Author Notes: The first part of the chapter was about D-Flag's very vague Freudian Excuse. He's still an asshole, but he was an indoctrinated asshole.
The last scene of his demise implies that he's a Rock Human who descended from surviving individuals that evolved over 2000 years to be more organic yet ironically becoming a food source for bees- the creatures that they depended on for growth in their maturity stage. I initially was going to spare him for an investigation, but I decided to make Joshua and Joan casual to murdering those who want to kill them. To be fair, this is the world of the 4000s, where more cutthroat tactics have been approved because of the sheer power of Stands and powerful ones too strong to be imprisoned, justifying killing being legal.
Mainly this chapter was to introduce the power scale of this King Crimson compared to its alternate counterpart and the other Joestars. I found King Crimson to be interested, but not fully explored to its full potential so I used this fanfic to explore its alternate universe counterpart. I also gave it the power to remove Stands and devour them to consume their powers for one-time use, reserved for the worst of the worst- to make the differences more apparent between old and new King Crimsons. Its powers might evolve into actual manipulation of other Stands like a King eventually, but for now, it's just a bogeyman in a dream state to which Joshua is currently a sleeping slave to its whims. Plus I like the juxtaposition between a nice kid and having a really scary Stand similar to Fugo and Purple Haze, possibly exploring similar themes.
The title is a reference to the King Crimson song as the Stand will be having abilities that relate to the Stand more and more as the story progresses. The last-minute power of D-Flag is in reference to Fear of The Black Planet, a Public Enemy cover and to make a pataphysical, unavoidable fate-based power to be able to harm GER- put him in a corner as well as Star Platinum and justify while KING CRIMSON was said.
The next chapter will be leading into the explanation of Justiz's regime needing to be stopped, the reintroduction of old Jojo foes, and what Joshua is. It also leads into the prequel fanfic I plan for this part, called Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 8.5- Rainbow In the Dark
I decided to post this chapter in celebration of Stone Ocean getting an anime announcement, which I've been looking forward to for years.
Chapter 3: Overture-3: One More Red Nightmare
D-Flag's POV- 10 Years Earlier
A young boy looked up to a shadowed man, his orange Afro hair was being patted by the latter.
"Listen Smothers. We must be agents of Justiz. We must punish the misguided heroes for their reckless stupidity.," said the man.
"What is the right way?" asked the boy.
"It's said that the knight slaying the dragon and the martyr who dies for our sins are heroes. That is wrong, he who uses violence is no better than a violent and the martyr is oblivious to the calamity that they cause in the aftermath of their demise. Things back to violence once they die. Then who is the real hero? The ones holding the button to the warheads- they force cooperation with their enemies and understand the reality of maintaining peace. Be the one with the trigger to the warhead.," said the man with an intense glare
The boy nodded.
Present
"Who is that guy?," asked the old man as he looked at the Scotsman.
"It's weird, but I feel like I've been here before...," said the girl with the bun hair.
"Don't tell me we're in another dimension. Like a comic book?" asked the pompadour teenager.
The dark-haired girl trembled as she looked around.
It seems she's summoned us to fight more than just that thing. Better play along until she proves decent. thought the blonde.
"Madam. I am not sure why this is happening, but I will stop the floating young man behind you.," said the gentle-looking man, unable to see the Saturn that D-Flag was riding within.
Joan gave a blank look to register what this man had just been said to her She then re-composed herself as she swept her hair.
"Well, you must be from a time when Stands weren't as prevalent. It must be the case with the other two. They're not what I had anticipated to bring over. This must work on multiverse theory rather than an all-purpose summoning. So I have at least three-," said Joan to herself to their confusion.
She then noticed that all the others, including the Scotsman and the woman with hands for feet- both before the gentlemen's time, gave looks that showed they could see the Stand.
Crap. I got a dud., thought the woman as she did a facepalm. The gentleman was confused at her expression of dissatisfaction.
Joshua then walked towards a rock near Stonehenge and went to sleep.
"What're you doing young man?" asked
"I have a hunch that I'm supposed to do this. To help you out if it's necessary.," said the boy as he went to sleep.
Joan smirked at the sight while the others were slightly puzzled.
Good, we have a chance now., thought Joan.
The gentleman was confused at the sight of the boy deciding to take a nap.
"So it is a doorway! Boss Beliver was right! It's more of a crappier version of ours, but we now know it can be used. Thanks for the save, ya harlot!," said D-Flag's voice within the planetoid Stand.
"Smothers, you're not supposed to reveal that. It's our ace to keep our rule unopposed in order to stop Lennon Harrison from usurping his liege...I'm not that powerful in the first place because someone doesn't train me-," spoke the Stand itself.
"Shut it, Public Enemy. Also, don't call me that. They're gonna be under our thumb soon...Shit, brat yesterday hit like an anvil. What's he made of- Titanium?! I'll get him after I get the whore-," said D-Flag before he noticed the tall man with the cap walking forward.
"Sorry man. But, you just said floating in the air- you can't see it can you? Step aside and let someone who knows how he's doing it, settle things. Means you don't have the power to comprehend, let alone fight this thing. Step aside.," said the man in the cap to the gentleman to the latter's confusion.
"Wait-," said the gentleman as the man in the school uniform leaped forward.
"Leave him be, he's a really reliable guy.," said the pompadour man to the gentleman.
"I will take your exalted word on that on my honor.," said the gentleman.
"It's ok. I'm not that big of a deal.," said the pompadour man, awkwardly.
"Dad...," said the girl with bun hair.
"Jotaro. Make sure you gauge what he can do. It's better to hit the Stand and not him this time around. There must be something about him that's gotta be a threat if the little lady had to summon us.," said the old man with a more serious demeanor to which the man in the cap nodded.
"That almost looks like one of those infernal devils from the night sea beyond the four realms.," muttered the Scotsman.
"The Fifth Dimension...," whispered the girl with hands for feet.
"I don't like that I've been pulled out of my life to solve your issues. I don't like how this looks. It looks like she's desperate to help her kid. I can appreciate someone who's sketchy, but not utterly evil. We'll get a gist of what she wants afterward. Good grief, I'm fighting something really bizarre this time. A talking planet. I'd gonna hit you so I can get a handle on the situation with this woman claiming she's a Joestar. And I'll judge if she actually is what she claims she is or not. And I'll beat her up if she's pulling a fast one.," said the tall man in the school uniform and the cap.
"Sounds fair.," said Joan casually.
"You want me to come out to fight you eh? I mean this thing's invulnerable. So hitting me directly is the only option you have-," D-Flag gloated.
"I'm going to hit you with my Stand. You meaning...Your Stand that is.," said the man.
D-Flag was confused. No one tried attacking Public Enemy before. It was extremely durable by weak Stand standards- to the point that going after D-Flag would always be the sole option.
"What's your deal, Jacka-"
Suddenly, Public Enemy felt a sensation of being punched by an immense force yet the man hadn't moved apparently aside from a slight grass imprint a few centimeters from the initial position.
"He just used it. His Time Stop.," said the old man, which only the pompadour youth understanding the context of the power.
"Idiot, I don' know what you just did, but you hit me..., but me- the Stand User through indirect means- so the effect didn't work if it's not me directly- nice job figuring out that loophole. However, it's not enough to put down Public Enemy. This Stand's only second to diamonds in toughness. You'd have to be at least as tough as diamonds in order to hit-," he said before suddenly the planetoid began to crack on its left side, which was reflected in D-Flag's left ribs cracking to his utter shock.
"Second to Diamonds. Good grief. I punched out something as tough as diamonds before. If you're saying you're weaker than that...Your strategy must rely on the belief that it's only possible to hit you directly. And now you're out of options.," said the man.
D-Flag's aura flared an intense purple in response.
Crap, he's not chickening out or striking in a blind rage. This isn't gonna be good., thought Jotaro.
"You bastard. You think you're being a hero, you should know the weakness of heroes- they cause retaliation from the allies of the villains, this causes their loved ones to pay the price. Do they feel guilty about it? Never, it's their drug. The best way to maintain peace is through blackmail and coercion. It's how things are run behind the scenes. This makes me one of the chosen ones to dictate Justice and no one can call me out on it!" the youth ranted calmly.
"Good grief. Already spewing out crap now that you're losing. You just wasted the time I had to cool down and now it's time to finish-," said the man before the blonde stepped forward.
"Move aside. I feel like he's about to try something dangerous. It requires something of a greater magnitude than what you can do...," he said to Jotaro.
"Oi, I'm not done-," said the tall man with the cap before the blonde activated a power that caused space to gradually alter, freezing the man with the cap in mid-motion as time seemed to warp to inconceivable levels.
"I didn't like training to learn a new move until my old man told me to, but here it is- Fear of the Purple Planet!," D-Flag shouted before the entire space suddenly turned into a cosmic array of colors in all directions.
He stared in confusion as the golden hair youth summoned a humanoid Stand of a height and build similar to his. It looked like an angelic ruler coming down from a higher plane of existence. Its head extends into pointed tips with the back of the head hollow, giving it the appearance of a crown. Its eyes have a unique design, with the purple iris 'eyeballs' embedded in cross-like structure within slanted sockets. It has an extended ridge collar on the back of its neck and several indentations and various other patterns covering its body.
"What the hell is this? Nobody's moving, but us? What are you?," asked D-Flag as he saw afterimages of himself doing every possible means to attack, but it all being reset to zero.
"You're right on how the world works. Peace is maintained through dirty means, but you have the aura of someone who's utter trash who's spouting good speeches that are bastardized to suit your logic. You'll never be able to dictate your will on others again as you enter an eternal repeat of the sins you committed.," said the Stand as it prepared to attack D-Flag, but suddenly no-entry sign markings appeared on its body to its confusion. It began to throttle its own neck and choke itself against its will.
"You may be a being of godlike powers, but this power of damage retribution is one that is absolute and decided by fate for my win. While Fear of Purple Planet is active, any hostility I can sense will curse the source of the hostility. Now be cursed and die-," he said before suddenly, Joshua opened his eyes. The filter of the area turned red, muting everything aside from the users. D-Flag had been reduced to a glitching image stuck in place while the golden Stand was monochrome with a yellow tint, but moving much slower than before. It felt like time didn't exist at all, just an empty realm.
Impossible. He's moving within the space that only myself and my target can be conscious in To overtake my space, what is he?., thought the golden Stand to his confusion as Joshua bowed in apology.
"Wha?," D-Flag said before he was suddenly punched by a hulking being with a white face with a raised indent with a single eye- green like the other bulging orbs, and a body patterned with red diamonds. The Saturn shattered into pieces with ease.
The golden stand widened its eyes as he recognized the Stand-
King Crimson.
A stand of his former enemy.
D-Flag's eyes widened as his soul's link to his Stand was removed and the Stand was swallowed by the red Stand. On closer inspection, the Stand wore a hood, its indentation had a single eye instead of another face, and its face more skeletal, face instead of a semi-humanoid one.
"I just dreamed that if you and the blonde fought, I'd get an opening to attack you in a space where no time exists. I'll apologize for using him later for stealing the kill. Anyway, You're not gonna be doing anything to others again, I'm making sure of that. I am going to have you have a taste of your own medicine before you go and meet the Prince of Darkness. You blithering dolt.," said the bespectacled boy as the Stand hit D-Flag, causing red target marks to appear all over the orange-haired boy as a result of being damaged in sync with his Stand, causing him to shatter into sections with blood spewing out.
The red space filter vanished as suddenly bees appeared out of nowhere as if drawn by the target markings and began to swarm onto D-Flag, stinging him and forcibly entering his body parts to eat him from the inside out.
"What is that? What is that? What is it? Oh! No! Not the bees! BEES LIKE TO EAT ME! BEES LIKE TO EAT ME! AAAHH! They're in my eyes! My mouth! My ears OMG! OH MY GOD! AAAAAHHH!," said D-Flag as the bees not only swarmed over the youth but began to eat him, tearing off his skin, which exposed...stone with red, blood-like sap coming out. While the others excluding the dark-haired woman and the Scotsman were appalled by the sight, Joan and Joshua were indifferent to the sight.
The bee swam left as D-Flag was reduced to just clothing, which then blew away in the wind.
"That was annoying. It'll be hard to explain where you came from, but I'll manage. What do you like to?," said Joan as she began to walk away from the monument, uncaring for the others' clear sign of trauma and confusion of what D-Flag really was.
"Wait...Gold Experience Requiem saw it as it did the finishing blow in the red space, your Stand was identical to one I faced before. What are you?" asked the blonde to Joshua.
"You must've been having a nightmare. I'm just Joshua Joestar. My mom and I need your help to stop a bad man.," replied the boy.
Next Chapter: All of the Stars
Stand: KING CRIMSON- the name based on the band of the same name.
Stand User: Joshua Joestar
Ability: Fate Erasure- For the brief moment of 12 seconds, time and Fate are erased. Involuntary actions like technology, natural disasters, diseases, etc play out, thus can't be prevented. However, deliberate actions like Stand effects taking place will not be able to target Joshua nor King Crimson- allowing them to accomplish one action to defy a fated action- saving a girl from dying from traffic, someone being murdered in front of them, or being hit by an attack through selective intangibility- any calamity towards the saved target, King Crimson and Joshua is negated, but King Crimson can hit the enemy and save the victim from being effected from damage. And King Crimson can deliver top speed and high-level damage within erased Fate/Time. If he hits a target directly and Joshua wishes on it, the person's connection to their Stand will be irreparably severed. This separated Stand is then absorbed into King Crimson, which allows it to utilize that power against its former owner. Thought the Stand absorbed dissipates once it's used.
However, it is must be within 6 meters of Joshua's presence. Once the effect vanishes- Joshua is left unable to use King Crimson as it requires a cooldown time of 5 seconds to use again as King Crimson can only appear within erased fate/time-space as of current. It also requires a need to save someone, Joshua cannot activate King Crimson to protect himself, only for the sake of others- a technicality appears when saving someone also saves him. Through the third eye, Joshua sees the events needed to use King Crimson via a vague dream. If he doesn't see the dream, he won't be able to use King Crimson.
Some users note that eventually King Crimson can manifest in the physical plane eventually and be able to utilize its powers in a more refined manner.
King Crimson Stats-
Destructive Power- A- Immense strength that can topple most Stands.
Speed- A- Acts at incalculable speeds to enact its actions.
Range- C- Six meters.
Persistence- C- Lasts for a set amount of time that can potentially be improved.
Precision- A- very accurate fate-defying ability.
Development Potential- D- Almost has mastered the current level of KING CRIMSON
Stand User Rank- D- Very adept in knowing the limitations of his Stand compared to his peers, but feels inadequate to improve due to a desire to not stand out.