Shizuka was awake for quite some time before her mind finally realized it. She was confused more than anything. Something was definitively off. It was as if her body were building back up from a massless pile. Her eyes slowly adjusted to her new surroundings. The room was dim with an orange hue. What she could only assume to be candlelight flickered against the walls. The room looked legit. It was rather fancy with elaborate wood carvings lining the baseboards and railings. One question bounced around the girl's mind.

Where the hell was she? An unsettling aura swept through the room. It seemed like an old bar, but there were no patrons in sight. Shizuka couldn't help but think about the speakeasies she'd seen in old documentaries and storybooks. "Down Hearted Blues" by Bessie Smith was playing through a distant speaker system. It was on rather low volume, but Shizuka could recognize it from Suzi Q's collection of records. Her mother would always play classics after dinner. She'd cycle through the decades until eventually she had to bust out a CD player and treat the home to a Backstreet Boys hit. Then, the cycle would begin anew.

A strange sense of nostalgia ate away at Shizuka as she listened to the song. Words of a woman long since dead danced into her ears. Soon, the warm familiarity faded in favor of an aching homesickness. She let her head fall back as tears threatened to flow. She had no idea where she was. All she wanted was her mom. She just wanted to eat Suzi Q's cooking and relax on the couch while Ink Spots played through the apartment. Something told her that such a night was impossibly far away. Any moment now she'd have to open her eyes and face some new challenge. Someone wanted to kill her. One of Blondie's minions? A freelancer? An entirely new foe? Her chest felt like it had the pressure of the world weighing down onto it.

She was only ten years old.

That was easy to forget sometimes. With Stand battles, traveling the globe and fighting enemies at every turn, how could Shizuka behave like a child? Her friends tried to treat her like a kid from time to time, but she regularly demanded that they respect her wisdom. It was an unfair dynamic. What right did she have to have childhood innocence when she was the reason they embarked on this mission to begin with?

The music was disturbed by a door opening on the far side of the room. It sounded hefty, like a large storm door. The carpet prevented Shizuka from tracking whoever entered. She listened as carefully as she could, but eventually lost track of the footsteps. It would be a good time to actually look around the room and get a bearing of her surroundings.

When she lifted her head, Shizuka realized she was sitting upright. Everything had been so hazy; she never really took inventory of herself. She was tied to a chair, but something didn't feel right. Her torso and head felt fine, but she had no feeling at all in her lower half. The child tried to kick and squirm, but she felt nothing. Without anything left to try, Shizuka looked down. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head when she saw her current condition. Her body! From the hips down, she was completely deflated! It all came crashing back to her. She was deflated by some man in Aurora. Where had he taken them? Was he the one who just entered the room?

Finally, someone stepped into view. It was the man from before. Those crooked teeth were etched into Shizuka's mind. He was tall and lanky, wearing a rather cheap looking suit. The fit wasn't right, and it made him look like a two-bit conman. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out a watch on a chain. Then, his eyes darted up to meet the child's.

"Michael." He spoke in a low, polite drawl. His voice was surprisingly smooth. "Michael D'Arby. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

Shizuka's stomach sank. D'Arby? That name carried weight to her. What the hell was she doing in the presence of a D'Arby? That was the name of a villain from her bedtime stories. Joseph would spin the tale of the unbeatable gambler, or the sinister gamer. Of course, she believed these tales when she was younger. Recently, she'd been going through a phase of rolling her eyes when Joseph tried to talk about his grand adventures, but Shizuka was really beginning to reconsider. She knew for a fact that Joseph traveled the world with Jotaro and fought many dangerous Stand Users. Did that make the D'Arby family real? Of course it did. Anything else would be too much of a coincidence.

"Joestar. Shizuka Joestar." She muttered.

"Yes, I'm familiar. By the way your heart fluttered, I assume you know my name as well? You see, I can feel the ebbs and flows of anyone's heart. It's how I sink my hook into them and make them mine. Once your heart is weakened, I strike. Typically, I attack when the heart is feeling an immense gratitude. That makes things easy. But there are other emotions that work." Michael explained as he rolled the watch around in his hands.

"That's how your family works, isn't it? Reading souls and attacking when they're vulnerable? The easiest way to steal a soul is the moment someone experiences defeat. That's why your family gambles."

Michael laughed, then coughed shortly after. He had the cough of a smoker, and his teeth confirmed that suspicion. "I don't take souls, kid. I steal hearts. The D'Arby siblings are unique. I'm a cousin. We have the same grandfather."

"Then what am I doing here? I don't have any beef with the D'Arby family." Shizuka spat.

"Oh, but the family has beef with you. Joestars. Did you really think it ended with two brothers? For a man as intelligent as Joseph, that was boneheaded. He didn't even think to look them up. If he had, he'd have known there were more. One more."

"There's another D'Arby brother?" Shizuka's eyes widened.

"Sister." A woman's voice pierced the conversation.

In that moment, multiple lights flickered on. Shizuka turned her head to the source of the voice. Its owner stared right back. They shared a silent conversation with their eyes. It was an acknowledgement of power on both ends. The woman flicked her cigarette onto the carpet and snuffed it with her heel. Then, she parted her lips and allowed the smoke to slowly blow through.

This was a different D'Arby, that much was clear. She was dressed very formally. Shizuka didn't recognize the style, but it seemed rather old fashioned. D'Arby wore a white blouse with grey vertical stripes and a black western bowtie secured snugly around her neck. A long, dark skirt made it halfway up her stomach with several fashionable buttons around the midriff. The skirt cascaded down to meet tight black leggings that eventually slipped into a pair of simple flats. She couldn't imagine such an outfit was comfortable. Strangely, she also wore a rather tight-fitting pair of black nylon gloves on her hands. The texture would cling to the skin and allow for dexterity while still covering whatever was beneath. She seemed to be rather tall for a woman, the kind that didn't need heels to intimidate. A few wrinkles on her face along with the grey in her hair implied that she was somewhere around her fifties. It suited her, though. She seemed wise, sharp, and dangerous. As she stepped closer, Shizuka was hit by her imposing aura.

"What do you want?" Shizuka snarled.

The woman laughed. "I like you already. So fierce. Your heart's pounding, but you're not bargaining. Even with your legs deflated, blowing to and fro, you're ready to fight me all alone."

"Tell me where my friends are right now. This is your one chance to let us go."

"Oh?" Her eyes narrowed, and she grinned with dangerous intent. "Please, go on. What happens if I decline this gracious offer?"

"Why don't you ask your brothers?" Shizuka growled.

A flash of rage took the woman's face for a brief moment. She stomped forward, placing her boot on the support beams of Shizuka's chair and kicking it back. Her hand rested on the back of the chair as she guided it to the wall. She dipped Shizuka down, letting the chair fall back into the wall. The child was leaning about forty-five degrees, looking up into the woman's angry eyes.

"My brothers were defeated by Jotaro Kujo. He's the one who should be making threats like this. Who the hell are you to speak about them?" She snarled.

"I dunno… I sure never heard stories about you growing up. Maybe that's because you're the weakest D'Arby? Why weren't you working with Dio? I know he employed women. So, what's your excuse?" Shizuka demanded.

D'Arby's hand clenched the chair for a moment. She considered striking the child, but that wouldn't get them anywhere. No, she would keep her composure. To be a D'Arby was to be classy and mindful. She'd tolerate these immature insults. It would only make the experience of harvesting Shizuka's soul that much sweeter.

"Dio might not have had a problem working with women, but my brothers certainly did." She explained with a grim expression. "I'm three years older than Daniel, the eldest brother. Even though I was in my thirties, both of my little brothers wriggled their way into Dio's entourage. When I wanted in, they convinced him that I was too unstable to serve. Cheeky bastards." She smirked. "Dad sure raised them right, I suppose. They were always so concerned about protecting me. Look where that got them. I would have defeated the Joestars. I would have won. But now they're both gone, and I'm still here. I persist, Shizuka. I endure."

"I'll be sure to write you in with the greatest feminist icons of our time. How unfair of those mean boys to excludeyou from their crime syndicate. Personally, I hope the next unabomber is a woman. Makes you feel like society's moving forward." Shizuka practically drooled with sarcasm.

"I have the feeling you're no stranger to being slapped for that mouth of yours." D'Arby spoke with a threatening drone.

"Sorry. I'm just not myself right now. I guess you could say I feel a little deflated." Shizuka didn't look away, challenging D'Arby's eyes.

"Oh, fine. Michael." D'Arby snapped her fingers. "Blow them all up, please."

"Yes, Ma'am." He sighed.

Michael took his briefcase and laid it on the nearby table. Then, he grabbed each member of the group from inside and spread them along the surface. His Stand manifested on the table, and he slipped the needle right into the deflated neck of Marina. Slowly, Michael pumped at the transparent object and breathed life into the blonde husk. Eventually, Marina took shape. She began to make facial expressions, and her body squirmed with discomfort.

"Michael still has her heart." D'Arby explained with a grin. "All five of you are in his grasp. Sixteen Tons is a horrifying ability. If you feel even the slightest bit indebted to him, it digs into your soul and deflates your body. Your friends had the unfortunate displeasure of being saved by him. That's a debt that can never be fully paid. This puts you in quite a precarious situation, Joestar."

Shizuka looked away from Marina and scowled at her captor. "Get on with it, then. Is this some fear tactic, or are you about to offer me a way to win back our hearts?"

"Such moxie! I absolutely love it. Yes, Joestar, I intend to give you a fair shake. Michael doesn't operate on my honor system. One shouldn't be able to just take a person's essence. The D'Arby family believes in winning such things fair and square."

"What's going on?" Marina groaned with a hand to her forehead.

By then, Michael had already finished blowing up Pepsi and Ripley. He was finishing up on Shirlie when D'Arby glanced over at the table.

"Quiet, all of you. No sudden moves. And if I see any Stands, my friend will put you back in the dark briefcase." She hissed.

"Let's get this over with, then. I know what you want." Shizuka demanded fiercely.

D'Arby turned her attention back to the child. She smirked, lifting her hand up. She snapped her fingers, pointing to the child. "Michael, her legs. And untie her for God's sake! She's not going to do anything rash! Are you, Shizuka dear?"

"No, Ma'am." She growled in response.

"Good girl. Then let's get down to business!"

Michael walked over to the chair and undid Shizuka's restraints. Then, he put his Stand pump into her skin and gave it a few puffs. Her legs quickly took shape. She was out of the chair instantly. The child ran over to her friends and checked them for injuries. Once she was done, her eyes darted back to the villains.

"You wanna play a game then? Why? What do you have to gain? Michael already has our hearts! We can't escape! Why risk losing us?" She questioned.

D'Arby leaned back against the wall with a sigh. She took another cigarette from inside her shirt and placed it between her lips. Then, she grabbed a lighter from what seemed to be the inside of her bra. After lighting it, she took a silent drag. The smoke passed her lips silently, slowly rising before vanishing when it left the candlelight.

"Michael's Sixteen Tons is the perfect Stand for capturing and blackmailing petty low-lifes, but it's hardly a way to preserve anyone. Your body will continue aging even when deflated. Not only that, but it needs food and water. To be blunt, Sixteen Tons creates perfectly helpless anchors that weigh the User down. It's a short-term arrangement. My Stand is different. It rips your soul right from your body and leaves it utterly devoid of life. After a few hours, the body completely dies without a soul's energy."

"There are easier ways to kill people." Shizuka countered.

"But no way is as satisfying as this. Besides, I have a special place for you, Shizuka. Do you think your group was picked up by some coincidence? Or maybe you just assumed I'm working with whatever group you're currently fighting? Wrong. I'm a boss, not an employee. I couldn't care less about what you have going on with that organization. I have a grudge with one family. Your family."

"And what's your goal? Why're you finally making a move after all this time?" Shizuka demanded.

"Because, little girl…" D'Arby reached down and took Shizuka's cheeks into her slender fingers. She pinched the girl's face and tilted her head. "I want to hurt Joseph and Jotaro. But they'd never be stupid enough to play a game with me. That's why I had to acquire Michael. Yes, all of this has been a long time coming. I've been so very patient. It took years to even learn the names of the men who killed my brothers. Then, I had to find them. I had to vet them. I had to come up with the perfect plan. Finally, here we are."

"I'm the plan." Shizuka whispered. "You're going to use my soul to lure them into a game."

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Someone get this girl a check!" D'Arby laughed, slapping Shizuka gently on the cheek before stepping back.

"The Joestars aren't here!" Ripley spoke up.

All eyes turned to her. It was easy to forget that the rest of the group was observing from the table on the far side of the room. Michael had been polite enough to inflate them, but nobody had much to say while Shizuka and D'Arby discussed their situation. That is, until Ripley felt the need to interject. D'Arby walked over to the table and crossed her arms.

"And you are?" She asked sternly.

"Name's Ripley. I worked for an organization that helped defeat Dio. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Joestars are nowhere near Colorado. We split up." She couldn't help but feel a little grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, heck. That really is unfortunate!" D'Arby rested her face against her palm with a little pout. "I suppose it's good that we are nowhere near Colorado either. Isn't it, Ripley?"

The agent's eyes widened. She tried to process, but it really caught her off guard. "Then… Where are we?"

"Michael drove you a little ways. Don't worry about the details."

"What day is it?" Marina interrupted. "It's really important. What day is it?"

"It's Tuesday afternoon." D'Arby smiled.

It felt like the wind was knocked right out of Shizuka's lungs. She gasped, sitting upright and gripping her chair. This got the villain's attention.

"What's the matter, kiddo? Got a book report due?"

"We lost an entire day. More than that! What happened to Monday? Or Tuesday morning?" Shizuka questioned.

"Use your head, hon. What do you think happened?" D'Arby tapped her forehead a few times.

After a moment, Shizuka swallowed heavily. Her face went pale, and the severity of their situation truly set in. She looked up into D'Arby's eyes with a new understanding.

"You weren't kidding when you said it was finally time. They're here, aren't they? We're in the same city as the others? Dad, Jotaro, and everyone else. You're going to take them all down with my soul?" She muttered.

"Your soul, and the souls of your friends. I hear that you all traveled together for some time? I'm sure throwing in the other four will help tug at those heartstrings. It's nothing personal, sweetheart. I do this to everyone."

Pepsi jumped off of the table and stomped over to D'Arby. They grabbed her by the collar and stared up into her eyes. D'Arby continued to smile.

"You wanna play a game, then? A golden fiddle against our souls?" They said with a flat tone.

"Something like that. I'm not like my brothers, though. They had their skills and stuck to them. Card games, bar gambling, video games… The key component to their victory was how they stuck to their specialties. I'm different. I let you pick the game." She smirked.

"Is that so?" Pepsi tightened their grip on her collar.

"Within reason, yes. If you were to challenge me to something absurdly niche, I'd likely decline. For example, a game that only you could possibly win is no fun for multiple players. Listing every pet you've ever had, being the best at brooding in a corner, none of those things make a good game."

Pepsi let go of the collar and dusted off D'Arby's shirt. "As long as the game has clear rules and an even playing field, you'll accept my challenge?"

"Sounds heavenly. Do you have a game in mind, then? Will you be my first challenger?" D'Arby asked with dangerous eyes.

Pepsi took a deep breath and looked around the room. All eyes were on them. Ripley, Marina, Shizuka, Shirlie… It was up to Pepsi to take this woman down. Their Stand provided the best advantage. Not only that, but they were naturally skilled under pressure. They could pick a game that D'Arby had no chance of winning. Shirlie was too emotional to keep cool during a game, and Pepsi didn't have much confidence in Marina's temper either. They also refused to gamble Shizuka's soul. That's why it had to be Pepsi. If they lost, it would be up to Ripley to close things out, or escape somehow.

"Are you familiar with the show Lie to Me?" Pepsi asked.

"I can't say I am." D'Arby took a cigarette and placed it between her lips.

"It's a show all about detecting lies through facial patterns and individual tells. That core concept will be the focus of our game. Each of us will take turns telling one another a personal story. At the end, the other has to guess whether the story was a real experience, or a work of fiction. The first one to guess incorrectly loses."

D'Arby actually giggled. She threw her head back, nodding in approval. "Oh, yes! How exciting! Thinking on your feet! I can tell this is going to be a good one already. But, Pepsi, dear…" She narrowed her eyes. "You're going to have to show me that face of yours. The entire point of the game is to evaluate one another's expressions, no?"

"Of course. I should warn you, I developed this ability because of how inexpressive I am. It'll still be difficult to read me without it."

"I wouldn't have it any other way! I'll tell you what, you can even tell the first story! You have more to lose after all. Before you go, I need to hear one teensy little thing from you…"

D'Arby reached over and grabbed both of Pepsi's cheeks with one hand. She leaned in, glaring into those vacant eyes. Then, she huffed out a slow puff of smoke right against Pepsi's face.

"I need to hear the words, Pepsi. I need to hear that you're wagering your soul."

The room was unbelievably tense in that moment. Shirlie was doing her best to keep Pa-Pa-Power under wraps. The emotional Stand was currently contained within her psyche. If he were out, the room would be flooded with his emotions. Pepsi didn't need that kind of distraction. They needed absolute focus. Shizuka sat still in her chair, watching the exchange before her. She'd planned on being the first to challenge D'Arby. It was her fight, not Pepsi's. Not that it mattered too much. Either all of them were going to get out of there, or none of them would…

"D'Arby, I challenge you to a game of lies. I'll wager my soul." Pepsi spoke without the shroud of Mist. Their words carried more power and emotion than before. The subtle fog was gone from their face, and they actually looked rather fierce.

"Finally." D'Arby purred.

She snapped her fingers and pointed at Michael. He quickly grabbed a table from across the room and dragged it over to the two competitors. Then, two chairs followed. D'Arby took her seat, folding her hands on the table and waiting for Pepsi to follow suit. When the teen sat, they looked around casually. It was strange, seeing their face with absolute clarity. Even when they weren't using Mist's shroud consciously, there was always a tad of obscurity in their features.

"Are the rules clear to you, D'Arby? We both get to tell any kind of story we want. Any length, too. A totally equal playing field."

"Crystal clear. In exchange for your soul, I wager the contract your hearts signed with Michael. If you win, all of your friends are free to go."

"One last thing." Pepsi snapped their fingers. A cloudy aura circled around the table. D'Arby glanced around curiously as it enveloped them. She rested her fist against her cheek and waited for an explanation. She could still see through the dome-like aura, but everything outside was blurry.

"I'm going to keep us inside this shroud. It's only fair. If you could look at my twin sister's face for signs of recognition or lies, this game would be entirely unfair. We've spent our entire lives together, after all. Shirlie's expressions are shrouded from your view now. Do you accept the terms?"

D'Arby chuckled, leaning forward over the table. "I really like you. I was afraid this would be over before it even began. Yet here we are… Can they see us? I love a good audience."

"Yes. It's one-way. We can't perceive anything outside this thick shroud. They can see everything going on inside."

"I accept." D'Arby took another drag of her cigarette.

"Good. Then I'll start with my first story." Pepsi narrowed their eyes.

The teen leaned back in their chair and lifted up a leg. Their hand rested on their knee as they considered what story to tell. After a short while, they sat up once more.

"My sister and I spent a large amount of our childhood going in and out of various orphanages. One particular institution was very callous toward us. It was a Catholic-run orphanage that had nuns around every corner. Shirlie and I were always bad at staying out of trouble, though. We'd always help ourselves to the kitchen after hours. My Stand made it impossible to notice. Even though they couldn't catch us in the act, they knew we were behind the new pilfering. It started a few days after we arrived. One day, for no reason at all, a nun grabbed me and smacked me across the face. She told me that I'd never amount to anything by sneaking around and stealing from the godly. In return, I removed several essential screws from her bed frame. The following night it collapsed underneath her. She was so old that it really did a number on her. She went to the hospital, and we were relocated."

After the story, Pepsi leaned forward and stared into D'Arby's eyes. They were impossible to read. For the entire story they maintained a flat tone. Nothing twitched, and there were no uncomfortable pauses. Their voice didn't raise at odd moments, They also didn't make any gestures throughout the story. D'Arby had been analyzing them closely the entire time. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't get a finger to the pulse. Something wasn't clicking. She couldn't determine the integrity of Pepsi's story based on their presentation, so it was time to dissect the content of the story instead.

She mulled over the details. It was quite believable that the twins were orphans. What kind of parents would let them travel the country with the Joestars? Not only that, but many religious organizations ran rather strict houses for wayward children. With their Stands, Pepsi and Shirlie would have no problem playing the system and ending up wherever they wanted eventually. If they found a bad fit, they'd find their way elsewhere.

The setting was believable, but what about the events? Would Pepsi really endanger an old woman just for being scolded? That wasn't exactly the quality one would want in a hero. There wasn't a single trace of remorse or shame in their tone as they recounted the injury either. Out of everything, the old woman's hospitalization was the most suspicious part of their story. Despite that, it wasn't entirely beyond reason. People grow and change, after all. Pepsi might just be very good at masking remorse. A child with trauma could develop skills of repression rather easily through necessity.

D'Arby leaned back with a hand against her cheek. She sighed, rolling her eyes. This was rather annoying. She regretted taking this particular bet, though she'd never admit it. She was pressed between a rock and a hard place. If she answered incorrectly, the hearts of Pepsi and their friends would be liberated so soon. Her heart began to pound. She felt sweat accumulating on her back. Her fancy attire didn't allow much room to breathe, so she felt hotter than anyone else in the room.

That's it.

She needed to lean into it. Finally, D'Arby felt a bit of adrenaline. The rush! The pressure! There is no greater gamble than one made with your own life! If she guessed incorrectly, there was a good chance one of her opponents would kill her. She also had the opportunity to systematically kill each member of the group. There was no game with higher stakes. She had to block out all of the noise and listen to her heartbeat. As it pounded in the back of her head, she took a long breath through her pursed lips. D'Arby began tapping the table with her index fingers to the beat of her heart.

Pepsi watched curiously as the woman performed this odd little ritual. Soon, D'Arby opened her eyes. There was a new sense of sharpness to them. She flashed a grin, running her tongue along her front teeth.

"You're good, Pepsi. I'll give you that. How old are you?" She leaned in even more.

"Sixteen." They muttered.

"Sixteen? Goodness… You're practically in diapers. But look at you! Standing your ground against the big bad lady who wants to hurt your friends. You expect me to believe that you hurt an old nun? An honorable spirit like you?"

"Answer. Yes or no. You can't elicit more information from me." They demanded.

"Oh fine." She pouted, shaking her head. "I'm just trying to make this a little fun! It might be your last turn, y'know. If you fail to answer mine correctly, you may have told your last story."

"Am I lying, or aren't I? Answer, D'Arby." Pepsi gritted their teeth.

"It's a lie! Goodness! You removed some essential screws? Give me a break! Any rebellious kid would've taken a more direct approach. Set her hair on fire! Call her a fat hag! Something!"

Pepsi maintained a cold and neutral expression. There was no relief on their face though. That meant the game was still going. It was clear to everyone that the first round was over. D'Arby had won. She called Pepsi's bluff. Their story was a lie.

Shizuka glanced over to Shirlie. "Was any of that true?"

"Mhmm." The redhead nodded. "Everything up until Pepsi's retaliation. That's what makes them such a good liar. They ride the truth for as far as it can take them. Then, once they're within the home stretch, they only need one convincing lie. If you build a story on a shaky foundation, it can crumble apart. Rooting your lies within layers of verifiable truths makes them almost undetectable."

"So, what did they do to the nun?"

"Nothing. We just ran away. It's pretty much our signature move." Shirlie sighed.

Back within the bubble of Mist's shroud, D'Arby lit a cigarette between her lips. She grinned, leaning back in her chair. She lifted her knee up to around chest level before placing her lighter down on the fine wood surface.

"You don't mind if I smoke, do you?" She tilted her head.

Pepsi didn't move. "Whatever floats your boat. Just get along with your story. I don't have all day."

D'Arby let out a delighted chuckle before nodding in approval. "Fair enough! Let's chat, then! This story is very simple! It's the story of how this cigarette ended up in my coat pocket."

Pepsi's eyes quickly drifted to the cigarette. D'Arby removed it from her mouth and held it between her index and middle fingers. She even extended her hand across the table to give the teen a better look. Once that was over, she pulled it back to take another drag.

"You see, this is my lucky cigarette. I always transfer it between my cartons. Every time I buy a new one, I take my lucky cigarette and place it inside."

"And you're smoking it now?" Pepsi crossed their arms.

"It's a special occasion, Peppy. I'm about to beat a formidable opponent." She took another long drag before puffing a steady cloud across the table.

"What's so lucky about it?"

"Ah! I'm glad you asked! Five months ago, I carved my initial into the base here. See?" She extended her hand once again.

Sure enough, there was a crudely carved "D" near the very bottom of the cigarette. Pepsi narrowed their eyes curiously. Before they could inspect it very closely, D'Arby retrieved it once more.

"I decided that it would be cute to have my very own lucky cigarette. I actually stole the concept from an opponent of mine. Y'see, this was his lucky cigarette once upon a time." She inhaled sharply. After a moment, she sighed out a dark cloud. "He placed it on the table during our game and said that he'd smoke it after defeating me. He might've said something about shooting me in each tit, which was rather rude. Sure, I had his wife and son's souls in my possession, but what ever happened to decorum?"

Pepsi was scanning every single word, every single gesture for any traces of falsehood. They let the story continue, though.

"After I took his soul, I took his lucky cigarette and carved a big initial onto the base. I don't see any better time than now to use it! He was a worthy opponent too. There's one important factor to keep in mind, though…" D'Arby purred. "Worth is relative. I dispatched him just like everyone else. You'll be tucked snugly next to him when this is through."

With a stone cold expression, Pepsi pointed to the cigarette. "Is that the entire story, then? You stole a man's lucky cigarette, and now it's yours?"

D'Arby puffed out a bit of smoke as she nodded. "Yep. Ball's in your court now, handsome. What'll it be? Have I been a bad girl?"

There was quite the pause as Pepsi considered everything. They didn't move. Most people shifted around while in deep thought. Or at the very least, they'd breathe. Pepsi did neither of these. They were stiff as a statue as the possibilities ricocheted around their mind.

"This has to be a true story." Ripley mumbled.

The rest of the group turned their heads to silently inquire for more.

"Well, I mean… There's evidence. She has the cigarette! Why would she have a special cigarette with the letter 'D' carved onto it in her carton otherwise? How many packs a day do you think she smokes a week? Two? Three? She's had like five cigarettes since we woke up! Chances are, she's had that pack for two days. What are the odds this special cigarette would end up inside to perfectly fool Pepsi within such a short timeframe?"

"Because the best lies are rooted in layers of truth." Shizuka stared at the hazy bubble. "If she is lying, that cigarette is like an ace in the hole. It seems like undeniable evidence. That means all she had to do was fake it and relax."

"Fake it? Shizuka, when would she have faked it? She didn't even know she was going to be playing a lying competition until five minutes ago! Why would she have prepared a fake cigarette for no reason?"

"Because the D'Arbys win." Shizuka said firmly. "They win, and they win, and they win. They win until the right person stops them. They win against impossible odds. They win even when they have no right to win! Outmatched, outwitted, they're winners. They gamble with their lives for a living. Losers don't do that."

"You're willing to wager Pepsi's life on that chance? There's no way to be sure." Ripley frowned.

"Think about it! There's overwhelming evidence to prove this story is true. But she's trying to trick Pepsi. She's trying to psyche them out! Why would she hand them such a slam dunk? The story is so obviously true that it must be false!"

"Or maybe that's the trick? Maybe it is true, and Pepsi's meant to guess false!"

Inside the haze, Pepsi was gritting their teeth. A single bead of sweat was visible on their temple. D'Arby noticed it, grinning as she took another drag of her cigarette. An unspoken conversation took place between the two within seconds. Finally, Pepsi leaned back and crossed their arms. They took a deep breath, considering everything one last time before determining their answer. Then, they grinned.

"You're lying through your teeth."

Everyone's hearts dropped as they waited for D'Arby to answer.

"Who, me?" The woman chuckled. "Maybe. I am known to do that on occasion. But perhaps you could enlighten me as to how I'm lying?"

Pepsi relaxed even further, shrugging their shoulders. "I don't have to answer that. This game requires a simple yes or no answer. I could guess if I wanted."

"Of course, of course. You win the round. But what gave it away?"

"I noticed you carving the letter into your cigarette, firstly."

Shizuka's eyes widened. She did not see that. When did it happen?

"Oh? That's a keen eye you have. And I was being so careful." She pouted, spitting the cigarette out onto the table. She smashed it with her index finger, smearing it left and right before reducing it to powder.

"You did it with your teeth. It was slow and methodical. If I'm right, it took about four drags before you were satisfied with your work. That's when you showed it to me."

D'Arby nodded her head, flicking the cigarette off of the table and out of the cloud. "Well, I'll just have to try harder next time, won't I? Unless you manage to best me in this next round. I hope you'll bring a better lie than last time."

Shirlie seemed visibly relieved. It was obvious in the air due to her Stand Ability. "Well, it's over." She sighed.

"Over? It's even more tense than before. D'Arby's a ridiculously good liar. How sharp can Pepsi's eyes really be?" Marina scoffed.

"No, it's finished. Once Pepsi's seen someone lie, they'll never be fooled again. Seriously, it's like a superpower or something."

"What are you talking about?" Shizuka raised a brow.

"For all our lives, people have tried to trick us, manipulate us, betray us… But they could only do it once. As soon as Pepsi sees how you lie, it'll never slip past them again. Call it a sixth sense."

"And they just saw D'Arby lying? You really think it's over?" Ripley leaned closer to get a better view.

"Listen, guys, I know my twin. There's no way D'Arby tricks them after this. Eventually, she'll slip up and Pepsi will win."

"Let's hope you're right…" Shizuka bit her lip.

Back inside the mist, Pepsi rubbed their chin. "I suppose it's only fair to give you an opportunity." They muttered.

"Oh? Do tell." D'Arby said.

"Well, when I win, there's nothing stopping my friends from pummeling you to a pulp. Your cousin too." They shrugged. "I guess what I'm saying is… If you quit now, we'll walk. No bad blood."

D'Arby dragged her tongue along her upper row of teeth. She leaned onto her elbow, nostrils flaring repeatedly. "Do I smell fear, Pepsi? You seem to be bargaining? Why would you be making such an offer when the game seems to be going in your favor?"

"Not a bargain. An olive branch of civility. It's your choice. If you don't want to, I'll start with my next story."

"Please, go ahead. I'm not looking for a compromise, Pepsi. There has to be a winner."

"Fine, fine. Then lemme start the next story. It's a simple one, so pay attention."

"I'm listening…" D'Arby got serious for a moment.

"My first kiss was in eighth grade. His name was Mickey Taylor, and he used tongue. I never saw him again."

Shizuka was in disbelief. The story was so short! The two before had been elaborate! They had twists and turns. What was Pepsi's strategy here? D'Arby didn't seem to understand either. She didn't change her expression, remaining stoic and motionless. Pepsi reached over for the ruined cigarette on the table and began to carefully roll the paper once again. They looked casual, calm. It was definitely a power move.

"Am I allowed to ask followup questions?" D'Arby mumbled.

"Sure, but I don't have to answer."

"Where was this kiss? You said you never saw him again."

"A pavilion at the park. You get two more questions."

D'Arby seemed to be a little annoyed. "Was it at an event? What were you doing at the park?"

"I'm not going to answer that." Pepsi shrugged.

She slammed her fist against the table. Her teeth were grinding together. "Pepsi! This is an underhanded tactic! I respected you! But this is just a simple fifty-fifty chance! There's no sport here! I thought you were different from the usual losers who sit across from me."

They just turned their nose up and looked into D'Arby's eyes. "That wasn't a question. Go ahead, D'Arby. Give me your answer."

The room was tense. D'Arby was clearly infuriated. It would seem she had some sense of honor that Pepsi violated. The idea of a soul-stealing leech having any kind of moral compass was laughable, but Shizuka had definitely seen stranger things. D'Arby scowled as a bit of her hair hung against her face. She just glared into Pepsi's eyes. If looks could kill, the teen would likely need a first-aid kit. Luckily, the only real fear Pepsi faced was having their soul forcibly removed after guessing incorrectly in an informal lie-detector game. Normal stuff.

"I don't think I heard anything, D'Arby. Are you giving up? I think you mentioned something about souls being honest? The moment you admit defeat to yourself, the game's over. Let's hear it. Do you have an answer for me?"

D'Arby slammed both of her hands against the table and stood up. Her teeth ground together with such ferocity that Pepsi seriously wondered if they'd be reduced to powder. The woman just towered over her opponent with disdain. Steam was practically firing from her ears. Her rage was almost comedic, but chilling due to its sudden activation. Then… All at once, she calmed down. Her eyes closed, and she took in a deep breath. It was like before. When faced with a difficult question in the first round, D'Arby seemed to calm herself with a breathing ritual.

"So now my fate has been boiled down to statistics." She spoke with an even tone and closed eyes.

Pepsi didn't speak. Even when they had D'Arby cornered, the woman was still unpredictable. They just waited for her to continue speaking.

"I bet you feel pretty good about yourself, don't you? A fifty-fifty guess? And then you'll get to do the same thing next round too. You've forsaken an honorable game. But you made one fatal miscalculation, Pepsi." D'Arby lifted her head. Her hair was drooping over her face, and she had little regard for her appearance in the moment. "If luck wasn't on my side, I wouldn't be here right now. Do you think I've just recently taken on this career? I've been playing high-risk games for decades, you brat! I've gambled with my life nearly every day for as long as I can remember! You present me with a fifty-fifty scenario and honestly think the odds are in YOUR favor? Wrong! Me! Me! Me! I'm the one who wins! The odds of a petulant little shit like you walking away from this alive are zero! Understand? Absolutely none!"

D'Arby reached across the table and grabbed the collar of Pepsi's shirt. She clutched it, growling at the teen. "You're a liar. Liars lie. They cheat. I play games fair and square. I play them by the rules, and I win! You play tricks. You never kissed Mickey Taylor at a park pavilion. Want to know how I know? Because you'd never put yourself out there like that. Look at your Stand! It's pathetic! Do you think I'd believe you achieved a genuine connection with some boy in eighth grade? I wouldn't be surprised if your own twin had trouble connecting with you! You'll either die here, or you'll die alone. Because you put up walls, and mystifying clouds!" She finished her tangent and let go of the teen.

Pepsi leaned back with tense shoulders. They were panting. D'Arby really laid into them. They cleared their throat and adjusted their collar. After allowing a moment to let the air settle, they spoke.

"Yeah, that was a lie. You don't need to psychoanalyze me about it. I could have a field day about the hag who steals souls." They muttered.

D'Arby took her seat and fixed her hair. She placed a cigarette between her lips and glared across the table. Something was different in her eyes. After her little mental breakdown she seemed to carry herself with a new aura. Pepsi couldn't quite place their finger on it, but it was unsettling. D'Arby cracked her knuckles and rolled her neck. Then, she put her cigarette out against the fine wood table and flicked it onto the carpet.

"Alright… My turn." She rested her hand on her fist, leaning against the table. "My first kiss was with Mickey Taylor. He used tongue. I never saw him again."

Everyone in the room hitched their breaths at the same time. Shizuka, Marina, Ripley, Shirlie… They stared into the cloud with pale expressions. None of them understood why D'Arby would waste a turn like that. Pepsi knew that was a lie. It was their own story! They'd just answer correctly and move onto the next round, right? So why was D'Arby acting so smug about it? Something was definitely wrong…

Inside the cloud, Pepsi was visibly shaken. They looked around for a moment as sweat beaded down their face. D'Arby licked her lips and leaned in closer.

"Oh, what's wrong, Pepsi? Everything okay?" She purred.

Shirlie narrowed her eyes. Watching her twin made things clearer. "It can't be…" She whispered.

"What?" Shizuka turned to her. "Do you know what's going on?"

"I don't understand it… But D'Arby seems to be telling the truth." Shirlie said.

Shizuka's eyes darted back to the table. D'Arby looked so high and mighty as she stared at Pepsi. Meanwhile, the teen was trying to piece it together. Shirlie mentioned that Pepsi could always determine if someone was lying once they'd seen them lie once before. D'Arby lied in their first round, and Pepsi got a scent for her tells. Apparently, D'Arby wasn't displaying any of these tells with her new claim.

"That doesn't make sense." Marina spat. "This old twat just so happened to kiss a boy named Mickey Taylor in eighth grade? I don't buy it. I wouldn't touch her with a golf ball retriever. Poor Mickey would've been slurped up soul and all!"

Pepsi was tapping the table repeatedly with their right index finger. They knew D'Arby was lying. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that they couldn't tell she was lying. D'Arby deliberately copied Pepsi's story to send a message. Somehow, she changed her own tells. Everybody has their unique tell when it comes to lying. Some are more subtle than others. Many can even mask their tell with enough conviction. That wasn't important, though. Pepsi had a sixth sense for whether or not someone was lying. They didn't know if it was connected to their Stand Ability, or just a quirk they possessed naturally. But for their entire life they had been able to pinpoint just how someone lied. Fool Pepsi once, shame on you. Fool them twice? That was impossible.

Yet there D'Arby was. Somehow, she was fooling them twice. When she told the story, every single word seemed sincere. She spoke with an even tone. She didn't make any noticeable twitches or movements. And even more confusing than that, she didn't trigger Pepsi's sixth sense. The redhead bit their lip and tapped the table even faster.

"What's wrong, Pepsi? You know I'm lying… What's the problem? Just answer the question and end the round. Then you can try to give me another fifty-fifty scenario like last time. C'mon… I'm sure you'll trip me up eventually Peppy. Just answer… Say it's a lie. We both know I didn't kiss Mickey Taylor. He doesn't exist."

Pepsi's breathing became uneven. Sweat trickled faster and faster down their cheeks. They could feel it on the back of their neck as it poured down the arch of their back. They clenched up their fingers repeatedly as they tried to figure out how D'Arby did it. Somehow she had defied all logic and tricked Pepsi's infallible senses. If Pepsi couldn't tell when D'Arby was lying, they'd never be able to win. Their ability was the entire reason they chose a lie-detecting game in the first place. D'Arby clearly had some trick up her sleeve, and Pepsi didn't have time to figure it out. They were going to lose... Something gave. They felt a weight lifting off of their shoulders. For a single moment, they were relieved. But why?

Their eyes widened a moment later. They dropped the cloud of Mist and turned to face Shirlie. There wasn't time to say anything. They just had a desperate and apologetic look in their eyes. It pierced Shirlie's heart, and she understood. Pepsi had given up on winning. All Shirlie could do was reach out a hand in vain.

A large orange Stand emerged from behind D'Arby. It seemed to grow bigger as it towered over Pepsi. Its body had a clay-like texture, and it carried an enormous water pot on its shoulder with one hand. The other hand held an ankh symbol, a cross-shape with a teardrop-shaped loop in place of an upper bar. The ankh represents the key of life in Egyptian culture, and was placed in tombs to ensure eternal life after death.

"Do you see my Nephthys?" D'Arby grinned. "It likes to hide until the moment is right. But once you see it, your fate is sealed."

The ankh in Nephthys's hand began to glow, and it lunged forward with surprising speed. Pepsi covered their chest in a last-ditch effort to protect themself, but it was in vain. The moment the ankh made contact with their body, Pepsi lost all color. The hue of their skin, their vibrant red hair, even their clothes completely drained. This left their body looking like a cracked clay husk. The ankh resonated with a powerful glow after this, and D'Arby brought Nephthys closer.

Pa-Pa-Power erupted from Shirlie and ran toward D'Arby. He punched Nephthys in the face and then grabbed D'Arby's head between his enormous boxing gloves. He was mute, but a deafening sense of grief filled the room. It caused severe headaches for everyone within a hundred feet. Shizuka fell to the floor while cupping her head. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, pooling on the carpet below. Power let out a silent battlecry and began to squeeze D'Arby's head.

Even as tears streamed down her face, D'Arby remained collected. "I wouldn't." She managed to growl.

Pa-Pa-Power was irreconcilable. He kept squeezing, causing D'Arby's head to ring. Nobody was in any position to talk the grieving Stand down. It seemed like he was about to kill D'Arby in a fit of pure passion. Shizuka understood the situation, but what could she do? Power was on the other side of the room. She turned her head up to the table that they were all sitting on and saw that Shirlie was frozen in place. She seemed petrified. Pa-Pa-Power's empathy ability was rendering the room unlivable. Shizuka felt like her brain was melting. This was the grief that Shirlie felt toward Pepsi. But if she didn't stop things immediately, the rest of them would die too.

"H-Hoooooooooooora!" She shouted, manifesting Ultra Violet just long enough to strike Shirlie in the head.

It was just within her limited range. The pain and anguish limited her Stand's strength, but she managed to strike Shirlie hard enough to send the girl to the floor. Then, like a drain being yanked from the bottom of a tub, all of the negative emotions purged themselves from the room. Shizuka was heaving for air. Shirlie laid unconscious on the carpet beside the table. Even D'Arby seemed to be shaken by the entire ordeal.

"Well then, it seems at least one of you still has some sense left. Let me make this absolutely clear, in case anyone's still fuzzy. I own you! Sixteen Tons has your hearts in its grasp! And my Nephthys has Pepsi's soul inside this ankh! If something were to happen to me, their soul would still be outside of their body! Even if you defeated Michael and won your own freedom, Pepsi is mine everlasting! If I die, their soul moves on along with my own! The only way to restore their life is for my Nephthys to place their soul back into their body! My own free will is all that can save them! So don't try anything cute. Got it?"

The rest of the group panted and heaved as they recovered from Pa-Pa-Power's rampage. Shirlie was out cold, and Pepsi was a lifeless husk. That left Shizuka, Marina and Ripley to deal with D'Arby. At any point, Michael could deflate their forms. Like D'Arby said, even if they beat Michael, Pepsi would still be gone. There was only one way out of this. Not just for Pepsi, but for them all. Shirlie wouldn't be able to move on without her twin, and the group would be too weak to fight Blondie's agents with just three members. If Shizuka didn't end things then and there, their trip was over.

"Okay. You drive a hard bargain, D'Arby. But I'll do it." She growled as she dragged herself up onto two feet.

"Shizuka, wait!" Ripley protested. "You're just a kid. Let me take care of this."

The child stared at the agent with fiery eyes. She just shook her head. A silent exchange took place. Ripley knew that Shizuka had the best chance of defeating D'Arby. Her intuition was wrong. Shizuka was the only other person to call D'Arby's bluff with the lucky cigarette. Not only that, but it was clear by the way the woman composed herself. D'Arby viewed Shizuka as the leader of the group, and the biggest threat. In a way, she was right. Ripley was unsure of how their group managed to be led by a ten-year-old, but life was strange sometimes.

Shizuka marched over to the table and knelt beside Pepsi. She took their body and lifted it into a chair with Ultra Violet's assistance. Once that was finished, she took a deep breath.

"Just like before then? A game of my choice? Winner takes all?" She stood before D'Arby.

The adult dragged her tongue along her upper teeth and nodded. "Of course. My rules apply to everyone equally. Even if you're a little girl, I won't hold back. You've got one more chance to run away, Joestar."

Shizuka clenched her fists. "A Joestar might run away from a fight that can't be won, but we'd never leave if someone needed us. You were smart to take Pepsi first. But your luck's about to run out."

D'Arby laughed, throwing her head back. "Oh, yes! Feel the anger, Shizuka! But before you get too ahead of yourself, there's something I need to hear. You're not planning on offering your lunch money in return for Pepsi's soul, are you?"

The child took a deep breath. When her eyes opened, she spoke with a deep and confident voice. "No. I wager my soul, D'Arby."

To be Continued...