For the second time in a week, Shizuka awoke in a hospital bed. Her memory was fuzzy, but she knew enough. They were in danger… She couldn't be in a hospital bed. Her family needed her. A nurse walked in and noticed she was awake.
"Hey there, hun! Glad to see you're up! Mind telling us what happened?" She asked softly.
"Where's my family?" She demanded, sitting up.
The nurse was shocked by the little girl's energy. "You're in the pediatric ward… The adults are in the other wing."
Shizuka sprang out of bed, sprinting out of the room and turning invisible as she bolted through the hallway. The hospital was complex, and she had no idea where she was going. She turned all of the walls and ceilings invisible looking for her family, but to no avail. She eventually found the front desk, slamming her hands against it and turning visible once more. "What room is Sergeant Josuke Higashikata in? I'm his little sister!"
The man working the front desk was startled by her sudden arrival. He rubbed the back of his neck in confusion. "What…? He was checked out ten minutes ago. His mother already got him…"
Shizuka pounded the table. "His mother!? She was hospitalized with him! Don't you guys check anything!"
The man was taken aback by Shizuka's anger. He'd never been scolded by a child. Meanwhile, Shizuka looked around. "What about Jotaro Kujo? And Tomoko Higashikata?"
The man typed away at his keyboard for a moment before mumbling, "They're checked out too…"
"God dammit! When? Where? By who?" Shizuka demanded.
The man just stuttered, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Shizuka sighed, knowing he'd be useless. She just turned and ran out of the hospital. As she sprinted through the courtyard she looked for ways that the man could have escaped… Eventually, she saw him in the distance. He was loading them into a large van across the parking lot. She sprinted as fast as she could, quickly arriving at the truck. She focused, sending a fake Shizuka across one end of the van, approaching from the other side while invisible.
A Stand's fist went through the clone's face, causing it to flicker a bit. The man growled. "Where are you, Shizuka Joestar? Show yourself! Your Stand is pathetic! It's a coward's tool!"
Crouching on the other end of the van, she took a deep breath. "Help me figure something out…." She called back. "If you need to knock us out for your Stand to work… How'd you do it the first time? It couldn't have been darts… Did you get closer? If so, why not just kill us?"
The man chuckled deviously. "I could have, yes. But that's so boring! No, no, I love the look on a corpse made by my Stand! The utter, petrified expression of pure terror. When you die in complete fear, your face never returns to normal. It's… beautiful. " He cooed longingly.
Shizuka was disgusted… Only a real piece of shit could make such a Stand… Every day she became more and more displeased with the arrow, and its creations. She couldn't believe the capacity some people had for evil… "That was your mistake… You should have killed us when you had the chance…" She threatened.
"Oh? Why would I have done that when it all still worked out? I could have killed these idiots in their hospital beds too! But I didn't because I wanted to see your face when they died! I baited you, Shizuka Joestar! And now it's time!"
Shizuka's blood was boiling… She could feel a deep, primal anger within her soul. This man, this repugnant man… He deserved to die painfully, like he had no-doubt made others endure. She felt something inside herself shifting. Her very soul was morphing. She shook violently, her body unable to stand properly. She leaned against the trunk, letting out a cry of rage. Then, there was a burst of light. All the windows in every surrounding car shattered, and the van shook on impact.
The man stumbled back, nearly being crushed by the violent shaking of the van. He tried to adjust his eyes, looking through the shattered windows. However, he should have looked up. Shizuka jumped onto the roof of the van, causing a few loud thuds against the metal as she glared down at him. She looked… Different.
Shizuka Joestar had changed. She looked sharper… Her eyes were dangerous, tinted purple instead of their old black hue. Her hair blew in the wind, several colored streaks could now be seen in her shoulder-length locks. It was a spectrum of purple and pink shades mixed in with her natural tone. She snarled down at the man, standing tall above him.
"What's your name?" She demanded. "I want to know your name."
The man was completely taken aback by the sight before him. "I… uh… It's Ian. But you're delusional if you think you can beat me. You think I care that you dyed your hair and put some contacts in!? You're still just a kid! A weak, tiny, pathetic kid!"
Shizuka growled, manifesting her Stand. It was different. It certainly wasn't Achtung Baby. It was a taller woman with wavy purple hair, toned arms, long legs, and deep glowing white eyes. Ian stammered a bit, feeling sweat drip down his face. "W-What the hell is that? Your Stand changed… Stands can't change!"
Shizuka's purple eyes began to glow, and she looked up at her Stand in fascination. "This… Isn't Achtung Baby… Her name is Ultra Violet." She said confidently, posing with her Stand. She towered over the pathetic man, her eyes nearly blinding him.
"Y-Your power was never invisibility…" He whispered to himself. "It was light. You can manipulate light…"
She smirked, approaching the edge of the van's roof. Then, in a flash of light, Ultra Violet appeared in front of Ian. His eyes couldn't even track it. She moved too fast. The Stand balled a fist, and Ian knew there was no stopping it. He closed his eyes, preparing himself. Ultra Violet sent out a lightning-fast barrage of punches, screaming in an otherworldly, echoing voice.
"HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA HORA…" She screamed, shattering Ian's ribs and mercilessly pummeling his center mass. The punches weren't necessarily harder than that of a human. They were just so fast. So constant. He could never hope to block them. His body was just forced further and further back into the car behind him. He dented it, feeling light-headed as his body was destroyed.
Shizuka gritted her teeth, not finished with him yet. She squeezed her fists so hard that the veins on her wrists became visible, stomping her foot as her Stand somehow punched even faster.
" Horahorahorahorahorahorahorahorahorahorahorahorahora!" She jumped off of the van, lifting her arm. Her Stand's fist became one with her own. She fixed her bangs, eyes glowing brighter as she took a deep breath. "And listen closely, because I'm only saying this one more time…" She growled. Then, one-in-the-same with Ultra Violet, she sent one final punch to Ian's face. " HOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAA!"
The man screamed, flipping backwards and over the car. He landed pathetically like a ragdoll on the other side, twitching unresponsive as his throat let out odd noises. She stepped around to see him, scowling at the mangled body. "Nice expression." Is all she said, turning away and walking to the van. She slid the door open, seeing her family inside.
"Jotaro, wake up." She said roughly, slapping his face gently. "You've gotta get up. We were under attack, again… And you were sleeping the whole time… Again. "
After a moment, Jotaro woke with a start. He looked left and right, his heart nearly beating out of his chest. "Shizuka?" He questioned in confusion. "Where are we? Where's…? Was it all a hallucination?"
"It was an enemy Stand. He spiked our drinks… It's a really long story. I defeated him." She sighed, feeling sore all over.
Jotaro finally noticed her cosmetic changes, and Ultra Violet hovering behind her. "You've… Changed. What happened?"
She shrugged. "Dunno… I just got so angry, and I felt myself twisting, I guess? I didn't want to be afraid anymore, and I wanted to protect you guys. This dude was just so… disgusting. It triggered something in me. Is that normal?" She asked softly.
"I've seen it once. It's possible. Your Stand evolved. It can have effects on your physical body too. Do you feel okay?" He asked.
"Just sore." She admitted, laughing a bit. "Can we wake Josuke up? I kind of ruined that car, and I feel really bad about it."
He smirked. "Can't exactly leave your insurance information, can you?" He joked, tapping Josuke's shoulder. "Josuke, get up." When that didn't work, he punched his shoulder.
"Agh, I'm awake! I'm awake!" Josuke groaned, stretching his legs. He realized that he couldn't stretch much, and his eyes opened. "Wait… Where the hell are we?"
"We're at the hospital… I can explain everything later… Where's Tomoko?" She asked, looking around the van. Finally, she noticed her sitting in the back of the van, eyes wide open. She had seen everything. Shizuka's breath hitched. Before anyone could speak, Tomoko mumbled,
"Joseph Joestar once showed me a trick… When he was in town all those years ago, we were walking home from the bar. There was a drunk man harassing a woman on the other side of the street… He smiled, which was out of character. Then he told me to watch this… His bottle of beer began to fizzle, and he fired the cap across the street and hit the man right in the head. Knocked the guy out cold… I couldn't believe it. Then, he showed me his hand glowing gold. He had powers. I never thought I'd see something like that in my life. He said he could do it his whole life… Got it from his Mom.." She spoke calmly, clearly in shock. "I always wondered if my Josuke had something… Like that. But he never mentioned it, so I eventually moved on… Even when weird things happened, I took his excuses at face value. But… this whole time, you've had powers, don't you? All three of you?"
Shizuka was at a loss for words. Jotaro didn't want to say anything, either. Finally, Josuke sighed, looking down at his lap. "Mom… I didn't want you to know about any of this because it's not a part of my life! I haven't been involved in this stuff for years! I didn't want you to worry…"
"Bullshit, Josuke. I'm worried right now, aren't I? Worried, and in the dark! I just watched your ten-year-old sister send a grown man flying over a damn car with a single punch! And I'm supposed to believe Jotaro is a bounty hunting biologist? Tell me the truth. Right now." She ordered.
Josuke bit his lip, looking around. "Can we… take care of the guy first? I'll tell you everything at home. I promise."
Tomoko sighed, crossing her arms and looking out the window. "Fine. Just… take care of it."
The three Jojos walked out of the van and around the other cars. Shizuka's eyes widened when she saw the man holding a phone to his ear. His body was twisted and bent unnaturally, but he could apparently move his arm enough to grab his phone. They overheard the ending of his urgent whispering.
"...Ultra Violet! Her Stand changed! Its power is light! Light!" He noticed them and dropped the phone.
With a calm expression, Jotaro lifted up the phone. He held it against his ear and listened.
" Ian? Ian, are you there? If you don't answer in three seconds, I'm hanging up." A woman growled.
Jotaro waited a moment before speaking. "This is Jotaro Kujo. Who am I speaking to?"
There was dead silence on the line for a moment. Then, the line cut completely. He looked, and the call was over. The number was redacted. He crushed the phone with Star Platinum, dropping the bits. "He ratted you out, Shizuka." He growled.
Josuke stepped forward, punching his open palm. "And he kidnapped my Mother…." He growled.
Shizuka walked up between the enormous men, glaring down at him. "We should make sure he doesn't ever do anything like that ever again."
Ian stammered pathetically, helplessly scooting his broken body away from the Jojos as he whined. "W-Wait! Wait! You don't want to kill me! You don't want to! You're the good guys! The GOOD guys! Good guys just teach lessons! Teach me! I'll be good! I'll try to learn! Just please, don't!" He shouted.
"A lesson, huh?" Jotaro growled, adjusting his hat. "Welcome to class. I'm Professor Kujo, PhD, and these are my assistants."
Star Platinum, Crazy Diamond, and Ultra Violet manifested. Ian just sobbed, thrashing to the best of his ability. Shizuka looked coldly at him. "His Stand pits you against your greatest fear while you suffocate to death, all so he can enjoy your terrified corpse… He's the lowest of low. He couldn't learn if he tried."
Josuke grinned, running a comb through his hair. "Don't be so hard on the guy. I used to be a bit of a delinquent too… I've found the best way to teach a student like that is hands-on…"
All three Stands attacked Ian at once. Meanwhile, the users stared down at him motionlessly.
" Ora ora ora ora ora ora ora" Star platinum roared, sending incredibly powerful and quick jabs at Ian's stomach.
"Dora Dora Dora Dora Dora Dora Dora!" Josuke shouted, striking Ian's legs.
"Hora Hora Hora Hora Hora Hora Hora Hora Hora!" Shizuka and Ultra Violet screamed, pummeling his head.
Ian's body thrashed uncontrollably, spazing in every which way as the three relentlessly attacked him. They kept going and going, until Ian could no longer register pain. Soon, he fell unconscious, still twitching reflexively at the attacks.
The Stands cried out, finishing the man off for good. After a few cathartic seconds, Jotaro pulled away. He turned his hat slightly, flexing Star Platinum and sighing. "Shizuka, say something."
Shizuka just spat on the pavement, running a hand through her newly colored hair. " Class dismissed. " She mumbled, putting her Stand away.
Jotaro smirked, getting his phone out. "I'll call the foundation. Josuke, can you clear up the local situation? There will probably be questions from the police."
Josuke nodded, wiping his face in exhaustion. "Yes, yes, I'll take care of it… You two should just get a taxi to the hotel. I need to talk to my Mom anyway." He messed up Shizuka's hair playfully. "I'll see you tomorrow."
She smiled softly, looking up at the stars. It really was beautiful in Morioh. Despite that, she was more than ready for a good night's sleep. Between jet lag, Stand fights, and the emotional toll of the past few days, she was completely spent. She barely remembered getting back to the hotel. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was out cold.
The next morning, Shizuka rolled lazily out of bed. It was the first time in a long time that she wasn't woken up by anybody… She just got to naturally wake up. After a bit she wandered into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. Shizuka yawned loudly, stretching her arms up high. Her eyes met her reflection in the mirror, and she was shocked…. She knew there had been changes, but she didn't really think to look. Her eyes were violet… And her hair had a variety of purples and pinks… She looked different, to say the least. Before, she looked unassuming… Maybe a tad cute, yes, but unassuming. Now she was eye-catching. Note-worthy… Completely against the function of Achtung Baby. It was a little funny. She used to be so shy. She'd really come out of her shell recently. She eventually walked out of the bathroom and put on a shirt. After stretching again, she slid on a skirt and socks. Then, she flopped back onto her bed with a sigh. Maybe she'd go back to sleep for a while?
There was a knock at the door. Shizuka tilted her head curiously. Was it Jotaro? She had to admit, she was warming up to the big guy. Throughout their travels she was beginning to understand why he was such an absentee father. And maybe she could help him work that out. She wiped her tired eyes and hopped out of bed, walking over to the door. She swung it open, and was shocked to see Marina Archer standing outside. She… looked like shit.
Marina still had her singed hair, and it hadn't been washed since the hotel in Amsterdam. She was in her clothes from the fire, covered in blood and sweat. She definitely reeked. She had a small bag slung over her shoulder, and a smile on her face though. "Nice to see you, cretin. May I come in? Perhaps you could lend me the shower?" She chuckled.
Shizuka just stepped to the side, eyeing the girl carefully. "Are you… Okay?" She asked slowly.
Marina laughed a bit, tossing her bag onto the bed. "What? I like your new look. Can't support mine?" She joked.
"I mean, you kinda look like you got hit by a flaming train." Shizuka admitted.
"You're hilarious. It's from the fight I got in. You know, the one that burned down my house." She mumbled, stretching her arms.
"Oh… I'm sorry." Shizuka frowned a bit.
"Don't be sorry! The bitch who did it is dead. Now I'm on a bit of a vendetta, you see. I have so much to say! Goodness, I've been up for a while though… I could really use a nap. A shower, and then a nap… Wait, a shower, then food, then a nap. Yes, that's how this'll shake out." She smiled, reaching over and grabbing the hotel phone. "Hello, Love? I'd like to order room service." She paused for a moment. "Oh, sorry, sorry… Do you have someone who speaks English? Any English?"
Shizuka sighed, walking over and taking the phone. In perfect Japanese, she ordered the two of them breakfast, and hung up. Marina raised a brow.
"I thought you weren't from here, cretin." She smiled.
"A family friend taught me. But seriously, you need to slow down, because I'm completely lost. Are you okay? " She questioned.
"No." Marina said casually. "I need to shower, eat, cry, and sleep. Then I'll be better. And after I sleep, I need to speak to Jotaro and yourself about business. Sound good?" She smiled, relaxing her charred head against the fine white pillow.
"Mhmm…" Shizuka sighed. And she was having such a nice morning…
Later in the afternoon, Marina had woken up from her deep sleep. She changed into the tee shirt she bought at a convenience store, and some white shorts. They were now all sitting in the living room of Jotaro's suite. Marina, Josuke, Jotaro, and Shizuka all sat with tea, discussing what they should do next. Jotaro leaned back in his seat, sipping his drink before placing it down.
"Red Eden…" He mumbled under his breath.
"Have you heard of it?" Josuke asked, knowing that Jotaro was the encyclopedia for things like this.
"Never in my life." Jotaro admitted. "From what Shizuka told us, I can pretty much summarize though. It seems like they're a group of Stand users hellbent on annihilating anyone who isn't capable of manifesting a Stand. Probably based on some misguided idea that we're the only ones who are worthy to live in their ' new world order.' " He mumbled grimly.
Shizuka swung her feet absentmindedly as she sat on the nice sofa, deep in thought. "Why would they think that?" She finally asked.
Jotaro shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. Throughout history humanity has oppressed itself for immature reasons. However, in war, it usually boils down a simple ideal. The strong deserve to live, and the weak don't. The weak submit, and the strong either spare them, or execute them."
Shizuka nodded, following so far. "So… we're the strong, and everyone else is weak? That's stupid though. 'Weak' people still offer so much to society. If everyone was just a big brute, we wouldn't have art, music, science… Or anything that actually makes life fun."
"It's probably fueled by some serious mental issues. Self-hatred, a troubled childhood, a traumatizing event… Whoever this ' Blondie' is has problems. Plain and simple." Jotaro said in contemplation. "Well, it can't be helped. We probably need to talk to Wagner ourselves."
Marina perked up. "Wait, really? But, didn't he bite his tongue off?"
"I can fix that, just like I fixed your hair." Josuke shrugged. "I'll have to ask for some time off… It'll be fine. I haven't had a family emergency before. I can just say my Old Man is getting surgery in America… But I hate lying to my boss." He sighed.
"So we're leaving Morioh…?" Shizuka mumbled under her breath, looking down at the carpet.
The room fell silent for a moment, before Josuke spoke up. "Hey, kiddo, we can come back when this is said and done, okay? This mystery isn't going anywhere."
She smiled a bit, nodding. "It'll be easier to investigate without Stand attacks every day…" She admitted.
"Then it's settled. Marina, you can fly us to Washington. I'll let the foundation know we're coming. Everyone should pack their things. We'd better take off soon." Jotaro stood up, walking into his bedroom and dialing a number on the phone.
"More travel…" Shizuka groaned, leaning her head back.
"We can rest when Blondie's dead." Marina said with a stone cold expression, leaving the room.
That just left Josuke and Shizuka. He gave her a smile, picking up the phone as well. "Inspector. Yes, Sir. Hello, sir. I know this is very short notice, but my father…" He faded off as he walked out of the room.
Shizuka approached the large bay windows of the suite, resting a palm against the glass overlooking Morioh. Such a beautiful town… She'd be back, though. She would figure out the secret of her biological parents… She was just taking a detour. In fact, she was going home. Back to America… Washington D.C. Hopefully the flight would be easier than the last.
To be Continued...