Ch. 16
Lollipop

DECEMBER 7TH, 1988
18:28
BAY OF BENGAL, INDIAN OCEAN

Meditation was something Joaquín had never pictured himself doing. Especially when it came to using his hamon in tandem. Yet there he was, sitting cross-legged on the deck of the ship letting out a long, uninterrupted breath. All of his focus was on his breathing. It was suggested to him by his grandfather not long after they set sail from Myeik to another city in Burma. Joseph wanted to see just how strong his hamon was, and after a brief demonstration of his strength, he was rather impressed.

"You're actually more powerful than as I was when I was a teenager," he complimented, though he did add, "But you are by no means as powerful as I was after my training. Almost a full month of intense training while wearing a restrictive breathing mask has gotten me to where I am. And had I continued practicing my hamon, I would be looking much younger than I already am." And with that, he gave him a challenge to help improve his technique:

"Learn to take one breath in ten minutes, then exhale for another ten minutes."

For a fleeting moment, Joaquín would have thought this was impossible. But he remembered that he had been able to breathe in and out longer than anyone is capable of doing. Doing that for twenty minutes no longer sounded impossible. And so, he spread the word around that he did not want to be disturbed as he went up to the deck and practiced. It took a moment, but he was able to find the perfect amount of air to inhale and exhale for the allotted time his grandfather suggested.

And so there he sat, seven minutes into exhaling his one sole breath. His entire body was glowing with hamon, warmth spreading all throughout. The mind was clear of all other thoughts except his breathing, the sounds of the ship and the ocean below them drowned out. Nothing else mattered at this moment. His mind and spirit were one and at peace.

"Hey, Jojo!"

And just like that, the peace was broken. So was his breathing. The unexpected call of Della's voice brought Joaquín into reality and for his breath to be expelled sooner than he had anticipated. The glow of his hamon had dissipated as well. While he was unable to achieve exhaling in ten minutes, he was not at all upset that his girlfriend interrupted him. On the contrary, when he stood up to see Della advancing towards him, he smiled and opened his arms invitingly for her.

"We're about to reach Rangoon in a couple of minutes," she said as she hugged him tightly. "Sorry for bugging you, Jojo."

"Not at all," he reassured. "I wasn't doing anything important."

"Yes you were. You were doing hamon training. That stuff's really important. Especially since we have to face Dio in Egypt. I mean, eventually."

Joaquín chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I know. But even then, I don't know if it'll be that useful. He's already dealt with hamon before, so it'll be really tricky landing a good hit on him if he already knows what I'm capable of."

"Doesn't mean you can't try." Even when he was showing humility, she still had faith in him. It really did warm his heart. "Come on, everyone's waiting for you."

With a nod, Joaquín followed her to the other side of the deck, where his grandfather and the others were watching. His belongings had already been gathered beside Joutarou. In the distance, he could just make out a slowly growing cityscape of Rangoon. It did not look as grandiose as Singapore, but it seemed to give off a similar air of beauty.

"We're almost there," he muttered, right before turning to Mohamed. "Hey, Mohamed, you know anything about this place?"

The fortune-teller did not look at him at first, but he could tell there was something sad in his eyes as he looked out towards Rangoon. It was an unnatural look for him. When he did turn to Joaquín, his voice seemed to match his eyes.

"Joaquín, Burma was… is… not a peaceful country. It is under a totalitarian military regime. The people of this country are in a crisis, so to speak. The students of a Rangoon university were not pleased and took it upon themselves to protest. Not only students, but monks, doctors, even children, united in an organized strike against their oppressors. It is far more complex than it sounds, but from what I have gathered, it ended in bloodshed. Chaos, riots, the deaths of thousands. They spared no expense."

Everyone looked at him with wide, horrified eyes. Even Joutarou looked disturbed. Jean Pierre spoke up, voicing what was surely on everyone elses' mind. "They didn't… They didn't kill children… did they?" But Mohamed did not answer. His expression did that for him. "Mon Dieu… That's… But why? Why would they kill innocent children?! What have they done to deserve such a cruel fate?!"

"They were following orders. And the weight of their heinous crime will not be fully realized until they stand before God and are judged. For now, they will live the rest of their lives knowing that they have done wrong. That is... if they have felt any guilt at all."

It was almost surreal. This entire time, Joaquín had only been focused on the crimes of Dio and the threat he posed to mankind. He forgot that there were other threats in the world. Other battles being fought. The stories his grandfather told him took place almost fifty years ago. As the battle with the Pillar Men unfolded, the world was on the brink of a second World War. At that moment, Joaquín was reminded of the very harsh reality that some of the worst tragedies weren't orchestrated by Stand users.

And he felt disgusted.

Shaking his head, Joaquín looked out towards the city. The lights forming in the distance were no longer beautiful, but sorrowful. It made him want to cry for those murdered by their own government. They would be staying for one night before their ship takes off to their next destination. And he was thankful for that.

"I know it's depressing," spoke up Joseph, patting his grandson's shoulder consolingly, "but we shouldn't let that linger on our minds. Besides, I don't want to see my boys so glum. I'll tell you what. Before we turn in at a hotel, let's all go into the city and try to enjoy our time there. We deserve at least one calm, relaxing night with no Stands and no violence. I mean, we've been lucky after we left Singapore."

"You sure, Abuelito?" And he wasn't referring to the lack of an attack. "I mean, it wouldn't be disrespectful for seven foreigners to just hit the town in the wake of slaughter?"

"I'm not saying we shouldn't pay our respects. But we should at least get a break. What do you all say?" He turned to the others, their faces calmer but now wary. "Who wants to join me?"

Joutarou and Noriaki looked at one another before nodding together. Jean Pierre vocally agreed about a break ("So long as we check out our hotel rooms together."). Della took her boyfriend's hand and nodded, agreeing to join the group for the night. But Mohamed shook his head.

"I am sorry, but I cannot," he apologized, his voice still filled with that uncharacteristic melancholy. "I do not wish to join you. After all I have heard, I have no desire to walk those blood-stained streets." He then flashed them a sad smile. "I would convince you not to go, Mr. Joestar, but you are, without vulgarity, a stubborn mule. All I can do is wish you all a safe night, and that you do nothing to insult those who suffered or those who caused said suffering."

Joseph nodded, understanding completely. "You don't have to worry about us. We'll be in one piece once we retire for the night." And with that, they all waited with patience and anticipation to disembark in Rangoon.

~+JO*JO+~

I was right about Rangoon, thought Joaquín as he traversed the streets. It does feel just as beautiful as Singapore. The group had checked into a hotel the minute they arrived in the city. With that out of the way, everyone sans Mohamed took off to the streets to take in the sights. There was plenty to do and see in the night, from visiting the Great Dragon Pagoda to stopping at a small restaurant to eat some Burmese cuisine. His grandfather sure seemed to be enjoying himself. They all were.

Despite their fun, they did not forget what they were told had happened in this city. People had died, protesting for peace and a better government. And for their troubles, they were killed. There was no reform. There was no justice. It wasn't fair, and for a moment, Joaquín wished that he could help them. But it's not my battle, he thought ruefully as they wandered the streets. I can't interfere. None of us can. All they could do was spare a moment of silence to respect those felled by their leaders.

Before everyone knew it, the night was slowly drawing to a close. It had been several hours, and everyone was tired. None more so than Jean Pierre, who was wincing with each step.

"Merde, my feet are killing me," he said in a pained voice. "The sooner we get back to that hotel, the better. I feel so exhausted."

"You weren't saying that earlier when you were eyeing those tourist girls," chided Joseph teasingly. "Besides, you can't say you didn't have any fun."

The Frenchman sighed and smiled. "Yeah. I think we all did." He looked at his friends, all of whom had tired, complacent looks on their faces. "It's been a rather good night, Monsieur Joestar. I almost wish it didn't have to end."

"We could make one last stop," chimed in Della some feet behind them. Everyone turned around and noticed she had stopped in front of a small building, staring in amazement through a window. "Anyone wanna visit a candy store?"

Approaching to get a better look, Joaquín was able to see that this building was not at all like the others. Its brown walls were covered with frosted designs and assorted, colorful candies. Barber poles spun lazily by the decorative door like candy canes. Red, heart-shaped licorice surrounded its small, bright windows. It looked almost like a gingerbread house. Shining above the entrance were neon, candy-cane words that spelled out LOLLIPOP LAND.

"I haven't been to a candy store in a long time," said Joseph, looking at the building in amazement. "This place really does stand out among the other buildings. It's weird. And interesting. Just looking at it makes my mouth water."

"I feel tempted to just eat this store from the outside in," moaned Jean Pierre, just as amazed. "Like that house from Hansel and Gretel. Maybe there's a witch waiting in there to trap and cook us." A few of them laughed at his joke, but at the mention of the word "trap", Joaquín couldn't help but feel wary now. This wouldn't be the first time they were fooled and subsequently attacked by a Stand in the process. Perhaps, like the child-hungry witch in the fairy tale, there was a Stand user lying in wait.

Joutarou did not hesitate to point this out. "You might be right, Polnareff. We can't just walk in here like it's nothing. We've been safe so far, but we can't drop our guard down just yet. Dio may as well have planted a Stand user inside to kill us."

Jean Pierre looked outraged. "T-That was a joke! Besides, is he really that desperate to send an assassin to kill us in a candy store?! Come on, it's safe to go in!" As he said this, a young woman walked passed by them, gave the store a curious look, then went inside. "See?!"

"Give it a second." They waited with bated breath, expecting a scream to erupt at any second. But when it became clear that nothing murderous took place, Joutarou relaxed. "Okay. Maybe it is safe. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful. You never know what's in store for us."

I agree, thought Joaquín as they all walked inside. Unlike the outer walls, the inner walls were creamy white. It brought to mind white chocolate. The floor beneath was made of polished wood, like caramel. All around them were countless shelves and barrels full of candy. Lollipops of different sizes, long ropes of licorice, a rainbow assortment of jellybeans, variously-flavored chocolates. And the sweet aroma lingering in the air was both welcoming and sweet. It was a candy-coated heaven.

"Oh my god," whispered Joseph, approaching a wall dedicated entirely to Wonka sweets. "This is incredible. I've never been to such a candy store in my life… It's like a fat boy's dream come true!"

"C'est incroyable," muttered Jean Pierre, looking into a barrel full of gumballs. Without so much as a second thought, he takes one out and pops it into his mouth. This earned him some rather reproachful gazes from the others. "What? It's not like I won't pay for this. I'm not a scumbag when it comes to this."

"If you say so." Joseph looked back at one of the Wonka bars on the wall before falling into the same temptation. "Oh, why not? If you all want to eat something, go ahead. Just keep track of what you took and we can pay for it all accordingly."

While the others went around the store, browsing and picking out their favorite candies to munch on, the Joestar brothers stood awkwardly rooted to the spot. Joaquín liked candy, but it felt somewhat wrong to just eat candy without paying for it first. Especially since there was no clerk in sight, who he assumed was busy elsewhere. Maybe they're upstairs, he thought as he looked at the staircase in one corner of the store.

Their grandfather came back with a handful of chocolate bars and some packets of gum, a merry look on his bearded face. "Why don't you two have some? This stuff's really amazing. Here!" He leans over to a small stand filled with lollipops and handed one to Joutarou. "Have a sucker, sucker!"

Joutarou looked unamused, but he begrudgingly took it. For a moment, it looked as if he were smoking a really thin cigarette when he put it in his mouth, and perhaps he thought the same too. It might have looked funny, but Joaquín did not laugh. I'm not taking any candy until I see a clerk or someone else that works here, he thought defiantly. I'm sorry, but that doesn't seem right. And there's nothing that can convince me otherwise. Not even the coconut candy bar Della offered him could change his mind.

As the brothers were browsing through the shelves, Joutarou looked over his shoulder with a noticeable gleam in his eyes. The gleam of suspicion. "Something wrong, bro," asked Joaquín as they passed Noriaki, who was idly dancing his tongue around a cherry-flavored candy.

"Yeah, there is," he said as he finished his lollipop. "Have you noticed that we're missing a customer?"

"Missing?" He took a moment to peek around the corner. The others were laughing at his grandfather getting gum stuck in his beard. "No, everyone's here."

"Not from our group. That lady that went in before us. I haven't seen her anywhere after we came in. And it's not as if she passed by us unnoticed. We would have noticed."

"Now that you mention it," said Noriaki as he approached with a quizzical look on his face, "I haven't noticed her around either. On top of that, there's still nobody at the register. Is anyone even working here or did they forget to close up shop?"

Noriaki had a point. But before he could say anything, both Jean Pierre and his grandfather, beard still stuck with gum, came around the corner. "Hey, what's going on over here," asked Joseph, and after being told what they noticed, he brushed it off. "Oh, I don't think that's anything to worry about. I think she's just a worker here, and we came just as she was about to clock in. Maybe she's in the back, or upstairs."

"Abuelito, I don't think she does," said his eldest grandson, a worried expression growing on his face. "She'd be wearing a uniform, and she would have acknowledged us. Plus, we've been here for… what, almost fifteen minutes? And she hasn't come back yet. Not only that, but… I've been having this weird thought since Della showed us the shop. What.. What kind of candy shop is open at ten at night?"

Joseph's eyes widened, as if what Joaquín said was right. No shop like this would ever be open at night. The air slowly grew tense, the same tenseness they felt every time a Stand user was nearby. This place is a trap, thought Joaquín, realizing how true Jean Pierre's joke was. We have to get out of-

His thoughts were cut off by Della's horrified scream erupting from a corner of the shop. The entire group ran towards her voice, entering a small hallway with several doors for men and womens' bathrooms. There was another door that acted as a supply closet. Knowing the scream came from the second, they all burst inside and witnessed Della looking into an open stall with a look of complete horror on her face.

"Della, what's going on," cried Joaquín as he ran to see what was in the stall. What he saw made him reel back in shock. Laying beside the toilet, as if she was trying to throw up, was the lady who had entered before. Her hair was disheveled and her face just as horrified as his girlfriend's. Only she looked blue from asphyxiation. The sight of this woman's corpse made his blood freeze up. "Oh god... She's dead… What on earth could have- huh?!"

To their great shock, the body twitched. A sick, retching noise came from her open mouth, and something was beginning to bulge in her throat. Something was being pushed out, and before any of them could wonder what it was, the corpse coughed up a fat jawbreaker straight at them. It was shot with such velocity that it shattered right against Joaquín's head, making him clutch it and cry out in pain.

"FUCK," he cursed loudly, his Stand appearing beside him. The corpse, twitching and twisting, rose to her feet and spewed jawbreaker after jawbreaker at the two. Preciosa's blurry fists punched away at the hardened candies, deflecting them back at the corpse. With several of the balls lodging themselves in her head, the body collapsed. "Quick, we gotta get out of here! We're under attack!"

"You don't have to tell us twice," yelped Jean Pierre, and they all ran out of the bathroom. But when they did, they did not, in fact, enter the hall with the doors. Rather, they re-entered the shop's main room. From where the front door was. "What the hell? Why are we here? Weren't we over there?" He pointed to the hall in the distance.

"We were," Joutarou muttered. "But we're back at the entrance. Is this a Stand that did it?"

"Of course it's a Stand! Everything crazy that happens to us is because of a Stand! This place… It must be like that ship! I'm sure of it!"

Joaquín took a moment to look behind himself, only to see a solid wall. The bathroom entrance, and the front entrance in general, was completely gone. He made Preciosa punch the wall, only to have it bounce back like gelatin. Jean Pierre was right. Again. This entire shop has to be a Stand. Which means the user would have complete control over everything… The walls, the candy…

"Guys, we need to keep out guards up," he spoke up. "Jean Pierre has a point. If this stand is like that ship, then whoever's controlling it would be preventing us from escaping and would use anything to attack us. Even the candy. We all need to start looking for that user, and quick."

But they hadn't a moment to formulate a plan when the shelves and barrels all began to shake. The group huddled together, their Stands phasing into view and prepared to fight. The shaking grew more violent, reaching such a pitch that they almost looked blurred. Suddenly, long ropes of licorice sprung out from a barrel and lashed out like tentacles towards them. Silver Chariot wasted no time in showing off his lightning-fast swordsmanship to cut apart the candied ropes to pieces.

Just as the licorice was stopped, a nearby barrel expanded like a rainbow balloon. The wood and metal burst apart and were sticking onto a mass of gum slowly rising into monstrous creature. It was as tall as the room itself. The gum golem roared at them, and in that instant, the room went into pandemonium. Chocolate bars burst and into melted into puddles of slug-like creatures. Candy canes sharpened themselves and flew out at them. Everything came to life with one sole purpose:

Kill the Joestar group.

"Son of a bitch," shouted Joseph. "Looks like we have to fight! Kakyouin, take out that chocolate! Joutarou, Joaquín, break whatever you can! Della, you stay with the boys! Polnareff, let's you and I take out that gum! And don't forget, we have to find the Stand user!"

Everyone's Stands began working in tandem to fight against the rebelling sweets. Hermit Purple began to hold the massive gum golem in place as Silver Chariot slashed away at it. Shining shards of emerald from Hierophant Green shot out at any candy that flew at them, as well as the chocolate slugs. Both Star Platinum and Preciosa were tearing down shelves and barrels with the same destructive force as a hurricane.

But nothing seemed to work.

Silver Chariot's sword and Hermit Purple became entangled in gum. The slugs were unharmed, spraying searing hot chocolate on Noriaki's Stand. And what was worse, the candy they all destroyed was beginning to regenerate and fly at them as if nothing deterred them. Everything was practically invincible.

"W-What gives with this candy," exclaimed Joaquín. "This should all be destroyed, so why is it coming- ARGH!" A tangle of licorice wrapped themselves around his wrists, lifting him into the air like a prisoner. Before anyone could try to pull him down, the entire floor melted away into actual caramel. Everyone's feet, except for the monster, had sunk into the gooey substance. "Shit! Guys, get out of there! quickly!"

"We can't," exclaimed Noriaki as he tried pulling his feet out. "It's like glue! We're stuck in the caramel like flies!" Another Emerald Splash was fired at the golden mess, but every gemstone bounced off and struck some flying candies down. "Nothing is working! We need Avdol-san's fire here!"

"Flames aren't gonna get you out of your little mess, baby boy!"

A girl's voice, sugary and sickly sweet, had rung out among the chaos. It seemed to be coming from everywhere, yet nowhere as there were no speakers to be seen. It almost sounded as if it came from above them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I ought to introduce myself before my candy turns you all into snacks. My name is Chordette. And this is Lollipop Land. As you can already guess, my Stand is capable of using every bit of candy in here to trap and kill you. Wanna know why you came back to the entrance after leaving the bathroom? It's because I can rearrange this shop however I want to. If I wanted to, I'd have you all running in circles, but since I don't have much time to waste, I figured I'd kill you all here and now."

"Where the fuck are you, you coward," growled Joaquín as he struggled to break free. Preciosa was unable to rip apart his bindings. "We know you're in here, and we won't rest until we find and kick your ass!"

"Well, since you're so eager to know, I'm right on the second floor. But my Stand would just bring you back here if you tried going up those stairs. You can never reach me. You can never escape. You're all gonna die. And when you do, Lord Dio will give me exactly what he promised me!" She let out a joyous laugh at their impending doom, and she had every reason to be. There was no escape. The more everyone tried to free themselves, the more stuck they became. It was useless.

No, thought Joaquín defiantly. We're not gonna die. We have a mission to carry out. The lives of countless people are at stake here, especially my mother's. We're not going to die here, I refuse to let it happen. But how would they escape? How would they find the user? She said she was above them, but the stairs were virtually useless. And it's not like any openings in the ceiling would lead them to her. Unless…

Joaquín did a quick scan of the ceiling. And there, in one corner of the room, was a metal air vent. There was the answer. And he knew exactly what needed to be done.

"Noriaki," he called to the youth below him. When he looked up, Joaquín pointed his eyes and a foot directly at the vent. He followed his line of sight to the air vent and gasped.

"There," he exclaimed. "Chordette, there may be no escape for us, but likewise, there is no escape for you! Hierophant Green!" The robotic Stand shot straight for the vent, folding itself into a mass of tentacles and sliding straight in. Chordette must have been panicking now, for the flying candy and the gum monster now turned their attention to Noriaki. "Everyone, cover me! Hierophant is searching for the user! These vents have to lead up to the second floor! Just give me some cover!"

Everyone agreed, their Stands getting back to work. Star Platinum freed both Hermit Purple and Silver Chariot, keeping the golem at bay while the others deflected and broke every piece of regenerating candy. Preciosa did the best it could at its current range, even going as far as to throw searing-hot globs of his slime at the golem. His hamon seemed to work, as the gum was beginning to melt away where it was struck. Star Platinum punched away at the melted areas, easily tearing the monster apart.

Just as things were beginning to grow uncontrollably hectic, there was a scream above them. It was the girl. She had been found. "No! You weren't supposed to get up here that easily! Damnit! Get away! GET AWAY!" There was a muffled scuffle coming from the ceiling, followed by the struggling grunts of Chordette. "Fuck you, Kakyouin! Let me go! Now!"

"Not a chance," said Noriaki, his focus entirely on whatever was going on above them. "As I said, you cannot escape me. But I'm willing to let you go, only if you free my friends and call off your attack."

"No! Let me go!"

"The more noncompliance you show, the more breath my Stand will squeeze out of you. Now stand down, or else-" His eyes widened, and a painfully anguished cry filled the room. Everything seemed to stop at that moment, including the flying candy, now halted in midair. There was a foreboding silence as Hierophant Green slithered back to his user.

Della was the first to break it, asking, "N-Noriaki… Did you… kill her?"

"O-Of course not," he answered shakily. "I-I only gave her a squeeze and… her bones… I broke a few bones… My grip on her wasn't even that strong."

Then, everything fell apart. The candy fell into the caramel, dissolving together into a mud-like substance. The gum golem broke down into the mud as well. The walls, shelves, everything, melted into the floor and faded away. They were free, and what remained was a barren, dark and derelict shop that had not been disturbed for years. The Stand was simply creating an illusion within the building, just like Strength did with a dinghy.

The bindings on Joaquín melted, allowing him to fall to the ground unharmed. He looked up the stairs as he rubbed his aching wrists. "That Stand user," he mused. "We have to check on her. Something doesn't seem right."

"What if it's another trap," his grandfather said warily. "I'm not up for fighting another mountain of gum. I say we leave her and-" But nobody was listening. Joaquín led the rest of the group up to the second floor. He joined after a moment of hesitation. "Fine. But if she attacks again, we let her have it."

"Mr. Joestar, I don't think she's in fighting condition anymore," said Della, sounding sad. "Dio's follower or not, I don't think anyone's willing to fight with broken bones. Jojo's right. There's something horribly wrong."

He said no more, and the group made it up into a completely different room. It was not filled with candy, but rather broken boxes and cobwebs. A chamber neglected by its previous owner. Right in the middle in a crumpled position was a girl, pale-skinned and wearing a rather bright pink dress one would see in a pop video. The curls on her head split with one half pink and the other blue, resembling cotton candy. Her arms were bent in unnatural and painful angles from the squeezing, and her breathing was ragged.

Yet her bizarre and injured appearance wasn't what caught Joaquín's attention It was how young she looked.

"You're… Chordette," he asked, trying to keep his shock out of his voice. When her soft, pale eyes found him and she nodded, he couldn't help but take a step back. The implications were appalling "But… you're a little girl! Probably no older than eleven! What're you doing working for Dio?"

"He promised," she struggled to speak through her pain. "He promised me… a cure… my mother and I… were promised a cure… if I kill… for him… He gave me Lollipop Land… and I would promise him… your heads… I don't know how long I… could live… My days are… were… numbered… so I took a chance at… one last gamble…"

Something was growing cold in his heart. She only did this find a cure for a disease, he thought mournfully as he beheld the broken, dying girl before him. She's just a little girl… And she was used by Dio… Does she know he would have never granted her such a wish?

Swallowing his heart, Joaquín tenderly said, "Dio… is an evil man. He would never keep his word. Some people would boast that they'd be paid handsomely for killing us. But to cure… whatever you have-"

"Bone cancer," added Chordette, and the cold growing in his heart chilled his entire being.

"-your bone cancer," he said, keeping his voice level as he shook. "Dio lied. He wanted you to believe that. He wanted to give you hope. He had no intention of curing you."

Chordette smiled and coughed. Everyone winced when she let out a pained whimper. Something had audibly cracked in her chest. "I know… I wanted to believe… I wanted that chance… My mother tried… stopping me…I left home and she… searched for me… put up fliers… She knew about Lollipop Land… Someone found my shop… and pointed her to me… This trap was meant… for you all… I told her… Mom was upset…

"We argued… and…" Tears leaked freely from her watery eyes. "My Stand… that woman… was her… A corpse now… But she was once my mother... I didn't mean to… I loved her… But I was upset… I didn't want to die..! She needed to understand..!"

"We understand, Chordette," whispered Della, crying for the little girl's pain. "We all do… You sought out to do what was right, even if it was immoral. Out of everyone we fought, your wish, your desire… it was a selfless one… Dio preyed on your illness and took advantage of you!" And gingerly, she embraced the girl. Their former attacker looked like a small porcelain doll in her arms, her face a portrait of sadness and pain.

Everyone seemed to be beside themselves. Joseph's hands were shaking, Joutarou tilted his torn cap over his darkened eyes. Jean Pierre couldn't bear to look at her, trying not to cry himself. Joaquín was on the verge of throwing up. But the one who looked the worst was Noriaki. This entire time, his eyes were wide, his breathing shallow. Like the Burmese who shot innocent children, he knew that his actions would stick with him until the day he died.

With a trembling voice, Noriaki said, "C-Chordette… Forgive me… I... I shouldn't have held you like that… Your bones… I didn't know they were so brittle. Please... forgive me."

It was odd to be apologizing and feeling sympathy for a follower of Dio. Yet, as Della said, she was far purer than anyone else. She fought not out of greed, but for freedom. Nobody had known that except her. Chordette shook her head and smiled weakly up at him. She took a shaky breath and whispered. "It's okay… Kakyouin… I… forgive you… just… do me one favor..?"

The youth knelt before her, Della making room for him. He took her hand in his and locked eyes with hers. "Yes. W-What is it?"

"Please… don't… stop… fighting…" With what little strength she had left, she squeezed his hand. She looked at them all with a sad smile, and they, in turn, looked at her with the horrified, saddened eyes of men who had inadvertently killed a child. Then, her hand dropped. She had let out her final breath.

Chordette had succumbed to her wounds.

~+JO*JO+~

A teacher once told Joaquín that victory was defined as an achievement in a struggle against all odds. So then why don't I feel as if we've achieved nothing? Sure, they were able to live another day, but it came at the price of killing a young girl, misled by a tyrant. Someone they could have allowed several more days to live, free from his twisted ideals and false promises. While he has killed before, he had never felt a more unworthy, hollow victory in his life. And he knew, deep down, it wouldn't be the last.

Though every cloud has a silver lining. Chordette's death, awful as it was, drove them more. Dio had brought innocent children into the fray, taking advantage of a poor girl's desire to defeat her disease. Their desire to purge the world of his malice was stronger than ever. Especially Noriaki's, who unwittingly took her life. He, as well as the others, vowed never to take the life of a child again, no matter how evil or powerful their Stand is.

Speaking of powerful, a loud retch and the rush of something thick echoing into a toilet brought his attention to their current battle. The candy that the others had eaten was apparently poisonous. They ate only small amounts; not enough to kill, but definitely enough to make them want to violently vomit. He expected rainbows of candy to be spat up, but instead, the same muddy substance the store melted into earlier that night was what erupted from their mouths.

"Why did jijii convince me to eat that lollipop," groaned Joutarou before rushing into his room to throw up. If there was another silver lining to this night is that neither Joaquín nor an amused Mohamed had any candy to eat. He was certainly going to be avoiding any sweets for the remainder of the trip.

Wait until after your trip, he sighed in his mind as he got up to go soothe his girlfriend. You'll have that coconut bar soon.

~CHORDETTE (1977-1988): RIP~

STAND TIME

STAND USER: Chordette (コーデット)

STAND NAME: Lollipop Land (ロリポップランド)

POWER: B, SPEED: D, RANGE: E, DURABILITY: A, PRECISION: A, POTENTIAL: B

ABILITY: Lollipop Land, named after both The Chordettes' song and Candy Land the board game, is a Stand similar in concept to Forever's Strength. The Stand binds itself to an abandoned building, turning itself into a two-story gingerbread house filled with assorted candies inside. The candy, like Strength, can fight back in creative ways. Consuming said candy can lead to varying levels of poisoning depending on how much is eaten, only being lethal in large amounts. The layout of the building can change to the user's needs, confusing those who are trapped within its impenetrable walls. Its only flaw is that the user is bound to a single, secluded room on the second floor that cannot change locations and is only accessible through an unchanging ventilation system. Only the user can stop its attack, whether passively or through force.