Made today's chapter a bit longer than usual. I debated splitting part of the end to the next chapter, but I feel that it would have felt too awkward not to include it. Anyway, we're almost towards the end of this story. You guys excited? I sure am. I hope these next few chapters will be just as enjoyable as before.
Ch. 36
Private Eyes
JANUARY 15TH, 1989
11:33
CAIRO, EGYPT
"I've been repairing roofs here in Cairo for over forty years, but I don't know… This building… There's a lot of similar ones just like it."
It was just another day in Cairo, and the search had continued since they woke up. They were deeper in the city this time, past the bridge and getting closer to the site where Mohamed had his horrific run-in with Dio. Despite it being his home, he refused to set foot in that maze again until that vampire was eliminated. He feared that there would be assassins lying in wait for him should he return there, and nobody, not even Jean Pierre, blamed him.
They had stopped to ask another resident about the building, an old carpenter who was fixing someone else's roof. He was the perfect type of person to ask, given that he was old and had to have seen his fair share of buildings in his career. Jean Pierre had been the one to point this out, and he gladly climbed the carpenter's ladder to ask him. Joaquín paid attention to the conversation with his Stand, but found himself disappointed that he knew nothing.
"However," added the old man, "the atmosphere of this building would make it look like it's over a hundred years old. Which means of you go south from here, you'll eventually find it. The further south you go in Cairo, the older the buildings are. I'm sorry I can't be of much more help than that."
"No, thank you," Jean Pierre kindly said. "I understand. It helps us quite a bit." The Frenchman slid down the ladder and relayed to the other what he heard, even though Joaquín heard him loud and clear. "What do you think? Should we head south and look around?"
"I don't know," said Joaquín uncertainly. "We checked around there and found nothing either. On top of that…" He glanced around the rest of the buildings, searching for something that wasn't there. "Do you guys feel something… off..?"
Della mimicked Joaquín and shook her head. "Not really," she admitted. "Unless you mean the same stress we've all been feeling since we got here, then no."
"Not that… I mean… something evil… But… stronger… And closer than it has this whole time. Do you guys feel it?" Everyone but his family shook their heads. "Abuelito, what about you?"
The old man adjusted his hat and quietly said, "I feel it too. I can feel that man lurking right nearby. Dio is definitely near."
"His evil might be hovering over city like smog," said Joutarou, "but just standing here… It's hard to tell where it is, but I know it's close, too."
"Then let's keep looking. Leave no stone unturned." They did not go south as the carpenter suggested, but stood nearby. Dio's presence felt greater here than anywhere else. They had felt it the entire time they were in this area, but try as they might, they just couldn't find it. Were they just blind? Or was there something more supernatural at work, misguiding their search? Nobody had the answer to this, but that would not stop their search.
After several minutes, Joaquín started to feel something else in the air. It was a familiar sensation he had felt throughout his journey, one where someone had their eyes on them. And not in a good way. It had to be one of Dio's men, waiting for a chance to ambush. But he wouldn't let whoever it is get the jump on them.
"Can you guys excuse me for a minute," he asked the others as they walked through a marketplace. "Just keep walking, I'll catch up with you. I gotta check on something."
"Did you forget something, Jojo," asked Della."
"Not at all. Just trust me, I'll be okay." He waited until he felt like he wasn't being watched anymore before ducking straight into an alleyway. He wanted to find out who was lying in wait to ambush them. Only three of the Nine Glorious Gods of Egypt remained, and they had to be here in the city.
They have to be Dio's strongest, he thought as he rounded a corner. Atum, god of creation; Nut, goddess of the heavens; and one other... Given what they govern, it'd be appropriate for Dio to save these guys for last. If this is one of them, then I have to be very careful and keep an eye-
His thoughts stopped when he came upon another corner and saw his spy. Or rather, spies. There they stood, the unlikeliest of pairs arguing with one another. It was Hol Horse, and peeking out from beneath a box was a boy clutching a book. This was clearly Boingo, the little boy whose older brother tried to kill Joutarou back in Aswan. Perhaps he recovered quicker, given that he didn't suffer from the aftereffects of both a beating and an exploding orange.
Hiding behind his corner, Joaquín listened in on them with Preciosa. Hol Horse did not sound happy at all.
"Don't play silly," he growled through his cigarette in exasperation. "But here's my point. Listen, for argument's sake, lets say I approach that sonovagun Joaquín and jam my fingers up his nose-"
… What the fuck did I stumble upon..?
The assassin formed his gun-like Stand in his hand. " Boingo, wouldn't it be more certain and simpler to just thump 'em with my Emperor?! Wouldn't it?!"
While he couldn't see it, the boy Boingo sounded nervous, as if he wanted to be anywhere but here. " The b-b-b-b-b-b-bullets… D-D-D-Don't shoot them… Yes… Even if you s-s-s-shoot… fate will.. make you… do otherwise, yes… B-B-B-B-B-Believe in it, yes… W-Whatever's written in this comic book… If you… Try to counter it… You'll s-s-s-s-s-suffer… horribly, yes… It's d-d-d-destiny, yes… One hundred percent, yes…"
But Hol Horse still wouldn't take, retorting harshly, "But your brother followed it and failed miserably!"
The boy's nervousness seemed to have melted at the mention of his injured brother Oingo. He calmly explained, "B-B-Big brother… To protect himself from Joaquín… he inadvertently transformed into Joutarou, yes… If he believed in the comic and didn't transform… the explosion would have caught the real Joutarou instead, yes… The predictions are never wrong, yes…"
Nothing I don't already know, Joaquín thought. I figured that, if Joutarou was meant to blow up, then the prediction could also apply to Oingo in his disguise. It wasn't wrong. Everything that happened in that book happened as it did. You just have to interpret and trust what's shown before you. But... Do I really have to have some nasty fingers jammed in my nose?
He pushed the thought away as he approached the assassin quietly. And as he got closer, Hol Horse looked back into the street and gasped. "J-Joaquín's gone… Hey… Where'd he go..? He'd just gotten away unnoticed…"
"Howdy, partner," whispered Joaquín. And before he could give him a chance to shoot, he grabbed his wrist with Preciosa and slammed him straight into the wall. He had him right where he wanted, pinned and struggling.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Hol Horse?" He dropped the whisper now, a smug grin on his face for him to see. "You know, I didn't think Dio forgave abandonment so easily. Or botched assassinations, for that matter." He then noticed that his usual cigarette in his mouth had a new addition to it. "Oh, hello, a cig filter? Trying to cut back on smoking, huh?"
"L-Let me go," growled Hol Horse only to have his hands forcefully held behind him. Preciosa pinned him hard enough to the wall for him to cough up blood.
"So you can try to kill me and my friends? I don't think so, vaquero. You'll be out of commission once I'm done with you. And as for your friend…" He turned to the box, which completely hid the boy and his book-like Stand. His tone became one of disappointment. "I'm surprised you came here, Boingo… You should be back in Aswan, caring for your brother… But here you are, trying to get revenge… I can't say I'm surprised, but I thought you'd do better for yourself…"
The boy stood silent. Joaquín had no idea whether it was out of anger, shyness, or shame. Or perhaps all of it. "Look, it's fine. I get it. I did technically hurt your brother. But, a kid like you trying to avenge him… and then working with this jackass here… You're only looking for trouble... Especially this close to Dio…"
"S-Shut up about him," Hol Horse choked out. "Y-You won't be gettin' to him that easily! My Stand and his, we're an unstoppable combo! We'll kill you before you can even see Dio! Your fate's been sealed the moment my partner opened that book!"
"I hate to say it in front of him, but he and his brother tried that last time and failed. Fate can be changed, if not interpreted another way. Speaking of which, trying to stick your fingers up my nose…" It made him shiver just to say it out loud. "How the hell can you expect victory from something so ridiculous?"
"Bah! Just you watch, boy!"
And before he could even react, Hol Horse broke from his grip and spun around, jamming his fingers up Joaquín's nostsils. His callused, tobacco-stained fingers. It was the most disgusting feeling in the world, and it had caught him completely off guard. It seemed like he had gone through the comic's prediction. But what came next was a mystery. Ans apparently, his foe didn't know either.
His victorious smile turned to a nervous grimace as he turned to the box. "H-Hey, Boingo," he called out. "What now?!"
"T-T-Tickle him," came the boy's muffled voice from beneath.
"E-Excuse me," asked Joaquín incredulously. But before he could retaliate, he had a pair of hands tickling all over his ribs and armpits. It was all too much. He laughed wildly from the sensation and tried to push the assassin off him, nearly screaming through his fit. "S-Stop! ¡Ay dios mío, para! ¡Parate por favor!"
His laughter must have echoed out through the streets, for there came a familiar call of "Jojo?" It was Della, and judging by the quickening footsteps that followed her, she was with the others. Upon realizing this, he pushed Hol Horse off him with his Stand and out onto the street. He followed him as the others had caught up, the assassin frozen in their sights.
"Well, this is nostalgic," said Jean Pierre snidely.
"I don't believe it," mused Joseph.
"How did Dio even let you live," asked a shocked Della.
"That does not matter," said Mohamed, lifting his headband to show him his bullet-shaped scar on his forehead. "I owe you for the wound you have inflicted upon me."
"You're not alone," Joutarou pointed out. "You're not the kind of person who fights on his own. So, where's your new partner, Hol Horse?"
Joaquín pointed to the box. "Boingo. He's under there. But I wouldn't worry about him. He's not our biggest problem. In fact, nether is… is..." The scent of tobacco had gotten to him, making him sneeze hard. "S-Shit… Damn, that smells so bad."
"What did he do," asked his girlfriend worriedly.
"Long story… Now…" He joined the others, Preciosa standing right behind his quarry to prevent him from escaping."Let's make a deal, okay. If you don't cooperate, I'll beat you into next week. But if you do, well let you go. We'll forget we even saw you, and you can run away without any worries. Does that sound good?"
"I-I don't know about Dio's powers," said Hol Horse suddenly. "A-And neither does Boingo! S-So what the hell do you want help with?!"
"Simple. Give us the location to Dio's hideout. And we'll let you live. Dio's as good as dead anyway, so you have nothing to worry about if you tell us. We know you know where it is."
The assassin's breathing grew ragged, his cigarette dragged right down to the butt. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His entire body shook. Hol Horse looked completely scared, quite unlike himself. The thought of betraying the man who paid him and allowed him a third chance to kill his enemies must have seemed frightening. He no doubt wanted to live, but he did not want to be labeled a traitor. Joaquín could see the fear in the man's widening eyes.
Along with something else. Something big and green.
Something driving straight towards them all.
"EVERYONE, MOVE," Joaquín shouted.
It was too late. A truck had knocked them all out of the way and straight into a wall. But in the split second before impact, Preciosa returned to him immediately and shielded him from the truck. The others summoned their own Stands to do the same thing. Even his grandfather, whose Hermit Purple wrapped around his whole body. Once it hit, Joaquín was knocked back into some of the debris created by the crash, his body pulsing from the shock and pain from the blow.
Son of a bitch, he growled in his throbbing head. What the hell… was that..? Did someone have a bad day or something..? Or did that idiot Hol Horse trick us into getting hit… Bah… No me importa eso… I better check on the others… If I can get up, that is…
His legs were shaking a bit, but he managed to get up and start looking around. While Hol Horse and the hiding Boingo were gone, his friends were all scattered near the crash site. Joutarou was prying himself free of the truck, Della was holding onto its bumper for support, Joseph and Mohamed were on the round in a daze, and Jean Pierre was trapped under as few blocks.
"Is everyone okay," asked Joutarou as he knelt beside his grandfather. "Jijii, wake up. You alright?"
The old man shook his head a slowly sat up. "I-I'm doing okay… Damn, what happened..?"
"W-We got ran over," groaned Della. "But I got my Stand out in time to defend myself. Did everyone else..?" There were nods and groans of confirmation. "Good… Mohamed, what about you?
The fortuneteller slowly lifted himself to his knees and wiped his face. "I am fine as well… It knocked me unconscious for a few seconds, but all I got from that were some scratches… Joaquín, Joutarou, please help Polnareff…"
The brothers hobbled over to the fallen Frenchman, pinned to some rocks. He didn't seem too hurt, though there was some worry that his legs might have been crushed. "Can you feel your legs," asked Joaquín as he got behind him. Joutarou was quickly getting the rocks off of them.
"My big toe feels funny," he grumbled. "W-Where'd that bastard Hol Horse run off to..? I didn't see… Why'd he run off like that and not get hit..?"
"Doesn't matter," Joaquín said, trying to lift him. "We'll get back at that… that…" Another sneeze from those fingers in his nose brewed again. And this time, he sneezed directly into his brother's face. It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn that something flew by quickly, right between them. "Gah… Sorry… Hol Horse… He was following some prediction in that boy's book and jammed his fingers up my nose… And he tickled me…"
"Yare yare daze," groaned Joutarou as he wiped his face off. At the same time, there was a crash in the distance. They looked and saw that something had struck the top of one of the nearby buildings. Several tiny object seemed to have flown past it. Looking next to him, Joaquín noticed an exposed pipe, aimed directly at where his brother was. It didn't take long to guess what might have happened.
"Uh, Joutarou?"
"Yeah?"
"I think… I think Hol Horse might have shot into the other end of this pipe… And his bullets missed and flew into that tower." He pointed to where they had struck."Yeah, it ended up missing you because I sneezed and you reeled back, I think."
"Why me, though?"
"Dunno. But I think Boingo's Stand predicted you'd get shot from those bullets. It did try to get you blown up a while back, too."
"Can you both shut up about that kid and help me out already?!"
They nearly forgot what they were doing and resumed getting Jean Pierre free from his trap. They were all thankful nobody was too seriously injured. Not even the truck driver, who stumbledout of the wreckage as well. As they did this, something came up about what Joaquín said about Thoth.
"Niisan," addressed Joutarou. "You said it might have predicted that I would end up shot, right?"
"I did," answered his brother.
"You also said that book is completely accurate. That whatever is written in there is gonna happen no matter what, right?"
"Yeah."
"So… If we take into consideration that someone else blew up last time because they were disguised as me… what will the bullets aim for since they missed me?"
To answer his question, there came a shrill cry of pain from close by. It sounded exactly like Hol Horse. Everyone turned to the scream, and then back to the brothers. Joaquín looked a bit surprised and his brother didn't even know how to react.
"We… should probably get out of here," said Joaquín slowly and anxiously. "I mean, with the truck and Hol Horse... Somebody probably got a hold of the police or something… Come on. Let's get out of here."
Indeed, the police and some ambulance came a few minutes after they had left the scene. Joaquín had stood behind to watch everything unfold, hiding in a corner away from prying eyes. The driver of the rogue truck was put in handcuffs. Apparently, he had tried running over Hol Horse for blowing off his ear. Meanwhile, the assassin in question was hauled off on a gurney, his face covered in blood and bullet holes. He had miraculously survived, according to one of the EMTs, but his wounds were severe.
"I don't know how it happened," he told to one of the other paramedics. " But there's a bullet-like wound that gouged him from his forehead to the top of his head. If it were off by one centimeter, he would have been dead. He's a very lucky man."
"My predictions are flawless." A small voice came from behind him. It was Boingo, clutching his comic book in his hands. Oddly enough, there were three holes on the cover now. He then opened it and showed him one of the pages. Sure enough, there was the caricature of Joutarou, shocked as three bullet holes shot him. They matched the same ones found on the cover as well. "And so, this is what Hol Horse's destiny led to."
"He made a mistake, didn't he," asked Joaquín, to which the boy nodded slowly. "So if everything was interpreted correctly, then my brother… He'd be the one dying instead."
"Yes… I told you… Absolutely accurate. But…your brother got lucky… As did you… My big brother and Hol Horse were defeated by fate… Not you… You avoided it all…"
"I guess so…" That image in the book was rather disturbing, despite its cartoony nature. He couldn't imagine Joutarou being killed like that, nor would he allow it. "We really are lucky… It could have been my brother on that stretcher… Course, if that were to happen, Hol Horse would be fucked either way. But not you…"
"Why… Why not me..?"
He turned to him and crouched a bit until they were eye level. Somehow, the boy didn't look away. "Because you're not a bad kid. You're just… a bit misguided by Dio. I mean, I know I deserve your anger, but… Revenge isn't for you. Not for a kid as young as you, you know?"
Boingo stood silent, his dull eyes expressing a hint of shame. Joaquín rested his hand on his shoulder and kept talking. "Listen, what I said back then about your Stands having the power to do good, I meant it. You can turn yours and your brother's lives around. That book and its predictions… You can use it to help those in need…"
"I… I can," asked Boingo, his eyes widening like a confused puppy.
"Absolutely. You can live without crime. With you Divine Thoth and Oingo's Divine Knum… You can make your lives a happier one… People won't look at you funny, but instead revere you… And your fates… They won't lead to botched misfortune… but good luck…" The boy was in awe, as if he couldn't believe his enemy was being so kind and supportive to him. But he was, and he meant every word of it all.
"I want you to forget about all this. About Dio, about us, about Hol Horse. Go back to your brother. Take care of him. And when he's all patched, you both live a better life. Okay?"
He nodded and smiled. "I… I will. And… I won't, by any means, live my life timid and scared of others under a box anymore. I… I feel like… both this fight and your words… made me grow a bit bigger… Thank you, Joaquín Trejo, for believing in me… More than even Dio could…" Oingo then kicked aside the box he had taken with him and ran off, shouting into the streets, "I'm coming home, big brother! I'm coming back to Aswan, big brother!"
Looks like I got through to that kid, thought Joaquín proudly. Those brothers… once Dio's properly out of their lives, things are gonna look up for them. He left the streets feeling accomplished. He might not have gotten what he desired from his third run-in with Hol Horse (that being Dio's location), but he managed to guide a young boy from the darkness and into the light. It was still a victory in his eyes, and he wouldn't have had it any other way.
Good luck, Oingo and Boingo. May your futures be bright.
"Huh? Oh, Iggy! There you are, you little bribón! Come on, let's go get you some gum!"
~+JO*JO+~
"Merde, It's super hot today. I haven't had a bath since yesterday. It's ruining my handsome looks."
It was indeed hot, growing more humid and brighter throughout the day. It might have been January, but Cairo continued to burn. It was one in the afternoon now, about an hour since Hol Horse tried to kill them. Everyone had split up again to widen their search, but at the moment, Joaquín, Della and the currently complaining Jean Pierre were taking a breather. They all sat on a sidewalk with blankets over their heads, trying to beat the heat as much as they could.
"Why didn't you," asked Della, who was fanning herself with just her hand.
"Are you kidding? Yesterday was so exhausting. My legs and feet were so sore, I just collapsed into bed. As much as I love my hair, I was just so tuckered out."
Joaquín took a sip of some soda he had bought and said, "You'll live without a bit of conditioner for one day. You won't die." As he said this, a ragged looking man with a pockmarked face and shades sat beside his grumbling friend. He was taken off guard, not only by his sudden appearance, but by his physical appearance. With his patched clothes and his arm in a sling, he gave off the air of a beggar, and it made the Frenchman uncomfortable.
He had said nothing the whole time he sat there, nor did he register them. Jean Pierre waved his hand in front of him just to garner a response, but he got nothing. Having had enough, he scooted away from him. The beggar then followed. He scooted again. The beggar did it again. And then it turned into a scooting chase, which was absolutely hilarious to Joaquín and his girlfriend. Not so much for their unfortunate friend.
"What're you doing," he shouted at the beggar, having had enough. "Why're you following me?!"
"You dimwitted bastard," growled the man, taking off his shades and just as agitated. "Move it! That's what I'm trying to tell you! I get you're a foreigner, but you're sitting in this spot like a beggar! Who decided you and your friends could do that?!"
That was a bit hypocritical for him to say, but somehow, the fact that Jean Pierre was sitting there deeply offended him. To add insult to injury, a passerby mistook him for an actual beggar and handed him a 10-pound note. "B-Bastard! H-How dare..! T-this is my territory, damnit!"
"Territory," asked Jean Pierre, utterly befuddled by everything going on.
As if on cue, Mohamed and the others were walking up to them. "Hey, everyone," he called out almost sternly. "Do not sit there! And Polnareff, hand that money to him!"
He did just that as Joaquín stood up and asked, "So this guy's an actual beggar?"
"Aietidhariun ya saydi," said the fortuneteller apologetically when he came to the man. His eyebrows raised over his shades after he had put them back on. "That is my bad. My friend here does not know much about this city."
"But why didn't he say so?"
"Because that's how I make my business," the offended beggar snapped. "Silence is my technique! I'm a mute beggar!"
"Here in Cairo," started Mohamed, "there is a beggars union; they are properly appointed territory and are paid for their work. In Islamic teachings, we are taught that 'those who give alms to the poor shall go to heaven'. It is one of the five pillars of the religion. So, it may seem strange, but without these kinds of rules, discord will break out among the beggars."
The beggar scoffed. "That hurt my pride more than I thought… But if I disguised myself as a poor foreigner, would I make more of a profit..? I wonder if I should do that…" He looked up at Mohamed and smirks. "By the way, I thought I'd seen you somewhere before. You're that fortuneteller Avdol, aren't you? There've been rumors, you know! I heard you fled to Japan when someone wanted to take your life."
"New York," corrected the fortuneteller politely. "Actually, it is because of those sharp ears of yours that I have been looking for you. You will be rewarded sufficiently for this." He then handed over a the picture of Dio's hideout, one of the last few they had. "We wish to know the location of the building in this photo. We are in a bit of a hurry."
The man took the photo and gave it a brief look before flinging his robes off. He was wearing a crisp, pinstripe suit beneath the rags, quite the subversion from his prior poor looks.
"I'm finishing early for the day," he said as he slipped on a fedora and walked towards a nearby Cadillac sedan far too expensive for just any beggar. "I'll find that photo's building in three hours… Just wait here, okay?"
"Wait, so that's it," asked Joaquín, hope rising in his heart. "He's gonna find it for us?"
"I have faith in this man," assured Mohamed. "His kind are the ones who know the lay of the land ever better than men who have been here their whole lives. This man is our best chance to find Dio's whereabouts. I am sorry I didn't find someone like him sooner."
"That's okay. Point is, we're closer than ever before." He took a seat next to Della and let out a sigh of relief. This entire time, their luck had been awful. Nobody could help them, their only leads had either lost their minds, were hospitalized, or killed. But now, they had found the best help they could get. And all they had to do was wait three hours before they could bring this tiring journey to an end.
"Hey… By the way…" Della looked around the street. "Where'd Iggy run off to?
"Iggy," asked Joseph. "That dog's probably searching for that building on his own. Either that or he's just lounging about. We shouldn't worry. He'll come back to us before we leave."
"I hope so. It's dangerous enough as it is here."
Joaquín patted her back and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Della. Iggy's the toughest dog out there. He'll be okay, and he will return to us."
But he didn't. Four hours had passed and Iggy had not returned at all. And neither did the fake beggar. While they had explored the city more, they had returned to that spot out on the street to wait for him. But the sun was already beginning to set, and neither of them showed up.
"I guess he couldn't find it," said Jean Pierre with some disappointment. "Well, Avdol? What do you think?"
Everyone turned to Mohamed, whose brow had been furrowed. Something was clearly on his mind, and whatever it was did not look good at all. And when he spoke, everyone could feel the worry in his tone.
"Just now, I was thinking… Perhaps it would be a good thing that he did not find it… There is a chance… that the reason he had not returned was because he already did…"
"What do you mean," asked Joaquín. "You don't think he got attacked, do you?"
"It would not be strange if a Stand user had been tasked to prevent anyone from approaching that building… It might have been too dangerous to have asked that beggar to search for that building…"
They all looked at one another, silently agreeing with Mohamed. Asking an innocent man to search for the building on his own was foolish. One of us should have gone with him, Joaquín thought ruefully. But now we might have lost our last shot at finding this building… Son of a bitch… We're on borrowed time at this point… We may have to get desperate tomorrow... This is our last chance…
"It's getting late," he sighed as he rose to his feet. "We can't stay here any longer. Let's just get back to the hotel. We need our rest."
Silently, everyone followed him to where their truck was parked. Waiting any longer wasn't an option. All they could do is hope those two were alive. While it was easier to place their hopes on Iggy, the beggar…
He was as good as dead.
The entire ride to their hotel was a silent and somewhat somber one. Once again, they have gotten nowhere, and it was putting a damper on their spirits. Finding Dio was feeling more and more impossible. If they had to get desperate, they would. At least, Joaquín would. He would wait until the sun set tomorrow and call the vampire out to face him if he needed to. No matter what happened, he would not give up the fight for his mother's life.
Back at the hotel, Joaquín and Della were silently sitting in bed together, both looking out the window to the slowly darkening sky. They hadn't spoken since they arrived, both taking showers and wordlessly agreeing to just sit together and behold the last rays of light disappearing to the east. There was no need for words in this moment. There was no need for worry. All that mattered was themselves, and what might be the last sunset they will ever see.
In the peaceful silence they shared, he couldn't help but think about how everything in his life brought him to this moment. It was soon broken when he started to voice them.
"You know… my abuelita always spoke about destiny when I was growing up. That I would have to chose where my life would end up taking me when the time came. When she told me months ago that I was destined to go to Japan, I didn't quite understand why she'd tell me to go there of all places. Then I found out it was a chance to find my mom and reunite with her. And for a time, I thought that was all my destiny was gonna be, to be with her again.
"But I don't think that's not the case anymore… Abuelita… She knew that my destiny was more than just getting back with Mom. She and Abuelito knew each other before I was born. He must have told her about what the Joestars were destined for, and she knew that I would eventually be a part of it. Setting me on the path to Japan was just the beginning… But she must have known that one day, I would confront the man that plagued my family for a century and end him. I don't doubt it anymore.
"... You know what, though? That reminds me of something… It was something she said on the day that my Stand appeared. She said something like, 'You're on the path to your destiny. I can feel it.' And at first, I didn't quite understand it all. Dad had just died, and I had some spirit hanging over me that I didn't know how to control. At the time, I was just some Nuyorican punk who fought every day and could produce sparks. How was I on the path to my destiny?
"Well… It was on that day that everything changed. The world felt different. I felt different. And before I knew it, I was getting mixed up in some of the craziest shit. I saw strangers and friends with these incredible spirits and powers that I never thought was possible. My destiny was slowly beginning to unravel with the people I met and the places I went to. And then I met you, Della… You were the start of it."
"Me," she finally spoke, looking over at him with her wide eyes filled with curiosity.
"Yeah. Had I not met you, I wouldn't have learned about Abuelito or ran into Mohamed. I would have ended up missing him at the airport and got lost in Japan looking for my mom. Were it not for you coming into my life… I wouldn't even be here. I owe all of this to you."
She looked both stunned and flattered. Words seemed to have failed her, for she her mouth kept opening and closing. She fell back to looking out the window, clearly trying to find the right words. After a moment, she finally spoke up.
"It's funny… I've… felt the same way. Like, we've had a stronger connection that went beyond just knowing each other as kids. Even before I found out I was a Zeppeli. It might be because of that bloodline in me, but… I felt drawn to be there for you, to help and even try to protect you…" Della looked back at him and gave him a warm smile. "To be your closest friend, through the good times and bad… But don't think that's the only reason I became your friend or fell in love with you…"
"Of course not," said Joaquín with an equally warm smile. "You fell in love for the same reasons I did with you. You're a wonderful, kind-hearted person. And like you, I'd do anything for you."
"Even if it means risking our lives," asked Della tentatively.
"Yeah. Even if it means that. I might not like that you do it for me sometimes, but… I'm grateful that you would go so far as to do that… That's another reason I like you, Della. That stubborn will of yours."
She giggled and gently punched his shoulder. "Oh, Jojo," she chided playfully. "I'm glad to have met you."
"As am I," he said with a kiss to her cheek, making her giggle more. But as her amusement died down, her cheeks started to burn red. "Della? You okay?"
"I-I am," she assured. "It's just… This may very well be our last night together."
"Yeah… I can't argue with you there… Tomorrow's uncertain… for all of us… But let's not-"
She placed a finger to his lips and whispered, "That's why… I want it to be like it is our last night. If… If you'd like to."
"What do you mean?" But he knew what she meant. In the deepest parts of his mind, he had wondered if she would ever want to do anything as intimate as what she had in mind. But before she could elaborate, he hastily said, "N-Never mind. I-I know what you want. And… given the circumstances… I'd… like to do it with you."
It was the only answer they needed. Della closed her eyes and leaned towards him, an action he mimicked. Their lips locked in a gentle kiss, their hands finding one another's bodies and carefully exploring them. Despite this being what might be their only chance to share in their love for one another, they were slow. There was no desperation in their actions. They took their time, wanting to enjoy this as if there was no threat of death or sense of urgency waiting over the horizon.
It was always like this for them in their moments of solitude. The world and their problems were always pushed aside just so they could focus on one another. All Joaquín could see and think about is the woman sitting before him. All he wanted was to comfort and make her feel only him. Tonight, he would let nothing stop them from sharing this one intimate moment.
And as they consummated their love, nothing did.
~+JO*JO+~
"Dio… A report…"
"... Speak…"
"The hawk… Pet Shop… He has disappeared… and he hasn't returned."
"... How unfortunate… I've heard tales of animals leaving their owners when their time comes… But in this instance… I think this is unrelated to that. He undoubtedly attacked whoever attempted to intrude upon the mansion grounds, as per my orders… He may have been killed…"
"I saw a dog by the mansion earlier today. A Boston terrier."
"... Iggy and his Stand, The Fool… You know, some say that animals are soulless… But the existence of their Stands prove otherwise… His Stand and Pet Shop's Divine Horus… I would have liked to see those souls fight head to head… I wonder… if one uses the Bow and Arrow on every animal they got their hands on…"
"That would be far too dangerous, especially if an animal of low intellect attained a Stand. And depending on what ability they're granted, who knows? You would end up incurring a… what's the word..? It started with a 'b'…"
"Biohazard... And a large-scale one at that… You're right, Lennox… I will put the idea aside for now…"
"..."
"It's likely that the Joestar group has discovered my whereabouts. Joseph's Hermit Purple would eventually have guided him here… It is only a matter of time now… Once again, I, Dio.. shall neither run nor hide…
"I will meet my enemies in this mansion… Just as I did a century ago."
~+JO*JO+~
This was it. Their last day. Today would decide everything: who lived, who died, and who would succeed. It was their last chance to find Dio and end him once and for all. Everyone was prepared for what they would face. There was dread in all their hearts, Joaquín certainly felt it. But nobody stopped. Nobody rested. Their determination to save Holly and the rest of the world from Dio's malice outweighed their worries.
The morning and noon was spent looking all around the city not only for the mansion, but for Iggy and the beggar. There was no sign of either of them, and as worrisome that was, it did not put them down. Their search continued unperturbed. If anything, it gave them hope, as well as light a fire in Joaquín's heart. The events that happened the last forty-nine days, from the lives lost and the minds twisted drove him to set thing right. For all of them.
It was 1 PM now. As the group had reached a corner, Joutarou suddenly stopped and looked behind him. "Hey bro, what's up," asked Joaquín, trying to see what his brother was looking for.
"Has someone been following us," asked Mohamed.
Joutarou stood silent for a moment before saying, "No… I thought… I heard someone calling for us…"
"Calling for us," repeated Joseph. They had heard nothing, not even Joaquín. Perhaps they hadn't been paying attention to notice. But before they could say anything else, Mohamed's gasp had drawn their attention to where he was looking. Something was stumbling out of an alleyway ahead. It was a dog, limping and looking both ragged and tired. Its left paw was missing entirely, the stump wrapped in a bandage. Despite his worn-down appearance, they all recognized their canine companion.
"Iggy," everyone shouted as they ran up to him.
"What happened to you," asked Mohamed worriedly.
"How'd he get hurt so badly," gasped Della, kneeling to pick him up. "He's hurt all over! And his paw's missing!"
"It's like he just got ran over by a car," said Joseph, who was just as concerned as the rest.
Joaquín took Iggy from his girlfriend's hands and looked him over. There were scratches and cuts beneath his short, unkempt fur. The poor dog looked uncharacteristically exhausted. "There's no way," he said. "This level of damage… It looks like something attacked him… It couldn't have been some car or even a stray animal. It's more than likely a Stand attacked him…"
"So where's the Stand that did this," Jean Pierre asked fiercely. He seemed to have taken Iggy's condition a lot more seriously than the others. "I'll make him pay for what they did to him!"
"I don't know… Knowing Iggy, he probably beat him. Trust me, I've seen Iggy take on some pretty big dogs back in New York." Looking back at him, he couldn't help but note how well taken-care-of his amputation was. "I don't know who patched you up, Iggy, but they did a good job. This is like some surgery-grade bandaging they did."
"It wasn't him I heard."
"Huh?"
Joutarou had spoken up, silent as usual but undoubtedly relieved that the dog was okay. He was looking around the streets again. "I said it wasn't Iggy I thought I heard. It sounded like a person calling us for sure…"
And sure enough, someone spoke from behind. "Iggy seemed to have encountered an enemy… A boy found him dying, so I took him to a Speedwagon Foundation doctor here to treat him… Just like with my eyes…"
That voice…
Turning around, there was yet another familiar sight. One they haven't seen since his hospitalization in Aswan. He might have been wearing a new pair of sunglasses, but they immediately recognized the boy in the green gakuran, from wavy red hair to his cherry earrings.
Jean Pierre gasped. "Y-You're-"
He lowered his shades to reveal his healed-up eyes, a scar ran down each from his now-split eye brows to his cheekbones. And then he greeted them all with a wide, warm smile. It was none other than-
"KAKYOIN," nearly everyone shouted.
"NORIAKI," shouted Joaquín and Della.
Everyone was excited to see the youth return to them unharmed, especially the Frenchman. He had felt bad that the last thing they did together was argue before the attack. But if anyone was relieved the most, it was Noriaki. He was just glad everyone was safe, just as he had hoped.
"Have your wounds healed up okay," asked Joseph.
"Yeah, they're alright now," he replied gratefully. "The scars still remain, but my eyesight has returned."
"Are they a bit sensitive," asked Della. "You're wearing sunglasses."
"A little. But it's no big deal." He turned to his best friend and shook his hand, both wearing warm smiles. "Joutarou…" The other student just nodded, happy to have him back.
"Looks like we got the band back together," said Joaquín happily. "And just in time to- H-Hey, Iggy!"
The dog had bounded out of his arms, nearly stumbling upon landing. He then began to limp away from them, but not trying to avoid them. "Iggy's often indifferent to humans and Stands," Noriaki pointed out. "It looks like he wants to lead us somewhere. I don't know what happened when he fought that enemy Stand, but he's quite upset that he got hurt."
"That sounds exactly like him. Come on!" Everyone followed after him, managing to easily keep up with due to his injuries. Iggy seemed very intent to take them to where he got hurt. Perhaps it was a clue to where Dio was. Along the way, they were met with the gruesome sight of a blue car with a smashed up hood and broken front window. Blood was splattered all over one side. It was the same car the beggar had. Its owner was nowhere around.
So he did die, Joaquín thought solemnly. Damn… We should have gone with him…
They followed Iggy for a little over an hour. As they did, something changed in the air. It brought about a wave of cold dread down his spine and a biting pressure in his very soul. It was far greater than the cloud of evil they all felt since they arrived. Iggy was leading them to somewhere truly vile. He could feel it. Sure enough, a building slowly came into view, one that emitted that nauseating evil air they were nearly choking on.
"I-I know this," muttered Joseph. "This atmosphere… This dark feeling..! This building… is from the photo!"
"Iggy," exclaimed Jean Pierre. "You found it!"
Indeed. They had finally found it. The familiar rooftop they had seen far too many times in Joseph's thoughtograph. Below it was the tall, walled-off building surrounded by palm trees within. It wasn't just any building. It's age, its regal appearance… This was a mansion. And inside was the man who gave off this powerful evil aura. Inside…
Was Dio.
Their adventure was finally drawing to a close.
Without another word they walked the perimeter of the mansion until they found its tall, iron gate open for them. "Dio's sensed our arrival," Joaquín muttered as they walked in to the front garden, their footsteps muffled by the stone path to the door. "Just like we can sense him…"
"If we carelessly enter this mansion," said Joseph, "It'll be like we're swallowed into an enemy's stomach… What should we do?"
"We go in and-" Joaquín was interrupted by the door suddenly creaking open for them. Everyone stopped for a second, expecting someone to come stepping out, but no one came. They then approached and looked inside. There was a long hall ahead of them, far too long for any normal home. "What the fuck… I can't see the end of it…" He summoned Preciosa and used his microscopic vision to zoom in. But he still couldn't find the end of it. It just went on forever.
"This can't be real," said Jean Pierre in shock. "This has to be some trick, or an illusion…"
"J-Jean Pierre, get away from there," whispered Della. "Dio's probably got a Stand user or two left to throw at us… Wait…! Someone's coming..!"
There was. It was a dapper man in a periwinkle suit, opened to show off a heart-emblazoned turtleneck beneath. His light brown, beehive-styled hair was held back by a black band. He wore golden earrings with the letters T and D together, which matched the TDT belt buckle he had. And running down his forehead across the bridge oh his nose, as well as along his chin, were a pair of blue, lined strips resembling a snakes underside. They looked so familiar.
The man wasn't walking towards them, but hovering a foot in the air and gliding at them at a high speed. He stuck his foot out and screeched to a halt, not landing at all. "Welcome, Master Joestar," he said politely. Even his southern American accent sounded familiar. We've been expecting y'all. I am this mansion's butler."
"Shut up," growled Jean Pierre. "I don't who who you are, but you're definitely no ordinary man! At any rate, we'll beat you to death!"
"Polnareff, don't be hasty," called out Joseph. But the man had already drawn out a card from nowhere and swiftly flung it at the Frenchman. Silver Chariot burst out and sliced it apart. The man's only response to this was a polite bow and introduction.
"My name is D'arby. Terrence T. D'arby."
Joaquín's eyes widened before pointing and exclaiming, "I knew it! I knew there was something familiar about you! You're that gambler D'arby's brother!"
Even his eyes were like his brothers, just as blue and just as filled with hidden deceit. "You guessed right. He is my older brother. Now, may I take your jackets? Hats?"
"Are you going to fight to avenge your older brother," asked Mohamed.
D'arby gave them an empty smile and bowed. "Don't be silly. Surely my brother has told you, 'The one who has been deceived and lost is the one at fault.' I share in that sentiment as well. My brother fought against y'all and lost, therefore he's the one at fault. I don't have the slightest bit of resentment towards any of you. My brother is him and I am me. I simply protect Lord Dio. In addition, my brother is ten years older than me… And I respected him as such.
"My generation is different from his. My brother wins through cheating and swindling. His idea of victory is an old-fashioned type, which only works on old-timers like him or amateurs. Lord Dio seems to have taken note of this as well. That is why I serve by his side as his butler."
If he's Dio's butler, thought Joaquin worriedly, then his Stand's gotta be one of the most dangerous of all the ones we've faced… We can't let our guards down at all…
"So how about it," asked D'arby as he floated aside and bowed again. "If a fight… is what you want… then enter the mansion…"
"Do not enter just yet, everyone," warned Mohamed. "We should consider that this hallway may be an illusory trap."
"We don't have time to get our souls taken," said Joutarou almost impatiently. "Hurry and take us to Dio.
But rather than doing that, he bowed. And something shimmered in the air beside him. "Be careful, Joutarou," warned Joaquín, just as the butler's white, humanoid Stand came into view.
It looked biomechanical with an owlish face and yellow bulbs for eyes, the letters T and D tattooed beneath. Tubes ran from its cheeks to its neck. Pink hearts adorned its arms and legs in rows, matching the blue pieces of armor that covered his shoulders, arms, stomach, crotch and knees. Smoke billowed out from its small, exhaust-like ears. "Pardon me," said its user, "but my Stand… is a different type than that of my brother's."
He just revealed his Stand just like that… It's been a while since someone's done it directly…
"Who'll be first," asked D'arby through is Stand, which sounded robotic and filtered. "Who'll step up as my opponent."
"I am."
To some mild shock, Della stepped forward and summoned All My Love. It wasn't like her to take an enemy head on like they did. But, as Joaquin remembered telling her last night, she had a stubborn will. And ever since she had joined them on their journey, it grew into what it was today. She didn't have to hunt someone down or wait for them to attack anymore. All she had to was take a single step, and she was ready for whatever anyone had to throw at her.
"I see," said a mildly surprised D'arby. "Well then… I'd like to make a bet first. I wager… that All My Love's first attack against me will be with her left fist." Della hesitated for a moment, as if he was right. But that didn't stop her.
"AMOR", shouted her Stand, calling his bluff and throwing a left punch. But it was a feint. Before she could even land it, the Stand instead delivered a swift right punch. And yet, her opponent swiftly avoided her blow, as if it knew she would try to pull this trick on it.
His Stand's fast… Almost as fast as mine and Joutarou's… Even Della was shocked. Too shocked to even avoid her enemy from grabbing her own Stand's arm.
"Shame, shame," D'arby, falsely lamented. "Looks like I lost that bet just now. I'm the same as my brother, loving to gamble. But I'm much more unskilled." He chuckled and tightened his grip on her. "As my apology, allow me to take you to a special world."
And then the floor beneath them opened up into a deep hole. D'arby and his Stand sank in and began to pull them through. It was a trap, and Della had fallen into it.
"Hold on," cried Joseph as Hermit Purple's vines wrapped around one arm.
"Hierophant Green," called out Noriaki, whose Stand shot out to grab the other.
"DELLA!" Joaquín summoned Preciosa and prepared to fly into the pit to break D'arby's hold of her, but his brother overtook him and jumped over the hole. Star Platinum reached in and grabbed her by the back of her collar. "GUYS, DON'T LET GO OF HER!"
"JOJO, HELP ME," he shrieked from within. Try as they might, she was only being pulled deeper in. Just as she had nearly disappeared within the darkness, D'arby hovered back up and got into Joseph's face.
"It can't be helped," he said, still polite despite his actions. "You can come along as well."
His hands and one of his Stand's shot out and immediately pulled all three of them down. Joaquín tried again to rush after them, but Mohamed forcefully held him back "W-What're you doing," he cried out. "Let me go!"
"It is too dangerous to follow after them," he grunted, trying to keep him from breaking free. "He would take us all down one by one!"
Just as the hole began to close up, Joseph's voice echoed out of it. "Avdoool! Can you hear me, Avdoool?! If we don't come back in ten minutes, set the mansion ablaze!" His voice grew further and further away. "You have to… Av… doool…"
Joaquín finally broke free and jumped to the hole, only for it to disappear beneath him. All that remained was the last vestiges of his grandfather's plea muffled by their stunned silence and the mounting worry in his heart.
Dio's counterattack has begun.
~HOL HORSE: RETIRED~
~BOINGO: REFORMED~
~ PET SHOP (1980-1989): RIP~
Originally, this was just gonna be two chapters. But without focusing on Hol Horse or Iggy's antics, I managed to reduce that. And as for... that scene... I mulled over it for a while, debating on whether to make a separate thing for it as a bonus or not. And the truth is, I won't be doing that. As loving as their first time sounded, I wanted to leave open it to the reader's interpretation. I'd rather keep it that way. If you wanna read that kind of stuff, theres other SC stories out there that have that. But hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter, smut or no smut.