Author's Note: I was saving this for next year, but I figured to finish as my last chapter for 2017!
Chapter 6: Open the Game! Pt 2
As Joey watched the boys battle in his backyard, he couldn't help but think about his time in his alternate world before arriving here. Lincoln recovered and met up with Gary while teens charged them. His thoughts drifted to old times back in the day, being caught on a ride to memory lane while the two boys braced themselves against the attacking jocks.
Joey's trip through memory lane was quickly interrupted when he heard screaming from the boys. He quickly looked over to see Lincoln convulsing on the ground and from his looks, he didn't appear to be hurt by the teens. In fact, he collapsed to the dirt when he and Gary were ready to fight the teens.
He ran towards the kids and knelt down to study the white-haired boy that was lying face down with his hood covering his head to see that the gem and wristband vanished.
"Strange, Lincoln's second stand vanished? What happened to [Stone Pilot]?" He stared at him in confusion as [Thunderstruck] healed him.
Me convulsing on the ground and losing my second stand has never happened to me in my timeline. What could it mean for THIS Lincoln? Oh no…
Joey looked at Gary and the teens.
"Lincoln is hurt and I want you three to head home right now. You can have the teens drop you off Gary."
"Why, what's going on? I thought you can heal him with your stand?" Gary asked confused.
"Yeah, can't you patch him up, JoJo?" Mike added.
"I can, but it's important that I speak with him after I heal him because he asked for extra time and its really soon that you must return home because Mondays overload you with work. Thank you for coming over you three." Joey said with a smile.
"Big man's right, I can't stay long because I have a lot of homework to do and you're ride is my ticket home. Let's go man." Timmy said to Mike.
Mike nodded in agreement.
"They're right, I need to get home and start on my science project early so I can have time for some Wizard Hat gaming on my computer." Gary spoke up.
"Before we go, when will we meet up again?" Timmy asked Joey.
"I don't know, I'll be pretty busy for the whole week. Maybe next week." He replied.
The three boys said their goodbyes to the man and went inside the house to collect their backpacks and leave. After smiling and waving at their departure and making sure they were driving down the street, Joey's face turned cold and serious as he looked down at the unconscious Lincoln.
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
[Menacing]
Joey slowly removed the hood and turned him over on his back and the moment he laid eyes on him, Joey's skin started to crawl and was hit by a wave of nausea. His eyes were golden and he noticed that he was starting to sprout fangs like a vampire.
Just what I feared…I-It's happening much sooner!
Lincoln looked up at Joey and smiled, but it wasn't a sweet, boyish, and charming one that Lincoln usually gives, it was a cruel smile of an arrogant black-hearted vampire. He clenched his teeth as the sickening sounds of bone cracking can be heard as Lincoln's body started to grow.
In a few moments, Lincoln grew into an adult. His white hair was now in a mullet, but the tuft of hair that stood up in the back of his head remained the same and he still had his buck teeth. Lincoln's once scrawny little boy body morphed into the physique of a well-built bodybuilder and he stood as tall as Joey.
The clothes that he was wearing grew to fit his new body, but the hoodie and pants were still tight, making him appear even more bulky due to his bulging muscles.
"Dio lives again!" Dio-Linc shouted. A deep and masculine voice with a European accent came from Lincoln's mouth that freaked out the white-haired man.
"[Thunderstruck]: ZA WARUDO!" Joey froze time. He breathed in deeply and yellow energy ran through his arm like lightning surging through his very bones, emitting a 'hum' sound.
"Using Hamon against me? Fool! Your Hamon is Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda!" Dio-Linc summoned [The World] to pummel Joey, completely ignoring his time stop, but was stopped by [Thunderstruck] blocking its punches with its own fists.
MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!
ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!
"With no Joestar to stand in my way, what can you do?" Dio-Linc laughed at him.
"No Joestar exists in this world, but I'm the next best thing that will stop you." Joey glared at him as he laughed.
Dio-Linc's hands started to turn to ice.
Shit, he already has Dio's vampire powers. I got to make this quick!
He breathed in deeply as his body was surrounded by yellow energy while a 'hum' noise sounded in the air. He opened his palm as yellow lightning surged around his arm and hand.
"Overdrive!"
"WRYYYYY!" Dio-Linc surrounded his fist in ice and punched Joey. The man's fist made contact with the adult's and Joey was surprised that Dio-Linc's icy hand stopped his Hamon. He gritted his teeth as Dio-Linc broke his knuckles and arm.
"Ah! Shit!" He exclaimed in pain. Joey had no choice but to back off and jumped back before the ice started to consume his body heat and turn his arm into ice. Joey's broken arm and knuckles snapped back in place due to his regeneration.
He was a super soldier that can lift a car over his head with ease, but for Dio-Linc to break his arm from a punch told Joey that he could not overpower him with brute force. He knew that the inhuman strength wasn't coming from Lincoln, but from the vampire within.
Dio-Linc dusted himself off as he stood up and called [The World] back to him. About the same time that Joey's time stop ended. Dio-Linc's and [The World]'s hands were covered in frost and with a flick of their hands, they threw ice that instantly formed into daggers at Joey.
"Thunder Shield!" He used Hamon to create a forcefield of energy that evaporated the daggers, while his stand punched away some of them.
ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!
How could this be? The Vaporization Freezing Technique is only used to take away heat and freeze a person into ice by touch. And yet, Dio AND his stand is throwing ice daggers at me when the Dio of my world didn't do that. His is more advanced, it's outright cryokinesis.
"It's hard to believe that I've gotten more powerful residing in the body of a child in a few months, then my 100 years spent with the stolen body of Jonathan! The power of the Stone Mask with no vulnerability to sunlight, Za Warudo is stronger than before, and double stando powah!" He flexed his biceps.
Dio-Linc turned his attention to Joey who was standing his ground with [Thunderstruck] by his side.
"And who might you be? The only other person that I met who can also stop time like me is Jotaro. Could you possibly be my bastard child?"
"No, you damn scoundrel. My cover name is Joey Johnson, but my real name is Lincoln Loud." Joey admitted to him.
"Oh? There's two Lincolns in this world? Are you from the future to stop me?"
Joey clenched his fists and spoke through gritted teeth.
"I'm not from the future per say, but an alternate universe and despite the different worlds, the scenario of me being possessed by you played out the same, albeit differently and not this way. I lost to you to in my world, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let another Loud family die by your hands!"
Dio-Linc crossed his arms.
"Hmph, so you think altering this timeline is going to help you? It still doesn't change the fact that the other Dio defeated you and killed your family. Your efforts here are muda!"
After he said that, Joey's eyes became very cold and bitter, but he calmed himself down as he knew Dio was trying to get under his skin. Not even an hour of Dio showing himself and he's already taking stabs at his ruined heart.
I'll need to break out the Speed Wagon Corps suit.
Joey stood his ground and pressed a button on his watch. His watch beeped loudly and his body was surrounded by black high-tech armor. It was basically a marine's combat uniform, but with the bullet-proof vest and the camouflage clothing being replaced by high-tech super strong, but light weight metal. It even came with a black helmet with brown netting over it, resembling a WW2 helmet.
The only thing that was exposed was his face, other than that, his entire body was protected. He began his Hamon breathing and yellow energy and electricity surrounded his body and armor.
"So you think hiding in that tincan for armor is going to save you from me?"
"Bring it, Dio." Joey growled.
"I've learned that [The World] can not only stop time for twenty seconds now, but it has a new ability." He said with an arrogant smirk and pointed to [The World]. On its forehead was a ticking clock that had a yellow glowing eye in the middle.
Great, his time limit increased by two seconds.
"My secondary stand [Pressure Time] allows me to accelerate the speed of my stand and body while time is frozen to move faster, and it gives me some power over space manipulation. I can move myself and my stand close to my enemy, or away instantly." He explained.
"If the boy used [Pressure Time] without activating Za Warudo, his speed will be accelerated to inhuman levels for the next ten seconds, and it depends on how fast he wants to accelerate, whether running as fast as a cheetah, or moving faster than a speeding bullet. If he uses [Pressure Time] during Za Warudo, he can fold in space to get to a position instantly, mimicking teleportation. You saw it first hand when he showed you in the garage."
Joey nodded.
He pointed at Joey.
"It wouldn't matter if you can move in my stopped time. With [Pressure Time], you can't beat me, or defend yourself when I'm too fast for you!" He smirked while ice surrounded [The World]'s fists and its eyes started to glow pink, almost like a vampire about to use Space Ripper Stingy Eyes.
"Tch." Joey bit his lip.
He's right. He can move while time is frozen with his [Thunderstruck], but he won't be able to land hits on him, or block attacks when [Pressure Time] grants him crazy speed and teleportation. One second of being helpless in stopped time will give Dio a window of opportunity to lop off his head.
It chilled him even more that if Dio-Linc can use [Pressure Time] to achieve bullet-dodging speeds for ten seconds, then [The World] must be an absolute speed demon. Worse is that Dio-Linc and his stand become even more fearsome if you throw time stopping in the equation.
This is worse than I thought. Not only did he possess Lincoln much earlier, but he is FAR more powerful than the Dio from my world. In addition to being able to stop time, now he can accelerate it, teleport through space-time, and [The World] can use Vaporization Freezing Technique and Space Ripper Stingy Eyes.
Joey stood in battle stance, ready to brawl with the Dio-possessed Lincoln.
"Oh, so you still want to fight me after telling you of my newfound power? Why don't you give up now?"
"Never, I won't give up and I will destroy you! I will do this for everyone, as Jonathan's heroic spirit will guide me!" Joey declared. The Hamon surrounded his body pulsated with power, even [Thunderstruck] was surrounded in Hamon.
I didn't expect the climatic battle to come so soon, but I'm ready! You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeves, Dio! They didn't call me Ace War in the vampire slaying corps for nothing!
"Then you'll just have to die, Lincoln!"
Dio-Linc stepped forward with an arrogant smile on his face, but paused and frowned as his body began to tremble.
"What?"
His eyes began to shift to Lincoln's blue and his fangs started to retract.
He growled in frustration as the sound of bones cracking filled the air.
"Damnit, it would seem the boy's body, mind, and soul is not yet ready to submit to my will. I guess I'll have to persuade him to join me." He said with irritation.
"Lincoln is a kind and gentle soul, he'll never side with a black-hearted monster like you." Joey said coldly.
Dio-Linc gave him a cruel smile.
"Don't be so sure. My influence will get stronger the more he fights, or uses his stand. You can try to tell him not to do battle against an enemy stand user, but the poor boy wouldn't listen, as the [The World] is a violent stand that loves tearing an enemy to pieces. What do you think will happen to his poor family if one pushes him too far?"
Joey bit his lip. He didn't want to believe it, but he was right. Lincoln had an aggressive combat-type stand that loves to fight, forcing it to be a pacifist is like forcing a savage tiger in the wild to be as docile as a submissive house dog. The lack of fighting is going to inflict backlash on Lincoln's attitude, making him become more mean and aggressive, itching for a fight like a blood thirsty headstrong warrior.
Lincoln might hurt somebody if someone rubs him the wrong way while he's burning on the inside and the results won't be pretty, especially if family is involved.
However, Joey had a plan.
Dio-Linc closed his eyes with an arrogant smile on his face while his fangs completely disappeared.
"The boy has pretty sisters and I would love to drink their blood; I like the dark-haired child the most, her wishing to be a vampire and being a part of the occult has really caught my eye…" Dio-Linc said before fainting, falling on his back while his body was shrinking back into child form.
Joey sighed and dismissed his stand and armored suit.
Dio taking an interest in Lucy didn't happen in my world. I definitely need to write this down for later.
A few moments later, Lincoln's eyes shot open and he stood up from the ground rubbing his head.
"Ah, my head. Hey, w-what happened? Did we win, or did we lose?" He asked Joey.
"It was a tie and they left early. Now you and me have some time together and I want to show you something!" The man smiled at the boy.
"Awesome!" Lincoln exclaimed.
Joey taught the white-haired boy the fundamentals of Hamon. He was still too inexperienced to use it, but sent a non-harmful blast of it through the boy's body. It wasn't to harm Lincoln, but to get rid of Dio's influence that was starting to take root in his body, mind, and soul. He did show him the power of [Pressure Time] and his new abilities that Dio displayed when he took over his body.
The man lied about Vaporization Freezing Technique and Space Stringy Ripper Eyes and said that it was Hamon for beginners. He of course knew that it wasn't, but Lincoln didn't know that. It was a little later than usual and in order to make sure that the illusion that Lincoln was tutored is true, he filled in the answers for his homework. Lincoln was saddened at no longer having [Stone Pilot], but he was excited at [The World] getting stronger. After their training, he took Lincoln home.
Later that night, Joey Johnson wrote in his notebook on his office desk that he was keeping track of all the events. He stood up from his desk and went into the bathroom to shave his five o' clock shadow, after a quick shower of course.
Meanwhile, the white-haired child took a shower and he was the first one to the bathroom thanks to Za Warudo, smiling as the warm water ran down his face. Lucy was obviously concerned about his second spirit, but he told her that it was gone and [The World] evolved.
The Loud family and Joey retired for tonight, tired from their usual business routine. In the depths of Lincoln's mind as he slept, Dio began to plot.
I'll try to be his friend and win over his trust, just like I did with Jonathan. I simply cannot chop off his head and take over his body, as I am in spirit form and lacking a physical body. Yes, that's right, I'm more powerful than I was when I fought Jotaro, my operations in Egypt was a setback! Dio will reign supreme over you puny humans and nobody will stop me!
Back at the other house, the white-haired man was in distress as what Dio said to him opened old wounds, reminding him of his great failure. Two Lincolns went to sleep that night. One slept peacefully and soundly like a baby, but the other was stricken with nightmares.
Author's Note:
See you all in January! Enjoy and have a great Happy New Year!
Song Reference:
Rival Sons – Pressure and Time [Pressure Time]