head. “You can take away people’s inhibitions, right? Strip them of their ability to fear consequences and let them unleash their true selves? Is that what you think this is?” 

“I said stop it.” LuLaRoe shouted, fumbling for the discman clipped to Misery Business’s waistband. She pressed the pause button and pointed the device at Jolyne. 

“Because at our core, humans are all just violent, horrible, sexual monsters?” Jolyne asked softly, nearly closing the distance between them. 

LuLaRoe let out a pained cry as she hammered her finger against the “next track” button repeatedly. She hit “play,” and watched as the timer reset on Misery Business’s face. A wave of relief washed over her as she watched Jolyne’s eyes dilate. 

But Jolyne did not stop walking. 

The shorter girl fell into sheer panic. She wanted to flee, but she was petrified. Jolyne continued to march toward her with those cold, wide eyes utterly devoid of consequences. What would she do to her? Why couldn’t LuLaRoe fight? Why was she just standing there!? 

“Because you think…” Jolyne spoke slower, as if she were struggling to thread a sentence together. “...if people acted on their real desires, all they would do is hurt you?” 

“YES!” LuLaRoe sobbed in response. “That’s what everyone does! People pretend they’re good, but nobody is, okay? They bring you in with handsome smiles, or similar music tastes, or anything else! Once they’ve got you where they want you, they take what they want, and they leave you with nothing! So why don’t you just do it, Jolyne? I’ve taken away your ability to care! Show me who you really are! What are you going to do to me?” She cast her arms out wide, ready to accept her fate. 

Jolyne fell into LuLaRoe, slinging her arms around the girl and holding her for support. They nearly tumbled to the floor, but LuLaRoe managed to keep her balance. She stood there in disbelief as the older woman hugged her so tightly. Jolyne buried her face in LuLaRoe’s shoulder, squeezing her with all her might. 

“I’m so sorry,” She whispered into the girl’s sleeve. “You deserve to see more in the people around you…” 

LuLaRoe’s entire world came crumbling down. Why was Jolyne doing this? With all of her inhibitions stolen from her, she was free to do whatever she wanted to LuLaRoe. She could beat her, kill her, steal her jewelry, or anything else… Out of everything, how could her greatest desire only be to embrace her own enemy and apologize? 

“Do you see me?” Jolyne asked in a wavering voice. “This is all I want to do… Even if you take away every consequence, I don’t want to hurt you. You don’t deserve it.” 

Tears streamed down LuLaRoe’s cheeks, but she nodded. 

“Your Stand might seem like a cruel joke, as if it’s meant to show you that everyone in the world is out to get you… But it’s also a beautiful gift. It’s undeniable proof that some people are good at their core. That’s why I fight, because I already know that.” 

LuLaRoe’s arms wrapped shakily around Jolyne. She sniffled a few more times, nodding in agreement. “Were you really framed?” 

“Mhmm,” Jolyne nodded tenderly. “And I really hurt people when they deserve it. Life isn’t all black and white, kid.” 

“Why don’t you want to hurt me?” The blonde whispered, almost like she was frustrated by it. 

“Why would I?” 

“Because if everyone isn’t evil… if everyone isn’t bound to hurt me… That means the people who did…” 

“Were just bad, yes.” 

“That almost makes it worse.” LuLaRoe admitted. “Why is that worse?” 

Jolyne chuckled, pulling away and patting LuLaRoe on the back. “Because it means you’ve gotta keep living, kiddo. Doesn’t it?” She offered the girl her hand. 

LuLaRoe stared at it like she might be burned or electrocuted if she dared take that hand. She was cautious, like a beaten dog. Still, she couldn’t resist the natural longing for companionship. Every bone in her body screamed at her to be careful. Her teeth rattled with nerves, and her hair stood tall as she considered taking that hand. Despite it all, she took a deep breath and accepted Jolyne’s hand. 

Anasui finally approached them after determining the situation had cooled down. She smiled at Anasui before glancing into Jolyne’s eyes. The pinkette was clearly ashamed of something. Jolyne just reached out with her free hand and squeezed Anasui’s arm. 

“Thanks for letting go.” She smiled. 

“Y-Yeah…” Anasui laughed nervously. “I’m sorry for hitting you.” 

“You don’t hit very hard, babe.” Jolyne snickered. “I’m sorry for going crazy over your-” She stopped just short of mentioning Anasui’s dead wife. “I’m sure there’s more to that story. We can talk about it when we have more time.” 

The relief on Anasui’s face was beyond words. She just cleared her throat and gratefully nodded. 

“Now, one more thing…” Jolyne turned her attention to LuLaRoe. “That pendant you’ve got, I’m not sure you know what you’re messing with. I would really like it back…” 

LuLaRoe slipped the pendant into view, eyeing it carefully. She seemed reluctant to hand it over, but wasn’t pulling it away. “What’s so special about it?” 

Jolyne put a hand on it. This caused LuLaRoe to flinch. Neither of them pulled away, though. “It was given to me by my father. It’s how I got Stone Free. I assume it’s how you got Misery Business?” 

“What was it doing with Zed?” LuLaRoe scoffed. 

“A series of increasingly ridiculous events,” Jolyne admitted. “I think we can both agree this thing floating around a prison is bad news for everyone. It’s probably best if we get it out of here?” 

“Yeah…” LuLaRoe nodded, gently lifting it up against Jolyne’s hand. 

“Thank you,” Jolyne swiped it away, putting it in her jacket pocket. “What do you say we catch up with Ermes and find my baby cousin?” 

“Wait-” LuLaRoe was shocked. “You want me to come?” 

“You already met the kid, right?” Jolyne shrugged. “Might as well make it a party. But you’ve taken up enough of our time, we’ve gotta go.” 

“Okay!” 

Ripley sat silently in her van as the monitors flickered in front of her. She was stiff, unable to come to terms with the losses this mission had already sustained. First Jotaro, then Pepsi, and now she had lost all contact with Shizuka. She hitched her breath, leaning down and resting the bridge of her nose against her knuckles. This had gone too far. She needed to call in a real heavy hitter. At this rate, the sun would be down by the time they arrived. 

Her earpiece beeped three times, and she tapped it quickly. “Talk to me.” 

“Pepsi is stable. We’re flying them to the same facility as Jotaro. Their injuries are almost fatal, but putting that Stand disc back in really seems to have turned things around.” The doctor said over the line. 

Ripley allowed herself a brief moment of relief. “Thank God. At least one thing didn’t go completely wrong today.” 

“How many more people are we going to send into that prison? It’s a lion’s den.” The doctor frowned. 

“If I had it my way, we wouldn’t send one more person inside. Unfortunately, we’ve still got people to get out of there. That might take a few more Stand Users.” 

“Holiday’s not happy.” Is all he said. 

“Is she ever?” Ripley chuckled. 

“The Foundation would do anything for the Joestars, you know that. Especially since we’ve got some good will to make up ever since the whole fiasco a few years back. Still, our resources aren’t infinite, Ripley. We don’t have an endless supply of Stand Users to throw at that prison.” 

“Then I guess we’ll have to call in the heavy hitter.” Ripley growled. “I know the risks, Nelson. Goddammit, I know them a lot better than you. Don’t forget I was on the ground for that fiasco you danced around just now. This isn’t about an old gay man’s love for the Joestar family, alright? This is about doing what’s right by our people and taking out a threat to the entire world. Whatever this Pucci is planning, do you really think it ends with the Kujo family dead? So I’d better not hear another word about how many people I’m sending into that prison. Do you hear me? The next person who walks into those doors is going to march through them and get our people out of there.” 

Just as she was finishing her rant, Ripley’s eyes dragged their way across one of her monitors. She caught a good view of the prison’s entrance. She noticed someone walking right up the front steps, and her jaw dropped. 

“Okay, Ripley. For Christ’s sake, I get it.” Dr. Nelson sighed. “You don’t need to bite my head off.” 

“Holy shit, what the hell are you doing?” Ripley whispered in disbelief. 

“What am I doing!? I’m apologizing!” Dr. Nelson groaned. “Stop rubbing it in!” 

“Not you, Nelson.” Ripley rolled her chair closer to her desk, zooming into the frame on her monitor as sweat formed on her back. “Another angle… Another angle,” She clicked through her array of cameras until she found the shot she was looking for. 

Ripley’s eyes widened, and she rocked back in her seat with a palm against her forehead. Her chest heaved, and she was deaf to the doctor’s incessant questioning through her earpiece. The woman’s heartbeat pounded throughout her body, sounding like a thunderous drum in her ears as she watched the situation take a nosedive off the cliff of “unmanageable” directly into “fucking screwed” canyon. 

The prison’s front doors swung closed, and she was inside. Ripley couldn’t stop her… 

“Jesus Christ…” She whispered, finally tuning back into Dr. Nelson’s line of questioning. “D.C… Get me D.C. right now, Nelson! Get them on the fucking phone! NOW!” 

Shizuka’s shoes clicked against the tiled floor as she made her way down the hall. She retraced her steps and found her way back to the little corner she’d left that mysterious boy. Just as she arrived, she noticed another pair of footsteps rushing up the stairs. They both took defensive stances for a moment before recognizing one another. 

“Oh god, there you are!” Ermes laughed. “We were about to send out a search party for you, kid! You had us worried sick.” 

“Where’s Jolyne?” Shiuka’s head tilted to get a look down the steps. 

“She’s a little behind. We can go get her.” Ermes nodded. 

“Not yet…” Shizuka pushed a hand through a crack in the wall. Sure enough, she slipped right into the ghost room from before. Emporio looked genuinely surprised.

“Oh, Shizuka!” He laughed nervously. “You’re back! Did you find your friend?” 

“Not yet,” She shook her head. “But I kept thinking about those weird things you were saying earlier… My head’s in a million places at once, I can’t believe I didn’t listen closer.” 

Ermes stepped through the ghost wall incredulously. She looked around the room in disbelief. “Holy shit…” She mumbled. 

“What weird stuff?” Emporio asked with a frown. Shizuka’s energy was a little bit manic. 

“The stuff, Emporio! The stuff about everything happening before! You said you’re a whole lot older than you look! Everyone in this prison’s got déjà vu, right? Why? What happened? Tell me what happened.” Shizuka grabbed the boy’s shoulders. 

“Shizuka!” Ermes shouted. “Calm the hell down! What do ya mean déjà vu?” 

“You tell me,” Shizuka looked over her shoulder. “Because I’m not experiencing it. This kid’s claiming everything here has happened before, so why don’t I remember any of it?” 

Ermes looked a little troubled. “I mean… Now that you mention it, some of this stuff does feel weirdly…” 

“Familiar?” Shizuka raised a brow. “Why?” 

“Because of Pucci.” Emporio whispered. 

Both of the boy’s guests stared at him after that. 

“Emporio…” Shizuka started calmly. “What does the word Heaven mean to you?” 

The very mention of Heaven caused Emporio’s face to drop. His cheeks turned pale, and he trembled in his shoes. “That’s what he called it, yeah.” 

“He called it?” Shizuka let go of his shoulders. “When?” 

“Before any of this… And after all of it, I guess? Nobody ever remembers but me. I think it’s because I was at the center of it all when it began. I’m from the first cycle.” Emporio whimpered. 

“The first?” Shizuka asked softly. “Emporio, I need you to tell me how many times you’ve done this before.” 

Tears welled in Emporio’s eyes, but he stayed strong. “Six,” His voice trembled. “This is my seventh time.” 

“The ancient perfection…” Shizuka mumbled, letting her head fall back as she stared at the ceiling in thought. 

“In layman’s terms, please?” Ermes asked. 

“It’s a biblical number.” Shizuka explained. “Seven days to create the world, seven days in a week, seven years of plenty, seven years of famine… It’s an important number. There’s a cosmological significance to it.” 

“Hang on, are you saying the Bible’s real?” Ermes asked, bewildered. 

“Of course not. No more real than anything else. That’s what I’m saying. It’s real to him.” Shizuka snapped her fingers. “That’s what Heaven’s all about… It’s what’s inside. It has to come from something deep, something unspoken… It’s a feeling that we all have, but can never quite reach. The steps to Heaven aren’t actually significant at all. They’re gibberish to most people. But to the right person? To the person they were designed for? They’re a key.” 

“What the hell are you talking about, Shizuka!?” Ermes groaned. 

“I don’t have time to explain.” Shizuka waved her hand. “Emporio, you say this has happened six times… Why? How long is each cycle? When do they end?” 

“December 31st… Midnight.” Emporio whimpered. “The end of 2012 is when it always ends.” 

“Because he obtains Heaven?” 

“That’s the thing,” Emporio shook his head. “Sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he’s killed before New Years! But no matter what we do, or what I try, it always ends at midnight.” 

“So it’s bigger than him now?” Shizuka mumbled. “Think, Emporio, think. Is there anything noteworthy about this cycle? Anything at all?” She asked with dire urgency, gripping the collar of his shirt. “What did I say last time?” 

“You didn’t.” Emporio shook his head. “I’ve never met you before in my life. All six of them.” 

Just as Jolyne, Anasui and LuLaRoe were walking down the hall to meet up with Ermes and Emporio, they were stopped by a guard. 

“You, Kujo!” She snapped her fingers. 

All three of them stopped dead in their tracks. Jolyne held her breath, knowing she’d knocked a guard out a few minutes prior. LuLaRoe was sure they’d found Zed’s body baking in the sun outside. Anasui was just getting ready to dive into the guard’s body with her Stand and knock her out. Before any of that could come, the woman spoke again. 

“You’ve got a visitor.” The guard spat. 

“A visitor? But it’s not family day.” Jolyne mumbled cautiously. 

“Doesn’t need to be. It’s a special occasion.” The guard shrugged. “C’mon, your mom’s waiting for you.” 

“My mom?” Jolyne almost shit herself. “My mom is here!?”

“Of course she is. It’s not every day a girl gets baptized.” 

Chapter Text

Dio’s mansion used to be filled with drunk strangers, beautiful women and music almost every night. Ever since the Joestars began their crusade, things were different. Instead of boisterous laughter and chest-pounding, the halls were filled with nervous eyes and hushed whispers. Even Dio seemed to be different than before. Pucci hadn’t known the man very long, but he’d never seen Dio quite this stressed. He’d put on a show for his underlings before sending them to their deaths, but with each new report of failure Dio’s mood sank further. It was hard to get him in high spirits. Pucci had tried everything. 

After getting into another argument about something inconsequential, Pucci decided to give Dio some space. He was lounging on one of the mansion’s many balconies enjoying the twinkling skyline of Cairo. The priest’s hands were still shaking from his argument with Dio. He fumbled for his rosary, rolling it around his fingers for something to do. After dragging his thumb across the three “Hail Mary” beads, he pinched the white “Our Father” bead between his thumb and index finger. 

Did he even believe in God anymore? When he prayed the rosary each night, did it mean anything? Could anyone hear him? Pucci hung his head, caressing the holy rosary between his fingers. He lifted it up and inspected the cross. It wasn’t just a symbol of Jesus. The Cross was a reminder of the necessary pain that comes before salvation. 

“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Pucci mumbled. 

That was John 3:16, the most quoted verse of the Bible. Though at times like this, Pucci’s mind wandered to a more standout verse from later in the same book. 

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35. 

A cold breeze kissed Pucci’s cheeks as he gazed upon the city’s skyline once again. He felt a familiar presence brewing in the distance and knew he wouldn’t be alone much longer. Sure enough, heavy footsteps joined Pucci on the balcony. Pucci didn’t look at him, and it seemed Dio was content to remain in the doorway. They were quiet for almost a full minute, just listening to the sound of distant cars and city life. 

“Do you know why I picked Cairo?” Dio asked softly. 

As always, Dio’s question caught Pucci off guard. “I never really thought about it.” 

“I spent a hundred years submerged in a thick black sea of water and darkness. After grafting my severed head onto the body of my best friend, I had nothing left. I couldn’t even free myself from the coffin. I was trapped.” 

“That sounds horrible,” Pucci whispered. 

“It was… At least for a while. The funny thing about the mind is how malleable it can be. I was lucky to be alive. If I somehow broke my way out of the coffin and rose to the surface, there was a fifty-percent chance I’d burn in the sun and lose everything. However, if I was rescued sometime in the future, I wouldn’t have to open my coffin, nor the secret compartment that kept me hidden from curious eyes. I’d have a much better chance of survival if I just waited… So I did.

“Eventually, I stopped thinking altogether. It’s rather easy after five or so weeks of pure silence.” Dio smiled. 

“What was that like? A century without thinking?” Pucci asked. 

“I’d compare it to the deepest of meditative states. While I was aware of my existence and could wake up whenever I wanted, I wasn’t actually present. Time didn’t move faster or slower, it simply didn’t matter anymore. I could have spent a thousand years down there if I had to. A lesser man might’ve gone mad and taken his chances with the sun. I am not a lesser man.” 

“No, you’re not.” Pucci chuckled. “Why Cairo, then?” 

“I’ll tell you if you keep it quiet.” Dio sighed, stepping further onto the balcony and closing the door behind him. 

“Of course,” Pucci nodded as Dio joined him in his seat. The vampire’s cold hands intertwined with his own as Dio settled in. 

“A hundred years in nothing but cold, dark water? As childish as it sounds, a desert was the most comforting place I could think of after that.” 

Pucci let out a brief laugh, but he quickly assured Dio it wasn’t because of that. “Sorry, sorry… I’m just surprised you’d ever admit something like that, even to me.” 

“A priest can be trusted with a man’s darkest secrets, right?” Dio smiled. “That’s why your lot has reconciliation?” 

“An essential part of penance is genuine guilt and a willingness to change.” Pucci smirked. “Something tells me you don’t qualify.” 

“So be it then. Your God seems too fickle for my taste.” Dio chuckled. 

Once again, there was silence. This time it droned on longer than usual. They just sat together, appreciating the view and watching the night life play out before them. Pucci lost track of time. It had to have been over five minutes since either of them said a word. When he looked over to see what Dio was thinking, Pucci felt surprised. The man looked… Upset? 

“Dio, is something wrong?” Pucci asked. 

“The Joestars have reached the shore. They’re in Egypt.” Dio admitted. 

Pucci’s heart sank, but he knew this had been coming. Dio’s lower class lackeys and ghouls didn’t seem up to the task of taking out the Joestar party. Still, the blond’s expression seemed a bit more serious than Pucci was expecting. 

“They’ll reach Cairo in a matter of days. Then, it’s a race against the clock. Either they find this mansion before their Holy dies, or I win.” Dio smiled grimly. “Something tells me they’d still try to find me after that. A rescue mission can turn into a vendetta quite easily.” 

“Are you worried?” Pucci asked. 

Dio took a little too long to answer. “Do you think I should be?” 

Pucci couldn’t help but laugh. The idea of anyone beating Dio in a fair fight seemed too ridiculous to entertain. Not only that, but Dio would never pick a fair fight with someone unless he was sure he could win. If he felt threatened he could always play dirty. 

“How would they beat you, Dio? You can just stop time and kill them all instantly.” 

“Tsuru doesn’t seem too sure.” Dio muttered. 

“That woman you keep gagged in your lab? I’m sure she’s hopeful, but even she knows in her heart that the Joestars don’t stand a chance.” Pucci shook his head. 

“That mouth of hers…” Dio growled. “I struck her earlier… I don’t think I’ve ever done that. She just got under my skin in ways I never imagined possible.” 

Pucci was quiet. 

“I asked her if Jotaro Kujo was a threat to me. Do you know how she responded?” Dio bared a fang, shivering with resentment. “She asked if I wanted the answer beneficial to my survival , or my ego.” 

“And all you did was hit her? I’ve seen you kill for less.” Pucci seemed genuinely surprised. 

“Few people are useful enough to get away with behavior like that,” Dio conceded. “I need what she can give me, Pucci…” 

“Heaven?” The priest sighed. 

“What’s with the tone?” 

“Oh, nothing. I just suppose it’s a little strange that your basement rat gets to know more about this plan of yours than me.” Pucci shrugged. 

“Ah, I see.” Dio nodded. “Pucci, Pucci, Pucci…” He brought the man close, sitting Pucci down on his right leg. “You aren’t jealous of my ‘basement rat,’ are you?” 

“No…” Pucci averted his eyes. “Just confused, I suppose.”

“Then allow me to clear things up. Tsuru is my prisoner. She works for me in order to stay alive. Any playful banter or dalliance we engage in is based entirely on that foundation. I am going to kill her someday.” He explained. “There’s nothing to be jealous of, unless you’re into that kind of thing.” 

“Why don’t I know what Heaven is?” Pucci countered. “You just give me riddles about nature, gravity and the human spirit! You’ve never once sat me down and explained what you’re actually trying to accomplish.” 

“Yes, I have,” Dio shook his head. “I am going to rule the world someday, remember? I’ve been upfront with you about that from the start. Heaven is how I get there.” 

“But what is it!?” 

“It is a process, Pucci. A process that we all have roles within. When your time comes, I will tell you about your role. Believe me, it’s the most important one of all, more than anything my basement rat has contributed.” Dio lifted Pucci’s chin with a tender finger. “Any great mind could help me with the setup, Pucci. But only you can fulfill the most important role of this process. You are the only person in the world I can trust.” 

Pucci held Dio’s wrist in both hands as the vampire cupped his chin. He looked away, admiring the city in silence. “Do you mean that?” 

“I do.” Dio nodded. “Before I obtain Heaven, I need to be vulnerable… Truly vulnerable. You are the only person I trust to help me with that step. Maybe the only person I could ever trust. You’re special, Pucci.” 

The priest’s dark cheeks grew warmer as he gently slapped Dio’s hand away. “Alright, alright, I believe you.” 

“Good. Don’t forget it, either.” Dio smiled as they both settled back into the chair. After a long silence, he leaned his head against Pucci.

“Cairo was the right choice. It really is nice.” 

“I agree…” Pucci hummed. 

…

…

…

Decades later, Pucci held Jotaro’s memory disc between trembling fingers. Finally, after all these years, he would have access to the final work of Dio. Pucci lifted the disc up to his forehead and took a deep breath. The disc slid into his skin and brought him into Jotaro’s world. Static filled Pucci’s ears as he properly calibrated the playback to serve his needs. 

There they were in January 1989. Pucci slowed down and searched for something specific. As he scrubbed through the memories of Jotaro, he froze on a disturbing frame. It was an image of Dio. Pucci hitched his breath. It had been so long since he’d laid eyes on his friend. Something scratched at the back of Pucci’s mind. He hadn’t thought about it before, but it just occurred to him that Jotaro watched Dio die. He could see that if he really wanted. 

After careful consideration, Pucci decided to skip the entire night. He could watch it later if he had the stomach for it. A few lucky skips later and Pucci was in Dio’s library. He licked his lips, playing the memory back at full speed. 

Jotaro walked into the library with a morbid curiosity. That woman told him to burn it down, all of it. What could be so dangerous about an empty building? Unless there were some book-Stands ready to pounce, Jotaro had to assume the real danger was the knowledge the books provided. His curiosity got the better of him, and he walked deeper into the cold room. 

After flipping through a few hardcover books on a shelf, Jotaro wondered if his search was worth it. That woman was probably just confused and scared. If she survived, he could ask her more questions at the hospital. He decided to scan the room one more time with Star Platinum’s eyes just to be sure. Just as he was standing up, something bothered him. He scrunched his nose, raising a brow as Star Platinum fixed its eyes on one particular book. 

It wasn’t exactly conspicuous on the shelf, but Star Platinum noticed two things about it. The book had no label, and it had absolutely no dust gathered around it on the shelf. Jotaro grunted, walking over to the book and kneeling down to its level. He grabbed the green book with golden trim and no cover and inspected it carefully. This was silly, right? He’d flip through it with Star Platinum and see if anything was worth reading. 

Star’s Fingers flipped through every single page in less than a second, and its eyes analyzed bits and pieces of a few pages just to see what the book was about. When it finished, Jotaro took a moment to process it all. Okay, now he was curious. He took the book into his own hands and opened it to the first page. His heart sank when he saw two words written in ink on the inside cover. 

Dio’s Diary. 

“What?” Jotaro whispered, flipping to the next page. 

“As I find it harder to remember every passing thought I have over my century of living, I’ve decided to document my most important notes and musings in this book for later review.” The first page read. Dio’s handwriting was nothing short of classy. It was done with real ink and quill. Jotaro supposed it made sense, seeing as the man grew up in the 19th century. 

Could this book be what the crazed woman was warning him about? He had to be sure. Jotaro flipped through a few more pages. Most of it was just philosophy. He was about to give up and take the book with him, but then he came across the passage titled “Heaven.” Jotaro read it silently in the library for over five minutes. Once he was done, he read it again. The man’s hands shook as he considered the implications of this research. If he hadn’t killed Dio the night before, would this plan have come to fruition? 

“I have to burn this.” He whispered.

That’s when Pucci paused the playback. He took a moment to let it all set in. This had been Heaven all along? After decades of searching, he’d found it in the most unlikely of places. Not only that, it seemed like the plan might still be possible. His heart was pounding. He just needed to review the contents a few more times in Jotaro’s mind, then he could go about bringing Heaven to the world! 

Jotaro looked at the book one more time, flipping the page over and seeing what came next. 

“The most essential ingredient of all is the only one you cannot buy or steal. This treasure can only be found when you’re not looking for it. The final ingredient of this plan is a true friend.” Dio’s words echoed into Jotaro’s mind. 

Pucci stopped, raising a hand to his mouth as he remembered what Dio had mentioned all those years ago. Pucci had a role to play in Heaven. It was the most important role of all!

“In order to obtain a new Stand, I need to destroy The World. At that moment I will be at my most vulnerable. After absorbing the energy of thirty-six sinners, I’ll be brought back into this world anew. Despite this, my mind won’t be present. I’ll need my true friend to recite the fourteen words etched into my spirit and gain my trust. Once I hear those words, I will go with that true friend. Then, I’ll grow. 

“I need someone I can trust for this, as this friend would be able to absorb my power and keep it for themself. That means this person must not be interested in fame, power, or wealth. Their only concern must be returning me to my true form. Will I ever meet someone like this?” 

Jotaro growled, slamming the book shut. He tossed it onto the ground, stomping on it. “Well, isn’t that a relief.” He stood up, putting his hands in his pockets and turning his back to the book. “This whole thing relied on a piece of shit like Dio having a real friend? Gimme a break.” 

“Jotaro! Where the hell are you!?” Old man Joseph’s voice echoed through the empty mansion. 

“Up here, Jiji! Tell them you were right. We need to burn this place down.” Jotaro called down the hall. 

Pucci paused the playback, ripping the disc from his forehead and placing it on his desk. Tears welled in his eyes, and he felt his throat clogging up as he tried to breathe. The priest sniffled, clenching his fists. Dio had been writing about him, and he didn’t even know it. Pucci was the most important ingredient! The thing Dio could only find when he wasn’t even looking. Tears trailed down his cheeks, and he stared at Jotaro’s disc with cold eyes. 

“Dio, I’m going to do my part.” He spoke through clenched teeth. “I’m sorry it took me so long. Your friend is here, Dio. I’m here.”

He reached into his pocket and held his prized possession. A piece of Dio’s bone. His friend gifted this to him all those years ago. He said it was all part of the plan. Pucci understood his role now. He needed thirty-six sinners to bring life back to Dio’s bone? Then he could recite the fourteen words and gain his friend’s trust once again. He’d do it. He had to. Nothing else mattered to him anymore. Pucci would obtain Heaven even if it was the last thing he did. But in the meantime…

Pucci wept. 

Jolyne was at a loss for words as the guard became progressively annoyed with her. “Sorry, did you say baptism? Who’s getting baptized?” She asked. 

“You, dipshit.” The guard rolled her eyes. “C’mon, your mom’s waiting with Father Pucci. We don’t have all day.” 

Anasui and LuLaRoe looked to Jolyne for a sign of what to do. She just gave them a defeated shrug. “Alright, I guess you guys will have to go on without me. Have a good one,” She gave them a nervous smile. 

They both waved her off, but tension was thick in the air. Jolyne followed the guard through the winding prison halls as her mind raced through all the possibilities. There was no way her mother actually came to the prison, right? How could the foundation let that happen? Weren’t they monitoring the outside? Jolyne had to relax. This was probably just a bluff, or a distraction! Pucci needed time to escape the prison, right? His cover had been blown! If she just followed this guard, she could get to the bottom of this. 

“When did my mom get here?” She asked. 

“Christ almighty, Kujo. I don’t know.” The guard let out an exasperated sigh. “I was sent to get you. I know this seems like a big deal for you, but trust me when I say everyone finds Jesus in these walls.” 

That’s partly what made this prison such a good cover for Pucci. He’d have almost unregulated access to dangerous criminals under the guise of “bringing them to the light.” It was the perfect opportunity to corrupt them, or even just slip a disc into their foreheads and tell them who to punch. As she started to think more about this, the more it made sense. Jolyne was an essential piece of Pucci’s plan. If he hadn’t gotten her on the car crash, he would’ve orchestrated something else. She felt a bit better knowing it wasn’t entirely her stupidity that landed her in this situation. Still, it wasn’t like she made it hard on Pucci either. She wasn’t exactly a nun. 

Jolyne’s heart pounded as they approached the chapel. She knew Pucci’s office was a wreck, but the church itself was fine. She held her breath as the guard stopped in front of the chapel door. Was this guard one of Pucci’s Stand Users? The silence seemed to drag on for an eternity, but the guard eventually opened the door and gestured for Jolyne to go inside. Whether this woman was working for Pucci or not, she was still marching Jolyne directly into a life-threatening situation. All of her concern over the guard was washed away by the first sight of her mother in months. 

Jolyne felt the air leave her lungs as her eyes met Maura’s. Her mother was standing alone by the altar. All of Jolyne’s caution went to the wind. She walked right past the guard and rushed over to her mother. Maura seemed surprised at the sight of her daughter. Maybe it was the bruises on Jolyne’s face from her fight with Anasui that startled her? Or perhaps her daughter just looked different after spending so much time in prison. 

Their bodies came crashing together, and Jolyne hugged Maura as tight as humanly possible. Tears forced their way out of her eyes, and she didn’t even try to stop them. Maura met her as she was, immediately rubbing Jolyne’s back and cradling her head against her shoulder. Even though Jolyne had a good four inches on her mom, she felt tiny in her arms. 

“Jolyne,” Maura finally found her words. She grabbed her daughter’s cheeks, looking into her eyes. The concern on her face was clear. “Are you okay?” 

A smile managed to form on Jolyne’s bruised face, and she nodded weakly. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks as she cleared her throat and laughed. “Mom, I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry...” Is all she could muster in that moment. 

“You have nothing to be sorry about, Jojo, nothing at all. Shizuka told me what happened, that you were framed and thrown under the bus so these people could get to your father. You never did anything wrong, do you hear me? I don’t care about what you used to be involved in. You don’t belong here.” 

Even though Jolyne knew every word of that to be true, hearing it come from her mother was enough to bring her to tears. Just hearing that she wasn’t a bad person and that her mom knew she was innocent was all Jolyne needed this whole time. She wiped her cheeks, nodding along as words continued to fail her. 

“That letter your father left… did it help?” Maura raised a brow. “Did those bastards even give it to you?”

Jolyne had to think back for a moment before she realized what Maura was referring to. “The pendant?” She asked softly. Only then did she remember that she’d just recovered it from LuLaRoe. She instinctively pulled it from her jacket pocket and presented it to Maura. “I did… and yes, it helped.” 

“I’m glad,” Maura swept her hair from her face and sighed. “I’m just glad I remembered the thing. Your father gave that to me years ago and told me I could only give it to you if your life was in danger. I didn’t even know what he meant, but after I learned about his…” She trailed off, unsure if her daughter knew about Jotaro’s Star Platinum. “How did it help? Has it been protecting you somehow?” 

“In a sense, yes.” Jolyne shoved it back into her pocket. “I have no idea how he got his hands on something like this, but it works.” 

“That’s a relief. I checked the letter before I sent it just to make sure the police would let you have it. I’m glad it’s been helping you. The damn thing got me good, though. Jotaro really should have dulled its point a little. I’ve never bled so much from a little scratch in my life.” 

Jolyne’s eyes widened as she caught up with her mother’s rambling. “Wait… You…” She glanced down at Maura’s hand to check for an injury. Of course there wasn’t anything. It’d be long gone by now. “You scratched yourself on it?” 

Maura was in tune with her daughter, so she knew something was wrong. “I… Yeah? How couldn’t someone poke themselves on that thing? It’s like it’s designed to draw blood. All I did was poke it.” 

After everything Jolyne had been through, she couldn’t begin to imagine what her mother was admitting. Why wouldn’t Maura have led with that? Didn’t she realize what she’d gotten from that little scratch? Unless… could she really be unaware? Did it work for everybody? She needed her deadbeat dad around to answer these questions, but when could she ever rely on him in a time of need? Jolyne took a deep breath and grabbed her mother’s hands. 

“Okay, that’s fine… We can talk about that later. Why are you here?” 

“I’m not just going to sit around while my daughter, niece and a swarm of strangers fight my husband’s battle. I need to help in whatever way I can.” Maura pulled her hands free. “I won’t hear any arguments from you, alright? I’m here now. Tell me how I can help. What’s this baptism they’re talking about? Is it part of your plan?” 

Jolyne’s stomach sank when she was reminded of the baptism. They were standing in Pucci’s chapel. “You mean the baptism wasn’t your lie to get access to me?” 

Maura’s eyes said it all. 

“Shit…” Jolyne whispered. “Okay Mom, I know I can’t tell you what to do, but I really wish you hadn’t come here without at least calling me. I’ve lost track of Shizuka, a million other things are going wrong, and this really isn’t a good time for a brainstorming session!” 

“How can I help?” Maura insisted. “Do you need things snuck into the prison? Or maybe a message for the agency on the outside?” 

“Moooooom, you don’t understand what’s going on!” Jolyne pleaded. 

Maura seemed genuinely put off by that. “God almighty, you’re starting to sound like him you know?” 

“Well maybe he was right sometimes!” Jolyne made the concession of the century. That hit her like a sack of bricks. Now that she was trying to protect someone she loved from imminent Stand-related danger, she wanted nothing more than to punt Maura across the ocean back to dry land where things were safe. She didn’t have time to answer her mother’s questions, nor the mental bandwidth to handle how emotional things were getting. Couldn’t she just catch a damn break?

Shit… Jolyne was beginning to sound like her father.

The mother took a deep breath and tried her best to reset the conversation. “I’m sorry if you don’t want me here, but I’m here. What can I do to help?” 

“You can bear witness.” A man’s voice echoed throughout the chapel. 

Shizuka stared at Emporio like he was crazy. She was willing to believe everything thus far! The time loops, Heaven being obtained, everything. But how on Earth could this be her first time in this situation? Emporio remembered everybody else! What else would Shizuka have been doing at a time like this? Why wouldn’t she be here? The sound of new footsteps coming from behind broke Shizuka’s concentration. She turned to see two new faces. One of them, she vaguely recognized from the news. The other was a mystery. 

“Emporio! Jolyne’s in trouble! We’ve gotta go.” Anasui panted in the room’s entrance. 

“Trouble? What happened?” Ermes gasped. “I thought she was fighting her! Did you guys make up?” 

LuLaRoe nodded. “A guard took her to the chapel for some phony baptism! They’ve got her mom roped into this somehow.” 

Shizuka’s stomach dropped. Maura was here? Pucci managed to drag Jolyne and Maura Kujo right into his chapel without alerting any of the prison’s guards that something was amiss? He was toying with her. Two of her family members were in grave danger, and she’d just given a long speech about how she wouldn’t put her memories in harm’s way by taking any of Pucci’s bait. The bastard priest was calling her bluff. 

Emporio stepped forward. “We’ve gotta get her out of there! If we can get her mom into this room, she’ll be safe. Where’s Foo Fighters?” He asked Ermes. 

“I don’t know! Haven’t seen her all morning.” 

The group started to brainstorm right away. Everyone pitched ideas for Jolyne’s safe rescue, and how they might be able to get her mother back to the mainland undetected. Shizuka wasn’t participating in these plans. Instead, she was staring into oblivion as her ears rang louder by the second. Her eyes lost focus, and she was essentially deaf to the world. Finally, Ermes’s voice cut through the static like a knife. 

“Shizuka!” Ermes snapped. “What’s wrong?” 

The girl’s pink eyes locked on Ermes, and for a moment she looked ashamed. Shizuka stared down at the floor, hanging her head as she looked for the right words. “I’m… I’m not going.” 

The entire room looked at her like she had two heads and a tail. None of them understood why she was saying this. It seemed like she was acting like an alien or something. Shizuka cleared her throat and pushed through their resistance. 

“Pucci lured Jolyne here so he could get Jotaro’s memories… But he didn’t get what he was looking for. Now he knows that he should’ve gone after me.” She explained softly. “Don’t you guys get it? He used Jolyne as bait for Jotaro, and now he’s doing it again. Pucci wants me to leave this room because he knows he can’t get me here. Without my memories, his plan will fall apart. His only hope is to exploit my good nature and hold a family member hostage. That’s why I can’t go… There’s bigger things at stake.” 

Everyone looked a little disturbed by this. The girl’s words made sense, but forsaking her aunt and cousin just because rescuing them would play right into the villain’s hand…? What kind of hero would do someone so cold? LuLaRoe shook her head and spoke up. 

“Jolyne proved to me that selfless people still exist in this world.” She mumbled. “I’m not going to let her fight alone.” 

“Like hell I would.” Ermes nodded. 

“There’s no way she’ll marry me if I leave her high and dry at the chapel’s altar today.” Anasui grinned. 

Emporio looked at Shizuka with a bit more understanding than the others. “Heaven has never really worked out for Pucci. Are you saying that the answer is in your memories?” 

Shizuka nodded. 

“Then you can’t let him have it.” Emporio crossed his arms. “We’ll figure something out ourselves.”

Everybody nodded in agreement. 

“You just wait here, kid. We’ll be back with Jolyne in no time. Then you’ll be clear to leave this room and get some sunshine.” Ermes gave her a thumbs up. 

How was this happening to her? Shizuka was the one who came here on a mission. She brought Pepsi and got them killed, was unable to rescue Jotaro, and now she had to stand by and watch as inexperienced Stand Users went into her battle? She clenched her jaw and nodded slowly. “Please be careful, everyone.” 

“Careful’s my middle name! Had to pick something androgynous.” Anasui grinned. 

Emporio was probably the oldest person in the room besides Shizuka, but it really didn’t look like it. They shared a sort of understanding, even though they’d only known each other for a few hours. He looked at her with a big frown. “This is all so different than it’s ever gone before.” 

Shizuka forced a smile, extending a hand to her new ally. “That’s gotta be a good sign, right? Can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results! That’s the definition of insanity.” Shizuka chuckled. 

Emporio nodded with an uneasy smile. “What’s the worst that could happen? We have to try again?” 

That didn’t really make Shizuka feel better. She was pretty familiar with the concept of death and rebirth. While she was familiar enough with the life and death of Tsuru, she wouldn’t actually consider that to be her life. She really didn’t want things to go sideways and loop over again because in Shizuka’s eyes that would be just as awful as losing. What’s a human being besides a culmination of experiences? If everything started over and happened differently, Shizuka Joestar might as well be dead. There would be a different Shizuka Joestar with an identical smile sauntering off into the sunset, but it wouldn’t be her. 

As she watched her comrades step through the wall and vanish into the prison, Shizuka could do nothing to help them. Her fists trembled so hard she wondered if she might pop a vein, but she didn’t move an inch. All she could do was hang her head in failure. For the first time in her life, she felt truly useless. 

The room fell silent, and she was alone with her thoughts. This room was just a snapshot of days gone by. The air was unnaturally still, and she knew she was standing among ghosts. Was she any different? Couldn’t Shizuka just be considered the walking ghost of Tsuru? Her foot began to tap compulsively as her mind wandered places she didn’t like to visit. Shizuka had never been helpless. Even in her most desperate moments, she had the power to act. She was born with a Stand that could hide her from any danger, and a conscious Requiem Stand that would pummel any threat that managed to find her. 

The girl walked over to a chair and plopped her full weight onto it without second thought. She crossed her arms, stretching both legs and staring at the exit. A frown was plastered on her face as she tapped her foot repeatedly. 

Shizuka Joestar had never been helpless… But she still knew what total helplessness felt like. Tsuru was helpless for the majority of her life. Whether it was a helpless situation, or simply being threatened by a physical force she had no hope of challenging, Tsuru never got a fair shake. When she was only ten years old, a group of demented men broke into her family’s home and…

Well, that was something Tsuru protected Shizuka from properly remembering. But she could remember how Tsuru felt about it. An entire family obliterated in a single hour. Family annihilations were not very common in Japan, so her story made the national news and stayed there for months. She’d get recognized on the sidewalk, or at the store. Even when she moved to Tokyo to live with her aunt, she would still get stares in public. They called her the flower child because she delivered bouquets for her aunt’s business… But she knew they had another name for her too… A name they’d never speak when she was in ear shot. 

“That poor girl.” 

Shizuka let her head fall back as the words echoed around her mind. She wasn’t a poor girl, not by any stretch of the phrase. She was raised in immense wealth with phenomenal physical power and supernatural protection. She was classically beautiful, a talented singer, and had no physical or mental issues to speak of. Hell, her body was literally reinforced by the immortal blood of Pillar Men and Vampires, making her so durable that she couldn’t recall ever scraping her knee as a child, let alone breaking any bones. She wasn’t a poor girl… 

So why did she feel like the unluckiest girl in the world right now? 

Her friends and family were wagering their lives against the biggest threat they’ve faced in years, and all she could do was sit there and wait…? Just like the annihilation of Tsuru’s family all those years ago, it felt like Shizuka was helpless to save the people she cared about. For the sake of the entire world, she needed to sit still and keep her memory disc away from Pucci… 

She hung her head, closed her eyes, and cried into her hands. How could she be so powerful, yet so vulnerable? How did she ever get into this situation? 

Why did she go to Egypt? What did she even hope to find…? 

As she continued to cry, she felt a warm, familiar presence behind her. The flames of Mother Dawn could never burn Shizuka, but she still felt their heat. The large, womanly Stand draped itself over Shizuka from behind, cradling her head against its chest and hugging her around the stomach. She closed her eyes and felt the cold contrast of the drying tears on her cheeks against the radiant warmth of Mother Dawn. Tsuru was considered to be cold and cruel in her life… but a Stand is a representation of the User’s very soul. There was something to be said about Mother Dawn, a bright and fiery Stand that couldn’t even hurt a fly, only protect its User. Because at the heart of the issue, that was really all Tsuru wanted: To be safe and loved. 

Shizuka placed a hand on Mother Dawn’s, sniffling quietly in the dark room. 

“Thank you,” She whispered. “Flower Child never moves on its own, but you still seem to take care of me in ways I don’t even think about. You’re still The Circle Game deep down, aren’t you? We just can’t communicate that way anymore.” 

The Stand leaned over Shizuka’s shoulder and looked into her eyes. They just… stared at one another. She wasn’t too sure about there being a lingering flame of consciousness beyond her own inside Mother Dawn, but the idea that a piece of Tsuru lived on did make her feel a bit better. 

“A mother’s protection… Is there anything scarier than that?” Shizuka laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes. As she thought about it, her arm dropped and dangled by her side. She was deep in thought, working out the mechanics of something. It’s true she’d never seen Whitesnake at work, but she knew it required a physical blow to steal a person’s discs… 

Could Mother Dawn, the ultimate defensive Stand, defend against even that?  

As the ominous man’s voice echoed against the curved ceiling of the chapel, Jolyne and Maura searched for its source. The daughter’s eyes flicked around the room at a million miles an hour until they landed on a stained glass window on the far side of the chapel. There was an enormous stained glass window above the altar. 

“What is it, Jolyne?” Maura whispered. 

“O my God, my Redeemer, behold me here at Thy feet. From the bottom of my heart I am sorry for all my sins, because by them I have offended Thee, Who art infinitely good…” The man’s voice echoed throughout the house of God. 

Jolyne couldn’t focus on the prayer. Her eyes were fixed on the stained glass window from before. The colored shards of glass were shifting around the black canvas in a smooth motion. It was almost hypnotizing. The shards went from showing God’s hands blessing the Earth to something else entirely. Blades of grass, stone pillars and beams of sunlight all wove together to form a new shape. It was Jolyne!

“I will die rather than offend Thee again.” The voice boomed. 

The scene on the window changed once more, shifting Jolyne’s shards onto a pillar as Pontius Pilate stood as judge before her. The beams of crystallized colorful lights danced throughout the chapel after coming in through the glass. This time, they didn’t fire in straight lines. Instead, the green light went right for Jolyne and formed a pair of handcuffs around her wrists. 

“W-What the hell is this!?” Jolyne gasped. 

“The First Station: Jesus is condemned to death.” The man smiled, finally stepping out of the shadows and revealing himself. He was a man of the cloth, just like Father Pucci. The priest seemed a little worse for wear, though. His skin sagged and hung like it was being actively tugged by the demons of hell ever closer to their playpens. 

“Who are you? You’re not the priest from earlier.” Maura mumbled. She could clearly see the handcuffs around her daughter’s arms. 

“Quiet, Mary. You’re not in this scene. We’ll get to you, I promise.” The priest smiled, waving a hand and sending beams of light toward Maura. 

The light wrapped around her waist and dragged her down the aisle. She was forcibly slammed into a rough wooden pew and made to sit still. Jolyne gnashed her teeth in anger, but something was wrong. She couldn’t call Stone Free!

“Jesus, you stand all alone before Pilate. Nobody speaks up for you. Nobody helps defend you. You devoted your entire life to helping others, listening to the smallest ones, caring for those who were ignored by others. They don't seem to remember that as they prepare to put you to death.” The priest smiled through sickly yellow teeth. 

Tendrils of colorful light fired down from the stained glass window and flew straight for Jolyne. They circled around her body, grazing her back multiple times and drawing blood. She cried out in pain, falling to one knee as her back was whipped and lashed by the beams of light.

“Seriously, what the fuck is going on!?” Jolyne growled as she thrashed against her restraints. “Some kind of tasteless theater production?”

“Do you fancy yourself a savior, Jolyne?” The priest finally spoke to her directly. “I only recognize one savior in this universe… In His name, I deny you. Still… I do what the good priest tells me. If you want to be a Christ figure, you must suffer like He suffered. Only then can you provide salvation.” He lifted a hand from inside his robe and revealed a disc between his fingers. The stained glass light caused the disc to sparkle and shimmer almost like a rainbow as he proudly held it above his head. 

“Here it is, Jolyne, the prize you’ve been searching for. You chose to stay here and search for Jotaro’s discs. The good priest never imagined you would risk your life for your absent father when freedom was just a few steps away. 

Jolyne’s eyes widened as she read the words on the disc. “Jotaro Kujo.” It was really him! She’d already returned Star Platinum to the foundation, and now she was this close to his memory disc? She could wrap things up right here, right now. 

“You really shouldn’t have shown me that.” She smirked. 

“Why not? I’m going to give it to you! Just as soon as we’re done here.” The elder priest smirked with his twisted lips. 

“What…?” Jolyne froze. That definitely couldn’t be good. 

“The Second Station: Jesus carries His cross.” The priest’s voice boomed throughout the chapel. 

The colorful light danced across the room once again. Streaks of rainbow and dust wisped around Jolyne before shooting into the air and wrapping around the large cross hanging above the chapel’s altar. The cross was ripped from the wall and dragged down to Jolyne. She braced herself, lifting her cuffed hands to protect her face. The cross swung like a bat and knocked Jolyne onto her knees. 

“Jolyne!” Maura shouted. 

This reminded Jolyne that her mother was present. The lashings and Catholic ramblings got the better of her for a moment. She finally took a moment to think about these strange attacks. That bastard priest was calling the events “Stations.” Jolyne was raised vaguely non-denominational Christian, but neither of her parents seemed to be very strong believers. She was only baptized to appease Maura’s side of the family. Jolyne could remember attending her grandmother’s church a few times when she was rather young. It was during Lent, the forty day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that led up to Good Friday, the day Catholics observed the death of Jesus. 

One time Jolyne was left with her grandmother on Maura’s side during a Friday afternoon during Lent, and she was dragged along to some strange service. They called it “Stations of the Cross,” and it was a ritual that walked through the fourteen stations of Jesus’s execution. Jolyne even remembered the little child-friendly pamphlet she was given by the priest to follow along. Could this be what was happening to her now, some sick reenactment of the fourteen stations? Jolyne might not have been religious, but it doesn’t take the Pope to remember what happened to Jesus during these stations! 

After being knocked onto one knee by the cross, Jolyne witnessed the light form into a crown of thorns. This crown descended onto her head, forcing its way deeper than its size wanted to allow. She winced in pain as the glass-like thorns of light drew blood from her forehead. A trail of red dripped past her eye and onto her cheek as she stared into the shifting stained glass window. 

The window wasn’t depicting Jolyne’s trial anymore. The glass shifted to form a scene of Jolyne walking with the cross against her shoulder. 

“How could any human impose such a burden upon Your torn and bleeding body, Lord Jesus? Each movement of the cross drove the thorns deeper into Your Head. How did You keep the hatred from welling up in Your Heart? How did the injustice of it all not ruffle Your Peace? The Father's Will was hard on You - Why do I complain when it is hard on me?”

This actually brought a smile to Jolyne’s lips. Even in their holiest rituals, the Catholics managed to guilt themselves for experiencing basic human emotions. She knew there was only one way through this trial. Jolyne would have to endure each station until an opportunity presented itself. If only she paid attention as a child and actually remembered them. She grabbed the cross, which was rather difficult considering her handcuffs, and tried to walk toward the bastard priest at the altar. 

“What’s your name?” Jolyne grunted as she dragged the cross up the aisle. 

The priest flashed his yellow smile once again. “Good Good Father. And my divine instrument is named Station To Station.”

Jolyne couldn’t help but laugh. “Divine instrument? Is that what you people call them? I thought the word ‘Stand’ was ridiculous, but I think I’ll stick with that!”

Good Good Father lifted his chin, glaring down at Jolyne. “Where are you finding these high spirits when you’re whipped, beaten and bleeding?” 

All the woman could do was spit out a glob of blood that’d trailed into her mouth from the crown of thorns. “Are you telling me this killed your god? I could do this all day.” 

The priest’s eyes filled with wrath, and the stained glass window began to shift once more. 

“The Third Station: Jesus falls for the first time.” Good Good Father grinned. 

Streaks of light swiped past Jolyne’s ankles, drawing blood and dropping her to the floor. She slammed her chin into the carpet, and the cross landed on her wounded back. She screamed in pain, kicking her feet in anger as she struggled against the handcuffs. Her crown of thorns dug deeper into her skin, and soon blood trailed into her left eye, forcing her to close it. 

“If the Father permits failure in my life just as He permitted You to fall, then I must know there is good in that failure which my mind will never comprehend.” Good Good Father smiled. 

“Bastard…” Jolyne grunted, propping herself up with her elbows and glaring at the old man. 

“The Fourth Station: Jesus meets his afflicted mother.” 

Jolyne looked over her shoulder just in time to see the light releasing her mother. Maura rubbed at her sore wrists for a moment before bolting down the aisle. 

“No… Mom, please.” Jolyne shook her head. “Run the other way. Leave me.” 

“Like hell I will.” Maura growled, falling to her knees and turning Jolyne onto her side. She cupped her daughter’s bloody cheeks, and the heartbreak was clear in her eyes. 

“My Jesus, it was a great sorrow to realize Your pain caused Mary so much grief. As Redeemer, You wanted her to share in Your pain for mankind. When You glanced at each other in unutterable suffering, what gave you both the courage to carry on without the least alleviation - without anger at such injustice?” Good Good Father hummed. 

Oh, Jolyne was angry. She was absolutely fuming at the injustice of it all. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She didn’t belong in prison, and her mother sure as hell didn’t belong in this dangerous situation. How could her worthless father let it come to this? 

“What’s happening?” Maura asked her daughter. It was such a simple question, but it broke Jolyne’s heart to pieces. Her mother didn’t know anything about Stand battles, the supernatural forces at play in this prison, or anything else! All she could do was watch as her daughter was paraded through ritualistic stations toward impending death. 

“Mom, I can’t protect you right now. You have to go, please. I don’t know what’s happening, and I don’t know how to stop it.” Jolyne begged her mother to flee. 

Maura took a deep breath and shook her head. “You want me to leave because you’re afraid of what’ll happen to me after you’re killed?” 

Jolyne nodded. 

“Then don’t fucking die!” Maura pounded the floor with her fist. “I’m not going to make dying easier on you by running away! Figure out what’s happening and kick this old guy’s ass! What kind of daughter did I raise, anyway? You were in a biker gang at seventeen! Now you’re afraid of an old priest?” 

Jolyne chuckled, spitting up more blood that trailed into her mouth from the thorns. “Those ‘scared straight’ programs never told me what prison was actually like. Maybe they would’ve worked if I knew this was coming.” 

“Can you get up?” Maura asked softly. 

Jolyne pushed against the ground, but the battle was taking its toll. She whimpered and struggled with the cross, unable to get back onto her feet. 

“That’s enough of the mother for now.” Good Good Father groaned. “Don’t worry, you’ll be back for the crucifixion.” 

Maura was dragged away by the wisps of light just like before. She was pinned down in her seat, unable to protect her daughter from whatever came next. 

“The Fifth Station: Simon helps Jesus carry His Cross.” Good Good Father’s voice echoed throughout the chapel. 

“Simon…?” Jolyne mumbled. “Mom was Mary, but who the hell is Simon?” 

“My Jesus, Your tormentors enlisted a Simon of Cyrene to help You carry Your cross. Your humility is beyond my comprehension. Your power upheld the whole universe and yet You permit one of Your creatures to help You carry a cross.”

The door beside Good Good Father swung open to reveal Foo Fighters bound by light in the confession room. The light dragged her into the main hall of the chapel, casting her onto the ground before Jolyne. She coughed repeatedly, and it was clear the plankton woman was extremely thirsty. 

“Foo Fighters!?” Jolyne gasped. “How long did he have you in there?” 

The green haired woman pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, panting for air as she was finally freed from the oppressive colored light. 

“I was just walking to the bathroom when that freak showed up. It’s the priests, Jolyne! They’re working for Whitesnake.” 

“Way ahead of you, babe.” Jolyne grunted, gesturing to her cross. “You think you’ve got the strength to hold this for a minute? I’m going through some holy torment right now.” 

“Is this that religion thing you mentioned?” Foo Fighters seemed confused. 

“More or less… C’mere and grab the cross.” 

Foo Fighter stood up and lifted Jolyne’s cross upright. She also helped the woman up, inspecting her wounds. “This looks bad…” 

Jolyne simply grunted, leaning most of her weight into Foo Fighters as she looked for the strength to stand on her own. She rested her face in the crook of the woman’s neck, hidden from Good Good Father’s view. 

“He’s going to nail me to this cross if we don’t stop him. My mom, I need you to get her out of here.” Jolyne whispered into Foo’s neck. 

“The Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.” Good Good Father declared. 

Jolyne looked at Foo Fighters and realized the plankton must be tasked with multiple roles. The wisps of light held the cross upright since “Simon” was gone, leaving Jolyne and Foo Fighters a brief moment of respite. 

“My Jesus, where were all the hundreds of peoples whose bodies and souls were healed by you? Where were they when You needed someone to give You the least sign of comfort? Did your eyes roam through the crowd for the comfort of just one individual - one sign of pity - one sign of grief? My heart thrills with a sad joy when I think of one woman, breaking away from fear and human respect and offering You her thin veil to wipe Your bleeding Face…”

“I think you’re allowed to heal me now.” Jolyne grunted. “At least slow down the bleeding.” 

“R-Right! I’m just following your lead.” Foo Fighters reached around and started to close the wounds on Jolyne’s back. There were just too many of them, and she couldn’t hope to close them all in her injured state.

“If anyone had to be the one to comfort me right now, I’m glad it was you.” Jolyne spoke softly, not wanting the priest or her mother to hear. These words were just for Foo Fighters. 

“I must admit, I have been among those who were afraid to know You rather than like Veronica.” Good Good Father continued the prayer. “She did not care if the whole world knew she loved You. Heartbroken Jesus, give me that quality of the soul so necessary to witness to spread Your Word - to tell all people of Your love for them.”

Foo Fighters’s cheeks darkened, and she looked away for a moment. “J-Jolyne? What he just said, it kind of reminded me of something I wanted to bring up earlier.” 

Jolyne let out an exhausted laugh. “I remember… You were about to ask if two women can be together, right?” 

Foo Fighters nodded slowly. 

“They can, yes.” Jolyne smiled. 

“I was pretty sure they could. I was asking because…” Foo trailed off, unable to finish such an embarrassing question. 

“Not here, not now.” Jolyne shook her head. “But if we get out of this? If I have time to teach you all the ways to behave and make a respectable human being out of you? I can definitely see us… being together, yeah.” 

“Oh that’s quite enough!” Good Good Father shouted, snapping his fingers. “The Seventh Station, Jesus falls a second time!” 

The cross was ripped from Foo Fighters’s hands and slammed into Jolyne once again. She fell onto one knee, but her friend couldn’t help her this time. Foo Fighter was grabbed by the light and pulled across the chapel. Her back hit the wall, knocking the wind from her lungs as she was held by the altar. She kicked and squirmed, but she had no leverage to work with. 

“My Jesus, one of the beautiful qualities the people admired in You was Your strength in time of ridicule - Your ability to rise above the occasion. But now, You fall a second time - apparently conquered by the pain of the Cross. People who judged You by appearances made a terrible mistake. What looked like weakness was unparalleled strength!” Good Good Father moaned in sorrow. 

“You son of a bitch…” Jolyne growled, feeling the thorns dig even deeper into her skin. The blood was almost a steady trickle by then, like a leaking faucet. She was feeling light headed, but knew better than to dwell on her pain. She braced the cross against her wounded shoulder and climbed back onto her feet. “I don’t suppose Jesus ever stops at a Starbucks during this snooze fest?” 

“You’d do good to spend your final minutes on Earth praying, Jolyne. Unless you’ve somehow found a way to beat my Station to Station?” Good Good Father grinned. 

She’d been so busy simply enduring this Stand, Jolyne hadn’t even begun coming up with a way to fight back. She couldn’t use her Stone Free with these cuffs on, and Foo Fighters seemed completely spent. There was one last wild card in the chapel, though. Maura said she’d been cut by the same pendant that gave Jolyne Stone Free. If there was a time for her mother’s Stand to miraculously manifest and save the day, that time was running out. 

“The Eighth Station: Jesus speaks to the holy women.” 

Jolyne raised her brow. Who else was there? She didn’t see any holy women, unless Good Good Father planned on recasting Foo Fighters again. She looked to the priest only to find a grin on his face. He lifted both his arms to the heavens and laughed. 

“It appears God has provided, like he always does.” 

Jolyne jumped as she heard the chapel’s doors swing open. Ermes, Anasui, and LuLaRoe stormed into the room. Ermes was in front with her arms crossed. 

“And here they are, the holy women.” Good Good Father clapped his hands. 

“Jolyne! What the hell’s going on here?” Ermes shouted down the aisle. 

“My Jesus, I am amazed at Your compassion for others in Your time of need. When I suffer, I have a tendency to think only of myself, but You forgot Yourself completely. When You saw the holy women weeping over Your torments, You consoled them and taught them to look deeper into Your Passion.” The priest’s voice echoed through the chapel. 

“This guy’s the user! His Stand is that stained glass window above the altar! The sunlight comes through and makes his sick stations a reality! It’s gonna crucify me if you don’t stop him!” Jolyne explained. 

“Hah, and I was afraid we wouldn’t get to kick a little ass today.” Ermes chuckled, punching one fist into her other palm. 

“The Ninth Station: Jesus falls a third time.” 

Jolyne crumbled under the weight of the cross once again. She fell onto her hands and knees, coughing and wheezing as the battle took its toll. “How many times did this guy fall? Wasn’t he ripped?” Jolyne growled. 

“LuLaRoe, can you use Misery Business to stop this guy?” Anasui whispered. 

The young girl shook her head. “This man’s clearly acting on his primal instincts already. Releasing his inhibitions might be worse for Jolyne.” 

“Well we’ve gotta figure something out fast. Those wisps of light look like they’ll mince us if we even try to get close.” Ermes scowled. The light waved and thrashed in the air around Jolyne, threatening anyone who interfered with the Lord’s work.

“My Jesus, even with the help of Simon You fell a third time. Were You telling me that there may be times in my life that I will fall again and again despite the help of friends and loved ones? There are times when the crosses You permit in my life are more than I can bear. It is as if all the sufferings of a lifetime are suddenly compressed into the present moment and it is more than I can stand.” 

Jolyne’s back had been ravaged by the light’s lashings, and Foo Fighters could only heal a fraction of the damage. The crown of thorns continued to eat into her flesh and trail blood into her eyes. Not only that, but the cross only seemed to be getting heavier by the minute. Was it her wounds, or was Station to Station somehow making the cross push harder against her? She needed to think. Her friends were here, but they weren’t jumping into action. What could she even do against this terrifying Stand? Jolyne had never been religious, but enduring these stations definitely made her a little more sympathetic to that Jesus fellow. 

“I don’t suppose you could help, huh Jesus?” She chuckled, knowing it was in vain. 

“The Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of His garments.” Good Good Father growled. “It seems that every step to Calvary brought You fresh humiliation, my Jesus. How Your sensitive nature recoiled at being stripped before a crowd of people.”

Before Jolyne could act, the wisps of light darted in and stole the cross from her arms. She braced herself just in time for the light to enter her shirt and expand from the inside. Jolyne’s shirt and jacket were shredded into dozens of pieces, leaving her topless in the chapel for all to see. Her wounds were awful to see, but she stood tall and glared at the priest without a shred of humiliation. If that was part of the stations, she wouldn’t take part in it. 

“Heh, you think a little topless scene if gonna make me blush, you creepy old fuck?” Jolyne smirked. “I’ve been stripped of my clothes, dignity and privacy every single day in this prison. Your god might have been embarrassed to flaunt his goods in front of a crowd, but I guess my goods are just better than his.” 

Good Good Father’s eyes were cold as he stared at his petulant, heretic victim. 

“The Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross.” 

Jolyne’s stomach dropped. She knew this was coming, but didn’t expect it to come so soon! She couldn’t help but look over her shoulder to see her terrified mother and friends. Maura was still struggling against her confinements and screaming for the priest to stop. Foo Fighters was pinned against the wall in a near-unconscious state. Ermes, LuLaRoe and Anasui were staring in disbelief as the light swept down and scooped Jolyne up the steps to the altar. 

“Someone has to do something!” Ermes stomped her foot. “Does anyone have a ranged attack?” 

Anasui and LuLaRoe shook their heads. 

“Agh! Dammit all!” Ermes kicked off the ground and sprinted down the aisle as Jolyne was laid on top of the cross. 

The rough wood caused splinters to prick her back’s wounds, and she thrashed against the light as best she could. Her handcuffs were removed only for each wrist to be slammed against the cross’s sides. She watched as Good Good Father stepped closer with a large hammer in one hand and what appeared to be an enormous railroad spike in the other. 

“Kiss!” Ermes shouted, summoning her Stand and pointing to the priest. 

“You’re not in this scene, dear.” The priest waved a dismissive hand. 

Wisps of light collapsed in from all directions. Ermes was completely surrounded. She sent a barrage of attacks at one of the wisps, but the light only slipped through one end of her fist and came out the other. It seemed like the light could only be touched when it wanted to. The tendrils snaked their way up Ermes’s legs and stopped her in place. She was lifted off the ground, held in a T-Pose like she’d been crucified. 

“There were two other criminals put to death alongside our Savior. If you insist on participating, I can use you as set dressing.” Good Good Father grinned. 

Ermes and Foo Fighters were both brought toward the altar and held in place on either side of Jolyne’s cross. They couldn’t move an inch, only watch from the front row as Jolyne struggled against her restraints on the cross. Good Good Father placed the first spike against her left palm, tilting his head curiously. 

“You know, nails weren’t used for every crucifixion… Iron was expensive back then. Sometimes they’d reuse nails, but most of the time they’d simply use rope.” 

“Thanks for the history lesson, bastard.” Jolyne spat into the priest’s face, but he didn’t even flinch. 

“In our symbolism, Jesus’s hands are nailed to the cross… Such a thing isn’t really possible though. The ligaments and muscles aren’t strong enough to support your body… If I nailed you like this,” He gave the nail a playful tap with his hammer. “Your hands would slip right through the nails, and you’d fall off! We don’t want that, do we?” 

Jolyne could only arch her back in agony as she imagined the gruesome image. Against her better judgment, she considered begging for her life. It felt like the only thing left to try. She wouldn’t stoop to such a level though. This old bastard wouldn’t show her an ounce of empathy. She just needed to figure up a way out of this, or hope her friends would find her one. 

“The nails are meant to go here…” He dragged the spike to the middle of her wrist. She squirmed in discomfort as the spike rocked back and forth against the tendons on her wrist. “This will keep you nice and steady on the cross, so we won’t have to nail you back up again! The fun part about crucifixion is that you don’t die from the nails or lashings… You actually suffocate to death. As your arms grow tired and your legs weaken, you’ll begin to hang from your arms, exerting pressure on your lungs and slowly suffocating you. The process can take days. Isn’t that so much fun?” 

“Jolyne!” Anasui screamed. “Jolyne! I can’t let this happen!” Tears welled in her eyes. 

LuLaRoe didn’t understand what was going on or why, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jolyne Kujo was a good person. Those were in such short supply. The idea of someone like her dying in such a way broke her heart. She looked at the crying woman and smiled softly. “You really care about her, don’t you?” 

“I do…” Anasui whimpered, wiping snot and tears from her face with her wrist. “It shouldn’t be her… It should be me. She doesn’t deserve this,” 

“What are you going to do about it?” LuLaRoe asked.

Anasui’s eyes widened, and she knew the answer. 

“It is hard to imagine a God being nailed to a cross by His own creatures. It is even more difficult for my mind to understand a love that permitted such a thing to happen!” Good Good Father raised the hammer up with a crazed smile. “As those men drove heavy nails into Your hands and feet, dear Jesus, did You offer the pain as reparation for some particular human weakness and sin? Was the nail in Your right hand for those who spend their lives in dissipation and boredom? Was the nail in Your left hand in reparation for all consecrated souls who live lukewarm lives? Were You stretching out Your arms to show us how much You love us?”

Jolyne closed her eyes, preparing herself for what would undoubtedly be the most painful experience of her life. Talking wouldn’t get her out of this. She had surrendered to her fate. Whether she suffocated over the span of days was another story, but she couldn’t stop this nail. It was going in… 

“Diver Down!” Anasui shouted at the top of her lungs. 

Jolyne opened her eyes and turned to see Diver Down gliding across the floor of the chapel’s aisle. It swam through thin air, narrowly dodging each and every wisp of light that tried to stop it. The light stabbed into the carpet, vibrating like arrows for a moment before ripping themselves free and following the rogue Stand. Diver Down seemed to be coming right for Jolyne. What was it doing!? Good Good Father didn’t wait to find out. 

“Lord, have mercy!” He screamed, driving his hammer into the nail. 

A piercing scream filled the chapel. Its agony was unmatched. Instead of coming from the front of the chapel, it actually came from the very back. Everyone’s heads swung toward the door only to find Anasui clutching her wrist in pain. Blood poured freely from it, and despite the pressure she was applying with her free hand, it was clear that she’d been impaled. 

Jolyne was speechless. She checked her own wrist to see what happened. Instead of plunging into her wrist, the railroad spike seemed to be stuck against the surface of her skin. Where on Earth was Diver Down!? She looked for it, only to realize a moment too late what had happened. Anasui’s Stand dove into Jolyne’s body and took the blow for her. Diver Down was inside Jolyne. 

“What is this?” Good Good Father scowled. “The ritual isn’t complete yet! Lord, hear my prayer!” 

He drove the hammer into Jolyne’s wrist once again, causing Anasui to fall to her knees. The sounds she was making were reminiscent of a caged animal, not a human being. LuLaRoe fell to one knee beside her, resting a hand on the woman’s shoulder. 

“You actually did it…” She whispered. 

“I need you to use Misery Business on me.” Anasui growled. 

“W-What?” 

“It hurts… It hurts so bad, but I need to focus on my primal need to protect her… Please, take away my ability to worry about the pain. Let my body act on its own.” Anasui begged as tears flowed from her eyes. 

LuLaRoe looked at the woman with a newfound respect. “What if you die? You might not even try to protect yourself.” 

“Shut up, you little brat! I told you what I want!” Anasui growled through her locked jaw. “DO IT NOW!” 

LuLaRoe pressed play on Misery Business’s discman and nodded approvingly. 

“I see what’s happening,” Good Good Father shook his head. “That woman is taking the blows for you! That’s not how this is supposed to work!” 

“Anasui, why are you doing this…?” Jolyne whispered, looking at the woman down the aisle. “You don’t have to do this!” 

The woman only smiled at the love of her life. She shook her head, giving Jolyne a thumbs-up with her bad arm, showing just how much blood was streaming from it. Foo Fighters was in no condition to close that wound! Stone Free couldn’t sew it shut either. Anasui could bleed out in a matter of minutes if she didn’t get that treated! Why was she doing this? 

“Lord, give me strength.” Good Good Father sang to the heavens. 

Diver Down sat up from inside Jolyne and grabbed Good Good Father’s collar with its good hand. The Stand dragged him down, slamming its head into the priest’s face before letting go. He cried out in pain, and soon Jolyne could see blood streaming freely from his nose. 

“You heathen! How dare you interrupt the Holy Stations of the Cross? You’re willing to take any blow for this sinner, are you? Well what about this!?” 

Good Good Father pressed the railroad spike against Jolyne’s stomach and raised his hammer. Jolyne screamed at the top of her lungs, thrashing against the restraints. LuLaRoe looked to Anasui for any signs of fear, but the woman seemed completely content. She just kept smiling at Jolyne, closing her eyes a moment before the strike like she was at peace. 

CRUSH! 

The spike was drilled into Jolyne’s stomach, but once again it didn’t harm her. It popped right back out of the woman’s body like nothing even happened. Anasui, on the other hand, was at her limit. Blood shot out of her stomach from the inside like she’d swallowed a dozen canisters of air. Despite the soul-wrenching pain and almost certain death, the woman’s smile never faded. She just stared at Jolyne’s horrified face for as long as she could before her head inevitably crashed into the ground. Even then, she kept one eye open, admiring Jolyne to the very end. 

“ANASUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!” Jolyne screamed, slamming her head against the cross repeatedly. Diver Down was inside her! She could feel the woman’s life force leaving this world. It wavered and diminished until she could barely feel the woman’s presence in her at all. Jolyne was feeling her friend die, and it was all because of her. Tears burst from her eyes, as this was a completely new kind of trauma for her to endure. Just as it felt like Diver Down was completely gone, Jolyne felt a faint hand cup her cheek. It rubbed her face for just a moment before completely vanishing. 

“Why?” She whimpered, shaking her head. “We just met this morning. We just met this morning, Anasui! Why did you do this…? I don’t understand!” She cried out. 

“Does there have to be a reason?” A voice faintly hummed in the back of Jolyne’s mind. 

Her eyes widened. Was Anasui’s soul speaking to her? Could it have more of a connection to her body than Anasui’s at this point? 

“It’s everything about you, Jolyne. Your nobility, your bravery, even your smile… I know I just met you, but that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t even matter if you’d never feel the same way about me. This is what I wanted, and I have no regrets.” 

“This has gone on long enough.” Good Good Father towered above the woman. “I don’t care if she’s willing to die for you! Once she’s dead, I can finish my ritual!” 

“Goodbye, Jolyne. I hope to see you again soon.” The voice hummed. 

Jolyne felt the presence leaving her body completely. Diver Down was gone. As it left, the railroad spike in her stomach was lifted away as well. Good Good Father’s eyes widened just in time as he noticed Diver Down’s arm materializing before him. He didn’t have time to stop the stand from ruthlessly driving the spike into his chest. The priest threw his head back in disbelief, but soon he felt the hammer being ripped from his hands as well. With the last of Diver Down’s strength, it drove the railroad spike into Good Good Father’s heart, killing him instantly. 

A smile formed on the priest’s face, and then he toppled down the staircase and into the aisle without a word. Diver Down vanished from sight, and the light left Anasui’s eyes as she laid on the carpet across from Good Good Father. Jolyne took a deep breath, just trying to let the events sink in. She struggled against the light for a moment, wondering why it wasn’t fading away. They’d defeated the user, right…? 

“The Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross.” A voice boomed throughout the chapel. 

The chapel began to rumble like an earthquake might start at any moment. Small pieces of debris fell from the ceiling, landing on Jolyne as she struggled on the cross. What the hell was happening!? They’d killed the user! They’d won! She watched in horror as wisps of light lifted the priest up like a puppet. His eyes were wide open, but the light behind them was gone. He drifted left and right through the air like a ghost, but the smile on his face never faded. 

“God is dead! No wonder the earth quaked, the sun hid itself, the dead rose and Mary stood by in horror. Your human body gave up its soul in death but Your Divinity, dear Jesus, continued to manifest its power.” Good Good Father’s voice continued to read the scripture of the stations even after his death. 

Jolyne’s heart was pounding so hard she thought she might faint. Was the ritual going to continue even after Good Good Father’s death? Where was this power even coming from? She had no idea a Stand could live on like that! Sweat beaded down her bloodied face as she watched the priest approach her. The light struggled to swing his heavy body through the air, and at a certain point it looked like a child’s imitation of walking. 

“All creation rebelled as the Word made Flesh departed from this world. Man alone was too proud to see and too stubborn to acknowledge truth.” The disembodied voice roared, causing Jolyne’s ears to ring. 

“Ohhhh gimme a damn break.” A young voice shouted from the chapel’s entrance. 

Good Good Father’s lifeless body swung around to find the source of that unwelcome commentary. It froze in place upon seeing its real target. Shizuka Joestar. 

“Take it from someone who’s actually come back from the dead, it’s really not that interesting. I guess I can do this with my thumb now,” She dislocated her thumb a few times, gesturing to it with her free hand. “Pretty cool, right? I dunno if I could do that before I died, but I never figured it out until later.” 

“A well of fear and shame covered by the thinnest veil of humor.” Good Good Father’s voice boomed from the ceiling. 

“That’s pretty much the human condition, Einstein! Too bad it took your whole life to figure that out.” Shizuka strutted up the aisle with her hands in her jacket pockets. 

“Wait, Shizuka!” Maura shouted. “The light! Don’t-” 

Wisps of light soared through the air, roaring like fighter jets as they approached the lone girl. Shizuka didn’t even take her hands out of her pockets. She just stared straight ahead as the wisps clashed against her body and flew back in shock. A brief flame burst from the impact sites, but she was completely unharmed. 

“That’s a cute trick.” She mumbled, gesturing her head to the stained glass window. “I used light like that when I was in sixth grade. Nowadays, I’m a bit more efficient.” 

Before more light could come through the colored shards of the window, Shizuka lifted her hand up and clasped it shut. All of the shards turned jet black in an instant, and Good Good Father’s body fell to the ground like a ragdoll. She walked up to him with a smirk, rolling him onto his back with her shoe. 

“Your Stand uses light. My Stand is the light. We’re not even in the same league.” She tilted her head, watching as a hollow essence stared back at her through those dead eyes. “His Stand is carrying on even after his death? Fascinating. Josuke told me this was possible, but I never thought I’d see the day.” 

Now that the wisps of light were gone, everyone was free to move on their own. Jolyne rolled off of the cross with a groan, sitting on her knees at the top of the little staircase before the altar. Ermes and Foo Fighters had been dropped onto the carpet, and Maura was running down the aisle to take care of her daughter. Shizuka kept her hands in her pockets and scanned the chapel carefully. That was too easy. Pucci had access to all of Pepsi’s memories. He’d know a Stand like this wouldn’t be a match for Shizuka. What was his angle? 

“Everyone who can’t fight needs to get out of here right now.” Shizuka ordered. Her voice bounced off the rounded ceiling of the chapel and shocked her friends. 

“Anasui!” Jolyne brushed past her mother and limped down the aisle. LuLaRoe was kneeling beside the pale woman with a frown on her face. 

“I’m not sure she’s gonna make it.” She mumbled. 

“No…” Jolyne shook her head. “She can’t go out like this.” 

Stone Free reached down and did its best to sew the woman’s wounds shut. They were too large to fully close though, so Jolyne settled with ripping the woman’s shirt and tying pieces of it to the wounds for pressure. “Shizuka! I need your help!” 

“I’m not a doctor! …Of medicine,” She mumbled under her breath, giving Good Good Father one last look over her shoulder before running over to Jolyne. “What happened to her?” 

“She dove into my body and took the crucifixion blows for me…” Jolyne clenched her jaw. “What do you think?” 

Shizuka gently dragged a hand up Anasui’s arm. “I can’t make any promises, but we need to get her out of here now. Aunt Maura, you’re leaving too.” 

“Like hell I am! I just got a taste of what my daughter’s going through every day here, and you want me to leave her alone?” Maura crossed her arms. 

That reminded Jolyne of what she was even doing in this prison. Her eyes widened, and she sprang up from Anasui’s side. “The priest! He had it! He showed me Jotato’s memory disc.” 

Shizuka shot a glare down the aisle at Good Good Father’s corpse. “...Don’t approach him, Jolyne.” 

“Why not? Didn’t you destroy his Stand?” 

“Not exactly. I stopped all of the light coming through that window. It’s taking a lot of power. The bastard’s fighting tooth and nail to come back out.” 

“Where’s that power coming from if he’s dead!?” Jolyne frowned. 

“No clue. There’s got to be something anchoring him to this world. It’s got to have real spiritual energy in it, something that could fuel his Stand.” Shizuka sighed. 

“The altar.” Maura mumbled under her breath. 

Shizuka and Jolyne turned to face the mother in disbelief. The teenager smirked, nodding in agreement. “You might be onto something… How many people have shared in holy communion here? All that spiritual energy could be channeled to the most sacred thing in this room. Could the bastard really be siphoning the emotional energy of true believers to power his twisted Stand?” 

Ermes and Foo Fighters finally caught up to everyone else at the back of the chapel. Foo Fighters looked horrible, but Ermes was only a little banged up. 

“Are you good to fight, Jolyne?” Shizuka cracked her knuckles. “If not, hit the bricks with everyone else.” 

“You couldn’t pay me to leave, twerp.” Jolyne chuckled, looking at Ermes. “I need you to get Foo and my Mom out of here.” 

Ermes nodded. “On my life.” She looked at LuLaRoe and sighed. “I can’t leave the kid here either.” 

“W-Wha!? I’m older than her!” LuLaRoe pointed at Shizuka. 

“I need you to help me move Anasui. Now c’mon and don’t whine!” Ermes barked. 

They argued even as they carefully lifted Anasui off the ground. Maura walked up to Jolyne and Shizuka with a frown. “How am I supposed to leave you girls here?” 

Jolyne’s heart broke, but she couldn’t ask her mother to stay, no matter how much she wanted her near. “Mom… Go take care of those idiots, okay? We’ll be right behind you. Shizuka and I just need to take care of a couple priests.” 

Shizuka grabbed a device from her left pocket and presented it to Maura. “Have Ermes take you to a part of the prison where you can see the water, okay? Then, click this to the rhythm of Camptown Races. A woman named Ripley will come pick you up.” 

Maura took the device and closed her eyes. Her face scrunched up, and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. She scooped both girls into a big hug, trembling as she held them close. “You get that worthless man’s memories and come home safe, you hear me?” She whispered. 

“You got it. Love you.” Jolyne sniffled. 

After kissing each of them on the head, Maura pulled back and wiped her eyes. She turned her back on the girl and walked right out of the chapel without hesitation. Shizuka smiled weakly as she watched her allies flee down the hall. Her right hand began to tremble, and she felt her grip on the stained glass window’s light weakening by the moment. She gave Jolyne a quick once-over to make sure the woman was being honest about her condition. Soon, the chapel began to tremble once again. Shizuka winced as the doors slammed behind her, locking them inside. 

“That’s not ominous.” Jolyne laughed nervously. 

“That Stand isn’t going to stop until you’re crucified.” Shizuka explained. “Any bright ideas?” 

“At least I’ve got my Stone Free this time.” Jolyne flexed her arms. “Let’s show this undead bastard what happens when you mess with a Joestar.” 

“There’s one more thing.” Shizuka took a deep breath. “Pucci absolutely cannot get my disc. If it comes down to saving your life or escaping with my memories, I’m going to escape.” 

That was certainly odd, but Jolyne didn’t have time to ask questions. If her own family said something like that and meant it, she had to assume Shizuka’s memories were worth protecting. “Guess I won’t put you in that position then.” 

Shizuka chuckled, feeling Good Good Father’s Stand power scratching against the back of her mind. She released him, and all at once the light beamed through the window. Jolyne and Shizuka jumped out of the way, and the light crashed right into the door. 

“C’mere, you piece of shit!” Jolyne screamed, catching the wisps in a web of Stone Free’s string and stopping the light in place. 

“That’s what I’m talking about, Jolyne! We need to get back to his body.” Shizuka shouted across the chapel. Just as the wisps of light collapsed onto her once again, she used Mother Dawn to block all of their damage. The light rebounded, flinging into the far wall and causing a large crash instead of harming Shizuka. 

“Lord have mercy,” Good Good Father’s voice cried throughout the prison. “They know not what they are doing.”

After bobbing and weaving her way down the aisle, Shizuka was nearly at the priest’s body. Mother Dawn needed about fifteen seconds to recharge between each use of its protection ability, but the Stand was still incredibly durable and could outright block attacks with its arms if need be. A wisp of light managed to slip past the Stand’s defenses and cut Shizuka’s cheek, but she wasn’t deterred. Good Good Father’s smiling corpse was just about within arm’s reach! 

Just as Shizuka was about to loot the content of those black robes, a barrage of light came soaring out of Good Good Father’s body. Her eyes widened, and she didn’t have any time to block them. The light went right through her body and came out the other end. It looked like a clean impalement, and Shizuka’s body was even lifted off the ground by the sheer force of the light tendrils. 

Jolyne stopped in her tracks when she saw this. The woman didn’t even get a chance to scream her cousin’s name before she noticed something strange. Shizuka turned her head and winked at Jolyne. A moment later the girl disappeared from thin air, leaving nothing but a twinkle in the light’s clutches. The real Shizuka appeared a moment later beside the altar with a big grin on her face, and Jotaro’s memory disc between her fingers. 

It took Jolyne a moment to remember that Shizuka also had the ability to manipulate the light around her own body and pull tricks like that! She must have created a light-copy of herself and stepped out of it while invisible. Then, she let her dummy tank the obvious final strike from Good Good Father! She even lifted the projection up to sell the act while she fumbled through the priest’s robes for the disc! 

When had Shizuka even made the copy? How could anyone ever be sure they were looking at the real thing? Jolyne decided then and there that she never wanted to get into an honest fight with the kid. She was clearly outmatched… 

Shizuka whistled loudly for the light to notice her. The wisps darted toward her at full speed, but stopped out of nowhere when she took a single step to the left and placed herself behind the altar. They froze just shy of the girl’s face, causing her to smile nice and wide.
“What’s the problem?” She asked, patting the altar with her free hand. “Afraid of hurting this? My aunt’s a smart lady, she figured this out before me.” 

The light turned to face Jolyne instead. A few wisps even began to head in her direction before Shizuka slammed the altar with her fist. 

“HEY! You’re talking to me right now, not her! I know you want nothing more than to crucify my cousin, but you can’t do that if I destroy this altar, can I?” 

The light continued toward Jolyne, albeit a tad slower than before. 

“Heeeeeey! I told you to stop.” Shizuka sounded like she was scolding a pet. “Are you thinking that maybe you have enough energy to finish us off even if I destroy this altar…? Oooooh, that’s interesting.” Shizuka tapped the surface rhythmically with her fingers as she considered her options. “That paints trouble for me, because I don’t think we’d survive an outburst like that… If I destroy this altar, you’ll die, but not before your Stand kills us? Is that it?” She flashed a big pearly smile at the tendrils of light hovering mere inches away. 

“Why are you trying to reason with it? Just destroy the altar!” Jolyne shouted across the church. 

“Because this isn’t just the priest anymore,” Shizuka shook her head. “This is the hopes and dreams of his congregation. Real believers pour into this chapel every Sunday and send their psychic energy toward this altar. It means something to them. It’s no different than a Stand when you think about it. The human spirit is a powerful thing… Wanting something bad enough can leave an imprint on the world around you. That’s why his Stand is still fighting. It’s cannibalizing the will of its disciples and using their prayers for evil.” 

“What are you going to do about it!?” Jolyne panted. 

“I don’t know…” Shizuka dragged her hands around the wood curiously. “There’s a great deal of energy in this altar, and the priest’s mind is trying to kill us with it. His singular will is stronger than the faint whispers of his congregation. If only there were a mind for them to rally behind. I bet things would go differently in that case.” 

She held Jotaro’s memory disc up with a little smile. 

“Someone with a really good reason to kick your ass.” 

“WAIT! NOOOOOO!” Good Good Father’s disembodied voice shrieked throughout the chapel. 

Shizuka slipped Jotaro’s memory disc into the altar without any trouble! It pushed into the wooden surface like a disc reader and took the entire thing in a flash. The church began to rumble once again, but this time the priest’s corpse convulsed uncontrollably on the carpet. 

“If you take all that psychic energy and channel it into a mind like Jotaro’s, he’ll find a way to hurt you even without Star Platinum.” Shizuka chuckled. 

Jolyne walked up to the scene with a cautious frown. “What’s happening inside him?” 

“When the priest died, his fighting spirit clung onto the nearest source of psychic energy and used it to fight instead of the user’s vitality. The energy wasn’t unified, so it was easy to conquer. But none of the individual prayers wanted to help him. That’s why I added a stronger consciousness into the mix. It gave them a choice to fight back. They’re lending your father the strength to fight him off.” 

“You’re talking about them like they’re ghosts. Aren’t these people still alive?” 

“Not ghosts… They’re remnants, things we leave behind. You shed hair and skin cells every time you enter a room. Powerful thoughts are the same way. You can leave them behind. It’s especially easy when you join a community and sing songs to a slab of wood every week. You’re powering something up without even realizing it.” 

“Where…” Jolyne was so confused. “Where did you learn this? Has the high school curriculum really changed that much since I graduated?” 

“I used to work for someone who made me research this kind of thing. I’ll tell you all about it later.” Shizuka frowned. 

Good Good Father’s body rolled onto its side, and soon foam began to form in his mouth. The priest’s eyes rolled back as the turmoil within continued, and soon the thrashing became incredibly violent. The chapel rumbled harder than ever, and then in a brilliant flash of light the stained glass window burst to pieces. Colorful shards of glass fell to the garish carpet below, twinkling with a dwindling light as the Stand’s power faded away. 

Just as everything began to settle, the deceased man’s head fell to its side. For a moment, he was motionless. Then without warning, his eyes shot open with desperation.

“Shizuka!” Good Good Father shouted, but he sounded different… It was still his vocal chords, but the way he used them seemed completely alien, yet somewhat familiar. 

Shizuka stared at him cautiously. “Yes?” 

“No time-” The priest shouted in pain. His veins were visible in his forehead as he struggled against the forces at war in his body. “It’s me.” 

“J-Jotaro!?” Shizuka gasped. She knew the man’s memories were at work inside the priest, but she never imagined he’d take full control of the corpse. 

“Listen to me!” Jotaro barked with Good Good Father’s voice. “You have to go, now! It’s a trap. He’s going to use- Agh!” He thrust his hips and arched his back, slamming his head against the floor. “Your memories… Pucci needs them.” The foam only continued to grow in the corpse’s mouth. 

Shizuka clenched her fists. She knew what Jotaro was talking about. Of course this was a trap. “Hang in there, good buddy. I’ll have you back in your body by sundown.” 

Good Good Father smiled, resting his head on the carpet. “Gimme a break… You’re impossible sometimes, kid.” 

Jolyne stood there awkwardly as her recently revived father spoke to Shizuka instead of his own daughter. She felt unreasonable, but the resentment was present. Why didn’t he ever talk to her about these things? Was it because he loved her more than Shizuka? Could that be why he was willing to risk Shizuka’s life but not her own? That sounded flimsy at best. She swallowed her pride and didn’t push the issue. This was a life-and-death situation. 

Life left Good Good Father’s eyes once again, but this time there wasn’t a booming voice coming from the heavens. Shizuka walked over to the altar and smiled as Jotaro’s memory disc ejected from it right on cue. She plucked it out with two fingers and placed it in her jacket’s pocket for safekeeping. 

“Is that it?” Jolyne mumbled. “What about Pucci? Do you think he fled when Pepsi blew his cover?” 

Shizuka shook her head. “If only we were so lucky. Jotaro said this was a trap, remember? We just finished dealing with the distraction.”

“That was a hell of a distraction.” Jolyne huffed as beads of sweat trailed down her tired face. 

“Well, I had several things to take care of.” Pucci’s voice cut through the air like a knife. 

Shizuka and Jolyne shot their eyes to the chapel’s entrance to find the priest standing right in the doorway. He was adjusting the collar of his cassock with a stoic look on his face. Shizuka was unnerved by his presence. Other villains in her life like Blondie and Dio carried themselves like flamboyant psychopaths. They loved to be in the spotlight, and they loved to cause pain. Pucci was different… He stood in the chapel’s doorway with a cold look in his eyes, almost like he was annoyed by the girls’ existence. He wasn’t basking in the glory of his situation, if anything he seemed to resent it. Shizuka knew how to deal with unapologetic evil, but she wasn’t sure how to handle a man who truly believed his evil was God’s will. 

“I’ve built a life for myself here, you know.” Pucci sighed, stepping a single foot into the church. “Nine years. What were you doing nine years ago, Shizuka? Eating crayons in kindergarten? Now you stand in my way? It’s like God is laughing at me.” 

Shizuka felt her muscles flexing as she judged the distance between them. She couldn’t get to him fast enough to avoid a counter attack. It’d be smart to let him get a bit closer. 

“I’ve never really understood guys like you.” Shizuka admitted. “Even if an all-powerful being existed, what makes you important enough that he’d care to laugh at you? Out of seven-billion pawns on his chessboard, what makes you so special? Is it the cute outfit?” 

Pucci only chuckled. “Always a mouth with this one. You sound like him, you know? Such a flagrant disregard for decorum. I see why you two got along so well.” 

The veins in Shizuka’s forehead became visible as she flexed her arms with anger. She took a step forward, but was stopped by Jolyne. The older woman stared at Pucci like she was desperate to understand him. 

“Father Pucci, right?” She butted into the conversation. “You’re definitely not who I was expecting.” 

Pucci’s eyes flicked from Shizuka to Jolyne in a flash. She was petrified by his serpent-like eyes for a moment. How could a man of the cloth have such a violent glare? Jolyne swallowed her trepidation and continued. 

“It was you, right? You’re the reason I’m here.” Jolyne spoke softly. 

“If you’re looking for pity, I’d try praying.” Pucci mumbled without a shred of empathy. “I’m an instrument, nothing more.” 

“And what does God mean to you?” Jolyne put a bit more power into her voice. “Because I went to Church as a kid! I know you’re supposed to wash the feet of prisoners, not manipulate them into killing each other.” 

Pucci stopped for a moment. Finally, an opportunity to discuss his thesis. “What does God mean to me?” He tilted his head. “God is gravity. An invisible force that draws objects together. It’s how our planet was formed. A single rock was bigger than all of the rest, and it drew in every piece of debris until its gravitational pull was strong enough to support its own moon. Dio is that rock. I was drawn into his orbit, and now I’m simply providing my mass to his gravitational pull.” 

Jolyne wrinkled her nose in confusion. “The hell’s that supposed to mean? You’re just a cog in the machine?” 

“No, Jolyne Kujo. You’re the cog. The only impact you had on this Earth was getting locked up and serving as bait for your father. As far as the world is concerned, you’re a small rock. Jotaro Kujo was the important one.” 

Before Jolyne could respond, Shizuka stepped forward. “If we’re sticking with this metaphor, I have to say you’ve made a grave miscalculation. You were playing with gravity, but you didn’t know everything in Jotaro’s orbit. You didn’t know about me.” 

Pucci wasn’t impressed. He smiled for a moment before shaking his head. “Oh I know all about you, Shizuka Joestar. What’s a flower girl from Tokyo doing meddling in God’s affairs?” 

Shizuka hitched her breath. What the hell was Pucci talking about? Sure, he knew Tsuru, but he didn’t know everything about her! The girl’s expression only made Pucci smile wider. 

“Surprised? You shouldn’t be. I watched this, after all.” He lifted Pepsi’s memory disc into view. Even from across the chapel, Shizuka could tell who it belonged to. Pucci wore the smallest of grins as he held the disc up for all to see. 

“Guess you were busy.” She hissed through gritted teeth. 

“It was quite the adventure you two went on together.” Pucci crossed his arms, wiggling the disc around with two fingers. “Traveling the country together, getting into trouble and saving the world… I bet you think you’re pretty close, hmm?” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Shizuka asked defensively. 

“Shizuka, ignore him. Whatever angle he’s coming from, it’s not worth it.” Jolyne interjected. 

“Sure, Jolyne’s made friends who are willing to die for her, but what about the infamous Shizuka Joestar?” Whitesnake’s arm extended out of Pucci’s and lifted the disc higher into the air. The stand hovered above its user with a scowl on its face. 

“Why don’t we see how they really felt about you?” Whitesnake snarled, pushing the disc into its own forehead. There was a flash of light, and suddenly a projector appeared in front of the Stand. 

Shizuka was surprised to see the extent of Whitesnake’s power. Every time she thought she had the damn Stand figured out, it broke out a new trick. She watched as the image flickered a few times like a shoddy reel of film before settling on the correct scene. The scenery hit her like a freight train. She’d never forget that wallpaper. Shizuka was looking at the Hotel California in its glory years through the little eyes of a short Pepsi Brooks… She’d never been quite this short in the Hotel, but even from the video’s vantage point, she knew the exact hall. 

The girl’s stomach sank as she considered the million things that might happen in this clip. She didn’t have all of Tsuru’s memories, just the important ones… More and more of them flooded into her dreams with each passing day, but she knew she’d never remember it all. How could she? It was an entire human life!

Sure enough, a familiar face walked into frame moments later. It was none other than Tsuru Nishioka. Shizuka’s heart stopped for a moment upon seeing her past life on screen. Tsuru seemed impossibly tall from Pepsi’s tiny perspective. She seemed to be shocked by the child, tilting her head with an awkward smile. 

“Shouldn’t you be in bed, Pepsi?” She asked softly. 

“Mom and Dad are arguing again.” Pepsi mumbled. 

The adult sighed, crossing her arms with a knowing look. “Yeah… they do that a lot, don’t they?” 

Pepsi only nodded. 

“What are they arguing about?” 

The child plopped down on the floor and rested their back against the fancy wallpaper of the Hotel California. “Dad doesn’t want to stay here anymore.” 

Tsuru decided to join them on the floor. She sat across from them with her legs crossed. “What about you? Do you like it here?” 

Pepsi hung their head for a moment. “It’s nice and quiet… But Shirlie’s lonely. Not enough people.” 

“I know this is tough, but you’re safe here. It’s not forever, you know that right?” 

The little kid nodded, but it was easy to tell they didn’t believe her. “Sometimes when Dad yells, it’s really scary.” 

Tsuru’s eyes sharpened a bit. “Has he ever given you a reason to feel afraid of him?” 

“No, but I don’t like the way he talks to Mom.” Pepsi admitted. “He uses bad words and makes her cry.” 

Tsuru rested her head against the wall with a sigh. How could the woman she loved have gone and married such a mediocre man? The only upside to their terrible marriage was the twins. Pepsi and Shirlie were little balls of sunshine that honestly gave Tsuru hope for the future. She loved them like her own. Sometimes she fantasized about Adrian storming out of the Hotel forever and leaving them to be a family in peace, but that was a selfish dream. These kids deserved their father if at all possible. 

“You know your Mom’s important to me, right?” She asked softly. 

Pepsi nodded. 

“I would never let anything happen to your mother, or your sister. The same goes for you.” She smiled warmly. 

“Where do you go during the day?” Pepsi asked somewhat abruptly. 

Tsuru was surprised by that. She’d always been careful to sneak out of the Hotel when the kids weren’t around. It seemed like the cat was out of the bag. “I have a lab on the outside… I’m doing some important work in it.” 

As Pepsi’s anxiety grew, the faint purple mist around their face became more and more pronounced. “C-Can I tell you a secret?” 

Tsuru simply nodded. 

“Sometimes I’m afraid that you won’t come back… That you’ll just go, and I’ll be stuck here with all the yelling.” The kid hugged their knees. 

Tsuru didn’t realize she meant so much to this child. How could a woman so fundamentally broken be any kind of role model for a sweet little kid like Pepsi? She scooted across the floor and knelt in front of Pepsi with as natural of a smile as she could muster, though she wasn’t exactly used to dealing with children. 

“That’s not going to happen.” Tsuru assured them. “Once I’ve finished my work, we’ll all leave together. I promise.” 

“Pinky swear…?” Pepsi lifted their pinky. 

Tsuru met it with her own, sealing an unbreakable contract with the little tyke. “I’m going to leave for a little bit, alright? There’s a really important package I need to pick up. It could be the key to solving everything.” 

Pepsi nodded with a weak smile. “But you’ll come back?” 

“Always,” She ran a hand through that red hair. 

Shizuka’s heart ached when she realized what Pucci was doing to her. That “package” Tsuru mentioned was the Stand Arrow Neil Archer acquired for her. She’d use it to obtain The Circle Game, infiltrate the Speedwagon Foundation one last time, and then… 

She’d be thrust from the Hotel forever. 

That sick priest. How could he show her this? Tears welled in Shizuka’s eyes as she watched Tsuru walk away from the perspective of a young and vulnerable Pepsi. That was the last time Pepsi would ever see Tsuru. She broke her promise. 

Before she could say anything, the video fast-forwarded to show Adrian and Stella arguing from Pepsi’s young eyes. Their father was clearly different. Something in his eyes was broken. Shizuka watched in second-hand terror as Adrian slapped Stella so hard she fell to the ground. Seeing that was… hard for Shizuka. Unraveling her insanely complicated romantic feelings for the mother of her best friends she experienced in a past life wasn’t exactly easy. Seeing Stella hurt by that bastard caused a fire to burn in her heart. She knew he was being corrupted by Diva, but she’d never liked Adrian anyway. It was hard to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he’d never do such a thing. 

The video skipped once again to show Pepsi hiding underneath a bed while Adrian’s shoes walked through the Hotel room… They were hiding from him. Shizuka hung her head, unable to watch as she was reminded of the abuse her friends experienced growing up. The video continued at an even faster rate, showing one awful incident after another until suddenly it slowed to a crawl. Pepsi and Shirlie looked to be around nine or ten, and they were standing in the middle of the woods absolutely alone. 

They’d escaped… 

After another skip, they were in the bedroom of a foster home. Shirlie and Pa-Pa-Power were lying on the bottom bunk while Pepsi’s legs dangled from the top. Shirlie was tossing a ball against the ceiling of the bunk while she rambled on and on. 

“This place is nice and all, but we really should go soon.” She mumbled. 

Pepsi hugged a pillow to their chest and grunted. “And go where?” 

Shirlie groaned, sticking her head out the side of the bunk and looking up at her twin. “To find Tsuru! Wasn’t that the plan?” 

Pepsi looked away, but it was difficult to hide anything from Shirlie’s ability. Shirlie frowned, and suddenly a lot of Pepsi’s behavior over the past few weeks started to make a lot more sense. 

“You… don’t think she’s out there?” Shirlie asked in a tiny voice. 

“Grow up, Shirlie.” Pepsi rolled onto their side and shoved their face into their pillow. 

Shizuka was openly crying as she watched this play before her. She cupped her mouth in a hand, coughing as she was made to watch something so painful by this bastard of a priest. Jolyne rested a hand on her shoulder, though she didn’t really understand what was going on. 

“You call this person your friend, yet you made a promise that you couldn’t keep. You abandoned them.” Whitesnake growled from behind the projector. “Years of abuse and isolation. You promised you’d take them with you. But where were you instead? You threw away all of your responsibilities and sipped juice boxes while these children suffered.”

“That wasn’t me!” Shizuka shouted. 

“Maybe you’re right! Tsuru was a cunning woman who rivaled Dio himself in her tenacity. All I see now is a crying little girl.” Whitesnake hissed. 

The Stand raised its hand and snapped its fingers, skipping ahead to the good part. Shizuka recognized the room on screen. It was Pepsi’s New York bedroom from the apartment they shared with Shirlie and Josuke. Their twin was sitting on the bed with a frown. Judging by the look of Shirlie, this was only a year or two ago. 

“I know that was a lot to take in…” Shirlie mumbled. 

“Uh huh.” Pepsi shrugged. 

“You can’t ‘uh huh’ me, Pepsi. I know what you’re feeling.” Shirlie groaned. “I’m feeling it too! Why can’t we just… feel it together!? Why can’t you put it into words?” 

“Words?” Pepsi fired back. “You want me to put it into words? Okay. The woman that abandoned us in Hotel California is actually still alive! She turned into a baby and snuck herself into a family of her choosing, and then through some grand design ended up in our lives again! Everything we went through, everything we endured, it was all a calculated sacrifice to defeat a villain we didn’t even know about until years later. But she knew! This was her design. Doesn’t that bother you!?” 

Shirlie wasn’t used to seeing this kind of emotion from Pepsi. She took a deep breath, puffing some air out of her cheeks as she thought about what to say. 

“That wasn’t her, though.” She concluded. “It’s nature and nurture, ya know? She doesn’t remember doing any of that. It’d be like if you were shown those flashbacks and told you did it. Would that be fair? Shizuka’s just a kid. She was adopted by a generous family who loves her. Why should she be responsible for what Tsuru did?” 

“Because she is Tsuru.” Pepsi argued. “She has her freaking Stand, Shirlie! How is this difficult to understand?”

“Tsuru is a possibility of her DNA! It’s a person she could be with different nurturing! That’s not who she is now. Shizuka is an equally valid possibility of that body, and it’s the one we have. You’re not being fair.” Shirlie crossed her arms. 

“Even if that’s true,” Pepsi looked out the window. “I don’t know if I can ever look at her the same way again, knowing the person she might become.” 

The video paused, flickering in the air as Whitesnake grinned behind it. Shizuka’s ears were ringing, and she felt her vision blurring. Pepsi really felt that way? They’d been hiding it for years? That couldn’t be true… 

Silence swept over the church as Whitesnake let the memory drive its way into Shizuka like a rusty nail. After a long pause, Shizuka spoke. 

“That’s not me.” She said weakly. 

“Is that true?” Whitesnake tilted its head. The Stand slipped Pepsi’s disc back into Pucci’s pocket, but the screen didn’t disappear. Instead, a new memory flickered to life. This was one of Pucci’s memories from only an hour ago. 

“Do your worst.” Shizuka’s voice came through the radio in Pucci’s hand. “What, did you think this would be as easy as threatening my loved ones? I know your type is used to ruling by fear, but you’ll have to try a bit harder with me. If I give you Heaven, there’s no way to protect my family from you. Who needs a martyr? I’m much more useful to them alive.”

The video paused, and Pucci walked through the projection. “Spoken like a cold, calculated warrior. I threatened the lives of your family, and you told me to do my worst? How does that make you feel, Jolyne?” 

Jolyne was snapped out of her confusion when the priest said her name. She’d been trying to piece everything together to no avail. “I.. I don’t know what’s happening. You two are speaking a different language. But if you’re trying to paint Shizuka as some kind of villain, you’re dumber than you look. She’s fourteen! Fourteen-year-olds can’t be villains, their brains aren’t done developing! If I were judged solely on what I did at that age, I’d be in prison a lot longer than fifteen years!” 

Shizuka wasn’t listening anymore. She was deafened by the sound of her own pounding heart. She’d been running from feelings of guilt and shame for years at this point. Tsuru was a bad person. She experimented on an innocent human being for Dio, and when he tried to kill her, she killed him to survive. She manipulated everyone in Shizuka’s life. Shizuka was basically just living a lie setup by her past life. Her mother, her father, her friends, all of them were just the most convenient options to achieve Tsuru’s goal of stopping Blondie. So what if Blondie was threatening the world? Did the ends really justify the means? What was Shizuka meant to do after it all? Tsuru didn’t plan for that. 

Jolyne could tell she was losing the girl. “Shizuka…” She held the girl’s arm. “Don’t go fainting on me again. This is the real deal. I can’t take this guy and protect you at the same time.” 

“I’m not.. I’m.. I’m..” Shizuka muttered to herself. 

Jolyne didn’t have time to coddle the tough girl. She slapped Shizuka across the face. “Wake up! It’s showtime, Shizuka!” 

Pucci seemed satisfied with the results of his psychological warfare. He began to walk down the aisle with a smile on his face. Whitesnake hovered behind him, ready to pounce like a python at any moment. 

“They died because of me…” Shizuka mumbled. “They only came here because I asked them for their help, and now they’re a disc in Pucci’s pocket.” 

“Make up for it by kicking his ass and getting it back!” Jolyne shouted. 

Shizuka tried to focus on the moment. Why was Pucci walking up the middle of the chapel? Whitesnake’s effective range covered the entire room. Placing his body closer to his opponents seemed like an unnecessary risk. Could he really have spent all that time delaying them just to find a damning memory in Pepsi’s mind, or was there more to it? This was the man who kept a pile of Stand discs in his desk. 

His body was moving up the center as a distraction. 

Time seemed to slow down as everything fell into place. Pucci wasn’t just showing Shizuka those memories to weaken her mentally. He’d never rely on a strategy so unpredictable. He was using those triggering memories to keep her attention focused on the back of the chapel. How long had she been looking in that direction? It had been several minutes. The projector’s speakers were quite loud, too. Definitely loud enough to mask the sound of someone sneaking in through the priest’s home behind the chapel. 

Flower Child’s hand rose from inside Shizuka’s arm and clenched into a powerful fist. She began to turn her head, but the Stand could move so much faster. As she dragged her head to the side, she caught Pucci’s sinister smile out of the corner of her eye. This made her stomach sink, but she couldn’t afford to waste even a fraction of a second. 

Pucci watched in wicked satisfaction as it all played out according to plan. Shizuka’s Flower Child was a tricky one to be sure. The ability to control light, and even create hard light to use against its enemies? Not only that, but its speed was too much even for Whitesnake to rival. Though it lacked Star Platinum’s devastating force, Flower Child was the fastest Stand in the Joestar family. A Stand composed of light could travel almost impossibly fast. Pucci only knew of one thing that could move faster. 

The speed of dark. 

When Shizuka was fully turned around, she saw a floating shadow behind Jolyne. Her eyes widened, but just as she readied Flower Child to attack, it disappeared. The girl hesitated for a moment, but soon felt a dangerous presence lingering right behind her. That was fast… Too fast. Flower Child spun to face the threat behind its User only to find that it was gone once again. 

“Here’s a thought experiment…” Pucci smiled. “If you had a spotlight with enough power to hit the surface of the moon, that light would be traveling at the highest possible speed, the speed of light. But what if you put your hand in front of the spotlight? You’d be casting a shadow puppet onto the surface of the moon. If you moved that hand only a few centimeters, the shadow would travel thousands of miles across the moon’s surface in the same amount of time, thus breaking the speed of light.”

Shizuka understood where he was going with this. The shadow wasn’t actually “traveling” at all. That’s a misconception of the human eye. Shadows can move faster than light because they’re not real. They’re merely a lack of light in any given space. Could that be what this Stand was doing? When Flower Child prepared to attack, its body always emitted a powerful glow. Was that causing the shadowy Stand to vanish from sight and occupy the negative space behind her? How was she meant to fight something like that? If she had a bit more time, she might have been able to plot it out in her mind, but she was running on fumes. 

The Stand appeared behind her yet again, and she felt an overwhelming sense of danger wash over her. With only a moment to spare, she activated Mother Dawn. The Stand struck her in the back with enough force to be lethal, but it only drew flames in response. The light caused it to flicker away like before. Shizuka was knocked forward by the blow, and by that point she was panting. Mother Dawn needed some time to recharge, but this thing was quick. 

“What’s going on, Shizuka!?” Jolyne’s eyes shot around the room in search of the shadow. “I can’t even see the damn thing.” 

A Stand that existed within shadows was pretty much the perfect foil to Shizuka’s ability. How could she fight it without creating even more shadows to lurk in? Not only that, but Pucci was standing closer than before. Where was this Stand’s user? They had to have snuck in the back during Pucci’s presentation, right? If she could find the body, she could deal with them directly. 

The shadow appeared right in front of her, causing Flower Child to react on sheer instinct. It swung its fist at the wavering figure of shadow. Instead of vanishing like before, the shadow stood its ground. Shizuka watched in disbelief as Flower Child’s fist plunged right through the figure without any effect. No, that wasn’t the right way to describe it. The shadow seemed to bend around Flower Child’s arm, fitting to its shape like a sleeve but never making contact with it. 

The absence of light. This Stand was using Shizuka’s speed against her by riding the negative space around Flower Child’s bright arm. It couldn’t possibly cross such a distance that quickly on its own! It needed to latch onto the “speed of light” like a shady hitchhiker. And what did hitchhikers do when their driver passed their stop? They got off. 

Shizuka stared in horror as the shadowy figure’s entire body materialized on her arm, crouching on her weightlessly as it peered into her eyes. She lifted her arm to get a better look. The shadow was around five feet tall, but it perched on her arm like a tree branch with no issue. Flower Child turned to face its User, but the shadow was closer now. It tilted its head, and despite its face being devoid of features, Shizuka almost felt like it was taunting her. 

This shadow was the absence of light. Anything Shizuka tried to do to it would only serve as a highway leading right back to herself. Her heart was pounding furiously as she stared at the silent shadow on her arm. It leaned to the side, swinging around to dangle from her arm by its feet. Shizuka went to hit it with Flower Child, but she knew it was no use. The shadow rode Flower Child’s light and jumped off right in front of her chest. 

Now that it had her right where it wanted her, the shadow unleashed a barrage of fists into Shizuka’s chest. She tried to protect herself with Mother Dawn, but its flames only sparked briefly against the powerful strikes. She’d been using its ability too much in one go… The fists broke through her defense, and soon she felt several ribs cracking as well. The shadow reached up and grabbed the back of her head, shoving her down into its knee for one last strike. This all happened in the blink of an eye… How could something move so quickly? 

Shizuka’s face was slammed into the altar and dragged across its entire surface. She tried to punch and kick at the shadow to no avail. It slammed her head against the sturdy wooden altar three times before lifting her back up and throwing her down the steps into the aisle. She was left lying face down before the priest.

“Shizuka!” Jolyne shouted. 

“Keep her away from me!” Pucci ordered as he pointed at the shadow. 

Jolyne raised her fists to protect herself as the shadow sized her up. After watching it defeat Shizuka so easily, Jolyne didn’t have any delusions of defeating the Stand quickly enough to stop Pucci. But she still had to try! 

Pucci stepped closer to the twitching girl on the floor with disdain painted on his face. Whitesnake lifted her by the collar, keeping her at eye level with the priest. 

“You’re still conscious? I suppose you were augmented with Dio’s DNA…” He reached into her jacket pocket and retrieved Jotaro’s memory disc. 

“The very thing you came to retrieve, and now it’s mine again.” He purred. “You wanted me to do my worst, didn’t you? Oh Shizuka…” He adjusted the collar of her blouse. “You’re not that important. I came up with this plan in a single afternoon. It took me years to take down Jotaro.” 

Jolyne was slammed against the wall by the ominous shadow. She couldn’t land a single hit on it. Sweat beaded down her cheek as she watched Pucci lifting Shizuka off the ground. What was she supposed to do!? She tried to rush past the shadow only to find herself crashing into the wall head-first once again. This time her ears were ringing, and she felt a trickle of blood going down her nose. The shadow pinned her to the wall, keeping her far away from the priest while he finished his work. 

Whitesnake struck Shizuka in the stomach with an open palm. Her entire body rocked back from the blow, but she was still being held in place by the Stand. Mother Dawn’s fire sparked from the girl’s body the moment she was struck. Had the ultimate defensive ability worked against such a devastating power?

 At first, nothing seemed wrong. Then, her eyes widened as she felt something change within her. Two slits appeared across her face, and a moment later they each deployed a radiant compact disc. She stared a thousand yards into space as the discs ejected from her skull, and soon one of her eyes completely glazed over with light. 

(Art by @rejzyberry)

“If you were going to hide in a little girl’s body, you should’ve been smart and stayed hidden. I never would have known about you or your perfected Heaven if you hadn’t come here.” The priest grinned. “But I suppose that’s just the kind of woman you are: desperate for attention and power. Mrs. Me Me Me.” 

Shizuka’s head rolled back, and she looked at Pucci through her cold, dying eyes. Despite her current state, she didn’t look defeated.

“That’s Doctor ‘Me Me Me.’” She growled, plunging a shard of stained glass into the man’s chest. She slipped it between his ribs and managed to just barely pierce his liver. 

Pucci felt the air leave his lungs all at once as a white hot pool of blood formed in his shirt. He dropped Shizuka to her feet, clutching the wound and staring at her in disbelief. His fingers felt the shard of glass from Good Good Father’s Stand. When had she even grabbed it? All he could think about was Dio’s warning about the Joestars.

“A Joestar is weaker than you, smaller than you and lesser than you… But never underestimate them. They’ll find some underhanded tactic and steal victory right from underneath your nose time after time. That’s how I lost my body, and it’s how I was trapped at sea for a century.”

As Pucci stared at the girl in utter disbelief, he saw the flames burning just behind her eyes. Dio had mentioned that fire as well… This girl, she was the real deal. 

“Joestars…” He wheezed. 

Not again… Jolyne’s stomach sank as she watched Shizuka’s discs emerge. She’d already seen this happen to her father. She couldn’t let it happen to her baby cousin. 

“SHIZUKA!” She screamed across the chapel. 

The wounded priest limped over to Shizuka and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. She was still standing, but her energy was spent. The girl didn’t put up any struggle as she was grabbed by Whitesnake.

“Finally.” Pucci moaned in pain, plucking the memory disc from Shizuka’s face. Blood poured from his wound, and he knew he needed immediate medical attention. This couldn’t go on one minute longer. “You’re coming with me,” He growled at the memory disc, shoving it into his pocket. 

The fire behind her eyes died out, and soon she was just an unconscious girl hanging from Whitesnake’s fist. All that remained was a sparkling Stand disc hovering above her brow. Whitesnake grabbed it with a snarl. He cast the girl’s body aside, letting it unceremoniously crash against the carpet. 

“The ‘Flower Child…’ What a joke. I think you’ve caused enough problems for one lifetime, Tsuru. You’re not worth keeping around as bait… I’m going to do what Dio should have done twenty years ago!” 

Whitesnake squeezed the disc in both hands, gritting its teeth as its muscles flexed with stress. The disc was incredibly durable, but it was a product of Whitesnake and would submit to the Stand’s will! Flower Child could be seen on the shimmering disc, and soon a single crack appeared on its face. Whitesnake grinned, applying even more pressure. 

“This… ends… ” The Stand screamed, flexing every muscle it had as it ripped the disc in two directions. 

Flower Child emerged from the disc and grabbed Whitesnake’s arm. Cracks were plastered all over its body, but it still had enough strength to manifest. The priest didn’t care. He kept going even as Flower Child clawed at Whitesnake’s flesh. 

“NOW!” 

(Art by @rejzyberry)

The disc shattered into dozens of glowing pieces. Flower Child froze in place, and soon the cracks on its skin splintered to every inch of its body. A powerful white light shined behind the cracks, and soon it was blinding to everyone in the chapel. Pillars of light erupted from the Stand’s body as a terribly high wail threatened to deafen them as well. Then, in an instant, the Stand shattered. Millions of rainbow particles burst through the air like stardust. They sparkled in the sunlight as it poured in through the missing window. Shizuka Joestar’s life force, her fighting spirit had been reduced to twinkling dust in the humid Florida air. 

Even if they got her memory disc back, she wouldn’t wake up. Both discs needed to be recovered to fully restore Whitesnake’s victims. But Pucci had just destroyed her will, her essence. Now all that remained were her memories. 

“No!” Jolyne shrieked, falling to one knee as tears overtook her. She just reached out a hand in vain, like she could somehow put the pieces of Shizuka back together. 

Pucci retrieved the memory discs for Jotaro and Pepsi and inspected them carefully. “Remy!” He wheezed, casting the discs onto the carpet. “Hide these in the prison! Use the other Stand discs, make as many guardians as you need. Do not let the others get these.” 

Jolyne watched as the shadow flickered across the chapel and retrieved the discs. What was Pucci doing? He didn’t plan on finishing her off? Now that she got a closer look, his wound looked pretty damn bad. Shizuka might’ve saved Jolyne’s ass in her final moments. The shadow was gone in a flash, leaving Jolyne and Pucci alone. 

“I’m taking her,” Pucci patted Shizuka’s memory disc. “But your father and friend are staying here. You’ll have to choose, Kujo.”

“You’re not going anywhere, Pucci.” Jolyne growled, readying Stone Free.

The priest just huffed. “All the years I spent here, you don’t think I have an escape route?” 

Before Jolyne could react, Pucci slipped behind a pew and lifted up a kneeling mat. He pulled on a string and lifted up a trap door. Jolyne jumped down from the altar to pursue him, but by the time she caught up she couldn’t see him. Pucci had disappeared into the dark hatch below. She bounded down after him without any concern for herself. It was only after getting a good look at the dark, narrow tunnel that she thought better of herself. This place was perfect for Whitesnake. All it took was one hit, and Jolyne would be a goner. 

Jolyne slammed her fist into the wall, gnashing her teeth together as she considered her next move. That “Remy” had fled with Jotaro and Pepsi’s discs, but Pucci was getting away with Shizuka’s! What was she supposed to do? Her best bet would be to bring Shizuka’s body to the foundation and put it on life support. She climbed out of the escape passage and dusted herself off only to find the aisle was empty.

Shizuka’s body was gone. 

Jolyne’s heart stopped. She shook her head in confusion as her head spun around the church looking for any sign of her cousin. She noticed a faint trail of blood leading to the priest’s living area. Jolyne ran to the source of the trail only to find Shizuka standing at the edge of Pucci’s office. The window had been shattered, and a sea breeze pelted them both as the curtains blew around the room. That had to be how Remy got in… But why was Shizuka’s body standing there!? Weren’t Whitesnake’s victims supposed to be comatose? 

“S-Shizuka?” Jolyne asked softly as she stepped closer to the girl. 

Shizuka’s body spun around to stare at Jolyne. She was expressionless as her eyes stared right through her cousin. As Jolyne came closer, Shizuka only backed up more.

“What’re you doing, kiddo? C’mere…” Jolyne reached out her hands. “Can you remember me?” 

Shizuka’s eyes adjusted a bit like she was trying to figure the woman out. But when Jolyne took one more step, the reanimated body recoiled back. Shizuka bumped into the shattered window frame and stumbled out of the window behind her. Jolyne gasped, sprinting over to the window a moment too late. She could only watch as Shizuka’s body tumbled down the rocky hill and into the ravenous sea below. She cast Stone Free’s string to retrieve the girl but didn’t have enough to reach her. 

“SHIZUKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Jolyne cried as she leaned out the window. 

“J-Jolyne?” A young voice asked from the office’s doorway. 

She spun around, almost expecting the high voice to be Shizuka’s against all odds. She was met with a shy boy in a baseball cap instead. Her expression sank, and she wiped the tears from her eyes. “How do you know my name?” 

“I’m Emporio, I think Anasui told you about me?” He meekly asked. 

Jolyne nodded with a sniffle. “Yeah? Sorry kid, but you picked a hell of a time to introduce yourself.” 

“I came to get you!” He explained. “Everyone’s ready to go. Anasui’s in critical care in the Foundation’s submarine. Are you coming?” 

Jolyne looked out the window and took a long breath of fresh air. Her choice was clear: Find her father’s disc inside or leave Green Dolphin and find Shizuka. She turned to the boy once more with a look of determination. 

“We need to get going.”

Chapter Text

Everything was so loud. Jolyne’s ears rang as she laid in the hospital bed. A brigade of doctors failed to determine what was wrong with the little girl, but they weren’t comfortable sending her home either. She’d had a dangerous fever for days and couldn’t keep a bite of food down. This meant her only sustenance was coming from non-solids, which couldn’t last much longer. They were already discussing feeding tubes and other drastic options if her sickness didn’t improve in the coming days. 

The seven-year-old didn’t understand why she was feeling this way, or when it would stop. She just wanted her ears to stop ringing. They kept popping and clogging due to her congestion, and each time they popped it felt like someone was blowing a horn into her brain. The child was boiling, and her bedding was tinted yellow from all the sweating she’d been doing. Even though they swapped it daily, she still felt like a dirty, sick mess of a girl. She wanted her mother… Where had her mother gone? Jolyne’s eyes struggled to open as she stared at the impossibly bright lights above her hospital bed. She’d been in and out of consciousness for the better part of an hour at that point, but her Mom had stopped rubbing her forehead. Where was her mother…?

“No, dammit Jotaro…” A hushed voice came from the corner of the room. “You aren’t listening to me. They might need to operate on her. Don’t you understand? She needs her father here.” 

Focusing on any specific thing was difficult for Jolyne, but she managed to fix her eyes on her mother and tune into the conversation. Maura was perched on the recliner they’d moved into the room for her. The mother’s back was turned to Jolyne as she spoke with a whisper into the phone. She’d been sleeping in that recliner for four days straight, but she never complained once. 

“A paper? Is a paper really more important than your daughter?” She growled into the phone.”

Jolyne couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but she knew Maura was talking to her dad. Only Jotaro could ever make her that upset. 

“She could be dying, Jotaro. Am I supposed to handle all of this myself? I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do…” She repeated in a wavering voice. Her husband seemed to speak a bit more than usual, as Maura listened silently for another twenty seconds or so. She cleared her throat and nodded afterward. 

“Okay. No, no, it’s fine. I understand.” She sighed, wiping her face with one hand. “Yes, I’ll do it first thing in the morning. Okay, I’ll call you as soon as I know more. I love you.” 

Maura hung up the phone and turned to sit normally in her recliner. She let it rock back with a groan, covering her eyes as she let the last of the tears flow freely. Jolyne waited about twenty seconds before stirring in her bed, alerting the mother that she was awake. Maura gasped, standing up and approaching the bed. There were bags under her puffy red eyes, but she still managed to put up a smile that eased Jolyne’s worries. 

“Heeeeey, honey…” Maura brushed the matted, sweaty hair from Jolyne’s face and tucked it behind her ears. “How’re you feeling?” 

“I’m okay,” Jolyne whimpered. 

“Of course you are, my little Jojo… So brave and strong.” Maura smiled as she grabbed a few tissues and dabbed at her daughter’s sweaty cheeks. 

“Where’s Dad?” Jolyne asked for what had to be the tenth time. 

Maura’s expression sank for a moment, but she quickly saved face for her daughter. “Dad’s still stuck in Japan, sweetheart. He’s trying really hard to get here, but he told me to give you a message in the meantime.” 

Jolyne felt a twist in her stomach. Her mother had just lied to her… They’d been arguing on the phone, and it sounded like her dad wasn’t trying that much at all. Could she even trust that this message was real?

“What’d he say?” She asked softly.

Maura cupped her daughter’s cheek and smiled. “He said when he gets home, he’s gonna take you to the aquarium and tell you everything he’s learned while studying in Japan. Doesn’t that sound nice?” 

Jolyne could only nod weakly, but a smile crept across her face. “Yeah… He knows so much about the fishies.” She coughed. 

“That’s right honey, he does…” Maura caressed her daughter’s face, though her eyes were staring into space. 

Jolyne noticed this and frowned. “M-Mom? When I’m feeling better, can we all go to the beach?” 

Maura seemed a bit surprised. “Whaa? You hate the beach, Jojo!” She wrinkled her nose in amusement. 

“But you and Dad love it…” Jolyne leaned her cheek into her mother’s hand. “When was the last time you and Dad got to have a nice day together?” 

Maura fought back tears, but she quickly choked them up and nodded in agreement. “Okay honey. When your father gets home, we’ll all go to the beach together. How does that sound?” 

Jolyne was getting exhausted from so much talking, so she just nodded. The girl grabbed her mother’s palm in both of her small, shaking hands and squeezed it sweetly. 

“I love you…” She said in a tiny voice. 

Maura continued to run her hands through Jolyne’s hair until the girl was on the verge of sleep once more. The last thing she remembered her mother saying before slipping away was a simple phrase. 

“Things will get better.”

The Speedwagon Foundation’s submarine floated gently beneath the open sea as it orbited Green Dolphin Prison. A group of doctors were working on Anasui’s wound in one room while the others sat in the control room. Ripley was tapping her foot harder by the minute as she waited for the surgery to complete. After about half an hour of painstaking waiting, a doctor opened the door and broke the tense, silent air. 

“She’s going to be okay.” The doctor sighed. 

Everyone in the room allowed themselves to exhale for what felt like the first time in hours. Ripley stood up and took inventory of the room for a moment. “Understood. We’ve got to get her somewhere stable so she can recover. I suppose this is a jailbreak.” 

“S-So we’re actually leaving?” LuLaRoe asked in disbelief. “You guys can just like… take us out of prison and nobody will care?” 

“It’s a little more complicated than that, but yes.” Ripley sighed. “Nobody’s going back into that hell hole.” 

Jolyne clenched her jaw. “Pepsi and my old man are still trapped inside.” 

“Jolyne, we’re weighing our options here.” Ripley spoke carefully. “Jotaro is our strongest asset. You don’t think I wanna kick the door down myself?”

“We always leave the prison,” Emporio hugged himself in his seat. “Might as well do it now.” 

Ripley rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Right, because this has all happened before? Can somebody back me up here? Before we make our next move, we need to figure out what the hell is going on.” 

“What about Shizuka?” Jolyne countered. 

The arbiter clasped her fists until her knuckles were white. “Our preliminary search turned up nothing. If her body’s in the water, we can’t find it. Our best chance of finding her undetected will be at night.” 

“But at that point we’re just looking for a body?” Jolyne leaned back in her chair. “How could this have happened?” 

“You said she walked away from the scene herself?” Ripley rested a finger to her lips. “Whitesnake’s victims are supposed to be completely empty husks. How did she get up and walk on her own after losing both her discs? Not only that, but her Flower Child was even destroyed?” 

“Broken to pieces by Pucci.” Jolyne nodded. 

Ripley took another deep breath. She could process that later. “She seems to be displaying signs of life that none of our other subjects are. The kid’s built to last; there’s a good chance she survived the fall and swam away.” 

“Built strong? Even if she survived, she’d be in no condition to swim to shore.” Maura said. 

Ripley paused, unsure of how much she wanted to divulge. “Shizuka’s a bit more durable than your average girl. I’m not going to write her off until I see a corpse. Neither should any of you. Scarier things than this Pucci dude have tried and failed.” Her earpiece beeped, and she tapped it twice. After having a brief, hushed interaction with whoever was on the other end, Ripley cleared her throat. 

“None of you are required to come with us. If you’d prefer to serve your sentence and avoid becoming a felon on the run, you’ve still got time to go back inside before anyone realizes you’re missing. But let me be clear; we aren’t coming back for you. If you get off the ride now, you’re agreeing to pave your own way out later.” 

Ermes sighed, standing up and brushing herself off. “I guess that’s my cue, then.” 

Jolyne was shocked. “Ermes, you’re staying behind?” 

The older woman just smiled down at Jolyne. “Listen Jolyne, I picked this fight because I believe in you, but my business is still in this prison until I find the man who killed my sister. Besides, someone’s gotta stay behind and find those memory discs, right?” She smirked. 

“You’re going to get them back?” Jolyne gasped. 

“Or die trying.” Ermes flexed her arm proudly. 

“I’m staying too!” Foo Fighters sprang from her seat. 

Jolyne was at a loss for words. Foo Fighters was basically attached to her at the hip every day. She was choosing to stay behind even with Jolyne leaving? “I didn’t expect that,” She admitted. 

“Don’t get me wrong, prison sucks! The guards yell at you for fun, there’s bigger women who might break your bones if you look at them wrong, and I don’t have my freedom… But I’m not ready to go out and live in the real world, not yet. I have a lot more learning to do before I can pass as human.” 

“But you were getting those lessons from me…” Jolyne put a hand on the plankton’s shoulder. “I could keep teaching you.” 

Foo Fighters just shook her head. “I don’t wanna distract you out there, Jolyne. I’m more useful here looking for those discs with Ermes.” 

Jolyne stuttered for a moment as she felt like her entire life was shifting beneath her feet. That morning she’d woken in a prison cell with a mission, and now the sun was setting and everything had changed. She gripped both of Foo’s shoulders with a weak smile. 

“But… I don’t want you to stay. I want you to come with me.” 

Ermes looked away, granting them a bit of knowing privacy. Foo Fighters just laughed sadly as her cheeks tinged the slightest hue of pink. “I think you’re the one who said ‘not here, not now’ earlier. That was… good advice.” Foo sucked her lips in anxiously. “There’ll be a better time for that conversation, right? I guess it’s a good reason for us both to survive until then?” 

Jolyne hung her head and loosened her grip on the plankton Stand. “Yeah, definitely an incentive.” 

Foo Fighters stepped back and joined Ermes by the door. “Anyone else coming?” 

LuLaRoe crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. “Sorry dudes, but I’m not setting foot in that concrete cage again if I don’t have to.”

It took Ripley a moment, but she eventually recognized LuLaRoe from the news. She hitched her breath for a moment before pushing those emotions aside and nodding. “Then we’ll find something to keep you busy. As for you two, let’s get you back inside.” 

Jolyne could only sadly wave at her friends as they exited the room with Ripley. She raised her eyes as the sound of their shoes clanking against the ladder filled the submarine. Maura rested a hand on her leg and squeezed it just to remind Jolyne that her mother was there for her. She appreciated it. 

“Did you and Shizuka really defeat that crazy priest?” The mother asked quietly. 

Jolyne nodded. “It was mostly Shizuka. The kid’s cut from a different cloth, that Arbiter lady’s right.” 

“Neither of you should have had to do that.” Maura frowned. “You’re children, it’s an adult’s responsibility to take care of things like this for you.” 

“I’m twenty, Mom. Hardly a kid anymore.” Jolyne smiled weakly. 

“You’ll laugh at that in your forties, dear.” Maura sighed. She looked around and let the air sit for a moment before shifting gears a bit. “What’s her name, by the way?” 

Jolyne raised a brow. “Erm, who are you talking about?” 

Maura just smiled. “The green haired girl. She seems nice.” 

The daughter’s face burned crimson, and she scooted a bit away from her mother. “Her name’s Foo Fighters, she’s cool I guess. Why are you asking? You’ve met like twenty people today.” 

Maura crossed her arms with a grin. “You were touching her a lot, that’s all. I suppose I always wondered, but I never knew how to broach the subject.” 

Steam was practically shooting from Jolyne’s ears. This was not what she wanted to be talking about. “Yeah, she’s nice! She’s a Plankton that was granted human-like-sentience by a Stand and I’ve kinda been teaching her how to be human which is tough because that body used to belong to another woman, but she died and Foo kinda just… slipped in.” Jolyne dumped it all out at once, unsure how else to explain the crazy circumstances of Foo Fighters. 

Her mother just chuckled. “Good lord, queer dynamics have gotten a lot more complicated since I experimented in college.” 

“Weren’t you and Dad dating in college!?” Jolyne tensed up. 

“We weren’t serious for a year or so.” Maura laughed. 

“I don’t wanna talk about this anymore!” Jolyne shook her head. 

Laughter came from the control room as Ripley stood outside alone. She held a hand over her eyes and thought about how big of a shitstorm she’d steered her crew into. Shizuka and Pepsi were just kids, and now they were gone. Emporio had come to see Ermes and Foo Fighters off, and soon he came back down the ladder with a somber expression. Ripley lowered her hand and cleared her throat. 

“What you talked about earlier…” She sighed. “How everything’s happened before? What did Shizuka think about it?” 

Emporio shrugged. “She had a lot of questions, to be honest. I don’t think anyone’s ever been so forceful about it.”

Ripley chuckled fondly. “That’s my girl. She was trying to piece it together all alone in the middle of an emergency. If anyone could’ve, it’d be her.” 

“Who is Shizuka, Ma’am? I’ve never seen her before. Jolyne always shows up around 2012, Ermes too. Pucci always puts Foo Fighters’s disc into a plankton and loses control of her. But Shizuka’s never come to break Jolyne out before. This is my first time meeting her friends, too. The Foundation was always just some outside force that provided a bit of help when it could. I never really relied much on it.” 

Ripley thought about it for a minute. “If what you’re saying is true, something must have happened to her in the other cycles. She’s definitely got a habit of finding trouble. When does each cycle begin?” 

“I don’t really know?” Emporio shrugged. “I don’t remember everything right away. It’s kinda like waking up on a Saturday morning, you know? You’re staring at the ceiling thinking about something, and that’s when you realize you’ve been awake for a while. Do you actually remember waking up though? I don’t know when I start remembering things, but it always happens.” 

Ripley tapped her shoe impatiently. “This is the kind of thing Shizuka’s supposed to figure out while I handle all the moving parts.” Her earpiece rang once more, and she tapped it twice. “...understood. All clear!” She pounded the door to the control room. 

Emporio felt the submarine shifting around in the ocean. He wondered where they might be taking him? Would it be the Speedwagon Foundation? Or would they pursue Pucci? If Jolyne’s story was true, the priest seemed incredibly vulnerable…

The escape tunnel was filled with the awful raspy squeaks of Pucci’s failing lungs as he dragged himself through it with nothing but sheer willpower. That Shizuka… Shattering her Stand disc was too kind. He should’ve done something even worse. The priest’s bloody hand slipped into his pocket to check for Shizuka’s memory disc for the tenth time. He got what he needed. After all those years in this hell hole he’d finally obtained the steps to Dio’s plan. 

Pucci didn’t have time to dwell on such a small victory. He’d gotten far enough away from Jolyne, so he pulled himself up and leaned his back against the tunnel’s wall. Shizuka had pierced his liver. If he didn’t take care of it immediately he’d run the risk of dying in this putrid tunnel. 

The priest reached into his pocket and produced a thin envelope between his fingers. He pulled a shining disc from the envelope before casting it aside. This was a rather powerful Stand that he’d taken about a year ago from a promising young nurse. 

The ability to steal Stands from their Users was powerful enough on its own, but giving those Stands to other strong-willed warriors and turning them into Pucci’s minions was what separated him from the rest of the feckless pests that tried to take down the Joestar family over the years. There was one technique Pucci rarely explored. It piqued his interest at first, but his initial tests produced disgusting results. 

What happens when you shove a Stand disc into someone if they already have a Stand? 

The prospect of doubling-up on Stand Abilities intrigued Pucci to no end, but he could never figure it out. Somehow that pesky Shizuka managed to do it, but he was busy working on grander things. Still, he envied her knowledge about it at that moment. Pucci held Shizuka’s memory disc up and inspected it carefully. He was low on time, but Whitesnake was more than capable of finding a memory or two from the disc almost instantly. 

Pucci slipped the disc into his forehead and opened his eyes. All of Tsuru’s secrets were revealed… He knew about Heaven, Requiem Stands, and even how Shizuka defeated the sinister Blondie three years prior. 

When Pucci had tried to put Stand discs into existing Users it always led to disaster. They’d display symptoms of a seizure before passing out if they were lucky, or dying if they weren’t. It seemed a connection between the new User and the Stand’s origin helped raise their chances, but he’d never actually gotten it to work. Now he knew why… 

Stands can be hazardous to its own User’s health, and shoving two of them into a person’s body caused a war that typically destroyed them from the inside. Shizuka’s Stands harmonized together instead of fighting, and that’s why she was able to have two of them. The only other option was for one of the Stands to utterly win the internal battle. That’s how Shizuka temporarily took control of Rapture and changed Blondie’s form. 

The Stand between his fingers had the power to heal its own User. He already had Whitesnake, so it wouldn’t accept him as its User. That’s why he needed to force it. This wasn’t going to be pleasant. Pucci removed his belt, folding it once and placing the layered leather between his teeth. 

As he braced himself, Whitesnake’s hand carefully drew nearer with the disc. The Stand was completely calm even as Pucci’s body trembled with nerves and pain. After a pause, he nodded at Whitesnake. The disc slipped into his forehead, and he felt his eyes roll into the back of his head. What came next was a white-hot pain in his chest as the foreign Stand tried to acclimate itself to his body. He slammed his head against the tunnel wall and bit down as hard as he could on the belt. The new Stand was defensive, confused and burning with the will to live. Whitesnake entered Pucci’s body and began to confront the intruder. 

All Pucci could do was writhe on the ground and drool past the belt as Whitesnake fought the new Stand with all its might. He didn’t need to completely win the fight, he just needed to commandeer the ability for a few seconds. If he could heal his liver, he’d eject the disc. 

A flood of emotions washed over Pucci’s consciousness as he tried to ride through the pain. He could feel the will of the woman he’d taken this Stand from. Even though she was long dead, this echo of her remained on Earth. It didn’t want to die. No amount of reason would convince the Stand that it was dead, so Pucci had to fight tooth and nail to remain dominant. 

“You will do…” He moaned, moving both of Whitesnake’s hands to his stomach and gritting his teeth. “...as I say.” 

“NO!” It roared, vibrating every bone in his body. 

Pucci felt blood vessels bursting underneath his skin. A million different parts of his body erupted into agony. He bit so hard on the belt that his teeth began to tear through it. Pucci was only human. His body was weak and frail compared to the likes of Shizuka and Blondie. That didn’t matter. Pucci was chosen by a higher power to bring Heaven down for all on Earth. If he couldn’t defeat a single Stand in a battle of wills, how could he hope to assert his will on everyone else? 

“Submit.” He growled through the belt, and soon the skin around his eyes began to splinter. The cracks fractured throughout his body and emitted a thin glow beneath the surface. Whitesnake was being destroyed. 

“NO!” The Stand shrieked back at him. 

Whitesnake’s trembling fingers grabbed the tip of the disc and began to pull it from Pucci’s forehead, but it was stopped by Pucci’s own hand. He was at war with himself, but there was no going back… Sweat and tears trailed down his face as he slammed his head against the wall to cope with the pain. This was God testing him again. 

“Psalm 118:6…” Pucci whimpered through the belt as snot pooled on his upper lip. He arched his back and gripped the floor suddenly as another jolt of pain overtook him. “With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?” 

With new resolve, Pucci returned to his internal battle. Whitesnake ripped his top in half to expose the wound to open air. 

“No…” The foreign Stand pleaded. 

“I shall see the face of God… AND LIVE!” He roared, closing Whitesnake’s palms around thin air. A moment later, two lithe arms appeared within his grasp. They were the fading hands of the foreign Stand. Pucci felt the intruder’s strength wavering and knew this was his only chance. Whitesnake’s fingers dug into the weakened Stand and caused its skin to crack. 

“Heal me now or die!” Whitesnake hissed. 

Relief washed over Pucci as he felt the wound shrinking. His punctured liver, broken blood vessels and the rest of his petty wounds from the day began to heal. Adrenaline continued to pump as he squeezed the Stand threateningly. It needed to finish the job! He felt a sense of peace setting in as the process neared its end. 

“Enough,” He growled. “Leave the rest.” 

The Stand was confused. “You said I needed to heal you?” 

“I’m not dying anymore.” He grunted, squeezing the Stand with his returning strength. It burst into a million twinkling particles all around him. Pucci didn’t even react to the flashing light, nor the life he’d just taken from this world. “Pain is a blessing. I need to keep the pain. It’s the only thing that can lead to redemption.” 

The foreign Stand was reduced to a mass of sparkling remains drifting through the air. Pucci let out a groan and rested the back of his head against the wall. The belt fell into his lap, and he ran both hands over his face. That’s when he noticed he wasn’t alone in the tunnel. The priest sighed, lowering his hands. 

“Yes, Remy?” He growled, sensing the shadow lurking close by. 

“It’s about Shizuka Joestar,” A soft voice echoed through the escape route. 

“What about her?” 

“Her body is gone.” 

Pucci’s eyes darkened, and he clenched his jaw hard enough that he feared his teeth might shatter. “What do you mean ‘gone?’”  He demanded. 

“It got up and walked away.” 

“I should’ve known that brat had a few tricks up her sleeve.” He took Shizuka’s disc and inspected it carefully. “It seems like she has two spirits within her. I only shattered her Flower Child. Mother Dawn still remains. But I have her memory disc right here,” He presented the shining disc to the shadows. “That means she’s a walking corpse. She might have the will to live, but everything that makes Shizuka, Shizuka, is in my hands.” 

“What do you suggest we do?” Remy asked cautiously. 

Pucci hissed through his teeth. “She couldn’t have gone far. Arm a few prisoners with Stands and hide Jotaro’s disc somewhere safe. Then…” His eyes darkened. “Find the body and finish the job.” 

There was silence in the tunnel for a short while, but soon Remy responded. “I understand.” 

“Good. And Remy?” Pucci raised a brow, letting the shadow hang on his words. “Remember that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. If you’re feeling sympathetic for this little Joestar girl… don’t.” 

“I understand,” The shadow echoed.

“I mean it. She made her bed decades ago. The body you’re hunting down isn’t young or innocent. It’s a farce. Put her down and end this chapter of my life. Don’t fear her, fear God if you fail him.” 

“The Lord is my Shepherd. There is nothing I shall want.” Remy responded. 

“Psalm 23.” Pucci smiled. “You’re right. Wanting is for He who knows all. The only thing we should ‘want’ is to serve him. Now do as I say.” 

Pucci felt the shadowy presence leave him, and he slowly relaxed against the tunnel wall. 

“Joestars.” He mused to himself, twisting Shizuka’s disc around between his fingers. Despite the rage he felt, Pucci almost had to respect Shizuka’s tenacity. Even though he was holding her very soul in his hands she somehow sprang up and ran away? In another life, perhaps they could have been powerful allies. Alas, they strayed from the blessed path and dared to deny God. Just like Dio used Jonathan’s body, Pucci would use Shizuka’s mind to achieve his goals. That’s as far as an alliance would ever go between them. 

Spirits were low at the Speedwagon Foundation. Pepsi, Jotaro and Anasui were all kept in the same room so the Foundation’s top doctors could keep a constant eye on them. Jolyne stood in front of the beds with her arms crossed. All three of these people were here because of her, because she fell for Romeo’s charm. She gripped the railing at the foot of Jotaro’s bed and clenched her jaw. She heard fancy shoes clicking behind her and quickly composed herself. 

Ripley walked up beside Jolyne with hands in her pockets. She just stared at the bodies with a somber face. “I bet you’re thinking about all the ways this is your fault.” 

Jolyne stammered for a moment, prompting the Arbiter to chuckle. 

“I get it. If you want some advice from a woman who’s been doing this longer than you, here is it. Don’t obsess over the things that might have been, or even what should be. You did your best in a life or death situation. Most people would’ve failed, yet here you are. Every single person who survived is a victory in itself. The rest, we rebuild.” Ripley gave Jolyne’s shoulder a firm pat. 

Jolyne could barely keep her anger for the world in check. She nodded at Ripley’s words, but they meant nothing to her at the moment. “Have you ever been handcuffed?” She asked in a low voice. 

Ripley raised a brow. “We’ve done a few hostage training exercises, but I’ve never been cuffed for real.” 

Jolyne lifted her wrists and showed the bruising she’d received after months of being thrown around, slammed into walls and dragged through the prison by her restraints. “Every day they’d put me in handcuffs. It was easier to beat me senseless when I didn’t have my hands.” 

The Arbiter lowered her eyes. “Jolyne…” 

“FE40536.” She corrected Ripley. “That’s my inmate number. They took my name at the door. The things I’ve seen, Ripley… The things I was subjected to in those walls? At least with Stand Users I could put them in their place. But if a guard’s hand wandered a little too low in the hall? What could I do about that? They’d throw me into solitary confinement for the smallest thing, and then they’d put insects in my meals. But none of that was the worst part…” 

Jolyne’s hands released the bed’s rail and fell to her sides. She stared up at the ceiling, as if to relive the moment as she recounted it. 

“Back in November I was thinking about the presidential election, how I wasn’t allowed to vote in it? And for just a moment, a little voice in the back of my mind told me that made sense. Of course I shouldn’t get a vote. Why would someone as horrible as me get to participate in our system?” She smiled wearily. “I know I’m innocent, but spending enough time there does things to you. It chips away at your sense of self until all you see in the mirror is a felon, an animal who can’t be trusted to wash its own ass without supervision. Not even guilty people deserve to feel that way. They took away my humanity.

“So yeah I’m pissed, and it’s not just because I blame myself. I’m pissed that Pucci got away after everything he’s done to me. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even be standing here right now. I’d be on the first plane to the Vatican or wherever that fucker’s going so I can kick his ass six ways to Sunday.” 

Ripley crossed her arms and let Jolyne finish. The woman tapped her shoe a few times in consideration. “That’s what I wanted to hear. You’re still good to fight.” 

“What?” Jolyne asked. Had that been a test? 

“Come with me, there’s somebody I want you to meet.” 

The Speedwagon Foundation was a trailblazer in the field of scientific research with a primary goal of improving society and protecting mankind from any type of threat. A recent change in management made that goal even more clear. Humanity was not assured survival, and it needed to be ready if such a threat were ever to arrive again. With that in mind, they’d been building up their small band of fighters into something with a bit more bite than bark. Ripley led Jolyne into an observation deck that stood above what appeared to be a training chamber. 

The training area was riddled with improvised cover, set pieces and differing terrain. It was almost like an elaborate paintball course. Jolyne watched as a stream of armed trainees entered the chamber with armor and weaponry. She looked to Ripley for answers, and the arbiter seemed happy to provide them. 

“This is a real treat.” Ripley grinned. “Level five training, they’re using live rounds.” 

“What!?” Jolyne stepped forward. “They’ll kill each other.” 

Ripley shook her head. “They’re not fighting each other. This is a team-building exercise. 

Jolyne had more questions, but she got the impression that Ripley was going for a mysterious appeal. She kept quiet and watched the scene unfold. The group of trainees split into several smaller squads and swept the chamber carefully for any threats. It was eerily quiet despite the hefty speakers broadcasting the chamber’s audio into the observation deck. All Jolyne could hear was the sound of clanking boots and the occasional puddle of mud. 

“What are they using those live rounds on?” Jolyne broke the silence. “And when is it coming?” 

“She’s already inside.” Ripley said. 

“She?” 

A squad of trainees came around a corner and swung their heads every which way. They were clearly in a panic as they searched the chamber for whatever “she” was. One woman froze in place as a sinister presence ached close by. She felt a shiver run up her spine, and soon she felt compelled to lower her weapon. 

“Monica!” Another trainee slapped her shoulder. “What’re you doing?! Block out the charisma!” 

Jolyne narrowed her eyes as she tried to get a better look at the trainees. Their armor seemed military enough, but there was something dangling from their necks that she couldn’t recognize. It almost looked like one of those large neck pillows people used on airplanes, but it seemed a little firmer than that. Those had to hinder their head movement a bit, right? 

“Why are they wearing those neck things?” 

Ripley grinned. “That’s the game. She’s trying to drain them.” 

Monica couldn’t snap out of it, even as she was shaken by her comrade. Christopher let go of the woman and readied his weapon once again. “Fine! This test is the real deal! If you can’t hack it, that’s on you.” 

“But she’s…” Monica whimpered. 

“She’s what!?” Christopher demanded. 

“She’s here.” 

A clawed hand tore its way through the wall beside the trainees and lunged for the closest victim. The jet black claws lodged into the neck protector on Christopher’s armor and caused the trainee to seize up. He felt as the fluid was drained from the protector; leaving it light and deflated on his shoulders. The nails went so deep into his protector that he felt them grazing his skin, and he stared at the hand with true fear. 

“Monica.” He wheezed, fumbling for his weapon. 

The woman’s fight or flight finally kicked in as she unloaded half a magazine of her weapon into the wall beside them. The hand twitched and thrashed as its host was no doubt riddled with bullets, and soon it let go of Christopher. The trainees stared at the hand as it dangled from the wall lifelessly. Did they really do it? Was it that easy? 

A blurry figure appeared on top of the wall and towered over the trainees. It was difficult to see in the dark, but it wasn’t wearing their armor. Blonde hair fell over its shoulders as it stared at them with cold eyes. Monica didn’t understand how she was seeing this, but then she noticed the blood dripping from the figure’s side. It had removed its own arm and left it in the wall to dodge the attack. The figure had no arms! 

“What the hell is that?” Jolyne stepped closer to the glass with a pale face. 

Ripley joined Jolyne by the glass with an amused smile. “That’s the reason they get live rounds.” 

Christopher fell to his knees as he stared at the creature before him. His “blood” had been drained, so the game was over for him. All he could do was hope Monica fared better than him. The trembling trainee lifted her gun toward the armless monster and prepared to fire. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, the creature lurched forward and twisted itself impossibly in the air. It had an unnatural control of itself as it fell toward Monica, and it effortlessly dodged her haphazard gunfire as she tried to protect herself. 

When the creature landed on two feet, Monica shrieked. She jammed her gun into its stomach and prepared to fire. She really would have too, if what happened next didn’t blow her mind. Monica watched in abject terror as the recently severed arm’s wound began to bubble like boiling water on the creature. Like a cheap jumpscare in a horror game the arm BURST from the creature’s shoulder and was good as new. It dripped with an odd fluid as the creature flexed its new limb. Monica felt a fluid of her own filling her pants, and she knew it was over. The new arm grabbed Monica by the throat and lifted her into the air. Another squad came around the corner and froze at the scene before them. 

Three of the trainees readied their guns, so the creature held Monica in front of itself like a human shield. Monica could only dangle helplessly as she felt the creature’s nails sink into her neck protector and drain the donated blood from inside. She was out. Honestly, she’d never been so grateful to fail a test in her life. The creature threw her aside like she was nothing more than a corpse, and then it leapt into the air and disappeared once again. 

“What the fuck is this thing!? It regrew its arm? What’s it draining from their necks?” Jolyne said. 

“The neck braces are filled with human blood. This creature feeds on blood to become stronger. The more it drinks, the more difficult things become for the trainees. The game’s over when every trainee is drained, or when they subdue the creature.” Ripley explained. 

“Subdue? They’re using guns! Aren’t you worried you’ll lose your pet?” 

Ripley snorted at Jolyne’s choice of words. “I’m much more about the trainees. But these people are training to fight supernatural creatures. At a certain point, the training has to become a little dangerous. They know what they’re signing up for.” 

Six trainees huddled together in an open stretch of land. Their rifles pointed in all directions as they prepared for the creature to attack. All six of them were startled by the sound of a heavy metal object slamming into the far wall of the chamber. 

BANG!

One woman nearly fired her gun in surprise. She shuffled in place for a moment and cleared her throat with a blush. 

BANG!

This one was further down the wall. It was loud. What could be causing such a sound? 

BANG. 

After the third strike, the object dragged against the wall as the creature walked around the perimeter of the chamber. With the little bounces and texture, it almost sounded like a baseball bat being dragged against a rough surface. Did someone give the creature a weapon!? The sound of gunfire snapped the six trainees out of their daze. They all turned their attention to the muzzle flashes across the chamber. After a mere five seconds, all the screaming and gunfire ceased. 

“Bravo team!” The squad leader shouted into his radio. “Bravo team, respond.” 

There was static over the radio for a moment, but no response. 

“Bravo team!” He spoke with a little more urgency. “Are you alright? Did you find her?” 

The squad leader raised his head after hearing something strange. It was a faint whistle, like something was flying at high speed. He only had a fraction of a second to see the source before Bravo team’s radio crashed into his helmet and sent him flying backwards into the mud. The other five stared at their leader in horror as he sprawled out in pain. His helmet took most of the blow, but his head was still killing him. 

Without warning, a CRASH filled the chamber and mud was flung in every direction. After getting their bearings, the five trainees realized what had caused the impact. The creature had landed in the center of their circle. They all readied their weapons, but realized they couldn’t fire. The damn thing was taking advantage of the live sounds! They’d shoot their squadmates if they tried to attack her! 

“You’ve been good fun kiddos, but I’m going to have to give you all an ‘F’ on this test. You can try again in three months.” The creature teased. 

One of the trainees grabbed his knife and lunged at the creature. She caught it with the palm of her hand. The knife slipped right through the skin without even cutting it. The creature’s skin then proceeded to close around the blade, sticking it in place and stealing the weapon. She rewarded such bravery by jabbing the handle of the knife into the trainee’s nose and kicking him onto his ass. 

“Employee of the month! Does anyone else wanna take a stab at me before we call it a game?” The creature laughed. 

The remaining trainees slowly put down their weapons. They hung their heads in defeat knowing they were still leagues apart from their teacher. The creature smiled after this, clapping her hand against her thigh three times and signaling to an unseen operator that the test was over. Large overhead lights burst to life and filled the ominous training chamber with a healthy dose of lighting. This caused the blonde creature to let out a small hiss. She really preferred the dark. 

“That was really good, everyone.” She smiled. “Sophia, you almost got me in the shoulder. Juan and Allan had me pinned for a few seconds, and Christopher made me ditch my arm. You guys are getting better. Now feel the mud in your hair and really let the shame of this sink in. I want you to take that shame to your drills tomorrow, understand? And if any of you hate me, good. Use it next time.” 

Jolyne watched from the observation deck in total shock. “The creature is a person?” 

“You thought things were bizarre in that prison? You have no idea how weird things get out there in the wild.” Ripley shrugged. “But you’re about to. Pucci’s out there and we have to stop him. The man we’d always ask is in a coma, and our backup teen wonder is missing in action. I’m sorry Jolyne, but this is going to have to fall on you and Marina.” 

Jolyne nodded, clenching her fists. “Who’s Marina?” 

“I am!” The creature smiled on the other end of the observation deck’s glass. She was clinging to it with her hands and feet like a frog or something. 

Jolyne let out a shriek, turning defensively to the window with Stone Free. 

Even Ripley seemed a little startled. “You’ve got the ears of a bat, Princess! Do you always have to fling yourself against a window anytime someone uses your name?” 

“When it’s a voice as gorgeous as yours, Arbiter? I’d throw myself off an airplane.” Marina crooned. 

“I’ll keep that in mind, could be useful for a mission.” Ripley grinned. 

“I’m sorry, are you and the creature a thing?” Jolyne pointed at the two of them. 

“Oi! Only the team gets to call me ‘creature!’ Who’s this femme-butch?” Marina spat. 

“Jolyne Kujo. You two need to have a chat. Hit the showers and meet us in conference room five. We’ll be waiting.” 

“Vampires don’t sweat, babe! I’m fine!” Marina grinned. 

“You’re covered in human blood and caked with mud. Get changed.” Ripley wrinkled her nose in amusement. 

“Fine, but the showers here suck. You’re never in them.” Marina flicked the glass with a seductive smile. 

In return, Ripley threw a stapler at the bulletproof glass. Marina giggled, letting go of the window and showing she could levitate for a moment. Jolyne had to do a double take. This creature- Marina could float? What the hell was she? Marina grabbed the window for support once again and shook her head. 

“You’re the best! Love you!” And with that, she leapt backwards into the training chamber. It was a classy dive, the kind one might do off of an Olympic diving board. But Marina was doing this toward solid ground. Jolyne watched as the creature contorted in the air and landed perfectly on her feet. 

“Gimme a damn break. You people are insane.” She cupped her cheek in disbelief. 

After giving everyone some time to cool off, Jolyne and Ripley were waiting for Marina in the conference room. The door opened, and Ripley sprang to her feet with surprise. “Director Holiday!” She cleared her throat, standing upright and keeping her hands at her sides. 

Jolyne gave the Director a once-over as the tall woman stepped into the room. She was pretty damn tall for a woman, and she had a warm presence that made her seem trustworthy without a word. Jolyne didn’t like that in folks. Trust had to be earned. She’d seen where charisma could lead someone if they weren’t careful. With that in mind, she kept her seat and propped her cheek against a fist. 

“Ripley.” Director Holiday nodded. “I’ve been briefed on everything that happened today. It sounded like you might need some help figuring out your next step.” 

Ripley seemed intimidated by the Director. Jolyne noted how her demeanor totally changed the moment Holiday walked in. What was a Director, anyway? By the looks of it this appeared to be Ripley’s boss. It was hard to imagine, considering all the authority Ripley held on that prison island. Everybody reported to someone at the end of the day. Ripley took a moment before responding, but she quickly nodded in agreement. 

“Yes, Ma’am. Was Marina briefed as well?” Ripley asked with a frown. 

Director Holiday nodded. “As we speak.” 

Jolyne finally decided to click a pen a few times to draw attention to herself. The Arbiter and Director both looked her way, and she acted as if she hadn’t been paying them any mind. “Oh? Hey there. I assume you’re part of the Foundation my dad works for?” 

Director Holiday nodded. “Jolyne Kujo, it’s an honor to meet you.” 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Jolyne clicked her tongue, standing from her chair with enough force to push it against the wall behind her. “I appreciate the backup, especially the nifty submarine, but all I really got from you guys were two failed rescue missions and a dead cousin. How about we leave the honor at the door and skip to the part where you apologize?” 

Ripley visibly winced at the way Jolyne spoke to the Director, but she didn’t interject. This was Holiday’s chance to win Jolyne’s respect. Ripley would never step out of line and try to mediate the interaction. Holiday took a step closer to the table and sighed, running her dark fingers along the fine oak surface in contemplation. 

“I see why you feel that way. The Speedwagon Foundation is what kept your father away from you for so long. Every missed piano recital, every late night wondering when he was coming home, I’m the head of the organization that's to blame. I could tell you that those things happened under old management, but it wouldn’t matter. You’ll always have a bitter feeling in your heart when it comes to us. That’s why…” She lifted her fingers from the desk, inspecting a bit of dust between them. 

“I will not apologize for a single thing.” Director Holiday declared in a firm tone. “We’ve just met, and I’ve gone three nights without sleep to ensure this operation went smoothly. We’re all playing our part in something far bigger than ourselves. You’re a fighter, and you’re in the trenches more than you’d like. I’m a leader, and I have to decide which pieces move across the board. The people we lost in that prison were there because I ordered it. If I had to apologize every time I got someone hurt, I’d never have time to get anything done. We do what we have to do because that’s how life works. So are you going to stand there and wait for me to say I’m sorry, or do you want to track this Pucci guy down and put the blame where it really belongs?” 

Jolyne was speechless. How had the Director gone from such a warm and pleasant woman to this stone cold machine in a matter of seconds. Holiday totally called Jolyne’s bluff, and the young woman’s indignation washed away almost immediately. She just huffed, flicking her pen across the table and crossing her arms. “Any idea where he might’ve gone?” 

Ripley realized it was time to rejoin the conversation. She took a deep breath, grabbing a remote from the table and clicking the large overhead projector to life. A map of the continental United States appeared on the wall. Holiday flicked the lights so they’d be able to see it clearly. 

“Based on the message Pepsi left for Shizuka, we’ve determined Pucci is likely heading to Devil Town, Nebraska.” Ripley said. 

“Wait, that’s a real place? I thought it was a hint or something.” Jolyne said. 

“Pepsi’s far too direct to leave a riddle with their dying breath. There’s only one Devil Town in the country, and this is it.” Ripley sighed. 

“What do we know about this town?” Holiday stepped closer to the projector. 

“Our initial research yielded uneventful results. It’s a small town in the panhandle of Nebraska. Crime rates are average, missing persons cases are about as common as they should be. This place definitely isn’t some supernatural hotspot.” Ripley clicked through her slideshow. 

“Pepsi thought this town was important enough to write its name in their own blood. It’s the only lead we have.” Holiday crossed her arms. “What’s your plan?” 

“Kujo and Archer are the two strongest Stand Users we can send at the moment. We have a few Stand Users inside Green Dolphin tracking down Jotaro and Pepsi’s remaining discs as well.” Ripley said. 

“Then it’s settled. Jolyne, you stayed in that prison to save your father’s life. This plot goes much deeper than that. Are you in it for the long haul?” Holiday raised a brow. 

“I’ll dance however you want if it gets me on the ground with Pucci.” Jolyne scowled. “He has Shizuka’s disc.” 

Holiday seemed pleased. “You have my full support. Pucci’s wounded and traveling on his own. We’ll have a hell of a head start even if you take some time to rest.” 

“I’m not sleeping until he’s-”

“That wasn’t a request.” Holiday lifted a finger. “You just said you’d dance however I wanted? I want you to get five hours of sleep before you go. Nobody’s any good to me if they’re worked into the grave. Ripley will show you a place to sleep. It’s not much, but it has a door. Beats prison.” Holiday stepped out of the room without another word. 

Jolyne rested her hands on the conference table and hung her head. Ripley was about to comfort her, but she was distracted by a shadow being cast from the doorway. Marina had arrived. Before she knew it Ripley was swept into a tight embrace as Marina rocked their bodies back and forth. The vampire buried her face in Ripley’s shoulder without a word. Ripley held on tight, nodding in understanding. Marina had just learned about Pepsi and Shizuka. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered into Marina’s hair. 

For a gal with one arm, Marina was pretty damn good at hugging. Her inhuman strength certainly helped. She loosened her grip a bit and pulled back to look at her partner. “She walked away? Her body got up and walked away?” 

Ripley nodded. “Yes, but her Stand! Flower Child was-” 

Marina placed a finger on Ripley’s lips. She didn’t want to hear it. “Shizuka walked away. She’s out there somewhere. We’ll just have to hold the fort until she’s done experiencing whatever Mom-mind-journey she’s on this time. It’s like she can’t help but make a dramatic last second appearance.” 

Ripley appreciated the sentiment. “That’s our girl.” 

Jolyne felt alienated from the interaction. It was just too strange seeing strangers cry over her own cousin. She wanted to take part in their grief, but it almost seemed like they knew Shizuka better than she did. The women seemed to notice Jolyne around the same time she was feeling left out, and Marina couldn’t help but smirk. 

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Ms. Too Dainty To Fight. I remember you now! You got sent to hide with the rest of the Joestars while we took out the trash.” 

Jolyne realized what she was talking about. “You guys helped my dad back then?” 

“Helped him!? We basically did all the heavy lifting! No offense or anything, but your old man’s a real piece of work.” Marina chuckled. 

“Trust me, none taken.” Jolyne returned the smile. “You were pretty impressive earlier. How does someone end up that powerful?” 

Ripley seemed to remember something. “Oh, how’re you holding up after that, baby? I know that stuff really takes it out of you.” She rubbed Marina’s stomach affectionately. 

Marina blushed, looking away. “It’s fine, I get to drink so much blood it pretty much evens out.” 

“Are you sure you’re good to go on a mission? How’s your back been lately?” Ripley frowned. 

“Ripley! I’m fine, I swear. Never better!” Marina wiped her nose with crimson cheeks. 

Ripley finally turned her attention back to Jolyne. “Marina’s a vampire, but she’s also chronically fatigued. It’s a long story, but she lost a piece of her soul in battle. Now she just can’t keep herself energized.” 

“It’s ironic, huh? I can throw a car with one hand, but then I need to sleep it off for twenty hours!” Marina laughed. “Drinking blood helps in the short term, but eventually I always crash. Lucky me, I can’t go outside during the day anyway.” 

“I’m sorry, I’m still caught up on the whole ‘vampire’ thing. Vampires are real?” Jolyne asked.

“Well yeah! If you really wanna split hairs though, I’m not a vampire. I’m sort of a step above a vampire. It’s a really long story. Ripley can tell it way better.” Marina grinned. 

“And you drink human blood?” Jolyne wrinkled her nose. 

“Oi! It’s all donated, thank you very much! Most of the time it’s even paid for! I treat my delicious blood babies very well.” Marina huffed. 

“I told you HR banned the phrase ‘blood babies.’ You made them really uncomfortable.” Ripley groaned. 

“Next thing you know they’re gonna ban licking my fingers and telling them who tastes best.” Marina chuckled. 

“They banned that a year ago.” 

“Vampires!” Jolyne put her foot down. “Are real? Okay, that’s fine. What else is real then? Werewolves, the tooth fairy? Stands are one thing, but you’re training soldiers to fight all things supernatural?” 

“To be fair, these days it’s mostly Stands.” Marina sighed. “Used to be a time when fighting vampires was all you needed to be good at. Then these arrows got into the mix and now everything’s so high concept.” 

Jolyne’s eyes drifted into space as she thought about the arrows. She came crashing back down to reality when she finally remembered what her mother said in the heat of battle earlier. “Oh my God. Mom! I need to see my mom.” 

Life and death are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. It’s as natural to die as it is to flee death. Eventually, it comes for us all. Some believe it’s wrong to treat life and death as opposites. Buddhism teaches that death is just another phase of life, rather than the end of it. Daisaku Ikeda elegantly described this like waves in the ocean. Everything exists in a large body of water. Sometimes the water rises from the ocean and forms a wave. That’s life. Eventually the wave merges back into the ocean and returns its elements to the greater body of all. That’s death. In that sense, you could say your “life” is a temporary shape the universe takes before inevitably dispersing your elements back into the cosmos. 

Some waves don’t merge peacefully back into the ocean. Sometimes they come crashing to shore. That’s because these waves aren’t ready to return their form to the greater body. They’re not finished with it. 

A seagull landed on the edge of the beach with a small cry as it scavenged the sand for loose bits of trash. It cocked its head every which way and hopped along the cool sand. The sun was rising over the horizon and cast an orange hue over the twinkling water as it gently pushed and pulled against the beach. The seagull noticed something strange in the distance. There was something lying in the sand with its face down. The morning tide rushed over the figure before pulling back and revealing it once more. 

The seagull leapt across the beach and landed right beside the odd sight. Some seaweed was clinging to the body. The seagull poked its beak at the seaweed curiously. A sudden burst of energy hit the bird all at once and sent it reeling back. The seagull cried out in shock and flew away as quickly as it could. 

Lauryn was just trying to stick to her morning routine for once when a damn bird came crashing into her. She cursed when the seagull hit her face, and she spent a solid ten seconds slapping at the air before she even dared to open her eyes. She took a few seconds to breathe before looking up to find a seagull tearing away through the sky. What could have possibly scared that bird bad enough to send it right into Lauryn’s face? She walked over to the railing separating the sidewalk from the sand and squinted. 

“Oh my goodness.” She clasped a hand over her mouth. There was a body in the water! Lauryn jumped the railing and sprinted through the sand. She fumbled for her phone only to realize her jogging pants didn’t have pockets. The woman tried to remember how to perform CPR as she made her way to the body. Were you supposed to do mouth-to-mouth, or was that disproved? She’d just been reading about “good samaritan laws” and how in some states you could be found criminally liable for breaking someone’s ribs while performing CPR. If that was real, it’d definitely happen to a black woman in Florida. Lauryn didn’t have time to worry about fringe possibilities. She needed to act. 

Just as Lauryn was coming up to the body, she noticed how young the girl was. She’d heard of escaped convicts washing ashore at this beach once or twice, but a teenage girl? She fell to her knees and went to turn the body over, but the moment she touched the girl her hands were blown away. It was like putting her hands on a hot stove, they just shot up on instinct alone. 

“W-What…?” She mumbled, staring at her hands for a moment. 

The body started to move, and for a moment Lauryn thought the girl was waking up. She was wrong. The body was being dragged further up the shore by an invisible force. Lauryn watched in curious terror as an unconscious girl caused the sand to move beneath her. When she looked closely Lauryn could even see two distinct spots on the girl’s shirt that were bunched up, almost like she was being pulled by human hands. 

This went from an emergency to a mystery in about three seconds. Lauryn didn’t want to touch the body again. What if the invisible hands saw her as a threat? Then she thought about the worst ways this could go wrong. What if the girl was a victim and these hands planned on doing something horrible to her? 

“Excuse me?” She felt ridiculous saying that to the open air, but what was she supposed to do? “Is she okay?” 

The body stopped. Lauryn’s stomach dropped as she waited for something to happen. 

“I… I just want to help. If she needs a doctor, I can take her there.” 

There was another unnaturally long pause, but the invisible force didn’t answer her. Lauryn was about to speak again when she was scared half to death by the girl coughing. This was definitely the kid moving herself. The body started to cough uncontrollably, bracing herself up a few inches on her elbows so she could breathe. Those damn hands could rip her to shreds if they wanted, Lauryn was going to help. She crawled closer on the sand and helped the girl onto her side. 

“Shhh, shhh, it’s okay. It’s alright. Can you breathe? Keep coughing! That’s good.” 

The girl coughed up quite a bit of water as she rolled over. After a few moments she seemed to calm down. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal they were big and brown. They went nicely with her jet black hair. Lauryn held the girl for a moment and thanked the lord she was okay, but she had quite a few questions. 

“Are you alright, honey? Why were you out there so early in the morning?” 

The girl just stared at her like she didn’t understand. Lauryn felt a pang of anxiety as she realized this Japanese girl might not even speak her language. At least not well enough to explain what was going on. 

“I’m sorry, do you speak English? Are you okay?” She squeezed the girl a little firmer. 

There was recognition in the girl’s eyes, but nothing more. She didn’t seem present in the moment. After another few seconds of staring she fell flat on her back. She was unconscious. Lauryn took a deep breath. At least she wasn’t choking anymore. 

Chapter Text

The long drive to Disney World had been awkward to say the least. Maura needed to cancel at the last minute leaving Jolyne and Jotaro alone for a daddy/daughter bonding day. Once they arrived at the park things seemed to liven up a little. It was hard to be bored at such a magical place, and awkward silences were impossible when your ears were being blown out by the stampede of eager families desperate to get their money’s worth. Jotaro had just bought them lunch and sat them down at a picnic table by the shade. 

Jolyne bit into her enormous pretzel and stared in reverence at her 48 oz lemonade. It was difficult to believe such wonders even existed, much less within her grasp. Jotaro had a simple hot dog and ketchup along with a water bottle he’d been nursing the entire day. They watched the people walk by for a few minutes without a word. Jolyne couldn’t help but frown at all the families that looked “intact.” She wished Maura had been able to come. 

“Do you think we’ll come down again this year with Mom?” She asked between bites of her barn-sized pretzel. 

“Yeah, of course.” Jotaro put his water down. “Gotta get our value out of those season passes.” 

The father’s cell phone beeped right after he finished his hot dog. He pulled it from his jacket and squinted to see the screen in daylight. Jolyne already had an idea of what was going on. Her dad’s phone always beeped like that when he was about to get up and leave the room. Sometimes it would only be a few minutes, but there were rare occasions when he’d pack a bag and leave for days at a time after one of those beeps. Jotaro’s eyes flicked to meet Jolyne’s in recognition of her anxiety. 

“It’s nothing. I just need to make a quick call. Will you be alright if I step away?” 

It was a pretty quiet area. Jolyne looked around for a moment before nodding. 

“Alright. I’ll stay in eyeshot. Lemme know if you need another pretzel.” He stood up and dialed a number. With that, he was gone. 

Jolyne kicked her feet in boredom as she watched the families go by. She saw Jotaro standing in the distance and wondered why he couldn’t just take the call at the picnic table? There were people all around him, so it wasn’t like he was keeping some huge secret. That had to mean he just didn’t want Jolyne to hear whatever the call was about. That made a pit form in her stomach. Why couldn’t her dad just tell her what was going on? She was so tired of the tension at home. Even at nine-years-old she could tell something was wrong. 

Jotaro took a bit longer on the phone than Jolyne expected. He’d said it was just a quick call. Jolyne had finished her lunch and was flicking tiny bits of salt across the picnic table when a shadow cast across the surface and alerted her of someone’s presence. She turned to see a man she’d never met before standing right behind her table. Jolyne was immediately unsettled by just how close the stranger was standing, and it didn’t help that he seemed to be alone. Where were his kids? She swallowed anxiously as the man towered over her. 

“Hello,” The stranger smiled. “You’re Jolyne, right?” 

She looked past the man to see if Jotaro was still on the phone. The girl’s stomach plummeted when she found that her father had seemingly disappeared. He said he’d stay in eyeshot! Jolyne’s eyes darted back to the stranger as he blocked out the sun, silhouetting his head and making it difficult to focus on any features. 

“Listen, your old man asked me if I could come get you.” The man explained. 

“Where is he?” Jolyne scooted back on the picnic bench. 

“He needed to go to the car to grab something, said it was important. That’s why he asked me to grab you.” 

“Why didn’t he just grab me himself…?” Jolyne frowned. 

“Your dad’s upset, alright? I didn’t ask any questions. I’m just trying to help him so I can get back to my wife and kids. So c’mon already.” The man grabbed Jolyne’s wrist and pulled her up from the bench. 

“H-Hey!” She whined. 

“Don’t make a scene, I’m just bringing you to your-” The man turned to drag Jolyne out of the picnic area but was stopped mid-sentence when he bumped into an immovable object. While he seemed massive to a little girl like Jolyne, this stranger was small potatoes compared to a truly large man. That’s why he looked so surprised as his glasses clinked against the firm chest of a bigger fish. 

Jotaro was back, and he said nothing. 

“Oh! H-Hey! There he is! I guess he’s back from the car.” The stranger released Jolyne and hid his hands behind his back. 

The father’s expression was unnervingly cold. He didn’t scream at the predator, but he clearly wasn’t about to let things go. After five seconds of absolute silence, Jotaro reached his hand down and slipped it into the man’s pocket. The stranger was so terrified that he didn’t even fight back. Jotaro took the man’s wallet and opened it carefully. 

“Matthew Lake, thirty-six-years-old, lives in Jacksonville.” Jotaro mumbled, dragging his eyes from Matthew’s driver’s license, and glaring into his very soul. “You know Matthew, you might be the luckiest man I’ve ever met.” 

“W-What…?” Matthew stammered. He was sweating bullets, and it wasn’t because of the Florida sun. 

Jotaro took one step closer, bumping their chests together as he stared down at the cowering monster before him. “I said you’re lucky because nothing’s actually happened yet. If you’d taken three more steps with my daughter, I’d be sending you back to Jacksonville on a life flight.” 

That shocked Matthew back to reality. He swiped his wallet back from Jotaro and brushed past him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, man. I was just asking her where the bathrooms were.” 

Jotaro grabbed Matthew’s wrist and squeezed it hard enough to rip a cry from the man’s lungs. It was almost an impossible strength for a human hand to have, and the force brought Matthew to submission once again. He fell onto one knee and clenched his jaw. 

“Jolyne, did this man ask you where the bathrooms were?” Jotaro asked in his typical calm tone. 

All she could do was shake her head. 

“Hmmm. Thirty-six is a little young to be experiencing memory loss, Matthew. We might need to call 911 to get you checked out.” 

Matthew struggled against the agonizing grip on his wrist, but each honest effort to break free only resulted in the hold tightening. He was genuinely terrified that this man might shatter his arm. Where was that strength coming from!? He looked up just in time to see Jotaro adjusting the rim of his hat with a scowl. 

“C’mon man, gimme a break! I wasn’t gonna do anything!” Matthew shouted. 

At this point a small crowd gathered around the developing conflict. A few people even took pictures with their disposable cameras. Matthew continued to struggle against the man’s iron grip to no avail. “Agh! What’re you gonna do? Call the police? It’s not illegal to ask someone for directions!” 

“No, that would turn this into a whole thing.” Jotaro sighed. “I’m trying to have a nice day out with my daughter. I don’t want to spend the rest of it giving a statement to the police.” 

“Good! Then let go!” Matthew hissed. 

Jotaro yanked the man to his feet without breaking a sweat. He didn’t let go of that wrist, though. Instead, he pulled it against his own chest and stared down at the predator. “You’re going home, understand? 488 Reilly Junction, Jacksonville Florida. If I see you around the park again, I’m paying you a visit myself.” He spoke quietly so only Matthew would hear the threat. 

Matthew was almost in tears as he nodded in agreement. “F-Fine! Please, just let me go.” 

Jotaro released the man’s wrist and bumped him away with his chest. “Don’t get lost again, Matthew. I don’t wanna hear you’ve asked anyone else for directions.” 

The man scrambled away with pained whines as he clutched his wrist. After a minute or so the crowd dispersed. Jotaro finally turned his attention back to Jolyne. “Are you alright?” 

“Yeah,” She tried to act tough, but the situation was obviously scary.

“That’s my girl.” He brought her in with one arm, holding her face against his stomach and giving her a gentle pat on the back. 

Jolyne’s eyes widened and she quickly hugged her father back. It wasn’t every day her dad dealt out hugs. She closed her eyes and savored the moment. “I thought you were gone.” 

“I’m always close by,” Jotaro shook his head. “I’d never let anything happen to you, Jojo. You know that, right?” 

“Promise? You’ll always be here to stop guys like that?” 

Jotaro actually smiled. If that’s all he needed to do? “Promise.” 

A gentle sea breeze swept through the young girl’s dark hair as she lay unconscious on the beach. Lauryn didn’t know what to do. Anytime she tried to touch the unconscious girl an invisible force would push her away. At least she was breathing, but that wasn’t a reassuring thought. This kid needed to go to the hospital. Lauryn feared if she left the beach the girl might disappear. She looked around the sand and sighed. There were strands of seaweed stuck to the girl’s shirt. How long had she been in the water? 

The rising sun hit a piece of jewelry in the sand and blinded Lauryn for a moment. She winced, crawling over to the trinket with a curious frown. It was a golden letter S with a peace sign, rose and heart woven into the design. There was even a chain dangling from the rose. Lauryn inspected it carefully. This couldn’t be real gold, could it? This would be worth thousands of dollars. Her eyes caught another piece of jewelry in the sand. It was a golden star. She rolled it around her fingers with a furrowed brow. 

The girl was wearing a tie. It was loose, torn and barely attached to her neck, but it was there. The tie had the same symbol as her pendant. Whoever this kid was, she had a damn logo. 

“What’s a little rich girl doing washing up here?” Lauryn frowned as she toyed with the jewelry. She was feeling restless. How long did she need to kneel there and wait for something to happen? 

“What’s so special about the letter ‘S’ anyway?” She mused to herself. “Is it your name? Sarah? Sadie? You don’t look like a Susan.” She smiled. “Maybe Suzi? That’s a cute name.” 

The girl’s eyes shot open once again, causing Lauryn to yelp. “Was I on the right track?” 

The teenager coughed a few times as her eyes scanned the area. She propped herself up on her elbows and panted. The poor girl was clearly exhausted. “W-What’s going on?” 

“You speak English? Thank God.” Lauryn sighed. 

“I do?” The girl seemed confused. She held her hands in front of her face and inspected them like they were totally alien. Her chipped nail polish, the contours of her bones, none of it was familiar. “Who is this?” 

That got a nervous chuckle from the woman. “That’s not the question I was expecting. Are you feeling alright, hon? Maybe we should get you to a hospital?” 

“Hospital?” She echoed, raising a brow. “Am I hurt?” 

“For pete’s sake, you washed up on the beach! I’m not an expert, but I think you usually get a checkup after that.” 

“Washed up?” The girl’s brown eyes darted to the water. She seemed to be lost in thought. “I remember… I was drowning. I didn’t know which way was up. Nothing made sense, nothing made any sense.” She looked disturbed as she recalled the events. 

“What got you in the water, dear?” Lauryn put a careful hand on the girl’s shoulder. It didn’t get blown away this time. Progress!

“Oh, I was just-” She began with such confidence, but her sentence plummeted into uncertainty in just four short words. Her eyes grew distant as she tried to remember, but nothing came of it. “I was somewhere. None of it made sense, though. I had to get away.” 

Lauryn nodded as she rubbed the girl’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, okay? I’m sure your family’s worried sick. Do you know their phone number?” 

The girl simply stared at her. 

“Okay, you’re still shaken up. How about a name?” 

Once again, nothing. 

“Honey… Do you know your name?” Lauryn felt her stomach sink.

The girl merely shook her head. Lauryn took a deep breath and processed the revelation. This girl didn’t just wash ashore. She had some degree of amnesia. The likelihood of this being some kind of sick prank seemed to shrink with each passing minute. She still half-expected a camera crew to burst out and hand her a big check for being such a good sport, but that wouldn’t happen. She wasn’t dreaming. This girl was alone and half naked on the beach, and she was Lauryn’s responsibility until she got her home. 

“Does this pendant mean anything to you?” She presented the ‘S’ to the girl. 

The teen pursed her lips curiously. She grabbed the pendant and ran her hand over it thoughtfully. After a moment, she tossed it over her shoulder. “Nope.” 

Lauryn yelped again. “B-B-But! It washed up with you! Don’t throw it away! It looks expensive!” She crawled over and retrieved the pendant. 

“I’ve never seen it before in my life.” The teen shrugged. “Why should I care if it washed up with me?” 

“This symbol is on your tie, dear.” Lauryn grabbed the tie and showed it to the girl. “Do you really not recognize it? You’re plastered with it like a Nascar driver.” 

She took the tie in her hand and frowned. That was definitely strange. Why was she wearing this symbol? Why was she wearing a blouse? Why wasn’t she wearing pants? All she had were a pair of spandex shorts. It felt like her outfit was missing a few essential pieces. “Maybe my name starts with an ‘S?’ That’s really embarrassing. Do I need to put it all over myself to remember?” 

“Well it clearly didn’t work.” Lauryn chuckled. “You woke up when I said Suzi. Does that name ring a bell?” 

The girl thought about it for a moment. “No, I don’t think so. What other ‘S’ names are there?”

“Oh you know, tens of thousands.” Lauryn laughed. “Do you remember any of them?” 

The girl raised her eyes in thought. “Sandra, Sullivan, Samantha, Tsuru, Sarah, Sophie-” 

“No,” Lauryn cut the girl off a little too aggressively. She looked embarrassed by the outburst and took a moment to collect herself. “Not Sophie. You can pick any other ‘S’ name.” 

That was odd, but the girl didn’t have a frame of reference. “I guess Sarah works as well as anything else? Do you know where we are?” 

“You’re in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. Do you remember why you’re here?” 

“Florida? Florida… That’s the United States, right? Why do I know Florida? Was something important happening in Florida?” She mulled it over for a moment before snapping her fingers. “Nope! I thought snapping my fingers might help me figure it out. I have no idea what the United States is, or why Florida matters. But I’m pretty sure Florida is one of the United States in question.” 

Lauryn wrinkled her nose in amusement. Putting aside the gravity of the situation, the girl’s eccentric nature was pretty endearing. “That’s some selective amnesia. You know Florida’s a state, but you don’t know what a state is?” 

“Isn’t that weird? Florida is important, but I can’t remember why. I’ve got these ideas bouncing around my head, but they don’t click. Red, pink, physics, cells, rapture and bliss, the end of all things, Heaven and Hell? That's all I can think about. What’s Heaven? Can we go there?” She blinked naively. 

“You sure tried to visit it this morning, that’s for sure. Is that why you were swimming?” Lauryn frowned. 

Sarah glanced toward the ocean. “Heaven’s in the water? That doesn’t sound right.” 

“Are you trying to find a church, dear? Maybe that’s where your family’s waiting for you?” 

“Church? No, I was just at a church. I have no idea what I was doing there, but I wanted to leave. I’m not in a hurry to go back. I don’t have to, do I?” Sarah tilted her head. 

“You don’t have to do anything! I’m not even involved; I just want to make sure you’re alright.” Lauryn raised her hands defensively. “If you want to go somewhere, I’ll take you there. I can’t just leave you on the beach half naked.” 

“Hmmm,” Sarah inspected herself. “Anywhere I want? Could you bring me to Washington D.C.?” 

Lauryn choked on her breath. “That’s a bit far!” 

Sarah nodded. “Yeah, I don’t even know why I asked that. How weird is that? I’m saying things that don’t even mean anything. Shampoo horse… Diamond helicopter. Whitesnake.” She popped her lips and sighed. “If there’s one thing I’m certain about, it’s that I’m not used to being this uncertain. I think I’m smart, brilliant even. That’s why I can’t let this go. What was I even doing in the water? How irresponsible can someone be? Aren’t you curious about that?” 

Lauryn held her face in both hands. “I’ve been trying to figure that out for the past ten minutes, Sarah. Why were you in the water?” 

“Because I jumped in, keep up! But why did I jump? What was I afraid of? Who was that woman? Everything’s a blur. I need to move! Moving’s good for the mind! You were jogging, right? Can I jog with you? It sounds fun!” Sarah sprang to her feet. Just as she was about to begin rambling once more, something caught her eye. It was a woman standing in the distance. Despite everything, she recognized her. A tall Japanese woman with dark hair and tired eyes was staring right at her. 

“Mom…?” She whispered in disbelief. 

“Your Mom’s here?” Lauryn swung her head to face the hills, but she didn’t see anything. After a moment, her eager expression faded into a worried frown. “I don’t see anybody, Sarah.” 

The girl started walking toward the hill. She couldn’t hear Lauryn anymore, everything was drowned out by the crashing waves and the sight of that woman. She stepped off the beach and onto the jogging path. Lauryn tugged at her arm once or twice, but it didn’t take much to shrug the woman off. She just kept walking, her eyes fixed on the woman as they grew closer. In the distant corner of her mind she could hear Lauryn screaming at the top of her lungs. 

“Sarah!” 

A burst of wind blew through Sarah’s dark hair and suddenly she snapped out of her hazy state. Embers flickered and popped in the air, and she heard the crackling of a campfire. What happened? She turned her gaze only to find a car up against her body. Her hip was buried in the front of the car, but she wasn’t hurt. It looked like the metal had bent around her. The driver was staring at her in terror, but she didn’t understand what happened. 

“Sarah!” Lauryn pulled her away from the car. “Oh my God, are you okay!? You must be in shock. How are you even standing?” 

She stared at the pieces of shattered plastic on the asphalt and finally realized what happened. “D-Did I just get hit by a car?” 

“Yes, did you somehow miss that!? Are you okay?” Lauryn dusted the girl off and inspected her for any sign of injuries. 

“I’m fine,” Sarah frowned. “Why am I fine? That kind of thing is supposed to really mess you up, right?” 

The driver lowered his window and cleared his throat. “Y-You walked right in front of me, I didn’t see you! Are you okay?” 

“Yes,” Sarah nodded in shock. “You must not have been going very fast.” 

Lauryn’s jaw dropped when she saw the dent Sarah’s body left in the car. Yeah right it wasn’t going very fast. The damn thing looked like it hit a brick wall! Nobody was happy with the current situation. After stammering out a few words, the driver rolled his window up and continued down the road. Lauryn convinced Sarah to sit on the path and calm down. 

“What happened? You weren’t listening to me. It’s like you were in a different world.” She frowned. 

“I don’t- I dunno.” Sarah shook her head. “I thought I saw someone.” 

Sarah’s entire demeanor had changed yet again. She looked shaken as her eyes stayed fixed on the same spot as before. Lauryn sighed and sat beside the girl on the path. She glanced over at Sarah before tossing a pebble down the path and letting it skip. 

“Y’know kid, I get being scared. I’m not even the person this is happening to and I’m scared. I don’t think the answer is bringing you to some hospital and letting them handle things either.”

“What am I going to do then?” Sarah asked meekly. 

Lauryn sighed with a weary smile. “I guess I’ll take you home for now. We’ll figure it out together.” 

Maura sat by Jotaro’s hospital bed with a hand on his arm. Her eyes were puffy from the crying she got done when everybody left her alone for a few minutes. She’d really needed to let it out, but didn’t want to do it in front of Jolyne. She stared at her husband’s lifeless body with a cold chill in her heart. She knew he was the victim here, and his life was the one in danger, but for some reason Maura couldn’t help being furious with him for abandoning her. How immature could she get? 

“Dr. Kujo?” A doctor asked from the door. “There’s something we need to talk to you about.” 

After a brief conversation with the doctors and one of the Speedwagon Foundation’s top scientists, Maura reclined in her chair with a sigh. She buried her face in both palms and tried to wrap her head around all the concepts they just threw her way. After a moment sat upright and nodded. 

“My husband had these discs taken from him, and if we get them back he might wake up?” She wanted to make sure she was following. 

“Yes Ma’am.” The scientist nodded. 

“And we have one of those discs? His Star Platinum? What exactly is it?” 

“Stands are a physical manifestation of a person’s spirit. It’s most commonly their will to fight and survive, but on rare occasions it can manifest for other reasons. You can look at Star Platinum like Jotaro’s subconscious mind. The issue is we’re missing his conscious mind. If what Pepsi says is true, the second disc that Jotaro lost contained all of his memories. Without that, he wouldn’t be your husband anymore. Even if we put Star Platinum back right now, he would be a blank slate.” 

“That’s why you haven’t done it yet.” She rubbed Jotaro’s arm with a frown. “Why are you telling me all of this? I’m a veterinarian, not some supernatural doctor.” 

“We might never recover his memory disc.” The doctor said with a frown. 

Maura nodded. She knew what the doctor was actually saying. If they might never recover Jotaro’s memories, what would she want to do with his body? Would she want to restore his body and take her chances? She bit her lip and stared at her husband. She’d occasionally thought about what she’d do if her spouse were ever put into a coma, but that didn’t prepare her for a decision like this. 

Jolyne rushed into the room like a bat out of hell. “Mom! There’s something we need to talk about!” 

Maura and the two Foundation workers were startled by the intrusion, especially due to the sensitive nature of their conversation. The doctor cleared his throat and stood from his chair. “Well, you should think it over. I don’t want to intrude.” 

“No,” Maura lifted a dismissive hand. “My daughter should be here for this. It’s her right.” 

The wind left Jolyne’s sails when she realized she’d stormed into the middle of something. “Is everything alright?” 

“These men have just finished telling me that your father can’t fully come back without both discs. We could bring him back to life with Star Platinum, but he won’t have any of his memories.” 

Jolyne paused and looked at her father. None of his memories? She hadn’t even thought about bringing him back in such a state. Hermes and Foo Fighters stayed behind in part to recover her father’s memories. What if they failed? Was she ready to think about that outcome? Maura read her daughter’s expression and nodded with a weary smile. 

“It’s a real tough one, right?” 

“Do we know what he’d be like without his memories?” Jolyne asked softly. 

“Empty,” The scientist said. “We don’t even know if he’d be able to eat on his own.” 

“But Shizuka was able to get up and walk away without her discs.” Jolyne crossed her arms. 

Both the scientist and the doctor averted their eyes as if to silently say ‘Well Shizuka is different, but we aren’t sure if we’re allowed to talk about that.’ Fortunately for them, a higher authority walked into the room. Ripley had her hands in her pockets as she strutted past Jolyne to get a good look at Jotaro. She frowned, shaking her head and looking back at the man’s daughter. 

“Shizuka’s not a good frame of reference.” Ripley said. 

“Can someone tell me what’s wrong with my baby cousin?” Jolyne clenched her fists. “These bastards send her into that prison to help me out, and now you’re telling me she’s tougher than my old man? How can I trust anything you people tell me when I know you use children as weapons.” 

“Shizuka does what she wants,” Ripley cut back with a stern tone. “We do our best to provide her with support, but there’s no controlling that wayward baby. She told me that she was heading to Green Dolphin. I’m not strong enough to stop her if I tried.” 

“That’s your answer!?” Jolyne laughed. “What about her mother? Did you even try to contact her?” 

“If you understood how convoluted that question actually is, you wouldn’t need to ask it.” Ripley shrugged. “She’s special, alright? That’s all I can say for now.”

“She’s fourteen!” Jolyne put her foot down. 

“Goddammit Kujo, you don’t think I know that?” Ripley growled, and the lights in the room started to flicker. The scientist looked at her with concern, but she silenced him with a simple gesture. The lights stopped flickering once Ripley cooled down. “I appreciate your concern, and I know it’s difficult to be in your position, but please hear me when I tell you that you don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s nothing any of us can do for Shizuka right now, not until our crew finds her body. We just have to hope she’s okay and do whatever we can to stop Pucci in the meantime. Have I made myself clear?” 

Jolyne’s nostrils flared, but she didn’t snap back. The woman hung her head before nodding it in defeat. “Fine, but we can do something for my old man. What do you think is best?” 

Ripley took a deep breath and looked at Jotaro’s body. “I think we should put the disc in and see what happens. There’s no reason to think we can’t stick his memories in later, right?” 

Maura nodded with her hands folded in her lap. “That’s my thought too. And if we never get his memories back….” She trailed off, placing a hand on his bedside. “We might as well start his recovery as soon as possible.” 

Jolyne clenched her jaw and looked away from her mother. “I swore I’d get that deadbeat’s discs back. I’m not giving up just because I had to take a detour.”

“If you’re sure,” The scientist retrieved a small transparent envelope from his binder and presented it to Maura. “It came out of his face. That’s probably where it needs to be returned.” 

Maura humbly took the disc and inspected it closely. When she really focused, she could see Star Platinum in the shimmering reflection of the disc. Maura carefully removed it from the sleeve and walked over to Jotaro’s bed. She still wasn’t certain as she stood above her husband. What would he do in this situation? What if she were the one in the coma? Jolyne and Ripley approached the bed to get a better look. 

“This isn’t the end, it’s a first step.” Ripley assured the woman. 

Jolyne had nothing to say, she just watched intently as the disc lingered above her father’s head. Maura took a deep breath and brought the disc closer to her husband. She fixed his hair and tenderly cupped his cheek. Her other hand carefully pressed the disc to his forehead, but she was shocked when it slipped in without an ounce of resistance. It was like slicing through something with the sharpest knife in existence. Light faintly shined under the surface as Maura pushed the disc in further. Eventually the disc started moving on its own, just like putting one into a car’s CD player. 

The moment the disc disappeared in Jotaro’s face, a barrage of fists burst from it like an explosion of fury. Maura stumbled back, just narrowly avoiding the avalanche of attacks. Jolyne caught her mother and stepped away from Jotaro with wide eyes. Star Platinum was attacking! The overwhelming force of the punches made it hard to stand close to the hospital bed. Not only that, but an occasional punch snapped in random directions, meaning it wasn’t safe to approach from any angle. 

“What’s happening?” Maura gasped. 

“He died fighting, I guess his spirit isn’t finished punching.” Jolyne mumbled. 

The women’s hair was blown around by the sheer power of Star Platinum’s desperate rush of attacks. The Stand fully appeared above Jotaro’s head and cried out its signature “ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!” 

“Do you think he’s gonna tucker himself out?” Ripley shouted to Jolyne. 

“You’re the expert! What do we do?” Jolyne yelled. 

“Star Platinum attacked me once when I startled Jotaro in our bed. I don’t think it’s capable of recognizing us.” Maura frowned. “We need to keep our distance.” 

Jolyne didn’t know that happened. She couldn’t help but stare at those flying fists and imagine any one of them hitting her precious mother. She clenched her own fists and took a step closer. Her braid flailed every which way as she stood before her father’s tantrum, but she didn’t care. Stone Free wisped out of her body and sent a swarm of threads to grab Star Platinum’s arms. 

The Stand bucked against Stone Free in response and dragged Jolyne closer by the threads. She didn’t even have time to ponder her mortality as she stood before an enraged Star Platinum. She just stumbled forward and gripped the bed for balance. Her hand rested on Jotaro’s stomach as she tried to get her footing, but Star Platinum froze in its tracks a moment later. That gave Jolyne a moment to analyze the situation. Her eyes went down Jotaro’s body and landed on his stomach right along with her hand. 

“W-Wait…” She gave the man’s stomach a gentle pat, looking up at Star Platinum cautiously. “Yeah, do you recognize me?” 

Star Platinum’s eyes were fixed on Jolyne’s every movement. It’s like they were locked in place and would perfectly follow every subtle shift. She stepped closer to the bed, lowering her guard and lifting her hand from the man’s body. 

“It’s me, it’s Jolyne. It’s…” She paused, closing her eyes. “It’s Jojo. I’m here, Dad. I’m worried about you.” 

Star Platinum lunged forward at terrifying speeds and brought Jolyne closer. She couldn’t process what was happening at first, but soon it was impossible to deny. The Stand was hugging her. When was the last time she’d hugged her father? How many years had it been? What was she, twelve? Maybe even younger? The Stand’s grip was so powerful, but it exercised surgical restraint. She didn’t feel the least bit of pain as Star Platinum hugged her. She just let her head fall back and existed in the moment. 

Tears fell down her cheeks as she was hugged by her father’s Stand. Emotions she’d long since buried were bubbling to the surface. Why did it take all of this just to get a hug from the man? Why did she feel angry when she wanted to be overjoyed? Why did she still feel like he abandoned her when all he did was die? Stone Free’s arms wrapped around Star Platinum and returned the embrace. She choked a bit on her tears, but didn’t care. 

“I’m sorry, Dad.” She whispered. “Sorry you went to that awful place just to pick up your fuckup of a daughter. Sorry you got hurt doing it… I’m sorry-” She hitched her breath, letting out a light sob. “I’m sorry I stole that car. I don’t know why I did it… I don’t- I don’t know.” 

Maura could only watch from a safe distance with a hand over her mouth as she watched her daughter break into tears. She didn’t want to risk closing the distance and antagonizing Star Platinum again. It had responded to her presence at first, right? 

“Why didn’t he recognize me?” Maura whispered. 

“I wouldn’t take it personally,” Ripley shook her head. “The bond between a parent and their child is stronger than anything else. His body knows Jolyne. He recognizes her, even if he doesn’t know why.” 

Maura looked at her husband and tensed up at the sight of tears on his cheeks. His body was crying? She hadn’t seen him this emotional in years. All she wanted to do was embrace him, but she couldn’t. Was this how he felt all the time? He’d described that deep, terrifying inability to express his feelings to her before. How was this any different? She thought he was a coward for giving into that terror, but how was she better? 

The mother stomped past Ripley and stood beside her daughter. Jolyne looked surprised, but Maura wasn’t having any of it. Her daughter could handle Jotaro’s Stand, but she’d be the one to hold him. Maura leaned down to the hospital bed and brought Jotaro’s limp body in for a hug. Star Platinum didn’t even flinch this time, perhaps it was placated by Jolyne. Maura held her husband, burying her face in his hair and rubbing his back. She leaned down to his ear and whispered, 

“I don’t blame you for any of it. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to take care of things for a change.” 

The moment she said this, Jotaro’s arms swung around the woman and held her tight. She gasped, squeezing him in surprise. His eyes were still closed, but some part of Jotaro was still in there. She was going to find it, and she was going to bring him back. After a moment the man’s arms went limp once again, falling to either side as he lay silent in the hospital bed. Star Platinum slowly faded as well. That left the two of them panting beside the bed with adrenaline to spare. 

“Mom…” Jolyne wiped her eyes. “You could see it, couldn’t you? Dad’s Star Platinum?” 

Maura nodded. “It’s the first time I have. Why are you looking at me like that?” 

Jolyne pulled herself together and grabbed the nearby chairs. She pulled them right up to the bed and sat down. “We need to talk.” 

Josuke spread the blinds of his luxury hotel room to get a good look outside. Passione sure set him up in a nice place, but what was he supposed to make of his conversation with Giorno? There was some monster running around with a time-Stand possessing the body of an innocent little girl? He didn’t want to get caught up in Passione’s business, but what was he supposed to do if he saw her? 

“You’re stewing again,” Shirlie mumbled from her bed. She was currently removing her right sock and slapping it against the comforter to remove all the bad empathy she soaked in on the plane. There was a screaming baby for the last hour or so of the flight, and she was currently feeling about forty people’s anger about it. 

Josuke sighed, releasing the blinds and letting the city vanish from view. “What do you think?” 

Shirlie finished with one sock and moved onto the next. “Sounds like something we’re gonna get dragged into, I guess?” She checked her phone and frowned. “I had five missed calls from Pepsi when we landed, but they haven’t replied to any of my texts since.” 

“You know how they are with their tech fatigue. I’m sure they’ll get back to you in the morning.” 

Shirlie puffed out her cheeks and pouted for a moment before dropping the phone onto her bed. “Alright, fine! I just got all the airplane out of my socks, maybe we could christen my feet with an Italian walk?” 

“That depends, are we free to travel as we please, or is this like last time we were here?” Josuke sighed. 

“I’m preeeeetty sure you and the old man left without anyone’s permission last time, so that’s not even a good argument. If you wanna mope, you could clench your fists and complain about the fact that room service doesn’t offer chicken wings. You know, something productive?” Shirlie grabbed the menu from her bedside table and tossed it at Josuke. 

“Why don’t you try something Italian? Or are you still struggling with your pallet?” 

Shirlie looked irritated. “Josuke, you’re obviously mad about Giorno, so why are you still stewing? It’s bad for my lungs to breathe in that negativity. Do you need me to talk to him for you?” 

“I don’t need my adoptive daughter to talk to a crime lord for me.” Josuke crossed his arms. 

“I’m only your daughter according to the state of New York. We both know I’m more like a weird, slimy estranged sister you reconnected with later in life. And you also know I’m tighter with him than you are. It’s probably because you still say the term ‘crime lord’ like a cop. I think crime lords can be cool as hell.” She hopped out of bed. 

Shirlie lifted one foot and let Pa-Pa-Power place a slipper on it. She did this with the other foot before the Stand slipped her jacket over both shoulders. “I promised Pa-Pa-Power we’d go for a walk once things settled down. Would you like to come with us or not?” 

“You go ahead, I’m tired from the flight.” Josuke sat on his bed and sighed. 

“Alright then, if I get attacked by any possessed little girls with time powers I’ll be sure to give you a call.” She smiled, slinking out the door in her slippers and closing it firmly. 

Josuke stared out the window once again and took a moment to consider his feelings. The silence helped, especially since an empath was no longer looming over his shoulder and telling him what he felt. He loved the twins, but taking on such a big responsibility really took its toll from time to time. After a few minutes of contemplation, he felt his stomach begging for attention. He grabbed the menu Shirlie had tossed aside and looked through his options. 

Even if this was a classy hotel in Italy, Josuke had trouble believing the food would be better than the Italian cuisine he could get back at home in Morioh. Nobody could beat Tonio’s cooking. Still, some of the stuff sounded pretty good. Maybe he’d order a bottle of wine to go along with it? A knock on the door brought him back to reality. Shirlie, perhaps? No, she wouldn’t have knocked for her own room. 

Josuke got up and carefully looked through the door’s peephole. Oh… He slowly opened the door and looked down at the shorter man. “Giorno?” 

“It seems like things have gotten more complicated. Can I come in?” Giorno asked. 

Maura didn’t know what to say. She inspected her daughter’s face for any sign that this was an ill-conceived joke. No such luck. That meant she had to grapple with the reality of her situation. If you asked Maura an hour prior whether things could get any worse, she’d have laughed. Now she was faced with this? The woman took a deep breath, glancing at Jotaro’s motionless body as it stared up at the ceiling. 

“You’re telling me I have one of those now?” She broke the silence. 

Jolyne somberly nodded. 

“And it’s either going to manifest into a complete Stand, or kill me?” 

“You’d probably be experiencing symptoms by now,” Ripley interjected. “Odds are you have a fledgling Stand and don’t even know it.” 

“How do you know it then? Should I be able to feel something? What muscles do you use to get it out and have a look?” 

“It’s hard to describe, like teaching someone to whistle, or wiggle their nose. You kinda have to get the feel for it on your own.” Jolyne sat up in her chair. “I first manifested mine as a small thread, but eventually I could bind it together in a humanoid form.” 

“You’re more likely to manifest it when you’re in danger.” Ripley sighed. 

“I was in plenty of danger today. Why didn’t it appear then?” 

“You had powerful Stand Users protecting you. Stands feed off your will to fight and protect. You weren’t desperate enough.” 

“With all due respect Ma’am, I nearly watched my daughter get crucified this afternoon. How much more protective do I have to feel?” Maura asked. 

“Let’s hope you never need to find out.” Jolyne stood from her chair and dusted off her hands. “I’m going on a trip, Mom. First thing in the morning.” 

“A trip?” Maura echoed. “What do you mean?” 

“He’s got Shizuka’s disc. She’s going to need it back.” Jolyne said softly, like she was trying to convince herself. 

“No… You’re chasing after him? Look at what he did to us before, how can you-” 

“Mom,” Jolyne begged with her eyes. “I have to go. Please stay with dad. My friends will find his memory disc in no time. Once he’s awake, he’ll help me out. Right, Ripley?” 

The arbiter seemed a little shocked to be pulled into this moment. “Jotaro could take all three of us with one hand, yes.” 

“Honey,” Maura took her daughter’s hands. “You’re safe. You got out. Why are you diving right back in?” 

“I could’ve left weeks ago.” Jolyne admitted. “I decided to stay for him. The things I’ve seen since then, the things I’ve endured… It’d be for nothing if I stayed here with a half-dead-dad. The only way out of this is through. I’ll be okay, I always have been.” 

“You’re my daughter. How am I supposed to let you go?” 

“You don’t, because it’s not your decision.” Jolyne gently pulled her hands away. “I’m going to save Shizuka and shove a crucifix up that priest’s ass until he hears the angels sing. Then we can all go to the beach.” 

Maura closed her eyes and nodded. “Okay, Jojo. I hate it, but okay…” 

Jolyne brought her mother in for a hug. It was difficult to let go, especially since she knew it might be the last time she felt the woman’s embrace. She’d already gone months without seeing her mother, now she was willfully leaving her again? Had she somehow grown a conscience in that damn prison? No, it was there all along. For her whole life Jolyne had known the right thing and chosen to do the opposite. Cheating on tests, stealing cars, dating older guys with dangerous friends… Now she finally wanted to do what was right, and it was so painful. 

Wasn’t that the funniest thing of all? 

Josuke sat with folded hands propping up his chin. Giorno was sitting across from the taller man with one leg folded over the other. Josuke’s teeth were digging into his bottom lip as he tried to grapple with the news. They’d both been silent for over thirty seconds. Finally, he broke the tension. 

“You’re absolutely positive?” He grumbled. 

“I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t have pictures of their body.” Giorno said somberly. 

“Because if I put Shirlie through this for nothing, it’s your ass.” Josuke growled. 

Giorno allowed the threat. He understood just how much stress Josuke was currently under. “Pepsi matters to me too, Josuke. As does Shirlie. We’ve fought for our lives together. I only share that bond with a few people, and it’s for life. I’m doing everything in my power to help the Speedwagon Foundation recover their memory disc from that prison.” 

“And what is that, exactly?” Josuke snapped once again. He bit even harder on his lip, drawing a bit of blood. “I know you’re a big-time crime lord, but how much influence can you really have over a Florida prison?”

“Not much,” Giorno admitted. “And to be frank, I’m working with one hand tied behind my back. Most of my resources are being spent on the Ludovicia fiasco. But you’re family. I will find a way.” 

“Family?” Josuke rolled his eyes. For the first time in their conversation, Giorno appeared genuinely put off by Josuke’s attitude. 

“Family, yes.” He stated once more. “I value it more than anything. For most of my life I only had the family I chose. It wasn’t until my twenties that I met genuine blood.” 

“Listen Giorno, I don’t mean any offense here, but I’m not tripping over myself to call you Uncle Boss or some crap.” Josuke spread his legs and leaned back in his chair. “I might’ve handed in my badge, but I’m not a big fan of organized crime. Even if you keep it flowery and nice, a spade’s still a spade.” 

Giorno considered Josuke’s words for a moment. Before he responded, he paused to investigate the deeper motivation behind them. The boss sat upright in his chair to challenge Josuke’s posture, folding his hands in his lap. 

“You know, we have more in common than you might think. We’re both Joestar bastards who didn’t meet our father’s side of the family until our mid-teens.” He spoke softly. “The main difference is the quality of our mother’s side. You still grew up in a house of love. My mother never loved me, not really.”

Josuke almost fired back with something, but the look on Giorno’s face made him back down. The boss looked disturbed. 

“And when you finally met your father, you saw a good man. Despite his flaws, he loved the people in his life and generally did his best to avoid hurting them. While he failed at times, he never stopped trying.” Giorno sat back in his chair. 

“Meanwhile, I learned my father was a monster; a creature that fed on humans, and that was the tame part. He’d rape and murder, too. My mother’s dead, so I’ll never even know if my conception was consensual.” He let that hang in the air for a while before continuing. 

“Family is like solid ground, Josuke. If you have it, you don’t even notice it’s there. But if the Earth is quaking beneath your feet, it can feel impossible to survive. Perhaps that’s why I’m more inclined to cherish even the most distant blood relatives I come across. Like a coyote starving in the woods, I know how it feels to be hungry. I’d like to hoard all the love I can find. I apologize if I’ve been too forward with you. It doesn’t hurt my feelings if you don’t consider me family.” 

Josuke stared at the ceiling for a few seconds in thought. “...damn. I guess I never thought about how lucky I was. We’ve both got deadbeat dads, but I never felt like I was short on love. Maybe that’s why I was so offended when the Joestars tried to barge into my life.” 

“It’s quite the family, isn’t it?” Giorno smiled. “We have power and riches, but seem cursed with conflict. After a certain amount of Stand battles, you have to wonder if it’s something you’re attracting.” 

“Nah, that’s not it.” Josuke shrugged. “Lots of people have power. We’re the type to pick fights when we see something we don’t agree with. It’s like what you did with this gang. I picked quite a few fights to protect my home too. We’re not attracting conflict. We just don’t back down when it shows its ugly face.” 

“Hmm, I like that. What do you think that is, then? What makes us different from everybody else that’s fighting for control?” 

Josuke looked up at the ceiling and smiled as he admired the beautiful lights above. The expensive bulbs twinkled as they gently dangled from a chain connected to the ceiling. “I guess you could call it justice.”

Giorno couldn’t help but chuckle. “Justice? Isn’t justice decided by the victor?” 

“It sure is. That’s why I have to be the one who wins.” Josuke pushed his thumb into his chest. “I’m not gonna let some punk tell me what’s right.”

“Justice…” Giorno mused as he stared at the setting sun. “How are you going to tell Shirlie?” 

Josuke’s expression sank as he remembered the reason behind Giorno’s visit. “I don’t know.”

Shirlie was walking down the street with a big smile on her face. The air smelled different, the people’s emotions felt new and exciting. Normally cities overwhelmed her, but she was definitely enjoying the change of scenery. New York was definitely a drag, especially when you can feel everyone’s emotions on the subway, but it was her chosen home. That didn’t mean it wasn’t nice to enjoy some fresh air every once and a while. Naples was like a palate cleanser. 

Just as she was finished musing about the positives, she tasted something bitter in the back of her throat. The redhead stopped in place, feeling the hair on her neck stand upright as an uneasy presence lingered close by. Pa-Pa-Power’s teeth were chattering, but she kept him still. Whoever was watching her didn’t seem sure about it. She felt indecision, trepidation, and a bit of malice in the air. The girl merely cracked her knuckles and sighed. 

“I think I felt you at the airport, I just didn’t realize it until now.” She spoke into the open air. “It feels like you know this won’t work. Why don’t you just scurry back into the alley and let me enjoy my walk?” 

Footsteps announced a presence Shirlie was already well aware of. They were just around the corner of an alley, but didn’t step into view. Shirlie’s ears perked up as she felt the presence preparing to speak. 

“You can empathize with others, can’t you?” The voice asked softly. 

That got a laugh. “Yeah, I sure can. It’s the only reason I haven’t told you to fuck off. Why’re you so scared? I didn’t expect that.” 

There was silence for a moment. “Would you be willing to speak with him?” 

Shirlie put her hands in her pockets and spit on the sidewalk. “You mean the evil dude who stole the body of a little kid? Sorry lady, but some people are beyond my help. You should know I feel Giorno close by… It’s probably dangerous for you to be here.” 

Another long pause… 

“Then scream for him.” 

Shirlie tilted her head curiously. “I think you know I won’t. It’s no fun when someone knows everything that’s gonna happen. How do you know these things? That’s really interesting.” 

“You know more than you should too,” The voice quipped in return. 

“I soak it in. It’s not my fault people send it into the air. Is that what you do? Soak things in?” Shirlie paused for a moment. “Oh, maybe you do? Knowing all these things… Are you even able to control it?” The emotions in the air gave her all the answers she needed. “You know things before they happen. Part of you enjoys that, but another part wishes it would stop.”

“...he needs help. If you don’t help him, he might never recover.” The voice pleaded. 

“Why should I care about that?” 

“Do you feel how afraid I am? Then believe me when I tell you that everybody you know is going to die in three weeks.” 

Shirlie pursed her lips in thought. “You definitely believe that. Doesn’t mean I believe you.” 

“Please, just come with me. You won’t be harmed. I give you my word that you’re free to leave at any time. Nobody associated with me will try to hurt you today.” 

“Just today?” Shirlie raised a brow. “They might try to hurt me tomorrow?” 

“I can’t promise anything beyond that, but you know I’m telling the truth about today.” The voice explained. 

The ginger just sighed. “Everybody I know might die in three weeks? How sensational. I’ll give you an hour of my time. But if you try anything funny, Pa-Pa-Power’s gonna clobber ya.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

Jolyne had gotten a few hours of sleep. It was her first night outside a prison cell in months. She kept expecting to hear a toilet flushing or an inmate smacking the bars, but it never happened. Eventually she woke up and took a much-needed shower. It was almost strange, showering alone. She had privacy again, dignity. Her breakfast wasn’t spit in, and she didn’t have to eat it surrounded by threats to her health. 

Some woman in a suit was there to retrieve her after she showered. She was led to a large hangar with even more well-dressed individuals preparing a plane. Ripley was instructing a few of them about something when she noticed Jolyne. She quickly wrapped it up and rushed over to Jolyne. 

“Alright, are you ready? Pucci’s probably traveling on the ground. Even if he left immediately, it’s a twenty-three-hour drive from Green Dolphin to Devil Town. You and Marina will hopefully beat him there.” 

“And then what?” Jolyne raised a brow. 

Marina walked up to them with a big smirk. “We knock heads together until we find out what’s so important about this Devil Town.”

Ripley wrapped an arm around Marina and smiled. “Sunset’s at 5:02 p.m., babe. That doesn’t give you much of a head start.” 

“They won’t need one.” Director Holiday interjected. She stood behind the woman with her arms crossed, nodding at a few technicians as they walked by. “We know what Pucci’s after.”

“You do!?” Jolyne gasped. 

“Devil Town, Nebraska: Founded in 1857 when the state was just an occupied territory. Over a hundred-and-fifty years of history, but it’s never made the national news. When Ripley reported that there was nothing noteworthy about Devil Town, I had my men work overtime to dig a bit deeper. Ripley, please share this with the rest of the class.” 

The Director handed Ripley a sheet of paper. It seemed to have a newspaper headline printed on. She steadied the paper and put on her reading glasses. “December 13th, 1902, Miracle in Devil Town…” She continued reading to herself, but she had to pause when she got to the real meat of the article. “A woman was resuscitated after being pronounced dead eighteen hours prior?” 

“She’d had her skull shattered by her abusive drunk of a husband, but on December 13th she was fine. She made a full recovery and lived another fifty years.” Holiday nodded. “Keep reading.” 

“December 13th, 1912, Mayor’s Daughter spared.” Ripley squinted. “Held for ransom, negotiations gone wrong… She ended up getting shot in the stomach. Despite being pronounced dead on the scene, the physical seemed to be mistaken. She woke up hours later and made a full recovery.”

“1922, 1932, 1942, every ten years it’s the same. Someone’s thought to be legally dead, and then they make a miraculous recovery.” Holiday explained. “Intel’s convinced something supernatural is going on.”

“What, like a healer?” Marina scrunched her nose. “Why would Pucci be this desperate to find a healer?” 

Ripley looked pale as she continued to read the news snippets. “This isn’t a healer,” She whispered. “He’s looking for a necromancer.” 

The hangar seemed eerily quiet for a moment. The engineers continued to prepare the plane, but none of the women uttered a word for quite some time. It was Jolyne who broke the silence. 

“There’s no such thing, right?” She looked to Ripley for assurance. 

“It’s never been definitively proven.” Director Holiday explained. “Men have wasted their lives trying to overcome death. It’s typically better to spend the time you’ve been given actually living, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to succeed.” 

“The closest calls we’ve verified were all circumstantial. They never lasted. These women lived for decades after the fact. If this was necromancy, why were they chosen? Why December 13th?” Ripley frowned. 

“We don’t know, but if Pucci’s trying to contact a necromancer, I think you can piece together his plan.” Holiday said. 

Ripley clenched her jaw. “That maniac, he can’t really believe this will work? Even if someone could bring Dio back, why would they? What’s in it for them?” 

“He’s been planning this for decades, Ripley. We have to assume he’s five steps ahead of us. We don’t even know his ultimate goal.” Holiday frowned. 

Jolyne’s eyes widened. She thought back to something strange from the previous day. “Heaven… He said he wanted Heaven.” 

Marina didn’t react, but Ripley and Holiday shot their heads in Jolyne’s direction like startled wolves. “What exactly did Pucci say about Heaven?” Holiday demanded in a stronger tone than usual. 

“W-Wha? I dunno! He said something about Heaven to Shizuka right when he took her discs! I was a little busy getting my ass kicked.” Jolyne said defensively. 

“Oi, what’s Heaven? And why do you two look like we misplaced the nuclear football?” Marina crossed her arms. 

“She wouldn’t tell us.” Holiday sighed. “No matter how many times we asked.” 

“She?” Jolyne mumbled. “You mean Shizuka knows? That must be what he needed from her memories.” 

“That tricky bastard. We figured he just wanted more memories about Dio.” Holiday rubbed the bridge of her nose in stress. “So we don’t get to know what Heaven is, but she went and handed it to Enrico Pucci on a silver platter?” 

“Why’s it such a secret?” Jolyne raised a brow. 

“She won’t say.” Ripley sighed. “She only said the world would end if the wrong person found out.” 

“She actually said she'd sooner blow a cactus than hand such a thing to the Speedwagon Foundation,” Holiday mumbled with a scowl. “This changes things. If Pucci’s trying to get Heaven, this mission has gone from our top priority to our only priority. Do you understand? You have five days until this necromancer chooses his lucky winner. I don’t care if you have to put him down; stop it from happening.” 

“Yes Ma’am,” Marina nodded. “Consider it done.” 

“Not until it’s done, Archer.” Holiday snapped her fingers. “You’re the first on the ground. We’ll try to round up some backup, but don’t count on it. Keep me updated, I’ll be checking in tonight.” 

Ripley nodded, guiding Marina and Jolyne to the plane. “Remember that Pucci has an unknown amount of Stand discs on his person. He can create dangerous enemies out of ordinary people.”

“Am I allowed to eat these dangerous enemies?” Marina raised a brow, baring a fang with a devious smile. This resulted in a light slap on the shoulder from her partner. 

“There’s plenty of blood in your cargo. Please don’t make the news again. Holiday almost had a stroke over the Omaha incident.” Ripley rolled her eyes. 

“You can’t keep bouncing between finding my vampirism sexy and problematic, Arbiter. Eventually you’re going to have to put a ring on it.” She lifted Ripley’s chin with a long, clawed finger. “Maybe you’re about to do it right now as a big gesture before my mission?” 

Ripley leaned in, pushing their bodies together for a moment. She reached into her suit jacket’s pockets and pulled them out to reveal they were empty. “No ring yet, rich girl. Upset that something you want that isn’t for sale?”

Jolyne loudly cleared her throat in an attempt to cut through the sapphic tension transpiring three feet in front of her. “You’re both adorable, but do you think we could get going?” 

Ripley’s cheeks flushed a bit. She quickly pecked Marina on the lips before pulling back and straightening her jacket. “Don’t die. I love you. Call when you’re twenty minutes out.” 

Marina snickered in response. She shrugged it off and turned her attention to Jolyne. “Any questions before we start our field trip? You only get one chance to ask about the arm or my whole vampire thing.” 

“I think I’m more interested in learning how you landed Ripley.” Jolyne shrugged with a smile. “Was it a blood drive?” 

“You’re hilarious. I’ll tell you the entire story on the way. Let’s go.” Marina smacked the plane three times with a smirk. 

Sarah sat on the hood of Lauryn’s car as the woman filled it with gas. She rolled that unfamiliar “S” pendant around her fingers curiously as the radio blared above the gas pumps. 

“...she’s 5’6 with pink hair and a yellow jacket. She was most recently seen in a plaid skirt by a relative last night before sundown. If anyone has any information about this missing teenager, please call…” 

Lauryn pulled the pump out of the car and placed it back in its slot. She dusted her hands off and looked at Sarah with a frown. “You sure those pants fit okay? I only keep one backup pair in the car.” 

Sarah was wearing a pair of black dress pants that were obviously meant for a taller woman. She had to fold them twice at her feet to keep them resting on her ankles instead of dragging against the asphalt. She still had her mismatched socks, but no shoes to speak of. The girl nodded, clipping the pendant to her belt loop for safekeeping. 

“I’ve got to get my receipt. Why don’t you come inside and grab a drink? Maybe a snack?” Lauryn offered. 

Sarah should have been hungry, but she didn’t really feel it. It was probably still a good idea to eat something. She hopped off the car’s hood and walked into the gas station with Lauryn. The woman went to the front to pay, and Sarah wandered into the aisles in search of something edible. Lauryn got her receipt and waited for Sarah, but the girl never seemed to come up front with a snack. After a few minutes, she walked deeper into the convenience store in search of the girl. 

“Sarah?” She called for her. 

She came around a corner just in time to find a suited man speaking to Sarah in the corner by the bathrooms. Every warning flag was triggered at once and Lauryn went into immediate defense mode. She walked right up to them and made eye contact with the man. “Hello, and who might you be?” She questioned him. 

The man raised a brow. “So this is the woman who found you on the beach?” 

Sarah nodded. 

“Sarah honey, who’s this?” Lauryn ignored the stranger. 

“He says he knows me,” The girl mumbled with hands in her pockets. “Won’t tell me how or why, though.” 

“Thank you for keeping her safe Ma’am, but this girl needs medical assistance.” The man stepped between them. “I’ll take care of her.” 

Lauryn scowled at him. “You don’t sound like a concerned uncle. What was she doing in the ocean?” 

“I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you.” He calmly said. 

“He wouldn’t tell me either,” Sarah chimed in. 

“Then it doesn’t sound like he’s very useful. C’mon Sarah, let’s go. We’ll find your family on our own.” 

Sarah took a step toward Lauryn, but the man grabbed her wrist. “Sorry, but I need to take her with me. If she could remember, she’d understand.” 

The girl snarled, yanking her wrist free. “How about you touch me again, buddy? Let’s see how it goes.” 

“Hey, what the hell’s going on back here?” The cashier shouted as he came around the corner. 

“Sir, I’m going to need you to back away,” The suited man extended a palm toward the cashier, lifting his jacket up just enough to reveal the gun strapped to his hip. Lauryn’s eyes widened at the sight of it, but Sarah’s didn’t. 

“I’ve seen enough,” The girl muttered, grabbing the man’s tie and dragging him into a punch. She disoriented him with a single strike, shoving him against the wall and watching him topple to the floor. 

“Holy shit!” Lauryn shouted. 

“We’re leaving!” Sarah grabbed Lauryn’s hand and ran out of the store. 

“Sarah, that could’ve been a police officer.” Lauryn said as she was dragged into the parking lot. 

“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Get in the car and drive!” Sarah slid across the hood of the car and got into the passenger seat. 

“I just wanted to go for a jog on the beach.” Lauryn whimpered as she got behind the wheel and pulled out of the gas station. 

The man ran into the parking lot just in time to see them go. He hung his head in frustration and pulled out his phone. After a few rings, he spoke. “It’s me. Yeah, I messed up… She’s on two feet, and she can throw a punch. Let everybody know we need a new approach.” 

Shirlie didn’t like this one bit. She was guided through Naples by the cloaked figure until they arrived at an unmarked van. Against her better judgment, she rode in it for about ten minutes. Neither the cloaked woman nor the driver spoke a word the entire trip. They arrived at a small house on the edge of town. The cloaked woman lowered her hood to reveal a head of raven black hair. 

“He’s inside.” 

Pa-Pa-Power’s teeth were practically chattering as Shirlie walked into the house. She could feel the presence of at least four guards around the premises. Their anxiety was palpable. Nothing prepared her for the foreboding presence she felt at the foot of the house’s staircase. She froze in place and stared up the steps with a locked jaw. The woman stopped beside her with a stoic expression. 

“It’s not just you. Everyone can feel it. He’s that powerful.” She mumbled. 

The emotional turmoil in the air was indescribable. Shirlie could taste them in the back of her throat, and they wisped through the air in colorful trails all around her. Emotions weren’t supposed to be this powerful. What on Earth was inside this little girl? Did Giorno really have the full picture? This didn’t feel human. It couldn’t be human. 

“Take me to him.” She whispered. 

They slowly made their way up the stairs. Each passing step was like an additional bag of sand slung over Shirlie’s shoulders. She could barely stand upright under the weight of this empathy. She knew what room the being was in before the woman even walked in its direction. Black and red globs of distress bubbled beneath the door. Normal people couldn’t see this. It was a stain of empathy left on the Earth. 

Shirlie stopped just short of the door. She tensed up as the globs slowly spread around and past her sneakers. It was like standing in sewage. She tried not to think about it. The woman took a key from her cloak and inserted it into the knob. After preparing herself, she knocked on the door three times. 

“Diavolo? Can we come in?” 

Chapter Text

Shame warmed the young girl’s cheeks as she sat in the principal’s office. Her knuckles were bruised, but she didn’t think anyone cared about that. The other kid needed to see the nurse. She’d never been in trouble like this before. Jolyne had always been a good kid. She tried hard in class, played sports after school, and made a genuine effort to bond with her peers. How did she end up in the hot seat? Her stomach ached as she watched the door, almost trying to will it open and get things over with. 

She got her wish a minute later. Jolyne expected to see her mother’s disappointed face. She almost screamed when Jotaro stood before her instead. Why was her dad here!? Didn’t he have work? Sure, Mom worked too, but she always handled school things. Her face burned even hotter as she waited for him to say something. The giant walked into the office and shut the door. Jolyne choked on the room’s silence for what felt like an eternity, but Jotaro eventually spoke. 

“This Kendall kid,” Her father spoke calmly, like always. “He claims you hit him totally unprovoked. Two teachers saw it happen. One minute you were on two sides of the cafeteria, the next you’re punching him in the face.” 

Of course that’s what it looked like. Jolyne fought back tears, hanging her head as she was unable to meet her father’s eyes. He probably thought she was a terrible kid. She just wanted him to pay attention to her. He never mentioned her stellar report cards or perfect attendance, how could this be the thing that finally brought him into her school life? She let out a tiny whimper, biting her lip and suppressing the urge to cry. 

Jotaro grabbed a chair and swung it over to rest opposite Jolyne. He sat down and leaned close, giving her room to feel comfortable while still occupying her space. He folded his hands and looked her in the eye. 

“Tell me your version.” 

She actually gasped. Her eyes shot up to meet him in disbelief. Was this some kind of joke? Jolyne had shared her side of the story until her face was blue, but none of the teachers wanted to hear it. The girl cleared her throat and sat upright. 

“I know it looks like I just walked up and hit Kendall, because I did.” She started bluntly. “He didn’t touch me. I don’t think he even knows me. H-He’s never done anything to me.” The red hot feeling of shame crept throughout Jolyne’s head as she admitted this. 

Jotaro didn’t flinch. He leaned a bit closer and raised his brow. “Must’ve been a damn good reason then?” 

“T-There is.” Jolyne nodded. “I saw him kissing Laura on the bus. I thought it was weird, because they’re not dating. Laura looked really embarrassed, and when we got to school she went right to the bathroom. She was crying. Kendall took her first kiss because he thought it was funny. She was saving it for Alan, but when Alan saw them kissing on the bus he asked Marissa to the dance instead.” 

This was a bit much in terms of juvenile drama, but Jotaro was following. “Kendall kissed this girl without permission then?” 

The girl nodded. “When I found out, I was so angry. I almost went to one of the teachers, but…” She rubbed her bruised knuckles with her good hand and frowned. Instead of continuing, it seemed like she was busy reliving the moment in her head. 

“But?” Jotaro echoed. 

This snapped her out of it. “I-I knew if I told someone, they wouldn’t do anything about it! They never do anything about it! He couldn’t walk away from this thinking it was okay. If the teachers weren’t going to do anything, I guess I thought…” 

Jotaro took her injured hand into his own, lifting the knuckles up to the light. They were sprinkled with tiny flakes of dried blood. Whether it was Jolyne’s or Kendall’s was anyone’s guess. “Why not take things into my own hands?” He asked. 

She looked ashamed, but nodded in response. 

“Jojo,” Jotaro sighed, rubbing his daughter’s injured hand. It was a rare bit of physical contact between them, something she’d always missed since she was younger. “You’re right to say the teachers wouldn’t have done anything about the kiss. That doesn’t mean what Kendall did was acceptable. You took justice into your own hands.” 

The man presented Jolyne with her own injured knuckles. She saw as they appeared purple under the lights. She never realized punching someone could hurt so badly. 

“You taught him a lesson. Now he’ll think twice before doing whatever he wants to other people. You learned a lesson here too. Punching someone might be necessary, but doing so with bad form will only hurt yourself.” He took her good hand and carefully balled it into a fist. When she reflexively adjusted her fingers into an improper fist, the man put them back. “This is how you make a fist. If you throw a bad punch, you can break your hand.” 

“O-Oh…” She mumbled, eyeing the fist carefully to see how he did it. “So I’m not in trouble for punching him?” 

“Not with me,” The father shook his head. “But throwing a bad punch can do more than break your knuckles. If you hit someone, there are consequences. Whether punching Kendall was worth it or not is something only you can decide. You’re suspended for three days, and your mother wants to take away your electronics for a week.” 

Jolyne nodded with a frown. She took her fist from his hands and inspected it thoughtfully. She wasn’t “in trouble,” but she was still facing consequences. “If I didn’t do anything wrong, why am I being punished at home?”  

“There’s no such thing as a good punch, Jojo.” Jotaro sat up and adjusted his jacket. “There’re only bad punches, and worse punches. Anytime you hit someone, you’re making peace with the consequences. It’s impossible to know what might happen. Kendall could’ve fallen and cracked his skull open; then you’d be a killer.” He looked his daughter in the eyes. “That didn’t happen, but you opened the door. The school wants to teach you a lesson by suspending you, your mother wants to teach you a lesson by grounding you, but let me tell you the biggest lesson of all: It only takes one punch to kill someone. Never forget that.” 

He stood up and dusted off his hat. “Now c’mon, I’ll get you McDonald’s on the way home. Just don’t tell your mother.” 

She nodded, but the weight of this lesson was heavy on her shoulders. What did he mean she could’ve killed Kendall with that dinky little punch? Was he being serious? She looked at her knuckles one last time to soak in the consequences of her bad form. Was “bad form” a metaphor for something greater? Instead of punching Kendall in front of two teachers, should she have done it in private? Did Jotaro want her to consider that next time? 

Either way, he never talked to her for this long. She’d listen to whatever he had to say.

The plane was a mix between luxury jet and a fighter plane. Jolyne stared at the clouds as they passed below. Suddenly the windows were all obstructed by thick metal shutters. She pulled her face away from the glass as the cabin was plunged into darkness. That’s when the door opened and Marina stepped onto the velvet carpet. 

“Sorry about that. I’ve got a skin condition.” She said, plopping herself into a seat across the aisle from Jolyne. “You know, I could fly this thing if I wanted? Only at night, though. That’s why we’ve got good ol’ Frankie as our captain.” 

“How long have you been like this?” Jolyne asked softly as the dim overhead lights allowed them to see each other. “You still sound like you’re still coming to terms with it.” 

Marina laughed dryly. “Little over three years now. It’s not a terrible gig, ya know? Superhuman strength, supernatural charisma? Training those goobers to hunt monsters is pretty fun too, especially since they’re terrible at it. That’s job security, baby.” 

Jolyne nodded. It’d been such a marathon lately that she wasn’t sure how to handle the quiet moments. “You’re not the weirdest woman I’ve met lately. One of my friends is the Stand of a plankton that was given human-like sentience and possessed the body of a dead woman.” 

That got a snort out of Marina. “It’s not exactly a competition, but god-DAMN! You really have to make me feel like I’m not interesting? A plankton? Like from Spongebob?” 

“I guess life is stranger than fiction.” Jolyne chuckled. There was something thick in the air that neither woman seemed eager to address. After another long pause, Jolyne decided to initiate: “...you and Shizuka are close, huh?” 

Marina was deathly silent as she stared at the metal shutter blocking the sunlight from eviscerating her. “She’s the little sister I never had. I guess that makes you family too. It’s nice to meet properly.” 

“A few years back…” Jolyne pursed her lips in thought. “When grandpa died? Shizuka and my dad went on some kind of mission together. I was sent into hiding with the rest of the normal people. Were you there?”

Marina lowered her head with a knowing smile. “I was. We call it the ‘Blondie crisis’ at work. It’s a long story, but the old director of the Foundation was nowhere near as warm and understanding as Holiday. Shizuka and I had to knock some sense into her. You and your family were sent into hiding because we knew she might use you as leverage.” 

Jolyne leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. “We were taken to some resort in the Caribbean. I remember thinking it was strange. Nobody felt like answering any questions.”

“That must have been hard, not knowing what was going on,” Marina mused. 

Jolyne chuckled. “You were getting into Stand battles at every turn, but you’re thinking about how rough I had it?” 

Marina gave a toothy grin in response. “Well yeah. Anyone can give and take a few punches. It takes real patience and trust to sit by and do nothing. I’d never be able to do that. My dad tried his best to keep me safe, now I’m hunting monsters for a living. And I don’t even need a paycheck; I’m loaded! I do it because I’m bored!” 

“Bored?” Jolyne sighed. “I’d give anything to be bored nowadays. What’s it like?” 

“I try to avoid the feeling myself. Anytime I’m alone with my thoughts, I mostly think about how my body’s in stasis. Do you hear the sound of your heart beating, Jolyne?” She tilted her head. “You do… You just don’t pay attention. I had no idea how quiet a room could really be until I sat in one without a heartbeat…  That’s silence.” 

“Is there a cure?”

“Nah.” Marina frowned. “Had the lab geeks look into it for a while, but Shizuka knew it was a lost cause. She’s an expert on vampires, long story. Basically, my body died when I was turned. Anything that might remove the ‘vampire’ from my blood would also be removing the only thing keeping me alive. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I had died on that roof. How would everyone have moved on, ya know? But I’m happy to stick around for them. They seem to like it.” 

“If you’re just sticking around for your friends, what about the whole…” Jolyne poked her fingers together for a moment. “Aging thing?” 

Marina waved a dismissive hand. Her body was still nineteen, but her eyes carried the weight of her years. The only part of her that would keep aging were those eyes, aching and silver. “Meh, I try not to think about that. I love my girlfriend, my friends, everyone really… Truth be told, I get into fights often enough that my immortality might be exaggerated. Still, I won’t get a day older. If I beat the odds and outlive everyone I love, what else is there to do?” She lifted a hand, inspecting her inhumanly perfect skin. “…well, I guess I could just go for a nice walk at high noon. Sounds warm, doesn’t it? I’d like that.” 

Jolyne swallowed nervously, nodding in agreement. “I guess that’s nice? No sickness or decay; just go until you’re finished.” 

“Until I’m finished.” Marina’s piercing silver eyes focused on her long black nails. 

The light above the front door switched on. “Ma’am, we’re arriving in twenty minutes. You asked me to remind you that Arbiter Ripley wanted a phone call.” 

“Ah, there’s my reason to keep on living.” Marina grinned, dusting her hands clean of the heavy topic and springing out of her chair. “I’m going to have one last chat with Mission Control, then it’s boots on the ground. See you soon,” She patted Jolyne on the shoulder before walking to the back of the plane. The door shut behind her, and three seconds later the shudders flipped up.

Sunlight hit Jolyne’s cheeks and burned her eyes as she stared into the clouds. She held a hand in front of her face like a visor and thought about what Marina said. “It is warm…” She mumbled, wondering how cold it must be for Marina. 

Lauryn’s car sped down the road as she fled the gas station on Sarah’s orders. Her heart was pounding, and she kept waiting to hear sirens in the distance. Would she stop if she did? What was this girl’s problem!? Sarah was kneeling in the back seat and facing the rear attentively. 

“I can’t see through my mirrors, Sarah. Get out of the way,” Lauryn shouted into the back. 

“I get it now Lauryn,” Sarah shook her head. “I didn’t understand why I jumped into the water, but it all makes sense! I was running. I don’t know what I’m running from, but I’m not taking any chances.” 

“What if he was trying to help you?” 

“I don’t need his help, not until I figure out what’s going on! Do you think he got your plates?” 

“No? Why?” Lauryn frowned. 

“Do you have a garage?” 

While it was a convenient amenity, Lauryn regretted having one now. She took Sarah home and parked the car inside the garage. Nobody would be able to identify them from the street. Lauryn paced around the garage for a solid three minutes while Sarah sat silently on the hood of the car. What was she doing!? She needed to call the authorities. This was probably kidnapping! She couldn’t afford to get tangled up in whatever the hell was happening here. She just needed to work up the nerve and tell Sarah how it was going to be. Lauryn was an adult, she had to make the big decisions. 

“...do you have applesauce?” Sarah finally broke the silence. 

That sucked the wind from Lauryn’s sails in an instant. All her resolve crumbled to dust the moment the young girl asked for food. “Applesauce?” She asked quietly in response. 

“I don’t think I’ve eaten in a day or two. Applesauce just sounds good, especially if it’s refrigerated.” Sarah shrugged. “It’s fine if you don’t have any.” 

Lauryn hung her head and sighed. “C’mon baby, I’ll see what I have in the kitchen.” 

She walked Sarah into the apartment with an arm around the girl. Sarah was visibly shaking, and it wasn’t just the adrenaline. How was this girl even on two feet after washing ashore and getting hit by a car? If she was tired, Lauryn could at least let her rest for a bit before making any rash decisions. The older woman sat Sarah down on a bar stool at the kitchen island and opened her fridge. 

“No applesauce, but I could fix you up some lunch? Why don’t you head upstairs and wash up? You still smell like seaweed.”

Sarah nodded and walked upstairs. She was greeted by a small hallway with three doors. Opening the closest door to the stairs revealed a pitch black room. The curtains were drawn, but a thin veil of light cut through the darkness and illuminated the bed of what had to be a young girl. Sarah’s hand dragged across the wall until it found the light switch. When she flipped it, the vibrant colors and princess decorations were quite a surprise. 

She stepped deeper into the room and took in the finer details. The bed was impossibly tidy, like it hadn’t actually been used in some time. Dust lined the room’s surfaces as well. The final nail in the coffin was kept in a picture frame on top of the dresser. Sarah lifted it up with a grim expression. It was a picture of Lauryn with a young girl in her arms. Even this was coated in dust. 

“Sophie,” She mumbled in recognition. The name Lauryn objected so forcefully on the beach, it must have belonged to this girl.

As she stared at the mother and daughter, Sarah’s head began to ache. Her vision seemed to blur, but the picture was still sharp. She watched as the faces shifted from Lauryn and Sophie to something new. It was that woman again, the one she saw after waking up. She’d almost forgotten because of the incident with the car, but it was clear in her mind as she traced the picture with a finger. 

Sophie had transformed into a young Japanese girl with black hair in the shape of a rosebud. Sarah felt she looked familiar. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a mirror atop a small vanity. Sarah’s dark eyes widened when she saw her reflection. She approached the mirror in a trance with the picture in hand. Her face, she recognized it. She had the same face as that woman she saw on the beach. It was the face that replaced Lauryn in the picture! She took a closer look at the frame and gasped. 

The little girl had her face too. 

The face staring back at Sarah looked like a perfect transitory state between the mother and child. This wasn’t just familial resemblance, it’s like they were all three the same person. She reached a trembling hand toward the mirror and touched her face. The moment she made contact, the entire image flickered and replaced her reflection with the mother’s body. Sarah didn’t know why she washed up on that beach, she didn’t know her own name, but somehow she knew the name of this woman the moment they met eyes. 

“Tsuru…” She whispered. 

Like she’d just uttered the magic words, a towering presence appeared behind her. It was a pale figure with porcelain skin and flaming wings. Sarah was stunned silent. The radiating heat made it clear this wasn’t just a reflection. She turned to face the floating presence with a tremor in her step. Why was it staring at her like this? The figure was motionless as if it’d been frozen in the air. 

“Mother Dawn,” Sarah spoke its name. How did she know this thing was called Mother Dawn? It came to her lips so naturally. How couldn’t she know Mother Dawn? “You pulled me from the water, I remember now.” 

Mother Dawn nodded. 

“This picture,” Sarah held up the frame. “Which one am I?”

The figure’s polished white hand reached for the frame and planted its finger right on the glass. Sarah hitched her breath when she saw its answer. Mother Dawn was pointing at the older woman. Somehow Sarah knew this was the case. She just didn’t want to accept it. The girl’s shoulders slouched as she inspected the picture closer. 

“B-But I’m a teenager, right? Lauryn’s treating me like a child. How can’t I be that little girl?” 

The glowing hand rested on Sarah’s heart this time. She felt its warmth and closed her eyes. The heat wasn’t coming from outside. This was the warmth of Sarah’s spirit. She was Mother Dawn. None of it made any sense to her, but she knew it to be true. The girl nervously cleared her throat and tapped the picture a few times. 

“What was I doing in the water? What was I running from?” 

No response. 

“...I guess you’re not much for talking. You don’t even have a mouth.” She sighed, glancing at the mirror once again. She still saw Tsuru in her reflection. “I can’t catch a break, can I?” The girl chuckled sadly. The photo in her hands shifted back to its original state, but Mother Dawn was still there. 

Just as she was about to ask the floating figure another question, Sarah heard glass shattering downstairs. She basically flew down the stairs to the kitchen. Her black eyes focused right on Lauryn, but were shocked to see the woman alone. 

“Lauryn?” She asked cautiously. “Is everything okay?”

The woman was standing by the kitchen counter with her hands trembling at chest-level. Sarah looked down to find a shattered plate on the tile floor. There was a ruined sandwich scattered alongside the fragments, and a single container of applesauce with a plastic fork a few feet away from the mess. 

Lauryn hadn’t looked away from the window, even after Sarah asked her a question. The girl carefully made her way through the kitchen and looked out the window. Nothing. She turned to the adult with even more concern than before. 

“Lauryn, do you have some kind of condition? Is there medicine in the house?” She tugged at the woman’s arm gently. 

That got her attention. The mother snapped out of her paralyzed state and looked at Sarah as if she’d just teleported into the room. 

“W-What? Sarah? Medicine? Are you okay?” She asked with a heaving chest. 

Sarah scrunched her nose. “You’re the one I’m worried about. What did you see out the window?” 

“Window?” Lauryn glanced outside, then at the floor. She seemed as confused as Sarah, if not more. “No, I didn’t- I wasn’t- It just looked exactly like her.” She was slipping into that stare once again. 

Sarah grabbed her chin and forced her to look away. “Like who? I only know like three people right now, Lauryn! You, that cop, and whoever was singing on the radio!” 

“It doesn’t matter, because it couldn’t be her.” Lauryn had a bit more conviction while looking away from the window. 

“Then it can’t hurt to tell me.” The girl asserted. 

“It could. I won’t.” Lauryn crossed her arms. 

The teen girl signed and looked away for a moment. “So it was Sophie, gotcha.” Before the statement could sink in, Sarah was across the kitchen and lowering the blinds. “I don’t have time to explain, but I think weird things happen when I’m around. Washing up on beaches, visions of things that aren’t there, and invisible people with cryptic messages. You didn’t see your daughter,” 

“I know I didn’t,” Lauryn growled. “So stop using her name.” 

“You’ve gotta get comfortable hearing her name, because whatever just showed her face outside isn’t gonna stop at harmless staring.” Sarah locked the door to the garage and started to search the kitchen for something. 

“Why are you acting like there’s something out there?” Lauryn mumbled. 

“You saw it, not me!” Sarah swung four cabinets open and rifled through a few drawers. 

“What are you looking for!?” Lauryn finally shouted. 

“I’ll know when I see it.” Sarah grabbed a mixing bowl and tossed it onto the counter. 

“You’re scaring me!” Lauryn grabbed the girl’s shoulder. “And making a mess!” 

“A mess…?” The gears in Sarah’s head turned faster. She snapped her fingers, rushing into the laundry room adjacent to the kitchen and returning with a container of detergent. She popped the lid off and poured several cups into the mixing bowl. 

“Sarah…” Lauryn stepped back. “I don’t like this one bit.” 

There was a loud THUD! directly above them. Sarah bolted to the door and nearly ripped it off its hinges as she ran into the garage. She returned holding an old red can with a yellow nozzle. It was a can of gasoline. 

“Oh my God, that’s years old! I haven’t mowed my own lawn in ages.” Lauryn tried to reason with the girl. 

“Should still light well enough.” Sarah ignored her, pouring gas into a measuring cup and carefully sprinkling the results into the bowl. 

“Light!? Sarah, you’re in my home. I’ve put up with an awful lot today, but I’m drawing the line right now—” 

Just as Lauryn was putting her foot down, the apartment lost power. She froze in place, looking around the dim kitchen as light poured through the slitted blinds. Sarah was hardly disturbed from her work. She was mixing the bowl with an eggbeater, creating a thick paste from gasoline and laundry detergent. 

The rumbling upstairs culminated in the shattering of a window. Lauryn hitched her breath as she heard what sounded like a sack of potatoes lumbering upstairs. Sarah was hard at work as a door creaked open at the top of the staircase. The violent sounds had ceased, filling the house with an unnerving silence. After a few seconds Lauryn heard one little footstep enter the hallway above. It was wet, by the sound of it. A moment later, the other foot smacked against the floor. 

Lauryn held both hands over her heart as she heard wet, little footsteps upstairs. “It can’t be…” She whispered. 

“Don’t go up there,” Sarah grunted as she stirred her concoction together. 

The mother didn’t listen. Her ears rang as her heart pounded with grief. It’s like her feet had a mind of their own as they walked to the bottom of the staircase. She stopped in her tracks when the light above cast a girl’s silhouette against the front door of the house. She’d recognize that hair anywhere. It couldn’t be… 

“Lauryn!” Sarah called from the kitchen. “Don’t take one more step!” 

She wasn’t acting on rationale anymore. Lauryn slowly made her way up the stairs. Even as she grew closer, the figure at the top seemed completely engulfed by the sunlight coming from the end of the hall. Her little girl was like a shadow in the middle of the room. 

“Sophie?” She whimpered. 

The shadow turned to face Lauryn with an unnatural stillness. The sudden contortion of its body disturbed the mother. This was normally the part of a horror movie where the naive woman would continue approaching the suspicious figure, but Lauryn felt a thousand needles running up her spine that paralyzed her in place. That figure… She didn’t like it one bit. 

“Momma?” The shadow asked in a perfect emulation of Sophie’s voice. 

Lauryn shook her head. “Y-You’re not her. What the hell are you?” 

“Fear not. I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me.” The little shadow extended both hands toward Lauryn. 

“An angel…?” Lauryn took a single step down the stairs. 

“I believe, I adore, and I hope.” The shadow took a step toward Lauryn. 

“Lauryn!” Sarah shouted from the kitchen. “Where are you!? We have to go!” 

Just as she was about to flee, Lauryn felt a cold hand gripping her arm. She shot her eyes toward the shadow. Even up close, she couldn’t make out anything but her daughter’s silhouette. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she found herself completely unable to move. The only thing she could hear was the raging drum of her own heart pounding through her skull. 

“I’m sorry, baby,” She sobbed. 

“Be not afraid.” The shadow dug its nails into Lauryn’s arm. “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

“You’d like that to be true,” Sarah growled from behind Lauryn. 

She ripped the woman free from the shadow and shoved her back. Lauryn nearly stumbled down the stairs, but managed to find her balance after three or four steps. She looked up just in time to see Sarah throw the mixing bowl’s contents onto the shadow, dousing it in a sticky combination of bleach, detergent and gasoline. Sarah struck a match against the wallpaper and threw it at the monster without second thought. 

The mixture was a sticky, clingy solution that burned impossibly hot and clung to things like it was nothing. Sarah had essentially made a poor man’s napalm with ingredients around the house. Any facade of youth left the creature in an instant as it shrieked in agony. Sarah watched it grow two feet in a matter of seconds. Normally things shrank when they burned. She took a step back as the flames singed her skin. 

Before she could bound downstairs to safety, the shadowy beast grabbed her arm and tried to pull her in. She cried out in pain, throwing her weight down the stairs to leverage gravity against the monster. This resulted in Sarah and the figure tumbling down the staircase in a flaming struggle. They flew right past Lauryn and crashed into the wall at the bottom of the steps. 

Even falling down a flight of stairs like that under normal circumstances could kill someone, but doing so in a struggle while also burning alive? Lauryn couldn’t move. Had she just watched another young girl die? The wall was obscured by a blinding flame. She couldn’t see if either figure was moving. 

After a few seconds of silence, Sarah let out a passionate cry and shoved the shadow. The figure seemed much worse for wear than Sarah. It rolled onto the floor in pain as Sarah bounded up the stairs after Lauryn. She grabbed the woman’s wrist, and for a moment Lauryn had time to notice nasty scorch marks going up and down Sarah’s arms. 

“We need to leave, now!” Sarah hissed, pulling Lauryn downstairs and into the garage. 

Lauryn didn’t need to be told twice. Somehow she had the mental clarity to grab her purse as she was dragged past the counter. She and Sarah piled into the van and peeled out of the garage without a moment to waste. She didn’t even think about the active fire in her house. Homes were insured. They could be replaced. That thing was going to kill them. She knew it. But why? 

Shirlie held her breath as she stood before the most foreboding door she’d ever seen. Thick red and black blobs of emotional energy seeped from the oak frame. A room could become so backed up with distress that the energy would take the path of least resistance to escape. It was just like water. Shirlie had never experienced such a powerful psychic presence before. She was almost drowning in it as the thick air wafted against her face. 

“Diavolo?” The cloaked figure beside her called into the room. “Can we come in?” 

Everything changed in a flash. Shirlie was on all fours with a pile of vomit beneath her. The woman’s eyes were puffy, and she felt a burning sensation in her throat. She shrieked at the sudden change of scenery, throwing her head left and right to assess her surroundings. Where was she!? Who just puked on the floor? Was it her? It felt like it was her. A hand rested on her shoulder from behind. 

“That’s his ability,” The cloaked figure knelt beside her. “King Crimson, the ultimate Stand… He can skip through segments of time and erase them from existence like they never happened. During these pockets of erased time, your body continues to act as you normally would. It looks like you vomited at the sight of him.” 

Yeah, sure. That made sense. Shirlie shook her head and tried to drown out the piercing whine in the back of her mind. Giorno had mentioned something about King Crimson, but she didn’t appreciate the severity of this Stand. She turned weakly to face the little girl once again. Her eyes widened, and she threw a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from hurling once again. 

“What do you see?” The figure asked in morbid fascination. 

Shirlie blinked as if her eyelashes would brush away the disgusting display. They couldn’t. Her eyes saw a perfectly normal little girl sitting in the corner of the room. But Pa-Pa-Power’s empathy allowed her to see past that and witness the true state of Ludovicia. There was a large skeleton of a man hunched over the girl protectively. Bits of flesh clung to the hollow bones, but they were few and far between. 

Some of those fleshy bits were seemingly embedded into the girl’s own skin. It wasn’t real, of course. Not really. But Shirlie could see the way Diavolo’s soul sewed itself to the innocent little girl’s body. It was an abomination. To Shirlie, it was just as grotesque as if a corpse really were stitched to a living child. 

She felt something primal in her core, a voice screaming to right this wrong. Shirlie wasn’t a violent person. She only fought to protect others, and maybe herself. This instinct went beyond personality. Every fiber of her being was crying out in unison. She saw a pencil on the bedside table, and the rest was a flash. 

Shirlie was suddenly in the corner, but Ludovicia was gone. That strange feeling from earlier returned, and she wasn’t sure how she got to this side of the room. The pencil from before was in two pieces on the hardwood floor, and she could identify a large gash in the wall right where Ludovicia’s head would have been. Shirlie looked down at her hands in horror to find her knuckles bloody. 

“It’s perfectly natural to react this way,” The mysterious woman assured her. “Half of my men have tried to kill her, and they’re nowhere near as attuned to these things.” 

The ginger woman was trying to account for everything that had happened since she entered the house. Essential pieces were missing from the puzzle, most likely due to King Crimson’s terrifying ability. 

“I don’t like her.” A young girl’s voice cut through the noise. 

Shirlie gasped, flicking her eyes to the bed to see Ludovicia hugging a pillow against the headboard. The little girl stared at her with maturity beyond her years. It almost reminded Shirlie of Shizuka, but there was disdain within them. 

“Ludo, dear… She’s reacting like anybody would. You haven’t even given her a chance to see things from your perspective.” The woman sighed. 

“My perspective?” The girl snarled. “If she could really feel what I feel, she’d kill herself. Not me.” 

“This woman’s Stand Ability is to empathize with others. Not only can she feel everything you’re feeling, she can make you feel what she feels. She might be able to calm you down. That’s why I brought her here.” 

“Like the last three could help me too?” Ludovicia quipped. “Just leave me alone. I don’t need your help, and I won’t do anything for you. All I want is to be alone.” 

“That’s not true,” Shirlie whimpered from the corner. She slowly pulled herself up, wiping her mouth as she recovered from the situation. “You want to be held by your mother. But you’ve never met her. That’s why you’ve fallen into this childish dynamic with that older lady, am I right? You keep telling her to piss off, but you’re terrified one of these times she might take your advice?” 

Ludovicia stared at Shirlie in utter silence. At least there wasn’t an objection. 

“Just so we’re all staying honest with each other. Youth pastor Karen over here is definitely using you, too.” Shirlie sighed as she walked to the middle of the room. “She’s afraid, and for some reason she thinks you’re the only thing that can save her. So if you’re worried she’s going to abandon you, don’t. You’ve got all the leverage.” 

The cloaked figure paused for a moment. It seemed she wouldn’t be able to hide as much as she’d hoped. She finally decided to lower her hood. Instead of luscious locks of hair, Shirlie was met with a nun’s habit. The ginger just smirked. 

“I knew it. You’re just like the nuns that broke my fingers at the orphanage. There’s something about God’s love that’s best felt through a ruler.” 

“You can read minds?” Ludovicia asked softly. 

“No, I can just feel what people are feeling. Sometimes that’s just as good.” Shirlie sighed. “For example, I know Sister Mary Christmas over here is angry at me, but I don’t know what she expected from me.” 

“Why did you attack me?” 

“You skipped that part, so I can only guess. It’s probably because you’re an old dead man clinging to an innocent girl’s soul. Conceptually, it’s bad enough. But I can see you on her, and it’s disgusting.” 

The child appeared disarmed. “I understand what you’re saying. Is that your power, too? Making people feel what you feel?” 

“I’m a convincing gal.” Shirlie shrugged. “Or maybe that’s just your conscience talking? Truth be told, I can’t catch a whiff of guilt on you. Were you ever human?” 

Ludovicia’s body reeked with self pity and abandonment. It was almost enough to roll Shirlie’s eyes, but she bit her tongue. 

“Do you think someone can be born bad?” Ludo finally asked. 

“No such thing.” Shirlie answered confidently. “A friend of mine taught me a lot about nature and nurture. The worst people can be good if you give them a chance.” 

“Then you agree I deserve a chance? A chance to live again?” Ludo’s lips twisted into a nervous smile. 

“You’ve got it wrong, pal. You had enough chances, now you’re possessing an innocent girl. Just because you blew your life doesn’t mean you get someone else’s as consolation. Everybody gets one ride. Nothing more, nothing less.” 

“Isn’t that a bit rich coming from Shizuka Joestar’s adoptive niece?” The nun chimed in. “Seems the Joestar family gets as many chances it wants. Maybe we should ask little Debbie for comment?” 

“Sister, I will call on you when I need it.” Shirlie growled. “You think I can help this thing, but that’s not the only reason I’m here. What else?” 

For a fleeting moment, Shirlie sensed dread in the cloaked nun’s heart. It couldn’t be from her question? Shirlie’s curiosity was answered seconds later by the sound of shattering glass. The boarded windows were blown open with six fierce pops. Yellow wisps of light twisted through the air, and Shirlie could sense six unique egos entering the room. 

“YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWWWW!” The Sex Pistols cheered as they burst into the scene. 

The bullets weren’t anything special, but their pilots were tiny Stands operated by a single user. Guido Mista was on the premises. Each yellow Stand possessed the ability to kick a moving bullet with enough force to completely change its course on a dime. Shirlie’s eyes couldn’t even follow the action, but she could feel its aftermath. 

The cloaked nun let out a gurgling moan as she fell to one knee. Sex Pistols had surgically incapacitated the threat, slicing each of her achilles tendons with terrifying accuracy. They also hit a non-vital area of her abdomen for good measure, just to make sure she wasn’t too comfy for what came next. 

Shirlie’s eyes flew to Ludovicia, fearing the worst. Fortunately, the girl was unharmed. Her body was innocent, after all. She was paralyzed in her bed as Shirlie stared from across the room. The sound of dress shoes impacting a sturdy wooden windowsill filled the silent bedroom. Mista was perched in the window frame with his revolver at the ready. 

“Boss, I found her,” Mista mumbled. 

The door flung open to reveal Josuke with both hands in his pockets. Crazy Diamond was holding a lackey by the scruff of their neck two feet off the floor. The poor flunkey was muttering about mercy when Josuke dropped him carelessly to the ground. 

“I know you wanted to see the sights Shirlie. But this place is pretty trashy.” Josuke said. 

The cloaked nun stared at Josuke as she clutched her stomach’s wound. It gushed blood onto the carpet. Despite the pain and blood loss, she wasn’t afraid. Shirlie couldn’t understand this woman. There was a stench of anxiety right before the impact, but no fear after the spectacle? Josuke’s dress shoe stomped inches from the nun’s free hand on the bloodied floor. 

“As for you, bossman wanted you alive and harmless. I think you know I’ll heal you, but only after our chat.” Josuke growled. 

“She knows?” Shirlie muttered, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. “This is the Seer, the woman Ezra talked about in New York?” 

“That’s right,” Giorno stepped into the messy room confidently. “She has the ability to see the future. Not the near future, not the potential future, but the real deal.” 

“There’s no such thing,” Shirlie shook her head. 

“There shouldn’t be.” Giorno nodded. “She’s going to help us understand why. Get her out of here.” Giorno snapped twice and pointed toward the door. 

As the boss watched his gangsters flock around the incapacitated Seer, something in the air gave him pause. She was leaking blood at a steady rate, but nothing immediately life threatening. Mista was an ace at this kind of shot. Six bullets riddled their way through the Seer’s body with surgical precision. Why did she let this happen? Why would she bring Shirlie here? As Giorno watched drops of blood seep through her habit and trickle to the hard wood floor, his eyes widened. 

One drop. Two drops. Five drops. 

“No,” The wind left his lungs, but it was too late. 

“Agh!” Josuke cried from the floor. In a flash he’d gone from standing proud to kneeling in pain. Blood gushed from the side of his neck. Even after decades of understanding his power, Crazy Diamond was still reflexively trying to heal his injury. 

Giorno’s blood froze. It felt like the entire world was distorting around him. A lifetime of lost sleep caught up to him all at once, and he entered a state of sheer panic. Fight? Flight? He fawned, staring at Josuke’s wound in abject terror. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. 

“Boss!” Mista pierced the noise with six fan-fired rounds of his revolver. The Sex Pistols followed a bloody trail from Josuke’s kneeling body to a closet on the far side of the room. 

“YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!” They screeched in unison. 

One moment the bullets were hurdling through open air to the closed closet door, the next they were embedded in the back of the closet’s wall. Smoke streamed from the points of impact. Why was the door open? When had the closet door opened? 

Giorno’s spirit was hammering against his skull. It needed to act, but his body was lagging behind. Hazy eyes counted the drops of blood on the floor. They were increasing dramatically, but at a linear rate. He could count them properly. Why were they falling so consistently at his feet? A foggy haze overtook Giorno’s eyes just as he pieced everything together. His gloved hand lifted to his neck, and it only took a moment for the blood to soak through. 

Giorno’s throat had been slit. 

The once-invincible boss fell to his knee. His hand clenched the knife wound tightly to prevent more blood loss. It was all so quick, impossibly quick. His fading eyes flicked between his subordinates, each of which appeared to be tending to their own wounds. The only person intact was Shirlie, standing in the middle of the chaos with panic and confusion on her face. Why not Shirlie? Why did the Seer want her in the first place? Giorno sank from his knees and rested his forehead against the bloodied floor. 

Shirlie’s heart was pounding as she struggled to digest the emotional turmoil of the room. The strongest presence by far disappeared in a flash. Diavolo was gone, and the Seer was little more than a bloody memory. She ran to the window Mista entered and caught a glimpse of Ludovicia ducking into a distant alley. She’d gotten away. 

“Great…” Josuke growled, slamming a firm hand to Giorno’s shoulder. Crazy Diamond’s power twinkled gently and left a fully healed boss in its wake. Even the blood left Giorno’s clothes and entered his system again, it was that fresh. 

Giorno took inventory for a moment before rushing to Josuke’s side. “I can heal you, but it’s not as clean. You’ll need the strength to heal my men.” 

Josuke nodded, eyes widening as Giorno took his belt and placed it between his teeth. Of course, the first time he gets to benefit from a healer it isn’t the “touch and fix” kind. A gold flash enveloped the room accompanied shortly after by pained wails from Josuke. After about twenty seconds of white searing pain, Josuke was back on his feet. His clothing was still bloodied, and he didn’t have the same energy that had been restored in Giorno. Still, it was enough to touch and heal the remaining members of the party. 

“Boss,” Mista panted as he twinkled with Crazy Diamond’s light. “That feeling…” 

“There’s no doubt about it, King Crimson was in this room. We’re all lucky to be alive.” Giorno nodded. 

“That Stand can punch straight through a human torso. Why did he stab us?” Mista mumbled. 

“He’s in a little girl, maybe he’s low on Stand Power?” Giorno shrugged, lifting Josuke to his feet and brushing off his jacket. 

“Still had enough gas in the tank to do this.” Josuke groaned. “He’s been missing for years, and happens to show up the day I visit? Gimme a break.” 

“This is no coincidence, Josuke. Something’s in motion, and we need to understand it now. Shirlie, what did she tell you?” He turned his attention to the disheveled redhead. 

“She didn’t say anything! She needed my help calming the kid down. Diavolo doesn’t trust her, but he’s terrified of being alone.” 

“Why would she keep such a dangerous criminal in her ranks? He’s not loyal to the Church.” Giorno squinted. 

“She thinks he can help her somehow, I don’t know the specifics.” Shirlie looked out the window. Her nose wrinkled and she turned to face the boss. “Wait… the Church? You mean that crazy nun’s working with Christianity?” 

“Not Christianity, the Catholic Church. Right here in Italy. I’ve been wondering how he’s stayed hidden this long. The Vatican is protecting Ludovicia, and they’re going to explain why.” Giorno glared out the window as well. 

“You don’t mean…” Shirlie’s concerned face twisted into something of uncertain amusement. 

“I’m going to visit the Pope.” 

The sun was setting below the Speedwagon Foundation’s transport jet. Jolyne watched as it descended the horizon. The window shutters crashed down once again as Marina entered the room. Her energy seemed off, and Jolyne started to worry about the mission. Marina kicked a chair hard enough to send it three aisles ahead on the empty plane. Jolyne’s eyes noticed bent metal still bolted to the floor. The vampire had severed the seat cleanly with a single kick. 

“Bad news.” Marina chewed bubblegum furiously. “We’re not approved to land.” 

“What!?” Jolyne stood up. “So we’re turning around?” 

“Frankie says we’ve got more than enough fuel to keep going, but at this point we’ll be well into Wyoming before we’re allowed to land. This stinks to high heaven.” Marina scowled. “Backwater town no one’s heard of ‘till yesterday and suddenly they’re too good to let an international nonprofit land at their airport. Someone kicked us down the curb. I wanna know who.” 

“Can we land anyway?” Jolyne suggested with little confidence. 

“And trigger homeland security? You don’t mess with airports. This plane’s heading to Casper International. It’ll just be one passenger short.” Marina sighed, gathering her things from the cargo shelf. 

“You’re gonna jump?” 

“Mhmm,” Marina hummed casually. “Soon as the sun sets, Frankie’s giving me the signal. You’ll have to hitch a ride from Casper.” 

“Is going alone really the best idea?” 

“Course not, but we can’t get you to the ground.” 

“I can figure out a parachute.” Jolyne crossed her arms. 

That got a laugh from Marina. “No girly, not a parachute. Not in this plane. You’re gonna sit in the cockpit with Frankie, and I’m ripping that door open. You’d be torn to pieces.” 

Jolyne considered her options for a moment. “To pieces? I’m bulletproof.” 

“Lots of people are bulletproof, honey. That doesn’t make you—” Marina turned to face Jolyne, but was met with a stringy mass of vaguely human tone. She stopped in her tracks, watching as Jolyne shifted her body into neatly organized string with Stone Free. Her abdomen warped, slowly assuming the general shape of a parachute. 

“You… comfortable?” Marina mumbled. 

“Not very,” Jolyne spoke through Stone Free itself. “But nothing’s ever cut or shredded this before.”

The vampire bared a fang, shaking her head in amusement. “I was worried about hitting the ground so hard. You’re suggesting I use you as a parachute?” 

“I’m not thrilled at the idea, but I don’t have any experience skydiving, and you sound pretty confident.” Jolyne resumed her normal shape. 

“The Joestar insanity…” Marina clicked her tongue a few times. “It’s hereditary! You’re all completely mental. I love it.” 

“Love it when we land safely.” Jolyne cracked her neck. “Not to sound selfish, but if something’s gonna break, be sure it’s your legs. I can’t magically heal.” 

“Oi! Magic healing doesn’t mean painless! I’m not a masochist. We’ll land safely, thank you very much,” Marina spat. 

Devil Town, Nebraska was founded in 1857 a mere three years after the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Long before Nebraska’s statehood, Devil Town enjoyed a prosperous and diverse population from all around the continent. Originally established by farmers and freed slaves, the town saw a boom of commerce in 1859 after the discovery of gold in Wyoming. Its position along the Missouri River made it a perfect place for freighting businesses. Steamboats passed through Devil Town regularly while delivering goods all across the territory. 

The town’s strangest quality was its name. While multiple stories circulate the area, it’s believed “Devil Town” was coined by Mormon settlers after they founded Genoa, Nebraska in the same year. Anytime they traveled through Devil Town on their way to Utah, the Mormons would report concerning rituals and “bizarre beliefs” among the residents of Devil Town. After enough mystique was established, the town embraced its satanic label and formally assumed the name “Devil Town, Nebraska.” Its first Mayor wore the title like a badge of honor, eccentric as he was. 

Despite its early prosperity, Devil Town hasn’t seen much urban development. It has enjoyed relative obscurity in the modern world, never drawing national praise or disdain. Its citizens prefer to live quietly in accordance with their own values. Many locals refer to Devil Town as the west’s “best kept secret,” and they don’t encourage anyone to visit. The population of approximately 10,000 all have roots in the area spanning generations. They don’t want your tourism, but will happily give directions to the next town over. 

At the heart of Devil Town is one important question: Why does Pucci believe this small rural town is the key to Dio’s revival? That’s precisely what Marina and Jolyne intended to find out.

“My neck is killing me…” Jolyne moaned, rubbing the back of her neck as she walked through the outskirts of town. 

“You’re a better parachute than most!” Marina gave her a reassuring pat. “I guess even Stone Free has its limits though?” 

“If I’d been in that shape for another minute or two, I think I might’ve sprained something, yeah.” The younger woman sighed. She blinked a few times, inspecting the dark town ahead. “Not much of a night life here, huh?” 

“With a population of 10,000? Half of them are probably asleep by nine.” Marina rolled her shoulders, creaking her own neck. “Don’t forget the funny business with the airport. We might not be in store for an all-American welcome.” 

“You think the entire town is in on that?” Jolyne cocked a brow. 

“Stranger things have happened. I don’t like this place one bit, Jolyne. Dead men walking? That’s my schtick.” The vampire’s silver eyes narrowed as the town grew nearer. 

The old road they walked into town was built to last. Despite its visible age, there were no bumps or potholes to speak of. As they entered the heart of town, every building seemed to be in good condition. There weren’t any broken or boarded windows, and multiple quaint stores lined the main street. 

“A little corner store!” Jolyne pointed at a big Coca-Cola sign at the corner. It seemed like a general shop for groceries and essentials. “You don’t see those every day. I guess Walmart hasn’t moved here yet. 

“Or it wasn’t allowed to.” Marina pursed her lips in thought. “Look around. Not a single pothole, no broken windows? This is a tiny place, but it’s in great shape. It can even support a little antique store? How many people could reasonably buy antiques in a town this size?” 

“Maybe it’s a historic site? Some towns keep old shops like that running with grants.” Jolyne shrugged. 

“A socialist paradise in the heart of America? I think you’d sooner find a sinner at church. Speaking of…” Marina lifted her head to meet a woman walking toward them. She seemed unassuming, wired earbuds buzzing the air as she tapped away at her iPod. 

“Excuse me ma’am?” She stopped, gesturing for the woman to remove her earbuds. “I’m here visiting family. Could you point me to the church?” 

The girl looked amused. “Your family said there’d be a church?” 

Marina took a sharp breath, feigning a smile despite the local’s attitude. “I’d like to get my evening prayers in, yeah. Mind pointing me to the nearest one?” 

The local lifted her eyes in thought, then pointed toward the dark cornfields just outside town. “Probably twenty miles east, if I had to guess?” 

“You mean to tell me there isn’t a single place of worship in the entire town? I’m not picky about denominations.” Marina grimaced. 

“Welcome to Devil Town, lady.” The woman shrugged, popping her earbuds back in and continuing down the sidewalk. She bumped Marina’s shoulder on her way past. Surely that was just an odd soul? 

Jolyne watched as the woman turned a corner. She glanced at Marina’s stoic face and laughed quietly. “I didn’t take you for a devout believer. I guess crosses don’t burn like the movies say?” 

“I’m religious as a tree stump, Kujo. Just wanted to see if the rumors were true. There’s not a single church in this American town? Are they also out of apple pie?” 

“Are you saying some occult stuff is going on here? Is that where they get the name?” Jolyne frowned. 

“Occult’s not the right word. There’s just something off. Like they don’t believe in anything.” Marina stared at the corner the woman turned, like it would share its secrets if she just focused on the right brick. “Mormon travelers called this place a devil town back in the 1800’s as an insult. They embraced the nickname, but there have never been reports of Satanic activity here, genuine or performative. It’s like the whole town just wants to be left alone.” 

“And that’s suspicious?” 

“Serial killers wanna be left alone. Normal people go to bars and shout trivia at strangers for attention. I don’t trust a place that’s got its shit together like this.” 

“Can I help you ladies?” A bell jingled as the door to the butcher shop opened right beside them. A lumbering man with a stained apron and hairy knuckles towered over the Stand Users, eyeing them with cautious hospitality. 

“Yeah,” Marina stepped between the butcher and Jolyne, offering him a slip of paper. “I’m looking for my little sister. You seen her?” She handed over an old polaroid from her pocket. 

Marina and Shizuka art by @jaypillerva.bsky.social, hand and background by @zedsworld.bsky.social

The man took her photo and squinted in the night light. After thinking for a few seconds, he handed the polaroid back to Marina with a shrug. “Think I’d remember a girl that bold. We don’t do uniforms like that around here.” 

“Thanks,” She pocketed the photo. “Where’s the nearest hotel?” 

“‘Bout twenty miles west.” The butcher started to close his shop’s door, but it was interrupted by Marina’s right hand. He raised a brow. “Got a problem, Ma’am?” 

Marina snarled, concealing her fangs. “Oi, butcher. I’m a humble tourist asking for a hotel, and you’re telling me to take a twenty-mile hike?” 

“We don’t have a hotel, and we don’t like tourists.” He tugged on the knob threateningly, causing Marina’s fingers to creak. “If you’re stranded, we have a taxi that’ll take you to the next town over.” 

Marina pulled her hand back and the door slammed shut. Like a final sprinkle of salt on a brisket, the butcher flipped his “open” sign to read “closed” in Marina’s face. He turned and walked deeper into the shop, leaving two bewildered women outside. The vampire hissed quietly, flexing her hand in anger. 

“No churches, no hotels, but they have a 24/7 taxi that’ll drive you half an hour to the next town over? Maybe I’m failing to appreciate Yankee culture, but this seems a tad strange Jolyne.” 

“Definitely not normal… Why’d you show him a picture of Shizuka?” 

“That girl’s unbreakable. If she walked away from her fight with Pucci, there’s a chance she beat us here. Maybe these creeps are hiding something? With the way they treated us, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Even if she’s conscious, we took a plane. How would she have beaten us here without knowing where to go?” Jolyne sighed.

“You’ve just gotta expect that girl to surprise you, that’s what I’ve learned.” Marina took the photo and stared at it darkly. “I’m choosing to believe that.”

“We’ve got immediate problems to deal with. Everyone in town wants us gone. If there aren’t any hotels, we might have to try the next one over. I doubt anyone here’s willing to host two outsiders” Jolyne frowned. 

“Nonsense!” A new voice boomed from behind. 

Both women spun around at the ready. If the last few encounters were anything to go by, this next resident might just pummel them to pieces. They weren’t met with an intimidating butcher, nor an irritated woman. Jolyne and Marina turned to see a light twig of a man posing confidently behind them. 

Funkle Phil art and design by MiyaArte

If you plucked someone from a 2006 My Chemical Romance concert, he’d be right at home standing next to this stranger. With oily dark hair that had likely gone days without a proper wash, the checkerboard shoes, ripped skinny jeans and old guy-liner staining his lashes, this man was the picture-perfect image of “scene punk.” He masked his body odor with axe body spray and cigarette smoke, and he stood before the women in a ridiculous “casual pose” like he was waiting for them to snap a photo for his MySpace avatar. 

“Are you ladies looking for a place to stay?” He grinned. 

Marina and Jolyne exchanged a knowing glance. This guy was either the scum of the Earth or an Enemy Stand User. There was no in-between. 

“I’m not looking for a role in the Black Parade, if that’s what you’re asking.” Jolyne scoffed. 

Recognition lit the man’s face. He beamed warmly at Jolyne. “You’ve heard of them!? My Chemical Romance, in all my time on this Earth I’ve never experienced more raw human emotion. I can comfortably say they’re the pinnacle of human creativity! We have truly peaked as a culture.” 

Marina’s nose wrinkled in amusement. “That emo band? They’re the best you’ve heard in ‘all your years?’ What a glowing endorsement from a guy who looks like he just dropped out of high school.” 

“I can see why you’d say that, considering my youthful demeanor and rad threads, but I’m actually quite old! Old enough that neither of you have to worry about my motives offering you a place for the night. I protect women in the music scene.” He smiled proudly. 

“We’re not in the music scene pal, and you’re the most suspicious person I’ve met all evening. This town doesn’t have a single hotel, but we just so happened to run into Mr. Hospitality on the street? That reeks more than your Axe body spray.” Marina spat. 

“I don’t really understand the aggression. You came for me, right? Here I am.” The man rocked back onto his heels with a pout. 

Jolyne’s eyes widened. “Came for you? What gave you that impression?” 

“I mean—” The stranger gestured toward them. “A vampire jumps out of a plane with a shapeshifting woman right in my backyard? Such intense psychic power from you both… I don’t mean to be the center of attention, but I doubt you’re here for the local cuisine.” 

Marina twitched, digging her feet into the concrete. Without a moment’s notice she sent Bubblegum Bitch directly for the peculiar man. She’d stick him to the pavement and ask questions later. What kind of act was he trying to pull? She’d been around the block too many times to fall for such a dumb ploy. “Bubblegum Bitch!”

Marina and Bubblegum Bitch art and designs by MiyaArte

Bubblegum Bitch launched from Marina and swung its bat without mercy. The metal baseball bat clanked against the man’s forehead, bouncing right off and vibrating with an immense amount of Stand Power. It sounded like a metal-on-metal impact, causing Marina’s ears to ring like a resonating bell’s chime. The man looked completely unbothered by the strike. He wasn’t even looking at the Stand hovering before him. His eyes cut right through it, fixating on the vampire. 

“Did you just try to read my mind or something?” He pursed his lips. “A psychic attack? Sorry, I’m all physical. Magic never really interested me.” 

A rare bead of sweat trailed down the vampire’s cheek. With the injury her soul sustained back in New York, using even a small amount of Stand Power was a tremendous burden on her body. Despite her super strength and lightning reflexes, Marina was quite disabled. She suffered chronic fatigue and needed a pint of blood between every attack. As her bat vibrated before the strange man, she felt the golden glow around her body weakening. 

“Psychic? It’s pretty damn physical to everyone else.” She growled.  

“I’m a matter-over-mind kinda guy.” The man smiled ear to ear. 

“Oh gimme a fuckin break. Stone Free!” Jolyne cried out, thrusting its blue fist against the man’s stomach. While his shirt blew a bit in the wind, his body showed no reaction. Jolyne winced, clasping her own fist and allowing it to unwind as string. That unbreakable thread flew toward the scene punk, which it seemed he was finally able to see. 

“There we go! Parachute woman!” He laughed as the thread coiled around his body. The moment she tugged on Stone Free, it slid right off the man. She stared in disbelief as her own physical body slipped against the man’s skin like a string of mozzarella cheese rolling off a non-stick pan. 

Jolyne looked physically and mentally deflated as she retreated her string limb and flexed her bicep in anger. The lone stranger threw his arms behind his head once again and smiled at the women. 

“Like I said, you two are mind-over-matter! I’m matter-over-mind! I operate solely within the real world. You really shouldn’t make a man repeat himself when he’s so clear the first time!” 

“Who are you?” Jolyne demanded. 

“Pfft, finally! Some rural niceties! I’m Funkle Phil, pleased to make your acquaintance!” Phil extended a hand to a lukewarm reception. 

“Funkle… Phil?” Marina tilted her head. 

“The one and only! I think, anyway! It’d sure be wild if someone else made up that name!” He chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Now I’m trying my best to be nice, but I think you two are causing a bit of a ruckus. Devil Town is a quiet place, there’s no fighting or anything on the streets. I’m sorry if the locals were a bit cold with you, they’re not used to visitors! You’re more than welcome to come with me, but you have to promise you won’t use those psychic powers on any of my citizens. They’re perfectly normal humans.” 

“You say that like you’re not one.” Jolyne narrowed her eyes. 

“Are any of us? We can talk about this at my place. Seriously, just calm down and come with me. Blondie can’t hang in the sun, and the muscular one will freeze in the winter cold. Let’s goooo!” He snapped his fingers and beckoned them down the sidewalk. 

“I don’t like this…” Jolyne grimaced. 

“Me either, but I think he was right about one thing…” Marina whispered. “We probably are here for him.”

Lauryn’s van drove until it was out of gas. Anytime she saw an exit the image of her daughter’s silhouette appeared and kept her driving. That thing in her home, it wasn’t her Sophie. She knew that, so why did it paralyze her on the stairs? Her tired eyes checked on Sarah in the rear view mirror. The girl was fast asleep in the back seat, unbuckled with disheveled hair and burned forearms. Maybe it was just the lighting, but Lauryn could swear the burns were smaller than the last time she checked. 

How was Sarah still breathing after everything she’d been through? The girl spent a night at sea, washed ashore, was hit by a damn car, then she tumbled down the stairs with a flaming ghost and came out of the situation mostly unscathed. Lauryn knew kids bounced back from frightening things, but Sarah seemed indestructible. Lauryn felt her eyes growing heavier with every passing mile marker. Poor Sarah had been asking for applesauce hours ago at the house. The girl was running on adrenaline and young adult mystique, nothing more. 

“I could use a coffee too…” Lauryn sighed, pulling off the interstate and into a roadside McDonald’s. 

“Were we followed?” The quiet girl asked with closed eyes. She’d either been pretending to sleep, or had recently come to. 

“I haven’t seen headlights for half an hour. It’s two in the morning, hon. I kept going north like you said.” Lauryn pulled into a parking spot under the golden arches. “We’re close to Tallahassee, about twenty minutes from Georgia.” 

“Why’d we stop?” Sarah settled in her seat. 

“You haven’t eaten in days, Sarah! I don’t care if it’s processed trash, you need protein.” Lauryn opened her door and exited the car. 

“Ugh, we couldn’t have gone somewhere nicer?” Sarah grumbled, stepping out of the car. 

They had an uneventful stop, scarfing down some fast food and using the messy restroom before returning to the minivan. This time Sarah got into shotgun, buckling her seatbelt and adjusting the mirror to glance behind them. Nobody followed them out of the restaurant. She relaxed in her seat and sighed, glancing at Lauryn as the woman joined her. 

“Alright, we’ve met our base needs. Before we travel one more mile, can you tell me where we’re going?” 

“That monster was south. I wanted to go north.” Sarah crossed her arms. “Simple as that.” 

Lauryn looked as if her veins were about to burst. “It came to my house, Sarah. It took the shape of my dead daughter. Why is that thing following you? This has to be involved with your amnesia.” 

Sarah’s black eyes boredly stared out the window. “I didn’t ask for this anymore than you did. It’s probably only coming after me, you’re right. If you want to leave me here, you’ve already done enough.” 

“Dream on, kid. I helped you flee the scene of an assault, and now I’m about to take you over state lines? I’m involved in this, so it’s time to fess up and tell me everything you remember. I don’t care how small. You’re hiding something from me.” 

The girl’s eyes flicked away for a moment, but Lauryn caught them in the passenger side mirror. Sarah looked guilty. She crossed her arms even tighter and pursed her lips. “When I looked for the bathroom, I found Sophie’s room instead. I looked at the picture of you two, and…” She took a deep breath. “I had some kind of vision. I saw myself on the bodies. My face was on both of you. Like I was the mother and daughter.” 

Lauryn only listened. 

“The mother looked exactly like the woman I saw at the beach, the one I followed into traffic? And the thing that protected me from the car is named Mother Dawn. It’s this weird porcelain doll-looking thing that floats in the air behind me. I’ve gotten her out a few times in the car, you can’t see her.” Sarah explained, looking away like she expected to be institutionalized for the things she was admitting. 

“Mother Dawn can’t speak, but she can answer simple questions. I asked which person in the picture was supposed to be me. She said I was the mother, Lauryn. The older one. When I look at myself in the mirror, I see that woman’s face. Tsuru. That’s her name. I don’t know who she is, but…” The girl’s words failed her. She choked on air, wetting her mouth in an attempt to continue. “I think I am Tsuru. That’s not it… I know I’m Tsuru. Something happened to me, and I lost my memories… I think I’m older than this body. I think… I’m your age.” She finally looked to see Lauryn’s reaction. 

The woman was eerily stoic. She took everything in without betraying a single emotion on her face. After considering everything, she rolled her nails along the steering wheel in a rhythmic motion, pinky to thumb on each hand, meeting in the middle. 

“When I found you on the beach, something was tugging you through the sand. If I tried to touch you, it swatted me away.” She explained quietly. “It was only after I spoke to it that your body stopped moving… It let me touch you. Was that Mother Dawn?” 

“I don’t know, I wasn’t there.” Sarah shrugged. “I think she protects me even when I’m asleep. I’m not indestructible or anything, but it keeps me from suffering severe injuries. Look.” She took her nails and gently pinched her skin to draw blood. It was a tiny amount, but she bled. After that, she grabbed the straw from her small drink and attempted to drive it right into her open eyeball. There was a piercing chime that resonated through the entire car, and the straw bounced right off her open eyeball. It simmered for a moment, visibly smoking as she clutched it in her twitching hand. 

Lauryn covered her mouth in shock. Tiny embers fell from the blackened straw into Sarah’s lap. She’d watched as it clanked off the girl’s eye without so much as a scratch. She couldn’t see Mother Dawn directly, but its results were clear as day. 

“The only reason I’m alive is because of Mother Dawn’s protection. She knows more than I can remember… Whatever happened to my memories before falling into the water, I think it only happened to me. Mother Dawn has more in there, and she can’t communicate it orally. Maybe if I had time, I could get more.” She sighed, dropping the half-melted straw into her lap. 

“If she knows more than you, maybe she knows where to go?” Lauryn raised a brow. “Hang on.” She left the driver’s seat and rummaged through her trunk for a few minutes. When she returned, she laid a large map of the continental US on the hood of the car. “Can she point? Ask her where to go.” 

Sarah stepped out of the car with a tentative stare. She met Lauryn up front and scanned the map for landmarks. These cities, these states, she knew of them in the most academic sense, but had no actual memories of the locations. It’s like she had access to an encyclopedia of information, but the moment she tried to dig deeper her nails broke against the wall encasing her mind. 

“Where do I need to go?” She asked the open air. 

Mother Dawn materialized behind her in a spark of light. Even Lauryn could feel her warmth. The maternal Stand hovered parallel to the hood of the car, its hair draping over the map and subtly discoloring it with sheer heat. After mulling over its contents for a moment, Mother Dawn struck its index finger against a specific point of the map, searing it black with heat. Sarah’s eyes widened. 

“Nebraska! What’s in Nebraska!?” She looked to Lauryn for guidance. 

“Not much of anything? It’s possible your family’s from there, but it doesn’t exactly have a booming population of affluent Japanese Americans.” The woman frowned. “You’re sure this is the place?” 

“Mother Dawn says Nebraska. It’s as good a lead as anything.” She huffed, squinting at the finer details of the map. “Why isn’t the spot labeled? Did I burn it off?” 

“The company that prints these maps might not consider the town important enough to justify a label. I’m sure maps of Nebraska alone would have every city.” Lauryn said. 

“Then it’s settled, we’ll head northwest and figure out the details on the way. If the answers to my situation are in Nebraska, I promise I’ll make things right for you. Whatever happens to your house, your car… I’ll take care of it.” She promised. 

“Hey now, don’t go writing off my car like something’s already happened! If your parents are as rich as your jewelry implies, just have them cut me a check for lost wages.” She laughed, patting her minivan lovingly. “It’ll take a day or two by car. I need to rest before we go much further.” 

“Then get to sleep! I can’t waste a single minute. What if the thing Mother Dawn knows about in Nebraska is moving? I’ll drive myself if I have to.” 

“You’ll do no such thing, young lady. Not unless Mother Dawn has a license. Give me two hours, then we’ll refill on coffee and hit the road. Sounds good?” 

Sarah watched the map smolder from Mother Dawn’s touch. The blackened dot in Nebraska called to her. She watched embers build on the surface before blowing into the humid Florida air. She didn’t know the specifics, but she could feel it in her very soul. 

Salvation lies in Nebraska.