Author Notes: This is set up for the next fight between Ono and Joshua plus Felixa with some of the education systems in the series is explored briefly.

The term- School of Hard Knocks referees the (sometimes painful) education one gets from life's usually negative experience rather than formal education, which is most typically used by a person to claim a level of wisdom imparted by life experience, which should be considered at least equal in merit to academic knowledge. It is a response that may be given when one is asked about his or her education, particularly if they do not have an extensive formal education but rather life experiences that should be valued instead. It may also be used facetiously, to suggest that formal education is not of practical value compared with "street" experience. These negative experiences in Ono's case shaped his life into something negative and corrupted.

It also refers to the song P.O.D.- Payable On Death, which also talks about being raised in the harder parts of the social ladder.

The Stands that Ono is based on the duality of peace and war within a person- how people are capable of being saints or killers based on how life treats them, shaping their views on the world. In Ono's case, it left him extremely warped.

Chapter 7: Overture-7: School of Hard Knocks

Joshua entered the class as he saw a chubby, dark-skinned woman with triangular, yellow-rimmed glasses, beige cornrowed hair, and a yellow dress covered in alphabets, numbers, and math equations. He was still feeling incredibly awkward about the whole sudden engagement with a girl he barely just met.

And oddly, he was seeing double- like he was sitting in two positions in class in spite of being in one section of the classroom. He then slapped his forehead as he focused on the situation ahead of him.

I got a lead. Now to find a way to get him to talk and-, thought Joshua.

"Master Brain!," said the dark-skinned woman as she summoned a pink brain with red-rimmed eyes, a black graduation cap, two mechanical arms, and two tails made of nerves. These nerves then protruded into each student's forehead and if they were present via a hologram- the nerves would enter the USB port in order to connect with them remotely.

"This Stand sends the information you need to process for the first-day pop quiz. Those who are able to comprehend this data will be able to pass by using it as a reference. And this information is never wrong-," said the woman before Joshua rose up and raised his left hand.

"What is it, new boy?' asked the teacher with her black iris eyes looking at him.

"I read in a library and the information I got doesn't seem to match up with the information you just gave me...creepy as it is.," said the teacher.

"A library...You should check the data server.," said the woman before Joshua interjected.

"I meant the paperback library.,' said the boy to the surprise of everyone present.

This made the woman scowl in contempt.

"We discarded those outdated models because the internet is much quicker. I don't know if you're lying or not, but clearly, you've never used proper education. Worry not, I, Erica Bad will help you be reeducated in the proper method.," said the woman as a holographic image of several test sheets appeared on the students' desks along with a holographic pen.

"Heh, this is easy.," said a nearby student.

"Crap...what the hell is this supposed to mean?' asked the broccoli-haired boy.

"The pen is thought-based, it will move to select or write the correct answer for the test. Begin!," said the woman.

Better play by their rules. Even if I don't want to-, thought Joshua before noticing Felixa was looking at him...this time, her eyes were much clearer.

Before Joshua could say anything, Felixa spoke up-

"Ms. Bad. I think Joshua and I share the same sense of sight. It would count as cheating. Mind if we take the test by ourselves?"

Joshua got out of his seat and thought-

So that's what's up with me right now? People are going to have the wrong idea about me. And that's going to reflect back on mom.

"Did you plan this ahead of time? Wouldn't be more clever to hide it so you can get away with your schemes? Being so blatant about your cheating methods- you must be filled with hubris rather than cunning. I guess you earned a stay in extended testing in detention.," said the woman as Ono slowly opened the door, peering out menacingly. Erina looked at him with disgust.

"So you're a duo of cheaters eh? Good. I will discipline that out of you.," he said as he beckoned them outside.

"When did space-case learn to speak. She's always been a mumbling, violet.," whispered a nearby student.

"Heh, serves her right.," said the mushroom-haired boy.

Felixa walked towards Joshua and dragged him by the right arm.

"C'mon. Let's go.," said Felixa as she pulled him out of his seat and out of the classroom.

"Creep...," Erica whispered.

"Get back to testing.," she commanded.

Joshua scowled as he attempted to turn his gaze away in embarrassment as the other students snickered.

Detention Hall

The students and the teacher walked down the hall, with Ono who had previously been professional, started to show a smug attitude.

Joshua then looked at Ono as he pointed to the room where they'd be staying in.

"Enjoy your stay.," he said as the door opened to several students looking like mottled, green ghouls with drooping eye-sockets with wide, vacant eyes covered in red veins.

Joshua immediately picked up on the implications as he turned to Ono who was smiling dissonantly before taking a deep breath of satisfaction.

"They were disobedient like you too. The students that come back from this session are actually holograms to give the illusion that they're cured- when in reality they're actually kept here as indoctrinated agents for Lord Justiz's will. Worry once you're in my room, you'll be expressing greater mercy. You'll be shot to death with my Stand- Give Peace A Chance's true power will activate and it will lead to my vengeance being fulfilled.," he said.

"So I take it Smothers- no D-Flag's your son.," said the boy.

Ono's eyes suddenly became darker and his expression grimmer.

"Correcto, Ragazzino. Peace isn't achieved through saving people from dragons or being a martyr. It is through strong-arming others into being your thralls and doing your whims in fear of what might happen if you step out of line.," said the man.

It felt like I couldn't move within his direct vicinity, but also as long-, thought Joshua.

"As he doesn't have the means to attack, then he's not nearly as big of a threat...you're wrong in that regard.," said the man.

He summoned Give Peace A Chance, but unusually, this time around- it bled out from its eyes, red liquid that solidified into the forms of semi-artificial lifeforms a helicopter bird, a dog with a sniper rifle on its head, a gray iris eye appearing in the middle of a red mound and a warrior wielding a macuahuitl like a chainsaw in one hand and a shield with an angered face in the other.

"Sub-Stand: My Nemesis. I was once a naive believer in talking things out to get peace achieved, but the reality of the world is harsh. Therefore, one must be cutthroat in order to make it in society.," he spoke.

Felixa then turned to Joshua and asked-

"I thought we'd connect on a more personal level, but it seems we got to fight now. Where's your Stand?"

"I need to sleep first for it to work.," said the boy.

"What?" she shouted as Ono began his attack.

Next Chapter: Overture-8-Big Lizard

Stand of the Week-

(Official) Stand: Give Peace A Chance- Name based on the song of the same name.

Stand User: Ono Plasti-the name based on the Plastic Ono Band.

Ability: Generates a peace sign seal with close-able blue eyes around the targets, canceling out Stand abilities and physical combat capabilities as long as he keeps it active.

Destructive power: N/A- used for quelling conflict.

Range- B- Can cover a school range area.

Speed: A- Very fast-acting- to the point of being almost instantaneous.

Precision- A- Can precisely negate each aspect of physical action or Stand ability.

Power Persistence- A- Lasts as long as Ono wills it.

Development Potential- E- Fully Realized.

Stand User Rank- C- has fully realized the basic properties of Stand and is content with being unable to improve.

Sub Stan of Give Peace A Chance- My Nemesis- the name based on the song from Five Finger Death Punch

Stand User: Ono Plasti

Ability: Give Peace A Chance will cry out tears of blood that will solidify into four forms- an Artificial Non-Humanoid bird crossed with a missile trafficking plane, a dog with a sniper gun on its head as well as a tail that tracks heat signatures of enemies that could harm Ono, a blood mound that has an eye that gives out live feed on the location of enemies and the Trump Card, a Combat Stand with a macuahuitl like a chainsaw that cuts out the flesh, a shield that redirects kinetic force back at the enemy, fire blood bullets from its openings and has a vision scanner that can read muscle movements to predict enemies. All fire blood projectiles cause the enemies' willpower to falter and devolve into crippling madness. Its weakness is Tunnel vision, it will focus on the immediate target at a time and will immediately change priorities when a new target arrives, ignoring the initial ones. Additionally, Give Peace A Chance's negation field is slightly weakened while My Nemesis is active. An enemy can use their Stand if their intent is defense self-defense or to guard a target, with harming Ono being a byproduct rather than the intent to hurt him that will be countered with the Sub-Stands. Ono's own blood is heavily implied to be forming the Stands so he has to finish fights within a set amount of time or else he'll die of blood loss. He needs a day to recover his blood amount via the supplementary ability to restore his blood amount for future uses.

Destructive power: C- Sub-Stands can cause mental damage as well as physical damage that can injure enemies, but lacks the added strength to finish off an enemy via killing them as it's not his purpose.

Range- D- He has to be in a small room radius for it to work. The sub-Stands start to lose solidity the further he's out of range.

Speed: A- All Sub-Stands including the Combat Stand are able to reach Mach -400. Being able to react and move in nanoseconds due to being actually liquids in solid form.

Precision- E- His Sub Stands target any target regardless of whether or not they're his intended targets.

Power Persistence- D- They can regenerate and be surprisingly durable, but if Ono is distracted. Additionally, it's heavily implied that it's drawing from his own blood. So he has to finish targets quickly.

Development Potential- D- Almost realized, the only things he needs to develop are Precision, Power Persistence, Range, and being able to fully control Give Peace A Chance at full power while My Nemesis is active.

Stand User Rank- B- Is very skilled to have developed a Sub-Stand to give his Stand a combat use with the intention to master his Stand to be a dual advantage of shutting down his enemies and attacking without the worry of being attacked in turn.

Stand- Master Teacher-Name based on the song by Erykah Badu.

Stand User: Erica Bad- name based on Erykah Badu

Ability: Summons Artificial Humanoid Brain Stand, able to download into targets via veins that can connect to any person in Erica's class, even via remote computers using the Closer app, information on any subject Erica wants them to learn. They then are able to retain and use that information to study for tests about the information they learned. It is up to the student's own effort to comprehend the information to use on tests in their own perspective, rather than relying on copying it word for word.

Destructive Power: N/A- Education-based.

Speed: A- Being able to instantly download information.

Range: A- Can reach anyone in her class as long as they are participating, either directly in the classroom or via remote access.

Precision- A- Able to download precise information into students depending on the subject required.

Development Potential- E- Full potential has been reached.

Stand User Rank- C- Average- Has developed a stable Stand that fulfills her need and shows no need to improve.