Holy Diver

by Zatroopa

Fifteen students, trapped in a school where they are forced to play a Mutual Killing Game. Makoto Naegi may be your average student with peculiar luck, but with hope in his heart, he fights to uncover the truth of the Mastermind and end this nightmare. With the Ultimate Detective, Kirigiri Kyouko, and the Ultimate Male Model, Dio Brando, surely he cannot fail. Can he?

11. We're Not Gonna Take It

Advanced warning here. This chapter covers Kotoko's past which is...not a nice thing even by the standards of these characters. You might want to skip the opening bit, in italics with all the WoH past bits-if you don't want to read references to child prostitution.

Arc 3: Crazy Noisy Killer Town Girls
Chapter Nine: We're Not Gonna Take It

---

Kotoko Utsugi was always good at hiding her emotions.

It was why she was always so popular in the acting circuits. Just give her a script to read from and she could do it super-easy, lemon-squeezy, and do it with a flair. Give her a song to sing and she'd sing it within at least five takes. Give her an emotion to feel and you'd swear she genuinely felt it.

Tell her to not cry when it hurt, and she'd bite down and breathe. Tell her to not think about the moans below and just squeeze and she'd do it, even when it seemed super-gross. Tell her to do it like her mother showed her with the men first and she'd do it.

Everyone was happy when she did it right. They said it was why they were gentle.

After all, it was good to be gentle, right? It meant you were being soft and caring. It meant that what you were doing should be liked by the other person. It may seem weird and strange, but your body knew what it wanted. It's why there were things like instincts and gut-feelings and gag reflexes.

Okay, not all the bodily instincts were right all the time, as Kotoko's father taught her, but it was important to listen to it. If the body didn't totally hate it, despite what the mind and soul thought, then you didn't really hate it. You were just confused. You're just a child after all. Just listen to the grown-ups and do as you're told.

Let them fuck you. Let them make up little fantasies and fuck you. Let them be gentle and pretend they were making love and not fucking you.

"You were right, it is good to listen to the body." Kotoko said, crouching as her elbows rested on her knees and her head held by her hands. "That's why I'm helping you now, Papa. I'm helping you, and Mama, and even that nice lady friend of yours."

Little Girls drooled behind her. It wasn't fair that her Stand had to look like that. It was super-gross and not cute at all. Stands weren't meant to be cute though, according to Dio, but useful to his cause. If it was for Dio, it was fine, but a girl had needs!

Who'd want to go out shopping with a Stand that had dentures the size of its head? With hands double the usual size of something of its height? With fingers that coiled and turned like big sausages flopping about?

It got the job done, at least. Her parents and father's dental assistant had all forgotten about how it felt when Little Girls' bite had dug into their flesh. They were way more pre-occupied with how Dio's kind-of-cute-if-you-were-into-that friend was kicking them.

"Evil...Evil...Evil!" Each word was punctuated with another kick to each of the adults writhing on the floor. Pleasure and pain were mixed together in their screams. Pleasure from the air striking their skin and pain from the blows to the chest. "...You're monsters...all of you...you don't deserve Heaven...you don't even deserve this world..."

Dio had to step in at that point, especially since the guy was blubbering. He was definitely happy about his friend finally coming round to the whole 'slowly murder the Demons' plan, but this was meant to be Kotoko's big moment. The under-study wasn't meant to outshine the leading actress!

The oven dinged to signal that the coffee was finally done. Yay! Kotoko could finally give the demons the fuel they always wanted. Her mother used to give her some of her coffee, only it tasted weird and made Kotoko feel all funny and nice. It was only later that she realised what it was supposed to make easier.

Her father didn't like that. His 'friends' complained that it made her seem like a slut. Some people just lived in their own world, didn't they?

"I wish I wasn't all that cute." Kotoko confessed, slipping on the oven mitts and taking the boiling kettle out. The coffee itself probably tasted terrible but that wasn't the point. "It just gets you too much attention, especially when being an actress. Mama, I know you think the spotlight's great, but that's only 'cause you've never been in it. It's bright and it's yucky."

Kotoko's reply was another moan. It was pointless trying to talk to either of the three when their minds had already been blown by Little Girls' power. That didn't stop her from trying though.

It was important for the mood.

She moved over to the three, made to lean against each other, as they panted and shifted in place to maximise their sense of touch. Some people just had no shame. They didn't even apologise for the smell. And in the kitchen too.

"I think it's good that we're together. It's like we're a real family again. Me, Papa, Mama, and Papa's assistant. Just like it was when you were just a dentist." Kotoko turned to her father. "But wait! You're a surgeon, right? How could I have made that mistake? I guess I should try and make it up to-whoops!"

It looked like Kotoko made a mistake again.

Just as she was going to grab some cups, she accidentally raised her arms and dunked the entire boiling tea all over the three demons! What a klutz! They'd sure be mad with her.

If they found the ability to talk again. How must it have felt to feel boiling liquid all over your skin? If even the slightest breeze could turn you into jelly, if even a kick to the stomach felt like a meteorite through the flesh, then how did this feel?

It must have been like lava itself. Pouring all over their skin and flesh and burning it all away, reducing them to nothing, only they were still alive. Alive and able to feel every searing drop of tea sliding down their sensitive skin.

A loud and ugly scream came from the assistant first. It was like those sit-com plots where the character who can't sing going for the high note and all the glasses break. Kotoko's parents joined in as well and they were forming a band. A band of demons screaming in hell.

0/10, would not play again. No one liked this music. Dio's friend was covering his ears and muttering to himself, the rest of the Warriors of Hope were doing the same and complaining about the noise, and even Dio seemed upset. That was too much for Kotoko.

"Papa, you hypocrite." Kotoko playfully scolded, Little Girls shoving one of its fingers down his throat. He could neither breath nor could the bile going up his throat actually go anywhere. "You need to quiet down. Never upset the VIP. The customer is always right. Don't vomit; swallow. That's what you taught me."

The two ladies had to get the same treatment. Kotoko decided to give the assistant the index finger-just like her father was getting-while she decided to be nice to her mother. She got a thumb down the throat.

They were still screaming. The feeling of a finger shoving its way through soft flesh had more than triggered their gag reflexes and they could probably feel the acidic waste get stuck in their throats. It was never a nice taste and Little Girls didn't enjoy feeling it on its fingers either.

They couldn't escape. Moving only turned their legs to jelly and none of them could overpower Little Girls in their states. Their heads looked like steamed half-peeled tomatoes with all that bright red skin and smoke coming off from them. It was a miracle that some of their vomit made it out of their mouths.

Dio firmly put a hand by the side of her arm. He knew that Kotoko hated gentility. He knew that touching Kotoko meant doing it slowly, loudly, and tough enough that it was to grab and not to hold. He knew what it was like to have everyone look at you and imagine you naked and doing stuff to them.

He was so cool and amazing. No one ever made him do the beast with two backs with demons, but they still leered at him like they wanted to. They wanted to make him into what they wanted from him. But nope! Dio turned all that around and showed those demons what he could do.

Kotoko even practised kissing with his poster. It was embarrassing when she got caught, but Monaca pinky-swore she wouldn't tell anyone what she saw and she'd never break that promise. Stick a needle in all demon's eyes, the two on the face and the one below the waist.

Dio was just too cool. He wasn't a kid, but he wasn't a demon either. Just one of a kind.

He whispered to her words of how they'd create Heaven. They'd create a world where you didn't have to worry about if your mother was going to not hold your hand this time. Or whether you did something wrong and were punished afterwards.

But she'd have to carry that rage inside her. Carry that will to take the Demons' crap and shove it down their throats until they choked on their own shit. To protect the legacy of Dio Brando and break everyone who challenged his rule.

Heaven would be a place free of lolicons and perverts; but only if Kotoko promised to be fierce with Dio's enemies. Everyone had to contribute to make sure that he accomplished his destiny.

As the Boss Demons choked and died, eyes long-since full from experiencing pain and pleasure like none other, Kotoko promised she'd be good. She'd do anything Dio wanted. She'd rip out the throats of anyone in his way and stuff it full of candy and then hit them with a bat until the candy fell out of their stomachs with all the guys and shit-stuffed intestines.

Just so long as he'd create the world where no one whispered that they'd be gentle with her.

---

"Can't believe he's got me doing this," Hiroko muttered to herself. "Still, keeps me busy."

Rohan Kishibe. Hiroko remembered seeing that name back when Yasuhiro was just a kid and was reading Shonen Jump. Pink Dark Boy had kind of scared him but also interested him too; though he dropped it after one of the arcs got dark and he was growing out of manga.

And he was also hiding from the Kuzuryu Gang. It turned out that tricking the daughter of a Yakuza boss wasn't the best idea for making money.

Still, it wasn't like Rohan was a big celebrity. The only reason she was checking up on this 'Yoshikage Kira' name was because he seemed really desperate about it. Maybe he was a fellow mangaka? Or a friend?

No. She had the feeling that Rohan wasn't exactly the kind of guy who had friends.

The info she was looking for was still important. One problem with being stuck underground was that you didn't have access to a lot of technology, and most of the people around her tended to just mope and mutter. Mostly about how they were doomed or how that Boingo kid was a traitor.

But she was finding something. There were a few men who could be fooled by Hiroko's feminine charm and one of them had been a desk worker at the local police station; heard a lot of gossip about the latest busts and all. A certain name had come up before all this.

"Yoshikage Kira? Yeah, I know him." The guy leaned across and tried to be subtle about looking at her breasts. "Guys were talking about this big raid. Saw a picture of him; not that impressed, but those were the orders. Some new guy had kicked up a fuss and got pictures of this guy. Might have actually been the Hime Hand Killer."

That got her attention. The Hime Hand Killer had been the news of the day for a while, girls being afraid to go out alone or buying gloves to avoid attention, until The Tragedy had gone and destroyed the world.

No point in worrying about a serial killer when everyone around you was either a murderer or a victim.

What did Rohan want with the Hime Hand Killer? Did he even know who they were? Hiroko decided that she'd ask him when he and the others got back from contacting the Future Foundation. Right now, she was more concerned with finding out more about this Kira guy.

There were a few survivors who worked for the Towa Group. Questioning them was a lot harder and Hiroko even had to resort to using some old tricks to loosen up their tongues. Smoke On The Water was great for making a space way smaller than it actually was.

Yoshikage Kira had arrived shortly after The Tragedy and managed to salvage some of his official documents and qualifications. He was perfectly suited for a mid-level position and was known for being a friendly, if distant worker, who was reliable but not enough to be shot up the ranks. Most people seemed surprised she wanted to know about him.

"Miss Hagakure, if I may be so bold," A soft voice echoed into Hiroko's private investigation/bedroom. She had to keep herself from jumping. "You wouldn't happen to have seen the Oingo Boingo Brothers anywhere, have you?"

"Not since Haiji and the kids decided to go off to Towa Tower. Why?" She asked.

"I fear that their fear of the adults has caused them to hide themselves, thinking it will make Boingo safe. It's causing some...anxiety among the adults." Murray's voice shifted, he seemed less sure of himself. "Fear is getting to them. If they let themselves fall further into despair, I fear that even Shinobu's son may face their wrath."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Murray." Hiroko said, waving away his worries. "These people trust you and Haiji. You saved all of us from those kids and we don't forget that easily. They just need something to believe in."

"Perhaps you're right." Murray said, only to stare down at his hands "If only I were a man and not a machine. I might have had a Stand of my own..." He let out a growl. Hiroko was shocked that Murray could actually feel anger, but she supposed he felt the same powerlessness that everyone else here felt at times. "I could do something about everything that's happened. Not simply just go one at a time."

"You can't control everything. Sometimes you just gotta roll the dice and go with how it goes." Hiroko let out a puff of smoke from her cigarette. The memory of her marriage came back to her. "Try to rig it or interfere and it'll backfire. I learnt that a long time ago."

She tried to think of other things, less depressing things, as she looked at Murray. Come to think of it, he had been built by the Towa Group. The same company and same building where Yoshikage Kira had worked in for so long. It was a long-shot, but you didn't just turn down a lead.

Not to mention that Murray knowing something wouldn't be the weirdest thing to happen to Hiroko this week.

"Say, Murray," Hiroko leaned in and tried to read something behind those glowing white eyes. "How much do you remember about your pre-release days? Any consciousness?" She asked, trying to phrase it casually.

"I remember bits and pieces. I have the entire history of the Towa Family downloaded onto my hard-drives. Would you like to hear it?" Murray sounded far too excited for Hiroko to say yes.

"Definitely after this is all over. No, I meant more about people and conversations." Hiroko had to play this delicately. Murray could be trusted to try and keep secrets, but he wasn't exactly a cool head. "Did the name Yoshikage Kira ever come up?"

Murray was silent for almost a minute, as if searching his memory banks, until he spoke up. "I'm afraid not. All I remember is talk about members of the Towa family, some positive and some less so. A few were less than complimentary about the President personally, the same with the Division Head, and even a few about Haiji."

"Really? He seems so reliable." Hiroko guessed people might have seen Haiji as stuffy or boring, but it didn't sound like it.

"Chaos can change a man." Murray said, shrugging his shoulders with a soft whirr. "I knew there was fire in him, when I saw him during those riots. He helped me guide the people down here where I set everything up. Nothing like the secretive and meek figure spoken of before. But you shouldn't believe everything I say about before. My vision back then was only developing. I thought Haiji was much taller than he was before. About 13cm taller than he was."

That got her attention.

"Really?" She asked.

Hiroko was about 171cm tall. If Haiji had been as tall as Murray thought, he should have towered over her, hell, he'd tower over nearly everyone at 188cm. But he was only just slightly taller than her.

For someone who seemed doubtful about his own abilities pre-awakening, Murray had it down to a precise amount. Which left Hiroko with two theories. The first was that Murray was in fact just wrong, and the second was that there was something wrong with Haiji.

Any other time, and she would have gone with the first idea. It just made more sense and was simpler; there was a rule about the simplest solutions.

Only there was that look on Rohan's face. Absolute determination and certainty when he told her to find information about Yoshikage Kira. That this was a danger to the Resistance and to Komaru and Fukawa as well.

What are you up to, Rohan? What didn't you want to say in front of everyone? Hiroko knew that it was a long shot. It was pretty likely that she wouldn't find anything and was chasing a dead-end.

But it wasn't like she was lacking for them anyway. The worst that would happen would be learning a few embarrassing stories about her fearless leader.

"Murray, tell me more about Haiji." Hiroko put on a friendly smile and stubbed out the cigarette. She turned her chair so that she was fully facing Murray instead of just turning her head. Give him her full attention. "I only missed a day, I know, but humour me. Any funny stories you remember hearing about him? How different was he from the real deal?"

"I'm glad you asked," Murray beamed before laughing boldly. It was like he was trying to be those old Western heroes with that booming laugh. "Like two friends after an eventful day, we're simply talking the night away!"

Murray was being a bit too high-energy about it but Hiroko could forgive that. Better he was enthusiastic than leering, and it reminded her of Yasuhiro. She wondered if he was safe where he was. She heard that he had escaped Hope's Peak when it became a sight for a 'Mutual Killing Game'.

Did he have a Stand of his own? It was probably something cool that he could show off to his friends.

A part of her felt bad for luring Murray into telling these stories just for information, but Hiroko needed this information. If Rohan thought that Yoshikage Kira-the Hime Hand Killer himself-was still around then that was a threat. She couldn't just let him roam free in this camp.

She'd find out what she could about Haiji Towa before all of this. Maybe it was just him having to be the man people needed in a crisis, or maybe it was something worse. Hiroko wouldn't find out unless she asked though.

First, she'd need to ask why he always had his shirt tucked in.

---

So someone was finally on Yoshikage Kira's trail.

The last remnant of Dio Brando, or 'Vizier Murralsee' as the Warriors of Hope knew this form, might have smiled to himself if it were not for the limitations of the Murralsee suit. It had its benefits. A pure black armour that sacrificed mobility for strength had added to the intimidation factor of his appearance.

He could not fight. Not without Monaca's aid. Her skill with machinery was an unrecognised blessing for him, but it meant that he was reliant on her whims and mercies. Unless he revealed himself, of course. But that would risk the task for which he had been assigned.

The chest began to hum, creating a soft tune that only Dio could hear, making him smile inside. Yes, this armour did have its advantages.

It also gave him another factor. The ability to simply sink into the dark and jagged throne that he had claimed for his own. One might have asked why a mere 'Vizier' was granted a throne of their own, but not the Warriors of Hope. They simply ignored him until it was time to speak with him.

It was enlightening to see the children in action. Dio had expected that Masaru would be the first of the group to fall, and that Jataro's complexes would keep him from landing a final blow, but there were things he never assumed would come to be.

The way that Nagisa had simply rolled over for Monaca's leadership had been informing. Dio had hoped that there might have been a struggle or some form of resistance, but no. Nagisa was letting his affections control his logic. The need for the approval of others.

I always told him that it would be his undoing. That Nirvana's power required him to overcome this. Dio thought to himself. The fact that Nagisa happily stayed under Monaca's boot told him everything.

Nirvana Act 3 would simply remain a dream.

Monaca, on the other hand, had utterly embraced the thought of leadership. It was like looking into a distorted mirror of himself, creating a younger image of himself in the form of Monaca Towa. He'd never have been able to do all this at the age of ten.

He was still fearful of his father and desperate for the drunkard's affection. It disgusted Dio to think about. It was why he paid little mind to Monaca and Kotoko's 'moment', to avoid the memories coming back to him.

The Warriors of Hope were more than the symbols of the new generation that would be lifted up by Heaven. They were the symbols of the past that Dio had triumphed over. Even Kotoko resembled it somewhat.

Had Dio not been so wilful and angry, would his agent have sold him around like a whore? Possibly.

Monaca was the best suited to lead them. She kept the true mission of this crusade a secret from the others, who thought the aim was to create a miniature Heaven. As if such a thing could be created on anything less than the scale of the Earth itself.

No. She would have no rivals for Dio's attention this time. She had taken Dio's interest in Nirvana more personally than he had thought. The plan to re-create Dio Brando would be the result of Monaca's work and her work alone.

Until then, however, the Vizier had his own parts to play.

"Nagisa, you say that you have located the Resistance?" The Vizier Murralsee voice was not like the others. It was distorted, the echo crackling throughout the air, as red eyes shined down on the child. He looked so prim and proper. "Are the Murralsee ready to strike?"

"I was just about to give the order." Nagisa replied. It was just as Dio expected of him. Smart and to the point, even after turning to goo from the slightest physical affection from Monaca.

"Demons think they're so smart to hide underground. Just sitting and waiting for someone to save them." Monaca held her fists and sharply exhaled, as if she was an anime character getting ready to fight herself. "Like ants, we'll flush them out with a firecracker and drown them with a hose."

"Without Fujisaki's Hotline Bling, they can't contact the Future Foundation." Nagisa smirked. "Heaven will be reached from the mountain we'll leave from their corpses."

Kotoko squealed in delight. "Shingetsu and Monaca are too cool. I'd be super-scared if we weren't best buds." Her voice dropped and all joy left her eyes then. It was as if she was a machine herself. "I'll make sure that they're all hunted down."

"Kotoko, maybe you should go with the army," Monaca said, shuffling in her wheelchair. How could they be so blind as to her secret? Did they truly never see her bed-room? Dio had never been so unobservant as a child. "Little Girls is a super-scary Stand. Maybe if you used it, you might be able to win the Hunting Game. Too many of them are cheating with that base, especially that Big Sis."

"You're right! That cute girl needs to learn a thing or two." Kotoko said, sticking out her tongue to the side and winking in a pose. Was it from her old show?

Dio was done being ignored. It was time for the Vizier to make their voice heard again.

"Then it is decided." The crackle got all three children's attention. A withered hand pointed to Kotoko, even as she gagged at the skeletal look. "Kotoko will lead the assault and steal away Komaru Naegi. Her spirit shall be broken," Dio was unsure of what Monaca was planning. Komaru's We Built This City was impressive, but Kotoko's methods weren't Stand-exclusive. He could only trust in her plan. Dio then motioned his other hand to Nagisa. "And the Resistance shall be crushed by our numbers. Then Heaven shall be reached; as is the will of Dio."

The three children turned towards the golden shrine by the side of the room. Masaru was the only one allowed a funeral and for his picture to be placed on the bottom-right of Dio's own. Monaca had stopped caring after that, or at least the only one who could build these monuments had been vanished.

Monaca was dedicated in letting the competition die off. Or whatever happened to them.

He'll be upset about that. Monaca was meant to work together with them. Dio thought to himself. Would his friend be upset with him as well? No. He's embraced I, Dio, after everything. He'll accept this as well when the results come about.

The children bowed their heads and recited a Buddhist prayer that Dio knew nothing about. It was the act of worship that mattered to Dio. The genuine loyalty of those who had seen how rotten and decayed this world was. The ones who knew the need to bring about Heaven.

Monaca had refused to tell him, as Vizier Murralsee, what her plan was. He doubted that even Komaeda, that piece of shit who hid away his hand like it was a curse (then why did he dare commit sacrilege in the first place?), knew what the plan truly was. All he knew was that Komaru had to reach Monaca.

Dio Brando was meant to be restored, but how? Dio could have revealed himself as a fragment of the original Dio, but would that be enough to satisfy Monaca? He knew her better than she knew herself. She didn't have Dio's eternal hunger. Once sated, she'd either evolve or stagnate.

So he had to wait for Monaca and trust in whatever she was doing. It was ironic that the Ultimate Master, the one who ruled over Hope, would now have to hope in a child's plan to see if this was true restoration.

This had better work. Dio calmed himself by thinking of the Warriors of Hope's continuing and undying loyalty, but also of Makoto Naegi. The Ultimate Hope that had cheated Dio out of his destiny. The one who ruined his ascension into Godhood. I will have my vengeance on all of you. But you will suffer the most, Naegi. I will turn your Hope into ashes if it's the last thing I do.

---

"Fukawa, you didn't mean it, right?" Komaru asked, her voice already shaking. "You wouldn't have killed me if Makoto agreed to send in the Future Foundation."

"I'd have done what I could to keep him safe. You're no different from Rohan or Haiji." Fukawa replied. She didn't look Komaru in the eye, where they were probably already glistening with tears.

What a baby.

"We wouldn't have let her kill you," Haiji gave Fukawa a look; the same one he directed at her since they spoke with Naegi. "Although, I think it's clear where her loyalties are."

What else was going to happen when Komaru finally got to call the Future Foundation? She was always going to turn back to goo and beg for them to come and save her. Let someone else take on the burden of saving this city and everyone in it. Haiji and Rohan were the same way. They didn't want to even try and finish the job they started.

It had to be Naegi who was on the other line. The big-hearted dummy who'd probably march into Towa City itself if it meant getting his little sister back in his arms. Haiji was more than happy to add onto Komaru's case; talking about how everyone was counting on him. That people like Hayato-who only just heard of Taichi's death-were going to be killed.

At least Komaru had the excuse of being pathetic. Those men were just exploiting Naegi, trying to play with his emotions to get what they wanted.

What about Byakuya? Didn't he deserve help as well? He was the one who came down to Towa City himself to rescue Komaru and the price was his imprisonment by those damn kids. If the Future Foundation came charging in, he'd be lucky if they killed him quickly.

That wasn't their style though. They'd slowly peel off his skin and shake salt over the flesh. Televise his slow agonising death as he screamed without a tongue. They already had him drugged to control Gold; it'd be easy to find ones that didn't dull pain.

So that was why Fukawa had to follow the damn script. That was why she couldn't let Naegi try to get the Future Foundation to act. She had to threaten Komaru's life.

It didn't go so well. Rohan was like a rottweiler defending its owner when he had Heaven's Door command her to stand completely still. Haiji was worse when he brought out Killer Queen. Now if Naegi didn't send help, Haiji 'couldn't guarantee' Fukawa's safety.

Hayato was screaming in panic, Komaru pleaded with him to stop, and Rohan had taken out his command and seemed ready for anything. It was absolute chaos. Their unity against Judas Priest was a thing of the past.

The last thing they heard from Naegi was a plea for them to calm down when the transmission ended and the lights went out.

It was a long-and very distressing-march back down Towa Tower, fighting off the Murralsee, as they remained in near-total darkness and Fukawa had to rely on the others to get her out. The only tolerable one was Hayato and that was only because he wasn't just thinking of himself. Of how he could avoid this whole mess.

As they got outside, nothing had changed in the mood of the group. Komaru was meek and trying to be friendly, Hayato was asking about his parents, Haiji was barely keeping it together-one insult and he'd explode-while Rohan was quiet. Quiet as in he didn't say a single word since they left the top floor.

So here they were, about to have this argument.

Komaru's voice was already shaking. "But we're friends..."

"Don't just throw around words like that as if that'll make me do what's convenient for you!" Fukawa snapped. It was only natural that someone run-of-the-mill like Komaru would do this. It was what most people did with Fukawa. "I'm not falling for it."

"That's not what I..." Komaru trailed off and sniffed. "I thought we were friends."

That was what everyone says when you didn't do something they wanted. They'd prey on your feelings and needs and make it about them. Do the work for them, or do this thing for them, because you're friends. But it wasn't friendship they wanted from her.

It was just them being lazy, or playing some kind of joke on Fukawa. A way to take advantage of her. Komaru was just doing the same, to have someone else save her. This was why it was better to push people away.

They can't hurt you if the distance is wide enough.

Fukawa couldn't keep her distance, though, because she had a mission. She needed to get Komaru onto that air-ship. That was the only reason why she was curious as to Komaru had turned and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"We're going back to the base." Haiji said, moving to Komaru's right and keeping a firm grip on Hayato's hand. He gave Fukawa a dirty look. "Not that it's any of your business. Why not stay here and wait for someone else, I'm sure the Warriors of Hope would be grateful for all you've done for them. Maybe you can be with your boyfriend." Haiji looked down to Hayato. "Hayato, stay close to us. It's dangerous outside."

The kid seemed wary. Good. Smells Like Teenage Spirit hissed in approval and, invisible to all but Fukawa, a soft green mist wafted around Hayato to reveal a 55% symbol above his head. A way to show that Fukawa slightly liked him, compared to the 25%-strong dislike-symbol that Haiji had on him. There was something about that guy that pushed Fukawa the wrong way.

She was free of her initial impression-which in itself was only because he reminded her of Byakuya!-and could see the mask that no one else noticed.

"Omaru, you really think you can just go out on your own?" Fukawa asked, making sure her voice showed her disbelief. Was she really just going to go backwards? "Someone who's been spoiled for protection and can't do anything alone?"

"Can't do-" Komaru didn't hide her shock. She stopped and turned to face Fukawa again, this time looking angry. "I've been doing my fair share, Fukawa. We Built This City may not be for combat, but we've been doing our best. Saying I've done nothing alone is just too far!"

"Would you like a pat on the head? A hug? Is that why you're going back to the robot?" Fukawa growled. Why did Komaru have to be like this and why wasn't the damn number over his head not lowering from 75%?Fukawa just had to ignore it and glared at Komaru. "Too bad because you're not getting it from me. I don't reward people for not just finding an excuse to hide under the bed and cry for help. To have someone else do the heavy work."

"You're so mean...I try to impress you and you're just so mean..." Komaru closed her eyes and her voice grew louder. "This is why you don't have any friends!"

Fukawa was shocked that she had been so shocked. Komaru wasn't just some endless foundation of false niceties, Judas Priest should have made that clear, but this had been the first time that Komaru was genuinely upset with Fukawa. The first time that she was being angry.

But Fukawa knew this was coming. It was what everyone did when they realised that someone else was right. They couldn't win the argument so they decided to just win by insulting the opponent. Make it clear that, if they didn't do as they were told, they could be lonely forever.

That was fine. Fukawa knew how to build distance. She wasn't like Rohan, just lounging against a lamppost with that damn dead look in his eyes. Why wasn't he complaining about Komaru being some kind of main character? Why wasn't he doing anything?

Go down. Go down! Fukawa snapped internally as that number on Komaru's head stayed the same. Why was she the one feeling bad about this when it was Komaru's fault?

Hayato took a step towards Komaru and looked at Fukawa. To think an eleven year-old now pitied her. "Komaru, I think you hurt her-"

"It's best that this happens." Haiji said. He kept a firm grip on Hayato's hand and barely managed to hide the smile in his eyes. This was a chance to get rid of her, after all.

"That's fine...I like being on my own," Fukawa kept her voice steady. "I wouldn't want to be friends with someone like you anyway."

"What do you mean?" Komaru asked, anger and hurt mixing together.

"You, Haiji, even Rohan," Fukawa pointed a finger at Komaru and let rip. She wasn't going to hold back anymore. "You're all just being leeches. You want Naegi and the Future Foundation to fight and die so that you can all have your old lives again. You don't want to fight for it yourselves because you're scared of getting hurt. Because someone else is meant to take the burden and do all the work. You all just think of being 'saved' and gives yourselves reasons to not do it yourself. 'I can't do anything' and 'I can't risk it here' is what you tell yourselves to avoid the big fights. You're nothing like your brother, Omaru. Though I can't say I like his coddling style. Seems like your parents were coddlers too, Haiji."

Not like Fukawa's parents. A father apathetic to her existence, two mothers who only saw her as an anchor to the man they once loved, and none of the three willing to even hold Fukawa.

Komaru wasn't sobbing, but the tears ran down her face still. Fukawa ignored the 75% above Komaru's head, just as she ignoring the dragging and poisonous feeling in her chest after venting. She wouldn't feel bad for saying the truth.

"I've had enough." Komaru turned to Rohan and went from upset to apologetic. Fukawa knew there was a favourite; this just proved it. "I'm sorry I couldn't be who you hoped I could be, Rohan-sensei."

"It's fine. It's all fine." Rohan pushed himself off the lamppost. His voice carried none of its energy or power, closer to those hopeless adults underground than anything else. "I think it's this world. I just...don't fit in it. Like a round peg down a square hole, I'm just butting heads and getting nowhere." Rohan sighed and began to walk back the way they came to this building. "Let's just go back to the base. Not like I'm doing anything of worth here."

"So even you're giving up?" Fukawa hissed. She needed something. Anything. Just to prove that there was some fire in the others left.

"I gave up a long time ago." Rohan replied. He looked up the blood-red sky. "Everything I've done here was just...delaying the inevitable." He looked back at her and barely gave a slight glare. "Shouldn't you be hanging out with those kids? You'd be more welcome there."

She bit back the shock, both at his words and the implication behind them. There was no way that he knew about the offer she had been forced to accept that by that weirdo. Could he? Did he read it from Heaven's Door?

Fukawa shook her head. There was no way that was possible. She had to just focus on her mission and follow the others, stalking behind them like a bad smell.

"Why are you following us?" Komaru asked.

"I have my own reasons." Fukawa didn't want to give any ground to her.

"Let me make one thing clear, Fukawa." Haiji let go of Hayato's hand, letting him move straight to Komaru's hand instead, and looked down on Fukawa. How had she missed the abyss behind those eyes before? "You speak out against what I am now forced to advise the council-because of you-and you will leave the base. Resist and I will use force."

That was fine. Fukawa wouldn't want to stay in that pile of garbage housing people who had lost their ability to fight anyway. All she needed was to bring Komaru with her when they'd leave and they'd be back on track. They would be on their way to saving Byakuya and stopping those kids.

Fukawa ignored the way that Komaru leaned closer to the others now. How she seemed to rely on them more than she did with Fukawa. She ignored the fact that the 75% symbol over Komaru hadn't changed one bit.

She especially ignored her own number dropping to 27%.

---

This is why no one reads your manga anymore!

Rohan wondered how long he had been pretending that he wasn't the problem.

People didn't drop off from Morioh Town because they were over-saturated by mediocre-at-best shonen that only offers wish-fantasies. They stopped reading because they knew this story didn't speak to them. It was a story of a dead world that only he remembered.

A world he couldn't even make-up right. All those stories he barely listened to because they came from Josuke, the ones he imagined differently because of how he viewed the people involved, and the desperation soaked in each page. Who would see that as a realistic setting?

Dark and bitter tales about people they don't like and act like it's being deep when it's just being mean!

Pink Dark Boy could have its sad moments. Moments meant to inspire emotion rather than a five-second smile. Only Rohan once made sure that there was some satisfaction at the end of each arc, until he decided that writing things as he saw them was more important. He sacrificed artistic integrity for his delusions.

A mean, childish, bitter old man who hates everything and everyone and acts like he's smart because of it.

When had he let his cynicism take over his writing? When did the final battle feel so empty and meaningless? Because what was the point in defeating Kira if Morioh Town now didn't exist? If the lives saved simply never happened?

Nihilism took hold of him.

We don't want to read Rohan Kishibe's stories anymore!

Komaru was right. That was why Rohan was languishing at the bottom of the ranks, kept only because of limited mangakas, volume sales, and his own fame. He had become one of the writers he hated most. Those who created worlds just to spit on them and insult the readers.

Rohan wasn't meant to be in this world. People could feel it and were repelled from the stories he wrote. His stories didn't even suit it anymore; Morioh Town was an ode to a place no longer in existence and a message to people who didn't exist. Bloody Games was a story that rang too true for some people.

His isolation only distanced himself further from people.

What was he even doing anymore? What was the point in Rohan Kishibe if no one would read his manga? If people didn't find his stories interesting? There was none. Pink Dark Boy was all he had left and the inspiration was dying. Everything that had happened was getting to him.

Did his stories even reach anyone anymore? Or was Pink Dark Boy a zombie-series now; the readers only staying on to see how a once-great tale would finally die.

I just wanted to finish it. To see if at least the ending can reach someone. Then I can go back without regrets. Rohan knew where he wanted to go back to. For a moment, on this little adventure, he had thought that wouldn't be necessary, but Komaru had reminded him of why he had to leave this place.

Maybe he'd regain his spark when he was with his friends again. Until then, he had to just get through this whole crisis and get back to work.

"Can it wait?" Rohan asked. His voice had none of its usual passion. "Let's just see how this meeting goes and we can talk about it then."

"You sure?" Hiroko raised an eyebrow, before shrugging. "Don't blame you. Whatever happened hasn't been pretty on the girls either."

Komaru and Fukawa weren't talking to each other. At least, nowhere near as much as they were before. Add on Rohan's epiphany and the whole group had been practically silent, beyond the sounds of battle, on the journey back.

The camp wasn't exactly happy. They'd have probably fallen into irreversible despair if 'Haiji' hadn't managed to avoid giving a straight answer on the Future Foundation. All he said was that they were one step closer to escaping this nightmare.

It didn't help when Shinobu laid eyes on Hayato and vice versa.

"Hayato! I'm so glad that you're safe." She howled, while wrapping her arms around him and crying into his shoulder. "I'm sorry we didn't listen to you about the Murralsee helmets. We should have kept an eye on you during those riots. How did you even escape?"

"They ignored me. I tried to go back to our place, but it was..." Hayato didn't say anything. His sheet-white face said it all, as did the general pattern of Towa City now. He probably saw a pile of corpses. "I wandered around until I found Mister Fujisaki. We tried to test his Stand-to see if we could call anybody-but then the Murralsee noticed me and actually tried something."

"What do you mean listening? What did he say?" Someone had asked. Shinobu had probably thought it was curiosity, instead of suspicion, and spoke before 'Haiji' could do anything.

"My son's good with cameras and recording equipment." Shonobu explained, as if those words were going to reach them. "He heard something on the helmets and disassembled one of them when the TV show was giving out merchandise. His father got upset about it, though, and didn't-"

"He knew about the helmets? Why didn't he say anything?" One of the adults cried out.

"This is like those brothers again. Those kids are sending in moles!" Another snapped.

The mood was turning toxic when 'Haiji' threw a coin into the air. Killer Queen had already charged it when it activated and caused a tiny explosion, too small to hurt anyone but large enough that it caught everyone's attention. The message had been clear and Shinobu and Hayato practically fled for 'Haiji's' quarters.

Everyone who mattered was now in the meeting room. Komaru had been the latest to arrive, muttering about how she was tying her shoes or something, and seemed too specific about not seeing anyone. It was likely that she met those brothers who were hiding out here. The ones who didn't want all the attention.

The meeting was blunt. 'Haiji' made it clear that they should start plans to evacuate Towa City as soon as possible and just accept losses as a part of life. The plan was just finding things that could float, heading to the coast, and then swimming to the mainland.

It wasn't a plan designed to save people.

"If we start assembling scrap metal and use it for life-rafts for the injured, we might be able to go far enough on the shore that we can swim the rest of the way." 'Haiji' explained. He was trying to polish shit. "We just need a map of the city and then we can use the sewers to reach a beach-point."

"Going out in the open? We'll be open targets for them!" One of the council members screamed.

"If the Future Foundation doesn't commit forces, then we'll be starved out." 'Haiji' looked at everyone with dead eyes. "High casualties are the price to pay for this."

It was Murray's turn to suggest something and his plan was naive. The kind of stuff that a manga looking to please its readers rather than give its happy moments actual meaning would reward. The idea that they could stop the kids themselves. So naturally Komaru backed him up.

"I can feel it in their hearts. They can laugh and play, but their souls are weeping at what they are doing." The machine told her, just before the meeting began, as he tried to get their support. "They yearn for their parents, even if they do not know it."

What would have been the point? No one would have listened, or even believed the story. Even if they did, removing the helmets from the children would be impossible unless they somehow just stormed the air-shop against an army of hundreds of Murralsee.

It fell to Fukawa to be the voice of contempt.

"You're just giving excuses." She said. It seemed that she didn't take the idea of just running away that well. Probably because she wanted everyone to attack. "So desperate to avoid a fight that you'd accept everyone else dying, just so you can live. All the people who can't make the journey, they're just dead, aren't they?"

"We have to be pragmatic." 'Haiji' said, waving away her concerns as if she was a five year-old having a tantrum. "If it makes you feel any better, we'll be giving it a few more days to gather supplies and find other Stand users. Komaru and Hiroko deserve that much for all they've done. Then we're leaving."

"Fine. Just run away and hope the people behind you are good enough meat-shields." Fukawa snapped. Rohan might have taken her side, if there was an actual point in him doing so. As if he mattered. "Let's go, Omaru."

Maybe Fukawa, after so much time getting it, naturally expected Komaru's obedience.

"You're wrong." Komaru said, unable to stop herself even as Fukawa's face paled. She finally seemed to realise what Komaru was hearing whenever she spoke. "You don't understand the feelings of the weak! We're not like you; someone special like the Ultimate Writer who can go to Hope's Peak and could help defeat Dio. How could you understand what it's like to be weak and unable to do anything?"

"I don't...understand?" Fukawa's shock gave way to anger. "What kind of bullshit is that?" She pointed to herself while Rohan held out an arm to stop Hiroko. This needed to happen. "I'm a collection of inferiority complexes into a person. I had to be Syo to fight Dio and even then it was all Naegi and ghosts that won it. But I don't just throw up my hands and use it as an excuse to do nothing. Haiji's plan means people dying for nothing! They can't even stand up for themselves. What's going to change from this plan, other than a floating pile of corpses? So don't even try to write me off as some chosen one!"

Rohan was taken aback. He'd never seen this actual side of Touko Fukawa before. The side that could actually takes hit at herself, that actually recognised herself when she looked in the mirror, and more. She was no main character, but there was something in her.

I really have lost my touch, Rohan thought to himself. I'm a character that has nothing to do with this story.

"Fukawa, Komaru, please!" Murray cried out, stepping in between the two, only for Fukawa to growl at him in turn. "We have to stay unified and-"

"Breach!" One of the adults slammed the door open. He barely made the first few steps before falling to the floor face-first, looking at them with a bloodied nose. "There's been a breach!"

The only people that stayed behind were Shinobu and Hayato, who retreated into 'Haiji's' room. The rest of them ran out to find the giant metal door that acted as the entrance to the base was being torn apart by a legion of black metallic claws. The door itself wasn't destroyed, but there were widening holes that the Murralsee exploited.

Some were already charging out of the bottom areas, others were crawling to the walls and ceiling, while some even just smashed through and fell to the ground. It was watching water burst out from a broken dam.

Just like a flood, anyone that was even close to the Murralsee were being swept away by the violence. There must have only been a few hundred adults in this camp and Rohan could see that there were easily more Murralsee ahead. The sewers might even be stuffed with them.

"This is all that brat's fault!" One of the council members cried out. Their voice was torn between fury and despair.

"Shit." Hiroko nearly bit off her cigarette as Smoke On The Water began to slither out from the cigarette and insides of her jacket. "Smoke On The Water can't kill them all."

"Who knows how many there are." 'Haiji' said. His palms were bleeding from where the nails were digging in. "We'll just have to retreat back and hold stalemate. Maybe bleed them out while getting the emergency escape."

"Komaru!" A child's voice screamed. Everyone turned to see the Oingo Boingo Brothers running straight towards the group. In Boingo's hand, held as if it were the Holy Grail itself, was his manga. "You have to stay and protect everyone!"

"Boingo? I thought you wanted to stay hidden?" Komaru barely kept her eyes off the destruction and death around her.

"You!" One of the council members snapped. Rohan should have tried to remember their names and faces, but they were such copy-pasted paranoid-civilians that there didn't seem to be much point. "This is all your fau-" 'Haiji' raised a hand and they silenced themselves.

"Tohth predicted this. It says that you'll help fight them off." Boingo showed a picture of Komaru, Fukawa, Hiroko, Haiji, and Rohan, all fighting in a sea of fire, blood, and explosions. There was then another picture of a sea of hands holding Komaru up, to both the real and pictured girl's shock. "Then you'll be held up high."

"B-But." Komaru stopped herself. People were dying by the second and they were just standing and talking. Resolution ignited in her eyes and she readied her Hacking Gun. "No. There's no other option."

"I will assist." Murray stepped forward and faced the dark horde playing games with the corpses of the adults too close to the door to have escaped. "Miss Komaru, I cannot allow you to face this many alone. We do not have many far-range fighters. I will have to do."

How was that going to work? Murray was a tough fighter, that was undeniable, but he was just one machine. A machine that relied on his fists and legs to take out the Murralsee one by one wasn't going to be able to handle something of this size, especially from a far-range.

Hiroko tried to put it gently. "Murray, I don't think home defence is what we need right now."

"That's where you're wrong, Miss Hagakure." Murray took another step forward, planted himself firmly into the ground, turned back with what could only be called a smirk. "I'm battlefield recovery."

Murray's body shifted. Sky-blue skin turned over, arms and legs began to disassemble themselves, and even Murray's head itself began to change shape. Every type of gun under the sun began to sprout out from his body. Out of his torso was a heavy machine-gun, his arms and legs carried AK-47s and shot-guns from wires, and even the head itself revealed a series of red aiming-lights that dotted the Murralsee. Rohan lost count of how many firearms came out of Murray's body.

No one could say a word; only staggered sounds of shock came out from them. Why wouldn't they? This was a twist that even Rohan Kishibe didn't see coming!

He's basically a tank with machine-guns attached! Rohan thought. Murray let out a battle-cry and began to open-fire on the Murralsee.

It was a hail of bullets, artillery, and even a few rockets that struck the tide of the Murralsee. The machines could barely give Murray a glimpse before the bullets tore through their bodies and even pierced through the Murralsee behind them. No matter the type, they were turned into a pile of tattered metal against the fury of the assault.

The adults, when they weren't running away, let out a cheer for their saviour keeping them from harm once again. It wasn't a perfect assault; the Murralsee on the walls and ceilings were still up there, but those that tried to drop down were torn to shreds by Murray's assault.

"Miss Komaru!" Murray screamed at the top of his voice. With the noise of his assault, Rohan wondered if there were speakers included as well to amplify his voice. "I can only clear out the gate! You'll have to handle the rest."

Komaru nodded and We Built This City emerged, both Stand and user with determined looks in their eyes. Fukawa already had the taser in hand and shocked herself, unleashing Genocider Syo herself, and 'Haiji' pulled out one of the last remaining pebbles, coins, and other small knick-knacks he had in his pocket. They wouldn't be much, but they were what he had, and would work with Killer Queen.

Hiroko was already generating more than enough smoke using Smoke On The Water and her cigarette's smoke together. Even Oingo had a giant tire-iron in hand in case some of the Murralsee broke through. Rohan couldn't do anything but watch as others fought this battle.

That didn't mean he wasn't prepared himself. Rohan Kishibe had to consider many things today, one being that he was no longer the mangaka he once was. That everything he'd been doing in this world had been a delusion.

But not this. Not stopping these machines, tools of the Warriors of Hope, and not making sure that both Komaru and the finished works of Bloody Games escaped this city.

Rohan wasn't going out without a bang.

---

"Haiji!" One of the adults cried out. "How could you be leaving us? It's just one girl. On some brat's advice too!"

Kira had never been happier than his nail-clipper was in his pocket. After he rescued Komaru, he could clip off the nails and remove any sign that this dumbass was really saying what he was saying. His nails would be unsightly otherwise.

There was a reason for their displeasure. Some of their friends were dead and it was obvious that the Warriors of Hope knew where the Resistance was hiding. Not only that, but despite Murray's show of firepower, it was obvious from the bullets and flames that he had used everything he had to end the attacking Murralsee.

But why the hell did they always have to get it wrong? Was it too much to ask for intelligent soldiers?

Mondatta had told the truth. Komaru had found them, tried to get them to safety, and was then stolen away by-according to Mondatta-Kotoko Utsugi of the Warriors of Hope. It had been according to Tohth's prophecy that Komaru would be held up high for her actions and it came to be.

It was just that she was held up high by a Stand kidnapping her.

"Are you telling me that I should simply let her go?" Kira asked in turn. He couldn't even hide the anger from his face. "Let's ignore the fact that she just tried to save us. Let's be pragmatic. Only six people here have actually managed to kill a Murralsee, out of the thousands hiding out in this city, and you want to just let one of them go away? You want to lose one of the few non-Stand weapons we have?"

"You're just gonna slow me down." Syo said, somehow maintaining coherence despite speaking with her tongue out. Kira had to keep himself from looking in disgust as the appendage wiggled. The serial killer shook Rohan, who was piggy-backing on her. "Riders of Rohan here doesn't weigh that much. You're look a bit heavier, no offence."

"His Heaven's Door can issue commands that can give me an equal momentum, correct?" Kira asked. Syo looked to Rohan who gave him a pointed look. That tended to mean yes. "Then simply write the command to keep pace with Syo and that should do it."

"What makes you think I'll do that?" Rohan asked. "You're not exactly one for open battle." He added, almost too quickly.

How much do you know, Kishibe? Kira asked himself. He'd use Mondatta to find out, but then that'd risk revealing his identity to the child himself. The time for disappearing people went away with Murray's show of force.

He'd have to play the pragmatist for this.

"The last time we all faced one of them, we almost lost," He said. The memory of Judas Priest-and what it almost made him say-still troubled him. Rohan's face went pale just thinking about it. Good. It was working. "Now you want to go and fight another one of them while they have one of us trapped? There's strength in numbers, Kishibe."

There was also Murray's words to consider. The machine had approached him the fury of the chaos, as everyone blamed the Oingo Boingo Brothers, Shinobu and Hayato, and even Fukawa and Rohan. Kira had been worrying that this would evolve into a mutiny when the machine approached him.

"If you want to escape this city, the path lies with Komaru Naegi." Murray whispered. "My personal advice would be to let the Kawajiri family go with you. I cannot protect the brothers and them, at the same time, whilst also ensuring order."

"How did they find us?" Kira had asked. What was Murray planning?

"The people you need to worry about have always known where you are. They wanted Komaru. The next attack will certainly see retribution, if handled poorly." Murray shifted his vision towards the Kawajiris, who was being protected by Fukawa and Rohan against the mob. "It's in our mutual best interest if you ensure Komaru's safety."

"And how long will our mutual interests align?"

"Relax, Haiji. By the time they divide, there'll be no reason for me to reveal your secret." Murray made a noise that almost sounded like a smirk. A new and annoying habit. "Keeping an eye on Rohan Kishibe should be the most of your worries."

Kira had managed to get the mob under control, but his priorities now were obvious. He'd need to make sure that Rohan didn't say anything to Syo that Kira didn't hear himself. If they decided that he wasn't trustworthy, or was hiding something from them, it'd make things difficult.

Not to mention that his followers were starting to dissent. They were cowards that only had the courage to act on whoever was nearest. Murray's presence and Haiji's command was the only thing that kept them from lashing out at the nearest object.

Too frightened to fight the children above, but too paranoid to trust the children below.

Murray was right. Shinobu and Hayato Kawajiri weren't safe underground anymore. If the Future Foundation arrived and found out that Haiji Towa let a lynching happen under his watch, they'd do whatever it'd take to find him. He needed to be a perfect martyr for them.

He also knew how Rohan saw the family. Maybe the mangaka was growing old and decided he wanted a girlfriend, or was just sentimental, but he had some strange attachment to them. An attachment that Kira could use to his advantage.

Rohan would't risk a fight with two non-Stand users so close.

"If you really don't want Hayato here," Kira spoke loudly, getting everyone's attention, before looking down at Hayato. "You and your mother will have to come with us."

"No! It's not safe out there for her!" Hayato cried, grabbing Shinobu's hand. It was enough to make her softly gasp.

"You think it's safe in here?" Kira then turned to the crowd who were so close to whining again. "If you don't want them to go, then you'll have to accept them being here. If that's the case," Killer Queen manifested behind him and he glared at them. The Stand couldn't be seen by the people, but they could feel the entire area drop in temperature. "They're welcome here."

Kira already knew their answer. They loved Haiji as the man who saved them and they respected him as a leader, but they were spineless wretches to the end. They wouldn't obey his commands unless Murray watched over all of them.

Syo and Rohan could see and sense the same thing. The only good thing about having these leeches was that they made for useful tools for the real dangers.

"Do you even know where to find Komaru?" At Syo's blank expression, he sighed. "In the future, remember that it's not just you two fighting against this threat." Kira often wondered if he was playing the leader, or the only person with a brain. "Tohth said that they would be flying like a bullet around the city."

"The bullet-train?" Hayato asked.

"I don't think it'd be working, Hayato." Shinobu said warily.

"That may be your best chance." Murray added, slamming his fist against his chest. "Betting everything we have on the roulette wheel of fate. It's a part of life to be bold and risk it all!"

"If we secure a back-carriage, we can keep the two of you safe." Kira said. Shinobu still seemed unsure; somewhat reasonable considering what Kira was asking. "It's our only option." He added.

"Fine. You, the kid, and his grandma can come along." Syo said, rolling her eyes. Shinobu didn't seem happy about the insult, but Kira was relieved that he got the answer he was looking for. She leaned back and looked at Rohan. "Just don't complain if the Genocider Express is too bumpy for your drawing."

"I know how to write under pressure." Rohan snapped.

Kira held out his forearm. Heaven's Door revealed information, but Kira had noticed that the information available changed depending on the body part. Offering his head would risk revealing his true identity, and showing his hand might have revealed his fetish.

His forearm? There was no information about it that he needed to hide. He also kept a close eye on Rohan, knowing how fast his writing speed was. Any attempt to read rather than write would be noticed.

It was a war of information that Kira planned on winning.

Rohan did his job, however, and wrote down the sentence. He still gave Kira a suspicious look, as if to warn him that he'd be watching him. Fine. This wasn't the first time that Kira had been forced to think on his toes.

He picked up Shinobu into his arms and let her hold Hayato in hers. It didn't matter how much they weighed, although Kira was no body-builder and they were not light, as Heaven's Door would compensate for it with speed. He gave one final look back at the camp.

"We'll keep the base safe, Haiji." Hiroko said, giving him a rare serious look. It was a relief to have at least one person in the building using their heads, especially after the Oingo Boingo Brothers went back into hiding.

"You have nothing to worry about." Murray promised. To everyone else, he meant that the base would be secure, but Kira knew the real meaning.

Only there was more than just his immediate identity to worry about. The adults were getting worse in their despair. They were getting agitated being underground but lacked the means or will to change their situation. It was reaching the point where they were nothing more than walking corpses, waiting to die.

Kira needed at least some morale for the evacuation. If he didn't find an escape from this damn city soon, whether from lowering supplies or spirit or even the next attack, he'd be leading a motley crew of corpses.

How would he be able to hide himself then? Haiji Towa could disappear in a mass of hundreds, all trying to escape at the same time, and all under fire. He could go away and become a legend, while the man Yoshikage Kira would live a normal life.

Not in a measly flock of a few dozen.

After saving Komaru, Kira was beginning to wonder if it would be time to consider cutting his losses. Komaru would just have to choose between her hand and staying in this city; the Resistance needed to leave now. It was that or letting everyone sink into the abyss.

Kira would not let that happen. These people were meant to enable his escape from attention. They would escape this nightmare no matter what. Yoshikage Kira would have his old life back no matter what. Even if it meant killing everyone who got in his way.

Even if it meant killing Rohan Kishibe and Genocider Syo themselves.

---

"Come on, guys. Don't do this kind of thing on a train." Kotoko wagged her finger at the three of them. "At least Big Sis is being motivated. What's your excuse?"

Komaru struggled against the bonds keeping her tied against the machine. She had to get out! We Built This City kept her safe from Kotoko's Stand, but it couldn't do anything against the hands that were...touching her all over. Even summoning the shield only had the entire machine covered up by the Stand.

The darkness only made the feelings worse. It was harder to move around and avoid the hands than it already was.

They were touching her all over, no matter how much she struggled, and now she was having to watch everyone else suffer the same. Fukawa, Rohan, Haiji, all of them had come to try and save her and now they were barely able to stand.

Little Girls had somehow managed to fire its dentures at Rohan, sinking into his torso. It wasn't like he was badly hurt by it, but he had started blushing, breathing heavily, and stumbled against the side of the carriage. Kotoko fired her strange gun at both Syo and Haiji, the narrow corridor making both easy targets. After that, it was just a matter of Little Girls firing its dentures at them again, having somehow regrown in its mouth.

Komaru was having to focus on resisting the feelings she was getting from this, but she could see that the teeth could fire off from the jaw. The gums that held the tooth shifted to a certain position before firing the tooth in mid-flight. Half of them hit Fukawa and the other half hit Haiji.

All of them were now stumbling on the floor. Komaru guessed that whatever those teeth were meant to do, it was somewhat related to what was happening to her. Toying with their bodies and making them feel all warm and weird so that they couldn't resist.

We Built This City could only cure her though, right? It couldn't do anything for the others.

"I can't believe you all had to interrupt Big Sis's punishment. You're all getting punished for this," Kotoko paused before pointing at each of them. "Ugly Big Sis, Artsy Big Bro, and Pervy Big Bro!" She cried out, probably having to take time to think of each nick-name.

Little Girls salivated as it laughed at Kotoko's jokes. Komaru had thought that Judas Priest was the ugliest Stand she had ever seen, but Little Girls had managed to prove her wrong. It looked like it had been stretched out, with a smile that showed dentures as big as her head, big hands that resembled the ones on this 'Motivation Machine', and the stripey sleeves that substituted its arms.

It was a mixture of those old springy toys and those old adverts about child-snatchers.

What was worse was its power. The way that it managed to bring Fukawa, Rohan, and Haiji all to their knees panting and sweating. All of their faces were blushing and it almost looked like they were restraining the urge to rub their legs against the soft carpet.

"You've...got those...pebbles, right?" Rohan huffed out as he leaned back against the left wall. He had the worst of it; getting the full dentures.

"No use...the texture's," Haiji's sharply inhaled his body crawled into itself further, squashing his hands-stuck in the pockets-between them. He stumbled towards Fukawa and almost landed on her. "Like knives on my skin."

"And I'm too far for Heaven's Door or Killer Queen. Don't try Sheer Heart Attack either, unless you want Big Sis to go boom." Kotoko said, before blowing a raspberry. "Sorry guys, but it's time for Big Sis to go crazy and get a kink."

Those words only made Komaru struggle before, trying her best to avoid the hands' grasp and touch. "No! I don't want th-Ah."

"Oi, a girl's first time ought to be more sacred than that." Fukawa said. She began to pull herself up from where she had been lying before and readied her scissors. "I'm not about to let Dekomaru's first time be to a high-tech dildo!"

It's not like that! Komaru protested. She'd have said something but that'd have only released the moan inside her. She couldn't handle this! For all of her struggles, the hands were still able to touch and grope her to their delight. We Built This City was barely keeping them away from her crotch. At least Kotoko and Little Girls were distracted by Fukawa's defiance.

"You wanna lose your mind, then fine!" Kotoko fired a set of teeth from her denture gun and Little Girls fired its own dentures from its gums.

The teeth detached from the dentures and flew like missiles in a cluster-bomb, but Fukawa was prepared. Her body contorted into a weird shape that nonetheless let her avoid Kotoko's dentures, which would have kept her stuck, and deflected the teeth with her blades. Most of them shattered to dust thanks to Smells Like Teenage Spirit.

Only a handful managed to pierce through Fukawa's skin. They fell off without a problem, but the blush on Syo's face grew darker and she was slowing down in approaching Kotoko.

"Little Girls does more than just you all hot. It makes you sensitive too." Kotoko said. Her voice was more subdued and the smile on her face was smaller. "The perfect Stand for dating. The brush of the air. The feel of your clothes. Just about everything has a slight touch, and now you feel it. All soft and gliding all over. It's enough to feel like you're being stroked all over."

"This...ain't..." Fukawa took a moment to close her eyes and groan. Kotoko used that moment to have Little Girls fire its newly-grown teeth at her. Most of them were deflected, but more than before managed to hit. Fukawa hissed and dropped the left scissor. "That's cold."

"Come on, smelly Big Sis. You can't be standing up for too long." Kotoko said, not even bothered by how close Fukawa was getting to her. It was as if she didn't feel in danger at all. "In just a little while, probably around the time for Big Sis too, you and Artsy Big Bro are gonna explode with pleasure! Your minds will be all gloopy."

"No one's...pimpin' us...while..." Fukawa was only six steps away. Then five. Then four. Only to then stumble and fall to the ground before Kotoko, unable to get herself up without moaning and falling back down.

Komaru tried to scream for Fukawa to get up, to try and fight this, but it only came out as a mewl. Haiji was trying to move forward without touching the carpet or walls but only stumbled further to the ground, his eyes intently on Fukawa, while Rohan crawled. Both men were groaning and trying to avoid movement as much as possible.

"See?" Kotoko beamed. Only her expression turned dark and her voice dropped. All humour left her. "This isn't my fault. Kids are supposed to act like adults at a younger and younger age, and I'm only copying what adults did to me." She crouched down before Fukawa and lifted her head up by the tongue. "Child porn's illegal and people still do it, so why not do adult porn?" She asked, eyeing Fukawa over. "I guess you're catering to someone's fetish."

Komaru couldn't fight the tears in her eyes. This was all her fault! If she didn't let herself get kidnapped then Fukawa wouldn't be in this mess right now.

"Fukawa..."

"Hey, Dekomaru? Guess what's the great thing about Smells Like Teenage Spirit" Fukawa said, as best as she could when her tongue was being grabbed. Kotoko let go while Komaru made a confused noise, thanks to the machine she was strapped to. "It doesn't get hurt."

She threw the scissor in her hand up in the air, to the corner of the carriage away from Komaru, leaving her confused. Why had she done such a thing? It was only when Komaru noticed Haiji's stare staying with the scissor, and Killer Queen hiding right behind him with its hand at the ready, that Komaru understood.

The explosion rocked the room. It easily tore a hole in the bullet-train and blew Little Girls far away; its height working against it as it was just in range of Killer Queen's attack. Kotoko herself was blown back as well. Komaru's eyes widened as she realised what Fukawa had done. She had used her opponents own Stand to attack the user!

She's so smart. Komaru thought to herself. Fukawa was already finding her second-wind and rushed back to pick up the scissor she dropped. Kotoko was already trying to run when Fukawa threw the scissor-blade at her as if it were a kunai.

Komaru's blood turned cold. Fukawa wasn't going to kill Kotoko, was she? Not after what she had promised to Togami! Komaru doubled her struggle to escape the chains to remind Fukawa of this until she saw what her friend was really aiming at.

The scissor blades broke into two blades from the force of the throw. One hit the upper side and the other at the lower. The aim on both was so accurate and precise that not a single part of Kotoko's skin was cut by the blades. All it sliced was Kotoko's clothes.

The only problem was that Smells Like Teenage Spirit also seemed to work on inanimate objects as well.

A high-pitched scream echoed throughout the carriage, and probably the train itself, as Komaru quickly shut her eyes to avoid looking at Kotoko's naked body. The last thing she saw was Haiji and Rohan doing the same, only they blinded themselves by putting their hands over their eyes. Wounding Little Girls had apparently negated its spell.

The entire carriage shook for a moment as it sounded like the train was crashing into something. But that was ridiculous. How could the train be intact then? Still, it did loosen the chains she wore.

"Super-gross. Super-gross!" Kotoko howled, as she rushed to leave the carriage. It didn't sound like she was running the way the others came in. Was she heading to her base? "Even if I was over eighteen, this'd be weird."

A few seconds of silence took hold before Komaru could feel the chains, already slightly loose, come apart as Fukawa sliced them apart and got Komaru down. She opened her eyes to see Haiji and Rohan completely fine, if breathing heavily, and Fukawa herself right as rain.

"While I can't disagree with the results," Haiji said, only to scrunch up his face in disgust. "I'd rather not see that display again. It's bad enough knowing what sick perversions she saw to have that kind of Stand."

"A character almost too dark, if it wasn't for reality." Rohan added. He then glared at Haiji and then Fukawa. "How long was I going to be in the dark for?" He asked, probably not happy about being in the dark. Fukawa just shrugged her shoulders.

"What kind of author reveals the mystery immediately?" She replied, using a logic that Rohan couldn't counter. "Besides, I've been letting Dekomaru have all the big moments. Time for the heroine of this story to take back control."

Shinobu and Hayato were beginning to move into the room. Haiji moved to approach them when he saw Shinobu bleeding, but she assured him that it was only because she had covered Hayato when the train crashed. Komaru thought it was cute how Haiji and Shinobu were getting along.

But there were more important things at hand. Like hugging Fukawa as tightly as possible.

"I'm sorry, Fukawa!" Komaru knew she was probably hurting Fukawa's ears by shouting but she had to say it. Just thinking of how mean she had been was enough to make her cry. "I shouldn't have said you have no friends, or that you're some kind of chosen one who doesn't get weak people. I'm sorry I make you do all the work. I didn't think you'd come after our fight. Waaaa."

"Did that machine mess with you more than I thought? I'm flattered, but I ain't into this kind of route, Dekomaru. Though high-school girl's skin's always that nice kind of soft." Fukawa took a few sniffs of Komaru before grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her to face Rohan. "Oi, Rohan's an anti-social author type. Go date him."

What!? Date Rohan Kishibe? What was Fukawa thinking?

"I refuse." Rohan said, a bit too quickly.

"No. He's old." Komaru insisted.

The Kawajiris approached the rest of the group cautiously. They probably saw Fukawa like this for the first time on the train and might have had the wrong idea. Yes, she may have killed a few innocent people, but she was working to improve herself. No one died by her hand yet, so that was a start.

Though it might have helped that Fukawa sneezed at this point.

"Wh-What happened? Why am I all sweaty? Why are you all sweaty?" Fukawa sniffed and her eyes widened. She turned to Komaru with an expression she really didn't like the look of. "Should I be calling you Cumaru from now-"

Fukawa was cut off by her own screech. Said screech came from We Built This City grabbing both her cheeks to pinch and move around to keep her from finishing that sentence.

"That's not even clever, Fukawa!" Komaru scolded. She could be the worst sometimes.

"You're more perverted than I thought." Rohan said, scoffing at Fukawa and giving her a disdainful look. "I suppose that's what you get from someone who just writes Fifty Shades of Grey over and over again."

Fukawa's back straightened at that and she turned with an intention to make this a full-fledged argument. A battle of the authors! A battle ended before it began as Haiji stepped in and acted as a wall separating the two from one another.

"That'll have to come later." Haiji looked behind Komaru, making her turn to see the open hole ahead. He turned to the Kawajiris. "Stay close behind us. I'll protect you as best as I can, but this fight may be troublesome." A look of stoic determination flashed in his eyes. "She won't get the drop on us again. Fukawa, I'll charge one of your scissors with Killer Queen. Komaru, you'll have to be in front. Her Stand won't affect you. Rohan, be ready to get the Kawajiris to safety if need be."

Everyone knew their role and accepted it. Rohan even wasn't glaring at Haiji when he thought that no one would noticed, or at least not as much. The enemy was in front of them and they couldn't let arguments get in the way again.

The gang was back together and were more than ready to bring the fight to the Warriors of Hope again. They weren't going to break up again. Just like how fire removed a metal's impurities, this trial had only made them stronger.

This is it. We're not going to be pushed around by her. Komaru put a hand to her back and readied her trusty Hacking Gun. She stood beside Fukawa, Rohan, and Haiji as their Stands were just as prepared as they were to show Kotoko just what they could do. We're not gonna take it anymore.

---

So Nagisa chose his little fantasy over Dio. Going so far as to beg these people to just leave.

"I knew you'd betray me, Nagisa," Monaca sighed and leaned onto her bed. Today was just exhausting and she needed a rest. "I always knew it'd be us two fighting for his heart."

At least Kotoko was useful in the end. She managed to keep Komaru from just going with any evacuation and managed to get the team back together. Monaca was so lucky that Kotoko was not only stupid enough to let Syo get so close, but also that whoever was impersonating her brother clearly didn't know his tastes.

Is this how you felt, Dio? Surrounded by idiots and idealists who keep dragging you down? Monaca supposed that Dio's little buddy himself had merits. He was the one who let Monaca be the first to witness the return of Dio Brando. She'd be the one to greet him in the new world.

She gazed up at the pictures of her inspiration and smiled. If he was here, Dio would know where she was coming from. She was the only one of the others who really understood just what he was going for.

The guy whose dad beat him up, the kid with no friends, the girl who got pimped out, and even Nagisa, all four of them thought that Dio just wanted Heaven. That he wanted to give back to humanity.

No way! That was what some lame-o like Makoto Naegi would want. Dio wasn't about self-sacrifice. He was about living it up to the full and taking everything he wanted. Being in charge and having fun.

And, most importantly, being alive.

How could Dio be happy with just one city filled with brainwashed kids? He was a man who'd only be happy with the world itself under his boot. Monaca understood that, but Nagisa never could. All he wanted to be relied on by Dio, he just couldn't be what he needed to be.

That's why She Sells Sanctuary is way better than smelly old Nirvana. Monaca inwardly insisted with a pout. At least her Stand didn't bait you into thinking there was something more to it.

She could trust that Servant would handle Nagisa. His Get Lucky would neutralise Nirvana, if it came to blows, but it wouldn't. Murralsee was right when he said that Nagisa didn't have the heart that Monaca did. Not to mention that Fukawa could be counted on to follow orders.

The only wild-cards here were the mangaka and the person pretending to be Haiji.

Honestly, this guy had never met her brother, did he? Where did he get this 'don't be trash', 'lead from the front' and 'be inspiring but practical' stuff from? Monaca didn't know, but all she knew was that she knew a few secrets about his guy and her now-deceased brother that would help her now.

That was who Monaca was. Humans weren't all that different from machines. Just find the right patterns and they functioned like a dream. Find a way to break up those patterns, and they twisted and turned until they had to be fixed. Whether to their original state of something new.

Now it's your turn to be re-programmed, Mister Yoshikage Kira. Monaca giggled to herself as she leapt from the bed and began to head back down the ladder. The Dio Room was always good for getting her head together. You may fight, but once it becomes between your friends and your secrets, you'll pick the latter over them any day.

Monaca would see Dio Brando again. And all attempts to stop her would come to nothing.

It's useless. She thought to herself. Useless, useless, useless, useless, uselessuselessuselessuselessuselessuselessuselessuseless.

With that thought humming in her mind, she got back to work.

Jataro Kemuri/Judas Priest: Retired
Kotoko Utsugi/Little Girls: MIA

---

Stand Stats

Little Girls
User: Kotoko Utsugi
Stats
Destructive Power: D
Speed: C
Range: B
Durability: D
Precision: B
Developmental Potential: B

Abilities
Stand is capable of firing out its set of teeth, or individual teeth, that regrow rapidly. These teeth each contain a poison that increases the target's sensitivity to touch and increases both arousal and body temperature when they pierce skin. Targets can only be poisoned to a certain limit, varying depending on willpower, after which point they hit 'Climax'. Targets then enter a state where touch sensitivity is hundred-fold and user lacks energy to even move for one hour.