On to the second chapter, and we're gonna have Shizuka in her first major fight.
For this story, any question or comment replies will be found at the end of the chapter, as suggested on my other stories, but I was too far in to change the format at that point.
Another thing to note is the little flashback section at the start. I'm going to be using these to put together scenes either exploring the changes that happened to create this AU, or just my own headcanon for the series.
Hope you enjoy!
OoOoO
March 17th, 2012
"Hello?" Josuke groaned, sitting up in bed to answer his phone. "Who-?"
"Josuke," came a hoarse voice, one that he couldn't immediately place. "You need to get the next plane to Florida."
"Florida? Like, Disneyland?" Josuke rubbed furiously at his eyes. "Wait, Jotaro? What the hell's going on? Last I heard, you were in a coma."
"One of Dio's followers is planning on completing Dio's plans, and it's all starting in Florida, so I need you to get here."
"Jotaro, it's, it's like three in the morning, and I won't be able to get a ticket until tomorrow morning at the earliest."
"Jolyne's going after him."
The Japanese man blinked at the sudden change in Jotaro's voice, only barely audible. "Your daughter?"
"She's going after him, and I'm not strong enough to protect her."
Josuke paused. "Can you book the tickets? I'll head over to the airport as soon as I can, and I can bring Koichi and Okuyasu with me?"
"The Foundation will have a plane waiting for you outside Morioh, I'll send you the coordinates," Jotaro sounded a little more relaxed, compared to the beginning of the call. "...Josuke..."
"What's up?" the younger man groaned, throwing on some clothes with difficulty, the phone held between his ear and shoulder.
"..."
"Oh-Oh!" Josuke exclaimed in realisation. "You're welcome, Jotaro." He didn't get an answer to that, beyond a quiet click and a dial tone.
OoOoO
"What the fuck is that?" Shizuka's opponent gaped. "You've got a spirit, too?"
"Achtung Baby!" she cried, her Stand rushing forwards and launching a few quick jabs to test his defences. "So, you've never met any other Stand users before?" she flicked her sunglasses down over her eyes. "Looks like I have the advantage, then."
"YUYUYUYUYUTUU!" Achtung Baby bellowed, pushing him further and further back with each punch, but never committing to any attacks in full.
"Ah, goddamnit," the thief hissed, glancing down at the bruises formin- "WHAT THE FUCK?"
His arms were... torn to shreds, patches gouged out of them to the point where he could see the bone and muscle under the skin. His left hand was missing two fingers entirely.
"If you're not careful, Achtung Baby'll make your whole body vanish into nothing," Shizuka grinned evilly, a faint, flickering aura surrounding her whole body. "Now give back what you stole, and I'll turn you back to normal."
"...You said your name was Joestar, right?" the thief muttered quietly. "You should be careful, giving away your identity like that." He held both hands up in front of him, palms facing away from Shizuka. She paused, waiting to see what he would do, only for him to flip one of them towards her, holding...
"That's my phone! How did you-?"
"You need to keep a closer eye on your things, miss Joestar. Now, it seems I have the advantage, no?"
"Like hell! Achtung, finish him off!"
"YUTU!" Achtung charged ahead, throwing a punch as her opponent tore off his jacket, using it like a bullfighter's cape and just barely dodging the attack-
"Gotcha, kid!" the young man grinned, as a black-clad arm shot out from under the cloth and buried itself in Achtung's side.
Shizuka coughed, feeling the impact reflected onto her own body. "So that's your Stand, then?" she managed, taking it in in full.
The Stand looked almost like a human, if you ignored the unnaturally thin limbs. Its body was entirely covered by, of all things, a black three-piece suit marked with bands white, dark... shoes, maybe, and white shoes. Its head, though, was another story, being completely covered by a white porcelain helmet, a mocking smile carved on the front.
"So, what, you're a waiter?" she snapped, flinching as it waved a hand over its face, the marking being replaced by an exaggerated crying expression.
"You said your Stand is Achtung Baby? Huh, makes me feel better about mine," chuckled the opponent, his Stand turning that crying face to its user. "Don't give me that look. You have to admit, Piano Man sounds a little... off, doesn't it?"
Piano Man clutched a hand to its chest in an exaggerated motion as Shizuka called Achtung back to her. It threw the jacket up with a flourish, letting it fall back down on top of the Stand itself, and fall to the ground as though the spirit wasn't hovering there at all.
"Ah, well, he's pretty shy most of the time, so I kind of expected that," the thief shook his head. "Now, I think you were looking for this?" he held up the phone with a grin, his arms returned to normal by her lapse in concentration.
"Give it back, asshole!" Shizuka snarled, this time rushing forwards along with Achtung, intent on taking him off-guard. One hand stretched out to her side, making contact with Achtung's fingertips-
-she rushed ahead, the colours of the world muted as she grinned at her opponent's shock. She kicked out, knocking his leg from under him, allowing the still-visible Achtung to grab the phone before it could hit the ground. Shizuka grinned as the phone took on the same hazy outline as her own body, lunging for her second target.
"J-Joel Williams..." she mumbled, having to squint to make out the ID in the wallet she'd managed to lift out of his pocket. "Man, not a good picture of you, is it?"
"Invisibility, then?" Joel confirmed, ducking back from the source of her voice. "Whatever your Stand touches turns invisible, but I'm guessing you can still see it."
At her silence, he continued talking, his eyes flicking over and back. "But if you get shocked, like when Piano Man landed a hit, it becomes visible again. Meanwhile, I've got a few tricks up my sleeves still. Like this one." he grinned, pulling out a bag of flour from his jacket, despite their being no way for it to have been there in the first place.
"Piano Man!" he cried, his Stand materialising from behind him and grabbing the bag. In a blindingly quick motion, it tore a gash in the side of the container, and immediately slammed it on the ground, the dust flying everywhere on impact. "Now, I've got you back to normal, how about we call it even? I'll even give you back the wallets I lifted. Fighting like this is a real pain."
"You think... it's that easy?" Shizuka spat, pulling her collar to the side and returning to visibility. Where her neck and shoulder met, a splash of colour was visible, in the form of a slightly smudged five-pointed star. "See this? This is the symbol of the Joestar family. If I let someone like you run around after attacking my family, I'd be bringing shame to generations of badasses!"
"Okay, whatever..." Joel rolled his eyes. "Then I guess I'll have to go all-out. Man, I hate having to do this..." he muttered grimly, Piano Man looming over him with a sadistic grin. Shizuka pushed away the sense of unease bubbling up inside her as Williams' aura flared around him. "So, you're not afraid? Interesting. In that case... See you!"
The Joestar blinked as his intimidating aura vanished, watching him sprint away at full speed. "Wait, what? GET BACK HERE!"
OoOoO
"You sure you're up for this?" Josuke asked Joseph, frowning at the lack of response from his cell phone. "If we just look for her ourselves..."
"No time. If that guy's dangerous, we can't afford to wait around," Joseph took a few deep breaths, golden sparks coiling around his biological hand. "Even though she's good with her Stand, Shizuka's never been in a real fight. So this is the best option - Hermit Purple!"
Purple vines sprouted from his arm, jumping across to his phone and channelling the golden energy into it. With a hiss of static, the screen lit up, forming a grainy image of Shizuka and Achtung Baby facing off against the pickpocket and a blurry, black-and-white figure. The pickpocket turned abruptly, taking off at a run as the image flickered in and out of focus.
"Shit, they're outside, and it looks like that guy has his own Stand," Joseph swore, squinting to try and see the screen. "I think I know where that is... head around to the left and take the second door. I'll wait here, so I won't slow you down."
"You sure, Dad?" Josuke winced at the half-incredulous stare his father sent him in reply. "Right. Crazy D and I will only be a few minutes, I promise. Keep your phone on, let me know if something comes up."
The Japanese man burst into motion, his impressive height and even more impressive glare clearing a path to the exit. Joseph coughed quietly, his phone flickering off until he could restart his Ripple breathing rhythm. The image was even harder to make out this time, flashes of static and of electric blue interrupting the 'video' until the screen completely shifted to the unnatural blue.
"What the-?" he wondered, only for a sickly yellow eye to appear in the middle of the image, flashing side-to-side as though the owner were convulsing.
"A second Stand?!" he cried, as electricity arced from his hand to the device, pain shooting through his arm as it grounded into him. "Gah!" he clenched his jaw, feeling his muscles lock up and grip the device even tighter.
"H-Hermit P-Purple!" he stuttered out, the vines wrapping once, twice around his wrist before stretching across and embedding itself in the wall. The current was diverted through his Stand, allowing him to reach over with his prosthetic and pry his fingers loose. His phone dropped to the floor with a crash of breaking glass.
"Kekeke... Didn't think I'd meet someone interesting here..." hissed a high-pitched voice, a blue imp bursting out of the remains of the device and bouncing up to cling to the lights overhead. "Too bad I'm on the job, I'd have liked to see what you can do, old guy. Catch you later!"
In a flash, it somehow folded itself into the light, the bulb shattering and showering glass down on top of Joseph. He clenched a fist, wincing as the burns on his hand made themselves known.
"Shizuka... Josuke..."
OoOoO
Shizuka skidded to a halt as she took in her surroundings. Williams had vanished as they'd approached a maintenance shed behind the main terminal. Her adrenaline was pumping, and Achtung all-too-ready to act on it.
"YUTUU!" the spirit roared, warping the door with the impact of its punches and knocking it off its hinges. The entire building was dark, with only a few thin beams of sunlight providing any illumination.
"My God, kid, you really have no sense of restraint, do you?" Williams deadpanned from somewhere above her. Shizuka tapped Achtung's hand, fading back into invisibility in a second. "I'm pretty sure that wasn't even locked."
"Vai a quel paese, stronzo!" Shizuka spat at him, throwing her voice as best she could. There was a walkway overhead, just close enough that Achtung could reach it, with supports leading down to... there!
"...Yeah, I've got no idea what you just said." Williams drawled. The shadows seemed to ripple, Piano Man lunging out and throwing a punch at Achtung, before leaping back into the darkness and vanishing without a trace.
'Damn, he's fast, and his Stand disappears and reappears way too quickly. Normally, it takes a couple of seconds for Achtung to come out, and the same again to vanish. He's just popping in and out instantly. Think! There has to be some kind of clue to his 'ability' here!' Shizuka squinted, moving sideways to try and pinpoint her enemy's position, wincing as Piano Man managed to land a kick against Achtung's leg.
This time, though, she saw him pause momentarily after dodging, slipping under a table before disappearing. 'No way... is that it? Really?' she twitched when another kick crashed into Achtung's arms, the phantom vibrations echoing through her own. 'Alright, I guess, time to see if I'm right-'
"You've put up a good front, asshole, but you made one fatal mistake. Cheap tricks won't do you any good against a Joestar. Let's go wild, Achtung!" she grinned, her Stand darting back and forth, striking everything in its range. "I predict your next line will be: What are you trying to pull?"
"What the hell are you doing?" Williams burst out, becoming visible to her as the walkway he stood on turned transparent.
"Damnit! Ah well, I was close, I suppose," Shizuka pouted momentarily, before striking a pose and pointing dramatically at Joel. "Your Piano Man's pretty quick, but he can only pull his little disappearing act when he's hidden! Achtung's cut off all your hiding places, and now there's just you left! Total Visibility!"
"Shit!" he swore, Achtung punching through the floor underneath him and pulling it loose. "Piano Man!"
"RARARADEERA!" the 'suit'-clad Stand cried, its voice echoing as though from the end of a long tunnel.
"YUYUYUYUTUU!" Achtung countered, meeting every one of Piano Man's strikes with one of its own, eventually breaking through and smashing a fist into Piano Man's shoulder. The force of the blow knocked both Stand and user to the ground, Piano Man rolling back behind Joel and not reappearing.
"How-Nng! How'd you do that, when you never managed to touch me directly...?"
"You've never fought another Stand user, have you?" Shizuka taunted. "Any damage done to your Stand is reflected back on you, and vice-versa. Plus, I picked up on something else in that clash. Your Stand's not built for fighting, just for hiding. You're fast, and accurate, but you just don't have enough power to back it up. Up close like this, I've got the advantage."
"Heh, I'll admit, you've got me mostly figured out. But if you'd just humour me to answer one question... I know you can see the things you've hidden with your ability, so where is everything?"
"Huh?"
Joel stood up shakily. "The broken walkway, the tables, the equipment lockers, all that stuff you touched, where do you think it is?"
She glanced around with growing nervousness. It was true, she couldn't make out the faint outlines that marked everything Achtung had touched. With a mental twitch, she released the effect... nothing.
"You actually had the right idea. Piano Man's ability is to 'hide'. But that doesn't limit him to hiding himself. Anything in his range, if it's not being watched, he can take hold of and hide it in his own 'space'. And likewise, when he's not being watched, he... brings it back out."
Something crashed down on top of Achtung, pinning the spirit to the ground under a pile of dented metal and plastic. Shizuka slammed to the ground, her vision blurring as she smacked her head against the floor. Dimly, she could sense Joel approaching, his voice distant, and in the distance, a flash of something else, much more familiar.
"... punches were just a test to make sure you were as tough as you seemed. You shouldn't have anything more than maybe a concussion," Joel's voice was softer, his expression darkened by... guilt, maybe? "Just in case, I'll call someone as soon as I leave."
"I-It hurts," she forced out, her eyes tearing up. "I can't feel my legs, and my stomach hurts so badly... Please, please, help... me..." her head lolled to the side, her expression blank. Some distance away, Achtung's struggling stopped and it went limp.
"Oh, shit. Oh, shit, no, no, no!" Joel babbled, suddenly panicking. "Piano Man, we have to check her Stand, I think it might have gotten impaled, or... Fuck! Come on, help me!"
With Stand and user together, they managed to pry Achtung free of the rubble, Joel examining the spirit's form. "Wait, there's not even a mark-" he frowned, before a hand snapped out to grab both of them by their heads.
"Gotcha," Shizuka grinned, power and triumph surging through her. "I told you, I'm a Joestar. We've been taking down Stands for generations. Now, what to do with you?"
OoOoO
"Oh My God!" Josuke yelped upon entering the building and finding Shizuka stood over a headless body, next to a pile of broken furniture. "Shizuka, what did you-?"
"I made his head invisible!" she cut him off. "I'm the only one who can see when Achtung's power is active, probably because it's, you know, my power. So until I decide to let him go, he's totally blind."
"That's... creative," Josuke allowed, grimacing slightly when the thief turned towards him, the interior of his neck visible above his shirt's collar. "Wow, that's disturbing."
"I'm sure the inside of your throat isn't exactly a garden of roses, either," snarked the prisoner, the voice emanating from nowhere. "Look, can't we just cut a deal? I really don't want to go to jail over some stupid wallets."
"Quiet! You should be glad you're not already in prison!" Shizuka snapped, reaching over and slapping the back of his head. Josuke frowned and extended a hand to her, Crazy Diamond exerting its power and clearing away all of her scrapes and bruises.
"Thanks, Josuke - Wait, where's Dad?"
"He's fine, he used his Stand to find out where you two were headed. Give the kid back his head and we'll get going again. The Foundation'll figure out what to do with him. God knows we need more people for all that's going on-"
Josuke paused, all three Stand users feeling something nagging at their senses, just on the edge of hearing. Perhaps it was no surprise that with one sense taken, Joel was the first to realise what it was. "Is... that a fire alarm?"
And then the screams started.
...
Done! So, things are heating up already!
... I'll let myself out. New & updated Stands will have their stats and abilities listed at the end of each chapter from now on. Starting with;
Achtung Baby (Verse II) - Shizuka Elizabeth Joestar
Power; B - Durability; B - Speed; A - Precision; B - Range; D - Potential; B
Achtung Baby has evolved from a baby's instinctive defence to a fully-bodied Stand, at the expense of some of its staying power. It can turn objects invisible at a touch, including Shizuka or other people, and grants Shizuka the ability to 'see' while invisible or to see objects affected by its power. If Shizuka loses concentration, however, the objects return to their normal state.
Piano Man - Joel Williams
Power; C - Durability; C - Speed; A - Precision; A - Range; C - Potential; C
Piano Man has access to a pocket dimension, into which it can place an unobserved object. It can later retrieve the object for Joel to use, though again, this power can only activate when no one is observing the Stand or the point where it replaces the object. Piano Man can also hide itself within the pocket dimension for short periods, allowing it to attack from implausible angles, though doing this leaves Joel vulnerable.
Q&A
G; Jolyne does exist, but Shizuka's never met her. Joseph knows about her(obviously), but because of how distant Jolyne was from the Kujo/Joestar side of her family, neither he nor Shizuka really know her. They mostly talked about Jotaro and Josuke because they're more familiar.
Chayera Hall; I should have thought this through better, but it's actually really hard to get the fabulousness of JoJo across in a text format. Hopefully this one's a little better?
SaraRage; I think a big part of it was that she'd only be 13 at most when Made in Heaven happened, so she's too young for most adventures in the first timeline.
...
Catch you next time!