A lovely breeze ran through Marina's hair as she drove down the road approaching her home. In all honesty, she'd have to look into selling the estate. Neil Archer was very wealthy, but Marina wasn't employed. If she was to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for the rest of her life, she needed to drastically downsize, invest, and live mostly off of interest. She pulled into her driveway, looking at one of Neil's cars parked out front.
Her eyes watered up a bit, but she rubbed them dry and got out of her car. She'd cried enough over her father. His body was going to arrive later, and she had things to attend to. Funeral arrangements, notifying extended family.. Picking a suit for him to be buried in. She took a deep breath before walking up to the front door and opening it.
It was hard not to sniffle while walking into the home they shared together. Neil had been a single father, raising Marina ever since her mother died in labour. He wasn't always an honest man, or a brave man… But he was good to her, and she loved him. Framed photos of the two lined the walls. She'd need to take those down.
"So much to do.." She sighed, sitting down on the bottom step of a large staircase. She looked around the empty home… It would take ages to pack all of this up. She was tempted to hire someone, but knew she could do it herself for free. She already let the groundskeeper and maid go. Yes, she planned on getting a nice flat closer to the city. Something modest.. Close to people. Perhaps she'd even go to university. That would be nice. She could meet new people, learn things.. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get some sort of profession, even if she was inheriting hundreds of millions of dollars from Neil. She needed to keep herself busy. Speaking of busy, she stood up and walked into the living room.
"I'll start by packing this." She mumbled to herself.
In the corner of her eye, she noticed something strange. A figure in the reflection on her television screen was standing about ten feet behind her. She acted like she didn't see it, keeping calm. It wasn't the groundskeeper, nor the maid… Could it be squatters? In this neighborhood? Normally she'd be screaming, but something changed her in Amsterdam. She just sighed.
"Walk past me and leave. Now. Don't make me turn around." She groaned, sounding irritated.
Nothing happened. She couldn't hear footsteps. She balled her fists. "Listen, you've caught me in a very bad mood. If you don't start walking, you're going to be sorry."
A woman chuckled, walking closer to Marina. "Sorry? The only one who's going to be sorry is you, orphan." She stopped inches behind Marina, whispering into her ear. "Where's daddy?"
With a burning flame in her heart, Marina spun around and swung Bubblegum Bitch's bat at the stranger. The woman ducked underneath it, giggling. "Wow, that was close!" She smiled, jumping back.
Marina took a step away, bringing her Stand in front of her. "You can see Bubblegum Bitch? That means you're a Stand User."
The intruder just laughed. "Uhhhhhhhmmmm, a-doy! You win the prize, nobody's ever put those two pieces together." She snickered.
"And if you're in my house, that means you want to fight. Hmmm?" Marina questioned, her voice lowering as she narrowed her eyes.
"Yes, I do." She said confidently, tilting her head and inspecting Marina.
"What's your name?" Marina questioned.
A spark lit in the enemy's eyes. Then, a sickly smile drew across her lips. "Joyce. And you're Marina." She said factually.
"Well, Joyce, you'd better leave. Now." She warned.
"Ap, ap, ap… It's not your turn, Marina. Now, I'm going to ask you a question, and you're going to answer it. If not, some very bad things will start happening." Joyce explained, circling around Marina.
"Excuse me? You're leaving, or dying. Your choice." Marina growled.
Joyce snapped her fingers. "We'll start simple. What took you so long getting home from Amsterdam, Marina?"
Marina scoffed. "Like I'd tell you."
It seemed like Joyce loved that answer. She arched her back, closing her eyes and moaning. She ran her hands up her legs, exhaling through her teeth. "Very good… Now, slam your head against the floor." She ordered.
Marina was about to laugh. What was this woman on? Where did she get off? But she was gripped by fear and confusion as her body got onto its hands and knees, looking straight at the hardwood floor. "Wait… Wha-" In a brutal whipping motion, Marina slammed her face against the wood. She shouted in pain, pulling herself up and cupping her bloody nose.
"Your turn, kitty." Joyce purred, stepping closer.
"What kind of sick fuck…?" Marina groaned, looking up at her predator as she prowled around.
Joyce paused, smiling "That's your turn? Okay. I'm the kind of sick fuck that gets things done." She smirked, stepping back from the bleeding girl. "My turn. Why did you only get home from Amsterdam today?" She growled.
"Fuck off, bitch!" Marina growled, beginning to stand up.
The enemy shrugged with an expression of, 'I gave you a chance.' Then, she smiled. "Don't move for twenty seconds." She ordered.
Marina was about to protest, but she felt herself freeze in the middle of standing upright. Her eyes were even locked in place. She could merely watch as Joyce approached her, licking her lips. The woman reached forward, dragging her long nails along Marina's jawline. "Such a pretty face, hmm? Too bad it slammed against the floor."
Without an ounce of mercy, she slapped Marina across the face. The clapping sound filled the room, bouncing off the walls and the floor multiple times. Marina could feel it, but she couldn't stop it. Joyce slapped her again from the other side. Then a third time. Then, for good measure, she punched her in the gut. Joyce stepped away, snapping her fingers. "Twenty!" She said happily.
All of the blows struck Marina at the same time once she was unfrozen. She grunted, feeling the force of multiple slaps, and a strike to her stomach. She couldn't stand, falling down and curling up in pain for a moment. It was all happening so fast. Not to mention the extreme pain she kept enduring. Her mind couldn't piece it all together. She just knew it involved questions.
"Tell me what's happening!" She shouted.
Joyce stopped for a moment, smirking. That was certainly good use of a question. "Truth or Dare…" She purred, a Stand appearing and posing above her. "I'm sure you're familiar with the rules… You either tell me the truth, or you have to do something… Anything."
Marina spat up a bit of blood. She accidentally bit her tongue during the last beatdown. "Fuck… That's rough." She admitted, looking up at her foe.
Joyce just chuckled. "Isn't it? So you see the position you're in? Either tell me what I want to know, or the pain will get so much worse."
"It isn't great." She answered honestly, smirking. "Now it's my turn."
The woman cursed herself, looking annoyed. "Shit.. I normally never slip up like that. I suppose you win. Go ahead."
Marina grinned. "Truth or Dare… Who do you work for?"
Joyce shrugged. "The organization that killed your father."
A dark anger covered Marina's face. "You're going to regret telling me that."
The woman snickered. "Now, I'm going to ask one more time, since you seem a bit thick. Why didn't you get home days ago?"
Marina knew she was in a bad position. She didn't want to give any information away to the enemy, but she feared what would happen next if she didn't. "I stayed in my hotel for a few extra days."
"Ding, ding, ding, wrong! If an answer doesn't give any information, it's like you refused to answer at all. Now, scratch your face until it bleeds." Joyce ordered.
Marina took a deep breath as her long nails dragged along her face, slicing the skin and drawing blood down to the bottom of her neck. She huffed, adrenaline beginning to pump more as the fight continued. "Who killed my father?" She demanded.
"Wagner. A bit of prudish, stoic, boring man. More like a slab of wood than anything." She smiled.
Marina already knew that, but at least it confirmed Shizuka's story. Joyce stepped forward. "Now… Did you meet with Jotaro Kujo, or Shizuka Joestar in Amsterdam?"
"Never heard of them." She said firmly.
Joyce chuckled. "That's a lie, honey. And I can see that you're not afraid of me. I'll change that. Pull out one of your front teeth."
Marina's stomach sank, and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand. She could feel her heart pounding in her head as she dreaded what was about to happen. Bubblegum Bitch's hand approached her face, parting her lips and reaching in. The Stand's fingers gripped her front right tooth, locking in place. Marina was heaving, closing her eyes and sweating. She shouted in a mix of pain and fury, tearing the tooth from her mouth slowly. Eventually it severed from the flesh, coming out and dripping blood onto her shirt. Marina shouted, barely feeling the pain as adrenaline filled her veins. "FUCK! My turn! Who's your boss?"
Joyce smirked. "My boss? Well, that would be Wagner, actually."
"Is Wagner the head of your organization?" She questioned.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk… You don't get two questions in a row, silly girl. Now, tell me, was your mother Cynthia Armstrong before she married your father?" She asked softly, stepping closer.
Marina just panted, not even understanding why Joyce would want to know. "Yes…" She sighed. "Now, is Wagner the head of your organization?"
"No. You don't know how to ask good questions." She approached Marina, smirking. "We're coming up close to the end of my questions, sweetie. I just have a couple more. What do you know about Shizuka Joestar's stand ability?"
Marina scowled, still grunting in pain as blood slowly but surely trickled from her mouth. "No idea. I fought Jotaro. That's it." She said with conviction.
Joyce looked unimpressed. "A lie, Marina. Seriously, you are thicker than pig shit."
Marina took a deep breath, anticipating whatever fresh hell Joyce had waiting for her. The woman stepped closer, not within the range of Bubblegum Bitch though. "You know the drill. Stand perfectly still for thirty seconds."
She stepped closer, getting her Stand out. Then, without mercy, she unleashed a frenzy of attacks right into Marina's center mass. She punched for thirty seconds straight, pulling away right before the effect wore off. "If you can still speak after this, I have more questions." She said grimly.
Marina stood still even after the time wore off. She just looked down at the ground, speechless. Then, a small smile came to her lips. "You should have asked…. What my Stand does…." She growled.
Marina's skin began to ripple, and she stood up straight. In an instant, all of the attacks that hit her throughout the thirty seconds flew out of her skin, pummeling Joyce relentlessly. Every attack hit dead-on, sending the woman flying back into the kitchen. She slammed into several cabinets, taking them down to the ground with her. Drywall was torn out and destroyed, sending dust into the air around them. Then, she landed right next to the sink, slamming her head against the metal faucet.
The younger woman confidently strutted up to Joyce, glaring down at her. "Your attacks hit the first time because I wasn't expecting them. But you should never try the same thing twice against an enemy…" She grabbed Joyce by the scruff of her neck, inches from her face. "Now, who's the leader of your organization?" She growled.
For the first time, Joyce showed a bit of fear in her expression. She swallowed hard, looking into Marina's eyes. "Blondie." She finally admitted.
Marina raised a brow. "Blondie? Who the hell is that?"
Joyce's eyes went dark. "It doesn't matter that you know, because you're going to die… I wasn't going to kill you, but you asked the wrong question."
Marina smirked. "Just try to attack me, bitch."
Once again, Joyce grimaced. "Watch it."
For a moment, Marina was confused. It seemed like she'd crossed a line, though, which was funny considering that they were in a fight to the death. Still, she could use this.
"Oh? Don't like being called a bitch? Eh?" She grinned.
"It's my turn, Marina. And I have more questions." She kicked the girl away, dodging the blowback from Bubblegum Bitch's ability and rolling off the counter. "What bank did your father use?"
Marina froze. Such a strange question. Just like with the rest of them, she had to assume that this information was crucial. "The fifth royal bank of your whorish mother." She answered, looking for more sour words that would anger the woman.
"Enough!" Joyce shouted, stomping her foot. "See this match?" She pulled one out of her coat pocket, grinning. "Burn your hair with this."
She threw it to Marina, who stared at it in shock for a moment. "You motherfucker…" She whispered, striking it against the wall and lighting it. Since she hadn't been home to a proper shower in days, she used product to keep her hair looking presentable during travel. She knew how flammable hairspray was… She took a deep breath, raising the lit match to her hair. In a flash, her head ignited in flames, burning at an alarming rate. She screamed, hitting it with her Stand in an attempt to extinguish the blaze.
Joyce laughed uncontrollably, throwing her head back in amusement. "Your turn, Marina dear! Or are you a little preoccupied?"
Marina stumbled forward in an attempt to find the sink. She was hit away by Truth Or Dare, causing her to fall back. The flames began trailing up her hair, approaching her scalp. In a desperate attempt, she grabbed a slab of wood from the broken cabinets and used her Stand to send it flying toward the sink. It hit the faucet, breaking it and causing a steady spray of water to fly out. She managed to crawl under it, all the while slapping her hair with her Stand. Eventually, the flames simmered down, leaving a large portion of her long blonde hair scorched. She coughed, panting in exhaustion and suffocation from the smoke she inhaled. She pounded the floor, shouting in a raspy voice.
"Why do you hate being called a bitch!?" She demanded.
Joyce glared down at her. She didn't want to say, but she knew lying could be fatal. "I have a long history with that word. Tons of rancid people calling me it time and time again."
Marina spat blood again, her gums supplying a steady stream of it. "What, so you're a hurt little bitch? Who was it? Was it your Daddy? Hmmm? Did he hit you? Did he touch you?" She stood, wiping her mouth. She would normally never say such awful things to someone, but she held no compassion for such a horrid person.
Joyce growled, biting her tongue in anger. "What do you know about Shizuka's Stand? We have reports that she can use it to turn invisible. Is that all? Or is there more to it? Many Stands can cloak their user using some aspect of their ability."
"Eat me, skank." Marina scoffed.
Joyce had nearly reached her limit. She gritted her teeth, wanting to fly into a fit of rage. She couldn't, though. She needed to stay in control. She needed to be the strong one. She took a deep breath, collecting herself. "Stand still for one minute." She growled, grabbing a large lighter from her coat pocket. "If you're made of rubber, normal attacks won't work. But that doesn't matter, does it? I'll burn you."
Joyce walked past Marina and into the living room area. She held the lighter against the couch until it slowly began to burn up. Then, she did the same with another chair. When that wasn't working fast enough, she held it against a power outlet. This caused a flashing spark, and a small explosion in the wall. Smoke poured from the outlet socket, and the fire alarm began to go off. Joyce giggled, cheering. "Well there we go! This works perfectly!" She returned to standing in front of Marina, lowering the lighter to the girl's face.
"Sixty." Marina said out loud, having been counting the entire time. Bubblegum Bitch swung her bat, striking Joyce in the arm that was holding the lighter.
Joyce stumbled back, noticing her arm turning to a strange boneless form. At that moment, every light in the room burst, and flames erupted from the ceiling. The room was falling apart. Water sprayed from the broken sink, holes scattered the wall, cabinets were shattered and scattered along the dented floor. And on top of everything else, the fire was spreading dangerously fast.
"What bank did Neil Archer use!?" Joyce screamed over the calamity.
"It's not your turn, bitch." Marina growled. "You stupid, weak, useless bitch. You can't even interrogate right, can you? CAN YOU?" She stepped closer, slamming Joyce in the head with Bubblegum's Bat. The woman fell to her knees, holding her hand to her head. Then, they were stuck together. She tried to sever them, but couldn't. She started to panic, struggling.
"What is this!? Tell me what this is!" Joyce demanded.
"ANSWER MY QUESTION! YOU'RE USELESS, RIGHT?" Marina screamed, kicking Joyce in the stomach. "You're useless, and pathetic, and were a waste to your organization! That's why you were sent on such a pointless mission. They sent you to die! Didn't they? They hate you!"
Joyce shook her head, shouting "No! You're wrong! I'm important, and they need me!"
For a moment, there was silence. Well, silence in the sense that no one was talking. The house was currently burning around them. The fire alarm blared in their ears, and sirens could be heard in the distance. Marina just looked down at Joyce calmly.
"That was a lie. You don't believe what you just said." She mumbled.
Joyce broke. She began to sob, snot trailing down her face as she cried into her hands. Despite this pathetic display, Marina didn't feel anything for her.
"I guess that means it's my turn to give a dare, huh?" She mumbled.
A massive piece of ceiling fell and landed right next to them. It snapped Marina out of it, and she realized the situation was dire. She just looked at Joyce with cold eyes.
"Stay here and burn." She ordered, turning and walking away.
Horrified, desperate screams filled the neighborhood as Joyce begged Marina to change her mind. Eventually, the screams were replaced with cries of agony. Then, only silence. She had burned alive in the home. Marina walked out with a cold expression, her hair singed, her tooth pulled out, and possibly a broken rib. She had nothing on her. Her suitcase was inside…. Everything but her purse and keys. She sat in her car, turned the keys, and pulled out of the driveway. On her way out of the lovely neighborhood she passed a few firetrucks, likely heading to her house. They wouldn't find anything of value there. No, Marina understood what had to be done. She wanted to go home, but they made it very clear that she needed to take action. She couldn't rest until this 'Blondie' was dead and buried. That was the only thing that mattered.