Starry Souls

Part 2: Battle Tendency

Alexis had always taken canine forms.

Whether it was an average dog off the street or some kind of wild animal, she'd always been a canine. Never the little lap dogs, though; she much preferred being big and strong-looking. The Joestar men always had daemons that caught people's attention in one way or another, and Joseph was no exception to the rule. He knew that she was going to be a canine when she settled eventually; he couldn't even begin to imagine her as anything else. But she wasn't suited to look like a pet.

She finally settled the day Caesar died.

In his grief, he almost didn't notice her. Her fur turned tawny and bristly, with a grey patch along her back. Her ears became long and her body became light and slender. She sat down on her haunches and howled a mournful, lonely song of farewell for their dear friend. He knew instinctively that this was it, and another pang ripped through his heart; Caesar would never get to see just how beautiful she had become.

For the longest time, Caesar's only friend was Alma.

She was a real help on the streets, always taking forms that were big and intimidating. He could always count on her to back him up in a fight, no matter how rough things got. She was all he had, and they were satisfied with that. It didn't matter to him that she hadn't settled; it was far more convenient for them this way. When Mario Zeppeli died saving them, however, she'd shifted one final time.

A swan. Of all things, a swan.

At first, he'd been pretty annoyed. A swan didn't exactly scream, 'I'm dangerous', after all. But when he met Coach Lisa Lisa, her daemon looked Alma up and down and gave her an approving look. After a few weeks, he'd noticed exactly how dangerous she still was. Those powerful wings could easily knock someone back, while her long neck gave her extra range for her tough beak. She was still as powerful as she had ever been; it was just much more subtle now. Plus, the ladies loved her beautiful feathers, so that was a bonus. Jojo's scruffy little mutt could certainly take some pointers from her.

It had been difficult to hide with Norbu.

That was the one problem Elizabeth ever had with her daemon. Women didn't usually have predators for daemons in her day and age, so a woman with a kestrel would tend to stand out. Thankfully, Straizo had taught her about more than just Hamon. Being Separated had been nerve-wracking back when it first happened, but now she was thankful that she had chosen to go through with it. She could just pretend that she had some tiny insect daemon hidden somewhere in her clothes while Norbu watched from the skies above.

Only her fellow instructors, Suzie, and her students got the privilege of seeing Norbu. She almost didn't want him to see Joseph and Alexis, fearing that he would give her away. But he understood her well enough to keep quiet about it for now. He restrained himself, even though she could feel that he wanted nothing more than to fly over to her and preen her fur, apologizing for leaving for so long.

They'd be dealing with that soon. Just a few more weeks, and she could finally drop the act.

Stroheim was a German soldier through and through. Adelaide was the perfect reflection of this.

She was always sitting at attention at his heel, never drawing attention to herself or speaking unnecessarily. When given the order, she would attack without question. But when it came to those daemonless monsters they were up against, even she nearly lost her composure. They were absolutely terrifying to behold. She hadn't been able to contribute to that fight at all; even the mangy pup had done more than her. Her pride would not stand for that.

When Stroheim was remade into a cyborg, she requested that the same be done to her as well. Of course, people were hesitant to listen to her request. To do so, they would definitely have to touch her. Not only that, but the idea of cutting up a daemon and giving it man-made parts was horrifying. She had continued to argue about it for quite some time until Stroheim himself stepped in.

"There's no need for that," he insisted. "You're perfect the way you are."

"But I could be so much more!" she argued back.

"What, do you doubt me?" he asked. "You saw how easily my body was broken. Even with that, you didn't disappear. That proves to me that you're already as strong as you need to be."

Adelaide finally settled down, looking at him with her usual grim determination. "The next time we run into those things, that pup will be chasing after me instead."

Joseph: Alexis (Greek; helper, defender) Coyote
In Native American folklore, most notably Navajo, Coyote was a trickster spirit who used his intellect to get away with godly mischief. Even nowadays, coyotes are seen as deceptive.
Caesar: Alma (Latin; soul) Mute Swan
Swans are often seen as symbols of grace and beauty. However, they are also dangerously ill-tempered and will attack if something gets too close. Both traits match quite well with Caesar.
Lisa Lisa: Norbu (Tibetan; jewel) Common kestrel
I always saw her as having some kind of bird, and the speedy kestrel just seemed to fit for some reason.
Stroheim: Adelaide (German; noble kind) German Shepard
Honestly, what could possibly be more German than that?