Candice felt incredibly nauseous. That last scene, that horrific nightmare, she saw it all. The woman had every organ separated, but was still alive. She had to hurl. The voice snickered at the sight of the alicorn's suffering.
"N. O. T. W. H. A. T. Y. O. U. E. X. P. E. C. T. E. D?"
She could only shake her head. It was all in the back of her throat. It wasn't just that vile scene, but with Angelo's files were awful. The whispers became that of the crime. She finally came to understand why Princess Celestia looked so ill. This was not a good world. But, there was a small ray of hope for her. In Josuke and Jotaro. Though just as crass, their hearts were bright with a golden light. It was terrible, but to win this game she would have to adopt this mindset. She couldn't fall now. She swallowed and spoke.
"The next move, is yours."
The chessboard dried and soon was enveloped by a strange aura. Three pieces against three. On her side, Josuke, Rarity, and Koichi. On his side, two boys and a girl, all wearing matching uniforms.
My Little Pony: Friendship is a Bizarre Adventure
Part 4: ~ Diamond is Charitable ~
Episode III: The Arrow Points The Way, Shine On!
A few days had passed. Peace slowly returned to the Higashikata household. Rarity would soon be going to school with Josuke. Still, she had to see him to and from school, with Koichi tagging along as good company. As they left class for home, Koichi stopped and pointed to a horribly dilapidated mansion.
"H-Hey, Josuke? Rarity? Does anyone live here?"
Rarity made a face of great disgust and hid behind Josuke.
"Eugh! Look at that awful color scheme! Hideous! Even before the mold it was ugly to look at!"
Josuke thumbed to his house.
"No way. We literally live on the same street as it. If anyone came, I'd know. Hell, this place is such a mess, the real estate owner can't sell it. You'd have to break it all down and rebuild it."
Koichi began to approach it, but Rarity pulled him back.
"And what do you think you're doing, Koichi?! This place oozes slime! Look at that!"
"That's just a small leaky pipe with moss..."
"Disgusting!"
"Bu-But I saw someone, a silhouette of some kind, holding a candle!"
"Well then that's mystery left unsolved!"
"I... Guess."
She looked down at Koichi before she let out an annoyed groan.
"Fine! I shall have a look, that way we'll be in and out!"
"Th-Thanks Rarity!"
"Oh- puh, kff!"
She waved the boy off and poked her head right through the cracked gates. Solid metal and with a working padlock. She saw nothing but an overgrown yard.
"S-See! Nothing here! Can we please get a move o-"
She noticed something at the last second. A foot that was out from the side. The same foot kicked the gate in. She was trapped as her throat was caught between the doors.
"Aghck!? Agh!"
An angry voice came out from the shadows behind the wall.
"Who the fuck do think you are, snooping in around our house?"
Another foot, one with heels, began to kick her face with savage fury. A condescending and cold voice spat out.
"Nosy bitch! I'll teach you some goddamn manners! You, that runt, and the douchebag that were talking shit!"
"Yeah!~ Our house looks like a dump to you, right? Say that shit about it with a swollen pair of lips full of boot!"
"Pasty cunt! Think she's better than us!"
"Hmph! I'm not even gonna stop you this time, Sis. I'm pissed about it too!"
The boy was as tall and built as Josuke, maybe a bit less. Two fine lines crossed his face in semi circles that passed the inner corners of his eyes. His hair was small, a dark pompadour, the hair at his sides light and combed back closely. A dark, modified Japanese school uniform, a double-breasted jacket, decorated with metallic, golden emblems. A yen sign on the right of his collar and a dollar sign on his left. A larger dollar sign on the middle of his chest and on his right shoulder, he had "Oku", the kanji for trillion, in large, light letters between his shoulder and elbow; mirroring the word billion on his left. He wore slim, sagging belts at the top of baggy pants. The girl was average to below average height. Though not the thickest, her exposed legs expressed a muscular build. She was naturally beautiful, with red and yellow shimmering hair, her face stayed to an agressive glare. She wore a dark, short one piece uniform that stopped above the inner thigh. On her collar were alternating euro and pound symbols. The chest had a four pointed sun with flames that pointed in the main four directions. The left side of the points were yellow, as the right were red. The center resembled a yin yang symbol, although the colors of her hair were in place. On her right shoulder was printed "Sen" the kanji for thousand; mirroring the word million on her left in a similar font of the boy. Josuke and Koichi shook out of their shock and realized what was happening.
"H-Hey! Leave her alone!"
"Oi! Let her go, or I'll kick both of your asses!"
The two became silent. Then, the girl spoke.
"Hear that, Okuyasu? Kick, our, asses?"
"Hehehehe... Doesn't this dumbass think highly of himself, eh Senset?"
The gate loosened as the heel grinded onto Rarity's nose and pushed her back. As she stood up, ready to fall back, an arrow flew right into her throat. No one seemed to expect it. Rarity fell on her face, which forced the arrow to be pushed through the throat. A beautiful violet gem shone brilliantly as blood dripped down from it. Senset and Okuyasu were shocked.
"Whoa! W-When did the purple part glow like that?!"
"The crystal, it's reacting to her differently than the others... It's actually reacting!"
A voice came from an windowless opening.
"Sunset. Okuyasu. I didn't fire the Arrow at her. It flew on its own. But, I know why, for that man there is Josuke Higashikata. Eliminate him, and while you're at it, get that boy too. He could be useful."
Koichi went to grab Rarity, but both were suddenly right in front of the delinquents. Koichi was snatched into the air.
"Like this, Sis?"
"Twelve centimeters to the South. There you go."
Okuyasu brought Koichi's throat down on the arrowhead. Josuke had enough. He ran over to save his friends. Then, Senset smirked. She blinked and her eyes changed. The ball itself had become pitch black with strange code idly falling down. The iris' were filled alphanumerical symbols as the pupils dilated greatly.
"Swipe horizontally, down low, right at his feet."
Okuyasu grinned as his Stand emerged. A humanoid figure in attire similar to football pads, though it had several spikes jutting from them. A towel-like object draped over its shoulders, with a dollar symbol on one end and a yen symbol on the other. On each side of the Stand's face were blinders that covered its headlight-shaped eyes. Its right hand had spiderweb-like lines on the inside, along with two bumps on its palm. It swiped the air as she said, and Josuke found his feet pulled with a powerful force. He flew at them as Senset jumped and dropkicked him in the air. She landed on her feet with an acrobatic flip. Josuke rolled back on the street, but heard Senset speak again.
"Low sweep, quarter circle to the right at the end of the motion."
Okuyasu's Stand moved its right hand just as she instructed. Josuke was swept off his feet and spun in the air. He was upsidedown. Senset sent a kick to his side, and spun Josuke around in a full circle before she threw him back into the street.
"Normal swipe, lean back to pull his head up!"
Josuke didn't even reach the ground before being pulled back. Senset threw a punch hard enough to break his nose. She kissed her beaten knuckles as she and Okuyasu smiled smugly.
"THIS guy beat Angelo?! I told you both, that sick shithead had a success rate of less than ten percent! Look at this fool."
"Hehehe! With your brain, [The Hand] of mine is even more dangerous! Then again, I don't think so brightly."
Senset frowned at Okuyasu.
"Hey, screw what Keicho says, nothing wrong with help. We'll be there for you, I know I will at least."
Okuyasu rubbed his neck and grinned.
"D'aw!~ You're too good to me! Your [All Seeing Eye] makes any fight a breeze! I'm scared to think what I'd do without ya."
Senset folded her arms and spat to the side.
"Now who's giving who all the credit?... H-Hey! Where'd Higashikata go!?"
Josuke nearly walked right past them. He glanced at them both.
"You're both not too bright, actually."
"Huh?!" "How'd you know-"
Crazy Diamond kneed Senset and punched The Hand with a jab. Senset launched into a wall as Okuyasu spat blood. His eyes became wild.
"Hey, Fucker. Don't go touching my Sis with your filthy fucking Stand!"
The Hand brought its right hand down. Crazy Diamond caught it and attempted to snap the elbow, but The Hand pounded Crazy Diamond's face with the left fist. Josuke had to let go, but used his Stand to pull himself away The Hand's swipe, going with the motion itself as he slid behind Okuyasu. Josuke saw that the gate label had been scraped away, a character was missing. He began to understand The Hand's ability. He lifted an arm to block a kick behind him, but spun around from the force alone. Senset pointed at Josuke victoriously.
"Okuyasu! Final swipe!"
"Yeah!~"
The Hand swiped the air and brought Josuke right in front of Okuyasu.
"Die, Bastar-"
"You two, REALLY aren't that bright."
"Ag-Again!?"
Josuke sidestepped as flowerpots that idly sat on the wall flew at Okuyasu. Josuke had noted them upon being forced to spin. They had played themselves for him.. The first hit his face, the second his chin, the third hit his groin. He was out. Josuke saw Senset run at him and leap for a flying kick. She was effortlessly beaten with a single punch by Crazy Diamond to the ground. Her eyes rolled to the back of her busted head. Josuke sighed.
"What a scary team. His Stand alone could have killed me easily, though he's dumb, she knows how to direct him in scary ways. Even then, she's not as fast, but whatever Stand she has makes her really smart. I called her dumb, but she's actually just cocky. She calculated those attacks down to the centimeter, hers and his, and it felt like she was reading me. I got lucky."
Josuke turned to find a trail of blood. He didn't hesitate to enter the mansion. Just inside, the thitd and final sibling. Keicho Nejimura, Stand User of Bad Company. Like his siblings, he too wore a custome made school uniform. The kanji "Cho" for trillion, which also was presently printed on the mirroring arm. The letters "BAD C. O." were promptly printed on his collar. He wore arrow earrings that pointed downwards. He grabbed the Arrow, but stopped as Josuke shouted.
"Wa-Wait! If you do that, they'll bleed out more!"
"You think I don't know that? This Arrow, it's important to me. What if a person walked by and sees this gruesome scene and call the police? Or take and perhaps, break, the Arrow itself? What then? I can't afford that."
"Fuck off with it, I need that gem stuck in it too! Just gimmie my friends and that gem, I don't care about that Arrow!"
"Ah, Josuke Higashikata. One does not simply, stop their reign of villainy. When you listen to a CD disk and the music ends, you take it out and play a new one, or go about your day. That is what I am going to do."
Keicho removed the Arrow, knowing full well Josuke would enter, but he raised a brow at an annoying sight. Okuyasu and Senset stood right behind Josuke.
"Oi, Big Brother! You don't got to do a thing!"
"Our fight ain't done yet!"
Josuke ran inside with the two after him, but stopped as he saw a strange glint in the darkness.
"Wh-He wanted me in here! Shit!"
Josuke strafed to the side and jumped back. Okuyasu's face were littered with tiny holes as Senset's right arm was torn apart. It barely resembled an arm anymore. Keicho huffed an annoyingly.
"Idiots! Okuyasu, your Stand [The Hand] is a lethal onethat could rival the likes of Universal Stands, but you're too stupid to utilize it! Sunset, your [All Seeing Eye] can instantly give you all the information of anything you look at. It can't fight a thing, so you have to use your brilliant mind. The problem is you think for Okuyasu as well, and that's why you're wounded now. I have no use for the likes of idiots like you two who can't be used effectively."
Josuke made a step forward, but found the holes appeared by his feet.
"Ngh! I-I ain't got any other option!"
Josuke grabbed Senset and Okuyasu as Crazy Diamond punched down a wall. His right hand was attacked, the small holes appeared, but he threw himself and his assailants out of harms way. The wall restored itself, yet the holes appeared again. Josuke didn't have time to wait. He looked down at Okuyasu and Senset.
"Oi! Your brother's Stand, tell me how to beat it."
"..." "..."
"C'mon! Either tell me the weakness or to eat shit, just gimme an answer!"
Okuyasu glared at Josuke.
"... Only an asshole... Would rat family out..."
Senset sat up as she held what was left of her arm.
"We're not gonna tell you anything, stupid."
Josuke narrowed his eyes.
"GREAT. Then I really have no choice!"
Crazy Diamond raised its fist and brought it down with alarming speed.
[ "DORA!" ]
The fist stopped above Okuyasu's face. It then moved a hand to Senset, and healed them both. A new sheen over their once heavily wounded bodies. The two blinked in confusion.
"Huh!?"
"What...? W-Why'd you...?"
Josuke turned his back to them both as he began to reenter the house. Senset pulled him back.
"Hold it! Why'd you heal an enemy, Josuke?! We could beat the shit out of you no issue!"
Josuke stared at her.
"Do you want to fight?"
"Don't be a smartass, answering my question with a question, tell me the truth!"
Okuyasu scratched his head with a nod.
"H-Hey, tell him to make it a straightforward one, I want to make sure I get it too."
Josuke brushed the hand off.
"No reason."
Senset shoved a finger in his face, nearly touching the nose.
"Bullshit! What about your hand, that nose, can't you heal yourse-"
She stopped and took a step back. Her hand had fully healed. She looked at Josuke with her Stand. Okuyasu summoned The Hand.
"Oi, Sis, is he planning something?"
"N-No... It's his Stand. He can't heal himself?!"
"Huh...!? What's the point of a healing Stand if it can't heal the User...?"
Josuke turned back around with a shrug.
"Just cause you're evil, doesn't mean you deserve to be left for dead. I wouldn't even call you two evil after fighting you both, that's the kind of teamwork you get from trusting the other with your life. Evil people can't even trust themselves. So don't stop me from saving my friends!"
Josuke ran inside. Keicho had taken his friends further in the house. He knew it was all a bait, but he had to try. He saw the trail led up the stairs, to the second floor. Senset grabbed his hand.
"I've still gotta know something, Higashikata!"
Josuke pulled his hand out of her grip.
"Good Grief, what the Hell is up with you?!"
"You can't heal yourself, and only heal others, so why'd you risk your life for us!?"
Josuke continued up the stairs.
"I don't know. I can't bring back the dead though, so if my friends are dead, so are all of you."
The first room ahead, though the whole manor was dark, is where Rarity and Koichi laid. Right at the center of the room. Josuke bit his lip.
"Shit... If I go in, that's a trap waiting to happen... But I've got to move!"
Josuke was seized by the throat from behind. Okuyasu had The Hand hold him back as it raised the right hand. Even Senset was surprised.
"Okuyasu, wait!"
"Guh! O-Okuyasu!"
Okuyasu looked up to Rarity and Koichi.
"... Hey, Senset. How should I scrape those two over here?"
Senset stuttered for a moment. Okuyasu, though he still needed her help, had made his own decision. She sighed and pointed at them both.
"... Koichi Hirose is one hundred and fifty seven centimeters, Rarity is around one hundred and sixty six to one hundred and seventy eight centimeters. The best way to scrape is a vertical one, but with a greater pull than normal."
Okuyasu had his Stand scrape the space away. Rarity and Koichi teleported to Josuke's feet. Josuke healed them on the spot, and relaxed as both of his friends groaned. The Hand vanished as Okuyasu held up a shakey finger.
"I'm not too smart, I have to rely on my baby sis to even tell me the difference between boxers and briefs, and dollars and yen worth. I do whatever comes to my mind first, so we're even now! I'm not going to fight you or my brother. We didn't want any of this, so just do what you gotta do."
Josuke looked back at the two with a grateful smile.
"Okuyasu, Senset, you're both really GREAT."
They both looked away from him and mumbled to each other.
"Wh-What's that supposed to mean, Sis?"
"... I-It's a compliment. A real, compliment. I-I can't remember the last time someone other than you gave me one..."
They hurried off as Koichi came to. He sat up and looked around, frightened.
"Huh!? Wh-What happened!? Where are we?"
Rarity sat up with a jolt.
"Agh! Those, bullies! What a foul pair of potty mouths and ridiculously matching clothes! Where are they, I have half a mind to-"
Both Koichi and Josuke covered her mouth and hushed her.
"Ra-Rarity... We gotta be quiet."
"You two really are tough. Okuyasu and Senset are downstairs. It's just their older brother up here. I don't know if you two can leave, but I gotta get that Arrow, more importantly that gem it has."
Rarity stood up and placed her hands on her hips
"As if I'll let you go off on your own is this... This... Ugh! Let's get this over with, this location is utterly repulsive!"
"... Not like I can't talk you out of it. Koichi? I think those two downstairs will let you go. Okuyasu didn't say it exactly, but he did say he wouldn't fight anymore."
Koichi looked to the stairs, then back to Josuke.
"I... I just want to go home. But, I want to know my friends are home too! I'll try my best!"
Josuke blnked then sighed.
"What's with everyone getting all brave suddenly...? Whatever, the only way now, is through here."
A creak and small footsteps sounded off. Josuke took out a lighter and searched the darkness. He saw it. Keicho's Stand. A small soldier with a rifle in hand. Josuke waited for the right moment.
"Anytime, now! Rarity, Koichi, get behind me!"
The soldier stood up from a rafter. With several like it following suit.
"Wh-What...?"
They fired their guns and destroyed the lighter, his hand littered with miniscule bullet holes.
"Arch! T-The wounds are small, but hurt like Hell!"
Rarity pulled Josuke back.
"They're falling down from above!"
Josuke turned and saw parachuting soldiers fire away from the side, he had been flanked. Josuke was sure he had been hit by more gunfire, but the bullets flew off his body. He pulled his friends into the room ahead.
"W-We're on the second floor, but our best option is out the wind- Oh no fucking way."
Helicopters flew into view. Koichi and Rarity pulled Josuke back.
"They've got tanks!" "Your hair's in danger!"
Josuke saw the missile fly past his face. The other tanks on the ground fired, but the projectiles were deflected and destroyed by Crazy Diamond. Josuke wiped his brow, but instead of sweat, there was a crystalline smoothness to his head.
"What...? Wait a minute! Koichi! Rarity! Y-You both can see all this!?"
They nodded slowly as they leaned into him. Rarity pointed at the soldiers that took position before them.
"When I woke up, that was the first thing I saw! Wh-What are they!? And that pink figure floating by you...!"
Koichi began to pant lightly.
"I feel weird... Like, not good but also not sick... What's happening to me!?"
Keicho's voice came from the shadows.
"So... The Arrow flew to her for a reason, and the boy as well. [Bad Company]! At Ease!"
The army stood at attention with their weapons held away from the three. Keicho held the Arrow up, and confirmed it. Rarity pointed at the item.
"Th-That's it! That's the Element of Harmony, Generosity! How on Celestina's horn did that get there!?"
Keicho scoffed.
"Shut your mouth! I'll be the one talking here! Damn my siblings, to just let you in, sometimes I swear Sunset is as stupid as Okuyasu. Even her nickname is a play on her name, Senset, egh. That's all unimportant now, what is important is why I am right here. Your Stands! Show them too me! I've seen a glimpse of yours, girl."
"A-A glimpse?"
"Ah, right. A Stand can act on it's own, this only occurs with powerful ones. Josuke! Teach them how to summon their Stand!"
Josuke growled. He leaned back to a wall but nodded. He looked to Rarity and Koichi as he displayed Crazy Diamond.
"Just, GREAT. Okay you two, it's a bit difficult at first, but all you gotta do is think about it. It's hard to describe, but just think of doing something as hard as you can. It'll feel like new life is pouring out of you, and you'll probably feel two of everything. As if you're breathing twice and moving twice. It'll appear as a physical manifestation, but what it looks like... That's up to who you are deep inside where you don't even know. The subconscious of your soul."
Keicho shook his head.
"I don't have the time to waste, I'll give them the motivation!"
A soldiers had slid down from the rafters on a rope by Rarity's cheek. Another by Koichi's ear. Both used army knives to savagely cut away at the flesh. However, Koichi's ear glittered like a diamond in a spotlight. The knife was broken and tip stabbed into the soldiers head. Rarity cried out in great pain in Josuke's arm that held her.
"Aie! ! ! This is too much! I can't take it anymore!"
"R-Rarity...!"
"What's the point of all this excessive force!? It's not entertaining, it's sadistic!"
"Oi! Rarity!"
"Why couldn't the setting take place back in Equestria!? I'm going to go insane!"
"RARITY!"
"Josuke Higashikata, don't you dare raise your voice at me whilst I am in the midst of a breakdown! It's rather rude."
Josuke pointed ahead, to which was a bizarre sight. A humanoid figure, mostly of an ivory coloring, floated before them. It had a amethyst eyes and a solid face with no nose, mouth, or ears. Six small horns curled from the side, top side, and of the skull. The horns themselves were like crystals that grew from caverns. The whole body was that of a crystalline material, yet faintly transparent as something akin to a skeleton resided within. The Stand floated back and leaned onto Rarity.
[ "You called, Mistress?" ]
"... Huh?"
[ " 'Huh?' You call me out for the first time and all you have to say for this exclusive moment is, huh, Mistress? I'm your Stand, I'll need a name, but for now you're in need of my aid in this dangerous game. Hmhm! I'm rather clever, aren't I, Mistress." ]
Keicho was stunned. He hadn't seen a sentient Stand before. Koichi, though uninjured, shot an ethereal egg out. Josuke looked at it.
"Gee Koichi, I knew you were a bit cowardly, but I didn't think you were a chicken!"
Rarity's Stand closed Josuke's mouth.
[ "No. None of that. Shame on you, Darling." ]
Koichi looked up at his friends, down to the egg, to Keicho and back to his friends.
"I-I'm sorry...! It's just sitting there! This is, this is all it can do!"
Keicho saw it. The egg began to crack.
"That's enough! I've decided it, you two are to die, but I'll keep the kid! [Bad Company]! All units, FIRE!"
The toy army took aim and began to fire. Rarity,Josuke, and Koichi didn't expect Rarity's Stand to pull Josuke and shove him in front like a body shield. Josuke took the full attack. The smoke and dust settled. Rarity's Stand was much smaller now. Like a ballerina, it moved with grace and anorexic fragility. White body, violet vines with various diamond patterns that sprawled the arms and legs. The chest, the hands and crown of the skull had her cutie mark printed on. Josuke used Crazy Diamond to protect himself as Rarity swatted at the Stand.
"Wh-What in Equestria were you doing!? You could've hurt him, or worse!"
[ "Oh-puh kff! Have faith in me, Mistress. I'd never do anything you wouldn't, such as send our Darling to his doom! That's just not our style, Mistress." ]
Josuke heard a click and looked down at his foot. He had stepped on a mine. It exploded, but he barely felt any impact. In fact, his clothes hadn't even ruffled from the force. Missiles fired at him, Crazy Diamond destroyed two, but the others struck the bicep. It received no damage. Keicho took a step back.
"Wh-What!? What did that Stand do!?"
Rarity and Josuke saw it. His body coated in a strange crystal substance. He was able to move andbreathe freely, but was in some form of armor. Rarity's Stand winked.
[ "That's my ability, Darlings~ Right there, to protect those in need of aid. That boy is a real diamond in the rough, and you know what they say about diamonds, Mistress. Diamond Is Unbreakable." ]
Josuke grinned as he rushed right for Keicho. The man couldn't think in time. This was literally, the possibility for him, his counter strategy came to mind by the time Crazy Diamond pounded in his nose. With a small barrage of fists, Crazy Diamond uppercuted Keicho into the floor above.
[ "DORARARARARARARA!" ]
Bad Company vanished. Rarity blinked and stared at her Stand.
"It was like you turned him... Into a Crystal Pony! Er, Crystal Boy!"
The Stand regained its body as Josuke's crystal coat faded away. It only bowed with a giggle and vanished. Koichi stuck his head out from behind the egg and jumped as it vanished.
"Wh-What was that? Do they all talk like that...?"
Josuke shook his head.
"Nah, this is a first for me. Granted, I'm kinda new to this Stand thing too. Hey, maybe Ms. Dash knows something!"
Rarity looked at her hands and closed her eyes. Her Stand emerged mirroring her movements. She opened her eyes and saw the ethereal image.
"Is-Is this...? I'll have to ask her for later, indeed! B-But you sent the Element of Harmony up with them!"
Koichi looked up at the hole.
"N-No soldiers are coming... H-Hey. Do you think they have parents here? M-Maybe they're at work?"
Josuke gave it thought as rubbed his chin.
"I... Doubt it. Angelo said it was a grown man in a highschool uniform. Keicho fits the bill. Rarity... I'm sorry."
Rarity looked up from her hands and tilted her head.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?"
"I thought I'd be saving you just about every time something bad happened. Yet you did a GREAT job of making that fight with Keicho a breeze. So really, I should be saying thank you."
Rarity blinked, then folded her arms.
"Oh- puh kff! I'm the one who does most of the worrying here! Besides, Resourcefulness is another trademark of mine, darling."
Josuke looked up to the hole and leapt up to grab the edge, but Koichi and Rarity pulled him down.
"Wait a minuet, darling! I want the Element just as badly as I want to leave this grotesque horror show a manor! B-But rushing in won't solve everything!"
"She's right! Wh-What if they've got something like a dog? Those two from earlier could-"
Josuke shook his head.
"Koichi, if there was someone else than that guy, Keicho... We'd hear or see them by now. I'm notnot rushing in blindly, look!"
Josuke pointed to the hole. A bright violet light shone from the darkness. They all sighed contently, but jumped at a gurgling noise. As if a dog was force fed and began to choke, yet louder. Josuke backed away.
"O-Okay... Slow and steady, just like the snail!"
Rarity raised a brow.
"Don't you mean like the, tortoise, Josuke?"
"Rarity shut up, I know what I said."
"You're hopeless, darling."
The trio listened closely. Chains clinked in the darkness, wood being scratched, even small whines. They looked to each other, Josuke thumbed to himself, but Koichi shook his head and pointed to himself. Rarity looked between the two, then gained a fearful expression as they stared at her.
"W-What...?!"
They patted their shoulders and pointed to the hole. She didn't quite understand but nodded with a smile. She nearly yelped as Josuke hoisted her onto her shoulders.
"Josuke, watch where you put your- Oh! I see now!"
Josuke held Koichi up to her. She held him up to the hole, but only high enough for his head to poke up and scout the room.
"... N-Nothing! K-Keicho is still knocked out, but he's in the corner! HUWAGH!"
Kochi screeched as something grabbed his head and lifted him and Rarity from the ground. Josuke leapt up through the hole.
"KOICH! RARITY!"
Koichi called out from the side. Rarity his behind him as she panicked.
"O-Over here!" "GETMEOUTOFTHISVILEHELLSCAPETHATISCOMPLETELYDISGUSTINGANDUNWARRANTEDGETITAWAYFROMEEEEEEEE! ! ! !"
Josuke turned and found a repulsive creature. It panted heavily and turned to stare back. Josuke didnt know what he was before him. It had a beak and small claws, a balding mohawk, and constant drool. The body was shortshort and fat, like a waterlogged diseased bloated animal mutated from the most potent radiations. A true disgusting abominations, bumps and boils and zits and pimples, at times an exterior scale like, yet the anatomy simply wasn't consistent. As if it didn't know what it wanted to be. It wore simple children clothes, and was chained to the floor. The chain was long enough for it to move around the entire room. It had Rarity and Koichi against a wall, but only reached out to them. Rarity kicked the hand away.
"GET AWAY!"
She had her eyes closed. She didn't want to look at it anymore. However, her eyes flew wide at the sound of Koichi screams and a sickening squelch. She had kicked the hand right off. The blood and viscera splattered on her. She wanted to scream, but felt the bile build up from beneath her throat. She covered her mouth, but saw a new hand sickly shoot out of the stump. There was no holding it back now. As she puked, Koichi had his eyes closed the entire time. Rarity fainted and fell on a moldy couch. The creature, took the arm and ate it. It then turned away from the ill teens and gave attention to a destroyed chest with claw marks. Josuke ran over to Koichi and lifted Rarity up from the couch.
"K-Koichi! It's okay! Th-That thing, even though it's ugly as Hell, it's harmless!"
Koichi slowly opened his eyes and gagged.
"U-Ugh! That smell!"
"Actually, Rarity threw up... She seems alright, all things considered. We just gotta get the Arrow!"
Keicho's voice rasped out.
"Over... My dead, body!"
Keicho barely stood on his own as he hobbled over to the creature, he held the Bow and Arrow closely.
"I need this... For him! This Arrow, that creates Stand Users, is the only thing that can help him! This, freak unfit for the light of day, is my father!"
Josuke and Koichi gasped. Josuke then narrowed his eyes.
"If this is about healing him... Of whatever illness he has..."
Keicho looked down at his father.
"I'll tell you... When I was small, our family wasn't the richest, but we stuck together. Then, when I was eight, Okuyasu was five and Sunset was only three... Our mother died of sickness. Father, fell out of money as his company went bankrupt. We all fell on hard times. He began to drink and even beat us for no reason. Then, the beatings suddenly decreased. Oh they were there, but now it made sense. He suddenly came into large suns of money. Gold, bills, treasures and rare trinkets. This is because he sold his stupid soul, to a Bastard named DIO!"
Keicho shook out of anger as he watched his father mess with the chest
"That devil... Used the Arrows, each one with a gem like this, to find and gather Stand Users all over the world! My father had one, but not even Sunset knows what it was anymore. Ten years ago, Josuke, ten years now past. THIS! Happened!"
He kicked the malformed man savagely.
"It was all so sudden...! I came home from school, but Okuyasu and Sunset were crying. I paid no mind to my brother, I thought father had simply beat him again... But father never hit Sunset. She was usually starved or sent to sleep outside the house instead. Even then, she was always as tough as she was smart. This was the first time I had ever seen her cry. I heard a wail from the otherroom and saw my father transform. Like his face had been fried with boiling oil! DIO! He turned it to be some inhuman, thing! He implanted different types of spores to insure loyalty! Usually, they last to a whole year before death by pretending to be a rare brain tumor. My father, had a special variation. He ran and locked himself in this very room. Chained himself and kept that stupid chest to himself! THERE'S NOTHING IN IT! JUST FUCKING DUST!"
Keicho began to kick his father brutally. The monster of a man cried as he helplessly curled into a bloody ball.
"Even though we were rich... Are, rich... Do realize how hard it all was!? To live his life?! TO NOT HAVE MY OWN?! THESE FUCKING ITEMS IN MY HAND CAUSED ALL THIS! But I can't break them... I have to find the Stand to help my father."
Josuke looked at the impish freak.
"Then let me try. I know my [Crazy Diamond] can't heal illness, but mayb-"
Keicho scoffed.
"Idiot! He's not sick! He actually eats really healthy! That's the problem! DIO's spore, it merged and transformed his very DNA. It's not at all broken, that's why your Stand is useless! I can't heal him... Don't you understand?"
The man began to shed tears. Heavy and full of raw feeling.
"I want to kill him... I want to give him peace... I've tried so hard with my Stand. With [The Hand] and so many others. He just regenerates too fast... When he finally finds that peace, then my life can beg- WILL YOU FUCKING STOP THAT!?"
Keicho kicked his father once more. The poor monster held scraps of torn paper that were in the chest. Rarity pulled Josuke's shirt and held a finger to her mouth. She pointed to the side, the only door in the room. Senset's and Okuyasu stood by the side, barely visible. Josuke then noticed the paper in the creature's hands, and saw he was pushing them together. Josuke began to run at Keicho and his father.
"Josuke! I'm not giving it up!"
"Shut the fuck up, I'm not running to break your face, I'm running to fix his chest!"
Crazy Diamond punched the treasure chest. As if time rewinded, the chest was restored and with it, a family photo of when the mother was alive. Keicho blinked.
"Wh-What...?"
Josuke looked at the Nijmura's father hold up the photo. The mutated being began to cry and wail grossly. He hugged it with his life.
"He wasn't clawing randomly at the chest, but was trying to put that back together, his real treasure. A photo of his family, when they were happy."
Keicho trembled. All this time, he had assumed his father's mind had been lost with his flesh, but this was not the truth. He had retained his memory, of the family he loved. Rarity, still pretended to be unconscious, saw the two younger siblings sob quietly. To know that even in that horrendous form, their father still thought of them. The tears alone were a sign to each three. Though he could no longer speak, he couldn't be anymore sorry for the suffering of his own children. Josuke spoke up again.
"I'm going to take that Arrow, get the gem to my friend here, and hand it to Mr. Jotaro and Ms. Dash. And we're all gonna work together, help your dad."
Keicho shook his head as he began to take careful steps away from him. Then, his head snapped to Okuyasu, who had grabbed the Bow with tears still in his eyes.
"Okuyasu...!"
"B-Big Bro... Think about it. A normal life. No more killing people who couldn't make a Stand! We can... Have something!"
Senset wiped her eyes and spoke with a shudder.
"H-He's right! Josuke... He'll go through with his word. He's the kind of guy to have the world on his shoulders and have the nerve to ask for more... I hate it so much but, we could start a life here again! Isn't that what we wanted?"
Keicho looked down at Okuyasu's hand.
"Okuyasu... Let go! You both misunderstand! You two can live that life, but I threw mine away! I've killed actual innocents! Even if the law never finds out...! I already treat you two as tools, don't think.I won't kill you and throw you both away like you were that! Tools!"
Senset grabbed the Arrow, her grip tight but her body, trembled pathetically. Rarity lifted herself up and pointed to the sky window. A figure watched from outside.
"W-Who's that up there!? I thought all of the family were already here!"
Senset's eyes widened.
"We all are here...!"
Keicho alone saw it. Lightning sparked from the outlet on the wall behind his siblings. A strange alien looking Stand shot out with a fist ready to strike.
"SUNSET! OKUYASU! GET OUT OF THE DAMN WAY!"
He punched them both and took the fist straight to the chest. The hand tore through his body with ease. It laughed and grabbed the Bow and Arrow.
[ "Kyehehehe! Keicho Nijimura, you shot me awhile back with this thing, but don't you worry! I'll take Good care of it!"]
Keich began to become electricity, as did the Bow and Arrow. Okuyasu reached out, but was pulled back by Senset. Her eyes changed.
"Wa-Wait, Oku! Don't touch him!"
"But Sis...!"
Keicho cried out.
"Okuyasu! Don't do anything stupid! You two, always bring me nothing but trouble! Always...!"
The Stand cackled then shouted before it had vanished with Keicho and the Golden Items.
[ "NOW, BRING THE HOUSE DOWN, OCTAVIA!"]
The house began to shake as everyone heard a beautiful cello solo. The entire house fell in on itself. The dust settled. It was only the top floor that collapsed, even the ceiling to the second floor, the ground they stood on, still supported them. Josuke and Okuyasu used their bodies to protect their friends. As they rose from the debris, they found Keicho's charred body, hung on the cable wires of the utility poles. Rarity fainted again at the sight. The Nijimuras shook as Josuke looked to Koichi.
"You okay?"
"Y-Yeah... Bu-But, even though so much has happened, we didn't accomplish anything!"
"Hell, we actually lost. This wasn't a GREAT day at all..."
Okuyasu looked to his sister.
"Senset...! He saved us... Big bro was a bad guy, a piece of shit, but he still saved us! Th-That means... Something! Right!?"
"... It... I... I don't know."
Senset looked back to Josuke.
"You... You said it yourself! Evil people, they only care for themselves, s-so Keicho wasn't evil! Right!? H-He cared for us, right?!"
Josuke nodded solemnly.
"That's what i said, and I'm sticking to it. Nobody's perfect but... I think this family stuck to each other through it all."
Josuke, Rarity, and Koichi left for their homes after Crazy Diamond fixed what it could for the house. The next morning, the doorbell rang at Higashikata house. Rarity opened it with a grandiose pose in her new school uniform.
"And who has the bountiful luck to be in my graces this morning?~ ... Ugh!?"
She reeled back in fear and disgust. Okuyasu and Senset smiled brightly with school books in their arms.
"Howdy neighbor!~ Oh, no way, you just got admitted today too!? It'd be GREAT if we got classes together!"
"Yo Rarity!~ Looking really hot today! Is Josuke ready for school?"
Rarity slammed the door in their faces and shouted loudly.
"JOSUKE! ! ! THE NEANDERTHALS ARE BACK!"
Josuke ran down to the front door with a sigh.
"C'mon Rarity, it's probably that one guy trying to get a name out of-"
He opened the door to Okuyasu and Senset.
"Good morning!" "Morning, Josuke!"
"... Goodbye."
Josuke nearly closed the door on them, but Tomoko stuck her foot out. She stopped the door and opened it.
"You two are going to REALLY fucking get it after school. Don't even open your mouths, your banned from talking."
Rarity opened her mouth and recieved a glare from Tomoko. Both Josuke and Rarity hung their heads low. Tomoko smiled sweetly at Okuyasu and Senset.
"Now you two are from up the road, right? Well I think you can join us for coffee!"
Josuke and Rarity lifted their heads, but froze under the woman's cold gaze. The Nijimuras looked at each other.
"Oi, Sis, you don't drink coffee though!"
"I do when your work ethic is involved, thank you so much ma'am!"
Tomoko escorted the two in, but Senset stopped at Rarity.
"Slam the door on me like that again, and I'll pound your face in, again."
Okuyasu stopped aand elbowed Josuke lightly.
"Lucky bastard, you got a hot mom and a hot housemate, I'm really jealous!"
They left Josuke and Rarity at the door. Both slowly slid down to the ground.
"GREAT." "GREAT."