Ch. 26
From A Distance

DECEMBER 27TH, 1988
20:11
ISLET IN THE RED SEA

The return trip was short, as was the explanation to Mohamed's survival. While he was stabbed back in India, he had looked up, making the bullet that would have killed him graze his forehead. The impact was enough to knock him unconscious, and it took about two days for him to awaken and begin rehabilitation. In the meantime, they had to keep his survival a secret not only to Dio and his men, but also to a now-disgruntled Jean Pierre.

"But why would you keep something like that from me," he asked, glaring at the two. "It would have at least spared me the mourning!"

"That's true," answered Joaquín. "But, to be honest, nobody could trust you not to brag to any of Dio's men. Especially Hol Horse. It would have put Mohamed in danger, and then you in danger from us. So we had to lie and put up an act. All of it, from the mourning to disguising him into his 'father' was all just an act. We couldn't spare any expense." He patted his friend's shoulder and flashed him an apologetic smile. "I was gonna tell you before we were attacked. Sorry for tricking you, buddy"

The Frenchman turned his nose in the air and sniffed. "Thanks for leaving me out, buddy." But they both knew he wasn't too serious. He was happy to have the fortuneteller back, just like the rest of them.

When they returned to the beach, everyone was still there. Joseph approached and worriedly asked, "Everyone, where have you been? What happened out there?"

"You look as if you've all been fighting," pointed out Noriaki.

"Did you get attacked by an enemy," asked Joutarou to his brother.

"And Mohamed is with you," exclaimed Della. "Jojo, did you tell Jean Pierre already?"

Joaquín held up his hands to try and calm them. "G-Guys, guys," he said hastily. "It's okay! Yeah, we got attacked and yeah, we explained everything to Jean Pierre. But we're fine. That bastard got taught a lesson, though, so he won't be following us any time soon."

"Oh, thank goodness. You should probably get your stuff. We'll be heading out soon."

"Actually, I think just to be safe, we should leave our stuff here for now. A sub's a sub, but on the off chance there's another aquatic Stand, we should keep the luggage here and try to have the Speedwagon Foundation deliver it."

Joseph sighed and shook his head, amused at his grandson's thinking. "The SPWF isn't a delivery system, you know. They'll do it, sure, but we can't rely on them all the time." He picked up his luggage, which was undoubtedly repacked with the rest of his belongings. "We'll leave them at the house for later. Just take what you need."

And so they did. By the time they had finished leaving their reclaimed luggage and returned to the beach, a large black and white submarine had emerged from the ocean. Mohamed, under the guise of an Arabian millionaire, had conspicuously bought them the submarine they had been planning to get since India. Seeing it up close in all its grandeur filled Joaquín with a sense of excitement. He had never ridden inside one before, and he was very eager to do so.

For some reason, he had half expected it to be yellow.

"So we're crossing the Red Sea in this, right," asked Joutarou casually as everyone slowly entered into the pristine mechanism from the hatch.

"We should go unnoticed to any pursuers," added Noriaki, looking around at the pipes that lined the submarine's inner structure. "Unless Joaquín is right in that one of them is aquatic."

"That's if there is one," noted Della, hoping no such attack came as they traveled.

"Mon dieu, this trip is costing us quite a bit," said Jean Pierre in shock. "Hey Avdol, you know how to steer this thing?

Joseph climbed down and announced, "I can take us there! Just leave everything to me!" He didn't have that air of cockiness he had when they rented the camels a while ago, or whenever he took the control of a plane. This time, his ability to guide them felt genuine, and his grandson felt greatly at ease. As he and Joutarou sat at the submarine's helm, everyone else took their seats around a table and relaxed. as the alarm above them blared as they submerged.

"So, is this everyone's first time being in a submarine," asked Della, to which everyone except Joseph answered with a yes. "Mine too. Before today, I've only ever been in cars, planes, trains, and that's it. And each new mode of transportation has been more thrilling than the last."

"It sure has been," agreed Joaquín. "Barring our flights, I've been having fun." As he said this, Jean Pierre was gazing over Joutarou's shoulder out the window, gleeful as a little boy. "We're clearly not the only ones, it seems. Hey, Jean Pierre, don't touch anything that's gonna send us crashing into some reef, okay? You don't wanna give my abuelito another vehicle crash under his belt, do you?"

Everyone, even Joseph, laughed at the joke. Humor aside, the slow ride from the island towards Egypt was a relatively peaceful one. The submarine was built for the wealthy, offering comforts no other submarine would offer. There was a fridge, a coffee maker, plumbing, and even living quarters for whenever someone wanted to rest. Not to mention a sonar radar, which could detect sound waves in the water to give away any oncoming threats. And thus far, they were in the clear.

"But if we do end up attacked here," pointed out Joutarou, "We've nowhere to run. After all, we are almost 60 meters below sea level"

Despite his concern, Joaquín's brother relaxed just like the rest of them. They passed the time drinking soda from the fridge as they told stories. They even played several games of poker, a deck of cards having been bought by Joutarou some time ago. While everyone got a chance to play, most of the matches took place between the Joestar brothers. When they both played, things became serious. Two incredibly unbeatable poker-faces waging a no-stakes war of cards. Nobody else dared interfere.

It was 10 PM when the two were finishing their sixth game. Joaquín looked down at his hand, then back at his brother's. He had a full house, two jokers and three eights. A good hand, and he had no tell that would give away his chances of beating him. Neither did Joutarou, and it bothered him somewhat. He had won all five games, all while keeping that same, silent expression on his face. Just once, he would have liked to beat him.

He's only got a handful of combinations he'll need to beat me, thought Joaquín, but it's too late to draw now… I think I'm comfortable with this hand. I hope for his sake he is too…

"Ready on your end, bro," asked Joaquín, glancing up at his stone-faced brother, who grunted in response. Taking that as a yes, he called out, "Showdown!" His hand slammed onto the table, revealing what he hoped would beat him. And then Joutarou's straight line of a mouth twisted into a shit-eating grin as he showed off his hand. All four kings and a ten. The elder of the two fell out of his seat in defeat. "H-How the fuck do you keep winning," he asked in exasperation from the floor.

"Luck, I guess," was all he could say. " Or maybe you're just not that skilled when it comes to poker."

"Bullshit! I've played poker loads of times back in New York, and I've never been beaten this badly!"

"I wasn't cheating." And that was the truth. With both of them being Stand users who could see even the minutest of movements, cheating would have been completely impossible. And it wasn't like their Stands weren't invisible to one another, either. "I think you just need to get better at this. Then maybe you would have half a chance to beat me."

"Why you-"

"Hey, can you two quit the fighting over there," barked Joseph as he was punching in a number on the submarine's satellite phone. "I have a call to make, and it's of a delicate matter. So everyone just shut it!" He waited for a moment and then spoke in a more tender, rehearsed tone, "How's my darling Suzie today?"

Joaquín immediately perked up when he heard that greeting. T-That's my other abuelita! His wife! No wonder he said it was a delicate matter!

"R-Right, well, that's because I'm in a hotel. I'm sorry, sweetie, but I don't think I'll be home for a while now. Some business came up in Africa, and I have to take care of it. You understand, right? … S-Sorry, love. By the by, has Holly gotten in touch with you lately?"

Now it was Joutarou and the others who's attention was piqued. His older brother had a feeling their mother would have been brought up, though he wished she wasn't. She was suffering, he could feel it. And the more time they wasted, the faster she would slip. Joaquín would never forgive himself if that happened.

As Joseph spoke casually to his wife, Jean Pierre pulled up a seat. As did the rest of them. "So this is the delicate matter he was hollering about," he whispered so as not to interrupt him.

"Of course," Mohamed replied in his low voice, having joined the others from his seat at the helm. "Madame Joestar is a woman of boundless vitality, so every now and then, Mr. Joestar has to check up on her to make sure she doesn't visit her ill daughter in Japan."

Della's eyes widened slightly. "Y-You mean she doesn't know," she stuttered.

"Of course," answered Joaquín matter-of-factly. "If she's anything like I've heard, she's the kind of woman who shouldn't have to worry about this like us. Mom's sickness is our business... Besides, I wouldn't wanna hear that she had a heart attack or anything from stressing out over this… I don't wanna know I lost another abuelita."

His girlfriend immediately embraced him, which he returned. As someone who lost her family, she understood exactly what he was going through. After all, his family was, in a way, hers as well. Joaquín, who felt thankful for having someone like her to understand, silently thanked her.

"... best that Holly return to her normal life after all this," he overheard his grandfather speaking to the Joestars' butler. "Keep all of this from Suzie, no matter what. I'll keep in contact, Roses." Joseph hung up and stood there in silence. It was clear how hard it was to continue to lie to his wife. Everyone could feel it.

"You have our condolences, Joestar-san," solemnly whispered Noriaki.

"Don't worry about a thing," Jean Pierre stated fiercely. "We're all behind you. Egypt's right within reach.

"We will defeat Dio and save Mrs. Holly," announced Mohamed with stoic confidence. "I have not rejoined you for nothing, Mr. Joestar."

The aged man stood silent and then sighed, "Of course. Thank you, everyone." His eldest grandson stood from his chair and went over to pat his back consolingly. "And thank you, Joaquín. Avdol's right… We're gonna save your mother."

"I know," he said with confidence. "Now come on, Abuelito. Let's all try to take our minds off that and play some poker."

The rest of the trip was more subdued after that important call. Poker soon lost its flare, and everyone soon began doing their own thing. Mostly resting, as it was very late. Mohamed and Joseph took turns piloting, although they did let Jean Pierre take over once. It only took two screeching bumps against some rocks for him to be thrown out of the captain's seat.

Around 4:50 in the morning, Joaquín and Della were slowly roused by the smell of coffee brewing in the submarine's built-in coffee maker. He normally didn't drink coffee, but after his rest, a steaming cup of it sounded wonderful. The two sat up and stretched as Jean Pierre playfully demanded, "Hey, give me some coffee! I'm so thirsty!"

"If you're going to complain, then make it yourself," snapped Noriaki with little annoyance as he went to get them all cups. "We'll have to do without cream or sugar, unfortunately… I hope everyone's okay with that."

Before there was any response, there came a sound of surprise by Mohamed. He was looking through the periscope in the middle of the cabin when he turned to them all with a large smile. "Hey, everyone," he called excitedly. "We are almost there! I can see the coast of Africa just up ahead!"

There was no need for coffee now, everyone immediately perked up with the announcement. The fortune-teller stepped away and pulled out a map from his robes, everyone gathering to look at it. He pointed towards where they were in the sea. "In this area of the coral reef is a naturally eroded tunnel we can pilot through. There is an exit that reaches inland at 200 meters. We can disembark there."

"So this is finally, it," breathed Joaquín, goosebumps all over his neck. "Egypt… We're practically there… God, this has been a crazy journey… I can't wait until this is over…"

"Neither can I," said Joseph, who had taken a quick glance through the periscope before raising it. "But we still have a ways away before we reach land. Now, let's have that coffee."

They all turned back to the table and took their seats. Noriaki had already set the table with their cups of steaming hot coffee. However, nobody touched them. There was a massive problem, and everyone could clearly see it.

"Hey, Kakyouin," Joutarou said after a momentary silence. "Why are there eight cups out? There's only seven of us…"

"That's funny," Noriaki mumbled, lacking any mirth. "I must not have been paying attention. I could have sworn it was seven…"

Just as he said this, Joseph had instinctively taken his cup to try and sip his drink. The ceramic burst apart and liquefied, a scowling face and two clawed arms appearing to spook the old man. Nobody had time to react when the creature took one swipe and cleaved the artificial hand clean off its owner. Dark oil sputtered from the wound, and as everyone tried to grasp what just happened, several metal fingers were thrown straight into his neck.

"¡ABUELITO!"

"JIJII!"

Both Joaquín and Joutarou rushed to their grandfather and caught him before he collapsed. Turning back to the table, the creature had landed and knocked off all the coffee. It turned to them and revealed itself as a creature with a pink, scowling tribal face and a formless, watery body that looked suspiciously hairy. Preciosa immediately manifested and punched into the table, but his blow was evaded. The creature had jumped out of the way, landing and dissolving into a gauge-lined console.

"It's gone," shouted Jean Pierre, hands slamming onto the console to try and find it. "I can't believe this! A Stand must have snuck aboard while we weren't looking!"

"It did not disappear," Mohamed growled. "It took on its form! Just like it did with the coffee cup!"

Dread filled everyone as they looked wildly around the room. They were once again dealing with a disguising Stand, only this one could turn into objects. And to Joaquín, that was far more dangerous than a mirror image of a person. They couldn't find it. It could be anywhere. For all they knew, it moved away from the gauges onto something else. They wouldn't know where it was until they were attacked again.

"Merde, this is bad…" Jean Pierre looked out the window of the submarine and groaned. "We're already at the coral reef, and Egypt is so close!"

"Never mind that now," said Joaquín hurriedly, turning back to his injured grandfather in Joutarou's arms. The shock of his injuries had knocked him unconscious. "Bro, how's he holding up?"

Joutarou pressed his fingers to Joseph's neck and said, "His pulse is normal." He then carefully removed the metal fingers, the wounds left behind thankfully not bleeding profusely. "The wounds don't look too deep, either. I think the most damage is the lost hand."

"So he's okay." Joaquín breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Still, we gotta get this Stand before it goes in for the kill…"

"High Priestess," said Mohamed, a glint of realization in his eyes."It is the stand that represents 'The High Priestess'."

"Wait, you know about it?"

"I have heard of it. It's user's name is Midler, a gypsy, from what I understand. Her Stand can be remotely controlled from far away, so she is most likely above us on land. High Priestess has the ability to turn into anything made from minerals, from glass and metal to plastic and vinyl. Even if you touch or strike it, it is indistinguishable from its disguise until it strikes."

Joaquín growled as he looked back at the surrounding gauges. Son of a bitch... So it really can be anywhere. The only chance we got now is to wait for an opening to beat the shit out of it.

Jean Pierre then asked the question that was surely on everyone's mind. "But how did that bitch get in here in the first place?!"

As if to answer, one of the gauges popped off the wall by a torrent of water. The submarine's alarm rang throughout the slowly flooding cabin. "Of course… It was simple! It must have drilled a hole and came in!"

Another alarm rang out from one of the consoles, which Mohamed immediately rushed to check. "Damn it," he worriedly swore. "It broke through the ballast tank, the submarine's flotation system! We are steadily sinking!"

"And we're losing oxygen in here," added Noriaki. "It's impossible for us to keep navigating!"

"BRACE YOURSELVES! WE ARE GOING TO CRASH!"

Everyone immediately clung to the walls and the stationary table. Joutarou kept a firm grip on his grandfather thanks to Star Platinum. With Jean Pierre miserably howling, "OH MY GOD," the group had made crashing contact with the seabed. They were jerked by the dreadful impact but remained where they had held onto. Joaquín looked all around them to see that everyone was still okay, though left rather shell-shocked.

With a wavering voice, he said, "I knew this was gonna happen... I just knew it… Por el amor de dios, why does everything we ride in have to be wrecked?" He then turned to his brother, whose eyes were covered by his cap. "Sorry if this ruins any chance of you wanting to study marine life.

"I'll study from a fucking distance," he grumbled. "Maybe we should ditch jijii here. I think he's a bad luck charm or something." Joaquín couldn't help but chuckle at his joke. "Let's find out where that Stand is. Niisan, take jijii real quick, would you?"

After taking their grandfather in his Stands arms, Joutarou turns to Noriaki and asked where amongst the gauges the Stand dissolved. When he pointed to the one he believed High Priestess took the form of, Star Platinum's arm and fist manifested before him. It was poised to strike it, waiting to see if it would pop up and go after him first. But it didn't. Out the corner of Joaquín's eye, he saw one of the blaring light fixtures morph back into the crazed Stand.

And it was right behind Noriaki.

"Noriaki, look out behind you," shouted Della as High Priestess jumped at him. The youth couldn't turn around enough in time to avoid it, his neck slashed as the Stand flew past. It landed back on the gauges, right in front of a furious Star Platinum. A gloved fist crashed into the console as the enemy leaped back into the air and morphed against one of the pipes above. It was too nimble for them to catch properly, and in an enclosed room like this, they were at great risk.

"Everyone get to the door," ordered Mohamed as the others backed away from where High Priestess hid. "I-It moved between the surfaces of the machinery while we weren't looking…"

"Of course it did," said Joaquín, looking over the wound on Noriaki. It wasn't too deep. "I knew it was gonna happen, too. The enemy wasn't gonna just stay in the same place just like that. I wanted to be wrong, but clearly I'm not."

"You are not at fault. We need to leave this room. The longer we stay, the more risk we face of being hurt again. Quickly, everyone! To another room!" He moved past everyone and grabbed the valve handle of the door that lead to the submarine's hall. "We have to confine and lock the Stand behind us!"

But High Priestess was one step ahead of the fortune-teller. The moment Mohamed grabbed the handle, the Stand's face and claws formed in his hands. It had moved unnoticed once again and took the shape of another fixture in the room. And this time, he was its target. Sharp claws lashed out at him, only to be grabbed by a pair of golden hands covered in black, fingerless gloves. Preciosa, faster than anyone could register, had moved out and grabbed the Stand the moment it had appeared.

"Alright, Jojo," cheered Della, Jean Pierre praising him as well.

"Yeah, you caught it," praised Jean Pierre.

"It was nothing," Joaquín dismissed, their enemy squirming and shrieking in Preciosa's grip. "This little pest might be quick, but it can't match Preciosa's speed. So, I'm up for suggestions. How do you think I should finish this off?"

"Look, don't hesitate, Joaquín! Just grab its neck and twist it off! Quick!"

"Bueno. Decapitation it is." As soon as Preciosa grabbed the small head upon the slimy creature, it shifted and transformed in his grip. Something sharp dug into Joaquín's hands, despite nothing was in them. When he looked down, he saw that his palms were cut open and bleeding. In his Stand's grip, High Priestess had turned itself into a large razor blade and dug itself into his hands.

"Maldita sea," he swore, throwing the Stand away as he grasped his bleeding, stinging laughing Stand simply turned back to normal and splattered itself against the roof of the cabin. That bitch is a lot stronger than it looks, he thought bitterly. If it can turn into a normal object like that and hurt him, then it can definitely beat us. Mohamed's right, we better run from this one…

A stirring nearby signaled the awakening of Joseph, who held his head with his remaining arm. "D-Damn it," he grumbled as he freed himself from Joutarou's grip.

"Jijii," said his grandson with some worry in his casual voice. "How're you holding up?"

"I'm in pain and I'm missing a hand... It's Kahz all over again… So, I take it we won?" He turned to the older of the two brothers, who shook his head and washed his hands in the water. "Damn. So what next?"

"We find a way out of the submarine," said Mohamed hurriedly, opening the door to the hall outside the cabin. "Come, Mr. Joestar! Everyone!" As everyone ran out the best they could through the rising water, Joaquín straightened up and scathingly glared at High Priestess, who was slowly dissolving. "Joaquín, forget about it! It is already transforming and the cabin is flooding! Lock it behind you; we can come up with another battle plan later!"

"I'll be with you in a second," said Joaquín calmly, who knew that escaping was the best option for the time being. As his enemy's face was taking its time screeching and dissolving, he pointed straight at it as a warning. "You're not gonna stop us from reaching Egypt. I, Joaquín Trejo, will beat you myself."

And with that, he left the room and locked the water and the Stand behind him. He caught up with the others and ran together down the hall. "So what're we actually doing? Call me crazy, but I don't think we can just hold High Priestess in that room for long."

"Joaquín is right," agreed Kakyouin. "Between us and the Stand, I don't know who's really trapped. Sooner or later, it's going to tunnel its way out of there and catch us!"

"That is why we are escaping," Mohamed said hurriedly. "In a closed room filled with machinery, we are at an overwhelming disadvantage! Besides, this submarine is useless to us now! We must leave it behind and continue our path to Egypt!"

"But we're 40 meters below sea level," Jean Pierre pointed out. "It's not that deep, but how the hell are we going to resurface in Egypt?!"

"I thought that would be obvious to you, Jean Pierre," Della chided. "We're swimming out of here."

"SWIMMING?!"

Just as he screamed that, they piled into the small room where they had boarded hours prior. Above some metal ladders was the entry hatch. Beside that was a pipe that could fill the room with water if they wanted to leave underwater. And tucked away in a corner were full sets of scuba gear.

I wanna know who left this submarine stocked up for us, Joaquín thought as everyone tried to get the equipment on. I have to thank them for all this.

"Are we really going to scuba dive," asked Jean Pierre incredulously, looking at the apparatus at the end of a tube connected to the oxygen tanks strapped on him. "I've never done anything like this before."

"Neither have I," said Della, slipping on a pair of goggles. "But what other choice do we have? Just get ready so we can get out."

Joseph was having a tough time getting his gear on with just one hand. His eldest grandson helped get it in place for him, to which he said, "Thanks, Joaquín. Would've taken forever if I did it myself. God knows we're strapped for time." After securing the belt around his waist, his grandfather asked the group. "Okay, so does anyone here have any scuba diving experience?"

It was a unanimous no from everyone.

"High Priestess could be coming down the hall even as we speak," Mohamed said with an uncharacteristic worry in his tone. "Mr. Joestar, you have to teach us how, and quickly!"

"Don't panic, Avdol," said Joseph calmly, right before turning to everyone else. "Got it, everyone? Above all else, do not panic. When it comes to scuba, that's the biggest thing you all must heed. Now pay attention, cause we have little time."

Joseph then began to explain their equipment. The mouthpiece (regulator) was simple: bite down to take in oxygen. Exhaled air and saliva is released from a port on the side. Around their waists is a BC jacket ("I forgot what BC means."), which would make them weightless when they swim. Attached to the oxygen tank were a compass and two gauges that showed water depth and how much oxygen was left in the tank.

"While we're underwater," Joseph started explaining, "For every ten meters we go below sea level, the weight of the water is pressurized by one atmosphere. The sea's surface is one atmosphere… So being below forty meters, we're dealing with five atmospheres of pressure."

"What Mr. Joestar's trying to say is that we can't just try to surface all at once," added Della, putting her flippers on hastily. "If we even tried that, our lungs and blood vessels will expand and explode. I remember learning about that in high school."

"Exactly. I know we're in a hurry, but we have to surface slowly so our bodies could adjust. We're very close to Egypt's close at this point, so we can go up along the seabed. So, is everyone ready?" They all nodded, and Joseph went over to the large pipe. He turned the wheel on it and began to flood the chamber with water. "Alright then, it's time. And one last thing, since we obviously can't talk underwater, we should use hand signals to communicate with-"

"Actually, we can," interrupted Joaquín. "We can just use our Stands to talk. I used it when I fought against Dark Blue Moon, remember?"

"Oh right. Kinda forgot there."

"Aw, man," lamented Jean Pierre. "And I knew a good hand signal, too!" Wondering what he was talking about, everyone's attention turned to the Frenchman. His signal began with a clap.

Followed by him holding up two fingers.

Then the universal sign for "okay" (thumb and index together in a circle).

And ending with his hand over his brow.

Nobody could understand what he meant by all that. Yet somehow, Noriaki was able to interpret it. "I can see your panties," he asked. Happy someone could figure it out, Jean Pierre and the student both shared an odd, fist-bumping ritual. Joaquín felt just as confused as the others who beheld them.

"We could get attacked and killed at any moment," scolded Joseph incredulously, "so stop the bullshit and let's get a move on!"

The water had now risen to their chests. Everyone put on their goggles and their regulators as they slowly began to become submerged. Joaquín could start to feel the scuba gear do its job, the jacket around his sides keeping him as buoyant as a fish. It was an odd, yet somewhat calm feeling. He could only imagine if the others felt the same.

Joseph took the time to climb up the ladder and start opening up the hatch, stopping before it was completely open. He waited for a moment until the chamber was completely submerged before he opened the submarine to the sea outside. He signaled an okay to the others, who returned the gesture. Everyone except for Jean Pierre, who floundered about where he floated. There was blood floating around his mouth as his regulator slowly sprouted arms.

High Priestess had snuck in.

It bit down on Jean Pierre's lip, transforming back to its shapeless self as its prey struggled. To his and everyone else's horror, it began to crawl through his mouth. They needed to stop it immediately.

"Someone go drain the water," shouted Joaquín through Preciosa. "That Stand's gonna tear him up from the inside!"

"It is too late for that," said Mohamed dismally through Magician's Red. "Damnit! It was waiting for this moment!"

"Clear a path," commanded Della suddenly. Everyone moved out of the way as All My Love manifested herself beside her user. With a shout of, "AMOR," she shot a single bubble from her fist straight at High Priestess. Rather than bursting upon hitting the Stand, it engulfed it and separated it from Jean Pierre's lip. It couldn't escape, bashing and growling within its seal. "Bullseye! Now's our chance!"

Joaquín felt rather proud of her quick thinking. But there wasn't time to vocalize his gratitude. He motioned for the others to escape the now useless submarine, which they did as quickly as they could. Behind them, he could hear the pop of All My Love's bubble trap, the Stand gargling in anger and shifting. One brief backward glance showed that it was transforming into a long and sharp-tipped speargun. By the time it had finished and fired, they had all escaped and sealed the hatch from the outside.

"Merde, that was close," sighed Jean Pierre in relief. "Merci beaucoup, Della. I owe you one after this."

"Don't thank me yet," she replied with a chuckle. "We've still gotta get to the surface.."

The group swam onwards from their abandoned vessel, Mohamed leading them through the cavern he mentioned earlier. His flames were useless underwater, so they all relied on the light of Joaquín and Della's hamon sparking along their bodies to help guide them through. Once out, they spent the next couple of minutes swimming their way along the expansive reef. The fish that swam nearby paid them no mind. The whole environment brought about a relaxing sense of peace.

"Cette mer est tellement belle," muttered Jean Pierre, clearly admiring the view around them. "I'd like to come back here one day for leisure…"

"You're telling me," agreed Joaquín. "This is nothing like going to a beach. Everything here is so clear… Maybe once this is over we can all come here for a vacation."

Joutarou looked behind him, then back at Mohamed. "Oi, Avdol," he called out. "Do you think we're being followed?"

"Of course not," said the fortuneteller, taking a moment to turn back and look past the others. "High Priestess can only transform into minerals like metal or glass. It cannot take an organic form like these fish, nor can she mimic liquids or gases."

"That being said," added Joseph, "we should swim with caution. If it did actually escape and was pursuing us, then it would have already taken the shape of a screw on our gear and attacked. Just keep your Stands at the ready, and pay attention to any moving rocks. Those are made of minerals too, you know."

But there were no signs of them being followed at all. The entire time they swam was devoid of any sneak attacks from rocks or any metallic objects. Both Preciosa and Star Platinum, who were both kept out to watch behind them, saw nothing that would impede them.

It wasn't long before they came upon what looked like two tunnels leading into a singular, cave-like structure. Mohamed was the one to point it out, though Joaquín doubted they needed to cross it inside. He turned to his grandfather and asked, "Hey, Abuelito? How much farther do we have?"

With a glance of his depth gauge, he announced. "We're seven meters away!"

"Finally," Mohamed said with anticipation. "We are approaching the coast of Egypt! Now, everyone, let us swim up this rock formation. We will make landfall in a few minutes."

God, we're almost there. Egypt is just a ways away. I can't wait to get there… Dio… I hope you're ready, you son of a-

"What the hell?!"

Joutarou's sudden outburst snapped Joaquín out of his mind and to his brother. He and the others were looking down at the seabed they were floating above. There were gashes running all along it, with one deeper one splitting across from them. To his confusion, it split open and revealed a pitch black pit awaiting them. Then there came the sensation that they were all being sucked in. It was then that realization had struck hard. High Priestess had escaped and followed them.

And had taken the form of the seabed.

"SWIM FOR YOUR LIVES" he screamed as they all vainly tried to escape from the powerful suction of the Stand. This can't be happening! That bitch Midler must be really close if it's this strong! Shit! It can't end here! I won't let it end here! "DELLA, FIRE SOME BUBBLES AT THE OTHERS! PUSH THEM AWAY, QUICK!"

"What about you," she called back fearfully. He looked back at the gaping mouth for a moment before coming up with a dangerous plan.

"LEAVE IT TO ME!" Della didn't argue, her Stand punching at all of them and shooting several large bubbles at her friends. They grew upon impact and enveloped them, the force of being struck sending them out of the path of being inhaled. Both All My Love and her user formed a bubble around themselves and punched away from themselves against the filmy sphere. They too were sent out of High Priestess' range.

As for Joaquín, he and Preciosa were slowly being sucked into the black void of his enemy's mouth. But he wasn't afraid. He knew what he had to do to get out of this situation, and it wasn't to run. It was to fight back. There was only one way to do so, and it was to attack the inside of her mouth. It wasn't rock, as he knew the outside was. A quick glance through the darkness with Preciosa's eyes revealed flesh-lined walls, a uvula, and a massive slab of pink that was undoubtedly her tongue.

If he couldn't destroy the outside, then the inside had to at least be vulnerable. The Legend of Zelda taught him that. With that rule of thumb in mind, he took one, deep breath through his regulator and focused his hamon. Both he and Preciosa glowed brightly with their power, which transferred over to his arms. He was getting closer. Now was his chance.

"CRESCENT AZUL-" But before he could swipe the water and cut apart her mouth, her gigantic tongue shot out and struck him straight in the chest. Joaquín lost his focus and hamon as he was sent flying back out of her mouth. But rather than escaping, he could see her teeth beginning to close. Before he knew it, he felt his own body wedged between two of her molars. He could feel the pressure of the teeth trying to bite down, to crush him into a red paste. But Preciosa was preventing his death by holding them apart with as much strength as he could. It was barely enough.

I don't know how long I could hold on like this, he thought as his arms trembled and ached from the mounting pressure. This Stand… it's just too damn strong… I should have just ran like the others… Damnit, is this really how I'm gonna die? Crushed and eaten up? It can't end like this… We were almost there… I made a promise to make it back… I can't die here… not like this… Not like this..!

Memories of his journey flooded Joaquín's mind. Everything he had experienced from them travelling through new countries, to all the battles and struggles they faced. The deaths he had witnessed, the fun he and his friends had… He wasn't ready for any of it to end… He had a mission to fulfill, and he promised to see it through to the end… His mother's life, his friends' lives… and the world… depended on him…

That's why… That's why I'm not gonna die… I'm a Joestar… and a Trejo… We don't give up… We either run or fight… And I will fight back..! I will live..!

"BRING IT ON, YOU BITCH," he screamed out loud as Preciosa let go of both molars. He barely gave the Stand a chance to come down on him when his fists immediately started to break them apart. His Stand roared his usual "¡TOMATOMATOMA!" as the tooth above him shattered and crumbled into powder. He didn't just stop there. Preciosa punched everywhere his fists could reach and broke every other tooth within a seven-foot radius.

It went without saying that his Stand was pissed.

In one final attempt to stop him, the howling High Priestsess' tongue shot out them like a frog's. But he was prepared this time. With one quick, focused breath, Joaquín's hamon flared back to life again. Preciosa, who blazed with light as he punched, paused his rampage and swiped his arm at the incoming organ. "CRESCENT AZUL OVERLOAD," shouted Joaquín, as a hamon-charged blade of water rushed straight at the tongue and sliced into it.

With a pained scream, Joaquín knew he had bested his enemy. Blood flowed out from the roots of her gums. The inside of her mouth was slowly turning back to stone. He swam out immediately and joined the others, who cheered for his survival.

"That was incredible," laughed Jean Pierre.

"You nearly gave us a heart attack," cried Della as she embraced her boyfriend.

"That was a stupid stunt you just pulled," chided Joseph, who smiled down at his grandson. "But I'm glad you pulled it off nicely."

An exhausted Joaquín flashed them all a brief smile and said, "I honestly thought I was gonna die back there. That's the last time I pull of something that crazy. I can't believe it became the whole seabed. Its user must be just on the shore if her Stand got that powerful. But I guess she didn't count on her mouth or teeth being vulnerable."

"We can worry about her when we get out of here," chimed in Joutarou.

"You're right. Come on, guys! Egypt is waiting!"

After a short swim, their heads finally broke water to the surface. The group took off their goggles, regulators, and their gear as they slowly waded onto shore. Joaquín did a quick scan of the beach and found what looked like a gypsy dancer nearby. Her pale skin was bare to the world, save for being modestly covered by a blue, star-shaped bra and a yellow sash that matched the scarf upon her dark magenta hair and the veil over her mouth. She was sprawled out and twitching on the sand.

"Hey, is that her," asked Joaquín, pointing her out to his friends.

"Yes," confirmed Mohamed, whose Stand was helping to dry off everyone and their clothes with his flames. "That is Midler. So you were right after all. She was close."

"What should we do with her," asked Noriaki. "Is she really incapacitated?"

Jean Pierre leaned forward to try and look at her better. "I'm more worried about if she's beautiful or ugly," he stated curiously. "I'm gonna go get a closer look. And make sure she's also out of it. The Frenchman dashed over to the prone form of Midler and looked over at her face. One noise of disgust was enough to show he wasn't interested anymore.

"So, what's the verdict," asked Joseph, who was answered back by the now embarrassed Jean Pierre.

"N-No comment! I'm done looking over here! Joaquín busting that Stand's teeth ended up breaking hers! You can come over and look!"

"No, thank you. Is she out of commission?" He was answered by a nod. "Good… In any case… we're finally here."

The group had gathered together and looked out to the path ahead of them. There was nothing but an expanse of sand, rocks, and a few palm trees that could survive in such a hot environment. Further out, Joaquín could make out what looked like a town. Being on Egyptian soil made him feel more determined than ever before. They were on true enemy territory, where every turn could lead to another dangerous confrontation. And past all the traps that lied ahead, their goal was clearer than ever.

Dio... He's here in this land… And he's been waiting for us… He must be pretty pissed we've come this far after beating the shit out of his minions… But those guys were nothing… Whatever he has in store for us now won't be so easy to beat… It doesn't matter, though. We'll still beat them all down…

"What would have taken us twenty hours to get here by plane," stated Mohamed, "has taken us thirty days."

"That means we probably only have twenty more days until we're too late," added Della. "But we'll make it in time. Once we can get a clue as to where Dio is, our path will be set!"

"We've been to so many places already," said Noriaki, wiping some leftover sea water off his brow. "Of course, Egypt can't be any stranger than being inside a brain or in someone's dream."

Everyone gave Noriaki a confused look. "Dream," repeated Jean Pierre. "What on Earth are you talking about?"

"Oh, that's right. You all don't remember that, do you? Well…"

~+JO*JO+~

"Geb…

"Knum…

"Tohth…

"Anubis…

"Bastet…

"Sethan…

"Osiris…

"Atum…

"Horus…

"My nine glorious gods of Egypt… And yes, you as well, Hol Horse… Your gathering here within my domain is nothing short of a masterpiece. In fact, I believe if you ten were all to join forces and attack all at once, I don't think even I, Dio, would stand a chance against the likes of you… But I know better. You will never form teams… You will never form cliques… Such is the nature of Stand users and their secrecy… Of course, there are some minor… exceptions…

"Now, on the subject of why you stand before me… It has come to my attention that the Stand users of Judgement and High Priestess, the last of Lady Enya's henchmen, have dispatched themselves to top the Joestar group. It pains me to say that I have little faith in their victory in their uncoordinated state. They will undoubtedly be broken past… The Joestars will arrive in Egypt… I can feel it… That is where you lot come into play… You all have but one mission:

"Ambush them. Eliminate them… Should you fail to carry out this task, do not return… For you will suffer the full wrath of Dio…

"You all have your coordinates… Now go… Show them the glory of the gods… Show them no mercy…"

~MIDLER: RETIRED~