The sun had not yet risen, and Dio was still awake.

He sat in his study, nestled comfortably into an antique armchair he had salvaged from his old home in Cairo. The morning was dark and grey, but soon the sky would be stained with the glorious hues of sunrise, and Dio was quietly determined to keep watching the world from through his little window for as long as he possibly could.

A creak from the wooden staircase behind him shattered the silence. Without turning around, Dio already knew who it was.

"You're up early."

"I'm up late. Didn't get a wink of sleep last night."

Dio gestured towards the kitchen. "Coffee's ready for you. I took the liberty of making a fresh pot."

"Thanks."

His son disappeared from view temporarily, returning moments later with two plain white mugs of coffee. Wordlessly, Dio accepted the second mug, then nodded in the direction of an unoccupied chair on the opposite side of his desk.

"You're welcome to sit down, if you'd like."

The boy bowed slightly, then collapsed into the chair with an almost inaudible sigh. His eyes were sharp yet weary, a gaze with which Dio was all too familiar.

"Worried about your first day of school?"

His son fidgeted slightly in the antique armchair. "A little."

"No shame in that."

"It's just… I can't help but worry. What if I'm not good enough? What if I don't fit in?"

Unable to help himself, Dio scoffed under his breath.

"You won't. Don't worry about that."

"What?"

"You won't fit in," Dio intoned, lifting the porcelain vessel to his lips and taking a sip of coffee. "Remarkable people never do, and you are a remarkable person."

"That's… not what I meant," his son insisted. "Besides, compared to the other students at Shuchi'in, it's not as if I'm really all that remarkable, anyways…"

Dio shook his head, disappointment audible in his tone. "Miyuki. You placed second in the national mock exams, and despite your supposed impurity, you were accepted into Shuchi'in Academy on one of the most prestigious scholarships in Japan. That makes you remarkable, even compared to the rest of your classmates. You were never going to fit in."

"That's a relief," his son mumbled sarcastically, prompting a bitter smile from Dio.

"It should be. Not many people in this world are able to see their lot in life with such clarity."

His eyes closed in contemplation, Dio took another sip from his mug.

"They'll hate you, you know. They'll hate you because your money is newer than theirs, and they'll hate you because you're new to Shuchi'in. But most of all, they'll hate you because despite your impurity, you're better than them, and they know it. What they'll never be able to understand, Miyuki, is that your impurity- the very thing they despise you for- is the very thing that makes you better than them. You might not think you're anything special. But in that school, you'll be surrounded by nothing but those with the purest of pedigrees- the fortunate sons and daughters of fate, born into this life with silver spoons lodged firmly in their mouths."

On some level, Dio knew where his bitterness towards the students of Shuchi'in High stemmed from. Memories he had long since suppressed slowly floated towards the surface of his mind in an almost dreamlike haze- memories of the Liverpool countryside, and a manor in flames that had served as little more than a monument to the wealth and opulence he had been denied at birth by the cruelest of circumstances.

Dio winced internally, banishing the unwanted thoughts from his mind, forcing them back down into the depths of his subconsciousness. It would do little good to dwell on the past now.

"The fact that we had to work for everything we have now- the fact that we achieved what we have on the basis of our merit alone, because we held ourselves to a higher standard… that makes us special. You deserve this, Miyuki. You deserve this more than they do."

"I know that, dad," Miyuki muttered, averting his gaze even further.

Dio frowned. "I don't think you do."

From within the folds of his robe, Dio produced an ornate brass key, and inserted it into the lock on the bottom drawer of his desk. It clicked open, revealing a small black box inside. Dio blew a thin layer of dust off of the lid, then handed it to Miyuki.

"Here. I want you to have this."

Miyuki's eyebrows narrowed in confusion, then shot upward in surprise as he removed the lid.

"Out of everything I own, this may not be the most expensive, but it is the most valuable."

This was a lie. There had been a time when the item buried at the bottom of that seldomly-used drawer had held a certain sentimental value. But that time had long since passed.

After all, time itself had long since lost its meaning for Dio Brando.

"This is the 'Moonwatch.' As its name suggests, this watch has been on the moon. It was the model that was used in the Apollo missions."

Miyuki's eyes widened as he stared at the watch in his hands. Dio smiled softly in return.

"I wanted it so badly."

This was not a lie. During his hundred years of hell at the bottom of the sea, the world had changed to the point where it was almost unrecognizable by the time his coffin was recovered from the ocean floor- and of those innumerable changes, the advancements made in the field of science and technology were by far the most fascinating to Dio. Humans- pathetic, feeble, weak little humans had found the courage to strap themselves inside coffins made of metal, and shot themselves into the sky. Men had landed on the moon. Would wonders never cease?

And although he had stopped thinking of himself as human long ago, the part of him that had been human once still stirred with pride when he heard the news. Men had landed on the moon. Some long-dormant part of him still remembered being little more than a child, staring up at the heavens on a cold winter's night in the slums of London. The moon had seemed so far away to him then, and at the time, he had wanted nothing more than to run away from home in the dead of night and follow its siren song.

Men had landed on the moon. Dio could hardly remember the last time he had seen the sun, or felt its warmth upon his skin. And without it, all he had was the moon. Every night, without fail, it reappeared- hanging just outside his window, suspended in the sky. He had once preferred the night. Darkness offered him solace and solitude, but over the years, Dio had grown to despise being alone. Everyone he had ever known was dead and gone, yet the moon still remained- and after all these years, it was the only thing that had. Its constant presence was both reassuring and depressing.

He had once read in some scientific journal that the light of the moon was merely a reflection of errant rays from the sun. How fitting, he had thought. As punishment for his hubris, he would never again see the sun, or feel its warmth upon his skin. For all eternity, Dio would be denied its radiant light. All he had was the moon- a cold, uncaring, unfeeling reflection.

And yet, humans- pathetic, feeble, weak little humans- had strapped themselves inside of their metallic coffins, and shot themselves into the sky with enough fury to break through the atmosphere. They had landed on that cold, uncaring, unfeeling rock, and they had conquered it not in spite of their mortality, but because of it.

Men had landed on the moon. If he were still human, Dio reasoned that this fact alone would have made him proud. On some level, it made him regret that he was no longer human anymore.

"When I first came to Japan, I had to save up money for three years until I was finally able to buy it. After that, I worked tirelessly to build my business, hoping that one day, I would become a man worthy of that watch."

Another lie. But of course, that was the problem. Dio had known all along that he could never become a man worthy of the watch. He had rejected his humanity, after all.

That was why he had never worn it.

He had been taking a walk through the streets of downtown Tokyo one rainy night when he first saw the watch, being advertised in the windows of a nearby shop. At the time, he had considered it something of a novelty item. He had no need for a watch- not when he could halt the flow of time itself. But his operation in Cairo had just successfully completed its migration to Japan, and Dio felt he owed it to himself to indulge in some small gesture of celebration. The riches he had amassed in Egypt were such that he could have purchased every make and model of the Moonwatch on earth, in addition to the company that manufactured them. But instead, Dio had decided to buy just one- the first one he had ever seen on display in the window of that tiny Tokyo jeweler's.

It was funny. He, Dio the Immortal, Master of Time, wearing a watch. That was the only reason he had purchased it. As a joke.

But for some reason, even after buying the watch, he had refused to remove the contents of that unassuming black box and slip the watch around his wrist. It was meant to be a celebration of humanity and its most staggering accomplishment- an accomplishment he could no longer claim as his own. He could never become a man worthy of such a watch, for he was no longer a man at all. And so, it was locked away at the bottom of a drawer Dio had intentionally neglected, collecting dust over the years as its novelty wore thin.

But now, as he watched his son gently holding the watch in his hands with a mixture of awe and reverence, Dio realized that over time, the watch had taken on an entirely different meaning. The watch had never been anything more than a joke to Dio, and so it meant nothing to him. And yet, despite that, the watch still meant something to Miyuki- if only because Miyuki believed it had meant something to his father. Miyuki could appreciate the watch in a way Dio knew he never could. Miyuki could appreciate the fact that the second hand of the watch kept ticking by at a constant, unforgiving cadence- a sign of his own mortality, and a constant reminder to appreciate the finite time he had left.

Maybe this was why he had bought the watch after all- maybe, Dio had bought the watch so that he could give it to someone else all along. He had never worn it, true, but the watch itself was hardly the important part. What mattered was the story, fabricated though it was. The watch and its history now belonged to someone else who could actually appreciate it, someone who could look at the watch and be reminded of him.

Dio had never been given anything by his father. On his deathbed, Dario Brando had left his son with nothing but a wealth of hatred- a hatred that had never truly subsided. Like a cancer, it grew, and spread to every part of Dio's being, filling him with a malice that survived to this day, festering below the surface of his very soul. And though he hated Dario with every bone in his immortal body, Dio still wished his father had given him something more than the unpleasant memories of his childhood.

But this watch… Dio could give his son this watch. He could give his son something to aspire for- a story to inspire him, a gift to remember him by- something to make him think that his father was a man worthy of admiration. Something to awaken his fighting spirit.

It was a lie, but Dio had been born a liar. And if this lie gave Miyuki the confidence to go forth into this useless world with courage, then Dio was more than comfortable with lying for the sake of his son.

"I… I don't know if I can accept this, dad. I mean, it's so important to you…"

Miyuki's voice faltered, then faded out entirely, prompting Dio to respond.

"True, it is important to me. And I have never been the kind of man who gives up easily."

For over a hundred years, Dio had lived only for the extinction of the Joestars. For over a hundred years, he had been the scourge lurking behind every corner and hiding in every alley, the shadow cast by fate upon their noble bloodline. He had never been the kind of person who gave up easily.

Until Jotaro Kujo collapsed to the ground in a shower of blood, his heart in Dio's hands. At the time, Dio had been ecstatic. The hunt was over.

Looking back on that moment now, over thirty years later, Dio almost wished he had given up sooner.

"But this watch… it deserves to be worn on the wrist of someone who's reaching for the moon. That's you, Miyuki."

"Dad…"

The boy nodded solemnly as he accepted the watch, and in his eyes, Dio saw a familiar resolve.

"Then I promise I'll take good care of it."

"I know you will."

Another memory resurfaced- a distant recollection of the only words of wisdom his own father had ever uttered- and this time, Dio was too weak to suppress it.

"Now go out there and take this world for all you can get."

Miyuki smiled grimly with determination. Dio turned away from his son, facing towards the window once more to conceal the look of pride that was slowly spreading across his face.

"You'd better get going. You'll be late for school otherwise."

Miyuki nodded again. "I know. Thanks, dad."

"I'm going to wake your sister. She'll have to leave soon, too."

Miyuki snorted. "Good luck with that."

Dio shook his head good-naturedly, then rose from his armchair, leaving Miyuki alone downstairs. As he started to climb the stairs to the second story of their home, Dio caught a glimpse of his son staring at his new watch, and fought to suppress the smile that was tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Kei's room was at the end of the hallway on the left, and, as per usual, the door was wedged firmly shut, leaving no sign of life on the other side. Impatient, Dio knocked on the door.

"Kei. Time to get up for school."

His daughter groaned, her voice muffled from behind the door. "Come on, old man. Five more minutes."

Without a word, Dio slowly opened the door, letting it creak noisily as it swung to the side.

Kei rolled her eyes, familiar with her father's routine. "Oh? You're approaching me?"

Dio grinned, baring his fangs. "I can't drag you out of bed without getting any closer."

And with that, Dio grabbed Kei by her ankle and hoisted her up into the air, yanking her out from beneath the covers of her bed and slinging her effortlessly over his shoulder.

"Dad!" Kei yelled, hitting him on the back repeatedly in a desperate bid for freedom. "Come on, I'm too old for this!"

"Okay, okay," Dio finally relented, setting Kei down.

"Jeez, old man," Kei grumbled. "Can't you take a hint?"

As Kei disappeared into the bathroom, Dio turned toward the stairs with a dejected sigh. Kei's newfound attitude was just another reminder that his children were growing up. Leaving him behind.

He had no right to complain about that, though.

Back downstairs, Miyuki was already eating breakfast, which, for him, consisted of no more than two slices of lightly buttered bread. There were several more pieces of toast strewn out on a plate at the center of the table, and Dio noticed that the boy had been thoughtful enough to make breakfast for his sister, too.

"Hungry?" Miyuki asked, prompting Dio to chuckle to himself.

"No. But thank you."

"Toast again?" Kei grumbled from somewhere behind them, fresh out of the shower. "It reeks of old man in here."

"Hey!" Miyuki snapped. "I'm not that old."

"Whatever," Kei scoffed, rummaging around in the cupboard for a box of cereal- one with too much sugar, no doubt, Dio thought to himself. Still, he refrained from scolding the girl to avoid her prepubescent wrath.

"So. Kei," Dio began, leaning against the counter casually as he grabbed a nearby newspaper in an attempt to look busy. "Are you excited for your first day of school?"

"Whatever," his daughter grumbled, re-emerging from the cabinet with a bowl in hand.

"I can give you a ride, if you'd like," Dio offered.

"No thanks," Kei deadpanned. "I'd rather walk to school with my friends."

"What's wrong with hitching a ride to school with your old man?"

"Uh-uh. You don't get to call yourself an old man," Kei insisted through a mouthful of cereal. "Being self-aware about your age doesn't make it cool. Plus, everyone at school stops to stare at me whenever they see your car. All those dark-tinted windows make you look really creepy."

"You think I'm creepy?"

Kei elected to ignore her father's question, instead choosing to scarf down the rest of her breakfast.

"Done!" Kei hollered, tossing her bowl haphazardly into the sink. "I've gotta go, or I won't be able to meet up with my friends in time!"

"Not all of us have the luxury of being able to take a leisurely stroll on our way to school, you know," Miyuki reminded his sister as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and made for the door.

"That's only because Shuchi'in Middle is closer to home. You're just jealous."

Both of his children were so busy bickering with each other that they neglected to bid him farewell on their way out the door. It saddened him, Dio realized, to think that he had been forgotten. Still, it was only fitting that they left him behind without a word, disappearing out into a world where he never belonged and could never belong again.

"Any second now…" Dio hissed under his breath as he neared the window in his study, his hands clenched tightly around the curtains. "Any second…"

Morning had broken at last. The rays of the sun would be shining in through the window any minute now, and he would have to draw the blinds closed once more.

But not now. Not yet. There was still time.

Dio took a deep breath, filling his lungs with air he knew they could not breathe. Then, he spoke.

"The World."

And at his command, the world ground to a halt. Time ceased its flow instantly.

Nine seconds. In the thirty-odd years since Cairo, Dio had never again broken the nine second barrier. But every morning, at the stroke of dawn, Dio always wished he could.

Because in those nine seconds of stopped time, just before the sun's rays first crested above the horizon, Dio took one last look out the window at his children before they set out on their way to school.

"Hinjaku hinjaku," he muttered under his breath. "Weak as ever, Brando."

It was a moment of weakness, one Dio knew he was undeserving of after the life he had lived. But every morning, Dio allowed himself that moment of weakness, to watch his family leave, frozen in time on their way out the door. Dio knew it was only a matter of time before they discovered the truth- before one day, they left for good, just like everyone else.

That was what he deserved. An eternity of torment. An eternity of solitude. An eternity alone.

He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to live in this moment- to stretch out the time he had left in lieu of saying goodbye. He didn't deserve a family.

With a defeated sigh, Dio relinquished his hold on the flow of time, and the world began to turn once more. As he drew the curtains shut to block out the first rays of sun, the look on his son's face lingered in his mind.

The resolve Dio had seen in Miyuki's eyes when he accepted the watch was familiar, but it was not his own. Dio's resolve was sinister- cruel, cunning, and calculated in its determination- but the resolve he had glimpsed in the eyes of his son was the kind of resolve that drove a man to light his hand on fire, or stop his own heart.

"Tch," Dio grunted. Too much Joestar in that boy.

Still, Dio could hardly complain. The hot-headed nobility of the Joestars may have survived extinction by infecting his bloodline, but he supposed it was for the best. Better his children grow up to be full-fledged Joestars than a Brando like him.

Once more, Dio collapsed into his armchair, unfurling the newspaper and giving its contents a cursory glance. There were still several matters left to attend to before he could retire to his chambers for the day. And even then, sleep would not come easily for him. It never did.

The sun had risen, and Dio was still awake.