Shizuka just blinked a few times, wondering if the cowboy had gone mad. He seemed dead serious, though. The idea wasn't exactly that crazy. They did appear to be in a hotel. She was just hopelessly confused about the details. The young girl looked down the hall, wondering if the fire creature planned on coming back. Thankfully, Hol Horse's gun seemed to properly scare it off for the time being.
"So, this is a hotel?" She asked, deciding to start with the basics.
"Correct, Little Lady." He rested both hands on his belt, looking around the hall cautiously.
"How did I get here?"
"Well, I'd venture to guess you were swiped up by Dominic."
The little girl groaned in annoyance. At this rate they'd be there all day. "Do you mind giving me better answers? I'm kind of in a rush."
Hol Horse chuckled, standing upright once more. "Little Lady, you're not in a rush. Nobody is anymore. We're all prisoners here. Prisoners of our own device."
"What do you mean by that?" She demanded, her tone growing more and more desperate.
A crash could be heard further down the hall. The man's eyes narrowed, and he drew his gun from an imaginary holster. "It's not safe in the halls. I'll answer all your questions later. Come with me."
Before she could protest, Shizuka was grabbed by the wrist. Hol Horse opened the very door she came from, dragging her through it. Impossibly enough, they weren't in the room she woke up in. No, it was completely different. She looked around incredulously, trying to figure it out. Hol Horse let go of her, slamming the door shut and taking out a keycard from his pocket. He tapped the handle with it, causing the object to glow. Then, it disappeared.
"Okay, okay. That'll give us a bit to breathe." He sighed, pocketing the card and turning to face the girl.
"This isn't where the door led last time." She mumbled.
"As it shouldn't be. The doors here are more like guidelines. They take you where you really wanna go, within reason. These keycards can help lock them. The problem is, the cards have tiers. If one supersedes mine, it can open the door."
"Seriously, what is this place!?" She put her foot down, crossing her arms. "And don't tell me it's the Hotel California. I got that. Tell me what that means."
The man thought for a moment, rubbing his chin. "How do I explain it? It's basically another reality? There's no way out, that's for sure. Time doesn't seem to work right either. It's some serious shit." His eyes widened. "Er, uh, sorry. It's crap." He corrected his language.
She wasn't impressed. "There's a way out," Shizuka said with certainty. "Maybe you haven't been able to find it, but there's definitely a way."
He chuckled. "Well hell, kid. I'd be gladly proven wrong. Where is it then?"
"I haven't gotten that far yet. My friends, where are they? I was with them before all this."
"Hmmm." The cowboy pondered for a moment. "How long have you been here? What's the first thing you remember?"
"I was in some sort of dream living an entire fake life. For some reason all of my friends and I went to high school together? Each of them started disappearing. When I woke up, I was alone." She tried to explain.
He snapped his fingers. "Unlucky. You guys were being held in Adrian's spell."
"Adrian?"
"I've been fortunate enough to never meet him. His Stand's called Feel Good Inc. It can lock people away in carefree worlds, keeping them perfectly complacent and quiet. To be honest, it's a perfect ability for a place like this."
"So is Adrian in charge of this place?"
"Pffft. Hell if I know, kid! This place is the wild west! I've been doing my best to stay alive, that's all. If you wanna be a hero and break out, that's your decision. The great Hol Horse isn't a leader, and he isn't a hero. I'm number two! That's my style. It's kept me alive this long."
There was a lot to process, but Shizuka was beginning to formulate a plan. Even if it was misguided, even if it wouldn't help her get out, it was something to work toward. She walked right past the gunslinger and placed her pale hand on the door handle.
"Number two, huh? You seem to be one person short, then. If you want a number one, follow me. I'm getting out of this place. So, make the decision right now. Are you staying here forever, or are you leaving?"
Hol Horse was floored. He'd never seen such an assertive child. She radiated a powerful, intimidating aura. In fact, her presence was very familiar. When he looked at her in the right light, she resembled a woman he once knew. Someone that oozed that same type of cold, calculating confidence. That couldn't be. Tsuru didn't have any children. He was imagining things. Despite that, his philosophy was being questioned. Of course he was always number two. He picked the strongest person in sight and helped them win. That was the only path for Hol Horse! Could the most powerful person here really be a ten-year-old girl? He needed to be sure.
If he was going to follow this child, he was going to be damn sure about her abilities. The cowboy already had a plan. In order to prosper in the Hotel California, one needed to be quick. They needed to be smart, strong, and tough as nails. Needless to say, they needed to be stronger than him. If Shizuka was going to be his number one, she'd need to beat him. That was the only way.
She'd been facing the door for a few seconds, waiting for Hol Horse to respond. Now was his chance. He'd test her then and there. He'd draw his Emperor as fast as he could and shoot her in the leg. If she could counteract that, he'd follow her.
The silence grew deafening. Shizuka still hadn't turned around. For some reason, Hol Horse was already very intimidated by the child. She didn't have her Stand drawn. Could he really bring himself to shoot a child? It'd be in a non-life-threatening spot. After that, he'd treat her wound and keep her lying low. If she wasn't strong enough to break out, it was his responsibility to keep her alive.
"Well, Hol Horse?" She asked in a low tone, feeling his intent.
That did it. He knew what had to be done. The cowboy held out his hand, summoning Emperor. It spun around for less than a second. He wouldn't need any time at all to line up the shot. It would all be over within another second. She lost.
"HORA!" Ultra Violet flashed into being right in front of Emperor.
With a speed so great his eyes couldn't even track it, the purple stand slammed Hol Horse's hand out of the way with its fist. The bullet flung into the wall, missing her entirely. At the same time, the gun was spiked downward with enough force to destroy the floor. Debris flew upward, clouding the air around them. Slowly, it faded, allowing Hol Horse to see the girl once more. The entire fight happened in less than a second, and Shizuka never turned to face him. Hol Horse panted, sweat growing on his forehead as he looked at the child. That's when he noticed something else.
From his elevated angle, the gunslinger could see traces of a star on the back of Shizuka's neck. Her shirt covered most of it, but the man saw enough. He'd been a fool. More than a fool. Hol Horse had done this before. Trying to shoot someone with that mark from behind never went well. This girl… He'd only ever seen a star-shaped birthmark once in his entire life. That was on Lord Dio's shoulder.
He took a step back, relaxing his posture and raising his hands defensively. He'd surrendered. Finally, the girl turned her head a bit. Hol Horse looked into her sharp eyes. Her deep purple gaze looked into his very soul. Somehow, he was absolutely terrified of this girl.
"C'mon, number two. We're going to find Adrian." She mumbled, opening the door.
"Uh." He mumbled under his breath, quickly getting over it. "Right! Let's go."
Marina woke up to an uncontrollable coughing fit. Her lungs hurt, her head hurt, everything hurt. She spent a good minute just coughing as hard as she could. Eventually, her lungs became so agitated that she threw up onto the ground beside her. Only after that could she take a moment to breathe. Drenched in sweat, she flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. She had no idea where she was. The room was dark. She appeared to be lying in dirt. Still, there was definitely a man-made structure surrounding her. Light entered the room through steel bars. Was she imprisoned? That didn't seem right.
Her head was reeling as she tried to piece everything together. She'd had an incredibly strange dream. For some reason she and the rest of the crew were high schoolers. It didn't really make sense. As she regained more of her composure, holes in the dream appeared. She'd never seen Ripley. For that matter, she couldn't remember seeing Gramps either. Shizuka, Shirlie, Josuke… And of course, Pepsi was there at the end. Still, that didn't explain where everyone was.
The blonde managed to stand up with assistance from Bubblegum Bitch. The Stand propped its bat against the ground, supporting itself as it lifted Marina up. Once she was vertical, the woman trudged over to the bars. Peering outside, she couldn't believe her eyes.
"You have got to be shitting me."
On the other side of the prison bars laid a makeshift colosseum. It wasn't nearly the size of a proper one, but it was still large enough for quite a fight to take place. Elevated about twenty feet above the fray, rows and rows of chairs reminiscent of a movie theater circled all around. She gripped the bars, gritting her teeth. This was a spectacle. Marina Archer wasn't about to be the dinner entertainment.
Bubblegum Bitch flexed its arms, slamming its bat against the bars. The firm steel turned to malformed gel. She easily bent them and stepped out. Her eyes carefully scanned the arena. She seemed to be alone. That is, until a speaker system activated. There was a droning of white noise. Marina covered her ears, wincing a bit.
"LLLLLLLLLLLLADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Put your hands together for the absolute menace, Marina Archer!" A man chanted excitedly through the speakers.
How did they know her name? That was the least of her concerns. She figured she'd broken out before the main event. It seemed like she was mistaken. The games were about to begin. She took a deep breath. If fighting her way out was the only way, she was ready to fight. Hell, she was ready to kill.
A grainy, low-quality stock sound effect of people clapping filled the room. It was clear that someone simply had a soundboard in front of them. In fact, Marina wouldn't be surprised if she was performing for an audience of one. Still, that didn't matter. She'd take care of him too. After the "applause" faded, the man continued.
"And where's our other contender? Come on out, don't be shy!"
She paused with bated breath, awaiting the arrival of her opponent. After a moment, the bars opposite to her burst out explosively.
"Orrrrrra!" The Stand cried out, obliterating the confinement.
The display of strength caused dirt to fill the arena. Marina narrowed her eyes, hoping to get a look. A few seconds later, a powerful stomp sent all of the dust flying away. She could clearly see him now. Sure, he was pretty big, but that didn't mean much. He was Japanese, looked to be around forty or so. His purple jacket flowed behind him as he scanned her carefully.
"Everybody, welcome Jotaro Kujo to the scene! Standing at six-foot-five, he's a towering mass of strength and fury! Don't get too close, or it'll be the last mistake you ever make!" The announcer attempted to hype up his imaginary crowd.
Jotaro Kujo, huh? Pretty stupid name. It didn't matter, Marina would deal with him and get back to the rest of the group. They were probably looking for her that very moment. He looked tough, but she knew she was tougher. His Stand seemed to rely on brute strength. She could deal with blunt force. She could do this.
"The stakes are simple! One of you is allowed to leave, but only when the other dies! Do you want to leave? Then get to killing! Good luck, gladiators!"
She snarled a bit, furious with the madman operating this entire show. The rational side of her was trying to argue that she should team up with her opponent. Perhaps they could break free together. She couldn't take that chance, though. Something was pumping through her veins, enraging her. Had the man drugged them? Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. Rationality went out the window. She couldn't stand the stupid look on her opponent's face. Yeah, this would be over quickly.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand begin!" The announcer cheered, playing another compressed stock sound effect.
She was ready. Marina sprinted right for the large man, getting ready to pummel his head in. There was definitely an outside influence contributing to her state of mind. Unfortunately, she didn't care. The moment she got close enough to the man, Bubblegum Bitch swung its bat.
"Star Platinum!"
Everything happened too quickly to follow. The man was gone. Before she could even wonder where he went, Marina felt unbelievable pressure build in her head. It bubbled for a moment before erupting in the direction it came from. Her skin morphed and attacked Jotaro without her conscious knowledge. Multiple hits connected, and others were blocked by Star Platinum. The large man was thrown back.
Marina turned to face him in utter confusion. "So, you're fast? You managed to hit me. Too bad for you, I can't be hit."
Jotaro was clenching his stomach in pain. A punch mirroring the strength and speed of Star Platinum had gotten him right in the gut. He definitely had some internal bleeding. It didn't matter, Josuke would be able to heal him. He just needed to get out. He needed to kill this girl.
"Yare Yare Daze. You're not making this easy." He growled, fixing his hat.
Shizuka and Hol Horse traversed the dangerous halls invisibly. The young girl held onto the cowboy's hand so they wouldn't lose track of one another. As they continued forwards they passed several odd-looking people. Some of them seemed ill. Others were muscular and angry. When they seemed to be alone once more, Shizuka couldn't help but ask,
"Is everyone here a Stand User?"
"Sure are."
This troubled her. "You said we were prisoners. Why are Stand Users being kept prisoner in this place?"
"There are only rumors. From what I've heard, Adrian and his late wife had a pretty extreme world-view. This place is supposed to be like a playpen where we can't hurt anybody. It's for the benefit of the world." Hol Horse explained.
Shizuka was fascinated by that idea. It was the logical extreme of Blondie. Instead of a world where everyone was a Stand User, Adrian believed that nobody should be? She couldn't help but ponder on what would happen if Blondie was forced into this place. Would she have a clash of ideals with Adrian? Would she get out? Not only that, but would the world be better off if Adrian got his way? If Blondie was trapped in the Hotel California, she wouldn't be able to achieve her plan.
Nonsense. She didn't have to entertain such extreme absolutes. Both worldviews were nuclear options. She refused to entertain them. Shizuka would figure things out her own way.
Hol Horse gripped the girl's hand tightly, stopping her in her tracks. They both froze. He sensed something. A moment later, the flame user from before came barreling barrelling down the hallway. Upon closer inspection, Shizuka could tell that a person was definitely inside. Something else unsettled her though. The flaming person was screaming and running, but nobody had come before them. That meant it wasn't chasing someone. It was running away.
The cowboy drew his Emperor silently, gritting his teeth. Soon, the user was gone. They only had a moment's respite before another pair of footsteps could be heard. Shizuka was nervous. Whatever scared the flaming Stand User must have been serious business. That's when she got a glimpse at the person in question.
An intimidating figure turned around the corner. It was a woman seemingly in her mid-forties. She was wearing some very nice -if not slightly odd- clothing. Yes, she donned a violet tuxedo, white dress shoes, and a white bowtie. Her auburn hair fell down her back in elegant, thick waves. The woman even seemed to be wearing a full face of makeup, expertly applied and sealed to prevent any blemishes or running. She seemed like she'd spent hours on her appearance. Everyone else in the Hotel California looked very rugged and weathered. This woman was thriving.
Shizuka could feel Hol Horse tense up. Whoever this woman was, the cowboy was terrified of her.
The woman crossed her arms, pursing her purple lips and narrowing her eyes a bit. Tapping her foot against the carpet a few times, she smacked her lips together, leaning her head against a hand in thought.
"You know, I might just be going crazy. Sometimes I have this paranoid feeling that I'm being watched." She said to no one in particular. "In situations like this, I feel quite silly. It's more than likely that I'm just speaking to thin air right now. Still, I won't be able to relax until I check."
The sound of Emperor firing blasted through the room. Shizuka's eyes widened. Hol Horse pulled away, rejecting Ultra Violet and becoming visible once more. The bullet tore through the air directly toward the intimidating woman. She just looked bored. A moment later the bullet made a ninety degree turn into the floor, disappearing from view.
The woman rested her chin against her closed fist, pouting a bit. "Oh, Hol Horse. There you are." She said in a mocking baby-voice. "I've been looking all over for you. We have unfinished business, you and I."
The man gritted his teeth, floored by her ability to disregard Emperor so easily. "Casanova. I'd say it's a pleasure…"
"But you can't get it up with me around. I know, I know. We've had this conversation so many times, sweetheart." Casanova purred, leaning back.
She crossed her arms once more, falling back quickly. Instead of hitting the ground, however, she was suspended by something almost immediately. She kicked one leg up, resting it against nothing as her other foot propped itself at an angle. It was as if she was leaning against a wall. That was impossible, though. There was absolutely nothing behind her.
Hol Horse wrapped his fingers tightly around his weapon, clearing his throat nervously. "So, what's the deal? I haven't seen you patrolling in a while. I figured you'd found a nice hole to occupy by now."
She chuckled. "I always come back, Horsy. The room I claimed ran out of champagne, and that just wouldn't do."
"Some of us aren't powerful enough to have the luxury of drinking ourselves into a coma. We need to be alert at all times."
"Which is exactly why you should join me. I could make you so comfortable. You'd never want for anything."
The cowboy spat onto the carpet, pointing his Emperor right at Casanova's forehead. "Sorry, lassie, but I've already got eight girlfriends. Adding one more might make me a bad guy."
Her smile faded. She just leaned further back against the thin air, scowling. "Well then, Horsy, I suppose I'll have to make you see it my way."
Casanova lifted a hand, extending it toward Hol Horse. Then, in a swift motion, she clasped her fist and pulled it toward her quickly. The cowboy was pulled toward her at unbelievable speeds. Shizuka, still hidden from view, barely managed to grab onto the nearest door handle. She gripped it for dear life, managing to stay away from the woman's pull.
It all made sense. Casanova's ability was to manipulate gravity. Shizuka wasn't sure about the extent of its effect yet. Surely something so powerful had limitations. It just didn't appear like that at the moment.
Hol Horse flew through the air, landing perfectly where Casanova wanted him. Her long, slender fingers wrapped around his throat. The gravity ability kept him fixated in the air, unable to gain any leverage. He cried out in anger, pointing Emperor right at her. She the index finger of her free hand. An immense gravitational force caused Hol Horse's hand to face directly down. He was locked in place. The man couldn't even use his Stand to defend himself.
The moment she directed his hand down, Shizuka felt the pull weaken on her end. It was gone a moment later. She fell back to her feet, able to let go of the door. Her mind was racing to figure out this ability. Had Casanova willingly released the initial pull, thinking she didn't need it anymore? Or could she only influence gravity in two directions at any given time? She didn't seem to be affected by her own ability, but Shizuka saw her suspending her own body in the air earlier.
For the time being, the young girl had to operate on the belief that Casanova had three active layers of gravity. Two were currently being used on Hol Horse, and the third was keeping her in place. If she were forced to manipulate gravity in another way, one of the three "layers" would have to disappear. Could she choose which one disappeared? Or did the first automatically get overwritten? Shizuka didn't have enough evidence to decide. Either way, she needed to save Hol Horse.
"Hey!" She shouted, turning visible and pointing right at her.
Casanova's eyes immediately shot to Shizuka. She sized the girl up, trying to determine her threat level. "Ah, I see. So that's how you were invisible, Horsy. How fun! Is she yours? I love Daddies."
The cowboy couldn't respond. He was too busy being choked out. Shizuka just snarled, keeping her distance. The girl didn't have a ranged attack, and she had no idea how far Casanova's influence on gravity could reach. Her best bet was to free Hol Horse, regroup, and have his Emperor deal the final blow. If Shizuka was occupying all three layers of Casanova's ability, Emperor's bullet would be able to reach the woman.
"He's not my dad. I'd still appreciate it if you put him down, though. I kind of need him."
"Oh?" The woman raised a brow, smiling a bit. "And why's that, sweetheart?"
"He's my guide. I'm busting out of here. Feel free to join me." She offered.
Casanova let out a long, condescending laugh. She rested her free hand on her chest, throwing her head back and allowing the laughter to slip through her sealed lips. It seemed like she was very amused by the idea.
"You want to leave? Sweetheart, honey, if you're strong enough to whip Horsy here into shape, you're strong enough to survive here. Why would you ever want to go?" She questioned, flashing a pearly white grin.
This perplexed the child. "Wha? You don't want to get out?"
"You treat it like it's escaping." Casanova said mockingly. "I disagree wholeheartedly. The strong are allowed to thrive here. We get to make the rules. Judge, jury, executioner. There's no pesky government trying to mess with our affairs. The laws are very simple. The strong stand on top, the weak are crushed beneath them. And my Supermassive Black Hole reigns supreme here" She grinned wickedly.
"You sound a lot like someone I know." Shizuka growled, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. "Someone I'd really like to punch, actually."
"Oh? Is that so? I'd love to meet them. Are they here?"
"No."
Casanova chuckled. "Well, they will be. Every Stand User will end up here eventually."
That was a big problem. The only way this could possibly get worse was the addition of Blondie. In fact, Giorno had arranged a meeting with her. She was on her way to Europe. The idea of Blondie trapped in Hotel California caused a large mix of emotions. For the time being, self-preservation kicked in. Shizuka needed to find her friends and get the hell out. Then she'd take care of whoever was running this damn hotel. Then she'd take care of Blondie, and possibly world-hunger when she was at it. She seemed to be taking on every impossible task already. Why not add another?
"Drop the cowboy." Shizuka ordered, her nose wrinkling a bit in anger as she glared across the hall.
Casanova was loving this. She let out a little giggle, letting go of Hol Horse. Her ability kept him suspended in the air, though. She prowled around him, stalking Shizuka like a predator. Her eyes never left the girl. They had a sharpness to them that caused shivers to run down the child's spine.
"I like you, little girl." She smirked. "So much spunk. Such moxie! You've got a real spark to your step."
"You sound like my ninety-year-old mother." Shizuka said apathetically.
This caused an even louder fit of laughter. "That right there! I love it! You should roll with me, sweetie. I'll make sure you grow up into the firecracker you're meant to be."
"Unless we're rolling out the door, I'm not going anywhere with you. Back away from my number-two. I'm not going to ask again."
Casanova looked a little less amused. She just glared into Shizuka's eyes, considering her next move carefully. Deciding to put the girl in her place, Casanova lifted a hand. She pulled it back quickly, causing the gravitational pull around Shizuka to shift. The girl flew right toward her, helpless..
A fire lit in Shizuka's eyes. "Good."
The moment she was within range, she drew Ultra Violet out. The purple Stand swung its fist right at Casanova's head.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You've been paying attention? Doesn't matter. What affects the Stand affects the user. I don't need to dedicate my power to your body. I only need to worry about this!"
Shizuka felt the gravity effect leave her body. A moment later, Ultra Violet was violently slammed into the ground. The little girl immediately followed, being pinned to the floor. She felt her body aching as the pressure grew stronger. A layer was still keeping Hol Horse's arm forced down, and the third was allowing Casanova to stand normally.
"So, little cutie, are you ready to apologize for the way you spoke to me?" She asked, pressing her pristine white dress shoe against the back of Shizuka's head. She smeared the girl's face against the carpet, moving it left and right, giving it a rug burn.
Ultra Violet began to tremble in place. Light was trickling down its body visibly, distorting the Stand's body. Casanova noticed this. Her brow raised as she looked at the purple Stand.
"What're you doing?"
"Do you understand science?" Shizuka mumbled under her breath.
"Science? Of course I do. What's your point?"
"Your Stand… It's not crushing my bones. That means the gravitational force isn't very strong…" She panted. "Nowhere near strong enough to bend or capture light."
Before the woman could say anything, Ultra Violet pulled itself off the ground. Its body was flickering, all of its color and texture draining toward the floor like water pouring off a raincoat. Still, it kept enough form to ball a fist in rage. Casanova's eyes widened. She was about to be pummeled by the Stand. It seemed like it was over.
"Supermassive Black Hole has no weaknesses, girl." She said bitterly.
At that very moment, Casanova was sent flying backwards at a high speed. Once she was about ten meters away, Shizuka and Hol Horse were released from Supermassive's grasp. Shizuka lifted her reddened face from the carpet, looking down the hall in disbelief.
"She can manipulate her own gravity! Of course! Why didn't I consider that she'd use it to run!?"
Hol Horse fell to his knees, panting a bit in exhaustion. A moment later, he drew Emperor once again and aimed down the hall.
"You alright, kid?" He called behind him.
"I'm fine. Is she retreating?"
Hol Horse narrowed his eyes a bit. It didn't look like the woman was moving any further back. She just moved enough to get away. Still, the cowboy was floored by Shizuka's strength. The fact that she managed to scare Casanova away spoke wonders for her abilities. He backed the right horse, that was for sure. Now they just needed to seal the deal and defeat her for good. There was no getting past her.
Marina sprinted forward once again. She faked Jotaro out, dropping down onto her back at the last minute. Bubblegum Bitch swung right at him. Star Platinum was too fast, however. It struck the Stand's elbow, causing the attack to miss. Then, it grabbed Marina by the leg and spun around.
"Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrra!" The Stand cried, spinning her around insanely fast.
After building up enough speed, Star Platinum flung Marina across the arena. The young woman almost immediately slammed into the far wall. Her body rippled for a moment. Then, all of the kinetic energy from the impact built up in her back. A moment later, she pushed off of the wall with equal force, regaining her natural form and readying her Stand. She soared through the air directly toward Jotaro.
"Gimme a damn break." The man growled.
Right when she was about to make contact with him, the man vanished into thin air. She rolled onto the floor, body rippling once again as she tried to get her bearings. That's when she got an idea. Her skin continued to ripple with kinetic energy, but she didn't expel it. Instead, she stored it in place. That's when Jotaro appeared right behind her.
Star Platinum grabbed her by the leg, lifting her up and slamming her into the ground. With immense strength and absolutely zero remorse, he swung her left and right, violently beating her against the dirt over and over again. Marina absorbed all of the impacts, refusing to let it go. Her body felt like it was going to explode from all of the force. If this plan worked, it would unlock even more potential for her Stand.
After thirty seconds of merciless beating, Star Platinum let go of Marina. The blonde girl fell to the dirt face-first, lying motionless. Jotaro eyed her carefully, unwilling to step very close. This woman was dangerous, plain and simple. He wouldn't underestimate her.
Marina had reached a breaking point. She needed to expel the kinetic energy. In fact, her body began to glow red, overheating to an extreme rate. She'd melt if she didn't act. The young woman stumbled to her feet, glaring at Jotaro. Her skin flowed and rippled unnaturally, causing the man to cautiously step back.
"Checkmate, pretty boy." She smirked, walking toward him.
Star Platinum grabbed her by the throat, squeezing it as tight as it could. Her skin just morphed and squished around the Stand's grip. She couldn't even be strangled. That's when she released all of the force. Her skin bubbled a bit, building up energy right in her fist. She could feel it. This would finish things.
"Try this on for size!" Marina shouted.
Jotaro's eyes widened. The fist began to move at a speed his eyes couldn't track. Star Platinum raised its fists in protection, but it wouldn't be enough. Time froze, allowing Jotaro a few precious seconds to move back. He'd already frozen time twice in this fight though, so he couldn't manage it for long. The flow of time resumed, and he wasn't fully in the clear. By then, it was too late. Marina's fist made contact with Star Platinum. The kinetic energy surged through the Stand and flowed into Jotaro's body. He was flung back into the wall of the colosseum, destroying it completely.
Jotaro was lodged partly into the wall of the hallway outside the colosseum. His vision was blurry, and his ears were ringing. Star Platinum took most of the blast, but he still felt several broken ribs. He couldn't move.
Marina stepped through the rubble, fanning away the drywall dust with her hands as she towered over the broken man. Bubblegum Bitch manifested, and she glared at him.
"Sorry, big guy. But this is it."
Jotaro's dazed vision struggled to focus on the woman. For some reason, it eventually drifted to her hip. That's when he noticed something. Throughout all the punishment, a black feather was slowly working its way out of her pocket. Understandable, considering how much the woman had been flung to-and-fro. Still, he recognized that feather.
"W-Where did you get that?" He demanded.
Marina froze for a moment. "Get what?"
The man couldn't move his body, so he simply explained. "The feather. Kars's feather. How did you get your hands on that?"
She protectively shoved it deeper into her pocket. "And how the hell do you know about Kars's feather? Who are you?!"
"My friends." He coughed. "They're trying to protect that from a very horrible woman. They need it. You don't understand."
"Like hell I don't! My friends and I are trying to keep it away from someone. Am I that horrible woman? Do you work for Blondie, jackass?"
Jotaro's eyes flashed with realization. "Wait." He mumbled. "I think there's been a massive misunderstanding."
Darius Ray was frantically fumbling with all of the buttons and knobs at his disposal. His two gladiators had managed to expel themselves from the precious, precious colosseum. None of his cameras could see them. Where had they gone? He'd already called for them over the speaker system. They were nowhere to be found. He'd lost his precious gladiators.
The door to his control room was kicked in, causing him to let out a shrill cry. He turned around to see a figure silhouetted against the bright hall lights. Darius kept the control room pitch black save the dim blue glow of his screens. After a moment, his eyes adjusted. It was Marina. He shrieked once again.
"Oh my goodness! Marina! Marina Archer! You reigned supreme? You defeated Jotaro Kujo! How wonderful! How absolutely, absolutely wonderful!" He cheered.
The woman walked forward with a cold expression. She didn't even pay his words any mind as she grew closer.
"Marina? What's wrong? You're my champion! My gladiator! You're free to go now!"
She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, lifting him up and glaring into his eyes. "You." She growled. "You fucked with my memory, didn't you? Jotaro Kujo and I are on the same team. We're friends. Give my memory back, you piece of garbage."
"W-What are you talking about!? The two of you have never met! Not ever, not never! Never ever have you two met!" He insisted, voice cracking in fear as he kicked his legs around.
Bubblegum Bitch's bat swung quickly, sticking him to the wall behind him. She relentlessly swung her Stand's bat into his stomach, causing the wind to be expelled from his lungs. He gasped desperately for air. That's when the bat struck his throat, sticking it in place. He was unable to move his throat anymore, hindering his breathing dramatically. The man wheezed pathetically, desperate eyes begging Marina for mercy.
She lifted up her long leg, slamming her foot against his stomach and pinning him against the wall even harder. With hands in her pockets, she spat on the floor, lifting her eyes to meet his.
"Don't fuck with me. I'm still pissed off. That's your Stand, isn't it? It pits two people against each other, wipes their memory of one another, and sets them into a frenzy?"
After there was no answer, she gritted her teeth. "RIGHT!?" She shouted, pushing against his stomach harder with her foot.
He cried, unable to speak. Instead, he nodded his stuck head to the best of his ability.
"How fucked up can you get?" She mumbled, Bubblegum Bitch slinging its bat over its shoulder.
No answer.
"Excuse me!" She swung the bat once more, slamming it right into his face. "I asked you a damn question!"
His eyes were stuck shut, and his lungs were entirely out of air. There was no way he could answer her question. Despite that, she was filled with absolute rage. If he didn't release his ability, she'd kill him. He understood that. So, with great reluctance, he did just that.
Relief swept over Marina like a cool wave of spring water. She immediately calmed down. Not only that, but she remembered Jotaro completely. Everything was restored.
"Hmmm." She mumbled, looking at the man. "Your Stand… It's pretty dangerous. Just what kind of place is this?"
…
"Ugh. Fine." She snapped her fingers, releasing Bubblegum Bitch's ability.
Darius fell to the floor weeping, squirming in discomfort as his body ached.
"Where the fuck are we?" She demanded.
"T-t-th…" He sobbed. "The Hotel California."
Shizuka and Hol Horse were staring down Casanova from across the hall. It seemed like they were at a draw. Sure, the girl could sprint forward and initiate the fight once more, but who was to say she'd win? Casanova was truly dangerous. Perhaps Ultra Violet and Emperor weren't enough to defeat her Supermassive Black Hole? She swallowed heavily, anxious as the woman stared her down.
"What's your plan, flower child?" Casanova called across the hall.
Shizuka snarled a bit, feeling enraged at the woman. "I've met a lot of awful people these past few weeks."
"Oh?" The tall woman grinned, lifting her chin and resting a hand on her hip.
"I've met murderers, hijackers, liars, and even a group that wants to end the world…" She took a step forward, nearing the range of Supermassive Black Hole. "...so tell me why I'm so pissed off at some stupid nobody who has to harasspeople like Hol Horse to feel strong?"
"Hey…" The cowboy mumbled softly, feeling a little offended.
"Excuse me?" Casanova demanded. "Nobody, you say? I'm a nobody?"
"Having trouble hearing me? I'll come closer then." Shizuka growled.
The moment she was within Casanova's range, she was swept off her feet. The child flew through the air, slamming directly into the woman's fist. Her head was reeling in pain, but her resolve was still burning within.
"Ultra Violet!" She shouted, manifesting her Stand.
"Foolish! Ridiculous! How stupid are you!? You say I don't understand science? How naive do you have to be to believe that? One layer of gravity isn't enough to keep you pinned, huh? Did it ever occur to you that I could use more than one in the same spot!?"
Shizuka's eyes widened. It was true. Somehow, she didn't even consider that. Her body fell to the floor with immense pressure. Two layers of gravity were dedicated to pinning the girl down. Ultra Violet struggled to get up. Its body was barely visible due to the bending and distortion of light, but it wasn't rendered fully useless.
Casanova growled, taking a few steps back. "It's risky, but I have to do it."
She dedicated her third layer of gravity to Shizuka's body. No longer protecting herself, Casanova felt her body being pulled toward Shizuka's. Despite that, she was able to keep her distance by holding onto a door handle and bracing her feet. The pressure was focused primarily on the little girl with a very small range of effect.
"This is what you get for being smart, kid!" She screamed, stomping her foot in anger.
Somehow, Shizuka was still breathing. Despite the force of three layers pushing her down, the young girl wasn't dead. Her body was impossibly resilient. Casanova watched in shock; eyes wide.
"How... How the hell are you not dead yet!?" She demanded.
Ultra Violet once again appeared on the ground. Flickering, distorting, and melting in appearance, the Stand managed to lift its head and look right at Casanova.
"Fuck this! Supermassive Black Hole!" She shouted, moving her hand down forcefully.
She'd been restraining her Stand to preserve the integrity of the room. The woman no longer had that luxury. Supermassive's power increased, pushing Shizuka even harder against the floor. The floor cracked, breaking underneath her. Luckily, the Hotel California wasn't a real building. There was nowhere to go. An unbreakable layer of bedrock laid underneath the wooden floor of the hotel. Still, Shizuka was being pressed against it with enough strength to crush an elephant.
"Are you even human!?" Casanova questioned.
Hol Horse wanted to help, but he was on the other side of the hall. Any bullets he tried to fire would be directed at Shizuka's gravitational pull. He couldn't shoot Casanova. It would only make things worse.
Meanwhile, Ultra Violet slowly pulled itself up even more. One firm foot planted itself on the carpet, and eventually the Stand was hovering above the ground once more. Shizuka ears had popped, and all she could hear was pure white noise. Thinking was difficult. Her Stand acted on instinct alone. It flickered in a bolt of light, appearing right in front of Casanova. The woman panicked, revoking a layer of gravity to thrust herself away.
Ultra Violet grabbed her by the throat, keeping her fixed in place. The woman let out a pained cry, struggling against the Stand.
"F-Fine then! Another layer!" She screamed, using two layers of gravity to pull herself away from Shizuka.
Ultra Violet wasn't letting go, however. Its strength kept the woman in place.
"T-Three!"
The Stand let go immediately. Unfortunately for Casanova, she greatly underestimated the strength of Supermassive Black Hole focused on a single point. The moment she did so, her body was flung back across the hallway of the hotel. It made a horrific splatting sound against the far wall, impacting it at far too high of a speed. She died almost instantly.
"H-Holy hell, kid!" Hol Horse mumbled, running up to Shizuka. "Are you okay!?"
She groaned in pain, lifting her face from the indentation in the floor. It was a little bloody, but nothing too severe. She wiped her face clean on her sleeve, nodding her head.
"We got her…" She sighed.
"We sure did! How in Sam-Hill did you withstand that force? I felt like I was gonna get crushed like a beer can with only one layer holding me in place."
Shizuka couldn't help but remember the words of Santana. She'd repressed them in the moment. It was natural, considering the fact that she was dying at the time. However, looking back it was hard to deny his words. When he was sucking the blood from her body, he was perplexed by her level of energy. Not only that, but her durability. His words bounced around her mind endlessly. It's all she could think about.
"You're not human. Not fully, at least."
...was he right?
To be Continued...