"Alright, disk two, here we go!"

~PB~

The episode opened on the night sky, the full moon and the mountain range in the background. The camera slowly moved down to reveal a brick house with light shining through the lower windows, recognizable as Poco's house from the flashback. Jonathan and company stood outside the door on the dirt path. Poco was absent from the group.

"Poco, where've you been?!" shouted an angry voice. "How dare you leave the house like this!" A sharp slap could be heard echoing through the night.

~LBR~

"Well, this is a pleasant way to start the episode," snarked Luna with a scowl.

~PB~

The scene cut inside the house to reveal Poco holding his cheek with a look of fear at his father, a man with messy brown hair and a mustache. "Please, papa," Poco begged his father, who had his hand raised and was seething with anger and worry. "Papa, I'm sorry I left the house, but…" Poco looked behind him. "But where's my sister?"

Poco's father lowered his hand as he calmed down. "Well, where do you think? She's out looking for you."

~LBR~

"He certainly calmed down fast," said Lincoln. "Guess he's not a bad dad, just a bit strict."

"Poco did run off to do who knows what," said Lynn. "If I did the same, Dad would be a little peeved too, though he'd probably break down crying like a baby rather than hit me."

"Maybe it's the mustache," said Lana.

~PB~

"Wha?!" gasped Poco in horror. The camera cut to right outside the house where the Hamon users (and Speedwagon) were listening in. "No, papa! Don't say that! Tell me she didn't go out!" This caught Jonathan's attention as he gasped, sweat forming on his brow as he glanced into the window.

"Poco, what's ailing you?" asked Poco's father gently as he kneeled down to look his son in the eyes. Poco was sitting down and staring at his trembling hands. "You're not behaving right."

"My sister!" shouted Poco as he jumped to his feet. The scene dissolved to the outside of Dio's castle, the cage that had his sister trapped. "MY SISTER!"

~LBR~

"'My sister, whose name I can't remember! Not her!'" joked Lana as the opening started to play.

"Looks like Poco's gonna have to stick around a little longer," said Lincoln. "And just when they brought him home."

"I'm just stoked for the final battle!" said Lynn as she pounded a fist into her open palm. "They'll probably take on a gauntlet of Dio's minions, each getting tougher and tougher until they face off against the monster himself! An escalating fight of epic proportions!"

"Who knows, maybe Speedwagon will finally get to take out a zombie!" said Luna with a smirk.

"Only one way to find out!" said Lincoln as the others let the opening finish. Once the opening reached its climax, all four of them sang, "JOOOOOJO!" in tandem with the singer, hyping themselves up for the episode. This was gonna be a good one, they all knew it.

~PB~

The episode resumed with Poco's sister by the window, just as the previous episode had ended on. Her hair and outfit were identical to her appearance in the flashback, though the room's lighting changed the colors slightly, namely adding a light blue tint. She let out a nervous whimper as Dio's sinister theme played, the camera pulling back to reveal him laying on the velvet couch with his chimera creatures. Subtitles with the episode's name appeared in the corner, translated to "Bloody Battle! JoJo & Dio."

~LBR~

"Wait, they're already gonna fight in this episode?" wondered Lynn.

"Disappointed?" asked Lana.

"Kind of. On the one hand, we get to the main event faster. On the other hand, I kind of wanted to see JoJo and friends fight their way through a horde of zombies."

"That would be awesome, but the sooner that jerk face is taken down, the better," said Lana.

~PB~

One of the chimera creatures, a dog with a man's head that was laying on Dio's knee, laughed at the girl with its tongue sticking out, revealing the fangs of a zombie. A cat with a man's head smirked as it lay on the couch, and a bird with a cat's head perched itself on Dio's shoulder.

Dio turned to Poco's sister. "Consider this, dear," he said as he lifted a rose. "Examine this rose in bloom for but a moment. Vibrant, fresh, and young. What you see is a mirror of your youth."

~LBR~

"This is starting to get uncomfortable, dudes," said Luna.

"'And like a flower, you're going to be quiet, sit still, and look pretty for me,'" joked Lincoln, easing the rocker's discomfort a bit.

~PB~

The camera cut to the rose over the girl's head, slowly moving to the side so that her defiant face was in view. "Consider this fact carefully, mademoiselle. From the first moment this flower fully blooms, it begins to wither. A shame, don't you think?"

The dog creature licked its lips as it stared at Poco's sister. "Only sixteen! So sweet, so innocent and pure now! So full of delicious life energy! Wonderful, Lord Dio!" It then began cackling like mad, sticking its tongue out.

~LBR~

"Okay, how does THIS rank on the uncomfortable scale?" asked Lynn as she saw Luna with wide open eyes and a slack jaw.

"Eleven," said Luna. "I don't care if they're talking about eating her, I'm getting bad vibes from what they're saying."

"JoJo can't get here soon enough," muttered Lana.

~PB~

Dio narrowed his eyes and scoffed at the behavior of his "pet." He lifted the leg it was lying on above his head, sending it into the air as it stopped its cackling. The other mismatched creations fled as Dio brought his foot down on the chimera's neck, slamming it onto the floor and killing it. Poco's sister flinched and turned away at the graphic display, shutting her eyes and covering her mouth as she tried not to cry in front of her captor.

"Those lacking in manners are not fit to exist," spat Dio as he stared at the corpse in disdain.

~LBR~

"Is it weird that I don't feel sad after that?" asked Lana.

"I'm pretty sure the dog half of that thing was already dead when Dio made it," said Lincoln. "All he killed was that creepy zombie."

"And thank goodness for that," muttered Luna.

~PB~

"Now, mademoiselle," said Dio as he rose to his feet, walking up to the trembling teen until he was towering over her, "I offer unto you a choice." The camera cut to Poco's sister as it panned up Dio's body. "Would you not care to enjoy your youth and beauty for all eternity? Fret not, my dear. I shall not force my friendship upon you like others might do." As the camera reached the top of his body, Dio's left eye was closed and his right hand was raised with his index and middle fingers sticking out, ready to drain her blood and transform her if she accepted his bargain. "You control your life. You hold your destiny in your own hands."

~LBR~

"How nice of him, pretending she has a choice in the matter," said Lynn sarcastically.

~PB~

Poco's sister looked away as she lowered her hand. "You fiend."

"Eh?" asked Dio as he squatted down to be on eye level with her. "How's that again?"

The teen's eyes snapped open as she swung her hand out, slapping Dio clean across the face. His coy smirk vanished as small drops of spit and blood went flying. The camera briefly moved back to show the entire room before it zoomed back to Poco's sister.

"You wear the flesh, but you're not a man!" she screamed. "Devil, go away!"

~LBR~

"That was awesome," said Lana as she beamed. "Even Dio can't scare her!"

~PB~

Dio only smiled at her as he licked the blood from his lips, draining the life force from the rose. He threw the wilted, shriveled rose to the floor before standing up. He slowly walked away, each footstep echoing inside the stone walls. Suddenly, a few drops of green liquid fell onto Poco's sister, causing her to gasp.

~LBR~

"Looks like the kid's choice awards are underway," said Lincoln.

~PB~

She looked up in terror as the liquid continued to drip down, a sinister growl coming from the ceiling. Tense music swelled as a zombie was revealed, perched above the window like a gargoyle. It was huge, almost as big as Tarkus. It had pale blue skin and sharp claws for nails, and was dripping with the same green liquid. It wore blue pieces of cloth around its shoulders, forearms, and feet with brown belts and gold jewels attached to them. A similarly-colored piece of armor was on its stomach, and it wore a gray scarf and a red-striped newsboy hat. But its most defining feature was the gunny sack hiding its face, with nothing but a hole on the left to see through. Poco's sister trembled with fear as the monster hissed.

~LBR~

The Louds were silent for a moment as they shared looks of terror and disgust at what was before them. "What the hell is that?!" asked Lynn.

"Looks like Jason Voorhees just got out of the shower," said Luna.

~PB~

"Alas," said Dio from right outside the door. "Although your acquaintance will be brief, allow me to introduce… my companion." The zombie leapt down from its perch and turned to the young girl, breathing heavily. Large bumps started to wriggle on the sack over the revenant's head, as if something inside was trying to tear its way to freedom. "I present unto you Doobie."

~LBR~

"Well, at least we got another reference from that freak," said Luna. "The Doobie Brothers, awesome band."

~PB~

Poco's sister could only tremble as she gazed at the massive monster before her. "As regrettably I am not to your taste, enjoy your time with him! Au revoir, mademoiselle." Dio slipped through the door and closed it behind him, leaving Poco's sister and Doobie alone in the room. The teen gasped before a shadow covered her, looking up to see the monster approaching her with a hiss. She scrambled to her feet and tried to make a break for it, barely dodging a swipe from Doobie's clawed hand. Her screams became louder as she started to run faster.

It wasn't fast enough, however. Doobie crouched down and pounced forward, closing the distance in an instant. As his giant shadow covered her again, Poco's sister turned around and screamed as he grabbed her dress, tearing it at the front.

~LBR~

"Can't you just fast-forward the scene, please?!" Lana begged Lincoln as she reached for the remote, causing him to pull the remote away and accidentally pause the show.

"I don't want to miss anything important!" he argued. "Trust me, I don't really want to watch this either. Just, I dunno, close your eyes or something!"

"Fine, just tell me when it's over," said Lana as she turned her cap forward, then pulled down the brim to block her field of vision. Lincoln nodded before hitting the play button.

~PB~

Poco's sister shrieked as Doobie reached for her. The zombie began to breathe faster as he held her up by the neck, bringing her closer to his concealed face. Poco's sister gasped in terror, and then…

*CLANG*

An anvil came flying out of nowhere, smacking the back of Doobie's head and cracking his skull, blood seeping out. The impact caused Doobie to release his prisoner.

~LBR~

"You can look now!" said Lincoln. "Roadrunner to the rescue!" The others chuckled as Lana turned her hat back around. Hops lifted the hat to look around, confused why his hiding spot was spinning around before he dropped it down again.

"Now that's one way to get rid of a creep like Doobie!" said Lynn.

~PB~

The force was enough to knock an orange and yellow eye out from the hole in the sack, another hole being torn from the spike on the anvil. "OI! WHO HIT ME?! WHO'S THERE?!" screeched Doobie in a high-pitched voice as he reached for the anvil.

~LBR~

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed Lana, the others joining in. "I'd never be scared of Doobie if I knew he sounded like that! Oh man, it doesn't fit at all! It's so high!"

~PB~

The scene cut to an opening in the roof where the anvil had come from, Jonathan and company peering down. "Doesn't matter, does it?" said Jonathan with crossed arms as his theme began to play. He pointed at Doobie from above. "You're a zombie! Your kind don't deserve any introductions."

"Sister!" shouted Poco.

~LBR~

"Seriously, did he actually forget her name or something?" complained Luna.

~PB~

"Poco!" yelled his sister as Doobie finally dislodged the anvil, dropping it at his feet.

~LBR~

"That was way too close," said Lana. "It almost beaned her!"

"Just think of it like an old cartoon," said Lincoln. "The anvil only hits the bad guys, never the good guys."

~PB~

A color shift occurred, turning the room vermillion as Jonathan's hair turned a lighter shade of blue, his outfit becoming blue, purple, and green. He jumped down from the opening towards Doobie. The zombie, now sporting yellow skin and purple clothing, leapt towards Jonathan as his mask began to move again. As they approached each other with outstretched arms, images of an angry Jonathan and Doobie split the screen in two.

What happened next was almost instantaneous. A gray and purple snake shot out of the first hole in Doobie's mask. Numerous others followed, Jonathan's eyes growing wide as six snakes baring their fangs lunged forward.

~LBR~

"What the heck? Where did those come from?" wondered Luna.

"Who cares? This fight just got a lot cooler!" said Lynn.

"You're telling me!" said Lana, on the edge of her seat.

~PB~

The snakes slithered past Jonathan, their fangs slicing through his skin. Blood from the fly-by bites spurted from his wounds as Jonathan landed on one knee, Doobie landing onto the ground with a crouch.

~LBR~

"At least they only grazed him," said Lincoln. "He should be fine."

"Not if they're venomous," said Lana. "And I was able to pick out a couple cobras, so that's a yes for those ones. Even a small scratch like that is enough for them to inject venom."

"Plus, non-venomous snakes like El Diablo have rows of teeth, not fangs like those ones." Yet again, Lynn found herself the center of attention. "Oh come on, what did I do now?"

"How did you know that?" asked Lana.

"You're not the only one here who likes snakes, Lans," said Lynn.

~PB~

"GYAAAHAHA!" laughed Doobie, doing a little dance as Jonathan felt the cuts on his face and neck. "Bit ya, bit ya on your pretty little face! Bit ya, bit ya, bit ya!"

"What did that?" wondered Jonathan as Doobie kept dancing and laughing. "What has he got under there?"

The scene cut to the others on the floor above. Just like Jonathan, their hair and outfits changed to various shades of blue, green, and purple. "His mask," noticed a blue-haired Poco, "look at it!" The bumps on the mask reappeared, only for a pit of snakes to tear through them as Doobie laughed like a lunatic.

Poco's sister, having the same shade of blue hair as her brother now, looked in horror as scraps of Doobie's mask and hat fell to the ground. "Look out!" she shouted.

The camera cut back to Doobie, revealing sharp fangs and a long tongue. The snakes weren't simply inside the mask, but dwelled inside various holes inside his head. "Run, run, run!" cackled the zombie.

~LBR~

"Okay, I think his voice just looped around from hilarious to creepy again," said Luna. "I'm going through an emotional roller coaster thanks to this guy."

~PB~

Poco and Speedwagon trembled with terror from their perch. "That zombie," said Speedwagon, "he's chock-a-block with serpents! All sorts! Venomous cobras, flesh-eating asps and vipers!"

"Bit surprised, are ya?" hissed Doobie.

~LBR~

"I'm surprised he's still up and about," said Lincoln. "Does he even have a brain in that viper's nest?"

"I'm sure it's small enough that they can slither around it comfortably," joked Luna.

~PB~

"They sank their fangs in his face!" cried Poco. "A-And more than just once!" Despite this, Dire, Straizo, and Tonpetty simply smiled from their ledge. Doobie let out a hiss as he shambled over to Jonathan.

"How wearisome," sighed Jonathan. His theme started up again as he got into his stance, Hamon coating his body. "I haven't the time to deal with any more of Dio's foolish games." Doobie sent the horde of serpents towards Jonathan, venom-filled fangs at the ready.

But now that Jonathan knew what Doobie was doing, he was ready for the attack. Crossing his arms, he grabbed the snakes in his hands and pulled them away from his face, before uncrossing them and holding his palms out. Between his fingers, all six snakes were restrained and facing away from him. Doobie tried to recall them, but found himself unable to as Jonathan pulled him closer.

~LBR~

"That's pretty smart!" complimented Lynn. "The snakes can't bite him now, and Doobie can't get away! He's done for!"

~PB~

Jonathan grit his teeth as spurts of blood shot out of his wounds. "Damn," said Dire from above. "Very well done. He squeezed out the poison. Good control. He's learned a great deal about blood flow in a very short amount of time."

~LBR~

"I'd say you're not supposed to do that," said Lana, "but JoJo's super cool, so he gets a pass."

~PB~

"Baron Zeppeli!" shouted Speedwagon. "He's helping our boy after giving Jonathan his life energy when he died!"

Jonathan grabbed Doobie's head with his left hand, causing the zombie to cry out. He then released the snakes in his other hand and sent his leg up, his knee slamming into Doobie's chin while his firm grip kept him right where he wanted.

"I'll use a bit of the great Hamon I possess to turn these serpents back on their master," said Jonathan. He released his grip on Doobie and loosely pulled a few of the snakes to him. Hamon crackled between his fingertips for a moment, then one of the vipers slithered out of his grip and towards its host's neck. Its fangs sunk into undead flesh, venom filled with Hamon coursing through Doobie's veins. The other snakes followed suit due to the Hamon-given commands, biting into the undead giant as he let out a garbled shriek and flailed about. The Hamon melted his flesh until there was nothing left of Doobie but his clothes.

~LBR~

"That was so cool! He took him down with his own snakes!" said Lynn.

"So he can use Hamon to control snakes?" wondered Lincoln.

"It probably lets him do that to all living things," said Luna. "Not the weirdest thing we've seen Hamon do. Remember the Life Magnetism Overdrive?"

"Maybe the snakes just realized who they were working for and decided to turn on him themselves," said Lana. "I definitely wouldn't work for Doobie."

"Viva la revolution!" laughed Lincoln.

~PB~

"Sister!" cried out Poco.

"Poco!" shouted his sister with a smile as Poco and Speedwagon ran up to her.

"Sister!" Poco and his sister smiled as they hugged, overjoyed to see the other safe and sound. They laughed with joy as Jonathan turned to them, a relieved smile on his face.

~LBR~

"Awwwwwwww," said the Louds in unison.

~PB~

As the colors returned to normal, Dire, Straizo, and Tonpetty leapt from the ceiling onto the stone floor with grace.

~LBR~

"Guess Hamon users can't be bothered with the stairs," said Lincoln.

"Did you already forget what I keep saying about stairs?" said Lynn.

~PB~

The three rose to their feet as the music's intensity rose. A stone-faced Speedwagon nodded at Jonathan, who returned the favor. The camera cut to a stairway with eye-like designs and moonlight shining through the windows, footsteps audible as the camera shakily rose. The five were about to be in for the fight of their life, just beyond the doors at the top of the staircase.

~LBR~

"Here we go," said Lana. "Time for the final showdown. This is going to be so cool!"

~PB~

Jonathan was the first to approach the double doors. He slowly stopped inches away from them, not moving for a moment afterwards. He tensed himself for a moment, then turned his core to the left with his right arm pulled back.

~LBR~

"Oh man, he's about to bust down the door!" said Lynn with a smile. "Come on, do it, JoJo!"

~PB~

With a grunt, Jonathan grabbed and pulled open the heavy door. His eyes were hidden by a mixture of shadows and rage as he saw the silhouette on the balcony, back turned to him as the moonlight shone through.

~LBR~

"Or just… open it, I guess," said Lynn with disappointment. "I mean yeah, he's a gentleman, but the only ones who live in this place are Dio and his goons."

"But he's a guest," joked Luna. "He can burn down his own house, but damaging somebody else's home is just rude!"

~PB~

Dio's eyes widened as he let out a gasp, Jonathan's presence like a chill down his spine. The camera panned over to Jonathan, cutting closer to his face. The Hamon wielder looked more tense than ever before, even after several close brushes with death. "Guess who survived his time in hell, Dio," he spat.

Dio turned to the side and looked at his former brother from the corner of his eye. His visage was emotionless, the surprise of his survival and arrival buried away. "You are alive, JoJo. Curious…"

~LBR~

"If you're surprised that he made it this far, then you didn't know anything about him for seven years now," said Lincoln with a smile.

~PB~

Dio turned to face his adversary, pointing a clawed finger in the air. "I suppose, logically, that would then indicate that you have killed my two knights."

Four more zombies rushed to their master's side, sneaking out of the shadows on the side or dropping from the ceiling. Their faces were concealed by darkness, but their silhouettes showed they looked nothing like humans.

~LBR~

"Man, you can barely see what they look like, and I'm already positive those things put the "ugh" in "ugly," said Lynn.

"They're still probably a step-up from the last two," said Lana.

~PB~

"Lord Dio," said the one furthest on the left in a high-pitched echo, "we await your order to reduce him to a pile of bloody flesh!"

"Lord, let my fangs make an impression on him!" said the one on the right.

Jonathan leaned back a bit at their words, but quickly shook it off. "Dio!" he challenged.

"No," said Dio as he held a hand out, blocking off the zombies. "This one is for me." A zoom-in left most of the screen taken up by Dio's face. His determination to end this war matched Jonathan's, his brow furrowed and his eyes like piercing blades. "He falls by my hand alone!"

The scene cut back to Jonathan, unflinching. "Don't misunderstand me, JoJo," said Dio. The camera cut back to the vampire as his minions leapt back to the sidelines. Dio was leaning to the side, both hands pointing at his nemesis. "Honestly, this is something in which I will take no pleasure. We were raised in the same house, and the prospect of turning you into an undead thing is not a happy one for me."

~LBR~

"'The prospect of just killing you, mind you, is a VERY happy one,'" joked Luna.

"I bet JoJo feels the same after everything Dio's done," said Lincoln. "I just hope he can make it out of this in one piece."

~PB~

"That's why I wanted you to be quickly dispatched by my knights." Jonathan just gave an angry glare, not buying the claim for a second. "But it would seem, in the end," said Dio as the camera cut to behind him, panning over the goblet full of roses, "I underestimated you. Seeing you here, alive, brings me to the realization that as an emperor, I was being far too soft."

Dio tilted his head up, his bangs casting a shadow over his piercing eyes as he pointed at his nemesis. "But now! Now I'll put you to death without a moment's thought or compunction!"

Jonathan clenched a fist and raised it at Dio. "I could say the same!" he yelled. "I will feel no hint of guilt for your death!"

~LBR~

"When even JoJo is out of mercy, you know you messed up bad," said Lana.

~PB~

Dio lowered his right arm and held out his left, his wicked grin becoming more conniving. "But first I have a question, JoJo. Whatever happened to that mustachioed charlatan of yours? You seem to have lost him!" The camera panned over Jonathan, showing nobody beside him to drive the point home. The Hamon user gasped before he let out a shaky breath, averting his eyes.

~LBR~

"Now that's just cold-blooded," said Lincoln with a grimace and crossed arms. Lana's hat rose a bit as Hops gave him a weird look. "Oh, no offense, Hops," said Lincoln. Hops gave out a croak that almost sounded like, "None taken," before he went back to his hiding place.

"That big-mouthed jerk," snarled Lana.

~PB~

Suddenly, a red filter covered the screen. Jonathan's face was rushed into focus, lines of movement streaming off his body. "Hear me, Dio. It shames me as a gentleman to say this, but I can no longer hold back the truth."

~LBR~

"'That outfit makes you look fat!'" joked Luna in her fake British accent, causing her younger siblings to crack up. Once they got the giggles out of their system, Lincoln rewound a bit to get back to the start of Jonathan's speech.

~PB~

"I, Jonathan Joestar, I have such hatred for you!"

Different colored images of friends and family Jonathan lost to Dio's schemes - George, Bruford, and Zeppeli - appeared in front of a red checkered background. "Vengeance consumes me!" shouted Jonathan. With a loud noise, the colors returned to normal as Jonathan pointed at Dio. "I swear, I will kill you!" The camera panned back so that Dio was visible. The images of Jonathan's fallen comrades appeared behind him.

Dio smirked and let out an amused "Hmph." "Come, JoJo!" he shouted as a green filter covered the screen, the logo appearing in the corner.

~LBR~

"Finally," said Lynn as she punched her palm, cracking her knuckles. "The moment we've all been waiting for! Let's get ready to rumble, baby!"

~PB~

Intense techno music started playing as Dio got into a fighting stance. His claws were on full display. "Come, JoJo!" he repeated.

Jonathan let out a heavy exhale, letting the Hamon build up inside him. But as he took a step forward, a hand grabbed his shoulder and stopped him in his tracks. Looking behind him, Jonathan saw that Dire was the one who stopped him.

"What are you doing?" asked Jonathan.

~LBR~

"Yeah, what is he doing? This is JoJo's fight, not yours!" complained Lana.

~PB~

"JoJo, please step aside," requested Dire as he moved in front of Jonathan. Jonathan looked confused as Dire held a fist out to Dio and an open palm to Jonathan. "I have a prior claim. It is my right to avenge my friend's killing!"

~LBR~

"Guess he's got a point there," said Luna.

"Then why not have the two of you fight against Dio?" asked Lynn. "It's not like you can't double team him! JoJo and Zeppeli did it the last time they fought him!"

~PB~

As Dire stepped forward, the camera panned up to show a golden image of him sparring with Zeppeli. Both looked younger, and they were smiling. "Zeppeli was a brave man and boon companion! Through two decades of harsh training!" Dire pointed at Dio. "Dio, for his life, I shall now send you to the bowels of hell itself!"

"No! Wait, Dire!" said Jonathan, attempting to warn Dire. "Listen to me! Dio has hidden abilities for which you are not prepared!"

~LBR~

"Like hypnotism, freezing things, and bending his spine in ways that make even contortionists cringe at," joked Lincoln.

~PB~

To Jonathan's amazement, the air around Dire began to ripple and flicker. As he stepped towards Dio, images of his body started to form around him. "Hmm?" wondered Dio as the illusions appeared. "Ah, there's an interesting walk," he said as he noticed the air around the real Dire's beginning to rise. Dire suddenly began to rise with it, the air levitating him far above his opponent. "Apparently, with decades of the proper training, mere humans can enable themselves to float through the air."

~LBR~

"Uh, what now?" asked a baffled Lana.

"Dio isn't the only one who has hidden abilities, dudes," said Luna in amazement.

"Seriously, is there anything that Hamon CAN'T do?!" wondered Lynn.

~PB~

Dio simply held a hand on his hip as he saw Dire looking down on him. "But, in only a single night," he boasted as he raised his arms, "I attained power far surpassing that of any human guru!"

Slowly, Dire got into position for a flying kick and slowly moved towards Dio, his foot outstretched. Dio laughed at the slow-moving strike. "You truly think you can defeat me in this manner? Like you were sleepwalking?!" he mocked as he held out his arms to catch the blow. He screamed as he went to grip the legs of Dire.

~LBR~

"Trying to catch that kick? That ain't working," said Luna.

~PB~

The second that Dio's hands made contact with Dire's feet, the latter's eyes became bloodshot as his focus increased. He quickly did a split that forced Dio's arms to his sides, just as he had done to Jonathan earlier. Dio gasped at the maneuver, caught off guard as a sound effect ebbed across the screen.

~LBR~

"That's the way you do it!" said Luna with a finger gun.

~PB~

Dire crossed his arms in front of him, his arms and open palms forming an "X" over his chest. The golden glow of Hamon covered his hands. "Fell for it, didn't you, fool?" Dire retorted as the Hamon became much more powerful. The background became a purple and white spiral as Dire moved his hands forward. "THUNDER CROSS SPLIT ATTACK!"

As his Hamon-filled hands moved towards the vampire, a split screen showed Speedwagon pumping his fist. "Uncanny! In crossing his arms, he can mount an attack while still keeping his guard up for protection! An incredible strategy!"

Another split screen appeared, this one showing Straizo. "No fighter has ever been able to escape this move."

~LBR~

"Oh, this isn't good," said Lynn.

"What's wrong?" asked Lincoln.

"Whenever anybody says that their move is unbeatable, their opponent always manages to prove them wrong," she said

~PB~

But as Dire's hands uncrossed and lunged towards Dio's head, the vampire just smiled. A split screen showed Dire's face, then another, larger split showed Dio smirking as blue energy crackled. Just as the music reached its peak and Dire's hands were right above Dio, about to chop his skull and force Hamon through his undead cells, it happened. Dire's legs, now being clutched by Dio, were suddenly being encased in ice, the frozen vapor spreading to his entire body. Split screens showed Jonathan, Poco and his sister, Speedwagon, Straizo, and Tonpetty looking onward in horror and disbelief. "Oh no!" shouted Speedwagon as the camera zoomed over to Dio.

"Useless, useless, useless, USELESS!" shouted Dio. The scene changed to reveal that Dire's entire body, except for his head, had been frozen solid. His hands were still centimeters above Dio, a light blue sound effect with jagged outlines flashing across the screen.

~LBR~

"No way," said Lana, her jaw dropped. "He… he froze his whole body."

"And so fast," said Lincoln. "He's already got so much control."

"JoJo's gotten stronger too," said Luna. "This ain't hopeless."

~PB~

"Ah! I can't— I can't move!" exclaimed Dire in shock.

Jonathan stared in disbelief, mouth hanging open. "He froze Dire!"

~LBR~

"Why are you surprised? You saw him do it before," said Lynn. "Heck, he started freezing you!"

"But never a whole person," pointed out Luna.

"And besides, he's in shock, Lynn. I don't think he cares about that right now," said Lincoln.

"Well, I do!"

~PB~

The camera slowly panned over Jonathan's other companions as they took in the scene. "Dio must've somehow chilled all the moisture in his body at once," said Speedwagon as he gripped the brim of his hat, "turning him to ice in an instant!" The scene cut to Dio holding the frozen Dire, crinkling sounds coming from his icy body as tiny shavings splintered off. "Dire can't control his Hamon! He can't send it into Dio unless his blood is flowing! Strewth! That Dio's a fearsome creature, right enough!" All the while, Dire's face was as stiff as his body, frozen in fear rather than ice. "He froze Dire's whole body at once!"

"How… did you do this?" asked Dire in disbelief.

"Oh, we are feeble, aren't we?" mocked Dio. "You imbecile, you dare think you can lay a finger on ME?! Hahahahaha! You're the one who's going to give up your life like some mongrel!" He began to tighten his grip on Dire's frozen feet. "Let's endeavor to give them a good show, shall we?"

~LBR~

"Don't do it!" shouted Lincoln feebly, knowing that even if Dio was real and could hear him, he wouldn't bother listening.

"I don't think I can watch this," murmured Lana as she covered her eyes, though she took a curious peek through the gaps of her fingers.

~PB~

"No! Dire, no!" shouted Straizo.

"Dio, stop it now!" commanded Jonathan as he attempted to close the gap, Straizo moving to follow him.

But they were too late. With a firm grip on Dire, Dio threw his hands above his head with a grunt of effort, his wrists crossed above him. Not only did this cause Dire's brittle legs to snap off, but the force completely shattered him. Chunks of ice of every size scattered across the room as Dire let out a gasp of shock, a jagged sound effect pulsing into view. Straizo, Tonpetty, Speedwagon, Poco and his sister were paralyzed in fear and awe as they saw ice shards fall around them, shards that were once a friend. Dire's head and frozen neck fell into the container of roses, scattering a few petals. Jonathan closed his eyes and began to sputter and shake. He put a hand below his mouth, appalled by the brutal execution.

~LBR~

"Dude…" was all that Luna could say as she stared at the screen.

"Dire… he was so close, and Dio took it all away from him, even his life!" muttered Lynn. "Can nobody take this jerk to the curb?"

~PB~

"It's time, JoJo," said Dio as he pointed to his next potential victim. "You're the next I shall dispatch to oblivion!"

Unbeknownst to everyone, however, Dire was still barely clinging to life. Even as only a head, he still had a sliver of Hamon. Grabbing a rose between his teeth, he poured all of the Hamon he had left into it, the energy swirling and crackling through the flower.

~LBR~

"HE'S ALIVE?!" shouted the siblings.

"What the… how the… is this even possible?!" asked Lincoln. "He's just a head!"

"I don't care, this is awesome!" said Lynn. "Get him, Dire!"

~PB~

In a final desperate act, Dire spat the Hamon-filled rose at Dio. It spun in the air until the stem stabbed the vampire in the eye, a sound effect flashing across the screen as the smile was wiped from his face.

Jonathan gasped as he stared at Dire's head, the facts that Dire was still clinging to life and that he had wounded Dio in this state leaving him speechless. Straizo gasped. "Dire!" he cried out.

Dire gave a small smile and chuckled. "Those Hamon-filled roses' thorns do sting a bit." He let out one last chuckle before the ice on his neck spread to the rest of his head and coated the roses in ice. With one last smile, Dire's head shattered into ice cubes.

"DIRE!" shouted his companions.

~LBR~

"Dire," said Lana solemnly, trying not to cry again. "It's not fair! Why does Dio have to take everything from JoJo?! His first love, his best friend, his dad, his home, Zeppeli, and now Dire? Anything good that JoJo has, Dio has to wreck it!"

"It's okay, Lans," said Lynn as she got up and moved between Lincoln and Lana, wrapping her arm around her little sister. "JoJo's about to take him down." This was enough to make Lana smile with misty eyes. Hops crawled out from his hiding spot and hopped onto her lap, happily croaking and giving his best friend a tongue-five.

"Aw, thanks," said Lana as she held Hops on her lap.

"At least Dire managed to get a hit in," said Lincoln.

"For sure, bro," said Luna with a smirk. "Bet Dio's none too pleased about that."

~PB~

Dio seethed as he pulled out the rose, the tip of the stem covered in his blood. His eye was shut, a thin wisp of smoke rising from the wound. "Insect," he muttered, "how dare you wound me. Wound my face!"

~LBR~

"Called it!" said Luna, Lincoln giving her a high five.

~PB~

"Dire, no!" shouted Jonathan, averting his eyes and making a fist in grief. He groaned as he gripped his wrist, trying desperately to stop the trembling. Once he had calmed himself, he held out his hand as the camera cut behind him. "Speedwagon! My sword!"

"Catch!" yelled Speedwagon as he threw the sheathed Luck & Pluck to Jonathan.

~LBR~

"What kind of maniac throws a sword at somebody?!" asked Lincoln.

"At least it's sheathed," said Luna.

"I'd be more worried about him overshooting and throwing the sword off the balcony," said Lynn.

~PB~

As the sword flew through the air, Jonathan's theme began to play. A color shift changed the sword's sheath to a dark green mid-flight. Jonathan held up his right hand, the leather parts of his outfit now a lighter brown and the rest of his outfit and his hair turquoise. Without even looking, he managed to catch his blade by the hilt.

~LBR~

The Louds were floored by the display. "So… stinking… cool!" cheered Lana.

~PB~

"Dio!" shouted Jonathan, the camera cutting back so that his upper body was visible. "I know exactly how to deal with you!" He moved his right arm to his left, grabbing the sheath with his left hand and pulling the sword out. He held the unsheathed blade at his side, sheath still in hand. The scene cut to Dio, torso arched at an angle away from Jonathan and a palm in front of his face, staring down Jonathan. His outfit was now hot pink and cream, and his hair was orange.

"Dire gave up his life," continued Jonathan, "which showed me just how vulnerable you are!" He threw the empty sheath to the side and held his sword in front of him. "It will be very easy for me now. You won't be able to stop it!"

Dio leapt backwards as the scene cut back to a close-up of Jonathan, Hamon covering Luck & Pluck's blade. "All I need to do is fill Bruford's sword of Luck & Pluck with Hamon, and slice you with it!" The scene cut to the engraving on the hilt, the "P" of blood still visible. A small text box appeared in the corner, showing the words "LUCK" and "PLUCK" next to their Japanese counterparts.

~LBR~

"Alright, now the real final battle can begin!" said Lynn as she leaned in. "I can hardly wait!"

~PB~

Dio hissed as he jumped away, hand over his wounded eye. Jonathan's music ended as Dio landed on the edge of the balcony, the color shift turning the flames from the torches green. The scene cut to a rose on the ground, the container thawed out. "You dare to touch me, filthy human." The scene cut back to Dio, arm over the top half of his face. "You dare to touch me with your Hamon, MORE DISGUSTING THAN FROG URINE!" He raised his arm shakily to show his eye was still smoking, the other eye filled with nothing but hatred as his fangs were bared.

~LBR~

"Hey, not cool!" snapped Lana, with Hops angrily croaking in agreement.

~PB~

The scene cut to a close-up of Dio's face, a red filter covering it. "Your string of luck's run out!" he spat as he hissed in rage. From all around - the sides of the balcony, the corners of the room, other parts of the castle - a horde of undead soldiers and villagers shambled into view. "Now you shall be fodder for my zombies! They will gnaw the faces right off your skulls!"

"Now we see!" said Speedwagon, his outfit and the outfits of the others now various shades of yellow. "He shows his true colors as someone fit only to rule over a dung heap!" The scene cut to Dio standing behind his army. "His cool, toff sophistication? Nothing but a cheap mask! Now that he's had himself a nice, humiliating taste of Hamon, he reveals his true filthy self!"

~LBR~

"You tell him, Speedwagon!" cheered Lincoln. "Dio's nothing but a coward!"

"He might not have Hamon, but he's still capable of roasting vampires," said Luna with a smirk.

~PB~

Poco's sister pulled her brother closer, the two fearfully looking at the approaching zombies. Straizo jumped between the children and the zombies. "Straizo's my name," he introduced. "No mercy." Poco led his sister out of harm's way as the zombies surrounding Straizo were revealed to be the ones that wished to fight Jonathan earlier. Each of them was wearing ancient armor with tubing attached to it, and they stood a head taller than Straizo at the very least. In swift succession, they introduced themselves through split screens.

"Page would be my name," said a zombie with a long doglike snout, red skin, and notched horns like that of an ibex.

"Jones," hissed a zombie with a flat nose, yellow snakelike scales, and sharp teeth with two fangs jutting from his upper lip.

"Plant," groaned a yellow-skinned zombie with boils all over his face, many missing teeth, and a metal plate sewn over his left eye.

"Bornnam," said the last zombie, and the strangest of the group. The right side of his face remained still, like a doll, though there was clearly a fleshy eye. The left side was a completely different face that was perpendicular, with half of it facing Straizo. It was a murky brown with a flat nose and sharp teeth. All of the zombies had thin veins sticking out of their foreheads.

~LBR~

"Another reference!" said Luna.

"Wait, they're all just one reference?" asked Lincoln.

"They're the names of Led Zeppelin's members," explained the rocker. "Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bohnam."

"Too bad that Zeppeli couldn't fight them himself," said Lynn.

~PB~

"Needle Vein Strike!" the four zombies shouted as the veins in their heads extended into fleshy tentacles. The veins shot forward to impale Straizo, but he jumped into the air and avoided them. His jump took him near the ceiling where a round chandelier hung. With one kick, he broke the chain that kept it on the ceiling and sent it plummeting onto the zombies, trapping them inside the iron frame.

"Roses are alive and vital," said Straizo as he fell towards the revenants, "so Hamon will remain inside them, flowing along with their life force. But the same thing cannot be said for steel." He landed on the center of the chandelier, Hamon surging from his legs into the frame. He jumped off of the light and onto the ground with crossed arms as the rippling energy dissolved the zombies into nothing. "It's necessary to make contact."

~LBR~

"What a show-off," said Lana.

"Seems par for the course when it comes to Hamon users," said Lincoln.

~PB~

The doors swung open as even more zombies started approaching. "A great many of them are coming," said Tonpetty as he got into a fighting stance. "If you wish, I shall handle them for you." Jonathan, who was behind Tonpetty, nodded as he turned to his true foe. The color palette returned to normal as he stepped onto the balcony, Speedwagon by his side. Jonathan stepped before him and held his sword out, ready to fight.

The scene cut to Dio, still standing on the balcony railing and still holding a hand over his damaged eye. As the camera panned down, the "menacing" sound effect traveled across the screen. "From all the indications I've seen," said Speedwagon, "that bloke Dio's more swift than any leopard." Dio slowly lowered his hand, hissing at Jonathan.

The scene cut back to the pan down, this time showing the back of Jonathan. "But with Zeppeli's Hamon, Jonathan just might keep up," said Speedwagon. A brief cut to Jonathan had him snarling at Dio.

~LBR~

"'Just might keep up?' For JoJo's personal cheerleader," said Lynn, "you don't have too much faith in him."

"No wonder he looks so mad," chuckled Lana.

~PB~

"Though, Dio is strong enough to pulverize flesh and bone with a flick of his wrist," continued Speedwagon as he watched the stare down with a nervous sweat. "For the both of them, it could be up to what happens in the very first moment."

Just like that, Dio loudly clapped his hands, the air blasting back the flames in the torches. Jonathan remained unmoved by the display of power, taking a step forward instead. A split screen showed the two of them staring at each other for a second.

~LBR~

"GET ON WITH THE FIGHT ALREADY!" shouted Lynn with her hands cupped around her mouth, surprising Lana and Lincoln. "Quit beating around the bush and hit each other!"

~PB~

Dio leapt into the air, he and Jonathan both letting out a war cry.

"I will squeeze the life out of you with my own hands!" snarled Dio.

"I will cleanse the world of your evil influence!" declared Jonathan.

~LBR~

"Finally! Let's hope this lives up to the hype I've been feeling all episode!" said Lynn with a huge grin.

~PB~

Reaching behind him, Jonathan threw a cluster of roses at Dio. "What?" said a surprised Dio. "He snatched up some roses when I wasn't looking!" He quickly threw a barrage of blows, his palms freezing the flowers on contact and nullifying any Hamon they had inside them.

But as soon as he landed, Jonathan moved to Dio's right. "Come now!" he shouted at the vampire. Dio lowered his hands in surprise as Jonathan moved his sword to his left.

"Wait!" exclaimed Speedwagon. "That's good! He circled around to the right! Dio is blind on that side!"

~LBR~

"Whose side are you on anyway?!" snapped Luna.

~PB~

"Take this, Dio!" shouted Jonathan as he charged him, the tip of his sword facing his opponent.

"No! Damn it all!" cursed Dio. "He knows exactly what he's doing!" He tried to move out of the way, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge unscathed. Luck & Pluck pierced his right arm and cut through to the other side. As he moved his left hand towards Jonathan for a counterattack, Jonathan changed his grip on the sword. With a grunt of effort, he lifted the blade into the air, slicing Dio's arm clean off. Dio shrieked in pain as what was left of his arm spurted blood, his severed limb flying.

Jonathan brought the sword around so that it was by his feet before he lifted it over his head. With a powerful cry, he swung his sword into Dio's skull, splitting it open as blood leaked from the wound.

"Yes! Kill him!" cheered Speedwagon. Jonathan's sword, filled with Hamon, cleaved through Dio like a hot knife through butter. The vampire's head was cut in two with orange dissolving flesh visible, the blade continuing through his torso.

~LBR~

"Yeah, go JoJo!" cheered Lincoln as he pumped a fist into the air.

"Show that bloodsucking bully how strong you've gotten!" said Lana as Hops let out a happy croak.

~PB~

"He finally defeated Dio!" cheered Speedwagon as Dio whimpered in disbelief. He let out a gagging noise and closed his eyes, only for his left eye to shoot open.

"Defeated?" he gurgled. "You fools!"

~LBR~

"How can he talk if his tongue is cut in half?" wondered Luna.

"Maybe we can make this random vampire power number…" said Lynn as she started counting on her fingers, "I don't even know anymore."

~PB~

"Oh no!" shouted Speedwagon as Jonathan looked down.

"Ah! I…I can't move!" he exclaimed. Right below Dio's stomach, Jonathan's sword had been frozen solid and stopped in its tracks. His arms had been covered in ice too. "I'm frozen!"

"You're so feeble, JoJo!" shouted Dio as he plunged two of his fingers into Jonathan's neck. His eyes widened and he lifted his head as his veins bulged. Despite being nearly bisected, Dio laughed as he fed off Jonathan. "Now, weakling, you shall join my other children of the night!"

~LBR~

"I don't know about you, but seeing him be able to talk like that with his head in half is really creepy," said Lincoln.

"Yeah, I'm with you there, bro," said Luna as she cringed.

~PB~

Jonathan looked down to see one of his arteries wrapped between Dio's fingers. The vampire hissed as he played with it. "I've got your rubbery little carotid between my fingers. So warm and springy." A split screen showed Dio smirking as he continued toying with Jonathan's carotid artery. "A strangely pleasant feeling."

"Ghh… a kick," muttered Jonathan as he swung his knee up. Dio swung his own leg in front of it, blocking the blow. A layer of ice began to cover Jonathan's leg, even as Dio moved his own leg away. He turned his leg to the side and stomped down on Jonathan's foot, causing him to gasp in pain as he was frozen to the ground.

~LBR~

"This is why you only call fancy attacks, not regular ones," said Lincoln. "It's a lot easier to stop your opponent when they just say 'Punch' or 'Kick.'"

"Why call attacks at all, then?" asked Luna.

"It's fun," said her younger siblings in tandem. Luna didn't bother trying to argue, just shrugging and leaning back into the couch.

~PB~

"My legs have been frozen too!" gasped Jonathan.

"Useless, useless, useless, USELESS!" shouted Dio as Jonathan tried to pull his head away. "Enjoying this anguish, JoJo? One tiny little move, and this delicate blood vessel snaps in two like a wet ribbon. With your carotid open, all your blood will be mine! Then, I shall fill the vacancy with my own vampiric essence, and you will be my thrall!"

~LBR~

"You know, now I'm curious," said Lana. "What would JoJo be like if Dio did use the mask on him?"

"Probably the same, only with a taste for rare meat," said Lincoln. "He's too much of a gentleman."

"Yeah, I can't think of an evil JoJo to save my life," said Lynn.

"He's a good dude, that's for sure," said Luna. "He'd probably help the Hamon users as the only good vampire."

~PB~

"We have to help him!" shouted Speedwagon as he picked up a sledgehammer. He started running towards Jonathan, but Dio's arm suddenly started to twitch.

"Zombies, to me!" beckoned Dio as a trio of zombies ran onto the balcony, facing Speedwagon. "Keep those peasants back! I'm rather busy!"

The scene cut to a zombie falling back as Tonpetty punched it with a Hamon-filled fist. "Nothing seems to stem this tide of zombies," he said.

The scene cut to Straizo filling another revenant with Hamon. "We cannot provide any help!" he shouted.

~LBR~

"Looks like JoJo's on his own for this battle," said Lana as she held Hops closer. "Come on, give this jerk the mother of all sunburns!"

~PB~

A color shift changed Jonathan's hair to aquamarine and his outfit to green and white, while Dio's outfit turned yellow and purple and his hair remained the same. "Now, JoJo," said Dio, "in your last moment of free will, realize that the victory was mine!"

"No, Dio," said Jonathan, the light of the torches reflecting in his eyes and showing his burning resolve. "You've not won yet. You've made… a fatal mistake."

Dio's left eye widened at this. "How so?"

~LBR~

"'For you see, I am not left handed!'" joked Lincoln.

~PB~

"Hahahaha!" Jonathan let out a good-natured laugh. "You see, Dio, if you freeze me completely, you'll not be able to continue feeding on my life energy."

~LBR~

"He might be able to do that," said Luna. "Depends if he likes popsicles or not."

~PB~

The camera panned over to the side, revealing that the tip of Jonathan's sword was inside the flames of one of the balcony torches. "This means, however, that my Hamon is unaffected!" Small wisps of steam rose from his frozen arms. "You can't block it as long as I remain partially unfrozen! Your tactics, to say the least, are somewhat flawed!"

Dio gasped as he looked behind him, the sword in the fire catching his eye. At this point, its blade was completely thawed. 'How long has the sword been in those flames?' he thought. The ice on Jonathan quickly melted, water dripping off his body. 'The metal blade is conducting heat from the fire! Faster than I can freeze it!'

~LBR~

"Now we're talking!" cheered Lynn. "Slice and dice him, JoJo!"

~PB~

Dio pushed Jonathan back, causing the sword to be pulled out as well. 'Hamon is… flowing up the blade!' With one strike, he snapped the sword in two.

~LBR~

"Guess Dio really doesn't like the thousand degree knife challenge," laughed Lana.

"That stinks, though," said Lincoln. "Bruford gave him that sword, and now it's broken."

"But if it wasn't for that sword, JoJo couldn't have thawed himself out," said Luna. "So he's still gonna take down Dio thanks to it!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right!" said Lincoln.

~PB~

"Sunlight Yellow…"

Dio was briefly covered in a purple filter as his eye widened in fear, slowly moving towards Jonathan.

"OVERDRIVE!"

Swinging back his right arm and filling it to the brim with Hamon, Jonathan threw a powerful overhand punch. Dio didn't even have time to blink as the fist was driven into his cheek, a geyser of blood shooting from his nose.

~LBR~

"Just like old times!" cheered Lana.

~PB~

"He's done it!" cheered Speedwagon, watching the fight from over his shoulder as he held off a zombie with his sledgehammer. As they struggled with the handle, Tonpetty came rushing in and sent the zombie sprawling with a flying Hamon kick.

~LBR~

"Hey, that's not fair!" said Lynn. "Give Speedwagon a chance to be awesome!"

~PB~

"Not exactly correct," said Tonpetty. "It's quite evident the Hamon did not make it through." Speedwagon turned back around and gasped.

Jonathan's arm, from his hand to his gauntlet, was covered in ice despite the short time he made contact with Dio. "My arm… my arm is frozen solid again! I only briefly touched his face!"

"This isn't over, JoJo," said Dio with a smirk, hand on his chin. Long veins like tentacles snaked out of his stump before attaching themselves to his severed arm, then pulled themselves back. Jonathan moved out of the way to avoid getting touched by it as the arm reconnected itself. Jonathan gasped as the flesh grafted back together.

~LBR~

"Oh for crying out loud, can nothing take this guy down?!" shouted Lincoln. "At this point, the only way that Jonathan can beat him is to keep him out until the sun comes up!

"It's JoJo," said Lynn as she put an arm on Lincoln's shoulder. "He'll find a way, trust your big sis on this!"

"I do, and I really want him to win," said Lincoln as he looked back at the screen. "I just hope that he doesn't have to make his own sacrifice to make it happen."

~PB~

"I have to admit, I must admire your tenaciousness," said Dio. With two hands again, he pushed his body back together, though he was still a little crooked. "Really, I do."

~LBR~

"Uh…" said the Louds in unison as they looked at the asymmetrical vampire.

"I guess now his body is as crooked as his heart," said Lincoln.

~PB~

"And your ingenious use of the flame. Truly marvelous example of quick thinking." Dio frowned. "Hmm," he hummed before putting his hands on the top and bottom of his head. He pushed his head so that it was properly aligned

~LBR~

"Okay, that's better," said Luna.

~PB~

"But really, JoJo, an emperor's reach should exceed his grasp. Just a touch on the arm is all it takes!" bragged Dio. Jonathan looked at him cautiously as Dio raised two fingers. "I can turn your whole body to ice in two seconds!"

Jonathan looked at the holes and bloated veins in his neck before he flexed his muscles. Just as he had done with the snake venom before, a brown liquid was expelled from his wound. Once it was out of his body, Jonathan found it much easier to breathe.

"The vampire essence, he squeezed it out!" said Speedwagon in amazement. "He's not done! Jonathan won't give up!"

~LBR~

"When has he ever?" asked Lana.

"Yeah, even when he's falling two stories into a giant fire, he's still in it to win it," said Lynn. "That's part of what makes JoJo so cool!"

~PB~

Jonathan got into a fighting stance, his arm no longer frozen. His left arm was in front of him to guard, while his right arm was cocked back for a powerful punch.

"Really?" chided Dio. "The 'let's do battle' stance? You're not serious. No matter how you prepare, human ability is extremely limited and finite." A close up showed his injured eye opening. "Your Hamon training avails you nothing." His irises shrank as the screen shook. "It's useless, useless, useless, useless, useless, USELEEEEEESS!"

~LBR~

"So, is it useless?" joked Lincoln.

~PB~

"A mere monkey can never defeat a lion!" shouted Dio as wind blew around him, blown back by his sheer power. "In comparison to my power, you are but a mere monkey, JoJo!" Dio leapt into the air, a color shift turning his hair red and his outfit orange. Jonathan's outfit and hair were turned various shades of yellow and green as he held up both his fists.

"You're wrong!" declared Jonathan as he filled his fist with Hamon. "With true conviction, the human race can overcome anything! Let me demonstrate to just what heights a human being can rise!" As he said this, he held both hands behind his back.

~LBR~

"'Guess which hand the Hamon is in,'" joked Lana.

"For all we know, that's his plan," laughed Lynn.

~PB~

"Don't waste your time!" shouted Dio. "A zombie is all you'll ever be!" As he let out a primal scream, Jonathan put his hands to his sides, the Hamon growing larger. Taking a deep breath and pulling his hand back, Jonathan spun around, punching the air. He repeated the process, but this time he punched the fire in one of the torches. His glove caught fire instantly as he spun around for another swing.

"Strewth!" shouted Speedwagon in disbelief. "His hand is burning!" Jonathan threw his fist forward, Hamon and fire trailing from it. "Flames coming from his glove!"

~LBR~

"Okay," said Lynn. "That is… the COOLEST thing I've seen! He doesn't even care that his hand's burning, as long as it'll knock Dio's block off!"

~PB~

Dio gasped in a split screen, another showing Speedwagon beaming with hope, unaffected by the color shift. "That might just have the power to get through Dio's ice!" shouted Speedwagon.

"When this business is done, which one of us will have fallen?!" shouted Jonathan. "We'll find out, Dio!" As he ran towards Dio, he put his fists together, fingers touching as Hamon flowed through his burning hands. He screamed as a sound effect flashed across the screen. Dio grunted as he grabbed the fists with his freezing hands, ripples of Hamon pulsing from the clash. Straizo, Tonpetty, Poco, his sister, and Speedwagon could only watch in awe.

~LBR~

"You know, that attack really needs a good name, like his other ones," said Lincoln.

"Any ideas, Linc?" asked Luna.

Lincoln put his fingers to his chin, stroking it as he thought of a good name. Finally, one came to him. "How about… Burning Orange Overdrive?"

"Simple, but I like it," said Lynn as she gave her brother a loving slap on the shoulder. "Nice one, Stinkoln!"

"Thanks!" said Lincoln, rolling his sore shoulder before he hit the play button.

~PB~

"Dio's blocking JoJo!" screamed Speedwagon in disbelief. But as Dio grunted trying to freeze the blazing fist, he found himself unable to do so. He wasn't able to hold it back either as it started to slip through his fingertips. "But no! It's breaking through!"

As Jonathan's theme reached its climax, Jonathan gave one last cry of effort as he put all of his strength into his punch. With one last push, he managed to break Dio's guard completely and strike him. A golden sound effect danced across the screen as a surge of Hamon coursed into Dio's body. A large lump appeared on the other side of his body from the blow. It burst into molten flesh, leaving a gaping hole in his torso. The punch's impact sent Dio flying into the air and over the balcony railing. He let out a bloodcurdling scream of agony as waves of Hamon ebbed off his body. He spat up blood as Jonathan let out a grunt.

~LBR~

"HE DID IT! WOO-HOO-HOO!" cheered Lynn as she jumped off the couch, sliding on the carpet with her fists in the air. Lana was spinning around with Hops, Luna was shredding on the air guitar, and Lincoln was pumping his fists with a smile while cheering. Jonathan had finally managed to land the deciding blow! They kept celebrating for a little bit, with Lynn even running a lap around the couch, before they all got back into their usual spots, an exhausted Lynn going back between Luna and Lincoln.

~PB~

Dio kept shrieking as his right shoulder started turning to dust. "I'm disintegrating! It can't be!" he shouted as his arm fell off his body, breaking into smoldering pieces. "The pain, the burning! I can't!" Dio gurgled in pain as the Hamon did its magic. "My reign was to have lasted… forever! For centuries uncounted by man!"

"You had to be destroyed," said Jonathan as he lowered his fist. "Dio."

~LBR~

"Take that, Dio!" shouted Lynn as she pumped a fist in the air. "You just got served, you lousy-"

~PB~

"I will not DIE!" shouted Dio. Something unbelievable happened as he cried out in desperation, a pink cross forming on his eye. It suddenly widened as his iris appeared to open up. A pink beam of energy with green rings shot out of the opening at lightning speed. Jonathan quickly put his arms up to guard, but the beam pierced right through his left palm and right arm, even cutting off a lock of his hair. The beam went on to slice two zombies in half and cut the spire of the castle. The tip of the spire fell off and started to slide down.

~LBR~

There was a stunning silence in the living room as the Louds stared at the paused image. They were nothing short of dumbfounded. Lynn's raised arm slowly swung forward until it landed limply on the couch cushion. "Did anybody else see that? Because I think I just saw Dio shoot lasers out of his eyes."

"Yep, that just happened," said Lincoln.

"That is the coolest and weirdest thing he's done, and I've seen him walk up a wall," said Lynn.

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Lynn," said Lana.

~PB~

In a bright flash of light, another beam swept across the sky, slicing a giant cloud in half.

"How did…" muttered Jonathan as he stared at the hole in his palm. A pink liquid was leaking from it, clearly from the blast. "He shot energy from out of his eye! He came to within mere inches of incinerating my brain!"

"Ah! Far too close!" shouted Speedwagon in response.

"The last act," said Straizo. "The demon refuses to acknowledge his death."

"Dio is falling from the parapet!" cheered Speedwagon as the vampire continued to fall. Dio screamed in pain as he continued being ripped apart by Hamon. His waist was the next to disintegrate, tearing off his legs. He fell out of view screaming, his lower body following him on the way down.

~LBR~

"Looks like Dio's free!" shouted Luna. "Free falling, that is!"

~PB~

As Jonathan looked on from the balcony, his eyes started to tear up. Tears gently ran down his face. "Dio," he said softly, looking down into the chasm below.

~LBR~

"Is he crying for Dio?" asked Lana. "Why?"

"JoJo's a gentleman through and through," said Lincoln. "Even when it comes to someone who doesn't deserve it. That's the other thing that makes him so cool, right Lynn?"

"Yeah, you got that right."

~PB~

He slowly turned around and sniffled, taking a step before he collapsed onto his knees. He fell onto the floor in a heap of exhaustion.

"Ah! Look, he fainted!" shouted Poco as he ran to Jonathan's side.

"He's worn out," said Speedwagon as he cast aside his hammer. "Too right, he's been in more fatal fights tonight than a man should have in a lifetime."

"But why would he shed tears for an evil creature like that?" wondered Poco.

Speedwagon slowlt picked up Jonathan, turning him onto his back. "He weeps because they spent their youth together," he explained. "Dio was like a brother to him." He turned to Poco with a smile, clenching a triumphant fist. "But as for me, I could sing a song of joy!"

Speedwagon briefly held the brim of his hat before he took it off and looked up to the sky, tears in his eyes. "Baron Zeppeli, were you watching?!" he screamed to the heavens. "He did it!" The scene cut to the unconscious Jonathan, tears in his eyes as he took a well-deserved rest. "Jonathan Joestar did it! Dio is dead! It may sound an exaggeration, BUT JOJO SAVED THE WORLD TONIGHT!" As a peaceful song played its final notes, the "To Be Continued" arrow appeared on a shot of the full moon.

~LBR~

"That was incredible!" cheered Lincoln as a later part of Roundabout played as the ending. "It's finally over! JoJo beat Dio!"

"But the adventure isn't over," said Lana as she put Hops back into her overall pocket. "There was a 'To Be Continued' arrow and everything."

"They've still got to smash that stone mask and take out the rest of the zombies," said Lynn.

"That won't take too long, especially with three Hamon users," said Luna. "Where can they go from here?"

"No idea," said Lincoln as the ending continued. A huge grin crept across his face. "But I can't wait to find out!"


Episode 8 is here! This one was a long time coming, but I had a ton of fun working on it. There's just one more episode of Phantom Blood to go, so keep your eyes peeled! And as always, feel free to leave your feedback in the reviews. Catch you all next time! Starpion out!