DIO sat in the darkness of his library. He lifted a wine glass to his lips as he read a Quran. He looked to the side with a smile on His lips as he turned a page of the old book down.
"Did you know, Twilight Sparkle? JoJo, he still fights me. This body of his... Weakens me. I can walk, but not fly. I can breathe, yet I choke. I can no longer use my Vaporizing Freeze. Even My eyes take copious amount of time to refuel for that power. That liquid shot that lead Us to this point... Yes. JoJo hinders me still."
From the other side, in the dark dimension outside of the fabric of time, Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia looked onto the screen of the chessboard. He sighed and looked away.
"Sometimes. I dream, I dream We are all there. It changes each time... Once, you were a victim of the Stone Mask, leading Me to My rise of power through your mistake. Another, We fought JoJo, to free him from his curse of the Stone Mask. That ended your deaths, and My rise to power through finances. One time, there was another girl, white hair... Trixie was her name. She fought by My side against you both.. These moments in My mind. These are not mere dreams."
At that moment. The area around them flooded with images. Images of people they've never seen, ponies they've known for some time, even the Joestars with different or no partners. Different conclusions to similar situations.
"My Stand... Is the Ultimate Stand. It's ability is unlike any other. Without the help of you, JoJo, and even her... My Queens. I, DIO, would have never made this growth. I, DIO, am already above every being. Yet even now, you and he both resist, both fight Me. Continue to struggle against Me."
"Because you're evil! Down and deep into the very pit of what would be a soul!"
He merely chuckled and closed the book. With a slow turn, He looked into the "camera" of the board. His face still veiled in the ominous darkness that surrounded Him.
"... Princess Celestia. You hate me, don't you."
"My sister, what did you do to her?"
"Correction. What did I, DIO, do to Them. Did for Them. What I did... Is up to you to decide."
With a wave of His hand, the scene changed. The image blurred like water and shifted into a desert. Rainbow Dash in the slender arms of an unnatural beauty. Large sparkling sapphire wings enveloped her entire body. Before the wings covered her ace, she seemed to be in a trance. Out of her mind, yet at ease, at peace. She looked like a girl who had died, in her sleep. Dreaming.
My Little Pony: Friendship is a Bizarre Adventure
Part 3: ~Stardust Coachriders~
Episode VII: The Eclipse of Mystery, Who's The Real Enemy
Kakyoin looked back at the wide open road with a sigh.
"This is still a rather uncomfortable spot we're in."
Pinkie Pie looked up to Kakyoin with a raised bow as she blew gum. She handed him a handful of peppermints taken from her hair.
"Your breath isn't exactly comfortable either, but Nana's got you! Besides, what's bothering you?"
He took one with a puzzled face. This wasn't the first time he saw her pull random objects from her hair. He wouldn't ask nor assume out loud, but Kakyoin believed Pinkie Pie's hair to be a pocket dimension.
"Well, one is the fact this area is wide open. Yet, I can't shake the feeling of us being watched."
"What's the other fact?"
"The fact this car is... Well, it's a bit too small."
Pinkie Pie shrugged, nearly slapping Zecora. Everyone but Polnareff were being squished together to make room.
"Don't look at me, I wasn't the old coot who got this Cheapmobile!"
Everyone glanced at Joseph who rolled his eyes.
"Oh My God! You guys wanna pitch in for a bigger car or a new truck, fine by me! Why don't we head back and get that fancy one with all that rich people money you all don't have!"
Jotaro shrugged and tipped his hat over his eyes.
"You'd have to be rich to pay for all four of those plane crashes."
Pinkie Pie snickered as Joseph rolled his eyes.
"I let you all know a fun little flaw I have and you suddenly think I'm cursed!"
"Well why don't you tell them about that one time were crawling in a dust dirty mine after wetting ourselves?"
Even Zecora raised a brow as everyone began to giggle. Joseph's eyes flew wide and flushed red.
"I THOUGHT WE AGREED TO NEVER BRING THAT UP!"
"Whoopsie! There wasn't a Pinkie Promise involved so~"
"You lost your pinky finger!"
"You'll get me a new one."
"Ergh... Yeah, yeah. At least we're in cleaner territory."
Abu Dhabi. The group had decided against moving on in between Iraq and Iran, due to the political strife and the cover that could give Stand Users the advantage, and headed through the Persian Gulf on boat. Egypt, Cairo, was finally in reach. As they drove down the road. everyone admired the mansions that lined the sides of the streets. Rainbow Dash and Polnareff were stunned.
"Merde! Even the roads are clean! I've been so used to broken down buildings and sand floors, it's almost a relief!"
"I'll say! Why can't every place be like this?! Old Man, why can't we take detours down places like these?"
Joseph rubbed his chin for a moment.
"Hrm... It'd put too many innocents at risk, we'd be losing more days than we already have, and I know you love using your Stand to fight."
He then pointed at her with Pinkie Pie.
"Your next line is, 'I only use her when I have to, so shut up!', right?" "Your next line is, 'I only use her when I have to, so shut up!', right?"
"I only use her when I have to so, shut u- Hey don't do that! It was one of Avdol's lessons."
Zecora looked to Rainbow Dash with a softer expression.
"He taught you personally to use your Stand effectively?"
"Yeah... Only once, really, but it was enough!"
"Hmph. More and more I see why he gave his all, why he believed this group was worth his fall."
"Uhm... Th-Thanks?"
"Perhaps this alliance was for the better, even if some are pants wetters."
She smirked as everyone but Joseph began to laugh loudly. Joseph then began to unfold a map, although he struggled due to little space to work with. Jotaro, then Zecora, and eventually the entire backseat helped unfold it.
"Good Job team! Now then, we'll be heading one hundred meters northwest We'll be crossing the desert using camels to get to the village called, Yarpline. There we'll get Cessna and fly across the Saudi Arabian desert."
Jotaro opened his mouth but closed it upon seeing Joseph raise a Hamon charged fist.
"As. I. Was. Saying. We'll be the only people on the aircraft. So, we won't have to worry about innocents, and we'll save two whole days on this trip."
Polnareff slowed the car down to look back at Joseph. They were the only people on the road at that moment.
"Oi, airplanes I'm fine with, but I've never rode a camel before!"
Joseph snickered and popped his collar.
"Leave it to me. I've ridden a camel before, it's rather simple really!"
In only an hour the group had bought five camels. Joseph smiled smugly.
"Now first you bring the camel down, since it's significantly taller than that if a horse."
Pinkie Pie raised and waved her hand excitedly.
"Ooh! Ooh! JoJo! Can I tell them about the time we rode horses in a gladiatorial death match!?"
"You can do that later, can't you?"
That caught Jotaro off guard, as well as the rest of the group. Pinkie Pie was loud, but not a liar. Maybe these two actually knew a thing or two they thought. Joseph grabbed the reigns and began to pull lightly. Then he started tugging. Pinkie Pie huffed and pushed Joseph aside.
"You're doing it all wrong! See, you've got to put your shoulders into it!"
She made no progress bringing the camel down. Soon the two nearly wrestled with it, Joseph getting a face full of camel saliva. He looked back at the skeptical looks of the others and smiled nervously.
"It-It makes for good sunscreen around these parts!"
"No it doesn't."
"You're not helping, Zecora!"
Polnareff looked at Joseph with great suspicion.
"You know, riding a camel is very different than riding a horse. Even I know that! Where'd you learn to ride... H-Have you ever ridden one, Old Man?"
"Erhm... No. I-I watched this movie actually and-"
Zecora was internally perplexed and torn between laughing or face-palming at the two. She simply snatched the reigns and guided the camel down to mount it with ease.
"Save two days he says, has ridden camels he says..."
Everyone except for Rainbow Dash mounted a camel, Pinkie Pie shared with Polnareff. Joseph noticed and raised a brow.
"Dashie, you're not going to try and fly the whole way, are you?"
"I'unno... Something just doesn't feel right. I'm just gonna scout ahead, only for a bit. I should be back with you guys soon if nothing comes up."
"You should take one of us with you, just in case."
"I'll be fine on my own! When haven't I?"
"[Tower of Gray]."
"Hey I was just starting out!"
Kakyoin turned her way and spoke up.
"[Dark Blue Moon]."
"I beat that guy though!"
"Not on your own."
Polnareff's eyes widened as he snapped his fingers.
"In that case, [Hanged Man] counts too!"
"We all had trouble with that clown!"
Jotaro tipped his hat up to block the Sun.
"[Wheel Of Fortune] counts since we really could've died right there."
"All of you can kiss my flank! Ugh, why do I even bother!"
She donned her Star Seraphim and flew off into blue sky. Vanishing from sight in a mere second. As she flew, something strange happened. She flew past the Sun and into the night, with a full moon hovering over her head. It made no sense to her, she had to tell the others, but her eyes fell heavy. Then she heard it. A strange beat, loud wings flapping right above her, and a dark shadow casted over her body. She tried to glance up, but she just couldn't find the strength. She was lowering, free falling in an instant. She snapped out of her strange trance, but was caught by a pair of arms before she hit the sand below. She struggled and thrashed around in the grip as they landed softly.
"Who's there!? I'll throttle you if you don't just give up now!"
"Rainbow Dash."
That voice. She knew that voice from anywhere and went still. Finally able to look up, she saw her, Princess Luna. She sat there holding Rainbow Dash close in a warm embrace, an entrancing touch that soothed the very being. She was like a giant to her, easily Jotaro's size, perhaps larger. Her wings were midnight black and nearly wrapped them both up like a cocoon.
"P-Princess Luna...?"
"Yes. I'm so happy, to see you safe and in one piece."
"You came here? How, wh-why?"
"Later, you'll know everything. But it is imperative that you know something."
"What's that...?"
Her eyes were falling heavy once more. Her body began to lose feeling to everything except the Princess herself. The cool breath on her neck. The arms around her shoulders and hands that draped over her own.
"You are weary and tired. For a moment of rest, let my bestow a blessing to you.."
"Just... Just for a moment... I-I need to tell my friends about that Sun... I..."
"Shhh... Close your eyes, little one. Let me show a dream. A [Dream of Absolution]."
It was at that moment, Rainbow Dash realized that as her eyes closed, so too did the wings of her Princess. Like doors to freedom, she was under a strange spell, and she felt at peace. Desperate was she to get to her friends, yet this heavy weight. This powerful feeling of warnth and grace. This, peace, consumed her. With the others, they trudged through the harsh sands and intense heat of the sun. Hours must've passed they thought. Eventually Joseph checked his watch with a low growl. Kakyoin looked around as Pinkie Pie used a pair of binoculars to look around.
"I still have that odd feeling of someone watching us..."
"Same here! So weird..."
Polnareff grumbled and looked back.
"Mèmè, Kakyoin, aren't you two a little too jumpy?"
Jotaro looked around as he shook his head.
"No... I feel it too. Old Man, what's wrong?"
Joseph tapped his watch a few times.
"My clock is acting up. What's the time for you, Jotaro?"
"Eight-ten... Oh fuck me up."
"FUCK ME UP IS RIGHT, WHY IS THE SUN STILL UP!?"
"Old Man... You don't think..."
Everyone looked up to the Sun and noticed how large it had suddenly become. The heat rose further and further as Joseph dropped his jaw.
"The fucking [Sun] is a Stand? Yeah okay, sure, FFFFUUUUUUAAAAA-"
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes in a black world. A single step forward, and it all sprang to life. Her world. Equestria. She was still human, but at a thought, became a pony once more. She saw that nopony or body was around. Another thought, and sure enough thevworld became populated. She could do whatever she pleased here. She knew exactly what she wanted to do. Meanwhile with the group and the Sun, they had taken what little cover they could behind small boulders. In just a minuet, scorpions began to die and evaporated in the growing heat, even a camel fell over dehydrated. Kakyoin glared at the Sun as he summoned his Hierophant, sending it right at the Sun. Pinkie Pie yelped at the stunt.
"Hold it! You cant just attack the [Sun] until we know how it works! Don't pull a Dash!"
"Nana, I'm just checking the distance between us and it. The Stand User has to be close!"
"Pinkie Sense is tingling, don't try something so risky!"
"I'll be fine, this is for all of us."
Hierophant flew closer and closer, extending a single tendril connected to Kakyoin, at one hundred meters did the two Stands come face to face.
"Now! Take this Emerald-"
"CAESAR, PULL BACK!"
Pinkie Pie near lifted Kakyoin and leaped back pulling him, and by extension his Hierophant, out of the way of a powerful laser beam.
"I... That kind of power would've blown a hole through my chest! You saved me."
He looked back expecting a jokey smile, yet received a paled expression. Before he could even ask, Polnareff shouted loudly.
"It's firing more!"
"Tch. This is a pain, but I can easily protect us from this heavenly rain."
Zecora moved her arms in a quick gesture as Ra appeared above her, copying her as a bright golden dome formed around the entire group.
"[Ra]'s true power is to form a light based energy that takes form and shape to my will. I believe now you see why the name fits the bill. I can hold this up for as much as I like, but we are on a schedule, and this is no place to call it a night."
Jotaro tipped his hat as he knocked on the dome with his Star Platinum. It was harder than he thought it would be.
"Yare Yare, this isn't even it's full use. No wonder the Old Man was worried about you. I've got an idea, I'm gonna make a hole in ground. Make a small opening for us to use and see with."
She only nodded as Star Platinum struck the Earth with tremendous strength. Rainbow Dash finished off the last changeling with a stomp if her hoof. Nothing felt as good as winning a tough fight for her. But, even she began to get bored, she must have fought for hours. Then it hit her, what about her friends? In a moment everyone was there. From the Mane Six, to the nameless girl, everyone... Except Jotaro and Joseph. At first didn't notice, but as she saw Avdol alive and well, it struck her. Why was he here, yet neither of them were? She then heard Joseph's voice in the distance.
"SON OF A BITCH! WHO DID THIS!?"
Rainbow Dash snapped her head back and looked around. Worry began to settle in her heart before She finally saw him. Joseph was hanging onto a windowsill with Pinkie Pie helping him up. The Old Man was always clumsy in her eyes. Then she heard Jotaro's voice.
"She can't be dead... Can't be..."
Who was dead? He said she, but who? She looked and thought hard, yet Jotaro was nowhere to be seen. In fact Joseph vanished without her notice. She asjed around but no one, not ene Pinkie Pie knew them. She knew this was all a dream, it had to be, she thought herself awake but only stood there getting odd looks. She changed the scene to a memory, when she and Jotaro fought Kakyoin and Jack Snow. However, it was only her. She surprised, she noticed that they began to attack her without her control. She was blown out of the window by an ice imbued Emerald Splash with a great gust of chilling wind. She recovered in the air, but was attacked by Gilda. She was even faster than before, blurring in Rainbow Dash's eyes, shredding her body with ease. She fell once more. She needed help. She thought of her friends. Called their names out. She was caught by the ice monster created by Last Christmas. Crushing her in it's grip once again. This dream turned into a nightmare. Nothing could make this worse. She noticed small cartoons cute flowers grow on the fingers and forearms of the frozen statue as they sang about her death. It got worse. Joseph slammed his fist down in the hole. The only pair of binoculars were destroyed by a beam. Camels killed and water gone. This was it. Rainbow Dash began to feel faint. All feeling gone with the blood pouring from her wounds. She heard all the voices speak at once.
"You're Alone And Have Lost. No One Will Come, And Eventually Everyone Will Forget. Just Let It Go... Just Close Your Eyes..."
"... No... No... NO... NO! I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP! I'M GOING TO POUND YOU, AND SAVE! MY! FRIENDS!"
Her eyes lit up with bright light as she spreaded her wings to escape the monster's icy grip. She flew as high as she could before flying straight down. Speed and velocity, force and her determination, several factors of her life lead to this moment. Just before impact, Rainbow Dash made a Sonic Rainboom. In Nightmare Moon's arms, Rainbow Dash's beaten and bloodied body began to glow radiantly. Then, forced back through several dunes, receiving heavy damage herself. In her sleep, still as a statue, Rainbow Dash created her own Sonic Rainboom using Star Seraphim. The bright colors flew across the entire desert. The Sun shook and flickered like a weak lightbulb. Zecora's dome also flickered, as did Pinkie Pie's Candy Shop as she attempted to find the User.
"What manner of power was that, it nearly blew the [Sun] away, like that of a strong current blows a drowning rat!"
Pinkie PiePie saw the colors in the sky and gasped.
"That was Rainbow Dash! She made a Sonic Rainboom somewhere! C'mon candy vines, don't fail me now! Quit showing me this stupid rock in front of us! ... Wait. That, rock... P-Pfftt!"
Kakyoin looked at Pinkie Pie who had suddenly began to giggle. He followed her gaze before chuckling himself. Then Jotaro, followed by Polnareff, and even Zecora began to join in on the chorus of laughter.
"Wh-What the Hell!? All of you, pull yourselves together! Oh My God!Did the heat get to you all!?"
Kakyoin calmed down just enough to point to the rock.
"M-Mr- Pfft! Mr. Old Man! S-See that rock? How it's big enough for someone to hide behind?"
"Yeah but the sunlight is on the other side. No one could be behind it without roasting alive."
"Exac- SNRK! PFFHHAHAHAHAHA! ! !"
Kakyoin and Pinke Pie were howling in laughter. Zecora and Polnareff then spoke up.
"The same rock down to the mineral, yet the shadow is less than what should be ideal!"
"The shadow's in reverse! It's so stupid! Gyaaaahahahahaha!
Jotaro shook his head and used Star Platinum to throw a rock. A hole appeared in the air with cracks formed around it. The Sun faded away slowly.
"... What."
"Yare Yare Daze, am I really your grandson if you couldn't figure that out? I'll just say the heat got to your head."
"I'm so lost right now."
They approached the hole before the truth settled in. Joseph felt around it abd cane to the conclusion that everyone else had made.
"A mirror?! So that's why you three felt like we were being followed, he must've been tailing us since we drove past the estates! There's a whole miniature vehicle behind here, leisure looking too!"
Polnareff snickered as he pointed to the User.
"And he's just some chubby, stubby, loser! I know school kids who pick on guys like this! Kahahahaha!"
"... Hold on! Did we really just beat the [Sun] Stand!? We didn't even get to know his name or reasons!"
Zecora shrugged as she took a drink out of the Sun User's mini-fridge.
"Would you like to wait and ask, I for one could care less about his past."
"... Okay fair point. Hey! Most of our camels actually made it through! But... Where's Dashie?"
Everyone looked around, yet she was nowhere to be seen. Pinkie Pie felt a strange warmth in her pocket and pulled out the green shard. A woman, whose lips alone were visible, spoke.
"Yarpline. She was attacked and I carried her here. Please hurry."
"H-Huh!? Who's-"
The image faded. She pocketed the shard and groaned.
"Joseph~! Our life is getting weird and difficult for no reason again~!"
"Again? Ugh, we heard the lady... But, who was that? It was distorted, but cleary a woman!"
"Let's just find Rainbow Dash and get that plane."
On the way there, just as morning began to hit, Kakyoin finally gave into his curiosity.
"Nana? Who is, Caesar?"
"Uh! U-Uhm..."
"You called me that earlier... Was he someone close to you?"
She looked at Joseph and sighed.
"He was our third musketeer in Hamon training."
Caesar Zeppeli was a prideful Italian man, proud of his family line, and though he never said it... Hus friends. He and I butted heads but, he became my brother."
"Caesar and stuck like cheese. Then, we went to Switzerland to fight vampires, much like dio... Hewanted to rush in but... I told him not to. He did anyways and..."
She looked down before putting on a sad smile.
"He never took anything I said seriously anyways. You're alot like him, Kakyoin, I don't want to lose any of you guys."
She looked everyone in theeyes before yawning loudly.
"Enough with the dumb angst! Where's a bed at around these parts when ya need it!?"
They had entered the small village of Yarpline. They booked a hotel, but no one went inside. Instead, they asked around for any sign of Rainbow Dash. A single woman took them to her home.
"I was amazed when a goddess of a woman gave me this girl to care for, almoat as amazed as I was when I learned her hair color was natural! She's right through this door, but she's very injured, she won't be getting up for sometime."
Befor she could reach for the doorknob, it swung open with Rainbow Dash on the other side. The woman nearly shrieked at the sight.
"Oh my! Young Lady, please! Lay back down this instant!"
"I can't lady, I've got something to do."
"You don't understand! You must get back to bed!"
"You can't stop me, you've been nice but-"
"I took your clothes away to wash and sew them together! You're..."
Rainbow Dash noticed at last that she wore bandages only on her chest and legs, with most of the looking away. She ran in with a muffled scream behind the door. Pinkie Pie doubled over laughing at Rainbow Dash's as Jotaro merely raised a brow.
"Hey, Granma."
"Heheh! Y-Yeah!?"
"You know Dash. What's with that weird mark on her ass."
"Oh that? It's a cutiemark! See it's naturally on her body, do it's not a tattoo! I think."
"Cutiemark?"
"Yeah! We all have one! Mine's a buncha balloons sonce my proffession are parties! She has a thundercloud since she usually manages the weather of Ponyville! Though she could work a little harder at that."
"I'm lost... So, it's a mark that tells what she does?"
"Yep! What you were born to do! I never really noticed that we kept ours in this world though."
"... You think she'll ever leave that room?"
"Give her a minuet. I think she's still screaming."
She came out with her clothes stitched neatly and a flustered face.
"Ergh... Why do I always lose my clothes...? By the way, I'm glad you guys got past that [Sun]."
She expected a no thanks to you comment. Instead everyone huddled around her.
"Yare Yare , don't scare us like that. I was worried you got killed."
"Wait, you're not mad I didn't comeback to help?"
Joseph shook his head as Polnareff clicked his tongue with a wag of his finger.
"We're mad because you didn't wait for us to help you."
"Everyone here knows you wouldn't leave us. You're so hardheaded, it's annoying."
Kakyoin smiled and looked to the side.
"Still, who else would be there to shout loudly and attract all the enemies to us? Polnareff?"
"Shut your face!"
"He'd be too busy in the bathroons! And we are friends I believe. Friends, look out for each other."
Zecora simply snapped her fingers and gave her a thumbs up with a small flame danced on the thumb. Rainbow Dash remembered what the nightmare told her, and she smiled. They weren't all ponies but these men were her real friends too. She knew she wasn't alone.