Experiencing the sensation of a sudden drop, Jotaro's eyes shot open. It took a moment for them to adjust, but he quickly assessed the situation. He seemed to be falling out of a tree. His eyes widened, bloodshot from exhaustion and stress. It seemed to be quite the tall tree with thick strong branches lining it the entire way down. When the hell did he climb it? Wasn't he in a hotel? His injuries seemed to be gone! Everything happened too fast.

He slammed against a branch, landing on it with his stomach. The wind was knocked from his lungs, and he slowly rolled over the side before falling once more. He needed to react. The blood in his veins pumped faster, and he let out a fierce roar with what little air was left in his pained chest.

Star Platinum couldn't catch him. Jotaro's Stand could only support his weight if his own physical body was grounded in some sense. However, it could move alongside his own limbs, redistributing momentum and adjusting his strength. As he tumbled toward the next branch, the Stand reached down with lightning speed. Jotaro grabbed the branch, bracing himself for the sudden stop. Star Platinum kicked off the sturdy tree trunk, flipping Jotaro over the branch. He swung in a perfect around the branch like an acrobat. Now, he had to stick the landing. He let Star Platinum's subconscious influence time the release. Jotaro let go of the branch, flinging himself into the air with the perfect trajectory to curve back slightly and land on the thick branch.

As his dress shoes slammed against the wood, he hitched his breath. There was a small cracking sound, and he witnessed the wood splintering. Star Platinum reached up and grabbed a higher branch for balance. The man just stared at the split wood, holding his breath as its divide grew. Then, as if fate were throwing him a bone, the splintering ceased. He seemed to be steady and balanced on the damaged branch.

"Yare yare…", He huffed, wiping the sweat from his brow and adjusting his hat.

Jotaro was in great shape, but he wasn't twenty anymore. That little stunt put quite the strain on his body. Father time spared nobody, even the man who could hold time in his hands. In fact, all of the time-stopping Jotaro had been engaging in over the past few weeks really seemed to be taking its toll. He was nearly forty-years-old. Ever since he was a little punk, he reveled in picking fights. Administering justice with his bare hands gave Jotaro an unbelievable high. Still, it was a fleeting pleasure. As he grew older, the professor grew more and more content with mundane activities. Fights tended to stress him out just as often as they thrilled him. He leaned against the enormous tree trunk, chest heaving as he reached for his cellphone.

It didn't seem to be in his pocket.

"Gimme a damn break." He muttered, looking down from the branch and scanning the ground below with Star Platinum.

Star's enhanced vision immediately spotted the phone. Unfortunately, it seemed to be in two pieces. He let out a long, frustrated growl. Things really seemed to be getting worse and worse. His mind wandered to how painful a fall from that branch would really be. Whining about his broken phone wouldn't do him any good. He decided to find a way down. That's when he felt the branch trembling beneath his weight. Jotaro could barely manage a brief "yare" before plummeting down once more. There wasn't enough time to catch himself. He was falling directly toward a large rock. All he could do was brace himself in anticipation for a rough landing.

"Spice Girl!"

Jotaro didn't know where the voice came from. It didn't really matter anymore. He slammed into the rock at full speed. However, he didn't seem to be dead. Instead, the rock absorbed all of his momentum and bounced him into the air like a buoyant spring. He rolled into the grass, grunting in pain. Sure, he didn't die, but he still hit quite a few things on the way down. His eyes drifted up to an oddly dressed woman. She was standing over him, a pink Stand hovering beside her. He vaguely recognized her, but everything seemed rather foggy.

"You're Jotaro Kujo, right?" She offered him a hand.

There was no way such a small girl could help him up. He weighed over 200lbs. Still, he accepted the hand. The man's eyes widened when he felt himself being pulled to his feet. A closer examination of the woman's arms and stomach revealed that she was in killer shape. Jotaro grunted as he stood upright.

"Yes. I recognize you. Have we met?"

"Probably. I can hardly remember anything from inside the hotel. You were hurt, right? What happened?" Trish mumbled, dusting her hands off.

Jotaro reached down to his stomach, feeling that it was completely healed. "I was hurt by… Someone. I want to say it was Marina, but that doesn't seem right. There was a Stand. A memory Stand."

"We should find the others. Seems like we were all scattered again. I'm getting pretty sick and tired of this." Trish groaned.

"And who're you? That accent, are you a member of Passione?" Jotaro questioned.

The woman shrugged. "More of an affiliate. I'm Trish Una. My Stand makes things soft. I typically find that my body has the opposite effect on men. If I catch you looking at me in a way I don't like, I'll use my Stand on your dick. Understand?"

Jotaro wasn't expecting such a direct and confrontational attitude. Trish reminded him of Jolyne. With that mental connection in mind, it'd be hard for him to look at her in an inappropriate way. Even so, she looked way too young for him. And thirdly, he might still technically be married. He wasn't too certain on that last bit. Either way, he wasn't interested.

"Crystal clear. Let's get moving."

Sheila E. and Mista silently strutted into a French morgue. They'd followed a few leads that caused their stomachs to turn. It couldn't be true. They knew it in their hearts. There was just no way something like that could happen. Still, with no other information, they had to look into it. Sheila sniffed around as Mista approached the front desk. He slammed a palm against the desk, as if he were ringing a make-believe bell to get the receptionist's attention. She looked up in shock, irritation written on her brow.

"Vous désirez?" She mumbled.

"English, please." He spoke in a thick accent, only speaking the language in a conversational capacity. Giorno made all of his elites learn English to the best of their ability. Around 29% of Italians could speak it to some degree, but Mista didn't exactly pay attention in school. He had to admit, it helped when he had to argue with tourists.

"Sure." The woman rested a cheek on her fist. Her own accent was even heavier than Mista's. It made understanding her rather difficult for the Italian. "How may I help you?"

"Our gang called about fifteen minutes ago." Mista explained, having to slowly translate in his head as he went. "Passione."

The receptionist let out a sigh, grabbing the phone and dialing an extension. She lifted a hand up as if to tell Mista "wait." After having a brief conversation in French, she hung up and glanced up at the gunslinger. She let out another heavy sigh, taking a pen and writing something down. Then, finally, she spoke.

"Go through the door to your left. Then make a right at the end of the hall."

"Thanks." He shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets and walking away from the desk. "Sheila, c'mon."

The feral woman was nearly done tearing up a magazine when Mista called her name. She tended to destroy things whenever she was nervous. As they walked down the hall, she noticed people's passing glances of shock. Sheila E. never really looked tame, but she was more of a wreck than usual due to recent events. After beating Digital Love's user, she was arrested and thrown into a holding cell. She stayed there for almost seventeen hours until someone finally picked up the phone. Mista bailed her out, and they were on a train to France before she even had time to shower. Her shirt was torn from the fight, her hair was greasy and frayed, and her eyes likely had that devoid haze to them that always freaked out passerbys.

Mista noticed her nerves and wrapped an arm around her. He pulled her close, giving her a small squeeze before letting go. "It's not him. You know that." He reassured her, fixing her hair a bit.

She just grunted, letting him attempt to tame her beastly locks. "Any word on the Joestars?" She muttered, wanting to change the subject.

"I let our tech division know about your story. If Fugo was really sent through a computer, they should be able to trace it. Even if it was the work of a Stand, the internet keeps receipts on that kind of thing. I mean, I think so? I wasn't really listening."

They arrived at the door in question. Mista knocked three times, resting a hand on his hip. After a moment of silence, the door opened. An old man in a lab coat opened the door. He examined them carefully, adjusting his glasses.

"Are you the ones I'm waiting for?" He asked in perfect Italian.

Mista raised a brow in surprise. "I'd assume. Who're you?"

"Just a humble mortician with some outstanding debts in high places." He grumbled, stepping out of the way. "The body's on the table. We're scheduled to cremate it tomorrow, so you called at the right time."

A body was certainly resting in the middle of the room. It was masked by a thin white sheet. Mista hitched his breath upon inspecting the silhouette. It seemed to be that of a fit man, if a bit short. Giorno was only 5'6. Sheila didn't wait. Instead, she stormed across the room and tore the sheet right off of the examination table. All of the oxygen left her lungs at once. She dropped the sheet, raising a hand to cover her mouth. Mista couldn't see a damn thing because of Sheila, so he stepped closer. That's when he saw it.

Giorno's corpse was resting on the table.

His autopsy was complete. Since there wasn't going to be a funeral, his body wasn't prepared to be viewed by the public. Either way, the gaping hole in his forehead would have resulted in a closed-casket viewing. His lips were parted slightly, and his skin seemed so pale. The boss's carefully-styled hair was disheveled and tangled. It was completely disarming to see the user of Gold Experience looking utterly lifeless.

Mista gripped the table, gnashing his teeth together and flexing his arms. His ears began to ring, and his vision focused solely on the boss's corpse. If Sheila was saying anything, he didn't hear it. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sound of his heartbeat as it tore through his throbbing head. He needed to breathe. That's right, breathing was important. He started to count prime numbers in his head to calm down, focusing on those instead of the sight before him.

Sheila had fallen to her knees. She didn't say anything. Her expression wasn't one of despair or grief. Instead, it was completely cold. Her body seemed like a husk. She was perfectly still, staring into space. The mortician reached down and rested a hand on her shoulder. All of her self-control vanished at that moment. Voodoo Child grabbed the poor man and threw him across the room. He was airborne for a good three seconds before slamming against the far wall.

"Don't TOUCH ME." Sheila screamed at the top of her lungs.

This snapped Mista out of his own haze. Sheila was already on top of the mortician. She straddled him, punching him in the face hard enough to draw blood. She hit him again, and then went back for a third. He had no idea what was happening, or what force hurt him moments ago. He was just an unfortunate Italian immigrant with outstanding debt to a French gang. When Passione called, he was sent to be their greeter due to the language barrier. Needless to say, he was in over his head.

The wild woman struck him a fourth time and didn't seem to be slowing down. That is, until Mista forcefully grabbed both of her arms from behind. Voodoo Child lashed out, hitting him right in the stomach. He let go, stumbling back. The wind was knocked right from his lungs. After taking a moment to compose himself, Mista tried again. He tackled Sheila from the side, knocking her off of the wounded mortician and pinning her into a corner. His knee was pressing against her stomach. One hand was firmly planted on her collar, shoving her against the corner. The other wielded his trusty revolver. He had it fixed against her forehead, a finger on the trigger.

"Stop." He warned her with an eerily calm voice.

She looked into his eyes with flaming fury. Her chest was heaving as her nostrils flared. She looked up at the gun with an unhealthy sense of self destruction. Still, she knew that she had to calm down. The woman's trembling arms calmed, and she relaxed against the corner. Sheila's dark eyes looked deep into Mista's, and her surprisingly soft voice asked a painful question.

"Who am I without him?"

Mista dropped the pistol. Tears streamed down his face, and he let out a sharp cry. He quickly got a grip, biting his lip in an attempt to stop the involuntary sobbing. His face scrunched up, and he shook his head.

"Don't. Not now." He begged her.

"Giorno was the Notre Dame body." She processed out loud, trying to understand. "He died all alone, blood pooling so thick and fast that they had to tear out the carpet…"

"Stop it!" Mista barked. "He can't die. Giogio's the strongest man I've ever met."

"Well he looks pretty fucking dead, Mista!' Sheila shouted right back. "Looks like he met the strongest woman on Earth!"

Mista just collapsed onto her, draping his arms around her weakly. She held him too, resting her chin on his shoulder. She was shaking so much that she'd be sliding around the floor without Mista weighing her down.

"Who's the boss now?" She whispered, the words sounding so strange, almost like a different language.

The gunslinger sniffled, clearing his throat. He took a moment to consider the hierarchy. "Fugo would be… But he's missing too. Then, it'd probably be Polnareff. So…"

Mista tensed up, gripping Sheila E. like his life depended on it. The woman raised a brow, squirming in an attempt to loosen his grip.

"What's wrong? What're you doing?"

"Four." He whispered.

"Oh for God's sake." She groaned. "Four? Who's four?"

"I am. This couldn't get any worse. First Giogio dies, and now I realize after all these years that I'm FOURTH in command? Oh my god… I can't."

He let go of her, pulling away and curling into fetal position. The grown man whimpered about numbers, leaving Sheila to cope with the situation.

"Mista! Get up. So what if you're fourth? That doesn't change who you are." She reasoned.

"The number four is unlucky. It's cursed. Don't you see? I'd be a terrible boss. It has to be you! Gio trusted you, right? You be number four. You're fourth in command! You're the boss!"

Sheila cupped her face in both hands, dragging them down and groaning loudly. "Fine! When you're right, you're right! I'm way more trustworthy than you! I'm number four! But, oops, I just assaulted a civilian, right? That's against Gio's rules. That means I need to be demoted. Which means…"

Mista sat up a bit, eyes perking up. "I'm… Number five?"

"Yes Mista. You're number five."

"I… I can work with number five. Okay, that's good. That's fine. I'm the boss. At least, I'm the intermediate boss until we find Fugo. Okay." He stood up, clearing his throat and brushing himself off.

"Attaboy. What's the first order of business? Stop at three. No need to overwhelm yourself." Sheila grumbled.

"First order of business is to find Fugo. I need to make some calls. Can you-" He glanced over at Giorno's corpse, closing his eyes for a moment. He performed the sign of the cross, kissing the knuckles of his index and middle fingers afterwards. "Giorno's body needs to be transported to Italy. Be discreet. We don't need the entire gang knowing our boss is dead. Not now, not when so much is at stake."

"Aye, boss. What else?"

"I have two more orders, but that will make four. I'll combine them." Mista boasted, pounding a fist against his chest. "We have to assume Dolly had something to do with this. The Joestars might not have been blowing smoke after all. I want all of the files we've got on the foundation sent to my desk. And, additionally, I need you to contact Arlo and cease all communications with the United States for the time being."

"I'm digging your energy boss, but I don't think you have a desk." Sheila said.

"Then I want a desk! That's five orders! Five! I'm number five! Let's make this happen!" He shouted, jogging out of the morgue without second thought.

Sheila E. glanced over at the examination table. Chills ran down her spine as she saw Giorno's mangled, defiled corpse. She cleared her throat, standing up and wavering slightly. She couldn't help but pity the bruised mortician either. He probably had a broken rib or two. Either way, there's no way he'd press charges against a member of Passione. So what if Sheila lost control every now and then? She made up for it with charity work. At least, that's how she justified it to herself. The disheveled woman meandered over to a mounted phone on the wall, dialing the number for Passione's Naple's hideout.

She'd process Giorno's death after Blondie was six feet under.

It smelled like camping. The scent of wood, pine, grass, and everything else combined into the sensory gumbo that Shizuka related to camping in her mind. Wild life could be heard droning in the early morning. The sun wasn't up yet. Dew lined every blade of grass, giving the air a damp stench. Not only that, but the hushed whisper of adults filled the wilderness with a sense of protection and safety. Shizuka imagined that she was bundled up in a sleeping bag, snuggled warm and cozy early in the morning. It was the kind of light sleep that kids did when they weren't ready for grownups to know they were awake. They wanted just a little while more to themselves. She enjoyed the open air, a smile coming to her youthful face. However, a sense of dread and realization crept up on her deep subconscious. Something was wrong. How could she be fondly reminiscing about a childhood camping trip?

Shizuka had never been camping in her life.

A piercing ring filled her mind. White hot searing pain throbbed in her head for an agonizing moment. Then, like nothing happened, her eyes shot open. Like a fleeting dream, the shock and fear washed away. Soon, she couldn't even remember why her heart was beating so hard. She squirmed a bit, wiping her eyes and groaning. It took a moment, but the child realized that she was being held in Joseph's arms. He was talking with someone, but she was too tired to determine who.

"Are you sure we're heading the right way, hot stuff? This is the third time we've passed that weird tree." Trish mumbled.

"My Stand specializes in divination. I'm trying to find the others without running into anyone else from the hotel. It's a little difficult." Joseph explained, fidgeting with his phone.

Shizuka was being held with one arm, the other holding up a phone in an attempt to get reception.

"I'd get better results by smashing the damn thing, but then we wouldn't be able to use it again."

"Relax, Jiji. We don't want to pick a fight. It's better to be careful." Jotaro said.

It would appear that the group was slowly assembling thanks to Hermit Purple. Shizuka felt an overwhelming fatigue overtaking her body. She'd been through quite a bit, some of which she didn't even remember. Fighting Casanova's dangerous gravity power, being tortured by Diva, unlocking The Circle Game, confronting Stella Artois… It all weighed heavily on her physique and psyche. Her mind aimlessly drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness. As her eyes closed once more, a subtle hum could be heard in the back of her mind. She recognized the song, of course. It was a melody that felt impossibly close to her heart.

It was The Circle Game.

Her essence left the physical world, and she quickly sank into the thick foggy dream-state that seemed more familiar each time. The sensation of her mind dipping into the new world was akin to dipping one's head in water. It flowed into her ears, her mouth, and she felt full. The scene around her flickered, changing to resemble a time lost past. The Circle Game had something to show her.

Tsuru was sitting at a large workstation with assortments of medical tools scattered about. She leaned her head against her palm, propping herself up with an elbow on the table. After a year or so of poking vampire flesh, she was growing a little bored. She wasn't sure how much time had passed exactly. She was still more or less a prisoner. However, she kept herself useful enough to get sunlight every once in a while. Dio made it very clear that she couldn't escape. She couldn't help but wonder if he kept her around for greater reasons than science and sex. Tsuru wasn't a madwoman, though. She didn't think for a moment that a monster like Dio was capable of altruistic compassion or healthy connections. Still, it was hard to ignore the little ways he showed affection. She often mused about the workings of his mind. Did he have some sort of deep, cancerous connection to his favorite underlings?

Perhaps that was just Tsuru's way of feeling wanted?

She felt a dark, looming presence slowly overtaking the room. Her eyes raised up from the bloodstained table. The door didn't open, nor did it close. The only indication of a new presence in the room was the sound of a swooshing cape. It would appear that Dio froze time and entered. The logical side of Tsuru's mind could brush that off as a childish display of dominance. He cared so much about what others thought. It was pathetic. On the other hand, he was completely terrifying. It worked, so why was she criticizing his methods?

"Tsuru…" He purred in that deep, seductive tone she'd grown accustomed to.

"Yes, Lord Dio?" She asked without turning her head.

His heels clicked against the tiled floor. She felt him growing closer and closer. Then, his hand rested on the table in front of her. He was leaning down, resting his body against her back. His impossibly cold breath chilled her neck as he huffed onto it.

"It's been weeks since you've been useful. You have to understand, my Tsuru, keeping humans alive takes resources." Dio lifted a hand to her hair.

She had a head of shoulder-length black hair when he found her a year ago. Ever since, it had been growing and growing. He liked his women with long hair and short skirts. To be perfectly fair, that's how he liked his men too. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of Vanilla Ice. Dio lifted up a strand of her hair, letting it slip from his fingers as he licked his lips.

"You're not stupid. In fact, you might be the smartest woman I've ever met. Your dedication to science is useful. I prefer to devote my time to the arts, you see. Having a voice of reason hanging around is helpful at times."

Tsuru knew Dio well enough to anticipate the impending "but."

"However," He took a hand full of her hair, pulling it up and forcing her to raise her head. As he dipped it back, she faced the ceiling. He towered over her, leaning in to obscure her view of everything but his face. "I cannot play favorites. This is not a vacation home. If your use to me becomes outweighed by the trouble of nourishing that pesky human body, I might just have to throw you away."

She looked into his eyes with a cold understanding. She couldn't tell if he was bluffing, but her rational mind compelled her to take him seriously. It wasn't a risk she could take. This year of unrestricted research had been fun, but it seemed to be time for an exit strategy. Dio might have been a titan among men, but Tsuru was a viper in the grass. If he tried to pluck a single hair from her head, she'd personally see to his evisceration. They both glared into each other's eyes for a tense while. Eventually, Dio let go of the woman's hair. He pulled something out from behind his back. It appeared to be an ancient arrowhead.

"Luckily for you, my dear sweet Tsuru, I have a project so intriguing that you'd be a fool to come away empty handed. This will be your golden ticket, I'm sure of it."

He placed the arrowhead in her cupped hands. It felt sinister to the touch. Not only that, but it vibrated, as if resonating to her touch. She lifted it closer to her eyes. The object turned itself in her hands, pointing its tip directly toward her face. Her eyes widened, but she didn't scare easily.

"Fascinating." She whispered. "It's aware, seemingly so. Perhaps this is just a set of predetermined options being played out mindlessly. It seems drawn to my head, doesn't it?"

Dio rested a hand on his hip. He too was endlessly intrigued by the object. Of course, he was more familiar with it than Tsuru. That was the very arrow that unlocked The World.

"This arrow grants Stand Abilities to anyone that's pierced by it." He explained with a low tone. "When it's near someone of astounding promise, it tries to pierce them itself. Careful, or it might just prick you."

She felt an entire new level of mind-blowing interest at that revelation. "This thing is how people get Stands? How does that work?"

"You're my best bet on figuring that out, aren't you? Unlock the secrets of the arrow, my sweet Tsuru. I have test subjects waiting for you in the cellar. If this treasure can grant someone an ability as powerful as The World, why should it stop there? I want to know its insides and outs. I want to know if this arrow can grant me Heaven. Do you understand?"

Tsuru just nodded, marveling at the beauty of its design. She noted Dio's use of "Heaven" in the back of her mind. He'd mentioned that a few times. Unfortunately, she wasn't one of his philosophy jerkoff buddies. She had no idea what he meant. Still, it seemed akin to a villain's master plan. She'd have to keep an eye on that. As chaotic as Tsuru was, she viewed herself as good at heart. If this vampiric asshole planned on destroying mankind, she'd have to seriously reconsider her employment.

"I understand, Lord Dio. I need time. This seems ancient. Is it one of a kind?"

"There are others, but you shouldn't concern yourself with that. To my understanding, they're all identical in nature. Once you grasp one, you can verify that. Now, go and research. Make yourself useful." He snapped his fingers.

She stood up and left without another word. Despite Tsuru's departure, the scene didn't shift. Shizuka still hovered in the air, witnessing the room and its events. She noticed something strange, however. Somehow in the depths of her mind, she was hearing Tsuru's internal monologue. She heard the woman plotting to betray Dio, she heard her sarcastic quips about Vanilla Ice, and she felt her fear. The Circle Game had never put Shizuka directly into the shoes of another person before. When she witnessed Jonathan Joestar she could only observe his emotions from the outside. When she saw that young New Yorker suffering domestic abuse, she didn't feel her pain. Was this connection to Tsuru proof of some relation between them? Would any rational person conclude that Tsuru was indeed Shizuka's biological mother? She didn't want to admit it. Her mother was a lovely, compassionate old lady named Suzi Q. Joestar. Of course, this entire adventure was built on the desire to find her birth parents, but did she really want a torturous scientist who conspired with the likes of Dio? They say to never meet your heroes, but Shizuka didn't think meeting her mother would be so heartbreaking.

After a moment of reflection, the young girl paid attention to the scene once more. Dio was standing alone by the work table. His eyes drifted along the surface aimlessly. For a moment, Shizuka wondered if he was lost in thought. That theory was blown out of the water a moment later though when the vampire spoke. He uttered four terrifying words; words that Shizuka never expected to hear while drifting in these visions.

"I know you're there."

Her heart practically stopped. She hitched her breath, tensing up and looking around for any sort of exit. Could she even move within the scene? She seemed to be locked in place. Her fears were confirmed when the man's eyes rose from the table and fixed on her own. Suddenly, the full force of Dio's presence slammed into Shizuka like a train. She felt his piercing gaze, his immense power, and worst of all was his enticing charisma. Breathing became difficult. Her jaw started to hurt because of how hard she was clenching it. She felt like a fish in a barrel. Scratch that. She was a fish floating in the middle of the air.

"What sort of phenomenon is this…?" Dio mused to himself. He walked past the table and stood before Shizuka. He raised a hand to his chin, examining the apparition closely. "I sense a presence right in front of me, but there doesn't seem to be anything there."

Shizuka let out a sigh of relief. He must have glanced at her eyes by pure coincidence.

"Joestars." He growled, clutching his heart. He bared his fangs, hissing under his breath. "Are you watching me right now? What do you see? Is this just a snapshot, or can you hear me?"

A moment later, he turned around and walked to the door. Shizuka was rather confused until she remembered Hermit Purple. Jotaro mentioned that they took spirit photos of Dio. That's how they knew who to look for. Was she just unlucky enough to view a memory of the exact moment Joseph snapped a peek of the vampire?

"If you can hear me, Joestar, know this." Dio scratched the door frame, easily leaving deep marks in the wood. "If you come to me, I'll kill you."

Shizuka knew how that story ended. She didn't feel much dread in that regard.

"I know how you die." She mumbled solely for herself.

Dio, obviously, couldn't hear her. He proceeded out of the door and down the hall. Once the room was empty, Shizuka felt the scene spinning once more. That familiar song filled the void, and her eyes slowly drifted shut.

When Shizuka opened her eyes once more, it was in the middle of a rather precarious situation. She felt heat, quite a bit of it in fact. Following the heat was the wretched stench of smoke and fire. Was that the reason she dreamed about a campfire? That had to explain it, right? Either way, she didn't have much time to ponder on it. She was lying on the ground. Joseph seemed to have placed her down. She rubbed her eyes, trying to figure out what was going on.

A piercing screech filled the calm night air. Soon, Shizuka determined the source of commotion. The firebird from Hotel California was bounding around the trees. She sprang to her feet, trying to locate everyone else. She didn't even know how much of the group was together. They were all dispersed when Stella let them go. It was too frantic to comprehend in such a small amount of time. She was bumped and shoved as people ran around in the flaming forest. She didn't know if they were friends or enemies. Breathing was becoming rather difficult with all the black smoke invading her lungs. She started to cough, her chest stinging in irritation.

The firebird soared above and loomed over the burning trees. Shizuka looked up, covering her eyes with a hand as they adjusted to the brightness. She was knocked over by someone running by, landing on her butt with a grunt. Most of the trees were ablaze, and she could feel a dangerous amount of heat radiating from all directions.

"SHIZUKA!" A desperate voice called from a distance.

She felt lightheaded. There were no longer desperate bodies bounding through the treeline. She was alone. Had she been dropped in the fray? Is that how she ended up lying on the ground? She tried to look around, but all she could see was blinding light and smoke.

"SHIZUKA! Where are you?"

This time the voice was clear. That was her father. She'd recognize him anywhere. The distress in his voice was upsetting. She didn't want him to worry. Her mind was a foggy haze. The white ringing of her ears began to drown out the cries of Joseph.

"Shizuka!" A second voice groaned. This one was closer.

She recognized it as well. Jotaro was also tearing through the flames in search of the suffocating child. She just stared up into the flaming branches above, coughing harder by the minute. Her body was shutting down. A lulling sense of exhaustion tugged her conscious mind deeper and deeper into the dark. It was as if she had two sets of eyes. One was staring into the impossible brightness of the flames, and the other was staring into a black abyss. She feared the enticing nature of the darkness. It was clear how easy closing her eyes and falling into the unknown would be. Was she dying? The answer was clear.

Ultra Violet appeared in Shizuka's limited line of sight. The little girl was confused, but didn't have the energy to question it. The Stand looked down at her, motionless for a few seconds. Then, it tilted its head to glance at the flames. Ultra Violet lifted its arms up, harnessing the surrounding light and focusing it in one orb above Shizuka's body. The flames all dimmed, becoming barely visible. Even the moon seemed like a hollow muted disk in the night sky. Ultra Violet siphoned all of the available light and morphed it into a beacon. That was clever, and completely out of Shizuka's control. She didn't order her Stand to do that. As her consciousness faded, she didn't fret about death or pain. All of her remaining brainpower was dedicated to understanding how her Stand acted independently of her own will. This wasn't the first time it happened.

When she was cornered by Wagner in Amsterdam, Achtung Baby turned the alley's ground invisible to scare off the Flying Dutchman's hellhounds. In Morioh, Achtung Baby created a light-clone of Jotaro to scare an enemy Stand User. She was admittedly still trying to work through the foggy blur of Diva, but she definitely remembered being confused by his defeat as well. What about Rohan and Heaven's Door? When he tried to "read" her body, a purple Stand violently objected. Achtung Baby was white… Ultra Violet was purple, but it didn't exist yet. So, what was it?

Her mind just went in loops as it desperately tried to comprehend the unsolvable mystery of her body. The girl's ears picked up on Joseph and Jotaro calling her name, but she didn't register them anymore. Shizuka blacked out. She stopped breathing, sinking into a dormant state. If she didn't get clean air soon, she'd die.

She didn't remember much of what happened next. There were just flashes of consciousness here and there. Her back hurt a lot, almost like she was experiencing rugburn. She felt the prickly tug of Hermit Purple. Putting two and two together, she deduced that her body was being dragged along the forest floor by Joseph's Stand. She grunted in pain, sinking into blackness again for just a moment. When she came to, it felt like surfacing from water. Everything was vivid, and the dangerous nature of the situation really sank in. She was being hugged by Joseph. A moment later, she was laid on her back, and felt as he began performing CPR.

She coughed, shaking her head. The young girl slapped her father's hands away. "Dad, I'm fine!"

Joseph's eyes widened. "Fine? How are you still breathing?"

"How long was I in there?"

"Why'd you slow down, Jiji? Get back!" Jotaro shouted, sprinting out of the flames.

Wasting little time, Joseph grabbed his daughter and backed away from the scorched trees. The fire wasn't exactly contained. Wherever they were, it seemed prone to ignition. That damn Firebird was going to cause a mass disaster. Shizuka felt surprisingly fine for someone who had been exposed to such heavy smoke.

As Joseph carried her off, she couldn't help but stare at the flaming spectacle. It was backlit by the moon, seeming almost majestic in a fearsome sense. Its screech was agonizing to the ears, though. Not only that, but its flight patterns seemed off. The bird just bounced from tree to tree, screaming and spinning like a confused beast. The Firebird was a human Stand User, wasn't it? Where was the humanity? Why didn't it just fly off and enjoy its freedom? Maybe it couldn't? It wasn't acting rational at all.

"It's scared." She mumbled.

"What?" Joseph leaned closer as they ran. "Did you say something?"

"Someone needs to help it. It's just confused." Shizuka groaned, squirming around in his arms.

"Don't be crazy, it's gonna burn the entire forest down."

"Not if someone helps it…" She struggled even more.

"Helps it? You wanna help burn it down?"

"You're not listening to me, Dad!" She shouted, managing to break free. She fell to the ground, rolling and springing to her feet. Without a moment's hesitation, she turned invisible and was on her way. It pained her to abandon her family, but something needed to be done. She sprinted back into the fray, determination fueling her aching body.

Another unholy screech pierced the girl's ears. She just grit her teeth and pushed forward. An orange glow made it difficult to see. Shizuka didn't need her eyes. She knew exactly where to go. She ran up to a tree, running her hands along it in the darkness to get a feel for its size. The braced herself, manifesting Ultra Violet's leg in preparation. Then, with a mighty kick off the ground Shizuka was sent into the air. She held her hands above her head, waiting for the exact right moment to catch a branch. Once she did, she pulled herself up with insane upper arm strength for a kid her size.

Once she stood steadily on the thick branch, she was high enough to see through a bit of the fire. The flames lit the upper sections of her tree. She jumped again, grabbing onto a higher branch. The child scaled up the tree like a spidermonkey, eventually ending up at the very top. She wobbled and wavered in the wind, very nearly falling off and meeting an early grave. However, she kept a firm grip on the tree. She narrowed her eyes, seeing the Firebird very clearly from her vantage point. More importantly, it would be able to see her.

Taking a note from her Stand, Shizuka focused all of the light in the area onto the tip of her tree. Ultra Violet held its hands up high, creating a ball of pure light. Soon, Shizuka was the only sight to behold in the entire forest. Sure enough, she caught the bird's attention. It let out another cry, turning to face its new challenger.

Shizuka bore a serious expression. Her nose wrinkled as she scowled at the creature. She wasn't afraid of it. In fact, she felt that it was very afraid of her. The forest was burning. If she didn't stop it, untold damages could be done to property and livelihood. People could die because she let this damn bird out of the hotel. Because of that, this was her responsibility.

The Firebird soared across the sky toward Shizuka. She didn't flinch, waiting for it to get closer. It stopped about ten feet short of the tree, a gust of powerful wind blowing against Shizuka shortly after. Her hair blew back, but she didn't stand down. She finally got a good look at the bird in question up close and personal. There was a pure white silhouette inside of the flames. It resembled a human being. Red and orange fire sprouted out of the body; forming the shape of a phoenix. Still, the idea of this being a remote-controlled Stand was absurd. Shizuka had to assume the user was inside. That white silhouette had to be the enemy. What a fearsome Stand. A suit of flaming armor capable of flight? She didn't have much time to envy it, though. She needed to talk it down.

"Humanoid body, but you're not acting like it." She shouted. "Tell me what's wrong, I can help."

She was speaking with a manner of confidence that wasn't there before. Not only that, but the fierce look on her face certainly didn't belong to a child. She was beyond that now, a hybrid. Whatever purpose she was created for seemed to be just over the horizon. She wasn't about to be killed by a bird, that much was clear.

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" The Firebird begged in a roaring screech.

"Not a chance." She smiled.

Its pleas had fallen on deaf ears. The Firebird had no choice but to attack. It lunged forward, tackling Shizuka off of the tree. Ultra Violet dropped the ball of light, restoring it to the surrounding area. Shizuka grimaced as she fell back with the burning foe. Its hands singed her clothing, and she felt a white-hot pain building on her skin. This wasn't good. She began to struggle against it, striking the flames with Ultra Violet's fists. Despite that, she was still slammed into a nearby tree. Her eyes shot open, and she felt the wind expelled from her lungs. Ultra Violet reached back and clutched the tree for stability.

The white silhouette peeled itself out of the flaming cover. Its featureless head loomed over Shizuka's. Then, an impossibly wide mouth opened in the center. It screamed right into her face, drops of spit hitting her as its cry pounded her eardrums. She cringed, turning her head to get away from the repulsive experience.

"What's gotten you so angry? You were like this inside the hotel, too."

The Firebird's enormous mouth seemed unhinged. It twitched, rapidly opening and closing as it attempted to form words.

"L…." It hissed. "Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeave… Me….. ALONE!"

"Not until you stop burning down this forest!" She screamed back.

It clearly didn't like her tone. In fact, it returned her shout with a tree shaking wail. There were two voices leaving its mouth. One was high, and the other was impossibly low. Shizuka felt her teeth vibrating from the Firebird's forceful voice. It pushed her even harder against the tree. She grunted in pain, trying with all her might to push against it.

The tree began to splinter under the force. It seemed to be a race between which would snap first, Shizuka or the wood. She was thankful for her unexplainable durability at that moment. The tree was massive and thick. There was no way that a little girl's body would be sturdier than such an enormous mass under normal circumstances. Still, she felt her body beginning to give in a few places. If the Firebird went much longer, she could suffer some serious damage. Sure, Josuke was nearby, but Shizuka would rather avoid experiencing the agony of snapping if at all possible.

"You want left alone!?" She growled. "Fly away! Nobody's stopping you!"

The Firebird wailed once more, pounding the tree with a flaming talon. "She'll find me."

Despite the deadly circumstances, Shizuka's interest had been thoroughly piqued. She raised a brow, tilting her head. "She? Who could find you?"

"Leave me alone!"

With that, the tree snapped. Shizuka slipped from the Firebird's grip momentarily, falling back with the gigantic trunk. It felt like everything was happening in slow motion. Survivors of traumatic accidents have described split seconds feeling like entire minutes during the moments before their suffering. It was the kind of recognition you have while tripping. That understanding of what was coming next. Even though time was still tugging along, there was a sort of internal lagging as your mind fully accepted the sequence of events. Shizuka felt that as she fell back with the broken tree. Her body acted on instinct alone. She wrapped her arms back and held onto the tree with all her might. Each of her legs swung around the edges and clung for dear life as she plummeted to the forest below. The Firebird hovered above, glaring at her. She was a sitting duck. Would she even make it to the ground? Or would it attack again before she had the chance to land?

Ultra Violet appeared standing upright on the tree trunk a few feet in front of Shizuka. Once again, it seemed to be acting independently. She didn't question it, waiting for the Stand to reveal its intentions. Violet extended a hand down to its user, waiting for her to grab it. Shizuka didn't waste much time, taking the Stand's hand and pulling herself up. She was standing on the falling log, barely keeping her balance. A bright light appeared to be trailing down the tree, almost like a guiding beacon. Shizuka understood. She needed to go down. Violet pushed her, and suddenly she was sliding down the tree's uneven trunk on her sneakers. She let out an adrenaline-fueled scream, bracing her knees and focusing on balance.

Sliding down was actually easier than she would have imagined. It all just seemed to click in her head. Her eyes focused on the tree, and everything else was blurred away. She calculated the slope, the traction of her sneakers, and every little bump. She'd never been on a skateboard in her life, but would certainly like to try if it was anything like this. The Firebird screeched again, but Shizuka didn't pay it any mind. This would prove to be dangerous when she felt a radiating heat approaching from behind.

Thinking fast, she turned herself invisible a moment later. An identical light-copy of her body appeared about five feet in front of her invisible form to act as a dummy. It held no physical properties, and would likely only trick the Firebird once. Still, it was her best bet under the circumstances. The bird swooped down, preparing to strike. Shizuka braced herself, tensing up as the heat grew closer. With one terrifying slash, the Firebird cut through Shizuka's light dummy. It moved with such speed that her eyes failed to register anything more than an orange blur. The tree's trunk was cut in half once again. The piece Shizuka was riding flipped dramatically, sending her cascading through the air. The dummy clone protected her from the brunt of that attack, but she could still die from it.

Shizuka flew into a sea of leaves and branches. She bounced off of a thick branch, hurting her back as she rolled off once more. Through a bit of luck, she managed to hit quite a few things on the way down, resetting her momentum each time. Finally, she landed on the cruel solid ground. Despite her enhanced durability, she really had a number done on her. The child just lied on her back, resting a hand on her stomach as she coughed into the sky. She couldn't get up. She just wanted a bed. How long had it been since she snuggled under some heavy covers and slept safely through the night? As she heaved on the muddy forest floor, she couldn't help but cave to the crushing exhaustion of her journey.

Why was she fighting this bird? Why didn't she let Joseph carry her to safety? Why'd she steal her father's wallet, book a flight to Tokyo and leave without permission? Why did she have to fall asleep in a Netherlands alley, overhear a shady deal and get involved? She could be in her bed. If she hadn't done so many stupid, reckless things, she'd be soundly asleep in her own bedroom at that very moment.

The trees above continued to burn. Embers sparkled in the air as they fell down to the ground. Shizuka witnessed flaming branches breaking off of trees before slamming into the brush. They'd start even more fires. She was in grave danger. Despite that, all she could hear was white noise. It slowly turned to singing. She couldn't hear the flames, or the heavy wood impacting against the ground. All she heard was a familiar voice singing in the back of her mind.

That voice… Shizuka remembered it.

That voice was the reason she embarked on her journey. She wanted answers. She needed answers. Despite that, she'd only ended up with more questions every step of the way. She'd be damned if that bird expected her to lie down and die without figuring out the secrets of her past. Not only that, but this had become so much bigger than her biological family. She planned on stopping Blondie too. Stella Artois let everyone escape Hotel California because she believed in Shizuka. She believed in her ability to defeat Blondie and save the world. Normally such a burden would cause a child to falter. Shizuka wasn't a normal child. She felt empowered by the collective faith of her allies. Her eyes were fixed on a flaming branch directly above her aching body. It seemed to be losing its connection to the rest of the tree. A moment later, the branch fell.

Shizuka pushed herself off the ground and stood up. The branch landed right behind her, quite literally lighting a fire under her rear. She used this second wind to walk even further, distancing herself from that immediate danger. She needed to think. The Firebird outmatched her in strength and mobility. The only way she could win was with her wit.

"C'mon, think, think." She growled, limping over to a tree and leaning against it. There wouldn't be much time to rest, though. She knew that her resting place could be on fire within a minute. She just needed enough time to think.

What information did she have? The Firebird was inside Hotel California for an indeterminate period of time. It seemed equally feral there. Why was it so afraid? Who was the woman who would "find" it? The poor thing was terrified. "Leave me alone." "Stop." It was lashing out like a child. How are you supposed to soothe a terrified child? You promise it that everything will be okay. You show strength, confidence, and authority.

Even though her body was begging to quit, Shizuka refused. She gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and kicked off the ground with Ultra Violet. Each motion felt like her body was screaming for relief as she climbed up yet another tree. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but it didn't matter. Josuke could fix her. The only thing that mattered was calming the Firebird. She arrived at the tip of the tree, spotting the beast yet again.

"HEY!" She screamed, her voice growing hoarse.

It turned to face her. The Firebird's head tilted in disbelief. It must have thought she died from its attack. She had its attention once again. The flaming spectacle tore through the air, ready to pounce on Shizuka once more. This was it. She needed to act confidently. Everything was on the line. Either she succeeded, or she died.

The child took a deep breath. She had a feeling in the back of her mind, a recognition of sorts. That's when it all hit her. She knew what the Firebird was. She knew why is was throwing such a devastating tantrum. Not only that, she remembered who it was so afraid of. Everything fell into place, and it all made sense for once in her life. Time seemed to slow as the terrifying creature approached. Her heart pounded so hard that she felt it in her forehead. She was getting tired of asking why things were. She was tired of being confused. It was time to take charge.

"SHE CAN'T GET YOU ANYMORE, SHE'S DEAD!"

The Firebird stopped.

Shizuka just panted for a moment, hanging from the top of the tall evergreen and staring at the creature. An uneasy silence fell upon the forest. Once again, it merely tilted its head. However, it seemed more inclined to listen.

"Cynthia Armstrong is dead." Shizuka spoke with a shaky tone. "She can't hurt you anymore."

Everything seemed to cool down. There were still raging flames, but the raw heat blasting from the Firebird ceased. It just trembled in place, twitching as it attempted to understand. Shizuka clutched the tree even harder, feeling like she could let go and fall at any moment. The white silhouette held its head in both hands, shaking it back and forth like it was desperate for something. Then, as abruptly as the bird's terror began, it ended. The flames formed around the silhouette vanished. Then, the human inside could be seen clearly. A woman fell down to the ground, slamming against it with a loud crash. Shizuka's eyes widened, and she scaled down the tree as quickly as possible.

As she neared the ground, she got a better look at the woman. The Firebird was no longer a raging beast. Instead, it appeared to be a tall, lithe woman with light brown skin and bright orange hair. The tips were a darker shade, resembling fire. Shizuka stumbled into the grass, running up to the fallen bird and kneeling before her.

"Are you okay?"

The Firebird coughed, rolling onto her side. It appeared that she still had a bit of control left as she tumbled to the ground. Otherwise she would have died from the fall. Shizuka had to assume a Stand capable of flight could help lessen the impact. Her clothes were rugged and torn. Not to mention how much she reeked. Shizuka wasn't exactly fresh out of the shower, but this woman seemed completely unkempt.

"What did they do to you?" She mused, reaching over and brushing the hair from the Firebird's face.

The bird's strikingly silver eyes fluttered open a moment later. They started up into the air, and the woman slowly lifted a hand up to hold Shizuka's. She cupped it against her own face, shivering.

"I'm safe?" She whispered.

"Yes. You're far away now."

A gust of air passed the woman's lips as she sighed with relief. Her entire body seemed to relax. Her head fell back into the grass. She let go of the young girl's hand, resting both hands on her stomach. She tilted her head, resting a cheek in the dew-covered blades as she looked into Shizuka's eyes.

"You're hurt. Was it me?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." She smiled.

Despite the calm nature of their conversation, the forest around them continued to burn. The woman sat up, rubbing her forehead and getting a good look around. Shizuka saw the flames reflected in her eyes. She was confused, scared, and angry. So many complex emotions were scrunched into one expression. The child's memories seemed to be foggy, bleeding into things she shouldn't know. That's how she knew to reveal Cynthia's death. For the life of her, she couldn't remember why it was the right thing to say.

"This fire." The woman frowned. "I did this."

"You can't do anything about it now. We all need to get out of here. At least you aren't making more." Shizuka rested a hand on her arm.

With shaky footing the woman stood up. She closed her eyes, opening them with new resolve. They radiated with a beautiful glowing light. She threw her arms out, and flaming wings appeared sprouted from her back. Then, like a vacuum, she absorbed every last flicker of fire from the surrounding woods. It took about thirty seconds, nothing more. Shizuka could absorb and use light. It appeared that this woman could do the same with flames.

"Holy crap." She mumbled. "You're incredible."

As if startled from a trance, the woman flinched and directed her attention to Shizuka once more.

"I-Incredible? All I did was put out the forest fire I started! What if you hadn't calmed me down? How many people would have died? I almost killed you! You're just a kid!"

"It's more complicated than that. You weren't in control. You were scared, right?"

"Why are you being so nice about this? I almost KILLED you! Aren't you scared of me?"

"You were stolen, right? Like me. I got us out of the hotel. You're free now. There's no reason to freak out anymore. Why would I be scared?"

"Who are you?" The tall woman whispered.

The question was answered, but not by the child it was directed at. Instead, a desperate voice filled the smoky air.

"SHIZUKA! SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZUKA!" Joseph cried out, stampeding through the brush.

The woman gasped, backing away from the child and leaning her side against a tree. She seemed as if she were one more surprise away from fleeing. Shizuka stepped toward her, extending a hand.

"Wait! Don't go! He's friendly! He's my dad." She spoke softly so her father would take longer to find them.

"I almost killed everyone, Shizuka. Why would he be friendly?" She was trembling now, tears welling in her eyes.

"Please, don't go! I have so many questions… I need you to help me. I remembered things while fighting you. If you leave, they might fade again! I can't keep forgetting everything!"

The woman stepped away from the tree, fiery wings protruding from her back once more. They blew air in a circular motion, causing leaves and branches to spin around against Shizuka's ankles. She looked down at the ground in shame, shaking her head. Then, raising it once more, she let out a sharp breath.

"I'm sorry, Shizuka. I have to go."

"But who are you? Will I ever even see you again?"

A fond smile came across the woman's lips. She couldn't help but chuckle. It was a tragic expression though. The pain in her eyes contrasted the toothy grin. She was miserable. No, that was an understatement. She was pain incarnate, and she wouldn't let anybody help.

"Idina…" She spoke barely above a whisper. "And I hope you never do."

Before anything else could be said, Idina kicked off the ground. She was beyond the tree canopy in seconds, soaring through the air to a far-off destination. Shizuka stumbled forward, woefully trying to pursue the Firebird. However, her body gave out a moment later. She fell to her knees, heaving for air. The flames were gone, but that didn't get rid of all the smoke. She could barely breathe.

"God dammit…" She fell face-first into the mud.

With that, she finally slept.

To be Continued...