Chapter 35: Lonerism, Part 1

~JULY 21ST, 2024, 9AM~

Jolanta and her friends were on a bus ride to an apartment Rostek had told them last night after the fight against Sara.

"Shit… I cannot believe that Zegar is gone…" Kwiat said to Jolanta.

"Yeah… His passing really hit Marcelina hard… I feel bad for her…" Jolanta said. "At least Rostek is there to try and cheer her up…"

Rostek was patting Marcelina's back. Marcelina was still softly crying.

"There there…" Rostek said.

Marcelina sniffed as she looked at Rostek.

"You're as nice as Zegar, so thanks for the assistance…" Marcelina said, softly.

"You're welcome." Rostek said.

The bus stopped.

"Huh? It stopped?" Jolanta wonders as she looks across to see the bus driver getting out of his seat. "Stay right where you all are, I'll see what's the problem."

The bus driver then left the bus.

"Something is already off…" Jolanta said in her mind. "I couldn't swear that Sara from last night said something about having more members…"

The bus driver then went back inside the bus.

"Flat tire. I'm calling a tow truck to take us to a station that can replace a wheel to the bus." The bus driver said. "Sorry, everyone. Now, I want you all to leave the bus. I'm afraid you'll all be walking to your destinations."

Everyone got out of the bus. Jolanta and her friends meet up.

"Great, a bus got a flat tire and now we're gonna have to walk to The Bad Blood Organization's main building." Kwiat said.

"It's not that big of a deal." Rostek said.

"My legs are killing me, Rostek!"

Rostek sighed.

"Alright… Jolanta, stay with Marcelina." Rostek said. "I'm gonna take Kwiat somewhere to rest her legs or something."

"You don't have to, Rostek." Kwiat said.

"If your legs are hurting, then they are hurting. Come on."

As Kwiat and Rostek walk away, Marcelina approaches Jolanta.

"I guess it's just you and me…" Marcelina said softly.

"Yep…" Jolanta said.

"Maybe we should follow them…"

"I guess we should."

While Jolanta and Marcelina were walking, a funky colored mist occurred around them.

"Huh? What's this?" Marcelina wonders. "Is this… Fog? Or, mist?"

"The colors we're seeing are both weird." Jolanta said as she then felt that she was alone. "Marcelina?"

Jolanta then saw that Marcelina wasn't with her.

"Marcelina?!" Jolanta shouted. "Shit! Where is she?!"

Marcelina, on her own also, was trying to find Jolanta.

"Jolanta?!" Marcelina shouted. "Jolanta?! What just happened?! I was with her and now she's not with me?!"

"She is still beside you, but you just don't see or interact with her…" A voice said.

"Who's there?!"

Jukebox Ghost appeared to protect Marcelina.

"I'm not in a good mood, damn it!" Marcelina shouted. "Why are you doing this?!"

"Hmph… I'll explain that later… For now, your friend Jolanta will be handled by my User… While I handle you as the Stand…" The Stand replied.

"You're a Stand?!"

"Correct… You don't see me yet, but I am in this form of the mist and I will strike any second now… For I am known as Lonerism…"

The voice disappeared.

"Lonerism…" Marcelina said to herself. "Is that some sort of disease for being lonely or something? I hope not…"

Back in Jolanta, she was looking for Marcelina.

"Marcelina?! Where the hell are you?!" Jolanta shouted. "She was right beside me! I just know it!"

"She is right beside you, but you just don't see her since you are in a small world with nothing but a colorful mist, Jolanta." A Masculine voice said.

"Who are you?!"

"Call me Shary. Shary Slowan… I've been waiting to interact with you, Jolanta…"

Shary then fully appeared behind Jolanta.

"I'm here. Just turn around." Shary said.

Jolanta turned to see Shary.

"Excellent…" Shary said. "Hmm… You look fine…"

Jolanta gasped and blushed.

"Don't do that!" Jolanta shouted. "I hate it when you pervert strangers flirt with me…"

"What? It was only a compliment. I was just trying to be nice…" Shary said as he brushed his hair with a comb. "And besides, my boss Sara told me all about you… With that full appearance of your's, you age like a fine wine…"

Jolanta got out Cherry Bomb.

"Enough with your bullshit!" Jolanta shouted as Cherry Bomb appeared to perform a rush attack on Shary. "WRYYYYYYYYYY!"

Shary disappeared into mist.

"What the?!" Jolanta shouted.

"Oh, and since my Stand, Lonerism is out, you can't hurt me or the Stand." Shary said. "For the mist can make us feel invincible…"

Share appeared next to Jolanta from a distance. Jolanta turned and stepped back.

"You and your friend will be trapped here until my Stand says you're both free…" Shary said. "That's how Lonerism works… We both have totally different personalities, you know?"

Jolanta was silent.

"No words? Just speechless to how Lonerism works? I see…" Shary said. "No need to feel afraid, but I can make good use of you…"

Back to Marcelina, she saw something walking in the distance.

"Are you the Stand?!" Marcelina shouted.

"Correct, Marcelina." Lonerism replied as it revealed itself with an elephant for a head. "Your friend Zegar was a good man when he died, but unfortunately curiosity got the best of him when he fought Sara and The Wizard…"

"Stop! I don't want to talk about it!"

Marcelina covered her ears and closed her eyes.

"I'm not listening!" Marcelina shouted.

"I see… Well now, you'll be reunited with your best friend in the afterlife anyways…" Lonerism said as the Stand faded away to the mist.

Then, Marcelina heard Rostek and Kwiat calling out her and Jolanta's names. Lonerism appeared.

"Ah… I think they saw you…" Lonerism said. "Well, looks like we'll be back later to perform the ritual to send you to the afterlife where Zegar is waiting…"

The mist disappeared between Jolanta and Marcelina. They both saw Kwiat and Rostek.

"You two alright?" Rostek asked. "There was a line in one of the places I took Kwiat to, so we have to leave."

"It's… A long story…" Marcelina replied.

"Uhh… Yeah…" Jolanta replied as she felt embarrassed.

"Are you alright, Jolanta?" Kwiat asked.

"We'll tell you both while walking."

"Ok, sure…"

While they all got up to walk away, someone was watching them while on crutches.

"I see them…" A Feminine voice said. "And it look like a Stand attacked them…"

[STAND NAME]: LONERISM

[STAND MASTER]: SHARY SLOWAN

POWER: C

SPEED: C

RANGE: A

DURABILITY: D

PRECISION: B

POTENTIAL: C

TO BE CONTINUED...