"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
Ezra walked through the dim hospital halls in the early morning, patrolling for any sign of danger as her companions slept. Since this area of the hospital wasn't for critical patients, it was fairly quiet at such an hour. There were a few lights on here and there along the walls, but most of the rooms were dark as patients slept the night away. She made her way out of that ward and up to a reception area. The silver-haired woman stepped up to the desk and waited to catch a nurse's attention.
"How can I help you?" One of the women spun around in her chair to face Ezra with a smile.
"Two of my friends came in earlier with some worrying injuries." Ezra spoke with a low, tired voice as she rested her hands on the desk. "The little girl's fine, but I'm worried about the adult. If I'm hearing correctly, she was struck by lightning?"
The nurse's expression sank, and her eyes darted over to her supervisor for a moment. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the state of any patient without knowing your relation to them… Are you a relative?"
"No, I'm just a very close friend. Her health's important to me, and I would like an update." Ezra spoke carefully.
As she tried to reason with the receptionist, Ezra noticed a few nurses arguing in the corner. They were speaking in hushed whispers about something urgent. She tried to tune into their conversation, but it was a little beyond her reach. She could only make out every few words.
"Can't… Trouble… Find her… Don't you… Hey!" They whispered among themselves.
Ezra's eyes widened when she realized what was happening. There was a reason the receptionist seemed shocked to be asked about Aura! She was trying to hide the fact that the woman was missing!
"Ma'am, I wish I could help, but there's nothing I can do. If you leave your name and number, I can try to make sure you're called when her condition stabilizes."
"Nevermind." Ezra sighed. "Have a good night."
She walked down the hall in search of a public phone. It only took a few minutes to find, and she quickly dialed a number into the keypad. After four rings, the other line answered.
"Hello?"
"This is Dawn." Is all she said.
"It was touch and go for a while, but I managed to get everything in order. When you arrive at the docks, look for a boat named Redneck Yacht Club. It's got everything you need inside, and a full tank of fuel."
"Thank you, Adam." She sighed with relief.
"Don't thank me yet, lady. I don't normally do the whole 'payment after the fact' thing, but I'm making a special exception for your organization. If the money isn't wired to me by Monday, we're gonna have a problem."
"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a thief. I'll make you whole." She promised, hanging up the phone with a sigh.
Morning came faster than anyone wanted. The crew were all out cold in the hospital room when Ezra opened the door and flipped on the lights. Marina was the first to stir with a bit of a groan. She waved her hand around in an attempt to kill the lights, but she was on the complete opposite end of the room from the switch. Shirlie sat up and rubbed her eyes, letting Pa-Pa-Power manifest beside her after a good night's sleep. Ripley was woken by the groans of Marina, and it appeared Pepsi was already in the bathroom.
"Alright everybody, I've arranged for transportation." Ezra explained.
Marina tilted her head in confusion. "Arranged for transportation? Y'mean you hotwired a car in the parking lot?"
"What…? No. I got us a boat."
"We're going the rest of the way on a boat!?" Shirlie exclaimed.
"No. That would take multiple days. We'd have to go all the way down and around the state to do that. New York City is only two hours away by car. We're going to take a boat into the city."
"What's the point of a boat if we're driving most of the way?" Ripley asked groggily.
"I really don't want to chance a Stand battle on a heavily populated bridge suspended over the ocean, do you? It seems like you guys have a pretty nasty habit of getting into explosive fights wherever you go. We're going to take an indirect route to protect the innocent."
"That makes sense." Ripley admitted.
"I think it was cool as hell when we flipped that car over on the highway." Shirlie shrugged. "Sometimes you just need a little spectacle."
"There will be no spectacle on this trip." Ezra warned. "I called in about a dozen favors to get us this boat. It's unmanned, registered under a fake identity, and totally untraceable to you guys. There's no way Blondie could have eyes on it."
"You expect us to get on some super-secret boat that you acquired via mysterious favors? We still don't know whether or not you can even be trusted." Marina huffed.
"Marina!" Shirlie groaned. "I told you, Ezra's a good person! Even right now, she's telling the truth about her intentions! If anyone's being an emotional stinker right now, it's definitely you."
The blonde just crossed her arms and brooded for a moment. Something about Ezra rubbed her the wrong way, but she seemed to be in the minority there. Everyone was so quick to trust the living Ex Machina that arrived just in time to save their asses the night before, but she wasn't buying it. She was honestly surprised Shizuka didn't side with her on the matter. That's when her eyes drifted over to the chair that Shizuka fell asleep in.
"Uhm… Where's Jojo?" She looked around.
"I think I saw her sneaking out of the room about a half hour ago." Ezra said.
"And you didn't say anything!?" Marina scoffed.
"She seemed troubled by something. One of you should probably go and check on her. She had a pretty tough battle with Aura last night. That may have something to do with it."
Marina decided to shift her attention back to Shizuka. She'd worry about Ezra's questionable decision making later.
"I'll go talk to her." She sighed. "The poor thing's been going through an awful lot lately. Sometimes you gotta remember she's just a kid."
Ezra nodded and stepped out of the doorway. The rest of the crew stayed in the hospital room while Marina went looking for Shizuka.
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
Shizuka was standing on the balcony, about three halls down from the room as she thought about The Circle Game's vision from the night before. The sun hadn't quite risen yet, casting a dim hue of warmth over the dark sky as she stared out into the city of Baltimore. She let out a sigh upon hearing someone approach from behind. She knew she wasn't alone anymore. After a passing glance over her shoulder, she saw Marina standing in the double-doorway of the balcony.
"Hey." She frowned, turning her head back to the city.
Marina walked out and leaned her elbows on the railing beside Shizuka. She didn't look at the girl, opting to appreciate the view and let the silence sit for a moment. After she felt like enough time had passed, she blew a bit of air out of her mouth awkwardly.
"Something on your mind, kiddo?"
"I don't feel like a kiddo." Shizuka muttered.
"Pfft, I understand that. When I was your age, I thought I was basically grown up! I wasn't anything like those silly third graders below me." Marina chuckled.
"That's not what I mean." Shizuka frowned.
Another bout of silence followed.
"Yeah, I know…" Marina sighed. "You definitely have to deal with some shit. It's not fair."
"That's also not what I mean." The girl grit her teeth in frustration.
"Well, out with it. What do you mean?" Marina raised a brow.
Shizuka inspected the palm of her hand carefully for a moment. She remembered reading somewhere that most people had different palms. There were even people who would read your palm and tell your future from it. She wondered if her palm was identical to Tsuru's. Were her fingerprints the same as her mother's? Did she have anything in the world that was entirely her own?
"Do you have any memories of a pregnant Japanese woman hanging around your estate growing up?" She asked quietly.
Marina was floored by the question. "Blimey… I think I do? That's really far back, though. You totally just unlocked some early memories of mine." She admitted.
"Yeah… I get the feeling." Shizuka sighed.
"I think she was a friend of my dad? There was this shack on the far corner of the property that I wasn't allowed anywhere near. She lived there for a while if I recall correctly. What on Earth's got you asking about something so long ago?"
"That woman's name was Tsuru Nishioka, and she was my mother."
A third silence filled the morning air as Marina processed that information. She placed a hand on her chin and did some quick mental math. The years definitely added up, but she wasn't sure about the details.
"Hold on a minute. I was about eight or nine years old back then… I remember seeing her baby when she was born! Just the once, though! The lady moved away shortly after she gave birth. Are you telling me that baby was you?"
"I'm afraid the answer's even more complicated." Shizuka cupped her face in both hands and sighed. "This is gonna sound really weird, but you might be the only person in the world who would believe me without any evidence…"
"Okay, Jojo. Shoot." Marina crossed her arms, feeling the conversation's gravity setting in.
"I wasn't just the baby. I'm Tsuru Nishioka… I'm a perfect biological replica of her… My eyes, my nose, my fingerprints… They're all hers. The Stand that's been piggybacking on me all this time is hers… She called it The Circle Game. It told me everything. I have her memories, and I don't know what to do." She hugged herself, leaning away from Marina.
The adult found herself in a bit of disbelief when Shizuka said such wild things all of the sudden, but she didn't shy away from the claim. She stepped closer to Shizuka, not allowing the girl to flee from her in a time of stress.
"Okay, I believe you. I don't know why someone would make something like that up." She nodded, looking at the girl carefully. "But… why?"
"She needed to defeat Blondie, that's why! They're enemies, or something… I guess they were enemies before she died and made me! Now I'm supposed to carry on her legacy or whatever, but I don't know what to do? How am I supposed to live with this stuff!? My entire life is some big scheme crafted by a madwoman… She put me with my dad because he would be able to protect me… My dad, Marina! The only reason I have my parents is because my previous life thought their house was a viable place for me to grow!"
"Shizuka…" Marina frowned, reaching over to put a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"I'm a horrible person! She hurt people, Marina! She experimented on them to gain information… I remember how sick it made her feel. Why is this happening to me?" She whimpered, tears welling in her eyes.
Marina didn't let it go on for one more second. She swept Shizuka up into a big hug, cradling the girl's head against her chest and holding her close. She rubbed the back of Shizuka's head, resting her chin on top of it with a little coo as her eyes closed. Her other hand gently circled around Shizuka's back, and she had no intentions of letting go anytime soon. Shizuka squirmed in defiance for a moment, but quickly surrendered to the embrace. She sniffled a few times before letting out a quiet sob into Marina's shirt.
"You are not a horrible person. I don't care what this Tsuru person did, okay? I don't care if you're a perfect clone of her, or whatever else! You're Shizuka Joestar, goddammit. You're a wonderful ball of sunshine, and you'd never hurt someone who didn't deserve it. Nobody can take your identity away from you. None of it has to matter." Marina assured her.
"But it does matter…" Shizuka whimpered. "She was in so much pain, Marina. I remember how it felt. I experienced all of those memories from her perspective… She thought she was a bad person, and… I think I agree." She admitted.
After taking a moment to think, Marina lifted her chin off of Shizuka's head and gazed out into the Baltimore skyline. "Do you remember how I would knock on the door to her shack and peek inside? She'd always scold me about how my dad didn't want me near the building, but she seemed to enjoy the company… She kept these sweet little pastries in one of her cabinets, and would always give me one when I trekked over to see her. I never saw her eat one, so I guess she kept them just for me." She explained fondly.
"I don't remember that…" Shizuka whispered.
"Hmmm…" Marina nodded. "I wonder why that is. It's probably my clearest memory of her. This pregnant woman was holed up in a shack on my property, and instead of stuffing a brownie into her mouth, she'd give it to the annoying British girl who always invaded her privacy… That doesn't sound like a monster to me."
"I guess she only showed me the important parts…" Shizuka frowned.
"Well that part was important." Marina shook her head. "You don't know everything about this woman. You may have seen into her past in a way that nobody else ever could, but that doesn't mean you know her. I interacted with her all the time, and she was the sweetest, funniest, and most aloof woman around. You wanna know something hilarious in retrospect?"
Shizuka nodded slowly.
"I always kind of hoped that she and my dad were together… I thought maybe she had to live in a different house because of adult things I didn't understand… But I hoped she would be my mom someday, and I dreamed about that baby being my little sister."
Shizuka couldn't help but let out a tearful laugh at that. "W-Wow… That would really be something."
"She sounds like too much for my old man… But I guess half of it came true." Marina hugged Shizuka tighter. "You're like a baby sister to me, Jojo. A crazy strong, wildly intelligent super sister, but a baby sister nonetheless…" She tousled the girl's hair playfully before pulling away. "That's what counts, y'know? The family you choose."
The little girl wiped her eyes and nodded in agreement. "I just have a lot to process, I guess… All of this happened because I wanted answers about my past, but now I kinda wish I could unknow it."
"You'll have plenty of time to unpack it all when we kick Blondie's ass into the fourth dimension. Sounds good?" Marina snickered.
"Oh my gosh… Her Stand! The Circle Game is how Tsuru plans for me to defeat Blondie." Shizuka gasped. "I almost forgot… That's how we win. I just have to get The Circle Game to Blondie and let it take care of everything."
"Holy hell, that's incredible!" Marina gave the girl a swift pat on the back. "See? There's a silver lining to everything! Speaking of silver… That weirdo lady with the mask got us a boat to enter New York. We just have to drive most of the way."
"Well yeah, it's an island." Shizuka shrugged.
"Oi, I grew up on an island. Don't talk to me about islands." Marina grinned, wrapping an arm around Shizuka and guiding her inside.
"I grew up on an island too, y'know. It's a smaller island than England." Shizuka protested.
"Oh please. New York's got so much concrete connecting it to the mainland, it's basically a peninsula at this point."
"I don't think that's how geography works."
"Your past life was a biologist, right? Well, I happen to be a clone of a world-famous peninsula-identifier. Jealous?"
They both laughed, closing the balcony doors and walking back to meet with the others. Sometimes, all a girl needs is to laugh it off with her sister.
The group arrived at the harbor after a few hours on the road. Everyone was waiting around on the docks while Ezra scouted the area. Shizuka was still a little preoccupied by the new information bouncing around her mind. She couldn't help but think about Tsuru's words; how she would gain all of the woman's knowledge when she was old enough. Would she even need to go to college? She had so many questions!
Ezra returned after five minutes or so with a single key attached to a dripping sinker. She swung it around her index finger for a moment before closing it in her palm.
"The area's clear. Our boat's at the end of the marina."
"Y'know, it's funny. I've never been a fan of boats. My father had a yacht club and could never get me to go with him… He'd always joke that I was ruining my namesake." Marina chuckled.
"Is that why you've been so snippy all day, Princess? You're afraid of the ocean?" Ripley smirked.
"Oi! Not afraid of the ocean. There's a big difference between fear and hatred." The blonde crossed her arms with a scoff.
Ripley trailed two fingers up Marina's arm and leaned close, whispering into her ear. "I'll make sure you get a lifejacket."
"The name of the game today is 'inconspicuous.' We don't want to draw any attention to ourselves. Because of this, we're taking an indirect route into the city. There are only so many ways into New York, but I doubt Blondie can cover them all. It'll take about fifty minutes, and there's no bathroom on the boat. Everyone's sure they don't need to go?" Ezra asked again.
"Yes, Mum." Marina sighed. "I made sure to tinkle at the gas station."
"Pointing out my maternal nature isn't the insult you think it is." Ezra seemed to smile underneath the cloth obscuring her lips. "Let's go."
They made their way to the end of the marina and arrived at the boat in question. It was a rugged, dinky little yacht with dents and peeling paint all around. Near the bottom left of the ship's front side, the name "Redneck Yacht Club" read in bold crimson text. Everyone stared at the boat in silence for a minute before Ripley finally laughed.
"Ezra, you've got good taste. Does it come with a case of room-temperature Miller Lite?" She gave the woman a pat on the shoulder.
"This… isn't exactly what was discussed on the phone." Ezra's shoulders slumped a bit. "He made it sound a bit better than this."
"If there's a dead body onboard, do we get our deposit back?" Pepsi crossed their arms, concealing a grin.
"Guys, give Ezra a break. She tried really hard!" Marina kept a straight face for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Oh Jesus! Does your special connection have eleven toes, by any chance?"
"That's offensive." Ezra muttered in a neutral tone and stepped closer toward the ship.
"If it floats, it's a boat." Shizuka shrugged, hopping onboard. "But it does smell like cigarettes."
"Among other things." Shirlie joined the girl on the boat. "You don't wanna know what kinds of residual empathy I'm feeling on this boat… It's like an emotional blacklight, lots of stains…"
"All of you are hilarious. Has everyone gotten their zingers in? Can we go?" Ezra stepped onto the yacht and crossed her arms in frustration.
"Of course." Marina joined her. "Just one question, and please answer it honestly. How much did this connection of yours charge you?"
Ezra hung her head with a sigh. "Seven-thousand dollars."
"Bwahahahahahahahahaha! Seven-thousand!? Blimey, I've got a bridge to sell ya after this." Marina slapped her knee in utter joy.
"If I understand the situation correctly, we have forty-eight hours until Blondie begins murdering members of Shizuka's family for the stolen feather. If you think this is a good use of our time, by all means, continue." Ezra huffed.
"Someone's a bad sport." Shirlie hummed as she walked deeper into the yacht.
As the group settled on the boat, Ezra walked into the cabin and took a look around. First, she made her way over to the steering wheel and stuck the key into the ignition. The boat roared to life, and she saw there was a full tank of fuel as promised. The woman sighed, looking out the window and watching the sunlight glisten against the ocean's waves.
Everyone else seemed to be distracted by the ship's sorry state on the deck, but Shirlie wandered into the cabin to see what Ezra was up to. She folded her hands behind her back, watching as Ezra got the boat ready. Pa-Pa-Power fazed through the doorway, but his head was halfway through the ceiling when he stood upright. This caused him to squat, and his butt knocked a half-finished bottle of cola off the table behind him. It toppled onto the floor, spilling warm, old cola all over the cheap cabin carpeting.
"Hello, Shirlie." Ezra mumbled without turning around.
The redhead smiled sheepishly, walking closer to the control console and peering at Ezra from the side.
"Hey… Is everything in working order?" She tilted her head.
"Yes. We'll get to shore without any issues."
"Cool, cool… Really cool." Shirlie puffed some air out of her mouth and bit her lip. She wanted to bring something up, and her tension filled the room like a fish tank as she built herself up to it.
Ezra clearly took notice of this, glancing at Shirlie over her shoulder. "Is something wrong?"
The redhead frowned, groaning in defeat. "I guess I'm just curious why you're not telling the others? You know… About all this?" She gestured to Ezra's body.
The mysterious woman tensed up a bit, looking back toward the controls as she thought of what to say. "I'm not sure what you're referring to."
"Listen, you can't lie to Pa-Pa-Power. I know what's up… I guess I just don't know why? Is there a reason you're hiding it from everybody? We can keep a secret, you know."
"This secret shouldn't even be spoken about, let alone told." Ezra turned to face Shirlie with serious eyes. "I'm sure this boat is safe, but the slim chance that it's been bugged or tampered with isn't lost on me. I'm asking you to drop it, Shirlie. Everything will be clear in due time."
Shirlie sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Alright, alright… I just gotta say, it definitely suits you. You're really pretty." She snickered, walking out of the cabin, leaving Ezra alone.
The silver-haired woman cupped her face in both hands before letting out a groan. She should have known that Pa-Pa-Power would see right through her. Despite that, she trusted Shirlie to keep things discreet for at least forty-eight hours. That's all she needed.
Shizuka stood on the deck of the decrepit yacht as the waves splashed against the side of the ship. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the mist against her skin as the water broke and flew into the air. She was so close to home, it all started to smell familiar. The sea's aroma, the cooler temperature compared to the west and south, and the tall skyscrapers threatening to pierce the clouds in the distance all reminded her that she was home again.
Everyone was relatively silent as the yacht bounded across the water. They knew what was coming in New York. This was probably their last chance to relax before everything went to hell. Shirlie leaned against the railing with both her elbows as a little scowl formed on her face. Shizuka noticed this, stepping closer to the girl and tilting her head.
"Something wrong?" She raised her brow.
The redhead seemed surprised by Shizuka's existence- she was so caught up in her own thoughts!
"Oh, heya stinker." She put on a fake smile, but Shizuka wasn't buying it. This caused Shirlie's expression to sink back into a contemplative grimace as she stared out into the sea. "Something feels wrong. I'm getting patchy emotional signals from someone close by."
"Someone other than the six of us?" Shizuka frowned. "We're pretty close to the city. Could it just be a general interference?"
Shirlie just stared into the water for a moment, almost missing Shizuka's question. "I can feel the city, it's different. There might be another boat close by… But…" She sighed.
"But?" Shizuka felt on edge.
"But, it could mean someone's closer than we think." Shirlie admitted.
As if on cue, the boat ground to a halt. They stopped so quickly that Shizuka had to grab onto the railing to keep her footing. She turned toward the cabin in confusion. Ezra was still behind the wheel. What the heck was happening?
"Oi! New York's a lot wetter than I remember. You sure we've arrived?" Marina shouted to Ezra.
The silver-haired woman stepped out of the cabin with a worried expression. "The yacht stopped moving on its own."
Ripley let out a nervous chuckle. "I mean, that's to be expected, right? This thing isn't exactly a Mercedes."
"No," Ezra shook her head. "This ship was carefully inspected by my connection just this morning. It should have a full tank of fuel and reach New York with no issues."
"This might be a good time to mention that I've been feeling some kind of emotional presence close by for a few minutes now?" Shirlie mumbled.
Ezra narrowed her eyes. "Yes, this would be a good time. I'd have preferred it if you told me the moment it happened, though."
"Well she didn't, lady." Marina took a step closer and crossed her arms. "Are you suggesting somebody sabotaged our shitty ship? Who on Earth would do that? I thought you said this was untraceable."
"Nothing is untraceable. I just took several steps to make tracing us harder." Ezra admitted with a groan. "It's entirely possible that we're being followed."
"In that case, I guess it's a good thing we've got a couple of badasses on this boat, huh?" Marina punched her open palm with a smile.
"People." Ripley gripped the railing and stood up straight. "You're gonna need to see this."
About twenty feet away from the Redneck Yacht Club stood a lone man. His feet were pointed, and his bare toes rested sharply against the water. He stood atop the wavering blue mass like it was solid ground. A vertical white line of energy extended for around three feet in front of and behind him. From there, four circles extended in each cardinal direction. They contained five rippling layers that flowed from the line at the man's feet. The spectacle almost resembled a butterfly flapping its rippling wings along the gentle ocean waves. Shizuka's eyes widened as she stared at the rippling water. She recognized this formation. Granted, she'd never seen it on such a scale, but the pattern was spot on. She remembered marveling at that rippling butterfly as a little girl.
This was Hamon.
This man was standing on the water using a special breathing technique, one that Shizuka knew well. She watched as his chest moved in such perfect, steady huffs. He was certainly a master. No amateur Hamon User would be able to stand on the ocean's waves like that. What was a Hamon Master doing there?
"Oh geez…" Shizuka frowned, realizing he was probably here to kill her. "I'm really slow sometimes."
"Slow?" Marina took a step closer to the railing. "Call me molasses then, Jojo. While you're at it, go ahead and explain what's going on here."
"I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that this guy might not be a Stand User." Shizuka explained.
"That's great." Shirlie nodded. "...yet you're still afraid of him?"
"I hate the whole 'good news, bad news' formula… It's best to lead with the bad news." The girl sighed. "I think he might be a Hamon Master… It's an ancient martial art that's been passed down for centuries, and it's incredibly dangerous."
"You're joking!" Marina spat. "Introducing something like that so late in the game? That's not fair!"
"Depending on who you ask, some might say Stands came out of nowhere in a Hamon User's world." Shizuka shrugged, thinking about how the Speedwagon Foundation relied so heavily on Hamon Masters before the widespread knowledge of Stands began in the eighties.
"Hamon?" Ezra asked curiously. "How dangerous is it, exactly?"
Shizuka was an astute judge of character. She wasn't anywhere near as keen as Shirlie when it came to picking up on the subtle nuance, but she understood Ezra's current stare. The woman was glaring at the enemy like a panther would before a pounce. She saw traces of conflict on Ezra's brow as well. It was almost as if the woman viewed herself to be capable of killing the man with her stare alone, but wasn't certain about whether she should use such a power.
"If this guy's a master, he could kill us all." Shizuka admitted.
"Understood." Ezra snarled. "Listen up, everybody. Our enemy is approximately twenty feet away. None of us have long-range abilities, meaning we have to get close. He can walk on water, and I doubt he's willing to hop onto our boat for a fair fight. What do we do?"
Ezra's tone had shifted to that of a natural leader. She was already rallying her troops and encouraging everyone to brainstorm strategies.
"I've got something with a bit of range, but it won't do much good from here." Marina raised her hand.
"I could try to overload his emotions? Maybe that would mess with his ability to stand on water?" Shirlie suggested.
"That won't work." Shizuka shook her head. "If this guy's the real deal, he's basically a monk. He can hold his breath for twenty minutes, meditates for hours every day, and has a completely sound mind. Even if you managed to fluster him, I don't think it would show."
"That's awfully convenient. We can't even drown him?" Marina groaned.
"No, but our plan should still be trapping him underwater. If he can't breathe, he can't summon any more Hamon. Then, he'll just be limited to whatever's in his blood." Shizuka paused for a moment as she considered the amount of Hamon that she contained in her own blood.
Wait… Was she a higher being like Dio and Santana? She knew the answer, but not the broader implications. Could Hamon melt her like a monster? That seemed unlikely, judging by the remnants of Tsuru's formula she had in her mind. She was too young to process it all, but Shizuka had access to a wide breadth of knowledge thanks to her 'Mother.'
If she understood things correctly, Shizuka had a balance of Hamon, vampiric and Pillar Man blood inside her body. The values were all carefully selected, and Tsuru stressed for quite some time about the specifics. If she was hit with a blast of Hamon, it could throw off the entire system and cause her to collapse.
"Uhm… One more thing." She bit her lip. "I can't risk being hit by his Hamon."
"Just you?" Ripley raised a brow.
"Just me. I'll explain later, but Hamon doesn't have any adverse effects on humans. I'm part… something else." Shizuka sighed.
"Is this about your mom?" Marina frowned.
"We'll talk about it later!" Shizuka gritted her teeth. "Who the heck even is this guy!? He's just been staring at us this whole time!"
A masculine laugh filled the salty air.
"Ah, sorry! Are you finished? I figured it was only fair to let you all conduct a plan. I'm not one to ambush anybody."
Marina clenched her jaw and slammed her fist against the yacht's railing. "But you are one to break boats and strand us at sea?"
The man shrugged, his movements calculated and fluid. He moved like the sea that surrounded him. As he held his arms out, they swayed subconsciously with the waves.
"I needed to stop the boat. It's nothing personal. You and your friends can't reach the city just yet. Not until I have what I need." He lowered his head.
"What you need?" Shizuka snarled. "Is that code for the feather and my head on a platter?"
"Essentially. Your friends are in no danger, Shizuka Joestar. Not unless they interfere."
"What a classic line! Somebody's gonna win an award for writing your shoddy script!" Marina grit her teeth. "Like we're gonna let Jojo fight you alone!"
Shizuka bit her lip as she thought about her new ability. Flower Child was leaps and bounds ahead of Ultra Violet in terms of offensive capabilities. She was able to conjure up physical rays of light and use them against Aura the night before. If she could make light physical and also bend it to her will…
Pepsi's eyes widened as they saw Shizuka climbing up onto the railing. Everyone else was distracted by the enemy on the water, but nothing got past Pepsi. They gasped, reaching out for Shizuka and stumbling over to the edge of the ship.
"Shizuka!" They shouted.
Without second thought, Shizuka leapt off the Redneck Yacht Club and toward the water below. A slope of radiant light formed beneath her and acted as a brief slide to shift her momentum. She rolled onto the light, standing up and brushing her skirt off. The light shifted into a small rectangle beneath her feet. She tried to preserve her energy, making the platform as small as possible. It extended for about sixteen inches in all directions beyond her white sneakers.
The man stared at her for a moment before taking two steps toward her. The water rippled all around his toes, resonating with a bell-like tone each step.
"I respect your attitude, kid. No need to involve the others. This is your fight." He smirked.
"You pretty much picked the perfect spot for it. Nobody else can follow us out here." Shizuka growled.
Her footing was shaky at best. She wavered slightly in the sea's breeze, careful to maintain her balance on the slim platform of light. Technically, she should be able to make light fit perfectly to the bottoms of her shoes and stand on that, but she would lose her balance immediately if she tried such a thing. For the time being, she had to waste energy with a larger platform. Shizuka knew that this fight was operating on borrowed time. She wasn't too familiar with Flower Child's limitations, but her body was already beginning to grow heavier with exhaustion. She'd give herself three minutes tops before the light disappeared and sent her into the ocean below. Her enemy was in an entirely different boat. As long as he kept his breathing steady, he could stand on the water for hours. She was aware of the discrepancy and intended to work around it.
Marina was seconds from jumping into the water after Shizuka when she felt a firm hand gripping her arm. She swung her head to the side with a deathly stare. Ezra Dawn had grabbed her, and she'd nearly had it with the mysterious woman.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She shouted at Ezra.
"I could ask you the same. Are you able to stand on water, Marina?" Ezra asked quickly.
The blonde's eyes shot away as she let out a brief huff.
"I thought so. Shizuka would only have to protect you. We have to leave the fight to her for the time being. There are other issues to address, like what that man did to our boat. I might need your powers to make repairs. Come with me."
Marina gave Shizuka a quick glance and frowned. "I can't just leave her alone."
"Ripley and the twins will be on standby. Now come." Ezra practically dragged Marina to the back of the yacht.
The rest of the group stood by the railing and watched Shizuka intently. Shirlie was rocking nervously as she gripped the rail. Pepsi placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her still.
"Is there anything we can do to help her?" They asked softly.
"I don't have much electricity to work with." Ripley sighed. "The skies are clear and beautiful, not to mention that we're in the middle of the ocean."
"Didn't you siphon electricity from a distance last night?" Pepsi raised a brow.
"I can't really do that without some initial power to work with. Harnessing electricity from the powerlines helped me establish a connection. It's far easier to grab additional power when there's already something to work with. All I feel on this yacht are a couple of cellphones, light bulbs, and a battery."
"If worst comes to worst, can you use the battery for an attack?" Shirlie pondered.
"This yacht's shitty in every way, including the battery. It's possible that I could use the battery for one strong attack, but I'm not even sure how to deliver it. Sending electricity through the open air uses a majority of the power just to keep a solid form. The water would be a fine delivery method, but it seems like that guy's using Hamon to stand on its surface. I don't know how his Hamon would interact with my electricity."
"What you're saying is," Pepsi bit their lip. "All we can really do is watch?"
The agent nodded grimly.
Shizuka stared her opponent down across the gentle waves. She finally took a moment to get a good look at him. He was a handsome man of Taiwanese descent with long greying hair held tightly in a bun. He looked to be in his sixties or so, which meant he was probably close to her father's age. The life-energy of Hamon caused its most adept users to look younger than their age. The severity of this effect was entirely dependent on the user's skill and discipline. Shizuka's grandmother Lisa Lisa appeared to be in her early thirties well after her fiftieth birthday. Joseph looked like he was in his late fifties when he was about to turn seventy, and she'd heard of a man named Straits who only looked fifty or so when he was almost eighty years old. The fact that this new opponent looked to be around sixty was a bad sign. Either he was a lackluster Hamon User, or he was an incredibly powerful and old master.
She watched the way he rose slightly with the ebbing waves. His body moved like water, contrary to Shizuka's cruder method of standing on a stationary platform of light. When the waves rose above her light, water splashed over her sneakers and ankles. The man's feet didn't seem to have a drop of water on them. The difference between their strength seemed too great. Sure, she didn't know if the man had a Stand Ability, but did he even need one? Decades of martial arts training alongside an environmental advantage might have been all he needed against a little girl.
"My name is Sting." The man broke Shizuka's train of thought as he called across the water. "I assume you're sizing me up and coming up with a strategy? Debbie told me you're smart. I like that. You can have all the time you need to scheme. Just tell me when you're ready."
His manners were pristine, Shizuka had to give him that. She decided to tug a little at his words.
"Debbie?"
"Ah, my apologies. She goes by Dolly these days. You might even know her as Blondie. Heh, there was a time when only one man was allowed to call her that. I suppose it stuck. In my opinion, it's classless to pick your own nickname."
"Coming from a man named Sting?" Shizuka raised her brow.
That brought a hardy laugh from the man. "You're a lot like Joseph, kid! It really is a shame… I'd love to see the woman you could become."
It almost seemed too good to be true, but Shizuka wondered if Sting could be reasoned with.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but you seem a little too sane and polite to be here." Shizuka shrugged. "Why the heck are you fighting me?"
Sting rubbed his chin thoughtfully as thin loose hairs blew around behind him. He had aged like a fine wine, but the years were finally visible on his face. Not only that, but it would get worse in the coming years. Near the end of a Hamon Master's life, the years all caught up. He was eighty-two and felt every single day weighing on his shoulders. The aging process was incredibly alarming. At his current rate, he seemed to be aging a month every day. He was around sixty-four physically, but it would be a matter of weeks before he looked every bit eighty-two. The thought terrified him.
"I'm sure your father told you the story of Dire Straits? I'm sad to admit that we share a similar story. I'm growing old, Shizuka. I've dedicated my entire life to becoming one with nature. Hurricane winds don't shake me. Tidal waves could not drown me. But as I stare into oblivion at the end of my time on this beautiful planet, I don't feel peace. I don't want to return my essence to the ground and become one with nature. I want to live."
Shizuka felt her face contorting into a disgusted scowl as she heard Sting's pathetic sob story.
"People grow old and die, Sting. You can't just opt out of nature."
"That's rich coming from you." He kept his composure, yet there was a touch of venom in his voice. "Debbie told me everything. I'm a monk, Shizuka, but even I have my limits. I won't stand here and be lectured about the natural order of things by the likes of you."
She felt her stomach drop at the revelation.
"I guess that means Blondie knows about me?"
"She has a pretty good theory. That's why she sent me to take care of you. I don't know what I could do against your Stand-wielding friends, but something tells me you'll come undone from a simple dose of Hamon." He flexed his right hand, causing it to charge with erratic bolts of golden energy.
Joseph always told Shizuka that information was the most valuable resource in the world. People would die just to acquire valuable information for their team. She thought that she had a secret to hide from Blondie, but that wasn't the case. If Sting knew that Hamon worked against Shizuka, their battle just became much more complicated.
"To be frank, it doesn't feel like you're strategizing right now. In fact, you're just wasting time. How long can you keep that platform of light steady? I doubt you can hold it for as long as my Hamon. You need to make a move." He glared at the girl.
Shizuka felt her stomach drop. Had he been playing her since the beginning? She was relieved to have some time to consider her options, but it took up more than half of her three minutes! She wouldn't be able to keep the platform stable for much longer. Sting wasn't as polite as he seemed. It was all a lie to make his enemies complacent! She needed to remember that. Sting was a monster who killed children. He wanted to kill her.
"Flower Child!" She shouted, vanishing into thin air.
Sting focused his eyes in an attempt to see any sign of the girl's location. Maybe there would be a slight shimmer, or the faintest outline? His eyesight wasn't what it used to be. That was okay. He'd rely on his other senses instead. The Hamon Master closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The sea air filled his lungs and powered his body with more Hamon. The sound of gentle waves flowed through both ears and soothed his mind. The only other thing to be heard was the Redneck Yacht Club rocking twenty feet away. He needed to filter out the unnecessary sounds and look for tiny footsteps. Shizuka could've lifted her platform above the water to avoid splashing.
After fifteen seconds of dead silence, he picked up on the sound of clicking sneakers around five O'clock in front of him. Sting reached out and swiped precisely at where an ankle should have been. His eyes widened, and he couldn't help but smile when he connected with something that felt like a leg. Shizuka appeared in front of him and struggled against the man's forceful grip.
"Sorry, kid. I'll do my best to make it painless." Sting sighed, mentally preparing himself.
"Overdrive!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, sending out a surge of powerful Hamon.
The golden power resonated against Shizuka's ankle, but it didn't spread throughout her body. Sting watched as it sparked and glowed for about three inches in any direction around where he was holding. His mind lagged behind by just a second or two, but that was all the girl needed.
The real Shizuka leapt in from behind, stomping her leg against the light platform and driving Flower Child's fist into Sting's back. She felt just how much faster her new Stand was than Ultra Violet and realized that she had time for an entire barrage of attacks.
"Hora hora hora hora hora hora hora hora hora hora hora hora!" She screamed, getting about thirty powerful punches into Sting's back and sending him flying forward.
The man felt as if all the air was knocked out of his lungs in an instant. What happened to him? Shizuka's trick finally registered about five seconds too late in his mind! She created a mirage of light and made sure only the bit Sting grabbed was actually physical. That's why his Hamon didn't surge through the entire surface. There was only a tiny segment to touch! His body skipped across the water like a stone as he tried to stay on the surface. Unfortunately, he'd sink into the water due to a lack of air in his body. Shizuka had knocked the wind out of him! That was the most dangerous way to attack a Hamon User. He'd underestimated her Stand Ability since she was such a little girl. She wouldn't land another attack like that. He was sure of it.
Shizuka panted for air as she watched her opponent skip across the water and eventually sink beneath the surface. She needed to conserve as much Stand Power as possible. Her chest felt heavy, and every breath stung as it passed through her lungs. She wanted to sprint over and drown Sting while he was down, but her instincts warned her to stay back. This man was a Hamon Master. She couldn't underestimate him. Such a thing could easily be the last mistake she ever made.
Sting slowly dragged himself out of the water. It was a sight to behold, defying nature in such a beautiful way. He slammed two palms onto the surface and used it like a pull-up bar. Once his stomach was above the water, he swung his legs up and carefully rested his feet against the gentle waves. Just like that, he was good as new.
Despite being a master of breathing, Sting struggled to moderate his heaving chest. Shizuka really did a number on his back. He was getting too old for fighting, which terrified him beyond belief. One more barrage like that and he'd likely sink to the bottom of the ocean like an anchor. Still, all he needed was a good overdrive to finish Shizuka for good.
"Do you know where I got my nickname, Shizuka?" Sting huffed as he collected himself. "It's the same reason I chose this arena."
He took a deep breath before swiping his left leg across the water, kicking up a large splash. Before it could return to the ocean, he swung an open palm across the liquid and infused it with Hamon. A high-pitched chime rang through the area as the water sparked with a golden light. Sting roundhouse kicked the stationary water and sent it flying toward Shizuka. It broke into Hamon-infused droplets and soared through the air like tiny daggers.
Shizuka's eyes widened, and she barely had enough time to respond. She lifted both arms in front of her face in an X-shape to protect her eyes. The water droplets zipped past her, several managed to draw blood from her exposed skin. She winced in pain, clenching her jaw and bracing herself for more. After the slew of water was finished, she took a look at her arms. Blood ran down both arms in a watery trail before dripping into the sea. She was startled by the sheer volume before realizing that the wounds were caused by weaponized water and would run faster than normal.
The girl felt her arms twitching sporadically as faint hints of golden Hamon sparked along them. She held her breath in fear, wondering if it would be enough to throw off her carefully balanced biology. After about three seconds of panic, she decided to ignore it.
Turns out she had good timing, because when she directed her attention back toward Sting, he was already preparing another ranged attack. She summoned Flower Child and prepared it for the incoming projectiles. Her newly evolved ability was a fully matured realization of Ultra Violet. Flower Child was faster, had even more dominion of light, and could even operate at further distances than its older iteration. There had to be a downside somewhere, and Shizuka was about to find that out.
The droplets whizzed toward their target and were intercepted by the agile Stand. Flower Child swiped all of the water droplets out of the air and protected Shizuka, only to find its own hands flickering weakly. Flower Child's skin was composed of pure light, and underneath the surface was a faint blue glow. This shined through the surface and showed that the Stand was injured. Shizuka looked down at her own hands and found them bleeding profusely.
"Agh!" She cried out, biting hard on her lip.
Flower Child was faster, stronger, and more reliable in a brawl, but Shizuka found its drawback. It had almost no durability. Most combat Stands would've been able to deflect those water droplets like they were pieces of popcorn, but Flower Child's hands shattered upon contact. She couldn't tank hits like she used to. Her own body might very well be more durable than the light Stand's.
Another barrage of water came her way, and Shizuka came up with a quick workaround for her Stand's shortcomings. She summoned a panel of light and had it extend vertically in front of her body. The water stabbed into the pillar of light and vibrated like throwing darts for a moment before dissolving back into liquid form. Shizuka watched the water trail down her barrier like a car window and considered her next move.
"This is getting really annoying." She growled.
Marina and Ezra were standing at the back of the yacht while Shizuka battled Sting in front of it. The blonde stared down at the waves with anxiety welling in her gut. Ezra walked out of the cabin and shoved a wrench into the waistband of her pants. She held a screwdriver of each type and took a deep breath.
"You're gonna wear that face mask underwater?" Marina raised a brow.
"I'm shy." Ezra mumbled.
"I'm not giving you mouth-to-mouth if you drown." Marina sighed, reaching down and unbuttoning her shirt. She tossed it onto a nearby chair and shoved her short hair into a quick ponytail. The woman adjusted her bra to make sure it was securely in place before stepping over to the edge of the yacht. "What's the plan again?"
"I'm going to figure out what he did to the boat, and you're going to help me fix it. Use your tongue to stick things back together, and fill any suspicious holes." Ezra explained.
"Is it really a Redneck Yacht Club if a topless blonde isn't filling suspicious holes with her tongue?" Marina chuckled to absolutely no response from Ezra. After a painful five-and-a-half seconds, she groaned. "Wow, tough crowd. Hop in, then. I'll be right behind you."
"Stay surfaced until I come and get you, alright? No need to risk drowning too soon." Ezra dove into the water and swam below the ship.
"You just had to mention drowning." Marina sighed, slowly dipping a toe into the sea.
Shizuka was running out of energy. She shrank her platform even further, feeling her weight shifting around as the light barely extended past her shoes in any direction. If she had to keep blocking with Flower Child's hard light, she'd fall into the ocean. That was Sting's plan, she knew it! If she could just close the distance and give him a good beating, this would all be over. He was staying back, probably respecting the power of her Stand. She just needed to fight smarter, or else she'd completely run out of power.
Smarter. How could she work smarter?
Sting prepared another rush of weaponized water and kicked it right at the little girl. Shizuka put the pieces together at the last possible moment. Instead of summoning a large wall of light, she had Flower Child manifest a small blade of pure light. The Stand was more than fast enough to properly deflect all of the projectiles with the makeshift weapon. She wondered if sharpened light would be a better tool than Flower Child's fists to fight with under other circumstances as well.
The old man chuckled when he saw Shizuka finally think to deflect the projectiles. It only took three barrages. She might have been bright, but she was still a child. He had this fight in the bag. He stomped across the water, closing the distance between them.
"I'm called Sting because it really stings to have your skin slowly shredded by tiny Hamon-infused scatter shots. I can do it with tons of things, though. Gravel, sand, eggshells, they all make good weapons! That's the thing about Hamon, Joestar. It's one with nature. Your Stand Ability is supernatural, which means my Hamon was invented to combat it as well. I am the most natural, spiritual warrior left in this world."
After a quick monologue, they were within scrapping range. Shizuka lunged forward and swung at her opponent with the shard of light. He easily dodged it, keeping his eyes on the fragment of light as it traveled through the air. It seemed like he could see hard light. That settled Shizuka's conundrum. She dropped the weapon and allowed it to return to a ray of light before fading away. With both its hands free, Flower Child flew toward Sting and sent a flurry of punishment his way.
Sting slammed his foot against the water in a powerful display, infusing it with the golden sparks of Hamon in an instant. Shizuka watched as the water formed a pillar in front of him, tanking all of Flower Child's punches. His Hamon was strong enough to hold the water together even after a brutal barrage of punches from the girl's Stand.
"I got that idea from your light, Shizuka. It seems like my Hamon can do anything your Stand does! How much longer do you think you can keep this going? I can see how tired you are! You've got no discipline! Look at your chest heaving. You're about out of breath."
"You really love the sound of your own voice." Shizuka snarled from behind him.
Sting's eyes widened when he heard the sudden voice from behind. He could still see Shizuka on the other side of his water pillar! How had she managed a trick like that?
"Hamon can do anything that my Stand can?" Shizuka raised her brow. "Let's see you do this."
It was easy enough to swap places with a non-physical light clone during the loud barrage of punches against the water pillar. Shizuka's footsteps were masked as she invisibly prowled to the other side of Sting, leaving a panting image of herself in her place to keep the man's attention. Now that she had his back once again, she was ready to finish things.
"HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORA!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Sting gritted his teeth and prepared himself for the worst. If he took one more barrage of powerful blows to the torso, his lungs would be too bruised to properly generate Hamon. He had to try something drastic, and fast. As Shizuka punched with her Stand, he drove his foot into the water and caused it to spark with Hamon.
Just as the girl's fist was about to connect with Sting's back, she felt something gripping Flower Child's wrist. She gasped, looking closer and discovering a fist made entirely out of water. Sting couldn't see her Flower Child, but he had decades of experience in combat and had a fairly good guess as to where it was going to punch.
The hand extended all the way from the ocean beneath their feet with a rippling arm. Shizuka had no idea that her opponent's dominion over water was this extreme.
"You sounded pretty conceited a moment ago, but yes… Anything your Stand does, my Hamon can do better." He snarled.
Shizuka gasped as half a dozen fists plunged out of the water and went straight for her. The largest of the group easily took her entire face into its hand and gripped it tightly. She struggled as the other fists grabbed and restrained her body. She could barely see through the ocean water as it held her face, but it wasn't hard to miss the sight of Sting preparing a powerful dose of Hamon in his right fist. She thrashed with all her might.
It finally made sense to her! She didn't understand how Sting managed to stop their boat from so far away, but it was so clear after seeing those fists of water. It was the reason he chose the ocean as his battlefield. Sting's Hamon went well beyond just standing on the surface of water. He had more control over it than any Hamon User she'd ever heard of. His Hamon traveled through the liquid and shaped it to his will. In a way, it was like a Stand. Their abilities weren't so different.
That's when she realized that the others were probably trying to repair the boat. Her heart sank. They couldn't! Everyone needed to stay as far away from the water as possible! She screamed into the watery fist that held her in an attempt to warn them, but no luck.
Ezra swam beneath the Redneck Yacht Club to get a good look at its propeller. In stark contrast with the ship's aesthetic, the propeller seemed to be in premium shape. It was new, shiny, and clearly taken care of. The only issue was that it had been severely bent. One of the three blades were all but snapped off! It jutted in the opposite direction of the other blades and seemed moments away from breaking apart entirely. It would take monstrous strength to break a propeller in such a way while the boat was moving! That explained why they came to such an abrupt stop.
She tried to understand the sequence of events. The boat stopped, and Sting was seen almost immediately after. Surely he wouldn't have had time to swim twenty feet away from the boat after sabotaging its propeller? She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Ezra had seen enough to know that this was a setup. She turned and kicked toward the surface, only to be grabbed on the ankle by something insanely strong! She coughed, bubbles slipping through the cracks of her mask as she looked down to see a hand in the water.
Ezra watched in horror as the water in front of her sparked uncontrollably with a golden light. Some of the water began to appear lighter and bluer than the rest. That bluer water took form as a sharp lance and continued to glow with Hamon. Ezra struggled against the hand holding her foot, but it was too late. The lance of water plunged its way through her stomach and came out the other end. All the air left her lungs in an instant, but the hand kept a firm grip on her ankle.
Marina was waiting on the surface like she was told. As the water around the back of the boat slowly tinted red, the blonde bit her lip nervously. After another few seconds, it was impossible to ignore. That was a lot of blood. Marina gritted her teeth and dove into the ocean. She sank into the water and opened her eyes to find salty irritation burning them straight away. She couldn't see very far in the murky ocean water, so she had to follow the red cloud in front of her.
After a moment, she bumped into a body. Marina wrapped her arms around Ezra and tugged the woman toward the surface. She felt a hand grip her ankle and shrieked into the water. Bubblegum Bitch appeared and viciously drove the handle of its bat into the water-hand. The grip loosened, and Marina whacked the hand away with BB's bat. She realized that a similar hand might be holding onto Ezra and swam a little deeper. The woman was running out of air, but she knew Ezra had been submerged even longer.
She found the hand that gripped Ezra's ankle and destroyed it with her bat. After that, she held Ezra tight and swam up to the surface. Her head broke free from the water first, and she gasped as loudly as she possibly could. The woman dragged Ezra over to the Redneck Yacht Club and hoisted her up with Bubblegum Bitch's assistance.
After climbing onto the yacht, Marina laid Ezra flat on her back and found the source of all the blood. She yanked the mask down until it was bunched around Ezra's neck. This revealed the woman's face for the first time. Marina was surprised by the woman's handsome features. She had a rather strong jawline, and even seemed to carry a bit of stubble on her chin. Marina raised her brow, glancing at Ezra's chest. She definitely had boobs, and she definitely told them she was a woman. The blonde shrugged it off, deciding it was none of her business. Maybe Ezra was shy for a reason? Marina Archer certainly said trans rights, but only if the person wanted her to know in the first place. Either way, Ezra was bleeding all over the boat and needed immediate medical attention.
"Oh, God…" She reached down, stopping just short of the gaping hole in Ezra's stomach.
The silver-haired woman opened her eyes and struggled to sit up. Marina shook her head, pinning Ezra down.
"Stay put, you stubborn bitch." She sighed. "You're losing a lot of blood. I can stick the wound shut on both ends, but I can't do anything about your missing blood, or whatever damage you have on the inside."
Ezra nodded wearily, resting her head and closing her eyes.
"Okay… This is gonna be a little gross, but don't worry." Marina chewed her tongue into a sticky piece of gum and spit it right onto the wound. She wasn't looking forward to what came next, but Ezra needed her. Marina used both her hands to spread the gum around the wound, fitting it to the hole and making sure there were no leaks. After that, she tapped it with her index finger and whispered, "Mend."
The tongue could follow one command with all of the kinetic energy from Marina's chewing. This time, she ordered it to seal the wound shut and hold the woman together. Ezra had to be in unbearable pain, but she didn't say a word. She didn't even groan. Marina was floored by the woman's control.
"Okay, now we've gotta flip you and do the other side." She frowned.
"Do it." Ezra grunted.
"Shizuka better finish that guy quick… We're in no condition to draw this out."
The child watched helplessly as Sting charged a powerful blast of Hamon in his right hand. She thrashed and kicked against the water that restrained her to no avail. She'd underestimated a Hamon master and was about to face the consequences. All four of her limbs, her face, and her neck were being held by the various liquid hands. Her stomach was perfectly exposed, and she felt practically naked at that moment.
"OverDRIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Sting roared as he delivered a jab directly into Shizuka's stomach.
All of the hands released Shizuka at once when the palm struck her stomach. The power built up in her center mass before bursting in a golden explosion. She was sent flying back at an incredible speed, her body skipping across the water helplessly before crashing against the yacht. All of the air left her lungs as her back slammed into the boat, and her vision went black. Shizuka sank into the water, quickly disappearing from view.
Ripley shouted for the child, nearly jumping into the water when she met eyes with Sting. The man sent dozens of water droplets toward the yacht and caught Ripley's cheek with them. She cried out in pain, wiping the blood from her face as she tried to see Shizuka in the murky water. If she or anyone else tried to dive in after the little girl, they'd be killed in an instant by Sting's horrifying water ability. They were stuck.
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
As Shizuka sank deeper into the ocean, a memory echoed through her mind. She tried to open her eyes, but there was nothing to see. She was surrounded by a thick black veil of darkness. She didn't know how her body was reacting to the blast of Hamon. Everything was numb. It didn't even seem like she needed to breathe. Was she dead? She had died before in a previous life. It didn't feel like this.
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
Who was that? Why did she remember it so clearly? Was it another residual memory of Tsuru's seeping into her subconscious from The Circle Game? Maybe it was an early childhood memory? She didn't know much about Tsuru's parents, her "parents," in a sense. They were her biological parents, after all. Every cell in her body perfectly resembled the body of their daughter.
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
It sounded like Tsuru's voice. But why was she hearing it now? Why did it echo against the walls of her skull so painfully? She didn't understand. Even after getting all the answers, Shizuka felt like she knew nothing. All she had were more questions. Who was she? What was her purpose? What did her life amount to aside from defeating Blondie? Would she have anything left after her mission was complete?
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
Oh.
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
She understood.
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
It was her voice.
"Tell me a story, Daddy!"
Joseph chuckled as he held his daughter high above his head. His arms wobbled, but he would never drop her. The father brought his daughter down and cradled her against his chest. She rested her face between his shoulder and the crook of his neck. Joseph ran his cybernetic hand through the girl's dark hair. She cooed as it clicked so close to her ear.
"You want a story? Are you sure?" He gave her a coy smile.
"Yes!" The three-year-old huffed.
"Okay, okay… I think I've got a story you'll really like."
He walked over to his big leather chair and sat down carefully. His hips had been killing him lately, so he made sure to ease into the comfortable chair without bumping them. Shizuka sat in his lap, and he took a moment to fix her messy hair.
"No book?" She seemed confused.
"No, sweetie. This story isn't in any book. It's in my head." The father chuckled as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Do you know that your Daddy fought a vampire once?" He smiled.
The girl gasped. "Nuh UH!"
"Yeah huh! It's true. I used to be a monster hunter." He gave the phrase a hefty amount of gusto to make it sound even more extraordinary.
"But you're so OLD!" She stuck her tongue out.
"Hey! I wasn't always old, you know! Between you and me, I was quite the handsome man… Your mother fell in love the moment she laid eyes on me." He smirked.
"Really?" Shizuka asked in awe.
"Hah! Hardly! She said I had a weird-looking mouth! It took weeks of teasing and wearing her down to get her to admit I was handsome!" He rubbed the back of his head.
"Monsters, Daddy." She patted his chest in an attempt to get him back on track.
"Oh, okay! I was at a little diner enjoying something to eat with a new friend. That's when I noticed that a horrific monster was stalking me in the night."
The child gasped, covering her mouth in fear.
"He burst through the window and tried to attack me! My first concern was getting all of the innocent civilians out safely. Once the entire diner was empty except for the monster and yours truly, I opened fire on the bastard with two tommy guns!" He threw his head back in laughter.
"NO WAY!" She screamed.
"He was blown back against the wall by the sheer force of the bullets! However, when the dust settled, I saw that he was still alive! The bullets all fell to the floor, and the monster was unharmed!"
"No way…" Shizuka shrank down a little, her leg turning invisible as she grew anxious.
"Lucky for your dad, he still had one more trick up his sleeve." Joseph smirked. "Hamon!"
He took a glass of water from a nearby table and presented it to Shizuka. After that, he took a few deep breaths and channeled his energy into his good hand. Joseph stuck three fingers into the water, then rotated the cup so it was facing the floor. None of the water fell out! Shizuka was dumbfounded. Even at such a young age, she knew how water was supposed to work! Her dad should have spilled it all over himself!
"Hamon is my special ability! I was born with it, just like you were born with your Achtung Baby! It's awfully convenient that Hamon is also the only surefire way to kill a vampire in any situation! Night and day, rain or shine, Hamon gets the job done!"
"Wow!" She clapped repeatedly, leaning in to inspect the glass. "Can I do that!?"
Joseph seemed a little curious. "You know… I've never thought about it. None of your siblings took a natural affinity to Hamon, but it's something that anybody can do! You just need a little spark and the right attitude!"
"I wanna do it! I wanna do it!" She shouted, bouncing in the man's lap.
"Okay, okay! You don't have the self-control to generate your own Hamon by breathing, but there might be another way… Put your hands on the cup, sweetie."
Shizuka's eyes widened. She quickly wrapped both her little hands around the glass as her father held it in place. She stared at the way the water rippled and glistened with golden energy. Joseph used his free hand and placed it on Shizuka's chest. He pursed his lips, focusing on breathing. It was harder with his old, crumbling lungs, but he could still get the job done.
The hand on Shizuka's chest sparked with Hamon, and Joseph released it into the girl's body. She gasped, eyes flashing gold for a moment as the Hamon entered her blood. She squirmed, gripping the glass a little tighter.
"Alright, sweetie… I'm gonna let go of the glass. Just focus all of the Hamon into your hands! Try to keep the water steady!" He smiled.
Joseph knew she wouldn't be able to balance the Hamon just right. He was more curious about whether Shizuka would be able to direct the sun's energy in any way. The little girl furrowed her brows and pursed her lips in concentration. The moment Joseph let go of the glass, she gritted her teeth and focused all of the energy into the glass.
It exploded.
Shizuka gasped as the glass blew into thousands of tiny little pieces. It didn't even shatter! It was completely obliterated! The powdered glass fell into Joseph's lap, and he shouted in shock.
"OH MY GOD!" He stood up, carefully holding Shizuka above the dangerous glass. "Are your hands okay!?"
She glanced down at her hands and noticed they were still sparking with a golden light. After a moment, it vanished. She had no idea how she did that… It just flowed through her body in such a natural way. She felt like it was similar to using Achtung Baby. There wasn't a science to it… Just a feeling.
"I wanna do it again!" She giggled.
"Oh my God… No! You're already the invisible wonder! I'm not going to teach you how to blow things up too!"
She pouted, crossing her arms and throwing her head to the side. "I'll ask Mom!"
Joseph just laughed, cradling her close. "When you're older, okay…?"
"Fine, but don't forget. She whined.
Don't forget…
Don't forget…
Sting watched the others carefully. He'd already dispatched Shizuka with ease. Now, all he needed was the feather. Would they surrender it easily, or would he have to kill even more children to get what he needed? Between Shizuka and the woman he stabbed underneath the yacht, Sting was tired of hurting kids. Of course, it didn't bother him enough to make him reconsider his actions. He was in too deep. Blondie would give him eternal youth, after all. There would be so much time to feel sorry. Later.
Just as he was about to approach the boat, he noticed an odd bit of bubbling about five feet in front of him. He bent down to investigate.
A small hand forced its way out of the water and slammed its palm onto the surface. It was soon followed by another. Sting stumbled back in shock and panic as he saw the young girl prying herself out of the sea. Shizuka's head shot out of the sea with a desperate gasp. She wasted no time hoisting herself up and out of the ocean. She wasn't standing on light this time. The girl was nearly out of Stand Power. Instead, her feet rested on the ocean's gentle waves with the same butterfly pattern as Sting's.
"Good God…" He whispered in horror. "You're… you're a natural."
Shizuka had never been taught the art of Hamon breathing, but she didn't need it at the moment. Sting had generously blasted her with enough Hamon to kill a Pillar Man. Unfortunately, he wasn't dealing with a Pillar Man, nor a vampire.
"All this time, I've been worried sick about what I am." She snarled. "What happens if I'm hit by Hamon? Am I even my own person, or just a remix of the woman who came before me? Who are my parents? Where's my home?" She spoke in a scared, dramatic voice.
Shizuka threw her index finger up toward the heavens, standing tall and proud before pointing toward the city behind Sting.
"THAT is my home! Right there! And who am I?"
Sting shook his head, backing away from the girl. He didn't understand. Blondie assured him that a good dose of Hamon would cause the girl to melt!
Since she didn't need to stand on light, Shizuka could dedicate all of her Stand Power to offense. She threw her hand forward and summoned two tentacles of hard light. They wrapped around Sting's arms and held him in place. She walked right up to him, using both her hands like a camera as she gazed through them with one eye closed. It was like she was lining up a shot.
"I'm a Joestar. Shizuka Joestar. But you can call me Jojo."
Flower Child swept in from behind its User and unleashed a final barrage of powerful attacks. Its fists were unbelievably fast, traveling too quickly to be perceived by the human eye. Sting's body was thrown around violently by the abuse, but Shizuka's hard light held him firmly in place by both arms. As the punches continued, Sting's body began to lean back more and more. This gave Shizuka an idea.
She caused the hard light to form loose hoops around each of his arms, binding them in place while providing them with a bit of space to breathe. Then, she began to pummel his legs with Flower Child. Sting's body flipped completely before swinging back into place. Shizuka grinned. It was just like a foosball table. She repeatedly slapped the man's legs, causing him to flip and spin like a toy athlete on a foosball table. He went so fast that his body seemed to be a blur.
The man wailed in agony as he was spun in such an unnatural way. Shizuka decided to let go, letting all of the built up momentum launch Sting through the air. He soared like a bird for a good thirty feet before slamming into the water with a wham! He didn't climb back onto the surface.
"There are great whites in the ocean around New York." The child shrugged. "Hope he's not bleeding too bad."
A hand raised out of the water, but quickly sank beneath the waves yet again. He was too short of breath to generate any Hamon, and too wounded to properly swim. He was done for.
Shizuka turned her back to Sting with a smirk.
"I know exactly who I am." She lowered her sunglasses over her eyes, lifting a hand to act like a visor as the sun hit her face. "I'm my father's daughter."
At that moment, Shizuka ran out of Hamon. She flopped down into the water with a splash. The girl lifted her head above the surface and giggled uncontrollably. A natural? Maybe! But she'd need to ask her dad how to breathe right.
Hamon was a tool of the Joestar bloodline. It had been used by numerous members of Shizuka's family to accomplish impossible acts of bravery. She had been afraid it would hurt her! How ridiculous! It was a part of her! Tsuru put it into her blood before she was even born! A birthright on two fronts! She deserved this. She was accepting the baton from those who came before her. If Holy and Josuke weren't interested in Hamon, that was fine. She'd be the Joestar who carried on the tradition. That's who she was. Shizuka Joestar.
To be Continued…