"Mm, Mama Janes is the best!" said Lincoln as he popped the last piece of crust from his slice in his mouth. He quickly hopped into his spot on the couch, Lynn and Luna having beaten him back. Lana was still in the dining room with Lola, the other sisters having finished their food and headed upstairs already.
"So, you ready for episode seven?" asked Lana as Lola paused, taking a sip of soda (with her pinky raised, of course).
"Well, it was fun, but I'd rather do something else," she said. "It's a bit less interesting without the queen drama, and I was planning on applying some more glitter to my ribbon tonight. It's starting to get…" she shuddered, "drab."
"Okay then," shrugged Lana as she hopped off her seat. "It won't be the same without you!"
"Don't I know it," said Lola as she took another bite out of her last slice.
"Lola's not sticking around for the next episode," said Lana as she joined her older siblings.
"Bummer," said Luna.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go! I wanna see the fight!" said Lynn.
"Okay, okay! I'm on it!" said Lincoln. "Starting in three, two, one!"
~PB~
The episode opened on what looked like a small anemometer in a rocky area blanketed with fog. The view panned up to reveal the location was the monastery that Zeppeli trained at. Japanese text appeared at the bottom of the screen, with subtitles translating it to "Tibet, 1863."
~LBR~
"Really?" complained Lynn. "Stop stalling and get to the action!"
"Well, it looks like we're going to watch Zeppeli's training with Tonpetty," said Lincoln, "so you'll still get some action. Besides, what's wrong with building a little suspense?"
~PB~
The fog cleared as tense music began to play, and the camera changed to an aerial shot before panning out to a high wire connected between two pillars. The pillars were incredibly high, and combined with the thin tightrope, wind, and thin mountain air, one false move would mean death.
Despite this, there were two figures standing on the tightrope, arms folded. They were wearing training gear, including thick tops to protect against the cold and sashes around their waists that billowed in the wind. One was wearing red and the other yellow, the latter's back turned to the former.
A change in camera revealed the figure in red to be a younger Baron Zeppeli, fist in his palm as he balanced himself. "For three years," spoke Tonpetty, revealing himself to be the figure in yellow as he had the same pose as Zeppeli, "you have endured and survived our training. You can run for unimaginable distances and not be short of breath. Soon, you will be ready to begin our intense training that we call the Celestial Gate.
"But I warn you again, Zeppeli, if your choice is to continue with these teachings, you will be sealing your fate. The time to turn back is now. You're young, you can start a new life." These words caused Zeppeli to lower his hands.
"Master Tonpetty," said Zeppeli. Tonpetty looked over his shoulder to see Zeppeli offering his right hand, the same that he shook when they first met. "Read the waves of my life. Tell me how long I have! When is this life of mine going to end? Where does it end, how does it end?"
~LBR~
"'Only the first reading was free. The others are one hundred bucks, plus tax,'" joked Lana.
"I dunno, this is kinda freaky to me," said Luna. "Why would anybody want to know how and when they die? That would just freak me out!"
~PB~
Tonpetty's eyes narrowed. "Why do you want this knowledge?"
"I believe there is a purpose to my life," explained Zeppeli as the scene cut away from the two, moving below the tightrope. "One that I cannot set aside. I need to know so I can fulfill that purpose!"
The camera moved back to Zeppeli, not a hint of hesitation or fear in his eyes as his arm remained outstretched. "If I know how much time I have to accomplish it, then I can accept the outcome." The scene cut to his eyes. "I WILL accept it."
Tonpetty said nothing, then turned to face him. "So, let it be done if that is what you believe. Know this!" he said as he outstretched his left arm and wrapped his hand around Zeppeli's fingers. Almost immediately, their hands began to glow as an explosion of Hamon burst from the connection, waves of light and energy flying and bolts of Hamon tearing through the sky.
~LBR~
"Cooool…" said Lincoln as he watched the explosion, mesmerized by the display of power. Lana and Lynn were similarly entranced, oohing and ahhing like they were watching a fireworks display. Luna just smirked at her younger siblings' antics.
~PB~
The ripples soon died down, only for a strong updraft to follow. Zeppeli flinched as he endured the freezing wind and snow, while the stinging cold had no effect on Tonpetty, eyes closed as he felt the ripples and pieced together Zeppeli's fate. Once the wind died down, he opened his eyes, the camera spinning as he gave his prediction.
"In an ancient chamber, hidden from the light and reeking of death, a child shall open the way for you," he said as the spinning soon transitioned to the door to the Lair of the Two-Headed Dragon, back in the present as it still spun around.
~LBR~
"Poco, I've a feeling we're not in Tibet anymore," joked Luna.
"All this spinning is making me dizzy," said Lana.
~PB~
"To unchain a young lion and release him into the future of his destiny, you will burn your own wounds," continued Tonpetty as the spinning camera passed Speedwagon, Poco, and Zeppeli, "then freely will you open your arms to the cruel death that awaits you." A loud drum was heard as the spinning came to a stop behind Zeppeli as he faced Jonathan and Tarkus. The former still struggled to pull off the iron collar while the latter glared at Zeppeli from the corner of his eye. Zeppeli only stared forward with shrunken eyes and pursed open lips, steeling himself for the confrontation.
"Baron Zeppeli… " said Speedwagon as he leaned forward. "Be careful, my friend."
~LBR~
"So, this is it, isn't it?" said Lincoln quietly, his optimism fading. "They're in a dark chamber where a lot of people died, Poco was the young boy who let him get inside, and JoJo is the chained lion he has to free. If what Tonpetty said was true, then Zeppeli's going to die here."
"We don't know if that's true! Come on, don't be so glum, it's not like you!" said Lynn. "Zeppeli's gonna kick Tarkus to the curb!"
"Yeah he is!" said Lana with her fist in the air. "He didn't have to try to show Jack the Ripper who's boss, so he can take down Tarkus for sure!"
"Thanks, girls," said Lincoln with a smile. He was still unsure, but he felt better as he pulled in Lynn and Lana for a hug, both letting it happen.
"Hey, don't leave me out of this!" Before they knew it, Luna joined in on the hug, squeezing them tight. After a few more seconds, the four let go of each other and got back into their spots on the couch, Lincoln resuming the episode.
~PB~
Zeppeli took a deep breath. "Here I come, JoJo!" Holding onto his hat, he hopped into the arena and walked towards the two. A negative filter covered his body as colored lights appeared in the background.
'To unchain a young lion,' recalled Zeppeli as his body glowed with Hamon, 'and release him into the future of his destiny!'
~LBR~
"Gotta give credit to Zeppeli where it's due," said Lynn over the opening. "The guy knows, or at least thinks, that this is where he's gonna bite it. But he's still going to risk everything in order to help JoJo. That takes a lot of guts, which I can respect." The others nodded in agreement, remaining silent for the rest of the opening sans Luna's humming.
~PB~
The episode resumed with an outside shot of the castle in the cliff walls. A dim orange light could be seen from the open door. Japanese text appeared in the corner, which was translated by subtitles to "Episode 7: Sorrowful Successor."
~LBR~
"Ooh, that doesn't sound good," said Luna.
"Come on, Zeppeli, you can do this!" said Lincoln under his breath.
~PB~
Zeppeli strode forward with a determined expression. Tarkus continued leering at him while Jonathan struggled with his shackles. 'Ghh…can't budge this collar,' thought Jonathan as he looked towards his opponent. The camera panned up the muscular body of the ruthless revenant. 'Strange, for some reason Tarkus hasn't made a display of his tricks for fighting in this room. That worries me.'
"Come to me, fools!" goaded Tarkus. "You think your Hamon will do any good? You little bugs can't lay a finger on me, no matter how hard you may try!" He threw a powerful punch towards Zeppeli, but the Italian simply jumped over it, landing on Tarkus's left. Tarkus was surprised by his speed, but that surprise turned to fury. "You afraid? Gonna soil yourself?!"
~LBR~
"'The lad over there has that covered,'" joked Lana.
"He's not afraid, he's just dodging," said Lynn. "We can't all take a cannon to the face and walk it off."
"Sounds like somebody's jealous," laughed Luna.
"Wha— I'm not jealous!" snapped Lynn. "Yeah, he's super buff, but power doesn't mean anything without speed too! What good is being able to hit the ball far if you can't even run to first base?"
"But if you hit it out of the park, you get a point anyway," said Lincoln.
"Zip it, Stinkoln!"
"She's totally jealous," laughed Lana, Hops peeking out of her cap and croaking out what sounded like a laugh. Lynn just fumed and crossed her arms.
"Bet I could beat him in basketball…"
~PB~
Tarkus charged at Zeppeli and swung ferociously, only for Zeppeli to sidestep the blow. Tarkus quickly threw a punch with his other hand, but only hit air as Zeppeli remained too agile. He swept his outstretched arm to the side to swat his opponent like a fly, but Zeppeli flipped over his arm and landed on his feet. Tarkus snarled in frustration as he gripped the chain around his neck.
~LBR~
"Heck yeah! He can't even touch him!" cheered Lynn. "Go for the finisher, Zeppeli!"
~PB~
"Masterfully played, Baron!" cheered Speedwagon as Zeppeli punched into his palm. This further enraged Tarkus as he charged forward. As he raised his fist for another blow, Zeppeli turned away and jumped into the air. He kicked off a wall and flipped around with a split.
"Here we go!" he shouted as he used one of his legs to spin his body, then pointed both towards Tarkus. "How about this? TORNADO OVERDRIVE!" he shouted as he spun like a drill, Hamon coursing through his veins and golden energy trailing behind him. But before the Overdrive could connect, Tarkus vanished into thin air, moving faster than the human eye could register.
"Watch your back!" warned Jonathan as Zeppeli looked up, Tarkus having sidestepped the attack and was now towering over his exposed body.
~LBR~
"He's fast…" said Luna in disbelief, Lynn's face contorted into one of horror as the fist she was pumping into the air was now immobile, save a few trembles.
"Much faster than we thought he was," said Lincoln.
~PB~
"He's attacking from above!" shouted Zeppeli in a split screen, said split in the form of sound effects.
"No, Zeppeli!" called Jonathan. "He's coming from below!"
The chain that had bound Tarkus soon slithered into view. Upside down, Zeppeli looked to see that the chain had formed a wide circle around him. He was inside an iron snare with nowhere to dodge. "What do you know, you're both right!" laughed Tarkus as he tugged on the chain. Zeppeli could do nothing but whimper as the chain coiled around his right arm and torso.
"I call it…" said Tarkus, "Hell Heaven Snake Kill!" He pulled even harder on the chain, forcing the end on Jonathan's side into the ceiling. Jonathan coughed as the collar pushed against his windpipe, his body dragged towards the ceiling until it slammed against it while Zeppeli's bindings tightened to a painful degree. Speedwagon gasped as he saw Jonathan trying even harder to break the steel band around his neck in vain, while the chains kept constricting Zeppeli's body, his rib cage and arm bones feeling like they were about to snap.
~LBR~
"Come on, Zeppeli! Use your Hamon to send an Overdrive through the chain! If that doesn't take him out, it'll at least make him let go!" screamed Lincoln, sweat dripping off his brow as his voice got higher in desperation.
"Th-This guy's nothing! You can beat him!" stammered Lana.
~PB~
Tarkus laughed as he eyed his prey and pulled harder on the chains. "Lovely watching you suffocate!" Both Zeppeli and Jonathan strained as Speedwagon could do nothing but gasp from the sidelines.
'I… I can't breathe,' thought Zeppeli as he tried to send Hamon through his free hand. His fingertips started to spark, but the sparks died out. 'My Hamon won't manifest!'
~LBR~
"Oh no," said Lincoln. The others couldn't speak, doing nothing but staring at the screen with anticipation.
~PB~
Tarkus grinned as he pulled tighter. Speedwagon shuddered and his eyes widened as Zeppeli's own eyes bugged out. The grotesque sounds of flesh tearing and bones cracking got louder and louder as Speedwagon continued to whimper louder. Finally, he reached his breaking point as the screen briefly went into a negative filter.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Speedwagon screamed at the top of his lungs as Jonathan spat up blood, the collar having damaged his trachea if not snapped his neck. But that was nothing compared to Zeppeli. As a color shift turned Jonathan's hair and shirt light red and Zeppeli's suit pink, it also revealed the true cause of Speedwagon's shrieks.
The tightening of the chain didn't just crush Zeppeli. It had torn through his flesh, cleaving off his right arm and bisecting him at the waist. Speedwagon's screams died in his throat as he started sobbing, the top half of Zeppeli falling from the chain.
~LBR~
"ZEPPELI!" screamed Lincoln, jumping out of his seat as he watched Jonathan's mentor, the one who taught him how to wield the one thing that could defeat his archenemy, get torn in half. His eyes darted back and forth between the screen and his sisters as he bit his lip. "This isn't happening, right? This is just in Speedwagon's imagination! Right? RIGHT?!"
Before Lincoln could continue, Lynn grabbed his shoulders and lightly shook him. "Get a hold of yourself, Lincoln! It's just a show! Take a deep breath and relax." Luna and Lana, who had been watching the scene unfold in horror, turned to Lincoln and Lynn. The former was taking slow breaths to try and calm down. It was clear that the scene still got to Lynn, considering that she was trembling herself. However, her words seemed to do the trick as Lincoln was back to normal in no time.
"Thanks for that, Lynn."
"Don't mention it," she said, unusually quiet. The two got back to their seats, still a little shaky.
~PB~
"Jo…" breathed Zeppeli, "JoJo…" He fell to the ground, Jonathan's limp body soon following. Tarkus stepped forward to look over the two, his hair having turned a very pale pink. The camera cut to Jonathan, then Zeppeli, before panning up to show Zeppeli's arm and lower body had fallen further away.
"Lord Dio," said Tarkus, "as you ordered, they're dead. Both of them."
Speedwagon, having set Poco down, fell to his hands and knees. His hair was bronze due to the color shift, and his suit was purple and green. "This is… this bloody savagery is unbelievable!" he screamed. He bit his lip to hold back his cries of anguish, but he failed, howling in sorrow as the deaths of his closest friends sank in. His cries echoed through the room.
~LBR~
"It can't…" choked out Lana as she fought back tears of her own. "It can't end like this!"
~PB~
The camera slowly panned over Zeppeli and Jonathan before it focused on Jonathan's face, his body completely still. Or so it seemed. Jonathan's eyes twitched as a shallow breath escaped his lips. Tarkus saw this small movement, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. Jonathan grit his teeth as Speedwagon gasped, turning to him.
"Jonathan!" shouted Speedwagon. Against all odds, Jonathan Joestar wasn't at death's door yet.
~LBR~
"He's alive!" shouted Luna. "JoJo's alive! Yeah, baby!"
"But wait, what about Zeppeli?" wondered Lincoln.
~PB~
Jonathan's body twitched as he struggled, trying to move. Tarkus turned his eyes to him, seething. "Even with a broken neck, you have the poor taste to still be alive?!" He pulled on the chain. "Allow me to finish you off!"
Suddenly, a trembling hand reached out to Jonathan's, quivering before their hands locked together. Tarkus snarled. Slowly, the camera panned over to reveal that the hand belonged to one Baron Zeppeli. Even with one arm and missing the lower half of his body, he still had the resolve to live a little longer.
~LBR~
"He's alive!" cried Lincoln, a tear of joy rolling down his cheek. "Zeppeli's alive too!"
"Man, Tarkus is really off his game today," said Lynn. "Guess three hundred years will make anybody rusty."
~PB~
"Jo…" uttered Zeppeli, his voice hoarse as if every breath was a daunting task, "JoJo…"
"Lively for only half a man," said Tarkus.
"Freely I give this…" said Zeppeli, the camera getting closer to him. "Freely I give this… freely I give this to you! My ultimate technique!"
Hamon surged from his hand into Jonathan's, the blinding light filling the screen. "JoJo! Take it! Make it yours!" The Hamon rippled through his veins, overloading with power beyond anything they'd done before. "ULTIMATE DEEP PASS OVERDRIVE!"
Jonathan screamed in pain as the energy rippled and shocked his body, limbs flailing as his body was supercharged. Even his clothes were filled with power, the intense ripples shredding his shirt to scraps. Jonathan let out another loud scream as Zeppeli screamed, though his cries began to peter out as he grew weaker. Speedwagon watched the Deep Pass Overdrive unfold, eyes wide open and mouth agape with Poco in his arms. Zeppeli grit his teeth and let out one last scream as the surging energy became blindingly bright, the screen flashing white. A brilliant beam of light flashed through the open door, slowly becoming smaller before it disappeared.
~LBR~
"What… what was that?" asked Lana. "What did he mean by 'Deep Pass?'"
"I think I know," said Lincoln with a small smile, wiping away his tears. "And I know that it's gonna be awesome."
~PB~
Zeppeli fell to the ground in a puddle of his blood, his skin suddenly pale and wrinkled. His hair had turned white. "Done," he said. He was weak, but triumphant. "JoJo, I have passed on to you all the Hamon which was mine to control in this life." A small spark of Hamon floated away from his body like a firefly towards a trembling Speedwagon.
"Go, dear friend," said Speedwagon, voice cracking as he cried. "Go… BARON ZEPPELIIIII!"
~LBR~
"Whoa, he looks so old now," said Luna. "He must've given up a lot more than his Hamon."
"All of his power," said Lynn. "It's all JoJo's now."
"This was Zeppeli's purpose," said Lincoln, looking down as he twiddled his thumbs. "He gave his life to save JoJo's. And now, just maybe, JoJo's strong enough to destroy Dio, once and for all."
"First thing's first," said Lana as she lifted her hat so Hope could peek out, "Tarkus is gonna pay for what he did to Zeppeli."
~PB~
Speedwagon let out a shriek of despair, his cries joined by heavy footsteps as Tarkus lumbered over Zeppeli. His eyes flashed red. "A touching display, but I'm still going to grind you into red paste!" He lifted a foot and prepared to stomp on Zeppeli, only for the chain around his neck to yank him back. Speedwagon gasped as Tarkus wasn't just pulled back, but off the ground. He slowly turned as triumphant music played, the sight of Jonathan on his feet and pulling the chain greeting him. Jonathan glared at Tarkus with all the fury that he could muster.
~LBR~
"Oh yeah, he's back!" shouted Lynn. "Take him down hard!"
"'Lookie here, I caught a pet zombie,'" joked Lana.
~PB~
"You… can't do this," choked Tarkus. Jonathan pulled the chain lower as he rose to his full height, stepping on the chain to keep it secure.
"What?" said Speedwagon in surprise. "He hauled Tarkus off the ground like a sack of turnips! It's as if the Baron's Hamon healed his broken neck!"
~LBR~
"Of course he's healed, how do you think he's standing?" asked Luna.
"Anger: the true miracle worker," joked Lincoln.
~PB~
As he'd done before, Jonathan grabbed the collar and began to pull on it, prompting a laugh from the suspended Tarkus. "Numbskull! You actually think you can yank that collar open?! You pathetic waste of flesh! I couldn't pull apart those steel bands, even with all the power given to me by Lord Dio!"
Just as he said this, one of the three steel bands visible in the collar's opening snapped. The veins in Jonathan's hands popped out and his muscles bulged as he let out strained cries, sound effects bursting into view as he called upon astronomical strength. "Oh no, Tarkus?!" shouted Jonathan, letting out one last cry before he snapped the collar in half, the shoulder weights falling off and the chain being fed into the ceiling. Tarkus and Speedwagon couldn't believe their eyes.
~LBR~
"WOO-HOO!" cheered Lincoln and Lana, standing on the couch and bouncing up and down in excitement.
"He's finally free of that thing! And that means he can use Hamon again!" said Lincoln.
"Take him down for Zeppeli, JoJo!" cheered Lana.
~PB~
"Jonathan!" cheered Speedwagon.
Tarkus fell to the ground with a heavy thud, a color shift turning his armor blue and his shackles gold. "You bug!" roared Tarkus as the chains began to fall around him. "How'd y—AHH!" Before he could finish his sentence, the chains fell onto his head. As he regained his bearings, Jonathan walked up to him, part of his back obscured by shadow. The shift had changed his hair to indigo, and his remaining glove was blue and pink.
~LBR~
Most of the Louds laughed when the chains hit Tarkus upside the head, but Lincoln was distracted by something. He swore that he saw something on Jonathan's left shoulder, though the shadows made it hard to see.
'Maybe I'm seeing things,' he thought.
~PB~
The screen cut to Jonathan, his entire body shimmering with Hamon as it slowly changed colors like a chameleon. His theme began to play in the background. "Twisted by madness, no human feeling. You gave up your redemption when you chose to follow Dio, Tarkus."
Tarkus only chuckled, lifting a fist with the chain in hand. He began to twirl the chain around, Jonathan getting into a stance and taking a deep breath. Tarkus threw the chain forward to strike Jonathan, only to be sidestepped. Jonathan chopped his hand horizontally to block Tarkus's hand. The sudden stop cause the chain to reach its full length and whip back around to Jonathan, who blocked the chain with his forearm and grabbed it in midair.
~LBR~
"Time for a game of extreme tug of war to take down Tarkus!" laughed Lynn.
~PB~
With a mighty cry, Jonathan pushed his hand forward through Tarkus's arm, the Hamon flowing through it slicing through Tarkus's flesh like a hot knife through butter. His flesh glowed a molten orange and red as his arm dissolved, leaving a sizzling stump right below the elbow. Tarkus screamed as he stared at what was left of his arm.
~LBR~
"'How dare you! My precious hand modeling career is ruined now!'" joked Luna, but Lincoln didn't pay attention as he grabbed the controller.
"Hold on a sec, I gotta go back!" he said as he rewinded to where Jonathan caught the chain.
"Hey, what gives, Stinkoln?" asked Lynn.
"I swear I saw something," he said as he paused, then started to slowly move forward. Partway through Jonathan cutting through Tarkus's arm, he paused. "There! Below his neck on the left!" He pointed at the screen, and his sisters noticed that there was a star on his back.
"What is that? A tattoo? A birthmark?" wondered Lana.
"Whatever it is, it definitely makes sense for Jonathan 'Joestar,'" said Lynn. "Wonder why we've never seen that until now?"
"Probably because this is the first time we've seen JoJo without a shirt," said Lincoln. "Anyway, back to the action!" He hit the play button and let the episode resume to where they left off.
~PB~
'Look at that!' thought Speedwagon as Jonathan tossed the chain to the side. The shift turned his suit a murky moss green, while his hair was a darker shade of his usual blonde. 'His Hamon's visible! His body can barely contain its strength! The baron's strength multiplied incredibly with Jonathan's! There's been nothing like this ever!'
"Tarkus, you cannot be allowed to continue, this is clear," said Jonathan in an even tone. "Your evil spirit must be banished!"
Tarkus grit his teeth as he snarled, two of his fangs snapping and pointing outward like tusks.
~LBR~
"OW!" shouted Lincoln, slapping his hands over his mouth as he cringed. "Don't do that! I could feel that!"
"And mom says I grind my teeth too hard," said Lynn.
"Now I'm imagining a vampire with braces," said Lana. "'I vant to thuck your blood!'"
"So Luan and Lucy combined?" asked Luna.
"Pretty much," said Lana with a shrug.
~PB~
"Your time is done!" shouted Jonathan. "Now I'll erase you!" His Hamon grew in size, a towering inferno of rippling light.
"Enough of your blather!" shouted Tarkus as he charged towards Jonathan. "You talk too much!" He reached for Jonathan, then spat his two broken fangs. The makeshift darts struck Jonathan's temple and caused him to flinch, piercing his skin but stopping at the bone. They fell out as small trails of blood leaked from the wounds, Tarkus taking the opportunity to attack with a punch from above.
"You'll have to do better than that!" screamed Jonathan. He threw his fists back and charged headfirst into battle. Before Tarkus's attack could reach, Jonathan slammed his fists into his face. His left hand struck the behemoth's chin, the other his forehead above his left eye.
Tarkus was dazed by the blows and stopped his attack, but Jonathan was only getting started, pushing his fists together and slowly caving in Tarkus's head. He let out a loud scream as he drove Hamon from his fists into Tarkus's body. The energy assault and the fists crushing his skull caused Tarkus's eye to shoot out of his head.
Finally, it was time to end it. With one last cry, Jonathan lifted the brute over his head and threw him over his back. Tarkus went flying as his body was smoking from the Hamon destroying his undead cells. "Well played!" cheered Speedwagon, Poco having regained consciousness and watching with awe. As Tarkus plummeted, his body sizzled and dissolved. The undead brute was reduced to ash before he hit the ground, his armor and shackles clattering onto the stone floor. The Hamon surrounding Jonathan dissipated as he put his hand on his hip, once more victorious against a ruthless adversary. As he looked over the remains of his opponent, his eyes welled with tears as the screen was covered by a purple filter, the halfway point having been reached.
~LBR~
"Oh yeah, who's bad? JoJo's bad!" cheered Lynn as she hopped off the couch and started doing her victory dance. As the sports star shook her rump, Lana let out a cheer as she threw her hat into the air, catching it as Hops did backflips on her head. Luna had both her goats in the air, but as she cheered, she saw her brother in the corner of her eye. He was smiling and clapping, but he still looked a little glum.
"Hey bro, what's up? JoJo just fried Tarkus, aren't you excited?!"
"Yeah, I am," he said. "Just a little bummed, is all."
"I get it," said Luna. "You're still thinking about what's gonna happen to Zeppeli?" As soon as she said his name, her younger sisters stopped cheering.
"Way to bring down the mood," said Lynn, shuffling her cleats on the carpet.
"I kinda forgot about him," said Lana sadly, holding her hat in her hands as Hops looked down with a sad croak.
"Look, I get you're sad, but remember that if Zeppeli didn't do that, Jonathan couldn't have healed his neck or been strong enough to take down Tarkus. He gave all of his Hamon to him so he could live rather than them both dying!" said Luna, wrapping her arm around Lincoln's shoulders.
"And then some!" said Lynn. "With all that power, JoJo's probably tough enough to take down Dio now!"
This was enough to make Lincoln smile. "You're right! Come on, let's keep watching!"
"That's the spirit!" said Lana as she slapped her older brother playfully on the back, putting her hat back on. As soon as the four were back in their seats, Lincoln wiped the last of his tears away and hit the play button on the controller.
~PB~
The episode resumed with a shot outside of the castle, this time from above. The faint torchlight was visible outside the open door as the camera slowly zoomed in. "Baron Zeppeli!" shouted Jonathan from inside. The screen went dark, only to reveal that the camera was now from Zeppeli's perspective as he slowly opened his eyes, groaning. Above him were Jonathan, Speedwagon, and Poco, their color schemes back to normal. They all looked worried as their faces blurred, Zeppeli's vision shaky. "Speak to me," said Jonathan, tears in his eyes.
Zeppeli opened his mouth as he tried to speak, but nothing came out but shallow breaths. "This is all…" said Jonathan, "…so terribly wrong." His tears began to fall. "Without you beside me," he closed his eyes and turned away, not bearing to look at his dying friend, "without your wisdom and guidance, how will I make my way through this world?"
These words made Zeppeli's eyes widen, a little life remaining as he turned to his apprentice. "JoJo," he said with fading strength, "you simply must… pull yourself together." The others gasped. "You've no time… to waste now. You know what lies ahead."
~LBR~
The four were silent as they watched, none of them having the heart to make any comments at all. The only sounds were a few tears shared by all.
~PB~
Zeppeli's face became relaxed. "Now go. Leave me. Settle accounts… with Dio. But first of all… you must destroy the mask!" He let out a cough, hacking up quite a bit of blood.
"Zeppeli!" shouted Jonathan. Poco started sobbing as he buried his face in Speedwagon's suit, the scarred man putting a comforting hand on him.
"Please don't cry," begged Zeppeli as he looked up at Jonathan. "No tears… I am satisfied. I have lived my destiny."
~LBR~
Lincoln wiped away the last of his tears as if Zeppeli had been speaking to him, a somber smile on his face. "You did more than that, Zeppeli. You managed to touch our hearts."
~PB~
"When I was young, I was very happily married," said Zeppeli with a hint of both fondness and sorrow. "But to pursue the mask, I left my family behind. However, I've never regretted the choice I made. I accept it completely."
~LBR~
"Wait, what the heck?" asked Lynn. "You abandoned your family! How can you not regret that?!"
"Well, considering what happened to him and his dad, he probably had a good reason for not getting them involved in all this," said Luna, causing Lynn to calm down, if only a little.
~PB~
Zeppeli slowly reached his hand out. "And it's good… in the end… I can see that my choice was the right one." He began to glow as he put his hand on Jonathan's, his pupil also glowing. "JoJo," he said with a gasp, "you are my deliverance."
"Baron Zeppeli," said Jonathan.
Zeppeli let out a hoarse chuckle. "It seems to me that in you, I have found both a best friend and a new family. JoJo… through you, I will live on… forever. My son… JoJo…" And with that, his eyes closed, his hand going limp and falling to the ground. Poco and Speedwagon gasped as Jonathan looked down somberly. He clenched a fist as he looked down at the body of his mentor and best friend. With closed eyes and a soft smile, Baron Zeppeli had passed on.
~LBR~
The four watched silently, out of tears to shed as Zeppeli finally passed away. Lincoln looked down, only to jump up as he felt a hand on his back. He turned to see Lynn with a surprisingly soft smile, no words necessary as she comforted her little brother. Lincoln smiled back before turning to the screen.
~PB~
"The nineteenth-century novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray, wrote, 'To love and win is the best thing,'" quoted the narrator. Poco began to weep, Speedwagon placing a comforting hand on his head. "'To love and lose is the next best.'" The scene cut to a lit torch being lowered, Zeppeli's body laying on a funeral pyre the others had procured and placed on the balcony they had entered from. As the torch's fire touched the structure of sticks, it was set ablaze, covering the peaceful body of Zeppeli. Poco, Speedwagon, and Jonathan stood before the pyre as the flames spread, Speedwagon holding Zeppeli's top hat with the bottom against his chest in respect. The camera cut to a close-up of Jonathan's face. "And so it was that JoJo took up his mentor's life quest, as well as his spirit."
The scene cut to the outside of the castle, going up as the smoke rose into the sky. Overlays of Jonathan, Speedwagon, and Poco appeared in the night sky, with one of Zeppeli above them as the quiet music in the background stopped. "Farewell, my friend," said Jonathan, the smoke rising high into the air, the spirit of a brave and honorable man along with it.
~LBR~
"Rest in peace, Baron Zeppeli," said Lincoln, the others silent.
~PB~
As the smoke rose higher, the camera panned along Windknight's Lot before dissolving to Dio's castle. The sounds of soft crying could be heard. "Oh, please sir," begged a woman's voice. A cut inside revealed the speaker, a woman in a gray dress with a brown cape and white apron, with brown hair and a beauty mark on the right of her nose. In her hands was a baby wrapped in teal, and she was clutching it tightly as she knelt on the red tiles of the palace. "I beg you, please don't bring no harm to my child! Let him be!" A hand lifted a silver crucifix with a purple jewel in the middle into view, before crushing it into scrap metal. The woman flinched and held her baby closer. The one she was speaking to was revealed to be Dio, sitting in a wooden chair with red velvet cushions while a fireplace lit up the room, several pairs of evil red eyes visible where the light didn't reach. His leitmotif began to play in the background.
~LBR~
"Of all the times for him to show his mug again," snarled Luna.
"Guess crosses don't work on this vampire," said Lana. "Or silver."
~PB~
"Hmm…" said Dio, pretending to think it over with crossed legs and a hand against his cheek. "Do I comprehend you? Let us clarify what you desire." He dropped the ruined crucifix to the ground with a clatter before he plucked a rose, holding it out to the sobbing mother.
~LBR~
"'A date with me, this Saturday night. I'll bring a picnic, no garlic,'" joked Lynn.
"Figures, even with vampiric powers he has no luck with the ladies," laughed Lincoln.
~PB~
"Voluntarily, you will give yourself to us, on the condition that we not touch your child," said Dio. "Is that accurate?"
The woman turned to face him, then looked behind him. The scene cut to the source of the red eyes, a horde of zombies cloaked in shadow, hanging from the ceiling and groaning in hunger and bloodlust. She turned her head to see more of these zombies hanging like a group of bats, surrounding her from all sides.
~LBR~
"Why do they all have spiky hair? Did he just clone that one medicine man?" asked Lana.
"They're hanging from the ceiling, and I doubt their hair would stay totally still if they were upside down," said Lynn.
"Not without a couple gallons of hairspray," said Luna.
~PB~
The mother closed her eyes and put her head against her baby. "Yes, only don't hurt my boy," she reluctantly agreed.
"You move me to tears!" said Dio without a hint of compassion. He uncrossed his legs and stood up, pointing the rose at the woman. "Agreed. You shall have your wish. I hereby swear that neither I, nor any of my servants, will bring harm to your child." He discarded the rose as he made the deal.
~LBR~
"I'm getting a really bad feeling about this," said Lincoln. "She's making a deal with the devil here."
~PB~
"That said," said Dio, "you need to be aware of one thing. All my minions, without exception, willingly gave up their souls for me." The vampire smirked. "I truly think it would work out far better if both of you were to join me." He started to approach the woman. "There would be no more worries. You would both be part of a new and greater family."
"Remember, you promised not to hurt my child!" shouted the mother as she looked up at Dio. He smirked in the shadows as she averted her gaze. "Me for him," she sobbed.
~LBR~
"I gotta ask, what use would a baby zombie be in Dio's army?" asked Lincoln.
"I'm sure he'd find some terrifying use for it," said Lana.
~PB~
Dio closed his eyes and lifted his hand. "So be it, then." He brought his palm to her head, the scene cutting to the outside of the castle as the familiar sound of blood being drained filled the air. The scene cut back to the room as the baby began crying, Dio picking another rose from a vase.
The zombified mother looked over her bawling baby with loud breathing. Her motherly love was nothing but a fleeting memory, swiftly being replaced by a horrific hunger. "Sweet little child," she hissed, opening her mouth wide as her canines and molars sharpened into fangs. As soon as she lunged forward, the camera cut away with the sound of a bone-chilling crunch. The shadows from the fire and the crying being silenced left little to the imagination.
~LBR~
The Louds were stunned into silence as the episode was paused. There were many emotions in the air: terror, anger, disgust, but none more than shock. "That crazy love of hers, eh?" referenced Luna with a weak chuckle, desperate to lighten the mood after that scene, but all she accomplished was making herself feel awful as she groaned. The others didn't even hear her, too out of it to notice. After he recovered, Lincoln silently hit play, wanting nothing more than to move on.
~PB~
Dio let out a chuckle, amused by the cruel twist of fate he knew would result from her sacrifice. "As promised, we've not harmed the child. That's something you've taken care of on your own." He stared at the rose in his hand, admiring its beauty. "The irony is lost on you. A pity." His leitmotif came to a close as the rose faded into the full moon, the scene having changed.
~LBR~
Luna suddenly heard what she thought was Charles growling, until she turned and saw a furious bull by the name of Lynn Loud, seemingly ready to charge. Her teeth were clenched tight as a vise as she seethed, her fists clenched so tight, Luna thought her nails would cut into her palms. "Dude, you okay?"
"Dio's gonna pay," snarled Lynn through her clenched jaws. "JoJo's gonna beat him into the next century! He's crossed the line ten times too many now!"
"Just turn down the amps a bit," said Luna. "Save that energy for the final chorus."
"Trust us, both Dio and the mask that made him more of a monster are gonna be itty-bitty pieces!" said Lana. "I know that JoJo can win!"
Lynn took a deep breath through her nose and out her mouth, her body slowly relaxing. "He better," she said with an even tone.
"Let's get back to the show," said Lincoln, hitting the play button.
~PB~
The camera cut to Speedwagon, Jonathan, and Poco walking down a dirt road towards Windknight's Lot. Jonathan had somehow managed to replace his shredded shirt with an identical one, as with the glove damaged by Dio's flash freeze. Speedwagon was now wearing Zeppeli's checkered top hat, a memento from his dear friend.
~LBR~
"Guess having designer training gear was standard issue for knights if JoJo found such a perfect replacement," said Lynn.
"You think Speedwagon got some razor blades for his new hat?" asked Lana.
"Nah, it's too tall to be used like that," said Lincoln.
~PB~
As the trio walked along, Speedwagon turned to Jonathan with a look of concern. The latter had a look of solemnity as he focused only on the town and goal before him. 'Strewth,' thought Speedwagon, 'Jonathan's demeanor is different, as if the shutters were drawn on his soul.'
~LBR~
"Man, I've never seen JoJo like that," said Luna. "He usually has his heart on his sleeve when he's upset, but seeing him like this… it just about breaks my heart."
~PB~
Speedwagon turned forward and held the brim of his hat, tilting his head down as his mouth twitched with a silent rage. 'And the same for me. Got no time for tears, only anger. There'll be plenty of time to cry… once we've dealt with Dio.'
Speedwagon walked ahead of the group and stopped to turn to his allies, revealing that Luck & Pluck was held in his trench coat for safekeeping. "Oi, Jonathan!" he said, causing Jonathan and Poco to stop. "Dio was swanning about, saying he'd wipe out the town by tomorrow night!" Speedwagon pointed to the town in the distance, then turned to face it. "Zombies will multiply, like rats breeding in a refuse heap."
~LBR~
"Hey, you've been down to the dump tons of times. Are there really that many rats there?" Lynn asked Lana.
"Oh yeah," said Lana. "They keep me company while I'm searching for hidden goodies."
'Please let them be ones she doesn't consider edible,' thought Lincoln, though he knew in his heart it was wishful thinking.
~PB~
Jonathan nodded in agreement as the scene cut to a pan over the village from their vantage point. "No telling what's been going on down there," said Speedwagon. "Is Windknight's Lot alive… or undead?"
"My sister, is she alright?" asked Poco softly, worried about the possibility that his dear sister was dead, or even undead.
~LBR~
Lincoln clenched a hand around his knee, looking back and forth at his sisters. Poco's concerns started to make him on edge, even if his sisters were in no danger. The thought of losing them was heartbreaking, though. Luna caught his eye and gave him a grin and a thumbs-up, easing his worries.
~PB~
"Let's see," said Jonathan as they kept moving. A cloud started to cover the moon as it slowly turned purple. When the camera cut back to the group, their outfits and hair were various shades of yellow-green, and the grass in the fields had become a dark purple.
They hadn't been walking too long when Poco suddenly gasped. The scene cut to a man walking down the same path towards them. "Eh?" grunted the man when he heard the noise.
"Mr. Adams!" shouted Poco as he ran towards the figure with open arms, laughing upon seeing a familiar face.
~LBR~
"So what's the reference this time, Shazam?" asked Lynn, nudging Luna's shoulder.
"Hmm, Adams… could be Bryan Adams," she shrugged. "Hard to tell."
~PB~
"Whoa, Poco!" shouted Adams as he pointed at the boy, causing him to freeze up with a nervous look. The camera had moved in closer, getting a good look at the newcomer. He had short purple hair that was a bit spiky, and he had olive skin a tad darker than Poco's. His face was sharp and stern, helping his glare at the child. He wore a long-sleeved cream-colored shirt with forest green buttons and a matching band in the collar, visible from the neck. He had a burgundy vest with dark brown pockets over it, matching pants, and brown leather armlets. Completing his look was the murky green satchel in his right hand, strung over his shoulder. "What're you doing at this time of night, wandering the moors?"
"Please, tell me!" begged Poco as Adams lowered his hand. "Is everyone alright? And-And my sister, is she safe?"
"You dare to ask?" said Adams, Jonathan and Speedwagon catching up with Poco. "You mean to say you really don't know?!" All three gasped, bracing for the bad news.
~LBR~
Just as Jonathan and company were prepared for the worst, so were the Louds. The four were on the edge of their seats, waiting with bated breath. Lana in particular had her eyes shut tight and her fingers crossed, muttering, "Please be okay, please be okay!"
~PB~
The camera suddenly zoomed in and out of Adams' face as he held two fingers to his head like bull horns, the tense music replaced by the mooing of a steer. "She's bloody furious! When you get home, she's gonna lock you in the barn and turn your hide!"
~LBR~
"Phew," said Lana as she wiped her brow. "I thought I was gonna faint for a sec."
"'Oh thank heavens, you're alive!'" joked Luna in her phony accent. "'Now I can KILL YA for sneakin' off!'"
~PB~
The others just stared at him, faces unchanged as they made weak noises of confusion. "I guess that means she's safe," said Jonathan, turning to Speedwagon.
Speedwagon gasped as he was dragged from the awkward moment, taking a second to fix his hat. "Then let's go!"
The trio continued their trek, with Poco taking a bit to catch up. "Well, thank you, Mr. Adams!"
As the three kept walking, the camera slowly turned to Adams as he went from looking at them over his shoulder to looking straight in the opposite direction. He slowly stuck out his tongue as his eyes rolled up, a sinister sound playing as his face was covered in shadows. His tongue extended to an inhuman length, over twice his height as it moved above his head. It shook back and forth like a saliva-soaked snake, Adams smirking as he leered at the three from the corner of his eye. "A nice young child," he said before laughing, his laugh going from his usual deep voice to a twisted high pitch.
~LBR~
"Oh, that is so wrong on so many levels," said Luna, squirming at the tongue.
"Huh, I figured you'd kill for a tongue like that, seeing as you keep sticking it out while you play," said Lynn.
"Do I look like a chameleon to you, dude?!" snapped the rocker.
~PB~
"I have a taste for some fresh, warm blood!" With a grotesque cracking sound, Adams turned his head around 180 degrees, laughing wickedly. He suddenly started running backwards as his laughter became higher and wilder. His tongue shot forth to ensnare Poco, only for it to be grabbed by Jonathan. Poco screamed as he saw the freaky tongue inches from his body, with Speedwagon screaming in shock.
~LBR~
"That was way too close for comfort," said Lincoln. "Looks like the whole village is zombified."
"Wait, what about Poco's sister?" wondered Lana. "You think Adams was lying?"
"One way to find out," said Luna.
~PB~
The camera panned over to Adams, his eyes glowing green. His body, now facing the same direction as his head again, suddenly began to expand before there was a sudden burst. Not only did his clothes get ripped off, but his hair and skin as well, leaving only muscle as his true form was exposed. The zombie's head had a column of small horns above the eyebrows, and his teeth were yellow and sticking out away from his face with canines twice the size of his other teeth. Adams let out a sinister groan.
"He's been turned, keep your wits about you!" warned Jonathan as he kept a firm grip on the zombie's tongue.
~LBR~
"No, really?!" snapped Lincoln.
~PB~
Adams jumped into the air with a front flip, flying towards his opponent and prey. "You can't escape me with your human speed!" boasted the zombie. Before he could latch onto Jonathan, the Hamon user leapt out of reach, then stomped on the lengthy tongue. Adams' eyes bulged as Jonathan pulled on the pinned tongue, pulling him down onto the dirt road. Jonathan exhaled loudly as he pushed his foot back until his heel was pressed against the zombie's face. His other foot was lifted into the air with the tongue pulled against it. With his opponent restrained, Jonathan sent a wave of Hamon through his left foot, simultaneously pulling the tongue. It was torn from the revenant's mouth as the Hamon dissolved the undead flesh, a scorched red and orange mark left where Jonathan was stepping on it. Smoke was rising from its unmoving body as the three observed what was left of Adams.
~LBR~
"That was cool!" said Lincoln. "It tried to snag him with its tongue, and he just ripped it out! It's like these weaker zombies can't even touch JoJo!"
"And if everything goes well, Dio is the same," said Lynn with a smirk. "Go JoJo!"
~PB~
"This is no good," said Jonathan as he examined the dead zombie. "We're too late, again."
"That is correct," came a new voice. Jonathan's eyes widened as he turned to face the newcomer. Walking down the path was a man in a strange getup. The man had purple hair in a very tall flattop, with a widow's peak and upward spikes along the sides. He had no visible eyebrows and a chiseled face. For his outfit, he wore a lilac cotton shirt with a blue gorget and brown metal shoulder pads and arm guards. Each of the shoulder pads had two spikes that bent downward after a while, almost like insect legs. Brown lines went along his shirt, connected to a belt with a blue gem for a buckle. Below said belt were pants and shoes that were a darker shade of brown than his armor.
"The village is lost," said the man as he brought his arm closer, clenching and unclenching his fingers. "The zombies are everywhere." For a brief moment, the camera zoomed toward the newcomer as a twinkle appeared in the corner of his eye.
~LBR~
"Great, another zombie. This is gonna be one heck of an endurance run," said Lynn.
"Are you sure, Lynn? He looks pretty human to me," disagreed Lincoln.
"So did the guy JoJo literally curbstomped a minute ago," said Luna.
~PB~
"Oh no!" said Poco as he went to hide behind Speedwagon.
"Not another one!" snarled Speedwagon. Jonathan moved forward, ready to confront the man if the need arose.
"I'm known as Dire," said the man.
~LBR~
"Dire, hmm… Dire Straits, maybe?" said Luna.
"Maybe Straits is his last name," said Lana, half-joking.
"Don't forget Zeppeli. They don't need to reference the whole band in the name," said Luna. "Though Straits would probably be more recognizable."
"Maybe the writer thought Dire sounded cooler?" suggested Lincoln.
~PB~
Jonathan got into a pose with one hand down and one clenched into a fist, similar to that of Zeppeli. Once Dire got close to him, he leapt into the air. The scene seemed to slow down as Dire held his arms out and performed a two-legged dive kick.
"A kick," said Jonathan to himself, "but why is he so slow?"
~LBR~
"'Behold, the power to move in slow motion! Prepare to die… eventually!'" joked Lana.
~PB~
Both Dire and Jonathan let out battle cries as Jonathan clapped his hands around Dire's feet, catching the kick before it landed. Unfortunately, that was exactly what Dire was counting on. Dire's body was suddenly covered in a light blue filter, and Jonathan's a red filter. A flash of light blue, jagged kanji flashed across the screen as Dire proceeded to do a split, pushing Jonathan's arms to his sides and preventing him from guarding.
A cut-in of a nervous Jonathan flashed across the screen as Dire stuck out his arms with flat hands pointed down. "Try this!" shouted Dire as he sent his hands forward in a double chop attack. "The Thunder Split Attack!"
~LBR~
"Okay, that's pretty weird," said Lynn.
"Seems effective, though he looks ridiculous," said Lincoln.
~PB~
Jonathan's eyes widened in surprise, though he wasn't beaten yet. As the filters disappeared, he quickly leaned his head in, headbutting his adversary hard enough to draw blood before the blows could connect. The impact caused both of them to be sent flying backwards. Dire grunted as he landed on the dirt road, kicking up a small cloud of dust. The color swap was undone in the process. Dire's hair was now blonde, and his shirt and pants were white and navy blue respectively.
~LBR~
"He hit him so hard that he changed his color palette!" laughed Luna.
~PB~
Dazed from the blow to the head, Dire managed to sit up. "Wh— Are you mad, man?!" he exclaimed incredulously, Jonathan nursing his forehead and shaking his head to regain his focus. "A normal man would pull back, but instead you went on the offensive and attacked me with a headbutt!"
~LBR~
"Hey, if there's one thing I've come to expect from JoJo," said Lana, "it's the unexpected."
~PB~
Once he had gotten to his feet, Jonathan got back into his fighting stance. Poco let out a whimper as he hid behind Speedwagon's legs.
"Wait, please," said Dire as he stood up, holding a hand out. "Jonathan Joestar, I am human." Jonathan gasped as he dropped his stance, Dire lowering his hand.
~LBR~
"I called it," said Lincoln with a smirk.
~PB~
Dire gave a small smirk before he put a hand to his face. "I apologize. You must forgive me. I just wanted to see how well Zeppeli had trained you."
A sting played as Jonathan's allies gasped. "What? Did you say Zeppeli?!" exclaimed Jonathan.
"You heard correctly. Zeppeli is a dear old friend of mine," said Dire as he walked over to Jonathan. "We have been through many trials together over the past twenty years."
~LBR~
"Wait, does this mean that this guy can use Hamon too?" wondered Luna.
"If he can, that means that Dio's chances of winning just got cut in half," said Lynn, doing a karate chop to make her point.
~PB~
"That is true," came another new voice. The camera panned to the side to reveal a younger man, about the same age as Speedwagon if not a bit younger. He had a smoother face, pale skin, long black hair, and gray eyes. He wore a thick purple cloak that hid the rest of his body. "Hello, my name is Straizo."
~LBR~
"Yup, definitely a Dire Straits reference," said Luna.
~PB~
"Please read this." Straizo held out an old envelope with a red wax seal.
"It's a letter," said Jonathan as he took the envelope, looking at the back. Speedwagon and Poco moved closer to him as he flipped the letter over to the front where the seal was. "It was written by…" Suddenly, the camera zoomed in to the lower right corner, where "Will A. Zeppeli" was written. "Baron Zeppeli!"
~LBR~
"Oh my god!" exclaimed Lynn. "His first name wasn't Baron?!" Her siblings gave her a funny look, causing her to glare back at them. "Oh come on! There's no way that I'm the only one here who thought that!" The others just looked away sheepishly, proving her point.
~PB~
The trio gasped as the revelation was made. "We've only just arrived," said Straizo, "but he sent that some time ago requesting our aid. He wrote about the stone mask, where it could be found, and especially about the man who wears it."
As Poco looked to the side, he gasped as he saw something. Speedwagon turned to see another figure approaching from the town. As Jonathan looked forward, the figure was revealed to be none other than Zeppeli's old master, Tonpetty, wearing the same outfit he had in the flashback.
Dire turned to Straizo, who nodded. The two turned to face the newcomer, with the sudden turn blowing Straizo's cloak to the side and revealing that he wore a simple black outfit underneath. "Our training master, Tonpetty," introduced Dire, the others gasping as they recalled the name from Zeppeli's story.
~LBR~
"The whole gang's here!" said Lana. "They've even got a full-on master on their side!"
~PB~
Tonpetty let out an exhale of smoke from the wooden pipe he held, a gong being heard as his face was put into focus. "Greetings to you all."
"So you're Baron Zeppeli's teacher," said Jonathan, "Master Tonpetty." He held out his hand for a handshake. Tonpetty stared at the outstretched hand, seemingly deep in thought as he made no attempt to grab it. Jonathan's eyes widened, apparently realizing something was wrong. The camera went back to his hand, which was covered in glistening Hamon.
~LBR~
"Ohhhhhh," said Lincoln.
"What's up, bro?" asked Luna. "Something up?"
"Remember when Tonpetty shook Zeppeli's hand, and he saw his fate?" said Lincoln. "I think he's trying to avoid reading JoJo's future."
"Guess he's afraid that he'll see JoJo's death too," said Lynn.
"Probably," said Lincoln.
~PB~
Tonpetty closed his eyes and sighed before he bowed his head. "In the region I call home," he said as the camera panned across Jonathan's arm, "our custom is not to shake hands." Jonathan looked confused as Tonpetty folded his hands and put them before his chest in a typical Tibetan greeting, his apprentices doing the same. "In this way, we greet each other." The others gasped and quickly copied their pose.
After a moment of silence, Tonpetty opened his eyes. "Where is he?" he asked as he looked around. "Zeppeli should be here now." The scene cut to the moon as the clouds moved away from it, Jonathan telling the tale of Zeppeli's sacrifice.
"I see," said Tonpetty. "Zeppeli has passed beyond the veil."
~LBR~
"Even if he knew that was gonna happen, that probably crushed Tonpetty," said Lana. "Poor guy…"
~PB~
Dire gasped at the news, his shadow bringing a hand to its mouth as the camera panning up to the six. "Even if we had arrived earlier, his fate would still have been the same." As the opening to Roundabout began playing, Jonathan and Poco looked down sadly as Speedwagon averted his gaze, the brim of his hat over his eyes. "His death is proof that the strength this Dio wields is devastating." This got the attention of everybody as Tonpetty turned to face Windknight's Lot, specifically the castle which Dio called his base of operations. "His wickedness and his power are quite extraordinary."
A blast of wind blew towards the castle, the camera moving to the dark palace. The scene cut to the inside with Dio laying on a golden fainting couch with red cushions, bizarre animal and human hybrids on and around him. Two vases full of roses were beside him, one on each side.
~LBR~
"Whoa whoa whoa, pause!" shouted Lana, with Lincoln obliging. "What the heck are THOSE things?! What kind of sick FREAK puts people's heads on animals?!"
"Sick freaks named Dio Brando," snarled Lynn.
"Why did he even… ugh, I don't even wanna know," groaned Luna. Lincoln quickly hit the play button to get the scene over with.
~PB~
Dio smirked as he played with a rose in his hand. "How amusing. I've put this town in my thrall in but a single night." He began to chuckle as he turned his head to the window, a very familiar girl pushing her hands to the glass as she looked at the tyrannical vampire with fear. The image became monochrome as the "To Be Continued" arrow appeared, ending the episode.
~LBR~
"Hey, that's Poco's sister!" said Lincoln. "What's she doing in that castle?"
"Look on the bright side," said Luna, "she's still okay!"
"Yeah, but for how long until that bully Dio does something to her?" asked Lana.
"He won't have a chance with four Hamon users knocking on his front door!" said Lynn. "I can't wait for the next episode!" She was chomping at the bit as the ending kept playing. Finally, the part with the mask came and went, and then…
"Hey, what gives? We're back to the menu!"
"The first disk only had the first seven episodes," said Lincoln as he hit the exit button. He hopped off the couch and hit the eject button on the console, popping the disk out. As soon as he put the first disk back into the case and put the second disk in the console, he got back to the couch and picked up the controller. "The second disk said that it has episodes eight through thirteen. I'm guessing that's the rest of Phantom Blood, and the other two disks have Battle Tendency."
"With the whole town turned into zombies, these next episodes are bound to be action packed!" said Lynn. "Hurry up and start it!"
"I'm going as fast as I can," said Lincoln as the menu popped up, Lincoln checking the languages to make sure it was in English without subtitles. "Alright, disk two, here we go!"
I'm back! Sorry for the wait, but episode 7 is finally up! There weren't too many jokes in this chapter, but that's because the Louds weren't really in a joking mood. Catch you all next time in the moment you've all been waiting for! Starpion out!
