D'Arby the Player - Whose Cheating? Read My Soul!
D'Arby walked over and sat Kakyoin's doll on a pullout table from the doll cabinet.
Jotaro looked over at Hanabi giving her a look, she nodded her head in response. Jotaro walked over to the game table and sat down.
"J-Jotaro?" Joseph said
"Oh?" D'Arby said surprised
"Hey, Jotaro! Why are you sitting down? I'll defeat him! I'm next!" Joseph said
Hanabi tapped on Joseph's shoulder. "Calm down Mr. Joestar." Hanabi gave a smile and winked. "Jotaro and I have been playing video games since we were kids." She turned to look at D'Arby. "I know he's going to win."
"Stay out of this old man. This isn't like playing cards or Hanafuda." Jotaro reached over and picked up a baseball game. "I want you to play this baseball game against me." He told D'Arby. "I'll wager my soul."
"Good. And I shall wager Kakyoin's."
Jotaro felt something strange and pulled up his sleeve to look at his arm.
"I have retrieved my Stand Atum's arm from your arm. Now that I have Kakyoin's soul there's no point in holding on to your arm anymore." D'Arby said
"D'Arby! As soon as you lose to Jotaro, I will finish you. Remember that." Joseph declared
D'Arby put the game cartridge in and the game started up.
"Oh! That's Baseball!"
"First, please pick your team," D'Arby said
Jotaro chose the Jaguars a team with a strong offense, while D'Arby chose the Red Dragons. D'Arby gave Jotaro the option of batting first or second and Jotaro chose to go first.
D'Arby smirked holding up a stylus. "You can draw your own characters to input as the payers." With amazing skill, D'Arby drew Star Platinum and Atum as the players for the teams. "Oh, we're also gonna need some cheerleaders."
Hanabi was practically mortified when she saw D'Arby draw Queens Thorn in the game.
"Was that necessary!" Hanabi yelled
Her mood dampened, even more, when multiple Queens Thorn's appeared on the screen in skimpy two-piece cheerleading outfits.
"How embarrassing." Hanabi groaned covering her face.
"Now lets play."
"Jaguars vs. Red Dragons! Play Ball!"
Hanabi wanted to crawl in a hole as she watched a team of Queens Thorn cheer on the sidelines as the players set up on the field.
D'Arby's #15 stepped up to pitch, while Jotaro's #7 stepped up to bat.
"The pitcher is winding up."
#15 pulled its arm back and before the ball left its hand #7 swung its bat.
"What!"
"Strike!"
Both D'Arby and Joseph looked stunned.
"H-Hey Jotaro. What did you just do?" Joseph asked puzzled. "You swung the bat before the ball even left the pitcher's hand!"
Jotaro ignored his grandfather and kept pressing the swing button on the game controller.
"H-Hey Jotaro. Why do you keep taking practice swings? Don't tell me-Could it be that you….Have you never played this game before?" Joseph said
Jotaro stayed silent keeping his house on the screen.
"Answer me Jotaro!"
"Whatever. I know the rules for baseball. I'll figure out the controls as I go." Jotaro stated
"W-What?!" Joseph yelled. He turned to Hanabi, "Hanabi! Didn't you say Jotaro and you played video games all the time when you were younger!"
Hanabi gave an awkward laugh rubbing the back of her head. "I did say that. What I should've mentioned was that I was the one who mostly played Jotaro mainly watched. He'd only play if I begged him."
Joseph gaped at the young girl before turning back to his grandson continued to yell at him, commenting on his poor video game skills.
D'Arby watched the interaction studying the situation.
#15 setup for its second pitch. This time Jotaro swung after the ball was caught in the catcher's mitt.
"Strike Two!"
"Come on Jotaro!"
"Strike Three! Batter out!"
Joseph grabbed the front of Jotaro's jacket. "Stop messing around, Jotaro! Why are you putting on that attitude?! You wagered your own soul! You can't back out now!"
"Mr. Joestar! Please calm down!" Hanabi urged trying to calm Joseph down.
Jotaro had a small smirk come to his lips. "Yare yare daze. You should be supportive at times like this. 'It's just the first inning. You've only just started. You can do it, Jotaro'. Like that."
"What are you thinking? Even with you Star Platinum's super precise movements, did you think you could beat him with no knowledge of video games at all?" Joseph started to shake Jotaro. "What are you thinking, Jotaro?"
D'Arby watched, resting his elbow on the table putting his chin on his fist in a relaxed position. "Jotaro. Let me warn you that if on the other hand, this is some plan to trick me by acting like an amateur, it's not going to work. No matter the situation, I never let my guard down. Once my opponent has wagered its soul, even if its an infant, I would give my all to defeat him."
"He's so smug, but his policy of always keeping your guard up is a good one." Hanabi shifted her gaze to Jotaro, "But it won't matter today."
"Old man. Hanabi." Jotaro called out the two's name making them look at Jotaro. "I'm not thinking about anything." He then pointed over at D'Arby. "Except, about breaking that assholes nose, as he sits there so certain that he'll never lose to anyone in this game. I'm only seriously thinking about getting Kakyoin's soul back."
D'Arby didn't seem fazed by Jotaro's words. "You can say what you'd like, but it's still the top of the first inning with one out. Please don't forget that if one of us takes an eleven point lead, the game will be called."
Jotaro just looked at D'Arby and held up his controller. He pressed one of the buttons and his next batter stepped up.
"Second batter, #3."
D'Arby managed to strike #3 out without any trouble. Joseph looked extremely nervous as Jotaro's next batter stepped up and in less than a minute Jotaro already had two strikes against him.
D'Arby seemed confident preparing for his next pitch. "Top the first two outs, two strikes, and no balls. Here comes my next pitch."
"Go ahead." Jotaro confidently said. "I've pretty much learned how to bat now."
As D'Arby pressed the pitch button a stunned look came on his face. Hanabi had to suppress her smirk, thinking about all the thoughts that must be flying through D'Arby's head right now. If there was one thing Jotaro was good at it was messing with someone's head. He was strong physically and mentally.
Jotaro's batter swung and the ball connected with the bat and with a loud crack the ball was sent soaring.
"What?!" D'Arby shouted standing up.
"Jotaro!" Joseph cheered
"Good. This game is pretty fun." Jotaro said
"Yeah! It's still going!" Hanabi cheered
She was right as the ball continued to fly through the air and over the walls of the stadium.
"I-Its fair! You're kidding me! You're kidding me!" Joseph let out a thunderous laugh. "Hahahaha!"
"Home Run!"
Jaguars 1-0 Red Dragons.
"Home run! Home run! Hahaha!" Joseph chanted while laughing.
D'Arby slammed a hand on the table pointing a finger at Jotaro. "Jotaro! You bastard!"
Hanabi could tell Jotaro really lit a fire under D'Arby. The enemy Stand user was trembling most likely from nerves and anger.
"Jotaro! What did you just say? Learned? 'I've pretty much learned to bat now.' That's what you said."
Jotaro just gave D'Arby a side glance. "There's no reason for me to repeat myself."
D'Arby gritted his teeth staring at Jotaro. He picked up his controller then smirked. "Let us continue the game, Jotaro."
D'Arby pitched and Jotaro hit a second home run, again and again.
"Home run! Home run! Now it's four to nothing in the top first." Joseph grinned, "Looks like you've got the hang of it Jotaro. Keep it up!"
"I told you Jotaro wasn't going to lose, Mr. Joestar," Hanabi said
"Hey, D'Arby." Joseph walked over to D'Arby getting close to the younger man's face. "I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but I'll say it as a kindness. If you return Kakyoin's soul right now and take us to Dio, we'll spare your life."
D'Arby doesn't say anything or even look at Joseph, instead, he set his game controller. "My brother was a master at gambling, and a master at cheating. Yet he never said to me, 'Brother why don't we play a game of poker?' Do you know why that is? When I was fifteen my brother hit on my girlfriend. I beat the shit out of him, even though he was ten years older."
"What a loving brother relationship." Hanabi sarcastically thought
"I broke his ribs and kicked him until he vomited blood. To that, all my brother had to say was, 'I'm sorry.' Do you know why?" D'Arby smirked as he spoke.
"What are you getting at you bastard?" Joseph questioned
"My brother knew ever since we were children that he had no way of beating me." D'Arby pointed at the trio. "And now it appears as if Jotaro is getting excited and really taking off with this game. However, he is uncertain just like my brother was a child. He's uncertain about my abilities. 'Nah, it couldn't be. Or wait, maybe?' That's what he's been thinking. Right, Jotaro?"
Joseph stepped forward shouting, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm changing pitchers!" D'Arby declared. "I'm switching from #15 to #77. #77 is a fastball pitcher. And now I will declare which pitch I will throw. #77 will now throw a forkball straight down the middle."
"What?! He just declared his pitch." Joseph exclaimed "Jotaro, he's just playing mind games with you. Don't let him declaring a pitch get to you."
"Throw D'Arby," Jotaro said
"Will you believe me or not?" D'Arby smirked as he pitched the ball.
Jotaro's batter swung at the ball headed straight down the middle. The ball didn't drop like a normal forkball and continued straight. Since Jotaro swung for a forkball the bat just grazed the ball sending it right into the mitt of one of the infielders.
"Out! Top of the first, three outs! Change!"
The teams change positions, now Jotaro was on pitching.
"How could you be so stupid?! You actually believed him and swung for a forkball!" Joseph yelled
Jotaro pointed at D'Arby. "No. He was certain that I would swing for a forkball, so he changed it to a straight fastball. As he said, ever since we entered this mansion, I've been uncertain. He somehow knew that Star Platinum would throw a right punch."
"I-Impossible! So are you telling me that he's reading your mind?" Joseph gaps
"Next is the bottom of the first. It's my turn on offense." D'Arby said
The players changed places and D'Arby was up to bat. The character pointed its bat to the outfield, D'Arby declaring that he was going to hit a home run.
Jotaro looked up Joseph. "Old man. Your certain that the game and console aren't rigged in any way, right?"
"There's no chance of that," Joseph confirmed
"Then that means D'Arby's Stand does more than just take souls," Hanabi concluded
Jotaro aimed his pitcher so the throw would hit the batter. He pressed the button and the pitcher tossed the ball. The ball flew to the batter, but D'Arby's batter stepped back as soon as the ball left the pitcher's hand.
"It moved back!" Hanabi thought. "That means-!"
D'Arby's batter swung and hit the ball.
"H-He read that! He perfectly read it! There's no way he could have done that without reading Jotaro's mind!" Joseph yelled
"Home run!"
D'Arby smirked as the game lit up from his home run.
Jotaro setup for the next pitch placing it on the right corner of the pitching square. The character threw the ball and just like before D'Arby hit it out of the park.
"Four to two," D'Arby smirked
Another pitch and the score went from four to three.
D'Arby was talking to Jotaro which sounded more like taunting when the muscled teen took off his hat so it blocked his faces view from D'Arby.
"Your hat…"
D'Arby scoffed looking away. "Heh, you fool. Do you think I'm using underhanded methods like my brother?"
"Jotaro, that's not it! Hiding behind your hat won't help." Joseph scolded. "He's not reading the reflection off the screen in your eyes. I've been watching him that's not what's going on."
"This is the first time I've sweat or bled in a while. That's why I took it off." Jotaro stated
"I'd like you to hurry up and throw your next pitch." D'Arby waved around his controller.
Jotaro looked down at the screen. "I don't think I have to worry about sweating anymore. I'm going to declare my pitch. It's going to be a straight, high to the outside."
"What?" D'Arby exclaimed
Joseph was just as surprised as D'Arby, "W-What? What did you just say, Jotaro?!"
"You heard me." Jotaro gave a sharp look to Joseph.
"Wow, Jotaro hasn't been this serious in a while." Hanabi thought. A soft blush came to her face at Jotaro's sharp look.
"Are you so old that your hearings gone, old man? I said I was going to declare my pitch. I'll throw a straight, high to the outside." Jotaro declared
Jotaro set his sights on D'Arby the tense atmosphere building as the men stared down.
"Will you believe me or not?"
D'Arby scoffed at Jotaro. "Are you stupid?" He activates his Stand. "My Stand can see my opponents soul, as if it had night vision. No matter who a person might be, the soul does not lie. When the question is asked I'll know the answer."
"I'm pitching," Jotaro said
The pitcher threw the ball and D'Arby smiled.
"Don't forget that the game will be called once the opponents an 11 point difference." D'Arby continued to hold his wide smile as the ball flew towards his character but then at the last second the ball changed directions. "What?! It was a changeup!"
His batter hit the ball but it only went to the infield where Jotaro's avatar easily caught it and threw it to first getting an out.
D'Arby's smile was completely gone a mixed look of fear and surprise was now plastered across his face.
"Yatta! Go Jotaro!" Hanabi cheered
Jotaro looked calm as ever as he prepared for his next pitch. "I'm going with a high straight to the outside again."
D'Arby started to sweat he used his Stand to look at Jotaro's soul. "Jotaro, you're not cheating are you?" He looked at Jotaro for a second then gasped. "What?!"
Jotaro threw his second pitch and it was a forkball low to the outside. D'Arby hit the ball but it barely had any power and Jotaro's character easily caught it getting a second out.
D'Arby growled standing up pointing at Jotaro. "You cheated! Jotaro, you bastard! You rigged the console somehow?"
Jotaro's soul read No surprising D'Arby. The gambler started breathing heavily. "I know that you're cheating! What kind of trick is it?" D'Arby's breathing got even heavier as he received the No answer from Jotaro's soul.
"It seems your mind reading questions only work with a yes or no answer. Your brother liked to say this, 'It's not cheating if you don't get caught.'" Jotaro said
D'Arby scowled sweat now running down his face. "It's not cheating if you don't get caught. How dare you speak like you know it all?! Who do you think you're talking to?!" D'Arby was losing his composure, "Pitch Jotaro! I'll figure out your trick, and drag your soul out!"
Jotaro was unfazed by the yelling and picked up the controller. "I will throw a straight high and to the outside."
D'Arby viewed Jotaro's soul and saw no signs of lying. The pitch came and it dropped to a forkball.
"Out! Bottom of the 1st Three outs change!"
D'Arby's breathing had now become raged and shallow like a man who was running a marathon. His facial expression was that of terror and confusion.
"I will defeat you, D'Arby." Jotaro declared
"Shut up!" D'Arby shouted standing up. "T-The fact that you took off your school cap is suspicious." He hit the hat off the table. "The cheating started as soon as you took off your school cap!
"That was very rude." Hanabi bent down and picked up Jotaro's dusting it off.
When she spoke the lavender-haired girl took D'Arby's attention off of Jotaro and onto her. His eyes went wide then he jumped pointing at the girl.
"Y-You!"
Hanabi looked perplexed and she pointed at herself. "Me?"
"You're the one who defeated my brother by cheating! You're helping Jotaro cheat!" D'Arby yelled, He looked over at Jotaro. "Is she helping you cheat?"
Jotaro's soul screamed Yes and D'Arby yelled looking at Hanabi. "You what are you doing!?"
"I'm not doing anything." Hanabi put her hands up in defense. "To prove it…." Hanabi walked back putting at least six feet between herself and the console. "I'll just stand over here for the rest of the game. It shouldn't be too long though because," Hanabi smirked and put on Jotaro's hat since it was so big it sat slanted on her head covering one of her eyes, "Jotaro will defeat you."
"I don't know how you're doing it. Jotaro that girl is the one cheating for you." D'Arby shouted pointing at Jotaro.
Jotaro's soul screamed No over and over making D'Arby gasp.
"She's using her Stand isn't she!" D'Arby shouted
Once again Jotaro's soul shouted No and D'Arby's freaking out got more frantic. He slammed his hands on the table. "You rigged it somehow!"
This time Jotaro's soul answered Yes. D'Arby started to look like his older brother when he passed out.
"He uh….looks like he's aged a bit." Joseph pointed out. "He doesn't look like a kid in his twenties anymore."
"D'Arby, it's your turn to pitch. Hurry up and throw." Jotaro said
D'Arby didn't move for a while and he stayed hunched over breathing heavy. When he finally moved and pitched Jotaro got a home run. D'Arby looked broken inside as he stared at the screen, the man started to tilt to the side looking like he was about to collapse. At that moment Kakyoin's soul was released from the doll and returned to his body.
"Sh-Shit! I accidentally let go of his soul!" D'Arby yelled
Joseph leaned over to the redhead checking on him. "Kakyoin's soul and consciousness have returned!"
D'Arby started to frantically wave his arms. "N-No! No! I haven't admitted defeat! It was by accident! I let go of his soul by accident!"
Jotaro stood up setting down his controller. "If his soul was set free that means your soul has admitted defeat."
As Jotaro walked away from the table something glowing on his controller caught D'Arby's eye. D'Arby ran over to the controller studying it.
"J-Joseph's Stand! It's coming out of the controller." He followed Hermit Purple looking over at Joseph.
Joseph noticed his Stand was still out. "Oh, whoops."
"S-Something so, stupid…."
A soft cough made D'Arby whip his head around to see a wide smiling Hanabi, who was still wearing Jotaro's hat. He raised a shaky hand pointing at Hanabi as she continued to smile.
"Y-You! B-But-?!"
"Yup, it was all me! I came up with this whole plan!" Hanabi gave a cheeky grin. "Jotaro left the planning all up to me once I knew the powers of your Stand I set everything in motion. I knew once you found out Jotaro was cheating you'd set your sites on me, believing that he was using me to cheat. That was all apart of my plan, I simply used myself as a pawn to distract you from the real cheater. Since I was the one who came up with the plan when you asked Jotaro if he was using me to cheat his soul would respond yes and you believe that I was the one actually doing the cheating when actuality it was Mr. Joestar."
Jotaro walked over to Hanabi. He wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her close while he used his other arm to take his hat back. Hanabi and Jotaro were posed together.
"If there's one thing I'm always going to win at its games! No matter what game Jotaro chose as soon as I got involved your defeat was inevitable!"
"I'm sure your brother would have been able to figure this out easily," Jotaro said
"It really wasn't even that hard. All I had to do was spell out the plan by writing it on Mr. Joestar's back with my finger." Hanabi said
D'Arby fell to his knees looking utterly defeated.
"All right then…."
Jotaro let go of Hanabi, then turned to D'Arby with Joseph.
"All that's left is to dispose of him."
D'Arby screamed. "P-Please forgive me! I gave you Kakyoin's soul back! Everything's back to normal now!" He got on all fours in a beggar's position. "Forgive me? Please? Please? Please?"
"If you want to know if we'll forgive you, why don't you read our souls?"
D'Arby screams getting the answer he did not want.
"Here's a question. Will I hit you with my right fist or my left? Try to guess." Jotaro said
"P-Please, just hit me quickly with your right." D'Arby pleaded
No! No! No!
"Y-Your left?"
No! No! No! No!
"Is it both!?" D'Arby squealed
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
"Are you going to do the ora ora thing?!"
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh my god!" Joseph said
Star Platinum attacked pummeling D'Arby shouting Ora the whole time.
D'Arby Younger - Unable to recover must retire.
D'Arby flew into the sky, but he didn't go far since the sky was actually an intricately painted ceiling. He crashed through the painted wall giving the group an exit.
"Looks like we broke through some sort of wall." Joseph pointed out. "We can go through there."
"Yare yare daze."
To be continued ➟